|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:33 pm
It was afternoon, close to the end of a truely exciting day for Oasea. She'd been searched by a dragon rider! The shock of going between was still sharp in her memory. Her parents had ridden to the weyr on their strongest runners with some of her belongings, it was proof of how much they loved their daughter. She'd been busy with chores at the time of their arrival though so the stuff had been left in the storage cavern with a note to the girl.
She had found her new home was crowded but that didn't bother her. More possible popularity! She shared her room with several other candidates, she had chosen a bottom bunk bed. She was just glad to have a bed.
Currently she was hauling her things up from the storage caverns and trying to bring them to her room. She didn't have many things but a few that she did were kind of heavy for her. The progress was going slowly. Currently she was half carrying, half dragging a legless wooden trunk full of clothes. She thought it would fewer trips if she didn't take the clothes out.
The other items she had been hauling up were bedsheets, a pillow, a small rug to go under her bed bunk, curtains she could hang above her bed to give just a little privacy, a glow basket for light, a few heavy wooden boards that hung on the wall for shelf storage and a wall hanging fabric art.
She panted as she dragged her heavy trunk along, ocassionally taking breaks. "Almost there." She encouraged herself, but a strairs made her realize she needed a little help. She groaned in frustration and looked around.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:53 pm
"Squeep!"
C'mor blinked as Gilden transmitted an image into his mind's eye; a girl and... was that some kind of trunk? Looked like it. Whatever it was she was having trouble. Gilden, bright sweet thing that she was, had quickly picked up on his 'let's help people out' ethos and now let him know whenever she saw someone having a hard time. Her sharp eyes and ability to move around the Weyr swiftly certainly made a lot of work for him... but then there was a lot of work to be done. Letting the flitt know he was coming, C'mor set off; his turns of carrying heavy things to and from the storage caverns had given him a lovely mental map of the less trodden areas of the Weyr, and he recognized the view through his pet's eyes.
For her part, Gilden alighted on the trunk as it was set down before the stairs and chirped again as she regarded the girl. She knew that her human was not far off, he would arrive soon! She cheeped again in an encouraging manner and hopped across the trunk so as to be closer to the young female; she did like to meet new people.
C'mor moved swiftly down the stairs, running one hand along the familiar wall for balance. How long since he'd last been down here?... actually he hadn't come down this specific way since his days as a candidate. Two turn was that now? Hard to believe it had been so long! As he reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw the girl for himself and offered her a smile.
"Hello there, my name’s C’mor. Gilden seemed to think you might need some help there?" A new candidate? he certainly didn’t recognise her, and she was too young to be a new journeywoman. Candidate made the most sense out of all the possible options, but she’d probably tell him herself, no need to go making assumptions aloud.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:33 pm
"Squeep!" Oasea gasped and just managed to gently set down the trunk when the fire lizard came out of nowhere and landed on it. Her eyes widened and she backed up fearfully as it came closer to her. She was terrified! Her phobias of most creatures included flitts.
Thankfully a man came to her rescue! Only it seemed the fire lizard was his, as he called it by name. Giving him her most winning smile she nodded her head yes eagerly. "My name's Oasea, happy to meet you! I need help getting this trunk up to my room. It's heavy, your a real gentlemen for offering to help me out." Number one person she met here, maybe a future ally? Looked promising!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:45 pm
Oh! It seemed the girl didn't like her? Gilden wasn't sure what to do about that, it didn't happen often. Giving and uncertain creel, she retreated to C'mor's shoulder and communicated her uncertainty to him. What should she do?
Go. Go and be with Naedreth.
Yes! The gold gave a last trill and nudged her human's face before hopping off his shoulder and vanishing.
"Oasea," C'mor said with a smile once Gilden had vanished, "glad to meet you, and glad to help... I think I can manage that trunk, it looks awkward to lift but if I can do that the weight won't be an issue." Yes, being built like a watchwher was definitely a good thing even if it did tend to make people believe you thought like one too.
"Built like a bronze!" Naedreth put in with a chortling rumble. "You're built like a bronze, like me!"
Well, fair enough he supposed, but it seemed far too pretentious to compare himself to a bronze even in body shape. he had never been one for false modesty, but he had never been one for unnecessereily flowery similies either. Watchwher was something people didn't mind you comparing yourself to, and it was as accurate as bronze dragon so he saw no need to fuss. Anyone who was worthwhile would take the time to judge his mind on its own value rather than on his appearance in any case.
"So, Oasea," C'mor stooped to get a good grip on the trunk, "just arrived? Where do you come from?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:19 pm
She gave a huge sigh of relief. Now hopefully it wouldn't reappear near her face like the last one did. She had almost lost her voice from the screaming during that incident...
