Desert travels(Open to anyone)

(I wonder if I do this right now...)

West was sitting a few tables away and was listening to the conversation. He had a cloak covering his black hair which he disliked a lot. It was indeed protecting him from the warm sunrays but it was itching. He could not help glancing at the woman with the funny rabbit ears. He had never seen anyone like her before and felt a sudden impulse to touch the ears and see if they were real. West didn’t intend to listen to the trios conversation but his ears where caught as he heard the mention of treasures. He has currently pretty out of money and he liked adventures. He rose from the chair he was sitting in and walked over to the trios table.
“Excuse me for interrupting, but I overheard your conversation and thought I should ask, would you mind if I joined you on the treasure hunt?” He pulled his cloak back and revealed his long black hair with the white strip in the bangs. His green and his blue eyes looked from the man to the woman and to the bunny-lady’s ears. For the moment a big hawk was sitting between them looking at him as if it was considering him a snack. “I’m West, pleased to meet you.” He smiled politely.

(I'm so lame and so sorry for being gone so long.)

Bird sat on her haunches, taken aback by the arrival of the newcomer. She looked at him curiously, taking in his dual eye colors. "Curious," she mused to herself.
"Well, I'm Bird, and it's nice to meet you." She turned back to the others. "See, all I've ever really heard were rumors. But I assume there's a reason behind them, right? And surely you all have reasons for being out here. It's not like this place is exactly pleasant." She lowered her voice and scootched closer. "But, my father always told me that in the heart of the desert one can find the treasures of vagabonds." She sat back with an amused smirk. "It's not exactly helpful. In fact, it's quite silly and probably just a romantic tale, but it's certainly more specific than anything anyone else has ever told me."

Jonathon enjoyed the prospect of treasure. "Treasure hunt huh, i came here on a whim, and now i'm going on a treasure hunt." He said to himself. He then looked at the new arrival. Jonathon got up and walked over to him. Jonathon looked the boy up and down, trying to figure him out. "The names Jonathon. We could always use the extra help. The bird is aero." He said, pointing at the bird, still perched between margos ears. Aero cocked his head at the mention of his name. "Welcome to our little group of treasure hunters kid." Jonathon held out his hand to be shoken.

West took a step back as the man Jonathon rise from his chair and looked him up and down. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Jonathon, he just didn’t like when someone looked at him to long, he always felt that they could see right through him and it scared West. But as the man with the bird reach out his hand West took it and smiled.
“Thanks a bunch!” West said. “I’m happy to be part of the group! This’ll be fun! I like an adventure.” He titled his head and smiled even bigger. West looked at Bird. “Nice to meet you Miss Bird, Nice being in the group Mr. Jonah… Eh…” West had never been good at names. To lead the thoughts from his mistake he looked at Aero, the hawk, and bow to both him and the bunny-woman. “Pleased to meet you sir Hawk. Pleased to meet you, Miss…” He realized she hadn’t told him her name yet. He looked away from her deep eyes and focused on Jonathon which he had proclaimed the leader.
“When do we leave?”

Margo felt very amused, this time it was a male that bumped in. She gently relaxed on her chair, watching the trio talk. The newcomer had heterochromia, Margo noted. "My name is Margo." she greeted the newcomer quietly, then leaned forward carefully to catch the words coming out of Bird's mouth. ".....told me that in the heart of the desert one can find the treasures of vagabonds." Hmm...
"Well, a little information is better then nothing at all, I supposes" Margo said, leaning back carefully again. She looked at the newcomer for a short moment. "I do like to remind you, as spiffy as this adventure is going to be, I highly doubt we'll have a smooth sail without encountering monsters whatsoever. It would be very inconvenient for all of us, especially for you if you were to be dismembered by a monster," she said hoping she could her point across. "Perhaps we could ask around about the clue."

Bird nodded. "That would probably be a good place to start, if anything. Although we might just get laughed at." She stood and stretched. "Do you think we ought to just go about asking anyone and everyone here?" She eyed around the oasis. It had quieted down somewhat. Most of the merchants had settled in, and a few were still arriving.
"You know, it might not be a bad idea to stay in pairs. Perhaps I'll take West and Margo and Jonathon can pair off together... As long as everybody agrees that's a good idea, anyways."

