Monday, February 15, 2010
Steampunk continuation.
Aboard the False Moon, Captain Sylver stood next to Mr. Hetherson at the helm.
“Ah, permission to speak, cap’n?”
“Granted, Mr. Hetherson.”
“Why did you kidnap the carnie?”
“…My actions are not to be questioned, Mr. Hetherson!” With that, Sylver stormed to her quarters.
“Oh, good. Another brilliant plan by the illustrious captain…” Mr. Hetherson sighed.
Deep in the brig of the False Moon, Ms. Deeskay sat nervously toying with her top hat. There was a rhythmic clunking and Captain Sylver approached her cell.
“Why did you kidnap me?” Ms. Deeskay demanded. She grabbed the bars of her cell, glaring daggers at Sylver.
“Well, you see, a sky-pirate lives by her wits and intuition.”
“Your intuition told you to kidnap me.”
“Well…”
“You didn’t have a plan!”
“Of course…I…not…silence, prisoner!”
“There wasn’t even mention of a plan, just intuition!”
“Well, fine! Than we hold you for ransom. And when we’re paid we kill you anyway!”
“But my carnival is pretty much penniless.”
“Oh. Well then…no rich family?”
“No.”
“Hidden secret treasure?”
“Oh, no.”
“Friends in high ranked political seats?”
“Only a duke in Luxembourg…oh, no, he’s dead.”
“Hm…”
“Hm.”
“Well then…”
“The kidnapping was quite dramatic.”
“Oh yes, I concur.”
“…Very dramatic.” Ms. Deeskay thought deeply.
Sylver looked at her, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“A merger of our operations of business?”
“Well, I was going to say you could be my on-ship wench.”
Ms. Deeskay interjected loudly: “WHAT!?”
“But your proposition is good too.” Captain Sylver dug through her vest pockets, removed the keys and unlocked the cell. Ms. Deeskay stepped out.
“Now, Ms. Deeskay, was it? I believe we have a business proposition to discuss…”
Back at the Carnival, Felix and Kraus began to scheme.
“We’ll need the acrobats to help, as well as several clanks.” Felix said toying with one of his ‘polychromatic rubberized cylindrical inflation units’.
Kraus nodded, “I do know/ a young gent in Lon-don/ who may help/ this situation: undone.”
“Right. We get to London, find this chap, get an airship and rescue Ms. Deeskay…I suppose then finding an airship is the main problem.”
“Zeppelins are hard to find/perhaps a ship to charter/a contract to bind?”
“Nono, too much involved. Besides, a charter would cost too much. We have very little money to work with.”
“Finances are a dreadful burden/ yet to port we must go/wait/ hear you…that…sound?” Felix and Kraus exchanged glances (at least one may assume Felix was looking out from under his hair), and ran to the tent flap.
Decending from the clouds was a sleek zeppelin, a red Jolly Roger flying above its mainsail. Ms. Deeskay was standing at the tip of the bow waving and smiling enthusiastically.
“You’re back!” Felix shouted over the rotors and gyros.
“I’m back!” Ms. Deeskay hopped from the ship and promptly fell on her rear. Felix helped her up and gave her a ‘polychromatic rubberized cylindrical inflation unit’ in the shape of a lemur. Captain Sylver landed next to her, also grinning.
“You stole our Ringlady.”
“And returned her, no worse for wear, excepting perhaps a spot on her bum where she sat in my bring.”
Felix leaned to Ms. Deeskay’s ear, “Is she besmirching your honor?”
“No, dear.”
“Oh, good.”
Sylver cleared her throat, “Now. I believe we had business to discuss.”
“If this is about ransom…” Felix began.
“Nay, she’s already told me you’re damn near broke.”
“Well, she asked…” Ms. Deeskay said to the looks.
“I’ve proposed to your Ringlady,” more looks shot at Ms. Deeskay.
“Not my lady!” Felix shouted in shock, he pouted.
“Not that kind of proposal! I submit a joint venture. The crew of the False Moon and the Dapper Cat Carnival works together to make more money!”
“And a better show for our esteemed audience.” Ms. Deeskay interjected.
“Dear madam/I wonder what you/ propose for this/ merger of two?” Kraus crossed his arms, and poured himself a small glass of absinthe.
“Well, Kraus, I am quite pleased you’ve asked. In short, we will allow Captain Sylver and the crew of the False Moon to periodically interrupt our show and cause some havoc.”
“Um, mi’lady? This seems like a bad plan. Like when I stole the colors from the robes of the Archduke of Latvia..?”
“Oh, but that is the ruse. We fight them off valiantly and in return give them a percentage of the ticket sales. But not before I am kidnapped and we beg for ransom.”
“So we’re going to just endanger the lives of us performers and risk having cut-throat brigands attacking our carnival.” Felix asked tilting his head.
“Of course.” Ms. Deeskay smiling.
“Yay!” He hugged her tightly.
Another town, several weeks later: the Dapper Cat Carnival had set up shop again. Ms. Deeskay was peering through the curtains, observing the crowd. Felix leaned on her shoulder, crossing his hands.
“Anything interesting?”
“Oh yes,” Ms. Deeskay grinned madly, “we have pirates…”
This concludes Steampunk Monday! Tune in next week for another exciting text-based narrative of the Dapper Cat Carnival and the False Moon!
Labels:
dapper cat carnival,
false moon,
steampunk,
story-telling
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