Simple Joys (Touching)

It was almost time for the touching, and Fenix took a deep breath as they awaited the candidates. Tsuneath had laid a small, but healthy, clutch of 9 eggs. Not what people were hoping for from her, but good enough to have people approving of the eggs, if not the number. There were a fair few larger eggs, and Fenix knew what they were all thinking- would Tsuneath lay another queen? Tsuneath thought not, but nobody really knew what to expect of pearls, yet.

Regardless, it was time for the candidates to meet the eggs. Fenix dreaded breaking the relative solitude the sands had provided him and his dragon, but it needed to be done. The touching was an important tradition he could not discard just because he had anxiety. Tsuneath nudged him, as if able to hear his (non projected) thoughts. She did not say anything, though she waited calmly as Fenix slipped his mask into place. His face smoothed into the calmest, most welcoming smile he could manage, signalling that the candidates would be allowed to enter the area now. Their sands were golden and warm, sweltering even in the heat of the jungle.

With the nine eggs that Tsuneath had laid somewhat scattered into a small portion of the sands, Fenix braced himself for the candidates to arrive. Everything would be alright, and Tsuneath would make sure of that. Even if something terrible did happen, Ticiath would probably eat the perpetrator.



Welcome to Final Weyr’s first touching! This is your chance for your candidates to meet the eggs and get a feel for each one before the hatching. Candidates are expected to behave around the eggs, lest they want to be eaten by an angry queen. Each round will last one day, as I will be putting new eggs responses every day! Please don’t feel obligated to touch every egg or post every day, this is far from required!

Candidate Ghendan - The Dandelion Seeds Egg
This was hardly the first Hatching, and unlikely to be the last. He wasn't really holding his breath on Impression, in all honesty, and somehow didn't find it bothering him. While it would be, perhaps, ideal considering what he had been brought to the Weyr to do, but he'd found himself far more absorbed in recording, archiving, and studying of the information that had been brought from the North.

He'd actually even very briefly entertained the idea of focusing on his Craft rather than remaining a Candidate. But, he had found that far less appealing than he had thought he might. Plus, he might not be permitted to remain in the Weyr and be sent back to the Hold.

Joining the other Candidates in their approach once finally permitted to enter the Hatching Sands, he looked around with quiet curiosity. It was Pern's first Pearl clutch, was it not? The eggs seemed healthy, just from a cursory glance. At least, as healthy as one could see simply from looking. They wouldn't have allowed the Candidates to approach if the eggs were not hard enough for interaction. And they looked similar enough to the ones that he had seen from Ticiath.

Glancing at the other Candidates, he stepped forward and upon reaching Tsuneath dipped forward in a low, polite bow as they had been instructed multiple times by now. "Thank you for letting us interact with your children," he told the Pearl in his calm, even tone. Ghendan held the position for a few beats, and then righted himself. He looked up at the young dragon for another handful of seconds before stepping away to allow the next in line to show their appreciation and move amongst the shells.

Careful and precise, he considered which of the scattered eggs to approach first. Perhaps... He silently walked up to The Dandelion Seeds Egg, placing his palm gently upon the shell.

Candidate Touya - The Star Egg
Touya had not been at the Weyr for long. At least, that's what it felt like. In truth, he'd been here since before the Pearl had had her mating flight, but it felt like no time at all. And now her eggs were hard enough to touch, apparently. He wasn't really sure how to feel about it. There was some kind of feeling in his gut--was he actually nervous? Probably a little. Dragons were pretty sharding huge--they could easily squash any human they wanted if they made the wrong move.

The Hatching Sands were also sweltering. He couldn't help the almost sympathetic look he shot toward Fenix at having to spend the whole day here. Was he with his dragon all the time? How in the world was he even still conscious?

Noticing Ghendan stepping up to the Pearl, he raised an eyebrow at the gesture. Ah, right. They were supposed to show respect to the mother dragon. This was his first Touching. He rubbed his face with both hands, then stepped up behind Ghendan, mimicking his move of bowing. He held it for less time before straightening back up. "Thanks." Nothing flashy or extravagant. Then he was moving along to let the next person come up.

Hmm... Which egg did he want to touch first? He considered his options, passing by several before stopping in front of one in particular. Reaching out, he placed his hand on The Star Egg, eyebrows quirking upward. The shell was warm, with a very slight texture rather than perfectly smooth like an egg that was used for eating.

