Gregg town tour

    "You shift yourself awake, rubbing the sleep from your bleary eyes. God, the frozen air doesn't let up around here."
    "You had managed to kick your blankets off the bed at some point last night. You shiver in the morning cold, goosebumps pricking your skin [Scales/Feathers/Fur]."
    "One of these days, you're gonna have to buy yourself a better coat."
    "The sun shines weakly through your blinds, but even this mild glow nearly blinds you after the crappy night's sleep you've had. You don't see much point in staying in bed."
    "You're seriously gonna have to consider doing something about the heat in this house."
    "Catching the thought, you take a look around the place. The house is sturdy but could definitely be in better shape- the closer you look, the smaller problems become evident."
    "There's a spot on the ceiling, probably from a pipe leaking. Following the wall, there's some paint coming off in the corner. A bit of wood in an adjacent doorway is slightly chipped."
    "None of these problems are truly major, but they're still noticeable."
    "You ponder whether or not to take care of these problems yourself, or just get somebody else to do it."

"Go see Bea at the Ol' Pickaxe"
"Call a handyman"

    "You decide you don't want to deal with it yourself. First of all, you need to find out if there's a handyman in town."
    "You spend the next several minutes searching for a phonebook, flipping its pages for the local numbers, and finding the name of a handyman that lives in Possum Springs."
    "Cocooned in the thickest blanket you could find, you pull out your phone to call him up."
    "Dead. You'd forgotten to plug it in after you spent last night watching pirated movies."
    "Fortunately there's still a landline phone next to your bed, so you use that instead. You actually need to *dial* the number!"
    "You're in no mood to make an appointment and tax your brain deciding a date for him to show up, but you don't have a choice. You do just that as soon as he picks up, and you get it all scheduled."
    "With that boring adulting out of the way, you suddenly feel hungry. Some breakfast is in order, you realize."
    "There isn't much to eat in the house, however. You realize that you don't want to eat anything that's currently in your fridge- all of it is bland and not nearly warming enough."
    "Sure, you've got some instant ramen and some… different soup mix… but none of it is very healthy. You love ramen like crazy, but all you had was the cheap stuff without any real meat in it."
    "You've also got some chicken in the freezer, but you don't feel like cooking it. It has almost no flavor."
    "You can think of two places to get something better."

"Get a cinnamon roll and see Angus"
"Get some soup and see Gregg"

    player "I wonder if Gregg's at the Ham Panther. I could really go for something hot… Maybe a can of soup?"

    "You pick up your phone to check whether the Ham Panther'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."
    "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. You make a mental note to ask him when you see him."

    player "*sigh* Guess I'm walking… There had better be some really good soup there."

    "You brace yourself for the worst, and you're out the door."
    "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?"

*
    "It's a long, dreary walk. You feel more awake than you did before, but it's freezing outside, and the store is nearly across town from where you live."

    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 can of soup…"

    "Finally, you see it. A shining testament to the convenience of corporate America, the Ham Panther."
    "You grumble, wishing it wasn't the one and only supermarket in town. It's the only place you can go to for basic needs- and you wonder why no other grocery chain wants to set up shop in Possum Springs."
    "As you look around, you get distracted by all the tasty-looking snacks for sale. Your stomach growls, wondering if you should buy some of them."
    "You shake your head. No. You need to focus. A bag of chips would be delicious, but not as filling, nor as rib-sticking and warm."
    "You're almost ready to give up when you head back to the front of the store. You groan in frustration when you realize the canned soup was there all along. How the hell did you not notice it?"

    player "I'm beginning to wonder if my mind is just going..."

    "It would explain why you've been talking to yourself all day. Which you don't normally do."
    "Then again, you've always wondered why people thought it was weird to talk to yourself out loud. I mean, nobody in their right minds thinks somebody is talking back, right?"
    "You blink, stepping out of your hazy thoughts, and grab the nearest can of hearty-looking. Chicken enchilada. Sounds good."
    "With a weak smile, you enter the checkout line."
    "Gregg sees you, and waves enthusiastically."
    "You blink again. You had planned to see him and talk, but you had almost forgotten about him."
    "Something about his beaming smile and energetic demeanor irritates you under these circumstances. How is he so… happy right now?"
    "Even as you approach the cash register, his smile never falters."

    gregg "Hey [newname]! Hunting for wintry sustenance, I see!"
    player "Mmrrgh."
    gregg "Yikes! Who put sour cream in your cappuccino?"

    "You realize you're being impolite."

    player "Erm… I think it's just me."
    gregg "You do know I'm not being literal, right?"
    player "…Yes!!"
    gregg "Woah, hey, sorry. Didn't mean to bug ya, dude."
    player "…It's fine. I'm sorry too, I'm just having a rough day."

    "Gregg continues talking as he scans your soup and the price appears on the display."

    gregg "That sucks. Hopefully this soup will make it better!"

    "Your stomach growls again. Gregg's ears twitch, hearing it loud and clear."

    gregg "Wow, you sound really hungry. Here, take this, dude."

    "Gregg stealthily passes you a chocolate bar."

    gregg "On the house."
    "His smile returns, even wider than before. It's completely disarming, the way he shows so much concern for you."

    player "Gregg… that'd be stealing."
    gregg "It's only a buck. They won't miss it."

