Lesson 1 Rotation 1

[dragon]

It was time ... round up the new Candidates, and give them their orientation class. It was kind of a shock, sometimes, to have more Candidates than he knew what to do with, and then all of a sudden they'd all be gone. Troublemakers and nice kids alike. Off to Weyrling classes. It was life, especially life in a Weyr. But it was still sometimes a shock. To have the barracks so echoingly empty, by comparison. But it was starting to fill up again, like it always did...

As it was, Emoyan waited. Lessons were due to start in a few short moments, and like always he was there several minutes early to greet the Candidates as they came in. Hopefully they would actually show ... having to go route them out of their beds was always annoying.

His pets were there, as always, but by far more sedate than they had been for previous lessons... ever since the loss of Voyager, the older brown had been far more protective of Skink, whether the tiny green mandyr wanted it or not. And to be sure, Emoyan was, as well. He'd find out who had killed his pet eventually, but until then he was keeping close tabs on the green's whereabouts. As a result, the bitty creature was sitting on the table and sulking, between Rascal's front feet.

---

Dyleshi
Xerxes
Rulven
Meagen
Llannu
Cerdic

[Ember]

"I don't get why we have to have lessons..." the boy muttered to himself as he headed towards the lesson room. Why couldn't the candidatemaster just leave information sheets in the main room and have a test just before a Hatching to see who would be allowed to stand. A lot less work on everyone's part. A practical knowledge would help as well. At any rate, he wasn't the candidatemaster so there was no choice but to attend lessons. He could complain all he wanted though.

Dyleshi entered the room and sighed as he realizd he was the first. Great. He waved slightly at Emoyan before taking a seat and looking thoroughly bored. Now he had to wait for the others and then the actual lesson! He'd listen like a good little boy despite the fact he didn't like lessons. Even he realized he was a bit odd. Beat repeating lessons if he graduated though!

[Requiem]

He carried a basket over one arm, a thick, clean cloth inside, wrapped around something that smelled warm and freshly baked. Xerxes hadn't been able to sleep, nervous about this first lesson. It felt so odd, so presumptious to number himself amongst the candidates who should be here. The caste system may be dead, but it had been in place throughout his early childhood, and in his mind drudges belonged in the kitchens or working under the open sky - not taking lessons on how to Impress dragons. Awesome creatures, dragons were. He loved to watch them, and to listen to the stories when helping out in the dining hall. But to try for one himself...such arrogance seemed worthy of a beating.

Thus he hadn't been able to sleep, and, because it calmed him to do familiar things, he'd naturally gone to the kitchens. A portion of the fruit of his labors rested in this basket.

The young man poked his head into the room, flashing a smile that had just a touch of shyness behind it at Emoyan. He'd seen the man often enough in the dining hall - before and after the loss of his blue - and even chatted with him on occasion, but most people didn't remember drudges. Not when they were in places they weren't expected to be.

Xerxes' gait was curious. Graceful, almost with a rolling step, and he didn't hunch or otherwise give off an impression of hiding...yet there was still an air of docility to his step. He noted the younger boy - no more than a child, really - and offered him a smile as well. Were all of them going to be so young? Xerxes felt even more out of place. The slight young man spoke to Emoyan, though he moved toward the other candidate. "I just finished making these. You won't mind if people eat some, would you?"

Of course Emoyan would say yes, though. He presented the basket, lifting off the towel and revealing the cookies underneath - several different kinds, neatly arranged. "Go on. There's bound to be something you like," Xerxes told the boy kindly, his smile small but very genuine. Still, he portrayed his nervousness by tugging lightly at the braid on the side of his head with his free hand.

[rii]

Food.

Rulven's stomach, for once, agreed with his destination. It smelled so good–really the smith was unbiased toward any delectable aroma, as long as it didn't smell rotten or burnt. No, no, whatever scent he was following down the corridor had to be nothing less than delicious. After a few tastes of the air, Rulven guessed that the smell belonged to that of cookies. A bit hard to tell what kind, but definitely cookies.

Into the classroom he came, not giving much mind to those present. His attention solely on the figure he recognized, and the basket he held. Really no wonder that Rulven would know all those of the kitchen staff, considering how much time he spent there when not off doing chores or other menial tasks. The smith was a friendly sort too, never turning down an opportunity to chat with the drudges that were willing to indulge him–and not trying to shoo him out because of his strange ability to attract fire lizards from all across the Weyr.

