A strange and mystical clock shop...

[cityship]

Down one of the back alleyways, one might stumble across a small sidewalk market full of peculiar shops. To one side was a store selling hub caps, to the other was a man who'd try to convince you that his potions would bring you eternal youth, really.

But in the middle, was a clock shop. It's collection of clocks in stock was peculiar, made of strange materials and working in odd ways (and if you wanted a cuckoo clock, here you could get one with a real cuckoo). But by far the most striking clock was the one that was draped across one of the back tables. The fact that it could drape at all was a big hint to the clock's strangeness. It looked like a giant, metre-wide clock face that had an unfortunate accident with a Bunsen burner and gone all floppy as a result, like it was melting. And yet, the clock still ticked.

The merchant spoke. "Do you want to see something strange and mystical?"

[[ooc: Alright, this is the post that kicks off the Melting Clock! The clock store Merchant here is Jeepers/Peepers, who's being NPC'd by Allen. Since people other than the Melting Clock guys might want to tag Jeepers/Peepers, please mention in your subject line whether your character is to be affected by the clock or not, so Allen knows who to set the chime off at!

Important Note! If your character is to be affected, make sure that you've signed up, guys. If you haven't filled out the form, you haven't signed up]]

Another Important Note: No more new threads please! If you really really want to thread this out, please ask Allen directly if he's able to. Otherwise, just handwave them coming to the shop.

Comments

[Clock-Affected!]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

In the hands of his minion, the book had set off to explore some of the lesser-trod places of this massive shrine to mercantilism. He figured nothing he'd be interested in would be out in public -- some process to restore his body and his Netherworld would be well-hidden, if it even existed.

He spent an enjoyable few minutes berating the potion merchant about how he was already immortal because he was strong enough to kick Death's ass, then he'd gotten distracted by the idea of buying a bigass clock for his fortress back in the City. So in the minion went.

"Strange and mystical, huh?" Zetta said. Why not? He was feeling magnanimous today. "Sure, I'm game."

Re: [Clock-Affected!]

[cityship]

"Behold! The Melting clock!" The merchant said, adjusting his glasses, and apparently his nose, eyebrows, and mustache along with it.

"Nobody knows where it came from, nobody knows why it's here, and nobody knows why the thing still works." He said, telling all these blatant lies in a mysterious voice.

Not clock affected

[makeherblue]

Those are very nice hub caps, by the way. And the youth potions probably wouldn't do the Doctor much good, so that leaves him Hub Caps and Clocks as interesting options.

It's a difficult choice. Good thing there’s plenty of time on shore leave, he supposes, because he'd like to take a look at those hub caps later. One of them looked like something he could quite possibly use as a spare part to coax the TARDIS back in working order.

The Doctor dives into the clock shop, which certainly has one of those strange and mystical feelings one has to cultivate very well. You really have to dive into these sorts of things, sometimes because of the sheer amount of clutter to jump over and mostly because if you're going anywhere, you might as well take it head first, whether it's hub caps or alien cross-dimensional clocks: not that it's a literal dive. This time. He's already peering around with interest, wishing he could feed the cuckoo and realizing he probably should start carrying more bird seed around in his pockets for times like this. The Doctor winds his way around the clock shop, appreciating that cultivated atmosphere of strangeness because it enhances the browsing experience.

Eventually he finds himself toward the back, investigating a truly fascinating piece of work. The melted clock looks like something old Dahl would’ve come up with and maybe, just maybe, he might’ve had some kind of unconscious sort of cross-dimensional syncing with this. Usually you might see it across planets, complete accidents arriving at the same conclusion, but he’s never seen it quite on this scale. The Doctor flashes the psychic paper at the shop-keeper.

“Stuff Inspector and, incidentally, also bit of a Clock Inspector as well,” the Doctor says.

Re: Not clock affected

[cityship]

The merchant glanced around nervously.

"...any specific clock you want to inspect?"

Affected

[brustriese.livejournal.com]

This wasn't really the store Signum had intended to walk into when Hayate suggested they split up. It was more a place she'd stumbled upon in between grocery shopping and picking up materials for Rein, and she still wasn't sure why she'd bothered coming in besides a vagary of crowd physics. She's not terribly impressed with the merchant, either, being something strange and mystical herself.

"It would have to be fairly unique to surprise me at this point..." she comments, intending it as a polite brush-off.

Re: Affected

[cityship]

"Behold! The Melting Clock!" Peepers said, pointing the way to the object. "Brought here from a far away world, no-one knows why it still continues to function. It has a very unique chime, if you want to hear it?"

Affected, so feel free to drag him in against his will

[darknight-ren.livejournal.com]

Ren's plan was to buy food and tea for Atori, along with some other necessities. He'd already picked up a couple of things after haggling intensely--and given his attitude, it hadn't been pleasant for anyone involved, though at least he hadn't gotten into any fights...yet. For the most part, he expected his housemates to do fine on their own, but if he knew anything about Phillip, he knew the younger Rider would probably spend his entire wallet on books and completely fail to buy any food.

And that was how Ren ended up here, trying to find his way to the food markets. He tolerated the merchant jumping out at him, but only because he needed directions.

"Actually, I'm trying to find my way," he answered.

Re: Affected, so feel free to drag him in against his will

[cityship]

Peepers jumped out in front of Ren, his Groucho glasses going slightly askew.

"Nonsense. You look like a man who needs to see something straaange and mysticaaal. And if not, perhaps you'd like to purchase one of my fine clocks, some of which are also straaange and mysticaaal! It will only take a minute or so."

Affected!

[notadamnangel.livejournal.com]

"Buddy, it seems like I can't get away from the strange and mystical," Dean remarked after he had poked his head in the shop. He was still thinking of things to pick up for Kaylee, Sam, Tom, and the house. Something for Bobby too, and maybe something for Cas if he comes back. Still something about this place pinged on his weird-o-meter so he figured to better check it out further.

