Doing the Unmannerly Thing (Maru!)

[Rii]

{desc=Sora/Orkia}Sora was on the roof.

Again.

She couldn’t help it; she’d discovered fairly early in spring after the snow melted that she was much less likely to get chased off of the candidate barracks roof than the stables roof (it had something to do with supposedly upsetting the runnerbeasts), and it was a good place to stay out of the way of the more insistently social of her fellow candidates. Her roommate fell into that category, and thus her own room was not a suitable place to be alone with her thoughts. With the warm weather, the lake was likewise unacceptable - too many people cooling off by the water. Going for a run around the bowl she reserved for when she got up in the morning. So, the roof it was.

She had plenty to think about. There was a clutch on the sands. Correction: there were two clutches on the sands, Callistath’s and Kalesk’s. Dragon and wher. They’d had a special talk from the candidatemaster on the possibility of both hatching at once, and it certainly had her thinking. If it happened - and it was only an if, she reminded herself - it would be absolute chaos. All of the candidates would be positioned between the two clutches. It gave both the dragonets and wherets access to all of the candidates, which was unavoidable. If she somehow bonded to a wher instead of a dragon, it happened, but she didn’t want it to. There was no freedom in bonding to a wher. The sky would never be hers.

Too, being pinned between the two clutches represented a rather massive risk to safety, as she saw it. No matter how you stood, your back would be to part of the hatching. And in her case - preferring dragons to whers - her back would be to the whers, which had a higher incidence of violence. Unfortunate. Regardless of heat, she intended to acquire some kind of protection before then. It would be sweltering, but she was from the Southern Continent. She could handle sweltering better than bleeding to death.

Sora’s thoughts had run on this line all day, around and around without really putting them to rest. She hadn’t been perfectly attentive to the world since that early-morning talk. She remembered going to her chores and finishing them, but she couldn’t think who her partner had been or if she’d said more than hello. Likewise with lunch; in fact, she was fairly sure that she’d entirely ignored everyone at her table. Ehh. Didn’t matter. She wasn’t here to make friends; just to work and stand for clutches until she was too old. Stretching out, she sat up from her sprawled-on-her-back position and loosely looped her arms around her knees. Can’t tell anything til it happens, Sora. So quit worrying about it!

[maruset]

"So what has you lurking up here?"

Orkia had spotted the movement, and she was a nosy thing. So she had made her way up. It turned out to be one of the other candidates, who Orkia was pretty sure was for dragons. Settling on the roof, she cocked her head, looking at the other.

"You look like you are having a big think." It was just put out there, partially to start conversation, and partly because it did. Orkia tried to remember the other girl's name. Sori, Sora, Sari, something along those lines. She hadn't been a big concern for Orkia, not when she had been trying to get settled in and working on her lessons herself.

"You're standing for dragons, right? It got something to do with the hatching, or are you pondering the mysteries of something else? You are looking pretty serious."

Yes, Orkia was being a bit of a brat, but she was curious, and figured that anything was better than deep thoughts. Even if it turned into a snipping fit. Besides, she liked those, and she didn't want to go do the same chores over and over again. So this girl was going to be something of distraction.

[Rii]

Sora startled at the words that didn’t come called from the ground, but from on the roof with her. Apparently she’d been so deep in thought that she didn’t even notice someone making the climb that she did almost daily. She didn’t like being startled; she prided herself in being fairly cautious and watchful. So point one, she was irritated - with herself for not noticing, and with this person for intruding on her quiet and provoking that visible reaction of being startled from her. Next she’d either get teased (unappreciated) or have it stored away for future use that she could be spooked if sneaked up on (even more unappreciated). Hmph.

Point two, this person - who she vaguely recognized as a candidate - looked to be settling in for the long haul. Not what she wanted when all Sora wanted as a general rule was to not be bothered. So maybe it was understandable that she wasn’t as cheery as could be expected in polite company. “Well, I was thinking,” she replied icily. Before someone decided to come and be annoying. “Yes, I’m a dragon candidate. Sora,” she introduced herself as neutrally as she possibly could, completing the social requirement with the minimum amount of words.

