Winter Bingo: Card One, Column Two
Not Even In The Bible
Prompt: thunder snow
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," Victor and Alice's first summer together
Notes: The instant I saw this prompt, I thought of a certain Lewis Black routine where he saw lightning with snow and said that it was, basically, a sign of the end of the world. "They don't even write about that kind of weather in the Bible!" is the line that inspired the title. Also, originally it was going to be Helen Narbon with the weather machine (since the first storyline in "Narbonic" featured one), but I decided my universe needed more "Girl Genius" in it.
KABOOM!
Victor nearly jumped out of his skin, dropping the book he was reading. “Goodness!” he said, pressing a hand to his heart. “Where did that come from?”
“I think from outside,” Alice said, looking toward the sitting room window. There was a bright flash that could be seen even through the heavy curtains, then another loud boom. “A thunderstorm must have just come over us.”
“More like snuck up on us.” Victor retrieved his book, then got up and made his way to the window. “I didn’t have the slightest inkling until–”
He stopped abruptly as he parted the curtains. Outside the window was – was – he couldn’t believe it. It was the middle of summer for goodness’s sake! And with thunder and lightning?! For a long moment, all he could do was gape. Then, slowly, he found his voice again. “. . .It’s snowing.”
“It’s what?!” Alice joined him at the window, to see thick globs of snow pelting the glass. Behind them, lightning lit up the sky again. “Bloody hell, that’s a sign of the apocalypse, isn’t it?”
“I would say so. . . .” Victor thought hard for a moment. “Wait – didn’t Lady Heterodyne bring a weather machine with her when she came to the city?”
“Yes, actually, she did,” Alice said, relaxing a fraction. “And I think she said that she hadn’t got all the bugs worked out.” She looked at the snow melting against their window. “This is – a rather major bug, I’d say.”
“I know. But she’s the Heterodyne – I’m sure she’ll fix it.”
Sure enough, after a few minutes, the storm dwindled away into nothingness, leaving wet slush in its wake. Shortly thereafter, a female voice echoed throughout the sky: “Sorry about that! Mimmoth in the works!”
Alice shook her head. “The most powerful female Touched ruler in years, and she still has things like that happen to her.”
“I think it’s all part and parcel of being a mad scientist,” Victor said, turning around. “Come, let’s go check on Ferdinand and make sure he’s not too upset.”
Closer Than Blood
Prompt: family
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," with Victor reflecting on his childhood
Notes: I knew I wanted to do something about how Victor didn't feel close to his parents – this somewhat sappy thing resulted. As stated in another prompt, Miss Horrocks's name comes from one of the voice actresses on Corpse Bride – Jane Horrocks, who did Black Widow and Ms. Plum.
When Victor had been five, he’d asked his governess, Miss Horrocks, what exactly a family was. Miss Horrocks had explained that a family was a group of people who were related and who generally lived together. “You and your mother and your father are a family,” she’d said.
“But you and Barry and Mayhew live here with us as well,” Victor had replied. “Aren’t you part of our family?”
“Certainly not,” Miss Horrocks had said, almost too quickly. “We’re not related. You can only be family if you’re related, Victor.”
“But I like you. Why can’t you be family?”
“That’s just not how it works, Victor. Liking someone does not make them family. Family is who you came from – your blood. People whom you like are just friends. You cannot make someone family – except by marriage, of course, but we’ll talk about that much later. Now, let us continue your lessons.”
And that had been the end of it. That was what Victor knew for the next fourteen years of his life – family was who you were related to. Not necessarily who you liked. (Not that he would ever admit to not liking his parents, but – but he was reasonably certain at times they didn’t like him very much.) And there was absolutely no way to change that.
Then he’d gotten his foot caught in the ladder of a flying steam train and been dragged off to Secundus. And met Marty and Doc and Alice and scores of other people. People who liked him, who accepted him, who did their level best to make him happy. People who genuinely seemed to care about him, more than his mother and father – his family – ever had.
And that was when he decided Miss Horrocks had been wrong. Family was so much more than blood, than merely being related. Family was who you could depend on, who you could be sure would stand at your back. Who you loved.
That’s why he stayed in Secundus, he realized later. Because when he’d met Doc and Marty – he’d somehow instinctively known he was meeting the first members of his real family.
Off By The Sea
Prompt: holiday
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," young children era
Notes: I decided to go with the definition of "taking a vacation" so I could do a more summery take on the prompt. For some reason, I like the idea of Victor at the beach. The "Mechtorian Museum" is a reference to a neat line of steampunk toys – I own Scuttler the Butler and DJ Cramo. Oh, and Chester's six and the twins three in this fic.
