"Why not?" she asked sweetly, and Alianora glared at her, an expression obviously taken from Kalionth.

"I'll tell you why. We have roughly five hundred people staying in this Weyrhold. That _I'm_ responsible for. Do you know how many will be leaving soon? Only a hundred of them! How many are left, Kismi? Let's count."

"Ten!"

"No. You lost. Try four hundred. Gull's threatened to walk out unless we start bringing in the Weyrlingmasters in _droves_, Kismi." The girl shrugged.

"I'm there to help. And haven't we been making up schedules of schedules of schedules?" Alianora sighed.

"Kis', there's also other stuff to worry about. Eriol can't devote everything to these hatchlings."

"So send 'em back. Send 'em back with whoever will take them."

"Kalionth says no. Not for a year at least. They have to learn to go between or whatever first and we _are not_ going to take the chance of them not making it. It's probably the smart thing to do, but it's not what Kalionth wants to do. Maybe some of them will leave early, but Gull'll probably kill _me_ if she finds out that any of them aren't trained properly. You know she's possibly the best, don't you, Kismi? Even though's she's complaining, she's the one with all the schedules." Kismi gave Alianora a grin.

"I still," Kismi interjected, "Don't understand how that affects the Archiving team."

"You _have_ a team, Kis'. And they're right behind you, I might add, so you can even count them to make sure." Alianora crossed her arms as Kismi whirled around to see the five other Archivers ranged behind her. "Furthermore, Kis', this is going to be an extremely Neat and Tidy and Organized Hatching."

"And how, may we ask, will that be accomplished?" That could only be Kerux, with an innocent grin. Alianora glared in return.

"Hadassah and whoever else she can gather with magic abilities - " There was a collective shudder here; whether it was in fear of magic or simply Hadassah, Alianora was unable to tell. "- and the Candidates will line up in alphabetical order around the dragonets." She gave a smirk. "Who, I might add, will already have hatched and will now be just wandering around aimlessly. When Hadassah calls one's name, one steps out, and finds their dragonet." Kismi spluttered indignantly.

"Where's the fun in that? I mean, reallly. Alphabetizing, lists. Hatchings are supposed to unorganized. Random. Sporadic." Alianora merely smiled.

"Well, this one _won't_ be. I expect you have much to prepare for this.. occasion, so you'd want to do that. Now." She shooed the off, a smile plastered on her face. Kismi fell in line with Lelonna and Calliste, grumbling. An organized hatching. How humiliating.

Alianora stood with Maalya, greeting the visitors that were pouring in from other weyrs, caers, nexii, the works. The message had gone out that this would be hatching, and that they could _look_ over the riders to see who they might want to recruit, and then come back in eighteen months after graduation to take them home.

"Welcome, welcome," Alianora said brightly, keeping one eye on the eggs down below. All of the visiting dignitaries had asked about that. Why, they asked, were the eggs hatching and yet no bonders were there to greet them?

"They'll be out soon," Alianora promised. Kally? The eggs had been hatching steadily for the past twelve hours; some softly and some loud enough to ring throughout the Sands. The Candidates were blissfully unaware that the eggs were hatching; soon Chara, with her silver-bronze would gather them around and start explaining the hatching. The girl had agreed to time it from Enzan Shi so she could be here, training the Candidates.

Thirty minutes. They'll probably be done in twenty, but just to be sure, the amber replied. The message went on down the line, and the local fralamaraz began to gather to be there to usher the Candidates on. Alianora glanced up to make sure Hadassah and her team - some of whom she'd never seen before - were ready to announce the names.

Half an hour later, Alianora was deep in conversation with the group from Brynmor when the dragons began to hum finally. The guests perked up as one - it was, to tell the truth, starting to get boring, watching only wave after wave of dragonets hatch. There were too many to try and guess colors; only bands of color were visible as clutchmates sat in a clump with their parents. Two dragonets from each clutch sat beside their mother; one on the right and one on the left.

"What are they doing?" Kesava asked, followign Alianora's gaze.

"Honestly, no idea," Alianora said with a shrug and a smile. Kalionth, you better have an explanation for this..

She does - they're going home with a parent. Or will. Alianora winced as _all_ the mothers responded to the question. One will come with us, and the other with the father.

Why by Faranth would they EVER do that?

They know who is coming.. and they're positive their bonds aren't here. Disappointed that they have no candidates.

