Cooro - 8th feather [dream]
[At first, there is only the sound of wings. They flutter frantically in the darkness, hitting what can only be metal. The darkness bleeds away slowly. It's Cooro, trapped in a bird cage just barely big enough for him and trying desperately to escape. He's rattling the bars, practically clawing at them, and his black wings fly out and crash against the gilded metal. In the distance, someone chuckles softly. A tall man with short hair and glasses walks calmly into view, and Cooro backs up until he's pressed against the cage and can go no further. The man doesn't seem deterred by this at all. In fact, he's smiling.
'You made a promise.'
The boy hesitates. He tries to speak but has no voice. The man just smiles.
'Did you forget?'
Cooro shakes his head slowly, looking absolutely terrified.
'Good ... then I'll take what is mine.'
The man reaches out, his hand passing through the bars as if they weren't there at all. As soon as his hand touches the boy there is a dark flash. Cooro drops to the floor of the cage, alive yet lifeless, scattered feathers the only trace of his wings that remain. The man holds a small black bird in his hands. He smiles almost innocently and slowly begins to choke the life out of the struggling creature.]