Kickapoo Kicks!

[Mattie Chappel]

“Forward is good but always remember.”

Mattie smiled, nodding, it was good wisdom and she'd try to hold to it. Then he asked about what she'd do with the gold and she shrugged. As a kid, she'd had plenty of ideas, but growing up had changed priorities.

"Well, fix up the house, make sure Mom is taken care of..." Simple basics. "Travel, yeah, and, hey, you get dinner with me tonight, right? Well, provided we catch something. Otherwise, we'll just have to sit and look at each other for dinner!"

Of course, they had other food, but this was more fun. On impulse, she suddenly lunged forward to give him a playful shove, but her foot caught on a rock and she lost her balance, flopping into the water on her butt with Koda barking happily beside her!

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

Kev listened to her speak about what she would do with her gold, starting with the basics which was nice to hear though he noted that she wanted to travel and of course the dinner side to things. He was almost entirely sure that fish wasn’t going to be on the menu at all for that evening or at least fish they had caught this way but he didnt mind one bit.

“Ooh well we can’t just sit and look at each other for dinner, I mean you might go off me if you found out what I looked like.” He joked though he hoped she wouldnt go off him at all as he was sure he could sit and look at her forever. “And if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you want to go?” He asked her, sure he could store the information and maybe one day he could convince her to take a trip with him.

“And you’re house is fantastic, it doesn’t need fixing up at all. It has the perfect character.” He said smiling, sure his place needed a bit more of a lived in touch and less of a catalogue feel to it. He wasnt there too often so it failed in its home comforts quiet a lot.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"'Character' is just another word for 'help'!" She laughed as she sat in the stream of water, happy for the coolness. It wasn't as if she didn't have dry clothes she could change into later, so there was no harm. "Kind of like me!"

She grinned, then stood and shook off a little. "Where would I go..?" Letting out a breath, she thought for a moment. "There are lots of places, but I think top of the list would be Israel, you know, all the Biblical sites, things you learn about as a kid and want to see for yourself. Or Ireland...castles and abbeys, ancient stone circles..."

Shrugging, she explained, "I love old things...places where people have been for hundreds of years, and I like going and seeing...sitting on a beach or play golf don't do anything for me. So, what about you? Where in the world would you go?"

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

Kev laughed and shook his head, “Character is the perfect word because all the creaks and work that might need done which I doubt there is much. It makes it home, trust me from a guy that lives in an apartment that I don’t much see. Your place has a lot of character and amazing things.” He said as he watched her sitting in the stream. “Yeah you’re a character too but no help required, perfect just the way you are.” He stated as he splashed water at her a little.

“Oh wow you really have thought about it. I have to say it would be nice to see those places, the pictures you see and tv documentaries never do it justice I am sure.” He said though he had his list of places it was just a matter of getting around to going there. Food tours, seeing the huge tourist spots and those places a little more remote.

“Old things are great and yeah I’ve never managed to be a sitting on a beach type. Walking on a beach, looking around at a beach sure but sitting... nope not enough time for that.” He said not really understanding why people did that. A holiday wasnt just to sit around in his head. “Me I’d go to Egypt and see the Pyramids, a food tour of Italy, Russia to St Petersburg, South Africa to go on safari.” He said grinning, “You know just the small stuff.” He joked though to see the world would be a gift in itself.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Small?" She glanced at him and laughed. "Well, I do agree on all that. A safari would be amazing, but I don't think there would be room in the luggage for a handicapped hippo or giraffe! And once it hits a hundred and twenty degrees, the charm will be gone! And it would have to be one of those where you sleep in huts out in the tundra...well, there'd have to be an outhouse and a way to take a shower."

'Roughing it' only went so far! She was happy to leave the rest to Bear Grylls!

"Pyramids, yeah...I've thought of that, but I didn't want to tease them when they mistake me for Cleopatra reincarnated." Putting on a serious expression, she did her best impression of 'Walk Like an Egyptian'.

"That makes you Marc Antony, right?"

Kev Allison

[Kev Allison]

“No pretty sure customs might stop you trying to get that through. Not that it wouldnt be a great idea and sure helping them get better would be amazing. Just dont think they like the flight back.” Kev said grinning as he sure she had a good point about the heat there. The cold was alright but the heat, that was something totally different. “Yeah an outhouse and a shower would be great or maybe one of those open air places where it’s just a roof and four sticks holding it up?” He suggested grinning.

The idea was great but finding time though maybe now he could possibly convince Mattie to go with him, he could find the time for a trip like that. See all the animals there was amazing on TV so who knew what they were like in person. Kev laughed when she did her impression of Walk Like an Egyptian. “Oh now I can see the resemblance there, Cleopatra reincarnated alright. I can see you with the palm leaves being fanned while people feed you grapes all day long.” He said chuckling.