    "You find it difficult to refuse, the way he's talking. Gratefully, you sneak it into your coat pocket, hoping no one sees."

    gregg "And how about I microwave that soup for ya? We can go to the employee's lounge and you can have at it!"

    "Your mood brightens, having someone do so much for you, just so you can feel better. You nod, and follow him into the back of the store."
    "The lounge is empty at the moment, thankfully."
    "You feel a little nervous, sneaking around and breaking the rules, but Gregg seems totally comfortable with it. You look at the door behind you cautiously."
    "You also realize you're still cold, and you rub your hands together and blow on them. Is the heating system not working? Or is it just you?"

    gregg "We've got some gloves here if your hands are cold."
    player "Gloves?"
    gregg "Sure! They're really warm, you should get 'em too."
    gregg "But let's get this soup going, shall we?"

    "He pulls the tab on the soup, pours it into a nearby bowl, and pops it into the microwave."
    "Then he steps back out into the store, and before the soup is even finished, he returns with a pair of thick leather gloves."

    gregg "You'll look awesome in these!"

    "The microwave beeps. Gregg sets down the gloves on the counter and pulls out the bowl with a potholder, grabbing a spoon."

    gregg "Eat up!"

    "The fox's eyes seem to shine as he hands it to you."

    player "Thanks."

    "You pick it up with the potholder and take a bite."
    "It's good. Really good. Your stomach fills up almost instantly."
    "Maybe it's the pleasant company, but the soup makes you feel better than you expected. The spicy, creamy texture really hits the spot."
    "Speaking of your company, you never knew someone could be this nice. Now you're curious why."
    player "So, uh, Gregg… how long you been working here?"

    "You're not sure what else to ask."

    gregg "Oh, not long. Just since I moved back here."
    player "Moved back?"
    gregg "Oh yeah… I was living in another town for a while."
    player "How come you came back?"

    "Gregg's eyes seem to become haunted."

    gregg "Oh, you know… stuff happens."

    "Well that was vague."

    player "Uh, well, so what about the Ham Panther? Is it at least decent?"
    gregg "Agh, it sucks, dude. Crappy boss, crappy pay, the usual."
    player "…Mm."

    "As you finish the last morsel, you realize Gregg has been watching you, as if he were making sure your mood was improving."

    player "Uhh, Gregg…? Did you want something?"
    gregg "Sorry… have I been staring?"
    player "A little bit, yeah."
    gregg "Oops. Didn't mean to."
    gregg "I just wanted to make sure you liked the soup. You seemed real miserable earlier."
    player "Well… it was good… thanks."

    "His ears perked up, and he turned his head."

    gregg "Oh yeah! Here's the gloves!"

    "He hands them to you just as you're putting the bowl down."

    player "Aw, c'mon, Gregg, at least let me pay for these…"
    gregg "Ok, ok... I'll remain an honest criminal!"

    "You slip them on. They're a little scratchy on the inside, betraying their cheapness, but at least your fingers aren't stiff from the cold anymore."
    "Gregg smiles at you warmly, and your mood lifts with the increasing warmth."

    gregg "Alright, dude, let's make an additional transaction, shall we?"

    "You quickly head back to the register and pay for the gloves. Not like you were gonna put them back with your germs on them, anyway."

    player "Well, thanks for the meal, but I should probably be headed home…"
    gregg "Huh? Already?"
    player "Well, I haven't got anything else to do…"

    "Gregg thinks for a moment."

    gregg "Hey ya know, we could just get outta here and do something fun."
    player "Huh? Aren't you working?"
    gregg "Sure, but we can just… go."
    player "Your boss won't notice?"
    gregg "Dunno. Don't care."
    player "Ok…"
    gregg "You worried about getting caught, dude? Come on, how 'bout I show you around town?"

    "Gregg slips off his apron and throws it on the floor, practically skipping to the door. He waves you over just as he exits through it, seeing that you haven't followed him."
    "You gulp, and take the hint. You'd hate to disappoint him."
    "You both step outside into the parking lot. The chilly air is more tolerable than before."

    player "It's not me I'm worried about, Gregg, it's you! What if you get fired?"
    gregg "Hasn't happened yet!"

    "He looks around, as if searching for something."

    gregg "Hey dude… where's your bike?"
    player "Oh, uh… it wasn't running today. For some reason."
    gregg "Seriously, dude? You *walked* all the way over here??"
    player "I didn't have a choice!"
    gregg "I dunno, couldn't you have gone to Angus' place? He has warm food there too."
    player "…Oh. I dunno, I just wanted soup more than anything…"
    gregg "I'm not complaining or anything. I'm glad you're here."

    "Gregg seems genuinely happy, so you feel a little guilty for making him want to leave work like this."
    "A soft breeze kicks up, and the remaining leaves on the trees rustle gently as you walk over to Gregg's motorcycle."

    gregg "Guess we'll have to take my ride instead! Good thing I always carry an extra helmet with me."
    player "You mean ride in the back? I've never..."
    gregg "You'll be fine, dude! It's not much different from being the driver. Mae's done it plenty of times."
    player "Well, ok…"

    "You climb onto the back of his bike, and take the seat behind him."
    "Gregg revs the engine as he grips the handles tightly."

    gregg "AWWOOOO!!"
    gregg "Hold on, dude!"

