Culture. Shock. Criiiiiinge.

Half Moon Bay Weyr - Lagoon

A sandy beach running along the edge of the lagoon, between the sparkling waters and the bowl. Given the weyr's tropical climate, riders and dragons can be seen playing in the water nearby or a dolphin can be seen cavorting nearly turn-round. At other times seacraft can be seen coming in under the arch to dock. The lagoon is large enough to fill a quarter of the length of the bowl.


Late afternoon finds Raelii, squeaky-clean and newly-arrived, at loose ends. Settle in for a day, she's been told afterwhich chores will begin. Settling in means exploring right? And so she's doing that with enthusiasm! The scant few items she'd packed back home have been laid neatly in her press, leaving her free to answer the lure of those lovely blue waters she'd glimpsed from the brown dragon's back. Her footsteps have lead her here, to the lagoon where her boots were the first thing to be shed and left tossed somewhere back where the sand begins. She's quickly learned that this western isle is much warmer than what she's used to and has since rolled her trous up to her knees, pushed her shirt-sleeves up past her elbows and undone the buttons at the bottom to tie about her waist and is now splashing along the waterline wading. And humming a happy little tune.

If Raelii came to Half Moon Bay all squeeky clean then Ilyse's arrival was the mirror opposite. After a few long sevendays of making sure the emaciated young woman had enough to eat and suddenly finding herself searched, she has also found herself with a small measure of time off and is wandering towards the beach when she sees the small sea nymph prancing along it's shores. For some reason the sight brings a broad, warm smile to her face and she approaches openly with a "Hello." Her voice soft, lilting across the sounds of the lagoon

The voice doesn't startle Raelii, but it does pull her day-dreamy thoughts from out there amongst the waves. She turns her head quickly, brows lifting, a ready smile upon her lips. "Hi!" Bouncy, perky, that's our Raelii. Her candidate's knot is fluttering from her shoulder, so the reason she's in this particular Weyr is pretty obvious. Still, she bobs a hasty curtsy, wobbles and sit-splashes at the edge of the water. Instead of scrambling up though, she laughs and remains where she is, totally unmindful that her trous are getting soaked. "Have you ever seen such glorious blue-clear water in all your entire life??" Such enthusiasm! And then of course she'll remember the other half of her manners and chirp with a big smile, "I'm Raelii. From the cold and frozen north where water is grey, like, all the time!"

"No, no curtsey for me." Ilyse has her own knot and probably isn't much older than Raelii but she seems to have a bit more worldliness about her. The fall and splash does bring out a delightful giggle from her throat before she moves over and sits at the edge next to her. "You're a candie too?" She asks, reaching out to try and flip at the knot on Raelii's shoulder. Her left and right arms are crisscrossed with small scars. "I've seen it on the way here, but it's lovely. I don't think I could live up north." She admits.

"Okay! Never again, cross my heart!" says Raelii while making the motions to go along with while her knot is flicked and the tassels flare before settling once more. "Mum would be annoyed if I didn't give people at least one to go on." And she's gotten that little chore out of the way so her conscience is now clean and she may sleep easy tonight. "Yeah," she says of being a candidate, "You too? You're from here then?" While awaiting an answer, her gaze drifts and those scars are noticed. Commenting would be awfully impolite, so she doesn't ask about them. Instead she chatters amicably, "Snow is fun, but swimming in the waters of Tillek is impossible. They're freezing even in the wintertime. I feel sorry for the fish!"

"I'm not from here no. My family…" Ilyse pauses at that, a small restraint shown there but it's forced away by a warm smile. "But here is my home now, so." A shrug there as she motions to her own knot. "My name is Ilyse. What's yours?" She scoops up some of the water up and flicks it out into the lagoon. "Yeah, you wouldn't see anyone swim naked there. Here they do it all the time." She giggles at that. "Not a care in the world."

Raelii notes the hesitation but again, manners keep her from prying, so she just nods, though there is a hint of concern in her expression. "Oh," she says quietly and then directs her gaze ocean-wards, eyes crinkling at the corners as she squints out over the sunlit water. "Raelii, I just told you that," is her cheerful answer, then she adds, "Ilyse is a pretty name. I like it." She's also quite taken with the water, pointing to a swimmer way out upon the combers balancing upon a brightly-colored board, she says, "I'm going to have to learn how to do that and-" Gah-what? She sputters to a stop, turns to blink at Ilyse. "They…do?"

Ilyse giggles a broad tinkling laugh. "Thank you very much Raelii That's a verypretty name as well." She says. "And I'm sorry, I was caught by your cheerfullness to catch your name the first time." She admits, blushing some. "You don't know how to swim either? I'm just learning too." She remarks, before she ohs. "Yeah, it's very open in a Weyr. Not like it's a big deal or anythin'." She admits. "Nakedness everywhere." A giggle.