”That sounds good enough for me!” West smiled at Bird before turning to the viera. He had trouble looking her in the eyes since he found her ears most fascinating. “If the monsters wanna’ blast me to bits I’ll be the first one to be sorry, but I doubt they’ll get to me with all of you watching my back!”

As he was already standing he went over to the other side of the table, past the viera and the hawk with West had disliked from the start. It seemed the bird shared his emotions (or maybe it disliked everyone except bunnies and his owner). He was glad Bird had suggested him coming with her since he didn’t feel comfortable with Jonathon or Margo. The bunny lady seemed to think he was weak and that made him feel a little disrespected. Not that he was used to being respected, people tend to look weirdly at him because of his hair and eye colors, and he just didn’t like being looked down at.
He looked up at Bird, who was just a little taller than him. “Do you know this place well Miss Bird? I should need some new bullets for my gun and perhaps it would be good trying to buy something to carry water in?” West looked over at the other two in the group, “Perhaps it’s good to buy some food too?” He made it sound like a question even thou it was more a finding.

"Well Margo. Looks like it;s you and me again. Le'ts go interrogate some merchants." Jonathon said, standing up. Aero, seeing his master moved, left Margo's head, a comedic sight because his wings hit her ears, and flew over tho his masters shoulder. "Welcome back you stubborn bird." Jonathon said, which got him a light tap on the head from the birds beak. "So, do you want to be bad cop, or should I?" Jonathon asked, smirking a little. Aero made a sound. "No aero, you can't interrogate anyone." Jonathon said, assuming that's what aero had implied with that interruption. "Come on, let's go."

"Do you think we ought to just go about asking anyone and everyone here?" ...Hehehe. "Oh, excuse me kind sir/madam, did you happen to see a bunch of buried treasuuure?" They had decided to split up into two groups - Bird and West, Margo, Jonathan and Aero. "Well Margo. Looks like it's you and me again. Let's go interrogate some merchants." Oh yes, so much fun. Most probably have nothing in their head except for money, money and more money.

Aero left her head as Jonathan got up lighting batting her ears back and forth, drawing more attention. Well, that certainly made things easier. Swiftly moving in front of a merchant staring at them until she was staring down at him very closely, she shot - "You there, what do you know about treasures buried in this desert?" The merchant squealed and fled. Rolling her eyes, she turned back to Jonathan; "Well, it looks like acting intimidating won't work.." She fingered her pouch, and the gil left in there. "...Perhaps money can speed us on way.."

“Do you know this place well Miss Bird? I should need some new bullets for my gun and perhaps it would be good trying to buy something to carry water in?” West looked over at the other two in the group, “Perhaps it’s good to buy some food too?” He made it sound like a question even thou it was more a finding.

Bird grinned. "You seem much more chipper when you aren't around those two." She said, guiding him to a cluster of merchants. "Though I can't blame you. They aren't exactly warm and welcoming. Nice enough though. And please, just call me Bird. I'm not so much older than you to be called 'Miss'".
She paused and looked around. "I suppose you're right. We should stock up here. Pick up ammo, some food, and an extra couple of canteens, just in case. Although, since we're in the middle of nowhere, I'm sure these sharks will be all to happy to jack their prices up. I hope you brought plenty of gil."

She headed in the direction of a merchant who was settled down on a blanket next to his cart, fanning himself. "He doesn't look too threatening," she murmured to West. "We'll start off asking about supplies, and then shift nice and subtle like into questions about any possible treasures, alright?"

West looked the other way as Bird said he was more chipper. He didn’t quite know what it meant but felt as if it was something like talkative. He didn’t want her to see that he was blushing. As she said to call her Bird he blushed even more. Calling a girl by her name just like that without titles felt very rude. He tested it in his mouth. “Bird…”
As they walked towards the market Bird continued talking and West felt that she was a nice traveling companion. She was right that he felt uncomfortable around Jonathon and Margo. Even thou it wasn’t really Jonathon he disliked, he just didn’t like the Hawk. And Margo looked at him like he was a hindrance. As she asked about his gil he stopped and looked down in his bag, searching for his purse. He found it and looked inside. He wasn’t rich but at least had enough money to survive.