"They're just sitting there for no real reason," Alianora lied to the Brynmorfolk. "Oh look! The Candidates!" she cried gratefully as the first few candidates - Ahosost, Aiosany, and Al Niyat - shuffled onto the Sands, a massive crowd following them. A collective "Ahh!" went around the Stands at the sheer number of Candidates the Searchriders had managed to scrounge.

"Ahosost!" Hadassah obviously wasn't going to wait very long; the last Candidate, Zuza, had just gotten into her place before the first name was called. Ahosost stepped forward in the crowds of dragonets. The Candidates had formed a ring around the fourth circle, and they had to pass through all the dragonets before making a choice. The Candidates at the end of line, who had formerly griped about their position at the line, started to congratulate themselves. By their turn, there would be hardly any dragonets to choose from. At least, less than this mass of faces.

Ahosost didn't walk far; he gave a bow to green Byrth. "Bhoth!" he called, and held out a hand to a brown hatchling, who gave a chirp and accepted.

At the Archiving table, Kismi gave a sighed and scowled when she saw what Kerux had written. "Kerux!" she whined. "Stop writing that! Stop writing what's happening here! KERUX!"

"Aiosany!"

The next boy trotted after Ahosost to Byrth's domain, eyes fixed on a little green. "Her name," he anounced proudly, "is Caileceteth. She's mine. And she's perfect!"

"Akasha!"

The girl tossed her head disdainfully at the circle four dragons and headed immediately to circle three. She paused a few moments before heading towards Dynnysath. "Voth?" she asked uncertainly. "Are you here?" A white-orange head poked up in answer, and Akasha gave a sigh of relief.

"Al Niyat!"

Al Niyat swaggered to the same enterance Akasha had used to go to the third circle, but hesitated, head tilted. His eyes scanned the dragons before he moved slowly to Sezerie. "I'm sorry, Joerth. And I _do_ like you." The dragon was an odd shade of orange. Al Niyat gave a grin. "HE'S A MELON!" he cried, loud enough for everyone to hear. Melon? Hadassah didn't give them time to ponder this; she was already calling out:

"Alarois!"

The boy moved forward, straight past Al Niyat, past Akasha, and onto Pwyllith's clutch.

"Don't hide, Vehmoth. I'll always find you. And you're _starving._ Didn't they feed you?" Alarois directed a scowl at Pwyllith, who scowled back, as he scooped up a small brown dagon with black speckles protectively.

"Alerrit!" Alerrit bounced forward to join Akasha in circle three, but bowed to the dark opal Cysscataineth.

"Sorry, ma'am, but I want him." Alerrit gestured to a small opal. "Myuajth's mine now." The dark opal appeared to consider this before stepping back to allow Alerrit access to the opal. He whispered his thanks while the Impression cermony boomed on around him.

"Algedi!"

The second girl to Impress, Algedi first circled around the fourth circle, face falling as none of Sezerie's called to her. The third circle was much the same; none of the dragonets there had that tug. In the second circle, where the mothers glared fiercely, Algedi stopped by Alaodeth. "Plelmyath," Algedi breathed. "My Plelmyath."

"A QUEEN!" shouted Algedi's family as a unit back in the stands. Algedi flushed a deep red as she stood with the gold, stroking her head numbly.

"Not a queen.. a night gold," she protested softly.

"Algiba!"

Algiba moved forward, not even looking at circle four. She paused between two and three, glancing back at Cysscataineth and forward and Caeith.

"Too many!" she muttered to herself, scuffing the sand with her foot.

Choose! One of them is yours, Caeith snapped. Algiba glared at the night gold and stalked over to her clutch, claiming night sky Fuiryohyithoth before stalking back to Cysscatainth and calling for Vyhrth, a dark green who shivered under the glare Caeith shot at the dragon who would share her child's bond.

"Alhena!" Hadassah didn't care for the whispers circulating after Algiba's double bond. Alhena moved out obediantly, heading for Algiba.

"I thought that Myuajth was pretty," she whispered to Algiba, reaching out a hand to a darker opal. "Yuhidhath's a black-opal and much prettier."

"Almente!" (The Terran group, having timed it to Eriol with Jeda while waiting for the earth clutch to hatch blinked. Why was the voice calling for a type of spaghetti? Why would anyone name their child Aldente? "Almente!" corrected Riyyan with a hiss, "with an m, not a d.")

