The creature stalking the rafters purred to itself, all was as he'd seen. Artman was attempting to re-establish himself as a wizard through these trials.

He chuckled to himself. It's a shame, his project would be better serving him in his current state, than transcribing letters to fancy snots passing gossip between each other. Merely scaling up the size of the old Phantom Penman wouldn't be enough to impress anyone. Certainly not himself.

But he couldn't let the cretin pull ahead of him, not when he'd been unfairly disabled in the race.

Then he noticed something odd, something he hadn't before. Those blue spots, marbles imbedded in the structure at various points of the body. The eyes, throat, shoulders, along the torso and hips, two on the forearms, what were they? Had he figured out how to extend the range? Were they part of these new constructs mechanisms?

His small brain was buzzing in stalled frustration, And who was that strange lady next to him? Did she seem familiar? was she a co-conspirator, another wizard? Had that smooshing bastard been up to something this whole time?

He was so distracted by his thought he was startled by the thump of the gavel hitting the block.

"I find all proceedings in order, Prosecution, you may begin your examinations." The Judge thundered. A man in black and gold priestly robes and a long tangled bread rose and gave a bow.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "Thank You, your Honor. Now, Mr. Cochtoe." the man paused and shook his head "No, Artman, Mr. Artman. You have presented a device similar to this one before, yes? "

The Cat bristled at the voice, Master Brion. Of course, he'd be here, with all his clerical cronies. His former Master had made sure to reserve the worst punishments for him during his expulsion. The black nightmare couldn't wait to humble the old fool for rejecting him.

Artman rose to his Master's question "Yes, I have. A wooden Hand that would transcribe the motion of one own hand over a distance." The old master gave a stern smile.

"And would you say this object you've presented, is similar to that device?" Artman nodded.

"Please Speak up son, this is a Courtroom." the wizened old man chided.

"Of course, Yes my, my current project is similar, though its scope is much expanded."

"Oh? In what ways do I wonder? Complexity? Functionality? In what manner have you expanded its horizons?" the master pondered around. Artman stood, pulling his vest tight as he did.

"If you would allow, I would show you its improvements. Furthermore, I will not be the one to command its movements, so that there is no doubt of my word." A slight murmur rippled through the gathered miracle workers and holy men. Brion looked positively giddy at the prospect.

Father Brion had long been a practical man, with a pension for demanding results over clever tricks. unlike some of his contemporaries who could be won over with flashy gimmicks, the Perpetual Wheel from last year had been a fiasco. Almost as foolish as the idea of turning Lead into feathers or Gold, yet some still entertained the idea anyways.

It would be a delight turning the tables on them, just this once.

Instead of some useless trickster resting on his laurels, like so many others that had come before.

Artman produced an object from his pocket, a simple metal circle. An unremarkable thing sized to fit comfortably in the palm. Like a pocket watch, He passed it to Brion, who looked it over.

Brion had already been shown how to operate the devices once before. He placed his fingers on the latch and flicked the hinge open. Inside was the mechanism that Artman had worked so hard on. A Small Compass device with a small paper figure above it, hinged like a puppet. The needle was a silvery metal and the acting component, linking the compass's directionality to the larger marionette lying on the table. There was also a small tincture of water, a bubble level, for calculating tilt and angles.

A ring of red copper bordered the compass well, Brion ran a finger around the edge of this circle and the doll shuddered to life. He smiled, his finger pressed harder on a certain spot, drawing a greater reaction from the wooden creature, sputtering to life. A few gasps of surprise escaped the officials behind him.

Artman was on the edge of his seat, Mavis's tender grip was the only thing keeping him in his seat at the moment as he wanted to snatch back the small mechanism and turn his creation loose on the courtroom. But it was their idea to let his Master and a Member of the opposition fiddle with the device.

Brion seemed to find something of interest and settled on an action he liked. He'd teased everyone enough, A wooden arm reached into the air as Brion pressed down. Its finger slid on the controls as the creature rose from its prone position, feet of maple struck the floors as it teetered into balance. The Leveling tool in the compass relayed its function to the wooden creature, like an inner ear to keep it steady as it walked.

The being took two more steps before coming to a halt, turning slowly to face the seated officials of the Orthodoxy. Brion gave a quick smile and turned to Artman. He paused for the other members to regain themselves.

"I am satisfied, you have improved this device, Though I must ask, To what end? As a house servant? A Messanger? to what end have you created this being of wood and metals? Why this form and not another?" he asked, gently placing the device on the table where the strange being once lay in its deathly trance. Artman rose, finally, and gave his response.

"Sir, there is but one other mechanism within this construct that you've yet to see. And, dare I say, the crown jewel of this particular device. If you will simply take up the mechanism again I will show you."

Brion raised an eye to this, as Artman hadn't told him about this part. The old master was immediately skeptical of the claims but had already come this far.

Taking up the brass little device once more he noticed something, odd.

"Master Brion, there is a second latch on the control Piece, a simple Mirror. If you would please."

