All Good Things Must Come To An End (Tavis)

[Sheari]

It had been truly delicious. The greenrider couldn't recall the last time she'd been able to find such a delicacy available, the younger candidates that tended to eat at all times of the day often were the first ones to rush to the dessert table, hoarding away anything sweet and sugary they could get their hands on. However, today had been her lucky day, she had nearly missed the chance entirely if her Akos hadn't decided to slither up the inside of her shirt, effectively smearing icing on her from some long gone stolen morsel. She had looked up from her soup with alarm, both at her now iced side, at some inner extra sense tingling that told her "THERE IS ONLY ONE PIECE LEFT! TAKE IT BEFORE IT IS TAKEN!" She had immediately stood up, strode over to the table, and grasped her prize before nonchalantly walking back to her seat as though she hadn't in fact just acted as though she were mad.

Cake was serious business.

Now, she couldn't help but smile at her minutes-ago memory. No too few strange glances had she received for her behaviour. She didn't care anyway. She had no one to impress, for the most important figure of her life had chosen her a few turns ago out on hot sands. A soft, indignant chirp from Akos reminded the woman of the other important creature in her life. "Yes, you matter too," she mumbled to her now mostly empty plate. She couldn't see the white Salamandyr, probably due to the white plate and equally stark icing. Was he even near the plate? Anusha went to scoop up the final scrap of delicious cake...until it moved. A coil of sugary confection uncurled and slithered along the edge of the plat before scampering off onto the table. Wide wings opened before the woman pounced, a hand cupping around the top of the escaping form.

Akos flashed His an image of her freshly consumed slice, the white blinding in her mind's eye. He secondly flashed the image to the nearest 'mandyr in the vicinity of where he could recall seeing one. She had been green. Akos writhed and squirmed under the gentle hand of his. Help! Help! He's in distress!! He felt careful fingers grasp him and he wriggled trying to slip away. He was successful only in that he was caught by another hand, the twin to one he had just escaped. No! Minth? Could the Big Green Flier help him?

He has mentioned he wants to be released...[/i] the dragon idly informed Hers. He needs to be cleaned, she responded. Minth calmly requested that Akos send him an image of the surrounding area; after all, she had a hard enough time speaking to others than Anusha...it would be much, much harder. Akos shot the green a sharp image of the one he wanted help from. On her 'ledge, Minth shifted. This would be very hard, and she didn't like it...at all. Focusing, she projected her mind, reaching with a tendril. The one she brushed was a candidate, a bit vacant in mind as far as mindmates went. She stepped up to the challenge of not having another dragon to speak through. Child, Mine needs assistance. White Salamandyr.[/i] And she withdrew.

Minth sighed from the focus. She added a quiet "Never again" to the mind of the 'mandyr. The cake thief was now on his own.

[Ivy]

Tavis was in the dining hall - besides the barracks and stables this was the only other place in the Weyr he frequented. He rather disliked being surrounded by so many riders and any time he could avoid it he did. Unfortunately for him it seemed he was unable to make it into the dining hall during a time when no one else was around. So he sat by himself with some dinner, no dessert for him since most of it was gone. He'd thought about the last slice of cake but then someone had made a mad dash for it - as if there would never be cake again.

The. Cake. Is. A. Lie.

This was the closest Apima had come to making any sense since Tavis accidentally Impressed the molted green 'mandyr and he arched an eyebrow in surprise. He'd learned it was better not to question her, or really talk to her at all. The more he did the more she rambled on about various things - in her mostly monotone mind-voice. It was a bit disconcerting.

So Tavis continued to eat in silence while his little Green 'mandyr hung from his ear and pet his cheek. He'd learned to mostly ignore her at this point, which she wasn't too thrilled about but as long as she was able to touch him she didn't mind it all that much. A bit of commotion caught the Green's attention before Tavis noticed it, and she rambled some more nonsense about the lies of cake - really, what did she mean?

Glancing over he noticed the woman who'd made the dash for the last slice of cake was fighting with the slice on her plate. Oh but then it moved.

The. Cake. Is. A. Lie.

"Yes Apima, I heard you the first and second times." Tavis muttered to the Green who crooned as she was finally acknowledged by Hers.

