Thursday Charloft Prompts #81-90
8/9/2012: can't live without
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," helping out in the shop
Notes: This was partially inspired by the "greatest fears" prompt a bit back – the one where Victor confessed that this two greatest fears are absolute darkness and finger injuries. He talked about the first in that prompt – here's a story about the second. He seriously would freak out if he ever lost his ability to play the piano. Same with Marty and his ability to play the guitar.
“All right, that should – wait! Great Scott, be careful!”
Victor yanked his hand away from the falling blade just in time. He nervously examined his fingers as Doc berated the customer for trying to test his invention too early. “Hey, are you okay?” Marty asked.
“Yes,” Victor said, his heartbeat slowing. “Yes, thank God. . .for a moment there, I thought I was going to–” He stretched out his fingers. “I don’t know what I’d d-do if. . .j-just the idea of not being able to play the piano. . . .”
Marty patted him on the shoulder. “Trust me buddy – I know exactly how you feel.”
8/16/2012: something on display
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," just after Victor and Alice get back from their honeymoon Notes: Gah, this took so long – I couldn't think of anything Victor might have on display, and I came pretty close to using this in the second 100 Drabbles of Summer table so I could try one of the other characters. Then, finally, this came to me. The "steam" picture is one Victor drew Alice early in their relationship – it's an image of her flying in the steam, and it's stylized to make it look like she has wings. (If you've read the Forgotten Vows Verse, you'll notice this is another thing that pops up between realities.) It's pretty special to Alice, hence its placement.
Moving into their new house was strange. Even with all their things unpacked and the rooms all arranged, it just didn’t feel like home. There was still a sense of “not quite belonging” that Victor couldn’t shake.
Then, one day, he returned after a visit to Doc’s shop to discover Alice had framed and hung all their drawings in various places around the house. A pencil sketch of Cheshire in the kitchen, an ink study of butterflies in his study.
And the picture he’d drawn of her flying in the steam right over their bed.
Now it felt like home.
8/23/2012: discovery
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," pre-"Secundus 2"
Notes: This is something I decided on for Victor's "bucket list" a while back. I figured it was worth bringing back for this prompt.
“Alice, have you ever made a list of things you wanted to do before you died?”
Alice looked up from her book. “Not on paper – I suppose I’ve got one of a sort in my head. Have you?”
Victor nodded. “I made the first one when I was sixteen. I’ve altered it a few times since then, but one of the constants was ‘Discover a new species of butterfly.’ I knew it was a long shot, but I couldn’t help but hope.” He turned to her with a smile. “Do you think making new species technically counts?”
Alice laughed. “Why not?”
8/30/2012: lost my motivation
Time Period: Anytime in "Secundus"
Notes: I think I was inspired by my own tendency to go "right, let's do this!" sometimes, and then promptly get distracted by something shiny. We all have our off days.
Victor stared at the blank page in front of him. He would have sworn it stared back. Why haven’t you filled me? it seemed to ask. Aren’t you visiting the most inspirational place you know? Why aren’t you drawing?
Victor couldn’t answer. He didn’t know why, but he just didn’t feel creative. Instead, he felt – listless. Lazy. Like he wanted to just lie down and stare off into space for a while.
There are worse things to do in Wonderland Park, he thought, giving into the urge. Maybe I do need a day where I just look around and enjoy.
9/6/2012: positive influence on someone
Time Period: Post-"Secundus"
Notes: I was originally going to do this about Victor being a positive influence on one of his friends, but then I decided this was sweeter. The young lady wants to be a mechanic, by the by.
“Mr. Van Dort?”
Victor turned to see a young lady smiling at him. “Er, yes?”
“I just wanted to say thank you.”
Victor blinked, then looked at her closely. No, he hadn’t met her before. “Why?” he asked, puzzled.
“Well, I’ve heard about your story – about how you stood up to your parents to stay in Secundus. My parents never wanted me to come here either.” Her smile brightened. “Thanks for giving me the courage to tell them it’s my life.”
