A New Place and Nerves

[Xennai]

Zigana clutched tight to the arms wound about in front of her, trying not to appear to be too nervous and not succeeding well at all. When she'd first been approached and told she'd been Searched, she'd felt elation. It was every child's dream to go to the Weyr and become a dragonrider. Zigana was no different. The happiness had had a short life. Almost before the Bluerider had left, the nerves had beset the girl. What if she didn't Impress? What if something went wrong? Would Meka like it there? And flying...She'd never flown before.

She wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

She was nervous, but was more worried about Meka. He'd been between before, of course, but he'd never ridden on a dragon. They both hadn't. She watched him from his place in her lap. He looked fine, content even, which was a rare thing for him to look like. Zigana smiled, very glad to see this. Meka would probably have it easier in the Weyr than he had back home.

That was good, very good.

They started angling down and Zigana gripped on to the Bluerider, not trying to hide her nerves now. And why? She was sure that the man had had to fly several Candidates. He'd be used to some of the nervous ones by now, wouldn't he?

In a swirl of leathery wings and dust, the Blue landed. His rider handed Zigana down, Meka clambering up to his customary place on her shoulder, his clubbed foot making it slow going. The rider started telling her directives but she was lost by the second setence. He saluted and was off, the Blue throwing himself into the air, before she could ask just what to do.

Zigana turned, pushing back strands of dark black hair from her face, dark eyes scanning this new foreign place. She felt sick to her stomach, like she might throw up. Why had she done this? She shouldn't have. She wanted to turn right around and go home. She wanted to see her brother and her goats. Having accepted this was so out of character for her...And she was wondering if it wasn't a mistake. A very, very big mistake.

Meka crooned against her ear, telling her that it was okay, that they'd be fine. She reached up, stroking his tiny head, still looking around, trying to remember what the rider had said. Something about left and then right and...

---

Admin's Note:[/hr] She couldn't remember. "That's right, sweetie," she murmured. "We are so completely screwed."

[Wolf]

She felt like she was always running, if it wasn’t for one reason it was another. If she wasn’t physically running, she was mentally running. When her flitt burst from /between,/ sensing her frantic thoughts, Tieler expected her to try and land on her shoulder to wrap herself about her neck like she always did when seeking comfort. Tieler hated it when she did that, for every time she nearly choked the life out of her. Alias never knew when to let go until Tieler pushed out a forceful “back off!” with her mind. Then the flitt would release her hold and shoot off into the air, hovering around her head and creeling a startled apology. This time Alias was keeping pace with her, flying alongside her chosen. Tieler was thankful for the creature’s presence, actually letting off some emotional waves this time, unlike every other time where she did her best to cut her flitt off from all emotional feeling.

She was running clear across the Weyrbowl, trying to stay closer t one side in case any dragons decided they wanted to land. The last thing she needed was to be squished. Though, what with her staring down at her feet while she ran, it was hard to tell exactly where she was going. You think she would’ve learned from the first time, but no, here she was, about to have a third victim.

Just as she was about to slam right into the girl Alias sent her an image of the girls face, which instinctively made her head shoot up, and just in time too. She stopped dead in her tracks, her face mere inches away from the girls. She took a leap back, her heart pounding in her chest. “Well that would’ve been a near disaster,” she said, once having gotten her bearings. She crossed her arms-her per usual stance-finding her way through her frazzled mind to reinstate her regular attitude. “What are you doing here exactly?” she asked, while giving off the vibe that she didn’t really care too much about the answer to that question.

Alias was inspecting Meka, always delighted to be around her own kind, especially when Tieler was giving her the cold shoulder. She chirruped a greeting to the blue, fanning her wings out after finally being permitted to land on Tieler’s shoulder. Tieler ignored the flitt, her full focus on the girl. She needed to distract her mind any way she could, she knew that she was barrelling into a train wreck after all. She’d never seen anyone with Zigana’s color skin about Dark Moon, not a girl anyhow. For some reason it made her feel more... comfortable? She relished in anything different these days, because uniqueness was so far and few between. Maybe that’s why she tolerated Alias, because her flitt was the only one of its kind around here, a Moonstreak. There was just something refreshing about knowing that she wasn’t the same as the others, it made her hold higher hopes... Hopes of what no one would likely ever know, at least not now. While Alias was at times treated coldly, and the flitt acknowledged this, there too was times when Tieler felt like Alias was her whole world, because she was the only one that ever stuck by her side with such loyalty. Alias didn’t ask questions, didn’t probe into her past, didn’t regard her as if she were scum; not that Tieler didn’t well deserve all of the aforementioned and more.

