Western Weyr - Hot Springs Cavern
Created by the fires of the volcano a pocket of ancient air has created this huge open cavern in the black stone. Most of the floor is covered by bubbling mineral water that gleams azure in the dim light of glows. Swirls of green, blue, red, yellow, black and white are awash on the walls and floor, earmarks of earlier times when the hot water boiled out of its bed and rose to fill the dark cavern.
A few signs of humanity can be found. A trunk with soft fluffy towels, soap and a boardwalk erected through the middle of the four pools so that people can find their way to the hot water without burning their feet along the way. It is rumoured that an hour in the hot water can melt away even the worse of troubles, leaving a person relaxed and ready to face a new day with vigor.
With the days being so hot and humid with summer still bearing down on Western, the hot springs are the last place most would go wandering. Not when there's a much cooler lagoon nearby! But during this late afternoon hour, one has ventured down to the near to deserted springs and it's none other then Kaliena. A very dirty, filthy and grimy Kaliena and it's left to wonder what the candidate was up to that morning. Smith work? That might explain some of the darker smudges on her skin. Who knows what mischief the girl had been up too, but to judge from the heavy frown on her features she's got only one thing on her mind - to get clean. Even her clothes and her hair haven't escaped and as she sets down her little rucksack of clean clothes, she strips from her dirty ones, shoving them aside with a toe and a look of disgust before she's slipping into the waters with a relieved sigh. Ahh. Peace and (relative) quiet!
Most people that venture into the caverns are looking to have a nice relaxing bath. Most people look for at least a relatively empty pool to slide into to get clean. But not Zi'on. At least not today. Nope, the bronzer is looking for a pool with people in it, which is few and far between at this time of day. But it doesn't take him long to spot Kaliena's pool. The bronzer runs through the springs, losing the only bit of clothing he has on (a towel) on the way, then cannonballs into Kaliena's pool, sending water flying everywhere. "WHOOOO-HOOOO!" Such things are generally frowned upon, and bring the wrath of the headwoman down upon you. If you're the weyrleader though no one really knows how to react.
It's not uncommon for Keelyra to end up with some of the dirtier, more monotonous chores. In point of fact, it may be bothering her fellow candidates because she doesn't always bathe every day. Yes, she's been swimming almost daily, but the water of the lagoon is certainly not as cleansing as the water in the springs. The teen is stripping down as she pads into the cavern, discarding clothing as she goes. Luckily, perhaps, by the time Zi'on splashes into the pool, the candidate is naked. Keely blinks a bit and wipes at her eyes, before completing her path and dropping into the same pool the other two now occupy
So much for peace and quiet and Kaliena didn't even get a chance to start scrubbing at the layers of dirt before the pool she's settled in is so rudely cannonballed. The girl only has enough time to glance up at Zi'on's loud call, mouth part way open to some scathing curse of protest that's instead washed out by the water. Literally. Sputtering and coughing, she rubs at her face to clear her eyes and it makes a lovely smeared mess of half-washed grime on her skin. "Shard it all, Zi'on!" Kaliena growls once he's resurfaced and then she's slicing her arm across the water's surface to send it towards the Weyrleader. "Can't even shardin' bathe in peace…" Though the spray of water may not even reach him and nail Keelyra instead, since in her focused annoyance she's not caught on that the other girl has joined in too. "Eh… sorry." Will be mumbled towards the other candidate, if she is as unfortunate to be splashed.
Clik-clik. Clik-clik-clik-clik-clik. The little pile of clothes shed by the heavily soiled candidate begins to shift and wiggle a bit. Perhaps the grime has taken a life of it's own and has animated Kaliena's clothes! Her panties, in particular, begin to shift and move within the mess before slowly swaying from side to side as it makes it's way across the floor. Clik-clik-clik-clik. It pauses in waiting when the cannonball erupts, sending an unwelcomed splash in it's direction, but whatever it is, is well shielded by the petite and frilly garment. Scoot-scoot.
