-------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Power of Paranoia Date: Who Knows? Place: Benden Weyr Living Cavern Game: PernMUSH Copyright Info: The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern. Starratiel says "Hi all."" R'val waves towards Kassi and Aph as he sits down, "Hey, you two troublemakers." He grins. Caitria walks here from the Inner Cavern. R'val waves Caitria over with a grin, "Tria, hey!" Caitria wanders in, with a yawn and a wave, looking a bit rumpled. "Heyla." Linnea walks here from the Inner Cavern. Fiona returns R'val's smile, "I was just looking for something to drink." She waves to the sudden crowd. Caitria joins R'val and the Dynamic Duo. Linnea wanders in, smiling to herself. Aphrael chuckles amusedly. "Troublemaker? Me?" She fiddles with her pouch. "I brought some herbs, just in case." R'val grins at Fiona, 'I suggest Benden red. Tis excellent." Linnea snags a small glass of wine and sits down at a table out of anyone's way. Fiona winces, "I was thinking more along the lines of klah. No more wine for me. Least not for a while." Kassima laughs. "Troublemakers? Us?" She slides into a seat at the Thunderbolt table, grinning at the bluerider. "Told you I wouldn't fall asleep in here yestereve and let you get revenge." Caitria mutters to herself. Kethran walks here from the Inner Cavern. R'val grins at Fiona, "Klah is good. "He agrees. Kethran meanders in from the Inner Caverns, looking quite un-weary and cheerful, for a change. He waves to everyone, favoring each with a blithe grin, as he pours a mug of juice and plops into a seat. R'val grins at Kassima impishly," I shall get you yet, Kassima!" Aphrael takes the pouch back up, heading over to the klah pot. Her back is to the crowd, so you can't see if she adds anything or not - she does pour herself some klah though. Caitria yawns, idly listening and watching as she smooths a bit of hair back into place. Kassima glances at Aph curiously, then wrinkles her nose at R'val. "I'm too wary for you, bluerider!" Linnea glances at Caitria, "You ever find those bovines? Aphrael flashes an innocent type grin at Kassi as she sits back down, pouch of herbs tucked away neatly. "Wonder if I should have some stew.." she mutters. R'val waggles a finger at Kassima, grinning, "We shall see!" Caitria nods at Linnea, with a grin at Aph. "Well...didn't find them, no. But I heard what happened to them." R'val glances at Caitria again and smiles, "So how's it going, Tria?" Fiona follows Aphrael over to the klah pot, pouring herself a mug as well without much though. She drops into the nearest seat she can find, leaving her mug on the table to cool. Starratiel says "What happened?" Aphrael blushes and groans. "We'll never live it down." She busies herself drinking her klah. Linnea says "What happened?" Kassima, of course, has no intention of touching the klah--so little does she care what Aph does to it. Except that she keeps an eye on those drinking it, to see the results. "You shall see, indeed. You'll see that you haven't a chance of revenge. And if you try it...." She flashes grins at Aph and Tria. "We can always gang up on you again." Caitria sips her juice. "Well enough. Just woke up....obviously." She grins slightly at Aph. "A'course not. You and Pref snatching the bovines, and Kassi slaughtering the wherry. What /is/ it with you guys and my animals." She shakes her head a bit at Kassi. "'Fraid I'm going to have to pass, tonight." R'val mock-trembles at Kassima's words, 'NO..no..you wouldn't! R'val flashes a grin at Caitria, "THANK you," He says heartily. Aphrael manages to look slightly shocked. "I didnt *snatch* it! It was Prefeth!" That's good. Blame it on him. Linnea wrinkles her nose, "They stole them??" Kassima turns a faint shade of red at Tria's words. "Sorry, Tria," she says for about the fortieth time, then mock-pouts. "Awwww. Well, maybe Meli will help--I'll ask her if I see her." Caitria shakes her head. "I'm not angry about it any more, Aph. No worries." She nuhuhs at Linnea. "Just ate them. Prefeth did, rather. Unlike some folks, Aph isn't into rare meat." She winks at Kassi. Linnea wrinkles her nose, "Still, not nice, and they coulda told you." Caitria nods. "They did....eventually." R'val grins sidelong at Kassima, "Well, we do have some rather odd greenriders around here. They do the strangest thing swhen proddy." He grins at Kassi teasingly. Linnea sighs and shrugs, "I guess." Kassima shakes her head with a rueful grin at Tria, and snorts at R'val with amusement. "Hey, if you ever got proddy, I bet you'd be strange too." Caitria nods at R'val's words. "Faranth help us when Veyath rises again." She chuckles at Kassi, agreeing. Aphrael looks up and shrugs. "Well, I have two sevendays under Tria for it now." R'val grins at Kassima amiably, 'That's not likely!" He exclaims, then grins at Caitria, "I'll second that!" He says, fervently. Benden Weyr> Caitria hms. If we painted Vidarth green, would R'val get proddy? Kassima laughs wickedly. "Remind me to tell all my greens to hatch many little green fire-lizards to Impress to you, R'val. Then we'll see." Benden Weyr> Kethran imagines a proddy