Closed Wide awake [Ricky]

[Valo]

"Killed? But why? Who did this to ya?!" For a moment Valo's eyes were turned to the sea. They fallowed the tidal breath of the water. The way the proceeding current crashed against the recession, forming white foam that disappeared into the sand at the shore. The way the sea would leave darkened shapes into the sand. But as Ricky rose to his feet again, those blood red eyes returned to his friend. "Who the petch had the balls to kill you?! They had NO petchin right, ye were just fine when we last spoke, and now just like that somebody takes yer life just like that?!" Ricky's cheeks grew the same colour as those eyes that observed them. Tear filled eyes of the bear man, face twisted with anger and hatred and... pain. Pain caused by a whirlwind of emotion that manifested in his feature.

It was perhaps that emotion that finally broke the glass between the two men. In an instant all the scattered pieces of Valo returned into place. All the pieces that bore this love for Ricky, loving him evermore still for this emotion he displayed. For this love that hence he received. An eternal gratitude that he still had an ally.

In a split second the artist was barely inches away from Ricky. His bone white fingers clasped around the man's chin, holding his face so that he simply could not look away. Forced to gaze into those red eyes. But what Ricky would find in these eyes this time was light. Bright blinding light, almost glowing from Valo's feature. A merry smile upon his face. A smile of joy, folding lines into his eternally young skin and they spoke of nothing but happiness. "Ricky don't you threat." he spoke and his words were softness and cheer. "I'm alive am I not?... sort of. And better than I was."

He could have kissed the bear man right there and then, so overjoyed he was, but that had not been the nature of their friendship. Still, unable and truly unwilling - it seemed that since that fateful day Valo had relinquished some of that self-control he once possessed. No longer had he been so terribly afraid to portrait his feeling in a way that depicted them appropriately. So too did his flamboyance rise. A certain eccentric nature that lay dormant within him for so long, now awake from hibernation. It seemed many things were released within Valo upon being marked by his god beloved - he pulled Ricky into a great bear hug. Squeezing the man tight for a moment before parting again. The smile still lingered on his face. A certain energy with which he spoke.

Perhaps time was lost to Valo. It stood still, languishing for it bore no power over the young artist. Yet, in spite of that, he felt the kind of energy he had not fathomed in a long time. The energy of a child. A new amazement at the world. A new passion for love and friendship and a new burning empowerment of hate. Sell his your soul. Sell him your soul Valo and never look back. Such a small price for eternal youth. Indeed now he was more an artist than ever for he truly became that which he so adored. Beauty within grotesque. And despite his death, Valo was perhaps all the more alive. Chained, but free. Enslaved but so very, very powerful.

A great shift within his behaviour had now occurred to Valo. A great shift within his inner self. A tectonic movement of understanding.

"If you must know," he spoke in a joyful manner, still keeping close to his friend. Sensing that his presence was needed. "His name was Hound. A petch of a man, but I reluctantly admit he did me a favour. Such a small price to pay for the eternity at my fingertips. Ricky I... ah don't weep but rejoyce with me."

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky's blurred eyes had gone to a black vision had Valo not swiftly interrupted him, the cold fingers of the artist were upon his chin in a manner that suggested something more. He was looking into the bright eyes that belonged to the undead man, and somehow he saw that even in this form Valo was still the same; different on the outside but sonewhere deep within he was still the same."Ricky don't you threat." he spoke softly in a sort of cheer, something Ricky couldn't have understand if their friendship wasn't as heavily bonded as it was now. "I'm alive am I not?... sort of. And better than I was."

Despite the drastic change and murder of another important person in Ricky's life, Valo's point ran clear through his mind like wind over the sea. Valo was still here before him, and although the artist was now doomed with immortality he still lived deep inside. There was no denying that the connection he felt was still there, for Ricky could feel that bond of friendship be ever present.

There were no words but then there was no need, as Ricky no doubt felt the things he did and knew Valo was much more himself than he though, so to should the artist be able to feel and make the connections with Ricky. This secret he was given to safeguard... it did strengthen that bond. It proved true to the test and although the change was beyond his comprehension, Ricky would accept it because Valo was an important person in his life. The sick twisted sense of humor was that on the bright side, Valo would now really have his back forever. It was dark because of the situation of course, but the irony behind it was just so wistful. In short Ricky barely nodded to show his understanding, still though the tears came with a will of his own. Though he no longer sobbed it was as though his heart had to mourn the loss, even when Valo made it seem like such a thing was a blessing.

"If you must know, his name was Hound. A petch of a man, but I reluctantly admit he did me a favour. Such a small price to pay for the eternity at my fingertips. Ricky I... ah don't weep but rejoyce with me."

"A favor..." There was a small chuckle behind those words, how Valo could consider this a favor amazed Ricky. "If that's what ya think lad." He forced a smile on to hopefully convince Valo he would keep an open mind on such a thing, but what came next was said with pure intention of hate. "However I want ya to draw or paint this Hound if ye can, that way when I see him I'll reward him the same kindness." He spat out the name with despise, almost losing himself to his angry state once more. Whoever this man was Ricky would do what he can to track him down, he wouldn't let something like this go unpunished; not when it was someone as important as Valo.

