Fishriders of Pern (Event by Kiley & Pyriel)
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Xanadu Weyr - Beach

The unerring range of subdued white rises and falls in a multitude of sandy dunes, creating an endless amount of tiny valleys constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of a dragon. Smoothing out as it slopes gently to the edge of the deep blue water, the sand darkens and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect. The beach itself is set along a low cliff - the height lessoning as one heads eastwards, blocking a portion of the beach from direct access.

The wide wide stretch of water opens up to the east, the far distant shore way beyond the horizon and the beach curves ever so slowly round to east and west, distant arms of land embracing the wind-ruffled Caspian Lake. East leads up to the mouth of the Rubicon River, where the protecting cliff is merely an arms length higher then the sand, and beyond that, a winding road leading out of Xanadu's territory. Westwards, the beach narrows as the cliff swings out, leaving a path wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to the sheltered cove designated the Weyrling Beach. However, cut in the cliff face to the north are a variety of rough, wide staircases, providing access to the clearing and to the meadow.


Some of the candidates had been pulled aside that day to fish for this bonfire in autumn, so the fish has been gutted and cleaned and cooked already by anyone begins to arrive. Chairs and stools are settled into a circle around a large board, and on this board is a large pin in which to spin to decide who will tell the part of the story. Each chair is evenly spaced so to allow the person to move around and spin the pin should the time come for their spin. Plates are upon the stools and fishes upon the plates, giving everyone a chance to have a meager meal of fish. It isn't a lot, but it is something; and as people begin to filter in a woman claps her hands together to draw attention to herself. Please take a seat and help yourself to the fish that is settled in front of you. We will be telling a cooperative story, each person will get one line and then they will spin the pin. Whoever it lands on will be the next person. You will give your name, if you have not already done so, and then the next line of the story.. This will continue until we are done,, however, the pin must have landed on /every/ person before you are allowed to end the story. Another clap and the woman beams a large smile. Now, if you would please take a seat we will begin once all are seated.

Kiley was rushed out to the beach earlier in the day to help fish among the other candidates, to help clean the fish and to get the cooked. And so when all was said and done she took a seat among the others upon the beach and sat quietly. The woman's attention drawn to the speaker as she began to explain to everyone as they began to gather. Brows lifted slightly and then she nods once and considers the fish that is beside her with a thoughtful frown but not touching it quiet yet as she waits for the first spin.

Keziah wonders her way out onto the beach. Greenie is looking to be a little bit more socialble today and not so out of sorts. "Well, this looks like it could be fun." she notes with a grin and finds herself a seat. "Hmm. Fish." She shrugs a little and dives in and nods a little. Not bad it seems. She glances around to see who else is arriving on the beach as she settles herself in to relax and to listen. "Always did like a good story."

M'nol quirks one brow as he moves up to a chair, "So I have to work for my fish? That seems unnecessarily complicated." Still, the stocky brownrider is clearly kidding and wearing quite a grin, "So. Where should I sit, candidate Kiley? I do love a good dose of weirdness."

Iessrien was not amongst the candidates recruited to fish, instead having some other chore somewhere, though he does manage to find his way to the beach, having heard possible rumors of a bonfire, or perhaps simply having been wandering this way on his own. His jacket is dark and sleek, fur-lined with hands tucked snugle in his pockets, his pace slow and relaxed, an almost contemplative look upon his face. He spots his fellow candidates, however, and angles towards them, giving the explanation of the story.. game a curious look before finding a spot in the sand. He settles near Kiley, offering the girl a smile and a quiet, "Hi," head tilting slightly, to watch the others arriving.

Karona was among the fishing candidates as well, though when she takes her seat, she's fresh from the ocean, and grimacing. "Eurgh, /fish/. I never want to do that again." she mutters, taking a seat and /eyeing/ the fish in front of her. "Do you know how /gross/ cleaning fish is? Very." Evidently. Or perhaps Karona is just excessively squeamish. Perhaps.

Kiley looks from where she sits and smiles at M'nol, giving a cheerful wave in hello. "Anywhere you would like." The woman gives a polite nod of her head towards the brownrider and then to the greenrider as she settles down as well. The woman is turning attention to Iessrien as he settles beside her, nodding a greeting in response and smiling wider. "Hey Iessrien." She is drawn to Karona as she complains for the fish and offers a sympathetic smile, "it is.. Pretty gross, yes.. I can still feel it on my hands." The fish guts, that is, and she looks down to her hands and then to the fish and she pointedly does not touch it for the time being. And the announcer woman claps her hands once more and beams a cheerful smile to the crowd. "Let us begin, then!" And she spins the wheel, once spun she fades into the background to let it all begin.

Kiley flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Iessrien

Keziah snorts over her fish and just shakes her head "You think gutting fish is bad? Wait till you get to gut a whole herd beast and chop it up into bite size chunks for your dragons for those of you that Impress." she states "Guttin' fish will be walk in the gardens" she remarks and then snickers a little. She then quiets down as she watches the pin spin and land on one of the candis."

M'nol shudders a bit, "Don't remind me of that, Kezi. Shards, worst part of weyrlinghood, right there. Butchering. At least Faraeth liked it. Wouldn't eat anything anyone else had done up, though." He rolls his eyes before nodding politely to Kiley, "Alrighty, then. I'll just take… that chair." He grins and climbs over one chair and into the next, "How's our fish prepared today, anyway? Roasted?"

Iessrien wrinkles his nose slightly, gaze flicking to Karona at she comments on fish. "I can imagine.." the holder boy's smile is somewhat wry, though he conveniently missed out on the wonders of fish cleaning, not looking the slightest bit disappointed about that. The talk of gutting things earns another nosewrinkle in distaste, though Iess is then asking, eyebrows raised, "Weyrlings have to cut apart their own herdbeasts?" He looks as if he doesn't know how to take this, though certainly the news is a surprise. As the spinny thing lands on his own name, however, the holder boy blinks, somewhat put on the spot there suddenly. He shifts slightly, gaze flicking around before shrugging an, "Uh.. there was a man from some hold called Nantucket.. who, er, had a bucket." A harper, he is so very not.

Karona eyes her hands as Kiley speaks, and then grimaces. "One sec…" she murmurs, bolting back to the water to wash her hands. When she gets back, with her scrubbed-red hands, it's just in time to hear Keziah, and she pales. "…I… I know that. They make a /point/ of it, whenever candidates have kitchen chores." she grimaces. Or maybe that's just her, because of how she reacts. "I can handle it. I don't /like/ it, but I /do/ it." she mutters, eyeing her hands warily. Case in point: She gutted fish today, she didn't bail partway through. "It's not forever, it's only till they can hunt." she has to point out. "Th-the herdbeasts /are/ already dead before the weyrlings see them, right?" What? It's a concern!

Iessrien flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Keziah

Kiley wrinkles her nose at Keziah tells exactly what the weyrlings would be doing. "Oh…" A breath is drawn then comes out in a sigh, "lovely. Guess that gutting the fishes is a good way to get over it. Some of us'll be doing it again tomorrow." The woman makes another face but allows it to relax as she looks to M'nol as he takes a seat, offering another smile before he asks about the fish. "Roasted fish." Iessrien's question has the woman mimicking a nod for his question but then he is adding in his line to the story, her face taking a weird twist in surprise for what he has to say. A soft chuckle follows in amusement though it quiets once Karona runs back to the water. Her eyes follow the other candidate and then she offers a soft apology in response. More questions of weyrling information and the woman pales. "Oh.. Shells, I hope so…"

Keziah laughs brightly "Oh, sometimes you'll see them alive too, but mostly they just have the carcasses hanging up up for you, just waiting for you to cut into them. The fish is good by the way." There's a blink as she listens to Iessrien and shakes her head. Hmm, not much to work with. "I ain't gonna be expected to keep it rhymin' I hope." SHe clears her throat. "In the bucket he had with him a whole mass of fish that he was aimin' to use to fertilize his crops."

Keziah flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Iessrien

M'nol chuckles and leans back in his chair, twining his fingers behind his head in a sort of cradle and just listening for now, though he does gladly supply, "Oh, yes, what Kezi said. They only do the first batch or two for you."

