Closed Kelp Torment (Ricky)

[Nost]

Spring 9th 513 AV It was night time, perhaps one of the darkest night Nost had lived. The streets were quiet. Any other night, he would have enjoyed such harmony, such peace, but not now. Even though it was mostly mute, there were sounds, similar to voices, whispering nonsense to Nost's ear. After many hours of attempting to sleep, he finally obtained some minutes of rest. Wake up. Wake up. The voices were now clear despite being many, all pronouncing the same, like a chorus. He ignored them as first. That was the solution he gave to this problem to many years, mostly with success, but this time was different. They wouldn't leave. Wake up. Wake up. This time it was louder, and they hurt Nost head. He started to roll in his bed, restless. His eyes were still closed, since he was tired. It was a long day for him, and the only thing he wanted to do was to get some sleep. Is that too much to ask? WAKE UP! This time, the people shouted. The migrane this loud noise reverberated in his head. His glassy eyes suddenly opened, and he stood up quickly. He then, rushing, started to exhaustively search for the source of the shouts, only to find out there was no one nearby. You won't find us... The voices started to sing, taunting him. Angrily, he took his clothes, and dressed up. He was going out. Yet, before leaving his house, he grabbed his carving axe, just in case. "The streets in Zeltiva, and all over the world are dangerous at night". His father had said to him one day. He started walking carefully through the darkened streets, being careful of not entering blind alley. He was going to try the only thing he hadn't tried before agains the voices. Alcohol. In the entrance of the Kelp Bar, a place where he had never been, he decided to end with his problem, once and for all. Only one. He thought. The place emanated a feeling of aggressiveness, and he wasn't used to that. "One beer, please" He said, hoping no one else but the cantinier would talk to him.

[Ricky Maze]

What the day provided was nothing but a grand big mystery for Ricky. Last night was all but a haze and then a huge blank, the event of last night had been a night to remember so to speak; if only Ricky could remember it.

However he could not find the answer or lost memory, so he went to find Hannah. He checked Loveless, the docks, East Street, West Street, and even the Cerulean Pier. Alas there was not a trace of Hannah to be found at any of these locations save for Loveless, where the madame that ran the place admitted that she had left yesterday. Odd how she was with him and Telion last night, so whatever happened between the two of them had to have taken place before she finally left the city. Yet there was no warning or goodbye! Hannah just left Zeltiva without goodbye, thus she left Ricky in a world full of question.

Now he sat here in the Kelp Bar, nervous about trying a round after last night. He had to figure out if it was just the beer, or if there was something more to the after taste it had. What better way then too try and see now.

"I'll be havin one too." He requested as another man did so before him, he slipped a silver miza over to the bar maid, and both men received their mug of Kelp Beer.

Ricky felt that sense of familiarity when it came to the voice of the man, and when looked over to discover it was Nost that ordered the beer the guard choked on his to keep from spitting it out in surprise. He coughed as the burn of alcohol wasn't as pleasant as it would've been had he swallowed, as is esophagus felt the burning sensation of irriation as it went down. 'Well at least there ain't no different after taste.' He looked down at his beer to find it didn't fizzle like it did last night, therefore something about the beer he drank at that moment was different from before. Yet he hadn't a clue what could've be done to it in the first place.

His attention went back to Nost though as his observation was now concluded on that part, he would have to figure out how to remember that night if he wanted more answers. Now he had to figure out why Nost had come to a place such as this, the Kelp Bar usually attracted sailors and other local types compared to Nost; therefore he had to have had some reason for being here.

"'Ey, Nost lad. What brings ye here at a time like this?" He inquired with a curious look, he held a humble smile as he waited to hear a reply.

