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Sacks Alive


Date:  December 13, 2007
Place:  Igen Weyr's Main Beach
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  The presence of Candidates in a Weyr sooner or later 
means the traditional Candidate dinner.  As one of the Candidate 
Coordinators, Kassi had a part to play in the planning and execution--
the entertainment was all Josilina's thanks to her inspired ideas of
gifts to donate. ;)

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The Log:

You wing northwest to land at the Main Beach.

You slide off of Lysseth's neck to land beside her easily. She rumbles,
cocking her head down at you, and you rub her eyeridges gratefully.

In the water, Walladru grumbles more and, inhaling, dives beneath the
surface of the lake. Meanwhile, on shore, the brown..thing...moves again. A
head rises up, small and somewhat dragonlike. Multifaceted eyes fix on the
stranger for a moment before a wide yawn indicates a lack of concern...or
perhaps interest. The head retracts back down again and, following it, it
becomes much easier to make out the young firelizards features.

Lanisa ambles over from the center of the bowl.

Kant backs up a step, only it's more like a hop, mumbling something under
his breath. And then he looks again, and laughs, and this time looks out at
the lake itself. Still grinning, he waves.

Lysseth sweeps in; Kassima sweeps down, sliding from her lifemate's neck
with her skirts lending the dismount susurrus. They've landed some distance
away from the feast and the tables set up for those due to partake, and
Lysseth there remains to watch, but Kassima unbinds a hefty bag and hauls
it with her like a peddler's pack.

Lanisa's stroll to the beach is a leisurely affair. It would seem her blue
off on his own adventures, or maybe posing up a storm for any who looks his
way where ever he's at... In any event, his rider is left walking and not
seeming to mind overly much the predicament if one we to judge from the
casual nature of her stroll.

Josilina ambles over from the center of the bowl.

Funny how, when you look up from your feet, you see so much more around; so
it is with Kant, who turns from soapy Walladru and his fellow candidate's
watch-'lizard, or at least snooze-'lizard, to actually get a better gander
at his surroundings. After a dropped-jaw moment of glances here, there and
everywhere, he stops that in favor of just turning a few degrees from the
lake to the first of the tables and arrivals and everything, and then a few
degrees more, regular as a somewhat shaggy sundial.

IGEN-> Kassima says, "It's 8pm, do you know where your Baker delicacies
are? ;) For those interested the Candidate dinner is starting at the Main
Beach. :)"

IGEN-> Kant says, "Um, we don't count as those baker delicacies... do we? ;)"

IGEN-> Kassima hides that copy of _To Serve Man_ behind her back. "Of
*course* not."

IGEN-> Raykini isn't tasty!

Raykini ambles over from the center of the bowl.

IGEN-> Kant is reassured. Me neither, Ray, me neither.

Josilina arrives, a wide-brimmed blue hat on her head that clashes
magnificently with her usual pink outfit, and she's chatting the ear off a
slim young man with an Igen Hold knot. "...Oh!" she declares, as if just
noticing the party setup they've wandered into. "And this is our candidate
dinner - you should stay!" She nods encouragingly to his doubtful look,
"It's for our candidates which... well, you're not. But you're still
welcome." His acceptance is mumbled and he takes his soonest chance to flee
to the feast table, leaving the Weyrwoman to assess the party with a
pleased air.

Kassima lowers her sack as gingerly as she can, setting it beside the table
so weighted with delicious things, but it still thumps: its drawstrings
threaten to sag. She pulls them tighter. "You *stay there*," she tells it,
because the bag is so listening. A quick brush of hands pushes her hair
back over her shoulders, and she straightens to survey everything around.
"'Twill do," she decides with audible relief. "Kaimi and her legion did it
up brown, didn't they? Look at this! Watch me eat m'self sick and be a
total disgrace a'fore the Candidates. Might be worth it, from the smells."

The Igen Hold character gets Kant's attention, or maybe that's the fault of
where the man's heading hurriedly to, enough that he breaks his cycle and
heads toward the feast table too. The feast table and its special sack.
When he starts to move past Lanisa, though, he gives her a tentative hello
of a smile, and slows.

Raykini is just one of the many faces amongst the beach. But Ray's taking
up a spot just on the shore. As people start to make their way into the
area he slowly pushes himself to his feet, dusting off the sand that clings
to his clothes. The food gets his main attention, it all looks so good! "It
looks delicious." He murmurs, swaying a little as he tries to get a better
look at all the food that there is to offer.

"Any cookies?" Lani asks as she works her way over towards the table at
Kassi's suggestion to look. Pace still that casual meander, she's in no
hurry either way and more than willing to share a cheerful grin Kant's way
with his greeting. She even goes so far to add a "Heya," for good measure.

Z'nal ambles over from the center of the bowl.

Kant relaxes into a grin, and then a, "Hello, Weyrsecond," before slowing
that much more, just taking it all in. And then Raykini's comment, too: he
answers, "It does, doesn't it? It really does," as the crowd begins to
circulate more thickly.

Kassima studies the spread anew. "I haven't seen cookies," she tells
Lanisa, "only--only!--cake and pudding. And grapes. We'll all be fat a'fore
the night is over." So cheerful she is about this theory! "Enough here now
that I should call out about the sack, d'you think?"

