[flashback]Risky Buisness(solo)

[Ezriel]

Spring 40, 509AV Ezriel woke with a start, the sun shining bright through the porthole on his eye's. That in and of itself was unusual, for he generally arose long before the sun. But something else was off, the ship was quiet. He didn't hear his little siblings running around, or the men working on the deck above. The odd silence was shocking enough, but also was the feeling that he was forgetting something. He knew he had gone to bed exhausted from having done all his chores, and those of his best friend Zeek. Despite his hard work, the effort hadn't paid off in the way he had hoped. Zeek spent the free time with Amara, getting closer with her instead of Ezriel. Getting up out of his hammock, ezriel moved to the door and opened it, not bothering to pull any clothes on. The day was already promising to be unusually hot, and he saw no need in being uncomfortable during it. As he walked down the corridor on the lowest deck of the ship, he heard his footsteps echo hollowly throughout the ship. The only other sounds he could hear were the waves slapping against the hull, and the gulls in the air. What was going on? This was truely disquieting but with a shrug he continued on, things would explain themselves eventually or not at all. No point in worrying over it now. As he walked onto the deck of the ship Ezriel was taken by suprise. The entire pod stood their on the deck, looking at him. All of them had a smile on their face, but yet Ezriel couldn't think of why. Lia Mora motioned him forward with a small smile and held out a pair of red-silk swim-shorts. The designs on them were intricate, dolphins jumping and dancing with sunsets inked into the silk. Vines climbed the legs of them, intertwining with the dolphins. Thats when Ezriel remembered what day it was. It was his fourteenth day of birth. The day when he had to prove himself a man and swim with the Tavan, or drown trying. If he couldn't manage it, he would be left behind to be given to Laviku. It was the way of the Waveraiders to do this, and it was also their way to gift the young one who was to do the trial. Taking the swim-shorts he quickly pulled them on, marveling over the fabric and the feel of it. However he knew he mustn't dawdle or be thought daft. Grinning he made his way through the crowd and went to the railing of the deck to see his Tavan swimming below, looking up at him. This wouldn't be a challenge at all, he knew, as he had been swimming with Risk since he was six. They had been growing up together, learning to swim in the shallower waters together, and playing. Putting a foot up on the rail Ezriel took a deep breath of air. Despite the fact that he knew he should be able to do this, he still felt a naggling of doubt. What if he was swept away in a current. Or if sharks came and he couldnt get out of the water soon enough. Despite the fact that he reasonably knew theese possibilities were very slim, his heart started beating faster. Soon he felt as if his heart would explode and started to take his foot off the rail. So what, he'd be seen as a coward and a child for another year, what did it matter. He would become a better swimmer before trying the challenge. That's when he remembered his mother and how she had fought for him to get to th is point. To get the chance to prove himself. Taking strength from that thought he imediatly pushed forward and went into a dive down into the sea, not giving himself anymore time for doubt. With his hands put together above his head he angled his dive to be a smooth entrance with as little splash as possible. At the last instant, he heard a boyish voice come from above, "So who hopes the bastard doesn't make it?" And with that, Ezriel went under.

[Ezriel]

The chill of the water was nothing compared to the chill that now permeated him. His own shipmates didn't want him to come back. Perhaps it had been that one boy, one that had always hated him, but then maybe he was simply speaking all their thoughts. He couldn't get that out of his head, he just keep replaying those words over and over. He was so distracted he had even lost track of Risk. He was supposed to be keeping up, but he was barely moving let alone in the right direction. Why should he go? They didn't want him, and so he would leave them. Go his own direction, or drown here. Better that then to torture his pod further with his existance. It was at that moment, when he was about to open his mouth and breath in Laviku's gift that Risk appeared beside him. Risk was always their, always by his side. He was the only one that had stayed behind when he hadn't surfaced. No doubt his pod had already given up on him. But no, not Risk. He stayed their, with Ezriel, constantly prodding him. Finally Ezriel gave in to Risks insistent prodding and surfaced, gasping in air. He had stayed in to long, and his heart wasn't in it. He was going to go back under whether he wanted to or not at this rate. But Risk wouldn't allow it, his insistent prodding drew Ezriel back to himself. Though what was left of his mind was anyones guess. He was no longer Ezriel, or perhaps he was to much Ezriel. Or maybe their weren't enough fragments left to make a whole person, but some hybrid that wore his skin. All he knew was that he didn't want to go on, and didn't have enough energy to reform his shattered Psyche. All he knew was Risks's pulling. That was all. No direction, no family, nothing...Just Laviku and Risk. And currently, Risk was the greater of the two. Wrapping an arm around Risks dorsal fin he laid his down on the dolphins back and allowed himself to be dragged through the water. Holding his breath when they went under and breathing when they came back up in great aerial feats. Slowly he started to truly wish to live. Piece by piece the union he had with Risk grew, and Ezriel healed. He had no concept of this time, only that he wished it to never end. But like all great things, it wasn't meant to last...