A Fateful Encounter! Escape from Lyneel!

[Fox]

It was funny. When you wore a big suit of armor, people didn’t tend to question you when you asked for something. Wolfric got the occasional look every so often from passerby, but they weren’t the derisive stares or worried ones that he usually garnered. More curious than anything else. Some respect, like armor denoted power or wealth. He supposed it did, just not his. Wolfric would get there though. Yeah! He would-

“Mew?”

Glancing down at his companion, Wolfric grinned. Pochi, his little gray striped kitten friend, was pawing at him because he’d just finished his saucer of milk. They sat at a table in a private room in the back of a fancy restaurant. Beside him on the next chair over, his armor sat eerily at the table like it was about to join in on the feast. And a feast it was. Several empty dishes were piled one side of the table while Wolfric had about three still left in front of him. Pochi stood on the table too with a little saucer in front of him.

Snatching up the milk pitcher from off the table and pouring Pochi another round, Wolfric watched as Pochi eagerly lapped it up. He chomped down on his own meal. Some kind of meat. Wolfric wasn’t sure what it was, but it was tender and juicy and tasted awesome. So he didn’t really need to know. After a few more sips, Pochi stopped and curled up into a little ball, purring softly.

Issuing a happy sigh, Wolfric pet his little buddy and lightly poked his full little belly.

“Awuhuhuuu,” he chuckled lightly. Well, if the little guy was full, it was getting close to time to bail. Jerking as the door creaked open, Wolfric slapped his hand onto his armor and disappeared back into it just as one of the waiters entered. Pochi started and stared at the waiter with a bottlebrush tail sticking awkwardly into the air.

“Ah, sir, are you all finished?” the waiter asked, pausing as he saw the kitten, “Sir, we don’t allow pets!”

Grabbing Pochi off the table and cradling him lightly in an arm, Wolfric rose to his feet, nodding. “That’s fine, we’ll leave then,” he replied hollowly from the armor, going to move past the waiter.

“Sir! There’s the matter of your bill…” he said, hoisting it out in front of Wolfric.

“Uh…right…” Wolfric uttered slowly, glancing around discreetly. There! Jumping back from the waiter, he charged toward the large window, tucking Pochi behind him and smashing through it. It was a bit of a drop to the ground.

THUNK!

“Not too bad,” Wolfric grunted as he landed. If he’d taken a fall like that without his Devil Fruit powers, that could’ve been messy! He quickly checked on Pochi. Clinging to him with claws bared. Well, not much he could do about that right now. The shouts from within the restaurant weren’t sounding all that friendly anymore either. Time to go.

Taking off at a sprint, Wolfric shot down the cobblestone streets with his greaves clacking noisily against it. In the distance, he could hear people for marines now. Ah, crap.

“This suuuuuuucks!” he griped loudly and kept running.

---

whynot

[whynot]

Walter began to close up to the port his skiff extremely battered but he had finally made it to Lyneel. "Hohohoho!" Walter laughed loudly. "I am actually suprised I made it..." Walter told himself only to laugh again at his comment. "Hohohohohoho!" He began to tie his skiff to the dock only to witness the skiff sink in the ten foot deep waters of the docking area. "Hmm... guess the turbulence earlier got the best of it." He told himself, he shrugged and began to walk in land hoping to find himself a crew to join perhaps or maybe steal some food or get himself a ship.

Walter began to walk through the city casually, the large North European architecture and cobblestone streets suprise him it was nothing like the cabbins, cottages and dirt roads of the Pikt islands. "Hmm the Pikt clans could learn a thing or two about this style of build." Walter told himself, but one thing he didn't see was the large lochs he was use to seeing. Soon Walter came into the vicinity of a restaurant and instantly saw it... what he didn't see was a man in a full armor suit running right at him. CRASH! They both ran right into each other and Walter actually fell on the ground with his Ushanka flying through the air. "My hat!" Walter said seeing it fly off his head and right at the foot of a Marine. Now Walter wasn't really all that worried about Marines as he wasn't very well known but... it was probably not him who they where after. Walter turned to look at that armored man, the armored man looked somewhat scary but something about him seemed off... Walter could sense it probably the powers he gained from his Zoan fruit he had become a lot more sensitive after eating it.

[Fox]

He couldn’t believe this! The restaurant had only just raised the alarm, and the marines had already caught up to him?! Or at least, that was what Wolfric thought at first as he crashed into a large hulk of a man. Honestly, the guy wasn’t much taller than Wolfric, but he was…er…uh…bigger boned? Maybe. There was only so much detail a guy could take in before smashing into someone.

“…!”

Stumbling back and losing his footing, Wolfric hit the ground with a hollow clank that rung throughout the whole of his empty armored body. His first thought was about Pochi. Had his little friend been squished?! He looked down. No. But judging from all the fur sticking up on end, Pochi was more than a little rattled. Aw, the little guy was going to hate him now. But at least he wasn’t hurt.

