Episode 101 - Disciplines

## Disciplines

A black background with a white squiggly border that ends in the top right at what may be a white piece of chalk, as it if were drawing the border. Within the border there are two structures present, in the foreground a traditional church depicted in red, and in the background a more contemporary structure that vaguely mimics the shape of the chapel, depicted in white. Bellow the drawings but still within the border the words "101.DISCIPLINES" are depicted in white

### Author

William A. Wellman

Russell runs away, Mrs. Wicker goes to church, and Cindy finishes her recruiting. The theme of tonight's episode is Disciplines

> ***Content warning**:* *Child Abuse, Ableism, Al has no skin as usual, Religious Violence, Death + Injury, Blood, Misogyny, Transphobia, Homophobia, Gun Mention, Emotional Manipulation, Bugs, Animal Death (a worm), Body horror, Old Men Talking About The Old Testament*
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## Intro - Spare The Rod

Nikignik narrates to the Dreamers someone who was raised by the saying "*Spare the rod, spare the child*", initially they fought for their siblings, but pain took their words way. It was not until later, kneeling in front of a portrait of a crucified man they understood that pain was how to banish wickedness. Later, when they have children of their own, and their son has just thrown a rock at his sister, they remember "*Spare the rod, spare the child*".

Nikignik lingers at the top of the gates of Scoutpost Two, watching as Russell McGowan sneaks out with Al Buckley's drum into the Hallowoods.

## Story 1 - To Keep A Friend

Russell McGowan leaves Scoutpost Two (see Episode 94 - Milestones) with Al Buckley's drum and makes his way to the dead Watching Tree Mr. Friendly had taken him too in Episode 32 - Automobiles. Russell asks if anyone had seen them, and Al tells him that no one was following, and that Zelda Duckworth wouldn't notice the card missing. Russell expresses that he hoped Downing Hill was close enough that they could get there and back again before school at the Scoutpost let out, before looking down to find that the library card had his name written on it and was instructing him to go north. Al comments that maybe once he started learning at Downing Hill, he could understand how the card worked, but Russell reminds him that he wasn't going to be learning at Downing Hill, they were just going for a quick look and them going back home.

Al asks him if he was scared, and Russell asks why he would be, he want into the forest all the time, he had three wildlife safety badges, and knife skills, and survival, and how to fight a hundred evil birds (see Episode 77 - Rebels). Al points of that the latter was not a real badge, and that the birds weren't evil, they were helpful, people called him evil and he wasn't. Russell apologises and admits to being '*a little spooked*'. They start to walk into the forest, Al telling him that he could hide behind him if he got scared. Russell tells him that it was a '*fat chance*' of him doing this, thinking to himself that if he got to keep Al as a friend he would walk to the ends of the earth.

### Interlude 1 - Survival Or Not

Nikignik tells the Dreamers that survival required constant vigilance, keep an eye on those around them, manage their resources. Negligence could run the risk of destruction, danger lurked at every turn and they must remain one step ahead of the unknowable future. Not surviving was much simpler, they could become a sleeper, think not even of resting, for nothing of them remained at all. Unfortunately, a side effect of not surviving is that they could no longer influence the world around them, and if they left it as it was, it would not be any easier for the next person who came along.

## Story 2 - Churches Old And New

Mrs. Wicker travels through the Hallowoods alone, keeping to the outskirts as to abide by her agreement with the Scoutpost in Episode 91 - Orders. She comes to a clearing, much alike the one that Solomon Reed's house was in pre Episode 47 - Regrets, within which two structures reside, one a sleep modern construction of sleek wood and black glass, and the other a traditional chapel. She puts away the letter she'd received in Episode 96 - Horizons, which she had been referencing for direction, and is greeted by The Vicar who stood in the clearing awaiting her arrival. He welcomes her to the Church of the Hallowed Name, that he was glad she could make it. She asks why she had been invited, and he tells her that she had demonstrated qualities of character that were agreeable to the congregation. While they didn't turn away people, they did look for likeminded spirits. He invites her for a tour of the ground, but she tells him that it was okay, asking if the invitation had been just for her. He tells her it was, that they took things case-by-case, and she asks if she could bring her children. He suggests that she come to the first service alone, in time they could introduce them.

The Vicar begins his tour leading her into the modern church, and she asks him how they had the buildings. He answers that they church had a long history and many resources at their disposal. He tells her that the new church was built just over 20 years ago, but she cuts him off asking if they worshiped Jesus, of if they were one of those churches who praised a false doctrine. He tells her that they church was more devoted to 'the original scripture' then most and was dedicated to fighting blasphemy. She tells him that she still didn't understand why this place existed, and he tells her that he would be happy to elaborate, though they should talk in the old chapel.

