Work Text:
Invitations: Dynamo
ONE YEAR, THREE MONTHS, 9 DAYS BEFORE THE RITUAL
New York City
Columbia College
Fairfax Student Center
Room 201
Professor Dynamo walks to a stage built at the front of the room, and signals for a projector to be turned on. As the wall behind him lights up, he clears his throat and begins to speak.
“The Maelstrom event,” he began, straightening his glasses. “49 years ago, just a few miles away, a once dormant astral gate into another world opened due to the Maelstrom. This, as most of you know, tore my body into atoms.” The professor demonstrated how his hands could separate from his body. “I always have to get that story out of the way,” he chuckled. “With that out of the way, welcome to the Columbia Occult Understanding Group’s first meeting of the semester.” Dynamo then threw a small amount of confetti above his head, which began to distort as it fell, affected by Dynamo’s gravitational pull.
Professor Dynamo began "COUG" as a way to teach students more of the occult mysteries of the world, and to go further into his research on astral gates.
“Excuse me professor, a word?” asked a young Ixian student who Dynamo did not recognize. “Have you ever considered-“
The young man was cut off in Dynamo’s head as he saw a figure he recognized through a window behind the Ixian.
“ This is fascinating, but I need to step out for a minute,” Dynamo moved toward the door, “Please discuss this with Sophia, she’s well versed on this topic” He pointed the man in her direction and headed out the door. Dynamo could hear some kind of argument from the room ahead. He walked in and saw a face he hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Kevin?”
“Ah, my friend!” Kelvin went to Dynamo and shook his hand happily. “You must come with me, I’ve found us a great opportunity!”
“Kevin I read about you not too long ago, is all of that true?”
“Yes, a bit, I have technically died, but I have heard of a way to fix it!” Kelvin smiled a Dynamo, where he saw that there was no light in his eyes, and that he wasn’t breathing. It was at this point Dynamo realized others around them were covering their noses and gagging.
“Let’s go to my house Kevin, we can talk more there.” Dynamo began leading the way.
About an hour later
Dynamo held open the door to his house and took the time to admire the stone on his friend’s back. Marla was not home at the time, which he considered lucky due to the state of Kelvin “So you haven’t changed out that parka in how long?”
“Not since I died at least, before that I can remember very little. But that’s not what I came to you for.” Kelvin reached into his parka and pulled out a light blue letter. He handed it to Dynamo.
Kelvin, your desire for knowledge is rivaled by few. Come assist me and you will know everything that happened on that arctic journey, or maybe be granted life once more. The second Maelstrom is coming, go to New York.
“That is why I’m here, I wanted to discuss with someone in a similar situation to myself.” Kelvin seemed ashamed for a second. “I thought you would have received something similar friend.”
“This looks like a prank my students would pull, they didn’t even spell your name right”
“I assumed at first, but the second Maelstrom is coming.”
“Did you see who gave this to you?”
“I did not, but this was with it” Kelvin pulled out a hotel room key, Dynamo recognized it as from the fancy uptown hotel The Baroness “I am unfamiliar with this”
Around this time, there was a knock at the door. Dynamo answered, only to find no one there, but a small red box. He bent over and brought it to the table where Kelvin sat. Inside was a similar light blue letter.
Dynamo, you have been without a body for far too long. The second Maelstrom approaches. Help me when the time arises and I can give you back what you lost. Marla deserves to feel warmth from you. A key also sat in the box.
“Kelvin,” Dynamo began, “Do you sleep?”
“Haven’t in a long time”
“Let’s go to The Baroness”