Xanadu Weyr - Candidate Barracks
A long, low ceiling room opens off the entrance hall to the arena, one wall slightly curved as it is set against the outer wall of the arena itself. Cots are set evenly the length of the room, in two rows, each with its own small press at the foot, for personal belongings. Wide windows are spaced along the outside wall, letting sunlight in, while other lights are available for the night time hours.
It is getting fairly late and Cenlia is in the barracks, sitting on her cot, jabbing a needle into a shirt on her lap, attempting to sew a tear or something. After having poked her leg already, she's moved the work slightly to the side and is intent on getting a head start on tomorrow's chores. Beside her is a leather case containing needles and thread, the sewing kit propped up on a sack of clothing that is sitting at the foot of the bed. Cenlia's bronze firelizard, Charmer, is curled on top of the clothing sack, while her other three firelizards are curled up on the pillow at the other end of the bed. The girl is grumbling under her breath, muttering things like, "sharding stupid bet," and "sharding kid," and occasionally shooting still-irritated looks in the direction of Morlanol's cot.
There is more than one person muttering as Rogawani enters, his shirt stained with food here and there and his arms looking as if they had been held under water for far too long. The skin is pale and slightly wrinkled at his fingertips. "Sharding healer." Is added to the curses being thrown. His green firelizard is perched on his shoulder, looking far too squeeky clean. The boy might have just gone on to his bunk, but he catches one of Cenlia's own mutterances and blinks. "What's this about a bet?" He asks, and pauses, looking exhausted as the deep dark marks beneath his eyes show a distinct lack of sleep.
With her fingers having been slathered lightly with numbweed after a long, long day of mending, ontali stumps into the barracks looking rather irritated. Said hands are stuffed into her pockets, and she flops into her cot rather unceremoniously. "If I never see another needle, it will be too soon." The girl moans, glancing sidelong at Cenlia. "Why've you got the blasted stuff, still?" She all but growls, wrinkling her nose wearily. "Bet?"
Cenlia glances up when Rogawani speaks, the gardener muttering, "That sharding minecraft kid," and she makes a face, not even bothering with a name, waving the sewing needle in the direction of Morlanol's cot, "Sharding /kid/ tried t' kiss me!" There's a slight blush, but more out of embarrassment than anything, adding quickly, "'Cause of a /bet/." She manages to look disgusted, and pokes the shirt some more, adding, "Figure /he/ was he one that left all them sharding creepy notes. Or that Yontal guy or whatever he made the bet with." Cenlia scowls, but blinks at the sewing, muttering less severely, "Figure I'd get started on this stuff early, so I could get in the gardens early tomorrow."
The initial reaction from Rogawani is a slight tightening of the muscles in his face, and a flexing of his fingers, balling one hand up into a fist. "I think… I am going to have to have a talk with that kid." He mumbles under his breath, but still loud enough to carry. He takes one long breath, holding it and closing his eyes before letting it out again. "I don't think he's smart enough to leave those letters, no offense." The boy finally says, and then tries to force a smile back on to his face. "I'm not sure which of us has had it worse today. I had my rear end grabbed by some fruity healer. At least -you- got someone of the opposite gender." In memory, the boy rubs at his butt, and then finally lets himself sit onto his bunk. "Hey Tali. How're your hands?" He asks, catching the scent of numbweed.
Riyontali lifts an eyebrow, blinking. "A bet?" She snorts, rolling her eyes skyward. "Stupid boys." The girl sighs wearily, but glances at Ro with a grin. "Not you. You seem pretty smart, for a boy." But then her attention is back to Cenlia, with a wince and weary snort. "Dunno what letters you're talking about, but I'm sorry you got stuck with that." Her numbweed-smudged hands are examined with sorrow. "I can't do needles. I bet they'll have to redo all my mending. Serve 'em right, I /told/ 'em I couldn't sew." Ro gets a curious look and snicker, then a shake of her head. "Good luck." But after a few more moments she's unable to keep back a startled squawk of laughter. "Grabbed? Aaw, shells!" Sympathy, at least, in the sad shake of her head. "Poor thing. Was he at least cute?" She teases lightly, then sighs. "Don't hurt no more. Some healer said she'd been told to make me put a little numbweed on 'em. Can't sharding feel anything, think I'm gonna wash it off. Didn't hurt that bad. Faranth."