[Nost]

The shock of seeing Ricky there made Nost spit the drink he had in his mouth, reaching a man sitting some meters away. He was cleaning the liquid on his clothes while his apparent friends where laughing. He, angrily, approached quickly to the spot Nost was occupying. "I... I'm sorry sir!" He nervously said, yet the man would not stop. He was about to do something, but he would not wait to see what was it. Instinctively, he stood up quickly and looked as menacing as possible. He then noticed that the man was probably three quarters his size. They both stared each other for a while, until the other man finally gave up and left to his place. Nost sat down next to Ricky once again. "You probably noticed I don't usually come to places like this" He started speaking. "In fact, I've never been on a bar before". He took a small sip to his beverage, and he swallowed it. It had a strange flavour. He made faces as the liquid passed through his throat, and he made a strange sound when he had finished the sip. Surprisingly, he actually liked the after taste. "It's just that, lately..." Words stopped emerging from his lips. There was no way he could explain he heared voices that came from nowhere! He had to lie, yet he wasn't really comfortable with it, since Ricky seemed to be a good man. He ended up saying the truth... almost. "There's a lot happening in my life, and I think I've just lost total control of it. I... I don't know what else to do, perhaps this is my only way out this torment". Nost didn't want to end up being an alcoholic, so he decided to not drink his beverage too fast, so he would not get drunk. That was the logic he made up himself, since he had no idea of being drunk. "Do you come here often?" He asked politely to the man.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky couldn't help the small laugh that welled up inside, apparently Nost too hadn't expect for Ricky to discover him; only he couldn't keep his beer in. He watched the two as the man who was the victim of an accidental splurge stood to Nost, then unwillingly changed his mind and went on to his business.

Ricky observed Nost with close intent and listened to the way the boy spoke, though he was taller than Ricky he was still quite younger; thus Ricky felt obligated to pay close attention him nonetheless. The way he sounded was as though he lacked sleep, something the guard was very familiar with last season. By the way Nost explained it Ricky guessed hard times were hitting Nost, thus the idea of drowning his sorrows led him here for the first time.

"Not as often as I use to lad, I can assure ya I hard a pretty rough time last season after I lost my best friend; but in the end I had others that where there for me." He smiled as the thoughts of those he stumbled upon made a difference during the season, if it weren't for them then Ricky surely wouldn't have been here now. "I've learned that resortin to beer to drown the pain doesn't help at all, but talkin with yer friends will if you allow them to help." He took another drink of his beer, the original salty taste witg the burn of alcohol down his throar and chest. He loved the warmth that radiated each time it happened, thus the after taste was the usual Kelp Beer taste that followed; and not the strange taste that resided in last nights beer. "What's been eatin ya lad?" He asked with a humble grin, the beer hardly affecting his mood.

[Nost]

Nost was unsure if he should actually tell this man about his illness. Through the years, he had developed distrust on people. Not only strangers but people in general. He had already suffered enough growing up without his mother. Then, after the death of his father, he was devastated. He barely ate anything, and he never went out like the other kids. The only person he had in his life now, was the Isurian friend of his father. He never actually knew his name, and the relation with him was distant, yet he was grateful, because it was for him why he was still alive. When he left because of the plague, Nost simply couldn't continue. He feel sick for an entire season, with no one to take care of him. Yet, he decided it was time to trust someone again. Ricky was there to help him, and he was sure he would not leave like everyone else. So, he started to tell. "This isn't a recent problem. It has happened to me since always. The thing is, I..." He suddenly felt someone had pulled his shoulder. It was the man from before, but this time he wasn't alone. There where two more now. One of them was about the size of Nost, yet somewhat muscular. He had a patch on his left eye, and a scar in his cheek, proper of a well-known sailor. In the other hand, the second man was shorter, yet significantly stronger. Nost was about to pull out his hatchet, but before he could do anything, he was already on the other side of the bar. The strongest man had thrown him there, breaking some tables in the process. "Whatcha lookin at?" They said to Ricky, before spitting in the floor. They walked towards Nost once again. He didn't know what he would do next, so he decided not to find out. He grabbed his hatchet, and prepared for him to approach so his swing was accurate. What have I done?

