[Touching] Once Upon A Time

[nozomi]

For Ever:

The Skinny Dipping Egg was harmless! Quite harmless. In fact, the very instant Ever touched it's shell, she'd be filled with a sudden flood of admiration and respect, as if the egg were honored to be in her presence.



For Tany:

Just as with Ever, Tany will be wrapped up in sudden emotions flooding from the egg: excitement, the rush and desire for adventure and to be free. Perhaps its thoughts weren't as thundering and overpowering as its siblings but Hazel Switch was an enthusiastic dragon never the less.


For Jarethir:

The Old Blood Egg stirred into full awareness when Jareth touched it. A tit for a tat, perhaps? This egg reaches out then, beckoning for a little - something. It wants something. Jarethir is left with a feeling of longing, of the eggs desire to offer something.


For Farrox:

True, true. The bright pink True Love Egg seemed to favor the females but when Farrox touched the shell, the egg gave off a fluttering emotion, a little thrill of excitement and greeting. There is the underlying confusion as Farrox is, well, a boy but never the less, this egg is happy to see him. There is love in that egg, for Farrox just as it is for females, flittering and genuine adoration. Pretty thing!

[twisting]

Kuriel lifted her hand off the Skinny Dipping egg, unimpressed by the feelings she got from that one. She had almost decided this was an exercise in futility, but maybe just one more egg. She tiptoed through the sand towards the Spun Gold egg. It seemed to be a popular stop, and though Kuriel had no real desire to ride a gold, this egg was far to tiny to be a gold anyway. She would touch this one last egg and leave the rest to the others. She needed to get back to work. Even with permission to be at the touching she still had to relieve her replacement and bring the east herd in. Nodding to the golden dragon she laid her hand on the precious shiny egg.

(Spun Gold, just for kicks)

[nemix]

Tiael was lost in thought, aware that this egg seemed to be a lot calmer than the almost overwhelming personality of the last. As she rested her hand against the skinny dipping egg she was pondering just how many of these prisoners she should have been paying more attention to. Most seemed to dejected, she'd kept herself to herself and kept her head down while puzzling out this place. It seemed her time would be better spent, casting her net wider than usual.

A voice , quiet, caused her to look up. Surprised, her eyebrow arched but she smiled nonetheless. "One or two." She replied vaguely, quite taken aback that the girl from their lesson had chosen to strike up conversation. She'd wondered, at the time, whether Kuriel had taken offence to her rather dramatic response. It was hard to tell, the girl seemed almost one dimensional in personality at times. Yet here she was, calmly talking with Tiael. It seemed there were perhaps, more depth than she'd gave her credit for. Aware she should be making more of an effort, Tiael trailed her gaze back to the egg, feeling the slow flood of friendliness under her fingers. "This one seems welcoming." She commented.

All too soon though, Kuriel was up and away again and Tiael watched her move through the sands. Hmm, it would be silly to jump to a conclusion of yet more offence, the girl didn't really seem to react like most did. Perhaps she was another one to try and talk to outside of these formal settings. Musing, she stroked the shell a final time before standing and heading over to a far less colourful member of the clutch.

Crouching by the Jam Sandwich Egg she placed a hand upon the shell and waited, for once concentrating on what she might find emanating from in the egg. They were all so different.

[ramba]

After touching the seemingly nothingness that was the Old Blood Egg, Reeva had stepped back and merely watched the others touch the eggs. She fidgeted slightly, wondering if the Old Blood Egg was just a dud, or if it was just not right for her. Or perhaps she wasn't supposed to ride a dragon, and therefore the eggs wouldn't acknowledge her? At least; she hadn't experienced whatever it was that was making people smile, or recoil.

The giving of Gifts from Semith was a novelty. The kitten in a basket was, though probably cruel, quite funny in a cute way. Before Reeva knew it, all of the lumps had been excavated, and the other candidates, prisoner and non prisoner were milling amongst the eggs experiencing flushes of emotion.

Taking a deep breath, Reeva looked around for an egg to touch. It seemed no egg was being left untouched, which was the way it should be, and she had to admit to herself that she probably looked odd just standing around not touching anything. Reeva removed her gloves, no longer needing them, before moving through the eggs. She knelt down next to one, regretting it as soon as she did so, for her legs suddenly felt as if they were being roasted.

Pushing the pain back, Reeva gently stroked the egg. What strange markings and colours these eggs had!

((Flickering flame egg please!))