Oh no. Nope, no, no, never. Absolutely not. Without knowing it, Orkia had triggered all of Sora’s on-your-guard instincts. She was not going to spill out her thoughts to some scrap of a girl that she didn’t even know. Lili had been one thing, she’d demanded nothing. If Lili had asked, Sora might have answered. “I’d rather not talk about it,” she responded in a clipped tone, tossing her braid of dark brown hair over her shoulder. She might have asked who this girl was and if she was a dragon, wher, or dual candidate, but she didn’t feel much in the chattery mood. The observation on her serious-face was met with a dismissive wave. “I’m always serious. That’s nothing new, people should get used to it.” Well, that wasn’t precisely true. Sometimes - rarely - she cracked a real smile, or teased, or even made a joke.

[maruset]

She just grinned a bit. Oooh, looked like she may have hit a nerve.

"I'm a dual myself. Which means this hatching is going to be an interesting one. Hopefully my brother will impress. And with so many eggs, hopefully we'll all have a better chance. Though it also means that there is a greater chance of a dragon or wher not finding their match."

That was a sobering thought, and the smile faded a bit. Hopefully that would not be the case, that every one would find someone they could be bonded with. She had seen that at a few hatchings back home, but it wasn't common. Hopefully it would continue to be uncommon, she didn't like the idea of a dragon betweening or a wher going wild because someone wasn't there.

She gave a lazy roll of a shoulder when the girl tossed her hair. "That's fine. Plenty of serious people around. Sometimes things even merit it. Though being too serious just make one look like they frown all the time." Which one could never accuse Orkia of. "In any case, what do you think of this hatching? I know there is a lot of chatter already, with some people being too worried."

[Rii]

“We don’t even know that the two clutches will hatch at the same time,” Sora replied. As if she hadn’t been contemplating that exact thing. It was, in her mind, the worst case scenario. “It’s just possible. Not like we’ll get a choice in it either way, though. Even if we choose not to go on the sands, they want us there just in case, on the sidelines. Give them all the choice they can, because that’s what’s important to them.”

She was a little bit bitter about that. All that mattered to them was the hatchlings. If people were slashed up or killed, no one cared except for the chance that it removed a candidate if someone was dead. Sora wasn’t afraid of it for herself, but it did seem like kind of a waste overall. All those people with potential and hopes and dreams. Splat. She wondered a bit what would happen if two dragons, or two whers, or a dragon and a wher wanted the same person. Blood, she decided in gloomy acceptance. Blood would happen. Buckets of it. Maybe instead of finding armor she’d find a hide and ink and write a so-long letter to her parents. Although in her case, it wouldn’t be from two hatchlings wanting her. More like one taking offence to her existence and ridding the world of it.

Small loss there.

Sora frowned. She did frown much more than she smiled, and she felt like this girl was poking fun at it no matter what she said about it being fine. She blamed that grin that the dual candidate got when she’d given her the cold shoulder. “If both clutches hatch at the same time? It’s going to be a mess,” she answered flatly. “If they’re really lucky, no one will die from it. And that’s all I have to say about it.” So there, little miss prysalot. Now, to get rid of her. Being prickly didn’t seem to be working. Maybe being blunt would. “Why not go talk about it with one of the chattery ones, then?”

[maruset]

"We don't. Though I know dragon eggs, at least, seem to make each other hatching when they are close to each other." Orkia gave a half shrug. "And we already seen a wher egg hatching at the same time as a dragon clutch, even if she is an oddball little wher."

Well, there was a wellspring of bitter there. "Killing is rare on the sands. Usually it's an accident, though you should always keep an eye on reds. Still, of course babies are important to them. They're riders and handlers. For a lot of them, this is as close as they get to children of their own."

