A Day to Remember

[Spiffy .th !]

The waters of the ocean lapped gently at the rock, occasionally splashing up onto the feet of the boy who stood upon the rock, gazing into the depths of the water. A brisk sea breeze was blowing his fringe across his eyes, but for once he didn't care.

He was alone. Not for the first time in his life, but this was different. He had not been without a mother before, the realisation that he now had no-one had finally hit home that morning, at her funeral. All he had now were the dolphins.

One was sitting in the water before him now, gazing somewhat understandingly at the young man. She knew what had happened, he had told her, as he told her everything. Only the week before he had been spilling his heart out to her at the arrogance of human girlfriends, and that she had laughed at, or at least the dolphin equivalent of a laugh. But she knew now that he needed something different.

Come swim, Kev. Waters warm. You feel better then? she asked, hopefully.

The lad afforded a smile, and looked to the dolphin, waiting expectantly, and resented. He knew she knew what he needed, something to take his mind off his mother. Shrugging off his trousers he dived into the deep water, coming up a hundred yards out to find the dolphin nest to him, and grabbed her fin as she pulled him further out.

After an hours playing with the rest of the pod the pair returned to the rocky jetty where Kev had left his trousers. Coming out of the water he soon dried off in the full heat of the midday sun, but before dressing he bent to retrieve something from his trouser pocket. Going back to the waters edge, he found a piece of driftwood and ties the object, a necklace that had belonged to his mother, to it. He bent, kissed the necklace, the gently placed it on the water, giving it a push. Goodbye, he whispered.

Turning, he went back to his trousers and pulled them on, set off back toward the main hold. He felt a lot better now, not just because of the swim, but more because of his final farewell to his mother. She had always loved the sea, much like his father had, as he did, and he felt that she would much have preferred being there than buried deep in the ground. But such was life, and he had done the best he could under the circumstances.

The streets were all but deserted. Most were sensible and inside in the cool at this high time of day, or many were away from land and out fishing, the small holds main craft. Even the main square in the centre there were only a few people besides himself, and he walked calmly through it to the other side, entering the street that led to his home. House, he corrected himself. It no-longer felt like a home to him, not after everything that had happened there.



(ooc: Anyone with a Search dragon pair feel welcome to drop in on him please ;] )

[Shikai]

Do cheer up, mine, it wasn’t a waste of time.[/color] Myra sighed as the blue’s voice edged into her consciousness with a reconciliatory tone. I am sorry I couldn’t find anyone.[/color]

No Aglovth, it isn’t your fault. I just hate to return to the weyr empty handed. But I suppose it can’t be helped. The great, dark blue dragon rumbled reassuringly to the rider on his neck as he soared ever higher upward, until the hold shrank away, blending into the vast landscape until it fell off into the ocean. Myra’s eyes softened behind the flight goggles as she looked down at the sight; land and sea below and sky above.

She prepared to give her dragon the command to return to the weyr, but Aglovth interrupted before she could begin. Say, Myra, it’s still early. There is no thread today; why don’t we stop by one of the other holds that require searching? I believe there is a small one very close by.[/color] Before the dark-haired girl could protest, the blue had quite decided. Yes, we will go! I won’t let us return without a candidate for the sands, on my honor as a searchdragon![/color]

They winked between, and the sight that met Myra’s eyes as the world reappeared before her was much the same as the one they had left. They were further down the coast, and Myra searched for the hold among the rock and mottled brown and green. Aglovth descended in a wide, gradual spiral, but then his head shifted to glance back at his rider. Myra caught the sly gleam in his eye and coloring his mind just before he suddenly swooped downward, drawing his wings in close to his body as they dropped.

Myra felt the familiar sensation of her stomach trying to escape through her mouth, but she couldn’t help but grin as the wind rushed past them. There was truly no thrill comparable to riding a-dragonback. His blue wings fanned back out, pulling them easily out of the dive and into a tighter, faster spiral. The spiral evened back out as they slowed, and his wings flared as they dropped down into the courtyard. He backwinged before landing, creating quite the breeze in the hold’s square, and touched down neatly with a soft thump.

His rider leapt lightly down beside him, hands reaching for the helmet. The tall young woman of seventeen turns pulled it off, gratefully shaking out her short-cropped black hair. She moved closer to the blue dragon, leaning against his powerful foreleg more for emotional support than physical as she became conscious of the eyes of the few people in the courtyard on her. Myra closed her eyes for a moment, a slightly pained expression on her face.

