By The Sea No More (Lasd's Arrival, Open)

[mangonumnum]

It was so easy. In an instant, three bodies could easily appear in the sky. Green wings unfurled mightily and those three bodies spiraled down towards the Weyr Bowl. This green dragon and her rider, two of the accounted bodies, took this easily. Their passenger, though he took it a little better than most, was definitely clinging with both legs and arms. The rider chuckled a bit. She, too, had been like that once. She hadn’t come from a Weyr or a dragonrider family either. This new male candidate seemed to have one dragon rider in the family, though. “We’re almost on the ground,” she told him, shooting his a glance back with a small smirk, “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”

The boy nodded, brown eyes staring determinedly at the green hide, or the rider’s face when she spoke to him. He just wanted to not look at the ground. The momentary sick feeling he had gotten after appearing from between had subsided quickly. He imagined it was a lot like his first time on a boat-though that experience was much too long ago to remember. The green landed gently, despite her oddly long wings and tail.

Upon landing, he sat there, thoughtfully. His sister, Rama, rode a Green at High Reaches Weyr. Hers was much different though. It was a smaller green of a deep emerald hue. She seemed like a much gigglier, dreamy dragon. A lot like Rama. This dragon was a lighter green, a little sturdier. Probably older. He missed his sister. It had been a turn since she had last visited. But she was busy, he supposed. He mused about Repath and Rama. The two were so close. He longed for that closeness. His family hadn’t been the same since Damal’s death. How could he expect it to be? And he had gotten older too. Eighteen turns. He wasn’t the baby of the family anymore. His mother and father were old. It was almost time for Lomar to retire. The candidate felt a wave of guilt at this. How could he leave his father? Was he selfish to come? No, his father had encouraged it. They knew that he wanted to at least try. Rador could take care of him. He was strong and loved his work. If nothing else, Daroma would help.

“Lasd!” The wird, his name, interrupted his thoughts and he snapped his eyes up, brown hair falling into his face.

“What?” he asked confused. The rider wasn’t in front of him anymore. He looked around confused and finally saw her down beside the green, holding a hand up for him. She had a concerned look on her face.

“You’re Lasd, right?” she asked, getting a nod in confirmation before continuing, “You ok? You’re not going to be sick or anything are you?”

“Oh, no, sorry,” he said quietly, “I just got a little lost in thought, you know? My sister’s a green rider at High Reaches Weyr; your green reminded me of her. I can get down fine, don’t worry.” He swung his leg over and gently jumped off, landing in a crouch and slowly straightening up. He took a moment to retie his hair back into its small ponytail, only an inch or two long. It was useful during work. Here, though, he could probably let it down.

“Alright, then,” she said, smiling at the boy. He would do fine, she was sure. “Ok, so the Candidates Barracks are that way. Just head that way and someone will help you out..”

“Thank you very much,” he responded, shouldering his bag and nodding to her in thanks. He turned as she hopped back on her dragon and zoomed into the air again. Lasd sighed, looking around in hopes of finding someone to direct him. This was going to be different. No family or close friends to turn back to. But he could do it, he was sure. Not everyone here would hate him. That was a ridiculous thought. But, it was one that had passed through his head at least once.

He looked down at his feet. They were actually in boots. His parents had sent him in his best clothing. He hated these boots. He couldn’t wait to take them off. This shirt was quite annoying too. It wasn’t anything special, a plain off-white shirt with a brown vest over it. Brown pants, actually the right length instead of cut off at the knee, completed the look. Lasd sighed slightly. Why dress up? His dragon would choose him for what was inside not for his pants.

[purnip]

Another dragon swooped down, this one bearing a deep blue hide. Once he was within the walls of the Weyr Bowl, his speed decreased rapidly as he prepared to land. The mighty flaps of his wings kicked up the dust quite a bit, giving him a sense of grandeur. This Blue however, was feeling anything but delicate or grand. He wanted to get this Candidate off him back as soon as possible. His mine had promised him a full rubdown at the Lake after their Search was over and he would much like to keep that appointment.

