"Shall we Dance?"

or

ARE YOU MAD?

Or

"Can't You Just Make Us Do Push Ups?"

Aurian and A'ser have had an odd friendship. Some say they love each other. They themselves will violently deny that. And I do mean violently. They prank each other continually. They argue and bicker. There have been exchanges of kind words, but there is never anyone around to witness that.

Aurian's mentor, N'ren, decided to do something truly evil and that was what follows in this log.

I want to thank all that were involved in this log. Draconic conversation is as always in italics. Some of the ooc chatter was left in for humor.

Kvasith blinks awake and toddles out with Aurian

You move through the opening to the west, heading into the bowl.

Central Bowl(#298RL$)

A stony field is the center of this great caldera, the size of which is unmatched at any other weyr--for the whole complement of all the wings at Telgar could rest comfortably within its towering cliffs. Shaped in a perfect oval, the rock walls seem perfect for keeping the usual chill winds stirring about. The ground is mostly made of pebbles and rocks, some hued the milky shades of old quartz, though there are patches where softer dirt and even trees sprout up from the ground. Southerly, the bowl opens onto the living caverns and the weyrleaders' quarters; the immense entrance to the hatching grounds lies to the northwest. Heading southwest will lead one back out into the rocky mountain ranges around Telgar's protective walls. Dragons may be seen, relaxing or fresh from feeding, to the north, as well as the soft lapping sounds of Telgar's lake touching the sandy shore. The weyrling barracks, always aflutter with activity, is to the direct west. The meadow near the lake is strewn with wild flowers, like little stars of pink, yellow, and white. The ground by the the barracks is quite muddy.

Some puffy white clouds skirt across the springtime sky.

Contents:

Kvasith (#10999OVaempqs)

Yasinth (#253AFOQVaeps)

Asabeth

Tierth(#7707JQVaempqs$)

Jericho

Obvious exits:

Weyrling Barracks Southern Bowl Lake Shore Hatching Cavern Feeding Grounds

Runner Pasture Weyr Entrance

Kvasith toddles over to Yasinth and then thumps his head against the green.

Yasinth opens one tired eye, and yawns hugely, displaying her curling tongue. For his effort, Kvasith gets a whpa on the nose from a green tail.

Kvasith rumbles at the much smaller green.

Aurian watches the dragons play

Yasinth yawns again, bigger this time, and inspects Kvasith. Obviously, he is intent on disturbing her quiet rest out here beneath the sky.

Kvasith wiggles his tail happily

Yasinth stands slowly, as if her every joint is impaired. Oh, the agony of being loved.

Kvasith rumbles annoyedly at Yasinth.

Yasinth whuffles Kvasith's face and snout wetly. Impaitent brown. She's coming, she's coming.

Kvasith rumbles and nudges the green again.

Kvasith presses his nose to Yasinth. Aurian watches the pair and rolls her eyes.

Yasinth curves her neck and lifts a foot to push at her clutch sib playfully.

Kvasith shoulders Yasinth playfully.

Yasinth rears on her hindlegs, batting her wings at the brown as if she were a mother swatting a sassy child. Shove her, will he?

Kvasith snorts at the green. He stretches wings wide and then rumbles.

Yasinth whacks Kvasith's nose with her tail sharply and primly. What a final exclamation point to the end of a very prominent, and very unsaid, statement.

Aurian leans aginst the wall as she watches the pair, "Behave."

Kvasith blinks at his snout in dismay. He lumbers his way over to Aurian and leans his head against her. Effectivly pinning her there.

Yasinth curiously whuffles after Kvasith, tail raised, and looks to Aurian with whirling eyes.

Valan emerges from the passage to the entrance cavern.

Valan strides in quietly glancing about.

Aurian remains where she is. She sighs and scritches the dragon's head that's pinning her.

Valan looks at the scene before him, staying near the entrance, he glances at the many dragons admiringly, a large smile forming on his face.

Aurian waves politely as she continues to scritch at Kvasith.

Yasinth stops in the act of tugging at Kvasith's brown tail to inspect a new human walking about the bowl.

Kvasith> I bespoke Yasinth with << Why did you look at Aurian like that? >>

Kvasith tucks his tail behind him.

Valan shifts nervously under the gaze of the dragon which studies him.

Yasinth loses interest in Kvasith's doomed tail, and turns about fully, slinking over with a shimmering green grace to whuffle the person's face.

Valan blinks, then blinks again. He is overwhelmed at these things, and clenches and unclenches his hands nervously wiping on his breeches.

The brown dragonet and lumbers over towards the the new person. Aurian stretches as she is free from Kvasith's pinning.

Valan looks back and forth between the approaching dragons and it must be a force of will that keeps him from fleeing in some odd fear, he stands holding his place, forcing a weak smile, "You sure are big."

Yasinth levels her head to the human's height, tilting it to the side to see him better. And than, as is customary, whuffles his face loudly and wetly, and with relish.

