Stables, High Reaches Weyr
It's morning at the Weyr, early enough that most people are generally just having breakfast. But for those that enjoy riding runner beasts...well, they tend to be up pretty early to ride. And then it falls on Sho and whoever else they manage to drag out that early to clean up the runners and get them fed and watered. So it's no surprise, then, that Sho is already in the middle of brushing down a runner, who in turn is busy eating oats and just seeming rather pleased in general. There's a number of other beasts ready to go and only one other helper there at the moment. It's going to be a long day in Sho's eyes.
And among those getting up early to go riding - or they're just up for the sake of it - is one tall, wiry, dark-haired woman with a backpack slung over one shoulder and gaze as sharp as the night as she takes stunted steps into the stables. Her eyes take in the beasts and their state with veiled interest before she spots Sho first before the other helper. She pauses right there on the threshold as if in hesitation, giving the interior critical appraisal before her gaze returns to Sho again and she approaches. "Hey you," is her version of a greeting - calling the young man out. "Ya gotta minute?" And the backpack gets hoisted up on her shoulder more.
The rather strange greeting catches Sho's attention and he pauses in his brushing to turn and look at the newcomer. She gets a look over from the youth who actually smirks as he sees her. "It's rare ta see someone else with a tan 'round here." He comments. Sho's is fading as it is since he moved here from Southern a few months back. "What can I help ya with? I don't think I've seen ya 'round here before." After a mouth filled look from the runner, Sho starts brushing again, his attention going back to the beast as he waits to see what the new lady needs.
Brows lift at that smirk. Jolie's eyes roam over Sho then, lingering, before her gaze meets his own. There's a little shrug of one free shoulder, then the woman takes another step closer. "Gotta whole family of them out Keogh way if ya wanna change that statement," she notes on his comment, wry to the last despite the cool critical study. Eyes dropping away towards the runner he's tending to now, "New," she then answers briefly. "Thought I could be useful down here. Was given a name. You know this 'Sho' fella?" Her eyes turn to him again.
Sho doesn't miss a beat as his name gets dropped. He can only imagine what else might've been tagged along with it. "Nope, never heard of 'im. I might be able ta help ya with whatever ya need though." He offers easily, not looking away from the runner as he pats the beast and keeps brushing. "Maybe yer family is just dark skinned then. Cause most people 'round here are rather...pale." A grin at that as his amber eyes flick to Jolie for a moment. "I probably would be too if I hadn't come from Southern first."
Weight shifts from one hip to the other, and Jolie's regarding the stablehand with furrowing brows now. "Ya haven't?" Heard of him, that is, and her suspicions are laid bare as her eyes bore into his head as he works. "Ya work here." Clearly. Making a show of looking about, "Person that gave me the name sounded pretty sure he was the one I could go to. Ya sure? Not pullin' at me or something?" Talk of family and tones of skin does give her pause as she flicks her gaze up and down him. "Southern, huh?" she picks that up with ease. "What's a Southern kid doing up here in the Reaches?" Apparently Jolie likes to be blunt, seeming content to question the young man despite not having told him the reason why she was there in the first place.
And Sho doesn't seems to mind the questions at this point. He's actually kind of having fun. A little entertainment for his early morning..."Got sent here for getting in trouble to much. Now I'm under kind of strict observation by my Uncle. He's a rider here." The youth says, but then shakes his head at the question, "Nope, haven't heard'a him. And yeah, I work here. See me with the brush?" His tone is rather easy going, almost as if he's enjoying himself. "But like I said. I can help ya with whatever ya need. I probably know more'n most of the other stablehands here." A hand stays on the beast as he walks around it's backside to stand opposite and begin brushing the other side, causing the creature to shake a little in enjoyment at his brushing. Sho looks at Jolie over the beast. "Unless ya want to just keep wandering around asking."
"Trouble," Jolie echoes -that- word, seeming to know all about the meaning of it. "Is that your name? Or are you reformed due to the icy weather?" Tone remains dry as she says it, though his easiness seems to keep her casual as well. Since he's adamant in not having heard of the name, the woman sighs and finally gives into a firm nod. "Fine, then. I'm to work here," she announces with a little chin lift, facing him fully as she watches him with the beast. "I have /some/ skills, but I'm always willing to improve. Looks like you could need the help, anyway," she adds, dropping a pointed look in the other stablehand's direction briefly before adding rather belated and proper-like, "Jo's the name. Whoever's in charge here, they mind me taggin' along down here?"
