It was a warm day and brown Citieth found that he had nothing to do, except to watch over Crynia who was happily running around in circles. Citieth thought back to the day when Crynia had first awoke after having been in her new home. "Mud!" Citieth was brought away from his thoughts as he watch the little girl play with her brown firelizard which she had named Mud. A little ways away sat the blue firelizard the girl had impressed and as the little blue flew down to join his brother the girl grinned and said, "Rain!" Crynia played and played with her two little pets for a long time before finally plopping down on the ground next to Citieth and the two firelizards vanished. Crynia was getting older and older everyday, but she still loved to act much younger.

Tired, eh? Citieth asked the young girl.

"Nope!" She said grinning, but she didn't get up. They sat in silence for a while until Crynia said, "Hey Citieth? Do you think I'll have a dragon one day?"

Certainly, if you wish to impress then you will, but right now you are too young.

"I know that! But do you think I could impress a bronze?"

Bronzes are for male riders and you are not a male.

Crynia wrinkled her nose up at the brown. "Who says?"

Citieth sighed. It is just the way things are, bronzes are for male riders. Why do you wish to have a bronze anyway? They can be quite rude sometimes you know.

"So! You can be quite rude sometimes too! I want a bronze 'cause they're big and beautiful and powerful and cool and-"

"A bronze?" R'nel's voice interrupted Crynia. "Don't tell me that you wish to impress a bronze!" He said and took a seat near the girl.

She wishes to impress a bronze.

R'nel frowned at his brown. "I said for you not to tell me that!"

No, you said for her not to tell you that.

R'nel shook his head at Crynia and then sighed. "Why don't you wish to impress something like a green? Or perhaps a blue? Blue's impress girls sometimes you know."

Crynia shook her head stubbornly. "No! Green's are always acting like big flirts around here and the blue's have no sense of humor!"

"Oh come on now! Not all green's are flirts nor are all blue's lacking a sense of humor!" R'nel said ruffling Crynia's hair. "Besides, bronzes are for boys."

"Well... Well... Then I'll just be a boy!" Crynia said and leapt to her feet then stomped her foot.

R'nel laughed. "Little Crynia, you cannot be a boy because you're a girl! And one day you're going to have children and be a mother!"

"I don't want children!" Crynia said. "I don't want to be a mother and I don't want a mate or... Whatever!"

"But I want to have grandchildren!" R'nel said back to the little girl while Citieth's head turned from one to the another with an amused look on his face. "How am I supposed to have grandchildren if my child won't be a mother?"

Crynia slumped back down to the ground. "Fine! You can have one grandchild. But that's all!"

"Alright, one it is if that is all you are willing to have." R'nel said ruffling Crynia's hair again. "But you still cannot impress a bronze."

"Hmph. I'll show you!" The little dark haired girl seemed stuck on impressing a bronze, but R'nel merely shook his head happily thinking that she'd grow out of it.

Two days later while Citieth and R'nel were off completely some of their tasks, Crynia snuck around to several places in the Weyr searching for any newly hatched, weyrling, or perhaps even adult bronze. She had a question that she had to have answered.

After searching for what seemed like forever Crynia stumbled upon a young bronze that was looking for his rider. "Hey!" Crynia said to him, but the bronze didn't even give her a look he just kept walking onwards. "Hmph! Meanie!"

The day was spent looking for a bronze dragon that might be able to answer her question, but she didn't find out. "I'm not giving up that easily!" She kept looking even when R'nel was said to be on his way back to the Weyr. Crynia had a question to be answered and when she is so moved or so stuck on something she is a force to be reckoned with.

Suddenly Crynia saw her chance. A bronze was waiting for his rider to hop on so that they could leave. Carefuly and before the bronze or anybody had realized what had happened the little girl somehow got up to where the flight straps were. She grabbed onto them and made sure that no matter what nobody would be able to get her down. "Hey you! Get off my dragon!" The rider had spotted her and she stuck out her tongue at him.

"Not until your bronze answers my question!"

The rider, who Crynia later learned was Y'noil, looked at her angrily. "What question might that be?!" He demanded.

"I'm not asking you! I'm waiting for your bronze to say whether or not he will answer my question and if he doesn't answer it them I'm NOT MOVING!"

The bronze dragon grumbled and his eyes swirled with a annoyance and a bit of amusement. Stubborn little girl aren't you?

"You better believe it!" Crynia responded grinning.

What is your question little girl?

