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| other_titles=
| other_titles=
| hero(es)= [[Jenny Cornelius]]
| hero(es)= [[Jenny Cornelius]]
| villain(s)= [[Lord Grallyx#In Slough|Lord Grallyx]]
| villain(s)= [[Lord Grallyx (Birds and Snakes)|Lord Grallyx]]
| featuring= [[Crowley#In Jenny Cornelius's world|Unnamed demon]]<br>[[Laura Drake#Working for the Intelligence Taskforce|Laura Drake]]<br>[[Aziraphale#In Jenny Cornelius's world|Aziraphale]]<br>[[Edward I]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Steam-powered mechanical giant]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small>
| featuring= [[Crowley (Birds and Snakes)|Unnamed figure in black]]<br>[[Laura Drake (The Folly of Men)|Laura Drake]]<br>[[Aziraphale (The Folly of Men)|"Mr Fell"]] <small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Edward I]] <small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Steam-powered mechanical giant]] <small>(mentioned)</small>
| setting= [[London]] and [[Slough]], [[England]], [[Universe (The Folly of Men)|unnamed universe]]
| setting= [[London]] and [[Slough]], [[England]], [[Universe (The Folly of Men)|unnamed universe]]
| crossovers =
| crossovers =
Line 12: Line 12:
| writer(s)= [[Scott Sanford]]
| writer(s)= [[Scott Sanford]]
| artist(s)=
| artist(s)=
| dates= January 27th, 2022<br><small>(release)</small>
| dates= January 27th, 2023<br><small>(release)</small>
| original_link= [https://scott-sanford.dreamwidth.org/52669.html]
| original_link= [https://scott-sanford.dreamwidth.org/52669.html]
| seriesnav = [[Scott Sanford's Jenny Everywhere stories]]
| seriesnav = [[Scott Sanford's Jenny Everywhere stories]]
| previous = ''[[Origins (novel)|Origins]]''
| previous = ''[[Origins (novel)|Origins]]''
| next=  
| next= ''[[Fragment: Superb Owl (short story)|Fragment: Superb Owl]]''
| seriesnav2 = [[Jenny Cornelius]] stories
| previous2 = ''[[Watch the Skies (short story)|Watch the Skies]]''
| next2= ''[[How Jenny First Met… (short story)|How Jenny First Met…]]''
}}'''''Birds and Snakes''''' was a [[Jenny Everywhere]] short story written by [[Scott Sanford]] in 2022. Instead of his [[Jenny Everywhere#Kim's friend|usual Shifter]], it featured [[Jenny Cornelius]]; like Sanford's first Cornelius-centric tale ''[[The Folly of Men (short story)|The Folly of Men]]'' was not an avowed fanfic of anything, but contained thinly-veiled analogues of, or references to, elements of ''[[Doctor Who (series)|Doctor Who]]'' and ''[[Good Omens (series)|Good Omens]]'', in addition to Jenny Cornelius herself being a mashup of Jenny Everywhere with [[Jerry Cornelius]]. It was also notable as Sanford's first use of the demon [[Lord Grallyx]].
}}'''''Birds and Snakes''''' was a [[Jenny Everywhere]] short story written by [[Scott Sanford]] in 2022. Instead of his [[Jenny Everywhere#Kim's friend|usual Shifter]], it featured [[Jenny Cornelius]]; like Sanford's first Cornelius-centric tale ''[[The Folly of Men (short story)|The Folly of Men]]'' was not an avowed fanfic of anything, but contained thinly-veiled analogues of, or references to, elements of ''[[Doctor Who (series)|Doctor Who]]'' and ''[[Good Omens (series)|Good Omens]]'', in addition to Jenny Cornelius herself being a mashup of Jenny Everywhere with [[Jerry Cornelius]]. It was also notable as Sanford's first use of the demon [[Lord Grallyx]].


