Candidates in the Kitchen
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Xanadu Weyr - Kitchens

It seems that with the fire that destroyed much of the kitchen, care has been taken to restore it to a condition well beyond what it was orignally. And thus state of the art equipment has been brought in from the various crafts to be used - stoves and large ovens replacing the hearths, while thin metal sheets have been installed over each countertop, for both ease of use and ease of cleanup. A large pantry remains generally open, containing a all the nonperishable goods, while a similarly large icechest contains the perishable goods.


Niva had slipped into the kitchens earlier, despite the early hour, perhaps in an attempt to avoid chores. Or people. Or even, possibly, both. However, her plans seems to have failed for she sits at a table next to one of the large windows, working slowly on peeling tubers as a rotund cook talks continuously, the older woman's cheeks pink from her chatter. Niva simply nods her head now and again, offering a 'I see' or 'Gotcha' every once in a while as she tosses the occassional tuber in a large pot.

Well, at least she had drawn the same chore as another candidate - Vatyri, much like Niva, is settled at a table, peeling tubers. However, the girl makes slow work of it, and the peelings seem to be getting more on her instead of into the growing pile off to one side of the table. Clean tubers aside, Vaty's ignoring the majority of people in the kitchens; yes, even the chattering cook.

Matteo finds himself drug in here by his own guilt and sense of duty. A mop sits up against the wall and he makes a move fore it. But a kitchen hand gives him a sickeningly sweet smile, insisting his strength would prove better if directed to lifting bags of tubers and depositing them upon the counter for to be peeled. Okay, he could do that. He heaves up a bag as if it's a pillow, as this really was nothing compared to what he was used to doing, and sets it down gently upon the counter. His eyes, as they raise, pass over the two other candidates not really seein them at first. He does a double take and holds back a laugh, just shaking his head. Now, to that mop…

Niva isn't as lucky in Vatyri at being able to ignore the cook. Because even if she was able to overcome the fact that she's sitting directly across from her, and the fact that's she speaks rather loudly, there's always the problem of not having anything else to focus on anyway. Afterall, tubers really /aren't/ that interesting. Stabbing a tuber idly with the end of the knife she's using to peel it, she glares in Matteo's direction. At least /that's/ more interesting then just sitting here. "You both drew kitchen duty?" Directed at the other two candidates, she blinks for a long moment. She's just here because she got caught. She should have simply hidden in the infirmary like normal.

"I did," Vatyri says, wheeling around in her seat and lifting up a nicely peeled tuber to emphasize that fact. For a moment longer her attention wanders elsewhere and she stares blankly at Matteo's hefting of the sacks of tubers before returning to her task. Quite the diligent little worker, Vaty continues on with the peeling of the roots without a complaint, running the knifing smoothly along the tuber.

A large bag full of rotten melon…Jutin carries his punishment with a slight sulk, well…HE didn't fire the melons…did he? So why does HE got carry it all in? Looking up to see the other people in the room, Jutin smiles and laughs, saying "Too bad C'ian busted the SFDT up…and now I'm stuck doing all this." Sighing a bit dramaticly, he walks over and trashes the last of it.

Matteo casts a glance back over his shoulder as he snatches up the mop before that flirty little wench gets a hold of him again. "Yeah… But I have to say it's perferable to a lot of other jobs for me." He grabs a pail and collects some water and soap. Jutin's entry makes him smirk. "Good going, slick. I have to say though, it's probably better for you to clean it up then just warn people when they hit. And watch you don't make more of a mess for me, eh?"

"Better you then me…" And Niva directs that at Jutin as the Smith appears in the kitchen, pulling the tuber off the end of her knife and shooting it towards the kettle. It barely makes it in, elicting a glare from the cook that shuts her up long enough for Niva to speak without doing so over her chatter. "You know, I think you probably deserve it. And C'ian probably had good reason, you know." Leave it to Niva to stick up for the bronzer. Picking up another tuber, she tosses it in Jutin's direction before innocent starting to peel yet another.