Smirk. "Yeah, Trouble is my name. Yer pretty good at this." Sho says as he continues brushing down the beast. As she informs him of her intentions, Sho raises an eyebrow at her and gives her another look over, but then nods. "Nice ta meet ya Jo. And welcome. If ya want you can put yer stuff over there." He nods in a direction where there's a small table at the back of the stable as well as a little cover where other small packs can be seen. "After that why don't ya pick..." A pause as he looks over his should at the remaining beasts to be brushed down, "Shery there, this side with the dark spots. She's a little older and pretty tame. She's ready for a good brushing and some oats." He looks back at Jo then and tilts his head, "Think you can do that? You can bring her right over here ta do it and if ya need help, well, I'll be here too."
"Yeah well," Jolie says on trouble, letting the heavy backpack slip down her shoulder before catching it by the strap. "Heard more men claim that as their name than I care to admit," she continues on blithely as she moves to drop the pack where indicated. "So unless ya want me referring to ya as that 'trouble-boy from the stables', do I at least get some sort of name to call you?" Despite the flat tone, there's a margin of a tease in that statement anyway along with the glimmers of a smile. Returning, walks over to the runnerbeast indicated with her eyes running over the marks on her side. She bends a little to inspect her, then straightens to start leading her over to him. "I'm not a dimglow," she drawls when he asks if she could do it, the woman tossing a lopsided grin over one shoulder at him. "Just tell me where the oats are and I'll take it from here." So straight to the point, isn't she? But at least there's no scowl or ill meaning marring her features as she says it.
No, actually, as far as most of the woman Sho has met at the Weyr, she really /could/ be an angel. At least she hasn't beat him up yet. The boy chuckles a bit at her name for him and he shrugs, "I'm called worse 'round here. Trouble's fine fer now though. Don't mind sharing my name with others." He stops brushing for a moment, keeping one hand on his current beast who seems more then pleased at the moment. With the brush still in hand he points to a box with a cover and two heavy duty latches. "Oats are in there, buckets are next ta it. After yer done her stall is at the end, I already put down fresh hay in all the stalls but her water'll need to be filled. The water pumps right outside with the bucket." Beat. "Any questions yet?"
"You can tell me all the names you're called, then," Jolie offers as she goes to retrieve a bucket and fills it with oats. "You don't /seem/ like you're trouble, but what do I know?" Returning, she pins a look on him as if sizing him up before kneeling down to set the oats before Shery. "You could be tellin' me all kinds of stories right now. Like you not knowing a thing about the person I'm lookin' for." Oh yeah. She's not exactly letting that one go yet. Once Shery starts feeding, she straightens to get the extra brush and starts to work, nodding once to the instructions given. "I keep my head down and get the job done," she lets the stablehand know quietly on questions, slowly running the brush over the beast with familiarity. "Just keep me in the know and we're golden. More interested in hearing about this trouble you like to cause," she adds, sending a wry look over Shery towards him. "Cuz, y'know. Just in case you decide to cause /me/ any. I need to be forewarned." Riiight.
Sho just grins as he finishes brushing his current runner and after a good quick rub down, he retreives a hoof pick out of his pocket and begins checking each leg. "Well so far I've only caused trouble fer riders. But I found out that they tend ta fight back." Pause. "I've lost a fair share and broke some bones fer causing my trouble since I've been here." He admits as he moves down the runners flank to check the back leg on the current side. "But as fer stuff I get away with...well, I've left snow in some peoples beds, a few random rodents in their clothes. Just little things to annoy 'em. Haven't done anything big since I got here...harder with my Uncle watching." Another admission as he moves around to the other side to check the rear hoof, raising the leg and scraping out the grime stuck on the hoof. "I'll try and let ya know if I plan anything big though. Maybe see if you want in." He says with a glance over his shoulder and a grin.
