#odyssey

And the trio find themselves at the base of the ramp path and ....at what looks to be a kiind of victorian gernsburg expo convention!

She barrels at the thief, a scrappy, sharp-elbowed ball of fury.

A voice speaks up like an old timey radio announcer "Welcome to the Bes Din Asembly Hall and Evaluation center. The Pale Zone is for loading and unloading, The Ruby zone is for unloading only... but if you want your pathetic attempts at creation evaluted, please head to the emerald zone, you sad sad wanna be"

The thief in question, now with a wisp on his tail again, sees Thistle coming after him and yelps. He moves to run, no get ahead. As HE casts Hop Scotch to leap across a narrow bridge to the main judgtement center in the ruby zone wanting to jump line! Literally. Thewre are dozens of applicants waiting their turn, and the steampunk steam bridge is the way to get there

Thistle tears at his clothes, but he hops...\

and maybe it was her grab, maybe it was Art's curse, but he , with citrine in one hand, goes side ways instead!

"FLY YOU LITTLE MONSTER OR WE"RE BOTH DEAD" the thief whimpers as he holds onto Cintrine's legs, her wings flapping to keep the extrta weight aloft. Below them who knows what, it's dark down there

"TELEPORT, YOU IDJIT!"

After all, the Never did it before...

And... "Chime?" Then bobbing and a nod "CHIME!"

and with a chiming sound, Citrine teleports onto Thistle's shoulder aNd gives her friend a little kiss on the cheek

THe thief however, who looks a lot like Fletch but younger and clearly is not him? Doesn't get teleported

He gets gravity. Or more accurately, gravity gets him

"This is what you get for wandering off in strange places!" She scolds, but her tone is clearly relieved.

chime and a deep sense of shame and contriteness falls over citrine. But htenk, ten secoonds pass and she's forgotten about it

"WHAT THE FURK IS GOING ON?" A voice booms

Coming out on a jetpack that looks out of a pulp movie, ala the rocketeer, is a wizened NOcker, he's not THAT old a grump, they just often age ugly. The other nockers in line yipe and point fingers at Thistle babbling excuses

And she can see he's wearing something akin to a judge's wig... abielt more colorful

"Boba Fett down there stole my chimera. I got her back." Jaw-jut.

"Look kid, I got stuck with this damned Job this week because Cogsbury threw me under the bus. I swear to LIpschitz you win ONE arguement with that woman and she gets mean for years... this is a place for furking INVENTION, CREATION to be judged, not a pet show so take your never and go home to your..." Then he stops, starting "Wait, what the furk IS that? I thought she.. is it she? I thought she was just a never"

Judge Otto, aeronaut extrodinaire and currently stuck with judging newb patents and trademarks, pulls out a set of glasses that seem to extend with small copper tubes like a telescope for each eye as he gets a closer look at Citrine without getting any closer himself

"She is a Never. I just... uh... had to fix some things?"

"You FIXED a Never? What, did you add a box of brains and wield the skull shut? Wait, you know what... what's your name, kid?" He asks

"Thistle Fulcanelli. She was injured, and was gonna furkin' expire if I didn't do something... so, like, I took what was available. Like Steve Austin."

"We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better, stronger, faster.' and all that drek."

"...Not that much smarter, though."

Chime!" firm nod

"No one told her she couldn't do it. So she DID." Art speaks up in Thistle's behalf.

"Shuddap, Wesley, or if you prefer Pipe down Chachi. Nockers talking" he looks over at Thistle "Fulcanelli eh? Well, get your ass into the judging chamber now. The keebler seems to be yourr friend, so he and the pet rock can follow you for luck or whatever. Bring the Never 2 point Oh with you. "

Art looks puzzled, he's not offended, after all, he does not know the references. A side glance to the Pet Rock though.

His lip twitches.

"HEY, "One nocker says in the line "We were here first and the line barely moved, she shows up and just trots ahead?"

Otto presses a button on his wrist. There's a POP sound and a trampoline pops up out of the floor of the bridge and bounces the loudmouth way way back. Others now move forward "Hey, what do you know? A space was created. ANYONE ELSE WANNA ARGUE WITH A BES DIN JUDGE?"

Nope

the answer is nope

"Going, going!"

Gwen pulls art along "cmon, I wanna see this"

"I'm coming!"

"Wouldn't miss it."

And into in the septagon of judgement they go

A light clicks on in the center where Thistle is standing now. And around them, five seats above things.

And in each sit, five nockers in funny wigs

"State your furking name and any title for the furking record again?" A voice calls down "And the devices or procesess you wish to demonstrate your worthiness to be recognized by the Bes Din and the protection it grants"

Art whispers to Gwen, "Doesn't a septagon have seven sides?"

"Yep" She says

He peers around discretely, looking for two others.

"Thistlethwaite Salpetre Fulcanelli, of Silver Wolf. I received my Name last week, and I'm here to earn the right to a Mark."

"I brought Citrine. I've got other things, or you throw me at somethin', and I'll do it, but this idjit is here."

A printer makes odd wooosh click steam clackity sounds. Apparently it is printing out everything said, for the records

He does see two empty seats.