Xanadu Weyr - Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of weyrs, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves. The meadow continues with gentle rolls and dips, grass tall and short waving in the slightest of breezes, and eventually those hills grow higher and steeper, ending in a large ridge that provides a fine view of that meadow and the rest of the Weyr, gazing out over the multicolored roofs of the houses and the cliff that holds the caverns.
Runner stables with the paddock beyond are to the south beyond the meadow weyrs, and a smithy and a woodcraft shop are settled closer in towards the path to the clearing. Trees border the northern side of the meadow, and more of those low, rolling hills can be seen to the northwest. A road passes through the meadow, coming from the east and used by traders and crafters alike. Wagons laden with felled trees from the forests or ore from the mountains are hauled by burden beast up the road through the meadow, over the bridge spanning the river to be processed in the appropriate workshops.
Summer tends to be one of those season where thunderstorms just roll through with little to no notice. Luckily, they also disperse nearly as quickly and today all that's left from the earlier storm is plenty of water! Parts of the meadow are currently flooded with a couple inches of water. Sure, it will eventually trickle off into the river but until then, some of the weyrbrats and other miscreants have decided to take advantage. There's a large crowd with quite a good bit of yelling or possible cheering that keep slipping and sliding in the muddy morass. It's hard to make out any details from underneath all the brown, but suddenly a ball goes flying away from the crowd and Rhodelia's the first to yell out "WATCH OUT!!!" Maybe a warning about the flying projectile or the fact that a few teenagers are barreling right after it.
Rinian was simply passing through on her way away from the woodcrafter workshop, trying to avoid the standing water as best she can. She looks up at the well timed cry and instictively catches the ball, but here is hoping the other teens are able to put the brakes on quickly enough.
One can certainly try to avoid standing water, but the water's still gonna do it's best to strike back! With the help of tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum who realize a bit too late that someone's there catching the ball. Slamming on the breaks doesn't really work so well with all the mud and there's some crashing, mostly into each other. And splashing well… everywhere. Someone has also seen fit to give Rhodelia a shiny little whistle which she blows loudly. "Y'all two are out… for now. Go uhh, sit under the tree. And you, since you caught it, you need to either throw or toss it back in. You can pick your team. Either brown or uhhh… the more brown." It's really chaos and who knows if there are actually things like RULES.
Rinian at least doesn't get plowed over, but she does end up pretty dripping. So much for /trying/ to stay dry. She gives the pair on time out a look, and then throws the ball towards Rhodelia. "I don't really want to play…whatever it is you're playing. Thanks though."
Rhodelia side-steps the toss of the ball, allowing it to go back into the fray that thankfully moves away from where the two women are standing. "Are you sure you don't wanna play? It's fun! I promise!" She's basically all smiles underneath her own covering of mud. "And not everybody gets tackled. That's mostly just the guys." Like the two that nearly accidentally bowled over random passerbys. "Other folks rigged up little flag things…" And the rules are really a work in progress. If they exist at all.
Rinian is just glad she wasn't carrying any work! "What are they playing anyway? It doesn't look familiar. Are they playing in the mud on purpose?"
"Mudball!" Rhodelia waves a hand towards the game that's progressing behind them. Maybe. If one of the trees is a goal, because a couple folks are making a concentrated effort to move in that direction. "And duh. Can't play mud ball without mud. Or a ball. The water helps as well if you do fall you just kind of… wooosh!" She makes a movement a little like a rocket with her hand. Thankfully as if right on cue, one of the kids carrying the ball slips and slides. The ball comes out and there are equal amounts of cries of despair and elation as someone else scoops the ball up and begins running the other way.
Rinian watches the play for a moment, and smiles a bit. "They do look like they're having fun, but I'll pass on the mud part of the ball game." Which for this game, means passing up on it entirely. "Hi, by the way. Thank you for the well timed warning." She'll still need clean clothes and a bath, but it could have been worse.
Rhodelia shrugs as if to say it's the other girl's loss and then blows the whistle again. "Hey, outta bounds. Move it back a dragonlength." And there's some appropriate reshuffling. Whistles are POWER. "No problem. We also try to avoid broken bones." Although there'll probably be plenty enough bumps and bruises to give the healers plenty to yell at. Healers, always love a good excuse to lecture.
Rinian decides to watch the game a bit, though not keen to join it. "You know, you might have better luck finding players if you don't mention broken bones, even /trying/ to avoid them." Now this she finds enjoyable though she doesn't really understand the game. "So you make sure they play correctly?"
"We already have players!" Rhodelia gestures towards the score or so of folks out running. It's hard to count when they keep moving around. "But mudball is all about inclusivity. And fun and uhh… sportsmanship." And improvising on the fly. As for her role, Rhody shrugs. "Well, I was playing and then the rider who previously had the whistle had to run to sweeps and I sort of volunteered!" No training required for whistle-powers. Or Mudball in general.
Rinian watches the mud and ball fly. "And mud." Inclusivity sounds nice, but the mud…not so much. "Do you all play other games that don't require mud? Oh, I'm Rinian, by the way."
Rhodelia has been standing for a while and so at this point, she'll just sit herself down right in the mud. It's not like she wasn't covered in it already. "And mud. That's the most important part." As for other games, she shrugs. "Probably. I was just walking by and joined. Oh, and I'm Rhody." A mud covered hand is extended out.
Rinian eyes the muddy hand and has an inner debate. Mud isn't her thing, but it would be rude not to take the offered hand. Training wins out and she shakes Rhody's hand. "Nice to meet you." She doesn't, however, take a seat in the mud. "I'm curious. Why is the mud so important? Isn't it possible to play the game without it?" She personally thinks it would be more fun that way.
Rhodelia is oblivious to any possible offense the mud-shake might have stirred up and also doesn't seem to mind the other girl standing. "Without the Mud, it'd just be Ball and that'd be boring. Besides, mud makes everything slippery and adds a bit of a challenge. Have you ever tried hanging onto a mudball while trying to avoid five other folks chasing after you and not fall on your face at the same time?" Like, that's a normal activity most folks should participate in…
Rinian eyes her now dirty hand and tries to subtly wipe it clean on her pants. They needed changing anyway after the event that got her to this point. "I can't say that I have, however I can see how it would add to the level of difficulty. What do you all play when it isn't all muddy?"
Rhodelia shrugs again. "Dunno. Whatever folks want? It's not like this was really organized? A few folks showed up with a ball and then some others joined them and then some more… and then eventually, BAM." She claps her hands together enthusiastically. "Mudball. Who knows if it'll ever happen again? Could be once in a lifetime mud-event."
Rinian grins at that. "Well then, I'm honored to be witnessing history. Though I'll still pass on getting all muddy. So who's winning?"
"Can you keep a secret?" Rhodelia leans a bit closer even before an answer is given and whispers. "I lost count so, I guess everybody?" Or else she'll just start throwing out random points and penalties towards the end because this is the game where the points are made up and the score doesn't really matter.
Rinian blinks at the woman sitting in the mud, and then begins to giggle. For the first time since she's arrived she finally sounds like a teenager as the giggling continues, and honestly…just gets worse.
Rhodelia grins at first giggle but as the giggle fit continues, she blinks and then squirms a bit. "Uh, are you alright? Do you need like some water or something?" She's already scrambling to offer her own (muddy) canteen out. Sure, she doesn't bat an eye at muddy barely organized sports, but giggle fits are the questionable thing that needs attention?
Rinian is lost now. Things have been so very odd since her arrival here, and perhaps a very good giggle fit is just what she needs. Even the canteen makes her giggle, though more likely its the fact that its mud covered. She waves a hand, that may indicate that she's fine, or that she needs help. It's really impossible to tell.
Rhodelia is equally bewildered and scrambles to her feet. "Are you sure?" She wiggles the canteen out once more. "I can… call someone? Or like, you're still breathing, aren't you?" Any reinforcement calls are paused as Rhody peers closer at the giggle-girl. "Please tell me you're still breathing." And in the background, the game goes on. Fouls may or may not call themselves.
Rinian nods as she gasps for breath. Every time she starts to get herself under control, she starts giggling again at a thought. Eventualy, however, the control spaces get longer until she's finally just getting those deep breaths. Her cheeks are rosey from the laughing fit and there are tears in her eyes, but its certainly not from being unhappy.
Slowly, Rhodelia takes a step back and then another. "You know, you kind of look like a fish when you're doing that." Mostly the gasping for breath. Fish normally aren't too rosy cheeked to her knowledge. "Do you do this often?" She waves at Rinian to indicate the whole giggling episode.
