Challenge Accepted

Western Weyr - Infirmary
This long, rectangular cavern smells faintly of antiseptic and strongly of pleasant medicinal herbs. The general atmosphere is one of bustling but orderly quiet and strict cleanliness. The back of the room is dominated by a small hearth for heat and medicinal preparations and by swinging double doors that lead to a small DragonHealing bay, an emergency surgery for human patients, the main storage, and the staff area where Healers can eat, shower, change, and the like during their longer shifts. The front of the room is a waiting and reception area where patients and staff can check in to receive treatment and begin work, respectively. The east wall of the room features examination, birthing, recovery and outpatient treatment rooms while the opposite wall is curtained off to provide privacy and bed-space for patients requiring overnight care.

Western can certainly handle most of the routine and sometimes urgent treatment needs of its residents here. It lacks some of the equipment available at the main Healer Hall. Once they are stabilized, patients requiring specialized or ongoing care are surely transferred there.


New job meant new responsibilities and all of that fun stuff. It also means that Zi'on is a more integral cog in the workings of the weyr now that he was the big bad weyrleader. Which means he needs to make sure he keeps breathing for a while, so it's time for his physical! It's generally the usual for him. He's too skinny, needs to eat more, especially fruits and vegetables but other than that he's generally okay. As most people are when they're as young as he is. So there he sits in one of the examining rooms his just his skivvies, waiting for one of the oh so busy healers to fit him into their schedule. One would think the weyrleader gets special treatment. And that one would be wrong.

It's no big surprise that Kaliena is in the infirmary but the young girl isn't even doing her usual menial chores when slotted with this particular location. Normally, she'd be helping either sort through the medicinal herbs or folding towels or helping restock supplies with apprentices, but not today. Seems the girl had it in her head to go do some exploring along the rockier shorelines just on the fringes of the Weyr with some other of the braver (or foolish) weyrbrats and has earned a lovely gash to her knee, as well as an assortment of smaller scrapes along her leg. It looks like the wounds have been at least hastily washed and roughly bandaged as Kaliena is led in by said weyrbrats and then promptly abandonned, to an examination room of her own and straight across from Zi'on. Sullen and embarrassed, she's dressed in her usual outfit of a simple tunic and skirt, both of which are quite dirty now, as is the reoccurring norm with this girl. As she gingerly settles herself, it takes her only a few seconds before her blue eyes settle on the new Weyrleader and she sighs. "Great." She mutters under her breath and then smirks towards Zi'on, purposely not looking anywhere but his face it seems. "So what'd they bring you in for?" Kaliena quips, then adds a hasty and somewhat uncertain, "Sir."

Zi'on whistles when he spots Kali's knew. "Woo, that's gonna leave a nice scar. What were -you- doing? Wrestling with a feline?" At least the weyrbrats didn't leave her to bleed and be picked up all passed-outy by some poor sweeps rider. "Why am I always almost naked when I see you?" Zi'on leans back onto his hands and swings his legs. "I needed a check-up. Since they actually care now whether or not I keep breathing. I mean… cooties actually. Yes." He peers at her then. "Don't call me that." There were some people Zi'on would expect to call him sir. Kali apparently is not one of them. It's not like he's been going around announcing it, but he has been wearing nicer clothes. And also the knot. "I guess you heard, then," is added as an after thought. "Do you think you'll need stitches?" The healer that comes over to check on him is turned away in favor of Kali's wound. "She's dyin' over there." He says, pointing.

