Small model
Who: F'vel (npc by N'eph), N'eph, Phara, Rhodya, V'rel (npc by T'rev), W'ton
(Saulienth, Telyhath, Gedroth, Naimath, Dasarth
Where: Barracks
When: Morning on day 2, month 9, turn 19
What: N'eph lost a bet. The whole weyrling class gets to appreciate it.
It's early morning, a shining and unnaturally warm one, and many weyrlings have already gathered to honor the routine that's been handed down to them. Slowly the pre-determined order of their exercise lines forms again, riders situated a double arm's length apart, with plenty of space to move. Denying the predictability of it all, though, there's one space that remains vacant as the time ticks on. Though Telyhath is conspicuously curled up on her couch, watching the proceedings, N'eph is nowhere to be seen. The weyrlings on either side of his empty spot look the most nervous, eyeing the assistant weyrlingmaster running things through quick, sideways glances to gauge just how much of a problem this really is.
Pacing to and fro, V'rel keeps eyeing that gap and then the group. The gap. The group. Finally he barks out an order: "Get started!" They know the drill. And he's stalking off to look into the Barracks while his dragon reaches out to Telyhath: << Where is your rider, Telyhath? >>
Thanks to Gedroth and Telyhath's engineering on previous days, Rhodya's normally in the spot next to N'eph. Today, of course, she's in the spot next to emptiness, looking a little bit irritated and a little bit confused by the greenrider's absence. Her brown takes the change in stride, though he lets Telyhath know through a breeze of mental contact that Saulienth will be getting off easy today if she doesn't show up.
Tsk. Missing weyrling. That's never good. W'ton notices because, well, they all notice. Dasarth notices as well from his spot where he sits. No curling up for him when he's not sleeping. Mostly though the bronze's rider watches V'rel. Because he's the one in charge after all. If there's going to be trouble for anyone or everyone it'll come from him. Best to keep an eye on him because N'eph will show up or not.
Telyhath's response is unveiled, laid out for all the rest of the weyrling dragons to hear, too. << Coming, >> she promises, though it has a titter to it, a giggle of clinking ice that shallowly covers some amusement. True to her word, her rider appears a couple of minutes later, sliding out from the small bathing area that most of the dragons have outgrown by now. Oh, another thing, he's completely naked. Striding in as if nothing at all was amiss, he navigates his way through the weyrlings to his designated spot without a word and then catches up quickly to where they are in the exercises. Nothing to see here.
<< Coming ? >> is the answer from V'rel's green the elder dragon lifting her head to look upwards at Telyhath. And there comes N'eph all buff-like in the buff and the assistant's nostrils pinch. "And just /where/ do you think you're going young man?" he says irascibly, arms folding across his chest. Clearly, very unimpressed.
Gedroth is quickly mollified: as long as N'eph's coming, then Telyhath will surely turn up later. In time to hassle Saulienth, who, by the way, is eyeing the green suspiciously for that tinkle of laughter in her tone. And then N'eph /does/ turn up, and both browns rumble with amusement. Rhodya doesn't share it. She /stares/ at N'eph for, like, a second, and then he starts stretching, and there are a whole lot of things she doesn't want to see him stretching, so she looks away in red-faced, gape-mouthed horror. "Oh my goooosh," she says to no one in particular, staring straight ahead. There's still peripheral vision to account for, though; she puts an hand up to cover that, even though it means she's now one-arm-down on doing her own exercises.
Dasarth's never had much interest in the minds of greens. They're so annoying. This morning is no change and he doesn't even look at Telyhath when she titters her rider's arrival. Now W'ton's interested though when N'eph shows up and he watches the greenrider with something of a smirk. He doesn't stare too long, of course. Just long enough to be sure he knows what the man has. Why not?
"Drills," N'eph answers V'rel matter-of-factly, a tinge in his tone suggesting that he's doubting the clarity of the man's mind just about now. Obvious, isn't it. He doesn't see anything wrong with the situation right now, either. He ignores any reactions his birthday suit gets him, taking a card from Rhodya and staring straight ahead while he goes through the exercise routine. F'vel, down at the end of the line, doesn't gawk or ogle; he seems to be the only one other than N'eph trying to keep a straight face. F'vel's not having as much success, though, and seconds after N'eph answers, the brownrider lets out a loud snort of suppressed laughter.
"Get your ass into the damn barracks and get your damn clothes on," V'rel says with a snort of his own, unamused. Then you can come back out here and give me a hundred each of push-ups, sit-ups and two laps of the Bowl. "And maybe just maybe you'll have to hold off on putting your tickets in the weyr lottery," the assistant weyrlingmaster says in cold tones. "The rest of you, keep it up. Ignore him." Naimath nudges gently at Telyhath. << You should have told him this was /not/ a good idea. Not with V'rel. >>
Rhodya meets V'rel's eye for a second, desperately, when she's ordered to ignore N'eph. How can she?! He's being indecent! And her face is getting redder by the second, but she won't put that hand down, no sirree. Gedroth takes a scientific interest in the show before him. << Is that what men look like naked? That is a penis, yes? >> No, that question wasn't for anyone in particular. Yes, all the dragons present got to hear it.
