Self-immersion Strategy

[lyonza]

He nodded. "I can understand that feeling, the anticipation is really killer and I wish you could keep running down to the Sands to check the eggs, but Orlaith wouldn't appreciate it all that much." Z'mer kept a bland look on his face. "Well, your anonymity won't last very long, so I guess you had better use it to the best of your advantage. After Impression, everybody will know who you are." He winked then. "But use the information you have gathered wisely, or it might come back and bite you from behind when you least expect it." He made a thoughtful face. "Let me guess? You found out that things are not as rigid here as it is in the Halls and Holds?"

He grinned. "Oh, but of course I am a flirt. It keeps things interesting around here. Enjoy the attention, it will not lessen. Believe me on that score."

He sipped some klah and explained a little more. "You haven't been around when a mating flight happens, right? Trust me, everybody is affected by that. When its your own dragon that's taking part, both dragon and rider become one and it really doesn't matter who your partner is when the dragons mate... some barely tolerate it while others accept it and it becomes part of who they are. I've learned to like and appreciate what men and women can offer." Z'mer thought a moment longer. "It's not so much that morals are looser, it just means that the lines are blurred so much more than at the Halls or Holds. What works for them will never work in a Weyr - there would be too many fights and insults because of that."

Z'mer sighed. "I can cope with being idle, it will give me some time to write. I've been neglecting it of late. As for becoming Weyrleader... I don't think its a good idea. I would be terrible at it. Moody and sullen, trying to do everything myself, not trusting others to do their job. No, I'm happy to be a wingleader or a wingsecond - well wingrider at the moment.

[brete]

Brete sighed heavily and agreed. "It is!! It's like my skin is going to come off and crawl away. But you know what is really odd? I'm more worried about the other girls. I hope they all impress...some of them are so depressed and down about it that it hurts me. I want everyone in my weyr to live well and happy." she said honestly. She hated to see people so worried and sick with it. Just at that moment her gemtail Violet decided it was time to wander in and crawl into her lap reassuringly. "Hello there Violet. I see you decided to finally let your self be seen here. Did you feel me worring? You're such a lovely little girl aren't you?" she said scratching the Amethyst gemtail on her head gently. "Z'mer this is Violet, my little queen of a gemtail. If you tell her how wonderful and pretty she is she might let you pet her. She's very lovable." Brete grinned from ear to ear. Violet had been a surprise when Brete arrived.

"As to the lack of rigid beliefs the hold has compared to weyr...I've noticed. It's actually interesting. It means that there are more options for everyone I think that is wonderful. Though again I do not no of love but for bed fellows it should make for interesting conversations some day I think. I bet you are quickly becoming a favorite here aren't you? Have you met Lellen? You two might get along well...or Rauget...in fact I think you three will be fast buddies soon. They are very much like you." she laughed heartily at this as she continued to love on her gemtail. Violet had been hiding for some time now and was still a bit shy in her new home, but she was so friendly she wasn't able to stay hidden for long.

"Wait if you write may I ask what sort of things you do write about? I am always so pleased to meet a fellow artist and creative personality. I get lonely being the only one that burns the late night candle for my craft." she said this sadly. IT had been lonely these days with no one to talk to or read her stuff, or even just to listen to it and tell her what they thought of it. She missed her mother more than ever at times like these. It was always mother who she showed her newest work to first. She knew she could count on mother to be honest and encouraging at the same time. Helping Brete to grow was a trait her mother was known for and prized for. In fact, Brete had just finished a new song and was thinking of sending it to the master harper for review.

[lyonza]

Z'mer grimaced. "What a revolting image. Your skin slithering all limp and pink down the passage like a tunnelsnake? Imagine the hysterics that will come from the kitchens, then our food would taste horrible. No, I suggest you keep your skin where it is. Too cold otherwise." He winked at her, his mouth curling up in a smile as he teased her.

He patted her hand. "My dear, there is nothing you can do about your fellow candidates' state of mind until such time that they have Impressed, or not as the case may be. But its a noble sentiment to want to see others happy and content." He tilted his head to one side as the little purple gemtail made its appearance. "Ah, one of the elusive gemtails. I've heard talk of them but I haven't seen one." He leaned across the table to have a look. "She is very pretty, but I'm afraid Jet would claw me if I came home smelling of a strange creature." He shrugged. "My tunnelcat doesn't like me making friends with strange creatures. I've got the scars to prove his disapproval of my friendly nature." He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Well, the grumpy old cat can just deal with it." He held his hand out for the little creature to smell it. "Hello there Violet. You are indeed as wonderful and beautiful as Brete said."

He listened as Brete chattered. "Well, who said I wouldn't just flirt with you?" he asked with a wicked gleam in his eye. "After all, I appreciate beauty in all forms and places." He wasn't going to admit that he thought she was a little too young for him and that all the candidates, including the oldest of them all, made him feel ancient and like a dirty old man to even think of making a pass at any of them. That is because you are a dirty old man, Amoneth said helpfully, causing Z'mer to snort with amusement. "Just Amoneth keeping me humble," he explained.