"Yea, he ain't too smart, that's for sure. That other guy though," Cenlia makes a face, glancing towards the door. She does look somewhat guilty for a moment, however, as she mumbles, "Hope the kid can walk tomorrow." But she doesn't elaborate, and instead glances at Rogawani's butt when he mentions getting his rear end grabbed by a healer. The gardener girl's eyebrows go up and she quickly raises a hand to conceal the snerk, saying, "Shards, hope you don't need to get patched up anytime soon, then." She can't help it, she giggles, though she adds somewhat mischievously, "Should introduce him to my brother." And there's a definite gleam in her eye. That can't be good. But she quickly stops eyeing the messenger's butt when he moves to his bunk, instead turning to Tali and explaining, "Someody was leaving wierd notes and flowers on my cot. X'hil got some too. Even when we were in the infirmary. Think some other people did also. Sharding creepy." Cenlia shakes her head, and Riyontali's hands get a sympathetic wince from the gardener as she says, "I can hardly sew either. My sister Striel's being fostered by a weaver. Taught me some…" but Cenlia looksdown at the messy stitching in her lap and makes a face, "Ain't too good at it."
Rogawani's eyes settle on Tali for a moment, his eyebrows scrunching and his face showing an incredulous look. "I'll… take that as a compliment?" He says, not sounding all too sure about it. As he relaxes more comfortably down on his cot, the boy looks between the two, and then rolls his eyes. "Yeah yeah, go ahead and laugh. It's funny. Faranth forbid I'm unlike half the guys around here and actually have my guy bits oriented correctly." He mutters this last part, but he seems a bit amused. "I don't know Tali, why don't you go talk to him? Oh yeah, because he wouldn't be interested in you anyway." He shoots back, although it's clear from the teasing expression on his face that he isn't being -too- serious. He lets that train of thought go off the track and into some dark abyss as his eyes sweep back to Cenlia. "You haven't been getting those letters recently, have you?"
Riyontali's eyes narrow at Cenlia, sly. "Huh," She grunts, flashing a little grin. "Well, if he deserved it, he deserved it." Proclaimed cheerfully, as she reclines in her bed, wincing as her back stretches out. "Shells! That's not good. Nobody ever saw 'em doing it?" Snort. "Fat lot of good they are, then, yeah? Eugh…" Apparently, the idea of somebody leaving weird notes on her cot while she's still there or nearby — sleeping? — is enough to give Tali the willies. She winces, then snorts again, rolling her eyes. "Guess they get what they deserve then, makin' us sew." Apparently, she really has acclimated — mutinous muttering from sweet little Tali? Huh! She rises up to grin impishly at Ro after a moment, though. "Sure." She says pleasantly to the first, then puts on a slightly less mischievous expression. "I don't care what way your bits are oriented," She giggles. "Don't suppose he did either. Hey!" The last has her sticking out her tongue and huffing theatrically. "He just ain't got sense, yeah?" She flops over onto her stomach and winks over at Cenlia, taking one of the dirty articles of clothing sitting in a small box at the end of her cot and absently wiping off the numbweed as bes she can, peering with curiously narrowed eyes once more between them, now silent.
That comment about 'guy bits' sends Cenlia into an outright sickering fit, and she accidentally jabs herself with the needle. Letting out a hiss, the girl composes her expression, only to frown and shake her head, telling Rogawani with only a slight snerk, "Not gotten any wierd notes for a while. Ain't complainin'," and she shrugs. Tali's comments have Cenlia snickering all over again, the gardener girl smirking a little as she continues to sew, "The way B'miel tells it, they ain't got a choice which way their bits go." Yes, she really says that. After a pause, Cenlia adds, "Still, should introduce him to m' brother. Didja catch his name?" The gardener gives Rogawani a grin, while Charmer lifts his little firelizard head and chirps.
"Ashyte." Rogawani replies simply enough, and then shrugs his shoulders, not seeming to put much stock into it. "Don't much care what way a guy swings, so long as he isn't grabbing my tush." He mutters, and then seems content enough to latch on to the change of subject. The last thing he needs is for the two girls to start in on some talk about guys. "Anyways… it's about those letters though." He pauses, and then catches sight of Charmer. "Kassi's out hunting fish at the beach." He tells the bronze, as if he were talking to just another candidate. "Right." Running a hand through his hair, he settles his eyes on Cenlia. "Just before the last clutch hatched, there were flower petals all around the hatching caverns, and blue ink splotches too. Do you remember what color ink the letters had… or would you remember the flowers?" He asks, reaching down to pull the pad of paper he'd brought with out from under his cot.
Riyontali eventually seems to succeed in getting much of the numbweed off, and flexes her fingers with some satisfaction, then tucking them under herself and propping herself up. Cenlia gets a sympathetic wince for the stabbage, and a woeful shake of her head, but for a time, the younger girl just listens, flashing another impish grin towards Ro before she, too, lets the subject drop. The next is interesting, after all! "Flower petals and blue ink?" Tali looks a little bemused, blinking. "What's that got to do with it?" She tilts her head, frowning faintly. "Reckon he spilled his ink-bottle or something? Wouldn't the dragons say something if they saw some loon in there writing notes?"
