{{ copperthorn • a community story

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

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What's that, you ask?
Well, it is a story open for the whole community to add to.
There is no pre-planning or discussion needed, only a few established features and imagination.
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- Do not contradict what other people have done.
If they say a character looks a certain way or dislikes
something, don't change it. It's part of the story.
Say yes to the world everyone is creating together.

- Do NOT reserve a post when someone has
already done so. You don't know what they're going to
write yet- so how do you know you even want the chapter
after theirs? ONE RESERVATION POST AT A TIME.

- Please don't fight with each other. If this gets out of hand,
I have the right to take this story away, as it was my
idea and I chose to share it. Just be civil c:

- Please do not claim a specific scene. Don't be like
"I call the part where they meet the bad guy"
or whatever. This is more of a spurr-of-the-moment
project, not a plan-the-last-half-on-your-own thing, so
don't be disappointed if things don't go how you
imagined. Just enjoy the creative ride!

- Don't take longer than three days to at least start your
chapter. If it takes you longer than that to begin or longer
than a week to complete, it will be skipped/continued

- Anyone may continue the story without asking or
discussing anything, though you may if you'd like!

- Write one whole chapter at a time, please.

- Do not worry about doing something completely out there.
Plot twists are what makes things interesting, and adding
things to the world just makes it more in-depth.

- Feel free to add more characters, but careful not to
stray from the main ones.

- If you wish to continue from where the story was left off,
reserve a post! This will prevent people from
posting the same chapter.

- You may comment and make suggestions to other
participants, but do not expect them to use your ideas.

- Be creative and have fun! I picked steampunk
theme for a reason- it's somewhere between fantasy
and sci-fi real life. So go on- do whatever!

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[list][list][list][size=85][i]I, USERNAME HERE stormborn of the house HOGWARTS HOUSE HERE, protector of the realm, breaker of chains, and mother of dragons hereby claim this post and intend to do with it as I may.[/i][/size][/list][/list][/list]


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[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

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I will gladly add to this as the story progresses.
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In a land run by steam and clockwork, it would only make sense that the people of Sprocketon themselves be run by these elements as well in order to keep up with the city they live in. Every human is now fitted with whatever bionic appendages they can afford and for countless years this is the way things have been. However, when an impending digital age is threatening to wipe out over half the population, action must be taken. Those of the higher class are upgrading to run without the use of cogs, leaving the middle-class mechanics and inventors to face the possibility of becoming obsolete. In an effort to prevent this, the lower middle class of copper and brass have formed a rebellion, often taking on nicknames to protect their true identities. The rebels keep themselves secretive and well-hidden, spreading throughout the city to sabotage the attempted digital progression. Though while stealing a digital power source one night, one unlikely duo discovers there may be something more behind these upgrades than they originally thought.

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Gem "Jinxe" Brinkstone
female // 18 // copper-grade rebel
white shoulder-length hair; blue eye (left}
mechanical, red right eye; interchangeable left leg
pet mechanical dragon named Pip

Territt "Tinker" Pinkers
male // 20 // copper-grade mechanic; rebel
wavy dark brown hair {short}; brown eyes
basically his entire left half is mechanical

Daud "Flick" Hume
male // 18 // copper-grade inventor; rebel
short blonde hair; hazel eyes
many mechanical accessories

Veridian Keegarail
male // 73 // brass-grade scientist; rebel
Graying hair; color-changing eyes
brass pipe appendages and glass tanks

Perys "Bertie" Partridge
female // 13 // brass-grade; veridian's grand-daughter
short brown bob; brown eyes
brass boots, fingertips, and steam whistle

Lazarus Kelvin
male // 52 // platinum-grade; digital enthusiast
gray and black hair, gold eyes {iris transplant}
right arm and torso; back of head and neck

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platinum/digital - Those of the platinum class are few and
far between. They have the most money and the most power,
but they run the city on the down-low. They are in the process
of converting from cogs to digital appendages, attempting to
make them wide-spread.