Vatyri lays the tuber and knife neatly on the counter before shifting in her seat, moving as to give Jutin a suggestive look. "It's just as well. You and your friend's nearly hit me with that melon," the candidate says, her tone taking on a bit of a grumble before she returns to her chores. Without looking up from the peeling that comes off of the tuber, Vatyri speaks, "Well, C'ian could've done worse. Like give you latrine duties." Giving a bit of a shake, Vaty continues on with her peeling, furrowing her brows together as the knife hits the eye of the tuber.

That tuber is half way to the trash before Jutin catches it, Tossing it lightly back to the pile, the candi Jutin says "In and out…I'm sure C'ian has more chores to find for me to cleanup…even ones that WEREN'T from falling fruit!" Getting a fresh bag from storage, Jutin gives another wave before sulking off.

"Precisely one of the jobs that could be worse than this." Matteo's eyes glimmer but he watches as Jutin grabs another bag and heads out. "Least ways that boy gets some sort of discipline." He soaks the mop and starts mopping away. Wow, what memories this brough back. "I do wonder who was flinging fruit about the place though." He says in an undertone, watching the floor but not really focussing on it. What difficulty was there to mopping?

"Certainly wasn't me. Why would I bother to waste time throwing fruit about? T'would be a waste, certainly. And knowing my luck I'd have to deal with any injuries myself." Which certainly takes the fun out of doing such things. Bobbing her head to Jutin as he disappears, Niva reaches for the tuber that was tossed back on the pile, making a face as she peels it to discover the color inside. The chattering cook takes the spoiled tuber away, waddling off to do something better, apparently, then listening to the candidates and talking their ears off.

Vatyri digs her knife into the tuber and plucks out the offending bit before tossing it back onto the pile, nicely peeled and ready to be boiled. Jutin's departure is given a mere tilt of the head, as to allow Vaty to keep track of where the other candidate is headed, exactly. Her fingertips idly pluck at a piece of loose peel, the girl relinquishing the knife for but a moment before taking it back in hand again. "The melons were rotten," Vatyri states for the sake of Niva, nodding her head just a bit. It would seem that the girl is still a bit peeved at her trousers being covered with the rotten flesh, stinking and all.

Estasravel shuffles in, glancing about curiously to see the goings on in the Xanadu Weyr kitchen - something different for the guardling. And, speaking of guard-type things, no one has yet managed to confiscate Estasravel's dagger which still rests somewhat inconspicuously - the outlines can be seen - at his side. He peers at his fellow candidates and runs a hand through his slightly shaggy hair, only managing to tousle it into further disarray as he finally manages a quiet: "Hey."

Matteo isn't almost sure he heard the other candidate. But the movement convices him and he looks up. "Hello there…" He says warmly before inspecting what he's done so far. Almost a third of the kitchen. Damn he's good. Matteo plunges the mop back into the bucket before kicking it forward to continue his attack on the floor. He observes the three in time, only knowing one of there names. Perhaps he should introduce himself. "I'm Matteo, by the way."

Niva makes a face as she glances over her shoulder at Vatyri, nose wrinkling up as she does so. "Rotten? As it… complete rotten and all smelly and mushy?" That's something she certainly wouldn't appreciate either. In fact, she'd be downright pissed. "That's rather disgusting… I'm glad Casp did something about it, then." Chopping the end off a tuber as she starts to peel it once more. Glancing over at Estasravel as she does so, she tilts her head slightly, eyeing the dagger. "Just keep it where noone gets hurt." So she's perceptive in noticing /some/ things. Gaze drifts from the guard to Matteo as he mops, before looking back to the tuber, finishing it as she tosses it in the kettle.

"Estasravel," the guard-turned-candidate supplies with quiet simplicity as he continues on his round through the kitchen, making his way past Matteo before stopping behind Niva and Vatyri. He shrugs at the former and winks at her. "Don't worry. It's here to protect, not harm. Makes a good hunting weapon, anyhow. What's for dinner anyhow? I was ordered in here but with no specific chore in the telling." The boy grimaces. "I can cook and all. Part of being a trader. You learn to do everything or you don't get supper."

