Accounting (Required for weyrlings)

[Invisible]

The weyrlings had been dismissed to lunch the same as usual this fine fall day. As usual H’gar had told them to be back in an hour to continue their lessons. He had taken his lunch in his office to finish some final preparations for what would come after lunch. It helped to be on good terms with the headwoman in times like this because anything he needed, including a nice delivered lunch, was much easier to get.

After finishing off his food H’gar had gone to where lessons were held and with the assistance of a stepladder gotten the large piece of hide affixed to the wall. He surveyed it to be sure it was straight enough and then let out a sigh. He shouldn’t have to be doing something like this. Clearly he’d failed somewhere in the beginning for them to be a mess now. If he weren’t weyrlingmaster he’d likely be laughing at the fool who’d let them think they could get away with anything. Well, nothing to be done for it now.

He retired to the corner to watch and wait for the weyrlings to begin to fill in. Out of direct line of sight he would be able to see more from those future riders he was somehow not preparing for their duties. If they wanted to act like spoiled children, however, he was prepared to treat them like that.


It was hardly a surprise when K’mar was the first back from lunch. Volsteath lumbered in after his rider and the two took up their place near the front of the cavern. H’gar was pretty sure the boy couldn’t help how he was, but…well, what could be done? You played the hand you were dealt with. There was a soft spot in the old brownrider for the pesky boy he couldn’t quash. After all these turns he’d finally gotten what he desired most. Way to go he’d thought at the hatching. Now, well, Baristath assured him that Volsteath was trying to help his rider fit in more. What else could be done? That Volsteath though…he was as eager as his rider. A good enough pairing he supposed.

Slowly more weyrlings trickled in after lunch and soon enough the arrival of Genet was announced by her loud laugh. Anquilith came into the room before her and then Genet, playfully shoving one of the blueriders as she walked in. H’gar considered the girls on green some of his biggest headaches for entirely different reasons. Although truth be told it was hard sometimes to see Genet as one of that rare breed. Or at least think of her that way since she joked and messed around the same as the other boys. Even if the other boys weren’t so sure they wanted her tagging along sometimes there she was determined to prove herself a rider the same as the others.

Headaches. He had twenty-six headaches and all of them were about to find out what H’gar did with headaches. They thought extra chores were all they had to be concerned with? They were about to learn they were dead wrong.

[blueaid]

Anayeli had stayed apart from the others, as much by choice as by the simple fact that she was a natural pariah. She didn't get along with the only other greenriding girl in the barracks, she was hardly going to manage to cozy up to Salina, and the boys-- were boys. A fair few of them still looked at her like she was dessert and they were famished, but the tempest of her reputation kept them at bay for the most part. There were a few she had managed to flirt with when it was convenient for her, the silly young men who thought carrying her laundry or helping with a chore here or there might endear themselves to her, but she remained emphatically not-one-of-them.

So she came into the barracks alone, Ptolemeth quite a bit delayed as she had been off doing something daydreamy on her own. They were a bit behind K'mar and Volsteath, a contemptuous look going to the brownrider when she past behind him someplace she could sit and attend the lesson with her developed lack of interest. She found them tedious for the most part, but-- aside from that momentous "first day"-- she kept her peace, saying little, looking prettily bored. Today was shaping up no differently.

Ana's eyes caught only briefly on Z'dayi, the very last one into the barracks. As usual. Tremaith had come in well ahead of his rider, slunk through the room with his decorous gait and dusty demeanor, found a place where his rider would be right in the middle of the "teaching T." Disapproval for tardiness radiates from Tremaith while he awaits Z'dayi, the usual chide, the usual disappointment that the bronzerider had yet to shape up. Even the girls were here already, conveyed in a glimpse of Genet's laughter, Anayeli's poise. Tsk.

