The Inventor from Velothain

Steam

“Florence!”
Florence’s eyes snapped open. She was greeted by Edgar, Elysia and Percy, she wasn’t in the sewers anymore.
“Was I asleep?” Florence asked a bit bleary eyed.
“Not exactly.” Percy replied. “you were very close to dying.”
“So, all the events with Octavius happened?”
“Yeah. Unfortunately, you were almost killed.” Elysia looked more guilty than anything.
“Yeah, I was meant to talk to you all about that.” The events from earlier came flooding back.
“Florence, if I knew that there would’ve been Pentagucan in that sewer, I never would’ve asked you to go down.” Said Elysia desperately.
“Octavius said it was basic science. How did you not know?” Florence barked. “Your ignorance almost killed me.”
“A human can take a regular amount of Pentagucan for around fifteen minutes. Any longer would start to take its toll. I’m an inventor, I know this stuff.”
“The important thing is that you’re safe Florence.” Said Percy.
“Yes. And I think that you should take a break from the whole adventure thing.” Edgar sighed.
“Did you manage to find anything out?” Elysia asked.
“She almost died, don’t ask her that.” Percy slapped Elysia’s forearm.
“I didn’t mean anything by it, I was just curious.” Elysia pouted like a child.
“I actually found a few things.” Florence stumbled. “He told me he wanted to make the rest of the city like them, so that they could go outside.”
“What a naff plan.” Percy muttered coldly. “Why would you put yourself through all that just to go outside.”
“Acceptance.” Edgar suggested.
“What happened after I passed out?”
“Not long after you passed out, we found you. I mean obviously we weren’t going to take on the entire cult by ourselves, between us we have a skinny robot, a bookish teenager and a sexually frustrated scientist.”
“I’m not sexually frustrated!” Elysia yelled.
“You made a cybergenic woman because you were lonely, then when she came to life you couldn’t talk to her like the useless lesbian you are.” Percy sighed.
“Ok, now I feel physically attacked.” Elysia flopped in her seat.
“Anyway, we managed to pick you up and leave the sewer. It’s clear now we can’t stop them right now, but it’s only a matter of time before of time before their plan gets put in motion.”
“Time.” Florence said absentmindedly.
“Yeah. what if there was a way to give us more time.” Florence proposed.
“How do we do that?” Percy asked.
“A time machine?” Edgar suggested.
“Could you do that Elysia?” Percy asked Elysia who hadn’t been listening to the last conversation.
“Huh?”
“Could you build a time machine?” Percy asked with pure exasperation.
“I’m an inventor, not a miracle worker!” Elysia huffed. “Why do you need it?”
“I was thinking, if we go back in time to before Octavius became ‘Octavius’ and stop the entire series from happening.” Florence began. “He said he had a mentor. If we can find them, we could get some insight on where to go from here.”
Elysia gulped. “Yeah, that may have been me.”
“What!?” The rest of the group yelled in unison.
“Do you think it would’ve been a good idea to let us know prior?” Percy blinked.
“I thought you guys knew?” Elysia smiled innocently. “I didn’t really make it a secret. How else would I have known about the Zyisnikins?”
“True.” Said Percy. “But you could’ve told us.”
“Octavius or Enoch Luckett, was my apprentice for a few years. He showed some real potential and he was a very intelligent man, one day he went too far because of his dead father. No matter how many times I told him that it was a bad idea, he still went through with it behind my back. After he completely mutilated himself, I had to dismiss him. And somehow this happened.” Elysia explained.
“So, about this time machine…” Edgar chimed in.
“As I said before: I’m not a miracle worker, but I can do my best, if I can make a walking talking woman, then I can build a time machine.” Said Elysia. “I can also restring a guitar.”
“You can’t even restring your vocal chords just to talk to women, so don’t give us that.” Percy snickered.
“Do you have a death wish?” Elysia growled.
Percy shrugged, still with his obnoxious grin on his face.

