Shredded threads and tempers
Who: Jatha with Imoth, Phara with Bennath, W'ton with Dasarth
Where: Lakeshore
When: Lunchtime on day 1, month 4, turn 19
What: W'ton's dining outside with Dasarth and they come across Phara playing in the sand. Bennath says something Dasarth Does Not Like. Jantha comes upon them shortly after.
A towel has been spread out on the beach. Next to it is a growing sand castle, a wooden bucket, a garden trowel, and a big pile of oddments. Pretty pebbles and broken mollusk shells, tattered feathers and blades of grass, bits of driftwood. The hands that manipulate the sand and adorn the castle carefully are attatched to the more curious thing on the lakeshore. A young woman in a violet hued dress, a headband in her wind-toussled brown hair, tanned legs curled up under the sweep of her skirt. Her face is hidden, but there's Bennath hovering nearby, so it could only be Phara out here in the midday sun.
Lunchtime and most of the weyrling class is inside getting their meal out of the way. Not all of them are doing that though. For example here's W'ton changed from his usual hearty weyrling clothes into something civilized for lunch. Crimson and black and he's even got a couple of rings on as well. Dasarth's trailing behind him with his head swiveling this way and that to take everything in. Mostly his head swivels to the covered plate in his rider's hand. Someone's dining outside it would seem. And he's prepared with a blanket over the arm carrying his plate and a large mug in the other. Despite the presence of Phara they still head for the lakeshore although they stop a respectable distance away so as not to disturb.
Bennath is the first to react to W'ton and Dasarth, rumbling to the pair and nudging Phara's shoulder with his nose. She looks up at her blue and then turns her head to see W'ton. She lifts one sandy hand to wave at him. "Hello, W'ton. Come to enjoy the sunshine?" she smiles at him and then daintily plants a feather at the top of one 'tower.'
Dasarth is watching his rider juggle plate, mug, and blanket. W'ton must do a decent job since he does not spill anything or get sand in his food. Once he's got things arranged and since she's talking now he gives the bluerider a salute. "Assistant weyrlingmaster," he greets with a nod. "Thought we'd avoid the lunch crowd. If we're bothering you we can go somewhere else."
"You're not bothering me," Phara replies distractedly, carefully packing sand into her bucket now with the trowel. "Why would you think that?" Bennath extends a humming line of thought to Dasarth in greeting but doesn't open it up fully unless the bronze does so first. "What's for lunch?"
"Been told I'm a bother before, bluerider," W'ton answers with a roguish grin. "It's not what I'm looking to do. Just didn't want to be with the crowd." Not a usual desire for him, but maybe even the social butterfly needs to get away every now and again. Dasarth settles down on the blanket, well, part of him does. He's too big to fit completely, but his front end does so he can watch as his rider uncovers the plate. "Greens," is the answer for what's for lunch. "Bit of wherry for the protein, but mostly that spicy vegetable dish over rivergrains." So healthy of him. Well, he has his figure to maintain. As for Dasarth he doesn't dismiss that line, but he's busy watching Phara before asking << What does she do? That looks silly. >>
Phara shrugs her thin shoulders. "Well. Kinda turning over a new leaf now, W'ton. Not going to let things bother me anymore." For now. "Understand. Don't like the crowds myself. Never been very social." She overturns the bucket on the sand and taps on the edges to free the sand and lift. "Want to build with me when you're done? Or will you spoil your clothes?" Bennath returns to the bronze, << She is building a sand Weyr. >>
"Love crowds," W'ton says as if this is not news. "Just overly loud in there. Bit of a headache and all." Dasarth studies the sand building. << Why? There is no reason to do that. It will crumble. >> Shaking his head the weyrling grins. "Nothing at all? Not that I'm not pleased to see someone adopting the philosophy I've been using my whole life, but pardon my saying so, bluerider, you don't seem the type." At least he's not calling her ma'am! And for her offer she gets a chuckle. "Reckon my clothes wouldn't appreciate it so I'll be content to just sit and watch."
Phara nods her head, "I know you do." And that's all she says on that subject. More sand gets packed into the bucket. "I'm not," she agrees. "But maybe I should try to be." << Sometimes the purpose of things is not permanence, but enjoyment. >>
W'ton's lunch gets his attention because it gives him time to process all that's being said. And, yes, even extracts from his pocket a napkin to lay across his lap as he eats. "I think," he says finally when he takes a break from eating, "That there's something going on there, assistant weyrlingmaster, but I am not going to pry." Nope. Because it'll just lead to trouble. << Silliness >> Dasarth condemns the endeavor. << There is nothing to learn from it. A pointless exercise. >>
Phara pauses to look up at him, her eyebrows lifting. Then she sighs and closes her eyes. "Yes, there's more to it. But who cares about the reasons?" She smiles at him a little abashed. "Really, W'ton. I'm not going to bite your head off." << We can learn something from every endeavor. Flying is peaceful, but still, it can be learned from. >>
"Because it ain-isn't the action, but the reason behind the action that defines the person doing it," W'ton explains with a sage nod of his head before he takes a piece of meat off his plate and slips it to Dasarth. The bronze seems to huff and take it only because his rider wants him to despite the slight drumming excitement he cannot quite keep Bennath from picking up on. "Makes me nervous when you're not all Phara-like is all, ma'am." Now he slips it in. The sand structure gets more of his attention now that his sneaky snack is gone, but the bronze looks away finally and to the blue. << I did not say one must be at peace. >> He never would with clashing battles directing all around him. << I merely say this endeavor is pointless. She might better utilize her time. >>
Phara shrugs again, conceeds his point. "You'd only laugh at me. Or try to talk me out of it." She curves a smile for the bronze's behavior and then asks curiously, "Does it? Yes, I suppose it's going to make a lot of people nervous for awhile." << What should she be doing? >> Bennath wonders. << Perhaps her hands are working at something you see as silly, but does it not also engage your rider, ease him so that they can communicate? >>
One finger taps against his lips before W'ton tells her, "Trying to remember laughing at something you told me serious." His head shakes as he picks up his fork again. "Drawing a blank, but maybe you recall differently." A few more bites of lunch are consumed before he chuckles. "Always makes people nervous when someone acts so out of sorts. Makes you worry about em being sick, ma'am. As for talking you out of something I don't think I've got that kind of authority over you so why would I?" He lifts his mug in a toast before taking a long drink. He may be plenty calm, but Dasarth's once again Not Amused. << He does not fear her! >> is sent in a violent spray of crimson over a brown field. Wings shake almost smacking into the weyrling, but pulled back in at the last moment. << He will talk to anyone! Do anything! >> Agitation does not go unnoticed and with a sigh W'ton's mug is set down and he leans back behind him to grab Dasarth's tail in the middle and give it a squeeze. Followed by a slap to his side.
