[Flashback] The calm before the storm... (solo)

[Roan]

SPLASH then PLOP!

“You see boy, thats how ya do it.” Bellowed the tall man with a grin from ear to ear as the boy watched in awe. In no time the man, Kai, had pulled an enormous fish out of the vast Suvan while Roan sat there idly with a line untouched. “It’s not what ya do, but what ya don’t do. For example yer just sittin’ there starin’ at the sea…” Kai continued, trying to sound as wise as possible. He loved that twinkle of adventure the children get in their eye when he talks like that. Anyhow, it was to no avail, the eager boy chimed in before he finished.

“But Kai…you were sitting there staring out at the sea too. You sure ya aren’t just lucky?” At this point, they’d been sitting out on the edge of Kai’s Casinor for hours and time and time again Kai’s line would pull in fish after fish. In fact, he was pulling in so many fish that he was starting to let them loose with a simple “Sorry friend, tryin’ ta show the young ones how ta do it. Swim at ease.”

“Look ‘ere Roan, I ain’t sittin’ around doin’ nothin’, I’m feelin’ the water and lettin’ my line flow as smooth as possible, then I let ‘em bite in and I pull up as hard as Laviku above allows me to!” At that, Kai let loose his line yet again. “Now reel yer’s in, and try again. Remember to feel the blessed Suvan.”

Suddenly a light bulb seemed to go off in the young lad’s mind, that was all he needed to hear. He pulled in his line and cast it out yet again, but this time he wasn’t just nodding off, he was deeply concentrating. At first he stumbled and to his side Kai caught a fish or two, but he was catching onto the concept quickly. His mentor’s earlier explanations about wrists and rods being extensions and being like a fish didn’t quite make sense until now. At last he was in near synchronization to the waves and something gave his hook a sturdy tug. When Roan yanked back a battle ensued. It was back and forth with the sea creature while Kai cheered on from the side when he wasn’t laughing. Though the man didn’t have trouble reeling in the pearly blue’s bounty, for a six year old boy as lanky as Roan this was heavy lifting. At last, minutes went on, the boy’s unprepared muscles grew weary, and the rod slipped out of his hand and zoomed off into no man’s land while the boy tumbled back into the boat.

Kai roared with laughter at the boy as he helped him back up. The Poor boy was crushed, he’d finally done it and all he’d accomplished is losing a rod. “It’s all right lad, we all underestimate the sea when first we face it.” Kai chimed happily, after all, he was proud of the boy despite the failure. “Wait ‘ere, I’ll go get ya a new rod so ya can try again.”

A few minutes passed by and Kai returned with the fishing gear in hand. Roan quickly wiped some tears that had started leaking and asserted to Kai what he’d do. “I promise I won’t lose any more of your rods and I’ll catch the next one!” All the while he said this he fought back the remainder of his tears.

“Roan, let those tears out. Nothin’ shows a truer man than a man who shows himself. If it was wrong for a man ta show emotions, then the Suvan wouldn’t show ‘ers either!” At that he handed the boy the rod and more of his tears came out. “Stay true ta yerself Roan, it’s an admirable trait…and so is being a good fisherman so keep at it.” Kai said with a bright smile and laughed.

“Ai ai cap’n!” Said Roan half jokingly.

“That’s what I like ta ‘ere!” Kai exclaimed with a snort of laughter. With that, the two didn’t give way until sunset, changing their location many times. Roan gradually got better and better, actually catching fish as the day went on.

When the sun started hiding behind the horizon, Kai knew it was time to stop. He told the boy it was enough and gathered up the fishing gear. He quickly put it away manned the ship, getting it ready to set off, showing the boy step by step how it was done.

Roan watched in awe, Kai made it all seem so easy. He was tying knots, letting some loose, adjusting the mast, pulling the anchor, it was incredible despite the fact that he’d seen it several times that day and had it explained to him just as many times. And from his six year old perspective, Kai seemed like some Titan. His skin scorched by the sun and prematurely wrinkled by it, his arms as thick as Roan’s torso, and his unmatched dexterity. It became no wonder why everybody in the pod looked to Kai when they needed something, he could do anything!

[Roan]

The sun was about to conceal itself when the two fishermen returned to their pod. Already their kinsmen were merrymaking while preparing for the real party. “KAI!! How’d it go? Did the shrimp catch anything?” Yelled Celina’s shrill female voice. She was next in line for Lia, just a few years younger than Kai, and totally infatuated with him. This wasn’t in the usual way people loved Kai, she was infatuated with him in ‘other’ ways.