Vatyri nods solemnly at Niva, making busy work with the knife in her hand on the tuber clutched in her other hand, peeling away the brown skin. "Yes, completely rotten. And it landed where I had been standing, too, so when it exploded on the ground, my trousers were covered with the rotten bits." This is all said while Vatyri digs out another eye with the point of her knife before tossing the finished tuber onto her growing pile. The outline of Estasravel's dagger is given a crude glance before Vatyri pushes herself away from the counter; duty is one thing, but this is taking a bit of time, and it calls for a rest. "I'm Vatyri," the girl says to the room at large, rubbing her hands together, before sighing, starting to toss the pile of tubers into a boiling kettle.

'Nother third. Matteo seems quite pleased with himself as he kicks the bucket forward again. "Part of being a sailor too… At least, up untill you're a cptain or first mate… but to get there you need to know the skills." He's long noticed the dagger but gave it no second thought. After all, he had his knotting knife with him all the time. Another splash of water signals the mops return to the bucket.

Niva supposes she can offer her name, seeing as all the others have. "I'm Niva. I'm a Healer, so I've never really /had/ to learn how to cook, beyond the basics. There's not much use for anything else, otherwise." Unless she's caught in a bad situation at some point. Glancing over her shoulder at Estasravel, she grins and nods slowly. "Keep yourself safe too, perhaps. Rather not spend time patching up my fellow candidates." Finishing the last tuber, she goes to get a sack to put the peelings out, to carry out later. "I'm not sure, other then lots and lots of tubers." A grin and a wink to the guard and then she's peering at the High Reachian. "That's the most disgusting thing… erg." And she shakes her head at Vatyri, half listening to the conversations of the others as she pulls the peelings into the sack, wrinkling up her nose as she picks at those which stick.

Vatyri, having thrown all of her tubers into a kettle, now has the time to do what she wants, for the moment. Alas, the girl is playing with the peelings, laying them out in an order as to create an image from the peelings. First, it's a peeling feline, and then the felines shifts into a trundlebug fashioned from the peeling. "I know. Jutin's paying for it, though, in his own way. He has to pick up whatever rotten fruit hits the clearing in his duration as a candidate." Matteo's progress with the kitchen floor is given a brief snort; the splashing's bound to get someone wet, sooner or later. "I've learned to cook, though somethings I'm better at than others," she allows, cupping her chin in her left hand while playing with the peelings with her right, "but I've never been able to quite master handling a needle."

Estasravel gives Vatyri a quick, calculating look before he shifts a bit uncomfortably and turns his attention to Niva, smiling at the girl as he shoves his hands in his trouser pockets. "Promise I won't have an eyeball gouged out, particularly not in the kitchen," says the guard-gone-candidate with something of a grimace at his own words. No gouged-out eyeballs with the food. Eee. He clears his throat and turns towards a cabinet over to the side of the kettle Vatyri's tubers had gone in, rummaging around for a jar of spices. He finds one, takes it out, sniffs and sets it back, and then repeats the process with another — except, this time he pours out a bit in his hand before replacing the jar. He then dumps the spices in the kettle, stirs the tubers and then turns back to his fellow candidates. "That should make it a bit more…flavorful?" He seems a bit uncertain about that, scratching at his temple before he shoves his hands back into his pockets.

Matteo blinks for half of a second. A needle. "You mean, as in sewing I take it?" He asks as he finished up with a smile. He dumps out the water and sets about afixing a rag to the opposite end of the mop. He looks up at the other male candidate. "What'd you put in there?" He asks, a brow raising in inquiry.

Niva arches an eyebrow at Vatyri's activity, rolling her eyes then with a shake of her head as the rest of her peelings are shoved in the sack and the sack is deposited by the door to be taken to the compost pile later. Definately later, when she can use it as an excuse to disappear and avoid doing more work. Turning back just in time to catch the addition of the spice in the tubers, she blinks for a long moment. "I hope you didn't just poison us.." A wink and she glances at Vatyri, shaking her head. "Sewing's not difficult. Admittedly, sewing people and sewing clothes are slightly different, but its the same basic principle." And she's had more practice at the former then the latter.

