Lesson 6 [Faerie Weyrlings]

[Lotty]

His legions. His beautiful, wonderful, hunks of clay waiting to be moulded into warriors, fighters, members of a productive little society that would reclaim Benden and return to former glory. If only this bunch wasn't the least likely group of weyrlings ever. Selenitas had focused much too much on being an amalgamation of special little snowflakes, and as far as unique talents and abilities were concerned, they were only working at their best when focused on the same common goals. In this case it was safe and successful betweening; the ragtag bunch of urchins would truly be tested now. While they could daydream their worries away before, the sight of fluffy pink clouds, sunshine lollipops, food fights and whatever weird things they had stuck in their heads could get them lost in imaginationland forever. Today it would just be basic navigation, getting from one place to another, and not dying. The coming weeks would bring all the trials and tribulations of betweening in formation... but first things first.

Ickle ones are growing up so fast... shame they are only cute when they're little don't you think? "You know the rules we made, you must actually play nice a few hours a day," he replied casually as he regally planted a booted foot on a rocky oasis there in the training field, "Could you though maybe channel your energy a little better? They are moving much too slow, what if we were setting fire to their weyrs, would they just dilly dally then?" Probably, was C'zan's assumption, but he ever had much faith in what stock the weyr had to offer. Perhaps it was something of a selfish desire to prove he could do soooo much better that had him taking the reigns of weyrling training.

Sprouts... you need to flower sometime, before you die in the frost... or fire... Viaqueth had apparently co-opted C'zan's idea on lighting fires under their behinds, but deeply desired to make it literal. He began a display of his own prowess, and with the quickness of the void was able to flash out onto the ledge where Quixoth was waiting, attempting to flush the rider out with moody sort of snorts and growls, not to mention a flash of the teeth, Does my fledgling friends need their first pruning.. As Raebeli ran out in a tizzy, the blue then bounded to the neighbor ledge to stir up Wridelth, and then onto Iwyrth and so on and so forth with some kind of clever little snark of the each of them until he dropped down the side of the canyon ledge and landed back in his spot on the training field. They would all surely gather here soon, and C'zan had all the right, if short words for them.

"Real life starts today. Line up, shut up, and get ready to learn how to between..."

---

Auwanath, rider Y'kiro - absence notice
Sfelyth, rider Ae'on - 2/4
Wridelth, rider Syrene - absence notice
Umaheth, rider Mayari - 0/4
Quixoth, rider Raebeli - 3/4
Iwyrth, rider Ithanna - 2/4
Versaith, rider Jenna - 0/4
Riavorth, rider Orena - 1/4

I'm keeping a running total here. It's real simple, one month, four posts, or face the humiliation of not graduating. Nobody likes super seniors.

[Ember]

From the safety of his own weyr, Ae'on grumbled irritably back at the Weyrlingmaster's dragon as he came to pester him. He was already bloody moving, thank you very much. Besides, he was at least trying to get ready. Sfelyth was just shamelessly flirting with one of the weyr's many greens. Okay, so the blue was already dressed in his flying straps but whatever. The Healer scrambled aboard his dragon. He swore that it wouldn't matter how long he'd be getting aboard the blue, he'd always remain clumsy at it.

Most likely because he actually didn't like flying. At all. It made him feel somewhat sick to his stomach, despite knowing that Sfelyth wouldn't drop him...probably. It had gotten better than before but he still preferred walking to flying. Ae'on had Sfelyth bring them down to where the Weyrlingmaster was waiting, grumbling quietly to himself. When he'd found out food fight man was his Weyrlingmaster he'd been surprised and annoyed.

The man had quite the ego, in Ae'on's opinion.Well guess what C'zan? You may reign over the older weyrlings but that hardly made you king of the freaking world. Telling him to shut up did little good since he hadn't been talking, at least not with his mouth. The half-glare the boy was directing at the man spoke enough of how much he disliked C'zan and how little he wanted to be taught by him. Sfelyth found His all too amusing but he didn't say anything. Too busy staring at one of the green's in their class, albeit discreetly.

