Name: Migsulth (MIG sulth; -TH ended names from a variety of lines though hardly true Pernese, as they're Danachian/Alskyran types primarily)
Gender: male (+preference as desired)
Size: 8'10" s/l/ws, 6'3" head bipedal
Build: very strong, muscular, bipedal is shredded abs and torso strength for days
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* *in shifted form they are humanoid in both height and build, with claws on feet maintained, long tail and wings maintained, they have pointed ears and a narrow beaklike nose, retaining the jagged crest and horns; hands have narrow long fingers
Colors: body bicolor graphite with sharply defined dark grey marks; wingsails transparent high black; crest and tail spade pale grey; horns and claws pale grey; eyes faceted violet, pupiled as humanoid
Stats: Strength 5, Speed 6, Endurance 5, Agility 2, Health 3, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 6 Unassisted Firebreath (assisted in bipedal), ShadowSense, Verbal Speech; 5 *Shape Shift; 3 Long lifespan, Telepathy, Telekinetics; 2 Void Teleport; 1 magic spells - needs training if this is to be exploited but will never be very good with spellcasting, local teleport
Parents: Calietosth and Dairruinth
Bond: Irhtos, Voluntary Companionship
Meeting Notes: They'd arrived in the thick of things, and it was pretty overwhelming to all of them. Well, maybe not to Aseir, but if he showed anything deeper than a sigh or a snarl it was a surprise. The group of candidates had been sort of pulled out of nowhere anyway, even if it was expected of locals to the Warren as an eventuality, Irhtos was still a bit taken aback by all of this. She'd maybe expected to be put in front of Hathian eggs, maybe sent to a 'traditional' locale. But this was very, very not traditional at all. A little intimidating. She remained in her human guise out of habit, but then realized as they walked into the venue, gawking... there were plenty of people who were also not human there. Tall black and white people with four arms and big hair, gently rainbow colored folk with not-quite-humanoid tails or wings and hands that were hoof-like, folks with horns and with feathers and...

She shifted out of her human shape, and no one (aside from her companions) batted an eye. This place was amazing! She felt herself swept up a little, just a little, when the aerial stunt teams were performing as they came in. Irhtos spotted several people who were more or less her age group, some of them flying around on their own brightly marked wings up in the ballroom's massive airspace once it cleared of that performance. Some of them were pretty young looking, already tired out from the night's adventure, but they'd probably gotten there way earlier than she and her gang of new companions.

There was food, drinking (well, for adults, and they had some kind of magic in place that prevented her from even seeing 'inappropriate' drinks at the big wet bar), gambling and gaming in another area. And though she wasn't technically alone, she'd wandered away from their group pretty quickly. Well one of them had just up and vanished, where he went to was an absolute mystery to her, and honestly? None of her business, really... she'd learned to not pry. Either way, there was food and entertainment and so many people - and dragons.

Many, many dragons. They had already obviously started hatching before the group's arrival, that was certain. In addition to the ones that were announced by virtue of a pause on the dance floor, bunches of little ones with checkerboard-patterned wings already scampered past bearing trays and carrying items or leading people to destinations. She knew, too, that there was tension among the leadership of her own group - something something big nasties, but... again, it didn't seem immediately to be her problem. Her duty here was to find a dragon partner, and she focused on the ones that were coming out toward the end of the 'third hour', right before the 'second hour to midnight' on the big clock above the dance floor.

They were stately, gorgeous things. And large, certainly, according to some of the folks attending the ball anyway (she'd seen much bigger, but held her tongue). The hatchlings were still a little on the bumbly side, still a little rounded around the edges where their parents were sleek and sharp. They would have long horns, high crests, elegantly held tails. They had big wings already, and one of them held his high and stretched, she knew the feeling! It was nice to actually get out there with your wings up and able to catch a breeze.

He didn't fold them back down, but he did spot Irhtos among the gathered folk on the ballroom floor. People had given her a little room when she unconsciously stretched her wings - she abruptly brought them under control, but remained in her drasis form. The dark and grey marked dragon continued to approach and indeed it was a good thing folks were opening a path since his wings would be quite big. Behind him and the others around, it seemed that his sire was watching closely, possibly even communicating with his young.

That young dragonet gave a strange blink, and then rose unsteadily to his hind feet. His tail propped him up a little, as...

