Getting to know the place

[PhazonDragon]

[ooc: Open! ]

The air was warm and breezy by the time Ku'rt and Aricoth made their way outside. It was nearly noon, and while the pair had no chores or lessons to attend to, they figured they would get some studying done. Since arriving at Rocky Weyr, Ku'rt had yet to get used to the layout. Sure it had been a sevenday or two (wait, did they call them weeks now?), but Ku'rt found more pleasure in conversing with his fellow weyrlings than making a mental map of the weyr. Yet, understanding the layout would be a good idea, since they were no long in their home weyr of Telgar.

"We are starting in the Weyr Bowl, Aricoth," Ku'rt began, placing his hand on the blue's shoulder, despite the reach. "You're also getting rather big... I don't think I'll be able to reach your shoulder much longer," he commented dryly. "But anyway, the Bowl is similar to Telgar's--it's large and fairly flat. Though this one looks different... Like it was made by hand." Ku'rt raised an eyebrow and looked around the whole area, shifting to get a better view around Aricoth's huge bulk.

So it's big and made by hand. What else, Ku'rt? Do you think Luna could send me pictures of it? the blue wondered, his sight-less eyes staring straigh ahead, even while he sniffed around, nosing at the stone floor. As if called into being by the mention of her name, a green flitt popped out of between right above the blue dragon. Hello Luna! will you help Ku'rt and me? I would like to know what the Weyr Bowl looks like.

Ku'rt grinned at the appearance of the green flitter. "Yes, I'm sure Luna could help! As long as she sticks around and doesn't disappear on us! Now, Aricoth, off to one side there is a fenced off piece of land where grass and flowers and such are growing--oooh they look pretty. We should take a look at them later, you two," Ku'rt randomly suggested. "There are two staircases here: they both go down, but I don't know where. We shall check those out later too."

Aricoth hummed softly with pleasure as he sat back on his haunches. Luna landed on his head, and did a three-sixty, taking in the whole of the Weyr Bowl. She chirped, and sent a fuzzy and general image to Aricoth. Thank you, Luna. I see the stairs too, Aricoth said, working with the basic image that he had. Would you like to go somewhere first? he asked.

Ku'rt looked thoughtful for a moment. "Why not check out where those stairs go? Come on, Aricoth." Ku'rt led the blue forward with his touch, confident that the dragon would follow him anyway. On the blue's head, Luna quickly fell asleep.

[yaoiwafflez]

Miyuki stared at the wall, sighing deeply. The blue firelizard draped around her shoulders like a warm, chirping scarf seemed far less perplexed than she, and he was trying to comfort her by patting her cheek with one small forepaw.
"Hiro-chan, stop that." The girl said, batting at him with one hand. "You aren't helping."

Are we lost, love?

Miyuki turned around, and her worried expression changed into one of complete adoration as she looked at the gold dragon waiting patiently for her to figure out where they were.
"I'm not lost. I just don't know where we are."

Of course. In other words, you are lost. Fayeth's eyes whirled an amused teal color as she teased her bonded. No matter, love. I haven't had a chance to explore this weyr, and I am curious. Let us just look around, please?

Miyuki laughed softly and went over to the gold- she was almost startled; they'd told her the dragons grew fast, but Fayeth seemed to be nearly doubling in size every time she turned around. With an affectionate smile, she threw her arms around the gold's neck and rested her head along the dragon's cheek.
"Alright. We'll do anything you want." She murmured, and Fayeth made a soft purr-like noise.

You spoil me, minelove. The gold pulled her head back, careful not to knock the pinkhaired girl over as she moved- Fayeth was surprisingly aware of her own bulk, and treated Miyuki with careful awareness to the girl's slender frame in comparison. Someone approaches. A blue and His, if i am correct. I do not recognize them.

Miyuki glanced over her shoulder and wandered over to the staircase opposite the way they'd come.
"Hello? Is someone there?"

Fayeth let out a quiet bugle, a dragon's laugh.
You are speaking that hard language again. Only you and Shinjiro can understand that. Switch to the softer one.

Miyuki's face tinged slightly in embarrassment.
"It is called Japanese, Fayeth. But You are correct." She tired her greeting again, walking a little ways up the staircase and waving one hand carefully.
"Hello? Someone-up-there, I am someone-down-here. Have we been met yet?"

((FYI: Italics in quotation marks by Miyuki or Shinji are them speaking Japanese. Their dragons can understand, but i don't know if anyone else at the Weyr would...maybe other dragons getting 'translations' from Wrath or Fayeth?))

