Logs:Fire Plan in Action
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| RL Date: 1 July, 2015 |
| Who: Edyis, Quinlys, T'mic |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Akluseth gets to flame for the first time! Spoiler alert: nothing catches fire and nobody dies. |
| Where: Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 24, Month 2, Turn 38 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: No crazy wind and no blowing snow or else they totally wouldn't be doing this. |
| Mentions: Farideh/Mentions |
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| Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr Akluseth's tail twitches sharply, anxious isn't quite the right word for the pair. It's late afternoon, and Edyis is wearing a hole in the ground pacing, her fingertips tapping against the leg of her flight gear. « Geesh you are making me nervous. Chill out, We've been doing that thing with the healer dude for almost a month, and Jorrth will be there with his. It will be fine. » The brown rumbles from his perch by the lake. Jorrth will be there with his. Jorrth is there with his, in fact, that oddly burly blue dropping out of the sky with a particular style that makes it look almost like a stampede. He doesn't hurt himself (or, seemingly, T'mic) when he lands, though. « How is she? » comes as greeting to Akluseth. T'mic is more diplomatic in all this, unbuckling his straps (which he does up even for the shortest of flights), and walking informally through the packed-down snow to where the brown and rider wait. "Hey," is the greeting, paired with that big and easy smile he's so good at. 'How's it going' isn't asked, but it's a little bit there, in the look. « Edgy, but she's always like that lately. Healer dude cleared her to start; that's the important thing. » Akluseth all but sing-songs to his brother. Dark eyes catch the arrival, and there's a puff of breath visible. "Hey. So. Today's the day huh." Brilliant Conversationalist is Edyis today. "Yeah," agrees T'mic, unrushed, and with a shrug of those broad shoulders of his. "Got a little time before, if you need." « Good thing we've been doing all that burping practice, » chimes Jorrth, with a voice-cracking chuckle laced in there with the sun-warmth and musk of his mental presence. « At least these won't smell like rotted herd beast! » Imagining fiery belches (strangely shaped like alphabet letters) launching daringly into the sky. "Everyone else has already started, haven't they? Farideh accused me of shirking my duties." There's a head shake. "We've been doing the therapy every day, but I admit... I'm still afraid of freezing up. These flames will be real." « It wasn't rotten, » Jorrth muses, scientific in this consideration. « It was... part-digested, that's all. » "Just about," T'mic answers, still unrushed, though mention of his wingsecond brings an element of caution into his stance, and his face. "You mean since the kitchens?" As to flames, there's a thumb jutted in Jorrth's direction. "It's part of their instinct, you know. Just like keeping their riders safe." Edyis arches a brow at mention of the kitchens, "Yeah since then, I don't know what her problem was then either though, now that you mention it. What does it matter to her what I do in my downtime? It's like nothing is ever good enough for her." Edyis muses, kicking at the dirt and looking to the brown. "I know that, but fear isn't a rational thing. If it were, we would have been flaming with the rest of the group weeks ago." T'mic makes a bit of a face - and then has a moment of realisation, and shakes his head, clearing it. "Look, that's... let's think about the flaming, 'kay?" A weak little smile, though once he's had time to be sure it's where he wants to direct things, said smile strengthens. "There's no Thread now. But..." Well. There's a look out toward the weyrling training area of the bowl, and he lifts both hands a bit, to waist level, palms upwards. Waiting, for anything really. Edyis seems completely confused by the expression, studying him for a moment with her head tilted. "You ok?" She wonders. But at the mention of flaming she nods. "Yeah, the sooner we get this under control... the better. I know there's no thread, but wings still do live drills don't they? No one is going to want someone who can't do the basics. I'm really glad you and Jorrth are willing to help." Her heels click together. "What's next." She asks with her sharpest salute and a surprisingly bright smile, despite the worry etched in her expression. "Yeah, well. Our pleasure." T'mic shrugs again, and looks over his shoulder to Jorrth. Not that the look, even was needed. "He'll call Olveraeth." Is calling Olveraeth. Whatever. "We