Duty Session 322: Still Coast Pirates

The pirates are back. Again, pests that they are. Not that Robert particularly minds. It's not -his- shipping that they're plundering, after all. And recurring problems mean recurring opportunities for payment. Thus, the annoyance he has is less targeted at general impact, and more targeted at what he evidently suspects is a substantial failure of the local military and law enforcement.

He's settled in on a cold rock by the sea, wind-whipped and spray-salted, where he gazes out over those churning waves with eyes that see them not. And there he waits for the rest of the team.

Ayame shows up after a little, picking her way across the rocks with care, shield over her back and gloved hands spread as she balances on the way, heels clacking on the hard stone "You ready for this?" She murmurs, looking over with a little concern.

SpritesHero dusts his hands off, brushing them firmly one against the other and popping to his feet as Ayame's presence registers. "Yup. Grass needs weeding again," he observes a touch cryptically, reaching out to give her shoulder a squeeze. "Pirates just don't know when they've been beaten. After you." He gestures towards a nearby sailboat, which has been set aside for their use. Does he know how to use it? No, not really. Will that stop him? Probably not.

Indeed, the pair do at least manage to get underway, pushing off from the shore and clumsily making their way out through the surf into the open waters. Robert still doesn't know where he's going, but at least he's enjoying himself. He inhales deeply, planting his hands on his hips. "Nothing quite like a bit of salt spray." he comments, offering the loosely flapping sail a bit of a dirty look.

Ayame pulls out a small map, frowning, and she turns it a few ways, angling it and sighting along her wand, tapping the paper and leaving tiny burn marks as sparks fly, noting locations, before she's satisfied "Okay, so, this is definitely the right route" She murmurs, grinning a little. She settles in to direct, leaning back and sighing as she looks at him "Well, if they don't get punished properly, they'll of course return to it. If they're smart enough to. I do wonder how that works for landers - this bunch seem simple enough to just return to their old ways"

Whatever Sprites is doing with the sail, it doesn't particularly seem to be working. "I wonder if they even remember," he posits. "What if they just have a general memory of getting their wrists slapped from time to time?" The pair just sort of...blunder about for a bit, so it's a good thing Sprites enjoys the scent of salty air as much as he evidently does.

Not that he does after another hour or two, in which he's left not a little damp and salt-encrusted. Purely by chance, they end up drifting under a parked pirate ship. No, this is not where they were supposed to go. But a pirate is a pirate, one supposes.

Robert hops out of the boat, landing on the boat's gangplank. "You okay to get through here? I may need to sneak through."

"I think I'll be fine" Ayame smiles a touch and nods. She sighs, and tugs her case from her back, passing it over and wrinkling her nose "Pirate outfit is probably appropriate. Care to do the honors?" As she looks up at the side of the ship, securing their small boat by the side of the ship with some clever knotwork

"Sure thing." Robert messes with Ayame's case for a few moments, before reappearing with an armload of fabric which he presents her with. Noting too complicated. Blouse, trousers, and a brilliantly red waist-scarf. His gaze drifts upwards from time to time, making sure their little ploy hasn't been spotted. "They're certainly having a grand old time up there."

Ayame looks amused, using her menu to change, shaking her head "I think that's the first time it's given me trousers since I got here. I think I should let you pick them more often" She adjusts the red scarf to drape carefully, and clambers up, affecting a swagger and a lazy stroll.

It's somewhat easy for the Sylph to roll her hips as she walks, starting to hunt around the ship. Blending in, even with little fluttery wings!

"My pleasure, as always," Robert comments, his tones almost a little bland. Hazily bland, though. And then they're off, Ayame making her way through the crowd, Robert expertly shifting through the shadows. By the time Ayame makes her way through, Robert's already busily working on picking his way through a lock. Because why not. If there's something locked, there's something worthwhile, right? Not that he's ignored Ayame's progress, and occasionally he glances over his shoulder to make sure she's making her way through okay.

It's not until Ayame feels a hand on her shoulder she realises ... well. She might be a little notable, despite her excellent disguise. Being stripped of her shield - and the chest, and her wand - is another annoyance, as she and Robert are bundled into the brig, and she fumes quietly, glaring across as she tries to work her hands free "This is ridiculous" She scowls, flustered

SpritesHero is a bit less perturbed by their current situation, and seems half-way content to simply lean back against the bars of their cage. Until a rat were-fang pops up, almost right under his nose, and offers to set them free in exchange for assistance. Well, perhaps it's no surprise that there are others in a similar predicament.

To his credit, Robert does -not- scream like a little girl or kick the werefang across the room. He even inclines his head towards Ayame, as though suggesting the werefang cut her free first. Less to his credit, he gives the werefang a rather skeptical look. But. "Deal," he intones at length, struggling to his feet and orienting away from the pair.