Phara shrugs. "I've never told you anything rediculous," Phara says with a little chuckle and overturns the bucket again to make another tower. She holds up two fingers when he says the second 'ma'am' but says nothing. "The Uncanny Valley. The more a person looks like themselves but acts just slightly different, something you canb't put your finger on... the more uncomfortable we are made by them." She sticks her finger through the center of each tower, making a volcano. "I'm hoping that if I just... chill out, things will go more smoothly between myself and a few other weyrlings." Bennath meets this anger and gives nothing back save the tolerant amusement a parent might have for someone else's toddler throwing a very bad tantrum in public. "W'ton, don't let him do that, if you please."
"Could always punch him," W'ton points out with an easy grin. Like everyone doesn't know there's a problem between her and Kai. "Seems to me the man needs to be put in his place." Well, the weyrling /is/ a man himself so beating someone up seems the proper answer for all he's never been in a fight anyone knows about. Also it must be clear to him that while his own ego makes him act superior to everyone there's nothing wrong with that. He is, after all. It's the petty meanness that is wrong. All of that while he continues to have a hold on Dasarth's tail and thump his side above where his wing is laid back. The bronze displays his agitation by scraping his talons across the blanket catching threads and tearing them with little concern. Biting down an annoyed retort the weyrling just nods his head and leans close to his dragon until the shredding stops.
Phara sighs. "Wish I could," she admits, using the trowel to make a river through her volcanoes now. "Almost did. But I'm not, you know, allowed to do anything that would upset the dragons. They're my first priority, after all. But trust me, if I could just break his jaw and have it done with, I would. Not as satisfying when he won't hit back though. And then he'd just go tell on me to Jantha. Nothing worse than a bully and a snitch. R'uen suggested I punish the whole lot of you when he gives me grief and let peer pressure take care of it. But I really don't want to make more enemies, and I will if I do that." Her eyes scan to the shredding and an eyebrow lifts. When it stops she says, "Thank you," simply and goes back to work. "Did I ever tell you about Bennath and I, when we first Impressed?"
"Got to admit I'd be happy to punch him myself. He's a son of a bitch and that's no lie." W'ton lets the words slip and then says, "Pardon me, ma'am." And it's up to her to take that ma'am how she wants. But a gentleman always apologizes for such things to a lady. "A right pain that is. At some point he won't be able to hide behind Chielyth's skirts no more and I reckon he won't like what's coming when he does. Same as if you have to do what you have to do. He's an...jerk." Yea, not the word he was thinking of using. "Then he has to accept the consequences. He's such a jerk it messes with everyone else's life then maybe he learns. Or gets real used to being hated by everyone and I don't think Chielyth'd like that too much." Hated by everyone is clearly a euphemism for have horrid things done to him. Yep. Dasarth is now ignoring Bennath. How dare he speak like he did? And how dare Dasarth be called on it for standing up for his rider? Well, snub! Take that! "Don't suppose we've had many conversations." Which would be a no then.
Phara almost grins. It's there in the pull at the sides of her mouth and the sparkle in her amber eyes. "W'ton.... I could never condone such violence. Therefore, should such an altercation occur, one would perhaps let his weyrlingmaster know about something interesting over yonder so that she could feign ignorance when such a blow were to land." She sits back from sand sculpting for now, brushing her hands together to get the grit off. "Let's see. Bennath is a very even tempered dragon. Happy, even. And he'd much prefer to see me the same. So, of course, when something upsets me, his initial reaction is to remove me from that situation. He thought - still, to a degree, thinks - that I don't need anyone but him. So - he started kicking people out of my life. And, for the most part, I let him." She pauses, waiting for his reaction.
Dasarth is very not happy. While he's settled down he still doesn't /look/ happy. But W'ton does let go of his tail and stop thumping his side so he must be settled down enough not to need contact. "Sure, but will that weyrlingmaster bring the poor weyrling something tasty as a treat when it lands him in the infirmary?" he asks with a rich laugh. "Don't want to start a fight, but his attitude...someone needs to have a talk with him. May as well be me as anyone else." Which, if he does it, will go over ever so well considering how well him and the greenrider get along. The remains of his lunch are consumed before there's a dainty wiping of his mouth and his napkin gets neatly folded and put tucked into his pocket so the wind doesn't carry it away. His reaction is just a nod. Like he's waiting for more. There's some lesson in there sure and he might even know, but he's going to let her spell everything out. The better to argue.
