[Log] You People Have a Lot of Drama, Pt. 2

[brazenbronzer]

Who: Cayri, Greta, I'neph, J'tei, R'fin, Soriane
When: Day 24, Month 13, Turn 442
Where: Living Cavern, Fort Weyr
What: I'neph interrupts a conversation and then has several more. Bitterness, stuffiness, and mushiness ensue.
Notes: Find Pt. 1 here.

"/I/ don't understand, sure. Even though you've done nothing but bitch about it for the past two hours." Cayri rolls her eyes in a final melodrama. For whatever reason, she doesn't look like she's upset at all about the talk of little greens. "What? She is pretty small. I'm /told/ she's big for a green of her age, but she looks tiny even next to your guys's half grown dragons."

I'neph shrugs. "I measured him a couple of times, when he wanted to know just how much bigger than somebody else he was. When he's done growing, I'll have to take the definitive measurement, I'm sure," he notes, rolling his eyes. He glances sideways at Cayri again and just snorts, shaking his head. "Two hours, pssh. It hasn't been that long." More like two days at this point.

R'fin looks up at Cayri, clearly shocked by her use of a vulgar word, but his mouth hangs open only for a second before he deems it best just to look away with an even deeper flush. "Heh, that's Dioscuth for you," he remarks vaguely, finding his food a very handy reason not to say any more. Mm, tubers.

"Three?" Cayri asks with an irritable sniff. "And just how big are your dragons?" She thinks the innuendo is pretty funny, with sparkly eyes and a toothy smile.

"So it is," agrees I'neph, nodding to R'fin. Unlike the other poor boy, he doesn't seem at all phased by Cayri's vocabulary, for he just smirks smugly at her. "Aw, it'll be another six months before you can know," he tells her. Maybe he means when Dioscuth is full grown. Mayb... No, probably not.

R'fin doesn't catch the innuendo at all, looking relieved - if a bit puzzled - now that she's moved to a safer subject. "Well, it's like I said. I don't know exactly, but - pretty big. How big's ... Aydeth gotten?" Judging by the pause, Eneyith must have supplied the name for him.

Cayri holds her arms about two feet apart? Three feet apart? "About this big. She's only 24 days old though." Keeping track, how cute. I'neph is the recipient of a twitching eyebrow, albeit just briefly. "It's weird though, now that I think about it. You can fly now, and live on your own, so why /aren't/ you allowed to go *between*? Since it can obviously be done. Has someone asked M'vari?" Someone other than her, someone braver.

"You totally just missed that," I'neph tells R'fin cheerfully of his and Cayri's double-talk. Then, to the girl, he adds, "I asked him, after we flew. He said, 'whenever I say you can'." Which is apparently the extent of I'neph's bravery. "Probably be another six months or something like that before we're actually /allowed/ to go."

R'fin blinks at I'neph, then looks back over his shoulder. What, missed some goings-on behind him? The brown weyrling turns back with a shrug. "Well, I don't know about you two, but I think just plain /flying/ is daunting enough for starters. I mean, maybe a guy like J'tei could do it, but I sure can't." A giant mouthful of food serves to tide him over while he reflects on the impossibility.

Happily, Cayri says, "So about the time that Aydeth and I start flying, you guys will start going *between*?" Hmmmmmmmmm. She muses out loud, "Wonder what the odds are of piggy-backing on to those lessons." Narrowing her eyes, she thinks a little while longer, then changes the subject. "Have you ever been to the Ista Gather before?"

I'neph just waves a hand idly, rolling his eyes at R'fin's obliviousness. "If he can do it, any of the rest of us can," he boasts. "Have you talked to the man? Dumb as a brick--no wonder he was a guard. All brawn and no brains." Which certainly doesn't apply to I'neph. He smirks and then adds, "Me? Faranth, no. Not really an option for somebody like me, you know? That's the fancy party for all the big-shots on Pern. But I'll be there this time. I've never been out of Fort before," he says proudly.

R'fin makes a small reproving sound in his throat, shaking his head at I'neph's disparaging remarks. "C'mon, friend, it's not like that. J'tei's all right." He picks up his glass of fruit juice, but waits before drinking to answer Cayri's question with a shake of his head. "Yeah, I haven't been out of the Fort area, either. Sure haven't gone anywhere so far as Ista."

"He's not dumb. He's actually pretty clever, at least conversationally. Maybe he just wants you to think he's dumb? Seems like it's working." The chatterbox that she is, Cayri says that with a heightened sense of authority on the matter. Then she registers surprise. "Neither of you? Really never left Fort? That's awful."

"The dumb ones are always nice," I'neph says sagely. "They have to be, they don't have anything else going for them." He smirks, and only gives Cayri a patronizing glance. "Uh-huh. Says Miss World Traveler here, mm-hmm."

