Saturday 6 River

"Whoa! That's cold!"

Walt grinned at Yang as she slipped her toes into the river and sat next to him and Sasha. Sasha passed her a fishing pole and Walt reached into the water pulling up the beers he'd tied off. "It sure is but it's good for fish and keeping us and the beer cold on a hot day. Want one?"

Yang grinned and nodded. "Sure! Don't mind if I do!"

Walt nodded and passed her one. He looked at Sasha and she picked up hers and his and swished them. Empty. Walt chuckled and passed her a full one and grabbed another for himself and opened it. "Cheers and stuff."

"Cheers and stuff," they both replied with a laugh as they tapped drinks together.

"Ahh!" Sasha said. "You weren't kidding about the fishing, hunting and drinking stuff together neither. Best assignment I ever had!"

Walt grinned. "Yup. I'm glad you like it, Sasha! And it looks like we got ourselves another fishing and drinking buddy... if you like that sort of thing, that is?"

Yang blinked. "Wait... you mean me? I, uh... kind of do actually but I'm not really experienced in it and I don't want to intrude..."

Walt looked at Sasha and then they both laughed. "He wouldn't have offered if you weren't welcome, Yang! Besides this isn't serious fishing right now, right?"

Walt nodded. "Nope. This is just "hanging out drinking fishing". An "excuse" to relax with friends... though we can try serious fishing if'n y'all want to?"

Sasha shook her head and shrugged. "Another time maybe. Today's all about relaxing! If we catch something great. If we don't that's fine too. Don't worry, Yang. You'll pick it up quick."

Yang grinned and took a drink. "I can do that. So this is just an excuse to hangout and drink?"

Walt shrugged. "Mostly but it's also a good opportunity to just chat about stuff too."

She raised an eyebrow. "What kind of stuff?"

Walt drank and Sasha answered. "Any kind of stuff... the weather. Plans or ideas for the future. Past traumas. Favorite drinking snacks..."

"Nachos," Walt said.

"Hotdogs," said Sasha.

Yang laughed. "Those are both good. I like nuts."

Walt smiled. "Nuts and Hotdogs are good. Jerky."

Sasha drooled. "Oh yeah! I like all of those too... and Pretzels too!"

"Mmmmm," Walt and Yang agreed together then laughed.

"Oh," Walt said. "Thinking of Pretzels got me thinking of mustard and yellow and then that reminded me. Bumblebee." He took a swig of beer.

Yang looked at him curiously. "What? The team attack, my old bike or the insect?"

Walt swallowed. "Your bike. I know you trashed it fighting Adam but... well, I thought you might want it so I bought it. We can fix it up and it can be yours again if you want."

Yang is stunned. She'd assumed that it was lost forever but Walt just casually threw it out there that it wasn't and he'd gotten it for her as a gift on the off chance she'd want it and offered to help her with restoring and fixing it up.

Walt looked at her. "No good?"

Yang shook her head. "No! No, that's better than good. It's awesome! You didn't have to do that. I can't believe you got it."

Walt shrugged. "It was nothing. Pretty cheap actually. Getting it in it's prewreck state would have been expensive but as is turned out to be pretty inexpensive! I been wanting to open up the garage for you ladies now that most can do basic to intermediate driving. Make getting around this place a little easier for you all. Though after today I think I'll have a talk about the vehicles. A lot of the vintage and "sport" models that got pulled out shouldn't be driven on our back roads and trails out here. I been meaning to buy a few more ATVs and bikes for that very purpose. Getting you your motorcycle that you already know and feel comfortable with just made sense to me. Plus I like working on stuff like that or your arm. Building, creating and fixing things makes me happy."

"Hey Walt?" Pyrrha called waving.

Walt waved back then spotted Nora. "Hey, Nora. Do you mind taking my spot and watching the rod? There's beer in it for you if you want."

Nora grinned trotting over and Walt tried not to stare at the lovely young lady in her pink bikini. "You had me at N-*cough* at Beer! Who doesn't like free drinks? Not this gal, let me tell you! Hahaha!"

Nora laughed rubbing the back of her neck while stretching as Walt stood. *Damn she's got a nice figure too,* Walt shook his head but smiled and laughed with her as he handed over the fishing rod. "Thanks, Nora. I'm uhh... not sure I said it yesterday when you picked it out but you look great... in that swimsuit! It looks good! Good eye!" *Smooth as sandpaper, you idiot,* he thought sighing. *Why are so many of the girls still half or less than dressed? Sitting next to Yang and Sasha was bad enough but at least I could just stare at the river. Being in the presence of too much sexiness is overloading my caveman brain.*

Nora blushed but smiled happily. "Thank you, Walt! I'll take care of your rod... for fishing with! You better go see what Pyrrha wants! See you later!"

