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Amelia was troubled. She’d spent the better part of a year working on the watch and she’d yet to see any results. Following up on who delivered the mysterious package she’d been left had turned up nothing but dead ends so she had been forced to comply with the package’s demands. Namely the one that told her to “solve time-space travel”, as if that was possible. There was no way the watch would actually work as described; it would break every known law of physics. She didn’t study her ass off in medical school just to be told that everything she knew was a lie. Still, a tiny, infinitesimally small piece of her wondered what would happen if the package wasn’t lying. That was the main source of her worries. It would be so easy to just put the watch down and never think about it again, but she just couldn’t stay away. A mystery this juicy was begging to be solved.
She was about to give up for the night when she reread one of the notes inside the box she’d been given. Something small clicked into place for her and she picked up the disassembled second hand and etched a small carving into it before placing it back where it belonged. She was too tired to test it tonight, but she felt that some progress was being made, even if she didn’t understand how. She trudged off to bed, not bothering to turn off the lights as she slinked into bed still in her detective outfit.
A pleasant dream awaited her. She was in the park with Bubba, throwing the ball to her over and over. She soon realised that every time she did so the world seemed to get smaller. Before she knew it she was in space, surrounded by the planets and the stars. Truly space was breathtaking.
“You really think so? Thank you for the kind words.”
Who had said that? Ame looked around to find nothing but empty space.
“No no you’re looking wrong. Try and not look in the places where you want to. That’s how you see what you can’t see.”
Ame couldn’t make any sense of what she was hearing. The voice seemed to be coming from every direction so the request was illogical from the start. Well not if I close my eyes, she thought smugly. As she did so in protest of the ridiculous request something strange happened. She was certain her eyes were closed and yet the space before her was still clearly visible. If anything it was more visible. Strange.
“Strange indeed. Space works in mysterious ways. Well they’re mysterious to you. I find them pretty mundane actually.” The voice was no longer surrounding her, this time it came from above her head. She tilted her head up and was met with the strangest sight yet. A girl in a white and blue dress. She was just floating there upside down, not a care in the world. She had the most beautiful blonde-white hair tied up in twin-tails that were contained by several planet-shaped hair ties. Her golden eyes met Ame’s and a mischievous grin swept across her face.
“I’ve been waiting for you Amelia Watson.”
“Whadda mean?”
“Well you finally did it, didn’t you? You solved the first half of the puzzle!” All of a sudden the space around them was filled with party poppers that all went off simultaneously, showering both girls in confetti.
“I did what?”
“You did solve the space component, didn’t you? I was certain I felt it, and it felt exactly the same as every other time.”
“What are you even saying you weirdo.” Ame’s mind was racing, and she needed some space to think, so she decided to try and stall this chick as long as she could while she caught herself up to speed. Good plan Watson, sure hope she’s friendly.
“I am friendly, though it seems that you’re not exactly ready to have this conversation. You’re probably really close so I’ll just visit you tomorrow night. Sananara Amelia Watson.”
Ame woke with a start. That was definitely the weirdest dream she’d ever had. More importantly however, was the task at hand. She immediately jumped out of bed and ran over to the watch. She fixed the pieces into place and pressed the little button at the top. Nothing happened for a moment, then suddenly the watch began to trill. The noise it made was dreadful. In an instant she found herself looking up at her office from the street-corner. She couldn’t explain it. All she knew was that the watch worked, and that she could now travel through space at will.
The first thought a person has when acquiring an ability like this is to go rob a place. Maybe a bank or a museum or something. The idea didn’t appeal to Ame, it was too noisy and way too pedestrian. Criminality didn’t suit her anyway, investigation was her forte. It took her the rest of the day to figure out how to set the watch, how to combine her thoughts and the positions of the hands to get where she wanted to go. It helped that the package contained some helpful hints as to how it worked. Truly it was more art than science though. By the time she fell into bed, Ame had almost forgotten that she had a dream-date with that weird space girl. Today it seemed, would never end.
“Kronii-chiwa Ame! I felt you using the watch today, congratulations...again!” The party poppers appeared once more, but this time the gesture felt a little empty as the girl smiled awkwardly at her.
“So who are you? Did you send me that package?”
“No you sent you the package, well one of you did. I don’t know which one sent it specifically, but they only do it on behalf of the council of Ame so really they’re the ones who sent it. Yep, that's who it was, the council of Ame.” Ame rubbed her temple in exasperation.
“And it’s supposed to be a space-time watch, not just a space watch yeah?”
“That is correct! I love talking to you Ame’s, you’re always so quick on the uptake. I’ve been doing this job since this universe began and I still get lost in the details sometimes.”
“Putting that frightening detail aside, why did this council of...me send that package to me?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I don’t know!” As she repeated her answer she glided around the empty space with the freedom that Ame thought only birds possessed.
“So then who are you if you aren’t working for that council place?”
“Well I do work on a Council, it’s just not the council of Ame’s.”
“And what council is that?”
“The Council.”
“The Council?”
“The Council!”
“And what do you do on this Council?”
“I oversee all of space, space, space,” several incrementally smaller versions of the girl had appeared behind her, echoing the word space for dramatic effect.
“All of it?”
“All of it!”
“I find it hard to believe that one person could do all that.”
“And yet I do it anyway, isn’t life wonderful like that?”
“Okay, what am I doing here then?”
“Well Kronii doesn’t really approve, but I like to welcome all the new Ame’s when they figure out space-time travel! Since it’s my domain that you all zip around in, I make it a point to know you all individually. Really I shouldn’t be doing this until you’ve figured out the whole watch, but I was getting bored waiting for you to get it working.”
“It doesn't seem like you're very concerned with the rules, you just do whatever you want huh?”
“Well Sana is a pretty big deal you know, Kronii and I are the two biggest concepts in the universe after all.”
“You mentioned this Kronii a few time already, if you’re space that would make her time?”
“Mhmm.”
“And will I have to sit down with her once I figure out the watch.”
“It’s pretty unlikely, she’s always super busy. Time is a delicate thing. Space can take quite the beating though,” at that she pounded her chest heartily.
“Well, all that being said, uh, hi there, I’m Amelia Watson, professional detective, it’s a pleasure to meet you...?”
“I’m Tsukumo Sana, it’s good to make your acquaintance Amelia #1337, I hope this is the start of wonderful friendship!”