Phara chuckles. "He won't hit you back. Chielyth won't let him. But I'd bring you something tasty anyways. Nah, you let me worry about him, me and the other weyrlingmasters." And then she settles down into her story again. "I love T'rev. Only a fool would miss that. But... I /loved/ him, back in those days. And it hurt me, looking at him, talking to him. Bennath couldn't have that, right? So he didn't want me to be T'rev's friend anymore. And it just about killed me to tell T'rev we couldn't talk anymore. Just about killed him, too, I think." She's rambling, but she doesn't correct it, just just prattles some more. "Sometimes, our lifemates think they know what's best for us, but they're just babies and they don't understand how the world works as well as we do. Just have to ride it out and not let them have /too/ much sway over us. Otherwise... you're bound to be really miserable -- and probably with a lot of shredded personals."
"Phara, darling," W'ton drawls forgetting himself a moment, "If you think that giant wouldn't hit me you're out of your adorable mind. He's been wanting to for awhile I think. The way he looks at me sometimes..." And of course the bronzerider does not egg him on in the least. In. The. Least. "Telling you right now though. You'll do what you have to, of course, but you start having to lay down punishments on everyone because of him and I /will/ be talking to him. Ain- Isn't right and proper and he'll learn that one way or the other." Dasarth, in response, extends a talon and riiiip goes the blanket. Ha. Take that woman! For his action he gets a smack to the side of his head. Open palmed and hardly strong enough to even sting. It's clearly the thought that counts. "He's not keeping me from anyone," is said firmly. Maybe he's being firm to her and maybe it's to get his point across to the bronze.
Phara lifts an eyebrow but lets the use of her name slide. "'Course he won't. He doesn't hit girls." Sparkle. "All jokes aside, W'ton, we'll handle it. He just needs a good ass kicking." She presses her lips together. "Much like your dragon." Forget the dress, forget the sandcastle. She lunges to grab one of the dragon's paws. "Do it again, and I will cut all of your talons off, Dasarth." Phara is sitting on a blanket, wearing a violet colored dress. Or she was, a moment ago. She's been building sand castles evidently, but the crushed mound of earth beside her and the accoutraments of such. Bennath is nearby. W'ton has his own blanket not too far away, and he's been eating lunch. Dasarth is also on his blanket, or, his front half is, and the blanket beneath him is shredded. There's clearly some sort of altercation going on regarding that shredding.
Jantha approaches the lake shore at a tangent in company with Imoth, who has a gaggle of weyrlings in tow. They're strung out in a line, and following in the brown's footsteps like ducklings after a mother duck as he pursues a snaking path with many bends and loops. Their riders are walking alongside, and both humans and dragons look quite cheerful. Yes, it's another one of the Weyrlingmaster's little games-with-a-purpose. As they reach the water's edge, though, she calls a halt, congratulates them, and lets them take a dip in the lake. While the dragons charge into the water and the riders teeter on the brink, she ambles along a few yards to where she finds Phara and W'ton and their dragons. Eyes fixed on the remains of the blanket, she frowns as she asks, "What's going on here? We're not exactly well-supplied with bedding at the moment, you know."
Phara makes a face. "I know. I was trying to teach W'ton the significance of controlling his dragon, but apparently my lesson was not valuable enough. As such, I think it fitting that he explain to the headwoman why he's allowing his dragon to destroy bedding so soon after her reminder about the current shortage." She sighs and brushes sand off her skirt again, back to being all proper and frilly. "Good day, Weyrlingmaster. Nice weather, huh?"
The tip of his muzzle to the tip of his tail quivers when Phara does that, but Dasarth doesn't move. Neither does W'ton who has his hand resting on the bronze's shoulder although he's not looking ready to do something like the dragon is. Whatever that something might be he doesn't move other than to jerk his paw away from the bluerider and assume an air of injured dignity. "Begging both your pardons, ma'am," W'ton says with an easy smooth tone to his voice. "Blanket's mine. Doesn't belong to the Weyr. Came with me from Two Trees and they're not going to complain."
Jantha glances over her shoulder at the weyrling group before answering. "Well, don't hang about! Get in there with them. It's only water!" Rolling her eyes, she turns back to Phara and W'ton. "Very pleasant," she calmly agrees with Phara. "So, what exactly happened to the blanket, and why?"
Phara whispers quietly to Jantha, "That water is freezing, by the way." She does this a lot, this telling Jantha what happened. D'oh. "I was building a sand Weyr. Dasarth asked Bennath why I was doing something so pointless. Bennath told him not every activity had to have a point. Dasarth didn't understand. Bennath told him that it was useful because it helped W'ton be at ease, right Ben?" Clearly this is all coming from the blue, Phara's just translating. "Dasarth got mad, I told W'ton to make him stop shredding the blanket up. He did, I told him a story about when I let Bennath control me when he was Dasarth's age and how it turned out to be a pretty bad experience. And that's about when Dasarth really started ripping into it and you showed up." An eyebrow is lifted at W'ton, inviting him to clarify or alter anything she's said here.
"What she said, ma'am," W'ton answers being too busy with Dasarth to really offer anything else to that if he thinks something should be offered. The bronze continues his annoyed twitching and the gaze he turns on Phara and Bennath is quite baleful. Another slap to the side of his head has him looking away and he scoots forward to try to cover the tear with his body. Nothing to see here. Leave him be.
"So what's upset him so much, W'ton?" Jantha's watching the young bronze thoughtfully. "You're not going to be able to control him by hitting him for much longer, you know, and you shouldn't need to at all." Behind her, the other weyrlings are wading into the chilly water with no great enthusiasm - but they're doing it. The dragonets, of course, are impervious to cold and splashing away happily.
