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.
The AWLMs have rounded up some Candidates this early winter morning, pulling some from chores, maybe a few from bed, even. The eggs grow harder by the day and time seems to be growing short. As usual Seryth is curled up by Inimeth but even though the hour is early she is not asleep. Her eyes are open with that ever-watchful stare - might even be a glare by this point - as the Candidates file in. The Weyrwoman is seated on the platform looking barely awake herself, though her greeting is as polite as ever as she beckons the Candidates out onto the sands.
Kaede will not protest one bit at being pulled from the chilly duty of washing dragons as the season turns towards the cold, the harper apprentice looking relieved as she is ushered onto the warm sands and not into the frigid water. With a graceful bow to Inimeth and Seryth, a bow that includes Thea in it, she's hesitating for a moment before being ushered forward by an assistant, and she's glancing up and down before settling her attention on the Dusty Old Parchment Egg, keeping in mind the comments of the other candidates as her fingers brush delicately over the top of the shell.
Aqueepoli is one of those who was dragged from his bed, if his haphazardly backwards tunic and mussed up hair is any indication. "Nrrr?" Is all that comes out of the sleep-bedragled lad's mouth, eyes squinting at the sands and the eggs and the dragons and wondering how he ever got there. There is no memory of walking over towards the sands. Just a shaken awakening and then… eggs in front of him. He stumbles further onto the sands, moving closer to the eggs and mentally berating himself for staying up so late. A quick bow is given to the clutch parents, his manners having been beaten into him long ago, as well as to the Weyrwoman and, heck, even to the Assistant Weyrlingmasters. Everyone gets a bow today! Pol gives a yawn after formalities are past and wanders out over towards the eggs. He remembers what to do at this point. Mysteries In The Dark Egg gets his attention, sleep-deprived as it may be. Hands go up and rest upon said egg. S'up egg, s'up?
Holding her breath, Kaede's fingers hover over the surface of the egg, eyes closing for a moment as she braces herself for what is to come. And then, its a hushed, quiet response, a muted greeting, and her forehead is furrowing in confusion, hand resting on the hardening shell with more confidence, eyes darting over the Dusty Old Parchment Egg's shell.
"I feel for ya, dude." Aqueepoli mutters, now resting, more or less, on the egg. The majority of his weight is held off, but there is a good amount of leaning onto his hands going on. "I feel much the same." That being said, the candidate is in no particular urge to rush off to another egg. For the time being, he's quite content to stay in one place, eyes half-lidded as he lets his mind go blank and just enjoy the warmth of the sands, the smoothness of the shell, whatever feelings appear in his mind.
Flandynn has bed hair, flattened on one side, smooshed up on the other, and no amount of finger-combing is ever going to get him to set it all to rights. He'll try anyway. If mom was here, she'd use some spit. He won't go that far. At least, not yet. The teen is one of the herd, bumbing against another candidate, offering up profuse apologies, only to be shushes quite soundly by another. The second his booted feet find sand a bow automatically falls from him, sweeping low with arm swung out. In the next blink he is back to rights, hair just a tad more flouncy. This battle is soooo lost. "So uhm…" He heads over here, but a candidate is already touching that egg, so he turns about to look over there, and there is another. "Well damn, I-" Quick. Touch that one! The 'walk really fast' race is on and he sneaks a goosing on the Claimed by the Sea Egg.
Eyes open, and Kaede blinks, shaking her head and looking baffled down at the shell. Lips move, mouthing words silently, letting the thoughts pass through her mind before she gives the shell another little stroke, hoping to coax a bit more from its presence.
Aqueepoli arches an eyebrow, removing one hand to smoosh over his own face in a vain attempt to awaken his mind more fully. No klah makes a very sleepy Pol. His hand is returned, the egg given a blank stare of… of? Well. The expression on his face isn't anything to write home about. More just vapid emptiness. Much like his brain sometimes. "Mmmmrr?" He asks the egg, head tilting. Not that he expects an answer, but he does close his eyes and try to concentrate the best he can on whatever lies within the shell.
Flandynn will give this egg more than a goosing in a second here, he is too busy look across the rounded curve of it to the candidate he beat to the thing. A 'sorry, maybe next time look' is offered to the girl, complete with boyish dimples -sweet look is lost in the presence of bed-head. Any further coy looks to the brunette are lost as the egg below him responds. His lips fall into a murmur, "Well, there certainly isn't good food. But beyond that, it has its promises."
