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The Interlude of Jenny Everywhere was story by Aristide Twain, a prequel to Close Encounters of the Bird Kind written just a few days earlier by Scott Sanford.
Plot
Chapter One: The Meadow
Jenny Everywhere appears out of thin air in a meadow in Ireland. Met by a young boy, she inquires after the Lurigadawne; she explains that she saved his life in 1876 and wants to call in a favor. But the boy says the Lurigadawne hasn’t been seen lately, so Jenny thanks him, tips him, and says farewell.
Looking around on her own, in a few hours she finds the Lurigadawne’s home through its glamour and discovers that the Lurigadawne is not there; his home is being watched over by a Brownie who admits not knowing where he has gone.
Jenny thanks the Brownie and departs.
Chapter Two: The Mad Marquess
Jenny makes her way to the city where the Creator built the first Clockwork Cherubs, a place resembling her own New Flaversham, to hire the services of the Company of Free Genies.
The Mad Marquess, Marin Mausdorf, is already there but is not engaging their professional services just then. Jenny introduces herself, offers payment of one of a large collection of odd items accessible via her coat pockets, and wishes to know where the Lirigadawne has gone and to join him.
The genie grants this wish, opening a portal to a room full of orange bearded gnomes and other small magical creatures; they are not pleased to see Jenny but she finds herself unable to close the portal before it deposits her right in the middle of their meeting.
Distressed by her sudden appearance, the gnomes petrify her clothing to hold her in place. The meeting disintegrates into gnomes screaming at Jenny and gnomes screaming at other gnomes. Jenny recognizes one as King Roquat of the Nomes of Oz, which completely fails to calm him down.
Roquat loudly predicts that she will call in allies from other worlds, monsters such as metal men, and scarecrows, and chickens. Jenny protests that she is not going to call in allies from other worlds. Just then, due to unwise wording when talking to a genie, a portal from another world appears and ejects a screaming Mad Marquess into the middle of their meeting hall.
Chapter Three: The Mage and the Monarch
Dinner at Caerlon is disrupted when Jenny Everywhere appears out of thin air and lands in the middle of the Round Table itself, wearing only her goggles. She apologies for the interruption and asks for the loan of a scarf – and other clothes as may be convenient; the knights of the Round Table quickly dress her. She introduces herself and explains that she has come to see Merlin, who bursts in and welcomes Jenny, who he has seen before although she doesn’t know him. After some awkward talk in both directions Merlin proclaims that he knew this day would come and he has prepared the chicken coops.
Shifting back to the hall of the Orange-Bearded Gnomes, Jenny finds all is in chaos and the Mad Marquess is locked in combat with none other than the elusive Lurigadawne of Tipperary. Jenny calls for them to stop fighting – but in the confusion the Lurigadawne falls! The Nome King tries to take advantage of their confusion only for Jenny to warn them that she is armed with a fine egg-laying hen! The lesser gnomes scatter instantly, the Nome King only moments behind them. Once they are gone Jenny checks on the Lurigadawne, who is annoyed but alive and being fussed over by the Mad Marquess.
Jenny shifts the Marquess home and explains her quest for shoes to the Luridadawne, who explains that he cannot give the same gift twice and so cannot actually replace her Leprechaun made shoes. Disappointed, Jenny accepts that bizarre magical footwear may be beyond her for the moment – but wherever she ends up next, there will be a shoe store.
Worldbuilding
Jenny Everywhere
- This story features the incarnation of Jenny usually seen in The Crew of the Copper-Colored Cupids.
Continuity
This story joins two pieces that were not intended to match up.
- It is a sequel to PROSE: Family Business.
- It is a prequel to PROSE: Close Encounters of the Bird Kind, written a few days later.
Roquat, the Nome King, has the vulnerability to eggs that was reported in the historical records of the Land of Oz.
Behind the scenes
Read online
The story can be read online here.