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Post by dragon on Oct 24, 2010 18:57:50 GMT -5
It was only natural that a fellow used to working his whole life, devoted to one thing or another, to have all that ripped from him with no warning, he would find something else to do.
Really, he only had one thing left anymore. Kindrith was gone, had been for turns. And now the Wastelanders had stolen his students from him and stripped him of his job. On top of that, he'd lost Rascal the same day. The brown had died defending Skink, who'd been foolish enough to try and attack someone. Silly thing was only as big as a leaf, what she thought she could do, Emoyan had no idea. Other than possibly scare the wits out of someone who'd never seen a mandyr before - for a split second.
So, he had no choice but to pack up what little he owned (mostly instruments) and move again. This time to a place he'd never lived before even once in his life. Common Weyrfolk apartments. To be sure with his menagerie of instruments the space was a tad crowded. Harpering was all he had left now ... it was a good thing he had a strong love of music. For it seemed that this was going to be his existence ... for however long that might be.
Even Darya was gone ... so there wouldn't be any going and talking to her anymore. Sharing strange ideas or anything. He could only hope that she'd evacuated along with the rest who had gotten out, and hadn't been killed instead. All he knew was she was gone.
Today, he was outside on one of the wooden decks that spanned from the lower cavern entrances to overlook the river for a short area. Usually where some of the folk dropped buckets from to get clear water. Outside was nice, the weather was nice ... and it was roomy out here. Not to mention more or less out of the way.
Skink was stalking a leaf on the edge of the deck while Emoyan worked, a handful of hand tools sitting on the boards around him while he tugged on the expanse of leather and ran leather lacing through the small holes he'd situated in the edges. Once it was very loosely laced together half way around, he picked up a wooden item and started working it in between the two heavy leather sections. It might have been the middle of a barrel, but ... it was bigger around. And not tapered at all. Indeed, the sides were straight, the circle of wood firmly held together with some exact craftmanship.
Constructing the cylinder had taken him the better part of two weeks. But then he'd not been in any kind of hurry, and deliberately trying to make sure everything was just so. Quality things took time to create after all. The tube was between eighteen inches and two feet long, with a circumference of about three feet across the span of it. Give or take a few inches. But it was perfectly circular, and quite sturdy despite not having any obvious interior supports.
Once it was more or less between the leather sheets, Emoyan tugged on it to get it to settle a little better and then started stitching back and forth again, carefully turning the lacing so it was flat and square, without any twists in it from loop to loop.
He had no where to be, nothing to do. He had time.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 28, 2010 19:04:03 GMT -5
"But I don't really need..." X'rx began awkwardly, as another uprooted flower made it into his cupped palms, "...more flowers." Of course, Bubbles was already off again, with a fluting chirp of affection for His. He's just trying to cheer you up, Eveyth offered wearily. She had her own small collection of 'shinies'. "I know that," the greenrider commented aloud, shearing off the roots of the flower stalk with a knife and weaving it into what was turning into a garland of sorts. It was better than dropping it in a pile, though he'd yet to convince his young blue flit that the flowers were appreciated and enough.
The dragonrider wasn't upset, not really. Any more than Eveyth was. They just missed Minnie, who was such a sweet creature, and Bubbles was of the opinion that everyone should be happy all the time, especially His because His was perfect. So of course if there was even an ounce of sadness he had to fix it. Neither X'rx nor Eveyth were really in the mood for this right now, though, and it was evident in how determinedly the green was attempting to convince all things living - but Hers, apparently - that she was asleep. Bubbles seemed to be convinced, anyway; he'd stopped bringing things to her. Which just meant more for X'rx. The greenrider wondered if there was a hidden off-switch somewhere that he just didn't know about.
Now, Bubbles was not at all ignorant of the fact that his efforts were not doing a terrible amount of good. He'd just been certain that the last flower was the prettiest ever and it was bound to make His happy! (It was so much better than the other flowers, after all.) And yet, and yet. The thick blue winged above the water thundering through the canyon, determined to find that perfect magic something that would make everything better again. Now just what could it be? And that...is when he spotted her. A lovely little green-thing. Maybe a green-thing would make His forget about the missing green-thing! With a joyous little warble at his own cleverness, the flit swooped down and snatched at the Skink, grasping her in his claws and very nearly crashing into the water beyond the dock before he got his wings working for him.
