1.26 – Orgones

No content warning needed

Maple decided to take the long way back to the inn. Her thoughts were dominated by the length of a week, and the value of four silver. If Sasha ever lost favor for her and Emma, they'd be in a tough spot.

Fresh bread filled her nose as she passed a bakery advertising their need for an assistant. It would have been nice to buy something, but she ignored the sign. Applying for the job would just go poorly again, and she'd had her fill of face-to-face rejection for the time being.

There were downsides to Earth's method of sending out 20 job applications and having them all silently ignored, but at least they didn't look at you like you were a degenerate or laugh you out of the building.

The thought of returning to SuQ Dairy was gradually becoming acceptable. If it existed in this world, she may as well start an OnlyFans. That was all her existing classes were good for.

Okay, maybe she wouldn't go that far. But actually, did this world have pornography? Sex toys? Both had been billion dollar industries back home. Syber had brothels; she'd seen them a few times. They were regulated and didn't look all that bad from the outside, but she would never do that herself.

One of the other industries would be fine. Maybe she could even just draw porn, lack of artistic talent notwithstanding. It was something to think about. The lack of silicone might be a problem for sex toys, but some were possible.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by an old man calling out to her from his yard.

"You there, miss! Care to give me a hand right quick?"

He was messing with a strange contraption larger than he was. The body of it had two wheels which could be turned to aim the device. At one end were several pointed metal rods aimed at the sky. At a cloud, Maple realized.

On the other end was a bundle of chains leading into a tub of water. Each one about the size you'd use for a necklace, and made of a variety of metals. There was silver, gold, shades of grey, and even a blue one.

His grey hair stuck out in every direction and was as unkempt as his clothing, which was wrinkled and covered in stains. He wore spectacles and Maple spotted the golden chain of a pocket watch leading into a coat pocket. It was the second Human she'd met in Syber so far.

As she approached, the smell of booze permeated her nostrils. He was in front of a large house with an equally large yard around it. The other people walking by seemed used to ignoring him.

"Um, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to make it rain, girl. Here, take this and point it at that cloud over there while cranking the handle. Are you familiar with orgone energy?"

He handed Maple a separate device with a hand crank. On the end was a spiral made of a metal wire about an inch thick that spun like a drill. Maple did as he instructed, baffled more than anything.

A passing pair of guards pointed and snickered to themselves. She couldn't hear what they said.

"Um, no? What's that? Who are you?"

"Not many are. Yet. I'm Henry Aliblazer, renowned [Inventor]. You may have seen some of my clockwork before. Orgone energy is my groundbreaking research. It's everywhere, completely undetectable, and yet more powerful than mana. I've collected a bunch into this water—water has a natural affinity for orgones, you see—and now this device is going to infuse that cloud there with them. And then, it will rain. Keep that calibrator pointed at it. Here, put this on too."

He held out a pyramid made of thin metal rods, and Maple let out a breath before taking it. She glanced to the street she'd just been walking down. Coming this way may have been a mistake. Magic did exist in this world, but was this it?

"Put it on...where?"

"Your head, of course! Balance it carefully. And keep cranking!"

He said it as if she were the crazy one. She did as instructed, and felt like she was. Henry adjusted some dials on the large contraption and looked between it, the cloud, and Maple. A few people stopped to watch. They had amused looks, and one of them called out before continuing on their way.

"Try taking your clothes off and doing a handstand!"

Maple grimaced and was about ready to leave. Henry scoffed at them.

"Don't mind the simpleminded. They call me a crackpot, bah! I'll show them. Or my name isn't Harry Alabaster. Although, getting naked might not be a bad idea. There's a sexual component I've not quite pinned down yet. You see, an abundance of orgones are released during—"

That was enough. Maple moved to take the pyramid off her head, but whoever this man was turned to her urgently. His eyes were wide and had dark bags under them.

