Tired.
Who: Zoma and M'cay
Where: A random stretch of beach on an island.
When: 06:10 on day 3, month 6, turn 3 of the 7th Pass.
What: M'cay runs into Zoma when he is out for one of his walks. Zoma's continuingly deteriorating mental health becomes even more obvious. And how.
3/16/2007
On the exiles' island, it is 06:10 on day 3, month 6, turn 3 of the 7th Pass.
It is currently early in the mild wet season. The wet season is marked by heavy grey and black clouds that hang perpetually in the sky. Some days, the covering is so thick that even midday feels like evening. Occasional fat droplets of rain leak down: a promise of the downpour to come.
The sun is up. It's behind the clouds, sure, but the sun is up. The few droplets of rain that come down don't put much of a dint in activities, it can't. There are things to do. Down the beach aways, away from where most anyone might be found unless they wander is Zoma. She's seated right where the waves come crashing in, splashed again and again as she stares out at the ocean. Sitting. Doing nothing at all.
M'cay is out on his morning walk with Tenzinth, though now a days the pair can't quite sneak by unnoticed as they could have in the past. The large bronze walks with his legs in the water, while M'cay prefers to walk on the dry sand. In due time, they are approaching Zoma. The bronze dragon lifts his head and rumbles a soft greeting to the woman, and M'cay lifts a hand in a wave. Standard greeting procedure.
Zoma doesn't notice dragon or rider. Or greetings. She's staring out at the waves. It's going to take more, it would seem, to get her attention than just a big shiny dragon on the beach. Rocking back and forth in time with the waves she just stares off at nothing.
Tenzinth lumbers right up to the young woman, dipping his head down to warmly wuffle her hair. So much for personal space. M'cay hastens over, "Tenzinth, leave her be," he begins, darting looks to Zoma. His brows furrow and he frowns, "Zoma? Is everything okay?"
It is hard to ignore giant dragon muzzle by hair. So, Zoma does not. She lifts a hand and smooths down crazy hair. Blinking several times rapidly she looks around, puzzled and for a few seconds there's no hint of recognition at all for either weyrling or dragon. Then it all returns and she breaks out into a smile. "Kid! Dragon kid! Hey!"
M'cay looks relieved that at least some part of her is still in the present. He flushes a bit and smiles, "Good morning. I'm sorry about that, Tenzinth thought you...weren't here." The bronze settles to his belly with a warm croon. "How are you?"
Zoma rubs at her eyes and giggles, high pitched and odd. "I'm not anywhere else. I cannot be anywhere else. I can only be here where I am and I am here where I am. And so are you two! Until you're gone. They're sending everyone away. Everyone's going away. All gone."
M'cay nods slowly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, "Yes, I'm not sure how I feel about moving." He flops to the sand beside Zoma, and Tenzinth shifts his large body so as not to block the view of the sea. "Before I wanted nothing more than to get back to the mainland, but now...I'm not sure if it's such a good idea. What do you think?"
Zoma giggles again and tugs at a lock of hair. "Death. It's all death there, you know. Death. All over it. But you'll be fine. They'll like you. Don't stay with em. Leave. Go somewhere. Get away. You can get away." She smiles at this and pats the water. "Get away. From the sinking. It's sinking."
M'cay looks surprised, "Death?" he asks, and then shivers. Behind him, Tenzinth rumbles soothingly. "Where should I go, Zoma?" the young rider whispers, "Who would take me?" He looks down at the island sand, "I've never felt more like I was sinking."
Zoma stares out at the sea and plucks at the water that comes in around her. "Wherever you want. I would not recommend Telgar. Get a picture, go to a weyr, yes? Explain it. They will likely be happy to have you although it would be rough I imagine. I don't know. Weyrs are weird places. Dragons belong in em though. Not in holes in the ground. Holes in the ground collapse. Get filled in. People die. They die. Don't die."
M'cay frowns, his mind trying to work out Zoma's twisting tithe trains of thoughts. "Why do you keep talking about death?" the young man asks, feeling a shiver, "I don't think anyone is going to die. We're all leaving the island. Tenzinth won't let anything happen to us." He includes Zoma in that 'us' as well, and the bronze rumbles his agreement.
