Authors Note: Hmm, I must say, I was rather glad to hear some new reviews, and opinions! So, thanks to Miss Interpreted (hope to hear some opinions again!), Bluefirespirit, and Amere Mortal. I would love to hear some opinions/criticisms from you two, but just reading is fine with me! And Chaos! Thank you for your reviews! I hope to hear from you again!!!

And, of course, to my steadfast supporters, ginalee and aldoraspritelette! I can't wait to hear from you two!

And, Wolfmusic, you know I love you. I think you'll particularly appreciate this one. hehe.

I guess that's it. Enjoy. Let me know what you think. Seriously, any ideas. It's all good.

CHAPTER NINE

Their performance went spectactularly. Daryn had been the featured soloist, handpicked by Mastersinger Jameth. His performance caused Skipper to grudgingly admit that he had a great deal of skill. That young man had by far the most adept voice in the assembly.

Skipper himself had sung his heart out. Once he got over the initial, unnoticed, jitters, he threw himself into his song, not missing a single note, as he had feared he would.

The song that Skipper had allegedly 'sabotaged' turned out to be a tremendous hit. The fact that Skipper had only sung the first few verses, and that only members of the Hall had heard it in the first place, meant that it was still new to many ears. Even if everyone did know the story of its first debut.

Skipper's class only had three songs to sing, Mastersinger Jameth's own not one of them. Daryn sang Jameth's song, Night Flight, doing it proper justice.

Skipper himself was beginning to get bummed out about the fact that he hadn't had any more advances on the Mastersinger's part to begin private training. He wanted the glory of soloist singing, but, after the initial suggestion, the issue had been dropped. Of course, it was largely due to Skipper's fall from grace. He was still peeved, though, because he felt he was making a considerable amount of progress with his teacher. Obviously the Mastersinger didn't feel the same way.

Skipper and company were waiting anxiously in the Hall's private pavilion, while the Mastersinger concluded the performance with a small, and gracious, speech. He took his bow to thunderous applause and then strode confidently off the stage, to the designated area behind it.

The man was flushed and uncharacteristically grinning, clapping students on the back as he passed them. "Brilliant!" he kept declaring. "Simply brilliant!" After a small speech to thank his students for their dedication and good behavior, he dismissed them for some 'well-earned dinner'.

Skipper was surprised to be stopped by the Mastersinger's hand on his arm, seeing as how he'd already congratulated those students he wished to take aside. Skipper felt his face flush, expecting even more elaborate praise than the others had gotten, and was sorely disappointed when that wasn't the case.

"Apprentice Skipper," Jameth began in his habitual formality, "now that you've decided to cease plaguing me with your infractions, I would like to begin that private training we spoke of when you first arrived." Though his voice was stern, there was still a lingering good humor in his eyes.

It took a moment for Skipper to reply after the initial sting of his teacher's words, but he was proud to say that he formulated a coherent answer: "I would be very pleased to begin, Mastersinger, and have been eagerly anticipating this invitation," he carefully chose to use the term 'anticipating', rather than anything else, in order to allow the Mastersinger to believe that he never had any doubt the invitation would be tendered.

Jameth seemed unperturbed by Skipper's careful wording, although he did raise his chin in what appeared to be acknowledgment. "Good, then I expect to see you in my office when classes resume. I will make allowance for your schedule and plan to see you after dinner; I hope you're prepared to make the necessary sacrifices for private studying," he seemed skeptical, but allowed Skipper the benefit of the doubt.

"I can assure you that I am more than ready, and have been prepared for that eventuality for quite some time," he smirked before continuing, "after all, it's not like I have much of a life at the Hall, anyway. What's one more set of lessons?"

Jameth stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to think of this pert answer, before allowing a grin to crack his stern features. Why must he always look to the bad in Skipper before the good? He would stop reading so much into what the boy said. Skipper wasn't trying to insult him somehow, he was merely speaking his mind.

He laughed, genuinely, after a moment, and clapped Skipper on the back. "You're made of stern stuff, my young protege, and I look forward to seeing how much you can take." With another chuckle, he left the pavilion, accompanied by a perverse sense of satisfaction at getting the last word. He might be more willing to accept Skipper's nature, but he was by no means ready to surrender this unspoken conflict between them.

Skipper was left stranded, a bit taken aback by his teacher's accepting attitude. He'd expected to be sparring words with the Mastersinger for at least another ten minutes. Skipper was left with a more optimistic attitude towards the private tutoring, and headed towards his crowds' pavilion with a smile on his face; at last, progress was to be made!

When he got there, he was glad to see that N'tal had already arrived. He was a bit irritated to see that Rosa was steadfastly ignoring him, even though she was seated right next to the dragonrider. Ellie and Looey were doing a fine job of keeping him entertained, though, despite Rosa's rude behavior.

Skipper walked over, grin still firmly plastered to his face, and took a seat next to N'tal. "How's the food?" he asked, before digging in himself. He didn't really care how it was; he was starving and was going to stuff his face regardless of taste.

"Not bad, although it is getting cold pretty fast," N'tal answered.

"Yeah, it took you awhile to get over here, Skip -" Looey began, before being interrupted by Ellie.

"Yeah! What took so long with the Mastersinger?" Ellie asked in her slightly nasal voice.

