No, really. You have to be *interested*.

[aidagirl]

Who: Aspen, Aida
Where: Kitchens!
When: Day 17, month 2, turn 2 of the 7th Pass.
What: Aspen and Aida discuss being social and the necessity of being pleasant and interested in other people. Or at least faking it.



It's morning, just a bit after the breakfast rush, and activity in the kitchens is tapering down, as workers take a breather from cooking and cleaning up. A few give desultory wipes at already clean countertops, while others are putting away the brooms and mops. In the middle of this squats Aspen, sitting on his heels and letting his arms dangle over his knees, staring restlessly at an oven.

She may not actually work in here, but Aida is at least something of a familiar face. She slides into the kitchens on light feet, her hair still a bit damp. Yawn. It's the last legs of waking up, it seems. The young woman circles around to snag something off of a tray to the side, and is heading for one of the other girls with a smile when she catches sight of Aspen. She stops, lifts an eyebrow. Blink. Blink. No, he's definitely just sitting there. Original path forsaken, she instead heads for him. There's a curious look given to one of the kitchen workers. What is he doing?

Aspen rocks back and forth on his heels, swaying side to side in between forwards and back, generally proceeding in erratic circles. Abruptly he stands, takes a few steps forward, sniffs the air, then returns to his original watch with a faintly disconsolately grumpy air. "He's waiting for a tray of sweetrolls. Apparently it's traditional for him on even days." A plump, matronly kitchen worker volunteers the information, pausing to lean on her broom. "He's laid claim to the whole tray." Aspen sits backwards, landing on his bum with a loud thump, crossing his legs, and leaning his chin on his hands. "I think the oven must be slow." he says accusingly.

Understanding dawns at the explanation, and Aida flashes an appreciative smile towards the woman. "I see," she replies lightly. "Thank you." With curiosity satisfied, she slips the rest of the way over to where Aspen is now sitting, drawing up beside him and crouching down herself. The oven is eyed silently for a few moments, and then she's glancing sidelong to him and pointing out, "I think that it's just taking longer because you're watching it. With all of your focus there, the time drags by." Beat. "Hello." The infirmary aide offers over a warm smile.

"Hmm." Aspen digests that for a moment. "Hullo. How are you doing some weather we've been having how is the family." The questions run together in the form of a statement. There's a slight pause. "I've been told to work on my 'social skills'." Finger quotes frame the phrase. "Is it working?" Aspen is staring fixedly at a corner of the room. An astute observer might note that he is making an effort to only look at the oven with his peripheral vision.

Turning her head to eye him instead of the oven, Aida can't help but grin as she shakes her head. "No, I don't think so," she tells him, voice threading with humor. "I believe there is some sort of requirement as to pretending to care about the answers or some other such nonsense. Or so it is said. How are you doing? Aside from being told to work on social skills and being impatient for your rolls?"

"Oh." Aspen is doing a lot of digesting of words and not food today. "Hm." He draws his knees in, hugging them. "Why am I supposed to care? That's the part I don't understand. You're obviously doing just fine, I can poke my head outside if I want to know about the weather, and I don't know your family. You do have family, right?" Aspen checks quickly to make sure. "Well. I'm hungry, and I think I just sat on a wet spot. Or maybe the floor is just cold." Twitching to one side, he cranes his head over his shoulder, peering down and contorting to get visual confirmation. "Other than that, simply..." He rolls the word around on his tongue for a moment. "...peachy. That is to say, quite well, and not soft, easily bruised, and covered with fuzz." Just to clarify.

Twisting around to ensure that the floor beneath her isn't wet, Aida decides that it isn't and plops down beside him, pulling her legs up so she can sit cross-legged, her hands folding into her lap. "I didn't say you had to care," she points out, shaking her head at him. "Only that you should pretend to. And it's not about any of the little bits of small talk or what's asked that you're supposed to care about, it's the person you're having it with. The small talk just displays that you have some measure of interest in speaking with them. If you *don't* show any interest in somebody, then they'll think you think they're not worth your time or any other number of things." Beat. "And I'm glad you're well." No comment on the family.

"I /am/ interested in you." Aspen insists, continuing to stare up at the ceiling so he can watch the oven out of the corner of his eye. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be asking. Except I'm not quite sure what part of you I'm interested in." Eyes refocus briefly, glancing her over from head to toe. "Your head, I suppose. How to get you to want to talk to me." Squint. Peer. Back to the ceiling. "A lot of people aren't worth my time. I don't think so, at least." He squirms, shifting restlessly on the cold stone floor. "You're the one who's been doing a lot of shouting recently, aren't you?"

Giving him an amused look at the once-over she gets, Aida laughs quietly and shakes her head at him. "A lot of people might not be directly, but it's always good to at least pretend that they are, if only politely. It makes everything easier. Like any of these girls," she gestures around at the kitchen staff, "Might not be always considered as worth it, to you, except that they could probably help ensure that the rolls are always ready when you want them." A shoulder is shrugged, and she chuckles. "I don't think I'd consider it a *lot* of shouting. I've had a few arguments lately."

"You have a very distinctive shouting voice, you know." Aspen informs her in all seriousness. "It makes it hard to concentrate sometimes. Try to keep it down." From his cross-legged position, he leans forward, balancing on his hands and knees, sniffing the air and eyeing the rolls before settling down once more. "Well. It seems much more efficient to just tell them what I want, instead of spending that extra time lollygagging about. I offered to set up a messenging system for them, but they turned it down." He looks a trifle disgruntled at that. "I don't think that looking makes a difference in how fast it bakes." This is a plaintive observation.

"You've still been looking at it," Aida points out innocently, glancing that way before swinging her attention back to him and offering a small smile. "And it's not just the looking; it's the focusing on it. If you let yourself get distracted from it, it'll go faster." Beat. "It /is/ more efficient just to say 'do this', but it isn't as pleasant. And pleasant is required for people to live together like this."