"Hi Xerxes," Rulven flashed a smile, hazel eyes greeting the other before dipping down to the baked goods. Oho, so his nose had been right. Cookies. Rulven wouldn't be so rude to just snatch one without having permission. Did Xerxes being here mean he was going to go for impressing a dragon? Well that sounded all well and good. It would be nice to have someone in the barracks that Rulven sort of knew. All his former classmates.. well, the lot of them had impressed to Whers.

And.. likely Rulven didn't have to attend the classes all over again–but there was food here, so what could be the harm? It's not like Rulven had anything more important to do..

[midnight]

Meagen didn't really need the classes, but she didn't let anyone know that. Years of being a candidate had made her know every nuance of lessons. Now it was time to put everything she knew to use. Unfortunately, she hated lessons for one reason in particular... Participation. She really didn't want to participate at the moment, she just wanted to find her sharding 'brothers', and beat the shards out of them. They deserved it, leaving her with talking fish!

She much preferred dragons, much preferred. She muttered to herself as she gathered up her bangs. She neatly slid them behind her ears and pulled the rest of her hair into a runners tail. It lifted up around her a little, in it's shaggily cut layers. She bit her lip and then sighed as her shoulders sagged. She shook her head and then threw on her brightest smile as she entered the classroom. She took a seat near the front, using her best posture. She kept herself on guard though, hoping that all would go well.

It had to go well, she had to get things right this time. She had to get a dragon, she needed a dragon. Well more then that she needed to beat the shards out of Crystoph and... Well Mikail was now a rider. Surprises of surprises. To a blue no less, that was amazing.

[ace]

Kevin arrived just in the nick of time, allowing just enough time to look for an empty seat. He smiled to himself as he viewed the other candidates present. He was pleased to know that he could remember some of their names, and could recognized most of them by face. Since he had arrived at the weyr, he had not made many friends, preferring to keep to himself. However, it now seemed like a good idea to make acquaintances. "Hello," he said to Xerxes, not daring to call him by name lest he had it wrong. "I'm Kevin, I'm not sure we've met before."

*will finish later*

[dragon]

The Candidates had started to arrive ... not all of them, yes, but enough to actually hold a lesson. Emoyan nodded to Dyl as he came in and sat down. "Good morning." He greeted. The next to enter was more of a scent than a person ... though it was followed up shortly by the actual person and a basket. This elicited a raised brow from Emoyan ... first grapefruits and now ...? What? Smelled like some sort of bread item. He recognized the youth, but did not recall his name. He'd seen him around the Weyr, but never the Candidate barracks... a drudge, possibly?

He allowed the passage of the cookie basket to run amok for a moment as he turned to check his parchments to figure out if the youth with the cookies was a candidate or not. Things changed so fast in a Weyr it was sometimes very hard to stay caught up. But no, there he was on the list ... the one he'd just been given recently. Xerxes. Emoyan vaguely wondered how a body ended up with a name like that, and how it was said. Shrugging, he laid his parchment down again and looked at the lads. "I don't care if you eat them ... just so long as attention is on the lesson, not on stuffing faces." Emoyan agreed, good naturedly.

Oh, yes, he knew how boys could be ... food was a magical substance for them. He'd been one, once, himself ... he knew all about boys and food. And sure enough, here came Rulven, with his nose a twitching as if it was here expressly because of a basket of cookies. Figures. Emoyan couldn't help but grin anyway... typical lads.

"Take a seat, then ... we'll get started soon, now." He said, as Skink promptly vanished from between Rascal's feet she moved so fast. The tiny green mandyr scampered down the table leg, across the floor, up Xerxes' pantleg, and down his arm into the basket. There, she curled possesively around the first cookie she came to, trying to fit it in her mouth.

---

The walk was short enough, from the barracks themselves to the main room where the classes were held. Simple enough way to go, nothing in between to be distracted ... right? Llannu made it thus far all the way to the door of the common room, where he paused and looked at the assembled Candidates inside. And the towering man that had to be the Candidate Master. Well ... he was tall, sure, but not towering. But given Llannu's frightened perspective and own youthful stature ... everyone was towering.

When he paused at the doorway, he moved to twiddle his thumbs, just to keep them occupied and out of trouble. At which point he noticed he had something in his left hand... lifting it up to look at it curiously, he saw that it was a small comb. Where in the world had he gotten that from? Looking around sheepishly, he attempted to hide it in his thick hair. Moving forward, he took a seat ... not near the others, but not far enough away to draw attention to himself, either. This was horrible ... why did he have to be here?

Right then, Llannu wanted nothing more than to be presented with nothing more than a bit of soft clay.

