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 Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:22 pm
It was a year before Cyrus decided that the key was well and truly gone. The whole year he spent searching every nook and cranny he could, but he would always return to her and talk to her. He would tell her about his travels, the wonders he had seen, and, on some nights, the horrors. He felt less lonely somehow with her sitting and staring off into nothingness as he talked to her.
He was returning from his final fruitless search feeling a bit dejected and hopeless as he stepped into the room he had made into theirs.
"Nothing," he frowned and threw his things down onto the floor. "Some greedy b*****d probably saw it and thought it was worth something," he muttered and ran his fingers through his hair. "It could be anywhere. I am sorry Elora. I have failed you," he said quietly, walking over to stand before her and looking down into her blank, blue eyes. He didn't like saying those words. They felt dirty in his mouth. He wasn't used to failure.
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:30 pm
Elora was happy, sure she couldn't move but she was no longer trapped under a pile of rubble she had company and that made her happy. She liked to have people around her. Sometimes he would disappear and that scared her, she was worried that he would not come back and she would be stuck on her own again, though he always returned.
One, random day she sat and watched him move around. He was quite nimble for such a big man. When he threw his things down she would have jumped. She saw the angish that failure caused him and again wanted to reach out with reassurance. it was okay, she was happy to have company, even if she knew he would likely get bored of talking to a statue at some point.
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:45 pm
Sighing heavily, Cyrus shifted to sit beside her on the chair he had set her up in for the day while he searched.
"There has to be something that can be done. This can't be the end of things for you," he frowned and leaned forward with his head between his hands. "I need your help remembering. You always knew everything when I came to you," he muttered, rubbing his hand with agitation through his hair. "Think Cyrus, think dammit!" In the back of his memories, he heard a clink. Frowning more, he closed his eyes and heard it again and then again. He could feel the heat of the forge on his skin and it raised with goosebumps and a shiver as he remembered. What was it that a locksmith did when he couldn't find the key? He made a new one.
Lifting his head, he turned to her and studied her a moment.
"I could make you a new key," he said aloud. In the whole of this city, there had to be some information still on how to do it. Shifting closer to her, he looked into her eyes a moment. "Pardon me Elora," he smiled a little and reached up to gently ease the edge of her dressing gown down to expose her chest a bit. Over where her heart should be, there was a heart shaped hole. Gently he traced his finger around the edge of it. "Yes... that's what I'll do. I'll make you a new one," he smiled and looked up at her again. "Don't give up on me yet. I can do this."
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:26 am
Elora watched. He wasn't really the smartest man, beast .... whatever he was. She had never taken the time to find out. He clearly wasn't human. Like her, despite the passage of time he remained as he always had been.
She could almost see the cogs in his own brain working, saw the lightbulb as it came on. Yes, yes that was a brilliant idea, make a new key! Yes. She thought as she continued to watch him, unmoving and unblinking.
She wasn't sure if he would be able to do it, but to try ... she would keep hoping, she might even pray if she got really desperate.
I'm your's forever if you can do it.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:01 am
The searching began again. First the search for a locksmith's shop and then the search for information and the tools. Returning to their nest with all of the things he had collected, he started to set up a work area. It had been centuries since he had worked with his hands in this way. There hadn't been a need for him to since he took up with Industry. His hands had been used for other talents.
"There's so much intricacy involved Ellie," Cyrus smirked as he searched through a book and worked with a lock he had picked up to practice on. He hadn't even noticed that he had begun to call her by a pet name. It had begun some time earlier in the year and it had just become a part of the way he spoke to her. "It makes me wonder about what you have inside." He paused and looked up and over at her. "I hope I'll be able to do you justice."
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:12 pm
You think I don't wonder about what there is inside me? She asked silently. How could she be a machine, yet feel and see as she did. It seemed unnatural, strange. She wondered if he would be able to make her something. If not, well he might as well destroy her, she did not want to exist like this, just staring into nothing.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:21 pm
It was several weeks later when he finally finished cutting the intricate design he had managed to extract from her lock. Blowing on it to get the shavings off, he turned to look at her.
"Look Ellie, I've done it. Or, well, I've done something," he smirked and stood to walk over to her. "Please forgive me if this doesn't work," he said softly as he looked into her eyes. Taking a deep breath, he eased her dressing gown down a little to expose her lock. The key was a bit crude in design, but as he slipped it inside, he was rewarded with a satisfying click. Gently pushing it further, he turned it and stepped back to see if it had worked.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:34 pm
Elora watched him with excitement. If her heart worked she was sure it would be beating hard in her chest, he slipped the key in and then ... he stepped back.
Noooo! She cried inside. No, no you meatbrained fool. I'm clockwork, not electric. You have to wind me, like a clock.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:38 pm
Cyrus frowned as nothing happened. Reaching up, he ran his fingers through his hair and glanced around. It was a perfect fit. It should have worked. Sighing heavily, he turned away and went to snatch up the book he had been studying. Flipping through a few pages, he came to a picture of an old grandfather clock. Frowning a bit, he studied it and ran his fingers over the picture of the key and then the picture of the cogs inside. Lowering the book he looked back to Elora. Setting it down, he walked back over and gently began to twist the key. He was rewarded again with some satisfying clicks. Smiling a bit, he began to turn it a little faster.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:46 pm
Yes big boy, that's it. Again, she would have smirked if she could as her insides clunked and creaked, it did not feel entirely healthy but it was progress. Once he had finished she waited, more creaking and a slow metalic thumping, she tried her eyes first, trying to blink, they fluttered, then she she coughed, a wheezing, creaky cough that made her sound like an ancient woman, her arms moved slowly, though it was painful and there was definite creaking and scraping.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:54 pm
When the key wouldn't turn anymore, Cyrus stepped back a little and watched and listened. Her eyes fluttering caused him to blink and a wide grin spread across his lips when she gave a cough.
"Hah! I did it! I told you I would do it and I did it!" he laughed and slapped his hands together. When pain washed over her features, his joy was put on hold and he stepped forward. "Elora? What is wrong? What do you need?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:00 pm
"Hurts." She managed to wheeze out. "Inside." She swallowed and tried to move again, wincing. "Thank you." It was good to have a voice again and though she had rusted up she was able to interact now. That was a million times better than anything else.
She breathed deeply again, it was getting easier with each breath though she still could not move well.
"Do you always apologise to women before you undress them?" She asked, her lips curling to a smirk.
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:05 pm
Worry remained plastered on his face as she said she was hurting. Fretting a bit about what he could do to help her, he blinked and looked back at her at her tease.
"What?" he asked, then he remembered their reunion. Clearing his throat a little, he looked away and then back to her. "Well... it just seemed rude not to apologize." He paused and tilted his head to the side. "Wait... you were aware of me changing you?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:16 pm
She nodded with a creak and smiled at him.
"Yes, everything. It was the most frustrating thing. I could hear you, see you but I couldn't answer you." A warm smile formed on her face. "I thought that no one would find me, that I would be lost forever ... waiting forever."
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Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:20 pm
Cy looked away again as realization washed over him. He hadn't realized that she could hear him and see him. He had told her things he probably should never have told a lady.
"Well... I'm not real sure why I came back here. I suppose I was looking for answers. I didn't expect to find you," he smirked a little and moved to take a seat. "Is there anything I can do to help your insides?"
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