Closed A Long-Overdue Thanks [Ricky Maze]

[Kendhl Pilkvist]

Ricky's words made a small smile appear on Kendhl's face. It also broke her ethereal heart. The fact that Ricky would've tried to save her -- someone who knew her for less than a season, and even then the two interacted less than a dozen times -- meant enough to her that she almost started crying. Of course, it was probably because of his friendship with Gale, but it still meant a lot.

"Thank you, Ricky." It was the most she could say before her voice broke. The ghost hoped that her friend understood that there weren't enough words in her mother tongue to tell him how much she appreciated what he told her.

When silence fell, it was comfortable. It was the kind of silence shared between two people who didn't need to talk to enjoy each other's company. That was good for Kendhl, because she liked Ricky. She liked how he was a rock, steady and unmoving even when things weren't okay. After the excitement involving Gale and coming back to Zeltiva, she needed to calm down.

He was a rock for Telion, too, and Gale. Ricky seemed like he could hold the world on his shoulders and not even begin to crumble.

The ghost raised her head, having been staring at her stomach the entire time she was in her thoughts. "Have you talked to Gale recently?"

Common - Fratava

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky couldn't be all the more happier to at least have managed to make Kenny smile at his remark, mostly because of the significance a single moment like that could mean if one event in life had completely changed. Tanroa had to be deemed cruel at best some times when it came to her domain, time itself tended to be something you did not want to alternate one bit. Still with Kendhl's thanks expressed to Ricky, only a soft "Sure t'ing." spoken in response before the both of them went into a period of silence. The quiet between them didn't seem as awkward as he would've thought however, really he felt quite relaxed about the whole ghost thing anyways. Probably because it had been Kenny instead, were it anyone else the situation probably would've been different.

Still he only sat there without any regards to what might have crossed her mind, since she seemed all the more quiet as well rather than chatty like she used to be. It had been the one thing he'd noticed about her now that they'd reconnected, the fact she didn't seem as sprite as she used to be during her living days. Yet he didn't consider her death being the factor behind it, no it had to be more or less the solitude she held for these past couple of years alone. Now of course she didn't have to be alone, since she knew where Ricky and Gale seemed to reside. A tug of the line made him alert of possible movement, hope for a possible snag brightened as he kept wary of it for a while. Kenny finally seemed to speak again after being kept quiet for so long, a question about Gale asked in regards to the last time they had managed to speak. "Not since de end o' summer lass, when we came back from Syliras t' pick up Martin."

He wondered then why that was. Gale had taken care of Martin in their absence and done an incredible job in turn, but almost right after their return it seemed that they hardly even had time to spend together. Who could blame them though? Gale usually went off and did his own things, while Ricky of course kept himself busy playing Wave Guard or raising Martin. Still that didn't excuse the fact better communication could serve, something the fisherman took a mental note in doing since his life seemed to take a quieter turn here lately. "Oi'd imagine he's doin' good t'ough, been so busy Oi hadn't t'ought t' check up on 'im. Either way Oi know he's fine, got ya t' prove it since ye spoke t' 'im before findin' me." He reasoned with a faint grin as he glanced at her, his arms tensed to make them stiffen and avoid shaking the rod. The line still felt faint tugs and he knew then his wishful thinking wasn't just that, there was a possible fish just waiting to bite on his damn near frozen bait. "What all 'ave de both o' ya talk about when ye found 'im?"

At last! One tug stronger than the last pulled against the rod to warn the fisherman of his snag, and Ricky finally released the tension in his arms to pull the rod back as he started to rotate the reel as fast as he could. "Don't worry 'bout me," He murmured in the event this distracted Kenny, "just keep goin' while Oi git d'is bastard in." He grunted a bit as he would ease the rod and then pull once more to bring the fish in, his arms already tired from the workout thanks to the cold that settled in. Nevertheless while Kendhl would continue to speak he would listen and at the same time keep reeling the fish in, as he really wanted to walk away with at least half a basket full of fish today.
[/shadow]

[Kendhl Pilkvist]

"Yeah, he's doing alright. He told me he had a job at the Loveless, amongst other things. Can you believe that? Gale, working at the Loveless!" The ghost chuckled. It was absurd. Gale was as romantic as a rock. But not one of those shiny, pretty rocks, not a gemstone. Like one of the bland, everyday rocks.

Kendhl ran a hand through her hair."He looked kinda hungry, but that's Gale. He always looks hungry. He needs a big ol' fish or something." she said, looking at her own body. She wasn't skinny, but neither was she fat. She still had the lean muscle from when she died, and figured she'd have it until she passed on, too.

One ethereal hand lifted up the hem of her shirt to reveal her toned stomach. The other extended a finger, prodding at her translucent flesh. Years of swimming had kept her fit, but not incredibly muscular like the man beside her. She wasn't some bodybuilder, she was entirely too petite for that, but she was fast in the water.

