"IF YOU like machines, then you can tell the other kids that you like butterflies too," Adin's father said.
Adin had walked home from school as he tried to cease his sniffling. Even after he had arrived at his father's study, his safe place, he was still in tears. Looking back, it had been pathetic to be upset about a minor incident, but at the young age of eight, he had instantly felt the tears pool up in his eyes when his classmates made fun of him.
"But butterflies aren't as interesting," Adin admitted, "and I don't want to hurt them."
His father smiled. "Think about this. One gear spins, the next follows, and the next thing you know, all of the gears will be turning. The butterfly effect works in the same way; something happens, and soon, a chain of events is set into motion."
In awe, Adin watched as his father assembled all of the pieces. With deft fingers, Mr. Aulus twisted one of the gears. It turned with ease, bringing the other pieces with it.
Over the whirring, his father added, "Technology is still constantly evolving, like how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. At first, inventing was nothing more than putting together scraps of wood but look at it now!" his father said, gesturing to the robotic machinery in the room, and then the huge advertisements projected on the buildings and skyscrapers across from them. With his calloused fingers, he cupped his son's face. "You'll make me so proud one day, I know it. You'll make a working automaton, like I dreamed I would, and the whole world will praise you."
But as soon as his son left, Mr. Aulus turned to where Adin had been and whispered, "not if I do it first."
✧･☆: *✧･☆:*✧･☆: *✧･☆:*✧･☆: *✧･☆:*
THE DIMMING rays of the sun were his only source of light as Adin began to illustrate his latest idea in his sketchbook. Each pencil stroke was precise, the graphite trailing across the paper in perfect shapes and letters as each section was drawn and labeled.
Soon, the sun faded away to hide behind the rocky hills, submerging the room into darkness. Sighing, Adin decided that he had done enough for the night, and retired to bed.
By the time the sky barely began to brighten again the next morning, Adin had already dragged himself out of bed. He was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at his tired eyes and ashen skin. Knowing what his best friend would tell him, Adin rolled his eyes and left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Chris would never understand that it had taken the hard way to discover that it was easier for him to work in the morning when his mind was fresh with ideas, and he wasn't nearly as clumsy.
He returned to his desk, the same wooden one with numerous drawers that had stood in his father's study years ago. Gears and tools filled the cabinets, each organized neatly by size and shape. And though the metal pieces had become rusty, Adin's hands easily pieced each gear together, flying so deftly across the robot that it was nothing but a blur.
Inventing was something that he was used to, not like the responses that always came as a surprise. Emotions, too, were annoyingly unpredictable. So the library became more of a school than his classroom, or a home than his own house for that matter. And naturally, the librarian became one of his closest friends, the one who silently watched over him or asked if he wanted to come over for dinner. There at the library, he stayed from the moment it opened until it closed for the night.
Adin stared at the half-finished automaton on his desk. Would he become as desperate as his father had been and go as far as to willingly put a life at risk? And if he ever had one, would he neglect his son just as his father had? He pushed the nagging thought out of his mind and focused on piecing the gears together.
It was, after all, an important task, because the automaton was more than 'just a robot'– so much more. It looked and acted identically to the human race, yet it could change Amethirus' future for the better. And for success. One simple modification and it would do anything anyone wanted.
When Adin pulled open the bottom drawer, a stack of papers fell to the ground, and dust billowed around him, too. He winced, coughing, before he started to gather the assortment of letters, diary entries, and ideas for inventions. As he picked them up, he stumbled upon an entry.
And it set free a terrible memory from his past.
He had spent so many years trying to lock it away.
But it had returned to haunt him.
All because of his father's crimes.
He shut his eyes, letting the slip of paper fall through his sweaty fingers. Adin collapsed on his back, feeling the cold wooden floor beneath him chill him to the bone. His heart pounded deafeningly in his ears, and panic rose in his chest, threatening to drown him.
Thirty minutes flew past in what seemed to be five seconds, and Adin finally opened his eyes, sat up, and began collecting the pieces of scattered paper. When he finally maneuvered through the maze made of neat stacks of parchment on the wood floor, the lack of paper in the drawer revealed his most prized possession: his computer.
Just as he managed to get the computer working, there was a knock at the door. Adin sighed. The coding would have to wait till later. He quickly pushed the automaton into the corner and put the computer away, though he was careful not to knock over the papers again. Shoving on his shoes, Adin cautiously approached the door and asked, "who's there?"
There was no response, and when he opened the door, Adin found Chris and a cleaning lady talking in hushed tones. He could only hear small pieces at a time, but it was enough to make him wonder if he had made the right choice by hiring a new cleaning lady.
"Dude, it's not going to . . . he won't fire you . . . I think . . . calm down!"
As Chris' words sank in, Adin froze. He never liked it when Chris was planning something that he didn't know about, not even for his birthday. It suddenly dawned upon him that Chris hadn't noticed his presence. "Um, hey," said Adin finally.
Whimpering, the cleaning lady turned and froze at the sight of Adin standing in the open doorway. Chris simply turned around, too, without so much as a flinch. The only clue of surprise that he showed was a subtly raised eyebrow, but it quickly disappeared as he greeted his friend.
"Good to see you, Adin!" grinned Chris. "Do you like hugs? I forgot."
Adin wrapped his arms around himself and quietly muttered, "Haphephobia." He lifted his head so he could look Chris in the eye, and he asked, "So, what were you plotting?"
There was suddenly a small squeak of terror behind Adin from the cleaning lady who had just begun making the bed.
"You don't trust me very much, do you?" Chris asked Adin with a laugh.
"Do you expect me to?" Adin retorted, thinking of the disastrous 25th birthday celebration that Chris had planned.
"Well, I told her to go through your stuff and see if she could find anything on if you fancied me or not," Chris said, winking at Adin, who turned his gaze onto his untied shoelaces. They suddenly seemed extraordinarily interesting at that moment.
"Either way, I might stay in my room today," Adin said, and lowered his voice to whisper, "I have no idea what she's like."
"Then why'd you fire the last one?"
"I didn't fire her, I dismissed her."
Chris frowned, opening his mouth to respond but then abruptly stopped. He pressed a finger to his earpiece like he always did whenever the military general gave orders. When it crackled, Chris suggested, "You could put on a show tonight for the Paralyzer. You haven't done one in ages."
"A week isn't ages."
"It feels like it."
"I don't want to do a show today," groaned Adin. "I'm tired."
"I'll help you, but does that mean you can get away with sleeping after midnight and waking up before the sun comes up? No!"
"I work on my projects when I'm not sleeping!"
"What's the point of making so many inventions if you don't show anyone?" argued Chris. Before Adin could respond, Chris pressed a finger against his lips and interjected, "Don't think, do."
Adin took a step back but sighed, knowing that Chris had a point. "Fine." He slipped past Chris as he stepped out of the doorway.
While he navigated through the long corridors of the castle, Adin began thinking about the show. He knew he wouldn't end up saying what he planned, but it was something to keep his mind busy. But unfortunately, when he was occupied, Adin tended to lose his observation skills.
1507 words<3
author speaking!
WHEEEEE finding argentum has been republished!!!! and omg Adin and Chris' friendship is so madly cute??? like all of a sudden i'm once again motivated by their relationship LMAO— anyway, i hope you enjoy this chapter, if you did, make sure to vote and comment! love you ALL so much, so have a great rest of your day! <3000
— sophia xoxo