R'val comes out of the weyrling barracks.

Valan's hair is blown a bit, at the whuffle, and he blinks reflexively, then chuckles.

Kvasith stretches his wings and whuffles the top of this person's head.

R'val wanders out of the barracks, and smiles at Valan and Aurian.

Valan wipes his face slowly, and reaches up slowly to pat the dragon nearest him, it must be his first time, ya know he is shaking like a leaf.

Valan nods deferentially to R'Val.

R'val grins, "Allo Aurian. How's it all going?"

Above, Kheveth bugles a greeting to Yoxath and Kl'loh.

Dragon> Telgar dragons sense that Kheveth bugles a greeting to the Weyr as he appears high above it.

Valan looks upward at the sound watching.

Yasinth swings her head to see R'val. Ah! Her favorite far-too-big-and-funny-smelling person! With a sinuous, snaking step, she turns half-way about and whuffles his face and head with obvious delight.

Aurian salutes R'val, "Good sir."

Valan glances back at the activities close by, he continues the wiping motion, clearing his eyes of any wetness, before he watches R'val and Aurian.

R'val lazily returns the salute, "Good, good.'

N'ren walks here from the south.

Kvasith makes one last snort of judgement and then lumpers back to Aurian. He presses his head against her.

Aurian salutes N'ren, "Evening."

Valan glances at N'ren, moves a bit to the side.

R'val pats Yasinth's nose, "Silly beast."

N'ren wanders over, snapping off a textbook-salute to Aurian. "Good evening, Aurian. And how are you and Kvasith tonight?" He doesn't notice Valan moving off, mostly because that's his bad side.

R'val glances towards N'ren, and nods politely. "Evening."

Yasinth has half a mind to roll R'val over with her nose, but instead she whuffles him one more prefunctionary time, and than turns to continue to harrass this poor new person.

Aurian erfs as Kvasith leans his head harder against her, wall and dragonet doesn't make for the most comfortable spot, "We're doing well N'ren."

Valan watches Yasinth's turn towards him, and forces a weak smile, an almost 'why me' look and braces himself for whatever mischief the dragon manages to send his way.

N'ren nods, "Ah, R'val. Didn't see you there. Looks like you've found a green that likes you, eh?" He grins, then turns back to Aurian, "And how goes your training?"

R'val chortles at N'ren, "Aye, I seem to have. Let's hope she likes Vidarth as well, someday."

Kvasith rumbles against Aurian, "Goes well, flying is working out nicely. And the visulization is tiring at first but i'm getting it," The redheaded weyrling grins.

"He'll probably have better luck than Kheveth," N'ren replies. This from the rider's whose dragon has maintained a schedule of catching at least one green a month for more than twenty Turns. He frowns slightly at Aurian, "You've begun Betweening? Or just practicing aerial visualizations?"

Yasinth slides her form around Valan, curling into a nice ring, tial-tip twitching curiously. Oh, how lucky that she found something new to keep her busy with.

Aurian shakes her head, "Just aerial visualizations."

Valan circles slowly as Yasinth traps him. He seems a bit nervous at this close quarters with something ten times his size, but does manage to maintain his composure, he reaches to steady himself.

Valan grins to himself.

Atop Yasinth, A voice rises from Yasinth's green back, calling out, "She doesn't like the way you look!"

R'val squints up at A'ser.

Valan frowns at that.

Valan looks down at himself, critically.

Aurian rolls her eyes at A'ser.

N'ren nods, "They'll drill you until you can form a visualization in your sleep. And then they'll drill you more. You'll need it."

N'ren has a look over at the person being talked about.

Valan seems to have decided that his situation is not a positive one, most likely from the words of Yasinth's rider.

Aurian nods as she listens to N'ren.

Valan calls back, "Well at least the thought is not mutual, I think she is fantastic looking."

Valan says "I suppose you feel its proper to harass a poor holder such as myself, but well I am not use to her size, as you are."

Atop Yasinth, A'ser laughs outloud. "You shouldn't have said that." He sits up, streaching lazily, and even yawning until tears fill his green eyes, like a little.

Aurian nods to A'ser, "Polite and charming as always."

A'ser tilts his head at Valan and from the man's other side, Yasinth does the same. "She's right. You /do/ look like an altered version of me."

Valan blinks a bit.

Valan wipes his now sweaty hands on his tunic.

N'ren nods, "Betweening can be very dangerous. Your images must be sharp, not at all vague. If they aren't, you take the risk of losing yourself Between."

Kvasith leans his head away from Aurian. She has her eyes locked on A'ser and looks furious, fortunately N'ren distracts her, "We've worked on them a lot, I'm finally able to do the star stones to their approval."

Valan says "Without seeming ungrateful, how does one unentangle himself from a dragon?"

Valan doesnt seem to want to step on the dragon to climb out of the circle she has him coralled in.

