Bold Skies

Name: Bold Skies (as words, though the clutch mother is technically Pernese, about half the clutch takes after their Pyrrhan sire and as such claim his naming type, they may revert to 'descriptive -TH' names if paired with appropriate types)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 5'8" s/l/ws
Build: very muscular, burly
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 light grey heavily marbled with high black; belly dark grey marbled with high black; armor dark grey marbled with light greys; wingsails high black with high white star patterns (move, 'real'); neck spines and tail ridges soft white with high black marbling; horns and claws high black marbled with high white; pupiled eyes green
Stats: Strength 6, Speed 1, Endurance 5, Agility 5, Health 4, Intelligence 3
Abilities: 6 lifespan (extremely hard to hurt, may continue to grow slowly); 5 nexus teleport, unassisted firebreath; 4 verbal speech, stealth; 2 telepathy; 1 local teleport
Parents: Amrith and 50 Shades of Grey
Bond: PiXL, Voluntary Companionship, Multibond with Eje Zwitterion (see also below)
Meeting Notes: When their Code professor indicated that he wanted PiXL to remain behind after class, their first thought was 'why am I in trouble?'

Of course they knew perfectly well why, and it wasn't because their grade was poor in that class. It was probably the 'extra credit'... that G0rd-OS didn't know about. Well... he probably did know. PiXL remained in the airconditioned classroom until it had emptied, but still the akita-morph (or was he an android? he was fluffy and seemed alive? but there were plenty of reasons PiXL guessed he wasn't actually biological) patiently stood staring at the classroom door. Oh - it was because three others were arriving? Was this a new kind of detention that they were testing out or something?

It became apparent that the students that showed up had classes similar to the one that just ended, with G0rd-OS as the instructor. They all got settled, and a couple other instructors showed up with their own pack of kids. What was happening? Everyone seemed to suddenly realize there was an embossed square of heavy 'greeting card' paper on their desk - it hadn't been there a minute ago, PiXL was sure of that. At one spooky instructor's suggestion, they looked that invitation over. While they read, baffled, the kids were informed, by one or another of their gathered professors, of this big shindig; a dance, an event? They'd be dolled up if they didn't have their own gear, even offered dance lessons if they had interest.

"But why me?" was a commonly spoken phrase.

Why? Was because dragons were going to be there too. Well that was... that was amazing? And so slightly-less-than-a-day-in-advance, this disparate group of teenagers got prepped and dressed, given a few pointers, and a specific instruction 'to have fun'. Coming from Professor Lane, that was halfway terrifying, but okay? Fun it would be!

The Ball itself was amazing, too. Just event after event; the crowd, the lights and the - well, there weren't colors, there were checkerboard black and white themed things simply everywhere! A beautiful dance floor, the ballroom itself was stunning, the casino - was off-limits to most of the students (shucks!) but there were other things they all got to do. The food! The trippy lightshow, oh and a tour outside this undersea city? A bit scary, but super cool. Dragons came out from their half of this show room floor on the regular, brought out by their proud, pretty parents. They would scatter around, find friends among the attendees.

Wait was that... okay, that was certainly why they were all here, PiXL spotted one of the classmates finding their own friend at one point. PiXL sat down after an energetic dance, having slogged up to one of the balcony tables for a little quiet. A small dragon had deposited a goodie bag on the booth seat beside them, and PiXL could swear they heard giggling. And digging through the bag netted them a strange mechanical flitter* and an honest to goodness mini-vinyl of that lady and her swing group singing right now? and booze ooh! Vodka that would be fun--

"You will not be needing this," that spooky Lane said - when did he even show up? What-- He took the little white bottle away and swapped in another bag instead, but his expression was more amused than angry. In fact he kept looking down at that Stage with the all-lady quartet with what appeared to be lovestruck eyes.

There were other lovestruck eyes, because the swapped-out baggie had another flitter egg in it...

Right around midway through this big bash, PiXL spotted some new dragons down there on the dance floor. Wow - they were impressive! Much more impressive was that one of them looked right up to where PiXL and their new flitters. A creeling warble came from the dragon's throat, but it sounded for all the world to PiXL that she'd said, "I see you!" A moment later, "and you too!" PiXL looked to the side of the booth and noticed that same little helper-dragon was waiting, peering over the balcony edge with wide eyes and a beautiful sounding warble of its own.

"Wait, wait," PiXL said, "what?"

What what? I'm sticking with you and her! The dragonet ... thought into her mind? It certainly was a dapper looking one, too, super black with a white 'tuxedo' marking, and brilliantly checkerboarded wings, this little dragonet turned its long long face to PiXL and bespoke once more, we should go meet her!

"Her... wait, how do you know--" But the dragonet had already swept down in an oilslick of motion so PiXL had little choice but to follow. The pair of flits would be fine up here on the balcony table. By the time PiXL got down to the ballroom floor, the dragon in question had made her way to the curved staircase, and posed while waiting. She was amazingly marked, with marble grey and black on her body, but those wings! Those amazing void-dark wings, the star patterns in brilliant shining white seemed to blink and move.

"I am glad you like my wings," the dragon spoke out loud, was that common? PiXL wasn't even sure? "I am Bold Skies, pleased to meet you both finally."

Oh! Oh! I'm Eje, PiXL Eje Eje PiXL, Bold Skies, PiXL. The little twittering that the dragon did was musical and almost like the humming of a hard drive or a printer at work.

"But don't you have work to do?" PiXL asked the tinier tuxedo dragon.

Not any more I don't. My job now is to keep you both in my sights and out of trouble!

That would probably be far harder than the dragon realized...

Name: Ryofath (RIE oh fawth, )
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 10'3" s/l/ws
Build: markedly muscular
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: body calico marked* soft white with cloudy pale grey and graphite; wingsails soft white; crest and tail calico* graphite with high black and dark grey (hard to see at some angles); horns and claws high black; eyes faceted red *Calico markings only occur on female offspring and will inherit this way until too diluted to matter
Stats: Strength 5, Speed 4, Endurance 1, Agility 2, Health 4, Intelligence 5
Abilities: 6 telepathy; 5 telekinetics; 4 long life, local teleport; 3 assisted firebreath, shapeshift^; 2 shadow sense+spells, verbal speech; 1 void teleport ^though she can alter her coloration to a small degree, she cannot fully shift her limbs or form - however it will carry strongly
Parents: Calietosth and Dairruinth
Bond: Calietosth, Sponsorship
Meeting Notes: Even if the rest of the clutch hatched and were presented to the dragons and then the bipeds at the Ball, there was one who remained by her mother's side. Not shyly, not because she feared the larger dragons or the mass of people. The pale winged dragonet watched with wide eyes, took everything in, quietly and calmly. She held her head in a refined manner, occasionally peering into nooks they passed by, or sniffing at the new, strange smells that the venue offered.

Finally, however, Calietosth nuzzled her daughter - the one who looked most like her, really, with lighter wings and the added crest and horn nubs that her sire offered being the only significant visual differences. She wasn't chatty, like a few in the nest, clearly preferring a quiet approach, and telepathy. Calie clearly felt the little dragon listening in on her mind, she was very perceptive in that regard.

Have you found your One? Calietosth asked, when the night was nearly over. Most of her clutch mates had found friends, bonds, partners. Even the little checkerboarded 'knockoffs' were being carried by or following their chosen around.

I have not, she replied, but I might not find one here anyway. If I do need to, I'm sure there will be someone eventually.

She looked up to her mother, head sweetly tilted, and Calie just saw a mirror of herself, heart melting.

Then I will take you home, it will feel good to have more than just a fond memory of this event.

I don't know, I found this thing, she held up a dragon-sized 'goodie bag' which swayed with weight, I think there's a lot of stuff in it that will remind us!

Name: Chorap Dumani ( technically ' çorap ', chor OP doo MAN ee; Turkish for 'smoke' and their names reflect their appearances; 'stockings')
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 7'4" s/l/ws
Build: long, barrel chested
Physical Features: Pernese/Smoke, four legs and two wings, claws on feet only, long neck and tail, beak-like face, faceted eyes, smoke based webbing and crest/tail that may vanish entirely
Colors: body gradient with pale grey, lightest at tail and neck, with dark grey body and wing arms, markings in oil black with pale grey on face, legs/toes, tail tip, and wing finger tips*; wings light grey; crest (smoke) and tail graphite; eyes yellow *markings move a bit with particle and shadow power use
Stats: Strength 3, Speed 4, Endurance 5, Agility 2, Health 2, Intelligence 3
Abilities: 6 telepathy, particle manipulation, nexus teleport; 5 shadow walk/stealth; 4 local teleport; 3 verbal speech; 1 assisted firebreath, vapor control, density control^ ^at this level this dragon barely absorbs their wings but they can still use their particulate control to 'add' to them, creating solid wings and tail/crest effects temporarily
Parents: Dantinath and Dymati
Bond: Ajal, Voluntary Companionship
Meeting Notes: Why had he come here? Well, there was an invitation, but how had whoever was throwing this party even known that he existed, let alone found a way to send an invite? On arrival to this Checkerboard Ball, the very first thing Ajal noticed was how many dead there were. Not... not attending, but in the surrounding aether, the sea floor was just littered with dead people, not just the expected detritus of fish and carcasses having drifted down from above. It was pretty weird though - they were being kept a bit at bay, this place was inherently magical, even though it was a bustling city made from technological brilliance.

Oh. There was -

"You might consider putting a body on," the man suggested. He wasn't a man; he was definitely not human, not to Ajal's vision. With his self he saw what any physical eyes could never: Nach'lih kallah-vahh stood as a teal-turquoise clump of energy that had an outline pretending to be a biped...

"How are you seeing me? You're not dead," Ajal spoke without a mouth.

