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Beli's Search


Date:  August 23, 2008
Place:  Igen Weyr's Store Rooms
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  Personally, I think Kassi would make a fine Pernese
Miss Cleo.  Kassi must be of the same mind since she's interested in 
learning the fortune-teller's arts from Beli, but Lysseth forestalls
any lessons, and any more seeking of vests, when she makes a 
prediction of her own.

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The Log:

You walk into the storage room.

Beli is short. Or at least, seems to be short in this moment, despite her
best efforts - on tiptoes, on a crate, leaning northward - as she attempts
to remove a stack of garments from a tall shelf in the clothing section.
The process is made more difficult by the fact that she's already wearing
more than necessary: at least three vests layered atop the one that's
actually her own. And yet, she manages, and remains standing on the crate
as she sorts through the discovered pile. It appears to be more vests.


Beli:
Beli is a young girl of maybe seventeen turns, with eyes about the size of
saucers and a sleek mass of very straight, dark hair that is divided into
dozens of thin braids all over her head. Her skin is pale and unfreckled,
and her enormous eyes (which considerably dwarf her other, less appalling
features) are a pale shade of blue, like paint mixed with too much water.
She wears a calf-length sundress done in shades of red and coral, with a
floral and paisley allover print. Over that she's donned a
loosely-crocheted white vest that's rather grandmotherly, like an overlong
cardigan somehow lacking its sleeves. She's barefoot, or wearing sandals if
she must. Were she a very old woman, she'd seem a bit strange; even so
young, 'eccentric' seems to fit.


Kassima is tall, and her sunhat with its sash and the sparkling brooch
pinned to it only make her... more ostentatious, if not much taller. "D'you
need help with those?" she calls, spotting Beli's quest for the vest soon
after she enters. Vests aren't what she's after, but she heads that way
anyway to lend a hand--or at least get a better look. "Shells, aren't you
hot?"

Noting the greenrider's hat with obvious admiration, Beli pauses in her
perusal for vests, so many vests, to reply, "Hello, Kassima. A little. But
it's really the only way. Your hat is just lovely."

Touching the broad brim, Kassi grins. "Thankee kindly. I've been tempted
t'stick a bunch of earrings on it, once I saw how the brooch looked. Only
the thought of complaints from everyone it dazzled blind have stopped me so
far," and for that, an entire Weyr can be grateful. "The only way for
what?" she wonders, and considers all those layered vests anew. "'Tis an
interesting look, but you can't see the ones underneath so well with the
others on top."

IGEN-> Kassima sings, to the tune of 'Be My Guest' and courtesy of the
Simpsons, "See my vest, see my vest, made from real gorilla chest," because
Beli's gotten it stuck in her head and she believes in sharing the wealth.

IGEN-> Tannusen ews. :P

IGEN-> A'deth applaude.

IGEN-> Beli laughs :)

IGEN-> Lanisa fears :)

IGEN-> R'din says, "Wow. I thought I was the only one that spouted
nonsense. ;)"

"Oh, no," Beli replies, "I wouldn't wear them all at once. But," removing a
yellow number from her current pile and slipping it overtop, "It's the best
way to see which one fits." 'Fit' probably meaning something else to Beli
than it does to most people trying on clothes. "Yes," she nods, "Definitely
the green one," and starts removing layers until she reaches said green
vest. "The brooch is very nice," she adds, stepping down from the crate.
"Was it expensive?" What a question.

"If'n they fit over you and three other vests," Kassima points out, though
she sounds dubious--who knows but there may be reason here whereof her
reason knows nothing?--"they won't fit very well when you wear them alone.
Unless too big's the idea. You haven't seen any desert robes around while
you looked, by chance?" It's always easy to distract the woman with
questions about jewelry. "Probably!" What an answer. "'Twas a gift from
Sria, together with this one on m'shoulder, for being her assistant last
Weyrling class. I'm thinking 'tis an even better present than a whip
would've been."

