Alex's Story

My name is Alex, and I am the Doctor.

Starting my profession in an isolated village has been a tough venture for me due to my numerous faults, but Gina's arrival has become a blessing for me. Before, I only had Martha's constant teasing and nagging for my aid. It was a welcome change of pace to have a faithful assistant around. Gina was more hands on. She takes care of the patients whenever I'm around. She would compensate for my absent-mindedness by keeping vital items in a neat and tidy inventory. She even keeps a careful eye on our constant patient, Dia, who would've been my sole responsibility, had she not wanted to continue watching over her. There is a certain beauty to her that only I've somehow noticed, but there's a charm she possesses that's not so hard to miss.

She's the perfect nurse and assistant. She's one I feel quite appreciate for, and one I've grown most fond of. Of course, these new found feelings have contributed to some of my current problems.

Still, she's done far more for me than to me, so she'll always be a welcome presence in morning, noon, and night. Throughout most of my life, she is the most compassionate woman I've ever met. And one day, I hope to ensure that arrangement is permanent...

The addition of Dia, however, has added to my work. She and Gina were part of the package that brought the Sanatorium to Flower Bud Village, which made me wonder if that two-story house built to be that sickly girl's home. I suppose she still has the means to own it, even if she's been separated from her family.

For the most part, I am her Doctor, and she is my patient. While it won't be so awkward to obtain a stronger level of closeness than a professional relationship like with Gina, there are still lines that I believe must not be crossed. Delving into something far too deep with a patient might result into hectic complications for me, so I felt it would be best to keep some distance. Yet at times, I feel I've done that too well, and I sensed a combination of anger and fear directed towards me. I understand that she's angry at me for having her friend at my side for necessary times, but what bothered me more was the fear she felt.

Gina explained to me that she was afraid of strangers, and I suppose I would also be afraid to have a constant stranger looming over me and checking up on me. I guess it didn't help that I felt I was rather cold to her. Perhaps even colder than the way I've seen Blue and Jamie stand out as angst-ridden glaciers in a town of sunshine. I then concluded that if I am to ensure my constant patient's well-being, I might as well act more… "natural" around her.

So I started befriending the quiet lady, and though she was still timid towards me, I think I might've gotten through to her a little. I've decided to bring her outside on some occasions to show her my favorite relaxation spots, and after familiarizing her with them, I've started to see her head there on her own from time to time. I've also told her a little about my history as a Doctor, which somehow repulsed her and enticed her curiosity at the same time. Then there were some moments where I shared my thoughts of life in general, which was always good enough to soothe her.

Sometimes she would ask me if I had ever done these things with Gina. I said we've only talked, which was good enough for me, but the young lady suggested I do more of these things with Gina, and that she would appreciate it a whole lot. I'm not really sure how that would work, myself. My nurse and I are so busy with work most of the time, and I'm merely bonding with my patient to ease future confrontations. Still, she confessed her relief to see Gina make a new friend, and just wanted to make sure I would strive to be a better one. In all our time as bonding, I believe we've finally achieved some understanding with each other, but lately I've started to see Miss Dia shy away for another reason. I wonder what it is this time?

Overall, it seems I have formed this tight-knit family with Gina and Miss Dia. Before, I only had Martha, who served as my nagging, yet loving "mother", but now I have a sister in Miss Dia, and a welcome partnership with Gina. Although with the way good Gina treats me, the villagers have openly expressed how wonderful a wife she'd be to me. Maybe that thought of a permanent arrangement isn't some far-off dream…

But for now, I am a Doctor, first and foremost, and it is my job to ensure the health of our community!

For that, I must study, and so I have to read and memorize. I have the books in the archive to look over, and a few to borrow at the library.

I also must keep my medicine in top supply. Whether it requires the order of prescriptions from faraway towns, or the gathering of herbs from the mountains, or even mining for the Ponata root deep in Moonlight Cave, our Clinic must always be prepared to prescribe a medicine for any occasion!

Next is my regular checkups on Miss Dia's condition. While I am glad to have Gina as her fulltime caretaker, it is still my personal duty to check her condition. Luckily, the trust I've earned from her makes this task easier, but I still require Gina's assistance once it moves on to more awkward stages.

Finally, what I deem to be my hardest task of all, which ends up being a shock to most people I tell, is my job to relax! Working constantly around the clock makes this a really hard task, to be honest. When I'm used to working nearly 24/7, it gives me the urge not to stop! So then I'm forced to keep myself out of the clinic whenever it's in sight. And when I'm wandering outside, I have to resist the urge to go on a gathering spree once I pass by an herb! Luckily, Sunny Lake always drowns out these distractions, and befriending the local farmer has brought me even more times of merriment. I sometimes ask myself why it's hard for me to just accept my day offs, but when I'm back on the job, such thoughts fade from my mind instantly.

Today, I'm still hard at work as Flower Bud Village's only Doctor. We've had a few cases pop up here and there, but I'm glad to work through it all and aid our citizens! I'm proud to have worked so hard for them all, and I promise to continue serving them all to the best of my ability. But what I've enjoyed most of all in my experiences is the family I've gained. I've really come to enjoy Gina and Miss Dia's presence around the Clinc, but I find it so vexing that I still cannot tell Gina how I feel. If only that special day were to come sooner…