[ORP] Rub and a Scrub (HR Candidates)

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

It was only the second day that Ticene was really in the Weyr and it had been a whirlwind so far. She'd been assigned a buddy to help her find her way, but the teen had somehow managed to misplace the older girl. The Weyr was hardly scary though, everything would be fine. For this morning's chore she had been assigned to laundry. That was easy. With a family the size of hers, there had been plenty of clothes that needed washing and fixing. Laundry wasn't a chore that Ticene especially disliked, there were things around the house that she liked far less. Those were usually the chores she traded with the others, if she could get away with it.

The problem of course was that, being new and all, the location of the Weyr's laundry room was a mystery to her. So, the new candidate had spent her break wandering the halls and tunnels, trying to find her destination. It hadn't taken nearly as long as expected, not after she asked directions at least. A few pointed fingers and rushed directions had her swiftly making her way to the laundry room before break was even up. Except it wasn't just a room, it was huge. It was only then that it really hit home for Ticene that this place washed the clothes of thousands of people, as she stood slack jawed in the entryway. There was more laundry here than the teen thought she had seen in her entire life!

"Ugh, finally!" Ticene was snapped back to herself as a woman that Ticene could only describe as pointy marched over to her. "It's about time you lot started showing up. You and the other candidates are to use that tub there. A bony finger pointed towards a large tub full of steaming water, with several wooden washboards waiting nearby. Ticene looked back at the woman. What did she mean about time? She was early! "And make sure you hang it up properly this time!" All there was for the candidate to do was nod slowly as the woman snapped, before she spun on her heel and stomped away. Not wanting to incur the wrath of- whoever that was, anymore than necessary, Ticene skittered over to the tub. Quickly dumping in the first load of laundry and grabbing a washboard.  

[Shaddaling]

Whren walked in the shadows of his much taller friend as he finished pinning his hair back and out of his face. There was worse chores then laundry truly, but it was hot and sticky, and only one time when his hair was stuck to his skin and in his eyes was enough. Though he had yet to figure out a way not to get wet.

Jemaselle snickered slightly, she had kept her hair in a fine short buzz and such was not as frantic as her partner in crime in remaining dry. She sauntered into the laundry and back towards the usual tub. "Come on Wen, you are just going to get wet anyhow." She called and begin picking up laundry.

"I know, and yet, I rather not," He called, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt as much as possible as he followed. "Really, Jemi, just because we are doesn't mean we can't try to keep dry." He gathered up a pair of washboards and handed one over.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Already rubbing someone's shirt against the board, Ticene didn't hear the other two candidates approach. Jemaselle's comment however had her head popping up. At first she stayed quiet, her hands continuing their work absently as she watched the pair. She didn't fancy someone being moody at her again in such a short space of time. Then again, what if these two were the ones that had put the woman in such a foul mood? They weren't late though, and it certainly looked like they planned on getting down to work.

She tried not to eavesdrop. Not especially hard, not at all really. Still she tried not to butt in to the conversation. For all of thirty seconds. "Trying to stay dry while doing laundry. That's a new one." Generally it was as though you got a free wash when doing laundry whether you wanted to or not. Still it would certainly be interesting to see this candidate attempt it.  

[Shaddaling]

Jemi paused and looked down at Ticene. "Wait a moment," She said, unabashedly checking out Ticene from head to toe or as well as she could. "Aren't you the new candidate?"

Wen paused and gave a sigh. "There is a difference in keeping reasonably dry, Jemi, and ending up soaked. Anyhow, it is a pleasure to meet you." He set next to the pile of clothing and pulled a shirt out and dunked it into the water, starting to scrub.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Ticene's face creased in a grin at Jemi's comment. "Word travel that fast, huh?" She'd assumed that candidates were such a common occurrence that nobody would even notice her arriving. Let alone be able to pick her out at a glance. Then again, maybe this candidate just liked to keep tabs on everyone. As Ticene looked at the other young woman she had to say she was impressed. Several inches taller than her and looking like she could probably pick her up by the scruff. Not usually a scrappy type, but Ticene was sure that nobody in the barracks messed with this candidate.

Her companion was less imposing, although he still struck Ticene with how fair he looked. She couldn't recall ever seeing a grown man with hair that pale. What an interesting pair the two made. "Pleasure to meet you too," she said brightly. "I'm Ticene."

Shaddaling

 

[Shaddaling]

The_Muffin_Puppy

"Of course, it not like you can just plop a living person into a dorm room and not have people notice. You get sort of use to at least recognizing people, since it usually a year or so between hatchings," Jemi replied, rambling slightly.

"I'm Whren, she is Jemaselle," Wen replied, getting them back on track. "And we just pay attention though some take new arrivals worse then others." Some people didn't like new competition. "You can call me Wen, if you wish."