West nodded at Birds reasoning. What she said seemed vice. They headed for the merchant and West couldn’t help but looking around, staring at every small shops and blankets filled with goods for sale. Everyone was dressed in big robes and wore scarfs over their heads to protect them from the cruel sun’s rays. West had never been to a desert market before. He tried to look at everything and everyone at the same time turning his head at all directions. The women passing by carried bowls filled with water, their skin cannel brown. They reached the man with the cart and he looked up at them, irritated at first but as he saw their clothes, he must have realized they were potential customers and gave them a big smile that revealed his many missing teeth.

“What can I do for you my ladies?” he said with a weird accent. “Are you perhaps looking for jewels? I have the perfect accessory for you.” He pointed at West and showed him a necklace of black and white pearls. “This matches perfect with your, eh, unusual hair color, my dear.” West looked skeptically on the man who continued, this time at Bird. “And you my dear would look lovely in a necklace with feathers since you are neat as a bird.” West looked at Bird. This man clearly thought he was a she. This could be useful. He smiled at the man and looked at the pearls.

“Hum, I don’t know. They seem too cheap for me. Don’t you have anything more… how should I put it, treasure like?” the man looked surprised and then smiled.
“I see, you are not cheap my dear, but I can tell you, these pearls where worn by a desert Queen. She ruled over many men and was beautiful as the moon. Many men brought her gifts, trying to catch her heart.” West looked at Bird, could this be the treasure they were looking for?

Jonathon walked towards the nearest merchant who was sitting under a tree, his wares spread out before him. He stepped over the rug covered with strange trinkets and pulled out his sword. "Tell what what you know about the treasures in the dessert." Jonathon pointed his sword at the merchant. The fat little man was quite frightened at the sword pointed at his chest. "They're treasures buried all over the dessert!" The fat man yelled, his voice cracking a little. "I want more then that." The sword was now lightly touching the man's chest. "They say there's a massive treasure hold to the north of here. That's all I know, I swear." The merchant was about to faint. 'Thank you, that's all I needed to know." Jonathon sheathed his sword and turned around. "Well Margo, we have a destination. Should we tell the others, or ask around some more?"

Bird found herself sputtering with laughter at the merchant mans confusion. He was completely and utterly sold on the idea of West being a girl. She stood by and nodded at his suggestion, eyeing the jewelry with bright eyes. She certainly found it pretty, though she had no use for any of it.

She tittered more as West played along, then sobered at the mention of the desert Queen. She shot a quick look at West, then turned to the merchant. "Was there really a desert Queen? Do you know any stories of her?" She fingered the peals and gave him a coy, tell-me-more-oh-handsome-and-enchanting-stranger look.

Margo snorted loudly - humes were obviously better at intimidating information out of others. "A massive treasure to the north - I highly doubt it will be unguarded by fiends. Anyhow, we have gotten what we need...we might as well meet up with the other two," she replied. Turning around, she spied the two at once - talking to another merchant. The merchant seemed entranced with West's chest. "Ah, yes, but they are both fairly busy right now," she added drily as fatso behind Jonathan was fleeing as fast as he could.

The merchant smiled back at Bird, obvious flattered by her smile the merchant lent forward as if telling a secret. “Have you not heard about the desert Queen? They said she became bored of all the many admirers and escaped to the desert with her most trusted servants, all of them woman. The admirers followed her but the queen was tired of them all so she built her palace somewhere in the desert where one could never find it. Some say the queen cast a spell over her palace and that it never shows on the same place twice.”

West tilted his head and looked impressed. “But you found it? The queen’s palace? And you manage to even grab a treasure of hers? You are really amazing, mister, I can’t understand how one can do such a thing…”

The merchant was not flattered and smiled proudly. “Well, it was not easy, I tell you. You understand, dear, the queen was very smart and built her palace underground. It’s buried under the sand dunes, a few days march from here. But the palace is guarded by all kinds of traps and monsters. I barely manage to escape myself; still got some scars the monsters gave me.”

West looked at Bird and then turned to the merchant again. “Are there a lot of treasures left there? Or have someone else found their way to the queen’s palace?”
The merchant smiled,”I am positive that only I know the way.”
West turned to Bird, miming; What now?