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky's attention was full on focus with Nost, the intent to trust in him clear in the Nost's eyes as he spoke. By the way he did it sounded as though the problem persisted longer, and had been something he had been dealing with it for quite some time. Yet the persistence of the previous man had cut the young man off, his action soon suggested that he aimed to get even with earliers accident; and the petcher wasn't alone.

Nost was thrown by the bigger man and the smaller one attempted to intimidate Ricky. He was more built compared to the bigger one, which would've made the intimidation a bit more successful; had Ricky not lost his cool with the other man.

"I'm lookin at the face of a fat faced liverscum, and his petchin coward of a bastard who be the son of a whore!" Ricky stood up with anger hot in his face, immediately the color red became flushed deepy.

"Hey, take it outside!" The barmaid orderes behind the counter, Ricky felt the impressive for of a slug break across his face; which had set off the last seal on his mind. Therefore he blacked out.

"Petch you piece of shyke!" He roared as he lunged at his assailant, he tackled him as hard as he could to the entrance of the bar in hopes of getting the man outside; just before he totally lost control of his rage.

[Nost]

As the man approached him, Nost decided it would be more... amusing, to brawl for a while, before even thinking using the hatchet. That would be too easy, and Nost liked challenges, even if said challenges threatened his life. The man was way stronger that him, and he seemed to actually have experience in bar fights, but Nost had an advantage. He was smart, and he usually analyzed his environment. For example, something that the sailor didn't see was one of the chairs Nost body broke. He only had to push him, and the wooden furniture would do the rest. He tackled the man, and he fell and hit his head on the floor, producing a bruise. Nost, afterwards, walked to the entrance of the establishment, and taunting his adversary, he said: "Come here and get me, pig!" He hid in the shadows, next to the entrance. The man, still confused, stood up un rage, and rushed to where Nost was. To his surprise, Nost had put out his foot to trip him, and he fell for that trick. This time, his forehead was the one who suffered damage, making him dizzy. He tried to stand up once again, but Nost pushed him back to the floor. This behavior was unknown in a man such as Nost. He didn't support violence of any kind, and of course he never had the intention to harm someone. Yet, in this case, it was different. Not only he was fighting, and winning so far, but he was actually enjoying it. He kicked the man while he was in the floor, but he actually stood up afterwards, and pulled Nost's leg so he would fall. Luckily, he reacted quickly enough to put his elbows so he would not hit his head. The man, then, stood up and grabbed him from the collar and was about to punch him in the face. "Wait a minute... you are the son of that gadgeteer aren't you? He was such a coward like you, that's why he was killed!" Nost then, enraged, and pulled the hatchet he had hidden. He put the foot behind the man before pushing him, so he lost balance. While he was distracted trying not to fall, he grabbed him and put the edge of the hatchet in his throat. "Don't you dare talking about my father, you filthy pig." He then realized what was happening. He saw himself, about to do something he knew he would regret for the rest of his life, so he threw his hatchet away, and walked backwards.

[Ricky Maze]

Nost had taunted his opponent and he followed out the door, Ricky and his opponent wrestled around a bit as Ricky found himself to be in an armlock. Already the left side of his face felt the sting of the punch he took earlier, had the anger he felt earlier not cut it from his attention before. He grunted as there was a moment of where he was spun around, and before Ricky knew it he had been thrown out the door onto the ground outside the bar. Ricky's back hit the stone hard as he ground his teeth in pain, his mind now went black as he finally allowed the animal within him to break free. The Zeltivan Bear he kept caged in was ready to release the stress that had built up, and after an entire seasons worth there was a lot to let loose.

The time Ricky spent alone he did his best to tuck away all anger and pain, and when he believed he had moved on it had all remained where it was. Now with all the stress he started to deal with, it was necessary to direct that anger to something.

