oh dear faranth, children are [angels]demons;;OPEN

[InsaneWhitey28]

Well... she supposed it was only fair. Having been out of commision for a while with her arm completely shattered practically, she had gotten away with doing the smaller chores that candidates were assigned. And now that she was fully healed... well. It was only fair.

But that didn't make her hate this any less.

Rosanna was surrounded by little monsters a clammering for attention form the new comer. It was starting to wear on her nerves. She had managed to deal with Lupu and her little friends mostly because her younger sister was only about two Turns younger than her. These little brats were ten Turns younger. And that's if she was lucky.

She was so totally ready to bust out a mandry and have the green entertain the little group instead. But Cotton, sensing her danger, was hiding somewhere in the room where Rosanna didn't have time to really try to find her. Which was annoying as all get out. The little green brat had even shielded her mind slightly from the teen so Rosanna couldn't pinpoint her location. Grr.

And instead of being recgonizing her plight and shooing the herd away from her, the other women were chuckling at the children's antics and muttering to themselves about how Rosanna would learn to love the company of the children. Like. Shards.

Babehs. Fun fun. Ugly though. Not pretty mandyr babehs,[/color] Cotton commented from her spot on the dark corner of the shelf, secretly purring with amusement as Hers jerked and hissed in anger, causing the herd to step back slightly before swamping her again. Silly Hers. Would never find Cotton.

If you aren't going to help and just hide from the 'ugly babehs', shut up, Rosanna snarled back.

Uh! Rude![/color] the mandyr snorted indignantly, shifting herself so her back was facing Rosanna, though Hers couldn't see. She had been contemplating helping the teen, but now she wouldn't. Even if Rosanna begged... Maybe if Hers found her a nice blue. But that was doubtful. Sending one last forceful shove at the teen, Cotton curled up, nose under her wing, and settled down for a nap.

Dimglowed, Sharding mandyr... Rosanna grumbled to herself(earning another mental shove from the mandyr), even as she put on a smile for the girl showing her a game, patting a boy on the head and tearing two shouting combantants apart with a stern lecture. At least she had babysitting experience. But seriously...

Somebody save me.

[Aftershock]

M'gnum strode into the creche, a smile on his face and his Tome of Chivalry held firmly under one arm. Dressed in a well-fitted grey linen tunic, cinched at the waist with a narrow wherskin belt, and a pair of black woolen slacks tucked neatly into a pair of well-cared-for brown leather boots, M'gnum raised one hand and called out in his deep voice, "Hello, children! How are all you future Candidates doing this day?" Many of the children whooped or squealed happily at the sight of the tall bronzerider, and he moved slowly through them as he moved towards a chair, smiling down at the crowd of younglings and occasionally playfully scuffling the hair of one.

Reaching a seat, M'gnum lowered himself down, and asked the crowd of surrounding children, "Would you like to hear another story of knights and chivarly?" Smiling yet wider at the cheers of agreement, M'gnum set his Tome on his lap and said, "All right, gather round, gather round. Today I'll tell you a new tale, a tale about a noble knight saving a damsel in distress from a vicious feline!" A series of "ooohs" of excitement went through the crowd, and M'gnum's eyes scanned over the happy youths around him, when suddenly he noticed Rosanna... and couldn't help but recognize the look of helplessness on her face.

Getting an idea, M'gnum said, "In fact, let's play a game today. We'll have people play the roles in the story as I tell it. Who wants to be the dashing knight?" A number of older boys shot their hands up, and M'gnum chose a sandy-haired boy of around 6, saying, "You, come on up, you'll be our knight." Eyes passing over the crowd again, he asked, "We need a group of vicious wild felines... who wants to play them?" Seeing a group of girls around the same age of the boy giggling and growling playfully, M'gnum laughed and said, "You look like a vicious bunch, you can be our felines." As the laughing girls came over to stand beside the boy, M'gnum got a twinkle of mischief in his eyes and said, "As for our damsel in distress... why, you, young lady, look quite distressed, so I think you'll be perfect." Smiling and gesturing over at Rosanna, he beckoned her over, saying, "Come on, young lady, what's your name?"

[InsaneWhitey28]

It was with a sigh of relief that Rosanna let herself plop into a chair behind her, combing her fingers through her hair, completely and utterly thankful to the man that had just saved her from having to entertain the herd any longer. Thankful to the point she may very have considered him the closet thing to God Pern had, which was probably Faranth considering she was mentioned so much for being the first queen dragon.