Under his breath W'ton tells Taylira next to him, "Gonna be harder for some than others to keep it up." While he doesn't snicker at his own joke he does shoot the bluerider an amused look when she giggles under her breath. Clearing his throat the bronzerider keeps doing his exercises and then Gedroth asks and Dasarth passes it on and he nearly loses it. Lips quiver and turn up and there's a quiet choking sound as he tries not to laugh. Dasarth only tells Gedroth << Yours does not have one. Likely she does not know what it looks like so you had best remember it. >> Yes, he's perfectly serious.
N'eph is cool as ever as V'rel gets madder, though there is a twitch at the corner of his mouth when he's directed to get clothes. "Can't do that," he tells the older greenrider frankly through the slightly labored breathing those exercises are giving him. << I did, >> Telyhath assures Naimath, though that past resistance apparently doesn't stop her from enjoying the spectacle thoroughly. << But it wasn't his. >> Of penises, especially her rider's, she has no comment.
"I beg your pardon?" V'rel demands more than questions at N'eph's refusal. "Explain yourself," the weyrlingmaster's assistant says simply, arms folding across chest, eyes tight on his fellow greenrider's face. No sign at all from V'rel about you know, any reaction to ... that thing. Naimath briefly to the class. << Yes. It is. He'd best keep it to himself too. >> And then on a narrower band to Telyhath: << Wasn't his? >>
We've traded Rhodya's regular head with a tomato. Let's see what happens! -- At least, that would explain how she got so suddenly, unbelievably red. Gedroth peers at her inquisitively, but before he can say anything she chokes out "Baby, /don't/!" She's too flustered for that whole mental conversation thing. << Okay, >> Gedroth answers placidly. He looks from Naimath to Dasarth, shaking his wings. << It doesn't look very convenient. >> << It isn't, >> Saulienth chimes in. << They get hurt there very easily. I - stepped on F'vel, when I was little, >> he confesses, shame-faced.
W'ton finally cannot keep it in and there's a slight, tiny, small laugh. It happens the same time Taylira giggles once more and he shoots her a look again and they both nearly lose it. The bronzerider looks at the rest of the weyrlings and nearly loses it again when be catches sight of Rhodya's face. << W'ton says that it makes it easier to relieve himself. I believe he only means after drinking. Although he seems to think of other things as well. >> At least Dasarth doesn't share /who/ he's thinking of it with. << Why would anyone else want it? >> This is directed to Naimath although he doesn't only ask her. << Does it come off? That would be most convenient. Then it could not be stepped on. >> Yes. Yes, he does share an image of a detachable penis with the class. He even provides a pocket for it to be tucked into.
N'eph shakes his head mid-exercise, still refusing to meet V'rel's eye. "Can't do that either." He doesn't even have the decency to throw a 'sir' into the mix, either. Telyhath hesitates for a second, too interested in what her classmates are discussing to answer Naimath right away. << Oh, but then it would get lost, >> she protests, adding with the tone of an expert, << he would much rather get stepped on than lose it. >> There is an image one, an unsurprisingly fleeting one, of an extremely unhappy, penis-less N'eph. Back to Naimath, she shoots the other green the equivalent of a mental throat-clearing. << Oh, it was his idea. I just forgot. >> But there's that tinkling again, the strang-sounding giggle that suggests she's obscuring something. Then it drops away. << Oh, okay. I'm not supposed to tell, >> she shares secretively.
"Then you get to stay in the Barracks and enjoy restrictions for the rest of weyrlinghood," V'rel says in that still cool voice. "Since you clearly can't keep it in your pants," the assistant continues, arms still folded across his chest. Naimath is likewise calm, though she's leaning more on Telyhath's mind, constant but not painful pressure. << You must. If you will not tell me, then Imoth will be called. Or worse. Peirith. >>
<< I was thinking something more retractable, >> Gedroth remarks, lifting his tail so he can peer at it. He's heard that he has a penis of his own in there, but it's all word of mouth at this point. It doesn't make a difference when /he/ relieves himself - and for those that are listening to him particularly, that mental babble of his thoughts is perfectly audible. << It doesn't retract, does it? It doesn't seem to. >> He peers curiously at N'eph again. Rhodya winces a bit at the punishment V'rel threatens N'eph with, but she's still ignoring him, so she quickly schools her expression (back to mortal embarrassement!) and goes on with her exercises.
Exercises, yes. That's what everyone is doing. W'ton is very busy and he tsks softly when he catches Taylira sneaking peeks at N'eph. Then he sneaks a peek himself just to see if the show is still going on. A free show! Who'd turn that down. Dasarth, after sharing his idea, loses interest. It doesn't come off. It doesn't even do much at all. So, who really cares? What he does care about is sending a message to Rhodya through Gedroth for the brown alone. << Tell her that he sees her peeking. That is what he said. >> And then while he listens to chatter he does not add his own voice to it.
N'eph's face shows no sign of it, but that must have hurt. His glance wavers away from straight forward, but not toward V'rel; instead, he looks sideways down the line at F'vel, who's watching him in turn, eyebrows raised expectantly. "Yes, daddy," N'eph answers crisply, the unexpected and insubordinate word taking the place of the usual 'sir.' << Oh, no, I didn't mean for it, seriously, it's not that much of a problem, >> Telyhath rushes out, all at once, to Naimath, just to her. << It was a bet. He lost. And, well. There's more. >> A sense of completion comes with that last bit. F'vel, laughing quietly but intensely, turns to W'ton with a face almost as red as Rhodya's. "What's that guy's name again?" he asks, tone loud and strangely malicious.