Candidate Katsuki - The Twin Lines Egg
Katsuki had been at the Weyr for a whole Turn by this point, maybe a little more, but this was his first time actually being at the Hatching Grounds while it was occupied. Well, occupied by more than random people or other Candidates during a tour or lesson. It was definitely... interesting. The eggs were larger than he thought they would be, though he wasn't sure how large he had been expecting.
Clearly not this.

Joining some of the others, he approached Tsuneath and bowed, then moved to join those wandering amongst the eggs. He was trying not to pay too much attention to one person in particular, though he couldn't stop his eyes from searching him out every once in a while.

Stepping up to The Twin Lines Egg, he placed his hand on its surface.

Plover had done all of this many times before, but every time it was like a breath being held and then finally released. Every egg was different, every clutch new - in tone and hope. Whiling away turns as a candidate was not for everyone, but for her there was still, simply, no other way forward. Once her time on the sands was done, then there would be time a plenty to focus on a craft or a skill, or a family; such things were not for her, not now, not yet.

For her, there were only the eggs, and the next hatching.

It was routine to brace for the heat of the sands, and cross to the brooding queen to dip in a bow. "Thank you for letting us meet your eggs, Tsuneath. I will be careful." Gentle touches only... Steady, easy hands. She flexed her fingers as she turned to regard the small (but well formed) clutch. Where to start?

The nearly solid dark shell of Twin Lines Egg was notable for its deep hue, she supposed, and was at hand, and so she went to it. "Hello in there. It is a joy to meet you," she murmured as she traced her fingers along one of the two thin pale stripes on the egg's flank. What would come from these eggs? Who would they choose? She would do her best to be patient, and hope that perhaps this time it would be her path forward.

No matter how many times Keigo stood on the sands, he never got used to it. Not to the sweltering heat, nor the sight of the mother keeping careful watch over her young, the sight of the eggs, each always as unique as the Candidates before them. And then of course, there was the nervousness twisting his stomach that had only grown worse with the turns, wondering if *this* would be the turn he, at last, impressed.

He knew he only had so long left, and while he had another path chosen… it wasn’t the one he *preferred*.
Not that anyone else would likely be able to tell, even with his typical smile for once nowhere to be seen, replaced with a far more subdued expression, more suitable for the occasion-calm and composed, his eyes clear of the carefree mischief they typically held.

When his turn came, there wasn’t a moment's hesitation before he was sweeping into the low, polite, well-practiced bow before the Pearl dragon.

“Thank you for giving us this honor, Tsuneath.” Straightening up, he stepped aside, eyes sweeping across the sands. He'd noted each one earlier, but still found himself moving towards the bright hues of the first to catch his eye.

Approaching the Flame Swirl egg, he hesitated only briefly before placing his palm lightly against the brightly hued shell, a warm smile soon curling his lips at the warmth of the shell, the new life within waiting to join the world.



Shouto hadn’t been at the Weyr long, but all that had happened certainly made it feel like longer. Or at least, like it should have been. It had been an almost dizzying string of events, one he hadn’t really been prepared for. He could barely recall how much he’d been told when he was searched, but he’d never anticipated to be attending a Touching so soon after arriving.

To find himself standing on the sands, breathing in the almost blistering heat, and watching as his peers approached and bowed to the mighty queen. He’d always been told how much of an honor being Searched was, but he wasn’t sure how much he felt that way when it actually happened. Considering how sudden it had been, how quickly he’d had to make a decision to either stay or say goodbye to his family for the foreseeable future, no idea when or even if he’d see them again.

Add to it everything he’d had to learn and was still learning, seeing the brother part of him had  thought dead, as well as who he wound up with as a roommate and… well, turns out keeping Vitali out of trouble was for once the least of his concerns, despite her being just as troublesome as she’d always been.

However, when his turn came… all of that had little, if any, place in his mind as he stood before the queen, surrounded by her eggs, knowing that one of this mighty being’s children may choose him… for the first time he truly grasped how much of an honor this was.

Bowing low as he’d been instructed-a proper bow he’d been taught long ago-Shouto let out a steadying breath before speaking. “Thank you for allowing us to be here.”

After a few moments more, he straightened, moving aside and letting his eyes sweep about the eggs, taking in the varying hues and patterns with no small amount of surprise. Each was so different, it was almost difficult to believe they shared both mother and sire.