Interested, Tavis watched as the 'cake' moved again. Then it sprouted wings? Oh! A White 'mandyr. As he noticed the other 'mandyr, Apima immediately flared her frill out and snorted. She didn't like sharing Hers' attention with others, especially other 'mandyrs. Hushing the Green Tavis watched for a moment longer before turning to his plate. That is, until someone touched his mind - someone other than Apima.

Child, Mine needs assistance. White Salamandyr.

Who... who was that? He looked around. He knew White 'mandyrs couldn't talk - he'd overheard someone explaining about that unique characteristic in the halls shortly after the last 'mandyr hatching. He'd never been spoken to by a dragon before, in fact the only one he'd ever shared any amount of mind-space with was Apima (unfortunate for him). Another quick look around and his eyes were once again on the woman with the White 'mandyr in her grasp. Apima flared her frill again and pet at Tavis' cheek so hard she almost drew blood. Plucking the Green from his ear he held her at eye level and glared at her. "As if I'd ever want another one of you, Apima. Knock it off or I'll lock you in a box."

His threat was very real. She'd already been 'punished' this way once, being away from Hers was the worst punishment of all to the Green. He could leave her on a tropical island filled with delicious food, adoring Blues and Browns, and colorful flowers and the Green would still hate it if Hers was not there. So she scurried up his arm, shoulder, neck, back to his ear where she perched herself. She would behave, for now at least.

Finishing the food on his plate, Tavis stood and made his way over. He could tell by the woman's knots she was a rider - a Greenrider. Lovely. Clearing his throat to catch her attention he nodded to her hands and the no doubt squirming 'mandyr inside. "Ah... Excuse me... I was told the little one needed some help... Could you perhaps, release it?"

No introductions. No small talk. Straight to the point. He'd heard about Greenriders and all their bed-hopping. Poor Tavis, if it weren't for his Brownrider father knocking up his mom and then leaving her with that dreadful husband of hers... he might have accepted his role as a Candidate and even been intrigued by the 'romances' that riders had. However he had, he didn't, and he wasn't. No, to him the riders were careless and heartless - they may protect Pern from Thread but there was no protection for decent people against the riders. As he mulled over this in the back of his mind - subconsciously of course - Apima picked up on his mild agitation and began to do her favorite thing when Hers was upset... count.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

Oh and the little Green wasn't quite at all about her counting. She made sure to broadcast each number to as many people in the dining hall as she could. Shards, she was drawing more attention to Hers than he'd like - which made him even more annoyed and caused her to count even faster.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

"Apima!" Tavis growled under his breath to the Green. She stopped her counting then and pet his cheek tenderly. Hers was so touchy sometimes.

Now that his 'mandyr had stopped counting out loud for everyone to hear, Tavis' full attention was back on the woman and her distressed White 'mandyr as he waited for her reply.

[Sheari]

Anusha's hands had become quite covered in the icing that Akos had found himself in. Between his squirming he was diligently cleaning his hide, licking the sweetness from his skin. It tasted so good! If only His would stop wiping it off of him so he could enjoy it more! But alas, as the Big Green Flier had informed him, he was now on his own and Akos could only hope that she had done something to aid him.

Slowly but surely, the greenrider was taking a soft napkin and getting as much of the icing off of Akos as she could. It was a bit difficult, cleaning white from white, for she had only the odd lumps to go by. Without doubt he would join her in her bath later, as he always did. He hadn't missed a one since she'd acquired him but that did not mean she wanted streaks on her shirt.

She looked up as she heard a person approach. His knots indicated candidacy, and if he'd wanted the piece of cake she'd eaten she felt no sorrow for him. There already seemed to be some prejudices in him, by the look in his eyes about dragonriders, but she dismissed them. Everyone had prejudices, admittedly, even she did. "He doesn't need help, he needs to be cleaned." She had Akos by his midsection, very gently so that he wasn't harmed, and in her other hand she had the aforementioned napkin. It was a difficult job because of how fragile the Salamandyr was, and as so, it was mostly done.

It was then, when she could avert her attention to the candidate fully, she noticed the green hanging from his ear. In her mind there was counting and the voice wasn't either her mute Akos', of her Minth's. And then the counting stopped. A slight twitch of the woman's brows indicated curiosity before her features relaxed.

"May I ask whom it was who told you he needed help?" Anusha inquired, nodding to the now clean-enough 'mandyr in her palm. He was still licking his hide where icing lingered, most notably on his wings where His had refrained from cleaning. She didn't trust herself to not tear the paper-membranes, unintentionally harming him and inhibiting his ability to fly.