Kendhl jumped as Ricky pulled back on the rod and began to reel in the fish. "Good gods, that scared me!" she laughed.

Her train of thought had gone off the tracks, but this event had given her a new train. "Man, if I were still alive you wouldn't have to wait so long to catch a fish. I could be underwater right now, y'know? Chasing after the fish. I can hold my breath for a long time, too. And the cold doesn't bother me, as long as I groom myself well enough."

She paused for a moment, then added sadly, "Well, I used to groom myself. I can't now, can I?"

The ghost cleared her throat and kept talking, hoping to lighten the mood once more. "All we did really was chat. He called my death a 'condition.' Funny, isn't it? A condition! Made it sound like I was sick or pregnant or something. Then he was all like, 'This is why I use condition! Because I offended you!' and something like that," she told Ricky, gesticulating and mimicking Gale's deep voice.

"He needs a shave, too. I told him I have a ton of mizas back in my cave, but I can't get it 'cause I don't know if I can walk over water. Or float, I guess is what it is. That reminds me, do you know anyone who has a boat or a Kelvic or something who can get the mizas? My cave's half-flooded at high tide, but there's still a kinda dry part where I keep 'em. They should still be there." Kendhl pursed her lips. Unless something catastrophic happened to that side of the bay, then all or most of her mizas should still be in the sand where she'd half-buried them.

"It's kinda hard to get into the cave though. It was about the size of me when I was in my otter form. Not the cave. The, uh, the entrance. It's a little tunnel," she finished. Was Ricky even listening? Probably not, but it was Ricky. He seemed kind of focused on the fish when she started, though. Still, the mention of mizas might've drawn his attention back to the conversation. Oh, gods how she wished she were still alive. Everyone would be better off.

Common - Fratava

[Ricky Maze]

For a moment there Rick nearly choked on his own spit when he heard Kendhl say that Gale managed to work at Loveless, if anything the Godfather had failed to mention that upon their return to Zeltiva... unless it was something that happened last season, hence why Ricky wouldn't have known what he was up to. Still the very idea made him chuckle a bit before the whole fish snag event happened, in which Ricky still listened to Kendhl but he did so in a manner that divided concentration between two focuses. Another light chuckle followed in between his grunts when Kendhl mentioned how easy it would've been, if she were still an Kelvic capable of shifting when she was a live that is. "Definitely would'a been a boon!" He mused for a moment as the line drew closer towards them, his attention a little more on the fish even though he listened to Kenny.

"Miza's?" The line loosened and fed the fish a couple of feet of freedom, and caused the fisherman to curse under his breath as he resumed the task at hand. He tried to listen then but the damned thing continued to be a pest and tried for an escape, already stressing the line further as it drew closer to the edge of the docks where they were. Shyke. Almost d'ere! He'd managed to bite the tip of his tongue as he rose to his feet, a drag of the rod to ease the tension on the line once more before he pulled back for the last haul, and then brought the silvery wet mammal above water to dangle in the air. "Laviku be praised!" He cheered as he grappled the line to pull the fish in, after he finally unhooked the catch he placed it within the basket next to him, rather happy to have another addition to his small amount collected.

"Ho'kay. Ye said somet'in 'bout needin' a boat roi?" He made sure he heard correctly, seeing as how he found himself a little side tracked. "Oi doubt Oi can get inside dat hole, but Oi can always take a rowboat t' wherever it be. So if ye can t'ink o' a way t' git de Miza's, Oi can 'elp transport ya over t'ere." He proposed to her in hopes that he could offer some aid, he did after all want to help Kenny out however possible since she and Gale proved to be so close.

[Kendhl Pilkvist]

Kendhl realized that there were things Gale had failed to tell Ricky of since his return, the job being one of them. She cleared her throat in embarassment, mentally apologizing to her bondmate. Or was it ex-bondmate? I'll just keep calling him my bondmate, I suppose. Easier to say than 'ex-bondmate.'

"Heh. Yeah, it would be, wouldn't it?" she said as she watched Ricky reel in the fish. It was curious, the way humans tried to catch seafood. Some used traps, some used nets, and some -- like the ursine man before her -- preferred a simple rod and line. She'd always fished as an otter, but she understood that humans weren't as streamlined and water didn't flow over them as easily.

Kendhl chuckled at her friend's shout of victory, praising the sea god. "Oh! No, I don't need a boat ride. I don't even know if I can step into a boat. That, and I also can't seem to hold things for very long. The cave's right up against the side of the bay. There might be a land entrance, though. From up above. It's been so long I can hardly remember."

"If you know someone who can fit inside the tunnel, though, it'd be greatly appreciated if you could get them to grab at least some of the mizas. The hole's about this big," she held her hands in the air in the shape of a circle, fingers not quite touching, "or at least I think it is. So if you know a bird Kelvic or someone along those lines...? I mean, that's if I can't stand in a boat or if there isn't a land entrance. Like I said, it's been a while."