"Down and do those pushups," V'rel barks out, for that insubordination. "And consider those restrictions in place from right now until you get tapped. /If/ you get tapped." Another snort and he eyeballs the class, gaze falling on F'vel suspiciously. Naimath continues her /leaning/ on Telyhath. << What more, Telyhath? >>
"What?!" Rhodya shrieks aloud, bringing down her efforts to be well-behaved despite the naked man stretching not two feet from her. Forgetting about her exercises, she whirls around to find W'ton in the crowd. "Don't you even!" she yells at him, while Gedroth flutters his wings behind her. He relayed the message loyally! << Saulienth, >> he asks the other brown, << did yours arrange this? >> For F'vel's odd question - surely he knows his fellow T'rev mentee by now! - has come to Rhodya's attention, even though she's too busy to do anything but yell at W'ton about, er, unrelated things. Gedroth doesn't mind - everyone is peeking, what's the big deal! - so F'vel's behavior is more interesting to him.
Huh? Someone yelling at him? When all W'ton is doing is exercises like he's supposed to be doing? F'vel gets a look of puzzlement and he shrugs his shoulders. What man? What is going on? He gives his head a quick shake. As for Rhodya she gets a puzzled look as well although there's so much innocence in the look as well. Whatever is going on the bronzerider has no idea.
N'eph obediently falls to the ground and takes up the assigned sets of pushups as soon as V'rel gives them out, taking himself, thankfully for some, out of easy peeking range. Telyhath, meanwhile, is answering Naimath, almost casually at this point; half of her mind is still preoccupied with the flurry of activity and draconic discussion. << More to the bet. Like, um... oh, I shouldn't say this... if you said his name. >> Saulienth fairly bursts when he's pinpointed with that question, though his roar of victory is carefully sectioned off to just the young dragons. << Yes! >> F'vel frowns at W'ton, then pointedly and in a much more normal tone, repeats, "No, really. What's his name?" Dude.
Phara doesn't want to know. She just doesn't want to know. She's got her hands stuffed in her pockets, wearing more than such weather would usually call for. Maybe she just couldn't settle on which scarf to wear. That might explain why she's wearing two. Feel free to ask yourself why she'd even want to wear one in the first place. Though you'd be better off asking yourself why N'eph is naked. She sure doesn't know. That's probably why she stops and stares when she rounds a corner and sees a naked butt going up and down. "Is he... humping the floor?" She asks V'rel, oh so seriously. Not even a hint of a mouth twitch. Okay... maybe one twitch.
Up come V'rel's irate eyes as N'eph drops and they fix on Phara. "Because he showed up like that and refuses to go get dressed," the other assistant snaps out. "Take the group won't you, Phara? Make sure they keep on with drills, while I deal with this insubordinate, no-account," the elder greenrider says with the look of someone sucking on lemons.
Gedroth rumbles at Saulienth, richly amused by the ploy his brother has unleashed. Then he does something that he learned, regrettably, from N'eph: << Air five! >> He lifts a front paw and mimes a high-five with the brown, sending waves of amusement back to Telyhath while he's at it. << Looks like you're the one who won't get off easy today, Telyhath. >> Rhodya keeps glaring at W'ton for several seconds longer, her ability to build up to a righteous rage having been brutally stomped by W'ton's refusal to engage it. She turns her wrath on F'vel, instead, shouting "It's N'EPH!" before she whirls around to go back to her exercises. One hopes.
Naimath meanwhile is trying to piece together Telyhath's information. << His name? Whose name? >>
Exercising. That is what W'ton is doing. He's staying out of everything. He's certainly gotten into enough trouble without any help and since he's out of trouble now he'd like to stay that way. So, F'vel just gets a look and a shake of his head. Nope. Not playing along with this game whatever it is. He'll just stay out of it and watch what goes on.
Saulienth sends mental snickering and a physical air-five back at Gedroth, still thoroughly enjoying the whole thing. << Yeah, >> Telyhath agrees with Gedroth, though there's not an ounce of pout or sullenness about it, just straightforward truth-recognition, << Looks like it. >> N'eph's shouted name incites a loud sigh from him, then he gets up from his unfinished push-ups and immediately, randomly launches into a dance. Closed fists are thrust together toward the ground, covering his naughty bits for now, and his legs alternately kick out to the side in a lively little jig. He's already breathless, but he manages to make the song that goes with it audible all the same. "Oh, N'eph I am, N'eph I am," he chants, sing-song, "Yes, N'eph I am, N'eph I am. N'eeeeeph... I am." That done, he sinks into his push-ups once again, letting out a tired rush of breath in the process. << See? >> Telyhath sends simply to Naimath.
Phara pauses and lifts one finger, brows furrowing. "He showed up... naked?" she says slowly, as if unable to properly assimilate this information - or do anything with it. "Well. That's one I never thought of before." Obviously much more amused by N'eph's antics than V'rel. "Should have let him do drills. Ever flown naked, V'rel? Say it with me .. SHRINKAGE!" She gives the older rider a cheeky grin and skips away quickly, lest he try to make her do pushups to. She doesn't get far. Rhodya's yelling names and W'ton is doing something and N'eph is doing a jig? "What in Faranth's great golden behind is going on here?" asks the bluerider, completely lost on whether she should be laughing or outraged. So she mixes up a little bit of both for good measure.