Zi'on might comment on Keely's smell, but whizzing by her like he is he doesn't get too much of a whiff of her. Zi'on has his own private bath, so catching him in the hot springs is something of a rarity. Though it seems that every time he's in the hot springs so is Kaleina, a likely coincidence! When the bronzer resurfaces he's laughing. He can't even get his arms up fast enough to shield himself from the spray of water Kaliena sends flying towards him and towards everyone else in the pool. Instead he's wading through the water to get close to Kaliena, making kissy-faces at her. The bronzer blinks before he actually gets in a kiss. Then he points. "Eh? Your panties are running off."
Keelyra is, indeed, caught in Kaliena's ill-aimed splash. The teen sputters a bit and blinks, before responding to the apology with a shrug. She sidles to the opposite side of the pool, especially when Zi'on decides to be all gross and kissy-faced. She sinks into the water and tips her head back to start letting it soak into her salt-and-dirt stiffened hair. Her ears are a bit water-logged, so she doesn't even notice the self-mobile panties.
Kaliena is too absorbed with awkward apologies to Keelyra and a seething look flashed to Zi'on, which only settles into her infamous scowl when he comes at her with that mushy kiss-faced attitude. Which of course, will only mean more water is sent his way and this time she makes sure not to drown the whole pool in her revenge against the bronzerider. "What?" she drawls sharply, having not quite caught all of what he tells her. At least he points and she shoots a quick look over her shoulder and then double takes. Wait what? "Oh for /Faranth's/ sake!" the girl exclaims, hauling herself out of the pool with no worries over modesty (and really, she stopped that long ago). Skidding a bit, she goes directly on the attack, dripping wet, not even half cleaned and half blinded by her now wild and wet hair. Her hands reach out to grab her wayward clothing even though the candidate knows full well what could be underneath.
What could be underneath doesn't want to be handled! Not yet, now while it's taking in the sauna this place literally is for a tidbit it's size. It's carapace isn't even that lovely rosy shade yet! How is he going to impress the ladies? The panties pause and rotate in the presense of the giant nude menace. It debates: grab onto something exposed or make a break for it? There's plenty to grab onto and if the big thing has to come down to grab it, everything will be in reach. Hrm. Clik-clik-clik-clik-clik!!! Off it goes! It likes it's new acquisition and isn't of the mind to give it up just yet! She doesn't need it, she cast it aside in any case! She would've had one of the other big things hold it for her if it was of any value. Like the big noisy one. The male one. Yes.
Zi'on was only trying to get a rise out of Kaliena. But her runaway panties do a much better job of things. When Kaliena gets out of the pool to chase after her underwear, Zi'on stands up to watch her at least. The bronzer's never been modest, so it doesn't make any difference to him who sees what. Everything is fairly old news anyways. "What is it? Another spiderclaw? Don't let it pinch you someplace unsavory!" After all, Zi'on might want to make use of Kaliena's unsavory bits later on. Zi'on is the noisy one? "They don't drown, do they? Maybe we can smash it against a wall or something." As the panties run off, Zi'on gets out of the pool to chase after them with Kaliena, picking up a rock to huck at them.
"…how the eggs are doing?" Keelyra is asking as she surfaces, not paying attention yet. Her eyes are closed and her ears were under water! Water sloughs off her hair and she starts dragging her fingers through it. The knots don't loosen easily and she winces. When no answer comes, she opens her eyes to peek at her partners in… the… pool. No longer in the pool. Gaze tracks upwards to find the other candidate chasing a pair of lacy underthings and the weyrleader in pursuit. The teen has no response but to stare.
