Chapter 2: Earth
#2 of An Elemental Pleasure
Chapter 2: Earth Message from the author to the readers and/or reviewers: This is the second chapter in the Elemental Pleasure' series of mine. The fact of the characters being Fur's isn't really expressed in this chapter very much, but it will be in the others. It has no yiff in it though; you will have to settle with science, some supernatural forces and a bit more. In this chapter you will start to know what I have been planning *Chuckles maniacally*. I've changed a few things that I will later change in the first chapter, but not much. Following this run-on sentence is a reiteration of the first chapter and a description of Tom for those who have or have or have not read the first chapter, I didn't even think to describe Tom in the first because when I wrote it I wasn't going to make him a big part, now I am. Sophia is a very, very smart felinoid that works in the research division of the University of Furry Sciences. She works with a canine anthromorph named Tom; he has black fur with orange grey spots placed at random around his body. He has worked with Sophia for over seven years, but still they do not know much about each other. Secretly in the back of his mind Tom wants absolute power over the entire universe even though that is impossible, is it?
- * * As Sophia started to get dressed for another day of research into yesterday's events she reviewed her experiences the night before. Sophia had come home last night thinking very hard about the certain particle they had discovered yesterday, a particle that changed its mass and charge in an oscillating manner. This particle could not exist in our universe as it is but its source was on Earth, in New Mexico. Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst of it. After she had arrived at home she went off to relieve the stresses of the day. In the aftermath of that Sophia was in a dreamlike state for a few hours. In that dream state she had a visitor, not a physical kind as you might expect. A being had seemingly contacted her in those dreams. What it said unsettled her and gave her chills, for she knew not if the voice was real or a figment of her imagination. Sophia being a scientist in search of universal order she inclined toward it being a creation of her mind. Granted she was still going to be traveling to New Mexico to see what is there, the voice may not be real but the particle is. She didn't even bother to think of what it would mean if the being was real, she was confident it was not. So, she continued as if she would any other day, but she knew that today might change the common view of our universe whether she wanted it to or not. Sophia tried to act as normal as she could until she arrived at the University of Furry Sciences. "Do you have the live satellite imaging that I requested," she asked Tom as she walked into the observation room above the supercollider. "Yes," he replied, "it is set up on that computer there. Are you okay?" "I'm fine, if you would please get me some coffee. I have a feeling this is going to be a very long day. I also have a trip to New Mexico to plan later today." "I'll have that coffee to you in a jiffy. Would you like anything else?" he asked her sincerely. "You're not a servant here Tom," Sophia said with a bit of exasperation, "You need not worry yourself over me. I'll be fine." "Okay, what do you want in your coffee?" "TOM!" she said loudly and he slipped out the door to get her drink. Do I really look that confused and weak?' she thought to herself, 'I need to pick my head up and face this problem head on, I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation to these events. However, from just that simply discovery of this new particle I now need to create a theory for it, one that's makes sense. Since this particle can't exist in our universe it is implied that it is not of our universe, but then how can it continue to exist........' Sophia thought on and on until Tom came back with her coffee and broke her concentration. "Sorry to disturb you, but we have another problem. It seems there has been another new particle detected. This one seems to be of the same spin as the other but it doesn't oscillate in the same predictable manner as the first. There is a basic pattern in the results but it has erratic fluctuations in it." "Give me my coffee," she asked him impatiently. After a moment or two for her to savor the coffee's flavor Sophia was ready to talk. "Well," Sophia started to say, "This new particle is somehow related to the first. Could it be a radioactive material that is the source? I doubt it since both of these new particles have a spin of three, which means they shouldn't even exist in our universe." "I could be," she continued, "that there is a field surrounding the particle that could change the physics of that small area to allow this particle to continue to exist. There used to be theory to explain gravity, part of M-Theory. It was that while the first four dimensions expand to fill and flatten our universe into what it is now. The other dimensions, the ones that siphon off the missing gravity, collapse into themselves and become small as or smaller than the elementary particles. This theory might allow for this particle to exist. Sophia took a moment to think about the theory. When M-Theory was finalized they had removed the multi-dimensional theory. In its place they created a revolutionary theory that involved the universe warping into itself at a rate of one inversion per Planck Time. With each inversion it