    "You try your best to stay balanced as he speeds out of the parking lot and into the highway towards the main part of town. The wind rushes through your hair (feathers?) and around your face."
    "It's still freezing outside, but having new gloves and a full stomach helps a lot."
    "You look to your right, and see some huge, desolate-looking buildings in the distance. You remember seeing them when you first arrived in town, but you hadn't thought about them since."

    player "What're those over there?"
    gregg "Oh, that? That's the old glass factory, dude! Used to be Possum Springs' biggest industry after the mines petered out."
    player "I'd heard of the mines, my dad told me about them."
    player "But I never heard of any factory."
    gregg "We gotta lotta busted and broken businesses 'round here, sad to say."

    "Gregg slows down as he nears the edge of town."

    player "Where are we going, anyway?"
    gregg "Nowhere in particular. Just cruisin'."

    "And that's just what he does. For the next few minutes, you both just drive down the road, taking in the atmosphere."
    "Soon you come to a suburban area, with tidy-looking homes."

    gregg "Oh hey! This is the neighborhood where Mae lives!"
    player "Where's her house?"
    gregg "Oh, uhh… I think we just passed it. Sorry, dude."
    player "Are we… going there?"
    gregg "Nah, it's gone…"

    "Oh well. Guess you'll find it later."
    "Gregg then climbs a hill, and you can see the church above you. The street becomes flat once you pass it, and you enter the part of town where most of the small business places reside."
    "Looking around, you're noticing all the tallish brick buildings moreso than you have before."
    "So many of them have old signs to stores and markets that are no longer there. For the most part, only the ground floors are occupied by newer stores."
    "The bricks, aged more than a century from the looks of them, are sometimes covered by a ghost sign- one of those old-school hand-painted signs from when advertising was made to be more… permanent than today."
    "You come across the Ol' Pickaxe, which appears to be closed. You see that strange statue of a soldier you saw earlier next to it."

    gregg "Closed? Huh, I wonder where Bea is…"
    player "Do you know who that soldier is?"
    gregg "Him? I dunno, just some dude. Like, from ages ago."
    gregg "It's a memorial statue, like for a whole bunch of people."
    player "Any idea which war it was?"
    gregg "Dunno. One of the ones in the… 1890s? 1860s? I dunno, I'm not a history buff."

    "You notice the Bear Essentials Bakery just to the left of it. Gregg's eyes light up."

    gregg "Oh hey! Let's go drop in on Angus!"

    "Gregg stops in front of it and parks his bike by the curb."
    "You open the door and step in."

    gregg "Hi! You here, Angus?"

    "Angus pops his head out of the kitchen."

    angus "Gregg? What're you doing here?"
    gregg "Just wanted to see how you were doing, dude!"
    angus "No, I mean, why aren't you at work?"
    gregg "They won't miss me."
    angus "…Hmm."

    "You sense some irritation in him, but he seems to shake it off when he sees you, and gives you a friendly smile."

    gregg "I'm showing our friend here around town too."
    angus "I see. What do you think of Possum Springs so far?"

    "His demeanor remains jovial as he goes back to whatever he was doing."

    player "I really like it, though I just noticed how many old stores that aren't open anymore. I'm guessing business isn't exactly booming around here."
    angus "Nothing like the post-war boom, no, but things have gotten better recently. Used to be a lot worse."
    player "Seems like it."
    player "So, just I don't have to walk as far as I have, is there any place you would recommend for food that's neither here or the Ham Panther?"
    angus "You *walked* all the way to Ham Panther?"
    gregg "That's what I said!"
    angus "Wow."
    angus "Hmm, I think you've just about exhausted every place for food already…"
    player "Well, uh… I've been to… the "Clik Clak Diner", was it? And the Posspresso too."
    player "What's left?"
    gregg "Oh dude, you've gotta try the Taco Buck! They've got the best tacos in town!"
    player "Mmm, noted. I haven't had a decent taco in years."
    angus "And if you like pierogies, there's always the pierogi stand in the old Trolley Tunnels."
    gregg "You'd *better* like pierogies if you're gonna live in Possum Springs."
    player "What's the Trolley Tunnels?"
    gregg "It's sort of an old abandoned subway tunnel, but you can still walk through it."
    player "Oh yeah, I remember coming across that."
    gregg "The stand's called Trolleyside News. Good eats if you like pierogies. And pretzels."
    player "I'm confused. Why is a pierogi stand called "Trolleyside News"?"
    gregg "Oh, uh…"
    angus "Hmm…"
    angus "…I think it used to sell newspapers?"
    player "And… now it sells food?"
    gregg "They probably made more money with the pierogies."
    player "All this talk about food is making me hungry again…"
    gregg "Cool! So you which want to go to? The Trolleyside News? Or the Taco Buck? I can take you there."

*taco buck*
    player "I wanna try the Taco Buck. I'm in the mood for tacos now."
    gregg "Perfect! The Taco Buck's just down the block!"
    player "Ok, let's go!"
    angus "Have a good time."

    "You wave goodbye to Angus."
    "You exit the bakery and walk a few yards down the street."

    gregg "Angus is such a nice guy, I think you can guess why I love him."
    player "Oh yeah, totally."

    "Gregg suddenly look mischievous."

    gregg "That's why I sometimes sneak free pastries!"

