Xanadu Weyr - Hatching Sands
The large circular "stage" is surrounded on one half by a towering wall, thin slit windows high overhead letting in some light without truly endangering the objects on the sands, though plenty of lights are spaced at human-level all the way around. The other half is ringed by the dark blue seats of the observation level, rising upwards towards the back wall. The circle itself is filled with a mix of red and white sands, deep enough to cover the largest of dragon eggs with ease. To one side, a small door is visible, hidden away behind a platform meant to provide a place for the clutch parent's lifemates to stand during the on goings.
It's not the sort of day one wants to spend inside. The spring weather is so fair out there - fluffy little clouds sailing across the blue sky, light breezes ruffling the new growth of leaves and grass, carrying the fragrance of wild flowers along with it. It's warm in the sun, cool in the shade, and the air is clear and dry. It's the perfect weather for a hike or a picnic but no. With afternoon craft duties fulfilled the Candidates, who might normally have a bit of free time before dinner, have been rounded up by the AWLMs and herded into the hatching grounds where the Weyrwoman awaits them. After explaining why touching the eggs is a good thing for the hatchlings, and a final admonition to behave, she ushers them out onto the sands with an encouraging smile and a 'go for it' hand gesture. "One person per egg and no running or shouting, please."
Seryth is sprawled towards the back of the clutch, perhaps only kept in place by Romth's head, which is using her back for a pillow. The queen is still, but the tip of her tail twitches non-stop. Both dragons are calm, but both are watching the Candidates closely.
Inuelle is a little nervous and rather embarassed by her miserable state of dress, was all prepped and ready to do some crafting during her free time, so she's got casual pants and a tunic on, a rarity for this usually dress wearing girl. She steps out onto the hot sands and stays close to those candidates she knows well, giving a nervous and jumpy sort of salute to the Weyrwoman and a nervous look towards the adult dragons. "I can do this…" she says to herself.
< Inuelle touches egg 2 - Paint Your Palette Blue and Grey Egg >
There is certainly no worry of running and shouting on Kinzie's part, being this close to the golden queen has her just a tiny bit nervous, but she does manage to stride purposefully across the sands towards the clutch. She doesn't, of course, forget the customary bow of her head to both sire and dam and she hopes against everything they can't sense her current emotions on closer inspection of the eggs she notices the many colours and surfaces which was something she didn't expect, not that she knew what to expect, and she takes one last glance towards the queen and the rest of the candidates before reaching out towards the eggs.
< Kinzie touches egg 8 - Forms in Celestial Darkness Egg >
Not quite sulking at having to give up his free time, Iforian files onto the sands with everyone else, waiting with his arms folded over his chest while the Weyrwoman explains why they're being dragged out to fondle a bunch of eggs long before they're ready to hatch. He offers a quiet sigh and nods, managing, for once, not to leer at the queen rider and to keep his eyes in his head when looking at the other candidates, as well. The tall miner-candidate wanders among the eggs for a little while after offering a shallow bow of respect to the clutch parents, before coming to a stop before an egg and just standing there with his hands deep in his pockets as he studies the golden brown surface of the egg. After a moment, he does reach out to rest a hand against the warm surface, a doubious expression on his face.
< Iforian touches egg 12 - Seeds of Change Egg >
Inuelle breaths a deep sad sigh for a moment as she touches her first egg. "Oh but it was a beautiful thing, its gone now, but for awhile it was wonderful," she may or may not even be sure what she's saying to the egg, but she certainly means it because she is tearing a little bit. "You've done nothing wrong, really…" and she uses her free hand to wipe her eyes.
Thea returns any salutes with one of her own, gravely executed but accompanied with a twinkle in her glass green eyes and a subtle quirk of her lips. She's silent, allowing the Candidates to experience the eggs but keeping an eye on them as she walks quietly amongst them.
Iforian frowns and leans closer to the egg, the heat of the sands not yet burning through the soles of boots made to survive hard labor. For a moment- His frown deepens and he flattens his hand a little more firmly against the shell in an attempt to reach for that fragile thing that is gone almost before he can really identify it.
Taken a back by a flood of memories and feelings Kinzie looks at the egg her hand is pressed firmly against, fingers ruuning across it's surface as if hunting for that feeling again, that sense of something.. something almost familiar. Her eyes spark with intensity "Why am I here?" she says to herself softly, searching for something inside herself "I have adventured so far to get here, why not continue?" she's not even sure if she's making sense.
Inuelle is startled from the egg's response, and pulls her hand away briefly from the egg in surprise. Her eyes become wet with tears, and she reluctantly, but respectfully puts her hand back on the colorful surface of this egg that seems to know her only too well. "He was a very important person to me, and I miss him very much. I'm glad to be able to share him with you, even if its a bit…painful," she wipes her eyes on her free sleeve.
"Such beautiful music.. such a song" Kinzie says wistfully as she reaches out, feeling empowered by the strength seeming to resonante from inside the shell but she withdraws her hand slightly before giving the egg one last light touch.
