Getting to Know....someone [Purnip/Open]

[mangonumnum]

Sadly, Lasd had been here a few days and had not yet met anyone. Well, besides Rhysia. She seemed alright. Not very talkative at first but then again, neither was he. He figured he should at least go out and see if anyone was around. He jumped off his bed and stretched slightly. Shards it was warm... He kinda wished he could not have his shirt on. But there were too many people he didn't know around. What if he offended someone?

The shoes were abandoned in the chest, though. The worst that could happen in the Barracks would be that he stubbed his toe. He had had worst things happen. He took the scrap of fabric that was lying on his bed and quickly tied up his hair. He was never too worried about his hair. He just usually liked it off his face as bangs on your face while using a knife was not the best idea.

He stuck his head out of his room, looking around. No one seemed to be in the hall right now. People were probably outside enjoying the heat outside. Lasd would have been too, probably, but he was feeling a bit homesick. The heat would surely lead him to the Lake which would remind him more of home. He hoped his parents would be able to make it to see the Hatching.

There had to be a few people inside though. Those not fond of the heat or sleeping in. Lasd slowly walked down the hall,enjoying the cool stone on his feet. He let his hand trail along the wall. As he walked, his brown eyes searched for fellow Candidates. Hopefully, he could make friends with someone before they Stood. Someone to cheer for and to cheer for him, maybe. It was strange to think. Soon, they would all be Standing. Some of them would Impress. What if he didn't? Would he stay and try again? He had a few more Turns. But he would miss his family horribly. Well, he supposed if he Impressed, he'd still miss them. Rama couldn't visit for a while after she Impressed. Her dragon was growing so much there was no time.

[purnip]

Both the Candidate and his young flit were impatient with the drawing near of Kalith's second clutch Hatching. Just as Lasd, Lyam was traveling the halls with heavy steps and a mental weariness of the lowest kind. Still, he would be hard pressed to show how he felt, even if his state of mind was being dragged across the floor like an old mop. On the outside he appeared pensive in nature, but his eyes still betrayed him as always. The rings around them were noticeable from a distance. He didn't have anything to cover them with and merely used the excused, when asked about his physical wellbeing, that he was likely coming down with something. It wasn't an excuse he hoped or liked to resort to; he was quite afraid that someone of more administrative standing would council against his standing at the Impression. He would not be able to bear failing before he even had a chance to see the clutch. Being left Standing was one thing, but being left excluded altogether would be the worst. He would have unsurmountable difficulty climbing over that rubbish heap.

Suede was too impatient to perch on His' shoulders. The Blue fluttered beside Lyam, occasionally landing on the ground for a couple of small hops before taking to the air again. Though becoming an ace in the air, Suede still had trouble slowing himself to a human's walking speed. Flying was meant for speed, not idling. And being idle was actually easier than taking it slow. The Blue would fly ahead once in a while and wait for the boy to catch up to him before taking off again. Heavily distracted he would become when another Candidate would leave his room, but Suede decided against stalking someone else today. He knew that Lyam was counting on him to confirm the start of Kalith's Hatching, and so here he was, the dutiful dragonesque alarm clock. Hardly something to boast about, but the Blue was content with being useful either way. He didn't feel it was demeaning or anything. In fact, it was the first official job His had given him in a long while.

Lyam had already put the flitter to work in the past. He sent Suede on short trips outside the weyr to get images of the outside world and view the progress of life on the outside to keep in touch with the trends and the rumors. He wasn't a very political sort, but the boy was very particular about being aware of life around him, and that included the life that encompassed his current weyrbound position. The Blue enjoyed these little trips because it not only gave him an excuse to really stretch his wings, but outsiders so admired him. He liked to be admired, but he wasn't too conceded about it. He liked to be dependable above all else. People found him that and more.

The boy perked up at the sound of footsteps, but every Candidate in the hall seemed to be busy doing something. Preparing no doubt, for the hums of dragons. Lyam couldn't stay still, yet he found that he was pacing only within the parameter of the Barracks. He didn't want to wander far from his room, from his folded Candidate robes. He wanted to be, if someone didn't beat him to it on foresight alone, the first on the Sands. He wanted to secure his position and present his seriousness before the mother Queen, perhaps influencing some deep subconscious favor and better guaranteeing an Impression for himself. If only that worked; he had to have some faith or he would no longer be able to hide the scared boy within himself. The one who was terrified of a fate he couldn't influence or control. Never before had Lyam felt like such a puppet, like the one being played instead of his self-inflicted title of 'player'. In a normal, stress and anxiety-free circumstance, Lyam would approach the busy Candidates and offer them company or companionship in order to sway his own inner demons to sleep. He simply couldn't bring himself to do it; a key ingredient was missing. He needed to focus on one, just one, and do what he did best. He felt this would become a strategy for use on the Sands at Impression. Best to keep practicing now if he had a chance.