Vatyri leans over to take a peek at Estasravel's newest addition to the pot, sniffing the scent that rises off of the boiling tubers. "That'd work," Vatyri says simply, settling back into her seat and pushing around still more peelings before tilting her head towards Niva. "Well, I've never sewn anyone, and the robes that I've sewn aren't exactly the best. In short, it's not one of my strengths," comes the reply, accompanied with a shrug and a palm turned upwards. Matteo's newest addition to the mop is given an expression of bewilderment even as the candidate continues to look on. "What's the rag going to do on that end of the mop?"

Estasravel shakes his head at Niva, "It's somewhat tempting, you know," wink, "but I'd rather not be burying bodies." He is, of course, joking about the whole ordeal as he removes his hadns from his pockets, takes off his belt knife, and starts chopping up veggies. He glances over at Vatyri, eyeballs her a moment with narrowed, speculative gaze, and then returns to his self-imposed chore.

Matteo gives a coughing laugh at Niva's comparison. "Yeah, I'd have to say there's a bit of a difference there. Sewing clothes is less messy least ways. And you don't have the fabric wailing at you in pain…" He chuckles at both that and Vatyri's question. He proudly holds up his improvised device. "I'll show you." He starts about mopping up the extra water with it. "See… Used to do this on teh deck so the water wouldn't rot the wood, stained or unstainded." He look at Vatyri, over his shoulder. "Do you need a candidate's robe, then? I can make you one if you'd like… Been pretty handy with sewing myself. Ship sails teach you a lot as well as making, mending and hemming your own clothes because your mother never made you anything and handed you down you're brothers who was much shorter than you." Spite edges his sentences but he takes a deep breath. "Wow, sorry… taht was out of place."

Niva tsks slightly at Estasravel with a wink. "Certainly would have made tomorrow interesting. Dealing with how many sick people?" But she's certainly just as glad that it isn't. Shaking her head slightly at Vatyri, she grins. "I've had to. Not fun. And rather messy. Even if they're totally numbed out and more often then not out on fellis." And the Healer wanders over to lean against the counter next to Estasravel, watching him, glancing at Matteo out of the corner of her eye, grinning at the easy solution to get rid of the extra water. "You know, there are extra robes from past candidates in the storage caverns. Might need a bit of work, but not too much at all."

"I have a couple of robes from past candidacies, and if they don't fit, I'll just rummage through the stores," Vatyri says, shrugging and grinning at the same time. "And even then, I'll have to try to make an attempt to mend it up, so I can at least try to develop what little skill in that area I have." Matteo's method is given an appreciative quirk of the eyebrow, as well as a brief clap. "I never would have thought of that, but then again, I've never been on a boat. It's an excellent way to get rid of excess water," she states, watching Matteo make quick work of the floor. Estasravel is eyeballed back before Vatyri turns towards the peelings, and, instead of playing with them, shoves them into a sack. The sack is then swiftly tied with a twist of the string around the neck of it, and then tossed in the direction of Niva's - where it doesn't land. Getting to her feet, the girl makes her way towards the fallen sack and then puts it where it's supposed to go, propping it against the other sack present.

Matteo gives a overly dramatic bow, holding up his invention. "Yeah well… at least people won't slip." He sets the mop back up against the wall, freeing the cloth and tossing it into a basket of dirt kitchen rags and mits. "Well, if you need any help at all, I'm willing." He says to make the offer. He gives his hands a wash then take a look in at the tubers. The scents that come to his nose please him well enough and he takes a seat near the others. The kitchen wench who'd bothered him earlier made another move to do something but he quickly grabbed up a few of the vegetables and takes out his own knotting knife. He busies himself with cleaning the sheel fragments off teh blade and cutting up some of them too.