R'fin clears his throat, suddenly awkward, but he digs up a smile for Cayri. "Well, you know, it's a pretty long wagon ride, here to Ista. And there's plenty of good markets right here in this area, and more things to see than you'd think. I mean, just landscape things, but it's a real pretty area. More than you'd think," he repeats, looking down into his fruit juice and then taking a swig.

Greta comes in from the bowl.
Greta has arrived.

Greta
     Rather plain looking is this young woman, with pale hazel eyes that are ringed in ebony lashes. Her mousy brown locks are clean, but always tightly braided back from her face and out of her way. The roundness of her face and jaw line helps to offset the thin length of her nose. Lips of pale rose are full, with the upper lip being marginally thinner then the lower. Her height and weight are average for a girl of her age, her overall form is lanky and without feminine curves. Her long torso tapers into a thin hipped waist before moving onward to the length of her legs.
     Greta is attired in a simple outfit of brown pants and a long-sleeved shirt in a pale green hue. On her slender feet are a pair of well made but slightly worn brown leather boots match the belt that is draped around the young woman's waist.

Cayri counters, "And the smart ones are always arrogant pricks?" She smiles crookedly at poor I'neph, challenging him to counter the assertion with a ruffle of her eyelashes. "The Turnover Gather's a big deal. It's crowded and loud and /full/ of people. Little homebodies like you two are sure apt to get lost in a shuffle that big." Poor widdle boys.

"Yep, pretty much," I'neph agrees easily with Cayri. "I am not a homebody. Just, never had any reason to go anywhere. You won't have to worry about getting lost, though--you'll be sitting here all by your lonesome." Smirk.

R'fin reaches a hand back behind his neck, scratching it and squinting away, off at a corner. "Well, I don't know if I'm going. I mean, I really haven't ever been to a thing that big, and I'm not so sure I /want/ to. What would I do there, anyway?" He shrugs, trying to play it cool in spite of the fact that his blush returned as soon as Cayri said 'pricks.'

Greta stalks in, taking time to kick the mud off her boots before actually entering the Caverns in general. No klah, no food, no nothin' is taken instead she detours to join the other 'lings. "She won't be alone, I ain't goin'. Ziaith and I aren't flying together yet so chances are we won't be there either." Not that she minds it seems as she lowers herself into a chair.

Cayri drawls cheerily, "Nuuuh uhhhh. M'vari said I can go." A slick half-frown later, she adds, "Of course, I'm not allowed to go into any tents alone, or leave the main part of the grounds without an escort, and I don't have any money, /and/ I have to come back here every night. Aside from that, should be a good party." Greta gets a curious look? "Why wouldn't you go?"

I'neph arches his brows at Greta, shrugging. "Fine. You two can stay here and enjoy yourself. A nice game of backgammon, perhaps?" He snickers like he's said something hilarious. This, of course, breaks off quickly at Cayri's words. His mouth drops open briefly and he eyes her. "But. Wait. He's /letting/ you? Isn't he worried about, I don't know, someone /recognizing/ you? Let me guess, I'm going to get stuck baby-sitting again, aren't I? No time to do what /I/ want," he says resignedly.

R'fin looks up quickly as Greta arrives, giving her a quick, hesitant smile of welcome. He, however, retreats from the conversation a bit, because there's still food to be eaten and that's terribly important to him.

"You're doing a bang-up job of it so far. Aside from messing up my very pleasant conversation with Sh'van this afternoon," about which Cayri is harboring a niggling grudge, "I haven't seen you except in the barracks since I got here. I'm not going to need a babysitter. I've been to the Turnover Gather before, lots of times."

I'neph eyes Cayri. "Not my fault. Should've just told me to go away," he tells her, as though that would have done any good. "Fine. You can wander around by yourself all you want. But I'm not rescuing you if you get kidnapped or something. So there." As though there were any doubt of that /before/.

Greta shakes her head slightly at the complaints and comments from I'neph before smiling in return at R'fin and replying to Cayri "I just don't like big crowds, my leg slows me down a little and I get bumped about when I don't keep up with the heavy flow of things."

R'fin looks alarmed at the suggestion of kidnapping, a thought which clearly hadn't occurred to him before. "Uh, I'm sure M'vari's got it under control, if he said you could go. Plus there's always Aydeth keepin' an eye on you, right?" He seems more like he's trying to reassure himself than her: giant crowds have all kinds of threat potential. He nods his agreement to Greta on that one.

Soriane comes in from the bowl.
Soriane has arrived.

J'tei comes in from the bowl.
J'tei has arrived.

