"Can't adopt one of my own children, pah," Frux grumbled, pacing down from the road where the shuttle service had dropped him and Pebai off, towards the bonding complex on Atu. "He didn't even bond. Who's going to look after him? Those over-run 'agencies'? Those over-worked 'caretakers'? Gods, I could bite someone...."

"Frux, you've been talking about that all day," Pebai complained, sitting astride his shoulders human-formed, her Star Dancer pet in her arms. "I'm sure your kids'll be fine, really!"

The Light dragon sighed. That wasn't really what was bothering him, just what came out-- but how did you explain that to a child? "Sorry, Pebai."

"It's okay," she assured him, patting his furry neck with one mahogany-skinned hand. "So when's the meeting thing?"

"Not until tomorrow night. We'll get settled in today, and you can see all your old friends...."

"I heard Usandi bonded and Isuan went with her! I wonder who else is gone... I wonder if they'll be here to visit."

Frux let Pebai babble, since she didn't really need a response, and his thoughts, as they usually did since that hatching last week, went back to his children. He was still young, probably too young to really be a parent, particularly in his own family's eyes-- but what they didn't know couldn't hurt them, and Asuka take it, he liked children. And, admittedly, he'd been curious about what these "mating flights" were like.... Not really all they were cracked up to be, he discovered, but afterwards, waiting on the eggs and watching the hatching: that he liked.

When he'd been there to gather his one unbonded son, his firstborn-- firsthatched?-- away from the staring crowd, it had been the happiest he'd ever been, though it was likely no one would really have been able to tell just from looking at him. He could have even said he was proud: proud to be a father, to have a son, even to have a mate, however temporary she might be, that he'd been able to make such fine kits with. Then he had to learn, just the next day, that his son was not to go into his care, as he'd expected once it was certain the kit would find no bond... well, it had been accompanied by a rare display of anger on his part, and had resulted in his leaving the day after, taking Pebai with him.

Since then, the roaring anger had largely worn off, but he was still bitter, and even a little hurt. For the first time in a very long time, he doubted himself. Had his kit not wanted to come with him? Was there something about him that made a poor father? Had he done something wrong, in the twenty-four hours he'd been able to spend with his son?

At least he still had Pebai, even if she was an excitable little handful. Apparently he wasn't doing anything wrong there, in the past year since he'd adopted her: the kit adored him. As she chattered on, she absently stroked his fur with one hand, the other expertly keeping her pet from escaping, supported against her chest. She'd worked so hard to learn her human form, only perfecting the shift in the past couple months while they'd stayed at Ryslen with the clutch. Since then, she'd been so pleased with it that she hardly left it.

They stepped into the lobby of the bonding complex, at last, and she started bouncing excitedly. "Easy on the shoulders, dearheart," he reminded her gently; with her near-manic energy, Pebai never seemed to put on weight: she was all bones, and that bouncing could get uncomfortable.

"Then let me down!" she suggested. "Then I can't bounce on you!"

Frux sighed and crouched down for her, letting the Fire-Earth crossbreed slide down his shoulder to the ground. By the time she was safely on her feet and brushing her clothes back into place, they were being approached by the project's coordinator, Demulcei Jariane. Frux had spoken with her before, on more than one occasion, of course, given that he'd already sponsored here once. To his mild gratification, she actually remembered him.

"Frux Ivou!" she exclaimed lightly, sounding surprised. "You haven't been here in almost a year, now-- is everything all right?"

"Hi, Demi!" Pebai grinned, waving.

"Hello, Pebai, it's good to see you," the Light-Fire crossbreed said with a distracted smile.

"Everything's fine, lady Jariane," Frux answered calmly. "I'm back hoping to adopt again, if that's not against the rules."

"Well, no, we've had multiple sponsors," Demulcei agreed, but she still looked a little skeptical-- picking up on his general irritation, perhaps, though he thought he'd hidden it well-- so he continued his explanation.

"Pebai could use a friend. I'm not the most exciting dragon out there, and someone her own age might help keep her happy and occupied."

"Frux, you're not that bad at all, I think you're just fine. See, Demi, he got me a pet! His name is Forge Eden, isn't he cute? He's a Star Dancer!"

With a less distracted smile, this time, Demulcei stooped for the obligatory compliments for the little creature, which merely swatted at her fingers when she tried to pet him. Frux shooed her off to go see who all of the dragon kits were left that she'd made friends with a year ago, before he'd adopted her, while he filled out the paperwork for a second adoption. Apparently, then, he'd convinced Demulcei that he'd be a good parent for a second kit; Pebai's continued innocent praises, though mildly embarrassing and a certainly soothing to his ego, didn't hurt matters any.

Paperwork finished and papers signed, Demulcei let him go on his way with a smile, a room key to stay in the complex, and an injunction to not be late the following night for the bonding meeting. As Pebai was still nowhere to be seen-- probably deep in reminiscence, or just chattering, with other dragonets in the compound somewhere-- Frux wandered into the large, open meeting room itself. There, the remaining eggs awaited their own bonds or sponsors, and the head nurse, an insectoid named or perhaps just nicknamed Nanny Bitsu, presided over them, checking their stases and making sure everything was well with them.

Vaguely reminded of the Flurry clutch, Frux sighed and dropped down onto his stomach next to them, looking the batch over with his chin on his paws. Not very many left... the number of available kits would probably be much lower now, too. Would any of them like him-- or at least Pebai-- enough to come home with them? He tapped one round shell gently with a finger, carefully not with his claw, thinking to himself, Of course one will. I love children, and they notice such things.

::Is everything all right, young sir?::

Nanny Bitsu, a sweet creature despite what you might think given its somewhat unusual exterior and genderless presence, had come up beside him, feeler-limbs twitching with what Frux guessed to be concern, given the feel of its mind-voice.

"Everything's fine, miss Bitsu," he told her, lifting his chin from his paws. He didn't know a gender-nuetral title, so he defaulted with feminine. The insectiod was a "nanny", after all.

::You were at the first bonding, were you not? Took in little Pebai, if I remember right,:: it continued.

"Yes, that was me," he agreed, and waved a paw lightly. "Pebai is around here someplace, talking to old friends...."

::Yes, she came by to say hello earlier; I'd wondered if you were here, with her.:: Nanny Bitsu gently turned over the egg he'd tapped, presumably to make sure the other side was getting enough warmth, as well. ::What brings you back to the bonding complex?::

"Hopefully to adopt again."

::One not enough for you?:: the insectoid sent with a clicking sound much like a chuckle.

Frux rustled his wings in a shrug. "I like children... and Pebai could use a friend, to play with."

::Good reasons, all.::

There was something about its voice that seemed to say "but there's more, and you know it"-- gently, but definitely still there. Frux glared lightly at it. "I've had these plans for months, to come back here for the last bonding."

::Of course, my dear boy, of course,:: Nanny Bitsu clucked, patting him gently with the end of one of its dexterous limbs. It paused before moving on, tilting its head at him, feelers rubbing together thoughtfully. ::Have you ever considered amniomancy? You might have a talent for it.::

"Amniomancy? Magic with eggs and infants and the like? Of course not; I'm going to be a diplomat."

::Really?::

"I've been studying for it all my life."

::I hope you enjoy it, then, young man.::

Frux was feeling decidedly disconcerted when Nanny Bitsu scuttled off to whatever her next chore was, and Pebai came bounding up, excited from meeting old friends and anxious to tell him all about it. So, he put that behind him, smiled for her, and let her talk.