Baked Zity Gets Searched

Dark Corridor (#6643LJ)
This rather dreary corridor leads to some of the various storage caverns that hold the Weyrs huge food resources. Glowbaskets dot the walls at intervals; not really close enough to provide all-around illumination, leaving strange-shaped shadowed areas between the pools of dim light.


With the bitter cold wind of Fortian winter howling outside, it's no wonder most souls can be found inside. Be it their weyrs, or huddled near the fires of the living cavern, folks are doing their best to stay warm. Even Merci is buckled and zipped up in her heavy riding leathers, though she is currently poking around the mostly deserted storage caverns. Under both arms are the two gaudiest, cheapest-looking vases one could ever hope to ever unsee. Clenched between her teeth, is a bag of dried meats, likely pilfered. Someone's raiding the caverns of Fort Weyr!

There's a rummaging and a rustling further back in the storage caverns, and a swish-swish-swish of fabric against stone. It takes a moment for the walking pile of clothing to appear, and by then it's too late. The jacketmonster is out for bloo- no, wait, it's just Ikty. And he's bundled in so many layers, he might as well be sporting an entire wardrobe. Indeed, the lad is having some difficulty moving, though it's perhaps more what he's carrying than what he;s wearing, slow steps accompanied by the trailing end of a huge blanket. The thing is an armload and a half for the gangly teen, and riddled with holes besides, but he doesn't appear to mind. There's an, "Oh-" as he spots Merci, and a quickly added, "Ma'am," the boy's head bobbing ever so slightly behind the blanketpile he's carrying.

Here a Zity, there a Zity… Well, mostly here and there. The girl just sort of emerges from the meat storage cavern, having been hanging out in the colder cavern apparently. She is also carrying some snacks, though the sweet rocks likely didn't come from where they store the meats. She doesn't wear all too much to protect her from the cold, only a too big jacket over her raggedy clothes. Her glassy eyes are wandering all around the storage caverns, as if searching for something and completely passing over the rummaging brownrider. They do stop for her brother though, and a wide grin splits her face. "Iky, Iky, is that an Iky?" she singsongs out, complete with a giggle and a skip. Here's a /baked/ Zity, more like it, seeing that she's all bright eyed and hasn't yet stopped giggling. Someone finally ate that flower.

Quaptyziel is bundled up in layers, though not as much as his twin, aparently, or else he's more flaxible. He's carrying a basket of covered glows in his hands. "Oh, uh, ma'am." He says, as he spots Merci. He sets down the basket carefully, and looks around. "Uh, have you seen any glows that need replacing down here in storage?" He asks, though now that his hands are free, he'll wave to Ikty, and Zity. "Hey guys." He says.

Merci freezes for a moment at the sound of movement, though the leather of her jacket creaks as the muscles beneath them soon relax. Placing down the bright, eye-searing vases, she pulls the pouch of meats from her mouth to turn and look over the walking fabric-pile. "…" A grunt is given in greeting, one of the stolen snacks taken out and gnawed on viciously. She's not moving, likely waiting for Iktyziel to pass, when more of them pop up! Quap she recognizes, and so he gets a stern stare, inspecting the candidate before she relaxes. Likely not to make a clean getaway with her nabbed items, she instead turns the attentio on Ielyzity, "S'wrong with that one?" A firm point directly at the girl.

Iktyziel comes to a stop, peering over the big bundle of blanket, and wrinkling his nose at his sister. "Zit.." the lad replies in kind, though the giggling and subsequent /skip/ have him staring at her rather suspiciously, "What's wrong with you?" nearly echoing Merci. His gaze is drawn, briefly, to those colorful vases, eyebrows going up at the sight of them, although the boy, perhaps wisely, makes no comment. Instead, there is a nod in greeting for his twin, Ikt offering Quap a quiet, "Hey," and then shaking his head, "I haven't seen any so far. I didn't get to the caverns further back, the other day,," added with a glance down the aisles of shelves.