[PhazonDragon]

[ooc: For my sake, Aricoth, Ku'rt, and Luna cannot understand Japanese. That makes everything significantly easier. -nods- |D]

Approaching the top of the stairs, Ku'rt looked at archway doubtfully. "Are you going to fit, Aricoth? I dunno... You look much larger than you usually do." The stairway was clearly wide enough for the blue, but Ku'rt was teasing him. They both had been so much more pampered than they were back at Telgar. This new world was so different, and there was no threat of threadfall. Ku'rt couldn't help but worry about his weyrlings back home though. Would they be alright without him, even if Aricoth would never be able to fly without his sight?

I am not fat.. Luna here is fat. You've been feeding her your scraps ever since we arrived, Aricoth butt in indignantly. The wash of sad emotion from Ku'rt made the blue's attitude change. Do not be upset. I'm sure we can visit when we are older. Then they will be older too, and we can see how much everyone has grown and changed! Aricoth nosed Ku'rt's shoulder, trying to cheer the weyrling up.

"Yes, I suppose," Ku'rt muttered, frowning slighty. "And Luna is getting fat." He grinned, looking up at the green firelizard, who in turn didn't hear any of the conversation. Ku'rt shrugged, and was about to take a step down the stairs when a dragon's bugle and a human's voice traveled up the wide passageway.

"Hello? Someone-up-there, I am someone-down-here. Have we been met yet?"

Ku'rt didn't recognize the voice. "Hello someone-down-there," he repeated, placing a foot on the top step, and removing his hand from Aricoth's shoulder to hold the side of the staircase. Below, a girl about Ku'rt age waved from a few steps up. She had pale pink hair, and that was the first thing Ku'rt noticed about her. Then, it was the rest of her outfit. "I do not think we have met, someone-down-there." Ku'rt beamed at the prospect of meeting someone new. "I am Ku'rt, and this is my blue, Aricoth. The green firelizard on his head is my Luna. It's nice to meet you!"

[yaoiwafflez]

((Heh. Understandable! ))

Miyuki peered up the steps with some curiosity at the boy. Her age, more than likely, maybe a bit younger or older, with hard hair and dark skin. She was a bit confused by his clothes at first, then she caught his name.
Ku'rt? Oh. That explained it. Pern...Pernish? Pernese, she thought was the right term. That probably explained his odd manner of dress. Then her thoughts flicked briefly to her brother... there was no explanation for HIS taste in clothes, and he'd frequently mocked her for hers. Maybe it was best not to assume, then, she thought, sparing a quick glance at her sleeves.

"It is nice to meet all three of you, as well." She said, with a formal bow. Then she caught herself and stood back up, blushing slightly.
"Uh...I am called Miyuki, and this is Fayeth, and Hiro, my blue lizard."

Fayeth arched her neck around Hers, and looked up at Aricoth.
Hello, Blue one! She crooned cheerfully.
Miyuki stoked the gold's neck out of habit; surprising still that she and this creature had known eachother only a short while, and yet, she couldn't bear the thought of not being near the gold.

"You are a...weyrling, is the word?- as well? It is good to meet someone other than the two who bought us here, or my own family. And the Weyr...leaders..." She said, unsure of the proper terms. Was there some sort of etiquette for this? It almost felt weird addressing the boy without some sort of honorific...

Do not feel worried, Minelove. You are mine, and thus, you are perfect. A queen does not choose wrong. Fayeth sent her a private aside, reassuring the girl with that calm certainty only a dragon seems to be able to muster.

[PhazonDragon]

"It is nice to meet all three of you, as well. Uh... I am called Miyuki, and this is Fayeth, and Hiro, my blue lizard."

Ku'rt put two and two together: like the girl said, Hiro was the blue flitter resting comfortably around her shoulders, and Fayeth Ku'rt understood was the golden dragon beside her. As Miyuki introduced herself, she made some sort of bow, to which Ku'rt looked confused. Such an elaborate bow wasn't a common thing on Pern. He brushed it off, however, as Earth customs. Earth customs were so different from Pern's, not to mention Telgar specifically.

Hello... Aricoth started in a way that was similar to the other dragon, but stopped. With Ku'rt's reassuring hand no longer there, the blue shrunk back a step. Embarrassed, Aricoth shuffled a paw forward, searching for Ku'rt. Ku'rt. Ku'rt... What color is Fayeth? She smells gold. Aricoth's talon found Ku'rt, nudging him slightly forward.

"Aricoth!" Ku'rt muttered under his breath, catching himself so he wouldn't fall down the stairs. "She is gold. Fayeth is gold." He glanced over his shoulder to see that the blue had moved backwards. "Aricoth, come here. It's fine. Miyuki is around my age, and she has this pale pink hair. She's wearing a dark-colored skirt and some kind of white tunic. There is a blue firelizard curled around her shoulders," Ku'rt described for the blue.

