Rhyme & Reason [RAINRACER LESSON]

[lee]

{desc=Poetic justice? Rhyme, rhyme for your lives?}

It was cold and drizzly, a sullen rain sprinkling with as little enthusiasm as the droopy eyed F'dren seemed to possess as he stalked towards the Rainracers, in their gear and ready to begin one of their last lessons. 'Seemed' was the operative word, because F'dren couldn't really help that he always looked half-asleep, even if he felt anything but. "Rainracers." He began, as monotone as ever, though it was balanced by a sweet, happy trill of greeting from Mifth, "Final exams for your graduation are around the corner. This is your opportunity to practice and prepare. On Harpsiklahd's—" He indicated the brown fire lizard, perched regally at attention, "—whistle, you'll take flight in the wing formation we've working on, and execute your basic drills in the air for the duration of the class's individual practice exams; bear that in mind when you are going through yours. You've got some long flights ahead of you, this will help build the stamina to make it through them. On Delilah or l's command--relayed by Mifth and Agnith--you'll drop out, one by one, and proceed through the checkpoints we've set up."

It was already more than he'd said in any lesson he'd attended, and he had to take a small sip of klah before continuing in a softer voice, "No matter how much we may practice, the fact remains that the life of a dragonrider is very much full of surprises, and, unfortunately, emergencies. It is as important to train your minds to assess a situation quickly, calmly, and to choose appropriate action—or inaction—to the best of your abilities. Know when to ask lot help, know when you need it, and learn when and how to respond when others ask for it or at unable to. Balance your safety and success against that of Pern, against that of your classmates and fellow wingriders, and against that of anyone you try to help. There will be times when there is no good choice. Make the best one that you can."

For the first time since he began speaking, a small smile pulled on the bluerider's lips, and his dark eyes warmed with something that might have been humor. With a voice low and wry, he murmured with a slight shake of his head, "Good luck."

He held up his arm, and Harpsiklahd, pleased as punch to be playing such an officious role, sat upon it, and bugled a high, shrill whistle—the command to take flight.

Practice Exam:
The Weyrlings will not know what each checkpoint is until they arrive there. It's up to them if they want to inform their classmates (think about the pros and cons of doing so; do they need to learn to be surprised? Or are they the type to panic and would benefit from shared knowledge?), or ask for help (same deal- Will you distract them from formation by asking questions, knowing that they are simulating fighting Thread? Or will it take you so long without help that everyone's stamina will give in before the end of the exam?). They have not been told not to! All they know is what the Weyrlingmasters have said above—they have not been given any specifics about what exactly they are being graded on, so make whichever assumptions you please about that. Each checkpoint will be explained extremely briefly as they arrive, with no indication on hidden meaning /grading /explanations of why the sharding shells they have to do it. Unless your weyrling asks. Then we may respond >>

Overall: FORMATION AND DRILLS
Weyrlings, as a group, will fly standard Threadfall formations and drills. It's been implied they have to keep flying until everyone is done--but what was said was that they have to execute drills and formation until everyone is done. Part of their test (not that they have been told this) will include adjusting formation as classmates leave for individual exams, and knowing when to drop out/adjust/reform and rotate as their dragons get tired, which is part of formations! No exhausted betweening! Mifth or Agnith will step in if necessary. Iola of Jainath and To'kku of Vainoth will be weyrling wingseconds for this formation.

Checkpoint 1: DRAGON SKILL TEST - Firestone Target Practice!
Hit 8/10 moving targets of varying sizes with FIRE (flamethrower for Jainey) You get three chances to hit 80% or more.

Checkpoint 2: RESPONSE TEST - Dramatic Rescue!
A dragon (probably Mifth or Agnith) will appear from between and start plummeting from the sky with varying degrees of traumatic 'injury' (which they will inform the weyrling dragon of), and will need help landing. Note that your dragon may not be big enough to rescue them themselves—or, if they're one of the last ones flying, the stamina to do so—and may need to call a classmate or older dragon to help. Weyrlingmasters' dragons will keep any failed rescue attempts from causing serious injury, but a bumpy landing is as much of a lesson as a smooth one! NOTE if someone wants to have their dragon play damsel dragon in distress go for it.

