Log: In which Taikrin doesn't punch Sho!
Date: Day 11, Month 8, Turn 23 of Interval 10
Summary: Sho is practicing fighting on the lake shore. Szadath is pretty sure he's crazy, and therefor fascinating.
NorCon MUSH - 8/28/2010
-----------------------
Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr(#276RJs)
The rest of the bowl may be barren, grass barely surviving at best, but here by the lake, it's brilliantly green in the warmer months: thickening and thriving in the silty, boulder-dotted soil just before it transitions to soft sand and thence to the cool, clear water itself.
A large freshwater lake fed by a low waterfall, it not only provides warm-weather bathing space for humans and dragons, but has one end fenced off as a watering hole for the livestock in the feeding grounds. The water there is often muddier than the rest of the clear lake, whose shallows drop off abruptly several yards out into deep water, and whose edge undulates against the coarse-hewn bowl wall: here close enough to just be bramble-covered rocks, there far enough away that a narrow land bridge divides the main lake from a smallish pond. Between are several rocky outcroppings that form excellent makeshift diving points, though only one -- across the bridge -- has a set of narrow, slippery, quite possibly tempting stairs.
Warm sunshine and cloudless skies make for a beautiful day and pleasantly warm evening. A breeze tempers the heat with no humidity lingering in the air.
Contents:
Sho
Szadath(#1824abep$0)
Iskiveth
Obvious exits:
Diving Cliff Lake Bowl
It is a summer afternoon, 17:37 of day 11, month 8, turn 23 of Interval 10.
It's a rather warm day as far as High Reaches is concerned. The sun is high, there's not a cloud in the sky, and, well, it's about as nice as it's gonna get as far as Sho is concerned. The day finds the youth free from his stable duties and thus he's taken to the Lake to try and do something useful...like learn how to defend himself. Basically, the poor sap is standing in a lesser used spot on the lake shore and 'shadow boxing'. Only it looks like he's really just playing around because he doesn't know what he's doing. A sad affair, really. Yet it appears he's been at it for a while because he's sweating a bit and the constant movement has caused some of his hair to free itself from it's runner tail and fly wildly around as he moves.
There is a brown dragon watching Sho. It's not all that unusual, really-- the lake area is littered with their dozing forms, gleaming as the soak in the afternoon sunlight. But what is unusual is the way the dragon is studying Sho with his doubly-lidded gaze, and the fact that he's been creeping ever so carefully closer-- he's within a dragonlength, now. He's not particular stealthy, despite his intentions, for there's no way a creature of his size /can/ be particularly sneaky, especially when he lets out a low, basso rumble from somewhere deep in his chest. There's no rider in sight just yet, only the hulking mass of this squat brown beast.
Sho had noticed the steadily approaching brown and yet thought nothing of it. After all, he's in a weyr. He's not going to ever be able to escape their gaze. However, once it gets that close AND rumbles, Sho stops what he's doing and quickly turns to look at the dragon. "Oh...uh...hi. Can I help ya?" He asks, looking around to try and find the mystery browns rider. He's never just had a dragon randomly walk up to him after all. He uses his hand to wipe some sweat off his forehead, then takes the few steps to his shirt and uses that to remove more sweat...the whole while keeping that brown in sight. "Am I in yer spot or something? Want me ta move?" He asks, taking another glance around for a rider. Guess he's stuck playing guessing games.
Szadath might be getting uncomfortably close: he's certainly near enough for a whisper of warm breath to be felt. He rears up, peering quizically at Sho with his head cocked slightly to one side. "What d'you mean, crazy?" A harshly femmenine voice demands from the dragon's far side. "You ain't never even /seen/ a crazy person, the shells d'you think you know about it?" Yes, it's Taikrin, finally appearing around the brown's flank. "What makes you-- oh. Him. /Szadath/! Bloody shells." What a pleasant greeting.
