It seemed that Akarui had arrived just in time for this "Genesis Clutch". Before it hatched, she learned that Kokuuzou had also been sent to this place and bonded from the same group of clutches as Acerbu. His bond, the impressive (and twice as frightening as her brother's Nacht) Touzaya greeted her with a haughty xeno-grin. You bond will be a part of MY hive, of course... she hissed to the Light mage, "eyeing" her with an oddly piercing gaze... for a beast with no eyes. "Touzaya, you're frightening her." Kokuuzou chided, but Akarui noted the endearing tone of his voice. The xenoqueen appeared to only be backing down because Akarui bored her, turning her head away.

The very next day an announcement went out that the clutch was hatching. Akarui had just finally fallen into an unsettling sleep when the call went out. Her nights since arrival and seperation from Venia were largely sleepless, and when she managed to get some rest her dreams had been filled with shapeless black things with red eyes and red-stained talons that lunged at her from shadowed corners or misty depths. She would wake screaming in fear, drenched in cold sweat.

Acerbu threw open the door and shook Akarui, excitement filling his face. "Come sister! The clutch is hatching!" He jerked the blankets back and flipped on the room light before exiting. "Bloody Acerbu and this frilling clutch..." More curses were muttered as an exhausted Akarui hauled herself out of bed and dressed. Kokuuzou and Acerbu were waiting anxiously by the door when she pulled it open, their bonds already outside. "One might think you're not very excited about this clutch." The Void mage commented, one dark brow raised. "Well that one might be right." Akarui snapped back, uncharacteristically irritable, so much so that Acerbu was suddenly worried. "What is wrong sister? You've been... different since you arrived here."

Eager to escape the disquieting conversation, Akarui stepped past her brother and into the corridor. "Come on, my brother. My destiny awaits, does it not? Far be it from us to keep it waiting any longer." Her steps became more hurried, and the other two mages and their bonds followed behind with soft bootfalls or talon clicks. Acerbu took the lead after a bit, knowing the way through the confusing crowd to the hatching bays. At the door Acerbu and Kokuuzou bit Akarui farewell, she was to enter onto the bay floor while they were directed toward the stage-like seating along the walls.

"I'm sorry gentlemen, your bonds are not allowed onto the hatching grounds." A security official stopped the two at the entrance to the spectator seating with an outstretched hand and a scowl. Touzaya hissed in irritation, echoed more softly by Nacht. "Why not?" Acerbu asked. "The doctor's orders, nothing with xenodragon or hydra blood is to be anywhere near this bay. They should go back to your quarters." Kokuuzou scowled in return, but glanced up at Touzaya and murmured quietly, "I believe it would be best for you to take Nacht and return to our apartment." The xenoqueen shrieked in disbelief. You would send me away because this man handed down some kind of decree? The Void mage placed a hand on Touzaya's forearm. "Fine, I will go with you. But Acerbu will stay and Nacht will come with us." You wish for me to go with them? Nacht turned his eyeless gaze on his bond. "Yes, go with Kokuuzou and Touzaya. I will be there as soon as the hatching is over." He stroked the chaotic xenodragon's domed head in affection and Nacht left without complaint.

The security official watched the trio's retreating backs as if to ensure they wouldn't double back and try again before allowing Acerbu to pass. As a result the Darkness mage was forced to sit in the very last row.

Akarui shuddered slightly as she watched the eggs. They weren't rocking fiercely as if about to hatch, just twitching from side to side as each hatchling made itself more comfortable within it's shell. Odd, how the hatchlings could communicate perfectly despite having yet to be born. The doctor responsible for the whole clutch called for silence, delivered a bit of an opening speech, then approached on of the mysterious eggs. He gently patted the side of the shell before speaking to it's inhabitant. Akarui felt another mind brush her's ever so lightly as the hatchling sought out it's bonded. At long last, the first hatchling began to free itself.

