So I've been spelling Ratchet wrong as Rachet this whole time. Yeesh!
It had been a very long time since Zami had set foot in Ratchet, probably years. But after two hours in the air, he could've kissed the ground in that very first moment he stumbled down from the back of the hippogryph.
Zalu, on the other hand, looked downright miserable to climb down from the wind rider. He grumpily leaned on his staff, glancing aside towards the ocean bitterly.
"Looks like da docks be dis way," He said, pointing with his free hand towards the ocean.
Sure enough, the planked wooden docks weren't far off. A group of people, mostly goblins, were waiting towards the end of the dock, presumed to be on their way to Booty Bay as well. The three of them made their way towards the docks, getting in line at the end of the group.
"Hey," Zalu leaned over near a female blood elf waiting in line, flashing her his signature smile, "How ya doin' there, beautiful?"
Zami rolled his eye, looking out towards the ocean. It had been quite a while since he'd seen the sea, and he was always surprised how nostalgic it made him. For years, he woke up everyday to the sound of the surf. Both in Stranglethorn and back in Sen'jin Village. But Moonglade was pretty isolated, high up in the mountains. It was all so different from anything he knew. It felt nice to be going back somewhere familiar.
Zeni suddenly stuck its flowerhead out of Mythene's vest pocket, the little button popping off and releasing it. It made a happy hiss and looked around curiously. Mythene looked down with a frown, seeing her detached button, and stooped to pick it up.
"I can fix dat," Zami said, gesturing towards the missing button.
His offer earned him a curious look.
"What? You're a tailor?" She rose a long white eyebrow.
"Leatherworker," He said with an uncomfortable shrug.
Mythene looked almost surprised for a moment, then rather pleased.
"Perhaps later. Let's focus on catching the boat first," She said as she put the button into the pocket with Zeni, who immediately picked it up and began to play with it.
Mythene then looked to the crowd ahead of them while Zami looked back to the ocean. After a moment, Mythene suddenly nudged Zami's arm. He looked over at her curiously.
"Do you know that troll?" She asked, nodding towards a pink-haired troll ahead of them in line.
The older troll had various piercings on his ears and was holding a ratty bloodstained sack.
"No?" Zami furrowed his brow, "Why would I?"
"I don't know," Mythene shrugged, "I just thought you might, since he's…"
"A troll?" Zami cocked his head to the side, "What? I s'posta know every troll in da world?"
"Well, no, of course not," Mythene frowned, looking forward again.
A beat passed. Then she nudged Zami again.
"How about that one?" She gestured towards a green-haired female with a bone in her hair.
"No," Zami shook his head, "Dunno her neither."
Mythene nodded and looked away again. Zami glanced at her for a moment before looking back to the ocean. No sooner had he done so than she was tapping his arm again.
"What about that-"
"By da Loa, no," Zami said as he whipped his head over to her, "I don't know dem, okay?"
"But this one looks a lot like you," She mumbled, gesturing ahead to the troll in question.
"Mi'ten, dey all look like me. We be tro-" Zami turned his head towards the troll as he spoke and froze mid-sentence.
Fiery red hair, just like his, but receding and streaked with grey. Teal skin just like his, but mottled and sagging off the bones. Tusks pointed upwards just like his, but chipped and adorned with scuffed bronze bands. Auburn eyes just like his, but twice as tired and milky from cataracts. Yet beyond all the similarities, Zami could only stare at one significant difference; a faded old scar spreading down from the troll's left ear to his chin.
A scar Zami had given him.
"Thero'shan?"
Though he could not look away from the troll ahead of him, he could feel Mythene's eyes watch as his hand gripped tightly to the hilt of his dagger. As he began to lift the dagger from its hilt, Mythene set her hand overtop of his and pushed it back down. In response, he angrily broke his gaze from the troll for a moment to glare at her.
"Zami?" Mythene looked back at him, furrowing her brow.
Zami parted his lips to speak, but no words came. A dense fog clouded his mind. Only one word came through the fog, and it repeated over and over in his thoughts: kill.
The sound of a ship's bell broke through the mental fog, causing him to jump with a start. He quickly turned his head back to where the troll had been, but he was gone, disappeared into the mass of people boarding the ship.
"Zami, what is it?" Mythene pulled his chin so that he would face her, "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Zami swallowed hard, trying to force a damper onto his growing rage, which was rapidly growing to the point of overwhelming.
"No," He managed to choke out, "Not a ghost yet."
"Huh?" Mythene tilted her head to the side, "What are you talking abou-"
"Zami," Zalu rapped his hand against Zami's shoulder, interrupting Mythene, "C'mon, we gonna miss da boat."
Zalu began to hobble down the rest of the docks. Zami furrowed his brow, rubbing his head. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe it was a coincidence. It had to be. That was what he tried to convince himself as he let Mythene lead him aboard the ship. When they boarded, he looked around quickly, hoping he might catch a second glance. It wasn't him. It couldn't be him. That was why he had to check. He had to be sure, so he wouldn't have to worry.
It was rather unsurprising that he couldn't see much of anything through the dense crowd. Even so, he gave an annoyed snort, earning another concerned glance from Mythene.
"Dere be too many people here," Zalu complained, leaning squished against the railing, "Maybe we should wait for da next boat."
"No," Zami responded quickly and firmly, with way more force than was necessary.
Now both Zalu and Mythene were looking at him strangely.
"Okay, okay, fine," Zalu raised a hand defensively, "No need to bite my head off, mon."
Zami huffed and leaned against the railing as the ship began to move.
"Sorry," He sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly, "I just thought I saw…"
"Saw?" Mythene perked up, "The Dream...?"
She gestured towards his eyepatch.
"Huh? Oh, no no..." Zami shook his head.
Zalu looked over and gave a shrug.
"Maybe he be gettin' seasick?" He suggested.
"Already?" Mythene furrowed her brow, "But we've barely cast off, and back when we were on the docks-"
"Don't worry bout it," Zami cut her off, intentionally speaking over her, "I ain't sick."
Mythene pursed her lips, forming a tight frown, but said nothing. Not with her words, at least. Her gaze said enough. Zami glanced away from her, pushing himself away from the railing of the ship.
"Uh, I'm gonna head inside da cabin," He mumbled, weaving himself into the crowd before Mythene could ask any questions.
He was sure she had some, but he didn't feel like answering any right now. He had too many thoughts racing through his head at once. It couldn't have been him, he told himself over and over again. Just a coincidence.
Inside of the cabin, it was calm and quiet. The crowds hadn't dispersed inward yet, still lingering on the main deck. That was fortunate. Zami wanted a moment to himself, to get his thoughts together. He leaned against the wall, rubbing his face. Then he took a deep breath, gradually calming himself, before releasing his worries with a long and drawn out sigh.
In response, there was a gravelly chuckle. He flinched at the vaguely familiar sound, feeling his stomach drop and his pulse quicken. Glancing up, he saw the person he now wanted to see least of all sitting at one of the tables at the back end of the cabin.
"First time on da sea?" Jumi asked as he looked at Zami from the table, a smirk on his lips.