Almente moved quickly over to forest Mesejth, accepting brown Niuijerth silently, except for a glance up at the Earth candidates and a slight laugh.

"Alshain!"

Alshain headed towards Meroclaisen, attracted by the bright colors. He found his bond there, the black-orange Yeyufth.

"Yes, I'm hungry too."

"Aluna!"

"I see the SCD dragons are quite popular," Alianora commented to the woman next to her, Astra, as Aluna headed for Braidie's clutch. Astra nodded as Aluna met her brown-white Oahaizth.

"Alvo!"

He stayed in circle four as well, heading for the more common green Tiyranelth, but the brown with orange speckles Vihohjuth was as flashy as the SCD offspring.

"Alya!" Alya was obviously inspired by Algiba, as she hesitated between two clutches as well, before finally deciding to ask two dragonets to be hers.

"Taeianith? Rieth?" A bronze and a green answered her call, and there was a collective gasp. Cross bonding? They had conviently forgetton Aiosany's green; but a female bonding a bronze? They were calmed down quickly as Taeianith complained - through Alya - that she was a girl. An Alskyrian girl too!

"Amalric!" called Hadassah's spell, sounding annoyed.

Amalric wasn't inclined to walk through _all_ those dragons, so he looked at the one in front of him. "Well? What do you think?" The striped brown-blue nodded, and pounced on Amalric. "Easy, Jovezjuith, easy!"

"Ammir!"

Ammir scowled at Amalric. "Lazy," he muttered, striding past the fourth circle, and was going to go all the way to the first, but hesitated in circle three. "Sorry, Toleth," he said sheepishly. The little white-gold made chirping noises from her position in Dynnysath's forearms before Ammir came and claimed her.

"Amea!"

"That's Améa!" Améa called back, ready to argue this with the spell when a dragonet gave a high, piercing wail. Améa winced at the reminder. "Sorry. Adilzojath?" she turned to the dragonets. "Adilzojath," she repeated before dashing into the third circle to rescue Adil' from the crushing weight of larger siblings. The siamese green-white murmured thanks, as did the parents.

"ANGA," the voice called, obviously irritated. Anga shook her head and sank back against the wall, frightened by the spell and the near tragedy.

"No. Not me. Not now." Alianora glanced up Hadassah. What would she do if Anga didn't move?

"Arain!" Arain was too busy helping out Anga to hear his name called, and the spell droned on.

"Aralwen!" The girl rolled her eyes at the two and moved through the fourth circle. Through the third and second. She bounced into the first circle triumphantly and beamed up at Flynnth. "Se-kth. I see you, Sekth," she trilled, and pulled out the green from her sisters. "Are you a.. triplet?"

"Aranarra."

The girl surveyed the dragonets quickly, and glanced at one of the dragonets sitting by their mother's wing. The dragonet shook its head slowly. "Never mind, then," Aranarra said sniffily.

"AriSTAR."

"I'm going," Aristor muttered, feet taking him to the third circle and stopping in front of Tide Froth. "Jith? You're _here?_" Jith was a glossy brown-ocean dragonet.

"Ariston."

Ariston beamed around him before roving around the fourth circle. "I know you're here, Mirlonieth.." he called out. A blue poked out his head, spreading his wings over his sibs. A faint star pattern was splashed over them.

"Aryxa!" called the voice before anyone could react.

"Smart, Hadassah. Very smart," murmured Maalya, causing the dignitaries around her to stare.

"Ascella!" cried the voice as Aryxa chose white Haozth. And then: "Ásdis!" as red Tyhrfeth and silver spring Ceymatorth were chosen by Aryxa and Ásdis.

"Atir! Atria!" The boy and girl scowled; it was obvious that they were not related, but they had been treated like twins the entire Candidacy. Atir stalked into circle one, grabbed at a green from Avianth's clutch.

"C'mon, Terellinnuth." Atria was doing the same to her white Mhiuath.. her _male_ white Mhiuath like Terellinnuth was a male.

"Audo, Aumang, Azapir, Azha, Azubeli." rattled off the voice. Kismi perked up as the five roamed the circles in a way that was anything but organized. Azubeli picked out bronze Oihth - who was obviously a male, unlike his rider - from Caeith's clutch. Azha chose brown Tiuejheth from Caeith's clutch as well. Would all of Caeith's children bond the opposite gender?