Ayame shakes her head, squriming one hand free and conjuring a tiny ball of light as she begins to hunt around. She makes a few passes, lowering the intensity and turning the bright light to a dull red "Don't want them seeing" She mutters warily. Finally locating a loose plank, she works it away, and slides her hand to the other side, unfastening the bolt weakly "I hate not having my wand" She scowls "I can't do much without it"

It's likely a good thing, then, that their new-found, squeaky friend abruptly dives under the floorboards, gesturing wildly to them and saying something that...just possibly...could be 'equipment'. Robert, who'd been helping with prying that loose plank out of place, reaches out to give Ayame's shoulder a pat. "You're fine. Though maybe something to think of if you...uh...ever end up disarmed again." A short journey later and they wind up in the hold, with crates and chests of all varieties scattered around. "Oh!" he exclaims, dashing forward. But the enthusiasm rapidly fades, and he tosses a long bolt over his shoulder. "Nope, not that." He resumes searching.

Ayame laughs as she digs through as well - easily locating her shield and the little chest, but her wand takes a little longer "What would you recommend? A secret, backup wand?" She teases "Actually a boot knife probably wouldn't be a terrible idea, but what can you do?" She tosses things around, finally locating what she's after

"Or learn to cast without a wand," Sprites observes, having finally reclaimed his own goods and fastened them into their proper places. Not using the menu function, oddly. Memories of the past seeping through, no doubt. "Or more hand-to-hand, if that's at all up your alley."

He stops talking then, however, confining himself to silence as they make their way above partying pirates. The werefang's idea--big boom them run--is agreed to with a dip of his chin and a glance to Ayame. He slowly counts down on his fingers. 3. 2. 1.

"It's not usually a problem" Ayame says with a chuckle as she finishes arming herself and sends - well, more of a flash of fire than an explosion into the air. She wrinkles her nose at that, sighing and shaking her head as she moves to leap forward with Robert!

Success or failure...and it does rather seem like failure judging by how there's a sudden tangle of arms, legs, tails, you name it...the party tumbles on forward. Is....is Robert laughing? Yes he is, if in a half-manic sort of way. They tumble down a plank, wind up in a pile on the floor, and what does Robert see when he glances up? A giant monster with a spiked metal ball. "Oh," he observes, lying perfectly, utterly still. That.....is not good.

Ayame nods, darting forward and incanting - her shield's runes flashing brightly and a further magical barrier flashing over it as she intercepts the swinging ball and chain without so much as skidding backwards. She makes a face nonetheless, glancing back "Anytime you're ready!" She offers, before looking at the warden, and scowling at the rhino "Someone's horny" She grunts.

"Definitely disturbed," Robert agrees from his position on the floor. There's a hefty 'clang!' as the warden's spiked ball crashes off Ayame's shield, missing Robert's head by inches and sending splinters flying everywhere. Robert throws up one arm, both to ward off debris and to send a crescent arc of darkness crashing through the warden's thigh. He pops to his feet, circles around behind, and continues his methodical dismantling of the Warden's health bar, as Ayame keeps his attentions. "Very. Very disturbed."

Ayame hums as she sends off little blasts of magic, keeping his attention, blocking the attacks and twisting to bounce that ball and chain away, before a focused blast severs it "Now!" She calls back to Robert, grinning, her eyes bright as she bounces away from another lumbering blow

SpritesHero was evidently waiting for that cue, for the moment Ayame says 'Now!' he dashes forward, slapping his palm against the Warden's back. There's a flare of red, framing a spike of deepest black that protrudes from one side to the other, sending the Warden's hp plummeting towards zero. The warden freezes, shatters into polygons, and disperses, leaving Robert breathing heavily and leaning forwards, hands on his knees.

Ayame lets out a little whistle, moving to help Robert up, grinning through her look of exhaustion "Well, that went ... better than we deserved, really" She sighs contentedly, stretching and nodding as she looks around, picking up a section of the chain and studying it "Huh. Interesting."

SpritesHero is certainly not above being helped up. He accepts Ayame's hand gratefully enough, though he more squeezes it than actually uses it to pull himself to a standing position. "Yes, it was definitely...." he pauses, trailing off with a wince. "We definitely need more people for this one, Ayame. I think I may have dumped a bit too much on you. Luckily things turned out alright, thanks to your efforts. I appreciate it, and apologize."

"Well, to do what we have to, yes. But I hadn't seen a ... hmm. A werefang? Cait Sith? Like that, before. Like a rhino. That was amazing, and definitely something to remember" She holsters her shield, and looks down at herself "But let's get back to shore."

"Let's," Robert agrees, straightening his own clothing as he heads for the door, pushes it open, and steps out into the sunlight beyond. He squints against its brightness, but nonetheless holds the door for Ayame. "Kind of surprised it was there, actually. All the other pirates were terrified of it. I wonder if it was locked down there, or something."

"I wonder how many prisoners it had held" Ayame murmurs, nodding and scurrying down to the boat, settling back in there "I think it may have held them at one time. Either way, it's something to think about!"

SpritesHero lightly vaults into the boat, taking a seat at the rear. He grasps an oar in each hand, and spiritedly rows them...the hundred or so feet back to land. No sailing this time. No way. They are not going around in circles for hours, again. For whatever reason, he does not hazard a reply as to the prisoners, though his brow furrows down the middle. Once they reach shore, the bottom of the boat grinding against sand, he inclines his head in a gentle nod. "Thanks as always, Ayame."