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There were so many strange people and creatures at this Frenzy sands, Trish almost felt out of place. But her years at Carramba High had taught her nothing if not that the universe was a big place. It was big enough for everyone of every type, breed, color and anatomy.

She preferred human company - other than Pele of course - but she knew enough girls dating furry boys and aliens to know that there must be something to it. It wasn't for her.

What was for her was that there were more than a dozen extremely beautiful shiny mother dragons on these sands guarding small numbers of big eggs. Hollis had told them that eggs of dragons varied in size, but this was amazing. Pele cheeped at Trish when she thought about slipping down to the sands to look at the eggs. "It's okay, we're supposed to go look at them at least..." That was what Hollis said. That occasional visits to touch or talk to the eggs made it easier for the dragonets inside to figure out who they would want to bond.

When the eggs at last began to shake and crack with pressure from the inside, everyone - a sizable number of people, dragons, and others - was led back to the sands for one more viewing.

With every crack and heave, everyone gathered would make some kind of sound. Trish thought that she could make them ooh and ahh. She even caught the eye of a pair of girls named Viddie and Pearlie, they seemed like a couple of overjoyed kids, but they were really stylish.What was really weird was their little friend who was a guy wearing a sailor suit like in an Anime show - one for girls. He of the bunch of them that Trish paid any attention to, bonded first. His dragon was lovely, though not one that Trish would have wanted.

Another dozen or more dragons came from their shell and bonded or wandered away with some caretaker or other. The pile of eggs was dwindling. There hadn't been a single real gold-looking-gold among any of them, and Trish was begining to wonder if there was even a dragon that wanted her here at all. She'd be completely ashamed of herself if she didn't come back - first - with a dragon - to Carramba. But there weren't any golds, she kept scanning each hatchling as they entered the world. Their parents were so flashy but... Not like a gold...

I am better than any gold, said a low, purring voice right into Trish's head. She was startled, there was a dragon slinking along making sure that everyone saw her. She would freeze, turn just her head, and then start walking again.

She was utterly graceful, and she was already well-versed in catwalk techniques. Urd would be so completely impressed with this dragon! The little private grin on the dragon's green muzzle made Trish smile too. She felt an intense pride, she felt beautiful.

Trish couldn't even speak.

Well, don't you agree? The dragonet said, looking up at her new bond lovingly. Everyone's eyes had followed her progress, all eyes were now on them both.

Trish smiled widely and looked over everyone's reaction. "I sure do," she said at last, her voice trembling a little. This would be what it was like to recieve an award or get crowned... She felt those things in her past, but they were nothing at all as intense as the bond that this lovely lightning-winged shard-cracked green could give. Dumeecek was her name, and they were the first of the Ten to bond.

***

Trish was taken to the Glitz and Glitter Frenzy sands, at Dragonwillow.

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