Completed [World's End Grotto] When Turtles Rest (Gale)

[Ricky Maze]

When Turtles Rest Part II of Homecoming Fall 56th, 512 AV Funny how the day flows like the ocean, continuing on it's business as it always does. One place usuually booming with business was the World's End Grotto, it being the lively inn that it was. It was an excellent place for Ricky to start with his recooperating of the city, being gone for nearly two years can really make you miss a lot. Yet when Ricky and Odis walked into the busy entrance and saw the lively locals all around he didn't feel like he missed anything at all. He took time walking up to the front desk, where a nice looking lass stood. When they approached Odis made sure to stay close, knowing the rules Ricky taught him when in public doors. The lady looked at them both with a generous welcome smile. :"Good day you two, my what a cute little pooch you have." Odis licked his lips and began his usual tongue wagging after she said that, oddly enough Ricky knew that he was the oddball bringing a dog inside, but he didn't mind it at all. "Thanks lass, I'm back from a trip and need a place to stay for a bit." He replied with a friendly grin. "Well welcome home! I'm Serra and if your looking for a room, you've come to the right place." She winked with a friendly smile, Ricky started to reach for his money bag. "Now it's 2 sm per night, so how long to you plan on staying?" "Forty nights. Who know's, I just may move in." He joked as he took eight nilo out of the bag, she gave him a funny look when he said that. She accepted the coins he handed her, and gave them the key to their room key. "Room number eight is yours, enjoy your stay now!" She said with a friendly smile, watching the dog as they went on to their room. Ricky arrived at door number eight with exhaustion following, come to collect on his hours of rest. The room was small and simple enough, and as Ricky shut the door quietly and looked at the bed, the idea of sleep was what came first. Just a nap and then he'd finish getting settled in, but for now all he wanted was a nap. ...... Not but a few hours of rest and Ricky awoke from his nap, unaware of what it was he just saw. Funny how his dreams worked that way. Feeling the need for air Ricky stretched and looked at Odis, still snoring as he was sound asleep. He grinned loosely, feeling that the dog would be ok if he were left here alone. Taking the key he kept it close, thinking it would do better if he locked the door. He was ready to head out now, and began heading to the door.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

It was quiet an awkward day. You don’t normally get to see a guy rage in the sand and then ask you to finish a picture of him doing so. But, if the man insisted Gale had no problem with it. He supposed. It was still strange…To draw something that you’d think would be mocking another. Gale hadn’t drawn many people and not a single one of them mocked them in any way. Except for how bad he was at drawing back then. He didn’t understand how some people can do it. Maybe perhaps they never find out what is going on with the person and are just fine making fun. However, the murderer wasn’t one. Partially. Sort of. No, yeah, he wasn’t one to think it’s funny. If he thought about it he wouldn’t at least. At first it’s obviously funny.

“Aurgh.” Gale groaned as he slapped his notebook shut. He didn’t want to finish the stupid picture. How could he? It’s so disrespectful and…Not something Gale was comfortable drawing. Even though that’s one of the only ways to expand your talent, by doing things uncomfortable, the blonde wasn’t going to step out of his comfort zone to make fun of someone who lost their home. Even if Richard did want him to finish it. He was just going to tell him that he had better things to do then to make fun of him. He could understand, couldn’t he? After all, he had never known a man who liked being made fun of. Unless you were a Fool and did that kind of nonsense for money.

Gale had been drawing and by his “tree” for a majority of the day trying to draw his acquaintance, Ricky. It was hard to put so much anger into one tiny drawing of a man’s face and so much confusion in one dogs tilted head. But Gale supposed it wasn’t bad for three fourths of a drawing. He had the outlines of Ricky and Odis done, most of the detail on Ricky’s clothes and sword, and then the basic outline of the background. He had erased Ricky’s face several times due to the lack of accomplishment Gale usually felt when he drew something well. But seeing that he wasn’t going to continue, and that he’d probably never see the man again, Gale never thought about it as he headed back home. It was about time that the artist had gone home other than to sleep. He needed to start adding color to these drawings. Start painting again like he used to. Maybe one of these days he can be just as good of a painter as a drawer.

