Episode 46 - Teeth

## Teeth

A side view of a white wolf skull with its mouth open. In its mouth is a shining red ring.

### Author

William A. Wellman

Olivier brings the thunder, Bern says goodbye, and Yaretzi tastes blood. The theme of tonight's episode is Teeth.

***Content Warnings:** Abuse, Animal death, Violence, Death + Injury, Blood, Transphobia, Homophobia, Guns, Strangulation, Misgendering, Emotional Manipulation, Body Horror, Consumption of Inedible Materials, Electrocution, Religious Violence, Evangelism, Character Death, and Teeth.*

## Intro - Little Sharp Things

Nikignik narrates an individual with sharp teeth. All their life this person has been mocked for their teeth, smaller than normal and sitting too far apart in their mouth. They remind themself that if it wasn't their teeth, then people would find something else to make fun of them for, but this is little comfort for the cruelty. But one day, they realise that they will not have to put up with their jeering forever, and over the years, those who ridiculed fade away, as do the words they said, and the individual is left alone with their teeth, and they like their teeth, there is no shame in them. They were a little different, but now the world was a little different too.

Nikignik looks down at Solomon Reed's house, observing the scene bellow. He is joined by Olivier Song, who prepares to show Solomon that they are capable of biting back.

## Story One - I Am The Thunderstorm

Olivier floats over the top of Solomon's house, watching the events of A Funeral Boquet take place (see Episode 45 - Tombs), and in time with Solomon's refusal to cooperate, they strike his house with lightning, sending him flying and setting its roof on fire. This is proceeded by the sounding of war trumpets from the others attending (see Episode 40 - Graves), as well as whistles, bellowing beasts, car horns, drums, and primal screams, all sounding off form those who live within the Hallowoods. Solomon retreats back into his house, and Olivier strikes the house again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, rendering Solomon's roof splinters, yet Solomon still does not leave his house as the Scoutpost's combat scouts begin to further infiltrate his property.

Olivier is then attacked by Dogsmell. They begin to prepare for a fight with it; but stop when they spot Clara Martin also hovering on her broomstick. She apologises for Dogsmell, and asks them what was happening. They tell her that "[her] *new boss [was] going to get wiped off the face of the earth*" and to tell The Director to add this to her record (see Downing Hill Public Library and Episode 15 - Cards). Clara tells them that this wasn't going to happen if she could help it, and dives down into Solomon's burning house. Olivier observes their surroundings, seeing that it was early morning and that the rest of the gatherers are begun swarming Solomon's house. Olivier pulls back the storm and allows the wind to stir in order to feed the flams engulfing the house. And then Solomon, having had time to gather his instruments, re-amerges from his house and goes on the attack.

### Interlude - Party Crashers

Nikignik tells the reader about a localised storm warning that had been in effect for about five miles in any direction form Solomon Reed's house, and to expect furious winds, and rain like tears shed for no reason. They also tell the dreamer that if they were in that area, they might notice the surrounding woods being more occupied then normal, those doing the occupying with great antlers, rows of sharp teeth, or eyes of unlit stars were there to witness or participate in the end of the Instrumentalist. Some of these denizens had invited themselves in hope of feasting on the pending carnage and relates the dreamers to this telling them that if they'd ever thrown a party, they'd know this sort of attendee. Even The Hallowoods themselves were growing rowdy, tightening their grip on Solomon's house, getting ready to snap.

## Story Two - Words For A Goodbye

Bern Keene thinks to herself that she has a good sense for death; that it wasn't a cosmic thing, just that sometimes she said goodbye to people, and knew it would be the las time doing so. And as she wishes Violet Keene a fair well withing the tunnel of trees leading to Solomon's house, she fears that she will never get to say it again. Violet tells her to be safe and tells her to go get him [Solomon], before Bern, along with Hector Mendoza and the combat Scouts, head off to join Olivier, emerging onto the premiss just as Olivier lets loose one of their bolts of lightning. Hector call of that Solomon had retreated into his house, and Berne tells him that they should have had Scouts "in the back" by then, so he wouldn't be able to escape. Berne notices as 'Walt's friends" begin to arrive, having a Deer the size of a double decker bus with glowing antlers step out beside her, as well as The Countess, Ricou Chapman (presumably being joined by Nolan Thair), and Big Mikey. She looks around for Riot Maidstone and Diggory Graves, but is unable to identify them withing the crowed.

Solomon comes out of his house, having gathered his instruments, and begins attacking. He calls out to them that they'd done him a service, as now he didn't have to go all the way to the Scoutpost to kill them. Bern watches as Solomon sends one of his ghosts directly upwards to go after Olivier. She is then attacked by a ghost whose ribs and hips had been strung together like a terrible facsimile of a harp, with the other ghosts ruching forward and beginning to tear into the crowed. The Harp ghost grabs and pick Bern up by her neck, but she grabs one of Walt's daggers and staps it in the hand, causing to shriek in pain, but instead of dropping her it tightens its grip, piercing her skin with its nails and causing her to pass out.

### Marketing - Perfect Smile

Lady Ethel Mallory interrupts Nikignik with her Marketing segment. She tells the listeners, that at this point in their marketing program their braces should have been removed and their 'pearly whites' should be ready for the world. They might think that they live in a sophisticated world, but nowhere was the cruelty of nature more prevalent than in the world of business, as it was eat others or be eaten. A smile could be used as a weapon, as when one smiles at another, they are telling them to kneel and let them dine one their flesh. This was why Ethel is always smiling, and why the world kneels to her. But the listener shouldn't worry, as they were a Botco marketing employee, and thus a winning animal.