    "That's… odd."
    "You pass by an empty-looking store with a sign that reads "Video Outpost… Too"?

    player "What's this place?"
    gregg "Oh, that's the old video store. Used to be able to rent VHS tapes there."
    player "Wow, I haven't seen one of these in years. I used to go to a place like in my town when I was a kid."
    player "Is it not open anymore?"
    gregg "Nope. Only the fittest survive."
    gregg "There's only, like, one of these places left in the world, I think?"
    player "What on earth does the name mean?"
    gregg "Nobody knows."

    "A second later, you stop in front a door with the words "Taco Buck" on it."
    "You smell the air, struck by the scent of delicious food coming from behind it. That's always a good sign."
    "Gregg pulls out his wallet and retrieves out a handful of crumpled bills."

    gregg "I'll pay!"
    player "Thanks, but I can afford it. From the sound of the name, it's pretty cheap."
    gregg "Alright."

    "You both enter, and the smell of roasting beef, pork, and chicken and pugent spices becomes even stronger."
    "Cumin, coriander, chilis. Yep, this is a taco place."
    "You stare up at the menu. There's some tasty-sounding options. One of the options catches your eye."

    player "Pizza tacos? These hybrids are getting out of hand."
    gregg "It's the most delicious abomination I've ever tasted!"
    gregg "Mae has to have it once a week."

    "You debate whether or not to get the pizza taco. Based on the picture, it contains a big pile of pepperoni, mozzarella, grilled onions, tomato sauce, and pepperoncinis."

    player "Hmm, I'm not sure if I should… Should I get a traditional one to get some idea of how good they are at baseline tacos?"
    gregg "Uh… I dunno, dude, just get what you want?"
    player "Alright."

    "You look at the menu once more. What can satisfy your hunger the most?"

    player "Well heck, my gut says pizza."
    gregg "Good choice, it's one of my favorites. But I'm going old school today."

    "Gregg walks up to the man behind the counter and puts down his cash."

    gregg "I'd like two tacos, beef and chicken."
    gregg "And a can of beer."

    "You order the pizza taco, of course, and a cola."

    gregg "You won't be disappointed, dude. Trust me."

    "You both take a seat. There aren't many left, as the place is very tiny."
    "As you wait for your food, you have to admit, you're a little excited. When the food arrives, it's bigger than you thought it would be."

    player "Holy crap, this is only a dollar?"
    gregg "Well, it is kinda smaller than an actual slice…"

    "You bite into it, savoring the greasy pepperoni and the spicy pepperoncinis."

    player "…Holy crap, this is really good."
    gregg "I know, right?"

    "Gregg takes a large gulp of his beer while wash down your food with your cola."

    player "How long has this place been here?"
    gregg "Only a few years, actually. Used to be a pasta and pizza place called "Pastabilities".
    player "Wow, that's quite the pun."
    gregg "Mae was so sad when it closed, but now she loves this place more."

    "As you take another bite, you notice Gregg about to take another sip of his beer."

    player "Gregg, stop!"
    gregg "What??"
    player "You're gonna be driving us, aren't you??"
    gregg "Huh?"
    He looks at the can.
    gregg "…Oh. Right."

    "He sets it down, looking ashamed."

    gregg "I just took one swallow, dude. I'm not feeling anything yet…"
    player "You should be more careful."
    gregg "Yeah, sorry… that's what Angus always tells me."

    "You sense that this subject is striking a nerve…"

    gregg "I can hold my liquor better than Mae can, though!"

    "You raise an eyebrow."

    gregg "Haha, you shoulda seen Mae at her 21st birthday, dude! She was blacked out for like… two hours!"

    "You're still worried, but you decide to let it slide."

    player "Have some of my soda, that'll quench your thirst."

    "Gregg smiles weakly and accepts your offer."

    player "So… Mae can't drink much, huh?"
    gregg "Nope. That was kinda the last time she had any, actually. We went over to Miller's down the street for the occasion…"
    gregg "That's a bar just down the street, by the way."

    "You both finish off the rest of your food and drink. You're feeling very satisfied, and resist the temptation to pat your stomach."

    player "So… You ready to go somewhere else?"
    gregg "Yeah, man. Let's roll."

    "Gregg hops up, looking as though nothing awkward happened. Either he has a quick recovery time, or he's really good at hiding it."
    "He tosses the mostly full can of beer into the trash."
    "You follow him inside, a little worried. He still appears sober, although with his perky personality, it's a little hard to tell."
    "To your relief, he doesn't immediately get on his motorcycle. You sigh in relief, but you try to not do it too loudly."

    gregg "Hey, this is where me and Angus used to live! Doesn't look like much, does it?"

    "Indeed, it looks like a completely boring apartment building."

    gregg "And here Miller's, like I told you about!"
    player "Hey, don't I get a brochure?"
    gregg "Ha ha, nah. It wouldn't tell you the truth anyway."

    "You then come across a convenience store called "Snack Falcon"."

    gregg "And this is where I used to work!"

    "The store, as one would expect, is a place that sells chips and other snacks, which a quick glance through the window proves."

    player "You mentioned moving out of town for a while. How come you didn't get your old job back?"
    gregg "Oh, well…"

    "Oh boy. What now?"

    gregg "…Don't tell Angus, but I was fired from that job."
    gregg "Guess I shouldn't have let Scriggins steal all those beef sticks."
    gregg "I just wanted to do one last hurrah before we moved out to Bright Harbor. As a send-off to Possum Springs."

