Name: Yookath (YOU kawth, if they want to carry the name ahlHadaa may do so, meaning 'family lacking colors'; each given name has a meaning; this one means 'bold')
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 8' s/l/ws
Build: shire-like
Physical Features: Perneseish/Zekiran/Zebra-kin, slightly furry hide; 3+thumb / claw paws, +wrist finger wings; mane and tail tuft hair; back pointing straight horns - slight Pernese influence no knobs though; horse-like face; no external ears but hears fine; pupiled or faceted eyes
Colors: body and backs of wings (notably not visible on this art) high black with high white narrow complex stripes; wingsails underneath only high white; mane and tail high black and soft white stripes directly related to body markings; horns and claws dark grey; eyes pupiled green
Stats: Strength 4, Speed 2, Endurance 1, Agility 3, Health 4, Intelligence 3
Abilities: 6 telepathy, verbal speech; 5 telekinetics, nexus teleport; 4 immortality (markedly difficult to damage) 3 telekinetic fire production, shapeshift* *carried only, though they can alter their appearance slightly and 'move' their stripes around
Parents: Evugith + Fadhila
Bond: Tsanthryl, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: "I don't know how you managed this, Cass. I don't know and I don't care, and also I am impressed."

"That's not too hard," Cassius chuckled. Then straightened and looked the other way when Tsanthryl let off a quick whut?

The pair of clean-cut, sharply-dressed adventurers came through the elegantly decorated tunnel and emerged to the bright interior of this Checkerboard Ball thing with blinking eyes and dazzled senses. They weren't late, hardly, but the dance floor was already moving with people, and the colorful bunch of performers who just vacated the big Stage were the only things in the room with much beyond black or white on. And even as they watched - the Color Guard's outfits dulled into a myriad of greys, somehow. Tsanthryl squinted as one of them walked by, bright green hair was all that was left of it, her outfit had been the same shade moments before. But there were still splashes of color here and there, mostly among the party guests actual physical traits. Bright red plumed head feathers, elegant golden horns.

The cat-man sniffed at the air, though, something else had caught his attention - a wide black-lacquer and silver-trimmed bar that was taking orders and serving booze and food. This bar was impressive all by itself, framing the whole of the dance floor, splitting it away from the balcony above, and apparently with a kitchen and wine cellar behind it.

"Smells good," he grunted, and Cass rolled his eyes, that only meant one thing - he'd be on his own for the duration once Tsan went full gobble mode. Though truth be told it did smell very good... It would be all too easy to just lose themselves among this throng, so Cassius scored them a small table nearby, while Tsanthryl ordered something based on the symbols on the menu. A batch of small - tiny - little dragons burst into action on that bar, filling glasses with ice and fruit or garnishes, and very shortly Tsan discovered that the tables had the 'full' meal menus too.

"Can't do anything on an empty stomach, right?" He claimed, stuffing his face with all the sampler bits before even deciding on the order for the night...

This went on for quite some time, actually. But while Cass was involved with whatever nonsense he'd discovered (it was hardly nonsense and Tsan would find that out shortly) Tsanthryl took a tour of the whole place. It was a long tour, because every once in a while something 'big' would happen. Either the Stage show would change up, providing very bold entertainment for everyone up in the balconies as well as at the scattered tables at floor level, or ... or, the dragons would come out to play.

(It was at one of those early dragon presentations where Cass... well, that's his story...)

The cat-man however made it to the Casino, and oh how this was a thrill a minute! These things, slot machines and video screens? Amazing?! and there were people willing to explain how they worked - which took up a few songs played by ... who were they even on this littler stage? Every time he turned around they changed like that lady with the green hair earlier. Tsan was frightfully tempted to follow the one admittedly-super-smexy cat lady back stage... But he got just enough of a glimpse to realize that this 'quartet' was four quartets, and that was hilarous to him. He blew off when they noticed him lingering at the backstage drapes, "just fixing this light, don't mind me," he said, pretending to do ... something something - and scooted back into the main casino floor.

On there was more food back here too? Welp. His night was gonna be niiiice. But really he did zip in and out of there, visited the odd 'back alley' seeming hallway where people were shooting bottles and practice dummies with everything from thrown knives to gunpowder pistols to pew-pew guns and even magic powers. They were far too drunk for his preference; he reasoned if you're going to be shooting at things not being drunk is a tad safer for your friends, right? But he went past little alcoves with people resting their tired feet or making out or even getting themselves tattooed in that one room... He danced a few jigs, but that just left him tired too! And more hungry! More food awaited at the table that Cass was still tending his ... little dragons at? Aww!

