Fort Weyr - Center Bowl
The wide center of the bowl is often bustling with activity as riders come and go. Off westward can be seen the entrances for the candidate barracks and the guest weyr, while to the east is a large opening that leads into the dragon infirmary. The bowl stretches off both to the north and to the south, where the sheer stone walls rise steeply to the sky.


It's been a day since Skyler was brought back to the Weyr and it's still an overwhelming place. He's currently walking along staring up high along the stone walls. Looking at all the various weyrs. Watching dragons fly in and out. There's a big grin on his face. Through some amount of luck he manages to avoid walking into the people that are coming and going about their business. "Wow." can be heard several times over and a few "Amberyl's never gonna believe this." as well.

Skyler has made his way back from the healer hall to the weyr to poke his nose around once more. There has been a great deal of activity here lately with the eggs and with the games. He has determined that it would be fun to compete in a few of the events, even if he doesn't have alot of experience. That and Kera is going to so why not? He makes his way across the bowl and gives a wave to the young man he had briefly seen at the feast not too many days ago now.

As he stops a moment to get his bearings, Skyler notices the wave and then grins and waves back. He bounds on over "Hey! Didn't I see you the other day?" He asks and then he ohs, his eyes going wide a moment "You're the one that was with /Her/!" he exclaims and then he blushes a little "I'm sorry. I mean, she's your, your weyrmate right?" he asks and then continues on without waiting for an answer "You're so lucky. She is so, I mean. I umm. Yeah." A brief pause "Hi!"

Cyrus gives his head a brief nod when the young man asks if they had previously met, "Yes. I did see you the other day." he affirms. When the young man continues his train of thought a bemused expression appears on Cyrus's face. He just can't help it, "Her name is Kera and yes I was with her." he says with a small smile, "No. She isn't my weyrmate. Not yet." he offers as a clarification, "She is amazing." He just can't help himself, there wouldn't be enough time in the day to say all the good things, "Hi." he adds with a smile.

"Kera." The name is said with such a dreamy sigh it's almost comical. Skyler then lets out another wistful sigh. Ahh, puppy love. Then he blinks a moment and looks a little sheepish as he runs a hand through his hair. "I'm Skyler. You can call me Skye though." he looks Cyrus over and then grins "Oh hey! You're a healer! My sister's a healer, she's a journeyman too. She helps to deliver babies and all. What do you do?"

Cyrus holds back a laugh for the sake of the young man's pride. He is hardly one to talk. He's done the exact same thing many a time and people who live in glass houses and all that, "I'm Cyrus." he says as an introduction, "I work at the Healer Hall. I'm a mindhealer." He is pleased to hear about the young mans sister, "Your sister has a good and necessary job. Always need folks doing that."

"Hmm, a mindhealer?" Skyler frowns in thought as he thinks a little "Oh! You help out the crazy people then, right?" he asks. He cocks his head a little as he regards Cyrus curiously "So how do you fix their minds? I mean. You don't cut into the head now. Do you?" There's a curious look at that "Though that might be interesting to see. Weird, but interesing."

"Most of the people that I work with aren't 'crazy'. They just have some problems that they want to work on. Sometimes its a personal problem or a relationship problem. Sometimes I work with whole families. Really its sort of an interesting job." He listens politely as the young man continues and gives his head a shake, "I just talk to them. We work together to solve problems. I certainly don't cut up peoples brains. That wouldn't be particularly helpful. Occasionally we give people some herbs and things to help with mood issues." Which gives him something of an interesting idea. He glances away from the young man a moment as he thinks, before turning his attention back to him.

Skyler listens to all this and then he ohs and a light clicks on "You're what helps keep my sisters from killing us all once a month. They take herbs and things to help with mood issues." he exclaims. "You've a very important job too then." He grins and then there's a thoughtful look "So, you're like a harper in a way then? I mean Da always talks to Uncle Alder when he's having trouble's or problems. Uncle Alder was a Harper. Or well, I guess he still is, he just doesn't go anywhere anymore. Not that he can really. He's old."