    "You don't know who Scriggins is, but it doesn't sound like it would clarify the story much."

    player "So… you told him you quit?"
    gregg "Well, yeah, dude. Didn't wanna make him mad at me or anything…"

    "Your heart sinks."

    player "He wouldn't want you to lie, though."
    gregg "I wasn't lying! I was just… withholding information."

    "You're very dubious about whether this is good for their relationship, but Gregg's sad eyes get the better of you."

    player "Well… ok, I won't tell."

    "Gregg immediately brightens up again."

    gregg "Thanks, dude, I owe ya."

    "Whew! Being with Gregg is a bit of a roller coaster."
    "You go past the Snack Falcon and soon you're at the Clik Clak Diner again."

    player "Was this an actual train car? I've always wondered about restaurants like these."
    gregg "Yeah, probably. It'd be pretty awesome if it was, huh?"

    "He stares down at the sidewalk just outside the entrance, and kicks the dirt there thoughtfully."

    gregg "Like maybe one of those old-timey train murder mysteries happened in there… when it was still a train!"
    player "That would be cool, if kinda creepy."
    gregg "Lotta "kinda creepy" things 'round Possum Springs!"

    "You remember how you tried to convince your mother why you wanted to visit Possum Springs and see your dad, and how she told you to avoid it at all costs."
    "It was more likely because she hated him rather than some of kind of warning against the supernatural, but the sinister tone she used made it almost sound like it was."
    "But you knew one day you would come here, in defiance of her, and here you are now."

    player "What, is Possum Springs supposed to be haunted?"
    gregg "Mae sure thinks so. Personally, I don't, but there are stories."
    player "You'll have to tell them to me sometime."
    gregg "Sure, dude! I'm not great at telling stories, but I know a few!"
    gregg "Speaking of Mae, the place she teaches art is a little bit further from here. Wanna see it?"
    player "Oh sure, it'll help me remember where it is if I feel like going there."

    "You and Gregg walk towards the building past the diner, and you see that it's a large blocky building with a huge parking lot just beyond it."

    player "That's a big place for just art classes."
    gregg "Oh yeah, it used to be a Food Donkey. Did you have one of those where you used to live?"
    player "Dunno. I never did much grocery shopping before moving here. I had a Ham Panther where I used to live."
    gregg "I think they all got bought up by a bigger supermarket chain, if they weren't just, y'know, abandoned."

    "You're silent for a moment."
    "There sure seems to be a incongruous mix of hope and hopelessness in this town. A business or a workplace is lost one year, replaced by another one the next, making Possum Springs constantly in flux."
    "You consider expressing these thoughts out loud, unsure if the words will come out right, but then Gregg speaks up."

    gregg "You wanna head back now?"
    gregg "I've probably hit the limit of how long I can stay away from work."

    "You look to your left, wondering if there's anything beyond the vast parking lot, squinting to make anything out. You can't see anything past the trees."

    player "Yeah, sure."
    gregg "Then that concludes our tour! Step this way into the gift shop!"
    player "Hey, do you think you can drive me back home one more time, if it's not too much trouble?"

*if you asked him to drive you home before*
    "Gregg blinks, but his expression is otherwise unchanged."

    gregg "Ok dude, I'll do it one last time just so you don't to walk all the way back in the cold…"

*otherwise*
    gregg "Ok dude, don't wanna have you to walk all the way back in the cold!"

    "He looks at you sympathetically."

    player "Thanks."

    "You have to practically jog in order to keep up with his fast pace as he makes his way back to his bike."
    "You're hoping by now that Gregg has had enough time to process that little bit of alcohol out of his bloodstream so he can drive you back home."
    "You soon reach his bike and you strap on your helmets and climb on."
    "You take a deep breath before he puts the pedal to the metal and heads back out to the street."
    "Gregg turns on the radio in between his handlebars and cranks up some high-octane rock song."

    gregg "WOO! I love this song!"

    "He starts speeding up, making you clench a bit."

    gregg "Did ya have a good time, [newname]?"

    "He has to shout to be heard over the radio and the engine."

    player "Huh? Oh yeah, I did!"
    gregg "Beats working, am I right?"
    player "I dunno, I don't have a job here yet!"
    bea "Well it beats sitting around bored, anyway!"

    "You started out cold and miserable and hungry, and then you wound up being closer friends with Gregg. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, if a little troubled."
    "You make your way home, looking up at the overcast sky as you do so."

    gregg "So what happened to your bike, anyway?"
    player "Oh, I dunno! It just wouldn't start!"
    gregg "Huh. Sounds finicky." he says.
    player "Lemme know when you can take a look at it to see what's wrong with it, alright?"
    gregg "Sure, dude! I'd love to get my hands on it again!"

    "Wanting to know more about him, the music makes you recall something from the other day, so you change the subject."

    player "Do you still like playing the guitar, by the way? I didn't get to see you play the other day."
    gregg "Oh yeah! I love the guitar! I haven't been practicing much lately, though."
    gregg "The band sorta… faded away, I guess? We just kept finding fewer and fewer times we wanted to play together for some reason."
    gregg "Bea still writes songs, though! Sometimes I get her to let me play a little bit for her."
    player "Wish I was around when you were still playing. Were you any good?"
    gregg "Well *I* thought so, anyway."
    player "Did you ever record anything?"
    gregg "Uh… no! Damn, I wish we had, now that you mention it."
    gregg "I'll ask if Bea still has the drum tracks on her computer."

