FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The flickering of the golden flames hung high above the cluttered room, hanging from the wooden pillars holding up the main floor of the large wooden house. The lanterns cast long shadows across the room, leaving most of the room in a soft and still atmosphere as if it was waiting for his invention to come to life. The dust floated visibly in the rays of the moon shining down through a basement window, the old house made a refuge for the anthro bat as he tinkered with his newest contraption.

A large lantern sat on the corner of his table, lighting his workspace as he turned a few screws and gave a few hums, making sure everything was in place. His thoughts turned to the Officials, knowing none of them would approve of his tinkering inside the city walls, happy to have remained undetected out here in one of the older towns. He'd known the woman who lived upstairs for quite a while and she was happy to provide him with a home in her basement to create his inventions for the greater good. Still, it would only be a matter of time until he was found, he just had to hope that wasn't soon.

After finishing the gear, he stood back with it in his orange-furred hand, turning it around to eye it up. It was a mechanical glove with a soft and plush interior, wired with the potential for what he had planned. He flexed his fingers inside the device, watching as the individual plating on each knuckle moved without any resistance, working wonderfully as he smiled. But just as he held out the hand in front of him, his hand laying flat out as he planned to use it, his eyes met the empty socket on the center back of the glove, the object that he would need to truly bring this device to life.

He then placed the glove back onto the desk, sitting down on the stool beside the table, brushing off his armored body. The green cloth on his thick outfit rested at his sides, the thin, silk material swaying softly from his motions. The bat then spoke aloud his thoughts, looking out the basement window and into the trees above. "And where is she? She-"

But just as those words escaped his lips, a knocking arrived at the door to his lower chamber. The voice of his friend rose up, mentioning that the dragoness he was expecting was here to meet him. He stood up at the mention, "Let her in!"

The door creaked open out of view, the sound of talons on wood tapping with not much else for noise as his friend was a smaller dragon than most. When she appeared descending the stairs, her five-foot-tall body walked cautiously, wings at her sides, eyeing each step as the house complained at each movement until she finally reached the bottom. She shook herself, looking out the window, eyeing the dust particles with a sniffle, "Agh, why is it always so dusty in here?" She then lowered her voice, glancing up the steps behind her, "You sure you couldn't have found a less... cluttered place to lay low?"

He shook his head, her violet eyes catching his blue gaze, "There's only so much I can do to experiment like this. Besides, Derek, she was more than happy to help after I helped her father when he was still alive." He then gave a crack to his neck, noticing a blue shimmering coming from the edges of the satchel tied around her waist. "You got the crystal?"

Derek rolled her eyes, approaching the table a moment after with a soft chuckle, "You know, Copper, as an artificer, you can relax sometimes and just chat."

He nodded, letting out a sigh, "Yeah, I know. Times have been hard recently though, so it's not easy."

She then reached around her wing, nipping the satchel, lifting the hook off of a metal loop on the end of the strap before unlatching it and placing it on the table with a release of her maw. A soft thump was heard as she placed it, the bag small in size. But just like her, size didn't always mean everything, as the crystal she'd brought held immense power. She undid the strap on the front with her paws as she sat down, slowly pulling out the shimmering shard.

It pulsed softly in her hands, arcs of electricity wrestling with one another inside the chaotic gem, her soft voice adding, "Be careful. It was hard convincing an electric dragon to imbue some of its lightning into this. It took some... convincing."

He swore he saw her blush, her tail doing a brisk flick before he continued, holding his hand out to her, "Well, you got it regardless, and you have my gratitude. Now, let's see if this works..." She dropped it into the palm of his hand soon after, a little surprised at the soft zap that hit his hand as it collapsed onto it, the energy almost radiating from the bright object. He then picked up the glove, taking a deep breath before pressing the gem into the slot. He quickly clasped over a metal casing around the crystal, a glass roof allowing him to still see the crystal, knowing the power wasn't infinite and that he'd need to be able to see it to measure regularly.

Just as it was fixed in place, the glove came to life. The wires laying under the metal lit up in a golden glow, the magic within mixing with the mechanical, showing the power it truly held. He then pulled the device over his right hand, flexing his furred fingers inside, turning his invention back and forth as he looked it over. Derek watched in awe as well, "I still can't believe you've been able to combine magic with tech like this. You're right when you say the Officials wouldn't have liked this."

As he continued looking it over, Derek continued, "So... what exactly is it supposed to be used for?"

"A Taser Glove. It'll be a useful way to sneak up on someone and paralyze them for a bit if needed. It also can concentrate the energy into arcs of lightning. It should be able to reach a few feet out, but with some modifications, I may be able to improve it... It'll take time, but I think this could be revolutionary."

The dragoness eyed it, tilting her head, "Does it work?"

The bat gave a grin, "It should. I'm not going to tase you if that's what you mean, I'll try it tomorrow on an animal to see. It won't actually hurt anyone, it's more like an elongated stun." He then pulled the glove off once more, setting it on the desk before turning to face her, "Thank you again, it means a lot. If you ever need anything let me know and I'll see what I can do to help. I'm guessing you're heading back to your valley then?"

She glanced up at the window to her left, humming, "I probably will. I don't mind flying at night, it's peaceful. I'll be passing by your house on the way to a village tomorrow so I'll check up on you then if you find anything else you need." She then hesitated, looking him up and down before giving a soft nuzzle to his side, purring, "I'm happy we're in this together. No one should be alone."

He gave a soft pet to her head, thinking of some teasing words he could say but instead holding back. She then left soon after, exiting out the way she had come before he began to shut down the shop for the night. It had been a few weeks coming, but finally, it seemed his device was fully functional and all he had to do was test it. He dreamt of what tomorrow could bring, if they could truly make a difference with their discoveries, praying for a brighter future under the cold rays of the moon.