Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
Everyone has to eat! It is no different for candidates, and so this is why this afternoon, Pyriel can be found sitting at a table here and munching away. What's for lunch? Meat. Meat and tubers. Perhaps not everything a growing boy needs, but there was enough of what's present to feed him. There is a distinct lack of greenery on that kid's plate, perhaps due to the crop failures and current shortages. Tucked off to the side of his plate are several bread rolls, and a mug filled with water.
Does Y'ki mind shortages in the greens? No…not at all. Though the bluerider stalks rather sullenly into the living cavern all the same. Likely..not due to the abundance of meat. He does head for the food though, pushing a proportionate amount onto a plate. Thankfully, he's not eating for two. He does make his way back around the tables though, opting not to eat..solitary. Though when he does sit down at Pyriel's table, it's with a somewhat dark look at his supposed 'company', before silently starting to eat.
Golden hued eyes flicker over to the bluerider, not when he enters because there are people coming and going all the time, but rather when Y'ki drops to sit at his table. Everything is noted about the guy, right down to the knot on his shoulder, and honestly it might even appear as if the candidate was staring. The look however, is appraising and thoughtful before his gaze drops back down to his food and he continues eating. Pyriel's expression doesn't come close to reflecting the bluerider's, but it was certainly sizing the older guy up somewhat before fork is reintroduced to plate and and bite is pushed past his lips. The harper had quite a bit of holes punched into his head in the way of piercings. Two in his lip, two on one eyebrow, lobes of ears stretched enough to make a space to see through them and held there with black plastic rims. Above them on each ear, a single stub of polished ebony. His blond hair is fluffy and tends to stick up due to the cut of it.
Y'ki sets one elbow on the table, resting his palm to the side of his face to hold the weight. His expression does seem to lighten just a bit, not appearing /quite/ so annoyed with everything as he examines the candidate. "You're a candidate." It's the wonder of observation at it's best! His fork taps at his plate though, making a light clank now and again. "You all got a new one. Silion. He settle in alright?"
Pyriel was a candidate! Yes. Though Pyriel does glance down to the white cord woven into his apprentice harper knot, and it might appear as if the kid was actually checking. It was really, just an after thought. "Yeah." he says, lifting his chin and leveling his gaze upon Y'ki. Eyes drop to the bluerider's plate though as he taps his fork against the ceramic of it, but returns it to the guy's face shortly there after. "I dunno. I ain't met no one named Silion." Yet. New people came into the barracks nearly everyday, and it was difficult to keep track of everyone. Eyes dart off to the side, and then the boy goes back to eating, grabbing a bread roll and tearing a bite out of it.
That is not the answer Y'ki wanted to hear! There's a slight narrowing of his eyes at that, but the bluerider snorts in a somewhat accepting manner. It was true, after all, that many came into the barracks constantly while Search was going on. Food is quietly pushed into his mouth, slowly masticating. "Fair enough." And thus, the topic is simply dismissed as he goes about eyeing Pyriel once again. "And /you/ are?"
There was nothing that Pyriel could do as far as letting Y'ki hear the things he wanted to. He hadn't met the kid, and he wasn't the sort to lie…at least not about something so pointless. More chewing ensues, and the candidate is back to quietly eating, though he does peek every now and again at Y'ki. He'd sized the guy up after all, and likely come to the conclusion that the bluerider could easily wipe the floor with him. At least presently. Py had some growing up to do, and who knew what the future held. At the question posed to him next, the boy swallows, wincing as the bite goes down harder than expected. He takes a drink of his water, showing some relief when the pain subsides. Bleh. "Pyriel." he says, leaving all titles and such out of the equation. After all, his knot and piercings said it all.
"Y'ki." The bluerider gives out a slightly distasteful expression at the giving of his own name. After all, it sounds a lot more like Icky than he'd like. But he tilts his head all the same, simply watching Pyriel while he eats his own food. "Pyriel, then. I think I've heard about a kid with metal all in his face."
