Logs:The Quitters Club
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| RL Date: 7 July, 2013 |
| Who: Aishani, K'del |
| Type: [[Concept:{{{type}}}|{{{type}}}]] |
| What: Aishani and K'del don't yell at each other. They do still snipe, though. |
| Where: Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day {{{day}}}, Month {{{month}}}, Turn {{{turn}}} ({{{IP}}} {{{IP2}}}) |
| Mentions: Azaylia/Mentions, Iolene/Mentions, K'zin/Mentions, Seani/Mentions, Sisha/Mentions |
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| Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr
A large freshwater lake fed by a low waterfall, it not only provides warm-weather bathing space for humans and dragons, but has one end fenced off as a watering hole for the livestock in the feeding grounds. The water there is often muddier than the rest of the clear lake, whose shallows drop off abruptly several yards out into deep water, and whose edge undulates against the coarse-hewn bowl wall: here close enough to just be bramble-covered rocks, there far enough away that a narrow land bridge divides the main lake from a smallish pond. Between are several rocky outcroppings that form excellent makeshift diving points, though only one -- across the bridge -- has a set of narrow, slippery, quite possibly tempting stairs. It is a rare day of cloudless sunshine, though the temperatures are markedly colder.
The sun brings out a few people walking along from the far side of the lake; from afar, it's simply a trio of girls, meandering as they chat and trudge through the snow, but when they come closer, it proves to be a couple of caverns workers and Aishani, in her flight jacket with the fur collar attached, hands in pockets as she glances between the pair of older women, thoughtful and interested. As they come closer to the shoreline, there's a burst of laughter as they come to a stop. While the goldrider remains on the shore after the brief chat, the other women start for the bowl, presumably the caverns. It takes her a moment to spot K'del brooding, but she does -- though she doesn't yet interrupt, instead approaching the boulders as if to pass by. K'del is too intently focused on... whatever it is to pay much attention to anyone approaching behind him; if he's aware of them at all, there's no indication of it in stance or expression. Footsteps so close to his perch do make it past his concentration, though, and as Aishani wanders past, the bronzerider turns. If he cares either way as to who it is, he's not showing that either: his expression remains neutral, quietly thoughtful. "Ah," he says, conversational. "It's the other member of the quitters club. Are we having a meeting I didn't know about? Do I get to be president?" "I imagine so," Aishani says, though all she's done is pause in her steps, not yet turning around. "You have seniority, and you actually left." Glancing over her shoulder before she turns, dark eyes take in K'del's stance, expression with a quirk of lips. "As for meetings, I'd not interrupt your moping. I'm guessing the news was unexpected? It's kind of funny, really. Given the givens, who's expected to be 'traditional' and not..." A little shrug, like it's no concern of hers. "While you seem determined to stay... and be of no help to anyone." K'del doesn't sound bitter about it - actually, his tone is light, even if a frown begins to creep across his expression given the rest of what Aishani has to say. "Not moping," he tells her, firmly. "Sisha's a good choice, a smart one. Pick a bronzerider, and they expect to end up Weyrleader at the end of it. Pick a brownrider, you've got Taikrin comparisons." His voice sells it, even if his expression seems somehow less sure. "I'm just glad she made a decision." Another shrug. "Why should I? Everyone does whatever they want, listens to the orders they want, interprets actions the way they want. There's no reason I should be held to a different standard than people who encourage difficulties for the leadership. At least I'm staying out of the way, a courtesy that you never afforded me." Aishani's words have an edge to them, but it's not quite definable for all that bitterness on her part might be expected. Her smirk and dubious look for K'del tells him how much he believes what he's saying, but says nothing but, "Yes. The time it took bodes so very well for all the other decisions that will be required, yes?" K'del's reply is prompt. "Because leaders are supposed to live up to a higher standard. If leadership were easy, if making difficult decisions made you popular, nearly anyone could do it. The point is, it's not like that. You have to do the best you can, even if it makes you unpopular." He sounds abruptly tired as he says that - but at least he's not snapping the words out at her. Really, this conversation is almost going well. "She'll get there. She's feeling her way through things, that's all. Better to make the right decision than to have to live with the repercussions of making a wrong one. People'll accept Sisha; that's good." "The best I can do will never be enough, K'del. You should know that better than anyone." Now Aishani's a little bitter, but mostly weary as well, her tone and the slope of her shoulders more suited to someone ten turns older. Her gaze turns to the snow beneath her boots, she pokes at it idly before, again doubtful, "We'll see. I don't know how it can inspire confidence... but color me surprised that people will give her leeway." Where she got none, obviously. "Wish you'd accepted my offer now?" "It could have been." For a moment, it may seem as though K'del is willing to leave it at that - perhaps to climb down off of his rock and walk away. But he hesitates, watching Aishani. For once, his expression holds no bitterness, no irritation, no frustration. "Or - well, it could have been better. Easier. You made it hard for yourself. In retrospect, would it have been better for the Weyr for me to have accepted? Of course." K'del's mouth curves, apparently well aware of how egotistical that must sound, though he's confident in his belief. "Except... can you honestly imagine us working well together, Aishani? Honestly?" There's a silent moment, where Aishani's boot continues to poke at the snow. "What does 'easy' mean when it's not on your terms? Does that matter? And there's precious few