Chapter 5: The Quest for a Quest

When we got back down to the Bastok Markets the two of us wasted no time acquiring provisions...Mind you, really we didn't yet have any idea what we were preparing FOR. Fortunately, I had sufficient funds from the various odd jobs I'd pulled to be able to afford what I felt was a decent starting lineup of adventuring items. Silvie was also able to acquire a considerable sum from the many pieces of odd-junk that she'd managed to scalp off of whatever creatures she'd encountered before being brought here to Bastok. She used her funds to also purchase a variety of items. It was during this process of preparation that I gained knowledge of something I had not been aware of previously.

Red Mages were not liked all that much. This became apparent when, on several occasions, Silvie attempted to solicit the attentions of a potential "party member". Becoming absolutely ecstatic each time she spotted a potential prospect ("OOH OOH OOH! Therrrress a Warrriorrr! Maybe he'll join us!" And then being utterly crushed when the prospect turned down her offer as soon as she mentioned me, and my profession. ("RRrr, those jerrrrks! What nerrrrve! Doesn't anybody know how to have fun anymorrre?") So in the end, by the time we got all our stuff together, it was still just me and her.

It seemed people did not like the idea of someone who was a "jack-of-all-trades" preferring only those who adhered to specialized professions. Many of them we're rather lacking in courtesy as well, sure some of them turned down the offer politely, either saying they had to go, they were in a party already or that they had something to do. But most of them were downright nasty, going so far as to pelt us with vulgar insults and then walking off.

As far as I was concerned… well, honestly I couldn't've cared less. I mean, sure we intended to go on an adventure and all but seeing as I already encompassed all three necessary components of a successful part, and was already comfortable in my particular profession I saw no reason to go out of our way to collect additional members for our party. I attempted to console Silvie with these facts, meager empathy skills notwithstanding.

"Hey c'mon Silvie, look'at'it this way. I already encompass warrior black mage and white mage to an extent, why bother goin' after additional people? We'll be able to split up more loot between the two of us by the time we're done!" I tried to make my voice as enthusiastic as possible. At first I met with meager success but little by little she came around. And we…rather I… was finally able to get on with life. However, now that that had been decided, there was another, similar, but more urgent problem.

We couldn't find a job... No matter who we went to, no matter who we asked, no one needed anything done; from the old lady who needed someone to collect some groceries for her, to the guy who needed that ultra rare something or other. Every single potential job we came across had already been taken up by someone else. While I preferred to keep my frustrated musings to myself, Silvie, apparently, did not have quite the level of self control necessary to do the same.

"GUNAYAHAMAYANAAAAAAAAAAA!" Apparently, she felt it was necessary to bring the attention of all Bastok to our plight, as well as a few of the neighboring regions as well. "WHAT KINDA WORRRLD ARRE WE LIVIN' IN WHEN A COUPLA ADVENTURRRRERRRS CAN'T EVEN GET ONE KRRRRAKEN JOOOOOOB!" She had to raised fists in the air, waving both of them up and down frantically as though attempting to take flight. Fearing that that was exactly what would happen I placed my hands on her shoulders and attempted to calm her down.

This, unfortunately, caused her to revert to "pouty-sobby" mode. She turned around and looked up toward me. "WH-WHAT ARRRRE WE GUNNNA DOOOO? I DUN WANNA GO BACK OUT THERRRE WITHOUT A RRREASON!" She moaned pitifully. I had no idea how to respond, thankfully, I didn't have to.

"Ey, yous two say yer inneed ova job?" Oh gee, no whatever gave him that idea? The two of us turned to see who had spoken. It was one of the Metalworks engineers, he looked like he had either been on break or was off duty. Before he could continue to talk however Silvie bolted forward, grasped him by both shoulders, and began to shake him furiously, beggin him to affirm our desire.

"YES YES YES! PLEAS TELL US YOU HAVE A JOB FOR US PLEASE WE'LL DO ANYTHING!(wellnotTHATImean-thetwoofusarrredesperraebutnotTHATdesperrrateat-leastIMnot)." Before I could stop her she relented slightly, but still wobbled him abit, which was probably a good thing, as I was pretty sure that if she let the guy go at that moment he would've either collapsed to the floor or been taken by nausea.

Despite his condition, he managed to aquiese to Silvie's….request. "I-if yer l-lookin' fer a job I su'j-jest you head un'u-hulp to the M-metalworks. Old Man Cid's bo-houut to declare one now, it's ona d-heem missions fer the republic. If yeh wanna gu--huuud job, you'll not find any better then the one he's pres-hen-entin' now." It was something of a surprise that the man was able to get even that much out considering his current state.

However, as soon as Silvie let go of him he slumped away, and when she came up to me with a wide-eyed bushy-tailed look on her face I couldn't help but catch her excitement.Silvie and I didn't waste another moment, we bolted off for the Metalworks, leaving many a confused on-looker behind. We ran all the way from Port Bastok, through the Bastok Markets, and finally charged up the stairs to the Metalworks. Panting, the two of us attempted to walk further into the Metalworks but, were not able to as currently.

fwump

"Ey watch it!"

"Back yes up!"

There was almost no room to move. Any step in one direction or another resulted in us bumping into one adventurer or another. I saw that there was some sort of podium set up toward the middle of the the Metalworks square, and atop it was set various... contraptions. What puposes they would serve in the course of Old Man Cid delivering his speech I did not know. But I figured, if he was gunna be speaking from there, best to be as close as possible to the center right?

I informed Silvie of this and the two of us managed together, to squeeze worm, and edge our way through the crowd to get to the center stage. When we got there, we we're just in time to see Old Man Cid himself heading up the steps toward a particular piece of equipment in the center, long and thin, ending in a small sphere at the top. I had no idea what he intended to do with that. As he approache, a great cheer rose from the crowd. Clearly most of those present new Cid's reputation and revered him for it.

I, on the other, hand, was somewhat usettled. I had never seen Old Man Cid before. All I had heard was that he was long past his prime. Hell, his prime was during the second rise of the Shadow Lord, and that whole shindig went down nearly 30 years ago. I had to wonder what had been hatched in this Old codgers mind. With his long white beard and short smooth walking. I felt certain that whatever he had in mind wasn't gunna be something all too sane in the making...

And then, with the crowds cheers dying down, Old Man Cid stepped forward toward the device, and began to speak...

A/N: Due to certain unfortunate incidents, the original content of this chapter was lost in the abyss of what is known as the "school computer deletion of all saved files" policy. I was unable to recover the original and was thus forced to write the chapter all over again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the previous ones even though some of the original spirit was lost. and as always, thnx for all R&Rs!