Aglovth, there’s hardly anyone here. Why do they always stare like that?

Of course they stare, mine, it’s not every day these people get to see a dragon in their hold![/color] He replied cheerfully, looking around at the people present. Relax, I don’t think it’s you they’re staring at.[/color]

A smile played at Myra’s lips. Yes, that was the nice thing about having a dragon – her awkward, gawky frame was hardly spared more than a glance when Aglovth was beside her! He, of course, was a far more interesting target of attention, and that was all well and good by her. Yet she did hope that more people would arrive…the pickings looked rather slim at the moment.

“I’m Myra, rider of Aglovth, and we have come on Search,” She announced, somewhat unnecessarily, although her voice was as quiet as ever. The dragon rumbled behind her, although he knew his rider well enough to expect no more of her. He raised his dark-speckled head, trumpeting his arrival to the hold for any who had not seen him descending from the skies. If that didn’t bring the hold populace running, he didn’t know what would!

[Spiffy .th !]

Hearing something behind his, he turned. There coming in to land in the main square, was a blue dragon! That made him stop dead for a moment, then he regained control of himself. This could be interesting, he remembered what happened the last time a dragon had come, said something about a search. Anyway, it could do no harm to see what was going to happen. At least, he didn't think anything that bad would happen.

Turning fully to face the pair now, he relaxed against the wall next to him, quite near to the square. Then the girl, who was riding the dragon, spoke, confirming his suspicions. It was a search.

He could vaguely remember what a search was, from the infrequent harper visits. Something to do with searching out new potential riders. He doubted there were many here in this hold, let alone now, that were of a proper age. Well, theres me, he thought ironically

And what of it? If he was chosen, it wasn't like he had anyone to ask permission of anymore.

He was slightly taken aback when the dragon bugled, but not as much as the few other holders, many of who fled the creature. He wasn't that worried though, and laughed quietly to himself, rather cynically. Oh what had happened to the old Harper tales about the savior dragons and their riders, braving their lives against the deadly thread? Where was the glory? Died with the dragons he supposed, until now of course, but people still weren't used to the idea.

Though most of the remaining even-fewer were still gawking at the dragon, he had now moved onto the girl leaning against it. She was tall, looked about the same age as he. He wondered how she had been searched so early to be a rider already, then decided it little mattered. She looked a little uncertain of herself, he thought, and her speech had been very quiet. Well, speaking in public was not for everyone.

His sub-conscience perked up that he was wearing nothing but his trousers, but he pushed it away. There was nothing to be done about it now, and besides, he didn't feel embarrassed in the slightest.

Something in the back of his mind was still pestering him with the question "why ever not?" And he could not give it a substantial answer, other than his apprenticeship. But what were dolphins to dragons, if the legends held true? Having a lifelong, devoted partner, sounded very good right now. Part of him felt guilty at that, and if he would have stepped out before, now he stayed where he was, still looking at the girl. See if she wanted him first, before he went volunteering for things he likely wouldn't get.

[Shikai]

Well, let’s get this overwith, Myra muttered to Aglovth, running a hand over the rich, dark blue hide behind her, and he nodded, great head turning left and right as he swept his faceted gaze over the people. Disappointingly few were present, and Myra was becoming more convinced by the second that this extra trip was a waste of time. She felt progressively more awkward standing there, all eyes on her and her dragon – at least, the eyes of those who hadn’t fled.

Seeing them flee from her beloved Aglovth, Myra felt the stirring of a rare emotion. She was irritated with them, and this overcame her insecurity for a moment. It even translated onto her face a bit; rippling over her features as she narrowed her eyes at the retreating figures and folded her arms stubbornly over her rather flat chest. Fine! Such people were not fit to be candidates anyway. She shook her head slightly, unhappy with the reception dragonriders now all too often received. Myra could count the day she was searched as one of the happiest of her life – it was perhaps the first time anyone had ever singled her out as worth something; having some kind of potential.

Yet now they ran! Myra’s irritation didn’t last long; it was quickly replaced by grim acceptance. This was not their fault, it was Sitareh’s. Dragons and their riders had a wholly good reputation before she arrived…

Myramine?[/color] Aglovth interjected, almost hesitant to interrupt his rider’s train of thought. She, however, was glad for the change.

What is it, Aglovth?