But Z'dayi didn't care. He wasn't actually late, just dead-last to enter. His lazy stride made no effort to make up for lost time, his hands slouched in his pockets, his destination not to Tremaith's side but to the edge of the lecture where he intended to be ignored. It suited him for reasons entirely different than Anayeli's: She was an outsider in the barracks; he was just a slacker.

[Xinnai]

Salina was neatly finishing up a piece of roll as she walked in, swallowing the last bite and brushing her fingers along the skirt she had unusually worn for the day. Unusually. A slight laugh accompanied the thought. She'd worn skirts every day of her life until almost a turn ago now, when she'd impressed Deoneth. Then, trousers had become a part of her daily wardrobe.

Salina glanced at the other two girls among the weyrlings who had already entered. She was finding she was becoming more accustomed to them. It was nice, in a way, to have other people who were tidier, who were neater. At least when compared with the boys.

She sat down, sliding into a seat. Deoneth would be along in a moment or two. She'd wanted to actually finish her food before she came. Ah, there, see? There she was, sliding through the doorway, lithe and golden, seeming to gleam more than any of the other dragons accumulated. Proud smile danced across the weyrwoman's lips. Deoneth, her little queen.

The gold folded tattered wings to her sides, sitting at her rider's feet attentively. Her eyes were whirling contentedly as she brushed wedge-shaped head along the girl's leg lovingly. That was a good bit of your meal, Salina-mine. I do not like the taste of that 'roll' though. It just does not sate me as it does you. Even though it was just a 'snack.'[/color]
I know, darling. That's why you eat your meat.
Thankfully. Just think, mine Salina! I am able to eat all on my own. You won't have to cut anything or feed it to me any longer.[/color]

Salina just smiled, rubbing at the queen's head affectionately, reaching out to scratch at that always ready spot above the gold's faceted eye. Deoneth hummed delightedly.

Eyes drifted up then, searching for Z'dayi and Ez'ki. She saw the bronzerider, slouching in, ever-last. A slight smile touched at lips as she looked for the bluerider. Where could he be?

[dragon]

T'rad had been making it a point to come in fairly early to the lessons. So he walked in casually not too far behind K'mar, hands shoved in his pockets as he whistled to himself. Paleoth clambered in behind him. The energy the dragon gave off was positive. He'd been in a good mood for the better part of the day, atleast after he was past being grumpy. Sometimes the blue just woke up that way. T'rad could only smile to himself at the thought.

T'rad wasn't interested in being at the front, but neither did he really care to be in the back like Z'dayi. Not overly ambitious, but not really a slacker either. T'rad was something of the average, in the middle. Thus, he chose to find his place somewhere in the middle. Though, T'rad had to admit he wished this lesson would be over with soon so he could rest. He wouldn't admit it, or show it, but he was slightly tired today. More than usual.

T'rad took his seat and leaned back in it, removing the hands from inside his pockets and resting them, fingers intertwined, on the back of his head. The song whistled had died out by now as T'rad got comfortable.

[Selvagem]

Th’dis was neither late nor early, but somewhere in the middle. He would have dearly liked to take on Z’dayi’s example that afternoon – caring for Guiyath was growing muscles he never knew he had, but the toil was excruciating. His bronze, however, had his own idea of things as always, and to say that he was a strong personality would be…understating it, to say the least. Six months in, the dragonet was bigger than ever , and his weyrling was well-accustomed to the daily and persistent aches by now. Yet there were still days when Th’dis dared to dream of lingering a little longer over lunch, or lounging a half hour later in bed.

Not that Guiyath would hear of it.

The weyrling entered the class with his bronze by his side, his carriage unconsciously tall and straight even as Guiyath’s stride was confident and powerful. The boy might only have been dimly aware of the changes that had overtaken him since Impression, but to his old friends there was every difference to be observed between Thordis and Th’dis. He looked different now, taking care to see to his appearance, to his hygiene, and his clothing. Slowly, subtly, yet surely, the general nonchalance Th’dis always held towards life was wearing away, sloughed off by the growing pride and strength of the great bronze he rode. He still had a general casualness to his outlook and his conversational manner, but it was gradually becoming clear, to those who looked, that there was more on the inside than showed at first look.