"You're a shifter too," Irhtos whispered, breathless.

"You can help teach me, I might teach you too." He replied, "I am Migsulth, I will come back with you." He was confident, but he did wobble, and returned to a four-footed shape while he was falling backwards, rolling onto his big wings. Irhtos stifled a laugh, and helped right him on his four feet.

"I think we'll start with balance!"

Name: Tama Turun (TAW maw too ROON, Turun namesake will inherit in offspring or be modified by partner's naming convention accordingly)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 6'3" s/l/ws
Build: flexible, slinky
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)
Colors: Body iridescent eggshell white, wing membranes pearlescent smoke grey, wing leading edge shiny high black, wing main feathers sparkly graphite, wing primaries shiny eggshell, floof shiny flat black, orb light grey, claws and horns dark, eyes purple
Stats: Strength 1, Speed 3, Endurance 2, Agility 5, Health 4, Intelligence 3
Abilities: 6 construct (permanent), magic sense; 5 spellcasting; 4 planeshift, verbal speech, telepathy; 3 paradise (heal/recover), divination; 2 light breath weapon
Parents: Sta Turun and Shiyo
Bond: Kevin Greenbottle, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: It wasn't enough that they moved through a weird portal and into a long tunnel on what they were told was another world. The tunnel was fine, it was actually quite interesting with glowing crystals and small plants that provided gentle lights along the way. No, it was that the moment they got to the actual 'ballroom' venue, something... changed. Something weird; he felt the tremendous pressure of the ocean above and around the ballroom, but it wasn't just that. Abruptly, Kevin Greenbottle noticed that his new companions weren't beside him (which... let's face it, was fine for him). There was a different corridor, slightly dim, but enticing, along the left wall. It was quieter, muffled almost, like hearing loud conversations in a tavern from a room on a floor above it. He tried looking around again for the group, and didn't see them, had they already abandoned him to the rest of the... wait, there weren't nearly as many people in the main hallway either. Weird. Wait, where was his draca? Keshpt was nowhere to be found, maybe there was a group of creatures he wanted to join.

He shrugged mainly to himself and grunted and walked down that more dim, more pleasantly appealing corridor. Whether he walked for a moment or an hour, Kevin was not sure. But he did arrive to a single square room, not big, not cramped. Some of it seemed... indistinct? The ceiling fuzzy with a haze, the corners slightly out of focus. There was a barber's chair or something similar to it in the center, looked well used but not shabby. Was he going to get a trim? Did he have too much hair? He'd dressed in his best, but he supposed that his means could only go so ...

Wait, no, he heard something, felt a ghostly presence in the room. The... The room was attending him, as he sat in that chair, it was built for someone much larger than a halfling but he noticed that as he leaned back, it seemed to shrink to his dimensions. There was magic here, plenty of it. This presence bade him to move his sleeve, his left arm exposed. A weird bunch of conflicting sounds came to his pointed ears: whirring, clicking, humming and chants, faint chiming. Together with the odd sensation of hands that couldn't be seen, he realized that he was here to... Get a tattoo?

Huh. Well, by this point there was clearly nothing going to stop this process, so he relaxed to it as much as he could with the sudden sharp pain and the constant pressure of those weird magic hands. On his arm slowly but surely appeared a brilliant white and black design, a steed-head with faint filigree and a glowing orb over its 'ears' (or... were those horns? He'd have to get a better look in a mirror once it was done), in greys and silvers. A chess piece, a Knight. Something to remember the evening, eh?

This took a while, but it wasn't so long that it became too overly painful. After all his arm was half the size of any given Human's, right? With reasonable humor he hopped off the seat when it was done, and was a little giddy from the thrill of it. He'd heard about people getting tattoos being energized, happy - it was just the pain, but this was pretty good pain.

Kevin sensed that it was time to rejoin the party, but how much of it would be left? He'd been there long enough to get a pretty nice ...

He spotted himself and the group, emerging from the stone-hewn corridor and moving away to the brightly lit Ballroom. The strangest sense of vertigo and confusion washed over him, but then in a moment he was simply standing with them again looking at the big black and white tapestries and huge windows showing- the sea beyond... Keshpt nibbled his ear, jolting him. And thought nothing more of it, the last hour or so of his life was suddenly a very dim memory.