"Damn it!" Kaliena swears loudly enough that it echoes off the cavern walls as she dashes after her panties, not even cluing in to what the situation looks like. If the girl clues in, her fury is likely to make it epic levels … or she'll just go find a hole to hide in. "Of course it's a spiderclaw!" she snaps at Zi'on, only to realize he's now giving chase. That has her only picking up her pursuit all the more! No way is she letting him get to them first. "Toss it into the pools. It'll cook then." She makes both a disgruntled and disgusted sound in her throat then, grimacing. That'll be the end of this pair of clothing, Determined to catch the escapee, she'll reach out again, either to snare with her hands or try to kick the offender, /anything/ really and with no regards to what part of her skin may be exposed. This is not how she wanted to spend her afternoon! Oh, if she could be back in that pool. Really, all she has to do is /stop/ but Kaliena far too stubborn too. Either it'll escape with her underthings as a prize or it'll be very much dead in a few seconds.
The unfortunate thing about being in these pools is the structure of the pool itself. Molten volcanic rock that formed the bubble the pool resides in simply doesn't settle for one massive cavern. It also includes smaller and even itty bitty caverns against the stone. Some have been carved back, making alcoves and niches to put glows and supplies but not all across the floor have been tended to. One particular one is just large enough for the wandering panties to skitter into before vanishing into darkness. Clik-clik. Clik-cliker-clik-cliken. Try to reach in if you dare steal the panty pirates treasure! Clik!
Yes. Kaliena and Zi'on are both chasing around a runaway pair of underwear. Kaliena because they're hers, and Zi'on because he feels it's his manly duty to protect the sanctity of his girl's underwear. Who knows what kind of pervert might find them? Perverted crabs were enough. He's not really there to make it a competition, but maybe he can block off another angle of escape. "But it's got your underwear!" Just about then the spiderclaw skitters into an alcove. Zi'on squats down to see if he can make out how deep it is, then sighs in defeat. "I think it's gone, Kali. I'm not risking my fingers for your underwear. I'd rather buy you some new ones. Maybe Keely has a pair you can borrow or something if you need something to wear back. Or go commando." He says as he wanders back to the pool.
Keelyra has disconnected.
"I got nothin'," Keelyra says, vaguely distracted by scrubbing away grime. She came in with nothing but the clothes on her back, which she stripped off on her way in. Kaliena won't want those. Even a spiderclaw doesn't want those. Heck, Keely's clothes could practically walk out on their own. "She can walk with me back to the dorms iff'n she wants. S'not far."
[WesternSearch] Kayse personally likes Kiena and Kaena of the list. The first the most.
From afar, R'lyeh pictures Spiddy running through the end of a level in Mario Bros with Kali's panties and rising them on the flag pole of the castle with fireworks. *spiddy dances to victory music*
"Exactly!" Kaliena exclaims again and is followed by a string of curses that the girl is known for uttering. Guess in the heat of the moment she's forgotten her promise to try and curb that habit. Then it's gone into an alcove and the candidate is kneeling down, but neither is she brave enough to go sticking her hand in there. Shooting the offending hiding spot the angriest glare she can manage, it's broken only by Zi'on's almost casual suggestion and the incredulous /stare/ he shoots him. "I ain't going to be borrowing no one's underwear!" she fires back, shooting a quick look towards Keelyra and then promptly looking away. Yeah, no. No sharing. With the bronzerider now heading back to the pool, Kaliena lingers by the alcove, still furious over the loss of the spiderclaw more then her underwear. Muttering something insulting to it, she eventually stalks off to follow suit. Spiderclaw thief is safe for now! Unless she comes back with a bucket of boiling water and scalds the poor thing as it hides. It's only on her way back that she's cluing in that she just streaked across the springs naked after her mobile underwear and by the time she's slipping back into the waters, the girl is /awkward/ and embarassed. "I can walk just fine and I've got /clothes/. 'M fine." Kaliena drawls. She heard that or enough to make an assumption. "Just want to /bathe/ already." she grumbles.
The panties pirate doesn't leave his lair, oh no. Instead he is making himself quite comfy within the material of his prize. So soft, and a little dingy but with some good ol'fashion spiderclaw grooming, it could be both fashionable and clean. Afterall, leave some coconuts outside over night and they'll be picked clean by morning. Well, if Pern has coconuts. The pirate prefers mangos but that's a story for another day. Clik-clik. For a moment, a little pair of beady eyes creeps out of the alcove, only to dart back in for safe keepin. Those big things aren't going to be in the water forever. They gotta leave sometime.
