"Inventing the Future"

Author's Note: The idea for Jaming using and experimenting with Elements came from WanderingSoulofTime, as did the idea for the silver paint. Thanks for letting me use them! ^_^

"Chapter 49: Cruel Irony"

Jaming's garage was his sanctuary. It was a place for him to do his work without the rest of the world pressing in around him. It was a place that he and Meredith had built together, and the two of them had spent many hours there, just enjoying each other's company. Even with its ever-present, thick scent of engine oil and sawdust, it was a place where he could regroup, a place where he could just breathe. After a morning like this one, though, even the garage couldn't stave off the sadness and anxiety that left him feeling helpless.

Not long after they caught Parn in Julia's house and saw what he had done to the painting, Jaming himself had left, unable to be in the presence of Julia's pain for very long. He brought the painting with him, hoping that something could be done to fix it, and it sat before him now on his work table. At his elbow was an opened letter. A row of bottles stood between him and the painting, each bottle giving off a different-colored glow.

Jaming should have been in a flurry of activity, testing which Element might be able to mend the canvas and remove the cracks from the paint, but he merely sat and stared at the daunting task which lay before him. His chin rested on his folded arms, and his eyes stared straight ahead without seeing. 'If this is what it feels like to care about people, I'm not entirely convinced that it's worth it.'

Hearing the garage door open, Jaming assumed it was Meredith. It hardly surprised him to hear Pau's voice, however.

"What are you doing with that?" Pau pointed to the painting, his ears drooping. "I thought it was ruined."

"It is," Jaming sighed. "I just wanted to see if I could fix it."

"Any luck?"

Jaming shook his head glumly, and Pau looked down at the floorboards. Then, his curiosity rivaling that of a cat's, he approached the table and pointed to the bottles, not taking it personally when Jaming blocked his hand. The bottles looked fragile. "What are those for?"

"Please, don't touch them. They're called Elements, and I haven't completely figured out what all of them are good for. I was hoping to see if any of them could...sort of glue the torn canvas back together and get rid of the seams, but I don't dare experiment on this."

Pau vaulted up onto a stool and idly swung his legs. "Why not? You can't make it any worse than it already is."

The inventor gave a wry snort and rested his chin in on his fist. "Unfortunately, things can always get worse, Pau."

Pau, exasperated, shook his head at him. "Well, if you keep that kind of outlook, they always will! And if you can't experiment on the painting, what's the point in looking at these wannabe night lights?"

"Maintain low tones, please," Jaming said, his own voice carrying a note of warning. "I plan to buy a few cheap paintings to experiment on. I will. I was just..."

Jaming looked over as the garage door opened once more, and asked Meredith as she came in, "Is she still crying?"

"No," Meredith shut the door behind her, looking like she had been crying herself. She ruffled Pau's ears a bit and gave Jaming a loving kiss on the forehead. "She's asleep. What a day, huh?"

Pau hunched a bit and smoothed down his fur after she did that, but he didn't seem to mind it much. Jaming's eyes closed briefly when she kissed him, and though he sort of wished she would simply put her arms around him and hold him, he was too prideful to mention it. Instead, he opened his eyes again and asked, "Are you sure it's wise to leave her alone right now?"

"She's not alone. Granny Rosa is with her." Meredith sat down at Jaming's other side, and the letter caught her attention. "What's this?"

Without a word, Jaming pushed it towards her with two fingers and turned one of the Element bottles in his hand. 'Life Element...Surely, this one won't work. I'm not trying to give life to anything. I just want to repair it.'

Meredith took the letter from the envelope and unfolded it, giving him a quizzical look before she began to read it.

It was from Lin.

'Dr. Jaming,

I think I have the information you asked for. I went through Master Crest's books, and there was something about bringing paintings to life with gold paint. There was also a passage about reversing the effects, but it says you need a different kind of paint, one that is silver in color. To be honest, I don't know where you would be able to find it. I will continue to look for the information you need.

-Lin

P.S. The data on what does or doesn't lie on the other side of the canvas is pretty sparse, but it seems that Julia was right. There are many realities, universes that parallel ours almost exactly. I think the gold paint might be one of the few gateways that exists. If you were to send Julia back, she would still exist on some other plane, so you don't need to worry about that.'

Meredith's face was as pale as cream as she folded the letter and put it back into the envelope. "You've got to be kidding me. After all that?"

"It would almost be better if there was no way back." Jaming set the bottle back down and avoided eye contact. "I feel like I've let her down...Even if Lin figures out where the silver paint can be found, it doesn't mean doodly-squat if I can't fix this painting!"

Pau leaned away from Jaming in a not-so-subtle manner and nearly fell off his chair.

Meredith put her hand on Jaming's, and he turned his hand and linked his fingers with hers. "You don't know that you can't, honey. I remember that metal ring you made, using no other tools but the Earth Element and your own hands."

"I don't know that I can either, Meredith," Jaming looked over at her, his eyes saying what his mouth either could not or would not. The morning had gotten off to a perfectly rotten start, and he felt responsible for what had happened to Julia. His hand hurt, his heart hurt, and he was just so very tired!

"No..." Meredith felt just as tired as he looked. "But I think, if it can be done, you'll find a way. And I'll help you."

"Hey!" Pau scowled up at them. "What am I, chopped liver? I want to help, too."

Jaming had almost forgotten that Pau was there, and he gave a startled laugh before shaking his head. "Well...this is really something I have to do on my own, because my methods are all over the place. But if either of you know where I can find some cheap paintings of fruit or something else that's small and fairly innocuous, that would be perfect."

"Cap's shop boat," Meredith got to her feet. "I can probably haggle a good price, but it might take a while."

"I saw some for sale at a stand near the train station," Pau piped up, dashing out the door.

"Wait!" Jaming called after him. "Let me give you the money!"

But he was too late. Ten minutes later, after Meredith had left and Jaming was all alone once more, Pau returned, looking very sheepish. Without a word, Jaming held out a small yellow pouch with a modest amount of Gilda inside. The young Moon Person rubbed the back of his neck as he took the money and dashed out again without a word.

Jaming could only shake his head. This was the only amusing thing that had happened all day.