Iessrien lifts a brow at Karona, watching her absently, and then giving his own soft holder's hands a glance. "I guess there are worse things than cutting up meat," showing no indication of his own squeamishness, though there is a slight twitch at one corner of his mouth. Iessrien tilts his head, listening to the story, and then eyes the spinny thing once it lants on his name again, thinking a little while before he mumbles, "He started back from the ocean with a bucketful of fish, but was waylaid by a.." eyes flicking around, "stampeding herdbeast."

Iessrien flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Keziah

Karona frowns slightly. "Way my mother told it, she had to hunt down the beasts herself. 'In her day'…" the woman rolls her eyes. "That… that's a relief." she says, relaxing slightly. "Er. For whoever should be lucky enough to impress." Right. She isn't going to assume anything. She tilts her head at Iessrien at his line, furrowing her brow slightly, but she doesn't say anything. She'll wait her turn.

Keziah just looks at Iessrien. "Really?" she rolls her eyes a little, well fiqure he'd pick herdbeast, with all the talk goin' on and all. "Personally, all the oiling got to me more than the guttin' and cuttin'. I didn't think the wrinkled skin would ever smooth out." she hmms a little for a line and then continues the story. "The stampeding herdbeast was running full out because it was being chased by a hungry green intent on scarfing the poor beast down." With that said she gives the spinner a good hard spin.

Keziah flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to M'nol

The pale coloring of Kiley's face remains as Keziah speaks, wrinkling her nose and covering her mouth for a moment to draw a deep breath. Right.. Imagining killing one myself.. Not pretty. Comes her soft reply as she draws deep breath and begins to regain some composure. Color slowly returns to her cheeks ass he listens to Keziah's part of the story, making a face at the mention of fish before her eyes watch the pin as it spins and then settles upon Iessrien once more. An expectant look comes to rest upon the holder boy but it only lasts until M'nol speaks up and she sighs. "At least the first two are done for you.. At least you'll know what it should look like before you get to it." That is a relief and it shows on the woman's face before her gaze flickers back over to Iessrien. A soft chuckle comes from the woman as the poor man is stampeded by a herdbeast, her head shakes before she watches the pin spin around and land once more on Keziah and she casts the holder a look. "Spin it harder next time?" She offers before considering the pin again, tilting her head to look at the board a little better. Keziah's line of the story earns another chuckle before her eyes follow the pin to M'nol and she waits for the next line.

M'nol chuckles, "True. Three baths a day. Never a dirty weyrling, that's for sure. But shards, you remember that time V'dim had us have the dragons chase their food down practically on foot? That was a fun day. Until he started in with the whip, at least." He eyes the needle, then sighs, "Fine… let's see, let's see. The green was proddy, glowing brightly in the night." brownriders. feh.

M'nol flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Karona

Iessrien just shrugs at Keziah and Karona, unapologetic about his herdbeast addition. He settles back in the sand, one arm behind him, for support. There might be a slight wince at the movement, but he brushes it off, lips twitching as the story continues. "Poor guy needs a name," he comments absently, though doesn't present one himself, his nose wrinkling at M'nol. "Whip?" there's a slight eyeing of the brownrider, skeptical and wary all at once.

Keziah just snorts a bit. "Oh yeah, that whip. You know. I really don't miss being terrorized by V'dim. DOn't get me wrong, great guy and all, but you know. Just saying." she smirks a little "Oh yeah, you would have proddy on your mind though wouldn't you."

Karona blinks a little at M'nol's addition to the story, but when the needle falls on her name, she frowns. "…fish… farmer… herdbeast… green…" she murmurs, setting things so far straight in her head. "Uhhh… just then… I dunno… the green's rider leapt out, and stole the farmer's bucket." she puts forth, eyes low. Perhaps worried how it would be received, self-conscious?

Karona flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Keziah

Kiley blinks at M'nol as he speaks about the Weyrlingmaster, then a whip and the woman looks suddenly uncomfortable. Lips press into a thin line as Iessrien questions this fact, her eyes drifting between holder and M'nol with a questioning look. Though it comes to relax as soft laughter continues, "he does. Poor man.." Her head shakes, sympathetic to the poor nameless man. Keziah is given a look as she confirms the whip and makes a face, but she says nothing on that subject and avoids it all together as Karona gives the next part of the story, a smile pulling at her lips again. "Poor farmer."

"Stole the farmer's bucket??" Keziah gnaws on her lip a little "Why does this stupid thing keep landing on me?" she mutters and then hmms some. "Taking off with the bucket, the farmer was left standing there in surprise, even as the green lifted off with the herdbeast."

Keziah flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Iessrien

M'nol chuckles, "With a dragon like Faraeth, I don't have much choice, do I, Kez? He was flirting before he was flying." He glances at Iessrien and nods, "If you're lucky, you'll have most of your lessons with me or R'iahn. V'dim's… harsh." He glances at Keziah, "Harsh'd be a fair statement, yeah? He's very serious about his work."

Pshychotic more like it…

Iessrien continues to look skeptical, though Karona's addition to the story earns a soft chuckle, Iess lips twitching upward on the edges, nodding to Kiley, "Poor bucketless farmer." Oh yes, there's definitely amusement there. It fades, however as he listens to the riders, his eyes narrowing slightly. The holder boy lifts his chin with quiet, "Whipping people is barbaric. And you people just allow that sort of thing to go on?" And a pointed look at the riders, as if challenging them to disagree. No, he doesn't find that funny in the slightest, the disgusted look on his face for their own nonchalance about it. There's a distracted frown as he's apparently supposed to continue the story, muttering an uncreative, "Bucketless farmer ..Bob decided to be smart and go buy some manure."

Iessrien flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to M'nol

Karona seems encouraged by Kiley's words, though with her head still down, she doesn't catch the smile. "Mm. Poor farmer." she agrees vaguely, tilting her head as Keziah gives the next bit. She avoids comment on V'dim, though she does glance to the riders in turn as they mention him, brow furrowing, until a question occurs to her. "…but… harsh is good, right? He did a good job?" Well, they're still around, that's a plus, right? At least between was taught well? Iessrien's chuckle has her smiling faintly. "…thanks. I wish my father were here though, he'd love this." she murmurs.
Kiley laughs, "maybe she had a craving for fish?" Says the woman who knows nothing about being proddy. She simply smiles and leans in as Kexiah gives the next line, her elbows coming to rest on her knees. Her gaze watches the pin as it settles upon Iessrien and her brow lifts again, expectant once more of the holder. She is drawn away from him by the talk of the Weyrlingmaster again, peeking between the two riders before she smiles at M'nol. "Hopefully the new Weyrlings will be so lucky." To avoid whips and the like. The woman glances back to Iessrien and she nods along with his notions of the whip and then nodding once more as he names the farmer. A chuckle follows and she shakes her head as the man decides to go for manure. Karona's thoughts on the Weyrlingmaster has her glancing that way, brows lifting but she shrugs. "That is a good point."

M'nol blinks, "Oh, no. He doesn't /whip/ folks. He just menaces with it. At least as far as I experienced. Trust me, it's scary enough to have him bang the handle down next to your head." Of course, he was also thirteen at the time, not that he'll say that. Instead, he just chuckles, "Wow, this is one of the weirdest flights I've heard about, okay… fish… bucket… manure… As the flight went on overhead, bob made his way to the beast crafter's den to find the best manure marks can buy."

M'nol flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Kiley

Iessrien continues to sit there in the sand beside Kiley, leaning back on one arm, knee drawn close to his chest with his other arm draped across it. He has yet to take an interest in the roasted fish, his eyes remaining narrowed at the riders, slightly accusing perhaps, though the indignation in his words doesn't entirely carry over to his expression. "There's harsh and then there's.." yeah, he doesn't appear to agree with Kiley or Karona's words, lips twitching into another look of distaste, though M'nol's assurance that the weapon was never used on anyone doesn't appear to reassure the boy. "Just /let/ him try to menace me, if I impress," is muttered darkly, lashes lowering ever so slightly. Not one to be easily intimidated, is the Iess. There's only half an ear on the story, though, as he merely blinks at the brownrider's addition, brow furrowing, without comment.

