Angus town tour

label greggTown:
# written by V25 Sean and Tymime

    player "I wonder if Angus opened the bakery yet, I could really go for something hot and fresh. Maybe a cinnamon roll."
    player "…Or I could just ask him to let me get in the oven."

    "You chuckle to yourself at your mediocre witticism. You pull out your phone to check whether the bakery’s open."
    "Oh right. The battery's dead."
    "You're tempted to just sit there and wallow in the comfort of your blanket."

    player "No, [newname]. You need to be a functional member of society. Go out there and seize the day. Seize the day, seize the soup. You are more powerful than snow."

    "You take a hot shower, and make yourself presentable. You drink a cup of coffee, but it still can't manage to banish the cold from your bones."
    "Bundling yourself into your thickest coat, a far cry from comfortably warm, but better than your PJ's, you prepare to venture into town in search of warmth."
    scene bg basement1 with fade
    "Turning the key on your motorcycle, it refuses to start. Checking the gas, you see that your tank is still very much full."
    "The cold must be messing with something."
    "Gregg would probably know what, but it'll be a cold day in hell before you walk to the Ham Panther in this weather. You make a mental note to ask him the next time you see him."

    player "*sigh* Guess I'm walking…
*If you didn't get the cinnamon roll in previous bakery scene
"This had better be one hell of a cinnamon roll."
*if you did get the cinnamon roll in the previous bakery scene
"It'll be worth it, that Angus makes a good cinnamon roll."

    stop music fadeout 2.0
    "You brace yourself for the worst, and you're out the door."
    play music "music/wandering_loop.mp3" fadein 1.0
    scene bg street with fade
    "Another day, a new adventure awaits."
    "Or something like that."
    "You trudge to the grocery store, staring enviously at the people in cars passing you by."
    "Nice, warm cars."
    "Days like this almost make you wish you'd found a car in the garage. But the motorcycle made up for it with the whole cool factor."
    "And hey, what's a little hypothermia if you've got the coolest bike in town?"

    "As this thought passes your mind, you lurch forward as you step into what is quite possibly the deepest puddle you've ever seen."
    "The frigid slush immediately soaks into your pant leg, which sank nearly up to the knee into the puddle while you were thinking about how badass you looked on your motorcycle."
    "You extract your leg from the puddle, which upon further inspection is contained within a large pothole. You decide to stop thinking until you get to the bakery."

    player "I should've just stayed in my blanket. Why did I do this to myself? I could've just made some microwave hot chocolate, but noooooo, I had to go get a cinnamon roll…"

    "You slog your way to the bakery, your only accompaniment being the squelch of your pant leg as you move."
    "You come up on the bakery where, to your dismay, all of the lights are off."
    "The /"closed/" sign hangs in the window, taunting you with the display of sweets clearly visible through the window, tantalizingly close, yet still beyond your grasp…"

    "You wonder if you should just head back home, but your stomach's growling."
    "That's when you hear the sound of the bell chiming as the door opens. You turn around and see Angus exiting, locking the entrance behind him."

    angus "Oh hey, [newname]! Did you just get here?"
    player "Yeah… are you really closing up right now?"
    angus "Er, yes, I was about to get some lunch, I'm afraid."

    "You groan loudly."

    player "…I wanted a cinnamon roll."
    angus "Oh dear. You look terrible."
    player "I feel terrible."
    angus "And your leg… it's soaking!"
    angus "Well, this just won't do. I'll get you one right away."

    "He reopens the door and lets you in."

    angus "You just missed Gregg, actually. He was getting some lunch, and I started to get hungry myself almost as soon as he left."
    angus ”But I can wait a couple minutes more."

    "You find a choice spot in the corner by a heater, sink down onto the cushioned seat, and start warming your feet."

    angus "Did you want something to wash down that cinnamon roll?"
    player "Hot chocolate?"

    "Angus smiles warmly."

    angus "Sure thing."

    "He ducks behind the counter, and soon returns with a large mug of hot chocolate, and the cinnamon roll sitting on a small plate."

    player "Oh, thank God…"

    "You immediately bite into it, savoring the gooey frosting and cinnamon filling. It's fresh and warm, and you instantly start to feel better."
    "You pull out some cash from your wallet, wanting to thank him in any way possible."
    "Angus waves away the money."

    angus "You keep it. I was just doing what any self-respecting person would've done in this situation."