### Story Two, Continued

Bern quickly regains consciousness, looking around at the battlefield around her, and then at the ghost above her, just in time for it to be shot with a silver bullet by Hector, who asks if she was okay as he approaches her and Jackie and Hidie (see Hector Mendoza) begin licking her face. He helps her up and she thanks him. Bern once again surveys the surrounding chaos, Olivier's storm in full swing, Big Mikey swatting at ghosts that clung to him like ants and the Scouts falling all around her as ghosts tore into their flesh and souls. She hears a high-pitched note and the pillar clear of rain encapsulating Solomon's house disappears, allowing the storm to put out the fire. She looks up to find Solomon, who calls out at them having turned his own ward against him. Bern picks up her crossbow and aims it at Solomon, telling him to give up, that he could stop 'this all' right then. He tells her that he intended to, telling her that this was all for her own good. He summons another ghost that comes charging at her, but she jumps out of the way, injuring her shoulder in the process.

Solomon continues scolding Bern, telling her that she'd been the one to lead all these people to his house after all their years spend running. He asks her if she'd thought God wouldn't find her there, that they could escape their sin. He tells her that God at put him there to remind them all that the wages of sin was death. He raises his conductor's wand, presumably to have one of his ghosts kill her, but he moves too slow, and she shoots him with a broad head arrow, which he yanks free, unaware of it being a broadhead and thus opening his wound even more. He draws his wand back again, but is stopped by Percy Reed, who calls out to him to stop. Solomon acknowledges him, and Bern looks on, joined by who she notes to be a person made of smoke and a woman warped in shadow. Solomon begins to berate his son, telling him that he'd told him that he'd try listen to him, that he'd try to understand (see Episode 28 - Threads), and Percy tells him that he had, that he understood now, he understood now that his father was afraid, afraid of people, of God, of the outside world; but he didn't have to be. Percy had seen the world, he knew these people, and he'd never seen anything so good. He pleads with his dad to stop hurting them. Solomon goes quiet, Bern hoping that he'd give up then and there, but then he speaks up again, anouncing that he was not afraid, for although he walked in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, he shall fear no evil. That he who loved his life will lose it, but he who hates his life in this world will gain life eternal, telling Percy not to worry, because he [Percy] would gain life eternal that morning. Solomon continues his attack on the Scoutpost.

### Interlude - Those With Many Teeth

Nikignik tells the dreamers that space was a hungry thing, and that it was filled with many teeth. That they should avoid it if they could, despite their early dreams of reaching the stars - with even now, a dozen or so Botco employees were drifting in orbit - humanities fate had already been sealed. But they did well, for not really having any help. Sure, Syrensyr had pulled a few strings, but no one had given them any major boons or aids. He comments of how humans had only one face and actual jelly eyes. But space, space was made for the intangible, the ascended, those with many teeth, and those unspeakable things dwell freely between the stars. Before humans go trying to meet them, it would be best they work out their own appetites for destruction first.

## Story Three - Death Is A Hungry Wolf

Yaretzi, Polly, and Mort vorpal through the emptiness between worlds (see Polly Known Abilities) into Solomon's dining room. Yaretzi asks where they were, but Polly tells her that it wasn't going to matter in a moment instructing Mort to close his eyes, which Mort responds by telling him that he didn't know how. Polly uses his cane to ignite a ring of fire around them, allowing it to burst out and set ablaze the room around them to Yaretzi's joy and laughter, watching as it smashed the remainder of the windows and caused the support beams to buckle. Polly announces that they should go fin Solomon, quite literally skipping through the fire to the front door, followed by Yaretzi and Mort. They open the door to see the chaos of the battlefield outside, and the rainstorm that Olivier had summoned beginning to dissipate.

Mort asks Polly if he could help fight the ghosts, and Polly tells him that seeing as that was why Mort was there (among other things), he could go ahead. Mort immediately rushes forward and begins to massacre that which was already dead, and Yaretzi wipes a proud tear from her eye. She looks up to see Polly having also joined the fight, and the house now a pillar of fire despite the residue rain. Solomon acknowledges Polly's presence, calling out to him that he'd returned (see Episode 36 - Swords), to which Polly responds that he was feeling better than ever, and throwing a fireball. Solomon covers his face incorrectly assuming that he'd been the subject of aim, only to re-compose himself and see in horror that it'd been his instruments that Polly had been aiming at, sufficiently destroying many of them and vanquishing the ghosts tied to them. Solomon roars in rage at this, and Yaretzi jumps at him, tearing her claws into him.

## Outro - Teeth

Nikignik talks to the Dreamers of Teeth. Calling them [teeth] griding and unpleasant, and that the more one thought about them the more uncomfortable they became. Tooth pain was a personal thing, festering like a soul and jabbing its host with pain when they least expected it; both worsen from lack of care, cavities growing black and becoming worn away. And in the end, sometimes the only thing one could do was an extraction, cutting out the offending hurt by its roots, leaving only an empty feeling, for some time: but that too would fade. Nikignik says that they do not miss having teeth, that they always found them unpleasent.

##### Till next time dreamers:

"Until next time dreamers, make sure to brush your teeth twice a day. One of them is an imposter, and the attention will drive it out eventually."