[midnight]

Meagen was silent as she watched the candidate master. He was an interesting man to say in the least. She bit her lip a little as she looked around the room. There were cookies, and a few other people. But she wasn't into socializing with males. The only males she socialized were... She just didn't want to think about that right now. What she had to worry about was getting through these classes, so that she could get a chance at a dragon.

It would be better here, better then it had been... before. She shuddered as she remembered before, then gritted her teeth as she cocked her head back. Her eyes staying ahead of her as she smiled softly. It would be better, it would be better. She nodded her head and then slowly she looked towards the boy with the cookies. "Em... My name is Meagen... May... I have a cookie?" She asked lightly.

[mierce]

Late late late! He was sooo late! Cerdic dashed madly down the corridor towards the main room. First lesson as a brand spankin’ new candidate and he was already screwing up. No, he couldn’t mess this up. “Excuse me! Coming through! Ooff—SORRY!!” He twirled around the poor drudge he had nearly knocked over and continued pounding the ground and send his surroundings blurring by besides him.

Wait, why is there a draft? Was he even dressed properly? He slowed down a smidgen to give himself a cursory glance down and noted with a mix of relief and embarrassment that he had seriously missed a few buttons on his shirt so that the fabric now hung open, exposing his thin undershirt beneath. At least he hadn’t forgotten his pants.

After what seemed like way to long, he finally arrived at the main room without actually running anyone over. Or rather, he zoomed right by it and had to backtrack. He stopped at the doorway, hands gripping the frame as he took deep, burning breaths. Sweat glistened on his forehead and actually matted his unruly hair down so that it was no longer completely defying gravity. He dared to lift one hand from the door frame and gesture apologetically to the Candidate Master. His lips moved in an attempt to form words but all that came out were wheezes and gasps. Well, there goes his plan to make a stunning first impression…

Letting out a labored sigh, he fell to one knee, exhaustion overwhelming his legs like never before. “My deepest apol… apol…” He squinted and took a deep breath, then looked up with at the tall man, sincere regret practically pouring from his large eyes. “I’m so very sorry sir! Please excuse my tardiness. It shalln’t happen again.” There, hopefully this would appease the man into being a little more lenient, nevermind that he was being rather loud in what should be a classroom environment.

He took a few more deep breaths then stood up. Shoulders back and head held high, he walked assuredly towards a seat and sat down… then as quickly and discreetly as possible began to fix the buttons on his skewed shirt. He took a cursory glance around the room, immediately noting that most of the attendees were boys. There was a lone girl in the room, and he hope that she didn’t think too poorly of him from that little performance. And… were those cookies? Oooh cookies! He wanted to get up again and ask for one, but it seemed like a tactless thing to do after already being late. Perhaps after lessons he would try.

[Requiem]

Rulven. He recognized the voice, and the friendly expression kicked up a knotch to genuine delight to see the smith. Xerxes glanced down at Dyleshi, not sure if he'd gotten a cookie yet. The boy'd had enough time, though, because Xerxes was certain he was operating on borrowed time. He glided over to Rulven. "My favorite smith. Are the firelizards still after you like a kitten chases string?" He glanced around the man. "Ah. Seems you've escaped them for the time being." Straightening, he blew a strand of darker hair from his soft eyes and presented the basket to the man about his own age. Nice to see that they wouldn't all be much younger than him. He'd forgotten Rulven was a candidate. This made things much better.

"You came for these, didn't you? Take a few. There are plenty, and even more lying around the kitchens I can get my hands on if we run out." Another flashed smile, before he peered around Rulven like a curious pup at the girl who walked by without an acknowledgement.

He blinked, visibily edging behind Rulven at the appearance of the very, very large northerner. Probably younger than Xerxes, yes, but northerners often had this effect on the Selenitas-bred drudge unless he was around them enough to get over his nervousness. The north was such a violent place.

Ah, better, better! A Xerxes-sized boy. All arms and legs, but that was just a stage all men went through at one point. He felt a brief flash of sympathy. It had been quite uncomfortable when he himself was in his growing stage. Lots of broken dishes and not so happy drudges sending him outdoors where he could be of more use. "Go ahead. I've been told they're really very good," he told the nervous one softly. Emoyan had said to sit, and he would, he would, but the girl had spoken up, and it would be rude to just ignore her, wouldn't it?

"Of course." He pulled out a worn but clean cloth from his pocket, so as not to rush Llannu, and wrapped one of each kind in it without touching the cookies with his fingers. "I'm Xerxes," he added, with a smile that might have seemed shy if he wasn't so clearly - not. "There you go."

