Doodlebird.

The key, then the heart if there's enough time. It's right next to it, after all!

With their height-based difficulties, it's safe to say Doodlebird probably wants up. So nab that up arrow before it's gone!

>Prioritize key. Try to roll to the other scraps if need get them on time.

 
**The KEY will probably come in handier than the UP ARROW, but... but... Doodlebird is so friggin' tiny...**

**Doodlebird hates tough choices! Doodlebird's INKTHIRST soars as the paper scraps grow fainter and fainter still.**

**Drawing on their INKTHIRST, Doodlebird pounces on the KEY and dives for the ARROW. Both scraps solidify upon contact with Doodlebird. The HEART fades out of existence.**

**Doodlebird's INKTHIRST was sated by this little action sequence. Their INKTHIRST levels drop.**

**With the remaining paper scraps no longer at risk of disappearance, Doodlebird takes their time properly inspecting them...**

Show Content

Written on the back of the KEY drawing...
Skeleton Key
Equip me and gain instant access to chests, gates, and other 'secured' findings for as long as I'm held!

Show Content

Written on the back of the ARROW drawing...
Instant Stilts
Equip me and gain the ability to reach up to twice your height for as long as I'm held!

**Both abilities sound like they'd see much use over the course of Doodlebird's mission. They wonder which to take...**

Both can open opportunity otherwise unreachable. But something about the potentially loose definition of "secured" makes me very interested.

Key.

ant y0u oike, equip 0ne and tuck the 0ther under y0ur wing?

Key

Can... Can we inventory the stool?
If we can, Key. If we can't, mmmmmh, still key.

Key.

>EXAMINE book.

Show Content

Author's NoteMy laptop crapped out, so I'm updating through an Android tablet for awhile with awkward art. Bear with me.

ant y0u oike, equip 0ne and tuck the 0ther under y0ur wing?

**Oh, uh... Doodlebird's wing is just drawn on... they're quite sensitive about it, so don't bring it up again.**

Can... Can we inventory the stool?
If we can, Key. If we can't, mmmmmh, still key.

**Doodlebird equips the SKELETON KEY!! They feel tingly for a moment, but suffer no additional side effects.**

>EXAMINE book.

**The mysterious aura which the book earlier radiated seems to have disappeared. Something's changed!**

Show Content

The Book

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Choose Your Destination

Misc.
Section I
Section II
Section III

**The SKELETON KEY delivers—**

Show Content

The Book

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Choose Your Destination

I don't think so.
Section I
Section II
Section III

**—or not. Whatever just reset the book's menu apparently possesses greater power than whatever the paper scraps grant. Doodlebird is unamused. INKTHIRST rising fast, they flip the page and scratch a message into the book with their beak...**

Show Content

The exchange that follows:

[DOODLEBIRD] cute prank. stay out of my way

[???] Bold words for one who should not exist. I am "Ponder", the Miscellaneous Section's Sentinel and sole inhabitant. I was given life to fulfill these roles. It is the Creator's intention that none shall transverse this Section without my blessing.

**Doodlebird doesn't particularly care for negotiations. They suspect arguing with Ponder won't get them anywhere, though.**

**Civil discourse isn't Doodlebird's strong suit. How to proceed? Doodlebird awaits your counsel...**

"And why not, somewhat-pretentious book spirit?"

"Should not exist? Real funny. Who gets to decide what should and shouldn't be? How about I get to say that YOU shouldn't exist?"

consume book

say y0u'll leave the b00k al0ne f0rever, and then eat it as a p0werm0ve

"And why not, somewhat-pretentious book spirit?"

"Should not exist? Real funny. Who gets to decide what should and shouldn't be? How about I get to say that YOU shouldn't exist?"

consume book

say y0u'll leave the b00k al0ne f0rever, and then eat it as a p0werm0ve

 

**Doodlebird likes your style. If Ponder is going to make a fuss, well, it's their funeral.**

Show Content

The conversation proceeds...
[DOODLEBIRD] and why not, somewhat-pretentious book spirit?

[PONDER] Every traveler who crosses these pages weakens the binding that gives our world shape. The Creator entrusted me with ensuring only a select few move between Sections.

[DOODLEBIRD] oh. ok.

