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A Perfectly Normal Picnic


Date:  May 11, 1996
Place:  Shipfish Island's Fine Sand Beach
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:  The day after Kassi's green Lysseth rose for the first 
time, the rider decides to celebrate her life returning to normal by 
being as weird as she can possibly be.  Makes sense, no?  Things get just 
a *wee* bit !IC at the end of this, but as it's still (IMHO) hysterically 
amusing, I kept the bizarre stuff in.  Remember, though, folks: don't
drink and drive.  Get a Designated Dragon.

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The Log:

You descend down towards the strip of sand facing the bay.

<*> Aphrael climbs down from Prefeth's neckrides with practised ease, 
reaching up to give her lifemate a thankful scritch as the blue dragon 
crooons.

<*> Vidarth circles down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand 
when he touches down.

<*> R'val slides down from Vidarth's back and lands in a crouch.

You slide off of Lysseth's neck to land beside her easily. She rumbles, 
cocking her head down at you, and you rub her eyeridges gratefully.

Spineth descends down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when he 
touches down.

R'val leaps to his feet and waves, grinning, "Ready for the party?"

Prefeth warbles a greeting to the other Benden dragons!

Ursa climbs carefully down with the assistance of Spineth's extended 
forelimb.

Kheveth circles down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when he 
touches down.

N'ren slides quickly down the brown dragon's back to the ground, after 
hugging his shoulder lovingly.

N'ren looks around, "This better not be another party for me, guys."

Benden Weyr> Aphrael blinks. Waitaminute.. where's the drinks? ;)

N'ren grins.

R'val snorts, "I doubt it N'ren." He grins.

Benden Weyr> R'val says, "Channie and her gang're bringing 'em :)"

Kassima grins and waves to her friends, leaning back against Lyss's 
shoulder. "Heyla, all."

Aphrael yawns and smiles. "You guys spoke to Kemith too?" She asks, 
curiously.

R'val grins, waving to Kassima and Aphrael, "More like Kemith spoke to 
us."

Benden Weyr> Kassima groans. They'll probably bring that skin of Tillek 
wine we gave 'em at the graduation, Aph--after all, it's probable that no 
one drank it.... :)

Benden Weyr> Aphrael eeeeeerrrks!!! :)

Ursa yanks off her boots and her jacket quickly, and drawls, "So. Where's 
the box?"

N'ren looks around, "And here I thought this was supposed to be small." He 
grins at Aphrael, "Actually, Rynth invited us, Kheveth and I. And now 
Asabeth did."

Kassima blinks. "Box?" She hmmms and glances at Aph. "Wonder what's 
up...."

R'val hrms, "Well, we're each being invited by different folks." He 
grins.

R'val pokes Ursa, grinning, 'No box this time, silly."

N'ren grins, "I could ask the Fort riders to bring a couple, Ursa."

Aphrael leans against Prefeth, as much for warmth as to be comfortable. 
She grins at N'ran. "Ah, all Fort types then." She winks, then shakes her 
head at Kassi. "You know as much as me.."

Ursa waves her hand dismissively, "Aww, thanks, but you don't hafta."

Kassima grins. "Which is to say, nothing. Guess we'll find out sooner or 
later." She still looks a little perplexed about the whole box thing, but 
doesn't say a word.

N'ren replies, "Rynth says they are already aloft anyway."

Ursa leaves her riding leathers in a heap by Spineth, and lays back on the 
soft sand. "You gotta love this," she murmurs.

Aphrael tilts her head and smiles. "Jereth is coming also." She murmurs.

R'val nods, "Good. The party'll start soon enough.' he grins at Ursa, "You 
/do/ look comfy." he grins.

R'val glances at Aphrael and smiles, "Good, music as well as food and 
drink."

Asabeth descends down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when she 
touches down.

Rynth dives down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when she 
touches down.

Adroth circles down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when he 
touches down.

Ursa smiles broadly. "Yeah, I just love the warmth."

Prefeth warbles happily at the Fort dragons.

Upon Adrorth's neck, T'yn loosens the straps tied to his belt.

Mounted on Rynth, Gamina looks around, frowning. She thumps Rynth on the 
back, "Shards, you *did* invite all of Pern."

Vidarth rumbles to Adroth and Asabeth and Rynth.

From Adroth's Neck, T'yn unties the straps holding the backet.

R'val grins, calling out, "Nice to see you again too, Gamina."

Lysseth bugles a greeting to the arriving dragons.

Rynth rumbles to the gathering, a tinge of amusement in her tone.

Kheveth croons, briefly going airborne to more nearer the Fort dragons, 
nuzzling first his most recent mate, then one of his previous ones.

From Asabeth's neckridges, Aladis unbuckles her straps and doffs her 
helmet, waving merrily to the others. She chuckles, overhearing Gamina's 
comment, "The more, the merrier, Gamina!"

Mounted on Rynth, Gamina grins and waves to R'val, then reaches down and 
scritches at Kheveth before sliding down the other side of her dragon.

Gamina slides down Rynth's side, and steps down using her proffered 
foreleg.

Adroth rumbles a greeting to the dragons as he moves to settle among 
them.

T'yn slides a leg over Adroth's neckridge and using the riding straps, 
safely reaches the ground. Adroth watches a moment before turning his 
attention else where.

Gamina flashes a grin at Aladis, "If you say so."

R'val grins at Aladis and Gamina, "Good to see you again, all of you..."

Asabeth warbles softly, nuzzling Kheveth, then crooning a soft greeting to 
the other dragons.

Aladis slips down to Asabeth's foreclaw, and pats it affectionately as she 
drops to the ground.

Ursa waves a lazy greeting from her place lying back in the sand, 
"Evening!"

Spineth warbles softly, a rumbled-pleasant sound of greeting.

Rynth rumbles quietly as she settles into the sand, lidding her eyes 
contentedly.

T'yn catching up the backet, he moves to the milling crowd of people. 
Selecting a spot, settling the backet before opening and setting out the 
selection of foods for all.

T'yn waves at Ursa. "Evening. Ursa. Nice to see you again."

Gamina glances around, muttering to herself. She turns her back to the 
crowd, looking quite uncertain for a moment before doing so, and drags a 
blanket out of a bag on Rynth's side.

N'ren grins, heading towards the Fort dragons. Since Gamina is the first 
down, he goes to her first for his hug, "Heya, beautiful."

Kassima waves to the Fortians from where she's leaning against Lysseth's 
shoulder. "Benden's duties and all that," she quips with a grin. "And 
greetings, as well."

Gamina turns back in time to run into N'ren's hug. She blushes, "Hey, 
N'ren. And stop that."

Gamina returns the hug warmly, though.

T'yn laughs, calling back. "Forts Duties as well."

Ursa peers over, "Look, he brought food!" and grins at T'yn, "Evening. 
same to you."

Aladis unfastens her jacket, pulling out a flask of wine out, chuckling. 
"This really is quite a gathering, isn't it?" Setting the flask down, she 
tugs off her jacket, and folds it up. The jacket is soon followed by her 
boots and the rest of her leathers. "Fort's duties and greetings and 
all."

R'val smiles warmly towards Aladis, and moves to stand by her, "Any of 
that wine to go around?" He grins at her warmly, "Nice to see you again."

N'ren actually lifts Rynth's rider off the ground while he hugs her. Not 
by much, but still, "Stop what, 'mina?"

T'yn grins up and nods. "Yep. Sliced cheeses, meets, fruit, fresh bread 
and other things."

T'yn climbs to his feet. "Help yourselves."

T'yn turns to back of in case of a rush.

R'val licks his lips, and his eyes alight, "Sounds delicious."

Gamina squeals and squirms her way back to the ground, so she's standing 
*firmly*. "Your flattery."

T'yn chuckels. "I've a friend in the kitchens."

Aladis chuckles and uncorks the flask. "Of course, Bluerider. D'you all 
have glasses? Should be a nice, big party."

Gamina grins at N'ren. "You know I don't believe a word of it."

R'val grins, holding out a cup, "It will indeed." He agrees, grinning at 
Aladis.

Aladis pours into the cup, then winks. "Parties are always fun."

Ursa glances at the wine suspiciously, "Oh, shells..."

R'val winks back with a grin, "They are! especially with food and drink."

R'val smiles at Ursa, 'C'mon Ursa, have some wine."

Kassima's eyes sparkle impishly as she replies, with all appearance of 
sincerity, "Well... since you went to all this trouble, I don't know how 
we could refuse." She laughs and surveys the spread of food. "Trouble, 
indeed! Quite an impressive array."

Gamina straightens her sweater out after freeing herself and looks around, 
her eyes revealing some of her uncertainty. "There sure are a lot of 
people here."

Ursa rolls her eyes, "I dunno. I still haven't fully recovered from after 
Lysseth's flight." And she gives Kassima a mock-glare.

N'ren smiles innocently at Gamina, "*What* flattery?"

Gamina makes a face at N'ren, not even bothering to answer that.

Aladis turns back to Gamina and murmurs softly, "They're all quite nice, 
'mina. Nothing to worry about."

R'val laughs at Ursa's words, "The only way to recoer is to drink more!" 
He then laughs at Kassi's words, "I couldn't resist, that's for sure. 
Let's dig in..."

Aphrael yawns and sits forward. "Cup? Ah, who needs a cup?" She grins.

Gamina lifts a shoulder in a shrug towards Aladis, "I'm sure. But there's 
still a lot of 'em."

R'val smiles over at Gamina, "We're friends, don't you worry."

Gamina smiles at R'val. "Of course."

T'yn bends to retrieve a glass for himself. Not a bluerider, will brown 
do?  Shrugs as he finds a glass. Moving to the skin he tilts it, grinning 
at he bearer as he does.

Kassima rolls her eyes. "Don't blame me for that!" She smiles and sits 
down on the sand near Aph.

Ursa kicks at the sand with her bare feet. "Drink more?" shakes her head, 
"I don't think so."

Aladis raises the flask to Aphrael, chuckling. "They just get in the way, 
don't they?" She brings the flask to her lips taking a long swig. After 
wiping her lips with the back of her hand, she smiles, "And they're nice, 
too, 'Mina. Even that Brownrider there," she says, winking at N'ren.

R'val sips from his cup, and grins at Aladis, "I find cups easier, except 
after a flight..." he laughs.

Gamina waves a hand at N'ren, "Him? Nice?" She flashes a grin, teasingly. 
"No way."

N'ren grins at Aladis, "C'mere, you. Time for your hug." He grins at 
Gamina, "You should know, Gamina, exactly how nice - or lack thereof - I 
am."

Gamina makes a sour face at N'ren, though amusement flickers across her 
eyes. "Whatever."

T'yn chuckles. Moving to the food and quickly making a sandwich before 
retreating to comfortable spot with glass in hand.

Kassima raises a cup and grins. "I rather like glasses, myself. Or mugs, 
or tankards, or bottles, or basically anything...."