A'ser clasps his hands in an attitude of innocence. "You could compliment her, ask her to move, or fawn over her....there are a million ways to bribe 'Sin." He glares at the dragon. "Provided that she doesn't get irate part-way through and WHAP you!"

Yasinth whuffles at Valan's feet and legs, ignoring her rider. He's so noisey.

Valan blinks a bit, swallowing. "Oh, I see."

N'ren chuckles at Valan's predicament. "You either wait for them to release you or you just climb over them and hope they don't move." He calls, a bit louder, "You needn't worry about it, really. A dragon is incapable of injuring a human being except at hatching, and then it's not really their fault."

Valan nods to N'ren's words, "So the harpers say..."

R'val grins, "And so we say. We're the ones that ride 'em, we know best."

Valan kneels to his captors head, "Now see here...you are really magnificient, and I am really quite happy with being near you, but good you see fit to at least allow me freedom of movement...its really quite logical you see..."

A'ser grins at the man, lopsidedly, hands on his hips. He couldn't have pleaded better himself.

Valan continues his logic prattle..."I know its my fault for wandering in here...and I promise next time I will be more respectful of your weyr, but really its not neccessary to impress upon me any longer, I am a nice man really, I dont have any friends right now but if I did..."

Yasinth regards Valan solemnly, and obviously taking this all into consideration. It seems to be a very deep subject. You see, she's comfortable now. Friends? The green lifts her and gently, playfully, butts Valan with her nose.

Valan reflexively falls backward and sits down hard on the ground, a bit off balance, "...friends...you could ask them...ufff."

Valan calls over his shoulder, "Didnt work."

Kvasith rumbles at Yasinth.

Kvasith> I bespoke Yasinth with << Why do you bother with him? Aurian says that your rider is better looking. >>

A'ser looks down at Valan and rubs at the side of his black-haired head. "You know," he leans down, hands on his knees, "a good scritching might work too. I don't know."

Valan nods slowly to A'ser, and reaches slowly forward, "Ahhh, eye-ridges right?"

Dragon> Kvasith senses that Yasinth is finding this a most curious sport. << He looks like a dusty A'ser. >>

A'ser nods once firmly.

Valan scritches the eye-ridges gently at first then seems to get the knack of it and rubs in a soothing motion.

Valan says "Ya know this always works good on me too, especially on my back. Makes me just wanna go to sleep." Valan says that more to the dragon then to anyone else.

N'ren comments, "If she falls asleep, won't that make it harder for you to get out?"

Yasinth rumbles gently, eyelids closing one after another.

N'ren considers, "Then again, we could always get Kvasith to lift you out like a mother feline does her children, eh Aurian?"

Valan hesitates a bit, "Well ok, you are of course right, honorable dragonrider, but ahhh as you can see I am...in desparate straights."

Valan sputters, "Lift me out...!?"

Aurian rubs Kvasith snout. She chuckles, "He can do that."

Yasinth hears that. A green tail snakes around Valan. It seems that someone has founda good and quite functional scritcher that she isn't bound to want to let get away.

R'val grins, "Possessive little green, she is."

Valan sighs loudly, continuing his ministrations, "I am cursed."

Valan says "You do this to all trespassers dont you?"

A'ser sighs loudly, calling over Yasinth, "Aurie, 'Sin says she wants to keep 'im. I think I'll just let her. You don't have to send Kvasith."

Yasinth whuffles Valan in reply.

Aurian blinks at A'ser, "Well she can't keep him in the barracks.."

Aurian mutters under her breath, "And don't call me Aurie."

Valan stares at the dragon, "Now see here...I do have tasks to attend to, well I would if I were elsewhere, surely you know about duty and such things, you have your duty and I have mine..."

N'ren chuckles, "I don't think that'll work. That's a weyrling dragon. She doesn't really *have* duties yet."

Valan continues on, "I do think that your duty to Pern and your Weyr far outweighs any duty to keeping me around to tend to your hide. I mean thats what your rider is for...so maybe we can reach an agreement."

Valan sputters quiet.

Yasinth expels a noisy, happy breath. No duties here, thanks.

Valan says "Oh."

A'ser calls back, "She can keep him in your couch. She likes it better there anyways."

N'ren adds, ominously, "In other words, she will continue to get bigger.

Valan says "Not while I am sitting here, I should hope."

Aurian gives Valan a weighing glance then shakes her head, "That's still in the barracks, and she's too big to be sharing with me and Kvasith anymore."

Valan says "I am truly cursed."

A'ser sounds grumpy. "She always kicks me out. Are you sure?"

N'ren smirks, "Ask the weyrlings if their dragons don't seem to grow while they were just sitting there watching them, and I think you'll hear a surprising answer."

Kvasith stretches his wings.

Yasinth rumbles, and moves her head, so that Valan may itch the proper spots. Obviously, her toy is in need of training.

Valan sighs and leans on one elbow, while moving his hand as directed, "Magnificience should be carefully awarded."

Telgar Weyr> D'thon LOL. "It followed me, can I keep it?"