[Tashe]

Ithanna was using Iwyrth as a wall for a handstand when Viaqueth swooped down to roust them for lessons, the down draft from the Blue's wings was enough to cause the Weyrling to wobble and fall forward. She had just enough time to react to stop herself from collapsing onto her neck. Curling her legs inward she managed to land on the tips of her toes then used the remaining momentum to preform a back roll. Jumping up to face the Blue before he flew off to the next ledge, Ithanna frowned and shook her fist at the male when she was sure he couldn't see. What did he say to you? Nothing that needs repeating, love. We be expected at lessons now. The Greenweyrling looked down at the clothing she was wearing, not entirely thrilled with the fact she had no time to change. The tight fitting but flexible pants and shirt were her go to outfit when she was practicing her tumbling... and nothing else. The soft and thin leather shoes fit under this Tagore as well. Huffing, she ran inside to get her flight jacket and leathers. Damn.

After fixing her Green into her straps, the Weyrling buckled her safety belt on and clipped herself in, zipping up her jacket as Iwyrth dropped off of their ledge and into the air. It didn't take them long to reach the others who had gathered, the Green landing quietly near her Blue Brother in a rare fit of grace. Normally she would give an extra hop or minutely stumble, but today it was a smooth landing. Fluttering her wings before settling them against the ridges of her back and pulling abreast of Sfelyth with a cheerful snort. Iwyrth lowered her head and moved it toward the Blue slightly so Ithanna could see the Weyrlingmasters from Dragonback. Moving so her hands crossed at the wrists, the young woman lifted her arms and pushed outward in a stretch. Her muscles had been cut short of her exercise and they'd start to complain if she didn't continue to stretch. Unclipping her belt, Ithanna swung her feet back behind her harness and pushed herself up onto the balls of her feet, effectively crouching on Iwyrth's back. She used the Green's neck to balance herself as she pulled a leg up to her chest and then the other, finally sitting back down in the harness side-saddle, crossing one leg over the other as Iwyrth shifted to allow her to see. She waved in greeting first to Ae'on then to Raebeli.

[Lotty]

Good, they have all arrived, and he gave them a good look over again, pacing up and down the line of weyrlings until he picked out the little bugger from the dining hall. Oh yes, this one. Well, he would obviously have to pick on him now wouldn't he? The thought alone cracked a smile onto his features, before he turned on a heel and crossed his arms behind his back to briefly hide his intentions. From this position he asked them, "I assume you have an idea at least as to how to do this, is there anyone who is absolutely...clueless?" He figured not and carried on full steam ahead, "It requires focus... especially at first, a clear image, and a set of balls."

He turned around to see Raebeli glance down at her crotchal area, to which he sighed heavily and clarified, "Figuratively... that is," he turned his attention then briefly to Viaqueth, "You'll need to mount your dragon and get up in the air, and it is then that I'll have Via send you your coordinates," there was no need for them to do any tricky quick action take offs and betweens just yet, "now who wants to start?" It was a rhetorical question since his blue eyes were very much set on Ae'on. With a couple of short steps he had cut into the line and wrapped an arm around the blue weyrling, "Since our friend here is so good as slipping out of sight, I think he is the perfect candidate. Mount up will you?"

He pushed the boy forward a little before turning to Ithanna. It was a rather random order, but that kept them on their toes at very least, "You're next, so pay attention."

Raebeli, after waving jauntily back at her fellow greenling and getting caught looking down at her non-existent junk, found herself bracing for the long arduous wait to go. In the meantime, she of course had a long series of questions, because well... she was a therapist and questions were kind of her thing, "Sir!? Sir? Sir..... what's your name, you haven't told us.... and where are you sending us anyway? What do we do when we get there?" Certainly the weyrlingmaster was just thrilled to have the girl bouncing on her toes, waving her hand in the air and asking oh so many questions, and tried to be as even as possible in his tone as he answered, "Are you always so curious? It's C'zan, and you're going to go somewhere in the weyr area. When you get there you'll wait for me..."

He flicked his attention up to the sky, surely Ae'on and Sfelyth would be ready by now, and Viaqueth sent over the coordinates to the Southern watch point. There wasn't much in the way of places to land, but... landing and resting wasn't what this lesson was about now was it?

[dragon]

Riavorth had been sprawled out on her ledge when she'd seen the ruckus start onward so very directly after the call for lessons had been given. No wiggle room at all, apparently. Eying the advancing dragon that was ledge-hopping, she sent a warning to hers, urging her to hurry. The last thing Ria would tolerate would be another dragon bullying his way onto her ledge, and snapping at her rider. She'd hurt him for that. Or at least die trying.