"I'd let her borrow mine, but I don't have anything with me. I just brought a towel, and now it's over there." On the floor where Zi'on dropped it. Zi'on slides into the pool when he gets there, holding out a hand to help Kaliena back into the pool. She was seething right now, so there's not much he'll be able to do to get her to calm down. He just sighs at that mouth of hers. "Fine then, love. There's not much we can do about it now. So you may as well just get clean. Ah, you've got clean clothes. Good. Fine." Zi'on won't rightly approve of going bonkers with boiling water on crabby. Instead he's trying to move Kaliena's hair over the front of one of her shoulders, before he lathers up some sweetsand in his hands. He'll at least try to wash and rub her back and shoulders. Maybe that will keep her from rampaging? "I'll get you some new underwear next time I'm in the market. Spiderclaw-proof."
Mouth opens, perhaps to remark on the likelihood of underwear being spiderclaw-proof, but Keelyra ultimately decides to leave it un-remarked-upon. The teen just goes back to focusing on getting herself clean. Once that is done, it is time to focus on the hair again. Still a tangled mess, despite being clean, she finally huffs and drops her hands with a smack-splash to the water. "Maybe I should just cut it off."
Kaliena has half the mind the spurn Zi'on's offered hand; her mood is so infuriated by the spiderclaw thief. It's taken though, but it's obvious that the girl's mind is elsewhere. Likely thinking up many different ways to exact revenge if she ever catches said thief. Not likely, but the girl can dream right? Grunting, she settles herself back into the water, scowls firmly in place and promptly turned on the bronzerider. "Don't call me that." She mutters, bristling at the name even though he's really only doing it to calm her rather then tease. "I could go get a pot. Or a stick. I don't care about the underwear now. It needs to /go/. Dun care alive or dead but /gone/ regardless." Kaliena grumbles, reaching up to grab something to scrub with and turn her irritation towards washing at her arms. Even that simple task is done with a furious edge to it. Distracted, Zi'on will be able to move her hair, though she's shooting him a look over her shoulder. It might keep her from rampaging… or she'll turn on him. There's a scoff at his offer, "I said it's /fine/. I ain't hurting for underthings…" she protests again, before her blue eyes dart to Keelyra and promptly narrow a bit. "Cut what off?"
A little lacy bit peeks out of the alcove and wriggles before vanishing back within the darkness once more. This spiderclaw will add it to his collection. Yes, collection. All sorts of comfy pretties have been 'acquired' in it's time on the beach and soon they will join him in the sea when the next high tide comes in. Yes… For now, he'll make himself more comfortable, concealing his little spiddy-bits. He needs those to make more spiddies.
Zi'on raises a brow to Keely's comment. "Cut what off?" He sounds more worried than curious. Usually when talk of cutting things off it's the headwoman threatening him. One of his hands briefly moves between his legs in a defensive way, before he's back to scrubbing Kaliena's back. He was used to her scowling and angry looks and all of that. "Don't make a case out of it, Kaliena. The headwoman will throw a fit if you're in here trying to dig up crabs. I'll have a drudge come in later or something." He doesn't mention the underwear anymore, or mention buying her new ones even or anything like that. No, instead the bronzer will keep his mouth shut, moving onto cleaning himself quietly once Kaliena's back is finished up. No sense in provoking the angry dragon, no?
Keelyra picks up on Zi'on's concern and rolls her eyes in an exagerrated fashion. "My /hair/," she says, lifting the limp, wet mass from the water. "It just gets tangled too often. I'm thinking of cutting it off." She instead twists it up atop her head, letting the knotting be in her favor for the moment. The teen then pulls herself from the pool and heads to snatch up a towel. She puts some minor effort into drying herself off.