[Flashback] A Special Stew (Bob)

[Aello]

"Just a pinch," Aello responded, as she considered the rest of his words. "We could always give a sailor the stew when it's finished, and warn them that it may be a bit spicy." The girl paused as she continued stirring. "Perhaps that is how we can get a fish. Offer a sailor some stew for one." After that, Aello fell silent until Bob had finished speaking, offering his own suggestions as to how to go about acquiring a fish for their cooking. "You know Bob, you really are a chicken... not to mention, quite the fool if you think I'd so much as consider letting you borrow this dress!" Aello exclaimed. "Not like it'd fit you anyway," she added under her breath, as she continued stirring. "We will get a fish from the docks, and not any of our homes, mine being too far away to retrieve anything that quickly within a bell, even if we ran the entire way." Aello shook her head, moving it in the same direction as her hand, and then in the opposite direction, over and over again. "No, we will go to the docks and get one just fine." With that, Aello looked up from the stew, and dropped the mixing spoon. She dry washed her hands, and then pressed her palms against her knees, and eased herself onto her feet. "Or rather, I will, considering the fact that you're too bloody afraid to do anything for yourself," Aello finished, before turning towards the docks, and making her way across the grass. Leaving the stew unattended until further notice. She didn't bother to look back, for she knew, somewhere inside of herself, that Bob would not be coming along.

[Bob Barton]

"You want to give it to a sailor. You mean you are not going to eat it?" That gives some trouble for Bob's plans of getting back at Aello with the haunted house and he already had enough problems. The sailors might not be as scary as the ghost but not any less dangerous especially in numbers. Given the choice, "the sailor might prefer keeping his fish instead of having your stew" which was in fact made mostly by Bob and so he knew, yes he knew that it was going to suck. "Anyway I don't think that fish and spice..."y stew would confirm to Aello what Bob was planning so he changed midway to "s that we used will mix well together." What went well with the spicy spices as Bob had eaten before was as he had suggested "meat. We don't even need the whole thing. Just tiny chopped up chunks" like the stew that uncle Marny had made for him before. "would it be easier to get a little bit of those instead of a whole fish?" he asked trying to get her to not meet any sailors for a very simple reason.

"I am not a chicken!" but Bob was not suicidal either. He was actually pretty smart because "we are swapping clothes to disguise ourselves. We can stay a big man and a little girl most of the time when they are looking for a little man and a big girl" which was what Bob wanted to think he was anyway. Big or bigger than Aello. "I really don't see a trade so we need the disguises when you...steal the fish? I will be the lookout for you" out of way so that no one can identify him and associate the both of them together. Well, they could actually try Bob's house but he did not want to have to go there and Aello already knew where it was. To him it was only fair if Bob also knew where Aello lived in case but there were other chances. Hopefully, probably... "unless you have another idea, but you can think on that on our way to the docks." Bob was not going to let her keep thinking that he was a coward and he was not going to stay out in the woods alone, with some disgusting stew that he is not going to touch so despite what Aello thought he is going to be following her along.

[Aello]

"Well, would you prefer to be called a chicken, or a cross dresser?" Aello called over her shoulder, not bothering to look back at Bob as she moved. Not bothering to stop. "Because either suits you just fine," Aello added, as she picked up the pace a little bit. The girl's dress swished about her legs as she urged herself onwards, a look of pure determination set upon her face. "We will each be keeping our own clothes on Bob. No trading, no cross dressing... no pretending you could actually fit into these things if you tried. Even if your poor uncle offered up a shoehorn to help squeeze you inside," Aello continued, a small smirk playing upon her features as her eyes sparkled. By this time, Aello had traveled half the distance it would take to reach the docks. She was surprised then, to be able to hear Bob's footsteps nearby. She figured though, that he had only come along to see her fail, or try and talk her out of going down to the docks. Or maybe, to try and talk her out of her clothes, since he seemed so interested in wearing them. "So, Bob, when we get there, you just lay low, shut up and stay out of the way. Let me handle everything," Aello instructed, as she kept on walking. "After all, I'm the cute one, remember? I can get away with more." Aello's eyes glimmered mischievously, as she began to skip along, as opposed to merely walk. OOCOh ten year old Aello, I love you.

