Difference between revisions of "Logs:Throwing Buses"

>---< Hatching Galleries, High Reaches Weyr(#290RJs) >-----------------------<

  Ringing the southwestern side of the hatching sands are ample tiers of    

  carved stone benches, the lowest of which is some six feet off the ground 

  -- just high enough to separate wayward hatchlings from unwary viewers,   

  and vice versa. A metal railing on the outside helps prevent anyone from  

  falling off; it also extends up the stairs that lead the way higher into  

  the galleries. While most of the area is open seating, ropes section off  

  some of the closer tiers when dignitaries are expected; those areas even  

  feature cushions in the Weyr's blue and black.                            

                                                                            

  The higher one climbs, the more apparent the immense scale of the entire  

  cavern becomes. The dragon-sized entrance on the ground is dwarfed by the 

  expansive golden sands that glitter in the light. Everything on them is   

  easily visible from the galleries, whether that's a clutch of eggs and a  

  broody queen, or simply its emptiness and the handful of darker tunnels   

  that lead to more private areas than the bowl. Wherever one sits or looks,

  however, one thing is constant: the overwhelming, suffocating heat.       

	Commands: +list/eggs

Perhaps it is all the better that there are no eggs on the sands or brooding queens to guard them since it leaves the galleries as a good place to get out of the Reachian weather. It is still early in the evening, but the galleries are not completely abandoned, A brown sleep on one of the upper ledges and Edyis herself is seated in the front rows of seats usually reserved for dignitaries, slate in hand and a bottle nearby a stack of mostly completed paperwork.

Indeed, the brownrider is not the only one seeking a quiet and -- more rarely these days -- warm place in which to pass the evening. With a cheerful humming, broken up with tapping of hands to his thigh and a pause now and then, Quint passes -- albeit slowly -- down the stairs, his progress halted by his apparent urge to lift his hide and make some notations as if to catch whatever creation stirs in his thoughts.

It is the sound that draws the brownrider's attention as she reaches for the cup nearby, looking up from her slate to scan the gallery for the source. Her lips curl faintly as she spots the harper, and it's only if and when he comes within earshot that she offers a greeting. "Journeyman Quintus, Nice to see you."

More humming follows, and the Journeyman frowns distractedly a moment, head bent over his hide, before his attention and gaze turns to Edyis. By the time he does, he's smiling easily in companionable greeting: "Brownrider Edyis," he greets, affable enough as if they only last spoke yesterday. With a gesture towards a spare piece seat near her -- unoccupied by bottle or paperwork -- he asks, "Mind some company?"

"Certainly." She answers his inquiry lifting the cup again to her lips and directing her attention at the last line, where her sleeve smudges out what had been written on the slate. That done she's quick to corral her paperwork into a more neat pile. "One nice thing about the sands, it's warm in here no matter the ice and snow outside. Working on a new song?" She wonders, glancing over at the Harper with a warm smile.

"Yes," the harper answers glibly, "And no." Whether the answers are given as comment or response to her questions might not be apparently clear, but that can be attributed to Quint's distraction rather than any failing on his part; he's staring down at his hide, folding it up after a moment and turning his full attention to the brownrider. "I'd have thought you'd go south for somewhere warm. It's only us non-riders that find it harder to sneak away for an hour or two," he says, ruefully, though not precisely regretfully.

Edyis chuckles softly. "We do on rest days sometimes, given the right occasion or company. " Glancing over the slate one more time before she is apparently satisfied with it, and tucks it into her bag, turning her full attention on the harper. "Usually, though non-riders can charm someone into taking them south or at least that seemed to be the case before I impressed."

Quint makes a briefly surprised noise. "I'd have thought more... sneak away for an evening in the sun, and less, planned event day. But I suppose different people find their enjoyments in different ways," the harper muses, glancing in the direction of the sands for a moment. He and Edyis are seated down in the front row of the galleries, chatting easily. The harper has a hide curled on his lap, fingers tapping it briefly before he answers the latter: "Well, yes. But then there's the threat of abandonment and a cruel, foreign land, you understand -- not exactly the same thing!"

