Chapter 2 - 'Colby Jack'
He was never much into the fishing like his father and fore father, and forefathers before that. Jack was a simple man living the much-hated life of a fisherman. His cousin, Havar, had decided to take a swing by his crab-shack and pay him a visit. Though much to Jacks disliking, his cousin was a slippery criminal by accident and his deals were always with consequence.
"Got any fresh Crab in this shack, Jack?" Havar planted an elbow on the wooden counter, slick smile filled his face.
"Yes, there's fresh crab every day, every week, every month, every year," Jack rolled his eyes, "What do you really want, Havar?"
"Alright, I got this crazy plan that's gonna work this time. It'll be so good, it'll impress the boss."
"Oh don't go dragging me into this mess. Last time you pulled me through, those samurai came by looking for you. Damn lucky I'm a good talker." Jack messed with some netting, trying to seem busy in hopes he would leave.
"Well it's too late now! Boss already knows that if I don't come up with money soon, he's gonna raid this place and everyone in it." Jack slowly turned around, his face contorting into anger.
"You WHAT?!" He slammed his hands on the counter, "HAVAR! Why?! Do you have any idea- They're going to take everything from me!" Jack roared, to which his cousin smiled.
"Well hey, at least you'll finally escape the family fishing streak-" he shrugged, smile wavering.
"Oh, and what!?" Jack grabbed Havar by the collar, yanking him close, "Become a family of thugs-?!" The two rammed heads. A bright flash and a pop that followed, the nets fell off the hooks as a few poles toppled over in a loud clatter.
'Great, now look what you made me do.' Jack's voice echoed in the fuzzy void. He slowly stood up, rubbing his head.
'Well it's not my fault, you're the one who jumped over the table.' Havard's voice echoed back. The man stretched his back, picking up the nets and poles and arranging them how they once were. Someone dressed in dark clothing slammed their foot onto the entrance floorboards, causing him to jump.
"Where is he?" the person growled, as two other similarly dressed people poked their head in.
"Uh," The man shrugged, "I was just uh, going to purchase some crab, n' when I walked in no one was here…"
'Did.. did you just say that, Havar..?' Jack asked
'N-no Jack, I was just thinkin' it and he said it-'
'Who?' the three people stepped in and began rummaging through everything, tearing up the shop. He managed to slip away without any of them noticing, taking off up the dock and down the shoreline. "Sorry I didn't get to introduce myself yet boys, I don't exactly have a name that I can remember." He panted, slowing his jog down to a walk, "I heard 'Jack' and 'Havard', is that right?"
'Yeah, I'm Jack, the other guy is my cousin,' Jack answered, questions racing through his head, 'who or.. What are you..?' The man smiled and laughed, clearing his throat.
"Well, I'm you, technically, you and your cousin both smashed together. Got a name for me yet, Jack?" There was a moment of internal silence, which can be assumed that there was an exchange of glances between the two cousins. "No? Nothin'? Colby it is."
It wasn't much longer until he managed to find his way into the settlement that was up the shore. It was a new place with simple beginnings, a place said to have been the splitting point of the two islands. "It seems that every day that hunk of land drifts away some.." Colby shielded his eyes, squinting at the landmass across the sea. The residents and workers there called it home, but it was more widely known to the outside world as 'Ninjago City'.
Colby thought it was funny that they would name the town after the land it was placed upon, but then again, he thought many things were funny. Strange coincidences and 'just so happens' always made him chuckle or laugh. Where many people would be sad at loss or destruction, he found it as a means of rebuilding and regrowing, sort of like a fresh start. With that in mind, the two hosts of him agreed, being Colby was a fresh start free of any chains or strings- or in this case, fishing net.
"Colby?"
"Yes Angela?" Colby leaned in on his wife who gently lew a hand on her midsection.
"What do you think it's going to be?" She whispered, staring into his eyes. "I hope it's a boy, so he has the beautiful eyes of his father." Colby chuckled bashfully.
"I hope its a girl, so she can have the lovely locks her mother has." He ran a hand through her curls. She lightly shoved him.
"Oh stop it you.~" The two shared a brief kiss and an 'I love you' exchange before Colby got up to get his work boots on. "Try not to work too hard Colby, you don't need grey hairs already."
"I won't!" He called back, closing the door and heading down the steps to work. Through the years, he has become acquainted with many different jobs and people. When people needed help, he was always willing to pitch in his fair share. Sometimes he would get carried away, which would worry Angela to no end. The jobs were never easy, all of which included physical labor of some sort, whether it be logging, hunting, fishing, or even dealing with livestock(though, after being thrown off a horse and nearly trampled, he tries not to handle them as much). Today's job was located by the docks, which wasn't too far from where he lived.
Colby casted the rod out into the calm waters, wooden bobber gently floating adrift. "I can't believe it," he whispered to himself, smiling, "I'm gonna be a father.. That's so life changing, you know?"
'Yeah… no more horsing around with the other boys.' Havard stated somewhat dreadfully.
'Just think of all the new possibilities, you get to watch them grow up any way you want them to.' Jack sighed thoughtfully.
"Do you think I'll be a good parent?" Colby stared outwardly at the water. There was a pause between the two internal voices.
'Of course, you're a good husband, why wouldn't you be a good father?'
'You have nothing to worry about,' Jack smiled, "You have us, there's no way that you'd be able to mess this up."
"Unless if he wasn't here…" Havard stared at the water, looking down at his legs. "Huh, when did we get a change of clothes, Jack?" He swiveled his head to face his cousin, jumping in surprise. Jack mirrored him, as the two scrambled to their feet. "Wh- What happened?!"
"I-I don't know I think we fell apart- uhh- uhh- Just- hold on I can fix this-" Jack grabbed Havards hand and rammed into him- knocking him into the water. "Why- Hold on let me try again-" Jack jumped into the water after, the two holding each other as they resurfaced. Getting to the shore, the two wrung as much water as they could out of their clothes in silence.
"Now what..?" Havard whispered, voice shaking,
"We can't just abandon Angela… We have to tell her." Jack emptied his boot of water.
"What if she- what if she's mad..?" He grabbed ahold of his cousin.
"Then we deal with it." Jack hesitated, shaking him off. "Come on.."
Infant wails filled their ears as one pushed the door open. "Colby? Oh thank goodness you are here.." Angela sounded exhausted. The town doctor and spectators stepped aside to let the two men into the room. Angela looked down at the infant tenderly, before looking up at the men and having it melt away. "Where's Colby..?" The two cousins exchanged glances before looking upon her again.
"Angela," Jack started, "We are…."