WL: Month 8: A challenge... (T'ri)

[Ivy]

Month 8
- first aerial maneuver training (riderless)
- dragons drill in the air while their humans drill in sync on the ground

One thing was for sure, Roselle was quite glad that she hadn't been stuck with M'ta as a Weyrlingmaster. The vertically challenged brownrider seemed to always be cranky, and the note he'd posted for his new group of weyrlings? Seemed a bit over the top in her opinion. Or maybe that was just her favoritisim for Sel'n showing. The mere thought of her Weyrlingmaster brought a light blush to her cheeks and she quickly changed the flow of thoughts in her mind - where was T'ri? She'd left him a note and had Tserieth contact his blue, he knew she wanted to see him. Well, needed to at least. Definitely didn't want to.

In fact, she'd done a pretty damn good job of avoiding him since the whole drunken kissing she'd done. Oh Tserieth had tried to get Hers to meet up with him since then, many times. But Roselle would have none of it - seeing T'ri after she'd thrown herself at him was not something she really wanted to do. The only way she'd managed to make it to lessons everyday and face Sel'n was because she doubted he even remembered - after all she'd seen him drinking too. Nevermind he was a functioning alcoholic, the weyrling didn't know that about him and went on the assumption since he didn't act oddly towards her he just didn't recall her failed attempt to flirt with him. Or had he even noticed it that night? She didn't know and wasn't about to ask him.

Rosemine thinks about Kaaoloth's and Arhenaiyth's a lot. Tserieth observed with a bit of a teasing tone to her mindvoice. This earned her a glare from her bonded and the green merely stretched her wings out and flicked her tail behind her.

At a mere eight months old, Tserieth had grown leaps and bounds from when she was just a hatchling. She had always been beautiful but her adolescent form did a much better job of highlighting this than her awkward baby form had. Her long tail was slender and almost whiplike towards the tip - her body was slender overall and one could see the muscles that hid just beneath her molted hued hide. Nothing about her spoke to her being masculine in the slightest - she was purely feminine and elegant. The only time she looked even better was in the air - watching her sinewy form twist and turn in the sky was like watching a dancer practice a dance. It was glorious - and she knew it.

The green was growing as impatient as her rider, she wanted to be in the sky but Hers insisted they have the other weyrling pair to practice with. Of course they didn't know that - if they did T'ri wouldn't agree to come. He would never do anything related to lessons, he'd somehow managed to skip out on all of them for the past eight months. Roselle wasn't close to any of the other weyrlings though, and in the back of her mind she thought she could help save T'ri from failing out of weyrlinghood and missing graduating with the rest of them if she could trick him into doing lesson related things so he could at least show Sel'n he knew everything he needed to know. T'ri wasn't a lost cause - or he was but she just wasn't giving up on him. Even if she wasn't very fond of him.

If you're afriad I will show you up, brothermine, then I understand why you aren't coming. After all, it would be dreadfully embarassing for me to out fly you, wouldn't it?[/color] Tserieth bespoke Arhenaiyth - if an invitation didn't work to get him and His here, maybe a challenge would.

Roselle tossed the last of the small rocks into the bag she'd been filling as she waited - it wasn't firestone but oh well. It wasn't as if it mattered right now anyway. She just needed to toss the bag around, the contents didn't really matter. On her hip was a flask full of Quikal. She may be a lightweight but she knew T'ri loved to drink - even if he shouldn't be doing it. So this was her insurance he'd participate in some way/shape/form. If he 'helped her out' she'd give him the flask - and the rest of the bottle she'd hidden in her room. The plan was set, now she just needed the pawn!

[Ruby]

That's your genius plan, sister?[/i] Arhenaiyth drawled, leading a fairly distracted T'ri to the meeting place Tserieth had specified. They were a good fifteen, twenty minutes late, but if Tserieth didn't expect that by now she was more of a fool than Arhenaiyth gave her credit for. The blue worked on his own schedule. For his part, T'ri was actively reading some obscure-looking scroll - a letter from a friend at Blossom. Kimilan was pregnant, apparently, not that T'ri had ever wanted to know that. "Fabulous," he muttered, stuffing the parchment into a pocket of his bright red work pants as Arhenaiyth continued to Tserieth, Why would I be embarrassed? Who cares who can fly best when we're all going to die anyway?[/i] Typical Arhenaiyth. He was half joking, but by his tone, you'd never know.