With a grunt, Aspen heaves himself around to face the other way, squatting on his heels once more. "There. Not looking." But if he looks at Aida just-so, he can still just catch the edge... "Pleasant. Hm." He turns, baring his teeth in a grimace which is probably meant to be a smile. A very unnatural expression on his somber face. "I had an idea. Presents. What if I gave things? No, wait, I don't have that much funds." He ponders for a moment. "I could give interesting shaped rocks. There are quite a few, just out there in the Bowl, and nobody ever seems to do more than just walk on them. Saw one that looked just like the Headmaster, until a dragon landed on it and broke it."

Bringing a hand up to cover her face with splayed fingers, Aida makes a little squeaking noise. This is likely do to her doing her absolute best not to bust up laughing. She clears her throat after a moment and lowers her hand, offering him up a smile. "Presents aren't going to help," she tells him, voice only a little strained. "You can't bribe pleasantness. /Especially/ not with rocks. Now mind, presents would help to a certain extent, but it's not going to solve your issue. You cannot get around the necessity of being social, and that requires that you interact pleasantly with other people at least sometimes."

Aspen eyes Aida suspiciously as she covers her face. "Hm." He sits back once more, folding his arms atop his legs. "I could always become a hermit. Or find a cave. Or a basement room. Or all three. Then I wouldn't have to deal with people." he sounds more than a little wistful for the idea. "Okay, so no rocks. And pretend to care. Make sure they have my sweets done ahead of time." It's enumerated with the air of someone taking notes. "Anything else I should know? I'm making a list."

"Only a bunch of things," Aida points out, shaking her head. She sends her own look towards the oven, then looks back to Aspen again and offers him a small, apologetic sort of smile. "Being social and things...well, you were told to /work/ on your social skills for a reason. It's not easy. I could run down a list of things you could try, but not all of them would work for you, and they might not fit, or any other number of things. It's practice, just like getting good at anything else. But yes. The big one is -- if you actually bother talking to somebody? Try and sound like you're interested in what they say."

Aspen screws up his face, thinking. "I think the reason is that the Headmaster has a peculiar sense of humor." It's not so much that Aspen is socially incompetent, it's more of his being...socially uninterested. He doesn't scratch inappropriately, stammer, make strange noises, or smell funny. He just... doesn't care. "I think that list might be helpful. I'll get one from other people and compile a master list. Turn it in to Sefton, maybe." he ponders. "I'll try to pretend to sound like I'm interested." he promises vaguely, his attention arrested by the sudden movement of a particular kitchen worker. The skeletal old lady is headed for /his/ oven!

"I think that you should trust the Headmaster has more reasons than a sense of humor," Aida points out, exhaling a soft sigh and turning her eyes to watch the kitchen worker. She, at least, isn't going to interfere. A shake of her head, and she looks back to Aspen. "People..." She exhales a sigh, wrinkling her nose up at him. "You should talk to him about this more. I am hardly an expert source."

Aspen gives that a moment's thought. "No, no, I'm sure that Sefton does many things simply because it appeals to his sense of humor. Anything else is simply a bonus." Is she going for it, is she going...? Yes! Aspen leaps to his feet, following closely on the heels of the kitchen worker, hurriedly snatching up a basket and an odd-looking triangular piece of metal. The use of this piece of metal becomes fairly obvious as the old lady, with a long-suffering air, clips the sheet onto the tray and uses it to slide the sweetrolls, one by one neatly in a row, into the basket. "Breakfast." He says with a satisfied air, heading for the exit. Aida, apparently, is forgotten, in favor of whatever comes next in the strange man's head.

And he's gone. Aida is in the process of lazily pushing up to her feet when she registers Aspen heading for the exit. She blinks mildly and stares after him for a few heartbeats, and then she's laughing and rolling her eyes. "And sometimes, he does things because they really, really need to be done," she comments to herself, shaking her head and turning to head back to the girl that was her original target, smile reappearing on her face.

Who: Tavaly and Aida
Where: Living Cavern
When: Middle of the night, same day.
What: Tav invites Aida to the slumber party.



In the middle of the night, I go walking in my...right. Aida is not sleepwalking and looking for the river of dreams, right at the moment; instead, she's got herself planted in a chair at one of the tables, a plate of cold food in front of her that she's picking at. It's not earnest eating, the attention she's giving to the leftovers, but it is at least eating. She seems more interested in watching what little movement goes on in the rest of the cavern, zoning out just a bit. The aide doesn't look particularly tired, more awake for the hour than most people ought to be.

Cold or warm, the voracious Tavamonster that enters the living caverns, all growly-stomached, doesn't care. She launches herself at the table's late-night and sort of meager offerings and heaps a plate for kings. She automatically shuffles to the table where the girl is sitting and plops down opposite her with a brief,"Eve'n." Before stuffing her face. OM NOM NOM! Grumflesnichslurp.

Lifting her head and focusing in on the Tavamonster, Aida's face promptly lights up with pleasure. "Evening," she greets, giving a nod to go along with the words. "I think this is where I pretend at something of intelligence and not query to make conversation...'hungry?'" Her tone for that holds a light tease. "How are you, Tavaly?"

"Aside from tryin' to tame the evil beast in my belly, pretty good. How 'bout you, gal?" Tav asks, pausing in her face-stuffing a moment to actually speak. Sort of. "Lookin' good, for this weather. Maybe we'll not get snowed on tomorrow." She props her feet up on a third chair at their table and slouches. Oog.

Aida continues lightly picking at her own food, even less attention devoted there now that she's got another person at the table. Still, there is nibbling. "I've been doing very well, thank you," she replies. "It's been a good few days." There's a glance cast towards the tunnel to the bowl, and then she chuckles and looks back. "A lack of more snow would certainly be nice for those that appreciate warmer climes," she agrees. "Though I don't much mind the cold...does it interfere badly with flying?"