Karona frowns slightly at M'nol. "It wasn't about a flight." There wasn't even a dragon until he added the proddy green. 'Get to know folks' indeed, she's giving the brownrider a /very/ wary look now. She might just shift her chair over this way slightly, away. Iessrien is eyed. "If you impress, behave and listen, I'm sure he'll have no problem then." she assumes. It /sounds/ very reasonable. She certainly doesn't seem worried about the whips, if there's one thing she does well, it's behave.

More relief rushes over the woman and Kiley breathes an easy sigh. "That is /good/. Actually whipping people.." Her head shakes suddenly and she smiles a little more easily, "at least scaring is different than actually whipping." The pin lands on her and the woman lets out a little 'oh!' and grins widely. "But Bob could not by manure because a fight had broken out and the floor was covered with all the merchandise, making him unable to purchase." A glance is given to Iessrien and her brows lift at his muttering, being close enough to him to hear it. "Be careful." Comes her soft utterance in response before she smiles and leans in to spin the pin.

Kiley flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Karona

Keziah turns and eyes Iess abit fiercly, normally fun lovin' Kezi is doin' a little menacing herself "If you Impress, you will listen to him. If you don't listen to him, or fall asleep then you'll deserve all he does and more. Have you ever seen a weyrling half in and half out of the ground? Ever watched a claw torn off because a pair had been too busy goofin off to listen on proper procedures with catching a meal? Or watched wings broken because they hadn't paid attention with their landing?" she waggles a finger at him punctuating each point. "You'll be lucky to make it out of Between with that attitude." Her nostrils flare a few times and then she gives herself a shake. A glance at Karona "Ignore him, he's only hyped up on proddy because Farie is and that's only because his brown finally caught Alo for once. If only the wing hadn't gone out on excercises at that time.."

M'nol snorts and quirks a brow at Karona, "They're pretty common, you know. And the story's about bob, of course, the flight's just background to the vicious theft of his bucket." He glances at Kezi, "Wow, scare 'em why don't you?" Still, his own good mood is somewhat lost now, "But yes, nowadays, Weyrlinghood is the most dangerous part of a rider's life. If V'dim is too intense, it's because of all the young riders that have been lost over the Turns and he knows more about riding than the rest of the Weyr combined." He glances at Kezi, "He's still obsessed with golds, but certainly it could have been worse."

Iessrien's eyes flick to Karona, irritation evident in his face, "I'll behave and listen if there's something worth listening to. Anyone who has to buy obediance with threats like that, definitly not man enough to be respected." There's more feeling than perhaps is neccessary behind his words. His statement is flat, without apology, lashes lowering again to Keziah, utterly unimpressed by the greenrider's own threats, "Don't find it hard to believe someone like that allows those things to happen to the weyrlings. Maybe Xanadu should look into finding a better weyrlingmaster, instead of letting him terrorize people into making mistakes like that." The picture the riders have painted of V'dim certainly has Iess looking more than a little disgusted, having only what they've said to go on. By now, he's stopped paying attention to the story entirely, so Karona's moving has him giving her a somewhat blank look. Kiley's warning has him re-settling his shoulders, though he only glances her way without comment.

Karona grimaces at Kiley. "Eww. Manure everywhere? Really?" she says, cringing. When the wheel lands on her, she makes a face at it. "Of course…" she mutters, sighing heavily. But, she tips her head, and starts to think. Keziah's warnings have her whipping up her head again, concerned. "Those… those things can /happen/?" Oh dear… "…right… story… sorry." she says, clearing her throat. "Pretty common in a Weyr…" she has to point out, furrowing her brow. "Where is Bob, anyway?" she scratches her chin and ponders. "I guess in a Weyr." she decides, with a shrug. "So Bob went to ask the weyrlingmasters if there was any, uh, weyrling manure." Because she knows /that's/ a thing. Karona /eyes/ Iessrien, frowning kind of sternly, but she doesn't say a word.

Karona flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Keziah

Pyriel strolls on in from the direction of the weyr. He looks absolutely exhausted, though whether it was mentally or physically was left to anyone's guess. He doesn't make a scene about arriving late, just slides into a seat somewhere, even if that meant it was off by himself. He slumps back and slides down into a position that he probably finds just as comfortable as someone else may not. A leg is drawn up, foot locked with the heel of his shoe against the seat's edge. One arm comes to drape against his leg, the other poised on his knee. Golden eyes dart from face to face but he does not greet anyone presently.

Keziah just hmmphs at M'nol. A glance backat Iessrien and then she shakes her head a bit and mutters something about wherries with their heads up so tight in their. She stops mid mutter and shrugs "Yes, those things have happened, do happen and will happen." she sighs softly. "And whats even worse is when they hurt someone else." She's silent for a few moments but doesn't elaborate on that tidbit. "Well, back to Bob. Bob met up with Not_Bob, one of the assistant weyrlingmasters who then instructed several of said weyrlings to haul their dragons manure that they had just cleaned up, off to the fields to be spread out."

Kiley turns her gaze from the pin to Keziah as she gives her warning to Iessrien, tensing as the woman continues on with the list and then quickly dropping her gaze while her fingers twine together and squeeze tightly. She doesn't ignore it, but she certainly doesn't watch the woman as she describes everything. Her gaze focus on her fingers before she sneaks a peek at M'nol as he adds in his thoughts to the whole thing. Silence continues from the computer crafter before she sends a rather sheepish look towards Karona for her thought in the line of the story. "I was going for something amusing." But she waits for the story to continue, not adding in her thoughts to the talk of Weyrling troubles, for that will likely come up again later. "I think a Weyr if there's a green dragon chasing herdbeasts." Comes the woman's agreement and then quiets to a snicker as the story continues.

Keziah flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Kiley

M'nol raises a brow at Iessrien's comment, "If you don't like it, you can always just hand that knot to a rider and walk back out. No one's making you stand. V'dim is a highly competent Weyrlingmaster. Even the best lose a few." He wide-eyes at Keziah's addition, though, "Shards, dragon dung on a field? That's vicious."

Iessrien ignores Karona's eyeing, as he usually does when the woman starts acting like that, his own gaze still narrowed on the two riders. Keziah's insult is met with a twitch of a smirk, the holder boy commenting casually, "I'm sure that he is." As for M'nol's suggestion, Iessrien's chin lifts up, regarding the brownrider steadily, "Or I can impress and see what happens when he meets someone with a backbone." No, definitely not one to back down from a challenge, this one. Though what he's trying to prove, is anyone's guess. Luckily perhaps, before he says anything more, he catches sight of a familiar face arriving, and jerks his head up in greeting, offering a, "Hey man," to Pyriel nefore his gaze flicks away, distractedly, towards the spinny thing.

Karona's eyes widen. "Hurt someone else?" she asks, surprised. "Iessrien, if we both impress, keep your dragon far from mine." she warns. At least she remembered his name this time? "…not that that's likely…" she adds, though she doesn't bother to clarify. Likely she still doesn't expect to be among the weyrlings, there are rather more candidates than eggs, after all. Kiley's comment, about going for amusing, has Karona looking sheepish then. "…sorry." she mumbles, though she still looks mildly grossed out.

Pyriel blinks, looking at Keziah when Kiley spins the pin on the board. He scratches idly at his cheek a few times, brows creasing. Especially once Keziah goes on to tell a part of the story that they already had going on. His mouth twitches downward at the corners after the other speak and comment about this or that. In fact he even looks a bit lost. Iessrien draws his attention away for a moment, chin lifting in a brief return of greeting. "Hey, sup?" And that is all, not adding his thoughts to the present conversation. He does slink down further, just slightly.

Kiley can't help but laugh at M'nol's reaction towards the dragon dung, shaking her head in thought. Iessrien is given a smile as well in her silence before she's considering the pin and tilting her head back. "Let's see.. Dragon dung in the field…" She trails off, pressing a finger to her chin before she's considering Pyriel as he joins them in silence. Both brows lift in question to the other candidate before she continues with the story. "The smell of the dragon dung in the field became so intense that many began to get sick in the Weyr, but the plants seemed to grow faster." She pauses to add, "this isn't a true fact." She's certainly not promoting anyone to do so from the tone of her voice in her second comment. However, her gaze drifts to Karona for her statement and her brows work into a frown but she holds her tongue as she spins the pin once more to keep the story moving on.