And this went on. Until fairly late in the evening, with 'one hour' to go until Midnight. What would happen then? Would the place dry up and blow away or vanish? Hardly, but for the moment, Tsanthryl was patrolling the area nearer the Stage, watching the windows with their varied locations. He knew they were under the sea, deeply so, because the casino's little port-hole windows by the booths as well as the slightly-larger curved and fluted windows offered a view of the dragon side of the venue from the sea floor. But these windows had hardly any of that in them! They showed space, comets and planets, and in another, a warmly evening-sunset-underlit pier with a pleasant beach surrounding it. Fascinated by all that, he hardly noticed the warm presence behind him.

But he noticed when that presence licked his ear, and started gently nibbling on the end of it. "I like your hair," the dragon said, with a reasonably long clump of it having been tugged free from his nice-and-neat bun! It wasn't eating the hair, at least!

"Hey! Hey! Stop that, there's plenty of real food over there!" Tsanthryl said, pretty sure that he'd seen a bunch of little dragonets the whole night being paraded over to the stall with meats and whatever else they ate.

"Well I'm not eating it, I'm... testing its tensile strength."

The cat-man squinted, hard, gently tugging his head back away from this horse-like dragon's mouth. His hair came out quite wet. "How does a little dragon like you know words like that already?" He muttered, adding an ew and attempting to use one of the napkins from a nearby table to soak up all that dragon spit.

"It's because you know it," that dragon replied, absolutely serious. Then its dramatic black and white muzzle grew more white than black, as the stripes on it expanded or shifted around, all but forming 'worried eyebrows' above those bright green eyes. I apologize, I should have asked permission to search your memories before, y'know. Searching your memories.

"Wait you can make those stripes move - and you can talk into my head?!" Tsanthryl blurted out, but it was much too late. Now he felt that distinctly furry mind trotting around in his mind, and. Honestly? It wasn't that bad. In fact, now that he thought on it, he could sense bits of this dragon's short life too? He also knew the words: Yookath ahlHadaa, as well as the meaning of that name. The Bold One from the Family Without Color. Quite a name for quite a dragon.

The dragon seemed inordinately pleased with that thought leaking through Tsanthryl's mind.

"This could be quite.... Profitable..." Tsan chuckled, "but stop chewing my hair, you literally just ate, I know you did."

While that spaz Tsanthryl obviously wandered off to eat, drink, and be merry, Cassius had indeed felt it necessary to plant himself down at a small table, not one of those that could host a whole damn adventuring party (and there looked to be at least four of those here tonight by their builds and obvious body language) but one more suited to just a pair of friends out on the town having fun. And it was a good thing he'd done so, because pretty soon after they arrived, a lot more people started showing up. Not really 'pouring in' or pounding at the doors to enter, but definitely a constant stream of new arrivals. And the table he'd chosen was perfect for people watching! There was a little 'claim flag' that he put up, and it appeared to notify the hosts that the table would be 'theirs'. So clever, he wanted to pull apart the little box that the flag was on, just to see what kind of gears it had in it. Maybe later.

There was an equally steady stream of dragons moving around - at first pretty easy to spot because they were among the only ones out there, helping to serve and bring guests to their tables. But then as time went on, wow they got harder and harder to locate. Because there were a lot more dragons.

The full sized ones, impressive with markings and flashy features, were all paired with little'uns that had checkerboards like the attendants. But not one set of these dragons were alike. True, they all 'had wings and tails' and whatever, but with that as the backdrop they were markedly different each time.

Cass ordered something light, unlike his friend who just ate whatever passed by his fangy maw, the crow-shifter paced himself and ordered the 'sampler' for the table, asking for delivery of a full meal later on. Turned out that was a brilliant plan, because he wouldn't have much time to think on what he would be eating by then.

The big obsidian and silver clock's hour hand reached '4 hours' until Midnight, and right at that moment, the first of the full clutches emerged from the weirdly magical archway beyond the ballroom's floor. So while Cass's table was terrific for people-watching, it was a little less easy to get a glimpse of those entering dragons, because there was a whole entire venue in the way of that. He spotted quite a few raised wings, shiny, dappled, heavily marked; and heard a good number of squealing voices that told him bonds had been made.

