Orchid and Lavender

Orchid had originally wanted to just be the group's cook. Her ability to take pretty much any edible substances (and sometimes less than edible) and dump them into a pot, cook it up, and somehow have it turn out rather tasty and nutritious was pretty stunning. Headcrabs don't taste like crabs, but they don't have to taste bad either! Her power over plant matter became more and more important as they had to find food in the rugged terrain outside of the Aperture lab when they left, fortunately Maroon could attract the animals, so Orchid covered the veggies.

Lavender on the other hand was always into the gross insides of animals, and people - she'd heal things up, but only after taking a good long look at how they worked. On their way out of the labs, during the lull after the Combine had briefly been chased away from several large chunks of the land, Lavender discovered a hospital that was more or less intact. And: episodes of old television shows like CSI and Court TV documentaries. It's perhaps unsurprising that she had modeled herself after notable characters in some of those shows. If it was bleeding, that was her domain.

That isn't to say that either of them sits at home and waits for someone to get hurt. Oh no. They go out and find injuries. (Neither of them quite going so far as to cause them... at least, not without asking permission from their sisters first!) Lavender could teleport directly to an injured person, knowing exactly where they were by the tone of their emotional state.

On arriving to Carramba, both of them fell in love with the Caffetorium - for completely different reasons. The nuclear reactor buried deep within the grounds (and its attendant supercollider) was of some interest for the mutation and radiation therapy that Lavender liked. The food staff and patrons enjoyed Orchid's presense for the obvious reasons: missing an herb? Don't worry - she's got it.

Orchid's class schedule reflected her interests, but also some needed practice and background. The classes shared with others, You And Your Clone, and Measuring Up, both gave her the instincts to help out in the group without even blinking an eye. How much to add to the stew? Take a look around and see how many extra mouths to feed.

Aside from those things though, her interest in helping other life forms would get a boost from her Multiplanar History and Alien Evolution classes. Both had numerous aliens and alternate-reality folks attending, she could test out almost anything on the students for sharing-events.

Clearly, though, Cake! and Herbs and Veggies were her two favorite classes, which she of course excelled at. Ihrinnah enjoyed her company, becoming a bit of a guidance mentor to Orchid - while Shy... oh, Shy just loved these girls. After all he had a genetic engineering class too. Maybe they could get together some time.

Weirdly rounding out her education though, studying Olde Englyshe just for the hell of it (she liked to try and pronounce names and words, and inflict recipes based on old documents on the class too), and Exotic Team Sports because well, she was part of a built-in team! It was in fact Orchid who arranged the first (but not the only) cream pie fight event...

Lavender's preferences for reasonably intellectual classes showed in her choice of Honors English, challenging her knowledge and expanding her sisters' memories of the 'classics' and difficult writing tasks. She truly excelled at Earth Anthropology too, getting an even better grip on how humans work inside and out. Like others taking the class at different times, Lavender learned a lot about the whole of the universal culture in her Universal History class, but she enjoyed the 'fully interactive' portions when they got to visit battlefields and spaceways.

Also of tremendous joy to Lavender was Doc Sanger's Practical Anatomy class. He like all medical specialists knew the value of properly exploring the body. Yes, even like 'that'. Maybe especially like that... Hands-on approach was something Lavender wanted, and got, from the Semi-Professional Massage class, and she knew a thing or two that she's kept private from her sisters after realizing how to add those two classes together...

And then there were the more specific classes geared for what she really wanted to do: Healing, and Dragon Care. She learned enough from the Dragon Anatomy class to add to the one that Maroon took, that the others would likely not need to take it themselves. Of course, Maroon was more interested in the outside features of what made each species different from another, and Lavender was by far more intrigued by how each dragon's body actually worked.

So they went through the school and gathered every evening, Indigo and Opal sitting everyone down privately or more often in one big collected group to share. It came out that they would all like to befriend or at least see dragons, and any worries about their size or danger level were alleviated by both Orchid and Lavender assuring the others they'd fix whatever might go wrong.

