Moment - Vierre Cloud
3rd Person Pov
Babylon 575 BC
Artemis was a thinker. She watched them. It helped them progress. She never went against her orders until now. All Artemis was instructed to do was remain inside the Domo away from the danger. Instead, she was standing on the Ishtar Gate using her bow and arrow against the deviants. Phastos secretly upgraded her bow since her old one was flimsy and weak. She can now remove the deviants from her high position and feel as if she has a purpose. she thought, I'm going to be so late. Art raced down the building, jumping over bumps and uneven areas in the ground. I can make it with just this last one, but she was so caught up in her thoughts that she mistimed the jump. It all happened so fast, she didn't have enough time to scream. Art smacked onto the floor with a harsh thud, twisting her ankle severely. Brilliant! Druig's going to kill me. She tilted her head back in defeat.
Artemis stumbled into Phasto's lab, successfully not bumping into Druig or Ajak. Phastos was standing in the centre of the room with his arms held up, inventing a new piece of technology.
"Where have you been, Artie? You're late again, "Phastos mumbled.
Artemis looked around the lab. "I don't see Sersi or Ajak or Mr. Mind Control, so I'm technically not late," she stated proudly. Sadly, her victory was disrupted as a voice emerged from the windowsill.
"Actually, Angel, Mr. Mind Control is here," he smirked.
Artemis playfully glared at him. For fucksake. "Ok, well, Sersi still isn't here."
Artemis strolled up to Phastos, trying to touch the golden design that filled the centre of the room. Phastos stared down at the girl. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"I wanted to know what they felt like," she mumbled.
"And?"
"I can't reach them," she pouted.
Phastos laughed dryly and went back to his invention, pulling new pieces in and taking unused ones out. As Art walked around the room trying to find something to occupy her, Perfect. Due to her injured ankle, she quickly limped to the food table, only to have a body block her way. Oh come on, I'm so hungry. Art placed her hands firmly on her hips. "Can I help you?"
"Not at all, darling, I just wanted to grab an apple." He replied
Artemis quickly wrapped her vines around the apple, throwing it at the wall. Druig stared at her in shock. "What the hell was that for?" he loudly questioned.
Artemis stared back in disbelief. "You know how I feel about apples? They creep me out," she retaliated.
"How could I forget your complete irrational fear of apples," he said, trying to hold back his laughter.
A small smile escaped Art's lips. It's not my fault; I just really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really hate them ,"Like a lot," she quietly mumbled.
Artemis used a vine to grab him a fresh pear. "There," she said, as the pear dropped into his hands. "I'm sorry for destroying your disgusting apple." She apologised.
Druig couldn't stop the smile from infecting his face. "Apology accepted, Angel, come on, we can share since you're so hungry." Druig said while grabbing her hand and dragging her back over to the windowsill. He sat against the wall with his legs spread out and Art lying in between them, sleep slowly overtaking her.
Art and Druig stayed for that until Ajak sauntered into the lab to begin the weekly thinkers' meeting. In these meetings, they discussed human progression, new inventions, and the jobs assigned to each thinker. Last week, Art was on cleanup. This meant she had to clean up the mess the fighters left behind. There was so much debris. Why were they so messy? Just fight away from all the bloody infrastructure. Artemis continued to sleep with her head resting on Druig's abdomen. Druig stared down at the thinker while mindlessly playing with her hair. How had she captivated me so easily? He questioned himself. Ajak's voice broke him out of his trance.
"Phastos, did you go to the party last night like I told you to?"
"The party, um yea I -" just as he was about to explain himself Druig decided to insert himself into the situation.
"He worked all night"
Artemis looked up at Druig through sleepy eyes "seriously" she whispered
Phastos turned to look at the pair with anger and embarrassment written across his face. "Who was talking to you?"
Druig laughed and turned back to Art eating his pear.
"Get a life," Ajak told him. Artemis let out a particularly loud snort at the comment. This made Phastos turn round to the pair for a second time.