R'val, and shudders. Benden Weyr> Starratiel says, "And if we painted her gold, would she lay eggs?" Benden Weyr> N'ren says, "He already does a pretty good job of it." Benden Weyr> F'hlan mutters dire rumors of R'val having been brainwashed by Kassima. Don't give her ideas, people. Benden Weyr> R'val mwhahahahhhahahahas. R'val glances at Caitria and grimaces, "Hope it didn't inconvenience you." Caitria shakes her head. "Nah, not really." She murmurs something about burying oneself in hidework...or attempting to. Benden Weyr> Kassima evilgrins. Linnea slips out Linnea walks towards the inner cavern. R'val laughs softly as he overhears Caitria. Kassima erks. "All of 'em, Tria? How many d'you have?" Fiona scoops up her klah mug then moves toward the exit, murmuring something about timezones. Fiona walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Caitria shakes her head. "Just one, actually. Meso. And I've three...two greens and a blue." She grins a bit. "Got the blue here, from one of Ely's clutches, back before I apprenticed." R'val grins at Caitria, "really? Funny coincidence, that." Kassima grins. "Greens and blues are the best fire-lizards," she agrees. Starratiel says "They're cool..." Kethran leans back, letting the flow of conversation around him soothe him after the day's work. Lal walks here from the Inner Cavern. Lal waves. "allo." Starratiel says "Hi!" Kassima waves to Lal with a smile, sipping at a mug of citron she has somehow acquired. Lysseth> Pliarth warblegreets the other dragons. Lysseth> Lysseth rumbles a quiet reply. Ryialla walks in from the bowl. Salless straightens the chairs of the Living Cavern to make the place more aesthetically pleasing. Aphrael waves over at Lal and pulls her klah closer to her, absently watching the pot. Lysseth> Prefeth warbles a greeting to Pliarth. Kassima looks over to Ryi and waves to her as well, peering curiously at Aph. "What's wrong with the pot?" Ryialla wanders in and makes a vtol-line for the klah pot, not even noticing Aph staring at it. Aphrael waves over at Ryi and blinks back at Kassi. "Hrm? Nothing!" She pulls out some of her hides, smoothing them out on the table, then watches closely as Ryi heads for the pot. Caitria peers at Aph, then the klah pot. "Y'know...I'm kinda glad I can't drink klah," she murmurs. Lal HMMS? "Th'pot's dirty?" Benden Weyr> Aphrael giggles and makes everyone paranoid about the klah :) Ryialla stops. "What about the pot?" Kassima grins at Tria. "I'm kind of glad I just don't drink klah." Lal says "I dunna either. But I still want t'knwo what happened to th'pot!" Aphrael blinks innocently. "-Nothing- is wrong with the klah." She emphasizes. Lal says "Shards, I need eats regardless." Lal heads for a table, caling for food politely. Ryialla shakes her head and pours herself a nice big ol' mug. Heck, if she can survive Salless' herbed rolls.. R'val sips at his klah, and watches the activity in the cavern. He waves as he spots Ryialla entering. Ryialla dumps in her usual bowlful of sweetner and settles in at the Skyfire table. Salless humms as she roots through the kitchen, preparing Lal's bubbly. Finally, she returns, and gives it to her, saying "Sorry that took so long. I had to make it from scratch." Rylan walks here from the Inner Cavern. Caitria blinks at Ryialla's sweetener, and shakes her head slightly. Lal nods. "Thankee Salless." She eats. Rylan toddles in and makes a straight line for Ryialla. Aphrael hrms over at Ryi. "Wonder if that'd negate it.." She murmers, then catches herself, looking back down at her hides. Caitria peers curiously at Aph, then shakes her head...sticking to her juice, yupyup. Ryialla grins at her son. "Heyla, kiddo." R'val leans towards Tria and murmurs to her, He mutters to Caitria, "... you... today? Any..." Rylan stands in front of his mommy and looks around. He waves cheerfully to everyone in the cavern. Caitria sighs, starting to look perhaps a bit irritated. She mutters to R'val, "Habout... a deal, R'val. If... problems,..." Snappish? Nahhh. Kassima smiles and waves to Rylan, studying a rather rumpled-looking hide and looking rather distracted. She's also keeping one eye on that klah pot. Aphrael grins over at Rylan, using the excuse to watch Ryi and her klah without being noticed. Ryialla takes a sip of her klah. R'val almost flinches at Caitria's tone and nods, He mutters to Caitria, "... get..." Rylan climbs onto his mommys lap and looks content to just sit there and watch everyone. Caitria sighs again. She mutters to R'val, "... the... necessary,... guess... best... moods." She shakes her head, then, with the slightest of grins. "When I figure out who did this to me..." Kassima chuckles at Tria. "Blame the water," she advises. "It's always the water that does it. With help, of course." Caitria nods to Kassi! "I'd finally decided that it was superstitious nonsense and actually drank the klah...and /this/ happened. I'm a believer!" She grins. R'val grins wryly, He mutters to Caitria, "I certainly... don't find out... me..." Caitria chuckles. She mutters to R'val, "... I don't know. It..." She winks. Lal leaves the conversation alone. Kassima laughs. "I've