High Reaches' 5th PC Hatching

Nuff's gold Tiareth x G'vin's bronze Chiernnath
4th June 2000
Logged by D'renn


Candidate Barracks
Serviceable, this low-ceiling'd room runs right and left from the heavy canvas curtains that function as a door: relatively bare of ornamentation, tidy glows light the few worn tapestries that adorn the walls and depict a variety of dragons in flight or at rest. But it is the cots, lots and lots of cots, that distinguish this room from the others, their blue or black coverlets tucked neatly over relatively fresh rushes.
Candidate's haven, this is their escape from the bustling world of chores and Weyr; visitors are welcome if invited.
Vynret, Zali, Sorana, Calissan, Lyrica, Sasha, Maurice, Faye, Gromytel, Celestine, Tatoria, Loren, Miana, and Ragis are here.

D'renn stumps into the barracks.

<All> Trydanth senses that Tiareth raises out of the depths of High Reaches' late spring, blossoming gold and purple in simple, elegant announcement. » We are Hatching. « So magnanimous of her, the old queen, to include Chiernnath in her declaration.

Gromytel, mid-bite of bubbly, glares at D'renn. "Hey! I'm not done with my meal yet," he grumbles, shoving the pastry into his mouth. A few flakes dribble down, and he brushes most of them off. "Sheesh. What's with the hurry? Can't a guy finish a meal for once?"

<All> Trydanth senses that Sardrinth buggles silvery bells of exitement and anticipation « We will have brandnew babies! »

D'renn is here and glowering. "Can you hear? Can you? Please put your robes on…."

<All> Trydanth senses that Chiernnath's voice slides like warmed honey, coating, enriching, and sending tendrils of velvety warmth through each of his baritoned words. « We are Hatching! » Voice booms in reiteration of Tiareth - magnanimous gold, indeed.

<All> Trydanth senses that Cairhoth thrums gossamer and autumn wind, long strands of vibrant, glittering excitement. And praise. « New ones, indeed! » A bugling celebration then, colors firming to russet and umber.

<All> Trydanth senses that Erranth runs raspberry red along the breadth of the High Reaches, triumphant tones sounding like a well-strung harp. « They hatch! It is time! »

<All> Trydanth senses that Siulth doesn't have anything much to say at all except a lot of froth and seafoam that bubbles over like champagne. « Ooo! »

Lyrica looks up at Celestine and shakes her head as she sits back on her cot, busily oiling her trio of 'lizards, "Hu?" She asks, not looking like she comprehends this completely, "Here? I hear the wind blowing… must be a storm brewing."

Sorana blinks at D'renn, cocking her head. "What? Hear what?" Like the obedient little Candidate she is, however, she flees to the bathroom, and comes back, nice-in-white.

Zali looks up from the chair she's in, slowly setting the book she was reading upon the table. "What?" comes her quiet voice, eyes scanning D'renn's face before she closes the book completely and turns in the chair. Stretching, she looks at her fellow candidates then back.

Miana perches idly 'pon edge of rumpled cot, wrinkled in the fact that it's never (repeat, /never/) made, stroking a twittery gold stretched full-length cross her lap. "Didn't hear anything…" she states

<All> Trydanth senses that Revnath praises Tiareth and Chiernnath and the newcoming dragonets with no words, merely bursts of happy, sunshine golds and oranges and reds that overlap like flames.

Loren shuffles around under heap-of-blankets, head peeking out every so often as she comes to the end of her cot. "Faye, have you seen Shini and Wufei? They're gone. And so's my other sandal. It was right there, with my robe, and now it's gone." Candidate emerges and snatches up her not-quite-robe, shuffling back to the bathroom and returning in white and one sandal 'fore awaiting an answer. "Where can it be, Faye? …huh? Hear? No, all I hear is.. well.. nothin'." Loren never hears anything important. Of course.

Ragis struggles into his robe, for some reason the barracks seem more crowded than normal. He tugs the snug robe down and settles on the edge of his cot to slip into the sandals. He's amazingly calm considering his nerves of the previous sevendays.

Hayama burbles and bubbles quietly on human pet's blue and pink cot. "Whazzat?" Faye simply inqires, hair atousle, oddly coloured rushes draped over shoulders and head. Nudging away a wooden llama and a brown firelizard, she tumbles off her cot. Plop. "What, Lor?"

Sasha idly uses her new knife to experimentally whittle away at a piece of wood.

Vynret barely rolls out of his cot, cocking his head a bit to see if he can hear anything. His hand pats under his cot, and above it, and pulls out his robe, which he promptly shrugs on over his head, standing up.

Edaeyn escapes in from the bustling activity of caverns and Weyr.

Tatoria looks up quickly at D'renn. Hear? Hear what? It seems to be echoed by the other canadates as well…So she asumes she not missing anything. Robes? Oh…That means that…The moment has arrived. Hastily, she grabs, up her robes and goes to change. When she come back she's all in white, trying to straiten it a little, and finally giving up.

"Robes, robes!" D'renn himself is wearing a painfully loud shirt, and a bright pair of shorts. He has no shame… but then, it's hot on the Sands.

"My sandal. It's gone, Faye. My other sandal. So're Wufei and Shinigami; where can they be?" Loren flops on her cot with a sniffle, and shudders a bit 'fore looking over to Cook-Candee. "I only have /one/ sandal." She's not nervous. Really. She's just overly-preoccupied with the sandal.

Maurice looks up - what? Huh? Oh. Yeah. That. Time? Okay. The boy throws on his robe, shimmying into the badly-made thing, grumbling under his breath.

Miana ohhs…right. Robes. Genius Mia, she is, 'n' opts simply to dive 'neath ransacked rushes to slip into less-than flattering robe borrowed from Melsa. Good enough. "S'okay, Lor. Both 'o' mine are gone." Pity her!

Zali scrambles out of her chair, drawing her lower lip in to nibble before snatching up her room and disappearing, coming back clothed fully in alabaster. Nervously she dusts it down, though it's completely clean from the last time she took care of it. Shaking hands begin to tuck back stray strands of hair and then she moves slowly towards her friends. Nothing is said… yet.

Sasha starts at D'renns voice and hurridly searches for her robe. Hurridly she pulls it over her head and ties the braided girdle around her waist. Her fingers tremble so much that the fabric quivers.

Edaeyn goes, with the barest pause, from the doorway in puzzlement, to her cot and her robe, fairly flying to reach it. She moves as if this were a ritual long undergone, after the initial blur of movement quite slow and calm, the putting on of robe - and soothing a cacophony of firelizards - methodical and even.

Lyrica sighs and grabs her robe, shrugging into it before grabbing her sandals, "What, Loren? What did you lose now?" She asks, brushing her insistant fair back onto the cot, "No, you stay there, guard my things." With that settled she looks back up, "Well… is this alright?"

"Oh. Robes." Faye struggles to her knees, blinking around at the barracks. "/Oh/!" With a squeak, she dives under multicoloured blankets, limbs and lumps scrambling around. Robe's under there, somewhere. "Go with one sandal!" muffled voice tells Loren, ex-Cook then sliding out, clad in white. Record time.

Pia escapes in from the bustling activity of caverns and Weyr.

<All> Trydanth senses that Telynth sings his excitment, a brilliant, bright and very minty song.

Sorana bites her lower lip, the dawning confusion on her face shifting to something else. "Uhh…what's going on? Why do we have to put our robes on?" Green'd eyes begin to shift, as she edges towards the group. "Faye? Do you know what's going on??"

Ashan escapes in from the bustling activity of caverns and Weyr.
Auri has connected.

"But I wanna know where the other one /is/, Faye! And Shini and Wufei, too." Loren hops up and begins to pace, peeking at cot-huddled remaining-firelizard s every so often. "Why're we in our robes, anywho, Faye? I's'it time? Now? Augh, I /need/ that sandal. Even if it is thin."

Ashan trails after Pia, "Well, I dunno 'bout /that/…" she says as she makes her way to her cot, draining her juice and opening her clothes press…

"It's /time/!" Pia carols, dropping her sand-strewn towel onto the floor by her cot. "Did everyone finish their robes?"

Calissan scrambles around just like the rest, hastily patting his robe into place. Okay. We're ready. "Ashan? Hey.. we can't start yet, Ashan isn't here." Oh, but there she is! And Cal is content now. Pay no attention to the fidgeting.

Sorana's head whips around, eyes going widewidewide as she stares at Pia. "What?!" the former-'folk shrieks, mouth agape. "Time for…..eggs?!"

*thunk* Auri falls out of her cot. How come she's always taking a nap when these things start. "Eggs? Huh? Wah? Now? Oooh!" All said from her position on the floor. Basket is grabbed at blindly, and robe is pulled out.

Edaeyn settles onto her cot and retrieves the sandals from beneath it. "It's a trifle late to ask that now …" But the smile offered to Pia is amused enough to take the jibe out of the words. She slips her feet in, frowning a little at the fit. "Should have aimed for larger …" Odd that she can think of such things now, but in her mind, the personal outcome assured, and she can relax and watch and enjoy. It's a gift, in a way.

Vynret straightens his robe with barely-shaking hands, supposing full well that this must be /it/, the time. The last time he wore his sandals, he never figured he'd need them so soon, and his toes twitch. Oh well, barefoot for him.

"Um, robes?" Faye offers to Sorana over an ivory-draped shoulder, whilst tossing around others' rushes and robes, scrabbling 'round, searching for her own things. She's making a, uh, little bit of a mess, but it's for a good cause. She must find her sandals. "I've got my robe, but my /sandals/." White pillowcase-like robe is tugged at. "They were /here/. Awh, no, Loren, do you think some one took theeeeem?"

Sasha takes a deep breath, as she feels the humming of the dragons, vibrating through her. The urgency of their thrumming voices sends shivers down her spine. Her eyes are wide with fear and excitement - longing, impatience and uncertainty are emotions that play over her features, unhidden.

Celestine wanders around, checking everything. At an especially loud creel, she dashes back to her cot, to find the green and a blue making an awful racket. "Here, now, Flora, Pom… Hush, mommy's going to be back as soon as she can," she promises, dredging up a rather stale-looking meatroll. "Heh. Eat that… Nice and chewy. Keep you at it for a while." And, that problem settled, she hunts around for something else to keep her mind off of the imminent stress.

"Of course it is, silly," Pia retorts, retrieving her neatly folded robe from her press. "Can't you hear the humming?" She waves her hand towards the door, face far more calm than her rapidly beating heart would suggest.

*thrum, thrum*?

Miana simply scowls at her sandal-less feet. Weeell they're gonna get scorched but 'least Mia gets to brag twenty turns down the road. Rockrockrock 'n' the nervous ex-Trader simply fidgets. Oooh, new emotion for her?

"Wufei and Shini! My sandals, you sandals; maybe they took them?" Loren shuffles one-sandaledly over to former-cook, sniffling. "How could they do this, Faye? How? They took it, they took it! Why, why, why! And there's only two of them, but they pro'lly took yours too 'cause they're evil. Why." How mean. And Loren /needs/ these sandals, too. Really.

Ashan smiles as she hears Cal call her name… a wink and she just slips her robe on over that purple and yellow polka dot bikini…so what if you can kind of see it through the fabric? She doesn't have time to change, doncha know… "Well, lets get this over with…" of course you can /hear/ the humming… the entire weyr is practically shaking with it

Lyrica shakes her head, "Thought it was just a storm blowing up.. the wind sounds like that sometimes." Nervous? Nah, she's as calm as she could possibly be. Zali is given a wave and she walks over to stand beside her, "Ready for this?"