"Awwww." Aqueepoli states, though a whisper of a grin alights his face. "Yeah, again, dun blame ya, dude. Think'n I'm gonna do much the same, after this." Another jaw-popping yawn is given, arms retracting from the shell and going up in a good, long stretch. "You jus' go an' do yer thing, kay?" As if the egg would do anything but that. He gives a wave with one hand, before turning and heading towards a different egg. The heat starts to seep into his skin, sharpening his mind more and eyes brightening just a little. "Kay, you." Stopping in front of Avenue of the Dead Egg, Pol starts up the routine. It's given a look over or two, then deemed acceptable. Two steps forward and hands are placed on the shell. "A'ight, you know the dealio, egg. Tell me all your secrets."
Flandynn mentally nose-wrinkles at the egg, and he'll do it as well on his face. Watch. Watch as his nose wrinkles right up at the question posed from the creature within the egg. "Now see here… that ain't a fair question at all. If anything, I'd go crazy." His lips curl up in the corners as he gets all kinds of comfortable while communing with a… well, with an egg. Posture shifts, weight leaning onto one leg. "Call me greedy, but I want to go… more."
Oh yeah. That'll wake up Aqueepoli up. His eyes open fully, before narrowing back down. "I… err…" He struggles to find the words. "Not as if'n you can hear me, right?" Pol answers his own internal question, head shaking back and forth in a slow and methodical way. "But if'n you really dun know, which I guess ya wouldn't, ya can call me Aqueepoli." Cause that's who he is, after all. The candidate does keep his voice lower, both out of respect of the clutchparents (and his own life, being eaten by a dragon is not an option) and to ensure his fellow candidates and the surrounding assistant weyrlingmasters don't hear him. Talking to oneself once is normal, but numerous times? He might be falling off the crazytrain. "So… yeah. Ya got yer answer. Now what?" Hands move up the shell some, marveling at the size of the egg for the briefest of moments, then settling in to waiting and feeling.
Flandynn's comfort becomes lost in a sense of confusion. He eases one hand from the shell, leaving the tentative touch of the palm of his left. "Eh?" His eyes squint back open, the self-same curious glance drawing from the shell and away to the others in the room. His shoulders rise and fall in a shrug, an initial reaction until a thought or three later has the corners of his lips drawing upwards in a secretive grin. "It always is."
"Buh!" An intelligent thing, for sure, for Aqueepoli to state. "Shards, these eggs!" Is exclaimed. "S'like a non-stop need to defend my manhood or prove I'm worthy." A step back is taken, hands go to his hips. "I'll have ya know I /am/ worthy! And! AND. I'm not scared of ya at all!" A finger is waggled at the egg, just to prove emphasis to his words. Though it's truly not the most manly motion he could make. It's all that comes to mind though. "Ya can do wha'cha want an' I'll jus' be like, whatever!" Seems his accent comes out more and more when emotions start to run high. "So HAH, egg, HAH!" Hands are replaced, though no forward movement to put him back up in the egg's space. Instead he just leeeeans in, waiting to rebound off the egg and high-tail it outta there if it is needed.
That palm that Flandynn holds pressed to the shell of the egg is joined by splayed fingers suddenly. His chest fills with an indrawn breath, dragging in the sultry air of the cavern to flood his lungs. His smile even seems to grow, teeth making a brief appearance before he is pulling away in a step. No verbal response here, just a wry chuckle and a bit more of wobble to his step. He turns, looks, spies another egg, not courting a single soul. Clearly that means he must give attention, and so it is Monument of Time and Space that gets the brunt of a two-handed grab.
Its a disappointed frown that lingers on Kaede's face then as the mental touch does not expand, does not elaborate… but rather drifts away and leaves her alone on the Sands. A shrug, and after a moment she's backing away from the shell with a little curtsy and turning, weaving her way through the candidates and the eggs until she comes to the side of the Halls of Crumbling Stone Egg, fingers dancing over the curve of the shell in turn.
A wispy gasp escapes Kaede, the harper's eyes widening at the depths of the touch that brushes against her thoughts, gaze dropping hurriedly to the shell beneath her hand, fingers brushing gently over the curves, before settling, palm to shell, fingers curled and cradling the shape. "I'm ready.." She whispers to the empty space around her, leaning a little towards the egg, caught up with its offerings.
Flandynn has songs a plenty that curl through his thoughts: lips begin to hum out a playful tune, his head bobbling along in the rhythm, one foot managing to tap in the sands despite the fact that they keep falling away from his toes. He seems to consider the silent query posed, allows his mouth to find a bit of a grin in reaction to where his thoughts lie, and then the next humming is a northern sea chantey. He'll leave out the questionable verses for now. This egg doesn't need to here a bawdy rendition of 'Lift her Sails'. So, he hums it instead.