Tavaly pauses at this, questioning her poor brain. "You know, it might, if Immath weren't so in love with it being freezing. Thinks the cold is the best to fly in because everyone else is slow." She shrugs. Then eyeballs. "You've never been up on Immath's shoulders, have ya?" The girl asks, a meatroll sticking out the side of her mouth.

Laughing lightly, Aida gives an agreeable nod, easy grin turning up her lips. "Well, it's good that she likes it. Certainly better'n her being miserable about it," she replies, finally giving up on the food and flopping back. She shakes her head at the question, smiling. "I have not, no. I...have not much experience with being upon dragons at all."

"Well, we'll need to see that changed. Especially for tomorrow night, and all." Tav says, a twinkle of mischief wreathing the pale blue of her eyes. "Aim to have a bit of a slumber party tomorrow. You wouldn't happen to be interested in attending, wouldja?" Tav asks, cracking a small grin.

Blink. Blink. Aida gives Tavaly a puzzled look, tilting her head to the side. "A...sleeping party?" She asks, her tone touching towards a bit confused. Only a moment is spent in consideration before the facts fall neatly into place, and the confusion is thus replaced with understanding. The smile returns, though there's a bit of wonder to it. "Yes! I most certainly would be, of course. It's very kind of you to ask me."

Tavaly beams at the girl, nodding her head. "It'll be t'morrow night and on to the followin' mornin'. Got just about everythin' set up, so's all y'gotta do is bring yourself, some sleepin' clothes, and maybe something from the kitchens." Tava likes her foodfood.

"Okay," Aida agrees, offering up a warm smile. "Sure, I can most certainly do that. Thank you. You've got it all mostly set up, you say? Are you sure there's not anything further I can do to help? Anything in particular you want me to try and snag from the kitchens?" She perks up a bit further, sitting up in her chair some. It's not quite 'excitement', but it certainly borders in the arena of such.

At the questions, Tav's grin becomes purely maniacal. "Well.. those tart-things.. If you could manage to, maybe, sneak a few..dozen of those out." Whistle. Another cackle. "This is gonna be awesome. That makes.." Tav can count, really. "Uh. Five. I think. Great!" The girl's head cants to the side and she pauses, stare going blanker than normal. "Ooo, tired dragon. Crud. Looks like I've gotta git to the saddle and get on to bed, myself." She rises, clapping Aida on the shoulder. "Great! See you tomorrow, then?"

Bringing a hand up to pat the fingers that clap her on the shoulder, Aida flashes up a grin. "I'll see you tomorrow," she promises, smiling warmly. "Both of you sleep well, and give Immath my regards. A few dozen of those tart things...should be easily enough arranged. Thank you, Tavaly."

Who: Naros, T'zen, Essdara, Aida
Where: Living Cavern
When: A wee bit later in the night.
What: Aida apologizes...sort of...to Naros. T'zen has troubles sleeping. Aida is mean, and then Dara and Aida decide to make Naros into a better person. Poor Naros.


In the process of sliding up out of her chair, Aida has a plate with a little bit of food left on it in hand, and she's apparently done with it. The young woman moves across the quiet cavern to set said plate in the appropriate tub, then brings a hand up to ruffle it through her hair. There's a glance given around before she smiles to one of the few other late night people, and she wanders over to stand in front of one of the fires, inspecting the flames with a distant curiosity.

Naros eases his way into the caverns. He comes from the kitchen area with a mugh in hand at this our more than likely klah as the steam rises from it. He has a scroll case tucked under his arm as he makes his way towards the fire to search for a seat. He blinks as he appraoched the one in particular and freezes for a moment. He waits watching Aida for a moment before clearing his throat to offer a mild, "Miss Aida."

Shifting on her feet when she hears her name, Aida glances over her shoulder towards Naros, studying him silently for a long few moments with an entirely neutral regard. Eventually though, she simply gives a slight dip of her head. "Sir," she greets politely, and turns her head to stare at the fire again. Not particularly the most friendly, but at least she's not already screeching at him.

Naros arches a brow seemint not sure what to do for a moment and then rolls his wide shoulders to tuck himself into a seat placing the mug on some table before hima nd beginning to open the scroll case to start his reading. Occasionally his eyes flick up to study Aida for a moment then back to the material.

Her hands folding behind her back, Aida doesn't seem inclined to speak with him, or really even acknowledge his presence more than she already has. There is study of the fire and her gaze zones out a bit, focusing not on the flames but on something beyond them, entirely distant. If she's aware of his staring, no indication is given. It's the 'I'm ignoring you' game.

Naros looks up a few more times before shaking his head. He straightens in his seat and begins to read contently tapping a foot absently against the stone floor.

"You're well today, I hope?" Aida asks, the question coming entirely out of the blue. She doesn't even look his way when it's asked, and her tone holds that same distant note that her eyes did moments before as she was studying the fire. Vague curiosity. But hey, at least she's speaking to him now. Even making small talk.

Naros inclines his head, "Yes. I'm... alright. Life continues to be... interesting." He admits in a bit of a slower drawl than usual apparantly trying to be careful. He looks up from his reading to study Aida quietly again.

"I imagine so," Aida comments noncommittally, bringing a hand up to brush a stray curl out of her face. She finally shifts on her feet again and turns towards him, slipping over to plop down into the chair across from him. There's a long moment of quiet that's spent not quite looking at his face before she states quietly, "I apologize for the other evening, with Neiran and the other student. It was...unfair of me to call you out in that situation in the fashion that I did."

Naros pauses for a moment hesitating. He then places the scroll down too, "Thank you. I apologize for my own actions. I would not have meant to hurt you. But I was upset at the time and felt well... threathened." He admits studying her again quietly.

"I am not speaking of the incident in the baths," Aida states quietly, turning her head to stare directly at the fire again. "Only calling you out in front of your peers. As far as the incident in the baths go, *I* felt as if you were attempting to hurt me. All I did was climb out of the water when you moved after me. I believe I am well within my rights for being upset that a clothed man physically went after a naked me."

