Devious Intent [R'ahre]

[Sheari]

She was on a mission. The goal of it was mostly harmless, though she wouldn't be the one to admit that it was her idea. She actually found it rather amusing, and since it'd be funny (at least for her) she was certain it wouldn't get her into too much trouble. The only drawback to Anusha's plan was her lack of marks. She didn't have enough to fully make her silly experiment a reality, and so she was forced to turn to someone she thought might be able to help her.

A blue weyrling by the name of R'ahre.

She had heard of the floral stall with it's strong smell and of it's attendants. Both of which she had met at least once. She had told Minth to stay behind at the stall she was manning, not only to deter her form telling other dragons what was up but also to keep mischievous children and other dishonest persons from stealing what she was trying to sell. If she returned to find that the food was gone she'd be at a total loss and would have a vial of loveweed and no where to put it. That would most certainly make for an awkward moment and that simply would not do. As she marched up to the brilliantly coloured tent (and ignoring the fact that it slightly burned her eyes) she stopped and looked around. Her eyes hadn't quite adjusted from having to stare at bright pink.

"R'ahre, I have a favor to as of you," she called, resisting the urge to call the man "Rusa" as many had during candidatehood. She crossed her fingers hoping he would show up and find her plan just as amusing. If he did there was a chance he might do her the favor she was wishing to ask.

[Avu]

R’ahre did not innately like flowers. He wasn’t precisely fond of the things; they were generally too delicate to last much and while they were pretty enough, he didn’t actually like them; he’d only agreed to run the stall with Nautic because he’d been short of money, was fine with Nautic’s company, and had nothing against flowers. But that had been awhile ago. Now he was rather bored with the flowers surrounding the stall, though Ahth did his fair best to keep his interest by commenting on whatever gossip the blue happened to hear, sprawled out behind the stall and nearly invisible as he was among the flowers. His entire body was completely still, not even a wing twitching; people jabbered loudly and excitedly and Ahth overheard every single thing that they said, from Gather prices to intimate details that should probably not have been overheard at all. His goal? (Yes, he had a goal!) To figure something out about Lennae. Amith’s, she was, and Baoth-sister had said she was trying to steal Hers. And he clearly had to find something about Amith’s to work off of, he did. So far, nothing, except for her stall. A strange stall, it was, but he didn’t know what it was that was so strange.

R’ahreMine. Minth’s comes. I thought she had her own stall?

The blueweyrling turned around at Ahth’s warning, and then moved to the side of the stall from which Anusha appeared, plucking one of the flowers from its pot as he did so and tucking it behind his ear playfully (it was his left ear; he was left-handed, and anyway his right ear was occupied by Sylph) before he quirked one eyebrow at her curiously. Her comment went ignored for the moment as he pulled himself to sit on top of the counter, swinging his legs around and crossing them instead of leaving them dangling. One hand brushed his hair out of his eyes, and he cocked his head at her. “Hi to you, too,” he replied, and then ran both hands down the front of his shirt slowly, thoughtfully eyeing her. What, a favor? His curiosity was piqued, to be sure, but…“Haven’t you a stall you’re supposed to be running?”

Akos Akos where at Akos? Sylph’s demand was followed with the green Salamandyr peering out from behind R’ahre’s hair, and the green chattered quietly to herself. She still did not wholly approve of Ahth, but when he’d told her to shred the papers of the Candidate Lessons Room and given her a time when nobody would be there, her opinion of him had much improved. Ahth had been decidedly smug following that episode; who needed servants when you had a Salamandyr to provide the perfect revenge? Buy flower, you do? she added curiously, as she dislodged herself from R’ahre’s ear and slid down like a bolt of green lighting to the countertop; her frill rose at Anusha, not aggressively but curiously, before it fell flat again and she pulled herself up in a meerkat pose.

