[CANDIDATES] Story of an Egg

[Arcane]

Despite everything that's happened lately- there are eggs on the sands and we have another chance to become riders! Are you excited? Does any of these eggs feel like The One to you? I hope it's finally my turn!

[Windra]

Liurnia cackled, leaning her back against the rocks as she sat cross-legged on her cot. "Oh c'mon, is there any doubt? Those eggs are massive, and lively and heck yeah, I'll be a weyrling when the shells bust open. Wait'll you see! It's gonna be a-may-zing!"

Her arms gestured wildly in the air with her words. She was happily munching on some dry, seasoned bread chunks, licking the flavors of her lips when the crumbs got stuck. She casually offered some to whoever was closest.

"I mean not all of ya are gonna be badass like me. But ya can try. And there's always gonna be more eggs, amIright?"

[nineofswords]

Bronson

"Heh," Bronson said, leaning back on the common area couch and lacing his fingers together behind his head. "Well, I don't know about anyone else, but after that touching, all I can say is that I am definitely a pretty hot topic among those eggs. I was getting a lot of interest. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a brawl on the sands over me."

He gazed over whoever else was present, silently deciding who was most likely to get what kind of color. "This is gonna be the best hatching ever, just you wait and see."

---

Heiro

Candidates seemed to be discussing the eggs all over the barracks. Some were in their rooms, others in the common area. Heiro was standing in the hall, trying to listen in on as many of the conversations as she could.

The touching had been mixed for her. Some eggs had seemed receptive to her, others had been thoroughly unimpressed by her, some had seemed even outright upset at her.

Heiro wasn't the sort of woman to taking to romantic flights of fancy, but she'd heard too many stories about how riders had known which egg would have their dragon inside it. Part of her wanted that instant moment of rock solid certainty the moment she saw her egg. Or...any certainty at all, really. The eggs that had liked her had liked other candidates too. Was that usual? There hadn't been a hatching at Fort since she'd come here, so she wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

Still, she had been second best all her life. She wouldn't want a dragon to simply settle for her because the candidate they actually wanted had already been taken. So she supposed there was nothing for her to do but wait and see what would happen.

[FirebrandPhlox]

Candidate Costanza

Costanza was sitting in a chair in the common area, trying to read while the other candidates around him were discussing the touching. He looked up at Bronson, who was just oozing arrogance in a way that made him sick.

"Hold up there," he said, putting down the papers he had been pouring over. "You think that the dragonets are going to be fighting over you? Well, let me tell you, there were plenty of them that were quite fond of me, too. I'd say my chances of walking off the sands with a new partner are basically guaranteed."

He wasn't actually that sure. Hopeful, yes, but he didn't want Bronson to see that he was actually unsure of himself. Too many of the other candidates had gotten it into their heads that he wasn't rider material, based on the conversations he'd had after the camping trip. He wanted to prove them wrong.

"If the hatchlings are going to be fighting over anyone, it's going to be me," he said emphatically pointing to himself.

[EW-NA]

Tygirtaull
--

Tygir wasn't very interested in the discussion, or rather, he wasn't interested in the others having the discussion. They could brag all they wanted, but he knew none of them knew anything more than when they woke up that morning.

Ooo~ This egg's gonna pick me~ I'm getting this~ I'm gonna be Weyrleader--- Pehhfft!

Half of them probably wouldn't even be picked-- that was the thing people were always trying to pound into their skulls left and right. Clearly no one was choosing to listen, or were just choosing to be ignorant. Tygir really didn't care either way (maybe only a little). He'd be fine missing out – just so long as he got the best looking and most radical dragon! Great things took time and effort – he certainly knew that. From his hair to his leathers and the shine on his bucklings.

And, for the record, he still thought the whole Touching thing was overblown~ As such, he wasn't very interested in being too engaging. With his gangly legs propped up over an unused chair, Tygirtaull had himself casually leaned back, using one of his thumb nails to pick between the spaces of his teeth.

[Windra]

Candidate Liurnia - @ Costanza, Bronson

The ex-harper's mouth hung open at both the candidates' proclamations. Hot topics? Guaranteed riders? She scoffed, thumbing her own chest with a derisive snort. "Nah dude, you've got it all wrong. I'm clearly gonna be the next Weyrwoman 'round these parts. 'Course there's no goldie out there ... uh, so ... Weyrleader. Yep. Definitely. Whatever dragon's out there waitin' for me, it's gonna be the best of the best."

She was definitely sure of that, and stuck out her tongue to further deny the headstrong temperament of both the folks before her. Briefly her eyes flickered to Tygir but they got distracted by Costanza's hair, or lack thereof.

"Heck if one looks at ya, it might think you're above the age limit, boyo." Her tone was light and jeering, eyes all a-twinkle. "That green egg was a bit shy I think. Wanderer somethin'-or-other? Just kinda ... felt spooked after me n' the other one touched it."

[Fel]

Kee

Kee was on the floor of the common room, corralling a trundlebug with her hands as it ambled across the swept stone. She should find something to carry it in and let it loose outside. They were an important part of soil ecology, even if most people didn't seem to like them very much. Well, people didn't like a lot of things that they thought were dirty, even though bugs really were fascinating creatures. Not half so fascinating as dragons.

A grin split her face as she heard the direction of the other Candidates' conversation. The Touching, and dragons! She had to refrain from bouncing upright at the thought; the trundlebug wouldn't appreciate it and would probably let its stink out.

"Oh! I don't know if I'll Impress, but I certainly hope I do, even if it means being stuck with my mother for a Turn and a half." Kee rolled her eyes at the thought, a brief expression of negativity before she grinned again. "But the eggs seemed so nice! One of them wobbled a bit too, and I think that seems like a good sign?"

---

Spensa

Useless. Almost all of the other Candidates were varying shades of absolutely useless. She didn't want to contemplate being in a wing with and someday having to actually rely on them. It was a good thing the existing riders were probably much better at their jobs than her classmates would ever be.

"I think the eggs were just being friendly if they responded positively to most of you," she scoffed. She didn't think about what that said about her if she had gotten many of the same sorts of responses. Obviously they had been genuine expressions of approval in her case rather than pity or innate gregariousness.