Revelio and Open Sesame! Double Clutch Hatching!

[Hattaki]

From his spot tucked under Riz’s chin, wrapped up in his arms, Bossuth stirred. He could hear the pain, the violence and even though Riz was thinking very loving thoughts, there was anguish at something. Another attack? More violence? A roar resounded through he sands and the screaming words of another bronze echoed in his young mind.

The small bronze unwound himself from his chosen and looked around at it all with eyes that turned bright white. Tilting his head back one white eye looked up at his beautiful sunbeam of a mother. Surely.... if anyone could stop all this madness.

Mother. Is there no way to stop all this pain before my siblings are frightened? Has there not been enough pain and death? Maybe all the candidates are afraid and hurt, and scared. My Radish’s heart says you can be very scared and very brave at the same time, even if hurt. Can’t we just... keep them all safe? All of them? Bossuth asked in a quiet voice. If anyone could help then it would be his mother. Hey we’re all good, he could tell that they were, or why would his siblings and cousins choose them? Riz ran a hand over his bronze’s neck and pulled him into a tighter hug.

Uta

/Sorry!

 

[SilverLutz]

Riz's moment was short-lived as yet another Candidate fell to the claws of a dragon, pulling Shar's attention away from her friend to focus on what was happening before her. Death Eater didn't seem to kill the girl outright as her bronze brother had, but from the blood on the sands and the way the healers were frantically working on her it didn't look good. Not a moment later, a deafening roar rocked the Sands and all those on it, the ground shaking a bit beneath Shar's feet. What on Pern was happening?

"Shards and shells, you're all unworthy to be on these Sands with these dragons," she snarled at no one in particular, glaring at the Candidates that remained. Yes, there were those here that deserved to be here, but there were enough that were causing more trouble than she'd ever seen. Shar could only hope that the dragons - in their own time of course - would Impress so this madness could end and they could all be safe with Theirs.

She shifted ever so closer to Riz and his new dragon, eyeing the Candidates around them as if they'd bring the sky down upon them. Let them try, she thought to herself as she steadied her stance in the Sands, keeping her weight even despite her bad leg. No harm would come to the duo beside her, be it bad thoughts or a rampaging dragon or something else all together. This Standing would end happy for the pair, or else!

"Riz," she said quietly, her voice tight between clenched teeth. "You're in bad shape and your dragon is bleeding. You two need to get back to the healers and you need to get some food in him. Remember your training." If she could get them out of the main area they'd be safe and they could continue their touching moment in relative peace.

Hattaki

 

[Smerdle]

T'rin and Ingonth

Ingonth would have loved to have been carried around for the rest of his days—if it had been his Torin carrying him, at least—but by the time they reached the feeding tables, the weyrling's arms were shaking under the strain. They reached an unspoken agreement, separating just in front of a bucket of wherry chunks.

"Know that I would only ever do this for you," Torin said with a wince, reaching for the meat and depositing it neatly into his dragon's maw.

I would hope so.

Torin had the strangest impulse to scold the hatchling for speaking while his mouth was full, before he realized that was rather foolish of him.

Have you fed many humans?

Not raw meat, but sometimes the act of feeding someone can be quite... He cleared his throat. We'll discuss that when you're older.

Hm. All right. Ingonth chewed slowly and demurely, watching his siblings and cousins with amused curiosity. Finally, after catching the edge of a screaming match on the sands, the blue decided to branch out a little. To start his network of adoring fans with one (almost) as pretty as he was. Running around like an idiot, but pretty.

Aviforth! It's great to finally meet you out of the shell. Any news, besides whatever's going on in there? He gestured over his shoulder with his head, as if an angry queen compelling a bronze off of the sands was frustratingly commonplace. In truth, he thought it was all kinds of cool.

Prism Shine

 

[demon_pachabel]

Kinyegele

She flinched again out of fear as the angry voices of dragons grew louder. One girl had been thrown down by the green Death Eater for some unheard insolence, and now someone had enranged both Rhianth and several of the bronzes. Kinye missed the beach so badly in that moment. She missed that little nuzzle from Mictecath, and if she was honest, she wished her parents were holding her right then.

This was the measure of a strength of character, and so far the strength of her character was maybe the weight of the sandal she'd lost somewhere in her early morning stumbling into the hatching sands.

She hated it.

But all she could do was try to keep all of the warm positive thoughts she could muster in her body going strong.  