Hello, gold one, Aricoth imitated, following Ku'rt's command and scooting forward until Ku'rt's hand rested on his shoulder again. He kept his head low, close enough so that Ku'rt could reach up and scratch his eye ridge. Luna stirred gently, but didn't wake.

"You are a...weyrling, is the word?- as well? It is good to meet someone other than the two who bought us here, or my own family. And the Weyr...leaders..."

It's fine, Ku'rt repeated, taking note of Aricoth's frightened state. "Yes, that is right. I am a weyrling, like you I suppose?" He looked around for a knot, but either Hiro was sleeping on top of it, or she didn't have one. "You're not from Pern, are you?" Ku'rt deducted. He sat down on the top step, Aricoth laying down next to him, as guided by his hand. "Where are you from then? You have very different names. They aren't very Pern-like. And you don't dress like a Pernese weyrling. You don't even have a weyrling knot, do you?"

[yaoiwafflez]

Fayeth regarded Aricoth with some alarm. Her eyes flashed with a brief whirl of alarmed yellow-orange.
Are you alright, Aricoth? She sent, trying to keep her tone neutral. Miyuki glanced at her, then back at the blue.
We do not know why he was sent here as we were, my love. She spoke privately to the dragon alone. It is not polite to assume anything.
As you wish. You hold much regard for what is proper, you realize.
Of course. It is how I was raised. Miyuki's thoughts were tinged with amusement and just a hint of indignation.

Out loud, she returned to the conversation.
"A weyrling knot? I do not even know what that is." She folded her arms and tilted her head to one side. "But you are correct; I am not from Pern. I am actually not even local to this part of Earth. I come from a small country far to the east; Japan, it is called."
Taking her cues from Ku'rt, she leaned back against Fayeth, the dragon automatically curling one foreleg around her for support. "And my name is different because we speak a different language." This made something pop into her mind.

"I am guessing then, that you are from Pern? At least, judging by your questions." She scanned his clothing, and located some sort of braid by one shoulder; must be a weyrling knot, he'd called it. She sort of saw what he meant- she assumed it was similar to a rank marking...maybe the colors were how they differentiated the different dragon...um...
Weyrs. The term is Weyr.

Miyuki patted the gold's shoulder thankfully.
"My deepest apologies. I was distracted. Where are you from, then?"

[FaizahPandora]

Faizah glided in on Surth, his landing impecable as usual. She gave him a large hug before dismounting. Surth's eyes whirled a brilliant blue before he flew off to their Weyr. Faizah turned around and noticed Ku'rt and Aricoth standing near the stairs. Without taking a step towards them Faizah called out. "Afternoon Ku'rt, Aricoth. How is your day?"

[PhazonDragon]

Aricoth crooned as Ku'rt scratched blankly at his eye ridge. The weyrling's hand was reassurring enough. I am fine, Fayeth, he responded, with a stronger voice now that the blue could feel his bonded's hand again. His milky-white eyes stared forward, not searching for anything. The only thing the blue did was shift his position to drape one paw over the top step, and lower his head more to rest on Ku'rt's lap, effectively hiding more than half of the weyrling from view.

Miyuki leaned against Fayeth, following Ku'rt's example. "I am guessing then, that you are from Pern? At least, judging by your questions." There was a pause. "My deepest apologies. I was distracted. Where are you from, then?"

Ku'rt became excited at this information from the gold weyrling. Like he assumed, she wasn't from Pern. She spoke a different language, and was from this place called 'Juh-pan' which was a country to the east. Whatever a country was. Ku'rt mentally shrugged and interpretted it as another term for a weyr, though not as fancy like on Pern. "Yes, I am from Pern. Born and raised in Telger Weyr! I was a runner, I'll have you know--and a fast one at that. You make me wonder about the weyrling knots though... Why doesn't everyone here have one? If this is a weyr, shouldn't all of the weyr folk have a knot? I will have to ask the Weyrleader or Weyrwoman about this later."

Ironically enough, the giant white dragon Surth flew in with unspoken grace. He landed with the ease of an agile green, to which Ku'rt was impressed. Then again, the things that dragons could do where impressive all the time to the young boy, even if he grew up in a weyr, surrounded by the huge beasts. Ku'rt twisted around in his current spot on the top step to watch the white as he landed. Faizah leapt down from his back, with her own back to Ku'rt and Aricoth, only to turn and see the weyrling pair.

"Afternoon Ku'rt, Aricoth. How is your day?"