Raykini offers a slight smile to Kant as he files in behind e other
candidate. "Yeah, it looks wonderful, I just wish there were a few fish
dishes." There's a slight look of longing as he looks over the table once
more, just in case there might be something he missed. "But it looks good
anyway."

Josilina begins to make her way where everyone else seems to be headed: the
food. "Those are really fancy grapes," she observes from tip-toe, after
Kassima remarks on their presence. "What's on them?" she asks of noone in
particular. "Not a whole lot by way of fish 'round here," she notes to
Raykini. "Pepper-stuff is good, though. And I do think the Bakers mentioned
at least one thing with fish they were making for tonight."

"Candidate." Lanisa responds to Kant quite cheerfully and then wrinkles her
nose, "Alright, that's far too official sounding. Kassi? When did I get
official sounding." Quite as if she would have no idea "No cookies? Ahhh
well. Have to have some of the rest first anyway."

"Yeah, I like fish too," Kant agrees with Raykini, taking a plate when it's
his turn, and frankly gawking at all the delicacies, serving some up when
he's able. "But it all - look at it. Think I'll try the pepper-stuff first,
and maybe not the soup, I know I'm gonna spill on myself," but his tone is
only briefly abashed. "And some of the bread, and my mother would kill me
if I didn't get some cabbage, and what's the next stuff? And cookies! I see
cookies. There," and he tries to point with his chin.

Walladru walks into the lake cautiously from the rockier beach to the north.

Raykini offers Josi a sympathetic look. "Oh, I know that ma'am. I'm just
saying I wish there were. But I'll definitely have to grab the fish up if
there are some." Now the candidate is excited, boncing a bit on the tips of
his toes to peer over the crowd at the feasting table. "I'm going to be so
stuffed tonight, I think I'll have a little bit of everything." Kant
quickly gets his attention once more, looks like Ray just made a new best
friend. "I love fish." He follows the flow of the crowd, picking up a plate
and starting to pile it high with food.

Kassima points a helpful finger at Lanisa's knot. "Probably around the time
you got that. Those things are murder on one's proper impropriety. What you
need t'be doing is taking it off, stuffing it in your pocket, and
pretending you're someone else; L'nis, mayhaps, for kicks." While she
hadn't begun yet to load down with food, she claims a plate and a space at
the table without much difficulty. Maybe those who make room for her are
afraid she'll pull a knife out of that sack. "Cheese and nuts?" she hazards
on the grapes. "That's what it looks like. Strange combination," and that
stops her not at all from taking two. "And sausage, and peppers, and bread,
and what's that in the pot? Spicy something. I want some of that." It takes
about five minutes before she has a serving of food large and heavy enough
to conquer the Southern Continent. "By the way," she raises her voice to
call. "Candidates! There've been gifts donated for you by the people of
Igen--enough for each of you t'be having two, and they're in that sack
there. Don't forget t'be coming up and claiming your share a'fore the
night's done."

Walladru heads towards the crowd, flesh a nice, clean pink. He tying his
wet mass of hair back so it at least gets out of his eyes as he walks. He's
dressed a little differently than usual. Instead of his favorite
multi-patched tunic, he wears a simple cream number. Brown pants with a
wide black belt and brown boots complete the simple ensamble. Arriving in
slow motion, being still slightly damp and walking in sand, he does
eventually approach the group, stopping at the back of one clump of people,
where another candidate, a girl, stands, wringing her hands.

Leonneth backwings to land neatly.

"Good evening all," Z'nal says cordially to those who notice his arrival,
though its done without his usual flair tonight, the brownrider unusually
sober as he makes an appearance. His rather slim smile is another
indication all may not be well with him, hands...that normally would be
used to greet warmly, busying themselves with needlessly rolling up his
shirtsleeves. It is a smile however, and does get shined at whomever
glances his way, the upward curve getting joined by a flinty gaze that
seeks to close off emotion, as opposed to showcasing it as it normally does.

Lanisa gestures towards one of the plates "Those look rather fishy to me?"
And then she hears Kant, "Cookies? Ah! There are some. I'll have to knick a
few to take back to the kids." Right. - She wrinkles her nose again at
Kassima, "Eh, well. We'll blame the Werywoman for that then. And maybe
Z'nal. Since it was his grand idea. The food does all look good though. I'm
not sure where to start." Another look at the candidates and she leaves it
to them to pick first as she turns to greet instead, "Speak of the...G'eve,
Z'nal."

Kant stops short just as he's about to leave the table with a full plate,
"Gifts?" despite that Raykini's behind him. "And... two? By the River! Did
you hear that? I mean... sorry, sorry," and he stops obstructing things and
hurries away from the table, adding another guilty, "Sorry!" as he notices
Z'nal's expression along the way.

Raykini perks up at this, his head turning twoards Kasi's statement,
"Gifts?" His eyes widen at the thought. "They didn't have to, but let them
know we really appreciate the gifts?" He asks, lowering his voice to a low
whisper, "I bet they're all pairs of underwear!" This is followed by a
snicker as he fills his plate. Z'nal gets a cheerful wave, even if the man
may be a little out of it due to alcohol.

"A little damp?" Josilina asks Walladru, a little teasingly, as she sees
the big man approach. The mention of her titl$e turns her head, and she
raises her eyebrows at Lanisa, "What're we blaming me for? Not the grapes,
I hope - it's cheese, Kassima? Why would they put cheese on grapes?
Whatever it is, Z'nal's the better person to blame - hi Z'nal!" She greets
the brownrider cheerfully, as she edges her way into line; but his demeanor
gives her pause and she hesitates, then just offers him a warmer smile and
gets on with her edging.

