Novelux Sparkwright Polytechnic

[Jackie Cat]

Civilisation. History. Innovation drives it all – new ideas pushing towards the future, obliterating the what-was in those fires of invention that forge the what-will-be. There's such optimism in the notion of bringing bright young minds together to build a better world. Perhaps even arrogance. But the future comes all the same.

Veiled from the inner city by strips of wooded parkland and red-brick walls, the campus of the Howard Sparkwright Polytechnic Institute sheltered like a pearl within a mollusc's shell. In the campus grounds, ivy trellises and flagstone paths paid a quiet lip service to respectable tradition – as did the grand fountain, the brass plaques of dedication on each wing to their chief benefactors, and the bronze memorial statues of successful alumni, rubbed golden in places by hundreds of passers-by paying their tribute over the years.

Inside, however, it buzzed night and day, its bright interiors of amber and white an electric honeycomb of activity. Sparkwright, that eccentric old Rotom coot, had given his all to create his 'Foundry of the New' in these halls. Turbines, driven not by coal furnaces, but by natural wind (of which Novelux had great excess) powered the site without need for the city grid. Every wall in this place burned internally with electric power, a font which powered lights, ovens, walk-in freezers, machines and inventions of every kind.

There was always more besides. Here, a seminar room where restless students peppered their tutors with questions and petitions. Here, a lecture hall that hosted any speaker controversial enough to be interesting, let alone inspiring. Here, a dormitory wing which barely slept for studious fervour and impromptu gatherings. Here, a workshop where power tools screamed and welding torches growled. Here, a laboratory to put the alchemists of old Akkairos to shame, conical flasks and spiralling tubes ushering chemical compounds into new forms with a hiss and a bubble of reaction. A given object or substance could hardly make it a day without converting or changing in some way or another.

The same was surely true of the students. Perhaps it would be true of any curious offworlders open to its deluge of invention.

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Many thanks to @MintyMimix for their help in writing this up.

 

[MintyMimix]

Sales and tents pitched themselves alike as an ordered chaos of voices and footsteps sprang forth. The air thickened with ambition and excitement as every would-be entrepreneur and businessmon greased their palms and put on their shiniest smiles for the Barovelt Trade Assembly.

In a joint sponsorship with the Barovelt Group, the Howard Sparkwright Polytechnic Institute hosted this seasonal venue to the give students the opportunity to make valuable industry connections and the public to see what future technologies awaited them! Some, like the Crumbelle Heating & Cooking Company, directly targeted the students: emphasizing how you — yes, you there — could be part of not just a team of the most talented innovators in thermodynamic products, but a family of chefs and designers spanning generations!

Others, like Fermlein Steel, took it as an invitation to show off their latest projects. They stood up towering boards of business charts and graphs highlighting their already skyrocketing trajectory of growth and profits. They even handed out free pamphlets showcasing their most sleek, modern train car models! "You better get in on this before it's out of your reach!" it all practically yelled. They even a massive map showing off the future of their rail network: “Connecting all of Commonwealth together,” the sign boasted, but only if they could get more investors and even smarter talent! Surely, anyone would want to be a part of this wave!

Nevertheless, the Barovelt Group welcomed any small business or new venture to join in! This was the free market at work, after all! From at-home inventors that just thought attaching spinning blades to a motor would be a nice way to get rid of weeds or family storefronts simply their selling samplings to the students, it seemed like everyone had their own personal knick-nacks and doodads to show to the city!

Of course, it wouldn't be a university event without being open to newer, more experimental showcases as well! Wires, fires, and snazzy attires sparkled like stars amongst a stormy sea of activity as students and professors alike hoped to grasp just a sliver of ever-elusive grant funding. Whether it was a convoluted combination of theories and models claiming that yes, perpetual motion machines were theoretically possible, or more business-savvy ventures highlighting how their newest piston design could reduce costs by 3.14%, they all hoped to get a piece of the fame and fortune pie!

