Proud Search Pair

Writers: Devin, Chelle
Date Posted: 1st July 2015

Characters: R'gelen, J'kri
Description: As R'gelen and Iroth explore the Weyr outside the barracks, they meet up with their Searchers.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 19 of Turn 7

}:That is the one I Searched, yes?:{ Rademerth asked as they neared
the weyrlake.

The young boy was definitely the one from the Vintner Hall, and he was
washing a sturdy bronze. J'kri had cheered when he watched the boy
Impress. **Yep, that's him.** Their first time picking out a Candidate
without an older pair confirming it, and they'd picked out a bronzerider.
Well, _Rademerth_ had.

"Hello there," J'kri said with a grin. "Remember me?"

R'gelen's head came up from where he had been bent down, checking
Iroth's hide. They were on the part of the lake nearest the weyrling barracks
since the young dragonet couldn't fly and had to walk everywhere. Even young,
he was heavy and tired easily since his body was growing.

Without thinking about it, the dragonet in question moved himself where he
was between his rider and the approaching bluerider. As yet, his eyes whirled
a content green, but he was young and protective.

It took a moment before the young boy realized where the voice came from.
Then, he located J'kri and worked on recollection. Fortunately, it hadn't been
that long ago. "Oh yes...thank you very much." He didn't remember the
bluerider's name, though, much to his shame.

"What's your name now?" J'kri asked.

"R'gelen it seems. And this is Iroth," he offered, pointing the
dragonet he was in the
process of bathing who seemed to be calmly observing the situation
before deciding on
any action. He did look up at the blue dragon who was much larger than
he was though.

}:Hello Rademerth. You brought my rider to me. For that I thank you:{
He had searched
R'gelen's thoughts and made the connection despite his rider's confusion.

The blue's eyes whirled happily. }:I chose him well, so he would be
there for you. You are welcome, little one.:{

J'kri glanced up at him. "He's very proud of himself for Searching
you. Congratulations on Impressing Iroth. He's a handsome fellow."

"Oh he is." R'gelen looked up at the blue himself for a moment, thinking about
how much difference that meeting had made in his life. "Thanks for everything."
Thinking about it, though, he decided this might be a good opportunity
for information. "How was weyrlinghood for you?"

"A lot of work and not much rest," J'kri said with a little laugh.

"That's what everyone says. I guess I can be glad when it's over but
for right now
it seems so far away." He was just worried about keeping Iroth fed. It
seemed the
dragonet was a bottomless pit most days.

"When you're in the middle of it, it seems like forever but when you
look back it seems to fly by." Other people he'd talked to had a
similar experience. "Try to enjoy it as much as you can."

"For me, it'll be longer. I'm so young....well I'll be flying with the
weyrling wing anyway I guess."
He had long accepted his fate and he didn't worry over much about it.
"Do...did people act different
to you when you Impressed?"

"Oh, yes. Though I'm guessing you're getting a lot more attention
since you're a bronzerider." J'kri put a hand to his chest. "Us poor
blueriders get overlooked sometimes." Not that it bothered him.
Dragonriders in general got plenty of attention, especially when they
traveled outside the Weyr. If he didn't like talking to people so much
it might be overwhelming.

"I try not to really, but I know the day will come when it's unavoidable."
He squeezed his lips just a moment in thought. "We're just now getting
out of the weyrling barracks so...not so much yet."

"Well, don't let it get to you. When you're a bit older, you might
_want_ all the attention from ladies." J'kri winked.

That caused a serious frown. Symion had said something like that, but at
the present time R'gelen was not worried about women at all. He was more
worried about patching up his trousers. They were forever getting holes from
dragonet claws amongst other things.

J'kri just laughed. "So what's your favorite thing about being at the
Weyr? Besides your dragon, of course."

"The food. I mean the Hall didn't do that bad and everything but the Weyr
gets tithes from everywhere so there's more to work with." And R'gelen could
certainly appreciate that.

"It _is_ good." J'kri was a growing young man himself so he knew how
much good food -- and lots of it-- was important.

This was all fascinating, really, but Iroth was ready to be oiled.
}:Rademerth do
they sit around talking all day all the time?:{ The bronze was about
ready to demand
attention again.

}:No. They do many other things besides talk, though mine likes to do
that a lot. He calls it 'being friendly'.:{ Rademerth found himself a
bit... fond of the little bronze. Maybe because he'd Searched Iroth's
rider.

Not understand that it might be a bit rude, Iroth finally spoke up.
}:I need to be oiled now before my hide gets itchy:{

Sheepishly realizing he had indeed forgotten his duties for just a bit,
R'gelen decided he could do that and talk at the same time. Grabbing
the oil pot, he set to work, but watched J'kri at the same time. "I've seen
the fully grown bronzes around here. I'll be honest...knowing how much
work it is now, I'm sort of afraid."

"You can always ask for help. Candidates are available and lots of
weyrbrats love washing dragons." J'kri shrugged. "But yes, it _is_ a
lot of work."

He'd been a candidate himself not too long ago so it felt strange asking one
of them for help. It was his duty to care for his dragon so he felt
like he should
do it. He didn't say that to the bluerider, though, since his attitude
might be odd.
After all, he wasn't weyrbred and he hadn't been in the Weyr long.

}:It's not odd. I want _you_ to wash me. And oil me. Now.:{

Sighing, R'gelen gave Iroth a look and then proceeded to oil his hide.
He sincerely
hoped he had put enough in the pot before hauling everything out. "At
least when he
stops growing I won't have to do it as often."

"Very true." J'kri picked up his brush and a handful of sweetsand.
Rademerth had been very patient. "Were you born at the Vintner Hall or
did you move there?"

"I started as an apprentice when I had 12 turns. Before that I lived with my
parents in their farmhold. Not a large operation, mind, but we did allright."
Of course it had been a lot of work but for a young strapping boy maybe not
so much.

"Were they able to make it to the hatching?" Rademerth crouched down
so J'kri could reach higher.

"Yeah they came. I got to see them for a little bit." His mother had been okay,
after all. Moving his hand to find the dry patches, he was confused by
that. After
all, his dragon's hide couldn't have anything to do with it. His Aunt
rode gold and
they had never spoken of her.

"Once Iroth is old enough, you can go visit them." J'kri loved
visiting his family, even if some of them were still a bit
uncomfortable about him being a bluerider.

"That's true." He hadn't really thought of that. He could go anywhere he wanted.
There was so much of Pern he had never seen. Since he'd be stuck as a
weyrling for
a long time, that could be something to do.

"And your friends at the Vintner Hall, you can see them too." J'kri
grabbed another handful of sweetsand.

**Symion...and I could see Corofel.** That was the most important part really.
That was a good thing about being a rider-the freedom. "Do..you....is Threadfall
okay?"

J'kri thought about it for a moment and decided to be honest. "It's
scary. But if you trust your dragon and your wingmates, it's not so
bad. It gets a little easier every time I go up there."

Thinking about that sage advice, R'gelen began to concentrate more on
Iroth's hide.
Working quietly, he finally got the job done. The bronze gave him an
appreciative growl
before nodding his head to Rademerth. }:We will go now but I will see
you again?:{

}:Yes. I will visit you often to see how well you are growing and
learning,:{ Rademerth answered. This weyrling was special to him.

Last updated on the July 8th 2015

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Proud Search Pair