Which was why she didn't want to give him the chance. Quickly, Orena scurried across the stone and up the green's shoulder. Spreading her wings, Riavorth shoved off of her own ledge with a loud hiss, flicking her tail in annoyance. Just let him try to bully her on her own turf!

Swooping down on the lesson field quickly, Riavorth backwinged into a hasty landing. Orena was swinging off and bouncing down onto her feet quickly. Just in time to hear the announcement of the lesson topic.

Between. Really? She stuck a finger in her ear and itched it a bit, deciding that she maybe shouldn't mention that she and Ria had already been experimenting with that. Having not grown up in a Weyr ... and missing most of not all Candidate lessons before impression ... yeahhhh she hadn't exactly had the most clear idea what she was about, winging it as she went.

Apparently they weren't supposed to venture into that unschooled. Orena struck a cheerful grin and stood straight, waiting for her turn. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him a bit. This would be their first time going between under instruction ... and with someone else's idea of where they were going. So they'd better pay attention anyway.

Orena stuck her arm into the air, too. "I don't have any, but I'll gladly borrow someone else's?" she offered, with a soberly straight face despite the twinkles dancing in her eyes.

[Shiny]

Hard eyes never strayed from the man that was now their Weyrlingmaster. Nothing but hatred was frozen on the face of the riding-leather-clad girl as he began to speak. Syrene did not much appreciate being told to shut up when she hadn't said anything at all (when did she, really?).

Viaqueth had briskly alerted the pair only moments ago of the beginning of the lesson. Luckily, Syrene had just finished dressing in her riding leathers and applying her trademark thick rims of kohl. Without hesitation, she had mounted Wridelth, and the Bluepair had flown to the training grounds. Syrene had slipped off Wridelth and into the clump of weyrlings with only the slightest glance to others in greeting.

As if she had adopted statue-mimicking as a hobby, the frightening girl stood completely still as instructions were issued. This should prove satisfying; are you ready to between, Mine? Of course. It will be easy, there is nothing to worry about in the least.[/i] Syrene snorted inaudibly as Ae'on was prodded to go first. What, had C'zan not thought she was capable? Or perhaps he thought she would set the bar too high. Yes, that must be it.

[Ember]

He should have known. Really, he should have. The moment he learned that Food Fight Man was the Weyrlingmaster he ought to have expected to be singled out and picked on. Ae'on wasn't a total stranger to bullying in its various forms but it wasn't exactly common either. Mild sibling stuff and the few bullies within Healer Hall were his only real examples. Syrene most definitely didn't count since it was a mutual dislike rather than a one sided thing. Still, all thoughts aside he had to listen to his teacher.

Ae'on growled slightly at the arm around him. Personal space, personal space! "I will, sir, just as soon as you let me go," he snapped. The resulting push could have been C'zan being C'zan in general or a response to his words but the boy didn't care much either way. He wished he was as good at staying out of sight as the man suggested. People would bother him a lot less if that were the case. With an annoyed sigh, the boy clambered up onto Sfelyth's back and strapped himself in properly. There was no way he was going to let himself fall off in between.

I wouldn't drop you, his blue responded to the silent thoughts, a tone that Ae'on attributed to a pouting kid present in the mindvoice. I didn't say that, did I? You were thinking it. Was no- oi! A little warning before you take off next time. Sorry, sorry. I have the coordinates. Do you want them? Nope, not at all. Ae'on received them anyways because he knew there was no choice. Less so because it was an order, and more because he did actually have pride, thank you very much.

Sfelyth brought them up a good height, let out a last croon for his siblings and teacher, and disappeared. Ae'on had been between before but...he'd never been responsible for the transfer before. As the freezing cold and blackness wrapped around him he gripped his straps harder only to realize he couldn't actually feel them. He closed his eyes and held onto the image of where he wanted to go in his mind more firmly. How many seconds had it been? It felt like hours had gone by. A few seconds for the class felt like forever to the boy before he and Sfelyth popped out of between. The blue crooned comfortingly even as he fell a little due to the fact he actually needed to pump his wings again. All was well. They were alive.

