Jhenero finally regains his swimming privileges...
Lane's End Beach
The yawning maw of the very insides to the Ista Sea Hall opens many dragon lengths wide and tall, its rock polished smooth by the ocean's timeless caress. A crescent of ebony sand forms the slightly hidden beach, widening from its northernmost tip at the edge of the lane. Beyond the craggy lip the hall's quay is nearly visible behind a forest of masts. Almost completely hidden in shadow is a path to a dragon's weyr, well-worn by time. It is a common sight to see both human and dragon footprints in the sand and the waters see frequent traffic of ship and dolphin alike.
It is a winter afternoon. A few high clouds brush the upper reaches of the otherwise clear blue sky. The sun casts its warmth across the land, and a gentle breeze blows. It seems almost springlike today.
Hovering over the sand are Lupulin, Sweets, and Tolemur.
You see Nemo and Ol' Ironside here.
You notice Webandy, Shimmer, and Sveidelni asleep here.
Jhenero is here.
Obvious exits:
Hall Waters Courtyard
A slightly damp and bathing suit clad Jess, with a towel wrapped around her body, skips onto the beach. She secures the towel so that it doesn't fall off, and then twirls once and then twice. The senior appy beams, and then casts a glance over her shoulder. Following behind are a 'lizard and a ferret, the 'lizard gliding in the air and the ferret bounding over the sand.
Jhenero is seated on the beach, dripping water into the slowly spreading section of wet sand around him and staring idly out to the water. He flashes a grin - happy but subdued - at the appy as she enters. "Hey Jessa. Still twirling, I see?" He shakes his head, smiling down at the ground and then up at her. "Do you /ever/ stop?"
Jessa turns her head towards the boy, "Hey Jhene." She grins and shrugs her shoulders, "Well, I can't twirl everywhere I go," couldn't see where she was going if she did, "And I can't twirl at the same time that I'm swimming." Well, she can twirl, sort of, but it's not easy and it's not very effective. "So, how're you doing?" Poor water-deprived apprentice.
Jhenero grins wryly, glancing back at the water once before answering. "Oh, I'm all right. I got to be the demonstrator for Shim's crawl class. That's a good thing, right?" He grins, a touch of pride showing through. Climbing the totem pole, you see... "Well, you could theoretically twirl anywhere, it's just sometimes more difficult, right? I mean, you might have to watch where you swing your arms or something. And you have to be careful not to fall if you're trying to walk at the same time." He nods knowingly. Not that he's tried it, of course. Ahem.
Jessa grins and nods. "That is a good thing." Especially if Shimmer is teaching. Because Shimmer is very nice and fun. And she's one of the nicer (and better) journeymen. Really. Jess nods to him, "Yup, I could twirl anywhere, theoretically." Except on the back of a firelizard.
Sarin swims smoothly in from the northeast.
Tseyrin swims in from the northeast.
Sarin strokes in from the depths, halting near the shore to squint at the people. "Is there a party going on? Or some sort of illicit, illegal, torrid... Thingy?" Marvel at her articulation skills.
Jhenero casts a nod and a smile up to Jessa, waves a greeting to Sarin, and opens his mouth - only to abruptly snap it closed again, smile fading as Tseyrin enters. Oh no, not /her/! And the day was going so well... "Hello, Journeywoman Tseyrin," he greets politely, attempting to smile but not managing to include his eyes in the slightest. Poor thing...
Jessa waves to Sarin, "Hello!" Jess looks around... why is it that folks continually think she's after young 'uns? First Tsey accused Jess of fraternizing with Lebryn, and now Srin thinks there's a torrid thingy going on? "Nothing torrid going on here," she calls back to the crafthead. Tseyrin? Scary lady! Eeek. Poor, poor Jhenero.