"This is the place," the rider announced, trying to smile. It was...a bit difficult. The girl he had brought back to Dalibor was squeezing him extremely tight around his waist. She didn't take to between with as much ease as he had hoped. "Trith will let you down in just a minute."

As if on cue, Rhysia could feel the girth underneath her shift to a slant. Her grip, which had loosened around the rider's waist, tightened again.

She couldn't help it. Somehow she had developed a fear of heights. She didn't get sick on the way here, but she was certainly paler. She was just getting over the height issue when the Blue popped into between. Then the young Candidate was sure she had died. When they popped back out she was so grateful to inhale that fresh air again that she had momentarily forgotten she was riding on a dragon's back. It simply came back to her and the majesty was gone; they had made it to Dalibor in a flash.

"Th-thanks," she replied. It hurt to speak. She couldn't even scream when the blackness of between enveloped her. She stopped hugging the rider so tightly and with much hesitation slid off the Blue's back. Rhysia was barely able to stand. Her legs were so sore from the ride. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't properly express her gratitude.

Meeting Trith, the first dragon she ever had a chance to even see up close, had changed her views on dragons. They were magnificent creatures. Not at all like other animals. They were nearly beyond the other creatures of Pern. If there were no humans, they would certainly rule the skies and the land. She wasn't interested much in their power however. They had such keen intelligence in those eyes. She gave the Blue a pat on the side. "Thank you for the ride, Trith. Sorry if I was gripping too tight."

The dragon didn't reply with words. They hardly used their telepathy with any other humans aside from their chosen, so Rhysia didn't take offense. He did look to her and his eyes softened, expressing his understanding. That cheered her up.

"Well, ah...you'll be able to find your way from here," the rider said, appearing distracted. His eyes finally settled on Lasd, then to the sky where the Green had disappeared. "Looks like you'll have company too."

Rhysia wondered what he meant until she too spotted the boy across the bowl. She looked up to the rider with a mixed expression of confusion and fear. "So that's it?"

"Yep. That's that," the rider said, preparing to hop on his dragon's back again. "Just keep out of trouble and you'll be standing before a clutch in no time." He was quite impatient. He spoke all this just getting back into position to leave. Trith was already flexing his wings.

"But what do I do until then?" She had to call after him now. The Blue was turning.

The rider shouted back a reply, but the Blue seemed to be through warming up. He would much like his bath now. The reply was lost in the sound of dust shifting as the great Blue dragon took to the sky. Rhysia had to close her eyes so the dust didn't get into them and once she felt that the atmosphere had settled, she opened them.

Just her and the stranger standing in the bowl. Rhysia slowly put her hands back into her pockets, where they normally stayed, but something was different this time. Something new. Rhysia's cheeks blushed as she realized what she had done. While clinging to that rider she must have taken something from him. This wasn't a complete surprise. She was only worried that she wouldn't run into that rider again for a long time. She didn't even catch his name. What she had stolen, once she removed it from her pocket, was an old compass. It was an otherwise useless thing now; it wasn't even pointing in the right direction. Nothing Rhysia couldn't fix, she just hoped that the compass wasn't special to that rider in some sentimental way.

Pocketing the stolen bauble, she strode towards Lasd. Her hands were where they were supposed to stay, in those pockets. Her eyes were somewhat downcast. She appeared as if she was approaching Lasd for her death sentence. Once she reached him, he seemed to be looking at his boots. How strange. This must be put to an end.

"So, you wouldn't happen to know where the Candidate Barracks are, would you?"

[mangonumnum]

((Yay! Thanks Purnip! ^__^))
Lasd sighed, walking slowly. He expected something a little busier, he imagined. Suddenly, another dragon appeared above him. He turned to watch the Blue land quickly, impatiently it seemed, in the Bowl. Another Candidate sat on his back, squeezing the life out of the rider. Lasd stopped to watch the spectacle of her getting off. It was quite a sight. But, then again, he hadn’t been that gallant upon his arrival either.

None the less, a chuckle escaped his lips. He hid it by looking down to untuck his shirt. He looked up as she approached him. He was about to say hello when she asked him a question, if he knew the location of the Candidate Barracks.

