I wasn't there for the conversation, but I'm guessing the mayor is so proud of himself and the heritage that he won't consider moving the statues... even though having an airport here would draw a lot of travelers...
We have airships back home that look much weirder than that. There are some shaped like breadboxes, or boats, or are round like balloons, have wings on either side like a bird.
This thing looks squarely within the realm of potential airship shapes, I would think.
At that moment, a car’s engine was heard from outside followed by a violent rapping at the entrance.
“Nimya Tchuhachkova. Please open the door. It’s me.”
It was the chief’s voice. Nimya clicked her tongue and pressed the switch beside the desk. The warehouse shutters opened, allowing the sunlight to get in. Footsteps of more than ten people, led by the chief, came in.
“Good afternoon, Chief. For you to pay me a visit… could it be that my appeal was already approved?”
“Of course not. …Oh, traveler, how come you’re here?”
“I invited them out for tea and told them my story. I’m just welcoming our honored guest, am I not allowed to do so?”
The chief made a sullen face, but finally calmed himself after some effort.
“Nimya. There is something I would like to tell you.”
“And what would that be?”
“All citizens are free to do anything they want as long as they don’t commit crimes or create trouble for the community. However, this country’s council has decided that you shall no longer be allowed to waste time and money on this ‘flying machine’ and other worthless matters.”
The chief delivered his speech with a dignified and deliberate tone. Nimya only glared back, though not impolitely, and gave a curt reply, “It’s not ‘worthless’. That’s all I have to say.”
Kino and Hermes could almost hear the molars of the chief grinding in frustration.
A middle-aged man spoke up. “Chief. It’s no use no matter what you tell her. This woman has gone crazy. Just look at this weird machine.”
“Don’t you dare touch it!” Nimya gave a piercing shriek to the man who tried to approach the machine.
Kino stands back as Nimya shrieks at the people approaching the machine, watching impassively - but your character certainly isn’t bound to stay still if they want to take action.
[Cobalt hustles over and tries to get in between the chief and the airship]
Excuse me, sir? With all due respect... Why would you want to stop her from doing something that is going to make your country incredibly famous and wealthy?
I thought you were excited about travelers... right? Don't you want more?
[The chief puts on a smile, but his contempt is still clear.]
"Traveler, that's very kind of you, but there's no need to feed her delusions. Why, that machine obviously won't fly anywhere, much less be able to carry people!"
Well, yeah, if you don't let her work on it, you're right. That's the same as saying a motorrad that's trapped in a barn won't get anywhere, when you won't even open the door.
We have airships very similar to this in my country. They can carry whole armies, or commercial goods, or information.
Dang. I was thinking I could just show you one of my memories. Wait, no, I can't buy one because I don't have any points because I gave them all to Kino...Heck.
Well, I don't know how to prove it to you. I think you're just gonna have to let this lady prove it to you, instead.
There's gotta be some kind of compromise that'll work for both of you. Like, maybe you could build a [this feels like plagiarism] runway or bridge out of wood that goes over a field or over the statues or something? And then if the airship doesn't wind up panning out, you can just recycle the wood and use it to build something else.
Seriously, this lady's going to make you all a lot of money.
[Nimya gets a contemplative look on her face at that, but the chief just looks annoyed.]
“Absolutely not! The disrespect...!”
[Turning, he points at Nimya.]
“Tomorrow afternoon, we will come to dismantle this weird machine. I’m afraid to say that as long as this thing exists, you will not be cured of your delusions. This is a final and immediate decision by the council. We will buy the engine and use it for a generator. Do you have anything to say?”
“I have.”
“What is it?”
“Won’t you move the bronze statues?”
“Rejected.”
“……”
“Now everyone. That’s it for today. Go home. We’ll continue this tomorrow.”
[The chief turned away and the rest of the crowd also left the warehouse.]
"I have plenty of scrap metal. It may just work! Let me do some calculations."
[She runs over to her desk to write them out... and then frowns.]
"It won’t work. Even if I make a ramp before the statue, it will still require much speed. If I jump with what I have, I’ll fall immediately. But I’ll work on this idea! I only have to do something about the launching speed. That’s the only thing left for this to work."
Well... you could launch it with a gunpowder explosion, the way bullets are propelled in a persuader. Maybe...
[Nimya looks over at Kino, hardly considering it before shaking her head.]
"That’s not possible. I understand that idea, but to propel something this big, we will need a tunnel just as huge. Besides, even if we do have something like that, the machine will break."
Is that so...
[Kino, seemingly disappointed, forms a "gun" with their hand and mimicks the firing of a hand persuader.]
Bang.