Valan says "Say, now look here, if I do all this scratching maybe you can give me a ride?"

Valan grins to himself.

N'ren replies, "The dragons are still too young to be carrying passengers, I believe."

A'ser ooos. "That was a good one. Should I be writing this down?"

Valan hmms, "oh."

Aurian nods.

Valan says "Honorable rider, it seems that my ideas are far to ignorant to achieve anything. Perhaps some more advice from one who has the experience of this?"

Valan says "I find that with my liberties suspended, that I really need to ahh, relieve myself."

Valan reddens a bit.

A'ser mildly replies, "Well, I'm not allowed to walk anywhere anymore. 'Sin's been carrying me everywhere for sevenday after sevenday." He levels his muddy green gaze on Valan agian. A slow grin curves the corners of his mouth. "I'm sorry. I'm not a harper or a genius like my uncle. Could you repeat that?"

Valan says "Sir, I have to take a leak."

Valan sighs loudly at having to use such a harsh phrase.

Telgar Weyr> D'thon rolls. A'ser, you and that green together are truly evil. Evil evil eeeevil.

Aurian looks ready to punch A'ser, again.

Telgar Weyr> Maylia peers at the bowl???

Telgar Weyr> R'val nods to D'thon, and fears A'ser when Yasinth proddifies.

N'ren comments, "I think that's enough, Weyrling. Let the poor fellow go."

Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "I thought I was evil in training."

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "Yer a rat A'ser"

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn nods sagely. "Keep thinking that, Grasshopper."

Telgar Weyr> Aurian tosses yet another wet sponge at A'ser

Yasinth chortles loudly in amusement, obviously at something she heard from her rider. Uncurling swiftly and drawing herself away, she pads after R'val, thinking she hasn't whuffled him half enough lately.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "J'lyn, you're scaring me. ;)"

Valan sighs relieved.

Telgar Weyr> R'val . o O ( twinkle twinkle little twink / your demeanor sure does stink / MUSHing like a little brat / I hope your hard drive reformats o/~ )

Valan hops up and peers after the retreating dragon.

Valan says "Shamelessly defeated I am."

N'ren nods, "Yes, that's a much more suitable target."

Valan sniffs loudly.

R'val turns to Yasinth, and rubs her eyeridges, "No slurping me, you..."

Telgar Weyr> A'ser is only a twink because Lara SAID I could be.

Telgar Weyr> R'val dips A'ser in mustard and feeds him to Barney.

Telgar Weyr> D'thon fills in the ob"Lara Who"?

Valan turns to N'ren and bows courteously and respectfully, "My thanks to you sir. This days exploration has been educational. I shall flee whilst I still have a chance to do so."

Telgar Weyr> A'ser baps J'lyn, on principle.

Valan bows to Aurian as well, nodding with respect towards A'ser he walks towards the exit, his footsteps picking up speed.

N'ren just laughs quietly.

Valan disappears down the tunnel that leads out of the Telgar Caldera.

Yasinth deals R'val a mighty whuffle, and than gently tastes his hand. Oh, well, his arm. Up to the shoulder. Whatever. Details.

R'val erghs, "Stop! Bad dragon! Augh!"

Vidarth lumbers into the central bowl area from the lake shore to the north.

A'ser watches the man run, shaking his head slowly. "I don't understand. Wasn't I polite enough?"

Kvasith snorts at A'ser.

Aurian tilts her head, "A'ser you were Rude. Really rude."

A'ser looks to Aurian. "Was I?" He yawns.

Vidarth lumbers up to little Yasinth, and peers down at her.

Yasinth turns her head to look at the blue, taking R'val with her. A soft curious rumble, muffled by an arm, comes from her throat.

"A'ser you should know better, I keep thinking that you aren't stupid then you prove otherwise," She reaches up and wraps her arms about Kvasith's neck.

Aurian said that.

A'ser smiles to Aurian. "I know. And you've still got that green boogie on your lip. Some things never change."

Telgar Weyr> D'thon will laugh very loudly if Kvasith catches Yasinth.

Telgar Weyr> A'ser considers hurting D'thon for mocking his pain.

Aurian leans her head against Kvasith, "A'ser don't you get tired of saying the same lies you always do."

Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "And it's not my fault that the girl can't wipe her own nose."

Telgar Weyr> R'val hmmms, "I have stood here before outside the pouring rain, with the world turnin' circles round and round my brain, I guess I'm always hopin' that you'll end this pain..."

A'ser lifts his brows and says nothing, hands in his pockets. All right, it's her choice not to at least /look/ and make sure....

Telgar Weyr> Aurian throws another sponge at A'ser, "You stick crawlies into my clothes while I'm asleep, dump me into a laundry basket on my head...

Telgar Weyr> A'ser shouts back, "Don't you even START with the laundry, missy!"

Yasinth spits R'val's arm out after she decides that it tastes, indeed, true to form, really, really funny.