    "You push it back at him, talking with your mouth full."

    player "I insfist! I know plenny of pfeople who would be amnnoyed, hafing to open up agaim."

    "You chug a good portion of your cocoa to stop talking so weird."

    angus "Well ok, if you insist… but how about a discount?"
    player "Whatever, I just wanna show my appreciation."
    angus "Thanks."

    "Angus places half of what you gave him in the register. He hands you the other half back."

    angus "…You might as well come along with me for lunch, even if you're not hungry. You look as though you could use some company."

    "The heater is slowly but surely drying and warming your leg and foot, and the pastry and cocoa are warming your insides."

    player "Hanging out sounds like a good idea."
    angus "Alright then!"

    "You polish off the last bite of your food, and drink one last swallow. He heads to the door, and you stand and follow."
    "You and Angus head out of the shop, walking a couple blocks, and head into a small alley."

    player "Where were you thinking of eating, anyway?"
    angus "The Posspresso. They have the best coffee in town, if you ask me, 'though there isn't much competition."
    player "Huh. I kinda thought maybe you were rivals with them, since they have baked goods too."
    angus "Not really. It's sort of funny of you to say so, actually! Imagine me being as competitive as all that."
    angus I can picture myself standing outside my shop and shaking my fist, shouting to the heavens: "Curse you, Posspresso!""

    "You laugh as imagine the scene in your head."

    angus ""One day I shall defeat you! Your days of peddling pastries are numbered!""

    "You laugh even harder, as does Angus."

    angus "But no. For one thing, I don't sell coffee, and they do. There isn't much overlap at all, actually. I make cookies and things with flaky dough, and they have stuff like bagels and sandwiches."
    angus "Actually, but don't quote on this, I have a sneaking suspicion that they don't make their bread themselves."
    player "How can you tell?"
    angus "I don't smell it. Not until they start toasting it."
    angus "But that's okay. I wouldn't know how to work an espresso machine if my life depended on it. And they use quality ingredients, so it's all good."
    player "I like your confidence in their product."
    angus "It's always better to support each other, especially small businesses like mine and theirs."

     "Soon the Posspresso Cafe is within view. The scent of freshly brewing coffee fills the air."
    "As you walk in, the smell of coffee and toasted bread hits you with full force."
    "The barista you met before has just finished writing down a customer's order, and she smiles and waves."
    trish "Hey Angus!"
    angus "Hey Trish."

    "She then turns to you."

    trish "And welcome back to you too!"
    trish "Is Angus your friend?"
    player "Uh, yeah. A recent development."
    trish "Cool!"
    trish "So what'll it be?"
    player "Oh, nothing for me, thanks. I just ate. It's Angus who's here for lunch." you say.
    trish "Very well, how 'bout you, then?"
    angus "The winter spice latte, please. And the turkey apple cheddar panini."
    trish "Coming up!"

    "She heads to the kitchen, and you find a seat at one of the tables."
    "You take out your phone to pass the time, but find that you can't concentrate. You look around the cafe, taking it all in."

    player "I wish I had a place like this in my old town. We just had one of those big chains."
    angus "Oh yes, they tend to use fillers and artificial flavors in their coffee. But not here."

    "You can overhear the panini press sizzling, and the smell of melting cheese and toasty bread hits your brain's pleasure centers."

    player "Oh man, that smells really good…"
    angus "Hmm, it tastes even better."

    "Soon, Trish brings the sandwich and the latte to the table."

    angus "Thanks so much."
    player "No problem!"

    "It looks so good. You're not hungry, but your mouth waters at the sight of it."

    angus "I'm thinking you want a bite?"
    player "I'd really appreciate that, thanks."

    "Angus tears off a portion of the panini. You gaze in awe at the cheddar stretching and snapping as he separates it."
    "You gratefully take the chunk and pop it in your mouth. It's amazing."
    "The apple is still crisp, tart yet still a little sweet. One side of it has some sort of cranberry spread on it, while the other has a sweet and spicy mustard."
    "The turkey, of course, is savory and juicy. It's all perfectly balanced."

    angus "You can have a sip of my latte too, if you want."