***

Kevin drank and ate like he'd never done either. He did however stay well clear of those vast windows - they framed the Stage so they were a touch hard to avoid, in that regard. This place, the whole place, was under the sea? There was a bit of a nautical theme mixed with pleasantly angular and artistic designs in the smaller Casino where he wound up spending a lot more time than the rest. This was mainly to spare him the terror of looking out at that dim watery grave...

At the very least, the magic at work in this place meant that he didn't get confused for a child nearly as often as he might have among this many Humans. They stretched the boundary of what 'human' might mean, too; it wasn't just elves and fur-kin and whatever, there were just outright weird people here. Enjoying themselves, gambling, standing on the little stage and singing badly to whatever tunes came from the small speakers framing it. This was a far more familiar place than the big ballroom floor. He was nearly trodden on by those rabbit-folk when he went to try and get a dance in, out there!

His winnings were pretty decent, at this card table, at that dice ring. Finally when it was nearing midnight, and the festivities would reach whatever climax (but probably continue on well after that point) he decided to try and find the others in the group. Maybe this event would have them come home with their own dragons, but even though a bunch of them walked the floors every half hour or so, none of the hatchlings had come to him. Okay okay he was stuck in the Casino most of the night but they still came there, if a person was meant to have that dragon or this one, they found a way.

Slightly frustrated, but still a little tipsy from the large mug of ale he hoisted in the air at Midnight, Kevin Greenbottle realized that his left arm was itching fiercely. Wait, wait, wasn't that something that people with tattoos complained about? How was it itchy now? He'd hardly noticed more than a little ache all night?

"It itches because I wanted to leave! I was ready, are you?" A voice spoke, next to him, and he looked more to his arm than to... The bright and curious slightly horse-like face of a dragon! She nosed toward him and bumped his chin, she was small right now, but still reasonably young. Not a bumbling hatchling, not fresh from an egg sized. "I am grown enough, not as big as the others," she nodded toward a couple of similar looking dragons - and their people, who seemed equally surprised to see them. "But I will not be tiny! I wanted to be with you, because I understand what it means to have a place in your heart."

He couldn't really form words. This was his dragon, and she was lovely. "I didn't... have a home for a while, you get too attached and then have to leave it..."

"I will never leave you, you're my home," she stared with those big purple eyes at his arm, "I can build us a home, when I learn how, it'll be just for you and me, our Paradise."

Name: Bask ahlTahnhadaa (BAWSK awl TAWN hah dah; Knockoffs are 'ahlTanhadaa' meaning 'family of tiny colorless ones')
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 4' s/l/ws
Build: slinky horse
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: White Pawn 4, body is checkerboard with tiny checks in black and white, with off-white evenly spaced stripes and paws; wingsails light grey; mane and tail, horns and claws medium grey; eyes pupiled blue
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence average 3 in each with one 1, and one 5, your choices
Abilities: cannot use family shifting abilities at all, though they may be coaxed out in splices thanks to flexible Zekiran DNA; average 3 for Telepathy, Verbal Speech, Telekinetics, and local teleport; 2s in fire/tk, nexus teleport, and longevity
Parents: Donor Clutch Evugith and Fadhila
Bond: Dasha Hargorth, Burmei nye'aynn, Voluntary Companionship, Multibond
Meeting Notes: Well, she'd signed up for this. Dasha was unsure now, whether this was all really a good idea. Thrown together with a few disparate candidates and brought to this massive place was not really on her list of things to do, but. Here they were.

They were here, she had faintly overheard or maybe faintly listened in on further discussions, because of the others - the 'why did you invite them' 'how can they possibly show up here' 'how did they even' dragons. The Death Court. So... maybe she still wanted to be here, maybe she and the others still were absolutely ready or able to find a dragon bond or companion here. But they were here as a revenge stunt? In the long run, would that matter? Only by virtue of knowing how to filter gossip from nonsense did she realize that the many whispered rumors circling in the dining hall back home were very, very real.

Now, though, they were at the Ball and they were all dazzled and hopeful. What's this now? She recognized someone right away, at the coat-and-hat check. Lord Noone?! Here? Oh. He was handing out proper capes, fancy ruffled collars; she got the treatment too: a kind of garland in white silk that she realized had flower designs embroidered in it in satiny white thread. She wondered if she'd get to keep it. She wondered how they could possibly take anything back from people once all was said and done, so of course she'd keep it.

