#odyssey

"She can have some candy, even if she doesn't deserve any."

A soft laugh, as a belled tirade starts at Thistle.

"Of course, Gwen." He checks out the wall and makes a few choices. The wall rumbles ominously.

Brow?

Squint!

The rumble turns to a smooth purr, but with a cough at the end, and three sandwiches are produced!

Thistle's is 85% likely something she will enjoy, and Gwen's is teetering at 65%. Art's is the last, but as the sign promised, still has a 10% chance of being good!

"What did you get?" As he unwraps his roast chicken and peanut butter hoagie for a sniff.

"Ooo... chicken and pesto!"

Not just, but also with roasted red peppers and caramelized onions, and smoked provolone cheese.

Art is curiously trying to figure out what a red speck on his sandwich is.

"It smells decent." She takes a test bite.

"Carrot. Grated carrot on a sandwich?" He is dubious, but tries his as well.

"A turkey sandwich?"

"Sounds okay"

"Could be okay? Crunchy?"

CRUNCH! He chews, and swallows... then goes for another bite.

After wiping his mouth, "It's spicy! I did not expect spicy!"

"mm it's got a char on the meat, that's different"

"Savory, not sweet... perhaps Marigold can replicate it? I would be afraid to suggest it to my own mother, but..."

He imagines, for a moment, Skippy and Canned Chicken Salad Sandwiches

A shudder.

He offers the others a bite out of the pristine half of his sandwich, even as he leans over to peer at the paperwork. "Be sure to read the fine print, just in case..."

And Citrine? She got SKITTLES! Exactly what she wanted!

"Trade bites?" She offers.

They're a color that skittles never marketed, and dated as "2026 special release!" but... skittles!

He trades! Chewing, appreciatively. It's a good meal!

"Kinda thai. It's the peanuts."

"Was not expecting the peppers" A blink

"Bad?"

"Can you pick them off?"

"Oh, Thistle." Bite, chews politely, swallows, "I know we were in a rush earlier, but when we went through the Market? I saw a glimpse of a booth that had a chimerical bat wearing glasses, and some sort of armored... rabbit? With a long snout. It had a hearing aid. I was thinking..."

"Yeah?"

"Well, it made me think of Fornax."

"Oh!"

He chews for a moment, then swallows, and continues. "But."

"A bit heavy but survivable' She picks a few off

"But then I thought..." Looking over at Thistle. "Maybe... you can just.. I don't want to say, fix him? But a few adjustments, like you did for Citrine? Maybe that would be the boost he needs."

"...Maybe?"

"Glasses alone might not do it, but... yeah... maybe?"

CHIME! Citrine shows off a plurble colored skittle!

Gwen says "Okay. I'm tempted to tell us to get the hell out of here, but I'm afraid we're gonna be stuck for awhile with you two even when that paper work is done because we ALL drooled at something in that market"

"We'll still be home in time for Sunday supper." He reassures Gwen. And that is only a day, or so, away!

Gwen puts on a brave face and nods.

Thistle feels something on her ankle.

It's cool, or slick... maybe slimy?

And sloowly moving.

She looks down.

The little lights at the tip of it's antennae gently pulse.