Out came black feet, rear end, and finally the oddest bipedal dragonet that Akarui had ever seen. Her body was almost humanoid, minus the short tail and small pair of draconic wings. What the whole hanger seemed to be gasping about was the hatchlings odd face. Her forehead was broad, with tangled strands of dark hair to her shoulders, an unusually short muzzle surrounded by fanged mandibles which she clicked lightly together. A pair of burning green eyes stared piercingly out at the candidates from their sunken position in her skull.

The doctor proudly announced her species name, a mouthful of an ancient tongue that Akarui promptly forgot, followed by the Common name, yautjadragon. The hatchling strode proudly among the candidates, head held high and brilliant eyes only for one person. Once bonded, the doctor gave the spotlight over to his creations and a flurry of rocking ensued. Each dragonet to hatch approached the doctor to be named, then sought their chosen from the mass of candidates, some of whom were cowering slightly in fear.

Akarui had taking a step back when that first female faced them, the sheer surprise taking it's toll. Now she watched with wary eyes as the yautjadragon hatchlings spread into the crowd. One hatchling in particular caught her gaze. Something was familiar about it. She felt like she'd seen those burning green eyes before as the doctor called out his name, Jenin, and directed him toward the remaining candidates. An uncertain look was on his face as he approached the group, eyes and mind darting over every face until they locked onto Akarui's amber ones.

Akarui! His voice was unexpectedly deep yet bright, as was his expression as he practically bounced across the hatching bay to her and latching onto her waist. I'll help you save your world! At last that odd, raw feeling was gone as Jenin's mind joined hers, quickly flipping through her memories of war and Atrox. She followed in Jenin's toddling gate as he led them to the feeding tables, holding her hand. Acerbu hadn't told her how exuberant she would feel upon bonding when he'd described Nacht and Touzaya's hatching to her.

Who're Nacht and... the yautjadragon's question faded off as he found the memories in her mind of her brother and friend's bond. Suddenly his pupils contracted, eyes glowing even more fiercely green and his muzzle opened in a needle-toothed snarl. Akarui was astounded! Why had the memory of those dragon's wrought such a fearsome change in her little bond? She hadn't the time to ask, the doctor approached the group of newly bonded. He told them about a special curriculum for them to learn about their yautjadragon bonds and and how they were all invited to return in two years to the Abstract Destiny, his personal ship, where he had devised a test for the yautjadragons, which would be near grown by then.

When the doctor bid them farewell, Janin waved along with his siblings fondly to the man and Dysiniu who had been their family. Once they were allowed to leave, his green-eyed gaze once again turned fierce. Nacht and Touzaya are... and they are bonded to your friends? He seemed incredulous, and angry. Akarui didn't understand why he was so angry at two beings he had never met. Then she remembered something the doctor had said near the beginning of the hatching, when she should have been paying attention but foolishly wasn't.

It had been after the first dragonet had hatched... "'The yautja are a race of warriors who hunt, among many other things, those creatures called xenomorphs: those same creatures we have seen duplicated in those generally vicious beasts called xenodragons!'" She was thoroughly disgusted with herself for neglecting to pay attention. She should have never brought up the subject of Kokuuzou and Acerbu's bonds with Jenin! At least, not until he was older.

Her stupidity made Akarui slap a hand to her forehead, "Hey! Akarui!" It was Acerbu, approaching with a huge grin on his face and still without Nacht. "Thank Venia for small favors. Ugh! I should have seen this!" She turned to Jenin, who appeared to be more worried about his bonded's sudden distress than the xenodragons. "Stay right here Jenin, I'll be right back." Patting his large forehead and sending the most affectionate and soothing thoughts she could muster, Akarui left Jenin in the care of the staff still at the feeding tables and went to intercept Acerbu.

"Sister! He is the most wonderful dragon!" The Darkness mage threw his arms around Akarui and lifted her off of the ground in a hug. "Thanks." she grunted through his crushing hug. "Acerbu, I think we may have a tiny problem."