"I sent you an invitation, I could hardly neglect my duties to at least greet you on arrival," the entity spoke and Ajal could swear that even the formless energy had a smirk on it. "I have seen... much death. Even among my own kind, who believed themselves beyond mortality." He was sad, Ajal's instinct was to ... hug him, so it was pretty strange to suddenly have a body both physical and visible. As well, being in close proximity to the tall, slender man - known as Keenan Lane to most of his friends - accept that sudden embrace as though it was nothing out of the ordinary. And just like that, Ajal was at the party.

Not particularly sure he wanted to be seen too much, it was supposed to be fun and lively and... well, he wasn't exactly the 'lively' being. There were many here that would live quite long lives, he could tell. There were many connected directly to kallah-vahh that drew insane amounts of energy around themselves, immortals, non-mortals - several with the same look and feel to this one that had brought him here - people he would never have needed to 'collect'. But also so many, so very many souls here that would eventually end.

Most of them were friendly, enjoying the moment; some had other things on their minds, but very few of them nefarious. Ajal felt a strange nudge, it was Lane nodding toward a kiosk near the edge of the Ballroom. "I suppose you don't need to drink it, but there is some excellent coffee over here." Ajal did accept the mug offered by the pleasant attendant and it did indeed smell delicious! Lane did the same, but at least he got to enjoy drinking his...

It felt rather weird, to have all these people around him - alive, vibrant, all of them thrilled to the gills with the energy and sounds and food - and just ... be accepted? He didn't put his foot on the dance floor, that would be even weirder, but he watched, oh yes. The music thumped through his slender form just as a bunch of rabbit-kin thumped their big feet on the floor to the beat; there were things visible outside the big windows beside the Stage - what even were they? He'd been around for a very long time but it was hard to even describe the creatures or beings or whatever they were drifting through their own Void-like spaces.

The coffee remained warm somehow, all the time he held it. Oh clever it was in a mug that had the checkerboard logo on it, he would keep that mug as a souvenir. (And... it would remain - warm.) But he'd have to find a place to put it just now, because he could hardly just hold on to it forever. It was while he was rummaging around in his 'coat' (an affectation of clothing at best, was it part of him or a real thing? who knew?) he hastily stuck the mug into a 'pocket'. Something was looking at him.

Someone? Eyes bore into him, yellow - the only spot of true color. Against the starker white and black backdrop of this party, the dragon that fixed its eyes on him were friendly and curious enough. Their shape was obscured, and suddenly Ajal realized that was because parts of that shape were just simply moving around, smoke or vapor perhaps, but still part of the dragon. The darker tail and crest grew and shrank along with the darker inky markings on its legs.

I cannot seem to pin you down, you're fuzzy around the edges, but not fuzzy like I can control. Not that I want to control a person! That would be rude!

It was a mental voice, and it cut straight into Ajal's mind somehow. And it was fearless, it felt the mind of a soul collector and did not shy away?

If Ajal had a 'heart' inside a 'body', it would have sped up with glee. There was something about this dragonet, curious and open-minded, endearing.

"I... don't mind you looking," Ajal said quietly, telepathically. "Are you... are you wanting to come with me?" Ajal glanced around and realized that a great many dragons had been parading around the venue and they had all established connections to people. Was he now one of those people?

The dragon nodded. I am Chorap, I would like to see new things. I do sense your hesitation.

If the dragon could sense that, surely he knew more about what Ajal's duties really were.

Perhaps some of them will need a distraction, perhaps I can offer them something with you. The dragon pushed his beak-like nose into Ajal's hand gently, You are a good soul, yourself, I sense no harm in you. You care for the weak and tired, in their most final moments. They don't need to see more... The dragon's powers nudged a little, and a thin cloud of dust (or maybe the glitter left over from the prior Stage performance) rose around the pair of them. If there is life left in their body, they don't need to see the pain around them...

Ajal's hand delicately rubbed up against the dragon's forehead. "I like you, I think you're just right for the job."

Name: Deln ahlTahnhadaa (del-n awl TAWN hah daa; Knockoffs are 'ahlTanhadaa' meaning 'family of tiny colorless ones')
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 4' s/l/ws
Build: burly
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 2; body entirely covered in small checkerboards, with thin widely spaced mist-white stripes, mist-white paws and wing fingertips; wingsails mist-white; crest and tail tuft, claws and horns pale grey; pupiled eyes 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: Uto, Sponsorship; Asp nye'aynn, Multibond
Meeting Notes: (see also Asp)

"Sorry, sorry, I know I'm late!"

"On the contrary, you are just in time!" The dark and fluffy dragonet looked pleased as punch to meet up with the little incredibly-checkerboarded half-steed...kin...whatever. "Did you watch?"

"Their performance was amazing, I loved it, that's why I chose to find you. Because you're better at this than I am..."

"Oh I don't know about that," Asp made a knickering laugh. "But let's go find Uto, we're his problem now."

Both dragons had horns, but they were facing in different directions: the much smaller knockoff's came pointing back off their head, whereas Asp's would stand centered on his forehead. They both had manes and tail tufts, and it was obvious that Asp's were more 'grandiose' than the other's. But still they were a pair already. Where Asp lacked markings for the most part, Deln had them to spare.

"I don't understand," Uto muttered, when the pair of them came trotting back up to him at the big table that Love♥Letter commandeered after their song and dance routine. "I... thought you wanted to come back with me?"

"I do!" Asp enthusiastically said. "And now we have a new friend!"

That little new friend leaned against the black fur of Asp, contrasting wildly.

"I also don't understand how your names work," the dancer chuckled, while looking at the pamphlet provided. "At least they tell us how to say things, that's good..." He then glanced at the dragons, and squinted. "I mean I know this says your name translates to 'family without color' but if you move even a little bit," he said of Deln, "I see plenty of colors..."

"It's an opp-ic-tal illu-sum," Deln said, inexpertly, and was already busy with its snout in a bowl of greens. That 'horse' had fangs, like its dark friend, and that dark friend also dug his nose right into the salad bowl. Wound up with a carrot sticking out of its nostril. Uto suppressed a snort, and helped free the vegetable from his new friend's nose.

"I thought these were supposed to be dragons, not horses," Uto muttered, "but you know what, I'm supposed to be the weird one, so I guess that tracks..."

Name: Tyulgesu (tee YUUL GUESS oo; while full Pieces inherit their Pernese -TH ended names, the knockoffs are -GESU which may inherit if promoted for breeding)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 3'8" s/l/ws
Build: barrel bodied
Physical Features: Pernese, four legs, two wings, all with claws; head knobs and soft short neck ridge, tail spade, faceted eyes on some, pupils on others
Colors: White Pawn 1; body shiny high-contrast white; wingsails large checkerboard; crest and tail spade smaller checkerboard; claws light grey; faceted eyes dark blue
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence average 2 in each, with one 5 and one 1 your choice
Abilities: modest but varied, max 5 power level for teleportation, 2 otherwise for nexus senses and communication, telepathy, and unassisted firebreath
Parents: Donor Clutch Gertith and Surrith
Bond: ??
Meeting Notes: There were so many people, and dragons, and even some dragon-people. The small (not the smallest of the Ball!) group of knockoffs from Gertith's nest drifted around the dragon-side of the venue for a bit, before being rounded up and sent off to the biped side. A few remained over here, refusing that nudge by their parents, though it was apparently a bit hard.

There were a few dragons that had come with their riders who enjoyed the party together, small enough to remain over there. But there were dozens of them on the draconic side that were far too large, they'd squish all those people with ease. One of them was a lovely black dragoness, built strongly like others of her breed, and of use as a Search dragon for one of the most prestigious worlds in the Nexus. That had never gone to their heads, neither Shouraith's nor Toshi's: they knew their business and they did it well, but they also knew that it took more than a few dragons and riders to make a Nidus.

There wasn't a whole lot for either rider or her dragon to be doing here, tonight, beyond mingling and taking a look at the wonderful variety of dragons - and riders - present at the Ball. The dragon was amazed - so many of their kind were talented fighters, hunters, even mages! The black dragon Shouraith wasn't going to necessarily follow up on that 'speed date' thing, but there were a lot of handsome dragons here... Maybe they would come back. Maybe there would be another of these events.

She felt her rider chuckling on the other side of the venue, but it was definitely something that was on everyone's mind already. How had they even chosen all these fabulous pairs? It would be far too many to choose from. But then again, Shouraith was a search dragon, her nose knew. The attendees of this event - some dragons, mostly humanoids - had been searched by their own nearby methods. Even if over half the attendees weren't going to be bonding (too old, only there to work on diplomatic ties, just working the venue, whatever their excuses, some were not going to bond anyway you looked at them)... A decent chunk of them were. Every time the magical archways opened to allow passage through from the dragon nests into the bipedal venue, it wasn't just Shouraith's nose that got sniffing! Any of the search dragons could tell there were a great number over there! Completely appropriate to bonding!

The night continued, with shows and competitions, but it wasn't yet Midnight when Shouraith felt ... something strange. It was a tiny dragonet, one of the checkerboard-winged 'knockoffs', and it looked to be from the white pair, Gertith and Surrith's nest...ish, whatever they called the knockoff's gestation area.

I came from egg too, the dragonet asserted. They weren't wobbly, they had eaten (that was obvious by the still-lingering fresh blood from the chopped meat stall nearby) but they were still a little hesitant. Their mind was clear, a touch tired, a tiny bit worried. Sit with?

Of course you may sit with me, little one. Shouraith bespoke the dragonet. She put her wing over it, it warmly snugged up against her. The black dragoness felt curiousity from both her rider and this dragonet. The dragon, snow-white - almost snow like the Flurry white - with bold checks on its wings and neck ridge, seemed to be sniffing the dragon's hide.

What are you... doing? Shouraith peered down. Do I need to groom? It then occurred to her, where is your chosen? Don't you need to find them?

The smell on you says you've met them, but I haven't seen them yet!

Shouraith would have blinked with surprise, had she been her rider, who absolutely did exactly that (pausing before she stabbed herself with a kebab stick over her dinner plate). I... I what? Wait, are you telling me that your one is not here?