With that, she was off, leaving Victor to stare after her. He’d inspired someone to follow their dream?
Wow.
9/14/2012: procrastination
Time Period: Anytime in "Secundus"
Notes: This one's about a chore Victor's mentioned hating before. But difference engines do get dirty, and if you don't want jammed gears. . .
“Victor.”
Victor looked up from buffing a wrench. Doc was standing over him, arms folded, a stern yet somehow amused expression on his face. “What are you doing?”
“Polishing the tools,” Victor said with a hopeful smile. “I’ve also resorted all the nuts and bolts, swept the floor, and balanced the register.”
“You’ve been very productive,” Doc agreed. “But, sadly, none of that is what I asked you to do.”
Victor grimaced. “Must I?”
“You’re the best at it, kid.” Doc pointed toward the back. “Go clean the difference engine.”
“Can I at least finish polishing the tools?”
“No. Go!”
9/20/2012: win
Time Period: Anytime in "Secundus"
Notes: Just something I thought was amusing. Victor's visiting Looking-Glass House and playing chess against a very skilled opponent. . .
“I don’t understand this! How do you keep winning?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself,” Victor confessed, fighting the urge to smile. “I have played before, but. . .perhaps I’m just lucky today.”
“Lucky?! You’ve trounced my army three times in a row!”
“Well, that first time, you did leave yourself wide open. . . .”
“Yes, all right, that was silly. But the second two – how can you be doing this?!” the Red King protested. “You’re a human, and we’re chess pieces!”
The White Queen laughed. “Well, obviously he has a connection to us!”
“I keep telling you, skin this pale is common in Burtonsville. . . .”
9/27/2012: can't decide
Time Period: Anytime between Chapters 6 and 10 of "Secundus"
Notes: Just a short piece about how mixed-up Victor was feeling about telling Alice he loved her. He was kind of annoyed with himself when he blurted it out and discovered his feelings were reciprocated and he was torturing himself for nothing.
I should tell her. Get it out there once and for all. It’ll be better that way.
Better. Better to have my heart crushed. Because that’s the only way this can end. Even the gentlest no will –
You don’t know that for sure! And even having my heart broken would be better than this unrequited agony!
Really? What if she gets angry? What if she decides to break it off entirely because I’m just like all the others?
Victor groaned, grabbing his head as he continued arguing with himself.
Nobody had warned him being in love would be this annoying.
10/18/2012: trick
Time Period: Pre-"Secundus," Victor's teenage years
Notes: This is a scene from Victor's past, where two of his worst bullies spilled fish guts all over the stall and then successfully blamed Victor for the crime. I don't think Victor was as upset over being accused as he was about his father being willing to believe he'd do such a thing. Especially when William knew Gordon and Michael didn't like him. . .
“I’m very disappointed in you, Victor.”
“But–”
“That was quite a lot of product you ruined with your little prank.”
“I–”
“And now the store is going to smell of fish guts for weeks. I hope you’re ready to clean up the mess.”
“I didn’t–”
“Responsibility, Victor! It’s an important part of being a good businessman. How can I leave you the cannery in good faith if you won’t take the blame for your mistakes?”
“Father, I didn’t do anything! I promise you!”
“Gordon Tannen and Michael Smith saw you do it, son.”
“. . .And you’re going to believe them over me?!”
10/26/2012: was broken, now not
Time Period: Anytime in "Secundus"
Notes: I knew I wanted this to be about Victor fixing something with Doc's help – took me a minute to figure out just what he should be fixing, though. This ended up being my last Thursday prompt in the community. Feels like a fitting note to end on, at least.
“Replace the panel, and – that should do it!”
Victor gave the last screw a final turn before stepping back. Doc checked that everything was back in place, then flipped the switch. The generator roared to life, electricity crackling through it and up into their flat. Doc clapped Victor on the shoulder. “Good job.”
“Thank you.” Victor swelled with pride. He’d fixed something! He’d actually fixed something! Sure, it had been a simple repair, and Doc had walked him through it, but still – he’d been the one to actually do the work.
