The candidates were within the massive bay almost as soon as they had been called, and many of Star City's other inhabitants filtered into the stands, their curiosity getting the better of them on this work-free day. Yulisath, as proud as she had ever been, curled possessively around her small clutch, not quite willing to let her children go. But then, as with any hatching occasion, the first of her eggs began to chatter open... and she knew that the hatching really had begun.

The first egg, as stated before, began to chatter open (it was a strange hatching,) and not a few moments after that, a bottle-green tail, accompanied by a sagey green head, appeared through one of the few holes in the shell itself. Quickly thereafter, a pale beauty pushed her way out into the world, her long, serpentine body still dripping with albumen and spackled with shell detritus. Maw gaping to take in her first breath, the tiny green dragonet spread her wings--and the audience's noise-level picked up a notch. The dragonets wings... weren't quite attached to her body! They floated like cyborware enhancements to either side of her forelimbs, stretching just a little as the dragonet gained her balance.

Yulisath looked from the dragonet to Tyribevain, faintly confused, but any distress melted when the dragonet mewled--not only drawing the adorance of her mother, but a heart-melting 'awww' from the audience. The dragonet, unaware of her affectations on those around her, half-waddled, half trotted towards the gathered candidates. There were quite a few to choose from... she'd have her work cut out for her!

It seemed like she'd already made a decision, however, for she headed straight for Annabelle. ~You seem wonderful,~ the dragonet trilled--her mind voice a high, happy note, ~I'm Ranum, and I'll be yours from now on.~

As if waiting for that first proclamation to be made, several other dragonets cracked or burst or just plain shattered out of their ovoid confines. The first, a brown as pale as tea with cream, slithered towards the candidates as another pair, a sunshine yellow and another, grassier green, got their bearings.

~Elrywen!~ the brown called, his voice strong and already fully decisive. ~Call me Caltalath.~ He didn't have to say any more, for the woman was already leading him to food. The last of her trio, she didn't have any doubt that her wait had been worth it! Caltalath's mind was a perfect match for hers, and already it showed in the way that they moved together.

The yellow dragonet was already bouncing and stumbling, his detached wings bobbing at his sides, towards a clump of Star Dancers. Indubitably, he picked Geel, and when the pair of them passed the attending archivist, he tried to make the creature guess what his name was! Finally, he admitted to being Esferien, and the pair went on.

The green... seemed hesitant. He waited almost in the same place as he'd been hatched, eying the gathered candidates almost with suspicion. Thankfully, another pair of dragonets had hatched to shield his unusual intentions. Another brown--a female, this time--and a bright, cheerful red; both of them twined about one another in their hurry to get to their chose ones!

The red was the first to disentangle himself, and made his way unerringly to Rikka. ~Hey, nice day to hatch, isn't it?~
"Oh, it certainly is," Rikka replied.
"That's what I'd say," Eceret, Rikka's good friend and fellow guard, replied.
The red, Polan by name, gave a nod or two. ~Me too. Rikka, mind if I come along with you and your friend?~
The eagle-shifter blinked, then grinned. "Sure, I wouldn't mind."
"I don't think either of us would," Eceret added, shifting just a little on the spot.
"In fact, lets get you some food," Rikka said.
~Sounds good to me!~ Polan agreed, and the pair headed off to the food tables. Eceret... not quite certain if he should go with, or wait for his own potential bond, eventually decided that he'd rather go with the pair then stand about for another dragonet that may or may not come.

The brown, in the meantime, was strolling straight for Terrian, a fellow who'd bonded here before, but had returned by Nerith's not so subtle prodding. This female had a smirk written all over her face, and the dragon-slayer-turned-bonder could almost have groaned, feeling her righteous thoughts twining with his mind. ~What, you think I'm not worthy?~ she asked, coming to a stop not a foot away from him. Her wings bobbed faintly, as if in a passing wind.
"No, it's just--"
~Well, you'd better get used to me. I'm Amanel, and obviously I'm your new bond.~ She grinned coquettishly, and her next words were filled with mirth. ~Nerith, step on over!~
The darker brown--Terrian's prime bond--simply chuckled from the audience rows, and said nothing in reply.

The last two eggs were already showing much stress, and it wasn't long before the two of them shattered in quick succession. The lone green had taken this moment, as well, to decide just what he wanted to do--and it didn't appear to be bonding! ~Of course I'm not bonding,~ he said, passing the Archivist on duty for his first meal. ~Me? I'm Tamath. Now let me be.~ Of course, Tamath wouldn't find solitude for himself... not just yet, anyways. His name was relayed to the assistant in charge of sponsorships, and she in turned knocked Wassia of Sunstone Weyr off her list, putting the dragonet in the human woman's capable hands.

The last two hatchlings watched this with some bemusement--but the deeply brown of the pair quickly shrugged it off and meandered towards Ket. ~Hey, how's it going?~ The male asked, slinking to a stop before the Chaos Cat. When the elemental creature replied with a grin, Shoreh returned the favor. ~Let's get us something to eat, huh?~ the hatchling suggested, beating Ket to the punch!

That left only the singular female on the sands, blinking towards the food tables and the intervening line of candidates. She sat, undecided, picking over the candidates, but not certain whether or not she wanted any of them. Suddenly, a voice (or rather, a duo of voices, strangely slightly out of sync with one another) entered her mind. ~Why bond, if you're not completely sure of what you want?~ it--no, she, asked, her tone distinctly disgusted.
~Er... um...~
~Can you imagine a life attached to one of those~ the speaker said, indicating the bipeds and various other hopefuls on the loamy ground, ~Attached to you for life? What if you turned out not to like them? What if they turned out not to like you?~
The dragonet blinked again, then gave the candidates a somewhat more frightened look.
~You know, those beasts abandon their dragons on a whim. Just toss them by the wayside when they're done with them. Come with me. I'll raise you strong and proud, you'll never have to worry about someone breaking your heart, because you'll be independent from them. You'll be free.~
That was the clincher. Tamblyn, the dragonet, gave the candidates a wide berth and made her way to the tables. Before the Archivist could shunt her into Jigsaw, the sponsor-assistant's care, she peeped, ~I'd like to go with Onessa, please... but I don't want to bond, thank you.~

And from her perch near the back of the hatching bay, the duo-headed hydra gave a little smirk. Just another days work, well done.

The hatching officially ended, most of the audience began to sift out of the bay, and Yulisath, finally feeling truly content, gave a joyful bugle, joined briefly by Tyribevain and the rest of the dragons in the bay!