He fluted to her pleasantly. She would like to make His happy, surely? She was such a pretty little greenling - prettier than the last one - and prettier had to mean nicer, didn't it? Yes, just be nice to His and he would bring her all the pretty shinies she wanted and they could all live happily ever after.
Needless to say, when Bubbles dropped a salamandyr into his lap as opposed to another flower, X'rx was not entirely - ecstatic. "Bubbles! Where did you-" He ran a hand through his hair, snatching at Skink with his other hand before she could panic and run off somewhere to get squished by a not-so-amused northern invader. (They didn't seem to care overly much for the talking nuisances.) "Take her back! What are you doing?" Bubbles cheeped questioningly. But, but...wasn't she pretty? He ruffled his wings as he settled on X'rx's knee, out here on their weyrledge. Just give her a chance. He was certain she'd be just as good as the other greenling.
The greenrider sighed. "But she isn't mine, Bubbles." Just...he had no clue whose she was.
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Post by dragon on Oct 29, 2010 19:27:37 GMT -5
Skink squeaked at getting snatched off of her perch and whisked away into mid air. It didn't take her long to get used to the notion however, as she'd spent more time than was fair riding her flitter steeds around the Weyr. Nevermind she was now bereft of flitter steeds, both of them gone somewhere silly where she couldn't find them anymore. (Apparently dead just didn't register with her when it came to her 'collected' flitters) Wiggling around and flopping she flailed her legs around, trying to grab the flitter that was carrying her. She was supposed to ride on top, after all! Not dangling underneath! Nimwit didn't know that apparently, and she couldn't seem to get free (shardit flitters being so big and strong). So for a moment she thought about this as the flitter winged onward, before deciding to make the most of it.
Much as she had done when riding Rascal or Voyager, she started 'singing'. At the top of her raucous voice. Never mind this sounded like a wailing, shrieking, whirling batch of mandyrs all being blendered in an epic display of lightening. Sticking her legs and wings out to all angles she soared on the flitter's strength, carrying her away. Weeeeee!!
She shut up abruptly at being dropped though. Fluttering her wings as fast as she could go to keep it from being a hard landing, she was not at all pleased at this new development. What had that nitbrained flitter been thinking?? Steeds didn't just randomly drop their riders!! Righting herself after a slightly awkward landing, she promptly proceeded to chew the flitter out vocally and mentally. Nitwit! Cracked shell! What think you? EH?! Bad! she scolded firmly before being grabbed by the very hands she'd landed in.
Distracted all over again, she squeaked and shut up, turning her head to eye the lad that was hanging onto her and thinking on whether it was appropriate to start biting the webbing between his thumb and fingers. The ensuing silence allowed her to hear the 'prettiest' comment from the flitter though, and it changed her tune somewhat. A soft burbling croon escaped her. Of course Skink pretty. Skink bestest. She agreed, flaring her frills in a conceited display. She could collect these, she was sure of it. Praise was always welcome!
Meanwhile, back on the deck from which Skink had been snatched, Emoyan had stopped working the leather around the wood to look up after the squeak that had been Skink. After a breath, his brows crawled together on his face. Unable to spot her but clearly able to hear her singing her way up the river, Emoyan couldn't figure just how she'd managed to rope a strange flitter into giving her a ride. But, it was pretty clear she wasn't in any danger. Not if she was singing like that, like she usually did when flying around on a flitter's back. The only concern was he didn't know where said flitter was going to go with his little terror of a menace. Straightening, he contemplated on how to go about finding his errant salamandyr, not knowing that the trip had not been Skink's idea initially.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 30, 2010 11:41:00 GMT -5
Could that thing be any louder? What is it doing? Eveyth questioned Hers, eyes slitted to watch the shrieking 'mandyr Bubbles had 'gifted' them. If I didn't know any better I'd say Bubbles was eating her. But... Nope, just a salamandyr being typically obnoxious, which was only made more clear when she proceeded to scold the blue for...well, either capturing her or dropping her or something. Whatever it was, it was apparently more important than her new location, because she was far too busy bouncing up and down and making displeased wailings to pay any attention to X'rx. (No doubt this was why his grabbing of the noisome thing was so successful.)
The blue, who had been just about ready to crawl up X'rx's shirt to escape the wrath of the salamandyr in complete dejection, poked his head out from beneath the wing he'd thrown up before it and crooned hesitatingly in response. Was he forgiven now? And, in the space of those few seconds, he was quite suddenly all better again. He fluted pleasantly to Skink in agreement. Oh yes, she was certainly the prettiest green-thing he'd ever laid eyes on. That was why he'd brought her to help cheer up the sad sad His. Bubbles would never bring anything less than the best for His. Was the male buttering up the 'mandyr's ego a little? It was possible, but more likely that he just was...well, being himself. If he liked something he tended to like them completely and ignore any and all so-called 'flaws.'