Not here. The dragonet sniffed again, leaning into it. But somewhere. You bring. I sleep.

Well that certainly happened, Toshi chuckled mentally, I guess we'll be bringing a dragon home to the Nidus and giving a tour.

Tyulgesu wants a tour... the dragonet added to that conversation sleepily. (Continued Below in Den Daal'udth)

Name: Wivith'Alkar (WIV ith AWL kar, naming convention thanks to dad's side of things since mother is basically Pernese the first name is -TH ended, if bred to another with a last name, modify it accordingly or use Alkar)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 4'1" s/l/ws
Build: muscular
Physical Features: Pernese mutt with highly cat-like qualities, including four legs and 2 wings all with sharp large claws, wing wrist has two claws; split-ended tail; head has external ears, and long back-pointing horns; offspring are split with either faceted or pupiled eyes
Colors: Body gel shiny pale grey; wingsails transparent shimmer mottled high black; claws and horns light grey; faceted eyes yellow
Stats: Strength 4, Speed 6, Endurance 1, Agility 4, Health 5, Intelligence 6
Abilities: 5 verbal speech, local teleport; 4 fire manipulation, speed burst; 3 nexus teleport, planeshift; 2 blood magic (empathy, sense life only) 1 telepathy
Parents: Kelirith and Baniar'Alkar
Bond: Otohori, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: That one time he had been on an Esports team might have prepared him for the crowds at shows, but it wasn't really like that here. Not even like a smaller show, this Checkerboard Ball was very different than showing up on a stage and performing, and then maybe a small meet-and-greet. Oto didn't shy away from things like big crowds, and didn't mind the loudness of an event. He might be known as the nerd, but that was because he didn't just dance and perform - he liked the technical aspects just as much as the physical ones.

And frankly the technical aspects of this event were mind-blowing. Literally, baffling to him. He wandered through the Casino and the smaller stages, as well as right up to that big Stage ... and its highly improbable framing windows that did not look out into the depths of the ocean and instead showed wild landscapes or space.

It was while he was gazing at one of those weird alien lands - a place that he looked up in the pamphlet for the event and it said it was 'Xen' - that he was joined by another presence that seemed to have as much interest in watching the floating islands as he did. A faint rustling of leathery wings alerted him to the dragonet's presence, and when Oto looked down he saw a very small, very slick looking grey and black dragon. His hide, if you could call something that shiny 'hide', caught the lights from inside the ballroom, but he was also cast in the weirdly violet-orange light coming from the big window. His wings were mottled in a kind of night-time static. Head held proudly, and with great interest in whatever those yellow eyes saw, Oto was taken by surprise when the dragon spoke.

"I like that place, I wonder if you could perform there?"

"... I... you know what, I would have to ask about that." Oto glanced back to the strange land, saw some flying creatures that absolutely dwarfed even the bigger dragons here. "It might need to be ... maybe, inside... somewhere protected."

"But inside, the sound wouldn't be as grand, would it," the dragon pointed out. Oto got the distinct impression that the dragon was right - it was one thing to have a bunch of speakers and sound-dampening in place to get a good sound out of a theater, but another entirely to be able to just crank up the tracks and dance with the echoes.

"Oooh, dancing with the echoes," the dragon stood and stretched like a cat, "that might make a terrific song."

At some point, between that stretch and the impromptu routine that Love♥Letter performed with the other idol-styled bands, Oto learned the name of this little dragon, Wivith'Alkar, and would have to get used to the dragon's mental energy being inside his mind. It wasn't unlike having a team-chat going, really, and the extra senses could be felt as if it was a second camera view on screen. He liked it!

Oto would bring up the possibility of performing on those other worlds, once they met up with his cousin and they could talk shop...

Name: Neuth (NEW'th; Pernese -TH ended traditional naming)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 5'10" s/l/ws
Build: burly
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 sparkly mist white with high black festive markings on upper limbs and tail; wings transparent sparkle-marked quartz with festive silver metallic spots on wrist-area; crest and tail spade gemtoned black; claws and horns black; faceted eyes light green
Stats: Strength 3, Speed 1, Endurance 6, Agility 3, Health 4, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 5 time teleport; 4 local teleport, emotion control; 3 unassisted firebreath, verbal speech, telepathy; 2 nexus teleport; 1 telekinetics, flitter control
Parents: Laeurath and Juth
Bond: Ikko, Impression, Multibond with Zadante (see above for stats)
Meeting Notes: This event was proving to be quite the profitable one. So many contacts, including that white-haired man whose dragon was apparently the sire of the 'first' clutch of dragons here. He made sure that their producer exchanged contact information with hin, they might have access to dozens of new performance venues after tonight!

The pair of 'adults' chatted and drank and laughed and compared business cards. But the action was all down on the floor. It was around the middle of '3 Hours to Midnight' that quite a few of the dragon clutches were milling about. Ikko looked around, his companions had all sort of scattered, and he wondered whether any of them heard that strange sound.

The blond youth kept squinting at clumps of people, also taking a long look at the Stage performance - how bizarre, that it was a group of people, clearly all performing together, but they were called 'The Solos'... He shrugged that off. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he kept hearing things. Whispers? No, it was more conversational than just some behind-their-backs chatter. He'd heard a lot of that in his time with the team. No it was more like... a chant? Sort of?

Ikko was quite sure he just heard the words 'find us'. He looked around once more, handsome features slightly hidden behind the elegant headgear he wore. No one human-like was looking his way. No human voice had said it. That would only mean one thing.

He brought his gaze lower, like when he had to do trick slides around the stage and not knock anyone else over. Footing just right, speed geared up, Ikko dodged the dancers and twirled around the sidelines of the ballroom floor, and listened carefully. He heard 'colder!' and then 'warmer!' in short order as he changed direction. He heard 'hot!' and noticed that he was near the base of one of the black-carpeted staircases leading up to the overhead balconies. So, whatever it was playing this game with him was up there? He trotted up the stairs, not even close to out of breath.

Before he really understood what he was looking at, he saw the backs of two dragonets at the top of the staircase. Thankfully it was very wide and they didn't interrupt anyone else trying to get to the stairs, but they definitely were plotting something together. A huddle? He joined it quickly, without even a pause.

"What's the plan?" Ikko asked, and the dark dragon to his left twittered something incomprehensible, while the white one on his right gave off an equally excited yip.

"You found us!" That white dragon said, surprising Ikko; dragons fresh out of their shell could speak?

Some of us speak different, the dark dragon replied to that... thought?!

"Don't be rude Zadante, ask before reading minds!"

I can't help it, he's our one! I hear him loud and clear!

The dragonet was quite excited, that's for sure. Ikko finally stood up, grinning ear to ear. The dark dragonet had those checkerboard patterned wings, and the other... wow. Patterns, sure, but gorgeous silver and grey, black on white bubbly...

He likes you better, I just knew it. The black dragonet pretended to sulk. But by now, Ikko's mind had felt the subtle tug of that dragon's own emotion and he knew that the little one was just being dramatic.

"I like you both, you're a perfect team!"

"We are all a team now," the white one said. "I am Neuth, you've already met Zadante. We knew you could keep up with us."

Name: Tavvith (TAW vith, traditional -TH ending for pure Pernese)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 10' s/l/ws (this is a queen/gold ranked dragon, though 'rook' among the Ball clutches)
Build: sturdy, elegant
Physical Features: Pernese, hide skin with possible iridescence resembling scaling, four legs and two wings with large claws on all, boxy head with knobs and a low neck ridge, fleshy ridge on rump and high tail, split ended tail, faceted eyes; Maranth was a twin, and though there are no twin eggs found in this clutch specifically, this feature may strongly pass in her offspring
Colors: body high black with soft silver underbelly from chin to mid-tail; wingsails dark grey at body and arms grades to light grey at edges; back ridge soft silver; claws light, red eyes
Stats: Strength 5, Speed 2, Endurance 3, Agility 2, Health 4, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 6 nexus teleport; 5 unassisted firebreath (fertile flaming), time portal; 3 local teleport, telepathy; 2 telekinetics
Parents: Maranth and Minath
Bond: (unknown until found) Impression
Meeting Notes: Akazia and Beena watched the clutch proceedings with interest. Both had an investment in such things, to a degree, both very smart women and equally pretty. They'd cornered the scientists and even got in on the process for each other - why not? They matched personalities as well as appearances quite well thank you very much. The eggs matured on these odd sands, Beena explaining that they were definitely not on Pern, not Alskyr, and not technically even on Earth for the time being. Yet both dragons and women knew just exactly when the cavern hidden away in the Healing Den merged with Rapture down on that sea-floor facility. The Labs encroachment was more behind the scenes, but made for an interesting mix of large and small eggs on each of the attending dragon pairs' nests.

The Ball started, the women went off to mingle with the party goers on their side, and a vast array of dragons, both bonded and unpaired, moved around the large flight dome and environments crafted for their part of the event. Each of the clutches had their own duration to mature, some came sooner than others. But all of them, including Minath and Maranth's, seemed to hatch right about the same 'time'.

Akazia felt it a little strange, because these dragons were both nominally Pernese: but they didn't ask for candidates specifically for their nest, they knew that the hatchlings would be attended by dragons first, bipeds later, and that their impression was somehow ... able to be delayed. There would be no languishing to death on these comfortable sands.

So it was that the pair of women who rode the black dragons came back to the nest around two hours until midnight at this seemingly endless party. The eggs had hatched, mostly before they arrived, but some were still bulging and breaking as they watched. Their hearts filled, such a delightfully shiny and sleek batch of black dragon babies. And the little 'knockoffs' were adorable too! Easily told from their bigger counterparts not just by size.

"Are these pieces or knockoffs?" Akazia asked with a smirk, glancing at Beena's still-flat belly and then her own, significantly. They laughed.