Telgar Weyr> Aurian grumbles, "I was only avenghing the massive crawler down my shirt

N'ren looks back and forth between A'ser and Aurian. "Say, you two aren't brother and sister, are you?"

Vidarth reaches down, opening his mouth, and engulfs Yasinth's head.

SLURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP.

Telgar Weyr> R'val bwhahaha, revenge!

Telgar Weyr> A'ser AIIIIEEES!

Aurian peers at N'ren, "Uh no sir."

A'ser shrieks in abject horror, hands curling. "Shells and shards!" He waves his hands and arms frantically. "It's eating my dragon, it's eating my dragon! Flame it! Flame it! Augh!"

Vidarth eventually lets Yasinth go, thoroughly coated in Blue Drool.

R'val grins at A'ser, "Nah. He's just returning the favour."

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "At least she'll forget it in a few days"

Telgar Weyr> R'val says, "It's so hard to traumatize a dragon. I'll just have to kill A'ser. ;}"

Yasinth is momentarily stunned by the terror of seeing /that much/ of Vidarth. Than a lovely shade of red comes over her eyes, and her tail whizzes forward to deliver a sharp, angry crack on the blue's nose.

Telgar Weyr> A'ser hides behind M'kla.

Vidarth wiggles his head. Ow, that stung. He rumbles amusedly at Yasinth.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Do it, and the Bite O' Vidarth becomes a permanent fixture at Telgar. ;}"

Telgar Weyr> R'val says, "But it already has! :P"

Yasinth snorts loudly, indigantly, and stalks away, almost bristly. Someone help her, she's a winged feline.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima whaps Jal. Down with the evil mutant smileys!

Telgar Weyr> R'val psst. J'lyn, Kassi hates those smileys. Do 'em more often, she might actually turn off her Perpetual Log! ;)

N'ren considers, "Well, if you're not brother and sister, you must be in love. Never knew anyone who argued that much who wasn't."

Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Kvasith's voice is a brilliant yellow in shock, << WHY DID HE DO THAT? >>

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Once in 6 years I do that, and I get whapped."

Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Vidarth sounds innocent. << Do what? >>

Telgar Weyr> N'ren repeats: He never said he was a GOOD counselor.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Not a chance, R'val. I just use a Replace function to get rid of the things."

Telgar Weyr> R'val can't recall anyone ever accusing Kassi of having a high tolerance level ;}

Telgar Weyr> A'ser weeps like a babe. Make him go away......

Telgar Weyr> R'val doh!

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn blows the bitchy whistle. Back to your corners.

Telgar Weyr> R'val says, "Oh feh, I'm only jokin."

Aurian blinks at N'ren, "WHy do people say that.. can't it be just plain old fashioned dispising each other?"

A'ser glares at N'ren fiercely, pale face going dark in an instant. "You talk too much," the boy decides, pounding after his dragonet.

Yasinth enters through the big entrance into the Weyrling Barracks.

A'ser walks through the entrance into the Weyrling Barracks.

N'ren chuckles, "Simple. If you just plain old despised each other, you would probably take pains to not associate with each other. Especially since dragons often reflect their rider's opinions of things. Considering I've seen your dragons 'playing' with each other, it doesn't seem likely."

Telgar Weyr> R'val sighs. Vidarth has made another green furious at him. ;)

Telgar Weyr> N'ren says, "Vidarth has a talent for that."

Telgar Weyr> A'ser mildly wonders who didn't see that coming?

Telgar Weyr> R'val wells, yes, he does. One of many reasons I don't do greenflights anymore...;}

Aurian rakes her fingers through her curls, "Look when A'ser is behaving i like him just fine and consider him a friend. But there are other times......" She just looks furious again.

A'ser comes out of the weyrling barracks.

Aurian watches A'ser with some suspicion.

A'ser marches back out, face red with fury. "I forgot my hat," he mutters angrily.

Aurian rolls her eyes.

N'ren tuts quietly, "That actually leads me to something that you really do have to concentrate on. You must learn to control your passions, especially when your dragons are young, as they are. And I don't necessarily mean sexual passions. Any severe passion, including hatred, can confuse and distract your dragon." He adds, lifting his voice, "This is applicable to you as well." This to A'ser.

A'ser stoops to snatch up the little floppish black hat, and retorts, "I don't have a temper!"

Aurian snorts.

R'val glances at A'ser, "Yes you do.

N'ren asks R'val, "May I?"

R'val glances at N'ren, "Allright. Don't upset their dragonets though, please."

A'ser snorts. "Sinse when?"

Aurian mutters something about, "Since Forever."

R'val grins, "Oh, since you were born, I suspect.'

N'ren looks over at A'ser, and, what the hell, over to Aurian. "To *attention*, Weyrlings."

Aurian snaps to attention.

N'ren grins evilly then, an idea forming in his mind.

A'ser stuffs the hat in his pocket, lazily drawing himself to a sulking form of attention.

