About this Episode:
The Letter Writing Club gets an unwanted addition to their group as they finally set off from The Lastings.
This episode was produced by Kenzie Tartaglione and Ashley Westover. Editing by Kenzie Tartaglione. Theme music by Lorna Ryan.
Episode Transcript:
Tatiana Gefter:
Hello, everyone, my name is Tatiana Gefter. I use she/they pronouns and I am playing Alma of the Vale with The Gravedigger playbook.
Michi Zaya:
Hi, my name is Michi Zaya. I use any pronouns and I am playing Fletcher, The Witch.
Jenine Florence Jacinto:
My name is Jenine Florence Jacinto. I use they/them pronouns and I play Hoku Bayana.
Octa Delgado:
Hello, my name is Octa. I go by they/them pronouns. And I will play Neu Threestrings from The Weaver playbook.
Harper Sage Pettit:
Hi, my name is Harper Sage Pettit. I use they or she pronouns and I will be your guide for this season of queeRPG, Of Kith and Pen.
h5>Kenzie Tartaglione: The content warning for this episode includes emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and mentions of debt.Michi Zaya (Fletcher Agaar):
Dear Erde, Hey little brother. How is witch training going? Helpful tip - get a few back up cauldrons for any messes, and a case for any cards or supplies. Stuff gets out of hand quickily once you gain multiple crafts. Also- steer clear of the apothecary. There was a break-in! Stay safe. I hope the weird tremors didn’t affect you over in the Insomony of Eve. It was pretty rough on this side- the Marigold and Thimble were both shaken like a jar of separated ingredients. I wanted to let you know I’ll be going on a big trip and won’t be back for awhile. Like when I went to witch academy, but I won’t be learning things. I might learn things actually, I’m not sure. It’s nice to be spending time with my friends again, but it all seems to be a lot. Alma’s back from their trip- I don’t know how she’ll feel about seeing Carth. Y’know- he’s the guy who gave you that trinket of a miniature airship. They have somethin’ going on. Neu and Hoku are good. I think Neu and Alphonse are still together, but that relationship has always made me feel icky. Hoku’s family have been going on little outings, I did spot them having lunch earlier but didn’t have time to say hi. Loren left me a huge box of letters and I’m not sure what to make of them. It’s all very confusing, and sad. I sent him a dream through a Dreamweaver I befriended, Puck! Hopefully it gets through. Alright, be good. Stay out of trouble! Love ya, Fletch
Harper Sage Pettit (Guide):
We left off with Hoku really bonding with his parents and Fletcher kind of floundering over the situation he found himself in. Let's pick up with Neu. Earlier in the day you had went to a tavern and found out where Alphonse potentially could be in The Underground so I guess describe what you do when you leave that tavern. What's the game plan for you?
Octa Delgado:
So I know how Alphonse is a concert started in the old shipyard in The Underground of f Lothaire’s Junction and I will probably get a little lost in my thoughts and start wondering in that direction playing a little bit with my very formal clothes as I go down there. Trying to dishevel them a little bit to not look too out of place with possibly mixed success. And I think I will get there pretty quickly if I've been there before which I think - probably Alphonse has taken me there on occasion.
Harper (Guide):
There were probably like six quote unquote venues that it could have been at so you could have probably eventually found your way but stopping into the tavern definitely helped you narrow it down and saved you some time. So you rush over to one of the access ladders that takes you down to the lower levels and these lower levels are almost like an old city that was built on top of and so the structures are really old. You see instead of the kind of like grand curved kind of modern art-esque buildings of Lothaire’s Junction above, you see these very like square rectangle buildings some of them go really high some of them not so far and just kind of a weird vibe. You've been down here before but it's just totally different than the way that the kith do things now. The cobblestone roads above are this gray drab asphalt with yellow and white stripes the cracks kind of span sometimes a few feet so you gotta jump across these kind of chasms and I guess actually as, Neu, you get ready to jump I want everybody including Neu to give me a swift roll.
Tatiana Gefter:
Of course.
Octa:
More shakes. A thirteen.
Tatiana:
Eleven.
Jenine Florence Jacinto:
Six.
Michi:
Seven.
Harper (Guide):
Neu and Alma you're fine. Neu, you're jumping over this gap of like a foot and half and it's like a a five foot drop so it wouldn’t be too bad but as you get ready to jump you feel Lothaire’s Junctions start to shake a little bit. But you jump and make it over and gather yourself. Alma, I imagine you're on Dreich’s Inkwell and you feel a little bit of a tremor while you're in your parents home but you gather yourself. Fletcher, you're still in the apothecary and you're sitting there reading these letters and stuff off the shelves around you starts to fall. And I will say you're probably in a one of your favorite outfits and it just gets stained pretty badly by this vial of vile yellow liquid that kind of just bursts on you. We'll say it's slug guts. And Hoku, I will say you just get an outright failure. You're running back to your dad's place of work so you've got the groceries. You're meeting up with him and you just fall flat on your face and the dozen eggs that you were needed for one of the dishes just like completely shattered. So you'll have to make do. Neu, you continue on eventually kind of winding back and forth through the alleyways and old roads of whatever city this was before it was Lothaire’s Junction and eventually you start to hear this sort of like deep droning like horns along with like erratic percussions, the very like shrill and swift movement of whatever string instruments this band is using. It just sounds like noise music. Does Neu appreciate this or is this a stretch for Neu?
Octa:
I think it's a little bit of a stretch. I think Neu will be into a bit more mainstream music, Probably however will eagerly fake interest for the underground music and be like, “I'm totally into the scene.”
Harper (Guide):
So you eventually get closer and closer to it this. The sound of this droning gets louder and louder and you see the the entrance to the shipyard ahead. And you walk through the narrow archway, the stones above kind of maybe scattering a little dust on your head. As you walk under it and this massive shipyard kind of opens up to you, you're on this like platform looking down at these old airship docks and you see these old air ships kind of broken into pieces and one of them has been made into somewhat of a stage. And around it is this dance floor. Several folks out on the dance floor but then also in the areas around people scattered about in various levels of consciousness for various reasons. And on the stage is a very much experimental looking band, they are all dressed in like long black robes and their instruments match the whole sort of like let's say like goth monk aesthetic. This kind of like rustic goth look to them and they're droning on obviously as they would do and you're kind of trying to look through the crowd to find Alphonse.
Octa:
Alphonse would either be right in the first row right next to where the music is sounding or a little bit more in the background halfway through where they are serving drinks and potions and concoctions. And where those that are beginning to cause trouble are and finding the sweet spot between those two hotspots.
Harper (Guide):
Yeah let's say Alphonse is in the back doing his thing of fixing up drinks and concoctions to help the other kith enjoy their time here and you approach as he's in the middle of making something. And he says,
Harper (Alphonse):
Alright well now with this… watch.
Harper (Guide):
And he like flashes his hand down, sparks fly out and like smoke shoots out and the crowd cheers and claps and he hands over this sort of like bubbling liquid over to a kith that is definitely vibing with some music. And he sees you and says,
Harper (Alphonse):
Oh Neu, my dear.
Harper (Guide):
And walks over and kind of does a flourish and gives you a kiss on the cheek and says,
Harper (Alphonse):
Shall I make you something as well.