The girls head raises a little, eyes widening. She nudges the male
candidate next to her. "Hey, do you smell something?" He shakes his head.
"Nothing other than food." His turn comes and he steps towards the table.
She moves to follow him, Wall stepping behind. She turns and gives Wall a
look. She steps up to him and takes a big, deep breath. "So its you I
smell." she comments. This draws a blush as the line continues to move.
"Sorry. I was making numbweed." She shakes her head. "Poor thing. Looks
like you scrubbed nearly all of your skin off, too." he blushes deeper.
"Yeah. It isn't as strong as it was..." their voices lower as they make it
to the table, beginning to take food, chattering.

"Blame Josilina. I don't know," Kassi says, rather thoughtful. "There's
something off about laying blame on a woman in pink and polka dots." She
grins to Josilina. "I like the hat. 'Twill, Raykini, but you'll be able
t'thank 'em--there's a tag with each saying who gave what--I have nay idea
why cheese, but hopefully 'twill find out," she adds as she steps back from
the feast, aiming to take her plate towards one of the tables scattered on
the beach. "Z'nal," she stops to greet the brownrider, smiling. "Isn't it
marvelous? You're well?"

At Raykini's speculation, Kant's eyes go wide beneath shaggy bangs; after
another darted look at what little he can still see of bag and bag-wielder,
and then again at all the very many people, he eases himself back to the
sides of things and settles down with his plate, leaving the future to just
that.

Raykini nods his head, making a mental note of checking the tag when he
picks out his gifts. "I could use some new clothes, actually." He idly rubs
the back of his head, eyeing the bag where all the gifts are. He fills the
last of his plate and quickly locates wall, motioning to the man. "Wall!"
He greets cheerfully, "They got gifts for us!" Someone's excited.

"The knot" Lanisa says by way of an answer and then chuckles, "Gifts for
them, eh? And what's this about grapes and cheese? That actually sounds
interesting..." She drifts over that way to look, select a couple and then
step back again. "Eh, I think I'll still blame them both." That said, she
pops a treat into her mouth and thus is quieted again for a moment or so.

Walladru's head turns, the soaked blob of hair at the back of his neck
slinging a little water on the poor guy behind him. Smiling as always, he
spots the source of the teasing. "Yes, Ma'am. Numbweed duty today." Any
further comment is cut off by a jab in the rib. "Hey! What? Oh, Sorry
Daenaro..." Again he hears his name. His head swings about, slower this
time so as not to toss water all over Daenaro again. The waving form or
Raykini gets a wave back. Making his way through the line, loading up a
plate most admirably, although there really isn't much worry from the size
of the spread, he clomps his way through the sand over to where Ray waits.
"Gifts you say? I wonder it they're giving away those drawings the kids did
last sevenday."

Leonneth drops down from her ledge finding an empty spot on the ground far
enough away from the others to not stir up any sand. Her rider slides down,
patting her neck with a smile, soft whispers to her of thanks and
affection. He turns to look around at the people gathered, brushing back
his hair from his eyes.

A brow gets quirked in Walladru's direction, but subtley so, the big man's
"damp" appearance hard to miss, though no question is forthcoming from
Z'nal, nothing save for a slight widening of his own smile, a smile that
grows even more at Raykini's wave, which is returned in kind now that his
sleeves are sloppily donuting his elbows. "Lanisa, Jos, Kassi...good
evening...and what are we blaming me for now?" is asked as he approaches
the trio, the momentary return of his genial self showing in the amused
glint of his eyes, "not that I mind or care, I don't think I've lived a day
where I wasn't blamed for at least one thing or another." His steps have
carried him to the meal table, a quick nod of approval marking his head
movement before it turns to Kassima and the greenrider is replied to
directly, his second question carrying a teasing tone, "I'm doing just fine
thanks, yourself? Marvelous I take it?"

"Everyone loves polka dots!" Josilina declares, fluffing her skirt a
little. "And thanks," she tips the very large hat brim Kassima's way. "So
does anyone know - " she begins to ask, picking up one of those
cheese-covered grapes - and then she pauses mid-motion, head tilting to one
side in a 'listening' gesture. "Oh, Faranth's bum." She pops the grape in
her mouth and withdraws from the line; speaking around the grape she
addresses the Weyrsecond, "I have to run off to 'Reaches - Jorel's got
himself in some pickle and R'sel's on sweeps. You're in charge - I mean,
besides Kassima and Z'nal. You know what I mean. Break up any brawls, and
tell me about them later. Hopefully I'll make it back before all the grapes
are gone." She tips her hat again, this time at the crowd in general, "Have
fun everyone!" she calls before hurrying off.

Josilina leaves the beach, heading for the center of the Bowl.

IGEN-> Josilina's getting pulled off unexpectedly by some RL stuff.
Hopefully I'll make it back soon. Have fun, all! :)

IGEN-> Z'nal hugs his WW, "take care Jos." :)

Raykini offers a cheerful smile as Walladru falls next to his side, "Heya,
Wall. Yeah, gifts. I think they're clothes, or underwear." There's a quiet
chuckle, reaching into a pouch on his side to pull out Mr. Dragon. "Maybe
it'll be something for the plushie, eh?" There's a merry twinkle in Ray's
eyes.

