Gal Pals
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Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in its own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as have walls hung with numerous tapestries that 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. The stone is carefully leveled 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 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. It's plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr, instead feeding people in shifts as they come off duty. On occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are borrowed from all the other areas.
There's also a big fireplace set into the western wall, 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, the largest an archway to the northeast that leads outside. Near it there's an alcove with hooks for coats and shelves for muddy boots. A tunnel to the east goes to the infirmary, and a set of stairs just a little south of that lead up to the offices and administration area. To the south, a long and sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs. The kitchen is off to the southwest, while the residents' quarters are reached by tunnels going west, deeper into the cliff.


Evening has settled upon the Weyr, the leadership changes having caused no shortage in shouting and grumbling from almost everyone. Already R'hyn's character has been assassinated more ways then one can count. You do not have to look far for someone displeased with new management. The changes did not overly affect the candidate class at first, but with a new weyrlingmaster around their lives to have been disrupted. Even in times of upheaval, people need to eat, and everyone is mingling through to enjoy a hot meal. Everyone includes Evangeline, walking into the cavern; it is clear that she has had better days. The ashy blonde girl is wearing a bright fuschia skirt that is pleated and hits her ankles, and a long sleeve blue shirt that is buttoned at her neck and both wrists. Today her heavy summer outfit is not the most noticeable thing about her; she is SOAKING wet. Drip, drip, from her hair and sleeves. There is not a dry spot on the candidate girl, and the bottom of her skirt is slowly collecting mud and debris due to the moisture. Every step she takes into the caverns leaves a dirty slug trail on the floor; for her part, she at least looks embarrassed, dodging through people trying to avoid getting anyone else wet. A few dirty looks are thrown her way, but no one says anything YET. After all, they didn't have to clean the caverns today.

Katailea is, on the other hand, one of those that does have to help clean the caverns today. That's likely why she doesn't notice Evangeline's trail right away, head down in her chores as she is. It doesn't, however, take much to notice her fellow candidate when she glances up. A glance that's followed with a heavy sigh as she reaches for a dry towel and heads towards the girl to almost shove it at her. "I don't know why you insist on wearing such things," comes the first comment, perhaps a bit more harshly than was intended, given the slightly more empathetic sounding "What happened?" that follows a second later.

Evangeline takes a small step backward as she hears the older candidate speak, looking down at her outfit with a resigned sigh and hard blink of her eyes. The towel is accepted with a meek half-smile, she quickly wraps it around her top, patting herself down in hopes of reducing the moisture on her person. A small shrug is given, her face neutral, "Thank you, this is um, well, it's how I have always dressed." As if this somehow explains the subject adequately, sitting down at a table, she places the towel on the floor, takes her hands, and rolls the skirt up in them before wringing the fabric so that water drips out of it and onto the towel. "They have me um, well, washing dragons. I was all done, or.. so I thought, and one of them decided I wasn't." Puffing out her cheeks, she makes a small POP with her mouth, shaking her head so that her wet hair sloshes around on her shoulders.

Katailea gives a single, slight, nod for the answer of dress. "Holdbreed?" she guesses, even as she turns to send a look across the expanse of the caverns to see where the mop ended up being left by whoever else is supposed to be helping here. "Ah," provides understanding for a soaking, even if it does come with a bit of a grin and the hint of laughter in the sound. "One minute," she interrupts whatever might have followed as she spots the mop and weaves through the people to fetch both it and the bucket its paired with, returning shortly.

"Yeah, I am. I am, I was-" Beat. "Half moon." Evangeline struggles with her phrase, both of her hands moving upwards, palms facing the ceiling and shoulders moving up to her ears, the ultimate expression of I don't know. Are you still from a place if the place is gone? When the mop is found, she blushes and stands, offering to take it. "Here, let me help. I don't know if we have met." A small hmm, and she offers her hand to the older girl. "I am Evangeline, I, don't think we've met. If we have, I am so sorry, I am terrible with names." The sincerity in her tone is apparent, and she offers a bright smile looking the part of a happy bedraggled drowned animal. Reaching out, she offers to take the mop, shaking her head. "Someone is going to get mad.." A massive prolonged sigh escapes, and she groans.

Even if the place doesn't exactly exist anymore, it did and that's still where a person who was born and raised there is from. Or it is if you ask Katailea. She nods at the answer provided only to shake her head, "Its alright. You're still soaked," even if she's not dripping so much anymore. No use making more mess while trying to clean it up. Right? Its a smile that's offered as she begins the task, switching the mop from one hand to the other briefly to reach out for the younger girl's offered hand. "Katailea," she provides her own name as she moves back to cleaning up the floor. "I've seen you around, but don't think we've officially met," she adds, "And they'll get over it." Sure there might be someone who's annoyed and irritated about the whole thing, but worse has surely happened.

Evangeline stands, scooting the towel under her feet and starting to dry the mess by scootching around like a ridiculous penguin. She gives Katailea's hand a solid shake, "Here, I can at least do this." Scootching along, she is managing to get some of the water up, though she might never find the dignity she is losing. "Yeah, I have the cats… We haven't stayed in the barracks since the flight, Nana felt like the leadership wasn't doing me any favors." A deep crimson blush comes over her face, and she waddles the towel further across the floor, eyes locked on what she is doing. "Have you see the new Weyrleader yet? Someone said he looks like he lost a fight, but like he is enormous and tall and the Weyrwoman is—-well." The girl's happy tone bubbles along, there's something about getting a new gossip partner to brighten one's day, and with all the boys in this class, a female is a welcome sight.

Katailea just shakes her head for the younger girl's help, but she doesn't say anything on that. "No," she replies of having seen the new Weyrleader, "But I don't imagine he's the only rider who's ever looked like they lost a fight." As for the felines, "Cats?" she repeats with a questioning look towards Evangeline. "So you have a family here too then?" Two separate thoughts those, family and cats. "And they're letting you not stay in the barracks?"

The younger, wetter person in the cleaning duo leans in towards Katailea, "People seem to think he was really hurt." Evangeline doesn't seem unhappy about this, her head cocking to the side and then back up. Maybe it's because R'hyn was not the friendliest person last time they spoke or possibly the fact that Risali is a foot and a half shorter than him and 80lbs lighter. The mention of her cats gets the teen smiling, the towel being pulled out from under her feet and balled up. "I have three cats, Citayla allowed me to keep them. Yeah, I—." Trying to find the phrase for what she is, the granddaughter of a well-loved retired Wingleader. "My Nana has been here a long, long time. They let me stay with her. We have a new Weyrlingmaster, so I could try moving back. " A small nod, with no more explanation being given, "I think… maybe the eggs need us. I think I hear Ilyscaeth." A deep sigh, because brain intrusion has become routine for this poor candidate class and the damp but not soaking form of Evangeline skips towards the door. Dinner might wait.


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