If she got the mizas back, the first thing she'd do would be give half of them to Gale. The other half would probably go to Ricky, since he was really the only other person she knew. It'd help to take care of his family, too, especially little Martin. She wanted to meet Martin at some point. Hopefully she wouldn't scare him too much, or be too cold to be around him.

Common - Fratava

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky listened rather intently at how she explained that she didn't need a boat ride, and where the cave could possibly located if one managed to find it in the right spot. To him it started to seem more and more like a fool's errand to try and accomplish, since the only possible entrance might that of a hole only a smaller mammal would fit through. At d'is rate it'd be too hard fer anybody t' git in, at least not without freezin' t'eir arses off before hand. Indeed the thought had been backed up with the breeze to serve as a reminder, the frigid chill that cut through the air still hinted that Winter had only just started. And it would be a long one at that. Still he didn't think that the idea of helping her out was a total waste, if anything it could be done if one just gave it time and patience to work with.

Therefore he grinned just a bit as he came up with what he thought to be an agreeable solution. "Oi dun t'ink ye'll 'ave t' worry 'bout standin' o' floatin' much lass, but roi now it's far t' cold t' be tryin' t' go out t' some cavern wit' no way o' knowin' how t' get inside. So," He raised a finger in the event she might've seemed down by the explanation, "why don't we had de wheel over t' Tanroa. We wait 'til its much warmer t' be swimmin' about, an' if we can we'll find someone o' somet'in we can use t' git yer Miza back." He went ahead and braced for any possible reactions that spelled excitement from Kenny, if that is she still tended to act the same as she used to when she was alive. She had always been a hugger which never really bothered Ricky, but in this blasted cold it never hurt to be ready for the unexpected; or in this case the expected.

Of course if she didn't get excited like he thought then he'd be surprised for only a couple of ticks, with only a smile to follow as he would chuckle and proceed to bait his hook once more before a cast back out to the sea happened. "By de way Kenny, it's been good seein' ya again. Oi'm pretty sure we'll be seein' each ot'er a bit more often, now d'at ye know where t' find me." He then remembered that they were actually at the docks, which wasn't in fact the best place to go looking for him unless it just so happened to be the earlier parts of the day. "Well, aside from 'ere o' course. Ye're welcome t' find me place in de Old Quarter too, its de same buildin' Oi told ya 'bout sometime 'fter we first me. Ye'll be able t' find it if ye know where t' look." He then figured that he might as well give her the directions too it, as a sort of just in case situation in the event she might've mentioned she forgot or vaguely remembered.

Either way the two of them practically spent a little more time catching up, and sure enough when it looked well past noon and Ricky could no longer handle the cold, he decided to call it quits for the day and put in his share of fish for coin. He bade Kendhl well and wished that they would hopefully see each other again, soon in fact as he definitely wanted her to come around... when it was warmer!

[Kendhl Pilkvist]

Kendhl nodded slowly, processing the stream of Common warped by Ricky's accent. Tanroa, swimming...

"Alright," she said finally. The ghost turned to the man beside her and materialized with a smile, pushing the top of her head against her friend's shoulder. "Thanks, Ricky."

She knew they were wrapping up their little meeting and stood, brushing off the front of her translucent trousers. "It's good to see you too, buddy."

Kendhl was about to ask where Ricky actually lived when he gave her the information. She'd have to think back to what building he meant, since it was more than a year ago since he'd told her. Thankfully he had the same idea, the one where she'd forgotten the conversation they'd had, and now she knew exactly where he meant.

She used her Soulmist to punch Ricky in the arm -- lightly, of course -- and said her goodbye, walking the route back to her grave at a slow pace. She'd find him later, maybe in the spring if it was warm enough, and they'd get her mizas.

Although I suppose they'd be his and Gale's mizas, once we find them. I hope they're all still there, she thought, looking at the sky with her silver eyes. For now, she'd wait until it was warmer.

Common - Fratava

[Perplexity]

You have played well, but the game is at an end.

You have been bested. Beaten. Checkmate!

However, here is a consolation prize: a wealth of Experience and Lores! If you have any questions or concerns regarding this grade, please do not hesitate to send me a PM. I'll be more than happy to assist you!

 

Kendhl

XP

• Materialization | +1 EXP
  Soulmist Projection | +1 EXP

LORES

• Home: Where I Was Laid To Rest
  Death: A State of Static
  Ricky: The Oddity of His Voice

 

Ricky

XP

• Fishing | +3 EXP
  Storytelling | +1 EXP

LORES

• Kendhl: Returned As A Ghost
  Kendhl: Given A Second Chance
  Kendhl’s Cave: A Secluded Treasure Trove

Until Our Next Match,
-Perplexity, DS of Zeltiva
.