Half Full vs. Half Empty (Raebeli)

[Requiem]

E'rro had stepped out for a couple minutes. He'd said why, but M'ta hadn't been paying attention, merely nodding to him absently as he continued to take a mental inventory of their stockpile of herbs. It was perhaps the only contribution he currently made to the infirmary. Nor was it a very important one, at that; other healers could at least cover most of the basics when it came to making the generic pharmaceuticals, and just to make sure that this was so he'd copied down how to make all the most commonly prescribed and used herbals and pinned it to the case so no one had to come bothering him about something stupid. (Not that they should have to with healers as experienced as E'rro and Asharra and others around, but you never knew. Some people were dumb and didn't ask the obvious people first.)

So really all he did was go through the stockpile of herbs and the stockpile of medicines and make a list of which herbs needed to be replenished so that the infirmary could send candidates or weyrlings out to retrieve them on chores the next day. He also made some of the less common medicines if needed, but mostly for these two hour shifts he found that the infirmary was quite slow. Which was fine by him. He rarely saw E'rro at any other time, which was something he'd like to change once he felt Merridan could handle parts of the lessons without his supervision and his leg recovered enough that he could shuffle their responsibilities to free up both their schedules. She had wing duties, though, and M'ta was never the sort to put too much on another's plate if he could work himself to death instead.

(Besides, the weyrlings were ultimately his responsibility, and he took that very seriously. An assistant should be an assistant, not a gofer that he made do everything he didn't feel like doing.)

His leg was actually doing fairly well, currently. Ever since he'd started using crutches it had started mending at the breakneck pace he was more accustomed to. M'ta had never thought his body's healing ability to be all that great until he became a healer. Even E'rro had agreed to letting him go down to one crutch, and with the wound itself healed he could wrap and immobilize the leg again. It made for shockingly slow going compared to just darting around on crutches, but at least he was putting some weight on the leg again so it might not shrivel up into a useless lump. Currently he was perched on a stool, though, staring at the case like he was trying to intimidate it into giving up the numbers of the herbs it contained.

Devon had taken up residence on a lovely sweater left halfhazardly on a countertop and was currently waging war against a button, his tail whipping back and forth as he pounced it and skittered away to circle around and pounce it again. The blue salamandyr wasn't jabbering as he normally did, but he was giving off a strongly playful emotional vibe that anyone within 100 ft was likely to feel.

[Lotty]

Oh hamburgers. The little woman had managed to leave behind her things yet again, and while she often got away with just letting things sit, today she felt either the pressure to go back and fetch them - she actually needed the sweater with the nip of the night air strangely chilling her in her room - or perhaps the more selfish desire to accidentally run into a certain someone and give them a brief wave and smile. Bouncing as she was back into the infirmary, she was seen for a moment scanning the room, looking on chair backs and table tops for the missing piece of apparel. They were spacey sort of steps that were made as she weaved around looking for the warmth giving garment, her arms stretched over to cover her chest to protect her from the naked feeling that overwhelmed her at the thought that she had actually lost something.

With a turn of her head she observed the cleared out spaces of a much emptier night infirmary, and along with that the disappointment of a missing E'rro. Determined not to look too hurt, she shimmied past M'ta, nodding at him briefly even if he seemed much too absorbed to notice the greeting. Regardless, her feet were busy following that odd sense of play that was manifesting in an airy skip of a heart beat. Tiny little heels could be heard making a click clack sound against the stone floor until she finally caught sight of the mandyr pouncing on her thinly knit green cover up. Her immediately reaction was to flail a bit, her hands shooting up to hide the startled look on her face before she began to chirp in her perky little manner, "Oh no no!" How exactly does one chase off a mandyr without offending it? Weren't they all prickly like Demi's was? She didn't really know, but she attempted anyway, her eyes zooming in on the button the creature seemed intent on taking.

"Sweetie, I'll give you a new button all your own I swear!" her shoes hit the floor in a succession of quick clacks as she moved her feet in something of a restrained sprint to where her abandon item lay found.