That one, over there,[/color] Came the dragon’s simple, yet decisive reply. Surprise overtook Myra’s features for a moment, and she turned to follow her dragon’s pointed vision, fixed upon a lad who appeared similar to her in age, although shorter. But then, a lot of people were shorter than Myra.

She opened her mouth, yet found it dry, and licked at her lips as she frantically tried to think of the best way to get his attention. This was surely an odd situation for Myra, who usually tried her hardest to do just the opposite. She settled with beckoning to him, as he was quite nearby.

“If you would come here, please…?” She offered, eyes flicking up to her dragon and back to the young man. He was clad in only his trousers, she noticed, but it scarcely mattered to Myra, as she had never quite understood what girls found so attractive about that. But then, she didn’t really find anything attractive about the opposite gender, to her eternal confusion. She was, however, conscious that he, unlike the others, was staring at her, not her dragon, and she stiffened slightly in self-consciousness under the scrutinizing gaze she couldn’t tell if she felt or imagined.

[Spiffy .th !]

He was surprised when the grl finally looked back at him, even beconing him closer. What could she possibly want? Was he being chosen or something? Her speech confirmed his suspicions. But he could still not resist looking around to see if here were any others near who she might have been refferring to instead of him. There were none.

Hesitantly at first, he slowly started forward toward her. Telling himself he was being stupid, that there could be no harm in it, he straightened up and walked more confidently the few steps, to stand in front of her. To his surprise she was even a little taller than him, but still no match for her dragon, even though he was a blue, which he knew to be one of the smaller verieties of dragon.

Clearing his throatm he though it appripriate to introduce himself.

Greetings, Myra, and Blue Aglovth, he said, inclining his head to each in turn.

He settled to wait for the response, the one he hoped was coming..

[Shikai]

Myra shuffled uncomfortably as Aglovth began his work, looking meticulously over the lad. His dark, speckled blue head moved this way and that as he examined Larikev. The boy’s field of vision was likely consumed entirely by a great, whirling eye as Aglovth looked right into his face, and his muzzle swept over the boy’s head, disrupting the hair as he snorted above it in an almost equine fashion.

He will do![/color] The dragon proclaimed proudly, looking back to Myra. The girl in question had been getting increasingly more red in the face as her dragon went about invading Larikev’s personal space with no regard for how he might feel about having a massive dragon nudging and prodding at him.

“That’s…that’s great, Aglovth…” She replied weakly, speaking aloud rather than through their mental link as she usually did. Myra turned to the lad, eyes rising to meet his for but a moment before they wavered and dropped back to the ground. “I’m sorry about that. I hope…I hope he hasn’t bothered you…but Aglovth says you would make a good candidate for the weyr. So if you would…and do you have anything you want to bring, ah…?”

Her speech was as awkward as ever, perhaps even more so giving the circumstances. The fact that she realized that she didn’t know his name, as he had not yet offered it, did not help the situation. While she had phrased the search as a question, this was done merely out of politeness. If he said no…well, orders were orders, and the weyr needed its candidates. Although Myra might be willing to overlook them if the boy was particularly opposed, as she had never agreed with the (now former) Weyrwoman’s tactics.

[Spiffy .th !]

He felt the urge to lean back as the dragon began to inspect him, but he held firm, gazing back into his eyes, kind of examining them too. They were not like noral eyes, he noted, more like insects than most other animals he had come across.

It's alright, he said, as Myra apologised, he's only doing his job, as I understand anyway.

He half expected what she said next, but part of him was still saying it was no use, he still had nowhere to go, and that half possibly controlled the surprised look he gave the girl as she spoke. He quickly recomposed himself.

Er, well... he began slowly, then gave up and sighed. I have nowhere else to go now, so... thank you, for the offer. I'll accept.

He smiled at her. Finally, maybe somewhere he could go that he would fit into. Somewhere he may be able to feel at home.

I'll... I just need to get some things, y'know, clothes, if we're gonna go now...

He turned slowly, not expecting the girl to refuse him, she had practically offered to let him go, but he was just being cautious incase she changed her mind. He had known people to do that.

He turned back as he was walking away, beck to his house.

My name's Larikev, by the way, he called back to her. He felt she needed to know his name at least, as he knew hers and her dragons.