The view was just as gorgeous now as it had been eight years ago.
Victor sighed as he leaned on the balcony railing, watching the waves crash onto the beach below. He was so glad they’d found the funds to take this holiday. He’d needed a bit of a break from the hustle and bustle of Secundus. He loved his adopted city, of course, but sometimes, there was only so much mad science gone wrong he could take.
He heard soft footsteps behind him, then felt an arm wrap around his waist. “Looks to be a lovely day,” Alice commented, looking first up at the sky, then down at the sand.
“It does,” Victor agreed. He smiled and drew her a bit closer. “Remember when we first came here, on our honeymoon? Walking along the boardwalk, building castles on the beach, visiting the Mechtorian Museum. . . .”
“We did all that too?”
Victor snorted, then attempted to give Alice a severe look. “Mrs. Van Dort, I don’t think I care for what you’re implying,” he said in his snootiest voice.
“You certainly cared for it back then,” Alice replied mildly, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. “I have proof aplenty, Mr. Van Dort.”
Victor gave up his airs with a laugh, then gave her a loving squeeze. “It’s like nothing’s changed,” he said quietly, glancing from her to the beach and back again. “It’s just as it was eight years ago.”
Alice shook her head. “Not quite.”
“Oh?”
“Mummy? Daddy?”
“Yes – there’s them to contend with, for a start.”
Chester padded out onto the balcony, followed by Vincent and Lorina. “Is it breakfast-time?” Chester asked, rubbing his stomach. “I’m hungry.”
“Yes, we can go have breakfast,” Victor said, crouching down so he could address his children at eye level (or close enough to). “And then we’ll go and play in the sand, all right?”
The three grinned and nodded eagerly. Victor smiled and hugged them all tight, Alice joining in. No, things weren’t just as they were eight years ago.
They were so much better.
Ordinary Life
Prompt: hot cocoa
Time Period: First winter post-"Secundus"
Notes: Nothing too special to say here. I'm something of a hot chocolate lover myself, so it wasn't hard coming up with an idea for this prompt at all.
“Goodness, it is cold out!”
Victor hugged himself, trying in vain to stop his shivering. Dr. E. Brown’s 24-Hour Scientific Services did not feel like it was very well-heated today. Little drafts kept blowing in from under the door and from chinks around the windows. Victor half-fancied he could see his breath. “I do hope Marty and Doc come back soon,” he murmured, rubbing his hands together to warm them. “Then perhaps I can spend some time by the fire upstairs.”
Luck was with him – Doc and Marty appeared shortly after he spoke, cheeks and noses red from the chill. “Yikes,” Marty said, stamping his feet on the floor to remove the snow. “I don’t think we’re gonna see many customers today, Doc. It’s really goddamn cold.”
“I think you’re right, Marty,” Doc agreed, glancing out at the nearly barren streets. “It’s got to be below freezing out there. Let’s close up shop and head upstairs, all right?”
“Fine by me,” Marty said, heading straight for the stairs.
“Me too,” Victor said, following him. “Shall I make up the fire?”
“Please,” Doc nodded. “I’ll be with you boys in a bit.”
The two young men nodded back and made their way into the flat. “Did you get everything you needed?” Victor asked as he got the fire ready in the sitting room.
“Almost,” Marty said. “They were out of magnetic resonators. The guy said he’d have some in soon, though.”
“Good – then we can get back to work on the oscillator.” Victor sighed as the flames caught the logs, sending out waves of warmth into the room. “Oh, this is better already,” he said, claiming a seat on the couch.
“Tell me about it,” Marty said, leaning toward the fire and extending his hands.
Doc was rather slower to join them than expected – the reason for his delay proved to be a pleasant one, however, as he entered the room with three cups on a tray. “I figured we could all use some hot chocolate,” he said, distributing them.
“Thank you very much,” Victor said gratefully, taking the mug and gazing down into the brown steaming liquid. He warmed his hands on it before taking a cautious sip, being careful not to let the cocoa burn his tongue. It tasted wonderful, and the heat it provided was even better.
“Yeah, thanks a million, Doc,” Marty said, taking a big glug from his cup. “Aahhh. . . .”
They sat in contented silence after that, enjoying their drink and each other’s company. Victor looked at his companions for a moment, then smiled.
It was funny how normal life in Secundus could be.
Care and Cleaning of Your Riding Butterfly
Prompt: flake
Time Period: Summer post-"Secundus"
Notes: This was the first thing that popped into my head for this prompt, after remembering that a certain species of moth uses its wing scales to escape spider webs. I did some research on butterfly wings (the hair thing is true), but I make no claims on being COMPLETELY accurate. Ferdy's a steampunk GM butterfly, after all.