Lavender hitched a teleport from her sister Indigo, heading 'where she was needed'. She had no idea what to expect, and hadn't really been prepared for the size and beauty of these dragons. Their caretakers, their surroundings...

"Oh..." She blinked rapidly, "I didn't know we were supposed to bring gifts," Lavender glanced away, a bit embarrassed about that. Had she known, there might have been any number of things she would have convinced Orchid to prepare for her. Wide-eyed, she watched the great number of people that gathered around. They exchanged flower wreaths, something she wasn't sure would ever happen at home - there were hardly enough flowers to go around after all. But Lavender enjoyed the smells and sounds, oh how it was filled with both of those here! Being at Carramba for a short time hadn't been bad, she liked the press of people. This was bigger than most Carramba parties, though.

Plus, the dragons.

There were ... mostly dragons. Hardly any humanoids, like herself. In fact, at least one of them attracted one of the little hatchlings that had been brought out. It was kind of spooky, really, because that little dragon had a pretty big vocabulary. Where as the lovely purple-shaded female that came toward Lavender didn't say a word. There was no need.

**from nexus forum hatching post by aireona**
"Hatching" Story
It was past midnight when Evelia and Arbitor informed Csheldi, the Hyre female who looked after the bonding complex, that their children were ready to meet their sponsors. Csheldi helped the parents move the young dragons into the cool fore-room of their nesting apartment. Here, the Hyre of De:halin had covered the earthen floor in a carpet of colorful blankets and rugs. Candles had been lit on either side of the apartment's entrance, and the light orbs that hung along the walls of the room had been coaxed to life. Friends had gathered, and by the time that Csheldi brought the sponsors, there was music and laughter drifting up from the apartment. The Fenda:soans were greeting the new lives, wishing them luck in song and with gifts of food and flowered garlands to the family. As Csheldi waved the three sponsors into the apartment, where they had to weave their way through the small crowd inside the decorated room, she noticed that even the Hii'gaan had left gifts for the Avyndal family. The circlets of delicate flowers and tiny crystals reminded Csheldi that this day was a Hii'gaan holy day- to be born on it was considered good luck by most of them. The flowers and crystals, if she remembered right, were to encourage the spirits to do good around the new children and their family.
Csheldi slipped into the apartment, and trotted past the gathered De:halin people. Her little son, no more than a few days old himself, had escaped his uncle and stationed himself at his mother's side. Most Hyre children never had a chance to be around others of their age, so Csheldi was happy to see that her child would have a few possible friends among the young Avyndals. Of course, they would be gone in a year, but for fast growing dragonets, that year might be enough to make a few lasting friendships.
Once she had separated herself from the other locals, Csheldi presented the sponsors to the Avyndal parents and their gathered children. Six dragonets had come into the fore-room. One of them, the young female named Eruanna, had slid herself in between her mother's legs. Though she didn't look scared of the gathered people, the dragonet didn't look keen on coming out either. One of her brothers, Revion, had chosen to stay with his father, but the little dragon was far from prepared to miss out on any of the ceremony's action. He had trotted right up to the gathered people, and with a Hii'gaan garland around his neck, he accepted the little gifts of food and flowers the the people were offering to the newborns.
Just behind him was Aré. The little dragoness was a bit more greedy about what she took from the visitors, but cute enough to get away with it. Csheldi couldn't help but laugh a bit at the three garlands she had hung around her neck and horns, not to mention the food that she had managed to stuff her mouth with. She seemed entirely uninterested in the offworlders that had come to Aanusil in hopes of sponsoring one of the young Avyndals. If anything, Csheldi thought that the little girl would have liked to stay with her parents, but as it was, they had already been chosen by two of her other siblings. If she accepted none of the sponsors, she would remain on Aanu'sil, perhaps as Csheldi's own.
Curious about this particular dragonet, Csheldi watched her young son follow after Aré. None of the flowers or food was really for him, but Fenda:soans were always kind to children, and the young dragon got more than his fair share of the gifts before he caught up to the little dragoness. She seemed surprised by him for a moment, and the two stared at eachother, but then they sauntered off together.
