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“BLATHERING....” Gyro slammed his fist down the table, almost ruining his latest invention. That is, for as far his latest invention was able to be ruined any further.
It’s late. Almost everyone else has left the lab already. Intern was back with Miss Intern, and the horse-man slept in his usual place. It was this solitude that left Gyro’s thoughts wandering. First to the usual things, like “What does a headless horseman dream about? Does it dream? Does it hope?” but like usual, these thoughts slipped away and turned on Gyro himself. Does he have any dreams?
The only light of the lab shined on the scrap heap on the table. “Alright you miserable pile of rocks.” Gyro monologued. “Yes, I see you for what you are.” he continued. “You might think you’re advanced because you’re shiny.” Gyro said, projecting on a heap of metal. “But I see you. You’re frauds.” he sneered, tilting the ceiling lamp as to interrogate the metal for more answers. He sighed. “You’re freaks of nature, you know that?”
“Well, I think they’re pretty neat.” a voice said in the dark.
Gyro blinked, not even surprised at what he theorized to be hallucinations. “Well, it’s official.” he said, but never finishing his sentence.
The figure revealed himself, slowly stepping into the light until he was fully visible.
“Waaaaait.” Gyro tilted his head. “Red nephew? But you’re so big now. And you definitely lost your sense of style.” Gyro said, miming the weird bobble hat the visage was wearing.
“Actually, I’m Fethry.” Fethry explained. “I’m the new intern. Pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all yours.” Gyro casually asserted his dominance. He thought about his current situation, and it was pretty bad. “Say, New Intern.” he lead him to the table with the new materials on it. “What would you see when you see these materials?”
Fethry looked intensely at the shining metal.
“That looks like a raven.” he proclaimed.
“Thank you new intern.” Gyro rubbed his temples. “I will make note of that.”
“Thank you Dr. Gearloose!” Fethry said as he went back to work.
Gyro gave the table another percussive correction with his fist. Where could he find the inspiration for his invention. He dramatically walked to the glass walls of the underwater lab. Normally, that would do the trick, but something about this asked for the big guns.
Gyro left the lab and turned off the lights. “Until tomorrow new intern!”
“Tomorrow is Saturday!” Fethry exclaimed.
“I will see you tomorrow!” Gyro yelled.
He turned on his car and took a drive around town.
A while later, he arrived at his destination. “The usual.” he whispered in the intercom, which opened the grand gates in a big swing. “Thank you.” Gyro said in a defeated tone of voice. He cannot believe he has to stoop this low. “Have fun in Duckburg Zoo. Enjoy your stay Gyro.”
He felt eyes staring at him, as every head turned around at the unexpected visitor. Gyro glared back and slowly walked towards them. “Hey, how are you doing today? Enjoying your prehensile tail?”
The monkeys didn’t respond.
“Aww, I wish you could have opposable thumbs. Of course, you would still have inferior intellect, but at least you could grab something like a normal human being.” Gyro gently patted the monkey’s head. “Yes yes, good night to you too.”
He turned around and walked to the aviary. “Wings would be pretty predictable for an invention, but you can’t beat the classics.” Gyro said, while wildly gesturing a pair of wings to see how that would work. “At least you can’t turn evil, can you?” Gyro said, staring into the eyes of a bird locked up there.
“Oh, you’d be surprised.” another voice spoke.
“BLATHERING. What is this? The Christmas Carol? You should know that Gyro Gearloose doesn’t learn lessons or feel remorse!”
Poe revealed himself, his olive-green skin only lit up by his piercing yellow eyes. “The name’s Poe.”
“Gyro Gearloose.” he stretched out his hand for a handshake, before quickly drawing back the offer once he realized it wouldn’t be reciprocated.
“So, what does a scientist as yourself do in a zoo?” Poe wondered out loud.
“I could ask you the same question if I cared about...well what is it what you do?”
Gyro asked, after which he immediately cursed himself for somehow attempting small talk with the murder snake in front of him.
Poe chuckled at the hesitation. “I practice magic, it’s not unlike science you know?”
Gyro groaned. “If I had a nickel every time a wizard said that to me, I’d have two nickels.”
Poe tilted his head in wonder, but Gyro cut his curiousity short. “Don’t ask.” He did want him to ask. He wanted him to ask so badly, to jump together into eachother’s mind. Magic and science intertwining in what they eventually both shared. A spark.
Gyro continued to lose his patience. “Anyway, if you’re, well, let’s admit, you’re bad at this.” Gyro gestured. “The whole relating-to-me-to-teach-me-thing. You suck at it.” Gyro hoped the challenge wouldn’t prove too big, the walls too high. “So you can take your whole...mystery vibe and just.” Gyro gestured the last part of the phrase.
“I’m tiring you...” Now it was Poe’s time to read Gyro. “Talking to people. It tires you...”
“Ooh-lala, you master of the black arts. What gave it away?” Gyro responded sarcastically. “The fact I’m in a zoo at night or the fact that I honestly don’t even care about a strange man appearing in thin air?” He did care. Of course he cared. Gyro couldn’t wait for this man to unravel him, but he had to be careful those piercing eyes wouldn’t do so in one tug.
“It’s okay. Let’s just look for it together. This peace you find in anything that doesn’t challenge you.” Poe mused, extending his arm. “Let’s go.”
Gyro took his hand and looked at the birds. He tried to grasp his thoughts together, but the only thing he felt was the pulse of this stranger, the tug of the eyes he wanted to look into. Gyro thought about how stupid it was how he had cornered himself into caring for the scrap metal back home.
“It’s for an invention.” he shared.
“What sort of invention?” Poe asked.
“Count yourself lucky you don’t know.” Gyro scraped his throat. He set up the bait now.
“Because of the danger?” Poe scoffed.
“No, because I wouldn’t be here with you if I knew.” Gyro said. He can’t believe he said that. That this somehow worked.
Poe cackled softly. It was weird. It was likee a witch cackle, but *softly* “Eh, my mission isn’t going well either. I’m here for a spell to transform into one of those.” he pointed at the birds. “But so far I can’t concentrate.”
“Is that what the handholding is for?” Gyro asked. He had to know the answer.
“No, that’s just for fun.” Poe smiled.
Oh.
Oh?
Really?
Really.
Gyro slowly turned his head. The eyes stared right back at him. They were shining, but rusting all the same. The lights of the lanterns reflected off of it, revealing a bronze light.
Poe smiled. “It’s been fun Gyro.” He let go of his hand with a gentle stroke and disappeared in a puff of smoke, flying away in his new form. A raven.
That night, Gyro went back to the lab and turned on the light. Fethry was still there, looking over a project of his own. Gyro walked towards the scrap metal on the table. He sighed. “I suppose it does look like a raven.”
He turned around and waved goodbye to Fethry. “See you tomorrow new intern.”
“See you tomorrow Dr. Gearloose!”