Niva arches an eyebrow at Matteo and the kitchen wench, shaking her head as she does so. "You need to behave, you know." A wink and she heads to gather up the sacks of tuber peelings. Not that she behaves any more then the rest of them. Probably far worse, in all actuality. Picking up the bags, she turns, bobbing her head to the others. "I'm going to take these out. And then get back to my infirmary… The apprentices are alone in there." Which is a very bad thing. "If you need me, you know where to find me. But I expect to not have any knife injuries." A grin and then's she's scurrying out to the compost heap in a hurry.

(send past this to: moc.oohay|htasilyt#moc.oohay|htasilyt)

Vatyri pries at a piece of peeling that is persistant in sticking to the counter that she's trying to clean; the little piece is a bit too small to get with just fingernails, so the candidate enlists the aid of the knife. Digging this under one end of the peeling, the girl finally succeeds in getting the clingy thing off of the table. "Ahh. Finally." Matteo is given a sideways glance as he complies with the kitchen wench quickly and then her eyes dart towards the knotting knife.

Matteo gives her a look at that, but returns to chopping, an amused grin on his face despite his attemps at hiding it. He finishes with a squash-like plant, giving a sidelong glance to see if that kitchen hand is busy. She was and he sighs in relief, rinsing his knife and sitting again. "Don't want to lift anything else for her. I swear some of the ways of flirting you women have are irritating." He mutters, folding up the knife and placing it upon the freshly cleaned table.

Vatyri takes an instant distaste to what Matteo said; this is, in fact, not quite true, considering Vatyri's standards. "I don't flirt," the candidate says firmly, cleaning off the knife with her fingertips. "I have no reason nor desire to do so, either." At least for now, and that should be consider a very good thing - Vatyri flirting with anyone would be a scary sight indeed.

"Oh really?" Matteo arcs a brow, watching her every move critically. "Then I apologize. Some women… I take it back." With a shrug, he takes out his mermaid pendant and some twine and attempts to rethread the damned thing. The braiding of the twines drives him crazy as he has to try and pinch the end with his knees to tighten it enough to braid. "I need a pin…" He mutters more to himself than anyone else.

Vatyri really shouldn't be trusted with a knife, but as she finishes taking peelings off of the blade, she sets it down. "Yes, that's much better, truth betold," she says to Matteo, spinning about in her chair as to face him. "What sort of pin do you need? A sewing pin?" Vatyri questions of Matteo as to clarify what exactly his needs are.

Matteo gives a glance up at her. "That could work…" He looks quite silly at what he's attempting to do. "Any sort of pin'd work… just something to keep this stuck to my pant leg rather than having to hold it there." He gets frustrated and tosses the braid up on the table with a grunt of annoyance at it. "Nevermind. I'll get one later and fit it. He picks up the mermaid pendant for a second, then lets it fall back on the table next to the twine and his knife.

Vatyri pats around the areas where pockets are located on her clothing before offering Matteo a somewhat defeated look. "Sorry. I don't have one of them on me right now, but I'm sure that there's one stuck in my cot in the barracks." This is said with a hint of remorse in the candidate's voice; apparently, she truely is apologetic for the lack of a pin to help Matteo out with.

Matteo gives a shrugs. "No worries." He says a bit startled it the severity of her reaction. Sometimes she seemed almost cold to him but other times there was a contrast. He looks about the kitchen. "Hm…" But no such idea comes to mind. "Well, what do you say we head on out of here before they hand us something else to do?" He asks with his lopsided grin. "Or at least, so I don't get hit on and asked to lift things?"

Those are the wonders of being associated with Vatyri; one moment, she's kind and warm, and the other she's distant or mad for some reason or another. Taking a glance around the kitchens, the girl immediately opts to rise to her feet, putting a hand on the counter for balance. "That sounds like a good idea for me," she says in a pleasant tone. "Where to?"

Matteo gathers up the twine, pendant, and knotting knife and looks about the kitchen for a second before standing. "Well… Have you seen the beach yet?" he give sher a bit of an apologetic smile at that. "It's just my favorite place and one of the few places I've actually explored. It's simple but loaded with shells for being lakeside shore." He pockets the knife and stows the charm and twine in his pouch. "Or we could find a place in here where we aren't likely to be tossed into working." Unfortunately he didn't know of many more places. He'd not bothered to completely explore the Weyr's expanses.

