What You See is What You Get (Tobby)

[Ember]

Dy'shi liked the drumheights mostly because they lived up to their name; they were high and offered a really good view. He had gone up to the heights with Chakraith that day for the first time. He wanted to share it with her and he felt just a little bit safer up there. He knew he was far from it but the peaceful view of the Southern land let him calm down to match his blue's perma-calm even a little bit. It was partially working. After a while of sharing the view Dy'shi had started a game with Chakraith to further take his mind off things.

It was an odd game to play when small details were lost because of the distance but it somehow managed to amuse him. He raised his voice to compensate for the falls roaring nearby and said, "I spy with my little eye something that is...white." The little boy smirked when he finished, attempting not to think about what it was he was trying to get Chakraith to guess. The game was really better suited to the bright and busy Gathers or while on journies. The darkly coloured blue looked off into the distance as Dy'shi had. The only white things she saw were...Clouds.

"Nope!" Dy'shi exclaimed with a slight giggle. He'd fooled her! He slid down her side and bounced away from her with a big grin on his face. "Hah! I got you! I wasn't looking very far at all," he said playfully. She brought her head down low and a flicker of amusement slipped across their bond along with appreciation of his cleverness. It wasn't that she was trying to hide her emotions from her own bonded, the female blue was simply a very calm creature by nature. Dy'shi ran right up to his dragon and threw his arms as far around her snout as they would go. "You still have to guess ya know." He mumbled into her smooth hide.

Chakraith gently nosed the boy away so he wouldn't fall when she lifted her head again. She was about to make another guess when she noticed that someone else was approaching. Someone comes, she told Hers, standing up and imposing herself between Dy'shi and the other person. The boy peeked underneath his dragon at the figure and smiled. "Chak! Its just another boy!" The young weyrling waved at the other boy and called out, "Hello!"

[marge]

Why he was heading for the drumheights, Tobby didn't really know. All he knew was that his feet were carrying him there and he didn't really have any reason to turn around. Maybe he just wanted to be alone and knew that the drumheights were a good place for that. In the past few sevendays since the awful attack, the young candidate had found himself just thinking more and more. Of course he had wanted to help in every way that he could, but his small stature and the lack of any healer knowledge made it difficult to let people help with much with anything. So instead he'd been forced to wander through his thoughts more than anything else.

The enemy riders had been from Fort. Fort. His guilt surrounding his lineage wasn't helped by the knowledge that many Selentias riders were originally from the other weyr. Only the fact that he knew his father was dead and therefore couldn't possibly have been involved helped to cheer him up. But what if his mother? He knew that she was a greenrider. Maybe she-

But no. Tobby wouldn't allow himself to think that way. His mother was dead. Greenrider Ciara, the closest person to a real mother he'd ever had, was dead. And now so was his baby sister's father. Blood relation or not, Caevie was his sister and she was an orphan just like him. He'd protect her. He had to.

It was with these such thoughts in his head, that a blue dragon entered the very edge of his vision. Before he could comprehend who this dragon was or what Weyr they were from, Tobby had taken a few cautious steps back. His eyes widened in worry before he suddenly relaxed as another boy, looking very near his own age, peeked out from under the blue's wing. The dragon's size was the next thing to register and Tobby realized that this was just one of the weyrling pairs. His quickened heartbeat began to calm. "Oh, hello." He finally said softly, managing a smile. "What're you doing up here?"

[Ember]

Chakraith remained ready to defend Hers if necessary for a moment longer. She didn't like the idea of inflicting harm on another but if necessity dictated it then she'd fight. She sensed no threat from the other boy though and Hers was oh so eager to meet another of a similar age to him. She moved out of his way and let him go greet Tobby properly. Under the calmly watchful gaze of his blue, Dy'shi approached Tobby with a smile. "We were just relaxing up here, playing I Spy. I was winning."

He stuck out his hand then and introduced himself and his dragon. "I'm Dy'shi and that's Chakraith." As always, the boy was tempted to somehow throw his blue's gender into the conversation to test the reaction. He didn't want to become friends with someone who wouldn't accept his dragon for what she was; a female blue. He didn't actually do it but he'd make certain before he considered this other boy a friend (like he so wanted to do). "What's your name?"

The blue silently dipped her head to Tobby in greeting though she made no noise. She laid down again, crossing one foreleg over the other in a very relaxed pose. She went back to looking for what Dy'shi had spied earlier and when she had an answer she thought was right she said, The mist fro mthe waterfall. "Oh drat." Dy'shi turned and blinked at her in surprise. "She just guessed what I spied. Did you want to play with us?" Oh look, he'd slipepd in her gender withotu even noticing it.

