Pit Stop (novel): Difference between revisions

| hero(es)= [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny Everywhere]]

| featuring= [[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]]<br>[[Genevieve, Princess of Everywhere]]<br>[[David Lowe]]<br>[[Willow (Pit Stop)|Willow]]<br>[[Wu (Pit Stop)|Wu]]<br>[[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Professor Awesome]]<br>[[Prince Guy]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Mordorak of the Nine Noses]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Morrie Greenberg]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Steven Lucas]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Mr Hernandez]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Eric's mother]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Robot cat]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Glamdalf the Fabulous]]<br><small>(mentioned)</small><br>[[Angel (Pit Stop)|Unnamed Angel]]

| setting= [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny Everywhere]]'s apartment, [[Parallax Universe]]

On an ordinary morning, [[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]] is the one to open the door when someone rings the doorbell of the apartment she shares with [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny Everywhere]], and is unsurprised to find that the visitor is none other than another incarnation of the Shifter, a Disney Princess-like Jenny going by the name of [[Genevieve, Princess of Everywhere]], complete with a raccoon sidekick. Genevieve explains that she has been journeying in a [[dream spinner]] to find [[Mordorak of the Nine Noses|a wizard]] who can turn her companion and romantic interest [[Prince Guy]] back into a human being following his transformation into a talking pig by a [[Witch of the Blue Hills|witch]] — but her dream spinner broke down on the way, leaving her stranded in this universe.

[[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]] and [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] head to the parking lot with [[Genevieve, Princess of Everywhere|Genevieve]] and the raccoon, whom she soon introduces as her lady-in-waiting [[Willow (Pit Stop)|Willow]]. They find the [[dream spinner]] being tended to by Willow's brother [[Wu (Pit Stop)|Wu]], and blocking the drive-way just as another friend of Jenny's and resident of the apartment building, [[David Lowe]], is driving in. After managing to park, David gives Kim a package he collected on her behalf at the butcher's and they both head inside while Wu explains to the two Jennies that he cannot repair the dream spinner himself and would need the help of “an artificer”. Without missing a beat, the local Jenny goes knock at the door of yet another one of her neighbours — teenage genius Eric, alias [[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Professor Awesome]]!

After selecting the right tools, [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] and [[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Eric]] head back to the parking lot to find [[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]] back. Kim is curious as to why Eric isn't at school, and he and Jenny explain that he was sent home early for bringing dozens of live [[trilobite]]s to school for science class (having collected them from [[Universe (Pit Stop)|a parallel world]] with Jenny's own help). Examining the [[dream spinner]], Eric readily identifies the issue, proving more familiar with how [[dimensional shift engine]]s than even Jenny thought he was; he promises that he can fix it in fifteen minutes with a Dremel tool.

[[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]] and [[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Professor Awesome]] successfully repair or replace the [[dream spinner]]'s mechanical parts, with [[Wu (Pit Stop)|Wu]]'s help (discussing the “multi-Shifter event” as they work); however, they are dumbfounded by the magical elements of the contraption. They get to discussing what wizards they could contact if necessary, but [[Willow (Pit Stop)|Willow]] soon reports that the runes are in working order already, meaning [[Genevieve, Princess of Everywhere|Genevieve]] and her party are all set. [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] cheerfully notes that she has a few hours free before she's set to see an [[Anorak Boys]] performance to review it.

The group share some of the pastrami sandwiches [[David Lowe|David]] brought back from [[Morrie Greenberg|Greenberg's]]. As they eat, David catches up with [[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]], with her confirming that she is aware of Greenberg's crush on her, which she does not reciprocate, but has not stopped going to his shop. After Genevieve and the raccoons leave, [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] gives [[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Professor Awesome]] the gold coin [[Genevieve, Princess of Everywhere|Genevieve]] left for him. Kim offers to help exchange it for proper money and then take him to the hardware store so he can spend it on some new equipment and parts, but before any of them (including David) can leave, the parking lot is the scene of a new supernatural event, heralding yet another Jenny Everywhere misadventure, in the form of an [[Angel (Pit Stop)|Angel]] materialising with much fracas.

*The [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] with whom the story opens the version previously seen in ''[[Parallax (short story)|Parallax]]'', ''[[Camera Shy (short story)|Camera Shy]]'' and ''[[Paying It Forward (novel)|Paying It Forward]]''.  

*The story's [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|main Jenny]] lives in [[Parallax Universe|one universe]], and [[Genevieve, Princess of Everywhere|Genevieve]] is native to [[Universe E (Paying It Forward)|another]]; although magic is more common-place in the latter, it is mentioned that there is [[Steven Lucas|a wizard]] who lives in the same building that houses the modern-day Jenny's apartment.

*Shortly before the events of the story, [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] took [[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Eric]] to [[Universe (Pit Stop)|a universe]] where large populations of [[trilobite]]s, some of them terrestrial, survive into the modern day.

* The only reliable wizard in the acquaintance of [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] and [[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]] is a Mr [[Steven Lucas]], currently on vacation in [[Orlando]]. He claims that he “needs to ‘commune with the spheres,’ which means going to the [[Space Coast]] and astrally projecting into a satellite”, although Kim suspects it's just a cover story so he can go to [[Walt Disney World|Disney World]].

* [[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Eric]] invented a [[robot cat]] when he was nine, and later built the [[Time Pestle]].

* [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] secretly keeps a [[dimensional shift engine]] in the basement of the apartment building. A shift engine carved out of walnuts is also one of the components of the [[dream spinner]], paired with “[[Moriarty guide]]s”.

*This story features the same [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|modern-day Jenny]] as [[PROSE]]: ''[[Parallax (short story)|Parallax]]'', ''[[Camera Shy (short story)|Camera Shy]]'' and ''[[Paying It Forward (novel)|Paying It Forward]]''. She is still roommates with [[Kim (Parallax Universe)|Kim]], as seen in ''Camera Shy''.

*[[Genevieve, Princess of Everywhere]] previously appeared in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Paying It Forward (novel)|Paying It Forward]]'', first as one of the Jennies in need of [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|the modern Jenny]]'s assistance, and later as one of the guests at the “afterparty”.

*This story features [[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Professor Awesome]] (whose civilian name is revealed to be “Eric”), following his mention early on in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Paying It Forward (novel)|Paying It Forward]]''. The [[De-pants-icator]] is mentioned.

* Talking about [[Genevieve, Princess of Everywhere|Genevieve]]'s [[Void Ship]], [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]] says that it's “not exactly the ''[[Lotus Prime]]''”. [[COMIC]]: ''[[Makeshift Multiverse (comic story)|Makeshift Multiverse]]'', one of the original [[Barbelith Stories]], featured several Jennies crewing the ''Lotus Prime'', which was stated to be “the most advanced ship in the Multiverse”.

* [[Jenny Everywhere (Parallax Universe)|Jenny]]'s job as a music critic, first seen in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Camera Shy (short story)|Camera Shy]]'', is featured once again.

* In [[PROSE]]: ''[[Morning After (novel)|Morning After]]'', [[Professor Awesome#Wreaking havoc|an alternative Professor Awesome]] was mentioned as having also built a [[Time Pestle]], as his counterpart in the standard Scott Sanford Jenny-verse was mentioned to have once done in this story.

[[Professor Awesome (Parallax Universe)|Professor Awesome]]'s schoolteacher is named [[Mr Hernandez]], in reference to [[Alex Hernandez]], a prolific writer of early [[Jenny Everywhere]] comic stories. The [[Moriarty guide]]s are named in reference to the screen handle of [[Steven Wintle]] on the [[Barbelith]] forum.