Sitting on the dock of the...
Who: Idraila, Jakkal, Javeri, Niala, Sunniva
Where: The docks
When: Evening. Umm. Not sure. During candidacy.
What: Candidates gather on the dock and discuss the hatching, robes, and after hatching parties. Javeri strikes a deal with Sunniva for some beads.
The sun has set within the last hour or so and while clouds block out portions of the sky and there are occasional, violent gusts of wind, Jakkal can be found laying on midway down one of the mostly neglected docks. Neglected as in there are only two ships tied to it, of course, not that it is falling to pieces. His head is leaning back on his folded arms as he watches the stars above between interupting clouds.
Someone else must have predicted that dock to be a neglected one, too. Idraila's voice sounds surprised when she comes across Jakkal laid out across the boards. "Hello." That greeting made, she continues on a hesitant second later, picking her way gently around him so that she has access to the very end of the dock. The view there is unfettered by the bobbing silhouettes of ships, all lapping waves and gusty clouds as wide as the eye can see. She seats herself on that edge, letting her bare toes dangle toward the water, though it's only the unusually high wave that actually gets them wet.
Sunset is a nice, relaxing time, and Niala's taking full advantage of it. She looks relatively rested, a change from recent days. She closes her eyes, feeling the wind on her face and in her hair. Thus, she doesn't see Jakkal, or anyone else really. Like she's been for the past couple of days, she appears pensive and thoughtful. However, day's end brings about lots of changes, including changes of mood; there's a small smile playing about her face. A sigh, and she opens her eyes to start at the evening sky. "What do you think's up there?" A silly question, not really meant for anyone in particular.
Jakkal glances over at Idraila's greeting, but as she offers no further comment, he simply leans over, slightly out of her way until she's past. Settling back upon the boards, Jakkal hears Niala's question and lifts his head to glance in that direction before leaning back down.
Idraila's face tilts toward them both over one shoulder, her gaze remaining for a hanging few seconds before she directs her attention upward. "Stars," she ventures with a dryly humorous tinge in her tone, though it's harder to detect without a clear view of her expression. "A few clouds."
Before being searched Javeri spent a fair amount of time down at the docks. After all that was where to find the sailors. The potter turned candidate doesn't seem to be looking for sailors this time though as bare feet slap against the dock. Instead she seems to just be out for a walk. In one hand she has a piece of fruit that she takes a bite from before stopping to stare out at the water.
Niala grins. Even when thoughtful, she can comprehend humor. "Well met Idraila, well met..." She makes her way over to where the two candidates are. "So, how have your days been? Busy and filled with seemingly worthless chores I presume." Now she stares out at the water, muttering mostly to herself. "Soon, very soon we'll know if our lives will change forever. What the future has in store for us." She sighs and plops herself down on the edge of the dock, watching the waves lapping at the supports.
"I don't mind the Chores," Jakkal states evenly, his voice the low rumble of his old 'whispering' tone, "Everything else is suddenly up to chance..." He sighs, leaning over to face Niala and Idraila's general directions, offering a wave to Javeri when he spots her. "Consider your earlier question honestly for a moment. We don't know... No one expected the comet, did they? We have no clue what might come. The only thing we know is that those eggs are bound to Hatch eventually, and that when they do we should be quick on our toes.
Out of the corner of her eye, Idraila watches Niala near and Javeri arrive. Slowly, she sucks in a breath, and out with it comes the patience to respond. "Yeah," is all she says, in a measured and bland tone, a polite if short response. But her attention remains on the heaving waters below her feet, hair draping down to cover her features.
"You know what the problem is?" Javeri asks of no one in particular. "We're expected to work, work, work our butts off and if we try to do something fun we get slapped." She shakes her head and toes at the dock with one bare foot. "And if we impress there goes all our fun for another what? Turn and a half?" She looks at the others and grins. "I am going to throw a huge party if I don't impress and I expect everyone else who might not to be there as well. We'll celebrate not having been able to celebrate. And I mean it I expect everyone who isn't paired up to be there."
Niala giggles at Javeri, while giving Idraila a curious glance. "If I can be there, I will Javeri, don't you worry. I don't mind chores most of the time, as long as they're outside and I'm not sitting around doing practically nothing. But yeah," a sigh, "lately it has been all work, very little play. Even /I/ get tired of that. It's like they expect us to work more as the eggs get harder and harder."
A casual stroll along the beach is what has brought Sunniva closer to the docks -- and closer still when she sees the shapes of people. Soon enough, she finds herself picking her way along the docks themselves, footfalls coming just a hair faster when she starts to recognize first voices, then faces. A small wave is offered as the candidate approaches the others, a low-pitched, "Hello," spared for them all with a smile.
Jakkal smirks at Javeri, "Your answer is a party? No, not for me, thank you. I'll be going on a hunt. That same night, the next day, the soonest as possible once its over with. Assuming, as I do, that I'll make it out of there in one piece and without another mind permanently lodged in my head." He tilts his head at Javeri though as he adds, "You feel that having unconditional love during that time won't make up for it several times over?" His voices never goes over the low rumble, and there's nothing around to really make an echo, but he's confident that they all hear him well enough. He offers Sunniva a wave at her greeting, but doesn't seem to want to disrupt his question by further comments on his part.
Idraila is most likely listening to the others' conversation-- she has an ear cocked back at them at any rate-- but she makes no attempt to join in it really. Other than a faint, awkward smile at Javeri and a shrug for Niala, she remains still and quiet. But then Sunniva arrives and requires a greeting; Idraila furnishes one, turning around from where she sits at the very end of the dock, toes draping down, to show her a wider smile and a small wave.
