Chapter Text
Machinery and music, two things so unlike each other.
With music, the composer poured their heart and soul; all their emotions combining into beautiful melodies. Machinery, on the other hand, was done with logic and precision, accompanied by the calculating gaze of a mechanic. However, both the mechanic and musician shared similarities. They were inventors, creators of something new.
To begin with, the knowledge behind each of them was extensive, long hours studying either pentagrams or gears. Whatever was created by their brilliant minds, was done with unmeasurable dedication and countless efforts spent to create what they envisioned.
Occasionally, when machinery and music met; when two opposite poles attracted each other, wonderful new inventions were born. Among them, the music box always comes to mind. Small gears, combs and pin drums encased on a wooden box to play catchy tunes priced among kids and collectors.
Melissa was enchanted with that small box made possible by the complexity of machinery. There was a twinkle in her eyes as she stared at the child that came out of the toy store. He was spinning the handle, excitedly humming alongside the music that came from it.
It was nice to see the joyous smile on his face, finally, happiness made its timid approach after the end of the war. Still, there were dampened faces and tired smiles wherever she went but as the time passed, people were getting better, getting back on their feet and ready to continue living.
Because of the child’s laughter and the music box being in his hands, the sound that came from it was muffled, and eventually disappeared after the child turned the corner.
Looking at the sight of the child with a music box in his hand, whom was probably his elder brother holding the other and the smile on both of their faces, made Melissa jealous.
Her eyes lingered into the alley where they disappeared, and after some time, she continued walking.
Melissa wanted to take apart the music box and figure how it worked, nonetheless she was reluctant on buying it, even when money was no longer an issue.
She could ask the owner for a blueprint of it, though she knew her request would be denied with the false notion of her stealing the design.
Passing through restaurants and other stores, Melissa reached the Municipal square. The Atterline Plaza was located in one of the numerous cities inside Midseashire. Melissa, along Benson and his wife, Lucy, had arrived at Atterline to celebrate after their wedding. In a way, it was their honeymoon, and Melissa had been dragged to it on Benson’s insistency. He didn’t want to leave her alone at Backlund. So, to appease her brother, Melissa agreed to accompany them, a decision she now deeply regretted due to feeling like a third wheel.
While she was happy for her brother, Melissa felt a bit uncomfortable when surrounded with constant displays of affection.To escape such a fate, she had decided to wander around the streets. Something that would get boring if done repeatedly.
In the center of the plaza, there was a big fountain. People sat on its edges or the benches near it to feed the pigeons. There were crowds walking towards the restaurants on the sides of the plaza or approaching the carriages on the streets. Most of the people would have been taken aback by the magnificence of the fountain, water splashing into enchanting ripples. However, Melissa’s attention was placed somewhere else.
There was a strange machine far from the fountain, placed where most people ignored it, interested in other things. The small wardrobe-like machine was being ignored by everyone, even the ones that passed besides it. Its surface had a brass color with a few transparent glass, gears, rivets, metal pipes and other components.
Melissa walked towards the machine, observing, and analyzing it.
“What is this?” Melissa murmured. The gears and pipes served no purpose, they were just embedded to it. It was as if a little kid had grabbed some components and just glued them until it looked cool.
“Its name is the Fully Automatic Wishing Machine,” She was startled by the young man that appeared out of nowhere. He had a long black robe and a tall hat. Melissa remembered that next week a circus would open near the plaza, had this magician escaped his duty? Doing other things instead of setting up the tents? “My name is Merlin Hermes, wandering magician and its inventor.”
Merlin Hermes had long-hair that reached his shoulders, brown eyes and a soft smile.
Melissa looked the machine once again and raised an eyebrow, “What’s its purpose?”
Merlin smiled calmly and said, “It can automatically fulfill the wish of someone who operates it.”
She looked at Merlin skeptically, this crude machine wouldn’t be able to accomplish such a feat. Was this man pulling her hair?
Melissa pursed her lips, miffed by the man who claimed he had invented something millions dreamt of.
“You can give it a try; you can ask for three wishes, a penny each.”
She was doubtful, was this a weird scam? Were after asking for one penny he would ask for a Soli then for a pound?
"Why only three? If its such a great machine, why just that number?”
"Well, it's just how it is."
Just how It is? Melissa thought that this was definitely a scam.
Seeing the doubt in Melissa’s eyes, Merlin said, "Wish for anything you desire. Think it like this: the worst thing that can happen is that nothing happens at all, so why don't you give it a try?”
For some reason, Melissa felt that Merlin wouldn’t stop bothering her until she relented. There was insistency behind his words, as if he really wanted his machine to fulfill her wish.
Overall, she was curious of the interior of the Fully Automatic Wishing Machine. If Merlin did really want to scam her, she wouldn’t let him do it. Melissa could be stubborn, and she would not relent no matter what Merlin said.
“Insert a penny then make your wish before you turn it.” Merlin reminded her.
Melissa thought what she should wish for. The first thought Melissa had, was to wish for infinite gold pounds, then she remembered Benson made quite a sum with his job and there wasn't a need to be a cheapskate anymore. Though that wouldn't deter her from trying to save money anyways.
Plus, if Melissa asked for gold pounds, and the man was desperate to prove his invention worked, then would he rob a bank and give the money to her? If there was the low possibility that her wish would be accomplished, she didn't want it to depend on the savings of others just like her.
The far-fetched thought was forgotten when Melissa heard a distant band. The saxophone, harmonica and guitar mixed creating a harmonious melody.
She had finally decided what she wanted.
“I want to have the blueprint of a music box.”
Melissa inserted a penny and turned the wrench, not really expecting anything to happen.
The “door” to the Fully Automatic Wishing Machine opened. A wooden cane tapped her forehead.
When it retracted back into the machine, the “door” closed.
Just as Melissa expected, nothing happened.
She didn’t notice the fond and exasperated look that Merlin gave her.
Melissa was ready to leave, search for something else that would catch her interest; however, Merlin blocked her path.
“Your wish has been granted.”
Here it comes, Melissa thought, the beginning of the scam.
“Check your bag.”
When Merlin said that, Melissa clutched the handle of her bag. If she were to distract herself staring down at it, Merlin would probably snatch it and run away.
She tried to walk past him but was again blocked. Exasperated, Melissa asked, “If I check it, will you leave me alone?”
Merlin nodded.
Melissa put her hand in his hand, without breaking eye contact with Merlin, making sure he wouldn’t try to do anything funny. Her eyes never left Merlin’s while her hand felt the contents of her bag. There wasn’t much inside it, she just had a silver vine-leaf pocket watch and her wallet, the rest of her luggage was in her room at the hotel.
Merlin smile twitched, so untrusting, he thought.
She felt the gentle caress of paper, an object that wasn’t on her bag previously.
She was still doubtful, believing Merlin had put something inside her bag while she wasn’t paying
attention.
Melissa took the paper out of her bag, letting the handle of the bag rest on her shoulder, and bringing
the paper to her eye level.
The doubt inside her eyes melted into child-like excitement. The paper in front of her was really what
she had asked for. A blueprint of a music box with the materials needed and instructions to make it.
“Are you sure its only one penny for this?” Melissa, now hesitant, asked. She did not know where Merlin
got the blueprint or when he hid it inside her bag, but she wasn’t going to complain.
“Yes. Also, The Fully Automatic Whishing Machine can grant you two other wishes.”
Melissa stared at the blueprint again, she had finally found what to do instead of wandering around the
streets, and she knew she wouldn’t get bored at all.
Melissa was going to build a music box.