D’ren's Friends Don’t Let Friends Wear Speedos Bronze Aikuonath

Chorus: It ain’t no big thing brother
When things ain’t looking up
It ain’t no big thing when there ain`t no coffee to fill the cup
The good things comin’
Let ‘em roll, let ‘em roll

If your pretty little girl leaves you hung up
Standing on the corner of 5th and Main
Left you standing there with a pair of movie tickets
Tear up the tickets, brother and don’t complain
Cause it ain’t, no it ain’t
It ain’t no big thing

If you wake up early one Sunday morning
Find your bag and baggage in the rain
Your chick just left town with your best friend and all your money
Tear up the number my brother and don’t complain
Cause it ain’t, no it ain’t
It ain’t no big thing

If your ma in law starts getting huffy
Walking around your pad with a long face
Just go out and buy her a one way passage
Tell her go join the astronauts in outer space
Cause it ain’t, no it ain’t
It ain’t no big thing

—Ain’t No Big Thing, by Kuiokalani Lee

Clutching Pose

Rhaeyn turns her even gaze onto Nylanth, first, and then a far more neutral one to G'deon as he approaches. "I see." There's a drawling, a drawn-out pause between the two words, and Rhaeyn very deliberately turns her gaze towards her lifemate as another egg is— well, less squeezed out and more slipped out. Rys has unconciously mirrored her granddam in the way she crouches almost belatedly, the puddled egg beneath her and a classic 'oops' look on her finely boned expression. And what an egg… for an 'oops' egg. Yes. This is all Nylanth's fault. ALL NYLANTH'S FAULT.

Banana Hammock Egg

A bright bulge of color against the pallor of imported sand, this egg is, to be frank, an eyesore.  An unabashed eye-searing shade of green, it deflects the gaze with an instinctual desire to look anywhere, everywhere—elsewhere, while, at the same time, awakening an almost hypnotic desire to stare at what can only be Aevryscienth's shame.  Embarrassed five!  *snap*  Yeah!

Hatching Message

Banana Hammock Egg stretches with the strain of trying to contain the delicate package within, bulging obscenely with the throbbing effort to break free.  Finally, seams stretched to the breaking point, the egg bursts, torn asunder, baring its contents for all to see.  Augh!  Look away!  Look away!  Oh, wait… it's a dragon!

Friends Don’t Let Friends Wear Speedos Bronze Dragonet

Pale surf breaks vermilion against the aureate glimmer of sand-flecked hide, limning the smooth lines of lean musculature on this small, but lengthy bronze.  Dawn's blazen glory chases blustery shadows across his sinuous frame.  It illuminates the storm-tossed drape of copper along the narrow trace of his back, tendrils tangled in the choppy dunes of aerodynamic neckridges and twined about the slender snake of his tail.  Amidst the carmine-tinged span of reedy spars, gloom dissipates into luminous gold, while claws like mirror-bright pools of liquid amber dot the limber stretch of short and sturdy limbs.  Cast in this early morning glow, wisdom's canny gleam sets fire to the cheerful features of a blunt and rounded face.

Public Impression Pose

Friends Don’t Let Friends Wear Speedos Bronze Dragonet sees him, the face that goes with the feeling he’s had from the moment he hatched, the ONE who makes him complete. He tears across the Sands, building up momentum, only to drop into a controlled skid that brings him to a stop in front of a lanky teenager with messy black hair and pale green eyes. He whuffles the youngster’s hair, then butts his head up against that of his new lifemateforehead to forehead, and eye to eyeDarden.

Private Impression Message

Waves crash against the confusion of your mind in a soothing ebb and flow, followed by the cool breath of a light sea breeze.  Warm water buoys you up, cradling you in a bath of love and assurance. « Ba roos! »   A deep, gravelly voice insinuates itself, excitement in the even tone. « I've been looking for you, brah. » The excitement is catching, swelling in your breast with a healthy dose of pride, even as you feel the drag of exhaustion on your limbs and the twist of hunger in your belly.  « Dude.  D'ren.  Brah.  I'm noodled.  What say we blow this popsicle stand and rustle up some grindage? » The sea spray clears from your consciousness to reveal the canny cast of your new lifemate's features. « I'm Aikuonath, brah, and you and me?  We're family. »


Darden!  D'ren!  Dude!  Welcome! You are so active, so enthusiastic, and your character is just as sweet as you are! We look forward to seeing to what heights you and your philosophic surfer-dude bronze will rise.


Egg Inspiration

Whenever I think of banana hammocks, I think of Todd from "Scrubs," which is where I first heard the term for these horrendous undergarments.  Todd is the embodiment of unabashed masculine… overkill, and there are several references to his never-ending supply of banana hammocks throughout the show.

Theme Inspiration

Hawaiians are, traditionally, a very generous people. It is said that, when foreigners began to invade, they were not regarded as trespassers, but welcomed as visitors, because of Hawaiians’ firm belief in hospitality. Humility, love, kindness, and wisdom, are all precepts fostered by Hawaiian society.

