ATTN: Weyrling Lesson 6!

[kat]

Rayne walked into the Weyrling Barracks, headed for the classroom and leaned up against the front desk, scanning the empty seats that would soon be filled with the Weyrlings of the Exotics clutch. Whatever had prompted her to apply for this position, she still couldn't remember. Likely she'd been inebriated when she'd done so, and right now she wouldn't have minded a stiff drink. At twenty-one turns she had applied to be the Assistant Weyrlingmistress. She supposed she was outgoing and friendly enough and was a tad surprised that I'fael, the Weyrlingmaster, had accepted her for the position. Well, it was true Rayne could handle just about any situation with any kind of people. She had that going for her. Plus, she had graduated at the top of her class when she'd been at Fort, surpassing all her classmates and doing so with an obvious sort of flair. Yes, she supposed she was capable enough, even though younger than some who'd applied...well, younger than most. Still, she found herself staring at the empty seats bemusedly, wondering what the reaction would be from the Weyrlings when they saw who was their new 'teacher'.

Young and very pretty, most people didn't take Rayne seriously until she opened her mouth. Then, she could shock most of them with her biting wit and something about the way she spoke made them listen. She'd never even once in her life spoken like the station she was. No, as long as she had had confidence--which she had in mass amounts--and you held your head high and weren't afraid to look someone in the eye? You could gain a lot of respect. She wasn't going to take anything from this bunch of Weyrlings lying down. She'd have to fill the position of someone who had already gained their respect, and she'd likely have to do the same. Five months into lessons, and now she would be taking over. It would be an interesting change, to be sure.

Kynoath liked that the barracks were made big enough for dragons. After all, they had to be, because some of the bronzes were as big as full grown greens before they moved out. She was currently waiting in an unoccupied room, just relaxing until Rayne was done with the morning class and the dragons were to wake up and get themselves out of doors. Then came her part, where she could demonstrate and help out hers. For now, she was content to let Rayne deal with the younger dragons. True, at only three turns, Kynoath was young yet herself. Still, like her rider, she had a way of commanding a lot of respect, for she was no nonsense and brooked no disrespect to herself or hers. She would listen in on her mind mate's thoughts while the lesson on maintenance of riding gear, reading Threadfall charts and some more first aid was taught. She, too, was waiting for the Weyrlings to arrive. They would be in for a surprise, however, when they saw their new Asst. Weyrlingmistress!

[Lotty]

K'sel irreverently waltzed into the room just like he always did when there was lessons - with a cup of klah in his hand and the same bemused gaze, eyes glazed over with rosy tones of sleepiness and overall apathy. Pettahth was the more gung-ho of the pair, proudly striding in and rather pleased with the fact that he was first! First! He couldn't remember the last time he managed to get His up and moving fast enough to beat everyone else. This was one for the record books folks. Not that the weyrlingrider cared too much, if anything he hated being first, he felt like that garnered him extra attention and that was the last thing he wanted. It ran too many risks. However, being up and at it early was a necessity. He had to avoid Nephele at all costs, she was like a plague, and ugh...there were just too many metaphors and similes to justify the strained pseudo-relationship they had, the point was that he didn't want to see her and being up early meant he got to slip into the classroom before the juniors were moving about.

He was mid-conversation with Pettahth as he strolled to the usual spot he picked in the room. Off to the side, not completely hidden in the corner, but certainly not up front (though front is a relative term, when you are the only student there you are technically always in the front). Looking up from the mug of klah he noticed a slight problem, and the brown's mental gambit against K'sel was turned on the tip of a wing and reworked to inform him of the weyrlingmaster change. I had told you that it wasn't Kaaoloth who had called for us this morning...you would remember had you listened. How will we hold up our highly esteemed rank when you will not listen? The brown was very proud of the fact that they were wingseconds of their tiny weyrling wing, after all it was the result of hard work and forcing greatness upon his self-deprecating rider. The boy didn't think of it as an honor as much as a position of necessity, they were (surprisingly) one of the few pairs who managed to be reliable. Whatever...

