Thaljath and Olelikoth

Size comparison Piece and Knockoff/Pawn

Technically Pernese, four legs and two wings, horned head with small external ears, faceted eyes, sharp spikes with webbing between on neck and hips/tail, tail fin similar, large conical claws

Naming -THOL is the knockoff family designation, while their Piece companions have traditional -TH Pernese; this will only be important if breeding is desired

Knockoff stats: average 2 each with one being 4 and another 1 you choose; powers 3 average for most normal abilities (telepathy, verbal speech, local and nexus teleport, and unassited firebreathing), if written up to breedable Pawn status may also select one of time portal, foresight, or empathy, otherwise these are dormant

This clutch is premiered at the end of 2 hours until Midnight

Bond: Lani, Impression
Meeting Notes: If the Weyrwoman had a plan, Lani figured that she knew what she was doing. But. This place. These people? Wow it was hard. It was very, very difficult for Lani to hide her wariness. Sure it was a grand party, and she'd been at some in the Weyr that were... sort of similar? Kind of? There was music (not like this), and dancing (definitely not like that), drinking and dining (well okay the food smelled so good she did wander through the buffet table and pick out some dishes she did not regret at all), and the requisite schmoozing of high ranked leaders and merchants that were talking business the whole time (she'd tended to stay clear of those anyway, now was absolutely no exception).

They had arrived with some few others, bearing trade gifts and high hopes. In that first few minutes, she just ... took stock of what she wanted out of this. How could there even be dragons in a place like this? With these high, polished walls, and - and was that water? Surrounding the entire place? Most weyr-born like herself were quite used to the endless caverns and crushing weight of the Weyr itself and she had no issue with claustrophobia, but this was entirely different. It could just shatter and flood at any moment?

It would not, she took a deep breath and let it out carefully. Best to concentrate on the food, and trying to find anyone that might be around her own age just to maybe try and blend in. It wasn't that difficult, there was a group with the same energy that a weyrbrat might join in on. They... were very, very weird kids. Some of them had wings, one of them was a runnerbeast with a humanoid torso... If the Weyrwoman had seen some of that, she'd understand more why Lani then simply fled into the far corner of the ballroom and sat alone for quite a long time.

A few times, small dragonets would come up to her table, bearing a tray of snacks and drinks. She accepted those, but still wondered how dragons like these even existed, with forelimbs that were wings and no proper ones on their back. She resigned herself to just watching and trying not to scream, for a while. Dragons came to the stage nearby, singing - and that was definitely an amazing moment whether she wanted to admit it or not. The ballroom floor filled and moved like the tide, occasionally separating for the entry of dragonets.

None of them would ever possibly pass as a normal dragon, would they? But then there were... a few that she knew were ridden by important people at her own Weyr that were pretty far from 'normal'.

She listlessly stirred the tangy fruit drink in front of her, still trying to find the best way to explain that she wasn't found by a dragon at this massive weird event.

I know I am not normal to you, but... you're the one I need. I hope that I can convince you.

She froze, put the spoon down slowly, and looked around. The clock said it was somewhere between two and one hour until midnight, which meant that there was still quite a bit of time before they'd be able to go home.

I want to go home with you, though... The voice pleaded. There was no denying that the tone struck deeply into her heart. And there was that hunger, she'd never been so hungry in her life. Finally she looked toward the wall behind her, where the marble seemed to darken particularly around...

"Those wings," Lani said, "they're so .... shiny? What are those on your neck?" The silver and black dragonet looked over to her parents, and Lani realized one of them was quite spiky. She bit her lips together, "well... I can't exactly let a dragon go bondless?"

Her relief was so strong she almost cried - and finally led her dragon, her silver and black dragon, to the tables of meat. Spantath pressed up against her side warmly, and they watched as a number of her siblings took their sweet time pairing off for the rest of the evening.

Bond: Yu, Impression
Meeting Notes: They were exhausted, they were elated, the entire team were just so good together. It was always more fun when they were jamming on their own like this, though from Yu's expression you'd hardly be able to tell he'd enjoyed it. Always the performer, always the shady one with the haunted look...

But the smirk on his lips was obvious, at least to his friends. And his new friends, maybe too. They were probably supposed to agree to perform first, but they just couldn't help it: maybe it was magic. Maybe that Stage thing was doing something funky when the four groups met. But now, they were milling around chatting each other up, and Yu stood to the side, watching it all with a faint sheen of sweat on his cheeks.

The sheen looked almost like the shade of gloss that were on that black dragon's wings, Yu noticed. He was keenly aware of his own appearance of course, but didn't need a mirror to know he'd worked up a sweat during their performance. The dragon's wings were almost like cut obsidian, shining in the light, faintly translucent. They were really gorgeous.

They were held high, over an equally dark dragon's body. Yu took another look around the big ballroom and realized that as the next performance was going to start, another group of dragonets had wandered through the venue in search of their new partners or people to go wander the multiverse with. This one ... was coming toward him.

Well that suited Yu perfectly well. Because there was something about this one, and not just that it matched his stage look perfectly. Something strong inside, something compelling. A confidence, but also sly, wise.

Do you see yourself, or your stage presence in me? I am Faxrineth. The dragonet bespoke, and I see someone worth knowing, on or off a stage. I saw you before I even stepped into this ballroom.

