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 Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:05 pm
Jessan waved a hand in greeting to the ones who came up and introduced himself. Jisken and Raedue. Interesting names and the boys seemed friendly enough. "The lake is huge, big enough for anyone who wants in. Nice to meet you both. "
He waded back a little and allowed himself to float and soak up the sun. It was amazing how comforting the water and just being around other people could be... Jessan had finally overcome his disappointment with the last Hatching and was determined not to go without a fight. "I remember you from that Impression! I was there. I had just arrived a few days ago. Welcome to the Weyr, Raedue. Right now, if you really want something to do, we could always send you to the Candidate Master... Or you can just swim and enjoy the day like the rest of us."
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:03 pm
At Astri's approval, Jisken gave a single nod, responding, "My name's Jisken. Good to meet you." His stoic nature, however, was broken when he visibly flinched as the splash went his way. The water was still far too cold! With a shiver, he shook his head briskly to free waterdroplets from his hair, and slowly ran one hand through his bangs to make his eyes more visible. In this light, they were more hazel than ever, though he soon removed his hand, thus allowing his shaggy bangs to veil over his eyes once again. In this heat, it would probably be best to get some of it sheared. But he could always do that later: it wasn't all that important now.
"I remember Yansanth's clutch," he said after a moment of pondering, still trying to get over the cold. "And the clutch immedietely after. But I missed the last one," he explained, not seeing any point to develop further. There had been an injury at the tannery, and that was that. Jisken helped while he could, and then he requested more time at Ista, with news of yet another clutch on the sands. He'd worded it to his father differently, but ultimately convinced the man to part with a considerable amount of marks to get him back to the tropical weyr.
In this humidity, however, Jisken was beginning to have second thoughts.
He didn't know what to think of the second girl's attitude towards him, and somehow got the feeling that this was what a herdbeast felt when looking into a pair of whirling red eyes. He nodded at her in acknowledgement, though it was considerably more awkward than his greeting to Astri, focusing instead with mild interest at the newcomer, whom he also acknowledged, rather simply, with a single nod. In a working environment where opening your mouth often invited your nose to meet something particularly offensive, Jisken had learned that body language usually sufficed in a conversation, especially between men.
Feeling sufficiently introduced, Jisken began to hobble deeper into the water towards Jessan, his legs shaky and his movements hesitant. Sure, his lower half had gotten used to the crisp chill of the water, but his upper half wanted nothing to do with getting wet, especially if that meant that he, of all people, couldn't touch the bottom. After all, living in a desert didn't make anyone a particularly good swimmer, either. Giving the half-submerged youth a curious look, he weighed his options, then decided that if the other boy was alive, then he was in no real danger. It was on that spur of the moment thought that Jisken plunged into the water, coming up little more than a second later with a half-concealed yell of surprise. "I don't know how you do it," he said, looking at Jessan as he shook his arms free of the water. "It's cold."
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Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:27 am
Raedue nodded at the girls. "I have been shown the basics. And no, I think i'll be okay until tomorrow. No need to rush into things quite yet, eh? Not when there are so many lovies around to spend time with."
((Sorry for the short reply, but I ended up in LA and i'm trying to get out the door to get at Anime Expo. =P))
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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:31 pm
Still, as soon as he was done cleaning himself and his wadded up workclothes, he had every intention of rushing back to the overcrowded rooms and busying himself with a small pile of clothes from a few of the young men he was now living with, each of which could use a nice quick patching. After nearly four days away from his sewing, Zafir's fingers itched to hold a needle and fibre once again. He couldn't legitimately expect to work on anything more impressive than patching worn out knees, but at least that was better than nothing. He imagined that other craft-apprentices who'd had to abandon their work for the heavy labor of candidacy were either quite grateful for the break, or wishing they had something equivalent to patching to do.