Very calmly he assessed the situation. That was not Sel'n. That lady didn't even look much older than himself...in fact if he wasn't still a weyrling he would be very unashamedly hitting on her....but instead she was in a position of authority, and we all know that this rebel wasn't much for authority figures no matter who they were. Sel'n was incredibly tolerable and earned a pass. Rayne wasn't there yet. He didn't even recognize Rayne and he was at least vaguely familiar with most of the Selenitas riders, his father being a dragonrider himself aided this habit. Lowering his cup and leaning against the dusty tan hide of his hide he finally addressed the woman, still giving a few cursory glances, "You aren't Sel'n."

He said it very matter of factly, which only begged for a response from the greenrider who had now been put in charge of the class. He was rather curious as to where on Pern Sel'n had gone off to, but he supposed it wasn't exactly his business now was it? K'sel took another drink of his klah, hiding his anticipation for a response.

[kat]

Rayne watched the first of the Weyrlings enter the classroom, hiding the faint upturn of her mouth as she mentally noted him shooting rather curious glances at her. He held a cup of Klah in one hand, and she quickly assessed him. He didn't seem the loud or boisterous type. Still, the way he carried himself said that he'd be one of the Weyrlings here whose respect would need earning. His entire demeanor was taken in. The fact that he was the first one here on this morning wasn't one of those things she took that much note of. One early day wouldn't speak for the rest of the days to come. It might have been purely fluke or coincidence. However, what was not coincidence was the fact that his first words to her were purely blatant. No 'hi there' or 'hello' from this one. No, instead he chose to point out the most obvious fact: she wasn't Sel'n. Well, that just wouldn't do, now would it?

A slow smile crept across her face, as she looked pointedly at the young man. Well, not much younger than herself, really. That was one of the few things that would be in her disfavor. She was younger than most in her position ought to have been. Therefore some of these Weyrlings were near her in age. It made the fact that she was in a position of superiority to them somewhat daunting, in certain ways. They might not even like it. Still, they didn't have to. It was what it was.

"You're not Sel'n, either," she replied pointedly, and then, "that much is obvious. I am not Sel'n, and nor are you. Perhaps if you'd give me your name, you may have mine?" She raised her eyebrows, looking at him through her thick black lashes with that same lazy smile on her face that hadn't dissipated in the least. If you wanted respect you had to show some. Obviously she wasn't a Weyrling, so he must have known she was here as a Weyrlingmistress. He might have introduced himself, or greeted her. He had not. Therefor, she had not. It was a simple exchange, really.

She knew her reception wouldn't all be like this. Still, having one like him show first was interesting, and allowed her to get a feel for what she might be in store for. He seemed like he had brains to go with his head, and enough sense to figure out who she was. Who she was not wasn't important. The fact was that she was here, as his Weyrlingmaster, for the next few months. He'd have to learn that she wasn't his equal. That was important for them all to learn. No matter what she looked like or how old she was, she was not their equals. She was not only a full rider, but also their Weyrlingmaster. They'd just have to get used to that.

[dragon]

Lilliementh reached the classroom before Nris ever did, bouncing ahead of her bonded and entering the room with a splash. Or, she would have had there been any water in there! Wings flopping around loosely as her head and tail mimiced the same loose and wobbly yet controled actions, Lillie bounded right over to her brother and pounced on him, dumping her forequarters across his brown shoulders and poking at the back of his head with her snout.

Goodmorning Pettahth! The scrawny looking yet richly colored green announced, wiggling and kicking up a back leg as she tried to clamber around on her bigger clutchbrother. What exactly had got into her head, was anyone's guess!

Nris arrived in the room at that point, saw what her dragon was doing, and frowned pointedly. "Lillie! Get down!" She ordered, sternly, pointing at the floor near her feet.

Wiggling around, Lillie slid down the far side of her brother, bounced around under his head, and headed back toward her rider. Lesson time~~! She announced, happily, wriggling all over very much like an excited puppy would.

