Assault!, Getting Payback on the Slave Ship!

[zikeep]

Zarion looked about. It was dark outside, but he couldn't rest with only him and Ice sailing the ship. He looked out in the distance and noticed another ship looming out of the darkness. It appeared as though it were a navy ship, but he couldn't be entirely sure until they got closer. Just in case, he called out to Icefox.

"Yo Ice! You see that over there!? I think we're gonna be in trouble. Take the rudder and steer us close. I'll handle the rest," Zarion said, preparing his rope.

[Chaosj2]

Moans filled the cramped room as a man stared out the window. He was watching the stars carefully, he could tell they were in the East Blue, just not sure exactly where. It had been so long since he had been allowed to look at a map. Suddenly, the ship began to violently shake as it took a sharp turn. The man fell to the ground and let out a yell of pain as he felt electricity coursing through his body. Various other people also let out their yells into the cold night. The silver haired man grit his teeth as he dragged himself back to the window. He had to keep looking; he never knew when his nakama would appear. He knew they were in this blue somewhere, and it was only a matter of time before they met again. A cold wind blew in through the window and he smiled, letting the cold wrap around him. He preferred the cold or heat over a comfortable temperature. He had been raised that way. He noticed a ship off in the horizon and stared at it for a moment. It was too dark to tell what it was, but something inside him told him to watch it closely. If it was marines, maybe he could use them to his advantage. He knew the marines wouldn’t care about the fact that they were slaves, but maybe he could get them to see his face and remember who he was, the dreaded Frozenflame J, navigator for the Blade’s Edge Kaizoku.

[Icefox]

Icefox woke up from where he had been leaning on the ship's rail, not jolting awake or giving any indication that he had been asleep on watch again. Life as a pirate was fun, yeah, but sometimes it could be really boring. However, it seemed his captain had spotted something, and so he leaned over the edge, looking at the ship.


"That's marine, all right. Go for it, boss." He settled back against the rudder, using a hand mirror to guide the ship into a course just off of collision with the other ship.

Looked like they wouldn't be having a boring night after all.

[zikeep]

Zarion waited until their ship was close enough for him to make his move. It was quite simple, Zarion's plan. He would use his rope to mess with their sailcloth, making it go flutter in the wind, leaving them immobile, and wondering what the hell happened. He was glad that it was night, because if it weren't, they would easily spot what he was doing. With the cover of night, though, it's a bit harder to spot.

Once they were close enough, Zarion made his move, sending his rope out between the two ships and removing the rope from the main halyard. "Easy as that," he said to himself. He then quickly lowered the sails on their own ship, and prepared to launch the ambush. It seemed they were in luck as this ship seemed quite undermanned for a marine ship.

[Chaosj2]

J watched from the window as the ship slowly moved in the way of the moon and stars, letting him clearly see where it was. He wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but he’d have to act cautious and assume it was a marine ship. If they were marines, they’d either kill everyone or simply get some money. If he could get them to attack him, maybe they’d break his shackles, giving him enough freedom to fight. Heck, maybe they’d be swordsmen and he could snatch a blade or two. He grabed on to the bars and began to yell with all his might, ”Hey you marines! Want some of this? You’re nothing but dogs! Not even a match for the Iceflame! I’d wup all yer asses in a heart beat!”

[Icefox]

Icefox grinned and dropped the wheel, letting them drift along the same currents as the ship they were boarding. Of course, it would be idiotic to leave their ship to drift away, but he figured it would be safe to have both crewmen on the enemy ship. To that end, he hauled a coil of rope below deck, trying it onto a beam in the interior of the ship and throwing the other end through a cannon port on the other, before jumping across. He fit through nicely, only whacking an ankle on the rail before picking himself up and trying the rope off. The ships secured to each other, he left a blanket of obscurity over the rope and quietly made his way into the belly of the beast.

[zikeep]

Zarion hopped on the ship and ran straight for where he had assumed the captain's quarters would be. He went below deck, simply ignoring everyone who got in his way. What he found was... disturbing. Prisoners? They seemed to be in even worse shape than that. As he was looking around, he heard a gruff voice yell, "HEY! I've never seen you around here before! Are you a stowaway!? Well... let me tell ya what we do to stowaways on this ship..."

Zarion sighed and threw up one arm towards the man, without even looking. "Ropu Ropu no Sashi," He said, without any passion in his voice. The rope shot out and stabbed the man in the throat, killing him. "All of your people. The New World Blades are takin' this ship down. You can either come with us or go down with the ship. Your choice."

[Chaosj2]

J smiled when he heard the sound of a body dropping and saw the culprit. It was him, it had been so long, did he even recognize him anymore? J started to walk towards him, until the chains refused to let him go any further. He grit his teeth as he continued to pull, causing small cuts on his arms and legs where the cuffs held him.

“Z-z-arion? I-is that really you? Am I dreaming? Hallucinating again? Please tell me it’s really you…It’s been so long.”

J did his best to hold back his tears, and one or two got out before he regained his composure. He hadn’t seen his trusted nakama in so long, but this wasn’t the time for a heart felt reunion.

