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That Extra Touch of Glamor


Date:  February 21, 2008
Place:  Benden Weyr's Southern Bowl
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:  There wasn't a formal class about firestone, as such.
Instead Sria encouraged the 'Lings to meet with one of us or a mentor
to RP out some practice, and this is the scene W'adru did with me. :)
He certainly made it memorable.  I'm not sure whether Kassi should 
thank you for that, Wall, or mutter imprecations. ;)

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The Log:

W'adru walks out from the Weyrling Barracks.

Nergath walks out from the Weyrling Barracks.

Ah, the smell of sulphur and discreetly vomited ash in the evening. It
smells like... not victory, to tell you the truth. More like something the
uninitiated could gag on. There aren't many random people jogging through
the Training Field today; you get two guesses why. Kassi's kneeling beside
a pile of firestone chunks, sorting through it with gloved hands that, like
the rest of her leathers, are covered in a faint grey veneer, while
ever-grey Lysseth grumbles over something.

Nergath sits next to W'adru who, along with a few other of his fellow
Weyrlings, has been selected for this day and time to attempt something
very dangerous. At least in his mind, and so is quite nervous. Nergath,
however, seems relaxed and comfortable. W'adru is speaking to him. "...you
might think this is just another trial, but remember when you tried your
first landing." A snort in reply. "I'm just saying, Nergath, just listen to
what Lysseth and hers have to say and don't get confident, okay?" Nergath
gives another, more indifferent sounding snort. Good thing W'adru is
already sweating enough for the both of them.

"Rest of the pile's fine," Kassima tells her lifemate, who cranes her neck
to look the rock idly over. "Good thing... all right. Who's next up,
anyway?" Standing, stretching, she spins on her heel to take in latest
group of Weyrlings waiting their turn, and she sets her dusty fists on her
almost-as-dusty hips. "Oh, excellent. More of you just means more
pyromania. You've all been through the lectures about firestone: did you
pay attention and *hear* 'em?"

W'adru feels the eyes of a couple of other Weyrlings on him. He looks to
his left to the redhead there and flicks a grin that direction. Through
force of will, he doesn't start to rub his sweaty palms on his pants. Yet.

Kassima waits for an answer, eyebrows inching upwards as the silence
extends. "Relax," she tells them. "Take this seriously, by all
means--flaming's important and dangerous--but compared t'*between*, there's
very little chance of anyone dying. Besides, I remember some of you at the
groundcrew lecture and nay anyone got set on fire *then*. So relax.
W'adru." Lucky man, she singles him out. "Nergath's a big, respectably
brawny bronze. Keep that in mind and come up here and pick out a few good
pieces for him. Remind us: what colors should usable firestone be?"

W'adru gives up on not wiping his hands, but when ordered forward, he moves
towards the pile. "Idealy yellow. The more yellow, the more..." there's a
pause to hunt a word "..phosphine!" he grins as he thinks he's got it
right. "The greyer the stone the less gas." speaking of which....he sniffs
and coughs a little. "And they stink." Yes, the other Weyrlings giggle, it
seems to break the tension in the area for a moment.

Kassima claps her hands together and points to him, grinning back. "Got it!
And for this, a'course, we aren't using the best stuff. 'Twill still do the
job. You think it stinks now, just wait until you lot," with a casual,
almost playful salute up to the young dragons who tower overhead these
days, "have started burping it up. We're just practicing today, but one of
the things t'practice is looking over 'stone, picking it out. Ordinarily
there'll be sacks made up and ready for you but you want t'know what sort
of chunk you *shouldn't* feed your dragon, if'n you haul it out in the
middle of Fall. That includes aught with a streak of red in it, say. And
you want t'know what size is appropriate for your lifemate... which for
W'adru here means the *big* chunks." 'Big' is relative. None are anything a
dragon's jaw or a man's strength couldn't handle, but the supply hasn't
been sorted by size; he'll have to pick out his pieces from among those
better for greens and blues.

W'adru kneels down next to the pile and starts to sort through it for
bigger pieces. Selecting four or five of the largest stones he returns the
pile roughly to its previous shape and starts gathering up what he has
found, checking each for those imperfections. Satisfied with the stones
selected he waits to see if the Assistant Weyrlingmaster wants to check
over his choices.