"No, he's not here anymore, but I did love him very much, I still do really. Thank you," Inuelle pulls her hand away from the egg now keenly, and sits down next to it for a moment to repose herself. Which involves pulling out a hanky and blowing her nose, and wiping her eyes with it. Okay, so that was rather difficult. "It was all right," she says, more to herself. "That wasn't too hard…"
< Inuelle leaves egg 2 - Paint Your Palette Blue and Grey Egg >
"'Course there's things ya don't know…" Iforian's voice is… oddly tender. It's unlikely that anyone has ever heard him sound quite so… well, quite like he's trying to prove something to everyone else, "Ya gotta do a li'l growin' t' do 'fore ya can come out where there's stuff like that." He rests his other hand against the shell, "You'll have your own 'speriences soon 'nough."
Kinzie removes her hand slowly from the egg surface as if desperate for that feeling, that strength and power to stay with her "I don't know if I have the strength but I will try" she says firmly to herself, her hands becoming tense "I will be the one" her voice is almost a whisper now as she composes herself with a shake of the head, trying to bring herself back from that moment and back to the hatching sands.
< Kinzie leaves egg 8 - Forms in Celestial Darkness Egg >
Finally able to look about her Kinzie notices the other candidates only briefly before reaching out to touch Just one more piece egg with more determination, this time she's more confident and she runs her hand across the surface stopping as she concentrates on searching for something.
< Kinzie touches egg 1 - Just One More Piece Egg >
A crooked little smile tuggs at one corner of the tall man's mouth and he gives the egg a gentle pat with his fingertips, "'S right. Ain't long an' you'll be flyin' like your dam an' sire." Iforian gives the egg another gentle little pat and lets his hands fall away, giving himself a little shake and looking about quickly to check and make sure that no one noticed him going soft there.
< Iforian leaves egg 12 - Seeds of Change Egg >
With an odd smile and even a soft laugh Kinzie strokes the hardening shell again, her voice soft and calm "So many questions.." she says trying as hard as she can to find an answer to them all but remembering very little in the chaos "you.." she thinks that's the correct way of addressing the voices clattering about her head "need to slow down" she says her brows knit in concentration as if trying to unjumble a collection of yarn, her face is slightly flushed.
The feeling that runs through Kinzie's body sends a shiver down her spine and she pulls her hand away flushing slight "what was that?" she says her face flushed as she is still trying desperately to unjumble the questions, feelings and emotions inside her head but for some reason she can't quite work out she reaches forward again, reaching forward to the tangled yarn of emotions bundled up inside the egg in front of her.
Iforian returns to simply wandering for a moment, eyeing each egg as though certain that it's going to roll in his way and make him trip. His meandering brings him to stand before the Plethora of Pliable Puttees egg and, once again, the tall man just stands before it for a time. When he finally reaches for bumpy egg, just barely brushing his fingertips over the surface.
< Iforian touches egg 10 - Plethora of Pliable Puttees Egg >
Inuelle manages to recover enough to get back to her feet. The other candidates are still moving around and touching eggs so she composes herself and approaches another egg. The previous egg had left her feeling a little bruised so now she's hesitant. But she braces herself and touches Seeds of Change Egg cautiously.
< Inuelle touches egg 12 - Seeds of Change Egg >
Kinzie is totally taken a back, the jumble of emotions gone in an instant and she steps backwards quickly away from the egg in question. Feelings and emotions that had flooded her mind, some of which felt so alien to her, were now gone and instead she was left with many unanswered questions of her own. Her face still flushed from the sensory overdrive she takes time to steady herself before moving on the the next egg, touching the bumpy shell of the Sweet to the Touch egg with soft, light strokes.
Inuelle pulls her hand away with a squeak. "Oh!" she says, and she touches the egg again, looking a little apologetic. "I'm sorry, did I disturb you?" she asks. "I didn't mean to," she smiles, rather intrigued now. "I must seem very strange to you."
< Kinzie leaves egg 1 - Just One More Piece Egg >
Kinzie can't help but sway as the images inside her head seem so real and almost dizzying, in fact she has to take her hand away just to settle her breathing and head "Oh!" she says, taken a back as she feels herself get caught up in the images resting her hand against the shell one more time to find an end to the images if not also to steady herself.
< Kinzie touches egg 5 - Sweet to the Touch Egg >
Inuelle crosses her eyes, and shakes her head and pulls her hand back. Too much! "Oh dear," she says, and actually gives a laugh before placing her hand back. "Slow down," she says. "Slow down. Yes, it is a big world out here, and you'll get your chance very soon to be a part of it, I promise."
The sudden change in the emotions brings Kinzie back to the hatching sands with a bump and she looks at the gg quizzically, trying to work out what had changed "So cold" she says finally, searching for something, some clue as she runs her hand over the eggs surface.