[Shikai]

A slight smile of relief crossed Myra’s face at the young man’s words. “I’m glad you understand. Dragons aren’t…well, they aren’t getting the best reception these days.” There was just a hint of a bitter edge to her tone, for too many times now had dragons, deserving of nothing less than boundless gratitude by the Pernese for their efforts in defending them, were treated with fear and even hatred. The way the people in the courtyard had scattered upon Aglovth’s arrival was proof enough of that.

But Larikev, fortunately, did not appear to be of that character. And Myra was glad of it, for she did hate bringing candidates back to the weyr for that greatest of honors, the chance to impress a dragon, who did not appreciate the opportunity. Aglovth found some worthy who she did not, but his opinion was always superior to her own. Not that she would ever give any indication that she felt this way, of course, for her insecurities had far from melted away.

Myra nodded as he turned to get whatever belongings he desired to take with him, and presumably to say his goodbyes. Yet something in his words, and his statement that he had nowhere else to go, made her wonder if there would be any to give. She felt a slight pang of sympathy for the lad, if that was the case, although she had experienced no loss in her own family. But she did know what it was to be alone.

But you aren’t alone now, mine![/color] Aglovth interjected, and Myra looked up at the blue with a smile. No, no I’m not, thanks to you. Hopefully…this one will find such a bond as well, at the weyr, she replied, and leaned against the blue’s foreleg as she waited for Larikev’s return.

[Spiffy .th !]

Reaching his house he jogged into his bedroom, grabbing a small shoulder bag from under the bed and shoving some clothes into it. Then he paused, thinking if he should take anything else, then hauled open a drawer, pulling out a pouch containing a few marks he had saved, and several of his bracelets, which he slipped onto his arm, and put the pouch into his bag. Satisfied he wouldn't need anything else desperately, he turned and walked back out, not saying goodbye to his one time home.

Out in the street he almost jogged into a man coming out of his door, a few houses down from his.

Bael, he said, catching the man, I have to go now and I probably won't come back. Please tell the Lord Holder that he can do whatever he wishes with my house, for I no longer have any use for it. Take anything you wish for you and your family.

Patting the man on the shoulder, he turned before Bael had a chance to reply, and was jogging down the street again as he heard the perplexed man's call: Kev! Where are you going?

He didn't slow, but shouted back over his shoulder: The Weyr! He knew that would only confuse the man even more, but he felt bad not answering, and he trusted Bael enough not to blab to the whole hold too soon, and with his house.

He rounded the corner into the square, still at a jog, and stopped in front of the Myra and Aglovth, before he realised that he hadn't a clue what to do next. He waited for Myra to lead on, as she was the dragonrider, after all.

[Shikai]

Myra looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, and found Larikev again before her eyes, ready to leave. He had few of his belongings with him, but that was good. Going to the weyr meant starting a new life; nothing was more irritating than having to argue with a well-off candidate that no, my dragon will not carry your trunk load of clothes and useless baubles.

“Well, I guess we’ll be off then?” She said, and turned back to her dragon. Myra leapt to Aglovth’s neck with the ease of much experience, securing herself in the saddle and gesturing for Larikev to join her. Aglovth shifted beneath her as he extended a foreleg helpfully to the young man. Myra’s hand hovered at her side as she debated whether or not to offer it, but she elected to withhold it unless he appeared to have difficulty getting up. While life at the weyr was a pleasant change indeed, Myra remembered enough from her hold life to know that such an offering of assistance from a girl could even be thought insulting.

Once Myra had ensured that he was strapped in behind her, she nodded, and gave Aglovth the silent command to take flight. He shifted back onto his hindquarters and sprung powerfully into the air, wings snapping out to catch the wind and send them climbing upward. They circled the hold once as they ascended, affording Larikev a last (for the time being, at least) look at his former home before every sensation was blotted out with the cold, dark, nothingness that was between.

Three…Two…One…and Pern was back, although it was a different sight that greeted the three pairs of eyes. Araelen Weyr’s island was visible in its entirety; a gleaming green gem of jungle surrounded by glistening waves, crowned at its center with the dormant volcano that was the weyr itself. The sun glittered off of dragonhides of all colors below; feeding, bathing, flying, or simply out sunning themselves in the company of their riders. They were a small weyr, in comparison to the great weyrs of the past, but a proud and indomitable group nonetheless.

Myra remembered too late that she had failed to warn Larikev about between, which most found unnerving, especially the first time. But it was of no consequence now; they spiraled gently back to the ground, landing lightly in the weyrbowl.

“Here we are…” Myra said, although really, that was quite obvious. But she felt the need to say something.