Ursa finally relents. "Well, if every one's gonna be drinking, I can't be 
the party pooper." And drags herself to her feet to get herself some wine, 
but just a small cupful.

Aladis says, drily, "I was a bit busy after my flight." She gives N'ren a 
long look. "Well...maybe you're right, maybe nice isn't quite the right 
word." With a twinkle in her eyes, she moves up to N'ren and wraps her 
arms around his neck, giving him a big hug. "Cuddly, I think, is a good 
word."

Gamina blushes, shrugging and not commenting.

R'val grins at Ursa, 'THat's the spirit." He winks, and turns to Aladis, 
sipping his wine, "I hear your flight was quite large."

Aphrael grabs some food for herself, then one of the flasks as she smiles 
over at T'yn. "Channie got sidetracked?"

R'val nods, "Yeah, where is Channie?"

T'yn grins as he raises his glass to Aph and winks.

N'ren smiles, and hugs the OTHER Fort greenrider tightly. Then he sits, 
pulling her down with him. And reaches up for Gamina's hand.

Gamina puts her hands on her hips and laughs, shaking her head.

N'ren tugs again at Gamina's arm.

T'yn shrugs. "Picking up a harper I think. She'll be along shortly."

Gamina sighs and flops into the sand with N'ren and Aladis. "You like this 
waaay too much, N'ren."

R'val grins, "Ah yes, Jerethan."

T'yn grins. "Right."

Aladis oofs as she is hugged tightly and pulled down next to the Benden 
brownrider. Batting at his arm, she giggles, then nods to R'val. "I'm not 
sure if big is the right word, but there were a number of dragons chasing 
her."

Ursa snags some food too, and plops back down. "Jereth's coming, eh?"

T'yn laughs. "A good number Aladis."

Aphrael giggles. "Ah, now we should do this more often, right?" She smiles 
over at Kassi. "Pity M'rgan and Ularrith couldnt come, eh?" She murmers.

R'val laughs, "Yes, so I heard." He sits down near Ursa and nods, smiling, 
"Ayup." he regards Ursa thoughtfully for a moment.

Gamina crosses her arms over her chest, scowling in N'ren's general 
direction.

Ursa raises her glass, then pauses under R'val's scrutiny, "Whaaaaat?" she 
demands.

Kassima chuckles. "Food, drink, and song. Sounds like the ideal makings of 
a gathering to me." She appropriates a sandwich for herself and nods to 
Aph. "Aye, but it'll be some time before they can fly--much less go 
*between*."

R'val smiles quietly, "Oh nothing. Just..thinking."

Aladis grins at Aph, "How is M'rgan anyway? Haven't seen him since the 
hatching there." She glances over at Gamina and closes one eye in a wink.

T'yn nods. "Right Aph."

Gamina flashes a quick grin at Aladis.

Gamina asks, "M'rgan. Is that Martigan? Didn't he stand with ya'll, 
Aladis?"

T'yn nods as he listens.

N'ren grins evilly at Gamina, one arm around her, the other around Aladis, 
"I do like this very much." And he leans over to kiss her cheek.

Ursa nudges R'val. "Well look at someone else when you go thinking like 
that."

Gamina snorts and pushes at N'ren.

R'val sticks his tongue out teasingly at Ursa and grins, "Sorry. Couldn't 
help it!"

Gamina doesn't push hard, of course. She does scoot away somewhat, though.

Aladis nods, "Yes, it's Martigan." She smiles, taking another sip of her 
wine, leaning up against N'ren. "He Impressed Brown at High Reaches."

N'ren pouts at Gamina, giving her the young-canine eyes.

Gamina smiles. "Ah. Good for him."

Aphrael chuckles faintly. "He's well, if a little," She hesitates and 
says, "Well, getting used to being a rider and all."

T'yn grins. "He got a good looking dragon."

Gamina makes a face at N'ren. "Won't work."

N'ren smiles at Gamina, and uses the magic word, "Please?"

Gamina rolls her eyes and relents, scooting close. J'bal can't mind much. 
It's just sitting.

Aladis straightens up and slides a bit away from the other two, taking 
another swig of wine. "How's that brown of his?"

Kassima smiles at Aph. "And getting used to being frozen solid by a 
splash-happy young dragon?"

R'val grins, "Being a rider takes getting used to, aye." He sips at his 
wine and grins wryly, before nudging Ursa, 'So..erm..how'd it go after the 
flight last night? Saw you drinking a bit."

N'ren looks over at Aladis, "Hey? What, now you too?" He pouts.

T'yn chuckles. "Is he now. Have to think about going to visit and 
congratulate him in person."

Aladis pouts back. "Looked like you were busy."

T'yn grins over at Aladis and pats the space beside him.

Ursa nods, affecting a miserable look. "Yeah... guess I drank a lot."

N'ren, then, to Gamina, "You were more fun before you weyrmated, 'mina." 
He sounds like he's teasing her.

N'ren grins at Aladis, "I have two arms that can be busy, Aladis."

Aphrael chuckles at Aladis. "Smug," She replies with a grin. "Thinks he'll 
be able to catch a lot of greens."To Kassi she chuckles and shudders. "I 
don't envy him.. baths in the middle of winter in an ice cold lake?"

R'val squeezes Ursa's shoulder and grins, "Poor dear. Haeve s'more today, 
I don't doubt it'll make you feel better." He grins impishly.

Ursa makes a face, "I fail to see how -more- could make me feel better." 
But she takes another drink anyhow.

Kassima shudders. "Thank Faranth for hot springs," she says emphatically. 
"If we didn't have the dragon pool, I can't imagine what we'd do--freeze 
to death, most likely."

Aladis makes a show of inspecting N'ren's arm, giving it a prod with her 
forefinger. "Well," she mutters, a dubious tone in her voice, "that arm 
does look like it's seen it's share of practice hugging."

Kemith dives down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when he 
touches down.

R'val winks at Ursa, "Trust a rider who's lost many, many flights." He 
nods to Kassima vigorously, "Bathed in the lake at Reaches? Viciously 
cold."

Astride Kemith, Channie unbuckles Jerethan from the riding straps.

T'yn turns to waves as Kemith settle down.

R'val waves to Kemith and his passengers.

From high atop Kemith's brown neckridges, Jerethan smiles at Lenina. 
"Well, yeah," he says. "Wow! The whole gang!" he grins, peering at the 
group assembled below.

N'ren calls towards R'val, "The word for the lake at High Reaches is 
'invigorating'." :)

Aladis digs her toes into the sand and chuckles, "Ularrith is confident 
already? And I'm glad I didn't have to bathe Asabeth in that cold 'Reaches 
lake."

Ursa shakes her head, "Shells, the losing..." she grumps. "I could really 
do without all that."

R'val snorts at N'ren, "Painfully cold, s'what I call it. "He chuckles.

Kassima grimaces. "And M'rgan said Ularrith wants to be bathed often... 
gah, I definitely don't envy him." She waves up to Kemith and those he 
carries.

Mounted atop Kemith, Lenina looks around wide-eyed, a grin starting to 
spread over her face. "This place sure is pretty!"

Aphrael gulps back some of the wine in the flask, laughing softly at 
Kassi. "Aye, I have to agree there. Thank Faranth for the hot springs!" 
She waves at up Kemith and his passengers.

Kemith warbles and shifts back and forth, waiting for his rider, and 
passangers to dismount so he can enjoy the beach.

Aladis waves lazily to Kemith's passengers, taking another sip of her 
wine.

From high atop Kemith's brown neckridges, Lenina hauls one leg over 
Kemith's neck, nearly braining him with her heel, then slide-tumbles 
ungracefully off his back.

From her lofty seat on Kemith, Channie helps with Lenina's straps to 
unfasten then, and then her own, giggling, "Okay!"

Ursa gives a good natured wave to all the newcomers.

Lenina slides down to the ground with the help of Kemith's riding straps. 
The brown requards Lenina curiously as her steps away.

Mounted atop Kemith, Jerethan grins and hops down.

Jerethan slides down to the ground with the help of Kemith's riding 
straps. The brown requards Jerethan curiously as his steps away.

Channie slides gracefully down Kemith's shoulder and lands with a slight 
bounce on the ground. Kemith gives his lifemate a curious wuffle as she 
pats and scritches him lovingly.

T'yn chuckes as he watches. Drinking slowly as he chuckles.

Jerethan waves to everyone he recognizes -- which is... well, everyone.

T'yn waves up at Channie from his spot on the sands.

Aladis gives N'ren's arm another poke, then shrugs.

Kemith *BUGLES* and just flops over--not very becomingly either, and just 
rolls in the warmth.

Lenina turns to smile awkwardly at Kemith. "Thanks, uh..." she pauses at a 
loss for the correct way to address a dragon.

R'val nods with Ursa, glumly, "Tell me about it. BBut alcohol and...a warm 
bed with someone else...ease the pain of losing. Just about the only ways.

Channie waves to everyong, "Hello!" she smiles to Lenina, "It's not a 
problem at all."

Aphrael looks upwards. "Jereth!! Good to see you.. yet again."

T'yn grins and liftw his glass. "Evening."

N'ren considers taunting R'val, but decides not to. He grins at Aladis, "I 
am not a rockface, dear. Please stop pretending to use a pick on me."

N'ren winks.

Ursa sighs, "Guess I'm stuck with getting drunk everytime, then."

Kassima sprawls out comfortably on the sand, snacking on a sandwich as she 
raises her glass to the arrivals. "Heyla Jereth, Channie! Nice to see you 
both again."

R'val smiles at Ursa, 'Not necessarily dear Ursa. There are riders 
who'll.. take you in if you want. Others who lost the flight. It happens. 
There's no shame in it." He waves towards Jereth and Channie, "Hey you 
two! Took you long enough." He grins.

Aladis giggles, one eye closing in a wink. "Then hug me instead, silly."

Channie blinks, "oh--" she sighs and pokes At Kemith's tummy, till the 
brown rolls back over, "I need those wineskins." she pulls them out and 
walks over to the others, "Hi, nice to see everyone again--now that I can 
think straight."

Lenina looks around the beach, shrinking away a bit from the strange 
riders, and more from the ones she's seen from Benden, turning away to 
follow Kemith's example by flopping into the warm sand, and wriggling her 
toes into it.

N'ren pulls Aladis over for a tight hug, and calls over to Ursa, "Hey 
Ursa, you need a bed-partner after a Flight, feel free to ask. I can't 
guarantee a positive answer, but I'll give it a whirl." He winks, but she 
probably doesn't see that.

Kemith *snorts* and lays back down once his rider walks away. Channie 
flops down beside T'yn and kises his cheek, setting the skins down on the 
sand. "We made it!"

T'yn chuckles as he empties his glass. "Hay, who has the wineskin?"