“Hello, Ferdinand!”
Victor laughed as an eager proboscis slid over his body, searching for food. “Yes, yes, I have some nectar for you,” he said, producing a fake flower filled with sugar water from behind his back. “Here you are.”
Ferdinand made a happy noise, “licking” Victor’s face before starting to drink. Victor patted the oversized butterfly on the head behind the antennae. “How are you today?” he asked, examining the little stable he’d set up for his pet and mount. Everything seemed to be in order–
except that there was some odd debris on the floor. Frowning, Victor set the flower on a nearby shelf and leaned over to get a better look. Scattered all over the floor were large black flakes of some sort. Victor picked one up and examined it. The flake was vaguely rectangular in shape, with little notches on one of the shorter sides. It was stiff, but it had a soft texture, like a thin piece of wood covered with cloth. It also changed color as he turned it – from straight on it was black, but twisting it one way or the other turned it into a shimmery blue. “What the. . . .”
Ferdinand finished his drink and gave himself a little shake. Victor blinked as a few more flakes fell off the butterfly’s wings. The light came on in his head. “Oh! They’re your wing scales! But why are they coming off? They always stayed put before, I saw to that when–”
And then he remembered something. When he’d first made Ferdinand, he’d quickly discovered that, for a riding butterfly to be at all useful, it would have to have some mammalian traits. Being an ardent dog lover, had chosen to use canine DNA. And since butterfly wing scales were a form of hair. . . . He laughed as it became clear. “Oh dear – you’re shedding. I should have guessed. . .well, so long as they’re growing back.” He examined the wing closest to him. Yes, the scales did appear to be regenerating themselves. That was one problem averted – now, what to do about the flakes themselves? He looked down at the one he still held in his hands for a moment. It seemed far too pretty to just throw away. But what exactly could one do with shed giant butterfly wing scales?
It hit him a moment later. “Hmm. Let me get a broom, and then we’ll take a ride over to Richard’s and see if he wants these,” he told Ferdinand. “Doubtless he’ll probably find a way to make a hat out of them.”
Ferdinand bounced a little, eager for the exercise. Victor laughed and went to fetch the broom. Never a dull moment when you’re a Touched entomologist. . . .
Prompt: thunder snow
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," Victor and Alice's first summer together
Notes: The instant I saw this prompt, I thought of a certain Lewis Black routine where he saw lightning with snow and said that it was, basically, a sign of the end of the world. "They don't even write about that kind of weather in the Bible!" is the line that inspired the title. Also, originally it was going to be Helen Narbon with the weather machine (since the first storyline in "Narbonic" featured one), but I decided my universe needed more "Girl Genius" in it.
KABOOM!
Victor nearly jumped out of his skin, dropping the book he was reading. “Goodness!” he said, pressing a hand to his heart. “Where did that come from?”
“I think from outside,” Alice said, looking toward the sitting room window. There was a bright flash that could be seen even through the heavy curtains, then another loud boom. “A thunderstorm must have just come over us.”
“More like snuck up on us.” Victor retrieved his book, then got up and made his way to the window. “I didn’t have the slightest inkling until–”
He stopped abruptly as he parted the curtains. Outside the window was – was – he couldn’t believe it. It was the middle of summer for goodness’s sake! And with thunder and lightning?! For a long moment, all he could do was gape. Then, slowly, he found his voice again. “. . .It’s snowing.”
“It’s what?!” Alice joined him at the window, to see thick globs of snow pelting the glass. Behind them, lightning lit up the sky again. “Bloody hell, that’s a sign of the apocalypse, isn’t it?”
“I would say so. . . .” Victor thought hard for a moment. “Wait – didn’t Lady Heterodyne bring a weather machine with her when she came to the city?”
“Yes, actually, she did,” Alice said, relaxing a fraction. “And I think she said that she hadn’t got all the bugs worked out.” She looked at the snow melting against their window. “This is – a rather major bug, I’d say.”
“I know. But she’s the Heterodyne – I’m sure she’ll fix it.”
Sure enough, after a few minutes, the storm dwindled away into nothingness, leaving wet slush in its wake. Shortly thereafter, a female voice echoed throughout the sky: “Sorry about that! Mimmoth in the works!”
Alice shook her head. “The most powerful female Touched ruler in years, and she still has things like that happen to her.”
“I think it’s all part and parcel of being a mad scientist,” Victor said, turning around. “Come, let’s go check on Ferdinand and make sure he’s not too upset.”
