How can you not love this woman? Crazy and all!
Who: Zoma and E'sere
Where: Beach
When: 08:33 on day 18, month 10, turn 2 of the 7th Pass.
What: While out working. . .no, really, Zoma runs into E'sere. They chat pleasantly. But she is always pleasant, yes?
11/17/2006 & 11/20/2006
On the exiles' island, it is 08:33 on day 18, month 10, turn 2 of the 7th Pass.
Morning. The sun has been up and people have been at work for some time now. Zoma has been up since before the sun rose as is her custom. She has not, however, been doing much in the way of work. She does her share when she can't con someone into doing it for her, but today she's little enough to do until people arrive with fish or fruit or anything else that needs carting from one spot to the next. Instead she's spending the morning walking the beach, looking for anything interesting that has washed up. She wades in the waves up to her thighs, unconcerned when a particularly strong current tugs her a little farther out. It's only when a wave splashes over her head that she laughs and moves back in closer to the shore. A small pile of wood, larger shells, interesting rocks (surely those are just for her) have been gathered up away from the tide line. They rest by her pouch and it's that she looks at every now and again. To be sure it is safe. To be sure her cards are safe. Other than that she seems to be slacking off somewhat in her quest for useful items. Or maybe she has decided it is time to take a wee bit of a break. There being no one within easy sight. . .well, that's only a few feet for her, but still, it seems she figures no one will stop her.
E'sere and Morelenth aren't slacking, either, exactly. Fresh from drills, the bronze is on his way downward toward the beach, soaring over the shoreline and cutting a path downward gradually; neither he nor his rider seems to be in any particular hurry, though surely the man has his own chores to perform for the day. For now, the dragon lands heavily on the beach, rumbling while E'sere slides down. The bronze is then off slinking into the water, while E'sere lingers shoreward and glances around idly, lifting a hand when he sees Zoma.
Zoma notices only shapes in the distance, but it is enough to still her actions. She stands there, letting the water batter against her legs as she waits for something to be closer, for something to come into focus. When she makes out, yes, dragon plus rider, there is a slight nod of her head. All is well. Probably. She wades up out of the water, laughing when another strong wave sends her stumbling forward. She recovers from it gracefully, thoughtlessly, her eyes may not work, but the rest of her does. Dripping with sea water she comes up onto dry sand and whistles a few notes before waving. She probably didn't quite make out the wave to her, but that is ok. "Hello!" she calls out, dragging the word out for a moment, laughing at her action.
"Hi," E'sere replies, and since Zoma greeted him, he turns to stroll a few steps in that direction, his pace lazily. Out in the water, Morelenth has settled down for a soak, and doesn't seem to mind that the bath he intended is being delayed; he's probably used to such from E'sere. The bronzerider stops a few feet from Zoma and glances briefly to the water and then back before he asks, "How are you?"
"It is a beautiful glorious day oh recently arrived." Zoma grins widely as she says this and hops up and down on one foot for a moment or three. "Aha! We have not met. I shall fix that now. Well, I suppose I have since we are here conversing!" The hopping stops and she makes an exaggerated show of smoothing down hair that will do no such thing. "Zoma's the name. Because it's what my parents called me. A pleasure to meet you although if you ask me we've more than enough folks here without all you coming to play too. Still, we do what we must. Lovely day today, don't you think? Each day more perfect than the next and just as dull."
"Zoma," says E'sere in a somewhat dubious tone: perhaps he's remembering Aivey's warning now. Still, he offers her an easy smile and nods. "I'm E'sere, Morelenth's," he offers, with a vague gesture at the watching dragon in the water.
"Aha! You've heard of me!" Or so Zoma will assume with that tone used. After all, if he hasn't he'd have been much more cheerful, yes? "Yes, the big shiny one in the water. I can just make him out." She blinks and turns to peer out towards said big shiny /thing/ in the water. Turning back she shakes first one leg and then the other to get a bit of water off them, like a dog coming out of a bath. "Please to meet you. Settling in I imagine? Hard not to what with having to and all. Offer to help, but I suppose you're the sort gots em all fawning over you to help and me? Well, I'm just not the sort of girl that does that. Least I'm not the sort to trip you either though so be thankful."