Sho actually gulps as the dragon gets even closer, but he doesn't move, instead turning to face the brown and look him right in one big eye, holding his shirt in one hand at his side. The voice, however, does quite catch his attention and he leans sideways to try and peer around the behemoth. Once he spies Taikrin he grins. Yes, grins. Even though she's been nothing but trouble, well...Sho is Sho. "Oh, so she's your rider." He says, looking back at the brown now before leaning in closer to his snout to whisper. "Sorry." He then peers around the brown again, "Hello Taikrin." Yes, see, at least he can properly say hi.
The brown swings his great head over to Taikrin, then back again, his gaze lightening from deep blue to a spring green as he eyes Sho out of one giant, whirling eye. The whispered comment earns an idle baring of his gap-toothed grin, and then he pulls away, sitting up on his haunches while Taikrin sighs, long-suffering. "Hey, Sho. This's Szadath. Told him not t'be botherin' people, but he was sure y'were havin' some kind of fit an' that I had t'come see /right now/ or else an' well-- yeah. Sorry." She appears terribly uncomfortable, even unwilling to meet Sho's gaze.
A fit? Well...maybe. Sho grins at Szadath and nods to the brown, "Nice ta meet ya." He offers before looking back at Taikrin and pausing. "I wasn't having a fit...was trying ta practice fighting." He says it rather matter of factly for someone who has no idea what he's doing. He uses the shirt to wipe his face again before dropping it back to the sands. "I don't really know...anything. But just trying ta remember what I've seen." Beat as he scratches his head. "It's not working to well." He admits a little quieter.
Taikrin frowns in consternation, arms folding over her chest. "Practising... fighting? Alone, without like a bag or somethin'? Just what were you /doin'/ anyways?" As if in answer to her question, her gaze goes vacant-- presumably Szadath is interjecting. After a moment or two, she abruptly dissolves into... laughter? "You were-- /really/? Like-- bloody shells, I /bet/ that didn't work out too well. What're you tryin' t'do, learn t'flail people t'death?" Ah, Taikrin. As diplomatic as ever.
A slight blush as Sho's hands go behind his back to tug on his runner tail, eyes falling to the sand which he also digs his foot into. "I...well, I dunno. I dunno the first thing 'bout it. I was just...trying ta do something." Beat. "Not all'a us grew up learning how ta fight ya know." He looks at Taikrin, stubborn as ever...but still embarassed.
"If you didn't /grow up/ learning, then maybe y'better stop /trying/ t'fight people," Taikrin points out, eyes rolling. "Standin' out here havin' fits sure ain't gonna get you anywhere." She leans against Szadath's shoulder, apparently at ease. "Don't know what yer so hot an' bothered about bein' able to beat people up, anyways. It's no big thing. Ain't nobody gonna come poundin' on you 'less you ask for it. So, all you gotta do is not ask."
Sho gives Taikrin a bit of a glare at that, "I never ask fer it, you all just seem ta be a bit cranky and to eager ta beat up on people." He snaps back, then sighs and closes his eyes. Calm down. No need for more broken ribs. "I just want ta learn so I don't get beat up by other people, ya know? It might happen some time and I'd like ta at least be able ta defend myself." A pause then as Sho's amber eyes look Taikrin over, and a slow grin spreads across his face, "Hey...maybe you can teach me!" He says, as if all the mysteries of the world have just been solved.
"All of us, huh?" Taikrin is, thankfully, amused by that bit. "So, you reckon, if you got a problem with a whole bunch of other people beatin' on you, it's /gotta/ be that all of 'em are just messed up, an' can't /possibly/ be that you're the cause, right?" A snort of laughter escapes, echoed in Szadath's low rumble. "Anyways-- what?" As Sho's exclamation sinks in, though, Taikrin's grin fades. "Who, me? I ain't even supposed t'be within a dragonlength of you, you know. 'Sides, it takes /turns/ t'learn how t'fight proper. An' I don't think you got the sense for it."
One of the good things about still being so young and small is that there puppy dog look. Sho acquires it as Taikrin starts making up excuses, "Ya don't have ta teach me everything, just enough so that it's a little harder ta beat me up. I won't complain and I'll do what ya ask, I promise." Big eyes! "Please?" He asks. Aww, who can resist such...uh...charm? The comment about it being his fault...well, that's ignored for now.