    "You nod as he hands it to you, and you have a drink. The taste of it is very cozy and nostalgia-inducing- there's a strong presence of cinnamon and cloves, as well as a pungent, almost peppery aftertaste."
    "The spice is offset by a sweetness that's *almost* too much, but not quite."

    player "Thanks again, man. This was really nice."
    angus "You're welcome! Anytime."

    "Angus takes a bite of the sandwich and a sip of the latte himself."

    angus "So, where'd you move from, anyway?"
    player "Oh, no place special. Just a town called Hazelburg. About as commercialized and homogenized as you can get."
    angus "Possum Springs must seem totally different to you, then."
    player "You have no idea. How long has there been places the Posspresso, anyway?"
    angus "Not long, actually. Both this place and my bakery have only been here a couple years."
    player "Really? They almost feel like they've been here forever."
    angus "I guess that's a compliment?"
    angus "Really though, it used to be much more old school."
    angus "Coffee was always black. If you wanted a pastry, you either got it at the Food Donkey or you made it yourself, not a small hole-in-the-wall like mine."
    angus "Places like this used to not last very long in Possum Springs."
    player "So does that make Trish the first real, full-fledged barista in town?"
    angus "I suppose so, now that you mention it!"
    player "How on earth do you become a barista when there's no major coffee chains in town? I don't think you can take classes."
    angus "Not in Possum Springs, no, but I believe there is such a thing!"
    angus "Maybe she had her own espresso machine and took online classes. There are probably videos for that sort of thing."
    player "I'll have to ask her sometime."

    When Angus finishes his food, he gets up and waves at Trish.

    angus "Thanks again!"
    trish "Sure thing! Both of you are welcome anytime!"

    You stand and follow Angus outside.

    player "So you come here a lot?"
    angus "Yeah, but I'd say Selma likes it even more. Says she gets inspiration here."
    player "I think I saw her typing something on her laptop when I first came here. She a writer?"
    angus "Oh yes, poetry mostly. She's better than me, in fact."
    player "Than you? Do you write poetry too?"
    angus "Well song lyrics, technically, but yeah, pretty much the same thing."
    player "That reminds me, she asked me to help her out at the library tomorrow."
    player "I haven't decided if I gonna go."
    angus "Well if you do, I'm sure she'll appreciate it. She's very busy there."

    As you walk alongside him, he looks up and around at his surroundings.

    angus "So I was thinking I might show you around town. How does that sound?"
    player "Do you have any particular place in mind?"
    angus "Hmm, not sure. How about we just take a walk?"
    angus "It's cold today, but it's probably a little warmer than it was now that it's the afternoon."
    player "As long as you provide an aura of body heat."
    angus "Haha, Gregg says I do that all the time."

    You blush at the implications.

    player "How come you're not opening your bakery again?"
    angus "I can afford to be away from work, since I'm my own boss. Can't say the same about Gregg, though."
    player "Just for my sake?"
    angus "I couldn't just stand by while you were so miserable. Just my nature, I guess."
    player "Doesn't that give me the chance to make you miserable by rubbing off on you?"

    You're really only half-joking.

    angus "Haha, not likely."

    You both eventually find your way back to the bakery, and pass it by. Angus heads east, and you see the soldier statue you saw earlier and the Ol' Pickaxe are just ahead.

    player "That's one weird statue."
    player "I mean, it's a tribute to war heroes and all, but… I can't tell which war it was."
    angus "The War of 1918, I believe."
    angus "Bea would be able to tell you for sure, though. She always has access to brochures about Possum Springs since they always have them around at the Ol' Pickaxe."

    He stops in front of the Ol' Pickaxe and sees a "Closed" sign hanging in the glass doorway.

    angus "Huh, that's odd. She's not here."
    angus "She must be doing some kind of other job."
    player "Other job?"
    angus "Customers ask for house calls. The town asks her to do some menial labor. That sort of thing."
    angus "Quite frequently, in fact."
    player "On top of everything she already does to run the store?"
    angus "Everyone expects too much of her, I'm afraid."
    player "That sucks."
    angus "Well, she might be back soon. Then you can ask her about the statue yourself, if you like."
    player "Sure, if she's not too tired by then."
    player "I was considering having her help me with repairs in my house, but I decided to call a handyman instead."
    player "Now I'm glad I spared her from it."