"Aivey mentioned your name to me the other day," E'sere agrees with a nod. "But yes. I'm settling well, I think. And, ah. Not much fawning, really, but." He shrugs, ruffs the back of his hair sheepishly. "I appreciaet it, that you're not. Doing either of those, I mean."
Skipping over to her pile of things she flops onto the ground and begins to sort it. Not dry enough yet to touch her cards the pouch is left be. But she must play with something. "Ah. Aivey. Yes. I met her when I was learning from Derek. Interesting woman. For about five minutes. Then she's rather dull I think. Well, we can't all be brilliant like me." Zoma peers at E'sere. "Oh. Right. You're little brother's savior." A smirk at this and she hefts a rock in one hand before letting it fall. "That working out for you?"
"I think she's fascinating," E'sere remarks lightly. "But then, I often think that of people--even dullness can be interesting sometimes. Little brother?" Confused, E'sere cocks his head as he studies Zoma.
"Yes, well, dullness I have plenty of here. Don't live here long as I have and not want to throw rocks at things just to see what happens." Zoma grins and sweeps a handful of hair back although it promptly falls into her face again. She doesn't seem to really notice. "Kat. Katric. Whatever he is now that his brain's not his own anymore. My little brother. Adopted him when he arrived. Adorable little scamp."
"K'tric," E'sere focuses on that aspect of the conversation, after one brief look at the rock Zoma held earlier. "I see. He hadn't really mentioned you to me, but I have't had a chance to speak with him much, still. Especially now--he's very busy with his Kasvatuth. You adopted him? He must be very lucky, to have a native looking out for him."
Zoma waves her hands about as if brushing something off. "Been giving him romantical advice. And life experience advice. He's so cute and naive. Reminds me of my little brother back on the mainland before I wanted to slit his throat." Which is said, of course, so casually as if wanting to kill your brother is natural. "Got to go see him myself. Been giving the little bugger time to adjust and all that."
"You," E'sere repeats slowly, "have been giving /K'tric/ love advice. Does it do any good?" Curiously, he cocks his head and settles down alongside Zoma, glancing over at her. The tidbit about her brother doesn't phase him at all, at least. "I'm sure he'd appreciate a visit. He's... Well. You know how he is, I'm sure."
"Sure and why not? Haven't I had my own share of romance?" Zoma looks down at herself and for a moment her nose wrinkles and she looks. . .annoyed. Still, it's gone when she looks back up, all bright smiles again. "Poor little bro. He's so lost and don't even realise it. Taken him under my wing, I have. He'll be fine. As for it doing any good? Got ta be honest, don't see how it could hurt."
E'sere shrugs. "I wouldn't know, to be honest; we've only just met," he confesses, studying Zoma a moment, particularly that look that crosses her face. He doesn't comment, however, and instead notes, "It's just the idea of K'tric needing love advice in general that amuses me. He's so fixated on Aida now--" He shakes his head, grinning himself. "It certainly can't hurt," he agrees then.
Lifting a hand to her face she peers at it and then wipes it on her clothes to be sure it is dry. Once it's dry, Zoma takes up her pouch and removes her cards. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. Just the comforting feel of the deck in her hands is all she is after it seems. "Ah, well. That Aida girl, yea. Imagine he'll see her again. Does have a thing for her. Of course, doesn't sound worthy to me and if that's the case I'll have to fix things. Can't have my little bro with the wrong woman." A smile at this, cheerful, maybe a tad crazy around the edges. Why not?
"Well, I'll vouch for her," E'sere says. "She's a good woman--I understand what he sees in her. And, I'm sure, too, they'll be reunited someday--I plan on it, in fact." He maintains a casual tone, though still watching Zoma.
"Well, hey. She's good enough it's fine. She's not then there's something for me to do." Zoma shrugs her shoulders. "Doesn't matter. Won't really know as I don't imagine I'll be meeting her anyway. Just got one place I gotta go back there." A wave of a hand, back there. A general sort of 'here is here and anywhere else is back there' attitude in that one gesture. That done she returns to shuffling her cards.