"Ok then. Big party then for those of us who don't impress. We'll drink twice as much for those who can't." Javeri looks at Jakkal and shakes her head. "You're a very dull person," she tells him with a grin. "Which is perfectly fine if you're happy, but you never seem real happy either." Sunniva gets a wave when she appears and she catches her up. "Party at the Sandbar for those of us who don't impress. No party at the Weyr, no pity, no caring. We're going to get hammered and sleep on the beach." Nothing makes you feel better like a hangover the next day after all. "If I can't throw the party then someone else better too. Because it's a great idea. I just want to have fun."
Sunni's here! Niala turns and waves, beckoning Sunni closer, eyes lighting up. I'm better, see! Talk of parties seems to cheer her up even more. "Don't worry Javeri, I'm sure someone will plan this party. I think we're all getting a little stir crazy here. Though," eyes glance over toward Jakkal, squinting and twinkling impishly, "going on a hunt sounds fun too."
Approach, she does, though she heads a bit further along and to a side of the dock, not far from where Idraila is -- and with a warm smile tossed her way. To Niala, a brighter smile and a matching wave -- and pleased, too, for the look on her face. Sunniva doesn't sit right away of course, but instead focuses on pulling her shoes off. Her attention flicks to Jakkal with a nod, then a blink at Javeri. "Oh? After the hatching feast, you mean?" she wonders, pausing in mid-unbuckling of a sandal strap. The rest of the details are still settling in her mind, but she seems to have no immediate response. "I could, perhaps, make something for it." Assuming a lack of Impression, but that seems to be her default thought on it all.
Jakkal grins at that, "Respectfully, Candidate Javeri, we never spent time together before being Searched." He shrugs, "Give me a hunt, a runnerbeast to train, a herdbeast to help foal. Training, swimming, shards, even butchering. I'm content." He motions towards his fellow ex-Stablehand, the only one he had contact with before becoming a Candidate, "Ask Niala." He shakes his head, "But drinking to excess and being around large crowds has never been my idea of entertainment or amusement."
"There's going to be a big celebration after the hatching already," Idraila pipes up, reminding them, "There always is." No need for another, clearly. She shifts in her seat, angling herself more toward the group, though her feet remain dangling. She nods at Sunniva, the hatching feast, exactly. That bit is all she contributes for now.
Niala stands up, looking up at the darkening sky and the stars. "It's getting late. I've been having trouble sleeping, so I like to get an early start." Smirk. "It's been nice talking to you all and getting to know you all. Hopefully, we'll stay friends and stay in touch after everything's said and done." Yep, she's a cheery one.
"Not after the hatching feast. Instead of it," Javeri says with a grin as a bare toe nudges at the dock again. "Hatching feast is all well and good for those who impressed and who want to celebrate, but come on. I have no desire to hang out with a bunch of people I barely know. You're all welcome to it if you want, but I'm not talking big party." This last is said to Idraila with a shake of her head. "You know what then forget it anyway. I'll just invite people who are more fun. This is what I mean. They work us to death and it just sucks the life right out of everything."
"To be fair, I did rather enjoy the hatching feast at the 'Reaches," Sunniva remarks, but soon enough, she's sitting on another section of the dock, legs dangling and shoes beside her. She hunkers a bit forward, glancing down at the water thoughtfully. "But, that also would be grand fun," she concedes, shoulders rising, then falling, "so we shall just have to see. After all, all that planning would do no good if we all Impressed." This is paired with a faint sort of smile and a tilt of her head back to look at the others.
Jakkal lets out a booming laugh as Javeri continues her plotting. "Well, best of luck then, assuming you don't Impress or that anyone else runs it in your place." Already on his side, he rolls over, upon his arms to push himself to his feet after Niala's gone to bed. He glances about thoughtfully though, his gaze finally settling upon the field of clouds and stars reflected upon the water.
Idraila's expression, as shadow-shrouded as it is, can be seen to become more awkward when Javeri turns her attention to her. "I didn't mean..." she meekly starts, then gives up with a weak shrug. "I didn't say it was a bad idea," she continues a beat later, quieter still, and just the slightest bit grumpy.
"It's fine," Javeri tells Idraila with a shrug of her shoulders. "Was just a dumb idea anyway. Stupid." Her head drops some and she shuffles over to the edge of the dock to stare down into the water. "I just want it all over so I can get on with my life already. Sometimes I think I should have never said yes at all. Then I could be doing what I want and not stuck with stupid chores."
"It wasn't dumb," Sunniva's quick to reassure, twisting around a bit to motion at Javeri -- to draw her closer, if possible. There's plenty of room next to her, after all. Jakkal is also motioned to, for much the same reason. "If not the day of the hatching, perhaps a few days after, so we can throw a better celebration. That might be the best way to approach it." Then, it's a glance to Idraila before a general, "It ought to be soon, though. We just need to stick it out for a little longer and then it shall all be over. I heard bets positively /flying/ the other day among some of the dragonhealers."
Jakkal's head snaps towards Idraila as her final comments sink in. "I'm not the only one?" he offers, his voice a soft quiver. He shakes his head and presses his lips together, "I'm just looking forward to getting away from crowds and staying outdoors as much as I can. Getting my life in hand, as it were." He frowns at Sunniva, "It's soon, all right, but I don't see why I had to make my own white sack to wear out there." Ah yes, the classic, sew the bits together and cut out head and arm holes, approach.
It takes more than Jakkal's complaining to push Idraila to frustration, but the sigh she lets out is hardly as calm and settled as she normally is. She doesn't respond to them, no matter how they make her feel. "It won't be much longer," she agrees with Sunniva with a slight nod, her experience giving her confidence in that sentence at least.
