LOG: Stand Tall And Jump.
Date: Day 10, Month 7, Turn 19
Location: Diving Cliff, High Reaches Weyr
Synopsis: K'del takes a moment from his day to jump from the diving cliff; as it turns out, he's not the only one who likes it up there.
Diving Cliff, High Reaches Weyr
Thrusting out from the shadow of the mountain, this long and narrow clifftop might once have been a ledge, but a pile of bramble-strewn, graffiti-chiseled boulders where a weyr's mouth would have been suggests a reason for its abandonment long ago. Though its views of the eastern bowl are grand, particularly the lake itself and the yawning air entrance to the hatching sands, its location makes the diving cliff unique: jutting some ten or twelve feet above the deepest part of the cool, clear lake.
Especially in summertime, many climb up the narrow stairs to seek the thrill of a swift fall into the water, but those who just want to enjoy the view can take those same stairs back down: carved directly into the bowl wall, worn and crumbling and slick from use, but enough for the careful to get the job done. The sun is low on the horizon, there isn't a cloud in sight. There's a breeze that tempers the heat with no humidity lingering in the air.
There's no more beautiful a sight than sunset from the diving ledge. Rimara's more than willing to be up there and watch those colors paint the weyr in golden-orange, crimson and pink. She spent most of the day at the lake, only climbing up here once most of the young folks are done showing off to one another. Since it's nearly dinner time, the lake itself is empty except dragons, and she smiles at a brown and two greens cavorting in the water below. The wind is stronger up here, and it whips her skirt around her legs. She lets it billow, uncaring if anyone sees bare skin. She's wearing a swimsuit beneath it, after all. Her hair is still damp from the dip she took earlier, but it's drying slowly. Long strands stream around her head as she lifts her face to the sky, watching a dragon spiraling down toward the lake.
For a man so tall, so broad-shouldered, it might come as a surprise that I'stark moves so silently. But move without bringing much attention to himself he does, until he is there: his shadow heralding his arrival, before the politely-keyed baritone intones, by way of greeting, "It appears as if the ledge is a hot spot today." He moves forward, to swing his legs over the edge. Shoeless, he's come up here in naught but short pants, clearly availing himself of the height to get in a little exercise, or, perhaps -- as hinted by his frown as he looks upon the horizon and notes 'I've never been great with timing' -- Sun.
K'del must not really have been paying attention to the path to be as surprised as his expression suggests he is, when he reaches the top of the Diving Cliff. Clad only in his shorts, with a towel discarded on the beach below should anyone have been watching his progress up this far, he looks as though his arrival has less to do with the sunset than the cliff itself, and the water beneath. He comes to a faltering stop, looking, for a moment, as though he intends to simply turn tail and leave again.
Since I'stark is so very silent, it's clearly Evayne's job to be...well, loud. It's a balance thing. Completely headless to the fact that someone up on the ledge this time of day (it IS a pretty sunset) might actually appreciate her being /quiet/, she is whistling quite cheerily (and very off-key) as she hops up those stone steps, all energy and bounciness. Once she's taken that last step up she stops abruptly -- there is a K'del right in front of her, after all, and shoves her hands into her pockets. Blink, blink, blink. The whistle dies off about the same time. People! Quite promptly, she puts on her most brilliant smile. "Hey," she greets, chirpy. And she stays where she is for the moment, conveniently blocking an easy and immediate escape.
Rimara is a little startled by I'stark's voice. There's not usually more than herself up here so late in the day. She glances down at the bronzerider, blinking a little, then realizes there's more than just him and her. There's K'del, as well. And ... Evayne. "It would seem so," she murmurs, stepping away from the actual ledge, and back against the stone wall, giving them all plenty of room. She's not there for diving, after all, just watching the sunset. Her head nods towards first one bronzerider, then the other---and then at Evayne. "Hello," is offered to all of them from her leaning spot. "C'mon up, there's plenty of room," she offers, still in that quiet voice. Only there's not a lot of room, maybe enough for just the four of them, leaving a comfortable amount of space between.
