Sitting here at the steps of a building, I was just bored and lonely as usual. I'm just your every-day typical bi-stander that observes everything. So here is what I observed in this city. The skies were covered in the golden blanket from the sunset. Many people walked through the streets. The sounds of chatter, laughter, and cries from children filled the air of the little city called Mizra. In the year 2670 A.D. nothing seemed wrong.
The buildings were high and glittering in gold. It was like a utopia that people wished for in the past. Joyful music filled the air from the intercoms. People got along with one another, and the city was filled with smiles, except for a family full of greed and power, the Malzaheimer family. They lived at the top of the steep hill with a vast black asphalt road winding all the way to their manor. No one dared to go there. Not even the servants would want to serve them even if they would get large pay from the rich family.
Everyone knew all the Malzaheimers would do is torture them with their riches and smear it all over the people's faces. They were like the scum of the city, but only rich. The manor was pale white with gold trimmings and roof tops. There were large stained windows beautifully designed to show their wealth, if the manor wasn't enough. Inside the manor lived a family of six people.
Garren Malzaheimer, the head of the manor. He owns the Tip Top Tarner business which their business was private, so I don't know much about it! An average man with a pot belly dressed in the most expensive and elegant looking clothes with gold trimmings. His jacket was an ugly yellow suit, along with corresponding slacks. Garren had a bird's nest going on in his beard, which I wonder, does he ever wash it?
He had a wife named Myra Malzaheimer. She had a dirty little secret that her husband does not know about. It ran through her family of prostitution and earning money the dirty quick and easy way. She wore the most revealing outfits to show off her body-ahem erm, beauty.
Then there was Aly and Alicia Malzaheimer. Wore the same exact things, had the same interests, no need to explain more now do I? The youngest one was a boy named Mark. Spoiled child, such a spoiled child! I can't imagine him when he grows up. Oh and did I say six was in the family? Well last but not least, me.
My name is Kinetta, and was adopted to the family, don't remember my last name, but I know my age, 17. I was just a poor boy lost in the slums, but was found by this "lovely" family. Then they took me in and used me as a slave, what a great family?
Ah all they do is order me around here and there, making fun of what my interests are because the idea of steampunk was dead, or so they though. I just usually wear old steampunkish, Victorian clothing. I know they're about 800 years old. I was just a boy full of ideas but could not share it with anyone, just because they would laugh at me for it. I'm actually quite surprised that I haven't snapped and fought back yet, but then again, what good would that give me?
So here I am, sitting in this world lost. I suddenly received a letter on my receiver from my parents. It was about school, saying: "Well Kinetta, we think you are smart enough and old enough to go to school! Now we hope you do well and become really smart! Get a good scholarship so you can earn big bucks! We love you! :)" –Mom and Dad.
Oh well thanks a lot mom and dad, like I wasn't smart, considering I was already creating my own robots at the age of 7! Well great, more stuff for them. It would do me some good, I guess. I don't have to be picking up after their mess like a maid. I could finally get a scholarship in something and get a job, and then I will have my own money!
Suddenly my receiver rings again. "Please pay the tip for your letter. It is your choice, but doing so will allow you to send out smiles!" –H.R.A. I just clicked "No thanks." Well at least they still ask for tips, but there's no person to give it to! So I got up and left. I walked down the streets of Mizra, observing all of the things in the city once again.
People walked down the silver sidewalks minding their own business. Some people occasionally said hi to one another. There was a restaurant decorated like a 1960's diner with the pink neon lights inside. It also had a large pink neon that said Retro Diner. I laughed and said to myself "I'd like to see a steampunk diner!" I just paced down the sidewalk to my house.
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I arrived home, being greeted by the house's system. I called out to my mom and dad to see if they were home. No response, but the twins responded, "They're not home!" at the same time. I always find that really creepy with them two always in sync. "Alright, thanks." I responded.
I walked up to my room and pulled out my keys to unlock my door. I suddenly stopped in my tracks, holding the key to the lock. It felt like I was being stalked by someone. Except who would possibly ever stalk anyone in or even involved with the Malzaheimer family?
"Heeheehee...you scared?" said a light and screechy voice. "Mark...how many times do I have to tell you that the guide to scare people does not work?" I responded. "What? How did you know it was me? It has worked before! I did it to the twins!" he responded back with disappointment. I sighed and covered my forehead with my left hand. "I hate to say it but the twins just play along with you all the time...now can you let me be? I have to order my books and study for school now."
Mark looked surprised and said "Wait you're in school now? How did you get in? Is that what you were doing this whole time you were out?" I got annoyed with his questions. "Okay, mom and dad got me in saying that 'I am smart enough' to go to school now so I'm pretty sure they paid for me. I heard you are going to be going to school soon too." He then looked shocked and panicked. "But I don't wanna go to school yet! Wah!"
I just grinned slightly and chuckled a bit. "Well hey, back in the old days, kids your age would be in school already. They knew how to make their own steam powered robots at the age of 10! You're 9 already bud, your mind is capable of comprehending the usage of steam and understanding the makings of a robot." He then looked at me confused. "Wait I use steam? What is steam anyways? There is steam powered robots? Whoa cool! But I bet our robots could so own those robots!"
Oh yeah. I forgot this is not a steampunk city. "Uh, forget what I just said. But all I'm saying is you're a smart guy. School is easy actually, and fun! You get to meet new people and make new friends. Then possibly find a girlfriend. Well, you don't have to worry about that yet."
Mark then looked interested. "Girlfriend...girlfriend...where have I heard that from...oh yeah! Isn't a girlfriend like a person who is a girl if you're a boy to have sex with and make kids? Wait what is sex anyways? Make kids? You mean like me? Wait mommy kept making gestures like sticking her finger in a hole or something like that...what does that mean?" I jumped back and yelled, "What the--? Where did you learn that from?! Oh god! What did the twins tell you?! Or mainly mom since she's the—agh! Disturbing images in my head, gah! Okay leave me alone I have to study now!" I quickly unlocked the door and went in, slamming the door shut.