"Did you?" Yu asked, and pushed himself off the barstool he'd been resting on. The barkeep, a ... raccoon lady? pushed his ice water toward him and he took it, wouldn't do to go without proper hydration. "I didn't know we had dragon fans."

Well you have some now, the dragonet took an obvious glance at another of his team, who ... had definitely found a dragon friend! While they were performing, it wasn't all that obvious, but it wasn't even just Oto, it was... well a bunch of them! But now, it looked like Yu was going to get to show off to the rest, his own new friend.

Correct, that friend announced. Yu felt in his mind and soul, something quite deep. Hungry, a bit overwhelmed, but also with a dazzling array of thoughts in the dragon's mind that drifted between to his own.

"What ... is that? What are you even seeing? Oh you've got very beautiful eyes," Yu said, when the dragon had completed preening and was now patiently looking at his new bond.

Thank you. It is... well, everything? The future, possibly the past, I don't know, I've only just hatched.

"Well, we will sort that out when it comes. For now, let's get you something to eat, and me too! I'm hungry for both of us."

Bond: Malieja, Impression
Meeting Notes: She had been Searched, as they had all been in this little group from the Weyr; but longer ago than most. Maybe that was why Malieja's mind had always dwelled, unbidden, on how... how alone she was. Wasn't she meant to be part of a team? And until she and a few others were chosen to attend this large 'Checkerboard Ball' thing she hadn't been able to put the deep unease she'd felt into words.

She was alone because a dragon hadn't come to her yet. Year after year, even clutch after clutch, there had been nothing? She was growing older than typical for standing, too, and that put a knot into her stomach even though she was standing with the others at the threshhold of a massive party and hatching celebration.

Malieja put her party face on and it quickly spread to her heart. Maybe, there was hope. Maybe not - but maybe there was dancing, food, drinking, what were those things in this 'casino' of theirs? She had Marks that somehow turned into little disks for placing in that 'slot machine' - oh and she won a handful more! No fool, she cashed them out and would be going home all the richer when they weirdly transformed back into Marks. Malieja moved from table to bar, listening to the (not bad, not great) 'karaoke' at the small stage, back out to the main ballroom's chamber.

A deep sense of that same old weariness kept popping back, maybe it was the waves above this venue - but no: they were so far up, so very far up above. If she spent any time staring out the giant windows at the sea floor, it would return stronger, and so she stopped looking no matter how beautiful and surreal it was. Turned on her heel, and even tried that 'stomp' dance that those... furry people were doing! It... kinda hurt, but then didn't life hurt? It made you feel alive?

What sort of stung even more than her feet after a while, as she found a spot at a small table with a stranger across from her who was busy assembling some toy they'd gotten in their gift bag, was that there were half a dozen different kinds of dragons that had come from their nesting area beyond the ballroom's wall. And none of them had sniffed at her. She had seen close up, time after time, some random person lighting up with joy and embracing their new one. Their partner, their completeness. It was harder to look away from that.

She accepted another dance request, a slower dance this time. From, of all people, the bartender that had served her a fruity-icy-umbrella-topped drink earlier. He was handsome, sure, had a resonant voice that she'd barely heard because apparently he was a good listener. "It seemed like you needed a little lift," Wally suggested, "something is on your mind."

They danced to a careful and slow song, performed on The Stage by ... a pair of dragons; it was semi-sweet, almost-sad, yearning.

"Something isn't on my mind," Malieja sighed, and on the surface, had anyone but this highly trained psychologist she danced with heard her, they might have thought she was trying to dodge the subject. But Wally knew perfectly well that she'd answered truthfully. Her shoulders held without strength, the little exhalation, the very very slight emphasis on isn't.

"Someone," Wally said, soft, "but I don't think you should worry too much. You've distracted yourself into thinking you'll be alone all your life."

She couldn't meet his gaze, even though his own steely-blue eyes weren't even looking at her. The song came to a higher, hopeful end; Wally bowed gently and indicated he needed to return to the bar. That would leave her alone again.

But there was nothing wrong with that - for at the edge of the dance floor there was a singular dragon sitting with their tail wrapped around their paws, wings settled firmly against their body. It looked like glass, parts frosted over, parts with a dark drape on the other side but still shiny with reflection. He had the starts of stiff horn-like spines on his neck, webs between them already contrasting just a little with the brilliant sparkling of his body. There was a sensation that Malieja felt on seeing him. Or more accurately a sensation left her.

All the noise of the ball going on beyond them, every conversation in the balconies, the noisy slot machines, the laughter and clinking of dishes and glasses and mugs, even a shout or two across the entire ballroom... All of that dulled into a murmur and for once she felt like it was the most blissful silence in her life.

Ubnith is my name, but you knew that already, did you not?

Her throat had constricted, but her mind had opened wide. She could hardly even see the difference between the dragon and the floor, mostly due to the tears now covering her vision, but they were joyful; and Ubnith's warm muzzle wiped them away.

Bond: Avarya, Impressed (unusual to a dragon)
Meeting Notes: She'd spent so much time clinging to the edge of the dragon ledges, Avarya realized she really should go down and mingle? But it was intimidating even after the clock struck 1-hour-to-midnight. There were many noises on the dance floor, some were very pleasing. The Stage had filled with dragons several times over the course of the evening and she found herself swaying in the rafter nook, allowing the thrumming of their voices to fill her soul.