Checkpoint 3: DIPLOMACY TEST - Draw on history to craft a response on the fly to the unexpected (...sort of)
Weyrlings will be asked to compose a 4-10 line poem about Dalibor or Dragonrider history. It doesn't have to be good.

Checkpoint 4: RIDER SKILL TEST - Flamethrower Assembly!
Assemble a flamethrower, and correctly identify a burrow of thread (through images provided by Weyrlingmasters' dragons to weyrling dragons)

Checkpoint 5: TEAMWORK TEST - Firestone Refuel!
For this part of the test, you will return to checkpoint 1, and do a mid-air refill that weyrling's firestone sack (first weyrling's will be refilled by a volunteer adult rider).

They will then return to the group formation, cycling through drills until everyone is done!

NOTE: You don't have to write about every checkpoint if you don't want (though you certainly can) you can pick one or two that spark your interest and go from there.

[/b][/blockquote][/size]

[Gray]

Aerie was abuzz with adrenaline. She knew what was creeping up in stealthy paws and silent wings. Graduation. She would be a full fledged rider soon. The idea both excited and terrified her. It kept her up at night, and she was jittery just thinking about it. Thankfully, Hasith seemed to be the same. So they exercised and practiced with care. They were ready for this, or so they hoped. Her fists balled in her lap, and she tensed as F'dren neared the end of his speech. Hasith was no better. He stood at attention, though there was a stiffness about his joints. They would not fail their class. They couldn't. It would mortify the two of them.

They were so tense they almost bungled their takeoff. They would have, if Hasith wasn't so instinctive. Aerie hissed curses under her breath, knocking the knuckles of one hand against her forehead.
Ugh, I almost ruined that for you. She grit her teeth in frustration. She was so scared to fail, that she was about to ruin it all from the start.
Don't be so hard on yourself. We're both jumpy. Just breath. Flight is in my nature. Hasith crooned to her, and Aerie noticed the hint of sass at the end. She would have rolled her eyes if she thought he could see it. He was right though, if she let him controll it all, with faint mental nudges every now and then, it was easy. Drills the pair could do. They had memorized the patterns of movement, and practiced them even when classes were done. It was the later checkpoints that worried Aerie, and nagged at her mind.

–

She had good reason to worry. These tests were important. When the call came, Aerie almost jumped. Draconic laughter tickled her head, and Hasith dropped from formation. Aerie tugged at her straps a bit as they came in.
Target practice! Hasith announced to the others in his wing. Remember to breathe, and don't panic. I know you can do this. Aerie would have been glad if he said that to her directly. She could use the support too.
You know I'm here for you. Must I always remind you? It was private, and there was obvious affection in his words.
Yes. Even though it was mental, her reply was soft, she did not like having to ask for affirmation of her importance. It felt weak. Again Hasith just chuckled.
Then I'll remind you all the time! But now, we've work to do. Let's show them how it should be done.
Always need to lead by example.

She fed him handful after handful of firestone, priming him for the first few targets then settled back. Her eyes were wide, and she could feel sweat trickling down the back of her neck, despite the cool air around her. Hasith was ready, belly full of flammable gasses and eyes on the prize, he dove right in.
Targets approaching, hold it... hold it... hold iiiit... NOW! There was a jet of flame, and they were on to the next. For her part, Aerie kept up a steady feeding of Firestone whenever needed, and tried to keep a running watch. But Hasith was intent to do his own thing. Several times he missed easy targets when trying to hit multiple at once.
Why? Why aren't you listening. We've been doing so well.
Mine, I know when to flame! I do. Let me show you, I've got it all planned in my head. Let me show you!

–

Aerie didn't want to think of their success so far, if you could call it that. She didn't want to know how they had done. She had a feeling they were failing. But she hid it. She hid id deep inside where even Hasith could not pry, where she held all unknowable things. Then she wouldn't lie to keep him happy and safe. The inside of her bottom lip was bitten so badly she could taste blood, and Hasith had expressed several times a hint of worry.
It's fine. Just worried. Focus. Go on. We'll be ok. Hasith, to his credit, could tell there were things wrong. He could tell she wasn't lying, Aerie didn't lie. Lies angered her, they made her sick. But she was not happy. This showed. He worried as once again they were called to a checkpoint.