He was… hesitant to touch them however, nervousness at harming them twisting his gut, despite the knowledge that a dragon egg was not so fragile as one may typically think for an egg, though the fact the one he found himself drawing towards already appeared cracked likely didn’t help.

It was only after a few moments of standing before the pale egg, the he was reaching out, fingertips brushing the textured shell, light as a feather before allowing his palm to rest there just as gently.

The Star Egg seems bright and friendly to Touya, but with a very loud feeling to its mind. It’s almost overwhelming in its presence.


The Dandelion Seeds Egg seems positive and bright, but full of restless energy. Its presence is a fleeting one, greeting Ghendan but moving on quickly.


The Twin Lines egg is proud, seeming to ooze confidence to the two candidates touching it. Both Katsuki and Plover are greeted in sem-friendly way, the egg’s presence welcoming them to bask in its glory.


This egg feels grumpy and bitter, but does not lash out at Shouto. There is an undercurrent of anger, though it is not directed at the candidate touching it.


The Flame Swirl Egg feels chaotic and energetic. The brush of its mind against Keigo’s carries a hint of mischief, though it seems as though it’s… looking for something?

Candidate Ghendan - The Leaf Armour Egg
This egg was... restless. The energy rippling through it was difficult to grasp before it was gone. He'd gotten accustomed to the sensation of the growing infant's minds poking into his own, but... He wasn't sure how often he'd just barely felt them before they were gone. It was definitely still in there, though. Perhaps just not interested in him. Hopefully it would find the one it wanted to extend itself to.

Moving from the small egg's side, he passed his way through several Candidates before coming to a stop beside The Leaf Armor Egg. Somehow, the feeling from it was not particularly friendly, but it wasn't as if he were the most welcoming person in the Weyr either. Ghendan considered briefly moving on and leaving it be, but ultimately chose to extend his hand and place it upon the shell. It would not do to leave the little one be and potentially fail to help it make a connection.

Candidate Touya - The Eye in the Moon Egg
To be completely honest, Touya was not sure what to expect. He'd been told that eggs had their own personalities, by the other Candidates, but this--this was not what he was expecting. At first there had been a sense of... friendliness, but after the first second or two, it was just... loud. So loud. Could thoughts be loud? This was definitely loud.

He quickly withdrew his hand, face pinched in discomfort. Hopefully that was not his dragon. He wasn't sure he could deal with such a noisy bondmate. Not that he wasn't basically guessing what it was like to be bonded to something, since he didn't even have a firelizard. Maybe it would do well with Keigo, given what a pain the other man could be.

Moving away from the egg, he wandered around for a few minutes, considering. He passed Shouto, giving him a slight wave of acknowledgment. Things were still a little... awkward between them, all things considered, but it was nice to see his little brother. What a bizarre coincidence that they'd been Searched to stand for the same clutch.

It took him a little while to settle on the next egg, finally approaching one that seemed slightly less... forward than the other one. The Eye in the Moon Egg.

Candidate Katsuki - The Wavy Egg
Katsuki couldn't help but smirk a little at the egg's reaction to being touched, though he chose to ignore Plover's presence entirely. This egg was probably a bronze, right? It seemed to feel like a bronze, to him. At least as far as what he'd heard in the stories growing up. Maybe a brown, since it was sort of a middle-sized egg compared to the others. He had every intent to walk out of here with a bronze, though he supposed a brown might be acceptable. Maybe.

He gave the egg a little stroke of his hand, then withdrew and began to wander his way across the sands. Standing still for so long was actually making him a little warm anyway, the heat radiating through his thick hide boots.

This time, he made his way up to one of the larger eggs, The Wavy Egg, looking over the shell closely before placing his hand on it. Unlike several of the others, he didn't really seem interested in talking out loud to an egg. It just seemed weird. Plus, it would just draw attention to himself. It wasn't like they could talk back or anything, and they probably got more from just poking around in their heads, right? Wasn't that what this was for?

Plover never quite could get over it. Feeling life from inside the eggs. Every one was different, wanted different things, felt different to the touch and the mind. This one, Twin Lines, was strong. There was no doubt about that. It would make a fine fighter, she considered as she stroked it. Confidence was needed, so long as it could be tempered. Was she up to that challenge? Perhaps, perhaps not. It would all come down to what the egg wanted, more than anything. It felt a little haughty too - perhaps it would only want someone to idolize it, no to wrangle it. And that was fine as well.