He was lost in his head, searching for a memory of where candidates were supposed to go if they needed something. He was sure it had been mentioned at some point, on his long tour around the weyr. The little bite of information would come back to him, if he sought it out long enough. It was the mental sifting that deafened him to the chatting which half-echoed off the lake shore until he was only a few feet from the water's edge. Very abruptly, he realized he was entirely not alone, and eyed the thin, tan trousers he was wearing warily. They would certainly not go transparent in the water, but he rather regretted being a tailor-to-be and getting caught in such plain and boring cloth. Ah well. If he had spare marks to bet, he'd wager that no one knew him well enough to recognize his face yet, let alone make any sort of judgment based on his clothes.
Finally, he took stock of the others, all around his age. Another bet placed would say they were candidates too, though if he continued thinking in terms of wagers, he'd end up a Bitran.
"Hello," he began, making sure his presence was known- through he imagined they'd caught sight or scent of him some time before. "I don't suppose you'd mind my joining you? My clothes and I were tossed out of the bathing pools in disgust." He gave a jovial grin. "I, however, quite like the stink of packtail slime." He hoped the joke was clear enough. "Nonetheless, if I'm to talk to humankind ever again, I have to be clean!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:46 am
Raedue blatantly looked the newcomer up and down before grinning. Oh he was a good looking one. He could definitely have fun with this one, even if they didn't share the same.... interests. He took a sniff. But only if he washed off first. "Hooooo boy. You know, I'll never understand how something that tastes so good can smell so nasty unprepared. Makes me glad i'm not the one who has to deal with that process. And feel free to join us. I can't say anything about the others, but I sure wouldn't mind a good looking guy like you stripping down." He grinned again and winked at the dark skinned man.
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:11 pm
Zafir grinned widely at the taller candidates's compliment, though he was silently grateful that skin as dark as his did not lend itself to blushing. True, he was considered a shameless flirt back home, and he enjoyed compliments, as anyone in their right mind should, but it was only a tan that kept him from being revealed for his vague embarrassment.
"I'm afraid there'll be no stripping in front of ladies." he replied, tipping his head in the direction of the two female candidates. "I'm afraid you'll have to try your luck another time." Zafir winked, and stood for a contemplative moment at the edge of the water, steeling himself for what was undoubtedly going to be a frigid dip. He briefly considered giving some kind of raucous yell and charging in with a ridiculous splash, and shrugged the idea off. Instead, he gritted his teeth, and strode into the water. It was chill, but not as terrible as he'd expected. Just another surprise from the island climate, presumably.
Nonetheless, his breath caught in his chest when he found the mettle to drop his head beneath the water as well. If he'd had the option, he would have gone to the beach's shore to clean himself, but it was a longer walk, and saltwater wasn't as good for cleaning as fresh. When he returned to the air, his fingers were already scrubbing wildly at his hair.
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Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:51 pm
Merik's stroll down the Weyr hall was slow and absent-minded; he ran one hand idly over the rough stone wall, and with the other, clutched a dirty rag tightly up by his shoulder. He shined head to toe in sweat, his clothes splattered with grease and the bright red of his face visible even through his dark tan, but with a dumbly wide smile on his lips. It was brilliant luck, certainly, he hadn't been assigned one of those horribly smelly chores on his first full day! Well, perhaps it was because it was his first day - the Candidatemaster didn't seem quite that sadistic - but plenty of other Candidates were slathered in fish oil and herdbeast dung, and stinking up the barracks something awful. (Being an apprentice at beastcraft himself, shoveling dung wouldn't have been such an bad experience, but it was just all the more lucky he hadn't gotten that chore - when one is Searched, they certainly don't expect to continue life as they know it!)
He was so caught up in his tumbling thoughts that Merik startled and froze a moment when the hall came to an end, blinking and having to shade his eyes with his hand before he exactly realized he was outside. This certainly wasn't the best place to be... his introductory tour hadn't covered how to get to the Main Hall from the Bowl... or wherever he was. Ah, but that was a problem for later. It was a brilliantly hot day!
He'd intended only to laze about in the sun for the candlemark or so of free time he expected having, but his attention was caught right away by a large (and rather noisy) group of what he could only assume were other Candidates, going by their age and lack of Dragons. And a lake! The grease all over him suddenly made his clothes feel much heavier - a day down in the kitchens, the real kitchens, wasn't particularly notorious for getting one filthy, but there was still smoke in his eyes and hair, and Merik did feel quite a mess once he saw an opportunity to clean up.