Ragis ties the sandals onto his feet and glances around, a bit pale, but no more than most of the other candidates. His quicksilver eyes dart nervously around the room at his fellow candidates.

D'renn is loitering by the door. "Everyone ready? Line up in pairs please…."

Gromytel, already in his robe, hunts around for something else to eat, and ends up with a fistful of candy sticks. "Yum… Hey, D'renn? Can I take these sweetsticks with me?" he asks, chomping a bite out of one.

Maurice wanders over to D'renn, decidedly non-hyper about the whole deal, taking his place near the front.

Ashan is just slipping her sandals on her feet when she looks up at D'renn's instructions…

Zali's hands slowly twine in the fabric of her robe, sapphire eyes darting quickly about before they finally land on Lyrica. A smile crosses her lips and she takes a deep breath, holds it, then slowly allows it to come out. "As much as anyone is," comes her soft voice before optics flicker towards D'renn.

"No, Grom." D'renn's very decisive about that. "You can't…. COME ON!"

Sorana glances wildly around the room - breathe, Sor, breathe - then zeros in on Vynret. "Vynret! Stand next to me? Pleeeeease?" CandiGirl skitters over the the Paradise ressie, eyes wide.

Thrrrrruuuuuummmmmmmmmmmm….. It gets louder. And more urgent.

"Pairs? Oh yah. Pairs. Who wants to hold my haaand?" And Auri's chubby little hand is shamelessly advertised, as she waves it in the air, trotting up to D'renn excitedly. "C'mon. It's a nice hand. I won't sweat, really."

Pia emits a tiny squeek and trundles over to stand behinde D'renn.

"Line up?" Loren still doesn't get it; the poor girl. Candidate continues to pace near Faye, and suddenly reaches out to snatch the ex-cook's hand. "Faye, Faye can I hold your hand? Stand with me, please? I wanna stand with you." Ex-runner hops, hops, hops. "C'mon!"

Edaeyn brushes her hair back out of her face, taking the moment to curl a few strands where she wants them to go. There's no time to do the braid again. "These sandals are too big …" Nimoleon might be heard to grouse. Once-guard ignores this comment, though she has a suspicion of what exactly has happened, moving swiftly but with almost eerie calm to the line. A flashed smile flickers across her features for all and sundry, then retreats into silence and stillness.

Sasha looks wildly around at Auri " come with me!"

Tatoria looks down at her sandels, remembering everytihng she's heard about how hot the sands will be. She's a little nervous, standing there, but she'll never admit. If fact she doesn't even reclect it the way she stands and watches all the hustle and bustle. She blinks. Oh? Pairs? She walks quickly to near everyone else and hopes that's considered lining up in pairs.

Oops, there goes someone's blue-dyed sandals. They'll find it in the pile of Other People's Stuff that Faye's making, hopefully. "Like Relena?" she wonders to Loren, glancing worriedly around the barracks. "I can't go without /sandals/." Constant emphasis, she uses. "D'renn, I can't go without /sandals/," the Cookcandie complains as she latches onto a Loren-arm. "Oh well …" she mumbles as she waddles into line.

Ragis stands and makes his way to stand in line before the weyrlingmaster. He doesn't know who he's standing beside, just takes a place.

Vynret has been looking about at the other Candidates, then hears D'renn, then someone calling his name. "Hmm? Yeah. Yeah, sure," he says to Sorana, gratefulness in his eyes.

Ashan is also making her way to the two-by-two line that is forming… taking Pia's hand cause its the nearest she lines up tossing the ex-vintner a wink… "Piece-a-cake…" she whispers…

Miana trundles obediently after massive (well, semi-massive) throng of fellow bouncy candidates, digits working at themselves in heat of nervousness…pair s? Oh…Farenth, she positions herself near any old person. Near Tatoria? Close enough.

Gromytel pouts, then shuffles over, part of one candy still concealed in a sticky fist. Grumbling, he takes a little bite out of it. "Yeesh. Nobody likes good food like I do… Won't even let me have it on the sands." Reluctantly, he wanders over, waiting for someone to line up with him.

Lyrica shrugs, "Well, as long as they don't try to…" Well, she tried to get the words out. Without asking, she grabs Zali's hand and turns toward D'renn, "Alright, let's just go do what he says.." She tells her fellow candidate quickly before muttering, "And they want us to do this without wine…."

Sasha lines up at the door, as ordered and realises that her legs are quivering uncontrollably underneath the fabric of her long robe. Looking over to auri she waits to see if the girl will be her partner.

Sorana grabs Vynret's hand, dragging him into line - right behind Lyrica and Zali. "Lyri!" she whispers - sorta - and grins. "Hold my hand, too?"

Calissan just shuffles into place wherever he'll fit, fidgeting all the way. It's time, it's time, it's time.

"Good, good Faye. You can have my sandal once we get on the Sands, if you want, but le's go." Loren scurries over to the forming line and settles for a spot behind Miana, still hopping. "Le's go, Faye, i's starting! Eggs, eggs, they're moving? Moving eggs." Loren's smart, really, you just can't tell right now. "Faye-faye-faye. Faye." Happy Loren. Very happy Loren.

Auri scampers up to Sasha, and grasps Sasha's hand, beaming up at the other girl cheerily, not nervous in the least, if a little bit flustered. Now that she's in line and ready, blue eyes blink demurely. Nice thrumming, really.

Celestine jerks up at the yell, looking startled. Then, walking over, she hunts for a stray person, finding him in Gromytel. "Grom! You don't mind that I'm with you, do you?" she asks, an enormous, fake-looking grin plastered onto her face.

Maurice shifts back and forth, on then off the balls of his feet. He's not lethargic, he just looks like it, beady little eyes flickering back and forth quickly.

Faye scrunches toes up and wriggles them, casting a worried glance down at them. Poor things are going to burn on the Sands. "Lor-lor-lor. Loren," she returns whilst other hand tries to comb through hair, toes still a-wiggling.

Vynret remains silent, which isn't anything unusual, but he's also a bit dumbfounded by the whole thing. What's that? Oh, just getting dragged into line. Yes.

Tatoria isn't about ot get picky about who stands next to her on the sands. Miana is as good a person as any…She turns a smile Miana's way, and acts not nervous and very calm. She's ready now.

Sasha looks terrified, and yet thrilled .

Lyrica nods to Sorana as well, "yeah, sure.. um.. let's just get this over with.. quick?" As if anyone could speed thigns up.

Zali allows herself to be drafted, free hand rising to rest against her chest to try and calm her thudding heart. Still nibbling upon her lip, she glances behind her at Sorana and Vynret then back towards D'renn.

Edaeyn bites the corner of her lip, the only sign of nerves she is quite sure she shouldn't be having. "Not long now …"

Gromytel shrugs. "Sure, whatever…" Then, he waits, sneaking the occasional little nibble out of the candy in his hand.

Miana responds with equally anxious smile, peridot-etched eyes wide 'n' glittery. Bouncebouncebounce. Shouldn't of ingested that much sugar prior hatching, perhaps? No matter!

Sorana is already tightening her grasp on Vynret's hand as she grabs Lyrica's. "Thanks!"

D'renn looks over the ranks of white-clad Candidates with a lopsided, worried smirk. "Well, I think it's time to go….."

Sands
Heat rises - ripples - wavers in a stifling curtain that envelops dragons and eggs while smothering riders and visitors. The black sands have been raked into ruts and dips, an alien, uneven surface for anyone trying to walk across them. Some say tension seers the heat: residue of hope, fear, relief, sadness, pain and ultimate joy staining high grey walls and lurking about the many viewing ledges that speckle the walls. Ancient murals of dragonlore fade across the walls near gallery and entrances.
Gold Tiareth and bronze Chiernnath are here.
You see Ayers Rock Egg, Baltic Sea Egg, Egyptian Sphinx Egg, Geisha District of Kyoto Egg, Golden Gate Bridge Egg, Hanging Gardens of Babylon Egg, London Eye Egg, Mystical Stonehenge Egg, Pearl of Bahrain Egg, Roman Coliseum Egg, Spanish Steps Egg, and all the other eggs here.
G'vin, Nuff, Salea, Tai, Geko, Mayir, Lis, Ciera, and Thesy are here.


THE EGGS! (With credits - well done to the desc-tweakers!)
The 11 PC eggs (picked by lottery:

Ayers Rock Egg [Tarila]
Brick-red dirt makes an outback of the egg beneath, turning every curve and crevice into the ruddy orange of the desert. With every shift of light, Uluru's brilliance veers upwards across the shell: orange to red, red to purple, purple to blue and back to orange again, the circle complete. A few aboriginal designs dot the nadir in concentric circles in white and brown and ochre's yellow, dreaming… dreaming… dreaming the dragonet inside.
Baltic Sea Egg [Keris]
Midnight blue and smudged green simmer over the shell of this fair-sized egg, its translucence nearly disguising furrows and cracks that might give the impression of unruly waves roaring and breaking on the sandy, salty shore. Bubbles roil and rise about a twisted square of green at one rounded end: a small splotch of island surrounded by deep sea blue.
Egyptian Sphinx Egg [Melsa]
As quixotic and querulous as any conundrum, quarrelsome shadows etch the vast deserts of this capacious egg: indentations of iridescent platinum riddle the grainy-gold shell, questioning its stony ambers, and querying every passing strip of saffron and spice. The metallic mirage shimmers and shines, offering no relief from the billowing dust of more fiercely heated hues; stone and brick blaze to red, coruscant colors burn as hieroglyphs about the tawny image of a sun-bright sphinx.
Geisha District of Kyoto Egg [Hannah]
Bright swatches of gaily colored patterns circulate, undulating with a rare richness and prosperity. Patterns and colors interweave and create ghost-like kimono images, dashed with brightly hued obi. Pale, almost chalky, white peeks out from the array of bright colors every so often, lending credence to the elegantly painted geisha. Colors follow an age-old pattern of adoration as each bright hue of the rainbow is chased by yet another energetic shade that sweeps across the shell. Classy, yet flashy, the chaos of elegance is balanced by the richness of prosperity.
Golden Gate Bridge Egg [Lylia]
Thick, malicious smears of grey lash across the silky surface of the egg, blazing into light, foggy shades, alighting the gentle curves and quietly whispering among the more angry shades with almost a sleepy effect. Whirls of dingy brown speck the edges, the quick touch of traffic's roar; .alluring, rusty orange juts out of the smokey shades, towering as it claims the egg with its own grace. The climbing color rings the egg carefully in vaulting copper, gilded flecks integrated into the striking color as it flows over the surface before melting into the liquid blue below, its peace bestowing a faint touch of tranquility upon the dismal chaos of ash.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon Egg [Pia]
An oasis of humidity amid the tawny, starlit gleam of the desert, cultured exotica flourishes, watered with the sweat of swarming, swarthy shapes. Verdurous fronds burgeon from the egg's terraced sides, blotched with a riot of fluorescence. Mottled blossoms twine from coiled tendrils, ably winding around the lush ovoid. A longing for distant mossy mountains - homesickness for those verdant uplands - enthuses a prolific fecundity.
London Eye Egg [Slippa]
Smoggy black encrusts the smoke-choked browns that base this egg, and sends its spidery tendrils aloft to web the cloudy crest with urbanely urban precision. That pattern wheels about the apex, lent the illusion of motion by the rippling azure that ribbons the circumference, and runs rogue through the inornate gloom that permeates this shell's polluted shades.
Mystical Stonehenge Egg [Anely]
An early spring morning seems to have kissed the perfect oval of this egg, whisking its grass-green base with wisps of cooling breeze. Stone blocks, charcoal-dark and ash-pale, parade in an assortment of sizes around its center, backed with the colors of a perfect sunrise: muted lapis and indigo, fiery pink and soft peach combine in a caress that seems to originate in the dawn of time itself.
Pearl of Bahrain Egg [Isolt]
Long and thin is this egg, yet not lacking in dignity: pure iridescent white forms the base for a lush emerald green that sways, freckled with droplets of crystalline azure. Shadows of cloudy grey rise to give an illusionary support to a regal sphere of untouched pristine white. Leaving the perfectly-marked orb untouched by their watery streams are fountains of soft aqua and washed-out oceanic green, shimmered over with a wash of bright sunlight.
Roman Coliseum Egg [Sariani]
Washed with a timeless combination of marble and limestone, and coated with a transparent layer of beige, this soft orb is covered with the dust of countless vacant centuries. An ancient arena encircles the delicate shell, its crumbling walls a tell-tale of pain and terror that drop dramatically at one end, where the ravages of time have caused ruin to set in. Sunset backlights the ruins in a blaze of scarlet and orange, shadows creeping delicately through empty windows and arches to emphasize the eerie atmosphere that cloaks the shell with muted colors and the whispers of battles fought and glory won.
Spanish Steps Egg [Siddalee]
Shady greens frame this rather large egg, blurring at the edges into a sky-blue that sweeps across its width. The rest is all mounting levels of off-whites: pale, dingy, creamy, /cracked/ - not real cracks, but patterns marked delicately onto this egg's broad surface in hints of ecru and the lightest of mauve shadows - all this is evident and obvious, but the knowledge of what lies at the staircase's peak remains a mystery.