"You think?" Kaliena forgets her distrust and general grumpiness to peer down at her bandaged knee and sounds almost hopeful rather then upset that her knee may scar. Strange girl, indeed and she snorts at Zi'on, smirking. "No. We were out by the rocks and one of the boys set up this challenge and I was doing /fine/ until I lost my footing." She grumbles, looking up from her knee now to peer at the Weyrleader and then rolls her eyes at his comment. "Cause I'm unlucky?" Kaliena drawls, but with a snicker to take the edge from her words and frowns thoughtfully when he gives his reason for being here. "Yeah? And why do they only care now?" she asks, uncertain of what else to say. The girl blinks when Zi'on peers at her and then grins. Oh ho, doesn't like that, does he? "Sorry," she drawls again and then adds, "Sir." In what is an obvious teasing way now. She then bobs her head a little in a brisk nod, "Mhm, I heard once I got back." Or rather was told and most likely only because she'd been reprimanded lately for her sharp tongue. Not that that is keeping her from being snippy right now. "I dunno. Maybe?" Kaliena pulls herself up more onto the bed, wincing as she pulls her leg up to being poking at the hasty bandage. "Didn't look /that/ bad. I was just gonna take care of it myself, but the boys all turned weak and dragged me here instead." She mutters, and then blinks when Zi'on is suddenly directing a healer her way. Shaking her head, Kaliena sets her mouth to a stubborn line and shoots the bronzerider, Weyrleader or not, a glare. "I ain't dying, he's lying and I'm fine." She protests, gesturing for the healer to tend to him first.

Zi'on shrugs. "It might could. If you pick at it it will." Battlescars, of course. Then she could claim she wrestled down a feline and lived to tell the tale. "Eh. You can be excused I guess, for being a girl. I hope you weren't climbing up things dressed like that." Otherwise all the boys got a peek up Kali's skirt, no less. He gives her a funny look when she asks him why they care now. "I dunno. I guess they sort of cared before. Just because it's so much paperwork if a rider dies." He peers at her when she patronizes him. "I can make you clean the latrines for a week now if I felt it was a good idea now, you know." He threatens. Really he could tell the headwoman to assign her such chores, but more than likely the headwoman would instead hit Zi'on over the head with a spoon and tell him to get out and let her deal with the chores. "You might. I dunno. I'm not a healer." Zi'on insists that an apprentice can look him over, but the older bearded healer that had come in at first goes about his check up anyways. And it's plain to see that the apprentice Zi'on was hoping for is a cute young girl with big blonde curls in her hair. Zi'on is forced to stick out his tongue and breath deep, cough and all that noise.

"I'm not going to pick at it." Kaliena murmurs but even as she says the words it's obvious the girl is considering it. That is, until Zi'on makes his comment on her being a girl. "So what's that got to do with it? And of course I was dressed like this. These are my clothes." She quips, giving him a puzzled look and probably unaware that her choice of clothing may not be the best of options. The young girl sobers a little when Zi'on mentions riders dying and she glances down at her hands for a moment in an awkward way, silenced for once. But it's short lived as her head tilts up sharply and her blue eyes widen a little to Zi'on's threats. "You wouldn't dare!" Kaliena exclaims, sounding as though she truly believes he /would/ do that to her, the Headwoman and the possible impending smack with a spoon aside. She even looks a little hurt, but it quiets her down considerably and just in time for the older bearded healer and the apprentice to arrive. As Zi'on's luck runs out again, it's the apprentice who comes to Kaliena and for that the young girl looks relieved. So she puts up no fuss when her wound is cleaned and examined, then bandaged properly this time (no stitches, it seems). She's given a few small orders to follow, which she takes easily enough and is actually being pleasant, unlike how she is with the bronzerider most of the time. As the apprentice moves off, Kaliena remains on the bed's edge, legs now dangling over the edge as she stares at the floor as she waits.

"Well that's good. That way when someone peeks up under your skirt for the first time they won't be greeted with a big ol' scar." Zi'on laughs a bit. "Girls are weaker than boys. Boys are better climbers." Though really he's just trying to get her going. "So you never stopped to think the boys might be making you climb for a look up your skirt? Get some new clothes. This ain't a hold. There's plenty of stuff in the stores that'll fit you I'm sure." He grins evilly at her reaction to his threat. He likely wouldn't. Not unless she did something really horrible to him. Or he was concerned about her safety or something. The curtain is pulled across his examining room for a short while, while the rest of Zi'on exam goes on. And when they're push back again he's putting his clothes on. So he misses a good portion of Kali's exam. "Well, you getting stitches or what?" It certainly didn't look it, but who knows.