Closer Than Blood
Prompt: family
Time Period: Post-"Secundus," with Victor reflecting on his childhood
Notes: I knew I wanted to do something about how Victor didn't feel close to his parents – this somewhat sappy thing resulted. As stated in another prompt, Miss Horrocks's name comes from one of the voice actresses on Corpse Bride – Jane Horrocks, who did Black Widow and Ms. Plum.
When Victor had been five, he’d asked his governess, Miss Horrocks, what exactly a family was. Miss Horrocks had explained that a family was a group of people who were related and who generally lived together. “You and your mother and your father are a family,” she’d said.
“But you and Barry and Mayhew live here with us as well,” Victor had replied. “Aren’t you part of our family?”
“Certainly not,” Miss Horrocks had said, almost too quickly. “We’re not related. You can only be family if you’re related, Victor.”
“But I like you. Why can’t you be family?”
“That’s just not how it works, Victor. Liking someone does not make them family. Family is who you came from – your blood. People whom you like are just friends. You cannot make someone family – except by marriage, of course, but we’ll talk about that much later. Now, let us continue your lessons.”
And that had been the end of it. That was what Victor knew for the next fourteen years of his life – family was who you were related to. Not necessarily who you liked. (Not that he would ever admit to not liking his parents, but – but he was reasonably certain at times they didn’t like him very much.) And there was absolutely no way to change that.
Then he’d gotten his foot caught in the ladder of a flying steam train and been dragged off to Secundus. And met Marty and Doc and Alice and scores of other people. People who liked him, who accepted him, who did their level best to make him happy. People who genuinely seemed to care about him, more than his mother and father – his family – ever had.
And that was when he decided Miss Horrocks had been wrong. Family was so much more than blood, than merely being related. Family was who you could depend on, who you could be sure would stand at your back. Who you loved.
That’s why he stayed in Secundus, he realized later. Because when he’d met Doc and Marty – he’d somehow instinctively known he was meeting the first members of his real family.
Off By The Sea
Prompt: holiday
Time Period: Post-"Secundus 2," young children era
Notes: I decided to go with the definition of "taking a vacation" so I could do a more summery take on the prompt. For some reason, I like the idea of Victor at the beach. The "Mechtorian Museum" is a reference to a neat line of steampunk toys – I own Scuttler the Butler and DJ Cramo. Oh, and Chester's six and the twins three in this fic.
The view was just as gorgeous now as it had been eight years ago.
Victor sighed as he leaned on the balcony railing, watching the waves crash onto the beach below. He was so glad they’d found the funds to take this holiday. He’d needed a bit of a break from the hustle and bustle of Secundus. He loved his adopted city, of course, but sometimes, there was only so much mad science gone wrong he could take.
He heard soft footsteps behind him, then felt an arm wrap around his waist. “Looks to be a lovely day,” Alice commented, looking first up at the sky, then down at the sand.
“It does,” Victor agreed. He smiled and drew her a bit closer. “Remember when we first came here, on our honeymoon? Walking along the boardwalk, building castles on the beach, visiting the Mechtorian Museum. . . .”
“We did all that too?”
Victor snorted, then attempted to give Alice a severe look. “Mrs. Van Dort, I don’t think I care for what you’re implying,” he said in his snootiest voice.
“You certainly cared for it back then,” Alice replied mildly, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. “I have proof aplenty, Mr. Van Dort.”
Victor gave up his airs with a laugh, then gave her a loving squeeze. “It’s like nothing’s changed,” he said quietly, glancing from her to the beach and back again. “It’s just as it was eight years ago.”
Alice shook her head. “Not quite.”
“Oh?”
“Mummy? Daddy?”
“Yes – there’s them to contend with, for a start.”
Chester padded out onto the balcony, followed by Vincent and Lorina. “Is it breakfast-time?” Chester asked, rubbing his stomach. “I’m hungry.”
“Yes, we can go have breakfast,” Victor said, crouching down so he could address his children at eye level (or close enough to). “And then we’ll go and play in the sand, all right?”
The three grinned and nodded eagerly. Victor smiled and hugged them all tight, Alice joining in. No, things weren’t just as they were eight years ago.
They were so much better.
Ordinary Life
Prompt: hot cocoa
Time Period: First winter post-"Secundus"
Notes: Nothing too special to say here. I'm something of a hot chocolate lover myself, so it wasn't hard coming up with an idea for this prompt at all.
“Goodness, it is cold out!”
Victor hugged himself, trying in vain to stop his shivering. Dr. E. Brown’s 24-Hour Scientific Services did not feel like it was very well-heated today. Little drafts kept blowing in from under the door and from chinks around the windows. Victor half-fancied he could see his breath. “I do hope Marty and Doc come back soon,” he murmured, rubbing his hands together to warm them. “Then perhaps I can spend some time by the fire upstairs.”