Puppy dog eyes. On a boy. All it does is make Taikrin roll her eyes again. "C'mon, kid, get real. I ain't gonna /touch/ you less Faranth forbid y'get a bloody nose an' some moron goes running to th'Weyrleader. The /last/ thing I need right now." Szadath rumbles again, lowering his nose briefly to hover just beside Taikrin's dark head. "'Sides, you'd only use it to go get more people t'beat up on you, and /that/ would be my fault too. Even /worse/ if you manage t'win."
Well, it was worth a shot. He drops the act and shakes his head slightly, grinning a bit. "Ya might be right, but if I'm gonna get in ta fights anyways, shouldn't I at least be able ta do something besides get kicked 'round?" He asks. "I'm not a fan of broken ribs, even if ya like ta hand 'em out." He looks up at Szadath for a moment, then back at Taikrin. "And ya don't want every dragon in the weyr calling their riders out thinking I'm having fits, do ya?"
"You are /missing/ the /point/ kid, an' that's why I ain't gonna teach you. Because you /want/ to get into fights." Coming from Taikrin, it's, well, a bit of a stretch. But she's trying! "Everyone keeps telling sayin'-- an' I'm gonna tell /you/-- if y'wanna be one of us, y'can't be pickin' fights with everyone. Y'can't--" A hand runs through her close-shorn hair. "-- th'reason you want me t'teach you, it's-- it's 'cause you reckon maybe if people think I'm backin' you up or somethin', it'll make you more powerful? Make people like you?" Her frustration becomes evident as she spits it, "It /won't/."
The accusation hits Sho like he got punched in the stomach and he stands there looking dumbfounded for a moment, as if he's trying to catch his breath. "Wait...ya think...I..." Okay, now that the initial shock is over, Sho actually bursts out laughing. "Ya think I want ya ta train me because it'll scare people?" He laughs again, hands going to his stomach from laughing so hard before he finally manages to sober up some. "I dun care if people know you were helping me or not. And I don't go looking fer fights. They find me. I just want ta be able ta take care of myself. I don't care what other people think." Beat. "You should know that." He's finally back to nomal, though there is still a smirk on his face.
If anything in this world is guarenteed to put Taikrin's back up, it's laughing at her. "I think," she grounds out, "that yer a dumb little boy who don't got any /idea/ what might be good for 'im." Her arms tighten across her chest, though she doesn't make a move; Szadath remains stock-still. "I think you oughta be takin' lessons in not pissin' people off /first/, then if y'ask me real nice, maybe I'll teach you somethin'. But I /know/ yer just gonna use it as an excuse t'go pickin' more fights, an' then they're gonna come after /me/."
Sho scratches his head, looking around as he tries to understand where she thinks the fights are HIS fault. Sigh. "Look, I don't try an' start fights, okay? Maybe it's the way I act and talk, but it's how I've been all my life and it's never been a problem till now. I just don't look forward ta getting hurt more. And I won't be telling anybody if ya don't want. Nobody'd know you were trainin' me." It's a last ditch effort. His next step...well...learn by doing. It's the more painful way.
Taikrin's fingers twitch spasmodically, digging in deeper against her exposed arms. "Listen, kid. All yer makin' me do right now is want t'crooked up yer nose again." Szadath rumbles disapprovingly, flashes of yellow appearing in his gaze. The pair are silent again, for a moment, Taikrin's face screwing up into the beginnings of a scowl. Finally, "Look, how about this. You manage not t'piss anyone off for a coupl'a sevens, then ask me again. Maybe if I'm feelin' good, I might show you somethin' about running away faster."
As to not pissing anyone off for a while...signs point to not likely. Sho considers his options here. The dragon might be a big problem if he decides to, uh, step in (or on). But, well, Sho's gotta learn some how, and if it's getting consistently beat until he gets better then...oh well. "I can run fast enough, faster'n you I'm sure. I'm not worried about running, I'm worried about protecting. If that means I have ta get hurt ta learn, then I guess I'll just do it the hard way." His foot sinks into the sand for a split second as his legs push him off towards Taikrin. If nothing else, his flailing has made him a little faster and he's heading towards Taikrin at a good clip with his fist pulled back to strike. Except even if he gets the chance he's going to miss on purpose. He's not trying to hurt her, he's trying to learn.