[Requiem]

He did indeed notice Raebeli. (It was rather impossible not to, given she was clicking around all over the place. Even if M'ta wasn't paranoid and hard to sneak up on, he would have noticed all of that racket.) The brownrider's lips parted in a polite smile as she tapped her way past him. He watched her for an extra moment, as if trying to decide what it was about her that had E'rro so smitten, before returning his attention to his work. Maybe it was the legs. They were nice enough legs. R'wign had said something once about heels and legs...but M'ta never paid too much attention to what his weyrmate said when it was clearly designed to make him twitch. (The late Weyrhealer had always been trying to goad M'ta by suggesting he wear things like skirts and heels.)

Devotion froze at the rather distressed sounds coming from the clicky woman creature, twisting about to look at her before rising onto his hind legs curiously. He swayed a little, tail coiling behind him. What is button? he questioned of the mindhealer curiously. "A button is that round thing with the holes that you've been pouncing for the last several minutes, Devon," M'ta commented from his stool without looking over.

Like buttons, Devon agreed, before twisting back around to pounce it again. "I believe he likes them still attached, Raebeli," M'ta commented dryly. "You can just, you know, push him off or something. He doesn't bite." Of course, he might take to pouncing other things and refuse to leave the sweater, but that was neither here nor there. The weyrlingmaster had twisted about on his stool by now to watch the exchange between the two.

[Lotty]

Ok, ok, ok. Rae calmed herself for a moment. Apparently this was one of those nice salamandyrs? Maybe? It was hard to say, the woman couldn't exactly claim to be an expert on the species when her run ins consisted firstly of Cap'n trying to feast on the things, and secondly of her interactions with a certain gold Dementia. Considering that ones insistence on 'mating' or whatever with Demi it was easy to be just a little biased against the frilled dragonkin. They were harmless though right? M'ta even said that he doesn't bite so it couldn't exactly be too hard to reclaim the sweater from the blue could it? Regardless it was an operation that the healer took extremely carefully. With no shortage of care did she reach forward to take the garment.

"I'm sorry, Devon," in the delicate balancing act, one hand lightly moved to sort of slide the mandyr off the fabric (pushing as the brownrider recommended seemed too extreme) and the other pulled her sweater back to her, until it was swooshed off the countertop and on its way back to its rightful place, hugging against her skin for warmth. With the cloth over her shoulders and both arms firmly back into the holes meant for them, the mindhealer then turned to M'ta, stepping forward with a softer clack. Primed and ready to leave, her shoes had a lighter step behind them, muting the sound of pointed heels, but yet it seemed that it was wrong to take off so soon for some reason. The woman found herself lingering.

"Thanks M'ta," she didn't have a wealth of things to say to the man - which was a rarity all in itself - despite the fact that her own dragon made a point of reminding her of Behruth's presence in her maiden flight. Apparently the green had no qualms at all with continuing a dialogue with the sweet brown despite her ultimate choice in Wridelth that day. You should speak with Behruth's more mine. Certainly he must be the most marvelous of specimens since Ruth for one is a very fine dragon and I couldn't image he would pick his bonded poorly.... It's more than that... it's complicated... She was assuring herself just as much as her dragon. The block was, she suspected, was the association of the man to his weyrmate R'wign whom she knew had little regards for her ability as a healer. Transient properties made her suspect much the same was true for this man.

Regardless, "I hope your evening is treating you well..." a winning smile was given, refusing to show any sort of reservation. With another glance around the room she added, "E'rro is out I suppose?"

[Requiem]

Sure enough, Devon did take it as a game, coiling his tail as far about her wrist as he could and squealing an audible Weeee! as she took him for a ride. He darted up her arm as the sweater was put on, over her shoulder, up her neck and plastered himself to her cheek, tail stroking her jaw in what could almost be considered a carress. Hello hello hello nice lady person. Have treats for Devon? Devon like treats. Extra skin preeeetty. That was when he experienced 'mandyr ADD and noticed the buttons winking at him again, making a dive for her cleavage to 'capture' one. Gotcha!