"Wait—just a little longer. Please. What do you want? Silver? I'll pay. Just keep that on, and keep cranking. It'll work this time. You feel it, don't you?"

Maple looked at the man pityingly and decided to oblige him. Just a little longer. She needed anything she could get, but would it even be right to take his money? The cloud was slowly drifting away, and more people stopped to point and laugh. As if his illness were some spectacle to view in passing.

Henry skillfully ignored them all and examined the tub of water. She watched him stick a finger in and mutter to himself. Nothing was happening, and her arm was getting sore from cranking.

"So, if it's undetectable, then how do you know there's anything in the water?"

"I've been accumulating orgones into it for two weeks now, using an energy dome much like the one on your head. That's another of my inventions. I have one you can sit inside of, too. Keeps you healthy. How do you think I've lived to the ripe old age of...of..."

He stared off into space as he struggled to remember, only snapping back to reality when Maple stopped cranking the weird device.

"Don't stop. I'm old, is the point, and healthier than a fox! Anyway you can't see air, but you know it's there don't you? I can't see or feel mana, but you don't see me calling [Mages] crazy. I made my fortune from physical gadgets, but as soon as I discover something more—they call me crazy!"

"I see. Um, that sucks."

He looked at her, becoming more agitated as his rant continued.

"If I could just harness it properly, it would change the world. They don't want that, though. They would stop me. I see them sometimes. Even while I sleep, they're after me. I'm too much of a public figure for them to kill though, and they know it. So they stoop to ruining my reputation, and—and sabotage! Hey, you give those back! Who are you?"

He turned on Maple and snatched the pyramid off her head along with the crank gadget. Maple took a few steps back, concerned for her safety now.

"I'm Maple. You asked me to help you, remember? Who's they?"

"You know who. Devil woman. Get away from me!"

He pointed at her accusingly and watched her until she'd backed up all the way to the street. Then he went back to fiddling with the machine as if she were never there. He aligned it to the cloud again while mumbling.

"Ohh—it's not working. The polarity of the orgonic defractionater must be wrong. Or was there just not enough..."

Maple sighed and turned to continue back to the inn. The other people watching began to disperse as well. She spoke to herself, a little disconcerted.

"That was weird."

"Don't take it personally. He's not well, but he's harmless really."

An older Human woman replied to Maple as she passed. She'd come out of a nearby house to watch earlier. Maple didn't bother stopping but just nodded.

When she got back to the inn, she was surprised to find Emma having lunch. She grinned and waved Maple over.

"Emma! You're back early?"

She got a nod and a hug in response, and then a pre-written note as Maple sat down next to her.

I quit, but Marie said I should just take the day off instead.

"Oh, what happened? You don't like it?"

Emma looked away and shrugged noncommittally. She yawned dramatically, and Maple saw she was a little droopier than normal. She seemed tired every time she saw her lately.

"It's okay if you're tired. You don't need to push yourself. You can quit if you want, or maybe just work part-time. We'll be fine, okay?"

She probably just wasn't used to being so active, given how she had found her originally. Maple didn't want her to get burnt out.

Her smile seemed strained as she nodded and shrugged. Before Maple could ask if there was anything else going on, she changed the subject by poking her and gesturing, asking how her day had been going so far.

"Well, still no job. But I found an [Alchemist] that's going to try to make a potion for me. It was kind of expensive, but—it really is debilitating, you know? I can't go a single day without your help."

Emma nodded understandingly and then wrote.

That's why I'm your Level 16 [Soapy Helper].

"Haha, ooh fancy levels you got there. Yes you are. And I'm your Level 10—haha nevermind, I'm not saying that! I just need something for emergencies though, you know?"

She did. Maple leaned into her, unconcerned with the potential stares they'd get. Her hand rested interlinked with Emma's on top of the table. It looked like they'd be able to spend the day together, and that made Maple smile.

"I was thinking of going back to that dairy place today. You could come if you want, or we could do something else if you're not too tired."

She nodded again.

If you carry me.