It became a game, naturally, as Lyam spotted Lasd first. He honed it, imagining that Lasd was one of the awkward dragonets. He paused. It was working. No longer was there a desire to approach the unknown. It was important to remember that dragonets and the Queen would not be partial to him approaching as he pleased. Now he needed to say something, do something, to get Lasd's attention. If he had been approaching the other boy like normal, he'd have a subject of conversation at the start. Now, imagining the other Candidate as a dragon, he had nothing. Absolutely nothing. An astonishing discovery.

Suede was intrigued by this behavior. What was the boy doing? Standing and staring? Where was His' usual friendly laugh, smart remark, and quirky approach? The Blue finally perched on Lyam's shoulder and prodded him on the neck, giving His a start. Annoyed by the jolt of surprise, Lyam decided to abandon the exercise with great disdain. He hid it immediately in order to compose himself and try to forget it in a 'normal' conversation. He was done pretending the other Candidate was a dragon. He hoped and prayed this failure was not an omen.

"Got your robes ready?" His greeting posed in question, Lyam was able to fake humor the easiest. It was what would have come natural to him if his mood wasn't so ghastly. "I thought I heard humming twice today, but Suede keeps informing me that it's all in my head," he added with a smirk. There was truth to that; once in the morning, waking him with a start, and the second time around noon when he was on his way back to his room. He approached, his legs that were once frozen in place now perfectly mobile, and was able to wear a costume of calm over his true disposition like the professional he was.

[mangonumnum]

What was that? It sounded like footsteps. And tiny beating wings. As Lasd rounded the corner he noticed another Candidate. The other boy stared a moment as Lasd took him in. The fisher boy found it slightly odd, but at a prodding from the blue flit, the boy started up a conversation with a question. Lasd inwardly laughed. The other must be kind of shy. If that was the case, it was lucky the boy had a flit. They were usually such fun and friendly creatures. Well, most of them were.

Lasd smiled at the boy's remark, nodding as he said. "Yeah, I have it ready. I can't believe the Hatching is so close. I just got here a few days ago. The Weyr is buzzing though, so it's been hard to think straight. Maybe that's what you heard." He laughed at his own joke, wondering if the other would get it. Lasd's sense of funny wasn't always on tune with others. The older men usually liked his jokes but this was a boy closer to his own age.

"But I know what you mean," he added, "A couple times I've heard a few hopeful humming noises. I think it might just be my ears ringing or something. I still need to get used to not going out to sea everyday." He extended a warm smile to the other boy. Enjoying the conversation. Hopefully, the other would like to stay and chat. Lasd greatly wanted to make a few friends. "Oh, the name's Lasd, what's yours?" He added this last part, extending his hand to shake the boy's.

While waiting to take the other's hand for a hearty hand shake, Lasd studied the blue flit. It was a gorgeous color. He had wanted one ever since Rama had Impressed her big green. Rama said that if she ever got the chance, she would try and get him one. He supposed he wouldn't as much need one as he was...hopefully...getting a dragon of his own very soon. He still hoped that he might at least pet the pretty little blue. He wasn't sure how Lyam or the flit would take it though.

[purnip]

Lyam seized Lasd's hand with a firm yet friendly grip, making for a hearty-enough handshake. Nothing over the top. Once again he felt a sense of comfort slip over him as he handled a familiar situation. A person, just like himself. A peer and likewise a Candidate. He wondered if the boy misunderstood his hesitation before. It was very, very likely. After all, no one would guess that for five seconds Lyam was imagining the other Candidate as a dragon. That would be borderline madness; beyond the level-headed boy people were coming to know.