More than that, a sound continued to ring in her mind. Was it just those on the stage? No, no it couldn't be, it felt so specific. Her star covered wings were echoed in some of the dragonets that walked below, how pretty they were too - and she knew pretty stars! But none of those looked up to see her.

Until one, from a sleek and dramatic looking couple of dragons, did look. It was while another clutch was brought out, a dragon that lingered from before had somehow gotten up to this ledge with her. He'd been on the floor for a while, the rest of his clutch having mostly found people to hang out with. And now, one of them rested his dark head on her starry shoulder.

Did you see all the people? She asked, mind quietly addressing the little dragon.

They didn't seem like I'd like them, the dragon thought to her, tiredly. But I like you, and I think you will be right for me.

That was quite surprising, but... it did feel right. Avarya nuzzled the little guy, made sure he had been fed, and folded her wing over his shiny little form. He wouldn't be little for long, that was certain!

Bond: Erlathan Staghart, Impression
Meeting Notes: Keeping up with his wife was actually more of a challenge than he expected. There was a joy to her gaze that he hadn't seen in so long on anyone around him. Anyone but her. They learned names of some of those amazing sea creatures visible through one of the big windows, they discovered treats of rice and fish and fruits, cherry wines and tarts. Everything was quite busy here; there was always something visible on the stage, even if it was just one single woman singing a heart-felt song, or a full - noisy - 'rock band'. Dancing on the wide, white marble floor was something to see!

They even went into the casino, but were wise enough to avoid dropping too many coins on card games neither of them knew much about. They'd eaten a big meal and enjoyed the sparkling wines with complete strangers. Some of them may have been from their own world, but it was quite certain that most were not!

Erlathan stared hard at his plate, wishing fervently that there was something more substantial on it. Something meaty. He furrowed his brows, that wasn't like him, really, and besides he'd eaten more than his fill!

"It is for me," a quiet voice, one with a touch of an edge to it, spoke. "I would like something? I know they have a big trough over there but I'd prefer it be you helping me to it." He noticed his wife was slightly stiff, trying not to turn her head and stare. But her eyes sought his, and he saw her cheeks begin to bunch into a smile.

Erlathan leaned back a bit, and off to his other side was a not-really-small dragonet. They'd hatched at this event, or perhaps ... somewhere else and were brought here by the same big magical portals that sent them from their own home. But information he'd been given said that most of these would be quite young, and need a bit of care before they were grown. What he did with his life was care for creatures, but he'd never met a dragon let alone cared for one. What if he screwed it up? What if -

You will not, the dragon reached out with her mind, now he knew this dragon was female by her mind. Well that was something. But could we get that meat? And you can tell me about this disaster your family had - I bet they will be falling over themselves trying to get closer once they know of me.

She was definitely not wrong... Grepixyeth had a hard to say name but was as bright and shiny as fresh polished silver against a snow drift.

Bond: Oelolo Promontores; Impression
Meeting Notes: "Olé."

"Oelolo."

"Oh-LEH."

"Oh. Ee. LOH. loh."

Olelikoth sat back there behind the barrier between the dragon side and bipedal side and Oelolo knew that spike bearing dragon had a stupid dad grin on his muzzle.

No one could tell what expression the human-formed Oelolo wore, because there was a flit covering it. He had to continually struggle to keep the little thing from... well, trying to crawl into his mouth? Ew? The dragon in front of him however somehow managed to maintain both her dignity and be persistently annoying in brutalizing his name.

"I thought --mmpf," Oelolo paused while removing the flit once more and distracting it with a piece of meat. "I thought that Pernese dragons knew our names."

The look that she gave him... Black horn buds barely sticking out from those large sized knobs on her head, and the obvious points along her neck that would become large and impressive spines, made her expression more... expressive.

"I do know your name. And we're also known for shortening them."

He was about to protest, and at least this time the flitter was now wrapped around one arm and apparently sleepy, when he realized she meant ... "Oh no, no no no, you're not shortening my name to that." He shook his head and was about to protest, and then realized, "and they don't normally talk like that either! What's up with you."

"I am a queen, queens are built different." She explained. Still sitting with her long, fan-tipped tail wrapped around her paws, shiny grey wings looking like a metallic beetle's shell. Well she certainly acted like a queen. She was certainly a good chunk larger than the others from her clutch that he'd glimpsed since she showed up. "You could get me something nice to eat," Intagith added.

"I could, you got legs," Oelolo muttered. But he still did - he put his now-slumbering flitter into the gift bag at their table, it would just have to munch on the last of its 'meat shell' if it got hungry again. His champagne glass: forgotten once the clutch of impressively built and potentially-sharp dragonets were paraded around. Something had called him to watch as they came through the venue.

The first thing she'd announced, upon finding him, was that he was meant to be on the other side and she'd been waiting. But he had been over here with the two-leggers. Some day perhaps they would fly in the sky together, she insisted that he teach her good tricks when it was time. So now, now she wanted that meat from the corner - she had eaten earlier already, he knew this. Their connection was deep, resounding.

Wait, he paused in mid-step heading toward that selection of fresh hatchling-ready meat. "Weren't Pernese queens supposed to go to the girls?"

