[G] [C] 732.07.15 | Rhythm Of Life [Hatching]

B'jin was quizzing the class of early teens, some of whom were rolling their eyes and some of whom were openly amused by his good natured teasing between tossing out questions about the past two hundred turns of history Pern had with human habitation. The current class was learning about the time within the First Pass; a topic B'jin didn't like at all, the greenrider being incredibly twitchy about the expected up coming Pass. It was, perhaps, the main reason he was allowing the class room to tease him about his late arrival, mussed hair and a vibrant love bite on the slope between neck and shoulder. His going crimson and tugging his shirt laces tighter to hide it had done nothing to hinder the attack the children had launched upon it; to the contrary - it encouraged them thoroughly.

Hey, B'jin, Larrikith's voice was mild as she sat up with a spike of interest outside the classroom wall, and B'jin paused, turning to look in her direction with a slight frown, "Yes, dear?" A couple of the kids tittered, but they were fairly accustomed to B'jin and Larrikith conversing during their lesson period - sometimes the green dragon took part in their education, though mostly at the expense of her rider.

"Is she going to fly?"
"She can't fly! She's not due."
"Yes she is!"
"... Really?"
"No... wait..."
"No, she isn't."
"Yes she is!"
"She's not due!"
"Actually, she is."

B'jin, who had been staring somewhat dumbstruck at the students taking part in whether or not his dragon was due to fly (Larrikith was peering in through the window with deep amusement, huffing in soft laughter) was not the only one that turned a disbelieving look upon the young man who had spoken with such quiet assurance. "What? She almost always flies mid-month." The class paused to consider this while B'jin fought to regain control of himself so he could reign in the class now discussing his dragon induced sex life and the money they could  no longer make on it.

"He's right!"
"What does it matter? We all know R'nd will win."
"Yeah, Larrikith's flights used to be exciting."
"Betting on who wins now is laughable."

What!" B'jin's indignant voice cut through their discussion and the students turned to see the greenrider staring at them with huge eyes and a very unhappy expression, though it was far more comical than intimidating. "You bet on my dragon's flights?!" B'jin spluttered for a moment, before snapping his jaw shut and staring at them, demanding an answer.

"Well, not for a while now, Sir. It's kind of a given what with you hooking up with R'nd."
"It's not the riders, you idiot, it's the dragons."
"What? Everyone knows they're weyrmates."
"Doesn't matter. It's Larrikith hooking up with Ayyonth that decides it."
"Not always."
"This is Larrikith. You don't honestly think she'd fly Ayyonth if she didn't like him?"
"His last Weyrmate was a non-rider. How do you know Larrikith doesn't pick Ayyonth because B'jin fancies R'nd?"
"Because it's Larrikith!"

B'jin couldn't help it; with a dry expression and a voice to match, he added his two cents. "She's right. Larri picks Ayyonth because she favours him, not because she favours me. She enjoys torturing me too much. And I do not fancy R'nd!"

If he'd been hoping to be taken seriously, B'jin's hopes were dashed when the entire class paused for a moment before a combination of laughter and smart arsed comments were thrown his way, the greenrider huffing and crossing his arms over his chest while they laid it on thick.

If anyone is interested, Larrikith inserted mildly, putting her head in the window and resting her chin leisurely on the still as she peered at the laughing and rioting classroom of young men and women with sly amusement. The eggs are hatching. It took a moment before that was fully absorbed, and then Larrikith gave a bark of amusement as the classroom really exploded into chaos, with students pelting to get the best seats, a couple of the boys puffing up importantly as they made a mad dash for their rooms, and the candidate robes they were to wear to the event. B'jin turned a flat look upon Larrikith.

"You waited, all that time, before telling them?"
Of course. They were having such fun. She gave a mental smirk, and B'jin rolled his eyes at her, then frowned at his now empty classroom. "Guess we better go before even your tiny self has no where to sit."

Sounds good. Hurry up or I'll go without you. Larrikith had barely finished that statement before B'jin was shoving her nose out the window, and scrambling out it himself, flinging himself aboard her and clinging with a laugh as she made sure none of their wing were around before vanishing between. "You're not meant to do that," B'jin chided, when they appeared above the Circuit and the excitement rushing about below. Pft.

The pair landed, Larrikith managing to sneak closer to the circlet of Candidates than most of the other dragons due to her smaller size, curling up contentedly and watching with interest as the dragonets began to make themselves known. B'jin's brown gaze searched the crowd with interest, before ducking his head to actively avoid R'nya's attention, sliding down off of Larrikith and tugging his Harper wear back into place, the tidy outfit not made for dragonriding, was much more comfortable to be wearing on the heated sands than riding leathers. The rider leaned lazily against his dragon's side as they watched the Hatching, unsurprised and mildly delighted at the appearance of the three little greens.

Unlike the rest of the dragonrider population, B'jin was not affected by Hatchings like the vast majority. His own Impression was so outside the norm that getting misty eyed and emotional wasn't a part of the process for him. B'jin had been intent upon writing the records of Larrikith's Hatching down, and hadn't taken much notice of the tiny green dragonet that was mewing at the edge of the Stands, until he looked down to see his own name scrawled next to what was a distinctly draconic name. It had been Lady Telgar that had reacted first, gripping his arm excitedly with a squeal of delight to draw further attention upon the event. B'jin frowned slightly and pushed the memory aside, though he smiled gently at Larrikith and brushed light fingers over her cheek as she nudged his own lightly with her nose.

B'jin! Larrikith's head shot up, her humming squeaking slightly in a terribly off-pitch sound that caused B'jin to flinch and look at Larrikith in shock. He couldn't recall the last time she'd sounded so off key! Gold! Where is-?! She'd barely finished asking him when one of their Searchee's, a lovely young woman B'jin was actually fond of, could be heard behind them excusing herself as she pushed through to get in from the kitchens (he assumed) so she could watch what was left of the Hatching. Her viewing privileges were vastly improved when B'jin reached over to grab her by the upper arm, tugging her over to him and then shoving her out onto the sands.

"Positive thoughts! She wants you, you want her. Go!" He gave her a half shove, half toss, just about flinging the woman in the direction of the gold dragon and noting with a scowl that a couple of other Searchers had done the same. Well, from now on he'd keep his damned girls at his side when there was a Gold on the sands. Faranth only knew where Jisralna was hiding, having them both on the Sands would be much - "YES!" B'jin gave a hiss of success while Larrikith bugled, and the greenrider's face contorted into a deeply smug expression, giving the young woman an 'I told you so,' look as she stared at him for a moment in wonder, before leading her little gold off the Sands. Fuck we're good. B'jin, baby, we make good look bad.

They had brought six (Seven, if they counted Talian, but B'jin didn't like counting his foster son) Candidates into Katila, and three of them had Impressed; two golds and a bronze. B'jin practically glowed with self satisfaction and the pure, wicked delight in how damned good he and his dragon were at what they did. If you're going to ruin someone's life, make damned sure you do the best possible job of it. You may need to remind people of that, Larrikith inserted into his thoughts in amusement, as R'nya approached them and B'jin frowned, not even having noticed the Hatching of the little blue and brown.

"Sir," B'jin greeted, acknowledging R'nya's appearance with a nod. "Interesting turn out, don't you think?" He wasn't meaning to be a smart arse, but the smug undertone and self satisfied expression when he was usually cowed by the simple appearance of someone holding rank could easily be misread.