Return [[Egg Stall]]

[raii]

"Thank you," Sari said, smiling. "I'm pretty sure babies of any kind are rambunctious though, but that just adds to their charm." Sari picked out a rather small egg, one with slight speckles on it, and gently laid it in the basket. She made a mental note to buy a jar with her remaining money.

She left the five marks on the table as instructed, and picked up the little basket. She had ten marks remaining, and a world of possibilities. Where to go, what to see...

Her thoughts were interupted as Dusk popped out of between, chirping angrilly. How dare his leave when he was asleep! "Dearest, I'm sorry. Look, I got you a little friend!" He inspected the egg curiously, and then looked at her questioningly. "I don't know what it is." He creeled in excitement. Soon he would have another playmate.

"It's that good for you? Maybe I should consider buying another," she said jokingly. He crooned pleading, his eyes glistening with hope. "I...I was kidding...there's a lot I want to--" He wimpered, cutting her off. She rubbed his head lovingly. "All right, but just one more. Got it?" He chirped, and glided over to the egg stall.

She followed. "I suppose I'm back for more. This is Dusk, by the way, and he wants another playmate." She crossed her arms, and he flew int the crevice between her breast and her arm, wrapping his tail possesively around her arm.

[glamourie]

She’d managed to sell an egg, and Eselda was very proud of herself as she put the marks away. As soon as her customer was gone, she grabbed one of the skins and made a notation of how many she’d sold so far. Two so far with more coming. Maybe her mother would let her buy something from the Gather for all of her hard work. She really wanted to get some of the fried dough and a netted beach ball to play with when Eris got over his moodiness. Her mother kept telling her that he wouldn’t get over it until he was a grown man but Eselda didn’t believe that. She and Eris were close when they were small – she wanted to believe he’d stop being so annoying soon. Brushing one bobbly black curl from her face, the girl lifted her hides and put them back into one of the compartments of the large bag that she carried all of the records in. Once she was done, there was movement from the other end of the stall and she turned to see the return of one of her customers.

Bouncing, the black-haired girl half-scampered over to the counter and folded her hands on the top before cocking her head to the side ever so slightly.

“Hi – I’m sorry but we can’t do refunds so if you don’t like what you got – oh.” Blinking twice, she looked at Dusk as Loli flew down from the shelf behind Eselda to land on the girl’s shoulder. The green flitter purred at the brown, and Eselda stroked her before smiling. “Hi Dusk. You’re a cutie. You wanted another, miss? We don’t sell the mystery eggs like that – one per person, I’m sorry. It’s the only way we can be fair since a lot of people seem to want them, though I don’t know why because they hatch weird things, I know of a boy who got a positively mean little brown from one after all…”

[raii]

Dusk spread his rosy wings, allowing Eselda to admire him fully. He loved getting compliments. He chirped pridefully, holding his head high as though he were the most beautiful queen in all of Pern. He gave a tight nod to the green, preserving his self-importance as always. "Oh, that's quite all right. I was more considering getting a little green for him. Even though it breaks my heart to think of him being so old, it would make the little guy so happy."

She tucked her brown hair behind her ear. Dusk sent her a questioning look. He pulled his mind back to a green salamandyr he'd seen at his Hatching. "No dear, not a salamandyr, a fire lizard, like you." Dusk chirped in releif. He didn't want his future mate to be something so puny and strange.

"So, I'll purchase a small fire lizard egg," Sari said, withdrawing five marks from her pocket. "Which one would you like, dear?" Dusk's thick, short legs bent, his muscles bunching up under his hide. He lept into the air and glided over to the basket of small fire lizard eggs, landing somewhat gracefully. He inspected them.

This one was too small, far, far too small. The egg might hold a Puny in it, and that would not do for an egg. This egg was far too big, perhaps the biggest in the group. It just had to be a blue dragon. There was no way such an egg could possibly be a green. Another egg was ruled out because it too was too small. This one had a blemish. This one had a spot. This one was slightly off color. You had to be particular when choosing your mate.

Finally, he settled on an egg. It was the only one that lived up to his high standards. It was the second largest egg, however, and he hoped it would not hatch a blue fire lizard. That would simply not do. If it was a blue, he would have his mine take him back. This girl already had two blues. Maybe she would trade her blue for a green.

Sari somewhat comprehended the fire lizard's confusing thoughts. She decided not to explain it to him now, seeing as it might offend the girl. Even worse, it could cause her to dislike him, which he would immidiately pick up on and sulk for the remainder of the day. Dusk sent her an image of the egg, and she pointed to it. "I think he wants this egg, right?" Dusk chirped in agreement. His eyes whirred in excitement.