Episode 113 - Others

## Others

A black background with a white border resembling a needle and thread. Within the border three watchtowers depicted in red can be seen, one in the centre in the foreground, and two on either side of it in the background. White specks resembling snow surround them. Bellow this image but still within the border the words "113.OTHERS" are depicted in white

### Author

William A. Wellman

Cindy waits for her shot, Marco meets more bureaucracy, and Clementine prevents a departure. The theme of tonight’s episode is Others.

> ***Content warnings**: Abuse, Ableism, Animal death (birds, Heidi as usual, Beast as usual), Violence, Birds, Gun Mention, Emotional Manipulation, Religious Violence*
>
>

## Intro - Not Human

Nikignik speaks to the Dreamers of someone living through the period after the Night of Black rains, Botco drones seeking out people to take to Dreaming Boxes, friends, family, and neighbours becoming mutated by the black water. they think that they are human and those around them are no longer, and so they leave and journey to The Hallowoods.

Nikignik resides in the North most Hallowoods with the expedition shortly after Jonah Duckworth's departure in Episode 112 - Watchers.

## Story 1 - What We Started

Diggory Graves approaches Cindy Lockheart while she sat with her sniper rifle waiting for the potential appearance of the Faceless King (see Episode 110 - Walks). They tell hr that they were sorry, and she scolds them for interrupting her. They tell her that they understood this, but in the case that things went wrong they wanted the chance to tell her that they were sorry for existing. That they understood why it was painful for her to look at them (see Rizwana Mirza), and if it was in their power to undo themself and bring the people they were made from (see crew of the Ruth Esther Barns), they would. She tells them that they were not the one she wanted an apology from. She wanted an apology from Rizwana, for not telling her about her deal with Irene Mend, for leaving her sleeping when she left to go on her mission (see Episode 61 - Protectors), for leaving her alone. Cindy tells Diggory that they seemed more intelligent than the other Mendies. She tells them that she'd lived in a world where her fellow humans were trying to market them into insanity and lock them in silver boxes (see Botulus Corporation), and when her friends died, they came crawling back (see Revenants). It was hard for her to look at them, and Percy Reed, and Mort, and Big Mikey, and not see that.

Diggory tells Cindy that for a while they had worried that no one would be able to see past their outward appearance, or that beneath them they were empty, but the more time they spend finding people, the more they found themself. They tell her that she may find the same. She tells them that she would try this, following this by asking what was taking Jonah Duckworth so long (see Episode 112 - Watchers). Just as she asks this, Heidi returns, running out of the forest, being chased by Beast. Cindy prepares to shoot it.

### Interlude 1 - Old Prejudice

Nikignik tells the Dreamers that in the early days of the Hallowoods travellers had brought many things. Children, parents, close friends, weapons, equipment, food, vehicles, and temporary shelters. Unfortunately, they also brought their prejudices with them, harder to leave behind. They were illogical, unseen, and had to make themselves known before they could be unlearned. But there was nothing like a few decades of solace and survival to make one reexamine their beliefs about the world.

## Story 2 - How's Italy

Marco Torres tells Violet Keene that him and Brooklyn Williams not being allowed on the Scoutpost Two planning comity because of them being ex-Botco employees was ridiculous. He tells them that they were capable of helping out. Bern Keene tells them that they appreciated their enthusiasm, but Boto had hurt the Scoutpost, so they could understand that hesitation in putting some of their higher-level employees in charge. Brooklyn reminds them that if Botco ever found her and Marco they'd probably kill them, that they'd risked alot to be there. Violet tells them to give it time. Marco and Brooklyn leave the Scoutpost leadership office, and Marco asks Brooklyn if there were any other communities they could try living in, as he was sensing some hostility. Brooklyn makes a joke about the Scoutpost having to update their intro pamphlets to include a warning about being interrogated by a sexagenarian with a loaded crossbow. The two bad mouth the Scoutpost and its treatment of them for a bit, before it begins to snow, and they decide to watch it for a bit.

They head towards one of the watch towers, and Brooklyn answers Marco's previous question of other communities they could live at, stating that the nearest First Nations (see Webequie First Nation) was almost seventy miles away, and they wouldn't be welcome at Dreaming Box Polaris. Marco asks about Fort Freedom, and Brooklyn confesses that she didn't know much about them. Marc suggests that they might be nicer then the Scoutpost. They reach the top of the look out and find Buck Silver, who'd clearly been crying. They all ignore this, and Marco asks Buck what he'd though of Fort Freedom (see Buck Silver).