And the remaining 11 NPC eggs:

Celtic Ruins of Ireland Egg [Merra]
Moss-green mottles the ancient stonework that blocks this egg in shades of grey. Age might have weathered the harsh lines into smoother curves, but a pattern can yet be glimpsed there at the crest, where moonlight silvers and shadows blue the shell's eroded contours: figure intertwine in an age-old dance, though the steps have long been forgotten.
CN Tower Egg [Liesana]
Red and white underscore the steely mottling of this towering egg, brightening the dull greys with the fervour of its nationalistic splendour. But there's a darker maple that weaves its own interleaf through the more vivid colours, lending a taste of autumnal chill to the sand-warmed shell.
Easter Island Monolith Egg [Kiiran]
Midnight and indigo swathe this egg's sky-domed vertex in a darkly dazzling dance, peppering it with a diamond patina of stars. Beneath the skyscape looms a patch of dusky silver-gray, shadowed hollows likening it to an impassive visage. Enigmatic and untouchable, it perches upon the craggy, cliff-like tumble of nadir-spread umber and ebony, fixing its intangible gaze upon the questioning blaze of starfire.
Eiffel Tower Egg [Iri]
From rounded cone-shaped top to smooth sinewy bottom, this peculiarly formed spheroid takes on a sense of style: sleek and slick, it's popular to say the least. Inky blue streaks mimic thin wires that have been stretched tight down all sides of the blanched grey orb creating a pattern that is truly unique in every way. Taller than a dragon's egg probably should be, it gives the impression of being timeless and enduring: an old yet graceful woman.. Elegant and tall it stands like a proud monument to the sands it rests upon, being tres chic without hardly trying.
Gateway to the West Egg [Kh'et]
Perhaps one of the larger of the eggs, this ovoid arcs up at an odd angle, as if perpetually reaching up for something. The majority of its color is a slightly dull, but still metallic, silver that, at certain points, catches and reflects the light back to the viewer. No matter what angle it's seen from, the center of the egg seems to be decorated with impressionistic lines, and dabs of dull hue that might give the hint of buildings or people, or perhaps even trees. At the bottom is the hinting of water, broad and deep, reflecting both the light rightand the west-facing arch.
Lascaux Cave Painting Egg [Adora]
Sandstone echoes, wind-blown over the archetypal cave's entrance, whisper their shadowy way over the surface of this egg. Archaic memories dust the eggshell, painted handprints of powdered berries and crushed ochre. Charcoal lines become illusions of image, to reach through time and forge a link with the past, in remembrance of past life and hope for the future.
Le Mont-St-Michel Egg [Saera]
Jagged peaks rise forbiddingly over sandy desolation, surmounted by a needle-sharp spire. Granite walls huddle, one level upon another, to form a rocky silhouette that menaces the surrounding landscape. The light of an inner pinprick of gold glows with faith, intelligence and charity, but it is sadly dimmed, encaged and guarded by hostile ramparts, Romanesque parapets,and the angry riptides of turbulent seas that snatch at the peak's base.
Mount Rushmore Egg [Jozelle]
A mountain of white-washed stone towers against the serenely dark sky-shades that cover this egg. Its paleness is marred by streaks of shadow, lending form to a set of visages that could be construed as man-made and molded. Here a nose, there a proud chin: shading and spotlights give the semblance of these maybe familiar faces, whilst a wavering blazon of red, white and blue caps the proud curve of shell.
Niagara Falls Egg [Shaela]
Thick and frothy, foam coats the base of this monolithic egg, covering rocky crags of granite in an ever-swirling random pattern. Clouds rise, shrouding the remainder of the egg in a fresh-water spray through which spread the blues, reds and yellows of nature's most magnificent rainbow. Behind the mists lies that which people come to see: the awesome and wondrous strength of water, pouring down, coating every nook and cranny with eternal life.
Plains Indians Egg [Sudanna]
The starkness of this earth-brown egg softens to more pastoral shades, blending blossoms of lavender and maize with the simpler greens that landscape its shell. Darker contours follow the run of river-blue that winds through the gentle verdancy, fencing the creamy irregularities that roam the surface away from the rougher edges. Yet, for all the quaintness of its coloration, there's something sacred about the peaceful rusticity of this egg's sylvan scene.
Silicon Valley Egg [Ambar]
Extremely tiny and intricate designs pattern this shiny ovoid. As a whole, it glitters, and light reflects off of little pathways that trace around the surface in an elaborate map of roads and passages. Even when there's little light, it seems that little points of radiance run along them, making the entire shell seem to be moving around itself. The overall color, if one had to be given, would be a shifting combination of green, yellow, and red, depending on the angle it is being looked at from.

D'renn leads the Candidates onto the Sands with his usual long-suffering-this-is-a-Hatching expression.

Areiah moves into the heat, shimmered and blurred by the ripples that rise off the Sands.

Pearl of Bahrain Egg wobbles tentatively in its sandy spot - much more content to be admired for its pearly beauty. The dragonet inside thinks differently, however, and more wobbles ensue.

Ashan steps on the sands with Pia in tow… bows to the dragons and moves over to one spot on the far side of the emerging semi-circle… outta the way you see… the faint outline of her purple bikini that she didn't have time to remove is seen under the white of candidate robe and despite sandals on feet she's already shifting…

With her sweaty palm firmly clutched to Ashan's, Pia traipses out onto the sands, emiting a "Shards!" when her bare toes touch the sands for the first time. Never-the-less, she turns and sinks into a deep bow, salutation aimed towards the proud egg momma and poppa.

Ayers Rock Egg is rather content to bend to any dragon or human will, such as the mommy and daddy that are working around them. After all, its not coming out. Well. At least it isn't until it is. Just a wiggle here or there. But until then, it's sweet dreams for this egg.

Sorana drags and is dragged: pulled Vynret and being yanked along by Lyrica. "Vynret!" she hisses, beginner to bend down in a semblace of a bow. "Bow!"

Edaeyn pauses on the edge of the sands, physically rocked by the waves of heat and the sight of the stands positively filled with people. She takes a deep, calming breath, eyes closing for a moment before she steps forward and bows, just a notch stiffly, to gold and clutchdaddy.

Tiareth moves again, shifting her now-skinny but still monstruous self forwards a bit, over her purple-fluffed Nuff, before subsiding into rough growls and wicked little mutterings. The look she gives the candidates is resigned aloofment.

Vynret makes his way onto the scorching sands, any chills quelled by the heat. Walking gingerly with bare soles, his eyes flick first to the parent dragons on the sands, and he bows the slightest bit, then to the galleries, blinking. The whole of Pern must be watching.

Lyrica wanders out, Zali on one side, Sorana on the other, and gives a quick and graceless bow before looking back at the eggs. She takes her place on the sands after her companions are done; once again, she's not nervous.. nope.

Auri enters the sands. Ow. So that's what she forgot: sandals. But sandal-less Auri remembers her manners like a good little girl, and dips a deep curtsy to the dragons before her, winking at the queen with an annoying, 'remember me?' expression.

Roman Coliseum Egg quivers, ancient pillars throbbing faintly before opaque beige dust settles… silence.

Miana flicks endless tresses of raven 'hind ears idly…yep, gotta keep herself occupied somehow. Deep-breathing 'n' rigidly formal bow is indicated in the direction of Clutchmother and respective sire. Politness is good, 'n' ex-Trader toddles off after Tatoria 'gain.

Celestine, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves, begins the Hot Sands dance, feet going up and down quickly. Then, bowing, she steals a glance at the eggs… Ooh, pretty.

Sasha follow her parner, Auri onto the sands, bowing low to the dragons in front of her, feeling completely in awe of them.

D'renn trawls his way over to the side of the Sands, near to his assistants. "Salea, you didn't bring anything to drink, did you?" asks the brightly-clothes weyrlingmaster.

Baltic Sea Egg rocks gently, back and forth, lapping over the hot sands and retreating to its customary hollow.

Zali follows along at Lyrica's side, hissing softly as her feet are burned by the scorching sands. Turning, she sinks a shaky curtsey towards Tiareth before following Lyrica and Sorana, shifting from one foot to the other in pain. Need sandles…

Kh'et moves into the heat, shimmered and blurred by the ripples that rise off the Sands.

Salea moves to perch beside D'renn, a goofy grin already creasing her face. Flicking sand of her calf length boots, she watches the Candidates mince across the already-hot sands.

Spanish Steps Egg vibrates with a delicacy that is belied by the egg's lovely coloring. Once, twice, thrice, it wiggles with a light gentleness.

Sorana pulls up from her bow, green'd gaze homing in on the eggs. Oh. my. /Eggs/. She whimpers slightly, once, saying to Lyrica, "Lyri…look…look at the /eggs/….Vyn! They're moving!"

Tatoria steps quickly on the sands, right after Miana. She glances around, first at the crowd, then at the other canadates, then finally at the eggs. Oh…They're moving. They're moving. She scammbles to her place on the sands and gives the Queen an, probably, over-exagerated bow. Then she waits…/not/ think abotu the heat o nher feet. No…not a t all.

Edaeyn flashes an ironic smile towards the stands, looking for no face in particular. Then, her attention shifts to the eggs, eyes wide and intent, her manner that of an observer who, outwardly at least, expects no more. "Good luck …" might be heard in a brief whisper.