The youngest weyrling of Telgar took his place in the middle of the group, Guiyath towering over him as he settled into lounging seat beside his weyrling. With an offhand smile to T’rad nearby, Th’dis followed suit, gray eyes quietly scanning the room. He turned nearly a circle before he spotted H’gar in a corner. Raising a brow, the boy turned his attention back to the front, patiently waiting for the lesson to begin.

[neopanther]

Having turned up shortly after Salina, he would not chastise himself for being late at least. Xyruth bounded along beside him, having grown another few inches seemingly over night. Well - it felt as such for Ez'ki who just watched his twilight toned, and lightening winged blue grow, and streamline as he went. Ez'ki was wearing tan wherhide slacks, black soft hide boots, till half way upon his calf, a white oversized top that covered his torso and half of his arms, here unto which point it was rolled up. a diminished collection of bangles and bracelets upon his wrist, one still the royal blue enamel one that Salina herself had given him encircling his right. Strikingly red hair tied back into a tail, straight and well groomed as ever.

He gave a beaming smile as he sauntered over to Salina's side, "Lunch okay then Sassie?" He smirked, knowing that it would have been the same as every other day. he did not wait for her reply, for it would have been likely to be predictable, "Got any idea what H'gar mentioned we'd be doing after lunch? I don't remember him saying anything, but that doesn't say much." He didn't really gel with this weyrlingmaster as he had with the last (even if it did take him some time to get to that stage). H'gar wasn't a man Ez'ki approved off, he especially didn't understand where the false sense of his own authority had come from, the new weyrlingmaster seemed to believe he had held said position for quite some time, and yet oddly enough not one of the weyrlings he had spoken to remembered it as such. Ez was a little more than disappointed as to their loyalty towards I'dalyn, but what else could they do? Very little. He still needed to talk with the ex-weyrlingmaster. He felt that there was a little too many questions left unanswered. The others might be content in their ignorance, but he - for one - was not. He did not like not knowing why all of a sudden there were girls on greens - not that he disapproved - why all of a sudden this new brown and his bonded were conducting their lessons, and so many more questions. Stubbornness had ruled over him in regards to this topic, he would not relent, but he would keep his investigations as quiet as they needed to be. For now at very least. H'gar would not listen to them as they corroborated the tales of that morning, but he could have no choice eventually. Ez'ki had his mind on the problem, and he did not see himself relenting anytime soon.

Xyruth stood beside his bond, not as the size of that as Deoneth, or Tremaith, yet he felt bold, and forward, there were not many blues who would stand between such and feel bold, but Xyruth did not generally think of himself as a blue, but as a dragon, which they all were. A beast that stood proud to be the race he was, ambition boiling beneath his hide. He was eager to make himself a fledged dragon. To shed this status of 'weyrling' and be deemed lesser than the others. He was excited about becoming a member of a wing, though he was not keen upon the idea of losing his clutchmates if he could avoid it. Though they would be split. Hail, sleet, thunder, frost to mention only some. And it was unlikely that they any of them let alone all, end up in the same wing.
We don't have too long left now, He spoke with his regular electricity to all of his surrounding clutchmates.

[Invisible]

The weyrlingmaster watched them all come in from his spot in the corner keeping a mental tab of which weyrling came in when and with whom. He had a list in his head about all their strengths and weaknesses and was always somewhat dismayed how many more weaknesses than strengths some of them had. Well, it was time to change all that. Just about half-way through the program and time to shape them all up.

After Z’dayi walked in the weyrlingmaster stood and walked to the front of the room where he usually stood to deliver lessons and lectures. “The time for excuses and shoddy behavior is over,” he begins as he meets the eyes of his charges. “I’ve been giving it time thinking things would improve and it seems that is not the case. So, I have decided if you want to act like small children at a harper’s knee it’s time to treat you like one.”