And she had the same gloating look that her sire had, when he looked back.

Bond: Kovill, now K'vill, Impressed
Meeting Notes: Kovill was pretty surprised at having been asked to attend this party, but it was his duty as the Lord's son to do such things. He just... had no idea where they were. He knew they had somehow gone underground and that was to be expected of a party with dragons and riders. The place was packed with formality and revelry in equal amounts, which was pretty typical for any given Gather day. This was something he'd been doing since he was young, socializing and looking for rank badges or a servant to fetch something. It was a party, and they were fun, right?

But - they were under water. There were people that were clearly not humans, speaking in languages he'd hardly imagined could come out of mouths, and dragons of such incredible descriptions that he just gawked. How would he possibly explain all this to his family when he got home?

No need, a voice asserted itself. There was a strange feeling of relief, and he was hungry as all get-out just now. Kovill looked around, the big clock showed just less than two hours until midnight whatever that meant (he'd gathered it was an important turn-day festival or something), but he didn't see the source of that voice.

Find me, then, the voice replied. I don't care for all the bright light either.

He put the last bite of a strange spicy meat into his mouth, and was halfway chewing it when he just rose from the table, and staggered away. He had to assure one of the other people nearby that he was fine, he just needed - to ... find something. That something was in a quiet corner of the massive room, where long black and white tapestries blocked a few angles from the open dance floor beyond. That something. Was a dragon.

It had to have been hatched only recently, there had been lots of dragons coming out, but as he hadn't specifically been instructed to attend a hatching, this came as a bit of a surprise to him. He thought he was here just to party and mingle? Maybe get his father some new contacts.

Wait. Wait.

The dragon, smoothly grey and metallic silver, gazed at him with pleased, glittering green eyes.

"Wait, the- there was a tall man, he commented how much like him I was... that..."

Was a search rider, I think you call them. The dragonet grinned. I am Minbrath, you are mine. Then you can try explaining that to your family.

Bond: Ritual Hunter In Ivory, Impressed
Meeting Notes: If it could be said that this was a hotbed of potential disaster, Ivory would probably have said it. She kept a perch on the balcony overlooking the main dance floor, moved to the side of the room as a few groups arrived on foot and watched them for any suspicious items or posture. Headed back up to the balcony and watched with very keen eyes and a faint sneer as those Death court dragons arrived. Weirdly, though... It really looked like the human mage and her friends were the ones ready to start shit with those spike-covered dragons and not the other way around. Not... this time.

Several of the hosts defused that situation nicely, long before anyone got near her charge. Not that Shan even seemed to respond to a lot of that. Distracted properly he'd be just fine. Ivory didn't want distractions in the wrong sense. Didn't want him feeling like he needed to bolt.

There was a brawl with laughing, drunken participants off to one side of the casino room - no need to break that up, it was not going to interrupt the events on the ballroom floor. Also she faintly heard ... explosions? Mad, cackling laughter and gunfire? What the hell kind of party was going on back in that one hallway?

The noises tended to come and go over the course of the evening, and she did certainly detect the smell of gunpowder (and booze, lots of both, what a great combination...) on a few of the revelers. But it was reasonably early in the night when several of her own peers went and hooked up with dragons? It looked like each of them was proud or pleased or confounded - even Shan. They were here to...

Were you not here to find me? The voice in her head seemed a bit sad, but still confident. Ivory bit her lips together, furrowed her brows.

So now it was her turn, was it?

I hope so, that voice again. So it was reading her thoughts? Was that typical?

Well it is typical for me, the dragon bespoke, now more mockingly snide than offended, and with a distinct feminine strength.

Ritual Hunter In Ivory had to make her way back to the ballroom floor from the balcony, it was definitely coming from there. Had another clutch been released? Apparently, though there had been little fanfare.

We are making our choices carefully, we did not want to be overwhelmed. There was a pause, Ivory felt like this dragon was plotting. Come find me. Make me think you're worthy of me.

She had to move carefully around the room, avoiding being grabbed by the dancers, particularly the batch of rabbit folk who had inexplicably expanded their number over the course of the evening doing that loud 'thump dance' of theirs (something something breeding like rabbits maybe, but there were definitely more of them in their circle now than they'd had at first). Ivory took her time, scanning around the area. There were clumps of people gathering around some new dragonets, but none of them were unattached. Oddly she felt compelled to give a little ping as a query. It felt right, like something you'd do if a dragon had latched on to your mind, right?

There was a faint giggle, which rapidly changed back to a more collected It is, a good observation.

Sure enough, Ivory was able to then determine, not by the windows, not on that side of the room at all. Behind the buffet tables? There was that bar with the raccoon woman tending it, and oddly enough she had a broad grin as Ivory passed by.

She almost missed the biggest sign of all, the fact that the black and white 'tapestry' behind the counter ... was moving. Ivory nodded to get permisison from the raccoon to head behind her bar. And as she did so, that tapestry fluttered downwards with a relieved sigh. My wings are tired now, I'm sorry.

"... Why are you sorry? You did a great job of blending in, and you challenged me to ... well, to use senses I didn't even know I had."

The dragoness was very boldly marked, with brilliant shiny chrome metallic looking wings, and deepest night body. Her red eyes glimmered.