The months hadn't been quite so kind to Arhenaiyth as they had to Tserieth. He'd grown, too, still measuring right in the middle of average for a blue, and his hide was the same matte turquoise, but the slender little dragonet that had hatched eight months ago wasn't quite so slender anymore. It wasn't exactly that he was just gaining weight, because his waist was as slim as it had always been, but the more he practiced flying the more his muscles stood out. Not in a nice, sculpted way either. They were just there, like cords and knots under his skin. Probably being less skinny would help, but Arhenaiyth seemed to have acquired His' ability to eat anything and not gain an ounce - for now, anyway. He just looked kind of scrappy. Much more scrappy than he had at hatching.

Regardless, the blue flapped a wing at Tserieth, sending a buffet of air her way, then immediately followed that with a nuzzle along her jaw and down her neck. He'd always been overly touchy, and he hadn't grown out of that - nor had T'ri learned to shut him out. T'ri grasped Roselle by the elbow, drawing her in for an air kiss to either one of her cheeks. "I'm trying out a new greeting, I'm totes over the handshake or bro hug. Whad'ya think." Stepping back, he glanced down at her sack of rocks, then the flask on her hip. "So what did you need me for so urgently."

[Ivy]

Death will come for each of us in time dear brother, but do you really wish to die being the slow one of the bunch?[/color] Tserieth had mostly gotten used to her Bluebrother's morbid and dry humor, she didn't bat an eye at his 'we are all going to die' statement. When he approached she crooned and nuzzled him lightly back, pleased to see him. Out of all her clutch siblings it seemed Tserieth was fondest of Arhenaiyth - for some reason that Roselle didn't really see.

Had she expected him to be late? Yes, she had. He wouldn't be T'ri if he was on time for anything. A bit of an eyeroll was given as he approached, a quirked eyebrow as she saw him push a note into his pocket before approaching. Cheeks grew a tinge pink when he kissed the air on either cheek. "Its interesting. I've never been one for greetings though, especially like that."

Not wanting to waste any time she put a hand on her hip - and thus the flask there as she eyed him. "I would like your help dear T'ri. Don't worry, it doesn't require too much work from you. I know how you hate to work." She drew out her speech and spoke softly, a bit of a sultry note to her voice as she added, "I'll pay you back, of course."

A moment of silence would undoubtedly let some innuendo sink in before she took the flask off her hip, "Quickal, you like it yes? I have this flask and the rest of a bottle back in my room for you if you and your dragon help out a bit. I just need you to catch some bags and Tserieth needs Arhenaiyth to fly with her. Simple, really. Even you two should be capable."

Smirking a bit she felt quite confident in herself and her scheme to garnish his assistance. So she tucked the flask back on her hip and picked up a bag, heaving it a bit before tossing it towards him, "Heads up!"

Your price for helping?[/color] Tserieth asked her clutchbrother with a soft croon and another nuzzle before pulling away. With a flick of her tail she darted forth, the quick pace she managed was almost a run before her wings flared out and she was in the air. She was nothing but grace as she took to the skies, giving a teasing croon and trill to the Blue below she did a spin, Or did you forget how to fly?[/color]

[Ruby]

Arhenaiyth snorted, crossing his neck over Tserieth's and looping his tail around her back legs. He'd finally gotten too big to sleep in T'ri's bed, and so far T'ri had refused to sleep on his couch, so the Blue was feeling somewhat deprived where cuddling was concerned, which meant that he was going to be even touchier than usual. Poor T'ri. Who cares? Why work now? When we die, we'll all be forgotten. Even the ones with songs get forgotten in the end. Why shouldn't I be slow?[/i] Despite his protestations, though, the Blue disentangled himself when she did, stretching his wings. Trying to win an argument against Arhenaiyth was a singularly useless past time, but if you just let him talk... well, he still did whatever he wanted. Today, his wings were stiff, and he wanted to stretch them. Good luck for Tserieth.