### Marketing - Nevada

Lady Ethel Mallory interrupts Nikignik's broadcast with her 'Marketing' segment. She announces that she'd finally arrived in Navada, and reflects on her journey, saying that she didn't need Botco to be Lady Ethel Mallory as she was someone who could do things on her own. She says that there would be more states to get to after Navada, but she was trying not to think of that as it'd taken forever to get to this one. She crosses the state line and wishes California - and everything in it - goodbye.

### Story 2, Continued - How's Italy

Buck tells them that he wouldn't recommend Fort Freedom, moving so that all three of them could sit together. Brooklyn tells him about how they hadn't been allowed to take on any work of notable capacity around the Scoutpost because they were ex-Botco employees. Buck relates to this, saying that he was still being outcasted himself. He gives a summary of the fight between the Scoutpost and Fort Freedom (see Episode 85 - Roots). He talks about how the Scoutpost treated him better then Fort Freedom had. Marco states that this took Fort Freedom off their list of places, and Brooklyn asks how long Buck had been a lookout for. He tells them a week or two, he'd been in the kitchen before by Cookery Potts had kicked him out.

Buck asks what they were doing in the Hallowoods, and Brooklyn explains to him how they'd met, Marco explains to him why they'd left Botco, and Brooklyn tells him that they were in the Hallowoods because it was the one place on the continent that Botco didn't care to reach. Buck mentions that he'd always wated to go traveling, see some place like Italy. He asks Marco and Brooklyn if they thought the Italians were okay, Marco says that he doubted it, but wasn't entirely sure as the rest of the world hadn't joined Botco like the USA had. Brooklyn suggests that they could go to Italy some time, and Buck tells them to let him know if they did as he could use a change in scenery. Marco agrees with this.

### Interlude 2 - All Things Indescribable

Nikignik tells the Dreamers that he had spoken at length of many of his peers in the Council of Heavens. He tells them that they should not think that just because they were the only ones who were mentioned that they should think there was only a small quantity of Indescribable life. The Council assigned domains to a select few, but the number of organisms that meet that description of Indescibables as Nikignik had put it were as numerous as the stars themselves.

## Story 3 - Don't Go

Clementine Maidstone talks to Danielle O'Hara while she practices her fine motor skills via cutting up dried leaves with scissors about how the expedition had been going. Danielle tells her about Big Mikey (see Episode 107 - Absences), but she hadn't been able to get a hold of Riot Maidstone the night prior. Clementine asks if Danielle was keeping Violet and Bern up to date with all this, and Danielle tells her that she was, asking if she was worried about Riot. Clementine tells her that she wasn't as Riot could take care of herself, she just wanted to know if there was anything she should be telling Valerie Maidstone. Clementine tells her that she was going to go and check up on her mum, and leaves. She heads to Valeries cabin, where she hears things being moved around inside. She enters and finds Valerie packing. Valerie asks for Clementine to shut the door, and Clementine asks what she was packing for. Valerie tells her that she thought she was fucked up as a parent, going into a brief rant about how no one had been around to help her be a mum before telling Clementine that she was going after Riot.

Clementine asks if there was any particular reason for this, and Valerie tell her that she'd just wanted them being together to have lasted longer (see Episode 106 - Departures), that she was worried Riot might die, and die thinking she hated her. She tells her that she should have gone with them in the first place. Clementine asks her to please not go. She tells her that not talking to Riot the week before she left was messed up of her, but she could apologise when she got back, reminding her that Riot knew more about the creatures of the Hallowoods then anyone (see Walt's Almanac). Valerie expresses worry that she may never see Riot again (see Everlyn Fry), but Clementine tells her that she needed her with her, that if Riot wasn't coming back then there wasn't any point in Valerie joining her. Valerie stops packing and tells her that it wasn't fair that she was going to fail one of her daughters no matter what she did. Clementine tells her that was just how parenting worked, and Valerie remarks that Clementine was wise beyond her years, Clementine thanks her, telling her that she got it from the best.

## Outro - Others

Nikignik waxes poetics about others, telling the Dreamers how simple it would be if they only had themselves to worry about. But alas, they were not alone in the jaunt of life, and the actions they took sent ripples through the lives of others like stones skipped across a dark pool. How were they to live alongside their brethren and form any kind of peace with them, to fulfil themself and those around them at once? Thwart the laws of physics to only give and never take. These were questions for the Dreamers to worry about, as his own aspirations were much larger, and hoped to ensure the presence of others at all.