The large group finished eating dinner, and went off into separate groups. James and Bluebeard followed Dale into the living room to watch TV. Joneas and Persimmon went with Franz to the excavation site in Andy's left ear. Cameron and Milangelo accepted Wester's offer to listen to spider-web. Patricia, Karnilla, and Cathy decided to hang out with Holly. Brandon and Crock followed Gere into the backyard.
James turned on the TV and there was some local news.
...the pizza had been burned thirty-two times too many.
"What the–?" asked James.
"It's the end of some fluff piece. Not that unusual," said Dale.
And now, for our top story today, the police made nine arrests relating to the Devolvers, an international gang of thugs selling turtle shell fragments on the black market.
"It's kinda messed up what they're doing," said Bluebeard. "This turtle is not dead like it was in our world."
"What is the story of this turtle?" asked James.
"Long ago, there were turtles that could swim through space, and were the size of planets. But when stars began forming, the gravity of such large objects pulled these creatures into orbit around them, killing them fairly quickly. Over time, life would evolve on these turtle's shells... they were known as turtle-shell planets. Even more time would pass, and all the planets would be destroyed by an ancient race, determined to see the destruction of all life in the universe."
"So, why is it here in Limbo?"
"Things that never were, they come to be here. There are probably numerous alternate versions of this same planet deeper into the dimension."
"How do you know so much?"
"With my command of time, all of history is at my fingertips. I can learn about any event in an instant."
We will be right back after the break.
"Oh great, alien advertisements," said James sarcastically.
"Actually, it's just a minute of cacophonous noise. They had studies that showed it made no difference to viewer retention and decided it was preferable to increased corporatism."
"Do you perhaps know why I recognise that Phe Tyler?"
"Our world has an alternate version of him, a man who was destroyed and rebuilt in order to become Phenos, Seeker of Discord. It's a tragedy that it drove him insane, and he met his end when you guys stopped him."
"You really seem to know everything."
"Nope, only what is expedient at any given moment. Time is relative, and I can't say what will be useful in the future, only what will be useful for the present. The past, well, I can't change the past. If I could, I'd have done it by now. I wouldn't have to be a pirate. But enough about me, let's watch some weird alien shows."
Franz had a late commitment: as part of his research project, he was to supervise the mining of the turtle wax that he had discovered.
"It was sheer accident that I discovered this stuff, but I'm telling you, turtle wax could revolutionise the Kelukian way of life. This stuff is packed with energy, it is durable yet bio-degradable, and there are still other things we do not yet understand about it!" said Franz.
"It is quite something," said Joneas.
"Yeah, good luck with your technological revolution," said Persimmon. "I'm still just processing that we're inside a giant turtle's ear right now."
Wester played some spider-web on his vedelkrank, a bizarrely shaped brass instrument. He encouraged Cameron to try playing it himself.
"You'd really let me play?" he asked.
"Yeah, give it a try," said Wester.
"I'm not much of a musician, but alright."
Cameron began to play, but a few notes in, Wester covered his ears and asked him to stop.
"What's the matter?" asked Milangelo.
"He's playing weave-web, not spider-web. They're totally different styles of music, and weave-web is for plebs."
"Could I try?" asked Milangelo.
"Go ahead, but if you're as clueless as your friend, I'm a bit skeptical if you can."
Milangelo played a few notes before Wester repeated his earlier actions.
"That's sticky-web, only weirdos like that stuff. You guys don't get it, do you?"
Milangelo and Cameron shot each other confused glances.
"It's fine, you're not from around here, I get it."
At a nearby park, Patricia, Karnilla, and Cathy watched as Holly recreated the scenery with a ballpoint pen and an A3 piece of paper. Every detail was perfectly represented. When the women looked closer at the drawing, it was as if they were looking closer at the real world. The blades of grass would become more apparent upon closer inspection, or a caterpillar could be observed on a leaf.
"This isn't ordinary paper, is it?" asked Patricia.
"It's smart paper, with it a professional artist can create details in their art that would normally be impossible," said Holly.
"How does it work?" asked Karnilla.
"Don't ask me, I'm not a scientist."
"Their technology is amazing, don't you think?" said Cathy. "I almost wish we had stuff like this on Earth."
Holly stopped drawing and turned to Cathy, the look on her face saying it all. "You're from Earth? This is bad... you have to go before they find you!"
Brandon and Crock were in the backyard watching Gere build miniature rockets.
"They look like toys, but they're fully functional rockets, one five-hundredth of the size of a standard issue CSS rocket."
"Cascading Style Sheets?" asked Brandon.
"No, the Clastron Space Society," said Gere.
"So how do you get the parts for a rocket?" asked Crock.
"I repurpose parts of old devices from the local Scrap Heap."
Gere then had a question for his two guests. "So what planet are you guys from? It's obvious that you're not Kelukian."
"We're from a planet outside of Limbo called Earth," said Brandon. "You probably haven't..."
"Limbo? Do you mean the known universe? Either way, to my knowledge Earth is a horrible place. Most hostile planet out there. I could understand why you'd leave it, but if the Main Council discovers that you are here, they will not be pleased."
Bluebeard had finished explaining to James that the Kelukian government was not fond of Earth, because there is a version of Earth within Limbo that is actively hostile to other planets and locations.
"So what are we going to do?" asked James.
"It is time for us to leave. Our next goal is to follow the yellow brick road. From there, we will reunite with the Bluebeard Pirates, who are currently on Earth-12, finding the Satchanville Copperheads. After that, things start to get blurry, but things always clear up sooner or later. One step at a time, y'know?"
Joneas and Persimmon were being escorted back to the Tyler-Berne House because their presence unnerved some of the workers. Franz gave his apologies and wished them all the best. The two conversed inside the transport bubble.