There was precious little lead time for them, and though they were all given the once-over and twice-checked in their (sometimes) rented gear, Dasha still felt a touch out of place. But she realized they all felt this way. This place was 'out' of their experience, after all. Mystic and her group were already present, apparently, because every one of this weird little collection of candidates could hear her simmering and heated words, over on a balcony. It wasn't hard to hear her specific voice, even among the throngs that were milling around, dancing to the music, or even performing over the ballroom's big floor. But it wasn't hard, either, to distract herself from that measured, irate voice - to watch an aerial dance, quite fun.

Dasha felt a bump at her elbow and immediately realized that she had been staring in wonder at those performers, not paying attention to where she was going. She'd put one foot in front of the other and had usually been able to avoid crashing into anyone given her upbringing in the kitchens of the Warren. Busy places, lots of people to move around, she was used to it. But this place seemed to be drawing her attention anywhere but right in front of her.

"Oh I'm sorry," she uttered and then glanced down when the bump continued at her arm. Where a shiny, satin-sparkling dragonet sat patiently looking up at her. A horse-like face, but with gigantic floofy curls around its long ears, and two small horn buds on its forehead. A shimmering mane of platinum and white tumbled down its neck, and those wings were like molten silver!

No need to be sorry, I'm the one bumped into you! The mental voice was so gentle, slightly masculine, all very curious and a little bit tired. I've been waiting but not for very long. I don't think you were here when I first looked.

Dasha realized that... this... was her dragon? This beautiful creature like a cloud poured out of mercury?

I am! And... I think we should wait and watch. I am Burmei nye'aynn, I'll come with you wherever you wish. But there's definitely ... something.

"Something, or some one?" Dasha finally found her voice, a rarity while back home. The dragon gave a furry-shouldered shrug, unsure yet.

Little Burmei did need to be fed, and then took a bit of a nap while Dasha was busy reading up on the breeds in the pamphlet they got. It was harder to study that pamphlet when the music got raucous, or when the more booming and blustery operatic performance came onto The Stage. After that though... With an hour to go, Dasha had also enjoyed some food and drink - food she neither had to prepare nor serve! bonus! - as well as hazarded a few inexpert steps on the dance floor. She was much more comfortable up on the balcony watching... and listening to the Warren's leadership gripe and grumble to each other...

As the hour bell chimed, and the acts started up once more, Burmei woke up and shook off his slumber a little. We should go down there! He bespoke somewhat urgently.

Dasha picked up the hatchling and hefted him gently over her shoulder and using her new sash to support him (oh how Noone would throw a fit if that sash got ripped by those already-sharp claws) and headed straight down to the ballroom's big - crowded - floor. The dragons who were walking there now were proud little things! Heads similar to Burmei's, well marginally, and...

That one! That one! There you are! Burmei struggled a little and then tumbled to the floor, rolled (tail and legs and wings and hind wings going all directions) and came up next to a littler one - one with the distinctive event's checkerboard pattern improbably on their body?!

Dasha watched as her faintly-older and slightly-bigger Burmei came to a halt near this dragonet and they nuzzled muzzles. Bask is ours! Yours and mine!

It settled its wings over its very boggling back, and looked up at her with big blue eyes, and nodded. "W...wait, both of ours?" Dasha wasn't sure, she'd heard about riders who had more than one dragon to their name, but was never - ever - one to imagine that one would be her!

"I didn't imagine being with anyone else!" The little dragon could speak? Already? And again it nodded, proudly. They made their second trip to the meat counter, and Dasha had to rein in Burmei from gobbling up another big share of it!

Name: Saegante (say GAWN tay, while their full Piece companions have a traditional Pernese -TH ending, the Knockoffs were given the -ANTE ended naming, if this dragon is promoted they may choose to name their offspring either way)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 3'9" s/l/ws
Build: high butt, lean
Physical Features: Pernese, four legs and two wings all with short claws, long neck with boxy head, prominent fangs, high crest, faceted eyes; slender tail with spade tip
Colors: White Pawn 2, brightly white body; wingsails, neck crest, tail spade, and ... claws, all boldly black and white checkerboard; eyes faceted teal
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence all average 2 with one being 4 and one 1 your choice
Abilities: as their full sized clutch mates the knockoffs have average skills in Telepathy, Local Teleport, and can breathe fire after chewing a little stone; these have good Nexus teleportation, and may bond to nonhumans or each other
Parents: Donor Clutch Ancheoth and Tehndarinth
Bond: Aesir Jassan, Impression, Multibond with Lloth
Meeting Notes: Who would have believed that he of all of them would be here at this massive party? None of the monks at home, that's for sure. Perhaps when he got home, they'd believe his story of prophetic, God-induced dreams?

