A Knight of Shreds and Patches Transcript
Season 3 Episode 5: Long Lost Sister
Transcript by Cameron Robertson
Intro:
[hurdy gurdy music begins]
Nick: Welcome, listeners, to A Knight of Shreds and Patches. An immersive actual play podcast. This episode features the talents of –
Penn: Penn Van Batavia as Marathon Messenger and Gwendolyn Rozenthall.
Kit: Kit Adames as Birdie Foundling and Vaus Foundling.
Cameron: Cameron Robertson as Emma Blackwood.
Sydney: Sydney Whittington as Cassidy Shard.
Nick: Nick Robertson as GM and Narrator.
Sydney: Hello listeners, this is your editor, Sydney, with today’s messages:
[southern accent] Howdy doody! It is our most earnest wish that you know how much we appreciate your presence here, and how many cool points that earns you in the game of life. [/end] (It’s actually 35 per episode, so if you’ve made it here, you’re really getting in some good dividends.)
And because we appreciate you so much, we’ve put out a new bonus episode in the main feed! If you cast your mind (and your podcatcher) back to the end of Season 1, we’ve released a backdated recap episode, in the same style as our Season 2 Recap. This has been available for patrons for the last few weeks, but now everyone gets to listen! And if you find your content appetite is not yet satisfied, you can always consider backing our Patreon, which gives you access to bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.
And with that, we wrap up today’s announcements and head into Season 3, Episode 5: Long Lost Sister. And so…
“Join us, for now our tale to yours attaches
To carry hope: a Knight of Shreds and Patches.”
[hurdy gurdy music ends]
[electronic beeping]
[robotic powerup noise begins]
Distorted Robotic Voice: Power restored. Systems online. Reconfiguring audio connection.
[robotic powerup noise fades to radio frequency static]
[over radio]
Penn (as Marathon): Last time on a Knight of Shreds and Patches, we woke up in Birdie’s childhood home where Vaus, the partner of Birdie’s deceased sibling, made us breakfast before they pointed us in the direction of Winifred, Birdie’s sister who is not aware that Birdie is alive and not dead. And on our way we're passing through Merchants Alley when [screams] Oh shoot! There’s sort of like troops or a riot or something. Something’s coming down on us. Oh Cassidy grabbed my hand - here we go. [riot noises]
[radio static]
Episode Start:
Nick: The streets of Merchant Alley on Sasnak Traveling are crowded and frantic as the Patina flees from the ongoing conflict. The private security is not interested in any civilians, but is willing to incur collateral damage of both property and people in order to secure this ground. Members of the Patina are not sure what is causing this conflict but they do know they want no part of it as they escape further into the city and away from this fight. Sound of the clash fades surprisingly quickly as you move around corners and through alleyways. Birdie takes the lead and the function of guide leading you past stalls that are pulling down metal shutters to protect their wares and shops that have locked their doors. In what seems like no time at all, the Patina, panting, finds their way to the main entrance of one of the largest domes on Sasnak Traveling.
The semi transparent material is scratched and weathered by dust and wind and time, but inside you can see the gentle sway of plants. As you are able to enter quickly, the security standing at the gate is letting anyone through that looks like they may be looking for work, and you find yourselves transported into an entirely different setting. Under the bright sunlight in the agri-dome, you are surprised to see fields of crops, gentle winding dirt roads, and people moving at a slower and more contented pace. The people who are dressed nice enough are moving at a slower more contented pace. The people operating machines and equipment are working on what is clearly a timetable - striving to meet metrics and harvest goals. Birdie it's been a long time since you were in the agri-dome, but you know what you're looking for based on Vaus's instructions, and moving away from the main fields and further into a well kept residential area, you find yourselves looking for where Winifred calls home.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well that was a giant mess.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. Oh my god. Whoa.
Kit (as Birdie): [concerned laughter]
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks for grabbing me, guys.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah Marathon don't run in the opposite direction. [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): I was trying to - I just I just stepped back and then all of a sudden the crowd parted.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah~. That kind of stuff happens like semi often.
Cameron (as Emma): Just like brawls?
Sydney (as Cassidy): I saw those stands just like close up and go 'right - well, I guess we're not selling right now.'
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, that's why everything's portable and very quickly shutable.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Turf wars, I guess?
Kit (as Birdie): Uh~ yeah. Kind of just groups that have power in Sasnak trying to get more. It's always been a thing. They don't happen that - they usually try and keep it out of Merchants Alley just because they know that it's where a lot of tourists go.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I didn't see any of that when we were here.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, usually they try and keep it to the Guts or just anywhere but the touristy places, because it's a bad for business for everyone. Pretty much.
Cameron (as Emma): No kidding.
Penn (as Marathon): So wait, who were the aggressing parties in this situation?
Kit (as Birdie): There are too many to keep track of. I don't I don't even know anymore who has more power and who doesn't. It's just these -
Sydney (as Cassidy): Private security -
Kit (as Birdie): - factions.
Sydney (as Cassidy): - something? Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Private Security factions?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Eugh.
Kit (as Birdie): A lot of, a lot of not not great things. But
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, the good news is it's not our responsibility to go deal with anything. We're just here to go find Winifred and then maybe find some jobs.
Kit (as Birdie): Yup.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): And now we're in this lovely dome.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): [slightly out of breath] And we can walk again.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [relieved] Yeah~.
Cameron (as Emma): [fuck running] And not run.
Penn: As they're walking Marathon looks up and around.
Penn (as Marathon): So what is this area? Like?
Kit (as Birdie): Um~
Penn (as Marathon): This this is much calmer, for whatever reason. I assume there's some sort of farming going on on this giant moving city?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, so this is the agriculture sector. It's the sector with the cleanest air quality besides some of the really really rich domes that can pay to have the air cleaned for them. But this is just like trees doing their job. But basically, it's like all of the grains and fruits and vegetables and just things like flowers even for flower stands are pretty much grown here. It's where a lot of people who have the ability to live a nicer life make their home. So I'm glad that Winifred's moved up in life and is able to make a make a good place here. [uncomfortable laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Out of the shipping container. I mean, was she still - I guess it has happened since you left.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhm. Kind of ish. I knew that she had moved, like, out of the Towers specifically, but I think she was living in another dome that was mostly a residential area anyways, but this is this is nicer than her old place still, because this is like, as middle to upper middle class you can get in Sasnak.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Good for her.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): How much does Winifred know about like you~?
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, um, I think she thinks I'm dead.
Penn (as Marathon): Kay, I just wanted to confir- I was wondering, but okay. Okay.
Kit: Birdie is looking straight up through the top of the dome, just not looking at anything but the sky.
Sydney (as Cassidy): So Vaus is too closed lipped to share? Or maybe they're not on good speaking terms right now? I don't know.