gold - Royalty and nobility. Since gold is a great electrical
conductor, many of their appendages run on electricity or light up,
making for extra flashy and extra customizable parts.

silver and bronze - Upper middle class. The average
factory worker.

brass and copper - Lower middle class. Mostly scientists
and mechanics, this particular class makes up the majority of
the population. They invent and fix things for the upper class,
but they have also created somewhat of their own culture.
Unable to afford digital upgrades, most have rebelled.

iron and pewter - The lowest class; poverty-ridden.

steel - used only for military upgrades.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

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one | two | three | four | five

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

reserved for-
I dunno
Perhaps a suggestions post?
or art and stuff apparently
because hey I drew Jinxe and Tinker
I'd be happy to add anyone else's art as well ^-^

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

one more reserve because it's probably a good idea

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

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Red. Why was the sky always red?

Steam and smoke hung low over the city of Sprocketon, always. Not one resident had seen the true sky unless they'd traveled elsewhere, and the haze always took on somewhat of an amber glow from the oil lamps that lit up the grimy streets.

It was perfect.

The entirety of the middle class were actively against the new digital upgrades that were being presented to the higher classes. Those who worked in factories knew those who owned them would shut the businesses down when they no longer needed parts, allowing over half the population to spiral into poverty. This simply would not do, and there were those who intended to take action.

One figure in particular intended to do so on that very night. The figure strode confidently through the streets, splashing through puddles with her boots. She wore a smug expression; she simply couldn't help it. Her plan was brilliant. Flawless. Fool-proof. Short white hair pulled into a high enough ponytail to look somewhat spiky, she scanned the streets- her one mechanical eye dilating and emitting a red glow. Her left leg had been made of metal for as long as she could remember, but once she'd scraped up enough money, she made the best decision ever and bought herself an eye. It could detect heat and chemicals and was incredibly hand, especially when one was doing something they were not supposed to be doing.

Pulling her canvas jacket closed over her blouse and leather bodice, she ducked into an unlit alleyway. The only source of light other than her eye only showed itself once she was near the end- an amber glow that she'd grown accustomed to.

The young man was unnervingly fidgety, jumping at the sight of the girl he'd met quite uneventfully a few months prior- at a little shop where he'd accidentally taken her order instead of his own and the girl had claimed what was hers in a very snarky and very insulting manner. Though taken aback by her atrocious behavior, he'd offered to make up for his mistake by buying her something else from the little bakery. She'd gratefully accepted and against his will, made him stay and chat. That's when they discovered they'd held a mutual, passionate hatred for the digital threat. He'd been impressed by how she'd become suddenly articulate and logical, and she'd been pleasantly surprised that he could express emotion, even if it was anger and annoyance. Then, before he'd known what he'd agreed to, there was a plan. And so they ended up in a dark alleyway a couple months later.

There was a click as the man snapped his pocket watch shut and thrust it into the pocket of his leather duster, which nearly brushed the ground. "You're late," he said, narrowing his brown eyes.

"Fashionably," the girl answered with a smile, her blue eye glinting. As he turned with a sigh and ruffled his messy brown hair, she could hear the gears in his left arm crank with the motion. She tipped her head slightly, peering at him closely while his head was turned. Still, even after all this time, she couldn't tell if his skin was naturally that tan or if he was just always covered in oil.

She jumped up and smiled innocently when he looked at her again, but he only paused before deciding not to ask. "I thought you understood that carrying out such an operation would mean being punctual," he hissed.

"Oh don't get your suspenders in a knot, Tinker-"

"I really wish you would stop calling me that," he groaned suddenly, face twisted with a grimace.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Would you rather any of those digital freaks hear me calling you by your real name while we're about to rob-"

"Shh!" He cut her off sharply, glancing around with a nervous air. "Are you mad? Don't say it out loud."

She scoffed. "Alright, alright," she agreed with a wave of her hand. "So how do I get in, anyhow?" She asked.

"Uh- right over here," he said in a suddenly flat tone as he ducked to the edge of the alley, kicking at a grate.