Kaliena is gearing up for quite the fit, if the sudden flush of red spreading across her cheeks and down her neck is enough of a hint. Setting her jaw, she growls her next words, having enough sense not to go loudly exclaiming her opinion in the middle of the infirmary. "Are not!" she fires back and would likely call him some colorful, not so nice name that no sixteen Turn old should really go calling others. But because of his new rank and assuming he would torture her with the worst of chores, she bites her tongue. "Didn't seem right to just take." Kaliena grumbles as she relents, looking sheepish now and a little embarrassed by Zi'on's remark. And as her blush doesn't fade, it's obvious she didn't take into fact that the boys /would/ do something like that to her. So she is left to mull over that, even after the apprentice has left her and she's apparently got a good bill of health, scrapes and bruises aside. "Nope." Kaliena replies, peering up at Zi'on now that the curtain has been drawn back and he has his clothes back on. "Like I told 'em, I was fine. Just needed to be cleaned better then it was and bandaged again." She shrugs her shoulders a little and then pushes herself off the bed, obviously favoring the one leg still but at least isn't fussing about it. "And what about you?" Kaliena asks as she rearranges her skirts. "No… cooties?"

Zi'on can't tell what Kali is more angry about. The part about someone peeking up her skirt, or the part where boys were better climbers than girls. "I'll bet you a mark I can climb better than you can. Actually, let's make it interesting. You pick the spot to climb, and if you win I'll give you five marks." He grins then. "And if I win, you have to suffer going on a date with me. A real date." Oh yes. "I'm giving you permission. Not that you need it. Most of the stuff down there is hand-me-downs. As long as you don't go overboard no one cares." Zi'on straightens himself out once he's got his clothes back on. "I guess that's good. At least you don't have to come back. Unless it starts to fester or something." He shakes his head then. "I guess not. I'm too skinny and I eat too much sweets and not enough vegetables. But other than that I'm fine."

It is hard to know what Kaliena is angry at, since she seems to be angry a lot of the time and at everything. Angry face was a good nickname for her. When Zi'on lays down his bet and then the terms, she gives him a long and thoughtful frown, bitting slightly at her lower lip. She's never backed down from a bet among the weyrbrats. But against him and while five marks is a good prize, if she looses… That has her fidgeting with indecision and then finally replies just as the silence starts to spread on and on. "Same spot. But once my knee heals." Oh yes, she just accepted, though she's giving him a look as though she doesn't quite trust the bronzerider for his word. "Hands-me-downs are fine. I don't need anything fancy." Kaliena says in way of thanks to Zi'on, though she does give a vague smile now rather then her stubborn scowl or smirk. At the mention of the wound festering, the girl wrinkles her nose. "I think they did a good job of cleaning it. I'll be fine." She chuckles a little then when he gives her his report, finding something briefly amusing. Shaking her head now as well, Kaliena takes a few experimental steps forwards and once she's certain the bandage will hold, walks with more confidence and hardly a limp. "And you called me strange." She drawls at Zi'on and then turns her head towards the exits. "Dunno about you, but I don't want to linger here."

She was angry a lot. Though it seemed to be doubly so whenever Zi'on was around. Not that he knows the difference really. To him this is just how she is. Oh yes, he has trapped her into a bet. Just think of all the gloating she'll be able to do if she wins. Though even if she loses she could still gloat maybe to the right people. "Fair enough." He crosses over into her examination cube to extend his hand, for a shake in agreement of the terms. He grins at her. "If you want new clothes for our date I'll even buy you some." Confidence! That was key. Though it's more like arrogance. "Probably," he says about her wound, and the cleaning job. He peers at her chuckling and then nods about not wanting to hang around the infirmary. "You are strange. You going to be able to get along with that?" He asks about her leg as they head towards the exit. "So when do I get to tell your brother that you're here?"