*****

Florence had been excused an hour into the meeting, she had told them she needed some fresh air. She had a small feeling in the back of her mind that Octavius may have been a teller. He knew so much about her, maybe he had some sort of connection with the group.
And so, crossing the cobblestone road, she reached the home of the tellers. She reached into her pocket and retrieved a key that she had received a few visits ago, she stepped through, into the bar. Many of the tellers danced around the floor. They all dressed in the most interesting clothes Florence had seen in her, though she had seen them so any times before, but time and time again, they never failed to impress her. Some wore brightly coloured suits, some wore oddly patchworked coats, some wore pain colours. No two people looked the same, it reminded Florence of when she and Edgar used to live in London with their parents. She wondered how they were doing now that their little nuisances were out of their lives.
“Florence!” came the chipper chirp from Joanne snapping Florence back into reality. “Kate isn’t here at the moment, but Julia is in her room. Kate told me what happened and I guess I knew anyway. How are you feeling? Octavius is such a horrid creature.”
“Yeah, I’m better thanks. Speaking of which, do you know much about him?” Florence asked casually.
“I don’t myself, but I know that Julian may. He’s been here as long as I can remember.”
They looked over Julian who was hunched over the bar with a bottle of something rested in his right hand.
“Is he alright?” Florence asked.
“We’re not too sure. Every Wednesday he just sits at the bar and just keeps ordering drinks. He won’t tell us why; I don’t think we’re meant to know if I’m being honest.” Joanne explained solemnly.
“I do need to ask him a few things, I’ll see you later Joanne.”
“Farewell Florence.” Joanne smiled.
Florence jogged over to the bar and sat on one of the stools next to Julian.
“Oh Florence.” Julian smiled as if the very sight of the girl brightened up his day. “Tell me, have you thought more of join the tellers?”
“Not really, I think I’d rather look after my brother.” Florence replied.
“Shame. You show real potential.” Julian sighed. “Anyway, what did you need from me?”
“I was wondering if you knew anything about Enoch Luckett?”
Julian went pale. He took another swig of his drink, almost to avoid answering the question.
“Yes, I did.” Julian said at last. “He was a teller, a very powerful one at that. Until one day he left us, we never knew why. It was clear that he had some ulterior motives when he was with us. He was responsible for the great Tesla war of 48’…indirectly, obviously. It scares me that he still has his power and is out there somewhere. Why?”
“I saw him today. He was able to find out almost everything about me in a matter of seconds.”
“He was very good at that, and he could change the narrative of an entire city, something not many tellers can do.”
“I tried to use my power again, today.” Florence said. “But I couldn’t. does that mean I’m not a teller after all? I mean, I was able to use it for Edgar a while ago.”
“Not necessarily. If a younger teller wanted to fight for control over the narrative with an older and more powerful teller, it’s likely that the younger would completely lose. So, don’t feel bad if you were fighting with Enoch, he was very powerful. But you’re unharmed, correct?”
“That’s true. I just wanted to know what you knew of him. I will see you soon Julian.”
“Farewell dear Florence.” Julian beamed.
“Oh, by the way.”
“Yes?”
“Why do you sit at the bar every Wednesday?” she asked.
“Ah, curious I see.”
Florence nodded.
“Every teller has to go through losing their friends and family, everyone deals with it differently.”
“Good bye Julian.” Florence touched his shoulder.
As Florence turned for the door, she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
“Julia!” Florence greeted.
“I haven’t seen you in so long.”
“How have you been?”
“Very good, so, any thoughts on joining us?” Julia wiggled her eyebrows.
“Well, actually I’m not too sure. I’d rather not leave my friends and family, mainly Edgar, he does need me.”
Julia smiled absentmindedly, “Come and sit down.” She gestured to a set of chairs beside the dance floor. To which Florence gladly obliged. “Can I say something to help you decide?”
Florence shrugged. “Go ahead.”
“No one wants to leave the people they love.” Julia began. “But all of us have gone through it. We gave up our own homes and our own families, all for the good of Velothain. We have created our own families and our own friends. You may want to stay with your brother but you can’t stay with him forever. You both will grow and change.”
“I’m not from this world Julia.” Florence said quietly. “Besides, I’m not saying that I will be with him forever, its just as he’s all I’ve got. We need to be there for each other now.”
“I understand, but can I tell you about my experiences?” Julia asked. “I’m not trying to talk you into anything, I just want to talk to you about it.”
Florence nodded, understandingly.
“A few years ago, I was part of a tribe in the outskirts of the city, situated in the canyon linking the city and the rest of the world together. The Ugethi tribe. I lived a reasonable life. My family wasn’t a well-off family but we had enough. The tribe had strict instructions about how their members would wear and do, anything abnormal was frowned upon and so you could imagine how I felt when my abilities were awakened. It happened when I was gathering firewood, I was day dreaming and suddenly I noticed a pile of firewood in front of me. It was funny because, not five minutes ago I had imagined what it would be like if my job was a little easier. So I imagined again, and as I walked some more I noticed another pile of wood in front of me. I was terrified but also excited, I tried it out whenever I could.  I loved it, but there was no way I could tell the people in the tribe. I’d be accused of being a ‘witch’. So, I kept it to myself until, I met Julian. He told me that there were many others like me, I agreed to come with him to Velothain. Sure, I was reluctant to leave the people I had grown up with but it was only a matter of time before they found out. And thus, here I am.”
“I get it.” Florence said. “You want me to think carefully about my choice, but I have made my decision and I will be staying with my brother. I’d better go, I’ve been gone for a while. Tell Kate I said hi.”
“I understand. Farewell Florence.” Julia beamed at the girl. She kissed her good bye and watched her leave.
Florence stood from her seat and began to travel home.