Not Lost, Just... }{ OPEN

[eightbit]

He wasn't lost. He really wasn't. Temaeis just wasn't used to the Weyr layout yet. After all, the move from Cliff Hold to Solace Weyr was a disorienting one, so really he a perfectly legitimate reason to get a little turned around, right? He looked back at the Candidate Barracks that he'd come from, and looked around for the correct direction that led him to the Dining Hall, which he'd been shown to before. So- shardit, why was he having this much difficulty? Had he gone past it already? What kind of wherryhead got lost in a big open space like this anyway?

He shook his head a little as an embarrassed chide to himself. Raising his head again, he caught sight of the corrals in the distance and couldn't keep his mind from thinking of home. And of course, that just made him even more frustrated with himself. He was pretty much a man, in the Weyr for a great opportunity- he wasn't about to sit around and sigh and get homesick, especially not after just a few days. That would be pathetic. Almost as pathetic as wandering aimlessly around the weyrbowl.

The young man tried to keep up the appearance of knowing exactly what he was doing and being completely sure of himself despite his inner debate. There were probably plenty in the Weyr, though, who had seen his type before- poor holderboy with that somewhat bewildered look in his eye no matter how nonchalant he tried to seem. Though it suddenly hit Temaeis that just standing there wasn't exactly helping his charade. He took a few steps in whatever direction he had been heading... maybe. It took him a moment to decide whether he was even correct about that. But then again, if he was heading in the wrong direction once again, then he probably looked even more foolish than just standing there. So after a few steps he just stopped again and once again tried to act completely natural. He'd meant to do that whole starting and stopping thing.

...Oh who was he kidding? If anyone was watching him, they probably thought he was a complete idiot by now. He was afraid to check if there was anyone around paying attention to him. Maybe he could just wait for another candidate to walk by, he recognized a few of their faces, and if he had any luck they would be heading for food as well. If not... well he would figure this out somehow. Somehow that didn't involve asking, because then he would just look silly. Real men didn't ask for directions. And he wasn't lost anyway (or so he told himself once again) and just needed a moment to remember the way. He would be fine then, and in the meantime? He would just stand here. In the middle of the weyrbowl. Just like he meant to.

His shoulders sagged after a moment. "...Aw Faranth, I'm an idiot," he muttered to himself.

And the whole train of thought began again. If Temaeis was half as good with directions as he was with putting himself down, he would have had a full belly and been back at his cot by now.

[hedgie]

She'd been people watching. Something she was generally very good at as it allowed her wandering mind the room to roam. Probably not the safest thing, because it was never much of a clue as to where it would go when unleashed..ut she was just making stories up in her head. Perched upon a rather..oddly placed pile of crates, knees hugged to her chest and her chin set on said knees, person after person unknowingly recieved a story. All about them, and probably completely incorrect, but a story was a story. Her storm-colored eyes were idden under half-closed lids and a smile, a content look. Which was actually off when it came to Dracen, who was known for her more manic smiles. Not crazy, just hyped up on some unknown source. It was close enough, yes, to make ehr seem unstable..but they were just ideas. Harmless ones...a subconcious coping mechanism for abandnment.

You would think, that seven turns after the event, she would have gotten over it, would've grown up a bit more, bit it seemed to have stopped her in her tracks. Right at twelve...but anyway, back to people watching.

Every so often, she glanced at a rather lost young man, her age..maybe young, maybe older, who kept on stopping and starting..and stopping again..and then starting. Like a cautious little bird. Something like that. Noticing that he had finally stopped moving, she nimbly lept off of her perch, long legs hitting the ground and sending her instantly into movement. Fast, smooth steps, until she was close enough to him in the 'bowl to hear his words. "Oh." she whispered to herself, brow furrowing in a contemplative look. She sighed, then straightened up as a perky, kind of cocky, smile graced her face. "No need to self-insult." She chirped, leaning around his side to view his front...she;d been on his left side..or mayeb it ws his right. Well, wherever she'd been, its been a side and now she could see his face.

She'd never been good with faces, but he seemed vaguely familiar. Like she should recognize him. But a name wasn't coming to her mind, so she just settled for stepping into his line of sight. "Cheer up, would you? Getting lost isn;t the end of the world; far from it." She chuckled. "Where're you heading? I might be able to get you there, and back...and to any other manner of location. i know my way around this place better than most." She straightened up, tired of leaning because the angle was rather awkward..uncomfortable, any manner of words for that sort of thing, and brushed hair away from her face.

"Might as well introduce myself, so a total stranger isn;t dragging you to Faranth-knows-where...Dracen." She stuck out her hand, not caring about his possible reaction to her sudden, possibly abrasive, and obnoxious appearance. "Seven turn resident of Solace Weyr, and resident..err...Someone."

Oh, this was going to go so well.

[eightbit]

With the words spoken from Dracen's mouth, Temaeis jumped slightly, suddenly aware that he was most definitely not alone. His head whipped around to find the source and he inched half a step to the opposite side when he met the girl's gaze much quicker than anticipated, what with her leaning around his side to see him. Too startled to talk just yet, he blinked down at her. Another candidate? Maybe. He thought she seemed familiar. Maybe. He wasn't too sure of much of anything today, was he?

He kept silent as she stepped in front of him and spoke. It seemed like she had seen a good portion of his indecision. Great. A little girl ready to come to his rescue. Okay, okay. Not so little, he conceded to himself- they were probably actually around the same age, and he was only a few inches taller then her. Still, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the whole situation. He wasn't some damsel in distress he didn't need to be rescued by... another damsel.

Though he would never dream of being disrespectful about it, and it was only polite to return her introduction at least- her very enthusiastic introduction. "Right. Dracen. It's a pleasure, miss," he responded, sounding friendly, even though he couldn't begin to math her energetic manner. He inclined his head and took the offered hand. "I'm Temaeis. New Candidate here." After a moment he added hastily, "Though not new enough that I'm clueless or anything." Oh yeah, that was smooth. He could have winced at how not subtle that sounded.

He cleared his throat a little. "What I mean to say is, you seem to think I'm lost. I'm not. And that- what I was saying, that was just because I forgot something." Yes. That sounded legitimate. He would go with that. "Yes I, um, forgot something back at the Candidate Barracks and now I'm going to have to go all the way back, I guess." And she just didn't need to know that the only thing he had forgotten was how to get anywhere important, and that now he was retreating back to the one place he could probably find his way back to.

He looked as if he was about to turn back to head that direction, when his stomach gave a quite audible growl. because apparently the universe was conspiring to rid him of his dignity today. This girl didn't seem dumb, and would probably put two and two together easily enough. He still clung to the hope that she somehow believed him, though, and awkwardly watched her to see if she was showing sign at all of being convinced.