Maybe It Was Because She Mentioned the Plague

Eastern Weyr - Garden Terrace

Neat, even planks form a boardwalk set approximately two feet above the ground. Unfolding to either side of the walk-way flourish the lush tropical gardens of Eastern, either brilliant colors and green well kept with Eastern's near eternal spring. Rare trees mingle amongst interestingly formed as well as common yet attractive trees dot the terraced landscape. Brightly blooming flowers are abundant, their colors ranging from lavender to blue to white and even startlingly shades of pink. The large tropical flowers cast their sweet smell over the little alcoves scattered about the garden and heavenly cloying scents waft about. Towards the center of the gardens is a large terrace enclosed with lattice fences, over which blooming vines have been draped. A large dance square and a quiet bar, with a few high tables, have been set up in the gardens as an escape from the hectic rush of the main cavern.


Theron left the candidate cavern. He had been hiding in there all day. But he grabbed some food and decided to head out for a walk. The garden terrace is one of the many places he has never been before in the Weyr. He usually doesn't have time to literally stop and smell the roses. The blonde made his way over to the boardwalk and stops to look around. It is a lovely night, the sky is lit up by the full moons overhead and their is a light breeze that has cooled off the heat of the day. Theron is wearing clothes that were leant to him by the Weyr. Not exactly perfect fit. A baggy shirt that is hanging from his fit frame and a pair of pants that are a little too snug. He has the white knot attached to his shirt.

Mahlia has been ready to be finished with chores since before they even started this morning, and especially so since rotation back in to the stinky stables. The busy candidate life caught up with her earlier, wearing thin, unable to concentrate and assigned an extra stall to shovel after complaining about all the sharding poo those runners leave, ok maybe it was because she mentioned the plague. Too soon? Either way K'nan and the Stable Master were not happy, so Mahl's learning to keep her yap shut. The past long while was spent in the grotto, scrub, scrubbing away that treacherous smell and covering it up with an adonis floral oil. The evening's personal time is to be spent in one of her favorite, and best smelling, places to make up for today's aromatic assignments. She wears her typical attire, bright white Candidate knot obviously not worn for the shoveling, and she is strolling slowly through the garden. A blonde gent she's never seen before inhabits the area and her eyes swirl a jungle green as they fixate on him. Noticing his similar knot she calls out to him as they browse closer towards the same area "Hello there Candidate.."

Theron has not yet been introduced to the lovely chores yet, not that he will complain too much about them. He keeps his bitching and whining to a minimum. His different upbringing might be the cause of that. He does stop to inhale deeply in the scent of the gardens at some of the night time blooming flowers. The fragment floral scent is rather pleasant. His big blue eyes focus on Mahlia as she calls out to him. It of course takes a moment for him to realize that it was him that she was talking to. "Oh, good evening fellow candidate." He looks her over once again. "I'm Theron, very fresh meat. A candidate just as of today, or well late last night. It's all kind of blurring together."

Mahlia isn't much a bitcher and whiner herself, but after the bulletin snafu that stuck her there for a week, combined with the delectable and lady-like lingering aroma that sticks to her skin, stables are definitely not her favorite. Still, she does her work and does it well, even if she wears a nose plug, fights her gag reflex and has to run out for fresh air here and there. Full lips curl to a smile at the corners, hoping that there's enough olfactory distraction from the undertones attempting to waft up from under the florals. She leans in and smells the flowers she always likes the most, the ones the blonde gent just so happens to have stopped at "Good evening freshmeat.. I mean young gent.. M'names Mahlia. Welcome! New to Eastern as well?" She extends her hand for a firm shake and gives him the once over, ok the twice over, before taking another sweet whiff "N'well.. the days and nights tend to do that as a Candidate, just wait until chores and classes are full swing!"

Theron just smiles as she leans in to sniff at the flowers. "It's okay, I am fresh meat." He chuckles. "I haven't even hit the chore rotation. I have been hearing nothing but dreadful things about it from the other candidates." He nods his head. "Well met Mahlia. You can say that, I am pretty much new to Eastern. Only had brief dealings with the Weyr before I got searched." He leans over and plucks out one of the flowers and he offers it up to Mahlia. "This will go well in your hair, it will go with those lovely green eyes of yours. Make them pop even more." He leans in and smells the flower. "And it smells great to boot. They don't really have places like this where I am from. Well where I am from doesn't even have a name. So of course it doesn't have places like this."