Salitra walks in from the hallway.

"It will fit," Beli assures her. You know, in case Kassima's real worried
about it. In fact, the green one - located somewhere in the middle -
doesn't fit, probably because it's a man's vest. Beli's already folded it
carefully, however, and set it apart from the others. "Desert robes? No,
but I've not looked. Maybe on one of the higher shelves. - Oh," she nods.
"She does give good gifts, I think. A whip, hm." She seems to consider that.

Salitra hums a happy tune to herself as she looks around the room.

Salitra smiles when she sees Beli and Kassima

Kassima's eyes linger on the vest. Clearly, she has doubts of this. But:
"I'm hoping t'find a *lot* of 'em," she says instead of arguing, "enough
for the whole Candidate class once 'tis filled out. Mayhaps a bit of a long
shot, and still the best idea I had. If'n they aren't here I might have
t'go pester the Hold. Hey! While I'm thinking about it--are you planning
any fortune-tellings between now and the Hatching?" Standing by Beli near a
shelf laden with vests, the woman is slow to notice they have company, but
that hum eventually clues her in and she turns to wave in greeting. "G'day,
g'dafternoon."

 Laughing to herself, as not trying to be rude, Salitra smiles and replies,
"Hello!"

"Sorry to intrude, I'm just walking around a little, and I decided I wanted
a belt, but I'm not of any Weyr yet." Salitra explains.

Kassima shakes her head quickly and offers an equally quick smile. "Nay
intruding. But the belts in our Stores are meant for the people who live
here--'tisn't right t'take one otherwise."

 Nodding in understanding, Salitra replies, "I understand, I pretty much of
thought so, but I decided to at least ask."

Kassima's greeting prompts Beli's own, who looks around to lift a hand to
the new arrival, nodding as she speaks. "Welcome to Igen, then." To
Kassima, "But not candidate robes?" she gestures toward the somewhat flimsy
supply of white fabric, lumped together in one corner, though it takes her
a moment to locate. She thinks about the question, and nods, "I believe
very soon I'll be feeling able to do another evening. But I can't speak to
much involving the Hatching, you know. Do you think you'd like another
reading?"

 Salitra starts to realize that she is hungry and says a quick "Good-bye, I
think I'll go get something to eat."

 Whistling a happy tune, Salitra turns and silently walks out to the other
room.

Salitra heads out to the inner caverns.

"Nay harm in asking," Kassima agrees, "and aye, welcome t'Igen.
A'course--enjoy your meal!" She flashes another smile; she turns back to
Beli afterwards. "They'll need those eventually, but nay for this. I'm
thinking of a camping trip out in the desert. 'Twould! Your last one proved
accurate enough, y'know, minus the ovine falling on me on the twelfth day.
And I always want t'be knowing which of our Candidates is due t'devour
Lords Holder." The older woman tips her head to the side. "Does anyone ever
do a reading for you?"

Beli tilts her head, puzzled. "Ovine - oh," she smiles, then, getting the
joke. "I'm glad you were pleased. I don't tend to remember everything, you
know, it's not my business most of the time, but Sherri always said it was
rather accurate. Depending of course on who's counting." She nods, then,
"Mmm. Sherri - my ma - and my gran, they taught me, and they've read mine
in the past. It's been a few Turns now, I suppose."

Kassima clarifies, "You told me positive change was coming, and the
misfortune was in m'past. I couldn't ask for a better change than having
A'deth." She tries not to grin foolishly, she does, and succeeds at least
in reducing it to a lopsided, goofy smile that might embarrass her if she
knew how it looked. Then again, maybe it wouldn't. "How," she asks, "d'you
go about it? When you're first learning? D'you pick up someone's hand,
or--could you show me? Mayhaps give me yours."