Walladru chuckles. "He's still tagging along with you, is he?" he reaches
down to pet Mr. Dragon. His motion changes first to a wave to the departing
Weyrwoman before it goes back to the plushie to complete the motion. "I
could use some new clothes. I may never get the smell of numbweed out of my
shirt." he pauses to grab a morsel from his plate and pop it into his
mouth. A quick chew and swallow. "So what have you been up to?"

Kassima cheerfully lets Z'nal know, in case he missed it, "You're a
brownrider! A'course you're blamed. 'Tis Lanisa's knot in this case, so you
may even deserve the blame. Is that a novelty?" She shifts while she speaks
to set her heavy plate down on a table that stands near enough the feast to
allow for shameless eavesdropping; well, natch. "Only just had time t'get
up to the weyr and into this dress, since Lyss decided 'twould be a
brilliant idea t'pick up a new Candidate. Today, if'n you please. Oh!
G'deve--" Her wave after Josilina is too late. "Mayhaps," she conjectures
to no one in particular, "Beli's right about Jorel. Anyway, I'm thinking
food, give 'em time t'pick the gifts if'n they want, and then mayhaps do
that thing where people introduce themselves. What think you?" she asks
Z'nal and Lanisa both.

"I get to break up brawls?" Lani muses in the wake of the goldrider's
departure. "Are we going to have any for me to work on that or... Maybe
I'll just compose a nice tale for her benefit, eh?" She winks to those
nearest, letting them in on the plot she may or may not really be forming. "

Raykini grins wickedly at Walladru, "Of course I still have him with me, he
keeps me company." The plushie gets a considering look before moving off to
snag himself a seat, ploppping into it. "I could use a few new clothes
myself, to tell you the truth. A lot of mine are rather old and I don't
really have anything nice to wear." He shrugs his shoulders, "Nothing much,
a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I've been keeping busy, you?"

Walladru shrugs. "You know how these things go. Mostly been helping in the
kitchens or with the store rooms. For some odd reason though, today they
put me on numbweed." he shrugs, taking another bite. "Not like we don't go
through enough of the stuff. I just wish it weren't so....messy."

Lanisa says "Aye. You picked me out for it after all, eh? So perhaps we'll
let them share the blame. Some of my family thinks I'm nutters for wearing
it anyway." She grins, shrugs and then cocks a brow at Kassima, "Beli's
right about what then?" A pause and she wrinkles her nose before adding,
"Always hated doing the introducing myself thing... By all means, have them."

"Of course!" Z'nal entones in dramatic fashion, the palm of his hand
finding his forehead to slap against, "I'm a brownrider, it all makes
sense...I think." A wink comes, along with his other hand nabbing some
foodstuffs, which get put neatly into a handy basket, that seemed to come
out of nowhere. "I'm all for blaming Lanisa, regardless of the color of her
knot Kassima, if she didn't do it, then surely she will in the future." His
'cousin' gets another wink and the Weyrwoman gets a respectful nod as she
departs and he notes to no one in particular, "I can't stay long myself
unfortunately, Devany's not well, and neither is Zevan, and seeing as the
twins are being looked to by our nanny Euphie, I need to get back up to my
weyr..." A long pause as he turns away from the table, then upon catching
sight of Walladru again, he calls out unexpectedly, "Walladru! How the
shells are you? Aside from the whole damp thing? Not bemoaning being on
numbweed duty again I hope?"

Raykini nods his head, "Aye, I know how it goes. Hopefully one of these
days we'll get a chore together so we could talk a bit." There's a faint
smile on his lips, starting to bite on his food, "I hate the smell of
numbweed, there's nothing more foul on Pern." There's a quiet chuckle.
"Aye, but it's something that we need, unfortuantly." He grins as the
Weyrleader comes over, "Hello, Z'nal, how goes, sir?"

Walladru is startled at hearing his name bellowed out. He actually jumps a
little, a couple of bites, including one of those cheesy grapes, take a
jump from his plate to the sand. Jerking head around, his hair, still
hanging onto water, flips a little at Ray. He raises his hand and waves
energetic like. "Z'nal! It's good to see you! Glad to see you out!" the
smile on his face seems to almost stretch his cheeks another 2 inches to
stay under it.

A'tan walks over to the group with a large smile, "Hello everyone!" he says
loudly, a wave to some that might be off a little ways. The greenrider
arches an amused brow in Z'nal's direction, "Are we talking about
brownriders again. Geez, such big heads they all seem to have." he says
with a teasing tone. He nods politely to the candidates that he's met,
"Hello Walladru. How are you doing Lanisa?"

"Hated it?" Kassima repeats in disappointment. "Oh, well... hmm. Mayhaps a
variation. What about completely false introductions? Make up a wild
cockamamie tale of your exploits? Best one gets a shirt or something." It
strains belief that she could hear Raykini and Walladru's conversation in
the general hum. Maybe it's coincidence. "If'n all else fails, I'm entirely
willing t'brawl with someone for the evening's entertainment. Let me change
out of this dress first, m'only stipulation. A'tan! Hey, A'tan!" she calls
over, spotting him. "Want t'brawl?"

