It's All Shiny And New

Writers: Aaron, Halyonix
Date Posted: 15th October 2024

Characters: S'kand, O'dyn
Description: O'dyn has a delightful talk with S'kand
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 24 of Turn 11

Notes:
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}: Hello Jagobroth! :{ Genireth greeted, ambling up to the bronze with a proud arch to his neck. Even though he had to crane his head up, up, up to see the full length of the older dragon.

}:Hello, Genireth!:{ Jagobroth returned the greeting. He was pleased and amused to speak to the little one. }:What can I do for you?:{

}: Oh, nothing! I'm here to have a bath and then an oiling and since I'm right next to you, I'd thought I'd say hello! :{ Genireth swiveled his head around and located his young rider, who was running as fast as he could with a bucket full of bathing implements. }: That's my rider, O'dyn. He's new too. :{

S'kand waved to O'dyn once Jagobroth has directed his attention there. He supposed it was for the best that Kariskan was not there to play the horn-blue. Genireth was too young for O'dyn to have to worry about that.

"Fair skies, O'dyn. How is weyrling life treating you so far?"

"It's great!" the little weyrling said though he was out of breath. "It's a lot of work but it's great!" Genireth made it great! He beamed at his little dragon proudly. "I know he's not going to get as big as...um...uh oh."

}: Jagobroth, :{ Genireth supplied.

"Jagobroth! As big as Jagobroth but was Jagobroth ever this little?"

"Maybe not quite, but close. Jag was a gangly thing when he hatched. All limbs, neck, and tail," said S'kand.

Genireth sniffed. }: I am certainly not...that word. Gangly, :{ he remarked to his rider. }: Gangly. What an odd-sounding word. Gangly. :{

O'dyn hid a giggle behind his hand. "He likes to try out new words," he tried to whisper to S'kand. Privately, this thrilled O'dyn because he _also_ liked words so he was extra happy that his dragon was trying them out too! "Did Jagobroth do that too?"

"Jag always seemed to find exactly the words he was looking for," said S'kand. "As long as I already knew them." He was a hunter, and of more than just prey to eat. He could hunt and catch just about any thought or memory in S'kand mind with equal ease, as long as he was not putting up a chase.

"I suppose there might have been a time or two when I learned something new and he took a moment to savor the taste of it."

"That's what it feels like! Everything's new!" O'dyn exclaimed. "Even things that I've done before they feel...they just feel new because Genireth gets to experience them for the first time now! Did you feel that too?"

S'kand chuckled.

"It was a long time ago, but to hear you speak of it, I remember it as though it were only yesterday. Aye, we felt it, too. I imagine every rider does."

"How long ago was it for you?" O'dyn immediately asked. "Oop, sorry, if that was rude!"

This time, S'kand bellowed with laughter.

"Not at all, lad; there's no shame in age." In fact, these days, age was more a blessing than it ever had been before Thread returned. "Jagobroth is thirty Turns old."

"Whoa," O'dyn whistled. "I can't imagine being thirty. That's over twice my age!"

"Practically ancient, eh?" said S'kand. "Did you spend much time around my boys when you were a Candidate? One is about your age, and the other is a bit younger."

He suspected Kariskan would have mentioned O'dyn at dinner if they had, but he had been reserving his crushes for older boys lately, and he did not tend to ramble on and on about friends as much as he did potential... kissing partners.

And Lestondric was probably a bit too young for O'dyn to want to hang around him at all.

But O'dyn shook his head. "No sir! I was an apprentice at Printer Hall -- have you been there? It's great! I was an apprentice but not for long before I got Searched and then I was only here a sevenday before I Impressed so all of this is really, really new to me but really great. I wouldn't change it!" He paused for a second, thinking something over, before adding, "Except books. The Weyr needs more books."

"Hardly any waiting at all, eh?" asked S'kand. "Well, if it's books you're after, you'll likely want to talk to the Headwoman about that. Or someone on her staff. I could introduce you to my weyrmate, if you like."