[ShinosBee]

And suddenly things were going between in a bucket. While Krahsujunth’s normal instinct was to fight, especially a witless, insulting bronze like that...Baby Mine was currently plastered to his snout. While his eyes rolled molten orange-red, his wings spread—but not to leap skywards. Around and forward they went, casting deep shadow over the sands and his tiny son. Tucking into a protective blanket against the roaring, insulting, furious inanity these unworthy sorts had brought to his family’s home.

Within the coocoon of his wings, he crooned softly to the tiny white hatchling. Shh, shh. Papa is here. You are safe and wanted. The bad bronze is leaving. The bad candidates will too, if you want, my hearts’ delight. I will never let them harm you. I will chase them all away if I must.

Uta

 

[medigel]

arcadin and bronze alquemieth

Such foolishness. To spurn such fine creations as of that of my beloved Mother.

Ah, there it was: a dragonet's additional scorn. Arc almost wanted to make a mental bow in return, but...restraint. Restraint.

Is it so odious to stand there and face judgment? Do you fear you will be found wanting, Mine?

By what standard? he shot back, not quite catching the path he now was heading. No more. Restraint. Restraint.

The bronze's eyes continued to whirl a bright red. Be glad you took my golden sister's claws than mine... I might well have left far deeper marks as punishment.

"Then why don't you?" Arc said under his breath, his anger building in spite of his efforts. He already had felt an audience's worth of judgement; what was one more? It was always words, words, words--

There was an infinitely long moment as they eyed each other before something else brushed against his consciousness. It wasn't quite gentle, but neither was it harsh. The colors in the dragonet's eyes became a dizzying rainbow, though there were flecks of red present still. Come to your Alquemieth, Arcadin. Perhaps it is best to let this one struggle on his own.

And against his natural impulse to rebel against a command, as he had when Slytherin had spoken, Arc moved a few steps closer. He barely saw the runt of a twin beneath the bronze's wing and even forgot, if for a short period, the pain Remember Me had inflicted on him. He even almost forgot his name as the dragonet probed his mind, Alquemieth striding forward with narrowed eyes.

Brush off the Sand, and look presentable, he said, sliding his tailfork along a trail of blood at the man's leg and flicking it away disdainfully. We are in the presence of greatness, of glory; the least you can do is thank the golden beauties for the life they have given you. This is your new beginning. Our new beginning. Let us not waste any more time... Alquemieth trailed off in thought and then decided: Ar'dinMine.

Arc blinked hard at that, but he found himself doing as the bronze commanded with only a wry afterthought. (Who gets bossed around by a baby?) (He does. Twice in as many minutes, even.)

Now, apologize.

Ar--Ar'din paused to find the gold, but it seemed she had managed to find Hers in the meantime. Perhaps later, then. He faced Fianth and Rhianth and bowed, teeth gritting as a wave of pain went over him. He...wasn't sure what words would be suitable at this point.

Alquemieth stepped in, pleased with the obeisance and eager to mend His's less than smooth introductions. May you find it in your hearts to forgive Mine, mother, aunt, he said, far more reverential than his normally brusque tone. He was raised a beast, I cannot lie, and can bark as the canines do. But I will see to it that he is fit to serve you and this weyr. We will disgrace you no further, on my honor. For there could be none better than him to see to the task: who else had been forced to handle a monster of a twin from the beginning, after all? He would see them both through precisely because he was the only one experienced enough to.

Ar'din, for his part, wordlessly agreed. He had shaken the boat enough for today. He supposed.

It was...nice to have someone who could fill in the gaps he was not so skilled at. If this was what love was, the feeling of a hole being completed, then this wasn't so bad. The rest of it, though, he wasn't sure how to handle just yet.

Bossuth's creel brought their attention back to the sands. Alquemieth's eyes returned to their dull red and orange haze as he watched his twin flail about the sands in his search. Typical. Now that they were free, he would need to pay closer attention, to make sure he wouldn't make them both the fool with an act like that. But it was a Hatching and, though a thorough carnival of deplorable acts thus far, he allowed his brother a moment with His on the sands. Of course Bossuth would pick someone gentle, of course he needed more time. Though he heard that candidate's awful words--he's not as important as you--and snorted, Alquemieth stayed his claws.

