One for Sorrow, Two for Joy (Open)

Contrary to what his roommate thought, Corian had been awoken by the younger boy. Unfortunately for Corian... Or perhaps fortunately, he had then practically passed out once the door had been shut and had completely missed the entire hatching. That had been a short while ago now and, from what he'd heard, it was probably a good thing he'd missed it. People were still so unsure of what to expect especially with the coming Dragon hatching. He'd always thought Whers a little scarier... More terrifying... But when he thought about it, perhaps it was the dragons who were really the creatures to be feared. They were almost three times the size of the Whers. He rubbed his eyes and looked about the hall.

Cirrus fluttered into the hall and immediately took to flying up near one of the lights while Corian made his way over to grab some food. He took a chair and sat near the Harper. Even though he had failed miserably in Harper Hall he still loved to listen to those truly gifted individuals. When the boy finished a song, Corian clapped enthusiastically despite the somber tone. He knew that something bad had happened, that a Wherling had died. But at least he'd impressed and done what he came to Dalibor to do. Not to mention, Corian found it difficult to do just about anything but remain cheerful. Cirrus landed for a moment to grab a piece of Wherry from Corian's plate and then Flitt off again to search for some more interesting things.

He turned sharply in mid air and then looked at the other two Flitts, one Black and one Pink. He chirrupped a 'hello' and then darted off once more to look at the lights. Corian let out something of a cheer when the Harper finished one of his more cheerful songs. Corian just loved the songs with a little bounce to them. The ones that just made him want to dance. He, thankfully, wasn't in the way of others but he wasn't precisely at the table either. He was just enjoying the music so much!
"Wonderful! Amazing! Let's hear another fifty!!" He exclaimed, somewhat loudly but only so that those closest looked at him strangely.

Cirrus noticed that the Black had followed him up to look at the lights. They were pretty, weren't they? Perhaps they could search for the prettiest one together. He chirrupped back at the Flitt and sent an image of a light changing colours and even changing to another object, a cloth. They would have to find the most interesting thing in the whole Hall and play with it! At the moment Cirrus thought the lights most interesting, and happily Flitted around them in a circle before flying around the Black with enthusiasm. He was still young but his energy was almost as boundless as Corian's. Of course, he had been sleeping prior to entering the Hall for dinner.

"Oh ha ha! I see what this one is!" Corian exclaimed happily when the Harper, a candidate for sure, began playing a more upbeat song.
He jumped to his feet and pushed the chair aside, nearly shoving it into a passerby. He apologised and looked around sheepishly, placing his food on a table before rushing back to the Harper. It was tough, he realised, to play a truly loud and exuberant song on the Harp but he certainly marveled at the talent before him. He knew how to play himself... Just not very well. He knew about two songs and both of them had their lyrics substituted for food. Specifically Benden Baklava. In all honesty, if he managed to impress another Flitt he would call it that especially if it happened to look like the food in any way.

He cleared a space for himself, which wasn't too tough as people were eying him with some concern and backing away, then began dancing happily. He didn't care that he looked a fool. Who cared about that? Someone would join in eventually and even if they didn't he'd have fun. Dancing was perhaps the only thing he had ever really been decent at and even then, it wasn't really dancing. It was a mix of moves really and although they seemed agile they were certainly no moves recognised universally, or even anywhere, on Pern.
"I shall dance until I can't feel my feet!" He proclaimed lightly.

Fortunately for him, there were really not too many people paying attention to him. Or not as far as it seemed. Sure, a few eyes were turned his way thinking him quite insane. In all truthfulness he probably was. But most people didn't notice him dancing before the Harper. Maybe they assumed it was part of the entertainment. Perhaps they just didn't care. It wouldn't have mattered to Corian either way.

Corian continued to dance, becoming a little less flail worthy towards the middle. No one seemed to want to join in but he could hear the beat being bashed out on the tables and it made him pleased to know that at least they weren't about to kick him out of candidacy for spinning around like a fool. It was something that constantly worried him. He loved life and didn't particularly want to wind up Holdless because he'd accidentally knocked the Weyrwoman's eye out while dancing. Then again, if he'd managed to do that he probably didn't deserve a dragon. For safety's sake, he stopped spinning near people for fear that he just might be the unlucky one to get eaten by an angry Copper because he'd poked an eye out.

He could hear chatter and laughter. It was his element. It was what he was able to best live with. He loved it! His dancing became a little more restrained the more tired he became. However, it also became a little more Pern-based rather than... Whatever it was he'd been dancing before. The music was being played a little louder, clearly working towards the finale. Corian had to round off his own performance soon! He knew just what to do. Although he hadn't really been dancing for long he had been a candidate. He had been a pirate, a thief and a hero all in one. To that end he was a daredevil of sorts and, being a sixteen year old boy with nothing better to do, he had learned a couple of tricks.