"We do that too when I'm not behind on reports." She grins, digging in the bag and fetching out a small wooden cup, gesturing to the bottle offering him a drink if he wishes. At abandonment, Edyis laughs throatily. "I'd have thought a Harper would be immune to such a thing, but I suppose not."

Silva's drunk. But not like, fall down drunk, yet, just a buzzed. It's enough to make her walk a little unsteady on her high-heels as she enters the warm area of the sands. She grips a railing tightly with one hand to stay upright, and sweeps a length of hair out of her eyes and then oh, "Hey. Edyis. Quint." Yeah, that's totally normal.

"Huh," the harper exhales in surprise, though when the drink is offered Quint holds up a hand, despite regretful expression, "Thank you, no. I have a class of very young, and very loud and demanding children first thing in the morning tomorrow. Have to be," he taps his head, half turning as his name is called. His expression flickers between shock, then disappointment and resignation, before finally settling into something a bit more neutral. "Silva," he replies, head tipped as he stands, gesturing for Silva to take his seat. "Sit down and talk with us, won't you?" Edyis's brows knit together as she watches the wobbling gait of the bluerider. Eyes focus sharply and she's stuffing her corked bottle and empty cups into her bag along with the completed paperwork deftly and pushing the lot neatly under her seat. "Yes, plenty of room." Dark eyes scanning the younger woman as though assessing for possible damage.

Silva tucks her hair back behind an ear and wobble-steps her way down to their level. The disappointment in Quint's eyes registers, but Silva will just steel herself against that. "I didn't expect to see anyone here." She looks like she is on her way OUT, but just hasn't made it there yet.

The way the harper stands might be apparent to the observant as being ready to brace the unsteady rider as she nears, though there's nothing of his earlier expressions in Quint's gaze, now. "Well, now that you are here, perhaps you can give Edyis some advice on the best places to go south for warmth?" It's a conversation point, a distraction, and a deliberate one, as he gestures towards the seat.

Quint might be able to wipe the disappointment from his expression, Edyis isn't quite able to completely dissolve the concern from hers. There's a glance to the harper's question, and then the former scribe, smiles. "I'm always looking for new places to visit, Akluseth likes the sense of adventure that comes with it. You look like you just got back from somewhere in fact?"

Silva takes Quint's arm, but tries not to put //too// much pressure on it. Instead she settles herself on her bum quickly, tucking one foot under her, and twitching her tight bodice into place a little bit further down. No matter that it shows her breasts a little bit more. "No, I was heading more... north. Ocean side a little." A glance at Edyis for this bit of honesty, "But it's not the warmest place. Sorry."

Expressionless, except for a flicker of concern, Quint's posture marginally relaxing only when Silva is seated. He moves towards the railing, leaning there and regarding the pair. "Ocean, mm? Well -- that's nice." The harper is most definitely not looking at Silva's breasts, no, though it's hard not to notice since the movement briefly draws his gaze. "Silva," he exhales a breath, and thoughts pass briefly across his features and remain unspoken. "Maybe Edyis can take a night off paperwork and go with you?" he says, completely throwing the poor brownrider under the metaphyiscal bus, instead.

Edyis had been thinking about how to signal to the harper for help with the situation, she hadn't completely expected to be thrown under the bus. "I'm sure you could convince Quint to join us as well, just a few hours wouldn't hurt. We could even head to a nice stretch of Ista or Southern instead, Akluseth doesn't mind extra passengers." If she's going down she's happy to take the harper with her, or at least attempt to do so. "Quint was just expressing his frustration at the fact that non-riders get stuck with the chill and snow in fact."

To Zaisyreth, Akluseth projects « Looks like Yameraeth might be going glowy. » Utterly nonchalant, the brown makes his greeting. « Might be worth sticking around. »

Um. Silva freezes in place for a moment when Quint invites Edyis onto her own outing which she is 100% sure the harper would NOT APPROVE OF. Quick, look down on her nails to buy her some time, until Edyis gives her an out which the girl grabs onto with both hands. "You know, I'm kinds of, you know, expected alone. It would be a little rude to just show up, but, um, you two could go find something?"