The whole idea gets dismissed from the potter's mind as she sits down on the dock and swings her feet. Javeri, who has been complaining more than usual lately, lets out a loud sigh. "Can't be soon enough. Do they last long? Hatchings? I've never been to one so don't know." Jakkal gets a look and a faint grin. "I'm just trying not to bleed all over my robe. Nothing seems to be working at all." Looking back at the water she lets out an annoyed sound that's not quite a growl. "I just think the whole thing goes on forever and ever. Why do they even search people so early? It seems to me that it could wait a little bit. Hmph. I missed three special orders and dad's taken on an apprentice." Yep. That was a growl. At least the reason for her bad mood is a little more evident.
"You did not have to make your own, Jakkal," is uttered with gently restrained mirth, "you could have just found one from the stores. Or, if you felt like asking me nicely, I could have helped." As she's done for a few of the more fumble-fingered candidates. Sunniva shakes her head with amusement, then glances back to the water. "I have fixed mine, but I think it is a little lopsided. How about you Idraila?" There's a bit of a wince at Javeri's words, "Hatchings do not take long ... they /feel/ like they do until they are all over." Shoulders lift, drop, and she adds, "They search us early because they want us to learn to work together early on. Just in case."
Idraila blinks at Sunniva as she transitions from listening to speaking once again. "Oh. Um, I just use the same one," she explains, her eyes glancing briefly across the faces of the other candidates. "Just kept it after a while." She looks at Javeri next, but her gaze wavers quite a bit before she brings herself to tell the other woman, "It's not anything to be worried about. Goes fast enough."
Jakkal says, "Fast enough while you're watching from the Galleries," Jakkal rumbles out with a shrug, "Then again, I'm lucky if I remember a handful of individual Impressions, though." He turns away from the water with a grin to Sunniva, "Naw... I don't want to attract the prissy greens, remember?" he offers with a wink."
"I just want it over one way or the other you know?" Javeri says with a sigh as she stares out at the water and continues to swing her bare feet over the water. "I can't get the hem on my robe straight at all. If it at least stays put then I will be happy." Lifting one hand to fiddle with one of the beads in her hair she looks over her shoulder. "I bet it seems forever, yea. But that's ok. I can deal with the forever if I know the end will be almost there, you know? Either way this whole candidacy will be at an end. That's what I look forward to."
"Oh, hush. It is not as if I would toss some frilly bits of lace at the hem," Sunniva teases Jakkal, though her gaze flicks quickly back to Idraila with a thoughtful inclination of her head. "I suppose that would make it convenient, wouldn't it? I suppose I would have been better served keeping the other one," but then she frowns and discards the thought easily enough. There's a glance to Javeri again, "As do we all, I think. Surely, no more than a sevenday or two." Or three. Or four. Sigh.
"Some people think it's bad luck," Idraila tells Sunniva, on the subject of kept robes. She shrugs, seeming at once to agree and disagree with the sentiment; she hasn't Impressed yet, after all, but she keeps doing it. Looking out into the deepness of the darkening waters again, she mutters, "It'll end when it ends." She's moved past all the worries the others have, so it seems, and on to indifference.
Jakkal nods, "Well, best of luck ladies." He turns away from the group, his voice soft as it reaches them, "I'm going to need a proper run about the bowl before I'll be ready to sleep."
"G'night, Jakkal," Javeri says with a wave. "Eww. Running. I do not get the whole running thing at all. When you're not doing anything? But, have fun anyway!" She's wished him luck and then looks at Sunniva and Idraila. "Will they make me take my hair down? Because I haven't had it out of braids in...like turns. Ivor and the others said they really liked it and it was easy to maintain so I left it."
"Oh. Do take care, Jakkal," is tossed along after the lone male candidate, Sunniva lifting a hand in a small wave. Then her gaze shifts to Idraila, a wry quirk to her mouth as she says, "It might be. I have heard, too, that the ones with the blood and oil stains are also good luck, if they are not torn." Surely a sign of Impression, of course. But then her attention shifts to Javeri, appraisingly, then, "I- well, I would think so?" But she's not sure and the only other authority on hatchings is Idraila, who she immediately looks to.
"Goodnight," Idraila offers the male candidate among them, no more than glancing at him as she delivers her farewell. She's happy to let Sunniva handle Javeri's question, but when she senses eyes on her, she looks up again and blinks. "It shou... I don't see why they would make you. Cooler to have your hair pulled back anyway."
Jakkal nods again, sending a wave over his shoulder as he heads towards the Weyr proper, already lengthening his stride into a run.
Pulling her feet up and scooting back on the dock Javeri lets out a sigh of relief. "Good. I didn't know, you know? It's not been entirely clear. And I can still pull it all back so it's not hanging in the way." She laughs quietly before adding, "I sure don't want to have hair in my eyes and get run over by some newly hatched dragon." There's a shiver from her at that. "I mean if I don't impress I don't want to get hurt. I'm really not pretty enough to handle scars too."
"I think, yes, as long as it is out of your face, it ought to be fine," though the beads are worth another wary look before Sunniva just nods to Idraila's words. Silent, then, for a long beat -- feet swinging, gaze flung out to the far edges of the water, as far as she can see. "I think we shall all be fine, for the most part. The ones I am most worried for are the ones like Borley and Rian, you know?" But, then, it's back to silence and a thoughtful shaking of her head.
For all the hope she gave the girl, Idraila counters with, "But they may make you hack it off, if you Impress," her voice frank and even, though her smile has a touch of compassion in it. For Borley and Rian, she simply gives a weak shrug and nod, agreeing, but not exactly wholeheartedly.