Walt nods and waves. "You're right. See you later! Thanks again!"

Nora waves too and then sat down.

"Soooo..." Sasha said.

"That was kind of painful to watch," Yang commented.

Nora sighed and fished out a beer. "Yeah, yeah. I know it."

Sasha patted her shoulder. "Not you... him. He was trying and flailing as bad or worse than you were."

Nora blinked. "He was?"

Sasha and Yang both nodded. "Oh, yeah," Sasha said. "He definitely was checking you out too! And then he fumbled his words worse than you did... but I can't blame him. He's been struggling since earlier. Poor guy. He probably was keeping his feet in the cold water to keep his brain from overheating! He's been trying not stare at everyone. He's a gentleman that way, but still a man."

Nora nodded and smiled but Yang asked, "What about Ren?"

Nora frowned. "I don't know... he's like him in someways and that's what I like about him. But he's also different too."

Sasha blinked. "Who's Ren?"

"Her..." Yang looked at Nora.

Nora sighed. "Ren is my closest friend and partner. We've been together for so long. I... I adore him and told him and he finally confessed his feelings for me... but I told him I wasn't ready for a relationship then... now we're apart."

"Sounds complicated," Sasha said.

Yang swallowed. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have brought it up-"

"No," Nora opened up a beer and drank. "I still adore Ren. We've been together, but not "together, together", for so long now... but that's the problem. I realized I need to figure out who "Nora" is when Ren isn't in the picture. I realized that before even getting to this world. I need to figure out who I really am and who I want to become... and as for Walt? He's got some of my favorite of Ren's qualities and then bunches more that Ren doesn't have... but he's also safe and supportive... a-and for an older guy he's super easy on the eyes! But I noticed something even more important than any of that." She turns to look back.

Yang raised an eyebrow surprised. Nora noticed something before she did? "Yeah? What's that?"

Nora gestured. "Look at our friends... and everyone else too but it's easier for us to see it with our friends."

Yang looked. "Ok... I'm looking at... what?"

Nora stared at her and blinked. "You haven't noticed it yet? They're changing. Growing. Not just up but as people. Even with Ruby I think this is the most "human" Penny has ever been. Neo is trying to accept others. Pyrrha is actively trying to get and do what she wants and not what someone else wants for her. Blake is trying not to run or push people away but starting to reach out to pull them a bit closer. They're slowly growing and changing as people. And the only things that are different are living here at "home" together with everyone else and..."

"... and Walt," Yang said softly realizing another startling implication. She looked at Nora. "You're hoping you can discover who you are and grow as a person too?"

Nora shrugged. "I'm sure I'd figure out who I am pretty quickly. I'm kind of simple like that." Nora chuckled and winked. "But... what I was afraid of was finding out just how basic and simple "Nora" is... but I don't think that'll happen here! I think I'll discover all kinds of things about myself here that I might have struggled with back in Remnant." She shrugged. "At least I'm willing to be open to the possibilities, like the others."

Yang blinked. She thought about herself. Her friendship with Walt after her rescue. Their talk last night. Her talk with Blake this morning. Even their conversation earlier on the porch and just now. She had her eyes opened to so many things to think about and all in her first 24 hours of being here! She blinked and then stared out at the river thinking about that. They'd only just scratched the surface! And Nora was right. The common denominators were being here and Walt! Infact most of the things she'd discovered she needed to think about had been in conversations or interactions with Walt or that had him in them! "Wow... I think... I see what you're saying, Nora. You're pretty amazing, you know that?"

Nora blinked and then blushed. "You think so?"

Yang nodded. "I do. Sorry about the heavy subject-"

Sasha laughed. "That's fine. Like we said earlier fishing is good like that! It's actually fun to listen to you kids talk!"

Nora and Yang blink. "But... you're the same age as us!"

Sasha laughed. "Sorry. I guess being a soldier does that to you. Walt and I have talked a bit about that. It was the same for him. You grow up fast on the battlefield when your next might be your last."

Yang and Nora look at her eyes and swallow. "Do you-"

"No," Sasha says quickly and firmly but gently. She turns to them and smiles. "Not today. Not this fishing trip. I want to enjoy happy stuff right now. I'm still getting used to the novelty of that."

Nora and Yang smiled at her and nod. "That sounds good. We are too." "Anytime you want to talk about anything though..."

Sasha smiled. "Thanks, Nora. Yang. I know! We were talking about favorite drinking snacks earlier. What are yours Nora?"

Nora paused thinking. "All of them?"

They laughed.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Raven Manami Aiba also with Tsuyu Asui Haruhime Sanjouno The Baroness Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM and KL-E-O

Will Return In

Saturday

Coming Soon]