He did weirdly get a sensation in his gut, that wasn't just how good the spicy broccoli and cheese was. But it passed, at least wasn't sharp, for another half-hour or so. When it came back rousingly strong. By then he'd finished that first little dish, and was curious anyway; the table wouldn't be 'allowed' to be occupied by anyone in his absense, Cass felt confident enough to leave it unattended.

A second group of hatchlings had arrived, quite different in shape and ... weight distribution, than those first ones. Cass only knew this because one of them came walking directly up to him, with purpose. She was oddly colorful though? Like, not ... not directly colored, not like that group of performers when they had arrived. But she had impressively iridescent white hide that caught every single light in the place, dazzlingly rainbow in effect. Her wingsails were silvered, flashed brighter under them, darker on their backs. Her very-pale eyes sought his blue ones.

His vision swam, from the strength of her telepathic communion. You should be sitting down for this, I have to tell you something important.

Though the impact of her mental voice was definitely deep and straight through him, it wasn't 'painful' or 'threatening' - far from it, she was absolutely correct, she had something that was truly the most important thing he'd ever hear. So he led her back to that small table, where... one of those first clutch dragons' 'knockoffs' sat eating the jalapeno poppers and letting little flames escape his very black mouth.

Well that was... a surprise. It could produce flames. From the spicy food. It was eating his food.

Rude! I told you to wait!

HUNGRY though! But now he's here so we're good right?

This conversation played out through Cassius's mind, the dragons going back and forth about how impolite it was and how she'd told them to just 'be ready' for their arrival.

"Wait, hold up," Cass said, finally finding his chair and s l o w l y resting into it. "Your important news, it's... this, right?" He waved his faintly-taloned fingers at both of them. "It's you. Right?"

Correct, the rainbow-white dragoness bespoke. He noticed when she put her head on the table and a single paw up on his leg, that those feet of hers were a more solidly snow white, without the rainbow cast to them. The other dragonet, altogether longer and leaner and not-quite-half her size, proved to be an inky shadow to her brilliant sparkle.

Wellllll, that dragonet mentally barged in, I mean. Not alllllll just us.

Cass had his hand just picking up a fork, but instead dropped it gently onto the silver edged white tablecloth.

Rather than allow the little checkerboard black to continue with this, the more girthy of the pair bumped him with her rump and nearly knocked him off his feet. But that at least did jostle some sense into him, and he sat quite prim and proper beside her.

Ahem. The rainbow white cleared her mental throat as well as giving a little vocal trill. I am Merseth. This is Cwepante. She took in a deeper breath when Cwepante started to fidget. And yes, we are... Waiting for another. They aren't ready yet. So you should consider us your bonds now. As we are to each other as well. I know that not all of our ... parents... (She hesitated with a sidelong glance at the checkerboard winged one who didn't seem to even notice this, in favor of sniffing more at that table with fun food to steal.) Necessarily approve of wandering off with other dragons, tonight is a good night to break some rules.

Awesome! Cwepante exclaimed and nearly knocked the table over in their enthusiasm to reach those poppers again.

***

He'd gathered his wits and got the pair of little dragons fed, fresh water awaited them at the table somehow when they drifted back to it. But now, there was a weirdly sleepy sensation making Cassius a little woozy. One of the attendant dragons chittered at him with a sing-song message, interpreted as 'it's fine we'll watch over them'. So at last when they were asleep on their newly-provided cushions, Cass decided to finally see the rest of the event properly. The balconies showed a much more impressive floor fit for dancing and events, than their side-table did, and from it he watched the aerial flitter stunts (did that one just get hit by ... whoops! well at least they recovered and the team finished without it?) and the start of one incredible space journey on that Stage, when something ... sort of pinged his mind once more.

He felt immediately that the other two dragons also had noticed, and as they roused themselves (he could spot their table with ease, sharp bird eyes don't'cha'know) but also motion on the other side of the venue caught his full attention. A new batch of dragons, actually two batches - equally impressive in numbers. Black, white, silver, grey, everything in between, and then all those little checkerboarded ones from both sets! There were tiny dragons underfoot everywhere. Some of them quite tiny, but many from the main clutches weren't so tiny that they'd be mistaken for spare flitters.