Kassima indeed walks the few steps necessary to get a better look. "Good!"
she announces. "Lysseth being green, the pieces I want aren't so large.
This one's more her line." In a minute she's juggling three chunks, one of
which she holds up to display for the Weyrlings watching. She tells them,
"C'mon up and get your own pieces. While you do 'twill feed this t'Lyss.
You won't always have much time for delicacy, with firestone. Sometime
you'll be throwing it into their jaws in midair, and they'll know how t'be
positioning it in their mouths and dealing with it efficiently--but you
probably don't yet," the greenrider says directly to the dragons. "That's
fine. For now, remind 'em nay t'be biting their tongues if'n they can help
it, and t'think of their second stomach. They sure as shards don't want it
going down the first!" Lysseth lowers her head so that Kassi can pass the
chunks to her, one by one, to be tidily crunched to oblivion, and while she
does this her rider gestures for W'adru to do the same.

W'adru nods and returns to Nergath, who is watching him interestedly.
"Remember. Get your tongue out of the way and think where to swallow it."
he says to the bronze who has his maw open before W'adru is even close
enough. "Alright, here we go." W'adru tosses the pieces in one at a time.
The first takes a moment or two of moving around with the tongue before
Nergath gives it a good solid crunch. THe others take a little less time.
He gets a pat on the snout from W'adru when he's done. "All ready?" W'adru
smiles at whatever reply he gets. "No, we wait until we're told to."

"Sharding right," Kassi confirms to Nergath. "Everybody, get in a good,
clear space once you've fed the 'stone. You don't want t'be crowding each
other for this." Even Lysseth takes a couple of careful, deliberate paces
backwards, to set a good example. "And for the love of Faranth, dragons,
don't turn your heads towards your riders or anyone else right now: keep
forward. You probably won't get flame your first belch, but let's nay risk
it. Lysseth? Show 'em your stuff?"

The green dragon doesn't do so immediately. It takes a little time for the
'stone to be digested. But Kassi's experienced enough to have timed her
talking well, so within a couple of minutes Lysseth drops her jaw and sends
out a long plume of flame, hot and golden-green.

W'adru glances at Nergath, who sidles back a step or two before settling in
again. Guess whose paying attention? W'adru walks back behind the dragons
head and stands near his shoulder to watch the demonstration.

Kassima makes a show of covering her nose. "You'll notice that even done
right, flaming doesn't smell that sweet. We aren't even to the worst of
it...." Lysseth huffs a sigh. Tell her about it. "You'll have other things
t'be thinking on, though, while the Thread Falls. How's he feel, W'adru?
Everything chewed and settled where it should be?"

W'adru turns his eyes to Nergath. "It feels like it."

"You'll both know in short order if'n 'tisn't," Kassi says wryly. "Probably
his flame won't look like Lyss's. None of 'em will, even if'n this isn't
your first practice. That's fine too... good smoke means 'tis going right.
Keep encouraging 'em."

Lysseth still has a stomach full of firestone, so she breathes a second
gout of flame far over her rider's head. It's unavoidable, that's all.
Certainly not showing off.

Dragon> Igen Weyrling Wing sense that Lysseth reaches out to the young
dragons now at practice. << Say something at once if you do not think all
is well, >> she warns. << But it feels strange to make flame; that's
normal. >>

W'adru nods. "Nergath?" the bronze rumbles. He settles down and gets to it.
A minute passes, a second...A third ....His mouth opens and a belch of
smoke issues forth. "That's a good sign." A pat on the flank and the jaw
opens again. Flame does come forth with a belch, although not near as
impressive as Lysseth's. A small, quick blue orange spurt that lasts only a
couple of moments. W'adru jerks a little, eyes lighting up and a smile
spreading across his face. "Whoa!"

Dragon> Igen Weyrling Wing sense that Nergath rumbles. <<It felt very
strange. It tickled, sort of. It felt very...strange.>>

Kassima beams from ear to ear and claps again, in delight and triumph.
"That's it! You did it, Nergath, that's a fine start! Very good! Stay
forward, now, there's probably a bit more t'come... unless you start
feeling really unsettled. But in that case you still shouldn't turn towards
your rider unless your rider wants t'be barfed on." She asks W'adru with a
straight face, "D'you? If'n so I can be asking Lyss t'aim your way too,
we're just that generous."

W'adru shakes his head. "Dragon barf doesn't sound like fun to wash off."
Indeed, just as W'adru finishes speaking, another, similar belch with a
similar blue-orange fireball goes forward, thankfully aimed away from
anyone, human or dragon.