Kit (as Birdie): Ah, no, I think they're on good speaking terms it's just that Vaus only knew that I was not dead when I was able to make contact with them leaving Eagle Hill, and both of them have enough on their plates it just might not have come up. I don't think that -
Penn (as Marathon): Dang that thing wouldn't come up?
Cameron (as Emma): That that feels like something that you would bring up and make come up.
Kit (as Birdie): Vaus - Vaus is an interesting, very silent person who prefers for people to find out big news firsthand.
Cameron (as Emma): Not from them? [laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh boy.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, they don't really - yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): Interesting survival technique.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. It's also - I don't know, it could have been anything about Vaus needing a lot of time to process that. I mean, look, Vaus lost their fiancé in all that, so it's - I'm sure it was hard to learn that it wasn't - it's just
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah someone lived, but
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, not the person that was kind of their like, life partner. They were glad that I was alive - don't get me wrong, but you know, it's -
Cameron (as Emma): Mhm.
Kit (as Birdie): - it's different and it's hard.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Mhm. Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): So I just don't think they've spoken, really.
Penn: Marathon starts giving Birdie a little back rub as they continue walking while she's looking up, not only to comfort her, but to also help her stay on the path a little bit as she starts to drift off.
Kit (as Birdie): Thanks Marathon.
Penn (as Marathon): Mhm.
Sydney: Cassidy snaps out of a little bit of revery, taking her hand off of her scar where it had drifted, and catches up to the group.
Cameron (as Emma): So you don't think any of your other siblings knows that you're not dead?
Kit (as Birdie): Uh~. There's no I'm
Cameron (as Emma): We're gonna get to do dramatic surprises over and over?
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah~! Birdie's alive tour.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh boy~.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah, it'll be great, great fun.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Lots of happy tears.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeesh.
Kit (as Birdie): No one will be mad at me or Vaus.
Sydney (as Cassidy): No.
Cameron (as Emma): Why- why would they be mad at you for being alive?
Kit (as Birdie): Uh because I was alive the whole time and just didn't come back?
Penn (as Marathon): I think they'll probably be happy you're alive.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah~.
Cameron (as Emma): I feel like there may be questions, but I don't think anyone's going to be mad - like you, you went through some stuff.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): [uncomfortable noise]
Cameron (as Emma): I feel like every - the happiness of seeing you is going to outweigh.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): At least that's how I would react to it if it was me as your long lost sister.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [/s] Yeah, I'm sure all of your family are very rational in their reactions and everyone will be only happy.
Penn (as Marathon): [laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): Yup. I I
Cameron (as Emma): You can't say shit like that out loud, Cassidy. [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Cassidy~.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm sure everyone will be totally upset -
Penn (as Marathon): We were hyping her up.
Sydney (as Cassidy): - and uh, you just gotta brace yourself for it Birdie.
Cameron (as Emma): That's, that's not helpful either...
Kit (as Birdie): You know, it's it's okay. Because I have had a lot of years and a lot of time spent awake at night thinking about how they would react if I went back and so I've already thought through all the possible reactions, I think.
Sydney (as Cassidy): All right, well I'm expecting a very planned speech.
Kit (as Birdie): Um, you might want to lower your expectations, Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm expecting you to have a reaction.
Kit (as Birdie): Um sure. Yeah. I mean, [panic noise] - well -
Sydney (as Cassidy): It'll be fine.
Kit (as Birdie): It'll be fine. It'll be fine.
Sydney (as Cassidy): You know, they love you.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): It's all good.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, we're all good.
Penn: Marathon has pulled out a little paper map that's been folded up a few times that she picked up from Merchants Alley. And as they come to a fork in the road, she starts looking at it confusingly.
Penn (as Marathon): Uh Birdie, which way did Vaus say we're going? I think - are we close? Looking at this map?
Kit (as Birdie): I think so. There are several like residential areas in the dome - I think we have to go up a level within the dome and then we can - it shouldn't be too much further than that.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay.
Kit (as Birdie): So it's just like some stairs, I guess.
Penn (as Marathon): Perfect. Well we're well on our way.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.
Cameron (as Emma): [tired] The amount of stairs we're going - we are going to have -
Penn (as Marathon): [overlapping] It's great! It's good for your calves.
Cameron (as Emma): [overlapping] - such great glutes when we're done with this.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, when you -
Cameron (as Emma): Wow.
Kit (as Birdie): - can't build out, you go up.
Penn (as Marathon): As your hype trainer, I am excited for you and all these stairs as we continue this journey on Sasnak.
Cameron (as Emma): [laughing] Wait - when you said 'when you can't build out' I thought you were still talking muscle mass,
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]
Cameron (as Emma): - and I was real confused to where you were going with that.
Penn (as Marathon): You can always build out.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] Yeah, yeah, no, you can always build out for your body.
Cameron (as Emma): Mhm.
Kit (as Birdie): Unfortunately, Sasnak is not that.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I don't think I'd want it if it was squishy like a body.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): Eww~.
Kit (as Birdie): I don't want to think about that. Yeah.
Penn (as Marathon): I'll race you guys up the stairs.
Kit (as Birdie): I will not be running because I value my ability to move without mm~, too much pain.
Penn (as Marathon): Oh, fair. Fair.
Cameron (as Emma): I already ran once today, Marathon. I'm not running up stairs too.
Kit (as Birdie): My knees are getting bad.
Penn (as Marathon): Well, I will meet you at the top.
Kit (as Birdie): Okay.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay, have fun.
Penn: Marathon starts taking speedy steps up.
Cameron (as Emma): Where does she get the freakin’ energy?
Sydney: Cassidy is shaking her head as Marathon runs up and stays with the group.
Nick: As you all climb these stairs, you have the unique experience of climbing up a switchback set of stairs to what seems to be a hill. There's a platform built into the side of this dome that isn't very obvious from the ground, but as you climb the stairs, you find another set of houses set along a cobblestone road. There are sunflowers scattered around as well as small gardens of vegetables and some fruit trees. This is a comfortable looking neighborhood and once you have gotten up onto the road, it seems like it's just on a rise. You wouldn't be able to tell from this angle that you are built into the side of a dome. The entire area emanates humble agricultural comfort as though designed by a team aiming for that end. There are a few houses up here, but you quickly find the one that you're looking for - the one you had been given directions to where Winifred lives. The houses all look like they were designed to look like a comfortable farmhouse, but were manufactured as such. Winifred's house is a two story house with a whitewashed front, a slightly scruffy yard kept in by a waist high white fence. There are flower beds surrounding both the perimeter of the yard and the house. It looks quiet. There are lights on inside but everything is well kept, comfortable and peaceful. You can hear the sounds of some children playing further down the road and there's no one in your way. All you need to do is knock on the door.
Penn (as Marathon): You knockin' Birdie?
Kit (as Birdie): [squeak] Yeah, um, yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, we can do it if you need to.