Beli can't help but smile, what with Kassima's expression. "If I'd ever
done his cards, I might've been more specific," she laments, though it's
light - possibly even humorous, for her. Then she looks at the rider more
closely, "You'd like to learn?" She holds out her hand readily enough -
perhaps it's reflex after so many Turns of demanding to see other 
people's - though notes, "The storage caverns isn't the right sort of 
environment. I've never taught anyone before, but I know that much."

The idea of A'deth getting a reading appeals to Kassi. "'Twill try and lure
him along to the next out of sheer curiosity. He'd better nay be having
some of W'adru's fourteen babies, that's all I can say--" She does not
appear terribly concerned by the possibility. "'Twould be something
interesting t'know," she says, and means it. Taking Beli's hand to hold
lightly and peer into, and never mind that she doesn't know what to look
for: "What's the right sort? And this line here," the lifeline, "what does
it mean?"

"Oh, well, if Wall doesn't get started soon, I'm not sure that's not going
to change. It's just to prove me wrong, I think." Beli grins. "Most
troublesome." She seems, of all things, in need of convincing: "You're
really interested to learn? The right sort's more open - we used to do over
the meal table, but the living caverns I imagine would hold too many
skeptics." She smiles a little: those poor, hapless skeptics. Missing out
on so much. Then she uses her other hand to hold Kassima's still, and turns
her examined hand so they're palm-to-palm. "The lines are easy. Life,
heart, spirit. But they're tricky, they don't hold fast. The real truths
are in the knuckles and veins," she points, "and the shape of the hand.
This way, too," indicating their palms, "you're more connected." She pauses
for a moment, then: "Are you interested in the cards, too?"

Kassima muses, "Since he's a man, he could always wait until he's a hundred
and then go on a randy spree and sire fourteen children in one Turn. I'm
having trouble picturing that...." Some image of lecherous ancient Wall
creeps in despite herself, however. She shudders. "I don't think I want
t'picture that. I really am interested. Err, in learning, nay in randy
sprees." Obediant, the rider doesn't move her hand beyond to stretch out
the fingers and leave the palm clear for viewing. "Is it the future it
tells, the shape. Or more about the person in the present? I'd like
t'understand the cards." There might've been more to say, but she breaks
off and gets that look--that 'listening to a voice not there' look of
slight distraction. "Lysseth's of the mind she can tell the future without
cards or hands."

Beli is perhaps a little scandalized by that notion, but covers gaily:
"Randy sprees aren't half so interesting, I can tell you that much." She
makes a face, "Especially Wall's." She nods, "It's more about the person in
the present, but you'd be surprised by how much we don't know of ourselves,
now or at any point. Seeing that can indicate other factors, other forces
at work on the person." She reclaims her hand, "Like the positive, the
happiness, for you. Cards are a bit more straightforward," as she considers
the teaching part of this, "though they're still as much about reading the
person as about reading the cards." She tilts her head, for Lysseth's
input: "Really?"

"You can tell a person's future," Kassima supposes, "by knowing what
they're like, deep down. A man who's always angry isn't going t'turn happy
soon. A woman who spends everything she has isn't likely t'end up rich. Is
it like that?" Although that brings another thought, possibly less
profound: "So does Wall's hand say he's a lecher?" The rider lets Beli's
hand go; her own, she examines for a moment and then hooks the thumb
through her belt. "Aye. According t'Lysseth, your future involves a white
robe, hot Sands, and an endless parade of latrines, and she's very
insistant this is *future*, nay past."

Beli's smile is slow, and somehow more adult - for a moment, she looks
every inch her Turns and beyond, despite those eyes and however many vests.
"It's like that, yes. In part. I think you might have a talent for this,
Kassima." The next, she laughs, "No. Wall's a good - friend. He still may
have thirteen or fourteen children, one day, though hopefully not at one
hundred." The next, she straightens a little, regarding the rider, "I -
that sounds an awful lot like past, to me."