Jerethan smiles at Kemith, patting the brown hide as he thanks the brown. 
"Thanks, Channie," he adds, and then turns to face the others in the crowd 
of riders. He calls back to Aphrael, "Heya, Aph. Yeah, the Masters weren't 
looking, so...." He laughs at R'val. "Hey, don't blame me -- I wasn't the 
one flying." He pats Kemith's hide again and waves at Kassima.

R'val opens up the wineskin and grins at T'yn, "Oer here!"

T'yn leans to return the kiss. "Got here safe and sound."

R'val grins at Jereth, "Excuses."

Jerethan grins to R'val. "Well, would've take me just a bit longer if I'd 
walked," he points out.

Aladis grins up at N'ren, her eyes twinkling. "You just don't stop, do you 
brownrider?"

T'yn motions to R'val to pour as he reaches over.

Ursa chuckles, saying with a grin, "Naw, I just don't seem to have any 
luck with that." Then she she hears N'ren and opens her mouth to say 
something catchy back, but all that comes out is, "Oh!"

Channie motions for Lenina to come sit with them, "Want something to 
drink?"

R'val chuckles, calling to Aladis as he walks by, "He hasn't, since he 
transferred to Benden, Aladis." He grins and pours a glass for T'yn, 
"Yours! Anyone else want any?"

Channie lifts her hand, "Me please!"

R'val ambles over to Channie, beams at her with a wink, and pours her a 
mug, "For you, Kemith's rider. Glad you could join us!"

T'yn settles back. "Hay brownriders never stop!" Lifting his glass in a 
general salute.

Jerethan steps over to join the other riders with a grin on his face. "Any 
occasion?" he asks. "Or just a mini-Gather?"

Lenina shuffles over in a small flurry of sand to sit by Channie. "Yes, 
thanks."

Aladis laughs, shaking her head as she winks at R'val. "Well, Kheveth did 
win Asabeth's flight."

Kassima shakes her head. "Nay, thanks; I'm still working on the first 
cup." She finishes her sandwich, right down to the crumbs, and sips 
leisurely from her wineglass.

N'ren grins at Aladis, "A certain young lady that you know said that I 
could get any woman I wanted. I figured it couldn't hurt to try." Then he 
grins at T'yn, and adds, "Yeah!"

R'val grins at Jerethan. "For the sake of a party, I think.' he nods to 
Aladis, "So you told me." He grins, "Too bad Vidarth wasn't there."

Channie smiles and giggles softly, "No problem at all, we had to pick up 
the harper you know!" She takes a sip of her wine, winking at R'val as she 
lays her head against T'yn's shoulder.

R'val flops down in the sand beside Ursa again, and calls out, "Kassi? 
Aph? Want some wine?"

Aphrael leans casually back against her lifemate's side, setting the flask 
in her hands down next to her as she chews on the food.

Channie pokes T'yn's side and murmers something to him, a sly smile on her 
lips.

T'yn snuggles hercloser with a grin. Hand moves to tickle Channie before 
relaxing back.

Ursa holds out her glass. "I guess I'd take some more?"

R'val refills Ursa's glass gladly with a smile," There you go..."

Channie giggles and bats at T'yn's hand, "Damn rogue brownrider--oh wait." 
She smiles impishly.

Aladis arcs a brow, the flask halfway to her lips. "Someone I know said 
that?" She chuckles, "Looks like you're doing a pretty good job of it." 
Turning to R'val, she nods, "Perhaps Vidarth will hear the next time 
Asabeth rises."

Aphrael shakes her head at R'val, "I'm fine, as long as no one steals this 
flask.." She grins at Kassi, who's the closest.

R'val smiles at Aladis, "One can hope, but it's hard to make flights that 
aren't at the weyr you live in unless you do it by chance." He grins at 
Aphrael, "Somene will.' He grins imppishly.

T'yn laughs. "Rouge, I still like that!"

N'ren grins at Aladis, "Yes. I'll give you a hint." He wipes the smirk 
from his face and *intones*, "Yo he ho. Pick Pick Pick."

Jerethan smiles winningly at R'val. "So, might some of that wine be used 
to wet a thirst Harper's throat?"

Kassima raises her still half-full glass as proof that she's fine with the 
wine she's got. Then she snorts at Aph. "Feh! Like I'd steal your flask 
when I've got a better one right, uh...." She looks around, realizing 
belatedly that she doesn't have a wine flask. "Never mind. I still won't 
steal your wine." She laughs sheepishly.

Channie hhmphs and leans heavily on T'yn, "So," she looks at Aphrael, "I 
hear that you went and saw M'rgan? How is he and his lifemate?"

Aladis's eyes widen as she hears the familiar song. "Master Lily? She said 
that? You've been flirting with her too?" She laughs outright and holds 
out the flask. "That, I'd like to see. She's always so shy around guys."

R'val laughs, tossing the skin in Jereth's direction, "Here! Help 
yourself, Jereth."

Aphrael snorts at R'val. "Better not be you." She glances at Kassi, 
raising her eyebrow. "You'd better not, greenrider." She stretches, 
nodding at Channie. "Yes we did! They both seem well."

Lenina clutches a small flask of juice in her hands as she just sits 
dumbly, trying to follow all the conversations.

T'yn arm moves around Nie's waiste, turning to listen as she asks Aph 
about their friend.

R'val blinks innocently at Aph, 'Would *I* do that?"

Kassima rolls her eyes. "I wouldn't dream in a million years of stealing 
your wine, Aph." Of course, anyone who looked behind her might notice that 
she's crossing her fingers behind her back where Aphrael can't see.

Aphrael groans, loudly, at R'val. "Come R'val. I've known you for too long 
for you to be able to play innocent." She stares suspiciously over at 
Kassi and pulls her flask a little closer to her.

T'yn chuckles quietly, eyes moving over the crowd.

R'val sighs at Aphrael and grins crookedly, "Shucks."

Kassima assumes her own most angelic expression, trying to look wounded as 
she sees Aphrael pull the flask away. "Don't you trust me?"

N'ren grins fiendishly, "Master Lily is not the only female smith I know, 
Aladis. And she still is shy around guys, particularly me. Sometimes I 
wonder if, should she get much redder, if she'll explode or something."

N'ren shakes his head, "Female miner, I mean."

T'yn toe pokes Lenina. Grins at her and motions her closer to Channie and 
himself.

Aphrael giggles as a particualarly nasty thought comes into her head. "If 
you or Kassi," She says, starting at R'val, "Take my wine, then I'll send 
Bree to you next time she has one of her 'questions'.."

R'val blanches and holds up his hands in mock self-defense, "Aph! No! You 
wouldn't....!"

Kassima looks truly horrified for a moment, then relieved. "But Bree said 
she finally got that explained to her, so she wouldn't need to ask!"

Aladis laughs wickedly. "Maybe she likes you, N'ren. Maybe that fabled 
charm of yours has rubbed off on her." She takes another swig of wine, 
then blithely wiggles her way into N'ren's lap.

Jerethan grins and catches the flask with one hand, and with the other 
deftly finds a glass and fills it with the wine. "He chuckles and offers 
the flask to the others sitting near him.

Aphrael reaches over and pokes Kassi. "I know you too well, Kassi." She 
laughs at the reaction. "Oh yes I would! And she can always come up with 
more, Kassi. Like, maybe, what happened in your flight?"

Lenina squeals and jumps straight up when she feels something small and 
sandy poking her, then blushes when she sees it's only T'yn's toe. She 
grins sheepishly as she sits closer to their company. "I thought you might 
be some animal for a moment." She mutters.

T'yn laughs "I am." but winks.

R'val grins, "Worse than an animal..he's a brownrider." He calls over 
sarcastically.

Kassima blanches to a shade of pure white. "I won't take your wine, Aph."

Jerethan chuckles at R'val. "Awww... worse than blueriders?"

T'yn turns to grins at Nie. "Right." Leans playfully to nip her shoulder 
before taking another sip of wine.

Lenina chuckles a little, gaze lowered to the sand.

T'yn chuckles and raises his glass. "Two of us friend."

Aphrael chuckles as she leans back. "I should have more foster children." 
She murmers with a wink.

N'ren is wiggled upon, and grins, "What is this fabled charm that people 
keep mentioning to me?"

Kassima grins impishly. "Nah, you should drink some of the water back home 
and give Bree what she's always wanted...."

Aladis touches the tip of N'ren's nose with her finger, winking. "Right 
there." She looks over to her resting green. "And that green lump of mine 
seems quite taken with Kheveth too."

T'yn grins over at Jereth. "For a harper, your very quiet."

Aphrael takes a moment to stick her tongue out at Jereth, then giggles at 
Kassi. "I don't think the water works that well anymore.. oh, and that 
reminds me.. I had one of those dreams about K'nan getting pregnant." She 
giggles madly. Is the wine affecting her?

Channie giggles at T'yn blushing, "Yeah--he's an animal alright." She rubs 
the deep purple mark in her arm.

Kassima chokes, and has to cough for awhile before she manages to ask, 
"You had a dream about *what*?"

Channie sticks out her tongue at R'val.

Lenina continues to stare at the sand, face and ears pink stained.

R'val winks at Channie, "You know it's true." He says with a grin.

R'val blinks at Aph, "Dreams about....?"

Channie just flutters her lashes most innocently.

Jerethan chuckles at T'yn. "Oh, just listening. Harpers do that as well. 
And, of course, pausing in conversation to savor the taste of the 
excellent wine!" He hefts his glass, and then giggles wildly, spoiling his 
valiant attempt at Harper eloquence, at Aphrael's remark about K'nan. 
"Which is worse?" he giggles. "A proddy K'nan? Or a pregnant K'nan?"

Kassima groans. "What about a proddy pregnant K'nan? Don't answer that--I 
already know it would be a nightmare beyond my imagining."

T'yn laughs and shrugs. "What?"

Aphrael bursts into laughter at Kassi. "K'nan being pregnant.. it was 
almost as real as that one I had last night about roaming around Pern on 
flying furniture.."

R'val chuckles, "Proddy pregnant Jehrina will be something you will see 
soon Kassi. That's a sight allrighty."

Jerethan blinks at Aph. "Flying furniture?"

Channie giggles softly.

Kassima shakes her head. "I just don't believe that furniture thing, Aph. 
Are you sure you're not making that up?"

A large Chesterfield Sofa floats by, heading out to sea. It floats 
placidly, and then sinks abruptly, when a large whale lands directly on it 
from the skies.

T'yn turns to listen, puzzlment. "What type of furnature." He ends with a 
smirk.

Aphrael erks at Jereth. "It's no joke, honestly. I think Veyath will rise 
soonish. And I have to -live- with him." She nods at Jerethan and points 
to the Sofa. "Just like that one there.."

Aladis looks up, blinking. "Flying furniture? A whole roomful or just one 
bit?" She looks up, then blinks again, resolutely corking her flask of 
wine and setting it down.