Dragon> Igen Weyrling Wing sense that Lysseth assures him, << It will
always feel like that, but once you've chewed much firestone you'll get
used to it. However-- >> Sensation comes across her sending: the helpfully
remembered, helpfully supplied queasy feeling of one's second stomach
getting ready to reject the ash. << When you have this feeling, you must
get rid of what's left over. >>

Dragon> Igen Weyrling Wing sense that Nergath uh-ohs. <<That does not
promise to be pleasant.>>

"Wait until you smell it," Kassi mutters. "That's the worst I mentioned
earlier." By this time the other Weyrlings have likewise produced small,
weak flames, and enough smoke to haze the air and bring the fading odors
back in full force. Lysseth makes one last handsome display, then rises,
turning on her haunches to head towards a foul-smelling pit already bearing
evidence of earlier practices. "We've done it twice already today, lucky
us... when they're ready tell your lifemates t'be following Lyss and, uh,
deposit the ash in that hole. We'll clean it up if'n they don't make it,
though. That takes practice too."

Dragon> Igen Weyrling Wing sense that Lysseth doesn't answer until she's
taken care of the business as delicately as possible--and pushed the
distasteful experience out of her mind, furthermore. << No. Not pleasant,
only necessary. >>

Nergath settles a moment and his wings flutter. Crouching, he springs into
the air and follows Lysseth to the pits. W'adru takes a couple of steps
forward, watching him following the more experienced green. "I get the
feeling I'm not gonna like..." too late to say it. He visibly shudders.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, eww!"

"One of those things," Kassi says, perhaps a bit too late from their
perspectives, "you may want t'block out. These first times though you
should learn t'recognize it, just like your lifemates." It's worth
mentioning that the pits, particularly with fresh ash in them, are
absolutely vile and the smell carries for some distance.

W'adru starts to turn a little green. The feeling overwhelms the poor
Weyrling and he doubles over and heaves. It seems it hasn't been too long
since W'adru had himself a decent little lunch. Unfortunately he doesn't
get to keep it down. Another cough, another dry heave. Then comes another
round of, well, whatever is left. The heaves bring him to his knees,
panting and groaning.

Well, that's unfortunate. The moreso because one of the other Weyrlings,
Sh'sen, wasn't enjoying his ash experience that much to start with; at
least he runs and makes it to the pits himself before he heaves. Mostly.
His shoes will recover. Although Kassima doesn't lose her Assistant
Weyrlingmasterish dignity, she does blanch slightly and turn her eyes and
nose away. "The things about this job Sria never mentioned," she sighs,
rueful but with some humor. "Are you all right?"

W'adru takes a couple of deep breaths, and wipes his lips on the sleeve.
"I...I think so."

Kassima nods, though she regards him a bit dubiously--and fishes a
handkerchief from her pocket to offer over. There's another one for Sh'sen
when he returns, green-gilled. "I'm thinking this is practice enough for
one session. If'n 'twere you I'd probably go to the Lake and wash up a bit.
After you're feeling up to it. Sit down awhile, if'n you need to."

W'adru looks up, looking a bit embarrassed and takes the offer kerchief.
"Good advice. Thanks." another cough, but just one. He starts to wipe.

"You're welcome. 'Tisn't a problem." Kassi glances along the Field. No more
Weyrlings seem to be lining up; this was the day's last session, and
Lysseth excuses herself to go and follow her rider's advice. The sooner she
can soak away the scent of ash the happier she'll be. "Aught else I can do
for you? Aside from bury the evidence."

W'adru shakes his head. "Just remember next time to warn before..." he
shudders again. "I think I'll go to the lake now." He gets back to his
feet, a bit shakily, but he rights himself.

"Nay everyone reacts that way," Kassima says, but she gives him a wry and
sympathetic grin. "One of those things you have t'experience for yourself,
besides." Maybe the woman's a sadist. "Take care. I imagine you'll be fine
by night, but if'n your stomach stays queasy the Infirmary has herbs t'be
helping. Aye?"

W'adru nods. "Yes, Kassima." he says, another deep breath and he starts
moving, slowly. "Yeah, Nergath, I'll meet you there." he mutters.

IGEN-> Kassima says, "Thanks, Wall, for increasing the glamor factor of
Kassi's job so significantly. ;)"

IGEN-> W'adru says, "No problem. :) I'm sure it was his
pleasure...well..someday it might be."

IGEN-> Tannusen earperks.

IGEN-> W'adru needs to slip off quietly now :) See everyone tomorrow.

IGEN-> Kassima says, "Flaming practice. When Nergath lost the ash, Wall
lost his cookies, and Kassi gets to dig a hole and bury the evidence.
Glamor! ;)"

IGEN-> Turiemi says, "XD!!"

IGEN-> Devany chuckles, "Oh dear... And good night W'adru." :)

Nergath strides into the Weyrlings Barracks.

W'adru strides into the Weyrlings Barracks.