“Yeah, I’m actually heading there now if you want to join me,” he said, “Unfortunately, I don’t know what were supposed to do once we’re there either. I was hoping to find someone who knew. Another Candidate or someone in charge. We’re pretty alone though, huh? I’m Lasd. I’m from Western Hold. How about you?”

The girl seemed ashamed or something. She looked at the dragon fondly enough. Why would anyone be ashamed to be here? She was small and tiny. The overall picture of the other candidate was kind of pathetic, he had to admit.

[purnip]

-No prob. ^^ I just got Rhysia approved.-

Just her luck; looks like this one is just as new to the place. When Lasd mentioned joining her, Rhysia's discomfort grew. She had already stolen once today and she wouldn't be looking forward to finding something else in her pocket that wasn't there before. Her downcast glance shifted somewhat and she instinctfully stepped back when she finally looked up at the other Candidate. If they had some distance between them, the chances she would take something would be slimmer.

"My name's Rhysia. I come from Fort Hold," she answered, her expression as meek as her manner. Her voice seemed to fade away as she spoke; this was her first time away from home. She wasn't sure how to behave here or what was considered 'good'. Did they want her to be quiet? Did they just want her to...not steal anything? Not like the rider knew about her condition. Her hand tightened around the compass in her pocket as her eyes remained steady on Lasd. She was growing comfortable simply because there was distance between them. Now there was no need to worry.

He was tan; she couldn't help but focus on that. Where she came from, there were all kinds of people. The people who talked to her dad and her sister were of all sorts. She hadn't seen many tanned people. He was also taller, much so, she she had to look up at him. Either he must be older or she really was as petite as she guessed. It came from her mother. She was small too.

"I don't know what I should be doing either. The rider that brought me here didn't have much time to explain. It was a short trip." Passing a glance around the bowl, she spotted a couple of entrances. "The best way to find things out, well...we should explore," she said, mostly to herself but quite loud enough to have been heard. She did have the urge, despite her demeanor. Rhysia was as outgoing as can be in the right conditions. These conditions were simply unfamiliar.

[mangonumnum]

Why was she doing this to him? She was obviously uncomfortable around him, making him uncomfortable as well. Maybe he had done something wrong. He watched with a downfallen look as she took a small step back from him. Did he smell of fish? His mother had made sure he scrubbed himself before coming. These were his clothes that he never wore to work. He really hoped that wasn't the case. Maybe it was his bag. It had work clothes in it. A frown darted across his mouth.

"It's nice to meet you Rhysia," he said quieter than before. He would have offered his hand to her if hers weren't shoved so tightly into her pockets. He figured that's where she wanted them. That or she was afraid of smelling of the ocean like he must. "Yes, exploring should work. There has to be someone around. I have a hard time believing that this Weyr is deserted."

He doubted his attempt at humor would go far, but he cast her a small, hopeful smile. He did want to make a friend or two here. Unfortunately, he wasn't an instant charmer like a lot of boys his age. He had passed that stage when he was six turns. Sometimes, being slightly mature was not a good thing.

He would probably make friends with some of the riders, maybe. They'd be busy. Too busy to hang out with a Candidate. Who was he kidding? He had a sudden longing for his family. For going back to the time before Rama left to become a dragonrider. Ten was a good age to spend the rest of his life in, right?

[purnip]

Actually, she hardly noticed the smell of fish. Once Rhysia mentioned exploring, she couldn't get it out of her mind. She shouldn't hide in a shell when brought to a new place such as this one. Being in a new environment was actually quite exciting.

Rhysia chuckled a bit at Lasd's ending comment. "Yeah, you'd think. I heard there are like, twenty more Candidates or something. It's not like they've got dragons to fly away on. Yet." See? She can joke too. This guy wasn't all bad. She was hoping he wouldn't be wary of her like most of the other kids her age back at Fort. Even knowing of her condition they avoided her, and Rhysia never really blamed them. Who'd want to hang around a chronic thief anyways? Not that she wasn't getting better at curbing it, she thought to herself as she fondled the compass.