Raelii headshakes, clarifying, "I can swim, just not do that," she flips a hand to mimic the surfer. "It looks like fun!" She manages not to gawk at the giggling Ilyse too much longer but her upbeat mood has evaporated somewhat. "Greaaaat," she says when not-great is what she really means. And it'll be a cold day in Half Moon Weyr when she's full-mooning folks on the beach! Suuubject chaaange! "What else do they do here? Besides… that?"

Ilyse blinks a bit at Raelii and she ohs, her cheeks showing far more embarassment now. "I didn't mean to embarass you." Her voice withdraws and it's not near the cheery nature it was before. "All kinds of things. I spent most of my first few sevendays here trying to not starve to death." She admits "So I don't have a good basis for what's fun around here," Her eyes turn downwards, looking away from Raelii

Raelii can be a bit gullible, hence her next question, "You… did? Don't they feed candidates here?" She tilts her head to eye Ilyse up and down curiously, perhaps looking for emaciation. It's hard to tell with the loose clothing. Her posture relaxes now that they're on to other things. "Like what?" she prods of other-things-not-fun. "I get in trouble when I get bored, so I guess busy with something might be a good thing. And might beat walking all day with my da's wagons."

"They feed everyone." Ilyse still hasn't turned to look at Raelii, but the warmth and chipper edge to her voice is gone. "I was alone in the woods for two turns after my family of traders were murdered by renegades." Shards, why is she saying this? A long deep sigh is taken as she shrugs "I don't know what else is fun. I think just being around people for me."

It's late afternoon, Rukbat shining warm upon the sand, shimmering the teal waters of the lagoon invitingly. Two girls about the same age sit at the water's edge chatting, neither dressed to go swimming, but one of them is sitting in the water anyhow (that'd be Raelii). Both look a little deflated at the moment. "Oh," says Raelii softly after a long pause. Geez, what does a person say after hearing such a thing? She offers a small pat to the forearm of the other girl. "I'm sorry. That must've been…horrible." Then she withdraws her hand into her own lap and thinks before saying sincerely, "Well, if you can stand to be around me, I'd welcome the company." She wrinkles her nose, "All I had on trail was two pesky brothers and that was it."

"Thanks, that's really sweet of you Raelii." Ilyse says, forcing a smile back on her face. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. Just trying to pass on why I'm not good about asking what's fun." She admits as she reaches up and runs a hand through her firey red hair. For a moment she looks as if she's about to say more but all she manages is to open her mouth and let out a long sigh.

Daranyl moves over from the direction of the tidal pools, his head down to see where he's walking and notable slump about his own shoulders. Perhaps it's just depression day all around. The hunter-turned-candidate is clean, at least, even if he doesn't spot the ladies ahead of him, he just keeps trudging along his path.

"Sure," says Raelii, while darting a look at Ilyse, trying to discern how the girl is - really. "It's okay," she assures her, "if you want to talk about it. But… you also don't have to…if you don't want…to." Awkward, this is awkward! Her gaze follows the trudging, slumped-shouldered Daranyl idly while she thinks and thiiiiinks. "Hello!" she says brightly enough when he's within hearing distance, offering a friendly little smile before asking in aside to Ilyse, "You must've found plenty to do while trying to survive. That's something. Might not be fun, but might be interesting to learn about?" And here's Raelii, offering to be an apt pupil.

"Learned how to hunt and avoid people. How to notice the weather coming and going, things like that. I just learned how to survive." Ilyse says and she looks up towards Daranyl as he approaches and she gives a small wave as well. "Nothing too exciting." She tells Raelii.

The motion draws Daran's head up and his brows arch, taking in the girl he knows and who knows him perhaps too well and the total stranger. All things considered, it takes him a moment to process, then he nods slightly, "Hey, 'Lyse. Who's yer frien'?" His voice is less sad and more thoughtful and somewhat distant, "'N' I see you've joined th' hopeful."

Gloom, despair and agony on me! Deep dark depression, excessive misery! If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all! Gloom, despair and… Nowait. Raelii knows better than to sing that! She does shrug though. "Sure, I guess, if you say so." Then she announces, "I'm going to find interesting stuff to do while I'm here. If you get bored…" she leaves the invitation hanging rather than push it. And again manners dictate she wait for Ilyse to answer Daranyl.

Ilyse motions to Raelii. "This bundle of energy and awesome is Raelii." Ilyse stands and smiles. "Of course, yes." She motions to Dara. "This is Daranyl. He's nice, treat him kind." She looks up at the sky. "Chores time." She waves to the pair

Daranyl's dark eyes slide over Raelii, sizing her up quickly before nodding to Ilyse as she departs, then looking back at the stranger, "Welcome ta th' Weyr. Mind if'n I join ya?"