Mahlia shrugs "I dunno, s'really not that bad.. well the stables stink and are quite the arduous task, but I get through em." The little greenie, Bagheera, on closest shoulder warbles and wobbles the mans way, wedged head tilting and eyes swirling as she croons. Her pet's wild curls cascade off shoulder and down back as she looks towards the flirting flit and giggles "Looks like Bagheera here thinks you're quite the piece of fresh meat." The offered flower and flattery provokes an intense flush of sanguine shades to her cheeks as she grins and reaches for the flower slowly, sticking it behind her ear. "Thanks.." is about all she can muster at first before adding "That's quite sweet of you.. whatever your name is? Unless you like being called fresh-meat and compared to the likes of heardbeast!" Head is tilted with a playful expression as she chuckles and asks "You're from a place that doesn't have name?" What does that even mean she wonders.

"Ahh, she is a lovely little lady. Although I am not sure how good I taste. I'd prefer that she didn't know how I taste either." He laughs. "Her pretty little teeth and claws could probably do a number on me." He smiles at her as she places the flower behind her ear. His big blue eys taking her in and he nods his head. "Quite lovely. A flower in one ear and a lovely little lady on your shoulder. All you need is a gold dragon and you're all set to look like a queen." He smirks at her question. "Theron. I don't know, I feel like I might have the backside of a herdbeast. The pants they lent me are a little tight." He turns around and shows off his firm backside in those pants. "Need to work on getting some proper sized clothes. Shirts to big, pants to tight. I need something just right." He does have golden locks. "Yeah, it wasn't big enough to have a real name."

Bagheera chirps, thinking he might taste quite nice, moving as far lateral on shoulder as possible and fluttering her verdant wings his direction "She begs to differ and would probably be rather nice to you.. funny thing is I've never seen her this interested in another human. Must mean you're pretty special or something." Blushing continues as an idle hand runs through spiral locks off free shoulder and Mahlia looks away for a moment, just a moment as a deep dreamy breath is taken "Geeze, thanks for saying so, that's 'bout one of the nicest things I've ever heard.. I truly appreciate it." She trails thinking before adding "The thought of it all kinda makes me nauseous. At least m'used to the heat of the sands and breathlessness of the galleries already." In her feudal attempt to continue /not/ over thinking this whole Candidacy thing, she does what she does best in situations like this, and changes the subject. Craning her head to peek at his tight pants and aforementioned rump, a hearty chuckle slips out and she shrugs, peering in to his blue eyes "I dunno Theron, they're a bit tight but do your herdbeast backside justice if y'ask me.. probably not very comfortable I'd assume."

Theron doesn't know too much about firelizards, like dragons he doesn't have the biggest amount of exposure to the dragonkin. But if the other candidate says that her green likes him, who is he to say anything in the contrary. "Well, I am honored to have the attention of your little lady. I wish I had some snacks to feed her. Next time i'll carry around some firelizard treats for her." He grins. The blushing gets an arched brow of surprise. "Pretty young women should hear compliments frequently. What a travesty! The males of the Weyr should be scolded for such insolence." He tugs at the pants and he shrugs. "I am used to hand me downs. Just gotta be careful not to bend down, the last thing I need is to slit them right up the backside. I am sure that I would never be forgotten. The candidate who flashed the Weyr." He laughs at that. "But thank you. Maybe tomorrow they will find me some more comfortable pants, or at least some pants that give me some breathing room."

Mahlia's head is thrown back as bellowing laughter erupts from deep within her soul. Bagheera takes this as an opportunity to jump from her pets shoulder and land on his, whether he likes it or not, she is a green after all. "Oh man, you're in for it now.. don't even need treats to keep her happy, but here.. since she's taken it upon herself" Nimble fingers reach in to side-pouch and a few pieces of meatroll are unwrapped and handed his way. Dhoan and Chivas immediately descending from the sky about to get some eats for themselves. "N'heres Dhoan and Chivas, hungry as always!" Her blushing is not necessarily due to lack of attention, it's more of an uncontrolled signature response, especially when around someone like /him/. Add a few compliments and she's a bumbling widget "I umm.. I.. thanks" cheeks are pointed to, vibrantly red as ever "I can't help it, always been easy to pink." The green coo's and Mahl laughs "Fresh-meat flashing, might work in your favor y'know? Maybe check with Tequoia and Arania, she's in the weavercraft n'might have something that'll umm give ya at least a small amount of wiggle room."