Jonathon joined Bird and west. Aero decided to test west's head as a perch, and the hawk flew over to the boys head, landing gently atop it. "Looks like he likes you kid. I'm surprised, he doesn't usually like half breeds." Jonathon said. He knew whaat west was, the eye color gave it away to him. "So, merchant, if you have been to the palace, let's see some of these scars." Jonathon looked at the merchant. The merchant was surprised the Jonathon was asking. "Oh, they're all faded now, you'd barely be able to see them." The merchant spoke fast and nervously. "Or perhaps they're not real, you merchants usually don't have the guts to go any where too dangerous." Jonathon glared into the fat mans eyes. "OK! I admit, while I did not go into the palace, the man I got it from did. He walked into the oasis one day, dragged by some of our guards. They say he came out of some massive ruins with a bag full of treasures. Includeing the necklace. The palace is real, and full of treasure. You just might be idiots for trying to get it." The merchant said. "Well, then call me an idiot." Jonathon said.

Bird cocked her head at the exchange between Jonathon and West. She didn't know much of anything about half breeds. West seemed pretty chill with her though, so it didn't really matter to her. She gave him a reassuring smile and turned back to the merchant and Jonathon. She bobbed her head along with the merchants story, though it was clear and no surprise that he was a liar.
She hefted the string of pearls in her hand. She half thought she ought to steal them, but she was already a circus freak and hardly needed to add thief to her repertoire. She plunked them down and turned to the others.
"Sooooo. Any suggestions on a course of action? Where exactly are the ruins?"

Margo eyed the three in front of her, for some reason, there seemed to be a slightly frosty atmosphere between the group. Then she proceeded to watch, amused, when Jonathan worked his...charm on the merchant, causing him to reveal more secrets. Bah, merchants, all the same. The thing was, the group was drawing an especially large amount of attention - Margo because she was a viera and Jonathan because he tried to chop down a merchant.

"Sooooo. Any suggestions on a course of action? Where exactly are the ruins?" Margo's ears twitched slightly - the attention they were drawing - it was very bad. Margo turned lightly, facing the merchant properly, making sure her guns were visible. "Talk, please," she said in a sickly sweet voice. "North! Straight north, for the love of Shemhazai, north! The Whisperer? Margo placed her hands on her hips. "I have a sudden instantaneous spontaneous urge to declare that whoever tails us will be shot and stabbed until their body resembles a swiss cheese," Margo said loudly.

West was really frightned as the hawk landed on his head, destroying his nicely attached ribbon. However as the bird did not harm him, he relaxed and searched for the animale's master. Jonathon was walking towards West and Bird, talking even before he and the viera, following behind the traveer, reached them. West stopped and starred as Jonathon called him a half-breed, like West was some kind of bug. He frowned and turned at Bird, the hawk on his head protested lowly. However the girl was smiling gently at him so he smiled back and followed the discusion with the merchant.

As the merchant revealed the truth West hung his head in dissapointment, had the man just lied about his adventures? That was not very nice done! And West who had trusted the mans words. Then Margo interfeired telling everyone who could hear her about the fate of those who tried to follow the group.
Without hurry the team gathered what they came for, buying some and given some by the liar merchant. West threw his backpack over his back and pulling the scarf down, covering his blackhair and shading the two colored eyes beneed the bangs. He turned to his combrads, smiling.
"Are you guys ready for an adventure? Let's go treasure hunting!"

"you took the words right out of my mouth kid. Also, i think you deserve to keep the necklace. It is real, I can tell. It was just found be a real adventurer, not one of these fat old merchants. The merchant was about to protest, but decided no too when Aero stared him down. Hawks were good at that. "Well, if there's no other protests, let's get going as soon as everyone's ready. Of course, the merchants will e willing to let us...borrow a few supplies for our adventure." Jonathon looked at the merchant, who nervously nodded. "Well guys, let's meet back where we first met up when all is said and down." Jonathon pointed towards the clearing by the little oasis water thing where him and Margo first met bird and west. "Aero, let's go." Jonathon began to go collect supplies with his hawk in tow.

Birds eyes widened at Margos threats, but as she looked around she realized there were an awful lot of people, and they had certainly drawn their attention. She squared her shoulders and attempted to look like she could back up Margos talk.

Of course, the merchants will be willing to let us...borrow a few supplies for our adventure."

Oh boy. Not only were they threatening the lives of everyone here, but they were now going to rob them, like actual thieves. Bird gathered her bag and jangled it to see if she needed anything. A little food, and maybe another box or two of ammo, but she would be good. She grabbed a few boxes from one of the merchants, and dropped a few gil for him. She slung her bag over her should and looked to the others. "Shall we be off then?"