"PFFFT!" Aqueepoli makes a noise of irritation. "Says /you/!" All connection to the egg are severed as hands withdraw completely. An angry look overshadowing his face now. "I'm twice the man you are!" He holds out an accusatory finger at the egg in question, than calmly (and discretely) flicks it off and huffs away. Over to another egg, Dust Old Parchment Egg to be precise. Marching up close, Pol crosses his arms at first. "So, wha'? You gonna give me the what-for, as well? Eh? S'that it? Well, ya can /bring/ it, egg. You dun own me." If this was another time and place, he'd twirl his head in three circles and give a snap-snap of his fingers. But alas. It's not. So instead he assumes the position. Hands on egg. Face set in scowl. Teeth barred.
Those nearest the harper apprentice turned candidate may hear a soft whimper escape the girl as Kaede's taking a stumbling half step backwards, fingers nearly coming completely off the shell, though her fingertips linger, barely in contact, as she regains her composure, glancing at those around her before she's closing the distance once more, resettling herself at its side, proving her strength. "Back off.." She whispers, slender form tensing as she stands straight.
Flandynn is, at heart, a selfish creature, so as the question is posed, it leaves his features quirking in hesitation. His head abruptly comes up, hearing Aqueepoli's response to one of the eggs out there, his own dark eyes following the fellow candidate for the moment. Eventually, his attention drops back down to the egg under his hands, and his thoughts focus once more onto the matter, literally, at hand. "You want to see it all… then see it." He's an open book, the book about him.
Some of those reactions have Thea's brows twitching up the merest bit, but she says nothing, just continues to watch. That finger-shaking of Aqueepoli's though. That draws a sudden strangled laugh, hastily choked off into a cough as she lowers her head, allowing her hair to swing forward and curtain her face. Her shoulders shake silently with the effort to hold in her mirth and it's a few moments before she can lift her head again. Maybe it'll go unnoticed.
Luckily for the world around him, Aqueepoli is far too invested in the egg to notice those around him. At least for now. Expecting doom and gloom and the mocking of his manhood, Pol is always put off-kilter when one of the eggs doesn't give a challenging feel. So Dusty Old Parchment Egg gets only a stare. No words needed this time around. He blinks once. Twice. Stares. Stares longer. Not what he was expecting after the last two eggs, but he'll roll with it. A deep breath is taken in and slooowly released. Allowing the tension to release from his shoulders. Right. Better. Focus is directed back on what he is feeling and not what he EXPECTS to feel.
Kaede stays standing straight, a little smile curling eventually on her lips as the presence twists and turns, and eventually pulls away. A gentle pat the she shell, and she lingers for a moment longer before finally taking her leave, looking more settled and confident as she approaches the Ethereal Cairn Egg, hand settled firmly on its side.
Flandynn falls for it. Yeah, he falls for it, proverbial hook, line, and sinker. The teen doesn't mean for it to happen, but he does cast a glance over his shoulder, just because. His eyes flick from unmoving eggs to moving candidates to shadows, all bringing forth a wrinkle right between dark eyebrows. His eyes slide back to the egg he is touching, head quirked just enough to the side, much as a puppy-canine's would be. "Because I was asked?" is the obvious answer, the deeper one comes a bit more slowly, having to percolate in his thoughts, mixing with intention before becoming well and ready. "Because I want to be."
"…" Yeah. That's all. Just "…" Aqueepoli is at a loss, truly. "Really… that's it? Just. That's it? Really?" He repeats himself, the feeling he received from the egg nothing like any others. "I… I guess… that's cool?" The words are stated, but the question is still there. Unsure of himself now, unsure of a lot of things, Pol is sent to the world of thought. His mind cranks, but nothing but questions pop up. "There's gotta be more, so c'mon, give it to me. I swear I can take it!" Pol buckles down, locks his knees, prepares for the worst. "No going soft now, got it? I'm a /man/ after all." Hands continue their resting place atop the egg's shell.
Nothing like filling an already packed head into further tumult. Flandynn releases the egg in a pair of blinks, considers it silently and with an oddly serious look of contemplation. After a pair of breaths, his features ease right back into a soft grin and amused eyes. "I could get used to this." It is an easy stride that has him moving away, passing by Aqueepoli as he seems to babble away to the egg he is touching, and on down to find a moment with the Stele Translations Egg.
The confidence instilled in Kaede by the previous evaporates in a puff of smoke as there's that spark, that flare of light, of fire, and she blinks without meaning to. Lifting a hand to cover her eyes even as the flashing assault comes from within, she shakes her head, wrinkling her nose and glaring down at the egg as it pulls on her heartstreams. "Hey.. You can't have those.." She murmurs a bit defensively, even as it offers its own sensations in commiseration.