Kiley flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Iessrien

Keziah grins at M'nol "What can I say? I'm not a nice person." Hah. Iess is ignored, or well that is until the spinner lands on him. Go figure on that. She pokes at her empty plate. Certainly went too fast for her liking. "Hey M'nol. I'm glad I ain't got your job. I think I'd kill 'em."

M'nol's brows furrow at Iessrien, "Boy. If you can't deal with a chain of command and that someone will likely always outrank you, you might as well just stop now. Being a rider isn't all fun and games, trust me. And should you impress, any of you, you'd better be prepared for hard work, orders you won't like, and duties you'll hate. You'll have to butcher the meat your dragon eats until they can hunt for themselves. You'll have to make your own flight straps. And you'll have to shovel your dragon's dung until they learn to go /between/. So wipe the glory from your eyes. V'dim managed to conquer even Vivian's excessive need for control. So don't think you're special." He glances back at Kez with a smirk, "After Cen and Zeek? Shards. This class should be right as rain. I'm still glad it was Leona who was showing Cen /between/ when she was supposed to go to Red Butte and ended up in Bowl on top of a chicken coop." He smirks, then something darkens it, but he says no more, waiting for Iessrien's next installment.

Iessrien snorts in barely-concealed disgust at Karona, telling the woman flatly, "Don't worry, when you can't can't control your dragon and it starts hurting people, I'll keep mine far away. V'dim can wave his whip at you all you want." The riders are once again eyed, though his gaze falls on M'nol, merely snorting at the guy, "Brownrider, I never had a problem dealing with /rank/. But seems like this V'dim is so bad he needs weapons just to make people listen when all that shit could happen to them already. This guy wants to hurt people, he should expect them to fight /back/." Eyes gone hard, there's no doubting the sincerity in his voice. He may have misunderstood what the riders were getting at, but he doesn't seem to care at this point. Anger clouds the pondwater blues, missing Pyriel's greeting, as well as Kiley's continuation of the story, blinking back at the spinner when it lands on his own name. "Uh," yeah, he totally has no idea where the tale has gone now, blurting out a blankfaced, "Then someone lit it on fire."

Iessrien flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Kiley

Karona tenses at something M'nol just said. "…Leona? They let /her/ teach weyrlings?" she asks, eyes drifting to M'nol's knot. "Shards, no wonder between got screwed up, with /her/ at the helm." she mutters, darkly. Iessrien gets another of those /eyes/, and there might be a roll in there for him. "Right. When I can't control /mine/. Suuure." she snorts. At his continuation of the story, she snorts again. "Naturally. /Boys/."

Eyes drift haplessly towards Kiley once more, meeting her gaze for a long as she maintains the contact. What little expression Pyriel had blanks to nothing instantly, and reveals just as much about what he might be thinking or not. Once her gaze moves on, he allows his own to wander. His look melding into one of appraising as he gives her a good once over, but doesn't linger beyond the time this takes. As he remains as quiet as he entered, he continues to seem as if he was not particular interested in what was being said around him. Save for what Keziah does about killing people, a perplexed edge to his features as if he hadn't been following the conversation at all. If he minds that Iessrien hadn't noticed his return greeting, there is no reflection of it. Then again, he hadn't graced his fellow male candidate with his attention since he himself was given welcome by him. No, he just sits there and looks mildly bored.

Keziah eyes Iess "Sweet Faranth mother of all the little airheads. Grow a pair will ya?" She rolls her eyes and shakes her head a bit "No one said he was gonna eviscerate you, geld you or even hang you out to dry." She lays her face in her palm. "Oh for the love of brains." She draws a breath in and calms herself. "Iessrien was it? V'dim won't beat the living snot out of you for no good reason. I might, but he won't." There's a pause "COurse, if yer his weyrling and I did whoop the tar outta ya… he would beat the living snot and then some out of me." She frowns. "So, that ain't gonna happen. You fly right and keep your nose clean, he'll just bellow. He's tryin' to make ya jump. Break ya down and build ya back up again. Better for there to be breakdowns durin trainin' when there's others there to watch out fer ya and hopefully keep things from bein' a mess. Not so much when you're out in the middle of a storm and theirs a shipload of people going down and you're a hairs breath away fro having yer dragon caught up in the riggin'." she sighs a bit and rises up from her chair "And sides, gettin ya all riled up is one way for you to learn how to control your dragon later on. You get upset, she gets upset, or well he maybe for you. But never mind that. It's all a part of trainin'."

Kiley glances at Keziah but her gaze does not linger there, she is drawn to M'nol as he speaks and gives the lecture of what being a rider is and isn't about and what to expect of Weyrlings. She says nothing, simply looking between the two for a moment before Iessrien as he gives the next line of a story. A snicker follows and then the pin lands on her. It takes a moment for go on with the story, waving to Pyriel when he looks to her. But then she does drift onwards as Keziah begins to talk again, eyes widening as the woman continues to speak. Her gaze drops down to the pin, focusing it as she tries to think of another line for the story. Finally, she pipes up: "And the fumes began to enter the Weyr, causing everyone to act differently."

Kiley flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Keziah

Keziah is about to leave reallly when the pin stops on her. "Well. Hmm." she shrugs a little and then turns and leans on her chair "Though people acted oddly with all the funes, what really got peoples attentions is that the candidates started disappearing mysteriously." With that said she tips her head and then makes her way up the beach. "Some peoples children." she murmurs.

Keziah flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Karona

Iessrien goes back to ignoring Karona, perhaps moreso because of Keziah's outburst than his former irritation with the woman. Eyelids lower as the greenrider goes on, but the lingering anger seems to stall, brows drawing together slowly. "..I see," he finally mutters, though the words are grudging. Darn reasonableness, the holder was totally on a roll there! Or something. Still, the argumentative streak seems to have at least left him for now, a rather more considering look being given to the woman, right up until she leaves, her story addition about candidates having the boy arching a brow oh so slowly at her. Once Keziah is out of sight, Iessrien's gaze flicks to Kiley, the boy leaning over with mumbled, "So.. what exactly did I light on fire?" He so totally missed the whole dragon dung bit, yep.

Karona frowns slightly as the pin lands on her name, muttering quietly to herself the story so far. "…fire… fumes… candidates…" she murmurs, thinking… "But, where the candidates used to be, were now eggs. Eggs of all kinds - dragon, firelizard, wherry." she throws out there. Why not, right? The story makes little sense already. Iessrien may get a /look/ for that, the sudden insertion of fire a little while back. Karona sighs, and shakes her head at the holder boy. "Field full of dragon dung. Fwoosh." she explains, making a gesture with her hands of fire rising - palm held up, fingers spread and wiggling, hand rising.

Karona flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Iessrien

Landers is running a bit late, literally. He's jogging down toward the beachside toward the group surrounding the bonfire thereupon. Thick arm lifts in a wave as he slows his feet down, loping into a walk once he's in conversational range. The older candidate draws up a hand toward his brow, slicking the sweat off with a hasty motion of the palm of his hand. There is evidence on his clothing that he has come from some sort of dirty work, stains showing on the once off-white shirt, if the sweat wasn't evidence enough. A choice is made in the decisive flick of his dawn blue gaze toward Pyriel, swiftly crossing the distance toward the younger man. "Yo…" he says with a charming lilt of his thick accent, brow twitching in unison with a crooked smile, a playful expression as he scans the ho-down.

Was there food? Pyriel glances about and discovers the fish set on the stool beside him. He peers over at it, examining the contents of the plate quite closely with the way he leans over to eye level. Even as the action causes his seat to wobble with the threat of sending him flying into the roasted thing. This holds his attention far longer than it should before his nose crinkles and his lips twist into a look of disgust. Despite the growl his stomach makes soon there after, he yanks himself away and shakes his head back and forth, sending his chair rocking precariously back and forth before it settles once more. Arms are crossed over his chest, eyes cast upwards at the sky. His mouth moves, but no sound can distinctly be heard, though the irritation and annoyance to be found upon his countenance was difficult to miss should he come under observation. Whatever he might be saying, however silently, couldn't be good. He's completely lost interest in the gathering of people. He does not notice the arrival of Landers, seemingly focused on muttering upwards, though his single word greeting of the harper at least earns him a glance. This is followed by a blink, and then his expression changes to one of what looks like relief. "Dude, where have ya been?" he asks eagerly, pointing at one of the empty chairs beside him.