"Dar....Now hey wait a minute there cuz-o-mine," Lanisa winks back at
Z'nal, "Since when am I the one getting all the blaming? Blueriders are
positively blameless after all. Innocent as can be." Right. But sympathy
shows in her expression next, "Ahh, well. I can see not sticking around
then. I'll tell you all about the brawling too.. Apparently there is to be
some that I didn't know about." Wink number two then follows as attempts to
spread a little cheer to him anyways. "Heya, A'tan. I'm fine, eh...how're
you?" And then to Kassi she at last asides, "You forget? That girl that
stood with my group with a thing for a certain weyrlingmaster and driving
me batting for being who I am? I doubt any of them apt to have that
problem, eh?" She flashes the woman a grin and then finds herself
snickering over that last.

Raykini wrinkles his nose a little bit as he reaches up to rub the water
now trickling down his cheek, "Shards..." He murmurs quietly to himself as
he peers over his shoulder at Z'nal, "Lotta people in here today. So
what'cha hoping for, Wall, aside from a shirt? I wonder what sorta things
they have in there. Maybe a friend for Mr. Dragon."

Z'nal winces a bit, but amusedly so as Walladru's grapes and so forth meet
sand, a teasingly mouthed, "sorry", forming on his lips without sound, and
yet another wink comes when he says, "good to be out, though again, it is
for a short time, as I should get back up to my weyr...speaking of which, I
really need to go." His free hand reaches up to tap lightly on the simple
knot his shoulder now sports, and to Raykini, he teasingly notes, "I won't
salute if you won't, no need for the 'sir' at all. I'm just a regular..."
Ah, the dramatic pause, as Zain rethinks what he's about to say, then,
"okay...nothing regular about me, just too pretty to be regular really...oh
A'tan...did you say something?" He chuckles, clearly a jest made about
himself and spreading to include others, "if you all will forgive me, I
really must be off. I'll see you candidates in the morning, so enjoy the
free evening as best you can. A'tan, Lanisa, Kassima..." That trio each get
a nod, and a few more good-byes are leveled at various people about before
his lone figure disappears in the direction of a patiently waiting Uralth.

Walladru resists the urge to stand up and hug the brownrider, deciding to
instead smile broadly. "Have a good night, Z'nal. I'm glad you're doing
better."

Z'nal leaves the beach, heading for the center of the Bowl.

A'tan blinks as Z'nal decides to take his leave, "Well nice to see you
again too Z." He runs his fingers through his hair, brow furrowed as he
watches the brownrider, concern written on his features. The man takes a
deep breath and grins at Kassima, "A brawl huh? We've not had one of those
since...well almost since I was a weyrling. I'll take you up on that." He
looks around the group, "As long as Shay doesn't come down though. She
might whap me for brawlin with a woman." A'tan winks and grins, his gaze
watching the brownrider take his leave, but soon gets back into the
conversations

"Ah." Now it's Kassima's nose that wrinkles. "Roberta. I don't recall her
at the introductions--I mostly recall singing from that group." A twist
momentarily sours her smile, but then it's gone. "The lass herself is
rather memorable. Wouldn't it be something if'n she were here? You and
*she* could brawl!" Brightening right back up at such a wonderful thought,
the woman scoops up a fish ball or two with a chunk of sourdough and pops
it into her mouth. The struggle not to combust keeps her busy for awhile.
"G'deve, Z'nal," she manages to get out, watery eyes or no. "Faranth, what
do they put in these things...? 'Twill?" She blinks, and not only from the
spice: "'Twill? Shells! I get t'fight with somebody! At a Candidate dinner!
This is pretty much m'every fondest dream come t'reality, 'twill have you
know. Can we, Lani, can we?"

Walladru gives Raykini a sideways look. "I guess besides a shirt, not
gettin' any lumps or broken bones would be next."

Raykini chuckles quietly, a merry twinkle in his eye, "Aye that'd be a good
thing, wouldn't it?" He turns and falls silent, watching the riders for a
moment and chewing on his food. "I think I'll go get mine when I'm done
eating. There's gonna be a fight?" He asks, his voice rising a bit as he
hears the distant conversation.

Walladru picks up a fishball that survived the spilling of his plate. "I'll
take Kassi." he comments, popping the morsel into his mouth and chewing.

Lanisa can't help herself, and who would expect her to if they really knew
her? As Z'nal leaves, she casts him a salute with a broad grin and then
turns back to offer, "I hope his family is feeling better quick though, eh?
Shame he had to miss most of the party. Especially if there is to be
brawling." She shrugs back to Kassi then, "Can't say as I recall if she was
there or not at this point, just she made me edgy that one. Not sure she'd
want to brawl with me after I borrowed your knives on graduation night."
Now the matter of yes or now, that's something she considers the pros and
cons of. "Well, the Weyrwoman wanted me to break up any brawls, but that
does sort of suggest there could be one... Perhaps after dinner, eh? I'd
hate to see the meal get wreaked on accident before we got a chance to
truly make a proper dent in it..."

There are some phrases that just do not get lost in the general hum. And
when you're Kassima, 'I'll take Kassi' is one of them. She turns in her
chair to seek out the speaker, and one can safely call her nonplussed:
"There's got t'be a story behind that," she says slowly, warily. "Take me
where?" Most of her attention is on waiting for this answer, but she nods
to Lanisa too, agreeing, "I certes hope so, and aye, if'n he's patched up
well mayhaps he could've joined in." A sigh of regret for that lost chance.
"After dinner I can do. Don't want t'splatter the food, or the gifts, or
get sand in 'em, because Faranth knows naught around here needs help with
that. All right with you, A'tan? Eat first, black each other's eyes later?"