[...And that gets Nimya's attention.]
"Kino. Just now, you were pretending to fire a persuader, right? But you raised your hand."
Of course. The recoil of this persuader is pretty strong.
[Kino taps on Canon, the revolver on their thigh, by way of example. Nimya freezes up in thought. And then:]
"That’s it! I don’t need the blast, the recoil would be enough! Just like in a persuader, I’ll put gunpowder inside a pipe, ignite them consecutively to produce a gas at high speeds! If I put several such pipes on the machine, it will be able to dash! I have pipes! I have gunpowder! I can do this!"
The one who greeted the chief with a smile was Kino, who was going through the road placing ropes on the boundary with the walkway. The ropes were wrapped in yellow cloth printed with the words ‘Danger. Please do not go to the road beyond this line’ in black letters.
The chief turned his gaze to the nearest bronze statue. Just before it was a machine, glittering silver underneath the morning light. It was the flying machine from the warehouse. But it had an added touch that was not there the day before – several thick pipes attached below its body. Nearby was the crane truck owned by the Tchuhachkova family.
The chief shook his head several times, and blinked his eyes.
On the opposite walkway, Kino was briskly laying down the ropes. Several people have come out, staring in shock and wondering what was going on. Kino addressed them with a smile.
“Everyone. Please do not go beyond these ropes. It’s dangerous.”
Hermes was parked obliquely in front of the plane. Nimya in her overalls was tying a rope on Hermes’ carrier. The other end of the rope was tied to the tires of the flying machine.
Nimya climbed up the machine and sat in its cockpit. She put on her working goggles and gloves, and fastened the four-point seat belt. Then she waved to Kino who was now sitting astride Hermes, and gave them a thumbs up.
Kino started Hermes’ engine. The boisterous roar of the engine reverberated across the road....
Nimya raised both fists high in the air, and crossed them over her head. Then the moment she opened her arms, Kino quickly launched Hermes. The tirestops of the flying machine disconnected at the same time.
The machine began to slide forward. At the next moment, its engine gave off a roar that seemed three times louder. The pipes underneath its body spouted white smoke with great force.
“It exploded!”
“No. It’s fine.”
The chief shouted and Hermes muttered to no one in particular. The machine accelerated, as if it was kicked by some invisible giant, and sped to the ramp in no time. The buildings trembled with the explosion, and the necks of the onlookers turned swiftly towards one direction.
The machine ran up the ramp in an instant, and leaped against the wind while spouting out smoke from its rear.
Kino lost sight of the flying machine amidst the smoke. By the time the wind cleared up the fumes, they found its tiny form with the blue sky as its backdrop. The pipes that no longer emitted fumes became dislodged and fell away. It fell on the marshland outside the country, piercing into the slushy earth.
When it was almost invisibly small, it made a turn and returned towards the country and became bigger and bigger in view.
Soon, the people craning their necks into the sky gathered on the road. Everyone except for Kino had their mouths wide open in shock. They muttered simultaneously.
“It flew. That heavy thing is in the sky…”
“The machine is flying…”
“I don’t believe this… it’s impossible… but…”
“A human… flying…”
Kino stands nearby, looking up at the flying machine in awe - and in envy, really. But your character is able to look to them - or to the figure up in the sky - or otherwise move as they wish.
[The chief just looks flabbergasted by all of this. Meanwhile, Kino...]
Everyone! For the flying machine to land safely, it needs a long and perfectly straight road. If you wish to send back that person, who had done such a great deed, back to the ground, kindly move at least three of the statues. It will be even more helpful if you move four of them.
“U-understood! Right away!”
[The chief apparently learned his lesson, because he snaps right to attention.]
“Everyone! Those statues are in the way! Move them, quickly!”
[On the command of the chief, the people snapped back into reality and quickly took action. Using Nimya’s crane truck, the bronze statues were rooted out, foundation and all. Then the planks used for the ramp were laid out above the holes. In their panic, they moved away seven statues.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
I wasn't there for the conversation, but I'm guessing the mayor is so proud of himself and the heritage that he won't consider moving the statues... even though having an airport here would draw a lot of travelers...
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
[A nod at the flying machine.]
being able to fly.
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
We have airships back home that look much weirder than that. There are some shaped like breadboxes, or boats, or are round like balloons, have wings on either side like a bird.
This thing looks squarely within the realm of potential airship shapes, I would think.
[as if he knows anything!!!]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Kino stands back as Nimya shrieks at the people approaching the machine, watching impassively - but your character certainly isn’t bound to stay still if they want to take action.
