Completed Plunging Into Immensity

[Ricky Maze]

Plunging Into Immensity
Spring 45th 506 AV, 15th Bell
Location: Outskirts of Zeltiva

It was just another day in the city that Ricky and Odis called their home, Zeltiva was quiet today and the work the fisherman did today was decent enough to consider his earnings earned. So on a fine cool day such as today he and Odis spent time along the shore line once more, the walks spent on the cool moist sand pleasant in cleansing the mind of its daily troubles. Of course Ricky hardly had any troubles since he could afford to live most days, and being able to take care of his dog was another thing to account for as well considering most animals don’t get as decent meals as they should. Today though had been another ordinary day for the pair, considering the other day was a little different after meeting with the strange girl named Natalie. It just seemed that she left quite an impression on him right off, on account with her uncanny sense for talk without thought first hand. Yet given the fact she somehow had a way with not just communicating but acting as though she give much care about those around her, Ricky still found her to be mysterious in her own way since she hardly shared much about her own personal life. That however looked as though that would change today, since he noticed her out on top of some rocks that rested where the waves crashed.

She definitely appeared to enjoy the feel of the water as it rushed over and on the rock, its crash felt with the roar of the tides while her skin soaked in the spray and sun. He couldn’t quite figure out what she was doing exactly other than getting wet and enjoying it, so he took to asking her before anything crazy would happen like the other day. "Oy!" He called out to her with his hands cupped around his mouth, the sound of his voice must’ve carried out well enough to surprise her at least. Natalie almost jumped out of her skin when she heard Ricky and even worse, looked like she would’ve slipped off the rock she was on when she turned to look where he was.

"You scared the living shyke out of me!" She hollered through the crash of the waves with a laugh, after a moment she then made her way over the rocky ridges to the shore where he was. She’d been completely soaked from the spray of the sea but not one part of her seemed to little enjoy it, she was after all the same as he when it came to loving water. An affinity all Zeltivans tended to have it seems.

"What’s all dat?"

"All what?"

"Dat out t’ere on the rocks, ya showerin’ from de sea or somethin’?"

"Maybe, I think you could use one yourself Mr. Fisherman." She laughed after she cracked the joke, although Ricky found amusement only where she thought it was funny. Likely because he smelled much like the trade he worked. Fisherman couldn’t really help that fishy smell that masked them, then again personal hygiene was rather difficult at times when one worked so much to begin with. "So what brought the lonely fisherman out to play today?"

"No, no games t’day lass. T’day I’m just takin’ de day f’r myself."

"That so?" She challenged, "Well why not go for a swim today?"

He chuckled for a moment, as if she weren’t actually serious. Then again the look on her face said that she was in fact serious, and the humor Ricky actually did find in the situation wasn’t humor at all. "Nope, not t’day sorry."

"Oh come on!" She cried out as she stood in front of him, to prevent him from leaving. "When was the last time you ever actually did anything fun?"

He paused and pondered for a moment and considered his answer as well as the options he had before saying anything to her, Odis of course had been running around sniffing at things and playing with crabs. Now of course he watched the two as they interacted with one another, gleeful tail wags erratically swept back and forth across the wet sand.

[Ricky Maze]

There was a deep moment of consideration for what he should do right now, rather than what he preferred to do which was to simply leave. Yet Natalie’s persistence held him in place as he struggled to find the ability to turn her down, the interesting grin she always wore made it all the more difficult in saying no. Finally Ricky found his strength to pull it together and give a straight answer, a turn of his head several times as he said the same as before. "No, Oi can’t go out t’ere." He moved around to pass her and as he did so the smirk Natalie held went away, and then with a change of attitude she snapped at Ricky as he attempted to walk on.

"Oh please! You’re just too full of shyke to grow a pair and get out there on your own." She remarked to him with arms crossed in a slight pout, Ricky stopped for a moment with a troubled look on his face. He avoided looking over his shoulder to her, but he knew good and well she’d already caught his attention. "’Mr. I’m so scared of the big ocean’ has to run away, just like you do with everything else! Why not ever try getting out of that sorry little shell you call happiness, and actually try to enjoy the real fun stuff for once."