    While you walk, you notice that there aren't any other interesting businesses down the rest of the block in this direction. There's a pawn shop, some kind of computer tech place, and that's it.

    You stop at the large, dark entrance of the Towne Centre Platform, which you came across the other day.
    It's kind of grimy and dingy-looking down there, and smells faintly of stagnant water. You're a little reluctant to go in, now that you look at it closer.

    angus "This an old abandoned subway tunnel from back in the day."
    angus "You can still walk through it, though. If you want to take another route to the Clik Clak."
    angus "There's a food stand down there called Trolleyside News. They've got pierogies and pretzels, if you're ever in the mood."
    player "I'm confused. Why is a pierogi stand called "Trolleyside News"?"
    angus "Hmm…"
    angus "…I think it used to sell newspapers?"
    player "And… now it sells food?"
    angus "They probably made more money with the pierogies."
    player "I'll have to try it sometime. Your cinnamon roll was plenty for the time being."
    angus "Glad I was there just in time."

    You look up at the staircase above the entrance, where you had seen the church before.

    player "Wanna go see the church?"
    angus "Oh, I suppose so…"

    You sense his reluctance.

    player "Is… there a problem?"
    angus "Not much. I have no problem exploring the grounds. I hear there's a nice view of a gorge there."
    player "So…?"
    angus "It's just that I don't believe in that sort of stuff. That's all. No disrespect intended, of course."
    player "Oh… I see. Sorry I brought it up."
    angus "It's okay."
    player "Might I ask why?"
    angus "I'd rather not get into it just now, if it's all the same to you. Very personal reasons."
    player "Oh, sorry. Again."
    angus "It's fine, you just didn't know. Maybe I can explain later?"
    player "Sure."

    You feel a little anxious for seemingly hitting a sore spot.

    angus "There's some houses down this hill here. I think Selma lives nearby."
    angus "She's probably at the library right now, though."

    Grateful for the change of subject, you continue to follow him, filled with curiosity.
    Up ahead you can see a middle-aged bear clambering on the edge of a rooftop, working hard to put up Longest Night lights.
    You worry that he’s going to fall, but he appears to be having no trouble at all.
    He notices the two of you on the sidewalk, and he stops what he's doing and smiles.

    chazokov "Ah, it is Mae's friend! You are the one they call Angus, no?"
    angus "Yes, that's right! Mr. Chazokov, is it?"
    chazokov "You are correct! And a Happy Longest Night to you!"
    chazokov "And who is this? I have not seen you before!"
    player "Oh, uh… my name's [newname]. I just moved here about a week ago."
    chazokov "Ah, a traveler from regions unknown! Welcome, welcome!"

    He continues to attach lights to the roof as he talks.

    angus "This is Mr. Chazokov, [newname]. He was Mae's astronomy teacher in high school."
    player "Oh, cool."
    chazokov "Indeed, and Longest Night is one of my favorite times of year."
    chazokov "It is tradition that we look up to the heavens and ponder our fragile existence in awe, would you not say?"
    chazokov "I do, however, sometimes lament for the stars."
    chazokov "Our decorations seek to compete with them, I believe, and sometimes they drown out the sky with their own light."
    player "Then why do you put up lights?"
    chazokov "The Forresters expect this. I offer my services gladly."
    chazokov "It is a time for cooperation, do you agree?"
    angus "Sure do."

    Suddenly, one of the bulbs flickers out.

    chazokov "Curse these electric hobgoblins."
    chazokov "I know much about our universe, yet I am no electrician."
    angus "Do you need help?"
    chazokov "Thank you, but I will be fine."
    chazokov "Actually, perhaps you can spare me some trouble. Do you see the box at the bottom of the ladder?"

    You suddenly stop staring at this person standing on a roof and look down and see the box he's talking about.

    chazokov "There are additional bulbs in it. Can you perhaps get me one?"