Her own smile turned a bit bitter itself. "And even then, their partner does tend to beat out any children they do have. In any case, if you really have an issue with it, you could always try transferring weyrs, or step out of candidacy. They don't -force- you to stay."

It was a bit irritating, these people who were candidates, but seemed to hate the fact. Nobody made them be a candidate, but they acted like they didn't want to be near there. It made no sense to her.

"There will be blood, because it's a wher hatching as well. They need it. But, yeah, I'm hoping that nobody dies as well. We're all used to each other, and it always rattles all of us when that happens." Which lead to a lot of distressed babies.

[Rii]

Sora rolled her bright blue eyes impatiently. “I didn’t say the eggs weren’t important. I get it, they want to make sure none of them between. It would suck if they did, it’s a waste. But - y’know what, nevermind.” Why in the name of the First Egg am I bothering to argue. No one listens and it’s not that important anyway. And that meant it was just annoying. She didn’t want to argue, no matter how much this girl was trying - or seemed to be trying, maybe it was just because her patience was so low that it seemed that way.

“Red or no red, I predict more blood than just people cutting their hands for the wher bonds. Maybe just me, but I’ve heard the stories of the last few hatchings here. Makes me consider wearing armor, the way the candidatemaster said we could - though I haven’t decided if it would be protection, or just irritate the hatchlings more and make me a target. Seems like they don’t like anything different.” She snorted. Think soothing thoughts, indeed. She’d shoot for the stubborn neutrality that she gave most of the world, even if things went mad. “You’d think it was our fault if we got rattled by seeing another person die on the sands,” Sora’s tone was laced with biting sarcasm.

“Anyway, they’re not going to process any transfers until after the Hatching, you watch. There’s too many eggs on the sands to chance it.” Her lips pressed together tightly for a moment, reining in her rising annoyance. “Besides, I’m not leaving. It might be a sharding mess of a first hatching, but I said I’d stand and I’ll see it through, and whatever ones come next, too. I don’t go back on things I say I’ll do.”

Like Miraguel. Several Turns of bitter resentment welled up from her chest, tightening her throat and silencing her. Her three-Turns older brother who had vanished, broken his word to write, and left her whole family hurting. Even now she was still stung by the bitter unfairness of keeping her word to someone who obviously hadn’t given a rotten wherry egg about his. Sheer determination to not be the person he was had shaped the Turns since then. If I ever see him again, I’ll… I’ll deck him, that’s what. He’ll be getting off light if that’s all he gets.

[maruset]

"Let me guess, why are the eggs more important than the candidates?" She quirked a brow, grinning some at the girl. "I have a good guess on why that is." She left that at that. If the other wanted to hear Orkia's theory, she'd ask. Probably not, but a girl had to have some secrets.

"There probably will be. Whers are mean in general. I'm going to be right in the middle, given I'm a dual. So I've had a lot of lessons in how to deal with them. There is probably going to be a lot of biting, and more than a few people are probably going to have to go to the healer. But there are forty eggs. Most of those will hatch. Look at how many of us will, hopefully, find our bondmate." Orkia gave a grin.

"And it's not that we're rattled. It's that we need to show that we have control of ourselves enough to not show it. Babies of all sort are sensitive. It's why some people can't hold any sort of baby without it crying or showing distress. With dragons, that sensitivity can lead to them killing themselves."

Orkia shook her head. "This hatching is going to be bad in more than just the sands, I bet. Not with all the disgruntlement going on over the father of the dragon clutch." There were probably not going to be fights, but the general mood might be bad for the babies as well. "Though at least we see that wher eggs and dragon eggs can hatching without issue, look at the tan's clutching. That was really sharding weird."

[Rii]

“More people than dragons or whers,so they’re not worth as much,” was Sora’s guess. “Still a waste if you lose someone you don’t have to, whether it’s a dragon or wher or person.” She might not like most people, but it didn’t mean she wanted anyone to die. Be anywhere else but with her, sure. Die, no. “Oh well. I guess the healers have seen it all.” They’d be ready, and the candidates would just have to trust them to do their job if anything went wrong.