Phara watches the other weyrlings for now, letting Jantha deal with W'ton. He never listens to her anyways. Bennath is more than happy to leave behind the angry little bronze. Splashy splashy time? Yay!
"Don't control him by hitting, ma'am," W'ton says first. "Tell em to settle down. But he's..." Trailing off he gestures with one hand and sorts out words. "Strong, ma'am. A real fighter type. You know those kinda guys who punch each other to show they care without being a sissy? That's Dasarth. Not controlling him. Showing him it's ok. That I'm here with him." His shoulders shrug under his lunchtime finery and he grins for a moment. See? It's a man thing, women! Don't mind it. "He got upset cause Bennath was acting like I was afraid of his rider, ma'am. Dasarth took exception to him saying I needed coddling."
Dragon> To Dasarth, Imoth extends an enquiring tendril of thought. << What is bothering you, young one? >>
Dragon> The bronze is sulking. There is no excited clashing of metal or stomping of booted feet. Instead there is just the milling about of uncertainty reflecting throughout his mind. Dasarth's words come through it all, but it takes a few before they come through clearly. << He says he is weak. He is /not/ weak. How dare he call him that? I will not tolerate weakness! >> All childhood bravado really since whatever force he injects into his words trickles away swiftly. (Dasarth to Imoth)
"Then-" Jantha breaks off to listen; no doubt Imoth is relaying something. "Tell him nobody's saying you're weak, please." She gives a moment or for that to happen. "It sounds as if he hasn't understood what Bennath was saying. That's difficult, because you're only going to know that through him. But regardless of what Bennath may or may not have said, you need to keep him calm, which means keeping you calm. If you respond as if you're offended, he'll take offence too, or it'll encourage him if he's getting upset anyway. They're not really very good at interpreting meanings at this age; it's as well to remember that." Her glance takes in both of them as she gives that last piece of advice.
"Didn't act offended, ma'am. Didn't even know what was going on til he got all mad. He was talking to Bennath fine and I was talking to your assistant." W'ton looks at Dasarth whose head is down on the blanket now completely covering up and visible mishaps. Nothing happened here, see? "Shells, hard to say something to offend me at all," he goes on to add with a low chuckle. "Understand he's not going to understand and I'll try harder to make sure he does, of course, ma'am. But there's not-" He stops a moment, but then just shrugs his shoulders. "Know who and what I am, ma'am. Means I don't take offense when people say things even if they ai-aren't true."
Dragon> The white flag is waved under duress. There's little doubt of that. But it's there. The troops have stopped moving and there's no more fighting. Dasarth rumbles in his refined not fighting voice << I am sorry I did not understand what you said. >> Then he adds, like he's sneaking it in without W'ton knowing << You should use your terms more clearly. >> (Dasarth to Bennath)
Dragon> To Dasarth, Bennath considers the white flag more than Dasarth. Dasarth gets ignored while he contemplates it all. << Apology accepted. You shouldn't assume. You will learn to master your temper in time, however. Mine did. I will help. >> A flickering shadow of memory of a shorter, younger Ephara's fist connecting with a satisfying crunch against someone's nose waves like a banner and then it's gone, whipped away again by the passing wind.
Jantha nods brusquely, apparently accepting that the young bronze was responding directly to Bennath. "I hope you're not implying that's the case here. Well, you're going to have to get him calmed before he takes it out on the bedclothes. You may find it comes down to a battle of wills - and you've got to win those contests. It's not just that you can't have him destroying things, /whatever/ makes him upset; he's got to get into the way of listening to you and doing what you say - and just as important, trusting you to make good calls. They've all got to learn that."
W'ton's head shakes and he tells the weyrlingmaster, "I'm not implying anything, ma'am. We were just all having a conversation. He took something the wrong way. It won't happen again." At least not exactly this way. Exactly. "He doesn't usually destroy things, ma'am. He's a lot more careful than that. Truth is I think he never liked this anyway and was looking for an excuse." Before that can be taken the wrong way he's adding, "Know it doesn't excuse it. Will make sure it doesn't happen again." Then he's looking at the blanket and his plate and cup and then his fine clothes. Yes, he changes for meals into nice clothes. "Should get my plate put up and change." He looks at the weyrlingmaster and her assistant. "If I may, ma'ams?"
Phara has been sitting there popping up fingers every time W'ton says ma'am, her mouth quirked in a little smile. "Hm. Needed to talk to Jantha a bit anyways." The bronzerider just gets a little disapproving shake of her head and she leaves it there. Easier to let the older woman deal with him.
"Just a moment, W'ton." Jantha holds up a hand to prevent the bronzerider from thinking he's dismissed, and turns to Phara. "If it isn't Fort's blanket, do you still want him to report himself to the headwoman, or would telling him to mend it do?"
Dasarth's up off the blanket so W'ton can gather his things up. But he doesn't move since he's not dismissed. Blanket over his arm and cup on top of plate he waits. As does Dasarth although he sits facing away like this waiting is all his idea. Not someone else's.
Phara ponders it. "I'm inclined to say that potentially every rider is essentially the Weyr's property and therefor their belongings are also the Weyr's property. Eventually that blanket would have made it into the fabric scraps in exchange for a new one when it was worn out. And he's going to have to report to the headwoman anyways to request the scrap to patch it. So isn't it all just the same in the end?"
Jantha lifts her eyebrows a little at the theory, but pronounces, "He will indeed. So, W'ton, you have a blanket to mend, and if the headwoman sees fit to explain to you the evils of destruction and waste when you request the necessary wool and scraps, you will take it with a good grace, not attempt to justify yourself, and not talk back. Understood?" There's steel in her tone.
In response there's a salute and a politely said, "As you wish, ma'ams." Then W'ton's heading off with Dasarth in tow to leave the grown ups to have their conversation.
