Weyr, sweet weyr maybe? [Open]

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Smexith bungled his greeting as he lazily circled his way to the landing area. V'riy resisted the urge to smash his face off the spines of his dragon who had already done his best to call attention to himself, albeit it was less obnoxious than his usual methods. Leaning forward slightly as Smexith's wings caught the edge of an updraft, his hand slapped the dragon's shoulder affectionately. 'You really are a pain in my ass Smexith.' 

[smear:#23561d]'You love me really, V'riy. Afterall, think where you'd be without me'[/smear:#c67606:0] Smexith's smug tones earned him another slap, albeit a bit firmer than before. V'riy straightened up and shook his head. This dragon's vanity was going to be the death of him. He just knew it. With a sigh, V'riy's leaned back against the harness tightly secured at his hips, his brown eyes squinting against the light as they came into land. Smexith spotting a few greens sunning on the heights, crooned the flirtiest greeting possible as he back-winged to land properly. [smear:#23561d]'Free me already. I want to sun myself.'[/smear:#c67606:0]

'You mean go and flirt your massive dragon ass off.' V'riy snorted in amusement despite the sour look from the unusually colored bronze. 'Okay okay Sir grumps a lot. I'll free you, but keep it in your tail.' Smexith headbutted V'riy before he turned and leapt into the sky so that others could reveal in his beauty. V'riy's hands moved to lift the bags onto his shoulder before moving to tie his hair back as it was getting a little long for his taste, he'd have to find somewhere to cut his hair, trim his beard and WASH. Nothing reminds you of a long journey than smelling like onion rings and cheese. 

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That has to be the bronzer, Aleni mused to herself as she glanced down at the scrap of hide in her hands. Unnecessarily so- she'd read it enough times to memorize it, but still, it wouldn't do to bungle his or his dragon's name upon their first meeting. Bronzerider V'riy, the somewhat smudged writing said. Bronze Smexith- and the weyr they had been assigned. Aleni glanced up at the two just as the man's boots landed on the ground and he began to pull the straps from his dragon's body.

Riyo, as ever, was nearby, her body half shielding Aleni where her rider stood in the entrance, her green gaze peering at the two newcomers. He's very handsome, she commented, and Aleni muttered something not very nice. He reminds me of Dasiryth. This dragon was clearly not- his body was a darker shade of greenish bronze and his markings were very different, but still... Still.

Riyo's nose gently brushed her shoulder and then nudged. He is not. You should greet him.

She should; hanging back wasn't exactly proving her capability as a goldrider here. And this was what she'd been tasked with, so she might as well get to it. Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, Aleni strode toward the man- the dragon had taken off again, wide wings stirring dust as he launched- as if she hadn't been half-hiding in the shadow of the passage. "Bronzerider V'riy?" she asked, to confirm he was who she thought he was. "I'm Aleni of gold Riyobith. Welcome to Mavros."
@kickflare

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[smear:#23561d]"Such wonderful ladies enjoying the sun too, perhaps I can give you all good company~"[/smear:#c67606:0] Smexith crooned as charmingly as he muster, moving to settle himself on the rock, his wings semi stretched out so the light shone through the wing membrane to scatters the different colours on the ground. This bronze knew exactly how to display himself in the best light, although it was so clearly rehearsed and practiced that it was as smooth as silk in its execution and movements. 

V'riy heard a voice call his name, spinning neatly on his heel, he cocked his head before placing his bags at his feet and bowed deeply. "A pleasure Goldrider Aleni." V'riy straightened up with a boyish grin. "Thank you for the welcome. Its quite the Weyr you have here." He grinned her, his mannerism more casual and laid back but still respectful. "They told me that the West was hot, I have to admit, I didn't expect tropical weather coming in from High Reaches." He all but cackled sounding almost like a mad professor crossed with a schoolgirl. "I hope my transfer didn't come at a bad time for you, Weyrwoman." He grinned to her once more blithely, although his eyes flickered across her, taking note how she held herself and seemingly lack of will force behind her words and stance. This one was definitely not like any Goldrider he had encountered, although comparing this sweet girl to the raging bitches of High Reaches was highly unfair.  

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The man spun as Aleni called out and then bowed, a gesture of respect she hadn't expected and still wasn't exactly used to. Her hands twitched and she began to pick at the message hide, casting a glance down at it for a moment before sucking in a quick breath and raising her head again. "It's no problem at all," she replied, and smiled, nodding as he went on. She didn't know what the weather at High Reaches was like, but she did know it got pretty cold at Benden Hold; adjusting to the more humid climate of Mavros hadn't been easy, and even now she sometimes missed a wind not laden with moisture. Summers were the worst.

"I know what you mean," she replied with feeling. "It's quite the change. I hope it doesn't take too great a toll on you." Her hands dropped to her side, her gaze flicking to the bronze where he was posing, and the thought came that it wouldn't take long for the male to join in on the mating flights- unless, like Fath, he preferred only golds.

