Work Text:
It was quiet in the town of Stardew Valley, as it always was in the evenings. Most of the residents had long since retired to their homes and those that hadn’t were already making their way to their respective abodes, looking forward to a long and well deserved rest.
But in the darkness of night there were a few restless souls still out and about, unable to find the sort of peace that would come after a fruitful day of work and play. The most important of which being a man who’s very existence was an anomaly in itself.
A deep black limo pulled up to the outskirts of town, parking by the main road as a mysterious figure stepped out. One with blueish skin, purple hair, and clothing that looked like it had been pulled from the fabric of the night sky itself with the way it twinkled and shifted with every moment. If anyone could bear witness to him now they would refer to him as out of the ordinary, dare I say extraordinary.
This was none other than the fabled Mr.Qi. A man who’s made it his life goal to do one of two things: to become the most extraordinary man in the world and to help others achieve the same sort of perfection he sought as a young boy. He always believed that everyone had the potential for greatness within them but so few were willing to pursue it with everything they had, to truly go the distance and strive for ever greater heights.
Normally Mr.Qi would have a jovial if not whimsical air about him, wearing a confident smile and keeping a gait similar to that of a joyful ringmaster. But tonight was an unfortunate occasion, one that was the culmination of a long sense of dread that had been plaguing Mr.Qi for the last few months. He didn’t want to acknowledge it, he refused to, but reality forced him to bear witness to the truth and left him with no choice but to face it head on.
The blue skinned stranger pulled out an old timepiece from his pocket and flicked it open, humming in thought before closing it and setting off down the dirt path in front of him. Boots stomping against the hard soil and soft grass, each footfall getting heavier and heavier as he drew closer to his destination.
Mr.Qi had been around for quite awhile, longer than anyone could ever know, and in his travels he had met all sorts of remarkable individuals of all shapes and sizes; each one of them perfect in their own way, many standing head and shoulders above the rest. But there was one person, one man who managed to top all of them. Someone who truly embodied every ideal that Mr.Qi strove to uphold, someone who came closer to surpassing even Mr.Qi than anyone else had, someone who Mr.Qi didn’t consider a mere apprentice but a true friend. A companion that he held close to his chest, perhaps the only one who ever managed to achieve such status.
And now that person was dying.
The weight in Mr.Qi’s stomach grew as the all too familiar farmhouse came into view, it was always a little modest for his tastes but the owner always did know how to make the most out of what little he was given. It was such a shame it was already falling into disrepair, as was the rest of the property.
What was once a bright and flourishing farm had become a cavalcade of rocks, weeds, and stray sticks overtaking the area like a sick plague. Running over years of hard work and cultivation. It truly tore Mr.Qi up inside.
Walking up the steps to the main porch, Mr.Qi swallowed up as much of his nerves as he could before rapping his knuckles against the door with a special pattern known only to him and the individual within. It had been one of the many products of the bond they shared.
“It’s open Quill.” a raspy and tired voice said.
“How many times do I have to tell you old man? It’s Qi, Mr.Qi.” Mr.Qi sadly chuckled as he pushed his way into the house.
“To everyone else you’re Mr.Qi, but to me old friend? You’ll always be Quill.”
Mr.Qi couldn’t fight the smile that came across his face at that declaration, but it quickly disappeared upon seeing the state his friend was in.
When they first met, he had a seemingly endless pool of energy. One who truly embodied the phrase ‘lust for life’ and constantly sought out adventure whenever it may have been, never letting anything or anyone slow him down.
But now? Now he was but a mere echo of that man, a candle burnt down to the end of it’s wick, a sunset reaching its final hour. Mr.Qi was no stranger to the ravages of time and the concept of death, but it was a different feeling when it was happening to someone they well and truly cared about.
“You’re….you’re looking….” Mr.Qi huffed. “Oh I won’t lie to you old friend, you look terrible.”
“I know Quill. I know.” the man simply known as Grandpa replied.