should probably head away from the lake, though, more toward the bowl." To Olveraeth, Jorrth projects « Are you ready for us? » « Always. » Olveraeth, always so sure of everything (except when, as a scientist, he should not be, of course). « We will come to you. » (To Jorrth from Olveraeth) Plainly, Olveraeth and his rider weren't far away, since their approach is obvious within seconds of T'mic's words. The blue circles downwards and then lands upon the sandy lake shore; his rider, carrying a sack of firestone and a bucket, is quick to join the two weyrlings on the ground. "You're ready?" she says, blue-eyed gaze flicking from one to the other. Edyis sucks in a breath and lo there does appear the bluerider. It's a shaky look to Akluseth first, who rumbles encouragingly, then T'mic. "As we will ever be." Swallowing hard and working to control her breathing. T'mic just nods; first, to Quinlys, and then, and more encouragingly, to Edyis. He seems satisfied that they're ready. Jorrth shares, quite happily with all dragons attached to those present, « They're ready. » And then T'mic is looking to Quinlys, his authority at least partially yielded. "Deep breaths," advises Quinlys, in a way that could almost be described as 'kind.' "There's no need to rush it. One step in front of the other, right?" She sets down her sack, gesturing towards Edyis. "Feed him a few pieces when you're ready. Not too much: we're not looking for huge flame, here. T'mic, will you fill the bucket with snow for me?" Granted, there's enough snow about that setting fire to things shouldn't be a problem... but as recent lectures have reported, accidents can and have happened. « Calm, » says Olveraeth, quiet but firm. Edyis swallows, nodding to Quinlys' advice and following it. Slow deep breaths taken as she timidly steps forward selecting a few smaller rocks. "Slowly Akluseth, don't bite your tongue. This isn't like crunching on the marrow." Feeding him the stones one at a time. « Guys, is this stuff supposed to taste so... funny? Not funny haha but funny strange. Needs more gravy. » The brown enquires of the blues. « Make sure it goes to your second stomach, » Jorrth adds on, all the excitement and laughter gone now that things are serious, now that it's not just half-digested herdbeast in hilarious bubbles. He's calm. And focused. So focused. It's a shared focus, really, if anyone wants in. Which T'mic seems to. The nod to Quinlys is peripheral. The gathering and filling of the bucket, equally so. « Gravy? » The very concept is perplexing to Olveraeth, but he abandons that in order to concur, « Second stomach. Focus on it. It doesn't taste good, but it's kind of fun when it comes out! » Quinlys barely glances at T'mic, this time; she's focused on Edyis, on watching the brownrider with her brown, and that one-piece-at-a-time feeding. "He'll know when he's ready to have a go. That's probably enough 'stone for now." « This stuff the kitchens puts on food, I tried it once. She got mad. » He explains of gravy but unlike his blue counterpart focus has never been Akluseth's strong suit. « Second - stomach » The warning gets him refocused on the task at last temporarily. Strange bubbling through his mindvoice might signify a warning that not all of the stone made it to the right place. « This doesn't feel so good. » Edyis frowns and manages to step back before it's too late. Fortunately, most of it winds up in the lake. Edyis is positively pink, and completely disgusted. Jorrth winces a little, right down to a twitch of his wings atop those massive shoulders he's growing. « That's why, » is a bit dry. « But you should try again. » T'mic has since come back with the bucket (full of snow), in time to nod a little along with his dragon. And in time to watch Edyis' face, carefully. "Sorry," says Quinlys. "I should have reiterated that." Sure, it's been covered in lectures... but theory is different to practical, every time. Her nose wrinkles; she makes a face. "It's a good thing the lake is self-filtering," is what she says after that, partially under her breath. « Try again, » confirms Olveraeth. « Focus, this time. Just a couple of pieces. » Akluseth starts chomping on a few mouthfuls of clean snow. « Bleh. That. That was gross. It was like having a bunch of angry tunnelsnakes that were still biting on the way down. » There's a rumble. « Do I have to eat it again? There's easier ways of impressing girls than shooting flames right? » Edyis blanches, "I'm sorry, I'll ..." She stops when she realizes how pointless the phrase clean that up would be. Its a few larger stones this time. "Seriously, Focus seaweed brain. Second-stomach." « I didn't find that, » says Jorrth, which earns a bit