I think I have chosen well. I am Frevanath, she introduced herself with a polite, if slightly tired, nod. Bright horn buds were spaced down her neck and upper tail, and her claws were already thick and sturdy.

"It's a pleasure," Ivory said, "I... think you're very hungry. And... are those your wings that ache? I can feel that?" She would eventually learn how to filter out the dragon's mind and emotions from her own, but would always now enjoy its presence.

Bond: Tamin, Impression
Meeting Notes: It was not 1 hour left before the ring of the new year, people had been milling about - and dragons had as well, all night. Some went immediately to the side of their 'just right' or 'new best friend', while others seemed to be taking their sweet time. Tamin was uncomfortable here, even Simya knew it. He kept his eyes moving, sharply watching one corner and then spotting the stage, or one of those weird half-magical archways into other dimensions. Anything could come through them. Anything.

"I came through that one," it sounded both like a child and like a bar of steel being grated against gravel. Sharply, Tamin looked around - and equally sharply, indigo eyes watched him. "You are angry. But you don't need to be angry with me. I'll be here with you. Point me in the right direction, my friend. That is," the dragon tossed his head, showing short nubs that would definitely be growing into long, dangerous tines like his mother's, "if you'll have me by your side."

They all had 'ears to spare', this group of rabbit-folk and their furless elf companion, but that wasn't what they would be remembered for. And from early in the evening on arrival, to halfway through the night, they danced and thumped their way through the crowd. A few attendees actually tried to join in, to limited success. They needed big feet. Heck, the orchestra between Stage sets even obliged them with a drum-heavy jig that they would try and emulate when they all got back home!

They did take breaks, there was food aplenty, there were performances on that Stage that required more silence and slow-dancing than their energetic bouncing would allow. There was even gambling to be done in another room, so they did that while they couldn't dance. Gwylfai confidently did a few jokes and gags on the small stage in there, got reasonable (if polite) laughs and applause. And every once in a while, at least twice per hour (or perceived hour, they didn't know how much time was actually elapsing here in this weird magical place) there were dragons to gawk at.

A bunch of their orphan friend group so far had hooked up with some mighty impressive dragons: black and shiny, white and sleek. But now it was growing later in the evening, even their durable feet were getting a bit numb from all the dancing. They'd selected a smaller table next to the bigger one seating Voivode and the other grown-ups, and got to watch even from there as another dragon found its friend among his cabal.

After the brief lull on the dance floor that had indicated another of the clutches were being released, it was Valmai that sighed deeply. "Wonder if anyone's gonna come home with us," she leaned back on the black-cushioned chair. "I guess it was worth a try."

"Night's still going," Tynan nudged her with his elbow, "look it's not even run an hour until midnight. That leaves plenty of time for us."

"Now now," Kelsea chided, "we are here for it, not just to dance and drink," she raised her glass at the dance floor where it looked like more dragons were filtering through the crowd, "and we're going to go home proud and happy." She nodded and that was that - apparently.

Gwylfai fiddled with the pamphlet on the table, flipping pages and glancing up occasionally, matching dragonet to advertised pair pretty easily. And something on those pages made them blink rapidly.

"We should- go," the blue-haired rabbit suggested, suddenly.

The others wondered very briefly about this, but the tall rabbit had already risen and was walking almost in a trance toward the dance floor. Well, more dancing it was, then! But - it wasn't them dancing.

It was a foursome of small, freshly hatched dragons. Two were nearly opposite in coloration, one brilliantly white, the other gritty-dark, they were bigger than the other two. Those others were both checkerboard-winged, and both in shades of middle-grey. All of them had features unique to their clutches, from extra wings to split tails and spikes and big big wings. And they...

They were doing the stomp dance. Well they were trying to anyway. They used their tails, and snapped their wings above their backs, instead of trying to hurt their paws (big as some were) on the floor. Circling, pause, stomp stomp jump, circle... The dragonets were intent on each other for the most part, but then the bigger of them looked up and gave a creeling call. They circle stomped their way toward the rabbits and elf.

You!

You're for us!

We're for you!

Come join!

Four minds, mixed together. Those among the rabbit group with any amount of empathic power - even suppressed - could tell that the dragons had already bonded one another, and now they were on the lookout for companions to help them grow! Some of those minds were much more intimately tangled with the bipeds.

You will do much for me, and I will do my best for you. I am Vrickezmeth - it was to Gwylfai that the snowy-white dragoness marched.

To Kelsea, the small grey and long-checkerboard-winged Rokante proclaimed their pride and allegiance, smacking their long tail against the floor.

The tiniest of the group did a spin and nearly tumbled into Valmai, who burst out laughing, "Lyxkeba, you need to practice if you're going to get it right!"

And the large dark drak-winged one finally bumped into Tynan, I am Corem Nye'aynn, we will keep them all safe and sound, all together.

So they did have slightly tighter connections to individuals, but by the end of the ball they knew that there was no separating this group of dragons from each other, let alone from the rabbits!

Bond: Beaumont, Impression
Meeting Notes: He remained steadfast and silent as much as he could, through this event. But frankly it was all amazing, and there was so much to see and do. It looked as though Jade was holding her own, giving glances around, which he occasionally picked up on small cues: she spotted Mahogany or one of his people, they ducked away a little. She focused on a tiny tiny dragonet as they brought her an improbably large mug of ale, he watched for enemies among the throng.

