A New Adventure

(19) Abandon Ship

((Action: Faust leads the way and fights the pirates.))

Faust took the lead, moving as swiftly as his feet would allow him.  Glancing over at Mercy, he had considered letting her go back for the shortsword, leaving them better armed for any fights, but in the end they had agreed that time was of the essence.  Leaping over and around debris, Faust made his way down the hall with Mercy close behind, towards the staircase that would lead them to the top deck where they could escape.  Just a little bit further and we’ll be free of this accursed-........ 

Faust’s thought was interrupted as the cabin door ahead of them exploded outward, sending wooden shards and dust into the hall.  Reacting quickly, Faust reached over and grabbed Mercy’s arm, trying to drag her behind an intact crate to their left.  He didn’t know what had caused the explosion, or if it’d be friend of foe that came out of that room, but he wasn’t taking the chance.  Turning to Mercy, he lifted a finger to his lips, indicating his intention of hiding quietly until the coast was clear.  He didn’t have to wait long, however, before he heard two people emerge from the room.  Though he couldn’t see them from behind the crate, Faust identified them as members of the pirate raiding party, overhearing their crude jokes about the people they had slain.  He could hear the pirates as they headed in the direction of the stairs, away from them, causing Faust to breathe a sigh of relief.

He was fully content to let the pirates pass.  Though it bothered him that those two spoke about the dead in such a manner, he wasn’t about to risk his life to avenge people he didn’t know.  Better them than us, I suppose.  Faust’s many years on the streets had taught him a thing or two about survival.  One of those lessons had been about picking his battles, and so he sat there waiting with Mercy behind the crate.

“Let them get further ahead of us.  If they’re going in the same direction, we’ll want some space between us so we don’t get seen.” He whispered to his mop-wielding partner.  This is for the best.  We can’t do anything with a mop and a broken axe. 

Indeed, he had been fully content to let them pass.  That is, he had been fully content until he heard the jingle of coins.  Peeking out from behind the crate, he inspected the two.  It was a man and a woman, and clothing-wise, they both looked normal in comparison to the stereotypically-clad pirate they had fought before, but that was of little importance to him.  Hanging from the belt of the female pirate was a large, nearly overflowing gold pouch.  Faust could feel his eyes widen with excitement.  Giving one sincerely apologetic look at Mercy, he got up and chased after them. 

It only took moments for Faust to catch up at the staircase.  Wielding the broken axe in one hand and his knife in the other, he pounced on the laughing pair of pirates.  With a forceful swing of the haft, he whacked the female pirate across the back of the head, sending her falling.  In another swift movement, he slashed out with his knife, severing the pouch from the owner’s belt.  Adrenaline and excitement fueling him, he quickly moved on to the male pirate, who had only now just taken notice of Faust’s attack.  However, it was too late for him.  Faust jumped forward and delivered a strong kick to the pirate’s backside, sending him crashing into the doorway.

Faust wasted no time, quickly grabbing up the gold pouch and tying it to his own belt before jumping back from the fight.  He brandished his weapons in front of him, preparing for the next exchange of blows.  Slowly, the female pirate got back on her feet and drew her sword, looking somewhat disoriented from the blow.  Her male companion, however, continued to lay on the ground, obviously still conscious but not fit to fight.

((Event:  Getting shot at when they go on top deck?  Y/N))

(18) Abandon Ship º5

Mercy straightened from her crouching position on the floor. As Faust followed up after her against the pirate (as it was confirmed to be), she looked around for the crewman that had been fighting here, her head shifting this way and that. She just managed to spot the blue-white striped back of the crewman disappearing around the opposing corner, and frowned. Where is he off to in such a hurry? Not even a thank you? Perhaps it was for the best, however. If they were going to ditch the ship by their lonesome, and effectively steal a lifeboat, they would want to alert neither pirate nor crewman. It wasn't as if Mercy cared particularly for them, anyway. Her goal was clear, and that's all that mattered at this point.

She brought her attention back to the fight, in time to see the pirate ungracefully hit the floor--too out of sorts, it wasn't likely he'd get up anytime soon. An odd scene, however, welcomed her wandering eyes. Faust's axe was embedded quite far into a support beam in the wall, which was thick enough to actually snap off the blade and leave the blunt spherical bit at the end. Eyes widened comically in surprise, at not only the sight of the axe but at the power needed to accomplish this feat, she was only brought back by the look on his face.

Her arrested giggles hopefully went unheard as he retrieved his axe from the wall.

