Problems Adjusting {Open}

[Avu]

T’rid was torn between amusement and disgust. “You realize that this isn’t working, yes?” he queried to Corinth. They were all sitting on the beach, Mir staring absently at the waves from one of T’rid’s shoulders, Stupid settling himself on the other and babbling incessantly, and Corinth attempting—attempting being the key word—to teach Stupid some manners and proper speech. At least Mir, if not particularly exciting, did nothing overexciting as Stupid was apparently wont to do. In the first sevenday he’d already nearly been swallowed, crushed to a pulp, chewed, and nearly thrown out of the Weyr countless times for getting into places he wasn’t supposed to get into. The bronze dragon sighed in resignation, one tail dipping into the cool seawater. I can try, can’t I? he asked glumly, without much hope. “Try and fail,” T’rid murmured, as Stupid chattered on happily, oblivious to the discussion of him. Mystupid alla lone stupid muchlike, Bigstupid muchlike too, Littlestupid no fun, nolike. Stupid ‘gree, yes? Stupid cleversmart. Waves nolike, stupid…Bigstupid fallfalllfallfalltail waves?

So far, T’rid and Corinth had been able to decipher several things. One, Stupid held an aggravated dislike for Mir, who rather acted as if he couldn’t care less about the brown ‘mandyr. Two, his name for T’rid was “Mystupid”; his name for Corinth was “Bigstupid”; and his name for Mir was “Littlestupid.” Three, he had a knack for proclaiming everything he said for all to hear. And, four, he was the reason for so many headaches at this point that T’rid was seriously considering finding out how well Salamandyrs could swim without being taught. Mir glanced over, breaking his solemn gaze, to hiss at Stupid, who launched into a renewed frenzy of speech. Littlestupid up! Stupid nolike, hiss! Mystupid ‘gree, hiss Littlestupid hiss! Eat Littlestupid hiss eat!

Corinth interrupted the flow of speech. Little Stupid? Neither creature looked at him. Stupid. Now the ‘mandyr looked up, blinking. I am not Bigstupid. My name is Corinth. If you must, Cor is fine. Cor. Say it. The brown ‘mandyr seemed completely confused. Bigstupid poorpoorpoorrrrr. Bigstupid say must is? It say. Corinth rumbled, even more resigned now. Mir is more intelligent than he is. This was quite apparently the wrong thing to say, as Stupid had quite a lot of insight into T’rid’s head. The ‘mandyr displayed his oddly shaped frill with a shrill irritated cry. BIGSTUPID STUPID! LITTLESTUPID STUPID! Stupid cleversmart! Cleverersmarter than Bigstupid, pretties Stupid like! T’rid blinked, all eloquence. A mental battle within his own head was something he was not used to—at least, not when he wasn’t one of the battlers. When he’d just had Mir, the blue seemed quite content to just sit on his shoulder and do…well, absolutely nothing. Stupid seemed…well, different, to say the least.

“Do you think he knows ‘stupid’ is an insult as well as his name? And his names for us?” he asked, leaning towards Corinth nervously as if in the hope that it would keep Stupid from hearing. I think he just likes the sound of the word. He doesn’t really make sense, Corinth replied glumly. All the while, Stupid had not let down his frill nor his shriek of displeasure. Chase pretties see! Bigstupid stupid! Stupid alla pretties Bigstupid hiss eat! Littlestupid hiss eat! Stupid pretties Stupid! Now T’rid wasn’t the only one blinking. Corinth blinked, too, and Mir even looked around in curiosity. “Did you understand a word of that, Mir?” T’rid asked the blue mildly. The fire lizard chirped in denial, rustling out his wings. “Corinth?” Obviously I didn’t. “My point is proven,” the Bronzerider said in meditative tones. “Stupid, you are officially crazy. That’s all.” The word ‘crazy’ was obviously used as an insult. It would take a deaf, dumb ‘mandyr not to figure that out and Stupid, unfortunately, was neither deaf nor dumb. He hissed, skittering off of T’rid’s shoulder and diving into the man’s pocket. Mir cheeped in alarm. Pockets with Stupid in them seemed to result in surprise-attacks on the poor blue, so he lifted himself off of T’rid, too, landing a few yards away, eyeing the pocket with deep suspicion as the little bulge quivered.

Littlestupid crazystupid lots! Bigstupid crazystupid maybe lots, Mystupid crazystupid little! Stupid not crazystupid. STUPID! the ‘mandyr berated him. Oh, oh. Another headache was coming on. This was not going to be pleasant. T’rid rubbed his temples wearily. “I wish I hadn’t gone to that Sharding Hatching,” he groaned. You would have missed seeing S’rei. T’rid shot a darkly amused glance at Corinth. “Funny, though, isn’t it, how gossip gets around?” You cannot trust gossip, and you in particular don’t, Corinth pointed out in such calm tones that Stupid quieted down and input his opinion in much muted tones: Mystupid crazystupid not. “Uh, thanks. I think.” T’rid quirked one eyebrow at the bulge in his pocket. “Stupid?” That was the brown’s cue. He burst out of T’rid’s pocket, his thin body shooting up the young man’s side, diving down the back of his tunic, and squirting out just above his pants. Mir squawked in alarm as the brown body shot towards him, shooting into the air and letting Stupid land headfirst in a pile of sand. His legs wriggled in protest as his mental shrieks were voiced to…