Walking in casually at the Inn, Gale continued without hesitation to his room. His blank and lonely room. It needed some attention besides his occasional visits. Everything collects dust by the time he comes home. Maybe he should draw something in –

Gale felt a slap to his shoulder, spinning him to fall onto the ground. With a yelp of shock, Gale fell forward with a low grunt and thud. What in the world? Who shoved him? Gale flipped over and sat up, looking at the wooden door he had just passed. He was beaten by a door. Unbelievable. Gale rolled his eyes and pushed himself to stand. About to tell the person to be more careful, the man looked straight at Ricky. Looks like he would see him again. Great.

“Uh- hey Richard. Didn’t think I’d be hit by- er- see you so soon.” Gale rolled his shoulder with a bellowing laugh, mainly at himself.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky had just opened the door when had almost forgetten to grab his fishing kit next to his bag when suddenly: Thunk! Bomp! Someone had walked into the door, not a good thing for Ricky. However when he looked to see who it was his face dropped. "Gale? Well how 'bout that! What are the chances huh!" He cheered as he offered a hand to help the the thin blonde up, Odis only yawned and returned to his snoozing after he heard it was Gale. "What are you doin' here? Oh that's right ye said that ya stayin' here too."

[Gale Austin McCenry]

Gale's chuckle softened along with his smile as he realized how excited he was to see him. Quiet an energetic man. Subconsciously, due to the complete diversity with the two and Gale's conflicting feelings about the picture, his smile turned to an awkward one. One that you can tell he wants to say,"Uuuuh". His eyes widened for a moment as if to say "oh no" or "sheesh" but disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Yeah, I told you that didn't I?" Gale's voice seemed to squeak for a moment as if he was nervous. "Uh, yeah. Right here actually." Gale patted the door next to him with his knuckles.

Soon after doing so, Gale realized he didn't have his sketchbook in his hands. Being utterly terrified for a moment, the murderer's face went pale. Looking at the ground where he fell from running into the door, he saw his sketchbook a few feet away. It landed awkwardly, being opened and creasing the pages. He quickly stooped down to sweep it up, unfolding the pages, then holding the book to his chest and looking at Ricky with a straight face. "Did you say something? I didn't say anything." With a few blank blinks, Gale's hand patted the door behind him searching for the doorknob. "Well, -um- I better get to finishing your picture, heh heh." Gale's voice squeaked again as his hand opened the door. "But-um- I'll be in here...finishing your-uh-your-your picture!"

Gale wanted to slap himself. Repeatedly. He as so abnormally nervous for little to no reason at all. Or was it? What Gale couldn't figure out was that the combination of uneasiness from not wanting to finish drawing Ricky, the fact that he now knows the man's current position, and that Ricky was still acting strangely nice was the source of his awkward feelings. Maybe a little from the dog living across from him, but he was okay with that he supposed. The artist wasn't exceptionally comfortable around people who had major losses like he had. When he hears other's losses, it gets Gale paranoid about it happening to him. He thinks about it too much and then gets....like that.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky never thought Gale would be so antsy when they woupd run into each other so soon, even it has been sooner that they expected it was still good to see a familiar face. Half a day may have passed in a flash already, meaning that supper time was bound to bound to be soon. Which now that he thought about it.... "Hey wait why the rushin'? I mean if we're gonna be room neighbor's then why not grab a bite?" He offered his invitation to Gale, who seem to be acting quite unusual, with a kind heart. He needed a good distraction now and Gale was the perfect one to do so, if anyone maybe he could at least help keep Ricky focused on the here and now, and not the what was and what will be. Just now was all he needed to focus on, and even though Ricky was good at hiding such needs he still yearned for them. He wondered if Gale still feeling aweful about the drawing, he seemed to feel guilty when Ricky saw it last. He was hoping that Ricky thought it funny instead of being upset, as clearly his reaction earlier today was a decent laugh. 'Ah who am I kiiddin', he probably thinks me a loon after today. What exactly is it I do to give that impression anyway?' He wondered deeply as his thoughts began to trail, and immediately he snapped his attention back to Gale. The blonde looked rather pale compared to earlier, but that could just be because of the amount of light in the room. Still he had to make sure as he needed a distraction. "Hey Gale, are ye feelin' quakey? Ya look whiter then a babe's white arse." He asked slightly concerned for the man, though Gale was holding his shoulder he thought maybe Ricjy's door hit him on the head.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