Now he truly felt like a citizen of Secundus.
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," helping out in the shop
Notes: This was partially inspired by the "greatest fears" prompt a bit back – the one where Victor confessed that this two greatest fears are absolute darkness and finger injuries. He talked about the first in that prompt – here's a story about the second. He seriously would freak out if he ever lost his ability to play the piano. Same with Marty and his ability to play the guitar.
“All right, that should – wait! Great Scott, be careful!”
Victor yanked his hand away from the falling blade just in time. He nervously examined his fingers as Doc berated the customer for trying to test his invention too early. “Hey, are you okay?” Marty asked.
“Yes,” Victor said, his heartbeat slowing. “Yes, thank God. . .for a moment there, I thought I was going to–” He stretched out his fingers. “I don’t know what I’d d-do if. . .j-just the idea of not being able to play the piano. . . .”
Marty patted him on the shoulder. “Trust me buddy – I know exactly how you feel.”
8/16/2012: something on display
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," just after Victor and Alice get back from their honeymoon Notes: Gah, this took so long – I couldn't think of anything Victor might have on display, and I came pretty close to using this in the second 100 Drabbles of Summer table so I could try one of the other characters. Then, finally, this came to me. The "steam" picture is one Victor drew Alice early in their relationship – it's an image of her flying in the steam, and it's stylized to make it look like she has wings. (If you've read the Forgotten Vows Verse, you'll notice this is another thing that pops up between realities.) It's pretty special to Alice, hence its placement.
Moving into their new house was strange. Even with all their things unpacked and the rooms all arranged, it just didn’t feel like home. There was still a sense of “not quite belonging” that Victor couldn’t shake.
Then, one day, he returned after a visit to Doc’s shop to discover Alice had framed and hung all their drawings in various places around the house. A pencil sketch of Cheshire in the kitchen, an ink study of butterflies in his study.
And the picture he’d drawn of her flying in the steam right over their bed.
Now it felt like home.
8/23/2012: discovery
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," pre-"Secundus 2"
Notes: This is something I decided on for Victor's "bucket list" a while back. I figured it was worth bringing back for this prompt.
“Alice, have you ever made a list of things you wanted to do before you died?”
Alice looked up from her book. “Not on paper – I suppose I’ve got one of a sort in my head. Have you?”
Victor nodded. “I made the first one when I was sixteen. I’ve altered it a few times since then, but one of the constants was ‘Discover a new species of butterfly.’ I knew it was a long shot, but I couldn’t help but hope.” He turned to her with a smile. “Do you think making new species technically counts?”
Alice laughed. “Why not?”
8/30/2012: lost my motivation
Time Period: Anytime in "Secundus"
Notes: I think I was inspired by my own tendency to go "right, let's do this!" sometimes, and then promptly get distracted by something shiny. We all have our off days.
Victor stared at the blank page in front of him. He would have sworn it stared back. Why haven’t you filled me? it seemed to ask. Aren’t you visiting the most inspirational place you know? Why aren’t you drawing?
Victor couldn’t answer. He didn’t know why, but he just didn’t feel creative. Instead, he felt – listless. Lazy. Like he wanted to just lie down and stare off into space for a while.
There are worse things to do in Wonderland Park, he thought, giving into the urge. Maybe I do need a day where I just look around and enjoy.
9/6/2012: positive influence on someone
Time Period: Post-"Secundus"
Notes: I was originally going to do this about Victor being a positive influence on one of his friends, but then I decided this was sweeter. The young lady wants to be a mechanic, by the by.
“Mr. Van Dort?”
Victor turned to see a young lady smiling at him. “Er, yes?”
“I just wanted to say thank you.”
Victor blinked, then looked at her closely. No, he hadn’t met her before. “Why?” he asked, puzzled.
“Well, I’ve heard about your story – about how you stood up to your parents to stay in Secundus. My parents never wanted me to come here either.” Her smile brightened. “Thanks for giving me the courage to tell them it’s my life.”
With that, she was off, leaving Victor to stare after her. He’d inspired someone to follow their dream?