"It's true. I thought I was being a clumsy mess, but every time I was in the infirmary I could count on seeing Borley there." Javeri toys with her hair and her beads clacking one against another and listening to the sound thoughtfully. "If I impress I suppose I won't mind so much getting rid of my hair. It's not that long though. Oh, well." She lets her hair go and fiddles with her skirt instead. "I'll miss the beads. I made them all. I used to get little commissions with them."
There's a thoughtful little noise from Sunniva, a glance to Idraila and then a self-conscious touch to her own hair. "Would Balinne expect that of us if we did Impress, I wonder," is purely rhetorical at this point, her attention sliding, consideringly, to Javeri. "You could always look forward to making them later. After it grew out, if that were the case." There's a pause and an idle drumming of fingers on the docks. "How much did you charge for the beads?"
Idraila swings her feet at the incoming little waves, though her toes hardly reach them. "You'd get them back eventually," Idraila tells Javeri, agreeing with Sunniva as she pushes herself away from the edge of the dock and then up to her feet, hands brushing potential splinters harmlessly off. "I think I'm going to head to bed, too," she murmurs, giving both candidates a little wave as her only farewell before she turns. She pads barefoot down the length of the dock, heading vaguely Weyr-ward down the beach when she reaches sand again.
Back to her hair goes her hand and Javeri says, "I don't think I'd mind too much cutting it off." Then Idraila announces her departure and whatever she was going to say changes to, "G'night!" and a wave. Then she looks back to Sunniva and shrugs her shoulders. "It depended on what they wanted. How many, how fancy, how much they could afford to trade. I like making beads so any excuse to do so was a good thing. I've still got to track down P'draig and give him the bracelet I made. I was seeing him pretty regular, but then once I was done that was it. Amazing how that goes."
And as Idraila moves to leave, Sunniva lifts a hand to her as well with a familiar, "Do take care." And then ... there were two. She cants her head to Javeri, turning slightly to look at the other young woman. "Are you still able to make them? On your time off, I mean. Do they have the means here to do so? Because I know someone at Fort who does some wonderful beadwork and thought she might like some different beads to work with." There's a bit of a blink to the last, then a slight nod, understanding.
"Oh, yea. The set up here at the Weyr is amazing," Javeri says gleefully. "I haven't got to do a lot with it, but I could make the beads real easy." She taps a finger against her lip and nods. "I could make some. Just plain beads? What sort of size are we talking about?" She taps her finger against the one at the end of a braid. "Like here? Or a bit smaller? Or a bit bigger? And how many? I would happily spend free time working on something rather than sitting around waiting and waiting and waiting and worrying. Even my scheduled worrying doesn't help."
"I, oh! That is wonderful to hear," Sunniva brightens, hands clapping delightedly together. "I suppose- oh, a bit smaller than those," her chin is pointed at the braids, "plain? Or can they be different colours? I think greens and yellows and some brown if you could do that." A pause, a glance to her hands. "Perhaps- two good handfuls? Enough to fill," she pauses, then cups her hands together, "this?" And she looks hopeful, though is quick to add, "I could do something in return, of course. I cannot do much, but if there is something I /could/ do, then I will happily do so."
Javeri's eyes focus first on one of the beads in her hair to gage it's size and then she looks at Sunniva's hands. "Sure. I could to that. Colors are just a matter of glazing them before baking them. It's not that hard. I should be able to get all the materials." She lets her hair go and chews on her lower lip with closed eyes. "Ok. I think I know how many to make. First chance I get I'll get to work on them." She smiles for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't really know what I need right now. But if I think of something I'll bring it up. Well, I need time to fly faster, but that's not happening. You can just tell people how brilliant a job I did for you. Cause if I don't impress I'll have to make a living somehow now that dad's gone and gotten an apprentice."
"Oh! Oh, thank you, Javeri," and she brightens -- as if that were honestly possible -- and shifts her weight a little. "I am sure she will love them. And, well, perhaps having that to do will help you some? I know that time goes so much faster when I have something of my own to work on as well." And since Javeri doesn't seem to have anything in mind ... well, Sunniva nods, just a little, with a momentarily thoughtful expression. Then: "Oh, I am sure your father would take you back, if you did not Impress." There's a slight pause, then she frowns and adds, "Wouldn't he?"
"It's no problem. I really like making the little stuff more than the bigger stuff anyway. The big stuff is neat, but a plate is a plate is a plate." Javeri tips her head to one side as she laughs. "I suppose a bead is a bead is a bead," she adds thoughtfully before shrugging. "But it doesn't feel that way. It will definitely help the time go. And, you know? Sometimes a little break from everyone is nice. I'm not all anti-social like some people are." No names are mentioned, of course. "But some alone time is great. As for my father, I don't know. He's barely talked to me since I got searched. And he never worried about any official apprentice before. You'd think he could have done fine without one now. I mean he could have at least waited to know what would happen with me."
There's a slight shake of her head and a murmured, "Well, beads would take more effort, since they are so small -- wouldn't they?" Would that explain it, even? She doesn't know. Sunniva does, however, seem to fully sympathize with the next, "Oh, yes. Yes. Sometimes that is- it is just necessary, to get away. To be alone with your thoughts or just-" and she shrugs, having no particularly good way of describing it, but trusting Javeri to know what she's getting at. Her nose wrinkles at the last, head shaking a bit with unspoken -- but plain -- dismay. "Hopefully he will be better with things after." One way or the other.
"Yea, well, I don't care." Javeri says this quickly and then thinks to add, "About my father. I did just fine without a mother and I can do without a father too. It will serve him right. No apprentice will be as useful as me even with their oh so great craft training." Hmph. Standing up now she smiles at the other candidate. "I'm so excited! I'm going to go get started before bed!" Socialize? When there's clay to play with? That would be ridiculous! "I'll see you later, Sunniva!"
