Jeff The giant clockwork girl was walking in the hills of this strange world. She had just seen the destruction of of.. her little sisters. A village of those just like her! Only smaller As small as Some of her friends. They were made of springs and crankshafts How could anyone hurt them? How could anyone kill- no she stopped at that That thought. They were not dead They were never alive... maybe. Just a collection of cogs and gears wrapped in sheets of cloth. Dolls that looked human Sort of. Still it looked like a scene out of the wizard of oz. Clock town Time But some part of her felt them as if they were alive. That little doll she picked up It's eyes They haunted her as it implored her to seek out what hurt them. Why did anyone want to hurt something so innocent? What harm did they do?
she walked in her large giant strides across the hills, walking over a fallen tree like it was a raised pavement the elements didn't affect her weather it was cold or hot But emotions did weigh on her a lot. Jeff thought a lot about her life from after she changed to the present How weird it was to watch people grow older while she stayed in her youth unchanged. She was a little giantess caught in between two extreme aspects of her existence. In her life time flowed without touching her as both a giant and a child. She felt lonely often despite the love of her mother and very small circle of friends She depended on others to help her and yet she was independent of most simply out of sheer need. She felt her leg struggle to move- "Oh not now!" She shouted. She flailed her arms helplessly as the ticking became spaced longer but She could feel her Body Slowing Dow-
And that was it. She couldn't do anything now but wait as the metal key on her back reversed. Hours passed and the wind blew amongst a few stray trees in the hills and on her still form as the key in her back ticked. A bird perched itself for a while on her shoulder. Her insides spun a little faster but she knew she had to relax and wait this out. If only she had a companion to sort this out in minutes! It was a good thing she was so big or she might be afraid of what the other animals could do
Then she saw a dragon flying in the sky. A real dragon Blowing fire with tremendous fury. Jeff wanted to run and hide but her body was not charged enough to move. "Maybe it will fly past," she hoped as her eyes trailed it. The red dragon seemed to take an interest in Jeff as it swooped down spanning its impressive wings. It was over 30 feet across with red scales and the face of a crocodile. Clawed hands and 'feet' that were reptilian in nature. Intelligent green eyes met the clockwork girl "Is this a tribute left on my territory from someone?' It spoke amused at the thought. "Or are you a new creation of clock town " it picked up Jeff in its claws with a light squeeze. "...Big enough for me to play with wonderful."
"..." Jeff was used to being helpless. She couldn't move. She couldn't talk She was just a mechanical doll as the dragon held her completely at its mercy. Despite this some part of her felt Oddly happy to be played with. Nobody had before She hoped the dragon wouldn't break her though. She also hoped It wouldn't hurt. The muzzle of the dragon was inches from her face as he legs dangled freely.
"Hm, you would be a fine prize on my treasure pile, child," it said still amused. "Ah but where are my manners My name is Asharuth. Let's not make this a one sided conversation shall we?" The dragon started to use its huge claws to wind Jeff up it was a tense moment as those claws had more than enough strength to wind her quickly yet there was a gentleness to the dragon's touch. Odd really He then put her down unharmed.
"T-thank you," said Jeff not sure what to say now that she could act. She felt an odd instinct to give a courtesy to the dragon.
Smoke bellowed from Ash's muzzle. "So polite But you owe a dragon a favour girl I will collect. But tell me what you are doing here?" His voice blew warm smoke from his muzzle as he settled closer to her. His tone was patient, like the voice of a mountain or volcano.
Jeff tried not to be nervous. The dragon was about the same scale as a horse to her But given her own size it must be so intimidating to a human. "A town- clock town was destroyed. I need to find out what happened. It's done something odd to Time. In my world."
The Dragon's eyes glinted. "Ah Time. Yes... you must be from the sky world," said Ash as he pointed over the hills. "Yes, go in that direction to a castle You will find the ones that did it strange as very few things 'happen' here But what will you do? you seem too modest to stir up trouble...pretty doll Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay with me... forever? I will take good care of you, like all my treasures..."
Jeff gulped- or at least would of if she had anything that could. "No I- I have to. As to what I'll do when I get there I Dunno" Jeff admitted. She had never been very good at taking actions like this But if she didn't try who else could. There was nobody else!