always been a believer. Too many times have drinkers of the water wound up expecting for it to be coincidence." Ryialla strokes Rylan's hair, occasionally pausing to take drinks from her mug. She also seems content to just sit there. R'val winks at Caitria mischeviously, He mutters to Caitria, "... distrust... my dear." Caitria chuckles. "And well you should, R'val." Aphrael chuckles and shrugs. "I'm not expecting. And you know how much I drink of the stuff." Ryialla grins over at Kassima. "Well, I'm still not convinced it's the water, in my case." R'val winks at Caitria, "Aye, m'dear." Kassima grins impishly at Aph. "You sure of that, then? Maybe it's all those blue dragons, neutralizing the water...." She then flashes a grin at Ryi. "Well, the water might not be to blame for *everything*, but still, better safe than sorry." Aphrael rolls her eyes and snorts. "As sure as I can be right now." Kethran chuckles. "This'd be the famous Benden Water, then?" he asks Aphrael. Starratiel says "Famous...or infamous." Aphrael chuckles over at Keth. "That's right .. though it seems to have struck less people this time around." Kassima chuckles. "Must be the blue dragons. They must cancel out the effects--the only way to explain it." Kassima rolls her eyes at Aph and quips, "Thank Faranth." Starratiel says "So do green dragons make it stronger, then?" Caitria grins slightly. "Or bovines?" R'val snorts, "Kassima, that's silly.' He proclaims, grinning. Kassima quirks a grin at R'val. "How else d'you explain Aph's immunity from the water?" Aphrael chuckles over at Kassi. "Does this mean you're expecting?" She asks, half teasingly, half a serious question. Starratiel says "And howcome I haven't been affected yet? Is it cause of my blue flits?" Kassima spits out the citron she'd just drank in one of those spit-take things. "Bright Faranth, nay!" she says, sounding *quite* sincere. Rylan laughs suddenly at something and bounces up and down on his mommy's lap. He sticks his thumb in his mouth and turns quiet again. But continues to bounce. Caitria hms. "No, that can't be it, then...unless one blue lizard isn't enough to counteract it...." She /laughs/ at Kassi. "Good." She hmmms. "Wonder what kinda mom she'd make..." Aphrael bursts out laughing at Kassi's reaction. "Oh well, just thought I'd make sure.." Kethran grins. "I see... so the water carries Benden Flu with it," Ryialla says "Rylan, you have your dinner yet?" Kassima grabs a towel and starts mopping citron from her hide and table. "You know I don't drink the water. I'm perfectly safe from its evil effects." She glances up at Tria and replies dryly, "A bad one." Starratiel says "Well, maybe not...I have three, after all....Hey Kassi!" R'val hrms at Kassima, "I'd say the water is just a rumour, personally." He grins. Kassima looks over at Starr. "Aye?" Starratiel says "How would green dragons affect the water, then, or brows or metallics? How do flits affect it?" Aphrael shakes her head at Keth. "The water IS the bug." She winks, then rolls her eyes at Kassi. "For now.. there is some water in that citron you always drink though." Caitria studies Kassi, then hms, with an expression that isn't quite a smile. "Better than some I've seen, probably," she murmurs, mostly to herself. Kassima blinks. "Oh! You thought I meant *dragons*--I was talking about a drink they have at Boll. It's called a blue dragon." Rylan looks up,thumb still in mouth and shakes his head. "Wasn't hungry." but you barely understand the words through his thumb. R'val glances at Caitria, raising an eyebrow as he overhears her. Caitria smiles slightly at R'val. "Not mine, thank Faranth. Just... someone I know." Kassima shudders at Aph. "Not enough," she says firmly, though she sounds more like she's trying to convince herself. "Not enough in the citron." Starratiel grins. "I see....I haven't had any, tho, so howcome I haven't...caught it? Ryialla says "Well, you hungry yet?" Rylan thinks for a minute before nodding,makeing his hair fly everywhere. Kethran grins at Kassima. "A drink called a blue dragon," he muses, then chuckles as his gaze flickers from Aphrael to R'val. "Sounds like it'd be ornery." Kassima shrugs at Starr. "Not everyone who drinks it falls under the effects. I've had the klah here once or twice, and I haven't. It's just that most of those who *do* fall under the effects have drunk the water." Aphrael snorts amusedly and shrugs. "Suit yourself. I -did- warn you though." Ryialla says "Well, mommy's gonna have some stew. Do you want some stew?" Kassima grimaces at Aph. "It's still far safer than the klah." Caitria glances at Ryialla and her son, her expression unreadable. She sips her juice. Starratiel says "I see...thank you for...wait, what does the /klah/ do?" Aphrael chuckles as she looks over at Keth. "It's really good. And strong," She rolls her eyes. "If you say so, Kassi." Kassima grins at Kethran. "I prefer the drink called the green dragon, m'self." Ryialla says "Or you could have some greens with some wherry..and maybe a bubbly pie for dessert, hmm?" R'val grins at Caitria and nods in agreemetn, sipping his klah. Kassima half-smiles at Starr. "They make