Chapitre 17: CHAPTER 17 - TELENON’S ARRIVAL

Nearby, others were bantering pleasantly when from out of the azure, cloud speckled sky a building descended and landed on the green of Remington-Welsh Park. It stood there silently as a massive crowd from all across the university and the surrounding area converged on its landing site. A furor of flawless wonder jolted them. Pushing through, Priya and Eric came to the front, directly facing the gateway. Eventually Felicia, Nadine and Dominique chiseled their way as well through the crowd. Etched across the top, above white pillars was written its name, "Temple of the Voices of Reason". The front line of the crowd stepped back in fright as the gates creaked open ominously. Frenzied whispers circulated amongst the crowd until from within came a voice. Priya could hear her name being called. "Time flies," she lamented, breaking from the crowd and pacing towards the gateway. Even the white noise had escalated, answering to the aesthetic of the unknown. Eric raced quickly to her and grabbed an arm, "Don't go in there, it's too weird!" he cajoled in alarm. Looking straight ahead, she yanked the white sleeve of her lab coat away from his grip, "It's my job", and continued past the threshold until the gates closed behind her. Delving through the rooms, Priya came to a long hallway embellished with tall pillars on either side. The carpet underneath was lush and seemed to crackle with static electricity. As she continued down the hallway the pillars transfigured gradually into tall kangaroos of marble. Drawing closer, she could hear a thumping like that of a war drum grow loud. A mahogany double doorway opened welcoming her into a wide circular chamber. Around its length at intervals, where there would be pillars … stood instead kangaroos at butter-churns, hard at work, making the drumming sound. Directly ahead, Telenon sat at his throne and lifted a hand for them to cease their activity. "Dear, what is with the manspreading?" Priya exclaimed, thinking out loud, shielding her sight with a hand. Telenon corrected his posture and coughed, signaling for her to lower it. Priya could see him scratching his five o'clock shadow, and he wore a bowling uniform and the ring finger on his right hand was missing. "Ah … a nerd. Excuse me if this comes out the wrong way, but what the fuck do you think you're doing with magic in my city?" Telenon inquired, leaning forward in his chair. "I didn't have a choice. I had to help a friend, '' Priya justified. "Oh … and you think I wouldn't notice that? They will witness magic when I show it to them. Just who do you think you are crashing my party?" he blustered like a spoiled teenager. "They deserve to have some of the power also, don't you think? Life's a little dry without it" she answered modestly. At that he jumped down onto the floor and waltzed towards her, taking the nerd in with a good, long look, "So this is who Dramatic sent to run his errand … pathetic. Aren't you a lab scientist in real life?". "You can give honor to the Maelstrom Allegiance but they will not succumb to it, eventually they will fight back" she shot defiantly. At that he raised his hands, and the kangaroos began to thump their churns, making a racket, and in the midst of it he leant his head back and laughed maniacally. A few moments later the noise stopped, and he snapped back towards her, "Why are you trying to make this universe boring and take away all the fun?". "I'm just trying to understand it, '' she explained. "By taming the sea of imagination? That's a dumb idea" he spurned, stamping a foot. "It's more hospitable to life, not everyone can live on the extremes like us" Priya replied. The bowler drew closer to her and lowered his voice, "Priya, allow me to let you in on a little secret. A child doesn't really care why the sky is blue. He only says that when he is astounded by what's all around. Maybe you were once a child as well that cared why the sky is blue, but you have grown up now, and should have realized that it doesn't matter". "Dramatic was wise enough to see the truth. He wasn't as blind as you are" she countered. "Really, and where is he now? That old fool won't be back for a thousand cycles. He just decided to fill your head with his personal justice before bowing out" he expressed rhetorically. The fact of the matter struck a nerve. "Alright then. I'm willing to negotiate if you can be sensible" Priya sighed. Telenon sat back on his throne for a moment and summoned a fax machine which printed off a memo containing the history of the realm, and he read it quickly before tossing it aside, "Okay … okay. Here's what we'll do. You will become one of my Voices of Reason and swear fealty to me and the Maelstrom Allegiance". "I'm listening …", Priya relented, "but only if you would agree to let them use magic in everyday life. Don't deprive them". "Not going to happen, nerd" he repudiated, "but I will let you reign over your realm". "They're not an experiment. My people are real and I will bring them sooner or later regardless of what you do" she promised stubbornly. At this he hopped off of his chair once again and strode over to her, "Then forget about all of them. What do you think of me?". Reviewing his slovenly appearance, his short hair and casual attempt at a beard Priya couldn't help but think to herself, "He's kind of hot in a gross kind of way", but then suppressed it immediately. "Oh … is this your strategy now? Sorry, I have a reputation to uphold" Priya said, declining his offer. "Here is an even better offer and try to follow me this time" he began and swooned onto