It's part of who she is, yes. Just like her brother, she has a temper, but it can also be chalked up to her age. It's unlikely Kaliena will gloat if she wins and definitely not if she looses. So when the time comes for the bet to take place, she won't go down without a fight! As Zi'on crosses over towards her with his hand extended, the young girl gives him a wary look at first before relaxing and tentatively reaching out to clasp his hand with hers to shake on the agreement. It's not that she doesn't like the bronzerider. It just seems to be reaction around /anyone/ approaching her, though it may seem like she has issues with him alone. The grin is met with a scowl and Kaliena only smirks at the offer. Confidence? Hardly. "Who says there will be a date? Don't think you'll win against me so easily." She points out. Turning and heading towards the exit, she moves slowly and keeps as much distance as she can between her and the Weyrleader, but not be entirely impolite. They are still talking, after all. "So are you," Kaliena snaps back and then her smirk twists into a mischievous grin. "Sir." She adds in her usual drawl. "And I'll be fine. Just twinges now and then but it's not like I broke it." She's tougher then she looks! Then it's back to narrowed glances and Kaliena's steps slow a little more as her mood switches back to sullen. "Never?" she tells him, still stubborn as ever on that subject.

Zi'on has never had the pleasure of Th'ero flying into a rage on him. Though he's surely been close a time or two. Apparently Th'ero has a high tolerance for Zi'on. His sister maybe not so much. He gives her hand a shake and then lets go. See? He can be trusted! Though it's likely he'll cheat somehow to win the bet. If he has to. That's when she ought to be wary of him. The bronzer is certainly tricksty. "That gash on your leg says there'll be a date. I bet you won't even make it up wherever we're going. And then I'll win and you'll have to suffer me a whole night." Sometimes Zi'on thinks he does have cooties, what with Kali keeping so far away from him. Faranth forbid they be seen together! Kaliena's whole image will be ruined forever. He laces his hands behind his head while they walk. "Heh. I know I am. How old are you again?" He could have swore she told him she was sixteen or something, though she looked and acted much younger. Usually girls at her age were fawning over boys and whatnot. Though that might be why Zi'on keeps bothering her. She's a mystery! He peers at her. "Why not? I'm surprised he doesn't know already, actually. Word travels between weyrs pretty fast. And last I checked his lady lived here."

Zi'on would know if he's pushed Th'ero too far, but it's unlikely he did or ever would. The Fortian Weyrleader actually likes Zi'on, after all! Kaliena just has trust issues and so long as Zi'on doesn't do anything too brazen, she'll eventually come around. Eventually, of course, being the key word. When the hand shake is completed and nothing funny happens, the young girl does seem to relax a little and completely unaware that Zi'on could, in fact, be tricking her later on. "I thought we agreed we weren't going to do this /until/ my knee is mended." Kaliena points out with a narrowed side-glance to the Weyrleader, pausing by the side of the exit leading out to the bowls. "And I bet I /will/ make it up there and you'll just have to suffer defeat." She lamely fires back, seeming pretty confident in her abilities only up to a certain point. Now Zi'on has her doubting the outcome. And it's not like Kaliena has an image or a reputation. She just does not like her personal space invaded - healer's excluded. "Sixteen." Kaliena supplies, mumbling the words and oblivious to the fact she doesn't act her age. As for fawning over boys, it could be that she just hasn't put much thought into it, given how chaotic the last few Turns of her life have been. "I would have got letters if he knew. Or he would have come here, wouldn't he?" Kaliena smirks then, glancing up at Zi'on and waiting to see his reply to that, her arms folding across her chest. "I don't think my being here is big news." She snorts and it's obvious then that she's either not telling anyone or no one but him and a few others have really asked or tricked the information from her. "His lady…?" Oh, now Zi'on has her /complete/ attention.