There were none, really. This was a party where even he felt... almost comfortable. Almost like it had... before.

They all enjoyed themselves, progressively getting more easy with the swaying of a dancing group, or watching in awe as acrobats took to the Stage. With all this going on, Beaumont briefly lost sight of his Queen but it was very easy to find her again - being taller than almost all the other bipeds - and most of the dragons as well - meant it was hardly difficult to find each other. Beaumont sampled some more of those pastries that the one person handed out, and realized that the first time they were tiny, little human-fingerfoods. And then later on, at least one of them was fit for his own much larger mouth and fingers! How thoughtful!

There was a moment, a fleeting and too brief pause in time, when he spotted one of Mahogany's people at the edge of the dance floor. She'd been there with another of his troupe, and as they parted she... looked over at him almost like she'd dance for hours. But then - they both realized eyes were on them. The wrong eyes, perhaps, for either of them to maintain this contact. She swept by, he turned to the bar. Very faintly... disappointed. He had to distract himself, then.

Group after group of dragons were shown off each hour; sometimes it seemed like they were barely interested in remaining here on this side of the venue and Beaumont spotted a couple that took one look around and ducked back to their dragon side straight away. That was fine, it wouldn't do to stress them out or require too much of newly hatched creatures, would it?

I looked around and didn't see anyone I wanted on four legs, a strange slightly-high-pitched voice came into Beaumont's mind. So I came here and scouted a little... I like you. I can keep watch with you and do... whatever it is you do too! It seemed faintly unsure, because then he felt a warm pressure on his leg. It was this dark dragon with brightly checkerboard patterened wings, looking adorable and lovingly up at him.

"Well well I've found a friend?" Beaumont rumbled with a smile, "and look at you, those little nubs will grow into a fine set of horns and spikes won't they, fitting for a defender."

I hope I'm not too sharp, they replied, otherwise it's hard to get close...

Bond: Isidoor Impressed
Meeting Notes: They had danced and eaten and drank (a lot, he enjoyed sampling the fare here!), Imke had shown progress and his feet hardly got tripped on while they were dancing! It was about an hour and a half until midnight, when Isidoor got quite hungry - again. This was nothing new for a dwarf like him, but this was something else. It was visceral, it was very deep in his gut that he felt this.

Before he reached for another slice of ham to put on his plate, Isidoor paused. This was more than just his stomach grumbling, wasn't it?

It is me, I'm the one hungry... I've been waiting, and I did eat earlier, but...

Isidoor could tell where that voice was coming from, implanted directly in his mind. He spotted that dark dragon who was 'hiding' under one of the nearby tables that had been left empty by the group there. Its nose poked out and orange eyes looked with a plead in them. "I'll be right there!"

Isidoor then rose and looked for one of the 'helper' dragons - they'd been in plentiful supply earlier, but now they were starting to thin because apparently, they too were heading to their chosen friends among attendees. One of them however noticed, and fetched a sort of bucket to carry in its mouth, filled with fresh cut meats for the hungry hatchling.

He went to that table, lifted the cloth so the dragon could leave its hidey-hole. Obviously this dark dragon would be pretty burly, but not tall, and had sharp nubs on its neck - they were quite bright against the dark hide. "Here you go, pal!"

Taothol! And I will help you see the things you haven't seen yet!

Bond: Vauldis, Impression

Adoptable!

Meeting Notes: The evening was quite interesting. Busy, bustling even. But what struck Naxi'im the most was that the dragons in attendance, for the most part, didn't even notice his group. At least, few of the 'locals' knew or seemed to care to snarl or glare at them.

Good. Because at least in that regard they were equal. He recognized several local dragons, perhaps from ... well, yes, from events prior. Dragons that were bonded to those people who remained - carefully sequestered - on their side of the venue. Oh how hackles had raised, oh how she had simply bristled.

But Naxi'im and his queens were not here to cause trouble, at least not the way that Mystic wanted them to. Trouble might follow them, obviously, but it wasn't their purpose. That would come later. After...

For now, though, the trio of Death Court dragons strutted through their side of the venue with confidence and ease. If it faintly bothered the blue King that he was considerably smaller than most of the locals, he didn't show it. Why should he? When there were events that would pit them strength-for-strength, speed for speed... Showing off in a 'safe' environment.

He certainly made note of the various safety measures that they'd set up here. Strong magic, strong psionics, strong dragons, all placed at spots where dangers might accidentally injure participants. Well, injure them more than they'd intended to get. Because obviously with a 'dragon rasslin' and sniping contest arena, they expected to get hurt.

The one very sore ache here, was that... all of these dragons were already bonded to humans. Or near enough, anyway, he spotted one of those odd alien 'vorts' who was talking, through the thick glass wall, to an elegant sea-creature Naxi'im realized was also a dragon.

His queens went off to enjoy their own forms of entertainment, while Naxi'im strode through the massive caverns and domes. He was distracted, as they were, by the presence of clutch after clutch of new dragonets. They had been hatched here, or... made here, his eyes narrowed at the thought that even here, with so much effort put into this, they just had to mess with the dragons. There were far more of them though, than he could really comprehend. Each of the clutches were sequestered in their own private chambers, somehow, and even other dragons weren't allowed - or able - to enter them without permission from the clutch parent.