[Xennai]

Zigana was glancing in the other direction from the dashing girl, looking for anything promising. A sign would be helpful. Yes, a big lovely sign saying YOU ARE HERE and labelling out where she needed to go. Even an arrow, pointing her in the right direction. There was, of course, no such luck.

She turned at the sound of footsteps--maybe someone could help her?--and then there was girl, not a foot from her. Zigana took a step back in shock, Meka immediately ducking behind her long hair and peeking out, wondering if the danger had passed. He saw Tieler was still there and hissed, chattering at her, reprimanding her for almost running into Zigana.

Zigana, for her part, at the girl's question just took another step back. Her head hung briefly, eyes peeking out from below to the other girl. "Um, well...I...I was just Searched and V'lor, my, I mean the Bluerider, just dropped me off here and I can't remember his directions..." She glanced away, biting at her lip, embarrassed to have to admit her mistake. Meka crooned, nuzzling against her cheek in sympathy.

The little Blue peeked over at Alias when he heard her chatter. He came farther out from his hiding place and creeled a greeting. He was entranced by her coloring, never having seen any of the color mutations. Dark Moon was going to prove to be an entire chain of experiences for the little flitter.

Zigana observed the other girl too. She was fascinated by her hair, never having seen such a vibrant color of red. Oh, sure, she knew redheads but this went above and beyond all that...She bit at her lip, shifting slightly, suddenly worried the other girl was looking her over as well. Faranth, she hoped not. And if she was...maybe, maybe this could be one of the few people in Zigana's life who would just accept her. Was that really an impossibility?

[Wolf]

Tieler completely ignored Zigana’s chattering flitt; still far too busy sizing up the girl. She picked up right away that she was shy, and Tieler would go as far as to say she was submissive. Tieler wasn’t sure what exactly kicked her in the gut just then, either guilt, or that same feeling that at times drew her to her flitt. Since she liked to think that guilt was not a feeling she was capable of having, she chalked it up to the latter-the girls uniqueness. She had no doubt in her mind that others probably took notice of the girls skin color and used it against her to further her insecurities, if she had any; though Tieler could bet her next meal that she had at least a few.

Alias, now absorbed in the blue flitt rather than Tieler, jumped off of the girls shoulder, snapping her wings open to reveal more sparkly colors, wanting to hold Meka’s interest. With her own chatters she invited him to chase her, zooming off into the air, doing practiced spirals and graceful turns. Tieler momentarily looked skywards, watching her flitt show-off. Then, deciding to answer Zigana finally, she replied, “I can help you out then.” Now since Zigana didn’t know Tieler at all, she would not be as surprised by her offer, unlike any other who would be falling down dead at hearing her offering to help anyone. Maybe this was why she was offering to help Zigana, because she was the only one in the Weyr as of now that hadn’t gotten wind of her reputation? Even the new boy Jeserin probably despised her; there was no use in having all enemies and no allies. Nevertheless the girl wasn’t getting such good treatment that Tieler’s monotone voice had changed, nor the dead appearance to her blue eyes.

Tieler thought she caught her staring at one point, but she shrugged it off, it’s not like she hadn’t been staring too. Might as well not be a hypocrite. She eyed the girl once more, more suspiciously this time, second guessing her offer. No, don’t be ridiculous, she told herself. She couldn’t believe what she was doing, but it’s not like she could take it back now, because before she’d even thought of what she was doing her hand was extended out in front of her. “The name’s Tieler, I’m a Candidate here too. I’m probably the best one for you to run into here, the rest are a pretty hard headed selfish lot.” And cue the training. If she was going to spend even a minute or two of her time with this girl, might as well have her looking to her and only her, rather than seeking friendship elsewhere. What better way to keep her from doing so then to insure her she had the best thing in Tieler.