Cameron (as Emma): Yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): [squeeeeek] No! [more normal level] Sorry. [clears throat]
Cameron (as Emma): You're squeakin'.
Kit (as Birdie): No I'm good. I'm great.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay.
Penn: Marathon claps Birdie on the shoulder.
Penn (as Marathon): You got this.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah...
Penn (as Marathon): You got this.
Kit (as Birdie): It's just a door. [panicky laugh] It's just a door.
Kit: Birdie will uncross her arms from the place that they've kind of been glued over her chest, the entire walk and will look at the door and then will knock pretty heavily and very quickly, and then jerk her hand back down.
Penn (as Marathon): No, you got it. Oh.
Cameron (as Emma): Good job.
Penn (as Marathon): Yep. Okay. Yep. Yeah.
Sydney: Cassidy gives a soft clap.
Cameron (as Emma): Deep breaths.
Nick: You find yourselves waiting longer than you would expect for anyone to answer the door. Upwards of a minute and then two. How do you all pass the time while you wait to see if anyone's home?
Kit: Birdie looks like she's being compressed in a hydraulic press. Her shoulders are like up to her ears and she's glaring at the door because she knows the lights are on and she's just sick of waiting.
Penn: Marathon is shifting her weight just a little bit from foot to foot and is wide eyed watching Birdie, almost as if she expects Birdie to combust and is kind of staying ready in case Birdie bolts.
Sydney: Cassidy is leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, looking at Birdie expectantly, having offered to knock on the door again in case they didn't hear the first time.
Cameron: Emma has taken over keep Birdie calm duties. Where Marathon was rubbing her shoulders before, Emma is rubbing her shoulders and then down on her arms a little bit because she has compressed so much that rubbing her shoulders isn't really possible anymore cause they are fused with her ears, but just like calming, comforting touches while she looks around at this place that feels like a completely different city than the one that we were just in even though it's part of that city.
Kit (as Birdie): I'm good. I'm good. Maybe do we - we could knock again. We could -
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm gonna knock again.
Kit (as Birdie): [deep breath] O-Okay, ha ha ha.
Sydney: Cassidy goes over and gives a solid thump, thump, thump.
Nick: And on the third thump the door pulls open. You catch a glimpse of a cluttered room with well kept comfortable looking furniture and then the Patina sees a man standing in the door. He's wearing what looks to be khaki pants and loafers and has salt and pepper hair swept back from his head and a medium length beard and warm features. Although he does look pretty tired at the moment and then your attention is completely absorbed by the incredibly round baby he is wearing in a sling across his chest facing out as the baby immediately starts reaching for Cassidy's hair trying to grab a handful of it.
Kit (as Birdie): [startled noise] Sorry.
Sydney: Cassidy quickly takes a step back going
Sydney (as Cassidy): Ah. Um hi. We're here for Winifred.
Kit (as Birdie): [rushed] Is that Winifred's baby?!?
Nick (as Larry): Um~ hi?
Kit (as Birdie): Sorry.
Nick (as Larry): Yes uh, hi. I'm I'm Larry.
Kit (as Birdie): [panicked noise]
Nick (as Larry): Uh, who are you? I'm sorry. I wasn't - we weren't expecting company.
Kit (as Birdie): Sorry. Sorry. Um. I'm - sorry. I'm Winifred's sister. [awkward laugh] Hi. [uncomfortable laugh]
Nick (as Larry): You don't look like Janus.
Kit (as Birdie): We are - I think you should know by now that none of us are uh related biologically. [awkward laugh]
Nick (as Larry): Oh no, I was I was saying - [laugh] sorry. I get told all the time I'm pretty funny. Uh,
Kit (as Birdie): [awkward laugh] Oh.
Nick (as Larry): Uh Janus is Winifred's sister and you're not her, would be my point.
Kit (as Birdie): [struggling for words] Yes. Um.
Nick: As you're struggling for words, he begins to bounce the baby in it's sling and the baby gives a happy burble.
Cameron (as Emma): [under breath] Oh my god, so chunky.
Kit (as Birdie): It's a very - so this, is this -
Penn (as Marathon): [under breath] Sure is a baby.
Kit (as Birdie): We just have to talk to Winifred really quick. Is she in right now? Is she, could we -
Nick (as Larry): She's actually not here,
Kit (as Birdie): Oh~. [restart the panic]
Nick (as Larry): - but -
Kit (as Birdie): Okay...
Nick (as Larry): - come on in.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh!
Nick (as Larry): I'm being rude.
Kit (as Birdie): No!
Nick (as Larry): I can put on some tea. We've got cookies. Mackenzie is just starting to eat soft foods, so uh, come on in. Grab a seat.
Nick: And he steps back from the door. As he turns around and starts to walk back into the house you notice that it was hard to see around the baby but he appears to have a frilly apron on under the sling for the baby as well.
Kit (as Birdie): [stammering] Are you and Winifred, like together? [awkward laugh] Just wondering.
Nick (as Larry): No. Uh, Winifred and I are - I like to think we're friends.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh okay. [decompresses] Okay. [long exhale]
Nick (as Larry): I'm married to Maria and Maria and Winifred are -
Kit (as Birdie): Who is Maria?
Nick (as Larry): - also a couple so,
Kit (as Birdie): Maria-?
Nick (as Larry): Bliss.
Kit (as Birdie): [le gasp] Nurse Bliss??
Nick (as Larry): Well, she's Stitch Overseer Bliss now, but yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): [long excited gasp] Oh my gosh! Well, good for her.
Kit: Birdie, who seems to know Maria only by the title of Nurse Bliss, is suddenly very, very happy and smiling because now that she realizes who is actually Winifred's partner, she notices that the baby does look a little bit more like Maria, than Larry.
Nick (as Larry): But uh, yep. Pull up a chair. We've got cushions. There's honestly a weird amount of throw pillows and blankets around. Uh~. Grab a seat, get comfy. Are you all - you strike me as black tea drinkers but we do have an herbal tea and we've got like a lemon zest and a rooibos, that one's pretty good. Preferences?
Nick: He's pointing to each of you with a questioning look on his face.
Cameron (as Emma): Black tea would be wonderful.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, black tea is great.
Cameron (as Emma): Thank you, Larry.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah black works for me.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah you can just do one nice batch. Thank you uh, it's Larry?
Nick (as Larry): Yes. I'm Larry.
Penn (as Marathon): Yes.
Kit (as Birdie): Yep.
Nick (as Larry): I'm, we've established I'm Larry.
Penn (as Marathon): Yes. Thank you.
Nick (as Larry): I'm married to uh,
Penn (as Marathon): Yes. Maria.
Nick (as Larry): Maria. Yep there we go, thank you. [laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Who was the partner of Winifred.
Kit (as Birdie): Uh huh.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay, um, I don't know if we've introduced-
Nick (as Larry): And I'm very funny. Don't forget that part.