Turning, the girl pointed out the exits. "I guess we can start making rounds then. Maybe we can hit the kitchen on the way. I haven't eaten anything all morning." True. In anticipation she had forgotten to grab a bite to eat. Her father and sister weren't around when she woke up today, so she figured they left just before she had. With all that on her mind, including the Search visit, Rhysia couldn't even fathom food. Now her stomach growled in protest as if to concur with her statement.

[Kila]

Own, O’sho heard Daidoroth’s voice rumble though his head with laughter, What are nervous and scared and awkward all over?
What might that be, old boy? O’sho replied, curious as to what had gotten his bonded so tickled.
Two candidates stranded in the Bowl, he revealed, immensely pleased with himself.
Not one of your best, I must say, O’sho said, shaking his head and smiling. Nevertheless, he altered his path so that it would lead him out of the main halls he was now walking and into the Bowl. And you shouldn’t go picking on the candidates, you know. That’s very mean of you, Daido. It is a very nerve-wracking position to be in. Besides, they will soon by part of our Weyr.
I wasn’t picking on them, he said unphased, I was merely securing them a welcome. I only pick on you, Own. Daidoroth knew that His would come to the aid of the stranded Candidates if he but mentioned them. His was such a predictable creature.
Humph, very well, you’ve pegged me for the softie that I am. Very good, he grumped good-naturedly, not meaning a word of it. Don’t go spreading it around.

O’sho emerged into the Weyrbowl just in time to see Daidoroth’s great Bronze form gliding smugly overhead. He had taken off from where he was perched on the cliffs when he sensed his rider coming. O’sho could hear him chuckling as he passed out of sight over the lip of the Bowl and again shook his head.

”Why, who do we have here?” his voice rolled as he approached the two lone figures outside. Odd, there were usually lots of people out at this time. He was surprised Pratyba hadn’t pounced on the unguarded pair as soon as they touched the ground, dragging Sol along with her. ”You must be new Candidates, if I were to hazard a guess.” He smiled and winked at them, his face crinkling kindly. ”Welcome to Dalibor!” he said, opening his arms warmly. ”I am O’sho, rider of Bronze Daidoroth.” He paused and glanced upwards, amusement dancing in his eyes. ”You may have just seen him pass over, in fact. And you two are?”

[mangonumnum]

((Sorry for the wait))
Lasd laughed at the other Candidates suggestion. But if they could manage to steal a small snack, he wouldn't mind too much. He didn't see too much harm in it anyways. "Alright," he agreed, "We might at least find some drudges there."

Just as he said that, an older man appeared. He greeted them cordially, but Lasd was definitlely taken back by his appearance. He then introduced himself as the rider of Bronze Daidoroth. A bronze...that was a huge deal. The rider had to be very important. And as he looked up, he indeed saw the bronze soar over the Weyr Bowl. It was a beautiful sight. If he ever Impressed a bronze, he would be amazed. Any color, really, would be fine with him. He just so wanted that connection. The connection his sister had. The connection that the twins had had. The connection that two in love had. Something.

"It's...it's nice to meet you, thanks for the welcome. I'm Lasd and I am a Candidate here. I'm quite excited to have even been searched." He got that out then quickly closed his mouth, realizing that he was talking a little too much. He had to, at least, let Rhysia introduce herself. He did, however, extend his hand to shake the hand of O'sho.

[purnip]

Rhysia was quite prepared to go on. This Lasd fellow seemed nice, sort of. He was a little strange, like she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but he was down to Pern well enough. Her hands clenched in her pockets, feeling rather dry from the climate. She wasn't going to look them over and risk them out in the open. Next thing she'd know, she'd be stealing from her first friend.

"Let's get a move on then!" she said with a wide grin, some of her lighter spirits returning. Rhysia's skin was regaining some of its faint color now that she had been on the ground and sound for a bit. She was ready to explore every nook and cranny, that was, until a new challenger appeared!