Where: Lakeshore
When: Lunchtime on day 1, month 4, turn 19
What: W'ton's dining outside with Dasarth and they come across Phara playing in the sand. Bennath says something Dasarth Does Not Like. Jantha comes upon them shortly after.
A towel has been spread out on the beach. Next to it is a growing sand castle, a wooden bucket, a garden trowel, and a big pile of oddments. Pretty pebbles and broken mollusk shells, tattered feathers and blades of grass, bits of driftwood. The hands that manipulate the sand and adorn the castle carefully are attatched to the more curious thing on the lakeshore. A young woman in a violet hued dress, a headband in her wind-toussled brown hair, tanned legs curled up under the sweep of her skirt. Her face is hidden, but there's Bennath hovering nearby, so it could only be Phara out here in the midday sun.
Lunchtime and most of the weyrling class is inside getting their meal out of the way. Not all of them are doing that though. For example here's W'ton changed from his usual hearty weyrling clothes into something civilized for lunch. Crimson and black and he's even got a couple of rings on as well. Dasarth's trailing behind him with his head swiveling this way and that to take everything in. Mostly his head swivels to the covered plate in his rider's hand. Someone's dining outside it would seem. And he's prepared with a blanket over the arm carrying his plate and a large mug in the other. Despite the presence of Phara they still head for the lakeshore although they stop a respectable distance away so as not to disturb.
Bennath is the first to react to W'ton and Dasarth, rumbling to the pair and nudging Phara's shoulder with his nose. She looks up at her blue and then turns her head to see W'ton. She lifts one sandy hand to wave at him. "Hello, W'ton. Come to enjoy the sunshine?" she smiles at him and then daintily plants a feather at the top of one 'tower.'
Dasarth is watching his rider juggle plate, mug, and blanket. W'ton must do a decent job since he does not spill anything or get sand in his food. Once he's got things arranged and since she's talking now he gives the bluerider a salute. "Assistant weyrlingmaster," he greets with a nod. "Thought we'd avoid the lunch crowd. If we're bothering you we can go somewhere else."
"You're not bothering me," Phara replies distractedly, carefully packing sand into her bucket now with the trowel. "Why would you think that?" Bennath extends a humming line of thought to Dasarth in greeting but doesn't open it up fully unless the bronze does so first. "What's for lunch?"
"Been told I'm a bother before, bluerider," W'ton answers with a roguish grin. "It's not what I'm looking to do. Just didn't want to be with the crowd." Not a usual desire for him, but maybe even the social butterfly needs to get away every now and again. Dasarth settles down on the blanket, well, part of him does. He's too big to fit completely, but his front end does so he can watch as his rider uncovers the plate. "Greens," is the answer for what's for lunch. "Bit of wherry for the protein, but mostly that spicy vegetable dish over rivergrains." So healthy of him. Well, he has his figure to maintain. As for Dasarth he doesn't dismiss that line, but he's busy watching Phara before asking << What does she do? That looks silly. >>
Phara shrugs her thin shoulders. "Well. Kinda turning over a new leaf now, W'ton. Not going to let things bother me anymore." For now. "Understand. Don't like the crowds myself. Never been very social." She overturns the bucket on the sand and taps on the edges to free the sand and lift. "Want to build with me when you're done? Or will you spoil your clothes?" Bennath returns to the bronze, << She is building a sand Weyr. >>
"Love crowds," W'ton says as if this is not news. "Just overly loud in there. Bit of a headache and all." Dasarth studies the sand building. << Why? There is no reason to do that. It will crumble. >> Shaking his head the weyrling grins. "Nothing at all? Not that I'm not pleased to see someone adopting the philosophy I've been using my whole life, but pardon my saying so, bluerider, you don't seem the type." At least he's not calling her ma'am! And for her offer she gets a chuckle. "Reckon my clothes wouldn't appreciate it so I'll be content to just sit and watch."
Phara nods her head, "I know you do." And that's all she says on that subject. More sand gets packed into the bucket. "I'm not," she agrees. "But maybe I should try to be." << Sometimes the purpose of things is not permanence, but enjoyment. >>
W'ton's lunch gets his attention because it gives him time to process all that's being said. And, yes, even extracts from his pocket a napkin to lay across his lap as he eats. "I think," he says finally when he takes a break from eating, "That there's something going on there, assistant weyrlingmaster, but I am not going to pry." Nope. Because it'll just lead to trouble. << Silliness >> Dasarth condemns the endeavor. << There is nothing to learn from it. A pointless exercise. >>
Phara pauses to look up at him, her eyebrows lifting. Then she sighs and closes her eyes. "Yes, there's more to it. But who cares about the reasons?" She smiles at him a little abashed. "Really, W'ton. I'm not going to bite your head off." << We can learn something from every endeavor. Flying is peaceful, but still, it can be learned from. >>
"Because it ain-isn't the action, but the reason behind the action that defines the person doing it," W'ton explains with a sage nod of his head before he takes a piece of meat off his plate and slips it to Dasarth. The bronze seems to huff and take it only because his rider wants him to despite the slight drumming excitement he cannot quite keep Bennath from picking up on. "Makes me nervous when you're not all Phara-like is all, ma'am." Now he slips it in. The sand structure gets more of his attention now that his sneaky snack is gone, but the bronze looks away finally and to the blue. << I did not say one must be at peace. >> He never would with clashing battles directing all around him. << I merely say this endeavor is pointless. She might better utilize her time. >>
Phara shrugs again, conceeds his point. "You'd only laugh at me. Or try to talk me out of it." She curves a smile for the bronze's behavior and then asks curiously, "Does it? Yes, I suppose it's going to make a lot of people nervous for awhile." << What should she be doing? >> Bennath wonders. << Perhaps her hands are working at something you see as silly, but does it not also engage your rider, ease him so that they can communicate? >>
One finger taps against his lips before W'ton tells her, "Trying to remember laughing at something you told me serious." His head shakes as he picks up his fork again. "Drawing a blank, but maybe you recall differently." A few more bites of lunch are consumed before he chuckles. "Always makes people nervous when someone acts so out of sorts. Makes you worry about em being sick, ma'am. As for talking you out of something I don't think I've got that kind of authority over you so why would I?" He lifts his mug in a toast before taking a long drink. He may be plenty calm, but Dasarth's once again Not Amused. << He does not fear her! >> is sent in a violent spray of crimson over a brown field. Wings shake almost smacking into the weyrling, but pulled back in at the last moment. << He will talk to anyone! Do anything! >> Agitation does not go unnoticed and with a sigh W'ton's mug is set down and he leans back behind him to grab Dasarth's tail in the middle and give it a squeeze. Followed by a slap to his side.