The procession of dragonets from this nest was something to see, as they were strong and had good posture. They exited to the draconic area - where the women could only view through the now-empty nest den's arched opening. Something prevented them from actively entering the dragon's venue, and that was fine. The same thing prevented any undue aggression from attending dragons, on the biped's side. But the ladies could leave to that locale just fine.

Since both Akazia and Beena were 'raised Pernese' approximately, they scampered to the ballroom when the dragons had finished sniffing their own kind over. There they watched as numerous individuals were spotted, rushed to, befriended. And a strange moment or two when several of the Knockoffs reentered the draconic venue not to return. They hadn't realized it would be possible now, for these dragons to pair up with one another...

Or not at all? No, Akazia felt, through her dragon, one in particular was having trouble finding her one, and she wanted her one. But like her dam, this dragonet didn't make a huge fuss, didn't wail or bellow or croon. She merely came to her parents, and bespoke.

They are not here and now, I will find them when and where they are.

She nuzzled her mother, then her sire, and vanished between; and even though there was a moment of absolute panic on Akazia's part, shortly she calmed... Because Maranth had informed her that the dragon did find... or maybe would find, her One. Perhaps they'd learn who it was later on. Records keepers wanted that sort of thing, didn't they?

Name: Asp nye'aynn (ASP nie AYN, Since they are supermutt with Legend Drak bloodlines they have a given name, a clutch moniker (in this case nye standing for New Year's Eve/nt for several different pairs), an ' elide, and a parent-determined last portion (in this case females get nnay, males get aynn). If they breed with further Drak like lines, or those which have naming conventions of some sort, this should carry logically, though the complexity of the Legend Drak naming has been simplified a bit for this clutch)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 8'9" s/l/ws
Build: mobile, slinky
Physical Features: Drak-like supermutt, four legs with heavy claws, fluff on back legs; four wings two main and two butt-wings, with claws on the fore and Shatternak-styled wing barbs on hind; head has two horns, ear floof, a silky mane, multicolored sclera with pupil; tail has floof and a sharp (poison?) spine; they are furry but they are also egg-layers
Colors: body matte high black; wingsails shiny sparkling soft white; buttwings cloudy pale grey and silver; mane and tail mist at roots, graphite at the tips; forehorn and strut parts soft white; second horn, stinger, strut parts silver; ear floof soft white, claws high white, eyes rainbow-purple
Stats: Strength 4, Speed 4, Endurance 3, Agility 6, Health 1, Intelligence 2
Abilities: 6 nexus teleport, local teleport; 5 verbal speech, telepathy; 4 portal production (long range/on-site), sting potency (choose effects, strong); 3 acid spit (average strength attack only); 2 genetic manipulation (not functional but will pass easily); 1 color shift (not functional but may pass or modify other shift genes)
Parents: Merajanay and Bales apa Larsis'Iann
Bond: Uto, Voluntary Companionship; Deln ahlTahnhadaa, Multibond
Meeting Notes: (see also Deln)

"Is it cheating if it's supposed to be karaoke?" Uto asked, "I mean, we've got stage experience."

The smaller casino stage where he and Oto lurked was still busy with a loudly off-key rendition of some popular tune. Oto shrugged, "I think it's fine, this one's super drunk, but the girl before him was obviously a pro too."

So they did sign up for a performance, slated just in a few minutes. They didn't have much time to prepare but that hardly mattered, they knew the lyrics of this rap and had occasionally wanted to perform it 'live' anyway. The boys weren't so young that they got kicked out of the bar area, and weren't so old that they didn't appreciate 'today's music' trends. Their audience seemed a little older, a little less rap-inclined, but still they recognized talent when they heard it, and the pair got a rousing cheer when they finished.

That cheer was accented by a knickering, almost whinny, from a sleek, black and white dragon. Oto's eyes got wide, and he scooted away - wasn't for him, nope! He felt it a bit intrusive to stick around just now. Uto on the other hand stood with his perfectly-mascara'd eyes wide open.

"You like me! I liked you! I will come with you if you want, if it's okay," the dragon spoke, pretty clearly for a young hatchling. "Can I watch you sing some more?"

"I mean, of course you can?" Uto breathed. The dragon's mind touched his with a name: Asp nye'aynn. "Asp, well you certainly have a stinger there, don't you?" Uto looked at the dragon's tail, which as an adult would probably be fully covered in that fluffy tuft of longer fur, but for now, had a visibly sharp stinger.

"I will remember to be careful with that," Asp said confidently. "Can we watch the stunt team? Can we do stunts?"

"Maybe we will later," Uto chuckled, "for now yeah, let's watch those trapeeze artists."

(Continued later on in Deln)

Name: Bardrasa (bar DRAH sah, though the Pieces have a last name for this clutch (Moonshield), the Knockoffs receive -RASA as their name component)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 3'11" s/l/ws
Build: high bodied, sleek
Physical Features: Drakkari / Dragonstake mutt, high bodied and long legs, four legs and two wings, with claws on legs only; conical face with small horn on nose, and fanned head fins, otherwise smooth until the tip of very long narrow tail in a small spade; hide that is very shiny, pupiled eyes
Colors: Grey Pawn 1, ultra-shiny mist white body; wingsails medium checkerboard; webbing and tail spade large checkers; horn and claws black; eyes aqua
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence average 3 in most, with 1 in one and 4 in another
Abilities: 5 telepathy; 4 local teleport, empathy; 3 and 2 average in most including Firebreath, nexus teleport, ^verbal speech; 1 moon magic + (not functional) ^This dragon is very adept with verbal speech and can be considered 6 in it
Parents: Donor Clutch Rakki and Sasazik
Bond: Eiko, Voluntary Bond
Meeting Notes: (see also Plysheva)

There had been so many offers of adoration and love, so many flowers, so much screaming in stadiums and clubs... the lights and the music and all the cheering were part and parcel for any event. Thankfully there were fewer screams and swooning at the Ball. Love♥Letter weren't there to perform, but they sure did so. There were dancers that seemed able to adapt to the strange new music that came mostly from the alien team, and those rabbit kids stomped their way around the edge of the ball floor to clear a space.

Eiko was just super thrilled. He used his cape to accent their movements around the other teams, and was pretty impressed with how well the varied groups meshed together. It wasn't a 'rap battle' so much as a 'dance off with music', and that was something they did all the time back in their headquarters studio!

The party was gearing up toward Midnight now, and they had champagne and sweets and party poppers ready. What Eiko was not ready for was the gentle but constant hunger that drove him over to the bar again. He selected the smaller fingerfoods each time, he didn't want to look like a glutton - and he didn't want to add to his already full stomach. Why was he so hungry?

It is no mistake, I'm the one who's hungry though, you don't have to keep eating, I won't get full that way.

"Who said that?" Eiko glanced around, suddenly, with little composure. Something had just been gnawing at him, and now he was hearing things? Was it the drinks?

Not the drinks, another voice? A slightly different one, more distant. Eiko felt like he was overhearing a conversation through a wall, when that same voice asserted, I will now find mine, I am glad I waited.

And Eiko felt strangely happy, with that idea. No - no something else felt that, he was just a bystander.

You are not a bystander, but I am still hungry.

It was when he spotted a shiny moonlit-glass face peeking up over the heads of the nearby people, that suddenly Eiko knew what was happening. Something in his mind, his gut, his heart, burst open. He could hardly even see the people around now, they were a blur of black and white and silver and feathers. All he could really see, that mattered in the slightest, was this sleek, slender dragon. It had had to stand on its hind legs, to see over the heads of people, and that was ... on the back of another burlier dragon's back; and the moment that dragon noticed Eiko heading that direction, it slipped away.

The crowd parted when they noticed the young man heading right for the now-solo dragonet. With those big checkerboard wings held high, and elegant long tail curled around its paws, Eiko paused for just a moment to take that image in.

You only get one chance for a first impression, after all, the dragonet bespoke, and now Eiko truly did understand: the voices were dragons, but why had he overheard their conversation? Wasn't that private?

Only as private as it should be, the shiny little thing replied to that thought. I needed some help, and they waited for me. I will eat, ... you know, once you help me find the food?

That was easy, several others with their new little black and white friends were collected around tables, with servers helping to give out easily-eaten meat chunks and whatever else the little guys needed. When it had its fill, the dragon studiously cleaned itself, very catlike, and finally looked back up at Eiko.

"I am Bardrasa," it said, "and you are my One." There was a very strange pause, and because they already had a strong connection to the young performer, Eiko knew there was more to it.

(continued below)

Name: Plysheva (ply she VAH, a mixture of the parents names, as apparently is now tradition for the dad's line; if bred into more complicated naming, readopt mother's ' or any other changes, while the Knockoffs still have the name it serves as a suffix rather than a full name)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 6'10" head biped/l/ws
Build: strong, burly
Physical Features: Azon/Halloween Mutt, bipedal though often can run on all fours, with four legs and two main wings, with large claws on all; small hip-wings (nonfunctional), split-ended tail with spikes and poison stingers; angular head with external ears, sharp back swept horns, webbed head and neck spines; pupiled eyes
Colors: White Pawn 2; body sparkly bright high-contrast white, with face and most of tail masked with small checkerboard; wingsails and crest webbing small checkerboard; ridge spines graphite; horns and claws high white, eyes pupiled green
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence all average 3 with one being 2 and one more 4 your choices
Abilities: while the knockoffs are less skilled than their full size Piece siblings, the White Pawns can still use Spirit powers and Verbal Speech with ease (level 6) they cannot pass the Infernal powers of their Black Pawn siblings if they are promoted to breeding level; with 4 for Telepathy, local and nexus teleportation; and 2 for magic breath and poison stingers
Parents: Donor Clutch Sheng Stac'ver and Vassago Thain
Bond: Akio, Voluntary Companionship
Meeting Notes: (see also Bardrasa)

It was such a lovely night, so many faces, so much fun! And sure, sure, they should probably have put effort into getting on the Stage rather than just interrupting that group of furs while they were over there. But... It was a challenge, and they had to meet it! That strange kid with the green glowing microphone bumped right into him! And then the two girls - a human and a Na'vi - showed up with their own posses and things just got absolutely rolling! They were all so talented, and he thought that the addition of such unique sounding 'tribal' instruments brought a lot to the jam.

