I'll Be the Best

Writers: Devin, Miriah
Date Posted: 26th April 2021

Characters: R'lor, Aviday
Description: R'lor meets Aviday and gets a taste of her personality.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 10 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik

R'lor

Aviday

Meeting so many new people was draining, but R'lor knew it was
important. He needed to be familiar with the riders in the
weyrlingstaff and so he met with them one by one in his tiny office.
Aviday had recently graduated, placed in the weyrling staff because
she was too young for the fighting wings. As their scheduled meeting
approached, he read over the copy of her file again.

Aviday approached R'lor's office with a light step, humming off key as
she stepped up to the door and knocked. "You asked to see me?" Her
eyes flicked to the hides in his hand and her grin widened. "Uh oh. I
didn't do it."

His smile was small but welcoming. "Aviday, please have a seat. I hope
Kobeth is well?"

"Oh sure! She's great. I think she's flirting with a bronze outside
right now." She slipped into the office and plopped down on the
offered chair. "I guess it's the whole getting to know me time,
right?"

"Indeed." R'lor nodded. "You recently graduated, and I'd like to know
how you're adjusting to being on the weyrlingstaff." She certainly
seemed to be energetic and informal.

Wrinkling her nose, Aviday's thoughts on being in the Weyrlingwing
were clear. "I don't like it. I want to be in the air fighting," she
readily admitted. "I already know all the stuff I need to know and I
hate having to wait an _entire_ turn just to get in the fighting
wings."

"I understand your frustration, but we have rules for a reason," R'lor
said patiently. "You can use this time to sharpen your skills and
become an even more capable rider, so that when you do join the
fighting wings you'll be ahead of those joining straight out of
weyrlinghood."

Her lower lip thrust out just a little. "I want to be the best
greenrider in a fighting wing. The quickest and the bravest. It's hard
to practice when all I'm doing is lugging firestone during Fall and
teaching during a drill. We've never even been 'scored. Not even a
wingtip score. "

Overeagerness was a danger, though her success in avoiding injury so
far was a promising sign. "Drills and real Fall are different. I'm
sure you saw that with your Blooding."

She nodded. "Yeah, of course. But it's a whole turn of waiting." She
complained. "I know drilling's important and all, but it's just not
the same, you know?"

"I do know. I was once a Wingthird, and Kularth was proud to fight his
ancient enemy. But we'll never fly Thread again."

Aviday frowned. "He had a bad injury or something?" She idly tugged
on her ear, immediately uncomfortable with facing or thinking about
any serious injury to Kobeth.

"He was badly scored on his wingjoint Turns ago. For a while the
healers thought he might never fly again, but luckily that wasn't the
case. He can fly well enough now, though the demands of 'Fall are too
much for him." After Kularth had managed to fly again, R'lor held out
hope for a long time that they might be able to rejoin the fighting
Wings. It had been hard to finally accept that would never happen.

Cringing at the thought, Aviday couldn't repress a shudder. "Shards, I
mean, I know that happens a lot to riders, but I don't want it to
happen to me or Kobeth. I don't know what we'd do. I want to fly
Thread and fight. That's all I've ever wanted."

"You'll get your chance, but until then your duty is to help me train
weyrlings. At least you know you _will_ fly Thread in the near future.
I don't have that benefit."

Why were they having this conversation? Him pointing out how lucky she
was compared to him was making her feel a bit guilty and she didn't
like that sensation at all. It wasn't her fault that he couldn't fly
thread and she could. Uncomfortable, Aviday squirmed in her seat and
didn't meet his eyes. "Right."

"You can't speed up your age, Aviday. I want you to value your time
here in the weyrlingstaff," R'lor said. She certainly wasn't the first
impatient young rider he'd encountered.

"But I've been through the classes so many times, especially about
Weyrlife. I'm weyrbred. I know what I'm supposed to be doing already!
What am I supposed to do? Teach? I can barely sit through a class
without going crazy. How am I supposed to help teach one?"

"Is there something you're good at? Something you enjoy?"

Aviday blinked. "Flying. I really like flying with Kobeth. She's
really fast and she turns really sharp. And she can do rolls and dives
better than anyone else I've flown with." Aviday spoke with evident
pride as her chest puffed out just a little.

"Could you help the older weyrlings with their flying skills?" R'lor
suggested. "Teaching isn't just confined to the classroom."

Frowning, Aviday tugged at a strand of her hair as she thought. "I
guess I could. I mean, I'm good at it. But what if they don't listen
to me?"

"Then you tell me and I'll scold them until they do," he said with a
little smile.

"Would this help me get graduated maybe a little quicker?" She
searched his face, looking a little hopeful. "Maybe you could put in a
good word for me or something?"

"No, sorry. But. . ." He wondered if it would help to dangle something
in front of her. "It could influence what Wing you end up in."

That perked Aviday up immediately and her eyes filled with hope. "Like
an upper wing? Even N'vanik's? His is the best and I want to be the
best. Do you really think it would help? I'd do _anything_ to get in
his wing!"

Ah, that was the key to getting her interest. "It's up to the
Wingleaders to choose, but it would certainly look good if you were
giving extra help to the weyrlings."

That quickly decided her and Aviday sat straight. "Then I'll do my
best to look good," she declared firmly. "I'll give them all the help.
Whatever they need." She took a deep breath, lifting her chin. "I
really will be the best, just you wait and see."

Ah, the eagerness of youth. Still, if it kept her focused until she
was old enough for the Wings, then it was all to the good. "I'm sure
you will, Aviday."

Last updated on the July 21st 2021

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I'll Be the Best