Kiley blinks at Keziah's addition to the story, looking mildly frightened as she suddenly eyes the other candidates around herself before Iessrien asks his question. Her gaze falls upon the other candidate and then as she is about to answer, Karona gives her answer and a lovely demonstration causing the woman to laugh. "Right. Dragon dung…" Amusement lingers in her tone as she grins for the rest of the story. She leans in and then finally nibbles on that bit of fish that is in front of her. Landers' arrival draws her attention and the woman smiles at the man, waving a greeting before she eyes Iessrien as she waits to hear the next part of their twisted story.

Iessrien isn't deliberately ignoring Pyriel, but he isn't glancing in the other boy's direction either, though Landers' arrival earns a vague glance that way, eyelids lowering in what might be appraisal. He just as quickly turns away, lips pressing together while he listens to Karona, eyebrows descending at the.. direction the story seems to have taken. He stares. A somewhat less than certain glance is sent Kiley's way, yet still the holder seems at a loss. "Uh.. then the eggs hatched.. into.. weyrlings who.." glancing around some more, landing on a plate of the fried fish, "uh, rode fish." Creative ability apparently exhausted, he settles back with a slight grimace and falls silent.

Iessrien flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Landers

Karona's fish is still not touched, she seems to be avoiding looking at it. Every now and then, she starts distractedly scratching at one hand with the other, as though she can still feel the raw fish. She was among the 'unlucky' candidates that got pulled from other work, to fish and to gut and to cook. Iessrien's addition to the story has the stern-faced Karona making a rather odd noise, sort of a snort, sort of a choke. Is she… laughing? Trying very very hard not to, but still.

"Dealin with tha' Headwoman 'n the arduous chores I reckon I asked fer," the sailor-turned-candidate explains with an ease, as if it were nothing more than what he said. The beefy candidate settles into the empty chair next to the harper-turned-candidate, a ponderous look cast to Pyriel for a split second until the aroma of fish catches Lan's atttention. Seconds later Lan is already looking for some how to eat it. "Ahh, be hungry…" he announces to the irritated Harper beside him, sailor fingers picking apart the fish rather quickly. The inflection in his voice is of surprise, "Be hot still!" The fish starts to disappear in small chunks, fingers licked inbetween bites, no utensils used. After a few warm pieces of fish are gobbled down, his roving eye lifts, noticing the greetings sent his way, a nod for each. The older candidate seems oblivious as to what is going on, other than the fish. So when the pin points to his name, he nudges Pyriel in query, speaking in soft quiet tones, "Whar that mean? Whar do I do?"

Pyriel's brows lift in unison at the answer Landers gives him, "Ask for? Why the sharded ya ask for i…." he starts and then stops, expression shifting from perplexed to curious. "Wait, didja do somethin' that got ya in trouble?" He's then distracted by the way his eyes slide down from Landers own, to the way the sailor was devouring the fish there. Absently he grabs his fish laden plate and slides it over to the empty stool that Lan had gotten his current plate from. Here you go, present for you. "Ya, can see that." he nods, his belly rumbling again at the smell. Though Py really had shown no interest in putting the stuff into his mouth. He makes on comment of the heat of the dish, apparently losing interest in the focus of it as his lets his eyes wander the others for a spell. His attention is drawn back though when he's nudged, startling a bit from the looks of it. Eyes widen for a seconds before what is said to him sinks in. "Wha?" Panic. Eyes widen further to send the gold of his eyes to float on a sea of white and he gapes a bit. Finally his shoulders sink and his expression turns sheepish. "I got no idea man. Sorry. I wasn't paying attention." he replies apologetically with a soft bemused shrug. Yeah, he wasn't of any help. "Maybe ya should ask Kiley, I think this is her thing."

Kiley's gaze that is upon Iessrien is entirely expectant, waiting and waiting until he speaks. And when the line is delivered, the woman's laughter first comes as a soft giggle. The giggle grows into laughter and the woman is soon covering her face to hide the amount of laughter that spills forth. "Fish." The woman squeaks out and she completely abandons eating the fish, even going so far as to move the plate from her range of vision. A hungry firelizard makes off with the fish when Kiley's attention is away from the plate. Oh well! She comes to rise from her laughter, wiping her eyes as she eyes the pin and who it points at. She smiles at Landers as he questions Pyriel and then pipes up: "You have to tell a line in the story we're telling continuing off of the weyrlings who ride.. Fish." The pause before 'fish' is a squeak of laughter before her hand lifts to cover her mouth.

Iessrien hasn't touched any of the fried fish either, and given the way he's looking at it after his own particular addition to the story, he isn't likely to. The odd noise from Karona attracts another irritated glance from the holder boy, but an eyebrow arches slightly when he actually sees her response. And maybe he stares quietly a moment. Gaze turning to Kiley, who is cracking up beside him, Iess can't help but look a little sheepish, slight grin twitching the corners of his mouth upward a little. That arm draped across his knee is raised, the boy just rubbing the back of his neck and just clearing his throat. "..Was the only thing I could think of," he admits in a mumble, lightly shaking his head and watching the firelizard make off with some fish. He turns to listen the newcomer, though, apparently paying attention to the story now.

Briana finally joins the group, looking like she is fresh from the baths. Though still there is a faint aroma of runners about her. It seems this is why she was late, trying to scrub the stench of manure and runner sweat from her. The girl comes with a basket in hand though, which further explains her lateness. She quietly makes her to where the others are gathered and sets the basket in the middle. Little mini bubblie turnovers sprinkled with cinnamon. Once delivered she shifts to a seat behind Landers, staying on the edge of the circle of people, partially hidden by the sailor before her.

Thea has been here, wandering the fringes of the group, plate in hand, nibbling her fish with relish and obviously enjoying it despite the fact they've had rather a lot of it lately. It's likely the fire she's avoiding, after spending so much time on the Sands and in all that baking heat. She's been listening, though and chuckling at the story, otherwise keeps fairly quiet. At that last line, she outright grins and steps closer to be a part of the circle, quipping to no one in particular, "Does that make these riders…Fishlings then?"

"Nah," Lan starts between a sloppy chew of some of the chunks of fish he had stuffed in there, licking his lips afterward, finishing his answer as a few fish juices squish out from the corner of his lip, "She heard me talkin 'bout how I not be workin as hard as I war' on the ships. Tis good, keep me ready fer the ships." The fish oils are dabbed away with a swipe of a thumb, then licked clean. There is a jutting finger to Pyriel's own dish, "Ya not eating that? Why?" spoken with a dismayed pitch. A disapproving stare lingering on the plate, a pouty yearn if there ever was one written on this sailor's face, and he wasn't even finished his own dish. It disappears at the admission of the harper not having paid attention. Lan rolls his eyes toward Pyriel, a shake of his head given as he whispers, "Ya be telling me whar be in that thar mind of yers later, I reckon." Then there's Kiley's voice. He twists in his seat to regard her, listening to the instructions. Some thoughtful time passes before he leans forward, clearing his throat, "Here goes," a beat, "The weyrlings who ride fish found dem'selves in trouble, since one of 'dem be caught inta a fisher's net." There is a look for approval, hoping to find some with those who have been here longest.

Landers flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Karona

Karona takes a moment to struggle to regain her composure, she must not laugh, she must not laugh… Iessrien is a brat, laughter will only encourage him… she must not laugh… Iessrien's stare has her attempting to glare back, but the corners of her lips twitch upwards, and she looks away in irritation. Must not laugh. When the pin lands on her name, she nods. "Right… right. Fisher's net… Uh. The caught fish weyrling offered the fisherman a wish, as long as he freed it from the net."