"Name's Lyam," he replied, accompanying the introduction with a friendly smile. Despite his feelings he could always mask himself. Lasd was probably the only fellow, and a complete stranger until now in fact, that saw even a glimpse of raw calculation from him. And it looked just as what Lasd interpreted it as--shyness. There was everything and nothing wrong with being shy. It's okay to be shy in very particular circumstances and this was simply not one of them. He stood with full confidence again and then scratched at his forehead casually. "You caught me daydreaming, just then. S'been happening a lot with Hatching just around the corner," he explained. A likely excuse for his strange behavior earlier, and a passable one. Everyone's head was in the clouds with the date on the approach, and a date that no one knew for sure to top it all off. Honestly, Lyam couldn't bear daydreaming at this time. The lack of certainty in his future made it impossible, along with his rollercoaster mood.

He could bring himself to enjoy this conversation if he just forgot about about impending Hatchings, but that would doubtlessly be the only topic other Candidates cared to discuss. Maybe he could change it, somehow. The subject was taxing. When the day was farther away, he wanted to talk about it only to learn any sort of trick to make Impression possible. Now that he knew from several sources of dragon's ability and duty to choose on their own, Lyam was trying his hardest to put it all out of his mind. What will happen, will happen. He only hoped it was his time. Hoped that he could start now; he was ready. More than ready.

"With the hype around here you'd think all of Pern was anticipating this event," he said with a sigh. As if some of the stress leaked out of that breath, there was a better sense of relaxation afterwards.

Suede was instantly in love with Lasd. He could sense it, being well in tune to people due to his interest in them, that he was being admired. Almost longed for. His was currently fine so the Blue supposed that Lyam wouldn't mind. The flit hopped on to Lasd's shoulder from Lyam's and gave a croon in friendly greeting. He folded his wings neatly so they wouldn't be a bother and he decided he'd perch there for a while, unless the boy objected. His eyes sparkled with greens and blues. The little creature was like our equivalent of a therapy dog--eager to please those who need to be pleased the most.

[mangonumnum]

"It's wonderful to meet you," he said with a grin, "One of the first I've met I have to say. And I know what you mean. I've either been running around or daydreaming. It's not really like me, but excitement can mess with you, you know?"

The little firelizard that Lasd had been studying with admiration and maybe a tiny twinge of jealousy then hopped over to his shoulder, causing the boy to laugh in surprise. He gently scratched the firelizard's eyeridges, trying to get used to the tiny prick of the claws as Suede settled onto his shoulder. It didn't hurt necessarily, just left a little itch that Lasd couldn't scratch.

"And what's this little guy's name?" he asked, a grin on his face, "He is certainly friendly." Lasd hoped Lyam didn't mind that the firelizard had come over and sort of settled down on his shoulder. He didn't know how possessive the boy was of it. Then again, flitts could be very independent so Lasd doubted the boy would stunt that by trying to control the flitt entirely.

Having the flitt on his shoulder made him want something even more- a flitt, a dragon, something. Maybe if he didn't Impress, Rama would try and get him a firelizard. She didn't have to, but it might spur her to try. She would feel bad for her youngest brother, especially since Lasd had talked to her about his desires after she Impressed.

[purnip]

For now, Lyam had not yet determined what the benefit may be for befriending this individual, but it was sure easy. It helped that he was very willing to chat in order to take some of his anxiety down and it just so happened to be working. He was starting to feel like his old self; his head was level and his words were once again being carefully chosen, as pieces are tactfully moved on a chess board. His mind would never be fully cleared of the purple haze within, not until those eggs on the Sands started and finished their hatching. It may even linger if none of the dragons found him worthy. Well, one would! He had to be realistic and not a total pessimist--that's what separates him from more useless individuals. He had a better head on his shoulders than most of the people he had met so far, not to name any names. A majority of those people were drudges anyways. It's always nifty to be in the good graces of the little people. It's especially nifty when a kitchen drudge may be having a bad day and decides against spitting in your food. Spit was one of those things that Lyam found particularly disgusting.

But his relief managed to be reflected in that charming aura of his, which quickly replaced the somewhat awkward one he left behind. "I know exactly what you mean. My head's rarely in the clouds."

His eyes followed Suede for just a second as the creature darted for Lasd's shoulder. He honestly didn't mind. The flit was the friendliest he had ever known by far, and so much like him. He had been getting the boy to believe that if he did Impress, it would most likely be to a dragon with a similar hide. It was a known fact that dragons with certain colors of hide shared certain temperaments. What he had not known was that these facts were being proved wrong with the passage of time. Yet at the sight of a fitter so like himself, and knowing his uncle's dragon to be a carbon copy of his uncle, he believed that his dragon {should he or she be out there} would doubtlessly be just as friendly as himself.

