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Post by sorra on Jun 24, 2010 14:03:28 GMT -5
Rivi and Elliwodth's crooning managed to knock Kiyoni out of her thoughts. The young woman silently cursed herself. She just couldn't seem to keep her mind on anything. She nodded. 'That was a good idea. I'll also answer any questions your mother may have," she promised with a smile. Sometimes that helped put the parents at ease.
Kiyoni nodded. "You never know. There will probably be some candidates there that have no idea what their craft is about and I'm sure you'd be a big help to them and the teacher." She was sure the teacher would appreciate at least one person knowing what they were doing.
She followed behind him and groaned softly. She realized she had totally ignored his question about whether Elliwodth could carry his clothes or not. "I'm sure Elli will be fine carrying your chest of clothes," she said as they walked. Elliwodth may have been small, but she could still carry quite a bit of weight.
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Post by Kendrall on Jun 24, 2010 15:38:03 GMT -5
Jaysen simply nodded as he continued to walk at first just in front of the Rider, then next to her, but he kept noticing she seemed distracted by something other than what was currently going on. At least she was willing to answer any questions his mother would ask, though that was unlikely. Madisen had always been a quiet woman, yet was the kind of woman who was protective over her two children, the same way Misty was protective of her pet. Still, Madisen understood when her son came of age and received his journeyman's knots that Jaysen was able to make his own decisions, and accept the consequences that came with them.
It took roughly a tenth of a candlemark to reach his home, and he waved to his mother and his little sister as he approached. "Mother," he called. "This is the Searchrider you've been hearing about. Her dragon thinks I have potential, and I've been asked to become a Candidate." Madisen was a fair-haired woman of slightly-below average height, but wasn't overly thin, either. "Your sister told me," she replied. "You've always been a brave young man, Jaysen. I just wish you'd reconsider with your father still away at sea." Jaysen walked up to embrace his mother, enfolding her in his arms and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Misty flittered about for a moment in the air until her pet's shoulder was free again, then perched on it. "Mother," he said softly, "Father always trusted me to plot my own course some day. If becoming a Candidate and ultimately becoming a Rider is how I chart my life's journey, please don't fear for me. And I'm sure I can always come back for a visit when I can." He turned around to look at the Rider. "Won't I?"
While he waited for the Rider to reply if he would be allowed to come back when he was a Rider, his mother looked over at the woman and could only nod. "If my son is meant to go, then there isn't much I can do about it. It's hard enough with his father away, and the only one I'll have with me is Madilyn." Madisen looked as if she was on the verge of tears. "I know he's brave and has always loved the sea, and has a sense of adventure in him. I just fear for him like any mother would for her own child. Do you have any children of your own?"
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Post by sorra on Jun 24, 2010 16:12:39 GMT -5
Kiyoni tried to keep her mind focused as they walked. Rivi kept giving her gentle reminders as he nibbled on her ear. This was hopeless. When she finally got back to the Weyr she was just going to lock herself in her weyr and stay away from everyone for a while. At least until she could sort things out. She managed a smile when she finally noticed that Jaysen had gotten in step with her. She wasn't at all being fair to the candidate and she knew that, but she just couldn't help it.
The green rider looked up when Jaysen waved. She smiled as he ran up to his mother and sister. She envied him that. She had never really had a family before. "My name is Kiyoni, ma'am and yes, Elliwodth thinks your son has potential to be a rider. As long as that is what he wishes." Kiyoni nodded in answer to Jaysen's question. "Of course you can come see your family after your a rider. We can also make sure they come to the Hatching if that's what you all would like."
Her heart clenched as she watched them together. So, that was what a family was like. Shards, she wished she had had one. "No, ma'am," she answered softly. "You are very fortune though. I hear children can real light up your world. And I promise you he will be well cared for at the Weyr."
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Post by Kendrall on Jun 24, 2010 19:30:39 GMT -5
Madisen could only nod at Kiyoni. "I have your word, Searchrider. Take care of my son. And do send word to us when the Hatching is near. I'm sure his father would be pleased if our son Impressed highly." She then looked at her son. "Your clothes and personal effects have been packed for you, Jaysen. They're in the small chest in your room." Jaysen nodded, and headed inside only to return several moments later, lugging a decent-sized wooden chest. He set it down over near the Searchrider's feet, then turned to give his mother and sister a warm hug. "I'll do my best to keep in touch, Mother," he said softly, giving her a kiss on the cheek. He then had to kneel slightly to hug his sister. "Be brave, Madilyn," he admonished. "Be brave for Mother and Father when he comes back." His little sister nodded, but the tears streaming down her cheeks told a different story. She wished she could go with him, but she understood that it just wasn't her time, if it would ever come.
