Christmas: It's a Wonderful FT Life

[Gullander]

It’s A Wonderful FT Life

Preface: Somewhere in the digital realm the Pixel Watchers observing FT hone in on one George B player as his time of game crisis is upon him. The mists are dispelled and we mere mortals are allowed to listen in as the Head Watcher and an apprentice Watcher are discussing what should be done.

Our characters:
JW- Joseph the Head Watcher C-Clarence an apprentice watcher GB- George a player hurting

Scene One

JW- You know why you are here a player is about to do the worst possible thing.
C- Take ogre halflings to the dwarf warlord dungeon?
JW- No! Give up and quit FT!!
C- That was my second guess, I’ve always said…
JW- Now be quiet! And listen. He has been a good player and helped many others but today a setback happened and he is so upset he is ready to quit the game completely!
C-Oh dear, what to do?
JW- You must somehow make him see the good again and change his path or he will quit forever.
C- I will do my best sir! And if I succeed can I finally become a full watcher not an apprentice?
JW- Yes Clarence if you succeed you will be made a full watcher!
C- Ok! Here I go! (He prepares to arrive in FT disguised as one of many pixel players)
JW- Now Clarence……don’t you think you should know some of his past first so you can properly chat with him?
C- Oh sorry sir, yes tell me everything
JW- Here is what you need to know. Now look carefully (in order to instruct Clarence JW takes him to various times in the FT play of George B. We look in through the mists of time with them.)
Clarence learns a few things about George B’s past first viewing his early days of play where he formed some lasting friendships. Clarence notices a pattern develop where George shares freely with others his goods, instead of selling old gear giving it away to friends coming up. He sees George buy a house and really settle into the kind of player he would be, friendly and helpful. He sees George grow in skills and crafting and his willingness to help others with quests. He even saw George at times helping the outcast and outlaw believing in the power to change.
But now we come to today where a string of events push George to his breaking point. First of all he got trapped when someone brought a spawn of monsters and lost his two pets he had paid for with real money. Then reeling from that he found himself attacked in PVP and lost a piece of plus gear. So he went out and spent all his gold to replace the lost gear only to find the same day a new quest now he can’t do because he just spent everything! Over the last few days some old friends had quit for good and it was dragging him down. And another game bug affecting how he can play was really stressing him out. Feeling spent and alone he reaches out to a good game friend for support. Instead of support they get into a fight and his nerves being raw he said things he wished he hadn’t. George B had enough and wanted out! Into this sink or swim situation Clarence arrives to try and help George.

[Gullander]

Scene 2 By George B’s FT game house

Clarence arrives and begins his work with George

C- Hi!
GB- (he thinks) Oh No! Another scammer or beggar but he reluctantly responds…Hi
C- Great game and great day to be playing!
GB- Not for me
C- Why so sir?
GB- Believe me you don’t want to know
C- Sure I do, tell me.
GB- Naw, go ahead and play
C- Really! Wanting to quit, I am surprised at you!
GB- What’s that you say?
C-Just because you lost some pets and used up your gold…
GB- Wait a minute, how do you know that?
C- I know lots of things about you
GB- Really?? Like what? (incredulous over this guy)
C- So you got attacked and lost some gear, so what you got a quest right now and don’t have the resources…
GB- How do you know this?
C- I’m an apprentice watcher and I know all about you!
GB- Oh boy a nutcase!
C- What’s that?
GB- I mean just in case you are telling me the truth (rolls his pixel eyes) what else do you know?
C- Really… wanting to quit because of a game bug and because you had a fight today with an old friend
GB- What are you a mind reader?
C- No I’m the apprentice watcher assigned to you!
GB- Oh boy from bad to worse….
C-What’s that?
GB- Well I guess you are right about one thing quitting won’t help how I feel much. I guess it would have been better I never played FT at all!
C- Oh don’t say that, if I fail helping you I won’t become a watcher!
GB- Oh go away you paranormal pixel and leave me alone!!!
C- But I have to help you…
GB- Go! Or I’ll report you to the GM inbox for harassment!
C- (glancing upwards) Oh JW, help JW!!! (then Clarence has a thought, rare and unusual to be sure) JW could we show George what FT would be like if he never played it? (JW nods his approval) Ok George you get your wish!
GB- You are leaving?
C- No, you never played FT before; you are here for the first time right now!
GB- Hey! What happened to my level and gear? I’m level 0 again!
C- You never leveled because you never played
GB- What do you mean?
C- You’ve been given a gift George to see what FT would be like without you.
GB- Are you a GM in disguise? Is this some kind of new punishment?
C- No George, it’s real you never existed in FT. Go look around and see for yourself.