[DOODLEBIRD] i'll just stand here forever then

**Doodlebird steps back and stands perfectly still, their INKTHIRST barely tempered. The book's aura fades as it eases back to the ground. Doodlebird remains static for a few minutes, and then...**

Show Content

Doodlebird has HAD IT with you, Ponder
[DOODLEBIRD] if theres only room for one inhabitant here
[DOODLEBIRD] w͕̰̫̠hy̻͔̺̰͚̥ ̵̬͚̪̖̺d̶on̥̻̳͕̤͈̻'͠t̯ ҉y̤̱̩͉̝͙͞ͅǫ͎͙̟̱ͅu̱̕ ̩b͎̠̕o͎̺̣̬w̬̯̲͇͓̠͞ ͙̻͖̤o̹͎̠u̺̱̤̣̘͚t̖̱̜̟̣̖̼͜ ̱̥̙̜̪̲͎o͔̬͍̘̲f̢̞͉̰̯̺̪ ̳͜t̳͇͙̹̣̰h̦̬̗̬̗̝e͘ ̭̞p̯͉̜̱̱̣͞i̡̟̠͈̣̖̺c͝ţ̩̤̼̥͔̠̯u̶̥̮̱̝r͍̘͍ḙ̯͚͔͟

**Doodlebird tears into the book with a righteous squawk, unleashing their pent-up INKTHIRST all in one go! They devour the pages with gusto.**

**... That sure hit the spot. Doodlebird's INKTHIRST drops once more. Once the high of a violent outburst settles, though, Doodlebird arrives at an awkward conclusion: they might have just eaten the only way out of here.**

**So, uh. Where to now?**

>Might've gone a tiny bit overboard, there.
>I don't suppose you could, uh. Hork up a few pages? One of the later ones that we were trying to get to? Maybe?
>...
>...Or, uh. Failing that, try using the key on the... book, you, uh. hm.
>hm.
>...
>Yeah, I dunno... well. Maybe?
>Try using the key on yourself. You ate the book, so uh. That's close enough to using it on the book right?
>Maybe that's good enough to let you go places?
>...
>And, ah. If that fails, maybe break the stool into something vaguely door/portal shaped? And use the key on that?
>...
>Alright, I'm grasping at straws here. But if everything else fails, then you could just... Break everything. Hope you end up somewhere good, afterwards?
>Maybe?
>ambiguous shrug. One of these things should work? Probably?

>Dig

You ARE the b00k. digest the kn0ledge int0 y0ur brain. it WAS magical, after all. just like that 0ne pbs cart00n with alphabet s0up and that d0g wh0 c0uld speak.

Binding that gives our world shape? That gives you a good idea... let's tear at these very pages.

looks like you got a key held to me. try walking to the left and right.

Walk to the left, possibly attempting to nudge the stool with you using your beak for Shortness Reduction.

Hey what happened to the up arrow note?

Hey what happened to the up arrow note?

it zooped out of existence. like poof.

>Might've gone a tiny bit overboard, there.
>I don't suppose you could, uh. Hork up a few pages? One of the later ones that we were trying to get to? Maybe?
>...
>...Or, uh. Failing that, try using the key on the... book, you, uh. hm.
>hm.
>...
>Yeah, I dunno... well. Maybe?
>Try using the key on yourself. You ate the book, so uh. That's close enough to using it on the book right?
>Maybe that's good enough to let you go places?

**Doodlebird does not like the idea of turning themself into an interdimensional portal. It sounds very painful.**

Binding that gives our world shape? That gives you a good idea... let's tear at these very pages.

**Doodlebird's INKTHIRST is too low for such a violent feat! They're surprised enough that they managed to consume the BOOK.**

the way out is now inside of you, no no, dont look now, you have to do that later when its morally imperative you reflect deeply upon yourself to find out the power was inside of you all along. In the meantime, you need to find an elder to give you your quest, search birdbrain search

looks like you got a key held to me. try walking to the left and right.

Walk to the left, possibly attempting to nudge the stool with you using your beak for Shortness Reduction.

**Doodlebird isn't sure why they didn't consider this first. Confident that the stool won't vanish, they head first to the RIGHT.**

**...Interesting.**

**Unperturbed, they go left.**

**This route is more scenic, for whatever that matters, but seems similarly vacant otherwise. They're inclined to just keep walking, unless you have other suggestions.**

Flowers? Can we grab a petal?

>go left
What's up with those staticy cracks in the sky?

Can you look up and see farther into the sky?

Flowers? Can we grab a petal?

**Doodlebird plucks a petal from one of the flowers. Ink dribbles from the tear, and before long, the petal has crumbled to scrap in Doodlebird's beak. Nothing further happens.**

Can you look up and see farther into the sky?

>go left
What's up with those staticy cracks in the sky?

**Doodlebird looks up and considers the aforementioned cracks. Odd, that. They can't tell if the cracks are causing it without getting closer, but now that they think about it, the atmosphere feels... thicker, somehow, over here.**

**Doodlebird wonders what could have caused—**

Oh.

Oh, no.

I was afraid this might happen.

**Doodlebird goes very, very still. Those weren't their thoughts just now. They wonder if you all heard that, too.**