The hatching was soon to begin, and the Dragons waited less patiently than the impatient dragons. They'd never seen a hatching before. As the eggs started to rock, a loud voice called out "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Main Event!"
Aisu glared. "Sorry." Russel said "Couldn't help myself."
A brown dragon was first, a Light Brown to be precise, followed by a Light Blue. The third to hatch was red. "I thought they didn't hatch that color." Ryan murmured.
"You weren't paying attention then. T'gre said they hatch red on Alskyr." Mandy said coolly. A man in the stands declared it an outrage, and the team turned to glare, but the startled gasp when a silver-blue hatched was enough to bring them back to the action.
A green, a blue, a green, a blue, a purple!?
Worse than that, a caramel-colored dragon-ess with FOUR wings instead of two!
"How'd we get so lucky?" Dilan laughed.
"Tell me and we'll both know." Oscar said, gaping.
While the white gold came into the world. She was a Light, yet unlike any other who'd come before. Her wings were dappled like summer sunlight through treetops... and she was stuck. In the stands, an almond-eyed beauty stood; the world was going in slow motion as Aisu leapt over the barrier that separated the tiers from the sands as easy as you please, and went to the dragonet's aid.
"Get back here!" Kris roared, "You're not a candidate!" Like-mindedly, the entire team got to their feet, and with chopping motions of outstretched arms, they chanted: "Sieve! Sieve! Sieve!Sieve!Sieve...!" Before Aisu could react, the huge white-gold Senorith roared at them. Wide eyed, they froze, but one sharp minded skater started them bowing respectfully, chanting her name, arms outstretched in proper worshipful stance: "Senor-ith! Senor-ith!"
Aisu laughed. "That's better! Her name is Akemith!"
The next egg revealed a white-winged blue, and the next something more spectacular - a rainbow winged white. After that came a cloudy green.
Almost impulsively, Kasai left his seat and slipped over the barrier into the sands. A TrueLight Brown charged him, and skidded to a stop at his feet. What were you thinking, Kasai? the brown asked.
"About you, Tajath."
A duowinged green impressed a sunset-winged brown...
A Light Bronze shed his shell and took stock of the situation. A Light green nearby was having a bit of trouble. The bronze went to her aid, hauling the shell with this bronze forepaws. Greg leapt over the barrier and scrambled across the sand while the rest of the team gawked as their captain went to help the bronze.
Calm down! "Calm down!" Greg and the bronze chorused, and with their combined efforts, they split the tough shell open pouring Novath into Raeltun's arms. "Thanks Ailonth." Greg said, slapping the Light Bronze's shoulder affectionately. Thank you, Cap'n.
Even though the green's dramatic entrance should have had everyone's attention, it didn't. In the center of clutch, sand shook off a previously unrevealed egg - the 43rd. There, with everyone looking on hatched a dragon who was neither blue nor green nor purple, but all three at the same time. "Reminds me of one of those birds at Mama Tani's..." a Protectorate rider said. "Peacocks..." Kendrah murmured.
In the Shadow, a Light Blue hatched out, and made his way towards his chosen. He was the most unremarkable dragon, but he flared his snow spattered wings and leapt over the barrier into the sands. "That's one heck of a Tr... TRICK!" Duck said, and Conor turned to face the blue. "Hello Gyroth."
A silver dragon, a Night White and a Light Black, a cranberry dragoness with rhino horns... and the matching green. A Sunlit green, a Sunset blue, A light Gold, and then...
A blue dragon crept from his shell and looked around. Unfortunately, he couldn't see who he sought. In what may well be the only weak moment in his sure to be interesting life, he sat down, let his wings droop, and cried. Where are you? With tears threatening to form in his eyes, Marcel leapt onto the sands and rushed to the blue's side. "I'm here Taesavath, I'm here." The blue wrapped his spotted wings around his rider best he could.