“Actually, he proved ta be quite the man out there!” Kai exclaimed cheerfully.

“Oooooh?” Celina sighed looking at the boy. Roan simply blushed at the attention and wandered off towards the other kids. They were all running around playing with a ball made of rope, kicking it around; this was a game some travelers demonstrated to them called kick-ball and the Svefra children loved it. When Roan made his way into their pint sized mob the game stopped and the kids started shooting him questions; everybody wanted to be under Kai’s tutelage.

“Yes I caught stuff…no, Kai didn’t catch a whale…yes I am gonna go out with him again…13 whole fish!” But the questions were getting overwhelming, until one boy decided to challenge Roan.

“I bet ya didn’t catch anything. Yer a liar.” Said the other boy condescendingly.

“Shut up, I caught a bunch of fish.” Roan retorted. But the boy just snorted a laugh and carried on.

“Roan, yer a liar. Remember what ya said about those Sharks? There ain’t no sharks that come round here!” Now he crossed the line…

“I said SHUT UP!” Roan exclaimed and pounced on the boy, smashing his fist into the boys face. In no time both lanky kids were throwing punches at one another, neither relented until finally some grown ups showed up and tore them from one another. The lanky boys struggled, but they were no match for the grown ups.

“Both of you stop it!” Yelled one of the men who intercepted them. “You better get along!”

“Sorry sir…” Both boys chimed in shame.

“Now make up, yer both brothers here.”

“Sorry Roan.” “Sorry Romir” Both boys chimed again in unison.

At last the adults left the children be, but the two weren’t done. “I’ll show you right now!” Roan announced confidently. At that all the children migrated to the side of the ship, away from the adults, where they found a rod and Roan prepared it as he’d been taught earlier.

Casting the line into the water he concentrated, ignoring the other boy’s taunting. Slowly he adjusted to the flow of the waves, slowly he grew more and more in tune with the ocean, slowly the fish gathered but refused to take the bait. The sky was purple and pink, the pod was getting ready for the night, and all the adults knew to avoid fishing at this time of day.

“Hurry up you liar and give up!” said the other boy mockingly, but Roan didn’t stir.

“HAH!” Roan finally exclaimed feeling a tug, but this wasn’t anything like what he’d been taught. All of a sudden the creature yanked on the rod with a force unmatched by any fish from earlier, but Roan wouldn’t have it. He invested all the power in his tiny body to somehow keep hold of the rod, but when the beast gave yet another tug, not letting go was a mistake. Roan went flying overboard into the harrowing sea below. All of the other children went into a panic and ran out into the open pleading the adults for help.

Meanwhile, Roan plummeted into the salty water without any idea of what lay below. A pack of sharks were in the middle of their hunt, and the boy’s hook didn’t make them all too happy. There was a moment of dead calm, the small tanned boy stared at the sea monsters, and they stared at him. Minutes went by and the boy broke the silence and tried to scamper away in a paniced flurry, which in turn inspired the creatures to make chase. Roan swam with all his might but the fish always made it in front of him; he was cornered.

It’s always said that a cornered rat will fight back, and this was certainly the case for Roan. When one of the creatures shot out towards him, in a feat of adrenaline and luck, Roan smashed the combined force of both his fists into it’s nose which put one of them off course. Somehow the tasty morsel wasn’t dead yet, but this wouldn’t last.

Finally Kai plunged into the sea, spear in hand. He thrust one of the beasts mercilessly, but the others weren’t done. All of a sudden they had a new threat, and the weakest link had to be dealt with first. All of the fish charged at Roan, but his savior wouldn’t have that. He tossed the spear with unmatched precision, hitting the furthest Shark and skimming the front of the other two. At last he yanked out a black dagger and swam towards the predators. He punched one in the nose, and cut the other, but this wasn’t without a price. The shark he struck with his fist took the weapon that struck it. Kai roared, Roan sat there petrified, and the rest of the pod finally made it into the water. Sensing their danger the sharks fled.

At last the pod managed to regroup and return to the ship to give Kai whatever treatment they could. Upon returning, tears, were on every child’s face and Celina gave Roan a mighty slap, but he was still numbed by what had happened.

“Sorry friends,” Kai muttered among painful groans. “Our foolish young didn’t know any better.”

Suddenly a night of merriment became a tragedy…for the meantime. When Kai’s condition was stabilized, and Roan checked and left to curl up in a corner, they proceeded with the festivities.