Unlikely Partnering [Renegade]

[Renegade]

Outside, the sound of footfalls were getting louder and it was taking everything in his power to keep Reynard from springing like a startled deer. Taking a deep breath, he closes his eyes for a moment to think. The door they came through would be a bad idea. Dark or not, they would be spotted coming out, especially if there were as many pirates on this ship as there had been at the bar. If they went out the front, they'd have to fight their way out. That left them only one other option: make a door.

Eyes flashing back open, Reynard grabs Phoenix by the wrist and leads her to the back of the room. He then releases her and unsheathes his sword quickly and looks at the back wall. Taking a deep breath, he uses his powers once again to increase the density of the sword blade. Ignoring the fact it was now slightly heavier, he quickly makes three slashes into the wood, then kicks it out in a manner far noisier than he had wanted. Cringing outwardly. he resheathes his sword and reaches out to take Phoenix's arm again. He then leads her out and jumps down to the pier below, just in time to hear shouting from inside the cabin they just escaped from.

Turning to her, a wide eyed expression on his face, he turns and runs away quickly, knowing that this encounter wasn't over.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back on the ship...

"Captain Darkhair! What are we going to do?" asks one of the members of the evil pirate's budding crew.

"It's simple really. We're going to ransack and burn this village to the ground, so that whoever did this will know what it feels like to have their property defaced...," he says, laughing afterwards in anticipation of the night ahead of his crew.

[{Argentate} Phoenix Dahana]

Phoenix seemed relieved enough to know they weren't going to use the main door and easily followed him to the back where he made his makeshift door. Briefly glancing back, her form lowered a bit and she narrowed her eyes before following after, wings opening instinctively and briefly for the jump before they folded again. The ship wasn't massive but it was a habit to use the limbs she had to help.

Catching his expression, she turned her head back a bit, grinding her jaw once as she heard them talk but didn't catch the conversation, she lowered and ran after Reynard, holding the sword back now for less resistance. Where to go, she didn't know and just followed close behind for a moment before coughing once and coming to a stop, right outside the village for now and she shifted the blade.

Looking to him again, she swallowed, straightening up and glanced back once more, this time absently setting the tip of her blade against the ground.
"If we damaged their ship, is there really a point in hiding without leaving this island? Or would pirates forgive somebody for that..." She asked absently, staying still for now. Her wings were a bit more talkative by motion, bristled in caution and she mumbled something, moving her free hand to rub the side of one wing, the muscles in the feathered arm tense.

Falling back in thought now, whichever Reynard wanted to do, she looked up, watching the last bits of fiery orange fade from the sky and she leaned against her sword almost.

[Renegade]

As they are escaping down the pier, Reynard hears Phoenix ask if there was really any point in running if they weren't going to leave the island. He begins to slow his pace, and rubs his chin thoughtfully at her words. He hadn't thought of that. The reality of the situation was that he could run off and hide with her in the town, using his powers to bounce from place to place. In the end, he was certain they'd be they would be able to escape completely safe and without being found. The problem came with the fact that they would likely ransack the village in an attempt to find them, and many of the villagers would get hurt for no reason. Grimacing, he comes to the realization that he'll have to fight, and swallows quickly.

Taking a deep breath, he turns to look over at Phoenix with a pained look on his face. "You're right, we'll have to stay and fight. Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to put myself fully into fighting. I swore to myself that I would never fight unless either myself or someone I'm willing to fight for was in danger. I, personally, don't feel in danger, and I sure as heck don't feel willing to fight in order to protect this village. Therefore I can't unsheathe my sword against out opponents," he tells her, feeling awful about the situation.

Looking at his sword, he places on the wood of the pier beside them and kneels down on one knee, placing his hand on the wood of the pier. Activating his devil fruit, he uses his powers to make the wood of the entire pier in front of him as dense as water, so that when the pirates began to charge the city they'd fall in the water. Looking up at Phoenix he says, "Stay behind me and keep an eye out for anyone trying to swim past. Let me know if you see any beginning to swim by towards the town."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile....

"Captain Darkhair, sir," says the young recruit aboard the pirate ship, "The pier, whenever we step on it the wood seems to have become liquid like. Whenever anyone steps on it they fall in the water."

"Aye, it seems there's a devil fruit user somewhere around. Swim to the island, and if you find this man with the devil fruit, I want you to make sure he is unable to use it ever again."

[{Argentate} Phoenix Dahana]

Only glad it seemed to make some sense, she blinked as she listened though, giving him an odd but not condescending look. Exhaling, she gave him a faint smile though, lifting her own sword out and turned back to the pier.
"That oath is respectable to me... keep it, and if it isn't, much trouble...just keep the pier in that state..." She shifted, feeling odd asking for much or telling anybody to do something. But she brushed the feeling off and leaned the blade out, watching the water.

"However odd it is, I can raise my blade for now... if somebodies swimming near... killing is something I will avoid unless needed but I'd rather this town keep a relatively peaceful night for themselves... I know I wished I had it..." She spoke absently, glancing to him once before looking back to Reynard. She wasn't a hero but she treated as she wished to be treated. Fighting wasn't something she was against simply because of the company she'd been in and a long, many year relationship with her father.

She almost envied his dislike of fighting but when it was considered an instinct she wasn't going to simply drop it. Absently stepping out from behind him, she took to his side instead, wings twitching and she scanned the water, sword lifting a couple inches. Whichever case, time included she shifted and pointed out a darker patch in the water, moon lifting high enough slowly to illuminate the area.