the floor. Around him grew a coffin of glass, and he lay inside, stiff and pallid emulating the deceased. Then the coffin altered its shape until it was that of a butter dish. Priya blinked and the body had become a stick of butter. As if an invisible hand stretched above, the lid of the dish was removed, and the stick of butter lifted itself, becoming vertical, reforming into a sculptural resemblance of its occupant. Telenon restored himself, "Resurrection is a simple recipe. All we would have to do is go back to where he is. Let's go together and dig him up. Then, with your assent I would lay my hand on your stomach, and the realm inside you would progress into its final form … that of Honfot-Gid, a star-skinned organ … more than glamorous to behold and seductive with anatomical beauty. For you I will implant it into him, and he will come back as before, all it would take is that one concession". "That is … I don't know what to say" Priya dithered, feeling the gravity of his words. "If you want, I can melt you into mirror light and you and he can be reborn together, and all this confusion can be over. There doesn't need to be sadness or disconnection. These were things of the past'' he petitioned. Waiting in suspense, they both parted until strength returned to her and she lifted her head from bottomless thoughts, "First of all, you should know not to play with a girl's emotions. Secondly, I may have daddy issues … but no''. Telenon turned away from her, and let his voice grow deeper, "I don't understand it, you're proficient enough to make reality whatever you want it to be, and you still let it dictate you. People like us are different. Eventually you will do the same as me. It's unavoidable to do so … since often the truth is unpleasant". "What are you trying to say?" she questioned. Telenon spun around to face her once again, "Priya, your father was a traitor, and you are the daughter of a traitor. He was so until I captured him and made him fight for us for the remainder. You should desire nothing more than to use your skill for its genuine purpose". "The man did what he did for his family, and there can be no shame in that … but come on, Telenon. Did you really think we needed to be separated? They were only visitors" she asked in an interrogatory tone. "How do you think you were able to dream like you did? Tell me how many years you spent in introspection carrying the burden of the past" he solicited. "So, anything that stands in the path of imagination is a threat? I don't accept that argument. Just look out there and spy on any person on a regular day, and you will see it as an aspect of a greater whole" Priya prescribed. The kangaroos began their drumming once again until he raised a hand. "Priya, let me ask you a question. Do you get what imagination really is?" he dared coyly. She swerved physically from the generous offer to be precise in words and deed, "Imagination is a type of thinking that lets you explore. It helps paint new things and solve problems. Most importantly, it's for fun". "Almost … after all this time you should know. That's only the beginning, the part where you try to understand it. Let it be a place in and of itself … picture yourself walking in the park out there. Let it move you a great distance. Do you feel farther away? Are you lost? I would beg to differ. Keep going, and you'll find the heart of the Maelstrom, where all the zest the universe is amassed. All the stars forged of fiction and dreams. For years we have only gotten traces of it. Priya, imagination is the focal element … which means … everything is fun!" he conveyed, freeing himself from the morality of life. The scientist went by instinct, razing the lies, "No, it doesn't work that way. Everyone can't hide from the truth. It has to be controlled, or it is useless. You've turned it to randomness … incoherence". "The truth is butter!" he ended. "You are crazy!" she cried. Telenon smirked with vile delight, "I've got a much better idea. How's about I increase the turbulence of the focal element by a factor of ten … and when you are driven completely mad, I will come to your rescue". "Dream on, douchebag" she spat. "I can and I will," he called back. Priya crossed her arms and cocked her head so he knew what a jerk he was being, "Oh yeah … that sounds reasonable. After all, we're standing right here, in the Temple of Reason, and why are you sitting alone in a room full of kangaroos? Do you not have any friends?". The debate quickly grew more personal as they bantered back and forth. "I don't need friends. I am the coolest guy there is" he declared, casting off her insult. Tired from all the illusion, the scientist stamped her foot down, "You just want to corner all the magic to yourself, and not share it, which is probably why you don't have any friends". He threw his arms wide, "I guess that makes two of us", and waited for the coldness of his acknowledgement to sink in. Frustrated and embittered, mostly by being called a nerd at the outset, the scientist tried to make a correction, "Wrong again. Don't assume you know me, we just met". "Really?" Telenon replied and raised an eyebrow sarcastically. From his pocket he took out a tape recorder and pushed a button. "He's kind of hot in a gross kind of way", it rang, seconding her personal thoughts. Not wanting to endure any more of the awkwardness, Priya turned around towards the entrance and walked out. As she reached the door and walked past the threshold, kangaroos held them open in courtesy. "A man has a right to spread in his own house!" he shouted, and the mahogany doors closed behind her.