<><><><>

Competition was fierce even between the more independent industrialists. What began as a shared spark of inspiration between a familiar Spinda and Helioptile across from one another soon erupted into the embers of petty war. Though their mud-slinging had been mostly drowned out by the crowd, their gesturing to one another was hard for anyone nearby to ignore.

“—can’t possibly understand the application! Y’all know just how much a spinning ink dryin’ machine could do to speed up print jobs? Everyone’s up in their ears with paperwork, why not speed up the process they can’t do anythin’ about?” Gare glared daggers at his contempary as he leaned on his machine. The massive metallic cylinder barely managed to hold on top of the wooden pallet as its dozens of pipes and valves jutted out in an oblong shape. The activation lever lingered dangerously close to the Spinda's foot.

 

[Namohysip]

"That's completely, utterly, PROFOUNDLY absurd," stated Lucis, the tiny yet apparently brainy Helioptile inventor. Just behind him, his Heliolisk mother and gargantuan Tyranitar father lounged in the spectator's area, chatting quietly about something or other.

"Nobody needs ink to dry. Ink is self-drying! Get a bigger field! You know what you can use for a bigger field? This! An Autonomous Excavator! This is the prototype!"

He tapped his hand on a "small" Tyranitar robot twice his little size.

"HELLO. I AM THE TYREXCAVATAR VERSION 0.4." It appeared to be a synthesized voice based on Lucis, only deepened by some other modification. It was hard to understand.

"This will be the true revolution of the future," Lucis said. "It can eat and process twice its volume in rocks, dirt, and stone in a matter of seconds! And then it lays eggs of the resources discovered once full!"

 

[Butterfree]

The frontier of science in Forlas was, apparently, Sparkwright Polytechnic - and also, supposedly Gerome was here visiting. So long as they were in Novelux, it seemed like the obvious place to check out as far as touristing went.

The hustle and bustle of the trade show at least was refreshingly familiar compared to the sleepy rural nature of Frontier Town. He spent a moment just taking in the inventions being shown off, but was quickly distracted by yelling, an argument between a Spinda and a Helioptile. He padded warily over towards them and found... Gerome, actually, right behind them, chatting with a Heliolisk.

He took a moment to put two and two together. Was this Gerome's family? The Heliolisk he was talking to his wife, and then... this tiny Helioptile with a bizarre robot Tyranitar excavator invention would be his son? Talk about a fucking size difference. He tried not to think too hard about how that would work.

For the moment, he approached where Gerome was, though keeping an eye on the Helioptile. "Hey, Gerome," he said, raising a paw in greeting, still a respectable distance away in case Gerome just seemed busy with his private conversation; there'd be plenty to see even if he wasn't up for a chat at the moment.

 

[MintyMimix]

The faintest hint of an impressed gleam twinged at the corners of the Spinda's eyes, but he twirled around to hide it. "No, no, the real big market is puttin' a spin on what the everymon does every day! Make their heads turn as they think about whole new ways to do things! And not do things! Like waitin' hours or days for your ink to dry, especially when it's humid!"

He stopped on one foot and placed his hands on his hips. "That thing's just a fancy tin can with lights and recordings that'll sputter out in months — somethin' this city's already got enough of! No common folk's gonna want somethin' that'll they'll have to replace every year!"

The Spinda huffed before leaning on his own contraptation. "My Centrifugal Ink-Pressor 3000 though? With the right materials, this thing's designed to last for generations!" Gare looked up towards the ceiling as he mused, "Think 'bout all the letters the kids can write to grandpa without waitin', all the paperwork and filings that can just plop right onto your desk, all the news and invitations that'll start firin' into everybody's mailboxes now that they don't got a lead time to think about... Think about the tales they'll spin through the ages!"

 

[Shadow Serenity]

In the time since they'd arrived in Forlas, Kimiko had gotten quite used to the relative peace and calm that Frontier Town offered. So, in joining her companions in exploring Novelux, she found herself somewhat in awe of the drastic difference in atmosphere. There certainly still wouldn't be any confusing the area with home, but the apparent difference in advancement compared to the relative quiet of Frontier Town was impressive. There was an invigorating buzz about the place, a kind of electric charge in the air that put a bit of spark in her step (and, somewhere in the back of her mind, made her a bit wary).