Octa:
Neu blushes, takes a little hand up and just shakes off the dust that fell on his ears.
Octa (Neu Threestrings):
I – yes - I will. You know the things I like. A little bit sweet um maybe with some with some fruit if you have some of that. You know the one that makes me kind of feel light and happy.
Harper (Alphonse):
Oh yes, we need some dream berries for this.
Harper (Guide):
And he reaches down into a little satchel, pulls out a few like bluish berries with like gold specks in them, puts it into the cup, uses a mortar and like smashes.
Harper (Alphonse):
And I need a little bit of a happy thought. Think of something happy.
Harper (Guide):
And he sort of like does like the little like finger at your nose kind of thing.
Octa:
I let him do my nose and I go,
Octa (Neu):
I saw my friends today!
Harper (Alphonse):
Oh that's a delightful thought.
Harper (Guide):
And like puts a hand next to your temple and extracts that thought. Puts it into the cup.
Harper (Alphonse):
I’ll use this undisclosed liquor.
Harper (Guide):
And pulls out a little flask, pours it in there and starts to stir it up real quick.
Harper (Alphonse):
Here you go my dear.
Octa:
Neu’s heart is going quite fast at the moment. Nu will grab it and sip it slowly and then go for the whole thing. A pretty small dose and then just kind of look around into the party and I would imagine this kind of magic may act pretty fast. And just see how the airship that was definitely there in place, abandoned, broken down, begins to kind of like float a bit. And everyone who is dancing may also appear to be a bit floaty and Neu’s just going to feel higher in the air.
I don't know if you've seen those music videos where they kind of do like line drawings around people like they're line drawings of silhouettes and stuff while they're dancing. That's kind of what you're seeing. The people are dancing but you're like seeing like these lines, neon lines outlining them kind of a few frames behind their dancing as they float up, as the ship floats up, the band floats up. He kind of ignores the crowd around him and puts his arm around your waist and says,
Harper (Alphonse):
I can tell you're feeling yourself now but you're holding something.
Octa (Neu):
Um yes I may be holding something. Maybe I'm feeling like going for a dance with you.
Harper (Guide):
Give me a heart roll.
Octa:
And I roll a five, so that's a six.
Harper (Guide):
So that is technically a failure. He looks at you and says,
Harper (Alphonse):
Our bodies have made wonderful art before, that is not what you are thinking of. Tell me what is on your mind, sweet Neu.
Octa (Neu):
I am - I'm not sure I want to share that. Actually I would rather not
Harper (Guide):
And he puts his hand on your face and gets real close and says,
Harper (Alphonse):
You know we could do this the easy way or the hard way.
Harper (Guide):
And goes in for a another kiss on the cheek and then comes - backs out.
Octa:
Neu’s ears seem to like fold a bit. Their shoulders hunch in a bit and they look up a bit meekly.
Octa (Neu):
Really I just want a last dance before I –
Octa:
And starts to back away.
Harper (Guide):
And he stands there for a moment and the crowd - like somebody comes up,
Harper (Concertgoer):
I want whatever you gave them please.
Harper (Alphonse):
Leave me alone. I'm doing more important work right now.
Harper (Guide):
And walks over to you, grabs your hand and pulls you off to a corner and says,
Harper (Alphonse):
Neu dear, I can tell you're distressed please tell me what's on your mind.
Octa (Neu):
I think I'm going to have to go away and I think it's important.
Harper (Alphonse):
You're doing something important that's taking you away?
Octa (Neu):
Yes I'm going with my friends. I've talked to you about them. You remember Fletcher and Alma and Hoku.
Harper (Alphonse):
Yes, yes I know - yes I know your letter writing friends, yes. What are like - you're going on a vacation or something? A holiday?
Octa:
Neu will try and get a bit closer try and grab Alphonse’s hand.
Octa (Neu):
We are going - we are going to find something that Falon has lost and really wants back.
Harper (Alphonse):
(sighs) You men The Serval doesn't have enough people in zeir court to help with these things?
Octa (Neu):
Uhhh… ze had a dream and apparently we're supposed to do it.
Harper (Guide):
Alphonse like visibly rolls his eyes and entire body with this and says,
Harper (Alphonse):
We know how we feel about dreams. They're misleading, you can't trust. Just tell them no, you can’t go. Come with me. We'll get away. We’ll go to Selkie’s Spires and go windsurfing or Dreich’s Inkwell, we’ll go visit the Hallow Mark. get matching marks. Or we go the Marigold of Anino and bask in the glorious morning rays while doing the things we've been wanting to do.
Octa:
Neu will press a little on Alphonse’s hand, just trying to gather courage.
Octa (Neu):
That all sounds beautiful and really I would really rather go windsurfing and I would love to get matching marks with you. But I think that what they are looking for is very important and I know what we know about dreams, I know that we shouldn’t trust oracles, but if it is Falon’s, maybe it is the only one we can trust.
Harper (Guide):
And so you're holding one of Alphonse’s hands and he like turned – I guess he was like kind of partially turned away from you and he turns back really swiftly, grabs your other hand and says.
Harper (Alphonse):
I don't know… I've been meaning to tell you this. Dear Neu, I love you! I’ve been wanting to tell you this I was hoping we could get away soon. Please let us go, let's be alone. We can leave all this behind. This whole mission, your friends, Falon. Please let's be alone. Let's be you and me together.
Octa:
Neu, their mind is addled and they see and here Alphonse and also see the oscillating lines of more Alphonses around and everything has a pinkish tint to it. And he's hearing probably for the first time, an actual declaration of love from Alphonse.
Harper (Guide):
I think go ahead and give me a heart roll.
Octa:
That’s a nine.
Harper (Guide):
I guess Neu feels that this declaration of love could be true, but also Neu has known how manipulative Alphonse has been and is reminded kind of in a flash second of how he's done stuff like this before. He's not used the ‘L’ word but you've also not told him you were leaving The Lastings before. And so maybe this could be true but also Alphonse can't really be trusted.
Octa:
And Neu knows it.
Octa (Neu):
Al, I like - I really love that you're saying this now to me but it doesn't feel right now. You didn't say it the other day when I told you I loved you. You said those kind of things were for losers and that hurt. And now I'm telling you I wanna do something and you come up with this. Are you - is this for real? Tell me it’s for real. Promise me.
Harper (Guide):
And he kind of releases your hands pretty quickly, crosses his arms and says,
Harper (Alphonse):
Honestly I'm opening myself up to you and I can't believe you're not trusting me. I pour my heart out to you ,tell you I want to go away with you, and that I love you and you don't believe me?
Octa:
Neu jumps forward and looks up.
Octa (Neu):
No that’s - I didn't want to hurt you I just wanted to - I'm just confused, Al.
Harper (Alphonse):
No I see how it is. I'm going to go dance.
Harper (Guide):
And sort of like struts off and goes into the whole sea of people dancing.
Octa (Neu):
Al! No don't – you…
Harper (Guide):
By the time you're voice would reach Al, he's already dancing with another - we'll say a full sized fox. Very cute, very attractive, very sensual.
Octa:
Neu will walk away towards the darkest corner they can find and sit down and look at them two dancing and probably shut down for a bit.