Along with that, comprehension dawns and V'rel whirls about, eyes F'vel now. "Phara, haul F'vel over here," the greenriding assistant says about Saulienth's rider and then he's dropping a hand to N'eph's shoulder. "If you don't stop that /now/ son, I'll personally take those off of you." You know. The jewels he's cupping. "March. Straight to Jantha's office." Naimath lets out a long sigh. << Boys. >> And retreats.
It's the song that does it. Rhodya can't help looking at N'eph when he starts dancing, and when he starts singing too... well, she starts laughing. She's still red as a beet and, judging by the fist she shakes at him, horrifically ticked off - but he's dancing! She turns her back so she won't have to watch anymore, but her shoulders are still shaking. Gedroth looks from Telyhath to Saulienth, then at the weyrlingmasters who appear to have figured out the game. << Don't worry, >> he tells his gang. << I'll still visit you in jail. >>
And still W'ton is not laughing even though Taylira has completely lost it and she her blue's tail loops up in amusement. The bluerider giggles loudly and the bronzerider just looks at her amused. His eyes do drift to Rhodya and he lets out a chuckle at her reaction. "Kids," he says under his breath in as pretentious a tone as he can handle. Which sends Taylira giggling all over again as she stops to catch her breath.
<< Uh-oh. >> Saulienth's sudden horror at F'vel being singled out is widely broadcast, and the cocky stance of his legs crumbles, leaving him in an uncertain hump. F'vel's own amusement is equally doused; his face remains red, but his smile has stiffened, a bracing for whatever hell Phara is about to bring to him. << If they let you, >> Telyhath answers Gedroth, a bit of sheepishness and regret only now slipping into her words. N'eph does stop his song and dance routine, responding to V'rel with a faintly reluctant, but still hearty, "Yes, daddy." Marching would be easy, but you see, N'eph has to skip. He has to. Humming the entire way. But to Jantha's office he does go, still naked as the day he was born.
Phara gives V'rel a confused look. "Why?" she asks, looking around at everyone. Her tone takes on a whining quality. "Why is N'eph dancing naked and why are we laughing and why am I hauling F'vel over here?" And she does less hauling of F'vel so much as, you know, motioning him to come hither with her most sexy come... hither... look. Or, you know, the 'just do it, please?' look works too.
As N'eph skips rather than marching, V'rel shoots Phara a disgusted look. "Because they were in on it together," he barks out and crook-fingers at F'vel, points in the same direction that his companion-in-prank is going. "And now that makes two of you staying in the Barracks and on restrictions until it's hot Between," the elder greenrider says direly. Question is, will he /really/ make them stay or not? Aren't their dragons too big? But there could be a difference between 'dragon you go sleep there' and 'weyrling sit your arse down on that cot'.
Rhodya tsks at W'ton, drawing together as much reproof as she can given the mix of emotions going on right now. "Don't be so sour, W'ton. Just 'cause he's bigger than you or something." Hah! A shot! She seems much more cheerful now as she turns back to her exercises. Gedroth stretches out on his couch. << Who says they need to let me? >> he asks Telyhath. What have rules ever meant to Gedroth? He only follows them if they make sense, and it makes no sense to separate him from his friends!
"Rhodya, if you're angling for a peek you just have to ask," W'ton tells the brownrider with a wink. "No need to be all coy about it." He is manly and studly and completely unconcerned about the size of his model or anyone else's. At least as far as comparison's go considering he was peeking earlier. One hand rises so he might stroke his chin thoughtfully and he muses out loud to Taylira, "Does that not mean she was peeking though? To know what he was?" The bluerider just giggles and stays out of it.
Phara shrugs at V'rel. "Okay," she says, unconcerned, and passes a hand through her short hair. The greenrider should know better than to expect outrage from her most of the time, not with this sort of thing. He's doing a fine job of handling it, after all. "Uh, anyways. Now that I am completely extraneous in this situation. Drills, was it?"
F'vel obeys, first Phara, as he starts to shuffle toward her, then V'rel, when he bends his steps instead to Jantha's office. His hands are stuck deep in his pockets, a luxury N'eph doesn't have, as he walks away from the drills that are being reigned in to relative normalcy. << I like the way you think, >> Telyhath tells Gedroth with a touch of sisterly awe, nerves calmed somewhat knowing that the riders' antics won't keep them apart.
V'rel shoots Phara a disapproving backwards glance, the elder greenrider really at his most sour as he follows the two pranksters into the office to have them face the Weyrlingmaster. The upshot'll be a little less severe than what V'rel threatened, most likely. Though yes, an extended restriction period for both of them and the revoking of their weyr tickets. For the time being.
Rhodya snorts at W'ton, though it takes her a moment to respond. She's in the middle of a bend! "I ain't seen yours or his, but I know jealousy when I hear it." See, now they're just competing to make Taylira laugh, and she's really the winner here, because she gets entertainment at no risk to herself. Gedroth receives Telyhath's admiration with curious appreciation. Isn't that what anyone would do? He rumbles at her, nevertheless.
"For someone who claims to have no use for what she talks about you sure talk about it a lot, Rhodya," W'ton says with a shake of his head and a laugh. Sorry, he's just not rising to that bait. Completely secure here! He just has to finish his exercise without falling over laughing. He does so by not talking any more.
"Mmm-hmm," Rhodya answers, as unconvinced by his retort as he is by her denial. But she follows W'ton's lead, as far as that goes, by concentrating on her exercises again. Alas, no more jokes for Taylira!