“Oh now that would be fun, even down to the leather skirt and sword but if I remember rightly... it ended badly for those two. So I’m all for it if we get a better ending.” Kev said grinning though the whole fleeing to Egypt could be fun if they weren’t being chased by an army.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Well, we just make our own ending, right?" Mattie looked at him with a smile, but she realized the truth in it. To some degree, they had the power to make their own story, to direct an ending. "So...we just need a barge, then I can relax back while you feed me grapes and fan me with palm leaves...of course, after you build me an obelisk with my praise carved into it!"

Laughing, she waded from the water, dripping on the mossy shore. "If you want to go back into camp, I bet we can spear some hot dogs a lot easier than any smelly fish?" The fishing part had just been for fun, she hadn't actually expected to catch any, and she didn't care. They were laughing and joking, and that was the point.

"Of course, maybe a regular pole with a hook would be better?" She glanced at him as she slogged back toward camp. "What sort of bait would you recommend? Maybe pickles? Or relish? Well, that would be a little hard to get on the hook, huh?"

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

“Yes we do indeed.” Kev said grinning at her though there was nothing but truth in what she said. People had the power to shape their own lives and endings the way they wanted it to be, sure it might not always work out but people could try. “Wow you’re not asking a lot for this trip are you?” Kev teased as he chuckled, “You wait until tomorrow, I’ll get to work on that obelisk with your praise carved into it... I can’t promise an exact likeness but will do my best. Then you can have all the grapes you want but you need to get them yourself until I’m done with it.”

Laughing Kev followed Mattie back to the shore. “Now you’re talking, sure we can spear hot dogs a lot easier. Smaller pool to fish in.” Kev said grinning as he thought about them, yeah far easier to spear a hot dog than a fish. It was the fun of thinking that they might even catch a fish, it had been fun and if anything had been worth it just for the laughing and joking.

“Oh yeah, well you see those guys on the river banks trying to catch fish maybe we didnt bring the right stuff for that.” He said chuckling. “Pickles are great and relish too but like you say tough to hook that, maybe ketchup on the line too?” He suggested grinning, “Or onions too?”

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"I think you might be on to something!" Mattie chuckled as she dug in the cooler and fished out the dogs. "Then there's the buns...guess we'd need mayo for those?"

Laughing, she tossed the pack of buns at him. "So, do you want to be in charge of finding roasting sticks or making the fire? It's been a while, but I think I remember how...so maybe you should be in charge of the fire!"

Well, really, once you had learned to build a fire, it wasn't difficult to do, it was just a matter of technique and having the right kindling. Setting aside the package of hot dogs, she started to shuffle around the rocks that made up the old fire-ring for the camp site.

"Safety first, right?" She grinned. "Don't need to make headlines by setting the forest on fire! Koda and I will get a bucket of water, if you want to gather kindling...oh, and there are these until we get that going!"

With that, she threw a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos at him.

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

“Ooh now you mention it, yes we do.” Kev replied when Mattie mentioned the mayo as he caught the buns laughing. “Sure I can find us some sticks and start a fire... just remember if the forest catches fire, it wasn’t me.” Kev added grinning, not that he planned to start anything like that but then again. It had been a while since he had even attempted camping so there was always the small possibility that it could go disastrously wrong.

Kev went to scout around for some sticks for the toasting and the kindling sticks too after Mattie mentioned it. Dry wood, he remembered that much as he came back with a small bundle and some dry moss and leaves. He had brought matches too just because he wasnt all that confident on his cave man skills. Kev chuckled as he saw the rocks that made the fire ring for the camp site. “Safety first, plus now I know where to light it too... can’t go too wrong now.” He added.

Kev managed to catch the Flaming Hot Cheetos that she threw at him. “Now that is what I call a fire, least we won’t get too cold now if it doesn’t work.” He said grinning as he opened the bag and smelled at it. “I can almost taste the chilli heat from here.”

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

Mattie laughed. "So, what, if we get too cold we rub hot Cheetos all over our bodies?" Laughing again, she shook her head as she built the base for the fire. "Then we freeze to death anyway and CSI has to wonder what horrible mold got to us!"

That image made her laugh all the harder, and for a moment she had to sit in the dirt, unable to continue anything constructive. "And can you imagine the headlines...but then, maybe Koda would lick us clean!"

Looking at him, she held her sides since her ribs were starting to hurt from her laughing, not at all a bad thing.