Tseyrin surfaces behind Sarin some distance, slicking back her wet hair with one hand. She swims in closer, keeping her head above water, and wades out. "Good afternoon, apprentices," she nods. Sarin is given a slight smile, "And Sarin. How are you this afternoon? I am sure they weren't doing anything of the sort -- /were/you/ Jhenero?" She turns to level a suspicious gaze on her 'favorite' apprentice.
"What about not-torrid? Like cold and damp and really /not/ the stuff of harper scrolls?" Naturally, that comment is to be blamed on Sarin. She turns around to grin at Tseyrin, "Oh, you never know. Always good to ask, as we /know/ they'd be honest about such things." With a sage nod, the insane one (Sarin) dunks down under the surface and swims up as close to shore as she can without 'beaching' herself.
Jhenero gulps visibly, shrinking down in his seat on the sand and looking as if he'd like to disappear right into it. "No, ma'am, of course not," he murmurs, smoothing still-damp hair back self-consciously. "We were just discussing..." He trails off, then starts again. Is twirling a stuffy-approved occupation? "I mean, Jessa just got here." He fingers his damp hair again, almost guiltily.
"Well, I don't know about cold, but I'm pretty damp," from swimming of course. No dirty thoughts here folks. Jess isn't into young 'uns like Jhen. Now /why/ do they keep thinking that Jess would be interested in little kids? Sick. Just sick. The senior apprentice defends herself, somewhat. "I just came here, and was going to practice twirling and swimming."
Tseyrin says, "Been eating any of those mollusks?" Tseyrin eyes Jessa, redirecting her suspicion for the moment. Sharding apprentices. Always up to something. Just a matter of figuring out what. "Damp?" She purses her lips. "Fraternizing again? Honestly, he's too young for you." Ah, but not to forget Jhenero, she turns back to him, "Of course, I know better than to expect anything less from /you./""
Sarin rearranges herself so that she is seated, upright, in the water, then scootches back so that it comes up to her chest. "Yes, yes, very good, carry on. Twirling? Well, this is a relatively good place for it, no furniture - we really must see about sawing off those corners - just watch out for rocks." The woman, symbol of authority as always, starts playing with the submerged sand at hand.
Jessa gives Srin a 'please help' look. Srin ought to know that Jess wouldn't be fraternizing. Especially with a little boy. "Fraternizing... no... but I was twirling." Twirling is fun. She nods at Srin, "Yeah, I'm careful of the rocks. They're worse than furniture." Speaking of which, "I haven't seen that many nice pieces of wood around here though."
Jhenero winces, a hurt expression passing over his face. Why, oh why couldn't he have just gotten in the water like a /normal/ person? Still, he perversely tries to back up Jessa's excuses. "Yeah, she just got here. Really." A faintly relieved expression dawns as he turns gratefully toward Srin. "Yes, why /haven't/ we gotten rid of those corners yet?" Oh, yes, change of subject. Very good. Tsey can't possibly get him now... right?
"Twirling," Tseyrin reiterates, to no one in particular. "Is that the new slang word you apprentices use for it?" She continues to glare, completely uncomvinced. "You do realize that is against the rules, for apprentices." Folding her arms, Tseyin taps her foot in the sand. "And this is the second time you've transgressed the craft's rules, Jhenero. Third if you count the fact that you were about to go swimming -- against my very specific orders. I think I'd better keep a much closer eye on you."
Sarin wrinkles her nose. "We lack the needed saws. I'll have to take a trip to the Smith hall, or /something/, and see about them. Or perhaps the hold has a few we could borrow..." She appears to be lost in that thought for a moment, then snaps her gaze back up to Jessa. "Fraternizing? No, of course you weren't. I'm sure you were both being terribly well behaved." A pause, and she peers at Tseyrin, "I thought you said he could go in the water if there was someone of rank present?" She could emphasize this more by waving her charms about, but does not get that idea. Instead, Sarin keeps playing with the sand.