Karona flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Thea

Thea is too busy listening to Lander's and Karona's story-additions to notice all the glare-glances going down between Candidates, though on her shoulders Shep chitters fussily in her ear, likely trying to dra her attention to it or something. He's absently fed a bit of fish while his mistress blinks at that pin stopped at… her? Oh no. Dark brows twitch as her brow pinches in thought, smoothes as inspiration strikes. Brightly, "This fisherman is far too happy to have caught a rare Fishling and his…fish and thus he turns the offer down with a scoffing denial." Thea tries her best to immitate a rough fisherman, hardly sounding like Landers, but hey. She tries, "'Nah, yer mine. Gonna put ya inna cage an' charge admission!' But as soon as these words are utters what should appear but a wrathful…. Fishlingmaster who…"

Thea flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to M'nol

Pyriel inclines his head to Landers, noting the arrival of both Thea and Briana when his eyes dart to their movement. In this, he seems to have missed the answer to the question he had queried just moments ago. Despite the momentary distraction, the harper candidate returns his attention to the former sailor, just in time to see all the fish juice stuff going on. "Ugh, that's nasty man." he says with another twisted expression of absolute disgust. Though at the next question he turns his chin upwards somewhat. "Never liked the things, personally. Have at it dude, ya seem to be enjoyin' yerself." With a wince, for whatever reason and another crinkle of his nose. He shrugs at the roll of Lander's eyes. "Ain't nothing all that interestin' actually. Jus' ain't must interested. Heard there was gunna be food, dun think it mentioned fish." He pauses and looks to be deep in thought, but ends up just shrugging again. "Can't remember if it was fish 'er not. Guess it dun matter though. How come we're in the same barracks and I ain't seen ya around?" Yes, he must of missed the earlier reply. He looks over to Kiley as she explains, actually seeming to get it now as he ah's and nods. "Well there ya go."

Lan isn't aware of what glares are being flashed back and forth, he is the essence of contented-obliviousness. He was also engorging in the fish that had been served, picking at the tender white meat around the sharp bones. What he does become aware of is Briana. He tilts his head back and sweeps out his arm to her, an invitation to sit on his lap if the seat next to him was unavailable, fish pushed forward so as not to offend her with its grease or oil. There's a good natured laugh for Pyriel's reaction to the fish, greedily drawing the harper's plate to sit beside his own. "Ah, ya dun know whar ya missing," a little loud. There's a bit of a rush to answer Pyriel, "Cause ya be hanging out with them other folks," the tone insulted, if playful. A wink later has him peering around at the others, then back to Bri, invitation still there. It was Thea's imitation, which earns a bark of rough laughter, grinning as he yaps over to her, "Ya be good at that. I reckon I be 'round to much, influencing ya." A beat, "Forgetting the 'arg' in thar though!"

Kiley peeks at Iessrien and smiles widely, "it's perfect." Comes the praise from the computer crafter as that smile becomes a grin. Her attention is drawn away from the holder as Briana arrives and her hand lifts to wave a greeting to the other candidate, "Briana." Comes her greeting for the other woman as she moves to hide behind the sailor, and then she is drawn over to Thea as she joins part of the circle and she nods politely to the Weyrwoman. "Ma'am." Comes another greeting from the computer crafter as her gaze shifts back to Landers, who has a turn at telling part of the story. When he comes to understand what he must do, the woman leans forward in anticipation for what the line will be, her lips curling into a grin. Laughter comes forward and she nods her approval for the line supplied by the sailor. "Perfect." Her gaze drifts from Landers to the pin to find where it lands, leading her gaze to lift to Thea as she stands as a part of the circle. Her smile grows wider and the woman shifts to turn to the Weyrwoman. She chuckles at the additions and then it comes to land upon herself. The woman nods, thoughtful, and then she continues: "A Fishlingmaster who had red eyes and sharp teeth and he threatened the man who caught the fishling with a giant… Fork." The scene on the beach is an interesting one, a fire burns dimly while people sit in a circle, some with plates of fish that have been touched and others have not, some appear to be missing their plates. Spots are open for others to join in and roasted fish is settled in those spots. In the center of the people, there is a board with a pin on it in which determines who will add in a line to the ongoing story.

Kiley flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Pyriel

Keziah wonders back down to the beach. Her hair is wet and her clothes are changed. She seems to be in a better mood than when she left. She glances around. My, lots of people. "Things have grown." she then blinks a little at the story now. Huh. She shakes her head some and finds an empty spot. "Darn, no fish left here." Pout. Greenie is hungry, no?

Briana blinks at Lander's 'invitation' and there is some hesitation before she scoots forward. Well not to sit on his lap but to settle in the small gap between him and another person. Good thing she is skinny. The dark skinned girl places her hands upon her lap and leans over to Landers, "So what is going on?" She whispers to him. She looks down as the pinwheel is spun again and looks almost witha measure of relief as it passes her by. When Keziah comments of no fish she nudges her basket towards her, "It ain't fish, but some small bubblies in there." She suggests to her before settling her hands upon her lap again.

Iessrien doesn't notice Briana's arrival, or the circling weyrwoman, though when Thea asks about 'Fishlings', even the holder boy starts to chuckle quietly. "Shells, this is one for the harpers," bemusement in his tone as he re-settles his hand across his knee, still leaning back on the other arm. But he does totally see the look on Karona's face, and he can't help the slight smirk which flickers across his own expression. Further additions to the story have him canting his head to the side slightly, and mumbling to no one in partcular, "Whatever happened to that farmer, anyway?" That's about where he'd lost the thread of the tale. Iessrien returns Kiley's smile, glancing over to nod a greeting to Briana when the other candidate greets her, and then coughs at the part about a fork to the whole crazy telling. "Man.. I wouldn't want to be that fisherman," his lips twitch again in wry amusement, lashes lowering to watch the spinny thing.

Dany walks along the beach barefoot, sandals dangling from her fingertips. She approaches the group quietly, sniffing at the air. "That fish smells amazing."

Karona shrugs slightly. "The farmer was ages back. Probably perished in the fire." Happy now, Iessrien? You killed him! Ahem. Her delivery is nowhere near so dramatic. "Fish weyrlings now, keep up, boy." she says, with a roll of her eyes. She stabs her own fish with a fork, and raises it to her mouth, if only to keep her lips from betraying her amusement.

Landers does squish over when Briana decides to fit herself in, dragging his plate back over to himself, shifting Pyriel's offered plate to Briana without a word. Share and share alike. The man rumbles a little, "Story telling. Each person that thing names, gives another line to the story." That seems the easiest, spoken just before he fills his mouth with another solid bite of fish. A sailor who didn't like fish was a deadman.

Keziah ohs as the basket is nudged her way "Bubblies. You are now my new favorite person." she says with a smile and then a shrug at Iess "He probably left the Weyr and the smell and shacked up with that greenie." Yeah, she'll take the story in a different tangent and all that good stuff. There's a blink. Fishing for weyrlings or what. "Huh?"

Pyriel makes a face, shaking his head, "I know exactly what I'm missin', that's why I gave ya the plate." he tells Landers, chin lifting a bit higher in defiance against the laugh given even if in retrospect. Rolling just one shoulder in a dismissive fashion, his brows lift at explanation as to why he hadn't seen Landers around as of late. A sudden flush colors him red, eyes darting off somewhere over the lake. He does not offer an explanation of his own. Instead, he clears his throat, gaze lifting the sky again. There it remains for quite some time, and in that span his face returns to a state of cold induced blush. "Ya could just start hangin' with us too, man. Just sayin'" he replies, letting his gaze lower to the man's face. A glance is spared to Dany as she arrives, admiring the fish. Py's nose is wrinkled. Then he freezes, looking about and noticing that some of those gathered were looking at him expectantly. He blinks several times before seeking out the spinning pin and again, shoulders slump. "Serious?" he groans, running a hand over his face. "Uh…" he considers, brows creased towards the middle of his forehead and teeth crushing down upon the flesh of his bottom lip. "The fisherman laughs at the fishlingmaster taking out an equally large spatula and says 'hahahaha, I challenge ya then to a duel. The winner gets to take the fishling home.'" he offers after a depressingly long time, quickly looking elsewhere even as his cheeks darken. "There, that it." He awkwardly reaches out and spin the pin there after, not even bothering to see the result. The lake had his attention again, his chin drifting to the palm of his hand with his arm resting on the back of his chair.