klah with water, y'know." Starratiel nods. "I see.... Rylan nods again. "Ok.." he hops down off her lap,nearly falling on his behind. When he rights himselfe he looks around for someone to go say hi too. He looks at Ryi with a grin. "Pie?" Kethran chuckles. "I'll bet you do," he tells Kassima. Salless spoons Ryialla a bowl of steaming hot bovine stew, seasoned well with fingerroot, tubers, and onion. Kassima chuckles at Keth. "Call it a personal bias." Ryialla picks up Rylan and sets him in front of the stew. "Stew first." Caitria murmurs something about the dangers of eating bovines....but low enough that Rylan can't hear. Wouldn't do to scare the child, after all. R'val grins sidelong at Caitria, having overheard. Ryialla takes a big spoonful, and puts on a MmmmGood face. Rylan takes a bite of stew before spitting it out quickly,back into the bowl. he begins blowing on the stew. "Hot!" he pouts as he trys to cool of the stew quickly. Aphrael looks up at Caitria, chuckling as she sips at her klah. Kassima sits back in her chair, happy not to be the focus of attention anymore. She casts a curious glance towards the klah pot--obviously, she still doesn't trust that Aph didn't do something to it after all. Ryialla leans over and blows on the stew, as well. Caitria grins at those who heard her, and holds a finger to her lips, moving to get a piece of baklava. (Yes, R'val. Another.) Salless takes the pitcher of chilled citron juice from the ice box and pours Ryialla a glass. Ryialla slides the glass over to Rylan. "Here. Drink some of this. It'll cool your tongue off." Kassima glances at Tria and makes a slight face. "How can you eat more than one slice of that stuff?" Caitria shakes her head slightly at Kassi. "No clue. I didn't /used/ to like it very much. But now..." She smiles wryly. "Well, this is my third piece today." She sticks her tongue out at R'val. "And don't say it." R'val raises an eyebrow at Caitria's second piece, and grins. He makes no comment. Kassima grimaces. "Yuck," is all she says. "I can't imagine liking it *that* well." R'val blinks at Caitria innocently, "Me? what would I say?" He says, the very model of innocence. Rylan takes a big drink almost chokeing on it. He gives his mom a big toothy smile. Caitria absently reaches over and tickles R'val with her free hand, being fairly casual about it. Ryialla chuckles. "Not that big of a drink, love." Ryialla glances over at Caitria. "G'wan. Just tickle him into submission. He deserves it." Caitria chuckles at Ryialla. "You should have been here t'other day. We really got him good." Kassima spots Tria's tickling and grins. "Thought you weren't going to do that today?" R'val erfs, and bats at Caitria's hand and grins at her, "Don't you dare! And don't give Ryi any ideas!" he says, as Tria threatens to bring up the other day. Caitria enhs at Kassi. "I was inspired. I'm kinda tired, though." Rylan continues to blow on the stew 'till he thinks its ok. He takes a huge bite and opens his mouth so his mom can see. He takes no notice of the conversation around him yet. Ryialla grins. "Oh do tell." She glances down at her son and nods. "Very good. Now close your mouth when you chew. You don't want to be like R'val, now do you?" Kassima chuckles at Tria and then laughs at Ryi's comment. "Faranth forbid," she comments with a grin. Caitria laughs! at Ryialla. "I definitely like you," she murmurs, with a grin. "Hm...how many of us were tickling him, Kassi?" R'val blinks at Ryi and snorts indignantly. Benden Weyr> R'val pouts as he is abused in the LC :) Kassima hrms, considering. "There was me, and Star, and you, and Meli... Aph wasn't, I don't think. Neither was Maarie, nor Tinya--guess it must just've been the four of us." Caitria nods. "That was enough, though," she comments, with a wicked grin. Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "It's the Sacred Tradition, R'val. You *must* be publically abused as much as possible. :)" Benden Weyr> Caitria grins! Benden Weyr> R'val sighs longsufferingly :) Kassima chortles. "Aye, 'twas! Quite enough to make him surrender to us. We would've had him at our mercy--if we had mercy." Kethran chuckles at Ryialla's jab at the bluerider, his eyes twinkling as he regards R'val with a teasing glance." R'val grimaces, "Shards...I'm surrounded by evil females." He grins. Kassima laughs, winking at R'val. "Quite true." Rylan closes his mouth and chews carefully. R'val grins at Kassima and waggles a finger at her, "I tell you, I WILL have my vengeance!" Kassima crosses her arms and tilts her head, looking haughty and stern. Once having assumed this stolid, serious pose, she pthbbbbbbbbbbbts as loudly as she can at the bluerider. R'val lobs a roll at Kassima's tongue as she sticks it out at him, hoping to nail her! Rylan rubs his eyes and jumps down from his mommmy's lap, barely missing landing on his butt. He looks at Ryialla. "Tired.." he rubs his eyes again. Kassima catches the roll neatly in her mouth and grins. Not that you can see the grin behind the roll. R'val slaps a hand over his eyes, shaking his head in the classic "I give up" posture. Caitria hmmms, wondering what can be done to R'val