The smile offered Rimara's way is maybe a little bit too warm, all apparent friendliness. Evayne winks towards the other woman, taking just a few steps onto the ledge itself before she stops, staying back close to it enough so as to not crowd anyone more than is, well, required. Her shoulders lift and drop in a lazy sort of shrug, though precisely who she's directing it at is anyone's guess. Maybe all of them. "It's real pretty out," she explains. "And I am not jumping." Headshake, to further emphasis those words. No. No jumping. Helpfully, she tells K'del, "You could still dive, long's you come back up after."
"No, I'm sorry," Rimara apologizes to I'stark. "I did earlier, but...well, there may be some cheese left in the basket," she amends, nodding at the basket not far from I'stark's left hand. K'del is given a smile. "Sorry," is offered to the Weyrleader, as well. "I don't think I could ever work up the nerve to dive off," she ventures. "I know it's probably safe enough, but I'm not that good a swimmer." She moves over another couple of inches, trying to give everyone enough room. Evayne's overly warm smile is met by, at first, an almost blank, disbelieving blink. Then a kind of half-smile that's really, really tentative, and a flinch. "It's always beautiful up here," she says very quietly. "I try to come up here as often as I can around sunset. It's ... peaceful."
"Well, getting you out of the water would be easy enough. You don't look like you weigh that much sopping wet. And you could always learn..." I'stark pushes off from the ledge, to stand there, looking over the edge, the big toe and a couple of neighbors on his right foot dangling off, "...by jumping in. But that's how I'm getting down. As well as our weyrleader here, I'd expect?" he looks over a shoulder at the man now, "After you. It's my job to follow."
K'del considers first Evayne, and then Rimara, and shakes his head in obviously put-on dismay. "Chicken," he tells them both. "I'm afraid of heights - or, that is, afraid of not being in control of them, and I can still do it just fine. Wouldn't let you drown." This comes accompanied by a sharp nod to agree with everything I'stark has said, too, though he adds, "If the ladies aren't coming down, I'll wait a little. Besides, I'm off duty: you're welcome to go first, if you like." If he's aware of the non-verbal interactions between the two women, he makes no remark on it, and instead adds, "I find those stairs a little unpleasant to climb down, anyway."
"Peaceful can be good sometimes," Evayne tells Rimara, tone maintaining the warmth that it holds when she addresses the other two, as well. When I'stark moves to peer over the edge she slides over that-away, just enough that she can peer down, as well. Of course, K'del's calling her a chicken has her head turning and her attention bouncing to him instead of that long way down. "I am /not/ chicken," she says. "I've jumped from higher places before. It's just that I am not getting these pants soaked like that. They're abused enough as it is." Aside to I'stark, she says, "It would not be a pleasant experience for her, if she doesn't know how to swim very well. Could give her all sorts of issues. With the water."
Rimara looks from one bronzerider to the other, not quite buying their words. She creeps just a little closer to the edge, kind of peering over from behind I'stark. "How would you keep me from drowning?" she asks K'del, since he was the one who made that promise. Is she actually considering this idiocy? It must be, since she's giving that height a serious consideration. "It looks like it's a mile down from here, I swear," she says, biting her bottom lip. "I don't think I'm scared of heights, but you two are used to being /way/ up in the air. That's nothing to you all. I've never been up that high, so this still looks a long 'way down to me." She doesn't really cringe from looking down, but she's not eager to volunteer to go first, either---until she hears what Evayne has to say. "I'm not afraid, either," she says, straightening abruptly. "And you can always take the pants off," she says, smiling warmly with an 'I will if you will' dare in her eyes.
"Are we ever really off-duty?" I'stark asks that a tad sardonically, a wry little almost-smile coming to flit across his features, "But point taken." If he notes the hue of slight awkwardness, he does a fantastic job of not giving the slightest hint. JUst raises his brows at Rimara, and casts a glance at Evayne as he bends down to begin rummaging through that picnic basket, "Depends on the person." He produces some cheese, takes a bite, and then flashes her a little grin as he stands, wasting no time in getting to work on the cheese. It's only a few bites, but it's gone before it was really even there. Suddenly, talk of pants being taken off is bandied about, and his interest is just a tad more piqued.
"Maybe not," agrees K'del in response to I'stark. "Got to have dreams, though, right?" The way he opens his mouth, and then shuts it again after Rimara speaks, suggests he might well have been about to suggest the removal of pants, too. Probably it's for the better that he doesn't: so many implications right there. Not, mind you, that his expression stops them from being made. "I'll take your word for it," he promises Evayne, all the same. "Dive after you," he adds for Rimara, clearly a secondary concern to pants removal. "Drag you up, if needs be. Promise."