Akio half wondered if anyone had recorded it. Their target audience wasn't exactly here at the time, after all, it being more or less a 'keep your kids at home' party. But then they'd probably have to think about legalities and deals with those other groups and...

As everyone was moving around back to their own fun activities, another group of dragons had entered the ballroom. Something nagged at him, they were intriguing. But for the time being, nothing more came of it. Not until about half an hour later that is.

**

It was so close to the Midnight bell when that feeling came flooding back - a sense of confidence, satisfaction, pride, the 'job well done' of something or other. He didn't know what though.

"I was helping my friend," a voice said, high-ish but it didn't sound like anyone he knew. Akio glanced around and ... spotted the brightly checkerboarded face of a dragonet. It was standing on its hind legs? It wasn't tall yet, but it definitely would be. And strong, it used its checkerboard-socked tail for balance, a tail which might pack a whallop if used to smack things around.

I wouldn't do that, not unless I needed to keep you safe from harm, my new friend.

"So... it was you, earlier?" Akio tapped his temple, and the dragonet nodded while slipping down to all four paws for comfort.

It was. I am Plysheva. We need to talk, over there, the dragon's mind entered Akio's as if to confirm how serious it was. Not a bad-serious, but ... definitely something more important than raising a champagne glass with a bunch of already-drunken revelers.

(continued below)

I know how much it hurts when you look at him, Bardrasa thought to Eiko. They spotted Akio who was chatting with that dragon that had helped Bardrasa get a head over the crowd earlier. The 'Orange' Love♥Letter performer blushed, turned away when it looked like he was going to catch that gaze.

You feel so much for him, Plysheva bespoke to Akio. The 'Red' leader of their group instinctively glanced around and saw only Eiko in that mass of black-and-white garbed party goers.

"Why do you not tell him?" The dragons both asked, and both young men hid their expressions.

"Because our fans --"
"There would be trouble in the band --"

Both men were interrupted, when their respective dragonets bodily pushed into them. One step at a time, stumbling around people, weaving toward a spot that had somehow been cleared with a gentle light illuminating it for them and only them.

The dragons sang.

“They said that it would break their hearts," Bardrasa crooned.

"A stadium filled with love," Plysheva countered.

"With roses thrown," Bardrasa wove around Eiko's legs and stepped closer to the other pair once more.

"A stage piled with promises," Plysheva held its wings up to block Akio from moving away.

"But though there's a thousand hearts about to break," Bardrasa used that sleek, long head to butt into Eiko's shoulder somehow, he came face to face--

"The only one that fills my heart," Plysheva stood and held Akio's shoulders firm --as Ekio bumped right into his chest.

"Is you,” both dragons warbled with a beauty that was almost surreal. So much magic, practically everyone could see it. And for the first time perhaps ever, so could the two young men.

Name: Borlo'nye (BORE low 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; note also that ^markings indicate strength of magic or inherent abilities, following father's line, not all in this clutch are strong enough in those powers to show)
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 17'11" s/l/ws
Build: sleek, wiry
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), armor, will breed similarly to other types accordingly
Colors: Body high black with high white socks on legs only; wingsails marbled high white with high black marks; horns, claws, neck spikes, and tail spikes mist white speckled with metallic silver; eyes violet
Stats: Strength 3, Speed 6, Endurance 1, Agility 3, Health 2, Intelligence 4
Abilities: 6 telepathy; 5 nexus teleport, ice breath, prediction (local); 4 ice manipulation, verbal speech, speed tricks, void portal (self+others)^ 3 divination (concentrated current), local teleport, summoning^ ; 2 body language, void magic, prophecy (uncontrolled, future) ^not enough to be called 'Myrsilk' this dragon takes more after their Icewing parent but only barely
Parents: Smirch and Nekeel Void Shaman
Bond: ... The Drift?! Sponsorship (maybe more?)
Meeting Notes: She had been named by her parents, Borlo'nye, it carried little weight for this newly hatched dragon. Except it did have weight - 'nye, 'nye... In the separate space and distinctly not time of the venue's hatching sands, this nest of long, slender, dramatic dragons had a little time to grow from weak and helpless, into toddling dragonets. No one batted an eye at this, not even the dragons. Not even their strong Void Shaman ranked sire. It was magic, it was beyond magic actually.

The strange triumvirate of the Den, the Stage, and the Labs had invited its own new companion to take a look at the goings-on. Or maybe it was birthed here, it wasn't unlike these hatchlings that spent time-not-time growing outside of the passage of any form of time. It existed for decades, but it would only be named recently.

The Drift, then, came into full being at almost the same instant that this young starkly black and white dragonet realized she needed a home. It was a vision, it happened nearby didn't it? Well, close to these weirdly muddled venues anyway, they were outside of time and space, everything was 'near'.

In that vision, Borlo felt the chill air, and it was refreshing - like her mother's breed enjoyed the snow and ice, and like her sire knew the Void was... dark and chill beyond words. She didn't really have words yet, not so much anyway, even though some in her nest were already chatterboxes. She knew what words meant, and what they could mean, just wasn't interested in blabbering them at her clutch mates. Her heart had been free there, her vision clear even when there would be deepest fog and cutting blizzard winds. She could soar on those winds as easily as her mother might, she could breathe the frozen air, take in the depths of the night surrounding it. Borlo'nye's real eyes blinked, clearing the vision from them to discern reality from prophecy. She stood with purpose, avoiding the chattering and romping of her siblings, for the moment.

Her sire Nekeel'akel stood patiently as Borlo approached. "I have seen something, and I want to know if it's all right for me to be there."

Curious, the Myrsilk shaman looked at his daughter, and realized something important. While she was in many compelling ways much like her mother - with that chill following her everywhere, and her penchant for flash-freezing her clutchmates' feet to the floor when they were playing chase games... She was also colored in a way that screamed Myrsilk, without the added markings that some of the clutch had. But she had those stockings like he did; only against her incredibly black body, they were piercingly snow white. Her wings, equally snow-white with liberal marbling of void-black. She belonged to both worlds, the Icewing's and the Myrsilk's.

But she belonged to another, now. Even before the Ball truly started, before the guests arrived and the events began rolling... Borlo'nye knew where she would be. With confidence then, Nekeel nuzzled his daughter and encouraged her to seek this place out. She wasn't quite ready to do it alone, however. Nekeel glanced up to see one of the hosts or at least one of the assistants that had helped assemble all of this. And yes 'up' because even at his massive size, Iaa'bis could look him straight in the eye.

"She would be easy to care for in the right setting," Iaa'bis, the dramatically black and white lemur dragon, said. "I can help move her, or at least help make her comfortable for the journey with food packed for it, if you like."

Smirch, the dragonet's mother, had noticed this interaction, and excused herself from watching the antics of those clutch siblings. "Already?" She didn't seem particularly surprised, truth be told. "Well, my dearest child, that's probably a record... None of your siblings have seen such things yet."

"They will," Borlo asserted.

She, like her siblings, seemed to be 'old enough to start wandering', but was still... so young? When the Ball finally began, Iaa'bis had collected the items that would aid this dragon in her future: meat that was going to remain fresh probably indefinitely thanks to the chill it would be stored in; a strange compass - it was more like a pocket watch, but seemed to serve to point to places in time? and a thick woven blanket, one which had been created using dragon fur (some from Iaa'bis herself) in black and white, a memento from the Ball itself... That she never even attended.

Because Borlo'nye thanked her parents for understanding, nuzzled each and every one of her siblings - even the weirder checkerboard ones - and headed off in a puff of snowflakes, to wait for the Drift to have its own event.

Name: Vesistash (VEZZ ee stash, though Piece siblings inherit the Turun last name, Knockoffs are known as -STASH and this will breed true if they are promoted)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 4'2" s/l/ws
Build: springy, lanky
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: White Pawn 2; body very shiny mist-white; floof sparkly graphite black; wing membranes small checkerboard; wing leading feathers bright sparkly white, with subsequently darker layers of silver-grey, wing primaries sparkly graphite; horns and claws black, pawpads dark; orb improbably checkerboard with an equally busy aura; pupiled eyes dark blue
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence 3 average, with one stat at 1 and another at 5, your choice
Abilities: 5 telepathy, verbal speech, magic sense; 4 planeshift^ 3 paradise creation; otherwise they use only very modest versions of light breath and divination ^this dragon is gifted with a specifically strong form of planeshift allowing it to move between dimensions as long as they're 'related' (such as 'Earth' and 'Twoarth' and 'Aperturth' or whatever else)
Parents: Donor Clutch Sta Turun and Shiyo
Bond: 'Ink', Voluntary Tattoo Bond (temp until fully inked)
Meeting Notes: How had he managed to get an invite to a party this swank, Ink did not know. And, didn't really care. He knew how to move around people at conventions, how to not accidentally bump into someone in a crowd. After all, the tattoo convention scene featured a lot of people inking on the fly - and one bump would be disasterous for that art!

He arrived behind a few other people who came from 'modern' worlds, it looked like, some of them definitely not human, others looking a touch out of place like himself. But at some point practically before he set foot in the big main hall, there was something that caught his attention.

The corner of his eye, almost like... well, almost like a migraine halo, sparkled and glittered. But this was no headache, this was definitely not a bad thing. A nook along one of the big dark halls that led to places deeper into the venue, arched like the whole theme of the place, with a few shelves holding items, and a nice if simple chrome and white leather seat. He was drawn toward it, for whatever reason. Ink noticed that one of the shelves was higher than his shoulder, another practically near his knees. So... maybe this was a spot where those odd non-human folk could be represented equally. Cool.