Leaning forward, R’ahre cupped his fingers around Sylph and then flipped his hand upright, one quick gesture that landed Sylph into his palm; he closed his hand around her lightly and then went back to eyeing Anusha. “What favor would this be?” he inquired softly. The flower was forgotten; brown eyes regarded the greenweyrling for a moment before his interest seemed to fade, and he ran his hands down the front of his shirt again thoughtfully. Far be it from R’ahre to give up the opportunity to fade into the background without really doing so – like Ahth, he had a particular talent for going unnoticed when he wanted to – and it amused him that people could dress up so obnoxiously and still go more or less completely unnoticed. So he’d dressed up. As a pirate, or a sailor, or something along those lines.

He didn’t have an eyepatch, because not being able to see out of one eye made him decidedly nervous, but his half-face mask was tan, edged with gold and silver designs, similar designs over both eye-holes; the right side of the mask arched upwards and curved into a kind of flame-like motion, and the entire thing was painted elegantly to resemble worn wood. His clothes were more elegant than any pirate’s, but regardless he was undoubtedly just that. He wore a three-pointed hat of navy blue and white to match his clothing: A ruffled white undershirt peered out from a navy-blue coat with silver buttons and lining; out of one pocket dangled a hand-held compass. His pants were white, tucked into his regular boots, and R’ahre would have been the picture of an elegant sea captain had it not been for two things: The leather belt hidden beneath the length of his shirt, from which a dark leather sheath was dangling – the hilt of a dirk could just be made out – and the fact on his lapel was pinned a tiny black flag with the pirates’ skull-and-crossbones. Elegant sea captain, he was – a pirate captain.

He’d also given Ahth a hat, but the blue hadn’t favored it at all and the hat was currently perched on one of the potted flower plants in the stall. Yes: His first mate was a potted plant. Hmph.

[Sheari]

Anusha was about to answer R'ahre until Sylph asked where Akos was. She was about to answer the green 'mandyr until R'ahre flipped her into his hand and closed it around her. Well, there went that plan. "Yes, I do have a stall to run, and right now Minth and Akos are guarding it," she said pointedly. She was sure Minth would prevent people from trying their hands at a five-finger discount. Akos, on the other hand, would probably hide and not do too much good in the way of defending her wares. "A funny thought hit me, but I can't make it happen myself since I'm low on marks," she paused, "could you buy me some loveweed? A single dose should do, I think it would be effective and spread easily." Oh yes, it should spread like the plague rather easily.

Her mind lapsed a little, as she remembered Sylph. She didn't know the Salamandyr that well and she couldn't be sure she wouldn't blab about the little plan if it were actually put into action. She decided Ahth was trustworthy enough.

"As far as blame goes, I'm pretty sure people would be too, uhm...distracted...to care about what happened," she stifled a giggled. The image of various people walking around with a decidedly pleasant, and hungry, look amused her. Perhaps it was wrong for her to take advantage of the people of the Gather and the people of the weyr like this. She felt selfish; but there was justification. She'd seen a tent that looked rather intimate to be in, as if someone was going to be making money from other people's 'urges'. Maybe dosing her soup with loveweed would provide the woman with business as well?

"Do you think you could get me some loveweed?" She eyed a hat and was wondering why it was on a potted plant.

[Avu]

Minth and Akos were…guarding it? Sylph poked her head out of R’ahre’s hand, and then wormed out entirely, skittering up his sleeve and reemerging at the neck, where she slithered down into his pocket with the compass, claws snagging onto the chain. R’ahre gave no indication of discomfort; nor did he speak as Anusha went on. At the mention of loveweed, however, he froze. Loveweed. Bad bad bad idea. Loveweed didn’t – it didn’t – just didn’t. R’ahre didn’t like the idea of it, especially considering the number of Weyrling dragons and their Riders wandering around. A single dose, though. A single dose…unless it was given to one person…a specific person…wouldn’t be enough to actually do anything. And Anusha wasn’t cruel; she wouldn’t hurt a Weyrling dragon…And he had marks. Plenty of them, and nothing to spend them on. He’d spent a few on his mask and costume – a total of five – but that still left him with plenty considering he was a Weyrlingrider and technically should not have any at all. But…loveweeding the Weyr…? At a Gather? His head bowed slightly, eyes narrowing behind the mask as he considered, face impassive for a moment.