Harper (Guide):
So as Neu sits there and processes this heartbreak, let's jump over to Alma real quick. You have just left your parents’ home. It did not go as expected. You found out that your parents were deeply in debt. The ship that you have called home now being docked in the place where the bank is, has been reclaimed by the bank because you didn't actually own it, your parents did and apparently they put that up for, I guess, collateral on different things. And yeah the ship has been reclaimed but you need that ship. You also found out that your dad has been hanging out with Carth, your kind of like ex but not ex. But confused - you loved him/them and it's just a whole lot of feelings. As you maybe speed walk away from the house, what's going on with you?
Tatiana:
I'm freaking out man. Oh, god. That ship is my everything. It's my independence, it's my freedom.
Harper (Guide):
The Flying Dutch-kith.
Tatiana:
The Flying Dutch-kith, dude, that's my ship!
Harper (Guide):
Like you would have conversations with the shed like it wasn't –
Tatiana:
Yes!
Harper (Guide):
alive but it was to you.
Tatiana:
It was to me. And you know it's - even though I was doing what my parents wanted me to do, having the ship to myself and being able to go out into the world made it fun. Made the job something I wanted to really do. So if I lose that it's like I'm losing the one thing that really gave me drive to exist
Harper (Guide):
Yeah, a lot of your identity and independence is tied up with The Flying Dutch-kith.
Tatiana:
I need to get my ship.
Harper (Guide):
So you've got to make it down to the dock to try to figure out what the heck is going on.
Tatiana:
And I'm bee-lining. I'm just going.
Harper (Guide):
In Lothaire's Junction so it takes you a little bit to get over there but eventually you make it over. It's probably early evening on this day that you're all kind of trying to take care of business before the following day when you're supposed to be heading out of The Lastings. This is maybe not the nicest or largest shipyard but it's the one you've been kind of docking in for the past couple years so you have a pretty decent relationship with the overseer, Tuft, this sort of quirky little mole that can't really see much during the day but somehow is overseeing the shipyard and they hear you walking up and say,
Harper (Tuft):
Oh it's - I can tell those footsteps that's Alma, right?
Tatiana (Alma of The Vale):
Tuft.
Harper (Tuft):
I already know what you're going to say. There's absolutely nothing I could do about it. They have paperwork. Paperwork!
Tatiana (Alma):
Do you know where it is?
Harper (Tuft):
It’s still there.
Harper (Guide):
And points off to like the far corner where it is but you can see like a crew of people kind of like – or a crew of kith kind of standing around it. Some kind of like going up and down the ramp taking things off of it and somebody like literally with a measuring tape kind of like measuring different things on it.
Tatiana (Alma):
Oh my god, okay. Can you distract them? I know I'm asking a lot.
Harper (Tuft):
Do you want me to scream? I can scream. I can scream really, really loud.
Tatiana (Alma):
Can you wait for me to get over there before you scream?
Harper (Tuft):
(screams)
Harper (Guide):
Just like starts screaming.
Tatiana:
I'm gonna like run to hide behind some crates or something and wait for people to pass me so that I can just run right over.
Harper (Guide):
Give me - give me a swift check.
Tatiana:
That's an eight.
Harper (Guide):
So I was going to say with Tuft screening you would get a nine.
Tatiana:
Oh, thank god.
Harper (Guide):
So yeah you tucked behind some crates as a group of folks kind of like come running down the causeway towards Tuft. You see this group like suround Tuft because they like flopped down on the ground and hear this conversation as you slip away towards the ship. So Tuft’s distraction was good however not everyone left the ship. There's a few folks kind of coming down the ramp with a couple like crates as you start to approach.
Tatiana:
Oh god what do I do? I need my things. They can't take my things I feel like that's not owned by the bank but I'm not (groans). Okay, gonna walk up to them and,
Tatiana (Alma):
What do you think you're doing?
Harper (Dockworker):
What do you mean what I'm doing? I'm taking the crates down.
Tatiana (Alma):
Well don’t you know what ship this is.
Harper (Guide):
And they have like a grade in their arms and they kind of turn away from you look at the side of the ship.
Harper (Dockworker):
If I can read correctly that says The Flying Dutch-kin. Is that right?
Tatiana (Alma):
It's The Flying Dutch-kith but the point being is that this ship has been commissioned by the Falon and for the commission to be successful those crates all need to be put back.
Harper (Guide):
Little blank stare little bit of a slight jaw.
Harper (Dockworker):
Oooooh, have you spoken with my supervisor?
Tatiana (Alma):
Well your supervisor is a nobody, okay? I'm talking - I am representative of the Falon, okay? The serval. I'm just doing my job, man. Like I am telling you what needs to be done. Falon's gonna want this ship ready in the next thirty minutes and I see you guys unloading the ship. You know it's gonna take you guys a long time to get it repacked if you keep going down the ramp towards me. It's gonna take you even longer to double check what I'm saying so better not risk it, right?
Harper (Guide):
Let me see what roll I want… yeah I think I want a heart roll.
Tatiana:
Oh thank god, that’s a nine.
Harper (Guide):
They sort of like look at you, look at the crate, look at the ramp, look back at you, look at the crowd surrounding Tuft as like Tuft,
Harper (Tuft):
(screams):
Harper (Guide):
Still like writhing on the ground.
Harper (Dockworker):
Do you have any paperwork?
Tatiana (Alma):
Paperwork? Paperwork!? You think the Falon has the time to give me paperwork? Have you seen their office? That thing’s piled high with papers, Look, buddy, can I get your name? Actually I'm going to bring this up to The Serval.
Harper (Dockworker):
Uhhhh, uhhhh.
Tatiana (Alma):
Zeir going to want to know who's been delaying zeir work.
Harper (Dockworker):
Well I don't I really want you to tell them but I'll give you my name as long as you promise not to tell them.
Tatiana (Alma):
Yeah all right.
Harper (Muskrat):
People call me Muskrat.
Tatiana (Alma):
All right, Muskrat well I'll tell you what, if you do this within the next five minutes, I will tell the serval your name in a positive way and that you were indispensable in the success of their mission.
Harper (Guide):
And they look at you, they look at the crate, they look at the ship, they look at the ramp, they look back at you and yell back,
Harper (Muskrat):
Alright boys! Put the crates back. Muskrats getting beetlesteak tonight!
Tatiana (Alma):
Oh your service is much appreciated.
Harper (Guide):
And you hear the -
Harper (Tuft):
(screams)
Harper (Guide):
- of Tuft, still writhing in the background.
Tatiana (Alma):
Really owe Tuft… oh.
Harper (Guide):
As they load things back up on the ship I imagine you probably try to hurry them along. As they're like trying to put things back into the hold and you're probably like no like just put it here, I’ll make do. Shoo, shoo, shoo, get off.
Tatiana:
Doesn’t need to be organized don't worry. Don't worry.
Harper (Guide):
It’s a mess.
Tatiana:
It's usually a mess, it’s fine.
Harper (Guide):
Go ahead and give me an intellectual roll as you try to quickly kind of parse together what you need to get done really quickly to get the ship up into the sky and away from this dock.
Tatiana:
Intellect or instinct?