"Where's that?" E'sere asks curiously.
A card is flipped over and Zoma stares at it. She doesn't seem really aware of which card it is, but she stares at it anyway. "Family. Take care of seein' them again and that's all I gotta do. Be sure they know what happened. How I don't hold it against em all and the like."
"I see." E'sere is quiet a moment, glancing briefly at the cards and then back to the woman beside him. "They turned you in?" he ventures after a moment.
"My brother did." Zoma wrinkles her nose and looks at the cards again, shuffling once more. "Ferthan." A snarl and a growl and bloody murder in those two syllables. Then the storm is gone and she's laughing merrily. "Not as smart as he thought. Forgive him." Yea, clearly.
"My mother gave me up," E'sere notes in sympathy, frowning slowly as Zoma cycles through her moods. "It's... not a very pleasant thing. But you'll sort things out with him eventually, I know, as will I." A nod.
"My mother was a dear. Clueless, but a dear." Zoma grins fondly now and strokes the top card with light fingers. "Da. . .never gave him up. They asked, never said a word. Thought it was enough." Taking the deck of cards between both hands she strokes the top and bottom card. "Things're sorted out. Just gotta act. Got my plans. Backup and everything. I listen."
"Would but that mine one," E'sere notes wryly of his mother, shaking his head. "Still, I don't understand how--Well. Seems like there should be more loyalty there, to family. You understand, of course. You really have plans already?" He arches his brows slightly.
"Had plans since I was put here. Think I spent all this time working on my tan?" Zoma smirks, but it's a mere quirk of her lips and doesn't reach the rest of her face. "Little brother's gonna help. Was just waitin' for someone to come along. Got a backup plan too. But I ain't sharin'. He knows who he is." Now she grins slyly and tosses her head to send already fly away hair to even more points of awayness. "Injustice, ya know? Gotta fix it."
"Suppose not," E'sere concedes, ducking his head slightly. "We've all got plans, I think--now it's just a matter of unifying them and then setting them in motion."
"Gotta be honest, kid, don't much care about no one else's plans." Zoma is so matter of fact in this statement. "Just gotta do one thing and then am content to wait out the rest of my days here. Not a bad place, really. Get used to the diet. Nice and warm. Warm is good when you're getting old like me. Helps the broken bones."
"A shame," answers E'sere ruefully. "We've all got our own motives for why we want to do the same thing, but it will take everyone here working together to be able to do anything /but/ just that: sit here and tan."
Zoma's eyes roll and she gives E'sere a thoughtful look. "So yer here a few and suddenly you're all concerned about what we do, eh? Concerned about what we can do for you I imagine is more like it. Ain't a pawn, kid. Don't give one bit of care about what you're wantin' to do with yourself. After all, you were so good you wouldn't here, eh?"
"And now I'll be honest with you," replies E'sere evenly, still studying Zoma. "I want much the same thing as you do: a chance to set things right, especially with those that sent me here. But I realize that I can't do it alone, so I'm not going to waste my time trying to."
"Don't think we're wantin' much the same thing at all. Don't imagine I much care. Just so you know I ain't interested in whatever dumb stuff you're planning. Had my share of that." Zoma nods at this and with a final, loving caress of her cards puts them in her pouch. "Can all rot, I say. Herd deserves what they get after all."
"I'm sorry to hear that," E'sere says, studying Zoma a moment longer, before he stands again, dusting himself off. "I should get to work--it was nice to meet you. If I see K'tric, I'll bee sure to send him your way," he notes in parting.
"Pleasure meeting you too, I am sure." Zoma grins, all brilliant happiness as she leaps to her feet, bouncy grace at play. "Best get back to my work anyways. Things ta do and all that. You just have a lovely day there. And 'ppreciate it about my little brother. You tell him, you see him I'll come say hi real soon."
"I will," agrees E'sere with a nod, a brief smile for Zoma. "Have a good day, Zoma." Then, turning, he heads away, toward the settlement.