Jessa fairly gapes at Tseyrin. Twirling is innocent. At least, Jess twirls with innocent intentions. It's purely fun. Nothing innuendo-ish or illegal about it. Nor is there anything torrid about twirling. Really. Oh the poor Jhenero. He's really got it going for him. Luckily Jess has never really attracted the attentions of Tseyrin and her discipline. That would be horrible. Jess might flee.
The screams of agony can almost be heard, emitted from Jhenero's mind and face. Closer eye? Noooooooooooo! "Oh, ummm, well," he stammers for a moment, then pauses and tries to organize his thoughts. Okay, start at the beginning: "/Twirling/ is against the rules for apprentices?" he asks helplessly, completely clueless to what she's really thinking of. "But everybody does it... And.. and.. I... I mean, Sarin was right here. And you said a Journeywoman or up, right?" His voice is almost pitiful now, begging to be cut a little slack. "And I'll be fine, really. I'm sticking to the rules you said, really I am. You don't have to watch me any closer..." He cuts off, suddenly aware that he's beginning to sound panicked...
"Someone of rank, yes, but you got here at the same time I did, Sarin. He was planning on going in before either of us showed up," Tseyrin points out logically, already convinced of Jhenero's guilt. Nothing is going to change her mind, at this point. Jessa's chosen silence leaves Tse's attention focussed fully on the boy. "Yes, I think I do. Until I say otherwise, you will be my mentee." She folds her arms. "Until I am satisfied that you have learned proper decorum and respect, and adherance to the craft's rules. I will see to it."
Jessa continues to be silent then. Sssh, don't move. Then the Tse-monster won't see you. Oh the poor boy ... Tse's mentee! The horrors. Jess quietly takes a few steps away from Jhen and the scary journeyman.
Sarin stifles a giggle. "Well, planning on it... If we punished people based on things going on in their minds, we wouldn't have a craft," she points out, "He didn't actually /do/ anything wrong." And then the boy is claimed as a mentee, and Sarin dunks herself under the water to hide any potentially inappropriate reaction. A moment later she surfaces, adding, "Twirling's not forbidden, so long as it is actual twirling."
Jhenero stops dead - not even seeming to breath. "Wha.. wha..." he manages, then stops again, jaw working in vain. "Uhhhhhhh" His eyes flicker helplessly from side to side, finally focusing on Sarin with silent pleading. Oh, help! Don't let her get away with /this/ of all things... And as she ignores it, the last vestiges of hope remaining in his face fade away, leaving nothing but a picture of mourning and dread.
"Yeah, well, with those mollusks, twirling could get... dangerous," Tseyrin mutters quietly. But she is far more interested in Jhenero than harping on Jessa's tiwling. "Don't make sure a sour face, young man. Its unbefitting." Tying her wet hair back, she glances towards the hall. "I expect to see you first thing in the morning, we have much to talk about. I have a class to get to right now, however."
Tseyrin goes home.
Jessa is an innocent twirler, really. There is nothing dirty in her twirling. It's pure and real twirling. And now what do the mollusks have to do with anything? The senior apprentice shoots Jhenero a sympathetic look. He's doomed. The poor boy. At least she escaped unscathed.
Sarin watches Tseyrin retreat, then allows herself a sympathetic glance for Jhenero. "Sorry, dear. If you /really/ can't take it at some point, express an interest in exploration and I'll contrive a way to get you off somewhere for a few days. But don't tell her I said that." Srin's just glad she was already ranking when Tsey showed up.
Jhenero waits until Tseyrin is well out of sight, then rounds on the other two, anger and hurt vying for the prime spot on his face. "Can she /do/ that?" Well, obviously she can - she just did - but he has to /try/... "I mean, just make me her mentor like that? Don't you have to approve it, Sarin?" Oh yeah, /Jessa/ gets out without a scratch, he ends up with a new StuffyMentor. Great!
Jessa grins at Srin and then jumps back and away from the upset apprentice. Whoa. But ... the poor boy. Lucky Jess, she has such a nice mentor. And she only has infrequent dealings with the scary journeyman that just claimed Jhen as her mentee. Oh the poor boy.
