Desert Lullaby

[Neki]

Shinrah looked at Leo, seeing many emotions swirling around on his face. She knew something she said must have upset him. As he climbed in she thought about it, face expressionless. Her mind went back to the threats. She looked thorugh it in her mind for a moment. Damn. Matal meat. Figures. She shook her head, looking back at Ku. Shinrah just wnted to get going.

" Driving is esy. Control in the sand is hard." She told Ku, hopping in nect to Leo. She closedher eyes and pulled in a breath, looking at him.
" I'm sorry about what I said." She whispered uncharicteristicly. She didn't want to upset him, and she had. She turned her head away and started the engine, cheching that everything ws in order.

" Ok, we're ready to go. What direction do we need to head." Her hand twitched again,and she hit it against the wheel. She didn't need whatever was happening now.

[neferti]

Ku hopped into the dune buggy, placing his bag onto the floor of the buggy. He placed his hands on the wheel and slowly turned it; his head hanging out of the frame so he could tell which why was right or left.

Ku turned the engine on, almost jumping at the sound of it roaring to life. He smiled wide and gripped the wheel tightly.
Ku thought,"I never dreamed of doing something so exciting!" He looked at the door, waiting for it to open so he could try driving for the first time.

[Tatsu]

The monk layed next to Zena. He had his eyes closed, feeling the relaxing heat upon his face and going down his body. Zena was resting but not fully asleep. With a word she would get up and take him to his next location.

The Monk looked at Zena. “I guess we should go before any marauders get there. Knowing them it may be infested.” He got up as Zena did. With on good foot on he jumped up and landed comfortably on Zena. He patted her head and went off into the desert.

As the Leaper Lizard was running the monk looked up. “There may be a sandstorm coming later… let’s hurry.” He said whispering into the leaper lizard’s ear. It yelped then started to pick up it’s pace. Off to the distance he could see a car… possibly two. “Okay you know what to do Zena.” He said putting on his mask and goggles. The leaper lizard went off to the side and started to run up a hill. Hopefully they would get to the top of a cliff and be able to dodge the marauders.

So far a success. Zena ran fast and swiftly, luckily along the way some rocks covered them from the marauders. “Were in their area now… be careful.” The Monk whispered ducking down on Zena’s back blending in on her. “If anything drop me and run off to the Monks okay.”

Zena yelped quietly but continued on. The marauders were simply driving around bored. Or looking for something. The Monk sighed, only a few more minutes and they would be clear ahead and be able to go to the old monks Temple.

Zena stopped. In front of them now was a marauder car. It was simply staying there. Zena looking at it in horror. With a click two marauder men came out. “Hey look what we got now.” One said in a husky voice.

“Looks like fresh meat.” The other said, a more scrawny man.

The monk tapped Zena’s right arm and with a quick second Zena took off. Sand covering the area. “Hurry get the Lizard!” The husky one said.

“I don’t think so.” The monk said revealing himself from the sand. He had a monk’s wooden staff in his right hand. “You should learn to leave peaceful creatures alone.” He said getting into a battle stance.

The marauder laughed. “Look more fresh meat.”

The other took out two half swords. Twisted like a demon’s blade. “Yes Yes YES!” He yelled in a demented laugh.

[Altairas]

Leo listened to the sound of Shinrah getting in the car. He turned his head away from the drivers side and slowly opened his journal. The opened page was covered in neat precursor text and decorated with an array of artifacts and diagrams. His fingers ran over it slowly, a frown forming across his face as he felt the smooth surface. I wonder what I even wrote He thought quietly, a small spark crackling from his hands as the both of the dune buggy's engines roared to life.

Leo turned his head as Shinrah apologized, an eyebrow raising at her unexpected apology. " Don't worry about it. . . " He mumbled flipping his hands through the pages of his journal and staring forward. For a moment a bright blue flash erupted into his vision and then disappeared as Shinrah began to speak. "We need to head straight, then when we reach the mountain we are turning left and heading to the ruins. It is much safer there. " Another spark crackled over Leo's hand. Desert baby here I come !

[Neki]

Shinrah nodded, something in her mind giving off the tang of electricity. She wondered why, but shoved the though from her head. She didn't need to worry aabout anything right now except the desert. She looked at what Leo was looking at, seeing a strange emotion crosshis face as he looked at the smooth pages.

" Ok, got this." She whispered to herself. She did a quick check on all the systems, makingsure everything was going to work well.

