Sea Foam [Finished]

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

Alistair stood at the edge of a cliff overlying the ocean. He stared outwards into the vast blue emptiness for a moment as he felt the breeze. He had left his cloak at his room at the inn-the weather was much too nice today for him to want extra clothing. Sitting down, his legs hovering over the edge, he almost wished that time would stop. It was so peaceful here; no conflict, no turmoil, no violence. It was... perfect.

[nestor]

Thoven needed desperately to get away. All of his screw-ups and the mockery he received for them was just getting to be too much. Luckily he was also able to make enough money peddling milk to get himself out to oceania.

He made his way out to the edge, hoping he would be alone. Instead he found one other person sitting there, staring out into the ocean. Well, he didn't want to just leave because of one person. Maybe if it was someone he knew he'd leave, but instead he sat there, a few feet from the other human. He sighed, also looking out to the ocean. His things rattled a bit, but Thoven didn't let it bother him. He took his yellow wizard hat off before it got blown away, silent.

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

Alistair casually looked over when he heard some noise. Looking Thoven over, he didn't appear hostile in the slightest, which was good. Just another person coming here to get away from it all, he assumed. He took a moment to look out at the ocean once again before finally speaking up. "One of those days, huh?" He asked. The question itself sounded funny to him, and he honestly never thought he would actually get to ask it.

[nestor]

Thoven sighed and looked over to the blonde beside him. His eyes told a story both of sadness and frustration.

"One of those lives I think." Everywhere he went, ridicule. It didn't even seem fair. he was still a wizard, just because he couldn't cast a simple heal spell, or a fireball, didn't make him any less magical. That was how he saw it, but apparently few others did. Even his companion through Faron thought he was fairly useless, although he made fast friends. Thoven couldn't help but wonder if that was just because he had food though.

No matter, after this conversation Thoven could go back to the inn and drink himself ragged, then mend it all in the morning.

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

Alistair couldn't help but laugh a little. He wasn't laughing at the other human, just his reply. "Hey, it could be worse." Of course, he knew nothing of this man's problems, but it could always be worse, right? "All we can really do is go from day to day, trying to make each morning better than the last." He kicked his feet back and forth over the edge of the cliff. A light breeze blew by and cooled Alistair. It was a good day so far, and he was determined to keep it that way. Perhaps this little chat would make it even better.

[nestor]

Thoven sat cross-legged as he listened to Alistair's response.

"I don't know, maybe I need a new line of work. Ditch the robes and become a cartographer or a cleric, or maybe a slave. At least those positions won't be ridiculed as much." His voice was clearly showing his depression. The breeze blew by, nothing Thoven wasn't used to. When you were sad, nothing really cheered you up. Thoven was just tired of all the people putting him down. He thought for a moment about jumping, but dismissed the thought. Maybe the kid was right, maybe it could be worse. But what if it did get worse? He shook his head in thought, not wanting to think about that possibility.

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

Alistair sighed. Not a depressed sigh or a bored sigh, more of a content sigh. "Ridicule shouldn't define your line of work; your job should be something you enjoy doing." Whenever someone made fun of him, Alistair would always play it off as them being jealous. Because, you know, Alistair is awesome and everybody wants to be like him, duh. "Then again, being a cartographer wouldn't be all that bad."

[nestor]

Thoven looked at him. He was just a kid he would never understand why he did what he did. He looked over the edge again, shaking his head slowly.

"It's not that simple. What I do is not what pays the bills. Sure I already have a map of Hyrule and I can sell good copies for decent money. But...I'm a wizard by trade. It's what I do. But...I'm bad at it." He looked back over the edge, then back to Alistair.

"Maybe by the end of tonight I can forget about all of this."

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

"Well, the way I see it, you can either sell maps or pick up a sword and go questing. Anything to pass the time and make a few rupees until you can improve your wizardry." Alistair didn't really give the best advice, but at least he tried. Anything to cheer this guy up and keep the day happy as he planned. Thoven didn't seem like a bad person, either. Just... melancholy.

[nestor]

Thoven shrugged. He sold his maps. Money wasn't the issue. His wizardry was the issue.

"Thing is, I can cast spells. It's just the spells I can cast are pitiful." He extended his arm out toward the ocean. He then threw milk out to the ocean, conjuring it only to see it fall.

"That's the best I can do. I can't exactly quest without spells any more useful than that. That's why I'm at a crossroads. If I can't cast any good spells, why should I even call myself a wizard?" He sighed again, bringing his arm back and just sitting there, a blank look out on the ocean.

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

"You should call yourself a wizard because you can do what most cannot. I can honestly say that I've never seen a person conjure milk before." Alistair gently scratched the back of his head before continuing. "Besides, that can't be completely useless. I'm sure you could use it to blind an enemy or something." He quietly laughed at the thought of someone actually blinding an enemy with milk. It would be useful to an extent, but the idea is just silly, at least, it was to him.

