All in the Pool

Day 8 of Month 7 of Turn 2720
Half Moon Bay Weyr - Tidal Pools
Up a path from the lagoon sits a plateau of tidal pools. The shallowness of the pools combined with the dark stone they're made up of means that Rukbat beating on the pools in the daytime keeps them warm. The rock has been hewn gently on most of the pools to allow for ledges to sit on while still in the water. The pools allow for a more private, relaxed atmosphere than the beach below. When they are occupied, it is not uncommon to see a waitress or waiter come up from the Tiki Lounge to serve drinks to the occupants.


A summer's day is absolutely perfect for a visit to the tidal pools. The sun has beat down all morning, and this afternoon the water is delightful to sit in. Etinei is taking advantage of the respite between chores to do just that, and to soak her aching body. She's in a swimming costume, sat in one of the pools on the handy ledge, submerged to her shoulders. Her eyes are very nearly closed, open only enough to watch the young blue fire-lizard who's sat at the edge of the pool, looking distrustfully at the water.

Silence can only mean that Zychaelth isn't around, or that he's up to something terrible. Whatever the case may be, Suyi doesn't seem particularly concerned. The dark-skinned woman wears a red bikini and has a sarong tide around her waist as she walks along the beach. Her sandals are held in one hand that rests on a shoulder and her dark curls fall loosely on her back.

Etinei's semi-open eyes catch the movement of a person passing by. Her blue is more watchful, wary almost, as his attention turns from the water to the woman. Etinei's eyes now open fully, ready to make sure her fire-lizard doesn't do anything to - "Weyrlingmaster," she says, realising it's Suyi, and pulling herself upright from her lounging position. The uttered title is apparently going to also serve as a greeting, as the teenager says nothing more for the time being, simply staring up at the rider.

Suyi pauses in her path, brown eyes shifting down to eventually land on the teenager. There's a flicker of a smile from the assistant weyrlingmaster before she considers the fire lizard for a moment. "I don't think we've ever been formally introduced," though she's definitely seen the candidate around. "E-something, right?"

Vykrov comes walking from the jungle, looking as usual dishelved his shirt is off, which shows his rather nice muscled frame and farmers tan. There are some twigs and leaves in his hair and he is missing a boot. There is some very choice words he is using to describe a blue dragon, as he cradles a package in his arms. He hasn't noticed anyone yet but they can hear him before they see him probably.

Etinei doesn't look offended that Suyi doesn't know her name - if anything, fading into the background mostly unnoticed is probably her preferred state of being. "Etinei," she offers up helpfully. Then there's a blink as a figure comes into view from the direction of the jungle. "Um…." There's a quiet noise of confusion as she stares at the approaching man, before her eyes flick up to Suyi, bewilderment written all over her face.

Suyi doesn't bother turning around to see Vykrov because she knows /exactly/ what state he's in. Oh Zychaelth, her sweet angel. "Etinei, well met…I'm sure you already know but I'm Suyi." A few seconds tic by before she /finally/ glances over to Vykrov and the smile on the harper's face can be called nothing short of devious. "Zych got your boot?" Said in that sing-song way one would say 'cat got your tongue'.

Vykrov shoots the woman a glare saying "I think he likes the fact I can't hear him, because he snuck up on me while I was walking here and dragged me half way through the jungle.." He walks over and hands Suyi the package before nodding to the other woman saying "Excuse me, didn't mean to interrupt."

Etinei nods. "Suyi, yes. I remember." One of many names of various higher-ups the candidates have been in contact with, or told about. The exchange between the bluerider and the newcomer is observed, and her eyes follow the package as it's handed over. Curiosity is burning a hole in her, that much is obvious in the way she stares at it, but she's managing to hold back out of politeness. If only she's just stop staring at the item.

"It makes it so much easier to mess with you," Suyi continues to grin widely before taking the package. There's a slightly raised eyebrow for it but she's opening it soon enough. And as for the interrupting part, there's a quick wave of the hand. "You weren't interrupting anything, just saying hi…this is Etinei, one of the candidates." And thens he is alllll about opening up that parcel!

Vykrov nods to Etinei "I am Vykrov, currently weyrmate to this one, and chew toy for her dragon." He says in way of greeting, the parcel that is unwrapped is a pair of handfasting glasses. The stems being sliver dragons with blue gemmed eyes that make a heart shape when put next to each other. Vyk on the other hand is taking his boot off and slides himself into one of the pools to get the dirt and grim of the jungle off him.

Etinei is half-listening to the conversation at least, shaking her head to indicate, wordlessly, that nothing was interrupted. Suyi's already done the introduction for her, so she settles for saying, "well met," to Vyvrok. The package is opened, and she seems at once impressed, and slightly disappointed by, what's inside it. What exactly was she hoping for? Her blue gives a low, short growl when Vykrov slides into the water, padding round the pool towards Etinei. "Stop it," the girl warns the fire-lizard quietly, shooting the man an apologetic look. "He's so young…I'm sorry."

"Zych's mostly why I keep you around." The playful jibe is sent in Vykrov's direction before her gaze falls on the pair of glasses. There's a much more sincere smile now and she holds them up to the sunlight to admire them for a few seconds before carefully packaging them back up. She's moving over to sit on the ledge of the pool now and there's a quick kiss dropped to the top of her weyrmate's head followed by a murmured, "Thank you." And then her gaze shifts to the tiny blue fire lizard. "He'll hopefully learn to stop that soon enough given the amount of people in the barracks."