Penn (as Marathon): Yes. And funny.
Nick: And he smiles real big.
Kit (as Birdie): [laughs]
Penn (as Marathon): Uh I don't know if we've introduced ourselves um, [awkward pause] Birdie?
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah, that would that that's a great idea. Um. So my name's Birdie. I don't know if Winifred's ever -
Nick: His mouth falls open and he gently puts his hands over the baby's ears and says,
Nick (as Larry): Holy shit you're dead.
Kit (as Birdie): Sure. [awkward laugh]
Cameron (as Emma): Obviously not.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Congrats Birdie.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, gosh. Well, it's an honor.
Nick: He uncovers the baby's ears.
Nick (as Larry): No, I - sorry. I -
Kit (as Birdie): No...
Nick (as Larry): We we talk about it sometimes. That is, I'm glad you're not dead. This is great.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Nick (as Larry): You look really good for somebody who got blown up several years ago.
Kit (as Birdie): Yep. Yep. It's great.
Nick (as Larry): That was - that was weird. I'm sorry. I don't mean to -
Kit (as Birdie): No.
Sydney (as Cassidy): [impatient much?] Hi, I'm Cassidy. Do you know when Winifred is going to be here?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Nick (as Larry): Uh, she - she does a lot of work, but she should be she should be back pretty soon and I don't think she's on an all day job. Let me get that tea started and process a little bit so I stop making an ass of myself. Oop!
Nick: And he puts his hands over the baby's ears after he says it and then kind of throws his hands up in the air like oh well and heads off. The living room area is fairly open. There's a short hallway and then a large door into what looks like a kitchen. So he is out of the room but still within shouting distance if you need anything and you begin to hear the bustle of tea being prepared.
Penn (as Marathon): I think I'm a Larry fan.
Kit (as Birdie): I'm just really glad that um, I didn't miss Winifred having a baby. That really threw me for a second.
Cameron (as Emma): Or a husband. [laugh]
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah you -
Kit (as Birdie): Well. Yeah~. The baby thing really threw me more than -
Penn (as Marathon): But now you've scoped out the scene. So
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, I mean, here's your opportunity to snoop a bit. If you need to.
Sydney: Cassidy throws both legs over an arm of one of the chairs and sits the furthest you can get from normal as possible.
Kit (as Birdie): What what snoop? Why would I snoop?
Cameron (as Emma): You could also just come over here and sit down and hug this throw pillow.
Kit (as Birdie): I think gonna hug the throw pillow and I'm just gonna stay standing.
Cameron (as Emma): Alright, here we go. Do you want to - okay, you can hug the pillow. Do you want a blanket?
Kit (as Birdie): I'm okay. I'm good.
Cameron (as Emma): Okay. Okay, hug the pillow.
Kit: Birdie's gonna hug the throw pillow and watch out the window, hoping to see if Winifred starts walking up, but also just getting a good look at the living area of the house and trying to see what's Winifred's and what's not.
Cameron: Emma takes a seat in the dent that she's made in the tower of pillows on the couch.
Nick: As you are looking around the room, you look past the main entryway and there is a wide open hallway that goes down the center of this house and a staircase leading up to the second floor. You notice some baby toys around and like Larry said a large amount of throw pillows and blankets. And Birdie as your gaze goes back the other direction, suddenly leaning against the entryway is Nurse Bliss, the medical practitioner that you relied on to keep you and the Foundlings alive in your childhood. She is a little bit older, there are laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. She has light lavender hair that's almost ash colored pulled back into a simple braid coiled around her head. She's wearing comfortable looking leggings and an oversized sweater that stops just short of being a dress. And she quirks a smile at you Birdie and says
Nick (as Maria Bliss): What are we snooping about? I think I missed that part.
Kit (as Birdie): You had a first name this whole time??
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Did you think my name was just Bliss?
Kit (as Birdie): Yes!
Sydney (as Cassidy): Well sounds like it might have been Nurse.
Kit (as Birdie): Cassidy.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Hi, I'm Cassidy.
Kit: Birdie will toss the throw pillow gently at Cassidy and will go over to who she knows as Nurse Bliss and offer a hug.
Nick: She immediately hugs you back and gives you a tight squeeze before holding you back at arm's length by the shoulders and says
Nick (as Maria Bliss):I heard Larry downstairs scream that you were dead. I am so glad that you're not.
Kit (as Birdie): [awkward laugh]
Nick (as Maria Bliss): It's been a while putting everyone back together again after - well, that's a poor choice of words, I guess.
Kit (as Birdie): [sigh]
Nick (as Maria Bliss): I'm I'm glad you're here.
Nick: As she turns and says down the hallway,
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Larry - you let a dead girl and a bunch of mercenaries into our house with baby Mackenzie and then offered them cookies?
Kit (as Birdie): [quietly] We're nice mercenaries.
Nick (as Larry): Oh, should I have - should I have offered them some of the bread instead, do you think?
Nick: And Maria laughs and says
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Yeah, offer the bread.
Nick: And she flops down onto the couch and makes a waving hand gesture for everybody to relax.
Kit (as Birdie): [awkward laugh] You know, I kind of always figured that you and Winifred would end up together, but I'm glad you did. [happier laugh]
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Oh, yeah. It's been really nice. Winifred is amazing, you know?
Kit (as Birdie): Yep.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): And Larry's great too. He's really great with the baby and everyone gets along so well and it's pretty amazing to have this whole family and everybody is just so supportive, you know? It does help to have three different incomes to get somewhere really nice like this to raise Mackenzie up right.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Yeah, that's great. I'm I'm really really glad for you.
Kit: Birdie is still standing and she has taken the throw pillow back from Cassidy.
Penn: Marathon has been standing behind Birdie this whole time with a wooden chair just ready for Birdie to catch Birdie, but is leaning on top of the chair and bumps it up against - not enough to knock her down - but just bumps up the chair against the backs of her calves.
Kit (as Birdie): I'm, I'm fine. We're -
Penn (as Marathon): Okay.
Kit (as Birdie): - good. I promise. I promise.
Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. I'm just leaning on the chair. No worries.
Kit (as Birdie): [sees right through it] Yeah. Mhm.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): If you're actually fine, Birdie, sit down. Relax. No one's gonna bite you.
Kit (as Birdie): No~.
Sydney (as Cassidy): She's still gotta talk to Winifred.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, that's why I'm still standing up. I'll sit down when [trails off]
Penn (as Marathon): How long until uh,
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah!
Penn (as Marathon): Miss Winifred is here, Bliss? I'm Marathon by the way.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): It's very nice to meet you Marathon.
Kit (as Birdie): These are my friends. Yes. And introductions. Yes.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. So are you it - Maria?
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Yes.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Okay.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Hi, I'm Maria Bliss. Happy spouse to both Larry and Winifred.
Penn (as Marathon): [impressed] Spouse?