Really, she should have known that was coming. Evayne opens her mouth, shuts her mouth, glances between Rimara and K'del. No, he didn't /say/ it, but he's still getting the same look. Even I'stark gets Looked at -- guilt by association, maybe. It's a very put-upon sort of look, really. "I could," she says. "But I don't know if I /want/ to. These are /really nice/ pants, someone might come along and take them while I'm down there." And, well, she would be taking her pants off. She *does* look down and tug at the hem of her blouse, maybe checking to see just how long it is. Is it long enough? "And, well, dreams are good. We can at least humor yours for a little while." Chin lifts, eyes flick between the other two. "Yeah?"
Well, if the suggestion of pants removal piques interest, then the removal of a skirt and a man's shirt from over Rimara's swimsuit might garner a little attention in and of itself. Oh, she's covered, but there isn't a lot to that swimsuit she made. All the right places are covered, at least. "All right," she says, turning toward K'del. "I'm going to take you," and then she turns to I'stark, "/and/ you, up on it---and if you let me drown, well, I'll never speak to either of you again," she says with a slight snort. Skirt and shirt are dropped over her basket, and she gives a brilliant smile toward Evayne. "Keep an eye on those for me, if you're not going in," she requests, stepping closer to the edge. "Is there any particular position I'm supposed to be in?" she asks both the men, looking just a little on the 'you're so big and strong and I'm so little and need your help' side.
"Feet first's good if you're just learning. Just be sure to not go on on your stomach, or laying flat back. Feet first." And though he may have come up here expecting a classic dive as his way down, he goes and demonstrates, jumping off, and just letting gravity do the work. He keeps his toes pointed down, and has his arms slapped to his side as -- FOOM -- he cuts downward, and into the water.
K'del deserves the look. And is at least a /little/ bit contrite in expression upon receiving it. Very small. Except for the cheeky grin and light shrug. He's a /guy/, after all, and a teenage one at that. "Would appreciate it," he says of the last of what Evayne says, before Rimara's undressing takes some of his attention back in that direction. Still a guy. Though he opens his mouth to give Rimara further instructions, I'stark gets there first - and he nods, instead. "What he - did. Just stand tall, and jump."
Oh, great. Rimara takes /her/ clothes off, and then I'stark is jumping, and the other woman is giving the look that she is to them all helpless and stuff and...sigh. "Of course I'm going in," Evayne tells Rimara, just a tiny bit peevishly. Of course, the peevishness is dismissed by a roll of her eyes and a laugh, an overly melodramatic, totally played up siiiiiiiiiiigh. And then she's shrugging her jacket off and tossing it over towards the basket, promptly starting to unbutton her pants. "And don't breathe in when you're underwater," she adds helpfully to the instructions the other two offer. "That's generally bad." Pants come off, tossed over onto her jacket, shirt tugged down. At least she was wearing something beneath said pants, and the blouse helps her cover up...a little.
"Me?---stand tall? I wish!" Rimara says, laughing over to K'del. "All right, feet first it is. Remember, I'm holding you to your promise," she adds, straightening up. She peers over the ledge, and doesn't see I'stark floating face down, so maybe she'll survive after all. She turns a positively brilliant smile on K'del, green eyes positively sparkling in what's left of the daylight. And then Evayne's calling her bluff. Well, even the best laid plans don't always work out. Still, Rimara's determined to go through with this foolishness. She gives her head a toss, "And don't breathe in the water. Right. How about if I just hold my nose?" she asks, suiting deed to words. Then, she's taking a step forward---over the edge. There's no scream, no sound at all. Eventually, there's a splash down below indicating she at least landed in the water. Now it's up to K'del and I'stark to keep her from drowning.
K'del doesn't let his gaze linger /too/ long on Evayne, and his expression is apologetic for it, if not outright bashful. He steps closer to the edge, giving Rimara an encouraging glance - and two thumbs up. When the girl jumps, he takes one more step forward, glances back at Evayne to offer an encouraging grin, and then he follows the bartender down, carefully aiming his descent to be slightly off the direction hers was in. Splash. Once down, he'll do his best to make sure all is well with her - but then, he's off, back to his towel, and onwards again.