They'd have to. Because they were coming true. He felt more than a little pride at the thought of even being chosen to represent the Warren as a candidate here. And even further: this was a very important party. He recognized the flavor of 'leaders brought for talking' above and beyond just a fantastic soiree: he knew bodyguards when he saw them, he knew those stilted postures. He much preferred the relaxed and enjoyable dancing, the casino's profits, and most of all the wet bar!

The group had arrived in the middle of the celebration, rather than early or particularly late, which meant he had his choice of events to watch or catch up on. How in the world were people meant to stand for dragon clutches here? There were no sands, no stands. But there were dragons, oh absolutely. In fact they were underfoot most of the time!

Nearly tripping over a bump on the white marble floor on his way to a table, with a piled-high plate of salad and spicy meats, Aesir was about to get rather irate. But he didn't spill the plate - or more accurately the plate was caught by the dragon he'd stumbled over. Its big wings were checkerboard patterned, that was... certainly a theme at this ball! It wasn't a big dragon.

But it looked at him with shimmering faceted teal-shaded eyes, and just. Spoke.

You don't want to drop this, I'm sorry! I thought you saw me. I am yours! I am your Saegante! And we wait now! I have been here waiting for you and now you're here!

The dragonet, brightly white and almost the same shade as the marble floor, held that plate of food expertly in long clawed fingers, head tilted, all but grinning. "...Saegante?" Aesir repeated, numb suddenly. The word was in his head almost from the moment they'd arrived, and that meant... "You have been waiting for me, I'm the one who should be sorry."

The dragon helped put the plate back in his hands and then trotted over to a round table nearby. It took a few bites of the delicious spicy food for Aesir to realize what the dragon had said.

He was only halfway through that plate when another batch of dragonets were paraded out from one of the archways to the dragon half of the venue. And he just knew.

Because Saegante knew! He felt the hatchling's excitement, joy, and confidence - it was a true Impression after all, even if the dragonet itself was engineered. It wouldn't be big enough to ride. But... the big black and white dragon that strode carefully toward their table absolutely would be. He wasn't entirely the opposite of Saegante, but just as bold and beautiful.

Saegante was practically vibrating, his long tail slapped the floor like a dog's, as the other dragon came near. I am glad you both waited, his voice was strong and warm, calm in exactly the opposite way that Saegante's was excited. We will certainly make a good team, all of us. He nudged the small white dragon and Saegante gave off an excited trilling.

"What... is your name?" Aesir finally swallowed that one piece of meat that he'd stopped chewing the moment the dragonet showed up.

I am Lloth, as much yours as this one's, again he leaned on the littler dragon who seemed quite proud of itself. Aesir was also, quite proud of himself.

The monks would just eat their hats. The Gods knew what they were doing when they enlisted him.

Name: Ebony Zwitterion (EBB on ee 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: 7'8" s/l/ws
Build: very strong and muscular
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
Colors: Body very shiny black with high white swoosh markings along underside and over face; wingsails chrome; soft white mane; grey head and shoulder fins, chrome eye and shoulder armor; claws grey, eyes faceted violet
Stats: Strength 6, Speed 2, Endurance 3, Agility 3, Health 3, Intelligence 5
Abilities: 6 Computer control, acid breath (extremely potent, choose its effects), sonic emulation ('verbal speech' possible); 5 electrical portal, electric control, local teleport; 4 mental stun, sleep breath (quite strong, choose duration) *though she carries size shifting genes, they are not active and may be exploited for future generations; however she does not and cannot carry shapeshifting, this is an either/or gene
Parents: Evocation Zone and Errick
Bond: Onesto, Voluntary Multi-companion with Juxoti (+others)
Meeting Notes: How could she have given him the slip like this? Onesto was not quite frantic, he knew that his charge, his Empress, was safe - but... but she wasn't here, at least she wasn't here now. She had been with the others, she scooted around in her chair to the balconies and the casino and all the other sights of this massive event, before settling on that particular balcony where she, Mystic, Baeris, Keenan and several other big names had gathered. On one hand, Onesto was glad he wasn't required to remain - she was in her element with them, she was a leader and a powerful force at that.

