I'll Be A Rider Someday!

Writers: Allison, Devin
Date Posted: 4th July 2007

Characters: D'cal, Harila
Description: D'cal and Harila discuss Harila's chances at Impression.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 10 of Turn 4

Harila walked through the hallway, quietly humming to herself. She was increasingly on edge because of the upcoming Hatching. She wanted to Impress, but was also scared, as it would open up a whole other life to her. She wandered along, not really paying attention to where she was going, until she almost bumped into a rider. She sidestepped quickly and looked up. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to run you down, I swear!"

"Oh, I don't know. It seemed pretty purposeful to me," D'cal chuckled as he picked up the brush he had dropped. "Don't worry, you get used to bumping into people in these cramped halls."

Harila grinned up at him. "Well, I see you're carrying brushes. As payment for practically running you over, would you like some help washing Aosorath, D'cal?" Harila replied. "After all, what with the Hatching coming up, I can use as much practice as I can get, especially if I get lucky."

The bluerider shrugged. "Sure, why not. If you have nothing better to do with your afternoon. I would have thought the Candidates would be enjoying their last days of freedom!"

Harila laughed. "Well, I think I'm too wound up to settle down right now! I need to be working and getting all my energy out. Besides, when I'm working it helps the time pass faster and brings the Hatching here quicker. Do you need help carrying anything?"

"Do you want to carry the sweetsand?" he asked, offering her the bag whose chord was wrapped around his wrist and starting to cut off his circulation.

"Works for me," she replied and grapped the sweetsand, making sure it was well supported. "Well, lead the way!" Harila said, smiling.

"So did you hear they're going to be letting Dragonsfall candidates join in the Hatching this time?" D'cal asked curiously. He wondered how their Dolphin Cove counterparts had taken that news. After all, it meant more people on the Sands, more rivals for the dragonets attention...

"Yes I did, but I'm not worried. If I'm meant to Impress, my dragon is out there on the Sands right now, waiting to come out and meet me,"
Harila said and grinned up at D'cal. "I think my little green is out there waiting for me right now. It'll happen." "Of course it will. If not this time, then next time." D'cal always felt a little guilty reassuring those who had stood at Hatching after Hatching in the hopes of Impressing, and had no far no luck. He had Impressed his first time on the Sands. Aosorath had found him at exactly the right time.

}:Of course I did! You were there!:{ the little blue interrupted his thoughts.

**Yes. I was very lucky that day.** D'cal smiled. "Will you continue crafting if you Impress?"

"Yes, I'll try to continue it as best I can. I also loved the performance part of being a Harper and that's where I wanted to concentrate my skills in when I became a journeyman. Who knows, I could be a Weyrharper," Harila said and smiled. "That's true," the bluerider nodded. "That's a lofty goal!" Especially for a rider during the Pass!

Harila laughed. "Of course it's a lofty goal! It wouldn't be a goal if it wasn't! Besides, I like setting high goals for myself and then attaining them. Another lofty goal would be Impressing a green at this upcoming Hatching!" "Ah, but is that really a _goal_?" D'cal asked in his best philosophical tone. "Since you have no control over whether you Impress or not, can you really achieve that? Or is it just a hope?"

"Nope, it's a goal! I know I'm going to Impress, I can feel it. Besides, why would the Search dragon have picked me then?" Harila laughed.

"Yes, but what do we do to make them chose us? Is it something we can make? Or is it something we just... are?"

"I think it's just something we are," Harila said as she smiled to herself. "You can't fool a dragon into thinking you're something you're not. That's why you won't have a truly evil person riding a dragon. Because a dragon knows and always will know the right person."

"Well, then, how can you _achieve_ being a dragonrider? It sounds like its just dumb luck."

"No no no!" Harila said, shaking her head. "It's not just dumb luck. You make the choices in your life whether you're going to be a good person or a bad person. You chose to be a good person, I'm choosing to be a good person, that's why you Impressed and why I will eventually Impress. You achieve being a dragonrider by showing the dragon your true heart and how you really feel," Harila said and shrugged. "It might sound a bit silly, but that's how I feel."

"So the people who are Searched but _don't_ Impress, they are not good people?" The bluerider was egging her on, he knew, but he couldn't help it. It was kinda fun.

Harila rolled her eyes. "Now you're just doing this on purpose! No no no, that's not what I mean. They're good people, but their dragon, the one they're destined to be with isn't here. It was not born. Does that makes sense?"

"So how can it be a goal when they have absolutely no control over whether they Impress or not?"

"Because I say it is," Harila replied and gave a firm nod of her head. "Why are you arguing with me? I'm always right."

D'cal's eyebrows rose in amused surprise. "And how do you _know_ you're always right?"

Harila shrugged. "Because I am! Do I need a reason?"

"Other than the fact you're female?" he laughed. "Apparently not."

Harila laughed along with him. "See? I'm learning early, as are you. So where is Aosorath, D'cal?" she asked, looking around.

The bluerider sighed dramatically as he pointed to the little blue flailing around in the water next to a green barely smaller than he was.
"Flirting, as usual." He leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "He discovered girls a couple months ago."

Harila starting laughing. "Well, are you sure he's flirting or is he having a hard time staying afloat?"

"He's going through a phase where he thinks being annoying will attract the girls attention," D'cal chuckled, shaking his head in loving amusement. "He'll grow out of it. We all do. Eventually."

Harila laughed. "Well, most men do, but there are always the few stragglers. But Aosorath is a cutie, so I'm sure he'll get all the ladies."

"You speak as a woman with some experience," D'cal grinned. "Did you have many boys trying to impress you in harper classes then?"

Harila rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah yeah, I guess. Boys are just plain silly, but I like watching them try to impress me. It makes me laugh sometimes. I like when they're nice to me too," she replied and grinned back.

"As you should," he nodded. "That's how guys are _supposed_ to impress the ladies."

Harila laughed and nodded. "I'm glad you agree."

Last updated on the July 8th 2007

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I'll Be A Rider Someday!