There was quite a bit of magic at work here, that was certain. Even he wasn't allowed through some doors, ruler that he was.

Just as well, he had to be patient, he had to be good for his word, yes? He knew better than to try and 'recruit' any of these existing bonds - he could all but smell the lines between them and their bonds on the other portion of the venue. But these little ones, these newly hatched, and yes even newly made dragonets?

They were all brought before the King and his Queens. (Well, fine, they were brought out through the draconic side first, not just to him...) They would make their decisions, and some of them went out to the human-side, a good few simply remained here with the other dragons instead. And some - some - came back from the other side.

It was late, the big clocks on their cavern walls all were leading to a midnight moment. For what it was worth, the blue king and his consorts did get a little swept up, a little excited - or a lot. The feasting was amazing, though he didn't leave to go hunting, himself. He let those dragons that were thirsty for it bring back the deer, the fowl, the... well whatever that turtle-like thing was. Meats of many flavors, bones thin and thick to snap and suck marrow from. Even some fruits, long grass and tubers for those who needed more than mere meat, all presented in the feeding chambers.

It did smell good, all that blood. But now, with midnight rapidly approaching, Naxi'im watched from his balcony with his Queens by his side, and waited. A big show on the human side of the stage was followed by fireworks from dragons, impressive flames and bursts of energy.

A mental ping broke his gaze from the fireworks, gentle but confident.

We have chosen, she said.

Naxi'im's eyes narrowed, and then settled on seeking out the source of this new mind in his head. She wasn't difficult to locate, slightly larger than her two companions, and framed by them as they walked toward the ledge's occupants.

The other two were checkerboard-marked, he supposed it was too much to ask that only 'born' dragons come to them. He thought about saying something, and then paused to reflect about it. Perhaps this would be better than his initial appraisal could account for - these were creatures made by and ostensibly for humanoids. And yet. Here they were in front of him.

On closer examination, they were to his liking, as well as this born-type female, given their features and their behavior. This one though, she was marbled like the floor and walls of the biped-venue, though in more muted shades than pure black and white. Darker wingsails than body, but she looked like a carved statue and acted just as cool as stone. He liked her immediately. She showed both deference and surety of purpose.

"I am Gakth," she announced aloud, which somewhat surprised him - she was a Pernese breed, wasn't she? "And this is Yruthol," the dark-bodied and spike-covered one bowed its head, "and this is Roemami," the other whose wings were already bigger than most took their turn to dip their head in reverence. Gakth continued, however, "after considering the options, we have made our choice. It was... not easy, for any of us, to resist the allure of those on the other side," she glanced toward that half of the venue, and Naxi'im saw that she had horns growing from her 'head knobs', another unusual feature for a Pernese dragoness. "We are... not typically bonded to other dragons."

She did continually stress the word we. He felt around in the mental air, sensed that her own connection was to him as well as to them.

"It does take effort," Naxi'im said, "so you have overcome this...?"

We have chosen each other, first, the spiked one bespoke. Their two-toned companion placed their wide wing over the other's, they were a bonded pair of dragons among a breed who would have only ever chosen a human if that was all that was offered. But we also chose Gakth, and she has brought us to you. So we will work toward your goals.

The other dragon, Roemami was it? remained silent both mentally and vocally, but seemed attentive enough to the momentous event.

Perhaps it was his own sense of self-worth, or perhaps because he'd been attending hatchings in a more... aggressive manner than now, but he realized with a start, that this was a momentous event for them, just not for the same reasons he presumed. His reasons of course: to assemble an army, a breeding population, a dynasty. But theirs? The thrill in their minds was because they were literally new young dragons and they just bonded at hatching. It was the only thing they knew. All three of them were going to be on the small side, but ... not as small as a couple others approaching the Queens...

Bond: Oren Jakhed, Impression
Meeting Notes: It seemed so completely foreign to Oren, used to the farm, used to a much more rustic setting; even the city center wasn't this clean and bright. The stories he could tell about this ball would hardly ever be believed, even by the kids in town: it was at the bottom of the sea, protected somehow, it was filled with people that defied description, and... dragons. Not like the ones at home, though they varied quite a bit themselves according to stories. Not that he'd ever seen many, they might have flown overhead but he would be busy pulling up stumps or helping turn soil.

He didn't feel completely out of place, though, for whatever reason. There were so many different people here, who would ever have known he was just a rowdy farmer? Plus there were bunches of folk who knew how to party! A furry girl and a charming gent with what looked like a unicorn's horn busily served the large groups on the ballroom floor, and he took his time trying to figure out what all the symbols on their menu meant. That one had too many orange slices, not enough skulls... Oh this other one looked fun, grain and skull, surely that simply meant 'beer'?

It did! Thus equipped, he swaggered around to find a place to watch and drink, letting the beer warm him as much as those delicious 'mini tacos' took the edge off any hunger. He headed to the dance floor after finishing off that first mug, there were plenty of people who enjoyed the stomping, loud footed rabbit folk that performed in a big circle, that was something to take home and try out on the dusty fallow fields.