The space was clear, people preferring to watch from the safety of a few meters. Thus, as the candidate finished his song, Corian managed to round off his own performance with a flip. He landed and stumbled a little but it didn't matter to him, so long as he didn't smash his face on the floor. He clapped extremely enthusiastically, feeling a little sweaty but not particularly caring in the slightest. He bustled forwards and smiled broadly at the candidate, scar pulling his face in the strange way it did. He laughed.
"Well it should be able to. That was an amazing bit of playing! You must have been a harper then. Probably a pretty good one." He spoke with breathlessness, "Corian, I was a harper too but If I'd tried to play that harp like that it would probably be smashed to pieces!"

Cirrus had fluttered down now to land on His' shoulder not that he was certain he wasn't going to be flung across the room. He took off immediately and examined the harp, chattering happily. Clearly he had found the most fun thing in the room.

Cirrus chirped happily at the greeting and flew around the Harp in circles attempting to discern what the strange contraption was! He just didn't know. He'd never seen it before. His didn't have one of these. Why didn't His have one!? It looked so much fun! This was probably the longest Cirrus had ever spent looking at something without darting off to look at something else.

Corian breathed heavily, catching his breath from his exertions. He waved his hand a little when Jerrith picked up on the 'was'.
"Oh, hoho no. You would have wanted to tear your ears off at my singing. Sure, it was fun to sing but the whole memorising stuff? Not for me. I mean, I help out sometimes in the Caverns but most of those songs I make up as I go along and hope the kids know what they're doing. But, yeah, if I'd been better at it..." He shrugged and laughed, "Well, walking the tables will be awesome for you!"

He thought he'd heard Jerrith's name around. He probably knew him from lessons too but, as he'd just said, memory was not Corian's strong point. It was probably the primary reason he had been so happy to become a candidate. He'd also only been at Harper Hall for a short while and, whilst there, had managed to mess up in just about every class except drumming. Something about hitting the drums with such energy had always made his day.

"Right, I think I understand." Corian nodded a little, "Yes, it would be tough to study with all the things we have to do."
He was just about stuffed from dancing. He could hardly imagine how Jerrith felt having to play the song as he had. With the beat to it. He watched at the other male plucked a string of his Harp.
"That's sharp." Corian interjected seriously.

He then grinned, "Actually I have no idea whether that's sharp or flat or broken in half by a saw. That was probably one of the reasons I liked playing the drums more. At least it was fairly obvious if they were wrong... The skins would be broken from the top."
As Cirrus jumped onto his arm and chirrupped, Corian petted the little Blue Firelizard with a smile knowing that the creature would fly off sooner or later to look for something else interesting. Well, apparently he was still fairly happy with the Harp for he had attempted to perch himself on it along with the other two Flitts.

Corian turned his attention back to Jerrith.
"Oh yeah. The Dragons. I grew up in a Weyr but... Well, it's still something of a shock when one speaks to you. They never used to bother speaking to Weyrbrats but... Yeah..." He trailed off and shrugged.

Corian's grinned stayed practically plastered to his face when Jerrith joked along with him. It was one thing he constantly worried about, whether or not what he was saying was insulting anyone. Unfortunately for Corian, he never noticed when he was frustrating someone and when he was truly having fun with them. Jerrith seemed not all that frustrated so Corian could only assume that everything was fine.

Corian had noticed the emotions of the Dragons on occasion. Perhaps it was those times that he was at his most hyperactive, but the last hatching had been something of a shock for him. It had been his second one and the keening of the Gray, Noyth, had been somewhat horrible to perceive much less to feel. He couldn't imagine how it would have been for her Rider. Then, of course, there had been the death of the Queen.
"Oh, I've only had them speak to me a couple of times. But a voice in your head telling you there's a hatching is enough to just about make you fall out of bed." Corian responded.

Cirrus was pleased with his place on the Interesting Thing. He then proceeded to turn to the Pink and watch her intently. He turned to the Black and chirped at him. Why hadn't the Pink wanted to play? Poor Pink. They would have to include her next time. Maybe they could play with the things on the table. Those tasted nice but it was always fun playing with them too.

"I've gotten a few bruises from those times." Corian continued after a pause, "But, can't go to the next hatching with a bruised behind."

Corian nodded and realised that Jerrith was about to play another song. Corian wasn't so daft that he couldn't recognise the chords as being ones of slight solemnity. He supposed it was only fitting. Jerrith had just played his fingers off with a jaunty, upbeat tune and Corian suspected that another would just about either cut the other candidate or ruin his Harp. Corian figured that, if Jerrith still intended on remaining a Harper, Walking the Tables, he probably didn't want his Harp destroyed.

He sat down, fidgeted a little but eventually calmed himself to show something of a somber mood to reflect that of the song. He would have joined in, possibly with a harmony, but he hadn't sung properly in quite some time. He had a decent voice, this much was certain, but he lacked the training to make it any better than a very basic vocal addition to the song. He hummed along happily enough but quietly so that he wouldn't distract Jerrith or those listening to the tones of the Harp.