"Oh, no, it's..." Aleni started, only to break off and blink. He- he thought she was the Weyrwoman? A flush crept over her cheeks and she shook her head, left hand lifting to slap at the weyrling knots at her shoulder. "Oh, no- no, i'm still in training, I'm not the Weyrwoman... Um, sorry, I probably should have mentioned that when I greeted you- I'm sorry." She shuffled her feet, glanced down again, and then back up at him. "Um, but I suppose I am a Weyrwoman? Or, I will be? I was asked to show you to your weyr!" she tripped on, hardly giving him a chance to reply, her blush darkening so much she could feel it. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you where it is."
@kickflare

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V'riy chortled, grinning. "I'll adjust just fine." He just grinned watching her slap weyrling knots and the deny her ranking then trip to escape that line of conversion. He chuckled 'Dear Weyrwoman, whether you are in training, retired or the last gold to have the chance to become the main Weyrwoman. You ride a gold, therefore you are a Weyrwoman, whether it is junior ranking or not." V'riy grinned, "Maybe not THE Weyrwoman, but you are a Weyrwoman nonetheless." V'riy leaned down and scooped up his bags before moving to follow after her. 

"A good solid scrub would be a welcome change. I'm pretty sure I have salt where salt should not be." V'riy chortled again, moving to close the gap a little so they could speak. "So Weyrwoman in training, you wanna tell me about this Weyr? All I've heard is rumour and the opinions of some very close minded idiots." V'riy did try to make her comfortable since she seemed so nervous and unsure of her own standing. Maybe he could do something to help her... fill out her boots so to speak. Perhaps this was a far better move than he had originally thought, with everything being so packed in High Reaches, it seemed as though he had a chance to make a difference now, and perhaps helping this young goldrider fill her boots out was one way he could help. Only time would tell though. 

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This was her learning. Trying to, anyway, and it could only get easier with practice, right? She was still new to all of it; being a rider, being a gold's rider, getting used to all that came with it. And this was part of it. She couldn't banish the blush at her stumbling attempt at diplomacy, but it was kind of the bronzerider to offer his explanation of his greeting. Right: not the Weyrwoman, but a Junior all the same.

Riyobith blinked at Aleni as the young woman turned to go, and she gave the rose-hued gold a smile before beckoning to V'riy and setting off toward where his weyr waited. I'll see you at our weyr when we're done here, Riyo? she asked, and the gold hummed assent, watching as her rider stepped into the passage, well-lit glows playing across her as she walked.

Tell him about Mavros? What would he want to know- what had he heard from others? "I take it you're not one of them?" Aleni asked, a quick smile crossing her face as she glanced back at V'riy. "I'm glad. I've known a few of those too. Some of them reside here, too." She started to go on, to advise him to avoid K'ton if he didn't want to deal with the close-minded, but ended up cutting herself off. Teasing or not, she shouldn't mock the Weyrlingmaster; he might not be the most updated on ideas, but he was still a man worthy of respect for his teachings and experience.

"May I ask what you already have heard? Then I can tell you what bits are truth and which are rumors. Truly, at its heart Mavros is just like any other Weyr; we do our duty by our Holds as dragonriders should." What did it matter if some practices were strange to the narrow-minded, as long as they stayed true to their root purpose?
@kickflare

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V'riy grinned watching her trying to come to terms with it, perhaps responsibility scared the little goldrider. His grin grew larger seeing her blush, did the riders not engage in flattering their goldriders? It was a needed skill back in High Reaches and not flattering the goldriders would end up with you being put on some rather unpleasant duties. 

"Nope. I just transferred in from High Reaches." He smiled to her as he walked along with her through the dimly lit tunnel on route to where his weyr placement would be. The enquiry to what he's heard was unexpected but it was uncomfortable. He didn't agree with those thoughts and opinions but he'd be lying if it hadn't made him a little more cautious. 

"I don't agree with it.." V'riy started, looking to the gold rider with an apologetic smile. "But I heard that you have tossed out all the traditions. Blues take women are riders because they have no other choice, and that you encourage people to disregard the old ways." V'riy's eyes travelled up to the ceiling before he looked back to her. 

"I don't agree with that ideology. I'm a firm believer in the dragon chooses, as for dropping traditions, if they don't serve their purpose, they shouldn't be enforced." He chuckled. "I get the comfort value, but as Dragonriders, Pern depends on us to fight thread and keep their farmlands save from devouring swarm of thread. If dropping a few traditions helps us achieve, then I'm all for it." He sighed, running a hand through his curly black hair to try and tame it back out of his face. His nose wrinkling a bit as he got a big whiff of his armpits. Phew, he definitely need like a week's worth of scrubbing with soap sand and probably Smexith's brush. 