Rinian gives a shake of her head as she gets a few more deep breaths in to be sure it's past. "Often? Well, not exactly. But sometimes." She smiles, "Sorry, but that was very funny. Sorry for distracting you from…keeping score." There is another slight giggle that she quickly puts a lid on.
Rhodelia settles down a bit as it appears they're safe from giggle attacks at least for the moment. As for the score, she shrugs again and at least turns back towards the game although it's more devolved into a wrestling match for the moment. Does anybody even know where the ball is at the moment? Rhody doesn't. "Honestly, I lost track a long time ago. We've been playing for… two hours?" Three? Who knows. she lost track of that as well.
Rinian considers the wrestling match. "I think they may be done. Why don't you flip a coin and pick who won?"
"Maybe this will distract them and just forget," Rhodelia perks up slightly at that slim hope. Confrontation is not really her strong suit, even when it is just fun and games. But apparently, the wrestling was just a part of muddle ball. The pile breaks apart as someone squirms out from the bottom with the ball and starts running, followed quickly by the rest.
Rinian watches the play, "Hey, that was pretty good, breaking out like that. If he makes the score why don't you just give it to that team?" A good play is as good a reason as any, right?
Rhodelia watches as the ball carrier does indeed get to the tree before being tackled by one of the other participants. And the ball goes flying. "I'm pretty sure he was on the other team earlier. Did we switch sides?" Anyways, now that the ball is loose and rolling towards the river, Rhody blows the whistle. "Ravuk, grab it quick and toss it in!" Or else mudball might turn into water polo.
If it turns into water polo, at least they'd be cleaner, and no more wet than they are currently. Rinian wonders, "They're so all over mud, do you think they even know who is on what team? Or what the score is?" She was even able to say it without giggling. She looks over at Rhody. "Would you rather blow the whistle, play the game, or clean up for some drink and food?"
Rhodelia shrugs again. "Probably not. But it's for fun, right? Plus… there may have been some drinking before some of the folks were playing." Or a lot of drinking. Rhody should know since she was serving them all through the actual thunderstorm. As for the question about the whistle, she gives a suspicious glance over at the other girl and moves the whistle to the other hand. "Nice try. You're not getting my whistle!" That she inherited from the last whistle-possessor not even an hour or so ago.
Rinian blinks in surprise. "Not for keeps. I was just thinking since there doesn't seem to be many rules, I could do that part so you could play. But if you'd rather not.." She shrugs as if it makes no difference to her.
Rhodelia might not be in full Golem-precious guarding mode, but she's definitely clutching tightly to the whistle. "I like the whistle. I think it's useful. Maybe I'll use it when folks in the Wherry start getting a bit too rowdy. Or to celebrate if someone leaves an especially big tip." The uses for a whistle are possibly endless!
Rinian only understood part of that, but probably because she doesn't have all the needed references. "Wherry?" Does this mean the ball game is being ignored again as the precious whistle is in debate?
Oh, the game is definitely being ignored although they did manage to save the ball from a watery demise and continue. Rhodelia nods confirmation. "Yeah, the Wherry. It's that way!" She points off down one of the trails through the meadow. "You know, the tavern. It's where I work." When she's not hoarding a whistle while drunks run around in the mud.
Rinian ohs, "I've not been there yet." Nor likely to. That really isn't her thing anymore than it is to run around playing in the mud. "Sure you don't want to play?"
So… summer storms come and go quickly, but the aftermath this afternoon has led to one very, very muddy meadow. Which is now occupied by a very, very muddy crew of folks currently running/wrestling/chasing after each other or a ball. The rules and objective of mudball are pretty vague. Rinian and Rhodelia are currently on the outskirts of the chaos, both soaked although Rhody's the only one of the pair covered in mud. "It you insist, although if I'm coming back in, you'll need to join the other team. We can't have uneven numbers!" That whistle that Rhody's found is blown once more.
Rinian has managed to stay mostly mud free, thankfully. "Are you sure it would be uneven? And if I go in too, who will blow the whistle at random times like they know what they are doing?" Plus, she really doesn't want to get muddy.
Mudball is practically the Weyr sport of Xanadu, so it's only fitting that there's a league being formed. Okay, technically it's the rain that formed the league('s worth of muddy ground), but never mind that. There's sport to be played! Or spectated. Or whistled at. D'lei is currently not covered in mud, or even all that wet, but he is making his way down from the ridge of the meadow along the… rather wet and a bit slick path. It's okay, he's got that cane! He'll be fiiine. Maybe.
RISALI, THOUGH? She's been here all along, throwing people down in the mud, and getting thrown down in the mud, and attempting to get VERY MUDDY BALLS amid peals of absolutely raucous laughter (and probably a couple of elbows and knees and - OW, NESSA, THAT WAS NOT STRICTLY NECESSARY LIKE MY ABUSE OF LIBERTIES WAS NOT BUT SHUT UP AND TAKE MY LOVE - some pretty quasi-violent things). Listen, what matters is that, while Rhodelia and Rinian sit on the sidelines debating whistles, and numbers, and things, Risali is catching sight of D'lei and abandoning the muck like some MONSTER FROM THE DEEP. SQUELCH, SQUISH, SQUOOSH. She disengages from the fray to drip mud everywhere, to track a trail up it up slippery slopes to cane-wielding Weyrleaders whom probably already know what's coming but likewise can't get anywhere fast which makes it even better. … Not that he would probably try to run away, but LISTEN. Risali HUGS HIM, presses to him so that now he is muddy, but she doesn't stop there. She pulls him in for a hard press of lips, to rub her cheeks on his and smear more mud, to pain him a monster with her hands around a wicked smile and a scrunch of nose. BUT LEIRITH? SHE IS DROPPING HER HEAD RIGHT IN THERE BY RHODY AND RINIAN. SUP LADIES. YOU COME HERE OFTEN? YOU SHOULD. FINGERGUNS PEWPEWPEWPEW. « I WILL DO THE WHISTLE, MINIONS, WHILE YOU DO THE BADASSING. FIRST I REQUIRE EXACTLY FIVE COMPLIMENTS, ONE VERY VIGOROUS SCRITCH TO THIS EYERIDGE — » a blink of her left eye, to indicate, « AND BOTH OF YOU YELLING THAT YOU ARE BOTH BADASSES IN SELF-AFFIRMATION BEFORE YOU GET IN THE MUD. » Do it.
"I can do both!" Rhodelia claims before her face falls a bit as she realizes there might be some conflict of interest there. But then, a wild-D'lei appears and she brightens up again. "Maybe we can ask him to do it? He can yell really loud. Come on!" Just ask the swans. The swans know all about the yelling. And just like that, Rhody is trotting over towards the weyrleader, although she pauses when the cane is spotted. "Are you alright?" And a bit belatedly. "Sir?" But she doesn't get very far in that direction because well, first there's a muddy mud-monster-missile that's probably Risali and then also LEIRITH. Since the eyeridge is presented and scritches are requested, that's exactly what Rhody will do. "I think you'd probably swallow my whistle and not notice, but I'm sure you can come up with something." Because LOUD is clearly Leirith's natural state. As for compliments, she starts with the easiest. "I think you're the most badass queen Xanadu has." Don't tell Risabeth or Luraoth.
Nessalyn is in the midst of the fray, ignoring all whistles on Rhodelia's part, as well as any semblance of rules and/or goals. She's not playing to win, she's just playing to shove mud in people's faces. Which is probably why she's out there LITERALLY THROWING MUD AT PEOPLE. The ball? She's not touching it, except by accident. Mostly she's just out there shoving people into the mud - SORRY NOT SORRY RISALI - and making a mess of things. Eventually, she'll probably stop. Maybe.
Rinian obediently follows Rhody as she makes her way to D'lei. "Can he really?" The yelling loudly thing. Now her interaction with dragon kind has been limited. Pretty much limited to the loud voice in her head that everyone here seems to get to enjoy. She leaves the scritching to Rhody because she's a bit stuck on…. That's a really, really big head. Maybe that's why she's loud? Oh that's right…compliments. "You have a lovely voice." She peers around the head, or tries to, with some worry to the now muddy D'lei. Is that such a good idea?
He can't run. He can't hide. Well, okay, he could, but it's kind of too late for that at this point. D'lei smiles to Rhody, tone reassuring (even if that cane isn't) as he says, "I'll be fi-" Can't even finish his sentences! That's what happens when mud monsters attack. What D'lei apparently //can do is get smeared in mud, and it's also what he does. He also laughs, tucking his non-cane-bearing arm around Risali and leaning in on her for extra support while she's mud-mauling him. After that press of lips and rub of cheeks, he leans in just a bit more so he can murmur into her ear. "Now who's getting wounds dirty?" he asks Risali, and follows it with a nip for that ear and - as he draws his head back again - a grin.