Jerrith was apparently more skilled than Corian could have imagined. He was able to talk whilst playing!? Corian had never been able to multitask like that! As it happened, simply paying attention to what Jerrith was doing and speaking to him was difficult enough for Corian. He nodded a little.
"There were a few candidates who came in just after the last hatching. It was an... Interesting one to say the least." He replied.

A Queen dead on the sands. The thought still shocked Corian a little. They needed Queens still, even with all the mutations that had come about. Unfortunately, the Reds, Tans and Oranges did not always clutch. That much was certain from when the Red had risen a couple of seasons ago... Still, he pushed the thoughts from his mind. He would not be distracted like that again on the sands, no siree.
"But the hatchings are usually so amazing. Seeing friends impress and watching faces light up when the Dragon speaks to them is quite rewarding." Corian continued.

Even if he didn't impress and Ezekiel, Varan and now Jerrith did he would feel so happy for them. He wasn't the type to begrudge a friend for achieving something he hadn't. No. He took it as more people he could spend time with.

Corian wondered himself just how much time he would dedicate to his Dragon if, no, when he impressed. Corian had not yet lost hope. But he was curious as to the Weyrling duties. He’d always heard about the Heroes of Pern and it only crossed his mind ever so rarely just how much work those Heroes had to do just to even fly on the backs of their dragons and travel Between.

He understood also what Jerrith was talking about when mentioning the Flitts. Corian had barely slept with the Firelizard egg hardening where he placed it on the Hearth. He’d watched it closely rarely touching it unless he needed to. The most excited he’d been was when it had started moving the day it had hatched. Not to mention the day when he thought it had moved but, in reality, he’d just moved it and forgotten about it.

Cirrus was happily watching the movements of the Harpers hands and moving his tiny claws in much the same way as though trying to mimic the manner in which the large creature was obviously having so much fun. He seemed to think that there was something about the Harp that was a game and wanted to copy it. It was the longest Corian had ever seen the Flitt focus on something.

“Well, of course they’re not dragons but I think that they can sometimes help the transition.” He just realised that it was the most serious thing he had said in some time and laughed, “But I guess that trying to fly on them and fight Thread might be just a little tough.”
He hoped to impress earlier in a hatching rather than later so he could leave the sands before all the larger Dragonets managed to dig their claws into the others… Then again, he would just need to focus on staying focused rather than what was happening with any violence.
“But, I agree… I’ve been in a Weyr long enough to know at least that comparing the two is a little silly.”

Corian was a little curious about the other candidate now. He didn't understand quite what he was concerned about. After all, he'd never had second thoughts about his craft and impressing to a dragon instead. Jerrith almost read his mind as he clarified that he wasn't so silly to say that he didn't want a dragon. After all, if one had the chance to become a Rider one should probably take that chance. Not too many people had the opportunity and there were plenty of people who truly desired it.

As Jerrith spoke, Corian came to realise just what he meant. Of course, if he impressed at the next hatching, which Corian had no doubt he would, there wouldn't be any time really to train in his craft. He would be forced to spend a lot of time with the hatchling. Corian couldn't believe it had taken him this long to figure it out. He could always walk the tables after he had become a Rider but who knew whether he would be able to do that. The dragon might be one more or less confined to the Weyr... Or one who didn't want to leave...

"'Course not!" Corian grinned, "I would have many concerns if you had turned down a dragon."
He laughed a little but had come to understand a little better what Jerrith was going through. Him, having never really been all that concerned with his Craft other than hitting things, had never really been the slightest bit concerned with what impressing a dragon would mean. He should have probably been more worried about not impressing a dragon but he had confidence in himself and just about every candidate he met.

Corian listened to what Jerrith was saying and frowned briefly when he said something about not wanting to live out his days as an apprentice. Corian had practically resigned himself to living out his days as an apprentice long ago. When he had failed at almost every single instrument he simply accepted that he did not have the mind to actually Walk the Tables. Still, it did smart a little to have someone else speak so low of his fate. Not to worry! He was going to be a Rider! Third time lucky! Right? Corian smiled once again. He didn't need to be a Harper if he could be a Rider!

"Well, hopefully the Dragon you impress to will enjoy music and you can study with him or her." Corian replied, cheer returning.
He had no doubt that if a dragon enjoyed music it would enjoy Jerrith's playing. Hopefully he would at least be able to keep some of his skills up. Even if he couldn't study as much as he was now being able to just play every now and then might just allow for the maintenance of some of his skills.

Corian, on the other hand, was hoping he would impress a dragon that would really like his imagination. They could have so much fun together if the Dragon was like the Flirtatious Steed. He had not seen Catori of Koketeth in some time but when he impressed he hoped dearly that the two of them could play Thieves again. Maybe with that nice Wher candidate as well!
"What kind of dragon do you hope to impress?" Corian asked curiously.