Surfing, or he’e nalu, originated in Hawaii, some say as far back as 1500 A.D. Though the caricature of the modern surfer is typically the good-for-naught, it was once a sport solely intended for royalty. Chiefs used it as a competition to maintain their strength, agility and command over their people.

Today’s surfer would never let his brah wear Speedos, and a true lover of the surf and sand is your Aikuonath, despite being hatched in the snowy peaks of High Reaches.  No beach bum like T'ab's Tyroth, though, your Aikuonath is a semi-sober, philosophy-spewing, take-charge, kahu of his tribe.

Description Inspiration

Aikuonath is the sunrise on a seaweed-strewn beach of pale, golden sand, after a bitchin’ storm has passed, which is what the image you provided brought to mind. His face is the bright sphere of the sun cresting the distant horizon, his body the marriage of surf and sand, his wings dissipating clouds in a brightening sky, and his claws are pools left on the beach by the passing storm, reflecting the glow of the sunrise. He is bright and flashy, and built for streamlining through air or water.

Name Inspiration

Kaikua'ana is a Hawaiian term meaning "older brother (of a sibling of the same gender)" which fit perfectly for your Big Brother bronze.  Take away a "k" and change an "a" to an "o," and you get a nice, easy-on-the-eyes, easy-to-say, easy-to-spell name that flows well: Aikuonath. I like to pronounce it Aye-koo-oh-na(a as in apple)th, or Ike for short. ;)

Mindvoice

I can hear the surf on the beaten sands
And the winds in the coco trees
They carry me away to a fairy land
In far off tropic seas
— from Beautiful Isles of Paradise, by Henry Kailimai

Despite a rather laid-back attitude on life, and speech patterns that wax laconic at times, there is still some authority to Aikuonath's voice.  It is not so deep, reaching into the baritone range at best, but the control he can place behind it allows him, from time to time, to cut through the garbage and command attention.  This, coupled with the gravelly nature of his tone, makes it appear deeper than it may actually be.

Aikuonath is a beast of surf and sand.  His presence in your mind will be the never-ending sigh of waves rushing to shore, soothing in its familiarity.  He is the warmth of sunlight, usually pleasant, but capable of searing heat when he wants to grab someone's attention, his patience run thin.  He is the tang of foamy water, and the golden grit of sandy beaches.

Aikuonath speaks the language of the beach.  There may be times when you have no clue what he's talking about.  A dictionary to help you translate can be found at: http://rippinh2o.com/dropzone/surflingo.shtml

Physicalities

Aikuonath is not a small dragon, by any stretch of the word.  He's bronze, and they're naturally pretty big, so, despite being on the lower end of the scale, Aikuonath is still a large dragon.  That said, most of his size is invested in length: long neck, long torso, long tail.  He is slinky, sinuous, like a serpent, with relatively short legs that can be easily tucked up against him when flying or swimming.  He is built for speed, regardless of his size, and he should be capable of outflying many browns, and most bronzes.  Unfortunately, he loses some stamina to his smaller build, so, while threadfall is not an issue, he will have to be tricksy to catch any golds.

He is no hotdogger, your Aikuonath; too cool for the crazy twists and turns of his much smaller brethren, he is more likely to coast the eddy and flow of air and water. When it comes to soaring, diving, and riding waves, though, your dragon has mad skills.

Aikuonath may never be particularly graceful (though one might be able to debate that when it comes to the air or water) but he has an unusual sense of balance. He may stumble, but he will never fall. Even as a hatchling, when his balance will be in almost constant flux with his growth, he will be in tune with that inner sense.

Personality

Ho`ola`i na manu i ke aheahe.

The birds poise quietly in the gentle breezes.

Said of those
who are at peace with the world,
undisturbed and contented.
—Hawaiian Proverb

« Chillax, brah.  Sometimes you just gotta ride the wave. »

Aikuonath is about as laid-back as they come.  He has the patience of a saint.  Nothing is worth stressing over and there is no hurt that a day on the beach, just you, him (maybe a couple of your bros) and some sweet waves, can't solve.  Your supervisor just chewed you a new hole?  Head to the beach.  You and your significant other had a falling out?  Head to the beach.  Your best friend just biffed it and was taken to the hack shack unconscious? … Well, you get the idea.  When you're calm enough to talk your way through whatever it is that's bothering you, he'll be there, ready to listen and offer advice.  And he is a bit of a philosopher, your dragon, his advice usually thought-provoking, intended to get you to think for yourself rather than tell you what you want to hear.

That isn't to say that your dragon is a slacker, a beach bum, lazy, or unmotivated.  If there is anything the two of you decide you wantto do or to havehe will be totally committed to seeing it through.  He knows what you are capable of and he will not allow you to give up or falter, once you've finally set your mind to it.  If he doesn't think you are ready, he will let you know.  If he thinks you are hesitating out of fear, he will let you know.  He might be gentle, he might be kind, but you can't get away from him.  He knows you too well.

Me he lau no ke Ko`olau ke aloha.

Love is like the ends (fingertips) of the Ko`olau breeze.