No introduction. No small talk that she found awkward and hated anyway. She would admit that she did like knowing who she was talking to, but for now she would call him "Candidate". She would also ignore her other question; she'd last known that Candidates weren't allowed to bond with Salamandyrs...how had he acquired his green? True, she'd been one when she'd gotten Akos, but he was white and had come from a mixed clutch, the sort-of exception to the rule.

[Ivy]

"I am not entirely sure." Tavis said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. Apima was apparently interested in this White 'mandyr, as she slipped off his ear and crawled down his shoulder and then to his arm. Her frill flared slightly - since she now knew Hers wasn't going to try and get another 'mandyr she may as well see what this other one was all about. A tentative chirrup was given towards it.

Tavis stood there feeling rather awkward - why had he bothered listening to that mind-voice? "My apologies for interrupting you."

He turned to leave but Apima was now quite interested in the other 'mandyr - White. Snow. Light. Quiet. Sweet. She spoke not only to Tavis but to the woman and the White as well.

She was on his wrist sniffing towards Anusha and Akos. Great, the first time Apima had taken an interest in anything other than Tavis and it had to be this Greenrider and her mute mischievous 'mandyr. Wonderful. So turning back he nodded at his molted Green - "She seems to think yours is interesting. Her name is Apima, by the by. Tavis."

Introduction done. Short and sweet. Hopefully Apima would pick up on his growing irritation with her and let him walk away without throwing a fit soon - he had just wanted a meal for crying out loud.

[Sheari]

"Oh no, it's not a problem. Sit." she said, indicating a spot next to her, blatantly ignoring the fact that he seemed uncomfortable.

It was me, I did it! Akos wouldn't stop bothering me for help, sent me a picture. I did /not/ like it.[/i] Minth's voice seemed miffed and as though her speaking to Tavis has taken a great effort; no doubt it had. Bespeaking the mind of another often required a connection via rider; a close friend or family member. Minth was often more content relaying her words through other dragons, for rarely did Anusha a interact with non-riders. Silently the woman got the impression that Minth would probably never do it again, unless dire need required it. In a way, the annoyed Tavis was lucky.

"Anusha, Akos, and Minth was the one whom I believe spoke to you." She would leave him to sort out the names. "As far as Apima finding him interesting, well, he's a bit of a magnet. I can't recall any of the other creatures ever finding fault with him." It was true, none of the other Salamandyrs had ever been at odds with Akos, and fire lizards felt he was like them, for he communicated as they did. One of these days, Anusha mused, she would try and acquire a friend for him other than Minth who was uncountably larger than him. Perhaps a fire lizard would be nice, something that, like Akos, was quiet.

At the attentions of Apima, Akos crawled over to her, tentatively. He'd only...never seen snow. He flashed a brilliant picture of himself at the mention of the words white and light. Yes, he knew what those were. His called him sweet and the Big Green Flier called him quiet. He knew those, too, they were him. He touched her mind again with an image of Minth, the colours mostly correct. Finally, Akos gave Apima a reflection of herself, she was bright in the picture, similar to a glow. She was nice, yes. A bit weird from the others he'd met, but nice. They could be friends yes? The white flared his wings and flapped gently to rise himself up onto his hind legs until he could use his long tail for balance as he "stood" to see her better.

[Ivy]

Friends? Apima's frill flared out wide before laying back once more. The quiet one perplexed her, but as long as it wasn't after Hers then perhaps they could be friends. Her tail swayed back and forth behind her, much like a feline's does. She eyed the White before crooning to him quietly.

White. Soft. Unique. New. Friend.

Tavis sighed inwardly - if he tried to leave Apima was likely to throw a fit. Besides if she did make friends with another 'mandyr, maybe she would be less reliant on constant contact with him. That was definitely worth putting up with the rider's presence for a while for. So when she told him to sit, he did. It wasn't hard for him to sort out who was who. Minth was obviously her dragon. Akos, he guessed was the White that Apima was so interested in now. And that meant Anusha was her name.

Sitting there he just looked between Apima and Akos, trying to avoid looking at Anusha. She was older than he was, probably by more than a handful of turns. Sure she was relatively attractive, but nothing that really sent his blood running hot - however his cheeks were definitely a light pink at this point.

He sat in silence. This wasn't awkward at all. Hopefully Apima would hurry and make friends with the mute White so he could get out of here and retreat back to his room.