Surth left at this time, and Ku'rt nodded a greeting to the weyrwoman. "Afternoon Weyrwoman!" Ku'rt said, standing up in an effort to be polite. His hand left Aricoth's head and went to the boy's side. Aricoth in turn stopped his content crooning and his head shot up in alarm. Annoyed, Luna squawked and woke up, darting about Aricoth. Before the blue could say anything, Ku'rt placed his hand back on the dragonet's head. "Our day is fine, but very different from life back home. I kinda miss Telgar, and the messages I had to run daily. But we met Miyuki and her gold, Fayeth," Ku'rt stated proudly.

[FaizahPandora]

Faizah tilted her head slightly before she answered. "Miyuki and Faeyth? Young Faeyth was feeling well enough to come out today?" Without waiting for an answer Faizah approached the edge and looked down. Sure enough Miyuki and her gold Faeyth were there. Faizah gave a small wave and smiled slightly. "Good day Miyuki-chan, Faeyth."

[yaoiwafflez]

Miyuki looked baffled.
"You know, I really have no idea why. That would be a question for..."
She trailed off as she heard the arrival of another dragon. By the voice, she deduced it could really only be the Weyrwoman. She listened with some interest as Ku'rt spoke- everything he said was simply so odd that she couldn't help but be interested. Runners...they were the horses on Pern, she thought. So that was what he'd done at his home? It sounded far more interesting than school. She made a face as memories of her last English teacher popped into her head. Ew. Issun-sensei had been terrible.

Fayeth crooned to her softly, and her eyes whirled a blue-green.
Surth and Faizah arrive. Telgar is a Weyr. Remember? One of the browns Impressed a boy from there. She said, trying to remember. She wanted to give hers as much information as she could, but she was nearly as foreign to Pern as her bonded one.

Miyuki smiled, and shook her head. Thank you, beauty. I'll figure it out at some point. She looked back up the stairs as she heard Faizah address her.
"Oh! Yes, hello, Faizah-san." She greeted the weyrwoman with a formal bow, then straightened.
"Yes. Today Fayeth was feeling quite well, so we thought we would take a look around." She frowned. "But I got lost. Ku'rt was quite kind, however. I am very glad to have met him- but I have many questions."

Greetings Surth! Fayeth sent happily to the white dragon. She bobbed her head once as Faizah came into view.

[PhazonDragon]

“Yup, Miyuki and Fayeth!” Ku’rt said, proudly lifting his chin. He met someone new! Not that meeting people was a problem for the blue weyrling. It was his timid blue that he had to watch out for, but with the friendly person that Ku’rt was, that was hardly a problem either. Ku’rt gladly stepped aside for the weyrwoman to peer over the edge of the steps. “See?” he prodded, making sure Faizah knew that he wasn’t lying.

Ku’rt watched with interest as the girl bowed again. There it was again. And Faizah had addressed the gold weyrling as ‘Miyuki-chan.’ Was her name not Miyuki, without that added ‘chan’ thing at the end? What did that mean anyway? He shoved the question to the back of his mind, making a note to ask Miyuki about that later. Noticing Luna chattering loudly, Ku’rt raised an arm, and beckoned for her to come down from where she circled, by Aricoth’s head. “Luna, come on down here.” The green gave a quick chirp and winged downward to glide in and perch on Ku’rt’s outstretched arm.

So many people… Aricoth commented, having also shifted, guided by Ku’rt’s hand, to the side, getting out of the way of Weyrwoman Faizah. Ku’rt, Fayeth was worried about me earlier. Should she be worried? I told her I was fine, because I am. Did I do something that made the gold worried? the blue wondered. He kept his head slightly lowered, his blank, white eyes staring forward.

You flinched when I left, Aricoth. That is probably what made her worried. You could ask her, you know, Ku’rt reasoned. Busy with his inner talk with his dragon, Ku’rt didn’t pay attention to the conversation between Faizah and Miyuki. At the mention of his name, the blue weyrling looked over from Aricoth, staring at Faizah, as if she said it. Then he realized it was Miyuki who had said his name, on account of the Weyrwoman not even making eye contact with him. Ku’rt shook his head and approached the stairs again, in time to hear the rest of the sentence.

“I am very glad to have met him- but I have many questions."

“I am glad to have met you too! It’s always nice to know the other weyrlings that you’ll be having lessons with… I have many questions as well,” Ku’rt repeated, “I’ll let you ask me questions if I can ask you some!” he bargained, meaning the exchange as a joke. Ku’rt remembered the question that he was going to ask the weyrwoman. “Oh, Weyrwoman Faizah. I had a question. Back on Pern we all had knots—“ Ku’rt pointed to his own shoulder knot in all its glory, “—but why don’t we have them here? This is a weyr, is it not?”

