1.08 The Talking Stick

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[Pipette, Dice, and Periscope are in Dice and Periscope's kitchen. Pipette is holding the talking stick.]

Pipette: I'm going to tell you both a very relevant story.

[Periscope raises their hand.]

Pipette: Shut up, Peri. It's my turn to talk.

[Periscope slowly lowers their hand.]

Pipette: So, you know, I'm the oldest of the three of us, and this clearly makes me the wisest one out of the three of us because I have the most life experience.

Dice: Is this the story about your first girlfriend again?

Pipette: I'm sorry, I can't answer that. You don't have the talking stick. I don't make the rules. Anyways, when I was fifteen, my parents both joined Pillow Mission, you know, in the west. They didn't care for me much, and at the time, I didn't mind. I was pretty much fine with being by myself. I was entirely by myself, actually. But I really didn't care. I kept living my life like nothing was going on. I kept going to training every day, as if my parents hadn't abandoned me for the Mission.

[Periscope raises their hand.]

Pipette: I was training in skills with heat management and technical writing.

[Periscope puts their hand down.]

Pipette: It's a weird combination, I know. There weren't a lot of options. Anyways, I was totally fine and everything with my parents going. I wasn't popular or anything, so it's not like I was using the house for parties. I was mostly not ever home, anyways. I was a minor thief back then, too. I mean, whatever, though. I never thought it was a big deal. Anyways, I got so used to living on my own, and not depending on anyone else ever, and one day I just get this letter about my parents, that they had died on the Mission.

[Pipette pauses.]

Pipette: So I switched from heat management and technical writing and I put full focus on weaponry, and kind of just let people tell me what to do for a while.

[Dice raises their hand.]

Pipette: I know the story doesn't seem relevant, but my point is, I really hate living with other people, because that means that they actually know me on an emotional level, and I hate my new roommate.

[Dice lowers their hand. Pipette eventually passes them the stick anyways. Dice passes the stick to Periscope.]

Periscope: Everyone hates your new roommate.

Dice: I haven't met their new roommate yet.

Periscope: Dice, you don't have the stick. I have the stick. Pipe, everyone hates your roommate. He's just an unpleasant person. Also, I'm pretty sure you don't have an emotional level.

Pipette: Thank you.

Periscope: Pipette, please shut up, you don't have the stick. I'm trying to be nice here, and you're ruining it. Anyways, you're probably more comfortable more staying here, right?

[Periscope passes Pipette the stick.]

Pipette: No. Well, yes, but also no.

[Periscope holds their hand out to take the stick back. Pipette keeps it.]

Pipette: I've been thinking about leaving entirely.

Dice: What?

Pipette: Dice, you don't have the stick.

Dice: Forget about the stick, you're not going anywhere.

Periscope: Is that why you gave me extra bed sheets?

Dice: You gave them extra bed sheets? You're finally deciding to be nice when you're about to leave?

Periscope: Is that why you're completely fine with talking to Aglet as an attempt to help me?

Dice: Is that why you're being nice to Peri?

Periscope: Why wouldn't they be nice to me?

Dice: I don't know, you're kind of boring, is all.

Periscope: You really think I'm boring?

Pipette: Would both of you stop talking?

[No one speaks for a moment.]

Pipette: It's just stressful, okay? Having feelings is stressful. When I have feelings, I can't control them very well, but when I don't care, I can do whatever I want without really giving it a second thought. If I'm allowed to leave, I won't have to care, and I don't risk making decisions that are bad for me. I'm fine with hurting other people, but if I have a feeling, and I end up doing something that hurts me, then that's when I start regretting things. Like how I regret switching to weaponry, and joining the war, and ending up here.

[Beat.]

Periscope: Do you want to stay here tonight?

Pipette: No.

[Pipette stands up.]

Pipette: I think I'm just going to go... for a walk. Right? People do that? Yeah, I'll just go for a really long walk or something like that.

[Pipette is walking towards the door.]

Pipette, out of frame: Get your own mail.

[The door opens and closes.]

Periscope: ... So, what do you want to do these next few days?

Dice: Read, I guess. I got the first book. I'm worried about Pipette. This is really not good. I don't think you realize how not good this is.

Periscope: How not good is it?

[credits]

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