Where: The docks
When: Evening. Umm. Not sure. During candidacy.
What: Candidates gather on the dock and discuss the hatching, robes, and after hatching parties. Javeri strikes a deal with Sunniva for some beads.
The sun has set within the last hour or so and while clouds block out portions of the sky and there are occasional, violent gusts of wind, Jakkal can be found laying on midway down one of the mostly neglected docks. Neglected as in there are only two ships tied to it, of course, not that it is falling to pieces. His head is leaning back on his folded arms as he watches the stars above between interupting clouds.
Someone else must have predicted that dock to be a neglected one, too. Idraila's voice sounds surprised when she comes across Jakkal laid out across the boards. "Hello." That greeting made, she continues on a hesitant second later, picking her way gently around him so that she has access to the very end of the dock. The view there is unfettered by the bobbing silhouettes of ships, all lapping waves and gusty clouds as wide as the eye can see. She seats herself on that edge, letting her bare toes dangle toward the water, though it's only the unusually high wave that actually gets them wet.
Sunset is a nice, relaxing time, and Niala's taking full advantage of it. She looks relatively rested, a change from recent days. She closes her eyes, feeling the wind on her face and in her hair. Thus, she doesn't see Jakkal, or anyone else really. Like she's been for the past couple of days, she appears pensive and thoughtful. However, day's end brings about lots of changes, including changes of mood; there's a small smile playing about her face. A sigh, and she opens her eyes to start at the evening sky. "What do you think's up there?" A silly question, not really meant for anyone in particular.
Jakkal glances over at Idraila's greeting, but as she offers no further comment, he simply leans over, slightly out of her way until she's past. Settling back upon the boards, Jakkal hears Niala's question and lifts his head to glance in that direction before leaning back down.
Idraila's face tilts toward them both over one shoulder, her gaze remaining for a hanging few seconds before she directs her attention upward. "Stars," she ventures with a dryly humorous tinge in her tone, though it's harder to detect without a clear view of her expression. "A few clouds."
Before being searched Javeri spent a fair amount of time down at the docks. After all that was where to find the sailors. The potter turned candidate doesn't seem to be looking for sailors this time though as bare feet slap against the dock. Instead she seems to just be out for a walk. In one hand she has a piece of fruit that she takes a bite from before stopping to stare out at the water.
Niala grins. Even when thoughtful, she can comprehend humor. "Well met Idraila, well met..." She makes her way over to where the two candidates are. "So, how have your days been? Busy and filled with seemingly worthless chores I presume." Now she stares out at the water, muttering mostly to herself. "Soon, very soon we'll know if our lives will change forever. What the future has in store for us." She sighs and plops herself down on the edge of the dock, watching the waves lapping at the supports.
"I don't mind the Chores," Jakkal states evenly, his voice the low rumble of his old 'whispering' tone, "Everything else is suddenly up to chance..." He sighs, leaning over to face Niala and Idraila's general directions, offering a wave to Javeri when he spots her. "Consider your earlier question honestly for a moment. We don't know... No one expected the comet, did they? We have no clue what might come. The only thing we know is that those eggs are bound to Hatch eventually, and that when they do we should be quick on our toes.
Out of the corner of her eye, Idraila watches Niala near and Javeri arrive. Slowly, she sucks in a breath, and out with it comes the patience to respond. "Yeah," is all she says, in a measured and bland tone, a polite if short response. But her attention remains on the heaving waters below her feet, hair draping down to cover her features.
"You know what the problem is?" Javeri asks of no one in particular. "We're expected to work, work, work our butts off and if we try to do something fun we get slapped." She shakes her head and toes at the dock with one bare foot. "And if we impress there goes all our fun for another what? Turn and a half?" She looks at the others and grins. "I am going to throw a huge party if I don't impress and I expect everyone else who might not to be there as well. We'll celebrate not having been able to celebrate. And I mean it I expect everyone who isn't paired up to be there."
Niala giggles at Javeri, while giving Idraila a curious glance. "If I can be there, I will Javeri, don't you worry. I don't mind chores most of the time, as long as they're outside and I'm not sitting around doing practically nothing. But yeah," a sigh, "lately it has been all work, very little play. Even /I/ get tired of that. It's like they expect us to work more as the eggs get harder and harder."
A casual stroll along the beach is what has brought Sunniva closer to the docks -- and closer still when she sees the shapes of people. Soon enough, she finds herself picking her way along the docks themselves, footfalls coming just a hair faster when she starts to recognize first voices, then faces. A small wave is offered as the candidate approaches the others, a low-pitched, "Hello," spared for them all with a smile.
Jakkal smirks at Javeri, "Your answer is a party? No, not for me, thank you. I'll be going on a hunt. That same night, the next day, the soonest as possible once its over with. Assuming, as I do, that I'll make it out of there in one piece and without another mind permanently lodged in my head." He tilts his head at Javeri though as he adds, "You feel that having unconditional love during that time won't make up for it several times over?" His voices never goes over the low rumble, and there's nothing around to really make an echo, but he's confident that they all hear him well enough. He offers Sunniva a wave at her greeting, but doesn't seem to want to disrupt his question by further comments on his part.
Idraila is most likely listening to the others' conversation-- she has an ear cocked back at them at any rate-- but she makes no attempt to join in it really. Other than a faint, awkward smile at Javeri and a shrug for Niala, she remains still and quiet. But then Sunniva arrives and requires a greeting; Idraila furnishes one, turning around from where she sits at the very end of the dock, toes draping down, to show her a wider smile and a small wave.