[FaizahPandora]

Faizah nodded in responce to Ku'rt's question. "This is indeed a Weyr, but we do not need knots to establish rank. we know our rank by our dragon colors and ages, and that is all we need. Other wise we are all equal here on Earth." Faizah then turned back to Miyuki. "That is good that you came across someone when you were lost. We wouldn't want to lose any Weyrlings in the coming storm. Kain and I have set a curfew for tonight. You must be inside the Weyr by dinner time." Faizah smiled at them apologetically. "Sorry. Please don't worry about that quite yet. Enjoy your day."

Greetings Faeyth. Are you enjoying the day? Surth asked even though he was now relaxing in his Weyr.

[yaoiwafflez]

Fayeth crooned happily, even though the Weyrwoman's dragon couldn't hear her.
I am enjoying it very much, yes. I hear there is a storm coming, though? She sighed, somewhat saddened. That is unfortunate. I was looking forward to seeing the lake today. Well. Such is life, is it not?

Miyuki shook her head, vaguely wondering exactly how her once-tiny gold had gotten so ...philosophical. She just laughed softly and listened to Faizah speak. She'd sort of been wondering the same thing since Ku'rt had brought it up, since she'd found the odd braid at the shoulders of the Pernese riders somewhat curious during her brief stay on the planet.

"Oh! Faizah, before I forget. Why do we not have ranks? I know you just explained, but if we are run by the Military, then would it not make sense for them to want to impose ranks upon us?" She shook her head, not wanting to question too much. "Then again, it is your Weyr."

She sighed, and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I dislike thinking about the power struggles in the military. American or otherwise."

Then she caught the bit about curfew- she almost burst out laughing, reminded of far too many absurd situations where she and Shinji had snuck out of their house to go out despite their parent's enforced curfew.
"Storm...alright. We shall be careful. Thank you." She then caught Ku'rt's reply, and his joke, and couldn't help but smile.

"Well...I suppose. We could split it even. One question for you, and one for me." She laughed softly. "I don't know how well I will be able to answer you. But I shall do my best." She ran her hand along Fayeth's side, and the gold swung her head around to watch her. Miyuki glanced at her, and the blue flit around her neck squeaked softly as the queen snorted at him. Miyuki just shushed him, and he went back to sleep.

[PhazonDragon]

"This is indeed a Weyr, but we do not need knots to establish rank. we know our rank by our dragon colors and ages, and that is all we need. Other wise we are all equal here on Earth."

At this, Ku'rt's face fell. He liked his knots. They were fun. However, they, meaning weyrlings and riders, were all equal on Earth. "I understand, Weyrwoman. I suppose I won't need this weyrling knot then?" Ku'rt glanced down at his own shoulder, where his knot rested. He considered removing it, but Ku'rt didn't have the heart to. Faizah mentioned a storm, which made Ku'rt look up again. "A storm? We'll be inside before dinnertime," Ku'rt assured the Weyrwoman with a nod. Quickly, the weyrling turned an eye to the sky, assessing the weather. It was still a little breezy and warm, but from this high altitude, Ku'rt thought he spotted dark clouds on the horizon. "We were just going to check out where these stairs went. Then we found Miyuki and Fayeth."

It is nice that we did, Aricoth cut in, speaking to Ku'rt alone. He was still shy of the golden weyrling, as he was of everyone. But we could leave now... Fayeth and Hers could talk to the Weyrwoman. She's here. We don't need to stay around. Aricoth crooned into Ku'rt's ear. Then, the blue cut in with Must I ask Fayeth? I do not need to, since I am fine. But I don't want her to worry, right?

"Just ask if you must know!" Ku'rt hissed back, giving Aricoth a friendly pat and a smile. On his arm, Luna squeaked in protest, wanting attention as well. "Oh, alright..." Ku'rt gave the flitter a short kiss on the head. "You are a pretty green, Luna." Miyuki's talking forced Ku'rt to return his attention to the goldweyrling. "A trade-off," he agreed, "One for you, and one for me. I'm sure you could answer my questions. They are about this Juh-pan place." He enunciated the unfamiliar term.

Aricoth let out a low moan from deep in his throat. But I do not want to ask. Could you ask for me? The blue waited for a reply, but Ku'rt ignored him.

[FaizahPandora]

Faizah chuckled slightly. "You do not need to remove it if you don't want to." Faizah then turned to Miyuki, suppressing the sneer she wanted to use at the mention of the military imposing ranks upon them. "I am what some would call an army brat, and I know the working around the military better than some. They don't dare impose ranks here. But other wise we do not have rider ranks here because of the situation. A White Rider as Weyrwoman? And a bronze that is unable to properly fly as Weyrleader?" Faizah chuckled at the thought. "No, we do not need the ranks as Pern does. Anyway, you two enjoy your day and please be mindful of the curfew. I will see you at dinner." Faizah smiled and excused herself, going to the kitchen.

