I recently finished playing Fragile Dreams and decided it might be fun to write a memory from the POV of the merchant. Spoilers ahead if you haven't yet reached the part of the game that reveals his backstory.

And I don't own the characters or anything else. Xseed and Namco Bandai and all those various people do.

Music Box

Today, I found the loveliest music box in an old cottage by the seashore. It was still in prime condition, thanks to the previous owner remembering to leave it in its box before they went away.

It was a shocking discovery, to be sure. It is quite difficult, you see, to find any good music boxes these days, after the dust and grime and years of neglect have gotten to them. It is for this very reason that I will take extra good care of it, and perhaps its delightful tune will be enough to rouse the Princess from her slumber.

Over the years, I have have brought her the shells that sound like the ocean when you put your ear to them, and though I can no longer sing her favorite lullabies ever since my voice began to fail, I learned the violin so I could play them to her instead. Perhaps where sparkling gems and tinkling bells have failed, surely it will be the uplifting chimes of a music box that will coax her to open her eyes again, and she'll laugh and smile for me just like the old days.

Oh, how I long to see her smiling face again. It brought the sun to dark nights and spring to freezing winters. I haven't seen those brown eyes of hers in fifteen years or more, and yet, I can still see them as clearly as ever, how they used to sparkle like like like like like

Critical error detected

System restart in 3…2…1…

Warning: Power reserves at 0.041%

I found the loveliest music box today, in an old cottage by the seashore. I must bring it to the Princess with all due haste, and when she hears its lively tune, she will surely wake again.

Oh, my dear Princess, do you dream of me and the happy days we once shared? Once you open your your your

Warning: Power reserves at 0.026%

your eyes, I will show you all the beautiful things I have collected for you over the years, shells and bells and baubles of all shapes and colors. You'd like that, wouldn't you?

Warning: Power reserves at 0.003%

Please, just once…

Please smile for me like you used to, Prin

Well, this was rather short, but it was a fun, little story to write, nonetheless. I find it rather amusing that the merchant remains the only main robot in the game to not run out of power simply because the player needs to be able to buy items from him. Just saying. Poor merchant and his little Princess…

Please review, and in the meantime, have a nice daaaay!