Raykini arches a brow as Wall speaks, "Don't get yourself hurt, Wall, you
don't want to get too beat up before the hatching." He says quietly to his
friend, pushing his plate forward quietly as he listens to the general
conversations across the area.

Walladru chuckles. "Good point. She'd mop the sand with me, likely."
raising his voice he leans back a little. "I was speaking of a bet, Ray."
he says loudly. "What else would I be referring to?" he fixes his gaze on
Kassima and prepares to smile unnecessarily broadly when she turns her head
again.

"You're going to get taken, Kassi?" Lanisa latches on to that with a tease,
"Never thought I'd see the day..." And then she's back to picking over the
foodstuffs on the table, a bit of this or that, "What's in the sack,
anyway? Did you say?"

"A bet." Kassima's relieved. Still a touch wary, but relieved. "Normally
this is where I'd offer t'take your marks--but wagering against m'self? I
don't think so. However, if'n I win, mayhaps I should get a cut of the
profits?" It's worth a try, for all that the amusement tugging her mouth
corners suggests she isn't counting on it. "There's more to tonight than
brawling. Have either of you picked out your gifts? That's the sack," she
explains for Lani, "all the goodies for 'em t'pull out, courtesy of Igen.
And let me just say that regardless of how one interprets that phrase, I
hope 'twouldn't see it."

Raykini sits a bit higher, "Aye, we were gonna make a bet on you, Kassi."
He'll add his two marks in, at least to make their conversation gather less
attention. Though, he does give Walladru a nudge, "Don't go getting into
things where you'll get hurt. I'll need you standing next to me on the
sands when it comes time."

Walladru grins broadly. "True, you can't have Mr. Dragon with you." he
waves towards Kassi. "As Ray says, we were going to bet *for* you to win."
he glances at Ray. "Well, go ahead." he smiles. "She just told ya to." A
friendly nudge, hopefully not too hard, to the Handyman's ribs.

A'tan moves over and grabs some food, "Food before blacking eyes. That
sounds like a good plan." he quips back to the greenrider. He pauses and
then laughs, "I think I remember Lani taking your knives Kassi. Was it
during weyrlinghood or after? Its been a long time." He grins at Raykini,
"Do you think you can take her? I think I might have to place down some
marks on that too."

"Ahha! So that's what you've been up too. Aye. Has anyone drawn anything?"
Curiosity on the Weyrsecond's face as Lanisa, glances to each of the
candidates. "Ahh, now betting. That's a fine sport and tradition." She
winks now to Raykini and Walladru before she turns to reply to A'tan, "It
was at graduation, actually. The knives I mean."

Kassima turns a cheesy grape over in her fingers. "Someone would have t'bet
against, wouldn't they? I wonder how much. Nay t'suggest you aren't a good
one t'bet on instead, A'tan," she adds with a grin for the other
greenrider. "Borrowed! Wait, wait. 'Tis Candidates blacking m'eyes now? I'm
still game, but I'm fair sure that's against some sort of rule." Indeed, at
this point the entire brawling scheme sets her shoulders to shaking with
laughter. "You're never going t'have t'break us up, Lani. The real reason
nay anyone brawls at these things is that 'tis too *complicated*. Go on,"
she encourages Raykini, "get yourself a pair of somethings and hold 'em up
so we can see."

Raykini quickly shakes his head, "I'm not getting into any fights. This is
the only place I have, I'm not getting kicked out of it. No, I rather just
sit here and watch" He rubs the back of his head, wincing when Wall nudges
his ribs. "You wanna go up with me and grab something? I don't wanna go by
myself."

Walladru shrugs. "Sure. I can do that. I want to get my new shirt anyway."
a wink at his friend. "Unless you get it first."

"Complicated." Lanisa snorts, "Everything always up and gets complicated."
But she's grinning mischievously Kassima's way before turning her gaze
again to candidates and the sack. "Shirts, is it?" A brow arches and she
watches, waits, curious to see.

"I don't think there are any shirts," Kassi murmurs, though not so low she
might not be overheard. "I hate t'say so and disappoint 'em. Mind, if'n
they're very set on shirts I might be willing t'take whatever they gift and
trade one--Igen's turned out some nice things."

Raykini pushes himself to his feet, offering up a hand if Wall were to need
it, heading over to the bag and peering inside it for a few moments before
he reaches in to pull out two things, curious to see what's inside.

A'tan looks over at his green, getting a snortbugle from her. The man sighs
softly, hearing the woman calling out to him from closer to the bowl. He
smiles and nods to every, "Well Kassi, we'll have to brawl some other time.
It seems that Shay needs me. Probably has something to do with one of the
kids I'm sure." He grins, drinking down the rest of his wine, "Might as
well enjoy the rest of this at least. Congratulations all of you. I know I
didn't say it before, but we're glad to have you all here to stand on the
sands." With that he turns with a wave, "See everyone later."

Walladru gets up and, setting his plate on an empty spot on the table,
follows his friend over, standing nearby to watch, himself curious just
what is in there. "Its like turnday all over again." with a soft laugh,
watching the look on Ray's face.