Harper (Guide):
Instinct sorry instinct.
Tatiana:
That's a nine, again.
Harper (Guide):
You look at the different ropes and tethers the different weights and things and you're able to like quickly kind of recall the process because it's kind of normal to you.
Tatiana:
This is my ship I know what I'm doing.
Harper (Guide):
You're quickly able to get it up into the sky just as like the last person is like - or last kith is stepping off the ramp. They barely make it onto the dock as you get up into the air and you start to hear like the screaming, yelling of the bank people like running down the causeway towards the dock as you kind of get it up above Lothaire’s Junction and head out. Where are you heading?
Tatiana:
Fletcher, I need to get Fletcher .Fletcher is not going to wake up if they go to sleep now. I need to get Fletcher first.
Harper (Guide):
So you head over to the Marigold of Anino, to the far northwest corner where you know this little island that that Fletcher hangs out on, in the tower of this apothecary. And you pull up next to this window you see Fletcher kinda like sitting on the foot of the bed with a pile of papers in their lap head kind of resting in their hands, as you look through this window.
Michi (Fletcher):
(ship horn) What? Oh my god! (ship horn)
Michi:
Completely startled. Knocks over more potions.
Harper (Guide):
Got this yellow stained tunic.
Tatiana (Alma):
Fletcher! (ship horn)
Michi (Fletcher):
What are you doing out here?
Tatiana (Alma):
We need to go like right now.
Michi (Fletcher):
Now?
Tatiana (Alma):
Now.
Michi (Fletcher):
Now?
Tatiana (Alma):
Uh-huh. I'll explain on the way.
Michi (Fletcher):
I’ve gotta take care of something real quick.
Tatiana (Alma):
Hurry up!
Michi:
He goes downstairs to do the swamp water knock over etching nonsense.
Tatiana:
Because I imagine the wheels like the wheel on a like ship ship. So she's just like holding the spokes.
Michi:
By the time Fletcher gets on he smells horrible. He has slugs still on him from the tremor. Just knocked over this swamp water potion to get that claw mark etching. Just stinky boy. Stressed out stinky boy.
Tatiana:
I'm flying away flying away from the place.
Tatiana (Alma):
Okay so pretty much, ship almost repossessed by bank. Parents super in debt. We need to go before the bank comes after us and we won't have the ship anymore if we stay. So, who’s next I think I don't know – Hoku’s next I think. Yeah sorry. How are you?
Michi (Fletcher):
Uh… I'm okay.
Tatiana (Alma):
Yeah are you sure? You kind of look a little - like you're you know, you've usually got a stain or two but this is a little much.
Michi:
Fletcher’s like actively crying. There's snot bubbles coming from his nose.
Tatiana (Alma):
I’m sorry! I didn't mean to point it out.
Michi:
You just see Fletcher holding this little box in his hands and like all of his like basic possessions that he's just crying there.
Michi (Fletcher):
I’ll tell you about it later.
Tatiana (Alma):
Okay there’s like a bath in the downstairs, You can go do that while I pick up the other two.
Michi (Fletcher):
Okay I'm gonna go take a nap in there.
Tatiana (Alma):
Okay, make yourself comfortable. There are like three, four bedrooms so just pick your favorite.
Michi:
He's already gone.
Tatiana (Alma):
Bye! Oh my god, did I make Fletcher cry? Okay Hoku. Hoku time.
Harper (Guide):
Yeah so you know where Hoku lives.
Tatiana:
I do.
Harper (Guide):
And so you already kind of set up the meeting spot, fly back towards Lothaire’s Junction and down above the busy streets. And again you're supposed to meet in the morning, tomorrow morning.
Tatiana:
Yep.
Harper (Guide):
It's like evening now turning into to night.
Tatiana:
Yep.
Harper (Guide):
You smell the delicious grilled foods that have been consumed by Hoku’s family and Hoku before you pull up next to the house that they live at, where they're all - like the three of them are just like staring up at the stars kinda like crying as you pull up.
Tatiana:
Suddenly there's something blocking the view. A ladder (laughing) a ladder unfurls.
Jenine (Hoku Bayani):
Oh wow look at that ship mom and dad! (ship horn)
Tatiana (Alma):
Hoku, we need to go!
Jenine (Hoku):
Oh, oh hello? Hi?
Tatiana (Alma):
Hoku, we need to go right now!
Jenine (Hoku):
What?
Tatiana (Alma):
Like right now. I’ll explain when you get on the ship.
Jenine (Hoku):
Like right now? Is this like a danger – one to ten how dangerous is happening –
Jenine:
And then I realized what I said and go,
Jenine (Hoku):
Never mind it's not dangerous, what? Oh look at the ship!
Tatiana (Alma):
Hi, Hoku’s parents.
Harper (Hoku’s Mother):
Are you taking our sweet Hoku away from us?
Tatiana (Alma):
I'll be back, I promise.
Harper (Hoku’s Father):
Well as long as you'll be back.
Tatiana (Alma):
I’ll keep them so safe.
Jenine (Hoku):
Okay um wait.
Jenine:
And then you just - Hoku sprints down, grabs their pack that they had before, and then like an extra little like box and then they run up.
Jenine (Hoku):
Um can I have like two squeaks? Like I'll be right up.
Tatiana (Alma):
Yeah, just hurry!
Jenine (Hoku):
Okay! Okay, so I love you mom and dad. I’ll write.
Harper (Hoku’s Father):
You better.
Harper (Hoku’s Mother):
Yes if you if you didn't write we would be really really upset.
Harper (Guide):
Then they sort of surround you and again you're taller than the two of them but they squeeze you so tight that it doesn't even matter. You feel so safe so protected so loved and it hurts a little bit as they kind of unseal from you.
Harper (Guide):
They both look at you kind of holding back tears.
Harper (Hoku’s Father):
We're really so proud of you.
Harper (Hoku’s Mother):
Yeah so so proud. And you're just gonna continue making us prouder. We'll see you soon, okay?
Jenine (Hoku):
Yeah, I'll see you soon.
Jenine:
And then I give them both a little forehead kiss and like stay strong, not like letting any of the tears show. And then I just - I don't know how to get on the ship. Is it like right off the edge? Am I jumping onto the ship? Am I free falling? Is there a ladder?
Tatiana:
A ladder unfurled from the side and you can have to climb the ladder.
Jenine:
Oh Hoku’s strong it's fine. He's got a brutal of plus one. He goes. He does that fun little wave as he's like going off on the ship.
Harper (Guide):
Your parents wave and then they stare at the ship until disappears and then they're just like staring at the stars again. So we jump back to Neu, you sat there for how long contemplating?
Octa:
What do you think will happen on the come down from the dream berries?
Harper (Guide):
Um, I feel like a side effect of the dream berries is you get like really invested in one emotion and you felt that you were feeling lots of emotions and they landed on anger. And you just got really pissed. And I would say that like as you kind of get invested in this one emotion, as you come down off the dream berries, you like literally start to see in a tint of that color. And so you're like literally seeing everything through this like wash of red, this like tint of red.