while he's not looking... Kassima reaches up and removes the roll from her mouth, a bite missing from it. She swallows and grins impishly at R'val. "You'll never win against me, you know." Ryialla smiles. "You full?" Rylan noddles and climbs back into his mommy's lap, curling up. "Tired.." he rubs his eyes with a closed fist. Ryialla smiles softly down at her son. "Want mommy to tuck you in?" Ryialla says "Or you going to sleep here?" Alyssa walks in from the bowl. Caitria is still kinda surreptitiously watching Ryialla and Rylan. Rylan is already closeing his eyes. He opens one eye. "Sweep here." he closes his eye again. Ryialla beeps Rylan on the nose. "Okay." R'val looks up and smiles, waving to Alyssa. Kassima spots Alyssa and waves to her with a smile. "Heyla, Alyssa. How goes it?" Caitria looks up and smiles to Alyssa, lifting her klah mug slightly. Alyssa fairly drags herself in from the bowl, dropping her helmet on the table with her gloves and slowly unfastening her riding jacket. "It goes," she murmurs in response, a weary smile on her lips. "How are you all?" Ryialla smiles and gently strokes Rylan's hair until he falls asleep. Ryialla holds up a finger to her mouth. F'nar walks here from the Inner Cavern. Caitria watches Ryialla and Rylan (still), a slightly troubled expression crossing her face. Kassima grins. "Well enough, thank you. Got some time in on Shipfish Island early this morning." R'val mutters to Caitria, "Want... your..." F'nar walks in from the inner cavern, having searched the infirmary. Caitria blinks at R'val, lifting her gaze from mother and child, and says, with a good deal of intelligence, "Huh?" Alyssa sinks onto a bench and pushes her unfastened jacket open, waving off a drudge's query as to her needs. "It's past midnight here, isn't it?" she asks quietly, clearly not having seen F'nar enter. R'val laughs softly at Caitria's words and murmurs, "I was asking if you wanted to go. You're awefully thoughtful tonight, what's on your mind?" Kassima nods to Alyssa. "That it is. About two hours past." F'nar places a hand on Alyssa's shoulder and bends down to whisper something in her ear. Caitria waves vaguely towards Ryi and Rylan. She mutters to R'val, "... bit.... know if..." Kethran waves cheerfully to Alyssa. "Heya!" he calls to his sister, then grins and quiets as he sees F'nar approach her. Alyssa smiles gently and looks over her shoulder at her weyrmate, blushing as she tells him, hand over his hand, "I'm glad, love." Kassima glances over at F'nar and waves to the him, then peers at Aph. She mutters to Aphrael, "... watching it... What *did*... that..." Ryialla sighs quietly and watches the sleeping Rylan..a proud maternal look evident of her features. Alyssa turns slowly and offers Kethran a loving, if tired, smile, before she returns her gaze to F'nar. Lal snorts loudly, waking up from sleep. 'Shards!' F'nar nods to the rest of the cavern and sits beside her. R'val lays a hand on Caitria's shoulder, with a reassuring smile. He mutters to Caitria, "... as... a..." Alyssa says to her weyrmate, "It wasn't too much?" F'nar smiles. "Perfect." His voice drops. Kassima yawns and glances at R'val and Tria. "So," she says, trying to be conversational. "Anything remarkable been going on?" Three cheers for Kassi, the Fascinating Conversationalist. R'val grins at Kassima, "Aside from threats of tickling from evil greenriders, no." Caitria gives R'val a faint smile, and nods...then nods again. "Nothing especially exciting, unless that clutch decides to hatch today." She shakes her head. "Got some /weird/ eggs." R'val grips Caitria's shoulder and smiles at her, reassuringly, again. Kassima grins back impishly. "Considering that happens every day--or should--it's hardly remarkable." She wiggles her fingers threateningly, then blinks over at Tria. "Weird? Howso?" She also looks fairly excited at mention of the words 'clutch' and 'hatch'. Alyssa's features, fatigued as they appear, arrange themselves in an expression of pleasure. "You are too sweet, my love...I'm so sorry I was gone all day." R'val sticks out his tongue at Kassima, "Should? Hah!" F'nar smiles. "That's alright. I was asleep." Caitria shrugs slightly. "Just kinda odd designs." She grins a bit. "One even looks like Jaeleka's sock. How bizarre. And you should /see/ the one with the blue in it..." Kassima laughs. "Of course, should! You should be tickled every day. If only in revenge for what you and your dragon have done to me over the Turns, to say nothing of what you've done to others." She grins. "Drownings, ticklings, threatenings of making Candidate meatrolls...." R'val is drawn by /that/ comment to Tria's conversation, "Like a sock?" Aphrael finally responds to Kassi's mutter, blinking innocently. She mutters to Kassima, "... do you mean?" R'val snorts at Kassima, "That was natural behaviour towards a weyrling, most of it! You'll do worse whne there's another clutch.' he grins. Caitria nods. "It's kind of grayish, and had the same kind of spotty bits. Tisn't shaped loke a sock, a'course." Kassima eyes Aphrael in disbelief. She mutters to Aphrael, "Don't... You put something... that... you?" Alyssa