Zi'on certainly wouldn't be trying to make Th'ero mad at him. Not that he wouldn't push Th'ero's buttons as well from time to time. It could be that Zi'on is already planning out a foolproof strategy to win the bet. Maybe some special climbing equipment or something, who knows. "I said that's fine. But it just says something about your climbing skills, is all." Or lack thereof, is what he means. "We'll see about that." Kali was a tough egg to crack. Though Zi'on isn't in a rush to push his luck. If he is chasing her skirt it's more like a slow walk in her general direction. Excluding the bet, of course. That was more a ploy. "Yeah. I guess he would have. If he could. At least sent letters." So that meant Th'ero was still in the dark about where his sister was. "Maybe it's not news to you." Zi'on nods. "She's a bluerider in my old wing. You didn't know? Girlfriend, or whatever you want to call her." Th'ero had been tight-lipped about her the last time he saw him. Not that Th'ero ever was like to talk about himself.

Well, they never did discuss those terms, whether or not to use equipment. As it is, Kaliena is simply suspecting they'll be using only their hands and feet and a whole lot of guts. "I won't make the same mistake again," she says, tilting her head up a little as she tries to seem more confident then she probably feels, now that Zi'on's poked fun at her lack of skills. Kaliena is a very tough egg to crack and it will be quite the test of his determination if he's indeed chasing her skirt, minus the ploy involving the bet. Back on the topic of her brother again, she only rolls her eyes slightly when Zi'on mentions the letters, shaking her head. "I never replied to his last letters and no new ones have come. So either he's too busy or… something." She only shrugs her shoulders then, far more interested in the information Zi'on has to share. Kaliena snorts softly, giving a brief and sharp laugh. "Why would I know that? It's not like he was telling me everything of his life. Obviously you'd know more then me." And now she'll tuck that bit of information away, but she doesn't seem to press Zi'on for more. Instead she only glances out towards the bowl again and frowns heavily once more as she changes the topic away and back to their bet. "Won't take my knee long to heal." Kaliena mumbles, "Maybe a few days. So when will we get this done and over with?"

Zi'on would certainly have something up his sleeve. Not to mention he was taller than Kali and had more upper body strength. He still had some muscles, but little padding. He doesn't poke more fun at her climbing skills, just grins at her. Zi'on was much more likely to get attached to Kali as a friend long before he got a closer look at her skirt. She seemed to be getting along fine at the weyr, which was good. Especially since she needed an escape and all. "How are his letters even going to get to you if he doesn't know where to send them? What if he's still sending them to the hold?" Zi'on shrugs then. "I don't know much either. Other than that's who he's been with. Her name's Kimmila, if you're looking to steer clear of her and all." He looks at her leg then back up to her and shrugs. "I dunno. Whenever. Come to my office, that's where I'll be most days. Once your leg is healed, and we'll settle this."

Friendship is probably all Kaliena needs right now and while her adjustment to Western is coming along nicely, some things still have her unsettled or confused. So once she isn't so skittish around others, she may calm down enough to actually not be grumpy and scowl all the time around Zi'on. She laughs again, sharp and short when he mentions sending the letters to the cothold. "Not likely." She snorts, smirking and then giving her head a slight nod as she tucks that name into her memory as well. "And I don't think I'll be avoidin' her. Not like she knows me on sight. Probably doesn't even know my name." When he glances at her leg, she looks down as well, then slowly back up to him. Her smirk turns to something of a vague grin then. "Alright. But I'm not taking blame if you end up dashing your limbs on the rocks." Kaliena drawls and then drops her arms to her sides as she turns to leave then. "I've got to see what I've got for chores." She tells him as her excuse for darting off, not that she's moving that quickly. And just to possibly poke at Zi'on some more, she offers a half-salute and a faint crooked grin before she's off and away.

Not that Zi'on ever expect Kaliena to come to him in her hour of need, but he would be there if she needed him. Angry-faced and all. Zi'on will mark the day on his calendar that Kali actually smiles at him. As opposed to the scowl or that patronizing grin. He peers at her. "Where's he sending them to, then?" Though he's not expecting a straight answer from her. Or any answer at all. Let her keep her secrets. For now. He laughs. "We'll see how long that lasts." He grins to her then. "You're the one who ought to wear padding." He peers at her salute, then points. "KALIENA. WE'VE GOT A KALIENA OVER HERE." Then he runs off towards his office.


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