Z'mer sighed. "I'm afraid my writing will never see the light of day and I would never subject anybody to my scribbles. Amoneth laughs at me when I read it back - and anything to make a dragon laugh must really be awful. No, my poor attempts at prose will remain only for my private shame. But thanks for the offer - I really don't need encouragement." He had once released something for the general population through an elaborate setup of many people before it was read by anybody other than him and then it was under an assumed name. He heard quite a few people mocking it and he really wasn't going to open himself to humiliation like that again. Not any time soon.

[brete]

Brete laughed at Z'mer as he talked. He really was an interesting man. To be honest she would love to have someone like him around more often, she had a feeling things would be lively with him in the picture. "Skinless things are usually revolting...so yes it would be to my advantage to keep the stuff attached, and cold is not a feeling I enjoy. As to the feelings of the others...I can't help it. I actually like some of them and seeing them so worried is a bit of a heart wrench. Not to mention the fighting is a bit insane. I actually walked into a fight between two boys and tried to stop it...well needless to say the bruise on my arm is reason to stay out next time." she laughed again and rubbed her sore shoulder. Smiling at Violet she waited to see what the gemtail would do, feeding her images of happy things so that hopefully Violet wouldn't bite Z'mer.

It seemed she liked his compliments because she preened happily. She was such a showboat queen-like little creature. You would never know from her that she wasn't as sought after as a Diamond. Brete would tell you that Amethyst was far prettier anyways, and far more lovable. As Z'mer reached out to pet her Violet tensed for a minute, she normally did not like touches without permission, but sensing from Brete that she liked this man very much Violet allowed it and creeled at him prettily, as if to say, "Yes admire me I am beautiful."
"She is a bit full of herself. But she is so loving. She is a constant comfort to me." She leaned forward and kiss the gemtail gently and gave her another scratch, processing Z'mer's next statement. Well if he wanted to flirt she wouldn't stop him, he was the type of man you wouldn't feel silly having flirt with you.

"Well who's to say I might not just like that and flirt back?" she said smiling at him softly with a bit of a sparkle about her eyes. "I am flattered someone so good looking finds something about me beautiful...though beware I have been told my singing voice is the most attractive thing about me...granted that was said to imply that physically I lacked in comparison." she laughed out right at this. It seemed Z'mer was going to be a bad influence on the girl.

"I'm sure your lovely dragon has his claws full keeping you in line Dragonrider. I don't envy him the job but I do the company. Your chosen company will lack for nothing in good conversation and fun. As to your writing, I won't push you but just know if you ever want a non judgmental audience then I'm your girl. I know as an artist it is hard to share work for fear that it will fail. But let me tell you a secret...we all fail at some point...it's how we get back up and try again that truly matters. Follow your heart as mother always says." at this point Violet made it clear that she would like a bite of whatever Brete was eating and now.

"Okay you impatient little thing. Would you like to try some of my bread?" she offered it to the little gemtail who took it imperiously and ate it delicately. Brete laughed again and shook her head. "You would never know that she didn't rule the whole place would you?"

[lyonza]

Z’mer laughed. “Oh, definitely. Skinless things make my skin crawl, so please keep yours on.” He listened as she talked. “You are a very caring person, but I’m not that surprised since you’re a Healer. And as altruistic as we riders are just by being in our profession, we have to be a little selfish sometimes, just to balance it out or we’d give all we are and have nothing left. It’s something you will have to learn.”

Z’mer petted the little creature a bit and then turned back to his mostly empty plate. “Well, I’m going to soak in the baths after dinner – my little daily indulgence and change the dressings on this cut before heading to bed.” He batted his eyelids, much like he did at Pala. “All alone and virtuous in my invalid state.” He sighed for extra dramatic effect.

He didn’t expect her pert rejoinder. “Well well. I think things at the Weyr just got a little more interesting,” he said with a grin. “If your singing is supposed to be your best feature, then you must have an astonishing voice,” he said. He really couldn’t understand what she found lacking in her looks – she really was beautiful.

“Thanks, Brete, but I know my writing is truly dreadful. It’s just a small creative outlet for me, something to do at night when I’m in bed before I go to sleep.” Z’mer was really insecure about his writing and wouldn’t want anybody to read it if he could help it. “Your mother sounds like a wise woman,” he said, “but I know my limits.” Oh stop feeling sorry for yourself, Amoneth said. Its not that terrible, I just laugh because you make fun of it to yourself. If I knew it was because you’re insecure about it, I wouldn’t laugh. Z’mer was surprised. Amoneth, I can’t expect you to know about human writing and the situations my characters find themselves in, but you are sweet for saying that. I do love you, you big lug.

Z’mer smiled. “Oh, you haven’t met Jet then. He’s convince I’ve been put on this world just for his pleasure and service. But then again, most cats are like that.”