In truth, it was all a bit overwhelming, leaving her just a bit lost. So when she'd heard rumors that a familiar tavern owner and his family was in town, that gave her a solid destination to aim for. Kimiko was no stranger to Gerome's bar, but she was curious what they were up to recently.

Thankfully, they weren't difficult to find. The argument between the spinda and helioptile cut through the background noise with relative ease. Kimiko wandered closer; the helioptile looked a bit smaller than she remembered, and Gerome... oh, wait, no, that wasn't Gerome. Far too small, even considering her own size increase. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be... some kind of tyranitar robot. Still, that had to be Lucis.

Looking around, she spotted Gerome a short distance away, chatting with his wife - and a vaguely familiar mightyena not far away from them. Kimiko headed in their direction.

"Gerome! Fancy seeing you here," the servine called casually with a cheerful grin, waving a vine to catch their attention. "And Floinsa, lovely to see you again!"

 

[Namohysip]

"Mmh." Gerome greeted Dave and Kimiko with a gruff nod. Despite his stony face, Dave had the distinct impression that Gerome was in a good mood today. Maybe he just liked being around his family.

"Spinning, spinning, always with the spinning!" Lucis said, practically fuming. "You think you can call this bucket of bolts a bucket of bolts? I--I mean, this grand invention? Why, I'll show you. I'll excavate a whole battleground so we can settle this, inventor to inventor, just you see!"

"This happens from time to time," Gerome drawled to Dave. "My boy has a lot of pride in his work, as he should, the talent he's got. Just needs a little more life experience to get the direction right."

Floinsa, meanwhile, waved happily at Kimiko. "Here to see the sights, the technology?" she called. "Home is certainly where the mechanical heart is! I've missed the sunlight here, much more... comforting than Frontier Town!"

 

[Butterfree]

"So you're the big guy's wife, right? Dave, nice to meet you." Dave offered a paw to Floinsa. "Your kid designed and built that all by himself? That's impressive."

How old was the kid again? Gerome'd said he was... eighteen, nineteen, already building complex robots? He really did sound like a prodigy. Gerome'd mentioned something about an aura-based talent for 'activating' machines, but he wasn't super clear on what that meant.

"Does that thing work? Excavating rare minerals out of dirt and rock in a matter of seconds?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Yup. Seen it myself," said Gerome with a hum.

"He's such a smart boy," Floinsa said. "Maybe one day he'll make a robot to scare off all the bullies of his childhood, too. I'd support that, easily!" She smiled sweetly while simultaneously giving off the aura of someone not to run into in a back alley.

"Only problem is its lack of direction. And also that it doesn't activate all that well without Lucis around." Gerome hummed.

 

[Shadow Serenity]

"Here to see the sights, the technology?" she called. "Home is certainly where the mechanical heart is! I've missed the sunlight here, much more... comforting than Frontier Town!"

"That's right," Kimiko replied with a nod. "And boy is there a lot to see!" She fanned out her leafy tail; perhaps, she considered, the sun had something to do with the spring in her step today. It wasn't like Frontier Town didn't get any, but she'd spent so much time either at work or going out at night, and not much time out in broad daylight... She wasn't quite sure what to make of Floinsa's comment on it, however. She settled on; "There's definitely... an energy in the air here that Frontier Town doesn't often have."

The follow-up comment only threw her off further. Kimiko decided to sweep it under the rug. She got the impression that Lucis had no need for a robot to scare off his childhood bullies...

"Only problem is its lack of direction. And also that it doesn't activate all that well without Lucis around."

She turned to observe Lucis and his tyrexcavatar again. "He probably designed it to respond to his own voice, right? I'm sure he could alter that if he wanted to. Not his own voice, of course, but what the robot responds to." That seemed like an easy enough modification. The lack of direction, though...