N'ren eyes A'ser, then looks to R'val, "You allow them to do that?"

R'val shakes his head at N'ren mutely.

N'ren takes a deep breath. "Now, weyrlings. Turn to face each other."

A'ser stares at N'ren like he's got five arms.

N'ren has two arms, two legs, and one good eye. Close enough.

Aurian turns to face A'ser. She looks really uncomfortable.

A'ser crosses his arms and semi-demi-hemi-quasi faces Aurian.

N'ren waits patiently, "Did I make myself unclear, Weyrling?" Once the two are facing each other, N'ren walks to a position halfway between them and puts his arms out straight. "Now, the two of you walk until you're standing right behind my arms."

R'val steps back, watching the older rider and the weyrlings with some interest.

Aurian moves slowly and reluctantly towards N'ren's indicated position.

A'ser gives N'ren another look, wondering what on Pern the crazy old queer is up to. Slightly, kind of, he shuffles where told to.

N'ren drops his arms and steps back. "Each of you take one step forward."

N'ren mutters something about needing a Harper, but making do with what he has.

Aurian moves one slow step.

A'ser looks at N'ren and considers suggesting that he take a step---off a cliff---and edges forward.

Telgar Weyr> N'ren grins. "Anyone here who can play an instrument or something, ICly?"

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "I'm running"

Telgar Weyr> A'ser shouts, "I AM NOT DANCING WITH HER!"

N'ren grins evilly. And then says, "Now. Dance."

Telgar Weyr> R'val will whistle...?

A'ser speaks swiftly, "I don't. Ever."

N'ren steps back. He lifts his hand to his chin, apparently to watch.

Telgar Weyr> R'val is not sure he should be letting you do this N'ren, but since it looks funny...;)

N'ren adds, "I didn't give you a choice, Weyrling."

Telgar Weyr> A'ser ahems at N'ren. Per-vert.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn sends a few 'lizards to croon Blue Moon ala the mice in Babe. ;)

Telgar Weyr> R'val hms. The tune Blue Moon always makes me think of Smurfs...

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Not per*vert*. Per*vect*!"

Telgar Weyr> Devon thinks Aurian and A'ser go great together...like peanut butter and jelly.

Aurian coughs and starts to step back.

Telgar Weyr> N'ren says, "You're sick, R'val. ;)"

A'ser coughs lightly. "Can't and won't are very different things."

Telgar Weyr> R'val oys, THAT takes me back, Kassi. Haven't read those books in forever.

Telgar Weyr> R'val is a bluerider, N'ren, of course I"m sick O:)

N'ren nods, "I didn't say it had to be perfect. I want to see how you deal with a challenge. I want to see how well you can coordinate. And I want to see if you can divorce your emotions from your duty. Now, dance."

Aurian glances at N'ren, "Can you just assign us multitudes of push ups, or laps about the bowl?"

A'ser offers, "I like to break firestone, personally."

N'ren glances towards R'val, curious to see if he has picked up on what N'ren is doing.

Telgar Weyr> Maylia unidles, wades thru spam, and CHEEEERRRRSSS!!!! Good going, N'ren!!!!!

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "I thought you were my friend Maylia"

R'val glances at N'ren knowingly, clearly amused.

Telgar Weyr> R'val hi5s Maylia, and hopes someone is logging this ;)

Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, ".....Maylia.....up until you were free from the reaches of my pranks...."

Kvasith looks utterly confused

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "I am"

Telgar Weyr> K'tyn blinks. Oy. Go away for a few days and people go nuts.

N'ren responds easily. "No."

Telgar Weyr> D'thon yeahs!

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "Some one please!! Save me"

Telgar Weyr> Maylia grins evilly. I"m also yer AWLM... and A'ser, you play pranks on me and ICLY you'll be in the mucking trenches headfirst...

Telgar Weyr> A'ser Will save you. Watch this.

N'ren adds, "You don't have to touch each other. But you do have to dance."

Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "and I like trenches."

Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Save you, heck! I'm trying to protect a guest to the Weyr from a greenrider in rut; I have no time to save you! ;)"

Aurian peers up at A'ser with a great deal of trepidation

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn MWAhahahas...

A'ser looks at Aurian, suddenly demanding, "What do you mean, you'd rather do laps??"

Aurian clears her throat, "Well I think what I said had a clear meaning.."

Telgar Weyr> D'thon sends the flit peanut gallery to croon "When I Fall In Love".

Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "Aiyeeeeee"

Telgar Weyr> Kassima starts singing 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight.'

Tierth wheels overhead, dropping gently to a landing near the small group of weyrlings and riders. "Evening..." Maylia starts to call down, until she senses the tension.

A'ser snorts and leans close, jabbing the girl with his finger. "What's the matter now? Aren't I clean enough? Or don't you like black hair? Maybe you'd rather dance with S'dar??"

Aurian salutes Maylia rapidly and gazes up at her hopefully.

Maylia slides to the ground, giving Tierth a parting caress and a tender smile.

