Transcript: Season 2 Episode 41: Reservations and Reasons to Ignore Them

A Knight of Shreds and Patches Transcript

Season 2 Episode 41: Reservations and Reasons to Ignore Them

Transcript by Cameron Robertson

Intro:

[hurdy gurdy music begins]

Nick: Welcome, listeners, to A Knight of Shreds and Patches. An immersive actual play podcast. This episode features the talents of –

Penn: Penn Van Batavia as Marathon Messenger.

Kit: Kit Adames as Birdie Foundling.

Cameron: Cameron Robertson as Emma Blackwood.

Sydney: Sydney Whittington as Cassidy Shard.

Nick: Nick Robertson as GM and Narrator.

Sydney: Hello listeners, this is your editor, Sydney, with today’s messages:

Thanks for being a loyal listener! Our American listeners likely know that it is the season to give thanks, feast upon poultry and countless starchy sides, and enjoy spending time with families, whether they are a family of choice or a family of origin. And regardless of your geographic location, we’re so happy to have you here joining us. And if you ever want more content to join us in listening, consider backing our Patreon, which gives you access to bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.

And with that, we wrap up today’s announcements and head into Season 2, Episode 41: Reservations and Reasons to Ignore Them. And so...

“Join us, for now our tale to yours attaches

To carry hope: a Knight of Shreds and Patches.”

[hurdy gurdy music ends]

[electronic beeping]

[robotic powerup noise begins]

Distorted Robotic Voice: Power restored. Systems online. Reconfiguring audio connection.[robotic powerup noise fades to radio frequency static]

[over radio]

Sydney (as Cassidy): Last time on a Knight of Shreds and Patches, we got to go to the hot spring and they, they were, as advertised, very hot. And the water was warm too. Emma helped me get my swimsuit on, while I hurry up and wait for my shoulder to heal. She had this cool mesh panel-y black swimsuit on. Birdie had some tiny strappy thing that, that was quite interesting, and Marathon... had trunks? Those ice derby teams though. So then I~ needed to take a break amidst the arms and bodies on display, and Emma, who is still somehow able to preserve higher brain function, helped me bring some drinks back while we swapped personal history.

[radio static]

Episode Start:

Nick: The Patina is gathered around the hot spring in the resort on the outskirts of French Lick. The quiet night is punctuated by the gentle song of crickets and the group is sitting quietly after a lull in the conversation. Marathon scrambles for a new subject after her most recent attempt to flirt with Cassidy.

Penn (as Marathon): So uh, do you all have uh, favorite scars? [awkward laugh]

Kit (as Birdie): Well yeah. Do you?

Penn: Marathon pulls her hands off of the poolside and brings them over to a scar right under her belly button just down the middle of her abdomen that looks like it continues going under her shorts a little bit.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, I got um. I got a fun one from uh, the skates but uh, let's just say it wasn't on the rink, if you if you know what I'm talking [laugh]. One of my favorites to look back on.

Cameron (as Emma): [def does not know what she's talking] What?

Kit (as Birdie): [confused awkward noises]

Penn (as Marathon): Uh

Cameron (as Emma): I really don't want more of an explanation, but I, I need more of an explanation.

Kit (as Birdie): I - mhm.

Penn (as Marathon): So - so

Cameron (as Emma): What are you doing with the skates Marathon?

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah what the um - [mumbles]. Yeah, what Emma said.

Penn (as Marathon): Uh well. [sigh] If you're truly interested...um

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.

Cameron (as Emma): In a morbid way, yes.

Penn (as Marathon): In a morbid way...

Cameron (as Emma): Like a train wreck.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Uh huh.

Kit (as Birdie): [concerned laugh]

Penn (as Marathon): Now I don't know if y'all have heard of something called... skate play.

Kit (as Birdie): [recalculating] I don't know. I~~ [dump as much concern as you possibly can into a very long "I"]

Cameron (as Emma): [abort! abort!] Never mind! Never mind. Never mind.

Kit: Birdie's trance is broken. [laugh]

Cameron (as Emma): Never mind.

Sydney: Cassidy is just grimacing and looks away.

Cameron (as Emma): Never mind.

Kit (as Birdie): I- [pause] I get back in the water. [laugh] I can't focus.

Penn (as Marathon): It's uh, sorry. I did not mean, I - look you asked. You asked.

Cameron (as Emma): I -

Penn (as Marathon): I tried to keep it vague.

Cameron (as Emma): I know. I know that's on me. I asked. But nope. Thank you. That's that's the explanation I need. I'm done now.

Penn (as Marathon): And um, I know I've been asking and talking about demonstrations tonight, but if anybody ever did want a demonstration,

Cameron (as Emma): No.

Penn (as Marathon): I'm more than happy -

Sydney (as Cassidy): No. I - no.

Cameron (as Emma): No.

Kit (as Birdie): I oh. Um. Mhm. You know, it's -

Penn (as Marathon): [short laugh]

Penn: Marathon gives a little finger gun to Birdie in the water.