Kassima grimaces at R'val. "I'd rather not think about that."

The whale thinks, "Oh no, not again."

R'val grins over at Aladis, nodding, 'Aph here had some weird dreams.

R'val laughs at Kassi, "You have to, eventually."

Channie rubs at her eyes and blinks a couple times, "Hhmmmmm---"

Kassima looks up in the sky, down at her wine, and blinks once or twice. 
Then she shrugs and gulps the rest of the glass.

Aladis rubs her eyes. "Maybe so, R'val, but it looks like I'm seeing 
furniture flying too."

R'val blinks at Aladis, "Oh dear. Maybe it's the wine."

T'yn eyes to to Channie's bruise. Bending to kiss it before moving to fill 
both of their glasses.

Aphrael resists the urge to go running after the sofa, knowing its most 
probably her vivid imagination at it again. "Anyway, it -seemed- real. 
Jereth, you were in it, and Kassi, R'val for a while, K'nan, Bree, 
Pere.."

Jerethan grins and swallows the rest of his glass, refilling it briefly.

Kassima hmmms at Aphrael. "You're still welcome to stay with me while 
K'nan's proddy, if you like. There's room. I'll shove some empty boxes 
over."

Jerethan nods. "For a while?" he asks Aph with a grin.

Channie smiles at T'yn makes her bruise all better with a kiss and takes a 
deep drink from her glass.

T'yn grins. "Kassima, you still have things in boxes?"

R'val shakes his head at the idea, and chuckles.

N'ren grins at Aladis, "Hee. Can't imagine why."

T'yn sips slowly, curious smile on his face.

Aphrael giggles at Kassi. "Thanks. We'll see what happens. I'm more 
worried about Bree," She trails off, nodding at Jereth. "Oh, yeah.. Bree 
picked him up and put him in her pocket." She shakes her head with 
amusement.

Kassima shakes her head. "Nope. They're all empty boxes." She eyes Aph 
and says, "Just *how* much did you drink last night?"

Channie smiles over at Kassi piping up with, "Empty boxes?"

Kassima nods at Channie. "Ayep. Perfect for empty box fights." She grins. 
"Besides, you never know when you're going to need some boxes for 
something... good to keep 'em around, just in case."

Aphrael grins. "Well at the very least I can come over and move them 
around again for a bit. You know how much it amuses K'nan and I." She 
rolls her eyes at Kassi. "Not -that- much.. at least, I don't think so."

R'val grins at Kassi, "Your weyr is still full of those boxes, Kassi?"

Jerethan laughs at Aphrael. "I think it's Prefeth affecting your dreams," 
he tells Aphrael with a smirk.

Channie pouts a bit, "I want to have empty box fights!"

T'yn moves to offer Lenina some of the wine before passing the skin on to 
Jereth.

Aladis giggles at N'ren, wiggling somewhat to make herself more 
comfortable. "Well, on this one, I agree with Asabeth." She eyes the wine, 
and leaves it where it is, commentingn over to Kassima, "Boxes? S'about 
all the decoration I have in my weyr, so far."

R'val grins, "Then come over sometime, Channie."

Aphrael starts at Jereth. "Prefeth? He was on the sofa too!"

Channie holds up her glass, "Alright then--I will! But I hope there won't 
be 'another' greenflight when I come to visit."

Jerethan suddenly has difficulty breathing as some of the wine goes down 
the wrong way. He finally coughs and manages to say, "Prefeth????!!"

T'yn grins. "That invitation good for two R'val?"

N'ren looks around, "What is this discussion about furniture?"

Jerethan glances at Channie. "No offense, dear, but you seem to have this 
problem with visits and greenflights."

Kassima laughs at Aph. "Aye, I do remember--you got those boxes all out of 
order, as I recall, and threw them every which way. I've still got them, 
indeed--here, there, and everywhere! Just those and some mismatched pieces 
of furniture."

Kemith croons happily and rustles his wings.

Channie frowns and points a finger to her dragon, "Hmph!"

Aphrael nodnods emphatically. "Yeah! Don't know how he ever fit.. somehow 
he did. And he was drinking something or other." She peers oddly at 
Prefeth who sits there.. doing whatever a dragon does.

R'val laughs at T'yn, "Well...I dunno."

Adroth rumbles gently before turning.

Aladis rubs her ears now, and peers at Aphrael. "Prefeth was on the 
couch?" She hazards a glance toward the blue in question.

R'val grins, "Aph,maybe you should see a healer."

Aphrael giggles at Kassi. "Hey, it makes the place looked lived in, 
doesn't it?" To N'ren she laughs. "Just a strange dream I had last 
night."

T'yn chuckles. "Not wanted am I?" Laughing as he settles back.

N'ren grins at Aphrael, and looks at R'val, "I thought you *were* a 
Healer?"

Kassima hrms. "Must've been the wine," she mutters. Then she asks, "Why 
were we all flying around on a couch in the first place? For that matter, 
how'd we get up there?" She refills her wine glass, prepared to hear 
something that's bound to be interesting.

Channie tickles at T'yn's side, then returns to being quiet.

Jerethan grins at Channie. "Well, no green dragons at Harper Hall -- so 
you can visit me safely."

R'val nods to N'ren, "I /was/ a healer.' He grins," I'm not anymore."

Aphrael smiles at Aladis. "Yeah, he looked quite comfortable. Glad to not 
be the one flying for once, it seems." She rolls her eyes at R'val.

R'val winks at Aph teasingly.

N'ren hrms at Aphrael, "He doesn't like to fly?"

Channie nods to Jereth, "Alright, sounds good to me Jereth!"

Aladis blinks, "SO he was just relaxing there, enjoying the flight in the 
sofa?"

Aphrael ums at Kassi as she closes her eyes, thinking. "Well, I think we 
just, um, started floating or something. And the sofa just appeared.." She 
giggles at N'ren. "Oh, not at all, that's just what it looked like in the 
dream."

Kassima frowns, puzzled. "How'd we start floating?"

N'ren tells Kassima, "Too much wine?"

T'yn nods thoughtfully at Jerethan. "Probably Adroth's and my fault last 
evening." Shrugs then takes another sip of wine. "No harm, but takes 
getting used to, these flights."

Jerethan shrugs and finishes his glass. He's starting to feel rather good 
now, and the wine begins to loosen his verse-tongue. He looks around, 
trying to spot a victim.

Kassima laughs. "Too much wine still sounds like the reason for the entire 
dream, if you ask me."

Aphrael shrugs. "I guess we started flapping our arms." She raises her own 
arms and demonstrates, just to make her argument seem convincing.

T'yn grins over at Kassima and raises his glass in salute. "A good flight 
by the way."

Aladis grins, leaning back against N'ren's shoulder. "Wine can do it to 
you. Then again," she laughs, "so can a lot of cookies."

R'val nods to Kassi, "Sounds like it to me, as well." He grins.

N'ren laughs out loud, over Aladis' head, "It takes some 'getting used 
to'. Faranth, that makes me feel old."

Channie looks into her empty glass and blushes, "Yes, we were both not 
really ourselves." she clears her throat and then shrugs.

Jerethan's eyes twinkle for a moment -- and his gaze fixes on Aphrael.

Kassima looks skeptical. "You're saying that all of us just flapped our 
arms and started flying in the sky, then a giant sofa appeared and we all 
sat on it and flew around Pern, with a blue dragon?"

Kassima chuckles ruefully and returns the toast with her own glass. "More 
Lysseth's doing than mine, T'yn, but thanks."

Aphrael doesnt noticed Jereth's look, as she's busy nodding at Kassi. 
"Yeah, but Prefeth kind of just flew in and landed on the sofa."

Lenina absently draws pictures in the sand as she listens absolutely slack 
jawed to the conversations she's hearing.

T'yn fumbles for the skin, pouring deftly for Nie. Stoppering and placing 
it carefully within reach of all.

Kassima shakes her head in amazement. "How big *was* this sofa?"

R'val refills his glass, and holds up the skin,' Anyone else want any?"

Aladis chuckles, "Did he look comfortable, at least, Aph?" She turns to 
wink at N'ren, "Old? You? Heh."

N'ren replies, droll, "Perhaps it was bigger on the inside than on the 
outside?"

Kassima looks up and doesn't see any more floating sofas, so she nods. 
"Aye, please."

Channie smiles over to Lenina and leans over to speak with her, since she 
looks to be left out of the circle. "How do you like the beach?"

Aphrael clears her throat. "Well, uh, not very. I have no idea how we all 
fit on there either.." She nods at Aladis, "Oh, indeed! We managed to stop 
at Boll even and he ordered drinks for us. Talented."

Jerethan recites,

        The lovely Aph, and her blue Pref,
        Are neither scared by pain nor death!
        But face them with a proddy green,
        And watch them dodge into *between*
        And maybe later they'll be seen,
        After the flight is done!

R'val Muses, "Boll? drinks? WIsh I'd been there."

N'ren grins at Aladis, "Your Master Lily asked me how many Flights I'd 
been in. I told her that I'd lost count. That Kheveth had won between 130 
and 160 mating flights. This rather surprised her."

Channie eeps and hopes Jereth doesn't spot her, she slinks down against 
the sand.

R'val laughs, "Good one, Jereth."

Kassima sighs, amused. "Aphrael, m'friend, you've got to be one of two 
things--either the most creative person I've ever met, or the most insane 
person I've ever met. Take your pick."

Aladis just laughs at that one. "Did he order a drink for himself, Aph?" 
She smiles at Jereth, "Nice poem."

R'val grins at Kassi, "Or both, perhaps. The two are not mutually 
exclusive."

Kassima blinks at Jereth and giggles, coughing as she accidentally inhales 
some wine.

Channie blinks at N'ren and lifts both of her eyebrows before shrugging 
and sipping her wine.

Aphrael bursts out laughing at Jereth. To Kassi she giggles. "Likely the 
latter." She grin, then nods at Aladis. "Yeah, he ordered one of those 
thread things, then a blue dragon."

Aladis takes a look over at Kheveth, then at N'ren. "He's a fine, strong 
beast. Given the frequency of flights, I'm not surprised you've been in 
that many. Or," she adds, with a wink, "won a fair number of them." She 
giggles as she turns to Aprhael, "Which did he prefer? And they must've 
been *big* drinks for someone his size."

T'yn nods. "That is an impressive number."

Jerethan grins, and swings his gaze toward Channie...

        Channie and her Kemith brown,
        Seem to /happen/ to be around,
        When a green takes to the air,
        With none her Kemith can compare,
        Yet one day success he'll fare,
        After the flight is done.

Jerethan eyes R'val with a gleam in his eye.

Aphrael giggles madly at Aladis. "The blue dragon, actually. And no they 
weren't.. I dont know how he held them.. probably the same way that he 
wrote on the wall in the lava lounge."

Channie giggles and sticks out her tongue at Jereth.