Then she moved gracefully in to the air, and Arhenaiyth followed her up. He wasn't graceful, but he also wasn't not graceful, especially for a dragon who had been regularly shirking weyrling training. The pair showed maybe once a week, figuring everything else out as they went. Does it look like I forgot? he grumped, adding, There's a few dragons around that could afford to forget every once in a while, but unfortunately for you, I haven't. Not today anyway. You're stuck with me.[/i] Twisting on to his back, he did a loose circle around Tserieth, then winged off towards the open air away from the mountain plateau the humans remained on. Open air was better for these sorts of things, no? Coming?

"No greetings?" T'ri asked, clenching his fists rather than pull Roselle in for a hug again as Arhenaiyth leaned in for his snuggle. "How d'you know when someone wants to chill with you, then? You just assume? Or, like, is it the sort of thing where you call the shots, interact with them only when you want? That's totes unique, interesting." The Blueweyrling filed the idea away, cocking his head to one side so his hair flopped across his brow as she went on. He had a few smartass responses in mind, but kept them inside for the moment. Arhenaiyth had the smartass covered, as usual.

And it was a pretty good thing, too. He doubted Roselle would want to go through with the deal she was offering if he was cracking smart comments the whole time. Reaching up, he stuck a hand in his hair, re-arranging it while she explained. "Hmmm, that's totes deck, in theory. Where'd you get the Quikal, teacher's pet?" It could have been mean and biting, but T'ri added a wink and a charming smile, turning it in to a light tease instead of a true jab. "You've got yourself a deal as long as you'll share the rest of the bottle with me, drinking alone is just the pits." She could tease with innuendo? So could he.

Of course, it didn't really look like he had a choice. Honestly, T'ri was bored today and wanted to get his mind of Kimi, so he probably would have helped Roselle even without the bribe, but he wasn't about to let an opportunity like that go. She seem to think he'd accept, and, well, she was right. "Oof"-ing as he caught the first bag, he hefted it, looking skeptical. "Dudette, what the shards is in here? You're sure you want me to toss my hefty sack back at you?" Yeah, he went there. With a wicked smile, T'ri chucked the bag back, taking a few steps back so the gap between them would be wider next time she tossed it.

[Ivy]

She watched as he fussed with his hair a bit and then accepted her offer - though really she hadn't left him much choice, had she? When he asked about the bag she grinned, and then caught it when he hefted it back her way. "Rocks, of course. Supposed to be firestone, but you know. Rocks work just as well."

The flask wriggled a bit on her hip as she took a few steps back and then tossed the bag back towards him - this time it took more work on her part since the distance was larger between them. Still she smirked a bit, not minding the slight burn and tingle in her arms and upper body at all. She was mostly in shape, thanks to weyrling lessons - she just hoped T'ri wasn't so much of a weakling he wimped out too soon on her.

Tserieth was taken aback when her sibling took to the air after her then flew in the opposite direction towards more open air. Crooning happily she took off after him and fell into position less than a dragonslength behind him to the right - if there had been others in the sky she imagined they'd be making a loose V formation with the blue as the point and her next in line. She followed behind him like this a while before speeding up to match his speed - flying almost wing tip to wing tip with him. Of course she was careful not to let her wing hit his, that would be a horrid move and may end up with both of them injured. As long as he stayed even and steady in the air she could match him. The graceful Green stayed quiet as they flew, concentrating on staying at the right pace and avoiding a collision with him, while on the ground Roselle waited for T'ri to toss the bag back to her.

[Ruby]

"I wasn't - umph - just asking rhetorically," T'ri called over the slowly widening distance, catching and launching the bag once again. "Where did you get the quikal. I don't consume booze from just anywhere, you know, gotta make sure it isn't an inferior vintage or the deal's off." Again, he was teasing, and he made it plenty obvious - he wouldn't have hesitated to turn her down in the first place if he had anything better to do. He sure wasn't going to quit now because she'd brought inferior booze. This time, he missed the bag, so he had to retrieve it and start the pattern over again.