Phara shrugs. "I've never told you anything rediculous," Phara says with a little chuckle and overturns the bucket again to make another tower. She holds up two fingers when he says the second 'ma'am' but says nothing. "The Uncanny Valley. The more a person looks like themselves but acts just slightly different, something you canb't put your finger on... the more uncomfortable we are made by them." She sticks her finger through the center of each tower, making a volcano. "I'm hoping that if I just... chill out, things will go more smoothly between myself and a few other weyrlings." Bennath meets this anger and gives nothing back save the tolerant amusement a parent might have for someone else's toddler throwing a very bad tantrum in public. "W'ton, don't let him do that, if you please."
"Could always punch him," W'ton points out with an easy grin. Like everyone doesn't know there's a problem between her and Kai. "Seems to me the man needs to be put in his place." Well, the weyrling /is/ a man himself so beating someone up seems the proper answer for all he's never been in a fight anyone knows about. Also it must be clear to him that while his own ego makes him act superior to everyone there's nothing wrong with that. He is, after all. It's the petty meanness that is wrong. All of that while he continues to have a hold on Dasarth's tail and thump his side above where his wing is laid back. The bronze displays his agitation by scraping his talons across the blanket catching threads and tearing them with little concern. Biting down an annoyed retort the weyrling just nods his head and leans close to his dragon until the shredding stops.
Phara sighs. "Wish I could," she admits, using the trowel to make a river through her volcanoes now. "Almost did. But I'm not, you know, allowed to do anything that would upset the dragons. They're my first priority, after all. But trust me, if I could just break his jaw and have it done with, I would. Not as satisfying when he won't hit back though. And then he'd just go tell on me to Jantha. Nothing worse than a bully and a snitch. R'uen suggested I punish the whole lot of you when he gives me grief and let peer pressure take care of it. But I really don't want to make more enemies, and I will if I do that." Her eyes scan to the shredding and an eyebrow lifts. When it stops she says, "Thank you," simply and goes back to work. "Did I ever tell you about Bennath and I, when we first Impressed?"
"Got to admit I'd be happy to punch him myself. He's a son of a bitch and that's no lie." W'ton lets the words slip and then says, "Pardon me, ma'am." And it's up to her to take that ma'am how she wants. But a gentleman always apologizes for such things to a lady. "A right pain that is. At some point he won't be able to hide behind Chielyth's skirts no more and I reckon he won't like what's coming when he does. Same as if you have to do what you have to do. He's an...jerk." Yea, not the word he was thinking of using. "Then he has to accept the consequences. He's such a jerk it messes with everyone else's life then maybe he learns. Or gets real used to being hated by everyone and I don't think Chielyth'd like that too much." Hated by everyone is clearly a euphemism for have horrid things done to him. Yep. Dasarth is now ignoring Bennath. How dare he speak like he did? And how dare Dasarth be called on it for standing up for his rider? Well, snub! Take that! "Don't suppose we've had many conversations." Which would be a no then.
Phara almost grins. It's there in the pull at the sides of her mouth and the sparkle in her amber eyes. "W'ton.... I could never condone such violence. Therefore, should such an altercation occur, one would perhaps let his weyrlingmaster know about something interesting over yonder so that she could feign ignorance when such a blow were to land." She sits back from sand sculpting for now, brushing her hands together to get the grit off. "Let's see. Bennath is a very even tempered dragon. Happy, even. And he'd much prefer to see me the same. So, of course, when something upsets me, his initial reaction is to remove me from that situation. He thought - still, to a degree, thinks - that I don't need anyone but him. So - he started kicking people out of my life. And, for the most part, I let him." She pauses, waiting for his reaction.
Dasarth is very not happy. While he's settled down he still doesn't /look/ happy. But W'ton does let go of his tail and stop thumping his side so he must be settled down enough not to need contact. "Sure, but will that weyrlingmaster bring the poor weyrling something tasty as a treat when it lands him in the infirmary?" he asks with a rich laugh. "Don't want to start a fight, but his attitude...someone needs to have a talk with him. May as well be me as anyone else." Which, if he does it, will go over ever so well considering how well him and the greenrider get along. The remains of his lunch are consumed before there's a dainty wiping of his mouth and his napkin gets neatly folded and put tucked into his pocket so the wind doesn't carry it away. His reaction is just a nod. Like he's waiting for more. There's some lesson in there sure and he might even know, but he's going to let her spell everything out. The better to argue.