also stretched the universe slightly, when the matter and energy in the universe slide over each other in a relative environment they create the stretching. As they stretch gravity is pulled away from our common view of space-time and into this "imaginary" space. The image looked somewhat like the Calabi-Yau, but only in four dimensions. "If we detect small amounts of gravity being radiated at a constant rate from the particles despite the changes in its mass we shall know our answer. If that is the case than we will have to make some more coffee, because we would be staying up all night trying to rethink string theory and some of our universes basic properties." "Shit," Tom said in surprise, "Is it really that bad?" "In truth," she said, "I don't really know. Something is telling me there is more to this particle than we can observe." "Ah, your feminine instincts at work," he said with a small chuckle. "Damn Straight," Sophia said back to him laughing. "Okay, if we really are going to be staying up all night then I will need something a little better than coffee. I'll be back in thirty minutes; you want anything from star bucks?" "I'll take my usual," she replied, then added "and get some Crown Royal while you're at it." After Tom got back they started working on analyzing the raw data from the detectors on the supercollider that had found the particles. They eventually found the gravity signature they had dreaded decided to take a break for a little while. "Should we name these new particles or will they just remain New Particle 1' and New Particle 2'," Tom asked when they sat down in the university's teacher's lounge, which happened to be very nice. "What did you have in mind," Sophia asked him. "Something with the name Odin in it, Odin's Sign maybe?" "You really like Norse Mythology don't you?" Sophia replied smiling. "What can I say? I listen to WAY to much Manowar, they are my favorite band." "Well," Sophia said then took a moment to think. "Odininium, Odinite, Odinson," Tom suggested. "Ah, Odinson. Perfect. If you are familiar with Norse Mythology than you will recognize the Sons of Odin. The name Odinson makes more sense." "Great," Tom said with new vigor, "now it has a name. Should we make it official?" "Not until we know more about it, and the next step in knowing about this Odinson' is to take a trip to its source and see what is there. After that we should know enough about it to give a professional opinion." "Okay," Tom said thinking, "I'll start making travel arrangements to New Mexico. Do you prefer to go by car or by plane?" "Cars," Sophia said with an overdramatic shiver, "I've always had a fear of flying." "I didn't know that about you," Tom said getting up from his seat, "I wonder what else I don't know?" "Well," Sophia said evilly, "You will just have to find out." "If you will ever tell me," Tom said as he left the room to make all the travel arrangements for tomorrow. Sophia stood up and walked over to the counter to get one more cup of coffee, she had already had two pots trying to get all the Odinson' particle data to make sense. One more couldn't hurt, could it? After Sophia poured her coffee she started to walk back to the observation station to look over the data one more time before going home. As she walked down the hall she considered what could possibly by in New Mexico that was outputting all of these strange particles. After a minute of thinking her mind started to fill with a buzzing noise and her thoughts became very muggy. Her legs began to tremble and her arms felt like Jello. Just as fast as the feeling had appeared it disappeared without a trace. "That's not good," she said to herself out loud, "Maybe I should see one of the university's doctors or nurses." As she walked down to the medical section of the university, which just so happened to be on the way to the station, Sophia wondered what had caused the feelings she had just experienced. Way to much coffee was her explanation to the sudden event. Immediately after she had decided coffee was what caused the short buzz Sophia fell to her knees from the sudden pain that had exploded inside her head. Sophia writhed on the floor until she heard a voice from within the horrible pain. "Come to my brother's temple," said the voice, "If you do not arrive within three of your days than life on earth will cease to exist. This is your final warning." The voice slowly faded and was replaced with the cold darkness as she felt herself going unconscious. Time seemed to just roll on by to her still somehow functioning mind observed the nothingness with a sense of awe. In an instant the light returned, but it wasn't coming from the windows in the university. The source of the light was a figure standing I front of her. It was a rock golem and she could not read it's expressions if it had any. The golem was perfectly still she was sure, but the light emitted from it was shimmering in her mind as it could barely contain its essence. "I'm sorry to disturb you," the golem said into her mind giving her a slight mental shiver, "My brothers told me you had discovered us, they are a bit more blunt than I am, so be thankful. We do not wish to destroy life, but all of you have left us no choice. You, however, can change that. You can save humanity. Come to my temple, as my brothers said. There you will know how to complete this task and you will be rewarded. Come to my temple, you know the way." The golem then seemed to crumble as the individual stones dislodged themselves from his body and fell to the ground. There