(Untitled)

[hes_onthe_jazz]

Location: Weyr Bowl
Open
Characters: Hannibal Smith, silver Morath, blue Mago (fire lizard)

Hannibal sat on a rock, enjoying the sunlight, watching his dragon--and what a strange but wonderful concept that was, his dragon--in the bathing pools. The young dragon was washing with understated enjoyment, especially compared to the enthusiastic

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[microwavehero]

Luke was dragged from his bed by Euroth's insistence they were going to miss all the best sunshine and he was dusty and wanted a bath. His shirt hung loosely on his shoulders and his pants he had to hold up with one hand. This other hand was occupied with a large mug of klah; which was a poor substitute for the Red Bull he wished he had.

Euroth eagerly plunged into the nearest bathing pool, splashing everyone already there and announcing to the world HE WAS THERE!

Luke shook his head and wandered over to the other weyrlings watching their dragonets. HOW he wound up with a dragon so opposite him in personality was beyond him.

L'ke! L'ke! Watch me! Euroth flipped his wings and sent water spraying up into the sky where he caught the morning sunshine and glittered like jewels. "Very pretty," Luke thought back and Euroth made a pleased sound then started paddling around the pool

[hes_onthe_jazz]

"Good morning," he replied, glancing at the boy. He offered a slight smile. "No, I was already awake. I don't need much sleep." He held out his hand. "Hannibal Smith," he said. "I saw you at the lessons and the hatching. It's nice to meet you, finally."

Morath flapped his wings admonishingly and moved aside, out of range of Euroth's splashing.

[microwavehero]

Luke helplessly tried to decide which hand he could free up; one hand would have his pants around his knees, the other hand had his klah... he held his klah mug in his teeth and shook Hannibal's hand, briefly.

One nice thing about not having his ability anymore was that he could shake hands without worrying about frying someone with microwave radiation.

"Um, ljfk cmpvvll," he said around his mug. Then grabbed his cup again to free his mouth and said, "Luke Campbell. Formally of Earth, 2009."

[hes_onthe_jazz]

"Sorry," he said with a soft chuckle, seeing the boy's difficulties and releasing his hand quickly. "It's interesting how people are coming from different times as well as places, isn't it?" he said softly. "I wonder what caused it."

You are here with me. It is how it should be.

Hannibal nodded in response to his dragon. "There's always a plan," he murmured.

[microwavehero]

"Yeah, I was a bit confused by that, too. I'd just assumed a Special had sent me here accidentally but, apparently, we're getting yoinked from all sorts of realities. It's looking totally random to me instead of part of someone's master plan.

"What'd you used to do before you came here?"

In the pool, Euroth was trying to get a game of tag going with his Silver brother by pushing big waves at him. Hee! You're it! It didn't even occur to him he had picked the game up from L'ke's memories.

[hes_onthe_jazz]

Hannibal gazed out at the water for a moment. "I think it's a kind of quantum dimensional bridge. Something happened here, and it's radiating across time and space, even universes." He gave a tiny smile. "That doesn't mean it's not a part of some overlying plan, of course. It just explains how it happened."

There was another silence before he spoke again. "I was a soldier. Army Rangers." That was his life, and the only part of it that mattered this far away from it. Everything that had happened since wasn't important here.

Morath gave Euroth an exasperated look and climbed out of the water, shaking droplets as he went. He moved up to Hannibal's side and nudged him with his head.

That is not who you are. You are my rider, and again you will protect people. And I will help you.

"Thank you," he murmured, reaching down to scratch the dragon's eye ridges.

[microwavehero]

"Ah," a soldier... that explained a bit how he carried himself. Luke didn't have a lot of love for anyone who worked for the government; not since he'd been illegally imprisoned for a genetic quirk.

"Well, apparently I was a dangerous criminal. Guess it doesn't matter so much now, right? The genetic variation that made me dangerous is gone and there's no such thing as soldiers here. We're all just riders."

Euroth watched Morath leave and huffed in his direction. L'ke, why are you upset about being a rider? Being MY rider is an amazing thing and you are very honoured!