To Akluseth, Zaisyreth projects « A strange silence from the blue, his mind uncharacteristically is stormy with all emotions hidden within the swirling clouds above. »

"Oh," the harper shakes his head, "You wouldn't want an old man like me following you around -- it would defeat the whole point of a night out," Quint says in such a well-practiced way that he's undoubtedly said it many times before. He lifts a hand, correcting: "Not frustration. Observation. I, myself, don't much mind the snow, all told." Silva's response earns a considering look from the harper. "Mm, well. I thought you two might have fun together, that's all. Perhaps you can arrange something another time, then?"

When Silva can't see Edyis glares at the harper, but unfortunately Telepathy only works on dragons, "I don't mind tagging along," She concedes, "And it's only rude if you don't bring something to the party." Which the scribe feels pretty confident about not being an issue.

To Zaisyreth, Akluseth projects. The seas below the sky reflect the turmoil above, yellow crustaceans skittering along in question. « Something troubling you little bro? »

"Thanks, but I really probably should. But we SHOULD," Silva perks up at that, because it allows it to be later and not tonight-tonight when Silva's gotten herself drunk enough to finally dare this particular venture. She pushes herself to her feet with a too-bright-to-be-real smile. "I really probably should go. I just wanted to get a little warm before going!" And... she's just going to try to slliiddeee out now.

Either Quint is ignoring -- or adept at blithely pretending -- he's not aware of the look the brownrider is directing towards him. Instead, he's pleased by Silva's enthusiasm: "You should," he agrees, earnestly, even if the reaction is dimmed slightly by her immediate bail-out afterwards. He watches her attempt to leave, thoughtful and silent -- a rare specimen: a harper without a parting shot.

Edyis isn't going to stop her it seems, and lets the girl escape, for now. The expression she wears suggests however that that is definitely not the end of the issue. Though it may be for the night. She offers a wave in farewell or acceptance offers a wave in farewell or acceptance.

Silva, greatful for being released, gives off another one of those smiles. "We'll get together soon-soon, okay?" And then, wobbly or not, she's going to be out. And Zaisyreth, to the question poised by Akluseth that this player is too tired to try to pro for fear of FAIL, simply hides himself deeper in the storm of his mind.

There's a tightness around Quint's eyes for a moment, but he's silent until the sounds of Silva's unsteady steps have fully faded. Only then does he shift his gaze to Edyis. "It'd be... I'd be greatful if you can spend some time with her. She really needs some friends her own age, and I--" he frowns after the greenrider. "She's not in a good place, right now, but not ready to come back from it yet, either. Be nice for her to have someone to talk to." There's an unspoken apology in the words for volunteering Edyis, but not so apologetic that he retracts it.

Edyis glares at the harper. "I don't mind helping, but I have a feeling the situation that I was getting thrown into might have been a little bit beyond what I could comfortably handle alone." Frowning as her gaze trails after the girl. "That's the second time I've seen her like that and she doesn't want to talk to me about her problems. I'm fairly sure she doesn't think she has any. " Rubbing a hand over her face those dark eyes focus on the Harper. "You can't help someone who doesn't want to be saved."

"Of course she doesn't want to talk about her problems. She's not thinking -- that's the whole point," Quint says, passing a hand over his tired features. "I'm not asking you to be a mind healer, to get in her head. Just be a friendly face in places where she's a stranger." His lips thin briefly, before he exhales.

Edyis tugs the strap of her bag causing the contents to clink. She exhales sharply shaking her head. "You still have the wrong person for the job. Nothing good will come out of me getting involved if anything it is likely to exacerbate the situation." Still, it isn't an outright no as the scribe pulls to her feet.

There's plenty of counter arguments to be had -- the moment stretches and passes in silence on the harper's end, however, backed only by a heavy regard. "As you will," is all Quint says, unwilling to press. "My apologies for putting you in an uncomfortable situation. Good evening to you, then," with a nod, as he mushes away from the railing and his long legs carry him towards the steps.

Edyis says, "You were concerned about her. Rightly so." Is all Ed says for the apology, watching him walk away. And instead of leaving she resettles herself into the chair with a sigh, looking out at the sands, and stays there for quite some time in contemplative silence after.