Logs:Invasion Of The Giggling Girls
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| RL Date: 7 August, 2013 |
| Who: Jinja, Telavi |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Ousath's flight stops Jinja and Telavi from walking around the lake, so they invade the workroom instead. |
| Where: Workroom, Craft Complex |
| When: Day 18, Month 6, Turn 32 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Briora/Mentions, Edeline/Mentions, Leova/Mentions, Madilla/Mentions, Quielle/Mentions, R'co/Mentions, Treinan/Mentions |
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| It's all terribly inconvenient, really: Jinja and Telavi have a friend-date to walk around the lake and chat, and stupid Ousath has stupid timing, and is having a loudly enthusiastic time Blooding out in the pens. Jinja's disgruntled, but leads the way into the Complex, past the artworks on the wall and in the door to the lounge and public workroom. "Look - there are some seats by the window, in the sun. We can sit there." Which is not quite as good as the lake on a beautiful summer afternoon like this one, but it's better than cold, dark caverns, right? So much better. Telavi's relatively decorous as she follows Jinja in, no expansive arm motions, no laughing too loudly-- yet. "Perfect," she declares, or at least it's perfect enough, or it will be once they've bypassed all the other patrons to get there. There's only a whiff of firestone in her hair to give Tela away as one of them as she walks by, no loud swearing by Faranth this or Ramoth that, the girl simply clad in a sundress and the strappy shoes that she tucks beneath her seat when finally they can scoot their chairs together. "So," she begins with a decidedly cheeky smile. "Has your work died down?" So to speak. It's no secret that Jinja has been admiring Telavi's attire - her own is so much simpler, even if she does add a certain amount of flare of her own, ribbons woven through her hair and bedecking her (sadly sensible) boots. Still, she's gleeful enough as she scoots forward, ignoring the dirty glances they get from those working here (some weavers, a handful of others doing finework) in order to exclaim, "Well, now that we're done with exams, there's lots more time. Madilla has us working on research projects for the summer, which is boring, but at least it means my time is mine to schedule, mostly, right?" Boots. In the summertime. It's a travesty! "Of course it is," agrees Telavi, as though she could possibly have authority to decide, though the sparkle in her eye recognizes that full well. "How were exams, do you think they went all right? And I know it's boring for you, but whatever did you research? I don't suppose Treinan scored awfully so he'll be yanked right back to the Hall..." "Treinan probably did better than I did, the stupid little swot," interrupts Jinja, dismissively, waving her hand in an expansive kind of way; she doesn't care about him, not really. "I'm researching post-goldflight baby booms." Tela's pfft is more audible than strictly voiced, and it comes with an eyeroll too, if one that winds up momentarily showing the whites of her eyes as Jinja goes on. "Ugh." "Of course," continues Jinja, who seems pleased by Tela's reaction, "it would be better if I'd actually been here for the flight, but... oh, don't be like that. It's better than tracking cold viruses or... you know, really boring things." "And wind up with a baby yourself, maybe?" For variety, Tela wrinkles her nose. "So you're, what, just going to count whoever winds up that way? Because if that's all, you should have plenty of free time." Jinja's expression briefly mimics Tela's: ugh. "Not me, no thank you. It's more... counting, and interviews on whether it was planned, or if it just happened, or... you know, that kind of thing. It's a pretty safe project, really, and yes, that's the point." Jinja is triumphant. "But it makes Madilla happy, too, because babies." Telavi can't help but giggle. "Is she really that bad? She has... doesn't she have one, the one everyone was talking about for half a minute there? Wouldn't that be enough? And... is it the baby being planned or what made the baby being planned? I wonder if there will be any really old people winding up with a surprise or anything." "She has two, but I think she wants another one. She keeps sighing over the babies that get born. It's just embarrassing." The possibility of old people getting pregnant makes Jinja make yet another face: gross. "Oh, Jinja, how awful for you." Telavi sighs, but not in a wistful sort of way, not