"Oi know ‘ow t’ ‘ave fun!" He defended with a flushed face, fists clenched tightly as he choked down anger with each heavy breath.

"That so? Then why so defensive then. Why not try and grow up for once and quit making excuses for yourself!"

"Maybe Oi already ‘ave! Maybe Oi’ve enough experiences in me life to think Oi’m ‘appy, rio where Oi am!"

"Oh please, sure enough you lose your father but why let that stop you Rick?! Do you think he’d want to you sit around and mope all the God damn time?!"

"Don’t yew dare talk about me father! Ye ain’t got no right whatsoever ya hear?! An’ don’t t’ink ya understand ‘ow it feels t’ lose something precious t’ ya. Last Oi recall ya ‘ave both o’ yer parents." It was an argument that unfolded with spite, yet with his previous statement made clear Natalie had taken to fall to her bottom and let the tears she held back flow. Despite what he said being a true fact, clearly Ricky had reacted a bit harshly in regards to her. She wanted to try and get him to do something fun, and yet he just thought to blew her off and high tail it elsewhere while he had a chance. With a glance to Odis, who’d spent his time with crooks in his head as he tried to understand the argument, Ricky could see the dog somehow mentally nagged on for Ricky to apologize… or at least attempt to stop the woman from crying. With a sigh he rubbed the back of his neck regretfully now that he’d time to dwell on it, and then went over to Natalie to try and make things a little better.

"Oy," he said in a much softer tone compared to earlier, "look Oi meant no offense if Oi did offend, but ye just canny expect me t’ go out dere on a whim." He tried to explain as he knelt down in front of her with a hand brought out to comfort her knee, however Natalie still remained bitter towards him even with his attempt to make up.

"Don’t! Don’t you dare touch me." She spat as she kept from allowing any contact, Ricky felt a mixture of regret and frustration in one as he tried to suppress the need to snap at her. "I may not know who you are Ricky Maze, but I know exactly what you are. You’re a selfish crybaby that doesn’t think about anybody other than himself!" She threw a bit of sand at him as she further fussed, yet he only brushed the clumps of sand from his chest and vest as he stood his front. Upon another attempt to throw sand, this time in his face, Ricky caught her wrist firmly before anything could be launched. He made sure to be gentle in grasping it of course, but if he were to get his point across then he’d have to try and calm her down somehow.

"Oi said Oi’m sorry now, an’ I meant it when Oi said it." He assured her as she struggled to break free, of course there wasn’t much struggle considering he said the words he needed to in order to stop her. Still she remained bitter towards him even after his apology, which of course was understandable as Ricky knew her to be a temperamental bitch in his opinion. Yet there was something in her eyes that didn’t resemble rage, more than anything it resembled a hurt that never seem to end. A hurt Ricky would soon learn about as she finally decided to share her secret.

"Bullshyke! You wanna know something I live with everyday? Something that haunts me ever tick of my life, that makes me act the way I do?" She looked to the waves that lapped on the shore as tears still poured from her eyes, legs cradled by her arms as she further indulged Ricky with her story. "I live everyday like it’s my last because for all I know… it could be. Believe me Ricky I know how precious life is, and how someone shouldn’t waste it doing nothing." There was something he was missing here, something he couldn’t quite comprehend as he gave her a puzzled expression. "I’m sick Ricky. I was born with a disease we can’t heal… So I live each and every day… like it’s my last."

If regret ever had a deeper darker twin brother without a name then sure enough, he just paid Ricky a visit here and now. Not only had he been such an ass to her but a royal ass because of how annoying she was to him, yet now he wanted to take all of that back. Take everything back and start over fresh, so that the two wouldn’t have had such a bad start. Hell, that way he could’ve saved her the trouble of never meeting. Sure enough that would’ve made both their lives easier to continue on, yet a life short lived still didn’t seem to be a life at all.

