Post by brooser on Jul 17, 2008 11:45:22 GMT -5
As Kay neared the door to Mombi's room, she began to have second thoughts about her plan. What if this wasn't such a good idea after all? Kay had angered Mombi many times in the past, but something like this was sure to result in Mombi having her head. But Miss Glinda had said that she was protecting her... so everything would be alright, right?
Kay slowly opened the door to Mombi's private residence, closing the door quietly behind her. She wasn't really worried about Mombi being there; even without Glinda's protection, Mombi would be in her office at about this time. Trying to act brave, Kay hurried over to the wooden medicine cabinet in the corner; but for all her attempts at braverism, her hands were shaking as she opened the doors. She quickly rummaged through the contents of the cabinet. It was the same as she remembered it; pouches full of odd herbs, vials of liquids, bottles of pills... nothing was labeled, so Mombi must have all of these things memorized. And nothing fit the description that Ellie had given her.
Finally, Kay spotted the item from her memory; a small tin pepper box, somewhat beat-up, sitting in the upper left-hand corner. Looking around the room to make sure that no one was watching, Kay took the pepper box, her heart beating quickly. She lifted the lid; and sure enough, it was filled halfway with an odd colorless powder. A folded up piece of paper was sitting on top of the powder; curiously, Kay took the paper (which was practically falling apart, it was so old) and began to read it, hoping for some kind of instruction. Her heart skipped a beat when she read the title, scrawled carefully with a lead pencil:
Powder of Life
Kay gasped. Powder of Life? What did something like that even do? Kay's eyes shot down to the next line, searching for further information...
This powder may be used to give life to that which does not live, i.e. inanimate objects, statues, etc. Please exercise caution and responsibility with use.
Kay's hands were trembling again. This could bring things to life? This certainly was an extraordinary magic! She would have to thank Ellie later for this fantastical discovery.
She eyed the pepper box, suddenly longing. What could it hurt just to try it out, to see exactly how it worked? Glinda was protecting her, after all. Kay scanned the room, searching for something suitable to bring to life. Her eyes fell on the side door leading to her own room; her face lit up, suddenly getting an idea. Kay quickly ran into her room, searching through her things until she found what she was looking for. She returned to Mombi's room where the powder was; in her hand she held a small doll she had made herself a couple of weeks ago.
The story behind the doll was that the kitchens had been serving pumpkin pie on that particular day of the week, and had received a large shipment of pumpkins from Munchkinland. However, one of the pumpkins was far too small for them to use, about the size of one's fist, so the kitchen staff was going to throw it out. Kay had rescued the tiny pumpkin and, trying to think of something to do with it, set out to make a doll with it. With the point of a knife she had carved two round eyes, a three-cornered nose, and a mouth shaped like a new moon. She then gathered together several twigs and pieces of bark, and using these she formed a body. All in all, she had been very pleased with her work, and had decided to name the tiny figure "Jack Pumpkinhead".
With Jack in hand, Kay quickly read through the instructions of use. Kay was not used to performing magic, but she had tried her hand at it a few times in the past (in secret, of course), so she was able to figure out the instructions without much trouble.
Pinching a small amount of the powder between her fingers, Kay sprinkled it over the pumpkin-headed doll. She then lifted her left hand, with its little finger pointed upward and said, in a shaking voice: "Weaugh!"
Then she lifted her right hand, with the thumb pointed upward, and said: "Teaugh!"
Then she lifted both hands, with all the fingers and thumbs spread out and, gaining confidence, said: "Peaugh!"
"Don't yell like that! Do you think I'm deaf?"
Kay gasped, startled. It was the doll who had spoken! Or, rather, Jack Pumpkinhead. She peered down at him curiously; he was no more than a foot tall, but he was alive as anything Kay had seen.
"Y...You're alive!"
"I suppose I am," Jack said in a grave voice. "You used that powder, didn't you? I was watching the whole time."
Kay was positively glowing with excitement. This was incredible! Positively thrilleriffic! She had to tell somebody... but who? She bent down, addressing Jack.
"I'm sorry to be a bother, but we can't stay here. If Mombi finds out that I've used her powder, she'll have my head for sure."
"That's quite alright, I understand," Jack said solemnly. "Where to, then?"
"I want to tell Claire and Ellie, if I can," Kay said, more to herself than to her new tiny friend. "They'll want to see what the powder did."
"Well, can't you just show them the powder?" Jack said, his face stuck in his silly jagged smile.
Kay looked down at the pepper box, then back at Jack Pumpkinhead. "Do you really think I should?"
But without waiting for an answer, Kay cautiously picked up the pepper box and slipped it into her pocket. She then carefully picked up Jack and placed him in her front pocket.
"I think it would be best for you not to move around. We wouldn't want to alarm anyone."