they sat and faded away leaving Sophia in the darkness of her subconscious. Her mind then started to get foggy like before, but this time she did not snap out of it. Sophia's thoughts became so muggy she ceased to have the ability to observe anything. From the outside of her mind Tom came to her rescue as he was walking back to the station after making the arrangements. He saw her stumble around for a moment then she was walking normal again. He ran toward her when he saw her fall. He could not get Sophia to talk or respond to his voice at all. He picked her up and carried her to the university doctor; there the doctor could not seem to figure out why she was unconscious. He said to allow her to sleep and to tell him when she woke up. Sophia was unconscious for almost two days when she stirred. When she opened her eyes the first thing she saw was Tom pacing around the room anxiously. Sophia could barely move but when she tried hard she managed to sit up in on the doctor's cot. "Oh thank god. You awake," Tom said looking at her with puffy eyes. "Yes, I am," was her reply. "Well, the doctor suggested that you rest for a few days." "How long was I out?" Sophia asked. "Nearly two days," Tom answered her, "Why?" At his words Sophia's eyes flew wide and she could swear that her heart skipped a beat. She needed to hurry if what the golem said was true. That was no illusion she had experienced, Sophia was sure this time. "Two Days," Sophia almost screamed. "What?" Tom asked, "It looks like you've seen a ghost. Are you okay?" "Get ready," Sophia continued, "We are leaving now, hurry up and buy a plane ticket." "What?" he asked again as Sophia stumbled out of the cot, "Why? You can't leave right now, you have to rest." "I can rest when I'm dead. Come on," she insisted. "What's all the rush for?" Tom asked starting to get his things together. "I will tell you on the way," Sophia replied, "For now though we have to get to New Mexico, at the source. Or else things that do not even bear talking about will happen." "Okay," he replied with skepticism in his voice, "I'll call the airport. You need to get some clothes if we going to the source." "We'll pick some up on the way to the airport, but we need to be there Today." "I'll get started then, are we going in your car?" Tom asked. "If you want, I don't care. As long as we are are there today." "Okay, see you in the parking lot in twelve minutes." Sophia and Tom went in completely opposite directions then, each going to collect different papers and materials. Sophia went to print out the satellite mapping images so she could find the source exact position. Tom went to make all the flight arrangements and to notify the university they were to be leaving soon. They arrived in the parking lot at almost the same time. Sophia was carrying her purse and her backpack which held all her papers. Tom was simply carrying the items in his pocket and his notes. Although he did have his PSP with him so he could listen to music on the plane, he had originally brought it to listen to while Sophia was still unconscious. "Do you have everything you need," Sophia asked Tom as they got into his car, Tom was driving. "I should, you?" "Yes, I think so. Anything I don't have I can probably remember." "Okay," Tom said as he started the car and backed out of the parking space, "what is this little adventure all about?" "I don't know exactly, when I was dreaming a few days ago I heard a voice say to me to come to them. For some reason I now think the voice was real, and I need to see if what it said is true. That answer is at the source, I know it." "Okay, then why do you need to be there today?" Tom asked as they arrived at the airport. "Because if I don't get there today all life on earth will die, is that good enough?" "Yeah," Tom said gulping in some air, "a little bit too much information though. Next time, keep the last part to yourself, Okay." "Yeah," Sophia replied, "It kind of freaked me out to. Let's get going." They began driving towards the closest airport making a quick stop at Wal-Mart on the way to buy Sophia clean clothes. It didn't take long to arrive at the airport, is happened to be in the same city quadrant as the university. Shortly after they arrived Tom was able to purchase a ticket to the closest airport to the source, which was still an hour away. They went through security, Sophia tripped the metal detector. It turned out to be nothing but it annoyed her. Sophia didn't trust airports anymore after 9/11, there was always a long line in front of security that meant security was completely overloaded and was likely to make a mistake. It didn't help either that they had to be there an hour in advance, they were already on a strict time schedule of around ten hours. So they waited to be boarded onto the plane for thirty minutes, in that time Sophia thought to herself of all the things the golem said to her. About how her scientists and supercollider detectors had discovered them and that if she did not arrive within three days all life would be destroyed. She also thought that it truly sucked that two and a half days had passed already. When Sophia and Tom boarded the plane the captain was reporting weather over the intercom. Unfortunately for Sophia there was to be quite a bit of turbulence on the flight. "This better be good or else I'm never flying again," Sophia said to Tom with a bit of anger but with some humor behind it. "Don't worry," Tom said back to her sarcastically, "the plane isn't going to crash or anything else abnormal. "Yeah, I've heard