(Saulienth, Telyhath, Gedroth, Naimath, Dasarth
Where: Barracks
When: Morning on day 2, month 9, turn 19
What: N'eph lost a bet. The whole weyrling class gets to appreciate it.
It's early morning, a shining and unnaturally warm one, and many weyrlings have already gathered to honor the routine that's been handed down to them. Slowly the pre-determined order of their exercise lines forms again, riders situated a double arm's length apart, with plenty of space to move. Denying the predictability of it all, though, there's one space that remains vacant as the time ticks on. Though Telyhath is conspicuously curled up on her couch, watching the proceedings, N'eph is nowhere to be seen. The weyrlings on either side of his empty spot look the most nervous, eyeing the assistant weyrlingmaster running things through quick, sideways glances to gauge just how much of a problem this really is.
Pacing to and fro, V'rel keeps eyeing that gap and then the group. The gap. The group. Finally he barks out an order: "Get started!" They know the drill. And he's stalking off to look into the Barracks while his dragon reaches out to Telyhath: << Where is your rider, Telyhath? >>
Thanks to Gedroth and Telyhath's engineering on previous days, Rhodya's normally in the spot next to N'eph. Today, of course, she's in the spot next to emptiness, looking a little bit irritated and a little bit confused by the greenrider's absence. Her brown takes the change in stride, though he lets Telyhath know through a breeze of mental contact that Saulienth will be getting off easy today if she doesn't show up.
Tsk. Missing weyrling. That's never good. W'ton notices because, well, they all notice. Dasarth notices as well from his spot where he sits. No curling up for him when he's not sleeping. Mostly though the bronze's rider watches V'rel. Because he's the one in charge after all. If there's going to be trouble for anyone or everyone it'll come from him. Best to keep an eye on him because N'eph will show up or not.
Telyhath's response is unveiled, laid out for all the rest of the weyrling dragons to hear, too. << Coming, >> she promises, though it has a titter to it, a giggle of clinking ice that shallowly covers some amusement. True to her word, her rider appears a couple of minutes later, sliding out from the small bathing area that most of the dragons have outgrown by now. Oh, another thing, he's completely naked. Striding in as if nothing at all was amiss, he navigates his way through the weyrlings to his designated spot without a word and then catches up quickly to where they are in the exercises. Nothing to see here.
<< Coming ? >> is the answer from V'rel's green the elder dragon lifting her head to look upwards at Telyhath. And there comes N'eph all buff-like in the buff and the assistant's nostrils pinch. "And just /where/ do you think you're going young man?" he says irascibly, arms folding across his chest. Clearly, very unimpressed.
Gedroth is quickly mollified: as long as N'eph's coming, then Telyhath will surely turn up later. In time to hassle Saulienth, who, by the way, is eyeing the green suspiciously for that tinkle of laughter in her tone. And then N'eph /does/ turn up, and both browns rumble with amusement. Rhodya doesn't share it. She /stares/ at N'eph for, like, a second, and then he starts stretching, and there are a whole lot of things she doesn't want to see him stretching, so she looks away in red-faced, gape-mouthed horror. "Oh my goooosh," she says to no one in particular, staring straight ahead. There's still peripheral vision to account for, though; she puts an hand up to cover that, even though it means she's now one-arm-down on doing her own exercises.
Dasarth's never had much interest in the minds of greens. They're so annoying. This morning is no change and he doesn't even look at Telyhath when she titters her rider's arrival. Now W'ton's interested though when N'eph shows up and he watches the greenrider with something of a smirk. He doesn't stare too long, of course. Just long enough to be sure he knows what the man has. Why not?
"Drills," N'eph answers V'rel matter-of-factly, a tinge in his tone suggesting that he's doubting the clarity of the man's mind just about now. Obvious, isn't it. He doesn't see anything wrong with the situation right now, either. He ignores any reactions his birthday suit gets him, taking a card from Rhodya and staring straight ahead while he goes through the exercise routine. F'vel, down at the end of the line, doesn't gawk or ogle; he seems to be the only one other than N'eph trying to keep a straight face. F'vel's not having as much success, though, and seconds after N'eph answers, the brownrider lets out a loud snort of suppressed laughter.
"Get your ass into the damn barracks and get your damn clothes on," V'rel says with a snort of his own, unamused. Then you can come back out here and give me a hundred each of push-ups, sit-ups and two laps of the Bowl. "And maybe just maybe you'll have to hold off on putting your tickets in the weyr lottery," the assistant weyrlingmaster says in cold tones. "The rest of you, keep it up. Ignore him." Naimath nudges gently at Telyhath. << You should have told him this was /not/ a good idea. Not with V'rel. >>
Rhodya meets V'rel's eye for a second, desperately, when she's ordered to ignore N'eph. How can she?! He's being indecent! And her face is getting redder by the second, but she won't put that hand down, no sirree. Gedroth takes a scientific interest in the show before him. << Is that what men look like naked? That is a penis, yes? >> No, that question wasn't for anyone in particular. Yes, all the dragons present got to hear it.
Under his breath W'ton tells Taylira next to him, "Gonna be harder for some than others to keep it up." While he doesn't snicker at his own joke he does shoot the bluerider an amused look when she giggles under her breath. Clearing his throat the bronzerider keeps doing his exercises and then Gedroth asks and Dasarth passes it on and he nearly loses it. Lips quiver and turn up and there's a quiet choking sound as he tries not to laugh. Dasarth only tells Gedroth << Yours does not have one. Likely she does not know what it looks like so you had best remember it. >> Yes, he's perfectly serious.