[Bob Barton]

"Crossdresser!" Bob quickly replied because if he was swapping clothes then Aello would end up the same too and she would be unable to call Bob anything else unless she wanted to be known as a hypocrite. "And I don't think that chicken would suit me but I know that I the dress would fit me better than anyone else that has it on" like its current owner. Would Aello make the connection that Bob was trying to insult her? Hopefully but then it was so indirect that Bob could always deny it or play it harder to insult her more depending on how things went. It was not always that Bob could act superior and senior to another person and as long as Aello had no ghost in her he was in no immediate danger.

He just nodded and shrugged at the girl who wanted to take the lead and waited until she started to skip along. "I can do that too and be a lot more cuter" he mumbled knowing that if he did try that he would be beaten up by any sane person in Zeltiva who saw him. So instead of trying that he started walking normally following Aello. He was going to do everything that Aello asked except the last part about letting her do everything. Why, if he got the fish before her or got something better on his own she will be forced to talk to him with more respect and more politely. He was the older one here and the one who got her out of that haunted house. Aello owed him at least that much even if he did not mind trying to earn it.

Bob continued on with his walk which was not that mere taking large and confident strides as he walked upright to blend into the scenery of other tough sailor men until he realized something. He was supposed to be keeping away from sailors and even if he did his part to make himself a part of the scene in plain sight he started to get scared and retreated to the spot that Aello parted with him. This time in a demoralized slouch and scared eyes darting all around the docks until he found a nice hiding place at the spot. Bob took his position behind the crates which were being readied to be loaded and looked through the holes until the time came for him to call out softly "psst, Aello. Did you get anything?" which was good for the stew and not for trouble.

[Aello]

"That's not even proper Common," Aello commented, as they reached the docks, and she began to move away from Bob. She turned right around a pile of wooden crates, which had been haphazardly stacked alongside the edge of the dock, closest to the water. The scent of the sea, and freshly caught fish filled her nostrils, as she maneuvered her way around. Out of the way of those carrying nets or crates, as well as drunken sailors. Those that couldn't be bothered, and those who definitely, should not be bothered with. After what felt like a long period of searching, Aello stumbled upon a sailor who was busying himself fixing a net. Tying the severed strands together so that not a single decently sized fish could slip through. The sailor seemed approachable enough- with his tanned skin, and simple white outfit. His broad shoulders, and deep blue eyes. He should do, Aello thought, as she made her way over to him, stopped short. She simply stood there, waiting for a long while, until he looked up. "Want something?" he asked. Aello simply nodded. "What is it?" he asked. "A fish," Aello replied. The man smiled. His eyes glimmering. "Then have your mamma buy you one at the market. Can't you see I'm a bit busy?" Aello shook her head. "You can't see this net here. That I'm busy?" Aello shook her head again. "No, it's not that. It's just... my friend and I need a fish for our stew, and were hoping you could give us one," Aello explained. "We could offer you some when it's done." The sailor shook his head. "No," he said, as he resumed his work. "Now go." "Ok," Aello grumbled, as she hung her head and moved away, further down the docks. As she continued moving, she soon came to realize just how many sailors and fishermen left their catch out upon the docks. Caught in their nets. Their tails flapping uselessly as their chests heaved. As they lost air, and continued trying to get away. Trying to inch the net over the edge, and back into the water, where they belonged. Maybe we could just take one from there, Aello thought, as she stopped alongside one of the filled fish nets. Surely, if only a single fish was taken, the men would not come to know. Not when they have so many. The girl's eyes glimmered mischievously as she looked from left to right, checking if the coast was clear. All of the sailors seemed to be busy going about their work- hauling up their catch, transferring things to and from their boats, shouting orders, and more. It didn't seem as though any of them were paying any attention to Aello. This is your chance, Aello's mind whispered as she darted forward, towards the nearest net, and stuck her tiny hand through the spaces between the rope knots. She could feel the slimy scales of a dying gray fish beneath her fingers, when a gruff shout came to her ears. "Hey you! Get away from there! Those are our fish!" Aello gasped as she looked up, to see an angry looking sailor standing not too far away. He was coming closer, and wagging a single finger angrily. Aello retracted her hand instantly, and straightened herself up. Seconds later, she was darting away, weaving her way in and out of the docks. Onto dry land. Away from sailors. Fishermen, watchful eyes. It was only when she figured she was far enough away as to be out of sight of the one who caught her, that she stopped to catch her breath. To look around. She had moved into a section of the docks where fish waste seemed to be kept. Tails, heads, scaled flesh, which was left for the cats and other vermin. Aello sighed, as she dug through everything, thinking that a tail would do. After a time, she found one. A small gray tail with a small section of red meat. She lifted it away from everything else, brushed away a mewling kitten. This should do, it seems fresh enough, and there is still some fish left, Aello thought, as she moved back through the docks, towards the area where she had left Bob. "Bob?" Aello called, when she got there. "Bob? Bob? BOB!" Finally, Aello heard his voice, and made her way over to him. She held her hands out. The fish tail. "Just this," she explained. "There's some meat on the end. We can salvage that... if you learn how to act like a real Zeltivan man, you should be able to clean it off." The girl tilted her head slightly to the side. "But given how you've been acting lately, I've only reason to doubt you." Aello sighed. Not so sure why she kept him with her. "Come," she insisted, as she turned away from the docks, and began to make her way back to their stew.