GO RHODY, GO RHODY, GO. Leirith dips her head, a sound of contentment rumbling from the gold as she just presses in persistence, bunting against bodies with much smol and such squish compared to her enormous bulk. « I WILL GLADLY SWALLOW YOUR WHISTLE, MINION. » BADUMBADUMBADUM. « IT IS HOW YOU HUMANS SHOW LOVE, I AM SURE. » Swallowing things, she means. … which sounds terrible in hindsight, so WE ARE KEEPING IT FOR THE HILARITY EVEN THOUGH I SWEAR IT WAS NOT THE INTENTION. And TWO COMPLIMENTS DOWN. « YOU ARE THE MOST BADASS GIVER OF DELICIOUS DRINKS, SLAYER OF FOWL. » And then she dips her head to bunt Rinian. « AND YOU HAVE A LOVELY BUTT. » See? Compliments. She so good at them, like Risali is good at making muddy monsters out of Weyrleaders and… well. She is probably blushing under all that mud, but it's hard to tell. Grey eyes focus, lips part, breath hitches… and then she's pushing her muddy hand over D'lei's mouth and PUSHING HIS FACE AWAY. WHO AUTHORIZED YOU, SIR? "Faranth," comes breathy as she forces her attention to the two girls. IS SHE COVERING HIS MOUTH AND NOSE? Yes. Yes she is. And smiling in an awkward but definitely trying to be friendly even though she's bad at people way for Rhody and Rinian. "Ladies. How are you? You can ignore her, you know." Don't mind her, she's just murdering D'lei. « THREE MORE COMPLIMENTS. »
That cane definitely isn't reassuring and Rhody tries to glance around Leirith's head while still continuing the scritches. She does blink at the Leirith compliments. The swans probably did all the slaying, although Rhody can make a mean omelette. "You'd probably also be the best at mudball… On the beach. With other dragons." Stipulations are added quickly as she glances towards the still ongoing game that probably doesn't need a GIANT DRAGON BUTT added into it. "And I'm sure you'll gladly swallow my whistle, but I need it for later. You can bugle or something." As for the possible weyrleader-murder going on over there, Rhodelia raises an eyebrow as she also stops the scritching. "Doesn't he need his face? And ignoring her is easier said than done." ELSE THEY'LL GET TRAPPED IN A CLOCKTOWER. "Rinian, you're up on the last compliment. And watch out for Nessa." SHE SAW THAT MUD THROWING, but she's not whistle blowing. That's Leirith's job now. The whistle is tucked safely into her shirt.
Rinian is concerned for the poor fellow in question. To him she directs, "Are you ok?" And then there is that very large head again. Something also about her butt? Without thinking she touches that head lightly to steady herself at the bunting, but quickly lifts it away. Oops. "Your hide looks quite lovely." Sure its easy for Risa to say to ignore Leirith..no easier for Rin than it is for Rhody. She meant to answer Risa, really she did. But there's butts and whistles and compliments and then mud-Ness warnings and that bit sort of gets lost.
Apparently - at least according to Risali - D'lei needs his face to be OVER THERE. And also covered in mud, and being suffocated… but it seems Risali isn't all that good at it, or there probably wouldn't be the trace of a grin to either side of her hand as it presses up at his face. Which he does probably need… eventually. SEE RISA? SOME PEOPLE CARE ABOUT HIM. THANKS, RHODY AND RIN!
Someone attempts to grab Nessalyn around the waist and take her down that way, which leads to her promptly kneeing him between the legs and shoving him away viciously. He lands in the mud, groaning, and Ness promptly stalks off. She's not here to play if playing means that fools think they can lay hands on her. Never mind that this seems to be part of the game - she's no longer playing. The techcrafter is barely recognizable, but she makes her way over to the relative safety of the group watching the game. "Why are you complimenting her?" Oh… by the way, she ALSO has a handful of mud, and she slings in in the general direction of those gathered. YOU'RE WELCOME, ENJOY THAT.
That's definitely laughter ricocheting off of everybody's skulls, a tumultuous use of bass-and-drums mindvoice that has absolutely zero regard for BOUNDARIES. WHY WOULD YOU NOT WANT TO HEAR HER? Don't answer that. No you guys, stop it. It was a completely rhetorical question. COMPLETELY - NESS STOP IT. But Leirith TAKES HER COMPLIMENTS, enjoys them too much (and those stipulations that come with one of them) before Nemesissalyn comes to join them. « WHY ARE YOU NOT COMPLIMENTING ME IS THE BETTER QUESTION, MINION. » More of that crash of sound to indicate laughter as Leirith settles, perhaps waiting for the right moment to demand a war-cry of self-affirming badassery while she watches the group. And Risali? She is rudely answering for D'lei because this is how people cover up murders. "He's fine. Really. He's just…" a flicker of grey eyes that take in that smile around her hand and narrow as she grits out, "perfect." PERFECTLY DEAD. But she does eventually drop her hands, probably so that D'lei can speak for himself as she bumps into him (VERY GENTLY) with one shoulder. There, a hint of a smile, a hint of mischief before she looks from Nessa to the man still laying in the mud. A beat, and… "Four points." Yep. Could have been MORE VIOLENT, NESS. SUCH DISAPPOINT.
Rhodelia forgets about the whole badass affirmations that were required, because there's mud coming her way. And now mud on her face. She pauses briefly to wipe said mud away from her face all dramatic like before scooping up some mud of her own. Seeing as how Rhody is very, very bad at throwing things, she doesn't even bother. Nope. She's taking off at a lunge with her mud hand towards Nessa. And if she should happen to catch her, there will at least be an attempt to drop the mud down the tech-crafter's back. "Figured playing along would be the quickest way." SO SHE COULD GET BACK TO PLAYING IN THE MUD. and also completely distracted from possible murder over there.
Rinian had done so well to stay mud free too! Well..so much for that. At least she's not that poor fellow in the mud, or quite as muddy as she could have been. She takes a few steps back from the mud-Ness-monster and the group as a whole. They are all so…much. Not a bad 'much'. Just 'much'. But for maybe D'lei. Thus far in her meeting him he has been more mellow, but he's the walking wounded. Time will tell for that one. The dragon laughter does cause her to give her temple a rub, but no way is she going to complain. That would be the opposite of a compliment, and who knows what might happen then.
Oh, hey! D'lei isn't dead yet. And he's even being graciously allowed to keep his muddy face. He grins to Risali, and puts a mud-face kiss on the top of her head before looking up to - well, there's Rhodelia running off for mud-shoving vengeance, and Rinian backing away from the chaos… oh, and Nessalyn causing more of it, can't forget about that! But hey, he can at least put some minds vaguely at rest. "The healers say that I'm more lucky than stupid," he says to… well, everyone, but it's vaguely aimed at Rinian since she's the one least involved in mud-based chaos currently. "So, as long as that continues, I should be just fine."
"I was going to kick him while he was down, but I prefer to do that without witnesses." It makes it that much harder to blame her for it later. "Next time, though…" Nessalyn wipes some off the mud off of her face before she grins at Risali, because not wiping your face is how you get a mouthful of mud. There's a laugh when her mud pie lands, hitting the only bartender who (maybe?) doesn't hate her in the face. As the other girl begins to charge, Ness quickly crouches to scoop up another handful of mud, so by the time Rhodelia gets to her she's similarly armed. She squirms as the mud goes down the back of her shirt, flinging her handful of mud at the bartender. Immediately she's reaching for more mud and hurling it again - at least ONE of those shots is bound to go wide, right?
HEY NOW WOAH. You can't just have a mud fight and not expect Risali to get into the fray. But first she tilts her head into that kiss to the top of her head, presses a kiss to D'lei's jaw in tandem with the affection and drags her fingers along his side as she steps away in that kind of way that says she doesn't want to go. BUT LISTEN. RHODY AND NESSA ARE HAVING FUN, and Risa intends to GET IN ON THAT. So she's - SPLAT — invested now, especially when one of those flinging bits of muck strays and makes her more muddy. SO SHE COMES IN LOW, catching Nessalyn around her hips and tackling her into the mud (NESS SAID I COULD, YOU GUYS), parting with laughter and an oof on impact before sitting up on her and throwing her less impressive now glob of mud at Rhodelia. TAKE THAT. Laughing in mudwars is dangerous you guys. Somebody should probably remind Risa before she catches a mouthful of it.
ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND MUDBALL. Even if they no longer have the ball. Rhodelia wiggles herself out of the way enough so that at least she doesn't get hit right in the face by Nessa's mud-flinging before she starts lobbing mud, also laughing. When Risa comes in with the tackle, Rhody only slows down the flinging because she's laughing so hard. At least all the mud she's aiming for should be more towards the back of Risali's head and not towards laughing mouths? And she may still be slightly listening to the state-of-D'lei because she at least pipes up, "Healers would probably be against mud fights for injured folks." Just in case he was thinking of getting in on this fun.
And there goes the flying mud. Rinian makes her way closer to D'lei where there seems to be a little less mud slinging… She had thought about hiding behind the large golden hulk but that would have been rude, right? "Shouldn't push your luck too far though." So far as not joining in the mud slinging. It isn't that she is fastidious in that sense, but it's /mud/. She asks D'lei as she watches. "Is this a normal past time after storms here?" She
She's surprised the golden dragon hasn't joined in.
D'lei smiles to Risali, with the amusement of understanding just why it is she's running off to the mud-wars even if… "They would, wouldn't they?" he says in reply to Rhodelia, with a crooked grin as he does. Those healers would be so against mud wars. "All their talk of infection-this and strained-that." He shakes his head, disapproving… and also disappointed. At least he can do some good, in the form of providing a shelter to Rinian against the slings and mudballs of outrageous Xanadu… or at least, making sure that they mostly only get the unintentional ones. Like that one - probably from Nessalyn - that he instinctively blocks with his cane… or tries to, that just spatters mud across the cane as well as his legs. Oh well. His smile is amused as he looks back to Rinian, then nods. "Pretty much. Sometimes it's mudball, sometimes it's mud wrestling. Mostly depends on whether anyone remembers to bring a ball."
Nessalyn shrieks as Risali takes her down around the middle, probably (definitely) swallowing some mud in the process. But it's okay, there are probably a lot of nutrients in dirt, so Ness just lunges for Risali in turn, attempting to flip the Weyrwoman onto her back and pin her down. If nothing else, she's going to shovel a handful of mud into Risali's face, because THAT IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR MOUTH OPEN. "D'lei told us it was a bedroom injury," she calls out in the midst of all this, lying through her teeth. Another glob of mud is tossed in Rhodelia's direction for good measure.
THUNK. Yep, the back of Risali's head is definitely catching a majority of Rhodelia's throws, and Risali is ducking in on herself, raising one shoulder up as if she means to protect herself somehow from those exploding bits of muck before RETURNING THE OFFENSE. TAKE THAT, RHODELIA! Though Risali's aiming in a general direction, not quite looking to make sure she's hitting Rhody because she is ducking, remember? And then she's shrieking laughter as Nessalyn lunges and Risali slams backwards, choking as she makes impact and then choking more because MUD. IN HER MOUTH. RUDE NESSALYN. But she's still laughing, grabbing MUD and SMEARING IT IN NESSA'S FACE as revenge even while the techcrafter calls out POSSIBILITIES. And don't worry, Rinian. Leirith is definitely watching, those eyes still blue, her excitement near tangible as she watches the pile of women and muck and that crash of bass and drums and excitement. "DO YOU," choke, laugh. "WANT TO FIND OUT?" Did she just brow waggle at Ness. SHE TOTALLY DID. Probably. It's hard to tell beneath that mudmask.
Oh wait, is that the ball? For some reason, the mudball comes sailing to land right near Rhodelia and distraction is had again. "I GOT IT!!!" Announcing that you have the ball before charging probably isn't the best idea, but when does Rhody ever make the best decisions? She's got the ball and she's running into the fray. There will be points, probably. And then a lot more tackling, but she's abandoning the straight up mud-wrestling in favor of WINNING for a team. Even if she doesn't know what team she's on.
Rinian is grateful for the protection from the mud. And then? Guilt. Because she is letting the invalid take the mud hits. That won't do. She should be doing that for him. But..but.. MUD. Big internal mental sigh, as the way she was brought up loses to her distaste of mud and she slides around between D'lein and the mud slinging. And…there goes Rhody! She can't help but smile and wonder, "Who will keep score now?"
Actual victory? Like, within the rules of the game for a set of points that don't matter? Whoa. D'lei didn't even realize that was possible, and so he takes a moment to stare at Rhodelia's amazing feat before… hmm? Is Nessalyn talking about him before his front? …yep! A grin all he cares to say about that one, because Risali can DEFEND HIS HONOR (such as it is) and ALSO HER REPUTATION (such as it is) just fine on her own. His attention shifts instead to Rinian as she circles around to DEFEND HIS BODY (with her own) and laughs. "It's more a communal effort, really. The actual score will be figured out in the bar tonight… which…" A glance after Rhodelia and her charge toward victory, then back to Rinian. "…does rather put her in the lead."
What goes around comes around, so NATURALLY Nessalyn gets a faceful of mud from Risali in return and consumes a bit more of it in the process. She does at least attempt to spit some of it out - hopefully not onto Risa! - but it's something of a futile effort. Disgust twists her features for a moment as she gets another good taste of delicious mud, but it's an expression that's quickly dismissed in favor of MOAR SHOVING MUD AT RISALI. Rhodelia's departure only gives her pause when she goes to throw a mud pie at the bartender and realizes that she's not there. It's heaved in the direction of Rinian and D'lei instead, because Nessalyn is all about sharing. "Are you offering to injure me in the bedroom?" It's amusement and skepticism all in one, but ultimately it's a, "No thanks, I don't want to look as ridiculous as D'lei does with that cane." Except the whole thing is said with a great deal more spluttering as mud keeps being slung around.
Listen, Rhodelia's feat earns that momentary pause when Risali blinks after her (through so much mud), and then throws up one hand curled into a fist, calling, "GO RHODELIA, GOOOO -" ACK. MUD IN THE FACE. She chokes and then laughs, smearing MOAR MUD BACK and then catching Nessalyn right under her knee to FLIP HER. AGAIN. This places Risa in an ODDLY DOMINANT POSITION with a very wicked smile showing through mud. It looks ridiculous, actually, lacking ALL OF THE INTENDED SUGGESTIVENESS. "You afraid you're gonna like it, Ness? We can substitute me for Dash if you wanna." But then she's SHOVING MORE MUD IN NESSA'S FACE with a gleeful little cackle, and flinging some towards Weyrleaders and Woodcrafters as well. HUZZAH FOR CHAOS. "Don't be jealous!" Of D'lei, she means. "I can injure you too and I'm sure Rinian will happily make you," through gritted teeth, "a cane!" HERE COMES LEIRITH, DROPPING HER SNOOT INTO MUD AND ROLLING BOTH OF THE GIRLS before retreating, closer to D'lei and Rinian whom she does not offer protection to. « YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS. » she tells them both amid good-natured cheer, probably because of all the mud.
Rinian gets in that spot to at least try to protect the injured man from flying mud, just in time. And she'd done so well thus far… Well, she /tries/ to protect him, but she's not all that big so it may meet with mixed results. She has to stifle a small giggle at the thought of the scare being tallied later, but quickly squelches it. She doesn't need another laughing fit today! So far as the innuendos going around..she ignores them. Or maybe she doesn't understand them. Who knows. She suggests as the loud gold one gets closer, "Maybe we should get out of range?"
"Of Leirith?" D'lei asks Rinian, and grins. "Not terribly practical. You'd probably have to get to the outer planets just to have appreciable muffling." And it's clear enough that mouthfuls of mud don't do any good, as Nessalyn and Risali have demonstrated. D'lei looks up at Leirith as she looms yet closer, and grins. "Why, thank you for the compliment," he says to her with about equal cheer. "And your beard looks very distinguished! Also muddy." On account of it being mud.
Nessalyn's ego gets the better of her, giving her an unearned sense of invulnerability which ultimately leads to her landing on her back at Risali's mercy. MISCALCULATION TO THE EXTREME. The full-body layer of mud she's sporting does seem to have one advantage, however: she's not flailing wildly to avoid any kind of contact, shielded as she is by a coat of grime. "I'm sure I'd like a lot of things, but being stuck using a cane is NOT one of them." Somewhere in the midst of that sentence she gets a faceful of mud, and she's coughing and spluttering and garbling half her words, THANKS RISALI. She resorts to simply scooping mud with her arms, flinging it upward in the hopes of smacking the goldrider with as much of it as possible. AND THEN THERE'S LEIRITH ROLLING THEM OVER, and a startled Nessalyn smacks at Risali as she tries to regain her bearings. WHICH DIRECTION IS THE MUD AND WHICH IS THE SKY? She can't really see anything at this point thanks to mud in the face, but she still splutters a, "NOT IF I INJURE YOU FIRST."