Ielyzity stops just short of Iktyziel and his blanket pile, tugging at home of them. "I have absolutely /no/ idea what you are talking about," she says with a lazy grin. Seeing that she completely ignored her most hated nickname, something is likely wrong. Her head finally whips around, red hair flying, as she notices Merci as if for the first time. Her nose does a funny impression of a bunny, twitching as she eyes the pouch of meat snacks the woman has. Food! Giving Quap a lazy wave, it's towards the brownrider that she shuffles to next. "I'm fine, perfectly fine," she says slowly. "And would be even better if I can get some of that," she says it in her best sweet voice, batting big eyes and all. Not to mention hiding her own sweets behind her back while begging for the woman's. She's not trading.

Quaptyziel blinks at Ielyzity as well. "Did you eat too many sweets, or something?" He asks the girl, with a bit of concern.. glancing at Ikty, and Merci as well. "Oh, alright, guess I'll have to check them then, if they haven't be3en replaced. They told me there was a bunch of them out." He admits, and looks back to Ielyzity. "Zity, you're not acting fine, this isn't like you." He says, and watches his sister, and turns to peer at her sweets for a moment.

Merci crosses her arms, pouch 'o meat clutched closed with a fist as her jaws get to gnawing that tough jerky. She keeps her mouth closed and her eyes on the tiny freckled thing approaching her. "So, I take it this is yers?" Eyes glance at Ielyzity first, then bounce to her older brothers, thick brows lowering in disapproval at their lack of responsibility. Arms drop to her sides, only to have a hand come up and move to grab the girl's jaw in a caloused finger hold. Grasping that young chin between index and thumb, Merci will lower herself and gaze into her face. "…" Another glance is sent to her older siblings, this look holding a growing flame of anger. "What've you been eatin', Freckle?" It's a low growl that carries the scent of herdbeast. Something about her behavior is familiar.

Iktyziel turns back from he aisles and continues to eye his sister suspiciously, vague frown for the girl as he states a rather flat, "You're acting strange." It's definitely accusatory, the lad likely having noticed the lack of response to the nickname. He takes a step back, attempting to get his armful of blanketpile away from the girl's reach while muttering, "You're definitely not fine." He'll agree with his brother, though the concern is replaced by a flicker of wariness as Merci starts asking questions. Ikt looks like he'd rather be off replacing glows too, right about now.

"I've only had a /little/ bit of sweets, Quappy. Honest," Ielyzity sings out to her other brother, shaking the bag she has before tucking it quickly back behind her. No one saw where she is keeping them! She is giggling again as she looks from the older woman back towards her brothers. "She called me an it. She thinks I'm an it. I think that's mean." And yet Zity is giggling all the while. It eventually stops, eyes having trouble focusing as her chin is grabbed and she is forced to keep her eyes away from Iktyziel and onto the brownrider. "I haven't been eating your snacks. That's what I /haven't/ been eating. I'd love to have some of it. It smells /wonderful/." A large smile stretches across her face, nose twitching at the smell of the herdbeast again. And yet that close, she can't help it, crossing her eyes and sucking in her cheeks to make a face at the brownrider.

The girl's reaction and her lack of manners certainly don't sit well with this brownrider, oh no. In fact, she'll release Ielyzity's face with a look of disgust, straightening up to clap a strong grip on her shoulder. "You." Poor Iktyziel is honed in on, as his brother is off being a good candidate and replacing glows. "You let 'er get like this?" 'Freckle' will get a shake, meant to empathize just how out of it the young girl is. The lack of straight answers earns another snarl, and a bit of a squeeze from Merci's grip on her shoulder. "You been eatin' any /flowers/, girl?" Depending on her answer, someone is going to get the blonde beaten out of him.
Iktyziel just stares at his sister, as if trying to figure out what's gotten into her. Merci's question has him furrowing his brows, the boy lifting his chin with a quiet, "I didn't, ma'am. I don't know where the nannies looking after her are." After all, he's a candidate too. But when flowers are mentioned, Ikt's eyes widen, the lad blurting out at his sister, "I can't believe you ate /anything/ that guy gave you."