Sora didn’t like trusting other people to not let her down.

And shard it, she hated it when annoying people made sense. She might have stayed largely away from human babies, but young of all species were sensitive to distress. Naturally a species that spawned baby mindreaders would be even worse. “We’ll hope it doesn’t happen, but it doesn’t hurt to expect the worst,” she offered in lieu of ‘you’re right’. ‘You’re right’ would only make this irritating girl smug. “Yeah, about… what, two thirds of us? Will probably have a match out there. Depends on duds, I guess.”

“I wasn’t at the tan hatching,” Sora admitted reluctantly. “How did a wher egg get in with the dragon eggs?” That was just… weird. The dragon couldn’t have laid it. Dragons didn’t lay wher eggs, not even derpy tans. Although Sora wouldn’t name a preference of color when asked, she did kind of hope that… not tan. She’d go insane, she was sure of it. Of course, she half believed she’d age out anyway, so the point was moot.

Alright, now it was really getting to be time to edge her way out of conversation somehow. Before it got personal. “So, like I said earlier… why come up after me when there’s all these chatty candidates around?”

[maruset]

"That's the thing. They don't want to lose candidates, which is why they tell us all these things. It's to keep us safer. When people start reacting badly to something, it riles up the babies. I know it upsets dragons, and I can just imagine how it would make whers more aggressive." Orkia quirked a grin. "And bad hatchings don't happen all that often. I'm sure that the last queen hatching was our bad one for the time being. Though that doesn't mean we can get sloppy. That's just inviting trouble."

She shifted. "I'm sure that the healers are all ready. They usually are, and I've seen some people get hurt pretty bad and come out with just a few scars. Something to show off and scar the kids with."

Sora was given a nod. Orkia could agree with that. "Which is why I plan on actually wearing some armor. Just because I can hope for the best doesn't mean I'm stupid enough not to prepare for the worst. I'm going to between the two clutches, and I get the feeling that might be the worst spot, where dragons and whers interact with each other. Siblings can be pretty vicious to each other."

Actually, Orkia was curious how the wher egg had gotten there as well. "Maybe one of the smaller whers ran and just abandoned the egg. Everything says that tans are good mothers, so she might have just taken it in, then...forgot." There was an oddly amused expression about that, but Orkia supposed it was a good thing. "I guess that says a lot about them, really. They do seem to love very easily."

The next question got a laugh from Orkia. "People who are having big thinks tend to be having the most interesting things to talk about. Though the super chatty also tend to be having their own deep thoughts, they just use talk as a way to ward people off."

[Rii]

SPOILER: Click to show

((A/N: Warning - borderline suicidal thoughts in 2nd paragraph. Don't like, don't read.))

“From everything I hear, you sharding look at a wher wrong at a hatching, it gets aggressive. Wouldn’t know, I’ve stayed away from ‘em.” She shrugged. “Hopefully I’ll pick up what I need to know from the lessons, just in case. I’m not too worried about whether I stay calm or not, more the others.” She was pretty neutral, but there were some pretty excitable candidates, her roommate included. And then she’d plan on standing as far away from the wher eggs as possible. Now that she thought of it, a nice position on the edge might be best; space to step aside without getting entangled with someone else. Hmm, yes. That would work for her.

“Yeah, I’m leaning towards some armor too. Haven’t really decided, I guess. I’d better soon.” As soon as she weighed the protection versus the attention it might draw, and how much she actually cared about keeping her skin intact. It was really a toss-up, and it didn’t even perk a little startlement or worry from her to know that. To be torn between I don’t want to die and meh, if it happens it happens. To think that the loss of someone else’s life was a waste and then to not be so sure about her own.

Something ain’t right about that. Sora tucked the thought away to mull over later, when she had some peace and quiet. Later, when this girl - what was her name again? had she even said? did it even matter? - was not making words at her. Her patience was wearing thin, and she now had even more to think about and settle in her head than before. And that was allllll this other person’s fault. Argh. I hate people.