N'ren grins and shrugs, "I've probably been in something like 1,000 
Flights, in all the Weyrs."

R'val groans, "Don't you dare, Jerethan."

Jerethan giggles and looks thoughtful for a moment.

T'yn grins.

Jerethan grins at Kassima and raises a brow.

Kemith croons happily and swishes his tail around to dust Jereth with 
sand.

Aladis nearly doubles up with laughter, "He scribbled on the walls of the 
lava lounge? Oh, I wish I could've seen that." She grins at Jereth, 
"You're on a roll tonight."

Kassima raises an eyebrow of her own and glances meaningfully down to her 
knives... which aren't there anymore. Ooops. She really must remember to 
retrieve them.

Channie lays against T'yn's shoulder and smiles at her friends.

Aladis then leans back to kiss N'ren's cheek. She murmurs something to 
him.

N'ren just hugs Aladis and grins.

T'yn snuggles into Nie, relaxed smile playing over his face. Legs uncross, 
then recross as he listens.

Lenina falls asleep in the sand.

Aphrael giggles in response and nods. "And I wish we'd seen it, but the 
sofa floated away before I could read whatever it was.."

Channie snuggles into T'yn's arms and closes her eyes, getting comphy 
before drifting to sleep.

Jerethan grins at Kassima, and leans back,

        Kassima's sweet as sweet can be,
        As sweet as sweet'ner dropped in tea,
        But flee for your lives,
        When her green swoops and dives,
        And be dodging the knives,
        After the flight is done!

Kassima plays along again. "Where'd the sofa float to this time?"

R'val laughs, "VERY appropriate, that one." He grins.

Jerethan grins. "And what's this about a belt buckle?" he asks.

Aphrael laughs at Jereth, before replying to Kassi. "Hrm, well now... the 
star smith hall I think. That was a little fuzzy, cos I was trying to find 
out what Prefeth was doing.."

Aladis smiles impishly as she reaches up to ruffle N'ren's hair. She 
grins, "Well, maybe some day one of us will go and see if there is 
something on the wall that he wrote.."

R'val grins, "Doubt it. S'just a dream, one hopes."

Kassima laughs and applauds. "You're really on a roll this time, Jereth."

Jerethan chuckles, and again his gaze drifts to R'val, longingly.

R'val eyes Jerethan sternly.

Aladis notices Jerethan's look and chuckles softly, "Oh, do it Jereth."

N'ren mutters to Aladis, "... of... before he sings... me..."

Kassima shudders, then grins. "One should hope it was. I can't imagine 
what it'd be like to fly around on a huge sofa... I don't think I want to, 
either."

Jerethan peers at N'ren. "Oh, I don't know you, brownrider. Until you 
introduce yourself -- or someone introduces me... you need fear not!"

Aladis grins. She mutters to N'ren, "I... brownrider. Unless you'd 
rather..." 

Aphrael chuckles at Kassi. "Oh, it really was fun. You looked like you 
enjoyed yourself. And we had supplies and everything, lots of food, and 
wine."

N'ren replies, "Oh, you've already forgotten me from the Benden Living 
Caver..." He claps his mouth shut.

Kassima smiles. "Sounds like that dream I had once, that I told you 
about--the giant flying wooden bed one? 'Cept that wasn't quite as odd as 
what you've described."

Aladis giggles, "What were you doing in the Benden LC, N'ren? Anything 
truly scandalous?"

Aphrael giggles and nods. "Where you went over seacraft? Yeah, so did we, 
even landed on one of the skiffs there."

N'ren looks around surreptitiously, "I was... drinking redfruit juice."

Jerethan smiles, and says, very sweetly,

        A dragon blue,
        his rider too,
                Their names I shall not say...
        Together they
        have have gone away,
                To find a green or two!
        Yet each time,
        homeward they climb,
                To alleviate their sorrows.
        There they rest,
        Becoming their best,
                For the greens of their tomorrows!

T'yn sets up crosslegged to listen. Hands holding his glass. Curiously he 
listens.

R'val laughs, snorting, "I know who /you/ meant Jereth."

Jerethan giggles and nods, raising a brow to R'val. "I'm sure you do!"

R'val grins at Jerethan and waggles a finger at him.

Jerethan grins at N'ren. "I never did catch your name, brownrider," he 
says, inclining his head respectfully.

N'ren opens his mouth to say something, but decides against it, "See if 
I'll tell *you* what my name is."

N'ren grins.

R'val peers over at Vidarth as the dragon stands. He frowns, "I've got to 
check on something, gang. I may be back."

R'val uses Vidarth's side straps to mount up agilely, settling onto the 
little blue's back and straightening, petting his head once as Vidarth 
thrums excitedly, ready to fly.

Aladis eyes N'ren dubiously. "/Just/ drinking redfruit juice? And nothing 
else?" She winks at Jereth. "Need any hints?"

Jerethan laughs, and looks around at his friends. "So, what shall I call 
him? N'name, rider of brown Anonymouth?"

From Vidarth's back, R'val waves down hastily, grinning, "Great party! See 
you all shortly!"

Vidarth launches up up into the sea air, and soars high above the island.

Kassima chortles. "That's some inspiration kick you're on there, Jereth." 
She procures herself another sandwich and nibbles on it while polishing 
off a third glass of wine.

Aladis waves to R'val as he departs so hastily.

Jerethan waves to R'val. "Something I said?" he calls.

T'yn raises his glass to the departin rider. Turning back to grin at the 
harper.

N'ren whines at Aladis, "I'd just *gotten* there."

Aladis awws and patpats N'ren's cheek. "Poor baby. And were they picking 
on you?"

T'yn lifts his glass, swirling the remaining liquie before swallowing it. 
"Think I'll head back."

Jerethan smiles at T'yn. "Good to see you again, my friend."

Aladis arcs a brow at T'yn, "You too? So soon?"

T'yn climbs to his feet. Pleasant smile for all.

N'ren almost manages mock-tears, but not quite, "Harpers *always* pick on 
me."

T'yn says "Night, and clear skies.""

T'yn turns to saunter off.

T'yn using Adroth's raised forelimb, climbs the muscular brown shoulder 
and settles along his neckridges. 

Upon Adrorth's Neck, T'yn fastens the riding straps tightly to his belt.

Adroth wings and ascends up into the sea air, and soars high above the 
island.

Aphrael waves at T'yn. "Clear skies, rider!"

Aphrael sighs as she misses.

Jerethan grins at N'ren. "Well, N'name... it's just so much /fun/!"

Aladis gives N'ren a motherly kiss on the cheek. "Don't let those mean old 
harpers bother you."

Aladis waves belatedly to T'yn.

Kassima waves belatedly, but realizing that there's no way this could be 
seen and is thus pointless, ceases. "Want a sandwich, Aph?"

N'ren aims it as an epithet, "Especially the Masters!"

Aladis clears her throat, "Isn't your sister a Master, brownrider?"

Aphrael glances over to Kassi. "Hrm? Oh, what's in them?"

Jerethan blinks at N'ren, suddenly sobering. "Something wrong?" he asks, 
glancing over at Kassima at the mention of food.

N'ren winks at Jerethan, and continues to whine and moan. "Especially 
Master Kirana. She used to sing _Silvertongue_ about me."

Kassima shrugs, glancing down at the sandwich. "I didn't really look, just 
ate."

Vidarth circles down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when he 
touches down.

R'val slides down from Vidarth's back and lands in a crouch.

Jerethan blinks. "I've heard of Kirana... Masterharper long ago, right?"

Jerethan waves to R'val.

R'val grins, waving as he leaps off Vidarth's back and lets the dragon go 
back to the water, "Told you all I'd be back."

R'val freshens up his glass of wine and grins.

N'ren groans, "'Long ago'. Boy, that makes me feel *really* old. I knew 
her when she was an Apprentice."

Jerethan smiles to N'ren. "Well, considering I've been at the Hall for 
about a Turn..."

Aladis laughs and hugs the brownrider. "Silly rider. You're not *that* 
much older."

N'ren looks at Aladis, "Than what? The last firestone you mined?"

R'val flops down with Kassi and Aph and grins, offering them the wine 
flask, "Here, guys."

N'ren then winks.

N'ren wrinkles his nose at Jerethan, "Master Jalassa is my sister. Master 
Kirana was one of my dearest friends."

Aphrael ohs and accepts the sandwich anyway. "Food is food," She mutters, 
chewing happily.

Jerethan nods. "I think I've met Master Jalassa once," he says, trying to 
remember.

Aladis giggles. "Than..." she says, "a very good vintage of Benden Red." 
She blinks. "So Master Jalassa is your sister? I hadn't realized just 
who..."

Kassima grins. "Thanks, R'val," she says, pouring herself a fourth glass 
and handing the flask to Aph.

Jerethan smiles. "Going to tell her all about my little verses, eh?" he 
asks with a wink. "Not sure if that report'd help me or hurt me!"

N'ren nods, "Well, not by blood. We adopted each other, as it were, back 
when she was Ista's Harper."

Aphrael empties the flask she's given into the one she was holding 
already, then hands the empty one back to R'val. "Thanks." She says 
brightly.

Aladis chuckles, "Fun having a sibling as a Master, isn't it? But I didn't 
adopt Tunnelsn..er, Kaylarn."

R'val blinks at Aph, "A drink..not the flask!" He grins.

Kassima awwwwwwwwwwwws. "Not the flask?"

R'val grins, "Well yes, I want some."

Aladis nudges her flask toward R'val, "You c'n have some of mine, if you 
want."

Aphrael shrugs and smiles. "Same thing." She murmers placidly, chewing on 
her sandwich of something, and drinking from the now full flask she holds.

N'ren startles visibly, "Kaylarn?"

R'val smiles gratefully at Aladis and takes the flask, filling his glass 
and handing it back, "Thank you Aladis!"

Aladis smiles to R'val, then blinks, turning her head to look direcly at 
N'ren. "Yes, Kaylarn. He's my older brother, crazy miner that he is. I 
though you knew."

N'ren shakes his head, "No, I didn't."

Jerethan grins. "All miners are crazy. It's something in the cookies," he 
adds, taking a sip of his third glass of wine.

N'ren grins, "Any other relatives I should know about?"

Aladis grins, "About the only thing the two of us have in common is our 
fondness for cookies. But he's really basically okay." She shakes her 
head, "Naah, can't think of anyone else I'm related to who's /that/ 
crazy."

Kassima starts in on another sandwich, being quite hungry. Certainly 
hungry enough to finish a third sandwich of perfectly normal something. 
"How's your food, Aph?"

Aladis peers at Jerethan. "Minecraft cookies are very good."

N'ren grins.

Aladis smils impishly and kisses N'ren's nose.

Jerethan grins at Aladis. "Of course they are. But I think there's 
something in them. Benden water perhaps... no, that just spreads the flu, 
not the Weyrdness."

