Monaco Bay Weyr — Exercise Yard
Sheltered from the direct heat of the day and the storms of the season by the rocky walls of the weyr, this exercise yard holds a thick layer of lush grass. The yard offers room enough for the entire class of weyrlings to stretch, romp, and practice behind a tall wooden palisade meant to keep the pre-flight dragons from wandering off too far. To the west, just against the palisade, a small coral of ovines and caprines has been erected for convenience. A freshwater pump is installed to the north, against the wall of the caverns, to provide just enough water flow to clean a weyrling dragon after a meal. When the palisade gate is open, there is a clear, stone-lined path leading towards the paradise river and the designated weyrling beach.
Though winter has arrived at Monaco Bay, the tropical climate has resulted in weather that can really be considered quite pleasant. A very light jacket might be necessary for those more sensitive to cold, but there are plenty of weyrfolk still roaming about in shorts. One of the AWLM's has apparently opted for the best of both worlds because Suyi is standing in the middle of the training field wearing a thin blue jacket and black shorts. Her arms are crossed against her chest and there's a pair of sunglasses on her face. She /might/ look intimidating if it weren't for the dragon beside her. Zychaleth is sitting up on his hind legs, arms also crossed at his chest and…also wearing dragon sized sunglasses. Overall, the scene is totally ridiculous. Honestly - how much did the ALWM spend to get someone to make dragon shades? TOO MUCH. But enough about them…where are the weyrlings? Apparently the whole lot have been summoned to the exercise yard this afternoon for….exercise!
Kiyaszaeth tries to be graceful - she really does. But even at just a few seven days old, things are not growing quiet evenly and the gold is really anything but graceful. Her pace is deliberately slow, as if she is pondering her surroundings, but all truly to hide the fact that her rear legs seem to have been growing at a quicker pace than her fore - and she sort of has to crouch waddle her way along. Wendyn - Wendyn is a little more graceful, though it is in the 'sound asleep on her feet' type of way, where motion just sort of happens and hopefully it is in the right direction - and in this case it was.. at least until she ends up straight into the side of her life mate, who has stopped so sit and stare at the pair of AWLMs, the gold tilting her head curiously. A whisper of fog, « It would be a shame if something happened to those, Zychaleth. » Wendyn, meanwhile, is left blinking, and ducking behind Kiya's side to get her sudden bout of giggles under control.
Tyr'ie? He's here. Reluctantly. "I'm quite capable of hearing, myself, thank you." The weyrling grumbles, on Khaat's sarcastic « Oh, yeah? Could have fooled me. Mistook you for a log, you'd been still so long. » as they shuffle their way out of the barracks. Tyr? Absolutely impressed by Zychaelth's sunglasses. Khaatxhath grumbles something about poking an eye out, but doesn't go so far as to reprimand the older dragon — well. Yet. The lesson is young, yet. "Weyrlingmaster." Tyr'ie greets, looking like he's trying very hard to keep a straight face. Failing. Failing pretty quickly. Don't worry about it. Wendyn and Kiyaszaeth aren't helping, either: Tyr's lips twitch ominously as she goes ducking behind the little dragon. « Like a major eye laceration. » That's not at all it, probably.