Octa:
Neu, their small form kind of like trembles and very rarely in the last few months or year, Neu has used any sort of weaving magic. At this point they decide to take out their needle, which is a little bit of a magic needle. And it's a good time to test how I want to make magic work here I guess. Or reverse and try to let's make that work I guess. And try to find that a moment, try to observe for a second how Alphonse is flirting with that - with what Neu it's is now, in their mind as they're dancing they're just seeing Alphonse be with a better Neu. With a bigger Neu, with a Neu that is what Alphonse wants. And at the same time seeing themselves way too thin, way too small, way too nothing. Will take that needle and try and take a couple of pieces off fabric from their little pockets and try and sew fabric that is quite similar to that from Alphonse’s trousers so that the lower bit of his trouser just kind of like sew together right as they are trying to do a little bit of a trickier dance move so Alphonse just falls on his face in front of everyone in the most ridiculous way possible, maybe even hurting himself a little bit.
Harper (Guide):
Give me a wild roll.
Octa:
That’s a four plus one. That’s a five, still a failure.
Harper (Guide):
You start to weave this fabric, this magic, hoping to sort of maybe get back at Alphonse but your needle breaks as soon as you get into the weaving and unfortunately the rest of your needles are back at the flat you and Alphonse live in together.
Octa:
I take the needle, I see the two beds, and I just throw it onto the ground.
Octa (Neu):
Why am I so useless?
Octa:
And then Neu will towards Alphonse, try to get into the crowd, just very clumsily trying to get to him with the full intention of just getting to him and like starting to kind of like bang on probably his lower back.
Harper (Guide):
So I will say this, as you try to make your way through the crowd, they're probably kith that are around your height but you're definitely towards the lower end of the distribution of height so most kith in this crowd are taller than you. You really have to struggle and fight to get over to Alphonse and whenever you're like probably ten feet away from him, kind of like pushing, clawing, really kind of this animal instinct takes over and you're about to yell out at Alphonse and as soon as you open your mouth he takes this fox and kind of like dips them and kisses them deeply and passionately and you try to scream out at Alphonse and nothing comes out.
Octa (Neu):
Ah… why?
Octa:
Neu will look at the scene and maybe even make eye contact with Alphonse if he's looking which I feel like he may.
Harper (Guide):
Yes and now the crowd is sort of like parted and he looks at the fox as he like kind of like pulls away from them,
Harper (Alphonse):
Ah, Yennifer, this is my friend and roommate Neu. Neu is leaving, abandoning me.
Octa (Neu):
Ah… that's - I was going to come back for you at some point later. Also I'm not your roommate, you are my guest. It is my place. It is my flat.
Harper (Alphonse):
I pay my fair share of rent.
Harper (Yennifer):
He pays his rent, he deserves to be there, you leave him alone.
Octa (Neu):
You know nothing about him! He's not good for! You should - he's not a good person.
Harper (Yennifer):
He's a passionate kisser and that's all I care about.
Octa (Neu):
He is a passionate kiss but that doesn't matter now and –
Octa:
Neu gets closer to Alphonse, kind of trying to really just focus on this emotion like focus on this anger. Not letting themselves be sidetracked by it, by anything else that isn't this anger. Just riding it knowing this is rare for them to be able to feel that and just will look up,
Octa (Neu):
You should count yourself lucky if you see me again.
Octa:
And will try and turn around and leave.
Harper (Guide):
I feel like that’s a drop the mic moment. And then you hear Alphonse kind of like - you feel his like footsteps kind of chasing after. You hear his voice but it sounds like very muffled through vacuum or underwater. And I feel like Neu, for one of the first time in their life, feels like the tallest person in the crowd as the crowd just sort of like parts, the music has stopped and you make your way back to your flat.
Octa:
As I was hearing him walking after me, Neu’s instinct would just be too like take their ears, fold them, and just keep walking, trying to get to the flat without even looking backwards. Really wishing that Alphonse doesn't pursue, with a little bit of fear as the anger subsides.
Harper (Guide):
I would feel like as you're walking away you like feel these like tears of like anger and strength like beating down your face and maybe like in the past you would have wiped them away but as you walk kind of through the empty streets of The Underground ,back up to the surface, you're gonna let those tears sit there as like a sign of - I don't know like Neu just being their self. Being strong and not putting up with the Alphonse anymore. Yeah
Octa:
Neu will get to their flat with very wet cheeks.
Harper (Guide):
Like a face of fierce determination still.
Octa:
Still with folded ears, get there, let them perk up again.
Harper (Guide):
As you approach you see like - you like unfurl your ears and you hear (ship horn). And you look up above your flat there's like an airship and like a very erratic Alma.
Tatiana (Alma):
:<Neu, get on the ship!
Octa (Neu):
Alma?
Tatiana (Alma):
:We need to go. Get your stuff, we are leaving now!
Octa (Neu):
Can I have a moment?
Tatiana (Alma):
:We don't have many moments!
Octa (Neu):
Okay, let me just - I just need to change - I wanted to –
Tatiana (Alma):
:The bank is coming!
Octa (Neu):
Okay!
Octa:
Neu doesn't really know what's happening but the bank is coming and that is scary.
Tatiana (Alma):
:I'll tell you when you get on the ship! Go change!
Octa (Neu):
I'll go. Give me a moment.
Octa:
I'll go up and then will just grab everything they have. Their sewing machines, their boxes of implements and just get them up to the balcony. And there's like three or four boxes the size of Neu.
Octa (Neu):
Can you get down a little bit? I can't take this up the stairs!
Jenine (Hoku):
Do you - do you - do you need help? I can help. I got it. I can – I can -
Jenine:
Hoku tries to help.
Tatiana:
I like go down a little bit, as much as I can, before it becomes a problem, so like Hoku can grab Neu’s stuff from above and put it onto the ship.
Octa (Neu):
And just one more second!
Octa:
And Neu will try and go to Alphonse’s room, grab everything they can, and just throw it off the balcony and then just get on the ship.
Tatiana:
Alma like starts pulling up again.
<Tatiana (Alma):
<So what, what - what was - what was - what was that stuff?
Octa (Neu):
Just get the fuck out of here.
Harper (Guide):
So as you pull up you remember that Falon did wanna meet with you before heading out. Zey said something about supplies, final instructions, et cetera, so you do have one more spot to stop off at.
Harper (Guide):
Your friends are kind of like sprawled out on the deck with just like a hodgepodge of like packed boxes, different things.
Tatiana:
They're all mess right now. I mean I'm also a mess but like I'm productive in my messiness.
Tatiana (Alma):
Do we go see Fallon? Do we have the time? There's no way the bank will repossess my ship while we're talking to The Serval. Like there's no way that'll happen. But is that a chance I want to take?
Jenine:
What if we just stay on the ship and have that conversation like on the balcony –
Tatiana:
Yell at –
Jenine (Hoku):
Yeah! They're big towers.
Tatiana:
They are big towers, that's true. The serval is in a tower so we could just pop outside the windo. I don't need a park. I can't get repossessed if I'm not parked.
Octa:
Even just get him there on board.
Tatiana (Alma):
We could invite – then I definitely, definitely won't get repossessed. Okay, we'll go see Falon ‘cause I'll be honest guys, I didn't exactly have time to get more supplies. I was, you know, hearing that your family is in debt and that your one like prized possession is getting repossessed by the bank was kind of a lot so I had to run to get the ship before - I did gaslight a really, yeah I did gaslight a dock worke.r I feel kind of bad about it but also I have my ship so meh. Yeah, you have questions?