Cyrus can't help but laugh at that, "I think your sister probably is capable of controlling her own mood. The fact that you are still here attests to that." Cyrus can't help but shrug a bit when he says he has an important job, "I do what I can. It's a necessary job." Though there are parts of it that are probably less necessary than others, "I also help out with other things as needed." He has all the general healer training after all "I suppose you could say there is a bit of a harper in every mindhealer. So what is it you plan on doing with your life?"

Skyler wrinkles his nose a bit at the laughter "Hey, I can run good." he mutters "They get scary at times. Well, not Cyndal so much maybe, but Mishial!" He rolls his eyes and then grins brightly. He hmms a little though and nods "Well, I guess some people need it more than others." At the question though he frowns a little "What is it and adults with that question?" he asks and then shakes his head and shrugs "Well, Da and old man Hosforth both want me to study hard and get my journeymans knot and go back home and take over with overseeing the herdbeasts." he notes. "But, well. If I Impress, I guess that won't happen." be looks a little unsure for a moment and then shrugs "I met a rider yesterday, Miyan from Eastern. She came by the hall looking for an ovine for her other ovine and well, she said I should keep my option open. But." Here he pauses again. "They always meant for me to take over for Hosforth." He shrugs "It's what I have to do I guess if I don't Impress."

Cyrus blinks as the young man tells that he was searched the other day. His mouth just sort of hangs there open, "How old are you Skyler?" he asks softly once he is ablet o wrap his mind around what the young man just told him. All that other stuff he said about working with heardbeasts and stuff just sort of fades away. This is clearly more important.

Skyler looks curiously at Cyrus "Twelve turns." he states "Da stuck me in the craft as soon as he could. He was trying to talk them into taking me sooner and all. But, they said it'd be best to wait on account of me being so little I guess. I think they were hoping I'd grow more. But I'm strong enough." He sticks his chin out a bit "No matter what the other boys say."

Cyrus nods his head slowly as he wraps his mind around that age. His face becomes progressively unreadable as he mentally processes, "There is no harm in getting an early start on what you want to do with your life. I got a relatively early start myself. Didn't really want to spend my days working with limestone like my dad." he says with a quick shake of his head, "Rocks are boring." he adds. Then as tactfully as he possibly can manage he asks, "You sure impressing is something you want?"

Skyler hmms a little "I guess I never really had a choice on what I wanted to do with my life. It's always been the herdbeasts." he notes quietly. He then looks upwards, at many of the empty weyrs. "I never gave dragons much of a thought, they were something that was really fairly removed from us. I grew up tending the beasts. I grew up knowing my path was chosen my my Da and Hosforth. Sure I'd a good hand with them. But, they're not exciting." he grins a little and looks back at Cyrus "Herdbeasts are boring." He scratches his head a moment "When Kyzen's mum asked me though." he grins "She'd already had talked to Harmond. I didn't really know what to think. But the thought, it's exciting. I could fly. That was really cool when Harmond and I got picked up my M'kar. "Have you flown? It's scary, but it's really cool too!"

Cyrus listens as politely as he is able too to the young boys story, "I never really saw dragons much growing up in Rubicon either." Not that they weren't around but, "…was always too busy studying and things." he says with a sigh, "I can't say that herdbeasts are boring, but maybe if you want too you could switch to something you might enjoy more. There are pleanty of different options." The boy seems like a good kid, "I have flown before with Kera and her dragon Moncerath. I can't say I really enjoyed it. I just closed my eyes and waited till we were back on the ground."

