Astonished and Delighted, and Quite Some Small Bit Stunned

This morning, whilst Mr. Allen perusing the Aether for proper Victorian/Steampunk fonts, he came across a mention of Dr. Fabre's blog. Not thinking it had any connection to the grid we know and love, he clicked it, and lo and behold...our little piece of Penzance is currently the second entry in his blog.

Oh, my. We are...flabbergasted. And amazed? And might I even say awed.

Thank you, Dr. Fabre! We'll do our best to live up (or, in my case, sideways) to your kind words!

Catnip Clockwork Arrives at Autogenic!

It was supposed to be something to keep her occupied.

Fawkes Allen sighed, shaking his head, looking at the distinct nibble marks on his latest creation. He was a Scientist, a Primventor, there was much he could do on his own, but as everyone should know, Mad Science needs the Audience, the Assistant.

And so far, he was stuck with Emi, who was capable enough, when she didn't flutter off to shop for hair, or took up his lab space, cackling over creating clockwork fruit, or secreted herself off in the attic, growing her own eyes--

He sighed again. He knew exactly where his gas chromatograph had gone. And now this.

He went upstairs, through her oddly staggered system of teleporters, and found more prototype mice in their home.



"Emi," he started, sighing, and then stopped, blinking down. His assistant was curled up on the wooden floor nearly around one of the clockwork mice, giggling rather maniacally. She was tossing one of the prototypes into the air, batting at it, and letting it fall to the ground. She was...more than slightly on the emerald side.

"Why..." he started, and then stopped. It was always tricky asking shapeshifters why they looked the way they looked. Finally he decided just to ask.

"Why are you--green?"

She shrugged a little, eyes bright. "Too much copper, I think."

"Too much--what?" He dropped to kneel beside her, and only then noticed the one she was mostly obscuring with her knee. This one had more than nibble marks on the metal. This one was...missing...gears.

"Emi! You didn't!"



"They smelled like catnip! And they wouldn't stop racing around!"

He looked at the other early prototypes of the clockwork mouse, shaking his head once more. They weren't racing now. In fact, the wheels spun on all of them, but they didn't so much move across the floor anymore.

"What did you do?" he asked patiently.

"I caught them," she said, giggling. She tossed the one into the air again. "They're ever so much fun to play with...they squeak like real mice!"



Catnip Clockwork the Mouse!

~--*--~

Catnip Clockwork is a fully working clockwork mouse. With moving parts and gears. Sadly, he's not the smartest mouse, and though the wheels are turning, he isn't really getting anywhere. Do not despair however! Equipped with a pouch of Catnip inside, when wound up he becomes a wonderful plaything for cats and catpeople alike! Don't miss out on owning your very own Catnip Clockwork the Mouse! He's cute, he's cuddly, he may eat all your cheese.

Thanks,
Fawkes Allen

~--*--~

Contact Fawkes Allen, Premiere Primventor with questions or suggestions.

Come see him.



Catnip retails for L$200 and is a fully working clockwork rodent, capable of being wound up and wound down. Comes with his own supply of catnip and a small variety of squeaking noses. He is made of--

Fawkes Allen stops transcribing when Emi races across the storefront. What on earth is it now, he thinks, and takes off after here.

"You get away from my GRAPEFRUIT!" she yells.



"Emi..."

"He's going to eat it! I know! GET AWAY from that bowl!"

He strokes her hair, shaking his head again. Did other Mad Scientists have these problems?

"You need to make him some clockwork cheese..." Emi mutters.

"No," he says. Then he grins.

"Have another?" He steps back as she squeals and pounces on top of the table, the distinctive neko ears and tail restoring as she captures the clockwork mid-shift.

He coughs slightly into the transcription device.

We'll keep some safe from her. They are out now at Autogenic.

Bedlam Eyes: The First Line Wreaking Havoc in Penzance

*She cackles at the top of the lab, up the creaky staircase, to her little attic with Mr. Sprocket's mantle clock and her first ever hand-built table and the small, odd pile of equipment on the floor, with the painter's bedaubed cover-cloth thrown over it to push it out of the way.

*She removes the canvas with a flourish, and there, filched a single beaker at a time, a single pipe, little bits, here and there, nothing that would be missed...a microscope in battered brass; a looped series of glass tubing stained bright pink; a single recombinant DNA gas chromotographic assembly (slightly dented).

*She puts them together now, bringing the ingredients hidden in her skirt out into view: simple saline solution, a small sienna section of his hair to make up for using her cells for his Hyde Retrovirus...six lemons and a paring knife.

*She scores the lemons into quarters, squeezing them into a large pressed glass tube, adorned with raised grapes, and then carefully sprinkles in the hair, followed by scoring her thumb. She winces at the instant acid burn, thinking as her blood drops into the mix, she probably should have done that in reverse.

*She pulls a battered notebook from under the table, flipping it open to an early section, sucking on her thumb absently.

*"Ah. Here," she says. "Copperhead eyes."

Bedlam Eyes are making their presence known, upstairs at Kartiny!



Hand-grown with love, guaranteed to last a lifetime, several varieties to choose from.



Some are more deranged than others...



Many available in double packs for one price.

Most sold for 50 Linden apiece (or in twos), one (the Cheetah feral eyes) sold for 100 Linden in a four-pack.

Come see them.