The Grand Opening

[driftingmods]

[A large WELCOME sign is hanging from the buildings when you walk into Levanta Town, but that seems to be the only sign that today is any different than any other day. The villagers are simply going about their daily business. However, if they are approached they are more than happy to explain the region as well as they can to any new arrivals.

Welcome to Levanta Town in The Drifting Land!]

Comments

[championed]

[... his Paul... had the same cough.

He'll run up]

You okay, Paul? [He looks really worried, as he places a hand on your shoulder]

[battlestandby]

[Uh-oh. He was afraid of that. Why is Ash such a mom...

Naturally, he's covering up any traces of blood that came from that cough.]

I'm fine; not that it's any of your business.

[And he'll immediately take off again. While he could hide the blood that got on him, he failed to notice the drops of blood that made it on the clear, light dirt path.]

[championed]

[Oh honey. He'll follow along the path you've left behind.

His motherly nature means he's going to care, whether you want him to or not.]

Paul?

[battlestandby]

[oh dammit

now he's running]

[championed]

[You are only making him more worried, Paul!]

Wait, hey! Paul!

[battlestandby]

[He is most definitely not waiting for YOU, Ash. He doesn't want you catching on to his secret even though you already know it!

Of course, having coughed like that, Paul is not in his peak physical condition and can't keep up the running for long before he starts to feel ill again. Eventually he'll have to slow down and pray that Ash wasn't so tenacious to chase him the entire time.]

[championed]

[This is Ash, we're speaking about. Tenacity should be his middle name. He's run after you the entire time.

He's also in better condition than Paul, along with being quite a bit taller. So he'll manage to catch up relatively easily.]

Paul...?

[battlestandby]

[oh for fuck's sake - and he's too tired to run any further now.]

Get away from me!

[championed]

No. Do you have medicine?

[battlestandby]

[Yeah right, like he'll just TELL you that, Ash.]

[championed]

... Paul. [he looks so concerned over you]

You don't have to hide it from me. The Paul I knew was also sick.

[battlestandby]

What?! ... no, you're lying!!

[championed]

Why would I lie about that?

[battlestandby]

--I'm not sick! Stop trying to use me as your... replacement for this other me you met!

[championed]

Don't lie to me. You're coughing up blood.

I know you're not the same Paul. That doesn't mean I can't be worried about you.

[battlestandby]

It's none of your business; I can take care of myself.

[championed]

It really doesn't stop me from caring about you.

Do you have your medicine?

[battlestandby]

Yes, I have my medicine. Now leave.

[championed]

[he'll sigh]

... Alright. [and look, he'll actually leave you alone! How rare.]

[battlestandby]

[He'll stare at Ash until he's out of sight. Those motherly gestures really freaked him out.

And yet it almost feels like he's missing out on something by letting Ash go. How strange.]

[championed]

[He's offered himself up. He's offered that if Paul has anything at all he wants to speak about, he can come to Ash.

Ash might not always give the right answers, and he's certainly not infallible. But he'll always do the best he can. He'll always try to give good advice.]