T.O.T.S.- The Bully Problem - The Script

ACT 1: Scene 1

NARRATOR: Pip never felt so scared and worried in his whole life like this before. The dark and the past didn't mean so much to him until now. Why was he feeling like this? Having all of this inside his head was scaring him. He wanted to talk to someone but he didn't know how to say what was on his mind...

PIP: (walking beside freddy) Hey, Freddy? (on the inside, feeling so lost and scared)

FREDDY: (glancing down at pip from his smoothie) Yeah, Pip? (noticing that pip has been walking in some kind of trance, made him feel worried sick)

PIP: This is probably going to sound crazy... (trailed off, wringing his flippers)

FREDDY: (puts a wing on pip's shoulder as they walk) It's okay, Pip. You're my best feathered friend. I'll listen.

PIP: (nodded) You remember yesterday?

FREDDY: Yeah. That was exciting. (smiles thinking about it)

PIP: Well... (started thinking of how he was going to say what was on his mind but decided against it) Never mind. It's a stupid question.

NARRATOR: Freddy's eyebrows furrowed. Pip never left off like that. He was pretty sure that, whatever Pip needed to tell him, it was bothering him very much, and he needed to talk about it.

NARRATOR: Suddenly, an announcement came over the loudspeakers before the two friends could go further in their conversation.

PAULIE: (over the speakers) All fliers, report to the hangar. All fliers, report to the hangar. (squawks, then the announcement is over)

PIP: (after hearing the announcement, starts belly sliding) Well, we'd better get going. (heads to the hanger, freddy flies after)

NARRATOR: Pip quickly got himself in the crowd. He usually stayed by Freddy's side, but this time, he wanted to be far from him. Why should the question of the dark be keeping him up at night? And why couldn't he bring himself to ask Freddy about it? He just needed a moment to clear his head. Whatever this was, it would go away. He probably didn't get enough sleep. Or maybe he was still in some sort of shock or something after yesterday's fiasco.

CAPTAIN BEAKMAN: (appeared on the balcony, glancing around for telltale blobs of color that were not storks, but her only non-stork fliers. freddy, kc, and krysia were all easy to find but pip took some looking for) All right, fliers. I have a special announcement. (moved aside and allowed someone to step next to her) We have a new flier joining our team. A new non-stork. This is Hunter. (an orange hawk stood next to her, looking down at them from the balcony)

NARRATOR: Freddy and KC shared a quick look. This was strange, but hey. At least they wouldn't be the only non-storks. The meeting adjourned, and Freddy grabbed KC before she could walk away.

KC: What is it, Freddy? I have some little nuggets who are ready for their naps.

FREDDY: (waved his wings) I know. I'm just worried.

KC: About what?

FREDDY: About Pip. He wanted to tell me something, but then he stopped, and took off.

NARRATOR: Krysia showed up to him and KC. Freddy explained what Pip said, Krysia stood with a concerning look and KC stroked her chin.

KC: Strange. I'll go talk to him.

NARRATOR: Pip walked toward the exit, hoping to get some fresh air and clear his head. Why did he keep thinking about the dark, and why did this bother him so much? Why couldn't he talk to Freddy? Let alone, anyone!? He jumped and turned around when he heard an unfamiliar voice from behind him.

HUNTER: Hey? (standing behind pip, head tipped to one side) Are you Mr. Woodbird?

PIP: (laughed) No. I'm Pip. I'm a flier, just like you. (pointed at hunter with a flipper) Mr. Woodbird is probably in his office, down that hall.

HUNTER: (nodded) How come you're here?

PIP: (frowned, looking confused) Huh?

HUNTER: Penguin's don't fly.

PIP: (realized what he said) ... Oh! I'm Freddy's partner. I do the mapping and he does the flapping. He has trouble reading maps.

HUNTER: (nodded in consideration) Sounds like, without you, he'd never get anywhere.

PIP: (blinked before seeing this joke of hunter's) Oh, I guess so. He tried it yesterday, and ended up hanging on the antenna. I had to save him.

HUNTER: I wonder what would've happened if Freddy hadn't been here? (walked away slyly, leaving the penguin to wonder.)

NARRATOR: Pip wandered outside, and sat on the grass, far from the runway. Now, he had something else to think about. Penguin's only existed in Iceberg Alley. That was the big reason he wanted to do something great. He didn't want to be just another penguin on the bottom of the world, where no other creature bothered with them. As long as they stayed there, penguin's weren't a big deal. Pip had wanted to be different. It was a scrap of luck that Freddy had been there. Without Freddy, he would've been turned down flat. Freddy only needed him because he couldn't read the map. Why was he thinking about this? It didn't matter. He was here, and he has good friends. It didn't matter what was in the past.

KC: Hey, Pip?

PIP: (startled, and turned around, a very concerned koala was standing behind him) Oh... hey, KC.

KC: (made pip sit down and sat beside him) Pip, Freddy told me and Krysia what happened. Is there anything you want to talk about?

PIP: (thought for a moment) Well...this never crossed my mind before. (pauses, trying to think of how to explain) It's just...it feels weird, like 'why am I thinking about this now?' It popped out of the blue, and it's kind of...bothering me.

KC: (nodded) Well, the mind is a funny thing. Something must have triggered...whatever you're thinking about. If it doesn't seem like a big deal, you shouldn't think about it too much.

PIP: I'm trying, but it keeps coming back!

KC: (smiled) Well, Pip. We're here if you want to talk. Anything else?

NARRATOR: Pip pondered for a moment. There was suddenly a lot he wanted to talk about, but KC was right. The dark, and the past-they weren't a big deal. He didn't need to concern himself with that.

PIP: Thanks, KC.

KC: (smiled, and gave him a hug) Anytime, Pip.

NARRATOR: The rest of the day went like normal. Pip occasionally thought about this again, but he brushed it off. It wasn't a big deal. Freddy kept quiet about it, so Pip wouldn't get all confused again. He didn't want to upset Pip any further. But when Pip went to bed that night, it all came rushing back.