What Have You Been Up To

Writers: Steel, Devin
Date Posted: 19th March 2026

Characters: M'chan, Z'kim
Description: M'chan finds an unexpected face
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 2, day 16 of Turn 12

Z'kim

Z'kim tugged off Warroth's straps as the green eagerly greeted several dragons at Barrier Lake. He was here to visit a friend and Warroth was just as happy to socialize.

}:Hello Tysileth!:{

}:Hello Warroth!:{ Tysileth bugled back enthusiastically. }:Come swim and sun with me!:{ the green invited. }:Mine is just leaving the Dining Hall, if Yours is going looking for him.:{

It did not occur to Tysileth that her rider may or may not, in fact, be among those Warroth's rider was looking for.

}:Oh yes, swimming sounds fun!:{ Eyes whirling a pleasant blue, Warroth headed for the lake.

Z'kim sighed. M'chan could be . . . a lot. But he put on a smile when he saw the younger greenrider crossing the Bowl. "M'chan, it's been a while!"

Tysileth pranced in place, and then dove from her ledge toward the Lake with an excited bugle.

"Z'kim? Z'kiiiim!!!" M'chan spun around nearly as eagerly as Tysileth. "Oh Faranth hiiii!!! Did you come here to visit people?! Tysileth is more than happy to spend time playing and swimming with Warroth! Who are you looking for, maybe I can help you!"

He came bounding over.

**Still bouncing around like an overgrown weyrbrat,** Z'kim thought. "I'm here to see Jenelis, I know where to find her." They'd grown up together at Far Island and still kept in touch.

"Oh excellent!!" M'chan chirped. "I can help!! Oh while you're here you should definitely go swimming, swimming is always fun, and the beach is always lovely I think I even saw a firelizard making a nest earlier!" He added. "I don't think I know Jenelia, do you think she'd want a flit egg?"

"If she wanted one I'm sure she'd have one already," Z'kim said mildly. "So what have you been up to?" Better to get it out of the way so he could say he'd made polite conversation.

"Oh not much." M'chan assured him cheerily. "Just drills mostly. And Tysileth, but Tys is _always_." He added. "Oh and flit egg hunting, that always takes up more time than I think it will. But I haven't found anything yet." He continued woefully. "Only rocks."

Z'kim blinked. "Why would you go hunting when there's plenty of gold flits around? Just pay for an egg, or barter something."

"But that's no _fun_." M'chan huffed. "I guess I could do that if I gave up, but looking for them is half the adventure you know!" He added. "I wanna _find_ an egg."

"Hmm." Z'kim considered it. "I suppose I can see the appeal. Thrill of the hunt, and all that."

"Exactly!" M'chan beamed at him. "You _do_ get it! Besides, it's nice to do _fun_ things, whenever you can, you know? Oh you know what else is fun? Jumping off your dragon's back into the Lake. Or the ocean, if you're at the beach."

"That is fun." A real smile curved Z'kim's lips as he thought of leaping into the water with N'vanik and Talryne.

M'chan fairly beamed at the agreement, nodded rapidly. "It really _is_!" He assured. "Tys and I do it all the time. Well, I mean, when we're not at drills or searching for flit eggs!" He chirped. "And you don't even have to worry about swimming back to shore if your dragon retrieves you!"

"Unless she's too busy flirting," Z'kim said.

"There is that!" M'chan conceded, undaunted. "But it's not like I can't swim, and she's always happy to help if I want." He beamed again. "What have you been up to? Anything fun?"

Of course Z'kim couldn't resist an opening like that. "Apparently Barrier Lake is far out of the gossip loop."

"Oh you know me, I never remember anything unless I'm reminded." M'chan said, unruffled. "Oooohhh something _did_ happen didn't it??? Tell. Me. Everything." He leaned in, rapt.

"Do you remember N'vanik?" Z'kim asked, falsely casual. "Very good friend of mine? Formerly broody troublemaker of Dream's End, currently Dolphin Cove Weyrleader?"

"I do!" M'chan chirped. "Bronze Loseth!" He tilted his head. "What about him?"

Z'kim was so pleased he got to brag about this again. "We've been sleeping together for about a Turn. And at the Dolphin Cove Hatching he kissed me. In front of _everyone_."

"He _what_?" M'chan breathed, wide eyed. "A _Weyrleader_?? Ooohh you have to tell me _everything_. I thought Weyrleaders didn't _do_ that kind of thing!"

"Oh he definitely does me," Z'kim said with a chuckle. "It's a bit of a complicated story, but the important part is he's finally interested in me without the influence of dragonlust. _Very_ interested."

M'chan grinned. "Good for you." He said, sincerely. "We should totally get drinks sometime. Maybe he's got a handsome friend." He teased. "Faranth knows Tys and me are always down for a fun flirt."

"Is there a lack of handsome men at Barrier Lake?" Z'kim looked around.

"... No." M'chan said, if reluctant, and made a pouting face. "I suppose Tys _does_ have enough blues and browns here to keep her entertained. I just thought it might be fun."

And then he shrugged, and moved on. "Anyway!! We should still get drinks sometime either way!"

"Sure, sometime," Z'kim said with absolutely no intent to do so. "So how do you like Barrier Lake? The Wing isn't the same without you." It was quieter, for one.

"Oh we _love_ it!" M'chan enthused. "The water is so nice, and Tysileth likes watching the boats coming in. My wing is a good one too, even if poor Tarsenuth got hurt recently." He added blithely. "And on restdays, I can easily go fishing or flit hunting."

Warroth, for her part, was happily swimming in the lake with Tysileth.

"That sounds lovely. I'm glad you like it here," Z'kim said. "I should be going, Jenelis is waiting for me. See you later!" Hopefully not. Although Z'kim did always enjoy the chance to brag about sleeping with a hot and somewhat notorious Weyrleader.

Last updated on the April 1st 2026

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