Fishing For Trouble

A beach trip gone wrong. That’s what this was. Maybe Xenia should stop going on vacation, then people would stop bugging her. Or maybe she should be bringing Thorn or Felix along to act as a scary blockade or a distraction respectively. At least this arborling was interesting and not a toned down Texas sweetheart. Interesting in the sense that he was describing the most fantastical story she had ever heard in her life.

“A.. Cryptid hunt. You want me to search for cryptids in the sea for you.” She was rightfully skeptical, especially after hearing him ramble for the better part of fifteen minutes about this and that. Whoever heard of a random arborling approaching you to ask you to find some mythical creatures in the ocean. It was creepy, it was weird.

It was fun.

“I’ll help, sure. You gotta supply me the supplies though. I’m not going to be able to catch the lochness monster with my bare hands!” Xenia stood a bit more proud now. She had someone believing she could find this strong beast in the waters. Maybe she was a bit of an egotist.

“Of course. Wouldn’t want you to end up talkin’ tales without proof!” Bobber hollered and tossed over a fishing rod and net. At least this looked like it would be relaxing and not involve walking halfway across the world to achieve it.

“I’ll get on it, man. Keep you posted.” And with that she was off. Well, not really “off” as she didn’t go far. The water was already right there waiting to be fished in for local cryptids of the sea.

Xenia had no idea how to use the nest, assumed it was for if she actually found something and needed to contain it somehow so she put it beside her when she sat at the water's edge. The waves lapped at her toes but it was a good feeling, a relaxing day to wash off all the hardships of the world around her as he tried to find the god of the sea or whatever she was hunting for.

First, she scanned the area since you tend to miss things in plain site. Didn’t hurt to check and make sure there was no tentacles or long necks sticking out of the sea. Nothing was spotted blatantly out of place so the next step was figuring out how to use the fishing rod.

She had never fished before, so all this was new. No bait was included so she assumed she just had to cast the rod out and hope for the best, including not getting a sunburn. Hopefully Bobber would forget and she could just do this until she got bored.

The loch ness monster was probably her best bet. Maybe that legend of a giant eel in the sea, she’d forgotten it’s name.

She whipped the rod back and cast it forward to the best of her ability. It was a bit messy but it still worked and cast far enough that she was satisfied. It was great for a first try at fishing.

Hopefully whatever cryptid she fished up wasn’t the one who took Bobbers missing parts, she needed those limbs. Couldn’t go climbing the rocks, mountains, and trees if some big jawed fish took her arms.

Two hours later, so far no cryptids. Just a couple fish that took a bite despite the lack of bait. She didn’t have any sort of bucket for them and it felt too cruel to just let them suffocate on land so Xenia just released them back into the ocean. Maybe they would tell the tale to their friends and nessy would come to see what was up and make this a little bit more worth it.

Another hour and Bobber returned to see what was going on. A little disjointed chit chat happened before she decides to ask for advice.

“Well, if I knew how t’ catch a cryptid like that one in the ocean I wouldn’t be askin’ you now would I?” Was the only response he gave before walking back off again. Probably to find another victim.

With a sigh, Xenia got back to fishing. She kept looking at the ocean, imagining all the fame she would get by catching a cryptid but all she was able to catch so far had been a bunch of fish she released shortly after reeling them to shore.

It was a great place to watch the sun set though, the sky turning a beautiful yellow-pink at the edge of the deep navy ocean. Was definitely a place she would be returning to, even with the nutty vagabond wandering the beach.

Then, over the peak where sky meets water, Xenia saw what looked like a longer neck pop out. It was barely visible, most likely just a log that temporarily floated above the top of the sea but to the tired and determined arborling, it looked exactly like the creature she was looking for.

She called and shouted for Bobber to come see, but he wasn’t anywhere around. Within seconds the sighting was gone, no photos or anything that Xenia could use to prove to anyone that she saw the loch ness monster let alone a cryptid in general. It would just have to be a personal secret she’d take and share on her travels if anyone so much as asked.

After another thirty minutes of Xenia trying desperately to find what she has spotted earlier, Bobber came by to relieve her of her duties for the day. With his appearance Xenia went wild trying to explain what she saw to the other. He would be the only one to believe her after all.

“You gotta tell me if you ever see it again. I want to get a picture next time, y’know?!” Xenia bounced up and down in front of Bobber who seemed excited just because Xenia was.

“Of course. Maybe you should keep that rod there in case you can catch any other cryptids. We’s a team now!”