About to retreat inside his room, Ricky invited him for supper. “Yeah, sure.” He said without hesitation. Wait- why did he accept?

Gale’s fingers tapped his notebook for a few seconds pondering this. Supposed he just wanted to be polite. The least he could do he supposed. The man needed someone to be kind, though he wasn’t sure if stuttering and trying to book it back to his room to be kind. He just needed to calm down was all. He had no reason to be nervous. Ricky seemed more comfortable about the whole conversation then he was.


"Hey Gale, are ye feelin' quakey? Ya look whiter than a babe's white arse."

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just my sketchbook. I was worried I lost it. It’s- uh…..Sorta important to me, ya know? “ Gale gave Ricky one of those faces that pleaded for him to know what he means. “I mean, what would an artist do without his paper, right?” He chuckled. He didn’t realize he went pale because of his fumble with the book. Of course he was scared half to death, thinking that he might have ruined some of the pictures. “Um, I’ll be right back. Just gunna put this stuff away.” Gale raised his notebook and charcoal slightly, now realizing he managed to hold onto the black minerals.

After giving Ricky a reassuring smirk he slipped into his room, shut the door and placed his book on the small desk. Letting out a long sigh, the murderer felt ridiculous. Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, Gale silently scolded himself for being such a fool. He acted like a complete idiot. He supposed he had to eventually. Suppose it’d be better to do so with a man who did something ridiculous himself then for others. Opening his drawer on his small desk, he pushed aside all his sheets of paper and looked in the back of his drawer. Seeing two objects, one being his piece of glass, the second being his bag of Mizas. Taking his bag of Mizas, he closed the drawer and headed out.

Making sure not to swing the door open and hit Ricky, he slipped out and closed it once again. “Where did you want to go?”

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky only nodded in approval when Gale slipped into put away his notebook. It was taking him quite a bit but Ricky didn't mind, he was occupied with what the other possibilities were. Gale said that he was just rather nervous when he found the book on the floor, which was indeed reason enough for Ricky; but something else was bugging the blonde. Was it the drawing? Did Ricky's reaction throw him off? Or was it his approach on how he wanted it to be done? Feeling slightly guilty he rubbed the back of his head, a apologetic expression plain on his face. However he hid it once the door opened. Gale slipped out and Ricky now felt bad for having the man finish the drawing, maybe during supper he could ease Gale out of it if it was troubling him. "Where did you want to go?" He asked Ricky as he pocketed some small pouch, Ricky smiled his friendly smile and hid his troubled expression. "Just in the hall ye goof! Supper time is startin' so now is a good time to get to know each other better." He reassured as he began to lead, they would head to dining hall and find their seats. It would be a few chimes before Ricky would look to Gale and ask, "What's good to eat?" in an attempt to break the silence between them.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

Gale rolled his eyes sarcastically with a smirk when he was called a goof. He couldn’t deny it, but there were other places to eat besides here. Even though it was convenient, he didn’t know if Ricky had a taste for market food and eating at the docks or what.

“True.” Gale responded simply with a half shrug of sorts. He hoped Richard didn’t push it too far. He wasn’t ready to talk about touchier subjects, probably the same with Richard. The two would be getting to know each other but it most likely wouldn’t be heart to heart.

After sitting down and Ricky raising the question of what is good, Gale shrugged, and “That’s an opinion. What sort of things do you like? Minus well start off with that.” The artist said simply, never being one to advise what someone should do and things of the such. “I think I’m just going to get fish, though.” Gale said with a shrug.