"I wonder what the point of all this is?" asked Joneas.
"We're on an adventure, what greater point could there be?"
In about ten minutes, the Detective Pirates had all returned to the Tyler-Berne House and left with Bluebeard, Jacket, Dale, and Cathy. They said farewell to the Tyler-Bernes and followed Bluebeard's instruction to picture themselves leaving the planet behind. They began to move through space away from the Celestial Turtle's surface and towards the road made from yellow bricks.
"So, what's the deal with this yellow brick road?" said James.
"Fifteen years ago, a young girl's imagination ran wild in this place. Long Yellow Street and the Emerald City are some of the results of this girl's imagination," said Bluebeard.
"How does that work?" asked Patricia.
"If you're a real person, the power of your mind can have an effect on this dimension," explained Bluebeard.
After he said this, he demonstrated by holding out his hand and manifesting a drink prepared in a coconut.
"It's an ever-loving grass-mango!" said Crock. "Been a damn while since I've drunk one of them!"
Crock held out his hand and thought about an ever-loving grass-mango being in his hand. To his surprise, this resulted in one manifesting in his hand.
"Haha! The thing about these is you should never drink more than one a year. Otherwise you'll go insane," said Crock.
"I didn't manifest this to get drunk, just to demonstrate that a person's mind can be used in all kinds of ways here," said Bluebeard. "Regardless, our next stop is Earth-12."
While the group walked down Long Yellow Street, the Tyler-Berne House was visited by the Main Police.
"So, to clarify, you had no visitors from Earth-8?"
"We had visitors from a planet of unknown origin. They didn't use numbers, though they called it Earth. They also called this place Limbo," said Hazel.
"I see, this is very interesting. Fear not, they are simply from outside of the known universe. If they have left the planet it likely means that they on their way."
The policeman left the house and returned to his station. His superior officer visited him, asking for a report.
"There are several new Godspawn in our universe, sir."
"Godspawn? Are you sure? Did you see them alter reality in any way?" asked the superior officer.
"No, but they come from an Earth that is not numbered, and they refer to the known universe as Limbo."
"That is indeed troubling. They may have power to rival that of the Emerald Empress or the Wizard."
Within the Emerald City, a living scarecrow bowed before a woman wearing an emerald dress and crown.
"You may rise, Sinclair," said the woman.
"Thank you, Empress Gale. I heard that you met with Phileas Fogg and Thomas Dreamer. How did the meeting go?"
"The organisation that once sought to recruit us is in quite remarkable hands. It would also seem that we are welcome at the Gentleman's Club should we ever return to our world."
At that moment, an anthropomorphic lion entered the room and bowed before the Empress.
"You may rise, Cowherd. Good news, I trust," she said.
"Thank you, Empress Gale. Nicholas and I have apprehended the Wizard like you asked, though it was no easy task. His imagination is very strong."
"Yes, but he knows that he is no match for me. Bring him in!"
With that order, a man made of tin and silver walked in, carrying the chain of a restrained man.
The Emerald Empress smiled as the man was brought in front of her, to his terror.
"Please understand, if I had known the extent of your power, I would never have challenged you!" said the man.
"Disgraceful!" said the Emerald Empress. "You challenged me but do not intend to follow through, simply because you feel you cannot. You're the most pathetic wizard I've ever met."
"I never wanted to be the wizard! I was banished here by Jack Door of the Gentleman's Club."
"You seem not to appreciate my generosity. The title of Wizard is not one to be taken lightly. If you do not wish to be a part of my kingdom, then you must leave. Do not ever return."
"I understand, Empress Gale. Thank you for your mercy."
"Though should you cause trouble for any other world, I will find you, and I will force the thoughts in the back of your mind - the ones that haunt you - to the front of your brain. They will consume you to the point that you will wish for death."
The Empress can be really intense, thought Nicholas, who had yet to say anything.
"Sorry that you had to hear such things, Nicholas, I know your heart is big, and aches at the thought of violence."
Nicholas and Cowherd escorted the former Wizard of out the city, as Sinclair and the Empress continued to talk.
"I had such high hopes for Mister Magick," said the Empress. "In any case, now he knows better than to challenge me."
The Detective Pirates continued walking across Long Yellow Street, though after a while, Bluebeard instructed them to stop.
"What are we stopping for?" asked James.
"Look up," said Bluebeard.
In the space above them, a large pirate ship floated as if it were sailing through water. The pirate ship came up in front of them and stopped short. On the deck of the ship, a mysterious man walked out. He jumped off the ship and landed in front of the group. He looked at them oddly and then smiled.
"Well, you're an odd bunch, but you hardly seem like bilge rats to me," said the man.
"Charleston?" exclaimed Persimmon, surprised to hear that familiar voice.
"Who among you speaks my name?" asked the man.
Persimmon pushed his way to the front of the group to make eye contact with the man who sounded like Charleston.
"It is you! But you're a pirate?"
"Aye, lad. And you're not, at least not one of mine."
Another man came down from the ship.
"Who are these guys, cap'n? And why does that one guy look like..."
Both this man and Persimmon came to the realisation at the same time. "Me? Wait a minute, that ain't right!"
"I'm Charleston Abernathy, the famed adventurer. Who are all of you?" said Charleston.
"I am Bluebeard, accompanying the newly arrived Detective Pirates on a journey to find the missing people."
"Ah, you lot are searching for the Godspawn, then?"
"Kind of," said Bluebeard, as he held his hand out and made a watermelon appear. "We are Godspawn."
Charleston knelt before them. "In that case, it would be my honour if you came aboard my ship and allowed me to escort you to the location of your choice."