A rider by the looks of it. She turned to O'sho and her smile slowly faded. She must have done something wrong...maybe Candidates were not supposed to be loose on Weyr grounds. Just leave it to Rhysia to get into trouble on the first day. The look of dread faded when the Bronzerider spoke in kind words of greeting. Then it changed to an expression of the purest innocence. "Just a couple of Candidates," she added, after Lasd had the chance to speak. A Bronzerider! That's supposed to be good, isn't it? Going by flit standards, Bronze is a color of high standing. This could be the fellow who's supposed to show newbies like herself around.

It took her a moment to realize she hadn't given a name, lost in thoughts of dragons, riders, trouble, and all of such. "Oh yeah! Rhysia. My name's Rhysia." She gave a small bow and took her hands out of her pockets to put them behind her back, unaware of the action she had just committed. This was just too outstanding. Another rider and they just got here. Well, naturally; they are in a weyr, aren't they?

{Sorry it's short...got a bit of a fever.}

[mangonumnum]

Lasd nodded as Rhysia finished speaking. He took a quick glance back up in order to see the great beautiful bronze again before looking at the rider. The rider seemed nice. though still tough. Hopefully, he had not come to punish the two Candidates. Obviously, they weren't familiar with what to do in this situation of arrival. After some silence, he decided to speak up again.

"I have to admit that neither of us are completely sure of what to do," he said with a genuine smile, "We're both new to dragons. Well, my sister is a rider, but I've only visited her Weyr a few times. If it's not too much trouble, if you could let us know what we should be doing, we'd be more than appreciative."

He hoped that this wasn't out of line. After all, a bronze rider would probably be very busy. He hadn't mentioned if he was Weyrleader or not, but Lasd was sure if he wasn't, he was a high rank in a wing. Still, the former fisherman hoped that O'sho would not be busy so that he could show them around. Or at least give them a direction.

He was now greatly wishing that he had asked Rama more about Weyr life at High Reaches Weyr. She had never talked too much of being a Candidate. She said nothing was worth saying until she got her Repath. She mentioned chores so Lasd knew about that. It wasn't like chores were a big deal to him though. It couldn't be anything worse than what he was expected to do at home. After all, would they trust most Candidates gutting and deboning fish? Probably not. Lasd had seen plenty of fisherman that were bad at it. Mostly because it was never a fun task and many people, well lazy ones, were not inclined to learn how to do it properly.

[Kila]

O’sho’s suspicions were promptly confirmed by the two young people- they were candidates after all. The boy introduced himself first, stepping forward bravely and offering his hand. O’sho took it and shook it warmly. ”Lasd, very nice to meet you,” he said earnestly. He looked like a fine young man. ”I’m glad to find that the Search Riders are bringing back such polite Candidates back to the Weyr.” He noted how Lasd craned his head upward to look at Daidoroth as he drifted overhead. You have an admirer, he informed Daidoroth with poorly-concealed pride. He could tell that his bonded was pleased with the news, but he was not vain and only continued on. He would leave the showing off to the younger dragons. The Wavewalkers always put on a good show.

The girl took her cue and introduced herself after Lasd, though she seemed a bit preoccupied. Nevertheless, she gave him a short bow which he mirrored. Her posture closed her off (she kept her hands in her pockets or behind her back) but she seemed like a nice girl. ”I am very pleased to meet you, Rhysia,” he said with a smile.

”Now don’t look so scared you two,” he laughed, seeing the unsure looks on their faces. ”You’re not in trouble. I merely came out to meet you. No one expects you to know what to do when you first arrive. He paused as if to consider something. ”Would you like to go to the barracks so you can drop off your things? Or would you like to swing by the dining hall first? Excitement is a catalyst for hunger, after all. How about a little tour?” he offered, laying out their choices before them.

[purnip]

"I'm not scared!" Rhysia straightened herself out indignantly, but she was now in much better humor and spirit. It was no lie; if anything, she was merely lost and was bound to find her roots in no time. She was smiling, finally growing a little more comfortable around the rider. He was nice and he was right. No one should have to expect a couple of strangers to know the ropes right away. Her hands stayed behind her back at the moment even though she felt a tinge of guilt for not offering a shake. It was better she kept her hands to herself than risk taking something under O'sho's nose. The man was too kind to deal with a fool's habit.