[marge]

He reached forward to shake the offered hand, and opened his mouth to give him name, but Tobby paused, tilting his head. "She?" He questioned curiously, peering over at the blue dragon. He'd never heard of a female blue before. His father's blue, along with every other blue he'd ever met, had been male. "I've never met a blue that's female...." Tobby trailed off, before he grinned widely, "That's really cool! My name's Tobby. I'm only a candidate." He said in a rush, for once actually appearing his age.

"I'd love to play with you guys if you don't think I'm interrupting or anything. I don't often meet people my age." Much less people his own age that were riders. His earlier caution was abandoned as he grinned at Dy'shi. This boy was no threat, and he was sure that Chakraith would let them know if there was any danger. Why shouldn't he relax and enjoy himself if he could? It was so rare now a days.

[Ember]

Dy'shi's face fell slightly as Tobby absorbed the fact that his dragon was actually female. To the boy it seemed like his potential new friend might not be so accepting of her...and then he broke out into a smile that the young weyrling returned. Oh good! The candidate wasn't going to dislike her just because she was different. "It was really surprising when she first talked to me," he admitted. "I always thought all blues were guys. I heard some people talking once. Chakraith's momma was a Benden queen before. Some of her babies are...different."

In a kinder vein Dy'shi added, "You know, every dragonrider started out as 'just a candidate.' You're more special than you think! I admit the chores suck but without candidates there would be no dragonriders in the first place." Hatchlings betweened without the one meant for them present. He was glad it didn't happen often, and especially not to Chakraith or any of her siblings.

"You're absolutely not interrupting! Right Chak?" The blue nodded her head for Tobby's benefit only; Hers already knew she did not mind the other boy joining in. "I don't see many my age either. My weyrling class are all at least a couple years older than me. How old are you Tobby? I just turned thirteen Turns." While he talked with the candidate, Chakraith was busy searching for something to Spy. She caught sight of a bird flying off in the distance. Though she knew it wasn't actually black she said, I Spy something black. "Chakraith says she spies something black."

[marge]

"Oh I don't mind the chores. Well, maybe sometimes. But not much because I know it's part of being a candidate and being a candidate is just one step closer to my dream of being a dragonrider. I'm weyrbred, so I've always wanted to be one. Y'know? My dad's dragon was blue, too." Tobby said in an excited rush before he paused and grinned widely at the other boy. Dy'shi was probably the first rider he'd met that was short then him. It made since though, since Dy'shi was also probably the youngest rider at the weyr.

"I just turned twelve, so I'm even younger than you." It didn't matter, Tobby had already felt a sort of connection to the other boy. Other his age, even among the candidates was rare. The riders always tried to Search older kids if they could. "Something black huh? Hm..." Tobby trailed off, gazing around the large expanse of land that he could see. "Those rocks, maybe?" He asked, pointing off in the distance at some dark stones. They were black-ish.

[Ember]

Dy'shi was amazed by Tobby's enthusiasm about dragons. If anyone deserved to Impress it was definitely him! He couldn't help but be infected even more...until Dy'shi's mind caught on the use of past tense when Tobby mentioend his father's dragon. He didn't bring it up - he'd only know the boy for what? A couple minutes? - but it did hang in the back of his mind. "That's pretty cool! I'm a little biased but I think blues are the best." His blue, of course, was the best of all. He didn't say that though. He only ever showed off his own work, what he'd accomplished on his own.

He leaned closer to Tobby conspiratorilly. "Wanna know something about weyrling chores? Once you Impress you get to pick what chores you want to do! No more archive duty if you don't want to!" It was such a wonderful thing to be allowed to choose what to do. He imagined it was a little taste of the freedom dragonriders had outside of training. He couldn't quite imagine what it would be like to not have so much to do. He was used to working a lot.

Dy'shi and Chakraith's attentions were brought to the distant rocks. Chakraith shook her head in the negative, like she had seen Hers do before. Nope, not the right 'black' thing. Dy'shi privately thought that they'd make a good object his next turn. He pointed to a distant mountain that also looked black from so far away. "That mountain?" Again the blue shook her head, waiting for a correct guess patiently.

[marge]

Tobby giggled softly. It did make sense for a bluerider to be a bit biased toward blue dragons. "You can choose what chores you don't want to do? Oh that's cool! I hate kitchen duty myself. Food's yummy and all, but I don't like having to make it. And touching other people's food just..." He pretended to shiver before smiling again at Dy'shi. The candidate didn't mind archive duty. He loved reading over some of the old archives as he copied them down. The facts were all that important, but just the idea that these records had been written down by people forever ago made him giddy inside.

"It's not the rocks?" Hmm.... Tobby frowned, casting his gaze back over the view. There weren't too many black items in view. He looked long and hard at the ground before he turned his gaze up-wards. In the distance, he could see a dark bird circling. "Ooo! Is that it!" The boy asked, pointing toward the bird. It seemed like a good guess to him.