of a stiffening from T'mic. Rider looks to dragon. Dragon looks to rider. And then, to his clutchbrother. « It'll be worth it for her. When you do it right. » There's a note of apology there, belated realised. T'mic, meanwhile, finds himself pulling out Quinlys' previous advice: "Deep breaths." Olveraeth's amusement at Akluseth's turn-of-phrase is muted, at least: he's focusing enough for all of them, perhaps, his energies directed right at the young brown. "Don't worry about it," is his rider's instruction, her chin tipped towards the pair. "Listen to T'mic; just focus, let him have another go." « It is a natural thing, one we all need to learn. You'll do fine. » This time at least the stone gets to the right place, after extra chewing, having learned the lesson the first time. « This feels weird. I mean it feels like burping but meaner. I'm sort of afraid to burp now. » Edyis is focusing now on breathing, fingers twitching absently pulling the puzzle cube from her pocket and fiddling with it out of habit. T'mic has started deep breathing too, as if he could lend support the same way Jorrth does. « Don't be afraid, » is Jorrth's advice to Akluseth. « It'll just make her afraid too. » « You're allowed to burp, » says Olveraeth, though the word sounds somewhat... wrong coming from his thoughts. « Make sure you face away from us. Keep a clear path. You'll know when you're ready; just let it go. » Just like a burp, really. "Be ready," says Quinlys, simply. "We're here. You're safe." Edyis fingers start working at the puzzle, focused on the reassurances, focused on her breathing. Akluseth has the sense at least to release over the water. Everything around him is taking on an orange bloom of color. It lasts only a few seconds, but beads of sweat have already begun to form. « Better out than in I guess. Is it supposed to be that tiny? » Possibly forgetting for an instant that his rider is petrified of this. "What should I be instructing him to do?" Edyis asks as her fingers work, focused on breathing slowly. « Fire! » Jorrth is supportive in it, sharing it with Akluseth, with Olveraeth. T'mic even gets a little bit of a smile, though soon enough he's focused back in on Edyis. He opens his mouth to answer - and then defers to Quinlys, with a sidelong glance. « With only a few pieces of stone, yes, » says Olveraeth. « Were we up in the skies, flaming thread--» Much more flame, he shares, the visual flickering with quiet glee. "When he's ready, he'll belch out the remains," says Quinlys, with a glance towards T'mic, and then a gesture of encouragement towards them both. "Once he has, try it again. If you're up for it, Edyis. This time, T'mic, you can be instructor; I'll watch." Awe, from Jorrth. Awe, and a shift in his attention, toward the visualisations. Unspoken but certainly tangible is the desire to be there. T'mic manages to stay a little more composed, his concern for Edyis potent enough now that he doesn't follow his dragon's distraction. There's a bit of a widening of his eyes to Quinlys, and then a look back to his fellow weyrling. "When you're ready to try again," and a motion to the bucket, "a little more stone... this time, see if he can draw it out. Like a squeaker burp? But a long one. Still pointed really away. Uh. Over the water, too." The image is exciting, thrilling even. Akluseth revels in it. Already an itch starting in his wingtips and spreading over all of him is shared, that desire to leap in the sky and join. But for now there is strange burbling sensations and the ash comes up. This as it turns out is much neater. « The ash coming out feels nice. Weird but nice. » Edyis nods to T'mic's instruction, tucking away that puzzle block long enough to pick up a few larger rocks, slowly feeding them to the brown. « Make sure you keep it controlled, not just big sideways. Big straight. Skinny and a long. » Jorrth is trying to describe it, he is; they've done this just the other day, after all. The feelings are fresh in his mind. T'mic, he just waits. And stands on the balls of his feet, just in case. It's the sensations Akluseth focuses on this time, powdering, the stone between his teeth. Edyis feeds the last one and steps back, that puzzle coming out again. Akluseth squares on his haunches. And a large gout of flame is released this time, lasting almost a minute. Edyis fingers slip a few times but continue to work, "We can do this." her breath a little shaky. "Good!" T'mic is excited, enough he's jumped a bit in place. "It's good," is a bit calmer, after he's had a breath, when he's looking to Edyis with that goofy smile on his face. "So one more, for today? I thought maybe you could see if he could separate it out. Into two bursts. 