Difference between revisions of "Logs:Useless Emotions"

The young man might've seemed to have pounced upon 'poor' Ali, given the way he swept into her weyr like a gust of wind. Armed with a grin and a large, loaded picnic basket, the bronzer's only words for his friend were, "If you don't accept now, I'm going to take someone /else/ to Ista instead. Hattie and N'muir are both in residence, so let's get while the getting's good!" And now, not even twenty minutes after helping Ali astride Isyath, they're all settled down where it's warm and sunny...Rhenth lolling like a giant sea monster out in the warm ocean, and his rider spreading out large blanket upon the grass beside the pool.

It takes some convincing to get Ali away from the Weyr- but then if anyone can do it, B'rant's amongst them. Most of the time taken to leave involves actually getting up on Isyath's neck- and there's somewhat of a sigh of relief when she finally touches the ground. It doesn't take long for Isyath to dive into the water after Rhenth, though rather than relaxing, the queen's slipping under water in search of errant, elusive creatures of the sea. Ali's arranging herself on the blanket, trying to get comfortable, a hand absentmindedly pressed against her stomach. "If there are any jokes about beached dolphins..." she's warning him, mostly non-seriously. "And you swept me out of there too quickly for me to ask who made the basket for you?"

There's a brief touch of Isyath's thoughts to the Weyrleader pair: checking in, making sure they're present, letting them know that, while she and Rhenth flicker between high above Fort, her thoughts aren't far away, and neither is she - if needed. Of course, most of that reassurance undoubtedly stems from her rider's reluctance to leave, but either way, the queen herself threads the thought with a sense of delight: any opportunity to fly, and doubly so with her rider, is more than welcome. (To Bijedth and Elaruth from Isyath)

A hand is lifted, settled over his heart, B'rant noting airily, "Not a word...though Rhenth does look a little like a sea monster, right now." A low chuckle at his lifemate's antics farther out beyond them - the bronze watching Isyath with a head plunged below the water, crooning bubbles at her - presages the tall holder's kneeling beside that basket, nimble figers opening it, and starting to pluck delicious, fresh things out. "I did one of the kitchen workers a small favor a few sevens ago... so I asked for one back today. When I mentioned I was foing to try and sneak you out for a little relaxation, she dropped her peeling and fixed us this little repast." What's put down upon the plates the bronzer settles upon the blanket are treats meant to tempt not only a bottomless pit, but a pregnant woman, as well...from fresh fruit through special little oddities for strange cravings...and even a large, broken-off piece of milk chocolate. Juice and tea are the beverages settled into two little skins, and soon enough B'rant inquires, "What's your pleasure, madame?" as he spreads his fingers wide above their bounty.

To Isyath, Bijedth is hiding in the luxury of his wallow but in the wake of the young gold's farewell, he rouses somewhat, his electric current buzzing to life quietly in the background of downy comfort. The message is clear: enjoy, but it's backed by a quiet curiosity.

Ali twists to look at the water, a delighted laugh escaping her at the notion of Rhenth as a sea monster. "I can see that. Though I don't think sea monsters normally breathe fire. Spurt out fish, maybe? I don't know." After a couple of passes deep under the water, Isyath surfaces briefly for air, brushing past, and through, Rhenth's bubbles on the way, images of darting fish in her thoughts. Her rider's still watching while B'rant starts to lay out food, though the smell of it quickly attracts her attention, eyes widening. "Oh- that's lovely. And fruit-" that's the first thing she reaches for, taking a judicious bite and exhaling a happy sigh a short time later. "I'm not even going to ask what sort of favor," she adds, between bites, lips twitching. "Tell me about the- well, I suppose they're not weyrlings anymore. You got two in Flint, didn't you? Vash, and X'nd?"

She's quick to share: no secret keeper is Isyath. The warm winds of Ista test her mettle briefly, but then the warm waters draw her: a flash of darting underwater creatures, Rhenth playing the sea monster, and no small delight at the warmth of the location. Fort is home, but the lack of rain is a welcome change- plus, /fish/. « I will bring one home for you, » she says, like she's going to catch them, as quick and small as they are. (To Bijedth from Isyath)

Way down below them, Rhenth jerks his head out of the water for a moment to warble quite loudly up in the direction of the pool area, then dunks all of himself again in order to swim around Isyath. A sudden blurt of laughter from B'rant is followed by his humored, "He said that maybe he should inhale some fish and breathe them on Issy, just to test the theory." Snort. Apparently, the bronze *is* doing such, too, though his prowess at actually sucking up small fish is pretty lame. "We figured you'd enjoy those apples and pears..." the young man notes to Ali's choosing of the fruit, a sly grin twitching over his lips for a moment before he responds again. "Now now, my dear woman; not /everything/ is carnally inspired. I actually took her and her children to their relatives' cothold so they could visit for a few days. Rhenth was tickled pink about having children riding on him...so we brought them back, too." A roll of his grey eyes for the perhaps strange proclivities of his lifemate transitions into a breaking off a piece of the chocolate, and a hearty bite of it. "Mhm..." he replies of Flint's new members, then confiding to the goldrider, "I think T'rev's not only happy to get more wingriders, but new bodies to win marks off of at poker." Smirk. "How've you and Issy been doing?"