Kit: [laughing] Birdie's eye is twitching a little bit.

Penn (as Marathon): Cassidy do you have a favorite scar? Does not have to - I know we had entirely different stories, so I'd love to see where you go with yours.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Um. I mean, the one that I'm most aware of is the one you already know the story of.

Penn (as Marathon): Mmmm.

Sydney: And Cassidy points to the one that runs through her eyebrow and down onto her cheek.

Penn (as Marathon): Definitely.

Kit (as Birdie): That's your favorite one?

Sydney (as Cassidy): Meh~.

Kit (as Birdie): Or like the most meaningful?

Sydney (as Cassidy): It's a good fidget I guess.

Kit (as Birdie): Oh.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Um~.

Sydney: Cassidy looks around at the ones that she just walked through.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I don't know. I mean, there's some like skinned knees from learning to climb.

Penn (as Marathon): [very obviously does not approve of choice] No.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I'm sure I've got like a scratch on my hand from trying to pet a cat that wasn't quite friendly enough or something,

Cameron (as Emma): [giggle]

Sydney (as Cassidy): but I don't think I have -

Penn (as Marathon): What cat is?

Sydney (as Cassidy): I think my collection is plentiful enough that I value all of my children equally.

Kit (as Birdie): Tattoos are technically scars. Do you have a favorite tattoo?

Penn (as Marathon): Ooh yeah!

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah!

Kit: Birdie is happy to keep staring at Cassidy's shoulders.

Sydney: Cassidy waves her right arm around trying to gesture and ends up pointing at it with her nose. It's not quite a flower tattoo on her right forearm. It's a big green spiky succulent.

Kit (as Birdie): Ooh~!

Sydney (as Cassidy): So this is an aloe vera. It's a plant that is pretty common out near Quirk where I grew up.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Sydney (as Cassidy): It's good for - if you cut open the plant-y parts - the fleshy part - the inside makes a good burn ointment. So it's both that practical plant and there are ways to like put it in food, but it's just a good I don't know. It reminds me of the good parts of where I grew up.

Penn (as Marathon): Aww.

Kit (as Birdie): I like that.

Penn (as Marathon): All your favorites are so cute.

Kit (as Birdie): [under breath] Yeah you'd think that wouldn't you, Marathon?

Penn (as Marathon): [under breath] Shut up.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well I did my best. Everything else isn't cute though.

Penn (as Marathon): True.

Kit (as Birdie): [coughing]

Penn: Marathon sits up very somberly.

Sydney: Cassidy stands back up and walks back over to the hot tub and sits back down very dramatically.

Kit (as Birdie): I think you're all cute.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Everything else is very serious.

Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]

Sydney: Cassidy winks at Birdie.

Kit (as Birdie): [laughing] I think you're all cu- I need to rephrase that. [laughing]

Sydney (as Cassidy): [short laugh]

Kit (as Birdie): [laughing] I think all of you is cute.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Birdie are you - are you okay?

Kit (as Birdie): I'm - [deep breath]. You know, I think actually I'm great. Thank you for checking in on me Cassidy. Um.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. I just want to I just want to make sure that you're -

Kit (as Birdie): [clears throat]

Sydney (as Cassidy): - that everyone is you know, enjoying their time and

Kit (as Birdie): Oh yeah.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm. Mhm.

Penn (as Marathon): I think Birdie is distracted because we're all just so insanely hot, including you Miss Cassidy.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, I wouldn't, I wouldn't blame her.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, I'll take it.

Sydney: Cassidy takes the last sip of her drink and sucks on the empty straw at the bottom.

Kit (as Birdie): [high pitch] Emma! What are your favorite? [normal pitch] Those are words.

Cameron (as Emma): Uh. I mean, of of my rather small collection, probably the rock scar.

Kit (as Birdie): Oh, really?

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah. Cause I was able to get Xavier to do so many things for me by guilting him -

Penn (as Marathon): [laughing]

Cameron (as Emma): - about the fact that he threw a rock at me when we were younger.

Kit (as Birdie): Good.

Cameron (as Emma): He was four years older than me, so he should have known better and it was just being really mean to his younger cousin. [laugh] So I always had, I could always get at least one of the triplets on my side for something which that at least got us to two on two in arguments.

Kit (as Birdie): That's a good point.

Sydney (as Cassidy): So wait, so he was throwing it at your younger cousin?

Cameron (as Emma): No, I am the younger cousin.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh, so he was throwing it at you?

Cameron (as Emma): Not purposefully. He was just being a -

Sydney (as Cassidy): He was throwing rocks and who could say what the consequences -

Cameron (as Emma): He was just being a boy.

Penn (as Marathon): Whoa!

Cameron (as Emma): And throwing rocks at the beach and did not use his brain and think about the fact that even if he couldn't see over some of like the bushes and stuff, there might still be people over there.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Ah yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): And and those people might be me. [laugh]

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm. Mhm.