Soriane
     Twisted into any number of braids, the dark black hair upon Soriane's crown draws backward away from her forehead. Braided only mid-way down each individual, slender strand, the rest of her hair is left free to fall to just below her shoulders in a gentle ring of loose curls. Thick in mass, the remainder of her hair remains unbraided and unbound, often spilling over her slender shoulders. Long bangs fall across her forehead, gently brushing the sides of her face and cheeks when not tucked behind her ears. Her brows are most always hidden by the fall of bangs, though are lightly arched and in a clean line, drawing a pleasant expression to her blue-gray eyes. A round nose that might seem too large to some rests above shapely lips and a softly pointed chin.
     Not quite out of her teens, Soriane still has some growing left to do. Reaching a height of 5'2", her build is slightly muscular which might just explain her true lack of a voluptuous figure.
     She wears the clothes of a traveler, starting with the heavy cloak drawn around her neck and pinned with a simple wooden knot. Beneath this is a heavy gray vest overlaying a long-sleeved white shirt, both belted at her waist with a maroon sash. Long pants are worn, the cuffs falling over the insteps of her boots.

J'tei
     Tall and well-built, J'tei clearly takes effort to keep his physical appearance in line. At 22, he stands at 6'2" with long, lean limbs, lightly muscled - more agile than bulky. Calloused hands and what looks like a belt-knife scar on his forearm might hint at the labor that keeps him trim. A bit fair-skinned with reddish-brown hair, he's one of those unfortunates that sunburns and freckles, though his complexion is otherwise unmarred. Short, trimmed reddish hair curls unmanageably though it's cut so that it only brushes the tops of his ears and the middle of his forehead. His eyes are actually quite pretty, bluish-green with amber lashes and laugh-lines at the corners of them. There's a good chance that his nose was broken and reset at some point in the past, making it slightly crooked with a bump in the bridge of it.
     His russet and tan clothing isn't especially impressive, but it fits him well. The sleeves of his off-white, collared shirt are rolled up to his elbows, and the tails of it are tucked into his canvas pants. Over this, he wears a lightly quilted brick-red vest with pockets. His boots are scuffed but in good repair, as is the plain leather belt with a belt-knife sheathed on his hip.

Cayri gapes at I'neph for the suggestion, well aware of the futility of any such attempt. "Don't worry, my brave boy. I wouldn't dream of putting you in harm's way like that." At Greta, she rambles, "That's too bad, I guess? You can get good deals at big Gathers, because people are trying to move as much merchandise as possible in a really short amount of time." The four weyrlings have a table. By the looks of it, they've had this table for a while.

"Yes, because we're going to haul around a two-foot-long green dragon to play watchdog," I'neph says cheerfully. "I'm sure the Reaches Weyrleaders won't notice /that/." Big smile, directed at his fellow weyrlings and then Cayri. "Oh, you're too kind," he tells her smugly.

Big, strong girl that she is, Soriane leads J'tei into the living cavern while continuing their conversation. "I've learned from the best...minus your moments of idiocy, so don't you worry. I'm more then a match for the likes of him." She goes silent as she scans the room and eventually spots the table of weyrlings. After elbowing J'tei in his side, she leans in close to whisper something to him.

Soriane mutters to J'tei, "That's... isn't... they... What's..."

J'tei looks at the cluster of weyrlings after getting ribbed, glancing across the tops of heads and then nodding. He mutters to Soriane, "Yep, that's... And... still... she's... She... in..."

Greta shrugs as she makes a pattern on the tabletop with a fingertip "Not much I really need from the gather, I have boots to wear and all." I'nephs comment about hauling Cayri's green about earns a chuckle as she gets a mental image of that. Soriane and J'teis arrival is noted but it's their whispering that earns a frown.

R'fin chuckles weakly at I'neph. "Well, I meant more like-" he taps his temple - "but still. I'm sure they've got things covered." He's nearing the end of his food supply now, and slowing down the rapid rate of consumption. So there's more time to talk! "So, what're you two planning to do while you're there?" he asks cheerfully.

Cayri's got a good vantage point on the bowl, and she sees Soriane and J'tei come in. "Not particularly worried about what the Reaches Weyrleaders notice. The middle of a crowd's probably the safest place for a person to be anyway. I plan to-- window-shop probably." Maybe just to continue being a thorn in I'neph's side, she waves toward the new arrivals. "Still have two empty chairs, and I don't believe I've met your friend, J'tei."

Greta has disconnected.

I'neph has his back to Soriane and J'tei, perhaps fortunately. This keeps him from resorting to a new round of bad mood, as he instead just grins at R'fin and Cayri. "That wouldn't do any good, R'fin, anyway. I mean, by the time Aydeth tells somebody and you get sense out of her, the deed's done." Though, the brownrider's latter words stop him, and he shrugs. "Uh... Enjoy myself," he decides. "You know. Have fun, meet some new girls--with any luck, they won't be as totally insane as the ones around here--that sort of thing. What you do at a Gather." He only then glances around at Cayri's wave, noting the pair by the door. He turns back to current companions quickly.

"Oh isn't that lovely," Soriane says with a noted air as she eyes Cayri with veiled interest. Sliding her attention to I'neph upon his turn, she waves politely at him though it's just as easily missed as he turns quickly around. Back to J'tei, she says, "We can get our own table if you want, 'thein."