The teen buried her face in her hands, getting her few moments of rest as the man began his story time, the brief fact that he was a bronzerider floating through her head. At the moment, she was so relieved her usual obsession about causing every single Wastelander pain was absent, and so she wasn't trying to find out whether the man was a Wastelander. Which in itself was odd. And made her silently vow never to have kids of her own. (Though how she expected to do this and Impress a dragon at the same time eluded her.)

The only reason Rosanna even realized she had been chosen to act in the storytime was because Cotton, who had managed to feign sleep for a whole two minutes, let loose a wave of amusement at the rider's statement, which led to Rosanna snapping her head up and vaguely hearing the words' ...damsel in distress...' floating about the room.

Ohdearfaranth.

She plastered a smile on her face, and stood up again striding over to the small group even as her eyes flashed with promised retribution. Being saved from little brats did not entale her having to act.

"Rosanna," she replied as sweetly as she could muster, smiling at the sandy-haired boy of six as he promised to protect her valiantly, "I'm sure you will."

Now the question was, who would protect the rider from her? Oh wait. He has a dragon. Drat.

[Aftershock]

Seeing the flash of irritation belying the false smile on the Candidate girl's face, M'gnum's smile faded a bit, and he said, "Oh, I am sorry, m'lady. I did not mean any offense by my invitation. If you do not wish to participate, far be it from me to force such a thing from you." As the children started to complain, thinking they'd lost a playmate, M'gnum hushed them and said, "Now, now, children. One thing a true knight never does is force a lady to do something against her will. That is very much against the Code," he added, slapping the Tome of Chivalry in his lap for emphasis."

Looking back at Rosanna, he suddenly started a bit, his smile returning as he said, "My dear, I forget my manners. I am M'gnum, of Higginth, at your service," he said with a bit of a bow, even from his seated position, and he took one of her hands into his own and chastely kissed the back of it, adding, "It is a pleasure to meet you, lady Rosanna. Now, if you wish not to participate in our story, simply let me know, and I can find another damsel in need of protection," he concluded, giving Rosanna a winning smile.

[InsaneWhitey28]

Mean,[/color]

Shut up, Cotton, Rosanna grumbled back, seeing that her usually so perfect constructed mask had been seen through. And now she felt vaguely guilty.

No let ugly babehs play. Mean.[/color]

Ignoring the mandyr's current remark, Rosanna ruthlessly stomped on the sick little feeling in her chest at the children's disappointment, briefly acknowledging the apology with a flicker of her eyelids and a relaxing in her posture even as her smile seemed to come more easily. Granted, it was hard for the young woman to keep the small smirk from appearing that she always seemed wear, and to keep it to the more appropriate smile she had been wearing for the past candlemark or so.

"It won't kill me to be the damsel for one story," Though it might stab my pride. "Please do continue." Dear Faranth when did I get so nice... and humble! Oh somebody stab me and send me between....

Regardless of her secret wishes to end her life(wishes Cotton nearly flew at her face for thinking about), the smile still in place as she curtsied to the... bronze? Yes, bronzerider. She was sure Higginth was, after all her obsession had led to her trying to learn every rider's face and name. Trying. And failing when Z'ves became her ultimate fear and waking nightmare. At this point she didn't know if it was worth continuing her record.

Where's the brush Cotton? the teen demanded, gently taking her hand away and trying not glare at the mandyr when all she received was a gentle, playful push.

"Please continue the story, sir."

[Aftershock]

M'gnum smiled wider as Rosanna agreed to act in his story, and started, "Very well. So, our damsel, do you want her to be a Holder, or a weyrfolk? Or perhaps a dragonrider herself?" The children began clamoring, though the majority soon were demanding she be a dragonrider. "All right, all right, children. Now, who can be a good dragon?" M'gnum watched the children whoop and raise their hands, but noticed a smaller little girl near the back of the group who seemed very quiet and separated from the others. Smiling, he pointed at the little girl, saying, "You there, what's your name?" "Mellanae," the girl replied shyly, coloring slightly at the attention. "Well, you look like the perfect Mellanath, Rosanna's faithful green dragon." Walking over to the girl, he took her hand and led her carefully over to stand beside Rosanna, then had the children spread out to give the "actors" room to do the scene in front of his chair.

Clearing his throat a bit, he began the story, his voice deep and carrying. "One day, Rosanna and her dragon Mellanath were travelling through the jungles, seeking out herbs for the infirmary. Suddenly, a pack of wild felines appeared!" Motioning at the group of girls who volunteered to play the felines, the girls advanced on Rosanna and Mellanae, playfully growling and making clawing motions with their hands. "Mellanath fought hard to protect Hers, but soon realized there were just too many, and so she called out with her draconic mind, calling for help." Smiling reassuringly at Mellanae, the little girl put her hands around her mouth and quietly called out, "Help, help, someone!"