“Well then…. This guy is probably not going anywhere.” Faust confirmed, nodding to her, and she adopted a neutral expression as she nodded back.

((Action: Mercy follows Faust.))

As soon as his back was turned, she smiled in amusement. Following him up the stairs however, that faded quickly. The clangs of weaponry reminded her of how outmatched and dangerous it was to be facing someone armed. Whether a sword or a blunt instrument, she would be forced to block any hits with her own body that she didn't manage to avoid, seeing as she was unarmed. With that thought in mind, as they neared the top of the staircase, she reached for the object leaning against the frame of the doorway.

A mop. “I guess beggars can't be choosers.” She gave a half-hearted laughed she didn't feel, grimly expecting to have to resort to her fists and kicks anyway. “You know what, Faust? I probably should have grabbed that shortsword, even if I've never used one in my life.”

Even if I went back, however, that'd be wasting more time. We don't know how or when the outcome of this battle will turn out. "But forget it, let's go." She added after reasoning with herself, shrugging helplessly.

((Event: [=Y] A pirate meets them ahead. Take it away, Faust.))

(17) Abandon Ship 4

Faust couldn't help but nearly burst into laughter after rounding the corner.   The sight of the pirate was just-…..   He could find no words to describe it.  It was as if he were an actor out of a play, his garb and appearance so strikingly that of a storybook pirate that it was almost silly.

Earlier, he had readied himself for the impending battle, fully prepared to cut down any foe that stood in their way.  He had never taken a life before, and truthfully he didn’t want to, but he had told himself that now was not the time to be hesitant about such things.  However, he didn’t expect to see this.

((Action: Follow up Mercy’s attack and head up the stairs.))

If not for Mercy’s attack, he would have paused unnecessarily, but seeing her land a devastating kick to the back of the pirate’s head helped him rush into action.  He dashed forward, in an effort to finish off the pirate before he recovered from the blow.  Once again, thoughts of shedding blood burdened his mind, but only for a second.  Raising his axe, Faust took a hard sideways swing at the pirate’s neck.

Faust blinked in confusion, a few seconds passing before he realized what happened.  The blow delivered by Marie had apparently caused a concussion, leading the pirate to lose his balance and fall the moment before Faust was to deliver the killing blow.  Looking down, the pirate lay groggily on the floor, having obvious trouble maintaining any sort of motor coordination or even the ability to focus his eyes.  In the meantime, Faust found the blade of his axe buried in the wooden wall, it having broken upon impact and leaving only a blunt metal stub at the head of the haft.

“Well then…. This guy is probably not going anywhere.”  Faust said with some uncertainty.  Nodding at his partner, he headed towards the stairs and ascended to the next floor, still holding firmly to his ‘axe’.  Upon reaching the top, he noted the significant difference in scenery.  Unlike their floor, this one had taken much more damage from the attack, with debris scattered all over.  More sounds of fighting could be heard along their path ahead.

((Event:  One more enemy gets in their way before the top floor?))

((Event:  Faust finds something worth looting.))

(16) Abandon Ship º3

As she approached the corner, she could hear the telltale signs of fighting, and much louder than the one up on deck. Mercy slowed to a halt just before the turn, and glanced back. Spotting Faust not too far behind, she waited for him to catch up. It was an odd feeling, she decided, teaming up with him. Back when she was working at the orphanage, she was an errand girl, only sometimes having to supervise or take over the cooking duties (those were primarily Marie's). This was different, however... Was this what having a partner was like?

His face displayed a look of confusion at her stop, and she bit her lip. Stepping up to the corner, she peeked around it cautiously.

She recognized the crewman by his blue striped shirt, but the unknown entity was definitely... If that isn't a pirate, I'll eat my socks. The pirate had the swashbuckling trousers, the shirt, and even the right accessories--a bandana and eye patch decorating his ugly mug. If he wasn't so ridiculously stereotyped Mercy would be more worried. But as it was, even the shortsword in the pirate's hand didn't make her take him any more seriously.

((Action: Attack!))

The two waiting behind the corner prepared themselves, Mercy lifting her gloved hands, and Faust his boarding axe. There's no way but forward... She reminded herself, frowning, before she nodded to Faust and they rushed forward. The ambush might work in their favour, seeing as the pirate had his back turned to them right now.