“People who are having big thinks usually want to be left to think, not talk,” Sora retorted, torn between complete irritation and slight amusement. Irritation was winning, as usual. This was crazy. She didn’t want to talk, and here she was carrying on a conversation anyway. She gave the other girl a sarcastic smirk. “If I promise to think nice, boring things, will you please leave me be to think them?”

[maruset]

"It depends on the hatching, and the whers." Orkia shrugged, and she thought about what lessons had mentioned. "Most of the time, whers are a bit more likely to bite, but they are also a lot smaller than dragons. Most are willing to bite and to go away. At least the hatchings I've been at." She grimaced. "I actually just hope we don't get any reds hatched out, dragon or wher. Those are the ones I worry about."

Reds were dangerous, and Orkia would have to keep an eye on them, especially if they came close to her brother or her.

"Sooner is probably better. I had to go early, as I'm not exactly a regular size, so it'll take a bit longer for them to find something in my size." A wry smile, being small and delicate looking did not help her when looking for things such as armor came about. Most people were bigger than her, so was most armor.

That got a laugh, and she grinned a bit more. "I don't know. I'd have to come talk to you to see what sort of big thinks you were having. Sometimes it's best not to get lost in ones head, right? What better way to keep that from happening than by having someone come by now and then to give you a poke?"

[Rii]

“The red stories are pretty bad,” she agreed. It kind of baffled her that there was an entire strain of murderdragons and murderwhers. But then, there was an entire strain that were kind of slow and derpy, too, if only in the dragons. Two different extremes of bafflement. The other candidate had some useful input on hatchings, at least. Since this would be her first, Sora welcomed all the information she could get, even if she didn’t feel much like talking at the time; she was a confirmed listener. It was nice to hear that the horror stories - even if they weren’t always exaggerated - weren’t necessarily the majority. Who knew. It could go peacefully. She just wasn’t counting on it ahead of time.

Sora offered the other girl an appraising look-over. She was pretty petite, if she had armor it had to have been made custom for her. “Yeah, surprised they don’t have to make it right from scratch for you. I guess I’ll have to go see soon, like you said.” She was a bit more average in size, so it wouldn’t be quite as hard to find something, if she did choose to protect herself. The thinking beforehand needed to be done first, though, and it was thinking that she really didn’t feel like sharing. And she wouldn’t, no matter how annoying the asker got. So there.

She hadn’t really been trying for a laugh, but she’d got one anyway. Rolling her eyes, Sora gave up. She was doomed to have another person pop up and pester her from time to time. Resigning herself to the fact, she shrugged. “I guess you’d have to. Just as long as it’s not a literal poke,” she warned with a somewhat grumpy edge to her voice. She wasn’t much for casual physical contact. Her roommate had found that out quickly enough, and sometimes she even respected it. And if this person was going to crop up again sometime for her, she should probably find out… “What’s your name, anyway?”

[maruset]

"Dragons are weird, really. I mean, they definitely range the personality range. To see so many of them here at Dalibor is pretty interesting. Though I have no idea what I will impress. A really acrobatic green would be amazing." The idea of flying and doing tricks would be pretty cool.

"I think that having a red means a person has a really strong will. Given how wild reds act when they are hatched, there has to be some benefit to them, and their riders and handlers must have some pretty strong stubborn streaks to keep them in line."

She could almost imagine a red, but then she figured that would probably be a bad combination with her. She was not the most responsible of people at times, and she had enough temper that a red might make it worse.

"You got any idea of what sort of dragon you might like?"

Orkia glanced at herself. "I think they were modifying one of the smaller sets. I know I'm not the smallest person to have ever come through, but I think I'm close to it for the current candidate class. Which has not been fun. People seem to think small means fragile." Well, she had bloodied a few noses for that before, and she would do so in the future.

