who will be coming?

[small_magics]

Aianon has made a plant in the open airless space above the surface of Thilanushinyel. It is a very, very large plant - some dragons will be attending the party, after all, even if Ansharil in particular is going to be assorted small things and stay on Sarion's person the bulk of the time.

The locals will be Sarion, her beloveds, their other beloved, the five conjured dragons (and their Bondmates, where applicable: Virgivere and Lissa), and Liselen - Magania has, as usual, declined, and so far no Bell party has featured Bell parents.

Amariah is bringing her boyfriend and spontaneous daughter and two of the spontaneous daughter's friends, as well as an Alethian instance of the Rupert template.

Shell Bell is bringing Pearl and Screwdriver.

Golden is bringing her usual large contingent, as usual not including her husband but including her daughter and daughter's grown fosterling (the other remaining at home) and his wolf, both mothers-in-law and one father-in-law, adopted siblings, staff members including the Joker and Nathan, and the children of the aforementioned.

Glass is bringing both wives, all three daughters, Kanim, and her cat. She invited Icarin and Valeria, but their parents are not willing to let them gallivant into other worlds unsupervised and had a scheduling conflict.

Stella's bringing a smattering of people including Alice, Anna, Sandy, Libby, Bridget, her college roommate Janine, and Lazarus.

Tab is bringing Aelise (but not Kers) and Luhan.

Etty is bringing only Nona.

Aether, likewise, brings no one but Celo.

Pattern comes with Ripper, Slipstick, Queenie, and Ghosty.

Aegis is accompanied by her four-bodied boyfriend, Merryweather, Whitlock, and Howlett.

Aurora comes with Brilliance, Lexi with her Device Persica, Agent Honey with her Device Adularia, and Beth.

Rose brings her husband and three children and her former apprentice, Luc.

Angela brings her husband, her four children, several of her friends, and some of those friends' children and grandchildren with and without wings. Keziah also brings a friend.

Juliet shows up with Soph, Minus, Red, Giles, James, Virginia, Minnie, Ike, and Val.

Cam brings Jellybean and Tilly and stops there.

And from unBelled worlds hail additional Sherlocks and Tonies, Darcy, Matilda, Pepper, and Eights.

Comments

[keyed_up]

Meanwhile, Soph has finished her long-distance gawking at the crowd of beings ranging from numerous angels to one demon to several magical Devices, then says to her Tony, "I think it will for some reason be less weird to meet the one of you who's a dragon first and therefore doesn't look like you."

[toblameforit]

"Sure, I'll go with it," says Red. "What do you figure, are they outside? I bet they're outside."

[keyed_up]

"Yeah, I don't see 'em here." Outside they go, then.

[toblameforit]

Outside they go!

"I bet that one's the me," says Tony, pointing to the red-and-gold dragon.

[pythbox]

"I bet you're right!" says Tianthonet.

[keyed_up]

"Oh, pretty. Hi. I'm Soph, I'm Juliet's spontaneous sister."

[pythbox]

"Hi! I'm Tianthonet, I'm a dragon!"

"I think they can tell," Sherial says dryly.

[keyed_up]

"I dunno, you could've been something else, disguised as a dragon?" shrugs Soph.

[she_sells_seashells]

"There is a dragon at this party who is disguised as a purple and green furry winged animal sitting on Sarion's shoulder, but I don't think any of the reverse."

[pythbox]

"I don't think Ansharil is exactly disguised," says Sherial.

"If he is, it's not a very good disguise. I recognized him," giggles Tianthonet.

[keyed_up]

"Oh man, I have so many people to meet."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Quite a few, yeah, these things are getting crowded."

[pythbox]

"Yeah," says Tianthonet, "try being three times the size of the next smallest person around. It was nice of Ansharil's Bondmate to make the inside part big enough for dragons, but I still get nervous about going in there."

[toblameforit]

"Wow, no kidding," says Red.

[keyed_up]

"You're scared you'll step on somebody? Most anyone'd bounce back pretty quick," says Soph. "I guess I wouldn't want to step on a tiny person even if they'd be fine, though."

[pythbox]

"Yeah, exactly!" says Tianthonet. "Even if you're not seriously hurt, it's embarrassing."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Do you guys just not normally hang out with small people much?"

[pythbox]

"Well, the Bonded," says Tianthonet. "But they usually come in smaller groups, and they're just... different."

[keyed_up]

"Different how?"

[pythbox]

"It's... easier to keep track of them, somehow," says Tianthonet. "I'm not sure."

"You're used to them," says Sherial. "You know them all as individuals and you haven't had to meet more than one new one at a time since you were big enough to step on any. And they frequently appear riding or otherwise accompanying their Bondmates, in which case you can avoid stepping on the human or elf by keeping out of the dragon's personal space."

"Yeah," says Tianthonet. "What she said."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Does this still apply when it's Sarion with her dragon in a little fuzzy shape on her shoulder?"

[pythbox]

"Well..." says Tianthonet.

"No," says Sherial, "but she is a semilegendary figure, so it's easier to pay attention to her."

[keyed_up]

Soph giggles. "Are all the Bells semilegendary figures like that or does only the local one count for you?"

[pythbox]

"Only the local one," says Sherial.

[she_sells_seashells]

"Oh, well."