X'rx glanced at Eveyth, the look very much resembling that which passed between parents when they were tired but trying to be patient. Apparently his firelizard was all too eagerly buddying up to the salamandyr, unless the green thing just liked talking to herself. He loosened his grip on her just a little, making it possible for the salamandyr to leave his hand if she wanted to; Skink as she called herself didn't seem to be about to run off anytime soon. Too busy being flattered by his loon of a flit. "Skink. Um..." Yeah, he wasn't that fond of salamandyrs, and it felt weird talking to them like...well, people. "Nice to have you come visit and all, but Yours is probably looking for you. What was their name again?"
Skink. Skink. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? I think I could remember her if I tried. You can't remember the last time you ate. Well, no, but it must have been soon because I'm not at all hungry right now, Eveyth responded reasonably. Anyway, the point was that if I find her name familiar, shouldn't you be able to remember whose she is? X'rx wrinkled his nose. I block out salamandyrs.
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Post by dragon on Oct 30, 2010 21:58:26 GMT -5
Skink crooned agreeably to the silly little blue flitter at the further flattery she received from him, and then at X'rx too. Silly human. At least he'd finally let her go again, and she didn't feel like she was in danger of getting her guts squeezed out of her eyes. Curling her long tail up around herself, she sat down where she was and contemplated X'rx's face for awhile, tilting her head this way and that.
Really, he didn't look that sad. He looked more perplexed to her than sad. Sad was an expression Skink was used to seeing, since it was one that hers often wore when he was alone. That and some silly people reacted that way instead of getting flamboyantly and spectacularly angry when her pranks fired off. Sad really was not something she liked. In either case. Sad was boring. No be sad. Sad be bad. Sad be very boring. Better things do than sad. she told X'rx, since the silly blue obviously couldn't do it for himself. That and Skink just hated that emotion. Sad. Pft. Overrated, that emotion.
Hopping to her short legs again, she fluttered her wings and looked around. Who was hers? What kind of silly question was that? Everyone knew who hers was! Everyone! You sad AND stupid? Mine no forgettable. Mine make dummies not so stupid no more. Obviously failed when mine try fix you. You still stupid! Stupid and sad! Mine name ... mine name ... Spoilsport. okay, so ... she really couldn't tell X'rx hers' name ... because she never used it. Well, maybe she could try ... Mine be ... 'yanmine. All mine. she finished smugly, before scampering off of X'rx and fluttering her wings as fast as she could go to soften the splat she made on the ground. Leaping to her feet again, she scampered in a fast circle around the greenrider before pausing to look around.
Hmmm ... where was she, anyway? Where this be? Mine is river, this not river. She stated, rather obviously. But then, a body couldn't really see a whole lot when they were only and inch or two high. A whole lot could be obscured by a single upturned leaf...
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Nov 1, 2010 8:21:21 GMT -5
X'rx squinted down at the little creature regarding him so curiously, reaching up to absently stroke his fingers down Bubbles' back when the large blue finally alighted on his shoulder. The flit was crooning enthusiastically. Yes, yes, such a nice green-thing, she would fix His soon, he had no doubt. The young man wrinkled his nose at the salamandyr's words. "I'm not sad," he stated quietly, returning to the wreath of flowers he was so carefully weaving. "Bubbles just thinks I should be happy all the time." Black and white sort of outlook his firelizard had.
Now of course the little obnoxious creature was going to start scolding him for not knowing who Hers was. He simply ignored her; there was little point in arguing with one of these silly beasts, after all. In fact, they seemed to exist to contradict you whether they believed what they were saying or not. Between that and finding insult in everything, it was a wonder any creature - draconid or human - could get along with them at all. X'rx was tempted to comment on this name that Skink had for Hers but, fortunately, he didn't suffer from insanity.
'YanMine? See, I told you she was familiar. Right. The Candidatemaster's - former Candidatemaster's - cookie-loving salamandyr. He remembered how she'd attempted to eat a whole cookie by herself, turns ago now. What was surprising was that Skink seemed to remember him. That, or she just assumed all dragonriders had been taught by Hers. That seemed far more likely. The greenrider figured that if he continued to ignore Skink she would get bored and skitter off to find Hers or something similar. X'rx had little doubt that the salamandyr would be fine so long as she wasn't running around panicked.