"At this rate we're never going to get anything hot!" Her hands were trembling and she was still giggling as she tried to light the kindling with a silver Zippo. "Cold hotdogs and Flaming Hot Cheetos...they're going to call it double suicide!"

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

Kev couldnt help but laugh at the thought of rubbing hot Cheetos over themselves. “Yeah I’d like to see CSI’s faces when they come across that scene in the forest. Toxic Cheetos mould, frozen in place with our wooden sticks trying to fish...” It might have been worth trying it if it wasnt for the freezing to death phase of the idea.

Watching Mattie laugh Kev couldnt really not laugh as his sides started to hurt. “Oh the headlines sure... Cheetos deaths, how not to stay warm, or what if Koda licked really weird symbols on us, how long until the aliens headlines?” Kev suggested as sure he knew a few places that would lead with aliens anyway but still.

“Speak for yourself.” Kev said as he coughed after eating one of the cheetos. “I think I’m going to be sticking my tongue into the river to cool off soon.” He joked as he placed the bag next to Mattie as he watched her trying to light the kindling.

He could see her hands were trembling as he reached out one of his own to try and steady hers as he used his other hand to move some of the kindling up to light it. “Double suicide, yowch, we need this fire to start but what do they call it if we have hot hotdogs and still covered in flaming hot Cheetos?” Kev asked chuckling still.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

A slight chill coursed through her at his touch, but it wasn't a bad thing. In fact, it was immediately replaced by a warmth that spread and caused a pleasant sensation, one she hadn't felt in a long time, and, in all truth, one she had not thought she'd have again after Daniel had been murdered.

Even so, she wasn't about to read anything more into it than friendship. She was a big girl, jaded and cynical from life's lessons, and knew better than to hope, and really, there wasn't room for 'hope' in her life right now anyway.

"Oh, in that case they call it 'Cheeto-cide'." As the kindling finally caught, she turned her head to look at him, realizing how close he was now, and noting how nice his eyes were. For he at least, there was a brief awkward moment but it quickly passed -- they were friends, and if there was something more, well, all the better, right, and they were still friends.

"Man, I'm just glad I don't have to do that investigation, I mean, a lot of paperwork and who knows if breathing Cheeto dust is toxic, right?"

As the flames flared up, she took a Cheeto and popped it into her mouth, then touched the tip of his nose with her stained finger, leaving behind a powdery red smudge.

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

Touching her hand, he hadn’t thought much about it until he could feel her hand under his and then he thought a lot about it. Kev wasnt sure on a lot of things and dating or camping or what they were doing he knew he enjoyed it and wanted to spend more time with Mattie. Even the electric sensation he felt in helping her light the fire he wanted more of but he knew that holding her hand too long.

Well he wasnt sure how much to read into things after all Mattie had a choice in it all too. He wanted to hope that there was more to it but then maybe she just thought they were friends. Who knew but the minute Mattie spoke Kev couldnt help but laugh. His sides hurt as he realised how close they were. The brief awkward moment that passed quickly, well they were friends as he tried not to over think it all and analyse it .

“Yeah I can imagine how hazardous that stuff could be. Hazmat suits, breathing masks. The whole thing.” He added grinning as he watched the flames catch and flare up watching Mattie with the Cheeto.

Kev chuckled when she touched the tip of his nose with her stained finger leaving the powdery red smudge. “Oh so that was your plan, kill me with toxic cheeto powder on my nose.” He said with a sigh before grinning as he reached into the cheeto bag and pulled two out. Kev reached out and brushed them across her cheeks for a moment seeing the lines he had drawn either side as he grinned and ate one. “Now you can have toxic cheeto dust too.” He said grinning at her for a moment.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

Mattie laughed as he drew on her face, then shrugged. "Call me Tiger Lily! And that makes you Peter Pan!" Looking over at him, her smile faded a little. "Peter Pan was my son's favorite. The original, with Mary Martin, mostly because it was my favorite, too, so I kind of shoved it down his throat."

Her smile softened and became a little distant. "I'd find him after I put him to bed sitting in his little rocker, staring out the window, and he'd tell me he was waiting for Peter to come take him."

Idly, she stirred the fire, getting it to flare a little. "I like to think he's there, in Never-Neverland, playing pirates or Indians or something with his father."

Glancing at Kev, she shrugged. "It's getting easier, anyway...and I think our fire is getting big enough for those hot dogs. And, we have the advantage because I don''t think they have Flaming Hot Cheetos in Never-Neverland anyway."

Her smile widened again as she tired to lick away the powder on her cheeks, but it was out of reach so instead she leaned over and quickly licked his nose. "There! Now one of us will live to tell the tale."

Kev Allison,