Phara chuckles. "He won't hit you back. Chielyth won't let him. But I'd bring you something tasty anyways. Nah, you let me worry about him, me and the other weyrlingmasters." And then she settles down into her story again. "I love T'rev. Only a fool would miss that. But... I /loved/ him, back in those days. And it hurt me, looking at him, talking to him. Bennath couldn't have that, right? So he didn't want me to be T'rev's friend anymore. And it just about killed me to tell T'rev we couldn't talk anymore. Just about killed him, too, I think." She's rambling, but she doesn't correct it, just just prattles some more. "Sometimes, our lifemates think they know what's best for us, but they're just babies and they don't understand how the world works as well as we do. Just have to ride it out and not let them have /too/ much sway over us. Otherwise... you're bound to be really miserable -- and probably with a lot of shredded personals."
"Phara, darling," W'ton drawls forgetting himself a moment, "If you think that giant wouldn't hit me you're out of your adorable mind. He's been wanting to for awhile I think. The way he looks at me sometimes..." And of course the bronzerider does not egg him on in the least. In. The. Least. "Telling you right now though. You'll do what you have to, of course, but you start having to lay down punishments on everyone because of him and I /will/ be talking to him. Ain- Isn't right and proper and he'll learn that one way or the other." Dasarth, in response, extends a talon and riiiip goes the blanket. Ha. Take that woman! For his action he gets a smack to the side of his head. Open palmed and hardly strong enough to even sting. It's clearly the thought that counts. "He's not keeping me from anyone," is said firmly. Maybe he's being firm to her and maybe it's to get his point across to the bronze.
Phara lifts an eyebrow but lets the use of her name slide. "'Course he won't. He doesn't hit girls." Sparkle. "All jokes aside, W'ton, we'll handle it. He just needs a good ass kicking." She presses her lips together. "Much like your dragon." Forget the dress, forget the sandcastle. She lunges to grab one of the dragon's paws. "Do it again, and I will cut all of your talons off, Dasarth." Phara is sitting on a blanket, wearing a violet colored dress. Or she was, a moment ago. She's been building sand castles evidently, but the crushed mound of earth beside her and the accoutraments of such. Bennath is nearby. W'ton has his own blanket not too far away, and he's been eating lunch. Dasarth is also on his blanket, or, his front half is, and the blanket beneath him is shredded. There's clearly some sort of altercation going on regarding that shredding.
Jantha approaches the lake shore at a tangent in company with Imoth, who has a gaggle of weyrlings in tow. They're strung out in a line, and following in the brown's footsteps like ducklings after a mother duck as he pursues a snaking path with many bends and loops. Their riders are walking alongside, and both humans and dragons look quite cheerful. Yes, it's another one of the Weyrlingmaster's little games-with-a-purpose. As they reach the water's edge, though, she calls a halt, congratulates them, and lets them take a dip in the lake. While the dragons charge into the water and the riders teeter on the brink, she ambles along a few yards to where she finds Phara and W'ton and their dragons. Eyes fixed on the remains of the blanket, she frowns as she asks, "What's going on here? We're not exactly well-supplied with bedding at the moment, you know."
Phara makes a face. "I know. I was trying to teach W'ton the significance of controlling his dragon, but apparently my lesson was not valuable enough. As such, I think it fitting that he explain to the headwoman why he's allowing his dragon to destroy bedding so soon after her reminder about the current shortage." She sighs and brushes sand off her skirt again, back to being all proper and frilly. "Good day, Weyrlingmaster. Nice weather, huh?"
The tip of his muzzle to the tip of his tail quivers when Phara does that, but Dasarth doesn't move. Neither does W'ton who has his hand resting on the bronze's shoulder although he's not looking ready to do something like the dragon is. Whatever that something might be he doesn't move other than to jerk his paw away from the bluerider and assume an air of injured dignity. "Begging both your pardons, ma'am," W'ton says with an easy smooth tone to his voice. "Blanket's mine. Doesn't belong to the Weyr. Came with me from Two Trees and they're not going to complain."
Jantha glances over her shoulder at the weyrling group before answering. "Well, don't hang about! Get in there with them. It's only water!" Rolling her eyes, she turns back to Phara and W'ton. "Very pleasant," she calmly agrees with Phara. "So, what exactly happened to the blanket, and why?"
Phara whispers quietly to Jantha, "That water is freezing, by the way." She does this a lot, this telling Jantha what happened. D'oh. "I was building a sand Weyr. Dasarth asked Bennath why I was doing something so pointless. Bennath told him not every activity had to have a point. Dasarth didn't understand. Bennath told him that it was useful because it helped W'ton be at ease, right Ben?" Clearly this is all coming from the blue, Phara's just translating. "Dasarth got mad, I told W'ton to make him stop shredding the blanket up. He did, I told him a story about when I let Bennath control me when he was Dasarth's age and how it turned out to be a pretty bad experience. And that's about when Dasarth really started ripping into it and you showed up." An eyebrow is lifted at W'ton, inviting him to clarify or alter anything she's said here.
"What she said, ma'am," W'ton answers being too busy with Dasarth to really offer anything else to that if he thinks something should be offered. The bronze continues his annoyed twitching and the gaze he turns on Phara and Bennath is quite baleful. Another slap to the side of his head has him looking away and he scoots forward to try to cover the tear with his body. Nothing to see here. Leave him be.
"So what's upset him so much, W'ton?" Jantha's watching the young bronze thoughtfully. "You're not going to be able to control him by hitting him for much longer, you know, and you shouldn't need to at all." Behind her, the other weyrlings are wading into the chilly water with no great enthusiasm - but they're doing it. The dragonets, of course, are impervious to cold and splashing away happily.
Phara watches the other weyrlings for now, letting Jantha deal with W'ton. He never listens to her anyways. Bennath is more than happy to leave behind the angry little bronze. Splashy splashy time? Yay!