There's low laughter from Jolie, the new stablehand seeming to take on a rehearsed motion with her brushing. "Pretty risky to be fightin' riders, though," she says on that, shooting a glance his way. "Never seen much of them myself before here, but, ya'd think. Right? Still, though. You've never won any of the fights?" Eyes flick down his frame, then she shakes her head. At hearing about all the little pranks he's done before, "Well, I catch /any/ of that in regards to me, I'll deck ya a good one. Hear?" Maybe not so much an angel? "Just so's you know." She steps back and moves to the other side, putting her closer to Sho and then continues with the brushing. The last has a snort escaping as she works, not answering right away as she returns that look over his shoulder. Trying on a lopsided grin for size, "Let me know and I'll bring the meatrolls to watch," she remarks, showing amusement with him. "Shards know I love good, old-fashioned entertainment. We'll see on whether or not you get a trouble partner. Can't have ya bringing the whole Weyr down on me for just a good ole' prank. Girl's got standards, after all." Yep. If she even -remotely- looks like she has them, anyway. Which she probably doesn't.
Sho sighs softly and shakes his head. "What is it 'bout this place that turns all the girls mean..." He mutters, but loudly enough for Jolie to hear. He finishes the runner's hooves and after a visual check of the coat, nods to himself and takes her lead. He walks her to her stall and closes the door, removing the lead and watching her pace her home for a few moments before he turns back to Jolie, now leaning against the gate. "Yeah, they are trained ta fight so it might not've been the smartest, but they deserved it." And...well, yeah. He ended up getting the wrong end of that every time, but he's not a figher. He runs a few hours a day which makes him rather small, which also isn't in his favor against riders. Another roll of his eyes at the talk of entertainment at his expense, "Well I'm glad ya have my back." He says with dry sarcasm as he pushes off the gate and heads out, returning moments later with a pale full of water which he dumps over the gate into the horses trough. "It'd be nice not ta be the only one getting in trouble around here." He says with a mock glare Jolie's way before he takes the pale back outside, returning and finding another mare to work on. He returns to where he was before, refills the bucket of oats, and starts all over again with the brush.
Jolie and Sho are both brushing horses in the early hours of the day, breakfast time for most, work time for the unfortunate. They're chatting it up as each of them is currently brushing a seperate runner, a number of which are left to be done as well. The only other stablehand is taking his sweet time not helping and only staying on call if someone needs a runner for any reason. Slacker.
"Might wanna stop by Keogh then," Jolie says at his initial comment, patting the runner gently as she moves to another place to brush. "Live there a month and I'll be sure the girls here will seem like sweet bubbly pies on a spring day." Not that she would know, being that she has only been here for too short a time. "But don't worry, Trouble-that-is-stableboy," she drawls out the name she dubs him with, teeth clicking together as she brushes down the beast. "I'll be sweet until ya give me cause to be otherwise. Don't want to marr these good looks of mine in another brawl." Really. At least it's said with open sarcasm. She steps back and looks decided that the beast is done, so setting the brush aside to fit into her belt next to her knife, she reaches to guide the beast right into her proper stall and goes to get some water for it. By the time she returns with a filled bucket, "Hey, we aren't friends yet, baby," she states at his sarcastic comment belatedly, tossing the stablehand a chaste wink as she passes by him. "Got no reason to put my neck out for anyone. Need a peanut gallery, though? I'm there, Trouble-that-is-his-name." Another name. She's probably teasing openly at this point.
Leda is being entrepidatious! That is, she's taking advantage of her healer-imposed vacation to explore those parts of the Weyr that she hasn't seen before. Her hair is still damp from the bathing pools, twisted back in a frizzy tail at the nape of her neck, with stray wisps left to cling to her temples and cheeks. She's left the leather chinks and apron back in the craft complex, and her tunic is actually clean as well; it's an improvement on her usual sweaty, sawdusty state of being. There are still streaks and blotchy patches of red marring her face, and signs of broken blisters on her hands and forearms, but for the most part she seems hale, hearty and curious as she steps into the stables and then pauses to let her eyes adjust to the difference in light. There are voices in there, which means people and as she knows one of those maybe people, or so she hopes... "Sho?" the apprentice calls, stepping forward with a tread that causes heavy boots to scuff against the hay-strewn stone of the floor, "Hello, the stable...Woodcraft's come to visit!"
"No thanks, I think I've had enough moving fer a while. I'll just stay here and get beat up by riders. Ain't got much else ta do apparently." He doesn't seem the mind the continuing nicknames as he watches Jolie take the runner to the stall, subconsciously making sure everything is done well enough and that the beast is comfortable. His brushing slows only a moment but then he's back up to speed and his current mare seems more then happy to eat her oats and be brushed. "I'll try and stay on your good side." Sho comments back, shaking his head slightly. Seriously. These women. And then the cats out of the bag. As he hears a familiar voice call his name Sho looks in the direction of the stable entrance and offers a wave, "Hey Leda, welcome to the stables. Over here." He offers, taking in her rather clean look with a raised eyebrow. "Get some time off?" He asks curiously. He doesn't seem to care that Jolie probably knows he's been playing with her and lying to her a bit. Such is the life of a trouble maker. He gets back to brushing his beast as he watches Leda to make sure she arrives safely to him in the rather empty stables.