Thoughts momentarily derailed "Kera has a dragon too!" Can we say smitten? He then blushes a little "Umm, well. But. I can't switch. What would Da say? I mean." he shifts a little "What would my family think?" A pause "Would it really be okay to do something differnt? Well, though. I suppose I am. I'm still not to sure what my family will think though. I mean. If I Impress, I won't be doing what they want me to do." he huffs a little "I've no idea what else to do. But I did like being here before. I mean all that food!" Yes, he's a growing boy. Even if he is small. "And it was great seeing from so high up. The ground. It reminded me of mama's blankets." There's just a touch of homesickness there.

Cyrus nods his head slowly, "Yes she does have a dragon. She impressed a turn or two ago." he says plainly. Clearly Cyrus is less happy about this than the young man is, "Just because your dad doesn't want you do something doesn't mean that you can't choose to do something else. My dad didn't want me to be a healer. He wanted me to do the family business, but well…my mother thought it would be ok so she convinced him." Thank goodness for mothers. He opens his mouth to say something and decides against it and looks away from the boy to see if there is anyone else around the bowl, there doesn't appear to be, so he looks back to the young man, "You don't have to impress either. Don't let other people make choices for you. You should make your own choices and do what /you/ want to do with your life."

Skyler shakes his head "But, I. I don't know. I really don't want to take care of herdbeasts for the rest of my life. But." He shrugs "I can't just tell them no." Then he grins "Well, I did make a choice to come here." he states and then he laughs "Course, it was all cool. Kyzen got the knot for his mother. He's a lot of fun. I like him." he notes and then hmms "I guess this is the first choice I've made for myself."

"Trust me. You can tell so many people no. It just takes a bit of practice." Cyrus says as he lifts a hand to his forehead and gives a little scratch before dropping his hand back down to his side, "You can search around and see what you like. Lots of things out there. Dragons aren't the end all be all of existance." he says. Once again he opens his mouth to say something else and once again thinks the better of it. He just can't believe this. So much for what he was told…course everyone lies.

Skyler laughs "Oh, I know they're not. But they can fly!" he laughs "I mean, I can't fly without one, and I really want to do it again." He hmms a little and then he looks up to the sky "I mean think of it. Soaring up there, like a bird. Just you and the sky. And well a dragon too, since they've got to get you there. But you're there. Not down here." He sighs "I want to be something for me." he very quietly admits. He looks over at Cyrus. "Maybe I want a dragon, so I can be me."

Cyrus just repeats the mantra that he has learned in his head over and over, "Ok." he says in a rather resigned way, "If that is what you truly want." Who is he to stand in the way of someone else's wish, "Can't save the planet." he says to himself under his breath. He then lifts his head, "I really hope it all works out the way you want it too Skyler. I hope that it makes you very very happy. You had best study hard and learn everything you can before the eggs hatch. Knowledge is power my young friend."

Skyler looks at Cyrus curiously as he mutters to himself. "Why? Is there something wrong with the dragons here? I mean, from what I've heard Velokraeth sires healthy clutches. I know they don't breed them like herdbeasts or runners and all. But they do seem to keep an eye on that." he looks a little confused "Or maybe you think I should be more productive and not think about myself?" he sighs "I might as well just stay with Herdbeasts."

"No I think you should think about yourself and do what /you/ want to do with your life. I just want everyone to be happy…" Not everything is always as it seems. Gah. That young man asks some good questions. "…" Cyrus shut up! He glances once again around the bowl, "In truth…" He shifts from one foot to the other as he tries to come up with a PC way of answering that question, "I can only say this…" he says, "…you ask a great question, but think a bit bigger."

Skyler just stares at Cyrus a moment "I thought I was thinking about myself. I want to fly. That's what I want to do." he grins and then frowns a little more "Think bigger? What if I don't want to do more than fly, or are you thinking I should do something more with the flying? What do you mean?" Hey, give the kid a break. He is just a kid after all.

Cyrus sighs as the kid doesn't seem to get what he is saying. He just shifts from one foot to the next, "Listen Skyler. There are some things in life that you have to figure out for yourself. Stuff that no other person can tell you. And certainly you shouldn't listen to me…you just met me." he says with a sigh, "I encourage you to study and study hard. Learn everything you can." His face remains as impassive as he can make it, is he going to regret this conversation? Its a real possibility.