Aphrael hrms as she considers that. "Well, er, normal actually. Perfectly 
normal." She peers down at the sandwich, loathe to find out -exactly- 
what's in it just in case it dispells the taste.

Aladis chuckles, "Minecraft cookies are the most delicious thing on Pern. 
One really has to taste them, Jereth, to appreciate them."

Meroth spirals down from above, and sends up a flurry of sand when he 
touches down.

Jerethan chuckles. "Oh, I have!" he says. "They're wonderful. But I'm sure 
there's something in them. Perhaps it has to build up, over time..."

T'fian quickly slides down Meroth's foreleg and jumps to the ground.

R'val waves, "Hey T'fian, come join the party!"

T'fian chuckles, glancing around at the gathering. "What's this, impromptu 
Gather?"

Aphrael waves at T'fian and Meroth over her sandwich of perfectly normal 
something and semi full wine flask. "Heya T'fian!"

Aladis sighs wistfully, "And it's been /ages/ since I last had one, too." 
She nods, slowly, "Maybe it does guild up..." Seeing T'fian, she waves 
lazily.

Kassima waves cheerfully to T'fian with the hand not holding either wine 
or sandwich. "Heyla! Want a something sandwich?"

Aphrael laughs. "Not quite. The Fort riders suggested it actually.. but 
most of them left."

Jerethan waves to T'fian with a smile. "Evening, dragonrider," he calls.

Aladis waggles her fingers at T'fian, "As the only Fort rider still here, 
Fort's duties, heya, and all that."

T'fian nods to Jerethan. "Apprentice," he replies and then looks over at 
the Fort rider and pauses. She looks vaguely familiar, but isn't quite 
sure. "Uhm, Benden's Duty to Fort," he says, somewhat cautiously.

N'ren waves at T'fian, slowly standing up. "I need to get back to the 
Weyr. Work in the morning."

Jerethan nods to T'fian. "Harper Hall's duty to Benden," he adds, not sure 
if he's supposed to say it with so many other riders already here from the 
same weyr, but it can't hurt.

R'val nods to N'ren, "Later."

T'fian looks over at N'ren and nods. "Clear skies, wingmate."

Aladis slides off of N'ren's lap and mock-pouts up at him. "Leaving so 
soon?" She glances over at T'fian and smiles, "I think we met...you're one 
of the Assistant Weyrlingmasters, aren't you?"

Aphrael makes a face. "Work," She mutters, waving at N'ren. "Clear skies 
to you."

Kassima watches Aph for a moment, then says, "Better go careful with the 
wine, Aph. Wouldn't want to dream of flying furniture again." She then 
turns and waves to N'ren. "Clear skies."

Jerethan waves. "Clear skies, N'name!"

N'ren leans down and kisses Aladis' pout away, then claps T'fian's 
shoulder, "Later." Then, to everyone else, "Clear Skies, all. And it's 
N'ren."

N'ren moves to his dragon, climbing up.

N'ren steps up onto Kheveth's proferred foreleg, and swings himself up 
onto his back with the help of the straps.

Aladis mmms and smiles, waving to N'ren, "Clear skies and take care, 
Brownrider."

Aphrael giggles at Kassi. "Nah, I think the wine helps, actually." She 
grins. "Besides, flying furniture is fun at times."

Jerethan smiles. "Clear skies, N'ren!" he calls. "And thanks!"

Kassima opens up her sandwich and peers at it, then glances at Aph. "What 
do you think this stuff is, anyway?"

Aphrael shakes her head. "Don't know, Kassi." She doesnt want to know 
either. It tastes good, though.

T'fian looks after N'ren for a moment as he mounts his dragon and then 
back at Aladis and nods. "Yes, I was, er, am one of the assistant weyrling 
masters." He pauses and glances over at Kassima. "What'cha eating?"

Kheveth rumbles a bit irritatedly, clearly not wishing to leave his mate.

Kassima looks up. "Um, it's a sandwich...." She doesn't elaborate, mostly 
because she can't.

Aladis hazards a glance at Kassi's sandwich, "Never ask what's in your 
food. It's sometimes better not to know." She nods, smiling to T'fian, "I 
thought so.."

Asabeth nuzzles Kheveth affectionately, crooning softly to him.

T'fian looks expectantly at Kassima. "And...? What kind of sandwich is 
it?"

Kassima is forced to shrug and say, "I haven't the faintest. I think it's 
meat of some kind."

Aphrael glances down at her own sandwich, nodding at Aladis. "Very wise."

Kheveth finally spreads his wings, and, with a burst of sand all over the 
place from his leap, is airborne.

Kheveth circles upwards up into the sea air, and soars high above the 
island.

Aladis brushes some of the sand off of her shoulders, and lays back in the 
sand. "I made the mistake of asking once. Couldn't touch the Hall's stew 
after that."

T'fian blinks. "And you're eating it?" he asks, somewhat incredulously. 
"You've no idea what it is, and you're eating it... No, I think I won't 
ask for one. I'm too often surprised by what Salless serves me. I don't 
need it out here either."

Aphrael grimaces slightly as she starts to think about what's in the 
sandwich. She places it - carefully, just in case - down on the sand and 
shifts away from it, watching it warily for a moment. "It -did- taste good 
though, T'fian."

Kassima grins sheepishly. "Well, I didn't ask T'yn--he brought the 
sandwiches--and now he's gone back to Fort, so it's too late." She takes 
a deep sip of her wine, then mutters, "Besides, it couldn't be any odder 
than all that raw wherry and wine."

Aladis's eyes unfocus and she peers over at her green. "Oh, really? 
Well...if you say so." Standing, she smiles sheepishly at the assembled 
crowd. "Actually, I think I'll have to be going too. It was nice to see 
you all. Take care."

R'val smiles, "Nice seeing you again, Aladis. Take care."

T'fian turns away from Kassima and her sandwich and nods to Aladis. "Clear 
skies."

Aphrael waves at Aladis. "Clear skies, Aladis. And thanks to you all for 
inviting us out here."

Aladis leaps up onto Asabeth's outstretched foreclaw, and vaults up onto 
her neck with practiced ease.

Jerethan waves to Aladis. "Clear skies!"

Kassima puts her sandwich down for a moment, watching it to make sure it 
won't scuttle away as she waves to Aladis. "Clear skies and a safe trip to 
you, Aladis! Good to see you again."

From Asabeth's neckridges, Aladis buckles Asabeth's straps and waves down, 
"Clear skies and take care, all. Hope to see you soon."

Asabeth circles upwards up into the sea air, and soars high above the 
island.

Jerethan leans back in the sand and sighs, finishing the last bit of wine 
in his glass. "So this is shipfish island... sort of like Boll, except not 
nearly as crowded."

Aphrael glances around the group, grinning. "Its getting smaller and 
smaller."

R'val grins, "Ayup. A nice little spot."

T'fian smiles at Aph. "I must smell or something," he comments.

Kassima gets up and wanders down to the edge of the beach, carrying her 
wine and sandwich along with her as she finds a new spot and sits down. 
Then she puts her foodstuffs aside to start to try and build something out 
of the sand.

Aphrael takes a gulp of her wine and nods at Jereth. "Take a look around. 
It's actualy pretty big." She snorts at T'fian. "Nah, they started leaving 
long before you came. Unless they knew you were coming?" She asks, with a 
laugh. Yup, she's been drinking a lot..

T'fian sits down on the sand, sitting crosslegged as he leans his back 
against Meroth's pale blue flank. "I s'pose that's a possibility. All 
though I didn't know I was coming here, until right before I did," he 
chuckles.

Jerethan smiles and leans back, watching his friends happily.

Aphrael ohs, eyes wide, "Really? You knew you were coming before you knew? 
That's talent?" She says, confusing herself and probably everyone else 
totally.

Kassima says in a perfectly reasonable tone, "Well, if you didn't know you 
were coming, then the others couldn't possibly have known and must've left 
for different reasons." Kassi is obviously either drunk or suffering from 
some sort of mental imbalance.

T'fian glances over at Jerethan. "Harpers let you out of the cage?" He 
blinks at Aph. "Actually, I didn't," he corrects her.

R'val glances at Kassima and giggles.

Kassima nods at Aph. "Exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself."

Aphrael nods in agreement with Kassi, then blinks as T'fian ruins her 
statement. "So... you didnt know that you knew, before you knew, but you 
still did, nevertheless?"

Kassima hmmmms. "So you knew before you didn't know! Okay, I get it now. 
You must have hit your head and forgot that you knew you were coming, so 
you knew before you didn't know and now you know again!" She beams, 
pleased to have figured out the puzzle.

T'fian shakes his head. "Y'know, I think I liked it better when you were 
all weyrlings, and I could just tell you to shut up before you make me 
lose my mind," he laughs and turns back to Aphrael. "No. No. No. Meroth 
wanted to know where everybody was... oh, nevermind," he grins.

Benden Weyr> Aphrael laughs at T'fian! :)

Benden Weyr> T'fian looks innocent. "What'd I do?"

Aphrael nods seriously as she listens, "Right, so -Meroth- knew that you 
knew, before you knew. But you didnt, until right before you did.."

Kassima, the walking advertisement for the bad effects that weeks of 
eating nothing but raw meat and wine can have on a person's mental health, 
hrms. "So Meroth knew before you knew, which was before you didn't know 
you knew. Makes perfect sense. Sure you don't want a sandwich?"

Jerethan chuckles at T'fian. "Well, not really 'let' -- more... sort of 
accidentally left the door open."

T'fian tries to sort it out in his mind and then just nods and says 
wisely. "Yes."

Aphrael nods sagely at T'fian now that she has it all figured out. 
"Right."

T'fian grins at Jerethan. "So, some Master's gonna come lookin' for you, 
eh?"

Kassima finishes her crude sculpture of a sand weyr, which isn't very 
good. In fact, it's all wrong. But once she uses a fingertip to make it 
look like chains are laced all around the outer walls of the Bowl, it 
seems more right somehow.

Aphrael picks up her flask. She blinks. "Uh, its empty!" She looks 
suspiciously at R'val and Kassi, but no, she already warned them off.. 
hrm. "I didn't drink all that!"

R'val grins at Aphrael naughtily.

Kassima blinks. "Aye, you did, Aph. Remember? I told you not to, and now 
you'll dream of flying furniture and it's all your own fault."

Aphrael catches sight of Kassi's sand weyr and blinks. "Hey, now that 
looks just like another dream I had.. of a place called Telgar Weyrd.." 
She peers over at R'val, then to Kassi. "I did?" She sounds faintly 
puzzled.

R'val blinks at Aph.

T'fian nods, snorting. "Oh, yeah, Kassima. This from a person who's got 
lines criscossing over some sort of unidentifiable sand ... thing."

Kassima nods. "You must've. I didn't drink it... I only drank from that 
flask R'val gave us. Where is that, anyway? I need some more wine to go 
with my excellent perfectly normal sandwich."

