Logs:What Can You Do (2)
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| RL Date: 28 February, 2014 |
| Who: Reesa, Zhivka |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Reesa has assurances to provide, and tries to find out what skills Zhivka has. |
| When: Day 15, Month 2, Turn 34 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: E'dre/Mentions |
| The inner caverns are relatively busy this afternoon, with people hurrying from one location to the other. The hatching won't be far off and there's plenty of preparations to keep the caverns staff and candidates alike from dwelling on it overly long. Reesa's leaning in the doorway to the training room, looking relatively relaxed and at ease by comparison; watching the crowd move past but not lingering, as if watching for someone specifically. The winter weather has meant that the greenrider's normal sundresses have been left in the wardrobe in favor of longer, thicker material, the hem of the dress swirling around her ankles. Stores duty means playing the part of a convenient delivery system. Though, for the moment, Zhivka just looks like she's wandering through the inner caverns like anyone else, heading on her way back to the stores to do whatever she's told to do next. It's definitely better than being stuck outside with the groundskeeping duties that have been haunting her all candidacy, so the tiny blonde seems to be in rather good spirits as she goes along, humming a tune to herself. At least she's not skipping. Reesa's eyes narrow, and she pushes into a straighter posture. "You." An imperious finger is pointed in the candidate's direction, her voice pitched to carry with an effortlessness that a harper might envy. "Come here," she adds, as if her intentions might not be clear, her eyes fixed on Zhivka a moment before she retreats into the training room, as if expecting that she'll do as requested. The training room is busy tonight - there's a few riders sparring, some with shirts off - and the greenrider's striding to a suitable viewing spot on one of the benches against the wall. Zhivka doesn't squeak. Or if she does, it's not loud enough for Reesa to hear it. But she does look over at the voice with a hint of startled surprise once she realizes that it's definitely her and not some other 'you.' She's also somewhat reluctant to 'come here,' even though she does just that after a moment of hesitation. The sparring draws her attention and slows her steps as she moves in the wake of the greenrider, and she jumps slightly at the thud of contact between the two before hurrying along to the bench. "I'm sure they're expecting me back in stores soon," she says. "Probably, but you can say you were hijacked by an assistant weyrlingmaster wanting to make sure you're ready for the hatching." Reesa's tone is different, now that there's no one near enough to hear her low voice: more casual, less demanding. Smoothing out a wrinkle in her dress, she says, "Wanted to have a word before the hatching. Let you know that-" she goes silent as there's a hefty exchange between the shirtless pair of riders nearest to them, earning a grin, "-if you don't find your dragon this time, and want to stay on, try and Impress again, I'll make it happen. Or I can take you elsewhere, if you want. If you /do/, well..." a shrug of shoulders. The change in tone, much less what's actually said, confuses Zhivka and it's pretty easy to tell on her expressive little face. She's trying not to just stare at the greenrider, though, instead focusing on the shirtless, sparring riders. But it's hard to watch them too closely when they're hitting each other and the candidate winces slightly as she glances back to Reesa. "Why?" is all she can really think to ask of the other woman. A furrow appears in Reesa's brow as she actually looks away from the sparring riders and at the shorter candidate. "Because- /because/." Her hand's waved expressively, like it should be obvious. "If it was meant to be, sometimes, things just need a little /push/. I wouldn't have found Khiabeth if I hadn't had it. Maybe the same is true for you, too." While Zhivka considers that, studying Reesa with thoughtfully narrowed eyes and her lips set into a thin line, she ignores the sparring riders and seems uncertain just what she should actually say of the things going through her head. "You know," is all she says at first. It's not an accusation, though, not even close. "You /know/ this isn't the first. And if it doesn't happen, then maybe it's just /not/ meant to be. I just-- I don't know why you care one way or another." "I stood, and stood, and stood at Ista and no dragon even /looked/ at me." The frustration of that time is obvious even in Reesa's reminiscence. "If you think it's meant to be, I'll support you, because in some way, you supported Khiabeth, and me, when-" but she doesn't say it aloud, trailing off into a grimace. "I /knew/ I'd find her eventually. Or she, me." Zhivka is frowning slightly, mostly to herself, and she's not looking at Reesa /or/ the sparring riders anymore. She's looking at her hands, one picking at a nail on the other. "I appreciate it. I think. But," she says, glancing over briefly before her gaze settles on her hands again, "How did you /know?