“Terminal I suppose?”
“The doctor said I only have a few more months left to live.”
Mr.Qi plopped down on Grandpa’s favorite chair set next to the bed. “You should have contacted me sooner, we could have made arrangements for a final victory tour, one last hurrah between friends before the curtain closed. A finale befitting a man of your caliber.”
Grandpa let out a laugh that turned into a violent cough, the poor man hacking and wheezing until Mr.Qi offered him a glass of water that had seemingly materialized from thin air.
“Thank you.” Grandpa said, accepting the glass.
“Anytime, old friend.” Mr.Qi replied.
Once his throat had been properly cleared, Grandpa turned to address his closest confidant. “I’ve had more than my fair share of adventures Quill. Both those I’ve shared with you and those I’ve had with my family.”
Mr.Qi couldn’t help but smile at some of those memories. The discovery of Ginger Island and the golden Walnuts, their wild run through fortune city where they took the casinos for all they were worth, their climb up mount murderhorn and the trials and tribulations they faced as companions, and their long stretch spent amongst the people of the Gotoro Empire…where Grandpa would meet the love of his life.
Mr.Qi tried not to be jealous, but it was hard when that woman practically stole his best friend away. But he couldn’t hold it against her too much, not when she brought so much joy to Grandpa’s life and helped him become an even better version of himself. True, they did end up having to say goodbye to their adventurous lifestyle for her sake; Grandpa settling down on an expansive plot of land near small town Pelican Town in the middle of Stardew Valley, diving head first into the life of a farmer.
Mr.Qi had kept tabs on him from afar, making sure his best friend was still doing well even with his new lifestyle. He watched as that patch of land flourished into a bountiful alcove of plants and animals of all shapes and sizes, the outflow of cash from his activities helping to revitalize the nearby town which grew right alongside his friend’s farm; he watched as he mastered the land itself, not only in the cultivation of crops but in everything from fishing to mining to foraging. Mr.Qi would expect nothing less from his dear friend.
Then game a bundle of joy in the form of a beautiful daughter, Mr.Qi had actually been the one to help deliver her into the world thanks to a series of comedic errors. Admittedly he was a little surprised to hear that his friend wanted him to be the child’s godfather but accepted the role happily. It was the least he could do.
But then…then things took a turn for the worse.
It was nothing short of a tragedy, Mr.Qi was sketchy on the details but whatever it was broke Grandpa right down to his core. Who wouldn’t be after losing their spouse so abruptly?
But he held it together, not only for his own sake but for the sake of his daughter who needed him more than ever. While it pained Mr.Qi to see his friend in such a state, he also felt a sense of pride knowing that despite being put through the worst situation one could experience Grandpa managed to stand strong and keep moving forward.
However, even a man of his capabilities wasn’t strong enough to bear it when his daughter told him that she had no intention of taking over the family farm and had dreams of moving to the big city. Grandpa was, as ever, supportive of his daughter but from what little glimpses Mr.Qi could garner of him? He could see that the man was utterly heartbroken by the decision and completely sunk into himself, burying himself in farm work to deal with the pain and losing touch with all the ambition and strength that had once elevated him so high.
Mr.Qi wanted to help, he needed to, but what was he to do? Mending heartbreak like that was beyond even his capabilities and there was simply nothing he could to to help his friend in his time of need. This evoked a deep sense of frustration in Mr.Qi and, in an uncharacteristic display of stupidity, he allowed himself to drift away from his friend and become absorbed by his own affairs.
He created new gadgets, opened a casino in the Calico Desert, carved out a space for himself in Ginger Island. Doing anything and everything he could to try and mask the pain, to fill the void his friend left. It took time but eventually Mr.Qi moved on, as he always did, and he allowed the memories of his old friend to fade.
It was by far the dumbest thing he had ever done. He should have tried to maintain contact with his friend, kept tabs on him like he used to. If he did, he might have heard about the farm falling on hard times and been able to offer assistance, he might have heard about Grandpa receiving his first grand child, he might have learned that the old man was dying much sooner than he did.