Worried that he might have pressed his luck just a little too far, he retrieved his basket from Llannu's desk and slid in beside the boy before he could irritate Emoyan too terribly much. Fortunately, another of the boys, this one also just a little smaller than Xerxes, flew in afterwards, quite late. He looked like such a mess. The drudge hid a smile behind a hand, but his laughing eyes could not be so easily concealed. When the other sat, he nudged the basket toward him with a foot, settling his eyes on Emoyan studiously.

He was paying perfect attention, see?

[Ember]

Dyleshi has been muttering under his breath about the pointlessness of lessons when Xerxes came up. He smiled brightly and peered into the basket. When he spotted his favourite type of cookies he snagged a couple. Okay, maybe lessons weren't so bad. He examined the ex-drudge for a moment and vaguely recognized him. Well, recognition was better than nothing, right? The boy also thought the big smith looked familiar...

He grinned a bit at the request to sit down. He already was sitting. Easier to avoid being trampled by the other people, especially that one who came flying in perhaps just a little late. Late but not too late, seeing how the lesson had yet to actually start. Dyleshi nibbled at one of his cookies, savouring the taste. He wanted to make them last the lesson!

Surely that wasn't everyone that was supposed to come? Well, the others could skip as long as they wanted but it would only hurt them in the long run. Dyleshi waited for Emoyan to start as he finished off a cookie and started on the next one.

[rii]

"I'm sure as soon as I get food in my hands, they'll find me.." Rulven grumbled in a feigned tone following it with a quick smile. He helped himself to three cookies, for the time being, always appreciative toward the baked goods. Really, it could have been anything inside the basket and the smith would of been happy.

Rulven was about to ask Xerxes about his decision of candidacy when he noticed the ex-drudge moving to use him as a shield. Un-offended by the action, Rulven knew the guardian roll more than well enough–enjoyed it even–the smith casually looked over his shoulder. An eyebrow rose. How about that, a candidate as tall as himself. Of course, any animosity that might have risen became blind-sided by the rushed, dramatic arrival of a young lad Rulven didn't know. He would learn their names, given time, as they all shared the same barracks.. maybe, Rulven didn't have the best of memories.

Oh, right, sit down–lessons. Not just snack time.

Rulven lightly patted his hand on Xerxes shoulder in thanks for the cookies–one of them currently stuffed in his mouth leaving him unable to verbally be grateful. He was enjoying them, that should have shown his appreciation, right? The smith moved to the back before chosing a seat and giving.. most.. of his attention to Emoyan.

Mm, cookies..

[dragon]

"Alright." Emoyan said, with a touch of amusement. Boys, and food. There was never a better match made. "I need you all to pay attention, so snack time will resume later, alright?" He stepped over and acquired the basket, setting it aside on the table that was handy. Though he paused long enough to swipe his 'mandyr from the basket while he was at it. Skink utterly refused to let her cookie though, however, and dragged it along with her. Never mind her chosen snack outsized her by at least three times and outweighed her by a lot, as well.

Emoyan dropped the green scrap in front of Rascal, who plunked a foot on the cookie. Thus ensuring that Skink stayed put. At least ... for as long as she was fixated on the cookie. Which for the time being, she seemed perfectly content to be, gnawing away on the edge of it and not getting very far with it.

Turning his attention back to the Candidates, Emoyan started in. Time to get the lesson rolling, as he was sure they would be more than happy to be turned loose on that basket of goodies again. Or whatever else they happened to prefer doing, over lessons. "First, I want to welcome you all to Selenitas, and congratulate you on being selected as Candidates. It takes a special something to be a Candidate. And, just by being here, you have that something. In this lesson, we are going to cover some pretty basic things. The rules, the structure, and some of the important people around the Weyr that you should know the names of." He began, before pulling an empty chair over and taking a seat.

There weren't very many candidates, and he could easily see them all even when at their level. And Faranth knew, standing got old after awhile. It was kind of hard on the heels. "First, the most important people in the Weyr are the Weyrleaders. They are, at the current time, Keagen of Gold Millieth, and S'rei, of Bronze Salenth. Keagen will be our Weyrwoman until the day she dies, but the Weyrleader changes out every year. So that is something you'll have to stay on top of. Should you meet either of them, I suggest you address them with respect, and with their titles. Only at their discretion should you address them in any other fashion. Alright? Good."

