It's So Empty (open)

[Snow]

2.24.3189

Neiram was....depressed to a point. She was, however, a rational girl and for the most part she was able to keep her tears from falling. Right now, though, as she sat on her bunk in the candidate barracks she couldn't help but let a few fall down her cheeks. "It's so empty..." She said softly out loud to herself as she looked at all the bunks that once held her friends. Okay, friends might have been too strong a word, but they were certainly the people she was closest to at the weyr. Now they were gone to the weyrling barracks.

"Stop it Neiram, you're not a child." She yelled at herself as she angrily wiped the tears away from her face. Once again she went through the well rehearsed argument she told herself. You're still young, you haven't been here long, you'll make new friends, there's always next hatching. That argument didn't make the fact that all her friends had impressed and left the barracks, while she remained dragonless and inexorably alone.

The spiteful, angry side of her wished that she had never been Searched and brought here or that she had been impressed earlier. Perhaps that was the reason she hadn't impressed, because she was so new to the weyr. Then she remembered that Patala...er P'tal hadn't been here that long either. She just wasn't meant to impress this time around, but she knew that didn't mean she would never impress. She just had to be patient. With a great sigh Neiram fell backwards onto her bed. Being patient was such a tedious process.

[Sher]

((Brief; I can't be sure anymore how much time I have to type, but I know it isn't long.))

J'ain was surprised to find Neiram moping around the candidate barracks. She had only come here herself to use the shower, not relishing the idea of waiting to use the smaller, marginally more private ones in the sleeping quarters. Her blue was sunning by the Star Stones, complacent and half-asleep.

The middle-aged bluerider's face filled with compassion, taking a bit of the dancing laughter from her eyes. "Neiram, are you feeling okay?" she asked. She was pretty sure she understood what caused the girl's tears, but felt it would be better to let the girl verify it rather than making an assumption that might not be correct.

She shifted the towel from one arm to the other a bit awkwardly, walking the rest of the way into the barracks and standing at the foot of the girl's bed. Her shower could wait.

[Snow]

At the sound of someone entering the candidate barracks, Neiram quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes. That didn't hide how red her eyes were, though, nor how she had to sniffle a few times. She was happy that it was just J'ain and not someone else, like a new candidate or something. "Yeah, I'm fine of course." She said as she got up from her bunk with a bright smile on her face.

To try and sell her answer to J'ain, Neiram began tidying up the barracks even though it didn't need it. "I thought I would just clean things up a bit, so the new candidates will have something nice to come to." She tried to hold back another sniffle then and even tried to sneeze hoping the bluerider would think she was just getting a head cold. "Is there something I can help you with? I mean...it's not like you have a whole group of candidates to watch out for now."

[Sher]

J'ain didn't believe Neiram, but chose not to push it. If the girl wanted to talk about how she felt, the bluerider would be there for her. "It actually isn't a bad idea to clean up in here. As to something you could do for me, you're doing it already, unless you'd like to make a trip to the infirmary for some medicine for that sniffle."

The bluerider held up her towel. "I was just about to get cleaned up; when I get back out, I'll even give you a hand," she offered. "Until the next group of people show up, it looks like you and I are going to be a little bored here. In between Hatchings would be a great time to work on a trade, if you feel up to it, that is."

[Snow]

Neiram's cheeks reddened a little, but she managed to stay straight faced. "Nah, it's just the sniffles. I get them a lot in the winter, but it never gets worse than that." That wasn't a complete lie, she realized, so she completely feel like she was lying to a superior. She liked J'ain, even though their first meeting had been a bit...odd. Since then, however, she hadn't had any problems with her.

Neiram thought about her trade for a moment. She was suppose to be an apprentice to the Harper Hall right now, but she had been searched and didn't impress her first time. However, from her short stay at the weyr already she realized she really didn't want to leave. She found weyrlife more...relaxed than that of being a holder or crafter. So while she was still young enough to impress she would stay here and do what she can. "Well, I was suppose to go into the Harper craft, but I don't think I'm going to pursue that."

[Sher]

J'ain had to accept Neiram's dissembling at face value. She thought she detected a hint of embarrassment, but the girl's face flushing could be due to a spike in her internal temperature or something. "Well, if it does get worse, get to the Infirmary. That's an order." The bluerider smiled to soften the statement, but she did mean it. She folded the towel back and put it across her shoulder, edging toward the bathing room.

"Neiram, you should know that while you're here you aren't required to study anything in particular, but the Weyr can use folks of all types. Learning from the journeymen here would be as legitimate as learning from the Harper Hall itself, at least short-term. It's something to think about." She gestured toward her towel again, smiling briefly. "I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?" The assistant candidatemaster hurried into the bathroom, humming a monotone under her breath during her shower.