Jaysen then turned to Kiyoni. "I am ready, Searchrider Kiyoni. If it's the landlubber's life for me for a while, then that's the chart I'll plot for now." Misty chittered her own goodbyes to her pet's family, she would miss them terribly. But then again, she'd be going with her pet on a new adventure, and the golden firelizard wasn't about to leave her pet's side. Especially with the opportunity to get to know the blue firelizard better.
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Post by sorra on Jun 24, 2010 22:00:46 GMT -5
Kiyoni smiled in reassurance. "I will make sure your whole family is alerted to the Hatching. If I must I will come to pick you myself," she said. She wanted Jaysen's family to be happy for him and not worry about missing the Hatching. Besides, she normally helped with ferrying duties anyway. She looked over as Jaysen lugged out the chest of clothes. She grinned. She was sure Elliwodth would grumble, but she could handle the chest with no problems at all. Rivi chittered softly to the family.
The search rider chuckled. "Then shall we proceed out to Elli? We can get your chest attached to her harness and get you to the Weyr." She turned to leave, figuring on waiting outside if need be. Sometimes the candidates like a few private moments with their family.
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Post by Kendrall on Jun 25, 2010 6:54:12 GMT -5
Madisen returned Kiyoni's smile, then drew her daughter closer to her side as Jaysen once more grabbed his chest full of clothing and other items, and started to lug it outside. He spared a glance over his shoulder, as did Misty, and the young man gave them a soft smile. Misty trilled her goodbyes, then both faced forward and the future. Unknown waters were ahead, yet neither one had a sense of fear. The unknown beckoned to the journeyman fisher and his gold firelizard, and they were ready to meet it head-on.
Jaysen dragged his chest behind him, and as he neared Elli, he spared one more glance over his shoulder. Was he doing the right thing? Leaving behind all that he had known? Yet his firelizard picked up on her pet's doubts, and she chittered encouragingly at him. They'd been through stormy seas before. They'd survive this. Misty's chitter prompted a grin from Jaysen. "No, you're right, Misty. We have been through some rough seas before. We'll get through this." He stopped short of Elli and set his chest down, then turned and waited for Kiyoni.
"I've never been to Nova," he admitted. "How long will it take for us to reach port?"
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Post by sorra on Jun 25, 2010 8:30:35 GMT -5
Kiyoni figured leaving one's family had to be the hardest part about being Searched. Even with the possibility of being a rider leaving your family would be hard. Not that she had ever had to face that. She quickly pushed that thought to the back of her head. She didn't need to dwell on one more thing that was wrong in her life. She needed to just move on.
Elliwodth greeted them with a soft croon. She eyed the chest and turned one whirling eye on Kiyoni. Kiyoni grinned, knowing what her dragon was thinking. But of course they had been bonded for 7 Turns.
Kiyoni turned to Jaysen. "It will only take as long as it takes to breathe three times," she answered with a smile. Between was always a shock to someone new, so she was going to try to prepare him as much as she could for it.
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Post by Kendrall on Jun 25, 2010 9:25:37 GMT -5
Jaysen blinked, taken back a bit. Breathe three times? He'd never heard of such a thing before. He figured it would take a good four candlemarks, if not more, to reach Nova. He looked at Elli for a moment, knowing the dragon would have her doubts on carrying his personal belongings, but merely shrugged when she crooned at them. Misty trilled a greeting at her bigger cousin.
The young man looked at Elli, then back at Kiyoni, then back and forth again. He clearly was confused. "If it's not too much to ask, Searchrider Kiyoni, but...what do you mean, 'breathe three times?'" He'd never heard of going between before, and this sounded rather unsettling to him. He was hoping the Rider would elaborate a bit to put him at ease.
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Post by sorra on Jun 25, 2010 10:01:37 GMT -5
Elliwodth knelt down a bit, so the two could get Jaysen's chest attached easier. It really wasn't at all heavy for her, but she liked to pick on her rider from time to time.
Kiyoni hid a smile when she saw the confused look on Jaysen's face. Although she felt bad. She really should have explained herself better. She was just failing miserably at this Search. "Sorry, Jaysen," she apologized. "I guess I didn't explain myself very well. You see, the dragons can go between. Now, there's nothing in between and it's dark and you loose all sense of feeling, but don't worry. You're only there a few seconds and dragons never get lost. But they can go to any place on Pern they want as long as they have visual and it only takes three breaths to get there," she tried to explain.
