Fixing Genius Option A: Offer to Help the Scholars
I think this is the first time I’ve had a straight up tie in the voting…I’ve never figured out how to handle a tie. So for this time, I’m posting the option that hasn’t already been explored. The first time this story was run, readers asked the mouse for advise. So this time we’ll go with the other option and offer to help.
If readers have any suggestions for handling ties, I’d love to hear them.
In the meantime, thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy =)
Fixing Genius Option A: Offer to Help the Scholars
You’ve suspected before but now you’re absolutely certain. The Scholars are insane. They’re smartish magicians with no small amount of something off in the head.
Great.
But if you refuse to help, they’ll probably destroy the mansion and the town of Mandril in the process.
“All right,” you say, “I promise not to tell anyone about what I see here.”
The Scholars start bouncing on their toes and they all grin at you. It’s kinda creepy.
“So what kind of ideas do you have to pull the static from the scope?”
Thankfully your question pulls their attention from grinning at you and they all huddle together to discuss. The mouse takes the opportunity to release its hold on your sock and skitter across the floor to disappear into a small hole in the marble wall.
Thanks for abandoning me!
Like it heard you, it peeks back out, you hear a high pitched twittering and then it disappears again.
“Here’s our thoughts,” Edwin says.
You raise a brow and wait for him to continue.
He glances nervously back at his colleagues but then squares his shoulders.
“Use extra cable to pull the charge from the scope to the ground,” he ticks the first option off on his index finger, “use the mice to disconnect the scope from the cable,” second finger ticked off, “or…”
A crack of lightening makes everyone jump. The vibrant tendrils of electricity collide into a single bright stream connected to the rods on the roof. It races through the cables and into the scope, which turns from its usual mahogany color to a bright ruby red.
You know little about Massidion but what you do know is it explodes if overloaded. Stories involving the substance almost always end with it going boom. Big boom.
“Or?” you prompt Edwin.
He frowns.
“What’s the third option?”
“Oh, break the ceiling and flood the room for the charge to release into the water.” He grins. You could count his teeth if you wanted to.
“Really?”
“Yup. Those are the options we can think of.”
“And what about your sticky static?”
There’s a yelp and you look over to see one of the other Scholars shucking his apron off. The apron turns to ash on the floor and the man looks at the scope like it made him touch it.
Brilliant Scholar.
“We think when the charge dissipates, the static’ll return to us.”
You don’t point out the problems in such an assumption. If they loose their sticky static, it’s their own fault.
Another snap of lightening draws your attention. The scope rocks on its base from the force of the charge.
“Okay,” you say, “We’re running out of time.”
Do you say…
Aa. You’ll try the cable?
Ab. You’ll have the mice help?
or
Ac. You’ll break the ceiling?
Blessings,
Jennifer
(Please post a comment with your choice. Heads up, after feedback, one vote per comment per day please but comment as much as you like=) This makes counting votes easier. Voting will end at 8pm Mountain Time Monday. Tuesday I’ll post whichever option gets the most votes and we’ll see where the adventure finishes!)