"There are some basic rules that you need to be aware of. Most of them are the usual rules that go along with any holding. Be nice to each other, do your chores, attend to your lessons, the rest of it. But there are also some new ones that you need to know. Boys in boys barracks, girls in girls barracks, and no mixing in them. Only in the common room. Also, this is no longer a rule, but I strongly suggest you stay well away from any mandyr hatchings. You may attend all the flitter hatchings you like, but acquiring a mandyr pet could get you banned from standing from a dragon. For those who don't know..." He turned slightly and pointed at Skink. "That is a mandyr. And that's about as big as they get, too. Don't let their charm get you, they're more trouble than they're worth most of the time."

Skink looked up from her cookie just long enough to hiss at Emoyan, well aware she was being talked about ... and not in the most flattering of lights, either. Bad, talk no! Mine! And with that odd comment, she went back to chewing on her cookie.

"Yeah, whatever." Emoyan replied, before straightening again. "That's how they usually talk, too. Broken, bad grammar, the whole nine yards. Some of them can't be understood. Now! On to the next item... Selenitas is not like other Weyrs. We are situated down inside a canyon, with a river flowing through it. There are bridges in places to allow for foot traffic around the base areas. But, as the barracks are situated above the falls, I strongly advise against swimming in the river here. It is altogether too easy to get swept over the falls, and the rocks at the bottom are not terribly friendly, the last time I checked. Also, due to mandyrs and their ilk, it won't be unusual to see some people acting really oddly from time to time. Just ... stay away from them and let them do their thing. You won't be able to stop them, and trying is a good way to get hurt. So just steer clear and you should be fine."

He picked up a stack of parchments and passed a parchment out to each candidate. "This is some of the basic stuff that we have covered here, plus some. For in case you want to go over it later and make sure you got it all. There is a list of important people on there, as well, you would do good to memorize that. Jr. Weyrleaders, Wingleaders, Headwoman, etc."

"Lastly, I guess, if any of you have any questions, or problems with anything..." He spread his hands. "I'm usually around. Don't be afraid to come talk to me on whatever issues, I don't bite. Any questions?"

Skink started to comment, but a smack on the head from Rascal shut her up. She glared up at the brown flitter that towered over her, and then went back to chewing on her cookie. Even if she didn't understand, Rascal had been attending enough lessons to know that this was important, and Skink's little bits of wisdom (or stupidity) weren't desired.

---

Llannu fiddled with his thumbs, trying not to look at anyone, much less the Candidate master. The last thing he wanted to be was singled out and punished. So he did his best to be as inconspicuous as he could manage. Don't talk to anyone, don't look at anyone, nothing. And hope to Faranth that he managed to make it through the lesson without stealing anything from anyone. Thus his obsessive thumb-twiddling. Make sure they stayed busy. Yes, that's it. Stay busy, concentrate. Pay attention, make sure nothing untoward happened while he wasn't paying attention.

He was concentrating so hard on what he was and wasn't doing that Llannu managed to miss a great deal of the lesson, and it took him some time to even realize that. To hear that the Candidate Master was speaking, even. Getting handed a leaflet was a shock, to be sure. He took it out of reflex, and then blinked at the neat rows of bitty bugs that marched across it.

This was embarrassing. Llannu couldn't read. He blinked at Emoyan for a moment, glanced quickly at the others, and then went back to staring dutifully at the parchment. Must not let them know he couldn't read.

Since when did a body have to know how to read to shape clay, anyway? Since when did a body need to know how to read, to get to stare at dragon eggs? It didn't make any sense to him. But ... at least now he had something to fiddle with. He folded the paper in half, and carefully creased the edge, before folding it again. And again. And ... he better stop. Llannu fingered the corners for a moment, before blinking and looking up again, to see what everyone else was doing.

[midnight]

Meagen gratefully took the cookie and clothe from the boy. Her eyes darting around the room as she nibbled on the confection. Her attention was riveted to the man though, and all the going ons. She did notice though, that she was apparently the only female candidate in the class. That was odd, hopefully the others would show up soon, or would get there eventually. She felt a little odd, not having any other female classmates. Though in honesty, there was never a ton of female candidates before... anyways.

She kept her attention on the man that was speaking. Her whole mind focused on memorizing the names that would be life or death for her. In honesty, that is what it felt like to her. Her attention only wavered as she memorized her classmates. Then slowly she raised her hand as she looked towards the teacher. She had a question about how much of a bother her 'brothers' had been for him. She figured he had probably been candidate master for them, as well.

"I have a Question." She said in a polite and curt tone. Her eyes intently focusing on the man before her. She noticed his mandyr and did her best to avoid paying it too much attention. More then anything she wanted a dragon, a firelizard might be nice... But a dragon was what she wanted above all else.