She gave the dark egg a final pat before she moved away, determined to meet most if not all of the eggs.

Next, the nearest neighbor to the first egg, the Eye in the Moon Egg was much smaller, but also much brighter. She hunched a bit, kneeling slightly to meet the egg on its own level, and traced a hand along the crescent moon marking before letting it rest squarely on the large dark spot in the middle. "Hello. How about you? I hope you're strong. Fierce and ready to fight. That's what I want. What do you want?" Being so blunt had probably dissuaded more than one dragon from picking her over the turns, she mused, but she refused to lie even to the unborn in their shells. It would be cruel to trick a dragon into thinking she was other than she was.

It was hard to keep his chuckle quiet, though Keigo didn't even try to keep the grin from forming on his features as the dragon within touched his mind. He could certainly appreciate it's energy, the hint of chaos and mischief bleeding through.

You're going to be a troublesome one, huh? He thought, with no small amount of amusement. Not that Hawks could fault it. He was sure this little one would be keeping its rider on their toes once it hatched. He doubted there'd ever be a dull moment if this dragon had anything to say about it-and he couldn't fault it in the slightest.
Petting the egg gently, he let the little one prod for a few beats more, not shying away from it's querying presence, though what exactly it was looking for he couldn't say-nor could he say if it had found it by the time he pulled his hand away.

Straightening up, he dusted off his clothes before moving one, eyes scanning the sands before they rested on the pale burst of pastels decorating The Confetti Egg. Moving towards it, there was no hesitation to be found after the first egg as he let his hand come to rest lightly against the warm shell.

Shouto had been far from knowing what to expect. Regardless of how they described it, it was hard to imagine, so he was... more than a little shocked at the grumpiness he felt from it, the bitterness and the edge of anger that had him all but snatching his hand back, more than a little startled.

He... was unfortunately familiar with those feelings, more so than he cared to admit, though the thought of a creasture harboring such things before even seeing the world beyond its shell... he found himself reaching out, hesitantly once more to rest his hand against it for a few moments.

I hope whoever you bond with is able to help.

Pulling his hand away, he stepped away from the large egg, though his eyes didn't leave it for a few moments more, a slight frown on his features. When he finally turned away was when he saw his brother, somewhat awkwardly raising a hand to wave back. It was... odd to say the least but still... nice, in a way he guessed. Knowing he had family here.

Glancing past him, he aught sight of the blue egg, and moved slowly towards it. After the first, he was more hesitant to reach out, but still found himself placing a gentle hand on the Blue Star Egg.

The egg has an underlying sense of power to it, but its greeting seems lazy. Katsuki is given not much thought at all from this egg. It’s clear it’s unimpressed.


This egg is a steady presence, though it feels almost as if this could change quickly. It’s neutral towards Plover, but feels almost as if it’s scrutinizing Touya…


This egg would rather be left alone, and it reacts to Ghendan touching it with disgruntlement. If it could speak, it would have told him to go away.


Much like when Touya had touched it, this egg feels loud and overwhelmingly friendly. Shouto receives the same reaction as every other candidate who’d touched the egg.


This egg is a gentle presence. It greets Keigo warmly, though it also seems a little floaty and easily distracted.

Candidate Ghendan - The Twin Lines Egg
Alright, that was fair enough. He doubted he'd have reacted much differently. Ghendan politely removed his hand from the shell, letting the hatchling be.

Casting a cursory glance around, he made note of the eggs that other Candidates were at. He preferred to visit eggs alone instead of with others, though it didn't seem to be of any consequence to the dragonets within the shells. He pondered for a moment, considering which egg to visit next.

Walking past the various eggs, he paused beside The Twin Lines Egg. No one was currently paying it any attention. Turning toward it, he placed his hand upon the dark shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Candidate Touya - The Flame Swirl Egg
Touya was a little surprised when Plover came to the egg he was at, giving her a polite nod of acknowledgment before he was paying more attention to the egg than his roommate.

Part of him can't help but wonder what the hatchling inside might be thinking. It sort of felt like... something was probing around in his brain, almost. Not quite but... close enough? He furrowed his brows, trying not to unconsciously put up a fight. Could he even really do that? Did he know how? Was it instinctive? There had to be some way riders and dragons blocked each other out when they weren't interested in talking.