Location: Diving Cliff, High Reaches Weyr
Synopsis: K'del takes a moment from his day to jump from the diving cliff; as it turns out, he's not the only one who likes it up there.
Diving Cliff, High Reaches Weyr
Thrusting out from the shadow of the mountain, this long and narrow clifftop might once have been a ledge, but a pile of bramble-strewn, graffiti-chiseled boulders where a weyr's mouth would have been suggests a reason for its abandonment long ago. Though its views of the eastern bowl are grand, particularly the lake itself and the yawning air entrance to the hatching sands, its location makes the diving cliff unique: jutting some ten or twelve feet above the deepest part of the cool, clear lake.
Especially in summertime, many climb up the narrow stairs to seek the thrill of a swift fall into the water, but those who just want to enjoy the view can take those same stairs back down: carved directly into the bowl wall, worn and crumbling and slick from use, but enough for the careful to get the job done. The sun is low on the horizon, there isn't a cloud in sight. There's a breeze that tempers the heat with no humidity lingering in the air.
There's no more beautiful a sight than sunset from the diving ledge. Rimara's more than willing to be up there and watch those colors paint the weyr in golden-orange, crimson and pink. She spent most of the day at the lake, only climbing up here once most of the young folks are done showing off to one another. Since it's nearly dinner time, the lake itself is empty except dragons, and she smiles at a brown and two greens cavorting in the water below. The wind is stronger up here, and it whips her skirt around her legs. She lets it billow, uncaring if anyone sees bare skin. She's wearing a swimsuit beneath it, after all. Her hair is still damp from the dip she took earlier, but it's drying slowly. Long strands stream around her head as she lifts her face to the sky, watching a dragon spiraling down toward the lake.
For a man so tall, so broad-shouldered, it might come as a surprise that I'stark moves so silently. But move without bringing much attention to himself he does, until he is there: his shadow heralding his arrival, before the politely-keyed baritone intones, by way of greeting, "It appears as if the ledge is a hot spot today." He moves forward, to swing his legs over the edge. Shoeless, he's come up here in naught but short pants, clearly availing himself of the height to get in a little exercise, or, perhaps -- as hinted by his frown as he looks upon the horizon and notes 'I've never been great with timing' -- Sun.
K'del must not really have been paying attention to the path to be as surprised as his expression suggests he is, when he reaches the top of the Diving Cliff. Clad only in his shorts, with a towel discarded on the beach below should anyone have been watching his progress up this far, he looks as though his arrival has less to do with the sunset than the cliff itself, and the water beneath. He comes to a faltering stop, looking, for a moment, as though he intends to simply turn tail and leave again.
Since I'stark is so very silent, it's clearly Evayne's job to be...well, loud. It's a balance thing. Completely headless to the fact that someone up on the ledge this time of day (it IS a pretty sunset) might actually appreciate her being /quiet/, she is whistling quite cheerily (and very off-key) as she hops up those stone steps, all energy and bounciness. Once she's taken that last step up she stops abruptly -- there is a K'del right in front of her, after all, and shoves her hands into her pockets. Blink, blink, blink. The whistle dies off about the same time. People! Quite promptly, she puts on her most brilliant smile. "Hey," she greets, chirpy. And she stays where she is for the moment, conveniently blocking an easy and immediate escape.
Rimara is a little startled by I'stark's voice. There's not usually more than herself up here so late in the day. She glances down at the bronzerider, blinking a little, then realizes there's more than just him and her. There's K'del, as well. And ... Evayne. "It would seem so," she murmurs, stepping away from the actual ledge, and back against the stone wall, giving them all plenty of room. She's not there for diving, after all, just watching the sunset. Her head nods towards first one bronzerider, then the other---and then at Evayne. "Hello," is offered to all of them from her leaning spot. "C'mon up, there's plenty of room," she offers, still in that quiet voice. Only there's not a lot of room, maybe enough for just the four of them, leaving a comfortable amount of space between.
The smile offered Rimara's way is maybe a little bit too warm, all apparent friendliness. Evayne winks towards the other woman, taking just a few steps onto the ledge itself before she stops, staying back close to it enough so as to not crowd anyone more than is, well, required. Her shoulders lift and drop in a lazy sort of shrug, though precisely who she's directing it at is anyone's guess. Maybe all of them. "It's real pretty out," she explains. "And I am not jumping." Headshake, to further emphasis those words. No. No jumping. Helpfully, she tells K'del, "You could still dive, long's you come back up after."