He steps to the wall and gestures to the chart already seen by most of them. “You’ll see your name on here. From now on I will be updating this with your progress. It will remain on the wall for everyone to see. Including the weyrleaders who might come to check on the progress of their clutch.” He paused to watch the reaction of several of the weyrlings before continuing. “Until you graduate, and let me be clear here, if you do poorly the next several months it will be a cold day at Ista before you graduate, this will chart your progress.”

“If you think this is a joke? If you think that just because you’ve impressed there’s nothing to be done if you act like an ass you’ve been thinking wrong. Not only will the wingleaders be coming to start watching you in a couple months they will be watching your progress here as well.” H’gar would wait until they all were flying before letting the wingleaders look at his chart. A couple months for the worst to shape up. “So, I’m going to go over this all now so none of you come to me later complaining that you didn’t understand.”

He taps a thick finger against the chart. “Respectfulness. You will, by Faranth, treat everyone who outranks you with the respect they deserve. And, as weyrlings any rider outranks you. Think whatever nasty thoughts you want, but if you do not yes, sir and no, sir those whose knot demands it there will be trouble. No sarcasm, no idiocy. You respect the knot.”

Another tap of H’gar’s finger as he says, “Dedication to Duty. Your training is what you are all about. You should be focused on learning the skills you need in order to be a good rider when you graduate. Don’t think just because we’re in interval that it’s all fun and games. If you have assignments you will do them before engaging in any fun.”

H’gar paused there to look around the room before his finger hit the chart again. “Skills. If you fall behind in your lessons you will lose marks here. If you feel like you are going to fall behind it is your duty to come to me to seek extra help. The whole class will not be held up because your damned ego keeps you from getting the help you need.”

Now he focused on Z’dayi as he said the next word, “Punctuality.” And his finger hit the chart again. “If you are not where you need to be at least ten minutes before you are supposed to be there you are late. That starts now, people. No more sauntering in at the last minute. Ten minutes before we begin.”

His eyes flickered to K’mar before he tapped the chart and looked out at the class. “Courtesy. I shouldn’t have to tell you all what that means, but it seems I do. You treat everyone politely. I don’t care if you hate that person you will keep a civil tongue in your head. From the lowest drudge to Lord Telgar himself everyone will be treated courteously.”

With only one left he paused to stare at his class silently. The staring went on for a minute, then almost two, then he said, “Grooming,” with a jab at the chart. “You will be clean, your clothes will be neatly pressed, you will, when we start to fly next month, be given a dress code. If you do not adhere to the dress code you will lose marks. Part of that dress code will include hair cuts for anyone who has not done so by now. Above the shoulders and away from the face. Flying and betweening lessons will be up in the months to come and I won’t have any of you distracted by your hair. You can grow it back after you graduate.”

Now H’gar leans against the chart and crosses his ankles as he folds his arms over his chest. For all the world like he’s just relaxing and enjoying the day. “Questions?”

OOC: If you have ooc questions drop me a pm![/i]

[neopanther]

Ez'ki almost fell over. Shards but where had this all come from!!! Was there something written that fate just had to make things worse for him?!

Every thing that the weyrlingmaster lead off on, was like a stinging from a bee in anywhere particularly vulnerable. Then he reached grooming - finally Ez'ki thought this was something he could actually get good marks within. then he mentioned the haircutting. Ez'ki's stomach turned. Why?! Could he not just tie it back rather deftly like he had for the fighting lessons? He opened his mouth to speak, promptly closed it.

Watch what you say now, make sure you're not being stupid, and select the words carefully. You can only gain from being in his good books Ez'ki, he can stop us from graduating, perhaps now is not the time for your disobedience. Much and all as it is a part of you I like, it will not serve us!
I know this, but it makes for a very difficult situation. I'll adhere to his rules simply to graduate, shards, i'll even seek extra help[/i] not telling Xyruth that he would need to as a result of his fear of flying and between, he continued I'll get in the good books to pass, but shards when I'm passed. Ez'ki's mental tone soured. Xyruth crooned and twirled around upon himself sitting down and laying down snaking his blue head forward.