[Ricky Maze]

What do you say to someone who’s lived only half their life? What do you tell them when they share such a secret with you? No mere I’m sorry could cover the amount of pity he felt for the girl yet alone make up for the way he acted to her. However Natalie still sat there after telling Ricky everything about it, quiet as if she’d practically become naked in from of his very eyes. He hesitated for a moment but finally scooted a little closer to Natalie, aware of the sour look in her eyes after he’d did so. He avoided making any physical contact with her as of this moment, only to try and talk with her and see if he could cheer her up. "Look Oi… Oi know what Oi said wasn’t very nice, but Oi want ya t’ know none o’ it really mattered."

"Oh shut up Ricky." She scoffed as she looked to the horizon of the sea. "Deep down you know that’s a big fat lie. We’re all liars because that’s what everybody does, lie all the time instead of speaking their simple little minds?"

"An’ yew believe dat?" Ricky remarked with a bit of a chuckle.

"Yes." She didn’t wait to confirm it when he asked, but the look on her face dissolved into curiosity as she watched Ricky start to laugh. "I’m sorry," she remarked as he could no longer hold it in, "did I miss something funny?" For a moment Ricky couldn’t say anything, just laugh out loud as he refrained from pointing between him and her. He practically lay out on his back with hands clutched to his abdomen as he fought to regain control of the situation, all the while Natalie just sat there lost at how he could randomly laugh when she was being serious. Finally after a few chimes of breath regaining rituals Ricky found his self under control once more, but still laid down on the soft sand as he started to speak once again.

"Sorry." He chuckled as he still somehow felt giggly inside, he could imagine that Natalie had to at least be smiling by now. "Oi just don’t see ‘ow one ‘so serious’ can live like it’s ‘er last day every day."

"Oh that’s the funny part then." She retorted with an eye roll as she looked back over to the sea.

"Nooo," He mused as he leaned back up to face her once more, "What’s funny is ‘ow we can nag each ot’er t’ death ‘bout one t’ing, yet in the same sense is de same exact t’ing we’re afraid o’." She looked confused at him once more, so he took the liberty to explain. "Death scares yew, just like the vastness o’ the ocean scares me. Everybody’s scared o’ death at some point o’ course, but in de end our fears are de same by one single fact. Death an’ de ocean are both huge t’ings we deal wit’ everyday, so we both ‘re practically scared o’ the same t’ing."

There was a moment of clarity as the words took a chime to settle in, but once the light switch flicked over Natalie’s head she let out a smile and short comical laugh of her own. "Since when did you get so smart about such things?" She mused with a grin, Ricky of course shrugged his shoulders with a modest smile. "Still doesn’t change the fact that you’re just an ass."

He still felt iffy and unsure about doing it but all the same he owed her an apology with expressing, in terms of going the extra mile this was the best idea that he had. "Yea but Oi t’ink Oi know how t’ make up f’r it." He pointed out with a hand held out to her, she stared for a moment as though she wasn’t sure whether to take it or slap it away. After a moment of consideration though she gave in to whatever big plan he had in mind, and finally grasped at his hand as he helped pull her to her feet.

[Ricky Maze]

They both held a smile to one another as Ricky forced his weighted steps to take him forward to the water’s edge, the both of them together side by side as they exchanged glances a few times while Ricky soaked in the immense size of the sea before him. "Scared?" She pointed out as he let out a few deep breaths to keep himself under control, he didn’t have to hesitate when he nodded a few times as his response.

"Are yew?" He asked with a sincere look to Natalie, a small amount of fear aroused in his eyes. Her smile rather small and fragile she knew well what his question referred to, but soon she found strength and comfort in knowing she wasn’t alone.

"Every tick of every day." She entwined her fingers into his as both her and his hand clasped each other firmly, big heavy heartbeats pounded within Ricky’s chest as he gave a bit of a wider smile. He knew he wasn’t alone in doing this, yet the idea of doing it still scared him. Yet he felt ready. Ready to jump into the wide open space that he feared would engulf him, swallow him whole just like it probably did to his father. Yet he couldn’t walk away from this now, he had to remain brave and best his fear. If Natalie could live everyday knowing she might die, and still conquer such a day as her own; then sure enough Ricky could learn to conquer this.

