"Bro, I've just created the best night of both our liiiiives." Ricky said through a stupid grin as Richard stared at him. He was still confused and wary on why and what Ricky had done when he snapped his photo.
"You sent, some random girl, a picture of me?"
"Not random. She's my friend Kayla's friend. And Kayla, is a hot nerd. So her friend is probably just as hot. And she's all youuuurs." He gave Richard's arm a squeeze then looked him up and down. "You know, I gotta change for this shit. But you gonna be getting all the ladies tonight if you just show up dressed like that." He gestured to Richard's tight leather pants and bare torso.
"Look, Ricky. I appreciate the offer but I really should be-"
"Bro." He grabbed Richard's arm. "You will not regret this." Richard gave him a half smile as he decided it best to get through the night with Ricky. After all, he was his only link in the world at the moment. And he may help him get one step closer to Kahlan and Zedd. "But before we go, I gotta make a quick visit to my Gpa." He flicked his hair from his face. "And lets at least gel your hair or some shit. I gotta get myself ready too, then let's bounce!" Richard didn't bother to ask how they would 'bounce' their way there, and instead silently followed Ricky down the hall.
Zedd dropped his robes. It was in his own words that their clothing would make them walking targets, and since no one here was wearing any, Zedd was happy to partake in their custom. Now where was Richard and Kahlan? They would most likely still be clothed, they weren't as free as he was in that way. But there was no one fully clothed. Some were partially, or scarcely. But the majority wasn't. Zedd smiled, this was a nice world to have ended up in. The sand was warm, the sun was pleasant, the atmosphere friendly. Then he heard a yell that caught his attention. He scanned the crowd till the yell happened again. He locked onto a naked figure, long gray hair flowing behind him, chasing seagulls about the shore.
"Now he's quite the character." Zedd strolled off in his direction, when something vibrated in his robes. He fumbled in them until his brow sank, his stride went still. That device that had sent them here was there in his pocket. "You little devil." He said, eying the thing. Zedd's long finger accidentally brushed the smooth touch sensitive surface and pressed answer.
"This is the Dollar Tree how may I help you?" Zedd eyed the thing intently. Careful not to move. "Hello?" The voice on the other ended sounded familiar. Sounded like someone he was trying to defeat. Someone like Darken Rahl. But no, it couldn't be. But when Zedd refused to speak, the thing went silent as the voice hung up. Zedd carefully slipped the thing back in his robes and returned his attention to the skipping yelling man. Something about this man, though he was still off in the distance, gave Zedd the feeling that he knew him. And that's when it hit him.
"If I was me but wasn't me. What would I do..." He grinned. "Skip naked chasing sea birds? Sounds like just the thing for me." And Zedd was right. As he neared him, an even wider grin grew on Zedd's face. There, skipping and shouting incomprehensible words was another Zedd. "Hello there!" He called. The Zedd paused in mid skip, eying him carefully. Zedd strolled over to him. "Hello, what is your name?" The Zedd stared and blew a wisp of white hair from his face.
"No hablo ingles." The Zedd quickly said before hunkering down, readying to bolt after a flock of relaxed gulls.
"Right..." Zedd said, amused by this version of himself.
"Don't be offended. Even when you do speak his language, you'll be lucky if you get 1 word out of him." Said a blonde, garbed in a skimpy bikini. Zedd looked to her than nearly gasped. A mordsith. And not just any Mordsith.
"My name is Cara. Are you his twin brother that I've never heard of before?"
"Something like that, yes. The name is Zedd?" Cara shook his hand.
"I'm your brothers caretaker. Saturday's are his outing day, and this is his favorite spot to go."
"Just like his brother, he enjoys being bare as a basket." Cara looked Zedd up and down with her usual smirk.
"Clearly."
"I haven't seen him in...years. How is he, doing?"
"He doesn't change much. Just up to his usual trouble."
"Trouble?"
"Yeah, trouble. Like locking himself in a vending machine or stealing all the other seniors' pills and trying to sell them on the streets."
"Is that so..." Zedd smirked, watching himself roll about in the water than get smashed under by an incoming wave.
"Come here now," She shouted in Spanish. The other Zedd glared at her from the water. "If you want to come here, you have to listen to me!" She continued in Spanish. The old man licked the water than sprinted off after a woman carrying a lounge chair. "Hey!" Cara screamed, running after him.