Kassima makes an exaggeratedly sad face, then laughs and grins to A'tan.
"There'll be other occasions," she promises. Or warns. Take your pick.
"Regards t'your lady and your kidlets, and Leonneth too."

Lanisa's eyes are all for the candidates, though she allows A'tan to
distract as she grins, "Trying to keep me for doing my job. I see how it
is." A wink for the greenrider and she waves as she turns back to watch
more, "Aye. My best too." - "Now then...What's there to see?"

A'tan smiles and salutes to Kassi with a grin, "See you all later." He
clambers up on Leonneth and gives her the sign to rise up once he's settled
in, "Clear skies riders."

Leonneth leaps into the air, spraying sand all over!

Raykini wrinkles his nose slightly as he pulls out his two things, first is
a beaded necklace which he slowly turns over and stares at, then turns his
attention to the second, which is like a shiny green tube with a stopper on
it. "Interesting." He murmurs, moving to tie the necklace around his neck,
pulling at the stopper to spew out the contents, revealing a knife sheath.
"It's lovely." He murmurs quietly to himself.

Walladru grins, watching. "Now, do you have a knife to sheath in that
thing?" he asks, grinning broadly.

Kassima's food has likely cooled somewhat while she focused more on bets
and brawls, but she eats happily enough regardless--smiling over certain
items, gulping down water and biting bread to take the sting out of others,
but to all appearances enjoying everything. "Nay going t'spoil the
surprise, am I?" she asks Lanisa. "Oh, oh, but is that the purple necklace?
Josilina gave that. The green tube, that's definitely holding one of
Janine's."

"Purple, eh? Most fitting with the clutch to be sure. And a sheath? Right
handy that." Lanisa comments, settling back with a snitched foldover to
nibble on and grinning "Your turn, Walladru." Who knew it was such a
spectator's sport? A chuckle though goes to Kassima, "Didn't really expect
you to."

Raykini wrinkles his nose, "I have my fish knife, but that's it." Ray says
quietly to himself, looping the belt over his pants and idly fingering the
sheath. "I suppose I could get a better knife to go in it." There's a quiet
chuckle as he fingers the purple beads. "Aye, now I have a purple necklace
to go with the purple eggs. Maybe the dragons won't see me on the sands.
Suppose we should have purple robes too, instead of white this time?"

Walladru reaches into the bag at his turn and pulls the first, something...
a bit of black felt with a green stripe? Not quite a stripe...more a braid?
he turns it over in his hands. "Um....Oh! A hat!" Wasting not a moment
longer after figuring this mystery out, he turns the had and flops it
happily atop his wet mop. He reaches up and touches the brassy pins on the
sides. "Wonder what these do?"

Kassima nods agreeably. Concerning the usefulness of knife-sheaths, she
would. "You'll nay have t'worry on Hatching day," she says to Raykini,
grinning and taking up her glass of Benden Red. "Nay jewelry then, so
they'll only mistake you for another egg if'n you do go and brawl and turn
all purple and blue. That's a look--" She looks Walladru up and down,
taking in the effect of the hat. "'Twould look well with black.
Haberdashery isn't m'strong suit, but mayhaps you fix things to it with
that? A knot? I've never seen a knot worn on a head but 'twould certes
declare your rank."

"Josilina wears hats... Mayhap she knows?" Lanisa suggests, implying her
own lack of knowledge in the area, "It's quite the look though, aye." She
turns her gaze back from Walladru and his hat to Raykini, "A good knife is
something worth having. Not that I know the one you have to compare or
comment on it's quality, but if you have a knife that fits it for now, then
I'd say it's a excellent find to have."

Walladru grins, looking up at the hat. "You know, its weird, but it just
seems to fit my head. Hmm." Happily smiling he turns back to the bag. "So,
two you say? Lets see." He lowers his hand into the bag for his second draw
and pulls out...a long, round something. Its striped. Black and yellow.
Long and round. He looks at the end of the thing and quirks an eyebrow.
Pulling it the rest of the way out of the bag he laughs deeply as he grabs
the bottom...wait...the head!...of the thing. Yes! It's a large...stuffed
tunnelsnake? Turning it over in his hands he looks at Ray. "Looks like
Mister Dragon gets some company." the laugh still in his voice. Turning it
over he flips it so everyone can see its belly, and the Igen patch stitched
there. "And he's an Igen one, to boot!" Stepping back so another can have a
chance to draw their gifts, he drapes the tunnelsnake over his shoulder and
pets its head, the little tongue sticking out and the button eyes looking
at him in adoration, or so he might imagine. "That's great. I can just
imagine how Sludge and Dazzle are going to react to their new playmate." He
turns the snakes head so it is looking at Ray.

Raykini there's sudden laughter emitting from Ray as Wall pulls out a
tunnelsnake! "He does have a new friend>" Amusement is evident in his
voice, grinning from ear to ear. He's quick to grab Mr. Dragon, making
growling noises in his throat that quickly turn into laughter. "It's great,
Wall, are you gonna keep it or give it to someone?" Oh yes, someone's amused.

"That's Josilina's too," Kassi announces, and little wonder she'd remember
who donated such an item as that. She covers her mouth to hide her grin. It
doesn't help much when her shoulders quiver so suspiciously. "A pair of
dashing accessories! Going t'name him, Walladru? Or her? Is it a she? I
can't tell."

