01/04/2001

Practice Yard, White Tower, Tar Valon

Hard packed earth is ringed in by a plain wooden fence. Daily the practice
area is maintained by the pounding of young men's feet, as they are ran
about the yard or set to forms. Towards the left hand side of the yard the
thud of arrows hitting targets can be heard. The right is devoted to racks
full of practice weapons and armor. Throughout the day the harsh voices of
Gaidin urging the boys to work faster, stronger, harder can be heard. At
night the silence is almost eerie as only the cicadas come out to play
their nocturnal commentary.

A three story building is at the end of the hall, providing a place for the
trainees to live. A set of iron stairs up to the door is a favorite meeting
spot for some of the boys, to sit and rest when such things are granted.
Often they can be seen catching a meal there, to avoid wrinkled noses and
sniffs from young ladies unaccustomed to the sweat and grime they daily
generate.


The early morning sun is partly in the sky, just enough to cast the shadow
of the tower a distance, leaving a nice shadowed area for tired people to
catch a break. One such tired person, isn't catching himself a break, in
fact, he isn't even resting. He's going over his unarmed combat forms by
himself, without a sparring partener. His ribs are still wrapped, but he
doesn't wince at all as he moves, and the bruises are completely gone, so
he is recovering nicely now. Though, perhaps it is correct to say his
/body/ is recovering nicely. His pride... well... that needs a few more
weeks probably. If not another, more sucessful, sparing match with that
annoying black haired milk-bather. Ahem. But since that is unlikely to
happen any time soon, Neelkan is practicing. So that he'll be ready when he
gets the chance to pay the guy back. A man has to keep his pride, ya know.
Can't let some guy take it away just because he happens to be really really
good... So... this is why the red haired young man is punching and kicking
at imaginary Tamons in the practice yard, even though he would normally
still be asleep or lazing in bed (unless forced out by a Gaidin) at this
time of day.

Well now, isn't that interesting how a challenge motivates people... Aidou
is quite surprised as she surreptitiously watches her brother. What
happened to the no good layabout who wouldn't live a finger unless you
clonked him on the head a few times to rattle what he's got of brains in
that head of his? Well, normally she would hate to interupt such dedication
(well... actually she wouldn't) but she needs to talk to him. He shouldn't
be in for surprises this time around though. She's not going to be breaking
into tears or saying evil phrases like 'I love you, bro' or anything like
that. No, his sister has at least outwardly recovered from her ordeal, and
quite prepared to head back at least for the most part to her old ways. So
she grins, and calls out, "Next time I need someone to clobber the air for
me I'll know who to call." Uh oh... maybe she shouldn't start by insulting
him... nah, it's more fun this way.

There's a loud grunt, a final kick at about his sister's head level
(perhaps he mentally turned Tamon into his sis for a second, or perhaps his
leg just doesn't go up high enough, take your pick), then Neelkan puts both
feet on the ground and turns to look at the source of the insulting words.
Hrmpt. He reaches up to run a hand through partly sweaty hair, yellow
highlights accented in the sunlight, though darkened around the temples and
neck. His eyes are normally narrow, not exactly angry, but certainly not
happy. Though they were like that when he was kicking air, so she can't
take all the credit. "'anks. Knowin' ya channelers, ya'll prolly end up
needin' m' t' clobber air f'r ya one of 'ese days, so I'll b' bloody sure
t' take ya up on the request f'r help." Oi. He's getting a little sarcastic
in his old age, isn't he? Glancing away, he grumbles, grinds his teeth a
moment, then adds on, a little less sarcastic, but still grumpy (ot a
morning person, huh?), "What d'ya want?" As if the only reason she would
speak to him was if she wanted something? He's just not happy to see her,
is he? But then was he ever?