R'val glances towards Maylia and smiles, his expression amused.

Telgar Weyr> R'val says, "Lessee, Vidarth slurped Yasinth, A'ser and Aurian are dancing. Ok, this qualifies as an odd night."

Telgar Weyr> K'tyn grins. I'm leaving. Y'all are hilarious, but this is spam.;) Get it out of your systems, hm? It won't be tolerated.;) Heh. (Starts breathing real raspy like. Hm. Doesn't quite workd without a mask.) :)

Maylia walks the last few spans, brows drawn together as she looks between R'val and N'ren, then back to the w'lings facing each other. Her paces slow, and the greenrider groans, but she's obviously not going to interfere.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn gets kiat an oxygen tent?

Aurian steps back, "What? S'dar?" The girl looks like she's ready to faint, why can't she faint when she wants to.

Telgar Weyr> Maylia smoooches Kiat!

N'ren frowns. "Snap to attention, Weyrlings." There, just for a touch, was the Command Voice that would explain the ex-Weyrleader tassle on his knot. "Or I will suggest to Kerlyn that the both of you would enjoy making sure the Weyr's ice supply is complete as soon as you're betweening."

Telgar Weyr> K'tyn grins. Rather have you, J'lyn.:) :) Hee! Okay. G'night.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn BLUSHES!

A'ser waves his hands in expressive agitation. "She isn't happy unless she's pokeing me full holes with a needle! Sir!"

Aurian snaps back into attention.

Aurian mutters, "I had to stick you with the needle, you needed stitches."

Maylia clears her throat, saluting to Aurian and hoping that A'ser gets the hint.

A'ser growls out of the side of his mouth, "You enjoyed it!"

Telgar Weyr> Nimiriel says, "WOO! :)"

N'ren says, calmly, "Snap to attention or I also add that you would enjoy cleaning the latrines in addition to mucking your dragons."

A'ser's hears the hint, and gives Maylia the most bitter and yet hopefully please-get-this-THING-away-from-me salute Pern has ever seen.

Aurian silences her next retort.

Telgar Weyr> R'val says, "Can one really express all that in a salute, A'ser? I think you're stretching it ;}"

Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "I think you know not the power of my way-keen body language."

N'ren watches A'ser and Aurian, standing right across from each other. "Now. This is a coordination exercise. You will do it, or you will be punished. Now. Dance."

Aurian shudders visibly as she hears the order again.

"Not to mention the result of... ah, -thank- you weyrling," Maylia starts and stops as the salute is finally rendered. A quick, smart return salute, and the greenrider asks of the two full riders present, "What's happening now?" with just a touch of resignation. "Dance?" Of course, since R'val's standing there, he's more than likely given N'ren the permission to do this...

R'val murmurs to Maylia, sidling up to her, "I do believe N'ren is trying to teach these two to work together. I can't see as how it would hurt, so..."

A'ser glowers. He points to Aurian, "Anyone but HER."

N'ren pauses to nod to Maylia, and then turns back to watch the weyrlings. "If you're incapable of doing this, I'm certain your Weyrlingmasters will love to know that you're not capable of divorcing your emotions from your duties. One of which is *obeying* your superiors."

Aurian glares at A'ser, "Lets get this over with."

Maylia murmurs in response, "Perhaps he'll get it through their heads that they must learn that...WEYRLING! You WILL obey orders. And you WILL NOT be insubordinate to riders lest we remove all your priviledges."

Telgar Weyr> A'wyn says, "Hee. That must be my que. :)"

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Gah! Wyn! Ring bells or something! Yeesh!"

Telgar Weyr> R'val peers at A'wyn.

A'ser goes through some kind of mental twitch. A kind of, just for now, just this one time, sort of wrentch. He says, "My uncle taught me how. Don't step on my feet. The boots are new." Siezing the poor girl by the hand, with one quick glance at his own feet, A'ser obeys. And enjoys it. And plots....

Maylia moves herself to stand next to N'ren, physically supporting his requirements of the weyrlings. "And that does not mean that you get out of doing this. You don't learn to cooperate with those in your wing, ike it or not, you and your lifemate are dead. Now Dance."

Kheveth lumbers here from the south.

Kheveth half-lumbers, half-hops his way along the ground to watch things.

Aurian grumbles as she dances with A'ser, "Will you not step on my feet you huge dimglow.." She moves with him as much as she sort of hates this.

Dragon> Kvasith bespoke Telgar Weyrlings with << What are they doing? >>

A'ser snaps, "I am not stepping on your feet, dear, and if you don't stop hissing at me, I will throw you in R'val's arms and walk away, and never feel a touch sorry about it."

Dragon> Telgar Weyrlings sense that Tierth believes it's similar to a Flight. They yell at each other, then do this funny movement thing together...

Telgar Weyr> Nimiriel collapses, giggling.

Telgar Weyr> Aurian dies!

Telgar Weyr> Kassima howls with laughter at Tierth!