M'ta tried to suppress an amused smile at Raebeli's expense, but didn't quite succeed. Of course he could have corralled his enthusiastic mindmate. Why, though? Devon wasn't harming anything. Faranth knew that 'Ruth was past his exuberant stage, and Sneak (who was currently curled up on a cabinet, watching the infirmary for any interesting 'mandyr activity where no one would notice him) had never shown much excitement for anything. It was refreshing to have such a lively mindmate in the mix.

"Don't thank me just yet. I think you might have to bribe him if you want to get him to leave your sweater alone anytime soon," he responded, his amusement definitely coming through now in the wry twist of his lips. Ah. Small talk. M'ta regarded her silently for long enough that she moved on to the next topic, one that he suspected she had a great deal more interest in than his evening. (Especially considering how quickly she'd jumped from one subject to the other.)

Not that he blamed her. If he'd been going out with someone (a rather laughable thought, really) he'd be more interested in where they were than how a near stranger's evening was, too. "He should be back shortly if you wanted to wait for him," M'ta replied. Only then did he realize that he kind of hadn't stopped staring since she first addressed his salamandyr, and he returned his attention to the cabinet. "Nights are slow? I'm just doing an inventory of the herbs, anyway...it's about all I do in the infirmary anymore." Not that he wanted more hours. He'd never see his kids if he worked any more than he already did.

"So, mindhealer...do you suppose you were just forgetful earlier, or leaving your sweater was an outward manifestation of a subconscious desire to see E'rro?" His sly glance was accompanied by enough of a small smile to make it clear he was teasing her. Mostly.

[Lotty]

Ok yes, having a salamandyr pressed up against her cheek was kind of adorable. It almost even made her want one, but she could never ever tell Cap'n that. The little things were a sacred delectable cherished more so even than the fish he regularly fishes out of the rivers and sea. The only way the bird would approve of Raebeli accepting another pet other than himself was if she only procured it as a snack for him. So then this little interaction would just have to be kept secret now wouldn't it? Rae was pretty good at keeping those, necessity demanded it anyway, and nudging her cheek back against Devon and began to reply... until he decided to change his mind and jump down into her breast band.

That was not so adorable, though it did incite the woman to squeal... and bounce... and do everything so could to get the salamandyr out. Not only because it was tickling her but because it was quite embarrassing! At a loss for what to do, the woman, turned on a heel and fished for Devon, finally nabbing him by the end of his tail and pulling him out. It was then and only then that she dared to turn around with the blue in hand, depositing him on a counter top and trying to pat down her clothes to make it look as it nothing even happened at all. That being said, she still very much had a flushed face and evidence of the incident was in even her subtle panting, "I.... probably shouldn't stick around for him..."

She certainly was in no condition to be seen. Her hair had shifted a tad undone, and she looked plainly panicked even if she was playing it off as if she wasn't. Her heart slowing she perked up a bit, only to be caught off guard again by a very well played question. Ah! Using mindhealery against the mindhealer. After a playful narrowing of the eyes she replied, "Well I'm not exactly renowned for my memory... short term anyway," she swayed and grinned a little wider, "you know a urban legend at Fort said that a mindhealer shouldn't try and analyze themselves. Their brain might explode... or something similar. That being said I am willing to admit that forgetting on purpose is a definite subconscious reaction."

She pondered for a moment. Working in the infirmary all night with E'rro must certainly mean they talk. Certainly, "Are you and E'rro...... friends I'm guessing? Maybe?"

[Requiem]

M'ta pretended not to notice her reaction to Devon, since she was trying so hard (and so unsuccessfully) to hide it. Rather hard to keep his expressions schooled though, when it was kind of her fault the 'mandyr had ended up in her breastband. Had she not been so squirmy he would have simply 'caught' her button and the extent of her discomfort might have been a stray tail. Bounces and squeals made him fall and scramble, which just caused more bounces and squeals. How...female.

Devotion wasn't quite as accepting of the whole situation. It was like a noisy earthquake in here, and every time he was just getting a good grip to get out of this dark place, something else moved and threw him all askew, or the great mounds of flesh clapped together in a dangerously smothering motion. Not fun! Then he was snatched up by his tail, and he writhed, wings flaring. Leggo! He was an instant from detaching his tail when she deposited him on the counter, Devon darting across it and throwing himself into a glide that brought him to M'ta's shoulder, where he promptly dived down the man's shirt to curl up against his abdomen. Fleshquakes, he whined to His. The brownrider didn't know how much longer he could keep a straight face.