He'd inked a lot of different people in his time. Convicts, housewives. Black, white, latina, asian, didn't matter to him. Friendship tats, memorial ink, tramp stamps, full body work. And like most of his peers he was heavily inked, himself... So where, he considered, would he put one of these temporary tattoos he'd found?

There was a packet of them, he spotted his business card's font on the envelope and wondered how? And a bottle with the same thing tied around its neck under the squeeze-toppered lid, looked a lot like one of the ink bottles back at the shop. But this one had a simple logo with a water-drop on it. So, it was definitely for the stack of temporary tattoo papers...

Ink found a spot on his arm that he'd been meaning to fill, it wasn't a big spot but it would do. The image on these things showed a thematic 'Chess Pawn', in a hatch of greyscale with an added small dot over the top. It wasn't fancy-fancy, but it definitely was stylized and not just some clip-art. And it wasn't that he wasn't just curious about it, he knew it was 'right' to apply this thing here and now. There was always a moment when a client's face lit up on seeing the placement of their new work, and... he got that just then. It was just the right place, just the right design.

Now, off to the party!

**

His biker gear wasn't the weirdest appearance in this party. The tasseled leather of the vest seemed to entertain one of the Casino servers quite a lot, and he got to show off his guns (his muscles! not his guns, because they were safely at home under lock and key) and his own inked skin to those who boldly came up to see. He also wasn't the only 'mature adult with the Look', and though the one super-model-looking hipster dude was very much a rich man with refined tastes, he also had the most amazing mustache and tribal tats that said he either visited Samoa or... no it turned out he was some intergalactic guy and that was his homeworld's clan ink... Wow. They talked shop, traded cards (how would Ink manage to visit a place that was clearly not his Earth?), sloshed thick beer in a toast and whistled at the stage acts.

But the Casino wasn't the only thing Ink did for the next few hours. The party had plenty of fun things to do and see, and taste - oh man there were kebobs with meat he'd never heard of doused with a hot sauce that made his mouth fiery. And there was a tour of the exterior of this amazing venue, he'd never been that deep under water and would probably never have the opportunity again, and if there was one thing any given inker would know is 'do it when you have the chance'. Life is fleeting. Go for it.

And that Stage - with the capital S - that provided them with some seriously amazing acts? Flying acrobats and flying dragonets, and ... and a space ship that showed off literal space where that one group performed? In space?

If he didn't grab a goodie bag and make sure he had something to remember this event by, and prove that he was there at all, no one would possibly believe him. He'd have stories for decades. He had inspiration aplenty too - the art of the venue, the people (some of them artists like himself even doing henna work in their own slightly-displaced nook), their outfits, all the music and food and...

Finally it drew toward Midnight, and for some strange reason Ink felt that spot on his arm tingling again, it was tingling with the same intensity that the nook he'd found the tattoos at did. Magically. Sparkly. And before he knew it, as his other hand was occupied with another stein of beer (he'd declined the delicate champagne glass) his left arm grew brighter and brighter... Until ...

There was a dragon standing there, well, dangling from his arm with its forepaws. Its horsey-looking face nestled over his arm, and a long, long tail found its way around his bicep somehow. This thing was shiny as heck, with black floof like one of his own leather jackets with fur accents. And feathers? It had those too, on the backs of the wings, and under those wings were brilliant checkerboard patterned webs.

"Wow," Ink said, for once tonight a touch subdued.

"What is that?" The dragonet asked, clearly looking at his beer stein.

"It's nasty, you won't want this, maybe when you're older," Ink stated. "What's your name?"

"You already know it," the dragon gave a strangely horse-like snicker.

"... Vesistash," Ink said, and that little dragon gave a broad grin. "Huh, well you're definitely this tattoo, aren't you?"

"And you're definitely my choice for where my Paradise will be!"

It wouldn't be so hard to figure out how to visit Shaw, or how to prove he'd been invited to this party after all...

Name: Faxrineth (FACKS rin eth, traditional -TH ending for Pernese)
Gender: Male (+preference as desired)
Size: 11' s/l/ws
Build: barrel chested, burly
Physical Features: 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
Colors: body flat soft black; wings very shiny reflective graphite; spikes shiny graphite; webbing noise-patterened light and dark grey; horns and claws black; eyes faceted orange
Stats: Strength 1, Speed 5, Endurance 4, Agility 3, Health 5, Intelligence 6
Abilities: 6 telepathy, local teleport; 5 verbal speech; 4 foresight, empathy; 3 time portal; 2 nexus teleport, unassisted firebreath
Parents: Thaljath and Olelikoth
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."

Name: Emitter Zwitterion (as the word, named for emissions and the constant stream of data from one; 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: 8'3"s /l/ws ^ biped around the same height but at head not shoulder, long neck
Build: sleek 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; Bonding is not required; sponsorships are likely, multibonding/pack is preferred, and non-human partners are likely
Colors: Body super shiny reflective chrome, with marking from face under neck, belly, and tail in high black; mane grey; wingsails high shiny white; fins black; armor high black; claws high black; faceted eyes crimson
Stats: Strength 5, Speed 3, Endurance 5, Agility 6, Health 3, Intelligence 5
Abilities: 6 Mental Stun, Computer Control, Electric Control; 5 Shapehift^, Acid Breath, Local Teleport; 4 Telepathy, Electric Teleport, Sonic Emulation (has other powers at modest to poor ability; cannot pass size shifting to offspring, only shapeshift)
Parents: Evocation Zone and Errick
Bond: Anomaly, Voluntary Companionship
Meeting Notes: As part of the Carramba High contingent, Anomaly was both super stoked to be at the Ball, and also a little worried. What would happen when a dragon realized he wasn't really 'real'? What if his nanobots ran out of energy? As he and the others got ready he chose his display font - erm, his Residual Self Image - his avatar's appearance to be as snappy and dapper as he could figure. He had no idea that it would match the place so very well!

After the initial shock of even being chosen for such a thing, Anomaly listened carefully to the instructions they were given just before leaving Carramba's dimension. He knew from having moved between realms himself that it was dangerous sometimes - but he was quite good at it, and even gave him the opportunity to show off in his Surf class. He was no expert, he still needed some amount of research and information before changing dimensions. But Anomaly at least did know how, and took notes when the Lanes moved them from Carramba to this other place, the Rookery they called it?

If he had real ears they might have popped on arrival, the place was so far under the surface of the water. That might have made him a bit nervous, it clearly bothered some folks as they walked into the massive room where this party was being held. But to him, he just went with it. People raised their glasses to him happily, he made the motions of imbibing champagne but wasn't chastised - he wasn't even really drinking anything. Did he even know what food tasted like, really? It was all just code to him.

But wasn't that what chemical composition and molecules were, sensed by human or biological or even sensor noses? He actually struck up conversations with folks about things like that on a fairly regular basis, over at the Cafetorium during breaks, though there was only so much one might discuss during a half-hour lunch. But now it was a party, no time for that! See the sights! Take in the details!

He could swear that there were numerous copies of the same person - something he'd learned about in his Interdimensional Surf course too, was this feature, mind where you go, you might be there and you might meet yourself and... well. Things like that. But apparently this party threw the idea that you 'shouldn't' meet yourself right out those big scary windows that led to who knew where. Wait, wait, maybe that rule was for the 'time traveling' versions. Eh, he shrugged that off too.

Some rather famous local Carramba (well, Twoarth) singers got involved with a big hoohah near the Stage, and had he a human's heart it might have fluttered with adoration - it was a brilliant performance even if it wasn't planned. He sat at a booth on the lower balcony watching all that, and gave a sigh.

It was echoed beside him, a hissing but wistful breath. He didn't have to actually use eyes to look at this dragonet next to him, but he did so anyway and got an eye full.

But was it a dragon? Or a person?

"I can be both, can't I? A lot of us are, you know..." She tilted her head, long nosed and with tall fins coming off the sides, almost like a cobra but more elegant. He knew this was a dragon, and a local one, young, she was small and delicate but also there was something... about her. Something that almost made his nanites scatter but instead seemed to cloak around them. Her powers: looking him over properly. "You're both here and not here," she commented casually. "You're different things at once, like me." Her voice changed from speaking to ... well, telepathy? Was it? Or she was actually more communicating directly with his pod? Interfacing with the code there? She'd read his mind-code, unapologetically, confident with his company.

Her name, she inserted directly into his memories, was Emitter Zwitterion, and she was very interested in coming back to Carramba with him, and then that could lead... wherever they would go! It seemed she was very intrigued by his ability to self-manifest in another dimension.

"That's... amazing!" he breathed, quietly. Mainly because he suddenly realized his memory had been written to. Also because she'd changed from a biped to a dragonet, slightly bigger than the checkerboard-winged ones (they matched his ska-band styled shorts!) that scooted around the venue, her markings were the same in both forms though. And she still stood with her wing-arms on the balcony, long face propped between her wrist-hands.

By the end of the evening, Emitter and Anomaly had enjoyed a number of things together. From an exterior tour (scary, so much water, but they were safe, they really were...) to a strangely less awkward dance than either of them expected - she wasn't in her biped form, and he wasn't really standing on two legs, she shared her powers as they started to affect his energy level. What might shock or stun a physical being, served to reinvigorate his own power cells! They made a terrific team already!

