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A Little Borrowing never hurts

Parts to build clockwork allies against evil kitties were easily found in New Babbage. Except for cognigators, the brain of the clockwork, which would leave them waiting for weeks if constructed now.

Fortunately, one could borrow a cognigator from one clockwork to put in another for a good cause, of course. It was not easy and required extensive changes to operate an entirely new frame, but generally faster than scratch. Sometimes you had to put a bunny-bot in a giant horsey, or a squirrel into a hat. But first they had to catch the clockworks in the city. And there was no better way than to make a trap with the most irresistible of baits….a bright giant red button!

NOT a Clockwork Squirrel Trap - Gangplank
This is her idea of a good trap.

Beatrixe spent a few hours creating a few identical traps and disguising them. Now all they had to do was lie in wait and borrow a few clockworks. With a plan this simple what could possibly go wrong?!

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4 Comments

  1. Junie Ginsburg Junie Ginsburg November 13, 2019

    Are you suuuuuuuuure it isn’t a history eraser button?

    Such a beautiful, shiny button! Such a jolly red candy-like button!

    *slowly stretches out her finger*

    • Beatrixe Rouse Beatrixe Rouse Post author | November 13, 2019

      “OH! So that’s how everyone kept getting bruises today!” Beatrixe made a few quick scribbles after another person pressed the shiny. She ran off in a hurry to avoid any screaming that might follow afterwards.

      “Well that makes twelve bruises, five little kitties, two puppies, a couple urchins, and a massive ratty that got caught.” They had let them all go, obviously. “And at least two of those urchins were just trying to be warm and shut it again.”

      Her new friend Winter nodded as she hefted her broom, “Well at least I got this! All my research tells me that kitties fear brooms! And when I heft it the little ones run away!”

      “Good thinking! Our new clockwork friends will need to be armed with brooms.” Beatrixe agreed as they plotted in the unfinished garden. “We can even make it so that they can fire the brooms when we get enough! But we can’t go buy them because people ask me all the time what I’m gonna do with the stuff I buy.” Why did it matter why she needed dynamite, matches, benzene, and birthday cards? “We may have to borrow the brooms. And clocks. Lots of clocks.”

      “Oh people are leaving clocks lying around everywhere! I just see them hanging off walls and on mantles at bars!” Winter responded excitedly as she lowered her new weapon.

      “Perfect! And I can add a sign or two for the traps! Lets see, the first that says don’t touch the button! No one will press it then for sure!” Her friend nodded, “Also, the squirrels and bunnies and things like to fix broken things, so maybe if I put another sign that says broken right next to it? That’s bound to fix the problem!!”

      The two ran off in separate directions to start procuring brooms, clocks, and sign making supplies. Meanwhile, Spalding was setting more of the traps out. If at first you don’t succeed, make more problems.

  2. Tepic Harlequin Tepic Harlequin November 15, 2019

    As Tepic past the slums on his way to the Sneaky Vole, he spotted a strange box against the wall. The lettering on it’s side made clear is was not a clockwork trap, and from the yowling coming from inside he reckoned it was probably correct. Standing to one side, he tilted it back, realising a small black and white cat from captivity.

    It seemed pleased to see him, so he continued to the Vole and gave it a bowl of milk, after all who knew how long the poor thing had been trapped?

  3. Beatrixe Rouse Beatrixe Rouse Post author | November 16, 2019

    Days of setting kitties, sheep, urchins wanting a nap, rats, pigs, and rams free from the traps was exhausting. They needed a new plan of approach. Something smarter. So the three of them waited near one of the traps until one of the clockworks appeared.

    “Hey! Mr. Squirrely!” Beatrixe called out conspiratorily. “Can you go into the box and press the button?”

    The clockwork gave a squeal of delight and obeyed the request. The box snapped shut on him and the three conspirators cried out in victory. Back at their base, Beatrixe asked if the clockwork would be willing to let them put it into another body. The squirrel sadly refused until it saw the new body and was told it would help hunt down a mean kitty.

    It wasn’t easy, but they soon had their first assistant in their fight against evil.

    Winter and Bea and Barry make three

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