She decided to take the first hit, and sprinting ahead of Faust, took a leap. Her body twisted in the air and her knee lifted as she swung her leg around toward her target. Fury empowered her as she drove her booted heel into the back of the man's head. The surprised man's head jerked forward with an audible crack, sending him off balance and stumbling forward as Mercy landed in a crouch where the pirate had just been standing.

((Event: Concussion? Y/N))

(15) Abandon Ship ! ~ Continued

((Action: Faust follows Mercy down the hall.))

While Faust was in complete agreement with the idea of escape, he was caught off guard by how quickly Mercy had run off. The only warning he had gotten was that single look, and then she was gone. Stepping out into the hall, he took one last glance at the unconscious pirate. "Thank you for your kind donation." Faust said smugly, twirling the pouch by its string.

The pride from his victory didn't last long, however, as he awkwardly stumbled down the empty hall, his new boots causing some discomfort and much unnecessary noise as he followed closely behind Mercy. Hearing the sounds of continued fighting all around them, he was relieved that no other pirates had crossed their path yet.  He could only hope that the crew lasted long enough for them to make their escape.

((Event:  Fight already occurring in the stairwell? Y/N))

(14) Abandon Ship!

((Action: Mercy leaves the room first.))

Mercy shifted her weight to one leg, tapping her foot calmly against the worn wood of the floor as she thought. There really wasn't much to think about, however; she knew they had little choice but to fight their way out. The problem was, if the ship was being raided, then there wasn't much the two of them could do. As frustrating as it was, being helpless, it was true. If the crew won against the pirates then that'd be all fine and dandy, but in the case that they ended up losing? Being on the ship at that time wouldn't be a favourable outcome, considering the time constraints put on them to get to Yuusari. So, that left, reasonably...

"Well, we get the heck out of here, of course." Mercy mumbled, feeling her mood worsen with the guilt. Pity any unfortunate pirates that would cross her path... "Let's hope we can find a boat in this place."

Find a boat and don't get caught, she reinforced clearly in her head as she leaned over to grab her knapsack and proceeded to swing it over her shoulder.

Squeezing by Faust, she carefully opened the door a smidge, peeking through the sliver of space out at the hallway. The coast is clear, she thought, sparing Faust a significant look. That gesture was all he would get, as in the next moment she was dashing into the hallway. Her footsteps were quiet compared to the stomping of skirmishes above deck, but the light tapping could be heard swiftly making its way toward the staircase around the corner and down the hall.

Figure A: Rough map of below deck of ship.
(Stairs at either end of ship.)

 ((Event: Enemy in the hall? Y/N))

(13) Looting the Looters

Faust couldn’t help but let a grin slip through as he stood over the crumpled form of their would-be assailant. In his mind, the fear and excitement of the attack were momentarily overshadowed by the fact that everything had worked according to plan. Going from the well-lit hall to their darkened room, the attacker’s eyes didn’t have time to adjust, giving Faust the perfect opening to deliver a solid blow. He had to give the guy some credit, though. His head had been thick enough to crack the seemingly well-built stool.

Faust paused for a moment to collect himself, the thought that they might possibly die finally catching up to him. Casting a nervous look over to Mercy’s silhouette near the bed, he realized that he missed whatever she had just said, but it was obvious that she was ready to fight. It was a good thing, too, because with them stuck on a ship at sea, it wouldn’t matter what they chose to do. All options involved fighting.

After taking a few breathes , Faust tossed aside the broken fragments of the stool and bent down to grip the man by his collar, dragging him fully inside the room before shutting the door. He wanted to have some idea of what he was dealing with before he or Mercy attempted to leave, and this man was going to tell him everything he needed to know. Leaning in close, he squinted at the man through the darkness, analyzing every detail.

“If I had to guess, I’d say he’s a pirate. A bit ragged looking, though.” Faust remarked. He rummaged around the pirate’s belt, looking for anything that might be of use, and eventually he found what he wanted. Wrapping his hands around a wooden haft of a boarding axe, he quickly shoved it into his belt and continued to search for any other useful items.

“From the sounds of the fight outside, the crew isn’t doing too well. We should make our way up to the top deck before things potentially get worse.” Faust said without looking up. He was still too busy looting the body. “That is, unless you have some other plans on how we’ll-…..” His sentence was cut short at hearing the jingle of coins. Repositioning himself so as to obscure Mercy’s view, he relieved the pirate of his gold pouch, considering it as recompense for causing them trouble.

Having finished his business, Faust stood up once again and stepped towards the door. He cracked it open slightly, checking to see if any more unwelcome visitors were heading their way. “So, what’s it going to be partner?” he turned to ask her.