The dragon chuckled. "Well I do hope you figure it out This should be fun to watch and what is your name?"
"Jeff Jeff Aurelius."
The dragon looked taken aback by that. "Hm of all the names You are the King's daughter?"
"King? My dad's not any king "
"Oh Hm.. you best Go to the castle. As fast as your gears will take you "
With that the dragon flew away. Jeff took in a deep breath- well- mentally anyway as she hurried over the hills.
The king watched from the terrace of his kingdom. This was his world This was his people. He would conquer it, take it, and make it his own. All things will be a reflection of his power and will...
"Sire," spoke a knight in armor. "As per your order clock town was destroyed."
The king nodded "They will think twice before refusing my tax and law unto this world." It was a tidy arrangement A business arrangement. What more did a man need other than time. A precious resource they were harbouring and they refused him? He knew like all things here clock town would return But hopefully a little wiser when a human was calling the shots.
"Something approaches the castle!" Said a watchman. "It's Holy it's a monster!"
The king looked upon the strange geared creature with recognition. "Open the drawbridge and let her in."
"Sire?"
"Will you question my orders or carry them out "
With great haste the drawbridge was lowered...
Jeff looked in awe at the castle. Her huge body made the bridge creek. Still, something about it felt odd. It was like she knew this place but that was impossible. Yet the sight of it, the people in armor and The symbols
"The symbol of the Aurelius crest" she thought. Dad was proud of it And this place felt a lot like how dad ran his company
"Hello Jeff," said a man wearing an ornate golden crown.
"Dad?" Jeff said surprised as she knelt down to meet his gaze. She had not seen him in years! "Y-you've been here all this time?!"
King Aurelius smiled. "Indeed, welcome to New Earth. I rule most of the lands And taking it one glade at a time from the monsters and beasts."
"B-but why?" Jeff looked so crestfallen and even disappointed. Had her father gone back to his old ways? He was always such a man of desire maybe it was too much to expect the sun to change him...
"Yes. I've learned many secrets of this world I know things that others are only still discovering. My company helped build technology from here and With the right resources, I will rule -both- worlds. The world of limitless potential and the world of consequence "
"Dad whatever you did it broke time!" Jeff said raising herself to her full height like a mighty Titan.
King Aurelius arched a slight eyebrow but didn't look intimidated. "If time stopped for a little while nobody is going to notice. It will start up again soon The time generators are a little Glitchy. They require power from the river of dreams Dreams are a fickle thing to capture. Almost as much as lightning in a bottle. Do you want to see my collection of that?" Aurelius took out a jar with what looked to be 'lightning' inside. He opened it and- Jeff was suddenly hit by the force of it. Her gears spun like crazy as the charge made her lose her own charge instantly. She couldn't say a word as she slumped over.
"Sorry doll I have too many plans for this world and so little time to work with. But you are a vast store of that energy I will be able to use you. More time energy..." If only he had the key But maybe a way can be taken around that as well.
A watchman then approached. "sire An angel is following the power lines to the castle "
"... Not unexpected. I can deal with that. Place the doll in my workshop She should be comfortable there. She's been in that state before "
Jeff woke again. She blinked as her gears started. She was in some kind of Large room of a castle. She could feel something on her neck and something on her spring. A collar of some kind?
"Hello son" said a tiny voice.
Jeff looked up to see a cage, with a gentle glow. A dragon fairy of some kind?
"Who are you?" Jeff asked warily. Still if she was a prisoner as well she looked rather pretty with curious golden scaled in a tiny body that was like an ant to her.
The dragon fairy gave a gasp "Oh You You've never seen me like this before, have you. I'm your father Geoffrey Aurelius."
Jeff blinked. She ticked inside a few times and even skilled a few ticked. "D-dad? Really?" She looked to try and reach in the cage but there was some kind of strange magic field there. "So.. That king claiming to be you is a fake?"
The dragon fairy sighed. Unlike her human counterpart there was a kind and gentle nature in her eyes. She looked Innocent and at peace. Happy despite being in a cage. "No he is me as well. I guess an explanation is in order..."