Cenlia's bronze flit actually looks at Rogawani with an almost questioning croon, but he stays put for now, giving a litte tail waggle. Cenlia eyes her firelizard suspiciously, then glances sidelong at Rogawani, but she just shakes her head and says, "Was blue ink on the letters I got, but you'd have to ask X'hil about the ones he found." Cenlia makes a face, "Them dead flowers that got left on my bed, they were from the garden, am pretty sure." Cen nods to Riyontali, adding, "Think they found some hidden tunnel in the hatching grounds. Were some wierd noises when Seryth and Solarith were clutching too. Figured it was some weyrbrat prank or something." The girl furrows her brow, frowning a bit, "Ain't ever caught who it was though…"
"Maybe nothing. Maybe everything." Rogawani replies at first, an then begins flipping through the pages the pad of paper. Some of them seem to have drawings on them, others seem to be crude maps. As he turns to one of the later pages, he plucks something out from between it. "Well, that's a bunch of different things all wrapped together, Cen." The boy says as he gets to his feet, approaching her and carefully offering out the flower petal, which is dried a bit from being pressed between the pages. "Thea said she saw some candidates with flowers up on the observation level. I snagged a few." he explains this part first, before shaking his head. "The hidden tunnel just went to some old unused maintenace room. We never did figure out what was making those odd sounds, though. They just kind of… stopped?"
Riyontali listens quietly, eyebrows creasing faintly. "I…" She trails, drumming fingers on the blanket of her bed thoughtfully. "So there…tapping. Hmmm." The girl frowns hard. "Were they sure that's where the tapping was coming from, then? It wasn't somewhere else? I dunno, caves can be really tricky, you know." A wince; she likely knows this from experience. "So…where is the, um. Investigation? Where is it? Have they found anybody who was making any of it?"
Cenlia is on her cot, apparently still doing some mending despite it being fairly late in the day, and despite that being her chore for tomorrow. The girl has a shirt in her lap, and is attempting to stitch a tear. Beside her is a leather case containing a sewing kit, and at the end of the bed is a sack of clothing, with bronze Charmer curled up atop it. Cen's three other flits are on her pillow and Tali is on her cot while Rogawani is approaching Cen's cot with a… flower petal? As Rogawani approaches the cot, Charmer watches him carefully, chittering at the flower petal while Cenlia examines it, brow furrowed as she mutters, "Looks like it's from the garden. Could be the same thing…" the girl trails off and glances around suspiciously, saying, "Candidates, huh?" There's a pause as Cenlia's eyes narrow, her expression hardening just a bit as she mutters, "I ever find out who it was that made Thea an' Seryth worry, I'm gonna break in my pitchfork." Because even Cenlia knows you don't bother brooding hens, er, dragons. Cenlia shakes her head at Tali, "Dun think they found anything else about who it was…" but she glances at Rogawani for confirmation.
"That's the thing though…" Rogawani shakes his head, "We don't think the sounds were coming from there." He reaches his arms up over his head, the color starting to return to his skin after having been submerged in water most of the day. "The sounds weren't just in the hatching caverns, but the forests, and the store rooms, too." He says, confusion in his voice, but it fades as he shrugs his shoulders. "Nothing for sure about the flowers, though, right?" He asks, taking a few steps back to flop back onto his bunk with a mixture of exaustion and frustration. "I didn't know what I was looking for at the time. Just thought it might mean something. Probably just chasing my dead ends."
Riyontali listens quietly, still tapping on her bed. "Huh." Her eyes narrow at the explanation, and suspicion. "I wonder." That seems to be all that she's saying, though. The girl stands, brushing the last of the numbweed off of her hands with impatience. "I'll be back." Muttered with an air of abstracted impatience, as she meanders out of the barracks, muttering to herself.
Cenlia says to Rogawani, "Am pretty sure they're from the garden," the girl wincing as she jabs herself again. She raises an eyebrow as Tali leaves. "Still think it was one of them healers…" but the girl glances around again. With a sigh, Cenlia finishes sewing up the tear and puts the needle back in the case, casually reaching for another shirt as she moves the one in her lap aside. Except it doesn't move. Cenlia frowns, and tries to move over… and discoverd that not only has she sewn the shirt to her pantleg. She's sewn her pants to her cot. With an exasperated, "Shardit," Cenlia roots around in the sewing case.
"Be careful, will you?" Rogawani says, his voice taking on a concerned tone. At first, he seems more concerned that she might sew her skin into the stitching. Then, his eyes widen a bit as he realizes just how much of her clothing has been sewn together into the mending work. "Remind me never to trust you with a needle and thread." The boy says with an almost amused, but somewhat sympathetic tone to his voice. He reaches to his belt, pulling out a small knife and reaching across the aisle to offer it to her, handle-side out. "Think you need this tonight more than I do." He laughs softly, trying not to offend her.