[Sheari]

Yes, they could be friends, but, why did she not come down? They could play better, run off and lurk, investigate, and explore. Yes, he loved His, but he loved his freedom too! He tried to convey to Apima the idea of coming down to the table. He made a step toward Tavis, sniffing his hand before turning his green-blue gaze to the green he was trying to meet. Hoping on his front paws, he wasn't sure quite what to do. This one, this one was odd.

Anusha smiled in a friendly manner when Tavis sat down. "You don't seem comfortable," she observed. It was true, he hadn't been anything but stoic the whole encounter and perhaps with gentle prodding she could find out why it was so. Might it be just the "New Candidate" nerves? Sometimes living in a weyr was a bit of a shock. It could make an outgoing person withdraw and a withdrawn person absolutely mute. She noticed his aversion to eye contact. Perhaps he was just a shy person? Was it because she was a dragonrider? Anusha waited for Tavis to respond, if he did, and if not she had a question ready.

Did you gather anything from him? she inquired to Minth. The green shifted far away on her weyrledge. Not much. I got enough out to avert his attention. It was a hard challenge to reach him at all.[/i] A slight nod was the muted answer, and Minth felt the mental command for it, understanding the unseen response. Anusha was used to moving a bit when responding, so the nod might be weird for Tavis if he noticed. Some day, she was sure, he would understand himself what it was like. There were no secrets between the pair. They both knew everything the other did.

[Ivy]

Apima eyed Akos. Leave Hers? Why would she do that? Silly little White – she didn’t leave Hers, ever, if she could help it. As if to prove this she pet over his arm as she crooned. Taking a step back she nodded to Akos – he could join her if he wanted to. She trusted he would not steal Hers away. After all, he couldn’t talk. Tavis wouldn’t like one that couldn’t talk, right?

Oh if only the Green knew how badly he would have loved to give Apima to the rider and take Akos for his own. A quiet ‘mandyr? How nice that might be! He rolled his eyes down at his little Green when she pet him then looked over at the rider again. “Glad you noticed.”

He wasn’t trying to be rude, even when he didn’t like a person he strived to be polite. He just felt rather… out of place at the moment and his nervousness along with the fact he was not a fan of riders in general was giving a biting tone to his words. Attempting to make up for his short comments thus far, so he didn’t come across as a complete jackarse, he nodded to her plate. “Was it good?”

[Sheari]

Permission! Akos might have crooned at Apima if he were more inclined to make noise. As it was, he saw no reason to chirp and make noises when he could convey what he desired with his thoughts. Things were understood better when you could put your mind and ideas into the heads of others. Just as well, he only ever made any sort of noise for His, and it was often quiet anyway. The white 'mandyr, with a grace only he could really have, crawled up to where the green sat. Even as she was young, he was easily half her size; this did not deter him and he sniffed her.

Hmm, he looked at her. Anusha glanced at her empty plate and the fork sitting on it. "Yes, it was." The dessert itself had been moist and sweet, though she could say that too much of the icing it had been covered with would make one sick. She sighed softly, oh how she hated small talk! "Is it Candidate nerves, or something else," she began, "that makes you uncomfortable?" Yes, your awkward demeanor and short conversation has been noticed. The green rider eyed him. "How do you feel about Standing?" she asked. No, she did not mean to interrogate him, she genuinely wanted to know.

How had she felt about Standing for Hepaticath's clutch? A mixture of excitement and apprehension. She was going to be a dragonrider! It meant a bond both many and few would understand...and selflessly fighting for the innocent, defending your home. For as long as everyone could remember, the dragonriders had been there. Always fighting thread, and for most if not the whole of her life, themselves as well. As it was, the gold that had laid Minth's egg was dead now, killed by those who now controlled the Weyr and her life as an archivist at Selenitas Hold now seemed like a different time all together. Perhaps her general enjoyment out of gaining knowledge caused her to want to know about people. Just as well, people seemed more comfortable talking about themselves, often the topic they knew the best.

[Ivy]

Apima sniffed back at the White as he crawled up to where she was, Soft. Sweet. White. Friend. Nice.It seemed she accepted him as a friend, though she wasn’t likely to run off exploring with him – after all Hers needed her. Or so she liked to think, since truth be told Tavis would love if she left him be for a while.