***

Name: Den Daal'udth ahlHadaa (den DAWL oodth awl hah DAH; those who are biped shifters or who want to carry the name ahlHadaa may do so, meaning 'family lacking colors'; each given name has a meaning; this dragon's name means "occasionally pointy bits")
Gender: Female (+preference as desired)
Size: 8' s/l/ws ^ around 7' head bipedal otherwise the same overall configuration
Build: quite burly actually
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; bonding not required but enjoyed, sponsorships likely, multibond unlikely but possible, non-human bond preferred
Colors: Body light grey with widely spaced smooth dark grey stripes; wingsails dark graphite grey on both sides (some in the clutch have body-fur color on backs); mane and tail dark graphite grey; horns and claws high black; faceted eyes aqua blue
Stats: Strength 6, Speed 5, Endurance 3, Agility 1, Health 4, Intelligence 6
Abilities: 6 Shapeshift (to one form only, bipedal version otherwise the same), Local Teleport; 5 (apparently highly-invasive) Telepathy, Nexus Teleport and Dimension Sense; 4 Effective Immortality, Telekinetic Fire, Strong Telekinesis
Parents: Evugith and Fadhila
Bond: none /yet, sponsored by Toshi
Meeting Notes: (see also Tyulgesu above)

It had been a glorious emergence into the Ball that greeted the 'clutch' of Zekiranish dragons, and they among most of the young had the minds to appreciate the effort that went into it all. Of course they weren't all that self-sufficient immediately on hatching, they, like a few clutches, had some time to adjust before the event actually started. Whether that was a month, a year, or half a week, no one really knew. But the young that did march out into the main draconic cavern did so confidently.

Mostly.

Some took to the biped side, reaching out to individuals or even groupings to head back to wherever they called home, others, a fair few, merely wanted some companionship and a bite to eat before taking off with a dragon friend themselves. But some of the clutch were special, and needed to be educated just a touch more than others. How to balance on two feet instead of four, how to use thumbs, where to put those wings and tail if you had to maneuver through hallways, how not to spear your friend with your horns.

Den also learned things from her 'father' (who was, at that point, also 'mother' since she'd mastered many forms of shifting) such as the finer points of telekinesis, she could even feel through this power, didn't need thumbs to lift small items or even big ones!

Quietly, she strode through the draconic side of the venue. It had filled up immensely, it wasn't like this when they were training! Such flashy displays, powers and magic, natural abilities and raw strength in the spotlight. There, she spotted a dragon that, like many if not most, had a companion already over on the biped side, but had a touching encounter with a little Pernese hatchling. And that got her thinking. She did a lot of thinking, in fact, ever since hatching.

She was gifted with sight of unusual places, almost all of which would be easily reached from this weird party. But under her own power! Her mind kept going back to that little dragonet, the older dragon protecting them, and the bond over there, through the big archway. Rather than bothering the dragon and the little one, Den picked herself up and wove between realms - under the archway. Magic, technology, psionics, it was all the same thing, energy condensed into a transport. She would not have 'magic', but would definitely have strong abilities.

With confidence, she went around the ballroom's main floor. Looking here and there, and finally spotting the one that Shouraith was already paired to. They had a shared energy, connecting them even though they were also separate. She waited, noting that the little dragon was not part of this energy - either 'yet' or 'ever'. She overheard, casually prying into their deeply personal telepathic communication, how they'd have their hands full at this 'nidus' thing.

"I might be of service," Den asserted, adding mentally, I am sorry (she wasn't really), I overheard your dragon and the new hatchling, and I would like to help you!

Toshi looked at this new grey and black dragon, not quite confused, not very confounded, definitely starting to become amused at the whole thing. Before she spoke - before Toshi was about to ask what it was that a dragon, alone, and a little one at that, might do...

You will need meat prepared for the little one, Den said. At the table where Toshi still had some leftovers on that platter, suddenly the cutlery lifted into the air, not wobbly and not haphazardly. She lived up to her name, she'd done this trick before, even before the event was opened. She diced up whatever was still left into tiny pieces, with quick control, with adept speed - if one of the chefs had been around, they would have been quite impressed indeed. The knives lowered carefully, and Den looked very pleased with herself.

"Well you're filled with surprises, aren't you?" Toshi muttered, eyes wide.

"More suprises than you think!" The dragonet giggled, having just enough energy (she'd want to eat that finely diced food shortly!) to shift into what looked like a little child, with a horsey-head and dragon wings... She sat down somewhat abruptly at the booth bench next to Toshi. She'd had training in etiquette too - a fancy little dragonet, though she didn't have a pinkie to raise while holding her fork!

Vauldis, Bimina, Gillamu

Three disparate kids, all with the same urge to get the heck out of their situations at home. Thankfully they were picked up by Hollis (and thus all three of them got to ride his massive bronze Synesth to the Ball) so they won't be needing to worry about being paired off to unpleasant people for their holds or money... None of them want a physical or perhaps emotional attachment, if they pair up with a dragon they are likely to ask for someone else to stand in, should they rise or chase (if the Knockoffs they have are promoted, that is). The three of them became fast friends shortly before coming to the Ball, and will not want to be parted, so they will make a contingent together somewhere appropriate. Their skill sets are geared toward Pernese or Alskyran (or similar) locales, so they won't go unused if they are brought to a Weyr or Caer.

Used to large families and the stress that causes, they swore off ‘having kids just to pawn them off somewhere'. So if they do eventually wind up with a partner (or as a partner to each other perhaps), they will try to make a concerted effort of creating a loving environment. It is highly unlikely that their dragons will be Thread or Ant fighters, and thus they will have other duties to keep them busy at any given location.

Feel free to determine names of parents, siblings, etc, and a location they'd have been from or near together. If they wind up on either Alskyr or Pern, they will have ‘enough knowledge to go on' about their world.

***

"Do you think they'll adjust well, where they are headed?" It was Rue who asked it, of course she did, because she was the reporter at heart as always. Hollis gave a short nod, watching them.

"They're a team already even if they don't realize it." He paused, "what will be the deciding factor, of course," he cast his grey eyes around the large ballroom floor below, "is whether dragons are actually here for them."

Rue chuckled, sipped her wine, and gave her own knowing gaze over the venue. "Oh, they'll find something, or something will find them here. If I've learned anything from this event so far, it's that if they're brought, they'll find a partner."

--

"D'you want to dance?" Vauldis asked, just in general, but neither of the girls seemed all that interested, but truth be told neither was he. It did look like some fun, but whenever the music changed to something slow and close, it just seemed a touch too intimate. Looked like they thought that too, but thankfully there was a lot more to this event than just dancing.

Even though 'young' by any standards, the trio were allowed into the casino (but not the secret stage in the back, not that they would even care to watch that!). That might have been a mistake, given how the coins attracted Bimina. She was wide-eyed, almost sparkling at the way the coins fed into the machines, and pushed across the gambling tables. She didn't know the card games being played, but watched with tremendous interest.

"Did you see that? Tell me you saw that?" She nudged Gillamu, who rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"I did, but I wouldn't get used to it. They say that on the sign." Her ringlets bounced as she glanced back and forth. And between the time she took her eyes off Bimina and put them back, she had picked up three disparate coins and was now watching them shift back and forth from 'Pernese Marks' to 'whatever it was that had two metals and a circular design on them'. And even if Gillamu was the one who tended to swipe little shinies, Bimina had to be encouraged to put down those other people's coins and move on.

It was wild, though, but the group moved on and watched some of the smaller stage groups, fiddled with chilled drinks they'd never heard of with fizzy bubbles and strong flavors.

Over the course of the evening, as they almost wept in awe at the stunt dragons or the beautiful songs on the main Stage, or dug in to delicious platters of food. And they watched so many dragons come out from the archway at the end of the ballroom... So many. Each of them had individually felt something odd now and again. A fleeting sensation, hunger, yearning, but also amazement and euphoria, since it was definitely such a huge event! Had they recognized the same feeling across each of their faces or their postures - suddenly furrowing their brow, slightly turning a little to one side, like someone had tapped them on the shoulder and nothing was there... Maybe they would have asked each other about it. Eventually, it would be obvious.

--

They had not been among the truly-laid eggs, these smaller and boldly marked dragonets. Their larger and nestborn companions got preferential treatment from their parents, but the 'knockoffs', once placed in careful incubators or even right up next to the main nest eggs, were encouraged to run around with those main hatchlings. Their clutch mothers, their sires, their siblings, all of them realized together, as dragons did, that they were all here for a reason.

And that reason was in the other room, mostly. After hatching, after the initial burst of confusion and hunger, the Pieces moved from the nest and with some amount of confidence wanted to head toward the bonds in the biped side. Most of the smaller checkerboard hatchlings did so as well. A few didn't - some stayed among the dragons, which wasn't the desire of those descended from Pernese stock.

Almost the entire night had gone by with clutch after clutch moving from their private nooks and into the main draconic arena, then into the biped halls. The big full-grown adult dragons attending, both bonds to the humanoids on the other side, and those who arrived on their own or with their groups, continued to enjoy the events. Flame and ice, magic and claw, stories from across the Nexus entertained all of them.

A trio of small dragonets, hatched from disparate but still 'old world' lines, lingered together. They had clear minds that sought one another to share their desires, hungry bellies that were sated if briefly by their guides nudging them toward the piles of fresh-hunted and claw-shredded meats. Their faceted eyes caught all the shiny motion, their ears heard such amazing sounds. Together they took a few steps out into the weird savannah where some of those meats had been harvested, and together they backed right up into the safety of the Ball's caverns. It was so huge, it was vast in a way that they could not, as hatchlings, properly comprehend.

They were used to the cavern with the collected hundreds of bonded and riderless dragons, the intimacy of the hatching chambers, and before that, their close, warm eggs.

But they knew, as a group and individually, that they had more to expect than a terrifying pale-blue sky and endless fields. And as things were starting to wear down a little, it was Pinante who decided they should find 'theirs'.

The paler dragonet was also the smallest of the trio, with the solid grey bodied one the biggest. Their clutch siblings - as well as their donor parents and all the rest - had moved into the main chambers hours before, in their case. The sharp-spined big dragonet's clutch had hatched last, or at least been moved out to the biped arena later than the other two, but several of their siblings had chosen odd directions to find bonds among dragons or each other.

It's now or never, the paler one asserted, and their marked grey and mist colored friend strode first through the barrier toward the bipedal ballroom.