[Gullander]

Scene Three

GB- (when he returns from exploring FT) It’s all so different. I can’t find any of my friends and my house is gone. I have nothing stored away. Clarence have I gone crazy? What is happening?
C- I told you, you never played so you never made friends.
GB- But I did, I made lots of friends! My friend list is empty now what happened to them?
C- You never made those friends because you weren’t here to meet them. And George that isn’t all that has changed.
GB- What do you mean….tell me Clarence…I’m confused…did I forget to install a new update…what else is different?
C- Remember you asked George. You weren’t here so most of those early friends you made have quit, sadly a couple became bad players. Your sharing encouraged others to share but they are stingy now. Your house was a refuge and a resource but now it’s just another empty spot. Others got discouraged and quit because you weren’t there to encourage them in their quests. And some of those outlaws you befriended became permanent outlaws.
GB- No, wait, wait! What about my good friend I just fought with? I need to make things right with him.
C- Don’t worry about that. It never happened because you were never here to make that friendship.
GB- I don’t believe you!!! I’m going to his house! (George finds that like his own house it is gone) No, this can’t be! (reluctantly he returns to Clarence)
C- You see the shame it would be to throw this all away? FT is better because you were there. You’ve been given a great gift to see what FT would be like without you.
GB- Take me back Clarence! I don’t want to quit, let me be a player again, please let me live again….
George finds himself back at his house with all levels and gear restored! In a better frame of mind he is thinking how he needs to find his good friend. Shock of shocks that friend shows up at his house right at that moment! A reunion occurs and his friend realizing all that had transpired with George is quick to forgive and has a surprise. George happily makes plans to try to begin to rebuild his gold reserves after his setback. But he receives a trade request from his friend. When he opens it he finds a gift of 10B gold! When his good friend heard of the troubles he messaged everyone on his list who knew George and they each contributed to give George a boost!
C- (George notices he has a message and opening it finds it from Clarence) Remember this George, no FT player is poor who has friends! He is instead rich and blessed! Thanks for helping me become a watcher!
GB- That’s right Clarence! Atta boy Clarence!

In this festive season let us recall in fondness the friends who have made our journey here a worthwhile one. And if we are tempted to give up in the face of adversity they are there to lift us up and we them. That is the spirit of the season after all! Merry Christmas to all!

If you enjoyed this you may also like last year’s story here on the forum. Look it up as “An FT Christmas Carol”. Also if you missed it this year’s first Thanksgiving story called “The Gobbler”.

[Leone]

Fantastic story. You're right - there are some great people in the ft community.

[Storms7]

Everyone should count their blessings and be thankful for everything that they have in life.

[LostKnight]

Very well done Gull ...
Makes one think a bit.

[SellSword]

I've truly been been blessed with some of the friends I've met along the way. Even some people who weren't friends but helped me out. Wonderful story!

[Gullander]

Thanks for the kindly comments. I used to watch the movie it's a wonderful life every year as part of my Christmas tradition. It is a good idea to watch something to jump start our hearts. I also enjoy several versions of A Christmas Carol each year. Again our hearts can so easily become hard and we ignore the destitute and misfortuned and minimized people around us. I am always reminded that others are worse off than me and I should not let fear or apathy keep me from reaching out a hand of compassion. Like Scrooge and George Bailey it is never to late to let greed and self interest go and for that matter self pity too and change facing life with an open and much lighter heart.

[SellSword]

I saw a sign that read "In a world full of grinches be a Cindy Lou Who." You'd have to be familiar with the movie, of course!

[Gullander]

I like that! And as I recall cindy lou who was no more than two!