When he mentioned food, Rhysia's stomach gave a turn rather than a growl. She must still be suffering from the flight here. Despising the feeling of weakness, she thought it best to overcome it by forcefully committing herself to eat at some point. What she really wanted to do however, was explore--her initial plan. She had gotten worked up by the idea after having mentioned it before and now it seemed like her plan to hijack Lasd for a bit was dashed. Now being her friend was his choice more than anything else with O'sho about to talk to. Either that, or O'sho could just as likely become a friend after all this as well.

The Bandit never made any real friends. Her imaginary heroin, The Bandit had only her partner dragon. They would cause all sorts of mischief in her imagination and were ongoing inspirations to Rhysia's desire of becoming a dragonrider herself. Rhysia wanted very much to be like The Bandit, who was unnamed, both loved and despised. Despised only by foes of course. She would steal from the greedy and give to the needy like a Pernese Robin Hood. With a dragon as a partner, Rhysia's own wings could spread. She only hoped that Impression was in her future; ever since being brought here, she had only pessimistic thoughts. Likely she'd be left Standing. No dragon could possibly be as much of a closet firecracker as herself. In the stories and in flesh they all seemed so noble and austere, yet majestic. She had no idea other types like The Bandit and her White existed.

But her things were heavy. Rhysia was a packrat on top of everything else and so the bags she carried would eventually tire her out. "Barracks sounds like a great idea," she said, her expression washed with some relief. Better to have a guide anyways. He'd waste no time getting these bags off her back. He did offer more. A tour...sounded much like exploration. "But I'd very much love to explore this place, if ah, that's alright."

[mangonumnum]

O'sho was such a friendly old man. Lasd was happy he was the one they had run into. He wasn't sure if the Weyr contained a bunch of grumpy riders, but since the two weren't doing anything wrong, as O'sho had pointed out, he didn't want to get fussed at. He watched Rhysia straighten, claiming that she hadn't been scared. Lasd could tell she was slowly becoming more comfortable. She still kept her hands in one of two positions, though-in her pockets or behind her back. He wondered what kept her from freeing them.

He hadn't been necessarily scared. More, he had been confused as she had. Maybe a bit worried. But who wouldn't be? A bronze rider had to be important and they weren't meaning to do anything wrong. If the rider had come to scold them, it would have been hardly fair. He just wanted to not only Impress but make a good impression on the other Candidates and riders. For even if you Impressed, was there a point if no one else respected you or thought fondly of you? Lasd didn't strive to only be a people pleaser, but he had to admit it was better when most people,especially your elders, liked you. Since he was friends with mostly older folks at both Holds he had lived at, he certainly knew this. The scoldings he got when he messed up had been non-existent compared to the boys his age who preferred fooling around.

O'sho then presented the two with a choice. Lasd thought it'd be best for Rhysia to decide. Her bags, after all, did look heavy. But if she wanted a tour, he could take her bags for her if she got tired. He very much wanted to see the Weyr too.

He looked at her as she made the choice for the two. Barracks then exploring sounded like a wonderful idea. Lasd grinned and nodded, agreeing, "That sounds fine with me if it's not a burden on you." He looked back at O'sho, hoping the bronze rider wouldn't mind showing them the Barracks. Or even around. The two could probably explore on their own if he was busy. They could get to know each other a little more. Lasd had to admit that he usually didn't hang around too many girls besides his family members. They made him a little uncomfortable. But Rhysia seemed likable enough. They could become friends.

[Kila]

”Very well, Barracks it is,” he said agreeably. The Weyr’s newest candidates, Rhysia especially, had a good amount of luggage in tow and it would be tiresome to them to have to lug it around. ”Would you like me to carry anything for you? Your rooms aren’t far away.” His offer was left open and he opened his arm to show the way that they were to go. ”Right this way.”