The man Ricky was fighting proudly came to Ricky and grabbed his shirt to pull him up, his free head ready to make a colliding punch. Ricky headbutted the man in his face, and more pain filled his skull as the man recoiled. This provided Ricky the moment he needed to push himself up, and when he did he made sure to throw his heaviest punch at the guy's chest. His aim was terribly off though, as his opponent saw the punch at the last chime, and did his best to avoid the direct hit. Therefore Ricky's fist hit the target in his right shoulder, which provided him with the opportunity to strike back at Ricky.

'Petch,' Ricky thought as he prepared for the worst, 'No way to avoid what's comin next!'

[Nost]

He saw himself in the scene. Something happened, something that usually didn't happen. In fact, it was something that had never happened to him. He had fear. Such thing might seem unnatural, but it is the truth. Nost had never been scared before. Perhaps sometimes he had felt nervous, or even sometimes with rage, but fear wasn't something he had experimented. His curious nature didn't let him be scared. Yet, this time, he was. And not to something someone would fear, such as darkness. He didn't feel threatened by some random insect he saw, he didn't even fear for the man who might have killed him there. He was scared of himself. This violent nature wasn't common. Rage took control of his body, and his mind, like if he was possessed by the soul of a killer. Murder was the worst he could do. Nightmares still haunted him in his sleep. Nightmares almost as exact as memories of the previous day, nearly as exact as if he was present the day his father was brutally killed. What if... this is the beginning? What if this is nothing but the trigger of a wave of pain, and grief?! I... couldn't help but... continue what I started. It was like if... I knew what I was doing... I couldn't control myself! And... the worst part is that... I liked it... his rage... his... pain, I... His thoughts were interrupted. He suddenly felt something inside his side. This intruding object gradually became from just some cold material to pain. An insufferable pain made him bite his tounge, taking him out from the depths of his mind to the outside world. He saw the man, a couple of inches away from him. He seemed nervous, looking at the apparent source of the pain. Blood started to flow, and the stranger slowly pulled the blade used to stab the young man. Nost wasn't the only who came prepared. "I'm sorry..." The man only said this before running out of the scene. "Ha ha ha ha ha..." The voices said. This time it was a young girl, the one moking him. Goodbye... Nost collapsed in the floor. HueExcuse my delay, but there are lots of time-consuming legal things I have to do yet.

[Ricky Maze]

His left came from a wrap around and collided into Ricky's stomach, and left him to grunt in pain as he slouched over. When the next move was to come, Ricky made sure he'd prevent it if possible. His mind would've wondered about Nost, but instinct had taken over and Ricky's nature was the only thing that guided him now. When he slouched the man raised his leg in a manner to kick Ricky in the face with his knee, but Ricky's reaction had happened just in the nick of time; he tackled his opponent once more. His shoulder rammed into the abdomen with just enough for to stagger his assailant, and with a much needed urge to release more stress Ricky arched his arm back. He made sure he would get his aim right this time, because the stagger was what he planned to use as an advantage. With as much force as he could put in, and a determined mind to land this blow, Ricky threw his hardest punch once again. Direct hit.

Ricky's right fist made smashing contact into the guys face, and with a crack Ricky could've sworn he broke the man's nose. Though the pleasure he felt in the act was something he thought would've been different, instead of the satisfaction one should've felt he regret. Followed by a pain he didn't expect to come back. His opponent almost fell back with a small welp, and Ricky recoiled back as his right hand felt a burning shock. He grabbed his wrist in awe as he struggled to handle the pain, even more regretful that he threw that punch. When his opponent looked past Ricky he too decided to flee, eyes filled with panic as he chased afted his partner. It was then Ricky's mind immediately went to Nost, and when he looked over to see the young man on the ground he feared the worst that was to come.

"Nost!" Ricky exclaimed as he quickly hobbled over to his friend, the young boy looked to have been wounded in the midst of the fight. Likely an unfair gambit had come into play, and injured Nost intently. Ricky knelt down and checked Nost, his injury slowly bled out each passing tick; and the guard had to think quickly if he wanted to save his friend. "Nost lad, how bad is the wound?! Can ya move?!"