Trudi's pet is Sherbert, a lemony-yellow leapflit from Ryslen!

Trudi was just "not getting it" - they weren't going to let her take driving?

"Trudi," said their councilor, "you've already got three awards in sport racing, we know you can drive a stick shift." Alexi scratched his forehead near his horns and sighed. "You're way over-qualified for that course. It's meant for people who need to learn to drive."

"I could encourage them!" She said, perky. Alexi sighed again. She was going to try so very hard to get into that class... But he wasn't about to let someone as experienced as she into it. She'd only discourage the others, contrary to her cheerleading mindset.

"Look, you're going to have to stay in the Math class another semester. And besides, don't you have another ... thing ... going?" He asked, and raised his eyebrow way up. Trudi thought he was really cute for a demonic alien.

"Yeah, well, that... Thing..." Trudi played with her hair, and Sherbert - Bert for short - squeeked. She was almost completely indistinguishable from Trudi's hair anyway.

"You'll have to tell me all about it when we have our next session in the Winter." Alexi stood and shooed her out of the office, beckoning the next Sophomore in. "Now go on and say hi to the rest of the Ten for me."

Sulky, Trudi left the office and found her friends. They were halfway excited and half worried. What if they didn't really bond dragons, what if they weren't good enough?

"That's silly!" Trudi exclaimed. "We're all going to come back with really really fantastic dragons! Every one of us!" She glared at Red and Black, who both stuck their tongue out at her.

They had to believe her, because it wasn't more than three or four days before they left.

It was a good thing they did believe her. Because even if they didn't, she had already formulated a plan of action. If any of them came back without a dragon, she thought on the way to Keandyn, she'd find eggs and bring them dragons...

As talkative as she was, Trudi found Keandyn to be a little dark and dreary for her tastes. Bert and she would spend hours trying to get the leaders to paint the inside walls brighter, something other than 'dirt' or 'stone' but to no avail. She spent other hours deeply buried in books and scrolls about dragon anatomy and care, hatchling injuries and how to treat them, and what to do if your dragon didn't make it out of their own shell.

Apparently there were still worlds - not this one - that refused to help hatchling dragons out of their shell if they were too weak or the shell too thick. "How barbaric," she commented to Dr alHadim, who came from Talon just north of where Carramba High and Crescent was. He seemed to agree, especially what with him being a doctor and all.

Finally, the call went out and a beautiful thrumming sound filled the halls. Bert joined in, and then flew off of Trudi's shoulder into the stands to join other flitters to watch. The hatching was starting!

Absolutely filled to the brim with excitement, Trudi could hardly contain herself as every egg was trembling. There weren't that many, so she hoped her chances were about even. Better than if there were too many other people.

The first egg was so not for her! The angry red dragoness that came from it hissed and spat and stomped off with her pretty if scary bond. Then a lovely brown paired off.

When the third egg decided to pop open, it revealed to everyone's delight a small violet colored dragonet! The dam of the clutch crooned and nudged the little hatchling toward the waiting candidates.

But it was only to one that the violet went - of course.

She had a keen eye, and looked over everything, but it was almost like she wanted to scan for weak bits, places to hide and spring out, surprising people. Mischief would follow this little girl.

Oh Truuuuuuuudi! She called, chirping up at the air.

"Hey cutie pie little Kiewen. What do you have up your sleeve?" Trudi asked. She knew very well - she could feel the thrill of the little violet's mind, taking every aspect of her new life in turn.

I hope you have some food up yours, Kiewen replied, and then I want to see where they hide the paint... We have a big job ahead, right?

Giggling, Trudi and Kiewen went off to celebrate.

The excitable pair of Trudy and Kiewen were taken back to Carramba High by one of the older riders. Normally they'd have stayed behind, to learn with the others how to ride and fly and such, but as it was, they were arranged to come back. Their class would take place when they'd all come back. It would only be a matter of days, while the already-bondeds waited for their friends.

"Why is it that we're already back, but we all had the same time coordinates?" Trudi asked their flight instructor Hollis. The white-haired man shrugged.

"Sometimes the Nexus works like that. Maybe you're delayed or sped up in transit, maybe something in the Nexus wanted to get a better look at the others."

"Oh that makes me feel great," Trudi said half-sulking, "it spat me out quickly. It's holding on to everyone else?"

"Now now," Hollis laughed. "Just concentrate on your studies. Kiewen is growing quickly, and we'll all be walking the flight paths before learning to take off. Just like you'd have done back at Keandyn."

"So I kinda get a vacation between now and then?" She tilted her head, and Kiewen added a little trumpet.

"I suppose you do, Trudi, I think that's the right attitude..."