So, Candidates in tow, he made his way to the Barracks. He could hear some activity in the rooms, but no one was out in the hall or the commons. ”You should be able to find some of your fellow Candidates without going too far. We’re getting new people every day.” A hint of amusement danced in his eyes and his lips flickered with another smile. ”Kalith, our Sr. Queen, and the Weyrwoman are quite pleased about it. As am I and Daidoroth. It’s a promising bunch.”

”You can pick any room you’d like to stay in until the Hatching,” he continued, indicating the rows of doors. ”Some of them are occupied, but there is plenty of room. If you want a roommate hopefully there will be someone eager to share, but if you prefer to be alone you will probably be able to find an empty room. They’ll fill up fast, but you’ll at least have a while to get settled in.” He placed his hands on his hips and smiled down at them. ”That’s the basics. I think I’m going to leave you two to explore on your own, unless you’re completely adverse to the idea. It’s always more fun to poke around when you’re not under adult supervision.” He might have had a number of turns under his belt, but he had not forgotten how it felt to be young.

”Is there anything else I can do for you before we part ways? Any questions or anything you need? Daidoroth and I will be glad to help you when we can.” A loud rumble of confirmation echoed down the hallway as Daidoroth settled down on the ground outside, peering in after His. ”That would be the old man now,” O’sho said pleasantly, heading out towards his lifemate with a silent invitation that they were allowed to follow if they wished to see him.

[purnip]

Rhysia didn't want to burden the rider, who was already as kind as could be to her for just showing her around, so she turned down the offer. "It's alright. It's not that heavy or anything. Just too cumbersome to explore with." A neat backpack would have been different, but her father being...himself, well he had given her a rather large amount of small baggage to carry little in. So it wasn't so much heavy as it was bothersome. She carried one pack on one shoulder, lifted a bag with that hand, then on the other shoulder carried the third. She looked like a petite, sorry sort of beast of burden, but with a certain air of pride she carried the lot without a complaint of any sort in her expression.

She followed like an awkward dragonet, getting used to carrying foreign weight on her. Half-listening to O'sho, her mind was already drifting in this new and exotic environment. Rhysia needed to exercise caution when she would explore this place later on. So many pretty things that were small enough to slip into her pockets were evident, causing her to look down or away in hopes that her mind would not remember them for later. Either way, it wasn't like she couldn't put things back. The sort of thing happened all the time.

She didn't like the walls. That was her first bother. Maybe if she wasn't confined in any sort of walled place she wouldn't have to worry about taking. All she wanted to do was...be out there. Maybe the reason she got sick and dizzy on that dragon's back was the vast amount of space that was the sky. So liberating that it was overwhelming. These thoughts ran through her mind as the Bronzerider spoke, replacing what was useful information. Something about a lot of Candidates. That could be a problem. She didn't want a bunch of new kids giving her weird glares like the ones back at Fort. She became suddenly reluctant to meet them. Still, they were going to the Barracks and that was that, only because she requested it. When they reached the rooms she listened patiently to O'sho for a change.

"Thanks for showing us around...ah..." How embarrassing. She forgot the Bronzerider's name already. She should have left it at 'thanks'. Too late though, as he eyes expressed the sorriness she felt. Thinking quick, she cut it off with another sentence. "Cos I would have probably wandered around a lot first with all this stuff." There. Not the most eloquent, but that was that.

She didn't want to have a roommate. Having thought of those unkindly jeers and sneers she received from the people her age back at Fort, she didn't want to have anything to do with anyone. Lasd was nice, and she wanted to stick around with him for the time being as long as he didn't slow her down. Still, being of two different genders, it'd be a little unorthodox if they shared a room. Rhysia bowed her head to O'sho before choosing a room very close by with a door left wide open, as if calling to her. No other sign of inhabitants was evident, so she simply dropped her bags there. She slipped out of the room just as quickly, in time to hear the rest of what O'sho had to say. She was a quick one like that.

"That was your dragon?" Rhysia was still amazed by them, despite just having gotten off one a little while ago. That rumble was so powerful, she had to notice it. The sparkle in her eye might have given it away, but she truly wished to meet him. "Is he still around? Is he hungry? What do they eat? Runnerbeasts? Mom used to tell me they ate people they didn't like, but I know that's not true...is it?"