Confident that the two curious younglings would be safe, Csheldi brought those who were left towards the sponsors. Serethiel looked after her sister, but seemed too intimidated by the presence of so many strangers to follow after Aré. She stared up at Csheldi with a questioning gaze, and then considered the sponsors that had gathered. Unlike her sister, Serethiel took immediate interest in the Biran mix that had arrived on Aanu'sil some time ago. She inched towards him bashfully, but once she reached him, the little creature warmed up to Tchidkyi. She sniffed at him a bit, before he shyly returned the gesture, and without warning, the dragonet took a playful snap at the larger creature's nose. When he recoiled with a surprised laugh, Serethiel laughed with him.
Seeing that the two were paired, the visitors around them, draped the pair with a single, large Fenda:soan garland, and then offered them some tiny sweet cakes. Soft and small, the little pastries were usually popular among young dragons. Serethiel was no different.
"This is fun already," she said to Tchidkyi, crumbs lining her little mouth. Csheldi thought the pair would do well together, and she couldn't help but hope that the Biran might remain within the Federation for a time... he and his bond would no doubt make a good addition to the Alliance. Tchidkyi and Serethiel would add precious new perspective to the Co'ana, as well as strong, kind personalities.
Beridhren chose his sponsor shortly after his sister, though he was far less friendly than she once he reached Solath. The little Avyndal regarded the older dragon for a long moment, his young eyes glinting with intelligence and wisdom that did not quite seem right to belong to one of his age.
"The people sing of a thing called fate," the youngling said. "It would seem to me that your mistake was just that." The little male ignored the food offered him and sat down silently next to Solath. Csheldi still wasn't quite sure that she liked the idea of such a young creature taking one of the Avyndals, but Beridhren seemed set on the mutt, even knowing that the other dragon's reason for being at the sponsoring ceremony at all was a mistake. All Hyre trusted the decisions of their children, and so, Csheldi let Beridhren stay with the other young dragon. Neither Evelia nor Arbitor seemed openly opposed to the idea either. Arbitor seemed vaguely worried about all his young, though he had yet to openly voice his fears to Csheldi or any of the other Aanu'sil staff, and Evelia was busy tending to Eruanna, who was being showered with sweet cakes.
Finally, the last dragonet, and perhaps the shiest creature of the group made her decision. Anira made her way to the young human clone, Lavender, and without a single word, hid herself behind the woman's legs, opposite the gift-giving city dwellers.
Csheldi sighed with satisfaction as the Fenda:soan party mellowed somewhat after this. Most of the younglings, Avyndal, Hyre, and otherwise began playing with eachother in the cool moonlight, while the adults who had gathered began their music anew, dancing and singing together. Those food gifts that had not been wanted by the children were eaten, and the stung flowers had begun to attract nectar moths, whose florescent wings added a calm, but beautiful effect to the apartment's atmosphere. The celebration would last late into the night, until the young dragons fell alseep... which judging by the enthusiastic flaring of awkwardly large wings, and tiny growls as the dragonets played... wouldn't be for sometime.

"She's a healer," Lavender said to Indigo as they watched the dragoness play. Though she wasn't as rough-and-tumble as her clutch mates, Anira could be as physically active, and knew her limits. She didn't wind up exhausting herself, and she didn't gorge on those little biscuit things and cakes that had been in plentiful supply. At least one of the hatchlings was groaning about its stomach, and in a rare moment of gloating, Anira chuckled to Lavender while gazing at her sibling.

They enjoyed a few weeks at Aanusil, and then departed. Since there was a thriving dragonry at Carramba, as well as a magic department, Anira would hardly be neglecting to learn the habits of dragons. But she was more interested in humans - like Lavender was, how they worked and what went on beyond what one could see. Her healing magic would take a while to truly blossom, but Anira knew that if she had a good grasp on Human anatomy herself, there would be no mistakes. Given what Lavender had said, and Indigo had shown her when they traveled back "home" briefly, her skills would be sorely needed.