He glanced at the 'mandyr again, ignoring Bubbles' whine at losing the pretty green-thing so soon. "You're at my weyr. Ground floor. If you just run forward you should find him," X'rx stated quietly. Eveyth brushed against his mind. You're upsetting the little cousin. You know we can't keep her, Eve.
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Post by dragon on Nov 1, 2010 17:37:41 GMT -5
Skink inhaled all the way, then exhaled all that air all at once in the biggest huff she could manage. Nevermind the gesture was almost pointless, considering that it wasn't much air at all. She couldn't even rock a perched leaf with that huff. Someone would have to be watching her to see the little ribs move out and in again to know she'd done it. But it made her feel better for it, so maybe it was worth it after all. Stupid. She remarked. So stupid he wasn't even talking anymore. Must have exhausted his vocabulary use allotment for the day or something. Skink was quite glad that she was above such rules. She could talk all she wanted! Hehehe.
Forward. That ... wasn't very good instructions. She could turn all kinds if interesting ways and still be going forward. There was only one solution to this problem. Skink turned about and scampered across the ground, and right up X'rx's leg, all the way up to his shoulder where she wiggled in underneath where Bubbles was standing. Perched there, she clutched at the fabric of his shirt and stuffed her nose in the direction of his face with her most intimidating face on. Take me there. She demanded. Clearly, it never occurred to her that something only a few inches long couldn't possibly truly intimidate a human into motion. Not unless they were ... a stinging insect ... or something.
Tilting her head back, she poked about on the flitter's chest, and crooned. Make yours take me. My no get lost, stomped neither. My travel in style. she bid. Then we find eggs! She cackled, sounding really ridiculous indeed for the tiny sound effect. Oh, yes. Eggs. Find an egg, find an appropriate fire to roll it into, annnnnnd WHOOOOM! Her favorite trick, making eggs explode.
Squatting down low, she wrapped her tail around Bubbles' back leg for double security in not falling off of her strange new mount. Mush! Mush! She encouraged, considering if whether or not she should find a grass stem to lash him with.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Nov 3, 2010 3:49:56 GMT -5
The greenrider couldn't quite suppress a sigh when the salamandyr apparently decided that he was a much better perch than the ground. Why must he deal with this salamandyr on top of everything else? Don't answer that, he told Eveyth preemptively, earning himself a wave of amusement in response. As Bubbles stirred to give his new acquisition a little more space, X'rx glanced sidelong at the tiny creature. Did she just command me to be her transportation service? I believe she did, Eveyth responded, amused. So, tell me, X'rxMine. How does it feel? He wrinkled his nose at the dry edge to her tone. I don't command you. No, you just assume I'll obey, Eveyth agreed laughingly. He clearly wasn't going to receive any support from her.
Or from Bubbles. The flit was taken with his new companion, shifting just enough to make it more comfortable for her when she half-squirmed beneath him to talk to His face-to-face. How polite of her! Most creatures wouldn't bother to be so personable, especially when it involved climbing so high. The male returned her croon with definite enthusiasm, sending a wave of approval to His as well. See, see, she was just perfect, wasn't she? (Any grumpiness coming from the greenrider was attributed to Minnie. Of course Bubbles' perfect mindmate could not actually be upset with the lovely green-thing. They would fix this soon enough.)
He ended up fluting apologetically to her, though, at her urgings. Bubbles really couldn't make His do anything, you see. The male did push a little against the human's mind, though, eagerly suggesting the man comply. They wouldn't want her lost or squished, surely. His was too nice to want anything to happen to her. Of course, his attempt to persuade His was quickly cut off at mention of eggs. It seemed like something interesting was going on here. He tilted his head curiously at her, trilling. What were they going to do with the eggs?
"Fine," he murmured. Couldn't hurt to stretch his legs. He would have liked to lose the 'mandyr sooner, but taking her there himself would lose her almost as quick. The greenrider rose and stepped down into the gorge, still working on the wreath and not really paying that close attention to where he was going. Bubbles was more than happily supplying enough images for him to know when to step around a rock and which direction to go in. He glanced up at the tall figure of the older man. (They were all so very tall, weren't they?) "Uh, I think I have something that belongs to you, Ca- Emoyan." He winced internally at the slip, letting a soft smile come to his lips.