Two Light Greens hatched, one quickly chose her bond and the other stopped right in front of the stands, and glared. "Aww... she's just like you, Jackel!" Duck laughed, and then braced himself for the punch he expected to be coming. But it never came. Jacqualin leapt over the barrier and confronted the green. What're you looking at? the dragon demanded. "You, wingly. Got a problem with it?" No, Jackel, do YOU? Jackel laughed. "'Course not, Geylioth."
A purple, a light bronze, a blue, a blue, and an oddly doubly-metallic bronze... A double-winged silver, a dragoness who could only be described as gold-white-green, and another rainbow-winged white.
Then, the tiniest silver-point white chose an elder from the stands, a scary man who'd been introduced as Former Lord Holder Engell, whatever that meant.
A camo-purple, a copper light... a stunning white! Then a darkish blue foot appeared from an egg as the dragon within made his way to freedom. Escaping his prison, the blue looked around with wildly whirling eyes. Pssst... Jakob looked around, trying to find the source. Pssst! Jake! How do we get out of here? Jake stood up, and looked over the edge of the wall; the darkish blue was plastered to the wall, white wings spread so that no one would see him. With a laugh, Jake sprang onto the sands. "First, we've got to get to that big doorway, Savaranth." The blue crept towards it, and in a moment of indulgent silliness, Jakob followed suit.
A metallic blue, a sunset bronze, a horned copper male, and then a sunny-winged Light Blue made his way out, and crooned, sounding like a wolf's melodic howl more than what one would have expected from a dragon's throat. Dilan laughed, and howled back. The dragon began to lope towards the defenseman, and Duck poked him in the back. "What's his name?" Dilan blinked. "Meloarth... but how do I know that?" Because it's my name, and because you're my rider. Dilan grinned, and bounded over the wall to his dragon.
A blue-white, a doubly-metallic gold, and an incredibly dark saphire blue. An amethyst to match was next, followed by a white-winged green, and one that was definitely a yellowy-green peridot.
Another dragon made his way free - His hide was icy blue, and the stripe added to his coolness. He walked across the sands, threatened arrogant candidates with his rhino horns until he came to the outer wall, visited by a few of his clutchmates. By now the Dragons knew what this meant, and got right to the edge. After a moment, a few traditionalists were surprised to see the small blue eyed blond haired Emily swing over the wall onto the sands. You'll never have to worry about jerky guards again, Emily my love. You're a dragoner now! "I was a Dragon before, Csanadrith." The young lady replied. Yes, but this is better.
A camo-brown, a creamy female, one that was cotton candy pink, and one that was yellow, just as they'd jokingly suggested not so long before... A metallic green, and an iridescent red... a silver green, and a metallic blue... A cream winged white, a blue, a green, and then a blue dragon pushed his shell open, then got all of his wings organized. I bet he could stop everything. Daren thought, rubbing his casted arm as he lounged in the emptying section. Perhaps, Lawson, Perhaps. Care to find out? Daren sat bolt upright. "What?!" Daren... the goalie was over the barrier and into the sands, careful not to jostle his broken arm. "Are you serious Rhyalinth?" Doesn't thatanswer your question, Daren? The goalie laughed. "It does, It does!"
A blue, a brown, two greens - would this hatching never end?! A blue, a green, a purple... A green, a blue, and then Carter stood up. "Where are you going?" Duck asked, though he knew full well. The center looked at Jonathan. "To get my dragon; he's stuck." The young man ran out onto the sands, and began to dig. After a frenzied moment, he pulled a dark metallic dragonet up to the surface. Thanks for the assist, Carter. "No problem Akigrath." The brown nuzzled his rider. Let's go eat. The young man and his metallic brown walked out - who's to say that he's any less than a bronze?
A sunset green, a darkly amber bronze, A silvery white, A brown, an iridescent green who demanded an adult dragon Join her... a green, and then the next egg to hatch was a blue - sortof. His hide was mainly white, but he sported blue socks and a blue blaze. Ryan deserted the remainder of the team, and all but tackled Levaritoth. But hockey players don't tackle.
The rest of the hatching was spectacular, and the remainder of the team kept their seats -- a brown, a purple, and a lavendar finished off the eggs. And then it was over... or was it?
Ryslen Weyr
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