"Ok then. Big party then for those of us who don't impress. We'll drink twice as much for those who can't." Javeri looks at Jakkal and shakes her head. "You're a very dull person," she tells him with a grin. "Which is perfectly fine if you're happy, but you never seem real happy either." Sunniva gets a wave when she appears and she catches her up. "Party at the Sandbar for those of us who don't impress. No party at the Weyr, no pity, no caring. We're going to get hammered and sleep on the beach." Nothing makes you feel better like a hangover the next day after all. "If I can't throw the party then someone else better too. Because it's a great idea. I just want to have fun."
Sunni's here! Niala turns and waves, beckoning Sunni closer, eyes lighting up. I'm better, see! Talk of parties seems to cheer her up even more. "Don't worry Javeri, I'm sure someone will plan this party. I think we're all getting a little stir crazy here. Though," eyes glance over toward Jakkal, squinting and twinkling impishly, "going on a hunt sounds fun too."
Approach, she does, though she heads a bit further along and to a side of the dock, not far from where Idraila is -- and with a warm smile tossed her way. To Niala, a brighter smile and a matching wave -- and pleased, too, for the look on her face. Sunniva doesn't sit right away of course, but instead focuses on pulling her shoes off. Her attention flicks to Jakkal with a nod, then a blink at Javeri. "Oh? After the hatching feast, you mean?" she wonders, pausing in mid-unbuckling of a sandal strap. The rest of the details are still settling in her mind, but she seems to have no immediate response. "I could, perhaps, make something for it." Assuming a lack of Impression, but that seems to be her default thought on it all.
Jakkal grins at that, "Respectfully, Candidate Javeri, we never spent time together before being Searched." He shrugs, "Give me a hunt, a runnerbeast to train, a herdbeast to help foal. Training, swimming, shards, even butchering. I'm content." He motions towards his fellow ex-Stablehand, the only one he had contact with before becoming a Candidate, "Ask Niala." He shakes his head, "But drinking to excess and being around large crowds has never been my idea of entertainment or amusement."
"There's going to be a big celebration after the hatching already," Idraila pipes up, reminding them, "There always is." No need for another, clearly. She shifts in her seat, angling herself more toward the group, though her feet remain dangling. She nods at Sunniva, the hatching feast, exactly. That bit is all she contributes for now.
Niala stands up, looking up at the darkening sky and the stars. "It's getting late. I've been having trouble sleeping, so I like to get an early start." Smirk. "It's been nice talking to you all and getting to know you all. Hopefully, we'll stay friends and stay in touch after everything's said and done." Yep, she's a cheery one.
"Not after the hatching feast. Instead of it," Javeri says with a grin as a bare toe nudges at the dock again. "Hatching feast is all well and good for those who impressed and who want to celebrate, but come on. I have no desire to hang out with a bunch of people I barely know. You're all welcome to it if you want, but I'm not talking big party." This last is said to Idraila with a shake of her head. "You know what then forget it anyway. I'll just invite people who are more fun. This is what I mean. They work us to death and it just sucks the life right out of everything."
"To be fair, I did rather enjoy the hatching feast at the 'Reaches," Sunniva remarks, but soon enough, she's sitting on another section of the dock, legs dangling and shoes beside her. She hunkers a bit forward, glancing down at the water thoughtfully. "But, that also would be grand fun," she concedes, shoulders rising, then falling, "so we shall just have to see. After all, all that planning would do no good if we all Impressed." This is paired with a faint sort of smile and a tilt of her head back to look at the others.
Jakkal lets out a booming laugh as Javeri continues her plotting. "Well, best of luck then, assuming you don't Impress or that anyone else runs it in your place." Already on his side, he rolls over, upon his arms to push himself to his feet after Niala's gone to bed. He glances about thoughtfully though, his gaze finally settling upon the field of clouds and stars reflected upon the water.
Idraila's expression, as shadow-shrouded as it is, can be seen to become more awkward when Javeri turns her attention to her. "I didn't mean..." she meekly starts, then gives up with a weak shrug. "I didn't say it was a bad idea," she continues a beat later, quieter still, and just the slightest bit grumpy.
"It's fine," Javeri tells Idraila with a shrug of her shoulders. "Was just a dumb idea anyway. Stupid." Her head drops some and she shuffles over to the edge of the dock to stare down into the water. "I just want it all over so I can get on with my life already. Sometimes I think I should have never said yes at all. Then I could be doing what I want and not stuck with stupid chores."
"It wasn't dumb," Sunniva's quick to reassure, twisting around a bit to motion at Javeri -- to draw her closer, if possible. There's plenty of room next to her, after all. Jakkal is also motioned to, for much the same reason. "If not the day of the hatching, perhaps a few days after, so we can throw a better celebration. That might be the best way to approach it." Then, it's a glance to Idraila before a general, "It ought to be soon, though. We just need to stick it out for a little longer and then it shall all be over. I heard bets positively /flying/ the other day among some of the dragonhealers."
Jakkal's head snaps towards Idraila as her final comments sink in. "I'm not the only one?" he offers, his voice a soft quiver. He shakes his head and presses his lips together, "I'm just looking forward to getting away from crowds and staying outdoors as much as I can. Getting my life in hand, as it were." He frowns at Sunniva, "It's soon, all right, but I don't see why I had to make my own white sack to wear out there." Ah yes, the classic, sew the bits together and cut out head and arm holes, approach.
It takes more than Jakkal's complaining to push Idraila to frustration, but the sigh she lets out is hardly as calm and settled as she normally is. She doesn't respond to them, no matter how they make her feel. "It won't be much longer," she agrees with Sunniva with a slight nod, her experience giving her confidence in that sentence at least.