Theron is a little startled when he finds a green firelizard upon his shoulder. He laughs and actually gets a little blush himself. "At least I didn't scream." His laughter is full of nerves. He takes a piece of meatroll from the other candidate and he starts to offer it carefully to Bagheera. "Please don't take my finger tips. I need them. Especially if I am going to join the Healer craft." He lifts his other hand to scritch the eye ridge of the green while she eats. He learned from Cyr just yesterday where the dragons like to be scratched. "You're welcome. I still think that the boys of the Weyr still need to learn how to compliment a lady. The girls here are surprised when I pay them an honest compliment." He winks at Mahlia, "Pink is good." A note of the name. "Alright, Tequoia and Arania for some proper fitting clothes. Just enough room that I can bend over and pick up a mark that fell on the floor. "At this point, I may have to lay down on my stomach and roll back to the Candidate cavern if I had to pick something up."

The self-perching green chitters, swirling opalescent eyes on the blonde as she quickly, happily and carefully takes nibbles from the meatroll, a few small chunks falling on his shoulder and down towards the ground. Mahl returns slightly nervous laughter, dimples carving inwards deeply at the corners of beaming smile "S'alright, she's pretty gentle, but just has to have it her way sometimes.. sorry if she's umm bugging and mussing ya." A shaky hand unsteadily reaches out and brushes a few crumbs off of his borrowed clothes "Guess y'won't be cleaning those up then huh?" It's almost as if she's daring him, but Dhoan and Chivas are quick on the prowl, swopping down to snatch up meatroll remnants before taking to the skies again, bugling and dive bombing as they chase eachother. Then the attractive gent is winking her way, and more of his slightly chivalrous words, though he's made it seem that's common play.. complimenting so many surprised girls, well enough to form an opinion about em at least. The thought of him rolling back to the caverns makes her giggle, a little less awkwardly as she says "Well at least m'here for now, if ya drop anything m'limber self might just be able to help ya out.. as enticing as Weyr flashing sounds!"

Theron just laughs softly at the green firelizards antics. "Ahh, you're a perfect little lady aren't you." He rubs her under the chin too." He laughs again, "Oh, yeah I think that is the sign of a Green Princess." He shakes his head. "She's not bugging me or mussing too much." His blue eyes move to watch her shaky hands. "They don't fit me, probably will never have to wear them again after tomorrow. But thanks. Don't stress too much about it." He smiles at her. "I just tell them how I see it. And yes, I do appreciate it. But don't make me act less then a gentleman and purposely drop something on the ground to take advantage of your kind nature." He grins and lifts a hand up to pet the green firelizard again. "I am just glad I didn't over-eat. Could only imagine bursting open these pants."

Mahlia just watches for a few moments as Bagheera has her way with the scritches and feedings, nuzzling wedged head against Theron and cooing to him before reluctantly floating back towards her pet "Aye, Green Princess is right! She's the ruler of my domain and the other three, that's for sure!" Mahl snickers as the green's snout snaps at her a few times, before crooning and butting green headknobs against her pet's cheek. Pulling flower from behind her ear, hand much more steady now, she sticks petals to her nose and inhales deeply before re-tucking it in place with a few wild wisps. "Tell it like ya see it eh? Good way to be Theron.. as for the less than gentlemanly-ness.. I half thought about dropping something m'self, just to see ya squirm for it, but conceded that would be quite rude of me. Along with being almost too enticing to boot." Did she really say that outloud? Blushing reds resurface and she giggles and eyes wander, admiring the lovely night and alluring scenery, blond gent likely included.