[lithle]

Kuriel:

For a moment, Kuriel would feel the same eager attempt at happiness that others had felt. And then, as if the Spun Gold Egg identified this thing touching it as other, as not, somehow real, the attempt subsided. Instead, there was a sort of aching, quiet unhappiness. That would be what Kuriel felt, after the first, brief moment of joy.

Tiael:

Wrong choice! The Jam Sandwich Egg's distaste for Tiael would hit her the moment she pressed her fingers to the shell. And with that distaste, something like actual anger, as if the egg would lash out at her if it could.

Reeva:

Reeva, like the others, would feel a sudden chill when she touched the Flickering Flame Egg. Hesitant, optimism, quite like a weak flame, would brush her mind, but it was flickering, tired, fragile. Yes, the egg felt somehow, very fragile.

[Zen]

The moment Ever’s fingers touched the egg’s shell, she drew them away with surprise. Was it actually… was it honored to be in her presence? What was this? An egg honored to be in her presence as if she were some sort of Queen? Ever let out a breath she realized she had been holding and gently pressed her hand on the egg again. Again, this strange egg seemed to bow down to her, or at least stare at her with all the admiration a drudge would a headwoman, or a Greenrider might to a Queenrider. With faintly furrowed brows, Ever leaned inward and told the egg that she wasn’t one to admire, that she had done bad things in her past, and that it would become a fine hatchling.

Then Ever moved away from the egg, her fingertips leaving the egg last, as if she yearned for that admiration some more. Perhaps it was because no one had admired her quite like that egg. Or perhaps it was just because the feeling was so unexpected that Ever wanted to go back and see if the egg hadn’t been confused with someone else. Shaking her head, Ever pushed her hair behind her ears and decided that she was done touching eggs. She felt that she, as a prisoner, had touched enough. It almost felt as if that last egg had pushed her to wanting to wait until the hatching to see what exactly happened.

However, Ever wanted just one last thing. Her hand straying to the lump inside the jumpsuit—the one that was undeniably the egg wrapped in the glove—Ever stepped back toward the Queen. She bowed to Semith before saying, “Thank you, Semith, for letting me touch your eggs.”

Last but not least, Ever’s eyes strayed back to the Queen egg. She watched as Kuriel stepped away from it and felt the need to touch it once more. It was golden, and the egg had pleaded with her to recognize that it was Gold. She didn’t know what other thing it could be. A tentative step forward and a last touch to the egg, “I still believe you,” she told the egg.

---

Tanyrion’s reaction wasn’t quite as surprising as Ever’s had been. The moment he set his hand on the green egg, Tanyrion felt the egg’s want to be free, for some sort of freedom from its shell. Tany’s blue eyes sparked with wonder at the sheer enthusiasm this egg leaked. With a small chuckle, the man wondered about the freedom the egg was thinking about. Was the freedom just wanting to get out of its shell, or to fly away from the world as he knew it? Or was the freedom just to become a better dragon than what it could be? Tanyrion didn’t so much ache for this same freedom as the egg did, but he knew the feeling. That’s why he’d come to Warden’s. It was strange, though, to feel the ache like he did before Warden’s again.

“You’ll be free someday,” Tanyrion said to the egg before he removed his hand. That enthusiasm stayed with him, though, even as he turned to survey the rest of the eggs. A blue egg caught his attention. It was not the Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum egg, it was the Skinny Dipping egg. Smaller than the Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum egg, it looked more promising for him. Walking casually over to the egg, the blue-eyed guard placed his hand on it.

(( Spun Gold egg for Ever again ;; Skinny Dipping egg for Tanyrion ))

[lithle]

Ever:

The Spun Gold Egg seemed, almost, to flinch away from this second touch. So briefly the sensation could only be doubted, Ever would feel fear, or something like it. And then, only that same bright, warm happiness, as if nothing was wrong, and nothing ever had been.

Tanyrion:

To Tany the Skinny Dipping Egg projected affable acceptance, a sort of laid back, uncomplicated friendliness. The young guard would feel respect there too, though in an understated way, a sort of nod, one 'good sort' to another.

[Wren]

The feeling that came from the little golden egg was, well, strange. On one hand it was radiant, happy, bright, giving off a sense of shining contentment, and yet there was also a feeling that this was… fake. Beneath the beaming exterior there was exhaustion, desperation, as if the little dragonet, rather than be truly happy, was just working to pretend it was. It was giving a fake smile, and now the metaphorical muscles of its face were starting to ache with fatigue; it was not really a happy egg.