Ha. "Clearly," comes Jolie's wry agreement to his first, coming back out of the stall and adding, "That one's done. Nothing to it. And, good." On staying on her good side. Which, apparently, is about to be tested when the new arrival botches up the game. Jolie straightens with Leda enters, a frown going over to her when she drops the very name she was asking about earlier. Eyes steal over to Trouble-is-the-name himself, then back to Leda, then back to him again. The brush suddenly and ominously gets hefted from the belt - at least she didn't go for the knife next to it! - and the new stablehand woman fixes her heavy gaze onto the oblivious Sho. Since he clearly answers Leda's call, "Kinda early in the game for such lies, hm?" she puts to him now, not yet greeting the other woman in favor of putting Sho in the hot seat.
Stables aren't so much Leda's thing, which may explain why she approaches the mare in cross-ties slowly and carefully. Let's hope the critter is content munching on oats, because the apprentice doesn't know not to stop while standing directly behind the animal. "Had a bit of an accident, Journeyman Madilla has me not working for another day or two," she says by way of greeting, "So I thought I'd come see what I'm missing by not being a stablehand." This is followed by a small sniff and a decidedly crooked smile. "Can't say I like the smell much, wood is cleaner...ah, hello." Dark eyes cast towards the other stablehand. The look Jolie has locked on Sho leave her hesitating, glancing back and forth between the pair. "Why's it I always seem to run across you when you're on the verge of being beaten, Sho?" The question might be light-hearted, her smile remaining in place, but her eyebrows have lifted and she shuffles a step backwards. Just in case; that brush looks pretty aerodynamic.
Amber eyes move from Leda to Jolie and her hefted brush with a chuckle. "It was just a little game, no harm intended." He says, not even pausing in his brushing, obviously not thinking the brush will actually fly in his direction. "I told you my name was Trouble. It was true. That just proves it for ya, so it shouldn't be a surprise." He says with a little grin before turning back to Leda and tilting his head slightly as she shuffles back, obviously not getting why she's backing away. "Ya don't have ta worry. This mare's good, she won't kick unless ya hurt her." He offers, slowly brushing the beast still. He's in no hurry at this point, not with so much else going on. "Sorry ya got hurt, but at least that means you can visit. And...well...the stables never really smell good, but ya also don't get burned." He offers. As for the last, well, "Oh, I think maybe it's just you. I seem ta be in trouble when yer around." He offers with a shrug.
"Not into games I'm not privy on," Jolie notes coolly, the brush getting tossed up into the air and caught deftly. She does this a few times as she takes slow steps towards the young man, approaching with stalker-like step. Brush gets tossed, but not thrown. At least not yet, it seems. "Should've told me rather than lead me on, Sho-that-is-trouble," she continues, her face the mask of a gambler as she approaches him slowly. "So perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise if I pay in like kind?" This question gets emphasized with the brush being tossed and caught in the air again the closer she gets to him. Finally, once Sho speaks to Leda again and she her, Jolie turns her head to regard the apprentice with intense study. "Hey," is her greeting, eyes flicking over Leda critically. "Ya know this troublemaker well?" and she jerks her chin in Sho's direction.
That Leda hadn't even considered the possibility of kicking is obvious in the startled glance she gives the mare. She'll just...mosey over to stand in front of this closed stall over here, where she should be safe from any calamity in spite of Sho's reassurances. Disaster does seem to follow the apprentice, after all. And Jolie /is/ getting closer, looking rather...fierce. "I'm all right, Madilla said it'll heal clean and it is nice to get out...ah." The bouncing brush earns a wary look, her eyes flicking between that tool and the stablehands in uncertain fashion. Her smile remains but it's pure stubbornness that keeps it in place. "Well? Not so much, no. I came in from Lemos not too long ago but he was one of the first I met here. I'm Leda," she says, easing a hand forward as if to tempt Jolie to give up thoughts of physical retribution on Sho and accept a 'shake. If Sho lands in trouble every time she's around, may as well try to haul him out of it. "Apprenticed to the Woodcraft, but out of High Reaches Hold before that." Thus the accent.
