<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Maude was admittedly surprised when she received the message that some sheriff in Happy Alex had not only <em>heard</em> of her but wanted to <em>see</em> her. Since leaving home and living a life of travel, gambling, and exploring the great expanse, never had anyone wanted to see Miss. Dresner for anything positive. Occasionally an angry man would go out of his way claiming that she had cheated him out of some money or that he wanted to challenge her to a fair game. Never had someone contacted her to tell her that the name she was making for herself piqued their interest. <br/><br/>Maude, not one to pass up such an opportunity, happily hit the road to Happy Alex. Her feelings of pride faded away upon arriving at the place of her destination. The town was filled with drifters. She was not one of few, she was one of many. Apparently, Maude Dresner was not the only name that struck a chord with the man in charge. The variety of the Drifters around her were interesting. Some of them appeared old – hardened with years of experience. While others seemed entirely too young to even be there. At twenty-five, Maude felt too childish to be considered a prominent name in Filgaia, but the crowd that gathered seemed to imply that people much younger than her had already created a legend of themselves. <br/><br/>Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a lady yelling out to the man standing before the crowd. The touching scene of friends reunited that unfolded was sweet. It was not, however, what Maude was in Happy Alex for. She wanted to hear about the loot that she would get. She wanted to hear about the adventure. The thoughts of such things made a joyful grin form on her face. Anything that would bring so many Drifters together in one place obviously promised some sort of reward that was beyond her comprehension. <br/><br/>Then, the man spoke. 'He wants us to save the world?' Maude thought with an eyebrow raised in skepticism. This was something entirely new. There were always requests to help catch a runaway bandit, find a missing child, look for some historical text or treasure, or help enact someone's long plotted revenge. Never had Maude heard someone so earnestly make a request for something so unattainable. Yet, the man's face, the man's posture, the man's everything gave the impression that he was entirely serious. He clearly believed it was possible for a group of money hungry Drifters to discover some previously undiscovered key to fix the wasteland that was Filgaia. <br/><br/>Maude's frontal lobe screamed at her, told her to turn around, told her this was a useless mission of a dreamer who had his hopes placed somewhere that was anywhere but reality. Being young and adventurous, she disregarded the warnings her brain heeded. She had already traveled the hundreds of miles it took to arrive in Happy Alex, what use would it be to turn around now? Raising her hand with other Drifters proclaiming joy at the prospect of being paid, Maude made her choice. She would be joining this mission. <br/><br/>Given that they would most likely be setting up camp before heading out, Maude found herself a building's porch to sit on. She observed the men and women around her and knew that they were all there for their own reasons, yet she wondered if any of them had a fraction of the blind hope for the future the Sheriff had displayed. If any of them really thought they could save the world as a hero would do in a child's tale. <br/><br/>Her hands felt empty without something to do, so Maude began to idly play with her whip. Her polished, pink fingernails traced the leather whip's length as she caught snippets of everyone's conversations. This was going to be an intriguing chapter of her life, if nothing else. <br/></span>