« I HEARD THAT, MINION. » But Leirith's enjoying the insults, okay. As for her MUD BEARD, the gold turns her head this way and that, as if demonstrating to D'lei the best angles from which to view it. « FINALLY I WILL BE MORE BADASS THAN GAROUTH. » IMPOSSIBLE, LEIRITH. For so many reasons. SO many of them. But that doesn't matter. Risali slings more mud towards D'lei and Rinian with another wicked smile and then GETS A SPLAT FROM ABOVE that earns an, "OI!" seconds before Leirith is rolling them. Perfect. Beautiful. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? Nothing (everything). "BRING IT ON." Challenge accepted, which might be why Risali is attempting to tackle Ness back into the mud once she gets her bearings. The keyword is trying, because she's doing a lot of slipping and sinking in the process okay.
And yet more splatters of mud. Yay. Rinian lets out a resigned sigh but answers D'lei. "I meant out of their range." She gestures to the girls. "But I guess if SHE is involved," this time a nod to Leirith, "I'm not sure how far out of range would have to be." She winces as the dragon goes rolling and wonders, "Are…are they ok?"
On the plus side, the regular enthusiasm with which things get so thoroughly mudded means that the laundry here at Xanadu has a lot of practice! On the minus side… well, don't ask Rhody how many drinks the laundry workers order every night. But! Never mind that. D'lei hehs to Rinian. "That, or you become a challenge," he says, with a grin and then a look back to Leirith. "Unless," he says of Garouth's DETHRONEMENT from badass, "…he gets a mud beard too." GASP. "You might be tied, then." OR she might be causing trouble. Actually, there's no might, she will. D'lei grins at Risali - "Missed!" - which is kind of a lie, because he did take some mud-splash damage, but it's not like she has the spare attention to notice, now does she? Rinian's question brings his attention back to her, and he tilts his head curiously. "They're fine." He smiles. "It's just rough-housing and trash-talk, that's all."
"I could come up with a few things you might like, Nessalyn." Comes that gravel-touched voice, elevated just enough to talk over that thickening layer of grime that coats everyone out here. Kaellian just arrived, really, but he's taken a few moments of leaning against a close building entryway to observe and appreciate because it would be poor form to miss out on a bunch of women rolling around in the mud. His arms are folded, his boots crossed at the ankles. One brow raised as he enjoys himself with that smug grin and false-warm gaze skimming over the rest of those present. Because he's not in the mud or under Leirith's muddy wrath- and doesn't look anywhere near about to go in, either. He's lacking that cloak he usually wears, rather simply in that black tunic opened a few buttons length revealing a bit of that hair-covered chest beneath and the silver chain that hangs there with pendants partially covered.
"I AM BRINGING IT ON." Although she's a bit distracted by the continuous boom of Leirith, who still doesn't seem to have a mute button. But that gives Risali plenty of opportunity to tackle Nessalyn back into the mud, where the techcrafter spits and kicks, splashing up muddy liquid all around the pair of them. She, too, is trying her best to flip the goldrider back over and gain the upper hand, but there's zero traction to be had here, and Risali is JUST AS SLIPPERY as the ground itself. "IS THAT THE BEST YOU'VE-" Aaaaaand facefirst into the mud goes Ness as her feet slip and even snatching at Risali's clothing can't help her catch herself. NO NEED FOR DINNER, SHE'S JUST EATING MUD. She makes an awkward leap at Risali, attempting to knock the woman over, but there's not much force behind the movement when she can't grip the ground. Although she's mid-fight, her body freezes when she hears Kaellian's voice, and she immediately whips around to hurl mud in his direction. "LET'S KILL HIM."
"YOUR VERSION OF BRINGING IT SUCKS." Because that's clearly a good insult - and, you know, definitely broken up by laughter and mud and slipping and a little bit of her own face-planting. But SHHH. IT'S FINE. D'lei's grin earns him a mud-monster smile back, the kind too big, that's brimming with affection and mischief as she calls out, "Is that a CHALLENGE, STUPID BRONZERIDER?" Because she is totally going to bring it. BUT FIRST. FIRST, those grey eyes go to Kaellian, and there is no hesitation as Risali slip-slides to her feet and CHARGES. AHHHHHHHH! Which she actually yells amid laughter as she GOES FOR HIM and his NOT MUDDY CLOTHES. TACKLE HIM, NESS! Because Risali is totally going in for that tackle, and it's probably going to take two of them if Kaellian is smart enough to try and run first. DON'T BE SMART. GET MUCH MUD. DO THE THING. Leirith, however, watches them go and then tilts her head to look at Rinian and D'lei, humor in that brush of her voice before she knocks her head into D'lei with a rumble of sound and… « FINE. I SEE I AM UNAPPRECIATED. I WILL HIT YOU ALL WITH THE SILENT TREATMENT. YOU'LL MISS ME THEN. » And she does. Abruptly her mind is just gone. But the dragon is not. She's still there, with her blue eyes, probably amused and telling Garouth about mud beards and her inevitable dethronement of his awesome.
Rinian doesn't want to be a 'challenge', that's for certain. She takes D'lei's word that the two woman are all right, but still, she would have been in all sorts of trouble if she'd behaved this way. This place is so very, very different. And then…there is Kaellian. As there was not already enough 'much' going on here. But his 'much' is not the same as their 'much'. All the same, she isn't sure about Ness' yelled solution. Killing someone most certainly falls under rude behavior not to be done. Her eyes go wide as they actually charge at the scary man. Now she's going to have to wonder about their sanity..or at least their reason. More alarm when that big gold head is there again, bumping into the injured man. She half reaches out to help, ready to really help if he needs it. "Are you ok?" Ah…the sound of silence.
Welcome to Xanadu, home of… the strange. And very much not what a traditional hold or craft would consider suitable! D'lei grins reassuringly to Rinian - and amusedly at what he catches of those insults going on in the mud - before he looks up to Leirith and… "Mmh." He wobbles, but he doesn't fall down! "…we'll be desolate." A DESERT OF SILENCE. Don't mind that ringing in your inner ears, any loss of mental faculties is probably temporary. "I'm fine," D'lei says to Rinian with a smile and light wave-off of that half-made motion to help, and then he shifts his position a bit on the cane, gaze tracking ahead of Risali's charge.
That arrogant expression falls to something far less pleased when threats of killing him turn to the makings of rushing tackles. Normal violence is much preferred over what apparently is about to go down. He doesn't even have the time to admire who else is in that mud. Kaellian's posture of exaggerated self-pride and utter vanity, all-too-clean in this instance and flecked with all those sharp, unfriendly points of silver, moves from that lean relatively quickly to straighten himself. The more abrupt than usual shift in his weight comes with muted clinks of metal of those adornments that make up the rest of him. All of which don't belong in the mud. He wouldn't even bother calling bluff with this pair, and for a heartbeat's time when he's squared off in the direction Risali surges from, it is up for debate if he would face them down or try to make a run for it. "Ladies, I think this is incredibly unnecessary-" He makes it most of the way through that plea, for even in his particular tones doesn't make it to being the warning it would have been at any other time, before he's forced to turn and try to get out of there. Don't worry, though, he doesn't make it far before his typically overtly graceful self slips on more wet ground. Though he catches himself on an outstretched hand and doesn't eat it just yet- there's loss of precious time.
Nessalyn would clearly rather employ the 'murder' method, but Risali's choice of tackling is accepted after a moment's consideration. After all, she doesn't have a weapon, and all this mud makes for a very slippery attempt at homicide. BETTER TO JUST GO FOR THE EASY OPTION. With a loud war cry, Nessalyn lurches to her feet and races after Risali, looking very much like a mud monster. It's almost impossible to tell who she is at this point unless you're already aware, because she is all grime from head to toe. She pauses abruptly, bending to scoop up some more mud before she's off in the chase, hurling it after the retreating man. "CUT HIM OFF," she yells to Risali, then, "LEIRITH." Come on, silent dragon. Help some ladies out. With or without the gold's help, though, she's going to lunge for Kaellian as soon as she sees an opportunity.