Geisha District of Kyoto Egg quivers slightly, shaking delicately and deepening its nest of sand before subsiding. It is not it's time yet.

Sasha's eyes sparkle with exhilaration as she stands on the sands. The heat sears through the thin soles of her sandals, but she hardly notices the discomfort, being far more absorbed in the status of the huge eggs that loom before her. Her mind is in turmoil……running through it is one theme…….'If only…..!'

Loren hops gleefully out onto the Sands - no dance yet! - still clinging to Faye's hand. "Faye, Faye, it's /time/! It's really-really time. You think the egg will hatch today? The egg with the pretty colors?" Which egg with the pretty colors? Loren's too excited to be specific. "Faye, ooh, Faye, /eggs/. With little dragons.. good luck, Faye, good luck!"

Ashan hrms… eggs… twitching… dragons… heat… a glance is spared at the weyrling staff standing on the sidelines ready to kick 'em back into play if they stray and just grins, shuffling one foot and finding a stance that's not so hot…

Tai stands meekly, here in one corner, hands clasped behind her back and hair pulled back into a bun. "It's hot here," she sighs, all-suffering. "I'd forgotten about all that."

Golden Gate Bridge Egg shivers, golden-orange struts catching the light, for a moment gaining superiority over ash-gray smog before settling back into obscurity, Not long now…

Gromytel is pulled down by Celestine, having nearly forgotten to bow, and then stands up again. Looking, slack-jawed, at the eggs, he forgets to shift his feet, and finally comes back to reality with an "Ow! These sands are hot!"

Maurice stands quietly, rocking back and forth in a growing semblance of that age-old Candie-dance. If it wasn't for his constantly moving eyes, one might assume he doesn't care about the whole deal at all…

Egyptian Sphinx Egg is its usual enigmatic still self, set among the Sands statue-still.

Vynret eyes widen a bit, his gaze passing over the eggs. Of course they're moving! The fingers on his free hand twitch, curl, and uncurl, and he picks up his feet discreetly, not very high off the ground.

Pia shuffles through the sand, feet liberating tiny sprays of sand with each step. "Hothothot." mumbles the Candidate, words somewhat garbled by the nervous chattering of her jaw. "Shawn…. This is /really/ scary."

Lyrica nods to Sorana, "Cause they're gonna hatch." Yep, you can say it, she's brilliant, "Just try not to get too nervous.. don't want anyone dragging my backside across these sands… a cold courtyard is enough." The rocking eggs are watched again and her feet shifted back and forth before she looks up toward the stands and back; too many people. "I wish they'd hurry.."

"Lor, Lor, Lor," squeaks the sandal-deprived Faye, wriggling delicate toes into Hot sands. Hothot. Politely, she dips self forward into a bow. That's over with. "C'mon, c'mon. Good luck, good luck, hot, hot, hot."

Nuff reaches up to pat Tiareth's lowered chin - well neck at least - muttering her own condolences. But she grins happily from her perch on 'Reth's paw, waving to a particular candidate now and then when they stumble, or look positively ill with nervous fear. "S'kay. You really are supposed to be here now. Just do as we practiced and form an circlet around the eggs. "

Ashan shakes her head, "Nah… just look at it like this…" she pauses, grinning at the candidate next to her, "Very seldom are there any serious injuries…" even now she's been the smart alec..

Miana blinks rapidly, long last the realization that hatching sands=burnt feet coursing her mind. Ow. Coming from someone adapted to chill misty Tillekian temperatures, anyhow, her soles baking. Owwww.

London Eye Egg wobbles a bit, testing the sands

Oh, duh, Sorana. She stares at her feet for a moment, the various, "Good luck!"s that were being spouted out faltering into: "Ouch. Faranth, it's /hot/ in here!" An elbow jabs into Lyrica's side gracelessly. "Lyri, Vyn, it's sharding /hot/!"

Hanging Gardens of Babylon Egg does not move at all, merely remains still under the ever watchful eyes of the hovering Chiernnath and Tiareth. Tw - ooh, was that a twitch? A movement? Nary a breeze rocks this egg to life.

Sasha tears her gaze away from the ovoids to glance quickly at her fellow candidates. These people who she has come to know and trust more than anyone /ever/ in her life….. She can see from their faces their mixed emotions, which does little to settle or reassure her. Rather they fill her with fear again….so many good candidates, all deserving……Quickly she snaps her head forward again…..breathe…focus on the eggs….try not to think too hard…..

Edaeyn wipes her brow, taking slow deep breaths to conserve coolth as much as anything else. Her steps are smooth and even, working sideways about the eggs … as if this were somehow just another touching. "Loren will be lucky if she gets goobed, in this heat," is observed to no one in particular.

Ayers Rock Egg is rockin' and rollin' and here to stay. He won't ever die. Far too young to do that. Not even born, in fact! The rolling is a bit aggravated. It doesn't wanna wake up!

"Faye, Faye, t'is hot, t'is! And I'm coming, coming." Loren dips in a semi-polite bow towards the clutchparents, giving each a vague beam before scurrying off with Sands-partner. "Oh, good luck all!" Candidate gives a wave to her fellow sufferers, and then begins to do the Dance of the Candidates. "Ooh, very hot, very! ..you think they'll goob me, Faye? You think? So many; what if they /all/ goob?"

Baltic Sea Egg takes a rougher stance, becoming stormy in its movements and crshing forcefull against the sides of its hollow. It is time!

Zali's grip on Lyrica's hand tightens as she looks slowly over the eggs, picking out her two favorites before turning to gaze at mother and father dragon. Shifting, she moves closer towards her friend, and leans in to whisper towards her. "I think I should have made some sandels… or at least bought some." Burning feet are lifted one at a time from the hot sands.

Ragis stumbles upon the sands and makes a shaky and rather hurried bow to the queen and her bronzen mate before scurrying to join his fellow candidates. He glances around the sands and his attention is caught by the rocking of the eggs.

Salea pityingly glances at the candidates cum white hopping dancers, and nods an affirmative to D'renn. "Right here" she says, patting the water sac at her belt.


Baltic Sea Egg lies still a second, gathering itself for one last mighty wave against the barrier of the shell preventing it from washing over the sands. The rocky barrier cracks, the top cracking and falling to the side. Over the jagged ridge created by the last heave, a silvered nose appears, like froth at the top of this green and blue wave. It lingers there a moment, just hanging as if in eternity, before the egg slowly tumbles to its side, spilling forth Roving Puss-in-Boots Brown Dragonet.

Roving Puss-in-Boots Brown Dragonet
A taste of avaricious gold hunts rubies throughout this grimalkin's hide: bright colors pad along his sweeping wingspars, curl about eyeridges 'knobs, and prowl the salient ridges of his lithe and sturdy spine. Softer aciculate tendrils of silver whisker his narrow face and lighten the variegated browns creaming his neck and rump, while spokes of dried grass careen amongst the autumn-hues of scarlet, ocher, and green at play over his shoulders and back. The short barrel of his chest is tabbied in alternating stripes of beer and ale, while bearnaise smothers his expressive tail down to its spatulate fork. But it is a fastidious line of seal's dark-brown that boots those sleek legs and coats each dainty, cheliferous paw. No ogre is he, no brutish tom, for despite his great size and tensile violin-string strength, indolence luxuriates along every roving curve.


Celestine, pulling her gaze away from the eggs - were they that pretty the last time? - scans the galleries, searching for "Arthur! Where are you, Arthur? Little brother?" Finally, she spots the face she's looking for. "Arthur! Down here!" she calls, waving violently with her free hand.

Auri squeezes Sasha's hand, and looks up at her reassuringly, then raises the other hand to wiggle a hello to everyone else, both those in the galleries and those on the sands. Didn't get to say her greetings, you know. Then eggs are spotted and gawked at, and the adoring sound that comes from Auri's little mouth is something like "Ooh…"

Areiah has gotten herself just about as far from the action as is possible - and, somehow, ended up near - "Tai! Hi! Gosh, it's hot, isn't it? I don't remember it being this hot before." Absentminded little thing, isn't she? But - "Ooooh. Look. Brown."

Serious injuries. Pia /remembers/ those, and her whole frame begins to tremble. "Shawn, if any of those dragons run this way with violence on their mind, be sure to pull me out of the way." A tight smile accompanies that request.

Mystical Stonehenge Egg refuses any favorites, shunning all admirers as it sinks further into the Sands. To every season there is a time, and though the dragonet fights and kicks and batters from inside, the egg remains as firm as stone. Old stone. Weathered cracks appear along the side.

Lyrica winces, "'Couse it's hot.." then tries to rub at her side with her occupied hand. Having no luck, she just gives a scowl. Shaking it off, the expression becomes a bit wide eyed as her hand is squeezed on Zali's side; which end to protect first? Before she has time to answer the question, the brown makes its way to the sands and stops her completely, "Oh.. he's big.. "

Tatoria shifts her feet around a little. She's awlways thought sand was nice, maybe not better than snow, but nice…now she's begining to see Sand's other…darker..hoter side. Oh /ouch/. She watches the eggs quiver, shifting only slightly on her feet.

"That's a brown," D'renn says, almost accusingly. "Hey, Nuff, it's a brown!" he shouts over at the Weyrwoman gleefully.

"Brown," Tai comments, a hand relinquished from behind her back to point at the new arrival.

Kh'et gets dragged out by Thesy, and in truth, all but clings to her, even as he bows to the clutch parents. Things are very diffrent from this point of view, where you aren't the focus of everything. Ragis gets a proud, loving smile and a bob of the head.

Faye exuberantly wiggles fingers Sorana-wards, calling a cheerful, "G'luck, Sora!", that-a-way. So busy, hobbling around on the hot Sands. "By Faranth is it hot - what's that? - oh, no, Lor, I don't think anything's gonna goob you." Time to state the obvious to Runner-friend with an accompanying nudge: "It's brown."

Salea ahs, smiling. "There's a good omen" she says, noding at the newly hatched brown. Of course, she'd take anythign for a good omen at this point. "He's a big one…"

Ashan raises an eyebrow… "Ooo a brown… good start…" she's not /involved/ you see.. she's just convinced herself she is meerly a spectator with a good seat

Sorana's already tense voice lilts into a lovely, carrying shriek. "Vynret! Look the egg it's - -brown!!!" She sways: one, to-the-side, two, to-the-side, and - pause. "You too, Faye!"

Miana leaps nearly three handspands. They /hatch/? Well, yes, of course. They're eggs. "Tatoria!" exhales the psychotically bouncy ex-Trader, brought to a standstill. "A brown!" Interesting how much easier it is when you've got someone to bond with on the sands.

"Brown!" Loren shrieks this oh-so-obvious observation, and begins to hop a bit more fervently. "Brown, that's good! Brown, and such a neat brown, too. Oh, Faye, this is so /won/derful, isn't it? All these eggs, the neat egg, they're all gonna hatch and some of us will Impress and isn't that a good thing?"

Edaeyn takes a step backwards, hands reaching out for support and balance. She nearly falls over into the nearest candidate. "My apologies … terribly sorry …" rumbles soft voice, ever courteous, although she cannot take her eyes from the brown. "So that's what they look like." Satisfaction, fascination … regret? … in her voice.

