Field trips are always fun! Juliana dressed comfortably and Jun’ep packed a light lunch. Sophia, Georgie and the others were happy to explore somewhere outside of the city. The whole month they’d been in Adasion, they were protected in manicured mansions and austere structures. The women were chattering in excitement as a long caravan of carriages brought them outside of the walled city. Flora brightened and the forest became thicker the further away from the city they traveled.

The women “oohed and aahed” when the caravan made a short stop at the military training grounds.

Blue or teal haired Adasions wove in complex twists, jumps, and turns dodging each other’s attacks of water, air, ice. One suddenly shot out a jolt of electricity. Their opponent gasped and collapsed seated on the ground. They held their burned limb.

“Will they be okay?” Georgie asked.

A yellow haired Adasion rushed to them. As they sung, a golden light fell to the burn. The wound faded.

Another pair of Adasions clashed. This group had a green versus an orange and a red. The green grew plants, trying to tie the orange. The red’s skin glowed as they broke through the thick roots, freeing their partner. The orange crouched and shifted their body to something two-legged resembling an animal. It rushed the green slicing where they’d stood. The green rose on a pillar of earth. The red clapped their hands and rubbed them against each other creating friction. A fire formed which they threw at the green who laughed as they dodged.

“We’ll see who’s laughing!” The orange mumbled yell came from in between their fangs. They shifted again to a bird-like creature with wings. Flying up to the green they swooped down. The green, still laughing, used vines to swing below. With an impossible speed, the red caught the green.

“Got you!” They cheered.

“I surrender! You won this match.” The green conceded.

The women applauded as they watched the Adasions continue their sparring. Eventually, they were called to board the caravan. They had places to be. Today, the ladies would see the Adasion egg fields.

The Asa Dominions fields near the capital were located in a lowland valley. The valley was filled with lush, carpeted ground foliage and a few wide trees.

Stepping off the carriages, the women gasped.

Colorful eggs, some as small as a chicken egg, others a meter tall, were in clusters around the field. Some were bold and bright. The most colorful ones glowed softly. Others that were more common were brown eggs with bold speckles. Some were striped, some were dark, others pastel.

Mrs. Peterson led the group of women into the creche filled with nests of leaves and flowers. “Now ladies, do not be shy. The moment of hatching is sacred for them, they view it as something to be seen and shared. Please do not offend them. If anything, think of this as a biology lesson.”

Five elders waited for the group beneath a large tree with mixed pink and orange leaves. The elders smiled at the approaching women. The oldest one, Juliana recognized from the Welcoming Ceremony.

“I am called the Ancestor. At this age, with honor, it is tradition to lose our names. I am the eldest Fa in the Asa Dominion, although most of my power has faded. Welcome women from Earth. It is our responsibility to instruct you about how we Adasions reproduce,” he chuckled, “it is far different from anything you know.”

They motioned around them, “This is the way Adasions are born. Mana collects from the planet and eggs form on the planet’s surface. Usually they collect in creche spots. However, a low Do or one without mana reserves may be born away from the creche. When mana condenses, an egg appears only a centimeter in diameter before growing to full size.”

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The Ancestor continued, “The Adasions learned when the first humans slipped into this plane that they had no mana. For months they tried to teach them mana exchange. Eventually, eggs formed infront of the women during the exchange. To be born away from a creche was unheard of. Everyone was shocked by the powerful new young Adasions. As time passed, these women-assisted eggs became the future powers of the planet.”

“They need us for their clans to stay in power.” Sophia muttered.

Juliana added, “It’s a smart plan for the government. Some women I’d imagine would be upset if others weren’t respected equally as other Adasions.”

“Look around you. You can see the age of the egg by its size. The egg’s patterns or colors indicate its power. The brown ones with speckles are the Do class. They will be born with hair that shines the color of their power in the sun. The brown eggs with stripes are Re class. Like they are, their hair will also be striped their color.”

Juliana glanced at Jun’ep. Their purple streaks were bold in their brown hair. Jun’ep gave Juliana a slight smile. She wondered if they still were self-conscious of how the women reacted to the elves.

The Ancestor continued, “Now look over here—these are the Mi eggs. They are solid in color, but their color is muted. Fa have more bold colors, pastels, and a slight glow. They have the clearest colors. Only Sol eggs will shine brightly. When we find a new Fa or Sol, we send additional guards to protect it. Those type eggs rarely appear.”

One of the large dull colored eggs near him started to wiggle. “We are just on time. This one is about to be born.”

The older elves stood around it unfolding blankets. They started singing. Their words were of new life and welcoming.

The elder continued, “We do this so the first memory of the young are happy. The former Mi and Fa only come out when one of theirs is expected. Powerful clans claim the best eggs before they hatch.”

“Why?” One of the women asked.

“They will be responsible for raising the new Adasion and teaching them their secrets for how to control their mana power. Different clans have different traditions.”

“How much knowledge do these newborns have?” Juliana asked.

“Nothing like your human babies. I don’t even understand how your species can survive being so weak. No, they have basic instincts for combat and language. They do need to be taught, but they are quick learners. Everything they need to succeed in Adasion can be taught in half a decade, plus another half decade of trades training. If no clan claims them, they’ll be raised in a dormitory setting. From there, they can begin their own clan, or like most, be recruited to a pre-existing one as a worker.”

The singing grew louder. The egg started to thump as it shook. With a crack, a mahogany arm burst through the egg. The arm withdrew. More punches were given. As soon as the elders could see their face, they assisted the Adasion from the egg.

Their thin body was wet with slimy lily smelling goo on their body. They slicked their burnt orange hair back from their eyes. They shivered and looked wide-eyed around at all the onlookers. They were assisted to a standing position. Their smooth stomach had no bellybutton. They had no nipples on their chest. A pair of short, pointed ears framed their head. It was a sharp contrast to the elder’s ears which were exceptionally long, reaching as far as about a foot from their heads.

She looked at their lower body. It was flat except for a small nub and hole that was located between where a penis or a vagina would be. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one.

“He has no penis!” The blonde, Georgie, exclaimed.

“No, unlike you or men, we have no sexual organ. No vagina, no penis, as you said. That area is only for excreting waste liquid.”

Georgie blushed.

The elders assisted by cleaning the newly hatched elf by rubbing the goopy yolk from their body with silk-like cloths.

The poor young Adasion looked so vulnerable, lost, and confused. Juliana pitied them. To have your first moments in the world under scrutiny by others. Strangers, who looked nothing like you.

The Ancestor looked at the newly hatched Adasion and continued, “This is the Naming Ritual. We give the young a childhood name. They are usually traits we wish to bless them with. As they finish their education, they will be registered as citizens of Asa Dominion. It is then they may change their name. Look at their forehead.”

The women saw there was a glassy piece of skin on it.

“That tells other Adasions they are youth. The mark will disappear in a decade.”

The other elders’ joyful song rose and ebbed with feeling.

“Young one, your childhood name shall be Witness because you are the testimony to the off-worlders of how we exist.” Their song ended.