"Oh, come /on/, you really /are/ dim--" Taikrin only sighs as Sho obviously makes his choice, though she doesn't budge from where she's resting against Szadath's side-- she doesn't have to. No sooner does Sho push forward than there's a clawed brown forearm placed in his way. And above that forearm? A head full of bared teeth.
Sho practically skids to a stop in the sand, managing to just avoid hitting the brown's rather large leg by only a small margin. The boy looks up at the dragon's teeth but doesn't move. He's a fool...but what good would running do if the dragon wanted him dead anyways? He stares at the brown for a few moments, then sighs and turns around to walk a few steps before turning again and plopping in the sand, knees up with arms hanging limply off them as if he's rather tired now. "Sorry. Was just gonna try and learn...somehow."
At least Szadath doesn't seem interested in escalating, though from the way he initially drops his muzzle down to only a few feet above Sho's head, that might not seem to be the case. But no, as the boy walks off, Szadath resets himself back to his previous posture with another rumble. "Y'really are gonna get yerself killed, y'know," Taikrin comments. There's a hint of wonder in her voice, though her gaze is guarded. "Lucky we're so good-tempered. Another dragon might've sent you flying. Made you an offer, but if it's too hard for you, then you really /ain't/ got any business learnin' what I got t'offer."
"Ya didn't offer anything." Sho says with a soft sigh, seeming content to just let it drop at this point. There's not much more he can do. "I can run fast enough as it is...and I haven't got in a fight with anyone except you last. I ain't out ta try and make people mad. Sometimes it just happens I guess." He looks up at the dragon, "Sorry fer attacking yer rider. Both times. Wasn't right." Okay, well, the first time she /did/ kind of start it...even if Sho was dumb enough to listen.
"Sure I did. You quit pullin' shit like you just did for a coupl'a sevens, and maybe I'd teach you a little somethin'. Obviously it's way too hard, though." Taikrin shrugs, dropping her arms back down to her sides. "An' that's all yer gonna get out of me. I don't waste my time on boys who feel sad 'cause they got their asses kicked for bein' annoyin'." For his part, Szadath regards Sho with a gaze mostly returned to a true green, tilting his head to the side again, canine-like, before letting out one more soft rumble. As he's not biting Sho's head off, the apology is /probably/ accepted?
As Sho is still alive in general is probably a good sign. "I ain't sad." Sho mutters, "Just tired from my 'fit'." Sarcasm as he looks at the brown and grins. He pushes himself back up then and stretches a bit as he adds, "'sides, I have never complained about getting beat up. Never went an' ratted on anyone or anything." Shrug. "Dun see how it turns into a big deal."
"Yeah, well, these things, they got a way of gettin' out. Everybody always wants t'know everyone else's business, 'round here." Taikrin's expression darkens, briefly, in remembered irritation. "Certain people gotta make a big deal of out /everything/. Always gettin' on my case-- anyways." A shudder runs through her thin frame as she refocuses her attention on Sho. "That's it, all I got t'offer. An' I reckon it's time I gotta get Szad fed a'fore he feels like snackin' on whatever's around." The veiled threat is rather less frightening given Szadath is already eagerly eyeing some of the herdbeasts on the far side of the lake.
Sho nods and offers a wave. At this point he doesn't expect anything to ever come of it, but he did try and ask, have to give him that. "It was nice ta meet ya Szadath." Sho offers the big brown before turning to look Taikrin. "Well...thanks." He says, not really knowing what else to say at the moment. "Hope ya have a good day." He goes to pick up his shirt and slip it on then, pullin his hair out from underneath it as he watches the dragon and rider.
Taikrin finally pushes off from Szadath's side, freeing the hulking brown to mantle his wings and leap up into the air with just a couple of leaping strides. "He said he's glad t'see a real crazy person, and he wants to watch you have another fit again." She really can't help but grin as she says it, though her hand is also raised in farewell. "See ya later, Sho. Try not t'get your ass kicked, okay?" And with that she'll jog off in Szadath's wake.