"Not going back, kid. Not going back. Can't make me. No one can make me go back." Zoma shivers and wraps her arms around her stomach. "Can't make me, won't go. Got sinking to do. Can't go back. Won't go back. You think they won't kill everyone? They catch em? Look what they did to Cassiel. They'll kill. You mark my words. Get away's the best thing you can do. You and anyone you care about. Don't fall in the hole. Don't do it."
M'cay blinks, taking it all in. "You're...you're not coming back?" the lad whispers, "But...but you'll die here! Thread'll get you, or you'll starve, or...you have to come! We'll protect you from them, Tenzinth and me will." The bronze lifts his head, his eyes picking up some distressed shades as he tries to calm his agitated rider.
Zoma shakes her head and looks from rider to dragon and back. "Can't go back. Not me there. Not mine there. His there. Don't want to be his again. Want to stay here. Have to stay here. Be fine. He won't let anything happen to me. Promise. I'll be fine. Nothing there for me anymore. Don't want to go back. Can't make me. Can't. I won't let you."
M'cay bites his lip hard and blinks back tears, "I won't make you," he promises, "I wouldn't force you to do anything. I'm...you're...well. A friend, I'd thought. I respect you. I'll...we'll miss you."
Zoma laughs quietly, her head shaking. "You wouldn't. They would. Watch out for them. People change. Not everyone's like they used to be. And some are. Just be careful. Ok? Promise me. Cause, I'll be thinking of you." Until she dies! Ahem. Reaching over she almost touches him and then pulls her hand back. "You'll be fine. You got him. He's got you. You'll be great. Proud of you. Think for yourself, you hear?"
M'cay dips his head down, a tear falling before he gets control of himself and straightens, turning to give her a twitch of a smile, "Thank you," he whispers. That might be the first time someone's told him that they're proud of him. Aside from Tenzinth of course. "We'll be thinking of you too."
Zoma shakes her head and splashes water at M'cay. "Don't be daft. You don't need to say that. Of course you will. Everyone will be thinking of me. They'll look back and go 'you know, that Zoma was right. Should have listened to her.' But no one does. It's ok. I don't listen to them either. Yer a good kid."
M'cay squeaks when water is splashed at him and he's suddenly wet, but he doesn't retaliate. "What do you think we should do?" the lad asks, "Stay here on the island? All of us?"
Zoma shakes her head again and rises to her feet to kick at the water, trying to keep the tide from coming in. "No. Death here. Nothing here. I don't know. Not my place. Got to be something better than here. Or there. There has to be. I don't know. I'm just tired."
M'cay scrambles to his feet and nods, "Why don't you go rest, then," he offers gently. Tenzinth rises and offers the woman a gentle croon.
Zoma turns from gazing at the sea to smile at M'cay and then even to Tenzinth. "I will, sure. Soon. Soon I can sleep when I am done working. Do me a favor? Will you? See Kats. See my little brother, right? Tell him no. Tell him I said I changed my mind about it. Not to do it. Ok? Promise me?"
M'cay nods, "Of course. Where is he? I'll tell him," the boy promises.
Zoma giggles and rolls her eyes. "Silly. Kats. K'tric. My little brother. Tell him I said no. Ok. Thank you. You're the best." Hopping up and down she seems in good cheer all at once. Somewhat manic in good cheer, but still.
M'cay blushes, "Oh, K'tric. Yes, I'll tell him. Tell him no, that you changed your mind." He nods. "Alright."
Zoma wades out into the water a bit and then turns around to giggle and wave. "I'm going to go check on the sinking. I will see you later." It's perfectly normal for her to go swimming, after all. At she's normal in one way. "You're a good kid. You done good. You tell em all to stuff it they don't think so, yea? Don't let em get you down."
M'cay smiles, lifting a hand and waving, "Take care, Zoma," the lad calls. He turns and smiles at Tenzinth, "Let's go find K'tric."
