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

ACT 3: Scene 7

NARRATOR: Hunter left the office, boiling mad. Captain Beakman had surely read him the riot act. It wasn't like all this was his fault. She was the one who believed him in the first place. He wandered out onto the track, and flapped a few laps around T.O.T.S, hoping to clear his head, and rid himself of his anger. He glanced down, and saw the very thing he hoped to see. Pip was standing at the edge of the cliff, looking out into the sky. Hunter settled himself on the roof to watch the performance.

NARRATOR: Pip didn't dare glance down. He knew if he did, he'd have second thoughts. But, this was the end. It will all be over soon. No more waste of perfectly good oxygen. Hunter coming here was a sign. It had to be. A sign that he was forever and always a mistake. He jumped, before he could think about it anymore. And landed with a thump.

JP: (catches pip on his back) Okay! We've got him!

NARRATOR: Pip opened his eyes, and looked down. He was on JP's back, with Bodhi and Ava on either side of him. He didn't bother to fight this time. He knew he wasn't going anywhere. The trio of storks brought Pip back to the top of the cliff, where concerned Captain Beakman was waiting, alongside KC, Freddy, and Krysia, all three had looks of worry. Once Pip was safely on the ground, the three rushed forward and enveloped him in a hug.

KC: Oh, Pip! Why didn't you tell us?! (sobbed against pip)

PIP: I... I don't know. (feeling sad still, letting his friends hug him but not wanting to hug back)

NARRATOR: Freddy had fallen asleep at last, only to wake up with Pip's note attached to his face. Not a note, though. A journal entry. The rest of the journal was sitting on Pip's bed, but Freddy hadn't bothered to go through it, knowing he hadn't had much time. Captain Beakman watched the whole thing with sympathy, seeing that Pip reacted to all the hugs like a zombie. She hadn't expected to finish her meeting with Hunter by hearing Freddy's cries of distress ringing through the halls. 'Run away from home.' Captain Beakman had always wondered how a penguin found his way to T.O.T.S. He'd run away, far away from all the people who had tortured him. Without a word, she escorted the distressed crew inside. Pip was sent to his room with Krysia, while the others went straight to Captain Beakman's office.

CAPTAIN BEAKMAN: I think we all know why we're here. (pulled something out of her drawer, pip's journal, only hope of trying to find some help for him)

FREDDY: (wrung his wings) Is this a good idea?

CAPTAIN BEAKMAN: We don't have any other ideas, I'm afraid. (started to read)

NARRATOR: It started out fine. Talk about the spelling bee coming up, or complaining about his parents. At first, it seemed like this had it out of nowhere. But, about twenty pages in, the tone started to change. It was no longer an average penguin child, talking about his childhood hopes and worries, but that of a much older penguin, who seemed to talk with solemn sadness, as if he were old, and had experienced everything in the world. It was horrid. Talk about injuries sustained from being bullied by his classmates. Venting about how nothing he ever did was good enough for his parents. Complaining about his parents who seemed to get away with stuff and didn't want to listen to him.

NARRATOR: It suddenly took on a dead tone, wondering if he truly belonged there, when everyone hated him. Wondering if there was somewhere else he should be. Wondering where he belonged. Captain Beakman closed the diary halfway through. She couldn't bare this any longer, and by the looks of it, neither could her fliers or KC. Freddy had both wings wrapped around his head, a mixture of sadness and anger swirling in his gut. He knew they had never asked, but still, he'd wished they'd known about it earlier. How could they have not seen the hurt inside Pip, the pain and exhaustion and worry behind those eyes?

CAPTAIN BEAKMAN: (sighed, tapped freddy's shoulder) I think that, if there's anything Pip needs right now, it's his best feathered friend. (smiled at him) I know you'll help him feel better, Freddy. Just like you always do... (voice trailed off)

NARRATOR: The meeting adjourned and everyone left to do their own thing. Krysia was walking around since she had nothing better to do after sitting around with Pip doing nothing. Then she had the sense that someone was walking behind her.

KRYSIA: (looked around, saw freddy walking behind her, turned around which made freddy stop walking to walk over to him) Are you okay, Freddy? You seem off since this whole thing happened, and you don't look like yourself either. Do you want to talk about it? (puts her hands on his shoulders, he nods)

NARRATOR: They both walked over to the smoothie bar. Krysia offered Freddy a smoothie. Freddy shook his head. Then, he started tearing up.

KRYSIA: What's wrong? (gave freddy a hug)

FREDDY: I... I'm just super worried about Pip. (tears slipping out of his eyes)

KRYSIA: I thought you would be. Anything else bothering you? (grabs his wing and holds it)

FREDDY: I could've sworn I heard Captain Beakman say the other day about sending Pip somewhere for extra help.

KRYSIA: (sounds confused) What do you mean?

FREDDY: Captain Beakman said something about sending Pip to some sort of place so he can get extra help and possibly having him living there with that therapist. And I don't think he wants to live with a stranger. (tears still strolling out of his eyes)

KRYSIA: It's gonna be okay. We are not sending Pip anywhere he doesn't want to be and with someone he doesn't know. He has to stay here. You can't go anywhere without Pip guiding the way for you guys to make your deliveries. Look, I know how you and Pip both feel. I've been worried about a lot of stuff too, especially you all. I know how this is gonna end up but we cannot send Pip anywhere! He should stay here. It's at least safer than what has happened to him already. He needs all of us! (grabs a tissue and wipes freddy's eyes) He's going to be okay because he has such an amazing best feathered friend!

FREDDY: (a little confused) Who?

KRYSIA: (giggles) You, Freddy! You're his best friend. He'd be lost if he didn't have anyone! He needs you. (puts a hand on his shoulder) You understand what I'm saying?

FREDDY: (nods and hugs her) Thanks, Krysia.

KRYSIA: (hugs back) That's what friends are for.

NARRATOR: Hunter sat on the roof, steaming. All his life, he'd been taught one thing: penguins were good for nothing. And that fat, softie little one, definitely didn't belong here. How many times could they keep saving him? Hunter glanced at the baby gate. A few fliers, unaware of the ordeal that had gone down, were taking babies to their forever families. Hunter grinned. That was the perfect plan. Pip would be alive, just like they wanted, and yet, he'd be out of their feathers. For good.