in the least. "I hope everyone was taking their tea, or whatever it is they have. There's little enough good to eat already," or so it might seem before harvest time, particularly if one's in the mood to exaggerate anyway. "She's such a... mom," grumps Jinja, deploying the word as if it really were the worst possible thing for a person to be. "Not that I don't love mine, but... you know what I mean. Do you think supplies are going to be low this turn, too? I overheard some of the Journeymen saying that maybe we should all be sent back to the Hall." "At a nice safe distance. At a writing distance," Telavi teases, just enough slur to make it sound a little like riding. Only then her eyes go wide, "Really? I hope not! But would you want to? Is it that much worse?" She casts about for some logic, comes up with, "At least it's not as though even these flight-babies are going to pop out tomorrow, all ready for wherry." Jinja's nod is enthusiastic: exactly so. Less enthusiastic is what follows: "I think it's mostly made up... like, people worrying about nothing, just because they can? But apparently Quielle was crying in the infirmary yesterday, worrying about Lady Edeline, and I know things still aren't good with High Reaches." "Oh no. I'd better look in on her again-- and bring clean handkerchiefs, too," that last nearing exasperated. Telavi sighs, and then her voice changes for a second time. Lower, "I miss the way she used to be. Maybe you think she's whiny or whatever right now," or simply distressed from being in a situation that would be difficult for anyone! "but she wasn't always that way, she wasn't." Jinja's expression is initially dubious - but then she nods, and understanding replaces the dubiousness. Speaking with authority, "That's what happens, when women get pregnant, and it keeps on going after they give birth, too. Lots of emotions. She'll become more herself again soon, I'm sure. Though I'm afraid that once people are moms..." It's just different. And exasperating. "It would make me sad, too. If it were my friend. Cheer up. You have me, at least!" Telavi gives her that authority, listening with a slight flare to her nostrils, but in the end she still has to mention-- though she manages not to be pointed about it-- "I saw some of my age-mates back at Benden wind up that way. One did foster right off, and it seemed like that helped, but..." Telavi might be biased. She does have Jinja, of course, and she's good at smiling as though that's cheered her up entirely. "Anyway," says Jinja, decidedly. "That's an awful topic, really. Boring. Not that I don't hope your friend gets better and all, but still - ugh!" She kicks her toes beneath her chair, a position that's all the better for being able to ignore the woeful boringness of her footwear, and turns her attention wholly back onto Telavi. "Your dress is so pretty." Telavi can even dimple at her by now. "Thank you. I probably shouldn't tell you, but," and here she leans in to whisper, "I put hooks on the ribbon trim, so it's easy to switch out with other colors and wash only what you have to, and I did the buttons so I can swap them out too. You can do the same thing with your buttons if you want, it's just they're harder to keep track of that way, and the fit... well, the fit's what really makes it. How much are you growing still?" It's such a clever idea that Jinja can't help it: she claps her hands together with glee, rather more childlike a gesture than she likely intended, and looks thrilled. "Oh!" she says. "I could do something like that. I'd just never thought of it." Enthusiasm has raised her voice... and drawn some gazes towards them again, though the healer certainly doesn't seem to notice. "I'm seventeen, Tela, I'm not growing anymore. Even my boobs have stopped, I think." But she'd better give them an appraising glance, just in case. Nor does Telavi seem to notice, beaming as she is, her smile gotten that little bit more cheeky for the other girl's protestations. "Oh, good, they didn't pop out more in the last five minutes." At least she's keeping her voice at normal levels. "Isn't it nice when you don't have to hand down your grown-out dresses anymore, just when you have them just right? What did they have you wearing at the Hall, does everyone have to have the same thing?" Jinja gives her boobs an experimental squeeze, just in case (she's proud of them; can you tell?), and then turns her widely beaming smile back up at Telavi. "Right? Ugh, it's completely unfair when things just suddenly don't fit you anymore, and someone else gets to look