The nearing footfalls and shouts snapped Wolfric back to reality. Slowly rising to his feet, he glanced toward the man he had crashed into, and yeah, big guy. That pretty much confirmed that. He had shouted something about a hat. Wolfric glanced around for it. Oh…GREAT. What he assumed was the man’s hat had landed at the feet of a marine.

As this whole thing was sort of his fault, Wolfric kinda owed it to the guy to get his hat back before the marines trampled it. Taking off without any warning, Wolfric bolted toward the marine in question who raised his sword with wide eyes, more than a little surprised. Not missing a beat though, the marine rallied and shoved the tip of his blade through the eye slits in the helmet.

Wolfric froze, his movement suddenly hampered by the sword sticking out of his ‘face’. He focused in on the marine’s face, which was a mix between shock, victory, and horror. Balling up his iron fist, Wolfric sent a solid punch to the marine’s side, sending him sprawling. The man’s grip on his sword gone, Wolfric leaned down to pick up the hat only to stop again as the sword’s hilt clinked off the street and the inside of his helm. Grumbling inwardly, Wolfric pulled out the sword and tossed it carelessly aside.

“That was in getting in the way,” he rumbled hollowly, speaking more to himself than any of those present.

Snatching the hat up off the ground, Wolfric straightened up and extended it out to the man that he’d crashed into, completely oblivious to the incredulous and terrified looks that those present were giving him – most notably the marine.

“Here you are.”

[whynot]

Walter stood up to only see the armored man rush to get his hat and then get stabbed RIGHT in the eye by a marine. 

Now what suprised Walter the most about this was the man seemed perfectly fine he didn't even screen he acted like nothing had happened in fact he punched the marine and pulled out the sword like nothing. “That was in getting in the way,” Walter was mouth agape who was this guy!?!? He was a total boss at least in Walter's mind! Suddenly something popped into his head... was this guy a pirate and if so... was he recruiting?

Walter noticed the armored man was giving him his hat back, he grabbed it and put it back on. “Here you are.” he looked or tried looking at the man through the openings for the eyes and saw nothing but darkness... something was off. "Hey thanks you very much... say... are you a pirate?" Walter said he couldn't hold it any longer he needed to know if this man was a pirate he was a total bad ass! 

Plus he had saved Walter's hat something he was really greatful for. "Hey if the marines are giving you trouble I will help... they gave my folks enough trouble already." Walter said with very much determination.

[Fox]

As the man took his hat back and plopped it neatly on top of his head, Wolfric panicked momentarily, quickly glancing down to Pochi who was nestled in the crook of his arm. He chided himself. Pochi could have gotten hurt with him rushing in like that. But then, what was he supposed to do, just leave the little guy on the ground? There hadn’t been too many options just then. It was when the other man decided to ask him a question did Wolfric remember that he was there at all.

“Hm? No…I...”

Wolfric paused, registering the question only just now. He’d answered reflexively, but the answer that he gave wasn’t true anymore. He needed to correct himself before this guy got the wrong idea.

“I’m going to be King of the Pirates!” Wolfric proclaimed, standing up straighter and pounding his free fist against his chest.

Behind Wolfric, a small group of marines was rushing down the street toward them. The shouts and rapid footfalls made Wolfric turn his head halfway to look back. Yikes. They were drawing a bit of a crowd. At the man’s offer to help, Wolfric glanced back to him without moving his head.

“I think I’ll take you up on that,” he replied, patting the man on the shoulder. “I’m Wolfric, by the way. Wolfric Hertz.”

Moving past him and setting off at a sprint, Wolfric glanced back to his new friend. “Let’s get outta here!” He didn’t exactly have the hands free to fight. Plus, there was no way he was going to risk Pochi getting hurt. Best thing to do would be to lose the marines somehow. And it’d be easier with more hands on deck.

[whynot]

Walter looked at the man somewhat disappointed at his first answer but then his second answer brought a smile to his face. 

Suddenly Walter heard the sound of foot steps on cobble stone rather distinct not like the sound of crushed snow he was use to hearing, he saw the large group of marines causing the sound of foot steps. He jumped a bit at their site and ran after Wolfric Hertz or at least that is what he said he was called. "Well met Wolfric I am Walter Lapis!" He said running away taking on the offer of getting out.

"So Wolfric where will we be headed next?" Walter asked his face showing confusion since he slightly puzzled he wasn't sure where he was going with this guy. Also the whole deal with being stabbed in the was confusing... was he... following a ghost? If so he was a rather kind ghost and nothing like the Revenants and Poltergiest he was use to hearing the clan elders speak about and to be honest he wouldn't be very suprised to see strange things in his travels after all he was he headed for the grandline.

Walter didn't want to ask but something in him forced him to speak. "Say... ummm... Wolfric you seem lively for someone who got stabbed in the eye... are you ok?" Walter asked, his hair and beard rustling in the air from running. 

