Study Group [Dragon]

[nineofswords]

Scara had decided to do her homework in the common room of the candidate quarters. After all, what better place to be in case anyone needed help with their own? Or to provide motivation to those candidates less inclined to stay on top of this particular task? She was determined to be a good role model to her fellow candidates until she impressed a dragon of her own.

Perhaps she was taking it a little far, however, because when a candidate she didn't recognize came through, she waved at him. "Hello! I'm Scara! Hey, have you done your homework yet? Need any help with it?" She'd been doing that for most of the candidates who'd passed through the common room while she'd been working. She didn't seem to realize that this was less motivational and more intimidating than anything else.

[Dragon]

Renkestuous was just starting to settle in at Semaca. They needed dragonriders in a way that the other Weyrs didn't. They were still brand new! Renkestuous was looking forward to standing for his first clutch at his new Weyr, but he wasn't really sure when that was going to be. The only thing he'd heard about so far was some wher eggs, which weren't dragon eggs but were still exciting.

But when a girl asked him about homework Renkestuous stopped on the spot and very nearly backpedaled and headed back into his room. Homework! Something to be avoided at all costs short of being sent away. Ugh, homework!

"I - uh - already did it," Renkestuous lied. "Right after it was assigned!"

It was boring homework and had nothing to do with actually being a dragonrider. Why did he need to do it again?

[nineofswords]

Scara's eyes narrowed at the other candidate's response to her question. Backpedaling? That seemed like the sort of response from someone who hadn't done their homework.

Her eyes narrowed further when he said he'd already done it. "Oh, that's great!" she said smoothly. "I've been having some trouble with it myself. I was wondering if you'd come help me with a few of these questions?" She tilted her head with a sweet-looking smile. She was eager to see how this new candidate tried to weasel their way out of that one.

[Dragon]

Oh. Oh no. She was trying to trap him. Renkestuous shook his head slightly. "I'm not a good tutor," he said honestly. "I'd probably make everything worse."

He just wanted to get himself out of this. If he wasn't going to do his own homework, he definitely wasn't going to help someone out with theirs! Nope, he definitely wasn't going to do that. He could hardly wait until he was done with his candidacy so he could work on really being a dragonrider!

[nineofswords]

"Oh that's alright," Scara said with a smile. "Not everyone is cut out to teach others. It's fine. But I'm still a bit stumped, so would you mind if I took a look at what you did? Just to see if it jumpstarts anything for me." She showed him that she was already about half done. "I promise I'm not just going to copy, I just need a bit of help."

Scara didn't like homework any more than anyone else did, but it made candidate lessons take so much longer when the candidate masters had to address the people who hadn't done it. So Scara was doing everyone a favor by cutting this sort of behavior off at the pass.

[Dragon]

"I don't have it out here with me!" Renkestuous said quickly. "It's put away." He did not want to do his homework, and now that he'd claimed to have already done it he couldn't back down and admit that it was completely and utterly undone.

There was no point to the homework, either. It wasn't like it was something like hide oiling techniques or even leather repair that they were actually going to use as dragonriders. iIt as just busy work! He'd almost - almost - rather be mucking out the heardbeast pens.

[nineofswords]

"Oh it's fine that you don't have it here," Scara assured him. "You can go get it, right? Or you must remember at least some of what you did since you've already done it, right?" She wasn't letting him weasel his way out of this, not if she could help it.

This kid had to get his homework done, and she was going to make sure he did.

[Dragon]

"That sounds a lot like you want me to give you the answers," Renkestuous said accusingly. Sure, he hadn't done his homework - but he also didn't take kindly to people actually trying to cheat when he did do it. It was really starting to sound like that was what was going on here. Why else would she be weedling him to show her his work? "Do your own homework!"

[nineofswords]

"I'm trying to do my own homework," Scara said, sitting back with a scowl. "But I told you, I'm stuck, and I need some help. You're telling me you don't have time to help a fellow candidate? What happens if you become a rider? Are you simply going to refuse to help a squadmate when they tell you they're struggling? That sounds like a really good way to get someone killed."

She gestured at the chair next to her. "Look, if you're that worried about me taking your answers, then just sit here and let me bounce some thoughts off of you. Get them untangled in my head." At the very least, maybe it'd jumpstart this candidate's own thoughts about his homework. It might even inspire him to actually get started on it, though she wouldn't hold her breath on that.

[Dragon]

"There's a difference between helping a squadmate and you trying to ply me for answers to the homework!" Renkestuous exclaimed. This was the hill he was going to die on. It was the same reaction she'd get about homework he'd actually done, too. She might be saying that she just wanted help now, but she'd come in asking to look at his homework and, uh, no.

"You should find someone to bounce ideas off of who you haven't already tried to trick into letting you cheat," Renkestuous said aloofly. He actually felt like he had the moral high ground here, and he was going to milk that for all it was worth.

[nineofswords]

Oh for forsk's sake. This was getting out of hand now. She let out an annoyed sigh. "Look, I don't actually care about what your answers are on your homework," she finally said, looking and sounding frustrated. "I just want to be sure you've actually done it so you don't waste valuable class time making the candidatemasters scold you. I was trying to be subtle about making sure you did it, but if you're going to accuse me of trying to cheat, I'll stop bothering." She bent her head back over her work. "Just get it done before class. I don't actually care what your answers are. They can be ballad lyrics for all I care."

Faranth, but being a good mentor to her fellow candidates was a lot harder than people made it out to be, wasn't it? Apparently, all it'd get you was accused of cheating if you tried.

[Dragon]

Sure that was what she was after. "It's no concern of yours whether or not I do my homework," Renkestuous said. "There's no reason for you to worry about what I've been doing. You're clearly trying to cover your failed attempt to cheat."

It didn't make sense for her to be checking in on him to make sure he'd done his homework. Especially so ham-handedly! Even Ren could manage better than that! Besides, if this was innocent why hadn't she just stuck to asking him straight out instead of pushing some sort of attempt to get him to show her his work?

"I don't believe you. You're a cheat and a liar." And that was the only possible explanation for her behavior.

[nineofswords]

"Of course it's a concern of mine," Scara snapped. "Candidates need to look out for each other, just as riders need to. Learning how to take younger, newer candidates under our wings helps us to learn to do the same once we're riders. And if your homework doesn't get done, we're going to have to waste time during lessons for the candidatemasters to reprimand you about it."

"Oh forsk you," Scara said, starting to get angry. "S'cuse me for trying to be sure my fellow candidates are living up to their potential." She gave a scoff of annoyance and bent back over her homework.