Octa (Neu):
We're running away never to return.
Tatiana (Alma):
We will return I mean we have to return when we finish the job but it's probably going to take us a while so hopefully by then they'll forget my ship is not there. They did seem pretty upset when I stole - it's not stealing it's my ship. Hoku, did you have a question?
Jenine (Hoku):
Do we need to do a group hug because all of you seem - I feel afraid to ask the question: how are you doing right now?
Tatiana (Alma):
I mean what Fletcher came on board they were a lot worse. They were a lot worse before I'm actually kind of glad that they're sleeping. You're gonna tell us about like the stuff that you threw out of your place, right?
Octa (Neu):
No. But, I'm happy we’re leaving. Also everything is like moving a lot.
Tatiana (Alma):
Do you get air sick?
Octa (Neu):
No, no but there's like - do you know make ghosts of yourself around? There's like three of you.
Tatiana (Alma):
Okay, I'm gonna drive us to Falon. Hoku, can you get Neu some water?
Jenine (Hoku):
Yeah, I'll go do that right now.
Tatiana (Alma):
Thanks.
Octa (Neu):
Oh you brought your brother.
Jenine (Hoku):
I am an only child. I'm gonna go - I'm gonna go in the bathroom to get water –
Tatiana (Alma):
Water. There is a kitchen.
Jenine (Hoku):
There's a kitchen! Great! Where's – Fletcher’s in?
Tatiana (Alma):
So there's four bedrooms, two bathrooms. Fletcher’s in the downstairs bath. I don't – I tried to tell him that there were bedrooms but he just kind of - he was really distraught and I did not get a chance to ask them what was wrong. And they just kind of went to the bathtub and they’re - that's where they decided to be. But there's another bathroom up here on like the main floor and the kitchen is also on this floor. And it's just down the hall to your right, can't miss it up.
Jenine (Hoku):
I'll get the water also get some water for Fletcher. Neu, do you want to like take a nap? I could- want some tea?
Octa:
Neu will grab onto Hoku’s arm and be - just like look up,
Octa (Neu):
‘Cause we're definitely the right people for this, right?
Jenine (Hoku):
Yes, yes, yes.
Octa (Neu):
Okay. Are you sure?
Jenine (Hoku):
I am confident we are the right kith for the job.
Octa (Neu):
Okay, let’s get some water.
Jenine:
As we walk away I just have this look of fear.
Harper (Guide):
So Hoku plays caretaker of the two distraught kith. So you bring them some water, you take care of them, as Alma just like grips the wheel of this airship. Speaking of the airship what is the vibe of this airship? What does it look like? There’s lots of different styles.
Tatiana:
Yeah so it has a lot - so from the outside this airship looks very reminiscent of like a proper ship. It looks very much kind of like a sea vessel but with you know all the additional equipment that makes it able to fly. And it holds true to kind of Alma's house in that it's very kind of dark and gaudy and you know gothic and on the side it says, The Flying Dutch-kith. And Alma named it really lovingly because she was reading this like story from way back like the ancient mythos and she heard about a ship that ferried souls to - the souls of the dead, of those who died at sea and she hyperfixated on it and now that's the name of her ship. You can see evidence of all her travels like she is not the type of person to buy souvenirs. Because of the nature of her job families just tend to give her things because they're so grateful to her for like helping their loved ones pass on. So, she's just got a lot of random stuff from all over the place. She probably couldn't tell you were half of it has come from but it's like kind of organized. She's got, you know, some of the stuff that she likes the most, like art and sculptures and stuff like that displayed versus a lot of the other stuff being kind of nooked away in crates and boxes in the cargo hold. Could be haunted.
Harper (Guide):
Possibly haunted goth ship. Do we think that it's a ship that has just like magic sails or does it have a balloon?
Tatiana:
So it does have a ballon. But it also has sail.
Harper (Guide):
Like those side wing sails?
Tatiana:
Yeah actually, I don't know if you guys have ever watched Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, but do y'all remember when the ship gets like airborne? It's like kind of like that. Reminiscent of how the sails are positioned. They're meant to be helpful to keep like – number one, they're used to steer the ship because propellers or like the thing that you use to steer a seafaring ship that doesn't work because you're in the air. So it has to be like actual sails that are used to maneuver the ship in addition to the balloon. The balloon doesn't really propel you forward like that's mostly air. Like the wind.
Harper (Guide):
It just keeps it afloat.
Tatiana:
It keeps it afloat, you know. She does have like some gas propellers? Not propellers…
Harper (Guide):
Jets?
Tatiana:
Jets yeah!. She can she can trigger certain jets to like get off the ground and to maybe go faster in a certain direction but she mostly uses win speed to get around.
Harper (Guide):
Hoku’s taking care of everybody. Alma’s taking care of this ship. You make it over to Yari’s Thimble. You see the giant cloud of purple luminous magic above the factory that Falon is stationed at and I guess you pull up to the side of it? Like how does this work?
Tatiana:
Yeah we go up to the window of the tower and (ship horn).
Harper (Guide):
A few moments go by, you don't hear anything but you see a light turn on inside the tower and then a door swing open near the balcony and Falon sort of like drifts out, wearing zeir like night robe sort of like floating on the wind towards the edge of the balcony. And zey yell up in a loud but still soft voice zey typically have,
Harper (Falon):
Oh yes you're here. Weren't you supposed to be here tomorrow?
Tatiana (Alma):
Unforeseen circumstancess have led to us needing to push our journey up a bit so we were hoping we could talk now and maybe get the supplies that you were thinking of.
Harper (Falon):
Yes I can do that.
Tatiana (Alma):
Thank you.
Harper (Falon):
I'll be right back.
Harper (Guide):
And zey float back towards the tower and inside and disappear for a few minutes. Five minutes go by, ten minutes go by and then just as you feel like zey might have drifted back off to sleep maybe, the door swings back open and a crew led by Falon comes out with lots of different crates, barrels, different things and Falon yells back up at you,
Harper (Falon):
Can you come down a little bit further so we can get these supplies to you?
Tatiana (Alma):
Yeah for sure.
Tatiana:
And I just position the ship so that it's level with the balcony.
Harper (Falon):
Right away, right this way, kith, right this way. Please bring the stuff. Where do you want them to put it, Alma?
Tatiana (Alma):
Oh there's space in the cargo hold. You all know where cargo holds are I'm assuming.
Harper (Guide):
And Falon looks up at you and says,
Harper (Falon):
Well you seem to be doing okay. Is there anything you need? Any last questions before you head out?
Tatiana (Alma):
You know now that you mention it, seeing as you're petitioning us to save the world, I was wondering if maybe you had any pull with the bank.
Harper (Falon):
Well it depends on which bank.
Tatiana (Alma):
The bank on Dreich’s Inkwell perhaps.
Harper (Falon):
Oh, I think I can do something about that. I know the - well I know quite a few people but the president of the bank - the Dreich Banking Associates, I think - we went to school together so I think I can probably work something out.
Tatiana (Alma):
We all went to school together that's great. Good. So just this is little awkward, you know, asking.