"Why can't girls impress bronzes? Why hasn't a bronze ever impressed a girl? If bronze firelizards can then surely so can dragons!"

I thought you said only one question. But alas your answers are as follows- Girls impress greens, blues, the occasional brown, and golds. Not bronzes. As for why a bronze has impressed a girl, I must say I do not know, but that is just the way it is. Now kindly get off.

Crynia sulked and slid off the bronze dragon watching sadly as the rider got on and they flew away. She was angry, flat out angry, and also sad, but she wasn't about to let that show. Crynia headed to her dark corner in a room that few ever went in. There, with Mud and Rain who both had joined her sensing her being upset, Crynia just sat and thought.

It wasn't until well into the night when Mud and Rain had informed Citieth of her location that Crynia moved. She hadn't moved at all since sitting there, she just thought on and on. R'nel was shocked to learn this. A little girl not moving an inch and just sitting and thinking? He couldn't believe it, but Crynia didn't say a word to him as she walked passed and went to her room.

Days passed without Crynia not saying a word to anybody then after a while R'nel confronted her. At first he thought he should give her her space, but now he was worried. "Crynia?" He asked one day looking at the small girl as she sat on the ground outside letting the sun warm her. She looked at him emotionless and he continued, "Dear, I know something has been on your mind and Citieth has informed that you still think of bronzes and impressing a dragon. Honestly though, you shouldn't become this... This way!"

"Silence be an interesting friend when others keep there distance. Speaking uses energy, energy that needs to be used for... Other things."

"Crynia, you are the strangest little girl ever. How old are you now, eh? 10?"

"12, almost 13." Crynia responded.

"Well in a couple years you'll be able to stand as a candidate!"

"But I won't impress a bronze they say, so why should I stand?"

"Crynia, you don't have to impress a bronze. There are many dragons out there and one is for you! Tell me, if a dragon wishes to impress you, but if isn't a bronze, will you turn it down?" Crynia didn't answer she merely stared into R'nel's eyes coldly then she turned and ran off quickly.

She is beginning to worry me.

"She is already making me worry. I do not understand it though, why is she so stubborn? I tell you, she is not acting like other children her age." R'nel replied with a hint of anger present in his voice.

Crynia muttered angrily under her breath. Part of her just couldn't understand why she couldn't have what she wished to have and another part of her hated the fact that she couldn't understand it. Mud and Rain occasionally popped up to watch as she walked around angrily sputtering words left and right. "Nobody can give me a good answer. Nobody says anything other than, 'That's just the way it is.' Well, well, Shards! That's not good enough!" She went around a corner quickly not even caring if she crashed into anybody, in fact, she almost wanted to crash into someone. "I've even asked a dragon! He said practically the same thing!" Crynia stopped for a second and looked at her long hair. She twirled a piece around her finger and growled. "Always getting in my way." She muttered fiercely. "I should chop it off. In fact, I think I need to give myself a haircut."

It didn't take long for Crynia to sneak around until she found a good enough knife to cut her hair with. With Mud and Rain both sitting on her bed Crynia began her task. After a what had seemed forever Crynia found that she liked her new hair style. Her dark brown hair lay an inch above her shoulders and was jagged, it seemed none of it wanted to be the same length when Crynia was trying to cut it, but she liked how it had turned out. Before going to bed Crynia hid the knife thinking that it might come in handy.

The next day Crynia ran all over the Weyr causing chaos mostly. Mud and Rain were happy when she showed up with treats for them every once and a while. When Citieth spotted Crynia he wasn't thrilled about her hair, but he didn't mind it either. R'nel won't be pleased.

"I don't care, I like it."

You seem to have grown up quickly in the past few days or more. Why I ask? Is it because of the information you received that one day?

Crynia stared up at Citieth. "I don't know, I still like to play with Mud and Rain, but I know I have changed. I am.. Sad. That I will not impress a bronze, or rather, that I cannot impress a bronze."

If a bronzes could impress girls, do you believe you would?

"It would be a dream come true, I would try really hard to become everything a bronze might look for, but as for whether or not I would impress one... Eh... I don't know. Nobody knows for sure do they?"

Citieth seems to smile. No I suppose nobody knows for sure, other than the dragon that hatches and sometimes even we have a slight bit of trouble choosing. We always choose those who we are best with and it is always who we are meant to be with though. At least for me it was. Some people may not like my R'nel, but he is my rider and my best friend.