"Excuse me, sir! This is mine!" The woman shouted as the other Zedd tried to tear it from her hands with his teeth.
"Parada! Que piensas estas haciendo? I'm so sorry mam." Cara yanked on Zedd's arm before mumbling in Spanish about the trouble he was causing. She scowled at Zedd as he swatted at a bird that was high in the sky as if it were a fly.
"He is quite the unique fellow he is."
"To say the least." Cara chucked a sand toy at him and the man bolted with it and started digging at the surface of the water as if it were dirt.
"So I assume you were raised separately, or is he just so 'unique' that he only chooses to speak a Spanish tongue?"
"Yes, very separately."
"I see." Zedd eyed her, still adjusting to the fact that she was not in fact a mordsith in this world and was, a caretaker of himself. He couldn't help but smile. Zedd scanned the beach once more, still no sign or Richard or Kahlan. Zedd being Zedd, he figured the two were also with their own parallels.
"His grandson, is supposed to meet us here. But it doesn't look like he's gonna show."
"Grandson?" Zedd's interest had peaked incredibly. Wherever this Zedd's Richard was, was where his Richard was.
"Yeah. Ricky?" Zedd smirked.
"Ah yes, Ricky."
"Its already 5:30. I don't think he's gonna show." Though the sun was setting, it was still hot on the beach.
"Let's pray that he does. I could use a visit with my great nephew." Cara and Zedd chatted for awhile longer till Cara got a call from Ricky.
"He says he's here. He's with a friend, so look out for two guys in clothes. Ricky isn't the naked type."
"Doesn't take after his Grandfather does he?"
"He sure is as stupid." Cara glanced up at Zedd. "Sorry."
"Cara!" Zedd didn't know whether that had come from his Richard or Cara's, but the voice certainly belonged to a Richard. The two turned about, two Richards were heading their way. But Ricky had on a skull beanie, a red t-shirt and plaid shorts, and Richard was in his leather pants and nothing else but gel that created a Mohawk with his hair.
"I didn't think you'd show." Cara said, her lips tight.
"Sorry, I forget it was Saturday."
"Zedd?" Richard said excitedly.
"Richard, and Ricky!" Zedd said through a grin.
"Wow Grandpa, you speak English now!"
"No. That's your grandpa, idiot." She pointed to the frolicking naked Zedd and the pair headed over to him.
"Richard." Zedd said and the two headed for one another. Richard hardly even took notice of Zedd's appearance.
"I can't believe I found you. Have you seen Kahlan?" Zedd's fluffy brow rose as he lowered his voice.
"I was about to ask you the same thing. Well she can't be far off. So, how do you like Ricky?" Richard smirked.
"He sure is, different."
"I wish I could say the same about myself, I'm afraid if there had been a certain turn of events I could end up just like him." He pointed to the other Zedd, who was threatening to pour a bucket of sand on the other Zedd's head. But Cara was restraining him. Cara?
"Zedd, is that..."
"Yes it is. Don't stare she might get the wrong idea, I get the feeling this Cara is very similar to our own."
"This is all so strange. I expected another world, and strange things. But this? I never expected to see us...here...as other people."
"Neither did I. But I'm glad we found them, if we hadn't I would be ignorant of the dangerous type of situation we are in."
"What do you mean?"
"Parallel universes are not to be meddled with. We need to get out as quickly as we can. I get the feeling that someone in our world was trying to harm us and it backfired. And there's a hunch in my spine whispering to me that the parallel of that person is the one who can send us home."
"Adios abuelo." Ricky said with an almost frightened smile as he hurried away from the other Zedd, who looked about ready to chew his hair off. "All right, lets bounce bro." Zedd and Richard exchanged look.
"We're on our way to a party..." Richard said to Zedd.
"Ah..."
"Lets roll Richard."
"One moment." Richard pulled Zedd aside. "We can't get separated again. Why don't you secretly follow us and try to figure out what's going on. I can't leave Ricky now."
"Do what you need to do and I'll figure this thing out. I'll meet you when the sun goes down." Zedd said in a hasty whisper and Richard headed off with Ricky. Zedd turned around and tried not to laugh when he noticed Cara checking both the Richard's out from behind.
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