He held still for a second, debating whether the starkly pale skin under his clothes was enough reason to keep his shirt on... but only for a second. Merik tore it off and broke into a sprint towards the lake, running past anyone standing near the shore and leaping right into the water without a consideration for the Candidates surrounding. He tucked his shirt and the rag enough into his belt that he wouldn't lose them, then popped back up and shook his moppy hair like a canine. Grinning, he held out his hand to the closest other person in the water. "Sorry about that. Name's Merik; you have no idea how dirty kitchen fires are."
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:18 pm
Zafir immediately recognized the look on the newcomer's face, no doubt he'd had it himself only a few moments before. It was the grin of someone about to make a ridiculous splash, all in the name of good fun. Fully assured of his prediction, the apprentice dunked himself under the water again, in part to avoid the onslaught, and in part because he could still feel bits of scale in his hair.
When he surfaced again, he was met with an unexpected rain of droplets to the face, freshly shed from the other's bleached out hair. Zafir rubbed a hand across his eyes once more, to clear them, and focused on the hand this Merik proferred. After a moment's hesitation, gauging the cleanliness of his own fingers, Zafir decided there was lake enough to resolve any grime he might spread, and gripped the hand tightly.
"I've got a good idea of it, if it needed that much of an escape." he replied. Whoever this one was, he certainly seemed to be enjoying his time on the island. "I am Zafir, and I have to say, this lake certainly does lend itself to meeting new people. Here for all of a minute, and already, I've got two names to remember!" He laughed lightly, and dropped Merik's hand.
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 4:29 pm
Merik chuckled good-naturedly and clapped the other Candidate on his shoulder. "Zafir, you said? Anybody ever tell you that sounds a good bit like 'zephyr?' Fine Rider name, there, if you ask me!" He nodded his head a couple times, with a dazedly content look, like he wasn't entirely sure what he'd just said or been told. "My name's not much special, y'know. Sounds like... well, nothing I know of. M'rik sounds just fine to me, though! To be perfectly honest? I think that's what my dad had in mind when he named me. Sounds sort of like... mm... murk? I'unno. But I like it. Oh, and I hope one of those gorgeous beasties will too... Well, but I don't think there's a one of us who doesn't hope the same thing." He raised his eyebrows and gave another nod. He knew how to talk, certainly! But he was well aware he had a habit of... not stopping; Merik cut himself off at that. One could get lost in talking- have to pay attention!
"Did I mention I like your hair?" He paused... Was that a weird thing to say? He stuck his fingers in his pockets and shrugged. Good impressions weren't all that hard to make, after all. "The color, I mean. It's practically purple." In all likeliness, they were both from almost the same place; Dragons weren't noted for Searching far from their Weyrs. But Merik was still fairly sure he'd never seen hair of any shade but from blonde to brown; Zafir's was very interesting to look at in the sun, indeed! "Two names in a minute, that's nothing. Now I've learned one in seconds!"
He turned away for a moment to look at the other people in the lake, and wave at them with a lopsided smile. "Candidates, all of us, I'm assuming?" They seemed quite the rag-tag bunch, for sure. That Candidatemaster had some work ahead of him, if looks could speak for a man...
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:23 pm
"No stripping?" He sighed mock heavily. "Darn. There you go, dashing my hopes. But you did say maybe next time, so I shall keep that hope alive in my heart." He grinned at the splash the newest comer to their little gathering made. "Yes, I am most certainly a candidate. Dropped fresh here this afternoon actually. Name's Raedue." He looked at that water and decided he'd had enough baking in the sun. It was time to cool down. He slipped into the water and grinned evilly as he targeted Merik with a wave of water.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:11 am
Merik smirked at the other boy's blatantly obvious advances to... well, everyone in the near vicinity. Not at all a shy bunch he'd landed himself in, it seemed. Not at all what he'd expected of potential Riders, but a relief no less! Ista's Holder men were far too withdrawn for his taste; it wasn't even worth the effort to go picking through them.