"Through that?" She asked in disgust, though when he confirmed with a nod, she simply shrugged. "Alright." Without hesitation, she hooked the grate with the toe of her boot and pulled it off, the clatter making the young man cringe. The girl held back a laugh and slid onto the latter in the hole, murmuring under her breath. "I could never possibly understand why you don't like that nickname. It's cute. I can call you Tinker Pinkers."

He rolled his eyes, hearing her giggle echo from the abyss before kneeling down to whisper to her harshly. "Be quiet, Jinxe," he pleaded. "I'd rather not get caught today. Or any other day," he added to himself.

With a grunt and a small splash, Jinxe jumped from the ladder and blew a stray strand of hair from her face so she could gaze around at the dark tunnels. Pressing her lips into a thin line, she narrowed her eyes and red light streamed before her, brightness intensifying. Now that her way was lit, albeit vaguely, she continued on.

The stone tunnels were damp and she very much disliked the blue hue as opposed to the amber of the surface, but she soldiered on without much more than a grimace. She had studied maps of the place ever since they found out one of the crystals that somehow powered everything digital within range would be kept there.

Soon enough, she found the chamber she was looking for- though she did walk right past it and have to pause and backtrack. A serious air overcame her expression, red light dimming as she pulled her hand from her pockets and made her way towards the ladder, ducking under labyrinthine copper pipes dripping with steam leaks.

Grasping the slick rungs, she was thankful she'd had the sense to wear gloves, though she didn't particularly like the way the cold metal felt to her exposed fingers. Adjusting her grip, she hesitated before climbing upwards.

Once she reached the top, she very carefully pushed against the ceiling until the heavy tile blocking her way slid loose, sending a cascade of dust onto her face. Biting back a cough, she turned her head and waited for the motes to settle before pushing it the rest of the way and peeking out of the hole she'd created.

The room that opened up before her was large and empty, illuminated by a multitude of crimson lasers all aimed at the same object; a crystal on a pedestal. Once she was sure the coast was clear, Jinxe pushed herself onto her arms- she didn't need to go all the way inside. Reaching down, she hiked up her skirt and snagged the pistol she currently had in the compartment in her fake leg [no one ever checked there]. Careful not to snag any wires, she pulled it free and fiddled with knobs on the side, clicking them into place. She had the weapon aimed before she jerked it back hastily, clicking one of the knobs a single time more.

Confident everything was perfectly set this time, she aimed the thing not at the crystal, but the wall. As she pulled the trigger a sizzling blue laser escaped, hitting one of the laser sources on the wall. She held the beam steady for a long while and just when she grew afraid it wouldn't work, the red beams overloaded and the crystal exploded, sending tiny shards flying.

"Yes," she whispered in victory before tossing the gun haphazardly back into her leg and slamming the compartment shut, replacing the tile before making her decent and running back the way she came.

She half expected Tinker to be gone by the time she got back, especially since the closer she drew to the surface, the clearer the building's alarm rang. She was relieved to find him pacing before the grate as she emerged from it and kicked it shut, making him jump with a startle when she grabbed his forearm. "Come on," she said, grinning far wider than she should have been.

Before he could say anything, the man was being pulled along at an alarming rate and then jerked to a halt that nearly made him knock Jinxe over. Frowning as he examined the shorter girl, he reached up and brushed the top of her head repeatedly with a stiff hand, making her look up in annoyance. "You had crystal in your hair," he mumbled.

"Oh..." she said, though couldn't help but giggle.

"I'm assuming it worked then?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah," she said flatly, eyes darting back and forth down the street before she snagged his hand in a manner that made him entirely too uncomfortable and continued at a casual pace down the sidewalk. "Which is why we're leaving."

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[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

or questions or comments or suggestions or reservations or-
you know, all the fun stuff

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

Bump ^-^

[noal]

oooooh, it's finally up! :D
im way too scared to actually reserve 2nd chap though.
however, im really interested on how the story will turn out
again, a great idea! (i might reserve a chapter in the furture, actually <3)