Xanadu Weyr - The Firelizard Theatre
There are many different things to look at here. In the northern part of this field lies a massive fort made out of wood. About 10 feet to the right of the fort, there are wooden sit-toys carved in the likeness of dragons and even painted as such. In the middle of the field are two sets of swings suspended from a wooden beam, held up by two wooden beams on either side. To the left of the swings is a 5 by 6 rectangular box filled not quite to the top with sand from Xanadu Weyr's Beach. To the right of the swings are monkey bars, completely crafted out of wood. In front of you are two seesaws, both made out of wood. Finally, to your near left are two benches underneath a large Lemosian Ironwood tree. You find yourself standing in the Courtyard of The Firelizard.
It's a dark night, though the moons may be full and both up, the thick cloud cover obscures all light from them. A cool breeze blows, causing the swings rope to creak against the wwod. Even the seesaws are seeing some movement. And on this dark forboding night, when most people are asleep or at least staying in where it's warm and they can see is one Keziah. She is currently perched up on top of the monkey bars, her legs hanging down as she swings them back and forth.
In the dark are four pinpricks of light, whirling slightly. It is slowly that they resolve themselves into the form of a bronze and a blue, bobbing lightly through the night. Through the night, M'nol's voice emerges softly, "Makes you think about kids, doesn't it Kez? All the things going up and down like that?"
Silence greets M'nol. For a few seconds at least. "They pretty much are kids." she finally says as she glances towards the direction of firelizard eyes. "So, what brings you out?" she asks after a moment. "Not some other emergency is there?" she sighs a little as she shifts, getting ready to jump down if need be.
M'nol sighs gently, then shakes his head, "We would get the problem class, wouldn't we?" He closes the distance, leaning his compact frame against the monkey bars as well, his eyes still on the teetering totters, "I think they're good kids, though. Just… shards, I don't know. /Them/, I guess. Ari and I are trying, you know?" The last is definitely an odd transition.
Keziah shrugs a little "I suppose. But then I'm sure every class has it's own quirks and all. I mean look at your dragon. He wasn't much for authority either was he?" She frowns a little and shrugs "Though all in all I don't think they're all that bad, and V'dim said I handled the situation well and saw no reason for me to quit." she snorts a bit. "Basically his little cheek twitch and he told me to get back to work. If only that was the worst of my problems though."
M'nol chuckles lightly, "No, but I was, so we evened out okay. Most of the pairs this class are bad on both side. Or too hard on themselves, like Ers and his brown." He cranes his head to glance up at Kezi more fully, "Of course you did fine. You wouldn't be assistanting if V'dim didn't trust you and he wouldn't undermine your authority by saying you did bad. Which you didn't. This is definitely a class of strong personalities. But what's bothering you?"
There is silence again, long enough where it's obvious Kezi's not going to be exactly forthcoming about anything. Though she does finally come up with an answer "Mirai's discovered the opposite sex." she notes after a moment "Not sure I can handle that, but what can you really do. They grow up on you after all." she snorts a bit. "Well, as for V'dim, he wouldn't in front of the weyrlings, but away from them he told me I did good. I still think I could have handled that situation better." She shrugs a little/
The corner of M'nol's mouth twitches, "Well tha- wait… she's still pretty young, isn't she?" The sense of mirth fades quickly to a furrowed brow of concern, "They do grow up fast, yeah… who? If you don't mind me asking."
There is a definate muttering coming from on high there "Ers'lan, of all people." she snorts. "She's had her eyes on him ever since she saw him on the hatching grounds. It's Ers'lan this and Ers'lan that and oh my sweet Faranth!" she grunts a bit and sighs "Though I suppose at least now it's gone onto hero worship and all, but the girl gave him a cheek on the kiss no less!" A pause and another sigh. "A kiss on the cheek."
M'nol chuckles gently, though it lacks the mirth of honesty in it, "She's what? Eleven? Twelve? It'll pass. A lot of girls get crushes on older guys who're unattainable. I know my sisters did. I wouldn't worry unless he seems to return the affection." For more reasons than one, though he doesn't say it, "You're just being a mom. It's kind of cute, really."
Again with the silence, and then "Cute? CUTE?!" she snorts and glares off in M'nols direction. "Hmmph. And as for returning it. He thinks she's sweet. A cute kid an all." she grumps a little more. "I know it'll pass, but dang it! Why him of all people?!" she mutters some more under her breath.