Nris sighed at her dragon, and then turned her gaze upon the others in the room. Only K'sel and ... who the shards was that? She was too old to be a weyrling, though only just barely. Maybe looks were deceiving? Still, Nris hadn't seen her before. "Who're you?" She echoed, without realizing she'd done it. "And where is Sel'n?" It was very odd that there were lessons, and thier weyrlingmaster wasn't there. Nris crossed her corded arms over her minimal chest, balancing her weight on one leg as she waited for a responce.

She sure hoped that this ... woman ... was not a stand in for Sel'n. She looked young enough to still be wet behind the ears, and only possibly a Turn older than herself! So naturally the dolphineer was being quite skeptical and disapproving.

[Lotty]

"My name?" Perhaps it was a fair trade...though he didn't really find it necessary. He could just call her Weyrlingmaster or -mistress or whatever just as easily as her real name, though for her to call out for a brownweyrling in a class with multiple ones just made life harder for her. For the sake of being a contrary jerkass he considered turning down the offer, but classmates were leaking in - most notably Nris who he gave a nod, and her dragon who decided to playfully glomp on Pettahth - and he really wasn't one for causing scenes this morning. He already had too many eyes on him the other day when Nephele clobbered him in the nose and he returned the exchange by raging at her, right then and there in the midway. He was over it, back to the original subject please?

"Well...my name is K'sel....but most people call me....K'sel. You on the other hand might be joining the ranks of the few that call me Ka-sharding-ella by the end of these lessons," he teased a bit, stepping away from the brown dragonet as Lilliementh slid off his back. As much as Pettahth wanted to appreciate the tackle (he did rumble a bit in delight) this was no time for fun and games, it was class time! Morning Lilliementh, he began but quickly cut straight into business now is not the time for rough housing and mischief! We should be paying attention! The brown stuck his head proudly in the air with his eyes closed trying to mimic a bit of noble air. Pettahth's rider found himself rolling his eyes at the scene, all work and no play makes Pettahth a dull boy...

The dragon snorted at his rider, sending a few already disheveled, wavy locks of hair into further disarray before talking to his sister again, But later we can have fun? The boy shrugged, this was lessons, not the gather. He wasn't manning his Relationship Advice stall, so he didn't have to try and look good. He got to simply be, and that was always a reassuring feeling. Also reassuring was the fact that he wasn't the only one curious about where Sel'n was. The best part was that Nris did the asking, which saved him the trouble of looking nosy. He found himself nodding along in agreement with the other weyrling, wry smile firmly planted on his face until some words rolled sleepily off his tongue, "I think she asks some good questions..."

[kat]

Rayne watched as yet another Weyrling entered the classroom, following the brown bonded one. A fellow greenpair? How lovely. Probably a troublesome duo--weren't they all, though? She remembered that she and Kynoath had given their Weyrlingmaster their own fair share of grief during their training. She wouldn't begrudge these Weyrlings their own chance to be young. All too soon they'd be fighting Thread, and perhaps even more. Still, it didn't mean she wouldn't earn their respect. She was in a position of authority, and they did not have to like it. They just had to accept it, and do as they would had she been Sel'n.

"A straightforward bunch, I see," she replied with a hint of a smirk. Then, standing straight now and taking on a very stern sort of look, "no, I am not Sel'n. Sel'n is ill, and that's all you need to know--that and my name is Rayne, but you will refer to me as Weyrlingmistress or 'Sir'." Her look brooked no nonsense. She meant what she said. If they could not remember this, then they would soon be taught to learn remember. She was not above giving extra chores, or extra training, to those who proved obstinate. She then turned to the girl, and asked, "what is your name?" She had what she assumed was a fair assumption: Weyrlingmaster Sel'n had not bothered to call them by their names.

To Rayne, a name was important. It was associated with many things. Your face. Your reputation in the Weyr. Who you, essentially, were. A name could be used to bring up a person and their traits, personality and face into one's head. Calling the individual Weyrlings by their names would show them that she cared enough about them as individuals, not just as a group, to remember such things. Kynoath would inform her of the dragon's names. She did not need to know that right at this moment. Awaiting the girl's answer with an eyebrow slightly upraised, she wondered what sort of challenges awaited her with this bunch.