« You can't catch them, » Isyath is quick to retort to Rhenth. After all, if /she/ can't, he can't /possibly/ either, right? Nevermind she's bigger and slower. There's a rueful shake of head from Ali at B'rant's words, and undoubtedly at Isyath's response. She's reaching for a pear this time, and there's a slight flush of color at her thoughts so easily being caught out. "That's kind of you. Is Rhenth trying to become an uncle again?" The dark-haired's asking with a laugh as she gnaws on the fruit. There's a smile at his mention of T'rev, though it falters briefly at the rest of his words. "I- have you heard rumors about some sort of gambling place, yet? Setting up in the Weyr?" she's trying to be casual about it, but she's not that adept at it.

« How will I know for certain if I don't /try/? » Rhenth rumbles amiably to Isyath, and continuing to try and chase down fish, though it's larger ones he keeps chomping at. He's having fun, no matter! He's no nimble, quick green or blue, that's for certain. Meanwhile, B'rant's trying not to chortle at Ali's pinkening of cheeks, the bronzer pouring some juice and tea for them while nodding at his 'niceness.' "If he could remember just which kids and baby animals he takes a shine to, it might almost be that. I have to keep reminding him, though." Snert. "Still, he's got a soft spot for lots of young things, no matter if he can't remember their faces or names a few sevens later." And then the goldrider's inquiring about gambling places, and B'rant looks up from his pouring to blink once at the woman, then quietly note, "I'm not sure. T'rev's been asking around a little about that rumor - or whatever it is - but not much has come up. Could it be outside Fort?"

« Because... » and Isyath can't come up with a suitable comeback, but the rumble of frustration can probably be sensed with the rippling of water as she dives down again to try and catch some of the fish, before /he/ can. Not that she's any good at it, either. Ali's been watching B'rant have some of that chocolate, and so of course /that's/ next. Nibbling at the chocolate, she avoids B'rant's gaze as he looks up at her and says, "It's- not outside Fort. We're setting it up in one of the high, unused weyrs." /We/ is not elucidated, not yet. "It's not- officially official, and I'm not officially associated with it, but I- I wanted you to know."

Shells; Rhenth could care less if he nets a fish or not, because now Issy's chasing them...and the big bronze is having a merry old time joining her...and occasionally bumping her with a nose or tail along the way. If he's playing tag, it's a really odd version of it. That chocolate is a rarer delicacy indeed, and B'rant's pleasure is almost obvious when Ali chooses it. His own pick is a burrito-type wrap of mixed beans, spiced herdbeast, and lettuce and tomato, the thing hefted and bitten into just as the woman speaks more of that gambling 'facility.' After chewing, swallowing, the young man notes low, "Thank you, Ali. Is it... designed for a specific reason? I mean, beyond entertaining Weyrfolk?"

The bumping from Rhenth earns sometimes playful snap of jaws or flicker of tail in response, but nothing serious: Isyath just wants to get them /first/ if they get them at all. Ali's glancing towards the water, now: there's a fleeting smile which suggests she's hearing some of her queen's thoughts, then back to B'rant, the smile faltering briefly as her now empty hands drop into her lap. "I- we- I'm hoping it'll help us make marks. To put us in a better position, after losing some of our stores to Boll, and Fort's lack of tithe and... I'm hoping it will /fix/ things." There's a heat to the last phrase that suggests maybe there's more than the Weyr's financial stability at stake.

For an adult dragon - perhaps like Isyath - Rhenth hasn't lost his ability to enjoy things like playing, or even goofing off. Given his usual sense of responsibility, maybe such times are needed. The nod and knowing look B'rant offers Ali when she speaks openly of the reason for the gambling area likely speak of his having assumed such, but not wanting to voice it before she did. "It's a decent idea. Maybe it'll attract riders from other Weyrs, too, if we advertise its opening. I'm sure Flint...T'rev would be glad to help."

Those tiny fish are just to quick and elusive for the queen, and because Isyath can't 'win', she changes the game: she starts chasing /Rhenth/, only she doesn't tell him that. "We're- I've been told we'll attract criminals as well. Murderers maybe, even." Ali's gaze is steady on B'rant, seeking his input: wondering if he thinks the same, perhaps. "But the- where it is, you can only get to it by dragon back, and only the smaller dragons can land up there. I'm hoping that will- limit any damage this might do to our- to our home." She reaches, slowly, for some of the juice, perhaps more as an excuse for her hands to do something as any thirst: she pours a glass for him first, then herself.