However, he let his touch linger for a while longer, letting the egg figure out what it wanted, before taking his hand away and giving it a light pat of farewell. As tempting as it was to stick around for a while longer, he didn't really want to spend his whole time at one egg. It would be pretty boring. Plus, it was probably discouraging to anyone who might have been too shy to come up with someone there.

Or, well. Overwhelming to an infant to have a bunch of people poking them or whatever.

What next, hmm... He considered for a beat or two before walking toward The Flame Swirl Egg. Touya was pretty sure he'd spotted Keigo at it earlier. Walking up to it, he placed his hand on the warm shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Candidate Katsuki - The Cracked Egg
This time, the dragonet seemed much less interested in him. Katsuki scowled to himself as he pulled his hand away. Whatever, not like he cared what some dumb egg thought anyway. He didn't need or want a dragon that looked down on him.

He wasted no furthert time with egg, moving on to the next.

When he stopped again it was beside one of the largest eggs of the clutch. Looking it up and down, he actually leaned in closer to inspect the various crack-looking markings on the shell to make sure it wasn't actually cracked. That would be pretty bad if it was. But Shouto had been the last one here and he didn't seem concerned.

Well, no sense in worrying if no one else was. He placed his hand on the shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Aha. Well, that was okay too. Plover knew she couldn't be the one for every egg. Or any egg, yet, in all her time as candidate. This one had more interest in someone else, and that was truly, really fine. She gave it another comforting pat all the same before leaving it to the other candidate. How lovely it must be to know an egg was interested in you. So long as the little one inside impresses, then all will be well, she knows. Pern needs dragons, no matter who rides them.

Still, she couldn't help but hope one of these eggs, finally, would be for her. There weren't so very many, but still plenty left to meet. Which next? The Cracked Egg catches her eye - as it must have done many of the candidates and anyone who saw it. Even knowing that the crack was only a marking, it sent a painful throb through her heart, and she couldn't help but go to it, reaching out to dusting-light stroke along the 'intact' upper edge of the shell. "Hello in there. How are you? I am certain you will be strong, no matter how your shell looks." By now they had all seen their share of broken things and detritus from the ravages of Thread. A 'cracked' egg was nothing to be ashamed of.

It was his first touching since coming to the Weyr, and there was a certain thrill of nervous excitement to him as Lyney entered the sands,bowing grandly to the queen who’d mothered this clutch. 9 eggs laid on the sands before him, and his fellow candidates were already spread out before the eggs. He hesitated for a moment, thinking of which egg to touch first. So many options to choose from!

The dark red egg with delicate white markings caught his eye first, and that was the one he approached. Placing his hands on the shell, delicately enough that he knew he wouldn’t hurt it, he waited for a response. He saw that some others were talking to the eggs, and so he did the same. “Your shell is quite pretty, you know. I wonder what kind of dragon you’ll turn out to be?” he asked, his tone light as he waited for that little feeling he was told would happen when the egg responded to him, if it ever did.

He didn’t bother looking for his twin in the crowd, knowing she was likely avoiding the majority of the other candidates. Probably touching whatever egg had the least amount of people in it, if he had to guess.

Candidate Ezra- The Cracked Egg

Ezra politely stood back, taking in the eggs while his fellows went in for their turns. He was a patient person and okay with being the last to step forward. He felt a bit badly for bothering the eggs, imagining having to deal with so much sound and stimulation was very taxing on their still growing forms. He looked at each egg, unique in its own way.. and then there was the one that looked rather plain and had cracks upon it. Something about it seemed sad and he was drawn to it, gently resting his palm over it and closing his eyes, focusing before he spoke. " Hello there. I imagine all this noise and sensation is a bit taxing. Forgive me for adding to your irritations or stress if I do so... its nice to sort of meet you." He said in a gentle and soothing voice, almost as if trying to be as soft and gentle toned as possible.

If this egg could grumble, it would. Katsuki receives a wave of irritation bordering on anger, and Ezra receives a sort of grumble in response to his touch. The egg isn’t pleased to meet either candidate. Plover receives a similar response to Katsuki, and the egg seems quite done with being touched by three people at once.


This egg seems happy enough to greet Touya, with a hint of mischief curling through its seemingly energetic greeting.


The egg greets Ghendan with another flare of confidence. It’s inviting enough, but clearly more interested in itself than any of the strange candidates who keep coming up to greet it.