== Contents ==
== Contents ==
===Plot ===
===Plot ===
[[Jenny Cornelius]] is driving back home in the [[Mod Rod]] when she decides to make a stop by “[[Aziraphale#In Jenny Cornelius's world|her favourite bookshop]]”. There, she is instead accosted by [[Crowley#In Jenny Cornelius's world|a laid-back demon dressed in all black]]. The demon tells Jenny that the bookseller's not in, but advises her to go look into the business in [[Slough]] with a “bunch of mystic gits” who are worshipping someone called "the [[Tenth Lord Grell]]”, whom they believe to be a [[demon]] even though the demon in black is certain that he's not one of “[his] lot”, and not an angel either. The demon in black explains that he'd come in the first place in order to ask the bookseller if he wanted to look into it, and is thus happy to have found someone else to put on the case.
[[Jenny Cornelius]] is driving back home in the [[Mod Rod]] when she decides to make a stop by “[[Mr Fell (The Folly of Men)|her favourite bookshop]]”. There, she is instead accosted by [[Crowley (Birds and Snakes)|a laid-back person dressed in all black]]. He tells Jenny that the bookseller's not in, but advises her to go look into the business in [[Slough]] with a “bunch of mystic gits” who are worshipping someone called "the [[Tenth Lord Grell]]”, whom they believe to be a [[demon]] even though the demon in black is certain that he's not one of “[his] lot”, and not an angel either. The demon in black explains that he'd come in the first place in order to ask the bookseller if he wanted to look into it, and is thus happy to have found someone else to put on the case.


Agreeing to help, Jenny phones [[Laura Drake#Working for the Intelligence Taskforce|Laura]], who has in fact been asked by her [[Intelligence Taskforce|superiors]] to investigate the exact same affair. She tries in vain to discourage Jenny from meddling, but Jenny drives there the following evening anyway. After arriving in Slough, she uses a crystal bound with a few of Laura's hairs and an Ordnance Survey map to locate Laura herself. Guided to an unremarkable brick building, she knocks at the front door and is immediately assaulted by a leering guard who lets slip that Laura has already come here and is being held captive in a storeroom. With a brush of her hand over his arm, she [[shift]]s the hapless villain away to parts unknown and walks in.
Agreeing to help, Jenny phones [[Laura Drake (The Folly of Men)|Laura]], who has in fact been asked by her [[Intelligence Taskforce|superiors]] to investigate the exact same affair. She tries in vain to discourage Jenny from meddling, but Jenny drives there the following evening anyway. After arriving in Slough, she uses a crystal bound with a few of Laura's hairs and an Ordnance Survey map to locate Laura herself. Guided to an unremarkable brick building, she knocks at the front door and is immediately assaulted by a leering guard who lets slip that Laura has already come here and is being held captive in a storeroom. With a brush of her hand over his arm, she [[shift]]s the hapless villain away to parts unknown and walks in.


The door is locked, but does not remain so for long as she turns the doorknob over and over again, switching it every time for a version of it from a slightly different universe until she finds an unlocked version. Walking in, she overpowers another villain by replacing the lead pipe he's holding with a ceramic lamp, which he drops in surprise. Telling the baffled man “Tricks and illusions. Remember that for the rest of your life, if you get home after tonight. Go home and tell yourself that there are no demons, no magic, and too damn many people trying to sell you something”, she lets him run away and makes her way to the door to the hangar, which is locked too. “Past caring,” she simply shifts the door into nothingness.
The door is locked, but does not remain so for long as she turns the doorknob over and over again, switching it every time for a version of it from a slightly different universe until she finds an unlocked version. Walking in, she overpowers another villain by replacing the lead pipe he's holding with a ceramic lamp, which he drops in surprise. Telling the baffled man “Tricks and illusions. Remember that for the rest of your life, if you get home after tonight. Go home and tell yourself that there are no demons, no magic, and too damn many people trying to sell you something”, she lets him run away and makes her way to the door to the hangar, which is locked too. “Past caring,” she simply shifts the door into nothingness.


In the great hangar, she finds the cultists dead around the circle of candles which still contains the great reptilian form of [[Lord Grallyx#In Slough|Lord Grallyx]] (alias “Lord Grell X”, alias, “the Tenth Lord Grell”). Grallyx explains that he will be free as soon as the candles burn out completely, and intends to conquer the world as he was summoned to do, albeit for his own benefit rather than his unfortunate human summoners. However, he panics as soon as Jenny reveals herself as an incarnation of Jenny Everywhere. Using her powers to the full since she has no human witnesses, she manipulates the dimensions around Grallyx, distorting him like a funhouse mirror image until he flees back into whatever realm he was summoned from, though not before swearing that he'll have his revenge.
In the great hangar, she finds the cultists dead around the circle of candles which still contains the great reptilian form of [[Lord Grallyx (Birds and Snakes)|Lord Grallyx]] (alias “Lord Grell X”, alias, “the Tenth Lord Grell”). Grallyx explains that he will be free as soon as the candles burn out completely, and intends to conquer the world as he was summoned to do, albeit for his own benefit rather than his unfortunate human summoners. However, he panics as soon as Jenny reveals herself as an incarnation of Jenny Everywhere. Using her powers to the full since she has no human witnesses, she manipulates the dimensions around Grallyx, distorting him like a funhouse mirror image until he flees back into whatever realm he was summoned from, though not before swearing that he'll have his revenge.