In the mean time, her skills were already needed at Carramba! The school was participating in numerous sports events, and there was always someone who tripped or skidded across the gravel, landed wrong and broke a limb, or any number of other injuries. Having a dragon on hand to aid them was just bonus points for Lavender!

Lineage

Mates and Descendants

Orchid waited patiently by the office, it wasn't a weyr or caer or whatever they called them around here. The dragonry was gorgeous, she'd obviously never seen anything like this place in her life, and hoped that she would get the chance to do so again. Maybe after she befriended a dragon here?

Impressed? Bonded? she thought to correct herself, but wondered what they'd call it here. She wasn't completely sure where 'here' really was - but it felt familiar, colorful and shiny, but well worn. Here was a girl who lived in a world of danger, ever-present; not like on Pern with the Red Star which was predictable as well as preventable and she'd learned all about that in one of her dragonry courses. But she knew technology, and many other odder things than any normal Human might see.

For a few days she was given free rein, allowed to check in on different classes and locales - and settled in the kitchen where she felt most comfortable. It was a toss up between that and the Healer's area, but many of the herbs that were used in some offworld healing weren't even found on Twoarth where Carramba was, let alone on her home Earth. Spices and basic grains, though, they were plentiful here.

She put her Cake! knowledge to the test, while they fixed up the hatching-celebration feast for the new riders, but then she was needed down there at the hatching itself. Her hands trembled, maybe she'd bond, maybe her other psionic skills of healing would be needed. Sometimes, she'd discovered, there were injuries in the Hatching sands. Cuts and bruises mainly but what if someone's eye was gouged by a piece of shell or an errant wing-claw? Well she wouldn't do to dwell on those thoughts, so she straightened herself up, bid the cook staff a brief nervous farewell, and headed to the hatching sands...

So many little dragons that seemed to have materialized out of nothing! There were no evident shells or shards as she'd been told to expect, by this time. It felt like the location had somehow wiggled, almost like the feeling she got when they moved between Twoarth and the Rookery. Orchid did her best to focus on one or two hatchlings, they slipped away quickly enough. That one white one sure was pretty, she could see it past the numerous and very colorful hatchling dragons that milled about.

This dragonet was, like her siblings, somewhat low to the ground, with armor budding on her chest and a set of what would definitely become spines on her neck, horns on the sides of her beaked head. This dragon sniffed through the candidates until she found the one she wanted. But Orchid wasn't paying attention to her. With a soft growl and a snort, the pale dragonet jumped up and grabbed Orchid's apron. But she was tiny and really didn't get the effect she wanted which was to pull Orchid around. Instead she hung there, refusing to let go. Orchid did feel the tug and looked back over her shoulders at the dragon, eyes looking up at her and blinked. “Oh...what are you...doing?”

You make food? the voice in her head asked plaintively. Can you make me food?

Orchid laughed. “I don't think what you eat is something I can make, Myudee.” Her dragon let go of her flour dusted apron and she picked her up, carrying her off the sands, the others forgotten. How long would this dragonet grow? Quite gangly right now, with wings that looked feathered, she wasn't sure? But still, this gorgeous speckled gold and white was Orchid's world. Because she was well trained in telepathic communication, Orchid could easily listen in to her new little dragon's mind. So curious, so hungry!

Wouldn't the others be pleased! This would be the start of a great movement in their world. Orchid knew that as they collected their dragonets from across the multiverse, their chances for not just survival, but thriving against the Combine increased dramatically! Myudee would be able to help Orchid slip in and out of occupied territories, and since she was small, she could remain unseen for the most part. Orchid got giddy when she realized that she could also help distribute food and supplies with this little girl, though probably not too much at a time, until she was grown up.

Lineage

Mates and Descendants