Grinning as he saw the children enraptured in the tale, M'gnum continued, "Just then, the mighty knight..." His eyes moved to the young boy beside him, who happily cried out, "Ballorn!" Chuckling a bit, M'gnum continued, "...Ballorn... well, B'lorn, on his mighty bronze Magnumith!" Jumping up from his chair, M'gnum grabbed up Ballorn, lifting the happily screeching boy up onto his shoulder, as the children all laughed and cheered. Laughing along with the children, M'gnum quickly continued, "...were flying by on a patrol of the lands, doing their knightly duty to watch over the lands and their people. Magnumith heard the cry for help from Mellanath, and told His, "B'lornmine, a cry for help!"

As he spoke, he put a hand cupping his ear as if listening, then turned towards the boy on his shoulder as he spoke his line, and the boy, grinning, put forth his best "knight voice" and said, "Then we must save them, my mighty dragon!" M'gnum's smile grew yet wider as the boy said the line without even a prompt, and took the boy from his shoulders and "flew" him in to land next to Rosanna and Mellanae, as he said, "Magnumith flew quickly to where Rosanna and Mellanath, and the knight and his dragon quickly stood between the vicious felines and the ladies, driving them back with blade and claw!"

As M'gnum and the sandy-haired boy "fought" the "felines", the boy swinging an imaginary sword and M'gnum playfully clawing and biting at the little girls, resorting to tickling to those who did not retreat as the story demanded, M'gnum said, "And soon, the felines were dispersed, and the mighty knight assured his lady that all was well." Ballorn, caught up in the tale, walked over to Rosanna and took her hand as he'd seen M'gnum do, kissing it and saying in his knight-voice, "You are safe, m'lady!" Laughing again at the boy's acting, M'gnum lifted the boy to his shoulders again, and said, "And so, a knight did his duty and protected the people of his land from threats, as it should be. And they all lived happily ever after."

Holding on to the boy on his shoulder, M'gnum bowed a bit, then dropped the cheering boy carefully to the ground again and walked over to Rosanna and Mellanae, taking one of each's hands and bowing with them both as well to the crowd of cheering children. Thanking Mellanae, Ballorn, and the group of girls for their great performances, M'gnum turned towards Rosanna as the children dispersed to talk about the impromptu play and re-enact scenes. "Thank you, m'lady, for a most wonderful performance. The children loved it," he said, smiling down at the shorter Candidate girl and giving another small bow of thanks.

[InsaneWhitey28]

Rosanna smiled down at the girl that had been chosen to be her dragon as it were, giving one her of locks of hair a brief tug of amusement, which earned her a startled look, but not a pained one. She reassured the girl with a smile as the story took flight and the felines came after the two of them.

She gave encouragement to the girl, taking an imaginary knife from her belt as she tried to help as well, downing one of the felines with a few well aimed pokes that had the girl set up in giggles, even as she kept the fight between her dragon and the felines low keyed so there were few real scratches. She had learned from the other women, that a play fight could quickly escalate if not carefully watched and so Rosanna watched until she had her dragon collapsed with exhaustion. The call for help was sounded and Ballon, or B'lon, the bronzerider came to their rescue, swooping down on the felines before their fates turned down a grim road.

Rosanna gave the young bronzerider a winning smile at the end of the story, and gently pushed the young girl that had been her dragon back among the group as they decided to reenact it all for themselves.

"It was nothing," she sighed as she sat back down, letting herself fully relax emotional and physically now. She had never been good with kids, and never good at holding her temper with someone so nice. Rolling her eyes she continued, looking up at the bronzeride, "I never did like kids. Far too out of control for me. I like controlled chaos not... this."

This last statement sent a wave of the arm at the screaming child within the creche, those reenacting, those simply playing and those having to be torn apart because of a silly fight over some fight.

[Aftershock]

M'gnum laughed a bit at the Candidate girl's response, and pulled another chair over near to hers, lowering himself into it and putting a reassuring hand on Rosanna's shoulder. "Yes, I understand what you mean, m'lady. However, you must remember something important... something that might just make your time working here much easier in the future." Making a sweeping gesture with his arm that encompassed the children throughout the creche, he said, "These children, they are our future. Without children, everything we build, everything we create, will have no one to carry it on after we've passed. They are, in fact, one of the most important resources we have."