Naros offers mildly, "Well I am sorry about that. I didn't like what you said to me and about me. But that was no excuse for my actions." He shrugs his shoulders, "But again, thank you. I appreciate the apology."

"There is a very large gap between word and violent action," Aida maintains softly. "But thank you for the apology." Her attention swings back to him, and she offers a thin smile. "Still, I will do my best to forgive you. I will state that I doubt it will be anytime soon that I am comfortable around you."

Naros shrugs his shoulders, "Not much I can do to change that now. Some things just take time and effort. Most things aren't done in an instant or with a few words." He reaches for his mug of klah to take a sip. Naros is seated in a seat near a fireplace while Aida stands the two apparantly chatting in a slight distance.

Aida actually claimed a chair at Naros's table! But she is sitting and chatting quietly, her eyes settled on the man's face, her demeanor...chilly. She's not outright cold, but there is a definite measure of both distance and caution there. The cavern is quiet at this hour, most of the busyness having faded away to leave only a few handfuls up and around and moving. It's late like that. At Naros's words, the aide gives a nod of agreement. "Indeed," she says. And that's that. "Have you been settling in well?"

Boots shuffling along the floor, T'zen saunters in, pace suggesting he has absolutely nowhere important to go. His feet guide him towards the serving tables, and his eyes take in nothing but food. The man's on autopilot at this time of night, apparantly.

Naros is just slow like that. he blames his scroll he was reading. His shoulders shrug lightly, "As well as one can considering all the mayhem that's trailed me. Well we will see. Classes I'm slowly getting settled into. They will... undoubtedly prove an interesting new challenge. The Dragons are at least an interesting subject to study and there are pleanty of readings about them."

For all that she's playing standoffish with Naros, Aida's face lights up when she catches sight of T'zen. She sits up just a bit, waving a hand around to try and catch his attention as best she can. There's a chuckle at Naros's words, and she nods her agreement to them. "It will take a great deal of getting used to, I imagine. Are you enrolled in Headmaster Sefton's politics class, or is that later on for you?"

It takes practice to be this focused. Or dense. Whichever, it isn't until there is a pastry in T'zen's hand and a mug filled with klah does he realize there is even motion besides his own in the cavern. He peers up, recognizes Aida, and offers a quick grin before proceeding to devour the pastry. Once that task is underway, he shuffles over to where the other two are. "Allo," he greets, mouth full. "Late night, eh?"

Naros tilts his head to follow Aida's look curiously. He offers T'zen a quiet nod, "Hello. Mmm most are." He admits ruefully before glancing to Aida, "I haven't signed up for it no. I'm sure if I do take it it will be much later if ever."

Leaning over to kick out one of the chairs when T'zen approaches, Aida flashes a bright smile up towards the bluerider. "Hey," she greets him. "And yeah, it is. I was on the evening roster for the infirmary tonight, so I just finished eating. How are you? Do feel free to join us. It's good to see you, especially when you're not armed with way too much snow." A wink, and then she's glancing to Naros again. "If you do take it?" She queries.

Mug clops onto the table, set just careless enough some klah sloshes onto the table. T'zen makes about the same move into the chair. Thud. "Snow," he mutters. "Well, we be gettin' snow. Gotta do somethin' with it." He chews thoughtfully at another bite of pastry, before filling the air with, "Late night. Figured I'd be asleep by now.. but.." He trails off, after considering the reason, and decides against saying it, instead saying, "Figure I'd get somethin' to eat, and try again."

Naros offers wryly, "Well. Politics in case you hadn't guessed isn't exactly my field. And I didn't think most smiths needed to take the politics classes. I'll probably do some for mercantilism, and other crafts and the like mostly." He admits. He blinks then at this arching a brow, "Snow? Hmmm were there more ice eggs being made?" He asks T'zen curiously.

"That's not going to help, you know," Aida points out, giving a little gesture to his mug and lifting an eyebrow speculatively at T'zen. She relaxes considerably after a moment, the tension that had been wound through her frame for the interaction with Naros giving way to a far more comfortable posture. Naros's words have her nose wrinkling up again, but all she says is a light, "To each their own, I suppose."

T'zen blinks. "Ice eggs? What in shells is that?" He gives Naros a good look-over, and hmphs. Maybe that was friendly. "Caucus, eh? Smithy, you say?" He offers a casual wave, before going back to his pastry. "T'zen, with blue Uneth." Then back towards Aida with a look that clearly shows how much he cares about the table. Or the small puddle on it. "What've you been up to, Aida? Settled in the infirmary and such?"

Naros studies Aida for a moment at her words then just shrugs again. He glances towards T'zen and then nods, "Yes. Well it's good to meet you. Ah yes the Gold... I think Roa said the name was Tialith, she was practicing for when she has a clutch. So they were making snowballs in the shape of eggs so she could practice caring for them. It was.... an interesting sight."

"The drink, not the spill," Aida points out with a grin, gesturing once more to his mug. "It'll help keep you awake. You should be drinking a tea if you want to sleep." With that said, she gives a light shrug of a shoulder, shaking her head in response to his question. "I'm well settled, yes. Feels like home already, I've my routines, all of that...nonsense." She sort of trails off with that, turning her head so she can blink at Naros and his explanation of the eggs. Blink. Blink. Blink.

T'zen is mid-drink when Naros says 'clutch' and 'Roa' in the same sentence. He sputters, and then laughs out loud. "Roa?! Tialith? Shards, man, that's the funniest thing I've heard. I gotta find that 'woman. Won't let'er live that one down. Practicin'." He snickers, and then peers at his mug before looking at Aida. With another look, this time on how much he cares about tea. With verbal help: "Ain't a tea person. Klah does me fine. And I don't typically have trouble sleepin'. It's Tav and her late night wanderin's what keep waking me up." He snorts, and finishes off the pastry.

Naros shrugs, "Well I mean practicing and training is good. Though I'll admit does strick me as... a bit unique." He admits chuckling as well. Though not quite sure how amusing it is. They're all rather strange of that he's sure.