“He must be a dimwit to have left you here on your own,” she said, biting back another remark once she realized that she should probably attempt to change her usual way of speaking if she wanted this to go anywhere. It’s not like she wasn’t capable of being nice, it’s just that as far as she was concerned there was never much of a real reason to be.

[Xennai]

Zigana watched the Moonbeam flitter, just as entranced as her own firelizard was. The curiosity was evident in her dark eyes as she watched the many-colored creature take off into the air, fascinating the girl as much as the firelizard. Meka sent a creel after Alias, turning to his mistress to nuzzle at her cheek, crooning softly. She turned to him as if Tieler weren’t even in front of her. She stroked at his little head, smiling at him in a way that few people had the chance to see. “It’s all right, love. Go ahead.” She sent him a mental push, deferring her approval. The Blue crooned again and launched himself off of Zigana to join Alias. He joined her, turning and diving as much as she, just as comfortable in the air, despite his deformity, as he was riding about on his mistress’s shoulder.

Zigana smiled, watching the two as Meka dove and rolled after Alias, creeling excitedly, overjoyed to be somewhere new and equally as elated to have made a new friend. There had been few firelizards back at his home and meeting another of his kind was a heady, joyous thing.

Zigana looked to Tieler again, smile fading as she felt the awkwardness and shyness that was her lot invade her once again. A smile, nowhere near the one that had graced her face when attending to her firelizard, but a smile nonetheless flashed briefly across her lips. “It would be very much appreciated…” She didn’t want to sound too enthusiastic but any help at all was akin to a life raft for the drowning.

Zigana took the hand offered, smiling shyly. Her dark eyes drifted to the ground as she spoke. “I’m Zigana.” She glanced at the two flitters and then pointed at her little Blue. “That’s Meka.” She had the sense that Tieler was a troublemaker. She couldn’t exactly put her finger on why, but it was there in the aura about the other girl. In a sense, it was like the feeling one got before an explosive storm; the feeling in bones, the slight prickling of hair and the sense that something was going to happen. Zigana was simultaneously pulled and repelled by it, wanting a taste of the exciting but also wary of it, suspicious, not wanting to get pulled into anything that would put her in a spotlight she didn’t want in the least.

She had the inkling that Tieler was trying to persuade her, to try and turn her against the others here, but that was ridiculous, wasn’t it? Why would someone do that? It didn’t make sense, especially when they’d only just met. It was probably her paranoia again, kicking up a fuss. She brushed at her dark hair, pushing a curtain of it behind her shoulder. She shrugged at the next comment, mouth twisting from one side to the other awkwardly, lips pursed. “I don’t know. He gave me directions…It was my fault. He probably had somewhere to go and had to leave fast…” She bit at her plump lower lip, feeling awkward again, as if she were talking too much. So she stopped talking and glanced down at the ground, hands twisting together nervously.

[Wolf]

Tieler watched the exchange, feeling like she was behind glass, looking on in from the outside. She said nothing, allowing the near touching scene to play out. What makes her wish to openly show her affection that way? she wondered, completely puzzled. No one she knew had ever wanted to show affection to her, a person, that way. Never mind a lowly flitt, a blue. She shook her head; not realizing that by doing so she was showing her clear disapproval, which may or may not have been offensive to Zigana. Tieler did her best not to glance down at her own hand when Zigana shook it, not used to contact apart from physical violence.
Alias chirruped at Hers, eyes whirring a mix of blues and lighter greens. Then her full attention was back on Meka, impressed by the male flitt’s manoeuvres. Something drew her to him almost instantaneously, perhaps it was the fact that Tieler never permitted her to play with any of the other flitts in sight, yet was not sending her away now. This, to her, was a silent form of agreement. Alias, on cloud nine, lightly brushed her wingtip against Meka’s underside as she dived gracefully underneath him. She felt that he was an equal to her, not lower, like Tieler saw him as. Seeing that Zigana was so entranced by her flitt made her raise her head a bit higher. She knew that Alias was a fine looking creature, and played up on it to rile up others with brown, blue, or green flitts.