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Excuse me, sir? With all due respect... Why would you want to stop her from doing something that is going to make your country incredibly famous and wealthy?
I thought you were excited about travelers... right? Don't you want more?
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
"Traveler, that's very kind of you, but there's no need to feed her delusions. Why, that machine obviously won't fly anywhere, much less be able to carry people!"
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
We have airships very similar to this in my country. They can carry whole armies, or commercial goods, or information.
Is moving the statues really that hard?
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
"Their very foundations are in the ground - they aren't just some figures to move around, willy-nilly!"
[The chief sounds somewhat offended at the very idea.]
"Do you have proof - solid proof, that what you say is true?"
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
[said as if this is as absurd as asking to prove water exists]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
[He puts his hands on his hips expectantly, like Cobalt can somehow just summon this kind of thin into existence.]
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Wait, do I have my...?
[He pats himself down, looking for his phone. Can he just lucid dream it into existence?]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
1/2
Dang. I was thinking I could just show you one of my memories. Wait, no, I can't buy one because I don't have any points because I gave them all to Kino...Heck.
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
There's gotta be some kind of compromise that'll work for both of you. Like, maybe you could build a [this feels like plagiarism] runway or bridge out of wood that goes over a field or over the statues or something? And then if the airship doesn't wind up panning out, you can just recycle the wood and use it to build something else.
Seriously, this lady's going to make you all a lot of money.
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
“Absolutely not! The disrespect...!”
[Turning, he points at Nimya.]
“Tomorrow afternoon, we will come to dismantle this weird machine. I’m afraid to say that as long as this thing exists, you will not be cured of your delusions. This is a final and immediate decision by the council. We will buy the engine and use it for a generator. Do you have anything to say?”
“I have.”
“What is it?”
“Won’t you move the bronze statues?”
“Rejected.”
“……”
“Now everyone. That’s it for today. Go home. We’ll continue this tomorrow.”
[The chief turned away and the rest of the crowd also left the warehouse.]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
[Well, he tried.]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
...What are you going to do?
[Nimya just takes a deep breath and passes each of them the tea that was promised earlier.]
"...I'll just have to prove them wrong before they can dismantle it! You mentioned a ramp, didn't you?"
[She turns to Cobalt.]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Right...
....do you think it's possible to build one by tomorrow?
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
"I have plenty of scrap metal. It may just work! Let me do some calculations."
[She runs over to her desk to write them out... and then frowns.]
"It won’t work. Even if I make a ramp before the statue, it will still require much speed. If I jump with what I have, I’ll fall immediately. But I’ll work on this idea! I only have to do something about the launching speed. That’s the only thing left for this to work."
Well... you could launch it with a gunpowder explosion, the way bullets are propelled in a persuader. Maybe...
[Nimya looks over at Kino, hardly considering it before shaking her head.]
"That’s not possible. I understand that idea, but to propel something this big, we will need a tunnel just as huge. Besides, even if we do have something like that, the machine will break."
Is that so...
[Kino, seemingly disappointed, forms a "gun" with their hand and mimicks the firing of a hand persuader.]
Bang.
[...And that gets Nimya's attention.]
"Kino. Just now, you were pretending to fire a persuader, right? But you raised your hand."
Of course. The recoil of this persuader is pretty strong.
[Kino taps on Canon, the revolver on their thigh, by way of example. Nimya freezes up in thought. And then:]
"That’s it! I don’t need the blast, the recoil would be enough! Just like in a persuader, I’ll put gunpowder inside a pipe, ignite them consecutively to produce a gas at high speeds! If I put several such pipes on the machine, it will be able to dash! I have pipes! I have gunpowder! I can do this!"
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
[cobalt knows jack shit about shit so he's just going to blend into the wallpaper for this conversation, bye]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Kino stands nearby, looking up at the flying machine in awe - and in envy, really. But your character is able to look to them - or to the figure up in the sky - or otherwise move as they wish.
1/3
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
[He finds himself wondering if he still has revival powers in this dream.]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Everyone! For the flying machine to land safely, it needs a long and perfectly straight road. If you wish to send back that person, who had done such a great deed, back to the ground, kindly move at least three of the statues. It will be even more helpful if you move four of them.
“U-understood! Right away!”
[The chief apparently learned his lesson, because he snaps right to attention.]
“Everyone! Those statues are in the way! Move them, quickly!”
[On the command of the chief, the people snapped back into reality and quickly took action. Using Nimya’s crane truck, the bronze statues were rooted out, foundation and all. Then the planks used for the ramp were laid out above the holes. In their panic, they moved away seven statues.]
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─
Re: “Land of Wizards” ─Potentials of Magic─