people here who made it easier for me, regardless of what I did myself." K'del's obvious confidence that things would have gone better draws a nose-wrinkle and an unladylike snort. Dark hair spilling forward to hide her expression, she might be faintly amused by her tone. "Probably not. But you managed with the one you deposed, perhaps anything is possible." A beat before, "Why are people asking me about Iolene?" It's not careful, not accusatory... just out there, all of a sudden. Aishani's reaction draws a roll of the eyes from K'del-- and her reference to Tiriana has his mouth tightening. In both cases, however, he says nothing - though he does lift his chin, giving his gaze a fractional amount more height to stare down at her from. As if he needed it. Her question, however, makes him freeze. "Iolene?" Something in his voice wavers; her name is both a caress and something much more uncomfortable. "Who's been asking? I'm-- I've no idea." And it bothers him, clearly. Looking up to catch that reaction to her words, Aishani can't help but grin widely in a flash, obviously pleased to have rattled K'del on that point... though as he stands taller on the boulder, her dark gaze flickers to one nearby, perhaps pointedly. She could have a boulder too, you know. And though she's not been terribly sensitive in the past, despite her own relationship with the murdered Weyrwoman, she seems to choose her words this once. "I don't see much sense in digging up that particular grave, given it was so... unpleasant on all levels. K'zin claimed there were things he couldn't find in the records, or something of the like. He didn't like what I told him, about Ysavaeth in particular. I thought you might be aware of whatever makes a person think that dragging all this out again is wise." Perhaps she's warning him too, but that would be weird. And he would still be taller, so there - though he's not so juvenile as to show that in his expression, which has turned neutral again, albeit not for long: mention of K'zin has him wincing. "He's got a-- thing about digging up the past, solving old mysteries. Even when there aren't mysteries," he says, sounding disgruntled-- even pained. "He's digging at that other murder, too. Seani's. Tried to tell him that digging this stuff up is a bad idea, but..." That probably isn't strictly the truth, but he's convinced himself it is; there's no indication of anything else in his expression. "He's just going to cause trouble, the idiot. It's the last thing we need right now. There's honestly nothing more to know about Iolene. Case closed. Time to move on." Entirely bemused, "Mystery... We know exactly what happened with Iolene, and who was responsible." Aishani isn't quite pained, but she's not mentioning names either; it all seems to weigh heavily on her still, but given her family and her past... it's no surprise that it darkens her expression. With an arch of brow for the name tied so closely to the new Lord Holder's, she agrees, "I can't see it making friends. Truth is subjective and in favor of those with power." Smirking faintly, "You should just lie. I know you're too good for such deceit, but... just make something up, and tell him in the strictest confidence. No one else knows but him. He'll feel terribly special and he'll shut the fuck up. I'm not particularly interested in retreading things that I'd rather forget myself." "We do," agrees K'del, brittle and quiet, his gaze turning distant-- he stares off towards the bowl wall, lost, briefly, in recollection. It's possible he even misses some of what Aishani says in the process, though he's certainly tuned in enough to hear her suggestion towards the end. It makes him laugh, head shaking as he returns his gaze towards her. "If I thought it'd work... but it's too late for that. We're not exactly on good terms, at the moment, and anyway... his whole thing is that everyone ought to know all the details about everything, so telling him anything only prompts it to be shared with the world. It's naive." But what can they do? He exhales, sighing. "Maybe Sisha can squash him, save us all the trouble. She does that look." Smirking, Aishani points out, "You'd be surprised what a 'sincere' apology can do. And if he spreads a stupid story, then who looks stupid but him, for buying it? Better to make both an example and an idiot out of him in the minds of many. Then any other little crusades he might go on would be crushed or ignored, because he's obviously..." An idiot. With a look of her own for K'del, like 'come on', she tells him bluntly, "No one's going to care much about orders until there's a 'real' flight. If there's a problem you can eliminate for good, do it." There's a moment where she regards him, then sighs, "You won't though. None of you understand, someone has to. I got tired of being the only one to realize that." Perhaps tired of the conversation too, she turns back in the direction she'd been headed. "Feel free to ignore what I say, I'm used to it." K'del's gaze narrows - and then he laughs. "You do so like to paint yourself as the only one who understands, don't you," he says. "So misunderstood. Poor Aishani. If only we all listened to you, everything would be perfect." He's talking to her back, and then, abruptly, he's not: he's turned back around, carefully adjusting his footing on the boulder so that he can turn his attention back on the skaters. "I understand that, if you're in charge, you do what you have to do, not what's 'best' or 'right' or 'nice', but what makes things better. Period. No matter who you have to shove out of the way or walk over." Aishani starts away, but turns backwards briefly, her stride barely breaking to add, "Don't not do it just because it was my idea." There's another wry twist of her mouth, and she's headed for the bowl. Iesaryth's sunny form rises up in the skies not too long after, blinking out to head off... somewhere. K'del's words are probably lost, so quiet: "If you're in charge." But he doesn't turn around to watch her go.
CommentsComments on "Logs:The Quitters Club"Jo (Jolie (talk)) left a comment on Mon, 08 Jul 2013 01:15:09 GMT.
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Comments on "Logs:The Quitters Club"Jo (Jolie (talk)) left a comment on Mon, 08 Jul 2013 01:15:09 GMT.
Love this!
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