“I thought as much,” she said as kindly as possible to Zigana’s mentioning that she’d appreciate the help. “The Moonstreak up there is Alias,” she introduced her flitt, pointing a thumb behind her shoulder. Zigana being so shy was only making Tieler feel all the more in-power, though somehow she was fighting to keep her natural domination down. “Meka, nice name,” she said, trying out a compliment. Nope, sounded even weirder then she’d expected. Tieler was hoping that she’d not already given the girl a bad impression of her, it did happen with almost everyone, for she sent out an unwelcoming vibe most always. No matter, it’s not like the girl had turned tail and ran. “So, what’s your take on this whole dragon impressing thing?” she asked, not doing very well at hiding her disgust. She wasn’t fond of dragons, never had been, and she suspected she never would be. She had no respect whatsoever-or at least on the outside-for dragonrider’s.

It was hard to separate lie from truth with Tieler, for she could be so convincing most of the time that even if she was lying you just really had the desire to believe her. “It’s not your fault, no point in beating yourself up like that. I wouldn’t have remembered either, what you needed was to be guided to someone who knows there way around.” She was again hinting that she was the best person for the job. Great, already coming across as cocky, she sighed, wondering what had ever caused her to build up so many walls. Oh, that, she mentally groaned, knowing exactly why she was the way she was. She never let herself forget.

“Shall we then? I’m sure you’ll want to get settled in. I’ll make sure you get a good cot, no one will bother you here, not if I have a say in it.” She snorted, that same look of disgust reappearing up on her face, though this time it was less intimidating. Alias, sensing that Hers was ready to head elsewhere, beckoned Meka to follow her with a flick of her tail.

[Xennai]

Meka crooned at Alias’s touch, his eyes whirling just as happily as hers. He’d never had another flitt friend and he was over the moon about the chance now. New experiences were happening to him in rapid succession in the last few days. Rather than being frightened by it, as Zigana had worried he might be, he was actually ecstatic over the changes. Even being with Alias for the few moments he had been so far was taking him a little further from his self-made shy shell. He crooned and wheeled, winging after the Moonbeam, following her playfully.

Perhaps the same would hold true for Zigana and Tieler.

“Alias is gorgeous.” Zigana smiled shyly, watching the two firelizards wing and fly about, apparently delighted to be with each other and playing. It warmed her heart. Meka had been just as ostracized and ridiculed as she had been back home. To see him being accepted and played with made her think that maybe, perhaps, this wasn’t as big a mistake as she had thought it might be. If Meka was happy, it was worth it. “Thank you. And dragons?” Zigana worried her lower lip between her teeth, wondering how she should answer this. She decided as honestly as she could. It wouldn’t hurt, right? It wasn’t that big a deal. “I’m excited for it, but nervous. I want to Impress…I think everyone does. I don’t know.” She bit her lip again, one of her major nervous habits. “What about you…

---

Admin's Note:[/hr]”

Zigana wasn’t sure what she thought about Tieler. Still. She still got the vibe from her, but felt that somehow, no matter what had happened or what was going on, that Tieler was innately a good person underneath it all. Maybe the girl’s senses were off—she had no idea about Tieler’s reputation, after all—but she thought that she was right. She hoped that she was, because she was trusting this girl and that was a very hard thing for the girl to do.

“Yeah…” Zigana brightened then at what she heard. Her eyes were lighter, brighter, even though she shifted awkwardly from one foot the other, fingers twisting together again. She felt an intense surge of gratitude, almost staggering in its intensity. Somebody was actually helping her. It blew her mind. “Really? I…well, thank you. Thank you…”

Meka looked toward Alias, chirruping softly. He brushed against her, tail entwining for a moment with hers in a firelizard hug. He darted down to clamber on to Zigana’s shoulder, taking up his customary place. He crooned at Alias and wriggled, happier than Zigana had seen him in too long. She stroked at his small body, not looking at Tieler as she spoke. “You don’t have to do this, you know…You could just…uhm…you could just tell me where to go. You don’t have to go looking out for me or anything.” Her booted toe scuffed at the dirt, creating aimless pictures in it. “Really, it’s okay…”