"No, I'm sorry," Rimara apologizes to I'stark. "I did earlier, but...well, there may be some cheese left in the basket," she amends, nodding at the basket not far from I'stark's left hand. K'del is given a smile. "Sorry," is offered to the Weyrleader, as well. "I don't think I could ever work up the nerve to dive off," she ventures. "I know it's probably safe enough, but I'm not that good a swimmer." She moves over another couple of inches, trying to give everyone enough room. Evayne's overly warm smile is met by, at first, an almost blank, disbelieving blink. Then a kind of half-smile that's really, really tentative, and a flinch. "It's always beautiful up here," she says very quietly. "I try to come up here as often as I can around sunset. It's ... peaceful."
"Well, getting you out of the water would be easy enough. You don't look like you weigh that much sopping wet. And you could always learn..." I'stark pushes off from the ledge, to stand there, looking over the edge, the big toe and a couple of neighbors on his right foot dangling off, "...by jumping in. But that's how I'm getting down. As well as our weyrleader here, I'd expect?" he looks over a shoulder at the man now, "After you. It's my job to follow."
K'del considers first Evayne, and then Rimara, and shakes his head in obviously put-on dismay. "Chicken," he tells them both. "I'm afraid of heights - or, that is, afraid of not being in control of them, and I can still do it just fine. Wouldn't let you drown." This comes accompanied by a sharp nod to agree with everything I'stark has said, too, though he adds, "If the ladies aren't coming down, I'll wait a little. Besides, I'm off duty: you're welcome to go first, if you like." If he's aware of the non-verbal interactions between the two women, he makes no remark on it, and instead adds, "I find those stairs a little unpleasant to climb down, anyway."
"Peaceful can be good sometimes," Evayne tells Rimara, tone maintaining the warmth that it holds when she addresses the other two, as well. When I'stark moves to peer over the edge she slides over that-away, just enough that she can peer down, as well. Of course, K'del's calling her a chicken has her head turning and her attention bouncing to him instead of that long way down. "I am /not/ chicken," she says. "I've jumped from higher places before. It's just that I am not getting these pants soaked like that. They're abused enough as it is." Aside to I'stark, she says, "It would not be a pleasant experience for her, if she doesn't know how to swim very well. Could give her all sorts of issues. With the water."
Rimara looks from one bronzerider to the other, not quite buying their words. She creeps just a little closer to the edge, kind of peering over from behind I'stark. "How would you keep me from drowning?" she asks K'del, since he was the one who made that promise. Is she actually considering this idiocy? It must be, since she's giving that height a serious consideration. "It looks like it's a mile down from here, I swear," she says, biting her bottom lip. "I don't think I'm scared of heights, but you two are used to being /way/ up in the air. That's nothing to you all. I've never been up that high, so this still looks a long 'way down to me." She doesn't really cringe from looking down, but she's not eager to volunteer to go first, either---until she hears what Evayne has to say. "I'm not afraid, either," she says, straightening abruptly. "And you can always take the pants off," she says, smiling warmly with an 'I will if you will' dare in her eyes.
"Are we ever really off-duty?" I'stark asks that a tad sardonically, a wry little almost-smile coming to flit across his features, "But point taken." If he notes the hue of slight awkwardness, he does a fantastic job of not giving the slightest hint. JUst raises his brows at Rimara, and casts a glance at Evayne as he bends down to begin rummaging through that picnic basket, "Depends on the person." He produces some cheese, takes a bite, and then flashes her a little grin as he stands, wasting no time in getting to work on the cheese. It's only a few bites, but it's gone before it was really even there. Suddenly, talk of pants being taken off is bandied about, and his interest is just a tad more piqued.
"Maybe not," agrees K'del in response to I'stark. "Got to have dreams, though, right?" The way he opens his mouth, and then shuts it again after Rimara speaks, suggests he might well have been about to suggest the removal of pants, too. Probably it's for the better that he doesn't: so many implications right there. Not, mind you, that his expression stops them from being made. "I'll take your word for it," he promises Evayne, all the same. "Dive after you," he adds for Rimara, clearly a secondary concern to pants removal. "Drag you up, if needs be. Promise."