However, Grallyx's futile efforts to breathe fire at Jenny set the building on fire. Rushing through the burning building, she finds the room where Laura was locked away, finding her in the process of getting out of the ropes with which she was tied down. Their escape route is cut off by some collapsing burning rubble. Jenny naturally thinks of shifting away, but doesn't want Laura's bosses to know about her powers, and doesn't want to burden Laura with the secret, and so pretends to hypnotise her before abruptly French-kissing her. When Laura opens her eyes again, they're back at her home, with Jenny claiming that the hypnotism is responsible for her not remembering how they escaped and the trip back. Laura is unconvinced but reluctantly agrees to repeat the story to her overseers.
However, Grallyx's futile efforts to breathe fire at Jenny set the building on fire. Rushing through the burning building, she finds the room where Laura was locked away, finding her in the process of getting out of the ropes with which she was tied down. Their escape route is cut off by some collapsing burning rubble. Jenny naturally thinks of shifting away, but doesn't want Laura's bosses to know about her powers, and doesn't want to burden Laura with the secret, and so pretends to hypnotise her before abruptly French-kissing her. When Laura opens her eyes again, they're back at her home, with Jenny claiming that the hypnotism is responsible for her not remembering how they escaped and the trip back. Laura is unconvinced but reluctantly agrees to repeat the story to her overseers.
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====Laura Drake====
====Laura Drake====
* This story continues to feature Jenny Cornelius's [[Laura Drake#Working for the Intelligence Taskforce|corresponding Laura Drake]]. Her work at the [[Intelligence Taskforce]] is mentioned. She is shown to be taller than Jenny.
* This story continues to feature Jenny Cornelius's [[Laura Drake (The Folly of Men)|corresponding Laura Drake]]. Her work at the [[Intelligence Taskforce]] is mentioned. She is shown to be taller than Jenny.


====Lord Grallyx====
====Lord Grallyx====
* This story features a version of [[Lord Grallyx#In Slough|Lord Grallyx]] distinct from any version seen previously, but who seems familiar with Jenny Everywhere at least in concept. He implies that he is not from this universe. He is described as “some kind of alligator thing with too many eyes and arms and such” as well as a “large tail”, a body which is suggested to have merely been a manifestation he chose for himself rather than his “true” form, if he has such a thing, with him finding “the three dimensions human use” to be a limiting framework.
* This story features a version of [[Lord Grallyx (Birds and Snakes)|Lord Grallyx]] distinct from any version seen previously, but who seems familiar with Jenny Everywhere at least in concept. He implies that he is not from this universe. He is described as “some kind of alligator thing with too many eyes and arms and such” as well as a “large tail”, a body which is suggested to have merely been a manifestation he chose for himself rather than his “true” form, if he has such a thing, with him finding “the three dimensions human use” to be a limiting framework.


====Universes====
====Universes====
Line 45: Line 48:


====Other====
====Other====
* [[London]] is home to “almost eight million people”. On the way back to her home in the [[Mod Rod]] (also called the [[Mod Machine]]), she drops by “[[Aziraphale#In Jenny Cornelius's world|her favourite booshop]]” via “a quick turn off of [[Shaftesbury Street]] and a circumnavigation of [[Soho Square Gardens]]”.
* [[London]] is home to “almost eight million people”. On the way back to her home in the [[Mod Rod]], she drops by “[[Mr Fell (The Folly of Men)|her favourite bookshop]]” via “a quick turn off of [[Shaftesbury Street]] and a circumnavigation of [[Soho Square Gardens]]”.
* [[Edward I]] created the title of [[Baron Grelley]], which is now extinct.
* [[Edward I]] created the title of [[Baron Grelley]], which is now extinct.
* On previous excursions together, Jenny and Laura faced [[poltergeist]]s in relation to the [[Poltergeist Society of Oxford|Poltergeist Society]] of [[Oxford]] and a “[[steam-powered mechanical giant]]” in [[Swindon]].
* On previous excursions together, Jenny and Laura faced [[poltergeist]]s in relation to the [[Poltergeist Society of Oxford|Poltergeist Society]] of [[Oxford]] and a “[[steam-powered mechanical giant]]” in [[Swindon]].


