Bernon looked it over. "Let's see what Snatch thinks," he said. "Hey kid! We're done, do you still wanna see?"
"Huh? Oh yeah!" Snatch dashed over, turning back into a human and peering at their drawings with a critical eye. "Hmm….." She pointed at Bernon's offering. "You're is fine….." She turned to Tanrial's. "You're is fine too. Hey, it looks like mine! All scribbly. You're pretty good, for a beginner!" Back to Bernon. "You need to draw a lot more before you're as good as us."
Bernon snorted. "Well okay then."
Tanrial snickered slightly, nudging Bernon slightly, "Yeah Bernon. Why Can't you be as good as me and Snatch? It's not like yours is amazing or anything like that."
Bernon playfully pretended to sulk, folding his arms and turning away. "How dare anyone say my art isn't the pinnacle of beauty? I don't think I want to be friends with you guys anymore!"
"Well it's not our fault you got your feelings hurt!" Snatch declared. Then she caved and added, "I mean…..I guess your drawing wasn't that bad. Maybe it was even the pineapple of beauty or whatever you said."
Bernon brightened, as if filled with new hope. "Really? Thank-you, Queen Snatch! You are truly a great ruler."
"Hehehe." Snatch looked quite pleased with herself. "Okay, enough drawing! Let's find Mike and all go back to the village for a while, okay?"
"What did that guy go?" Tanrial asked, folding the piece of paper with her drawing and holding it out for Snatch to put in her box, "He wasn't with Rick, maybe he's with Fear or went back to the village already?"
Bernon stood up and looked around. "He was still here when you and Snatch came back and wanted to draw……I lost track of him after that."
Snatch took the drawings and tucked them carefully in her pocket. "Let's go ask Mommy," she said, starting towards the rocks where Fear was still sunbathing. "She's always watching. Hey Mommy!"
Fear glanced over as they approached. "What?"
"Where'd Mike go after we started drawin'?"
"Not far," Fear replied promptly. "He stayed with you for a bit, then went walking by the water, then came back and started talking to my husband about our new house. They're up on the roof right now."
"No wonder we couldn't see him," She rolled her eyes, "Because he's not even on the bloody ground. Thanks for the help, Fear."
(sorry, I'm working this whole weekend so I'm not online much)
"Mommy," Snatch added. "We're gonna go to th' village and say hi to the villagers next, okay?"
Fear looked just slightly anxious about this, but didn't object. "Come back before sunset, then. And don't go anywhere alone."
"I woooooon't," Snatch said, turning way so Fear wouldn't see her roll her eyes extravagantly. "C'mon guys. Hey, Mike!"
Mike appeared over the crest of the unfinished roof. "Yeah?"
(All good)
“We’re gonna year back to the village,” Tanrial called, nodding back in the direction that the trio arrived from, “You coming or are you gonna stay here and help Rick and join us later?”
"He's goin' with y'all," Rick called from another part of the roof. "I appreciate his help, but I know a workaholic when I see one. Go relax with your friends, Mike, I got this."
Mike sighed and climbed down to earth. "If you're sure. It's been good to see you, Rick."
"Okay now let's goooo!" Snatch shouted, dashing off down the beach. "Hurry up guys, I wanna show you to my friends at th' village!"
"Some off us are centuries old Snatch! We can't all keep up with you and your level of energy." She shouted back, sighing softly, "And to think I wanted kids at some point, I think my opinion on that has certainly changed."
"They're not so bad," Bernon said thoughtfully as they walked. "I wouldn't mind having kids someday, if I can find somebody I like who feels the same way. I'd still like to travel and see the world a lot more before then, but Rick sure makes settling down look like it's worth it. What about you, Mike?"
Mike shook his head, watching the treeline. "I don't think I'd make a very good parent. Kids are okay, but I'm with Tanrial when it comes to having some of my own."
Bernon shrugged. "Well, it's totally up to you. For the record, though, I'm going to tell my kids that you're their aunt and uncle from day one, so I hope that's not a problem."