"Mhiuath's from that clutch as well!" Okkiho hissed to Calliste. "Write that down."

Audo chose the flashy turquoise-cream Jheth from the just as flashy gold-turquoie Braidie. Aumang and Azapir refused bonds, and went to stand with Anga and Arain.

"Bamon, Bellatrix, Benton, Beot, Berk,Bernadette, Beroopu, Besyrwan, Biatatat, Bryony!" trilled the spell, now obviously having fun with the names. Beroopu and Biatatat winced, and hung back, ashamed with the spell's mangling of their names.

"Come.. come on Rahanskath. I won't hurt you.. for now.." Bellatrix coaxed out a bronze from Akyoth's clutch, working directly under the bronze's nose.

"Brave girl, that one," was the general opinion in the Stands, as Akyoth looked ready to breathe fire at the gall of the girl.

Benton and Beot chose to remain with Beroopu, and Berk chose silver-blue Vasmatath from Kameith's clutch. He'd snuck into circle one with Bellatrix. Besyrwan had completed the trio who had inflitrated circle one, and quickly chose his cream from Kalionth's clutch, not even bothering to call out a name as he high-tailed it back to safety with the others.

"Chorohuyth!" Bryony called happily from the fourth circle, hugging a green-gold as Bernadette purred as she stroked green with blue Meiunshyth by Ataanath. The storm was allowing the dragonets to go without question, to show her superiority to kalionth.

"Cachazh." Kismi watched as the boy walked around, circuit cut short by

"Cainekel, Cairyn, Canassa, Casanxat." Blue Nith, from circle two; silver Javlioeth from circle three, cream with teal Ujth, from circle three; and brown Ciyjorileoth all were claimed by the riders as Cachazh continued to look. He finally had decided on a crimson-looking dragon in circle one when both Kalionth and Kismi went crazy.

"STOP!" Kismi shrieked, dashing off across the sands. Alianora groaned and buried her head in her hands, and to all intents and purposes, started to sob. The uproar spread to the dignitaries, who clambered to see what was wrong with Alianora.

"Don't you _see_? It's not _nice_ to choose a dragon that's not yours!" The crimson-gold started to skulk off, hiding its head under her forepaws. "Don't you go _anywhere_, Sisakayth," threatened Kismi as she continued to scold Cachazh.

"Caveerr! Chandi! Chariya! Chayna!" The four avoided Kismi as Caveerr chose night sea Chajhath, Chariya accepted her gold with bronze from the first circle, dashing in and out to avoid Kismi, and Chayna looked to Nyth, a sunset orange. Chandi made the mistake of getting too near Kismi, and was soon fleeing towards the haven of those who hadn't Impressed.

"Chyssil, Ciwi, Clemaut, Clye, Conwynn, Coono, Coralie, Cotth, Cresino, Croisel, Cynric, Cypra, Cytus!" The rest of the C Candidates surged forward as their names were called, choosing quickly. Kismi had finally stopped scolding Cachazh and turned to the crimson-gold, and started giving _her_ a scolding.

"Hurry, Xankilieth, hurry!" Ciwi murmured as she went to rescue the female brown from bronze Kaarewiath's clutch, near Kismi. "No! That's not your mama!" Ciwi groaned as Xankilieth pounced at Akyoth. Akyoth started to lash out, scaring away Cypra, Cotth, Coono, and Chyssil from her dragonets. And don't come back! Akyoth roared after the four who had left. Clemaut started whistling as he picked out brown Owth. Clye snuggled up with fuchsia Juzth, a very neon andd bright dragon, and Conwynn shyly bowed to yellow Myuuyrth, from one of Niateiyass's clutch. Bamon had still been wandering, and finally pounced.

"Inizogth! My little songbird!" The pale yellow dragon was patterned, and the Terran candidates chattered amongest themselves. ("That's a canary!" "How d'you know?" "I just do, okay?" "She knows _everything._") Alianora glanced up at this, still crying, but laughing at the same time.

"KIS'! She's yours, okay?" she called out, cupping her hands around her mouth to let the sound carry. Kismi whirled around, hand on Sisakayth's head.

"I knew that," she muttered.

"Strawberry ice cream!" called out one of the visitors from Lantessama when Coralie chose her pink dragon, Hayohth. "That's just like ice cream!" Cresino picked out an indigo, and Cynric debated for what seemed hours befor nodded to a siamese blue, naming him Viiefyth.

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