Vatyri brings her free hand up to scratch at a spot on her chair, contemplating the ideas put forth by the seacrafter. "The beach sounds like an excellent idea. I haven't been there," she says with a touch of remorse for not visiting the place, having been concerned with chores and the such. "I don't know any place in here where work can be avoided, so I'm assuming that the beach would be the best place to go." And quite rightly so.

Matteo gives a nod of his head and walks to the kitchen enterance, motioning to her. "Ladies first." He doubted they'd be dragged into working if the took to the beach. It was getting there with getting flagged down that worried him.

To The Beach

Matteo takes a deep breath of the air about them, thick with mist from the ocean only a few leagues off. He looks down at the water, which has risen with the moon. The moons light isn't much but he can see about him well enough.

Vatyri treads cautiously along after Matteo, not quite seeming to trust her ability to find her way around with only the moons as her light. Grumbling just a little bit about sand getting into her boots, the girl watches the mist rise up from the ocean before abruptly collapsing herself to the ground in a neat sitting position.

Matteo gives a chuckle, seeing her sit beside him on the sand. He crosses his legs and sits too. "A bit dim…" he murmurs. "because of the mist. But still a nice night for here."
Vatyri plucks a piece of shell out of the sand on her right side, leaning back and giving it a look. This is placed aside before Vaty picks up yet another shell, putting it with the first. More shells join the firt and second until there's a neat little mound built up, at which Vatyri looks rather smug. "That's why I walk slowly," she says by way of explanation in regards to the dimness comment.

Matteo chuckles more so. "That's why I come out here. I get my shells for my pendants here… Mostly the iridecent ones, but I've made some others… They're harder and talke longer but yoy can get more detail. I do dragons in those." He pulls out an iridenscent one that sparkles in the moonlight and tosses it into her pile. "I was glad when I finally found this place. I knew there had to be one near by and my cousin tried to explain how to get there. Ended up just showing me." He smirks a little at that.

Vatyri watches the shell Matteo tosses sail into her pile before reaching for it and plucking it out; it is set off to one side by itself even as Vatyri packs a bit of wet sands around the other shells. Just what is going through her mind, one cannot tell - Vatyri's full of mysteries and this seems to be one of them. Giving a little hum, she finishes packing the wet sand paste around the shells, making it into a little ball. "Really?" If only her relatives were that willing to show her someplace.

"Yeah. He's the reason why I'm here. Pretty much the only of my rtelatives I can stand." Matteo conciders this. "Well, my father's not bad too since he used to take me places. He's the reason I'm here too, come to think of it." He's undug another flat shell with a star pattern on the top and flips it over his fingers like a coin. "But there's always those few in your family you like to equal out those you don't."

Vatyri settles back and waits for the sand to harden a bit; after a few minutes of patient waiting, Vatyri sticks out a finger and pokes the ball before grinning. Picking it up, she pats it a bit rounder before tossing it up in the air and watching it fall back down. "That much is true," she says idly, generally not paying attention as she follows the ball's descent.

Matteo gives a near silent laugh, watching the ball of sand and shell. "Having fun?" he asks with a grin. The shell in his hand is still flipped over his fingers half heartedly. "The sand closer to the water packs better…" He inches forward and grabs a handful of moist sand. He sets it upon the shell he'd been flipping and molds it as if it were clay -with differences obviously- into a small conch shell.

Matteo sits gazing at the moon through the mist. The lapping of the water is enough to make him drowsy, but he still wouldn't be able to sleep. This was his refuge indeed.

A large black shadow in the form of some sort of animal comes bursting onto the beach. Not too far behind there is a human as well, chasing but maybe not noticed initially.

Matteo sits up sharply and before he ever realizes it, he's standing with his knotting knife held ready. What the hell? He peers into the hazy dark. He can vaguely make out the shapes. "You there… what's going on?" Probably stupid to ask, but what else had he to do? Run? Shards no!