Love is like a zephyr
gentle and invisible
but present nevertheless
Hawaiian Proverb

Aikuonath can see all the way into your depths.  He knows every last triumph, every last failure, every embarrassment, every secret.  There is nothing that you can hide from him.  He could lay you bare if he wanted to, but all of it will be held with the utmost compassion, understanding, and love.  At the same time, he will hide nothing from you; just as he knows your depths, you will know his.  His embarrassments, his triumphs, his secrets—you will know and share them all.  As such, he makes the perfect confidante, consoler, cheerleader, and taskmaster.  If he is disappointed in you, you will know, and, whether you ask or not, you will eventually know why.  If he is proud of you, you will feel that, too. If you need encouragement, he'll give it.  If you need goading, he's there.  If you need a real kick in the ass, well… he'll give you an earful (mindful?) at least.  He loves you.  He wants you to succeed and be happy.  Whatever it takes to get you there, he will make it happen.

Aikuonath whuffles your hair, a thread of amusement drifting across your link, carried on a wave of love, because he knows how much of a love-hate relationship you have with the gesture.  « I love you, brah. »

Aloha mai no, aloha aku;
o ka huhu ka mea e ola `ole ai.
(Translation:)
When love is given, love should be returned;
anger is the thing that gives no life.
—Hawaiian Proverb

As mentioned, Aikuonath is a pretty mellow dude.  He is not likely to get angry to the point of exploding.  He won't throw fits.  He's not likely to sulk.  That said, he is also rather blunt.  If there is something that needs saying, he will be the one to say it.  He doesn't play games.  He doesn't politic.  And he's not a big fan of people who do.  He's likely to bump heads with some, but they will never be able to get him riled to the point of fighting.  If things get heated, he'll shrug, walk away, and insist the two of you go and attack some gnarly waves.

« Whatebs.  C'mon, brah, let's go hit the surf. »

E noho iho i ke opu weuweu, mai ho`oki`eki`e.

Remain among the clumps of grass and do not elevate yourself.

Be ha`aha`a (humble),
which does not mean
timid, submissive, and spineless.
An inner self-confidence
which gives rise to quiet strength
is far more admirable than
self-importance, arrogance,
and egotism.
—Hawaiian Proverb

That said, there will be plenty of others who will love him for his sincerity.  He is quite the charismatic fellow, your Aikuonath.  The cool nonchalance with which he faces life lends him an air of confidence that draws others to look up to him.  His friendliness and ability to include even the most awkward or clueless members of his group will place his status somewhere close to "hero."  Most folks will be willing to look past his blunt manner, because they know there is no malice in it.

He loves youngsters, especially those young enough to not have any preconceived prejudices.  Their minds have yet to be molded.  They have a zest for life that some adults may have lost; the world is still a big place, with games yet to be won, adventures yet to be taken.  Should you ever have any children of your own, he will invest every bit as much energy as you in their development, from soothing them to sleep — « It's okay, little brah.  Uncle Aik's gotcha. » — to playing in the snow, to teaching them to surf—ESPECIALLY teaching them to surf.  « Okay, lil' babelini, hang on to Uncle Aik.  We're gonna ride this ankle snapper. »

His patience, his compassion, his distaste for mind games, and his love for youngsters ought to make you a perfect pair for Weyrlingmaster. (Assuming Tye ever kicks it.  XD )  Not that the both of you couldn't strive for Wingleader, or even Weyrleader, but working with weyrlings is probably where he would be happiest.

Despite his love of youngsters, however, Aikuonath is not in any hurry to father his own.  He's not really one for committed relationships and he's enough of a gentleman to not want to lead anyone on.  He's not above a little casual sex, but he won't do it at the expense of someone else's feelings.  As a result, he only chases dragons he has found a connection with, who won't expect anything from him or, perhaps, whose rider Darden is fond of.  He'll probably prefer greens to golds, for that reason, though he may be able to find a likely companion among the golds.

Aikuonath will not be above a little harmless window shopping, though, so be prepared for the occasional play-by-play commentary from an otherwise unoccupied dragon.

« Sick, brah.  Check that lula pahula.  She is smokin'.  You sure you don't like her rider?  I think that argument you had with her was a total killabrenda. »

« Dude, that Emma has a bangin' ass, and she rides the waves like a pro, brah. » 

The Hawaiian’s have a saying, “He kehau ho‘oma`ema`e ke aloha.” or “Love is like a cleansing dew.” Aikuonath is the loving older brother that Darden needs, to heal his hurts and guide him into his future. He is a shoulder to cry on, a friend to enjoy the finer points of life with, and a bro to kick him in the pants when he needs it. In the end, however, Aikuonath is yours, and this inspiration is merely a suggestion.  We hope you love him, though, as much as we enjoyed creating him.  I, personally, think he’s pretty bitchin'.  Welcome, D'ren, to riding bronze at High Reaches Weyr, and good luck.  Watch out for Tye.  She bites. 

Credits

Name: Shazi
Egg Desc: Shazi; Iasri Tweak
Dragonet Desc: Shazi, Rhaeyn
Messages: Shazi, Tilla
Puppeteer: Tilla
Inspiration: Shazi, Tilla

Clutchmates:
Linny and gold Kaelidyth
M’tej and brown Temyrth
S’len and blue Cimarroth

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