Summary: Sho is practicing fighting on the lake shore. Szadath is pretty sure he's crazy, and therefor fascinating.
NorCon MUSH - 8/28/2010
-----------------------
Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr(#276RJs)
The rest of the bowl may be barren, grass barely surviving at best, but here by the lake, it's brilliantly green in the warmer months: thickening and thriving in the silty, boulder-dotted soil just before it transitions to soft sand and thence to the cool, clear water itself.
A large freshwater lake fed by a low waterfall, it not only provides warm-weather bathing space for humans and dragons, but has one end fenced off as a watering hole for the livestock in the feeding grounds. The water there is often muddier than the rest of the clear lake, whose shallows drop off abruptly several yards out into deep water, and whose edge undulates against the coarse-hewn bowl wall: here close enough to just be bramble-covered rocks, there far enough away that a narrow land bridge divides the main lake from a smallish pond. Between are several rocky outcroppings that form excellent makeshift diving points, though only one -- across the bridge -- has a set of narrow, slippery, quite possibly tempting stairs.
Warm sunshine and cloudless skies make for a beautiful day and pleasantly warm evening. A breeze tempers the heat with no humidity lingering in the air.
Contents:
Sho
Szadath(#1824abep$0)
Iskiveth
Obvious exits:
Diving Cliff Lake Bowl
It is a summer afternoon, 17:37 of day 11, month 8, turn 23 of Interval 10.
It's a rather warm day as far as High Reaches is concerned. The sun is high, there's not a cloud in the sky, and, well, it's about as nice as it's gonna get as far as Sho is concerned. The day finds the youth free from his stable duties and thus he's taken to the Lake to try and do something useful...like learn how to defend himself. Basically, the poor sap is standing in a lesser used spot on the lake shore and 'shadow boxing'. Only it looks like he's really just playing around because he doesn't know what he's doing. A sad affair, really. Yet it appears he's been at it for a while because he's sweating a bit and the constant movement has caused some of his hair to free itself from it's runner tail and fly wildly around as he moves.
There is a brown dragon watching Sho. It's not all that unusual, really-- the lake area is littered with their dozing forms, gleaming as the soak in the afternoon sunlight. But what is unusual is the way the dragon is studying Sho with his doubly-lidded gaze, and the fact that he's been creeping ever so carefully closer-- he's within a dragonlength, now. He's not particular stealthy, despite his intentions, for there's no way a creature of his size /can/ be particularly sneaky, especially when he lets out a low, basso rumble from somewhere deep in his chest. There's no rider in sight just yet, only the hulking mass of this squat brown beast.
Sho had noticed the steadily approaching brown and yet thought nothing of it. After all, he's in a weyr. He's not going to ever be able to escape their gaze. However, once it gets that close AND rumbles, Sho stops what he's doing and quickly turns to look at the dragon. "Oh...uh...hi. Can I help ya?" He asks, looking around to try and find the mystery browns rider. He's never just had a dragon randomly walk up to him after all. He uses his hand to wipe some sweat off his forehead, then takes the few steps to his shirt and uses that to remove more sweat...the whole while keeping that brown in sight. "Am I in yer spot or something? Want me ta move?" He asks, taking another glance around for a rider. Guess he's stuck playing guessing games.
Szadath might be getting uncomfortably close: he's certainly near enough for a whisper of warm breath to be felt. He rears up, peering quizically at Sho with his head cocked slightly to one side. "What d'you mean, crazy?" A harshly femmenine voice demands from the dragon's far side. "You ain't never even /seen/ a crazy person, the shells d'you think you know about it?" Yes, it's Taikrin, finally appearing around the brown's flank. "What makes you-- oh. Him. /Szadath/! Bloody shells." What a pleasant greeting.
Sho actually gulps as the dragon gets even closer, but he doesn't move, instead turning to face the brown and look him right in one big eye, holding his shirt in one hand at his side. The voice, however, does quite catch his attention and he leans sideways to try and peer around the behemoth. Once he spies Taikrin he grins. Yes, grins. Even though she's been nothing but trouble, well...Sho is Sho. "Oh, so she's your rider." He says, looking back at the brown now before leaning in closer to his snout to whisper. "Sorry." He then peers around the brown again, "Hello Taikrin." Yes, see, at least he can properly say hi.