Not responding to the incident, he instead smiled a little more roguishly at her narrowed expression, listening to an extended answer that amounted to...nothing. Yep. Someone had trained her well. "That was an impressively complicated way to say it's none of my business and you're not going to tell me," he commented, wrinkling his nose at her a touch playfully before he fished his 'mandyr out from beneath his shirt. Commenting that she had a short term memory and that if she had forgotten on purpose (which was something of a contradiction) it would have been a manifestation of subconscious desires (again not so subconscious if you're 'forgetting' things on purpose) was about as much of a non-answer as M'ta was likely to get. It was worded prettily though?

The weyrlingmaster rather did have to be careful of his expression at her next question. Were he and E'rro maybe friends? (Went to show you how much they talked about other people when they were on their dates. Though, seeing how incredibly nervous E'rro was beforehand, it might be a small miracle he spoke at all.) "You could say that," he responded carefully, cocking his head to one side. Close friends. Best friends. Either might have been more accurate, but she didn't have to know that.

[Lotty]

Raebeli didn't even attempt to cover up the fact that she very much just served the brownrider a line of bologna, and when called out on it, only widened her grin. So yes, she had plenty of pretty word magic - most likely inherited from her father - and sometimes she couldn't help but use it no matter how direct she had meant to be, "Ah! Well, can't get anything past you, that much is for sure..." she was inspired then to take another couple of steps closer, her arms still hugged clear over her chest in the wake of the Devon-incident. Judging by the blue mandyr's reaction, she doubted there would be a repeat of the cleavage diving, but one could never be too safe. After all, Rae wasn't completely sure that M'ta didn't have any other pets. Really, she realized, she didn't know all too much about the man at all, other than the fact that he was once R'wign's weyrmate, and that he was also a Weyrlingmaster.

And Behruth His chased me on my flight. Don't forget that. Very important. I very much doubt that has any bearing on our conversation now dear. He probably doesn't remember, or think of it as having any consequence even if he does... Flights were nothing personal, even someone as exceedingly sentimental as Rae knew that... though a part of her couldn't help but wonder when Quixoth would fly again and who would chase... and win. At least there would be no Z'ves, it was an awful thought but she felt rather better with him dead, especially since her green had seemed oddly excited by racing against Lucith. Oh silly mine I would have never picked one who called me a baby. He never had a chance...

Anyway...

"There really is no need to tell you my business anyway, if I can say that you and E'rro are friends then surely you've figured out what I'm up to. Probably from the second I click clacked my way in here..." with that the mindhealer shrugged. She noted that he was quite apt to be a little cryptic too, and in turn prodded a little bit in the hopes of a bigger more expanded answer, "So... friends you say... I feel like I should have to get to know you better, since you're a part of the package deal right?" She chuckled just a bit, her eyes squinting closed with good mirth, "How long have you known each other..." she glanced around the room again, having forgotten she came merely to fetch her sweater. The memory coming back she smacked herself on the forehead, "Oh you know... I'm probably just distracting you from your work aren't I?"

[Requiem]

Devotion curled up in M'ta's palm, the man stroking him almost absently as the blue peered from between the brownrider's fingers at the objects of his torture. Such evil flesh mountains. His little eyes slitted for a moment in thought that may or may not bode ill for those flesh mountains in the future. His considered for a moment detouring his pet from that line of thought but then left it. Why should he? Devon really hadn't done anything wrong, so M'ta didn't see a need to intervene on Raebeli's behalf; she seriously needed to chill and stop assuming that a little salamandyr had any interest in her breasts. Silly mindhealer.

"Mhm." He couldn't help the almost bored way that had come out. M'ta wasn't much of a one for baseless flattery? Raebeli hardly knew him well enough to have any clue if he was hard to fool or not. Words for the sake of words, and possibly to distract him from some other attempt to fool him. He had nothing against mindhealers in general (even though his paranoia suggested that availing himself of one would lead to being made a case study and he didn't care to be anyone's specimen) but at the same time playing word games with him was not a good first impression.