chuckles softly and nods, slipping an arm through his to lean on his shoulder. "Dwane sends his best, by the way." F'nar smiles. "Next time you see him, I send mine too." Ryialla quietly gets to her feet and goes to tuck her son in. Aphrael giggles at her friends reaction. She mutters to Kassima, "... well.... no, nothing...." Kassima grins at R'val. "Perhaps I shall, at that. Lyss would *love* some Candie meatrolls to go with her bluerider stew." R'val grins at Kassima, "Your dragon has horrible eating habits." Pavanth presses a huge, swirling eye to the Living Cavern entrance, along with a big blue snout. Kassima still doesn't look quite convinced, but she does smile at her friend. She mutters to Aphrael, "... remember... meeting... Hot Springs... a useful..." Alyssa looks over her shoulder at the exclamation of a few drudges, and she laughs. "Oh dear..." From F'nar's arms, Pavanth has arrived. Benden Weyr> Flannery woowoo! Benden Weyr> Aphrael blinks?!?! Kassima grins at R'val. "No worse than yours has!" She blinks at F'nar, thinking she just saw... but no, it couldn't be. Benden Weyr> Alyssa wows. I have one STRONG weyrmate. Benden Weyr> F'nar debates 'drop pavanth' Aphrael bursts out laughing and nodnods. She mutters to Kassima, "That's right. And... seems..." Benden Weyr> Kassima giggles madly. You could let all the kids in the LC ride him around the LC for a quarter! Kassima laughs and shakes her head. She mutters to Aphrael, "... Sheer, evil genius." Aphrael chuckles and does a half mocking bow. "I try." Kassima grins at Aph. "I aspire to be like you someday, m'friend. Purely evil." Caitria blinks between Aph and Kassi, and shudders, murmuring something about "Not /two/ of them!" Lal snorts awake, and sees Pavanth through the corner of her eye. "What th'--" Lal jumps two feet off her seat! F'nar elbows his weyrmate awake. "I think your day's been long enough." Aphrael chuckles amusedly, shrugging, "You could be my sister in evil. After all, we're not that different." She giggles over at Tria. Isolde chitters scoldingly at the blue in the doorway. Alyssa stirs, barely. "Huh?" Ryialla wanders back in and blinks at Pavanth. "Okay..." Kassima eyes her citron. "But Aph, the question is--did you put something in the *citron*? Could've sworn I saw... but I didn't see. Never mind." She grins at her friend. "Sister in evil... I like that." From the door, Pavanth backs away obediently. F'nar smiles. "Wake up, dear." F'nar mutters to Alyssa, "Before... you." Aphrael looks down to the citron too, smirking. "Well.. that I won't say. Except that the citron pitcher wasn't all that far from the klah one." Lal whews, "Gracious." Alyssa mumbles, "I'm 'wake, I am, honest. Why?" F'nar smiles. "Not for long, come on up." F'nar stands, and offers his arm. Alyssa rises as well and sighs. "Yes, sir." Caitria chuckles, watching F'nar and Alyssa, murmuring something about the advantages of not having a weyrmate. F'nar heys. "You don't have to call me 'sir'. You should know that by now." Ryialla grins at F'nar and Alyssa. Kassima grimaces and peers wide-eyed at Aph, doing her best puppy-dog expression. She must've learned it from M'rgan. "You wouldn't do that to your sister in evil, would you?" Alyssa nods and leans on F'nar, perhaps a bit too much. "Yes, sir, sorry sir," she giggles sleepily. Caitria peers at Alyssa. Aphrael chuckles and raises her eyebrows. Of course she would. Kassi should know that. "I wouldn't be evil unless I at least let you think that I had." Wow. That was an answer? F'nar smiles and gives her a slight tug on the way out. F'nar walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Alyssa chuckles softly and winks behind her, apparently not as sleepily as she was shamming. Alyssa walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Kassima hrms and nods reluctantly, but then peers at her evil friend. "But you're letting me think you have now." Caitria peers after F'nar and Alyssa, and hms. "S'a thought." Lal walks towards the inner cavern. Isolde chitters at the weird riderfolk. Aphrael shrugs in reponse to Kassi. "Perhaps. Or perhaps not." Ryialla grins and takes another swig of klah. Caitria rests her chin in her hands, absently sipping her...no, it's empty. She visibly considers getting more juice, then shakes her head. Aphrael offers to pour Tria some klah? Kassima looks faintly worried. "It seems you did," she says doubtfully. "But I don't *think* I'm hallucinating or anything...." R'val nudges the herder and grins, "Mark for your thoughts?" Caitria shakes her head slightly at Aph. "Can't drink it, thanks." Ryialla chuckles at Kassi. "Fish." Aphrael chuckles at Kassi. "But that's the beauty of it all. You dont -realise- that your hallucinating." Caitria hmms? at R'val. "They're not worth a mark," she murmurs. "I'm not really thinking." Aphrael awws at Tria. "It's really good though." She indicates her half drunk mug. "Maybe some other time." Isolde flaps her golden wings to carry her to Caitria, where she begins to scold the herder. Caitria blinks at the lizard. "What? I don't /want/ klah." Kassima blinks at Ryialla. "Fish? Hrm?" She glances at Aph and remarks, "But I wouldn't hallucinate a normal Living Cavern, would I?" Caitria gives Kassi an odd look. Apparently, she's missed something. Ryialla blinks innocently at Kassima. "Fish? Whatever are you talking about, Kassi?" Kassima is definitely looking worried now. "You said something about fish?" Aphrael shrugs at Kassi. "Does this -seem- normal." She blinks, peering at Kassi. "Fish, huh?" Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "You guys are evil. Evil, I tell you. :)" Benden Weyr> Ryialla grins. Benden Weyr> Aphrael giggles. :) Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "Kassima, pot call kettle black." Benden Weyr> Caitria wasn't quite paying attention, and is now horribly confused. Benden Weyr> Aphrael says, "Ryi just said "Fish" to Kassi, and none of us heard it but her apparently." Ryialla shakes her head, somehow managing to keep a straight face. "No, dear, I didn't say anything. You alright?" Benden Weyr> Caitria chuckles. Benden Weyr> Ryialla points to her bdw_status. :) Aphrael leans over closer to Kassi. "Is it starting then? The hallucinations?" Kassima bites her lip and stares down into her citron. "I thought I was... but I *know* you said fish. If you didn't, someone else must've." She looks around the Cavern hopefully. "Right? One of you said fish, right?" Caitria peers at Kassi, looking totally baffled. "What in Faranth's name are you talking about?" R'val blinks at Kassima blankly, "Fish? I didn't hear anyone say fish." Aphrael blinkblinks. "I didn't hear anything!" Kassima glances at Aph wildly. "Hallucinations? Then you *did* put something in the citron?" Benden Weyr> Alyssa good heavens at the LC. Kassima is starting to panic. "No one said it? Well... maybe I just thought about fish and thought I heard it. Right." She doesn't look fully convinced, however. Aphrael raises an eyebrow at Kassi. "Well, I can't say. But they are starting, aren't they..?" Ryialla blinks, looking mystified. "Hallucinations?" Isolde flits through the short tunnel and out into the bowl. Ryialla takes a drink of her klah to hide the smile that seems to be growing on her face. Kassima blinks at Aph. "I... I don't think so. Everything *looks* normal." She says nothing about how everything sounds, however. Aphrael glances over to Ryi, biting her lip to keep from chuckling as she looks back at Kassi, serious. "Oh, right. Then that's okay." she says absently. Kassima mutters to herself, "... all,... possibly... seen F'nar... Pavanth. That... couldn't..." Benden Weyr> Aphrael LOL!!!! Benden Weyr> Kassima really, really loves mutter. Really. :P Ryialla says "You know, it was the opposite with those herbed rolls. Heard great. Saw lotsa wavy things. And spiders. Like that one on your shoulder, Kassi.." Kassima jumps and looks around, her braid whipping around and and probably smacking someone in the face. "Spider? Where??" Aphrael jumps back from Kassi, quickly grabbing up her hides and shoving them into her jacket for safe keeping. Things could get a bit strange. R'val blinks at Kassima's suddenly wild motions and turns to regard her. Ryialla takes another sip of klah, and you swear her shoulders are shaking. However, when she looks up, she is calm. "Huh? Well, there's probably some up near the top of the cavern..but I don't see any.." Kassima shudders but, not seeing any spider, relaxes just a trifle. "There's not a spider on my shoulder." She blinks at Ryi. "But if you don't see any, why'd you just say you did?" Ryialla says "But I didn't." Kassima's eyes glaze over as she considers this. "But--but I heard you, I know I did." R'val tsks, "Kassima, maybe you should see a healer.' He gives her his best, most fake worried look. Aphrael leans over to snatch her klah and retreats to a safe distance. "Heard her say what?" She asks. Kassima puts her hand to her forehead as though checking for a fever. "Maybe. But it's probably just whatever Aphrael put in the citron." She gives her friend the evil eye. Ryialla looks at the rest of the inhabitants of the living cavern. "Guys, did I say I saw a spider on Kassi? I know I didn't.." Benden Weyr> Ryialla is evil. Evil evil evil. :) Ryialla shrugs helplessly. R'val shakes his head, 'I heard you say no such thing, nope!" He grins evilly behind his mug. Benden Weyr> Flannery wunners what she missin.:) Benden Weyr> Ryialla is messing with Kassi's mind. :) Kassima shakes her head, desperately. "But you did! Or someone else did! It must've happened, I know I heard it. I know I did." Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "That's a small deed." Benden Weyr> Kassima .o0(Not that there's much there to mess with.) Benden Weyr> Alyssa says, "GOMH. :)" Benden Weyr> Kassima says, "WMTA. :)" Aphrael blinks back at Kassi, now regarding her somewhat warily. Ryialla starts to chuckle and turns it into a clearing of her throat. Kassima glances over at R'val, looking rather pathetically paranoid at this point. "You're sure you didn't hear anything?" R'val nods his head solemnly, "Very." Kassima gnaws on her lip and slumps over in her seat. "Maybe," she says in her most I'm-trying-to-convince-myself-of-something voice, "if I just sit here, very quietly, nothing bad will happen." Ryialla lays her head down on the table and makes small meeping noises. Her shoulders are most definately shaking. R'val whispers quietly, "Kassima...this is the ghost of your grandfather speaking..." Kassima blinks. "Grandsire? But--both my grandsires are alive." She glances around the room, not really hoping to figure out who said that. R'val drats quietly into his mug. Ryialla blithely sits up, perfectly normal. Benden Weyr> Kassima baps R'val. No ghosts on Pern. :) Benden Weyr> R'val darns! Forgot :) Kassima has on an expression much like a small, frightened, pathetic animal. "Aph, I'm going to get you for this." Aphrael finally cant take it and chuckles, her evil for the day done. "Alright Kassi. You do that just as soon as your hallucinations stop." Kassima rocks back and forth on her seat, looking hopeless. "Sure, Aph. Sure. You're probably not really saying that, either. I probably just think you're saying it. And if I look up, I bet you'll have two heads and be blue with bright orange spots or something." Aphrael shrugs, and looks around for something strange to put on her head. But that's okay. Kassi is doing enough to herself. Kassima squeezes her eyes shut tight. "Which is why I'm not going to look up. Not until this is over. Things are weird enough without having two-headed friends." Ryialla sighs. "Kassi. Aph didn't put anything into the citron. We've been pulling your leg." Aphrael glances up in surprise at Ryi. Does she know for SURE that she didn't put anything in the citron? Kassima shakes her head stubbornly. "Aph's evil. I know she did *something.* You all just want me to look up and see trees in the hall." Ryialla gives Aph a look that plainly states that enough is enough. Ryialla scoots over and gives the rider a hug. "No, we don't." Ryialla says "Sides, I was the one who started it with my Fish comment." Aphrael shrugs, but doesn't admit whether or not she put anything in any drink, rather bending over her hide again. Kassima squinches one eye open warily. "You really did say something about fish?" Ryialla nods, looking only mildly sheepish. "I did." Benden Weyr> R'val whoas. Ryialla, you are truly evil ;) Kassima glances over at everyone else. "And one of you muttered something about being the ghost of my grandfather?" Benden Weyr> Ryialla baps R'val. Shut up. Benden Weyr> R'val hrfs. Ryialla shrugs. "That wasn't me. Not unless I suddenly became a guy." R'val looks up at the sky, whistling innocently. The ceiling, even. Kassima eyes R'val suspiciously. "Oh, I'm going to *get* you for that, bluerider." R'val sticks his tongue out at Kassima and leers evilly. Kassima picks up a roll and hurls it at R'val with remarkable accuracy that could only come from her pastime of knife-throwing. "Cut it out, you silly evil creature!" Ryialla pouts. "Hey, I was worse. Don't I get beaned with a roll?" Aphrael looks up, half smirking at R'val as he gets beaned. R'val opens his mouth wid, and catches the roll. Munch. He grins, "Thank you Kassi!" Kassima grins at Ryi. "Sure." She tosses a roll right at Ryialla's forehead. Ryialla grins and lets it bounce off. Since she's sitting next to Kassi, it bounces back into her chin. Kassima smirks back at R'val. "Quite welcome. Anything to keep you from leering at me. Can't eat and leer at the same--ack!" she breaks off as she gets beaned with a rebounded roll. R'val swallows, then leers evilly at Kassima. Kassima picks up the second roll and throws it at R'val again, this time aiming right between his eyes. R'val ducks the roll. It loops over him, and smacks Salles, who turns and /glares/ at Kassima. Ryialla dissolves into helpless laughter. Benden Weyr> Aphrael says, "Gee, R'val is agile :) One of them's GOT to hit him eventually ;)" Kassima claps one hand to her mouth in dismay, fighting the urge to giggle at the expression on Salless's face. "Erm, I'm sorry, Salless... I was aiming at R'val, you see." Aphrael bursts out laughing, half sprawling over the table she's spread her hides out on. Salless givers Kassima her best glare, "What do you think you're doing, Lysseth's Rider, throwing perfectly good food around!?" She /hmphs/. Ryialla eventually manages to recover and makes a half-hearted excuse about sweeps, escaping before it gets any worse. Benden Weyr> Ryialla has to go. Night everyone.. Benden Weyr> Kassima zhaiwaffles to a Ryi! Thanks for the paranoia! :) Benden Weyr> Alyssa snuggaRyi. Benden Weyr> Aphrael hees and snugglesRyi :) Benden Weyr> Ryialla says, "Anytime, Kassi. :)" Benden Weyr> R'val says, "Night!" Benden Weyr> Caitria unidles, snugs, and idles. Benden Weyr> Ryialla snugaeveryone! Kassima looks innocent. "But Salless, smacking that bluerider with a roll would've been a *perfect* application of food!" She seems convinced that no one, not even Salless, could disagree with that. Salless waggles a finger at Kassima, and looks about ready to launch on another stern tirade, when she's distracted by a drudge who needs her help. She favours Kassima with another stern glance, and bustles off. Kassima whews with relief, then shoots a mock-glare at R'val. "I'll have my revenge. Just see if I don't."