[Tashe]

Drooping forward so that she was practically laying on Iwyrth's neck, Ithanna eyed the Weyrlingmaster as he interacted with Ae'on. Her arm swung idly as the two men exchanged words, pausing only when C'zan informed her that she would go next, the limb resumed motion after a mock salute. She wasn't concerned, for if any Dragon could make a simple jump between it was Iwyrth. The Green had enough mental capacity for the both of them, which had to say something because Ithanna was definitely no dimglow. Her gaze shifted back to Ae'on as he mounted, although he was so focused the Greenling doubted he had heard the "Break a leg, champ", she had called out to him. Either way... that boy had better make it through the Between. Who else would she banter mischievously with?

Iwyrth herself tilted her head back as she watched the Bluepair jump into the sky. She hoped that Sfelyth had gotten the coordinates okay, it wouldn't be as much fun around the Weyr without her sibling. Oh but here she was thinking sad thoughts. No, of course Sfelyth would be fine. He was kinda like their leader in her mind, so obviously he would come out unscathed. Fluttering her wings quietly as Ithanna scooted down her neck and began buckling herself into the safety straps, the Green arched her back like a pudgy cat and waited for Viaqueth to send her the location of their jump.

You got it kitten? Adjusting her position, the rider in training tugged on a pair of gloves she had found tucked in the folds of the riding blanket. When she got an affirmative from her partner, Ithanna gave the female the go ahead to get airborne. A few flaps and bounds later, the ground was starting to sink away from them, leaving their weyrling class behind on solid land. Ready? Iwyrth rumbled, it was almost inaudible over the sound of the rushing wind. Steady... She got the picture from the Green. Go! Suddenly there was nothing. The sudden sensory deprivation of the Between was almost disturbing enough to loose her grip on the coordinates they shared... almost. Concentrating harder on the picture, the young woman gasped as they exited into the warmer Pern sky, the air nearly exploding into her lungs. They had made it. Iwyrth made a noise to alert Sfelyth she had arrived before winging over to the Watch point itself. The good thing about being one of the first to go? You could actually find space to land.

[Shiny]

As Ae'on got aboard Sfelyth's back, Syrene did the same to Wridelth, mounting the pale-coloured dragon with ease. She had no desire to get a last look at the boy despite there being a chance she'd never see him again as the two simply did not get along. She had a strong feeling that he would make it through between anyway, so there really was no point of worrying. Syrene smoothed a hand over Wridelth's hide absently as she observed the pair pounce into the air and vanish, no croon coming from the Blue in a responding goodbye to his clutchbrother.

Cold eyes switched to survey Ithanna and Iwyrth as C'zan called on them to go next. Wridelth glanced back at His with blank eyes as he sensed a small twinge of guilt coming from His - a rare event. If any dragonpair is to fail, then they were never deserving of being our wingmates. If they survive, they will have proven themselves worthy of fighting alongside you and I. The Bluerider watched the Greenpair disappear midair, knowing that Wridelth was trying to comfort her in his own detached way. Perhaps she was feeling guilty about the time Ithanna defended her and ended up getting strip-searched in return. Either way, even if she hoped Ithanna would live, she didn't show it.

Surely the Bluepair would get called upon soon. There was no nervousness whatsoever between the two - only clear, ready minds. Wridelth silently flexed his wings, preparing to launch smoothly into the air when their turn came. All they had to do was wait.

[Lotty]

So mega fail on my part... mid-terms came, and I think that a familiar story for a lot of us... next lesson will be much better. Pinky swear.

C'zan chose to ignore Orena... because well. He was C'zan. There was no more explanation necessary as far as he was concerned. Instead he turned to watch both Ae'on and Ithanna take off and vanish between, much to his muted delight. So happy, but it would never ever show beyond a slight smirk and a certain cant of his head.

But now he had to decide on his next to victims, and for that he marched the line of them, standing in a long drawn out moment in front of Syrene. He didn't know if he should be thrilled that she was so stoic, or if he thought it was incredibly pretentious. How old could she be that she is so, so, bitter already in life? He determined that it was going to be incredibly fun to poke and prod at her some and so after staring at her and rubbing his chin a bit he coldly walked right on by to Orena and un-ceremoniously picked her to be the next lamb to slaughter; poking a finger in her direction. "You. Do something other than dig in your ear..." he left the instructions at that before motioning out into the open with a flourish. It was his way of saying she needed to mount up and go... Viaqueth was already sending Riavorth the coordinates to the watch point.