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Post by dragon on Nov 12, 2010 23:33:50 GMT -5
Skink bounced up and down on her little legs once, and trilled happily. How nice! The fellow was actually going to take her back! She crooned pleasantly to Bubbles. He was being a nice flitter. Very nice. Polite and everything. Of course, she was never going to be one to turn down praise, and he kept implying she was perfect. That would certainly keep him in her good graces!! Eggs 'splode. Go bam. Yumyum, sticky hot. Make people screams, very funny. she answered him, privately. She didn't want X'rx to know, he might someday be a potential participant in the screaming part of the activity, after all. She didn't want to ruin the experience for him!
Emoyan saw them coming long before they arrived, and he couldn't help but be slightly amused. The lad had not one but two bossy pets (or pests?) on one shoulder, and he was walking along like he was vaguely drunk while playing with a flower wreath in his hands. Making it, maybe. Emoyan couldn't really tell, and truthfully really didn't care. What he did care about, was that Skink was clearly in no danger. He could see her, and he was pretty certain that X'rx was not going to hurt her. He was a nice kid, most of the time.
He smiled slightly when X'rx addressed him. "So I see. She didn't put you out of your way too much, I hope." Emoyan answered, settling back into a crouch again and plying his fingers back to straightening the laces in the hides, carefully threading the end through another hole.
Skink took a flying leap again, beating her tiny wings for all she was worth. When she had something to run-jump from she could almost mimic flight for a very short period. But dead jumping usually ended up in her going splat. Fortunately, her aim was good. Wings could steer a fall, if nothing else. So instead of going splat on the decking, she splatted onto the back of Emoyan's shoulder, talons latching a hold as soon as she hit. The last thing she wants was to roll off into the river below, after all. Emoyan twitched the shoulder at the sensation of her talons going through his shirt and into his skin, and swatted at her with one hand as if she were a fly. Skink hissed and scurried down his arm to inspect the laces.
"No you don't." He let go of the laces and flicked the hand as if she were some gooey, distasteful thing. "I don't need you biting my laces in half." Skink squeaked, but didn't come off. Resigned, Emoyan sat on his ankles and started trying to extract his hand from her talons. "I suspect, that the only reason salamandyrs bond the way they do, is to ensure that their owners don't kill them in the middle of the night." he told X'rx, thoughtfully.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Nov 19, 2010 0:30:27 GMT -5
Bubbles cocked his head to one side at Skink's explanation, wondering how screaming was so funny. Was it excited screaming? He liked that, yes. (Still not sure how it was funny, except that creatures making loud noises could sometimes be amusing if they weren't normally loud.) At any rate, it did indeed sound like it was worth trying, if only to see if it was as yummy as the green suggested. And no doubt it was. He couldn't imagine Skink ever lying to him. The flitter creeled softly as his new friend/acquisition apparently decided that she'd had enough of their company. X'rx couldn't resist a small grin, lifting a hand to stroke the silly flit. Or perhaps it was Emoyan's comments that brought out the grin.
"I couldn't begin to say, sir," the young man responded politely, though there was a definite glimmer of good humor behind his eyes to make the formality less...distancing. "I've only the two flying menaces, and this one here is already a bit too much for me to handle." He prodded Bubbles, who licked at his fingers while eyeing Skink adoringly. "I think a salamandyr would entirely overwhelm me." The blue flit in question trilled softly to Skink. Wouldn't she come back? He had so enjoyed her company and Hers didn't seem to want her there, that he didn't. Bubbles wanted her.
X'rx crouched near Emoyan, adjusting his wreath this way and that to make everything just so, then kind of set to staring at it, at something of a loss. Well, now what was he to do with it? Isn't it common practice for you human types to wear the woven flowers around your neck? Well, yes, but I don't really want to. Then why did you make it in the first place? the green questioned, puzzled. Well, to have something to do with all the flowers he was giving me, I suppose. I didn't really think about it. While Eveyth pondered on this new human mannerism - and equally queer as all the others - the young man cast another glance at Emoyan and the...thing...he was constructing. "That's a drum, isn't it?" Not that he hadn't seen a drum before. One being made, however?
"Music is pretty, but I'm afraid that the only thing worse than my sense of rhythm is my inability to hold a tune," the greenrider commented with a certain amount of wry amusement. He never had been particuarly good at such things, or dancing, either, though he managed it somewhat better than song. "You wouldn't happen to know any pretty young ladies who might want a wreath of flowers, would you? I'm not exactly sure what to do with this, and all my pretty young ladies from before seem to have...vanished. In one form or another." As well as the older ones. Pity. Not that Darya or Iskierka were likely to have wanted the flowers, but their expressions when he made to give it to them would have been well worth it.