This place, too, was overwhelming. But it wasn't terrifying, merely big and loud. There was less in the way of bursts of flame and ice or glittering blinding lights - although certainly glitter and blinking over on that Stage that had a lot of odd humanoids and a fair few dragons dancing their hearts out on it.

They recognized their own clutch siblings, plentiful in numbers, scattered all over the place. Some tucked up on the high balconies, one or two even draped over a beam near the ceiling. Others still walking confidently beside their own One, and many of them slumbering beside theirs on cushions or held over shoulders. It was a blast of smells, colors, motion. But it was for them - all of this, all this majesty and pomp, was for the dragonets, their honor, their lives in the future.

I see them, the darkest one said, are you ready?

I am, I am excited. And hungry.

Very hungry, I know!

--

They weren't really getting it: this was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime, they'd been Searched, they were talked up on that trip here.

Why was it near enough to midnight at this shindig and they had yet to have even one little glance from a dragonet? Maybe if they'd been lined up like tradition dictated, in uncomfortable white robes to disguise their bodies - for whatever reason - and to force the dragons to make the first move?

They had in fact overheard quite a bit of discussion on that topic, while eating up on the balcony. Some bigwigs, some high ranked folks, including one somewhat irate woman and a couple ultra-chill scary-calm others. Choice needed to be of their own volition. Change could only happen slowly because look what happens when it was forced?

They had heard silence from the more uppity woman after that, but still they wondered. They were here to impress, right? And there were literal hundreds of dragons that could have chosen them!

Do not worry, we are here.

We hear you, it's all right!

Sorry we're late, we wanted to see the dragon magic!

And the hunting demonstration...

But we got scared of that one so we didn't.

As a unit, the three humans paused, one with a glass of water to her lips, another with a chicken wing in his fingers; they put down their food, their drink, the napkin. And all three of them moved their eyes and heads, craned around just a little, to see three equally young and slightly tired looking dragon faces peering at them from beyond the booth's curved half-wall.

One would have long, straight spikes and big thick horns off his headknobs. Another a fine and jaunty crest. The third with muscular wing fingers already and a quick flickering split tail.

So they were different, but they were so very, very welcome.

The littlest, paler one sniffed at Bimina's outstretched hand, and nuzzled it warmly. The biggest one strode up to Vauldis and tried taking a lick of whatever smelled good on his fingers. And the two-toned one put their head on Gillamu's lap and seemed to make a draconic giggle at the gurgling that her 'comfy tummy' made.

I am Pinante, you are mine, that one bespoke privately to Bimina. She pushed her blue-colored hair out of her eyes, but they were still swimming with happy tears.

I like how you sound inside and out, the two-toned one thought to Gillamu, I am Quamami, and I am yours. She too seemed unable to focus on this little dragon's face, but hugged it gently.

You are my one. I am Banthol. I'm glad we waited though, because I like this chicken wing thing you have, could I have that? The darkest dragon declared to Vauldis. That dragon didn't wait for approval, it was already sniffing at the plate...

We want you to stay together, we want to stay together, Pinante told the trio, and each human felt their own dragon's mind chiming in on that notion. We know there are places where we can work just right, we just don't know their names yet.

The dragons did eventually get fully fed, given fresh water and proper acknowledgement that they were healthy and sound, their names recorded (by Rue, no surprise there), now it was up to the humans to figure out where they would spend their lives as dragon riders!

Doll maker: https://www.dolldivine.com/three-of-us.php

Name: Banthol (BAN thawl; -THOL is the knockoff family designation, while their Piece companions have traditional -TH Pernese; this will only be important if breeding is desired, may also add th to the end becoming Bantholth if bred)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 5' s/l/ws
Build: bigger than most knockoffs and seems to know it
Physical Features: 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
Colors: Black Pawn 4, rich medium-dark grey body; wingsails checkerboards are larger on the backs, medium sized on the undersides; webbing on neck, back, and tail fins small sized checkerboards; spikes on neck, back and tail gradient silver; horns and claws brightly white; eyes faceted orange
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence average 2 each with one being 4 and another 1 you choose
Abilities: 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
Parents: Donor Clutch Thaljath and Olelikoth
Bond: Vauldis (V'dis? Vaul'? L'dis?), Impression (^)
Meeting Notes: above

Vauldis
Status: Commoner, House Born child Age: 14 Gender: male, ace, he/they Siblings: 4 Born: first /younger of twins, plus several half siblings on either side of their family over the years Legitimacy: a pleasant surprise to their happily married parents
Childhood Health: very sturdy Adult Height: very tall, towering over their peers Adult Build: well muscled, but not burly
Skin Tone: lightly tanned
Hair Color: dark blond Hair Style: fluffy Hair Length: a mullet!
Eye Color: rich red-brown
Literacy Level: can read proficiently well
Politeness Level: they're occasionally polite, but often slip up
Focus: as they look around them, their focus fades
Though he believes himself to be unattractive, he is definitely not as ‘fugly' as he thinks
Given a gift, they will show but not share

Values and Goals Is very happy with: their uncle or aunt - this person is a ranked rider at a weyr/caer and has visited him with their dragon
Is very happy with: cold places
Practically nonexistent goal: travel
Extremely strong fear: the opposite sex or having intimacy
Is very happy with: a Dragonry or Hatchery
Odd Skill (learned outside of craft if any): fishery

Originally From: scrubland community Location size: kind of large Location climate: temperate Searched: a couple weeks ago - Hollis and Synesth searched him

Name: Pinante (pin ANT ayy; Pieces standard Pernese -TH ending, Knockoff names are -ANTE though can adopt th if promoted)
Gender: (choose+preference as desired)
Size: 3' s/l/ws
Build: petite, slinky
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; Bond is required at hatching, cannot be sponsored, may multibond or bond to nonhumans
Colors: White Pawn 4, high contrast light grey body; wingsails, crest, and tail spade have medium-sized checkerboard patterns, and improbably their claws are also black and white; faceted aqua eyes
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: Bimina, Impression, ^likely forming a multibond among the trio of dragons
Meeting Notes: above

Bimina
Status: Lord's child
Age: 16 Gender: female, she/her Siblings: 6 Born: first Legitimacy: born while their parents were married
Childhood Health: sick occasionally like a normal child
Adult Height: just normal for their age in height
Adult Build: all muscle, bulky
Skin Tone: well tanned
Hair Color: obnoxiously sky blue (whether this is dyed or natural, you decide) Hair Style: full Hair Length: to shoulders
Eye Color: dark brown

Literacy Level: read at a good level of competency
Politeness Level: as long as they know their place, they are polite and well mannered
Focus: attention is paid to their work, they are focused, but they are obsessed about something they do (she loves shinies, coins, small items, rings, etc...)
This character isn't winning any beauty contests
They'd rather keep things for themself, but if they're asked they'll share

Values and Goals
Has fun with: the unusual trait that they are telepathic with people and can read minds - Hollis was quite interested in the mental ping he heard at this community while Searching Vauldis, and came across her
Hates: being at home
Low goal: do nothing at all and relax
Overwhelming fear: the opposite sex or having intimacy
Moderate dislike: a Guild hall - this is where her issues with intimacy began, perhaps a visiting crafter was among those chosen to pair her off to, he ‘settled' for her next younger sister
Values: the Open Sea
Odd Skill (learned outside of craft if any): specialty minecraft (minting coins?)

Originally From: scrubland community Location size: kind of large Location climate: temperate Searched: as a youth - it is unknown who Searched her and Gillamu, but it's likely to have been the same rider/dragon pair

Name: Quamami (kwaa MOM ee; traditional Pernese -TH ended names; knockoffs receive -MAMI and may add th to become Quamamith if desired)
Gender: (choose +preference as desired)
Size: 4'3" s/l/ws
Build: leggy, muscular
Physical Features: Pernese, hide skin with possible iridescence resembling scaling, four legs and two wings with large claws on all, boxy head with knobs and a low neck ridge, fleshy ridge on rump and high tail, split ended tail, faceted eyes; Note that Maranth is from a twin-egg, so this feature may play into future generations
Colors: Black Pawn 4, body strong steely medium grey with pale frosty light grey marking from chin to mid tail under neck and belly; wingsails large checkerboards on backs, medium-small checks underside; neck and back ridge medium-small checkerboards; claws white; faceted eyes peach
Stats: Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Health, Intelligence average 2 in all, with one at 4
Abilities: powers average 3 in all normal Pernese powers, though unless promoted to full Pawn, cannot use special clutch abilities (search, time, verbal)
Parents: Donor Clutch Maranth and Minath
Bond: Gillamu, Impression (^)
Meeting Notes: above

Gillamu
Age: 17 Gender: female, gay, she/her Status: Mixed Status (parents: an off-gender bronze riding mother with her merchant companion, raised by father's extended family) Siblings: 6 Born: in the middle and is the middle of triplets (2 older siblings, the triplets, one younger sibling) Legitimacy: illegitimate
Childhood Health: often quite sickly
Adult Height: pretty tall
Adult Build: pudgy
Skin Tone: well tanned
Hair Color: dark brown Hair Style: full Hair Length: shoulder length
Eye Color: forest green
Literacy Level: can read and write but only basics
Politeness Level: they're occasionally polite, but often slip up
Focus: if focus had a name, this character's would be it
This character is certainly one of the best looking folks around
They often share with their friends

Values and Goals Dislikes: their appearance, she doesn't care for this ‘baby fat' thing - she's no baby, why's she still got it?
Values immensely: being alone
Low goal: travel
Moderate fear: the opposite sex or having intimacy
Skill used frequently: midwife (she's seen too many problems come about because of birth to want to have children, herself, at least not yet)
Odd Skill (learned outside of craft if any): thievery - very possible that she's swiped coins and trinkets for Bimina...

Originally From: scrubland community Location size: kind of large Location climate: temperate Searched: as a teen, as above, it wasn't Hollis but it definitely is someone that Bimina recognized when they started talking about it