Luck was with him – Doc and Marty appeared shortly after he spoke, cheeks and noses red from the chill. “Yikes,” Marty said, stamping his feet on the floor to remove the snow. “I don’t think we’re gonna see many customers today, Doc. It’s really goddamn cold.”
“I think you’re right, Marty,” Doc agreed, glancing out at the nearly barren streets. “It’s got to be below freezing out there. Let’s close up shop and head upstairs, all right?”
“Fine by me,” Marty said, heading straight for the stairs.
“Me too,” Victor said, following him. “Shall I make up the fire?”
“Please,” Doc nodded. “I’ll be with you boys in a bit.”
The two young men nodded back and made their way into the flat. “Did you get everything you needed?” Victor asked as he got the fire ready in the sitting room.
“Almost,” Marty said. “They were out of magnetic resonators. The guy said he’d have some in soon, though.”
“Good – then we can get back to work on the oscillator.” Victor sighed as the flames caught the logs, sending out waves of warmth into the room. “Oh, this is better already,” he said, claiming a seat on the couch.
“Tell me about it,” Marty said, leaning toward the fire and extending his hands.
Doc was rather slower to join them than expected – the reason for his delay proved to be a pleasant one, however, as he entered the room with three cups on a tray. “I figured we could all use some hot chocolate,” he said, distributing them.
“Thank you very much,” Victor said gratefully, taking the mug and gazing down into the brown steaming liquid. He warmed his hands on it before taking a cautious sip, being careful not to let the cocoa burn his tongue. It tasted wonderful, and the heat it provided was even better.
“Yeah, thanks a million, Doc,” Marty said, taking a big glug from his cup. “Aahhh. . . .”
They sat in contented silence after that, enjoying their drink and each other’s company. Victor looked at his companions for a moment, then smiled.
It was funny how normal life in Secundus could be.
Care and Cleaning of Your Riding Butterfly
Prompt: flake
Time Period: Summer post-"Secundus"
Notes: This was the first thing that popped into my head for this prompt, after remembering that a certain species of moth uses its wing scales to escape spider webs. I did some research on butterfly wings (the hair thing is true), but I make no claims on being COMPLETELY accurate. Ferdy's a steampunk GM butterfly, after all.
“Hello, Ferdinand!”
Victor laughed as an eager proboscis slid over his body, searching for food. “Yes, yes, I have some nectar for you,” he said, producing a fake flower filled with sugar water from behind his back. “Here you are.”
Ferdinand made a happy noise, “licking” Victor’s face before starting to drink. Victor patted the oversized butterfly on the head behind the antennae. “How are you today?” he asked, examining the little stable he’d set up for his pet and mount. Everything seemed to be in order–
except that there was some odd debris on the floor. Frowning, Victor set the flower on a nearby shelf and leaned over to get a better look. Scattered all over the floor were large black flakes of some sort. Victor picked one up and examined it. The flake was vaguely rectangular in shape, with little notches on one of the shorter sides. It was stiff, but it had a soft texture, like a thin piece of wood covered with cloth. It also changed color as he turned it – from straight on it was black, but twisting it one way or the other turned it into a shimmery blue. “What the. . . .”
Ferdinand finished his drink and gave himself a little shake. Victor blinked as a few more flakes fell off the butterfly’s wings. The light came on in his head. “Oh! They’re your wing scales! But why are they coming off? They always stayed put before, I saw to that when–”
And then he remembered something. When he’d first made Ferdinand, he’d quickly discovered that, for a riding butterfly to be at all useful, it would have to have some mammalian traits. Being an ardent dog lover, had chosen to use canine DNA. And since butterfly wing scales were a form of hair. . . . He laughed as it became clear. “Oh dear – you’re shedding. I should have guessed. . .well, so long as they’re growing back.” He examined the wing closest to him. Yes, the scales did appear to be regenerating themselves. That was one problem averted – now, what to do about the flakes themselves? He looked down at the one he still held in his hands for a moment. It seemed far too pretty to just throw away. But what exactly could one do with shed giant butterfly wing scales?
It hit him a moment later. “Hmm. Let me get a broom, and then we’ll take a ride over to Richard’s and see if he wants these,” he told Ferdinand. “Doubtless he’ll probably find a way to make a hat out of them.”
Ferdinand bounced a little, eager for the exercise. Victor laughed and went to fetch the broom. Never a dull moment when you’re a Touched entomologist. . . .