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

[even_less_fashion_sense]

N-Nice to meet you.

[ You didn't really introduce yourself, but whatever.

And wait IS THAT A TEST ]

It's part of the Ecruteak legends! And, well, a legendary Pokemon. It used to live at the Tin Tower, but after the Brass Tower burned down, it's left the city. Oh, also it's the creator of the three legendary Pokemon, Suicune, Entei and Raikou! They were born- well, reborn after the fire at the Brass Tower. I've visited it a few times, too... I've always been told my ancestors also went there back when the tower was still in place.

[ SHEEPISH SMILE ]

[bellfire_bird]

[...o...h...]

Okay. Just checking.

[but kind of frowning a little because that will never not be really disappointing to hear about]

Um, can you tell me why the tower burned down?

[even_less_fashion_sense]

... No one's really sure, though the official version is that the fire started because a lighting struck the tower. It's been too long now, though. No one really remembers.

[ He tilts his head. Why all these questions? Are you really testing him? ]

[bellfire_bird]

Okay. I guess that's better than the alternatives. Kind of anticlimactic, though.

[...this Morty guy is obviously really enthusiastic about the tower and (erk) Ho-oh. Makes sense, if it's a part of his heritage...

...]

...Do you want to see it? The tower.

[even_less_fashion_sense]

[ He's a dorky teen, of course he's enthusiastic. ]

... C-Can I?

[ He'll just let that "anticlimactic" part slip past him. HE MAY GET TO SEE THE TOWER THAT'S TOO AWESOME TO NOTICE OTHER THINGS!!1 ]

[bellfire_bird]

Sure. It followed me here.

[turns towards it...can you see the very top of it off in the distance, out in the landing strip?]

[even_less_fashion_sense]

[ What do you mean by 'followed'. But anyway, he'll squint a bit... ]

Oh, yeah! I think. It looks like it's pretty far from here, though.

[ Brb, thinking of the fastest way to get there. ]

[bellfire_bird]

Yep.

[Ho-oh looks out at it, shading his eyes with a hand...]

...We should get walking, then.

/touches face again because No won't let us do it on plurk

[even_less_fashion_sense]

Okay! Do you know how far is it?

[ AND THEN HE'S GOING TO TRY AND BOTHER YOU WITH QUESTIONS ON THE WAY TO IT
YOU KNOW ABOUT HO-OH YOU'RE TOTALLY BROS NOW HE CAN BOTHER YOU OK ]

ooh morty-mun ooh /swoonface

[bellfire_bird]

No idea. I just got dropped here.

[...let's go! walking in that direction, through the streets...]

This is a nice little town.

let's do it /SMOULDER

[even_less_fashion_sense]

Isn't it? I like that it's so calm here.

[ ... A little pause. ]

Well, I mean, I guess it used to be calmer here before everyone started appearing. It's still nice, though.

[bellfire_bird]

The last place I was at didn't have any natives, I don't think. I hope we don't make things too...weird for them.

[walking walking walking okay edge of town?]

[even_less_fashion_sense]

Well, I guess the best we can do is act civilised and hope the others will do the same.

[ IS IT TOWER TIMES YET ]

[bellfire_bird]

[…nervous chuckle. It's not civility he's worried about...

YES IT IS TOWER TIME. Just have to walk down this gentle hill and to its doors! Behold, the Brass Tower in all its unburned and shiny-new glory.]

[even_less_fashion_sense]

[ Wat u talking about just be polite and everything'll be cool right?

WITH HO-OH THE LEGEND AND MORTY THE HUMAN- well I mean.
The Tower! He mutters a "wow" under his breath and looks up at it, excitement totally not written all over his face like for real. IS THIS THE REAL LIFE? Who knows, but let's just pretend it is. He really can't help grinning like an idiot, but he manages to tune it down a little when he turns to you and asks: ]

Is it... okay for us to go inside, too?

[ PLEASE SAY YES PLEASE SAY YES
/PUPPY EYES]

[bellfire_bird]

Of course.

[In fact, I'm going on ahead and pushing the doors open!

The first floor is dominated by a shrine of some kind, the open space before it ringed with braziers and carved pillars. The walls are adorned with the art and decoration you'd expect in a place like this, and tucked into corners and alcoves are pieces of a more private life - a place apparently devoted to meditation, a small table between two seats, a cabinet with doors and drawers.]

[even_less_fashion_sense]

[ THE ":D"est ":D" EVER

He's looking around rather vigorously, trying to capture everything in his memory - who knows, what if he never gets the chance to visit this place again? The shrine in particular catches his attention, but he makes sure to take a good look at all the other surroundings. He also falls silent immediately after you enter - even holding his breath a bit. The place feels maybe a bit too sacred to him, so he's scared of making a sound or saying a word. Footsteps are pretty much the only thing he can forgive himself for. ]

[bellfire_bird]

[Ho-oh grins a little at Morty's excitement, disappearing into an alcove and leaving him alone for a minute. The creak of stairs when he starts up them a little while later should be loud enough to grab Morty's attention.]

[even_less_fashion_sense]

[ It is! And he makes a few unsure steps towards where the sound came from. He... should probably follow you?

Yes, let's do that. ]

[bellfire_bird]

Come on up!

[Ho-oh has a key in hand that he's jostling the lock with -a it clicks, and the door swings open.

The second floor is more obviously a living space, one corner containing a space for food preparation and a table with two chairs, shelves of scrolls and paper and assorted goods along one wall, and some kind of garden creeping in through a back window to fill another corner.]

[even_less_fashion_sense]

[ Excited nod! He's still a little bit scared of speaking. He follows you up the stairs and into the room, looking it over with just about as much interest, if not more, as he did the first room. Those shelves with scrolls immediately catch his attention, and he makes a mental note to ask you later if he can look through them. But yes, this floor really does look like a living space, so he finally decides to speak. ]

Is this where you live? By the way, you never really told me who you are. Are you one of the priests?

[ Some sort of a high priest maybe? From what he knows, the usual monks dress in much simpler clothes. ]

[bellfire_bird]

Uh...

[oh shit this is it]

Not quite!

[even_less_fashion_sense]

... Not quite a priest or not quite living here?

[bellfire_bird]

A priest. Uh, you said you'd visited another "strange place" like this, right...?

[even_less_fashion_sense]

Oh, yeah. Does it have to do anything with this place?..