(12) First Fray, Fright and Frustration

When the lights went out, Mercy had panicked inside. Her heart thumped against her chest so loudly, she was sure Faust had heard it. The light from the window filtered through the window in faint silver streaks, just light enough to catch his silhouette moving toward the door. Her limbs overall felt shaky, but her legs strong, years of running giving her the strength she needed to stand up from the bed on two steady feet. At least he knew what he was doing, and that confidence spurred her into action as well. She slipped her hands into her dress' pocket and, hesitantly, grabbed her leather gloves. She also stepped back into her boots.

There was no time to fumble in the dark for the weapon she had stashed away in her bag, even if it would greatly help her here. Instead, she started to stretch her legs, then rotated her hips. When a soft pop was heard she sighed. Well, her greatest weapon was her legs, anyhow. She'd have to pick up something to fight with on the way; there was nothing she'd be able to use in this barren room.

"Mercy, I hope you're ready for this.." Faust's voice sounded, and she thought he might be concerned, though she couldn't tell.

Mercy felt like laughing or crying, she didn't know which. This was probably nothing compared to a Gaichuu. Humans could be off'd so easily, but a Gaichuu was damn near impossible without the right tools. She grimly bolstered herself with this same knowledge, however. If she couldn't handle this, she couldn't handle being a letter bee...

Besides, she hadn't been afraid standing up to anyone back home, so she wouldn't start now.

She released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. As she watched her new partner's back--at least she assumed it was, if he was watching the door--the tension became replaced with the kind of feelings she was familiar with... Anger. Frustration. How dare they, after everything had finally been going great (she conveniently ignored the recent awkward explanation) and after everything she'd gone through to finally get the chance to be a letter bee? If shit like this kept happening, she'd never get to Yuusari!

The door burst open, but the intruder was quickly met with a wooden chair, courtesy of Faust. She felt something like a switch flip inside her, and she growled lowly, "Yeah, I'm ready... I'm going to be a bee, no matter who I have to get through to do so."

(11) Trial by Fire

At first, Faust could only scratch his head in confusion. It was not because of Mercy's explanation, however, but because of his oddly mixed feelings on the matter. On one hand, he just couldn't get over the idea of fighting against a giant mechanical...thing, even if it was with a partner. It just seemed like utter nonsense, not to mention an unnecessary risk to his life.

On the other hand, listening to her speak about the orphanage gave him a faint reminder of why he agreed to join her in the first place. As an orphan on the streets, he never had ties to others, but after staying at that place for just a few days he found himself growing a strange sense of attachment to it. Of course, he'd never admit this to his partner on the slim chance that this job turned out to be more than he could handle. Guilt was the last thing he needed right now.

Faust's concentration on Mercy's explanation was cut short by a sudden tremor that went through the ship. Focusing his attention upwards, he heard something that sent a shiver down his spine. He had been in enough scraps to recognize the sound of blades clashing. Glancing across the room at his partner, he saw that she too had taken notice, but it didn't seem to dawn on her yet what was going on.

Quickly scanning the room, he cursed quietly, not liking the disadvantage that such a small area would give them. He wasn't quite sure if Mercy had anything to defend herself with, and he himself only had a small blade he had liberated from one of the ship's crew. Sounds of another scuffle drew both of their attention to the hall outside their room, and within seconds they heard the scream of another victim of the attack.

It was only a matter of time now. The sounds of fighting were steadily making its way to their end of the hallway. Faust rushed over to the single lamp that lit up the room and blew it out, shrouding the room in near darkness with the exception of the faint beam through the window. Groping around, he found a stool and grabbed ahold of it by the leg, intending to use it as a club. With his other hand he drew the dagger from its sheathe.

"Mercy, I hope you're ready for this.." Faust said into the direction of where his partner had been sitting. The stomping footsteps having found their way to their door, there was no time to see what his partner was up to. As the door burst open, Faust swung with all his might and sent the stool crashing down on the head of the intruder.

(10) The Drive of a Foolhardy Person

Seeing the mix of expressions, annoyance and determination, Mercy's face twisted in worry.

Explain clearly.