Where: A random stretch of beach on an island.
When: 06:10 on day 3, month 6, turn 3 of the 7th Pass.
What: M'cay runs into Zoma when he is out for one of his walks. Zoma's continuingly deteriorating mental health becomes even more obvious. And how.
3/16/2007
On the exiles' island, it is 06:10 on day 3, month 6, turn 3 of the 7th Pass.
It is currently early in the mild wet season. The wet season is marked by heavy grey and black clouds that hang perpetually in the sky. Some days, the covering is so thick that even midday feels like evening. Occasional fat droplets of rain leak down: a promise of the downpour to come.
The sun is up. It's behind the clouds, sure, but the sun is up. The few droplets of rain that come down don't put much of a dint in activities, it can't. There are things to do. Down the beach aways, away from where most anyone might be found unless they wander is Zoma. She's seated right where the waves come crashing in, splashed again and again as she stares out at the ocean. Sitting. Doing nothing at all.
M'cay is out on his morning walk with Tenzinth, though now a days the pair can't quite sneak by unnoticed as they could have in the past. The large bronze walks with his legs in the water, while M'cay prefers to walk on the dry sand. In due time, they are approaching Zoma. The bronze dragon lifts his head and rumbles a soft greeting to the woman, and M'cay lifts a hand in a wave. Standard greeting procedure.
Zoma doesn't notice dragon or rider. Or greetings. She's staring out at the waves. It's going to take more, it would seem, to get her attention than just a big shiny dragon on the beach. Rocking back and forth in time with the waves she just stares off at nothing.
Tenzinth lumbers right up to the young woman, dipping his head down to warmly wuffle her hair. So much for personal space. M'cay hastens over, "Tenzinth, leave her be," he begins, darting looks to Zoma. His brows furrow and he frowns, "Zoma? Is everything okay?"
It is hard to ignore giant dragon muzzle by hair. So, Zoma does not. She lifts a hand and smooths down crazy hair. Blinking several times rapidly she looks around, puzzled and for a few seconds there's no hint of recognition at all for either weyrling or dragon. Then it all returns and she breaks out into a smile. "Kid! Dragon kid! Hey!"
M'cay looks relieved that at least some part of her is still in the present. He flushes a bit and smiles, "Good morning. I'm sorry about that, Tenzinth thought you...weren't here." The bronze settles to his belly with a warm croon. "How are you?"
Zoma rubs at her eyes and giggles, high pitched and odd. "I'm not anywhere else. I cannot be anywhere else. I can only be here where I am and I am here where I am. And so are you two! Until you're gone. They're sending everyone away. Everyone's going away. All gone."
M'cay nods slowly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, "Yes, I'm not sure how I feel about moving." He flops to the sand beside Zoma, and Tenzinth shifts his large body so as not to block the view of the sea. "Before I wanted nothing more than to get back to the mainland, but now...I'm not sure if it's such a good idea. What do you think?"
Zoma giggles again and tugs at a lock of hair. "Death. It's all death there, you know. Death. All over it. But you'll be fine. They'll like you. Don't stay with em. Leave. Go somewhere. Get away. You can get away." She smiles at this and pats the water. "Get away. From the sinking. It's sinking."
M'cay looks surprised, "Death?" he asks, and then shivers. Behind him, Tenzinth rumbles soothingly. "Where should I go, Zoma?" the young rider whispers, "Who would take me?" He looks down at the island sand, "I've never felt more like I was sinking."
Zoma stares out at the sea and plucks at the water that comes in around her. "Wherever you want. I would not recommend Telgar. Get a picture, go to a weyr, yes? Explain it. They will likely be happy to have you although it would be rough I imagine. I don't know. Weyrs are weird places. Dragons belong in em though. Not in holes in the ground. Holes in the ground collapse. Get filled in. People die. They die. Don't die."
M'cay frowns, his mind trying to work out Zoma's twisting tithe trains of thoughts. "Why do you keep talking about death?" the young man asks, feeling a shiver, "I don't think anyone is going to die. We're all leaving the island. Tenzinth won't let anything happen to us." He includes Zoma in that 'us' as well, and the bronze rumbles his agreement.