"On t’ree den. One." He glanced down to her once more as he started counting, and mentally braced himself to take the plunge with her in the process. "Two." The waves lapped onto the shore and washed over their feet, the cool water a sweet calling to be where he truly belonged. "T’ree." Natalie counted with him and when they both reached three they took the plunge, first in a quick dash into the waves as they washed over the shore once more and lazily retreated back to the main body. Both then made a jump into the water once they were about knee deep, which was between the knee and ankles for Ricky, and felt the rush of the crisp salt water all around them.

Ricky felt a cold rush not only envelope him but literally traveled throughout his body and core, as if he were merging with the sea once again to be part of its beautiful depths. His eyes were closed when he’d taken the plunge into the water, but he could feel the tide pull him inward as he held on tight to Natalie. His felt as though his fear was about to happen when at last the pull seem to lessen, and the shift in the tide seem to push him back a little bit as he floated in place next to her. Upon opening his eyes he felt the salty sting for a moment or two, until that wore off and his eyes adjusted to the underwater world around him. Natalie’s grip lessened some as she’d tried to swim further out into the water, a quick look back to Ricky as she smiled and released air bubbles through her nose. He felt the air in his lungs in need to be released too, so of course Ricky followed her lead as their hands were no longer conjoined like they were. The fisherman stroked his way through the water and rose up to the surface next to her, a gasp for air when his head bobbed out of the water.

Natalie let out a laugh as Ricky sort flailed his arms out a little, unused to swimming after the amount of time he’d spent out of water. Yet the ability to swim wasn’t all gone and thankfully seemed to pick back up where it left off, thanks to the time spent before when he would swim about for fun. Sort of like now, only he did it when he was more so a kid. The first time he’d learned was still fresh on his mind, when Nira’lia pushed him into the water off the docks. It was a memory he favored well since they knew one another, yet to feel the same thing as when he first felt it that day was something Ricky always searched for when inside the ocean. Whether he had found it again remained to be seen though, since that particular moment in time was with someone he felt special about. Yet as both he and Natalie took a deep breath and dove under, Ricky felt something develop inside of him as they both went under the tide and swam against the current to reach a slightly deeper area of the ocean.

Now they could see sea weed and all sorts of wonders that resided in the bottom of the ocean, and sure enough the feeling Ricky developed was that same one he sought to have once again. Not as strong of course but it was certainly the same, as he could only describe it as a personal sense of belonging somewhere. Even though he was human he always held such an affinity, such fascination, for the ocean and its depths, and when he would swim within it he somehow always would build this sort of connection that bound him to it. Because when he was in the ocean, even in the vast immensity it held, he somehow felt peace. Peace in a world below his own that he could only dream to belong to, and could only hope to always find it still there upon any return. Upon reaching the bottom he felt that he was running short of air capacity, as Natalie rose up some odd ticks before him, and so he too surfaced once more to resupply his lungs for a chime or two before diving again.

They’d gone underwater to dive for sea shells apparently, as Natalie was the first to reach bottom and find a few shells with an iridescent hue to them. After Ricky propelled himself deeper to the bottom he felt the ocean’s floor with his hands, the grains of sand soft were under his rough hands as he soaked in the feeling deeply. When he watched Natalie swim about collecting a few shells, he smiled and scoured the surface to find one of his own before they would resurface. He’d found a red twisted conch buried under the sand shortly after he searched, thoughtful about presenting it to Natalie as a gift of some sort if she would take it. Upon resurfacing they remained afloat for a while and spoke some more, this time with mutual happiness now that they both had their share of fun. Although he felt somewhat tired out from the swimming he couldn’t really call it a day and go home on her just yet, so after about a quarter of a bell they finally returned to shore and soaked in the sun rays to dry off.

[Stefan]

XP Award!

Name: Ricky Maze

XP Award:

• +1 Swimming

Lore:

• Zeltivans: They have an affinity for water
• Fisherman's hygiene
• Facing your fears
• Collecting sea shells underwater

Notes: If you have any concern, don't hestiate and send me a PM.