If Luke would have had a hand free he would have face-palmmed in response to Euroth's bold statement. "Geez, Euroth's got the biggest ego... What's Morath like?"

[hes_onthe_jazz]

He glanced at the boy. "A dangerous criminal, huh?" His fingers twitched to his pocket for a cigar, but didn't find one. He grimaced to himself--that was the only problem he had with this place, the lack of tobacco. "That makes two of us."

Morath snorted and butted him with his head again. That is not you, J'hn.

I know, little one, I know. It's just hard to let go. He stroked the dragon's head and looked up at Luke with a soft chuckle. "Morath has quite the ego himself. He and I have already had this conversation. Of course, he pointed out that I'm not without a bit myself."

[microwavehero]

"Heh, two of us, huh? I wonder if anyone else here has a record?" He watched Morath and Hannibal interact and briefly checked on where Euroth was; and was reassured when he was told he was playing.

"Hm. Euroth could maybe be like me, if like, half my life hadn't happened."

[hes_onthe_jazz]

He frowned thoughtfully. "I'm sure if any of us were truly bad people, these guys wouldn't have been interested in us," he said, glancing down at Morath. "They're supposed to have high standards."

He gazed over the water to where Luke's dragon was playing. "He seems a rambunctious little thing," he said with a slight smile.

[microwavehero]

"Yeah, well, I hope you're right," Luke shrugged, "I wanna be a better person."

He looked at where Euroth was gleefully pushing one of his clutch-mates into the water and trying to scramble away before there could be retaliation.

"Total shit-disturber this early in the morning," he said with an affectionate grin. "But he's just a baby, he's gotta grow out of it, right?"

[hes_onthe_jazz]

Hannibal gave a warm smile and clapped a hand on Luke's shoulder. "That's a good first step," he said.

He chuckled softly. "We can hope so," he said. "Though Morath here's already trying to act like he's older than me, so you never know. It might just be his personality."

I do not try to act any way. I am me, as you are you.

[microwavehero]

Luke grinned at Hannibal then rolled his eyes a bit. "Thanks.

"Um, dragons live a long time, right? Did you hear anything about that?"

[hes_onthe_jazz]

His hand slid absently along Morath's neck as he stared into the distance. "They say that when you die, your dragon... well, commits suicide, if I'm understanding correctly." That disturbed him. Very, very much. Already, his dragon was very dear to his heart. He would have to talk to Morath about that. One day, when the dragon was a little older. He could see why men his age weren't generally considered for this position.

[microwavehero]

"W-what? They commit suicide?"

Euroth suddenly reared up on his hind legs, picking up on Luke's sudden, emotional distress. L'ke?! What is wrong? Why are you upset? I am well!

"If I die you'll kill yourself?!"

Euroth's eyes started whirling faster with alarm and he clumsily pulled himself out of the pull and started for Luke. Don't think of such things! Why are you thinking of such things? I'm alive and well and you do not need to worry like this!

Luke tried getting his emotions under control but finding out Euroth would suicide if he died... for a guy who believed he wouldn't live past twenty-one it was a horrible feeling. His own death, he could handle. The death of someone whom he'd already started to love so deeply was another story.

Euroth suddenly bowled into him and rubbed his head affectionately against Luke's torso, mentally giving him reassurances that he was okay he was fine there was no need to be sad.

Luke reassured Euroth and hugged his head. Suddenly his whole world was turned upside down. He had to

[hes_onthe_jazz]

Morath had also picked up on the topic of Hannibal's thoughts, though he showed more restraint than Euroth.

Where you go, I will go. I will always be with you.

The young dragon didn't seem at all distressed by the prospect, but was obviously worried about Hannibal's reaction. He nudged against him, and the man knelt and wrapped his arms around his neck.

You're young yet. You haven't experienced life. You'll still be young when I'm gone.

Where you go, I will go. You will need me.

You can't know that. No one knows what happens after death. I would be happier if I knew you were alive and well.

I will not be well without you.

His arms tightened around the dragon. "Morath..." he whispered. But it was an argument for another day. He tried to shake it off, and looked back up at Luke with a weak smile. "Something we all have to get used to," he said softly.