The brown swings his great head over to Taikrin, then back again, his gaze lightening from deep blue to a spring green as he eyes Sho out of one giant, whirling eye. The whispered comment earns an idle baring of his gap-toothed grin, and then he pulls away, sitting up on his haunches while Taikrin sighs, long-suffering. "Hey, Sho. This's Szadath. Told him not t'be botherin' people, but he was sure y'were havin' some kind of fit an' that I had t'come see /right now/ or else an' well-- yeah. Sorry." She appears terribly uncomfortable, even unwilling to meet Sho's gaze.
A fit? Well...maybe. Sho grins at Szadath and nods to the brown, "Nice ta meet ya." He offers before looking back at Taikrin and pausing. "I wasn't having a fit...was trying ta practice fighting." He says it rather matter of factly for someone who has no idea what he's doing. He uses the shirt to wipe his face again before dropping it back to the sands. "I don't really know...anything. But just trying ta remember what I've seen." Beat as he scratches his head. "It's not working to well." He admits a little quieter.
Taikrin frowns in consternation, arms folding over her chest. "Practising... fighting? Alone, without like a bag or somethin'? Just what were you /doin'/ anyways?" As if in answer to her question, her gaze goes vacant-- presumably Szadath is interjecting. After a moment or two, she abruptly dissolves into... laughter? "You were-- /really/? Like-- bloody shells, I /bet/ that didn't work out too well. What're you tryin' t'do, learn t'flail people t'death?" Ah, Taikrin. As diplomatic as ever.
A slight blush as Sho's hands go behind his back to tug on his runner tail, eyes falling to the sand which he also digs his foot into. "I...well, I dunno. I dunno the first thing 'bout it. I was just...trying ta do something." Beat. "Not all'a us grew up learning how ta fight ya know." He looks at Taikrin, stubborn as ever...but still embarassed.
"If you didn't /grow up/ learning, then maybe y'better stop /trying/ t'fight people," Taikrin points out, eyes rolling. "Standin' out here havin' fits sure ain't gonna get you anywhere." She leans against Szadath's shoulder, apparently at ease. "Don't know what yer so hot an' bothered about bein' able to beat people up, anyways. It's no big thing. Ain't nobody gonna come poundin' on you 'less you ask for it. So, all you gotta do is not ask."
Sho gives Taikrin a bit of a glare at that, "I never ask fer it, you all just seem ta be a bit cranky and to eager ta beat up on people." He snaps back, then sighs and closes his eyes. Calm down. No need for more broken ribs. "I just want ta learn so I don't get beat up by other people, ya know? It might happen some time and I'd like ta at least be able ta defend myself." A pause then as Sho's amber eyes look Taikrin over, and a slow grin spreads across his face, "Hey...maybe you can teach me!" He says, as if all the mysteries of the world have just been solved.
"All of us, huh?" Taikrin is, thankfully, amused by that bit. "So, you reckon, if you got a problem with a whole bunch of other people beatin' on you, it's /gotta/ be that all of 'em are just messed up, an' can't /possibly/ be that you're the cause, right?" A snort of laughter escapes, echoed in Szadath's low rumble. "Anyways-- what?" As Sho's exclamation sinks in, though, Taikrin's grin fades. "Who, me? I ain't even supposed t'be within a dragonlength of you, you know. 'Sides, it takes /turns/ t'learn how t'fight proper. An' I don't think you got the sense for it."
One of the good things about still being so young and small is that there puppy dog look. Sho acquires it as Taikrin starts making up excuses, "Ya don't have ta teach me everything, just enough so that it's a little harder ta beat me up. I won't complain and I'll do what ya ask, I promise." Big eyes! "Please?" He asks. Aww, who can resist such...uh...charm? The comment about it being his fault...well, that's ignored for now.