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Post by dragon on Nov 19, 2010 16:41:38 GMT -5
Skink leapt away, and scampered back across the deck again, leaving Emoyan to sigh and straighten out the mess she'd made. One whole lace had almost been yanked out. "If you're smart, you won't get one." he said, wryly. Even though he really did love Skink, it didn't mean he had to like her. Actually, it was more her antics he didn't like. She really could practice being a nicer creature, after all. Right now she was all he had, so he wasn't going to bitch too much. "I can guarantee your life will never be the same again."
Skink scampered over X'rx's foot and up his leg, inside his pants. She managed to make it most of the way up before she ran out of wiggle room to keep climbing. Oof. Stuck. She told bubbles, trying to wiggle higher. She was almost there, she knew it. All she had to do was squeeze through this last bit.... ~
What she didn't know was she was only near his knee, as his crouched position effectively cut off travel any higher up his leg. Turning sideways she ooched around his calf, trying to find a place where the cloth wasn't so constricted.
"Indeed it is." Emoyan answered, tugging the last lace through its punched hole. Tying it off, he started tightening the laces. "I'm almost done with it too." Slowly, slowly, the hides started pulling tighter over the drum, sometimes creaking in protest as Emoyan's fingers went from lace to lace, pulling all the slack out of them as he went.
"The thing is, everyone has a knack for rhythm. They just don't know it, or can't find it. Anyone can beat a drum." Emoyan answered. "It just takes practice to make it sound good. You know how I know that?" He didn't really wait for an answer, but he did glance over at X'rx before returning his gaze to what he was doing. "Rhythm is no different from your heart beat. Getting the tempo right for music is just like breathing. If you listen within yourself, you can hear it. Now, I'm not meaning literally mind you. You start listening to yourself and all you're liable to hear is your guts moving." He chuckled lightly, before pulling his knot out and retying it to take up all the slack he'd pulled out. Tilting the drum over he flicked the hide with a finger, listening to the resulting sound. Grunting, he started pulling more slack out of the laces, though this time around there was far less lace slack to be pulled, and it certainly took more strength to get it done.
"Pretty young ladies?" Emoyan laughed. "Kid, I'm an old fart. Why would I know any pretty young ladies?" But he did think about it for a moment. "You could always give it to your sister." He looked over at the lad briefly again. "I know I've seen her traipsing around with flowers before." She was ... special. To say the least. Emoyan could not say he'd ever met a more fluttery girl in his life. But it was not a bad thing. A shot of happy was what the Weyr needed. But he did understand what X'rx meant by everyone vanishing. He, too, had lost quite a few friends recently. Either to death or to mere vanishing acts. But he didn't touch on that.
Yanking the last of the slack out through the last lace and retying the knot once again, Emoyan tapped the drum in the middle again. This time it produced a muted, but quite true thrumm. "Ah hah." He grinned at X'rx. "Drums have many uses. They can make music, but they are also a means of communication, as I am sure you know quite well." After all, who couldn't miss the resounding booms that traveled the canyon from the drumtowers on a nearly daily basis?
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Nov 21, 2010 18:36:58 GMT -5
X'rx smiled slightly, nodding at Emoyan's advice. Of course not. Salamandyrs had little use and just caused a ton of trouble. He was a good deal more practical than most would have given him credit for, and he saw no need to Impress something so easily overlooked and killed - with such a strong bond - when it had practically no practical use whatsoever. Eveyth was more than enough for him. Oh, she wouldn't state her jealousy, but he was certain that the idea of something else bonded to him nearly as strongly as she was would not be pleasing to her. She did not mind flitters. Liked them, even. So if he ever felt a need for a pet, it was pretty obvious which way he should turn.
Any further thought on the topic, however, was interrupted by Skink's strange idea of trying to climb up his leg from inside his pants. Apparently she was stuck, though. That, or just trying to tickle him, which she was doing a pretty good job of if that was indeed the intent. Bubbles of course left his shoulder, alighting on his knee and tugging at his pants to help her - while achieving exactly the opposite effect. X'rx almost physically brought palm to face. Silly creatures. He settled back into a seated position and stretched out his leg so the little silly could go about this the hard way. Good thing he didn't wear a belt. Even sitting his waistband should be loose enough for her to wriggle through. Bubbles was still 'helpfully' tugging at his pant leg, and he snared the flit, bringing him to his chest much like a cat and stroking him until the male stopped fussing and submitted with a pleased croon.