He was compelled to act, however, when Eveleth's roar pierced the air. The bronze whirled his head around, nostrils flared with fury, eyes blazing. What more had these backwater whers done to upset the queens? Death Eater set herself upon one such cretin, and he had half a mind to join her--but no. No, he wouldn't let any, much less the barely chastened flits of Western there that day, see him less than composed. Though he did bare a glare at those who had judged him for his treatment of Bossuth earlier. What would they understand of law when they could barely stand on the sands without debasing themselves, of what the necessity of a firm claw meant? May any or all of them suffer a dragon's wrath today.

He kept his head held high and looked away, beckoning Ar'din to come with as they swooped down upon Rizdax and his brother. Alquemieth extended a wing over his twin, both a gentle gesture and a silent command. Still your thoughts, Bossuth. We must away from this despicable scene, he said, hushed. I told you in the egg, did I not? This world is cruel. This world is wicked. They show their true nature, but I would not expose you to their unchecked thoughts so callously. The queens have the power to keep this from being unsalvageable. Let your worries disappear. We have Ours now; that is all that matters.

Ar'din, meanwhile, merely sized up the new weyrling bonded to His's twin, quietly thankful that he had been given a second chance through the bronze. Though by far did he not expect it to be an easy one.

"We'll take him," he said to the woman by them. "Feel free to brace yourself for the incoming shitstorm, though."

xHattaki

LET'SA GO

xSilverLutz

xUta

xMr. Cheri

 

[SilverLutz]

Shar's glare shifted from those still Standing to the second Bronzerider that now stood before her, bloodied by the golden queen from the same clutch. She turned her gaze to the larger bronze that hovered a wing over Rizdax and his dragon, then flicked it back to Arcadin. Still her expression didn't change, no ounce of respect for the rider before her. She had promised to give him a piece of her mind after the Hatching and she had to admit that it did burn her a bit that he had been chosen and she stood dragonless. How could someone like him Impress?

"Wherry s**t you'll take him," she nearly growled. "You'll continue right on your way. He has no time for people like you." Well, she had said she'd protect Riz and Bossuth from whatever danger came their way. She hadn't expected it to come so soon, but she knew better than to let this particular pair whisk them away.

medigel

Immovable object, meet unstoppable force XD

 

[Uta]

Fianth
Things had been going relatively smoothly. While the Hatching was taking some time, it was no different than any other Hatching before it. How long had it taken for Susurinth's clutch to hatch? Some times they took a great while... other times they happened in a flash. And yet, some foreign bronze had decided to make his opinions blatantly clear.

The queen sat up slowly from where she had been lying, and turned a red eye on Kraketh. But both Siloth and Rhianth jumped in to defend Eveleth, as well as to oust such a rude creature from their Sands. Never had the queen been so insulted. Between the disrespect for her children to the disrespect to the Weyr's own senior queen....

The bronze may have been commanded out in a fit, but there was a new tension in the Sands. She knew her mother better than to worry about her. Eveleth was no damsel in distress, and was likely pleased by the sudden and swift response of loyalty she received. But Fianth worried for the children who were still within their eggs, and the children still on the Sands. She knew that Krahsujunth was still with Baby Mine, and what of the others?

Bossuth's own little cries did not fall upon deaf ears. Do not shame yourselves further, Western. Hold your tongues, and let our babies finish hatching and finding Theirs. This was not a request. Though it was not a forced order, there was an underlying threat beneath her words. We had granted your Weyr respect during Vimiath's clutch, is it too much now to ask the same? We expect compliance not to force our power, or to cause a scene, but because our young deserve as much. Let Ours find Theirs without further incident. Enough damage, hurt, and pain has been done this day. You will all leave once the last of Ours has found theirs!

Whether those of Western would be welcome back for that eveing's feast was now well and truly up in the air.

Olliah, for her part, was shaking. Her lips were pursed, her nails bit into her palms, and the only thing that kept her in her seat was so she might try to enjoy the rest of the Hatching. Such a triumphant day ruined by disrespectful idiots. Oh, she would have words with all of them soon as the last baby Impressed.

To Bossuth, the gold dragon extended a wave of affection. Do not fret so, beloved. All will be well. I will make sure of that. The gold, for her part, once more looked down at the eggs, the hatchlings, and the Candidates. She reached out to gently, affectionately, nuzzle the hatchlings that were out of their shell. She sent each and every one nothing but love, confidence, and support. Take as long as you want, loves. You are loved, and wanted, and welcome here. There is no rush, there is no hurry. Find yours, no matter how long it takes. We are all here for you. As for the Candidates, though she was angry at some, she tempered such a thought for the moment. Be strong. Ours need you more than ever. Do not fear if Yours is not among these eggs. You are still wanted, loved, and needed... You are still important. And perhaps, you will be one hatching closer to finding your most perfect match. Keep your hearts strong for you are all Pern's hope and future.  