"This is the part where I say, oh no, you're not bothering me, yes?" He smiled a little crookedly at Raebeli. Of course it was. "If you want to wait for him, just wait for him. He'll be back soon enough and more than happy to see you, no doubt." No doubt indeed. E'rro was quite besotted with this one. M'ta could only hope she was similarly serious; she seemed eager enough, but that could just be the giddy response of a girl who liked to be noticed. Didn't necessarily mean she was falling for M'ta's friend like he seemed to be for her.

"Um...I don't know. About four turns, I suppose. E'rro was always my wingsecond before the invasion. We sparred a lot together; he and Ka'rys were the ones with similar styles who could keep up." That wasn't to say that M'ta always won or anything. He was the fastest when it came to footwork and bladework on Legatus. Which was probably the only reason why his ass wasn't handed to him constantly. He wasn't properly trained like the rest, but speed allowed for a few extra mistakes without penalty.

M'ta missed Legatus sometimes. Sometimes. He did like his job, though - even if most people who saw him during one of the lessons would likely find that hard to believe - and Behruth was much, much happier teaching. He was a pacifist. Legatus had never really been the wing for him. All of which didn't matter considering 'Ruth couldn't fly a wing anymore anyway even if he'd wanted to. The brownrider didn't mention E'rro's close connection to Riaren or the fact that they'd maintained contact even after the Wastelanders took over and M'ta was stranded at Selenitas away from the rest of his wing.

[Lotty]

"No.. its the part where you just say the truth..." The healer returned the crooked smile with a playful smirk of her own. Raebeli for her part was being genuine. She had no reason to distract the man from his work, no good reason anyway since waiting for E'rro hardly made her justified in bothering someone, and if she could avoid it she would. That is not to say that she was going to be put off by any wayward vibes that make have been radiating around the room from the brownrider. Instead - having finally shrugged off the irrational hesitance Devon may have given her - dropped her arms and moved towards a chair within M'ta's sights, but just outside of any immediate area, "I'll wait then for just a while..." though what exactly she would say to the man when he returned she didn't actually know. Maybe offer to fetch him something from the kitchens? Something to drink at least? She supposed she didn't need a real reason to talk to him, but it was nice to avoid being caught flat footed.

Perching her elbows on the table and grasping her hands together in subconscious anticipation, the girl turned to M'ta, listening to him answer her innocent little question. Obviously if he was willing to entertain her with an answer, she couldn't be that much of a thorn in his side. Interesting man this was... she had yet to get a solid read on him, but maybe that is what E'rro enjoyed about the man? After all, four turns is nothing short of amazing at this weyr considering the average life expectancy. Sure M'ta was making this sound awfully professional, by citing sparring and rank, but she worked with a lot of people that were not necessarily her friends. There was something deeper she was sure, and maybe a little bit of mystery was part of it?

All conjecture though, and she didn't want to complicate anything with the meddling mannerisms of a pop psychologist. She just really was curious in the way that everyone was, "Four turns is pretty darn impressive. Hmmm I'm not sure there is many I can claim to have had that long myself. Only even been here for five and I still meet people every day..." it was on that note that she said rather tentatively, "I hope that we could be friends soon too..." if he would allow it she certainly would not be opposed. Of course he wasn't bound to her wishful thinking, but she was frankly terrified that the man would not approve of her and in turn leave a bad taste in E'rro's mouth. The girl had never worried all too much about what people thought of her in the past, but in recent times it had become exceedingly important.

[Requiem]

M'ta watched Raebeli move to take a seat near him idly. Which actually worked somewhat to his advantage considering he wanted to get a read on her. It wasn't really like he'd go and rain on his friend's parade if she didn't meet the bar, but at the same time extreme protectiveness was part of the brownrider's nature, and if he could protect E'rro from something he likely would. Nothing had suggested, though, that this woman was just playing the Weyrhealer yet. So far so good?

M'ta blinked at her. "Really? Four turns is nothing." Though, granted, most of the friends he'd had longer were dead now. Hm. Most. "Though I guess the life expectancy of people around here is pretty low, come to think of it." He was one of two survivors from his weyrling class, and he almost never saw Kalina. Actually, if someone told him that she'd died he'd only be mildly surprised.