[nestor]

Thoven gave one of those fake laughs you give when something is funny but you're in no mood to laugh. "I've done it before. Gotten me out of a couple of sticky situations before. Plus, it's potable milk, so I don't have to carry around water or anything. It's useful, but not nearly as useful as a fireball."

He straightened himself out before slumping back down in his cross-legged position. "But even with that, I'm not a very good wizard. Can't heal, can't inflict damage. I earned my title, and bear it with all the shame it comes with." He sighed. Lactomancer. That's what they called him. He hated the name. He could mend too.

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

Alistair looked out into the ocean and took a deep breath. He exhaled slowly, taking in the moment. "Perhaps you just need to expand on your profession. Maybe the milk will be able to heal wounds or spontaneously catch fire. You might just need to get more experience with it." He laughed again at the thought of combustive milk. Before I learned how to control it, my Trance sent me into a state where I attacked teammates more than I did enemies. He cringed at the thought of not being able to control himself again.

[nestor]

Thoven shook his head, grimacing on the inside. "It's not that simple. I can't just upgrade magic like you can a weapon. Trust me, if I could I would make my spells have multiple beneficial side effects." He stood up, obviously frustrated and cracked his neck.

"This isn't helping. I'm going back to the inn. Maybe a few drinks will help me forget this is all happening." He walked away, away from the edge and back towards the local settlement. It didn't matter now, now he could just get wasted and maybe after that something good will happen for once.

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

Alistair wondered if he was like this when he was depressed about something. He decided it was trivial to wonder about such things, so he merely rolled over and crawled a few paces before standing up. He jogged slightly to catch up with Thoven, slowing down as he got beside him.

"You let the ridicule get to you, that's all. If you just put up a proud front, you can anger the ones that mock you. After that, maybe you can get some peace and quiet to do some practicing. And besides, you might not be able to upgrade a spell like you could a weapon, but you can upgrade magic use like you can swordsmanship."

[nestor]

Thoven didn't really want to be consoled right now. He just wanted to get away from it all. But the kid was determined to help. He put his wizard hat back on and messed with Alistair's hair a little in appreciation, a weak, forced smile on his face.

"Don't try and make me feel better kid. It won't work. You'll learn that people get inconsolable when they get like this. Just let it go and let me drown my sorrows in peace." He continued to walk away, not looking back or at the kid. His only focus was getting plastered and then waking up the next morning with no desire to do anything.

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

Alistair sighed and caught up with Thoven again, walking behind him. He didn't know why he kept trying to help, perhaps it was just his stubbornness kicking in, but it mattered not; he was determined to do... well... something. "Listen, man; in the end, it doesn't really matter to me if you feel better about yourself or not. I just want you to know that drowning your 'sorrows' because all you can do is conjure milk is a little sad. In light of recent events, there are people way worse off. I heard a piece of the City in the Sky broke off. Now that's bad." He took a breath before he continued.

"If people mock you, to hell with them. Take your talent elsewhere- they're obviously not worth your time. Go sell some maps, buy a few empty bottles, and bottle that strange conjured milk. Give it to the poor, and see if they laugh at you for being generous and keeping them alive. The thing is, everyone's talents are appreciated somewhere-you just need to find out where that place is."

[nestor]

Thoven listened as Alistair was trying his best to give him an inspirational speech. His spirits started to lift slightly. Maybe he was talking to all the wrong people and should instead shift his focus. For a kid, he sure was insightful.

"Haha. Thanks kid. Sometimes I need that kind of perspective in life." He messed with Alistair's hair again, smiling for real this time. He pulled two bottles out of his robes and filled them both up with milk. Handing one to Alistair, he held his to the sky.

"A toast. To a change in perspective and a new start to life."

[ALISTAIR LUOR]

Alistair was truthfully a little skeptical when he was handed the bottle, but if he didn't drink it, all of his hard work would instantly be for nothing. Besides, the milk looked alright, so everything should be okay. "Now you're talkin'." He gently knocked his bottle against Thoven's before taking a swig of the milk. He stared at the now half empty bottle in his hand. "Hey, this is pretty good~" He said happily.

[nestor]

Thoven drank alongside Alistair, the cool liquid causing him to belch after it was ingested. "Whoop, excuse me." He patted his chest, getting out any potential excess gas.

He laughed at the boy's comment. "It better be good, or else you little inspirational speech would be for nothing. Can't donate milk to the poor if it tastes awful."

"Never expected a kid to bring me out of my little depressed funk. Anyway, I guess I have to go help some people out. Back to Hyrule Castle with me then." He started to walk back to the inn, just to gather a couple of things.