'Cause if you can control it, then... well. Then you're controlling it." What he doesn't say, is then there should be less reason to be afraid. Right? « How'd it feel? » asks Jorrth, excited too. Edyis focuses on breathing, looking between the brown and the wingleader. She swallows once and then nods slowly, tucking it back into her pocket with trembling hands, and fetching a few more chunks of the stone from the stack while Akluseth rids himself of the ash. It takes a couple tries to feed him the stone, but Akluseth is entranced by the lesson. « Two bursts? No problem! » Focusing again on the sensations. Edyis' fingers move more slowly over the block, a little shaky. Forcing herself to breathe slowly. Unfortunately this time Akluseth slips with the first burst sending it sideways along the shoreline instead of out over the water. The second manages over the water, but Edyis fingers slip, and the block falls. With her fumbling to retrieve it. « Calm her, » puts in Olveraeth, launching back into teacher rather than observer mode the moment Edyis' block falls. « She's okay. You're okay. Everything is okay. » "You're fine, Edyis." Quinlys, too, pushes herself into action, taking half a step forward. "It isn't going to hurt you. Akluseth won't let it. Breathe." T'mic's is a gut reaction, dropping around the same time Edyis begins fumbling, with one of hand going toward her shoulder. It's quick, but it won't land overly hard, if it lands at all. "It's okay, it's fine. He figured it out." There's a bit of adrenaline trying to pull at his words. He takes an audibly deep breath, let's it out. Jorrth just leans some of his warm and steady weight at Akluseth. It'll all be fine. It'll all be okay. The instant the instruction is given, waves rush in, Akluseth's mental sending a little more wide spread than intended. « Sorry. Sorry, I got a little carried away. » Ashamed. Edyis nods slowly, bracing her palms against her knees focusing on breathing on slowing those breaths down. « You did better this time, that was longer than the last session with Healer dude. » He rumbles glad that the elder blue was paying closer attention. Something causes her to chuckle a little, "Sorry, I hoped maybe we'd have made a little more progress by this point." Grateful for both Quinlys and T'mic, in that moment. "Small steps," is Quinlys' response to that, gaze lingering on Edyis for long moments before it turns towards T'mic. For the bluerider, she has a subtle nod, one that is both encouraging and approving. "You've done well, Edyis. I think that's probably enough for today, though, mmm? We'll practice again tomorrow-- as long as it takes." Beat. "Once he's gotten rid of the excess, I'd take him out to the hot springs, if I were you." T'mic straightens up and steps back, once things aren't so immediate, once Edyis is speaking. There's another deep breath, audible but not purposefully so. He lets it out in a slow, controlled stream. And nods along with Quinlys' advice. "It smells pretty bad. And be good to just... relax together some." The smile again, this time a bit nervous. Edyis nods, slowly scooping up the puzzle from where it left a dimple in the snow. "We'll keep practicing tomorrow. " And it's like a solemn oath, as there're the stirrings of a smile for the Weyrling Master. "Small steps." She manages in agreement. Akluseth moves to tend to the ash, and she gives T'mic a smile, tired but there. "Thank you both. I don't think, we couldn't have done even that much on our own." Quinlys is silent for a moment, more solemn than cheerful (for once). "Well," she says. "That's the point, isn't it? You're not supposed to do things like this on your own." But she's got a nod, too, for both weyrlings, before she reaches to gather up the bucket and the bag of firestone, and prepare for departure: her job is done. Quietly, there's Olveraeth: « She hopes you and yours will consider joining us, one day. To teach. » (To Jorrth from Olveraeth) T'mic is happy now to nod along with Quinlys. His hands find his pockets, and he rocks back and forth from toe to heel, while Jorrth shakes his wings out in preparation. And if there's a bit of something trying to pull the bluerider's eyebrows together, well, it's T'mic. It probably won't last too long. « Good, » says Jorrth. « I'll tell him. Later. » And he will. (To Olveraeth from Jorrth) Edyis blinks at the statement, and then she bursts into a far larger smile. "Small steps right?" A salute offered to both before she's pulling herself up Akluseth's neck ridges and the pair are off in the direction of the hot springs. |
Comments
Alida (22:33, 2 July 2015 (MDT)) said...
Huzzah! Small step, ever forward!
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