"Not going back, kid. Not going back. Can't make me. No one can make me go back." Zoma shivers and wraps her arms around her stomach. "Can't make me, won't go. Got sinking to do. Can't go back. Won't go back. You think they won't kill everyone? They catch em? Look what they did to Cassiel. They'll kill. You mark my words. Get away's the best thing you can do. You and anyone you care about. Don't fall in the hole. Don't do it."
M'cay blinks, taking it all in. "You're...you're not coming back?" the lad whispers, "But...but you'll die here! Thread'll get you, or you'll starve, or...you have to come! We'll protect you from them, Tenzinth and me will." The bronze lifts his head, his eyes picking up some distressed shades as he tries to calm his agitated rider.
Zoma shakes her head and looks from rider to dragon and back. "Can't go back. Not me there. Not mine there. His there. Don't want to be his again. Want to stay here. Have to stay here. Be fine. He won't let anything happen to me. Promise. I'll be fine. Nothing there for me anymore. Don't want to go back. Can't make me. Can't. I won't let you."
M'cay bites his lip hard and blinks back tears, "I won't make you," he promises, "I wouldn't force you to do anything. I'm...you're...well. A friend, I'd thought. I respect you. I'll...we'll miss you."
Zoma laughs quietly, her head shaking. "You wouldn't. They would. Watch out for them. People change. Not everyone's like they used to be. And some are. Just be careful. Ok? Promise me. Cause, I'll be thinking of you." Until she dies! Ahem. Reaching over she almost touches him and then pulls her hand back. "You'll be fine. You got him. He's got you. You'll be great. Proud of you. Think for yourself, you hear?"
M'cay dips his head down, a tear falling before he gets control of himself and straightens, turning to give her a twitch of a smile, "Thank you," he whispers. That might be the first time someone's told him that they're proud of him. Aside from Tenzinth of course. "We'll be thinking of you too."
Zoma shakes her head and splashes water at M'cay. "Don't be daft. You don't need to say that. Of course you will. Everyone will be thinking of me. They'll look back and go 'you know, that Zoma was right. Should have listened to her.' But no one does. It's ok. I don't listen to them either. Yer a good kid."
M'cay squeaks when water is splashed at him and he's suddenly wet, but he doesn't retaliate. "What do you think we should do?" the lad asks, "Stay here on the island? All of us?"
Zoma shakes her head again and rises to her feet to kick at the water, trying to keep the tide from coming in. "No. Death here. Nothing here. I don't know. Not my place. Got to be something better than here. Or there. There has to be. I don't know. I'm just tired."
M'cay scrambles to his feet and nods, "Why don't you go rest, then," he offers gently. Tenzinth rises and offers the woman a gentle croon.
Zoma turns from gazing at the sea to smile at M'cay and then even to Tenzinth. "I will, sure. Soon. Soon I can sleep when I am done working. Do me a favor? Will you? See Kats. See my little brother, right? Tell him no. Tell him I said I changed my mind about it. Not to do it. Ok? Promise me?"
M'cay nods, "Of course. Where is he? I'll tell him," the boy promises.
Zoma giggles and rolls her eyes. "Silly. Kats. K'tric. My little brother. Tell him I said no. Ok. Thank you. You're the best." Hopping up and down she seems in good cheer all at once. Somewhat manic in good cheer, but still.
M'cay blushes, "Oh, K'tric. Yes, I'll tell him. Tell him no, that you changed your mind." He nods. "Alright."
Zoma wades out into the water a bit and then turns around to giggle and wave. "I'm going to go check on the sinking. I will see you later." It's perfectly normal for her to go swimming, after all. At she's normal in one way. "You're a good kid. You done good. You tell em all to stuff it they don't think so, yea? Don't let em get you down."
M'cay smiles, lifting a hand and waving, "Take care, Zoma," the lad calls. He turns and smiles at Tenzinth, "Let's go find K'tric."