Candidate Keigo-from The Confetti Egg to The Wavy Egg

Candidate Ghendan - The Flame Swirl Egg
Ah. Certainly much more approachable than the previous egg. However, there was still something to it... Much more self-centered than he was anticipating, though not overbearingly so, and neither did it demand to be left alone to its own devices.

Giving the egg a gentle stroke, he pulled his hand back and took a moment to look around. A cluster of three was at the egg which appeared to be cracked, so he wouldn't head there. He could see Keigo headed for the large purple one. Perhaps... Well, it was likely Touya would soon be finished introducing himself to The Flame Swirl Egg, so he headed in that direction next. There were plenty of others, sure, but that one struck his fancy in the moment.

Waiting until Touya had left so as not to overwhelm the young mind, he placed his hand gently on the heated shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Candidate Touya - The Wavy Egg (also, Keigo)
If he had thought the previous one was a good fit for Keigo, then he was definitely changing his opinion now that he'd met this one. Though he wasn't exactly close, the interactions he'd had with him thus far really made him feel like this one was a dragon version of the other Candidate.

He pulled his hand back after a moment or two, torn on his feelings. On one hand, two Keigos would be absolute torture. On the other, it was almost sort of amusing. Almost. Maybe it would bond to him and they'd be able to annoy each other instead of him.

Touya turned, wandering toward another egg, still lost in his thoughts. When he stopped in front of The Wavy Egg, he looked up just in time to avoid walking directly into the person he had just been thinking about. "...Fancy meeting you here."  Better to be cordial on the Sands, right? Even if they probably wouldn't be punished for talking snark at each other.

Stepping up to the egg beside Keigo, he placed his hand on the shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Candidate Katsuki - The Star Egg
Katsuki scowled, pulling his hand away from the egg as if it had burned him somehow. What was with these eggs? Did he do something to offend them somehow? He couldn't help but glance at Ezra and Plover, trying to figure out if they got a similar reaction from it or if he was just special. It seemed like the last two eggs he'd touched had been particularly unhappy with his presence.

Maybe one of the other eggs would be more... receptive. Or at least not act like he's spit on their mother or something.

He'd already been to two of the largest eggs, so maybe another of the medium ones? He walked for a moment, pondering, before stopping beside The Star Egg. It didn't seem particularly... "threatening," at least not in his observation or general vibe. Trying not to seem too put-off by his experience, he reached out and touched his fingers to the hard shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Oh, oh no. This egg was getting too much attention, and unhappy about it. With only a short "Sorry...!", Plover tugged her hand away. Nobody liked to be overwhelmed, and she felt bad that her attention had been part of what had upset the egg so much. She wouldn't be surprised if that one wasn't for her... but hopefully it'd like someone. Even introverted, shy dragons needed a bond. To think one might... no. No, she wasn't even going to consider it.

She took a moment to breathe and calm herself, and then cast a look over the rest of the eggs. There were still a few more than half that she needed to touch... Well, so far no one seemed to be visiting the Confetti egg, not at the moment at least. She'd try to be more mindful now, and pick those eggs with no one else at them.

"Hello there. Are you alright? We're all keen to meet you..." She spoke softly to the egg as she reached out to touch the pale pink shell. It had lots of pretty speckles... blue and green? But there was no rhyme or reason to an egg's markings, just because it sported those colors didn't mean it would hatch one of those colors! And besides, any dragon was a welcome gift, there was no time or place for traditional colorist thinking these days. Pern needed any dragons it could get, and se knew she would adore any that deigned to pick her, at last.

This egg seems to grumble a bit at the two boys touching it, but there is no real malice to it. A hint of bitterness, maybe, but mostly just grumpiness.


This egg is quiet and calm, and it greets Shouto warmly enough. It doesn’t do much, but it feels companionable.


Much as the others had been greeted, Ghendan receives mostly friendliness and energy from the egg. The curl of mischief is stronger this time, but nothing unusual.


The Star Egg is loud, Katsuki will find. Friendly enough, but overwhelmingly chaotic.


This egg feels rather floaty, only somewhat paying attention to the candidate touching it. However, it feels incredibly gentle, and not at all like a fighter. Whatever’s in this egg seems very soft.

Well, this one at least didn't seem displeased with her... but it also seemed somewhat distracted. And... perhaps a bit too gentle. Gentleness... Plover would not say that gentleness had no place in the vicious world they lived in since the great Threadfall, but... She sighed, and gave the soft pink egg another pat. It would be down to the dragon inside's future rider to... enforce what needed enforcing. She wasn't sure if she could do it... but then, if the egg's hatchling chose her, then, she would. The dragon decides, after all.

