Flashback Reasons to live (Ricky)

[Zanne]

If the boy had anything, they surely would have fell out of pockets? It angered Zane that the boy had been dishonest with him. He had essentially taunted him, tricked him into believing his words. The boy clearly didn't have the respect that he claimed to revere. If Zane couldn't see his respect how would he know what it was? An angry fist was raised, and with all of his might he slammed it into his face. That action, generated a domino effect.

The boy showed no hesitation with his retaliation. Zane was caught by surprise when he felt the boy's head digging into his own. Because of the boy's immense size, he was able to lift his head high enough to that of Zane's. The impact of the force was enough to disorient him. When he had finally came to, the boy had already regained his composure. Zane mimicked his movement, and began to rub his own head.

"My problem?! Where's your respect at? I want it!" he yelled. Zane stared at the boy intensely while he waited for an answer. It simply wasn't fair, that this boy was so much better than him. But maybe some respect would change that. He was willing to discard his life, but the boy was evidence that there was something out there that could make it worthwhile. The only question was: what was it?

"If I can't take your respect, how can I get some of my own?!" he asked with desperation. Zane hoped that the boy would be able to help him. Why wouldn't he? After all, he was willing to jump into the sea for him. This should be a walk in the fields in comparison to that. In all of the excitement, Zane realized that he never received the boy's name. Now was as good a time as ever to find out. Maybe it would make the boy more likely to help him. "Please, won't you help me out? I'm just an Underhill...Zane Underhill."

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky's expression was one of puzzlement at first when the boy shouted at him, demanding he wanted the so called respect Ricky had about him. It made the young fisher scoff loud enough to taunt the child, with a aggravated sneer on his face to follow as he thought the boy a little slow to realize just what respect was. Of course it was then the poor whelp decided he wanted to plea for it, for a way to gain some of his own respect as though it were some material form or object. The act alone led Ricky to crack a chuckle that grew, grew bigger and louder until at last it was a loud laugh that made the young fisher fall flat on his ass.

It hurt. It hurt but it was just too damn funny, the fact this kid who called himself Zane wanted to be given respect. Oh how it was just too funny for Ricky to handle, and when he finally managed to regain his composure to stop the laughing, the young fisher then looked a little up to the boys face as he remained seated on the sand. "Ye t'ink ya can git respect just like dat? Don't ya know?! Respect ain't somet'in ye can go 'oldin like yer favorite toy, its a principle ye 'ave t' develop an earn!" Ricky explained with a grin on his face, ignorant to the fact he had a small red spot on his right cheek where he'd been hit.

"Oi'll tell ya somet'in t'ough, an' dat's because Oi 'appen t' like ya." Ricky admitted as he finally rose to his feet once more. "Ye wanna 'ave respect den yew gotta earn it, ain't somet'in ya can git easily eit'er." Ricky crossed his arms with the index finger and thumb pressed up on his chin as he thought for a moment, seeing as how he never thoroughly thought out how one did earn respect around others. "Do t'ings fer friends, fer yer family. Try t' be a big boy who can handle 'imself rat'er dan a shrimp, t'ings dat prove ye wanna be... responsible!" He finished with clarification as he felt sure that was the general gist of what was required to earning respect, of course there must've been more that he needed to elaborate on but he didn't care.

As far as he knew he already had a small amount of respect for himself and his family, and given that the other kids that played around Zeltiva hardly had any respect earned from Ricky, he generally took to avoid them seeing as how he was always the quiet loner at times. Even so that still didn't stop him from proving points like he did just now. "Oi dun let any petchers mess wit' me, cause dey know roi den Oi'll knock 'em 'ard!" He challenged with a clenched fist, a proud and determined smirk on his face as he said those words. "Oh, and ye can call me Ricky." He added with arms crossed once more, as he eyed this Zane Underhill a few times before he contemplated on something.

"Oi'll call ya Guppy fer now, until yew git better respect from me t'ough. If ye want me t' call ye by actual name, den work 'ard t' prove me ot'erwise." He then challenged the boy once more, hopeful that it might get a stir out of him.

[Zanne]

Zane scratched his head as the boy laughed. Was he laughing because he was an Underhill? Because he requested help? It didn't matter. The boy had already seen Zane at his lowest point. Both figuratively and literally. Zane had never even contemplated suicide before, but today had simply pushed him over the edge. Finally, the boy had stopped laughing. When he opened his mouth to speak, it became evident that he was taking Zane seriously with his request.