The whole idea gets dismissed from the potter's mind as she sits down on the dock and swings her feet. Javeri, who has been complaining more than usual lately, lets out a loud sigh. "Can't be soon enough. Do they last long? Hatchings? I've never been to one so don't know." Jakkal gets a look and a faint grin. "I'm just trying not to bleed all over my robe. Nothing seems to be working at all." Looking back at the water she lets out an annoyed sound that's not quite a growl. "I just think the whole thing goes on forever and ever. Why do they even search people so early? It seems to me that it could wait a little bit. Hmph. I missed three special orders and dad's taken on an apprentice." Yep. That was a growl. At least the reason for her bad mood is a little more evident.
"You did not have to make your own, Jakkal," is uttered with gently restrained mirth, "you could have just found one from the stores. Or, if you felt like asking me nicely, I could have helped." As she's done for a few of the more fumble-fingered candidates. Sunniva shakes her head with amusement, then glances back to the water. "I have fixed mine, but I think it is a little lopsided. How about you Idraila?" There's a bit of a wince at Javeri's words, "Hatchings do not take long ... they /feel/ like they do until they are all over." Shoulders lift, drop, and she adds, "They search us early because they want us to learn to work together early on. Just in case."
Idraila blinks at Sunniva as she transitions from listening to speaking once again. "Oh. Um, I just use the same one," she explains, her eyes glancing briefly across the faces of the other candidates. "Just kept it after a while." She looks at Javeri next, but her gaze wavers quite a bit before she brings herself to tell the other woman, "It's not anything to be worried about. Goes fast enough."
Jakkal says, "Fast enough while you're watching from the Galleries," Jakkal rumbles out with a shrug, "Then again, I'm lucky if I remember a handful of individual Impressions, though." He turns away from the water with a grin to Sunniva, "Naw... I don't want to attract the prissy greens, remember?" he offers with a wink."
"I just want it over one way or the other you know?" Javeri says with a sigh as she stares out at the water and continues to swing her bare feet over the water. "I can't get the hem on my robe straight at all. If it at least stays put then I will be happy." Lifting one hand to fiddle with one of the beads in her hair she looks over her shoulder. "I bet it seems forever, yea. But that's ok. I can deal with the forever if I know the end will be almost there, you know? Either way this whole candidacy will be at an end. That's what I look forward to."
"Oh, hush. It is not as if I would toss some frilly bits of lace at the hem," Sunniva teases Jakkal, though her gaze flicks quickly back to Idraila with a thoughtful inclination of her head. "I suppose that would make it convenient, wouldn't it? I suppose I would have been better served keeping the other one," but then she frowns and discards the thought easily enough. There's a glance to Javeri again, "As do we all, I think. Surely, no more than a sevenday or two." Or three. Or four. Sigh.
"Some people think it's bad luck," Idraila tells Sunniva, on the subject of kept robes. She shrugs, seeming at once to agree and disagree with the sentiment; she hasn't Impressed yet, after all, but she keeps doing it. Looking out into the deepness of the darkening waters again, she mutters, "It'll end when it ends." She's moved past all the worries the others have, so it seems, and on to indifference.
Jakkal nods, "Well, best of luck ladies." He turns away from the group, his voice soft as it reaches them, "I'm going to need a proper run about the bowl before I'll be ready to sleep."
"G'night, Jakkal," Javeri says with a wave. "Eww. Running. I do not get the whole running thing at all. When you're not doing anything? But, have fun anyway!" She's wished him luck and then looks at Sunniva and Idraila. "Will they make me take my hair down? Because I haven't had it out of braids in...like turns. Ivor and the others said they really liked it and it was easy to maintain so I left it."
"Oh. Do take care, Jakkal," is tossed along after the lone male candidate, Sunniva lifting a hand in a small wave. Then her gaze shifts to Idraila, a wry quirk to her mouth as she says, "It might be. I have heard, too, that the ones with the blood and oil stains are also good luck, if they are not torn." Surely a sign of Impression, of course. But then her attention shifts to Javeri, appraisingly, then, "I- well, I would think so?" But she's not sure and the only other authority on hatchings is Idraila, who she immediately looks to.
"Goodnight," Idraila offers the male candidate among them, no more than glancing at him as she delivers her farewell. She's happy to let Sunniva handle Javeri's question, but when she senses eyes on her, she looks up again and blinks. "It shou... I don't see why they would make you. Cooler to have your hair pulled back anyway."
Jakkal nods again, sending a wave over his shoulder as he heads towards the Weyr proper, already lengthening his stride into a run.
Pulling her feet up and scooting back on the dock Javeri lets out a sigh of relief. "Good. I didn't know, you know? It's not been entirely clear. And I can still pull it all back so it's not hanging in the way." She laughs quietly before adding, "I sure don't want to have hair in my eyes and get run over by some newly hatched dragon." There's a shiver from her at that. "I mean if I don't impress I don't want to get hurt. I'm really not pretty enough to handle scars too."
"I think, yes, as long as it is out of your face, it ought to be fine," though the beads are worth another wary look before Sunniva just nods to Idraila's words. Silent, then, for a long beat -- feet swinging, gaze flung out to the far edges of the water, as far as she can see. "I think we shall all be fine, for the most part. The ones I am most worried for are the ones like Borley and Rian, you know?" But, then, it's back to silence and a thoughtful shaking of her head.
For all the hope she gave the girl, Idraila counters with, "But they may make you hack it off, if you Impress," her voice frank and even, though her smile has a touch of compassion in it. For Borley and Rian, she simply gives a weak shrug and nod, agreeing, but not exactly wholeheartedly.