[Bob Barton]

"Of course it is proper Common. You understood didn't you?" Bob asked victoriously with a grin. He only wished that Aello listened to him more attentively to his other advice instead of just the mistakes that he might say then she would stop getting into trouble. After all, "I am the older one and also the smarter one here" he said to himself while he was waiting for Aello to fail and come back crying like the little girl that she is. Passing time until the moment comes Bob took out his cards to have a little game with himself for to practice. Not to win since he was already so good at it but to use his cheats. "I should have used this since the beginning..." he mumbled dissatisfied with how the games with the sailors turned out as he flipped the switch over and over for the rigged assassin's weapon that he had on his wrist. That was of course only the mechanical methods. There was another method he could use as well which was less detectable if he was being patted down but easily detectable with how wet the card would turn out.

Quietly he shuffled the cards right in front of him sure that no one would see him practicing behind the crates. The faces of the cards were quickly changing in front of him like moving pictures until he saw the one he wanted and held on to with his fingernails as a mark while he continued shuffling more. In a hopefully swift motion he tried to subtly load the card on to the device which turned out bad because it bumped on to his wrist spreading out the cards all over in front of him. "I really hate doing this..." he mumbled to himself again as he collected the cards and attempted to practice his loading all over again. "I could just put the card there from the beginning..." but then he won't have any more to use once he used up the ace in his sleeve as he knew. Which was why he really needed to get this right.

But after more failed attempts, "I've had enough!" and slammed the deck right in front of him. If he really did need to cheat like this midgame it would mean that things have turned out really bad and that would mean he could try the other method. It was simple as he went to practice it again. Holding the card that he wanted to keep firmly together with the other cards that he had on his hand, Bob started to release some res in between his hand and the card. No problem there since "I would be sweating from the stress by then" and it would be harder to detect. The only thing he knew was that with his experience at the time and the stress of the moment that he would need to use this trick it would be hard maintaining the res at all but with practice it will only get better. Once the res was all over the surface of the card he transmuted the outer layer into water with the res clinging on to the card it was sandwich with in the middle and pressed it hard on to his arm. With the hard press the water was able to retain the pressure from the void of any air which escaped and Bob kept on controlling the water forcing it to travel upwards his arm until it reached his shoulder where it stayed.

And that was how Bob spent the rest of his time until Aello started screaming out his name. Moving the card up and down his arm with the water that he was controlling right until his concentration broke and the water drenched his sleeve when he lost control over the res. The panic was what made him call out to her very, very quietly but when he saw the pitiful excuse of a fish tail that she got him he let out a mad laugh mockingly asking "just this? I thought you were the cute one?" There was no way he was going to be insulted further from the remark of not being a true Zeltivan man by salvaging that skimpy thing and boasted that "you're just lazy. I can do a lot more better than this." but Bob was even lazier so he decided that he would leave it at that without offering any alternative help. And he was not her dog either to follow her when she asked, an even worse insult and so he pouted like a brat staying in place as he watched her going down the docks right until he caught a glimpse of a group of sailors walking from behind him and quickly chased the girl to her hiding place.

Once they reached the stew, Bob will complain that "you left it out too long. No one is going to eat that if they don't have to. I think we should just make another one" which would be a lot less spicy if Aello expected Bob to eat it and it will also give him time that he could use when "I will look around for something better that we can use that is not a rotten old discarded fish tail" because Bob was just a lot more better "unless you think you can redeem yourself by finding something better then I can try making the stew. It won't be too hard since all I saw you doing was stir it around."