that before!" "It will be fine; if you want you can listen to my music to calm you." "Yeah. Sure," Sophia said, "What do you listen to now, Nightwish? Manowar? Or maybe even The Crshadows or Disturbed?" "Oh, even more than that," Tom said smiling, "You would like some Nightwish, its Metal and Opera together. It's awesome!" "Damn, you sound like a school girl running after Justin Timberlake or whoever kids idolize these days. Get a grip on yourself." "Okay, but I am not a school girl!" "Calm down and sit in your seat," Sophia said as they reached their seats. The flight wasn't as bad as Sophia thought it was to be. The turbulence turned out to be just a few jolts through the plane, in which Sophia scored deep scratches into the seat with her claws. Overall everything went as planned, but that didn't stop her from drinking around a gallon of water and having all of it come out of her skin, her fur was thoroughly soaked when they got off. "Damn, I would make a very inappropriate comment about comment about the way you look right now if we weren't in an airport," Tom said laughing. "One day Tom, one day," Sophia said wagging her finger. "And when that days comes," Tom said as they walked to get what little luggage they had brought along, "When that day comes I will be ready." "You say that now," Sophia said as she spotted their bags, "You won't be so tough then either." "Maybe not, but I things you don't," he said back to her trying not to laugh. "Oh, you sexist pervert! I will make you pay as soon as this current business is over," she said laughing at him as he tried to act as innocent as he could, failing miserably. "Okay," Tom said as he picked up his luggage, "let's get going, how long do we have?" Sophia's smile faded instantly, "Only about six hours." They walked outside and managed to wave down a taxi. The man inside was human and seemed preoccupied when Sophia and Tom got into the taxi. When they were fully in the taxi his attention quickly shifted to them. "Where are you going?" the driver asked. "We are going to this location," Sophia said holding up a map with an X over their destination. "I'm sorry," the driver said, "I can't go there, there doesn't seem to be any roads around that location." "Could we possibly pay you extra to take us off-road," Sophia asked honestly. "How much are you willing to pay," the driver asked. "Over three thousand," Sophia replied confidently. "How would I know you are going to pay up?" "We are scientists, we keep our promises. You can trust us." "Okay, I will take you there for the extra money. I need all I can after my wife lost her job. What so important there? It looks pretty barren to me," he said taking another look at the map. "We are hoping to find some ancient artifacts there, worth more than you can imagine." "Well let's get going, can I have a share?" the driver asked sounding almost happy now. "If you take us there," Tom interjected, he didn't like taxis. Knowing hundreds of people sat right where he was now. It was all a bit disturbing to him, just a little pet peeve. "Fine, I'll start driving. Is there any particular music station you two like?" "Soft rock," Sophia said. "Heavy metal," Tom said at the same time. "Okay," the driver said with a bit of exasperation, "Regular rock it is. By the way, my name is John" For almost three hours all three of them drive across the state which is New Mexico. They where about a mile away from the source when they noticed something. There seemed to be a huge rock out there that was not displayed on the satellite imaging map they were using. "What is that," John said aloud. "I don't know, it's not on the images we have from the satellites," Sophia said in awe. They arrived at the rock that was even larger up close. At first glance all the scratches over the rock seemed to have no conceivable pattern, but as she stared into them the scratches started to vibrate inside her vision. She shook her head and the feeling went away. "That's some weird stuff there," John said apparently noticing the same effect. They got out and walked over to the giant monolith, Sophia was more interested in finding a door of some kind due to the fact that in a few hours her three days would be up. However, Tom and John were busy trying to understand the random symbols placed around the rock. One of the other thing all of them noticed was the heat radiating from the stone. "I need to get my camera," John said going over to his taxi and pulling out a cheap disposable digital camera. He tried to take a picture with it but the image came out blank, as if the rock was never there. He couldn't even see the monolith through the LCD screen. "Well, that's not right. Come and take a look at this," John yelled to Sophia and Tom. "That's cool," Sophia said wagging her tail a bit letting her childlike side slip out some. "Your happy now," Tom said to her noticing her tail movements, "let's find a door before time runs out." "What time is running out?" John asked. "Oh, it's nothing. It really isn't," Sophia said trying to convince him nothing was wrong. "Yeah," Tom said sarcastically, "It's only the end of the world." "You've got to be kidding me, you think the world is going to end if you don't get inside this rock. Ha, good thing I'm getting paid for this." "Yes," Sophia said to him in a very serious voice, "We are fairly sure that will happen!" "Okay," he said pretending to back away, "I'll help you find the door, if there is one. After that I want my money, and I'm out of here." For almost thirty minutes the searched the outside