"You ain't seen Shellie with a needle," Cenlia grumbles as she fails to find an unpicker in the sewing case. Accepting the knife from Rogawani, the girl groans, muttering sourly, "Thanks." And then she attempts to wiggle loose, but nope, she's well and truly sewn to the bedding. Those stitches might be messy, but they're secure! "Shardit, this thing took /forever/ to fix," the girl groans, awkwardly aiming the knife at her pantleg and trying, as delicately as possible, to undo the stitches without undoing her pants or her leg.
Rei strolls into the candidate barracks. What's she doing here? Making rounds of course! And she's also got some fresh linens for any of the beds that need them. There was rumor that one of the younger candidates was a bed-wetter even at 12, but he was staying away from his usual home so it was sort of understandable. And what does she walk in on… Cenlia trying to stab herself! Whoa! Chores must be pretty bad! Rei blinks and moves over to her. "Hey, whoa there! What is going on here!?"
"Just don't slice yourself up, okay?" Rogawani asks with an almost pleading tone to his voice. "The last thing I need is the healers and weyrlingmasters thinking that I lost it and tried to stab you out of jealousy for your smooching Morlanol." He's teasing, trying to make light of the situation when Rei steps in. Speak of the devil. "It's not what it looks like." Rogawani raises his hands up, but doesn't get to his feet. "Nothing to worry about. A sewing needle went rabid and attacked Cenlia's pants trying to keep her from leaving, that's all." He's tired, so his jokes come off a little oddly toned.
Cenlia makes a face when Rogawani mentions Morlanol, shooting the messenger a glare, but then starts and nearly does stab herself when she hears Rei. Luckily, the girl a manges to stab her sheet instead, and then looks up, her expression sheepish as she rubs the back of her neck and explains, "I, er, got m'self stuck…" and she attempts move, and the bedding on her cot stays firmly stuck to her pants. Yep. Stuck.
Rei blinks a bit at Rogwani, then peers at Cenlia. And her sewn to the bed self. "Whoa!" She exclaims as Cenlia has a near miss with the knife. "Er. Maybe… maybe you should let me help you out with that? You're at a bit of an awkward angle here." She tilts her head a bit at the whole… stuck situation and puts down the fresh sheets she was carrying for the time being. Then she raises a brow at Cenlia. "Who have you been smooching? Another candidate? No sex now, you know. That's a big no-no for candidates."
Rogawani mouths the word 'sorry', but doesn't say it out loud. "I don't think you have to worry about that. It was just some stupid kid who kissed her on a bet." He mutters something else after this, but it doesn't carry across the room. "Not as if most of us have any privacy anyways." The boy lays back onto his cot, but he does keep his eyes trained over on Rei and Cenlia. Still, the way the lids keep drooping, it seems unlikely that Ro' will remain conscious much longer.
Cenlia gladly hands over the knife, more than willing to let someone /else/ try to get her pantleg unsewn from the bedding and the mended shirt. However, the girl wrinkles her nose and exclaims, "/He/ kissed /me/ - sharding /kid/!" She scowls a bit, nodding in agreement with Rogawani, "Yeah, was 'cause he lost some bet with somebody or something." Cen makes a face and adds, "And I ain't tumbling nobody, least of all /him/." And she tacks on another grumbled, "Sharding kid," for good measure.
Rei blinks at Rogawani. "Oh? Heh, I see. Not you then?" She giggles then. "Privacy? That's not a requirement for sex you know. It's just preferred." Spoken like a true greenrider. "Not that you look old enough that you ought to know much about that." Rei gets to work sawing the strands of thread with the knife. Easy, gently, slowly. So as to avoid stabbing anything or anyone. "So he lost a bet and had to kiss you? Shards, whoever made that bet did it backwards I think. How old was he?" She looks to Cenlia for a moment.
Rogawani's eyes drift closed not long after his head hits the pillow. Just how much sleep is he managing to get? Probably not a lot if the yawn that makes it's way out of his mouth is any clue. "Not me. I'm not lucky enough for that." The later part comes out mooshed, as if his mouth can't quite get enough energy to form the words, or perhaps because he wasn't intending to speak them outloud. "Mmm. I'll talk to him 'bout it in the morning. Kissin' girls against their will. Not right." The boy mumbles, although it's hard to tell if he's actually still awake, or talking in some half-dreamlike state. "Too tired." He groans and then rolls over towards the wall, apparently so exhausted that he doesn't even bother pulling his quilt over himself. "Stupid… sharding…" His voice trails off, as apparently sleep takes over fully, leaving behind nothing but steady, heavy breathing.