I won't let you do anything else.[/i] The blue's words were demanding - his ambition making the blue take up a serious note for once, but it was, to, full of care.

Ez'ki slowly raised his hand, seeking the attention of the weyrlingmaster - who was relaxing against the wall, looking rather smug with himself, it filled him with distaste but, as was the consequences of this chart. "Sir?" He asked with gritted teeth - he could learn fast when he wanted to, he could to be a royal suck up, that even K'mar would envy.

[Invisible]

K’mar and Volsteath had, as usual, not been sat near as the other weyrlings came in. A few sat a couple seats away which was an improvement over the beginning, but to say he had friends would still be a lie. As H’gar explained this new chart K’mar nodded his head in agreement despite the glowers his back got because of this. It’s about time he did something the brownrider told Volsteath as the dragon sat at his side. He is a wise man, K’mar. This will make things more interesting. We must do our best if we are going to do well when we graduate.[/color] This was probably going to win them less friends and influence fewer people, but it was their nature for different reasons to appear to be the best.



K’mar took it better than Genet who barely managed to internalize her groan at some of the words being said. Shells, Annie. He’s treating us like kids. Anquilith, who paid more attention than her rider, pointed out He did tell us he would be doing so, Genet. Sinking down lower in her chair Genet stole a glance at the others and then grinned suddenly with an improved mood. I just realized! He’ll probably be harder on the others. We’re greenriders after all. Just because we know we’re awesome doesn’t mean we’re expected to be. This could work out in our favor! Anquilith was not sure that was the case, but she liked being in a good mood so agreed with her rider. Annie? Would it be wrong to ask who shoved the stick up his butt since yesterday? Genet asked including a mental picture to go with her words. Anquilith’s amusement revealed itself in a rapid swishing of her tail that smacked the desk behind her as she shared the image with some of the others. (OOC: I leave it to pcs to decide if their dragon gets the image Anquilith shares.)

[Invisible]

H’gar shared a sigh with Baristath as Ez’ki raised his hand. Outwardly his expression didn’t shift as he lifted one hand and waved it at the bluerider. “Yes, Ez’ki?” he asked the model of politeness to one of the more difficult charges in his care. Baristath? Tell me again why I agreed to take the knot? he waited patiently for the question while keeping an eye out on the rest of the weyrlings. He expected people to be upset, but so be it. Because we will do a good job, H’gar. His rider wasn’t so sure, but it was his knot and he was determined to see it through.

[Xinnai]

Salina shared a smile with Ez'ki as he sat beside her. Mouth was open, set to reply, when H'gar came to the forefront of the room. The goldrider's lips closed as she faced the front, just vaguely seeing the chart at the back of the weyrlingmaster before them.

Salina sat attentive, Deoneth reflecting her pose, as the brownrider spoke. And he spoke harshly. They were indeed being treated like errant children. While vaguely irritating, it got the message across at least.

They weren't performing up to the standards set before them. H'gar was not happy with them. Salina felt a brief twinge at the thought. She'd wanted to do well by the man-Thought halted, as it had since the tumultuous events from before. Internally composing herself, she listened closer.

Do you hear this?
Yes. It seems we are not doing as well as we are expected to be. This chart...It seems like it would be an effective method.
Yes. Public humiliation can do that to you. The queenrider hadn't missed that the chart was on display for everyone to see. If you messed up, weyrlings and riders could see. Eventually. The slight hint of a frown pulled at the girl's lips. This does seem a bit extreme though.
Sometimes you have to be to get your point across.[/color]

Hand shifted through thick blonde hair when the thought struck her. Gray eyes widened, shocked. It was because of the thick blanket of emotion that the girl missed her gold's humor in the image Anquilith had shared.