Nothing can stop the pounding of Sasha's heart within her breast, or still the jangling nerves which rage beneath her relatively calm exterior. Beads of sweat stand out on her forehead and irritably she brushes them away, as the temperature continues to rise….

Calissan is really fidgeting, now. There's a dragonet on the sands. "Shawn?" Like she'll hear him. Oh well. Carefully, he shuffles into place in the rough semi-circle, just watching everything at once. Or trying to, anyway.

Ashan squeezes Pia's hand and lets go… reassurance is everything and candidate adds Pia-pulling to her list of mental rememberances

Maurice nods slightly, a brown, a good, solid color. Dark eyes finally have their focus - that brown is watched, rather intently.

Chiernnath croons over the newly hatched, his eyes whirling with the unusual feeling of paternal pride. Tiareth gets a positivly glowing glance whilst the bronze continues to watch the movements of the eggs, his rider crouched between his forelegs nibbling on a snack.

Ragis shifts from foot to foot as he catches sight of Kh'et and Thesy at the edge of the sands and returns a slight, nervous smile as his quicksilver eyes return to the eggs, wide and almost frightened.

Vynret shifts his feet a little faster. The eggs. They're cracking now and - Shells! A dragonet, a brown. Paradisian Candidate watches the dragonet for a moment. He mutters something, certainly inaudible.

"What color was that? Oh. Right. Brown." Auri eyes it from the corner of her eye. "Hmm. Pretty pretty for a brown. See Sasha? It's got gold, and a little bit o' pink around the shoulders." Auri smiles happily. Pink. Yay.

Gromytel giggles gleefully. "Ooh, brown! Pretty brown… Sorta looks like food," he comments, taking a meditative lick of the tiny bit of candy hidden in his hand. "But not /sweet/ food," he adds, to anyone who's willing to listen. "More like a drink… or maybe something to spread on bread. Hey, that rhymes!" Yep, he's a bright one.

Zali flutters her unoccupied hand quickly before she forces it still. Dancing eyes turn on the brown and she nods at Lyrica's comment, hand now coming up to move those pesty strands of fly-aways so that she may see better. If her grip on Lyri's hand could tighten any more than it already is, she does so, still dancing back and forth.

Sasha holds her breath… A brown dragonet…

"Brown!" Pia carols, all thoughts of malicious, Candidate-trampling dragonets abandoned. "And he's so…. gooey!" With a sideways glance at her sands-mate, the ex-Vintner inquires, "Are they /all/ going to be that gooey?"

Ashan looks over to another place where her name is called… just a couple of candidats away, "S'gonna be okay, Cal… right? Just got good seats…" a wink a grin and she looks back at the eggs, squinting

Tatoria noddles her head in awe. A brown..it takes a moment for the reilaztion there's a borwn dragon wandering arounfd the sand to hit. "A brown!" She turns a wide grin on Miana, and then quickly turns bajk, not wanting to miss a wonderful moment.

Roving Puss-in-Boots Brown Dragonet lands on his feet, of course, though he's a bit shaky on them for a few moments, rocking from side to side a few seconds so he is forced be still a little. Not for long, as time is of the essence and he strikes out into the world, a mission and a goal on his mind.

"It's brown, it's brown," Faye announces to Loren - again - toes clenching sand and letting go, clutching it 'tween toes and letting it go. Over and over again. "Isn't it nice, Loren? Look, he's moving, already."

Lyrica goes cross eyed for a moment, Zali's grip on her hand being quite noticeable right now. The brown is given another glance before she looks over at the squeezing candidate, "Zali.. if my hand comes off.. it'll just make things worse." She winks, then, letting her know that she is joking before looking over at Sorana, "How are you holding up?" Better to talk to the others than watch… for now.

Sasha's fists clench and unclench uncontrollably as the stress of the moment surges through her. Glancing at Auri she voices her agonisingly impatient feelings "I just can't stand the waiting…..We are so close now…..I just want to know, one way…. or the other."

Maurice follows that brown with his eyes, flickering his gaze briefly to the other candidates. Yes, it's a brown, that much is obvious… Right? Now where is it going?

Nuff bounces up and down on Tiareth's paw, grinning at D'renn. "A brown! Oh Tiareth, how wonderful. None of that starting with a big lumpy bronze for you. A brown is just perfect, and look at the boots on him.!" Nuff rather likes these dragonets now, now that she does not have to wear white. She can wear puprle. Reams and reams of fairy-godmother purple.

Golden Gate Bridge Egg quakes with the action of some unseen force from within, tilting haphazardly to one side and obscuring the orange expanse for a moment.

Edaeyn clasps her hands behind her back, fingers entwined, shoulders held stiff and eyes unwavering on the dragonet. The rest of the world? It's out there somewhere, but that's for another time and place. "Just wait …"

"Ooh, Faye, lookit, lookit! It's a /brown/ and it's moving and this is /so/ great!" Loren's beam brightens up a few notches and the girl clings to her ex-baker friend's arm. "Yes, yes, yes! Nice, nice, nice!"

Celestine giggles, stealing glances up at her brother. Of course, he probably can't hear her over the dragons and the crowd, but… "Hey, Arthur! Look, brown!" Admiringly, she looks it over. "It's nice… I mean, not that blue or green or bronze or gold isn't nice, too," she adds, hastily, in case it'll help her chances. "Not that I can Impress bronze, but it's still nice…" Yup, she's babbling.

Miana quivers…just that, ardent thoughts the only type that plunge through her muddled mental state of habitually calmly controlled Trader. Not now! She's hyper on sugarsticks and there's a /dragonet/. Searing pain evoked from the sands to her scorched feet is promptly forgotten. Silence is golden.

Vice grip. That's what Sorana's hold on Vynret and Lyrica is. A vice grip. "Holding up?" she nearly squeaks, staring at the brown rather dumbly. "Uhhh…look! He /moved/!!!" Shriek.

Ayers Rock Egg rocks along. It's a brown that hatched seems to be the general consensus, put it's just an egg and is rockin' along, hummin' a song, nothing can ever go wrong. Well. Until it gets out into the World.

Ashan nods to Pia… "Yup…" she answers…they really are going to be that gooey…

Ragis tucks his fingers under his arms and shifts from foot to foot, from heat and nerves. He looks at the brown and sighs softly, so lovely. He moves slowly to a cluster of his fellows and chuckles softly. "Course he's moving…." he mutters.

Zali jumps slightly at the voice on her left before turning wide sapphire eyes upon her friend. "Sorry, Lyri." Comes the gentle murmur before she loosens her grip… a tad bit. Burning feet are finally put to the back of her mind as she watches the brown dragonet warily, right hand clenching new pleats into her robe.

Egyptian Sphinx Egg is inscrutable, poised, silent.

Vynret can't feel his hand or soles of feet anymore, but what's the matter? His eyes stay glued to the cracking eggs and the brown dragonet, now making his way around the sands.

Crackeling, crumbling eggs tug Pia's attention this way and that, eyes unable to focus on any one particular object. Restless, too-hot feet add to her whole air of disorganized excitement, as she weaves her weight back and forth. "Gooey hatchlings," she echoes again.

Geisha District of Kyoto Egg twitches. Just slightly. Perhaps? No. Not yet… It would be graceless to hatch just now.


Mystical Stonehenge Egg seemed ready to endure whatever may come, yet its ancient stones are no match for the bronze marauder that prowls forth in defiance of all this egg's admirers.

Wolfish Wild Thing Bronze Dragonet
He is all imagination, this bronze dragon, with gnashing teeth and terrible paws, wild-thing eyes and terrible claws. He looks the monster, with that wolfish grin, those dark-forest wings and sails of burnt-tin. His hide is dark, copper and black, and greens razor his 'ridges and narrow-edged back. This king of all wild things, this prince of dreams, this creature of adventure is not all that he seems. He moves like a shadow, a playmate, a friend, and mischief commands him from end to end.


Lyrica is squeezed at both ends.. just what she was looking forward to. She takes a deep breath as one side is slightly released and turns to Zali, "Thanks.. but it's alright, I can handle it." Sure, she handled being chained to Pia, didn't she? After that, she could handle anything.. except the absence of wine, maybe. Then again, she's delt with it for this long.

Roman Coliseum Egg shifts again, but is otherwise silent; an echo, of battles fought, won, and lost.

Tatoria has stopped thinking about the hot sands, but still continues to rock back from foot to foot. It's still hot weather she's paying attention or not. She pares at glance at the hyper Miana, and at the other rocking eggs. What colors do they contain? Only time will tell. Hopefully before everyone's feet burn off. Blink. A /bronze/. So what if she can't ride a bronze…It's still cool.

Sasha is completely stunned at the sight of the brown and then the new bronze - suddenly this is really happening - she never dreamt it would feel like this. The heat is meaningless as she gazes on the rocking eggs with wonder. she squeezes Auri's hand hard.

Maurice blinks slightly, a rather shocked expression fixating on this new little bronze dragonet. Well. Bit of a rowdy little fellow isn't he?

Miana fairly shifts back 'n' forth between feet at the warmth penetrating her soles. Argh! The egg /hatched/. The lovely delicate poise of Geisha egg shattering to reveal what? A /bronze/. S'okay! Life goes on! Attention returns to the brown. Pwetty.

Edaeyn casts a sideways look at Ragis. "He'd have to … at least to breathe …" The thought of the dragonet forgetting that concession doesn't bear thinking on. Her gaze strays, despite the saturated excitement in there, and catches the hatching of the bronze square on. Laughter, soft and cool. "That one …" But no comment to follow.

Salea blinks, one dragonet turning into two before her eyes. They're multiplying. "He's a fierce looker", she comments on the bronze.

Roving Puss-in-Boots Brown Dragonet trots down the path made for him, a wall of white cloth and multicolored heads on either side. He's lost his Marquis of Carabas, and he might be making a fool of himself before the great queen Tiareth. He stop and regards a lad from under gold-laced eye-ridges. No, he's not it. He'd say he was the Marquis, but only Roving Puss-in-Boots Brown Dragonet may call someone that.

Sorana swings her VynretHand outward, pointing to the newest arrival and breathing, "Vyn….look at him…." Sure, she can't have him, but, "He's awfully pretty."

"Bronze." Another Tai comment resounds, pointing and then rocking back onto her heels. Hot.

"Ick, nasty bronze…." D'renn shudders deliberately, watching that male prowling across the Sands.

He's a looker all right… Shawn's eyebrow raises higher as she looks over the new addition to the sands… She just whistles…. "Whoo…"

Ragis nods in response to Edaeyn. "If only to breath….I hope he'd move to find his lifemate too……" he says softly. He watches the brown and then spots the bronze moving about. "Oh my…..he's a monster, isn't he?"

Ifnesh trots upon the sands, tragically, fashionably late. He snaps his fingers, salute-bows at the appropriate dragons, and joins the circle of people. "A bronze. A brown. I join the circle. I join my destiny. I am. Ifnesh." Snap. Snap. His robe hangs upon him loosely, toga-like.

Wolfish Wild Thing Bronze Dragonet kicks aside his shell with a flick of one dark paw. Bah. Eggs. There are better things to hunt down, like supper. Perhaps a candidate. Perhaps supper and a candidate. The dark little dragonet stretches into a low-headed slink and moves towards the forest of whitish creatures. Oh goodie, and adventure.