It was not quite an hour until the midnight celebration when a pair of grey dragons displayed their young: it wasn't the first, certainly - the night had been full of them! But this pair were sturdy and handsome, large heads on curving necks, and if the parents features were to be trusted those would be tall spikes on their necks? While a good number of them moved around to other parts of the venue, one of the littler - and checkerboard patterned - ones came up to Oren.

They blinked and sniffed at his mug, which had been refilled numerous times over the course of the evening. That smells odd, a lot of people have one, can I have some?

"I... don't think that beer is good for dragons," Oren admitted, scratching his head a little and swishing the drink around, "but I mean, if it will teach you beer's not for you..." So he tilted the mug a bit, and the dragon stuffed its nose right into it!

And came out a moment later with a little froth ring around its face, odd split tongue licking at it futilely. I don't think it's for me! They shook their head and looked like they were trying to back away from their own nose.

Laughing, Oren suggested, "let's find the fountain, it's by the meat for dragons like you... That's probably what you really wanted, isn't it?"

It certainly was. My name is Burthol, I'd like to come with you, if that's okay? There was the hint in the back of Oren's mind that there wouldn't be much else to say than 'yes', Burthol was definitely 'his' - he felt that strange taste of the beer but with the dragon's sensibilities about it. It was so new, and Oren was just as hungry as the dragonet, so he picked up his own bowl of stew on the way to the fountain.

Bond: Basher, Impression
Meeting Notes: They didn't need to dote on her so much, and she let them know with a sharp squawk. An inelegant noise, not even a word. She was apt to add such noises to any conversation, but it was rare that she'd sit down and actually talk with anyone for any length of time. Mostly because words were hard to form, without knowing all of their sounds. The Kenku knew that the people around were 'allies', but only barely. She didn't know all of them well enough to say they were 'friends', and might never. She'd been betrayed too many times to just up and trust them.

But here they were safe, and she did know safety. No one would be fool enough to start a fight in an infirmary, after all. She let the cleric help her up off the big pile of ... well that was one large minotaur anyway, and then they all gave a bit of a start when the others arrived. Humanoids, foreign ones, whose speech clarified to her ears and she didn't trust what came out of her own beak as they asked her questions. Who were they, did they have any lingering pain, where were they from? The others answered better than she could. But eventually it was time to move out of that chamber. She'd been injured, but it was a battle, what did they expect? The cleric's hands were warm and felt good on her bones. Better than the pain of nearly losing her hand...

When she was allowed out of there, the first thing she did was look up: they were indoors, were they undergrond? One of their group was a dark dwarf after all, had he sent them to his weird traditional homeland? Didn't much care for that, no, underground's no place for a bird.

Neither was under the sea, and yet that was where she realized they were. It was terrifying, absolutely not like being in a battle against a fiend or summoned insect creature. The Kenku muttered to herself with a variety of words - elfin, avian, human words, none of them inflected with anything less than spite for this situation.

Still every once in a while, the cleric or the bull man or the dwarf would come by and check on her. She'd fled to the pressing comfort of the casino -not to gamble, just to not see the huge windows displaying how terrifying the exterior of whatever this place was to her. And they kept assuring her, it was safe, it was so well protected here, magic and technology and maybe even gods gave it their blessing. She didn't care. Basher was out of her element in so many ways it wasn't even worth clucking about.

Eventually she did throw some coin at the exchange, found a card game that she recognized being played by races that were not unfamiliar. She didn't win the first couple hands, but definitely destroyed her opponents stack of chits in the next few. Thus weighed down, she felt a little better about her situation. The coins changed from that weird not-metal not-wood stuff into more familiar gold and silver, right there in her hand, as she exchanged them. Not one of the wait staff asked her for payment, when they presented menu options and drinks lists - and for once, she was able to just enjoy something here: the food was positively amazing. Maybe she could learn a thing or three from that human man serving treats here.

It was a few hours into this night that Basher felt a strange thing. She was never one to ignore portents or signs, a bit on the supersitious side. If her gut told her to rise and move she rose and moved. In this case, it was ... well, prodding her to go back out to that main big huge ballroom which if she could fly she'd feel better about - even if it was apparently surrounded outside by the gods-damned ocean. Basher tried her best to ignore it, the big arched windows were to her back when she spotted a bunch of dragons. There had been plenty of them in the casino too, little ones mostly, young. Not enemy dragons. Not like that one time...

But here there were like, more than she had fingers to count, to describe their variety. Ones with feathers and fur, some few with armor or scales, and then this one. This graphite-shiny colored one with eye-dazzling black and white wings, who walked into her view and spoke with its mind.

I am called Zonthol, you are my one. I will be your wings. It spoke clearly and simply, and Basher felt her mind and gut leap. Not in fear, but ... elation? Was that the word? Joy? Had it been so long since she'd experienced either of those things that she'd forgotten what they were like?

You have fought for so long, and been deceived by too many, I will be your extra eyes and ears, as well, I think. To keep us safe from deception. Those others are our friends. The dragon looked past her hip, and she dared glance back - there they were, the big bull man and the blue-haired dwarf and the battle-scarred cleric. And... dragons. A couple of them anyway, which looked to her like they were as close to their friends as Zonthol was now to Basher. That insight came directly from Zonthol, Basher didn't realize it. She also didn't really understand why the dragon then stated, I will never manipulate you, my one, I will only enhance what you wish to become.