If only Merci knew that the lack of manners were likely one of the few normal things that Zity is doing. And oh, this has just gotten so much better! She is grinning wide enough that her face will likely be hurting later. "Oh yes, he did, he's such a /bad/ older brother," she says with lots of nodding in agreement to the woman, making a tsk tsk sound and trying to glare at her brother. It's hard to do, howevever, with her giggling and grinning. The shake cuts her off abruptly, eyes glancing up to the older woman. "Flowers?" There's a muffled snort as she tries to suppress her laughter. "I *snicker* I don't know about flowers *snort*. But maybe I can remember with some *giggle* of your snacks." She whips around to put a finger to her mouth and a wet 'SHH' to come out at Iktyziel. "I dunno what you're talking about! That guy was very very nice. He gave me snacks," she adds to Merci with a pout. Then she lets loose the giggles. Who wouldn't be laughing when people are talking about eating flowers?

Quaptyziel is back! Just in time to hear of his little sister aparently eating flowers. "I didn't let her get like this either." He says, concerned, wondering where the nannies were that look out for her. He blinks at Ikty though. "Wait wait, /what/ guy gave her stuff?" Why yes, he is peering at you little brother. "Why'd you let her take it, if you didn't think she should be eating it?"

Merci struggles to keep her hold on the girl. It isn't that Ielyzity is struggling, it's just that the girl is acting too similar to a certain someone. Reflexes dictate that bad things should happen to the giggly, smiling girl, but luckily the woman is able to restrain herself. The muscles in her cheek are a'twitchin', though. Dark gaze snaps back up to Iktyziel, and she'll storm closer, big boots thumping on the ground until she's invading the boy's personal space. Quaptyziel is likely familiar, as she does her best to loom at both of them, equally. "Guy. Blonde? …As useless as he is obnoxious?" Merci demands answers, dragging Freckle along with her as she looks from one boy to the other. And then the giggly girl gets another shake, "Shardin' idiot… Ain't anyone taught you any sense?" Those growls have turned to near roars as the brownrider is /not/ happy.

Iktyziel just looks disgusted, though more at his sister than anything else. "I didn't let her take it," is shrugged at Quap, "And I don't know where the nannies looking after her are, but I can stop by the nursery and ask them to send someone for her. You'd better take her to the infirmary, if you're done," though he's ooking less concerned about the giggling girl and more concerned about the looming brownrider there. After all, he's been standing here with that armful of blanket. Someone's probably waiting for him to deliver it. The growly Merci is blinked at, albeit a bit sideways since Ikty kind of has to peer over the blanketpile. He nods at the woman's description of the man, confirming it with a, "Yes, ma'am. He was blonde."

Quaptyziel eeps at the looming rider, and he straightens up. "I-I don't know! I never even seen the man." He sats, honestly, and looks to Ikty, evidently big brothers been left in the dark about this. "Uh, right, I should take her to the infirmary." He says in agreement, but then Merci's grabbing Ielyzity, and shaking her, and, yeah, angry rider, he's not about to get between them yet.

Ielyzity stumbles along after Merci, almost tripping over feet that didn't want to move. They were happy standing back there! "Why's everyone so grumpy? Don't be grumpy Iky, Quappy," she coos at her brothers, and then towards the brownrider though there's no name to go with the latter. "And I am /soo/ old enough not to be hanging around with silly nannies, you know. Silly stupid brothers." She lifts a finger and waggles it over at Iktyziel, making sure to raise it high enough so that he can see it over the blanket pile. Her laughing is now directed at the woman's growling and angry faces. Tugging at Merci's arm, Zity adds, "He gave me noothing, everything is fiiine. I'm fiine. Everyone's just being so /silly/. Relax and have fun!" There's a short pause before she adds, "Canni have some of your snacks?" Because she is just not giving up on that.

Quaptyziel eeps at the looming rider, and he straightens up. "I-I don't know! I never even seen the man." He sats, honestly, and looks to Ikty, evidently big brothers been left in the dark about this. "Uh, right, I should take her to the infirmary." He says in agreement, but then Merci's grabbing Ielyzity, and shaking her, and, yeah, angry rider, he's not about to get between them yet. "We're grumpy, because you're acting strange." He answers Zity. "I don't think you should be having anything else, until the healers check you over."