of the rock for a door. Tom eventually found an impression in the stone wall that looked like a passage way. All three of them tried to open it but none succeeded. "Maybe you have to say something, like open sesame," John suggested cynically. "I doubt it," Sophia replied, "but it's worth a try, it's not like we are in a hurry or anything." Sophia thought over all the things the golem had said to her in the dream and found nothing that could possibly be any sort of password. So she stooped a bit lower and wondered if these beings could really be that cheesy. "I know the way," she said under her breath. "What?" Tom asked her but was interrupted by a loud humming noise. The door started to get hotter and hotter until it was glowing white, it slowly started to melt and seep into small ducts seemingly designed for that purpose. When the process was done there was a empty space where the door used to be. Behind it there was a skeleton with golden eyes that seemed to look directly at you when you entered. Below the eyes it was holding what looked to be a sign, in English. For a moment it wasn't English but the letters shifted around to be read by them, as if on demand. The sign simply said, "Beware." "That's really weird," John said stepping through the passageway coming into range of the golden eyes. They started to glow and John was talking to himself for a second. Instantly after the quick glow the eyes burned bright red and John started screaming for his life. Smoke arose from Johns eyes as the ancient powers of the Earth deemed him unworthy to enter. Slowly and painfully his entire face and assumingly his brain dissolved into boiling mush. When it was over John was left on the ground with no flesh left on his face and the eyes of the guardian dimming down again. "Holy Shit," both Tom and Sophia yelled at the same time when they watched what was happening. "Maybe I should go in first, I know it will accept me. It chose me over all the people to come here," Sophia said with false bravery in her voice. Her tail quivered with fear as the image of John kept coming into her mind. "Hell no," Tom said, his protective side showing through. "If anyone is going to be risking their life to save the world it is going to be me." "Why are you always so stubborn," Sophia insisted, "It is my responsibility, it chose me." "I'm going in," Tom said. "No, you're not," Sophia said as she stepped through the passage. Instantly the golden eyes started to glow a bright blue. "What is your purpose for being here?" a voice entered her mind. "A being has requested for me to come here, and I have arrived." "What is your name?" the voice asked. "Sophia R. Hannah, I discovered you." "So you have, you may pass." "May my friend come with me?" "No, if he is not worthy he will not be allowed passage." With that another door opened revealing a long downward hallway. "If I am not back within three hours bring the authorities. Goodbye," Sophia yelled out to Tom as the stone door started to regenerate locking him out. "Well then," Sophia said to herself, "Might as well get going." Sophia walked down the hall as far as she could, noticing different hieroglyphics as she walked. The tunnel was lit by strange glowing statures placed at regular intervals. Some of the hieroglyphics looked familiar while others looked like the carver was on shrooms or something. Sophia walked for around ten minutes when she came to another door, this time she was able to open it. What she saw amazed her at the deepest level. The room was completely without a light source yet it seemed to glow with a uncontainable heat. Also, when Sophia looked at the walls they seemed to look back. Almost as if every atom of the walls was an eye that was looking straight at her. All together it was completely unnerving. "I call upon the inhabitants o this sacred place," Sophia said trying to sound professional like in the movies, "please answer me." "Ah, you have arrived," a powerful yet kind voice spoke into her mind, and as it spoke the rock of the cavern shimmered. "I came as you told me to," she said honestly. "Yes, you have. I will give you all the information you will need to find my brothers in due time, but first let me introduce myself. I am the element Earth. I have the closest thing to emotions as us elementals can possess. I will guide you on your journey and become what you would call a friend, I do not have much to do but sit here and think so I might aas well help someone with a higher calling." "And what would that higher calling be?" Sophia tried to ask as honest as she could manage. "You're a direct one aren't you? Your higher calling will be to find all the elementals and join them. In turn you will be granted god like powers that only you can manage. You were created for this power, it is your destiny. Go now, I will stay in contact with you. I will also contact my brothers and tell them not to do anything rash. There will be no end of the world as long as I exist." With that Sophia walked back to the surface to tell Tom of this new predicament they were now in. She found all the doors open and Tom pacing around outside, it was night and she could barely see the taxi anymore. "Sophia!" Tom yelled as she came out. "Yes, I'm back already," she said. "Already," Tom said with a questioning voice, "You were in there for over two hours." "What. Well, it doesn't matter right now. Let's go get a hotel, I'm too tired to explain what happened." "Okay, I'll drive," Tom said in a caring voice. With that Sophia got into the back of the taxi and fell asleep.