Fisherman's Luck

Dragon's Wrath (I)

Luc sat dumbly at the docks, staring out over the water, eyes empty and stomach even emptier. Killer and River pranced around behind him happily, laughing and barking. In the distance, the sun edge of the sun began peaking out over the edge of the horizon.

"Is this animal edible?" River asked, bending over Luc's shoulder, saliva dripping down a corner of her mouth.

"What animal?" Luc asked, whirling around, a bestial desire flooding into his eyes. When he saw that River was pointing at Killer, his eyes glazed over once more and he turned back to stare at the dawn. "No. He's my fishing buddy."

"I'm your fishing partner now!" said River proudly. "My teachers always said that those in a relationship complement each other no matter the task!"

"We aren't in a relationship," Luc mumbled, trying to ignore his poor stomach.

River ignored him and continued bellowing off-tune notes into the distance. Luc thought he heard someone shouting at them to shut up, but he wasn't really sure. His mind had long passed the point where he could distinguish between dream and reality.

"There's someone coming!" River said, bashing Luc in the back of the head repeatedly with an open palm. "Look look look! They might have food."

"Food?" Luc asked, whirling around, a bestial desire flooding into his eyes once more. There was a group of people walking up the docks, fully armed with fishing rods and cages with cormorants. At their head stood none other than Blaze, long red hair tied back in a bandanna and lady on his arm.

"Nothing there for us," Luc said to River. "Nothing but a brainless pervert."

"Pervert?" River asked, mouth twisting into a snarl. "Is that a food?"

"No," said Luc. "Sit down. Don't look at him when he passes."

When Blaze approached, River completely ignored Luc's instructions and ran up to him.

"Hello!" said River. "Do you have any food?"

"Hm?" asked Blaze, voice surprisingly gentle. "Food? Here. I was saving this for lunch but you can have it."

Without any sign of restraint or any desire to share, River snatched the sandwich from Blaze's hand and shoved it into her mouth. Then she realized that she couldn't swallow it whole and spat out half of it into her hands.

"Thanksh," River said, mouth full. "You're a shtrue gentleman."

"Lucrio?" Blaze asked. "Is that you?"

"No, it's not me," said Luc, trying to shield his face from view.

"It is you! How are the waters looking today?"

Luc sneered at Blaze. "The hell should I know? Just take your whore and your posse onto one of your fancy boats. A guy like you doesn't need to ask me anything."

Blaze's face suddenly turned very, very dark and Luc wondered if he had made a dreadful mistake. Blaze drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he stood away and walked to the woman he was with, took her by the arm, and led her away without a word.

"Why did you say that?" River asked, placing her hands on her hips. "Go apologize. Now."

"Why the frick should I?" Luc retorted. "I don't owe him anything!"

"True gentlemen don't insult each other for no reason," said River. "Especially when one of them gives the other's lady some food."