Where: Beach
When: 08:33 on day 18, month 10, turn 2 of the 7th Pass.
What: While out working. . .no, really, Zoma runs into E'sere. They chat pleasantly. But she is always pleasant, yes?
11/17/2006 & 11/20/2006
On the exiles' island, it is 08:33 on day 18, month 10, turn 2 of the 7th Pass.
Morning. The sun has been up and people have been at work for some time now. Zoma has been up since before the sun rose as is her custom. She has not, however, been doing much in the way of work. She does her share when she can't con someone into doing it for her, but today she's little enough to do until people arrive with fish or fruit or anything else that needs carting from one spot to the next. Instead she's spending the morning walking the beach, looking for anything interesting that has washed up. She wades in the waves up to her thighs, unconcerned when a particularly strong current tugs her a little farther out. It's only when a wave splashes over her head that she laughs and moves back in closer to the shore. A small pile of wood, larger shells, interesting rocks (surely those are just for her) have been gathered up away from the tide line. They rest by her pouch and it's that she looks at every now and again. To be sure it is safe. To be sure her cards are safe. Other than that she seems to be slacking off somewhat in her quest for useful items. Or maybe she has decided it is time to take a wee bit of a break. There being no one within easy sight. . .well, that's only a few feet for her, but still, it seems she figures no one will stop her.
E'sere and Morelenth aren't slacking, either, exactly. Fresh from drills, the bronze is on his way downward toward the beach, soaring over the shoreline and cutting a path downward gradually; neither he nor his rider seems to be in any particular hurry, though surely the man has his own chores to perform for the day. For now, the dragon lands heavily on the beach, rumbling while E'sere slides down. The bronze is then off slinking into the water, while E'sere lingers shoreward and glances around idly, lifting a hand when he sees Zoma.
Zoma notices only shapes in the distance, but it is enough to still her actions. She stands there, letting the water batter against her legs as she waits for something to be closer, for something to come into focus. When she makes out, yes, dragon plus rider, there is a slight nod of her head. All is well. Probably. She wades up out of the water, laughing when another strong wave sends her stumbling forward. She recovers from it gracefully, thoughtlessly, her eyes may not work, but the rest of her does. Dripping with sea water she comes up onto dry sand and whistles a few notes before waving. She probably didn't quite make out the wave to her, but that is ok. "Hello!" she calls out, dragging the word out for a moment, laughing at her action.
"Hi," E'sere replies, and since Zoma greeted him, he turns to stroll a few steps in that direction, his pace lazily. Out in the water, Morelenth has settled down for a soak, and doesn't seem to mind that the bath he intended is being delayed; he's probably used to such from E'sere. The bronzerider stops a few feet from Zoma and glances briefly to the water and then back before he asks, "How are you?"
"It is a beautiful glorious day oh recently arrived." Zoma grins widely as she says this and hops up and down on one foot for a moment or three. "Aha! We have not met. I shall fix that now. Well, I suppose I have since we are here conversing!" The hopping stops and she makes an exaggerated show of smoothing down hair that will do no such thing. "Zoma's the name. Because it's what my parents called me. A pleasure to meet you although if you ask me we've more than enough folks here without all you coming to play too. Still, we do what we must. Lovely day today, don't you think? Each day more perfect than the next and just as dull."
"Zoma," says E'sere in a somewhat dubious tone: perhaps he's remembering Aivey's warning now. Still, he offers her an easy smile and nods. "I'm E'sere, Morelenth's," he offers, with a vague gesture at the watching dragon in the water.
"Aha! You've heard of me!" Or so Zoma will assume with that tone used. After all, if he hasn't he'd have been much more cheerful, yes? "Yes, the big shiny one in the water. I can just make him out." She blinks and turns to peer out towards said big shiny /thing/ in the water. Turning back she shakes first one leg and then the other to get a bit of water off them, like a dog coming out of a bath. "Please to meet you. Settling in I imagine? Hard not to what with having to and all. Offer to help, but I suppose you're the sort gots em all fawning over you to help and me? Well, I'm just not the sort of girl that does that. Least I'm not the sort to trip you either though so be thankful."