N'eph is cool as ever as V'rel gets madder, though there is a twitch at the corner of his mouth when he's directed to get clothes. "Can't do that," he tells the older greenrider frankly through the slightly labored breathing those exercises are giving him. << I did, >> Telyhath assures Naimath, though that past resistance apparently doesn't stop her from enjoying the spectacle thoroughly. << But it wasn't his. >> Of penises, especially her rider's, she has no comment.
"I beg your pardon?" V'rel demands more than questions at N'eph's refusal. "Explain yourself," the weyrlingmaster's assistant says simply, arms folding across chest, eyes tight on his fellow greenrider's face. No sign at all from V'rel about you know, any reaction to ... that thing. Naimath briefly to the class. << Yes. It is. He'd best keep it to himself too. >> And then on a narrower band to Telyhath: << Wasn't his? >>
We've traded Rhodya's regular head with a tomato. Let's see what happens! -- At least, that would explain how she got so suddenly, unbelievably red. Gedroth peers at her inquisitively, but before he can say anything she chokes out "Baby, /don't/!" She's too flustered for that whole mental conversation thing. << Okay, >> Gedroth answers placidly. He looks from Naimath to Dasarth, shaking his wings. << It doesn't look very convenient. >> << It isn't, >> Saulienth chimes in. << They get hurt there very easily. I - stepped on F'vel, when I was little, >> he confesses, shame-faced.
W'ton finally cannot keep it in and there's a slight, tiny, small laugh. It happens the same time Taylira giggles once more and he shoots her a look again and they both nearly lose it. The bronzerider looks at the rest of the weyrlings and nearly loses it again when be catches sight of Rhodya's face. << W'ton says that it makes it easier to relieve himself. I believe he only means after drinking. Although he seems to think of other things as well. >> At least Dasarth doesn't share /who/ he's thinking of it with. << Why would anyone else want it? >> This is directed to Naimath although he doesn't only ask her. << Does it come off? That would be most convenient. Then it could not be stepped on. >> Yes. Yes, he does share an image of a detachable penis with the class. He even provides a pocket for it to be tucked into.
N'eph shakes his head mid-exercise, still refusing to meet V'rel's eye. "Can't do that either." He doesn't even have the decency to throw a 'sir' into the mix, either. Telyhath hesitates for a second, too interested in what her classmates are discussing to answer Naimath right away. << Oh, but then it would get lost, >> she protests, adding with the tone of an expert, << he would much rather get stepped on than lose it. >> There is an image one, an unsurprisingly fleeting one, of an extremely unhappy, penis-less N'eph. Back to Naimath, she shoots the other green the equivalent of a mental throat-clearing. << Oh, it was his idea. I just forgot. >> But there's that tinkling again, the strang-sounding giggle that suggests she's obscuring something. Then it drops away. << Oh, okay. I'm not supposed to tell, >> she shares secretively.
"Then you get to stay in the Barracks and enjoy restrictions for the rest of weyrlinghood," V'rel says in that still cool voice. "Since you clearly can't keep it in your pants," the assistant continues, arms still folded across his chest. Naimath is likewise calm, though she's leaning more on Telyhath's mind, constant but not painful pressure. << You must. If you will not tell me, then Imoth will be called. Or worse. Peirith. >>
<< I was thinking something more retractable, >> Gedroth remarks, lifting his tail so he can peer at it. He's heard that he has a penis of his own in there, but it's all word of mouth at this point. It doesn't make a difference when /he/ relieves himself - and for those that are listening to him particularly, that mental babble of his thoughts is perfectly audible. << It doesn't retract, does it? It doesn't seem to. >> He peers curiously at N'eph again. Rhodya winces a bit at the punishment V'rel threatens N'eph with, but she's still ignoring him, so she quickly schools her expression (back to mortal embarrassement!) and goes on with her exercises.
Exercises, yes. That's what everyone is doing. W'ton is very busy and he tsks softly when he catches Taylira sneaking peeks at N'eph. Then he sneaks a peek himself just to see if the show is still going on. A free show! Who'd turn that down. Dasarth, after sharing his idea, loses interest. It doesn't come off. It doesn't even do much at all. So, who really cares? What he does care about is sending a message to Rhodya through Gedroth for the brown alone. << Tell her that he sees her peeking. That is what he said. >> And then while he listens to chatter he does not add his own voice to it.
N'eph's face shows no sign of it, but that must have hurt. His glance wavers away from straight forward, but not toward V'rel; instead, he looks sideways down the line at F'vel, who's watching him in turn, eyebrows raised expectantly. "Yes, daddy," N'eph answers crisply, the unexpected and insubordinate word taking the place of the usual 'sir.' << Oh, no, I didn't mean for it, seriously, it's not that much of a problem, >> Telyhath rushes out, all at once, to Naimath, just to her. << It was a bet. He lost. And, well. There's more. >> A sense of completion comes with that last bit. F'vel, laughing quietly but intensely, turns to W'ton with a face almost as red as Rhodya's. "What's that guy's name again?" he asks, tone loud and strangely malicious.
