A Bit Fishy

Wed Mar 13, 2024 4:26 pm

Mission Name: A Bit Fishy
Rank: E
Mission Location: Universal

Challenges: N/A
Task: As you go about your day you come across an old scruffy looking man who explains his need for some help! He has his very own fishing boat and needs somebody to go out on the water with him. He explains that his wife wont let him go out alone, and his good for nothing son can't be found! Your task is either to go out on the mans fishing boat for the day, or find his son and bring him home!

Word Count Requirement:500
Reward:1000 Ryo / 5 AP

Character Requirements: N/A
Character Exclusive: N/A

Link to Legacy Mission: N/A

“IF WE DON'T GATHER ENOUGH FISH BEFORE THE END OF THE NIGHT, WE'LL LOSE THE HOUSE. TRYING TO FIND HIM WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TIME!” a male voice screams. “YOU CAN’T FISH ALONE, AND OUR SON IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS HOUSE!” a female voice contested. At this point, their voices could travel throughout the entire island.

Aizen slowly approaches the older-looking couple by the ocean bay. The woman notices Aizen, and smiles at him, and says “Oh, Hi there!”. The feminine voice cools as cool.They stand outside of their home with bright lights.“Sorry if we’re too loud again. Just having a little trouble is all.” she says with a smile on her face.

She switched from hostile to welcoming in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, the man isn’t as welcoming, “Ugh, just another person to cause delay.” he murmurs. “Excuse him, we just have a lot on our plate right now.” her smile still stays bright. “Allow me” Aizen suggests his assistance.

While she’s talking to Aizen, he goes inside. “Come inside, It’s cold out“, she suggests. With a simple nod, she guides Aizen inside and gestures for him to take a seat. “Sorry, where are my manners? My name is Eileen and this is my husband Harold.” she gestures towards him as he returns with a lantern... “The candle inside this lantern is our hourglass. If the wick reaches the bottom of that candle we lose the house, our belongings, and hopefully that stupid kid. ”. “That’s enough, Harold. We run a fishing business and things have been running a little short recently. It was possible to gather 36 fish by the end of the day, but our son ran away. I can’t allow my husband to travel in those dangerous waters alone. We need to focus on bringing our son back home”. “That boy doesn’t know anything. He's ungrateful for this company I’m building for him. The family legacy. But because he wants to be an astronomer, he’s giving up on keeping this company alive. ” he retaliates. Nothing frustrates Aizen more than an incompetent father, it hits too close to home for him. Putting his past aside, Aizen proposes “I’ll get the boy; So long as your husband stays quiet.”. Both the men's eyes lock with tension stronger than a tightrope.

“That’s enough, Harold”, Eileen’s stern voice prompts him to walk away, as he continues to murmur, leaving the lantern on the table. while the mother smiles and thanks Aizen, she pours him a cup of tea. “I’m sorry about him. Riko, my son, finally built up the courage to tell Harold his true apparitions, Harold wasn’t a fan. Last night everything got out of hand. We awoke to his empty room and a note saying he doesn’t ever want to come back.”. she shuffles into the hall, “I have something that can help you” She leaves to retrieve the toy. Whilst alone in the dining room. Aizen glances at the photos of the family as placed along the wall. Aizen grips the tea cup tighter in anger, The father isn’t smiling in a single one. It’s impossible to ignore the fact that the father is disappointed in his son. Each photo looks like a direct image of Aizen’s past. Aizen brings the teacup to his lips and takes a sip of the delicious hojicha tea. The chocolatey flavor and rich nutty undertone cooled him down and distanced his mind from the past.

She returns with a mini-sized spaceman that has even smaller planet stickers placed onto his spacesuit. Eileen hands Aizen the figured man. “This was the toy he brought to us when he first told us about his passion. Please do whatever you can to bring him back.”. Placing the toy into his pouch, Aizen thanks the woman for the tea and heads out with the lantern.

Stepping out into the night, the lantern casting a soft glow around him, he knew time was of the essence. The urgency of a lost boy weighed heavily on him as he set out to find Riko before the lantern's light dimmed and darkness enveloped the surroundings. Children don’t usually run far, nor do they run in a logical direction. A few steps away from the bay and over a hill, and little footsteps could be found.

The sound of the crashing waves provided a steady rhythm to his footsteps as he retraced the path the family's son had taken, his senses sharp and alert to any signs of movement in the shadows. Following these tracks would take forever, assuming the kid walked in a straight line.

The lantern in his hand flickered with each gust of wind, its light a beacon in the enveloping darkness. Aizen scanned the area, his eyes searching for any trace of the boy's whereabouts, his thoughts racing with the need to find him before it was too late. This has to be the darkest night he has ever seen.

As he ventured further along and the footprints led him back to the rugged coastline, the moon hung like a silent watcher in the sky, its ethereal light casting a silvery sheen over the water, but nothing more. A sense of unease crept over Aizen, a feeling that time was slipping away with each passing moment.

Suddenly, a flash of movement caught his eye, a fleeting shadow darting among the rocks near the water's edge. Aizen's heart quickened with a surge of hope as he hastened his pace, the lantern held aloft to illuminate the path ahead. The boy's laughter echoed faintly in the air, a distant sound that spurred Aizen onward in his quest to find him.

Through the rocky terrain and winding paths, Aizen listened for echoes or traces of the boy. Finally, a sound emerges from the darkness. As he drew closer to the source of the sound, the light of the lantern flickered with a newfound intensity as if guiding him toward the boy.

And then, amidst the shadows and the whispers of the night, Aizen caught sight of the boy, his silhouette illuminated by the soft glow of the lantern. The child turned towards him, eyes wide with surprise and relief, as Aizen approached with a sense of quiet triumph.

With a reassuring slight smile, Aizen reached behind him, then extended a hand to the boy, the action figure that nestled in his pouch, a silent promise of protection and guidance. Together, they made their way back towards the waiting lantern, its light burning bright against the encroaching darkness. This boy is special, The flame seems to dance to the child’s footsteps. Soon enough the boy will be able to control this power and protect others.

As they returned to the home by the ocean bay, the mother greeted them with a mixture of gratitude and relief. The mother's smile was radiant, her eyes shining with unshed tears of joy. Aizen's heart swelled with a sense of fulfillment as he handed the boy back into his mother's waiting arms, the lantern's light casting a halo of warmth around them. This isn’t a normal flame inside the lantern, this is the boy’s flame. The way it reacts to his every movement, It should’ve been obvious.

In that moment of reunion and connection, Aizen knew that he had found not only the boy but also a sense of purpose and belonging that had eluded him for so long. And as the lantern's light continued to shine brightly in the night, he understood that sometimes, in the darkest of times, a single flicker of light could lead the way toward hope and redemption. -exit-

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