Goodness, what is up with the children these days? Or mainly what is wrong with their mom. I tossed my bag to the side of my room and hopped onto my bed lying on my back. "Open school book orders." I said. Then a bronze framed screen came down from the ceiling and powered on.
"What subjects would you like to study Kinetta?" asked the system. "Well what is recommended for Mizra Academy?" The system then popped up the results. "Here are the recommended books for Mizra Academy." I looked at the books, but wasn't interested in anything. "Hmm let's see...statistics, government, physics...anything on mechanical? Tags steam power and manufacturing."
The system then had a loading screen, but then it said "Sorry, I could not find any results on that subject, but I have found some other results for another academy that has a book on this subject. Would you like me to bring it up?" "Yes please." I responded. A school that had an actual class on that subject? I never thought it would exist!
"Here are the results for your request." I looked at the screen again. It was true. There is a class on steampunk. "Alright! I'd like to order a book for that—hang on, what?!" I read where the academy was. It was in Solaria Academy on planet Elyssia. "Never mind, scratch that request...just order a book on government and personal financing for the Mizra Academy..."
I was crushed knowing I couldn't study steampunk. "Confirming request. Please sign your name to confirm order." I signed the form sadly. Then the machine thanked me and went back up into the ceiling. In about 10 minutes, my books will arrive. How will I be able to get to Elyssia?
I sat on my bed right next to the service order and ordered a vanilla coffee and bread. A food that copes me whenever I am sad. Better than a bottle of Moonshine, which the legal drinking age is 15 here, or an endless supply of steak. As my food was delivered to my room, I sat down and turned the TV on. Nothing interesting was on so I kept it on the news. I kept thinking how I could get to Elyssia.
I could just ask my parents to get me a ship, but they would want me to stay and go to school here. Also, how am I going to find it? It's a lost planet. It was taken out of our solar system after the War of Technology, which was 20 years ago. Suddenly I overheard the news. "And today's top news is a local man claims to have seen the lost planet, Elyssia passing by his telescope. He drew an image of the planet which looked like this." It caught my attention and I quickly focused on the TV. I then paused the image and took a closer look at it.
I opened my drawer full of paper documents about planet Elyssia. I compared the actual image to the man's drawing. Everything was the same. I got excited and continued to listen to the news. "Well...I was just meteor watching and I thought I spotted a meteorite. But then when I looked closer at this rock, it was no ordinary rock! So I took an even closer look and golly! It was Elyssia! The last I saw it was heading—" DING DONG! I lost my concentration on listening to the news.
"Hey Kinetta, get the door!" the twins yelled out. I groaned and got up leaving my room. "Coming!" I called out as I approached the door. I opened the door and a delivery boy stood there. "Uhm...h-hi there, I have a delivery for Kinetta Malzaheimer?" The boy looked about 12 and wore an old brown paper boy outfit from the 1900's. "That'd be me!" I responded waving a gesture at him. "Okay...I have a couple of books for you!" He pulled out a package out of his brown bag and handed it to me. I took the package and nodded. "Thanks! Uh, no tip?"
"Huh? Excuse me? Oh tip, uhm...s-sure just a small amount is fine...I don't want to take any money from the Malzaheimer family..." I looked at him and dug out my wallet. I took out $50 and handed it to him. "Hey, I'm actually not part of the Malzaheimer family. I was adopted by them to work for them. So I'm not like the others. Here, take 50, I don't care really. They're just greedy with money."
The delivery boy looked very shocked. "Oh...w-why thank you very much, kind sir! I have never been tipped that much before!" I just smiled to him and said, "Well like I said, I'm not greedy. Plus since I'm rich, might as well share the money! And money isn't always happiness." The boy nodded and said, "I see! Well thank you very much again! Have a good day, sir!" I nodded and waved to him as he left. "Thank you! You too!" I closed the door and locked it.
I stared at the package. The thought of going to planet Elyssia ran though my head. I imagined how it would be like if I was actually there, to actually be in the planet with a steampunk society. To be in a sky city, oh the thoughts just ran through my head. "Soooo, what did you get, brother?" Aly asked interrupting my thoughts. The twins stood there in front of me smiling. "Just a couple of books for school." I answered back. They both giggled and Alicia grinned.
"Are you sure it's just books?" she asked in a mischievous tone. "Uh, yeah of course. Why else would I order anything else?" Then they both got close to my face. "Open it!" they both said. "Ugh alright alright! I will!" I looked back at the package and opened it up. I pulled out the book for government and personal finances.
Although I did see pink lacing in the box, I just handed the box to the twins. "I'm not falling for that again...I don't need to see your lingerie you ordered." They both giggled and kept teasing me. I just walked past them going up the stairs and into my room.
I closed the door to my room and sat on my bed. I set my books to the side and then looked at the TV again. I then suddenly got a brilliant idea. If I have all of this money that I'm not spending, and I am great at engineering with steam powered machines, then maybe I can make my own ship! Except I can't do it on my own. I needed help creating the ship.
"Pull up internet browser." I called out to the house system. The bronze framed screen came down again in front of me. "How may I help you, Kinetta?" the system asked me. "Search for maintenance robots on sale." I ordered. "One moment please...I have found 1000 results for your request." I read the description on each maintenance robot there was.
None of them seem to know how to make steam powered machines, and some of them melt in steam! Well that's just great. Except I do remember how to make a steam powered robot though. "Order Goliath VX-40A maintenance machine, please." I had the perfect idea.
(Kinetta Malzaheimer)
-Chapter End-