"Down and do those pushups," V'rel barks out, for that insubordination. "And consider those restrictions in place from right now until you get tapped. /If/ you get tapped." Another snort and he eyeballs the class, gaze falling on F'vel suspiciously. Naimath continues her /leaning/ on Telyhath. << What more, Telyhath? >>
"What?!" Rhodya shrieks aloud, bringing down her efforts to be well-behaved despite the naked man stretching not two feet from her. Forgetting about her exercises, she whirls around to find W'ton in the crowd. "Don't you even!" she yells at him, while Gedroth flutters his wings behind her. He relayed the message loyally! << Saulienth, >> he asks the other brown, << did yours arrange this? >> For F'vel's odd question - surely he knows his fellow T'rev mentee by now! - has come to Rhodya's attention, even though she's too busy to do anything but yell at W'ton about, er, unrelated things. Gedroth doesn't mind - everyone is peeking, what's the big deal! - so F'vel's behavior is more interesting to him.
Huh? Someone yelling at him? When all W'ton is doing is exercises like he's supposed to be doing? F'vel gets a look of puzzlement and he shrugs his shoulders. What man? What is going on? He gives his head a quick shake. As for Rhodya she gets a puzzled look as well although there's so much innocence in the look as well. Whatever is going on the bronzerider has no idea.
N'eph obediently falls to the ground and takes up the assigned sets of pushups as soon as V'rel gives them out, taking himself, thankfully for some, out of easy peeking range. Telyhath, meanwhile, is answering Naimath, almost casually at this point; half of her mind is still preoccupied with the flurry of activity and draconic discussion. << More to the bet. Like, um... oh, I shouldn't say this... if you said his name. >> Saulienth fairly bursts when he's pinpointed with that question, though his roar of victory is carefully sectioned off to just the young dragons. << Yes! >> F'vel frowns at W'ton, then pointedly and in a much more normal tone, repeats, "No, really. What's his name?" Dude.
Phara doesn't want to know. She just doesn't want to know. She's got her hands stuffed in her pockets, wearing more than such weather would usually call for. Maybe she just couldn't settle on which scarf to wear. That might explain why she's wearing two. Feel free to ask yourself why she'd even want to wear one in the first place. Though you'd be better off asking yourself why N'eph is naked. She sure doesn't know. That's probably why she stops and stares when she rounds a corner and sees a naked butt going up and down. "Is he... humping the floor?" She asks V'rel, oh so seriously. Not even a hint of a mouth twitch. Okay... maybe one twitch.
Up come V'rel's irate eyes as N'eph drops and they fix on Phara. "Because he showed up like that and refuses to go get dressed," the other assistant snaps out. "Take the group won't you, Phara? Make sure they keep on with drills, while I deal with this insubordinate, no-account," the elder greenrider says with the look of someone sucking on lemons.
Gedroth rumbles at Saulienth, richly amused by the ploy his brother has unleashed. Then he does something that he learned, regrettably, from N'eph: << Air five! >> He lifts a front paw and mimes a high-five with the brown, sending waves of amusement back to Telyhath while he's at it. << Looks like you're the one who won't get off easy today, Telyhath. >> Rhodya keeps glaring at W'ton for several seconds longer, her ability to build up to a righteous rage having been brutally stomped by W'ton's refusal to engage it. She turns her wrath on F'vel, instead, shouting "It's N'EPH!" before she whirls around to go back to her exercises. One hopes.
Naimath meanwhile is trying to piece together Telyhath's information. << His name? Whose name? >>
Exercising. That is what W'ton is doing. He's staying out of everything. He's certainly gotten into enough trouble without any help and since he's out of trouble now he'd like to stay that way. So, F'vel just gets a look and a shake of his head. Nope. Not playing along with this game whatever it is. He'll just stay out of it and watch what goes on.
Saulienth sends mental snickering and a physical air-five back at Gedroth, still thoroughly enjoying the whole thing. << Yeah, >> Telyhath agrees with Gedroth, though there's not an ounce of pout or sullenness about it, just straightforward truth-recognition, << Looks like it. >> N'eph's shouted name incites a loud sigh from him, then he gets up from his unfinished push-ups and immediately, randomly launches into a dance. Closed fists are thrust together toward the ground, covering his naughty bits for now, and his legs alternately kick out to the side in a lively little jig. He's already breathless, but he manages to make the song that goes with it audible all the same. "Oh, N'eph I am, N'eph I am," he chants, sing-song, "Yes, N'eph I am, N'eph I am. N'eeeeeph... I am." That done, he sinks into his push-ups once again, letting out a tired rush of breath in the process. << See? >> Telyhath sends simply to Naimath.
Phara pauses and lifts one finger, brows furrowing. "He showed up... naked?" she says slowly, as if unable to properly assimilate this information - or do anything with it. "Well. That's one I never thought of before." Obviously much more amused by N'eph's antics than V'rel. "Should have let him do drills. Ever flown naked, V'rel? Say it with me .. SHRINKAGE!" She gives the older rider a cheeky grin and skips away quickly, lest he try to make her do pushups to. She doesn't get far. Rhodya's yelling names and W'ton is doing something and N'eph is doing a jig? "What in Faranth's great golden behind is going on here?" asks the bluerider, completely lost on whether she should be laughing or outraged. So she mixes up a little bit of both for good measure.