"I'll help you lift it as much as I can." She promised, relaxing now that the flitt was gone. He wanted to get to know her, that was a good sign. "Just got here today." She confirmed. "I grew up on a farm near Ista Hold." She admitted. "How about you?" She asked, eyes bright.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:49 pm
C'mor made a small rather inarticulate noise as he lifted the chest off the ground and hefted it into a position he could hold it in... Now he couldn't see. Oh well, he knew how many stairs there were, and where they were. When they got to more crowded parts of the Weyr, Oasea could go first to prevent collisions.
"My parents are both riders," he began as he set off up the stairs. "My mother has a blue, my father a green. I was quite lucky really, my mother fell out of bed after the mating flight that resulted in me and broke her arm so she couldn't between for some sevendays. If she'd been fine, I'd never have existed... Anyway," he shifted his grip on the trunk slightly, "now I'm a full rider, only just graduated weyrling training. Naedreth and I have a weyr now, but not a wing as yet. That's given me quite a bit of spare time that I'm using to do... well, things like this. Life has been pretty tough around here lately with the crowding and everything so I'm doing what I can to improve life for the people around me. I can't claim to be making a huge difference, but I do what I an, as do the people who've decided that this is a good idea."
He needed more supporters. He couldn't keeping going like this. When was the last time he'd has a break? When was the last time he'd gone to bed on time and then not got up early? It was too much. Not for now, for now he was alright, but he couldn't keep the pace up for long no matter how much he wanted to. His body and mind wouldn't take it, and that was that... Maybe Oasea would like the idea of helping other people out. It was worth asking her, but not just now; just now he wanted to get to the top of the stairs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:11 pm
Oasea blushed, glad he couldn't see it. Mating flights...she'd heard of the effects of those. Didn't know betweening affected pregnancies though. A rider eh? That was cool! She got in front of him and started up the stairs making sure people stayed out of their way. Glowbaskets lit their way. It was hard to navigate when she had just gotten here. She had memorized the way to her room, at least. The dark was just a little confusing.
"My daddy tried to become a dragonrider but never made it. Now I'm going to try and make him proud. I love helping people too. Congrats on graduating! May I meet your dragon someday?" She asked politely as they walked. Ocassionally she gently steered people off to the side with a polite 'excuse me' and a sweet smile. They were almost there. The girls corridor was just this way...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:54 am
"Mmh," C'mor smiled even though he knew his face was obscured by the trunk. "Sure, Naedreth's a people person, he'd love to meet you I'm sure." That was one of his lifemate's best qualities; despite his enormous ego, he still managed to be a friendly sort, to get on with folk. "I hope you find your lifemate quickly," he went on as he rounded a corner, "there's nothing like it in the world... but I expect everbody's already told you that." Everyone always did, but it didn't prepare you. Nothing could prepare you for that first moment of connection, of completion.
"It's pretty crowded here as I'm sure you noticed," C'mor added after a moment, "but not quite as bad as it was a short while ago; we had a few candidates leave along with goldrider Favan when she left to become senior weyrwoman of Igen. I think you should at least have a bed to yourself in the dorms even if you still have to share alcoves." He certainly didn't miss that experience. He liked his space, his privacy. Dorms at all were bad enough, but having to share a space meant to be just sufficient for one with two others? Not good, not good at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:59 am
"Thanks, I'm really hoping." Becoming a dragonrider was important to her and her family. If she failed it would be like proving father right and letting him down. She wanted to make him proud. She wanted to become a dragonrider. She'd be one of the most hard working ones in all of Pern. She wouldn't claim to be the best, but she'd fight thread with all her might. Pern needed the protection, weather it believed the thread would return or not. She was sure it would. No reason why it wouldn't.
"I don't mind the crowding too much." She was used to the big open spaces of a farm, not these cramped living conditions but she still liked the crowding. More people to meet, more possible friends, easier to get up the popularity ladder! "I suppose it isn't easy to get around, I don't know where everything is though so I haven't explored anywhere yet. Here we are!" She entered her room and stood beside her bed. "Just put it down there, at the foot of the bed." She instructed, hoping he didn't accidently squish his toes while putting it down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:49 am
"Right," C'mor said in an only slightly strained voice as he crouched to set the trunk down; the thing was a lot heavier when you weren't properly on balance. He managed to get it on the ground and to set it the right way up without incident however, and straightened back up dusting off his hands. "There we are," he said with a satisfied nod, "looks more homey already. I had rugs and things from the quarters I used to share with my mother in my alcove, couldn't understand the people who just left their space bare." There was no need to be over the top, to pile possessions in wherever they'd fit, but equally there was no reason to live without any comforts at all.
