“So you paint the eggs and then….collect them?” Chrysanthe pursed her lips thoughtfully as she twisted the spherical object in her hands. She was accustomed to seeing brown speckled eggs that the mountain hens laid for her family back in Sauti, but never before had she seen someone actually take pale white eggs like these and actually dye them! The one currently in her hands was a vibrant green, almost brighter than the emerald grass that swayed in the fields before her, and to top off that green the painter had decided to add a nice flourish of golden swirls that popped out surprisingly well against the other color. As she studied the growing pile Chrys pointed out some pink, purple, and even rainbow eggs - all of which still seemed so bizarre to the Sautian.

“We collect them in celebration of the fertility of spring~” Explained the gaein girl with a giggle, “It’s a great way to let children have fun while also occupying them while we prepare for the harvest and have meetings. Then once they’re finished collecting you can always peel the shell from the egg and have a snack! So it’s not too much of a waste at all.”

“I see.” Chrys shrugged her shoulders before tossing the green egg back towards the gaein, “Well I wish you the best of luck.”

“Aren’t you going to play?” The gaein pouted towards the water-wind hybrid and placed a hand on a hip as she studied Chrys, “It’ll be a good thing to experience! Just this once? Pleaaaase? My friends got to spread the eggs to the other continents but I’m stuck here since someone had to run the festivities at home. So amuse me and play with the children so that I can brag that even I got a mainlander to play?”

Rolling her eyes Chrys shook her head only a fraction before sighing, “Fine. I’ll amuse you, but you owe me cake if I get a lot of them.”

“Deal!” She reached out and clasped Chrysanthe’s hand, “But you have to collect at least ten!”

“Pfft I’ll do better than that.” Teased Chrys before heading off towards where the gathering crowd was starting to prepare for the egg hunt. After a few more minutes it seemed everything was in place and everyone quickly began to disperse into the fields. Chrys found herself darting around several bushes, hands gently flitting above the taller grasses, and every so often something smooth would connect with her fingertips and she would triumphantly pluck an egg from the ground to place in a small basket. Thankfully they gave us these else I would be in trouble. Even if the eggs were boiled she could only imagine how well they would fare when being tossed up inside of her pockets or satchel bag. That would definitely have resulted in a rather messy situation, one that Chrys was happy to avoid.

As a lightning youngling ran past, nearly causing her to stumble, Chrys had to remind herself to focus. This was an event, a competition of sorts and if she wanted that free slice of cake from her favorite bakery then she had to win! Or at least get the number she had promised to the other girl. After that she could retire and just enjoy the rest of her day while the crowds continued on with their festivities. Nodding to herself, while desperately trying to avoid the slight grumbling growing in her stomach, the hybrid girl pressed forward. One egg had already turned to two and now three was becoming seven and as she found herself standing tiptoe to reach a brilliant blue egg nestled in the lower branches of a tree Chrys found herself with a total of fifteen.

Fifteen lovely painted eggs, all varying in size and colors. Wasn’t that enough to appease the girl who had issued a challenge for her? Smiling at the sight of them Chrys decided to stop with her own hunt so that the younglings swarming about the park could continue adding to their collections. Surely by now she had participated enough that the gaein girl could give her a lovely piece of cake for her effort. Sweets, my greatest weakness. She quipped silently to herself before turning on a heel to try and find out where the other girl had gone. Once that was over with she could then think about heading back to her small room in the inn and preparing herself to travel to the next city on her destination.

[762]