« What. A. BADASS. » Sorry, anybody else who wanted to exit the barracks for lesson-time - Seksicanth is conveniently blocking your way, arrested by the scene displayed before him. Ridiculous? Right up his alley as he leans back against his future-rider's knees in a swooning fit. « Catch me, B'anana Man, I might faint. » "Ack!," goes the weyrling who, despite his stature, is just not quite man enough to juggle the dragon Seksi is stretching to become. Knees wobble, then buckle as he's forced to drop to one to keep from letting the maelstrom blue's head from cracking against the ground. "You are blocking the entire entrance, silly beast. Go say hi or something." « How does one even approach someone like that, » Seksicanth pauses making heart-tails at Zychaelth long enough to say, but he DOES allow himself to be pushrolled to his feet, skipping past Khaatxhath to take up a position near Kiyaszaeth. Cue a loud gasp that he definitely makes with his mind instead of his face. « You wouldn't dare. »
"And /what/ is exactly going to happen, hm?" Suyi sounds quite serious as she sends the question in Wendy and Kiyaszaeth's direction. She reaches up with slender fingers, adjusting her glasses. SO serious. Only let's face it…that's the not the kind of woman she is at all, and that certainly isn't the kind of dragon Zych is either, « HAHAHAH… how cute! » The blue's mental cackling bleeds out towards the group and is soon accompanied by a series of mental images. Three very smol very ball-like dragonets are being tossed at a mega-sized Zych by their life mates in an effort to unseat those shades. However, deft as he is…Zych is definitely doing every single one while looking mucho suave and not getting injured! « /He/ has the right idea, hahahahaha! » And he definitely has /every/ intention of drawing a heart on the ground for Seksi but…SRS BUSINESS. "Alright alright, let's get started c'moooooon!" A smile finally pulls at the harper turned AWLM's lips and she glances around, "I figured we should get some good strength exercises in while the weather's like this. How do wing flares sound?" Well, « Only a little bit boring. »
The foggy whispers around the minds of the dragons, Kiyaszaeth quiet as it gathers in deep pools. « Clearly, it would break poor Seksicanth's very being. It would be a shame. » Was that a good catch? Will it deflect any suspicion onto her brother should those glasses that are *definitely* too large for her disappear suddenly? Kiya certainly hopes so, as she rearranges herself to sit so daintily and innocently even as they discuss the day's plans, Wendyn finally having calmed her giggles enough to step from her side and offer an awkward salute to Suyi - before giving a sidelong gaze at B'an, and a eye-rolling one to Ty'rie. And then her attention is totally back on Suyi, she swears it is - even as Zych answers with what she wishes she could, even though she would never dare say those words aloud. "Fine, ma'am."
Tyr'ie is not going to laugh. He's not, he's not. He's going to sit here and look solemn, and — "Faranth! You —" « Are going to break your head open, you shell-headed idiot! » Said with love? Uh. Probably. Sure. Khaat hasn't actually tried to shake Seksi's brains out of hm, anyways, or put Zychaelth's away for safekeeping? Small victories. Looking extremely put-upon as he eye-rolls back at poor Wendyn, Tyr sighs, valiantly attempting to refocus. "That sounds…" Don't say better than laps, don't say better than laps, "…helpful?" The way the weyrling's eyes narrow on that say that he's not actually sure about that answer, but he's trying to drag Khaat away from examining Seksi's head.
Is that a heavenly chorus literally sounding amidst the barrage of images Zychaelth is throwing their way? No. It's just Seksicanth, doing his very best to sound like an angel instead of a wher hacking up its lunch. Results: dubious. « It's like the Holy Grail of dragon-mentors, » he whispers, though literally everyone can hear him. "The what?" « I don't even know, » Sek breathes, « I have no idea what I'm saying half the time. It just felt right. » There is a deep, serious nod given to Kiyaszaeth - he would most certainly perish if the glasses of majesty befell a terrible fate - before pale whirling eyes focus dead on Khaatxhath. « Oh I promise, dear sister, my head's just fine. My brain, however… » Giggle. Good grief. B'an, meanwhile, sidles to Seksi's far side, taking up residence on the side of the blue closest to Kiya as he oh-so-casually asks, "Are you alright over there, Wen?" She might have thought she got away with that thump against her dragon's side, but she didn't, not if that teasing grin is anything to go by. Welp. Can't let her have all the fun now, can we. WHAP goes the wing Seksicanth extends, giving B'an a solid Dinozzo as the blue hops to his feet. « Wing flares. That's basically flying, right? »
Suyi is trying, she's trying so hard, but finally the woman gives in. Her head is thrown back as a bright laugh escapes her lips and she leans against one of Zychaelth's legs, "Aren't they cute? Look, so supportive! They have manners!" This results in a deep rumble of amusement from Zychaelth who /definitely/ looks like he just sent a wink in his life mate's direction. "As entertaining as that could be, how about we try something else…a game of sorts!" Given the way the the blue's tail is flicking he is /alll/ for this. "We'll have the first pair choose a physical training move," fingers are pointed to Wendyn and Kiya, "then show the next pair who will add a second move to the sequence," another finger pointed to Tyr'ie and Khaat, "and then show to the third pair." Finally a gesture is sent in B'an and Seksi's direction. "You guys keep adding and adding until someone messes up, last one standing wins…just try not to let your life mates overexert. Sound better?" Not the /most/ entertaining lesson, but perhaps a bit better than simple flares! « Winner gets…MINI GLASSES! » Wait, is that a promise he can actually keep? Probs not. But…the words are out there!