< Kinzie leaves egg 5 - Sweet to the Touch Egg >
With a final sigh as the feeling subsides Kinzie backs away again, as if those few steps help her gain perspective and bring her back to reality, thought hints of each of the eggs still remain with the feeling of so many unanswered questions. Looking about her before setting off with shakey steps, she looks over each egg in tunr as if trying to decifer what imagery each will provide before finally the Medley of Nature Egg.
< Kinzie touches egg 9 - Medley of Nature Egg >
Anger flashes in Iforian's eyes and he flattens his hand to lean against the egg a little, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he grinds his teeth and brings his other hand up to rest on the shell as well. His nostrils flair and the big man wrinkles his nose as though he smells something absolutely horrid, then- He sways a little as it's suddenly gone; anger, stench, everything! The miner-candidate blinks stupidly a couple of times, looking vaguely confused, as though someone may have smacked him upside the head with a brick and run off before he could properly recover enough to respond. He looks down at the egg before him with a puzzled expression on his face, "Wha' just happened?"
"Who am I?" Kinzie says slowly looking at the egg "I'm Kinzie…. I… well I don't know where I'm going" she says softly as if the voice inside her mind is right there infront of her, her facse is a picture of confusion, of concentration and she caresses the bumpy surface of the egg as if somewhere within the imperferctions lies an answer to the eggs own question.
Iforian's eyes flash again and he brings one hand up to rub at his jaw, every muscle in his body tense in response to the consciousness within the egg that has his undivided attention. The blond man grunts, hunching his shoulders and bringing one arm up to shield his head from invisible blows, growling a soft challenge, "Bring it! I ain't backin' down." Then, suddenly, he staggers away from the egg and lands hard in the sand at the feet of an older candidate, blinking stupidly up at the startled man standing over him and scowling as he's offered a hand back up. With another growl, he pushes the hand away and climbs back to his feet, brushing hot sand off of his backside, though his hair is still full of it, "Le' me 'lone!" Determination in his eyes, he stalks the two steps back to the egg and presses his hands firmly against the surface once more, "Ya can't scare me off tha' easy." He visibly braces himself in anticipation of the next onslaught.
Kinzie pulls her hand away quickly and then has to steady herself as she tries to bring her mind back down from the dizzying heights created by the images in her head. "I have dreams" she says softly again, her voice cracking "dreams of flight.. of freedom" she coughs slightly to clear her throat, looking around to see if anyone noticed before reaching to touch the egg once more.
As the time goes by Seryth becomes more restive, eyeing her precious eggs more and more fretful that they've been invaded until even Romth's head no longer keeps her still, the queen pushing to her feet from underneath the bronze, pacing in a prowling advance on the Candidates. She's headed off by Thea, who strides to stroke her muzzle and comfort her, but the AWLMs know the signs and begin ushering the youngsters from the sands.
The feeling of dissapointment floods through Kinzie, for she was reaching for something and it was so close.. so very close and then she realises she is actually reaching out and she flushes slightly as she realises where she is again "That feeling, it's so strange but yet it feels so very wonderful" she says to herself thoughtfully as she steps back away from the eggs, her mind and soul exhausted from the emotional enslaught. She bows politely to both Gold and Bronze before smiling politely to the weyrwoman. As Kinzie leaves the sands her brow is knitted in a look of pure concentration and thought, this is definitely going to be more intense than the ex stablehand had first throught.
< Kinzie leaves egg 9 - Medley of Nature Egg >
It's a good thing that Iforian had braced himself for the incoming impact of that immature mind against his own, though just what it might become once it's grown and matured! "I don't give up easy, ya li'l blighter." He winces at the violence of the impact of another consciousness against his own, shoulders tense and the flesh around his eyes tight as he engages in a battle of wills with the creature within the colorful shell. Then… it's gone? He blinks, breathing as hard as though he just ran from the barracks, to the beach, and back again twice. His chest heaves as he gulps down air, his hair dark with sweat and his shirt dripping. For a long moment, he just leans there agains the egg, recovering from the ordeal. Finally, a smirk of success curls up one corner of his mouth and he straightens, looking almost smug at having come out on top. He doesn't appear to care if anyone saw him get knocked on his arse by something that is still trapped in the prison of a hardening egg shell, just turning on his heel and striding towards the exit with a jaunty little salute towards Thea and the weyrling masters keeping everyone in line, "Par'n me, but I think I'm in need a' a bath aft'r tha'."
< Iforian leaves egg 10 - Plethora of Pliable Puttees Egg >
Inuelle removes her hand from the egg, looking reflective, and sad to have the experience end. At least it wasn't a negative experience this time. "Thank you," she says to the egg, and gets back to her feet and goes to join the other candidates as they leave the sands. She salutes the Weyrwoman and copies the other candidates in bowing to the dame and sire anxiously before following after the others.
< Thea shoos Inuelle from egg 12 - Seeds of Change Egg >