Pyriel flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Briana

Keziah blinks a moment at Dany "Oh, the farmer shacked up with the greenie but both perished in the field of flaming weyrling manure." she notes and then nods to Briana "She brought the bubblies, you'll have to ask her, but the fish is for those who are participating. " she notes around bites of bubbly "So sit down and eat." She glances over at Py and then shakes her head, oh yes, the story is so odd.

Kiley looks to Keziah as she joins them once more, lifting a hand in greeting and smiling cheerfully. "Welcome back, ma'am." When Briana does not return her greeting the woman gives her a careful look, but then says nothing and looking to candidate beside her with a grin. "I really don't know, he disappeared after the fire." Iessrien returns her smile and she nods once before glancing away to consider the pin and then to Pyriel who now must tell the story. "I really do feel sorry for him, but he wouldn't let the fishling go." However Karona's theory to the farmer has her considering the other candidate before nodding slowly in a sort of agreement to the woman's theory. Dany's arrival is given a nod from the candidate but she is drawn back to hearing the rest of the story as Pyriel begins to speak. Her hands come to cup her chin and she nods along with the story and laughing along. The pin is spun and she glances towards it before her eyes come to settle on Briana to hear what the other has to say in addition to the story.

Iessrien spares a brief, sidelong glance at Karona, tossing back just as rudely, "There's a fisherman in it now. Keep up, woman." His own lips twitch with amusement, the holder boy tilting his head to Keziah, "..Think I like your version better." Smirk. Who /wouldn't/ want to shack up with a bucket-stealing greenrider? Cough. Pondwater-blue eyes drift toward the bubblies, then idly toward Briana and Landers, but it's Pyriel and the addition to the story which has him staring the harper's way. Lashes lower slightly, considering the other candidate somewhat, only to be distracted at Keziah's further elaboration. Iess wrinkles his nose, giving a soft snort at the unfortunate fate of the couple. "If he were smart, he'd have cut and run," is commented to Kiley absently, though already amusement is fading, Iess shifting where he's seated in the sand and letting his knees sink somewhat till he's sitting rather hunched-over with chin resting upon crossed arms, eyes half-lidded.

Briana nods to Landers as he explains the game, looking intently to those that are telling the stories. When someone asks about the bubblies she looks over to Dany, "Oh they are for anyone, made them for tonight. Sorta my craft project for the day, so tell me how they taste." She says with a bit of a shy smile. As the plate of fish is set her way she looks up to Landers, then Pyriel and nods slightly, "Thanks…been cooking and not eating anything but pastry." She says and settles the plate upon her lap to start eating some fish…just in time for the spinwheel to point HER way. Now with a mouth full of food. Her dark skin darkens a bit more with embaressment as she quickly chews and swallows down the food. "Oh…ok..um." She starts and gives a little cough. She gets a thoughtful look upon her features for a moment. "Um the Fisherman agrees to the duel and raises his..Fork to attack the fishlingmaster." She pauses for a moment before continuing on, her gaze turned to the fire. "The pair strike their oversized kitchen implements together, stirring the sand about them like tossed up flour. The fishlingmaster strikes the Fisherman upon the face and leaves a spatula imprint upon his cheek. The fisherman attacks the Master and spears his leg. It is a long and messy duel. It is then the Fishling rises from the sand with a SPOON in hand and joins in the fight!" Her eyes are bright by the end of the telling before she looks around and darkens again, nearly hiding her face behind Landers arm with embaressment.

Dany listens raptly to Pyriel, blinking a few times at Keziah's tragic summary. "Weyrling… ewww." She then gracefully kneels down, gazing up at the sky thoughtfully as she smoothes her skirt. "I really hope this isn't a *true* story." Is she joking? Hard to tell. "What a horrible way to go."

The retort from Pyriel has Landers reconsidering the subject matter, from the tilt of his chin to the twitch of his lips. Then a response, "Aye. I reckon I could do that. Jus didn't know I could, being the 'old' guy." There is a characteristic side-crooked grin that crinkles the sides of his eyes into faint crows-feet. There is unbridled amusement showing on his features as the story continues to evolve around him, the man slurping up the rest of his own fish down to the bone, save for a head and tail that remains on the plate. A brown firelizard is quick to appear out of thin air to take the haul of discarded fish away from the sailor, leaping down into the sand beneath the man's feet, where it gorges just like the sailor himself on the remains. Lan leans back after a time, settling his forearm lazily on the surface of the table as his attention drifts between those telling the story, turning from Pyriel to Briana, caught in a chuckle or two for the outcome of it. His hand reaches out to pat that of Briana's after her given tale, nodding lightly, "Ya did good. I only did one wee little line."

Karona snorts at Iessrien, though it seems she's straightened out her face, as she lowers the fish back to her plate, still uneaten. "Dueling now?" she says, shaking her head slightly. She no longer recalls who first mentioned dueling, so her gaze falls to her untouched fish, instead. "Mm. Interesting." she murmurs. "How the story unfolds. I'm going to have to tell my father about this, he'd love it." she says, with a fond smile.

Briana flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Iessrien

Pyriel pffts at Landers, rolling his eyes over at the man before they settle on him. "Ya ain't that old. Shells, I think Karona is older than ya and she's included." he says, keeping his voice low as not to carry much past the former sailor and Briana. With a flick of golden eyes, he bobs his head to the dark-skinned girl sitting behind Lan, but doesn't give her any verbal response. Chuckles aside from the seafarer, he allows his gaze to wander back to those around the spinpin. He misses the fact that Iessrien's eyes rest on him for time, his attention gathering on Kiley for a heartbeat before it's off again. No matter who's garners one of his fleeting glances in their direction, does not have it for long. Instead, it wanders back to the lake to resume his previous position.

Kiley listens to Keziah's version of what happened to the farmer and blinks once as her cheeks color. A soft cough follows before she eyes Iessrien and Karona for their words for on another but certainly not getting in the middle of it all. Her lips curl into an idle smile towards Iessrien nonetheless and nodding to his assessment as well. "Right, but.. I don't think he was too smart. He wanted to use dragon dung." The crafter points out with a soft chuckle of amusement, brows lifting once the other candidate as he partially closes his eyes. She doesn't question, leaving it at that as the goes on and she considers the next teller of the story. Her chuckles continue but she pipes up, "everyone only gets one line in the story, but I like that. We should keep it with that." The computer crafter grins a little wider but fading as Dany takes off. The unknown woman is given a brief wave of farewell. Her gaze drifts back towards Karona and she nods. "It is fun, all the different parts everyone adds, everyone makes it head somewhere different." The smile continues to play at her lips as her eyes shift to Pyriel, then to the pin and up to Iessrien as it settles upon him.

Iessrien might be back to ignoring Karona yet again, but his lips twitch at that snort all the same. His nose wrinkles as the story continues, though then the pin points to him, he straightens somewhat. "Man, again.." it's almost a complaint, eyes flicking to Kiley and then away, lips pressing into a brief line. "Well, I guess he must have been pretty stupid then.." pausing before clearing his throat and tossing in his own story addition, "You know what? The farmer doesn't die, but instead.. instead /does/ shack up with the greenrider and gets his bucket of fish back," a pause, "which he uses to.. to.. jump into the duel and beat everyone else senseless." Hmph. And his chin drops right back onto his arms again.

Iessrien flicks the pin upon the board. The pin spins around.

Please wait…

The pin comes to a stop and points to Kiley

Karona is old candidate, yes. Probably not /the/ oldest, but old enough that this will probably be her last chance to impress - definitely older than any of the male candidates, with the differing age ranges. Luckily, she doesn't overhear Pyriel. Kiley gets a nod. "My father is a harper. The stories he used to tell us…" she shakes her head slightly, "I admit… I'm mostly borrowing from those, when it's my turn." Suuure she is. Bedtime in her childhood must have been… interesting. People turning into eggs, fish granting wishes, madness.

Keziah nods a bit "Well anyone who wants weyrling dung for fields isn't the brightest glow in the basket." Then there's a pause and a wild cackle "That is just too funny. Beating people with his fish. What a hoot" She snorts and then grins at Karona "His stories were nothing like this I'm sure." Oh my this story takes the cake.

