Winning isn't everything.
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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.

Exits lead off in all directions, a big archway the largest and that leading outside. Shallow stairs to the west lead to the offices and administration area while tunnels to the east lead to the infirmary, kitchen and resident's quarters. Southwards, a sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs.


The afternoon shower has passed, but a few still keep inside for now, at least til the sloshy puddles drain. Kera is one of those lingering about, a fruit plate on the table by her looks to have been picked over some. A notebook on the table in front of her, one hand scribbling a pen across the paper, the other reaching for a sliver of orange fruit. Her lizards are perched close, Polgara on the side of the table and Minimur up on the mantle, well oiled and stuffed bellies. Every so often, Kera peeks up from her letter writing to nod and murmur a greeting to someone passing nearby then goes back to scribbling away.

Innes makes her way slowly into the caverns from the offices, completely ignoring the world around her as her gaze scans down the list she cradles in her arms. Did it rain? Chances are she missed that, as she's been holed up in the office most of the day. Whether or not she's actually getting work done is another question, but at the very least it seems as though she's quite busy. She finally glances up when her singularly focused attention nearly causes her to bump into a fellow rider. He gets a narrowed gaze in response, but she doesn't immediately return to her list. Instead, she glances around the caverns, her gaze settling on Kera. At last! An excuse not to work. With a cheerful smile, the goldrider makes her way over to her friend, dumping both her list and the small stack of papers that sits beneath it onto the table with a thud. "Kera! How are you?"

Kera glances over to the stack of papers that suddenly thunk onto the table, then up when Innes greets her suddenly. Flashing her friend a grin, she nods "Hi Innes. I'm doin well. Just getting a couple of things jotted down." Shrugging that off, she cants her head towards the goldrider "How've you and Kairo been?" The five month old queen lizard churls softly as she eyes the fluttering corners of the pages that were tossed down. Kera glances towards the young gold, eyes following her lizard's gaze, then smirking. "Oh no you don't Polgara." Distracting with a few gentle scritches, Minimur chitters a greeting to Innes before Kera gestures to the table, inviting her fiend to sit even if she's already planning on doing so. "Help yourself to some of this fruit plate."

Innes is practically already seated by the time Kera's invitation is extended, and so she merely shrugs and drops down the rest of the way heavily. "We're good. I'm keeping busy, and she's a handful." So, business as usual, really. A glance goes toward the gold firelizard, and she gives the creature a challenging look. That's right. Don't even think about touching her list(s). Nothing good will come of it. "So, how about you and Mon? Keeping busy? Doing all of your duties and more?" This may or may not be a trick question. Her nose wrinkles at the mention of fruit, and she's quick to mutter an, "Ick, fruit." However, only seconds later she's reaching to snag a piece for herself.

Kera grins and diverts the young lizard's attention with scritches and rubs, pausing only to pull her satchel back out of the way and make more room on the table. An amused eyeroll at the mention of Kairo being a 'handful'. "Bit of an understatement isn't it?" With an agreeable nod "Been trying too. Shifts alternate between the Infirmary here, and the Hall. And Moncerath was eager to go up against the Fort dragon in their recent games. We weren't eliminated from events too early. So I think we showed well for Xanadu overall." Kera chuckles at her friend's reaction to the fruit plate and tears a bite off her slice. "S'not that bad, really."

Innes' eyes widen with feigned shock. Or is that outrage? While the emotion itself may be unclear, she makes no attempts to hide the fact that it's entirely false. "Understatement? I don't know what you're talking about." Her voice is raised in pitch, and she presses a hand to her heart to underscore just how 'upset' she is by this comment. And then the entire act drops only moments later as Kera talks about what she's been up to lately. "Well, congratulations to you, then." Innes was probably too busy being a hermit to attend. At least someone showed up. She takes a bite of the peace she stole, speaking around a mouthful as she says, "I know, I know. What're you doing right now?"

Kera finishes her strip of orange fruit, sending an amused look to Innes as she pretend to be offended at her comment. Wiping the sticky fruit juice from her fingers, shoulders shrug gently "Not really sure congratulations are in order. Unless there were some eliminations I've not heard about, we didn't bring anything back for Xanadu.." Kera eyes begin to seem amused as she watches the other woman. "Orrrr, are you congratulating me for not embarrassing Xanadu?" Brows lift curiously before relaxing into her normal cheery grin. "Right now, I'm working on a few letters to some people here and there." Reaching for another slice of fruit. "How about you? Decided on a new location to read your reports?" A quick gaze flickers to the stack of papers previously thunked down on the table.

"Winning isn't everything," Innes declares loudly, causing a young woman at a nearby table to glance up in confusion. The goldrider promptly waves her attention away with a shooing motion. "I'm congratulating you for not being eliminated too early. And not embarrassing us. Really, an excellent job all around." See how supportive she is? She stuffs the last of the piece of fruit into her mouth and chews quickly as she reaches for another. "Letters? You're so thoughtful." She almost manages to say it without sarcasm. Letters? Bah. "I'm looking for a new anywhere to do anything," she admits as she follows Kera's glance down to her papers with a dismayed expression. Work is the worst.