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Mother of Mackenzie, Lead Overseer of the Stitches of Sasnak Traveling, absolute bombshell, and the person who's going to make sure that you all get enough tea and cookies as long as you relax. Please. You're stressing me out. I had a baby fairly recently, I don't need more stress.
Kit (as Birdie): [more stressed] I don't want you to stress out!
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Stop emanating whatever electric fields you are then. Look, I'm not trying to make you more stressed by telling you to not stress but, oop ah~. There he is.
Nick: And she steps up off the couch and comes over to give Larry a side hug as he comes in with a tray piled high with cookies and fresh bread and a large pot of steaming tea and various mugs. He smiles and kisses the top of her head and says,
Nick (as Larry): All right, I didn't know exactly what everybody wanted, so I just kind of brought everything.
Nick: And he sets it down. Maria slides McKenzie, the extremely round baby out of the sling and front and sits back down on the couch and starts bouncing her on her knee where she makes adorable baby noises.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): So I don't want to make you all tell the story twice, but I am curious about what brings you to our home specifically. Winifred should be back pretty soon, but she has a lot on her plate and you'll have to forgive a woman for feeling a little protective of her. You're not trying to get her into any trouble or anything are you? Birdie, you're excused because of course you are always welcome here.
Kit (as Birdie): I shouldn't be excused from getting Winifred into trouble. It's like my whole job, but
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Okay, then you're unexcused.
Kit (as Birdie): Yes.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Please let me know what is happening here while you enjoy these delicious cookies.
Kit: Birdie is going to take a cookie and shove it in her mouth so everyone else has to talk but her.
Nick: The cookie just came out of the oven.
Kit (as Birdie): [it's hot noises]
Nick: It is stuck to the roof of your mouth immediately
Kit (as Birdie): [mouth burning]
Nick: and extremely hot.
Kit (as Birdie): [mistakes were made] Hot.
Penn (as Marathon): Oh Birdie, are you - are you okay?
Kit (as Birdie): I'm okay. [mouth still cooking]
Cameron (as Emma): Serves you right.
Sydney (as Cassidy): We've got a technical question slash problem that we understand Winifred
would be well positioned to help us answer.
Cameron (as Emma): Also, we thought it would be good if Birdie went and confirmed that she was not dead,
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.
Cameron (as Emma): - to all of her siblings. So we're kinda following her around for that purpose mainly.
Penn (as Marathon): We're making a Foundling tour.
Nick: Larry snorts to himself.
Nick (as Larry): It's something about the Foundlings - they need other people to make sure that they do the basic family stuff sometimes.
Kit (as Birdie): [insulted but burning noise]
Nick (as Larry): I'm just saying that you all would die for each other but you struggle to like let each other know when you're doing okay or need help. So that's, that's good to see. You all are good friends. I can already tell.
Nick: He smiles real big and then shoves a cookie into his mouth whole and winks at Birdie.
Kit (as Birdie): [pained mouth full noises]
Kit: Birdie's now attempting to chew.
Cameron (as Emma): Did we miss anything, Birdie?
Penn (as Marathon): That's the jist.
Kit (as Birdie): [mouth still full] Mm nm.
Cameron (as Emma): Nope. So we've seen Vaus already and they pointed us here, so you're the second stop on our Foundling tour.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Well, I'm honored. I know you probably weren't expecting us, Birdie, to be here with Winifred, but it still means a lot. They've all missed you a lot. Make sure you don't leave
anybody out on this Foundling tour, okay? You owe them that much.
Kit (as Birdie): [def not feeling guilty already] Yep. Thanks.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): And the great news is even though we're always moving here on Sasnak, no one tends to hop off most of the time, so if you need a break in between the emotional reveals, you're welcome to stay here if you need a place to crash.
Nick: She hands you another cookie, but blows on it first.
Kit (as Birdie): Thank you Nurse Bliss.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Please call me Maria.
Kit (as Birdie): I can't.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): I haven't been Nurse Bliss in a long time and I'm not going to ask you to call me Head Stitch Overseer.
Kit (as Birdie): I'll do my best.
Cameron (as Emma): How, how long have you been married to both Larry and Winifred, I guess, Maria?
Cameron: Emma is stepping in to solve the awkwardness from coming from Birdie and try and keep conversation flowing while removing the stress from Birdie.
Penn: Marathon gives a very approving head nod for this distraction from the awkwardness.
Nick: Maria, also seeing what Emma is doing flows easily into more comfortable topics.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Well, me and Winifred got married - I guess about five years ago, almost six. Larry here's, we're going on four. Mackenzie here's been with us exactly seven months and 14 days. And she's doing great.
Cameron (as Emma): She is adorable. And that was actually going to be my next question. So
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Yeah, she's, she's big for her age. She's going to be real strong when she gets older and is already a handful.
Nick: And Larry lets out a deep breath and pours himself a cup of tea.
Nick (as Larry): Yeah, she's a - she's the light of our life.
Kit (as Birdie): [soft laugh]
Nick (as Larry): That came out sounding really tired, but she really is. We're extremely happy and Winifred also helps.
Cameron (as Emma): I think she can be both the light of your life and also the cause for your exhaustion.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yep.
Nick: Without looking down Larry leans over and wipes a thick string of drool off of the corner of Mackenzie's mouth where she's been leaking quietly.
Nick (as Larry): Yeah, but she's she's pretty great. Anyway, tea! Tea for everybody.
Nick: And he starts pouring cups and handing them out to people.
Penn (as Marathon): Thanks, Larry.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah thanks.
Penn: Marathon grabs hers with both hands still leaning over the top of the chair waiting for
Birdie to sit, probably in a futile effort.
Nick: Larry snaps fingers on both hands and hits the palm of his hand onto his fist and says,
Nick (as Larry): Well, did you see that they're doing the annual Xbike Cup pretty soon?
Kit (as Birdie): No, I -
Nick (as Larry): I'm hoping Bill Torrent finally brings one home this year. I think he's got a good
shot.
Kit (as Birdie): Is he still racing?
Nick (as Larry): Well, I guess when you left he would have been - I don't know. He had a resurgence like really changed the game. He's he's amazing like that. He's definitely older, but there's something there. He brings it back. He's got a good team. Really strong team this year. I've always been a big fan.
Kit (as Birdie): Hmm.
Nick (as Larry): Not like that Riff Cannon. He's been out of the game for a while. Everyone always talks about he's the great, but I think Bill Torrents really where it's at.
Kit (as Birdie): Well, Zan was always a Riff Cannon fan, so uh, I'm a little biased.
Nick (as Larry): Oh, there's no accounting for taste.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] We'll have to, we'll have to go and check it out. I think Marathon you'd probably like the Xbike racing.
Penn (as Marathon): I'm sure it's cool, if not terrifying.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): You're -
Kit (as Birdie): Oh yeah.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Yeah, you are new to the city, right? You probably wouldn't know, Xbike competitions are extremely dangerous and a waste of city resources and encourage violence in young children. But it is really cool to watch.
