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Astrisabe was having none of it. Summer meant it would get frightfully hot, and that the cooler ocean water would always be glimmering beyond her grasp. Chores were what her world consisted of now- chores and an ambition that seemed futile in the long run. While Astri loved the Weyr and was happy to call it her permanent home, she could not help but think that it would be even better with a dragon by her side. There was nothing she could do about it but be positive, and remind herself that the dragons had clearly seen /something/ worthwhile in her.

Today Astri had a brief respite between lessons and chores to relax. She wanted nothing more than to find some shade and bask in it, avoiding the bright rays of the sun. She was already red enough- she didn't need to be peeling and looking generally a mess on top of it. Appearances weren't everything, and she didn't want to bed any of the riders or other Candidates, but she did like to look presentable enough.

Sighing, Astri laid her head back to day dream. Her back was propped up against the cool rocks near one of the entrances to the Lower Caverns, and her half lidded eyes regarded the lagoon. There were riders washing their dragons, taking advantage of the nice weather. She envied them with an ache that was almost a physical pain at this point, but aching and wanting would do nothing to change the situation. Perhaps in the future she might try for a fire lizard to remedy the situation, but for now Astri had to be content with what she had made of her life thus far. She didn't believe much in fate- humans caused their own destinies. And apparently she hadn't been trying enough.

In her daydreams, Astri was on the back of a dragon. Color did not matter much to her- perhaps it had in the past, but now her ambitions lead them to blend together, as an amalgamation of all colors- none stood out in particular. It was just the feeling of flight that mattered, and pretending that her mind was bonded with another. What was it like? You were never alone, your moods were never private... It was both a blessing and a curse, she supposed, though riders seemed to be happy enough with it. And why shouldn't they? They may be hated by some parts of Pern, but Astri had always stood in respect and a slight awe of them. When she had been Searched, she had thought it was a dream. She was a confident girl, but this... This had been unexpected.

Running a hand through her short hair, Astri turned her mind to lighter matters. Girly things. Boys- other male Candidates she thought were attractive, and Weyrlings she had grown up to. She almost blushed as she thought of how their dragons were so swiftly growing. They would probably be involved in mating Flights soon enough and... ah! That was slightly frightening to think about. Not so much the actual process itself (Astri knew enough about that as a Beastcrafter), but the fact that time was slipping so swiftly away. What she wouldn't give to have some light hearted companionship now- or something deeper. Someone she could confide in. She needed to make more of an effort to make friends. Starting now.

Walking around a rocky corner, Weiwin almost collided with a leg but managed to stop a few steps short. Not one to make a scene, but curious at this girl’s choice of seating she decided to see what this girl was about. She didn’t recall seeing her before, not that unfamiliar faces bothered Weiwin, shards this Weyr was chalk full of them for her… She heard a voice pipe up with a name, Astrisabe. She cleared her throat, continued to walk ‘til she was within Astri’s sight, her eyebrow perked as looked around the corner to the owner of the voice – another unfamiliar face. She felt awkward. “Are you actually comfortable down there?” She directed toward the seated girl. Weiwin shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

Astri jolted forward, her half asleep mind responding to her name before her legs could untangle. As a result, she fell onto her hands, before managing to stand up sheepishly, dusting herself off as she did so. Another girl had said her name, and the Candidate was familiar. Ha... Haya? Hanya? That last one felt more correct, so Astri would chance it. Hanya had to have been around for as long as she had- or had come close enough that Astri could not remember her NOT being there.

"Yes, that's correct." Astri offered a small smile, though she crinkled her nose slightly at Hanya's scent. Mm, herdbeast. It was familiar to Astri, and while it stank to high heavens, it stank to high heavens of home. But herdbeasts did tend to smell a tad worse than runners (at least in Astri's opinion).

"You're Hanya, right? Nice to... remeet you, I guess. I don't remember who've I've met and who I haven't from the first days." Hanya evidently wasn't a Weyrling, judging from her knots. It was nice to know that she wasn't alone now, though logically Astri had known that she wasn't. Many, many other Candidates were in her position.

"I would offer to shake your hand but... I'll say it bluntly. You smell. But you look like you took care of some if it." Laughing, Astri rolled her shoulders. "I just had to do laundry today. Smells like you got the rougher end of duty."

Astri's conversation with Hanya was punctuated with the arrival of another- a Candidate Astri definitely had NOT seen before. But there were so many coming in and out now- who could keep track? She tried her best, mind making up ordered lists of what she knew about each, but this girl was entirely new to her.

"It wasn't a bad spot. My legs cramped up a little, and your back gets sore after a while, but the rock is cool. I'm Astri." This time the young woman did offer her hand, extending it to the Candidate she hadn't met yet.