"Don't control him by hitting, ma'am," W'ton says first. "Tell em to settle down. But he's..." Trailing off he gestures with one hand and sorts out words. "Strong, ma'am. A real fighter type. You know those kinda guys who punch each other to show they care without being a sissy? That's Dasarth. Not controlling him. Showing him it's ok. That I'm here with him." His shoulders shrug under his lunchtime finery and he grins for a moment. See? It's a man thing, women! Don't mind it. "He got upset cause Bennath was acting like I was afraid of his rider, ma'am. Dasarth took exception to him saying I needed coddling."
Dragon> To Dasarth, Imoth extends an enquiring tendril of thought. << What is bothering you, young one? >>
Dragon> The bronze is sulking. There is no excited clashing of metal or stomping of booted feet. Instead there is just the milling about of uncertainty reflecting throughout his mind. Dasarth's words come through it all, but it takes a few before they come through clearly. << He says he is weak. He is /not/ weak. How dare he call him that? I will not tolerate weakness! >> All childhood bravado really since whatever force he injects into his words trickles away swiftly. (Dasarth to Imoth)
"Then-" Jantha breaks off to listen; no doubt Imoth is relaying something. "Tell him nobody's saying you're weak, please." She gives a moment or for that to happen. "It sounds as if he hasn't understood what Bennath was saying. That's difficult, because you're only going to know that through him. But regardless of what Bennath may or may not have said, you need to keep him calm, which means keeping you calm. If you respond as if you're offended, he'll take offence too, or it'll encourage him if he's getting upset anyway. They're not really very good at interpreting meanings at this age; it's as well to remember that." Her glance takes in both of them as she gives that last piece of advice.
"Didn't act offended, ma'am. Didn't even know what was going on til he got all mad. He was talking to Bennath fine and I was talking to your assistant." W'ton looks at Dasarth whose head is down on the blanket now completely covering up and visible mishaps. Nothing happened here, see? "Shells, hard to say something to offend me at all," he goes on to add with a low chuckle. "Understand he's not going to understand and I'll try harder to make sure he does, of course, ma'am. But there's not-" He stops a moment, but then just shrugs his shoulders. "Know who and what I am, ma'am. Means I don't take offense when people say things even if they ai-aren't true."
Dragon> The white flag is waved under duress. There's little doubt of that. But it's there. The troops have stopped moving and there's no more fighting. Dasarth rumbles in his refined not fighting voice << I am sorry I did not understand what you said. >> Then he adds, like he's sneaking it in without W'ton knowing << You should use your terms more clearly. >> (Dasarth to Bennath)
Dragon> To Dasarth, Bennath considers the white flag more than Dasarth. Dasarth gets ignored while he contemplates it all. << Apology accepted. You shouldn't assume. You will learn to master your temper in time, however. Mine did. I will help. >> A flickering shadow of memory of a shorter, younger Ephara's fist connecting with a satisfying crunch against someone's nose waves like a banner and then it's gone, whipped away again by the passing wind.
Jantha nods brusquely, apparently accepting that the young bronze was responding directly to Bennath. "I hope you're not implying that's the case here. Well, you're going to have to get him calmed before he takes it out on the bedclothes. You may find it comes down to a battle of wills - and you've got to win those contests. It's not just that you can't have him destroying things, /whatever/ makes him upset; he's got to get into the way of listening to you and doing what you say - and just as important, trusting you to make good calls. They've all got to learn that."
W'ton's head shakes and he tells the weyrlingmaster, "I'm not implying anything, ma'am. We were just all having a conversation. He took something the wrong way. It won't happen again." At least not exactly this way. Exactly. "He doesn't usually destroy things, ma'am. He's a lot more careful than that. Truth is I think he never liked this anyway and was looking for an excuse." Before that can be taken the wrong way he's adding, "Know it doesn't excuse it. Will make sure it doesn't happen again." Then he's looking at the blanket and his plate and cup and then his fine clothes. Yes, he changes for meals into nice clothes. "Should get my plate put up and change." He looks at the weyrlingmaster and her assistant. "If I may, ma'ams?"
Phara has been sitting there popping up fingers every time W'ton says ma'am, her mouth quirked in a little smile. "Hm. Needed to talk to Jantha a bit anyways." The bronzerider just gets a little disapproving shake of her head and she leaves it there. Easier to let the older woman deal with him.
"Just a moment, W'ton." Jantha holds up a hand to prevent the bronzerider from thinking he's dismissed, and turns to Phara. "If it isn't Fort's blanket, do you still want him to report himself to the headwoman, or would telling him to mend it do?"
Dasarth's up off the blanket so W'ton can gather his things up. But he doesn't move since he's not dismissed. Blanket over his arm and cup on top of plate he waits. As does Dasarth although he sits facing away like this waiting is all his idea. Not someone else's.
Phara ponders it. "I'm inclined to say that potentially every rider is essentially the Weyr's property and therefor their belongings are also the Weyr's property. Eventually that blanket would have made it into the fabric scraps in exchange for a new one when it was worn out. And he's going to have to report to the headwoman anyways to request the scrap to patch it. So isn't it all just the same in the end?"
Jantha lifts her eyebrows a little at the theory, but pronounces, "He will indeed. So, W'ton, you have a blanket to mend, and if the headwoman sees fit to explain to you the evils of destruction and waste when you request the necessary wool and scraps, you will take it with a good grace, not attempt to justify yourself, and not talk back. Understood?" There's steel in her tone.
In response there's a salute and a politely said, "As you wish, ma'ams." Then W'ton's heading off with Dasarth in tow to leave the grown ups to have their conversation.