But she was still so frail, still-- He shook off those thoughts. Naeodin was just as delightfully impish now, after everything that had happened, as the stories of her exploits in her youth. He almost wished he had seen her in her prime, but then perhaps... He bit back a little worry, a little delight, as he thought of Mia, and let the butterflies in his chest rise.

That misunderstood and amazing woman still held his thoughts when he watched a number of the Vella Crean's party-goers showed off their new draconic companions. And, distracted by a little bit of an accident at one of the tables when a newly hatched dragon appeared to leap up onto it and 'stole' someone's meal, he faintly heard Naeodin's tittering laughter and a lot of other people speaking at once. Oh no.

She was - already - leaving? With one of those hosts, the Lanes, though he couldn't tell which one it was? He opened a portal directly from their balcony. And with tunnel vision clouding the edges of his view from the floor, Onesto watched as the tall and darkly-dressed man wheeled his Empress out through a glowing orange-edged green ball of energy. He couldn't possibly reach that balcony in time to go with them, or to stop her from leaving.

Those butterflies in his stomach seemed to all drop dead to the floor; he was now here 'on his own' as she'd hinted he'd be. He knew that she was going to want to head off to the Flurry and combine these events, he knew that this was part of her plan, but just. It was so contrary to what he'd hoped would occur.

Though what he did hope was unclear, even to him. Maybe... it was time he started thinking about the future, his future possibly with an eye toward Maramia, but right now was certainly not the time or place to do that. He fretted, but made his way around the venue to try and distract himself. Somewhat successfully, after breezing through the casino, watching one of the big shows - that was amazing, with all the dragons participating on both sides of the venue and the Stage showing off those on the other side with screens - he wore himself out in the attempt to calm his nerves.

Finally, Onesto found himself a somewhat quiet seat by the bar, and attempted to collect himself. The clock on the wall said it was barely an hour until Midnight, so maybe the party had worn out the Empress a little, maybe she'd arrive and just take a nice nap. Oh who was he kidding, she'd push herself and he wouldn't be there...

You worry too much about her, and not enough about yourself, a voice said, and it was weirdly close to his ear.

Wait it wasn't close to his ear at all, it was inside his mind?

I think he worries just enough, a little worry is good to keep you on your toes, isn't it?

Another voice, different ear - or maybe 'different side of his mind'. He was definitely exhausted, both physically and emotionally, at this point, and really couldn't do anything but glance to both sides. He saw dragons, they'd cornered him.

We have not cornered you, we're here to pick you up.

We're going to come home with you, don't you want more eyes on your charge?

The considerably larger of the young pair rose to her hind feet, inexpertly but still able to stand, as her companion slid under her and would support her if she began to topple. They were as different as you could get at this event: one of them bipedal with amazing stripes all over and little wings on her hips in addition to the massive ones on her back... The other sleek and low to the ground with a distinctive Hathian set of arm wings in amazing chrome over her black and white body.

"I... I guess I do, I think," he actually did ponder that idea, and liked it more and more. "I think you'll do very well for me. Extra eyes and extra minds, maybe I might even be able to outsmart her one of these days," Onesto glanced back up at the balcony where only a few of those officials - minus Naeodin and Maramia (where was she?) now - were still gathered.

Well good, because we're going to do that for your own good. I am Juxoti Sheva, and this is Ebony Zwitterion. We met earlier, I think we make a good team.

We do make a good team, Ebony gave off a pleased clicking sound that was almost dolphin-like in its tone. And when we get over to that Flurry thing we'll make sure that whoever joins us is right for you too.

He was about to protest - he wasn't there to bond he was supposed to keep his Empress safe!

How do you expect to do that if you have your eye on her daughter? We will watch! Don't worry!