    "Gregg then rambles for several minutes about the kind of music he liked best. Mostly punk and rockabilly, apparently, although he says that wasn't what the band sounded like."

    player "What sort of music did you play, then?"
    gregg "Uhh… I dunno, dude. Alternative? Maybe? The definitions of music confuse me."
    player "What did you call the band, anyway?"
    gregg "Oh man, we never actually got around to it, actually…"
    player "Huh. What would you call yourselves now, if you could?"
    gregg "Oh, I dunno, uh… The Galloping Drag Queens?"
    gregg "I'll run that by Angus the next time we get together."

    "You both laugh."

    gregg "Thanks for the good time today, man. It's been really depressing around here lately."

    "You're not exactly sure how to respond to that, so you stay silent."
    "The road leading to your house finally approaches, and you soon arrive at your driveway."
    "You get off Gregg's bike and return your helmet, thanking him for the ride."

    player "I would've had a really rotten day if you hadn't hung out with me."
    gregg "No problem, dude! Any excuse to escape the doldrums of the House o' Ham."
    player ""House o' Ham"?"
    gregg "The Ham Panther. Also known, by me, as the Bazaar of Bummers."
    gregg "The Market of Meh."

    "You laugh again."

    player "I'll… see you later, I guess."
    gregg "See ya, dude."

    "You wave goodbye and turn and walk towards your house."
    "You pause to listen to the motor of his bike roar, not turning around as you face the front door."
    "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?"
    "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."
    "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 Gregg."
    "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 Gregg on chattrBox."

    gregg "Awsm time we had today, dude! Hope we cn do it again soon!"
    gregg "Sincerely, Greggory"

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

    gregg "Ur welcome, dude"

    "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."
    "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."

*trolleyside
    player "I wanna try the Trolleyside News. I'm all curious about it now."
    gregg "Cool! It's not far from here."
    gregg "Y'know, I kinda thought maybe there was a 50/50 chance."
    player "Ok, let's go!"
    angus "Have a good time."

    "You wave goodbye to Angus."
    "You exit the bakery and walk a few yards down the street."

    gregg "Angus is such a nice guy, I think you can guess why I love him."
    player "Oh yeah, totally."

    "Gregg suddenly look mischievous."

    gregg "That's why I sometimes sneak free pastries!"

    "That's… odd."
    "You pass by the Ol' Pickaxe. Bea is still nowhere to be found."

    player "Where do you suppose Bea is right now?"
    gregg "No idea, dude. She's probably off somewhere doing something real important."
    gregg "She's always been the most serious about work, out of all of us. Workin' real hard right now, I'll bet!"
    gregg "In fact, she's probably the most serious among us, period."
    player "Does that… make her a bit of a downer, if you don't mind me asking?"
    gregg "Wellll… sometimes, yeah. But when you get down to it, she's reining the rest of in."
    gregg "With Angus' help."
    gregg "She's been working here for years. Dunno how she does it."
    gregg "She's got the hardest job out of all of us. It would be so easy for her to slack off."
    player "That must be why she seems tired all the time."
    gregg "Oh yeah, dude, "worn out and moody" is like her default expression."
    gregg "But don't tell her I said that, dude."
    player "What does she do it for? Can she not get another job?"
    gregg "No way, dude. For one thing, her dad owns it. Couldn't leave him behind, now can she?"
    player "Oh, I thought she was like the owner or something, like Mae said. I've never seen her dad."
    gregg "I hear tell that he's, like… not up to helping out at the store. Y'know, physically."
    player "That sucks. I just hope Bea doesn't hurt herself or something."

    "Gregg fidgets a bit."

    gregg "C'mon, I'm getting hungry."

    "You blink, but you continue following him."
    "You pass a few boring looking businesses that Gregg doesn't bother telling you about, and you stop at the large, dark entrance of the Towne Centre Platform."

    gregg "Right down here!"

    "Gregg heads down the stairs, and you follow cautiously. It's kind of grimy and dingy-looking down there, and smells faintly of stagnant water."
    "Ahead, you see a counter on the left with some brightly lit signage on it."
    "Everything about the place is exactly what you expect from an abandoned trolley tunnel, except for the reddish-orange neon that spells out the name of the stand."
    "The smell of dirty water is overtaken by the smell of various greasy carbohydrates and starches being fried in pans, accompanied by the sound of sizzling oils."
    "You inhale deeply, and find your mouth has started watering."
    "You're about to pick up the pace of your walking, when you see a figure in the corner of your eye."
    "Sitting by the edge of the tracks is man who looks to be… fishing?"
    "You can't guess what fish that would live down here would taste like. Your stomach suddenly feels conflicted- the smell of pierogies is enticing, while the thought of slimy, muddy fish makes you feel queasy."

    player "Who the heck is that?"
    gregg "Dunno. I've seen him around."

    "You watch as the deer stands up and pokes the icy water with a large stick, presumably to make the hole bigger."

    player "Uhh… let's just eat."