Kit (as Birdie): It is the best entertainment the city's got.
Penn (as Marathon): Okay, that does sound sick. I think you did sell me.
Cameron (as Emma): I really want to get my hands on one of those bikes.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Well, they guard them like old tech treasures. The teams are extremely secretive and competitive, so you may have a bit of a struggle getting near one. But if you have technical questions for Winifred, you probably have enough technical knowledge that you could figure it out.
Penn: Marathon finishes a sip of her tea, and clears her throat,
Penn (as Marathon): [clears throat] Y'all - this might be a long shot. Y'all ever heard of any ice
derby, have ya?
Kit (as Birdie): [sigh]
Kit: And Birdie is going to lean forward and get her cup of tea from the coffee table and will realize that this is where the conversation is going, so she'll sit down in the chair.
Penn: Marathon under her breath whispers
Penn (as Marathon): [whispers] Perfect.
Nick (as Larry): Oh, I love ice derby.
Penn (as Marathon): Really?
Nick (as Larry): Yeah, it's a great sport. We don't have a full team here, but occasionally some of the teams from further north will come down and whenever there's an exhibition I always go. I'm really looking forward to bringing Mackenzie to her first derby match soon. I'm not sure when it'll be, but really hoping for some good father-daughter bonding time there. Maybe some father-daughter-spouse bonding time too - that'd be pretty good.
Nick: Maria smiles indulgently, but doesn't seem particularly interested in going to ice derby match.
Sydney: The front door swings open and immediately there is a call of
Sydney (as Winifred): Darling! Larry! Mackenzie! I'm home!
Sydney: And in walks Winifred.
Kit: Birdie stands up so fast that the tea sloshes out of her cup and she spins around so that she can't meet Winifred's eyes. [stressed laugh]
Sydney: Winifred is an attractive woman in her mid 30s with light skin and slightly above average height. She's got an angular face with full lips and a beauty mark on her right cheek. She's got what probably used to be fully black, long, straight hair that now has a white streak at the front and speckles of gray throughout, but all of the black is glistening iridescently with a bluish purple sheen as she turns. She's wearing a bold dark glam makeup look and a deep purple lipstick that matches the deep purple of her short nails. She is dressed in a black leather jacket over a black shirt, black pants, thigh high black boots, and a fiddler cap - a soft topped cap with a hard brim and a braided rope at the front that she is taking off and hanging on a hook near the door as she turns to see the group of people in her living room with her spouse and her spouses spouse and the hat tumbles from her fingers not having made it to the hook as she sees Birdie.
Sydney (as Winifred): [shocked] Birdie?
Kit: Birdie will turn back around and will raise her free hand because she has dropped the throw pillow by now and scratch a non existent itch at the back of her neck and says
Kit (as Birdie): [STRESSED] Oh~ hey. Hey Winifred~.
Sydney: Winifred carefully puts down the satchel that has the corner of a tablet peeking out onto the ground and then rushes over and sweeps Birdie into a full body hug.
Sydney (as Winifred): You were dead. [shocked laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): I was not. [awkward laugh] Sorry.
Sydney (as Winifred): Welcome back. Hi.
Kit (as Birdie): Hi. Um,
Sydney: And she just squeezes Birdie tighter.
Kit: Birdie's kind of in a little bit of shellshock, even though she knew that this was going to happen and she was supposed to be more well prepared than Winifred and is just squeezing Winifred into the hug and trying to turn her head so that everyone in the living room doesn't see her tearing up.
Sydney: Winifred holds Birdie close for a long time.
Kit (as Birdie): I'm sorry, I didn't come back sooner.
Sydney (as Winifred): I'm just happy you're here now.
Kit (as Birdie): [awkward laugh] Um.
Sydney (as Winifred): I see you've met the family.
Kit (as Birdie): [totally crying] Yeah yeah. You know, I um, I didn't know that Nurse Bliss had a name. [laugh] A first name I mean.
Sydney (as Winifred): Yeah, Maria.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I never - I guess I just never caught that one.
Sydney: Winifred loosens enough to let Birdie go if she wants to be let go.
Kit: Birdie will give it another second and then will step back and do a quick swipe underneath her eyes.
Kit (as Birdie): Um. Yeah, this is this is my group I'm with now. Everyone, this is Winifred, so
Sydney: Winifred gives a smile and attempts to tug the rim of her hat that she's not wearing.
Sydney (as Winifred): Hello. Winifred Bliss-Foundling.
Penn: Since Winifred stepped in, Marathon has stood a lot straighter and is once again very similar to when they met Vaus, she is kind of at attention behind the chair that Birdie was sitting on. And breaking the silence of the living room again, clears her throat.
Penn (as Marathon): [clears throat] Marathon Messenger. We're, we are part of the Patina. People who have been a group that has been working with Birdie, and we've kept her safe, ma'am. So
Kit (as Birdie): [my friends love me laugh]
Penn (as Marathon): Nice to meet you. We've heard lots of great things.
Sydney: Yeah, of course. Birdie would never tell anything but great things.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] Yup.
Sydney: And Winifred looks at the other two.
Cameron: Emma waves from where she's sitting on the couch and says
Cameron (as Emma): Hello, Winifred. My name is Emma.
Sydney (as Winifred): Hello, Emma.
Cameron (as Emma): It really has been all great things.
Sydney (as Winifred): Glad to hear it.
Sydney: And Cassidy who has swung her legs back over and is now sitting more traditionally gives a wave and goes
Sydney (as Cassidy): Hey, I'm Cassidy.
Sydney (as Winifred): Hello. You know you can sit in a chair like it's a chair and not like it's a prison.
Cameron (as Emma): [laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): [giggle]
Sydney: Cassidy relaxes and then swings one leg over the side.
Sydney (as Winifred): There you go.
Sydney: And then Winifred looks to the other three of them,
Sydney (as Winifred): How long have they been here?
Nick: Larry holds a cup of tea out to Winifred and says
Nick (as Larry): Oh, probably like 15-20 minutes. Not very long. You just uh, they just beat you here, honestly.
Sydney: Winifred takes a cup of tea.
Sydney (as Winifred): You're such a good host. Thank you for taking care of them.
Nick (as Larry): Of course. Me Casa es su casa es their their casa, I guess.
Nick: And Mackenzie does a little hiccup and then barfs down the front of her onesie and Larry goes
Nick (as Larry): Oh! Oh, geez. I got her sweetie. I got her.
Nick: He gently takes Mackenzie out of Maria's hands and says,
Nick (as Larry): I'm gonna take care of this biohazard.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]
Nick (as Larry): You you kids have fun.
Nick: And walks out of the room holding Mackenzie at arm's length in front of him.