Placing his hand back on her shoulder, he continued, "You also must remember that these children begin as blank slates. They only know what they are shown, what they are told. It's our responsibility to mold them into proper adults as they grow, to show them the correct way to live and thrive. Without us, they know nothing. We must serve as a proper example, or else our future is, again, in peril." Chuckling a bit, he placed both hands on his knees and gave Rosanna a knowing smile, saying, "I imagine you think this is a fool's chore, working here. I was a Candidate once, too, remember. I felt the same way for a time. However, this is one of the most important chores in the Weyr."

Leaning a bit closer to the Candidate, his voice lowered a bit, as if he was divulging something conspiratorial, and he said, "When you work here, you have a singular chance to mold these children properly. By showing a proper example, you can have a great effect on the future of the very Weyr, by providing an example of the proper behavior to those who will populate and even lead this Weyr in the future." Leaning back straight again in his chair, he smiled again and concluded, "They have lots of energy, yes. They are growing, so their bodies produce lots of energy, so as to let them grow up big and healthy. It's up to people like you and me to help them direct that spare energy into the proper channels." Patting Rosanna's knee, he rose from the chair and said, "Come, Lady Rosanna, follow me. I will show you some tricks I've learned to use up some of the extra energy of the children with minimal exhaustion of your own energy."

[InsaneWhitey28]

Okay, the small temptation for turning the chaos into controlled chaos by creating small little minions just popped to the surface of her mind. And she didn't know if she wanted to blanch or go through with it. But then again... she was horrible as a child. Did she really want to create little Rosanna's? Hm... no. There was only room for one Rosanna, and it was her thanks.

Pulling out of her rather erratic thought process, she found her curiosity piqued as the rider rose, she rising with him. Alright. He got her attention. Especially with the word tricks. She always did love a good trick. Cotton, noticing that Hers was leaving, jumped from shelf to shelf, keeping herself hidden in shadows because her bright green hide totally allowed her to do that, and waited for Rosanna to walk right under where she was perched, hanging on the edge of the wood.

And one, two... three! Dropping from the shelf, she landed stealthy in Rosanna's top, sliding down the teen's chest even as a started exclamation escaped Rosanna's maw, the tiny mandyr finding her favorite spot and settling in for the ride even as Rosa cursed at her mentally like an old sailor. Mission success.

And Rosanna just hoped the bronze rider didn't notice the bright green streak falling through the air, or the fact that her random cough was a poorly hidden exclamation. She didn't know how much of a stickler he was for the rules. Stupid mandyr.

[Aftershock]

M'gnum smiled as he saw the girl join him as he stood, and he began to walk towards a particularly rambunctious group of children. Looking back to make sure the girl was following, he saw a blur of green fall from above her and fall into her chest, and the flash of worry on her face as she faked a cough. From the color, general shape, and especially the size of the thing, it could have only been one thing... a salamandyr. And considering she was not wrestling to get the thing away from her, it had to be hers. One eyebrow raised just a hair, but he said nothing... he trusted M'kai to be aware of the pets and actions of his Candidates, and being at Burimyu with M'kai since the Wasteland takeover had given M'gnum time to get to know the bluerider, and he trusted him to be competent. He only hoped the creature would not negatively affect the girl's dragon once she Impressed...

Waving the thought from his mind, he concentrated on the task at hand... showing Rosanna a trick or two on how to tire out over-energetic younglings. Reaching up, he popped the top button off his tunic (it would be easy enough to replace it himself later), and handed it to Rosanna, saying, "Could you have your small green friend hide this somewhere in the room, please? Or you can yourself, as long as you hide it well. Return here once it's hidden, and watch me carefully to learn your first trick." Walking up to a group of three chattering children, he bent down a bit and acted conspiratorial as he "whispered" loudly enough for them to all hear him clearly, "Excuse me, children, but I seem to have misplaced my top button. I know I had it before I came here, so it must be somewhere in this very room." Looking around as if searching, he said, "If one of you could find it, I would be ever so grateful. In fact... perhaps I'll let you assist me in oiling my dragon. How does that sound?"

The children listened intently as he spoke, and he couldn't help but let a small smile break his serious demeanor as their eyes lit up at the mention of interacting with a real dragon. Soon, they had all split up, and as he expected, they were too excited to keep the news to themselves, and quickly enough almost three times the number of children he had first spoken to were digging through toy chests and peeking behind bookcases in search of his button. Leaning towards Rosanna once she had returned from hiding the button (if she had chosen to herself rather than admit to Cotton's existence), he smiled and said, "First trick: Give a child a promise of a gift, even a simple one, and have them search for something. An excited child puts a lot of energy into searching for something if they want the prize bad enough... and anything involving draconids, or even razorclaws, is quite a prize for a youngling."