Evoli stared out at the meeting room, which had been fixed up as the bonding chamber, since it was so cold and snowy outside. Riyikith and Evola sat together at one end of the table with Cemitae and Andy, with dragons between their bonds, opposite Captain Mullen and another UNIS official Evoli didn't recognize. Andy sat next to Adara and Keren, the two cadets here for this bonding. There were three other candidates, five total, but none of them Evoli knew well, though he'd watched all five off and on while they were staying here.

The little Air looked from candidate tp candidate from his position in the hall, invisible and crouched small and still against the wall. None of them would work. Catame, though cute and sweet and with actual magic ability of his own, was very obviously chosen by Tantra. From what Evoli could see, trying to budge in on Tantra's choice would be damaging for the poor thing, nervous as she was. Daynoren, also a mage, was too beautiful and he knew it; he had more pride than a Light, and he would walk all over Evoli. Trinorill was cool, calm, and collected-- too much so, and besides, she wasn't likely to be staying on Avengaea. Of the cadets, Keren was too loud and Adara too angry for him. Besides, how could he betray Riyikith by trying to bond with someone who mocked him all the time?

No, there was no one here for Evoli to bond to. He'd accepted that the first night he saw the candidates for the first time, even though he still went to the other bonding meetings and he was here, now, watching from where the kits would come out. Part of him felt like, somehow, there was something wrong with him for not being able to find someone he liked enough to bond to, or, at least, for not standing up to his sister when she said she was going to choose Riyikith. The rest of him knew that, that part of him was stupid, because compared to all the dragons out there only a very small portion were even given the choice to bond, so not bonding was hardly bad, but knowing that didn't really make him feel any better.

There came a pattering of feet behind him, and Evoli slipped out into the meeting room itself to make room for the anxious kits who surged out as quietly as they could, whispering among themselves and casting hopeful glances at the table. He could tell who had made choices: they looked either more confident, or more nervous, than the rest. There were only four of them who looked like they'd chosen and knew what they were supposed to do, a Light, two Airs, and one of the Waters. Only for dragonets for five candidates. Someone wasn't going to be picked.

For one breathless, hopeful moment, Evoli thought about joining them, picking whoever hadn't found a bondmate when all was said and done-- but he had just been telling himself that none of the candidates would be a good match with him, so just choosing one to be bound to for the rest of his life would probably make both of them miserable. He sighed faintly, watching the kits arrange themselves into a good imitation of a line, and made himself relax.

"You can stop hiding now," a voice said.

Evoli jumped, flickering back into visibility and whirling to face Novitas, the Earth-Water dragonet. He blinked at her. "How did you know?"

"I could smell you," she snorted. "And I'm a psionic, so I could feel you. Seeing isn't the only way to find someone, you know."

"Oh," Evoli answered stupidly. "I guess I should have known that."

The Air dragoness presiding over the bonding ceremony announced for the candidates to stand, and Evoli looked back into the chamber. He could feel Novitas watching him, probably frowning like she usually seemed to be doing. "Why are you here?" she asked finally.

"Because Riyikith and my sister are," he answered.

"If that were true, you'd be out there with them, sitting at the table," Novitas countered. "You're just here to watch the bonding. Don't tell me you still want to go through with it, yourself." Evoli glanced at her, silent, but his expression must have given him away, for she snorted again. "What fascinates you so much about it, anyway? I wouldn't want to be stuck with somebody, some human, my whole life."

Evoli shrugged his wings slightly. "Because... my sister is so happy," he said slowly. "I want to be happy like that, too. I guess I'm not like you, Novitas, because I'd love to find somebody to spend my life with. I don't like to be alone."

She eyed him, as his eyes went back to the bonding ceremony at the first flash of light, marking the bird-women Trinorill and one of the Air dragonets creating their link. "You're crazy," she finally said firmly.

"No," he answered absently, "I'm just different."

There was a moment of silence, and two more candidates bonded. Finally, Evoli heard Novitas turn and trot away, but he also thought he heard her mutter, "Not that different." He smiled a bit, watching Tantra finally choose Catame. Not even a sour-snout like Novitas could want to be alone all her life; if not through a bond, then she'd find some other companionship: a friend, a mate, family, anything. And so could Evoli, now that he thought about it. He had his sister, even if she was more focused on her bond than him, and he had Riyikith, who was always so careful not to let him feel left out. He had his parents, at home, exchanging letters, and Cemitae, and maybe now the dragons the two cadets had bonded. So even if he didn't have a bond, at least he wasn't alone.

The bonding ceremony was over, so Evoli shook himself a little and trotted out to meet the new bonds and rub shoulders with his sister, feeling a little better.