The murderer hoped that his acquaintance wasn’t about to bring up his surge of stuttering and awkward reactions. He didn’t really want to explain that he had been here a while… Gale looked down at his hands which had their fingers folded into each other. Gale didn’t mind silence, or rather, he didn’t mind not having a conversation, but with Richard’s intentions for bringing him along, no doubt he would ask a question that Gale would find hard to answer. Unless he kept to simple conversations. And even then he’d probably would take a few uncomfortable seconds to recall anything worth telling about that didn’t reveal who he really was.

[Ricky Maze]

When Ricky asked Gale that question the man seem to be rather dismissive, or rather evasive of something actually. It was a complex situation only brought on by strangers really, that tense awkward moment between to people that hardly knew each other. Yet Ricky wouldn't allow the conversation to go south, oh no instead he would keep himself distracted. He would learn what he can of this man, and he would ddo so in simple acts. Some consider them tests while others think of it as a friendly get to know, Ricky however didn't care for either one. He was back at home now with company around to occupy his troubled thoughts, and he would rather worry about "now" instead of the future. Why? Because he could not see one. Where was he going to go now with but only a light coin pouch with but a few nilo's left? No where without a plan of course, and for that he needed a distraction. To help keep his mind busy while he focused on the subject at hand, and if Gale were successful in helping Ricky with this endeavor then they were already off to a great start. "Fish...Fish does sound great actually," He grinned loosely as he began to keep the conversation flowing, "I ain't had Zeltivan fish in the longest while, good idea Gale." He nodded with slight enthusiasm, remembering the long period of time he spent away from home. It has indeed been forever since he had fish cooked Zeltivan style, boy would it be great to eat some now. "In all my travel's I ain't hardly eaten any fish, probably 'cause the fish out there isn't as great as it is here." He kept his loose friendly grin on as he spoke to Gale, trying to hide the troubled thoughts in his head away. If Gale hadn't noticed a thing about that, then apparently Ricky was doing a decent job hiding it. Ricky never really bothered looking at Gale in the face, he was afraid that his eyes would give him away. He was a man of pride really, and hated it when he looked weak to others. No in this time of his need he had to remain strong, if not look it, so others would not pity him. There was no need for such a thing, not in this world there wasn't. When a man loses what he has he does not give up, he pushes back against the forces he's against; he rises to the challenge no matter how much it overreaches him. He would look past all of this trouble, this dark cloud looming over him. He would find the resolve to perservere. Getting back to reality though as he did a drum roll on the table to break the silence, he looked to Gale in general and still held the same loose smile. "Enough about my adventures though, let's get some fish!" He cheered.

[Gale Austin McCenry]

Gale smirked marginally as Ricky talked about not having Zeltivan fish for a long while. Nonetheless, fish at all. A fisherman without fish? That was ironic, where did he go? He supposed you can’t fish while travelling at the same time since both are time consuming. It was rather amusing to hear someone compliment the food in Zeltiva, even though at times it didn’t have much of it to offer. But fish was abundant here so there is no doubt that anyone who passes by would at least have a taste of it. Unless you were vegetarian or vegan, which Gale found almost impossible to be.

“Okay then, fish it is.” A chuckle escaped his mouth along with a smile of sorts. “But I’d love to hear more about your adventures.” The artist insisted. “Where did you go in the first place? Did you go for a specific reason or just for the fun of change of setting?”

Being one of the citizens that never left Zeltiva for a new city, Gale always found it fascinating to hear about other cities and places. Without exactly experiencing them himself. Some of the stories were interesting and seemed more of a child’s story, getting into a fight and barely making it out alive, which made Gale want to never leave. Being a man who doesn’t like violence, stories were more than enough for Gale to get the experience of being there instead of actually taking a hit.

Some cities that he has heard about made him want to leave, but no desire was big enough to make him leave everything behind just yet. He still had… unfinished business, so to speak, with himself. But one of these days…