Penn (as Marathon): I don't think I hit anybody, but I also blindly threw rocks over bushes when I was a kid. So

Kit (as Birdie): Small world.

Cameron (as Emma): I - I... common activity, I guess.

Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]

Penn (as Marathon): I apologize for any little Emma's I may have hit in the past.

Cameron (as Emma): [laugh]

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, you mean there's rocks and more than one city?

Cameron (as Emma): Yep. And I mean, I'd throw rocks like into the lake.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh I could skip rocks really well.

Cameron (as Emma): Yeah -

Penn (as Marathon): Oh skip a rock across the pool, Miss Cassidy. [laugh]

Kit (as Birdie): [laugh]

Cameron (as Emma): Skipping, skipping rocks on Lake Best most of the time is difficult because it's too much waves.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah.

Cameron (as Emma): So they disrupt your throw. But anyway, he wasn't throwing at the water. He's just just throwing in general.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm. You can see how this would go wrong fast.

Cameron (as Emma): Mhm.

Kit (as Birdie): Um, [clears throat]. Yo, Emma?

Cameron (as Emma): Birdie?

Penn: Marathon suddenly shifts from a very comfortable position after hearing Birdie take this tone of voice into her eyes go very wide.

Kit (as Birdie): Um, you know, Camden actually showed me some like really cool things out like, um, like the little walk that we took and do you want - would you ever, you know, want to go and just just you and me just go and take a look? Totally not for any reason.

Sydney: Cassidy looks very suspicious all of a sudden.

Kit: Birdie has a very big and innocent grin on her face.

Cameron (as Emma): You know? Oh, walk sounds lovely, Birdie. We should probably grab shoes though.

Kit (as Birdie): We should. I'm also going to refill my drink.

Cameron (as Emma): Also smart.

Kit (as Birdie): Cassidy, you're amazing. This is so good.

Kit: And she's gonna get out of the water and as nonchalantly as possible, just you know, go and refill her drink, slip some shoes on, and try and flip out before Marathon and Cassidy can do anything.

Cameron: Emma climbs out of the water and walks around to the side that Cassidy is on and takes the empty glass out of her hand and puts her still mostly full glass into her hand as a tradesy, and then walks inside with the empty glass.

Sydney: Cassidy looks at the glass and then looks at the departing forms of Birdie and Emma and then looks back at Marathon.

Penn (as Marathon): Oh hey, Cassidy. Oh, dang.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh, yeah. Wow. Didn't didn't see you there.

Penn (as Marathon): [awkward laugh] Dang. Um, does great drink though. Great, great drink. Uh, how's your arm doing in with the swimin' stuff?

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, it's - that's why it's not in the water.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. Yup. Do you know, can you get a bullet wound wet? Is that something you shouldn't do?

Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, I don't really want to. I don't it's gonna make the sling all soggy.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, true. Hmm. Very um [stressed exhale]. Okay. Hey, Cassidy. There's been something I've been meaning to talk to you about. Uh eh, friend to friend.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I see. Yes Marathon. Tell me tell me what this topic is.

Penn (as Marathon): Um hmm. Okay. Serious conversation time.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I don't know if I can have a serious conversation with you while you're not wearing anything on your -

Sydney: Cassidy looks down and then back up.

Penn (as Marathon): Is this - oh. Is, on my -

Sydney (as Cassidy): No it's -

Penn (as Marathon): On -

Sydney (as Cassidy): No I

Penn (as Marathon): Or is it my - Is this a -

Sydney (as Cassidy): Marathon your tits are out and it's distracting.

Penn (as Marathon): Oh, I I thought that was -

Sydney (as Cassidy): No it's a -

Penn (as Marathon): A normal swimming thing. I -

Sydney (as Cassidy): It's a if you want -

Penn (as Marathon): No I -

Sydney (as Cassidy): - to have a serious -

Penn (as Marathon): No let me -

Sydney (as Cassidy): - conversation with me, I can't be -

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah.

Sydney (as Cassidy): - looking at those.

Penn (as Marathon): No definitely. Let me grab -

Penn: And Marathon pulls herself up out of the water real quick and slides her windbreaker back on and zips it up.

Penn (as Marathon): I am sorry, I thought that was a - I did not realize I was committing a a, a faux pa.

Sydney (as Cassidy): There's nothing bad. It's just distracting.

Penn (as Marathon): Okay. I gotcha. Sorry about that.

Penn: And she runs wet hands over her hair to kind of slick it back before it flops back down.

Penn (as Marathon): Um. Okay, I'm ready for serious conversation. Yeah. Um~. So, Miss Cassidy.

Sydney (as Cassidy): So Marathon.

Penn (as Marathon): Over, you know, uh we've been, you know, hanging out in the Patina for a while and um, you know, we've been getting um to know each other and know Birdie and Emma and um. Over the last few months um, I've just just wanted you to know, I have, I I care about you. And I'm under the impression that you reciprocate some, some chemistry at least somewhat, and I I know how this kind of game has gone for you in the past, so I understand any, any sort of feelings you have about that with like, oh, you know, other situations in the past. I just wanted you to know.