[Valo]

Perhaps it wasn't quite the gentleman's thing to admit,but Ricky's tears brought warmth into Valo's still chest. A pleasant tingle of emotion that substantiated him in one very important belief. And such was a fear of his. A fear of not being missed, of not being burned after his death. But these tears were a seal that wafted these fears away. There were still those that loved him. There were those who's lives he impacted, even if they were not plentiful. Ricky, his very best of friends wept for the artist and those tears were perhaps the very best present he could hope for. He cherished them. With the sleeve of his shirt, he wiped them away. An emollient kind of warmth in his expression, hoping to comfort that which he held so dear to his dead heart.

"A favour..." There was a small chuckle behind those words.

"Yes a favour!" he urged. Eyes now thrust deep into those ocean blue ones of Ricky's with both cheer and grave seriousness. "Ricky, do you not see this. I am immortal. Finally I am something special in this mundane world. I have the eternity at my fingertips, to do with as I please. It's a gift. But most importantly of all, I am chosen by a divine entity. A god himself has descended and elevated me to something grater than a simple man. Ricky, oh I do wish for you to see it the way I do, for it is a blessing in it's entirety."

"If that's what ya think lad." He forced a smile on to hopefully convince Valo he would keep an open mind on such a thing, but what came next was said with pure intention of hate. "However I want ya to draw or paint this Hound if ye can, that way when I see him I'll reward him the same kindness."

The observant artist saw the hate with which Ricky spat out the name, the prerequisite signals of the angry state that blossomed in the man's cheeks. Thus Valo acted quickly, once again drawing closer to his friend, placing an arm on his shoulder, looking deep into Ricky's eyes with that same seriousness that bore so much love within it. "Ricky I will not have you fight my battles for me. The man left Zeltiva now and he is long gone and you will not chase after him in my name. I do appreciated the gesture my friend, but I will not allow it. Besides, it is here you're most needed." a great smile blossomed upon his feature of ivory. "One day I will have my revenge upon the petch. But for now it is time of peace therefore I beckon you friend, forget this anger within you and rejoice in a new dawn. A new year is upon us. let us not waste it."

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky liked the idea of seeing Valo personally avenge his would be "rebirth" into the undead state, such thought at the bastard Hound being gutted sent a scary yet satisfying image in his mind. Oh how Ricky would enjoy the chance to see it happen, even more to plunge the blade into the heart of the man himself. Alas his friend didn't wish for a man hunt to go on, for a new yead has left winter behind and the one responsible for Valo's suffering with it. Both have moved on and were now out of his reach, and admittedly Ricky was glad to have them gone.

Strange as it was Ricky felt the comfort his friend brought when his tears were wiped away, the upheavel of emotion came so quick and sudden that he didn't even have time to notice the occurance. The nature of their friendship is likely what fueled the reaction though, as Ricky would go far just to ensure the safety of his friend. "Aye. Ya got a point there lad, I'm sure everythin will look up this year." A faint smile became present on his face, as Ricky now began to ease up on the picture at hand; the idea of Valo being undead finally started to sink in. There was so much change going on at once, it was all a lot for Ricky to take in.

"So many new things I don't know where to begin. First a new home, now an immortal friend. This new year is turnin into an adventure itself." He finally admitted with a better smile, though it still held a bit of the loose quality it had before.

[Valo]

"Aye. Ya got a point there lad, I'm sure everythin will look up this year." spoke Ricky as Valo noticed the faint suggestions of a smile finally returning into the man's quality. Those shadows, the ears which stained his eyes with red now be gone. Off with the sadness. Finally a smile which was so soothing to the artist' eyes. The warm, emollient quality.

"Ricky. I have never doubted you to be the very best friend a man can ever possibly wish for." said Valo who's face too had not forsaken that smile, even if it's manifestation somewhat shifted. The skin this clad the chiselled structure of that handsome face was just ever so slightly sunken in, a little thinner, a little more dead looking. White as paper. His words however bore so very much gravity to them. A dire seriousness, a weight of what he spoke. Words that pored from his hearth in the light of the euphoria of this reunion. For that's precisely what it was, a reunion of a man who lived past the gates of Dira and a man who was his very dearest. " Thank you."

"So many new things I don't know where to begin. First a new home, now an immortal friend. This new year is turnin into an adventure itself."

"You speak nothing but wisdom my friend. An adventure and a glorious one." replied Valo in grace. And truth it was that the adventure they were about to embark on would be above that of mortal, or even immortal, expectation.

[Echelon]

Adventurer's Loot A Gift Experience is its own reward. Rocky's Loot : Richo Maze Skill XP Reward Observation +2XP Socialize +1XP Rhetoric +2XP Lore: Friendship: A Series of Details Intuition For a Friend Entrusted With Grave Secrets Valo's Nature Knowing When Matters Surpass Oneself Overwhelmed With Passion A Gift of Steel For Cursed Steel Items or Consequences: None Notes: None Valo's Loot : Valo Skill XP Reward Philosophy +1XP Socialize +1XP Logic +1XP Lore: Kelp Beer: A Stolen Wretched Relief Uncomfortably Aware of Prying Eyes Rudeness To Avoid Humiliation Adapting a Haunting New Visage Possessing A Deathly Calm Like Art: Eternal Finally Unique Items or Consequences: Kelp Beer -1 Nilo Notes: Wow, those first few paragraphs there need some major editing if you find the chance. (This was a great intro to the new chapter of Valo's "Life." You guys have to stop repeating one another in your posts though, I feel like I read that thread twice. Thanks for sharing, and peace.) - if you have ANY questions or concerns about this grading, please PM me.