Puppy dog eyes. On a boy. All it does is make Taikrin roll her eyes again. "C'mon, kid, get real. I ain't gonna /touch/ you less Faranth forbid y'get a bloody nose an' some moron goes running to th'Weyrleader. The /last/ thing I need right now." Szadath rumbles again, lowering his nose briefly to hover just beside Taikrin's dark head. "'Sides, you'd only use it to go get more people t'beat up on you, and /that/ would be my fault too. Even /worse/ if you manage t'win."
Well, it was worth a shot. He drops the act and shakes his head slightly, grinning a bit. "Ya might be right, but if I'm gonna get in ta fights anyways, shouldn't I at least be able ta do something besides get kicked 'round?" He asks. "I'm not a fan of broken ribs, even if ya like ta hand 'em out." He looks up at Szadath for a moment, then back at Taikrin. "And ya don't want every dragon in the weyr calling their riders out thinking I'm having fits, do ya?"
"You are /missing/ the /point/ kid, an' that's why I ain't gonna teach you. Because you /want/ to get into fights." Coming from Taikrin, it's, well, a bit of a stretch. But she's trying! "Everyone keeps telling sayin'-- an' I'm gonna tell /you/-- if y'wanna be one of us, y'can't be pickin' fights with everyone. Y'can't--" A hand runs through her close-shorn hair. "-- th'reason you want me t'teach you, it's-- it's 'cause you reckon maybe if people think I'm backin' you up or somethin', it'll make you more powerful? Make people like you?" Her frustration becomes evident as she spits it, "It /won't/."
The accusation hits Sho like he got punched in the stomach and he stands there looking dumbfounded for a moment, as if he's trying to catch his breath. "Wait...ya think...I..." Okay, now that the initial shock is over, Sho actually bursts out laughing. "Ya think I want ya ta train me because it'll scare people?" He laughs again, hands going to his stomach from laughing so hard before he finally manages to sober up some. "I dun care if people know you were helping me or not. And I don't go looking fer fights. They find me. I just want ta be able ta take care of myself. I don't care what other people think." Beat. "You should know that." He's finally back to nomal, though there is still a smirk on his face.
If anything in this world is guarenteed to put Taikrin's back up, it's laughing at her. "I think," she grounds out, "that yer a dumb little boy who don't got any /idea/ what might be good for 'im." Her arms tighten across her chest, though she doesn't make a move; Szadath remains stock-still. "I think you oughta be takin' lessons in not pissin' people off /first/, then if y'ask me real nice, maybe I'll teach you somethin'. But I /know/ yer just gonna use it as an excuse t'go pickin' more fights, an' then they're gonna come after /me/."
Sho scratches his head, looking around as he tries to understand where she thinks the fights are HIS fault. Sigh. "Look, I don't try an' start fights, okay? Maybe it's the way I act and talk, but it's how I've been all my life and it's never been a problem till now. I just don't look forward ta getting hurt more. And I won't be telling anybody if ya don't want. Nobody'd know you were trainin' me." It's a last ditch effort. His next step...well...learn by doing. It's the more painful way.
Taikrin's fingers twitch spasmodically, digging in deeper against her exposed arms. "Listen, kid. All yer makin' me do right now is want t'crooked up yer nose again." Szadath rumbles disapprovingly, flashes of yellow appearing in his gaze. The pair are silent again, for a moment, Taikrin's face screwing up into the beginnings of a scowl. Finally, "Look, how about this. You manage not t'piss anyone off for a coupl'a sevens, then ask me again. Maybe if I'm feelin' good, I might show you somethin' about running away faster."
As to not pissing anyone off for a while...signs point to not likely. Sho considers his options here. The dragon might be a big problem if he decides to, uh, step in (or on). But, well, Sho's gotta learn some how, and if it's getting consistently beat until he gets better then...oh well. "I can run fast enough, faster'n you I'm sure. I'm not worried about running, I'm worried about protecting. If that means I have ta get hurt ta learn, then I guess I'll just do it the hard way." His foot sinks into the sand for a split second as his legs push him off towards Taikrin. If nothing else, his flailing has made him a little faster and he's heading towards Taikrin at a good clip with his fist pulled back to strike. Except even if he gets the chance he's going to miss on purpose. He's not trying to hurt her, he's trying to learn.
