Xanadu Weyr - Main Docks
Jutting out from the land are the platforms that make up the main dock of Xanadu Weyr. The extruded plastic makes an odd sound when footsteps echo across it. From this dock, two others protrude taking opposite directions, each for a special purpose.
Where: Docks
When: It's hour 13 in the seventh day, in week 4 of the first month of autumn, in turn 2676. The moons are in their last quarter phase, and they are not up. The tide is high and rising.
The air is damp and cold, the sky a translucent grey, brighter to the south. Nothing casts a shadow.
Ryski is not, in fact, fishing. But he /is/ laying on his stomach on the dock, with his arms dangling down into the water below. Oh sure, the occasional little minnow sees fit to give him a nibble, but otherwise, there won't be any great catches today. It's starting to get a bit late, anyway. Probably why the boy is looking a tad bored with things, giving the water a flick now and then.
L'alie has decided to spend her afternoon wallowing in the water, though it surely must be cold, even this early in autumn. Wallowing like some beached whale in the shallows with her still horribly pink lifemate, the Weyrsecond drifts peacefully, one arm oustretched to anchor herself to an outstretched paw. Some unseen switch flips in her head however and she shifts her weight, lowering her legs to upright herself, waterlogged hair sticking to the curve of her neck. Her face turns towards the dock, attracted by the sound of Ryski's fingers trailing through the water. An eyebrow quirks. "Afternoon, hon." she calls out.
Ryski drags his hand out of the water, blinking a little bit as he pushes himself up onto his forearms a little, looking in L'alie's direction. ..Oh. /Pink/. The boy winces just a little to note that Adinaeth is /still/ that color, and shakes his head a little bit. "Hey." While the tone is a tad lazy, he does seem awake enough, shifting to rest his chin on his arms for the time being. "Didja find out who did that to 'im? He's /still/ pink!"
L'alie swims towards Ryski at a slow pace, reaching the dock and hauling herself out of the water, the subtle bulge of her belly outlined under her plastered shirt. "Doesn't matter. It makes Adinaeth happy. You know, last clutch he got one of the candidates to sneak around and paint everyone's toenails pink? The clutch before that, he got one of the candidates to dye everyone's clothing pink.." She muses, plopping herself down on the docks so that she can drip-dry. "Oh, and one clutch, the candidates pitched in, the ones who could sew, and made him giant dragon hotpants. Pink, of course." She sighs, shaking her head, "You should see his ledge. Pink! It's.. horrendous. You can see it from the air, like a big shining beacon. I swear, you could take coordinates from it. Ever want to find Xanadu? Just between to the image of Adinaeth's ledge!" she rolls her eyes skyward. "It'll wash out in a day or two."
Ryski makes a face, although he does shift a little bit when L'alie climbs out onto the dock. Gotta make sure she has enough room! ..Or maybe the boy just isn't too interested in getting wet just yet. Aside from his arm, at least. That falls right back down into the water, fingers making a slow circle. "Huh. I dunno why..I mean..pink?" Well, he can't fathom the pink thing, but his shoulders do lift somewhat after a bit. "I guess if he likes it.." Though he does send a look toward that pink dragon, eyeing him. "Don't you get anyone making any of /my/ stuff pink!"
L'alie chuckles, "Well, no gaurentees, boyo. I'll try to keep his pranks to himself. He's the trickiest dragon I've ever met though. The pink.." she shrugs and grins, touching her finger to the side of her nose slyly. "He's really very girlie." The dragon in question lifts his head, eyes whirling in amusement. « I am only a compliment of you. » The dragon intones to his rider.
Ryski tilts his head a little bit at that, brows lifting, and then just laughs. Well..hey. A girlie dragon does tend to be a bit…amusing, after all. "Heh, well, kay then. But if my stuff turns pink, I'm gonna let 'im have it!" ..Somehow. Although it's rather doubtful that the twelve turn old is any match for the brown. Even if it /is/ a girlie one. He gives L'alie a grin then, at least, shifting to slowly sit upright on the dock.
L'alie reaches out to ruffle Ryski's hair affectionately. "So, tell me what you're up to these days? Are you enjoying your work with the ovines?" Adinaeth rests his big head on the dock, chuffing water from his nostrils over his rider and the boy.
Ryski gacks a little at the sudden spray, hands going up to his head as the rest of his body ducks. "/Hey!/" If it's not the threat of becoming pink, it's the threat of becoming waterlogged! He turns a faintly wary look on Adinaeth for a moment though, giving a small sniff before managing to answer the Weyrsecond. "Huh? Oh..well I liked it and all. I joined a craft though!" And oh yes, is he proud of /that/. "I'm contributin' now, right?"
L'alie lifts her eyebrows, "Oh did you?" She asks, grinning widely. "And what craft is that?" Her eyes stray to his shoulders, seeking out this new knot. "Well, I'm proud of you, then! I hope you really enjoy it." Her head tilts to the side, as if listening to a voice. Lips curl downwards in the corners for half a moment. "Ah, Adinaeth says there is some other way in which you could contribute, should you be willing."
Ryski nods quickly, giving a little tug at the knot on his shoulder. "Uh-huh. The dolphincraft, and all. I..guess I am. There's kinda stuff I don't understand yet, but we got lessons and stuff to go to." Hence the learning. Apprentices have to learn, after all. Brows lift somewhat at the thought of contributing in 'another way', before they furrow suspiciously. "I'm /not/ painting his talons pink. I'm not."
L'alie sighs dramatically, "Alas, that task falls to me. Actually.." She smooths a hand down her stomach self-conciously, "Ah, actually, Adinaeth asks if you would do us the honor of standing for Kilaueth and Hesketh's clutch currently upon the Sands."
Ryski just blinks for a moment, brows lifting as he takes in the question. "Huh? But that..that bluerider that took Delenn didn't want me at all." Although, really, that thought only serves to put a far more determined look on the boy's face, one hand coming down against the dock with a thud. "Okay! I'll do it. Show him a thing or two.."
L'alie looks down at her nails and grins slowly, "Adinaeth may have, ah, reserved you, shall we say? He knows I am a bit fond of you." She shrugs, "Dragons are strange creatures. Even they keep a few secrets from us." She hauls herself to her feet precariously, lurching off balance for a moment. "Alright, kiddo. Let's go see if we can find you a new knot."
And just when Ryski was getting used to /this/ knot! The boy looks a bit confused though for a moment, and then simply gets up onto his feet with a nod. "They can do that?" That's certainly the first he's heard of it. Though he does grin faintly to himself, hands stuffing into his pockets. "Wonder if Delenn will be mad."
L'alie shrugs, "If he is, you can tell him to take it up with me. I'm kinda in charge of you lot and all that." She winks at him and makes a beconing motion, heading towards dry land.