Parakeet
(For Renfro Calhoun)

"I don't think this is such a good idea."

"Oh for crying out loud, we need the money, right?"

"Well…yes, but…"

"And it's not like he's going to miss them, right? I mean, it's not my fault he molts like a parakeet."

"BlackRose…"

"Just leave it to me, Kite. I'll get us the money in no time."

Clearing her throat, the pink-haired Heavy Blade climbed the stairs to one of Mac Anu's lower docks and turned to regard her audience with a practiced eye, her very presence silencing the excited murmurs of the crowd.

"Alright, everyone! This is the moment you've been waiting for." She held up three pearl-colored feathers. "Let the bidding begin!"

The Balmung Fan Club immediately went into hysterics, jumping up and down and screaming out numbers with little or no regard to their neighbors. Kite had to grimace to himself when two girls took the auction to a more personal level by clobbering each other with the flat of their weapons just to be heard.

He had to admit, though, BlackRose's idea had been a good one. At least in the scheme of making money for their needed upgrades, that is. Maybe she had been spending too much time around Rachel, but her auctioneering skills paid off as he listened to the prices climb higher and higher. And she was selling them individually…

Kite sighed, slightly amused despite himself. Balmung was definitely going to be upset when he found out what they were up to.

"Still not enough," BlackRose muttered to herself as squealing girls jostled her for feathers from the winged Descendant of Fianna. Ruby eyes caught his and narrowed appreciatively. He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"How much do you think we'd get for the hat of the outlaw player Kite?" she asked devilishly.

The End.