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January, 18XX, return to the city

“why is there a large circus tent where my factory was?”

Grendel stood staring at the tent in Wheatstone as the workman was looking at an out of place cobblestone that was driving him insane, “Site was reclaimed by the city via the ‘Sideshows and Curiosities Act, someone filed the paperwork, site was listed as available.” he crouched down and tried fitting the cobble back in place.

“but it wasn’t available, I had a factory here! how long was I in Bump for anyway?”  the workman shrugged “dunno, paperwork is paperwork, someone had ta sign the form, sure you wasn’t drunk and forgot?”

“I WAS OUT OF TOWN! how would I have even signed the paperwork?”

The workman took out a measuring tape and held it over the cobble “dunno, telegraph? they got them newfangled ones, you can sign over ta wire I heard, oh, wait, naw, it was that badger what signed the form, right, short fella, pointy nose, signed dereliction form 22ABX3, or was it 22ABX5 ; the form for aquiring a liscence for smuggling coconut macaroons?, had it on me earlier” the worker felt around his pockets.

Grendel rubbed his forhead “The Badger, figures, probably wasn’t paying attention to what it said.  fine fine, the building that was here, where would they have put the equipment in it?”

“equipt-ment?”

“yes yes, I had some very sensitive articles of machinery in there, what happened to them?”

“might of been impounded, ” the workman tapped his tooth. “then again there was the vat in the basement with the dead…squiddy…thing, smelled aweful, think we dumped it in the canal, ‘long with that glowing greenish sauce.”

“wait, what?! you dumped it… Isn’t there some regulation AGAINST dumping odd biological experiments and chemicals in the canal?”

“well, what about them pipes what’d been pourin stuff inta the canal before we even got here?”

“alright alright, hush… Project E, I suppose I could attempt growing another, listen, please tell me, you did not dump the machine on the top floor into the canal?”

“the cylindrical thing? with the bit that looked sort of like one of those reality dohickys on top? the creepy one? gave you the feeling you was bein’ whatched anytime you went near it?  naw, we didn’t dump it in the canal.”

Grendel gave a sigh of releif.

“We took it to the scrapyard for salvage, thing set off a loud blast when we busted it open.”

“you. did. WHAT?”

“well we couldn’t salvage it whole you know, we didn’t even know what it was.” the workman carefully picked up the cobble and slowely put it in place before getting back up satisfied.

“salvage?! do you know what you did? I could overlook the release of a semi-undead biological powerplant along with a few gallons of serum into the canals, fine, I can make more, but dissassembling the containment device?”  Grendel glared at the pengi’s that had gathered around, planning to talk to them later about letting just anyone interfere with the equipment “have there been any sightings of an out of place shadow in the city recently?”

“not that I heard of, an only shadow I seen’s my own, right there.” he pointed to his shadow helpfully.

“alright, maybe it moved on to greener pastures, the others likely would have gone back to the graveyard,” he looked at the worker, “excuse me, I have to send out some telegraphs, and find temporary lodging,” the workman had already crouched down to study another cobble, “er, good luck with your…cobblestone arrangement? and you,” he glanced at the pengi as he stormed off “We’ll discuss this later.”

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4 Comments

  1. Shon Tempest Shon Tempest January 28, 2012

    Said shadow wouldn’t happen to have a taste for flesh would it?

  2. SinfulPrince SinfulPrince January 29, 2012

    A little flesh eaten in the name of science is surely a small price? ((lol))

    Bravo Grendel, good luck man!

    • Shon Tempest Shon Tempest January 30, 2012

      *stares at you like you just grew two extra heads and a tail* Not if they are Vashna Nerada, the Parana of the air!

  3. Queer Hermit Queer Hermit January 31, 2012

    In any case, welcome  back to the sooty city Footman-san.

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