Sydney: Cassidy has put her drink down and her body language is not as loose and goofing off as it had been.

Penn (as Marathon): I just wanted you to know, uh and I wondered your thoughts. Obviously, I would be disheartened if you weren't interested in anything but I completely empathize with needing to keep like a safe or guarded heart. I don't know really what I want. Or, you know, if you if if the I just wanted to, I just want you to know that I [mumbles] want you in whatever form that takes. And you know if that is not something you are at all interested in, I'm totally capable of maintaining professional relationship and um, they you have no worries about that. And I'm so sorry if this makes things really awkward. I've just been stewing on this for a while and I'm sure you could tell because I am awkward as fuck. [laugh to confirm]

Sydney: Cassidy is now sitting with her fist in front of her mouth just watching Marathon run to the end of her thoughts.

Penn (as Marathon): Um. What are your thoughts? Take your time.

Penn: And Marathon sits tensely on the edge of the hot spring tub.

Kit: Birdie and Emma, who totally did not go on this walk, they're standing outside as close to earshot as close as they can possibly be. There just gesturing talking like they're like

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] I don't - can you hear any-? Okay. Do you think it's going well?

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] It looks awkward.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Oh. Well, that's you know, again fork found in kitchen.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] Yeah Cassidy hasn't said anything,

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Oh.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] - besides I think comment on Marathon's chest -

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Oh.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] - being out.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Uh oh. Okay.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] And that's just a guess from her putting the jacket back on.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Oh, no. Okay.

Nick (as Camden): [quietly] Hey, what are you doing?

Kit (as Birdie): [very quiet freak out]

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] Shhhh!

Nick: You both jump to hear Camden has walked up seemingly silent behind you to check on you.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Shhhhhhhhh!

Nick (as Camden): [whispering] Sorry. What are you doing?

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Our friend is confessing their feelings for our other friends and we're totally snooping.

Kit: And she's doing very big hand gestures to go along with these under like trying to be very quiet whisperings.

Nick (as Camden): [whispering] Isn't that sort of a private moment between two people?

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] We travel together. We have no privacy.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] [giggle]

Nick (as Camden): [whispering] Oh, um well. I hope having a cat start screaming at them isn't going to disrupt the conversation.

Nick: And Camden points and you see that Shorty has sauntered between your legs and is walking out into the spa area and has already begun to yowl plaintively as he approaches where Cassidy and Marathon are talking. The three of you duck quickly back into the doorway to make sure you aren't seeing as Shorty makes his presence known.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] Honestly, I don't know if the cat's gonna help or hinder this conversation.

Nick: And Cassidy and Marathon in the middle of this conversation you hear an unearthly scream and as you look around for the source, you see a large orange tabby cat - Shorty. He was walking and then as soon as you see him, he begins galloping at you and does a running sideways leap into Cassidy's legs demanding attention.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh, hi. Hello, cat. Shorty.

Nick: The cat is glaring accusingly at you as if he knows that you all had been in the water earlier which is inexcusable in his mind. His body language is very clear.

Penn (as Marathon): Perfect, a cat. [getting the vibe she really dislikes cats]

Sydney: Cassidy reaches down and her sling arm tugs like she was going to pet him and then remember she can't use that arm.

Nick: Shorty leaps surprisingly easily for cat of his size into Cassidy's lap and make smug eye contact with you, Marathon, as you see him dig claws into Cassidy's legs.

Penn: Marathon digs claws into her own legs.

Sydney: Cassidy scoops the cat up with her one hand and looks at the cat making eye contact and then goes

Sydney (as Cassidy): No.

Sydney: And puts him back on the dry land.

Nick: Shorty yowls again and begins walking circles around the two of you just making a mess. He's digging into the gravel, he appears to have found a stick somewhere covered in dead leaves and is chewing on it with a loud rattling noise. He is just very upset. You all are able to focus through the noise, but Shorty is doing his best to derail any attention not being paid to him directly.

Sydney (as Cassidy): He is a very attention hungry.

Sydney: Cassidy is watching the cat as he walks behind her and goes around to the other side of the pool making a lap.

Penn (as Marathon): It's true, but I'm sure, you know, if that's that's something that he's working on and making personal growth towards.

Sydney: Cassidy sighs and looks back at Marathon.

Penn: Marathon has tried to relax a little bit. It's not an awkward smile, but it's definitely a slightly worried smile.

Sydney (as Cassidy): [sigh on an Oh] Well Marathon, you're a pretty and you are somehow cute like in a personality sense, and I don't even know how that happens.

Penn: She leans forward just a little bit.

Sydney (as Cassidy): And your arms are like, I don't know that they're - everything - you're you are a very attractive human Marathon. I~

Penn (as Marathon): Thank you. So are you. Yes, very. You. Uh, but also me, but

Sydney (as Cassidy): Uh huh. Yeah.

