What it Means to Persevere

Moving On

Grillby got older, not that his parents cared. In fact, they succeeded in producing a daughter. Grillby didn't hate her, he loved her actually. She allowed attention off him and his punishments and allowed him to continue to sneak off to the Rock Bottom. "Good morning miss Rocksha." Grillby greeted her as he tied on an apron. "Good morning birthday boy! How old ye be now, seven?" Grillby quirked a brow. "That hardly matters." The Earth Elemental tisked. "Now boy, jus' 'cause ye dirt bag parents don' give two G 'bout their amazin' AND talented son, don' mean ye don' matter! Take that off! Celebrate yer special day, Grillby!" She insisted as he prepared to serve the locals and passerby alike. He never did get over his fear of water, and Rocksha never pushed. "How about after work? I really wanna work today Rocksha." She looked at the young fire monster. "Aye... very well.." She wasn't going to pout about it, but she did wish Grillby would relax once in awhile. He seemed to be textbook definition of workaholic. Grillby smiled. "Thanks Miss Rocksha, I will be out after a while." He disappeared in the back.

⚜️⚜️⚜️

Sizzle, Grillby's sister, and her parents visited the pub once. It was a terrible time for Grillby. When Grillby served others, he was confident, and they saw that... but when he was they were there, he knew he was screwed and that caused him to draw in on himself and screw up. A lot. He dropped food, drinks, missed orders, things Grillby normally wouldn't do. Rocksha and the Rock Bottom's regulars knew this. "Child. Why don' ye go in th' back an' take a break?" Grillby nodded, head low. He no longer wanted to be out there anyway. As soon as Grillby was out, Rocksha moved over to their table. "Outta me bar ye heathens." Grillby's father glowered at the Earth Elemental. "Excuse me?" He hissed. "I saw an' heard what ye did ta yer boy. I can' do nothin' 'bout it but I can keep ye th' hell outta my establishment, so go." The regulars started to stand as well, ready to defend Grillby and the tavern. The Fire Elemental's had no choice but to oblige and leave the bar. But Rocksha knew Grillby was no longer safe. With that little girl with them, they didn't need a 'useless' son.

⚜️⚜️⚜️

Grillby gripped his sleeves as he realized how screwed he was. The moment he left work, he'd be a dead Elemental. He would either have to accept his fate or run... he didn't want to stay here, mainly because his parents were in this village and every day he went to get ingredients or something of the sort he would be under threat. Rocksha came in and sat beside the kid. "They be gone now..."
"... thank you... for everything. Teaching me to cook and to serve and... making my life a little happier..." Rocksha knew what he meant. He was leaving. "... ye gonna need somethin' ta eat when ye travel. Here. Yer five years a pay." She pulled out a decent sack of G, making Grillby's 'eyes' widen. "I-I thought you weren't..." She tousled his flames. "Well ye need some sort o' supportive adult figure. Might as well do this one thing fer ye kiddo." Grillby gingerly took it. "Th-thank you... really..." She nodded. "Ye can sneak out th' back so ye won' be spotted as ye leave." He got up and followed her to the back. "Goodbye Grillby, it was a pleasure.."
"I'll never forget you, Rocksha..."

⚜️⚜️⚜️

That day, he left his home village for the first time and he would never see his friends or his parents again. He would meet his sister later down the road in the Underground, but only briefly before he adopted her daughter for the same abuse he'd gone through. He would never allow that on another being. For now though, he was alone and scared and... excited. He was finally getting out and far away... he was... free. Finally free too... do whatever it was that he wanted? What did he want? Grillby started walking down the road. He had plenty of time to figure it out.