"Ahh, well she is awefully sweet to me. So I guess I can't really complain too much." He laughs at that. And he watches as she removes and fixes the flower. "It looks great, don't you worry." He nods his head. "I appreciate that kind of thing with people. Honesty." His brows rise up and he playfully waggles them at her. "Yeah, I am sure you wanted to see me squirm just a bit. Just like that green princess. You know exactly what you are doing." The blonde male candidate is standing next to Mahlia and the two are chatting absently in the beautiful night. The moons are completely full and give off enough light to make the gardens practically glow. The cool breeze is sending the lovely scent of the flowers through the area. "So what do you do, when you're not a candidate? And you're not torturing the boys with your beauty."

Mahlia smirks as Bagheera bugles "She sure is sweet on ya.. silly smitten greenie, but really, I've never seen her act this way." Again with the compliments, she shrugs, not overtly pinking this time, and says "Thanks.." and in a wave of self-assuredness says "M'not really too worried.." whether she means in general, or in reference to this particular situation is left open for some internal debate. The radiating gold flecked greens of her orbit ascend towards the illuminating moons "What a night.." she takes it all in, indulging her senses and leaning in towards Theron just a little bit "Candidates duties ya know? If ya can't make em squirm how y'gonna ride a dragon?" They're not really related, but oh well, she follows this up with "When m'not dragon-bait" or boy bait "m'studying dragonhealing. Other than that been traveling the past few turns after leaving home.. Benden Weyr that is.." she snickers "Ever lived in a Weyr before? Gotta watch out for men n'women alike, no matter your gender and even more so if a rider's dragon's gone proddy!"

"Well, I am glad that someone is smitten on me. I was going through a big dry spell." Theron laughs at himself. "Glad I can at least pick up the green firelizards." He winks at her. "She's really sweet though. Makes me want to get a little one like her on my own." He smirks and nods his head. "Yeah, it's a beautiful night." He nods his head. "Yeah, candidate dues." He nods his head. "Yeah, I don't know how I am going to ride a dragon. It's going to be interesting. I am going to have to get to know some more dragons." He nods his head. "I was considering learning a bit of dragonhealing. After Cyrilth got injured and I wasn't able to patch him up. I haven't lived in a Weyr before. It's all new to me." He shrugs at that. "I don't mind that kind of stuff. I came from a different place. Not like Hall, Hold or Weyr."

SCUFFLESCUFFLESCUFFLEWOOF. Yep, those are the noises being emitted when O'lief comes racing through the gardens on the heels of one very, very naughty dog. "XANDER, NO!" But the canine seems very disinclined to /listen/, because /listening requires brains and this dog is stupid/. And so Xander goes trouncing about like a dog of his age has absolutely no business doing, seeking out the most pretty of plots to destroy while O'lief tries to catch him at every turn. It is /futile/. Every time the man is about to get the dog within reach, the mutt goes racing off again, tongue lolling. This is what bring him face-to-face with Mahlia and Theron, stumbling to a halt from such breakneck speeds (ha, yeah right. HE OLD) and blinking jade hues after the both of them. "Uhm… Ah…" Is that a… blush? "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt… I was just…" WOOSH! Xander goes racing past, and the greenrider is giving the dog a mortified look as it beelines, dirty paws and all, for /Mahlia/.

Mahlia snickers with a snort, that is thankfully endearing "You? A dry spell?? Must've been in hiding then.. looking like you do m'sure plenty women 'round here will be putting their names in for some Theron time." There she goes, blabbing away again without thinking, fortunately Bagheera croons to him, giving the brunette a chance to cover her giggle with a flat hand as roses bloom on smiling cheeks, yay distraction! "She is sweet.. m'sure one'll find y'in no time, maybe a few even." Implications regarding firelizards or women is quite unclear, but she continues on with "Heck I didn't have a friend on this side of Pern when I reposted, now I got four flits a feline and a plethora of amazing folks around." Long lashes bat as eyes stay fixed on the tall, interestingly dressed gent "So a healer by nature yeah? It'd definitely do ya some good t'be around dragons.. if y'ever wanna study some dragonhealin I got tons of research hides n'plenty of m'own notes." Thinking about his shared history she says "How interesting.. not a Hall, or a Hold, or a Weyr?" Speaking of pets and felines, good thing Wharf isn't here, he'd spazz as that canine comes bounding in "Oh goodness.. who in Pern?" Then that pup is jumping on her, she gasps, Bagheera takes flight, and Mahl does everything in her power to catch and lean away from dirty paws. MUST SAVE WHITE KNOT!