Sydney: Winifred bends down and gives Maria a quick kiss on the lips and then says
Sydney (as Winifred): All right, so Birdie, you're not dead.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Sydney (as Winifred): And these are your friends and you're here.
Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.
Sydney (as Winifred): Do you need a room?
Kit (as Birdie): No, no. We're good. Um, we're holding up in the old - the old place in the Tower. So yeah, we saw Vaus and Nona.
Sydney (as Winifred): Oh yeah, I bet Nona had things to say.
Kit (as Birdie): I was really, really worried she was going to try and whack me one with the rolling pin like she did that one time, but I did manage to escape it. And I think I only have one cracked rib from the hug.
Sydney (as Winifred): Ah. Yes. Not from the rolling pin.
Kit (as Birdie): No. Yeah. Yeah.
Sydney: And Winifred puts down the dish and goes to sit on the armrest of the couch that Maria has on draping her arm around Maria.
Kit (as Birdie): We um, I - um [uncomfortable laugh] We wanted to come and talk to you because um, we're having an issue with some of the equipment that we have and thought you could help. And it just happened to be a great way for me to stop by and tell you I'm not dead.
Sydney (as Winifred): Wll congrats on not being dead. You have a giant scar on your arm.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's pretty cool, right? [awkward laughter] Ha ha - thank you. It's great. [clears throat]
Penn: Marathon gives a thumbs up to Birdie from the side - a very small thumbs up.
Kit (as Birdie): [whispers] Thanks Marathon.
Sydney (as Winifred): So what happened in the last seven-? I need to know what happened to you before we get to business.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh. [was really hoping to not go into it]
Sydney (as Winifred): You're family.
Kit (as Birdie): [awkward laugh] Um, well, I've been everywhere. Not everywhere everywhere, but I went to all the big seven cities. It was mostly because I didn't plan ahead and decide to get blown out of the city with a radio handy. So um, once I was able to move around enough and wasn't, you know, dying on the side of the road [uncomfortable laugh], I just I started to uh, go to the big seven so I could try and contact you guys. Um because I just didn't know if - I didn't know who made it out of that. And I guess after a little bit it became less of trying to just get a hold of everyone and trying to just live. So I did I um, I managed to get a hold of Vaus in Eagle Hill.
Sydney (as Winifred): Oh, how long ago was that?
Kit (as Birdie): A couple months ago. Maybe.
Sydney (as Winifred): They didn't say anything to me. I mean not like we're - everyone's busy.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah and Vaus is Vaus.
Sydney (as Winifred): Without Zan around to, you know, liven up the place.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. To say the least. But I didn't tell Vaus that I was coming back because I didn't know if I was. I spent like a year in every place kind of just working and getting to know other places that I've met people from here. You know, it's like the melting pot, I guess here. But yeah, and then leaving Eagle Hill I, um, I conveniently hitched a ride with Cassidy and Emma, who definitely knew I was there the whole time. And then we picked up Marathon and came here. That's that's I mean, that's it pretty much.
Sydney (as Winifred): Happy you made it back.
Kit (as Birdie): Me too.
Sydney (as Winifred): We all missed you.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. I missed all of you guys very much. [clears throat]] Yeah. [uncomfortable laugh]
Kit: Birdie is staring at everything but Winifred, and is just twitterpated and seems uncomfortable generally.
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Winifred? This girl is like a coiled spring she was so worried about how this was gonna go. She got a hug out of it, but how about a welcome tool, huh? You know that life throws you a curveball, and the only thing you can do is go with it.
Sydney (as Winifred): Well, welcome back to Sasnak. This is the Bliss abode, I guess.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Sydney (as Winifred): There's a lot of pillows.
Kit (as Birdie): There is.
Sydney (as Winifred): Maria is a very good interior decorator. Larry makes a lot of food.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]
Sydney (as Winifred): He also does a lot of the yard work. I end up being busy a lot.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, it's it's great. I'm really happy that you're happy, Winifred.
Penn (as Marathon): Do y'all want some private time?
Kit (as Birdie): Uh, I uh
Nick: From the other room, you hear
Nick (as Larry): Oh god, it's everywhere! I didn't even feed you anything green! What? How?
Nick: And Maria stands up and laughs
Nick (as Maria Bliss): [laugh] I think I'm going to go and bring him a fresh set of clothes. Well, him and Mackenzie. Winifred give me a holler if you need anything okay? I'll just be in the other room.
Sydney (as Winifred): Of course.
Nick: And she gives Winifred a big hug and then moves out of the room and you hear her say,
Nick (as Maria Bliss): Surely it's not that ba- oh, my goodness
Nick: And you know, that's bad because she's a medical professional. [laugh]
Kit (as Birdie): Uh you got a cute kid out of it too I guess. [laugh & sniff]
Sydney: Winifred gives a meaningful look at Birdie and goes.
Sydney (as Winifred): You want to take a walk?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, we can take a walk.
Sydney (as Winifred): We can - I can show you the neighborhood a little bit.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I don't think we ever went in this part of the agri-dome.
Sydney (as Winifred): A little less broken than the places we were. You guys gonna be okay?
Cameron (as Emma): We've got tea and cookies.
Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, we're fed.
Penn (as Marathon): We'll be just fine. Thank you, ma'am.
Kit (as Birdie): [thankful laugh]
Cameron (as Emma): More tea Marathon?
Penn (as Marathon): Why, of course, cordially Miss Emma.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, gosh.
Penn: Marathon as she holds her cup over gages whether she should put her pinky out and so you see it kind of folding back and forth until she halfheartedly decides that it should stick out as she holds her cup towards Emma.
Sydney (as Winifred): All right Birdie.
Sydney: Winifred goes back to pick up her cap from where it had fallen on the floor.
Sydney (as Winifred): Shall we?
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, yeah. Yep.
Kit: Birdie has by now set down her teacup on the coffee table.
Sydney (as Winifred): You can take it with you.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah you're right. Yeah, we're not like descending 25,000 steps from -
Sydney (as Winifred): No.
Kit (as Birdie): - so yeah, anyways. Um.
Kit: And she'll grab her tea and will go to rejoin Winifred.
Sydney: They head outside, leaving the rest of the Patina to their own devices.
Cameron (as Emma): More tea Cassidy?
Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm still good. It's it's pretty hot.
Sydney: They walk away and Winifred opens the small gate in the white fence to leave the yard and to get on to the small street that continues through the residential area.
Kit: Birdie will drink a little more of her tea and study Winifred out of the corner of her eye while they're walking.
Kit (as Birdie): So, how were things um after everything happened? How are you now?
Sydney (as Winifred): Um well, we - Foundlings kind of spread out. I mean, crew got smaller and a lot of heavy memories makes it hard to do the mundane stuff.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Sydney (as Winifred): So I took a job with the Forecasting Bureau.
Kit (as Birdie): Really?
Sydney (as Winifred): Yeah. Figure out where the city's going.