Along with that, comprehension dawns and V'rel whirls about, eyes F'vel now. "Phara, haul F'vel over here," the greenriding assistant says about Saulienth's rider and then he's dropping a hand to N'eph's shoulder. "If you don't stop that /now/ son, I'll personally take those off of you." You know. The jewels he's cupping. "March. Straight to Jantha's office." Naimath lets out a long sigh. << Boys. >> And retreats.
It's the song that does it. Rhodya can't help looking at N'eph when he starts dancing, and when he starts singing too... well, she starts laughing. She's still red as a beet and, judging by the fist she shakes at him, horrifically ticked off - but he's dancing! She turns her back so she won't have to watch anymore, but her shoulders are still shaking. Gedroth looks from Telyhath to Saulienth, then at the weyrlingmasters who appear to have figured out the game. << Don't worry, >> he tells his gang. << I'll still visit you in jail. >>
And still W'ton is not laughing even though Taylira has completely lost it and she her blue's tail loops up in amusement. The bluerider giggles loudly and the bronzerider just looks at her amused. His eyes do drift to Rhodya and he lets out a chuckle at her reaction. "Kids," he says under his breath in as pretentious a tone as he can handle. Which sends Taylira giggling all over again as she stops to catch her breath.
<< Uh-oh. >> Saulienth's sudden horror at F'vel being singled out is widely broadcast, and the cocky stance of his legs crumbles, leaving him in an uncertain hump. F'vel's own amusement is equally doused; his face remains red, but his smile has stiffened, a bracing for whatever hell Phara is about to bring to him. << If they let you, >> Telyhath answers Gedroth, a bit of sheepishness and regret only now slipping into her words. N'eph does stop his song and dance routine, responding to V'rel with a faintly reluctant, but still hearty, "Yes, daddy." Marching would be easy, but you see, N'eph has to skip. He has to. Humming the entire way. But to Jantha's office he does go, still naked as the day he was born.
Phara gives V'rel a confused look. "Why?" she asks, looking around at everyone. Her tone takes on a whining quality. "Why is N'eph dancing naked and why are we laughing and why am I hauling F'vel over here?" And she does less hauling of F'vel so much as, you know, motioning him to come hither with her most sexy come... hither... look. Or, you know, the 'just do it, please?' look works too.
As N'eph skips rather than marching, V'rel shoots Phara a disgusted look. "Because they were in on it together," he barks out and crook-fingers at F'vel, points in the same direction that his companion-in-prank is going. "And now that makes two of you staying in the Barracks and on restrictions until it's hot Between," the elder greenrider says direly. Question is, will he /really/ make them stay or not? Aren't their dragons too big? But there could be a difference between 'dragon you go sleep there' and 'weyrling sit your arse down on that cot'.
Rhodya tsks at W'ton, drawing together as much reproof as she can given the mix of emotions going on right now. "Don't be so sour, W'ton. Just 'cause he's bigger than you or something." Hah! A shot! She seems much more cheerful now as she turns back to her exercises. Gedroth stretches out on his couch. << Who says they need to let me? >> he asks Telyhath. What have rules ever meant to Gedroth? He only follows them if they make sense, and it makes no sense to separate him from his friends!
"Rhodya, if you're angling for a peek you just have to ask," W'ton tells the brownrider with a wink. "No need to be all coy about it." He is manly and studly and completely unconcerned about the size of his model or anyone else's. At least as far as comparison's go considering he was peeking earlier. One hand rises so he might stroke his chin thoughtfully and he muses out loud to Taylira, "Does that not mean she was peeking though? To know what he was?" The bluerider just giggles and stays out of it.
Phara shrugs at V'rel. "Okay," she says, unconcerned, and passes a hand through her short hair. The greenrider should know better than to expect outrage from her most of the time, not with this sort of thing. He's doing a fine job of handling it, after all. "Uh, anyways. Now that I am completely extraneous in this situation. Drills, was it?"
F'vel obeys, first Phara, as he starts to shuffle toward her, then V'rel, when he bends his steps instead to Jantha's office. His hands are stuck deep in his pockets, a luxury N'eph doesn't have, as he walks away from the drills that are being reigned in to relative normalcy. << I like the way you think, >> Telyhath tells Gedroth with a touch of sisterly awe, nerves calmed somewhat knowing that the riders' antics won't keep them apart.
V'rel shoots Phara a disapproving backwards glance, the elder greenrider really at his most sour as he follows the two pranksters into the office to have them face the Weyrlingmaster. The upshot'll be a little less severe than what V'rel threatened, most likely. Though yes, an extended restriction period for both of them and the revoking of their weyr tickets. For the time being.
Rhodya snorts at W'ton, though it takes her a moment to respond. She's in the middle of a bend! "I ain't seen yours or his, but I know jealousy when I hear it." See, now they're just competing to make Taylira laugh, and she's really the winner here, because she gets entertainment at no risk to herself. Gedroth receives Telyhath's admiration with curious appreciation. Isn't that what anyone would do? He rumbles at her, nevertheless.
"For someone who claims to have no use for what she talks about you sure talk about it a lot, Rhodya," W'ton says with a shake of his head and a laugh. Sorry, he's just not rising to that bait. Completely secure here! He just has to finish his exercise without falling over laughing. He does so by not talking any more.
"Mmm-hmm," Rhodya answers, as unconvinced by his retort as he is by her denial. But she follows W'ton's lead, as far as that goes, by concentrating on her exercises again. Alas, no more jokes for Taylira!