Aerie's hands shook a bit as she put the flamethrower together. It's the cold, she told herself. She could do this. She had done so much already, they would finish this, and come out on top. They were good at that. This piece went with that one. And that one over there. Her hands slipped and she winced. She had to hurry. Their wing was counting on them. Hasith was counting on them. Bit by bit, the flamethrower came together. Aerie wasn't a smith, how could she be expected to do it quickly? She had done it, and that was that.

You did fine. All is well. All was not well, and her anxiety had infected him. The pictures were shared between their link.
Again. Hasith passed them through once more, and Aerie scrunched her nose as she focused. One of them was right, but which? They had gone over this. She knew they had! Her thoughts were a flurry of activity. She chewed on her lip more, and the taste of metal struck her tongue.
That one! Finally a moment of clarity, she sent the image through Hasith. The black rumbled in approval. That was the same one he had picked, see? Their minds were still sharp and still close. They were still working as one! Stress had just dragged them down, Hasith was sure of it. Aerie was not. They needed more practice. They needed to work together, they were still too prideful to admit they had problems.

[Kiran]

Fyris was deeply anticipating this lesson. Practice test. One of the few last, lingering obstacles in their way before becoming full-fledged riders. Dreaneth glanced down at her, as excited as she was. Riders! Responsible, full-fledged wingriders. It was an exciting thought for both of them. Fyris gave her green a grin and then mounted, properly setting herself into her straps. Their muscles tightened, waiting for the signal to take off into the air.

The signal was abrupt but Dreaneth was as graceful as always, shooting into the air without hesitation or jolting. Some of their wingmates weren't quite as graceful, but they all got into the air just fine. Dreaneth and Fyris took their place in the wing, the air brisk against their skins. Winter was cold, an unpleasant time to be in the air, but even with reduced threat of Thread that didn't mean it didn't fall. And that was what they were fighting. Dreaneth was agile in the air, making slight adjustments here or there as she acted as though she were avoiding Threadfall. But the green never cut into another's path, never got even close.

Fyris loved doing drills like this on Dreaneth. Her dragon was so agile, so aware of herself, that Fyris almost felt like she didn't have to warn her about dangers. Ferrying firestone was a delight as they watched the other riders at work. And now, this flying, this was no different. It was better by virtue of being part of the wing. All they needed to do now was...

The signal! Dreaneth alerted her to it, and they headed for the targets. Dreaneth was as precise with her flame throwing as she was with her flying. Fyris felt unbelievably proud as they hit every target. Excellent! Then it was onto the next part. Fyris' eyes caught sight of the falling dragon. She and Dreaneth pulled into a tight dive to catch them. The target practice had been good, but Dreaneth's tight, controlled flying was where she truly shone. They sliced through the air like a hot knife through butter, catching and letting down the volunteer gently.

It was the third checkpoint that made Fyris draw up short. A poem?! This was most certainly not her thing. She had to think for a few moments before hesitantly replying.

Callistath flew at a gather
And what happened caused people to blather
The new weyrleader was a bother
And she hatched a new color
But things were what they were so it didn't matter.

She was given a pass, but Fyris couldn't help but wince at how terrible that was. Even Dreaneth had to admit that almost anything could have been better!

They moved into the next station. Thrown off by the last one, Fyris fumbled a bit with the flamethrower assembly. It wasn't anything she couldn't do under normal circumstances but her nerves from the last part meant her fingers were a touch shaky here and there. But after two wrong mistakes, Fyris finally managed to get it right. The burrow of thread wasn't as hard to figure out and started grounding Fyris's nerves. She could do this. She would!

Thankfully, the last part was one that got her back to where she needed to be. The physical act of flying, of refueling a firestone bag, that was where she could excel once more. It was easy to pass it off, and she did so, waiting for the rest of those in her wing to finish their rounds at the test.