Aphrael shakes her head at T'fian, "No, no its Telgar Weyrd, can't you 
see? Those chains keep the holders-" She breaks off, biting her lip. "Uh, 
never mind.."

R'val tosses the flask to Kassi and grins," here."

Kassima hmmms. "It's missing something, though." She peers at the sand 
thing, absently catching the flask neatly. "Thanks, R'val--ah! I know 
what it's missing!" She pours a little wine into a part of the interior 
and beams.

Aphrael must have been duped. The flask that she gave back to R'val was 
empty. Unless she gave back the wrong one..

T'fian rolls his eyes. "Telgar? Now, there's an excuse for a weyr." It's 
not certain if he means the sculpture or the Weyr itself.

Aphrael giggles at Kassi, then looks over at T'fian. "You don't like 
anywhere, do you?" She asks, curiously. "Not Fort Weyr, not Bitra, not 
Telgar.."

T'fian smiles. "Ista's too hot and muggy. I like High Reaches. And Benden 
Hold's not bad. But I've been spoiled by fifteen turns of Benden Weyr."

R'val snorts, "You want hot? Igen."

T'fian looks at R'val. "Born and raised at Igen Hold. There until I was 
fifteen."

R'val laughs, "I see."

Kassima adds, "Or Boll. Boll's pretty hot, though not so much in summer 
as winter...."

Aphrael chuckles at T'fian. "I know what you mean.. but the Reaches? Ick! 
It's an icicle up there..."

T'fian chuckles. "Never been to Boll. But Reaches is nice during the 
summer."

Kassima frowns. "Or was that not so much in winter as summer? I don't 
know. I'm confused. This calls for more wine." After refilling her glass, 
she stretches out on the sand and stares up at the stars.

Jerethan grins at T'fian. "Well... hopefully not," he chuckles.

T'fian chuckles. "Well, unless ya got some elaborate scheme to befuddle 
the Masters, I think they'd notice you missing classes. I recall seeing 
you at Benden last night."

R'val grins, "Masters are easy to fool if you know how."

Kassima hmms and sits up, glancing over her shoulder. "Hey, Aph--what do 
you think that cloud looks like?" She points up to one of them.

T'fian laughs at R'val. "Never worked for me back at Minecraft."

Jerethan smiles at T'fian. "Well... most of the time, the Master don't 
notice. And yesterday I got sent to deliver some scrolls to Caitlyn -- and 
my rider sort of got distracted by the flight," he adds with a bit of a 
blush.

T'fian nods. "Well, speaking from experience, I know /that/ happens."

Aphrael glances upwards, looking at the cloud. "Hrm, it looks like, well.. 
it looks like a hide to me... and there's something written on it." She 
squints. "Don't... uh, Don't something.."

Jerethan peers up at the cloud. "Hmmm?"

Kassima shields her eyes and peers at it. "Don't picnic?"

Aphrael shakes her head. "Nah, close though.. P-something."

Jerethan peers at the sky. "Panic?"

Kassima shakes her head. "No thanks, Jereth, there's no need to panic at 
the moment... maybe later though."

R'val chuckles, "Don't panic.' He mutters.

Liath is released from Vidarth's side-straps.

Jerethan laughs. "I mean the word."

T'fian glances at Kassima. "If I want to panic, I will."

Aphrael nods sagely. "The normal sandwiches won't chase." She mutters.

Kassima ohs. "Don't panic. And in such large, friendly letters, too."

Tinya swings her leg over Liath's back and drops to the ground, landing 
lightly.

Aphrael blinks. "Oh, right. Don't Panic! How nice!"

R'val smiles as Liath lands, waving, "Hey, Tinya!"

T'fian glances over at Tinya and nods politely.

Kassima rolls her eyes. "But why would you want to panic just because of 
a big cloud that says 'Don't Panic'?"

R'val smiles warmly, waving TInya over to where he sits in the sand with 
a wine bottle, "Hello dear, come to join the fun?"

Aphrael giggles. "Well it is rather far up in the sky."

T'fian shakes his head. "I don't think a cloud can tell me what to do or 
not."

Tinya grins, as she shrugs out of her jacket and heads over to join R'val. 
"Sure, I didn't want to be left out."

Aphrael snorts at T'fian. "Of course it can, if its a -smart- cloud."

Kassima considers this, then shakes her head. "No, it can't. Only the foos 
can do that."

R'val grins, pouring a second glass and holding it out to Tinya.

Jerethan chuckles, shaking his head. "Listen to the cloud, dear," he says. 
He glances over to Tinya and waves, smiling at her.

T'fian shakes his head. "See, Kassima knows what she's talking about."

Tinya settles in the sands beside R'val, taking the glass from his hand 
and taking a long drink. She looks around, waving to various folks.

Aphrael sticks her tongue out at the greenrider. "Foo-smoo. The cloud 
-knows-!"

R'val slides his arm around TInya and hugs her with a grin.

Kassima nods wisely. "Of course. I listen to the teachings of the 
Perfectly Normal Sandwich."

T'fian snorts. "The cloud knows nothing. Why would it be up there telling 
us not to panic if it did. And Kassima, the sandwich doesn't teach you 
anything. Except maybe that you should ask what it is before eating it."

Benden Weyr> Aphrael says, "You're too sensible for you own good, 
T'fian. ;)"

Benden Weyr> R'val grins.

Benden Weyr> R'val says, "You tell 'im, Aph ;)"

Benden Weyr> T'fian says, "Steady dependable bluerider. That's me. :)"

Aphrael blinks as she looks away from the cloud. "Because it knows! It 
knows how to fly, and how to spell!"

Kassima frowns. "But if I'd asked, then it wouldn't be a Perfectly Normal 
Sandwich. Besides, I might've found out that it's wherry or herdbeast or 
something, and Tria would be irked." Never mind that these sandwiches came 
from Fort and not Benden. Tria would *still* be irked. The foos have 
spoken unto her, and told her so.

T'fian looks upward. "Oh, yeah, and what's it say now?"

R'val smiles sidelong at Tinya, "How're you doing?"

Tinya glances over at Kassi and Aph and T'fian. Stares, really. Then she 
shrugs, and takes a long drink, saying softly, "Obviously they've got a 
head start..."

Aphrael looks back up, eyes searching for the cloud. "Um, hitch-something 
guide to.. Pern?"

Benden Weyr> R'val says, "Aph, Kassi, you two are getting /too/ 
weird :)"

R'val nudges Tinya and murmurs, grinning, "Don't ask."

Kassima beams. "It's the Hitchdragon's Guide to Pern! Of course! A wholly 
remarkable cloud."

T'fian snorts. "Yeah, right. And does that make any sense to you?"

Kassima blinks up at T'fian and says gravely, "Yes. Yes it does. Are you 
*sure* you don't want a sandwich?"

Aphrael nodnods in agreement with Kassi. "That's right!" She looks to 
T'fian. "Of course it does. If you asked it something I bet it'd know the 
answer.."

Benden Weyr> Kassima grins. No such thing as too weyrd. :)

Tinya grins back, nodding. "I'm swiftly learning that's safer. 'Just shut 
up and drink.'" That last part sounds like it might be a quote.

T'fian argues with the two insane people about clouds and sandwiches like 
it's perfectly normal. "I don't want a sandwich. And what in Faranth's 
name is a Hitchdragon. And besides it obviously says Hitchhiker, and 
that's a nonsensical word if I ever saw it."

Benden Weyr> Aphrael giggles. Not much weyrder then a certian dream Aph 
had... ;)

R'val winks at Tinya, grinning wolfishly, "Sounds like a plan, m'dear."

Aphrael blinks. "Hitckhiker?" She blinks. "Hrm, maybe its a code word?"

Kassima nods, glancing back up at the cloud. "You're right. Hitchhiker 
must be code for something." She wiggles her finger at the cloud, willing 
it to decode, but nothing happens.

T'fian nods. "Yeah, for you two've drinken too much, methinks."

Jerethan, for no apparent reason at all, murmurs, "Forty-two."

T'fian snaps his fingers. "Or maybe it was something in the sandwich?"

Aphrael snorts at T'fian. "I have not! Someone -stole- my wine! Really! 
Just ask the cloud!"

Kassima suddenly sits straight up. "I know what hitchhiker is code for! 
It's... 42."

Jerethan sighs. "/Now/ I know where the furniture came from."

R'val grins sidelong at T'fian. "MUCH too much, wouldn't you say?" He 
tsks at Kassi and Aph.

T'fian blinks at Kassima. "You're just saying that because the missing 
Harper apprentice over there said 'forty-two.'"

Kassima shakes her head. "No," she intones. "The Answer is 42. But what 
was the question again? I knew it a second ago...."

Tinya grins, nodding along with R'val. She upends her own glass, draining 
it in one long drink, and holds it out for more.

Jerethan chuckles at T'fian. "Oh, relax, dragonrider. Today was a rest-day 
at the Hall."

Aphrael sticks her tongue out at R'val. "You're the one that was being 
silly. You drank more than me!"

R'val winks at Aphrael, "Me? I didn't drink a /drop!/" He winks, clearly 
lying.

Aphrael nudges Kassi. "Ask the cloud." She murmurs.

R'val fills Tinya's glass again and grins at her.

T'fian chuckles. "Yeah, and who knows what mischief you've been getting 
into, and what sort of bad reputation you've been giving Harpers. Not that 
they need any more of a bad reputation." He looks up at the cloud. "Can 
you stop thread from fallin', O great Cloud?"

Aphrael snorts. "Sure! You didnt drink a drop and those perfectly normal 
sandwiches are strange."

Kassima raises her arms to the sky. "Oh great all-knowing, wholly 
remarkable cloud... how many flasks of wine has R'val drank tonight? 42! 
That is the answer!"

T'fian looks down back at Kassima and then at R'val. "42? Really?"

Tinya is just barely saved from sputtering wine -- she hadn't _quite_ 
taken a drink yet.

Jerethan cheers for Kassima. "I thought it was, 'how many classes has 
Jereth missed because of being kidnapped by dragonriders?'"

Aphrael peers up at the cloud at T'fian's question. "No," She reads the 
words. "Oh well, least it -knew- that it couldn't help."

T'fian look back at Jerethan. "You just said today was rest day," he 
comments with a grin.

T'fian looks upward. "Err, make that yesterday."

Aphrael shakes her head. "No, no, I thought it was many half men does it 
take to make 6 people?"

Jerethan smiles. "I mean total... not just today," he points out, closing 
his eyes.

Kassima hmmms and squints up at the sky. "Wait! It says it can... but only 
if, let me see--ah. Only if the severed heads of every bluerider still 
living are offered to it in sacrifice." She shrugs. "Weird cloud."

T'fian snorts at Kassima. "Greenriders," he says, rolling his eyes.

Aphrael squints. "Yes, and wait, there's a footnote.. 'and all 
greenriders'.."