In the air, Arhenaiyth was coasting calmly, letting Tserieth do all the work. That, however, got boring really fast, and Arhenaiyth's tolerance for boredom was nonexistent. Tilting slowly so he rotated on to his back, he stroked along upside down, slipping below Tserieth in easy mimicry of a Flight. This is boring,[/i] the Blue complained, peeling away and dragging his tail tip along Tserieth's stomach (no doubt it would tickle). No wonder I never feel like going to lessons. Kaaoloth should go lose his other leg to a feline, it would make the whole thing much more interesting. Tell me something no one else knows.[/i] Looping around behind Tserieth this time, he took the second position in their 'wing', letting her lead for now. It was hard to speak and fly at the same time.

Basically anyone would expect T'ri to be tiring now - the Bluerider was tall but scrawnily skinny, and the sack of rocks was heavy. Honestly, though, he was stronger than he looked, and he was doing fine... until another missed catch (they were quite far from each other at this point, accuracy was going downhill fast) smashed in to his foot. "Shards," the Blueweyrling cursed, hopping on to his right foot and reaching down to inspect his left. "I sharding hate rocks. Argh."

[Ivy]

“Deal is on, regardless of where I got it. You’ll drink it and enjoy it. I doubt you’d turn down booze even if it were made in someone’s tub.” Roselle retorted as she rolled her brown eyes. Catching the bag she struggled to throw it back – this time it landed a few inches short of him. Shards, this was a bit harder than she’d anticipated. Once he tossed it back she took a moment to get the weight distributed evenly in the bag before tossing it back – this time she managed to make it to him… unfortunately he missed catching it and it landed on his foot. And the drama begins – really he was such a queen, wasn’t he? Surely it couldn’t be hurt that badly. Still she jogged over to him and knelt down, grabbing his leg to keep him from hopping so she could get a better look, “Flailing around won’t help you know. You okay?” There was a hint of genuine worry and concern for him in her voice, but just a hint.

Tserieth’s concentration was broken when Arhenaiyth broke their ‘formation’ and winged beneath her upside down. The Green peered down at the Blue, about ready to complain to him about flying correctly when he suddenly ran his tail tip over her belly. A chortle – or the dragon equivalent of one – came from the young slender Green and on the ground Roselle had to suppress a giggle, though she failed to keep from shivering. Most of the time she seemed to have Tserieth’s emotions and moods blocked out, but she too was sensitive to them from time to time like T’ri was with his Blue. Long neck twisted back as Tserieth looked to see where Arhenaiyth was, seeing him behind her in ‘formation’ once more she looked a bit smug.

It is not boring Arhenaiyth. And do not say such things about Kaaoloth! Horrid thing to wish. Tserieth’s ‘secret crush’ on the Brown showed slightly as she got defensive on his behalf. You are nosey, and Mine knows everything I know. There is nothing I could tell you that ‘no one else knows’.

[Ruby]

Well you could start by explaining how a class taught by a two-legged dragon would be less exciting than one taught by a four-legged dragon, no matter what dragon it was. Surely you're the only one that things that, he drawled, adding, And you can leave Yours out of this. I meant other dragons, what humans know is rarely of any consequence. He appreciated her clever dig, though - she was practically teasing. Arhenaiyth liked that, and he showed it with a mental caress that was very much at odds with his dry tone. As usual, Arhenaiyth was a confusing dragon.

"Well, just because it's made in a tub doesn't mean I don't want to know whose tub," T'ri countered with a smile. She knew him too well, but T'ri was fine with that. He liked having friends of all shapes and sizes, and it didn't hurt when their shapes were as nice as Roselle's. She could do without the teacher's pet act, but T'ri could always tease her for it, so even that was ok. It didn't hurt that she had a secret alcohol source, either. And that is approximately where his train of thought was halted by a fumbled bag.

"Sharding... ahhh, shell!" He continued cursing, submitting to Roselle's ministrations with the tiniest shred of grace. Flopping to the ground, he said, "I think my foot is broken, and I am pretty sure flailing is the only cure..." Flashing Roselle a (slightly pained) smile, he struggled into a sitting position, pulling off his boot. "Argh, see, it needs more flailing." In actuality his big toe was already a little swollen, and prodding it only made T'ri more sure that it would be a bruised mess later today. "Well I hardly think those quacks in the Infirmary will be... are you laughing at me, Roselle, that's not very nice."