Canine careens to a halt at a whistle and what turns out to be a girl comes up behind the huge black animal who just tilts his head, panting though recognizing the threat. "Sorry… we were just running… didn't noticie you." Faye seems rather out of breath and shifts nervously.

Matteo gives the animal a wary look then his gaze diverts to her. "Er, alright then… Suppose there's no harm in that." Tries to calm and depleat the adrenaline running through his system. "Um… Who're you?" Normally he introduced himself first, but he makes an exception of formality on teh grounds that his mind is working defensively now.

Faye glances at the knife warily and shifts slightly, backing up a step or two unconciously as her hands fiddle with her cloak. She doesn't have her staff in her hands and that makes her less confident, but he wouldn't know that. "My names Faye." is said quietly and her eyes never leave the knife, "and this is Sonar."

Matteo's eyes follow hers. "Oh… sorry…" He flips it closed but keeps it held in his hand. "I'm Matteo…" He says, slowly calming down. The adrenalin recedes but part of him is still on alert. "Well met…" He says politely. Yeah, he was okay now.

Faye nods slightly, seeming a bit relieved yet nervous all the same. Sonar has noted his human's uncomfort and whimpers slightly, standing up and turning to lick on of her hands.

Matteo hesitates for a second, fingering the knife a bit nervously. "Are you from Xanadu aswell?" He asks. He didn't see a knot, but that cloak hid her quite a bit. This Sonar unnerved him. He never did like canine beasts much, domesticated or otherwise.

Faye bites her lip and then sighs, shaking her head, "No." Why lie, even if it possibly would get him to relax more and possibly put the knife away… at least stop fingering it. She takes a step back, eyes searching for a knot as well, and luckily finding them on Matteo's shoulder and looking somewhat relieved at that.

"Ah…" Matteo wasn't sure what to make of that. He hesitantly states his information, figuring that's all he could do. "SeaCraft Apprentice and Candidate for the Weyr… Um… what're you doing in Xanadu?" He tries not to make that as casual as possible. He was used to visitors. That's what his nearest person to a friend was when he met her. Now she was a Candidate, which, he'd admit, made him happy.

Faye's shoulders droop slightly and she just sighs, not knowing what to say. "Visiting I guess… until I find a place to live." Obviously it doesn't seem that she's considering here to live either.

"Ah…" Matteo says again. At this he tucks the knife back into his pocket. "This is quite a nice place if I do say so myself…" With a shrug he lets himself relax a bit, not too keen on Sonar there but settled at least.

Sonar just curls up on the ground, able to tell that the other doesn't seem to like him too much, so he leaves that be. He's a good canine, really, despite the disconcerning size. Faye takes a breath and seems to be much relieved at the disapearance of the knife, and she nods slighlty. "It is."

Matteo chews his lip and gives another shrug. "Any reason why you don't have a place? Er, or would you rather not say?" Notes a bit late that that was rather foward to ask. But he did want to know more about this person, indeed. He was curious, sometimes in that pesky and annoying way taht children are.

Faye sits down so that she can reach Sonar, scratching behind his ears with both hands, almost as if fidgeting. And she just shakes her head in response, not sure what to say in explination.

Matteo give himself a mental kick in the arse. Nice one there Matt. He shifts a little in teh sands before sitting back down again. His guard was down a bit more now. Almost at normal. "Sorry I asked… Didn't mean to offend you…" He mutters in apology and were there more light one'd be able to see the wincing in his eyes from these mental beratements.

Faye shakes her head again and sighs, "You didn't" Interesting response, and the girl doesn't give any more explination… well any at all. Sonar rests his head in her lap and whimpers a little until she starts scritching again.

Matteo starts up his own fidgeting, picking up teh bit of sand art he'd made earlier an dumping it off the flat sandmark shell. He goes back to flipping it over his fingers. "Er, well, what brought you here of all places?" Another attempt at conversation maybe?

Faye ponders that one for a moment then shrugs, trying to come up with some explination. "The person I was with lives here, and so well… this is where we ended up." Vague isn't she.