A little perturbed, Sheraz drew away from the thing without performing his usual ritual of speaking to it. Backing off, he looked around the Sands for his next ‘victim’, as it were, and he hoped that the next one he got would be a happy one. The first one he’d had had been timid, seemingly frightened of him, the second had been cold, though to its credit it had also been a little hopeful. The last one, the golden one, had been tired, its happy front beginning to waver. Were all eggs this complicated? Did they all have such a slew of emotions, and such distinct and different personalities?

The egg that next caught Sheraz’ attention did so because it was bright and colourful. More women seemed interested in it than men, perhaps because it was hot pink in colour, but this meant little to Sheraz. The gaggle of youngish (NPC) girls currently surrounding the egg seemed to get a little nervous as he, or rather, his scarlet outfit, came closer, much to his irritation; (if he wanted to harm them it wasn’t like he was going to do it in the middle of the hatching sands, and besides, he didn’t) but at least it gave him access to the egg without their giggling chatter. He settled beside the egg and, as always, laid a bare hand on the shell.

---

True Love next, please

[nemix]

Tiael's hand recoiled almost violently from the egg, the feelings from the shell taking her by surprise. Her jaw hung open, eyes glued to the shell in front of her. There was nothing there but what felt like anger towards her. Well that was, again, a different reaction. She wished she hadn't gone near this egg now, for what if the dragon remembered her? What if when it cracked open its shell, it decided to give her a good mauling on the way to its lifemate? She'd heard all about that kind of thing, dragons were often dangerous in their first few minutes. What if this one chose to take its aggression out on her?

A small part of Tiael's mind attempted to talk about the absurdity of this, but the rest of her wouldn't listen. She'd been sliced open my claws once before, only a Wher's but still, she had no desire to feel that again. Quickly, she lifted herself from the sand and walked with careful but hastened steps to the other side of the clutch entirely.

Once there, she glanced back at the egg for a moment before forcing her mind to other things. Best to not look like a crazy person around a dragon's clutch. If the mother wasn't worried, the guards might be and then Faranth only knew where she'd end up. Forcing a smile to her lips, she took a steadying breath and knelt down again, this time by a rather attractive looking green egg. The shells were all so different, Tiael could see the appeal. She wondered, if anyone ever kept bits of the shells after hatchings, they were such pretty things after all. Almost gingerly this time, she reached out and placed her hand on the Hazel Switch Egg, steadying her nerves after a deep breath and making herself relax. Perhaps she'd find something similar to the first egg she'd encountered. That presence had been so very interesting and eager. Maybe there was more than one like that in this clutch?

[ramba]

Reeva blinked as she sensed a slight optimism from the egg. It seemed to be feeling fragile, which of course, it was. Reeva pulled her hand back after giving the egg a final stroke, before looking around for the next egg. She got to her knees and brushed off the burning sand from her knees before stepping around the egg she had just touched. Next she headed over to the Spun Gold Egg, somewhat hesitantly.

Reeva wondered if eggs could get tired from all the attention they recieved. She nodded respectfully to the large Gold, slightly wary around a creature so large. Then she looked down at the shiny gold shell of the egg; okay so the egg was small, but Reeva, being the optimist she was, wondered if the egg could hold a very, very small Gold. It would certainly give everyone a lot to talk about if it was.

Reeva smiled at Ever. 'Congratulations on getting a flitter egg.' She said, before crouching down. She wouldn't kneel this time. The Sands were far to hot for that.

((Spun Gold please....sorry about the short post. :/))

[Spiffy]

The reddish egg didn't respond for a second, then seemed to notice him, turning its attention onto him. It reached out calling for... something? Him? Something he had? He couldn't tell, but the egg wanted something. He wanted something too. Wait, what did he want? What could this egg give him? It seemed to want to, but what?

Confused, he pulled his hand away, the feeling fading slowly, his mind still longing for something... He just couldn't work it out. Troubled, he rose. Looking up his eye was caught by a sudden jerking movement to his left, his eyes snapping onto the owner of the withdrawn hand. He recognised her, the girl he'd touched the blue egg with, the one who seemed to have gotten a similar reaction to the one he'd got, judging by the expression on her face. Confusion was replaced by curiosity. What had happened with the pink banded egg to make her react like that? Waiting until the girl had moved away, he sidled over to the Jam Sandwich Egg, kneeling to place his hand o the shell as he had all the others.