M'nol nods slightly, the smirk honest now, "Cute. It's a side of you I haven't gotten to see often. But you want to know what I really think?" He shifts a little, leaning his arms against the ladder bars to look up at her, "She likes him because she knows you like him, and she wants to be like you. And you could do far worse, if you were looking for a mate, than a man who's already fond of your child."
Now there's deadly silence followed by a thud as Keziah jumps down and then stalks over to M'nol "Excuse me?!" she exclaims. I ain't lookin' for a mate, and I do not like him! He's the most infuriating boy I've yet to meet!" she glares at M'nol. If looks could kill… "And cute my bloody foot. Honestly, how could you even think I'd like that arrogant and infuriating person who is also so filled with ennui and whining about his situation!" Hmmph. She turns and stalks away, heading towards the fort.
M'nol rolls his eyes gently, not even slightly perturbed by Kezi's 'attack', "Okay. More accurately, you liked him a little before he impressed. His current whining not withstanding. And it at least /was/ painfully obvious he liked you. Now he's got this dragon keeps bossing him around worse'n V'dim. Who knows." Mirai is forgotten. At least he's gotten her head off of that.
Stopping dead in her tracks Kezi slowly turns around "What?" she gives her head a shake "What did you say?" she asks softly. Seems the poor girl didn't exactly hear things right. "Umm. No, wait. Never mind. I don't want to know." She turns again and instead of stalking, she seems to be almost fleeing. That is until she hits a root and goes flailing instead. Thud.
M'nol just boggles at Kezi as she continues to rail against his statements. Some women, jeeze. "I said he's got a crush on you. It's not a-" He clamps his mouth shut as she declares her disinterest and starts to stomp away. When she faceplants, he's still a moment, not really seeing in the dark, then he takes a step towards her, "Kez? Was that thump you?"
"No, it was a figment of your imagination." She snaps and blows out a breath. "Well, crush or no crush. It's impossible. Wouldn't work out. Nope. Not a chance. Can't do it anyways." She gets up and brushes herself off and then finishes her way to the fort and slumps against the sides and puts her head on her knees. "The stress is killing me. I swear." she murmurs in a muffled voice.
M'nol shakes his head again, "What's it matter to you if /he/'s got a crush? These things happen. You're a good, strong woman, after all. Of course the guys looking for more'n a pretty face like you. Whether or not it works, well, that's between you two and you seem to think no." He shrugs easily, "No skin off my nose." He frowns, dropping the joking ease quickly, "Shards, Kez. Despite the time away, you're still my friend and if there's anything I can do, just let me know."
"Whats it matter?!" she snaps "How can you even ask that?" She eyes M'nol "Honestly. It's bad enough with Pol calling me hot in the middle of the lesson and then P'rel agreeing and now this? I can't have the whole class lusting after me!" Well not the whole class, Brie wouldn't be lusting after her. "It's bad for moral and all that other stuff. Honestly." Okay so maybe it's more than that, but that's her word and she's sticking too it.
"So make 'em knock it off." Morl's words are even and sincere. He has no doubt she could, "That first night I had to bodily pull Ers'lan off of Pol. Well… I probably didn't /have/ to, but it seemed the best course of action. But you can't stop 'em from looking, Kez. They're teenaged boys. Well, except Ers."
M'nol snorts softly, "They're all a bunch of brats. And Farry's strutting like he's some sort of master searcher since his two got bronze and gold. Never thought there'd be something more insufferable than his gold obsession." He pauses a moment, then, "A turn or two officiall… since 8 or 9 months after she graduated unofficially… we've both had… unpleasant endings to weyrmatings due to moving too fast, so we wanted to be cautious. No littles on the way so far, but we're hoping. Some folks it takes more time than others, or so the healers tell me."
Keziah hmmphs "He's just hopin that his searchin will get him an in when she flies I'm sure." she can't help but snicker. She makes no more mention on the weyrlings and just nod "It does at that, and what with betweenin' and all." she shrugs a little "It does wreck havoc on the system." she says, almost a little saddly.
M'nol chuckles and nods, "Likely. Though at least he's not flirting with Sahazyth yet. That'd be a little creepy." His frown lingers though, "It does, but she really loves her work. Have you… I mean, you can request a low-/between/ schedule. Not that working with the weyrlings isn't a low-between load, really."
Keziah twitches just a little "Well, this a little late for the last umm well." hmm awkward here for her. "Infrequent umm yeah well. Never mind that. So, what are you hoping for first though? A boy or a girl?" she asks after a moment.