Tanrial grinned, "That's perfectly okay with you. Aunt Tanrial… kinda has a weird ring to it.. maybe Auntie Tanrial? No that doesn't work. But Uncle Mike does work, that's for sure."
Bernon grinned back at her. "You know how kids are, maybe they'll come up with a nickname for you or something. Gosh, I hope we all keep in touch that long. You can never predict the future, especially not these days, but I think it would be great if we always at least visited from time to time."
(I know this will probably never happen in the lifespan of the rp, but I still can't help thinking that Bernon's kids would call Tanrial 'Tanya' or something cute like that if they knew her >w<)
(That would actually be the cutest thing ever omggg awww)
She nodded, humming her agreement as her smile somehow managed to grow, “I’d love that. Like you said it might be hard but anything could happen. You never know how your life is gonna go.”
(hhhh yessss)
"Yep." They reached the path through the trees and Bernon led the way, picking up the pace slightly to keep an eye on Snatch. "Who knows, maybe one of us will even end up coming back to this village someday and staying here. It seems like a pretty nice place, all told—even if there are bandits next door."
“That’s fair,” Tanrial sighed softly, “Depends how long this mission takes. And what we all do after it’s over. I mean hell, we might not even be on his continent when this is over. There could be somewhere nicer out there better for settling down.”
"I hadn't thought of that," Bernon replied. "Huh. I guess you might be right. Traveling overseas would be pretty cool…..but nobody I've talked to seems to know what's waiting out there these days. Have you heard anything, Mike? About what it's like in the wide world?"
"Nothing concrete," Mike replied, pushing aside a tree branch. "Some people say it's as messed up out there as it is here, some people say it's a paradise. Some say one country took over and rules like an evil empire, some say we're the only ones left. Personally, I'm content to never find out. I've got enough things to worry about without adding any international troubles to the list."
"Well I'd like to find out what's out there. I haven't traveled for years and it was so refreshing when I did. It's so freeing, honestly I'd recommend it as a good detox." Tanrial seemed pretty set on her opinion, and it didn't look like anything the others said would change her mind.
Bernon smiled again. "Well I fully agree. Traveling was basically my whole life before I met you guys….and it still is, sorta. There's something really cool about always staying on the move, seeing new places, making friends in every part of the country….." He glanced back at Mike. "…but I also get it if it's not the life for you."
Mike shrugged. "Hey, I'm a Wanderer too, so I can't judge. I just don't wander by choice, like you two. maybe someday I'll find a good place to stay, somewhere safe and centrally located, and you two can drop by once in a while during your grand adventures." They reached the other side of the trees and saw that the village wasn't much farther. "In the meantime, it seems best that we all stick together, don't you agree?"
"I never said we were going on grand adventures," Tanrial pointed out, "Just… adventures, you know, have a little fun," She shrugged, "But yeah, sticking together would be the best choice right now."
"Guyyyyss!" Snatch yelled from up ahead. "Don'tcha know talking makes you go slower? C'monnn, we're almost there!"
"Right behind you," Bernon called back, then continued at normal volume. "Yeah, if 'grand adventures' are the kind where we get attacked by bandits, or almost get killed trying to deliver a piece of obsolete tech, or wage all-out war on a crazy mastermind with sixteen adopted children…..then I think I've had enough grand adventures for a lifetime."
Mike gave him a half-smile. "Don't speak too soon. We still have some business with that obsolete tech, although hopefully we'll have much fewer near-death experiences this time." They reached the tavern and he stepped forward to get the door for them. "Now….where the heck did Snatch get to? I think I saw her come in here…."
"If she's not in here she'll be round here somewhere," Tanrial said, thanking Mike as she walked through the door, "She's probably with Rebka."
"Snatch?" Bernon called, looking around. "Are you in h—oh." He stopped as the bartender appeared from the kitchen, looking annoyed but resigned.
"She took Rebka and a cooked fish and ran out the back," he said, sighing. "I bet they're headed down the dock to find their friends, if you're planning to follow them."
"No it's all good, if Snatch wanted to be around us she wouldn't have run off with Rebka and… did you say a cooked fish? The hell would the two of them want with that?"
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