It wasn't just their presence that had caught his eye, though. One blur of motion followed another, with a dark shadowy spot lingering between points. That blur was... making its way toward the big balcony stairs. And for some reason, Cass just knew he ought to stay put, even though there were others at this edge looking down at the ball floor now to see the presentation of the dragonets themselves.

The black dragon that showed up behind him matched Cass's hair, feathers, dress suit... Beautifully. Catlike, huh, well, wouldn't Tsan be thrilled? The narrower and more pointed muzzle of this sleek black dragon nosed up toward Cass. But her ears betrayed distraction in the form of probably listening to Merseth's complaining that she should be down by the table...

"Well we should," the dragon asserted quietly, "but I like it up here. Besides, now I'm a bit tuckered out."

"We can get you something to eat, on the way back down, then," Cass replied, picking up the small hatchling. She might be little now, and would probably not be as big as Merseth as an adult, but wow those claws she sported already were superb. He went down the opposite stairwell from the table, since this one was much closer to the dragon meat service area, and this dragon gobbled down quite a lot more than he expected.

Well, he should have expected it, what with Tsanthryl's bottomless gullet. Cats be do.

But finally with her hunger sated, and the ballroom floor going back to mostly-dancing, Cass brought this ... this third dragon to the table, where she sat proudly beside the rainbow-white and the inky checkered one. She seemed to be waiting, and moments after Cassius put his own rear back onto his chair, Merseth bespoke again.

Now that Temth'Alkar is finally here, we are all yours. I am sure you'll find us all things to do when we get to ... wherever it is we'll be going. You seemed just the right one for us all. And we don't mind sharing.

Name: Electron Zwitterion (as word, zwi TEE ree on, last name for the entire clutch regardless of status; name is from chemistry, a molecule or ion having separate positively and negatively charged groups)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
*Size: 12'4" s / 62' l / 90' ws ** Queen ranked
Build: strong and sleek
Physical Features: Hathian-Whorling, with four legs the front two having wing struts, long sharp claws, very long bare tail, long angular face with eye armor blending into neck fins, a fluffy mane, shoulder armor with similar fins; their mane can stand up if needed; Bonding is not required; sponsorships are likely, multibonding/pack is preferred, and non-human partners are likely
Colors: body soft black, soft white belly and face marking; soft white wingsails; chrome fur and armor; high black fins; high white claws; eyes faceted orange
Stats: Strength 6, Speed 2, Endurance 5, Agility 1, Health 5, Intelligence 6
Abilities: 6 acid breath weapon, this is particularly caustic at this strength; Size Shift* can adjust size between 3' to 22' at shoulder! (note cannot pass on shapeshifting, only sizeshift, to any offspring unless the partner has it); 5 mental stun; 4 alter self to Electric (becomes electrical energy), local/nexus teleport, telepathy, computer control
Parents: Evocation Zone and Errick
Bond: Young, voluntary bond
Meeting Notes: They easily mingled, and when they passed by certain entities, that entity - or one of him anyway - gave a knowing little smirk. They bumped into one of him at the coffee kiosk, and another of him in the casino... At the same time.

One Keenan to another, shared that smirk with an added chuckle. "You might want to pace yourself a bit," he told them, "don't want to crash before the night is over."

"Oh that's why I ask for only half a cup," Young replied with a strangely echoing giggle. Heard by both Keenan and 'Local' Lane, they did notice that the coffee in those cups was not in any way half a cup.

"Best find a good spot for the show," but they then headed up to a balcony booth with two seats... filling 'one' of them, but to anyone who could sense their vibration, those seats were definitely both taken.

Young enjoyed the dazzling Mixology demonstration and the performance by the band in the Casino (particularly the 'Me And My Shadow' part), and for several more hours would move around taking in everything they could. In their vision or more in the edges of their vision, there was always some dragon or other, not merely the little checkerboard ones, but similar. A shape here, a fuzzy outline there, the hair on their neck and arms would stand up at times too.

Before the end of the night, however, and during one of those predicted sugar-and-caffeine crashes, Young rested with their body in only one place on that balcony for just long enough to have that strange feeling of electrical energy lingering nearby. They finally turned, and as they did, a strange shape, the static of barely-visible electricity dancing in the air congealed into a sharply defined black and white dragon!

