This is insane. Sammy couldn't help grinning, realizing that he was more nervous than he'd expected himself to be. Then again, I've always known that I was insane, now I just have proof. I'm probably in a padded room doped up on sleeping pills dreaming this whole thing. He smiled, a little sad hearted at the thought that his mother wasn't here. She would have had a good joke for the moment.
He was too busy thinking of home and trying to convince himself that he wasn't homesick that he didn't realize the eggs were hatching until Candy pushed past him and walked to meet her lifemate. "Woah." He didn't know that he'd muttered the word out loud, but he was rather shocked. He'd known Candy for a very long time and he'd never seen her look like she did when she embraced the golden hatching, which she'd named Akarath. Maybe there's more to this than I originally thought…
He pushed all thoughts of his past, present and future out of his mind while he watched the next dragons hatch. A green who was obviously suited to the water made her way to a waiting girl and a purpley-black creature seemed to leave with a ghost. Sammy shook his head, positive that he was, at this very moment strapped to a bed in a padded white room having doctors jab needles into him. All heads turned to look at the newest hatchling and Sammy followed their gaze. A cobalt blue creature stretched himself and spread his wings. He wasn't the largest, Akarath was bigger than him, but he was definitely a fine specimen of dragon-kind none the less. Sammy smiled. He's asking for it with the proud attitude.
Sure enough, as soon as he started to move towards where most of the people were gathered, he tripped and fell on his face. He creeled loudly, part in pain and part because he'd just embarrassed himself horribly.
C'mon guys, Sammy mentally addressed the crowd. Give him a break. He's only been around for a minute. He made a snap decision to cover for the hatchling. "Okay, okay, show's over." Everyone looked to him as he'd expected they would. He smiled as he walked over towards the proud blue. "He's not performing just yet. He needs to work on some better timing."
The blue looked lovingly up at him, and Sammy understood exactly what Candy'd been feeling. You are right Sammy…I did not mean to fall just then. Are you ashamed of me? Will I ever be good? The questions were the same kind a small child asks a parent. Sammy smiled.
"You're perfect Enzeruth." He knew this was a solemn and important event. This single moment in which he named his lifemate changed the course of his life forever. They were bonded, together forever. Despite all of these things, he just couldn't help himself. "I can finally kiss that pile of metal good bye forever."
The blue hatchling tilted his head, not understanding, but Sammy didn't explain the amazingly fond feelings he was having for a piece of machinery until much later.
"Do you really mean that?" Sammy stopped the drill to stare incredulously at his dragon. "Really Zer?"
Would I lie to your rider-mine? Enzeruth's eyes whirled a bright blue as the Weyrling Master walked over to Sammy and gave him a long lecture on why these tossing firestone drills were important and why he was not to stop them to chat with his partner. That's were the benefit of the empathic link comes in.
And here I thought it was to set up amazing tag team wrestling moves. Sammy tried not to roll his eyes as the man went on for a good long while.
Enzeruth laughed. And here I thought it was so you'd finally have an output for all your 'humour'.
Sammy knew that he should be able to have better control of himself, but Enzeruth's comment hit his thoughts right on the mark. Despite the wrath of the Weyrling Master, Sammy girnned. The man turned red and looked like he would hit him. Great. Now I'm gonna get it because you decide to play the funny man.
The blue weyrling laid down. I'm not playing, you're just rubbing off on me.
Sammy apologized quickly, for both himself and Enzeruth. Are you saying that I’m a bad influence?
I didn’t say a bad influence. Unless you dislike people who have a sense of humour like you. Enzeruth lowered his head, his body language betraying nothing of what he was really feeling. To the Weyrling Master it looked like he was apologizing.
I didn’t know you were such a good actor. Sammy sighed as the Weyrling Master sentenced him to three days in his room. And I didn’t know that they grounded people on Pern.
Enzeruth flew the his dragonledge while Sammy walked up the stairs. How do you ground somebody? Did they bury your feet or something?
Sammy laughed. "They may has well have. It means your confined to your room until your parents aren’t mad at you any more." Sammy opened the door to find Enzeruth already spread out on the dragoncouch. "And you have to be kidding about that name thing."
I’m dead serious. The god-spoken truth. The blue rolled onto his back, looking for all the world like a dog.
"Men really shorten their names when they impress?"
Yep.
"So my name would be what...S’my?" At the thought of that name visions of Capt. Hook’s first mate came to mind. "Sorry. Sammy I was born and Sammy I will die."
I figured as much. The dragon made a purring noise. And you must tell me the story of Peter Pan one of these days.
"Deal." Sammy quickly removed his shirt and dunked the upper half of his body in a barrel of water specifically placed for that purpose. On his way to get a new shirt he briefly checked on his firelizard egg. Funny, He thought to himself. It’s rocking.
He grabbed a new shirt and pulled it on. He felt that Enzeruth was amused by something, but he didn’t know what. Silly dragon... He walked to the dragonledge and looked out at all his classmates practising their manoeuvres. This bites...
Finally, as Enzeruth knew they would, Sammy’s thoughts caught up with him. "The egg is rocking!! The egg is rocking!!"