=== Continuity ===
=== Continuity ===
* This story picks up after [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Folly of Men (short story)|The Folly of Men]]'' and [[PROSE]]: ''[[Watch the Skies (short story)|Watch the Skies]]'' in depicting the continuing adventures of [[Jenny Cornelius]] and [[Laura Drake#Working for the Intelligence Taskforce|Laura Drake]]. As per ''The Folly of Men''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> reference to [[Aziraphale]], [[Crowley]] from ''[[Good Omens (series)|Good Omens]]'' makes a pivotal, if unnamed, cameo.
* This story picks up after [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Folly of Men (short story)|The Folly of Men]]'' and [[PROSE]]: ''[[Watch the Skies (short story)|Watch the Skies]]'' in depicting the continuing adventures of [[Jenny Cornelius]] and [[Laura Drake (The Folly of Men)|Laura Drake]]. As per ''The Folly of Men''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> reference to [[Aziraphale]], [[Crowley]] from ''[[Good Omens (series)|Good Omens]]'' makes a pivotal, if unnamed, cameo.
* [[Lord Grallyx]] debuted in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Jenny Everywhere and the Lord of Hell (short story)|Jenny Everywhere and the Lord of Hell]]''.
* [[Lord Grallyx]] debuted in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Jenny Everywhere and the Lord of Hell (short story)|Jenny Everywhere and the Lord of Hell]]''.


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===Background===
===Background===
When posting the story, [[Scott Sanford]] appended some commentary:
When posting the story, [[Scott Sanford]] appended some commentary:
{{quotebox|I thought it was about time someone else did something with [[Lord Grallyx]]; if nobody but [[Lupan Evezan]] ever used the character in a story, he would fade away and be forgotten.<br /><br />Probably unnecessary context notes: “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFV46hn6_Rw Slough]” rhymes with “plow” not “snow” or “cough.” [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debrett%27s Debrett’s Peerage] has been the default spotter’s guide to the British upper classes for centuries. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_Survey Ordnance Survey] maps are from the national mapping agency for Great Britain; coincidentally, both Jenny’s home in Soho and the industrial estates of Slough appear on Sheet 160 of the then-current 7th Series. Americans can read “Scotch tape” where Jenny says “Sellotape.”<br /><br />"Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough / It isn't fit for humans now / There isn't grass to graze a cow." - opening to the poem ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slough_(poem) Slough]'' by John Betjeman, written in protest of the Slough Trading Estate.|Scott Sanford}}
{{quotebox|1=I thought it was about time someone else did something with [[Lord Grallyx]]; if nobody but [[Lupan Evezan]] ever used the character in a story, he would fade away and be forgotten.<br /><br />Probably unnecessary context notes: “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFV46hn6_Rw Slough]” rhymes with “plow” not “snow” or “cough.” [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debrett%27s Debrett’s Peerage] has been the default spotter’s guide to the British upper classes for centuries. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_Survey Ordnance Survey] maps are from the national mapping agency for Great Britain; coincidentally, both Jenny’s home in Soho and the industrial estates of Slough appear on Sheet 160 of the then-current 7th Series. Americans can read “Scotch tape” where Jenny says “Sellotape.”<br /><br />"Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough / It isn't fit for humans now / There isn't grass to graze a cow." - opening to the poem ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slough_(poem) Slough]'' by John Betjeman, written in protest of the Slough Trading Estate.|2=Scott Sanford}}
 
The line which referred to the car as the “Mod Machine” instead of the “Mod Rod” was unintentional on Sanford's part, and he later corrected it.


===Read online===
===Read online===

Latest revision as of 17:05, 11 June 2024

Birds and Snakes was a Jenny Everywhere short story written by Scott Sanford in 2022. Instead of his usual Shifter, it featured Jenny Cornelius; like Sanford's first Cornelius-centric tale The Folly of Men was not an avowed fanfic of anything, but contained thinly-veiled analogues of, or references to, elements of Doctor Who and Good Omens, in addition to Jenny Cornelius herself being a mashup of Jenny Everywhere with Jerry Cornelius. It was also notable as Sanford's first use of the demon Lord Grallyx.

Contents

Plot

Jenny Cornelius is driving back home in the Mod Rod when she decides to make a stop by “her favourite bookshop”. There, she is instead accosted by a laid-back person dressed in all black. He tells Jenny that the bookseller's not in, but advises her to go look into the business in Slough with a “bunch of mystic gits” who are worshipping someone called "the Tenth Lord Grell”, whom they believe to be a demon even though the demon in black is certain that he's not one of “[his] lot”, and not an angel either. The demon in black explains that he'd come in the first place in order to ask the bookseller if he wanted to look into it, and is thus happy to have found someone else to put on the case.

