audience: emma perkins

[cyclists]

Comments

[foodbin]

I guess, just... This is really important, and if you don't tell me what I need to do to make sure it gets fixed, I... don't want to mess it up. You know?

[cyclists]

Emma. [Just a pause.] I know you're not gonna like this answer but we don't know. We don't know exactly what needs to happen. That's why you're all here. If we had the answer Lune and I could do this.

[Maybe.] ...you need to make a plan and decide what it is you really want to do. And then stick with it. No matter what happens here.

[foodbin]

[A beat.]

What if we find out halfway through it was a shitty plan? Wouldn't it be better to change it, then?

[cyclists]

Yes and no. [...how do they explain their thoughts...]

Let's say you have a goal. Like, I don't know, you want to create something because you've been told it'll make things better and you'll find all of the answers you're looking for. But then halfway through you realize that the way you're getting to that goal is wrong and the goal itself isn't what you thought it was. What do you change then, the goal or the plan or both?

And even further...what if you just think it's a bad plan, but that's just because you haven't done certain things yet to make it into the better plan? Do you give up halfway through, or see it through to the other side?

[foodbin]

Every single thing you just asked me depends on specifics that apparently even you don't know.

[cyclists]

[...they just drag a hand over their face and groan.]

I knooooow. [Help.]

[foodbin]

[aaaaaa]

I'm not trying to rub it in, promise.

[cyclists]

Yeah. It's not like we're avoiding answers on purpose. [They sound like they're kind of pouting under that hood.] It's pretty annoying for us, too.

[foodbin]

How much longer than us have you been here, anyways?

[cyclists]

About two weeks. It was just us that whole time though.

[foodbin]

Did you at least get to talk to whoever brought you here?

[cyclists]

Yeah. We have access to another plane that allows us to talk to the universe sometimes, so that's how we got answers to some of our questions and told you guys about it. But there's still a lot we're learning.

[...] Sometimes they give us answers without warning either. Like the scrolls.

[foodbin]

Wait, is the universe... a person? Or a group of people?

[cyclists]

Uh. It's more like a concept...[i.e. it's not a physical thing/body, exactly.]

[foodbin]

Then why'd you say they instead of it?

[cyclists]

It feels more like "they" than "it."

[foodbin]

That's...

[She takes a second to decide.]

Creepy.

[cyclists]

Why? Just because we can't see it? [They sound like they're trying not to laugh.]

[foodbin]

Because apparently it's some invisible entity who just throws shit out of the void sometimes!

[cyclists]

[Pondering.]

You'd rather have something you can see so you can pinpoint blame on it. Or at least something that's "real" to know where it's coming from and understand it. [...] Right?

[foodbin]

More of the second one. I don't care that much about blame.

[yes she does but she's not going to say that!!]

[cyclists]

I get it. [Also yeah not buying it's not about the blame, most people are like that.] When you know where something's coming from, you can go after it to try and change it or stop it. Without knowing, you're stuck wondering why and how, and nobody will give you answers even when you ask. If there's something real, you can take matters into your own hands.

[...] I don't think you're the kind of person who's happy sitting around and waiting. That's the other reason I picked you for the other job.

[foodbin]

Yeah. Which basically means I'm going to be miserable here.

[...]

But I'm guessing it's not going to be much different for you.

[cyclists]

You're not wrong. [Miserable is a stretch, but they aren't too thrilled either.] But I'm used to waiting for answers by now anyway. At least everyone else showed up.

[foodbin]

Did you know when we would get here, or were you just... waiting?