Y'ki? For real? Pyriel, like a champ, manages not to laugh. There is a sort of twitch of his facial muscles, but it in no way ever resembles a smile or amusement. In fact, Py even lowers his head so that he can shove more food into his mouth and not look at the bluerider. He just nods at the introduction, lifting his chin only once any need to chuckle has dissipated. After another drink of water, he shrugs. "Only one far as I know." No one else was stupid enough to ruin looks like his with all that crap, right?
Y'ki lowers his lashes just a little bit, twisting his fork slowly in a bit of mashed…something or another. It's gotten a bit mixed together with all the bluerider's poking. "I have to wonder if they'll have you take all that stuff out for the hatching. Dragonets are clumsy as it is, I can just imagine a curious one getting ahold of…any of those dangly bits." And yes, he does look like he's imagining it..rather fondly. There's even a faint grin on his face. "Surprised a firelizard hasn't taken your ear off yet."
Now it was time for Pyriel to give Y'ki a dark look. A deep frown pulls the corners of the candidate's lips downwards. It really should be used to this sort of reaction as most, save for a few, reacted this way. "Yeah I gutta take it out." he grumbles, now stabbing his fork at his own food. Die mashed tubers, die screaming. Py's firelizard was around somewhere, just not currently roosted on his shoulder. Though the creature tended to prefer being in the barracks and sleeping. "All we get to wear is them paper thin white robes and some sandals." No jewelry of any kind. Golden hues narrow to slits at Y'ki as the apprentice harper starts to look a touch uneasy. The guy was creeping him out, Py taking the grin and words as the bluerider looking forward to him getting hurt or something. "Why ya gutta say shit like that?" he growls, letting his anger get the best of him. It was irritating! "Shardin' creepy like that greenrider."
Y'ki chuckles faintly under his breath, shrugging. "Well isn't it important to make sure you candidates are as /safe/ as you can be on the sands?" As safe as they can be in..paper thin outfits. Still, he smirks at Pyriel, brows slowly lifting. "You shouldn't look so disgruntled about it. After all, it ain't 'zactly smart to have shiny things floating about in front of babies. They're doing you a favor with ordering it gone." The mention of a greenrider has him blinking though, before he shrugs. "Dunno. My brother's a greenrider though."
Pyriel shrugs at this, "I guess." Though at least the growling and such has subsided. Instead he goes back to eating, about half way done from the looks of things at this point, not exactly a slow eater. At hearing Y'ki had a greenrider brother, the boy's pierced brow arches up. "Lots o' scars? Eye patch? Really dark green dragon with like, constantly red eyes?" he asks, sounding like he very much would like the bluerider to say no. Please say no.
"D'len, yeah." Y'ki simply shrugs. After all, it's no big deal to him about who his brother is. He does seem to have finished with his food for now though, finally dropping his fork down onto the plate. "That would be my brother. Though really..it isn't very nice to define a person by their scars."
The no doesn't come, and Pyriel is set on edge a bit by that news. His mouth opens but it closes again shortly there after. Instead of commenting, he shovels mouthfuls of food into his face, seeming to use that as an excuse not to elaborate on his opinion. Soon enough, the plate is clean, and the bread is gone, leaving the candidate with his water which was rapidly emptying as well. "I ain't." he states, plainly enough. "That's like defining someone cause they got black hair or blue eyes." Exhibit A, a certain bluerider. Then again, no one had ever accused the harper of being nice. Py sits back in his chair, plate no longer of interest to him, and sips at his water.
Y'ki shakes his head faintly at that, but does stand up, looking just a bit pleased with himself. "Hah, yes..yes it is. Not that I'd care what anyone thought of those black haired, blue eyed people." The plate he was using is left there, ignored. After all, cleanup is for people like..candidates! "See you around then, candidate."
Pyriel growls somewhat, "Whatever." This is in response more or less for Y'ki's attitude rather than exactly what he says. He does note that the plate is left, presumably for him to clean up like some kind of drudge, and this sets the candidate's face into a scowl. Only once Y'ki has moved out of earshot and visual range, does Py flick the rider off and grumble to himself. "I shardin' hope not." And so he sits there and glares at people for a while, foot up on the table.