Aidou smirks and strolls over, now that she's not in danger of being kicked
in the head (ha) and looks him over. "Believe it or not Shun'u," yup, the
bitch *ahem* is back, "I was worried about you. I tried to come see you in
the infirmary, but they told me you'd been released already. I can't have
people thinking I'm not doing my sisterly duty, now can I?" Is this all in
a vain attempt to distract him from the real issue here? Possible. Very,
very possible. Is it working? "So, how is my baby brother?" Was it just me,
or was there a slight emphasis on the word... baby? She's keeping one hand
held behind her back. Does she have a grip on her log that she doesn't want
him to see? Possibly, or it might be something else. You never know...
until you find out.

"I highly doubt 'at, 'dou." Neelkan mutters, moving past her and off of the
yard to the side where some towels and water is waiting. Taking a cup he
just goes and dumps it over his head to cool off, slicking back his hair a
little before he instantly applies a towel to it. He was in there for two
days. Which mean she couldn't have visited as soon as she heard about what
happened. She was probably too busy with more important things. Grr. No,
he's not upset. Really. He doesn't care. She can do whatever she wants. He
didn't need her to visit him. After a few moments he responds to the last
bit, "Yer 'baby bro' is just bloody fine, 'anks f'r askin', not 'at it
makes much a difference. Isn't like 'at was the first time I was in the
infirmary." Which had practically been his home for the first few months in
the tower.

The first few months that she missed because she was out looking for him no
less. The Pattern certainly does have a sense of humor it seems, a morbid
one at that. Aidou follows him with her eyes and then her feet, actually
getting splashed a little with his flinging about of water, but a quick
weave and that's taken care of easily enough. Normally she would be hurt by
this display of sarcasm, but she's not. No, Aidou has wised up a little and
sees it for what he is: his own hurt. Not that that's a good thing either,
but getting angry won't help at all. "Good," she says perhaps a little too
quickly. "Cause I have something to show you, if you care to see it that
is." Must be that hand behind her back, or what's in it. "You know Wyntere
Sedai, right? Well, she's showing me how to make ter'angreal." She pulls
her hand out and a little fox statue is resting there. It's a bluish grey.
"If you pat his head he changes colors." She's actually grinning, and
looking excited, and awed and... happy. Can you blame her for wanting to
show off a little?

This causes the young man to blink slightly, and for a few moments he hopes
that Wyntere didn't tell his sister that the earring currently dangling
from his left ear is a ter'angreal. He still wears the right one hooped
around his necklace, a precausion to keep from using it unless he needs to.
And anyway, it's more fashionable for a man to only wear one, so no one
would likely mention on it. But he hopes she doesn't know. Last thing he
needs is /her/ studying him too. Sigh. Neelkan glances at the little fox
and then up at his sister. He's so tempted to say 'So? What good is a color
changing fox?' but he keeps his mouth shut. *gaspshock* Instead he reaches
up and taps the little critter on the head lightly to test it out, giving
his sister an actual mostly genuine smile. What? He can't be a little proud
of her? "If ya gotta work with any Sedai, it's Wyn, so I'm sure ya'll d'
great."

This actually encourages Aidou a little and *gaspshock* she actually smiles
back. "Thanks." The fox turns bright red when he touches it's head. "I
wanted to make one that wags it's tail, but she said that would be too
complicated for a first try. She's a great teacher though." She touches the
head again and the fox changes to green, and one more time and it changes
back to bluish grey. Then she looks up at him and asks nonchalantly, "What
do you think of ter'angreal?" Uh oh, she knows! No, not really, she's just
trying to gauge how her intended present will go over with him, but of
course he doesn't know about that... See how artfully she's turned the
conversation away from anything even resembling Tamon? Muahahahahahahah.

There's a pause, and Neelkan peers at his sister as if trying to figure out
if that question means what he thinks it means, but then he shrugs and
looks away for a moment, some water dripping down the side of his face as
he says, "I dunno. 'ey seem cool 'nough. Lots've different uses 'n all."
Suddenly he changes the subject, reaching over to tap on the fox again a
few times, before saying with a totally boyish grin (his mood sure changed
fast, but then it usually does), "Ya know, ya should give 'is t' one of the
kids in the city. 'n orphan 'r somethin'. I'm sure 'ey'd find it a
wonderful present." When he was a kid, he would have loved it, and since
"adopting" Redd/Jalin and Sunan... he's getting a big brotherly type mind,
and actually thinking of how to make life easier on the poor kids who had
normal lives ripped away from them by all the fighting. But if anyone asks,
he'd just say he only worries about them because he doesn't want to get
stuck adopting any more honorary sibs.