Approve approve, do I, Sylph informed Anusha, the green’s claws tickling as she squirmed inside of his shirt. Do it do it please do, yes, do approve~

“Shush, you.” R’ahre tapped her on the head reprovingly, and then glanced at Nautic, waving one hand to signal his departure before he swung his legs over the counter and dropped to the ground on the outside of the stall, stretching his arms upwards and then tugging his costume straight again. “I’ll do it. On terms.” One eyebrow rose (though it would likely be invisible due to the mask) and he caught her around the waist, pulling her away from the stall and away from people in general. It would not do to be overheard plotting something like this. That his touch could have been offensive was not noted; R’ahre was Holdborn, but his last four Turns had been spent at a Weyr and the Weyr morals had rubbed off on him. He dropped his hand nonetheless after he’d decided they were an appropriate distance from everyone else and that they could not hear, and then clicked his tongue audibly before he spoke.

“I want to know what you’re putting it in, who you’re drugging, and whether or not I’m going to have to take Ahth away so he doesn’t get traumatized.” His voice was low, barely audible. R’ahre had never been the type to plot at Benden Weyr; he’d always tended to simply fade into the background so he wouldn’t have to deal with petty rumors and spates, because at Benden, something of that sort could be deadly. Dosing someone with loveweed at Benden – if they traced it back, you could almost bet that you’d end up severely hurt or dead, and he hadn’t wanted that; Benden left enough scars without him trying to add to it himself. One hand brushed against his forearm thoughtlessly, and he frowned slightly. “And – where’d you get this idea? I mean, really. You’ll traumatize some poor stupid Holder and then the Weyrwoman will have to beg and plead and – it’d be funny, but still.” He hadn’t imagined that Anusha would be the kind of girl to do something like that. Ironically, the idea of making trouble for Kaegan only encouraged him; he’d never personally met the Senior Weyrwoman and didn’t want to: He had no respect for her and didn’t like her.

Amusingly enough, the grounds for his dislike was the fact that she’d run away, which – he kind of had, too, but his escape had been more from Fort than anything else; R’ahre had been physically sick at the idea of being under Fort rule and had therefore left. But at least nobody would miss him; she’d sent the entire war into a new uproar, hadn’t she? R’ahre tilted his head curiously to one side, and then glanced at Ahth, who was still motionless, his eyes glittering intently. Loveweed. What’s loveweed? the blue questioned simply, without any other covering. It makes you love everyone you see, basically. It’s…I don’t want you to see what it does to people. It’s disgusting. R’ahre trusted Ahth to be mature enough to handle it, but he didn’t want to risk anything; Ahth was incredibly intelligent, as far as he was concerned, and could handle it, but…there was that chance, and he wouldn’t gamble with it. I will leave the Gather then, the blue replied. I’ll find Baoth and make sure she’s okay, too. You don’t mind if I tell her? He rose to his feet, a surprisingly graceful motion, and then crooned, low in his throat, as R’ahre nodded at him; Baoth was about as devious as Ahth: She wouldn’t tell. The blue flicked his tail, eyed Anusha for a moment, and then turned, sliding noiselessly away from the Gather.

“Those are the terms. Agree? And yes, I do have the marks.” He slipped his hand into his pocket, pulled out a handful of them, and quirked one eyebrow at her. “So?”

[Sheari]

Success!...almost. There were terms she had to agree to.

Anusha hadn't exactly planned on a specific person to drug. After all, it was hard to single out someone and concentrate on just drugging them when the effect would be a little weaker than it would have been should it have been concentrated. "I'm putting it in a batch of soup, the effect shouldn't be too strong but it will be strong enough to at least be funny." She had a feeling it wouldn't reassure the weyrling, but it was chance. "Ahth should be fine if he stays around you," since she knew the man wouldn't subject himself to such humiliation knowingly.

"As for any specific target," she continued, "I don't have anyone in mind, but if Emoyan comes to my stall I will strongly suggest the soup." There was no real malice behind her voice or words, she simply enjoyed playing tricks on the man. He'd harped at them during candidate lessons and he'd made her do an overkill punishment chore. Vengeance was a dish best served cold, though the irony wasn't lost to Anusha; soup was warm.