Well, everyone. Within what T’rid guessed to be a twenty-dragonlength radius. Littlestupid EAT! HISS! SANDDIE STUPID EATHISS! It was rather like a war-cry that he chanted over and over again as he wriggled all the more frantically. His three closest onlookers gazed at the tiny brown body until Corinth took pity and gave T’rid a mental nudge. The Bronzerider sighed, leaning over and picking up Stupid, who hissed and shot back into T’rid’s pocket to sulk. Just your average ‘mandyr. Of course.

[Kisha-Ra]

Darya rolled her eyes in disgust as Azrath took off for the water with a great spray of sand. Sand that, in accordance with the law of maximum irritation, scattered all over Darya. ‘Azrath you are a giant wherry with a dim glow in place of a brain!’ Darya bellowed after her dragon. Azrath did not deign to respond.

Wherrydim! Not like itchy on I! Imp launched his own searing reprimand after the dragon. The salamandyr didn’t like being showered with sand at all and practaiclly danced with sudden rage. ‘Can’t say I like it much myself Imp.’ Darya muttered, removing the bronze from her shoulder so she could take off her jacket and shake out the sand. Imp wriggled free and hopped between to join Azrath in the water, seeming to forget entirely that he’d been angry with the blue a few moments before.

Well fine. I’m going to walk a while then. Darya directed the slightly miffed thought at her boys. Walk fine. Imp agreed without making a move in Darya’s direction. Have fun.[/color] Azrath replied turning his head to Darya.

Darya didn’t get more than a few steps before a ‘voice’ invaded her mental space. Littlestupid EAT! HISS! SANDDIE STUPID EATHISS! It was a vaguely familiar voice but it didn’t have the same ring as a dragon’s speech, and no dragon would speak such nonsense. Azrath? She inquired ominously, suspecting there was something she hadn’t been told.

It is a salamandyr. The brown who looks to Corinth’s.[/color] Azrath informed his chosen uncaringly. Couldn’t Darya see that swimming was far more fun than investigating salamandyr sounds? Imp apparently did not agree as the salamandyr shot away from Azrath. Silence! Loud Stupid. He reprimanded the other ‘mandyr as he caught thermals over the sand to help him on his way to see what was going on. NotRath make loud silence. Imp added upon seeing Corinth, why was this large bronze not making Stupid silent?

Corinth, ah yes that meant T’rid. As in ‘I don’t like you stupid salamandyr’ T’rid. This promised to be amusing. A not very nice grin appeared on Darya’s face as she looked around for the gleam of bronze hide. There they were. Darya walk directly over with more purpose than the average idler. ‘Good day T’rid.’ She called cheerfully to the bronzerider. ‘Imp stop bothering Corinth.’

[Avu]

Silence! Loud Stupid. NotRath make loud silence.

Both of the addressed draconic creatures started, Stupid much more explosively than Corinth, whose head came around in surprise. The brown ‘mandyr shrieked indignantly. How dare that LittleStupid tell him to shut up? He was quite obviously so much bigger and better! He shot out of T’rid’s pocket, his oddly formed body agilely ascending to the man’s shoulder, where he displayed violently. LittleStupid up! Stupid cleversmart better LittleStupid! he squealed indignantly, his tail lashing in his fury. Mir eyed the brown in alarm, saw the oncoming bronze, and gave a startled eep before lifting himself up onto Corinth. He felt much, much safer here. Even Stupid didn’t invade Corinth’s space if the bronze didn’t want him to.

At the sight of Darya, Stupid hissed, still displaying, and then dove for cover back into T’rid’s pocket. The Bronzerider glanced at the woman warily. A vague memory of her being at the ‘mandyr Hatching…hmm. I need a name to put to a face, Corinth. The bronze glanced over absently, much more interested in luring Stupid out of T’rid’s pocket, and said, Darya, of blue Azrath. Blue? T’rid blinked at her rather purposeful way of walking, wondering if he’d inadvertently done something wrong. Her words were rather confusing, though, if looked at in that light. ‘Good day, T’rid,’ was not the thing someone would say if they were about to issue strict punishment.

“Oh. Hello,” he answered, completely confused now. People didn’t walk in such purposeful ways on the beach, did they? Perhaps you won a fire lizard egg, Corinth mumbled indistinctly. The lump in T’rid’s pocket quivered and a low hiss emerged. What? Since when was Corinth so vague? Oh, well. You know Stupid hates fire lizards. I was hoping to make him come out. T’rid glanced at his pocket dubiously. I think I like him better when he’s in my pocket.