"Who was asking for your comment Artie"
She and Druig fell into a pit of giggles, trying to pay attention to Phasto's new steam thingy. Art looked up at it with confusion written all over her face. I wish I was smart enough to understand this. Artemis was not expecting a certain mind controller to lean down to her ear and whisper "You are smart enough Angel, don't put yourself down". Artemis stared ahead in shock. Did I say that out loud? He bent down again "No but your thoughts are extremely loud". Artemis stared up at him with her chin held up high, he mimicked her actions lifting his chin staring down at the girl.
"Where is Sersi?" Ajak questioned the group.
"Late as usual," Sprite replied. Artemis whipped her head round to look at the shorter eternal. When did she get here? Has she been here the whole time?
"Bet you anything she's playing hide the zucchini with Icky" Artemis announced.
Sprite held in a laugh, Druig buried his head into her shoulder containing his smile. Phastos and Ajak looked completely unamused apart from the small smile threatening to appear.
Ajak glanced over in her direction, sending her a disapproving look. " Hopefully she will be along soon".
"I'm sorry but I have something very exciting to show you okay?" Phastos told Ajak as he grabbed her hand, pulling her to the front of his design. "Wait till you see this?".
Ajak looked completely clueless. "What is it?" She questioned.
Druig stood up helping, holding his hand out for Artemis to take. They snook around Ajak and Phastos making their way to the food table. Art poured them both a drink of Mead, which was a beverage the locals had invented since the water was very limited.
"It's an engine, "Phastos told Ajak like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Which it wasn't. The silence that suffocated the room encouraged him to continue. "It moves steam from high pressure to low pressure. Uh, it'll help them till their fields at an incredibly fast rate" he concluded.
"uh, Phas it's totally gonna freak them out" Art interrupted.
"What she said" Sprite agreed.
"I mean they have only had the wheel a thousand years so" Druig included.
Phastos looked down in defeat before turning to Druig "You know we could do that thing where you use your mind to control them and they could do it quicker".
"Ajak are you listening to this?" Druig interrupted. Art stifled a laugh as she watched their silly bickering like a tennis match.
"Phastos this steam ...?"
"Engine" Art quickly filled in.
"Thank you, Artemis. It's too soon," Ajak said pointing at him. "And there she is" Ajak announced as Sersi ran into the room.
Artemis turned to druig " Bet Ikaris is crying in a corner now after his precious flower left"
Druig dropped his head and laughed silently at the comment. He lifted his head when Sersi began speaking "What did I miss?" she questioned out of breath.
"Nothing" Phastos dismissed." Just the screams of my deep disappointment".
Artemis spoke up "You must have something simpler that they can use without them ending up screaming or crying" she suggested.
"Simple. Ok, let's see Uh.." Phastos mumbled to himself as he began to take part in the steam engine; reassembling it to make a
Plow.
"Cause that's what it does. It plows dirt " he grumbled while walking away next to Art and Druig. Art rubbed his shoulder comforting him. "If it's any consolation, I liked your engine of steam better". Phastos smiled at her sincerely.
Sersi began telling them about a group of settlers who could find some use for the basic instrument. I bet that made him a lot better.
Ajak gathered their attention "Listen, humanity may be coming along slower than some of us want. But there is no telling what wonders they will discover as they advance." she concluded. "Now I want everyone to rest in time for tonight. Phastos I expect to see you there tonight, no exceptions". Ajak motioned for Art to come over. "How did that happen?" she looked down at her ankle.
"Oh I um tripped earlier before the meeting" she wasn't technically lying however Ajak knew better. She leant down and healed it for her. Artemis felt immediate relief as the pain drifted away. "Thank you, I promise to be more careful" and with that Ajak strutted out of the room.
Everyone began to file out of the lab, leaving it in darkness except for Art. She stared at the golden invention spinning slowly around the room. Tears slowly clouded her vision. Why can't I help more she questioned no one in particular. Unknown to Artemis, Druig stood outside of the door listening to her heartbreaking thoughts; his heart breaking in the process for the girl he cared so much about.