J'tei surely noticed I'neph's reaction. But he presses bravely toward the table of weyrlings, his turn to lead Soriane by the hand toward them. "Nah, that'd be anti-social. --Especially after such a warm welcome. Cayri, this is Soriane and vice versa. Um, Cayri's the greenrider from High Reaches, and Soriane's--" That's even more complicated! He smiles blankly and fails to finish the sentence while he pulls out the chairs. "Everybody else is acquainted? R'fin, Greta, I'neph. Evening."

R'fin squinches up his face, bothered by the idea that Aydeth is not, in fact, kidnapping insurance, but says, "Well, they've got it under control, anyway." He injects the confidence after the fact, with a bright, sure smile that he turns to J'tei and Soriane as they approach. "Evening, friends. We were just chatting up the Ista Gather. Cayri and I'neph say they're going; how 'bout you two?"

"Hey Soriane." Cayri greets the other girl with a twinge of familiarity. "R'mi was just in here defending your good name a little while ago. Not that we were saying anything bad about you, but he seemed especially worried about it." She imparts this with a grave nod. "Sucks that you got grounded off the gather, J'tei." Inadverntently answering R'fin's question? "I'neph's going to pick up women he thinks, so I guess you'll be missing out there. Was it worth it?"

"Sori, hello," I'neph tells the woman expansively, offering her a broad smile. His greeting to the other bronze weyrling is less so, but still disturbingly easy: "J'tei. Come join us. We were just talking. By the way, you probably missed that note, but we're not exactly supposed to be talking about that, right? M'vari'll--oh, wait. Nevermind. He already got hold of you." Passive-agressive much? Blithely, he answers R'fin on behalf of J'tei, noting, "He's not. Sori's welcome to tag along with me and Dioscuth, though." He glances sideways at the girl again, arching his brows suggestively.

As promised, Soriane's already on the defensive team. Patting J'tei's arm in a fond way, she says to I'neph, "I'd rather stay with J'tei and enjoy his company. Honestly, I'neph, you're just not my type." She allows a sickeningly sweet smile for his benefit, then turns her attention to Cayri, "Well met, Cayri. I'm glad to see you made it here safe and sound."

J'tei almost looks grateful to Cayri for her not-so-delicate broaching of the subject. "Every minute of it. Punishment and all. Though I guess I'll be suffering while you all are at the gather-- You decided if you're going, R'fin? Cayri, even you?" Seems surprised, taking his seat with a confused peer at the newest weyrling. "And there you have it. Soriane'll keep me company, so at least I won't be all alone. Speaking of-- how's the weyr, I'neph?" He tries so hard to make it the old-style friendly jest, said easily as he drops into his seat.

R'fin presses his lips together tightly, realizing his error as soon as Cayri comments. Wincing, he shoots J'tei his most apologetic look. "I'm sorry, J'tei," he murmurs hastily, the tips of his very ears turning red. "I forgot that was part of it. Real sorry." I'neph's passive aggression draws a pleading look from R'fin - don't start that, please? - but the brownrider doesn't hold the look for very long, as J'tei addresses him. "Me, I'm not going. Too many people around for my liking, I think."

Cayri says cheerfully to Soriane, "Thanks. I'm glad to see I made it here safe and sound too. Just in time for your boyfriend to pull a pretty awesome stunt too." Dampening her grin toward I'neph, keeping it half-brightness, she points out, "You'll have a hard time picking up women if you're minding your friend's girl the whole time. Better to go solo." Like she knows all about picking up women. Cayri adds belatedly to J'tei, "Of course I'm going. I'll bring you back a souvenier."

"Yeah, yeah," I'neph says, rolling his eyes at Soriane's answer. "We've been over that before. Did I tell you I have a nice private weyr to myself these days? You should see it some time. It really is great. I've been furniture-shopping, too--got a few pieces in mind that just need a little work and they'll be perfect." The latter, to J'tei. To Cayri: "Ah, I see. Well, thanks for that tip--like I haven't been doing this since before you were born. Okay, maybe not that long, but. A long time, still." Nod.

"I'm sure we'll have a great time. Gathers are so boring," Soriane says in a bored tone, "Half the Weyr will be gone, I bet. There'll be plenty of peace and quiet." There is, however, quite a startled expression leveled on Cayri as her comments are registered. "Don't you go give him any ideas. He's enough trouble as it is," Which, truly isn't suppose to sound as bad as it does. Fortunately, I'neph offers her an in for an insult. Turning her anger on him, she says, "Work, Nephie, is the key word. I don't think you'll ever get around to it."

J'tei says with unflappable good nature, "Poaching, I'neph? Really?" The fond look he sends to Soriane definitely doesn't harbor any /worry/ about her fidelity, regardless of the status of I'neph's spiffy weyr. Well-warranted look as Soriane handles the conversation well. "I like Gather pies, if you think one'd survive the trip back. Oh or wooden knives if you come across any of those for a respectable price," he answers Cayri's offer laughingly. "Don't worry about it, R'fin. It's a reasonable punishment, I figure. Just bad timing from me. You been up yet?"