Kassima sticks her tongue out at Aphrael. "That's not all it says. It 
says, 'And all greenriders shall rejoice and perform the sacrifices, and 
then receive many tasty cookies from the general populace.'"

T'fian shakes his head, half amused, half exasperated. "Shards! That all 
can't fit on a cloud. In fact, it doesn't say anything. Look, it's 
breaking up."

Tinya grins, shaking her head. "I'd better catch up." She takes a long 
drink of her wine, and then another.

Aphrael snorts, shaking her head. "Bah, it -does- not. It says 'and lo, 
foos shall fall from the sky and regenerate the blueriders, giving them 
ultra powers..'"

Aphrael pouts. "Come back, cloud!"

R'val grins at Tinya, "Let's drink then, m'dear."

T'fian chuckles. "See, you've made it angry by putting words in it's... 
uh... well, whatever."

Tinya blinks. "What's a...." She shuts her mouth with a snap, shaking her 
head again. "No, nevermind, I'm sure I don't want to know."

Kassima looks up at the cloud, then wipes tears from her eyes. "That's so 
sad! And just when it was getting to the Ultimate Truths of Life, like how 
all greenriders shall conquer the world with the aid of Veyath's ability 
to cause the entire world to become proddy all at once."

R'val grins, "You're learning!" He winks at TInya.

Aphrael frowns at T'fian. "How do you know?"

Tinya grins at R'val. "Yes, let's." She takes another drink, then looks 
into her glass with a surprised expression. Huh, empty already.

T'fian says wisely. "Because I'm an ancient Bluerider," he replies to 
Aphrael.

R'val promptly fills the glass.

Aphrael ahs and nods at T'fian, accepting. "Okay."

Kassima narrows her eyes. "You aren't Super Bluerider, are you?" she asks 
suspiciously.

T'fian shakes his head. "No. That's R'val."

R'val says "Super what?"

R'val blinks.

Jerethan just listens, totally lost but enjoying the banter.

Tinya suddenly seems to find a particular spot on the sand very 
interesting. And look, the edge of her mouth is quirking.

R'val tickles Tinya's ribs gently, grinning.

Aphrael peers at R'val. "-Him-?? No way! I revolt!"

T'fian shakes his head. "Oh, wait. That's not R'val. I'm sorry. My 
mistake. Actually, the Super Bluerider is... uhm... N'ren and Brown 
Kheveth."

Kassima ohs. "Okay, then. I guess I'll have to defeat him in battle to the 
death instead. At least, I will as soon as I find my costume trunk."

Tinya eeks and scoots several inches away, holding her wine away and out 
of danger while she bats at R'val's tickling fingers with her free hand.

R'val sticks his tongue out at Tinya, and winks teasingly, "Gotcha."

Jerethan chortles at Kassima. "Probably in amongst the empty boxes."

Kassima shakes her head. "Nah. The empty boxes are empty. That's why 
they're empty boxes."

Tinya siezes R'val's hand instead and sticks out her tongue at him. "Pest. 
I don't know why I put up with you."

T'fian shakes his head. "But how can you be sure they're empty. Maybe they 
only want you to think that."

R'val grins at Tinya charmingly, "Because you need wine-drinking company?"

Kassima puts her hands on her hips and glares. Of course, since she's 
facing the sea, she winds up glaring at the sea, but that's fine by her. 
"Boxes can't make me think anything. I have the Anti-Box Shield."

Tinya wrinkles up her nose. "I'll go back to hunting up Dys again, you 
keep this up. At least she doesn't tickle me." After a pause, "At least 
not as much."

Aphrael nods at Kassi. "Why do you think K'nan and I kept moving the boxes 
around? Because they arent really empty. There were telling us to move 
them so you'd never unpack your bluerider cloning machine."

T'fian shakes his head. "Anti-box who?" He pauses. "Nevermind. I don't 
want to know. In fact, I should be heading home. Duty in the morning."

R'val grins at Tinya and murmurs in her ear.

Kassima frowns at Aph. "But I already unpacked my bluerider cloning 
machine. It's what's behind Door Number Two."

T'fian pauses for a moment again. "Oh, wait. I can't go home. You people 
need me to bring you back to the Weyr alive."

R'val grins, "No they don't. Sure they can make it themselves." He waves 
T'fian off, "Or we'll see 'em home."

Kassima shakes her head. "Nah. Lysseth's not drunk, so I'll just give her 
the keys and she can drive."

R'val mutters, "Or, more likely, they'll fall asleep here."

Benden Weyr> Kassima giggles at the idea of Designated Dragons. :)

Aphrael shakes her head. "No, no, that's actually a greenrider cloning 
machine." She giggles at T'fian. "Did the cloud tell you that?"

Kassima shakes her head sadly. "Not so. I tried to clone myself with it, 
but that didn't work."

T'fian gets a stern look on his face at Kassima and falls into the 
assistant weyrlingmaster posture. "Lysseth depends upon you to give her 
the visualization. In your state, you'll never come out of between. And 
you, R'val, I'm not sure I'd trust you to stay sober."

R'val laughs, "I am sober. I've sobered up hours ago."

Jerethan smiles. "I'm fairly sober," he says with a giggle.

T'fian shakes his head at R'val. "You sure? And, Jerethan, you have not 
had the training required to visualize a destination. Oh, well, I'm going 
home, but Meroth's going to be listening to your dragons."

Tinya shifts around, propping her back against R'val's side so she can 
watch the others. In a lazy tone, with a more pronounced drawl than usual, 
she says, "Could just stay here. Sleeping on the beach, mmmm...."

Jerethan smiles. "Didn't say I could visualize," he says sleepily. "Just 
said I wasn't too drunk."

T'fian shakes his head. "True. And it would probably be best for you to 
stay here. G'night."

T'fian pulls himself up Meroth's foreleg, grasping the blue's riding 
straps, and settles between his neckridges.

Meroth launches up up into the sea air, and soars high above the island.

R'val slides his arm over Tinya's shoulder and hugs her to him, grinning 
wryly, "Lazy woman." He waves cheerily to T'fian.

Aphrael waves at T'fian. "Mind the cloud!"

Tinya grins, tilting her head back to look upwards at R'val. "Yep. Gotta 
learn to take it easy and enjoy the good things in life while they're 
there."

R'val pokes Tinya in the ribs and grins down at her amusedly, "Very 
sensible. Here, have s'more wine, it'll make you even more sensible."

Kassima hmmmms. "Sleep on the beach... the idea has merit. At least the 
cloud would be watching over us." She pulls a towel from her satchel, then 
decides she doesn't want to sleep until she's had more of that wonderful 
perfectly normal sandwich.

Tinya laughs, and drinks more wine, as suggested.

Aphrael glances upwards and sadly murmers. "No it wont. Meroth killed it."

R'val sips his wine, "Dead, is it? "He grins, "I for one am crashing 
here."

Aphrael peers at R'val. "You don't even -care-!" She accuses.

Jerethan smiles. "Well, if everyone crashes here, then I am as well," he 
says, stating the obvious.

Kassima sits down glumly in the sand, not wanting to think about the poor 
cloud for now. Not when there are no more sandwiches. "Sounds like a 
plan," is all she says.

R'val grins, "S'true, I don't."

Aphrael shakes her head at Jereth. "You could fly back. The cloud will 
tell you how to do it. All you have to do is miss the ground.." She trails 
off as she realises the cloud is an ex-cloud.

Tinya grins. "Ah, but that's the tricky part. Lucky that Liath's much 
better at it than I am."

Jerethan peers at Aphrael. "Far easier to miss the ground with a dragon 
underneath you," he points out.

Kassima yawns and spreads her towel out on the sand, sitting on it and 
drinking some more wine. She's noticeably slowed down on the alcohol 
intake, though, since hearing about the cloud.

Aphrael nods at Jereth. "True." She conceeds. "Dragons have got that 
talent down pat. But it can be done. The sofa did it. And the bed. And we 
did too, but ours was more of a flapping motion than missing.."

Kassima frowns. "Wasn't that a dream? I thought you said it was...."

Aphrael blinks, throughly confused that she doesn't know what was a dream 
and what wasn't. "Um, we did fly, y'know... Up, waaaaay over Pern!"

Kassima looks pretty confused herself, now. "Then why don't I remember?"

R'val fills Tinya's glass, and his, again.

Aphrael looks up at the ex-cloud for inspiration. "Well... you didn't 
drink enough, yep. Your mind can't accept what was going on.."

Tinya says, "You haven't had enough wine, Kassi," at the same time as 
Aph's statement.

Kassima still looks pretty befuddled, but just says simply, "Oh. Okay, 
then." She looks around for her wine glass, which has been in her hand the 
whole time and startles her when she finds it there.

Aphrael peers at Tinya. "Ah," She mutters as she realises Tinya's a 
bluerider. She nods back at Kassi. "Drink lots and lots and lots. Maybe it 
will happen again." She looks around for the sofa that floated past 
before.

R'val nudges Tinya, "Hey, neither've you." He grins.

Kassima shrugs and drains her glass, pours another, and starts working on 
that one. "Whatever you say, Aphrael...."

Aphrael flaps her arms experimentally.

Tinya grins. "Ah, but enough for what, that's the question." She 
nevertheless drinks up, obediently.

R'val waggles his eyebrows at Tinya naughtily and drinks.

Kassima sighs at Aph. "See, that didn't work. We can't fly because we're 
drunk. Now, maybe if the cloud was still alive to help us...."

Aphrael sighs and looks around for a tree. "Maybe if we just try the old 
miss the ground trick?"

Kassima yawns. "Nah. I think I'll try and see if I can fly in my sleep. It 
could happen." She settles herself comfortably on her towel and tries to 
think flying thoughts.

Benden Weyr> Kassima points out that Aph is much more drunk than Kassi. 
Kassi's only had six glasses of wine, and Aph's had how many bottles 
now? :)

Tinya yawns too, then takes a long drink, and finally says, "Maybe if you 
think happy thoughts."

Benden Weyr> Aphrael lost count. :)

Kassima opens her eyes, which were squinched shut as she tried to think 
flying thoughts. "Happy thoughts? But that would only work if we had 
firestone dust with us."

Tinya blinks. "Oh, well, yeah. You should have brought some, if you were 
planning to fly."

Aphrael frowns at Tinya. "No, no. You can't -plan- to fly. If you know 
you're going to fly, you can't.."

R'val peers quizzically at Aph.

Kassima bites her lip contemplatively. "I don't think I was *planning* to 
fly. In fact, I don't think I want to fly at all right now. Now is not 
time to fly, it is a time for every purpose under the heavens! Wait. 
That's not right either."

Aphrael smiles weyrdly at R'val.

Tinya shakes her head at Aph. "That's only if you're missing the ground. 
If you're using happy thoughts and firestone dust, it's okay to plan. 
You've got to keep those straight."