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Post by Kendrall on Jun 25, 2010 12:40:05 GMT -5
Jaysen helped Kiyoni the best he could with lifting the chest, to allow the Searchrider to tie it down securely with a few leather straps. He couldn't help but admire how the Green seemingly was able to support it, but then again he wasn't that familiar with dragons. At least, not yet.
He gave Kiyoni a forgiving smile when she apologized to him. "So basically this...between...it's like going through a really violent storm on the seas at night, only there's no wind, no waves, no...nothing? Not even the tiniest bit of air?" He tried to wrap his mind around it, but before he could say anything further Misty chirped at him before winking out of existence, then re-appearing in the same exact spot. Jaysen laughed at his firelizard's antics, but at least he understood what Misty was trying to tell him. He reached up to rub her muzzle and head, then looked at Kiyoni. "I suppose I'll have to hold my breath, then, while we're in between." Another chirp from the gold firelizard, prompting the young man give a sigh of resignation. "Alright. No point in waiting. I'm ready to cast off the lines and push back from shore when you are, Capt..er..Searchrider Kiyoni," Jaysen said, blushing at his near-blunder yet saluted the woman. Misty chittered in delight, then settled herself by wrapping her body around the back of her pet's neck.
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Post by sorra on Jun 25, 2010 14:01:09 GMT -5
Kiyoni soon got the chest secured to Elliwodth with Jaysen's help. She checked the straps over again just to be on the safe side. Elliwodth patiently waited for them.
She thought fo a minute. "That sounds like a fair enough description," she replied. She chuckled as Misty disappeared. It appeared that the little gold was trying to show her pet just what it entailed. She was thankful for Misty. "I guess you could, but trust me, we won't be there for long at all." Kiyoni smiled. "Then I'll get on and then help you on." She mounted her green and tried to do it slowly, so Jaysen got an idea of what needed done.
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Post by Kendrall on Jun 25, 2010 15:16:20 GMT -5
Jaysen watched as Kiyoni mounted up, slowly, so he could get an idea of how to properly do so. So that's how you do it, he noted, his eyes paying attention to as much detail as possible. He waited for Kiyoni to get settled, then clambered up behind her, wrapping the safety strap around his waist. He looked around, then finally grabbed a hold of an extra strap, wrapping that around his right wrist before he finally felt he was settled in. He made sure Misty was in place, then looked at Kiyoni and tapping her on her shoulder. "Ready."
Jaysen took one more look around at what was soon to become his former home, his past life. Still, his course had been set. It was time to leave. It was time to face his future, the unknown. At least he had one friend with him, his gold firelizard Misty. He could only hope he'd make more when he arrived at his destination.
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Post by sorra on Jun 25, 2010 16:19:02 GMT -5
Kiyoni got settled and turned to Jaysen. She smiled when she realized that he had figured out how to get on. That was one advantage to Elliwodth being a smaller green. Some of the candidates were able to get on her without any problems. "Alright, hold on."
Elliwodth unfurled her wings and jumped into the air. She tried to be easy on her riders, not wanting to scare Jaysen. She circled around for a few seconds to let Jaysen get used to everything. "Ready to go between?" Kiyoni asked before Elliwodth blinked between.
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Post by Kendrall on Jun 25, 2010 17:31:42 GMT -5
Jaysen nearly lost his sense of equilibrium as Elliwodth rose into the air, and nearly tipped over had he not quickly righted himself. Misty chittered annoyingly at her pet, she'd almost lost her balance as well. "Sorry, Misty," he apologized to the gold firelizard. "I guess in a way, this is almost like riding the tides. I just need to learn to balance myself." Misty chittered something in response, then chorbled at the blue. She didn't appreciate the fact her pet wasn't used to this.
He looked down below at the ground, the sea just a short distance off, then made himself focus on the back of Kiyoni's head. Once the initial rush of dizziness left him, he leaned forward for her to hear his answer when she'd asked him if he was ready to go between. "Ready," he said, then sat back and took in a deep breath. He didn't know exactly how long three breaths would take, but he didn't want to take any chances either.
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Post by sorra on Jun 26, 2010 6:52:50 GMT -5
Elliwodth smoothed out when she felt the shift on her back. Kiyoni glanced back at him. She had forgotten to warn him about the take off. She cursed herself. Keep your mind on the task at hand, not other things, she grumbled to herself. She was so going to mess this Search up.
Kiyoni nodded. "Alright, on the count of three," she warned him. "One, two, three..." One three Elliwodth blinked between. She just as quickly reappeared above Nova Weyr. Kiyoni looked over her shoulder as Rivi appeared beside her. "You still okay?" she asked Jaysen.
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