Mini glasses? Oh, it is on, yo! Kiyaszaeth leans to snap at one of those blue wings of Seksi's as it happens to come a little to close for her liking, even as her tail is curling protectively around Wendyn. « You should definitely fly, Seskicanth. As you said, it is just like wing flares. » Wendyn starts giggling again, even as B'an is asking if she is okay, waving a hand absently. "Just.." Someone is tired enough, everything is funny? As Suyi gives directions though, Wendyn really does try to listen - even as she is extracting herself from the gold's protective curl to get clear of any draconic exercise forms, and Kiyaszaeth settles in, tilting her head. « Are we starting? » Apparently they are, because Kiya.. Kiya is taking the easiest way out, and doing non-other then a wing flare. Why work harder, when you can work smarter.
A bit sweaty, a lot tired, A'she wanders into the yard from the barracks, having settled some of the older Weyrlings into their couches after a day at their own lessons. Thanks to R'en and his silly restriction on the bronzerider's right to teach his own sister (very silly, who better to teach her, c'mon??), he's been spending most of his time with the ex-Half Moon Weyrlings - no doubt with Qhatiratrixth subverting his own spawn to do his bidding. Probably should keep valuables in a locker, y'all. With his own minio- er- students tucked away for a rest period, the second half of the refugee AWLMs has come to spy on his compatriot - and, of course, his sibling. Finding a convienent spot to sit, he settles spradle-legged and leans forward, hands tucked into a loose fist as he watches Suyi and her charges at their work. Games. Whatever.
« I'm not certain I'd call anything here 'mannered'. » Khaat's a slow drawl of sound, sluggish with feeding but not quite ready to tap out — this, after all, is interesting. She's game, for now. Tyr, well. He's hit the overstimulated side of exhaustion, and just looks a little goofy, flinching at shadows, squinting thoughtfully at Suyi. "A game." The weyrling murmurs, glancing at his peers, setting a restraining hand on Khaatxhath's shoulder. Tyr lifts a hand in greeting (a salute? theoretically?) to A'she, but his greeting gets caught by a yawn. Then, well, Kiya is moving; Khaat stretches her wings, narrows her eyes on the stretch. Then she glances sideways at Zychaelth, and…wiggles? Is that meant to be a squat? Look. Tyr's pppblth of withheld laughter gets a sharp look for the green, but she ain't stopping! « Laugh it up. »
B'an can only snort for that wave-off from Wendyn, lips twitching up in a sideways smile that - like Tyr'ie - he has to fight from letting become a laugh as he rubs the back of his head. "Just, indeed," he drawls, still huffing laughter through his nose even as he backs away to make just as much room for his idiot lifemate to… well… exist. « I'm sorry Kiy, I'ma let you finish, but did he just say MINI GLASSES? » Deep inhale. « Oh, it's on like Donkey Kong. » He's ready, wings tucking back in as he avidly watches his siblings work. Ghostly eyes rivet on Kiya, twitch to Khaat for that… wiggle? squat? thing?, chin jerking back as he tries to figure out which it was and… gives up, choosing to imitate instead. Wing flare. Bootyshake. And, added: a singular hop in place. Awwyiss. B'an, meanwhile, catches on A'she's emergence into the yard, chin dipping in a nod of greeting and a, "Sir." It'd almost be respectful if Tyr'ie's laughter weren't catching. Case of the giggles with this bunch today, y'all.
Out of the order of her eye Suyi spots A'she's arrival and lifts a hand in his direction. "Here to watch? I hear they're already /leagues/ ahead of your class." One quick wink later her gaze has returned to the weyrling. It seems that she will leave any form correcting to Zychaelth for now, who copies each move that the dragonets perform. "Ah that…." The AWLM also can't help but try and hide a quiet chuckle at the green's wiggling. « That was….dancing? » Zychaelth isn't quite sure /how/ to display the proper form of that, so he does a little shimmy hop and flicks his tail to point at Kiya once more, « Back to you….HAHAHAHA! » Though Suyi does have to pause a bit, "What /is/ a Dankey Kang?" Not that she honestly expects an answer.
While Wendyn is distracted by the appearance of her brother, the bronzerider getting a bit of a smile-smirk-resigned-to-perpetual exhaustion look, the giggles seem to at least pause for a breather - though it is short lived as Kiya's attention turns from green sibling to blue sibling to the large blue bad-influence, hints of yellow appearing in her eyes at Seksi's little hop. « You would. » He would what? However, it is quickly evident exactly what, for as the rotation returns to Kiya, the gold manages her wing flare fine, as well as that little shuffling-wiggle dance, but when it comes to the hop? Well, it is not much of a hop at all give her currently butt-high state - but rather more of an awkward bounce-type-pushup instead - a move which is quickly covered with a flick of her tail in Khaat's direction - quick, look over there.