(( Jam Sandwich Egg Please! ))

[lithle]

Sheraz:

The True Love Egg did not give off a truly loving vibe where Sheraz was concerned. But that didn't mean he'd feel hostility. The egg would feel pleased enough at his presence, it just wouldn't feel interested.

Tiael:

Oh, hello! The Hazel Switch Egg seemed quite happy to have Tiael's hand on it's surface. Happy, yes, but not content. Wouldn't it be more fun if they were somewhere else? Life was waiting! Impatience would buzz across Tiael's awareness, a contagious urgency.

Reeva:

Pure, bright, bubbly joyfulness. Nothing else. An almost startling lack of anything else, actually. Like a shiny, happy, upbeat wall.

Jarethir:

The moment Jarethir touched the Jam Sandwich Egg he would get a sense of not so quiet strength. Strutting strength, actually, though it didn't seem hostile. Aggressive, but not toward Jarethir in particular.

[nemix]

Tiael found a smile creeping to her lips as an inquisitive but restless presence reached out to her. It caused her to run her hands across the shell, flexing her fingers lightly against its delicate surface. She was careful, but the friendliness was welcomed after such a harsh reaction from the previous egg. Looking at the green shell she wondered if the dragon inside would mimic this shell, but her attention was swiftly pushed on to other things. It seemed, the dragon's restlessness was infectious.

It wasn't that she wanted to move away, the happy feeling was also infectious but still, it was so different than the intriguing personality of the blue egg she'd been by earlier. Both appealed to her, but for different reasons. This dragon seemed motivated, eager to get on, just as she was. However, pure determination alone would possibly not be enough, or would it help her to keep motivated while she found her way out. Out and away, exactly what this egg seemed to want. So much to try and figure out.

It was clear one or two eggs seemed to really have jumped out at her, some for better reasons than others, however there were others she should be looking at really. Smiling, she rested her hand against the cheerful shell once again, silently looking across the clutch and planning her next move. The smile still played on her lips, she debated visiting the blue shell again however there was one or two others she really should stop by.

Standing, she headed over to the Old Blood Egg, resting a curious and much calmer hand now, upon its shell.

[Spiffy]

The moment he touched the pink striped shell a shock of warmth touched him, running up his arm from his hand, strength incarnate. That was the feeling he got from it. But the egg itself seemed haughty, all to aware of its own strength. It wouldn't take a strength of the imagination to call this egg arrogant. It was all that and it knew it.

He stroked the shell quietly for a second, thinking, lightly drumming his fingers against the shell. He'd seen enough of the egg by now to see that this was one of the larger ones, if only just, as the bright blue egg had been. Dis that mean that they would hatch larger dragons? The personalities of the pink striped and the blue egg were also similar in a way, both were steeped with confidence, though the former was a bit more 'in your face' about it. That unsettled him a little bit. Sure, he himself had an ego, but people who insisted of rubbing it in others' faces angered him somewhat.

He stood, arms crossed, and considered the remaining eggs. There was a black and white one, a small blue and green one, that hideous pink thing, the goldish one by the mother, the black one annnnd... the yellowy-blue one. Which one now. The yellowy blue was nearest, so he stepped over to that one.


(( Skinny Dipping Egg Please! ))

[ramba]

A small smile reached Reeva's face as she felt the joyfulness of the egg. 'Well hallo, little one.' She mumbled. She was reluctant to move from the gold shiny egg, it seemed so...cheerful. She stroked the egg again before moving on, hoping the next egg she touched would be just as joyful as the Spun Gold. As she moved away and looked at all the eggs, she sighed. Which one next? She wouldn't have time to visit all of them, surely?

Reeva bit her lip as she scanned the faces of the other candidates. Well, at least the atmosphere wasn't as negative as Reeva had thought it might be. Everyone seemed far to preoccupied with the eggs to care which candidate were dressed in a red jumpsuit. She wondered if the eggs knew that some of them were prisoners. Well, not the eggs themselves, but the creatures inside of them.

She also wondered if the eggs knew what awaited them once they hatched. A hard life guarding prisoners. It wasn't perhaps the nicest of futures, and perhaps the prisoner weyrlings could get some other duty in the weyr. She was sure that L'vey had said as much during the lesson that wasn't a lesson. Reeva sighed, reining her thoughts back to the moment at had, glancing around the eggs. The pink one was certainly an interesting colour, so the prisoner candidate went over and lightly touched its shell.

(True Love Egg Please!)