R'fin, easily reassured by the bronzerider's confidence, gives him a broad grin and a quick headshake. "Not yet, but I'm headed that way pretty soon. M'vari said he'd let me know when there's time to go up." He looks over at Soriane and I'neph, but aside from his usual, completely innocent smile, he doesn't want to get into that.

Cayri looks at J'tei and Soriane together, then at I'neph by himself. She takes the sight with a wiggle of her eyebrows and looks away quickly. "Sorry Soriane. I wasn't trying to /give/ him ideas, just offer my admiration for the deed that's already been done. Pretty ballsy." The fair-eyed bronzerider is given the appropriate look of admiration and a tip of her mug, not that she's been drinking from it in a long time now.

I'neph shrugs at Soriane. "Eh, I can work when I want to. When it's for myself. Yeah." He nods again, as though this will convince them. "Oh! Those knives. I was working on one of those the other night," he adds quickly to J'tei. "It's about half-done, I guess. Haven't had much free time," is his excuse. Cayri, in turn, earns herself another look but no comment this time.

Soriane leans toward J'tei, murmuring something toward him before motioning toward Cayri. The other girl's statement has Soriane smiling and purposefully clasping her hand atop J'tei's arm, "That's why I like him so much. He's a good man." Make no mistake there's a very pointed look at I'neph right about then that Soriane smoothes into a smile. "You'll have to have J'tei show you how to use them. He's rather good at it."

"If you're supposed to be Skinny's bodyguard--" J'tei smirks at the greenrider. "It might not hurt to get in some decent practice. I'd feel better anyway." The cheers and the admiration make him chuckle at Cayri, dipping his head in an aw-shucks acceptance. "Wish you could convince certain other people that it was courageous and not downright stupid, but I'll take it where I can get it. --Don't worry about it, sweetheart. I don't actually /need/ anything if I'neph's working on those knives?" he answers to Soriane's murmur. "Flying's pretty fun, R'fin. I still get to practice. When you get up, we can compare? Brown and bronze? I'm curious about maneuverability."

Cayri finds the clasped hand grin-worthy, looking at it while the smile takes residence. "Of course he is. No question about it, though my dad used to say that good men are just fools with better intentions." She looks around the table at the three male faces, weighing the likelihood of fools compared to good men. Her conclusions remain her own.

R'fin averts his eyes sharply, with a muffled cough, as Cayri goes and uses vulgar language ('ballsy') again. What's a poor R'fin to do? Let that half of the table fend for itself, apparently, as he gives J'tei a helpless shrug. "I'll take your word for it, friend. Between us, I never been up at all - ever - so I'm a little nervous. Pretty excited, though." He grins. "And I'll see if Eneyith'll give it a shot. Generally it's not his thing, but I know he's got some plans for flying, so. Who knows?"

I'neph just rolls his eyes at the gushy pair, snorting skeptically. "I'm not her bodyguard. She doesn't need me, she can take care of herself. Can't you?" He glances to Cayri for back-up, pointedly. Then: "Another experiment?" he asks J'tei. "Got a point to prove there, too?"

Soriane smiles and nods to J'tei, and takes a quiet leave of the conversation so that she too can watch. Though it's not the men she studies but Cayri.

J'tei shakes his head. "Not like competition. Just some comparison. I found some pretty good maneuvers diagrams. Some are listed as green only, so I was curious as to whether or not it's an actual size thing or just a--" He answers I'neph's question after an exhale through his nose. "No. Just satisfying curiosity. You and Dioscuth're welcome to come along. Too bad Aydeth's not a proper age." After that, he looks sideways at Soriane with a weary-eyed shrug.

Cayri's back up starts out as a dull, "Huh?" Oh. Oh! "Right. I can take care of myself. What kind of maneuvers? I'd like to watch if nothing else." Just to be a part of the group?

R'fin grins, allowing the other side of the table to exist again as he looks over at I'neph. "Well, if Dioscuth's flying I'm pretty sure he'll want to turn it into a competition. But yeah, whatever you've got in mind, I guess En and me can give it a shot." There's enough fruit juice left in his cup for him to take a drink from it.

I'neph eyes J'tei, frowning slightly. "Is that what you've been up to?" he wonders. He shakes his head, noting in agreement with R'fin, "Faranth, no. Dioscuth'll think he can do something fit for a green and tie himself in knots or something. I don't want to get into that. It's ridiculous--by the way, you really hurt /his/ feelings, too. He never has forgiven you and Chaemith for the /last/ time." He adds the last comment helpfully to the bronzerider.

The shrug gains a smile from Soriane as she rubs J'tei's arm, "I should probably get going, 'thein. I'll come by later, ok?" She half stands, but pauses to look back around the table, "It was really nice meeting you all... have a nice night."