    You nod to him, walk over and reach into the box, and get one of the bulbs.

    chazokov "Thank you kindly. I am in your debt."

    He unscrews the old broken one out and aims the new one into the empty socket.

    player "Wait, shouldn't you-"
    chazokov "Aggh!!"

    You see a spark of light as a bolt of electricity shocks his fingers.

    chazokov "My hand! It burns! I am all thumbs!"
    angus "You should've had the lights turned off before you started putting them up!"
    chazokov "Yes, I am forgetting this. It was becoming dark, you see."
    chazokov "My age is finally catching up with me. I forget such things."
    angus "Do you want me to help you down?"
    chazokov "I can finish this!"
    chazokov "But if you would, could you go around the back of the house and pull the plug?"
    angus "Will Mr. and Mrs. Forrester understand?"
    chazokov "Yes, I am sure!"

    Angus quickly goes up to the front door and politely knocks. Another bear opens the door, apparently Mrs. Forrester.
    Angus promptly explains what Mr. Chazokov needs, and you can see her nod and hear her mutter something about "electricity bills".
    Angus goes through the gate around the side of the house to go into the back yard where the lights are apparently plugged in. After about a minute, all the lights go out.
    As Angus returns from the back yard, Mr. Chazokov is still fiddling with the lights.

    angus "Have you got it yet?"
    chazokov "I am doing it, yes! I only wish I could see better."

    But he evidently manages to screw in the new bulb, and asks Angus to go around back again.
    Within a minute, the lights are back on. You and everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

    chazokov "Magnificent! Well worth the effort!"

    He climbs down the ladder and finally stands on solid ground, at eye level.

    player "It looks real nice."
    chazokov "It does! And it is certainly less hazardous than candles."
    chazokov "You know of the origins of these lights, yes?"
    player "What, the Ol' Pickaxe? The internet?"
    chazokov "Beh heh heh! No, I mean that it was the work of Tesla Electric over a century ago, when they first created the Longest Night tree lights as a substitution for the more dangerous, flammable candles of the past."

    Uh oh. You know that look: A teacher about to tell you a bunch of trivia.

    chazokov "Back then in the early 1900s, originally, they were actually hand made, and used the light sockets in the ceiling."

    You have no idea where this is going.

    player "I thought you said you weren't an electrician!"
    chazokov "I know a bit of history of the early days, but no more."
    chazokov "As you know, placing candles on dry dead trees is a fire hazard. When Tesla introduced…"

    You start to space out as he rambles on, while Angus politely nods.

    chazokov "…the candles were used to represent the great Popes…"
    chazokov "…but indigenous beliefs used it to symbolize the return of the sun after darkness…"
    chazokov "…they sacrificed goats…"
    chazokov "…Would you not say?"

    You blink, unsure what you missed.

    player "Huh? Oh, sure."
    player "…I mean yeah. I would."

    Mr. Chazokov looks pleased with himself, and picks up the now empty box.

    chazokov "It is for these reasons that Longest Night traditions are not merely meaningless symbols, I say. They are steeped in the beliefs of the past, though they are too often forgotten."
    angus "Maybe I should mention some of this stuff to Gregg. He really like decorations."
    chazokov "I hope he is interested!"

    Angus looks up at the sky. The sun is setting below the skyline.

    angus "Hmm, it's getting dark. I should probably get back to work."
    chazokov "Ah yes, not all of us are so lucky to have Longest Night Break like us teachers."
    chazokov "Although I still have much paperwork to do."

    He turns to you.

    chazokov "Well, thank you for your help, [newname]. I know some of my talk was probably boring."
    player "Uh, no, not at all. Maybe I'm just not very smart."
    chazokov "Oh, do not be so hard on yourself, my friend. I know I can ramble a bit."
    chazokov "You both have a Happy Longest Night, and I hope to see you again!"
    angus "Same to you!"
    player "See ya, Mr. Chazokov."

    Mr. Chazokov waves, and goes into the house.

    angus "Well, guess this is where we part ways, [newname]. You'll be okay walking back home by yourself, right?"
    player "Yeah, I did walk to your bakery all the way. And I'll be feeling better than I did then."
    angus "Good to know. See you later, [newname]."