Which left him with two: Rainbow Bright and Crypt Keeper. Oh joy.

Standing in front and between the two of them he settled on getting things done and over with. There was plenty of room for take off, they could just go between at the same time like big kids. If anything C'zan felt like this lesson he had been doing too much hand holding. Still, this didn't stop him from having his own moment of childishness as he turned aquamarine eyes on the dreary bluerider and bespoke her, "So.... you seem pretty ready for this venture my little ice queen. I myself am not so sure," he hung on the thought before continuing, "you two, bonus points if you between at the same time, but frankly I'll be surprised if you make it out at all."

He is annoyingly pompous. We'll just have to show him how wrong he is, won't we Raelove? Raebeli twisted her face at him as she moved to touch Quixoth's side and put a tentative hand on the straps. Rae? He's not a very... nurturing fellow is he? He doesn't think he needs to be as long as he gets the job done. Typical man. With that she bounced to reach a strap and pulled herself up her dragon's side and settled into place there. Cautiously, she turned to look at Syrene. Did they want to go for the theoretical bonus points? The mindhealer jauntily waved at the other girl as Quixoth took matter into her own... claws, I'm ready if you are Wridelth..

[dragon]

Orena grinned. She didn't care if she was picked to do this next. She really didn't. This was going to be fun! "Oh, but digging in my ear is so fun!" She answered. "You should try it some time, it might help you feel better about life! Might help you hear a bit better too." Orena winked, before jumping to Riavorth's side and clambering up the harness to the dragon's neck. Riavorth issued a derisive sniff, before ambling forward into the clear area.

Mine, you shouldn't say such things to people like him. They do not understand.

"Someone's gotta teach em." she answered jovially, as the two bounded up into the air. Riavorth took a calculated three strokes of her wings, gaining altitude before she betweened. It was easy, since they had been tinkering with the ability already. They had seen older dragons doing it, and had merely ... well ... given it a shot. They had not known that it was so very dangerous at all. So, all together in one piece and still possessed of their wits, they appeared at the designated coordinates.

There, Riavorth took a few more strokes of her wings to propel her forward through the air, away from the point in which she had appeared - in case her classmates were to appear there. But they made no motion to land. The unhappy man hadn't said anything at all about landing. So they didn't. Even if their classmates were already down there. "Well, this is boring." Orena decided finally, trying to figure out what to do now. "I thought we were going somewhere cool."

[Shiny]

Kohl-rimmed eyes stared disdainfully into the mocking contemplative expression on the Weyrlingmaster's face, nostrils flaring ever so slightly in annoyance when he simply continued to just stand there like a useless lump of meat on stilts. Despite the silence that she knew was meant to hassle her, she kept her posture rigid as her attitude. In concise words, she hated people that thought they were better than her - probably because, in her opinion anyway, not many were. C'zan included.

Syrene angled her head slightly to look down her nose at the Weyrlingmaster's back as he continued on to the others who had yet to Between, shifting slightly to observe Orena and Raebeli with nonchalance. C'zan picked the annoying one first, making the Bluerider nearly roll her eyes with impatience. She just wanted to be done with the training already and spend her time doing things she deemed appropriate, which didn't include training in a group.

Normally Syrene had more patience than this, but the fact that C'zan so obviously denied her of the chance to prove herself when she wanted to made her want to jump on Wridelth and Between anyway. Luckily Orena and Riavorth disappeared relatively quickly, leaving just her and her ex-roommate left.

Almost before the Weyrlingmaster had finished declaring his proposition for the remaining two, Syrene was on her Blue. Challenge accepted; Quixoth, vigilant synchronization. The cool touch of Wridelth's mindpresence slid into his Green clutchsister's, and he began to beat his pale blue-tipped wings. Both dragon and rider locked onto the desired destination in mind with ease.

With graceful, powerful strokes of his wings, Wridelth sleekly took to the air, keeping a mental bond to the Green to help their coordination. Five, four, three, two, one, he counted, before disappearing Between.

The trip through the cold nothingness was a new experience for both Syrene and Wridelth, but their combined focus allowed them no difficulties. The Bluepair exited from the frigid void into the air above the Southern watch point, where all of their other classmates had already appeared. There wasn't much space to land anyway, so the Bluepair remained in the air. Easy as pie, Syrene snorted, a hand gently placed on Wridelth's neck in appreciation.