Skyler is silent and just lookin at Cyrus and then he ohs. "Oh! You mean girls and all. I know all about that. Well, Da talked to me about it and all. I don't need anyone telling me about it. And study?" He blechs a little. "I suppose. But yeah, everyone says to study more. It's like no one wants a kid to have fun." He snorts a bit. "But gee, why not just come right out and say? Instead of just hinting. What's so bad about it? I mean. Is there something about girls that I should know?

Cyrus covers his face with his hands for a moment before wiping them down his face. Apparently that wasn't the right answer, "No I certainly don't mean girls. And really you don't know as much as you might think. I don't know as much as I think I do. The older you become the more you will realize that you know far less than you think you do, and thats a good thing. Trust me on that. And no there is nothing about girls that I really can tell you." Yeah. No way, "As for why I hint. There are some things I just can't say…I'm trying to stay out of trouble." He is genuinely trying to behave himself here.

Now there's a curious gleam to the boys eyes "Oo, you mean a deep, dark secret?" Skylar asks and the he grins "Are you a renni trying to infiltrate the Weyr?" he asks in a real quiet voice as he steps a little closer "That's cool! You can tell me. I won't tell. I promise! Now that might be kinda cool. Living out off the land, a law unto yourself." Okay, so it's a way too romantic view on renegades. But he's a boy.

Cyrus just stares at the kid. How on earth did the kid make the jump from what he was saying to something as intensely crazy as that, "No. I'm certainly not a renegade. Look kid…renegades aren't good folks. I mean don't get me wrong I love freedom as much as anyone…more probably, but I'm just a healer at the hall. No more and no less. They really searched you huh?" he asks. Wow. Ka'el was so wrong.

Skyler frowns a little at Cyrus and then cross his arms across his chest and just looks up at Cyrus. "Yes, they did, but that doesn't mean I can read your mind mister." he looks a little disgusted. "Maybe then if it's something that'll get you in trouble, then it's something that isn't a good thing. For a mindhealer, you really kinda kooky you know. Are you supposed to talk in riddles?"

Cyrus is clearly torn, but in the end it seems one side wins out, "You have absolutely no idea." he responds to the young man. About what he doesn't clarify, "I can assure you my intentions are nothing but good, but good intentions aren't enough in this world. You'll figure that out eventually. And I suppose I am a little kooky. There is very little point in living if you can't be a bit kooky every now and again." As for riddles, "Some would say we speak in nothing but riddles."

Skyler snorts a little and just looks disgusted "Obviously. Just more of that stupid, wait til you're older. We know what's best for you because we're adults. Man, I don't ever want to be an adult if I have to act like I know the secrets of the world, but won't say anything because I really don't know. You know what. Just keep your secrets. I don't care. You know what I want to be when I grow up? I want to be someone who just speaks plainly." Hmmph.

Cyrus typically bungles up social interaction so he isn't at all surprised that he did so this time. It will likely bother him later but for the moment he can live with it, "I don't know all the secrets of the world. I wish I did. But I have figured out one or two things, and sometimes they are hard things to say. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. Really I am, but I can't fix all of Pern." As crappy as that realization is, "I barely have my own life in check." He gives a little snort, "I hope you achieve your dream." With that he begins to wander off.

Skyler just stares at Cyrus as he wanders off. "Weird." he shakes his head a little. Course, hard to miffed when the person wanders off. He then huffs a little "Adults are so weird." he frowns, thoughtfully perhaps and then he calls out "Hey!" Then he cuts it off and frowns and then shrugs "Smile!" he can't help it. He just had to say it. "My sister says it helps more than people think."

Cyrus gives a little wave as he walks away but doesn't turn around. At times there is very little to smile about. He just stalks off without saying another word. Where he is headed is anyone's guess.