"Aivey mentioned your name to me the other day," E'sere agrees with a nod. "But yes. I'm settling well, I think. And, ah. Not much fawning, really, but." He shrugs, ruffs the back of his hair sheepishly. "I appreciaet it, that you're not. Doing either of those, I mean."
Skipping over to her pile of things she flops onto the ground and begins to sort it. Not dry enough yet to touch her cards the pouch is left be. But she must play with something. "Ah. Aivey. Yes. I met her when I was learning from Derek. Interesting woman. For about five minutes. Then she's rather dull I think. Well, we can't all be brilliant like me." Zoma peers at E'sere. "Oh. Right. You're little brother's savior." A smirk at this and she hefts a rock in one hand before letting it fall. "That working out for you?"
"I think she's fascinating," E'sere remarks lightly. "But then, I often think that of people--even dullness can be interesting sometimes. Little brother?" Confused, E'sere cocks his head as he studies Zoma.
"Yes, well, dullness I have plenty of here. Don't live here long as I have and not want to throw rocks at things just to see what happens." Zoma grins and sweeps a handful of hair back although it promptly falls into her face again. She doesn't seem to really notice. "Kat. Katric. Whatever he is now that his brain's not his own anymore. My little brother. Adopted him when he arrived. Adorable little scamp."
"K'tric," E'sere focuses on that aspect of the conversation, after one brief look at the rock Zoma held earlier. "I see. He hadn't really mentioned you to me, but I have't had a chance to speak with him much, still. Especially now--he's very busy with his Kasvatuth. You adopted him? He must be very lucky, to have a native looking out for him."
Zoma waves her hands about as if brushing something off. "Been giving him romantical advice. And life experience advice. He's so cute and naive. Reminds me of my little brother back on the mainland before I wanted to slit his throat." Which is said, of course, so casually as if wanting to kill your brother is natural. "Got to go see him myself. Been giving the little bugger time to adjust and all that."
"You," E'sere repeats slowly, "have been giving /K'tric/ love advice. Does it do any good?" Curiously, he cocks his head and settles down alongside Zoma, glancing over at her. The tidbit about her brother doesn't phase him at all, at least. "I'm sure he'd appreciate a visit. He's... Well. You know how he is, I'm sure."
"Sure and why not? Haven't I had my own share of romance?" Zoma looks down at herself and for a moment her nose wrinkles and she looks. . .annoyed. Still, it's gone when she looks back up, all bright smiles again. "Poor little bro. He's so lost and don't even realise it. Taken him under my wing, I have. He'll be fine. As for it doing any good? Got ta be honest, don't see how it could hurt."
E'sere shrugs. "I wouldn't know, to be honest; we've only just met," he confesses, studying Zoma a moment, particularly that look that crosses her face. He doesn't comment, however, and instead notes, "It's just the idea of K'tric needing love advice in general that amuses me. He's so fixated on Aida now--" He shakes his head, grinning himself. "It certainly can't hurt," he agrees then.
Lifting a hand to her face she peers at it and then wipes it on her clothes to be sure it is dry. Once it's dry, Zoma takes up her pouch and removes her cards. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. Just the comforting feel of the deck in her hands is all she is after it seems. "Ah, well. That Aida girl, yea. Imagine he'll see her again. Does have a thing for her. Of course, doesn't sound worthy to me and if that's the case I'll have to fix things. Can't have my little bro with the wrong woman." A smile at this, cheerful, maybe a tad crazy around the edges. Why not?
"Well, I'll vouch for her," E'sere says. "She's a good woman--I understand what he sees in her. And, I'm sure, too, they'll be reunited someday--I plan on it, in fact." He maintains a casual tone, though still watching Zoma.
"Well, hey. She's good enough it's fine. She's not then there's something for me to do." Zoma shrugs her shoulders. "Doesn't matter. Won't really know as I don't imagine I'll be meeting her anyway. Just got one place I gotta go back there." A wave of a hand, back there. A general sort of 'here is here and anywhere else is back there' attitude in that one gesture. That done she returns to shuffling her cards.