"My leg feels better resting. I think it can tell the weather. It twinges when it gets too hot." In all likelihood, Weiwin hadn't heard of the circumstances that lead to the pink scar that decorated Astri's leg, but there were few enough things in the Weyr that could cause it. Besides, it was healed up now, and with the exception of apparently predicting the weather, had no residual effects besides the ugliness of the scar.

Then there was another to the party. A young man this time, staying a tactful difference away. It made Astri smile, though she tried to hide it behind a hand. Young men could be so funny about how they acted around girls. "Oy, you in the water! Come join us." He was familiar as well- his name began with a J, didn't it? He had come after Astri, but not too far. She was less familiar with the men, not living with them. Oh well. He looked as though he would at least provide entertainment to beat the heat. Besides, he and Hanya could smell like herdbeasts (butchered and live) together.

Weiwin shook Astri’s hand with both of hers, eyes attending to the pink scar on the girl’s leg for a spell before moving back to Astri’s face. Indeed, it did take a few moments for Weiwin to make the connection between the scar and a Hatching mauling at which point she suppressed a shudder. There had been casualties at the latest Hatching and Weiwin counted herself lucky not to be one of them. If she had known either of the girls, though, she’d have made sure to visit them in the infirmary.

She sighed inwardly. The heat. It didn’t take a genius to understand that it made people uncomfortable, and that joint damage – like any proper scar to the dermis – was with a person for the rest of their life. She empathized with Astri. Aging coupled with injuries over the turns was what made the Old Aunties and Uncles the characters that they were, so, at the very least, Astri could chalk up her bad luck to a character forming experience. If Weiwin had known Astri better, she would have teased her about this, but, instead she just gave a nod to her weather related commentary and left it at that.

“And my name is Weiwin.” She got that phrase in and let all assumptions about her role in the Weyr lie: if anyone present could not see that her fair hide and tortured mane were out of place here, then they should apply for Old Auntieship and/or Uncleship. She just offered a crooked smile when she was given the once-over by Hanya, all the while battling the temptation to ask her if she liked what she saw.

The boy they were ushering over, now that was a different story. Weiwin didn’t have much patience for boys, which stemmed from being jaded by the many itchy-britches that fiddled around at the Harper Hall. This was her cue to exit; the Record room really was calling to her, though she did regret cutting her visit with the girls short she cleared her throat anyways. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you both but I must be on my way.” She sounded like such a wet blanket, she admitted to herself, but she knew that this was not going to be the last time she’d see Hanya or Astri around. With that, Weiwin continued around the bend toward the Lower Caverns.

((mhm... lol))

Hanya seemed friendly enough, and took Astri's jibes relatively well, which pleased Astri. They were all competition in this, but there was no reason that competition could not be friendly. And there was no reason they could not be united. Oh Astri, stop being such an idealist!

Weiwen must have been one of the newer Candidates. She seemed friendly enough, even if being a female meant that she stood in the way of Astri's ultimate goal of Impression. Technically, males did as well, but Astri had ever been the more competitive with her own gender. Weiwen seemed a bit serious about Astri's comment about her leg, as had Hanya. It had been sort of a joke (well, it did twinge a bit now and then), but apparently it was too hot of a day, and everyone was too stressed. Astri sympathized immensely with that.

And then, just as quickly as the girl had joined their group, she left. That was odd. Astri blinked once or twice, trying to make sense of her abrupt departure. It made absolutely none, no matter how she put it. Weiwen must have had some problem with Jessan, or with men in general. That would never assist her in Weyr life. You had to learn with the opposite gender, and the same. You would be living and working intimately with them. Besides, you would probably end up sleeping with one of them at some point, and if you had some sort of issues... They had to be worked out before Flight happened. Oh well. It wasn't her problem. Astri simply shrugged, turning her attention back to the two that had stayed.

"I'm Astri!" She obligingly waved, wandering down closer to the water before sticking a foot in. "Oh, you and Hanya can match for scent!" Laughing, her expression suddenly turned mock grave. "For all the funning I'm doing, I'll end up having to clean the latrines tomorrow. And the day after. Just watch. Woe my luck."

Slapping the water with the flat of her hand, Atri finally rolled her own joints once or time, slipping up to her ankles in the cool liquid. It just felt so amazing. "When do you guys reckon another clutch will be laid? I feel like I"ve been here for a fair few of them, and it gets old, I must admit. It's a hard blow to bounce back from."

Jessan grinned back at Astri and Hanya. Neither girl was a stunner but both of them did merit a second look. It was a shame that the other girl left; however, that did not not stop the conversation. His blue eyes danced merrily.