    You nod, and turn to leave. You look behind you, watching as Angus walks in the opposite direction.
    The walk back to your house is quiet and uneventful. You pass by other houses with their decorations up, wondering if you should put something up too.
    You would if you *had* any decorations. Maybe you should buy some later?
    Emphasis on "later".

    "You arrive at your house without incident. You notice some dead leaves that have settled on your porch, presumably from the final days of autumn."
    "Is it just you, or is it not as cold out here as before?"
    "You're about to open the door when you notice a small piece of paper taped to it. What's this?"
    play music "music/dad'soldstuff_loop.mp3" fadein 1.0
    "You pull it off and you recognize the name on it as the same one in the yellow pages when you called for the handyman."
    "What the heck? The handyman wasn't supposed to show up until a week later."
    "You read the note, and it says:"
    "\"Everything's been taken care of.\""
    "What, already? That couldn't be possible."
    "Cautiously, you step inside, looking around for possible signs of robbery or vandalism."
    scene bg home_interior_night with fade
    "To your surprise, everything looks fine. In fact, it looks nicer and cleaner than you remember."
    "There isn't any evidence of the handyman's presence, as far as you can tell. No footprints, no drops of paints, no shifted furniture, no smell of greasy tools."
    "The only thing out of place is the utter lack of dust."
    "With your curiosity piqued, you head upstairs to check the spots that needed repairing."
    "There's nothing out of place there, either. In fact, the handyman appears to have done everything you asked him to do, within just a few hours."
    "The peeled paint has been touched up, the spot on the ceiling is completely gone, the chip in the doorway appears to have been patched up with putty and completely blended in."
    "How was this even possible? And more alarmingly, *how did he get inside your house?*"
    "He didn't have the key to your front door. And it was still locked when you came back."
    "Should you call the police?"
    "You shake your head with confusion, realizing that would make for an idiotic-sounding report."
    "\"My house was broken into, but they fixed and repaired everything, officer!\""
    "You feel uneasy, but however this handyman managed to do it, he was apparently benevolent about it. Like some kind of guerrilla handyman."
    "However, you definitely want to change the lock now, just to be on the safe side."
    "You look around to see if he did anything else, when your eye lands on something sitting innocuously in the corner of the hallway, on the floor."
    "It's an empty soda can. It says \"Fiascola\" on the front."
    "The handyman probably left it there, nothing more, but your curiosity is killing you. You pick it up carefully to inspect it in detail."
    "You see the mascot, Fiasco Fox, grinning with that type of \"cool\" attitude that was supposed to be cutting edge in the '90s."
    "Looking closer, you notice the strangest thing- instead of the tab being pulled like normal, there was… a hole? Drilled into it?"
    "Who opens a soda like *that?*"
    "Feeling slightly paranoid, you turn around and head back to the ground floor, keeping the can in your hands. You try the door, which is still locked."
    "Your mind swims with questions that will never have answers, so you decide to forget about the whole thing. You got the repairs you wanted, after all."
    "You toss the soda can into the recycling bin, not wanting to look at it. You shut the lid with a loud clank, and walk away."
    "A strange note to end the activities of the day, really. But overall, you couldn't have asked for a better improvement of your mood."
    "You got some decent new gloves, some good food, and a clearer impression of Angus."
    "You can hardly wait to see what shenanigans he has to offer next."
    "The rest of the day is uneventful, mostly consisting of you watching some awful local television while you wait for your phone's battery to recharge."
    "And then watching some dumb but cute animal videos on your phone."
    "You do, however, get a message from Angus on chattrBox."

    angus "I had a very pleasant afternoon today. Hope we can do it again sometime."

    "You answer back, thanking him for the fun you had."

    angus "You're very welcome."

    "Dinner time comes, and by then you feel like you should eat something, even though you're still a bit on edge because of the mystery handyman."
    "You decide to make yourself some instant noodles- the ones you had chosen to reject earlier- and you get under your bed covers, and bask in the glory that is MSG."
    "Truly, this is adult living."
    stop music fadeout 2.0
    "You slurp down the last of your soup, chuck the cup into your trash can, and let your tiredness drop you to sleep almost instantly."