Sahara: The Second Journey {LEGACY}

Friendly Enemies

*Eva*

That night, Pitt, Gary, and Eva were all gathered together at the edge of the Oasis, preparing to head out into the desert.  They had left Pietra and Emily in the suburbs, much against Emily's consent.  "Everyone ready?" Eva asks.  Everyone checks in and the group start their search for Michael and Ajar.  However, they encountered a snake at the bottom of the first dune they cross.  "Hello," he calls cheerfully.  Eva stops and looks at the stranger.  He looked like Ajar, except he had crystal patterns and his eyes were red.  "Um, hi.  If you don't mind, we need to go find two snakes who got swept away in a sandstorm," Eva says.  "Really?  I saw two snakes caught in a sandstorm while I was out there," the stranger says, nodding towards the desert.  Eva blinks in surprise and looks at everyone else before turning back to the snake.  "What's your name?" she asks.  "Sejer, what are your names?" the snake replies.

"Um, I'm Eva, and this is Pitt, and Gary," Eva answers back, gesturing to each of her friends in turn.  "So, Sejer, how do you know which direction our friends went in?" Pitt asks, suspicion filling his voice.  "Well," Sejer begins, "I was taking shelter from a sandstorm that was passing by.  Somehow, I heard yelling over the wind and when I looked outside I saw two snake figures pass by, caught in the wind.  If it helps, the sandstorm was going in that direction," he points with his tail.

"Alright, thanks Sejer," Eva says.  The group started in the direction Sejer pointed.  After they cross the next dune, Pitt speaks up, "Something doesn't feel right."  Gary gives him a puzzled look.  "I mean, a sandstorm that no one else knows anything about sweeps only Ajar and Eva's father, and then, just as we start looking for them, we conveniently meet a snake who knows which direction they are in," Pitt finishes.  "So paranoid, so scorpion," Gary says with a yawn.  "I'm serious!" Pitt protests.  "Alright, lets go back and ask Sejer some more questions," Eva sighs.

However, when the group goes back, the snake has disappeared, without any tracks suggesting that he was there.

*Ajar*

Ajar pants, the desert heat bearing down on his dry, dusty skin.  "We...need...water," Michael pants.  "So do I, but I don't know where to find an Oasis," Ajar pants a reply.  "I know where to find some!"  Ajar looks up at the top of the dune where a snake was standing.  "There's an oasis right over there," the snake said, pointing with his tail.  Ajar, reaches the top of the dune, looks in the direction he pointed, and sees an oasis.  "Thanks, um..."  "The name's Sejer," the stranger says.  "Well, thanks Sejer, we really need some water," Ajar says, licking his lips.  "Hey, Michael, there's an oasis just up ahead, lets go!"  The green snake flashes past him, racing towards the oasis.  "Hey, wait up, don't drink too much too fast!"  Ajar races after him.

When they reach the pool of water, Michael jumps straight into the water and floats on his back.  "Ah yes, that feels so much better," he croaks.  Ajar chuckles and bends down to drink.  "So, what's your children's name anyways?" he asks after a few gulps.  Michael looks at him, probably thinking if he could trust him, then spoke, "Well, my daughter's name is Eva and-"  Surprised, Ajar inhales a mouthful of water and spent some time coughing before responding, "WHAT?!  You're Eva's father!" he exclaims.  Michael had hauled himself back onto the sand and was just starting to drink as well.  "Yeah, you know her?"  "She's my girlfriend."  This time it's Michael's turn to gag.  "Wait, you were the one who rescued her?" he asks, amazed.

Ajar told Michael the story of how he crossed the desert to save her from Omar.  "Wait," Michael says, "how did you meet her in the first place?  Were you the one that caused that alarm?"  "Well, it was actually Eva who caused it, she disguised herself as a Dusty.  I got in by covering myself with green mud," Ajar replies.  Michael takes a moment to process what he heard before asking, "Why did you come to the Oasis if you didn't want to steal anything?"  "I wanted to live there, I was tired of being punched around by Saladin."  "Saladin?" Michael asks, confused.  "Yeah, a Dusty who's been bullying Pitt and me," Ajar asks, anger edging his voice.  Ajar continued telling his journey to rescue Eva.  Michael listened in rapt attention...and got angry when Ajar mentions Gary sniffing pollen.

"Wow," Michael breathed when Ajar finished, "Well, thank you for rescuing her.  You know, I used to think that all Dusties were bad, now, I'm thinking that maybe some, aren't so bad after all."  Michael thought for a bit, then said, "How would you like to come live in the Oasis?"  Ajar looks at him in shock.  "I mean, I have to repay you somehow, don't I?"  Ajar opens and closes his mouth, speechless.  Finally, he regained control of his voice, "Really?  But, how are you going to get me in?"  "Well, Gary told you I was the most powerful snake, remember?  I'll tell the secretary birds that you're ok to let in."

The two spoke for a long time, and realized that the sun was starting to set.  "Well, guess we'll rest here for the night," Ajar says.  Ajar coils up to sleep while Michael, following the advice Ajar gave Gary, buries himself in the sand.  Well Eva, guess we will be together after all he thinks happily before falling asleep.