Penn (as Marathon): You.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I I, yes, have many historical feelings about historical people. Um. And I guess my -

Penn: Marathon is on the edge of the pool side she's sitting on.

Sydney (as Cassidy): [soft laugh] Marathon you're gonna fall in.

Penn (as Marathon): No, oh, sorry.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Your jackets not wet.

Penn: As she realizes she was leaning over, she straightens herself back up and tries to take a more relaxed position again.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Cassidy puts a hand on her forehead.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean, I guess I'm not opposed. I - being attached to people is hard in this line of work. And having non platonic relationships with people in this line of work is a recipe for bad news to understate.

Sydney: Cassidy picks her drink up and takes another long drink.

Penn: Marathon has grabbed the back of her neck almost without noticing.

Sydney: Cassidy puts her drink down and now is chewing on her fingertip.

Sydney (as Cassidy): What do you like looking for?

Penn (as Marathon): Um.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Like are you, do you want - take me back to your room and then we in the morning everything is back to what it was or like -?

Penn (as Marathon): I don't know if I could do that, Miss Cassidy. I don't know if I - what necessarily I do want, I just uh, I just know I want to be there for you. And I can also do that platonically if that's what you prefer. I um uh, I I understand, while definitely not comparable, you've you've lost a lot of people - I um, have experienced, experience in losing someone I really cared about in a dangerous profession and so like, like I've had, I've had situations where I've had to protect my heart and so I, I'm sorry, your question is, what what do I want? I, I just, I want to be with you and protect you and see where that goes and not, not not at the risk of myself, obviously, because I'm also learning to - I'm learning a lot from you Cassidy, and I love that and I would I would love to continue that. And whether that's intimate or not, is I don't want to put a ton of pressure on you, but it's dependent on what what you're also interested in. If all you want is just like a physical night, I, I I I'm flattered, and I appreciate but I think that would just that would just hurt me more than anything. So I Yes. That those are my feelings. [panicked breath]

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well good, because I don't think the physical night would serve me either. At least we're on the same page.

Penn (as Marathon): What page of the book is that? Who knows? Right?

Sydney (as Cassidy): I could go get the romance novel out of the truck. I think it's something to do with a wet chest.

Penn (as Marathon): [chuckle]

Sydney: Cassidy points to the water.

Penn (as Marathon): I thought you weren't - I'll keep my wet chest to myself, but unless you had a plan, I'd be happy to see where things go.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I mean I have no plans. I have reservations and reasons to ignore them.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah um, reasons?

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah. I mean, I - you're cool, Marathon.

Penn (as Marathon): Thanks.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Like you're fun to have around. I don't know. I I didn't come in having prepared anything to say but

Penn (as Marathon): No, that's alright. I realize I'm kind of ambushing you here and I apologize about that. If you need time to think, I sorry - I didn't mean to like suggest that you should be giving an answer now or something. But yeah, I don't know if you if you want it to, like stew that's okay, too. It's, it's cool to know that you're also like interested that there there is chemistry. But um yeah. Your drink is great, too. That that's that's not what's okay. Sorry. Is there- how are you feeling right now?

Nick: We see Camden, Emma, and Birdie leaning around the corner of the doorway. They are outside of earshot of this conversation but are doing the best they can to interpret body language.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Do you think it's going well? I don't think it is.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] I - mm. Marathon seems more relaxed, uh and is smiling slightly, but

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] [stressed] This is -

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] It seems like it's going calmly at least.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Well, considering that it's Cassidy I wasn't really expecting like a fanfare or like a like a bad explosion or something.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] No, but she'd also - if she was gonna shut it down, she could shut it down very efficiently, very quickly.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Yeah. Yeah, no, I mean, like, I can't judge based off of Marathon. I think I need to judge based off of Cassidy because if Cassidy is like,

Kit: Birdie will very slowly lean and get the quickest look at Cassidy and then jerk back and just

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Oh, it's not - yeah.

Nick (as Camden): [whispering] Does this happen a lot?

Kit (as Birdie):[whispering] Shhhhh!

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] What, what, what, what part Camden?

Nick (as Camden): [whispering] I don't know, the uh deep emotional, whatever is happening? Do you often have heart to hearts like this while the rest of you spy on your friends?

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] No...

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] Semi regularly actually.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] [trying to deny it]

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] Not normally this level of confession that we know about, but

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] But and I mean, it's not spying when we're not in like normal lodgings because if two people are having a heart to heart while you're trying to like camp around a fire, it's more just like you happen to be within earshot and you can't really like leave without it being super awkward.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] And we're not we're not listening right now.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Yeah, we're not - it's,

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] Which, we're actually doing better than we normally do. We're being much more restrained right now. Um.

Nick: Shorty has somehow looped around and appeared behind you all and is voicing again his displeasure that people are not paying attention to him.

Nick (as Camden): [whispering] Shorty! No! Hush! Go away stupid cat.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] [panicked noises]

Sydney: Cassidy has looked over to the source of the meow.

