NPC Calling
It was long ago now, a lifetime ago when something in you awoke. At first it's just a subtle calling in the back of your mind, an inkling of a thought that drives you to begin collecting items almost unconsciously and without a second thought.
You work hard, but then harder still in order to get that raise at your job, feed the flame of your material desire. You're constantly being driven to buy more and fill your residence to the brim with chests full of items of varying levels and values. You sacrifice your time with family and friends to search farther lands for rarer items. Your drive ends up driving away everyone you know. Each day you gather and each day you wait for that one fateful day. Deep within you know this to be the way of things and understand that the only way through this this journey is in perpetual solitude.
It takes as long as you could ever imagine but all of a sudden the day is here. You stand uncomfortably and unnaturally behind your bare wooden counter. The waiting makes you so nervous. All of your life efforts are about to come to fruition the moment the door opens and the chosen one walks in. You've imagined this day for a better part of your existence, since you were just a wee sprite. The overwhelming emotions begin to get the better of you, your fingers glitch along the counter top, a single pixel drips from your forehead.
Suddenly gunshots ring out from within a specific audible range, the sound of men yelling and fighting in the street outside; several minutes of chaos ensues until a final shot is fired. The silence that follows is hastily interrupted by approaching footsteps. There's a slow pause. Glitching fingers cease to glitch. A flash of a quicksave icon appears in the corner. The door opens and it is the most beautiful animation of that door opening you have ever seen. The silhouette of Character1 stands tall in the doorway, a haze of gun smoke still swirling around his dusty and tattered hat.
He raises his pistol and executes a quick reload so fast that it skips a few frames. He holsters the firearm and begins to look around slowly and deliberately. Finally his eyes settle on you. Your floating name tag appears and it looks incredible! Vibrant green, illuminating the top of your head, giving off a faint warmth you are happy bask in. For the first time in your life you proudly witness your bestowed title of 'Shopkeeper' floating majestically above you. It's so mesmerizing that you almost miss Character1 initiate a trade.
Your screen juts up in a smooth upward motion, just like all the practice runs. The copious amounts of effort, the endless optimizing and maintenance, it was all worth it. It worked flawlessly. The entirety of your inventory bursts forth for all to see, but for only one to trade with.
Character1 ignores your UI briefly and counters the action by opening his own. The list is long and eclectic, scrolling seemingly endlessly to the bottom. So many items you've never laid eyes on before, so much to learn, so much more to collect.
The screen closes as fast as it appeared and all eyes are on you again. A relatively quick scroll down the list and then suddenly it happens. Character1 hovers over the revolver rounds and selects them, the soundbite was music to your ears. Your focus shifts to the amount box, the cursor seems to blink for an eternity. Finally a 3 is entered, the cursor blinks again. Was this it? No! A 6 flashes onto the screen is an effortless display of beauty, form and function. 36! Extraordinary. Character1 must be a man of style and grace to ever come up with such a fine number. But wait, he begins eyeing the inventory again. Scrolling up fast, faster than the screen can fully register; he slams into the top of the list. Another infinitely long pause followed by that surreal sound of selection.
Beans, one can of beans is selected. Glorious day! You keep a straight face throughout the whole ordeal, not wanting to advertise the elation coursing through your body. A hand casually appears, pointing towards the great beyond and slowly but surely brings it upon the buffed and polished Trade button. Gold and shiny, it was a button that you had aquired very early on in your journey. The button that you looked at when you were down and out for the inspiration to keep going. The button to risk it all for in order to accomplish your lifelong journey of unknown origin.
The sound is deafening and cathartic, an explosive thud followed by the sound of a register you were unaware of owning. The transaction is complete. You are now not only a few coins richer, you are fulfilled. This is your nirvana. A smile frame appears across your face for the first time. You clear your throat for the words that had come to you through the years, from deciphering codes and clues that life had given you, memorizing and repeating them to yourself as often as you could. You proudly bellow your mantra at a higher than ambient volume. 'See y'all later pard'ner!"
Character1 stands there silently and eats the can of beans. When finished he tosses the can to the floor and turns around, slowly fading out of the shop to the soundbite of the door opening and closing for what may have been the last time.