"Akos is with Minth, I'll tell him you say 'hi'" she told Sylph, pleased that the Salamandyr found her plan as amusing as well.

[Avu]

Soup. Oh, of course. His nose wrinkled slightly, and R’ahre turned to appraise Anusha for a moment. His eyes were wide behind his mask, though fortunately the navy-blue-and-white creation hid that most adeptly; loveweed wasn’t something one usually joked about but…well, one dose spread among so many people couldn’t possibly do much harm unless one was already desperate to begin with. One hand rose, brushing across his hairline (an automatic gesture; it annoyed him that the mask interfered with his sight and every once in awhile, R’ahre always tried to move it out of the way without thinking) before he nodded. Agreeing. He’d do it, he would…but – “Don’t let any of the Weyrlings take any. Not just our class, but the other class.” His eyes flicked up at Anusha, and then to Sylph, who, delighted and content at the idea of wreaking havoc, had settled in his palm. “As for Ahth…he’s gone with Baoth. K’lir, I suppose, if she’s with him. He’ll be okay there, and if anything happens, he’ll leave.” Ahth…was surprisingly mature and handled things remarkably well, as far as R’ahre was concerned; his intelligence was something that the blueweyrling had marveled at before: Were hatchlings supposed to be so intelligent? But Ahth was; he’d know to leave if something was wrong; he trusted R’ahre – his curiosity wouldn’t harm him.

Emoyan. Oh, poor Emoyan. R’ahre’s lips twitched in a smile at that idea, and he bowed his head to hide his amusement at the thought. Ahth caught the thought and the blue’s approval was immediate. He didn’t know exactly what it would do, but apparently it was humiliating and that was perfect. MineR’ahre, the blue purred into his mind, addressing Sylph as well. You must thank Minth’s for taking care of that annoyance for you. I do think you should suggest the food stall to him, no? After all, you must repay him for the time you spent as a Candidate with him ruling over you…it will be very amusing, I am sure. Perhaps you should also bring Chaoth’s? She was a Candidate with you as well, yes? Just to watch, of course; I have no problems with Chaoth’s. Whether or not Chaoth’s would be amused, Ahth did not know, but she should get to see it. Ahth wasn’t unfair, especially considering Chaoth had oh-so-helpfully provided him with amusement that first night after their Hatching. Yes, he remembered.

“I’ll buy it,” he agreed after a pause, and then glanced around again before he returned his gaze to her. “Don’t you have a costume?” he added off-handedly, his voice a bit louder for the people who had been eyeing them curiously; “It is a masquerade, you know. I mean, not even a paper mask…?” Okay, a paper mask would be embarrassing; he’d rather have worn no mask than a paper mask of his own making. But then, R’ahre was not exactly artistic. Regardless, he caught her by the elbow (more out of courtesy than anything else; it was a common gesture he’d picked up at Nerat Hold) and started into the Gather before he admitted, “I have noooo idea where we’re going – what stall…?” Because, no, unlike normal people, R’ahre didn’t keep tabs on which stalls happened to be selling loveweed. Hmph. “I mean, I could probably wander around until I ran into it, but it’s probably safer to just ask you…Gather’ll be over by the time I get to the stall, I’d bet…”

Good Akospet, Sylph proclaimed, interrupting R’ahre as she skittered out of his hand to his shoulder, and then frilled widely at Anusha – not because she was upset, but because she was happy. Oh, oh, what trouble they’d cause~ Very good… She leaned in, confided in a private whisper to both Anusha and R’ahre, Make lots of trouble, we do? Lots and lots, show Skinkpet ‘n rest of pets and slaves, we do, yes yes? Her claws squirmed, tickling against R’ahre’s neck, and she uttered a loud coo. ‘prove. I ‘prove.

Would you like me to tell Chaoth that His may join you? Ahth inquired politely. The blue’s reasoning was less for Chaoth’s and more for himself; the more people watching, the more humiliating it would be for this Emoyan, no?
That’s okay. Not now, maybe later…

[Sheari]

[[so so late. so so sorry, been busy. >.> would you like to start a new thread or continue with this one?]]