M'nol chuckles softly, "Of course." One hand comes up to stroke first Bloodstone and then Agate, "I don't rightly care. I just…" he motions around to the playground, "I know she wants one and I think Farry's lust for a clutch is infecting me. Or maybe I'm just growing up." He shrugs, "Don't really know other than that I think maybe I'm ready."
Keziah shakes her head a bit "You can have that clutch daddy stuff. I can't imagine sitting on the hot sands with a broody queen and just dying of dehydration and slowly baking my brains. I don't have enough of those to spare."
M'nol chuckles softly, "And I do? I mean, really. Think about some of what I've gotten into. But, at least clutch sires can vacate more easily when the heat gets to be too much."
Keziah laughs "Yeah, Farry might let you leave. Course, who knows if the gold will let Farry leave." she snorts a bit "That could be fun. I could sit in the galleries and wave ta ya while drinkin' somethin tall and cool." She grins evilly. "That would be fun."
M'nol snorts darkly, "Farry wouldn't let himself leave. She'd have to chase him off." He smirks at the older greenrider, then sticks out his tongue, "I'd send Bloodstone to tip it if you were mean."
Keziah laughs. "Me? Mean? Never. And besides. What's wrong with getting somethin cool to drink? The galleries get warm too after all." she snerks a bit and then hmms. "Think we're gonna get a late snow storm at all or maybe just some more rain?" she asks as she peers back up at the dark clouds.
M'nol smirks more, "If you don't share, then it's mean. Besides, I'm sure you could be on the sands, being my friend and all assistant weyrlingmastery and stuff." At the mention of snow, he turns his head up and sniffs the breeze, "Snow, perhaps. If it stays cool enough."
Keziah eyes M'nol "That is iffen I don't just say the heck with it after this group. I mean really." she rolls her eyes "Sides. Friendship only goes so far." she grins "Though I suppose, iffen you did catch a gold here and I was still doing' this bit, I would have to drag the candi's out and all."
M'nol nods, "I'd want you doin' it. V'dim scares the new folks, after all." His mouth presses together for a moment, then opens up into a huge yawn, "How late is it, anyway?"
Keziah chuckles "V'dim scares me still." she admits with a grin and then hmms a little "It's pretty late. Or early, dependin' on how you look at it. Probably a few hours from sunrise." she notes quietly. "Nothin new for me of late." she notes quietly and then then a pause "What are you doin out this late anyways?"
M'nol nods, "Me too." He's not to proud to admit it. At least now the old greenrider doesn't make Morl squeal in terror anymore, "Wow… that late? Farry 'n' I were watching the stars and must've lost track of time. Then he said you were out here, so I decided to see why /you/ were out so late." He smirks gently, "Should probably get back to bed before I have to get up, huh?"
Keziah eyes M'nol a moment "I wouldn't say I'm up late, I got up early." so what if she only had a few hours of sleep. "But yeah, you should get to bed. You need your beauty sleep… all that you can get." she notes with a smirk.
M'nol smirks right back at her, "Beauty, shmeauty. I've still got my boyish good looks." He raises one hand to wiggle his fingers at her, "Maybe you should sleep longer to keep the boys at bay. Either way, though. G'night, I guess." It's hard to know what to say when one is going to sleep and the other rising, "I'm sure I'll see you at lessons soon enough to thwack boys good and sound."
Keziah laughs and nods "Yeah, I would iffen I could sleep longer." she notes quietly and then shrugs "Maybe it's stayin here to much. Been a long time since I've spent this much time in the Weyr proper. I'm used to sleeping out and all closer to the wilds and with chasin' livestock." she hmms a little. "Sleep well though. Give Ari me best."
M'nol chuckles again, "So go camp a bit. I spent a month sleeping on the beach when Phy and I parted ways." He reaches up to stroke the firelizards again, only to discover that they're gone /between/, back to the warmth of the weyr, likely. "I will. To both. Best of luck finding a better way to sleep, Kez." He yawns again, turning towards the forest's clearing where his weyr lies, though there's time for Kezi to get in a party word if she feels the need.
Keziah nods a little "Probably will once this class is graduated." There's a pause "Course, I may just take a few days and go visit Ista for a bit. Been too long since I've seen Cen and Ysa and all." she notes thoughtfully. "Maybe take in some eyecandy." Her? Right..
M'nol chuckles gently as he disappears, "Ista's got an overpopulation of girly men. Just so you know." Then he's gone into the darkness, only a yawn lingering in his wake.