Gromytel pulls his hand out of Celestine's, eyeing her. "Sheesh. It's not like he can hear you. And if you shout like that, I won't be able to hear anything." Fortunately, his tastebuds will remain intact, so that he can eat sweets all day long. "Ooh! Bronze! I /like/ bronze… Not that active, though," he amends. "It's all active." And active means no time to eat candy. And candy is good.

Zali manages a wan smile towards Lyrica, finally drawing her eyes away from the brown to course over the bronze one. A soft 'oooh' is emitted before she again shifts her burning feet. Robe is twitched so that it lies in the right places before she finally releases her hold upon it. Taking another deep breawth, she holds this one.

Kh'et glances from the bronze to D'renn, "What's wrong with Bronzes?" He does, after all, resemble that remark.

"Nothing in general," D'renn answers affably. "That one seems to be a bit… erm… I dunno. Vicious?"

Pearl of Bahrain Egg continues to shift back and forth in the sand, watery background a-sparkle and pearly parts a-gleam.

Edaeyn cocks an eyebrow, wondering why D'renn has a problem with bronze … but that's a question for later, and she blocks out the rest of Pern again, focusing so deeply there's no room for nerves … if she even thought there was cause for them in the first. "He's not half so fierce as he appears …"

"Ooh, Faye, bronze and brown, bronze and brown! /Male/ dragons, aren't they neat?" Loren likes the nice male dragons; they don't goob as much as greens do. "Ow-ow-ow. These sands are /hot/. Are they getting hotter, Faye? Are they?" Eggs suddenly lose Loren's attention as she finally hears a shout from the crowds in the galleries. "..Faye.. are there people up there?.." People. People are bad.

"Hungry," Tai answers in response to D'renn's comment, grin blossoming across her face. "They're all sort of vicious."

Golden Gate Bridge Egg rocks more violently now, a faint spiderweb of tiny cracks starting to lace across urban activity, expectancy growing.

Vynret nods dumbly to Sorana, even if he's not even looking in her general direction. It sure is a bronze, and his gaze lingers on it for a moment, then he's back to his nervous looking-pattern. Galleries. Eggs. Dragonets. Candidates. Sands.

Miana peers…well…/not/ the Geisha egg. Good thing. /Looked/ like the Geisha egg, and the ex-Trader's nerves are eased, whatever little is left of them. Urr…big scary bronze-hatchling, and Mia eyes that one with a measure of wariness. All covered in dripping egg-goo too, what a fashion statement.

Auri isn't really the type to get scared of dragons, but there's something creepy about that bronze, and she backs away a bit behind Sasha. Don't wanna get charged, now. The brown, however, gets Auri's approval. "Pink," is repeated, happily.

Pia recoils slightly from gnashing teeth and pointy talons of the bronze. "Glad I'm not a boy," she confides to Shawn. "I bet he'd run me over - watch out for him." For a moment, she gazes up at the stands, green eyes scanning the assembled crowd. Are they up there?

Maurice peers between brown and bronze, a spark of life coming to his quick-moving eyes, though his expression wanders more towards the bronze, and it's startling apparant personality. A little… hyper?

See Faye nudge Loren accordingly. "'S a bronze," she bubbles to friend, "but I think it's too big. Bronzes are too big, you know?" With a hard squint, gaze momentarily flicks to galleries. "Lots of people, yes."

Sorana's eyes widen further - she might break them if she doesn't stop that, soon. "Vynret…the rest of the eggs're hatching and - look! The one I touched," pointing VynretFingers zero in on the Golden Gate egg, "is moving!" A pause, as green'd gaze flickers over the rocking orbs. "And the rest."

Lyrica nods at Zali's ooh and then looks over at the bronze, "Ha.. knew it." She nods, "At least I'm ahead so far.. Now, maybe they'll all hatch the way I betted…" If she's lucky. A gaze is flashed to Edaeyn and she smiles, not bothering to call an encouragement.. it would just be wasted. Ashan is nodded to as well before she goes back to egg/hatchling watching, her feet shifting on the sands all the while.

Salea laughs, watching D'renn backwinging ut of his comment about bronzes. "All males have their purpose", she says, grinning.

"..there.. people.. galleries." See Loren blink. See Loren totter. See Loren shuffle behind Faye in an attempt to hide. "People.. ooh, dear, oh dear. /People/." Candidate shivers, but continus to focus on the dragons - people can wait. "..hatchlings.. they're so /small/, aren't they? Well, c'pared to th' big ones.."

Tatoria mouths a 'wow'. That's one scary, hungry, scary bronze. ERmm…she keeps an eye out for that one like it's going ot eat her, and watches the rest off the eggs, takign guess and which will hatch next. Then there's still that borwn…

Wolfish Wild Thing Bronze Dragonet isn't nasty, he's terrible. Skulking, wolf-like, the young king of dragons lopes towards the candidates. He shakes out the dark-forest of his wings, and pauses a moment to adjust that tail before snuffling at the air. His little round tummy beats him to growling, and with a shake of that many-toothed head he's off again, loping towards a group of boys.

"Do they, Salea?" Thesy winks at her former weyrlingmaster before her eyes go back to regards the newly hatched dragonets, "Oh dear, that one's definitely a monster," she chuckles, pointing at the bronze.

Shawn's eyes keep slipping toward the Stonehenge egg…she's attempting not to notice that it hasn't started moving yet or anything like that… she just shuffles to a cooler stance and crosses her arms over her chest…squinting again as she watches the bronze dart toward some candies…yum, chocolate

Zali hears the comment from Loren and shifts her optics towards the Stands, releasing her lip as she stares at the large amount of people. Shaking her head, she tries to distinguish her friends from strangers and has no such luck. Turning back, she nods at Lyrica's comment. "How much did you bet?" comes her question, trying to draw her attention elsewhere than the dragonets.

Edaeyn catches the flashed grin and smiles in return, one brow arched in Lyrica's direction. "Fancy that bronze?" she inquires low, somehow making her voice heard. Poised? Perfectly. So far.

Faye gives an assuring nudge to Loren; it's addictive, nudging her. "Aww, 's just people who wanna root for us, Lor."

Celestine smiles giddily. "Oh, this is fun… You know, Gromytel, you're not going to Impress anything with that attitude. You need to be positive, and happy, not grumpy. And stand up straight!" And you thought she just babied her firelizards.

Pyrene finds Auri in the shuffle and latches onto her hand in desperation. Any familiar face will do. "Is it just me or does that bronze remind anyone else of a blue??" she wonders, voice grumpy with stress. It's hot.

Ayers Rock Egg is a nice gentle egg. Pay attention to his rocking! After all, hard to be vicious when you're still an oval sphere. And he eats less. And doesn't have the runs. Just so much better than these other hatchlings.

Maurice continues to watch that maurading little bronze, darkly glittering eyes not at all matching his rather sloping posture and uninterested expression. Hmm.

Miana blinks, peeking out from Tatoria as bronze heads off in a lumber towards the throng of males. Good. Not that she was /scared/ mind you. Instead jewelled gaze flickers over everything to be flickered over, biiig sparkling ovoids and dripping dragonets. Lovely.

"But they're.. I mean, all those people are /looking/ at us." Which, to Loren, is a lot different from /them/ looking at /dragons/. "It's /so/ scary.. but lookin' at th' dragons is okay. So I'll just lookit them and.. not think about all the people looking. Like the poetry thing." Where she thought about cookies, instead. "Aughsh, I'm /hot/. Burning." Really? Who'da thunk?

Wolfish Wild Thing Bronze Dragonet fakes towards Pia and Ashan a minute, happy enough to oblige anyone that wants to be run-over. But he detours at the last minute, in around past a couple taller girls before finding himself face to face with a pack of mischievous lads all frozn with one emotion or other.

Auri squeezes her nanny's (yes, Auri still considers Pyrene her nanny) hand. "Hiya Py! Look…that brown's got pink on his shoulder. And the bronze…uh…" squeezes in closer to Pyrene. "Yah. Blue. Right." Easily influenced, this girl.

Roving Puss-in-Boots Brown Dragonet picks up the pace, booted paws flashing dark against the white-in-comparison sands. He passes from one candidate to the next, leaving each unsatisfied. Then, he spots his Marquis! Suddenly coy, he circles 'round the back of the flock of three his chosen has attached to. Draw her out, lull her into a false sense of security - not that anyone could be secure with that brute of a bronze out there - and when the time - timing is essential - is right, he'll bag her!

Ragis's eyes are fixed on the rocking of the eggs rather than the brown and bronze…..he knows he'd not be able to control one of those beasts though they do get an approving glance. "Of course you're hot…..its the Hatching Sands after all…..It has to be hot….

Lyrica lets out a laugh and nods, winking as she does so, "It'd be unique." Faye and Loren are also given encouraging grins before she glances Pia-ward, apparently gratefull for some space between them. The bronze is watched as is the brown, "OOoh, which one?" She asks, finally becoming a /bit/ involved in the goings on.

Gromytel glares at Celestine, shuffling away. "Sheesh. Just because you don't like candy… 'It's not good for you,'" he mocks. "But it tastes good. And that's what counts." Too bad adults don't share his perspective.

Sorana continues swaying - back and forth, side to side - as she gnaws on her lower lip, eyes following the brown. "Oh….." Nothing more: she merely watches, struck into speechlessness.

Maurice stays right where he is, all alone and away from the group of candidates, listening quietly to the noise as his gaze flickers back to the brown. Oh, 'e's found someone as 'e?

Pyrene still considers Auri a brat, so that makes them even. "He's got pink?" she peers at the dragon in question. "Told you browns were the best."

Edaeyn shakes her head at the antics of the bronze, wondering creeping at the corners of her eyes, a smile growing on her lips. "Of course, that still would mean no wine …" She can't resist a small jab in that direction.

Wolfish Wild Thing Bronze Dragonet fakes a horrible grin and takes a step forwards, as if to see who takes a step back.

Tatoria wasn't scared of some ol' bronze either! But no need not to be careful…right? She watches the Big Bad Bronze prowl off after the guys…Relife there? A little…OOo….more eggs are a rocking and that brown is still looking around..


Golden Gate Bridge Egg heaves a last shudder before giving up the metropolitan rush. Ash and smog seem to disappear in a puff, and orange chips fall in a shower of sparkles. As dusty gray and gold settle, a single fluid blue flow of motion emerges from the shards, regal and poised.

Regal Prince Charming Blue Dragonet
Smooth, suave, and debonair, regal charm fits as closely around this dragon's lithe body as his azure hide. Chiseled with noble lineage, his gallant muzzle and pate are touched with a deep royal blue that reflects in the facets of polychromatic eyes. The crown of his darting head is capped 'round headknobs with a circlet of purest gold that sparkles beneath his indigo skin, a mark of princely heritage. The graceful crest of a sinuous neck arches down to meld into a well-muscled body as dashingly handsome as his visage. Refined legs slide down to powerful gripping claws, feet dipped in gloves of periwinkle, and talons gilded with twining gold and silver. A similar aureate and sterling talon tips each of the spindly bones of the wing, navy supports ending in pinpricks of starry shine. The astral haze of wingsails stretches between these darker anchors, wings forming a shimmering, sparkling cape flecked with the silver that the sweetest dreams are made of.