For now, she would keep looking. There were still a few eggs left to touch. Star Egg caught her attention next, and she moved to it, eyeing the thin yellow line along its side. Stars were... not the most benign symbol for Pernese. At least it wasn't a red star marking. That'd be right out. "Hello there. How do you feel today?"

Candidate Keigo-from The Wavy Egg to The Leaf Armor Egg

Keigo generally had a good sense of his surroundings, typically very aware of much of what was going on around him, but it seemed he'd been so focused in the eggs that he hadn't been this time-not until the slightly taller male was almost running into him, making him jump slightly before he was giving a low chuckle. 

"Fancy indeed," Keigo replied, an easy smile spreading across his lips as he glanced briefly at the newer candidate. Noting the other wasn't close behind on touching the egg, he opted not to offer another quip... that was, up until he got a sense for the egg, it's displeasure all too clear. Smile turning to a smirk, he glanced towards the other, not even trying to hide the amusement in his voice. "Seems someone's grumpy. Remind you of anyone, Touya?" 

Laughing at his own remark, he stretched a bit as he turned to wander towards another bright splash of color standing stark against sands. This one-The Leaf Armor Egg-a vibrant green, not unlike one would see in the Jungle's canopy, bright, and healthy in a way he could only hope the one within would replicate as he rested his hand gently against the shell.

Candidate Shouto- from The Eye in the Moon Egg to The Twin Lines Egg

It was hard to restrain the sigh of relief that escaped from deep within Shouto's lungs as this one seemed far less intense than the two prior. Neither heavy with an inexplicable anger, or loud with an intense friendliness that seemed just as dizzying in contrast. This one was just... there. Calm and warm, a notable presence that wasn't usually there, but nowhere near as extreme as the others had been. 

He was almost reluctant to move on, almost weary of the others being as intense as the first two, but did move on soon enough, to instead place his hand lightly against the obsidian shell of the Twin lines Egg.

Candidate Ghendan - The Eye in the Moon Egg
Ah. What a friendly little one. Perhaps with an undercurrent of something more, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It felt almost like... a sort of playfulness? Cute. Whoever this dragonet bonded to would certainly have an interesting time ahead of them.

He smoothed his hand against the shell in a gentle stroke, and then withdrew as he had many times before. His eyes scanned the sands for a few moments, considering his next destination, before moving forward. He spotted one of the newer Candidates near his destination, but he appeared to be wrapping up. What was his name... Shouto?

Ghendan gave a polite nod as he passed the younger man, stepping up to crouch beside The Eye in the Moon Egg. Considering its presence for a moment, he set his hand upon the heated shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Candidate Touya - The Dandelion Seeds Egg
A soft huff left him at Keigo's prodding, but he rolled his eyes regardless. "Yeah? You should make friends with that one," he said, jerking his thumb at The Flame Swirl Egg. "Or that one." He indicated The Star Egg. He hadn't really been paying attention to which ones Keigo had been to already, but he wasn't against sending the other man off to meet something that reminded him of him. Or might send him reeling, in the case of the latter.

He couldn't help but give the egg a little pat once Keigo had left, like he might give it some sort of comfort. He didn't know how aware the dragonets were of things beyond their shell. Or how far, if they were. He supposed he could follow Keigo, now. Or maybe he'd go off on his own. Hmm...

Ultimately, he chose to wander in the opposite direction, toward The Dandelion Seeds Egg. Once he arrived, he placed his hand on the shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Candidate Katsuki - The Flame Swirl Egg
Katsuki snapped his hand back so quickly from the egg that one would think it had actually bitten him. The absolute cacophony that had lurched into his head was nothing like he'd experienced before. At least it didn't lash out at him--not aggressively at least. Or maybe not intentionally? Whoever had this one would definitely end up with a handful of a dragon. Hopefully, it wouldn't be him.

Stepping back and looking around at the others, he considered which egg to visit next. Maybe... The Flame Swirl Egg? People didn't seem to be violently cringing away from that one, at least not as far as he'd noticed. Ghendan at least, didn't look particularly perturbed, but he didn't tend to under most circumstances. Actually, had he ever even seen him visibly cringe about something?