"Oh, alright," Jack said patiently, sitting comfortably in her front pocket. He fell silent and still, and one would certainly mistake him for a handmade doll in this state. With that, Kay set off to find Ellie and Claire to tell them what had happened...
Kay slowly opened the door to Mombi's private residence, closing the door quietly behind her. She wasn't really worried about Mombi being there; even without Glinda's protection, Mombi would be in her office at about this time. Trying to act brave, Kay hurried over to the wooden medicine cabinet in the corner; but for all her attempts at braverism, her hands were shaking as she opened the doors. She quickly rummaged through the contents of the cabinet. It was the same as she remembered it; pouches full of odd herbs, vials of liquids, bottles of pills... nothing was labeled, so Mombi must have all of these things memorized. And nothing fit the description that Ellie had given her.
Finally, Kay spotted the item from her memory; a small tin pepper box, somewhat beat-up, sitting in the upper left-hand corner. Looking around the room to make sure that no one was watching, Kay took the pepper box, her heart beating quickly. She lifted the lid; and sure enough, it was filled halfway with an odd colorless powder. A folded up piece of paper was sitting on top of the powder; curiously, Kay took the paper (which was practically falling apart, it was so old) and began to read it, hoping for some kind of instruction. Her heart skipped a beat when she read the title, scrawled carefully with a lead pencil:
Powder of Life
Kay gasped. Powder of Life? What did something like that even do? Kay's eyes shot down to the next line, searching for further information...
This powder may be used to give life to that which does not live, i.e. inanimate objects, statues, etc. Please exercise caution and responsibility with use.
Kay's hands were trembling again. This could bring things to life? This certainly was an extraordinary magic! She would have to thank Ellie later for this fantastical discovery.
She eyed the pepper box, suddenly longing. What could it hurt just to try it out, to see exactly how it worked? Glinda was protecting her, after all. Kay scanned the room, searching for something suitable to bring to life. Her eyes fell on the side door leading to her own room; her face lit up, suddenly getting an idea. Kay quickly ran into her room, searching through her things until she found what she was looking for. She returned to Mombi's room where the powder was; in her hand she held a small doll she had made herself a couple of weeks ago.
The story behind the doll was that the kitchens had been serving pumpkin pie on that particular day of the week, and had received a large shipment of pumpkins from Munchkinland. However, one of the pumpkins was far too small for them to use, about the size of one's fist, so the kitchen staff was going to throw it out. Kay had rescued the tiny pumpkin and, trying to think of something to do with it, set out to make a doll with it. With the point of a knife she had carved two round eyes, a three-cornered nose, and a mouth shaped like a new moon. She then gathered together several twigs and pieces of bark, and using these she formed a body. All in all, she had been very pleased with her work, and had decided to name the tiny figure "Jack Pumpkinhead".
With Jack in hand, Kay quickly read through the instructions of use. Kay was not used to performing magic, but she had tried her hand at it a few times in the past (in secret, of course), so she was able to figure out the instructions without much trouble.
Pinching a small amount of the powder between her fingers, Kay sprinkled it over the pumpkin-headed doll. She then lifted her left hand, with its little finger pointed upward and said, in a shaking voice: "Weaugh!"
Then she lifted her right hand, with the thumb pointed upward, and said: "Teaugh!"
Then she lifted both hands, with all the fingers and thumbs spread out and, gaining confidence, said: "Peaugh!"
"Don't yell like that! Do you think I'm deaf?"
Kay gasped, startled. It was the doll who had spoken! Or, rather, Jack Pumpkinhead. She peered down at him curiously; he was no more than a foot tall, but he was alive as anything Kay had seen.
"Y...You're alive!"
"I suppose I am," Jack said in a grave voice. "You used that powder, didn't you? I was watching the whole time."
Kay was positively glowing with excitement. This was incredible! Positively thrilleriffic! She had to tell somebody... but who? She bent down, addressing Jack.
"I'm sorry to be a bother, but we can't stay here. If Mombi finds out that I've used her powder, she'll have my head for sure."
"That's quite alright, I understand," Jack said solemnly. "Where to, then?"
"I want to tell Claire and Ellie, if I can," Kay said, more to herself than to her new tiny friend. "They'll want to see what the powder did."
"Well, can't you just show them the powder?" Jack said, his face stuck in his silly jagged smile.
Kay looked down at the pepper box, then back at Jack Pumpkinhead. "Do you really think I should?"
But without waiting for an answer, Kay cautiously picked up the pepper box and slipped it into her pocket. She then carefully picked up Jack and placed him in her front pocket.
"I think it would be best for you not to move around. We wouldn't want to alarm anyone."
"Oh, alright," Jack said patiently, sitting comfortably in her front pocket. He fell silent and still, and one would certainly mistake him for a handmade doll in this state. With that, Kay set off to find Ellie and Claire to tell them what had happened...