J'tei asks without an honest clue, "What was the last time?" He's about to ask for better clarification when Soriane gets up, diverting his attention pretty completely. "Do you want me to walk you down to the caverns? I don't mind." Because he's a man and all men are ultimately whipped.

Cayri echoes, "It was nice to meet you too, Soriane." She certainly seems to be honest in that sentiment. "Hope to see you around some time."

R'fin raises his brows at I'neph's words, but is spared the necessity of a response by Soriane's departure. "You too, miss," he says with a small nod. "Good night."

"Night, Sori," I'neph tells the girl lazily. And, to J'tei: "You know. When we were talking to Sh'van and Chaemith got all uptight with him. It was a while back, of course /you've/ forgotten." Presumably, so has Dioscuth; most likely, it's I'neph who has to keep reminding the bronze he's supposed to be mad.

All /good/ men are whipped. There's a difference. "If you want, though it's just over there. You can stay and talk with them, though. You're all Weyrlings, I don't want to intrude." Truly not. Soriane nods once more to the rest of the table, then looks back toward J'tei to hear his decision.

"I'll just make sure--" something something. J'tei's mumble is pointedly indistinct underneath the sound of standing up. "I'll run into you all sooner or later. If not, have fun at the Gather, Cayri. Good luck getting your weyr in order, I'neph. Hope you get your flying lesson soon, R'fin." An arm to Soriane, "Where to?"

Cayri shuts up for a short while to let the sweethearts make their leave, nothing but a nice smile to send them off. Not that she's waiting for them to get away from the table...

R'fin smiles and offers J'tei a little wave, considerably less formal than he was with Soriane. "Thanks," he answers cheerfully. "Hope so, too." And there's no more food to eat or juice to drink, so he just lets his gaze drift up the ceiling.

I'neph glances from Soriane to J'tei and back again, grin broadening. "See you, Sori. J'tei." And then, like Cayri, he's silent while they exit.

"This way." Soriane motions toward the caverns entrance, though helpfully waits for J'tei to lead the way.

Soriane heads to the bowl.
Soriane has left.

J'tei repeats, "This way." He walks off, letting the people still at the table have plenty of room to talk when he's gone.

J'tei heads to the bowl.
J'tei has left.

As soon as they're gone, Cayri sings, "She doesn't like me." She beams across the table at the two boys, lingering it on I'neph. "She doesn't like you either."

R'fin blinks at Cayri's sing-song, his gaze returning from its fix on the ceiling, but although he makes a hesitant sound in his throat, R'fin doesn't actually say any /words/ on the matter.

"Whipped!" I'neph crows at once, as soon as Soriane and J'tei are gone, though his voice is probably be loud enough to carry. He grins at his remaining companions smugly then. "I told you--I /told/ you they were all over each other. Bet you anything they're gonna go find one of those empty rooms down in the inner caverns and--" He breaks off to frown at Cayri. "She likes me plenty. She doesn't like you for, um, obvious reasons." So obvious they need not be stated, right?

"It's sweet." Cayri nods insistently at the assertion. "A lot of girls could wish to have a boy like J'tei all eyes for her." The only thing she can offer to R'fin is an apologetic shrug. "She does not like you, and I can guess why pretty easily. Though I can't figure out why she doesn't like /me/. I was all smiles, dang it."

R'fin scratches the back of his neck, looking terribly awkward. "Well, anyway, they seem like they're pretty happy together," he offers weakly.

"Because you're competition? Because you're a greenrider? Because you're just plain obnoxious no matter how you try to hide it?" asks I'neph sweetly. He even has a saccharine smile for Cayri to go along with it. "I'm plenty likeable myself. She just can't show it around Lover-Boy." He nods sagely. He just eyes R'fin. Not helping, man.

Cayri leans back in her chair, folding her arms crossly over her chest. "You'd know from obnoxious, wouldn't you? I'll have you know that I'm incredibly likeable under the right circumstances. You just happen to bring out the worst in me. In a lot of people, the way I see it." She nods at R'fin and agrees, "They do seem happy together. Childhood sweethearts. So cute."

R'fin catches I'neph's look and returns it with a 'Well, so?' kind of shrug. "Well, let's not get carried away with this. You're both perfectly fine people, friends, and I'm sure Soriane can appreciate that." He drops the hand back from his neck with a big, happy smile. "Are they childhood sweethearts? I hadn't heard that one. Nice they turned up in the same place."

I'neph rolls his eyes. "Excuse me," he says sarcastically. "It's not me, it's them. You don't see me and R'fin arguing, now do you? Me and H'ral or M'pir or anybody?" Notably, he names the most easy-going weyrlings. "Isn't it though? Grew up at Boll together. She's some rich something-or-'nother, he said, but that's about all I know about it. Nobody tells me anything." Sigh.