Harper (Falon):
Oh I've seen many things been asked questions you couldn't even imagine.
Tatiana (Alma):
You're right I probably don't want to imagine so the –
Harper (Falon):
There was this one kith that came to me seeking guidance on their romantic relationships. Do you want me to continue?
Tatiana (Alma):
No, I think you know what - Your Servalness, I think I've actually got picture. So the ship that I'm on right now actually is getting repossessed by the bank because my parents are in a whole bunch of debt and they're going to be homeless if they don't start making some money and I was wondering if you could maybe get a loan approved?
Harper (Falon):
Oh money, why is it that we need it?
Tatiana (Alma):
I ask myself that same question. All the time.
Harper (Falon):
Well since you're doing this for us I can see what strings I can pull.
Tatiana (Alma):
I’d very much appreciate it.
Harper (Falon):
But one last thing I need to run by you - well not really run by you it's a favor I'm asking that you honestly probably should not refuse.
Tatiana (Alma):
Yeah.
Harper (Guide):
And they sort of turned back towards the tower and yell back,
Harper (Falon):
Are you ready?
Harper (Falon):
And you hear like a voice,
Harper (Chandler):
Yes.
Harper (Guide):
You look at the tower as a short, snooty individual kind of walks out from the tower wearing a robe similar to Hoku’s with all these like star charts and things kind of poking out from the pockets. Falon is soon joined by your arch nemesis, Chandler.
Harper (Chandler):
I'm ready for this adventure I will keep these miscreants in line.
Harper (Falon):
Well that's not necessarily what I asked you to do. These four are in charge. Alma… well I can't see the rest of them but I'm assuming they're on the ship. They're in charge, Chandler. You are to listen to them, you are to provide your expertise, alright? We're sending Chandler with you. He's been relieved of his very important duty at the Conservatory and we believe he's a good fit here with you on your mission.
Tatiana (Alma):
Are you sure?
Harper (Chandler):
Do not question the serval. We've been in discussion and this is the best.
Tatiana (Alma):
Are you sure you want to come?
Harper (Chandler):
Yes, I wouldn't miss this opportunity for the glory.
Tatiana (Alma):
Well you know what I've been in need of a cabin boy so I'm sure you'll fit right in, Chandler. Welcome aboard The Flying Dutch-kith.
Harper (Chandler):
Thank you.
Harper (Guide):
Then he steps onto the ship and it feels as almost it takes on a little more weight, a dip as this small unassuming individual carries a lot of stuff with them. And Falon looks at you as the crew that helped load up the stuff on your ship step off.
Harper (Falon):
We do appreciate all that you're doing please keep us informed on your progress.
Tatiana (Alma):
Of course. Speaking of our progress, where do you want us to start looking?
Harper (Falon):
Well that is honestly for you to decide. But there's Prtsmore up the coast to the north, Drylands to the southeast. I feel like either of those would be good to aim at first. If you were feeling a little rambunctious you could go to Middlewell but it's really up to you.
Tatiana (Alma):
Thank you, serval.
Harper (Falon):
You’re quite welcome.
Tatiana (Alma):
We'll keep you posted (chuckles). Thank you for the – thanks.
Harper (Falon):
Thank you.
Tatiana (Alma):
Alright, find a room, I guess.
Harper (Guide):
Chandler is already out of sight.
Tatiana:
Good.
Harper (Guide):
You hear a door swing open and you hear him yell out,
Harper (Chandler):
Yes this is the room I will take.
Harper (Guide):
And since it's so close you realize he has claimed the captains quarters.
Tatiana (Alma):
Not that one!
Harper (Guide):
You hear the door slam.
Tatiana (Alma):
Pardon me, serval.
Harper (Guide):
So you go down around the stairs where the door to the captain's quarters is. It's below the helm as a standard ship would and you jiggle the handle. It's locked.
Tatiana (Alma):
I have the key it's my ship.
Harper (Guide):
You unlock it you hear a shriek as Chandlers like unpacking his things as he stares back at you and like then hisses,
Harper (Chandler):
What are you doing in my room?
Tatiana (Alma):
Get the fuck out.
Harper (Guide):
Give me a brute roll.
Tatiana:
I don't have any benefit to brute but that was a that was a flat eight.
Harper (Guide):
I think I will roll for this one.
Tatiana:
I feel like I should get advantage, it's my ship! It's my room!
Harper (Guide):
Yeah, he does not roll well. He was taking something out of his bag just instantly like slowly puts it back in, grabs his bag, the rest of the star charts, and just like kind of like scoots past you/
Harper (Chandler):
I will find someone else.
Tatiana (Alma):
Mm-hmm ,you do that.
Harper (Guide):
And like scurries off to a another part of the ship.
Tatiana:
Alma like it gives her room a look over ,like a quick glance over and makes sure there's nothing amiss.
Harper (Guide):
There's some stinky little aura kind of like emanating where he was but maybe that's just all part of your imagination. Everything seems to be in place.
Tatiana:
Alma is going to leave her bedroom and lock it behind her something that she's never done before because she's never had to share her ship and now it's not just her ship. So she walks back out to the main deck, bids a final farewell to the serval and she's gonna fly away.
Harper (Guide):
So as you start to fly towards The Outlings, towards the edge of The Lastings where the Otherlands begin, let's jump over to that bathroom that Fletcher is just like passed out in. Hoku the door is closed, what do you do?
Jenine (Hoku):
Fletcher. Fletcher.
Harper (Guide):
Hoku does little knock.
Jenine (Hoku):
Fletcher?
Harper (Guide):
Fletcher is out cold. You don't hear any response, Hoku. So imagine the door starts to creak open as you peek your head in and you see a small but nice bathroom, a little porthole on the side wall. You see like the stars glistening in the night sky and you make your way over to the bathtub. It is one of those claw foot tubs with a very old but well cared for and a shower curtain that's been pulled all the way around. You hear I guess the slight little bit of a snore from a very tiny individual and you hear like the flapping of paper.
Jenine:
Like they're clutching it? Is it flying out the window?
Harper (Guide):
It's just like with every like snore exhale you hear like a (paper fluttering noise) of the paper.
Jenine:
Is Neu with me too?
Harper (Guide):
I imagine Neu’s kind of grabbed onto like your coattails.
Jenine:
Okay. Great, great, great. I think I have them on like a piggyback ride situation but they're like draped on my back so they don't have to walk anymore.
Jenine (Hoku):
Fletcher? Fletcher. Fletcher.
Jenine:
Just does a slight little poke. Fletcher.
Michi (Fletcher):
Five minutes. Five more minutes.
Jenine (Hoku):
What if we wake up for five minutes to get you into the softer bed.
h5>Michi (Fletcher):This bed is soft. This is my bed.
Jenine (Hoku):
I can carry you.
Michi:
He blinks his eyes open and he’s like very confused looking at his friends.
Harper (Guide):
Papers are scattered around. Like a paper is sitting on your chin kind of stuck with maybe the little bit of drool that like trickled down your cheek onto your chin.
Michi (Fletcher):
What day is it?
Jenine (Hoku):
It's still this - it's night now actually. Well, it’s the same night that we thought we had a full night and now we're on it – on a bouat - hi how are you doing?