Agreeing to help, Jenny phones Laura, who has in fact been asked by her superiors to investigate the exact same affair. She tries in vain to discourage Jenny from meddling, but Jenny drives there the following evening anyway. After arriving in Slough, she uses a crystal bound with a few of Laura's hairs and an Ordnance Survey map to locate Laura herself. Guided to an unremarkable brick building, she knocks at the front door and is immediately assaulted by a leering guard who lets slip that Laura has already come here and is being held captive in a storeroom. With a brush of her hand over his arm, she shifts the hapless villain away to parts unknown and walks in.

The door is locked, but does not remain so for long as she turns the doorknob over and over again, switching it every time for a version of it from a slightly different universe until she finds an unlocked version. Walking in, she overpowers another villain by replacing the lead pipe he's holding with a ceramic lamp, which he drops in surprise. Telling the baffled man “Tricks and illusions. Remember that for the rest of your life, if you get home after tonight. Go home and tell yourself that there are no demons, no magic, and too damn many people trying to sell you something”, she lets him run away and makes her way to the door to the hangar, which is locked too. “Past caring,” she simply shifts the door into nothingness.

In the great hangar, she finds the cultists dead around the circle of candles which still contains the great reptilian form of Lord Grallyx (alias “Lord Grell X”, alias, “the Tenth Lord Grell”). Grallyx explains that he will be free as soon as the candles burn out completely, and intends to conquer the world as he was summoned to do, albeit for his own benefit rather than his unfortunate human summoners. However, he panics as soon as Jenny reveals herself as an incarnation of Jenny Everywhere. Using her powers to the full since she has no human witnesses, she manipulates the dimensions around Grallyx, distorting him like a funhouse mirror image until he flees back into whatever realm he was summoned from, though not before swearing that he'll have his revenge.

However, Grallyx's futile efforts to breathe fire at Jenny set the building on fire. Rushing through the burning building, she finds the room where Laura was locked away, finding her in the process of getting out of the ropes with which she was tied down. Their escape route is cut off by some collapsing burning rubble. Jenny naturally thinks of shifting away, but doesn't want Laura's bosses to know about her powers, and doesn't want to burden Laura with the secret, and so pretends to hypnotise her before abruptly French-kissing her. When Laura opens her eyes again, they're back at her home, with Jenny claiming that the hypnotism is responsible for her not remembering how they escaped and the trip back. Laura is unconvinced but reluctantly agrees to repeat the story to her overseers.

Worldbuilding

Jenny Everywhere

Laura Drake

Lord Grallyx

  • This story features a version of Lord Grallyx distinct from any version seen previously, but who seems familiar with Jenny Everywhere at least in concept. He implies that he is not from this universe. He is described as “some kind of alligator thing with too many eyes and arms and such” as well as a “large tail”, a body which is suggested to have merely been a manifestation he chose for himself rather than his “true” form, if he has such a thing, with him finding “the three dimensions human use” to be a limiting framework.

Universes

  • The story takes place in the native universe of Jenny Cornelius. It is described by Jenny as “the universe of billions of ordinary humans who like thinking they live in a world of physical laws, of rational order, of cause and effect. The kind of place where the word ‘real’ means something”.

Other

Continuity

Behind the scenes

Background

When posting the story, Scott Sanford appended some commentary:

I thought it was about time someone else did something with Lord Grallyx; if nobody but Lupan Evezan ever used the character in a story, he would fade away and be forgotten.

Probably unnecessary context notes: “Slough” rhymes with “plow” not “snow” or “cough.” Debrett’s Peerage has been the default spotter’s guide to the British upper classes for centuries. The Ordnance Survey maps are from the national mapping agency for Great Britain; coincidentally, both Jenny’s home in Soho and the industrial estates of Slough appear on Sheet 160 of the then-current 7th Series. Americans can read “Scotch tape” where Jenny says “Sellotape.”

"Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough / It isn't fit for humans now / There isn't grass to graze a cow." - opening to the poem Slough by John Betjeman, written in protest of the Slough Trading Estate.
Scott Sanford


The line which referred to the car as the “Mod Machine” instead of the “Mod Rod” was unintentional on Sanford's part, and he later corrected it.

Read online

The story is available on the author's Dreamwidth website.