Aidou is suddenly looking at him very strangely. Since when does Shun'u
think about charity? Especially to little kids... Sorry, but she's always
thought of him as a total brat, getting whatever he wanted and always
interfering with what -she- wanted, but that is the fate of a younger
sibling. At least in the il'Sharil family. Her eyes flick back down to the
fox and she hmmms. "I think I can do better than that." Obviously he
wouldn't be able to see the flows she weaves into the statue, but he can
see the result. For starters, it gets hot to the touch, and Aidou gasps and
tosses it back and forth between her hands before tossing it to him to play
hot potato with. "Ok, not what I was intending." She concentrates again and
it cools down, and slowly little cracks start to appear in the surface.
Alright! This isn't funny! How hard can this possibly be? It's not like she
wants to make it so that people can use it to move very fast or anything.
It's just moving stone, it should be easy, but noooo... The cracks stop and
seal up again and Aidou pauses, frowning in thought. "I have it!" She makes
a little twirling motion with her finger, pointing it at the fox. "There...
try that."

Ack! Why'd she have to toss it at him!? Neelkan juggles it around quite
deftly actually, and while he isn't a juggler, he isn't a clutz when it
comes to these things, so he doesn't drop it, but it doesn't stay in his
hand long enough to burn. When it cools down and seems to start to fall
apart in his hands, he glances down at it suspeciously. What is she trying
to do exactly? When she tells him to try it out, he shrugs and trustingly
taps the head of the little kitsune and... it explodes. He lets out a yelp
and jumps back a few feet, shaking his hands in an attempt to get off the
pain of the explosion. The first thing he says though is, "'re ya 'kay?"
and the second, if she isn't sprawled on the ground bleeding or anything at
least is a laugh and a joke, "Well, don't think we should give 'em /'at/.
Maybe ya should practice a lil first."

No, she isn't on the ground, or bleeding, or even sprawled in any way shape
or form. But her face is covered in dust making her skin look greay and
wide eyes are staring out of the grey face in total shock. It's a ghost!
Aidou blushes, but of course that can't be seen through her new makeup.
"Uh.. um.. yeah... I'm ok." Dang. She was sure she had it. That's going to
be a weave to remember though. Making things explode when they're touched
would be rather handy. Isn't trial and error fun? "I'll come up with
something even better and make it work this time." Uh oh, she's getting
that determined look on her face. Her... grey powdered face... Apparently
she doesn't realize that just yet or she'd probably be wiping it off.

There's a long pause, as Neelkan watches his sister, then he sighs and
decides to do something she'll probably kill him for. He takes the towel he
was using earlier, and another cup of water and wets it, moving over to try
to clean off her face (though his own could use the same). Even if she
protests he will keep making an attempt unless she does something like hits
him. Either way, once he's done, he'll clean off his own face and hands and
say, "Just be careful, sis. Mom'll kill m' if anythin' happens t' ya 'n she
finds out I was 'ere." Then there's a pause, and he adds almost as an
afterthought, "'n I'd rather not fight Tamon 'gain 'til I'm ready either.
So if ya want yer only bro in one piece come next winter, be careful with
'ose bloody things."

"Ack! Hey! What'd ya doin'?? Stop 'at!" Meep! Her accent hasn't resurfaced
in a long time, and usually when it did it was when she was angry, but
she's not right now, strangely enough. Aidou doesn't hit him or anything,
just bats at his hands, though after a close examination of his face she
realizes what he's doing and grumps. Her mouth opens to give him a half
hearted tongue lashing, but snaps shut at what he says, and she actually
looks a little... guilty. Her mother would never approve of Tamon... or at
least, she wouldn't approve of Aidou's actions concerning him... Guilt
melts into suspicion and she frowns a little. "Tamon? You mean that new
Proven? What does he have to do with anything?" Alright, this is a stupid
tactic, and Aidou knows it but... she's just doing the first thing that
pops into her head.