Sarin shrugs, her expression suggesting that she /does/ feel sorry for the boy. "Well, yes, I'm afraid she can. Who takes who for a mentee isn't really for me to say... But she does know her stuff. You'll learn quickly, and then soon enough you'll be a journeyman too." This is Srin being reassuring. She's rather better at it when it comes to friends her own age.
Jessa will be a journeyman too, someday. And then ... she'll still be scared of Tseyrin. Jess looks around, and then takes a seat on the sand. Her ferret, who had been digging about the sand, bounds over to her and jumps into her lap.
Jhenero's shoulders slump, forehead creasing worriedly. That's the only way he can get out of it? "Journeyman?" he repeats, somewhat blankly, then gives a little laugh. "Oh, sure, I only have, what, 4 or 5 Turns of apprenticehood first?" He shakes his head, staring out over the water, then forces a small smile. "Well, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?" He pauses, quirking a grin. "So how do I keep her from killing me?"
Sarin shrugs weakly. "Behave yourself? Do what she tells you, don't get caught with girls, don't get caught in the water alone... Speaking of which, you /can/ come in; I'm here, so she can't yell at you."
Jessa listens to Sarin and can't help but giggle slightly. Oh the poor boy. In a low and soft voice she mumbles something about not breathing. The senior appy smiles and gently strokes her ferret, watching the poor, recently sentenced apprentice.
Jhenero mostly agrees with Jessa and privately decides to practice his lung capacity whenever he gets the chance... "Don't get caught with girls? Does that include..." he trails off, broad gesture including the whole situation that just occured. "I mean, she really just got here - I don't know what the fuss is about..."
"/I/ understand that," Sarin says, emphasizing the pronoun, "But Tseyrin is... Tseyrin. Just mind yourself when she's around, I guess." She shrugs, "I don't know. I was already a senior journeyman when she turned up at Ista, so..."
Jessa grins, and then leans back to lay in the sand. So nice and comfortable, she could sleep here every night really. "So, Jhen, if you're not allowed to go in the water without Tse or a ranker around, then how are you supposed to get all your swim lessons done?" Surely the rankers aren't always going to be around to watch and such, are they? Tse's orders seem a bit flawed. At least to Jess they seem rather harsh and flawed.
Jhenero shakes his head, letting out a long breath, then suddenly brightens as he belatedly registers what Sarin said about the water. "That's right, I /can/ swim right now, can't I?" And with that, he's up, heading down to the shoreline at a pace that barely classifies as a walk. Ahhh, water... "Well, I think the idea is that I'm supposed to get the rankers to teach me - or at least, to supervise or something." Or else he's just not supposed to get it done at all... Then there's no problem from Tsey's perspective...
Sarin fiddles with her charms, the crafthead and senior journey in particular. "I'll amend them. I'm going to given an executive order and say that you're allowed classes with senior apprentices too, Jhenero. Jessa, Shadis, Rallaei, Yythara, whoever else."
Yay for Sarin! The Crafthead saves the day, again. Jess sits up and leans on her elbows, a grin on her face. Although, how is the appy supposed to learn if he needs a ranker around to supervise when he's swimming. The boy has to practice, now doesn't he.
Jhenero's eyes acquire a small light of hopefulness as he slips into the water. "And you'll tell Tseyrin about this, right? And make /sure/ she remembers about it?" In other words, make her sign a legal document saying that she heard and understood your order...?
Sarin bobs her head. "I'll write up something and post it, and tell her too. If she says anything to you about it, let me know and I'll wave my charms at her," Srin promises. "Now come on, get wet. The water's lovely."
Jessa stretches in the sand, then shoos her ferret. The senior appy stands up, and leaves her towel on the sand. The ferret promptly curls up on it. Jess then goes down to the water and wades in, then plunks down near Sarin.
All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are © Anne McCaffrey 1967, 2000, all rights
reserved, and used by permission of the author.
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