“Cap, I sorta got myself into a little pickle. Could you get me out of this?”

[Icefox]

Icefox listened to the shouting coming from the prisoners' quarters, but paid it no heed. If Zarion was actually in trouble, the shouting would be a lot louder, and if not there was no need for him to go see what was going on. Besides, he had started hearing voices up ahead, and figured that might not be a bad place to start.

"Hey, Carlos, check this out. One of the prisoners came in with these, and I nicked 'em out of the hold. Just imagine how these'll look over my mantle when we get home." Ice peered in around the corner, and saw two swords he knew very well. Specifically, those of his rival, Iceflame J. However, it seemed fate was on his side for once, and the marine put the swords in his chest and ran off as he heard the guard yelling at Zarion.

Ice quietly pulled the two blades out of the trunk and strung them through his belt, before heading further into the bowels of the ship. He knew that they had something worth stealing, it was just a matter of figuring out where it was. And, given the sounds from above him, he didn't have long before the ship went down.

[zikeep]

Zarion bent down and fished the keys from the guard's pocket. Some of the prisoners voiced their agreement that they would join them.

It was then Zarion heard a voice he recognized. "Z-z-zarion? I-is that really you?"

Zarion stood up and turned to face the direction the voice came from, and saw his navigator, looking worse for wear. "Well, who do you think it is? Know anyone else with crimson hair and the ability to do this?"

The rope that was stuck in the man's throat pulled it's way out without Zarion even moving a muscle, and the dagger returned to his hand. Zarion gave a bit of a devious grin and unlocked the cell that J was being held in, then turned back towards the stairs and tossed the keys at him. "Nobody does this to my nakama and gets away with it."

[Chaosj2]

J smiled as Zarion tossed him the keys and quickly removed his chains. He then tried to remove his collar but found that the key wouldn’t work. They likely had separate sets of keys for the shock collars. He sighed as he tossed the keys towards the other slaves, if they wanted freedom they’d take it. He moved up towards Zarion….and suddenly hugged him before letting go.

”I missed you guys so much……now let’s set this place ablaze! … Know where my swords are by any chance?”

J smiled, a genuine smile of joy, the first he had had in so long. These slavers didn’t value life, he’d make them value it….by putting theirs in danger.

[Icefox]

Icefox continued sneaking through the bowels of the ship, until he eventually found what he was looking for: the treasure hold. Everything the ship had traded their slaves for was here, and Ice was perfectly glad to relieve them of it. He started shoving things back out toward the main deck, from where he could toss it over to their ship, but just as he was almost there he was stopped by a rather large and burly marine.

"Oi. You. Go put that back and shackle yourself next to the rest of the slaves." Rather surprised by how calm the man was, Ice nearly complied, before his common sense caught up.

"If I don't?"

"If you don't, I beat you into a thick paste and throw you off the ship. Would you prefer that?" In response, Ice simply dropped the chest he was holding, and while the marine settled into a boxing stance he simply got up on his toes, ready to fight.

Definitely not a boring night, all told.

[zikeep]

Zarion shook his head, saying "Odds are, your weapons can't be far," before turning back to the stairs.

He ran up the stairs and took the starboard (the opposite side from where their own ship was.) side of the ship. He ran into some funny looking guys. One of them was carrying a gun. Zarion quickly made a stab for the one with the gun and managed to catch him off guard. The other two pulled out their swords and came for him. "Ropu ropu no Mawaru-Kira!" The rope attached to the dagger zarion was holding and spun at them full force. they both blocked with their blades, and the rope severed, sending his longer dagger clattering to the deck behind them. The two men laughed, acting as if he didn't have anything else up his sleeve. They didn't know how wrong they were.

[Chaosj2]

J smiled as he saw Zarion go do his thing. J simply walked into the shadows and tried to sneak past the slavers for as long as he could, knowing that without his swords he was quite useless. Then his stomach gave out a mighty growl.

"W-what the hell was that?"

"Ignore it, probably just a wild animal.........on the ship. Crap."

The two had no time to even pull their blades as J jumped out from the darkness and knocked them down, quickly pulling out their swords and giving a few quick slashes with the back of the blade, knocking them out. They were too stupid to kill. J then turned towards them men standing before Zarion and smiled.

"You best start running. Cap'n isn't one to run out of tricks so soon..." J simply held the blades ready to fight if need be. He wanted to watch his captain fight, just like old times.

[Icefox]

It was right about then that Icefox came smashing straight through the ship wall, taking out a few guards as he tumbled to his feet.

"Hey Zari, hey J. Keep an eye out for that one, he hits pretty hard." He stood, somewhat shakily before unsnapping the two swords off his belt and giving them to J with a nod. However, his reunion with his old rival was cut short when the other marine followed him through the hole, cracking his knuckles in amusement.

"You done, or you want another one?" Ice grinned, before running at him again. Whereas the first time he had simply been sucker-punched, this time he went into a slide just as he came into the man's range, before driving his heel up into his chin, putting him back through the well-demolished hole.

"Dammit, stupid punk. You and your friends are all going to pay for that."