Welcome to the Bluerider Club

Writers: Devin, Duskdog
Date Posted: 27th March 2025

Characters: K'mai, Zaphare
Description: K'mai is eager to meet the newest female bluerider.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 17 of Turn 12

K'mai

Zaphare

It was evening and K'mai still hadn't quite recovered from his
birthday party the night before. Worth it though. He smiled to himself
as he headed out of the Dining Cavern after dinner, lost in thought.
Then he spotted the new female bluerider in the Weyrbowl and his smile
widened. "Hey there!"

Zaphare looked up, caught off-guard by the greeting out of nowhere.
There had certainly been people trying to speak to her off and on
since her Impression, but not all of them had been so
enthusiastic-sounding, nor as unexpected.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously -- never quite ready to give
strange men the benefit of the doubt -- but he didn't look like he was
intending trouble, so shard it, may as well give him a chance, right?

"Hi," she responded, glancing him over. He was cute, at least. "Do I
know you, or...?"

"K'mai, of blue Sebeth. Sorry for popping up out of nowhere, but I've
been waiting to meet you."

"Waiting just for little 'ol _me_?" she replied with a bit of a laugh.
"Okay, K'mai of blue Sebeth -- I'm Zaphare of blue Zollarth." It still
felt weird to say out loud, but not in a bad way. "But you probably
already knew that, I guess, if you've been waiting for me. You
interested in a good way, or in a bad way? 'Cause I do know how to
punch, just so you know -- I just don't wanna upset Zollarth."

K'mai laughed and held his hands up. "Good way! Women Impressing blue
is just so cool."

Zaphare relaxed a bit. "Yeah, okay, I think so too. Not everybody
does, but hey, lots of people hate lots of things for no sharding
reason and it doesn't really matter." She paused, trying to remember
her mother's lessons on how to be _nice_. "Nice to meet you, K'mai.
Sorry about, uh... being aggressive?"

She wasn't actually sure of how to describe her communication style,
but that seemed right-ish.

"Don't worry about it." He shrugged. "It seems like you might've had
trouble with people hassling you, and you didn't know my intentions."

Zaphare also shrugged, unaware that she was mirroring his body
language. "Eh, I learned not to trust anybody's intentions a long time
before there was ever a Zollarth." It was hard to think of that time,
sometimes. How could she have been so alone and never realized that
she had been missing something? Now she was he, and he was she, and
she and he were they. If someone had tried to explain that to her a
month ago (and maybe they did -- she certainly hadn't been paying
attention in class), she would have thought they were insane. "So
you're a fan, huh? Not worried that I'll give blueriders a bad rep?"

"According to some people, we already have a bad rep." K'mai grinned.
"Personally, I'm excited to welcome you into the bluerider club."

"Well, that's a nice change. And I _might've_ heard some things about
bluerider club's bad rep. Do I get a welcome gift?"

"I think your dragon _is_ the welcome gift." K'mai laughed. "But maybe
I can get you something. What do you like?"

"Wait, really? You'd just... give me stuff?" Her eyes narrowed again
slightly, but she couldn't hide the fact that she was potentially
interested, regardless. "What's the catch?"

She seemed to be very wary and suspicious. He wanted to put her at
ease, but he couldn't resist teasing a little. K'mai forced himself
into a serious expression. "There _is_ a condition."

"I _knew_ it. Okay, I'll bite -- what is it?"

A smile tugged at his lips. "You have to be my friend."

Zaphare rolled her eyes. "Oh _Faranth_, seriously? What are we, five
turns old?" She couldn't help but laugh a little, though -- it was a
unique approach, at least, and it wouldn't kill her to have another
friend. "Okay, fine, K'mai-of-blue-Sebeth. I'll be your friend. If
you're expecting benefits, though, you'll have to wait. And get in
line. And no guarantees."

There was only so far she was willing to trust friendship with a man
as being genuine.

"There's already a line? I'm impressed." He chuckled. "You're a Junior
Weyrling, so no benefits anyway. And no expectations. I sleep with a
lot of my friends but not _all_ of them."

"There's always a line. That's just how guys _are_. It doesn't move
forward unless I say so, though." She gave K'mai a wry grin. "Yeah,
well, we'll see if you change your tune about expectations when it's
convenient for you. But until then... I'll take a chance on you as a
friend, I guess. I could probably use more. Any tips for an aspiring
bluerider? Do you know where the parties are? When I'm allowed, I
mean, ugh."

"I'll invite you to _all_ the best parties once you make Senior
Weyrling." K'mai studied her. "Wait, how old are you?"

"Plenty old enough for parties!" she said heatedly. Though she would
have said the same no matter what her age had been. "Nineteen, if that
matters. I swear it's the truth."

K'mai chuckled. "No worries, just wanted to make sure. Some parties
can get very, uh . . . adult."

She grinned like a tunnelsnake bearing its teeth. "Oh, I'm counting on it."

K'mai's answering smile was pure friendliness. "Oh I _like_ you. We're
definitely going to have fun."

"I sure hope so. Looks like I made a good first bluerider-friend."

"So I'm your first?" His eyes danced with amusement.

"First on blue, yeah. Don't let it go to your head."

K'mai laughed. "It's a special privilege to be someone's first. I'll
try to be worthy of it."

She gave a little huff of amusement. "I'm holding you to that."

Last updated on the April 15th 2025

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Welcome to the Bluerider Club