Of course Leirith is going to oblige. There's a shift of that massive body away from D'lei and Rinian, ONE GREAT BIG LEAP AND - THUD BOOM - A CUTTING OFF OF PASSAGE. "NOW, NESS!" Risali calls out, because OPPORTUNITY CALLS TO THEM. And Risali lunges forward, maybe slightly colliding with Nessalyn if she BRINGS DOWN THE IMPECCABLY DRESSED BEAST WITH HER (DO IT NESS) with another war-cry and then laughter. Laughter because if she is successful, she's going to smear mud ALL OVER KAELLIAN. ALL OVER. SHOVE IT DOWN HIS TUNIC. ACROSS HIS NECK. IN HIS FACE. And if Nessalyn is joining in on the ATTEMPTED MURDER? Even better. But then she's calling out, "HIS BOOTS, NESS!" (Listen, Kaellian told me we could tackle him so I KNOW IT'S HAPPENING OKAY). That's when Risali's shifting her weight, to jerk at Kaellian's boot and STUMBLE, then SLAM backwards into mud. But listen, there's a gasp of laughter as she clambers to her feet and RUNS (slips, eats it, slams a knee, almost there — THERE WE GO) over to D'lei and Rinian. She grabs the Weyrleader around his middle, slipping with her momentum and then pitching herself forward against him to hopefully keep him from falling. There she is, tucked in against his side. With a boot. AND A SMILE as she goes up on tippy-toes to press a muddy kiss against his already muddy cheek. Gross. WORTH IT. "Hi, baby." IS SHE DANGLING KAELLIAN'S BOOT? Yes. Yes she is.
Rinian watches the whole thing like one might watch a train wreck…if they had trains. Ok then, a wagon train wreck. That is a lot of dragon going by in that leap. She hops back a bit as the muddy Risa is there with…the scary man's boot. Well, that's enough 'much' for Rinian today. There is silence to be sought out, and bath, and clean clothes, and sanity. Ok three out of four might not be so bad. "Um..congrats?" That's for the boot dangling Risa. "I think I'll just…go clean up." With that she takes herself away from the insanity.
And this is why many of the more conversative holds and weyrs hesitate to even make diplomatic visits to Xanadu these days. The tales of Risali, crazed mud-woman of the weyr, will live in infamy! As will the stories of Nessalyn-the-murderess - unless she murders the storytellers, anyhow. There's an arch of D'lei's brows as he observes, and a shift back onto his heel as Risali flees with her ill-gotten gains, heading for him and… oof. Okay, so, D'lei has been doing pretty good at this whole standing thing so far. It's been like he's a fully functional human, as long as you ignore the cane! That tackle-shove-tug thing, though? That has him with a wince for the mauling of torso - and a slide of his back foot and dig in of the cane that bends his knee just a bit further than it likes - and another wince, and a small yelp in there, because ow. Which effectively takes up his attention in those first moments after, his arm shifting against Risali as she tucks in more to restablize himself than with any other intent.
WAY TO COME IN CLUTCH, LEIRITH. Nessalyn whoops when the gold cuts Kaellian off, pumping one muddy fist in the air because VICTORYYYYYYY! And then the coordinated Risali-Nessalyn team (Risalyn? Nessali?) attack the not-so-innocent man in a raptor-style takedown. They're clever girls, these two. Following Risali's lead, she's also going to try to get mud EV. ER. Y. WHERE. She'll leave that area below the belt alone, but everything else is fair game. Blue eyes light up with the goldrider's suggestion, and she tears frantically at her boot, slip-sliding and yanking until she manages to get hers free. She's a second behind Risali, and as soon as she has her booty she's booking it for safety. Where is that? SHE HAS NO IDEA, but as long as she's where Risali is there's a 50% chance he'll attack the Weyrwoman instead, sooooo… D'LEIWARD-HO WITH BOOT IN HAND. She's a tangle of limbs as she runs, shouting, "NOW I ONLY NEED ONE MORE."
The man of the sea skids to a stop, a small flail of arms reorienting his balance as he looks up at Leirith who is FAR TOO CLOSE and IN HIS PATH. And there is no time to get around the queen (if that is possible- we all know that probably wouldn't happen even if he tried). "You too?" He mutters, as if there's any reason the mustard-gold would have for being on HIS side. For one who doesn't tend to move all that fast most of the time when he's strutting about, he's no stranger to escape. Yet, fortunately, he isn't as hostile as he likely could be when cornered, caught. There's no move to draw a weapon, no efforts that appear outright dangerous aside from just the whole vision of him (and quite a vision that is). He hisses something, probably something quite unkind, looking back over his shoulder… then straightens somewhat with a heaved sigh. That glance at the pair of Risali/Nessalyn as they close in is frustrated but damn near resigned- because that's a whole lot of momentum coming straight at him even with SMOL selves- there is, afterall all that fury and two of them. And then he's DOWN and there is MUD in places there really should never be. "What the bloody hell is wrong with-" Isn't that the classic question. He can't finish it, though, not when he hits the ground so hard and is sputtering against mud in his face. Theft of boots have him trying to sit up and failing, because he's teetering and slipping and slidding (so unbecoming). Bootless, he crawls to his knees, then KINDA manages to get a foot under him- falls to his hands with his mud-rings and mud-tunic-arms- and tries again. Then is standing somehow, rubbing his arm across his face which does nothing but make it worse. Who needs kohl when you have mud. "My effects… if you will."It's a demand of course, brows raised, that arm then extended as if he fully expects them to come CRAWLING BACK TO HIM WITH HIS BOOTS THANKS.
AHAHHA. NOT A CHANCE, SUCKERRRRRRRRRRR. « YOU LOOK EXCEPTIONALLY BADASS. » Leirith tells Kaellian, which is probably a lie, but NOBODY EVER SAID LEIRITH DIDN'T TRY TO LOVE EVERYBODY EQUALLY. Risali is encouraging Nessalyn along with a, "RUN, RUN, RUN!" and a, "WE DON'T NEGOTIATE WITH BOAT BOYS!" over her shoulder as she goes. "THANK YOOOOU!" for Rinian, but then… Welp. Then Risali is actually hurting D'lei and the reaction is instantaneous. The humor drains quick from Risali's expression, a momentary panic as that pilfered boot is look at and then TOSSED AT NESSALYN. YOU AREN'T GOING TO FIND A 50% CHANCE OF HELP HERE, THAT'S 100% YOU GIRL (for now). "Don't let him get it," she breathes to the techcrafter, a last ditch effort to not be so much this before the goldrider is shifting, bringing muddied hands up to catch D'lei's face between them. Anxiety draws brows in in a mix of concern and some other emotion - guilt, probably? Definitely guilt. "Faranth, baby, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" And those grey eyes go to Nessalyn and Kaellian, as if she is debating something and then… deciding against it. There's a hint of trepidation when she issues a breathy, "We should go," and hesitates on touching him again. Maybe, for once, she doesn't trust herself. But there are things that need checking (and apologies that need making), and… listen. Risali doesn't handle emotions well okay. "Come on." She will walk slow beside him though, and let him use her as a means to balance if he reaches for her.
At least D'lei still has good color, assuming you think mud is a good color. And hey, it even does something to hide the wrinkles that drew themselves on his face as a result of that tug-and-twist. "It's.." A smile, but it's wavery enough around the edge that it doesn't do a very good job of being convincing. "Mmh. It'll be okay." Yeah, uh, WRONG TENSE THERE, at least when it comes to making Risali feel any less concern at this moment. He makes that smile again - it's almost right on about two-thirds of it, this time! - and reaches out for her hand, giving it a firm squeeze before he sets out that cane before him to start on that way home - though he's moving a bit slower than he was on the way here, and not just because he's moving over slippery ground and doesn't want to do a Kaellian because of it. There's likely some fellis to be had, along with those other things… and at least he's on the (currently overly challenging) path to find it!
There may be at 100% chance of Kaellian chasing her down now, but there is a 0% chance that Nessalyn is going to return his effects without a fight. "I WON'T," she calls back to him, waving his one boot in the air, and then the second when Risali tosses the other in her direction. There may be a moment of fumbling before she manages to brandish it successfully, but shhh, she still looks cool. "If he does get them, I'm blaming you," she mutters back. For a second it seems like she's going to stay there, where there's the relative safety of two other bodies, but then Risali and D'lei are having an emotional moment and Ness is suddenly ready to crawl out of her skin with the urgent need to get away. So she straight upturns on her heel and begins running again, into the midst of the lingering crowd from that game of mudball and as far away from Kaellian as she can get. "LEIRITH, I HAVE BOOTS FOR YOU." That is, if the gold is still here and not following her rider home. Nessalyn isn't really checking for that, she's just running for her life.
