A New Invention

Poppy brought Sly to see her new invention. He was always the critical one to challenge first, so she chose him. Her new invention sat hidden under a cloth in her lab. It was portable by breaking it down piece by piece but luckily for her the lab had a large door connected to the garage. So she didn't need to break it down. As an elf she could cast certain magic. Talking to animals seemed to be her thing. Soon Sly, a green goblin with a very different background, came into view grumbling under his breath. She took no notice of his bad attitude.

"Ready to find out what my new invention is? Don't keep me waiting," Poppy sang out in her best tone. Sly found her voice amusing.

"Ready for the cloth to go down and it better be good," Sly shot back.

Poppy pulled the cloth revealing a radio with hands connected to it. Each hand had a bubble. From a distance it looked just like any kind of radio. But up close it had the buttons of a DVD player. There was a power button, a play button, a stop button, a fast forward button, and a rewind button. The radio itself ran on battery. However, the hands ran on magic. Yet she hadn't turned it on yet. All eyes were on her as she ran her hand down the radio and turned it on.

"I call this the memory machine. It will help you remember the good times and bad about a particular event. It could even pull up a memory you had of a dream- good or bad. I'll go first. It started with a dream and turned into a final project I'm pleased with. So let's start with a dream," Poppy said.

The memory machine whirled and whizzed until images popped up in the hands. A foggy mist of a radio with hands appeared. The elf in the fog looked exactly like Poppy. Then they were in a science fair and everything was going perfectly. Poppy was going to get the first prize in the science fair. Memories kept popping up between.

"This is my dream. One night I woke up remembering this and couldn't forget it. What would I call it and how would I make it? That's when I got started. As I made it I noticed it showed memories, but that's for the next demonstration," Poppy said.

"The science fair hasn't happened yet. I don't know, maybe you could call this a dream catcher instead. Unless the details really were that vivid in your dream I have a feeling the details are skewed," Sly said without hesitation.

"Oh I told you it's just a dream I woke up one night too. The radio and hands looked different than this invention but similar in many ways. Okay time may influence the machine a little so it's not accurate. But it is still a memory I remember vividly as if it was yesterday. Just believe me please," Poppy pleaded.

"Sure, sure. Go along with it. What is your memories of putting it together then?" Sly asked.

"Here goes nothing. Just a little focus and the magic will work out. Just like with the dream."

The memory machine huffed and puffed and out came different results. In one hand Poppy was working on the radio. In another hand she was working on a hand. It continued on until it came down to her first test. She looked at each hand and then organized them in sequence. Satisfied, she took the hand of which she was working on the radio and smiled.

"This is my first memory of working on the radio. I ordered special controls for it so that it would work anytime. My dad bought batteries for it though. Strangely enough the radio ran on batteries. Next hand is me working on a hand. Third try the charm as they say. Which leads to this hand. I am putting the finishing touches on the arms. I finally made it to completing all the hands and arms. To this hand the first test. It made a funky view of the zoo so I decided to alter the radio, the final hand here, to improve the images. What do you think? These are clearly memories by the way," Poppy said and allowed Sly to come look closer.

"Either that or you dreamed of these things as well. It's a lot more realistic this time so it's hard to say. Knowing you, you are a dreamer," Sly challenged.

"Why don't you try out the memory machine then? All you have to do is to turn the machine on and press play. I'll fix it for you so that you can use it."

"Sure, I'll try it out. A memory machine would have to work for multiple people after all."

Sly waited patiently for Poppy to adjust the machine. Soon the machine went blank. He stepped next to it and cracked his muscles in his hands. Magic and him didn't do very well together. Slowly he ran his hands on the radio until he found the power button. Then he pressed the play button. At first, nothing happened. Then a focus on swinging on a swing one summer day came into focus. His mother dropped him. Then he had swung and swung until he was ready to give up. Then his mother showed up again. The trip to a park on his birthday should've been a hint. Fresh ice cream and cake at home. The surprise was wonderful. Then he noticed all the hands filled up.

"You did it! It's a time when we have you go somewhere else to have nothing to do while we bake a cake on your birthday. You always seem to enjoy it. Did you like swinging in the park? Wasn't it a bit cooler than usual back then? I want to know all of the details," Poppy inquired after examining the hands for a little bit.

"Well, I seem to remember swinging for hours alone in the park wondering if anyone remembered my birthday. That day was a long day for me. It haunted me in my dreams for the longest time too. Nobody was there. I was alone. So your machine does work with me too. I still say to call it the dream catcher machine instead. Even though it is pretty accurate," Sly detailed out and gave a yawn.

"Silly Sly. The machine catches memories of distant past, not dreams. I think I've demonstrated enough to convince you. How about a typical day? Think you could come up with a typical day?"

"I don't know. Hey, what does this rewind button do?"

"It will take you back to the beginning of the memory. Say, what kind of car dropped you off in the very beginning? Push that button to find out. I'm curious."

"It was an old Chevy transported back in time. Running off of magic because there was nothing suitable for the car otherwise. Because of magic it flew and the car went anywhere you told it to go. Of course it is was just temporary until the person took the car back through the portal. Said the car ran on gas and cars didn't fly but airplanes did. What is an airplane? Don't ask me. Foreign things."

"I remember that dude as well. Too bad the other elves shunned it. Yet he said it was the future when elves and dwarves lived hidden from view. Magic came to be a legend. Magic is real and is present right now. This invention will help you remember the details."

"Yes, it does help you remember all the details. I'll give you that much."

"So we're in agreement then?"

"Yes on that part. I still call it the dream machine."

"Oh Sly. You are prickly as usual. Call it the memory machine to the others when you talk about it okay? Or else I'll rip out your ears."

"No you wouldn't want to do that to me. By any means. I'll call it the memory machine for your sake, even if I won't call it that around you. Good luck in the science fair. It maybe too technical for the elves' tastes."

"Thank you. Be a good goblin that you are, not like those goblins in the stories where they have to be locked up. No you don't want to be mischievous around here."

"Unless that is my true nature and I'm enchanted to be a good boy. Here I am not breaking your precious invention."

"Go tell Aunt May about it."

Turning off the memory machine, Sly disappeared through the doors. Poppy waited patiently for the next person to come. Aunt May would be the complete opposite of Sly. She knew Aunt May would support her new invention. There would be no argument over dream or memory. Soon Aunt May came through the door and she ran up and hugged Aunt May. The beginning of another demonstration to come.

Prompt: Fantasy, a new invention
Word Count: 1510
Contest: "The Lodestar Contest"