Aida chuckles a bit herself once she's recovered from the startle, though there's not a great deal of laughter. She shakes her head and leans forward to the table, resting her elbows down on it and linking her fingers together. "Practice...is good, yes," she agrees, voice threaded with amusement. She rolls her eyes and makes a face at T'zen in response to that look, flashing him another grin a beat later. "Just trying to be helpful," she points out. "And I can imagine that would not be good for sleeping. She was here just a bit ago, actually -- grabbed something to eat herself before she went off to go deal with things and then rest."

T'zen takes a swig of klah, laughter finally dying away. "What? You saw 'er? Tav? Like, how long ago?" His natural pout appears as he peers at Aida. He mutters something to himself, looking back at his klah.

Naros blinks at this curiously. He arches a brow at the bit change of topic. He takes a sip of his own drink again looking back and forth betwene the two.

Aida blinks a bit at T'zen's peering at her, giving him a curious look herself. "Yes? Tavaly. And...I don't know. A while? I was eating? Maybe an hour and a half?" She gives a little shrug of her shoulders, lifting her hands and spreading them in a helpless sort of gesture. "I wasn't paying much attention to the passage of time, unfortunately. But I know she wandered off to eventually go get some sleep? We talked for a bit."

The bluerider watches Aida again closely, before deflating a bit, grin appearing on his face. "Ah, right then. Will find her later." He leans back in his chair, glancing at Naros. "And you. Didn't even tell me your name, methinks." He points his half-full mug at the young man. "So what sorta Smithcraft stuff do you do? I was minercraft afore I came here."

Naros ahs and offers, "Apologies. Naros, I try to do... machines really. Things that make lives easier. I try and invent things though I'm still an apprentice. I grew up at Greystones so I knew a lot of miners and the like, so I used to try and build things that could help lift things. Using ropes or long beams, things like that where a man can lift more than he could otherwise." He says proudly.

Looking a bit puzzled by the close attention, Aida gives T'zen a curious sort of look, but doesn't comment on it. She simply nods agreeably to his notation of finding the greenrier later, settling down into her chair and falling quiet. The man's questions of Naros have her attention flitting that way, and...she listens, for the time being, kicked back and comfortable.

T'zen nods, attention more on his mug than Naros. But at the last moment, his eyes flick up, remembering something. "Ah. Pulleys. Methinks there was something being set up at m'Pa's hold. To help with the haulin' o' the gems we dig out there. Right fine trick, what you can do loopin' ropes about." He finishes off the remainder of the klah in one grand gulp. "Smithcraft. I like Smithcraft."

Naros nods at T'zen, "Yes, pulleys amongst other things. Very useful and not too bad to make once you have the hang." He then nods, "It's a good craft. I hope to solve a lot of problems."

The blurider nods, appreciative. Lots of manual labor makes one appreciative of helps. "Aye, that. Not sure what you'll find at Caucus, but like the concept o' what you're doin'." And he peers at his mug. Huh, when did that get empty? T'zen settles his chair, and rises, nodding to the pair. "Right. Well, I best be tryin' to find sleep again. Well met, Naros. Night, Aida." And with a wave, he drops the mug somewhere near the dirty dishes bins, and saunters out the door. Alas, he's not shuffling. Klah really did wake him up a bit.

Naros offers quietly, "Exposed to different thinking that's my hope." He nods to T'zen, "Take care rider. Have a good night." He offers as he starts to lift his scroll again for reading.

Giving a wave after T'zen, Aida flashes a warm smile after him. "Night," she calls, watching the rider until he's out the tunnel. With that said, she chuckles softly and shakes her head, looking back to Naros. Thankfully, she doesn't tense back up. "He's a nice guy," she says, tone conversational.

Naros inclines his head, "He seems quite alright." He offers carefully as if that's quite some praise.

Aida brings a hand up to brush it through her hair, eying Naros curiously. "So what classes *are* you taking, right now?" She asks, tone curious.

Naros admits, "I haven't sorted them all out, but at least one one on metals, another on history, and another on dragons. I'll probably try and add two more."

Aida nods agreeably, chuckling and tipping her head side to side in thought. "More classes are good; the more learning you can manage the better, I'm sure. I would honestly suggest that you try and get into the Headmaster's class if you are at all capable of doing so -- he's a phenomenal teacher, and I can't think of anyone that wouldn't benefit from it in some fashion."

Naros pauses at that and nods, "I'll look into it I suppose. I'm sure it's a rather hard class to get into. But I'm sure it couldn't... hurt at the least." He admits carefully studying Aida at this almost warily.

"How can learning hurt?" Aida asks him innocently, giving him a wide-eyed look to go along with it. "It's a good thing."

Naros smirks, "Well it depends on how hard the teachers throw things at you."

Aida blinks mildly, then shakes her head rapidly. "Oh, I *seriously* doubt you'd have to worry about the *Headmaster* throwing anything at you, Naros. Really. Do you think he'd be in the position that he's in if he threw things at his students?"

Naros chuckles softly, "I haven't met a teacher who actually would yet. But more than a few have been tempted. It was.... a joke."

"What is this 'joke'?" Aida asks, giving him a puzzled, furrowed brow look. "I am not sure what that word means."

Naros eyes Aida for several moments, "It's like... something not serious."

Aida continues on with that puzzled look, an eyebrow lifting now as her head tilts to the side. "I don't understand what you mean," she tells him, her tone solemn. "How could something not be serious?"

Naros furrows his brow and then tries to sort out how to explain this. He takes a moment, "Haven't you ever said something to lighten the mood?"

Aida looks lost. She really does. "Um...no?" She replies, shaking her head at him and frowning. "Why would I do that?"

Naros's furrowed brow gets deeper and deeper as if trying to put this together, "To... for fun!" He says in exasperated confusion.

Essdara comes into the living caverns from the lower caverns, a jacket pulled close around her and a frown on her face. Ahh, insomnia. She makes her way to the serving tables to get a mug of klah to warm herself up; people are ignored.