Judging by Kassima's own smile, she takes this as praise. "I've mayhaps
some practice. 'Tis helpful t'know about a person a'fore you lay wagers on
what sort of thing they'll do or how their situation will end. You don't
suppose any will be with Ashryl?" She sounds even more dubious about that
than the fit of vests, but the note of uncertainty leaves her voice when
she straightens as well--the moment seems to call for it. "Sometimes the
past repeats itself, I'm thinking, if'n we let it, sometimes with different
results. Other times, the same... I can't guess that far. Neither can Lyss,
though in Searching she tries."

That seems to make sense to Beli, the talk of wagers, until that next
brings her around too quickly: "Ashryl! No!" She laughs briefly, an odd
sort of sound, and then says, "I should tell him that, just to see his
face." She considers, but her amusement fades. And further, for the next:
"Well, yes, sometimes folks stand more than once, but - well, last time,
that was just..." she trails off, at a loss, especially once the big S-word
comes out. "Searching." And then: "Faranth's toes. Dragons don't make sense
at /all/."

Kassima asks hopefully, "Tell me about it if'n he sprays klah all the way
across the room? Better yet, tell him when I'm there t'see it?" Poor
W'adru; his distress is a spectator sport. Kassi shifts her weight, leans
her shoulder against the shelf with all its vests, and regards Beli with
serious eyes. "They see something in you they think might suit a dragonet.
I don't think any of us knows what that *is*, mind. Else we could do it
without 'em. D'you want t'give it another try?"

Beli promises with a nod, but the rest has her attention now - and that's
getting another nod, a different kind of promise. "I don't - I can't read
them, at all. I always liked the ones I knew, the ones in the family, but I
never knew a thing about them I wasn't told. People are easy, but dragons
-" she lifts her shoulders, and smiles a little. "I suppose I'll trust your
Lysseth with this reading, then. Thank her for me."

"Mayhaps 'tis their having so little memory, so nay much past either, in a
way," Kassi muses, caught by this question. "I could predict Lysseth's
future, possibly, having had her in m'head so long. I don't know how well
you can ever know another person's dragon. A'deth might tell me about
Jaelith, or Lyss about Taralyth. 'Tisn't the same." She shakes off the
thought--shaking her head, as if to physically dispel it--then matches with
a grin of her own that's all genuine pleasure. "She says you're welcome.
Y'know the way to the Barracks, but I can escort you there... or you could
go later, if'n you like. When you've found all the vests you need."

IGEN-> Kassima welcomes Beli to the Candidate horde! Ask her about 1.) The
future, and 2.) Her vests! ;)

IGEN-> Tannusen :O! "Congrats! ...Vests?"

IGEN-> Iesia snickers. Welcome!!

IGEN-> Iesia says, "And, yeah, Congrats!!"

IGEN-> A'deth greets!

IGEN-> Lanisa congratulates Beli! "Any ovine in our future?" ;)

IGEN-> Sylotra says, "Grats, Beli!"

"Well, I'm certainly going to need a few more, now." Beli says, as if
candidacy and vests were interminably linked. "I think I'll get my things
together, and go a bit later, if that's all right."

IGEN-> Beli says, "Thanks all :) Vests and ovines to be determined."

IGEN-> R'din says, "Congrats!"

Kassima suggests, "White ones, if'n they've got any. That's fine. You'll
start chores tomorrow after lunch, since ordinarily you'd have today free
t'settle but Lyss struck late-ish, again, some more." She gives the shelf
of vests one last, rueful look: it'd be too convenient if the robes were
also there. "I'm Coordinating again, so let me know if'n there's aught you
need."

"White," Beli nods, "white." Then there's something about 'used to be
white' and then she nods. "Tomorrow after lunch. I'd have regular chores,
anyway. Thank you, Kassima. I've got to write a letter, I think. Gran was
right again. 'White'." And then she's off.

"I want t'hear sometime what she was right about!" Kassi calls after the
departing Candidate, before undertaking her own quest for nomad wear.