She was nearly twice the size of the helper dragons, and had a bearing of confidence and ease. She nudged at the table and looked at the heavily padded seat, and when she went to climb onto it she was lifted with four hands. Oh thank you! It has been a fun night but now I just want to rest a little with you. We can be a team, I think.

"A good one," Young grinned from ear to ear to ear to ear.

Name: Czicada (as cicada the bug, though this is definitely a pawn-rank knockoff inheriting the -CADA name ending, this dragon absolutely owns it)
Gender: (+preference as desired)
Size: 4'8" s / 20' l / 48' ws
Build: long and slinky, able to somehow fit in narrow spaces with wings tucked down
Physical Features: Pernese-Alskyran/Danachian/Eienic Mutt, four legs and two wings, feet have apparently retractable claws, wings have large wrist thumbs with thick claws; angular head with knobs having very long and sharp horns, faceted eyes, and a jagged tall crest, echoed on the spade of very long slender tail
Colors: White Pawn 4, a light grey body with rich speckled black points on face, wing fingers, paws, and tail end; backs of wingsails are richly reflective black, while the undersides and tail spade are small black and white checkerboard; crest is very shiny black; claws and horns white, eyes red
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence; have 2s in most, with a 5 in one, your choice
Abilities: average of 3 in most, do not have any shapeshifting nor can they carry it; select one from Telepathy, Verbal Speech, Local Teleport, Nexus Teleport, or Telekinesis to have at 5; they may have Void magic abilities but unless they have a specific attachment that can help them learn, they cannot master spellcasting (Void tops out at 5, spells at 2 even then)
Parents: Calietosth and Dairruinth Donors
Bond: Katydid, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: The place was just absolutely crawling with dragons! And that suited Katydid just fine. She fit right in here, with her own striking black and white and rainbow-speckled appearance. It was a sure bet that a good number of attendees thought she might have actually been part of the event herself. And why not! She strode around the place like she owned it, and would give a little purposefully-nonchalant chuckle and waved off any questions. "Oh it's not my event," she would say.

But it very much was. Her mentor wasn't here, she could strut her stuff among so many different dragons. And those humanoids, bipeds or whatever over on the other side? Pffh. Delicate little things. Not big enough to withstand even a drop of toxin or venom, most of them. Not hers anyway.

Her dreams had called her here, she knew there was a reason. Of course the dream had included only a dazzling bunch of black and white checkerboard patterns, the hints of wings, claws, horns, powers. That ... kind of described literally every dragon hatched here already, and according to the strangely large onyx and quartz clock on the cavern wall, the night was more than half 'over'. How many more dragons would break shell and arrive?

And how odd they all might be too. There was plentiful magic going on, keeping hatchlings safe until exiting their nesting chambers. It looked like some of them were much older than others, with a fair few having that look of freshly pushed through their shells. With regularity however, whole batches of dragonets were 'announced' somehow, paraded through the draconic venue and in most cases, heading through the entry way to be displayed to those weak two-leggers.

Many hatchlings followed their parents through that archway, but some... Some remained. Even some who were the 'smaller' type, all with distinctive markings. Checkerboard markings. With dramatic wings, as impressive wings as they came, in fact!

You like my wings, good, I like them too! I am not strong enough to fly yet, the mind of this one particular pale grey dragonet spoke, clear and eager, but with a hint of 'holding back'. But you look like you can fly very well, more wings, better control, am I right?

Katydid appraised the dragonet. It would be smaller than herself, but that seemed to be the theme for the 'knockoffs' here. But that proud little black-pointed face, horn nubs visible, dark crest half-formed on the neck... Oh this was a good little dragon. And by 'good' Katydid definitely knew better than to think 'alignment' there.

"You are correct," she paused just long enough to collect her wits and listen to the prophetic memory, "Czicada." She'd spoken the name, and it seemed like a relief to the youngling. But they wouldn't be fooled or lied to: that mental connection was strong, deep, it ran in their blood.

Don't worry, I will keep your secrets, Czicada bespoke, I will assume anything you tell me is for me alone.