The cobalt blue dragon smiled. I realized that. And you did too.
"Shuddup." Sammy quickly removed the egg from it’s basket. "It’ll need meat." Egg in hand he quickly walked towards the door. Unfortunately, as he reached the door he remembered why he was stuck in his room in the first place. "If the Weyrling Master sees me I’ll get in a lot of trouble."
You need meat for your egg. He couldn’t stop you. Enzeruth was still laying down, but his head was raised. He was obviously just as anxious to see what would come out of the tiny egg as Sammy was.
"He’s the kind of guy who would kill me first and ask questions later." Sammy stood for a moment in indecision.
Enzeruth sighed. C’mon. I’ll take you.
"What?"
If you’re that worried about being caught I’ll take you. We’ll between down to the kitchens, you can grab some meat and then we’ll between back. The dragon got up and stretched his wings.
Sammy smirked. He liked the plan. "Technically, we’re still breaking the rules."
Nuh-uh Enzeruth was probably the only dragon on Pern who used Earth slang like an old pro. The punishment was, and I quote, ‘You two are not to take one step out of your -door- until I say so.’ The blue dragon smiled. We’re not taking a single step out the door.
Sammy laughed. "I like your logic." He set the egg back in it’s sand, praying it wouldn’t hatch without him, and climbed onto his lifemates back. As Enzeruth began to concentrate, Sammy seemed to remember something about them not being allowed to between by themselves for some reason or another. The thought quickly passed him by though, such warnings often did.
"That was cool!!!" Sammy quickly leapt from Enzeruth’s back as soon as they arrived back in the weyr.
Cool? Enzeruth obviously hadn’t found the trip as exhilarating. If you found that cool you must be insane!!
"What?" Sammy saw that there were many small cracks in the egg, but the creature was still locked inside. "You were in total control, weren’t you?"
Of course, but still. Enzeruth shuddered. It was cold.
Sammy smiled. "I guess I did have the easier part. You kept me warm. Just do me a favour."
What?
"Never admit that it scared you again."
Why?
Sammy shivered. "My life was in your hands man and if I’d known that you were unsure about the whole thing I’m sure it would have flashed before my eyes."
The dragon glared and swung playfully at his rider with his tail. You’re egg is hatching. And drop the whole subject before your life really does pass before your eyes.
Sammy smiled and within moments a beautiful light orange flit was in his hands. He quickly gave the creature the meat in yearned for and within moments he felt the firelizard’s small mind reach for his. "He’s kinda cute."
Cute yeah. Practically no. What are you going to call it? Enzeruth had left the dragoncouch and was now leaning over Sammy’s shoulder.
"I think I’ll call him Mafla." Sammy smiled.
Why? Enzeruth sniffed Mafla.
"Why not? He looks like a Mafla."
Enzeruth smirked. No -he- doesn’t look like a Mafla.
"Yes he does."
No -he- doesn’t.
Sammy sighed. "Alright. Why can’t he look like a Mafla."
Because it’s a girl.
Sammy stroked Mafla’s head. "Point taken."
"Woah! Woah!" Sammy held on to the reins for dear life. "And we are showing off because?"
Because I can. And because I’m smaller and faster than all the other dragons at this Weyr. Enzeruth continued to whirl in the air, managing to fly around all the wings that were in the air practising.
"And you’re going to get us in trouble again!" Sammy couldn’t help looking a little exasperated as Mik’len, his Wingleader, glared in their direction. "Just once I would like to not be in trouble."
Enzeruth smiled. I am -not- the one who decided to reinstate April Fool’s Day.
Sammy smiled remembering how Rebeka had shrieked. "It was worth it to see her run."
So... Enzeruth tried unsuccessfully to turn the topic to where his mind (and other parts of his anatomy) spent most of their time these days. Do you like Rebeka?
Sammy smiled, knowing what ‘like’ his dragon really meant. "Corse I like her. She’s one of my best friends."
That is not exactly what I meant. Enzeruth continued to show off, hoping against hope that Genetaskath, flying in Henjin Wing, would notice him.
I know what you meant, but my reply did answer your question. Sammy felt uncomfortable everytime Enzeruth went off on this tangent to their normal life. She’s one of my best friends and that’s it.
Enzeruth snorted. That is totally unfair. Just because you two are friend, I can’t like Genetaskath. The dragon almost sighed as he said the name. He watched the black/cream dragon twirl in the air above him, in perfect formation with the rest of her wing.
Sammy felt miserable. "I know it’s not fair, but that’s Rebeka." Sammy knew he was pouting and acting totally like Jessica, the little brat he’d left behind on Earth. Everytime he thought of Jessica, his mind flitted briefly to his mother, the only person her really missed, but it quickly passed. He knew he’d made his decision the night he’d thrown sanity to the wind and flew off on a dragon.
And that’s Mafla. The dragon was being cryptic.
"What?" Sammy looked around for his light orange flit.
Mafla’s attacking Saggio. Rebeka’s male silver flit and Sammy’s female light orange were obviously having a disagreement. Both Enzeruth and Genetaskath dropped from the sky so their riders could sort out their flits.