Michi (Fletcher):
Oh, man, I think I just had that dream.
Michi:
And then it looks down and sees all the papers with the letters and he's like,
Michi (Fletcher):
Oh no it wasn't a dream. Oh no.
Jenine (Hoku):
Oh, okay, um will sleeping more help? Will not sleeping 0 do you want something to drink? We're gonna go find a snack in the kitchen.
Michi (Fletcher):
Oh, okay.
Octa (Neu):
I like snacks!
Michi (Fletcher):
I can have a snack.
Jenine (Hoku):
Okay, do you want to walk? Do you need a - how would you like to approach this?
Jenine:
And I just start like trying to help you out of the tub.
Michi:
Yeah like awkwardly accepts the help and it's a lot of clumsy papers and things scattered but we make it out.
Jenine:
We’ll start walking over to the kitchen.
Octa (Neu):
Hoku?
Jenine (Hoku):
Mm-hmm?
Octa (Neu):
Do you heard the droning? Can you tell them to stop?
Jenine (Hoku):
I think that’s the ship.
Octa (Neu):
No, they're singing.
Jenine (Hoku):
The singing?
Octa (Neu):
Yeah, I don't like it.
Michi (Fletcher):
Neu, are you okay?
Octa (Neu):
No.
Michi (Fletcher):
What’s going on?
Octa (Neu):
But neither are you, so it's fine.
Michi (Fletcher):
It's not fine. Why do you smell like dreamberries?
Octa (Neu):
Why do you smell like slugs?
Michi (Fletcher):
Cause like a bunch of slugs fell on me.
Octa (Neu):
Well I fell on the dreamberries.
Michi (Fletcher):
You fell on dreamberries?
Octa (Neu):
Kind of feels like that yes.
Michi (Fletcher):
Oh did you consume any dreamberries?
Octa (Neu):
Maybe…
Michi (Fletcher):
Oh how many?
Harper (Guide):
It would have been at least four or five.
Octa (Neu):
I think like –
Octa:
Brings up their fingers.
Octa (Neu):
-about this.
Michi (Fletcher):
That's too many for how small you are.
Michi:
Then Fletcher like goes through his like really stinky robes and like is looking for a specific herbs and find something that's like wrapped in one of those beeswax storing things. Kind of like a zip lock bag and it's like a bit of like pickled herbs.
Michi (Fletcher):
Here, chew on this. You'll feel better in a bit. You can't have that many dreamberries at once it's - you're too small.
Octa (Neu):
It’s what Alphonse always gives me.
Michi (Fletcher):
Alphonse should know better.
Octa (Neu):
Yes he fucking should.
Octa:
Neu will grab it and just like start munching on it.
Jenine:
Okay this is fine, everything's cool. We’re just going to keep going to the kitchen. Everything's great. Two friends, three friends chilling in the ship. Everything's gonna be Okay.
Harper (Guide):
You got one like hanging over your shoulders hanging around your neck. The other one you're like dragging behind you because they're kind of like stuffing papers in various pockets in they're stinky robes. And you make it to the kitchen and you you're remember that a kitchen on the ship is called a galley. And you make it to the galley and it hits you and you start looking for something to eat. Are you planning on making like a meal or you just looking for something that's already prepared that could you can get into your two kind of withering friends currently?
Jenine:
I feel like Hoku would try to make like tea. The tea blend that they specifically brought with them to everything, that got them through the late night studying, that's supposed to remind them of home. And maybe some cookies. Maybe some like nice little sugar cookies something sweet to go with like the warm herbalness of the tea blend that they have.
Harper (Guide):
So I will, I guess, Alma you could weigh in on this, do you typically have a well stocked kitchen?
Tatiana:
So well stocked is like a subjective turn of phrase. Alma has an ingredients kitchen. Those of you who know what that means, there are just a lot of ingredients in Alma;s galley and some of them you've never seen before because they're from out of The Lastings. Again things that, because obviously Alma needs to eat so she acquires different ingredients and stuff in her travels. But there's nothing really readily made or like just readily made snacky things. Like there's definitely some fruits somewhere totally. I could see her having like - Hoku could you go to open a bin of sugar cookies, instead of sugar cookies, it's not food at all, in fact it's like letter writing materials in the bin. You don't know why that's where Alma keeps it but it's like just a square sugar cookie bin and inside there are no cookies, there are letter writing materials. You wonder if this is why Alma’s been such a bad pen pal because she maybe forgot where she put her letter writing materials.
Harper (Guide):
Yeah there is a thin layer of dust on top of the sugar cookie tin.
Tatiana:
Yeah you're unclear as to whether or not it was put in there on purpose or if it was hidden away or if it was accidentally put there. There was definitely fruit.
Harper (Guide):
And actually there's also like a fresh crate on the counter that's still like sealed. So there could be stuff in there that I guess Falon’s people or kith just brought in.
Jenine:
I'll open the supply thing that Falon’s kith have brought in, maybe there's something sweet in there.
Harper (Guide):
So you got the tea or the water on the fire boiling away or heating up to boiling and you're able to pry this crate open and you see a good like three months worth of food supplies in here. And nestled on the top amongst like the other food supplies and stra, there is like a fresh tin of royal cookies. Royal sugar cookies.
Jenine:
Cute, amazing, wow. I'll start putting it on a cute little plate, start trying to find like a nice little like tea set hopefully. If not a set, I'm gonna find a pot and as many cups that I can find.
Harper (Guide):
I would think Alma does have a nice tea set. It's probably older than their parents but it's still a - it's something that’s probably been handed down but yeah it's one of the most pristine things in here.
Tatiana:
The same is true for like the majority of her like pots and pans as well. They're all clearly older but very well taken care of.
Harper (Guide):
So yeah Hoku, you're able to get that tray of tea and cookies set up. There's actually a little like side balcony off from the galley that hangs out to where you can actually like sit and eat under the stars your dinner or your breakfast, whatever. And Neu and Fletcher are already sitting at the at the table out there. And you said that the tray down as the three of you kind of sit and start to marvel at the sights you're seeing as Alma is taking the ship closer and closer to The Outlings. You see The Lastings pass you by. And you're flying over this old bridge. This bridge that was here long before the kith were. It used to be called Gold Bridge but now it's just rusted. Paint’s chipped off of it but it's this massive bridge that spanned a great distance but now it's just kind of like shattered bits and pieces poking up from the waves that crash around. As you can begin to fly over The Outlings, these sort of like older islands that you think some kith live on but they're not the kith of The Lastings… they're not your people I guess you would say. And as you kind of fly over these towards The Otherlands, we kind of like fade out as the moons cast these like glorious beams over all of you as you're under this new night sky.
Kenzie:
Hey everyone! Thanks for listening. You can follow queeRPG on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @queeRPGpod. queeRPG is made possible by all of you who listen and share the show! If you like what you hear please rate and review. It helps other people find the pod. You can also support the show by signing up for our Patreon at patreon.com/queeRPG. If you’re interested in seeing transcripts for the episode, all of those from previous episodes and episodes to come can be found on our website queerpg.com! Until next time!
Meet your hosts:
Harper Sage Pettit
S2 Guide