The rider wasn’t letting up, and now she was putting him even more on the spot. Wonderful. Candidate nerves? Hardly. Though it wasn’t like he could say, ‘no I just hate you and every other rider for existing’. So instead he just shrugged a bit, “Might be. Not used to Weyr life. Grew up in Lighttower.” There, even if it wasn’t a direct answer, it was an answer. And one she would probably understand if she’d ever been to Lighttower – or heard of it for that matter. Standing? Heh. “I am… Indifferent. I know I won’t Impress. I’m not meant to be a rider. Once I fail to Impress I’ll go back to what I was doing before I was brought here.” Forcibly. Though he didn’t add that part in.

Apima tilted her head at Akos and then scurried higher up on Tavis’ arm, wanting Akos to follow. The Candidate of course noticed the ‘mandyr’s crawling all over him but he didn’t try and shake them off or say anything. He had learned in the few weeks he’d had Apima that arguing with her, or trying to tell her what to do, was useless.

[Sheari]

"Lighttower," she murmured. Lighttower was in competition with Hyphen for "farthest from the Weyr" in both friendly and distance terms. It seemed unlikely, being from such a place, he was Searched, but, that didn't mean it was impossible. Could he have been heading somewhere from the Hold to another place when he'd been found? That seemed more likely. "Why don't you want to be a rider?" she asked. Honestly, she'd never heard of anyone with so much doubt in themselves being chosen to Stand. Dragons picked up on that sort of thing the way she understood it.

He has the talent to Impress.[/i] Minth commented idly. I would have told you to pick him up from where ever he is from.[/i] But we don't Search... We might have to start.[/i] Yes, because how else would the green get her kicks? Let's fly around a pluck grumpy people off the roads who have the mental capacity to Impress a dragon. Whatever it was that had made Tavis so stoic,m she was determined to find out. There was something bothering him, she could tell, she just didn't know what it was and was being as polite as possible. People often had bad responses to blunt questions like 'why do you hate it here'.

Akos eagerly followed Apima farther up the candidate's arm. To a degree that strange, five-word monotone the green seemed to have he'd dismissed. Everyone had their quirks after all. The biggest quirk he'd seemed to notice in mostly everyone was the flying and running and chasing. He'd never felt the need to partake and thus never saw any outcome for it, save for the occasional clutch. But...that was only from golds....why did green's do it if nothing came from it? One day he may understand, but that was not today and the thought passed form his mind.

[Ivy]

"Its... rather complicated..." Tavis began with a frown as she asked why he didn't want to be a rider. Really, what should it matter to her? They'd just met. He didn't see why it should be any of her concern.

Apima, however, disagreed with Hers. In her monotone (yet somehow sing-songy) mind-voice she told Anusha - and anyone else close by: Father. Love. Hate. Gone. Empty.

True, this information would be of little use to anyone who couldn't decode the Green 'mandy's cryptic way of speaking. But it was enough to make the tips of Tavis' ears turn bright red as he turned to try and glare at her. "Sharding little thing...", he muttered to Apima. Instead of shrinking away from the scolding she scurried further up his shoulder and then his neck. She pet Hers lightly then showed Akos the way she prefered to 'hang out' with Hers - from his ear. Wasn't that so clever of her? He should try it with His sometime - it was fun seeing everything up-side down after all.

Shaking his head, as if to clear the red haze that had gone over his vision for a moment, Tavis looked back to Anusha. "My father was a rider. Used my mother and left her pregnant. The man who raised me, her husband - who I thought was my father until a couple of turns ago - figured out I'm not his son. S'why we left Blossom and went to Lighttower when I was a kid. Really sucks to have your whole life turned up-side down and changed because of the selfish and thoughtless acts of someone else. Lighttower is a wretched place to be a kid. Especially when your 'father' hates you and you don't know why. All riders are like that as far as I can tell. Selfish. Thoughtless. Jump from bed to bed, who cares if they leave kids behind. None of their concern - right? I'm not like that. I wouldn't fit in with your lot."

There. He'd explained himself. Probably offended her as well. If he hadn't been so uncomfortable he might have apologized - or really even cared more that he may have offended her. As it was he was kind of hoping he had, and that she'd leave him be so he could retreat back to his room until he had to come out again to eat, do chores, or attend the dreaded lessons with Elisabeta. Ugh.