His words spoke once more about respect. Apparently, it was a thing that was not really a thing. Zane had never really bothered with such things. He wasn't really an intellectually gifted individual. He only bothered himself with things that could appeal to his senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Respect didn't sound like it could be explained by any of those things. In a way, it sounded like the boy had made this thing up. It sounded like it was too good to be true. But Zane didn't have anything to lose, and everything to gain, if he took his word for it.

A smile grew on Zane's face when the boy mentioned that he would tell him something. Like it was a secret that he kept to himself or something. Zane never had a friend before. It gave him butterflies in his stomach. It was a revelation for him, to hear that respect was not easily earned. It had to be done by proving yourself, in the eyes of yourself and the people around you. If that's the case, then it would be practically hopeless to try and gain the respect of a man that beats him, and a woman that criticizes him. A bell signaled in his brain. Zane could still try to impress his little sister. Maybe he could earn her respect?

When Ricky balled his fist, he looked eager for a fight. He seemed to be advocating that it was a way to demand respect. The thought invigorated the boy. Maybe this respect thing would be able to get him through the rest of the day. Ricky mentioned earlier that respect was something that couldn't be taken from a person. This meant that Zane would have something that he could hold over his parents. It didn't matter if they knew it or not, it would at least be of comfort to him.

Ricky stated that Zane would have to work hard to prove himself. Work hard at what?! he wondered. Though they were bit away from the docks, a bird was pecking at something and it caught his eye.

"Ricky? Do you know what that thing is over there?" Though he didn't know it at the time, the object had belonged to Ricky. His beloved rod that he had laid down for Zane's sake.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky's face dropped to a look of wonder for a moment as his gaze went over to where Zane had pointed, and what did he just so happen to find? Sea gulls... messing with his fishing gear which he left on the docks. His jaw dropped for a moment as aggravation was soon present in his face, minor irritation present in his posture when he started off towards the docks with a low growl at the flying rats that liked to peck around with his stuff. "Stupid petchers! Dat's my stuff!" He hollered with a raised fist as he ran along the docks, he knew some people he darted around watched with amusement for a few ticks as he kept running onward.

Within a chime he was back to where he was fishing, only this time he wasn't going to fish nor dive in after a boy who wanted to drown himself. Instead he chased off the sea gulls as they cawed and flew off the planks in a skittish form, there was a couple of times where he taunted them and called them barnacle bags or something of that nature. He wasn't all too familiar with the sailor talk that Odis tend to display when he was around Ricky, but either way the young fisher had a habit of trying to mimic the behavior of his two role models. After that moment had passed Ricky stood there with huffs and puffs from the quick burst of running he just did, and in turn he found himself looking over his shoulder to see if Zane had decided to randomly follow along. Of course there was a smile on Rick's face, and a kiddish laugh to follow as he bent over to pick up his shoes and the rod along with them.

Laviku forbid he should ever wear dry clothes again for the day, since somebody had a habit of putting him back in the water over and over. Either way it had turned out to be interesting for the boy, enough to where he was in a better mood even without a single catch for the day. "Little rats were after me rod, must've smelt fish on it somewhere o' somet'in." He finally noted as he turned to face Zane completely. "Y'know Oi've not really met anybody who's acted like ya before, den again Oi usually stick away from most kids t' begin wit'." It then struck Ricky that Zane jumped in for a reason, because apparently somebody else had been picking on him or something and the boy didn't have any respect to begin with. "Who's de one makin' yer life so miserable? Ain't some punk whose me size is it? Oi'll knock 'em out fer ya if yew like."

His offer was straightforward and given with a smirk as though he weren't afraid of anybody, and given that Ricky rather enjoyed putting other punks in their place he was definitely up for some tumbling in the dirt with a snot nosed brat or two. Of course he didn't really know who was the bully that led Zane to do what he did, that is unless Zane was likely bound to provide that bit of detail in with the answer. Then again they were still rather caught up in the whole aspect of gaining respect weren't they? So the conversation could've really led to anywhere at this point.

[Zanne]

Zane followed Ricky slowly yet enthusiastically. The fall from earlier still caused him pain, though it was likely to heal quickly after his mother tended to it. Some of Ricky's words were incomprehensible, but Zane didn't seem to pay any attention to it. Ricky was in a hurry to retrieve the objects on the docks. They must be very important to him! thought Zane. When Ricky picked up his rod and mentioned fish, that explained why he was there that day. Zane never would have guessed that he enjoyed to fish just by looking at him. Ricky continuously hinted that he was the type of person that enjoyed action, and fishing seemed like it was anything but.