"Hey. Maf! Give it a rest." Sammy tried to grab the orange flit out of the air, but it didn’t work. She dodged and attacked.
"Saggio. Come." Rebeka ordered and the silver obeyed.
Sammy was amazed by the control she had over the creature. Mafla treated him like a cat treats their owner. Saggio treated Rebeka like a trained dog treated their owner. "Mafla! Drop it." The flitter finally decided to return to Sammy’s shoulder and satisfy her need to attack Saggio by hissing at him.
The silver hissed back, but didn’t claw the air, or his master, like Mafla was. Sammy winced in pain and offered Rebeka a half smile. "Sorry ‘bout that. Don’t know what gets into him sometimes."
Rebeka smiled back. "No problem. If I know Saggio, he probably started it."
Sammy started to reply to that with a witty comment, but once again the riders’ attention was drawn to their partners. Genetaskath and Enzeruth were obviously having a disagreement that neither had seen fit to share with their riders. What in the name of everything holy are you doing? Sammy demanded of his dragon.
He got no answer, but when Rebeka asked her dragon, she obviously did receive an answer. Her face went white as a sheet and she reached out to lean on Sammy. "Hey." He caught her on her way towards the ground. "You okay?"
"No." It was almost funny to see the normally calm and reserved Rebeka so shaken. "I’m definitely wrong. Genetaskath’s definitely wrong."
"What?" Sammy was nervous, worried that Enzeruth had done something really stupid and he was going to pay the price now.
"She’s flying...like -flying-." Rebeka was still white and leaning on her friend.
"Flying?" Sammy’s eyes quickly darted to Enzeruth, who displayed his worst fears.
And I’m chasing. And that was that.
Somewhere along the line someone who was not totally shocked by the news alerted the Weyrwoman and Wingleaders and the skies were cleared. Other males began to bugle their intent to chase, but Genetaskath refused to acknowledge them. Her eyes were fixed on Enzeruth. Without blooding a kill or anything the gracefully, elusive black/cream leapt into the air.
With a bugle of disappointment, all the other dragons stayed on the ground. They understood that this was a private flight.
Magika breathed a sigh of relief. "Never mind getting the sands ready. This is just a show of affection I think." Magika smiled. "Genetaskath’s not ready to clutch."
The Weyrwoman was right. No blooding, no other chasers, Genetaskath and Enzeruth were just showing that they liked each other. Sammy and Rebeka had quickly separated and were now looking as if they didn’t even know each other.
"Why would they do something like this?" Mik’len was only mildly annoyed by the fact they’d ruined a whole day of training for a false alarm.
Magika pointed to Rebeka and Sammy. "Go figure."
I am -never- talking to you again! Sammy was trying desperately to suppress the emotions this flight was stirring up in him.
Little busy right now rider-mine. Can we talk about this later? Even if it was just for fun, Genetaskath was putting up quite a fight. The two dragons soon decided to take it out of Adanuk Weyr and the prying eyes of the entire Weyrbowl. Sammy and Rebeka followed them. They were the only ones.
No we can not talk about this later!!! Sammy felt his breath coming short, partly because he was more nervous than he’d ever been before in his life, and partly because Rebeka was starting to look -really- good. Get down here now.
Can’t. Too far gone. With every second they were in the air, Enzeruth was getting closer to the lithe Genetaskath.
Please... Sammy wasn’t sure if he was begging Enzeruth to stop or to catch his dragoness. In a flash, one of his wishes came true. Genetaskath was just a little slow on the turn, and Enzeruth grabbed a hold of her. She roared in protest, but after two turns growing up beside the cream/black, and two turns of wanting her, he wasn’t letting go.
Sammy quickly turned around and found that somehow he’d ended up beside Rebeka. He gave her a half-smile. "Hey."
She returned it. "Hey." Saggio and Mafla were sitting beside each other watching their riders with interest.
He was more uncomfortable than he’d ever been in his life. Mostly because the emotions Enzeruth was oh so happily sending him were getting harder and harder to repress. "Nice day."
Rebeka giggled. In his whole life Sammy had never heard Rebeka giggle. He didn’t know Rebeka could giggle, it seemed unnatural. She obviously read his thoughts and giggled again. "What else do you expect me to do when our dragons are happily...happy behind us and you’re trying to talk about the weather."
Sammy shrugged. "Give me a hand. Unless you like the alternative."
For the second time that day, Rebeka shocked him. Without another word of warning she kissed him. And Sammy really wasn’t surprised to find that he liked it...or to find that he was kissing her back.
He smiled as his fingers when to untie her shirt. "I take it we’re going with the alternative."
She blushed and kissed him harder. "I guess so."
"Would you believe me if I told you your surprising?"
"I guess you don’t know me as well as you thought you did."
"Yeah." He smirked as they both finally gave into what their dragons were feeling. "Fifteen years and you think you know a person..."
Sammy impressed Enzeruth at The Healing Den.
Sammy impressed Mafla at The Healing Den.
Read about him on earth.
Background from All Hallow's Eve Backgrounds.