/ How do you know if it's /meant/ to be or if you just don't know what else there is?" "I just... did." Reesa lifts-and-drops a shoulder, in a thoroughly unhelpful sort of way. "Both my parents were riders. I knew that was what I wanted- was /meant/- to be. That's all. It was just a matter of time. And you," she squints at Zhivka, thoughtfully, "Have time. I don't think you're that much younger than me. But," she shifts her position and tugs hands through blonde hair thoughtfully. "If you're just looking for something to /do/, well- what /can/ you do?" Well, no one wants to sit and listen to a pity party so Zhivka doesn't say anything at all at first. Instead she glances up at the sparring with a sigh, still picking at her nails. "I don't think my parents have ever even seen a dragon up close," is what she finally says, like it matters somehow in this particular conversation. "I can do laundry." But her tone is pretty clear on how that's not exactly a very fulfilling long-term career path. "O-kaaaay," Reesa says, slowly, and gradually the expectant look fades as she realizes that's the extent of Zhivka's answer. "Maybe you should apprentice somewhere, although you're getting a bit old for that, too." The greenrider probably isn't very comforting, and she's fully aware of this - but /not/ trying to compensate. "A lot of people who don't Impress at a Weyr just- stay there, support the Weyr. It's not a bad life, but if you want to do /more/, then you have to work on your... repertoire. It's pretty depressing." Blandly honest, the greenrider makes a face. "Can you at least read and write?" No doubt Zhivka is already well aware of her depressing repertoire. "I was serving at a tavern before," she adds, but doesn't sound like she thinks this is any better than laundry. In fact, laundry might be the better of the two. "I don't think I could've gotten an apprenticeship even turns ago. You need... skill. Or money." Of which she has little of either. The rest she seems somewhat loathe to admit, but something about Reesa's honesty seems to draw it out of her, too. "I can read better than I can write, I guess." Which isn't saying much depending on how well she can read. "We've been working on it a lot during classes. The kids make it looks so easy, you know." "Well, there's the Fountain, or the Sanctuary. And you hear a lot of things working in a place like that," but one look at the other blonde's face makes Reesa continue, "I suppose you could do some records keeping, if you continue working on that. Personally I can't think of anything more dull, though. And I heard," with a chuckle, "That a bow and arrow wasn't your thing either. Well, I hope you /do/ impress, since otherwise you'd have to work to find something to do." Not that being a dragonrider isn't work, although the greenrider manages to minimize that aspect rather expertly. Zhvika looks properly embarrassed by that. "You've /heard/ that? Do you all know everything that everyone else knows?" Scary hive-mind dragonriders. Just what she needs to worry about! But she'll try not to right now. "I... I think I'll just see what happens. No use fretting about what I'm going to do after until after is already here. And then, well. Then I'll just do whatever needs to be done." Just like she's been doing for so long already. Reesa waves her hand dismissively, as if it's nothing. "Of course. The rumors were doing the rounds at the bonfire. Also that E'dre scared some poor kid into crying and curling up into a ball, which really isn't news; that's just E'dre." Shifting her weight slightly, she looks like she's about to stand up. "Well, if you want to chase dragon clutches, we can take you elsewhere if you don't find your dragon here. Mine wasn't at Ista, and if yours isn't at Fort, we can go track him or her, down." It seems like one of those casual throw-away lines that someone gives without any intention to follow through, yet the greenrider is nodding to herself as she does so, standing as the sparring partners she was watching walk off to collect their things. She doesn't comment further on the trip. Probably something she'd just rather forget about, really, though that doesn't keep her from still looking a little pink in the face. For the rest, Zhivka is nodding, like it's starting to sound like a better idea than whatever she'd get stuck doing here in the lower caverns. "Okay," she murmurs, then adds, "And... thanks. Really." She offers the greenrider a slightly weak smile, but still sincerely appreciative for the help that may or may not every come. "Gotta stick together," Reesa says, pressing a finger against her nostril a moment, before smoothing down her dress. "You should get back to it before they send someone after you. /I'm/ going to see if I can get some... lessons," with a grin, she's turning to hurry after the taller of those two riders, moving to fall into pace with him. "Yes," is what Zhivka says, a little slow on the uptake with so many thoughts now bouncing around in her little head. "Right! I should get back," she adds all of a sudden, popping up to her feet and taking a few hurried steps for the caverns. She pauses, glancing back at Reesa with her lips parted like she might say something, but then her mouth closes and she continues on out without another word. |
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