Name: Dawn Break (as the words, this dragon takes after her sire, the Nightwing 50 Shades of Grey in her powers and appearance, some of her siblings take more after their Pernese mother and would inherit a -TH ended name instead)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 6'4" s/l/ws
Build: even, sleek
Physical Features: Pernese/Pyrrhan, four legs, two wings, all with claws; strong neck; spaded tail with double row of spine/nubs; hide with scaled armor (spliced features carry as-is to any Pernese, may lapse to scaled with similar pair); face sharp with back-pointing horns, external ears, spike crest; eyes may be faceted or pupiled
Colors: body flat black with belly marbled silver and high black; armor marbled pale grey and smoke; wingsails high black with silver star markings that do move and seem to sparkle as if they're really in the night sky; spikes and ridges marbled flat black and soft white; claws and horns flat black with silver marbling; eyes pupiled orange
Stats: Strength 3, Speed 3, Endurance 4, Agility 3, Health 5, Intelligence 5
Abilities: 5 telepathy; 4 nexus teleport, verbal speech, longevity, stealth; 3 local teleport; 1 unassisted firebreath
Parents: Amrith + 50 Shades Of Grey
Bond: Gwynry Starseeker, Voluntary Tattoo Bond
Meeting Notes: (See also above with Elara, story here)
The trio of adventurers entered the venue using a magical portal, something they'd done before and would absolutely do again in the future. Tall and slender Elara, athletic average Wake, and 'petite' dark Gwynry, it was like the setup to some 'walks into a bar' gag. But they weren't laughing yet! No, it was just the dazzle of the first sight of a party of this scope, with just enough color splashed around the ballroom thanks to the inhabitants to offset the very stark high-contrast black and white 'everything else' that caused all three to pause. For a moment, just a moment, Wake begged out and urged her friends to move into the ballroom while she did 'things' back at the entry. They all knew it would be many hours before they'd be leaving, they'd meet up again at the tables or up on the balcony later.

For now, the pair clasped hands (well aware of their disparate shapes and heights) and strode into the grand ballroom. There was a demonstration on the big stage that showed off alchemical reactions in a spectacular fashion. They took in the sights, even daring to attend one of the underwater tours around Rapture and the party venue's exterior. Both of the women were just on the edge of uncomfortable in that submersible being towed by their draconic tour guide: too close to being in a cramped tunnel, so obviously far down under the ocean. The light from Rapture and the party comforted them, but it would have been nicer to be... well, you know. Closer to the surface, the skies, the stars and moon.

They did watch the undersea landscape through the massive windows beside the Stage. And then, delighted, discovered that the other huge panes of glass also showed different views! Different entire worlds! Both of the women took notes, and after wandering and playing some cards in the casino, attending a truly hilarious 'comedy hour' at that casino's one stage, and were baffled by the presence of numerous tabaxi... wait no they're just cat people? playing on the other casino stage.

It was while they were listening to a song that translated as "Diamond Dogs" that Gwyn got a strange look on her freckled face. Elara instantly noticed, but it was more because of what was going on behind her dwarf wife. There was a small and shiny black dragon peering intently at her, long enough that Elara began to giggle.

"What? Did I get chip dip on my lip?"

Elara laughed at that, "well no - I mean yes, but no, I ..." She nodded, several times to indicate to turn your head around, until finally Gwyn did so. She was met directly with the bright orange eyes of--

"Oh!" Gwynry gave a little yelp and a laugh, "I.... I see?"

Well finally, the dragonet's mental amusement came through with just those words. I am Dawn Break, and you are of interest to me!

When they looked around the casino, cashing out and heading back down to the main floor, both women noticed a fair few others who had newly befriended their dragons. The event had been going a few hours already, but only when they left the confines of the casino did they really notice how many there were now.

While they strolled back down the long curving staircase toward the main Stage and Gwyn began getting comfortable with her new dragon friend, they all noticed the act on that Stage. It was all dark, had an incredible view behind it - and surrounding it in the big windows, of deep space and people using no protective equipment were out in that space somehow playing their live music!? Elara led the distracted druid and her young sleek dragon back to their table, but also stared unabashedly at those windows, which captivated everyone's attention long enough to order some dinner. A waiter, not one of the dragons, brought it to them.

Don't let me distract you from your dinner date, I already fed myself! Dawn Break smartly announced, but still sniffed at their own kebabs and fish puffs.