"We don't usually talk such nonsense," Thea assures Dany with a small grin, her chinlift to Landers acknowledges his comment to her. "Oh, well but I thought 'arg' was for pirates." She gives him a look of feigned alarm mingled with horrified suspicion, her face clearly reads as though the thought occurred to her that he might possibly be an undercover pirate, before she loses it and just snickers quietly. She falls silent then, just listening to the others tell the story for a time. It's not long before something draws her attention away though and with a murmured apology to those nearest her, she slips away into the night heading for the direction of the Hatching Arena.

Lan doesn't have any chuckles for Pyriel right after that one retort in regards to Karona. Instead the man's jaw flexes with restrained frustration, something that disappears when his gaze removes itself from Pyriel. It appeared the topic was off the table. Rather than argue, he reaches for one of Briana's bubblies, sliding one over with a subsequent examine given it, the bubbly spun in his hand before he mows down. It would be about the time that Iessrien has to add to the story again that the other candidate finally registers on Lan's conscious scope. There is a studious gaze found between the scrumptious bites of bubbly, smirking lightly around the filling to the addition and systematic conclusion of the story. As it seemed. Yet the other lad certainly holds no candle to the Weyrwoman and her response. His chin lifts, directing his dawn-blue eyes toward Thea again, "Nah. Pirates stole it." There is a side swing of his head and a rousing of his shoulders upwards to that look she gives, "Reckon they steal whar they can. Like… ships." He's heard the rumors from up north if no one else has. A side note to Briana when Thea slips away, hoisting the bubbly up, "Be good. Ya make it then?"

Kiley laughs as Iessrien agrees on the stupidity of their farmer Bob, nodding along with this. But then the story changes as the farmer makes a return, laughing softly as he continues to speak and growing louder as he finishes his line. Her hands lift to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter as the pin returns to her. Deep breaths are drawn in and then come to a release though the laughter does not come to a complete stop yet. It takes Karona speaking to sober her up enough to respond to the other candidate's statement. "Right. You mentioned him.. They must've been interesting stories." Delight lingers in her gaze before Thea is taking off. A nod in farewell is given and she smiles, watching the woman depart for just a moment before returning to the pin wheel. It takes another moment and she finally adds in another part to the story. "The farmer's fish bucket managed to knock out both the fisherman and Fishlingmaster, effectively saving the fishling from peril and the fishling was so thankful. The farmer was rewarded, The end?" The woman considers the group, questioning for the end of the story and looking for approval.

Karona shakes her head slightly at Keziah. "Not usually, no. His stories were more… more linear." she settles on. "Though I think this way more fun, myself." she decides. Kiley's words get a nod. "Sounds like a fitting end to me." she says, with a tip of her head. In short, she's out of ideas? Quite probably. The smith candidate doesn't seem in any great hurry to go anywhere, though. She hasn't finished her fish yet! Well, she hasn't even /started/ her fish yet.

Iessrien smirks just a little, protesting lightly at Keziah's cackling, "Hmh.. getting hit by a dead fish can /hurt/." Cue some slight throat-clearing. Karona just receives an odd look for her apparent bedtime stories, though Iess doesn't comment on it; his expression says it all, really. Eyes drift away to incline his head to the departing weyrwoman, and then return to the other candidates, Landers' gaze on him in particular earning a narrow look in return from the holder boy. It just as quickly flicks away, back to Kiley and her latest addition to the tale. "Sounds like a good ending to me," he offers with a wry chuckle, shifting to stretch slightly and loosen muscles which may have gotten stiff while he's been sitting there.

Keziah shrugs abit "Sounds good to me." she notes with a grins. She then nods "Getting hit with any kinda meat can be quite unpleasant" she adds and then stretches and snatches a couple more bubbllies. It ain't meat, but it's food."

Briana nods to Lan as he asks about her bubblies and nods, "That I did…" She says, though she is looking very tired. After sevendays of half sleeplness nights it is a day of runners, a warm fire and surrounded by fellow candidates that finally does the poor girl in and its not long before she is asleep against Lander's side, her face relaxed and contented for perhaps the first time.

A casual glance over at Landers, and Pyriel blinks when he sees the former sailor's expression. "What I do?" he asks, but then the man is looking away to Briana. Golden eyes dart between the two before shoulders sag and he sighs somewhat. When Kiley announces the end of the tale, Py get a look of relief, glancing over with his countenance reflecting that gratefulness. He pushes himself up to his feet then, stretching out with arms above his head and then yanks down his winter jacket and shirt. He eyes the bubblies dubiously, a thoughtful expression crossing his features before he heads over to grab himself a few. Just two, despite the shifting of the look as he comes upon them from doubtful to greedy. He wanders off from the grouping though, once he has his treats and drops down in front of the fire. Even if it was kinda dying out already, he gets close, a shiver following the action. If he can hear any tidbits of the conversation from the people behind, he makes no indication of it, quietly nibbling on his bubbly.

Kiley nods for the approvals given to the end of the tale, smiling brighter. "Wonderful. That was fun." The woman pushes up to her feet and begins to gather the plates that are emptied of food and a few other gather the plates that still may have some fish left to store for later. The scene begins to wind down and grows quiet. Those lingering are free to talk, however, as the fire's glow dims.


The Story

"Uh.. there was a man from some hold called Nantucket.. who, er, had a bucket. In the bucket he had with him a whole mass of fish that he was aimin' to use to fertilize his crops. He started back from the ocean with a bucketful of fish, but was waylaid by a.. stampeding herdbeast. The stampeding herdbeast was running full out because it was being chased by a hungry green intent on scarfing the poor beast down. The green was proddy, glowing brightly in the night."

"Uhhh… just then… I dunno… the green's rider leapt out, and stole the farmer's bucket. Taking off with the bucket, the farmer was left standing there in surprise, even as the green lifted off with the herdbeast. Bucketless farmer ..Bob decided to be smart and go buy some manure. As the flight went on overhead, bob made his way to the beast crafter's den to find the best manure marks can buy. But Bob could not by manure because a fight had broken out and the floor was covered with all the merchandise, making him unable to purchase."

"So Bob went to ask the weyrlingmasters if there was any, uh, weyrling manure. Bob met up with Not_Bob, one of the assistant weyrlingmasters who then instructed several of said weyrlings to haul their dragons manure that they had just cleaned up, off to the fields to be spread out. The smell of the dragon dung in the field became so intense that many began to get sick in the Weyr, but the plants seemed to grow faster."

"Then someone lit it on fire."

"And the fumes began to enter the Weyr, causing everyone to act differently. Though people acted oddly with all the funes, what really got peoples attentions is that the candidates started disappearing mysteriously. But, where the candidates used to be, were now eggs. Eggs of all kinds - dragon, firelizard, wherry. Uh.. then the eggs hatched.. into.. weyrlings who.. uh, rode fish."

"The weyrlings who ride fish found dem'selves in trouble, since one of 'dem be caught inta a fisher's net. The caught fish weyrling offered the fisherman a wish, as long as he freed it from the net. This fisherman is far too happy to have caught a rare Fishling and his…fish and thus he turns the offer down with a scoffing denial. 'Nah, yer mine. Gonna put ya inna cage an' charge admission!' But as soon as these words are utters what should appear but a wrathful…. Fishlingmaster who… A Fishlingmaster who had red eyes and sharp teeth and he threatened the man who caught the fishling with a giant… Fork."

"The fisherman laughs at the fishlingmaster taking out an equally large spatula and says 'hahahaha, I challenge ya then to a duel. The winner gets to take the fishling home.' Um the Fisherman agrees to the duel and raises his..Fork to attack the fishlingmaster. The pair strike their oversized kitchen implements together, stirring the sand about them like tossed up flour. The fishlingmaster strikes the Fisherman upon the face and leaves a spatula imprint upon his cheek. The fisherman attacks the Master and spears his leg. It is a long and messy duel. It is then the Fishling rises from the sand with a SPOON in hand and joins in the fight!"

"You know what? The farmer doesn't die, but instead.. instead /does/ shack up with the greenrider and gets his bucket of fish back," a pause, "which he uses to.. to.. jump into the duel and beat everyone else senseless. The farmer's fish bucket managed to knock out both the fisherman and Fishlingmaster, effectively saving the fishling from peril and the fishling was so thankful. The farmer was rewarded, The end?"

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