Aqueepoli removes his hands, bringing them up to, more or less, hug himself. "Shards. Ya know," He turns towards some of the other candidates, rising his voice enough to be heard, but not enough to be obnoxious. "Wha' ever dragons come forth from these suckers, they'll prove to be damned interestin'." Pause. "Err. Darn, I mean." Eyes shift back and forth, hoping his language wasn't noticed. "Ahem." A bow is given to the gold and bronze dragon once more, as well as to the eggs. Just to be all formal once again. Turning around, he goes past the eggs, closer to where the Weyrwoman stands, "I reckon," is stated, a baffled look on his face. "Those eggs are quite good at making my head ache. That being said, I… I'm gonna retreat, ma'am, sirs," All the assistant weyrlingmasters are looked at as well. "Got me some thinkin' to do." And maybe a nap to take. Seems to be his new thing, after touchings. "Thank you." They all get a quick bow, followed by a quick salute. Then Pol is walking towards the exit of the sands and back out into the Xanadu chill.
Flandynn didn't expect that. His chin comes up in confusion, only to tilt his head to the side in wonder. His own feet shift upon the sands he stands on here in this cavern, feeling it give beneath his souls, but not give enough to afford total unease -at complete odds to what is he getting from this egg. That niggling feeling is there, his palm lifting slightly as if to leave, "Nah, there is more here." Denial spoken in an easy way, leaving the dark-haired candidate to lean into the touch.
Relaxing, slowly, Kaede lingers at the side of the Cairn egg, thoughtfully regarding each aspect of the shell before her with a soft hum before she shakes her head, and makes a face. "No.." She repeats again, words drifting off her lips as she curls her free hand into a ball, wincing a little. "Stop.." She repeats again, and yet, makes no move to flee from the mental warmth.
Flandynn didn't expect that either. His other can comes out, flattening to that shell in the same way as the first, looking for a solid surface to brace against. Lips parched by the heat within the cavern part for him to murmur, "If I said no…" But the thought doesn't conclude, instead remaining open, unspoken, unheard. That word is a foreign idea, curious and exotic but defining. He presses a little harder, encouraging.
Flandynn comes away from that egg with the burden of knowledge, and not quite apt to decipher all it was about. It leaves him frowning, at a loss, unsure and unsettled. His eyes remain upon that egg for a blink, and he is turning away in the next one. Certainly not for him. Dark eyes flick to the clutchparents, drop to Thea with a wry grin, and he'll find himself before a last egg -he may just have to check into a mindhealer before this is all over. So, it is with wide hands and a leaning touch that has him grasping at Lost in the Fathoms Below Egg.
Kaede looks almost puzzled at the egg infront of her as it pulls away, leaving a certain glow in her mind, backing away and lingering off the to side of the eggs for a few long moments. Eyes follow her fellows unseeing as they make their own rounds amongst the eggs, before after a moment she's steeling herself, and moving towards the clutch once more, settling her hand on the Monument of Time and Space Egg.
Flandynn thinks it is awfully cruel to come across an egg like this, provoking a growl from his stomach. One of his hands briefly comes away from the egg to press to his poor, poor, poor tummy. His thoughts will be spoken. "That is cruel." His hand returns, pressing to the colors of the shell, sliding over the apex as if searching for something… an unvoiced something. "A game of hide and seek? Coy." As he speaks, his voice drops touch, darkens in a whisper, ends in answer.
*ggrrrrmmmmgrmmp* That'd be Flandynn's stomach. Yep, getting louder. Becoming more demanding. His brows come down in consternation, overshadowing already dark eyes and dusky skin. "Very cruel," is muttered again. He exhales, his own warm breath mixing with the stifling air of the cavern. His body leans in closer, cheek nearly pressed to shell. How much trouble would he be in if he licked it? Just a taste… it smells so goooood. The query sends his thoughts awry, he scrambles to focus, frowning in concentration, muttering the first words that come by way of reasoning, "I've been places. We'll go to more."
It seems that Kaede has had enough of the poking and prodding for the time being, and she's ready to have her mind go without questions for a while. And so, it with a wrinkle of her nose that she's shaking her head, backing away from the searching presence, and then in turn away from the eggs. A sketched bow, a mumbled apology and she's retreating from the Sands - only to appear a few minutes later in the upper corner of the Galleries as she settles down to think.
Flandynn near to falls into that egg, the sensations are just that yummy. Just a lick. Just little, tiny lick… that'll give him the sensation of sand more than likely. But the images and thoughts recede, and the teen is drawing away from the egg with a look of a missed dinner bell. Yes, his features are drawn with open longing, shoulders falling in a forlorn sigh. Puppy-canine expression and all. "Shells, I want something," is sighed to one and all, hand soothing his belly, other hand coming back through bed-head hair. With that said and done, he wanders away and to the edge of the sands.