[kit's quest]

[dramatispersonae]

[you are suddenly at the bottom of a pile of heavy, square-cornered objects. it is rather hard to breathe and they're jabbing you in uncomfortable places. you may want to move.]

Comments

[dramatispersonae]

[it looks like you might have all the parts now...]

[blackjacked]

[lets the cage drop below once the last piece is secured]

. . . now, if I were a bird, where would I live?

[pushing himself up to see if there's a feasible way for him to make it over to the platform again]

[dramatispersonae]

[you're going to have to swing and leap or just take a long leap . . .if you miss you are going straight into the fire.]

[blackjacked]

[. . . dying after coming this far would suck :(a Long leaps are out of the question with the slippery slope of the cage roof, so swinging and leaping it is!

takes a hold of the cage that held the wing earlier and tugs on it to make sure it can hold his weight]

[dramatispersonae]

[it holds!]

[blackjacked]

[grabs it firmly, and pushes for a swing and a leap]

[dramatispersonae]

[YOU ARE TARZAN! IT IS YOU]

[blackjacked]

[I BELIEVE I CAN FLYYYY]

[dramatispersonae]

[you land on the platform

man it's hot down here.]

[blackjacked]

[SAFE-- and man it sure is, let's work quickly. pulls out those gears and bird pieces and starts putting them together]

[dramatispersonae]

[it looks like the cogs and springs go inside the casing and the wings and head and feet peg on

both eyeholes in the head are empty]

[blackjacked]

[blinks at the eyeholes, before fishing out that red stone from earlier. does it fit?]

[dramatispersonae]

[it fits in one of them and locks into place!

. . . unfortunately you do not have another one]

[blackjacked]

-- seriously?

[thiiiiinking as he reaches up to wipe a bit of sweat from his brow. this stone came from the tapestry dog after the box contents were burned. or. . . was it the dog, or the burned box contents that produced it. . .?

wraps his hand in another strip of cloth and pulls out the cotton from earlier, leaning over the edge of the platform and holding it toward the flame so it catches alight. the cloth is to buffer his hand from his heat, but-- it isn't exactly fireproof]

[dramatispersonae]

[THE COTTON...JUST BURNS NORMALLY, UH-OH]

[blackjacked]

[WELP. lets the cotton drop into the flames, then]

. . . damn. So it was the dog.

[pushes himself up a bit to see if there's a clear path toward the hallway door that doesn't involve fire-roasted Corals]

[dramatispersonae]

[there is no way back to the door -- hell, the fire is so high you can't even see the door anymore.

possibly you should think of something else.]

[blackjacked]

[slumping back down a bit]

. . .

[places one-eyed bird in the hot copper nest]

[dramatispersonae]

[another click, and the fire lowers about halfway, so it's not so punishing. the floor is still totally inaccessible.

the bird sits up in the nest with a series of mechanical jerks and begins to cheep demandingly, head swiveling towards its blind side every few seconds]

[blackjacked]

[relaxes as the flames die down (is so covered in soot and sweat at this point). let's try talking to our little mechanical bird :|a]

Oooooi, I know, I know. I kinda missed collecting your other eye somewhere out in the hallway. But I can't exactly leave this room with the-- [gesturing to the fiery floor] . . . y'know.

Is there a way for me to get it in here?

[dramatispersonae]

[CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP

CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP

CHEEP CHEEP CHEEP]

[blackjacked]

[. . . NOT HELPFUL]

Oh c'mon! You could at least point the way or something.

[dramatispersonae]

[it drags itself out of the nest and waddles towards you]

[blackjacked]

[o-oh. blinks, then leans forward and holds his hands out for the bird to climb on]

[dramatispersonae]

[it pecks hard at your thumb and draws blood.]