NRPG:  I'm bouncing this to the entire list.  It seems it got stuck
somewhere.  Sorry if you get two copies.
-Arlene

To the Winner goes the Spoils....
By Michael Turek

Jason spent the rest of the day trying hard not to think about Mari,
Tārell or any of the other problems that were currently plaguing him and
instead
was determined to do something constructive. There was still the task that
Tairān had set him, regardless of the fact that he was under suspicion of
abusing his son. Jason found it hard to believe that it was the case, but
like
everyone else had to wait for the official investigation to prove it. His
previous experiences with Īofficialā procedures was that they took an
inordinately large amount of time to complete and their results never
pleased
everybody. Hopefully things were different here at Daere, although he
doubted
it.

Still, the Naiads continued to be an item of interest around the warren and
therefore to Jason, who through a small network of people kept a fairly
close
eye on most of the family. Of course Jason had already had a run in with one
of
them, the result of which had made him be wary of where he was seen and by
whom.
It would have been a lot easier if Tairān had given him something to look
for,
but nevertheless he persisted, if only for something to do.

The one thing he couldnāt get away from was training. Like the previous
day,
Tārell pushed them harder than normal and had a few harsh words for those
who
made mistakes. Thankfully Jason was having a good day and managed to avoid
Tārellās ire and attention. All he needed now was an unnecessary tongue
lashing,
because he knew he would probably end up giving the trainer a piece of his
mind.
It was probably inevitable, but Jason felt it would be more appropriate
after
Mari had made her decision. Regardless of who she would Īchooseā Jason was
appalled that Tārell would put her in a position like that. Did he have no
common decency at all?

<If you look at them the right way, these exercises are rather fun,>
Starfire
observed to his rider after a set of complex maneuvers had been completed
and
the trainees had been dismissed, as much as a distraction as anything else.
<I
think I like flying.>

*Iād hope you would,* Jason replied with a slight smirk. *Otherwise, those
big
things on your back would be rather useless.*

<True,> his dragon replied, refusing to rise to the bait. <Perhaps we can
fly
somewhere later by ourselves? You are too gloomy this morning and need to
work
it off.>

*What are you, my mother?* Jason grumbled, scratching his dragon
affectionately. *But youāre right, as usual. Being this close to Tārell
right
now is making me itch.*

<When I have an itch, I usually get you to scratch it for me,* Starfire
offered, causing his rider to burst out laughing.

*What would I do without you?* Jason chuckled as his dragon flared out and
landed relatively softly on the ledge outside their apartment.

<Walk?>

Jason, understandably, couldnāt stop laughing for a very long time, much to
the
satisfaction of his draconic companion. Starfire was more worried about his
rider than he let on and after talking with Reggie and Flerrion, he hoped
his
rider would soon forget about what was troubling him and find someone to
snuggle
up to. After all, it always made him feel better, so why not humans? Regenta
had
suggested that they get all their riders to snuggle up together somehow, but
Flerrion had mentioned that it probably wasnāt a good idea. Strange. Humans
were
funny sometimes.

****

After a troubled nights sleep, during which he had woken several times and
had
only settled down after leaving his bed and curling up between his dragonās
forearms, Jason made his way down to the Med Center, where he had said that
he
would meet Marialla and help her back up to her apartment.

He tried to mask his feelings from her, but the tension in the air was
plain
for anyone to see. He felt as though she wanted to tell him something, but
instead decided not to as Jason helped her walk out of the Med Center and
over
to where Starfire was waiting.

        The stupid thing was that Mari hadnāt done anything wrong. If anyone
was
to blame, it was himself and Tārell. Jason knew he should have recognized
what
was happening between himself and Mari a lot earlier and at least tried to
avoid
the consequences, but circumstances had thrown them together and what had
happened was now history.

        Climbing up behind her on Starfireās back, Jason carefully wrapped
his
arms around Marialla and asked his dragon to fly them up to her apartment.
As
she unconsciously leant back into him, he couldnāt help but notice just how
good
it felt to have her close. He hoped it wouldnāt be the last time he held
her,
but inside he feared that it might.

> ćJason, Iāve made the decision. Tārell and Allora are meeting us >at my
apartment. Iāll tell you then.ä

Their warm embrace seemed to turn cold as Mari spoke, both of them not
wanting
to think about the consequences of such a decision. Jason was quiet as he
helped
her down and into her apartment, setting her up on the couch to wait for the
others. When they did arrive, Tārell and Allora seemed uncomfortable. The
fact
that they arrived together was not lost on Jason. Was there something
between
them? He had noticed them together a great deal the previous day. But what
was
it to him? Neither of them wanted to look at Jason, preferring to examine
the
floor or wall. Not that he could blame them for it.

ćTārell·I do love you,ä Marialla started, her words cracking Jasonās
impassive
faade slightly. Tārell and Allora remained unmoved. ć"I always will have a
place in my heart for you.  But Jason was there for me when I was in need,
at a
time when you had deserted me.  The time we spent together, well I can't
explain
it and maybe that's why I've chosen Jason, because I can't really describe
the
reason I'm making that choice."

No one said a thing for several moments, the apartment bathed in silence.
Marialla looked first at Tārell, as if expecting him to say something. All
the
acknowledgment she received was a curt nod, more of resignation than
anything
else. It was almost as if he knew what she would going to say before she
said
it.

Jason had breathed a small sigh of relief when Mari had spoken, her words
easing the trepidation that had been building up inside. He closed his eyes
and
counted slowly to ten before opening them again, a simple exercise to calm
him
down and prevent him speaking his mind there and then.

        He noticed Marialla staring at him, looking for some recognition of
what
she had said. He briefly wondered why she had made the choice she had. He
had
only been trying to be a good friend to her, but somehow it had grown past
that
in a fairly short amount of time. She had seemed happy with Tārell until the
man
had said something he shouldnāt have, but maybe Jason had read it wrong.

        Jason nodded slightly to Marialla, indicating that he recognized
what
she had done, but that now wasnāt the time to talk about it. Hopefully the
two
of them could sort it out later, when they had a chance to be alone.
Instead, he
locked eyes with Tārell for a moment, plainly stating that they should
Ītalkā
about this, and then silently walked out of the apartment, jumping up onto
Starfireās back before the dragon spread his wings and glided off the ledge.

****

NRPG: Dianne, you want to take it from here? John, we can JP their Ītalkā if
you
want :)

Submitted by

Jason and Starfire
Daere Warren.

____________________________________________________________________________
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        / \      _-'
      _/|  \-''- _ /
__-' { |          \          'Listen to them - the children of the
     /              \          night. What sweet music they make!'
     /       "o.  |o }
     |            \ ;                           -Dracula-
                   ',
        \_         __\
          ''-_    \.//          Michael Turek
            / '-____'           mdt02@uow.edu.au
           /         ICQ #32360480
         _'
       _-'
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