"You and J'tei?" Cayri points to the bowl where the lovebirds escaped off to. "How's a hold guard and a rich something or another wind up being sweethearts? You never hear about stories like that working in reverse. It's not fair." She sighs despondently over her utter lack of a rich something or another. "You're not independently wealthy by any chance, are you, R'fin?"

R'fin blinks at this information. "She is? Didn't know that either. I'm way behind on these things, sounds like." He grins, though Cayri's comment catches him a little off balance. Unsure of himself, he spreads his hands out, palms up, unable to help. "'Fraid not, sorry. Just the son of a cotholder." And then, possibly to direct the conversation away from J'tei and Soriane, he adds, "And there's another reason not to attend the Gather. Not a mark on me." He chuckles.

"Don't ask me," answers I'neph, shoulders lifting in a shrug. "Go ask him yourself--he thinks you're cute, remember?" He has a quick smirk for the girl before glancing back to R'fin briefly. "I'd suggest R'mi--he's your best shot--but I don't think I'd wish anybody on that uppity git," he advises.

Cayri makes a bland face. "Can you imagine actually trying to like make out with him? The way he seems to wax on? It'd be a nightmare." She cringes at the image she conjures for herself. "But at least he's rich. Or /was/ rich until he Impressed. Bummer."

R'fin shakes his head helplessly, but he smiles at them both. "Well, friends, I think I'd best leave you to your chatter. Eneyith just woke up and I'm done with my meal, so, I figure I'd better go visit him. See you around." He clears his tray and heads out.

R'fin has disconnected.

I'neph just stares at Cayri and finally points at himself. "Uh, /bronze/rider, hello," he tells her. "I don't even want to /think/ about making out with him. Or any other guy, thank you very much. Though, I wouldn't want to make out with a girl that talked like that, either." He wrinkles his nose.

"Oh, come on." Cayri begins, leaning forward on her elbow at the edge of the table. "Thought never crossed your mind in all your depraved years?" She waves a quick goodnight to R'fin as the brownrider hurries off, maybe a little sorry to see him go but not enough to chase after him. "I guess it's lucky you Impressed bronze then."

"Depraved?" queries I'neph, brows arching. "I'm not depraved. Never have been. And no, never crossed my mind. I mean, nothing wrong if you do, but... Not for me. I leave that to the greenriders and their types. It wasn't luck, it was... Well, it wasn't luck," he decides with a firm nod.

Cayri asks, "If it wasn't luck, what was it?" She thinks it over hard, pulling her hair across her forehead in either hand as she mulls through some options. "J'tei and you and Sh'van have nothing in common that I can pick out particularly, but you're all three fated to be bronzeriders? Pfeh. I sure wasn't fated to be a greenrider, so I'm not going to buy that."

"Then what got you Aydeth?" I'neph wonders. "Dumb luck? I... I set out to impress a bronze, and I did. Dioscuth's--well, he's nothing like me, but we fit together, so. That ain't luck, kid." He shrugs.

"Determination to be lucky." Cayri smiles charmingly. "And a lot of dumb luck. I was lucky enough to be born at High Reaches, lucky enough that my momma was still there seventeen turns later, lucky enough that I made it in before the snow, lucky enough that I saw the clutch, and lucky enough to realize I could pull it off." Two hands gesture to herself sitting here right now. "That's luck, kid. You're /lucky/ he's bronze if you ask me."

I'neph snorts, shaking his head. "Sure, if you say so," he says airily, not pressing the issue. "I'm real lucky I was born here and lived her and the Weyrleader told me to stand and all that other crap, uh-huh."

Cayri asks with her head cocked, "Did you at any point take matters into your own hands, honey? If not, I'm sticking with dumb luck." She smiles her most sweet smile at the bronzerider and adds, "Seeing as you don't seem like a real /pro-active/ young man, I bet you just coasted into that bronze."

I'neph ponders that a moment, rubbing his chin. "I... well. I had already decided I was going to take advantage of my right to stand," he says after a moment, shrugging. "Even made a deal with--nevermind that. The Weyrleader asked me before I could ask him, so it all worked out. We ended up taking every guy out of the lower caverns, anyway, and more to boot."

"Soooo, the answer's no?" Cayri grins satisfactorily. "I figured. I guess you could have gotten by on good looks for the rest of your life, but Dioscuth probably makes that a lot easier."

I'neph frowns. "I was going to and I didn't get the opportunity, I said. I mean, I got asked at the clutching--can't really beat that, now can you?" he asks rhetorically. Though, he brightens briefly at her words, though that's quickly hidden behind wariness. "You think so? My good looks, I mean?"

Quick to nod, Cayri answers, "Oh sure. You're plenty cute enough. Maybe one of the other girls would keep you in her weyr as a pet. Geneve could probably put you to /good/ use." Her eyes flicker eagerly at the thought of it, the grin positively lecherous.

I'neph snorts, turning away. "And here I thought you were finally giving in to my charms," he tells her dryly. "Geneve would eat me alive."