    "You shake your head and refocus on the Trolleyside News."
    "There's a surprising large variety of pierogies and pretzels to choose from."
    "Some of them you've never heard of before, leaving you wondering how they're possible: Pumpkin pie pretzels? Pierogi pretzels? Pierogi sandwiches? Huh?"

    player "…How is a pierogi sandwich supposed to work?"
    gregg "I think they just put a couple pierogies in between two slices of grilled bread…"
    gregg "Never tried it myself. Why gild the lily?"

    "Still, there's also some that you definitely know well: Cheese and garlic flavors are in there, as well as the plain old salt and pepper."
    "There is, however, a pierogi flavor that intrigues you- Corned beef and cabbage.
    "You know you like corned beef, and you like mashed potatoes. Why not both at the same time?"
    "You shrug and look at the sign again. "2.99", it says."
    "You take out your wallet and grab a few bills, then place them on the counter."
    "There's only one person there working the frying pans in the entire kitchen, a crotchety-looking dog with baggy, squinting eyes. He notices the sound of money landing on the counter and turns to you."

    cook "Yes? Can I help you?"
    player "I'd like two corned beef and cabbage pierogies, please."
    cook "Two?"
    player "Yeah, two."
    cook "Sure… sure… I'll get them for you."

"He turns to look at Gregg."

    cook "Where's your thief friend?"
    gregg "What?"
    cook "The short one."
    gregg "Who, Mae?"
    cook "I don't know her name."
    gregg "Are you still on about that? When are you ever gonna forget it?"
    cook "Just keep her away from my pretzels!"
    cook "What you will have?"

    "Gregg frowns, and takes out his wallet."

    gregg "Just gimme the onion, dude. Two."
    cook "Right away. Anything to drink?"

    "You look around for a menu listing the beverages, but it takes a few seconds to find it. Finally, you spot a small sign on the counter to the right of you."
    "There are only two options: Coffee and cola."
    "Gregg opts for the cola. You want something warm, so you ask for the coffee."
    "The cook-slash-cashier takes a few crumpled up bills from Gregg, and returns to making the food."
    "The pierogies are ready in a couple of minutes. Must have had them ready to go ahead of time."
    "He hands them to you on a couple of paper plates, with a pile of napkins, more than you need."

    cook "Have a nice day."

    "You suspect he doesn't really mean it. You thank him anyway, just to be polite."
    "You pick up your cup of coffee and notice that it's completely black."

    player "Hey, can I get some milk and sugar?"
    cook "What?"
    player "…Milk and sugar? Please?"
    cook "Oh."

    "He hands you a small handful of powdered non-dairy creamer and sugar packets."

    player "Uh… thanks."

    "You start to walk away, wanting to get away from the grumpy vibe you're getting."
    gregg "Don't worry about him, dude. He's a bit of a jerk- when it comes to Mae, anyway- but the food's totally worth it."

    "You shrug and take a bite of your food."
    "Thankfully, it's as good as it smells. The tang of the corned beef and the slight crunch of the cabbage compliment the mashed potatoes inside well."
    "And once you fumble with the creamer and sugar and get it in the coffee, it at least tastes decent."
    "You're chewing thoughtfully when your eyes are cast upon a huge group of figures… painted on the walls."
    "You're a bit startled by it- it's an enormous mural of the trolley tunnel wall to the right of the tracks. The oversized figures are all wearing mining caps, carrying picks, and determined expressions as they seemingly run across the space in front of you."

    player "Wow, what's this?"

    "Your mouth is full when you say this."

    gregg "Oh yeah, the miner dudes. Impressive, huh?"
    player "Yeah…"
    gregg "They did this a long time ago. Like, when the trolleys were first built."

    "You squint at it- some of the paint is ever so slightly brighter, as if it were fairly new."

    player "You sure? Looks kinda fresh."
    gregg "Oh, that's because it had to be repainted not too long ago, dude! Took a long time too."
    gregg "Somebody painted "Nuke Possum Springs" in, like, *huge* letters!"
    gregg "Well, almost. They kinda didn't finish and sorta scribbled on it."
    gregg "If you ask me, dude, it was actually a good thing it happened."
    player "Huh? How so?"
    gregg "You might say… it was a call to action!!"
    gregg "What a scramble it was when the City Council finally found out! "We can't have this sort of vandalism besmirch the beloved legacy of our town!" they said!"
    gregg "Suddenly all you would hear about was "Save the Possum Springs Trolley Tunnels!" and people arguing about how to spend the budget on restoring it."
    gregg "I don't totally understand it myself, but Bea tells me it brought up all sorts of questions about what taxes were being used for."
    gregg "Like, roads and stuff."
    gregg "Mae doesn't think so, but Bea thinks it actually made things better for Possum Springs."
    player "And nobody knows who did it?"
    gregg "Sometimes I think Mae knows. She gets all weird when we mention it."

    "Gregg takes a seat by the edge of the unused tracks. You follow suit, putting down your pierogi and drinking more coffee."
    "Gregg's legs dangle over the edge, and he swings them back and forth."

    gregg "That coffee any good?"
    player "So-so. You drink coffee a lot?"
    gregg "Not anymore."
    gregg "Angus made me quit, like ten years ago. Says I'm hyper enough as it is."
    player "Isn't there caffeine in that cola, though?"
    gregg "Not as much, I don't think…"
    gregg "I could be wrong though. I haven't tasted one in so-oo-oo-ooo long!"
    player "Where does this tunnel go, anyway? Walking through it, I mean."
    gregg "Down past Angus' place, actually!"
    player "Really? It looks… shorter than that."
    gregg "…Does it?"