They spotted Wake as she went from event to event, hearing her laughter or noting the still-present though much reduced cloud of moths and reanimated insects around her. She saw that there was a dragon with Gwynry and bit her lips together, briefly congratulating them, but then pretended to look at her watch (did she even wear a wrist watch) and zipped back into the casino to catch the later 'not safe for work' comedy show. Dawn Break settled into a curl below the table, as the dwarf and elf tucked in to their meal.

In the lull, in as much as acrobats, rock and roll, and amusing animal-people antics could be called a 'lull' they finally got to have that more formal dinner date, recalled once upon a time. But they finished and didn't quite have the energy to get up and dance again, so as things started creeping toward that midnight bell, they started people-watching. They noticed a lot of things, in fact, when their pair of Gem dragons also rejoined them in the biped hall - and had a bit of a surprise with them.

Though the Gem dragons were hardly bigger, the newly arrived hatchling (was it? too graceful to just have broken shell) stood at least to their shoulders, elegant long neck and high-held body. All in the brilliant white pearl shine like the inside of an abalone shell or a basket of marble beads.

I am glad to finally meet you, the dragonet thought directly to Elara, These two have made quite the statement on your behalf.

Elara's posture said volumes to Gwynry, who hadn't heard the comment. The elf stood, and though it was hardly typical Gwynry knew that it was her elfin grace that could allow her to formally greet such a dignified dragon with a bow.

"He is a King," Elara said with more reverence than expected. "Souggam Moonshield," she breathed deeply and enjoyed the way the name felt on her lips. "Hopefully, a king that won't mind some interesting distractions from day to day monotony..."

I do not rule you, I wish to be with you on your travels! This time he addressed both women and their existing dragon friends, broadly, his mind shiny as his hide. It wouldn't be shiny for very long, since he stuffed his long muzzle directly into the fish puffs bowl and covered himself in cheese crumbles... Midnight was arriving, he was hungry!

It wouldn't be long before their friend Wake would come back to the big floor, looking very slightly wistfully at the group. But--

Name: Xilo Turun (ZEE low too ROON, Turun namesake will inherit in offspring or be modified by partner's naming convention accordingly)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 6' s/l/ws**
Build: Slinky, limber
Physical Features: Tattoo/Kijana mutt, four legs, two wings with feathers and membranes, head has small horns and external ears, pupiled eyes, lots of sparkly floof, paw pads and claw feet, long tail with feathers, orb with magic; requirement of being tattooed (or... temporary tattooed)
** 2023 ** note that since the daddy was a replacement the information found on pickup pages MAY be changed: they may be up to 2 feet taller at the shoulder, and may have other powers in addition or in replacement of those found on the original group (verbal speech plane travel innate spellcasting divination). They WILL have if desired, the new features of "scaled kirin-like skin" "added horns" and "hoofed feet" for descendants. You don't have to take any of those things!
Colors: Body sparkly high black; wing membrane sparkly graphite, wing leading edge iridescent graphite, wing main feathers pearlescent flat black, wing primaries pearlescent smoke grey; floof shiny high black, orb smoke; claws and horns dark, eyes green
Stats: Strength 1, Speed 4, Endurance 3, Agility 4, Health 3, Intelligence 5
Abilities: 6 Backstage Travel, Genrehop, Genre Sight; 5 Verbal Speech; 4 Telepathy, Self-Heal; 3 Outside Construct, Outside Item Creation; 2 Paradise (permanent); 1 Shielding, Light Breath Weapon ((these reflect replacement dad))
Parents: Sta Turun + Shigan
Bond: Wake
Meeting Notes: It wasn't so much the interior of this odd otherworldly domain that Wake was paying attention to on arrival. It was more the exterior, and places slightly more distant behind the magical portal leading into what looked like an underwater domed city. There were things out there, both at the seabed around the venue, and in the teeming walls of that city, "Rapture" they called it? Well, it certainly had her attention, but the generations of cockroaches and flies that had come from the surface who knew how long ago weren't why she was here. The pair of her friends were animated and wide-eyed, they made quite the trio as they entered the grand hallway to the ballroom!

She didn't feel quite like a third wheel, but Wake paused a touch at the edge of that sparkling life-filled room. "Give me a moment," she said, "I think I need to freshen up!"