"Where's that?" E'sere asks curiously.
A card is flipped over and Zoma stares at it. She doesn't seem really aware of which card it is, but she stares at it anyway. "Family. Take care of seein' them again and that's all I gotta do. Be sure they know what happened. How I don't hold it against em all and the like."
"I see." E'sere is quiet a moment, glancing briefly at the cards and then back to the woman beside him. "They turned you in?" he ventures after a moment.
"My brother did." Zoma wrinkles her nose and looks at the cards again, shuffling once more. "Ferthan." A snarl and a growl and bloody murder in those two syllables. Then the storm is gone and she's laughing merrily. "Not as smart as he thought. Forgive him." Yea, clearly.
"My mother gave me up," E'sere notes in sympathy, frowning slowly as Zoma cycles through her moods. "It's... not a very pleasant thing. But you'll sort things out with him eventually, I know, as will I." A nod.
"My mother was a dear. Clueless, but a dear." Zoma grins fondly now and strokes the top card with light fingers. "Da. . .never gave him up. They asked, never said a word. Thought it was enough." Taking the deck of cards between both hands she strokes the top and bottom card. "Things're sorted out. Just gotta act. Got my plans. Backup and everything. I listen."
"Would but that mine one," E'sere notes wryly of his mother, shaking his head. "Still, I don't understand how--Well. Seems like there should be more loyalty there, to family. You understand, of course. You really have plans already?" He arches his brows slightly.
"Had plans since I was put here. Think I spent all this time working on my tan?" Zoma smirks, but it's a mere quirk of her lips and doesn't reach the rest of her face. "Little brother's gonna help. Was just waitin' for someone to come along. Got a backup plan too. But I ain't sharin'. He knows who he is." Now she grins slyly and tosses her head to send already fly away hair to even more points of awayness. "Injustice, ya know? Gotta fix it."
"Suppose not," E'sere concedes, ducking his head slightly. "We've all got plans, I think--now it's just a matter of unifying them and then setting them in motion."
"Gotta be honest, kid, don't much care about no one else's plans." Zoma is so matter of fact in this statement. "Just gotta do one thing and then am content to wait out the rest of my days here. Not a bad place, really. Get used to the diet. Nice and warm. Warm is good when you're getting old like me. Helps the broken bones."
"A shame," answers E'sere ruefully. "We've all got our own motives for why we want to do the same thing, but it will take everyone here working together to be able to do anything /but/ just that: sit here and tan."
Zoma's eyes roll and she gives E'sere a thoughtful look. "So yer here a few and suddenly you're all concerned about what we do, eh? Concerned about what we can do for you I imagine is more like it. Ain't a pawn, kid. Don't give one bit of care about what you're wantin' to do with yourself. After all, you were so good you wouldn't here, eh?"
"And now I'll be honest with you," replies E'sere evenly, still studying Zoma. "I want much the same thing as you do: a chance to set things right, especially with those that sent me here. But I realize that I can't do it alone, so I'm not going to waste my time trying to."
"Don't think we're wantin' much the same thing at all. Don't imagine I much care. Just so you know I ain't interested in whatever dumb stuff you're planning. Had my share of that." Zoma nods at this and with a final, loving caress of her cards puts them in her pouch. "Can all rot, I say. Herd deserves what they get after all."
"I'm sorry to hear that," E'sere says, studying Zoma a moment longer, before he stands again, dusting himself off. "I should get to work--it was nice to meet you. If I see K'tric, I'll bee sure to send him your way," he notes in parting.
"Pleasure meeting you too, I am sure." Zoma grins, all brilliant happiness as she leaps to her feet, bouncy grace at play. "Best get back to my work anyways. Things ta do and all that. You just have a lovely day there. And 'ppreciate it about my little brother. You tell him, you see him I'll come say hi real soon."
"I will," agrees E'sere with a nod, a brief smile for Zoma. "Have a good day, Zoma." Then, turning, he heads away, toward the settlement.