Ashan looks down at herself… she's definitely not male…no bronze for her, nope… a sideways glance toward Pia and Cal..yep they are still breathing… well isn't that a relief

"Hot, hot, hot," Faye chants to herself, giving Loren another nudge as she huddles closer. "My feet are burning," she complains, toes wriggling into sands and leaving sands as she hops. "And it's just people, Lor. No need t'worry."

"Ooh, Faye, lookit that bronze; he's tryin' 'a scare ev'one." Loren giggles at the bronze's tactics, then switches her eyes back to the newly-hatched blue. "Blue! Lookit it, lookit! Isn't that /neat/, Faye? He's kinda silverish." She's forgotten the people - /thankfully/.

Vynret concentrates on the brown. He's staying in one general area, unlike that malicious bronze that's running about. Vynret's attention is drawn to the cracking of another egg, revealing a blue. Ooo.

Lyrica just can't resist. A small dot of pinkish tongue flashes out of the rainbow mixture of colors still present on her skin for a moment in Edaeyn's direction and then she shrugs, "Nah, never happen." There, she's safe.

"Blue!" Tai squeaks, beaming. "Pretty," she adds, head cocked to this side.

And /now/ it gets interesting. "Blue." Pyrene makes a face and Auri is clutched all the tighter. She might need a brat shield… you never know…"

Pia gasps, feet somehow impeding her fearful flight rather than aiding. "Get it /away/!" But away it goes, fortunately, and the Candidate lapses back into jitters, feet shuffling down into the sands in hope of some trace of coolness.

Who's afraid of the big bad bronze, the big bad bronze, the big bad…yah. Well, Auri is. But then the blue distracts her, and she smiles sweetly in his direction. "Aw…that's a cute little dragonet. He doesn't look very blue at all." Not in hue, in temperament. Blue's are evil, remember? At least, according to Pyrene.

Zali pulls her lip in again, the poor thing would become tattered if she doesn't stop doing so. Loosing sight of the brown, she keeps both eyes upon the bronze. He looked… dangerous to say the least. Shuffling her feet, she again tries to push back errant locks of sienna before tugging gently on Lyrica's hand. "Spot anyone in the sands?" she asks, loud enough for her friend to hear. Leaning, she glances at Sorana then back towards the peopled Galleries.

Sorana suddenly /shrieks/, her grip on Vynret and Lyrica spasming once. "Vynret! The egg! It hatched! And - " she stops swaying, breathing, "He's absolutely stunning."

Miana opts eventually for simply gnawing like a madwoman at sculpted nails. Always a good way to pass the time, and eyes twitch wider (if possible) at epitome of elegance that spills next from the Golden Gate egg. Pretty. Yep, Blue and Brown, best colors. "Tatoria, /look/!" she points, as if the girl can't see them for herself.

Maurice doesn't move as that bronze terrifies people - he appears to simply not care, simply rocking back and forth in that candidate dance. /Hot/ sands.

Sasha glances up at the crowds watching - so many faces - she can't pick out anyone she recognises. Swinging her head back to the action unfolding on the sands, she admires the blue that has just hatched, and casts a jealous look at the boys, wondering who wil impress that handsome bronze…

Nuff bounces up and down again, making assorted happy noises about it being Blu. "Not quite purple, but…"

Ragis glances down the row of candidates and grins. "How's the foot, Loren? You ever find that second sandal?" he asks before he's drawn back to the eggs, noticing the blue that just tumbled out onto the sands.

Calissan is indeed breathing, albeit a little quickly. "Wow." That, too, is breathed - and well and truly inaudible over the Hatching Noise. Fidget, fidget. Let's ease the tension with small-talk? "See anything you like yet?" he asks, lifting his voice to carry to Ashan.

Celestine sighs at Gromytel, then looks around. "Ooh, blue. Blue is pretty. But this one is sorta sparkly… Aren't blues s'posed to be /blue?" Awww, isn't she logical?

Edaeyn's eyes widen at the sight of the blue, the smile garnering just a moment's wistful note before it fades and she simply wathces, milking the moments for all they're worth. Her eyes sneak sideways to observe the faces nearest each candidate, then gyrate, twist, settle at last on the blue with avid curiosity. Pure and simple.

Ayers Rock Egg isn't afraid of the big, bad, bronze. No. She is just rocking contently. Go to sleep. He's a creep. Dum-de-dum-de-dum-dum-dum. But wakey time will come soon enough for her.

Salea sweeps the sweat off her brown - even if she's not in the limelight, its still hot. Raised eyebrows spot the third newcomer - another male…"Ah! That one looks like a little lordling.." she comments, passing the water over to D'renn for a sip.

Geisha District of Kyoto Egg wriggles slightly, settling deeper into it's nest of sand. We will wait.

Egyptian Sphinx Egg doesn't move, just rests still beneath the golden sun that is Tiareth.

Tatoria ends up mouthing 'wow' again as she peers at the blue. Oh just…wow. She's never seen a blue quite like that before…She hops a little-partly becasue of hot sand and partly because of excitment-and grins at Miana. "Blue….Yes! Blue…" So she isn't color blind. That's good.

Ashan shakes her head in response to Cal's question… "Nope…" see? She's just not rider material… "They're all cool though…" she's got the best seat in the house… shift, shift.

Wolfish Wild Thing Bronze Dragonet , the big bad bronze, bares his teeth again happily impresses the one boy who stands his ground. No matter that Maurice stands his ground out of apathy, he's still there. That dark slathering snout is pushed towards the ferret-faced candidate, his growling now fading into happy - still hungry - snuffles.

Faye glances down a moment at Loren's one sandal - rather enviously? She has no sandals. Faranth knows Relena stole them … "Oh, it's a lovely blue! And he has some really shiny colour, too. See, Lor?"

Roman Coliseum Egg flares up, the crimson end wobbling a bit before all falls silent once again.

Tiareth watches a candidate trying to get off the Sands and falls lower, sulking. Great. They don't even want her dragonets after all this trouble.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon Egg moves not. Neither the escalating commotion of the sands, nor the increased activity within causes the enigmatic egg to twitch at all.

D'renn takes the water gratefully, swallowing a mouthful before looking out over the Sands. "Wish they'd hurry up and Impress," he comments, passing the skin back to Salea. "Oooh, nice green over there…." There are of course other dragonets hatching all the time.

Regal Prince Charming Blue Dragonet picks himself up from the scattering of shards with sweeping ease, casting a look across the ocean of white robes and dingy sand. Let the festivities begin. A first step, and then a second, grace coming compartively easily as he begins to make the rounds of his subjects.

"Oh, s'fine, Ragis! T'anks for asking." Loren reverts her gaze back to Faye, nodding. "Yes, yes, pretty colors, very pretty colors, and kinda sparkly. S'neat." Sparkling is bad, though, to Loren; it stands out. Draws people. "Ooh, Faye, this is so exciti-i-i-ing!"

Wolfish Wild Thing Bronze Dragonet hears D'renn, and like a good little dragonet…
Wolfish Wild Thing Bronze Dragonet turns his jewel faceted eyes toward Maurice, and steps forward.

With that wolfish fellow safely Impressed, Pia heaves a huge sigh of relief. "He Impressed," she notes to Shawn, clutching her hand tightly. And, slightly louder, hails a "Congrats!" to the rather unfortunate lad. Least it's not her!

Edaeyn's fingers twitch and her shoulders tighten even further, the ex-guard stretching to almost full extension. Beyond that, however, there is no sign of nerves … but isn't that enough? "Congratulations, M …" she trails off, waiting for a name.

M'rice blinks. Wha-at? Him? Now? "Sendakth, you can't be serious. Me? Well, okay, fine, if you really decide you want /me/…" The new weyrling blinks up at D'renn… "Now what?"

Ashan also shouts her congratulations, desire to 'not be here' overwhelmed by the excitement of 'being here'

"Oh, good." Sorana breathes a sigh of relief, not relaxing, just less tense. "Oh! Maurice! Good job!" Now where did the rest of those dragonets get to…

Pyrene cheers delightedly. "Maurice!!" she calls, and then in an undertone to Auri, "That /was/ his name, wasn't it?? And Sendakth! Lovely!" There. OK, first one down, 21 to go and then she can go get drunk.

Auri relaxes. It's gone. Whew. Blonde curls are tucked behind perky ears compulsively. Gee…she's sweating up a storm. And this robe is helping either. She wiggles her bare toes. Neither is the lack of sandals. She beams at Pyrene. "Isn't it just lovely here? Nice and warm."

Ashan might just get drunk too after this days work now how is that for a shocker?

Miana settles, eventually…yep…big, bad bronze is off with some /other/ victim to torture now, and faint fingerwiggle of congratulations is rewarded to the 'victim'. Cheerful Mia! "Sendakth!" she reiterates, mostly to Tatoria, just because…Mia's observant?

Ragis sighs in relief as that bronze Impresses way far away from him, he grins and calls his congratulations. He turns his attention back to the brown and blue and ponders.

Roving Puss-in-Boots Brown Dragonet sees his chance and slinks forward hastily. Just a little bit out of line with the others, perhaps they danced the Sand-dance away from her or she danced the Sand-dance away from him. Pussy-footing around the other, not-his candidates, he soaks in her sienna hair and her eyes, light like him. Come to the castle I've gotten just for you.

Sasha's eyes glow with pleasure only being able to imagine what the boy is feeling "Well done Maurice! He's wonderful!"

Gromytel looks at Edaeyn. "Hey! Where're ya going… They only got a couple out!" True enough. And then the bronze Impresses. "Awww… Geez. How comes I didn't get bronze?" As if that's the only one. "Or brown… And that blue's icky. It's all sparkly… sparkles are for /girls/." And everyone knows girls are icky.

"Over here, M'rice… and Sendakth," D'renn beckons. "You'll have to wait till it's all over then it's time to go and eat…" Looks like that bronze will be /hungry/ too.

Roving Puss-in-Boots Brown Dragonet turns his jewel faceted eyes toward Zali, and steps forward.

Maurice? Oh well, why not. "Congratulations!" is called softly though it should carry to the new bronzerider and Thesy's attention is drawn back to … well, you know.

Vynret breathes a slight sigh, either from pure anxiety or the fact that that wild bronze is no longer a threat. He turns toward the galleries for a moment, maybe looking for some familiar faces, but the rippling heat obscures their features.

Lyrica shouts her own congratulations and grins again, did she bet on him too? Most likely, "Well, looks like this is going to end up being a good hatching after all." Her eyes flicker over to Edaeyn, "And I'll be thirsty enough by the time it's over." She looks at Ashan and calls, as softly as she can while still being heard, "Want to get together afterward? We can drink to their sleepless nights." Yes, she's going home after this.. but wait, Zali is… "Zali?" She asks, "What's his name?"

"Oh! M'rice, M'rice! Congratul/a/tions to you!" Loren waves an arm frantically at fellow-Candidate-turned-Weyrling, and /glows/ with cheer. "Wonderful, wonderful, Faye! Two more out, now. Brown-and-blue, isn't that neat? ..ooh, ooh! Zali! ZAAALIIIII! Congrats, /congrats/!" Finally, someone she /knows/! "Zali, Zali! How great, great!"

Ashan eeps as she jumps when Zali impresses… she just squeals…cool cool

Tatoria grins. Ipression is made! "Way to go!" She calls out, cheering, and turns her attention bakc ot wobbling eggs and wobbly dragonets…and how hot the sands are….suddenly focusing on that agian. Must-concentrait-on-eggs-an d-dragons….