" We gotta be careful. Marauders have been out full strength lately."

[adeco]

It was an excellent trading day for Rawling. Business was a-boomin'! Never before had materials from Haven Forest been in high demand in Spargus. Money and many delicacies were gathered from the market and merchants. What he had made in this short time in the morning was more than enough to support him for the next couple of weeks so he decided to call a day early.

He made it to the garage loaded up his profit in a buggy to head towards the ruins. Just to see what he can find. He strapped down his load tight when he noticed a group getting ready to head out themselves. "Going out on an adventure?" He said in a friendly, joking manner.

[neferti]

Ku turned his attention to the man that had just appeared.
He said,"Hello, kind sir. My name is Ku; to answer your question, yes we are going on a adventure. I'm not sure where though. I'm just along for the ride." He smiled warmly and turned his attention back to the door, waiting for Shinrah or Leo to open the door.

He thought,"I wish we would quickly hurry and leave! I wanna see how well I can drive!" Ku's grip tightened on the wheel again, gritting his teeth as he began to lose his patience.

[Tatsu]

The Monk brought the staff up as the one with two blades strike at him. He blocked the attack successfully. I need to get to the ruins before people start to show up… scavengers are a nuisance. The Monk thought as he pushed the man back. He then turned and brought the bottom of the staff into the man’s gut, pushing him further back.

The Monk smiled, “Please leave at once.” He said. The two laughed. The Monk sighed. He quickly brought his staff into the one with two blades jaw, nearly breaking it. “Forgive me.” He said knowing and hearing the crack. The man fell to the ground knocked out.

The bigger man looked at his partner’s defeat, “What the hell do you think your doing!” He yelled with anger. The Monk braced himself for the impact.

The man ran towards the monk and slammed his fists at him, sending the Monk flying. “That was uncalled for.” He said on his back. With a quick roll he was on his feet and charging at the Marauder.

Two hits was all it was going to take to defeat this man. The Monk sent the staff towards the Marauders gut, the marauder blocked with both his hands then the Monk struck with his three fingers, hitting the man in the throat.

The Marauder fell to the ground, unable to breath for the minute. “Sorry but I have business at the ruins.” The Monk walked past him and got into their car. He started it up and headed off. “This will work to my advantage.” The Monk smiled. He knew Zena would be with the other Monks so he didn’t need to worry.

In a matter of minutes he was on the road to the Ruins of the Old Monks Temple. He then got the sudden pain in his shoulder were it tore. He held on to it tight with one hand on the wheel. “Precursor!” He yelled in pain. His arm would be bad for at least a month if not two.

[Altairas]

Leo silently closed his journal and placed it in his jacket pocket, not wanting it to be jostled around by the ride ahead of them. Slowly he grabbed hold of the scarf around his neck and wrapped it over his mouth as a effort to keep the desert sand from getting into his mouth. As he finished he turned to Shinrah, catching to sound of her mumbling voice of the growling of the engine. He cast a half smile from under his scarf, Now who is being a worry wart.

The sound of the garage door opening could barley be heard over the sound of the engines. A blue haired man appeared and worked his way over to one of the other vehicles, packing his things into the back of his buggy. Leo gave a slight nod when he heard the man mention adventuring. not wishing to stay and chat for very much longer. He could hear Ku saying something to him, but couldn't quite make out what he was saying. Thank the precursors can't give away where we are going.

Shaking his head Leo turned to Shinrah as she spoke, telling him something about the Marauders. " The way we are going shouldn't have to many Marauders, at least I'm pretty sure. " He said smiling halfheartedly. " What are we waiting for? Lets ride." Leo said grabbing a hold of the metal frame above him for support.

[Neki]

Shinrah laughed at the joy in Leo's voice. Quickly she pulled a chip from her pocket, jamming it into the communications post. It allowed her to access all frequencies, soething that would come in hany when watching for marauders and KG. She completely ignored the new person, not caring what he had to say. She wamted to go. Clicking the radio on to her favotire station of music, she floored the gas pedal.

With a a massive lurch the dune buggy sped out of the garage like lightening, leaving a cloud of dust and gravel in it wake. Shinrahs hair flowed behing her, wild and free. She let out a happy scream, laughter following it. The zoomer sped over the sands, kicking up a huge trail of dust. With the sun pounding them with waves of heat, Shinrah slowly eased the speed upto 110 mph.

" So Leo, Are you having funyet?" She asked in a sly voice full of amusement.