The stuffy has Lanisa laughing from the moment it makes an appearance.
She's polite enough to not be loud about it, but she grins and notes, "Now
that has character. From Josilina you say? I should see her about where she
came up with that. I bet Err would like one." A moment later she's
chuckling again. "Aye. Which is it, a he or she?"

Walladru reaches back and pulls the snake from his shoulder, lifting the
'tail' end and tilting his head. "Appears to be a he." he returns the snake
to his shoulder with a broad grin. "Likely he'll get a name in time. For
now, I'm just happy to have him." His hand indeed is lifted and placed on
the thing. "I'll have to make sure the Weyrwoman sees him, knows where he
is." he looks up. "As for the hat, maybe now I should consider having my
hair cut of." a glance at Raykini. he shakes his head. "Nahhh." a look back
at Kassima. "Thank you very much for this." he turns his head as one of the
girls squeals at whatever she just drew. He starts to absently stroke the
soft, plush thing on his shoulder. "I hope it isn't taken as rude, but..."
he glances around. "I probably need to get to rest. With all this
excitement, I'll likely need time to wind down." Oh, the mischievious grin.
"Thank you again." he says warmly.

Raykini grins a little as he sets his own dragon plushie on the ground,
still fingering the new purple beads around his neck, trying to adjust them
so they look right around his neck. "We'll figure out a name for him,"
Perhaps something silly, who knows.

Kassima's grin softens into more of a warm smile. "You're welcome. 'Tisn't
me so much as the Bakers, the donators, everyone who helped, but for m'sake
you're welcome, and I daresay for theirs. Nay rude at all. Chores don't
stop after feasting days, more's the pity for all of us." She asides to
Lanisa, "I've some small ones, but now I want one that size for m'self!
Watch him set a fashion." Which him? Walladru, or the 'snake? With a grin
for Raykini she observes, "The necklace looks well."

Walladru chuckles and heads off towards the caverns, pulling the snakes
head around to look at it and laughing aloud as he walks. "This is great!"
shaking his head...

Walladru leaves the beach, heading for the center of the Bowl.

"Nahh, not rude at all. Morning chores come early enough as it is, eh?
Still. A he. That's good to know, eh? I'm sure you'll get a good name for
him." That said with a wink followed by a chuckle and Lanisa shakes her
head, amused. "They are something alright."

IGEN-> Walladru says, "Good night, you crazy Igen folks!"

IGEN-> Lanisa wavers, "Night!" ;)

IGEN-> Kassima zhaiwaffles! G'night, Wall and 'snake. ;)

IGEN-> Walladru says, "Oh, the stories he can tell about his 'lizards
reacting to the thing.. :)"

Raykini takes up his seat again, adusting his new belt along his waist,
"I'll have to get a good knife to go with it. I could use a new one anyway.
Mine's not that sharp anymore, and it's old..." He's talking to himself,
that much is evident. "Oh, thanks, Kassi. It's just...purple, dunno why it
had to be purple. Oh well."

IGEN-> Raykini throws Mr. Dragon at Wall.

"Could at least get a whetstone," Kassi suggests, for all that she wasn't
the one addressed. "But a belt knife shouldn't be a hard thing t'get. In
honor of the clutch, I'd think? I like it. The Weyrwoman works with clay, I
recall, so she might've made it herself. I don't know for certain, but you
could ask her."

"Could trade it or gift it to someone if the color doesn't suit. Mayhap
even in part for that knife or something." Lanisa suggests and then tips
her head, "Aye. She might have made it. She's more artistic than some.
Color sense aside."

"Well, I intend on getting something. I've been saving up my marks from my
handywork. We'll see what happens." Shoulders lift indifferently in a
shrug, leaning back in his seat as Ray shifts his attention to the others
now that Wall is gone. "Well, not that I mean anything bad, it's
just...purple. Not my favorite color, but I shouldn't forget this clutch
anytime soon. That's for certain." He clings a bit tighter to the necklace,
"I'll keep it. I won't forget the clutch this way."

Kassima raises a single shoulder in her turn. "Probably there are
whetstones lying about in Stores--could be knives too for all I'm certain.
I should look," she muses. "Nay that I could in conscience take, even if'n
I found. Well, 'tis well--'twould have offered t'trade you m'self," she
mentions half in jest. "For a shirt, mayhaps, but if'n you're pleased
t'keep it then I'm certes pleased. She made some runnerbeast statues once."
That's to Lanisa, and vaguely reminiscent.

Lanisa grins, "Keep it then. Mementos are good." She stretches then and
nods, "And.. Ahh shards. It looks like I'd best be off, you two. Couple in
my wing are having some issue over something it'd be better to sort out
quick, eh?" She casts Kassi a grin, murmurs "I recall something about that
I believe," and then with a waves to them both and a polite "Excuse me,"
she's off.

Belly full, gifts gotten, it's time to head back to the barracks. And
that's what Ray has his mind set on right now. He slowly stands to his
feet, "Thanks for the gifts, I'll make sure to give my thanks to the people
who gave these out. Thank you so much, it was a wonderful evening." And
with that, Ray offers a quick nod of his head as he heads off.

"It has been," Kassima can readily agree. "Thankee for coming, both of you,
and g'deve." Herself? There's spice cake yet on her plate, and she's not
moving until it's gone.