Hand flew into the air, moments after Ez'ki's. Watching H'gar, she glanced at Ez'ki, pained that her friend had chosen this moment to speak. There was just one thought on her mind and it was rather vapid for the normally mature goldrider: did the rule imposed for hair include the girls as well?

[neopanther]

Ez'ki began to speak choosing his words carefully now, but he seen Salina's hand jut up into the air fast as lightening. Ez turned back to the Weyringmaster first, "Sorry, I think it would be only polite, if I let our weyrwoman speak first." He said, turning H'gars own words against him - if only slightly. Ez'ki smiled to his side, towards Salina. He valued her more than most. Besides - judging by the hand raking through her hair he had a funny feeling she would bereft him of half of his point, she would make the situation harder for H'gar. So, he'd let her. H'gar couldn't refuse to listen to the junior weyrwoman after all. They were almost equivalent within ranks - even if she was but a weyrling.

Xyruth gave a mental laugh to his bonde as he shared the image Anquilith conveyed.
If only... Ez'ki returned to his blue.
I think we would understand more if we knew what had happened. However we are like a strange unknown entity in these equations, we dont know either way.
I'm rather not keen on the ideas he puts forward. Each one is aggravating.
Well then perhaps we should not continue our learning, but just discover for ourselves. I'm sure we could, and that way you would have to do laps of a morning either. We could have fun.
Don't tempt me.

[Invisible]

It mattered little to H’gar who spoke first. If Ez’ki wanted to try to gain points by pretending to be polite the weyrlingmaster wasn’t going to stop him. “Very well then. Salina, your question?” He had an inkling of what it might be and so before she could speak he said, “Everyone cuts their hair.” Then he gestured for the weyrling to continue.

Notice the timing on that one, Baristath? the weyrlingmaster asked his brown who stayed near the back observing the group. You think they work together? The one day weyrwoman and the annoying blue? It was not the first time the two had this conversation. Think that’s how it looks no matter the truth, old brown. Thank Faranth that is not our mess to sort out. Let the weyrleaders deal with the inappropriate behavior when they graduate. I imagine he’s who J’fel meant when he suggested a posting at the mine.

[Xinnai]

Salina shared a small, if absent, smile with Ez'ki. She managed to give him a nod, one that thanked him for his politeness, however pointed it might be. "Thank you, Ez'ki." Attention returned to H'gar, but her question was answered. Hiding the shock, and slight panic, she felt, her mind quickly whirred through other options, spitting one out promptly.

"When would you like our hair to be cut, sir?" she asked, face carefully composed. It would suffice for now. Still, she fiddled with the ends of said tresses. It was true that it would grow back once cut...but it had taken her turns to get to its current length.

Put it into perspective, Salina-mine. I am sure that Baristath's means this as a safety effort. It will be fine. I will still love you even when your hair is cut.[/color]
I know you will... The thought was despondent, though the weyrwoman did try to do as her gold pointed out. It was just hair. There were bigger things going on within their world than Salina having to cut her hair. It will be fine.

Still, she slid a glance toward Ez'ki, knowing he had to be thinking the same thoughts as she. Ez'ki was very proud of his vivid crimson locks. And, now she possessed of the knowledge she would be losing hers, Salina was as well. But it was just hair. It would grow back. Besides, it'd be easier to wash now. Yes, that was it. That was the way to think of it.

She had other, much bigger things to be thinking about over this new, imposed rule. Salina felt very silly now for thinking it, slightly ashamed that she would be so concerned over it. She was a weyrwoman for Faranth's sake!

[Invisible]

When Salina was done talking H’gar looked around the room. “Was anyone else paying more attention than Salina? Can anyone tell me when I said I wanted hair cut?” He didn’t bother letting anyone try to answer probably because he knew only K’mar would be dumb enough to try.

“I said, please make a note of this, Salina, that when we start to fly next month we will start the new dress code.” That straightened out he looked at Ez’ki. “Yes, Ez’ki? Your question?”