Theron looks at Mahlia. "I work a lot. My focus in life was not exactly finding a mate. I spent a great deal of time bringing babies into the world." Yes, he's young. "It kind of turns you off on the idea of having any of your own." He shrugs his shoulders at the talk of the firelizards. "They aren't as popular where I am from I guess. But I wouldn't turn one down. They seem to be really nice. I spent more time with felines and canines. We had a lot of them running around where I am from." He ponders the talk of friends. "I have a friend or two. Tadarius and I kind of survived an ordeal. And there is a certain bronzer. I don't know if we will call him a friend. But he doesn't live here anyway." He sighs, "Well I wasn't trained by the crafters. I don't consider myself a healer. I don't mind being called a medic though. And yes, I love to read. I taught myself a lot of the medical stuff I know from reading. And then the canine is coming charging in and the greenrider follows. He laughs softly and says, "I've seen that scene before. He must be of the same line as the canines from where I come from. They are always running about. And no sir, you're not interrupting anything. We are just chatting and enjoying the beautiful moons. Only just met tonight." He um, salutes O'lief. "I'm Theron… erm, Candidate Theron?" He adds the last part with a bit of uncertainty.

J'yn heads up the stairs from the cove, after all what else is there for an injured bronzerider to do than wander the weyr where he was born like some outsider. Now that all the drama with Theron and Tadarius and their rescue has died down, he finds himself without purpose once again, and he has no other way to deal with it than to indulge in drinking and dancers from the Lunar Shoal. Of course, he was hoping for a shortcut from the pier to the infirmary, but he wasn't expecting to run into anybody, so when he spots the three in the garden, he just offers a nod. "'scuse me, jus' passin' through."

Mahlia is flustered as she's bout knocked over by /Xander/ "Quite the mutt y'got there.." she giggles a bit, her own hands reaching up to brush off the dirt-caked paw marks on her shirt, almost meeting with the riders as the 'personal' areas are taken care of "S'no worries really.. didn't dirty m'knot, all is well and no extra duties on account of that pup there. Washing m'clothes is easy 'nuff" The rider's jade's are met with the swirling of her own callow sea-foam snow globes, glittered with flecks of gold and smiling along with her flashed pearly whites "O'lief, Xander, well met.. well t'you at least Sir" she says to the rider, more of a cat n'flit person, just not sure what to do with those rambunctious canines. The mussed up clothing is taken in stride "Well, between Theron's tight pants n'my muddy shirt we are quite the pair of Candidates eh? M'names Mahlia.." focus flashes towards the young, blonde gent "Delivering babies y'say? But not a healer?" She thinks this means he must come from one of those /camps/ but she's only heard stories and doesn't wanna go about accusing someone of being the R word. "Suppose being 'round that so much would make anyone think twice.. then again having a mate doesn't mean y'gotta have babies.." Then it hits her "WAIT?! Tadarius? Y'mean you're the one who saved my friend?! I was sooo worried about him!" She can't help it, arms are thrown around the gents neck and she gives him a big juicy smooch on the cheek, then realizing she's just become quite forward with this stranger, she deflects and turns that lovely shade of rouge.

Theron nods his head at O'lief, "Alright, I am sorry sir…er, O'lief. I don't know who is who. Have to treat everyone with respect." He takes a deep breath. "Sorry." He really isn't so sure about all the Weyr stuff. When J'yn comes through he blinks. "Not going to say hi? Guess now that I am out of your hair. I understand why you wouldn't want to." A scrunch of his nose. He turns, "Are you alright Mahlia?" He lost his manners for a moment there. But when Mahlia brings up his tight pants with both riders. Well, of course it is the blonde candidates turn to start blushing. "Thanks Mahlia, throw me to the wild feline." Although, he really forgets all about that when she throws her arms around him and nearly knocks him over in surprise. "It was er, nothing. I was just doing the right thing." When she pulls away, they are almost the same color from the blushing. "You were overcome with emotions, I understand that." He takes a deep breathe and tries to hide his face a bit from the embarassment.