[Aello]

"I thought you said you were going to go and find something better than this," Aello said to Bob as they walked along the grass to their stew. There was a hint of disdain in her voice. A hint of her general dislike for him. "Whatever happened to your trying to show how much better you are?' Aello asked, as she reached the pot, and placed the fish beside it. The girl placed her hands on her hips as she listened to everything Bob was saying. "That's what I thought. Go get us a better fish if you can," she grumbled. Oh he won't manage, the girl thought to herself, as she poured the old soup out, and some fresh water in, just to be sure that it really was clean. "And when you come back, why don't you make us both a stew, if it's so easy," Aello continued. "Better yet, why don't you make one for the two of us and your Uncle Marny? Surely he'll appreciate our thoughtfulness, especially after what happened the last time we met. Need I remind you Bob? It was your idea." Aello's eyes sparkled as she looked up at Bob. "So how does that sound?" she asked. "I can be sure to have everything ready for when you get back, a fire, a wooden spoon, pots, and spices." Her smile widened as she extended her hand to the site of the fire. "Since yours sucked and went out while we were away."

[Bob Barton]

"I would but there is nothing better to find around here unless I go all the way back to the port or there is a stream nearby" which to his knowledge was not possible so it was to his advantage. Failing that "I could check around the plants too" and hopefully find some edible ones. Uncle Marny taught him quite a bit on identifying what he might want but Bob really was not the best student around and if they were really unlucky they might end up poisoned. Because of the lip that Aello was giving him Bob left with a huff saying that "maybe I will!" so that he would not have to listen to anymore. Maybe he really did want to get a poisonous plant. After that he would just give it to Aello to save him the trouble. She deserved it especially because of incident which happened the last time they met as she reminded him. "And don't you go blaming my fire for your cooking!" he shouted just as Aello was about to disappear from view trying to get in the last word.

Bob moved through whatever vegetation that was around making sure to keep away from anything brightly coloured as Uncle Marny had advised him because those had the highest likelihood of being poisonous. After ignoring all of that he came to some very black and tiny nuts all over the floor. "Black...black...black..." he said over and over trying to remember what his Uncle taught him. "Ahhh yes! The black (rasp)berries are good for oral diseases" he said once he got it and "they are going to be perfect for stew." Aello is not going to have anything to argue against that but when Bob went to pick them up he found that they were hard on their fingers. "Not berries then? What could they be?"

So it came to another process of Bob repeating "black and hard...black and hard...black and hard..." over and over to try and remember what the new information meant. When he thought hard, he could only think about nuts which was what he was for going through all this trouble for stew. "Black...walnuts?" he asked himself when a small creature suddenly darted across him to grab the goods with its mouth and vanished. If an animal could eat it he did not see any harm in doing the same and proceeded on to collect them only remembering on the way back after doing more thinking that "it is good for getting rid of your worms" that he told Aello when he dumped it in front of her. Maybe even more but that was what Uncle Marny told him since he knew that his nephew was a little against having anything to do with slimy and disgusting things.

"What did you do then while I was gone?" Bob asked hoping that Aello took the initiative with cleaning the fish because of the reasons only known to himself and his uncle. If she asked why he did not bring a proper fish to show off it was simply her fault because "as I said I don't know any place to catch them around here. If you really want me to then you have to point me there" he said triumphantly because if she knew he would have another way to make himself seem like a real Zeltivan man and if she did not he could still put the walnuts up high where they belong.

[Aello]

"A likely excuse!" Aello called as she listen to Bob's words, and his footsteps die away. She sighed heavily then, realizing that she had been left alone with a pile of things to do. Displeased with the lazy Zeltivan, Aello wiped her brow with the back of her hand. "Guess I will be doing everything myself," she whispered, as she lifted the pot by its handle and shook it lightly, swirling the water around. Watching it lap up against the sides, and clean every portion of metal. When she was satisfied, Aello got up, and walked several paces, before dumping the water out, and going back to the site of Bob's old fire. She put the pot down beside it, before dry washing her hands. "Time to get some more firewood," Aello whispered, as she moved away from her things, and out across the sea of grass. She walked several paces before she encountered the first few things she could use as kindling- a few leaves and small twigs, which she picked up eagerly before moving on. As she skipped along merrily, Aello found a few smaller branches, which she picked up, as well as some more kindling. When her arms had come to a place where they were being dragged down, beneath everything's weight, she returned to the site of Bob's old fire and put everything down. Sighing, Aello dry washed her hands again before getting down on her knees, and sorting through the wood. Separating the kindling from the actual firewood. "Alright now to stack it," Aello whispered, as she pulled some of the larger sticks away from the pile, and stacked them in a small, lop-sided square, triangle shape thing. That should do, Aello thought as she backed away, and looked around for something to light a fire. She wondered if there was something in her pack, or if Bob had something on him. Steadily, the girl got to her feet, and moved over to her things, only to find that Bob had returned. She glanced at him unhappily, as she tore through her bag, looking for anything useful. "Can't you see for yourself?" Aello groaned. "The pot is clean, there is a pile of fresh firewood good and ready to go, if only there was something to light it..." Aello's voice trailed off as she bit her bottom lip and tossed her bag away angrily. There was nothing useful in there. Frustrated, she glared at Bob again, and pulled her teeth off her lip. "Don't you know anything?" Aello hollered. "We're surrounded by water, fishermen, and sailors! If you can't take a fish from them, then pick a darn place and get us a better fish if you can manage!" OOCAngry Aello is angry.