Wow.
9/14/2012: procrastination
Time Period: Anytime in "Secundus"
Notes: This one's about a chore Victor's mentioned hating before. But difference engines do get dirty, and if you don't want jammed gears. . .
“Victor.”
Victor looked up from buffing a wrench. Doc was standing over him, arms folded, a stern yet somehow amused expression on his face. “What are you doing?”
“Polishing the tools,” Victor said with a hopeful smile. “I’ve also resorted all the nuts and bolts, swept the floor, and balanced the register.”
“You’ve been very productive,” Doc agreed. “But, sadly, none of that is what I asked you to do.”
Victor grimaced. “Must I?”
“You’re the best at it, kid.” Doc pointed toward the back. “Go clean the difference engine.”
“Can I at least finish polishing the tools?”
“No. Go!”
9/20/2012: win
Time Period: Anytime in "Secundus"
Notes: Just something I thought was amusing. Victor's visiting Looking-Glass House and playing chess against a very skilled opponent. . .
“I don’t understand this! How do you keep winning?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself,” Victor confessed, fighting the urge to smile. “I have played before, but. . .perhaps I’m just lucky today.”
“Lucky?! You’ve trounced my army three times in a row!”
“Well, that first time, you did leave yourself wide open. . . .”
“Yes, all right, that was silly. But the second two – how can you be doing this?!” the Red King protested. “You’re a human, and we’re chess pieces!”
The White Queen laughed. “Well, obviously he has a connection to us!”
“I keep telling you, skin this pale is common in Burtonsville. . . .”
9/27/2012: can't decide
Time Period: Anytime between Chapters 6 and 10 of "Secundus"
Notes: Just a short piece about how mixed-up Victor was feeling about telling Alice he loved her. He was kind of annoyed with himself when he blurted it out and discovered his feelings were reciprocated and he was torturing himself for nothing.
I should tell her. Get it out there once and for all. It’ll be better that way.
Better. Better to have my heart crushed. Because that’s the only way this can end. Even the gentlest no will –
You don’t know that for sure! And even having my heart broken would be better than this unrequited agony!
Really? What if she gets angry? What if she decides to break it off entirely because I’m just like all the others?
Victor groaned, grabbing his head as he continued arguing with himself.
Nobody had warned him being in love would be this annoying.
10/18/2012: trick
Time Period: Pre-"Secundus," Victor's teenage years
Notes: This is a scene from Victor's past, where two of his worst bullies spilled fish guts all over the stall and then successfully blamed Victor for the crime. I don't think Victor was as upset over being accused as he was about his father being willing to believe he'd do such a thing. Especially when William knew Gordon and Michael didn't like him. . .
“I’m very disappointed in you, Victor.”
“But–”
“That was quite a lot of product you ruined with your little prank.”
“I–”
“And now the store is going to smell of fish guts for weeks. I hope you’re ready to clean up the mess.”
“I didn’t–”
“Responsibility, Victor! It’s an important part of being a good businessman. How can I leave you the cannery in good faith if you won’t take the blame for your mistakes?”
“Father, I didn’t do anything! I promise you!”
“Gordon Tannen and Michael Smith saw you do it, son.”
“. . .And you’re going to believe them over me?!”
10/26/2012: was broken, now not
Time Period: Anytime in "Secundus"
Notes: I knew I wanted this to be about Victor fixing something with Doc's help – took me a minute to figure out just what he should be fixing, though. This ended up being my last Thursday prompt in the community. Feels like a fitting note to end on, at least.
“Replace the panel, and – that should do it!”
Victor gave the last screw a final turn before stepping back. Doc checked that everything was back in place, then flipped the switch. The generator roared to life, electricity crackling through it and up into their flat. Doc clapped Victor on the shoulder. “Good job.”
“Thank you.” Victor swelled with pride. He’d fixed something! He’d actually fixed something! Sure, it had been a simple repair, and Doc had walked him through it, but still – he’d been the one to actually do the work.
Now he truly felt like a citizen of Secundus.