When the boy inquired of the Blue's name, Lyam smiled broadly and answer. "His name's Suede. You might not be so likely to find a firelizard quite like him. He chooses people all over again, like he's just been Impressed. I don't worry much about it though. He ends up coming back to me and I think it's nice that he's considerate of others. It's better than the stereotypes they seem to carry." He remembered back at Fort how annoying some of his friends thought their parent's firelizards were. It became a rumor that each of them were bird-brained and humorless creatures with a penchant for causing mischief in their wake. Of course, most of the firelizards at Fort were Greens that impressed to average country folk. He didn't linger on the though for long at all. What happened, happened, and incidentally it was of no further importance. The point had been made. Not all firelizards are as lovely to have about as Suede was.

The Blue's eyes reflected a color that blended with his hide as Lasd scratched at that eye ridge of his. He found this boy fascinating. He had a feeling Lasd's worries about Impression were silly. The boy would Impress, just like His. Suede was confident about any of the Candidates he had met and so far had no doubts about any of them. He purred, a strange noise, but it was of contentment. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if he stayed with Lasd until Lyam called for him.

[mangonumnum]

Lasd laughed slightly. He was enjoying the fire lizard on his shoulder. It made him feel....something. Excitement? Pride? Something. He could only imagine having his own fire lizard would add to that ten times and having his own dragon.... He could hardly imagine. He was definitely happy. He liked Lyam; the boy seemed real enough. He was definitely more mature for his age. He didn't seem the type to run off and be silly and play practical jokes. For there was no need for that- talking was always a great way to spend time in Lasd's opinion.

"He certainly is special. You're lucky to have such a great fire lizard. I was hoping to get one from my sister before I got Searched. She's a green rider up at High Reaches Weyr. She saw how jealous I was of her dragon, I guess," he laughed, not letting on at all that he felt lost in a sea of people that had their other half. Or had, in the case of his sister Daroma and her twin Damal. He didn't often let people know. He tried to not even keep it on his mind too often just in case it showed. He didn't really want to worry people. They couldn't really help after all. All they could do is hang out with him so he could have a good time and they tended to like doing that more when they didn't know his troubles.

"But I've always liked firelizards," he added, "I've always felt like they were sort of adventurous. There are always a couple that act up and maybe they give them a bad name, but I think Suede here would dispel those rumors quickly enough. He's very nice."

[purnip]

It was apparent that Lasd was enjoying Suede's company quite a bit. It did help, he'd have to admit, to have a firelizard before the Hatching. Lyam had a creature that devoted himself to him and it was easy to keep in touch with the world outside of Dalibor's walls. So far, news was bland. With an impending Threadfall looming in the near future, people have been burning down greenery that had been growing close to Holds. People were actually taking this threat seriously, as the Star Stone was never wrong. Lyam wanted to see the infamous one by Benden Weyr he had heard a bit about. He was going to send Suede over there soon once he could get a good image of it going. His firelizard would soon be ready and willing to wink in between.

"He's tame, as far as firelizards get," Lyam said, watching Suede as the creature stood quite comfortably on Lasd's shoulder. "And very sociable."

Lasd was jealous of his sister. That made sense enough. Lyam had similar feelings towards his uncle. "So you have riders in the family too? My uncle rides a Blue at Fort Weyr. You could say he was my inspiration." Because that would be true. Had his uncle never been Searched, Lyam might have tried his hand in politics. He would have tired of it though. There was too much ambition in politics. He liked to study people and use them to his advantage once in a while, but he was not in favor of general leadership. Favors were much more flexible than obligations. When you lead, people expect something in return and will tear you down if you cannot provide. If you become necessary, which was Lyam's goal, people will need something and expect little in return but your attention. Lyam had plenty of that to give. What could he say? He's generous. All he wants is to be invaluable.

Dragonriders: they were the definition of the word. Without dragonriders, thread would consume all sustaining resources. People would be in grave danger. Dragonriders were necessary for Pern and the people on it. Lyam didn't need a big King or Sub-King to be where he wanted to be. He simply needed to Impress. It was decent to forget about Impression for a while, but that final thought brought his anxiety to sub-surface. On the outside he was still cool and at ease. On the inside, the storm was approaching once more. His value must be attained. A dragon would better him. Suede was more than useful, but anyone could own a firelizard these days if they know where to look. A dragon was still a symbol of status.