Name: Gakth (GAK th, traditional Pernese -TH ended naming)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 5'6" s/l/ws
Build: burly, girded
Physical Features: Pernese with embellishments, four legs and two wings all with short sharp claws; long muscular tail with spade; dished head with knobs having short horns, and a tall segmented crest
Colors: body marbled quartz with graphite; wingsails transparent marbled graphite with quartz; crest and tail spade solid obsidian; eyes faceted aqua; horns and claws black
Stats: Strength 5, Speed 1, Endurance 4, Agility 4, Health 5, Intelligence 5
Abilities: 6 unassisted firebreath, verbal speech; 4 flitter control, emotion sense, local teleport; 3 telepathy, nexus teleport; 1 timeport, telekinetics
Parents: Laeurath and Juth
Bond: Multibond with Death Court group (Naxi'im, Roemami, Yruthol)
Meeting Notes: see below

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...

If she'd known they were going to be able to go offworld to hunt, she would have prepared better! But no, no - the fun to be had here was obvious from the start. That start included "messing with Mystic" of course. The mage was so furious, so absolutely deliciously angry, that she almost started a fight right then and there at the entrance to the Ball venue. How completely predictable.

But the Death Court had an invitation, and had chosen to come in style, graced with dark cloths and silks, onyx and opal garnishes. Though the dragons were colorful their adornments were in keeping with the theme. Perhaps a chess game here and there might entertain his people, perhaps a distraction of abstract war games might do for some. Hexeth considered them more seriously now, it was all smacking them in the face at this party!

She was honestly a little surprised that Naxi'im hadn't smacked Mystic in the face, but he was dead serious when he brushed off her accusations and they bantered... Before Baeris got there, anyway. The Death Court would have so much to talk about after this...

For the moment however, she went her way through the big portal after her King and their young companion, and marveled at the mass of dragons assembled. And Hexeth was ... let's be fair, slightly relieved that Takith wasn't present. There would be too much temptation for that dragoness - queen or no - to cause trouble.

They weren't here for trouble. They were here for the potential, and it walked around them every once in a while for the entire duration of the event. She had a slightly different view on the private chambers for the hatchlings, than her King did: a little privacy was very nice, indeed, a bit of preparation time for the hatchlings. They were still led out by their parents, mostly, and still searched high and low, but they were far from helpless mewling babies when they did so.

Magic, the power here was so strong it kept young Pernese dragons from dying without their bond in those first hours of life. Good. At least the hosts of this event had that going for them: they knew that dragons should be allowed to live and thrive in their own time and their own direction.

And it also seemed that time was weird here. It felt like days, lounging on soft piles of hide and down, eating fresh meat from those hunts beyond the world, watching mock battles of strong dragons and amazing power displays! The night stretched into its last hour before midnight, before she even realized it. That it was created and hosted by humans, that did still bother her - and definitely their King. But some of them seemed to at least understand that it was a time of change.

We have changed a little, a small mental voice came to the Queen. I am sure that my clutch mates will be shocked that I want to be with a dragon and not a human-person. I don't know any human-person. I don't care to.

Hexeth gazed around, realizing that almost all the clutches of dragons had been moved out of their hatching dens, and there were several now sitting nearby. The one who had bravely spoken to her was short-legged, broad, and had those incredibly improbable checkerboard wingsails common to the genetically-engineered dragonets. But it was clearly a Pernese-type, which made their choice even more profound.

Beside it, another with those bold marked wings sat, tail curled around their long and muscular legs. We come together, with you, it bespoke, we need to remain together, but we will come with you. The taller and more slender dragonet nuzzled their bond, and a third joined in.

This one was not marked as an engineered project, and was bigger than both by a long shot. Though... that said, the granite-speckled dragonet was much smaller than most other breeds here outright. He was truly beautiful, though, elegant, he looked like a statue, freshly rained upon. And, he seemed quite conscious of Hexeth's opinion on him.

"Why thank you," he said, verbally speaking though with a high child-like voice for a dragon. "I am quite happy to come with you all, my family always likes being around a lot of folk. I'm pleased to be your family if you'll have me."

They introduced themselves, finally. The smallest, lowest-to-the-ground was Hiegesu, their longer and slender partner Jodrasa, and the cat-like one called himself Cebth'Alkar. They were each so different, but all united in their desire to remain with the Death Court, or at least, to not be going over to the human-sided venue and pick among those foul two-leggers for their companionship.

The Blooded Gold queen rolled her head around and leaned down toward the trio. They could easily scramble to her shoulders, hatchlings were so small... even smaller for two of the three. But they were hungry! And Hexeth would provide them with their first proper meal - and likely, many more to come.