Matteo nods to that. That was a bit more information. "As good a reason as any I suppose." He looks up memtarily at the stars in the sky. Though the mist shrouds them the bright ones still shine through. He sees the sudden metaphorical irony between them and this person and chuckles to himself.

Faye tilts her head a bit looking somewhat confused, "What's funny?" is asked curiously, she seems to relax a bit at what she thinks is a safe subject. Sonar barks quietly and reaches up to lick her face.

"Oh it's nothing…" Matteo says with a chuckle. "It's silly, don't worry about it." He can't believe he made a relationship there. Wow, the lack of sleep must be getting to him. At Sonar's bark he stiffens a little but coaxes himself back to a relaxed state.

Faye notices the stiffening and while scritching the canine's head she smiles slightly. "Don't worry, he wouldn't hurt you." Unless Matteo attacked Faye that is, but that's almost a given. Sure Sonar seems like a giant vicious dog but with the way he acts it's more like an overgrown puppy.

Matteo nods a little and attempts to look convinced, but he's not really. "Never really liked dogs much. They always used to scare me when I was little. All they ever did was snarl and bark." He watches Sonar with respectful curiosity. He places his words carefully so as to just make a statement of it and not loose dignity.

Faye can't help but smile a bit and nods, ruffling Sonar's ears a little. "This one is a sweetheart really." And with that soft smile on her face it is obvious that she loves him dearly.

Matteo takes in the vision in the faint light of the girl with her dog. He'd never had that sort of relationship with anything. Well, there was that lobster he 'rescued' when he was 8 turns, but he didn't think that was quite the same thing. The lobster definately hadn't liked the attention it was given and had let Matteo know quite a few times with his claws. "He really seems to care about you…" He'd felt kinda the same way watching the rider, Kysli, and her brown as he did now watching this girl, Faye, and Sonar. That sense of longing for the same sort of companionship.

Faye nods with a smile and wraps her arms around the canine's neck and resting her chin on him just a little. "He's been with me since he was a little puppy, I raised him." And trained him and all that good stuff, spent tons of time with the canine. "Best companion I've ever had." is said softly and then she laughs slightly as he licks her face again with a slurp. "Hey…"

Matteo chuckles at Sonar's antics but gives a small sigh. "Maybe I'll find something like that… or maybe I'll Impress. I've never had a companion save a lobster when I was 8, but lets not go there. I can still feel the claw wounds." He gives a laugh at that but he wasn't entirely joking.

The canine tilts his head and glances over at the other human that isn't his. He begins creeping over while laying donw still, not wanting to be scary or anything, and watching closely for any reaction. "Sonar…." is said with a slight warning in Faye's voice and the canine stops, tail wagging and looking at Matteo cheerfully.

Matteo looks a bit startled at the canine's approach but gives a small chuckle at that. "You're a silly one, aren't you?" A small fondness comes forward in him. He reaches out, tentatively, giving his hand for Sonar to sniff before he makes any other movements. "Can I pet you? Is that okay?"

Sonar gives the hand a sniff and quick lick before panting and sitting there with a tail wagging quite cheerfully. "I think that's a yes." is said with a bright grin on Faye's part. Yes for all three questions at that.

Matteo laughs silently and rubs behind one of Sonar's ears. "Yeah, you're not that scary…" Maybe there was something to be reckoned with where dogs were concerned. Least ways he felt his fears leaving slowly, casting a lopsided grin to Faye.

Faye grins at the other and finally seems perfectly relaxed, watching the other human and her canine interact. One black tail is a blur really, and Sonar just sits there looking utterly adorable with a canine smile.

Matteo seems to be enjoying himself, but he feels another wave of fatigue set in. "I should probably be off and back to the barracks." He can't count on sleeping, since it'll be his first night in the barracks in his hammock but time will tell. "So with that, unfortunately, I have to leave you both." He gives Sonar a final pat and stands, nodding to Faye. "Hope to see you again sometime. Perhaps when I get my ship?" He grins at that idea.

Faye seems quite content to just stay on the beach and nods smiling. "Nice meeting you." So maybe she has a friend here now? She hopes so at least as she's in need of them badly.

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