"I try to not literally poke people. That way leads to broken noses and black eyes." It was said in a rather matter of fact voice, and Orkia ran a hand through her hair. So she might be a bit rough and tumble. "And I'm Orkia. My little brother is one of the other candidates. Kiaja, he who walks like a small tree."

It never did fail to irk her that her brother was almost a foot taller, but she still loved him, even if she couldn't look down on him anymore.

"You're...Sora, right?" It was a wild stab, but she was pretty sure Sora was right. If not, the girl would correct her. Probably while scowling at her.

[Rii]

Sora took a moment to imagine the acrobatic green that the other girl dreamed of. That would be amazing, to have a dragon that liked to spiral and swoop and roll in the air, like gravity didn’t exist. That would be worth it. To escape the ground just for a little while. That was the root of her daydreams, the only thing that she was absolutely certain that she wanted.

Not that she’d admit it. Where another person might have waxed enthusiastic about aerial acrobatics, Sora just nodded in an indifferent fashion. “I suppose it could be fun. Some people might have fits of terror over being upside down in the air, but I doubt it’d be a problem for you.” Anyone who climbed up onto the roof just to pester her - and lasted as long as she had without being put off - couldn’t be so easily shaken.

She lifted a shoulder in a diffident shrug at the question of draconic color. “I don’t know. A black, maybe. I see a lot of girls hoping for a subqueen, or even a gold or copper - I don’t even know why they’d want it. It’s not like it’d all be people fawning over you, it’d be a lot of hard work and responsibility, same as any dragon. Moreso, even.” She shook her head. “Probably just not thinking it through.”

Smallest and most persistent, she thought sourly, but somehow she didn’t think saying so would go over the way that she wanted, so she didn’t comment. At least the girl had the sense to not physically pounce her. “You’d be surprised how many people don’t follow your reasoning,” she offered with a wry smirk. She still hadn’t succeeded in teaching her roommate to not suddenly come up and hug her. Addy was very much one for physical contact. Sora liked a bit of space. Their room could get a bit… awkward, at times.

“Orkia,” she said the name with a curt nod that was her replacement for a ‘nice-to-meet-you’ because they were kind of past that stage by now. She’d never be able to forget her, that was for sure. “I don’t think I’ve run into your brother yet. At least I haven’t met him head-on.” Another one-shouldered shrug. “That’s right. Sora.” Shard it, she’d somehow been memorable. She needed to work harder at being invisible.

[maruset]

"No, being upside down isn't a problem." She grinned, then nodded when the other mentioned a black. "I think blacks are neat. The smaller dragons all are. They are a lot more nimble than the big ones, and I just imagine how they would be in the air." That idea just made her light up. Though she laughed.

"Yeah, not sure why some people seem to wish for a queen or sub-queen. Seems like a lot of dragon to have to take care of, and then having to take time out for as long as it takes for their clutches. That has to be boring. I can't imagine being stuck on the Sands for as long as it takes for the eggs to finally hatch." Shards, she didn't even like waiting for eggs to hatch when she was able to go out and about and do what she needed to do.

"Though it seems like some people do try to get friendly with the queen riders. Less so to the king riders, unless that person is one of the weyrleaders." Orkia shook her head. "Seems annoying to me. But I grew up in a weyr, so dragons are dragons, really. It's funny to watch people who haven't really seen a dragon before, sometimes. They always get this look when they see just how -really- big some of the larger dragons can get. I'd be happy with one who was built more like me. I know I won't be much weight on their back."

Then Orkia laughed at the look on Sora's face, enjoying the smirk. "Yeah, it only took a few times to learn that sometimes, people don't like to be touched." Oh, she knew that they liked to be left alone as well, but that she could ignore. Being touched made some people...combative. Which was not fun to deal with.

"Trust me, if you see my brother, you'd known him. He's a small tree at this point." There was a bit of a huff at that, and she shook his head. "He's definitely a lot taller than me. And it's good to officially met you, Sora."

She beamed at the girl, glad she had remembered right.