Zane contemplated answering the boy's question. But in doing so, wouldn't it be counter-productive to earning his respect? Sure, honesty was an important virtue. But how could Zane prove that he is responsible and able to take care of himself if Ricky has to fight his battles for him? It was at this moment where Zane took his first steps to developing self-respect.

"It wasn't another kid. You're the only other boy I've ever seen, I don't leave home often. Though I'm sure that's going to change soon. But don't worry about it! I'll be able to handle it on my own! After all, it's not they can just take respect from me right?!" The power of his words rejuvenated into the boy's soul. And a smile grew across his face because of this revelation.

Zane's arm unconditionally grasped at his leg. He was trying his best to ignore the pain but he was still only a boy and had yet to develop a high level of tolerance. Perhaps it was a sign that he should be heading home soon. It didn't seem that he would be able to earn some respect today, but Ricky never said that it was easy to earn in the first place.

"I think I'll be heading back home now. Thank you for stopping me from...ya know..." Finally. He had brought himself give the young fisherman his well-deserved gratitude. "Maybe we'll see each other again?"

[Ricky Maze]

When Zane happened to mention that it wasn't another boy, or few, that had been giving him trouble, Ricky's expression looked puzzled for a moment immediately afterwards. If he ain't gettin' picked on by ot'er boys, den who's de punks dat be doin' it? Given it was a question he didn't have to ask, seeing as how Zane seemed a bit more reassured with himself. The boy seemed to have a small but definitely freshly built air of confidence about him compared to earlier, something that was a definitive start to helping him build that respect he would need early on. The young fisher gave a smile then, a bit enlightened to see that Zane happened to not only try and toughen up, but in turn take an interest in Ricky enough to think about coming around again later.

"Sure t'ing." Ricky nodded with a grin after he'd been thanked, a chuckle followed when Zane seemed to suggest that they might see one another again sometime soon. "Well Oi'd sure 'ope so, hate t' 'ave t' save yer sorry butt again if dat meant hangin' out together!" The young fisher joked playfully before he moved on to the farewell part between the two of them. "Oi'll see ya roun', Laviku knows Oi only spend time fishin an' swimmin' all de time." He added before he took a seat on a smaller box and slipped his feet into his shoes, once that had been finished he held onto the rod once more and gave Zane a wave before he moved along.

"Later!" The young boy would cheer as he headed onward down the docks to return to his home, as he did so he couldn't help but reflect upon how his day turned out in the end. He'd saved somebody's life and in turn made himself a new friend, probably one of the first few actual people he could call friends. But that was too soon for him to decide, seeing as how they just met. Either way the young fisher wound up having a pretty good day before it was over with, and that led him to return home with a pretty good grin on his face in turn.

[Perplexity]

You have played well, but the game is at an end.

You have been bested. Beaten. Checkmate!

However, here is a consolation prize: a wealth of Experience and Lores! If you have any questions or concerns regarding this grade, please do not hesitate to send me a PM. I'll be more than happy to assist you!

 

Ricky

XP

• Fishing | +1 EXP
  Swimming | +2 EXP
  Intimidation | +1 EXP
  Brawling | +1 EXP

LORES

• Zane: Tried To Commit Suicide
  Zane: Abused
  The Merits of Respect

MISCELLANEOUS

• N/A

 

Zane

You have issues pending on your CS. When they have been resolved contact me via PM for your grade.

I would like to take the time to educate you on something about drowning victims: they are rarely calm once the drowning actually sets in. Instincts begin to kick in and the struggle for air becomes a very desperate one as those with no skill to swim do their best to claw their way to the surface. Sadly, the exertion only proves to exhaust them further until the body forces the individual to try to take a breath whether they’re willing or not and only accelerates the process.

Once water has gotten into the lungs, coughing spasms, and black out occurs shortly after. Upon resurfacing the victim seldom takes in a breath of their own accord. The lungs have water in them. The water needs to come out. It’s why Lifeguards do chest compressions and rescue breaths. To inflate the lungs, get some of that water to regurgitate, get the heart pumping again and induce the coughing reflex.

So, in this scenario there would have been very little conversation taking place between Ricky and Zane. Zane would be too busy reeling from shock, his Fight or Flight instincts would have been on high alert, he would have been coughing, shaking, and sluggish. Especially since he “welcomed the water into his lungs”.
If you have any comments, questions or concerns feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience.


Until Our Next Match,
-Perplexity, DS of Zeltiva
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