[Sheari]

History. Lesson. Anusha had honestly expected some simple explanation like "dragonriders are all just arrogant" which would be true for some. She hadn't, however, expected Tavis to just open up and spill out his life's story; such things were more often reserved for close friends. While she personally hadn't suffered so greatly, losing a brother to death, then living life copying archives, she knew that others did. However, the most painful knowledge was that the riders sacrificed so much and were under-appreciated for the things they did. Often because of the actions of the more foolish or careless riders. Anusha was now faced with that very reason and a victim of such carelessness.

"So," she began carefully, "you would judge many because of the poor decisions of a few?" It miffed her that he thought so lowly of so many good riders because of one man. Her face was serious and calm. She was not judging him, or angry, or scolding, simply somewhat curious. Would his opinion change with time? "Well, my lot, as you say, is not like how your father was. The children that I know of are either orphaned or well loved by both parents," she smiled kindly, amused by the lots. No, the greenrider was not overly familiar with the children that lived there. She knew that a child had come from some incident between Meira and R'wign, and that the latter had perished. "As for the bed-hopping, most of us have no control over that." Oh yes, she remembered well her first, and presently only subjugation to flightlust. She was glad Minth hadn't yet risen again.

Akos was genuinely amused by how Apima hung from Hers ear. It did look like a good idea! He scrambled up after the green, long tail sliding up Tavis' sleeve. He held his wings loosely upon his back, his own way of "frilling", as he had often didn't frill...at all. He inspected the way Apima hung from the ear, her head upside down. Yes, he saw how it was done! Tentatively, he approached the green. He got an image in his head, focusing carefully one how to get it right. Others were sometimes touchy when it came to Theirs. Once Akos was sure he'd gotten everything right, he sent the green a picture, asking the question; could he hang from the other ear? He didn't want Hers, because her human was Hers, he just wanted to try it, and maybe she could help him get it right if he got it wrong...

[Ivy]

Apima's head canted to one side for a moment and she looked thoughtful. The white one wanted to learn to hang from Hers' ear? She mulled over this for a minute then crawled down. Of course he could, as long as he didn't try and steal Hers. Hers was Hers.

Tavis just looked at the rider and shook his head, "You wouldn't understand. One of the reasons I can't wait to leave once I fail to Impress. Assuming Elisabeta doesn't lock me in a room until the next clutch or something. She doesn't seem like the type who takes 'no' for an answer..."

He fell silent then. Why had he even bothered trying to explain himself to this.. this... this Greenrider. She wouldn't get it. How could she? She had one of those creatures of sin connected to her brain. She couldn't think clearly, obviously. And she was used to her life of immoral behaviors. Hell, she probably had a few kids of her own she'd just dumped somewhere with someone else. Heaven forbid a rider take responsibility for their actions or their offspring.

[Sheari]

Akos scrambled to the top of Tavis' ear before curling his tail into the groove at the top behind it and hanging himself. He folded his broad wings as close to his back as he could and just lay there. She was right! The world did look funny upside down and this was a great deal of fun! He sent the green an image of what he saw, very amused himself at how things looked. People were suddenly sitting and walking on the ceiling, stray flitters flying upside down. He stopped watching their wings when it turned his mind in circles on how it worked. The white Salamandyr was not only a rarity of his kind in colour but his ability to fly as well.

Anusha gave the candidate a measured look. Was he really going to do this? Hate everyone just because his mother had had an affair? She wondered if he would think of lord holders if that's what his true father had been instead of a dragonrider. "Perhaps I don't understand, y'know, coming from a loving family and wanting nothing less for whatever children I may have someday," she said kindly. "As for failing to Impress, I wouldn't test your luck. When Minth hatched a man re-Impressed from the same clutch, and a pregnant woman who had just lost her wher Impressed to the gold." True, such incidences were rare, but she had seen it with her own eyes.

"As for Elisabeta, she's a wastelander, I don't know her and don't want to. As far as I'm concerned she can get lost between." The greenrider tried her best to hide the sharpness of her words, though they still leaked just enough venom. Tavis may not like her, Anusha thought, but that wouldn't keep her form trying to be his friend. She was determined to show him that there was good to all things "bad". "Look," she began, "even if you don't Impress, you are still not free from your fear or hatred. I've heard that 'mandyrs have a strong effect on their bonded that may have...undesirable effects." She was hesitant to explain to the candidate that 'you're still screwed by your standards'. "Akos is neuter, he'll never Run or Chase; Apima will Run, and when she does you will have one hell of a time trying to keep your wits."