Raelii snickers up at Ilyse, having to winky-close one eye and squint the other because now Rukbat is behind her new friend's head. "Do I have to?" She's teasing, of course she'll be nice! "Seeya later, Ilyse, hullo, Daranyl. Thanks. And please do!" She patpats the sand invitingly with her hand, which is wet so immediately becomes sand-encrusted. She's busily flicking that away from her, watching the grains shower into the wavelets around her. "So, help me out. Ilyse wasn't able to give me any idea of what's to do here other than skinny dip and not starve. Can you please advise me? And yes, I know I'll be doing chores and classes starting tomorrow." She waits patiently with an an encouraging smile.

Daranyl flops down on the sand not far from Raelii, then shrugs, "'M a hunter. Don' do much more'n hunt 'n' cook 'n' swim m'self. How can ya have energy 'n' time ta do more'n th' candidate work, anyway?" He rolls a bit, looking her over carefully, "I know there're some books 'n' there's th' recroom."

As Daranyl speaks, Raelii concentrates on his words, brow furrowing a tad, her lips moving to pick up half-formed words. "Don't you ever get bored and want to try new things?" To his question, she shrugs, "I dunno, I'm fifteen. That's how, I suppose. And," she points out with obvious logic, "I just got here. Haven't done those chores yet." She returns his study frankly, without trying to be discreet about it. "You don't look much older than I am. How come you're all exhausted and decrepit?" She does manage to ask it cheerfully enough and with a very tiny giggle tacked onto the end of it.

"'M twenty one. 'N' 'M not exhausted or decrepit, jus' simple. I have fun watchin' people 'n' huntin' 'n' such. Playin' darts. I don' need ta go lookin' fer somethin' more'n tha'."

Raelii tries, she really does but at about 'simple'', she says, "Shards, what language are you speaking?" She was able to pick out a word here and there, though and perks at 'darts'. "Okay, darts. That's more than just three things. And watching people make five. So. Your list is growing." There's a merry twinkle in her eyes now. "Will you take me hunting sometime? Pleeeeease? I've never been." She's giving him those big brown puppy-eyes.

Daranyl scowls darkly at Raelii, his voice strained now with the effort to speak more clearly, "Pernese. Clean out yer ears. Not all of us've had the luxury of puttin' words first." Rawr! "An' no, I won't take someone totally green huntin'." He is, apparently, immune to puppy dog eyes, "Not that I'm goin' much righ' now myself." He reaches up and flicks the knot, "'Sponsibilities."

Raelii laughs, she can't help it. "That's not Pernese. You're pulling my leg!" Ah but there's that scowl. Which, uh, isn't going…away. The growly-scowly Daranyl isn't scaring her one bit though she does relent - for a moment. "As long as you can yell 'Heeeeeelp meeeeee!' when you're about to get eaten and not 'el 'e!' otherwise, I'd consider words a necessity rather than a luxury." She humphs, so there! She does manage not to pout about his rather flat rejection of her plea, but asks rather plaintively, "How's a person supposed to get un-green if no one ever takes them hunting?" Eyes too-bright, Raelii's looking mighty entertained despite all the nos she's getting. What was that he'd said about people-watching?

"Get someone who's not prone to goin' out fer days at a time to teach ya first." Daranyl's brows arch up, the glare only growing more pronounced, "Then ya wouldn-t understan' anyway."

"And you'd get eaten. How sad," counters Raelii with a pretend sniff. "And so what? I've lived my whole entire life (okay yeah, that'd be 15 wee turns) camping on the trail between Tillek and High Reaches. What's a three day hunt?" Over by the water's edge sits a(n old crusty) guy and a teenager talking. Or one is growling while the other needles him. Whatever.

"I've lived this long, haven't I?" Daranyl pats at his pocket in a gesture J'me may be awkwardly familiar with and comes out with a small package of paper-wrapped herbs and some matches. One is set to his lips and he lights it easily enough. This girl is just way too sharding stressful, "Could ya be silent fer hours while we tracked?" Because right now he doubts she could be silent ever.

"You call doing naught but five things with your days living?!" Raelii is not convinced, but goes with it anyway, shrugging negligently. See that pocket-patting and herb-lighting is fascinating and she zeros in to watch it, not one whit self-conscious that her eyes are now fixated on a man's mouth. "What the shards is that?" she wants to know before his question distracts her briefly. She gives it 0.3 seconds of thought and says brightly, "Take me hunting and we'll find out?" The Silence Game! She knows that one!