Kit (as Birdie): It's a good gig. [laugh]
Sydney (as Winifred): Yeah, I got a lot of applicable technical knowledge, so it ended up being a pretty good match. I'm actually doing pretty solidly.
Kit (as Birdie): I'm glad.
Sydney (as Winifred): I mean you met Vaus. They're just drowning in paperwork.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] They like that though. They always did.
Sydney (as Winifred): Yeah. I mean, the twins are settled down on their own way. I assume you'll go out and meet them.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.
Sydney (as Winifred): I can give you contact info or whatever. Maybe they'll come by. Janus is always, you know, doing their best to [laugh] bug us and keep everyone connected.
Kit (as Birdie): That's that's good, though. I'm glad.
Sydney (as Winifred): But how are you? You've been doing mercenary work? Or - it's been seven years.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. Um. Part of traveling is that you kind of have to do whatever comes to you or you got to find a group that already has a gig going for them and just latch on for a bit. So mercenary work has been where I've kind of lived I guess. It was a lot of what we did when I was still here.
Sydney (as Winifred): I mean, we didn't we didn't fight too much.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, we we had our run ins but no, I yeah, I picked up some some skills. Got to be pretty good at making bombs. Took after Zan on that one. Yeah mercenary work has just been - I like having change and spontaneity, I guess. [laugh] So I never really settled down anywhere. Tried to - didn't really go well.
Sydney: Winifred points to a building they're walking past.
Sydney (as Winifred): Well, that's the neighborhood bakery. Speaking of settling down.
Kit (as Birdie): Really?
Sydney (as Winifred): It's nice having a house even if I'm not home all the time.
Kit (as Birdie): I mean, somewhere to just come back to that's not threatening to be toppled over every time a stiff wind -
Sydney (as Winifred): Oh yeah.
Kit (as Birdie): - happens through the city. It's luxury here.
Sydney (as Winifred): And I have a wife.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, you have a family. And a really chunky baby.
Sydney (as Winifred): She's pretty cute.
Kit (as Birdie): She's so cute.
Sydney (as Winifred): She gets it from Maria, of course.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]
Sydney (as Winifred): But the how are you? How are you doing? Like, are you healthy? Are you happy?
Kit (as Birdie): Ah, I'm, I'm happy. Yeah. Patina's great. They're my my best friends. And I've gotten more comfortable with them than I have with a lot of the groups that I've been with.
Sydney (as Winifred): I mean, they seem they seem good. I'm sure I'll have more opinions later other than that, there's a lot of - once Larry leaves the room, everyone who's left is pretty good looking.
Kit (as Birdie): [laughing] Oh, gosh. Oh.
Sydney (as Winifred): Larry is a great guy. For Maria.
Kit (as Birdie): [laugh] You cannot flirt with my friends, Winifred. I'll die. That's not funny. Oh.
Sydney (as Winifred): I mean you've already died once - what's
Kit (as Birdie): What's another time?
Sydney (as Winifred): I've already gotten over it.
Kit (as Birdie): [hurt laugh] Thanks. Yeah.
Sydney: Winifred turns and gives Birdie another hug.
Sydney (as Winifred): I'm glad you're not dead.
Kit (as Birdie): No, they're, they're great. They're fantastic. We've done a lot of really cool work together. A lot of stuff that you would be interested in I think, with the Advantia, actually pretty recently.
Sydney (as Winifred): Oh~.
Kit (as Birdie): Yeah. That was weird.
Sydney (as Winifred): Yeah. Not - strong willed group that one.
Kit (as Birdie): Yup. We got - I have I mean, like I'll let you see when we get back and when Mackenzie's not in the room but I did get cool weapons from them so
Sydney (as Winifred): Yeah I'll have to see the gadgets.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh, yeah.
Sydney (as Winifred): Hear all the tales...
Kit (as Birdie): Mhm. Of how we - [trails off and laughs]
Sydney (as Winifred): But I mean things here have been, besides having to kind of put lives back together, I think we're all doing okay. I'm obviously starting to - you can see the the beginnings of aging like a fine wine.
Sydney: And Winifred runs her hand through the white streak in her hair.
Kit (as Birdie): Of course you get a cool white streak in your hair. [laugh]
Sydney (as Winifred): Yeah. Of course. You think I would age poorly?
Kit (as Birdie): Of course not. Of course not. Really though you can't flirt with my friends because Marathon has a massive crush on Cassidy.
Sydney (as Winifred): Oh, well tell me tell me all of the tales.
Kit (as Birdie): Oh my gosh. So there's this one time - well, most recently at the spa that we went to -
Nick: As Birdie and Winifred catch up over the last years, life on Sasnak Traveling rolls ever onward.
[hurdy gurdy music swells]
Outro:
Penn (as Marathon): Welcome back folks, you’re tuned to Going the Distance: Traveler’s Guide on road dial 1558. That’s a wrap on today’s log and we’re set to loop after these considerations.
Further detail for the following is cataloged in the show notes.
This has been A Knight of Shreds and Patches, an actual play podcast using the Genesys game system from Fantasy Flight Games. The show is edited by Sydney Whittington, and features the talents of:
Kit Adames as Birdie. Kit can be found on Twitter and Instagram @ venusvultures. Kit is also a voice actor for Elevator Pitch Podcast, a queer genre-hopping anthology podcast that can be accessed on Spotify and YouTube.
Penn Van Batavia as Marathon. She can be found on Twitter @ acquiredchaste and in drag as horror king JOHN on Instagram @ john.is.risen. Penn is an indie TTRPG designer whose most recent work includes SLICE IT OUT, a grisly carving RPG about cutting pieces of yourself out to fit in. Check out faer other work at pennharper.itch.io.
Sydney Whittington as Cassidy. Sydney can be found on our Discord server, which is linked in the show notes, and on Twitter @ sydney_whitt. She’s also a contributing editor and occasional guest player for the Orpheus Protocol, a cosmic horror espionage actual play podcast.
Cameron Robertson as Emma. Cameron can be found on Twitter @ midnightmusic13 and on Instagram @ reading_and_dreaming. Cameron is also a player on Tabletop Squadron, a Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play podcast.
And Nick Robertson as narrator. Nick can be found on Twitter @ alias58. Nick is also the GM for Tabletop Squadron. Nick can also be found as a player on the Orpheus Protocol.
This podcast features the musical talents of Dora Violet and Arne Parrott. You can find Dora at facebook.com/doraviolett. You can find Arne at atptunes.com.
The official artwork for this podcast was created by Rashed AlAkroka, who can be found on Instagram and Artstation @ rashedjrs.
You can follow the Patina on Twitter @ akosap_podcast or visit the website: www.akosap.com. To further support the show, consider joining the Patreon at www.patreon.com/AKoSaP, where we’ll be bringing you weekly content including bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.
Until you tune back…
…stay bold and stay kind