For a good while, Kaellian waits there. Hand extended, one effort of vague motioning to come on with it already. It's enough time that Risali and D'lei are already on their way out. He isn't quick to the chase, partially because he doesn't care to put forth effort he doesn't need, and also because he doesn't want to run on this mud field. Falling again would be MORE unbecoming than what has already befallen him if that's even possible. Even with Leirith's badassery support. He remains displeased. Nessalyn sure enough has both of them, then, and wherever the third has gone off to. Her outright denial bodes for exasperation, the man rolling his eyes and letting that arm gesture at nothing and fall heavily back to his side. "Nobody takes what's mine." He calls after her, shaking his arms to rid them and his hands of the heaviest clumps of mud, before he starts towards the thick of it where she had gone off to, his jaw tensed. There are two people directly in his path of travel that get pushed to the side, out of his way, and end up falling into the sinking, squishy ground. Unpleasant shouts follow in his wake, though he's watching exactly where the tech crafter is headed to. "That's who you're giving them to? What sort of game do you think this is?" That pace does pick up to a jog when he loses some distance on her, though he's forced to stop twice when mud-cross-fire nearly hits him.
« HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT I ALWAYS WANTED BOOTS, MINION? » WHAT MAJESTY OF HUMAN-GIVING IS THIS? NESSALYN IS LIKE A TINY TECHCRAFTER DRAGON BOOT-GIVING SANTA, AND… Leirith makes her way around (or probably, more accurately, over) Kaellian with… much more distance gained in each stride. Because she is a dragon. A very enormous gold dragon whose gracelessness is not compacted by the mud beneath her because she's big enough to be sturdy enough — for now. You know, when she's not moving fast. But she does chime in a rather overly-cheerful, « MY MINION AND MY NESSALYN HAVE BOTH TAKEN WHAT IS YOURS. » Like she needs to point out the obvious, like that laughter isn't rude - which, shockingly, it's not intended that way. Leirith is just the kind of dragon who sees flaws in people and plans and words and dragons and POINTS THEM OUT. SHAMELESSLY. But she moves, dipping her head to BOOP KAELLIAN and maybe TOPPLE HIM IF SHE'S LUCKY with her affection on her way to join Nessalyn. « YOUR ABILITY TO RUN SHORT DISTANCES WITHOUT FALLING WILL BE THE SILVER-BLACK ONE'S DOWNFALL, MINION. » EXCELLENT.
"They're not yours anymore, they're Leirith's, and NO ONE TAKES WHAT'S LEIRITH'S." Nessalyn is absolutely certain of this fact, even as she elbows someone hard in the stomach. Did she need to elbow that person in the stomach? No, absolutely not. But what's the point of running pell-mell through a crowd if you don't get to injure a few people along the way? THERE'S NO POINT. Which is probably why Nessalyn literally just barrels into someone and keeps on going as they flail around for balance. She breaks through the last of those still playing in the mud, glancing over her shoulder to spot Leirith's approach. She skids to a halt, one hand touching the ground as her feet threaten to sliiiiiide out from under her. BUT NO, she's only halfway down and she quickly rights herself, boots held up for the gold to claim. "As long as he hangs around Xanadu, I'll make sure his boots are yours." THAT'S A PROMISE.
"Aye, I'm quite privvy to that fact." Kaellian is growling at Leirith's shared fact, just as another person ends up in his way- and it probably looks like a VERY LARGE wrecking ball paved its way through this crowd between the two of them and a dragon clearing out their surroundings. It's no subtle thing that the man in black ducks when Leirith passes over him, as unnecessary as it is, hesitating only for a beat before continuing. "What does she even need boots for? She's a bloody dragon!" This is shouted towards Nessalyn, who he's making some distance on. His jog is in full relatively balanced stride when he is then booped. This has never ended well in the past, and doesn't again today, when he is back in the mud, his own momentum and in the instability of the ground and his BOOTLESS footing not making it all so much easier. There's hardly any space left where mud hasn't touched, so he's dragging himself back to his feet, with WORDS for the queen in question, "Where even will you put them? Wouldn't you rather pick your own? You've all the crafts to make you damn dragonsized boots if you desire." Is he really going to try to reason with her? What he is going to do is try make it to Nessalyn to tackle her down before Leirith can take that offer, and hopefully that promise.
WAIT, HE ISN'T DEAD? SHIA SURPRISE! NESSALYN, YOU CAN DO JIU JITSU; BODY SLAM SUPER CAPTAIN KAELLIAN LABEOUF. Listen, shut up. That line was ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. You know what's not necessary? Risali, who was probably getting a play-by-play as she tended to her weyrmate and stayed with him just long enough for that fellis to kick in and render him unconscious before heading back. LISTEN. SHE DIDN'T LEAVE HIM ALONE. K'VIR IS PROBABLY THERE TOO AND LOOK AT HER. She is caked in mud. CAKED. IN. MUD. « I CAN WEAR ONE ON EACH OF MY HEADKNOBS. » Leirith answers Kaellian, like she already has this figured out. « AND IT IS MUCH MORE BADASS WHEN YOU GET THEM BY MORE BADASS MEANS. » Like, you know. DISHONESTLY. OR FROM CORPSES. What? She is a CLAPTRAP DRAGON, YOU GUYS. And THERE SHE IS. GOAL REACHED. She just PLOPS HER BOTTOM DOWN and OPENS UP HER MAW, WAITING FOR HER PRIZE, and Risa? She's jogging (and slipping, and sliding) in an effort to catch up. SHE WILL GET THERE, MY DUDES. FOR NOW, SHE'S JUST A MESS.
NESSALYN HAS JUST DECAPITATED KAELLIAN LABEOUF. Or not. What really happens is that she stands there waving those boots until Leirith gets to her side. Of course, Kaellian is gaining fast, and she takes a few steps back before just TOSSING those boots blindly toward the gold. Sorry, Leirith, she's not quite able to deliver. DOWN GOES NESSALYN when Kaellian tackles her, and she lands hard in the mud with a grunt. Immediately, there's a great deal of kicking and close-fisted pummeling as she tries to get him off of her. "GET THE BOOTS, LEIRITH." Before this gets any more out of hand and she's forced to turn Kaellian into one of those corpses. Admittedly it WOULD be more badass, but murder is probably one of those things that even Xanadu frowns upon.
"Boots aren't for headknobs." Kaellian responds frankly, but there's a pause following the rest of her reasoning, as if it actually makes him consider that as a valid answer, "Fair enough." NOT THAT THEY'VE WON THIS ROUND. But he, unfortunately, has to agree with that resounding headache explaination. The tackle of Nessalyn is really to take her down and pin her. One of his hands captures one of those pummelling fists by her wrist to try to control it, the rest of her pressured by the sheer weight of him. And, what's poking her really is the hilt of his sword. Not that sword. Not just yet. I know how much you're waiting for that. Keep your shirt on. ANYWAY. That still leaves one hand free to strike him, as he reaches for the tossed boots, probably hoping/ Leirith misses one or both in that blind throw. "Ness-a-" She's probably gotten a few good strikes in that pretty face if she's aiming for it. His voice is no more than a growl this close, felt deep in his chest. His grip is too-tight, almost painfully so. And if he doesn't catch the boots when they leave her grasp, he's going to reach for her other hand to grab that, too. "Enough- of - this, calm down." AS IF ANYONE IN THE HISTORY OF EVER CALMS DOWN WHEN BEING TOLD TO. But he can't //kill anyone for stealing from him in the middle of the Weyr. Not if he has any sort of plan to keep coming around, anyway. THERE'S LIMITS. "Leirith, don't you want your minion back?" Trade Nessalyn for the boots?