Listen to yourself? That sounded pretty...well, out there really. X'rx was too polite to say as much, though. "I suppose I've never really found the time to listen to my inner rhythm...or whatever it is you mean. There's always something more pressing that needs doing. Usually, anyway." The idea of beating on a drum out of boredom was not one he'd ever entertained, and he couldn't see himself doing it otherwise. X'rx spent his free time in the creche, in the infirmary, and baking when he wasn't taking care of his mindmates or doing drills. He painted a little, too, but only things like bowls and teapots. Gifts for people. The greenrider didn't have anything he really did for himself unless you counted his frequent stream of bed partners.
X'rx regarded the garland of flowers contemplatively. "Xi, hm? She likes a certain type of flower. Well, two, actually. These really aren't them. Still, she's as good a choice as any." He continued stroking Bubbles, his head canted slightly to one side. "You're not really that old, are you? Late-twenties to mid-thirties, certainly no older. I'm twenty and I slept with Darya on multiple occasions, so it's not as impossible as you make it out to be, your knowing pretty young ladies." His smile was gentle, if blatantly amused. Yes, X'rx knew he was a bit - abnormal - for someone his age. He didn't mind people a good deal older than him. In some ways it was nice. Kids his own age he had to guide, and he preferred just enjoying the experience rather than teaching someone.
"I'm afraid what I know if drums is just general knowledge. I leave music to the harpers."
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Post by dragon on Nov 22, 2010 0:46:00 GMT -5
Once the constricted spaces loosened up a bit, Skink started scurrying around again. Though, with the sudden change in the direction of gravity (or rather the direction of what she was climbing) she had no idea which way she should go. What she was climbing on was now horizontal, after all, and would do her no good whatsoever for going up ... which was where she wanted to be. Chirring, she scampered one way, before turning about and scampering the other way. Frustrated she stopped a moment and grabbed a leg-hair and yanked on it with all of her strength. It didn't come out, much to her chagrin, so she left it be and scampered onward again. Crazy not what but. Not good. Bad. Twerp. Upsy turned over tunnel. Crazy sane. she muttered, though audible to all in the immediate vicinity. Finding a foot and the end of the pant-tunnel, she peeped out at the world before looking back up the length of X'rx's leg at Bubbles. What got?
"Oh I understand. It's rather a calling." Emoyan agreed, fastening a strap to two different points on the drum, one on one edge, the other on the other face, but also about a third of the way around. Reaching over to a collection of sticks, he picked up a few. Sorting them in his hands, he stuffed two of them into the laces of the drum before twirling one more in his left hand, one more just held in the right. "Doesn't stop it from being fun as well as useful though."
"No, I'm not really very old, all things considered." Emoyan answered. Even though he'd outlived his dragon, and all of his pets but Skink. "But I'm not young either." He offered a lopsided grin before picking up the drum by the strap, and flipping the strap over his head. It was long enough that the drum rested on the fronts of his thighs, just high enough that he could just reach the middle of the drum with the sticks in his hands if he wanted to. One stick was just that ... a straight stick. The other had a knob on the end of it. The two stuck in the laces were the same as the pair he was holding, one straight, one knobbed. Presumably for in case he decided to switch up his combination from both to just one or the other type, on a moment's notice. "Thirty something is close enough for me." He nodded. "Not too old to still be in the game, but too old to be chasing the young lasses around." Emoyan tapped the drum a few times lightly, as if thinking, but paused directly after. It was all the outward reaction that the mention of Darya received, however. That was someone he rather missed, and he hoped she was alright. More pointedly, he hoped she wasn't dead. "Considering that some of my students were in that bracket? I would much rather leave well enough alone." He said, finally. No, he'd never been a particularly promiscuous fellow. Not even when he'd been Riding.
"How about we give this thing a test drive, eh?" Emoyan suggested, shrugging slightly to settle the strap into a better spot on his shoulder. For a breathe he was still, and then he began. First with a resounding boom with the knobbed stick, followed by a sharp, faster staccato with the straight stick. The beat he pounded out sounded quite musical, between the higher rattling beat and the varying but always booming heavier beat. Changing where on the drum's face he beat changed the sound he got, and he used that to full advantage, using the two different sticks to make it sound like it was two different drums as well. The muscles in his neck and forearms bunched and rippled as he worked the drum through its motions.