Telgar Weyr> A'ser faints.

Telgar Weyr> Maylia snickers. Had to. ;)

N'ren begins to circle around the two, muttering. "Oh, you'd feel sorry for it. Later. I would guarantee that."

Aurian shuts up at A'ser's words. Her eyes promising worse than a pile of wet laundry on his head if he lives up to his threat.

Telgar Weyr> J'lyn is DYING, here!

N'ren lowers his head, watching Aurian and A'ser's feet. "All right. Stop."

Aurian freezes the moment the order to stop is given.

A'ser abruptly jerks his arms away from Aurian and turns to glare at N'ren. "I am not going to dance with YOU no matter what you threaten."

Dragon> Kvasith bespoke Telgar Weyrlings with << That's what a human flight looks like? >>

Dragon> Vidarth bespoke Telgar Weyrlings with << Err, no. Not quite. >>

N'ren grins amusedly for a moment. "I never said you had to touch each other. Said the opposite, in fact. You chose to do that on your own."

Dragon> Tierth bespoke Telgar Weyrlings with << Sometimes. Though they usually touch each other more... >>

Aurian glares at A'ser as she realizes he touched her.

A'ser continues to glare in silence, lest he make it worse.

N'ren's face then goes abruptly stern. That's a little scary considering the scorched half of his face. "Now. Let me tell you something, weyrlings, as a rider who has been flying Fall for over twenty Turns." He waits to see if he has the attention of both weyrlings.

Maylia clears her thoat again towards A'ser. "Weyrling, N'ren is a full rider. When you are a full rider, you may speak to him as you choose, but for now you will be polite, in word, and manner." Not should. Not please. Not even must. Will.

Maylia's eyes dart towards Aurian as well, including her in the reprimand.

Aurian glances up at N'ren.

N'ren begins, "Firstly, you do show the beginnings of being able to work together. To coordinate your movements with each other. But it's something I think you two will need to work on. However, it's the least of your worries. Now. There's the matter of your ability to divorce your emotions from your duty. I underst⁡nd that you have been working on your bond, but when you're flying Fall, you must be able to turn your emotions *off*. Do you understand what I'm saying? You've both got friends in this group of Weyrlings, and, I hope, amongst the full riders. When you hear them scream in pain, or the keening of the dragons as another dragon dies in Fall, what's going to happen to you? Take it to the logical conclusion."

Aurian nods slowly, "Aye sir."

N'ren tells Aurian and A'ser, "I'm not telling you you can't *have* emotions. I'm telling you that when duty comes, you must put them away until later. Do you understand that? Do you see the reason for that?"

Aurian nods again as she listens.

N'ren nods. "In that case, I will turn you back over to your Weyrlingmasters."

N'ren nods to R'val. "All yours. And thanks."

Aurian shoves her hands into her pockets.

N'ren glances over at R'val again, "I guess that he's got nothing he needs to say."

R'val grins at N'ren, "Or he's just not saying it, hm?"

N'ren chuckles. "Or he's not saying it, yes."

Aurian watches both with her eyebrows raised.

N'ren comments, "You know, when you look like that, you have a perpetually surprised expression, Aurian."

R'val chuckles quietly to himself, "Farewell. Tis time for klah."

R'val walks south.

 Aurian says, "These days I am"

N'ren chuckles, "Why? You didn't expect that Impressing would be so much work?"

Aurian grins, "That's part of it."

N'ren asks, "And the other parts?"

Aurian tilts her head, "Events like this."

N'ren shrugs, "All your lessons are an attempt to give you the ability to survive Fall. We still lose some Weyrlings on occasion, either dragons or riders or both. We can't really simulate Fall itself, but we can get very close. You're talking about life-and-death here. We have to be hard on you."

Aurian nods, "I know, I stood before one of my friends lost her dragon while she was a weyrling." She sighs for a moment.

N'ren nods. "They give her a mercy drink?"

Aurian nods, she rakes her fingers through her hair.

N'ren nods, "Well, not as good as going Between with your dragon, but..."

Aurian glances over at Kvasith silently.

N'ren shakes his head, "In any case, I'm going to head back and get some sleep."

Aurian nods slowly, "Night N'ren."

N'ren nods, snapping off a salute. "Good night, Aurian." He turns and walks towards his dragon.

Aurian salutes as she watches him go.

N'ren steps up onto Kheveth's proferred foreleg, and swings himself up onto his back with the help of the straps.

Kheveth takes flight, using the thermals rising from the bowl to carry him aloft.

Above, Kheveth flies towards the south end of the bowl.

Aurian walks over to Kvasith, "I need. A very very long soak in the hot springs."

You pull yourself up on Kvasith, carefully using the straps and the thoughtfully provided foreleg.

Kvasith springs into the air and catch the thermals rising from the bowl floor to carry you aloft.

The Dragonriders of Pern © 1967 by Anne McCaffery

All characters ©1998 By their Players