Name: Gatt'nye (GAT nye, father's naming convention indicates location or clan, in this case 'nye for New Year's Eve/nt; further generations should follow local tradition or family name for this addition)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 6'9" s/l/ws
Build: noodle that didn't skip leg day
Physical Features: Pyrrhan/Myrsilk, remarkably long, four legs, two wings with very large ice-cutting claws on all; long head with external ears, sharp back-pointing horns, cheek horns, and paired curved neck spines, end of long skinny tail also has sharp spines; pupiled eyes; scaled hide (found in only some of this clutch), belly armor, will breed similarly to other types accordingly
Colors: Black Pawn 6, dark grey body with sooty to rich markings on face, neck, and belly to mid-tail, sparkly white stockings on feet; wingsails checkerboard patterns with tiny-tiny checks on backs and small checks underneath; claws, horns, and neck spines silvery white; eyes pupiled blue
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence average 3 in most, 5 speed, and with one 2 and one 4 your choice
Abilities: speed and nexus travel are their strongest points, verbal speech but no spellcasting or summoning, more likely to be ice-nightwing heavy and tolerate the cold very well, also good with localized prediction
Parents: Donor clutch Smirch and Nekeel
Bond: Oadicaeth, Voluntary Companionship
Meeting Notes: The evening was nearly overwhelming to Oadicaeth, but she took it in stride. After all, she was royalty, and had to act like it! There were many things to do and see here, though, and she was particularly fond of the 'rasslin' event... So much strength in some of these dragons! She wandered over to their main observation dome, and unlike the biped-side of the place, the windows here were more like hexagonal shapes, fit onto one another like pieces of a hive. But still, many of them didn't show what was beyond in the waters outside! Some had brilliant sky, others deep space. This place was positively filled to the brim with magic.

She wanted to learn some of it. Perhaps there would be time. A bunch of dragons were practicing magic over there... oh. Did she feel a little weird sneaking into the demonstration that Myrah'care was giving? Yeah, a little. She didn't know Mystic personally, but wow Naxi'im's responses to the woman when they got here were... something. Even if he held it together like he did, she learned from that moment: that was how to phrase things with a sting, this was how to give a sorely wounding backhanded compliment.

It would be best to avoid mentioning that she was actually learning a little extra magic from Mystic's dragon bond to anyone else. Right? She blended in with the other young (and older) dragons watching their elders weave spells or demonstrating how to block out unwanted magical interference.

I can see why that would be desirable, a voice spoke into her mind. I hope you don't mind my intrusion... Wouldn't want to block out someone who wishes to return home with you. And others, they distractedly faded out from her mental ears.

Oh. That was because the dragon itself was somewhat... hazy. Even with the brilliant checkerboard looking wingsails and tail, they weren't solid enough to be called 'leathery', and sort of... drifted here and there. Never losing continuity, but also never quite sitting still. It was actually a bit entrancing.

"Pfff," another dragonet made a disparaging noise, "spells are for brainacs," they said.

That is your opinion, an incorrect one but yours to have I suppose. The first replied, and why were they allowing her to hear this?

Because we are going with you, you ought to know us, the smoke dragon bespoke more clearly, as their wings grew more solid as well. Odd that its mental voice followed suit.

"I want to see some action," the other dragonet said, the improbable splay of tiny checkerboard on the backs of its wings was dizzying. "I know some of my kin can do those things, but not me, it's not in here," they tapped a long, curved claw to their dark head, "but that's okay. That just means I don't have to worry about learning how to control it."

Might learn to control your mouth, the smoke dragon muttered, but it didn't appear to faze the other one. They were both confident and assertive, that was for sure! But they weren't apt to snipe at each other, which was good - because they would also need to not snipe at her, nor the other queens, nor most importantly at Naxi'im.

"Oh I'm not dumb enough to anger anyone important, like you," the bigger, white-socked one said. "Just point me at the thing you want to ruin."

We will be able to mess up whatever you like, privately or... loudly, not to worry. By the way, I'm Gunn Dumanish. And the loud mouth is Gatt'nye. Independent contractors. It bowed, the smoky crest on its neck faintly billowing around a little.

"Where do hatchlings learn such complicated notions," Oadicaeth muttered, "you'll both do well as my personal guard, if you like."