Penn: Marathon also tilts her head.

Nick: Camden, Emma, and Birdie have managed to duck behind the doorway but the two of you do see Shorty standing in the doorway apparently yelling at something that is behind the door that you can't see. I need Birdie and Emma to make a Stealth check. This is going to be average difficulty but you do both have a black die because Shorty yelled at you.

Cameron: Can we flip Story Points?

Nick: Yeah.

Kit: I'm gonna flip a damn Story Point then. I'm rolling two yellow, one green, two purple, one black.

Cameron: And I'm rolling two yellow, two purple, and black.

[dice rolling]

Kit: I rolled two successes.

Cameron: Literally only a triumph.

Nick: Huh. I also need you to roll for Camden please. It'll be the same difficulty and the black die and they have a green and a yellow.

Cameron: Okay.

[dice rolling]

Cameron: Camden has a failure and two advantages.

Nick: Okay. For the triumph. What if it's,

Cameron: So what I think it is, is that Marathon and Cassidy 1000% see Emma, but what they see Emma doing is they see her walking out the door, looking over her shoulder. What she's actually doing was going for Shorty, but what it looks like is that she was just walking out the door and then she turns and sees both of them staring at her, smiles and does an awkward wave, and then turns around and walks back inside. So it looks like she was just coming back outside and then realized that they were still there and talking and left.

Nick: So you're able to do that and Marathon and Cassidy you also see Camden just standing in the doorway half towards trying to scoop up Shorty the cat looking embarrassed. And they see you, Emma waves, Camden also waves and then looks around and picks up a stack of towels off of a lounge chair and nods to themselves authoritatively and walks back into the hallway.

Kit (as Birdie): [disappointed at the subterfuge] Oh, Camden.

Penn (as Marathon): I? Oh, I didn't mean to make scene or anything, Miss Cassidy.

Sydney (as Cassidy): No, that's fine. They're all spying on us anyway. [sigh] So I guess my before I go over there and give them all a hard time for not giving - I mean, admittedly, we're sitting in the middle, but they were the ones that left.

Penn (as Marathon): It's true.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Like

Penn (as Marathon): Probably to take advantageous positions, now I'm, now that I'm realizing.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Oh yeah, yeah. I mean, they're definitely - it's it's so it's so juicy gossip.

Penn (as Marathon): I always just think they're being courteous and then they are sneaking or- anyway. Anyway. It's okay. It's okay.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, we can I mean, we can go play a trick on them after this.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah, we can tease them. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Sydney (as Cassidy): But I guess yeah, my my, I mean mutual interest, and the acknowledgement of every, [sigh] I will step in so many things that are metaphorical and trauma and past and pre apologies in advance, I guess.

Penn (as Marathon): That's all right, I'm, I'm just happy I can be there to help if, if that's something that you'd like.

Sydney: And Cassidy reaches over and grabs Marathon's hand, gives it a squeeze.

Sydney (as Cassidy): All right let's go sneak up on them.

Penn (as Marathon): Yeah. Sounds good. I'll take flank.

Kit: Birdie totally just has her back pressed to the wall, just looking over at Emma away from the entrance.

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Do you think do you think that was? I just

Kit: And she looks back over towards the entrance. And they're both gone. And she's like,

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Uh oh. Uh oh. Emma. Emma this is bad.

Cameron (as Emma): [whispering] Yep.

Nick (as Camden): [whispering] What's bad?

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] I had a dream like this once.

Cameron: In a continuation of my triumph. I would like to have actually grabbed my shoes and Emma books it, actually going on the walk. [laugh]

Kit (as Birdie): [whispers] Emma! Emma no! Emma don't leave me!

Nick: Camden is just standing there panicking because this is not their scene at all.

Nick (as Camden): [whispering] [frantic] What do we do? Why is she running? What's happening?

Kit (as Birdie): [whispering] Camden this isn't - you're not a part of this. It's okay. Go.

Sydney: On the other side of the wall, we see Cassidy a couple of steps from the doorway giving Marathon a three, two, one.

Penn: As Cassidy counts down, Marathon starts in almost a crouch sprint as quietly as possible towards Birdie.

Sydney: Cassidy is going to go for a dramatic follow of Emma out the front door.

Penn: Marathon as she runs up behind Birdie, scoops her up in a bridal carry, trying to surprise her as much as possible.

Kit (as Birdie): [surprised squawk]

Penn: And as Marathon has scooped her up, she starts sprinting towards the cold pool.

Nick: Camden is left standing in the middle of this empty lobby because Marathon has run off with Birdie.

Kit (as Birdie): [screaming] REMEMBER ME, CAMDEN!

Penn (as Marathon): You've spied on us for the last time, Miss Birdie!

Kit (as Birdie): No, I-! I don't know what you're talking about!