super cute instead of you. Thankfully there were no uniforms at the Hall, not really, but we had restrictions. Exactly why ribbons are considered a 'danger', I don't know." Even Telavi has to sneak a glance at their neighbors, at that move of Jinja's, just from the corner of her eye so the apprentice isn't so likely to catch her. "Exactly." It comes out a little weaker than it would ordinarily, but the rest is lighter once again. "And I think the ribbons are more in danger from the Hall than the other way around. I mean, redwort? Why hasn't anyone gotten the red out of redwort yet? And all the other things that stain, lotion and everything, I don't even know what all you have." The Weavers, the Smiths, the others working here in the summer sunshine? Some of them are very much not impressed, unable to entirely ignore this conversation. Jinja goes on, oblivious (but at least she's not touching her boobs anymore), "Yes. Exactly so. Getting the smell of numbweed out of anything is just awful, and so many things stain. Some of it is good for my hands, except then I spend so much time up to my elbows in hot water cleaning things, and that just does awful things. Really, they should just let me talk to patients all day instead." "Wouldn't that be nice? Especially the cleaning, aren't there drudges for that?" Telavi fans her own fingers up to survey them wistfully, the oil-softness but also the calluses. Then, after another glance about, she leans in to whisper to Jinja, "They're watching us," humor in her voice for the waatching. Spooky! With a bit of a pout, "Let's talk a little quieter before they kick me out." It may be a public workroom, but isn't it the crafters' territory? "I thought the Infirmary Aid-- oh." Telavi's remark about the need for quiet has Jinja sticking her chin in the air and glancing around, defiantly, but when she glances back at her friend and resumes talking, she has moderated her volume. "I'd defend you, you know. If they tried. I think they're just jealous because we're young and beautiful, and we have the afternoon off, and they have to do more work." Infirmary aides, higher-ranking drudges? That makes Tela smile when the state of her fingers hadn't. "You're sweet." Of course, she's quick to add, "And fierce!" before smoothing her hair and glancing about again. Back to Jinja, "Any exciting injuries lately? Has anyone gotten bit by something rabid or chopped off their own foot at the ankle?" Jinja is pleased, though that 'sweet' on its own could easily have been taken the wrong way. Fierce is better. Fierce is appropriate, given the predatory grin she gives the older girl. She's unworried by those surrounding them, now, and instead flips her hair over her shoulder and says, "Oh, no, nothing so interesting as that. Which is a pity. It feels like all anyone ever does is break a wrist tripping over something, or get a cold, or get knocked up. There's this older woman having, like, twins or triplets or something, and she's huge, but... it's all tedious. There was this cute boy in the other day who had a ball thrown at his you-know-what, though." Telavi rolls her eyes. "Boring. Bo-bo-bo-bo-ring. A cold in the summer, awful, the rest is awful too. I wonder if anyone ever gets earstrain from listening too closely, and if they do, how you fix it. I bet it hurts a lot, though." Not to look around or anything, and indeed she doesn't even raise her voice. "Tell me about the boy, though. Did you make sure it wasn't permanent damage?" Just a hint of dimple. Jinja, however, does raise her voice. "My mother always used to box our ears if we did, but I don't suppose that's what healers do. Probably it's rest and quiet and nothing interesting at all for days... ugh." The boy is a much more interesting topic; the apprentice properly wriggles with glee. "Oh, yes. We had to do a very close inspection, Treinan and I. And he kept blushing-- Treinan, I mean, not the boy-- as if he'd never seen it before!" Jinja is probably aiming to sound more experienced than she really is (being an apprentice sucks, man). Telavi puts a finger to her lips just as soon as she can, though she isn't the most convincing about it, more laughing-eyed. "He probably hasn't," she murmurs. "He probably," and here her voice drops that much more, "doesn't dare look even when he pees... so if he misses sometimes, you know that's why." Being quiet, even temporarily, is not one of Jinja's strong points. Being quiet when her companion is not convincing with the suggestion? Yeah, no, not going to happen. Her eyes light at Telavi's suggestion, laughter