Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“Seriously, Sis? Did you really just give away her secret identity over the phone? I thought I taught you better than that.”</span> you said in your best disapproving voice.
<span class="mu-b">“I sincerely doubt that the person I was talking with over the phone was Keira Knightley.”</span> Thomas declared.
<span class="mu-r">“Oh, yeah? What was your first clue?”</span> Ember asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
<span class="mu-b">“Firstly, she sounded far too young.”</span> Edison concluded.
<span class="mu-r">“<span class="mu-i">‘Firstly’</span>? What year am I living in?”</span> Ember replied, that incredulous tone of hers returning in full force.
<span class="mu-r">“Eddy, I’d like for you to meet Sister Shock, the newest member of our team. Sis, this is Thomas Edison, an inventor that I’m currently in the process of commissioning.”</span> you said.
<span class="mu-r">“Your name’s ‘Thomas Edison’? Like-”</span>
<span class="mu-b">“Yes…”</span> Edison cut her off, answering her question before it could even come out of her mouth. The exhaustion in his voice was clearly noticeable this time.
<span class="mu-r">“Oh, well…sorry. Or…congratulations? I’m not sure how you feel about it.”</span> Ember finished.
<span class="mu-b">“I’m not ashamed of my name, ‘Sister Shock’. Once simply tires of hearing the same jokes over and over again.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Have you ever thought of settling for a catchy nickname, instead?”</span> Ember suggested. <span class="mu-r">“‘Eddy’ didn’t sound that bad.”</span>
Edison scoffed.
<span class="mu-b">“I assure you, my clients won’t be terribly impressed if I introduce myself as <span class="mu-i">‘Eddy’</span>.”</span> he said, pronouncing the nickname with no small amount of disdain. <span class="mu-b">“First impressions are everything.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Yeah, I guess so.”</span> Ember conceded. <span class="mu-r">“It <span class="mu-i">would</span> be pretty cool to have ‘Thomas Edison’ on your contacts list.”</span>
<span class="mu-b">“My point exactly. It sounds far more distinguished.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“That’s not the reason I was thinking of, but sure.”</span> Ember chuckled.
<span class="mu-r">“Sister Shock here is an excellent programmer, and has skills suited for ridiculously rapid prototyping, among other things.”</span> you cut in.
<span class="mu-r">“Oh, well…”</span> Ember muttered, clearly preening from your praise.
<span class="mu-b">“Is that so? Besides coding, what would those skills include?”</span> Edison asked.
<span class="mu-r">“Uh…”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“It’s okay. Go ahead and tell him.”</span> you encouraged her.
Ember cleared her throat.
<span class="mu-r">“Well…I can convert electricity into interactable pixels that I can use to create…pretty much whatever I want. But I have to be able to both understand and imagine it.”</span>
For a moment, Thomas was speechless.
<span class="mu-b">“My…that is a rare ability, indeed.”</span> he said, sounding contemplative as he began muttering to himself once more. <span class="mu-b">“If I had your ability, I could fabricate materials at a far greater rate, and for a much cheaper price.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Yeah, well…it’s not for sale.”</span> she said, her attitude shifting towards something more guarded. <span class="mu-r">“I’m done renting out my power to ‘brilliant inventors’.”</span>
(Cont.)