Hey, what's with the rule change?! He's still chasing fish. But, sooner or later, Rhenth will figure it out, and start trying to chase Issy as she is him. Crazy kids. As for B'rant... he already poured drinks for them, so perhaps Ali can find something else for her hands to do by plucking out napkins for them from inside the basket. B'rant is nothing but quiet and serious now, as he listens to the very possible concerns of Ali (and likely lots of others in the know), one of his large, sculpted hands reaching out to lightly touch the goldrider's forearm, if allowed. "We should set some capable, trustworthy riders up in there. You know, like bouncers in bars. Any whiff of a problem, and they can make note of people, eject them."

"I- we will. But, anything to do with marks attracts bad elements." Ali's looking in the direction of the Lucky Seven; she's never /been/ there but she's heard the stories. "I don't- I can't afford to have this go bad for us." She's chewing her lower lip, now, and not even the distraction of looking towards the dragons seems to lighten the mood, although the touch of B'rant's hand to her arm draws an attempt at a smile. "When we get back to Fort, I'll show you. We'll have to get someone to take us up, though- neither Issy nor Rhenth would fit."

"Yeah..." B'rant murmurs, shaking his head, his lips tightening a little. "We'll just have to keep things controlled in there, keep tabs on customers. possessions, moods. Nip anything bad in the bud." The man leans back after Ali tries to smile a little, tucking into his wrap again, the nodding. "I'd like that. Who do you know that you can trust with the word of this place that has a blue, a green?" Beat. "Maybe N'dalis?"

Ali sips at her drink briefly, reaching for more of the tidbits to snack on- she doesn't seem to want anything in particular, content to graze from the different selections available. "K'varl," she says, without hesitation, though there's a pause when he mentions N'dalis. "Yes, maybe N'dalis, too. It's hard for me to- stop thinking of them as weyrlings." She's chewing her lip, again. "I- this has been nice." She says, with a gesture to the spread. "Thank you." But... "I really should get back."

Time spent grazing in the warmth and sunshine is just what B'rant had in mind, and he's content with whatever time away from Fort's worries they can get. "He's fine, too. Best to know who's trustworthy beforehand." As to the former weyrlings, the bronzer smiles quietly, notes, "I was one not so long ago, too...yet you don't think of me as one anymore." Unspoken: she'll move on, just as N'dalis' class have. In answer to the goldrider wanting to move on... "I know you're concerned for Fort...her people. But...maybe there's some guilt in there, too?" He's speaking carefully, right now, even as he polishes off his food, starts gathering things up. "My grandpa said guilt's one of the most useless emotions around, except in very specific instances. I don't know if I fully believe him...but there it is."

"No. I haven't thought of you as one for a while," Ali confesses with a genuine smile. She leans forward to help him begin to pack things up - she can't help herself - finally struggling to her feet with a slow exhale. There's color to her cheeks at his comment, and she chews her lower lip again. "I don't have anything to be guilty for." Except that her reaction may well suggest that as a falsehood, as well as the hasty way she focuses her gaze elsewhere. Or maybe that's just distracted focus to try and draw Isyath out of the water, however reluctant the queen might be.

"Good..." is all B'rant has to say about those words of weyrlinghood, a small smile touching his mouth as they pack up again. He's not an almost-holder for naught, and that blush of hers and the quick words are well-noted, though the bronzer remains silent. Rhenth's not wanting to leave, either, but his dutiful nature is soon prodded enough by his rider to have the dragon slogging up out of the waters...warbling for Isyath to join him, too. They can come back soon, hopefully. Wistful: « It's so nice here. » If the gold's still unwilling, Rhenth will fly himself up to the pool area, and pick up both people, giving Issy a little more time, if she's not grumpy about having another dragon transport her lifemate. B'rant remains mostly silent during this time, looking all around as if to implant the memory of this place and time in his mind against the cold Fortian winter they'll soon go back to.

However reluctant Isyath might be, she's not about to let herself be /beat/ by Rhenth; she's emerging from the waters only moments behind him, then pushing aloft to glide closer the admittedly short distance in order to get there /first/. There's an amount of satisfaction in her thoughts when she agrees, « It is nice. But it is not home. » While they're waiting for the dragons to arrive, Ali slips an arm through B'rant's. "Thank you," she murmurs. "I'd forgotten how nice it is in the summer. Though, admittedly- my back's aching and I'm inclined to take a nap, but don't take that as an indictment on how the afternoon went." There's a smile, and a brief tug of his arm before she steps free to head towards Isyath.