[~Kiana_Nala~]

Halvor

He nodded his head as he watched the events unfold on the sands. "Two turns isn't long." He'd waited far much longer for freedom, so, if he was to impress he could wait a bit longer. He was trying not to let the smoking kindling catch fire in his chest. Hope was the thing that had kept him going through dark times, but he thought that if he expected too much today it might do more harm than good.

Halvor had been debating going with Tarnaria to wake the sleeping candidate even though he thought they were incredibly foolish. Didn't they realize what was at stake? He wasn't off to a great start with Siv by any means. As the green made her move to attack, Halvor pulled Tarnaria back to him and pushed himself to move in front of her. Again, wasn't much he could really do if the green attacked--he wasn't stupid enough to really do anything--but it might be a good idea to have a bit of a buffer between the girl and her friend. "Don't look," was all he said as he watched the green.

Then the mother gold grew very angry. He'd hate to be on the receiving end of her ire. As it was he was being lumped in with the candidates. Halvor grounded his teeth. Same stuff, different day.

Halvor pushed the girl to look in the opposite direction. "Look, there's twin whites." What was it with twins today? He felt extremely lucky to witness them hatching.

Andranis

NovaCracker

For mention.

 

[faesinger]

Aroontwa watched open mouthed in horror as the bronze mouthed off. But good! The golds had it well in hand. As Fianth spoke to him he blushed. It was so kind of her to say such things after all the insults that had been offered that day. “Thank you.” He wasn’t sure if she would hear.

To the remaining babies he said, “we are here to see you and I want nothing more than to have the joy of watching you find yours! Please, no matter what else happens, know that this is your day! Your time! Don’t let those with pettiness in their hearts ruin it for you.”  

[ShinosBee]

Zelaya
To call themselves horrified at the abhorrent behavior of their peers would be an understatement. What...had they none of them minded their lessons?! But apparently it was not only the candidates at fault here. To hear the scorning words of some rider’s bronze, and the golds’ furious retorts to slights above and below...They could have wept with shame.

As it was they simply obediently demurred, shivering but forcing one, two, three calming breaths. They at least had done nothing wrong. Let them be a beacon of calm in this storm. At least, that was the plan until they caught sight of Z’tir moving towards the obscene bronze’s rider. And then they couldn’t help but feel their heart begin to race, thundering until at last the foreigner departed. Thank goodness...


Theo
The man reeled back from his intent view as the senior gold’s fury was made clear. He felt like his ears were ringing by the time that impertinent Western bronze had been sent out—the whole lovely mood shattered around the edges by the scene. He clearly had missed something, though what was hard to say. Another candidate was down too, and the parent dragons moving to comfort the hatchlings. “What on Pern could’ve set that bronze off? It was all going relatively well, I’d thought...” He glanced at the sheets of parchment on his desk, eyes sliding over the happy scenes depicted and notes there.

“How unpleasant of him to say such things. The, the babies have all been a delight, and High Reaches has offered me nothing but welcome...” He fumbled on, as if needing to show that not all guests were quite so ill mannered.  

[demon_pachabel]

Fahn

Oh boy, oh boy, OH BOY. Things were getting a little tense and Fahn jittered nervously. She was used to rather risky situations like this - death rained from above, after all - but one of Western's Bronzes had just sassed their Senior Queen and if nothing else, she was surprised he hadn't been ripped apart.

"I'm not sure if things are going well or not anymore," she admitted. The babies had been impressing in pretty good time, and outside of a few people getting thrown around and bitten (what was with their candidates?) nothing exceedingly disastrous had happened since he had impressed.

But she did notice a certain egg wobble just so slightly, and she focused on Friends on the Other Side's movement for now.  

[demon_pachabel]

Juhvek

"Shardin' idiots," the man grumbled to himself, crossing his arms as he looked up at the stands where the mouthy bronze and his rider had left after causing an absolute scene. The tone of the day had already shifted several times within the hour, and now he wondered if it would recover itself from that point. Was that the kind of rider Western wanted representing them?

To a Weyr who had saved all of their hides? Well, most of them, but the intent was true enough. He was markedly unimpressed, and from the sounds of many dragons who had immediately riled up in anger in defense of their Weyr and their hatchlings and their Queen....not many were at all.