If there's one thing that Sho is good at, it's not really being afraid of people...and never really giving up. While this tends to get him into more trouble later on, for now it just means that the brush tossing and threatening pose really don't have an affect. He treats it like it's normal. The youth grins at Jolie as she stalks closer and shrugs, "Well not much in kind ta do, now that I know yer name already." He offers, pausing in his brushing to look over at Jolie. "And what fun would it'a been if I told ya? It kept me entertained, and no one got hurt." Yet. He returns to the brushing, moving around to brush the other side in practice motions. This gives him a better view of Leda standing at the closed stall, but at the same time puts more of his back to Jolie. He really...is stupid. Yes. "Glad it's gonna be okay. Wouldn't want ya out too long. Otherwise who am I gonna be able ta ask questions about and have show me stuff?" He asks in a semi-teasing voice, a gleam in his eye. "I doubt anyone else'd put up with me asking questions." Gee, wonder why.
"So yer willing to entertain yourself at /my/ expense?" That is probably the wrong path for the young man to take, if that brush is any indication. Once he puts his back to her, she's coming ever closer, either way, stalking her oblivious-seeming prey, before Leda seems to intervene. "Call me Jo," she gives her name to the apprentice without pause, her gaze still on Sho's back. "From Keogh. Guard family." Hence the stiffness. And then it's quick. So very quick. The ominous brush goes sailing just as sailing, but either the new stablehand's a bad shot or she misses on purpose. In either case, the brush manages to whip very close to Sho's ear enough to give one a scare if they're not paying attention, and clatters loudly against the opposite wall. Looks like two can play the brat game. "Thanks for the lesson, Sho," Jolie states dryly once the brush has flown, turning abruptly from the stablehand and towards Leda to firmly claim that hand of hers with rough fingertips. "Nice to meet ya, apprentice Leda," she addresses her again, this time with a quick smile. See, she's being nice! "But I'm out. Just remembered there's something I need to go collect. I imagine, we'll see each other again." She releases her hold on Leda's hand and moves to grab up her backpack and sling it over one shoulder before turning back to Sho. Brows lifting and falling boldly, "I'll be back later to finish my shift," she says, nodding firmly in his direction. "Don't cause too much trouble while I'm gone. Wait until I return?" Either the woman's a tease as much as he, or, she's just crazy. Could be the latter since she's chuckling aloud and heading towards the entrance.
"I could answer questions even in an infirmary cot--" However Leda might have finished that statement is cut off; there's a brush in the air and she's left to stare, mouth agape. Her flinch, for flinch it is, seems as much in anticipation of a stampede due to the clatter as it is reaction to finding her hand taken afterwards. She certainly didn't expect the friendly ease of Jolie's acknowledgement, nor the abrupt leavetaking. Brows creep higher as she looks with some bemusement from her released hand to the female stablehand's retreating back. "Nice to meet you, Jo," she echoes belatedly. Then, because she can't help it, she steals a glance at Sho and grins. "Don't see why you'd want to talk with me anyways, looks like you like the rougher girls. You work with her? She almost had your head off and I think she meant it more than Silarra did."
Sho really has no clue his life is in danger at this point, and even as the brush whips past his ear he simply blinks and looks behind him. "Hey, careful with that. Those'r good brushes." He half-chastises with a tsk and shake of his head. Oh well, back to his own brushing. As she takes her leave he simply nods, "Alright, I'm sure I'll see ya later on then. I have a long shift today...and I can't promise I can hold in all my trouble, but I'll see what I can do." Grin. As Jolie leaves the youth's full attention goes back to Leda and he nods at her cut off sentence, "Yeah, I guess ya could. But just wouldn't seem quite the same I guess." Beat. "I don't like the rougher girls, per se, it just seems ta be all that's around here. I think yer the only nice girl I've met." A shake of his head then, "At least I know there's someone I can talk to without getting beat up." So far. The mention of Silarra actually causes his brushing to pause for just a moment before he continues on, falling silent for the moment.
"Bill me," comes the quip to good brushes from Jolie's retreating back, the smirk seen over one shoulder. Then Leda gets her final wink, full of perhaps the same type of trouble she had just thrown the brush at Sho over before she's gone.
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