"Congratu/lations/, Maurice!" Faye waggles a hand to him 'fore attention snaps back to other dragonets. "Loren, Loren - there's so many eggies."

"ZALI!" Pia gasps, bouncing on burnt-toes to beam at her friend. "You did it!" Shawn's hand is shaken in the excitement, ex-Vintner turning to gleam at her sands-mate.

M'rice wanders, with Sendakth bouncing behind him, over to D'renn. Apathetic candidate looks slightly less than uninterested now, roving glittering eyes peering down at Sendakth in wonder. "Well."

Pyrene screams again. "Zali! What did I say? What did I say?" she gloats smugly, feet shifting, "I told you so!"

Ashan eeps again as Pia starts crushing her hand tighter… she reaches over to pry the candidates hand off… "Pia… you're hurtin' me…" she drawls

Sasha sighs with a curious mixture of deep happiness and contentment, tempered with a tinge of disappointment. Turning to Zali her face glows in heartfelt congratulation. "Oh well done!….Well done! You are soooo lucky!"

"Wait - who was that? Who? Who?!" Sorana peers, jumping upward - never mind about Vynret and Lyrica's hands. "ZALI!!!!!!" Call it a bugle, call it a shriek, call it a scream: whatever it is, it gets her point across. "Oh, Zali!"

Edaeyn blinks a little at Gromytel in seeming confusion. "Going? I'm not going anywhere … and I think they're all wonderful …" her voice drops soft, wistful, then swoops upwards, "congratulations, Zali! He's beautiful …" Handsome? Well, hopefully the dragon won't take offense.

Miana peeps up, what? Zali something? Oh! She impressed. "Great, Zali!" comes a hearty congratulations from seafaring Tillekian trader who is evidently loud and obnoxious when she wants to be. Well, brown out of the question, Mia settles for obsessing at the distinctly resplendant blue.

Nuff fluffs her purple skirts - all twelve layers of gauze, and leaps off Tiareth's paw. The skirts flare and billow in the heat, bustling out around her so that she almost just sinks onto the Sand. "See that? I told them Zali would be one of the first but did they believe me? No… they said she was too skinny."

Ragis grins at Zali and calls, "Congratz, Zali……we told you….." He sighs softly and sifts once more, the heat begining to be a bother it seems.

Regal Prince Charming Blue Dragonet paces forward, gait gaining speed without the appearance of rushing as his eyes dance from one white figure to the next. No, not that one. Or that one. He needs a proper damsel. Pyrene gets a passing glance, mildly speculative, but is quickly discarded as a option. He knows where he'll be appreciated.

Auri hops, and waves a congratulatory signature Auri-wave in um…congratulati ons? "Yay Zali! Zalizalizali!" Cheerful as ever, never mind the heat. "Lucky," she says admiringly. "It's got pink on it, too." Yes, we /know/,Auri.

Tiareth watches the Candidate leave again, and falls deeper into despair. Unwanted. Unloved.

Faye's hand waggles now, to former Dolphincrafter, a cheerful, "Zaaaaaali!", called to her. Then it's back to dragonet-and-egg oogling. "Lookit, most of the eggs are /moving/, Loren."

Tatoria congradualates another person. "Yeah…Zali!" Oh…there's that blue again..moving…loking..Pyrene? No? Then who? She shifts from foot-to-foot, watching, leaning over, just slightly, as if it will get her a better look.

Zali looks at Lyrica in surprise, sapphire eyes not sure of what to do. Then she feels it and turns back, the wide optics still unsure. Releasing Lyri's hand, she slowly sinks down and wraps her arms about the little brown.. and what's that? A tiny tear trickles down her face. "Puizuth?" says her soft voice, testing it out before she turns shining eyes towards her friends. "His name is Puizuth!" comes her happy cry.

Kh'et smiles and nods his approval (as if he had any choice in the matter). Finally, he's not the youngest bronzerider about anymore. "Congradulations.. .." sent to both brown and bronze.

"I know, I know! Ooh, Zali, Zalizalizalizalizali, tha's /wonderful/! Great-great!" Loren doesn't care about /names/ just now; people she knows are much more important. "Ooh, yes they are, Faye! Which do'ya think'll be next?"

Pia lightens her clingy grip on Shawn's hand apologetically. "Sorry," is her absent reply, attention focused as it is on the exploding eggs. "Yeah, Zali!" She carols again. He has a /name/ now.

Pyrene squeezes Auri's hand absently. "I'm sure there'll be another pink dragon for you, dear…" she murmurs, smiling at Puizuth and Zali. The blue gets a frown, but at least Auri's safe from being used as maul-protection.

Ashan swipes her eye with her free hand… She's not crying, nope that's not a tear… that's sand in her eye… yup… /really/… and a glare gets caste toward anyone that thinks different…

Celestine squeals, bouncing up and down with excitement. Or pain, if those sandals aren't thick enough. "Oooh! Zali!!!!!!!!!! Good for you!" Yep, time to yell. And so she does, in a surprisingly loud voice. "Ohhh… Puizuth! He's beautiful, Zali!" Awww…

Salea shepherds the new lifemates out of the chose - mess - that's the sands. "Congratulations, Zali, M'rice…" she continues down the line, helping to sort out dragonets and lifemates alike.

Sorana muses over the name, a wide grin of delight spreading 'cross her rather heat-flushed features. "Puizuth….Lovely name, Zali!" she finally calls, beaming. Zali. Puizuth. A nudge goes to Vynret. "Isn't he lovely?"

"Puizuth …" Edaeyn savors the name with a vibrant smile, though she blinks once in a fashion that might be taken as suspiciously slow. "Puizuth, Sendakth …" And she waits for another name to add to the list.

Faye tightens her grip on Loren's arm - poor her - toes wiggling in anticipation as she peers at egglets and dragonets. "Yeah, Zali and Puizuth!" she calls one last time. Whee.

Lyrica flashes Zali a smile as she walks away, leaving one hand free and slightly red, "Congratulations." She nods and then tunrs her attention back toward the eggs, "Now.. I wonder.. I did wager on all of them so… " So now she waits.

Vynret notices another Impression - the first brown, and Zali. Everyone else's done such a good job in yelling their congratulations, he decides to remain virtually silent, continuing to watch the eggs and dragonets on the sands. "Erm." He's a little startled by Sorana's nudge and question, "Yeah…" he mutters.

Ifnesh blinks glazed eyes at the new riders. "…yeeeeah…" Curls are brushed out of his eyes, dazed. "Zali. Puizuth. Congrats. Darkeness. Light. …yeeeeah…"

Congratulations are hollered this way and then, before: "Hey, Shawn.. hot enough for you?" Calissan is attempting that small-talk stuff again, as he's been watching everything, and saw the sand in her eye, y'see. He's also participating in the Sands Dance - up, down, up, down. It's certainly hot enough for him.

Miana just…kinda…echoes everyone else in their commendable notes on Zali and her dragon's announced name. She simply wiggles beside Tatoria, high-strung with eager vibes. Yep, Tatoria is apparently her chosen person to torture with blatantly obvious statements for the time being.

Green green green stalks across the sand with spindly chicken legs. And Yagath finds her slave in innocent young Baba.

A couple of smaller eggs hatch together, dumping two little dragonets onto the sands. One is small, and dark, and purpley-blue, and one is small and pale and heather-lavender and green. Together they stand, shoulder to shoulder, as if afraid to go further.

Zali slowly staggers to her feet and moves towards D'renn, her eyes flicking back down to her new little life-mate then back up. She can't believe it… she always thought it was a mistake she was Searched. One hand reaches out towards Puizuth and a loving smile creeps across her lips.

Ashan really actually did have sand in her eye… and she just beamikles over at Cal.. yup, she's hot…uh huh…who isn't?

Regal Prince Charming Blue Dragonet seems to accumulate a growing sense of urgency, snaking his way from one batch of candidates to the next and sniffing at them with the poise of a connoisseur before rejecting each one. /His/ princess isn't in this bunch, or that bunch, or even that one. With a huff of royal irritation, he skirts around the groups to continue his search, drawn to a particular set of clinging candidates.

Ragis wipes the back of his hand over his brow, ridding it of sweatbeads and looks expectantly back at the brown. "Wonder what's taking him so long to choose? To many to choose from maybe?" he says softly, not even bothering if someone hears him or not. He shifts once more as hte heat starts to creep up that leg.

Dancing Loren, dancing Loren. Isn't this wonderful? Loren's making a fool of herself in front of half of Pern, and she's yet to notice. "Ooh, Faye, this is so /exciting!/ I can't wait 'til the next egg Hatches! And loot that blue, he's so /neat/. Regalish, you know?" Hop-hop, cling-cling; let's just hope Faye doesn't mind this.

Pyrene sighs and points to the pair of dragonets. "Another blue!" she notes in despair. OK, she knew there had to be /some/, but how many do they really /need/??

Gromytel, not finding anything to watch in the current group, sucks at the bit of candy in his hand. "Hey… those two sorta look like treats," he comments idly, waving in the direction of the new-hatched green and brown. "A little too purply.

Auri isn't. Hot that is. She's…"Pleasantly warm," she adds to Pyrene, describing what she feels the climate on the sands is like. Never mind the steadily soaking robe she's in. She blinks at the Prince Charming Dragonet. "Are you sure /all/ blues are evil, Nanrene. This one looks awfully nice." Uh-oh. Auri's doubting authority. That's not good.

Edaeyn takes a deep breath, foot scuffing in the sands in restless movement … and unfortunately, she tips some into her sandal. She hisses softly, attention snapping away from the eggs as she tries to shake it out. Otherwise, she remains anchored: no shuffling here.

Ayers Rock Egg doesn't need any blue dragons actually. Even if its rocking does get faster. Not quite a lullabye anymore. Rock and roll, perhaps. But not quite yet. It's time is not here.

Miana rocks, back 'n' forth and so on, occasionally bouncing at the heat baking her poor, scorched feet. Shoulda worn sandals. Shoulda worn sandals. Her best interests are in the legions of dragonets that now pour unto the sands. Umm…wow?

Nuff bounces happily in her skirts, though its hard to tell, and claps. "See? Oh Tiareth, you darling. You /did/ make some purple ones. You darling, darling dragon."

Faye eyes her not-so well-sewn robe, giving ivory cloth a light tug with not-Loren-squishing-hand. "Lor, I think I should've put an extra row of stitching in," she murmurs, poking at where scrap, white fabric and pillowcase meet. "See?"

Sorana's eyes train back on the blue, as she shifts again, sweaty hands moving slightly. Icky sweat. "Vynret," she whispers, green eyes wiiiide. "Where d'you think he's going?" Of course Vynret knows she's talking about the blue: who else?

Pia wedges a toe into the sand, feet hunting for some tiny morsel of relief amid the too-hot ground. "I wish I'd brought sandles," whines the Candidate. "My feet are burning!" Lifting one, she prods the sole with her finger. "/Burning/!"

Tatoria does a few more steps in the 'Hot Sands' dance and suddnely stops…at least for a few moments as she calls out the obvious. "Greeeeeeen! Bluuuuuue!" Green-blue….er..Green and blue…Eye's fixed on the pair, but mostly on the green, a smile slinks onto her face. Greeen…


Part 2

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