A/N: Back again with another ToV one-shot! I'm really coming out with a lot of them at the minute...I already have another two one-shots waiting in the wings to be written...

This one is a little different, however, as it actually focuses on Karol instead of Yuri or Flynn. A bit of foreign territory, but I hope you enjoy anyway!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Vesperia. It belongs to Namco Bandai, though I do have a copy of the game (finally!)

Karol Capel, the leader of Brave Vesperia, watched with a smile as his guild members lounged around their headquaters, laughing and drinking together. He missed those days back when he was still joining different guilds, just hanging around with the members.

In the six years since he had formed Brave Vesperia with Yuri, it had grown. The guild itself was famous for versitility, able to carry out various different jobs as efficiently as the guilds who were actually focused on those jobs did. Members got hired by the really famous guilds to help carry out missions, and they were in high demand.

Obviously, with growing fame came growing numbers. Brave Vesperia, though not the biggest guild, was much larger than when it had started with three members. Usually, not all of the members were present, and more signed up every day.

There was also a variation in age. They had those who were pretty old but had a lot of experience - they usually did menial tasks, the simpler jobs, or helped train the younger members - and those were practically children looking for a bit more excitement in their lives.

It mattered not to Karol; so long as people were carrying out jobs they could handle safely, he didn't interfere with anything.

Of course, there were still those who broke the rules. Though some guilds may just give those members a slap on the wrist, Karol was also known for being strict - if you didn't abide by the rules, you were kicked out.

Well...if you didn't abide the rules intentionally.

It was a pretty boring day. A few people had come in to submit reports of their jobs, and Judith had had to go break up a fight at one point when they got a little too rowdy, but otherwise it wasn't really interesting.

A knock on the door drew his attention and he looked up, laying down the pen he had been using to sign the reports.

"Come in!" he called, and the door was slowly opened, a young boy entering. Karol remembered that he had only joined recently; usually, someone of their age they may refer somewhere else, but his mother had died and his father left him, so he was without support. Karol had taken pity and let him in, and Yuri made noted that the kid really reminded him of Karol when he was younger.

Ah...those days when he was so immature...

"What brings you here?" asked Karol, smiling. The boy flinched and Karol's smile faded; he was pretty sure he wasn't that scary...

"I-uh-I finished my job..." the boy murmured, walking over and holding up a piece of paper. Karol took it, frowning, then quickly scanned it.

At the bottom, in red letters, it simply said 'JOB FAILED'.

Karol let out a slow breath. Huh...so that's what he was worried about?

"Why did you fail?" asked Karol.

The boy rubbed at his eye. "I...I couldn't get the item they wanted me to get...the monster was too strong..." he murmured. He glanced up. "A-Are you gonna kick me out?" he asked.

Karol felt himself go back several years; how, every time he failed to keep up to standards in the guilds, he was kicked out and called a failure... Yuri was right. He really did remind him of himself.

Karol placed the paper down, signing his name, then glanced up at the boy with a stern expression. The boy flinched, lip quivering as he tried not to cry.

Karol's expression softened, and he stood, going round the desk. He knelt infront of the boy, laying a hand on his shoulder and making him look up in surprise.

"Failing a mission because it was a little too tough doesn't mean you should be kicked out. You tried your best, right?"

The boy nodded slowly, miserably, and Karol smiled.

"Then that's okay. I'm not gonna kick you out; that's for the idiots who don't try. Just next time, pick an easier job, alright? Build up a bit more experience, get bigger and stronger, then maybe you could try another mission a bit like this again. And I bet it'll go differently."

The boy gazed at Karol in wonder, then a huge grin split his face.

"You're letting me stay? Seriously!?"

"Uh huh."

"Wow! I mean..wow! Thanks! I was, y'know, really worried..."

"I noticed," Karol chuckled, before straightening. "Go get some food down you, then rest up, okay? I want you nice and strong for your next mission."

"Right! Thanks, Boss!" the boy said happily before racing from the room.

Karol stood there for a moment then sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Man...would I wouldn't have given to have something like that happen to me..." he murmured, before chuckling. "It all comes round, eventually. Just gotta set the record straight when it does."

A/N: I'm not completely happy with this...It didn't really have the flow I wanted with this. But I hope it was alright anyway!

Review?