A ways off a rather large brown lands. After dismounting, J'me doesn't even stop to take off the riding helmet and goggles before she's working the straps off the brown. Once the straps are off, the brown wastes no time in taking to the air again, leaving J'me on the ground and there may just be a slightly annoyed quality to her posture as she looks up and watches the brown dive back down towards a clear spot of the water. "REally?" Finally J'me, dressed in black and orange and red Leathers, and wearing a Monoco Bay Weyr knot on her shoulder heads towards the water herself, bringing her closer to Daranyl and Raelii. Finally she starts taking off the riding gear she's wearing as she finds a place to lay her straps. Underneath the helmet and goggles.. well it's probably not all that apparently that she /is/ actually female. Especially with the short hair stuck to her head due to the heat and the gear.. Helmet and then Jacket and leather pants join the straps on the ground, leaving the brownrider in some dark colored linin pants and a thin cloth tank top. "Finally.." out of the hot leathers. She heads towards the Water, a glance and a nod spared for the two nearby. Though Daranyl gets a second studying look.

"Wha'? This?" Daranyl holds up the smoldering roll of herbs, then snorts, "Jus' some herbs 'n' plants. Smokin' 'em helps me relax. And I call any day that doesn' end with my stomach empty a good day." He takes a long draw on the herbroll and shrugs, "Can't go huntin' right now, anyway. Talk ta me after if I don't impress." He glances over at J'me, his gaze sliding over her and obviously sizing her up, "Half Moon's duties etc etc etc."

Raelii leaaaans away as that roll is held up, her eyes following the smoldering thing, which is eyed askance. After a moment, "Geez, no wonder you don't want to do anything but cook and sleep." She coughs, grimaces and adds, "They stink. How do the animals not smell you a mile away?" A landing brown is hard to miss and Raelii takes note of it - and oh damn! There's a rider stripping on the beach. Ilyse warned her about this. She turns her head before she- yah. There's a bit of hyper-ventilating and flailing going on, wide hazel eyes sorta going 'help' at Daranyl….who is sizing up the (not)naked (wo)man like it's no big. Culture. Shock. Criiiiiinge.

J'me is sizing Daranyl up as well, making notes of anywhere he might have weapons, hitting those spots first and then to the burning herbroll. "Monoco's duties." She says in return. J'me herself, while she's out of her riding leathers, still carries weapons at her belt. Two daggers, one on each side, and a smaller belt knife. But Wait! That's not all! J'me also has two small daggers at her back, arranged in a way that may remind Daranyl of stuff and /things/. The dagger sheathes are secured with a strap designed to be secure but someone who knows what they're doing can release the strap and draw the dagger almost as quickly as if it were never there in the first place. The thing that stands out about these blades, as opposed to others is that they are arranged upside down and crossed. Quick and under normal circumstances, concealed. They're likely to be noticed after J'me decides Daranyl probably isn't a huge threat in the current situation and she turns to Raelii. "You going to be alright there?" The girl seems somewhat uncomfortable.

Daranyl's knife is in plain view, though his crossbow is stashed in his press right now. He has the look of someone who's been in a few scraps, though, "She's not naked, yanno." He takes another drag, "Don' smoke 'em when I'm huntin'. Spooks the game."

Is she alright? No, but, "Yes," squeaks Raelii in a barely-audible voice to answer the (wo)man. She's got her eyes locked upon Daranyl and his herb roll though the explanation regarding it goes in one ear and out the other. Likewise, she misses all the sizing up going on over her head. She can feel the posturing in the air though. Doesn't see that the rider is bristling with weapons, doesn't have to. Danger! Danger Will Robinson! Doesn't hear 'not naked'. But she?! "I have to go…!" she says with barely any volume to that whatsoever and scrambles to her feet with a spray of water to make a mad dash across the sand and towards the bowl. Totally forgets to grab her boots on the way into the bowl. She's gonna regret that later. Geez, no wonder her trader father insisted they camp away from Weyrs on their route!

J'me nods at the yes. "You don't look alright." J'me says, the initial sizing up and threat assessments done, J'me actually relaxes a little and she'll even flash the girl a smile… and she's even about to say something else.. and be all conversational and stuff.. and then Raelii blurts out about having to go and J'me's mouth closes and her head tilts as the girl scrambles out and runs away. "That… doesn't usually happen." She'll even look behind her just to make sure her Dragon hasn't decided to land and pretend to be vicious behind her before she looks back to the running girl and tilts her head, looking somewhat confused… before turning back to Daranyl. "She always like that?"

Daranyl's shoulders lift and fall, a safe, non-committal gesture he uses almost habitually, "Dunno. Jus' met her now." He watches her run off up the beach with a mix of emotions on his face before he turns back to J'me and takes another drag off the rolled herbs, "Wan' one?"


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