visible and audible-- a giggle, really. "Boys," she declares. "They're awful, until they grow up and become awesome. Not that Treinan ever will. Madilla had a boyfriend when she was an apprentice, but I'm not allowed. How lame is that?" "And even then..." Telavi attempts an ominous voice, the better to cast doubts on their complete and eternal lack of awfulness. She doesn't try to shush Jinja again, yet, anyway. "That is so lame." Quiet voice from Telavi, anyway: "Do you think it's because she had a boyfriend, she actually got up to... no, she couldn't have." Could she? "Why did they change?" "She says it was different, that they were engaged, and it wasn't just for fun," explains Jinja, scornfully. She thinks the whole thing is lame, clearly. "I bet it was totally boring, anyway." Telavi all but pounces. "How can an apprentice get engaged?!" She's leaning forward across the table, too. "Well, of course it wasn't just for fun, if it were just for fun they wouldn't get engaged, because then it wouldn't be fun." Jinja's hair gets tossed again. "Right? It was... unofficial, or something. A promise. But I think the whole thing is suss. She's not so perfect after all, see? And even though her Journeyman was obviously lenient, she won't be for us. I think I should stay at the Weyr forever and never get engaged. It's more fun, right? I shall play the field, and decide what I like. But not with any of those really skeezy riders." "Of course she won't," Tela sympathizes. "And definitely not the skeezy ones. It's much more fun to be here, and why would you be engaged when... I don't even know. But speaking of!" Not engagements. "There was this other rider? and he was telling me about how he took healer classes in massage and he could massage me and of course I said no but I did get to thinking. There's the good kind of massage, right? How hard is that even to learn? I mean, it's just like a backrub, except sometimes it's on your arms if you have sore arms or whatever, right?" There's something in Jinja's expression that suggests she's dismissive of massage as a healer trained thing... though of course it is, though she's interested too. "Was he cute? Though it's maybe skeevy to offer like that. It can be, anyway. I've never learned all that stuff, though I know people do. We real healers tend to do remedial massage, which is different than the other kind, but I haven't learned that, either." Yet. Or maybe ever. "It couldn't be too hard, I bet." "He should have been cute? I mean, there was one point when he halfway was, but then, no." Telavi's discomforted shrug dismisses the whole idea. Besides, she's far more interested in, "Tell me about remedial? What's that all about? It sounds like remedial massage is what you do when you messed up the first time and you want to be out in the summertime but you're stuck inside studying instead." Given Jinja doesn't know the rider in question, and isn't likely to get to know him, she dismisses him with a shrug of her shoulders: clearly, not worth her time. "Oh, no," she says, of remedial massage. "No, it's, like, healing massage. Therapeutic massage. Fixing things, I guess? I don't really know, but I know some of the Journeymen use it on occasion. Seriously, though, it's boring, I promise." "Things like... bruises? Sore muscles? Fallen-out eyeballs?" That one's followed by something suspiciously like a giggle from Telavi, despite how she's so decorous to look at under these circumstances. "Right, and if you've-- you shut up." Her voice raises, just a little shrill. "You're teasing me now. It's like when you've broken a leg and you have to get the muscle tone back, and stuff. I don't know. But like I said: boring." "Maybe a little," and Telavi dimples at her, only to hesitate. "For when you break something?" Audibly and visually less fun, and less immediately useful, too. "Well, never mind." And it's good timing, for, "Oh! Solith says that Ousath is done," or at least that's the translation she's offering. "Why don't we go for that walk? We'll just stay upwind of the pens." "Like," begins Jinja, presumably to be continued with 'when you break something', but Solith's message pleases her, and that's a distraction. "Let's," she agrees. "I don't like the atmosphere of this place." So she has been paying attention to the dirty looks. "Or the nosiness. And it's too lovely a day to be stuck in here. I think I'll take my shoes off... then I can pretend I have pretty sandals that I could be wearing." It's so hard, being an apprentice. |
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