"I don't have to be anywhere else for a while," C'mor went on, "I could give you a bit of a tour if you'd like..." Hu. He'd just realized that he was in the girls' dorm. If Z'nal caught him here he'd be... Ha, well not in as much trouble as if he were still a candidate. Besides, Z'nal was teaching at the minute if he remembered the schedule right. "The other candidates won't be free until dinner time," he added, "they're all in lessons at the minute I think, though they might be doing chores or something."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:31 am
"Hopefully my roommates won't mind my finishing touches..." Oasea grabbed her other belongings she had carried into the room earlier. A curtain was put up, a rug put down. It really seemed to make the room nice and cozy! She decided to set up the shelf and wall hanging later. She just knew she was going to adapt well to her new surroundings. She liked this weyr, even with the crowdedness. She couldn't wait to meet her roommates.
C'mor was looking a little uncomfortable in the girls dorm. The girl nodded her head yes to the suggestion. "A tour would be helpful, so I don't get hopelessly lost next time I wander." Allies provide so many benefits. Her curiousity peaked. "I'll probably be assigned my lessons and chores sometime tommorow." She thought out loud to herself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:06 pm
"I'm sure they won't," C'mor said with a smile as Oasea set out the comfortable furnishings. "As for a tour... We'll start with the dining hall because that's important," the rider grinned, "and move on from there through other basic stuff like the female candidate's bathing room - I'll show you where it is but I'm not coming in - latrines, where some of the classes are held, the lake... We could meet Naedreth down by the lake actually, he seldom passes up a chance for a swim." The bronze still liked to mock fly fully submerged; the resistance of the water forced his muscles to work hard, built ever greater strength in them.
"Chance are you'll be told your schedule tomorrow morning. It's often different from day to day, and you'll often be working on chores with other candidates. Unless something odd is going on, chores and so on are usually announced at breakfast. Always have to be on time," he said with a chuckle and a shake of his head as he recalled leaping out of bed at the last moment some days, "otherwise you might not know where you're meant to be and then you're in for a talking to. Z'nal, our candidate master is... he's quite hard, but it toughens everyone up at least." he would never really approve of how the man did things, but his opinion didn't count and Z'nal's way of management worked in any case. a bit of a rough ride might be unpleasant at the time, but it never hurt anyone... Well not often anyway, he considered as he recalled the incident with the lake, the stolen wine, and the mass punishment that had ensued. He hadn't done anything wrong save choose the wrong friend, he hadn't deserved the hatred of the other candidates... but that was all long past now; nobody seemed to recall it at all since his Impression of Naedreth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 4:59 pm
Oasea was dumbfounded. "Classes are held in the latrines?" She would meet her first dragon. Naedreth..."What color is he?" She asked politely, didn't matter, she just wanted to keep conversation going. She followed alongside him. She thought about swimming, but she wanted to get through the tour first. Maybe C'mor would let her help wash his dragon, it was good fun and practice!
She thought about her parents back on the farm. "Don't worry, I'm used to work. As long as it's indoors. I have a phobia of most creatures, even flitts. Dragons never harm you and can't sneak up on you. That's why I'm not afraid of them." Outdoor chores always had to do with animals. She desperately hoped Z'nal would understand her fears and realize she just couldn't work with animals. She felt apologetic toward C'mor for being afraid of his fire lizard, she offered the explanation as a peacemaker.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:55 am
"Oh! No!" C'mor laughed at himself and shook his head. "Two separate things, but both important parts of the tour. Not very glamorous, but I know I wouldn't like to find myself not knowing where the latrines were." Lessons in the latrines. Now that would be... special. He wouldn't put it past Z'nal though, ordering them all down there and instructing them on proper scrubbing methods when work didn't come up to scratch.
"Naedreth's a bronze," C'mor informed her with a slight smile, making it a matter of fact rather than a brag. It didn't matter, he would have loved the dragon no less if he were brown or blue... or indeed if he were a she, and green. Still though... well yes, a large part of him was glad Naedreth was bronze. He wanted the chance to make a difference, and it was hard to do that without a position of authority, and it was hard to achieve authority with the smaller dragons.
"If Z'nal isn't sympathetic you'll probably be able to swap with somebody else," he went on, "you're not really supposed to but it does happen. If Z'nal finds out and gets angry... well he can be reasoned with. Badly done chores are the last thing anyone here needs right now. It would make sense for him to keep you on kitchen duty, laundry duty... latrine duty." Shells but he did not miss that particular task. Any chore would get tiresome if you had to do it all day every day for months on end, but latrine duty? Egh. Sometimes he swore he could still smell it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:46 am
"Oh! Oops." She giggled. "My bad. I just got confused so..." Thank Faranth! She had imagined a horror scenario of being packed into a crowded smelly latrine and trying to learn. Okay, so Z'nal wasn't that bad. Latrine duty was going to be so gross. She was relieved at the thought of trading chores with someone. No one would take latrine duty but maybe an outdoor chore that she was too scared to do...
"Don't worry, I won't ask you to go into the bathing room." She grinned.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