[yaoiwafflez]

Miyuki smiled at the Weyrwoman's remark.
"Army brat. I see." She shook her head and laughed. "I know enough. My father is military..." She sighed and made a face. "I do perhaps wonder what he was told when Shinji and I disappeared..."

Fayeth rumbled softly, a quiet reassurance. I am sure your sire is alright. She said firmly. She seemed as if she was going to do something, as she made as if to move towards the stairs, but something caught her attention.
Miyuki? Does it look to you as if Aricoth is upset by something? [/i]

Miyuki hadn't particularly been paying attention, but she glanced at the blue anyway. Now that she looked, he did seem to be uncomfortable...and he had made a soft pleading moan just as Ku'rt had finished speaking.
Perhaps. Maybe he is simply affected by something that causes him to act that way? Why don't you just ask?
I suppose I could. I did not want to seem intrusive. Fayeth sounded a little annoyed by Miyuki's less-than-firm answer, but she directed her thoughts towards Aricoth.
Are you agitated, Aricoth? You have been fidgeting.

Miyuki nearly slapped the gold for that. Apparently Fayeth had no notion of easing into something.
She nodded a farewell as Faizah left, and directed her attention back to her questions for the blue weyrling as he praised his little green. Hiro opened one eye and regarded the other firelizard, bubbling a sleepy hello.
"It is a deal then. Did you have time to speak now, or did you have somewhere else to be?"

[PhazonDragon]

When Faizah mentioned that he would not have to remove his weyrling knot, Ku'rt looked up with a hopeful grin on his face. Not have to remove his knot? Oh, that would be awesome! "I am glad, Weyrwoman!" he started, affectionately patting the piece of rope around his shoulder. "I've grown too attached to this.. It would be awful to have to remove it. Perhaps later, when we graduate to rider status. That would be a good time to take it off," Ku'rt muttered to himself, giving himself a simple nod. He listened into Faizah's reply to Miyuki, taking an interest in this "military" that they spoke of. This military was an odd thing. Ku'rt was grateful for the lack of it on Pern. It was way too confusing for him, especially since he had no clue of all the minute details that went into it.

"Anyway, you two enjoy your day and please be mindful of the curfew. I will see you at dinner."

Ku'rt waved eagerly at the Weyrwoman as she excused herself, and left the company of the two weyrlings. "Bye Weyrwoman Faizah! Have a good day!" he called after her. Behind him, Aricoth bugled a low, polite good-bye, even as he gave Ku'rt a quick nudge with a talon. Aricoth! Ku'rt retorted, spinning around on his heels once the Weyrwoman was out of sight. He glared up at the blue's head, but he seemed distant, as if talking to someone else. Ku'rt raised an eyebrow as he watched his blue.

Aricoth froze slightly as Fayeth sent him a message. He didn't turn away from the gold, considering he didn't know exactly where she was, but instead he didn't reply right away. He took a half-step backwards, away from the stairs, and spoke to Ku'rt. Fayeth wants to know if I am agitated. What should I say, Ku'rt? Can you not just tell her? The blue lowered his head until it was nearly touching the ground. I do not want to...

Ku'rt groaned slightly, and tried to push the blue's head up, but to no avail. Rather than bother more with the timid Aricoth, Ku'rt returned to the top of the stairs. The positioning was a bit awkward at first, talking to someone via a stairwell. Ku'rt was soon used to it. "No, I don't have anywhere else to be. I was merely going to show Aricoth around the weyr, but we can do that another time. We can speak now..." Temporarily remembering his manners, Ku'rt chimed in with, "Oh, do you want to come up here? That might be easer than yelling up the stairs. And Aricoth tells me that your gold is worried about him. I should have mentioned before: Aricoth is blind. He can't see," Ku'rt finished with a half-smile, and lead Aricoth out of the way of the stairs for the weyrling pair to come up.

[yaoiwafflez]

Fayeth made a startled crooning noise, and jerked her head back, blinking rapidly.
Miyuki! The blue one is blind![/i] Her eyes whirled in an alarmed manner, and she took a small step forward.
I am sorry, Aricoth. I had assumed you were afraid of me. Is it that you cannot see?
Miyuki sighed and muttered under her breath. "Oddly, Fayeth, I can hear Ku'rt too. Now do not pry. It is hardly polite. If Aricoth wished to share, I am sure he would have."
She raised her voice again, now, so it would carry to the blue weyrling. "Ah, is that why his eyes are white? I had been curious, but I did not want to seem nosy."