[smear:#23561d]"Oi! Keep my hide brush away from your smelly pits!"[/smear:#c67606:0]

V'riy couldn't help but crack up laughing, the indignation of Smexith's voice in his head just brought him to tears of laughter. Anyone would think his armpits were herdbeast dung!

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Aleni's face slipped into a frown as she listened, a roll of her eyes at the rumor-accusations leveled against Mavros by people who were clear across the world and had not the slightest idea what Mavros was actually doing. She was, at least, grateful that V'riy didn't seem to agree with them. She took a breath to reply, breaking off as the rider began to laugh; positively roaring in a way she hadn't seen from anyone, really, his whole body shaking with it and enough to tug a smile onto Aleni's face in response to the unbridled expression of hilarity. Something his dragon had said, perhaps? 

She responded without asking what he'd found so funny. "I suppose, elsewhere, they hold those traditions because they can. Mavros, though, we're a small Weyrhold doing the best we can with what we have. Yes, our blues- and even some browns- have chosen women as riders. But our Candidate ranks aren't as... expansive, as some other Weyrs, and perhaps that makes the difference?"

She paused for a moment, taking a moment to decide the fastest way before going on, both with her guidance and the conversation. "Most think the same way- dragon's choice and all that- but even though that can't be broken once made, there's all kinds who'll show their disapproval or try to stop it from happening in the first place. But A'zael won't let anyone else tell him what's best for Mavros, and as far as I'm concerned-" Weyrling she might be, but a goldrider and Junior in her own right- "I think he's doing just what needs to be done for the Weyrhold as a whole."
@kickflare

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[smear:#23561d]V'riy of Bronze Smexith[/smear:#c67606:0]

V'riy smiled as he walked with Aleni. "It doesn't really matter the how or the why. The dragon chooses the rider that fits them. So the girls that impressed blues and browns were always destined to impress the blues and browns in my books." V'riy stated, hoping that she understood his point of view well enough. He never understood why others took to judging how the dragons chose and why the riders would be judged so poorly as a result. It wasn't that long back that girls were only impressing golds and that golds were unable to fly except to mate. He remembered Lessa's ride from the Harper Tales well enough, plus doing through the old records, there was plenty recorded on it. He was glad such stupid ideals were not present in today's thinking. Wiping his eyes to clear the last of the laughter from earlier away, he gave an apologetic smile to Aleni.

"Smexith informed me that I was not allowed to use his hide brush to clear any of my own stink. Never thought i'd hear such indignance in a dragon's voice." V'riy chuckled, it was STILL hilarious to him.

"Perhaps once you've seen me where my Weyr is, I could find out what needs doing and put myself to good use, for Mavros." V'riy gave an easy smile, slipping a hand into his pocket. It would be nice to be useful, he had spent far too long stuck in the rut of being just another rider, he needed something to make him feel like he was putting into the Weyr.

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Aleni decided she liked V'riy. At least, this part of him, that was so willing to accept a dragon's choice without imposing his own close-minded ideals on what couldn't be changed anyway. It wasn't like Mizao or Karo had gone into the Hatching expecting to impress browns, but the browns had sized them up and found them perfectly acceptable as life-long partners, and no amount of distaste from people who mattered nothing to them meant anything. She smiled and nodded along with him. "That's what... well, not all of Mavros, but certainly the majority, think too."

She smiled again at the explanation of the joke. "Ah, well then, you shouldn't, if he's being so very insistent about it. And if you would like to bathe, I can show you the tubs before leaving you. Or perhaps I can introduce you to our Second, who could tell you anything you might want to know?" Her place was to show him to his weyr, help him get settled; she had nothing to do with Wing placements and the like that were important in their own right. "I don't think there's any rush, there's no scheduled Threadfall in the next few days, but I'm sure it would be good to know things like that as soon as possible?" And she finished the statement on a half-question, leaving the choice to V'riy as she glanced back at him.
@kickflare

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V'riy treated the young goldrider to a bright smile. "Perhaps anti-bigot lessons should be taught." V'riy's tones were thick of humour, internally though he knew that most would not change their minds on women impressing browns and blues because it was such a new commodity. Still, a dragon's choice should never be questioned, they knew more about what they needed in a rider than any person would never know. It felt a sour taste in his mouth that some thought themselves above the very creatures they bonded with and risked their lives to save the Holds and Pern itself from the devouring rain of Thread.

"I think perhaps a good wash then an introduction to the Weyrsecond would be good." V'riy grinned to her again, stripping his jacket off as the heat he was producing was getting unbearable. He was not designed for heat of summer at all. He had noted the woman was a little shy and awkward with him, why? He mused to himself, maybe she was still finding herself, although from what he had gathered, Mavros dragons impressed differently than back in High Reaches. Most of the Weyrwomen V'riy had met were strong willed, high handed and little cruel at times.