Brass Goggles And Copper Skies (closed to LordUsagi)

Brass Goggles And Copper Skies (closed for LordUsagi)

"Good day, sir. My name is Charlotte McCabe," Charlie stated, trying to sound confident, though the tone came out strangled, forced. Despite the squeaks, she held her head up high, the sun glinting brightly off her flaming hair as she walked along the gravelly road that led through the center of town. She scowled at the horrendous sound of her voice. "Too apprehensive," she scolded, her tiny hands moving to rub at her leather-clad thighs. Clearing her throat, she licked at her lips and stood up a bit straighter. "Good day, sir," she paused dramatically, her blue eyes squinting, the wretched light of the sun bothering them just a bit. "My name is Charlotte Mc..."

Charlie stopped dead in her tracks, her one hand moving up to grip the strap on her rucksack. Her fist tightened causing her knuckles to go white, the coarse fabric biting into the soft flesh of her palm as she stood there in complete and utter astonishment. She'd finally reached it, the place that could offer her a life of wonder and full of scientific discovery! But... She swallowed hard as she tried to take in the sight of what she saw, hardly able to believe it. Firstly, she scarcely could conceive of the notion that so many were applying for the job for such an expedition. After all, it required leaving the safety of the port town. How many women wished to do that?

Apparently many!

Shaking her red head, Charlie blinked her eyes several times, taking in the strange attire of these women. All of them—each and every one—were dressed in frivolous frocks that hardly would be suitable to an expedition for the pursuit of science! It... it was baffling to say the least. Biting down on her lower lip, she could feel a heat sweep over her cheeks. Oh, she was nothing like these women who lined up at this door. Nothing at all! They were stunning creatures in comparison, then again...

Charlie hung her head in shame an embarrassment, her pale eyes staring hard at the gravel beneath her feet. What did she expect? The advertisement had asked for a female companion, not an assistant or colleague. Oh, she'd been so silly to think she'd stand a chance. Someone like her would never be able to broach the scientific circle or be taken seriously. She'd have to settle for only someone like her father ever even remotely thinking anything she had to say mattered when it came to anything scientific. But then, the old man was biased, blinded by an unconditional love to dote upon his daughter.

Desperate for scientific adventure, Charlie stood there for a few moments, her thoughts swirling as she formulated a plan on what she could do to possibly salvage things. Yes, the advertisement asked for a companion, but it was still exposure. As she shifted from foot to foot, she noted that the line of ladies was quite long. Long enough that she still had time to run home and perhaps change. If fortune smiled upon her, she could make it back in time for an interview. At that, she nodded.

"It'll work," Charlie whispered. A blonde woman in line twisted her head and gave her a coy smile, her body shapely as her corset squeezed and pressed her breasts together. The woman then gave her a smirk before turning back around, clearly unimpressed with Charlie causing her to gasp, her face to redden as she reached up to touch her hot cheeks.

At that, Charlie turned on her heels and raced home, not once turning around until she opened the door and stepped foot inside. She was met with the familiar sound of her father's voice.

"Charlie? Is that you?" the old man asked.

"Yes, Daddy," Charlie answered. "I have much to do. No time to talk now."

The man nodded. He knew she had the interview and was surprised to see her back so suddenly. Leaving her be, he turned to go into his lab, which was filled with various clockwork gadgets and sizzling, crackling coils. Just before entering, he pulled out an occulator and what appeared to be a crystal of some sort.

Rushing up the creaky stairs, Charlie went into her room and began to rummage through her clothes to find the perfect outfit that would compete with the other women she'd seen lined up for the interview. Finally, she'd decided on a full copper-colored skirt that showed off the front of her ankles along with a black corset. If that blonde woman could squeeze her breasts together, then she'd show her!

"Helen? Helen?" Charlie shouted.

Within moments, an older woman appeared in her doorway, her smile kind as her dark eyes sparkled. "Yes, miss?" she asked.

"I'm so sorry to bother you," Charlie began. "But I..." her voice trailed as she sheepishly grinned. Immediately Helen knew what the problem was and she set to work on the corset, tying it tightly so that it accentuated Charlie's curves in the most flattering way.

"There you are, miss," Helen said.

"You'll have to show me how to do this by myself," Charlie stated with a small laugh causing her to place a hand against her chest. She'd forgotten how hard it could be to breathe in one of those things.

"Of course, miss," Helen, said kindly before excusing herself.

Once Charlie finished dressing herself, she managed to put her hair up in the most ridiculous array of curls that she was sure would be the talk of the town. After all, none of the other women had managed such a style nor could they pull it off like she could! Yes, she looked the part now! And much better than the rest of them! Scrambling for some powder and make up, she finished things up and slipped on a pair of heeled boots. Oh, she could make it now if she hurried!

She had to make it! She just had to!