Kera looks to the table across the way as Innes's declaration startles someone nearby. A quick apologetic nod is tipped towards the other table before peering back to Innes, a hint of a smirk at her friend's sorta compliments over her efforts during the Fortian games. Doubting her friend really wants to talk about the letters she is writing, her attention goes towards what the other woman is working on. "A change in scenery does help to clear the head sometimes." The greenrider offers a little smile as she observes her friend a moment before speaking up again. "I know that you take good care of Kairo. But, how about yourself Nessi? Not staying locked away in a stuffy office all day, every day are you."

Innes shoots Kera a mildly annoyed look at the apologetic nod. She's a Jr. Weyrwoman! No one needs to apologize for what she does, unless it involves blowing up the Weyr. Even then, it's on her head. She lifts her shoulders in a slight shrug as she stares down at the list in front of her. This particular one happens to be a list of her duties so she doesn't forget. Even though it's been some time since they graduated, she still feels fuzzy on the details. "I'm not staying locked up in a stuffy office, no," she says with a bit of a wry laugh. "I avoid being in there as much as I can. A lot of the time I'm locked up at home. Or somewhere outdoors away from everyone else." As much as work allows it, at least. "And look, I'm eating fruit, so I must be taking care of myself."

Kera does indeed see that Innes is eating fruit and nods. "Yea, that's one reason why I'm wondering if you are alright. I can't remember seeing you eat fruit willingly before." A little smile to the gold rider. "You're always welcome to visit at the cottage. If you wanted somewhere really different. I've got that creepy cellar you know. Complete with scary shadows and scratching noises." She's joking of course, but Innes would have to come visit to know for sure.

"I eat fruit," Innes insists indignantly. Following those words, she promptly stuffs two more pieces into her mouth to prove her point. Having a mouthful of fruit may be low on dignity, but at least she… wins? Whatever it may mean, she seems satisfied with the result, and works on awkwardly chewing the excess fruit as Kera describes her cottage. "Sounds like it'd be a good time," she says when she's finally able to swallow. "I like scary. I've got a deadly stream. It nearly swept Ka'el away." That's… barely even close to the truth.

Kera grins, holding up her hands as if to concede to what her friend is saying about fruit, nodding to the point as well. Shifting around at the table, she slouches towards Polgara, hand reaching to pet the young gold along her neck or chin as she chats. Hearing about this deadly stream perks her interest. "Oh? What happen?" Frowning as her mind fills in all sorts of water mishap imaginable. "Have you gotten workmen to tame the stream for you?"

Innes smirks with pride at her apparent victory when it comes to matters of fruit. Kera's question is met with a nonchalant shrug. "Oh, you know. He tried to leap across and very nearly didn't make it. We could have lost a Weyrleader." Which is an… incredibly extreme exaggeration. The stream outside her home is small enough for most people to leap over without issue. But still, she's trying to play up the drama for entertainment's sake. "I wouldn't want workmen to risk their lives like that."

Kera soon catches on that it wasn't /that/ dangerous of a situation and stifles a little giggle at what can only be exaggeration over Ka'el nearly being lost. Trying for a more serious expression, she clears her throat gently with a nod "I can see not wanting to throw away workman needlessly. Perhaps recruit for volunteers. Make sure they know how to swim before taking on the sneaky undertow and currents around your weyr." Kera grins across to her friend and does give in to a little chuckle.

"Kera!" Innes exclaims with a hand over her heart. "Are you suggesting that I allow innocent, unsuspecting people to help me in taming the stream and hope their swimming ability is enough to save them?" She cants her head, staring off at some unknown point in the distance for a moment before nodding decisively. "It's devious and destructive. I love it!" She perhaps looks a little too delighted with the idea. But who's surprised?

Kera feigns innocence to Innes and plays along "Well if you are that concerned with misplacing workmen, you could tie a rope around them before they make the attempt." Pretending to give it a little more thought, she snaps her fingers as if getting a brilliant idea. "How about arranging for a dolphin team? They could guide people across. For a small fee that is." Innes could split the marks with the dolphineer however she saw fit to. Catching the look in her friend's eye, she pauses. "Whenever you have that look, something…messy always follows."

Innes evidently isn't so concerned with misplacing anyone, because she waves Kera's first suggestion away with a flick of her hand. The second, however, is met with consternation. "Why would I want to arrange to guide people across? Even for a small fee. It does a good job of keeping all but the most determined out." She smiles sweetly, attempting to project some kind of innocence, although chances are she's entirely incapable of that. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kera raises a surprised brow at Innes, fighting the outright snicker stuck somewhere in her throat. Losing the battle, a snigger slips out and she lowers her head, trying to stifle her amusement some. Minimur flaps down from the mantle and chitters inquisitively. Kera absentmindedly starts petting and soothing both her lizards, still eyeing the goldrider speculatively before simply shaking her head and smirking "Remind me never to get on your bad side Nessi."



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