Crynia sat on of of Citieth's large front legs while he lay on the ground. "You know what Citieth?" The brown dragon looked at her curiously. "You're a wonderful listener."

Citieth smiled inwardly to himself then said, Why thank you Crynia. I believe you are a good listener too.

"Thank you Citieth." Crynia said and smiled at the brown then the two talked for most of the day.

Four Turns Later

Crynia had managed to get to the age of sixteen and still get away from R'nel everytime he wished for her to stand. In her heart she wanted to stand, but she would not let herself be heartbroken for she still wished for that which she could not have.

One night a dragon from a different Weyr came swooping into the Weyr. It was a blue with a rider named J'rin. They were searching for candidate to take to a place called Ryslen. Crynia kept her distance from both dragon and rider while they stayed for a while.

Mud and Rain ended up taking a liking to the rider and dragon, social creatures as they are. Citieth apparently spoke with the blue dragon named Amitath, but he said nothing to Crynia about the blue and Crynia asked no questions. Citieth did however inform Crynia that R'nel had spoken to the blue dragon's rider about her and was wishing for her to get searched by the blue Amitath. Crynia hid and told Citieth to tell R'nel that she refused to do anything of the sort.

Amitath might find you in the end. I believe he knows of you being here and I also believe he wishes a closer look.

"Tell him that if he can find me, he can have his closer look." Crynia responded then dashed off hiding in nooks and crannies where she was sure no dragon, not even the smallest green, could fit in and find her.

I have informed him of what you said. Citieth replied only moments later. Crynia, I must say, you are one strange girl. I would think that you would wish to impress, it doesn't matter what color you receive, how can your heart be still set on that? After all of this time? Oh stubborn girl you are.

"Thanks a bunch Citieth." Crynia grumbled from her hiding spot.

Days passed, but still the blue remained. Citieth told Crynia that he said he would be a stubborn as she for he wished to see if she could be a candidate. Crynia replied that the blue Amitath would never find her. She became very skilled in hiding and even sort of blending into her environment. Mud and Rain occasionally had trouble finding her, but after many days passed the firelizards seemed to come up with a plan.

After Crynia had fed the two firelizards a treat she went back to go hiding, but the firelizards grabbed the bowl she carryed and together they flew off with it. Crynia's mouth dropped open and she grumbled then ran after the two firelizards shouting, "Mud! Rain! Get back here you two!" They didn't listen and before the dark haired girl fully knew what was happening she was out in front of the hatching sands. The firelizards dropped the bowl at her feet and she picked it up still grumbling and panting slightly from running after them. "You two! I give you two a special treat and you steal my bowl. Hmph."

Found you.

"Ahh!" Crynia yelled and whipped around to come face to face with the blue Amitath.

Thought you could hide? It worked for a while, but now I have found you and you must go with me. You are candidate material.

"I refuse." Crynia says plainly to the blue dragon then begins to walk away, but instead of getting more than two steps she is suddenly faced by the blue's rider J'rin.

"I wouldn't argue with Amitath if I was you." He said with a smile.

"Well you aren't me, now if you would be so kind as to step out of my way?"

No, you cannot refuse. I will have J'rin and your father tie you up and strap to my tail or something if I must.

"Oh please, you cannot force me to go with you."

Why do you not wish to go and be a candidate?

"Because." Crynia replies.

"Because you want to impress a color you've been told that you couldn't."

Foolish, stubborn girl. Do not think that way.

A new voice entered Crynia's mind just then. Go Crynia. Go with blue Amitath and try to impress. It will be the best thing you've ever done, even if your dragon isn't the color you wish for your dragon will still mean everything to you. Go Crynia. Please?

"Citieth. I..." Crynia didn't know what to say so she sighed and smiled up at the form of the brown that had appeared behind her. "I will go for you Citieth."

Thank you, I cannot wait until you return and I get to speak with your dragon.

"That's if I impress." Crynia said pointing her finger at Citieth as if saying that he should know better, but Citieth seemed to smile down upon Crynia and his look plainly said that he believed she would impress.

With an hour or two Crynia was ready to leave. R'nel was thrilled that she was going off to impress and Citieth was as well though both were sad to see her leave they made her promise to return. "I promise you two, do not worry about me!"

Before Crynia could fully contemplate everything that had happened, she was above Ryslen Weyr with her two firelizards in her arms and her stuff in a pack on her back. 'Well...' Crynia thought as she gazed down at Ryslen. 'Guess you never know until you try.'