[dragon]

Shards. She was a stand in for Sel'n. Darn. And she'd just gotten to where she had started to sorta like Sel'n. Sick? "How bad is he sick? When will he be better?" Nris asked.

Later is good! Later is always good. But now is always good, too. Lilliementh responded, sitting down primly on the floor. If she'd been a normal looking dragon, it might have been pretty. Or even cute. But being the scrawny, ribby thing that she was, she just looked ... well ... strange. Later we can play, have fun. Swim? she offered, bobbing her head a little bit in excitement.

"Nris." Nris responded, tightly. She already didn't like this woman. Barely older than herself, and treating her like she was two. And acting like she had a rod crammed all the way to the red star. Oh, yes, she tried to hide that mightier-than-thou behind honey-glazed phrases, but Nris could see it anyway. This one ... if she didn't like something, she was going to try to stomp all over them, in all ways that she could.

And Nris didn't like that idea. She wasn't an infant, and didn't appreciate being treated that way. It was her dragon who was the baby, for Faranth's sake! And these lessons weren't for the dragon! So where did the connection happen? Nowhere, so far as Nris could see. But she didn't say anything, merely frowning pointedly and making her way to where she was supposed to sit. Sitting down, she reached out a hand and stroked Lillie's neck lightly.

Evil weyrlingmistress or no, she loved her dragon.

[Lotty]

Sir?

What? He was going to ignore for a moment his dragon and Nris's staunch skepticism of Rayne while he mulled over his knowledge of the Pernese language. He had something to be proud of in his life, and that was passing childhood harper lessons with flying colors. Sure he was just as ornery and unforgiving with the poor souls stuck reciting to him teaching songs, but that didn't mean he wasn't there to learn, and it definitely didn't mean he didn't walk away with more than he put into it. He remembered stupid little things, and he remembered learning how to address elders, which was important, because if he never learned how to properly address one then he could never purposely break these rules for his own entertainment. Sir was a funny, tricky, title at times, he knew this, but it almost never applied to a woman.

He considered for a moment that it was a slip of the tongue, why else would she take the time to insist on using "mistress", the feminine form of "master", if she was going to have them call her "sir" as opposed to "ma'am" or "madam". Being the horrible stickler for such formalities as this (well he was only so pedantic when he wasn't the one at fault, it's not like he had never been caught saying "ain't" before) he had to point this out and cross examiner her for it. Nobody escapes the K'sel Inquisition! He found himself sneering, yes sneering, with a wicked glint of delight in his eye as he finished his mug of klah. Some men would have done this as some sort of slight against the fairer sex, the weyrling didn't see the world in such stark shades of black and white, there was always gray, and Rayne was just another smear of slate on the canvas.

"Well pass on our well wishes to Sel'n, in the case you see him before we do Madam," he could have given himself a pat on the back for that one. Now he only pondered if he should play it off as a true mistake or not, but he certainly didn't like to lie...

Pettahth had just been replying to his gangly sister A swim would be very nice Lilliementh, he had ignored her insistence that now was a good time. It certainly wasn't! But after this lesson was over a dip in the river would be welcomed, anything was better than that stupid gather that raged on all around them. However, a tick of concern got under the dragon's hide and he looked down at his rider un-encouragingly. He had caught glimpses of what ideas rolled through his rider's mind and non of them were good. There was no time for this nonsense! He mentioned carefully to the green, I'm worried that mine won't make it through this lesson... If the dragon wasn't concerned that physically keeping K'sel's mouth closed could actually hurt the boy he would, so until he could find a way to stop him without squishing him then he was soo soooo helpless.

"Hmmm. I guess I meant Sir? Curious..." he paused as he tapped his chin, there was a bit of stubble there, but would probably neglect to shave for another day, "I find it fascinating that you hammer in the fact that you want to be called Weyrlingmistress instead of Weyrlingmaster, but you are choosing Sir as opposed to Madam or Ma'am," then he shrugged it off and held his hands up defensively, "I'm just saying. It's your life....I'll call you what you want me to..." but not without a battle.