Oh, that did it! Everyone in the vicinity, Azrath included, was victimized with a loud shrill hiss. STUPID EATHISS SILENCE! the brown exclaimed, climbing with surprising speed up T’rid’s shirt again, launching himself onto Corinth’s head—there was a flutter of wings as Mir took up a perch on T’rid’s shoulder instead, currently what he viewed as the safest spot—and displayed. Stupid muchbig, BigStupid largelarger! NotmyStupid crazystupid hisseat! Littlestupid not Mystupid’s mad!

“I think I actually followed that one,” T’rid commented wryly. Did you? asked Corinth dubiously. “Um, yes. He’s big…bigger than you…and, um, Darya is…” He blinked apologetically at the woman. “Um. Crazy. And he wants to eat her. And that little ‘mandyr…makes him…mad?” MyStupid cleversmart, praised Stupid. Remembering Darya, the Bronzerider looked up and added, “Oh, yes—can I help you?”

[Kisha-Ra]

Imp looped around and landed on Darya’s head in a proprietary manner. From this most elevated position the bronze gave a halfhearted lift of his frill, as if he couldn’t quite be bothered with the whole displaying business. Then he puffed himself up proudly as the brown retreated into T’rid’s pocket, his display had frightened Stupid! I big, Loud Stupid hide I. Imp proudly explained to his pet.

Darya’s mouth curved in her not particularly pleasant smile again, it seemed she had T’rid off balance. How entertaining. She would have confused the bronzerider further but Stupid, what an appropriate name, erupted from the man’s pocket with a sound that seemed to fall somewhere between a hiss and a shriek. The irate ‘mandyr launched himself onto Corinth’s head and challenged…everyone apparently. Darya was treated to a dose of the creature’s prattle. Noisy isn’t he?[/color] Azrath commented idly.

Imp was not highly impressed with Stupid, and could see several very large flaws in the brown’s challenge. Naturally the bronze salamandyr pointed these out. Not big wherrydim Stupid. Azrath big. NotRath big. Stupid not big, Stand big not big. Imp quite reasonably explained to everyone as soon as Stupid’s humanpet was done speaking. It was transparent.

Darya listened to T’rid’s seemingly miraculous translation of Stupid’s blathering and raised an eyebrow. ‘Completely raving with it darling.’ She muttered on being described as crazy. It wasn’t clear whom she was addressing but the comment was hardly relevant. At T’rid’s hastily added inquiry the bluerider merely smiled, not the nasty smile this time, a friendly one that looked a little out of place and just slightly malicious. ‘Not really, I was just whiling away time while my dragon swims. I wondered how you were getting on with, er, Stupid? You didn’t seem too pleased at his hatching.’ Darya spoke plesently and as if she couldn’t hear Imp at all.

[Avu]

No! Stupid protested with a trill as Imp apparently thought he had frightened off the little brown. He was just being smart—a tactical retreat! He wasn’t frightened. Of course he wasn’t frightened. He hissed half-heartedly. Stupid bronze Salamandyr didn’t deserve the wisdom of such a creature as he, anyway. He was so much better and so much bigger in so many ways. Littlestupid NotmyStupid’s dumbbutt, he mumbled in irritation, flattening his frill against his body.

Not big wherrydim Stupid. Azrath big. NotRath big. Stupid not big, Stand big not big.

That made Stupid writhe in indignation. Was he stupid? Clearly just because he wasn’t quite the same size as Corinth didn’t mean he was any less amazing! LITTLESTUPID UP! he hissed, displaying again and arching his back, much in the manner of a hissing feline. Big, biiiiiig. Littlething shiny slow. Sloooowwwwww, he declared. Stupid biiiiiig. Real big grow! Littlething shiny ugly! Small.

Corinth snorted in amusement. Did you understand THAT one? T’rid eyed the thing perched on his shoulder rather doubtfully. I didn’t. Did you? The bronze dragon shook his head, amusement flashing in the colors of his eyes. Even if the little thing wasn’t very intelligent, polite, or generous, at least he was vaguely amusing, yes? You’re the only one who seems to like Salamandyrs very much, T’rid sighed as Stupid let down his frill slowly, and then slithered from T’rid to Corinth, where he slid down Corinth’s neck onto the dragon’s back, and then scaled one wing, balancing on the tip to hiss at Imp.

T’rid wasn’t exactly sure what Darya meant by, “Completely raving with it, darling,” but decided not to press the topic. After all, it probably was nothing good—most people did not take nicely to being called crazy and hearing that a little wormy thing desired to eat them. At her next words, T’rid rolled his eyes. “Do I look pleased now?” he asked resignedly. “Because I wasn’t pleased at the Hatching, and I’m not particularly pleased right now either. Although it was…interesting…watching S’rei humiliate himself.” That cheered him up slightly. How many chances would he ever get to see his Wingleader suffering acute public humiliation? He was willing to bet not many.

Stupid muttered indignantly, shooting a cross-eyed glance at T’rid. Stupid better’n Littlestupid and Littlething-shiny. Much, MUCH better. T’rid glanced at Stupid, who pointedly turned away. Stupid ‘mandyr.