[Bob Barton]

What Bob saw was a lot of unnecessary work since "we could have just used the old things you have prepared." The stew would have been a little bit on the spicy side but then Aello would have been able to find some things too. At least "I found something good to eat" at least from what Uncle Marny told him. Bob would not know what the walnuts would taste like. He ignored Aello's tantrum as he dropped the nuts into the pot and allowed their shell to make a clattering noise as the knocked on the sides. "You mean you still want a fish after all the trouble I went to collect this?" True all Bob needed to do was to pick up the nuts on the floor but he also had to stay awake through his uncle's lessons to be able to identify them, correctly he hoped. Aello certainly would not be able to do that just like Bob doubted that he would be able to get the better fish that he boasted about. But he was challenged and at the heat of the moment he told Aello to "just make the nuts you nut", as he walked off again.

It was easy enough for Aello to say that there is water everywhere but Bob was not able to find it while he was looking for the nuts or between Zeltiva. So he decided to take one of the directions that he did not walk through. It did not take him long until he finally found a stream and in it some fishes. "Let's see if she can still complain once I get one" Bob told himself as he stepped on the edge and watched the fishes swimming along. He realized that they were all moving the same direction only because they were following the current. Once he knew that, Bob watched for a fish that was swimming close to the riverbank that he was on towards his direction. "One...two...three!" he counted down to the time he expected the fish to reach him before thrusting his hand into the water. He got nothing but his arm wet since he misjudged the position of the fish. Uncle Marny should have been a scholar instead of a doctor then Bob would be able to learn something useful like the principles of refraction.

But Uncle Marny was no scholar so Bob stubbornly kept on trying to catch a fish with his on his own trying new methods each time. At one point he tried to identify a fish from as far as he could see. Staring it down in a game of chicken of his own through the murky water until it came close enough for him to scramble at it with his hands. Failing that he tried throwing rocks at the fish to try and kill it with a lucky hit but that would never work either. Bob then took a stick since he blamed the rocks which left his hand and kept it pointed at the fish as it closed in until he went for a thrust. It was not like using his hands at all. Bob fell inside getting himself all wet. He would have given up right there but he was already in the water and it got him soaked like putting the fact that he was a failure all over him so Bob waited until more fish came for him and tried to make a grab for them. Again...and again...and again...

Right until he could not take it anymore. Bob got angry and remembered that he could control water somewhat. Bob released some res from his hands in its solid form packed closely together as he held it high in the air so that it would not mix with the water until it was ready. When Bob felt the change of weight which pressed his arm a bit more or it could have been him being mistaken that he was tired, he put his hand down into the water and then... "I never thought this far..." and while he was stuck thinking about that to do some of the fishes swam by him as if there was nothing wrong. Without his sudden movements there was nothing to actually alert the fish that Bob was any danger to them.

That was the perfect opportunity. Bob let the res float up in the water towards a fish that was going right above him and transmuted it as it reached the top to drown it much like he tried to do with the ghost possessed Aello the last time they did something together only to realize that "shyke..." fishes breathe in the water. It was too late then. The res that he used was wasted. Dissipated and spread throughout the rest of the water in the stream. Defeated, Bob got up and dried himself the best that he could by brushing off drops of water from himself before he went back to where he left Aello to tell her "I couldn't find any water" which should be convincing unless Aello was attentive enough to notice the darkened water and some dripping water which would betray the lie.