Aida blinks mildly at Naros, apparently unaffected by his exasperation. The two are sitting together at a table by the hearths, apparently having a...civil? conversation. "For fun? But...why would you do that? I don't understand."

Naros has a mostly empty mug of Klah, his eyebrows doing a mild dance as if trying to sort things out. He glances around and then notes someone familiar, "Essdara! Can you explain to her what a joke is?" He asks desperately gesturing at Aida.

Essdara looks back at them, startled. Naros and Aida, sitting together? She moves in that direction, a bit confused. "I could, but I am pretty sure she knows. If you told one, maybe it just wasn't funny?"

That? That does it. Aida chokes. She positively chokes, sputtering and coughing and eventually managing to get the laugh out. She is cracking up, there's no other way to put it, laughing so hard as she is. Both hands come up to her face, and...she just laughs.

Naros nods at Essdara, "It wasn't but it wasn't thi..." He then watches Aida break up into laughter. His nose crinkles as his face screws up, "You were making fun." He accuses.

Essdara looks between them, clearly confused. "You two are very strange. I thought you hated each other, anyway?" She drops into a chair with a sigh. "If you are going to be up a this hour, at least act /normal/!"

The accusation from Naros just makes her laugh harder. Her feet kick a little bit and she squeaks with it, pale cheeks turning a bit red. Aida keeps laughing, she does, but she *does* at least nod her head vigorously in agreement. Yes. She was making fun. Nod nod nod. Laugh.

Naros grumbles softly and mildly glares at Aida before shaking his head and sighing. He glances at Essdara, "She's making fun of me. Besides I don't think either of us are good at normal."

"True, that." Dara agrees easily. "I am sure if she was making fun of you, Naros, that it was a step up from yelling at you and trying to get you kicked out of the weyr. Which would you prefer? I am sure I could get her to change her mind..."

Gasping for air, Aida does her best to calm herself. She's still giggling, but now she's breathing, too. She eventually trails off, gasping for air and shaking her head, grinning at the both of them. "I couldn't /help/ it," she points out. "I mean...come on. 'What is a joke?' I was initially trying to be /funny/." She beams over at Dara. "Hello, oh best friend of mine. You would be shocked to hear that I apologized to young Naros here."

Naros raises a hand up to rub his chin, "Yes... well I suppose it is good." He sniffs, "Well I thought you might be. But then you did it so... hrmph." He wriggles his nose and then just quiets glancing between the two again.

Essdara looks shocked, indeed. She eyes Aida curiously. "Is that how you made fun of him, then? Aida, you should be /nice/ to people like him, it makes for far less trouble." She looks to Naros, and smiles a bit. "It's not fair to tease someone who doesn't know you are."

Aida laughs again, bright and amused. She leans over to try and get ahold of Dara's mug, making eyes at her. "May I have a drink?" She asks, all cheer. "And it was /funny/. I can't help it." Beat. "And that was not how I made fun of him. I apologized and meant it. The making fun was 'what is a joke?' and then me playing stupid as he tried to explain to me what a joke was. And it was *funny*!"

Naros chuckles softly shaking his head ruefully, "Yes. Well... Hrmph I suppose it might have been." He says shaking his head and chuckling a bit before offering, "Well.. anyways perhaps it's just a sign I'm tired. It was... nice... seeing you both again but I should be off to rest before tomorrow. I hope you have a good rest of the night or... well morning."

Essdara waves after him and shakes her head, as she lets Aida take her klah mug. "Aida, my love, you are a very odd cookie, you know that? I think it's why I love you, but it's very true. I'm glad you don't play with me like that. Often."

"I couldn't help it!" Aida protests, taking the mug and settling back to take a good long drink from it after she waves brightly after Naros. "Seriously. He said 'it was a joke' and I went 'what is a joke' and he took me /seriously/ and then I couldn't stop." She pauses, and then busts into giggles again. "I think I'm tired."

Essdara giggles softly, "You must be. I mean, I can see how it would be amusing, but even still. He's... An odd person. Why did you decide to apologise to him, in the end?"

"Oh, I apologized to him for calling him out in front of his peers, not for the thing in the baths," Aida clarifies, shaking her head. "And for that, he deserved an apology. It was rather foul of me."

"So was what he did, but I won't say I am sad to hear it's all in the past, now." She gives Aida an approving smile. "So, you can't sleep either, or what's the deal?

Starting to say something to the initial statement, Aida seems to decide against it. Instead, she just smiles and shrugs a shoulder. Another drink is taken from the mug, which is then offered over towards the other girl. "I was on the late evening roster for the infirmary; I just finished eating not all that terribly long ago."

Essdara nods, "Aye, that'll do it. Me, I gave up after a few hours of trying to sleep. Fell asleep fast, and then had a nightmare." A shudder. "Not been able to since. Anything interesting in the infirmary tonight?"

Aida wrinkles up her nose, then leans over to give the other girl's shoulder a squeeze. "Sorry about the nightmare," she offers softly, the sympathy in her tone very sincere. "That's hard. And...no, not much of anything terribly interesting happen today, thank /goodness/. It was a quiet evening."

Essdara smiles, "I guess, for you, quiet is a blessing with your job? Ah, well. It's just a nightmare, get them a lot. More, since I found out Tava got a Threadscore... I can't believe she and Ana are near thread now."

Aida wrinkles up her nose, gives a little shiver. "She got hurt? Damn," she says, frowning. "That's...no good. I can see why you'd have nightmares. And...yeah. Quiet, with my job, is very much a blessing. I'm glad Tavaly is okay. She's really nice."

Essdara smiles. "She is, very much so. Probably my best friend after you. It wasn't bad, just a glancing blow off her arm, but it still really drove home that they will be up there soon, fighting and dying with the rest." She looks over at Aida, "How do you handle it, Br'ce being in Fall?"