BOOTS. YESSSS. Leirith SLAMS HER PAWS DOWN ON THEM, claiming them for her own as she watches Kaellian and Nessalyn and GIVES RISALI A VERY LOUD, VERY BROADCASTED INTERPRETATION OF WHAT IS GOING ON. ON PURPOSE. « MINION, THE SILVER-BLACK ONE IS NOW SEDUCING THE ONE WHO MAKES FIRES IN THAT PECULIAR WAY THAT YOU HUMANS DO AND I THINK SHE IS LIKING IT. » RUDE. And maybe that's why the laughter, if not for listening to Kaellian's words about wanting her minion back. A BEAT, TWO, THREE, and Leirith answers with, « YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, MINION. » TAKE THIS SUSPENSEFUL PAUSE AND LIKE IT. « I HAVE ANOTHER MINION. » … Yep. That awkward moment of nothing happening. That really increasingly awkward moment of wondering if Leirith had a point and then - THWACK! LEGENDARY FIGHT WITH KAELLIAN LABEOUF, NORMAL TUESDAY NIGHT FOR KAELLIAN LABEOUF. Risali is colliding with Kaellian by jumping on him with a hiss and then a breath of laughter. She's trying to distract him just enough for Nessalyn to escape, but let's be real. She is probably being more of a hindrance than a help. "NESSA, GO FOR THE EYES." Only probably really don't. Not that she probably has hands to do it with anyway. "KNEE HIM IN THE -" « SAUSAGE, MINION. I WOULD LIKE SOME AFTER WE HAVE FINISHED SECURING MY OWNERSHIP OF THESE BOOTS. »
"WHAT ARE YOU POKING ME WITH, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Logic could probably suggest to her that it's the sword made of metal and not the other kind of sword, but she's not exactly thinking logically. She is smol, and not overly muscular, and doesn't like to be touched when it's not on her own terms, and this is DEFINITELY NOT ON HER TERMS. So if Kaellian thinks that tell her to calm down will do anything other than make her struggle even more, he is sorely mistaken. The fist attached to her free arm aims straight for his jaw, hitting him hard enough to bruise her own knuckles. "GET OFF OF ME OR I'LL KILL YOU." She's even aiming to bite any part of him that comes close enough to her teeth like the half-feral creature she is (actual cannibal Nessalyn LaBeouf). She feels around with one hand, because surely there's a rock around here somewhere that she can grab and smash him over the head with. BUT THEN. RISALI SURPRISE! There's no blood on Nessalyn's face BUT THERE IS DEATH IN HER EYES. Speaking of eyes, she does aim a thumb toward them, but there's much less chance of eyeballs popping out and landing on her if she knees him in the groin. So she aims for that instead, trying to use the distraction of Risali to go for the sword that's not currently jabbing her.
"I haven't forgotten," This is to Leirith, but he's so close to Nessalyn, he doesn't bother to raise his voice, "I just thought you'd might like to keep this one for entertainment. I know I would, even if she is trouble." It's both sinister and crued, that grin of his that just barely touches the edge of his lips before it's PUNCHED. That jaw works for a second after she hits him square. Across those features of his is a furious flash that passes as darkness 'neath the seas of his eyes, a hardening of his expression from whatever 'safe' neutral had been there in the middle of what should be fun and games and whatever else this is supposed to be. For a moment, Kaellian looks at Nessalyn, looks for her eyes amidst the wild fervor that has her trying to escape him. "You play a dangerous game, lass. I would urge you to think before repeating yourself." That's his warning, growled low, curled so thick in his accent it's almost hard to understand- probably more so with how she's thrashing around. This is stated because he's not going to harm her here more than the bruises he's going to leave on her wrists and probably at her hip where the butt of the hilt presses. And maybe whatever she's earned herself on those knuckles. "You push me towards a reason I'd need to leave these shores in haste." That being the consequence of further action, of course. He starts to shift his weight to get off of her. It gives her space and it DOESN'T HELP that suddenly there is a weyrwoman against him in none of the good sorts of ways. It flattens him against Nessalyn again, with enough umph that it could knock the breath out of someone as smol. He would TRY AGAIN to lift himself off of Nessalyn, but that only provides room for her knee, which of course is a TERRIBLE THING AND WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT. A littany of curses, of faranth, of bastards, of rats on ships, are hissed between his teeth. He's going to stagger to one side, on both of his knees, whether Risali hangs on to him as he rises or not, hunched over but no longer on Nessalyn. That glare simply reinforces the threat of before, his black-wrapped hand (because his other hand is busy clutching elsewhere) clutching that hilt of his cutlass as if he hadn't missed her attempt for the weapon.
YOU GUYS, RISA IS MISSING ALL KINDS OF MARKS TODAY. This was supposed to be FUN and GAMES. Instead it turned into D'lei getting hurt, Nessalyn going feral, and Kaellian being not quite so amused. And Risali only hangs on for a moment before she lets go and… maybe reality sets in. She's looking between Kaellian and Nessa, then looking towards Leirith who… well. Let's be honest. She's just Leirith. « I do not think that the Silver-Black one enjoys your jokes, minions. » It's said gentle, still with good-cheer and a hint of humor, but… softer. There's less thunder and crash of sound, something that's not quite apologetic, but certainly understanding. « Perhaps we can test his sense of humor in other ways, though I am disappointed to lose my boots. » But she does shift, and Risali is stumbling to her feet in the mud, SMACKING KAELLIAN'S SWORD BOUND HAND WITH A LOOK before walking slow towards her queen to retrieve Kaellian's belongings. Risa turns to look at him, at Ness, to hesitate just a moment before she picks her way carefully through the muck and tries not to slip on her way back to Kaellian. She's somewhat successful. At least she stays upright. "Here." Soft, perhaps bordering on apologetic for the second time today as Risa looks to Nessalyn once more and… "I'll make sure that D'lei gets you your prize." A gesture between boots and Leirith. "It counts." And there she is, awkward another moment, grey eyes going between the two as she wipes mud away from her face and… "Leirith? Make sure they don't murder each other." There's an amused response of bass and drums but little else, and then Risali is walking away. There's a set in her shoulders, a need to move, and maybe it's rude of her to go without trying to do things more appropriate (like apologize, or make sure everybody is okay), but sometimes Risali just needs to be by herself to sort out those clearly complicated things that have her usual smile gone, her brows drawn in what looks like self-deprecation, and her arms crossing over her chest. Squelch, squish, squoosh. DON'T MIND HER. SHE IS JUST DOING WHAT SHE DOES BEST: RUNNING AWAY.
Sure, her lungs aren't quite working properly at this point, but Nessalyn still seizes the opportunity of escape as soon as it's presented to her. She scrambles out from beneath him, slip-sliding in mud until she's safely a few feet away. She crouches there, eyeing the outcome of this Risali-Kaellian battle but making no move to interfere on the Weyrwoman's behalf. There is a rock nearby that's a little larger than her palm, and she picks this up, prepared in the event that he attempts to pin her a second time. She freezes there when Risali breaks away, poised to strike again but not quite doing it - at least not in sight of the goldrider. Her expression is stony, that furrow to her brow (almost entirely hidden by mud) only deepening as Risali reclaims the boots from Leirith and returns them to their 'rightful' owner. She waves away mention of her prize, because right now that's the last thing on her mind. It may be something she wants to revisit under better circumstances, but right now, with her chest still heaving as she recovers her breath, she wants nothing to do with such things. It's only once the goldrider makes the crazy choice to depart that Nessalyn speaks again, leveling her anger in Kaellian's direction. "If you threaten me again, I'll burn you, your ship, and every last thing you hold dear to the ground, do you understand me? You'll be less than nothing. I will erase you." It's deadly serious, every hint of that former playfulness drained from her as she fixes him with a murderous stare. And with that, the techcrafter turns on her heel and stalks off in another direction, managing to stay upright until she's nearly out of sight. It still counts as an angry exit if you only land on your ass once, doesn't it?
Don't mind him. He's not going to move for a good minute or two, and even when he does it's a little slow. The only change when Risali lets go of him, is that his gaze- still ice cold and winter-storm ravaged of some ancient black sea- follows her 'neath shadows of dark brows without losing sight of Nessalyn in his periphery. The muscles of his neck tense, not really able to be appreciated as much as it could be without the layers of mud, when Risali smacks his wrapped hand. But he doesn't react otherwise, doesn't follow through with anything more. Instead, just as she's handing him back his boots, he's trying with difficulty to stand. Those boots are accepted back, taken by a reach so that she needn't come all the way back to him. His head tips, as if that pseudo-bow is enough of a thank you to warrant no further words. Once Risali's back is to them, Kaellian's focus is back on Nessalyn. He doesn't even bother to look over her as he usually does, just resting kohl-rimmed eyes on her face, her mud-covered expression. That anger he finds there turns the corner of his lips upward, the chill of him absolutely frigid in a nasty humor that is all-too comfortable there. It's a palpable, perilous distance that wasn't there before, even at that incidence of cogs long ago. Once the paralytic pain has subsided, his poise is back to how it always is, even as her threats come again. A huff of an amused breath is probably missable at this distance despite the ominous malevolence which it holds, but the rest likely isn't, "As you wish, m'lady." Then he'd step backwards a few strides boots collected in hand, watching her go, before turning on a heel to leave back to the beach, back to the waters where he belongs.