Ever the Hunter, even in space.

Re: Affected!

[cityship]

"Oh yes, We have many items of such a persuasion, but the Melting Clock is the strangest of all."

Affected but not apparent until after shore leave!

[hellraiser02.livejournal.com]

"Now that is one funky lookin' piece of clockwork," Duo commented, stopping in his mall-crawl of sorts to glance over this shop. Anything mechanical in nature was likely to grab his eye, and this stall was no different. In fact, it was these shadier sidewalk set-ups that caught his interest the most. You weren't likely to find the really interesting stuff in the glamorous, 'reputable' shops.

"Tell me, pops, what sets this one apart from the rest? My ears are open," he greeted the stall's keeper.

Re: Affected but not apparent until after shore leave!

[cityship]

"Well, obviously, it continues to work despite it's form." Said the merchant. "Other than that, it has a very distinct chime tone."

Affect 'em!

[itsaboutaction.livejournal.com]

"Strange and mystical?" Superman said, skeptical. He's been all over the place, from the beginning of time to the end. There's very little that surprise him nowadays. But, for the moment, he's willing to humor him

Re: Affect 'em!

[cityship]

"Yes," he nodded, "very strange and mystical. It's a melting clock, which somehow continues to work. Has a very strange and mystical chime as well. Would you like to hear it?"

Affected!

[allnaturalseed.livejournal.com]

It hadn't taken all that long for Cagalli to start getting bored here. Maybe she was just cynical, but most of the place seemed like a waste of time.

She found herself at the small market more by coincidence than anything else; it reminded her of a time years ago when things were simpler, if more immediately life-threatening. Again, a lot of wastes of time.

One way or another, though, the merchant got her attention, and she decided to at least humor him. "Alright. What do you have that's so strange and mystical?"

Re: Affected!

[cityship]

"A Melting Clock" Said the merchant, waggling his fingers mysteriously.

Another one to be affected!

[livestoannoy]

"Dude, how about you tell me what that thing is doing on your face is instead?" Marco said, staggering. "Let me guess: you're a fan of Groucho Marx?"

Re: Another one to be affected!

[cityship]

"What are you talking about?" Said the shopkeeper, looking bewildered.

Also affected

[level12headache]

Querl had no interest in the clocks, rather it was the strange material that brought him inside the shop.

"Strange and mystical?" He repeated in a deadpan tone.

Re: Also affected

[cityship]

"Yes. A melting clock, brought here from a far-off world, that continues to function. Would you like to see it?"

Affected #97845842

[riseupnchargem.livejournal.com]

Jamie hadn't even really intended to come in here; he'd been trying to get out of the way of a gaggle of loudly-chattering aliens hustling down this side of the road and the clock shop was the nearest escape option.

Still, the physics-defying clock was sort of eye-catching. He was in the process of trying to decide if it would be worth using detect magic on it when the store's proprietor accosted him.

"Um...I get my fill of the strange and mystical on a daily basis. Really. So no. Thank you."

Re: Affected #97845842

[cityship]

"You're already looking at the object in question regardless. I was just wanting to know if you'd like to hear the chime. Very odd chime, yes."

[Affect the heck out of this guy!]

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

"No."

Unfortunately for Zuko, the merchant seems to have cornered him, and it really wouldn't be very diplomatic of him to firebend at a hapless salesguy.

"But you're probably going to show me anyway, aren't you."

Re: [Affect the heck out of this guy!]

[cityship]

"Most likely yes. In, In. You can't properly see it from out here." Said Peepers, guiding the boy into the shop.

Affected~

[herblessedwind.livejournal.com]

Just like Signum, Reinforce counted herself fairly strange and mystical, or at least knew she'd been regarded that way in her own world, but she was more inquisitive than the stoic knight and nodded to the shopkeeper.

"Yes," she answered with an honest simplicity somewhat at odds with the question. Apparently she took the offer completely at face value.

Re: Affected~

[cityship]

"Then right this way, miss." He said, leading her to the clock.

Affect away!

[hatngartersnake.livejournal.com]

"How much will it cost me?" Jeka asked, raising a hairless brow. She may have just come off the ship today, but that didn't mean she was entirely naive to the ways of merchants.

The clocks here are fairly interesting, she'll grant. But she didn't necessarily need one at this juncture, so depending on the cost, she might just choose to save her money.

Re: Affect away!

[cityship]

"Nothing except time." In more ways than one.

Affected.

[teethofneedles.livejournal.com]

"Do you just sell parts?"

Because clockworks were damn useful for making things.

Re: Affected.

[cityship]

"Yes, yes we do. Anything in particular that you're looking for?"

Affected like you wouldn't believe

[hero-sting.livejournal.com]

Chris after his little encounter with the mask salesman, had become lost for several hours as well as being hungry. So it was by sheer dumb luck that he arrived exhausted near the clock shop. Not all interested at the shop, he began to look for any food stalls. "I knew I should have tried to find Billy or go with someone on this shore leave. Now I'm lost."

Affected

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

After spending most of the day wandering around the various shops and discussing plans for their upcoming wedding, Fate decided to head off on her own for a bit. Not that she didn't love the plans they had been coming up with, of course not! She was just... maybe thinking about getting something special for Nanoha, and she wanted it to be a surprise. That's all.

She wasn't expecting to find anything in the clock shop, but she was curious... so she stepped inside, where she was promptly harassed by the shopkeeper.

"Strange and mystical?"

Considering her line of work before her home had been destroyed, 'strange and mystical' could pretty much mean 'normal' at this point.

Affected

[so-pregnable.livejournal.com]

"I aaam kinda slightly allergic to mystical, so no thanks."