Mouth opens. Mouth shuts again. Well, that dampens the cheer a good dose, and she sinks down in her chair a little bit, offering up a small smile. She looks stricken, first by the 'they'll be up there soon, fighting and dying', and then doubly so by the question about Br'ce. "I don't think about it," she points out, tone touching wry. "I...tell myself he's not going to get hurt. He's going to be fine. It won't be him that comes in wounded. Complete denial, I guess. It won't be them. This time, it won't be them."

Essdara nods softly, and smiles a little. "This time." She sighs. "It gets harder, when there are more up there." She says, simply. Then she notices Aida's reactions, finally, and winces. "Shards, I'm sorry, Aida. You don't need to be dealing with this crap, you get enough of it in the infirmary. Umm. So. Let's talk about something else? How /is/ Br'ce?"

Shaking her head lightly, Aida offers up another small smile. "Don't apologize; it's something I have to come to terms with," she points out quietly. "I'm with one of the riders. It's something I face every fall, when they start bringing in the wounded. My heart stays in my throat the whole time until I've found out who fell, if anyone did, until I know that no more wounded are coming in. It's...something I have to learn to deal with. It /is/ 'this time', and it isn't ever going to get any easier." One shoulder is lifted in a shrug, and she turns her eyes to the fire. "He's well. Very well. He's been very busy; they all are, with the falls that we've been having. But he's doing good."

Essdara makes a face. "Me, I hide from it. I spend my time in the kitchens, working as hard as I can, and by the time I come out it's all over. Then... I just find out who was hurt, who was lost, this Fall. And hope it's not someone I love." She chuckles softly. "Yeah. Riders are busy, aren't they? I wish it wasn't so, I miss her a lot."

"Yeah," Aida comments quietly, nodding her head in agreement and bringing a hand up to rub a finger at the bridge of her nose. "Me too. I wish they had more free time, but such is not to be. Maybe now that..." She trails off, catches her words, snaps her mouth shut. Two heartbeats of a pause, and then she chuckles. "Maybe it'll start getting better."

Essdara tilts her head, curious. "Now that what?" She queries. "I hope once the weyrlings graduate they will get a bit more free time and freedom. They are pretty much busy from morning till night now, and exhausted the rest of the time."

"They've a lot of training to do," Aida comments agreeably, swinging her attention back and offering a slight smile. "And I was only going to say that perhaps the new leadership might make a difference in things, that's all." One shoulder is shrugged.

Essdara says, "Oh. Yeah, well, J'cro seems like a really competent weyrleader, I think he and Yevide will be very good for the weyr. Not that there was anything /wrong/, but it seems like the right time for a change, you know?""

Aida nods easily, offering a warm smile. "It does," she agrees softly. "I think that it will all be very good for everything." A deep breath, and then it's exhaled softly, a little bit of tension escaping. "It feels like forever since I showed up here, you know that?"

Essdara chuckles softly and nods. "Truly, Aida, I feel like I've known you forever. And in reality, it hasn't even been a turn, has it?"

Aida shakes her head quickly. "Not even close, not really," she says, smiling wryly. "Only a few months. It's amazing how quickly I've gotten settled, isn't it? How quickly everything changes?"

Essdara smiles. "So many changes in such a short time, it is amazing, yes. You are a catalyst to everyone around you, dear. And I don't think that is ever going to change. I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse though!"

"A catalyst?" Aida asks, tilting her head thoughtfully. She considers this for a long moment, then laughs and shake sit off, rolling her eyes and flashing a smile. "Maybe I am, at that. Hopefully the changes brought are good."

Essdara smiles, "They have been, for me. And for Br'ce. I think even Naros will come out the better for it, once he gets over being teased. There might be a pleasant person under all his bigotry and stupidity."

"Hunh," Aida comments, nose wrinkling up again as this is thought about some more, various things running around in her mind. The smoke is almost visible, wafting out of one ear. "There may very well be, with Naros," she notes absently. "And if there isn't one, I'm sure we can sneak one in when he's not looking."

Essdara chuckles softly, "Think we should work on that? He does genuinely seem to not want to be offensive, he just has no idea what that really means."

"I almost feel sorry for him, having heard the words 'think we should work on that?'" Aida laughs, offering up a bright grin. "But yes, I do think we ought to. I'm sure we could manage to make some sort of difference."

Essdara laughs softly, "Oh, I do think we shoudl try. What better service could we ever do for the world?" She reaches for her mug, now cold, with a wrinkled nose. "Will give us something to think about other than other things, you know?"

Aida gives a very agreeable sort of nod. "I think we should," she states loftily. "So we shall. It will definitely give us something to think about and to work on, and it certainly will be a benefit for everyone involved."

Essdara giggles softly. "Oh, that poor man. He's not going to know what hit him when we are /nice/ to him!" She stands, "I need more klah, you drank all the good bits."

"Oops?" Aida states, lifting her chin and flashing a grin up at the other girl. "Since you're going over there, you want to bring me a mug, too?" Her eyelashes are fluttered, and she makes a hopeful face to go with it. "And...no, he's really not going to know what to do."

Essdara rolls her eyes and gets two fresh mugs. "So... What else can we talk about, Aida? I'm not ready to sleep, but if I think, the nightmare comes back. So you get to pick the topic, ok?" She wanders back to the table.

Aida reaches up to take the new mug back from the other girl, wrinkling up her nose and considering. Eventually, she tips her head from side to side and asks, "Heard anything new being said about our new leadership situation?"

Essdara shakes her head, "Not too much. People still butter a bit about an Igen takeover, but like I said, what can they do really? I think as they settle in, and people realise they are Good and Talented, it will settle down a lot more."

Aida gives an agreeable nod. "I'm somewhat interested in the specifics that people have to say," she notes. "And the kitchens are a good place to hear that sort of thing. If you hear anything in particular that's not just the same nattering on, would you let me know, maybe?" An eyebrow lifts to go along with her verbal query.

Essdara waves a hand, "Already told you, and the Weyrwoman, that what I hear, you will both hear. I stand by that. Why are you so interested, other than knowing what's going on? What did the two of you talk about that afternoon, anyway?"