Vykrov shakes his head first to Etinei saying "It is fine, dragons and firelizards don't seem to take to me at first. How is candidancy?" He looks up at his love before saying "Or he will teach all the others the same old tricks." Which is a fear the older man has, clearly as he looks back to the candidate in question for the answer..

There's a flush of embarrassment to Etinei's face, as well as the impression of frustration with the whole training situation with the blue. "I - I'll make sure he does," comes the earnest promise. The blue has settled into silence again, watching the three humans calmly. As to Vykrov's question: "It's - it's busy." There's a glance at Suyi, as though Etinei is worried about saying the wrong thing in front of the assistant Weyrlingmaster. "I don't know what I was expecting but…but meeting the other candidates has been nice."

"If anyone is teaching dastardly tricks it'll be Zych, this little one hasn't got anything on him." Suyi grins mischievously over at the small blue fire lizard, though Etinei's flushing gets a significant brow raise. She then settles into picking the leaves and twigs from Vykrov's hair before smoothing it out to however she likes it. Don't mind her! "That's good, about the candidates being nice."

Petra walks into the tidal pools, from the lagoon.

Vykrov grins and waits for his personal groomer to get done before he sinks below the water and comes back up. He then nods to Etinei "That is good, easier to get along with them. Have you seen the eggs yet?"

The blue looks back levelly at Suyi when she looks at him. Etinei is finding it easier to look away while Suyi is sorting out Vykrov's hair. "Yes," she murmurs, on the topic of nice candidates. And then with a clunking of mental gears, shifts to the question aimed at her. "Yes. A couple of times. We were touching them." She has an odd tone as she talks about that, as if the experience has been a strange one.

Having finished her chores, at least for the moment, Petra comes walking upthe path from the lagoon. She looks hot, somewhat grubby, and a little worried. On her shoulder a tiny brown firelizard is endeavouring to make her already untidy ginger hair worse by tangling himself in the strand that's come adrift from her runnertail. She waves a hand in greeting, sits down and starts to take her boots off.

Apparently dry hair or wet hair, Suyi enjoys playing with it because once Vykrov is unsubmerged she's back to messing with it. "Any of them freak you out? Leeta had a pretty….violent…reaction to one." Though the harper seems somewhat amused by it all.

Vykrov nods with Suyi which probably messes with the hair dressing bit she is doing, "Yeah I remember one that scared the pants off me.." Way back when, he nods to the new arrival "Afternoon."

"Petra," Etinei smiles up at Petra, from her seat in the pool. There's a quick, sympathetic look at her situation with her brown. "Were you coming to soak, too?" There's the matter of eggs, and she seems hesitant to admit her next. "A couple….but most of the others were very interesting." And not scary. That's important to her.

Petra pauses in dragging off the second boot at the mention of the egg touchings. "It wasn't that big green egg that upset Leeta, was it? Because…" her voice trails off as the second boot joins the first and she ducks behind a rock to shed her clothes for a bathing suit. From behind the rock her voice trails back. "That one was just…weird. Afternoon, by the way."

Suyi flicks one of Vykrov's ears for all the moving around, though it shouldn't actually hurt. "To be honest, I have no idea." Because the AWLM wasn't paying all /that/ much attention. She and Zychaelth were playing bodyguards with sunglasses.

Vykrov flinch at the ear flick, he gives a frown and looks up at her giving her a 'that is two' look. He turns and nods with the candidates, he doesn't have more input right now as he really isn't in his element.

Green. Etinei remembers the green egg Petra's referring to. "Yeah," she murmurs in agreement with Petra's verdict on that egg. Her blue seems calmer, Petra being a familiar face to him. Etinei shifts unnecessarily, seeming to be making room for her fellow candidate even though there's plenty of space on the ledge. She has a question for Suyi that's suddenly occurred to her. "Did your dragon hatch from an egg you touched? One that you liked?"

Petra slides into the pool next to Etinei and closes her eyes with a big sigh. The firelizard is still stuck firmly in her hair, and now squalling about the unexpected bath. She does manage a polite nod in the general direction of Suyi and Vykrov. "Look, Etinei, I'm not Weyrbred. I know sod all about dragon eggs. But I know runners and I know canines. And if that egg was a puppy, it would be the one sitting at the back of the litter wagging its tail till you patted it, and then it would bite you."

Would Suyi really be Suyi if she didn't go for that third strike? There's an innocent look in response to Vykrov's frown before she…definitely just goes ahead and flicks his other year. "Zych? Yeah, he did and well…he's perfect." There's a fond smile on her face that lasts for a few moments. "But that isn't how it is for everyone, egg-wise. But whatever comes out in the end…I think ti works out."

Vykrov sighs as Suyi does that thrid strike and stands up to quickly pick up and drop the weyrlingmaster into the tide pool with them. He shrugs if the others give him dirty looks he is used to being glared at.

Etinei seems reassured by this anecdotal evidence - until Suyi explains it isn't how it always works. "Oh." A tone of disappointment as her theory crumbles away. Petra's explanation gets a nod - she trusts the girl's judgement. She's already starting to heft herself, with aching arms, out of the pool when the Weyrlingmaster gets dunked. Out of the water she hops! Standing at the side, she wraps herself in the towel she's helpfully left nearby. Her blue flies up, landing protectively on her covered shoulder. "I - I'll see you all later." With a quick, small smile for Petra, before Etinei heads towards the Weyr proper.


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