She nodded in response to Ku'rt's invitation up the stairs, and followed him to the top, stopping before Aricoth and bowing very slightly. It was an old habit, and even if he couldn't see it, she still felt it was polite.
"Hello, Aricoth." She said quietly, now trying to alert the seemingly-timid blue she was nearby. It wouldn't do to scare the poor thing...
Fayeth followed a ways, but she slipped past Aricoth and Ku'rt to rest on the ledge just beyond them, where Surth and Faizah had come in, and lay down.
Pardon me.
She was mildly annoyed now, and hints of orange-yellow rippled across the facets of her eyes; she was breathing heavily at just the short climb up the stairs, and she inwardly complained.
Mine dearest, my chest hurts once more. The break we took helped, but the stairs are steep.
Before Miyuki had a chance to speak once more, her attention was drawn to Fayeth's anger. She sent wordless soothing thoughts to the gold, cautioning her to simply relax.

"Thank you for so generously sharing your stairs with us." Miyuki said with an impish smile. "Now, I seem to remember something about questions? Since I got one about your braid there-" She gestured to his weyrling knot; "Is it your turn then?"

[PhazonDragon]

When the gold crooned sharply at learning of Aricoth’s blindness, Aricoth also reacted. Not to this fact, but to the gold’s startled reaction. He froze, stiffening up his muscles to that he couldn’t be bothered to move, and he let out a low, worried growl. As if his head couldn’t fall any lower, it tried to. Now, the blue’s head just barely managed to stay above scraping his chin on the ground. He whined, much like a canine, as if he had caused something awful to happen to Fayeth.

Fayeth is fine! Aricoth, she is only startled! She did not know you were blind, Ku’rt reassured the blue, for what seemed to be the millionth time that day. “Yeah, that’s why. He can’t see out of them.” Ku’rt frowned. “They didn’t know what it was back home, so we were sent here for that. But I haven’t bothered to take Aricoth to the healer here.” He chuckled. It wasn’t like blindness was a life-threatening disability, especially since Aricoth was too frightened to do anything dangerous anyway. He probably wouldn’t Chase for a Flight either.

Aricoth chirped quietly to himself, hardly audible enough for Fayeth and Miyuki to hear down the stairs, even if they were climbing up now. It is fine, lovely Gold, Aricoth squeaked mentally, taking a stab at a chance for flattery. I am not scared of you. I cannot see. The blue resorted to repeating what the gold said, but in his own terms. He heard the gold’s clack of talons on the stairs, but he had no clue how close they were. He placed the location of his hulking body in the hands of his rider.

“You are quite welcome,” Ku’rt grinned, returning the smile. “Yes, I guess it’s my turn then!” The weyrling laughed shortly, patting his weyrling knot. Now, for a question. He had so many. Like, the ones about the military, and that Juh-pan place. Hm... What to start with...? Ku'rt scratched his chin thoughtfully, though he took note of the tired, labored breathing of the gold. Might was well be curteous. "So why are you here...? Is Fayeth fine? Why were you sent back to Earth?" he blurted out, then clamped a hand over his mouth. "That's more than one, I'm sorry!"

[yaoiwafflez]

Fayeth regarded Aricoth silently, then snorted. She could not fathom why he would be so very timid, but it seemed that her words had upset him. He simply looked so forlorn now, it nearly broke her heart. At least it was a welcome distraction from her annoyance.

She suddenly seemed to remember he didn't know where she was, and her eyes swirled a confused myriad of hues. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about this young male.
I am behind you. There is a ledge, and I rest there. Do be careful if you back up. I am not as agile as some. Mine stands in front of yours, at a small distance. She tried to make her tone neutral, even pleasant. Anything to try to lift his spirits...though she was beginning to get the feeling she might be making it worse.

Miyuki laughed at Ku'rt's sudden actions.
"They are all close enough to the same question. I think I shall let it pass." She said, smiling impishly. She thought for a second about how best to answer his question, then.
"I am here because I was chosen to stand on the hatching sands after I found Hiro." At the mention of his name, the blue curled around her neck shifted his tail, but otherwise ignored all but his nap.
"And I am here because Fayeth chose me. But...no, she is not fine." She looked away for a moment, then shook her head. "There is something wrong with her lungs. They are...smaller than is normal, I am told. She has difficulties because of this. We were told she will not fly well, or for long. To do such a thing pains her; she is not able to breathe."

She pausedagain, and looked past the blue weyrling to Fayeth, who simply blinked and turned her head back to the view past the ledge. Obviously, this was not something the gold cared to comment on.