The sun wasn't shining nearly as brightly now as Charlie made her way along that gravelly road, her nerves worse than they'd ever been as she made her way toward her final destination. Oh how uncomfortable she felt in this get up, but it would land her the job... she hoped. No. It would! She'd outshine those other women! She could do circles around them when it came to the science and no doubt she'd be more interesting than them as well!

As Charlie neared the place in which she'd have her interview, she realized that none of the women were there any longer. Immediately, her heart dropped. "Oh, no, no, no, no!" she stammered. "No!"

At that, Charlie went into a dead run, stumbling and tripping as she raced toward the door and reached for the knob. Twisting it almost violently, she practically toppled inside; tripping on the long skirts she was unaccustomed to wearing. Looking up, she let out a soft sigh and whimpered nervously. She then grinned and scrambled to her feet in the most awkward of manners, her tiny hands moving to smooth out the coppery material of her skirts.

"Hrmm..." Charlie started, her cheeks red with embarrassment. She glanced from side to side and then downward to make sure that her dress hadn't slipped, that each shoulder was still bare and nothing had popped out. "Pardon me, but, good day sir. My name is Charlotte McCabe." At that, she made her best attempt at curtsying, hoping she could somehow detract from that abashedly awful entrance.

~*~
Charlotte 'Charlie' McCabe
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/indigochild_vox/Steampunk%20Character%20Inspirations/3fc918da94ae99fc94df70523e5823d4-1_zps35cf2c32.jpg

Henry Langford observed, with a researcher’s eye, the young girl that had stumbled so ungracefully into his home just moments before. She looked a little awkward, as if her attire was not something she was accustomed to wearing, however she did wear it well, better than most that had come through the doors during the course of the day. It was true that they were all attractive and skilled enough to flaunt their assets, but it was also obvious that most would rise to nothing much more than the strumpets they were destined to be. It was the harsh reality of the world that those from poor families would end up as nothing more than maids, barmaids or just plain prostitutes. And those of better standing with the looks to catch the right eye, would find themselves similarly prostituted into a marriage for wealth and security.

Doctor Langford was such a man who would capture the eye of a suitable lady, if he had so desired to do so in the past. He could be charming if pressed upon, was undoubtedly intelligent, though perhaps a little more in his own mind than in reality. But most importantly for the ladies of the small but growing city, he was rich. But despite the wealth, and comely looks, if his age was taken into account, Doctor Langford had not found a suitably young and attractive life to while away his time, and squander his wealth.

Reaching out a hand he helped the girl to straighten from her clumsy curtsey, “you are a little late you know, I have made my choice already.”

‘McCabe’, he pondered the name briefly as he had heard it somewhere before. Yes of course the ‘mad scientist’. Charlotte must be the daughter of the infamous Professor McCabe. He was not infamous for anything truly insane that he had done, unless one thought teaching a girl a profession was insane, but more for trying to have his daughter accepted at the Academy for Science and Technology. Now that was truly insane. Everyone knew women were to be pretty, polite and willing; not striving to push the bounds of the domain of men. As if to prove his point that most opportunist young women would not even be intelligent enough to read the fine print in his advertisement properly, or even discern most of the more interesting words meaning. He looked at the crumpled paper in Charlotte’s hand and wondered if she had.

Companion Required

Foremost Mechanical Physicist, Doctor Henry Langford requires a companion to accompany him on yearlong expedition.

She will be well compensated financially, cared for, including food and clothing, and not only get to travel the world and visit exotic places, but meet interesting people and a chance to further their knowledge.

Applicants should be young, single, attractive, (with each adjective the print became finer and finer till it was barely readable without some form of magnification) eloquent, charming, intelligent, lustful and obedient.

Duties will include but not exclusively entail, domesticated servitude, including cooking and cleaning; as well as tending to all needs including bathing and dressing. A knowledge of scientific principals would be a benefit and skill at dancing and fellatio a must. (Once again the last sentence was barely readable sans an eyeglass of sorts.)
Only serious applicants need apply.


There was no address as he figured anyone interested enough could discover that themselves. He was very certain that few of the girls had even fully read the flyer or most likely understood the terms contained within, it was all part of the test. Those that professed too much would be discounted and those that did not question could not be trusted. In truth the companion that he sought, was nothing more than an impressionable maid with plenty of strings attached. It was going to be a long journey and a pretty companion to wait upon his needs was even more pleasant than procuring the services of ladies of leisure along the way.

As if to iterate his point about Charlotte being late, the same blond girl who had sniggered at her earlier in the day stepped into the room proudly displaying the everyday uniform she would be required to wear that had been picked out for the successful applicant.

“How does this look doctor?” She spun around gracefully, totally oblivious to Charlotte. “The seamstress had only minor adjustments to make.”

“Perfect!” Henry replied as he admired the way her bust tried so eagerly to escape the confines of the corset. “Do you know anything about steam mechanics?”

The girl pondered for a moment then shook her head, “no…but I do know how to dust,” she reached up with the feathers in her hand and standing on tip toes brushed the top of a rather tall bookcase.