Birds of a Feather Flock Together(ATTN Archy+Iago)

[Merlin]

Merlin could have stayed in bed and spent another few days or so to fully recover, but he argued not to, and managed to convince the ever-reluctant Archimedes to let the wizard have his way. He was not completely and fully recovered from Mozenrath's attack, but the wizard refused to allow the evil sorcerer to get away. Whatever that villain was up to, it was most assuredly not good.

Merlin, accompanied by Archimedes, climbed off of his rented camel and looked up to the Agrabah marketplace, where they had just arrived. Merlin, the white-skinned wizard with a blue robe, would have stood out like a sore thumb within the Arabian community. He looked from the bustling square and up toward the sun (though he of course had to shield his eyes using his hand).

"Rather scorching here, wouldn't you say, Archimedes?" he said to the owl. Indeed, the weather here in Agrabah was far hotter than back home in the English woods.

[Archimedes]

If Merlin looked over to either of his shoulders, he would not see Archimedes. The owl was actually atop his white-haired head, sitting beneath his tall blue hat and trying to get as much shade as possible out of it. It would have been more practical to keep the entirety of his body underneath it, but Archimedes just had to keep his head poked out from the bottom; he hated not being able to see anything.

An exhausted huff escaped from his beak. "I honestly don't know how anything can survive in such conditions..." he responded, clearly not enjoying this weather as evident from his tone of voice. Being so used to a temperate climate, however, incited a rather overly dramatic response to the intense heat.

He really wasn't enjoying any of this, actually. Aside from the heat, this place was far, far too crowded for his liking. Archimedes was never a 'people-bird', and being surrounded by swarming masses of the noisy creatures was almost too much for him. Yet, as he so often has, he - albeit begrudgingly - endured whatever unpleasant situations Merlin brought himself and Archimedes into. The owl would simply not settle for allowing Merlin to venture out on his own in this condition; who knows what sort of trouble that bumbling fool would get himself into?

[iago]

While a certain grumpy owl might not be enjoying the hustle and bustle of the marketplace, another foul tempered fowl is making the most of it. The marketplace wasn't just filled to the brim with fruits and vegetables; the day to day needs that the citizens of Agrabah needed to survive. It was also overflowing with saps! People who'd believe anything a person told them. Which was something Iago tended to indulge in, it was the easiest way to get information (and a quick denarii). So of course Iago was one of the first er people to hear about the strange new travelers that had shown up in the market place.

"Geez, since when did this place turn into a tourist trap?" He was perched on one of the stalls, resting on the edge of an overhang. Merlin stood out like a cobra in a mongoose den, the blue robes bright against the dusty brown of the city.

Not to mention of course the long white beard.

[Merlin]

His eyes looked up toward the distressed and largely hidden bird. "A different culture, Archimedes," said Merlin. "What's normal to us is foreign to them, you know." He looked forward and entered the marketplace in full, and his face wrinkled into a grimace. "But if he thinks he can win," Merlin said of Mozenrath, "he won't! We'll show that... that fiendish amateur!" As he reminisced on the villain, his pace quickened, and his threw his hands and staff up into the air and waved them, as he vented.

Now deeper into the marketplace, the old wizard was the object of intrigue and confusion by numerous denizens of Agrabah. The wizard ignored them, though. He was too busy looking around for, obviously, something.

By chance, Merlin stepped closer toward the parrot known as Iago...

[Archimedes]

"And you're certain we'll find that, that... Mothenraz fellow, here?" Archimedes questioned (probably loud enough for those nearby to pick up the suspicious name), doubting once again that Merlin knew just quite what he was doing and where he was going. Granted, however, the dark wizard's attire did suggest that he was of Arabian origin, Archimedes knew they could never be too sure.

As Merlin trod through the bright gold, tan and red city, Archimedes whirled his owly head all around at the passersby who were giving him and Merlin bewildered glances. The little owl's fierce yellow-eyed glare returned these glances, clearly not appreciating the attention they were receiving.

He had yet to notice the bright red macaw perched very close by.

[iago]

No way...did that...did he just hear Mozenrath's name? Why would these two sore thumbs be looking for the lord of the black sand? It didn't take a genius to figure out that Jafar Junior had done something to the white bearded man. Figuring out what that something was would take more then just a few lucky guesses.

The parrot debated- on one hand, telling the princess about Mozenrath's activity would get him a few more points. The other hand shouted that this was dangerous, stupid and what did he owe Agrabah anyways.

"Rrrr*squawk!* Why do I haveta have such a good heart." He paused then grinned to himself, "Maybe I'll charge 'em a finder's fee."

Taking wing, the bright parrot few directly towards Merlin, fluttering a few feet in front of the walking wizard. He wasn't going to get slammed into that beard. It'd take hours to get out.

"Say, mac. Did I just here you're fluffy friend up there mention uh...a guy. Black hair, pale, kinda scraggly an' evil lookin'?

[Merlin]

Merlin stopped. His eager eyes led his head upward, toward the colorful parrot with the obnoxiously loud voice. The old wizard furrowed his eyebrows at the fowlmouth, and he stroked his beard as he examined the bird suspiciously. "His name is Archimedes," said Merlin. He just knew that Archimedes would take great offense to being called 'flufffy,' so he invited himself to introduce Archimedes immediately. "And do you speak of... Mozenrath?"

Merlin eyed the parrot. If this talkative bird was the only help they would find here, then they couldn't allow said talkative bird to fly away.

[Archimedes]

Startled by the parrot's sudden appearance, the little brown owl uttered a hoot and nearly sent Merlin's hat toppling off by flapping his wings. He glared indignantly at the loud, impolite bird, with his wide yellow saucers of eyes - and his glare intensified at the nickname the parrot had given him. "Wha-wha-wha... fl-fluffy?!" he stammered, more than ready to hop out of the safety of Merlin's hat to confront the cocky bird himself. Merlin quickly corrected the parrot, however, and Archimedes managed to compose himself.

It was then that the bright red parrot, looking quite out of place in this dreary desert, described a certain dark sorcerer - the exact man he and Merlin were searching for. The owl's eyebrows, furrowed with aggravation, quickly lifted with interest - and interested Archimedes was, enough so to leave the comfort of the shade of Merlin's hat, slipping out from beneath it in front of Merlin's face and quickly settling himself on his companion's shoulder.

[iago]

Yeesh, leave it to his luck that his first guess was right. If these two were actually looking for the Black Sand Mage, then they were either really strong, or really stupid. Looking them over, Iago figured it might actually be a combination of the two. He raised an eyebrow at the show if insult the owl gave, but he didn't seem to care one bit about it.

Oh this was too easy! So far as Iago knew, there wasn't anyone else besides the Princess and Al that really knew about Mozenrath. Eh the Genie too, put getting that guy to talk sense was like trying to get a Mumlock to add. The parrot ruffled his feathers and gave Merlin the most honest smile he good.

"Lucky for you, I'm just the parrot to help you out." He paused a moment, landing on Merlin's free shoulder, "But it's dangerous, and I'm not about to risk my feathers for nothin'."

[Merlin]

Merlin kept his eyes on the loud parrot. The bespectacled wizard's eyes followed the bird's every movement. He also watched Iago as the bird landed on his free shoulder. Merlin turned his head as much as he comfortably could, to face the parrot. His large mustache brushed against the bird as he turned his head.

"Hmm," the old wizard's voice scratched. "Before we negotiate, what is your name?" The wizard's tone was not bitter or condescending; it was approachable, but there was definitely an air of impatience to it.