Her next question, too, caught him a little by surprise. Not the question itself, which was something that women said to men often when they were being flirtatious, but the tone (which, yes, took all the flirting out of it). For some reason this seemed important to her, that she have him as a friend. How queer. She hardly knew him. Rather than comment on the oddity of that, though, his smile turned even more crooked. "Well, I have been known to befriend a few healers in the past," the brownrider commented dryly. You know, just R'wign, Meira, Erilena, E'rro, Dorava, Orena...only a few. "I think there's some hope still."

Going back to the inventory of the herbs, he let the silence stretch a little bit before he asked her, "So your date with E'rro. How did that go?" He'd already heard E'rro's side of the story, and the brownrider had been nothing if not excited after that first get together, despite how nervous he'd been beforehand. It didn't necessarily mean that the date went as well from Raebeli's perspective, though. And maybe he'd get more of an idea what she saw in the Weyrhealer if she talked about that date.

[Lotty]

She probably shouldn't have snorted at M'ta's appraisal of the Selenitas life span, but nonetheless she did just a bit. Funny because it was true perhaps? Not that she could really talk. Most of who she kept close was still alive, "I've been particularly fortunate in that regard," not only because her friends were alive but because she was too. It was questionable how much longer she could get away with hiding in cupboards now that she had a dragon, "Maybe I'm just a good luck charm, but most people I know have stuck around," even her weyrling class was a good deal more intact than most of them can claim to be, though this wasn't to say that her life was all flowers... she just looked for silver linings was all.

She was incredibly relieved to hear M'ta's answer to her little plea for friendship. Just knowing she had a fraction of a chance was enough for her, and she visibly relaxed, smiling in a sort of embarrassed manner for having to ask in the first place.

In her newfound ease, her eyes drifted off dreamily to the door she expected E'rro to walk through at any moment, only for her to be shocked back to reality by the brownrider's question. Oh yes, her date! Well she certainly wasn't about to spill all of the contents, but she could indulge the other man enough in answering as much as she intended to, "Ohhh it was wonderful! We went on a picnic and I do so enjoy picnics..." they perhaps were her favorite. Unlike a fancy dinner, they were without pretension... natural... just right, "You know, it was kinda like going on a date with a magician. I mean he even started with a trick with a flower... but then as the whole day unfolded, it was like he thought of everything and it came together so well."

Then after a moment where she very visibly got caught up in the memories of that time, she added on, "And we watched the sunset. I don't know if there was a way that he could have made it much better. Even his nervous, over-formalities were endearing..." she suspected that with time E'rro would loosen up in that regard, but she'd take him either way.

[Requiem]

Strange. If most people stuck around, why was she finding a friendship of four turns that impressive? Well, M'ta certainly wasn't qualified to analyze their mindhealer, and he wasn't terribly interested in making the attempt. (Besides, it might be a touchy subject considering the only conclusion he could come to was that her friends were choosing to end those friendships for various reasons.)

A thought that seemed only to be further validated by the relief in her expression. That desperate for friends that a definite maybe pleased her so much? A curious woman indeed. Not that he was one to judge. He'd been so lonely at the old Selenitas that he kind of had...okay no kind of about it...crossed about a million ethical lines and slept with E'rro's brother. It hadn't done much for him, really, apart from push back the loneliness a little, and it had been well past the point where it might endanger Lketh, but there were still plenty of ways that was just wrong. E'rro didn't know. M'ta didn't think he'd tell him. Wasn't like he and Er'ani were anything but part of a strange mentor/student half-friendship now, anyway. Any desire he'd had to sleep with the former weyrling evaporated when he was back in familiar territory, despite no one else to replace the kid in his furs with.

Well, he'd asked for an answer. And he got more of it from her reaction, her tone and her dreamy looks than the actual words. A crush at least. M'ta relaxed slightly, even though he hadn't noticed any tension prior to this moment. "Sounds fun. You two planning on going on another one anytime soon?" Maybe that was why she was lingering, actually, to see if they couldn't continue their little romance.