It wasn't true, but then she was a devotee of a death goddess. That and... well, as a tiefling sometimes it was good to get the lay of a location and a sense of how many eyes would be on her and why, before really entering. So the couple let her wander to the side of the hall, and Wake took in a deep breath. It didn't smell fishy or briny here, at least not with the wafting of delicious smelling foods and hot drinks brought by ... dragon waiters? She giggled as one of them scooted by with a tray expertly balanced on its long head.

Still she didn't enter the whole of the place for another few minutes. Minutes which turned, for her, into a strange timeless daze. There was a door, not a restroom or an employee area, but one that she felt quite compelled to open. Beyond it, a dim room, with a single object in it: a chair, one which could be tilted or swiveled. Like a barber's chair! (Or a dentist's but whose mind went there, right?) On impulse she skipped to the chair, plopping down into it and spinning around with a giggle.

The edges of the room became blurry, but not because of the speed she was spinning. It slowly came to a halt, her brain still swishing a little, but her vision didn't clear. There was a strange sound, like the buzzing of cicada wings or chittering, constant but with volume changes here and there. Wake felt gentle 'hands' on her left arm, encouraging her to lean back and remain a while.

When she looked, there were no hands, but there was an unusually dense concentration of tiny wings? She giggled again, they looked like bug wings. They weren't, but they appeared in her vision thus. They stung a little, but who hadn't been stung before? She didn't even wince, this was part and parcel for having insect buddies! It ... it was a lot of little stings, though - which she slowly realized... It was leaving dark markings on her shoulder and upper arm, and she realized just a moment later that her sleeve had been pulled up and gently moved before they'd even started.

Slowly, with the constant buzzing of tiny stabbing wings, moving over her arm like locusts on a field, with the odd smell of rubbing alcohol (or formaldehyde?) and a waft of very slight pain tingling through her muscle and bone (if they were piercing insects they were certainly... aggressive ones!) Wake watched as an image appeared.

When they slowed, spotting small areas with shimmering graphite grey and an amount of midnight-black on her violet skin and the black image, she was released from the chair's 'hold', and examined this new tattoo properly. Well, it was thematic, surely, in the shape of a chess piece. She recognized the overall form as a 'bishop' but she was fairly sure that her own deity's odd symbol wouldn't have appeared on anyone else's arm! Hers, however, showed in a fine lace of freshly-inked dots. The whole thing wasn't more than half the length of her upper arm, from her shoulder to the mid-bicep.

She got up in a little bit of a daze. She wasn't sure how long she'd been there, but when she turned to check the room, it - and its door - were gone! The same wafting smell of that delicious cinnamon pastry was out in the hallway, were they still -... no, that same little dragon was still on its way into the seating to one side of the ballroom floor! How had it... You know what? It didn't matter! She let her sleeve fall back into place, the last half hour or day or week spent in that room seemed like a dream now.

***

A series of dances, amazing stage shows, eating everything in sight... Even a little gambling and flirting in that casino, the night was drawing toward Midnight. She'd watched as her friends got into their own mini-adventures, and both now had re-gathered with their Gem dragons. They ... would all be a great adventuring party now! There was the tiniest pang of - disappointment? bubble-popping? - but then as the great clock hands above the stage drew toward ringing in the new year (what year WAS it? She wouldn't know what year it was here either way) her arm began itching like mad!

"Oh yeah, that?" Wake muttered as she absently reached to move her sleeve once more, and - oh she wouldn't be either needing nor wanting to scratch at it! (Not only would that be a bad idea for a tattoo anyway, but!) From that elegantly-inflicted tattoo, which remained on her arm visibly and magically, came...

A dragon! Small, but with a long tail and amazing feathered--webbed wings! It was only small because, "ahhh finally! I have wanted to see you with my real eyes!" Those real eyes were brilliantly green against her rich black muzzle. Almost like a horse - but this wasn't a knight piece! This was a bishop, she... was a cleric after all!

"I am pleased to meet you," Wake said, pretend-formal, "I, am Wake!"

The dragonet gave an equally formal-but-only-because-she-knew bow, her paws and nose together, "I am Xilo Turun, you have given me a true home, I cannot wait to see what we will find on our adventures!"

The little ticking noise was the gear in Wake's mind, turning with the great chime of the Midnight bell above. "The... the tattoo is you," she exclaimed, "or a conduit, or both!" She clapped her hands excitedly, "let's meet the others, and you're right, Xilo, we will have such adventures!"