Penn: And as Marathon approaches the cold pool, she comes to a jump stop and then lets the momentum of Birdie continue into the cold pool so that she falls in doused, and as Birdie falls in and makes a big splash, she shouts out to Cassidy who is running after Emma,

Penn (as Marathon): [yelling] I got mine!

Sydney: Cassidy gives a thumbs up over her shoulder and takes off out the door after Emma.

Nick: So with Cassidy chasing after Emma and Birdie thrown into the pool by Marathon, Camden and Shorty are standing in the entryway to the spa area suddenly alone and Camden says,

Nick (as Camden): I have no idea what just happened.

Kit: Birdie pretty much stood up immediately and it's just sputtering water and is just the feeling of being very cold when you do not want to be cold. Just

Kit (as Birdie): I wasn't wearing the right suit to be thrown into a pool.

Nick (as Camden): Are you having to tug your suit back around because being carried and hucked into a pool - it seems unlikely that's still in place.

Kit: Camden's gonna see it anyways. She's just wrestling it back into place.

Penn: Marathon crouches down to come closer to eye level with Birdie in the pool. And she holds out a hand and is like,

Penn (as Marathon): Well, you had it comin'. But now you can ask Camden for a towel.

Kit: Birdie splashes Marathon.

Penn (as Marathon): Hey! I did my hair.

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah, so did I. [sweetly] Camden?

Nick: Camden is already walking over with several large bath sheets to help everybody to dry off over here. They have a confused smile on their face. And Shorty is also running in your direction, dragging what appears to be a shredded up wash cloth that they got from somewhere.

Kit (as Birdie): Oh, thank you so much. [giggle]

Nick (as Camden): You're welcome. You gotta be careful jumping into a pool like that. The shock can be bad for you. You might catch a chill. I'd, I'd recommend getting out.

Penn (as Marathon): I see where this is going. Okay, Birdie can't lose. I'm out here.

Kit (as Birdie): [quiet laugh]

Nick (as Camden): Where what's going? I?

Penn (as Marathon): You'll-

Kit (as Birdie): Nothing.

Penn (as Marathon): Camden. You'll see.

Nick (as Camden): Oh.

Kit (as Birdie): Oh, don't don't listen to them. She's being weird.

Kit: And Birdie is pushing herself out of the pool and will take a towel from Camden.

Kit (as Birdie): So um, to dry off could you show me your room?

Nick (as Camden): Well, I mean, your room probably has all the - oh!

Kit (as Birdie): Yeah.

Nick (as Camden): Yeah.

Kit (as Birdie): Uh huh.

Nick (as Camden): Yeah. Okay, sure.

Nick: And they very sweetly hold out a hand to you to lead the way.

Kit: [laugh] Birdie just grins and takes it and will follow them. She's happy with herself.

Nick: You can feel that they have an very elevated pulse through their grip. They're excited andnervous as you go back towards Camden's room. And as they let you in, you see that their room has a much bigger bed than the guest rooms do.

Kit (as Birdie): Thank God.

Kit: Birdie will look around and then will turn back for a moment and put the little Do Not Disturb hanging sign on the doorknob before closing the door again.

Nick: As the door is shutting, we hear Camden say

Nick (as Camden): Birdie I'm the maid - who's going to distur- Oh, again. I get okay. Yeah, great.

Kit (as Birdie): Mhm.

Nick: And the door closes with a click. We cut to Emma on the porch. Emma, it seems like you didn't get very far fleeing the scene.

Cameron: I think when the trap was sprung, Emma was still close enough to hear that they were getting jumped by Marathon and Cassidy and heard Marathon get Birdie, and so she knew Cassidy was probably gonna come up to her and then just immediately gave up because, one she didn't want to run because she hates running, but two she also knows that Cassidy's a good tracker and could find her anyway, so it wouldn't really matter. So rather than run and then get found anyway, once she makes it out onto the large front porch, she stops and walks over to one of the rocking chairs and plops down into it and just starts rocking herself back and forth.

Sydney: Shortly after Cassidy bursts out onto the porch and takes three steps down the stairs onto the gravel of the driveway, and then stops and listens to see if she can tell what direction Emma went and then slowly turns around because she heard the rocking chair.

Cameron: [laughing] There's just creaking happening behind you.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, I hope you enjoyed the show.

Cameron (as Emma): Did the drink help?

Sydney (as Cassidy): It was tasty. I still need you to help me out of the swimsuit at the end of the night,

Cameron (as Emma): [laugh]

Sydney (as Cassidy): but I need to reward you for your insolence.

Sydney: And Cassidy walks over and drops an ice cube down the front of Emma's swimsuit.

Cameron (as Emma): Hey! [surprised laugh] Fuck! [cold sigh] Do I get credit for at least making sure that we couldn't hear you?

Sydney (as Cassidy): That that is appreciated. Yes. Thank you. [sigh]

Cameron (as Emma): [uncomfortable sigh] I don't know why they write about this in romance novels. Having a cold wet chest really isn't appealing.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I - yeah, well.