« The ability to show off successfully does not indicate ability. Their dam is case in point. » Qhatiratrixth's low, richly accented voice slithers and coils around both weyrling and dragonet minds, his soft, mocking laughter lingering even as his attention returns to his own children and pupils. A'she coughs into his fist, blue eyes dancing as his gaze meets Suyi's. "I'd love to watch. I'm sure they'll do just fine," he responds, perhaps a bit diplomatically. His gaze slides towards his sister and he gives her a slow, encouraging wink, then returns the boys' salutes with another half-smothered chuckle.
Khaat, ALL BUSINESS. Totally. She's not wiggling out of uncertainty. She's — glaring at Zychaelth, not embarrassed so much as deeply sassy. « Exercising. You'd know, if I was dancing. » The green drawls, while Tyr glances between Suyi and B'an. "Khaathxath thinks he's got his brains scrambled. That's rude, he's just…" He's just what, Tyr. Seksi's just what. (Precious. Shh.) The weyrling doesn't at all look likely to finish that thought, instead watching closely while the little green wing-flap, squat-wiggle, hops, with all the grace of a grub trying to do sit-ups. She's being distracting, right, it's not natural awkwardness. That done, the leggy little dragon emulates Zychaelth's first pose, obviously, rising up onto her hind legs a little to do a wing-flare. Is it graceful? Absolutely not. The coltish dragon almost lands on her face, but she lands it anyways, huffing a beleaguered breath. The look the green shoots in Qhairatrixth's direction? Also pretty brassy, head tilted, wonky 'ridges in full effect as she squints at the bigger dragon. « He talks a big game, this one. » "…Faranth, Khaat."
Seksicanth; clueless in the face of Kiyaszaeth's frustration. « I would, » the dragonlet declares with conviction, followed by a moment of silence and a poorly-whispered, « What would I do? » Because he doesn't get it, bless him. Luckily, Qhatiratrixth's voice distracts him, head whipping this way and that, looking for the devilish bronze. « What did he just say about my momma?! » He'll FIGHT, or he would if B'an weren't suddenly latched onto one wing like a human leech, all awkward laughter and apologetic glances towards A'she. Nothing to see here. "The glasses, remember. You're supposed to be watching." « Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I've got this. Wing flare. Dumb twerk. One hop this time. Tail to the left. Wings to the sides. » Eat dirt? ALMOST. It's a near thing, honestly, the rise to his hind legs combined with the flaring of his wings too much to keep him from staggering backwards a series of steps to keep from tumbling over backwards. But hey. If his sisters can smoothly cover it, so can he? « Take it back now y'all. » Yeah that's right. Three backwards steps. Totally what he meant to do, and not something that has him rolling his eyes towards Suyi, expression flat even as he shakes his head. "I literally do not know where he gets it."
A cackling, laughing whisper. « His momma, of course. »
Suyi's brows wrinkle the slightest, her gaze zeroing in on Kiya at the lack of ground clearance from the gold, « HMMMMM… » The blue swings his tail to gesture at the small dragon, "Seems like you guys are assigned to extra leg strengthening exercises for the rest of the seventy." Homework? The game was a trap all along! "Pretty sure they've got plenty of ability, look at those sharp minds work." Suyi - less than diplomatic - seems pleased at the dragonets' retorts. As close to failing as it might have been, Khaat's hind leg pose earns a rumble of approval from the blue. He sends a quick image to the group of Khaat, somehow three times the size of Trix, and swatting him into the sky. The moment he disappears into the sun there's a little *twinkle* effect. « You'll show him…eventually! » He /believes/ (because it would be hilarious). "Leg exercises for /all/ of you it looks like." Because she is catching those little stumbles, but not actually stopping anyone for whatever reason. « Challenge him to a /dance/ battle some day, Seksi. » This can only end well.