"It's true. I thought I was being a clumsy mess, but every time I was in the infirmary I could count on seeing Borley there." Javeri toys with her hair and her beads clacking one against another and listening to the sound thoughtfully. "If I impress I suppose I won't mind so much getting rid of my hair. It's not that long though. Oh, well." She lets her hair go and fiddles with her skirt instead. "I'll miss the beads. I made them all. I used to get little commissions with them."
There's a thoughtful little noise from Sunniva, a glance to Idraila and then a self-conscious touch to her own hair. "Would Balinne expect that of us if we did Impress, I wonder," is purely rhetorical at this point, her attention sliding, consideringly, to Javeri. "You could always look forward to making them later. After it grew out, if that were the case." There's a pause and an idle drumming of fingers on the docks. "How much did you charge for the beads?"
Idraila swings her feet at the incoming little waves, though her toes hardly reach them. "You'd get them back eventually," Idraila tells Javeri, agreeing with Sunniva as she pushes herself away from the edge of the dock and then up to her feet, hands brushing potential splinters harmlessly off. "I think I'm going to head to bed, too," she murmurs, giving both candidates a little wave as her only farewell before she turns. She pads barefoot down the length of the dock, heading vaguely Weyr-ward down the beach when she reaches sand again.
Back to her hair goes her hand and Javeri says, "I don't think I'd mind too much cutting it off." Then Idraila announces her departure and whatever she was going to say changes to, "G'night!" and a wave. Then she looks back to Sunniva and shrugs her shoulders. "It depended on what they wanted. How many, how fancy, how much they could afford to trade. I like making beads so any excuse to do so was a good thing. I've still got to track down P'draig and give him the bracelet I made. I was seeing him pretty regular, but then once I was done that was it. Amazing how that goes."
And as Idraila moves to leave, Sunniva lifts a hand to her as well with a familiar, "Do take care." And then ... there were two. She cants her head to Javeri, turning slightly to look at the other young woman. "Are you still able to make them? On your time off, I mean. Do they have the means here to do so? Because I know someone at Fort who does some wonderful beadwork and thought she might like some different beads to work with." There's a bit of a blink to the last, then a slight nod, understanding.
"Oh, yea. The set up here at the Weyr is amazing," Javeri says gleefully. "I haven't got to do a lot with it, but I could make the beads real easy." She taps a finger against her lip and nods. "I could make some. Just plain beads? What sort of size are we talking about?" She taps her finger against the one at the end of a braid. "Like here? Or a bit smaller? Or a bit bigger? And how many? I would happily spend free time working on something rather than sitting around waiting and waiting and waiting and worrying. Even my scheduled worrying doesn't help."
"I, oh! That is wonderful to hear," Sunniva brightens, hands clapping delightedly together. "I suppose- oh, a bit smaller than those," her chin is pointed at the braids, "plain? Or can they be different colours? I think greens and yellows and some brown if you could do that." A pause, a glance to her hands. "Perhaps- two good handfuls? Enough to fill," she pauses, then cups her hands together, "this?" And she looks hopeful, though is quick to add, "I could do something in return, of course. I cannot do much, but if there is something I /could/ do, then I will happily do so."
Javeri's eyes focus first on one of the beads in her hair to gage it's size and then she looks at Sunniva's hands. "Sure. I could to that. Colors are just a matter of glazing them before baking them. It's not that hard. I should be able to get all the materials." She lets her hair go and chews on her lower lip with closed eyes. "Ok. I think I know how many to make. First chance I get I'll get to work on them." She smiles for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't really know what I need right now. But if I think of something I'll bring it up. Well, I need time to fly faster, but that's not happening. You can just tell people how brilliant a job I did for you. Cause if I don't impress I'll have to make a living somehow now that dad's gone and gotten an apprentice."
"Oh! Oh, thank you, Javeri," and she brightens -- as if that were honestly possible -- and shifts her weight a little. "I am sure she will love them. And, well, perhaps having that to do will help you some? I know that time goes so much faster when I have something of my own to work on as well." And since Javeri doesn't seem to have anything in mind ... well, Sunniva nods, just a little, with a momentarily thoughtful expression. Then: "Oh, I am sure your father would take you back, if you did not Impress." There's a slight pause, then she frowns and adds, "Wouldn't he?"
"It's no problem. I really like making the little stuff more than the bigger stuff anyway. The big stuff is neat, but a plate is a plate is a plate." Javeri tips her head to one side as she laughs. "I suppose a bead is a bead is a bead," she adds thoughtfully before shrugging. "But it doesn't feel that way. It will definitely help the time go. And, you know? Sometimes a little break from everyone is nice. I'm not all anti-social like some people are." No names are mentioned, of course. "But some alone time is great. As for my father, I don't know. He's barely talked to me since I got searched. And he never worried about any official apprentice before. You'd think he could have done fine without one now. I mean he could have at least waited to know what would happen with me."
There's a slight shake of her head and a murmured, "Well, beads would take more effort, since they are so small -- wouldn't they?" Would that explain it, even? She doesn't know. Sunniva does, however, seem to fully sympathize with the next, "Oh, yes. Yes. Sometimes that is- it is just necessary, to get away. To be alone with your thoughts or just-" and she shrugs, having no particularly good way of describing it, but trusting Javeri to know what she's getting at. Her nose wrinkles at the last, head shaking a bit with unspoken -- but plain -- dismay. "Hopefully he will be better with things after." One way or the other.
"Yea, well, I don't care." Javeri says this quickly and then thinks to add, "About my father. I did just fine without a mother and I can do without a father too. It will serve him right. No apprentice will be as useful as me even with their oh so great craft training." Hmph. Standing up now she smiles at the other candidate. "I'm so excited! I'm going to go get started before bed!" Socialize? When there's clay to play with? That would be ridiculous! "I'll see you later, Sunniva!"