J'yn didn't mean to be rude, really he didn't. "S'rry, jus' dunna wanna int'rrupt anythin'. S'not m'weyr, s'not m'place." He does turn those silver-blue orbs to Theron, looking over the blonde man. "Ya weren't in m'hair, Theron, but ya b'long ta Eastern now." He does offer a smile. "An' ya no longer need me t'pr'tect ya." Unfortunately. Of course, at the moment the other two people in the garden are ignored, and J'yn's looking up and down Theron, "Yer gettin' 'long a'right, then?"

WELL ISN'T THIS JUST A BIG PARTY OF BLUSHING? The hugging, and the INNOCENT-BUT-MAYBE-NOT-SO-INNOCENT kisses have the greenrider turning his eyes /that-a-way/, right onto J'yn. KINDRED SPIRIT. The rider looks almost relieved, and after a hasty, "Well met, Mahlia, Candidate Theron," he moves as if he intends to greet J'yn like an old friend. At least the bronzerider is not making kissy-faces at anybody! TRIP, STUMBLE, KERPLOP. Xander makes a strange little yelping sound when his master goes tumbling over him, and then stands there with his tail WAGWAGWAGWAGing when the greenie takes his tumble. IDidGood? the look on Xander's face seems to say, whilst O'lief wallows admist his own humilation just there, on the floor. Give him a couple of seconds to regain some dignity, and then he's getting slowly to his feet with a blush to rival ALL CURRENT BLUSHES (because this is clearly a blushing contest). "Ah, well met," he says to J'yn, though they really haven't met at all, and just about the same time that Lief realizes willing the ground to open up and swallow him whole is going to do /nothing/, there is his savior! Oh, Hil, /glorious/ Hil. The bronzerider comes seeking, and O'lief hones into him like a Hil-Seeking Missle. ZOOOM, WEYRMATE! Xander comes only then, the picture of perfect innocence, and with a shy wave to everybody around him, the greenie is pushing his weyrmate outoutout of the gardens to somewhere where he can deal with his humilation in peace.

Mahlia nods, unruly curls bouncing about "M'alright.. n'msorry but I kinda like those pants on ya Theron" she teases, though she's heard skinny jeans are a huge trend in the future. As for the other half of her actions, she just continues to blush "Uh.. yeah, emotions.. well m'glad you helped m'friend get back here n'now you've made Eastern home too. S'a great place ta be I tell ya, n'just in time for Arolaeth's clutch!" She is excited, and giddy, but not so much so it becomes annoying, there is an air of uncertainty and fear lying beneath. She tries not to get too sidetracked, but she /is caught/ staring at J'yn and the interaction between the bronzerider and fellow Candidate. He's quite familiar, maybe just one of those faces, but the puerile jungle contained in black rimmed irises redirect with great concern as O'lief takes a tumble. Hands reach out, it's as if things are moving slow motion, but there's not much can be done besides avert one of those hands to cover gaping mouth. Eyebrows peak at the middle "Oh my.. y'arlight O'lief?!" Cue Hil, oh the slightly elusive but well-known Hil, she knows everything will be alright now, it's as if you can see it in his eyes. "G'night you two." As for the other two gents here, attentions are back on them, Bagheera swoops in, oddly impeccable timing and the little green croons to them both. All their pet can say is "Soo…"

Theron just looks at J'yn for a long moment. "I belong to no one J'yn. I am a candidate here now but I am not owned by the Weyr." He looks a bit frustrated by that comment. "Just because I don't need your protection persay doesn't mean you aren't my friend and that I don't want you to talk to me." He crosses his arms over his chest. "I'm getting along. Gotta work on my wardrobe." Once O'lief falls his concern is for the greenrider. But once he proves that he is okay. Theron understands the man's need to get out of the area as soon as possible. He turns to look towards Mahlia. "I should get going. I have a whole slew of chores to start out with tomorrow. I am not used to this place. I don't want to be late. So I should go try to get some sleep." Something got a little awkward for the blonde and he does seem to want to be here right now. There is a glance towards J'yn and then Mahlia and he just turns and heads out.

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