[Fox]

As the man caught up to him after realizing that - yes – marines were in fact after them, he introduced himself to Wolfric.

“Walter, huh? Good to meet you t- ACK!”

A gunshot had rung out and hit Wolfric squarely in the back. While he hadn’t really felt the sword through the eye slit, THAT he did feel. Yow! His hand went to where the bullet had hit. There was a sizeable dent but that was all. Didn’t change just how much that smarted. They needed to put some distance between them and the marines.

“Away for now!” Wolfric replied to Walter’s question, glancing to him, “We gotta lose these guys.” Making a hard left, Wolfric skidded a few paces before darting down one of the tight, labyrinthine alleyways of the city. Roadblock. They could really use a roadblock. Something. That was when Walter spoke up. Wolfric looked back at him.

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine,” Wolfric replied simply. It was another second before he realized what Walter was actually asking. “Oh! You mean…Er. Well…I ate a devil fruit and…” He rubbed the back of his helm, glancing back. “You know, we can talk about this later. Can you make a roadblock?”

[whynot]

At the sight of seeing Wolfric get shot Walter jumped in fear only to notice that the man in front of him was still running. Now Walter was no doctor but he knew that wasn't a normal thing for ye old average human. He was about to ask Wolfric if he was ok but got quickly interrupted by the Wolfric who told him to keep running after which Walter sped up his pace. He was genuinely suprised this had to be... a Devil Fruit user... and he was right a few seconds later Wolfric confirmed it.

Suddenly they entered the alley ways Walter didn't like them it seemed that the walls where closing in on him. Wolfric began to ask him for something. "Huh? A road block? Hmm..." Walter looked around the small alley way he found what seemed like a dumpster a big heavy dumpster. "How about that!" Walter pointed at the large thing. "Maybe we should use that as roadblock... though... it's heavy." Walter paused that thing was big and heavy and would probably take a couple of guys to move it. Walter's eyes widened big he had a great idea! Show off his power! Suddenly he transformed into his Leopard  Seal Hybrid form! He seemed a lot bulkier and muscular now he smiled showing off his big sharp teeth, he scratched his heard lightly. 

Now Walter smelled something... a cat it seemed... hmmm and it was coming from Wolfric, he decided to ignore it. "Now I think I will push it! Hohohoho!" Walter said as he flexed dramatically. He went up to the dumpster and began to move it slowly, he first pulled it a bit out in the opening but then began to push it and it moved a bit faster. 

BANG! The dumpster hit the wall, the alleyway was too tight so the Dumpster was slanted but it did the job! "Hohohohoho! Watch them push through this!" Walter said proudly, he then turned back to his normal self. "Lets move on!"He said.

[Fox]

Wolfric skidded to a stop when something about the man running behind him changed drastically. What that something was…well, was his size! Walter had suddenly shot up, and once Wolfric had paused long enough to get a good look at him, he realized that this guy had to be a devil fruit user too! It was the only explanation as to why he suddenly grew fangs and enormous in an instant.

“Whoa!” Wolfric said genuinely awestruck.

Walter heaved this massive dumpster in their path, which would have taken several ordinary men a minute or two. A smile would have cracked itself onto Wolfric’s face if he had a face at the moment. In the next moment, Walter was back to his normal self. Wolfric rubbed the back of his helm with his free hand before taking off again at a sprint and rounding a corner.

“That was amazing! You have devil fruit powers too?”

However, before Wolfric heard an answer from Walter, he slowed to a stop in front of a tall wall. Dead end. There was a backstreet above them, but the wall was too high for an ordinary person to scale. Fortunately, they weren’t so ordinary. Wolfric turned to Walter.

“I’ll give you a boost,” he offered, “But…you gotta hold onto Pochi while I do.”

Grabbing Pochi with two hands and holding the little kitten out in front of him, Wolfric glanced behind Walter. Still no sign of the marines. If they could clear this, they’d probably be home free. Pochi, for his part, looked at Walter with wide eyes and a bottlebrush tail, letting out a weak meow.

[whynot]

Walter was proud of himself he had genuinely impressed this guy and was glad he did. A good first impression would surely gain him a spot in any crew out there.

 Enough of it Walter needed to move on, they kept running leaving the dumpster behind when Wolfric asked him about his powers. "Aye lad! I got one of those fancy fruits as well."

His answer was somewhat cut by the sight of the dead end now they where screwed or at least he though until Wolfric pointed out the backstreet which looked somewhat impossible yet Wolfric wanted to attempt it. 

"Ummm ok! Yeah I will hold Pochi...?" Walter responded to the offer, he then saw the cat the one he had smelled and the one who was named Pochi. "Here come Kitty!" He said not knowing how to react to a cat he had never had one before or seen many that where 'tamed' for that matter, since back in Pikt Archipelago the closest thing to a cat was a bobcat and that was not a funny animal to mess with. 

Walter gently grabbed the cat and held it like a baby of sorts. "Ughhhh... I am ready for the lift I guess..." Walter said.