### Marketing - Highlands Graveyard

Lady Ethel Mallory interrupts Nikignik's broadcast with her 'marketing' segment. She tells the listeners that she'd walked an found she'd walked to a place. She used to do that all the time before her life was run on a schedule. She tells Brooklyn Williams that if she could hear the broadcast, she hoped the Stonemaids had discovered what a scheming rodent she was (see Episode 75 - Loyalties). The ocean had risen almost to the edge of the graveyard she was sitting in. It looked delicious, but she couldn't drink it and she didn't know were she was going to get her concentrate of black water from, and she was already feeling the withdrawal effects (see Lady Ethel Mallory).

### Story 2, Continued - Churches Old And New

Mrs. Wicker finds a large pipe organ takes up the entire back wall of the Old chapel (see Episode 16 - Crowns). The Vicar sees her staring at it, and asks if she liked it, telling her that it had been built by a past member of their congregation (see Solomon Reed), though it was not finished. Kellyanne expresses that the work was extraordinary, though she was not familiar with the layout. He asks if she was an organ player, and she tells him that she'd used to sing in church and lay the piano for Bob Wicker during his sermons. The Vicar tells her that since his passing (see Episode 47 - Regrets) the church had been short an Instrumentalist, that she might fill those shoes.

Kellyanna asks if Solomon had been a good man, and is told that he'd been a devoted scholar, but had stolen from the church (see Al Buckley). He says that he still missed his conversation from time to time, and hoped he'd made peace with God before he'd died. She asks how he'd died, and he tells her that he'd been killed by the Scoutpost, as well as that Kellyanne's attempts to get the Scoutpost to seek salvation was what had drawn the church's attention to her, asking her to become a part of the lord's army. She tells him that she was not a soldier, but he tells her that in the army of the lord a song was a weapon. She asks how one became a part of their church, he tells her that there would be a ceremony, an icebreaker to introduce her to the others, and she'd be baptised. She tells him that she'd already been baptised, but he tells her it was symbolic of her starting a new chapter, and all the sins of her past would be washed away, as they were all equal and pure in the eyes of God. He tells her to try not to be too frightened by any overly familiar faces, and maybe they'd get to hear some of her piano. She tells him that she was happy to join his church.

### Interlude 2 - The Craft of Dream

Nikignik tells the Dreamers that when he'd first stepped into the universe his eyes had been alight with the endless potential of things to do and places to see. It was not soon after that he was told this was not the case. That he was good for guarding the gates of eternity, and it really was an honour to be bestowed such a responsibility, and to do it without compliant. He was lucky that he had left and learnt under Zazzlezazz the grift of dream, for dreams were beautiful to him, and not it was how he spoke to them.

## Story 3 - Last On The List

Cindy Lockheart prepares for her and those who volunteered's departure from Scoutpost Two in less than 72 hrs, going through a list of things she had to do before she left. She approaches Leyland Blooms as they worked in garden bed, and they greet her without looking up from their work. She asks them if they were Leyland Blooms, and they tell her that they were, pointing out that one of Diggory Graves past selves had known Cindy. Cindy takes offence to Rizwana Mirza being referred to as such but doesn't say anything, asking where Diggory was (see Episode 99 - Sentries). They tell her that they did not know, and if that was her only question for them, they would return to their gardening. She asks them if they had any plans for what they were doing during the winter, and they tell her that they were going to plan next year's garden. She tells them they could come with them on the expedition (see Episode 96 - Horizons), but they tell her they had no interest in doing so.

She attempts to guilt the, stating that Diggory was going and asking if they'd let them go into danger alone. Leyland flatly tells her that they would not be alone, but she points out that if everyone else died they would be. Leyland simply restates that they would not be alone, as none of them ever were. She tells them that she was asking them to join her mission, but they tell her that they already had their mission, to grow and nourish the soil, it was what they were made for and all the pieces of them agreed upon it. Diggory's work was their own, and they would complete it with, or without Cindy. Cindy accepts this and leaves.

## Outro - Disciplines

Nikignik waxes poetics about disciplines. He tells the Dreamers that he preferred to reserve violence for his enemies, who he shall devour in a fit of blood-hungry rage, or transfix them with his nightmarish gaze, or set them to light in crimson flame. But were he to take another under his wing, as Zazzlezazz once took him, he did not think he would be as strict as he was, did not believe any good practice or instruction of method was worth bringing harm upon those he taught. Those battles he overcame with words, for he had many of them, and he trust that in time the Dreamers would learn to understand the significance of the details he instructed to them: thought they had already begun to.