Is there a rumble of disagreement from Kiya at Zych's pronouncement of Leg Day For Forever? You betcha. « My legs are plenty strong enough. » She counters, even as she remains squarely settled on those haunches until the game comes back around to her. "Maybe you'll even out in the next seven-day and no one will notice." Wendyn offers oh-so-helpfully to her life mate, even as she rubs a hand across her face, scrubbing at her eyes at all the oversharing dragons, a murmured 'shards' escaping, even as it comes back around to Kiya again, and the gold flaps, wiggles, bounce-jumps (though, this time she might actually clear the ground), coming down heavily on those too-short forelimbs. Managing to recover only barely, she manages a tail-point, before she rocks backwards on her limbs to flap her wings, managing that far more gracefully. Three steps back and then she is doing an awkward slide to the left, shuffling without turning her body, limbs crossing over each other as she goes.
Haha. Homework. A'she doesn't bother hiding his grin, letting it beam out from among the bristles of his ruddy beard for all of the weyrlings to bask in. "If he wants to beat my boy in a dance, he'll definitely need some work on those calves and thighs. Looking a bit scrawny there." There is no response from Qhatiratrixth, but for a looming sense of indignation at the idea that he, the Lord of the Dance, who makes all dance to HIS fiddle-tune, could possibly lose to some strung-out, half-witted, bug-eyed creature. Oh baby, it is on. Someday. Maybe. If Trix doesn't forget. He's a dragon. They do that.
« You heard him. » Khaatxhath is an awful enabler, fire and brimstone; or hot ashes on sunny shores, anyways, just shy of snappy. Tyr's not paying as much attention as he should, either, because he's busy making Wounded Eyes at Suyi. "I hardly think that that would be necessary, ma'am, honestly!" Trust a harper to argue. "Everybody stumbles occasionally." Stumbles. Right. Khaat seems to approve of the imagery, at least, chest swelling as she eyes Seksicanth's step-stepping, nose pointing skywards. « Just think he talks a big game for somebody not tryin' to keep their legs all in order, Zychaelth. » The green grumbles, maybe a little mutinous, glancing sidelong at Kiyaszaeth. « It's hard, there's a lot of the things. » A grumble of crunchy ash, but Khaat's paying attention, anyways, and when presented with the opportunity, she tackles the flap-wiggle-hop, raise-the-roof relatively easily. Backing up? Yeah, that one throws the little green, who definitely doesn't squawk irritably when he wings nearly get in the way on the third step. They're righted by the time she sliiides to the left, and it's instinct more than anything that sliiides her right back to the right, nearer to Tyr again. Totally counts.
Seksicanth is appeased by Trix's clarification. « Oh. That's fine then. Carry on. » Wow, rude. But listen, he doesn't like Ilyscaeth anyways. As for leg exercises: « Uuuuuuugh whaaaaaaaaaat, » the blue whines in time with Kiyaszaeth's rumble, heart-break emojis shattering into bitty pieces. He isn't even mollified by the image of Khaat batting Qhatiratrixth out of the park. « HA. » Okay, so that sparkle got him. Sue him. « Listen, don't distract me with your big, sexy brain and your enticing promises of a dance-off to end all dance-offs! I don't need no stinking leg exercises. » Not even to kick your golden-fiddled ass all over the dance floor, Qhat! « How about we play 'Let's Make a Deal.' I show aptitude, you remove the extras, yeah? » "That's not how this works," Brodie interjects and is drowned out by off-key draconic humming (poor Wendyn) as he sets about accumulating moves. His wings lift, his hips don't lie, he hops like a cat that's seen a cuke, dumps his weyrling on his ass with a sweep of his tail ("Ack!"), rears back a little more carefully this time, « Take it back now y'all. » And— falls spectacularly? Yes. He tries to slide to the left and slide to the right at the same time, legs criss-crossing to the point that it's easier to fall over on Brodie ("ACK!") than to try to stick it out. At least he has the good sense to laugh at himself, all four paws pushing into the air as he says, « Now everybody clap your hands! » His groaning weyrling shoves out from underneath one wing, laughter a little on the hysterical side as he hugs one of his elbows against him. "I would, little buddy, but I'm pretty sure I'm bleeding." Peek. "Yep, that's, uh. Mmhmm. Can I be excused?"
Her legs are plenty strong? « HAHAHAHAH! » There's a picture of Kiya sent to the group except her legs have been replaced with little twigs and she is just stumbling around. What comes from Suyi next seems to be for the entire group, "Whether they're strong or not, they /also/ need to be coordinated - which they aren't." Not that the other two are doing that much better. After all, there stands (or falls) Exhibit A - Seksi. The weyrlingmaster claps for a moment, apparently not /too/ fazed by the bloody elbow. "Better get that cleaned off, and the rest of you could probably use a breather too…" So, effectively, class dismissed!