But there was no sense in dwelling on past mistakes, none of it could be changed anyways. Mr.Qi had to accept his failures just as much as his successes or he could never truly grow. He was here now, having received the letter with his friend’s handwriting explaining the situation and how they needed to talk at once.
“So what do you intend to do then? Simply fade out in a puff of smoke, that’s not the friend I know.” Mr.Qi said.
“I’ve had a good run of it, Mr.Qi, truly I have. I cherish the memories we’ve shared together, the adventures we’ve gone on, and all the good that’s come from it. But all good things must come to an end and my time has long since passed. I was hoping that I could at the very least get a chance to say goodbye to my best friend one final time.” Grandpa said.
“We’ll see each other again.” Mr.Qi immediately said. “One way or another.”
“Perhaps. But that isn’t what I wanted to talk to you about….there’s something else.”
Mr.Qi tilted his head in intrigue. “A dying wish?”
“Something like that.”
“Name it. Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
“You know of my grandchild? That adorable young one who loved to visit over the summers?” The old man said.
Mr.Qi nodded.
“They visited me last week and I handed them an envelope containing the deed to the farm and a final message I left for them”
“Aren’t they a little young to be running an operation like this?”
Grandpa shook his head. “They haven’t opened it, they probably won’t for a while. Not until the pressures of modern life burn down their spirit and force them to take a drastic change for their own sake, just as I did the day we first met.”
“So you’re leaving your legacy in the hands of your grandchild…I suppose we’ll simply have to wait and see if they’re up for the task.” Mr.Qi mused. “But what role do I play in all of this?”
“I….I want you to look after them, should they decide to take over the farm. I want you to observe them from afar, ensure that they’re finding fulfillment in this life, and if necessary nudge them in the right direction.”
Mr.Qi crossed his arms. “Old friend, you know I do not simply hand my guidance out to anyone. Only those with the greatest potential can receive my attention.”
“They do.” Grandpa firmly said. “I’ve seen the spark in their eyes, the fire in their spirit, they’ve got all of my ambition and then some. Trust me on this Quill, they are more than worthy.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. But if you’re willing to vouch for them, I suppose I can keep a watchful eye on the child for now and see if I can spot that mythical fire you’re talking about.” Mr.Qi replied.
“That’s all I ask.” Grandpa breathed.
“But…should they catch my attention, should they prove worthy. I can promise you that they’ll have my undivided support every step of the way, so long as they’re willing to constantly push themselves to greater heights I’ll provide them with the exact incentives needed to do so.”
“Thank you Quill….and thanks for making the trip out here. I know we haven’t talked much recently but-”
Mr.Qi held up a hand. “Save it old friend. The past is the past, the present moment is all that matters. I wouldn’t have missed this meeting for the world.”
“You truly are the best friend a person could ask for Quill.”
Mr.Qi smiled down at the old man and gently took one of his hands in his own.
“Rest now friend, I think you’ve earned it.”
They sat there for a few more minutes, neither one of them saying a word and simply enjoying the comfortable silence that only the best of friends could share. Until Grandpa passed off into a peaceful slumber.
At which point Mr.Qi rose from the chair, fixed his clothing, and walked out the door. But as he departed from the farm, he retrieved a strange device from one of his coat pockets and held it up to his ear.
“Hey, it’s me. Listen, I need you to get me everything you can on a certain individual….it’s for a long term project, one I have quite the vested interest in.” Mr.Qi said.
The stranger talked with his contact all the way back to his limo, ironing out the details necessary to carry out his companion’s dying wish. While he couldn’t compromise his values, there was nothing stopping Mr.Qi from simply watching and waiting for the right moment to intervene. It was all a matter of knowing when that moment would come.
Who knows? Perhaps the kid would end up pleasantly surprising him….and you know what? That’s exactly what they ended up doing.