A/N This is my first story, so please be gentle. I am uploading this to tales of xillia because after playing that game i drew the inspiration to write this one-shot.
There is one facet of role playing games that is always present, but rarely thought about. However, without their existence, the game could not be possible. I am speaking about the oh so lovable side quests. Whether it is rescuing a villager, or defeating monsters, these quests have always been there for a quick xp grind or to get that powerful optional item. But what about the side quests that we accept, but never finish? What about the people who gave them?
It was a small town, quite like all the others in the country but it did have one defining feature that set it apart from all the other towns in said country- it had a port. As a matter of fact, it was one of the only ports into the Country, and so a large variety of people were always coming into the town, eager to pass into the country and start some new adventure.
Bill was very worried. His wife had told him that there were dangerous monsters outside of the town, attacking anyone that passed by. He knew that his wife, the owner of the local apothecary, went ingredient picking every week so that she could make new poultices for her store. He was scared for her, but he knew that she needed to keep working so that they could pay for their daughter's school, which was very expensive. Bill was a lowly dockworker who did not make a lot of money, but he did have some squirreled away in case of an emergency, and this seemed to be like the perfect time to use the money. So, he set out to find someone or a group of some ones that could deal with this urgent problem.
Bill walked to the town's docks where many a would be adventurer took their first steps into the country and decided to look around to see if there was anyone who looked like they could handle the job. A few hours passed, and despite the fact that there were plenty of tough looking people around, none of them really felt "right" to Bill. Disappointed, Bill was about to leave when he saw a group of three people step off of the last boat to dock into port for the day. The first was a tough looking no-nonsense sort of person, his face seemed to be in a perpetual frown. He carried a sword and shield and wore heavy armor. He appeared to be the oldest of the group of three. The second was a voluptuous young woman who appeared to be dressed in some sort clothing that resembled rags and looked like it had been shredded before she put it on. She carried a magic staff with her. The final member of the group was a nervous looking young boy wearing some very fashionable clothes. He wore a pair of gauntlets. As soon as Bill laid eyes on them ne knew that they were the ones who would fulfill his request. And so, he went up to them intent on asking them to accept his most important tasking of killing the monsters endangering his family.
Our young heroes quickly accepted Bill's task. Before they left, Bill told them that he would wait right here rain or shine, day or night until they came back from completing his task. This way, they would know that he would not renege on his end of the bargain. Again, they quickly agreed, and this time they left. Bill, as per their agreement stayed to wait. But how long would they be?
Bill watched as our plucky young heroes walked away confident in his choice. He grew a little worried when he saw them talking to Bob, whom he knew needed some ingredients to make his stew and would pay top dollar for someone to go fetch them. But, he reassured himself, he had asked them for help first, so surely they would honor his request before the other one right?
Day turned to night and the heroes had still not returned. Bill had begun to grow worried, maybe something had happened to them, maybe the monsters had been too much for the aspiring heroes? He was really starting to get worked up when he saw them walk in through the gate, like triumphant heroes fresh off a huge victory. Bill was ecstatic that they completed his request, and got the reward money out to give to them, as he saw them walking in his direction. However, they walked straight passed Bill, Not even acknowledging his existence. Instead they walked up to Bob and completed his request instead. Then they walked off to the town inn, again not even stopping to acknowledge Bill. Naturally Bill was upset, but he decided to just wait and be patient. These were aspiring heroes, surely they would complete his request!
The days flew by, and still nothing from the group of heroes Bill had hired to make the roads safe for his wife. Still, Bill stayed in the same spot, never moving because he knew that any second the heroes would walk through the gate and inform him of his completed request. However unlike Bill, time did move on. For not showing up to work, Bill was fired from his job. He missed his daughters first day of school. But still, Bill would not leave his spot, for he needed to wait for the heroes to complete his request!
Eventually, a week had passed with no word from the heroes and Bill still waited. It was time for Bill's wife's weekly ingredient harvest. Normally she might have been able to put it off a week and try to wait out the monsters, but with bill losing his job, she had no choice but to go and collect ingredients. Bill, still waiting for our heroes, was unable to wish her luck. He could only watch her leave the town.
As it must, day turned to night and the heroes had still not come back. But neither had Bill's wife. Bill was worried for her, but he needed to wait for the heroes to come back. Eventually, a merchant coming into town had spread word that a body was found outside the town walls, mauled and eaten by monsters. It was Bill's wife. There was a funeral held, but Bill couldn't go because he needed to wait for the heroes. He didn't really know why he was waiting anymore, but he knew he needed to wait. Eventually his daughter was taken into an orphanage, due to his lack of care. Bill was devastated, he loved his daughter very much, but he needed to wait for the heroes!
Time had passed, but he was not sure how much. He wasn't sure of anything anymore, really. He had heard something about a war, but it was not that important, he needed to wait for the heroes. And so he waited. And waited.
THE END