Turning away and dabbing at his own dust covered face still, Neelkan
grumbles at the playing dumb and seems pissed off that she'd do that then
anything else. And here he even mentioned Tamon on a lighthearted tone.
"Ye'h, whate'er. He doesn't have anythin' t' d' with anythin'. 'n
'parrently niether d' I. I'm just yer bloody brother, 'at's all." Oh yeah,
he's a little pissed that she doesn't just tell him. Tamon wouldn't have
just mentioned his sister out of the blue like that unless there was
something worth mentioning! Though... the guy is weird, and he had been
trying to provoke him the first time they met with all the talk about
Tetarch and his fan... However he knew about his fights with the Asha'cor
must mean he could also know about his sister, so maybe Aidou really is
'dumb' in this case. Hmm... Wishful thinking, but no way. She's a woman. Of
course she'd lie to him and treat him like an idiot. Grr. "If 'at's all, I
should get back t' practice. 'n 'pparently, so should ya."

Great. Just great. Good Job 'dou. So he's pissed, why should she care? But
she does, his words stinby because they're vaguely reminiscent of her own
when she first got back from the farm... and she knows how it feels to be
left out of your siblings life but... No, she can't just let him go like
that. So she puts a hand in the crook of his elbow and tries to turn him
back. "Look Sh-... Neelkan." She sighs and closes her eyes before
continuing. "He saved me once. Some guys attacked me in the Ogier Grove and
he was there." Why does she look a little sheepish? Becuse it's something
she's not very proud of. She can channel for Light's sake, but she didn't
do anything. She just sat there, too shocked to move, or embrace or
anything. So much for Aes Sedai confidence. You might as well tell him...
he's going to find out sooner or later... it's practically impossible to
keep a secret like that from the rumor mill... Oh Light this is hard. "And
I like him," she whispers. Truth be told, she more than likes him, way
more, but she hasn't even told him that... at least not in words.

Though he turns around hesitently, Neelkan doesn't meet her eyes as she
talks about what happened and how she and the milk-bather met. He doesn't
even glance up when she admits she likes him. In fact, he waits a few
moments, as if to be polite about it, then gently removes her hand from his
arm and says, "'en I'll have t' thank 'im f'r helpin' ya, but like I said,
none of m' business." Though he should meddle like she threatened to meddle
with Denn and Espi, but he isn't her. He doesn't want to get involved in
this, because if he did he'd probably try to bust Tamon's nose. Though,
he'd be about as likely to succeed as he was to get his sister to admit
he's right. About anything. Maybe he'd have a chance if they sword fought
though... If he could make Tamon promise to keep his flaming feet on the
ground. "Good luck with yer ter'angreal." He moves over to the practice
weapon rack, looking over the weapons grumpily. She shouldn't really be
surprised, he never did like his sisters getting married or having crushes.
Even the oldest ones. Though besides the occassional prank (such as oh...
rubbing mud in Mai's hair the night before /her/ wedding...) he rarely said
or did anything to really disrupt it.

Well... at least he's not running off in a murderous rage... This is a good
sign, right? She's not going to pursue him or the subject though. Maybe he
would understand if she told him she wanted to Bond Tamon... no, likely
not. It's not fair I tell you. It's just not fair. Aidou grumps some more
and then turns on her heel and stalks off. Now you've done it. You've gone
and upset her, and perhaps worse than throwing logs at his head, she's gone
off to sulk. And actually, Aidou's never had a crush before. She's not the
type to give her heart up easily and Tamon quite literally had to fight for
it. Does it say something about her though that her chosen life partner...
is a darkfriend? She doesn't know that of course though... poor Aidou. Poor
Neelkan. Should have stayed at home.