[Ember]

Dy'shi could see why kitchen duty would be hated by some. In truth, the boy didn't really like any chore. He jsut had ones he disliked less. Archives was undoubtedly on the top of his hated list though. He still wasn't good at reading or writing so there was no joy to be had in the scribbles on the records. Besides, it was kind of lonely in the quiet, dusty record room. He returned Tobby's smile. "I don't mind so much touching other peoples' food. Besides, if I'm helping in the kitchen then I know what's going into the food and even pick up a few cooking tricks."

Dy'shi and Chakraith both followed Tobby's pointing. The weyrling felt Chakraith's answer and relayed it to the candidate. "Ooh drat. Ya got it. Your turn!" Dy'shi watched Tobby so intensely it might have been a little disturbing. With Chakraith he couldn't tell which direction she was looking but with the other boy he might be able to get a valuable hint. Dy'shi had learned the trick from his brother. His brother had always read him, but to trick Dy'shi he'd look all over the place even after he'd picked something. It was kind of frustrating.

[marge]

The candidate gave a tiny clap as he managed to pick the correct item. He grinned widely at the blue pair. "The bird was a good thing!" He complimented before he cast his gaze over the view. Now what could he pick that would be difficult for the two to choose? He didn't want to make it impossible, but he did want to provide a good challenge. His dark brown eyes scanned over the land, occasionally pausing, but never for very long. Tobby was aware of Dy'shi's intense concentration on him, but it only made the boy smile. Oh no. It wouldn't be that easy!

"I spy.... Something.... gray." He finally mused, turning to his peer with excitement on his face. Dy'shi would never guess the stone underneath their feet! The boy would probably expect the item to be something far away. Tobby beam to himself, thinking himself quite clever. "Do you two play this game often?"

[Ember]

Chakraith looked down at the other young person at the compliment. She didn't otherwise acknowledge what he said because he shortly began to look for something for her and Hers to search for. She searched for anything that might stick out in someone's mind and remembered them. If it caught the eye it was more likely to be picked for the game. At least, that is what she had noticed with Hers. Perhaps it would be different with Tobby. She let her thoughts transfer over to Dy'shi and his eyes briefly flickered to the view. Hmm.

Something gray! Dy'shi looked at Tobby again at that declaration. His immediate thought was, "Those clouds over there?" He pointed to some low, medium gray clouds. "Oh, we play this game a lot. It passes the time and I suppose it helps our weyrling training. A lot of the beginning stuff is about bonding and stuff. We play a couple of other games too, though this is probably our most interesting one to others."

[marge]

He giggled softly, "Nope. Not the clouds." Dy'shi was never going to get it, Tobby thought. Playing games was fun, but he did have to admit that he had a bit of a competitive streak in him. "Oh, that's clever. I could see how playing games would let you and her get to know each other better." The boy trailed off for a moment before he tilted his head, "But why do you have to concentrate on bonding and stuff? I thought Impression was all you needed."

So he didn't know everything, so shoot him. He hadn't Impressed anything yet. Tobby glanced up at Chakraith once more as he tried to imagine what it'd be like to have a dragon joined to one's mind. Why did his thoughts always seem to return to that topic? He sighed inwardly and shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind. He was here, playing a game, not in the future at the Hatching. That's where his thoughts needed to be.

[Ember]

Dy'shi frowned when he was told it wasn't the clouds. Bummer! Tobby distracted him from searching for the real thing though. He smiled, knowing why Tobby didn't understand. He hadn't really worked on bonding when he'd had his firelizard, it had sort of just come naturally, but with Chakraith he could tel lthe effects of all the bonding excercises. "It's not as simple as that. Even though we're connected its so different from what we're used to. There's the emotion and thought level and the communication level...its a bit complicated."

Chakraith noticed Tobby looking up at her and lowered her head. While Dy'shi had been attempting to explain their bond she thought she figured out what Tobby had Spied. That wasn't why she lowered her head though. "Ah, here's a good way to help me explain it. See I can tell what she's feeling even if though she's not actively telling me how she feels. Thinking is a little more hard. I can't always tell you what she's thinking. The voice that people tell you about is part of the communication level. The bonding excercises basically help us figure out these things....I hope that made sense."

Chakraith continued to look at Tobby before lightly nudging Hers. We must go, Dy'shimine. You have chores to do. Also, I believe what he Spied is the rock underneath us. "Oh! I have to go Tobby. I have to do some chores. But I'll see you around, okay? Chakraith also guessed that the grey thing is the stone. If that's really it, that's a good one!" Even as he spoke his blue got up and he walked backwards slowly. He didn't want to go but he had no choice.