"I would rather deal with herd beasts that human beasts any day. You would be surprised how many people chose NOT to clean up after themselves because they assume someone else will do it." Jessan remarked, wrinkling his nose at the thought. "As for clutches, I think one of the golds just recently was flown and laid. Cheoth, I believe. How many golds does this weyr have? I don't think Yansanth is old enough yet."

He waded around obviously enjoying what view Hanya and Astri gave him. No one ever called him subtle either.

Astrisabe was removed enough to be amused at the flirtation going on between her fellow Candidates. They probably knew better than to form actual attachments, but for the most part, flirting was a harmless activity that many found enjoyable. Certainly Astri would have, if she hadn't kept her standards at a ridiculous level. It was fine to be picky, but Astri had elevated it to a new art form.

"At least when we were all on latrine duty, we could all complain and have someone to talk to. With my luck... I don't know, but something awful will happen. I'll be stuck with two Candidates who will decide engaging in a muck slinging fight is a good idea." Wrinkling her nose in distaste at the idea, Astri sighed. There was just no helping some people, and there were Candidates young enough (and immature enough) to make her nightmares a reality. Positive thinking and all that.

"The adrenaline rush and the people are great. The chores here seem a bit more varied and slightly easier than the ones I did at home, but don't you feel the disappointment?" Astri got more sleep at the Weyr, and had to do less work involving sheer, brute force. She suffered pruned fingers more from washing, but on the whole, she could make no complaints about the work they had Candidates do. Except for the ones involving human waste. Astri hadn't had to do that at home, and she didn't particularly enjoy doing it here. On the whole though, the life involved far more relaxing than the young woman had ever done before. It seemed almost decadent in comparison.

Hanya obviously had other things on her mind- other things being young men. Shrugging, Astri waded in up to her waist. She too stripped off her over clothes. It felt wonderful to be free, and she didn't have any shame of her body. Over the past Turn, Astri had gotten used to the sudden curves she had sprouted, and had grown to appreciate the response they seemed to elicit in men. She didn't act on those responses, but it was amusing and gratifying to even get them in the first place. Jessan seemed to enjoy both of them well enough, which made Astri's grin flash crooked, a touch of mischief in her eyes.

"Well, I know the Weyr has the senior and junior Queens, and another junior above Yansanth, I believe. Then there's the newest one, who won't clutch for some time. I can't believe I've been here so long- I was there when Yansanth hatched, and now she's almost an adult. It seems unbelievable." Slightly disappointing as well. The Turns would have been better spent with a dragon by her side. Not that the human company was lacking. Astri was enjoying the undercurrents (both literal and figurative) that were happening in the lake today, and she was enjoying being able to talk freely and open with Candidates who had shared similar experiences.

Just then, another joined their group. The young man was vaguely familiar, but Astri couldn't even begin to put a name to the face. Was he one of the newer ones, or had he joined around the same time she had? Either way, it didn't matter. "It's fine with me. The more the merrier." Astri sent a friendly splash Jisken's way, enough to hopefully lure him into their bobbing, merry cavalcade.

"We were just discussing the new clutch, and how long we've been here and sorts. I'm Astri. I've been here since Yansanth's clutch, and I intend to stay here until they forcibly pry me from the rocks."

Hanya wasn't really willing to banter with Astri over the Hatchings and disappointment; her irritation with not Impressing was focused not around lacking a dragon, but rather around being a Candidate...and there was a distinction in her head. Admittedly, there was some desire for a dragon, but mostly guilt keeping her at the Weyr. Guilt and refusal to admit to her parents that she was wrong and Weavercraft was her life.

"Life's kind of disappointing, when you get right down to it," she answered. After all, she was stuck here doing drudgework when she could have been at Weaver Hall, and she could be halfway to her journeyman's knots if her parents hadn't dragged her home to watch her siblings. But Hanya could wait. She was patient.

The arrival of the other boy brought a wide grin to Hanya's face, and she appraised Jisken with a nearly predatory look of delight, wading in deeper and moving over so she could be closer to him. She looked up, and farther up, and grinned. "Don't mind at all," she said breezily before turning back to Jessan. Two boys? Well, she'd just have to split her attention a bit. Not a big deal.

"Too many golds," she answered his question with a shrug. "Not enough room for anyone; has anyone else heard the grumblings in the Candidates?" Hanya wasn't quite as on top of gossip as Elae or even Nandeli (still), but she certainly kept an eye on things, and the ILA had not escaped her attention.

And the newcomer only earned another grin. "Goooood day," she purred, considering a playful splash but deciding against it when Raedue announced himself as so new he didn't know what he was doing. "Well, have you been shown your quarters and the basics?" she asked. "Dining hall, Infirmary, all that? I assume you must if you're out here."