The spinda caught her eye, and she inspected his own invention from afar. The thing seemed to be only barely holding the combined weight of itself plus the spinda leaning against it. Kimiko had only barely heard what it was supposed to do as she walked up... something about drying ink? She founder herself wondering just how the Frontier Town newspaper was printed. "So, these... inventions, they're being shown off for potential sales? Investors?"

 

[MintyMimix]

"Spinning, spinning, always with the spinning!" Lucis said, practically fuming. "You think you can call this bucket of bolts a bucket of bolts? I--I mean, this grand invention? Why, I'll show you. I'll excavate a whole battleground so we can settle this, inventor to inventor, just you see!"

"It's what makes the world go 'round!" Gare retorted getting back into a twirl. "How 'bout I bring out my own creaking—er, well-oiled machine over and we'll have an invent-off? We'll even get judges, like... uh..."

He stopped in place, looked around, and then gestured towards Dave and Kimiko. "Like them! Unbiased ones! 'Til then though? I'm gonna show everyone how this works and get that grant money!" He placed a paw to his forehead. "I hear Novelux's got all kinds of businessmon lookin' for the next big strike! Er, invention!"

A Cinderace donned in a large coat nearby had his ears pop out from underneath his hat at that remark. He quickly shoved them back in before pulling a notepad and making a few scribbles as he looked around.

The Spinda huffed. "Orrrr we could find a way to demonstrate these now and let everyone judge. Know a rock-type that could start us up?"

 

[Namohysip]

Gerome harrumphed at that. "Well, I may not be judgin', but I'll at least provide what's needed," he said, stepping forward. "Not hard for me to conjure a few rocks. What're we looking for?"

Lucis puffed out his chest. "Well, I'll show you just what this can do," he said. "This will be my most ultimate invention yet, just behind the hat that screams when you're concentrating!"

 

[MintyMimix]

"We got the rocks, now we'll just need some writing... you!" Gare declared, pointing at Dave as he pulled out a feather pen and a small ink bottle. "You ought to write somethin' down so there ain't no accusations of cheating! Anything, even just a rant to yourself! Then I'll get my Ink-Pressor whirred up and ready to roll!"

He grinned as he turned to Lucis. "Kids these days just have the darndest ideas. That ain't nothin' compared to my other best-est work, the drink cooler that spins a bottle and sprays cold water on it to chill it in minutes!"

 

[Butterfree]

Dave raised an eyebrow, but took the paper and ink. Paws weren't exactly great for writing with, but he dipped the quill in, put it to the paper and wrote: All hail the celestial teapot.

He was more interested in seeing the results of Lucis' invention. Computers were already in Forlas; the only way a quicker way of drying ink was going to get real traction was if that technology managed to be kept completely under wraps by a bunch of weirdos for decades.

 

[MintyMimix]

The Spinda raised a confused ear at the note, but nodded as he took it. "Now we just put it on a table... and go!" He gave the machine's lever a good punch as it whirred to life. The spinning blades inside bellowed as the contraption shook and rumbled on top of the pallet, threatening to shake itself off with every little bit of motion.

Gare pulled out an old-looking watch and nodded. "Half past 11. Should be done in less than 5 minutes!" He grinned, and looked up to Lucis. "Show us what y'all got in the meantime. Bet it won't work as well!"

Upon closer inspection, Dave and Kimiko could feel that the ink dryer was trying to cool down the entire area. Were it simply a room, it could work, but in a venue like this...

 

[Namohysip]

"Hmph! Of course! Watch and be amazed as the Tyrexcavatar version 0.4 gets right to work! Go!"

"PROCEEDING WITH CLEARANCE OF DESIGNATED OBSTACLE."

The robot marched toward the pile of rocks that Gerome had conjured from the earth. It opened its mouth wide and pecked at the rocks, little by little at first, as if calibrating itself on the density. Then, it unhinged its jaws and took huge, gaping bites of the rock, deafening everyone around them with the sounds of boulders gnashing and grinding.