"Oh, come /on/, you really /are/ dim--" Taikrin only sighs as Sho obviously makes his choice, though she doesn't budge from where she's resting against Szadath's side-- she doesn't have to. No sooner does Sho push forward than there's a clawed brown forearm placed in his way. And above that forearm? A head full of bared teeth.
Sho practically skids to a stop in the sand, managing to just avoid hitting the brown's rather large leg by only a small margin. The boy looks up at the dragon's teeth but doesn't move. He's a fool...but what good would running do if the dragon wanted him dead anyways? He stares at the brown for a few moments, then sighs and turns around to walk a few steps before turning again and plopping in the sand, knees up with arms hanging limply off them as if he's rather tired now. "Sorry. Was just gonna try and learn...somehow."
At least Szadath doesn't seem interested in escalating, though from the way he initially drops his muzzle down to only a few feet above Sho's head, that might not seem to be the case. But no, as the boy walks off, Szadath resets himself back to his previous posture with another rumble. "Y'really are gonna get yerself killed, y'know," Taikrin comments. There's a hint of wonder in her voice, though her gaze is guarded. "Lucky we're so good-tempered. Another dragon might've sent you flying. Made you an offer, but if it's too hard for you, then you really /ain't/ got any business learnin' what I got t'offer."
"Ya didn't offer anything." Sho says with a soft sigh, seeming content to just let it drop at this point. There's not much more he can do. "I can run fast enough as it is...and I haven't got in a fight with anyone except you last. I ain't out ta try and make people mad. Sometimes it just happens I guess." He looks up at the dragon, "Sorry fer attacking yer rider. Both times. Wasn't right." Okay, well, the first time she /did/ kind of start it...even if Sho was dumb enough to listen.
"Sure I did. You quit pullin' shit like you just did for a coupl'a sevens, and maybe I'd teach you a little somethin'. Obviously it's way too hard, though." Taikrin shrugs, dropping her arms back down to her sides. "An' that's all yer gonna get out of me. I don't waste my time on boys who feel sad 'cause they got their asses kicked for bein' annoyin'." For his part, Szadath regards Sho with a gaze mostly returned to a true green, tilting his head to the side again, canine-like, before letting out one more soft rumble. As he's not biting Sho's head off, the apology is /probably/ accepted?
As Sho is still alive in general is probably a good sign. "I ain't sad." Sho mutters, "Just tired from my 'fit'." Sarcasm as he looks at the brown and grins. He pushes himself back up then and stretches a bit as he adds, "'sides, I have never complained about getting beat up. Never went an' ratted on anyone or anything." Shrug. "Dun see how it turns into a big deal."
"Yeah, well, these things, they got a way of gettin' out. Everybody always wants t'know everyone else's business, 'round here." Taikrin's expression darkens, briefly, in remembered irritation. "Certain people gotta make a big deal of out /everything/. Always gettin' on my case-- anyways." A shudder runs through her thin frame as she refocuses her attention on Sho. "That's it, all I got t'offer. An' I reckon it's time I gotta get Szad fed a'fore he feels like snackin' on whatever's around." The veiled threat is rather less frightening given Szadath is already eagerly eyeing some of the herdbeasts on the far side of the lake.
Sho nods and offers a wave. At this point he doesn't expect anything to ever come of it, but he did try and ask, have to give him that. "It was nice ta meet ya Szadath." Sho offers the big brown before turning to look Taikrin. "Well...thanks." He says, not really knowing what else to say at the moment. "Hope ya have a good day." He goes to pick up his shirt and slip it on then, pullin his hair out from underneath it as he watches the dragon and rider.
Taikrin finally pushes off from Szadath's side, freeing the hulking brown to mantle his wings and leap up into the air with just a couple of leaping strides. "He said he's glad t'see a real crazy person, and he wants to watch you have another fit again." She really can't help but grin as she says it, though her hand is also raised in farewell. "See ya later, Sho. Try not t'get your ass kicked, okay?" And with that she'll jog off in Szadath's wake.