"Your weyrmate has books??" O'dyn asked eagerly.

"Well, she can help you get some, anyway," said S'kand.

"That'd be great! We're supposed to get our own weyr one day and I want _lots_ of books. Books I've never read before! I'm going to start a collection, I think. Once I get done with weyrlinghood. Maybe make my own _library_!" O'dyn grinned at S'kand brightly. "Who's your weyrm--- I mean, may I ask your weyrmate's name please?" Manners! Manners were important! He needed to remember his manners, even when he was excited!

"Of course. Her name is Ristalle." S'kand smiled. He could not help but wish Kariskan, too, would spend his time as obsessed with books as he was with boys.

"Ristalle, Ristalle, Ristalle," O'dyn repeated. "That's a nice name. I like it. I hope I get to meet her soon. Maybe after weyrling training. There's a _lot_ going on. I'm trying to keep up! I think I'm doing okay. Gen? What do you think?"

}: Genireth, :{ the blue dragon corrected his rider. }: You're doing just fine. We're both learning quickly! :{ He canted his head up to look at Jagobroth. }: Did your rider learn quickly? :{

S'kand just grinned and let O'dyn have his moment with Genireth. It seemed he had a lot to say.

}:S'kand knows everything,:{ said Jagobroth. }:And he always has.:{

"Err... Well, that might be how Jagobroth remembers it, Genireth" said S'kand. "But there's always more to learn. No one has enough time to learn everything."

}: My rider wants to. And will! :{ Genireth said with a proud puff of his chest as he spoke through the older dragon. }: He loves words. Big words. The biggest words I've ever heard. I don't remember them all but he does. :{

"I was an apprentice at Printer Hall," O'dyn explained proudly to S'kand. "Well. Not for long. But long enough! I learned a lot there and when I get done with weyrlinghood and Genireth and I can fly together, I'm going to take him there so that he can see what a dictionary looks like!"

}:I prefer deeds to words,:{ said Jagobroth. }:For myself. But. I have been known to enjoy the words of others.:{

"Maybe Ristalle can help you get your hands on one sooner than later," said S'kand.

O'dyn's eyes widened. "You really think so? She has a dictionary _here_??"

"Well. I don't know whether she already has one or not," said S'kand. "But she knows how to get one. I'm not sure whether she'd think that the Weyr really needs one, but it can't hurt to ask."

"That would be AWESOME!" O'dyn squealed. "Genireth, did you hear that? I could show you a dictionary sooner than graduation!"

}: He's really excited about this dictionary, :{ Genireth said the Jagobroth. }: Are dictionaries that awesome? :{

}:What's a dictionary?:{ asked Jagobroth.

**It's a book that explains the meanings of words.**

}:That doesn't soundâ€":{

**Just let them be excited.**

}:Well. If it's interesting to you, then it's interesting.:{

"You just let me know when I can meet her!" O'dyn said to S'kand, unaware of the conversation going on. "I mean, please. If that's okay."

"Of course. I'll ask her tonight when she might have a moment to come talk to you," said S'kand. "And I'm sure she'll talk to R'lor first."

For a moment, the youngster blanked as to why R'lor would need to be involved in finding a dictionary. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "Oh, because R'lor is like...like my Wingleader right now! Like you are! Except, he's a Weyrlingmaster but he's kind of the Wingleader of the weyrlings, right?"

"You got it!" S'kand chuckled. He was not sure whether R'lor would take objection to Ristalle wandering in unannounced to talk to a Weyrling she did not know, but it was best not to assume.

Satisfied, O'dyn beamed as he looked at Genireth, who was practically gleaming with oil and cleanliness. "I think we're good here! Okay, let's get to class before we're late. Thanks, S'kand. Um. I mean, Wingleader!"

"You're welcome." S'kand smiled. Genireth really did look quite impressive. "Good luck to you both."

Last updated on the October 17th 2024

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It's All Shiny And New