Cameron (as Emma): [sad noise]

Sydney (as Cassidy): It's -

Sydney: Cassidy looks off into the trees and then looks back and goes

Sydney (as Cassidy): [mumbled thinking noises] - good imagery?

Cameron: Emma has her shoulders hunched forwards, curling in around her chest where the ice cube is slowly melting inside her suit.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, anyway. Hot tubs clear. You're welcome to go back and warm up or whatever.

Cameron (as Emma): O-K!

Sydney: Cassidy nods and gives Emma's shoulder a pat and then walks back inside and sees that the pool has already been evacuated just with water left all over the ground, and a suspiciously torn up looking washcloth and then Cassidy starts heading back to her room.

Penn: As Cassidy approaches her room Marathon is waiting outside her own door across from Cassidy's room and just gives a quick wave.

Penn (as Marathon): Uh, I doused mine. How'd, how'd you catch your culprit?

Sydney (as Cassidy): Emma got ice done the suit.

Penn (as Marathon): Nice. Aces.

Sydney (as Cassidy): It's the the danger of the one piece.

Penn (as Marathon): Mm hmm. Well, cool. Um, I look forward to hanging out Miss Cassidy. Ah, you just - I uh, hope you have a nice night. Once again, very, very beautiful tonight, sling and all.

Sydney: Cassidy gives another curtsy.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Well, that makes all of us.

Penn (as Marathon): And uh,

Sydney: And Cassidy gives an intentional look down at the open neck of Marathon's jacket

Penn: Do you - I mean, absolutely no pressure, you want - you want to peek before bed?

Cameron (as Emma): [startled squeak]

Cameron: Right as you say that, Emma had walked around the corner into the hallway with all the rooms. And so you just hear her startled squeak at the declaration being made. And she points towards her room since it's closest just like

Cameron (as Emma): I'm just going to go in here.

Cameron: And then quickly walks to her door and goes inside her room.

Penn (as Marathon): And if you needed any help, I know you got Emma as your number one, but you can just give me a holler down the hall taking off - with the sling and all.

Sydney: Cassidy blushes a little bit and looks thoughtful.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Maybe next time.

Penn (as Marathon): Sounds good to me. I hope you have a nice night Miss Cassidy. I I look forward to learning with you.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah, good spa time.

Penn (as Marathon): Spa time indeed.

Penn: And Marathon, attempting to be cool, tries to open her door backwards, which is partially successful until she tries to step in to the doorway in which case she kind of stumbles backward and as to regain her balance.

Sydney (as Cassidy): I know it's your first time using doors, it's okay.

Penn (as Marathon): Yep. What you know Yeah, we don't - you know, mercenary life you know? I'm new to this door thing.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Yeah no doors in mercenary life. Uh huh.

Penn (as Marathon): Exactly.

Sydney (as Cassidy): Good, good night Marathon.

Penn (as Marathon): Good night Cassidy.

Sydney: And Cassidy goes over to knock gently on Emma's door to get help.

[hurdy gurdy music swells]

Outro:

Penn (as Marathon): Welcome back to MTR 1153, that was just the end of today’s broadcast and we’ll be right back to the music after this little break. The particulars of the subsequent can be found in the show notes.

This has been A Knight of Shreds and Patches, an actual play podcast using the Genesys game system from Fantasy Flight Games. The show is edited by Sydney Whittington, and features the talents of:

Kit Adames as Birdie. Kit can be found on Twitter and Instagram @ venusvultures. Kit is also a voice actor for Elevator Pitch Podcast, a queer genre-hopping anthology podcast that can be accessed on Spotify and YouTube.

Penn Van Batavia as Marathon. She can be found on Twitter @ acquiredchaste. Penn is an indie TTRPG designer whose most recent work includes Wasmannian, a prompt game about gender and wasps. Check out faer other work at pennharper.itch.io.

Sydney Whittington as Cassidy. Sydney can be found on our Discord server, which is linked in the show notes, and on Twitter @ sydney_whitt. She’s also a contributing editor for the Orpheus Protocol, a cosmic horror espionage actual play podcast..

Cameron Robertson as Emma. Cameron can be found on Twitter @ midnightmusic13 and on Instagram @ reading_and_dreaming. Cameron is also a player on Tabletop Squadron, a Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play podcast.

And Nick Robertson as narrator. Nick can be found on Twitter @ alias58. Nick is also the GM for Tabletop Squadron. Nick can also be found as a player on the Orpheus Protocol.

This podcast features the musical talents of Dora Violet and Arne Parrott. You can find Dora at facebook.com/doraviolett. You can find Arne at atptunes.com.

The official artwork for this podcast was created by Rashed AlAkroka, who can be found on Instagram and Artstation @ rashedjrs.

You can follow the Patina on Twitter @ akosap_podcast or visit the website: www.akosap.com. To further support the show, consider joining the Patreon at www.patreon.com/AKoSaP, where we’ll be bringing you weekly content including bonus episodes, campfire conversations, and other fun rewards.

Until next time…

…Signing Off