"Ughhh, don't call me that. Call me Jemi. Only my parents call me Jemaselle." Jemi wrinkled her nose and held out her hand to Ticene. "Pleasure to meet you, Ticene."  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

"That makes sense." The barracks had seemed so full when she had arrived that she had assumed it would take her some time to know who everyone was. Then again there was a difference between knowing someone and recognising them. It was probably easier to recognise a new face if you saw the same ones multiple times, every day.

"Okay, Jemi and Wen." Ticene removed her hand from the water, wiped it off on her tunic and shook Jemi's offered hand. "You can call me Tic if it's easier, folks back home do." Since they were getting into preferred names. Ticene went back to scrubbing the shirt against the washboard, until a thought struck her.

"Hey Wen, what did you mean that some take new arrivals worse than others?"

Shaddaling

 

[Shaddaling]

The_Muffin_Puppy

"Tic it is," Jemi replied, shaking the hand in a firm grip and grinned. "Ehh, that. Well we are both from Nabol and some people have biases about us." She replied and finally started to scrub clothing.

"No, I mean some are arrogant twits," Wen replied, voice dry and started to scrub the shirt he had grabbed against the washboards.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Shaddaling

Ticene screwed up her face. "So much for 'Once you become a candidate, it doesn't matter who you were before'," she quoted. Deepening her voice to put on a more dramatic tone. It seemed stupid that they talked all this and that about all candidates being equal, how it didn't matter what rank you had or where you came from, then went and had prejudices against people because of where they lived before. Idly she wondered what preconceptions they would have about her, probably that she smelled of fish or some such nonsense.

"Well, s'their loss if they think that." Tic didn't really know these two, but she sounded confident in her assessment. Jemi and Wen seemed like decent enough people to her.  

[Shaddaling]

The_Muffin_Puppy

"Perhaps not to the teachers or the rider...actually a good amount of candidates have rider parents and some of them act like they are destined to impressed a bronze or gold and end up in charge, so yeah, that a part is complete and utter lies," Jemi admitted. "Teachers are usually rather good at treating everyone equally."

"So it sort of true, it more that some of your fellow candidates are rude," Wen shrugged. "There are rude people everywhere. Being a candidate doesn't automatically separated the arrogant from the humble."  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Shaddaling

A disgusted sound in the back of her throat was all Tic managed in response to that idea. The whole destined to lead thing was kind of stupid. Generally Ticene was of the opinion that good leaders weren't born, they were made. That and the majority of people who insisted they should be leaders, usually weren't very good at it. Too much time spent trying to big themselves up, rather than actually doing anything constructive. Really any candidate who wasn't somewhat terrified of running something as big as a Weyr needed their head examined in her opinion. Herding her siblings was one thing. Keeping hundreds of people fed, clothed, sheltered, and happy? During threadfall? Ha, no thank you.

"Hm, shame that they don't have manners classes as part of the standard candidate package." It wasn't a very good joke, but not all of Tic's jokes were.  

[Shaddaling]

The_Muffin_Puppy

"Hey, I think we'll get along just fine," Jemi replied, the larger girl more relaxed as she learned more about Ticene. "Anyhow, what made you decide to come all the way over here? Specially when we now have thread fall to worry about." She and Wen had joined up turns before Thread had came. It was interesting to learn why people came after the thread started up again.  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Shaddaling

"Uh well..." Was there a good way to phrase this that didn't make her sound pathetic? 'I wasn't doing anything else', 'My life was going nowhere and I was beginning to panic'. Really Ticene hadn't thought about it as much as maybe she should. It wasn't like it was permanent though. There were riders out there who didn't live in the Weyrs. If things got super bad she was sure there was something else that she could find for herself and a dragon to do. It'd all work out fine in the end.

"For the adventure... I guess? It was that or become a fishwife." There was something about going far away from her kin, being the only one to do something. It wasn't a feeling she was familiar with, but there was something intoxicating about it. "What about you two?" Hopefully they had better answers than she did.  

[Shaddaling]

The_Muffin_Puppy

"We joined earlier before thread returned but it seemed better then shoveling herd beast dung,"Wen replied simply.

Jemi crackled and grinned. "Hey, no wrong answers and ugh can agree with you there. Fish are gross, Tic. They are smelly and have those dead eyes stares and nope." She made a face before leaned over to snag Wen under her arm and pull him in close. "Me and Wen, we both worked as farm hands! So like he said. Better then shoveling s**t."  

[The_Muffin_Puppy]

Shaddaling

"Looks like we all came here to avoid gross smelling jobs," Ticene said with a laugh. That was dragonriding for a lot of them, wasn't it. A way up in the world. Sure dragonriders had gross tasks. And there was that whole, life on the line part, but it also meant respect and security. Dragonriders didn't have to worry about going hungry. Not having a roof over their heads. For a lot of people on Pern, that kind of life was all they'd ever dared hope for.

"So you must have stood for hatchings before, right?" They'd been here since before thread. There must have been at least one hatching in that time. Tic wasn't exactly high enough on the social ladder to concern herself with what the Weyr was doing most of the time, so she didn't actually know when High Reaches' last hatching was. She wondered what it was like to stand for one.