17 Raw Materials

Lunch had been uneventful. Marci looked surprised when Tyler no longer was afraid to try new foods. Dani took pleasure in ordering for all three of them . The conversation consisted of sarcastic remarks and veiled insults between the two princesses. Ultimately, it was what Tyler expected.

Now, he is sitting in a large lab room. The floor and walls are white marble with blue trimmings. Wooden cabinets cover one wall from floor to ceiling, and there are several tables that are only distinguishable from the floor because of their wooden base.

One end of the room has two metal carts that could have come from a mine in an old western. Graphite rocks ranging from fist-sized to watermelon-sized fill one of the bins. The other has a small pile of graphene sheets in the bottom. Tyler sighs as he pulls another fist sized flaky rock from the first container, turns it into the hardest material every discovered.

Graphene can't usually be produced in large quantities through normal production. It's a carbon structure that is only one atom thick. Creating a plate of it involves generating graphene sheets one atom thick and stacking them until it is think enough to see. However, Tyler can make a one inch thick segment in seconds. Still, he yawns and looks at the mound he still has to process.

"Are you okay?" Marci asks. "You seem miserable."

"I'm fine," Tyler answers. Yesterday this menial task almost seemed fun, but making complex components with Dani made it seem like watching paint dry on the walls.

"Tyler, if I have to be honest with you, you should be truthful with me as well."

"This is just boring, and we have a lot to do."

"I'm sure that, after making more detailed devices, altering the molecular structure of carbon is both easy and boring. No one ever said you had to do this one at a time or have it take all night though."

"Oh, that's a good point..."

Tyler looks at the cart of graphite and scratches his head. He thinks for thirty seconds, stands up, and puts his hands on top of the pile. Closing his eyes, he focuses and turns the entire load of rock into a solid block of graphene."

"Does that work?" He asks. Breaking into a sweat, he sits back down and slumps into his chair.

"Perfect! I think we can make that work," Marci says with a giggle. "Since we have some extra time, why don't we take a break and go for a walk?"

"Actually, I'm not sure how far I can make it after that..."

"We can talk here while you rest and walk through the gardens when you feel up for it."

"Sure, is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Yes there is..."

"Are you waiting for me to read your mind? That's not going to happen anytime soon."

"No,no, it's just that I want to talk about a philosophy both you and Dani had on your mind before lunch." Marci avoids eye contact with Tyler.

"Oh, the thing about being a component in a machine that has a role to play?"

"Yeah, I think Dani and I disagree on that. She means well, but her logic is flawed."

"Why do you say that?"

"According to her theory, you are a part of the machine with a specific function. That function can't easily be changed, so the component has to do its intended role for the machine to work."

"That makes sense to me."

"We believe differently here!" Marci clenches her fists, but her voice remains calm. "In Flayria we value freedom and choice above all else. Nobody should feel like they are trapped in a role created for them at birth."

"I guess that makes sense too... why are you working so hard to protect your people then? Your theory implies that you don't have to."

"Leading the people of Flayria is a privilege that I have dreamed of being worthy of since birth." Marci folds her hands over her heart and locks eyes with Tyler. "My entire life I have studied and trained for this. Eventually, I molded myself into the person that could rule."

"That sounds like a lot of hard work." Tyler shifts in his seat uncomfortably as he gazes into Marci's mesmerizing eyes.

"It was. Anyway, what I mean to say is that a person is like the raw materials you processed for me today. They don't have an inherent function but can be molded into something that does. Raw materials are useless until they are heated, shaped, and set into their final shape."

"You mean to say that I can mold myself into whoever I want to be?" Tyler's ears grow hot as Marci continues to lock eyes with him.

"Anyone can." She gestures towards the bins. "Take this graphene, we can turn it into a high-tech magical weapon or a teapot!"

"True, that would be one expensive tea pot though." Tyler laughs nervously.

Marci's face grows flush. "I... I just don't want someone to feel like they have to be a pot when they could be something better."

Marci breaks eye contact to stare at the floor. Her ears are red at the tips. Tyler thinks for a moment, then replies, "Thank you, Marci, I appreciate that."

Tyler stands up. The world sounds for a moment, but he is able to steady himself. Although still tired, he has no problem striding to Marci and taking her by the hand.

"Why don't we go for that walk?" Tyler asks. He guides Marci out of her seat and leads her into the hallway where he freezes. "Umm... what way do we go to get to the garden again?"

Marci giggles and steps in front of him. With a small smile, she says "Follow me."

Tyler falls into step behind the blonde princess. "By the way, you owe me from our deal."

"Oh, that's true. What do you need an honest opinion about?"

"What do you think of Dani? Besides butting heads a lot, you two seem to think differently about everything."

"Do you want me to message you on the app?"

"You can just tell me this time."

"Very well, I just think that she doesn't behave how a princess should."

"I figured that much." Tyler rolls his eyes. "Tell me some specifics."

"She is loud and rude. Her untactful behavior is polarizing. As a leader, she would be popular to half the population and hated by the other half. I just don't get how someone who has the responsibility of leading their people could be so selfish and rash!"

"That's better. In fact, that was untactful and rash!" Tyler jokes.

"Are you forgetting that you made me say it?"

"Relax, I was joking. I understand how you feel; actually, I felt the same way."

"Thank you. See, I feel like we agree on most things."

"We do think alike, but I've realized that Dani isn't as selfish or rash as she seems."

"Wait, are you about to defend her?" Marci stops and turns to stare at Tyler with bewilderment.

"No, I mean yes, or wait... I don't know, all I'm saying is that you two might have more in common than you realize."

"Perhaps we do, but I don't think either of us care to find out."

Looking flustered, Marci storms outside. Moonlight reflects off her hair, giving her an ethereal look. She sighs and turns back to Tyler with a tired expression.

"Sorry," she says softly. "Can we just not talk about her for a bit?"

"Sure, we can just enjoy how beautiful you—I mean it—looks tonight," Tyler stammers, turning bright red.

Marci smiles and blushes. She looks at the ground before smiling at Tyler. Reaching one hand out she opens her mouth to reply.

"It's a gorgeous night for a walk!" Dani interrupts from behind Marci, who jumps in surprise. "Do you mind if I join you?"

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