    "Gregg peers past you, squinting at the other end."

    gregg "…That's weird. It kinda does."
    gregg "That's kinda spooky, now that you point it out, dude."
    player "…Am I really the first to notice?"
    gregg "Ha, no idea!"
    player "…Weird."

    "After a minute of silence, you polish off your food and stand up."
    "A greasy paper plate, several soiled napkins, and the empty paper cup, stained brown from the coffee, is all that's left. Into the trash bin it goes, and you save the unused napkins in your pocket."

    gregg "Well, non-Euclidian geometry or not, we can head back to the bakery this way! It makes a great shortcut!"

    "He hops up and runs backward, beckoning you to follow, and you abide."
    "Gregg leads you through the tunnel and opposite the way you came. You emerge into the daylight you find yourself in front of what looks to be a bar."

    gregg "You wanna head back now?"
    gregg "I've probably hit the limit of how long I can stay away from work."

    "You look at your phone to check the time, and see that you've been out longer than you thought."

    player "Yeah, sure."
    gregg "Then that concludes our tour! Step this way into the gift shop!"
    player "Hey, do you think you can drive me back home one more time, if it's not too much trouble?"

*if you asked him to drive you home before*
    "Gregg blinks, but his expression is otherwise unchanged."

    gregg "Ok dude, I'll do it one last time just so you don't to walk all the way back in the cold…"

*otherwise*
    gregg "Ok dude, don't wanna have you to walk all the way back in the cold!"

    "He looks at you sympathetically."

    player "Thanks."

    "You have to practically jog in order to keep up with his fast pace as he makes his way back to his bike."
    "You soon reach his bike and you strap on your helmets and climb on. Gregg puts the pedal to the metal and heads back out to the street."
    "Gregg turns on the radio in between his handlebars and cranks up some high-octane rock song."

    gregg "WOO! I love this song!"

    "He starts speeding up, making you clench a bit."

    gregg "Did ya have a good time, [newname]?"

    "He has to shout to be heard over the radio and the engine."

    player "Huh? Oh yeah, I did!"
    gregg "Beats working, am I right?"
    player "I dunno, I don't have a job here yet!"
    bea "Well it beats sitting around bored, anyway!"

    "You started out cold and miserable and hungry, and then you wound up being closer friends with Gregg. He seems like a genuinely nice guy."
    "You make your way home, looking up at the overcast sky as you do so."

    gregg "So what happened to your bike, anyway?"
    player "Oh, I dunno! It just wouldn't start!"
    gregg "Huh. Sounds finicky." he says.
    player "Lemme know when you can take a look at it to see what's wrong with it, alright?"
    gregg "Sure, dude! I'd love to get my hands on it again!"

    "Wanting to know more about him, the music makes you recall something from the other day, so you change the subject."

    player "Do you still like playing the guitar, by the way? I didn't get to see you play the other day."
    gregg "Oh yeah! I love the guitar! I haven't been practicing much lately, though."
    gregg "The band sorta… faded away, I guess? We just kept finding fewer and fewer times we wanted to play together for some reason."
    gregg "Bea still writes songs, though! Sometimes I get her to let me play a little bit for her."
    player "Wish I was around when you were still playing. Were you any good?"
    gregg "Well *I* thought so, anyway."
    player "Did you ever record anything?"
    gregg "Uh… no! Damn, I wish we had, now that you mention it."
    gregg "I'll ask if Bea still has the drum tracks on her computer."

    "Gregg then rambles for several minutes about the kind of music he liked best. Mostly punk and rockabilly, apparently, although he says that wasn't what the band sounded like."

    player "What sort of music did you play, then?"
    gregg "Uhh… I dunno, dude. Alternative? Maybe? The definitions of music confuse me."
    player "What did you call the band, anyway?"
    gregg "Oh man, we never actually got around to it, actually…"
    player "Huh. What would you call yourselves now, if you could?"
    gregg "Oh, I dunno, uh… The Galloping Drag Queens?"
    gregg "I'll run that by Angus the next time we get together."

    "You both laugh."

    gregg "Thanks for the good time today, man. It's been really depressing around here lately."

    "You're not exactly sure how to respond to that, so you stay silent."
    "The road leading to your house finally approaches, and you soon arrive at your driveway."
    "You get off Gregg's bike and return your helmet, thanking him for the ride."

    player "I would've had a really rotten day if you hadn't hung out with me."
    gregg "No problem, dude! Any excuse to escape the doldrums of the House o' Ham."
    player ""House o' Ham"?"
    gregg "The Ham Panther. Also known, by me, as the Bazaar of Bummers."
    gregg "The Market of Meh."

    "You laugh again."

    player "I'll… see you later, I guess."
    gregg "See ya, dude."

    "You wave goodbye and turn and walk towards your house."
    "You pause to listen to the motor of his bike roar, not turning around as you face the front door."
    "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?"
    "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."
    "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 Gregg."
    "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 Gregg on chattrBox."

    gregg "Awsm time we had today, dude! Hope we cn do it again soon!"
    gregg "Sincerely, Greggory"

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

    gregg "Ur welcome, dude"

    "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."
    "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."