"Yeeeeah, we all know how he likes to be alone with boys," Looey said with a giggle, accompanied by Ellie's snorts.

Skipper frowned, about to set them straight, when Rosa decided to interject herself into the conversation. "Looey!"Rosa reprimanded, her voice rather shrill. "You know that's not true! I hate it when you guy's say that! You should know better!"

"I didn't mean anything by it, Rosa, sheesh," Looey said, rolling her eyes as she did so. With a glare, she turned to Ellie, likely to bad mouth Rosa for the rest of the meal. Rosa clenched her teeth, but didn't say anything further, seeing as how it would accomplish nothing. Having fickle friends meant having fickle fights.

"Umm...anyway," Skipper began, "for anyone who cares, Mastersinger Jameth has finally decided to start private training for my voice."

"Really?" Tally asked - the ever-attentive one...when she wasn't reading, that is. "It's about time! What's it been? Nearly half a turn since you've arrived? I was beginning to worry that you were going have a coniption."

Skipper frowned in confusion, "Coniption?" he asked curiously.

"You know, like a fit, a spazz attack or something," Tally elaborated, with a wave of her hand. She laughed at Skipper's continued look of puzzlement.

"Well, yeah, I was about ready to have a 'coniption'," he agreed with a grin, "I thought the man would never get over hating me!"

"He never hated you, Skipper," Rosa said disapprovingly, "he was only annoyed by your continued misdemeanors."

"Well, whatever you say, the Mastersinger has got a grudge out against me, and it's not going away," Skipper said with a sigh.

"Oh, Skip, he's not that bad! You'll see. You can't really avoid getting to know him once these lessons begin."

"Don't get your hopes up," he mumbled, before turning back to his food, effectively ending the conversation.

Grant chose that moment to saunter down to their end of the table, squeezing in between Rosa and N'tal - claiming his 'territory'. "So, you're N'tal?" he began civilly, "I'm Grant." He held out his hand, clasping it firmly with N'tal.

"I thought you would be him; Skipper's talked about you," the dragonrider said amiably.

"Did he?" Grant raised his eyebrows at his young friend before turning back to their guest, "I suppose I am worth talking about," he grinned, inviting N'tal to join in.

"Well, to Skipper you are," he agreed, "so, I hear you're from Benden weyr?"

"Ah, yes, so my fame as the resident weyrling grows," he said with a laugh, before striking up conversation with N'tal on the Pern Weyr leaders' well-being.

They were just getting into a well-animated conversation when Ellie let out a screech directed at Koby. "By the Egg! Koby! If you do that again, I'm going to throw you into the next round of Thread!"

One of the things Skipper had realized about Koby was that he didn't know when to stop - especially when it came to Ellie. Those two bickered like brother and sister - mercilessly, and without any greater motivation than boredom. Koby, deliberately, and with a huge grin, once again poked the blonde in her side.

That's when, as they say, the dragon shit hit the fan. "THAT'S IT, KOBY!" The enraged teen roared, before scooping up a handful of mashed potatoes and shoving them in his face.

There was complete silence while everyone waited for Koby's reaction. It took a minute for Ellie's retaliation to sink in. When it did, Koby's eyes grew uncharacteristically wide, and with a look of lingering indignation, he flung a bowl of soup at her.

It was clear that he hadn't really thought his maneuver through,when half the liquid nailed Looey as well. "UGGH!!!" She shrieked, before shoving herself up and away from the table"This was a brand-new outfit!" With a look of fury that only a woman could muster, she picked up the pitcher of klah, and flung it at Koby as he ran around the table. Not only did she hit him, but everyone seated on the other side; Skipper, N'tal, Rosa, Grant, and Tally.

Complete chaos ensued after that attack, to a chorus of curses and laughter.

N'tal smashed some mashed carrots into Skipper's face, before slipping and falling in a puddle of klah. Before Skipper could help him up, Rosa was stooping over him to dump stew down his shirt. Laughing, Skipper turned away to fling some creamed vegetables at Issie, only to miss him as he ducked. Skipper was dismayed to see that the food missile hit the back of Daryn's head instead.

With a yelp, and hoping to avoid conflict, he dove under their table. He didn't think Daryn saw him, but he couldn't be sure. Honestly, he didn't know why the boy was just sitting there when there was a massive food fight raging right next to his table . . . but, then again, Skipper had suspected that he lacked brains.

He was surprised to find Tally under the table, as well. He scooted over to her, unable to dispel his grin as he heard Issie declare every man for himself, and then begin war cries.

"You taking a breather, too?" He asked her between gasps of laughter.

"You kidding me?" The bespectacled girl asked with a raised eyebrow, "you think I'm taking any part in that insanity?" She laughed with an indulgent snort.

"But, Tally, this is war," Skipper said with a maniacal grin, before smashing a pastry into her face and scrambling out from under the table.

"Skip, you little . . . !!!" Was all Skipper heard from his friend before smashing, literally, into the Mastersinger.

"Oof!" he exclaimed, before looking up and realizing whom he'd rammed into. "Urg," he said in disbelief, "why does this keep happening to me?"

Mastersinger Jameth merely raised an eyebrow at him as he flicked off the food that was on his clothes, due to the impact with his student.