"Still. She is a queen by all rights, and she would never let something like this keep her from anything." Miyuki went silent then, afraid she was saying too much uselessly.
"That...is why."

[PhazonDragon]

Aricoth crooned lowly, fidgeting in place. They had moved, and Fayeth and Hers had moved. He didn't know where they were now. Not that he knew where everyone was at a given moment, but being so spaciously lost with another dragon so near, it unnerved the poor blue. When the gold's neutral-sounding voice crept into his mind, Aricoth let out a short squeak of surprise. She was telling him where she was... Much like Ku'rt does, but not as detailed. No matter, for Aricoth didn't require detail to place where dragons and riders were. If only he knew how large Fayeth was though, compared to his own bulk. I will not back up, Fayeth, the blue said gently.

"Oh... There is something wrong with her lungs..." Ku'rt repeated, committing the fact to memory. That wasn't something one would just forget anyway. He ignored Aricoth for the time being, only taking a moment to give the blue a reassuring rub on the snout. At that, Aricoth turned over his head for Ku'rt to scratch at his eye ridge. Whatever you're talking about with Fayeth, I don't want to be a part of it, Ku'rt affirmed, making sure his dragon knew that he wasn't going to help him out in any awkward or frightening situation. It was just another dragon: nothing to be afraid of.

But Ku'rt... Aricoth started to whine, only to have the eye-ridge scratching to stop. Aricoth pouted mentally, and said nothing else, just to have the comforting scratching back.

Ku'rt smiled, both at Aricoth and Miyuki's mention of nothing keeping a Queen. "Of course... Nothing can stop a determined Queen. I wouldn't try it anyway!" He laughed, letting out a small puff of air. "That easily answers my question! Do you have a question for me then?"

[yaoiwafflez]

Fayeth couldn't help the amused whirl of colors across her eyes, though she managed to restrain any noise she might have made.
It is greatly appreciated. Are you comfortable with my description, or would you like an image? She asked gently. I did not want to seem intrusive at first.

Miyuki just shook her head at Fayeth. The gold was rather pushy, she thought, but she wasn't sure if it was that way with all of the metallic colors, or if Fayeth was just making up for Miyuki's rather reserved upbringing.

"A question?" She wondered aloud, trying to think. "I have a number of them, though I shall have to select one alone." She tapped her lips with one finger as she thought, an odd habit of hers.
"Um. Oh!"
A snap of her fingers, and she pointed descively at the young man.
"But it is a difficult one. You seemed confused when Faizah-sama and I spoke of the military. Is there no militant force on Pern? And you can't answer 'the dragons'. They fight thread. I mean, what happens if there is a fight between the Weyrs?"

[Wolfy]

Lyrah led Kyrinth lovingly toward the Weyrbowl, her eyes shining with suppressed excitement at being one of the first in the new weyr. Snowfire was curled up tighly, sleeping at the base of Kyrinth's long neck. Don't worry, sweet. I'm sure that they'll understand, she reassured her young brown dragon between pictures of their surroundings. They had arrived earlier that seven-day, but Lyrah had had trouble convincing Kyrinth that none would tease him for his blindness.

I know that! he growled at her, seething. That doesn't mean-

-That you can pout all day. She finished loftily. Oh, look what you did, she added, frowning. You woke up Snowfire.

Sure enough, the tiny white fire lizard was opening his eyes and yawning widely. With a little squeak, he dramatically unfurled his wings, flapped them sevral times, and covered himself entirely, complaining. Lyrah grinned and bade Kyrinth to spot. She jumped up and dislodged Snowfire from his place. In mock irratation, he pretended to claw at her, but his tiny claws were sheathed. She placed him in one of his favorite spots: he shoulder, which was padded for such an occasion. Placing a hand on her dragons side, she said, You know things will be a little different than usual, but we'll get used to it. You know as well as I that we will.

Kyrinth cocked his head, listenning, and sniffed the air, taking in the scents and sounds of his new home. It is so much different than Fort. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it.

Of course you will, love. It's the way of things. Everything will change, one way or another.[/i] She grinned. Even I, a kitchen fosterling turned weyrling,
know that.

Suddenly, Kyrinth reared up, startling Snowfire enough that the tiny firelizard screeched in alarm and began to fly and sprint around them. There are others here, Lyrah.[/color] Kyrinth's young voice shook and Lyrah knew what he thought would happen. He blinked his sightless eyes, swivelling his head so that his one eye that had any sight left was peering into the direction in which he had sensed the others. Of course, he could not see anything besides the difference in light, and even then that was faulty at times.

"Now don't start that again," she snapped aloud. "Everything will be fine. They won't tease you or anything, or I'll have something to say to them myself."