It was cute, he supposed. M'ta wasn't really into mushy stuff. You could be certain that the joining wasn't his idea. That said...he usually had indulged R'wign's more romantic notions, and his own feelings had been real enough if less flowery in their expression. "Had many men interested you?" the brownrider questioned, while returning his attention to his work to make it seem like the question was more casual than it actually was.

[Lotty]

Surely she sounded silly, but at this point she was finding it hard to care too much. Caught in the moment. There was no helping the girly mannerisms that were accompanying her speech at this point, and fingers winding up looping around to play with a fallen curl of her hair, or batting her eyelashes were just second nature, "I know we intend to.." or at least she very much intended to. Details, details, "It's just the when and where I guess. When he walks back in is as good as any time to ask isn't it?" Though putting him on the spot wasn't exactly her usual style. The whole note writing thing was kinda fun, especially since as she already had mentioned aloud, E'rro's overly formal sign offs always appeared to her as being patently cute.

Indeed as she was caught in a bit of a sensitive state, it was easy for her to get too involved with M'ta's questions to think them as being at all prying. Had she had her wits about her, the mindhealer would be quick to point out that not only were her former interests none of his business, but former in the truest sense of the word. They were all moot. Instead her eyes drifted off as she took some serious consideration and delved back as far as she could into her thoughts and automatically scratched off any childhood crushes. Next to follow was the blank slate that was her time at the Healer hall. Obviously she was too involved with studies to have any interest there. Besides most of the men she met then were half-comatose or writhing in pain.

"Well," she began thinking of some more recent examples. She did kiss Quintrell in that tree some turns ago, but that could hardly count as an interest when she hadn't seen much of him since then. It was... a little peck really. Hardly counted. The only other was.... Her thoughts stopped for a moment and she shook her head in a little negative. There was no use in mentioning a crush that she still refused to admit even to herself, "I can't say that many have. One or two before now. E'rro is in something of an elite club I guess," though now that she answered, the thought dawned on her and her nose scrunched up, "Why would ya wanna know a thing like that though?" Then as if to even the score, just incase he knew something she didn't she asked, "Has E'rro had many girls that interested him?"

Of course Raebeli didn't expect him to be a mindreader of any kind and she edited her statement, "That you know of that is... he told me of one girl he took on a picnic before... Faranth help me I can't remember the name," something with an 'E' she thought. Oh well.

[Requiem]

An elite club, hm? Interesting. M'ta didn't look up from his work, though he did wrinkle his nose at it a bit. He had to wonder some nights if any of the apprentices who usually went out to get these things actually could read his writing. Peering at it, the brownrider attempted to decide whether or not it really was legible, but seeing as how it was his own writing well...he couldn't really come to a conclusion. He cast a glance sidelong at Raebeli when she finally decided to question him about the nature of his inquiries. Fortunately, she continued, so he could choose to ignore the first question.

It was almost like the mindhealer was on the attack. That just drew out a smile from the the short brownrider, though, as he hooked his foot through the bars of the stool, the other dragging on the ground. "That interested him...not that I'm aware of," he offered openly, not mirroring her defensiveness at all. "Since he told me about you I can only imagine he'd have told me about others. People interested in him, though?" M'ta chuckled. "They always seem to go for the seemingly unavailable ones."

Well, it probably helped if you were tall, dark and handsome, too. Meeting only one of those nomikers himself, he hadn't had to deal with much in the way of unwanted interest. Not that this was anything that M'ta was in the least way bitter about. He preferred being mostly ignored in that department. Then he wouldn't have to deal with people dredging up old memories or embarrassing the shit out of him like Fiona had. Win/win. No one really would want to deal with him anyway. R'wign and M'ta had been equally impossible to live with, so it had worked out; they deserved each other.

"Do me a favor?" He offered her the inventory sheet he'd been working on for the herbs. "Either the apprentices here don't know how to follow written directions, or my writing is worse than I thought. Can you read this?" He knew that he wrote like a weyrbrat younger than candidate age at best, but he didn't really care that much so long as it was at least reasonably legible. M'ta had started this reading and writing thing much too late to expect to have developed the skills as much as his fellow healers.