"Yeeaaah, that's the good use I had in mind." Cayri's smile stays put, now with a little better explanation than simple thoughts of I'neph and Geneve in flagrante delicto? "I already /told/ you that I'm utterly enamored of you, remember? I have been in here with you /all day/, and you have to know it can't be owing to your skillful conversation."

I'neph glances sideways at the girl again, smirking slightly. "Uh-huh. Thought it might be. Really, though. I'm surprised. I thought you only hung around because you had nothing better to do and you /liked/ being a pest?" he challenges.

With a hedge, Cayri admits, "That's part of it. I'm supposed to get the first month off? With no cows to try and slaughter and no lean-tos to try and keep standing, I've got /way/ too much time on my hands. I could go if you'd prefer though?" She leans out of her chair with very little actual intent.

I'neph shrugs idly. "Eh, I don't care. It's something to do, and, well. Probably serves me right," he remarks. "So, uh. Where... what was it like out there? You never really said," he asks after a moment, curiously peering at her.

Cayri says unsurprisingly, "You never really asked. And you don't really know how to make a girl feel welcome, do you?" Shaking her head, pushing her chair back far so she can fold her arms on the table and rest her chin on them, she answers simply, "But since you /did/ ask... It was lonely. Aydeth's good company, don't mistake me, but I'm obviously a bit of a talker."

"Obviously," I'neph agrees dryly. "Can't--can't imagine it myself, not having anybody else around. Dioscuth'd go crazy, too--he's pretty friendly--or just drive /me/ crazy, wanting to compete over /every/ /little/ /thing/." He shudders at the prospect. Then: "Ah. When did they... How long were you out there?" Pause. "I do too know how to make a girl feel welcome, by the way," he adds hastily.

"Um, what are the questions you're not asking?" Cayri seems duly intrigued by the unfinished phrases. "I was there for thirteen days. For six before Sh'van found me, then another week before the Weyrleader finally had to let them bring me back from the storm." She does /not/ seem pleased with X'drian's delay. "You haven't done a real good job of it so far, by the way."

I'neph eyes Cayri a moment, then confesses, "I was going to ask when they dumped you, but I decided 'how long were you there' would be a more tactful way of putting it. Must've been just right after the hatching. He really just... left you out there?" The latter question, referring to X'drian; even I'neph looks a little unsettled by that. Quickly, he glosses over this, asking, "What do you want me to do, huh?"

Cayri answers morosely, "Yeah, both of them did. D'wed took me out there himself. I bet you didn't know that part. And X'drian made Sh'van leave me out there so he could make it /political/." A word she has come to view with particular loathing in the past 24 days. "Nothin', honest. You could try not treating me like a burden though. I've been friendly, ain't I?"

"It was already political," admits I'neph. "Dunno why he wouldn't go ahead and get you here if he wanted it /real/ political. I... kind of guessed, but still. Can't figure why--I just--eh, forget it." He rakes a hand through his close-cropped hair, frowning. Finally, he shrugs and forces a small smirk. "Okay, fine. You're not that much of a burden. But you give me a hard time, so fair's fair, right?"

"Hey, I can't figure it out either. I guess it makes a bigger statement if he waits till Aydeth's supposed to be dead? Beats me." Cayri shakes her head and returns the small smirk with an only marginally amused one. "I didn't plan to give you hard time until you called me an undesireable. A statement like that sticks with a person."

I'neph eyes Cayri, blinking; his brows knit like he doesn't even remember the incident. Finally, he sees the light. "Oooh," he says softly. "That." Grinning crookedly, he notes, "Well, weren't you? To the Reaches, at least? Didn't really mean undesireable, /period/. Obviously, we're all just thrilled to have you here, haven't you noticed?"

Cayri rolls her eyes, scraping out of her chair. "Yeah, I picked up on that. Still, the term came at a particularly bad time seeing as I had just /arrived/. So I'll probably hold it against you for a while yet. But at least I'm letting you know?" Super sweet smile for her dear friend there. "I'm going to the barracks now. Thank you for the wonderful company, and I just can't wait to see you all gussied up for the Gather, getting trampled." Hastily, "I mean, picking up lots of girls and looking super cool."

I'neph's smirk is dry. "Oh, yes. Thank you. And I'll be sure to dress up pretty for you. Maybe you'll even look decent for a change so I can ogle you?" He pauses as though considering this possibility. Then: "Naaaah," he discards it, grinning. "Now, if you'll excuse /me/, it's time for me to go on up to my nice, empty, private weyr. Did I tell you about that yet?" His grin is, at least, teasing this time around.

"I don't have a fancy party dress. Sorry to disappoint you, but I'll see what I can conjure /just/ for you." Part of being a perpetual pain involves occasionally being pretty, like the eyelashes she bats oh so sweetly. "I heard! I'm so happy for you. Have yourself a lovely night." She throws the end of her scarf across her shoulder with a flair and marches out into the snow.