It was done in a matter of seconds once the calibration period was done. The robot then bent over and raised its mechanical tail; from an exhaust port, an... egg appeared, made entirely of stone. Then another, and another, until there was a whole clutch of eggs about twice the excavator's volume.

"Wait for it...!" Lucis whispered.

The outer layer of the 'eggs' crumbled to dust, revealing... Lucis-shaped statures underneath, posed triumphantly. Lucis himself took on the same pose.

Floinsa clapped enthusiastically. Gerome looked mildly perturbed. "Boy ain't right," he admitted in a murmur. "Well," Gerome said to Kimiko, "I guess when you look at the theory behind it... yeah. Meant to be sold. Gets earnings, payments for... future inventions. I guess."

 

[MintyMimix]

The Cinderace close by leaned his head over as he not-so-subtly looked at the two inventions with baited breath. He readied his notepad, prepared to report his latest discovery... only sputter a cough of light but harmless embers at the sight of the robot's result. The rabbit adjusted his coat and shook his head. "Not worth the boss's time," he muttered beneath his breath before walking away.

Gare, meanwhile, couldn't help but wince and fold his ears in as the robot tore through the rock and stone. "This exactly what I mean...!" he hissed, grateful that the grinding noise was short-lived. "Still, I'll be salt and sand; y'all really did—"

He paused, mouth agape at the sight of the statues. He turned towards the two guests, more dizzy than usual, and gestured towards the result, as if to say, 'Y'all seein' this nonsense?'

Trying to recompose himself, he nabbed the paper near his drying machine and proudly grinned. "Read it and weep!" He failed to notice that the ink was slowly dripping down the paper.

 

[Shadow Serenity]

He stopped in place, looked around, and then gestured towards Dave and Kimiko. "Like them! Unbiased ones!

At the sudden declaration, Kimiko's eyes widened a bit in surprise, her attention caught by the spinda. This was far from her area of expertise... but, well, perhaps that made her a better judge than most anyone else here?

Watching Dave attempt to write was fascinating in itself, but she got a chuckle out of his message. The machine he'd placed the paper in was giving off cool air, like a soothing breeze. Apparently, though, it would still take enough time to complete its task that Lucis could demonstrate his own project before it was finished... Kimiko found herself wondering just how long ink normally took to dry.

Her attention turned to Lucis' robot, wincing a bit at the sound of crunching rocks. If nothing else, it certainly had the mouth of a tyranitar... And then it laid eggs. Kimiko had the sudden urge to look somewhere - anywhere - else. But if they were expecting her to judge, she might as well just deal with it.

Then the eggs hatched - this was getting weirder by the moment - and the result was... actually quite impressive? She wasn't entirely sure what use miniature figurines would have in Forlas society, but the figures themselves were even posed and quite detailed, and she clapped enthusiastically. "Well, I'm not sure how exactly the process works, and I could do without the, uh, lovely grinding sound. But overall, the craftsmanship on these is surprisingly accurate!"

"Read it and weep!" He failed to notice that the ink was slowly dripping down the paper.

Her attention shifted back to the spinda. "I would, if... well, maybe you can remind me what it was supposed to say," she said with a light chuckle, pointing a vine back at the paper. "I think you've got a sound concept, but the process may need some refining Or perhaps just some cooler weather."

 

[Butterfree]

What the absolute fuck, in two different ways.

Dave squinted at Gare. "I'm sorry, wasn't this supposed to be an ink-drying machine?" Then he tilted his head at the Lucis statues. "That looked very impressive, don't know how the hell you're doing that, but, uh, statues of yourself? Is that all it can make, or...?"

 

[Namohysip]

"I'm not sure why it makes those at all!" Lucis said cheerily. "It must be part of my scientific inspiration! I'm sure with some work, I can configure it to create so many wonderful, stony shapes..."

"SHUTTING DOWN. RECHARGING."

It unhinged its jaws and faced the sky.