"Good to know I'm not the only new Dragon-hopeful, then! My Searchrider plucked me up... not even 24 full candlemarks ago, I'd wager. She didn't seem to enjoy it a bit- I wouldn't be surprised if she'd intended to put it off until the eggs were practically hatching. But already they've loaded me with chores!" He grinned and closed his eyes, letting the splash hit him square in the face, then finger-combing the water through his hair and shaking it out again. He didn't make a particularly big wave in retaliation, but it was accompanied by quite the snarky "Come on, is that all you've got?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:53 am
Zafir laughed at the antics of the other two, even as a few more of the stray drops splashed into his eyes once more. No harm there, at least. He gave his hair one last thorough scrub, and dipped under the surface again. He'd heard comments about his hair before, and the weird redness it took on in the sun, but the bit about his name was new.
With his major goal of the trip- a semblance of cleanliness- more or less reached, Zafir quietly watching the miniature splashing match, and took careful aim. One did not grow up half-on-the-beach without learning a bit about water games. With a heaving move he'd picked up in his time as a seacrafter, he burst widely cupped hands up from beneath the water, accompanied by a torrential- but slow moving- spray, ready to drench all who got in its way, himself included.
"That, though, is the best I've got."
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:25 pm
Hmmm…this was getting just a tad awkward. Two turns at the Weyr hadn’t been enough to desensitize holdbred, traditionalist Hanya from her views on homosexuality, and besides that, some of the flirting was just…awkward. Frowning slightly, she twitched her lips into something that might have been called a smile and started wading out.
“My apologies, Jessan and Jisken…and Astri, as well,” she said, sounding completely sincere (in that when she spoke to boys, always sounded slightly insincere). “I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve just remembered that I promised the weaverwomen I’d help them with the borders of one of their tapestries. They’ve got a shade of orange in their thread that I’m just dying to get my hands on.” No pun intended. Honestly. When Hanya realized her inadvertent wordplay later, she’d no doubt be delighted. “But I’ve still got to eat before that, and I honestly ought to clean myself up right before that, and, well...I have less time than I thought I did. It's been a pleasure, though!”
Shrugging in what she hoped was a helpless gesture, she flashed a brilliant smile at all the boys (though it was slightly dimmer for those who had ignored her in favour of flirting with each other), nodded to Astri with a wry grin that acknowledged her as a player on an even field, and tapped off a loose salute before heading back to shore and scooping up her belongings. “Good afternoon, everyone!” she finished, then headed off.
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:25 pm
Merik cupped his hand over his nose and dropped down at sight of the oncoming wall (though that wouldn't have had much reason, seeing as he was soaked either way), but didn't quite make it underwater before the splash knocked him backwards, grinning and sputtering. "What are you, a dolphineer?" he teased, flipping soggy strands of hair back out of his eyes. "I surrender; I can't compete with that!" Did you see that wave? What a talented young man this purple-haired fellow was!
He turned for a moment to give a hearty wave at the departing girl, but she turned in such a flurry he was mostly sure he hadn't been seen. Merik wasn't the particularly empathetic type, really even a bit thick. He didn't pick up on her discomfort in the slightest, and turned back to the others with an unphased, if confused, smile. "Suppose I'm luckier than I though- I've got plenty more free time!" Okay, only about a candlemark. He still hadn't even been to the Candidate barracks yet; his belongings were piled down in the kitchen. But at least he didn't have need to go rushing off in the middle of a game.
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 6:30 am
Zafir laughed at the spluttering sight of Merik's backwards tumble, still grinning when the other boy resurfaced. "Not quite. But, while I can't read currents for my life, I did learn something after eight turns on the sea." he smirked. "And I doubt even the hardiest of kitchen greases has decided to stick on you after that." His hands strayed up to he own hair, wriggling through the strands. They didn't feel oily anymore, but he still managed to pull out three more scales. "Unlike some things."
Having spent the better part of his day peeling and gutting out fish, Zafir was, as far as he knew, finished with chores for the weyr, though there were still those piles of pants waiting for him. It wasn't a particularly important matter, though. Given some quiet, he could probably have them all done in a candlemark, or maybe two if it got dark. "And what, exactly, is so pressing that your free time is due to come to an end at all, Merik?"
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