There were multiple problems with telling a person like her this. First of all, there was somewhat of a reason she had glossed over the details at first, and the biggest reason was the most obvious: the risk of injury or worse, their lives. When convincing a person to help you, straight off telling someone exactly how dangerous it was wouldn't help. So even though every fibre of her being twinged painfully as she had pretty much left out the mention of what kind of dangers they might be dealing with, she had consciously dismissed it... Now, however, she knew she would need to tell him, if he was going to be prepared to be her partner. She could only hope now that he didn't abandon her for her neglect.

"Well... first, you must understand why I'm doing this, why this job is really important to me." She breathed in slowly, and continued, "I grew up in that orphanage, when my dad died and my mother couldn't afford to continue raising me. When I turned 16 without adoption, the orphanage couldn't afford to continue caring for me. If it hadn't been for Marie convincing the owner to hire me, I would've been forced out onto the streets. I'm not saying this expecting pity, I just say this to show how much of a home that place has become..."

She smiled, though her eyes seemed distant as if memories were replaying before her eyes. "You met Marie. She wants to be able to care for all the kids there, even though she knows she can't. The orphanage needs money, desperately. That's why I am becoming a letter bee."

Mercy waved her hand after that, and finally her eyes refocused on Faust with a serious expression, "Letter bees are mailmen, basically, but they often have the difficult task of sending letters through Gaichuu-infected territory--I'm sure you've at least heard of them, the Gaichuu sometimes terrorize the boats that leave the harbour. Letter bees fight using specialized weaponry that destroys them. According to the information I was given in my recruitment letter, I am allowed to bring one partner with-"

The boat shook unnaturally, effectively cutting her off. It went against the rocking rhythm of the sea, easily catching anyone's attention. Soon, a loud ruckus arose from above deck, the sounds of many people yelling and the high pitched clang of metal on metal. Mercy's back straightened, anticipating what kinds of trouble the sailors would be having, and if it would deter their journey.

A couple stomping footsteps stormed down the hall outside their room, and soon a man's dying cry shook her from her silent contemplation. Realization set in. They were being attacked.

(9) Moves like Jagger

Faust found he could only stare back blankly in response to the midget girl’s inquiry. He only had the one big question. How the hell did he get stuck in this partnership? It was the one thing plaguing his thoughts over the past few days. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he replayed the events of that day, trying to figure out what had happened. He still wasn’t exactly sure what had made him agree to the pact. Sure, her mention of the money definitely helped, but deep down he felt that this wasn’t the only reason....

Growing annoyed of the strange feelings stirring within him, Faust closed his eyes. This was his first time on a ship, and to his surprise he had found the rocking of the boat to be quite soothing. He leaned back against the rough wall, letting his mind calm itself as he focused on the movement of the ship. After a few minutes, he realized that this arrangement may have been for the best. With the commotion he had made in town, there was no way he’d be able to go anywhere without drawing attention.

Opening his eyes once again, he looked back at Mercy. This time, however, he felt much more attentive and determined. If he was going to be stuck in this situation, he felt he might as well make the best of it.

“Listen, I know we already agreed on this partnership, but let me make one thing clear. I want you to re-explain every detail of our job, got it?” Faust said firmly. To him, knowledge had always been important in any endeavor he took part in, and if he was going to survive this, he’d need to all the info he could get. Like a machine, Faust’s mind started working, ready to devise plans and strategies for whatever trouble this little girl was about to drag him into.

(8) It's a Deal!

How did it end up like this? Mercy thought to herself with a bemused look, shoeless and sitting with her legs curled under her on the only bed in the room--and not a particularly comfy one at that, with a mattress as accommodating as a steel board and a blanket barely thicker than her own clothing. A small, round window above the splintery headboard revealed a dark landscape that rose and fell in an undulating tide, with lights from a town slowly shrinking away from view. She didn't spare it a glance, rather preoccupied with staring hard at the young man near the opposite wall of the somewhat small, shared, cabin.

She should say something, break the ice. It had been quite sudden when she'd somewhat boldly proclaimed, "Be my dingo!" in that room with Marie and Faust, while only briefly explaining what the hell dingo was before diving into a list of reasons why it was a good idea. In the end she had resorted to mentioning the profits of the ordeal, and after a lot of haggling had agreed on halving it for each.

Days later, refreshed, appropriately clothed (coughFaustcough), and packed, Marie had tearfully sent them both off, surprising everyone when she'd suddenly turned around to hug Faust as well.

Now they were on the boat off the island to the mainland, where they would catch a ride with a letter bee to the headquarters. Mercy was really nervous, and it showed as she restlessly fidgeted.

"So..." She started, reaching for any kind of conversation starter, "Any questions?"