Brion, after a careful examination, found the second latch inside the device, behind the paper figure and its doll joints, flicking it open. It swung apart in two pieces, each placed to each other's backs, to the right was the paper figure, pressed in glass and hanging free, to the left was a simple wooded panel painted in black velvet, pinched by a brass pin in ti's center, and in the middle, hidden by the other two frames, was a simple curved silver mirror. About the size of the kind in a woman's carrying case.

Brion was perplexed by this addition, till he spotted the small blue gemstone at its corners.

"What function does this serve? I hardly think you vain enough for such simply addition to being proclaimed so loudly." a soft chuckle filled the room. Artman smiled and let it go.

"See for yourself, And note the change in my experiment." Everyone's eyes returned to the manikin and gasped in shock at what they saw.

Its appearance had changed suddenly, subtly without an affair towards itself. the Wood grains had gone, melted away, and given rise to pink flesh instead. The Stern look of Master Brion was now reflected upon itself in full view of the courts. Many were still startled and amazed by the shocking transformation.

Artman smiled, striding over to where the new brother to Father Brion now Stood.

"Gentlemen of the Court and the Clergy. I present. Father Brion, Now doubled before your eyes!"

The room was a stunning mass, save for a single creature. A devil's laugh slipped his forked tongue as he filled the room with a merciless mockery. All eyes turned to him as he cackled aloud "Good Show, Good Show Old Boy!" and a resounding call of "Encore, Encore!" striking the frigid air of contempt as his presence was noted with scorn.

"Who is that man?!" the Judge bellowed, the gathered faces parting like the sea as the perpetrator stood revealed. Artman answered "Your Honor I know that man, His name is Darwin St.Zachary Von Helumt, and he is the Devil himself!" he thundered. The Laughing man continued.

"Quite right Old boy, Quite Right. I am the Devil. But not even I could have thought of such a trick! To stand in two places at Once, simultaneously!" His laughter dropped to a low chuckle. "Why I doubt that creature of Darkness himself could do better." he sneered. "I applaud you, Artman. I applaud you most sincerely."

Artman was near a fit of curses. But Father Brion's hand gripped his shoulder. Artman took his queue from the old man and sat beside Mavin on the bench. The old Wizard glowered at the repugnant creature.

"You, You have no place here, Remove yourself. Whether by your means or by Force, I don't care. You have made yourself many enemies here. Great and terrible ones, And I'll not have you near or amount us!" The sibilant fellow cackled anew.

"Of course, Good Sir. Once I've retrieved my Cat from the rafters. He simply escaped during the proceedings, and I would like to have him back." he motioned towards the ceiling.

Most eyes turned upwards as they spotted the small black creature scuttle about in the rafters. Artman however remained fixed on the figure before him. That sneering, vile face, whose features were contorted in his mind to hideous proportions, now standing here in the flesh.

Artman was half a mind away from drawing for a wrathful breath, to project his magic with intensity. But glancing about the room he locked eyes with Dominar Lemus and felt the law close in around him.

Artman had always pitted his talents over the little beggar of magic when they were students under Father Brion, now a Master within the Magician Circles, Darwin would horde books of knowledge, theories, and obscure items of scholastic debauchery. While Artman had studied, practiced, and excelled, Darwin had schemed, plotted, and stolen.

On average, he'd consider himself the winner of their little duels, it wouldn't be till later, in a dark debtor's cell he'd realize he'd be a fool. It was then he devoted himself to making amends. It was also then he began to regard Darwin differently, more flippant, as opposed to outright hostility. Though a bed of hot coals still burned within him, resentment for stealing so much away from him.

But it wasn't vengeance he craved, not in full anyways. But to pursue that here and now would be to throw everything away, and fall into the same trap as before.

"Why are you here Darwin?" he asked, more accusing than anything. But the question demanded an answer. The vile creature grinned in saccharine tones. "Well Artman, I was dealing with some other business when I thought I saw you walking past. So I thought to join in and see what all the noise was about. And being here I can say I'm glad I did."

That was not an answer Artman was expecting, and while he was waiting for the sound of the other shoe, Darwin turned focus elsewhere.

"Gentlemen, it's just a cat. He'll be fine from that height, just give it a push. Careful he's a stubborn animal, so put some force behind into it." A bailiff visibly shrugged and threw his club at the creature who screeched and yowled before landing upright on the table with a resentful attitude.

"Ah, thank you, Now come along, you troublemaker. These people have to work."

The creature glowered at him with flashing eyes, they seemed to possess an unnatural intelligence. Darwin frowned at the creature as if conversing "Well If your going to be like that I'll sell you for the merger hide you'd fetch and be done with it!" The Cat hissed at him and Darwin rolled his eyes.

Marching over the grabbed roughly by the scruff and shook it. "There, happy now? Now let us away. I'll prefer to tan your hide in private." he blustered. Turning on his heel he walked right out of there without another word to anyone. Simply vanishing as swiftly as he'd appeared.

But Artman swore to himself they'd meet again, and soon.