The stars were beginning to fade. Garryson knew the sun would be up soon. Working quietly, he got the lifeboat ready to go. It was always so quiet in the morning. The air was crisp and fresh.
All I've ever done is run away. No one could ever count on me. But little by little... I grew up. I learned what it meant to be a man. What it took to live in this world.
After that man had saved me, I started to follow him around. Neither of us could explain why, but... he taught me things. Most of the time in the most uncomfortable ways possible.
He would go into a town, run up a huge tab on booze and women, and then leave me to work his debts off. I can't remember how many jobs I worked, but it taught me the value of gil, and what it meant to work hard.
The old man hardly ever taught me direct lessons. He would just put me in a situation and expected me to learn something from it. But there was one time... it was different. I don't know why it happened, or why it happened when it did. But its a lesson I could never forget.
"I-I-I'm c-c-c-cold!" Garryson exclaimed as loud as he could, his arms hugging his bare chest.
The old Highlander stood stoically a midst the blizzard they had traveled into. Snow was the only thing visible in every direction. He too was shirtless and smoking on a pipe. The worn looking man looked over to the shivering, skinny teenager.
"Because you allow yourself to be so. The weather has no effect on you."
"That d-d-doesn't even m-... m-make any sense!"
He waded through to snow to get closer to Garryson. "Because you make excuses to give up! If anything is uncomfortable or painful you let yourself quit! You take in every single thing around you and let it weigh you down. Stop blaming the world for who you are... It is your blame alone."
Garryson bowed his head to hide the snarl on his face. Those words stung deeper than any wound he had received, but he was beginning to realize that he was right. All his life he had let outside influence bring him down.
"H-how..." Garryson looked up pleadingly. "How do I stop?!"
"You get up." the old man growled in response. "As long as you can keep getting on your feet... no failure is too great. You try again. Until the world can no longer effect you... that is when you begin to effect the world." He knelt down to meet eye to eye with the boy. "... Never stop moving. There is no stopping in this life. Time will always move forward. Keep moving. Don't get left behind."
The old man stood up and looked down at Garryson. "You always talk about being a hero... So what are you waiting for? Get up. The world is waiting for you."
Once he had finished talking, the old man walked away, disappearing into the snowfall. Garryson let warm tears sting his eyes. His body wanted to just lay down and fade away. With a low growl, he fought the urge. The noise became louder and louder. He forced his muscles to respond, to obey. With a defiant howl, Garryson got to his feet. His body felt warmer, his resolution more solid.
He looked around to see where the man had gone. There was no sign of him. Garryson stood in the snow for a long time, waiting to see if he would come back. Finally a laugh escaped him. He always found himself waiting on something. There was no more reason to wait. Taking a deep breath, he pushed forward through the snow.
That was the last time I saw him. He would always disappear for a while, but then he'd always come back. Its been about three years since that night. I have no idea if I'll ever see him again.
Garryson lowered the boat into the water. It wasn't going to be long before he was finally back. He didn't know whether to be scared or excited. As he rowed away, he watched the old torn up ship slowly sink into the water. Pain filled his chest as he remembered the night the Defiance sank, and all that he had lost.
He continued to move forward. There was nothing for him in the past. The stars were all gone now, replaced with the early morning light. With each row of the paddles, the sun grew brighter and brighter.
This is the story of a boy. A boy who feared the world, and everyone in it. It was a long journey to see the world through unclouded eyes. There are scars and pain that have yet to fully heal. Though this is the end...
The distant shape of Limsa Lominsa steadily grew bigger and bigger on the horizon. A grin grew across Garryson's face.
The ending of a story about a boy is merely the beginning of a story about a man. There will always be another story to tell. There is no beginning or end; time continues to create more experience for those that live in this world.
Listen to my story. It is about a man who will change the world. I wonder how the story will end...
All I've ever done is run away. No one could ever count on me. But little by little... I grew up. I learned what it meant to be a man. What it took to live in this world.
After that man had saved me, I started to follow him around. Neither of us could explain why, but... he taught me things. Most of the time in the most uncomfortable ways possible.
He would go into a town, run up a huge tab on booze and women, and then leave me to work his debts off. I can't remember how many jobs I worked, but it taught me the value of gil, and what it meant to work hard.
The old man hardly ever taught me direct lessons. He would just put me in a situation and expected me to learn something from it. But there was one time... it was different. I don't know why it happened, or why it happened when it did. But its a lesson I could never forget.
"I-I-I'm c-c-c-cold!" Garryson exclaimed as loud as he could, his arms hugging his bare chest.
The old Highlander stood stoically a midst the blizzard they had traveled into. Snow was the only thing visible in every direction. He too was shirtless and smoking on a pipe. The worn looking man looked over to the shivering, skinny teenager.
"Because you allow yourself to be so. The weather has no effect on you."
"That d-d-doesn't even m-... m-make any sense!"
He waded through to snow to get closer to Garryson. "Because you make excuses to give up! If anything is uncomfortable or painful you let yourself quit! You take in every single thing around you and let it weigh you down. Stop blaming the world for who you are... It is your blame alone."
Garryson bowed his head to hide the snarl on his face. Those words stung deeper than any wound he had received, but he was beginning to realize that he was right. All his life he had let outside influence bring him down.
"H-how..." Garryson looked up pleadingly. "How do I stop?!"
"You get up." the old man growled in response. "As long as you can keep getting on your feet... no failure is too great. You try again. Until the world can no longer effect you... that is when you begin to effect the world." He knelt down to meet eye to eye with the boy. "... Never stop moving. There is no stopping in this life. Time will always move forward. Keep moving. Don't get left behind."
The old man stood up and looked down at Garryson. "You always talk about being a hero... So what are you waiting for? Get up. The world is waiting for you."
Once he had finished talking, the old man walked away, disappearing into the snowfall. Garryson let warm tears sting his eyes. His body wanted to just lay down and fade away. With a low growl, he fought the urge. The noise became louder and louder. He forced his muscles to respond, to obey. With a defiant howl, Garryson got to his feet. His body felt warmer, his resolution more solid.
He looked around to see where the man had gone. There was no sign of him. Garryson stood in the snow for a long time, waiting to see if he would come back. Finally a laugh escaped him. He always found himself waiting on something. There was no more reason to wait. Taking a deep breath, he pushed forward through the snow.
That was the last time I saw him. He would always disappear for a while, but then he'd always come back. Its been about three years since that night. I have no idea if I'll ever see him again.
Garryson lowered the boat into the water. It wasn't going to be long before he was finally back. He didn't know whether to be scared or excited. As he rowed away, he watched the old torn up ship slowly sink into the water. Pain filled his chest as he remembered the night the Defiance sank, and all that he had lost.
He continued to move forward. There was nothing for him in the past. The stars were all gone now, replaced with the early morning light. With each row of the paddles, the sun grew brighter and brighter.
This is the story of a boy. A boy who feared the world, and everyone in it. It was a long journey to see the world through unclouded eyes. There are scars and pain that have yet to fully heal. Though this is the end...
The distant shape of Limsa Lominsa steadily grew bigger and bigger on the horizon. A grin grew across Garryson's face.
The ending of a story about a boy is merely the beginning of a story about a man. There will always be another story to tell. There is no beginning or end; time continues to create more experience for those that live in this world.
Listen to my story. It is about a man who will change the world. I wonder how the story will end...
![[Image: HvjYXi5.png]](http://i.imgur.com/HvjYXi5.png)