Aida gives a dip of her head. "I just wanted to make sure; I've been keeping an extra ear out myself, but it's good to have a few that don't belong to me, as well." She smiles, shaking her head. "I covered the teas, and we just chatted a bit. It wasn't anything more than what we all talked about that morning."

Essdara nods, looking unconvinced. "Well, if I hear anything, you will be the first or second to know. I try to get people to say good things about her, but her approval is about the same as mine, and with much the same people, ironically. So not much I can do there."

"It's not like there's anything to worry about," Aida says, smiling and shrugging one shoulder. "I cannot wait until things settle out, really. At least things have been staying pretty calm."

Essdara nods enthusiastically. "I was talking to Da about it a bit, he's all in favor of it. He says that the new Weyrleader has the experience we need, and I agree."

"Oh, really? Oh, that's great," Aida says, smile brightening further. "I hope that that's how a lot of the riders feel. I wonder..." She trails off, then shakes her head and chuckles. "I should ask Br'ce."

Essdara says, "You wonder what?" She makes a cross face, "I hate when you do that, start to say something, and then say something else. C'mon, what is it?"

"I can't help it! Sometimes my mind goes too fast for my mouth to keep up," Aida counters, grinning over at the other girl. "I wonder how the majority of them feel, that's all. I am just terribly curious, I really am."

Essdara laughs softly, "Ah, yes. The opposite problem to me, who has a mouth that goes far faster than her mind, most of the time. And the riders are even more used to this kind of stuff, I imagine it will be pretty easy for them?"

"I would think so," Aida comments thoughtfully, gazing at the fire briefly before she shakes her head and offers Dara another smile, refocusing back on the other girl. "It's all very interesting, don't you think?"

Essdara shrugs a little. "You get used to it. Changing leadership is a fact of life at the weyr. I mean, not every turn or anything, but it always has an air of temporaryness to it, you know?"

Aida doesn't respond immediately, mulling it over in her mind for a long moment before she just offers another smile and nods agreeably. "I imagine I will eventually get used to it," she says. "Anyway, enough about that. Your turn to pick a subject!" Beam.

Essdara chuckles and ponders that for a few long minutes. "Hmmm. I dunno. I've had a boring life recently. No trauma, no highs. Just steady on. I did hear a rumor, thugh, that Rysia and K'sar have made their arrangement more permanant... As have Tavaly and T'zen!"

"Sometimes, boring can be good," Aida points out, smiling. "It's nice to get a breather from the crazy once in a while, isn't it? Though those rumors are fantastic, on both counts. I'm happy for everyone involved."

Essdara nods, "Oh, I am not complaining, don't get me wrong! After the way the turn started, I am happy to have a break from it all! Everyone is healty and happy, and things are settling down. I hope the next fourty-eight or so turns go as well!"

Aida laughs, nodding swiftly. "Me too," she agrees. "It would be nice for life to go smooth. Unlikely, but we can dream, huh?" She goes through the rounds of a careful stretch, bringing a hand up to stifle a yawn before she takes a drink from her mug. "So if I needed to make a mark or two around here, how would you suggest I accomplish that?"

Essdara tilts her head, "Why would you need to? And there's always things to be done, you should get something for your work in the Infirmary, no? You could find something that needs doing, and someone willingto pay for it? I've never had that much need though, 'cept the turn's end dress, and I confess my parents chipped in there..."

"Damn," Aida laments, chuckling and shaking her head. "I was hoping you had an idea or three. I...well, there's things like the dress, or other sorts of things -- I'd just like to be able to earn a little bit, you know?" Beat. "/Presents/, and all."

Essdara perks up. "Oh, I /see/. See, I was wondering that a bit myself, but I think I figured out something that is both free, and much more meaningful. Maybe just make him something? Or give him something of yours that is special?"

"I wouldn't know what to make, and...I don't really have anything that's special," Aida says, shrugging a shoulder and smiling wryly. "Unfortunately. I could think about making something, I guess. I wouldn't even know what to begin to make, though. Hm."

Essdara makes a face, "I dunno. It's a hard question, but you are a smart girl. Maybe write him soemthing, or something like that? Draw a picture?"

"Can't draw, wouldn't know what to write," Aida comments, wrinkling up her nose and shaking her head. "He likes poetry and things, but I...do not think I could manage to write a poem, and I would feel /very/ very silly."

Essdara giggles softly, "But he knows that, and that would make it all the sweeter that you tried, right?" She thinks. "I'm not so good with that kind of thing myself, though I'd probably try if it was for Ana."

"I think I may have to pass on the trying to be romantic," Aida states a bit darkly, shaking her head and giving a little shudder. "It is not my strong suit. I'll...figure something out. Eventually. There's gotta be something I can do."

Essdara is quiet a long moment. "Maybe start small? You can cook, why not make him a special breakfast or something, get a weyrling to fly you up to his ledge and surprise him with it? If you wanted, I'd help you with it, but I seem to recall you being pretty good at it yourself?"

"It's something for me to think about, at least," Aida comments lightly, offering a reassuring smile. "I need to go try and get some sleep, though. Are you going to be okay if I sneak off to do so?"

Essdara yawns a bit. "Actually, I think I will do the same. I feel more relaxed now, and hear my cot calling my name."

Aida offers a warm smile, slipping over to give Dara a brief hug. "Good," she says. There's a last drink taken from her mug, and then she's taking it over to set it down where it goes, yawning and stretching. "I'll see you in the morning?"

Essdara nods, standing to follow suite. "Well, probably later, unless you are in the kitchens. I'm always up before you have even stirred. Sleep well, Aida."

"Oh. Well, yes. See you...tomorrow," Aida comments, hand ruffling through her hair as she begins to wander off that way. "See you in my morning, which is when I get up." Yawn. "I've got another late shift tomorrow, thank goodness."

Essdara chuckles, and follows after her to the dorms, and to her cot for the night.