He walked up to the brightly colored egg and lightly touched the shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

This egg seems as chaotic as it had for all the others, but the friendliness it had shown for most of the others wasn’t quite as strong with Plover. A strange reaction from an exuberant egg…


This egg seems to almost huff at Shouto, as if to say took you long enough. It welcomes the attention though, practically preening.


This egg feels very guarded towards Keigo, letting barely anything slip but a general wariness.


Katsuki hadn’t been having the best of times with the eggs thus far, but the Flame Swirl Egg seemed agreeable enough. The mischief the others had felt was much stronger with Katsuki, at the forefront of the emotions he’d be able to glean from the egg. This egg didn’t mind him.


There is energy in this egg, for sure. It feels almost like it’s observing Touya, but doesn’t seem very perturbed by his presence underneath the energy it exudes.


A kindred spirit Ghendan would likely find in this egg. It gave a friendly greeting, but was quiet enough that there wasn’t much after that. Just stillness and a relative sense that this egg already knew what it wanted to be.

Candidate Keigo-from The Leaf Armor Egg to The Star Egg

Well. So far this touching was not going overly well for Plover. The woman was too restrained to frown or outwardly react to the blue Star Egg’s brief flash of energy before she felt it seem to diminish under her touch. Perhaps it was simply an incompatible nature between them, but she had been… well, maybe not rebuffed, but she had not felt any sense of any of the eggs so far being interested in her. Twin Lines had been welcoming, but more interested in showing itself off. The rest had been neutral to negative - perhaps her match really was, again, not here.

She flinched back from the egg before the doubt could bleed through from her to the hatchling. That was above all unacceptable. So long as the hatchlings all impressed and were healthy. Pern needed them. Plover didn’t - didn’t need, only wanted.

Well, there were still a few left to meet. Half the clutch, about. She would manage, and perhaps the next one would be more amenable. Leaf Armor was large—plenty of space for more hands. Hopefully… “Hello. What about you? Are you ready to hatch and meet your match? Will you be a fighter?”

Candidate Ghendan - The Cracked Egg
He felt his expression soften slightly as he touched the egg. This felt very familiar somehow, like he'd come into contact with an extension of himself. He lingered a bit longer at this one, smoothing his hand in a little circle over the warm shell. In the chaotic times of Thread and Candidacy, this felt like a little reprieve. It was good to know what one wanted.

Finally pulling back and moving on, he found himself wandering for some time. A few minutes, perhaps, passing by eggs he had already visited and other Candidates with little more than a glance to ascertain he would not bump into them. When he came to a stop next, he was beside The Cracked Egg. This egg... he could already almost feel a sense of disadain from this one, much like he had with a previous one.

Still, he reached out and set his hand on the pale creamy shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Candidate Touya - The Twin Lines Egg, also Shouto
The egg seems to buzz under his hand, though luckily doesn't seem too bothered by him. He hummed softly, looking it up and down a moment before stepping back. As he did, he caught sight of Shouto approaching. "Hey," he greeted softly, giving a half-wave. "This one's not too bad," was added with a slight nod toward the egg before he was turning and moving on.

Then, he wandered through the eggs for a while. He'd gone through a little over half of them by this point. The were four left. After some consideration, he approached The Twin Lines Egg, placing his hand on the medium-sized egg's shell.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg

Candidate Katsuki - The Dandelion Seeds Egg, also Shouto
Another egg that didn't seem to hate him straight off. That was good, at least. His shoulders relaxed slightly, though he hadn't even realized he was so tense. Maybe it was because of the last egg, just the sheer overwhelming nature of how it had greeted him making him wary of the outcome of contact with this one. He wasn't sure how to feel about the *mischief* greeting him, though. It made him a little... Well, he'd heard from other Candidates how dragonets could be.

Even so, it was a relief to not be greeted with disdain.

Stepping away from the egg, he moved on to the next, considering as he walked. He could see Touya and Shouto at one, though Touya appeared to be leaving. After a moment or two of hesitation, he stepped up to the egg Shouto was at and lightly placed his hand on the shell. He did give the younger boy a soft grunt of acknowledgment, though. The small Dandelion Seeds Egg already seemed to give off a restless aura.

The Cracked Egg - The Flame Swirl Egg - The Leaf Armour Egg - The Twin Lines Egg - The Eye in the Moon Egg - The Confetti Egg - The Dandelion Seeds Egg - The Star Egg - The Wavy Egg