Really, she should have known that was coming. Evayne opens her mouth, shuts her mouth, glances between Rimara and K'del. No, he didn't /say/ it, but he's still getting the same look. Even I'stark gets Looked at -- guilt by association, maybe. It's a very put-upon sort of look, really. "I could," she says. "But I don't know if I /want/ to. These are /really nice/ pants, someone might come along and take them while I'm down there." And, well, she would be taking her pants off. She *does* look down and tug at the hem of her blouse, maybe checking to see just how long it is. Is it long enough? "And, well, dreams are good. We can at least humor yours for a little while." Chin lifts, eyes flick between the other two. "Yeah?"
Well, if the suggestion of pants removal piques interest, then the removal of a skirt and a man's shirt from over Rimara's swimsuit might garner a little attention in and of itself. Oh, she's covered, but there isn't a lot to that swimsuit she made. All the right places are covered, at least. "All right," she says, turning toward K'del. "I'm going to take you," and then she turns to I'stark, "/and/ you, up on it---and if you let me drown, well, I'll never speak to either of you again," she says with a slight snort. Skirt and shirt are dropped over her basket, and she gives a brilliant smile toward Evayne. "Keep an eye on those for me, if you're not going in," she requests, stepping closer to the edge. "Is there any particular position I'm supposed to be in?" she asks both the men, looking just a little on the 'you're so big and strong and I'm so little and need your help' side.
"Feet first's good if you're just learning. Just be sure to not go on on your stomach, or laying flat back. Feet first." And though he may have come up here expecting a classic dive as his way down, he goes and demonstrates, jumping off, and just letting gravity do the work. He keeps his toes pointed down, and has his arms slapped to his side as -- FOOM -- he cuts downward, and into the water.
K'del deserves the look. And is at least a /little/ bit contrite in expression upon receiving it. Very small. Except for the cheeky grin and light shrug. He's a /guy/, after all, and a teenage one at that. "Would appreciate it," he says of the last of what Evayne says, before Rimara's undressing takes some of his attention back in that direction. Still a guy. Though he opens his mouth to give Rimara further instructions, I'stark gets there first - and he nods, instead. "What he - did. Just stand tall, and jump."
Oh, great. Rimara takes /her/ clothes off, and then I'stark is jumping, and the other woman is giving the look that she is to them all helpless and stuff and...sigh. "Of course I'm going in," Evayne tells Rimara, just a tiny bit peevishly. Of course, the peevishness is dismissed by a roll of her eyes and a laugh, an overly melodramatic, totally played up siiiiiiiiiiigh. And then she's shrugging her jacket off and tossing it over towards the basket, promptly starting to unbutton her pants. "And don't breathe in when you're underwater," she adds helpfully to the instructions the other two offer. "That's generally bad." Pants come off, tossed over onto her jacket, shirt tugged down. At least she was wearing something beneath said pants, and the blouse helps her cover up...a little.
"Me?---stand tall? I wish!" Rimara says, laughing over to K'del. "All right, feet first it is. Remember, I'm holding you to your promise," she adds, straightening up. She peers over the ledge, and doesn't see I'stark floating face down, so maybe she'll survive after all. She turns a positively brilliant smile on K'del, green eyes positively sparkling in what's left of the daylight. And then Evayne's calling her bluff. Well, even the best laid plans don't always work out. Still, Rimara's determined to go through with this foolishness. She gives her head a toss, "And don't breathe in the water. Right. How about if I just hold my nose?" she asks, suiting deed to words. Then, she's taking a step forward---over the edge. There's no scream, no sound at all. Eventually, there's a splash down below indicating she at least landed in the water. Now it's up to K'del and I'stark to keep her from drowning.
K'del doesn't let his gaze linger /too/ long on Evayne, and his expression is apologetic for it, if not outright bashful. He steps closer to the edge, giving Rimara an encouraging glance - and two thumbs up. When the girl jumps, he takes one more step forward, glances back at Evayne to offer an encouraging grin, and then he follows the bartender down, carefully aiming his descent to be slightly off the direction hers was in. Splash. Once down, he'll do his best to make sure all is well with her - but then, he's off, back to his towel, and onwards again.