Once Iktyziel confirms the woman's suspicions, Merci lets loose a string of curses foul enough to burn the ears of seacrafters everywhere. The tirade eventually ends, and the rider rounds on Ielyzity, "NO. Y'can't have any of my shardin' snacks!" The true culprit isn't present, and so the three younguns will have to deal with her fury. Iktyziel will at least know who to balme. Disgusted, Merci shoves the girl towards her eldest brother, as he doesn't have blankets preventing him from getting a decent hold. "Nannies." It's nearly spat out, "With all th'greens and bronzers in this weyr, they got enough brats t'look after. This," A finger is jabbed at the girl, "Is /yer/ problem. I don't want her outta yer sights." Talk of the Infirmary has her snorting, "She'll be fine, this time. Take 'er to th'Candidate barracks instead." She continues to loom, bristling, "If a white knot's what it's gonna take for you two t'keep a leash on that one…" The beast has spoken.

Iktyziel makes an even grumpier face! He just eyes those waggling fingers, nodding agreement with Quap about the healers. The cursing rider has Ikt's eyebrows rising somewhat, though he's soon wrinkling his nose even more. Really, the lad looks as if he'd prefer latrine duty to /this/, but doesn't protest.

Ielyzity attempts her best to mimic some of Merci's own curses, though she likely didn't even catch more than a few words at the end. Those that she did manage to catch are repeated in that singsong voice of hers, and then grinning up at the woman with big admiring eyes. Except soon enough her attention is on to something else, like pouting at the woman for lack of snacks. She lets it go. For now. It's easier to laugh at the woman's fury, anyway. "Wow, hey! Aw, she doesn't like me," she says with a sniffle, tripping into Quaptyziel and wobbling unsteadily for a moment. "I told you I ain't needing any nannies or silly, silly brothers. They're all busy anyway being… being…" Well, that really cuts off her laughing, the words penetrating her foggy brain. "Can I get some snacks to go with the knot too?"

Quaptyziel blinks at Merci for a moment, and winces. "Yes ma'am." He says, he's the older brother, it was his responsibility anyway. Her erks as Ielyzity trips into him, and he goes to help steady her. "Nah, I think she doesn't like the guy who gave whatever it was to you." And neither does Quap to be right frank. he grimaces at the cursing, and then eyes Zity. He's not a happy brother either. "You'd had enough snacks already, come on, we'll take you to the barracks, and you can lie down." Or something.

Merci finally takes a few steps back, retreating to the company of those viciously ugly vases. She doesn't take her eyes off the trio, opening up her pouch and shoving another chunk of jerky into her mouth. A nod is given as Quaptyziel seems to finally show some responsibility. Iktyziel is eyed, and there's a low murmur of, "Shouldn't you be gettin' those to someone, Candidate?" With Freckle the Flower Eater taken care of, the rider stoops low to hoist the pottery up into her arms, pouch once again clenched between her teeth. One last stern look is given to them all, before the woman gives a grunt and lumbers back out towards the cold where her lifemate is waiting. Hopefully all that excitement is enough of a distraction- should there be any question as to the whereabouts of two gaudy vases.

Iktyziel is going to stay nehind his blanketpile, and attempt not to make a face, thoug hthe grimace that's thratening definitely tugs atr his features. He stifles a groan, but gives Quap a look, likely to make sure the older brother has the sister in hand, before Ikt is heading out of the storage cavern with the blanket, mumbling a, "Yes ma'am."

Ielyzity finally decides it would be better to stay quiet and watch the others depart or go along where ever it is they are going. "She's /funny/," she tells her brothers with that familiar giggle, eyes following after Merci. No comments made on the woman's ugly choice in vases, or the lack of sharing her jerky. It has already been forgotten, and Zity's got her own pouch of sweet rocks, which she ifnally opens and pops a piece into her mouth. "I bet you two got in trouble." Giggle. "And now we're all together again! You"re all going to get into so much trouble I bet." Zity isn't going to make it easy on her candidate brothers, either. She hugs her brother's arm and looks up to him with her big green eyes. "To the barracks!" And she'll hum the entire way there, too.

Quaptyziel erps at the stern look, and then sighs as he's basically abandoned with the high sister. He looks to Zity. "Give me that." He says, and will try, and snatch the pouch from her. "To the barracks." He says, and will head out of the storage room, helping Zity to the barracks.

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