Patchwork Universe

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 220 Location: The Museum

[OOC: Dr. Odom enters from "The Museum: In Transit"]

In what was taking on an aspect of ritual, Dr. Odom shoved the flag firmly into the ground, tied the rope to it and rolled a cigarette that he carefully lit as he took stock of his surroundings.

This was different than the other places he had visited. Maple Hill, the public house, Miss Mercury's school and Trubshawe's zoo were all set in more civilized landscapes.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed May 19, 2004 2:32 pm Post subject:

[OOC: Dr Jewel follows Dr. Odom from "The Museum: In Transit"]

Dr Jewel blinked in some surprise as the mists cleared.

"We've not seen this before." She remarked, unnecessarily. "It looks like, I don't know, some sort of mythical place. A jungle containing the spring of immortality or something. I suddenly find it easier to believe that there might be gods walking around."

She paused, caught up with herself.

"I mean, it would be easier to find the idea of gods accepted here." She said. "Or perhaps... well, never mind."

Looking for an alternative suject, she glanced down at the flag.

"Good." Jewel said brightly. "Three down, one to go."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 220 Location: The Museum

"Now, do we brave the unknown in search of a shiny brass arrow or do we go hurrying back to that public house?"

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed May 19, 2004 4:25 pm Post subject:

"I think we should hunt for the arrow." Dr Jewel replied. "We can always give up on it if we see anything dangerous looking."

She pointed dead west.

"Let's look over there. If we don't see anything in the first ten minutes we can come back."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 220 Location: The Museum

And so Dr. Odom found himself walking into the jungle in search of something he was not certain to find but which he was sure he would recognize if he saw. He had stopped wondering at the way his day was going and decided to enjoy the stroll and the company instead.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed May 19, 2004 6:32 pm Post subject:

"We didn't check the Zoo for a signpost." Dr Jewel remembered. "Although I would have expected it to be at the entrance by the turnstiles and I saw nothing of the kind there. However, I'm sure that Trubshawe would spot any additions, so perhaps we can ask him when we next see him."

She continued to plod along thoughtfully, looking around her. Suddenly she stopped and pointed ahead.

"There." She said. "I'm sure I saw a hint of gold through the trees. I assume that there must be a metal building that way. Plus I can hear water flowing, although I think that the river is either all around us, or there is more than one."

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 220 Location: The Museum

"I must confess, without a roof over my head I seem to be unable to tell north from west, and all of these sounds here rather blend together for me. Still, I suppose it's not exactly unpleasant, and as long as you point me in a direction I'll crash cheerfully forward." He stopped for a moment to look around and listen. "I can make out something that sounds a lot like mice, though. Sort of squeaky-chirpy?"

Dr Jewel · Posted: Wed May 19, 2004 9:50 pm Post subject:

Dr Jewel frowned.

"I thought it was crickets or other insects." She confessed. "But you're right, there is something else."

She listened for a moment.

"Birds?" She suggested. "More than one species I think."

Patchwork Universe · Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 1:47 am Post subject:

As Doctor Jewel considered the birds, her head cocked to one side and her eyes bright and alert, she felt a strange sense of familiarity with the avian inhabitants of the area. From her own perspective she simply concentrated her intellectual faculties, but when she turned to give a judgement to her companion she found herself strangely unable to give tongue to her thoughts. Instead a lyrical trill of song escaped from her beak as the new bird flew up into the branches.

From below her companion gazed aghast at the avian form that had overtaken the doctor. Birds twittered from the trees and so did she: no longer human but clothed in the feathers of a bird.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 220 Location: The Museum

Stopped wondering at the way his day was going, had he? As a matter of fact, at this point he still was not wondering much of anything. A step and a half took him to a rock suitable for sitting, which he did, mostly by touch, barely taking his eyes from the bird. Once seated he rolled a cigarette, again mostly by touch, decades of practice making it easy, and lit it just as routinely. Only after he had shaken out the match, dropped it to the ground between his feet and sat silently smoking for a bit did his brain start to bother him.

I wonder what kind of bird? he wondered first, taking in as many details as possible with a cataloger's practiced eye. Someone from Biology would know. Maybe even one of the Guides. Trubshawe. If he knows anything it would be that.

Then, Did she do it on purpose? Is this something ghosts do?

He thought about what his own field could tell him, mainly from ballads and myths. It was not the best news he could have given himself. She'll be set among the constellations next.

"Ah . . . heh. Um . . . Doctor? I would be most grateful if you would come back down," Dr. Odom called loudly, his voice thick with a worrying sort of calm. "Most grateful. I find this a bit disturbing, you see, and I'm afraid I might panic if you suddenly become a formation of stars some six-thousand-year-old scholar decided looks like an archaeologist!"

Dr Jewel · Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 12:32 pm Post subject:

Jewel-the-bird tried responding to Dr Odom. Unfortunately only a set of frightened squawks came out.

Instead she launched herself from the branch and started to fly towards the centre of the patch. Slowly, forcing her own nature to overide that of the creature she had become, Jewel-the-bird circled back and flew over Dr Odom's head. She landed on the ground in front of him, squawked again, then flew back in the direction they had both come from.

Jewel-the-bird was heading for the Museum. Hoping against hope that she could revert back to human form when she arrived.

Dr. William T. Odom · Good Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 220 Location: The Museum

"Oh, blast!" Dr. Odom moaned. He dashed his cigarette to the ground and lunged through the vegetation, tripping over roots and caroming from tree to tree, only keeping his feet through raw forward momentum. In his determination to keep the bird in sight he was careless about his own course and it was not long before his shoes were muddy and scuffed, his trouser cuffs muddied, his coat flecked with bits of bark and his hair decorated by a couple of leaves. A scrape over one eye showed where a low branch had grazed his head.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 7:07 pm Post subject:

Jewel-the-bird realised that she was being followed and tried to slow down a little. This changed her progress from a steady dash to a dash-hop-dash-hop as she landed on the ground every twenty seconds waiting for Dr Odom to catch up.

Ludicrous as this progress appeared it still made for a fast travelling speed and it was not long before the wall of mist was in sight again.

Avinneyya · Posted: Thu May 20, 2004 8:12 pm Post subject:

In one of the towers of the temple, a priest in brilliant azure robes looked down over the jungle with surprisingly sharp eyes, to see the two figures rapidly moving towards the east. He walked over to a small bird perched on a ledge and made a series of gestures. The bird flew away, down to the Temple proper, and landed on the shoulder of another priest, singing a few notes.
The priest moved with a quick, darting grace towards a canal and on to a passing boat.

Dr Jewel · Posted: Fri May 21, 2004 3:04 pm Post subject:

Jewel-the-bird landed on the ground just in front of the wall of mist. She wanted to dive through straight away, but it seemed discourteous not to wait for Dr. Odom.

She looked back down the pathway, listening to his crashing progress. Her head darted left and right as she waited, looking out for possible predators. She tried to remember anything she could about which animals hunted which.

Then she went back to wishing she was in human form again.