What he hadn't really expected was the echos he was producing off the canyon walls with the thing, but he could work with that, too. It took a bit of concentration and just a few mis-beats, but soon he had that planned in and working to benefit the drumming he was still doing. Finishing off with three heavy gut rattling beats, he dropped the sticks back to his sides and looked at X'rx again, brows lifted.
"Sounds pretty good for a virgin drum." He decided. He'd have to finish tuning it later, but that would take careful tension work on the tethers.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Nov 23, 2010 23:15:23 GMT -5
Bubbles fluted questioningly at Skink. He was much too happy coiled in the arms of His and enjoying the man's attention to figure out what it was the salamandyr was asking. His head cocked to one side. Why, he didn't have anything, lovely green. His had him, though, and it was so nice. She could come up and get cuddles too, he was sure. Not all cuddles could be only for Bubbles after all, right?
X'rx merely eyed the little green thing that had been clawing at him and pulling at the hair on his leg with something like resignation. Definitely had no plans for acquiring a pest of his own. Even at his worst, Bubbles was infinitely more useful. He glanced up at Emoyan and tried not to show just how very uninterested he was in the topic of drums. Granted, some music was nice to listen to, but the theory definitely didn't keep his attention and drumbeats were simply drumbeats. Even the display of varying pitch and the play with the echoes off the canyon walls earned no more than the acknowledgement that Emoyan was indeed good with drums. (Though he wasn't sure how much the people in the drum towers would like the interference with their own messages should they need to drum them.)
So rude, X'rxMine. I didn't ask for the theory lesson, you know. This caused the dragon to laugh. You should change the topic then, don't you think? I've been trying to. Humans little understand subtlety. You will have to be more assertive.
Talking of the flowers was out since Emoyan had no good ideas, he really didn't want to discuss salamandyrs lest he start a tirade against the aggravating little beasts, and the man didn't seem much inclined to... Well, Eveyth had said assertive, hadn't she? His eyes met the harper's, a small smile tugging at his lips as the sound of drumming faded. A hand snaked out, fingers wrapping around the nearest hand holding one of the sticks. "You mean to tell me you'd rather be banging a drum...?"
Bubbles took to wing in a sudden flurry of wingstrokes as the arm that had been holding him darted up and the younger man's fingers curled in the ex-candidatemaster's hair. He pressed his lips against the older man's with full intent of taking advantage of anything Emoyan's surprise might give him, pulling back only a short distance when he broke the kiss. "Seems to me there are far more interesting things to be about. Without the virgins."
Was it a true attempt at seduction? Not really. X'rx was not the assertive sort in that respect. Mostly he just wanted to see if this would make anything more...interesting. Drums really were such a bore.
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Post by dragon on Nov 23, 2010 23:45:24 GMT -5
Skink's squeak of protest at getting dumped out onto the ground as X'rx got up was Emoyan's first warning that the youth was moving. Even so he didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the specifics of the thing; he was pretty sure X'rx wasn't going to go around sneakily knifing people after all. However, getting smooched was also hardly the first thing he had expected to happen either.
Surprised, he was. Alarmed, he was not. Which meant any reaction he had was not spectacular or flamboyant in any way shape or form. Instead he just placed a finger on X'rx's chest and pushed the lad away from him with it. "I was a bluerider, once upon a time, not a greenrider." He pointed out. Which was quite true, even though he was using it as more of a metaphor on the other meaning of 'greenrider' than anything else. In other words: he was straight.
With ample personal space re-established, Emoyan shucked the drum strap, and set the instrument on the deck again, before giving X'rx another strange look. What ever had possessed the lad to do such a thing, he had no idea. Even though the idea that X'rx might be a greenrider in every sense of the word did not surprise him a bit, he was pretty sure he hadn't been acting even vaguely interested in fellows. As such, he was more than a little surprised that X'rx had even tried that. Unless he was just trying to yank his chain or something.
"You must really be bored." He decided, finally, tucking the sticks in his hands into the straps of the drum, next to the other two. "As for banging drums, there are very few ladies I know who could be more interesting to me than a drum, yes." There were some, though, that were terribly good at stealing his attention away from his first love, music.
Skink scampered up onto the railing again, and started hollering at Bubbles rather indignantly, somewhat put out that he was flying around without taking her along with. Her newest, latest steed wasn't going to get away that easily!!
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