Black Ninja

Tsubasa and Black Ninja: Fairy Tail: Next Generation

Ryzo hesitated slightly and then inhaled through his nose. With immense calmness and precision, he lifted the rock. He would be careful but at the same time hitting the collar would cause some slight vibration and undoubtedly would leave a bit of bruising on her neck. With that in mind, he brought his hand quickly and accurately. The rock hit the collar, the sound of the crack filling the small cave. Satisfaction filled him at that. It took several more hits - each one hitting the same spot with machine-like efficiency. When the collar was broken enough for Zelia to remove it, Ryzo moved back and tossed the rock aside.

"There, try it now." His eyes watched her.

He watched as the joy of having her magic again become evident. He watched as she levitated the collar before sending it against the cave wall. No doubt a major amount of satisfaction filling her at doing so. He watched, half expecting her to not bother with his collar. If she was smart, she wouldn't. She didn't fully trust him - nor did he give her reason to - and they were allies by necessity only. All the more reason why she should have left his collar on.

So when she levitated the rock up and mentioned his, he was a bit surprised. He quickly covered it by raising an eyebrow.

"Are you sure that's wise? You don't really trust me and from past interactions, we haven't really been friends."

He could technically argue that whatever they were up against, him being able to access his magic would be essential to her but he didn't. He was actually curious to see if she would free him without that logic. The Fiore Wizards were so much different than his own home. They did things that he would deem foolish or strange. He wondered how far that would go and if the fact they were enemies would change that or not.

~ ~ ~

Skye stiffened slightly as Flynn almost gave away the fact that she was a foreigner. True, Trex knew that. The entire team did. But not many others - if any. She had worked hard to hide her alien status, even pre-war. And had only recently - right before the war - made it known to her teammates....her friends.

Still, with the war suddenly happening, and the increased suspicion of foreigners - the fear of being discovered, kicked out - or worse, locked up - was still there.

Thankfully, Flynn didn't utter it - not that he would betray her. It had taken a some time for her to finally come to that realization. In fact, it wasn't until they had been heavily interrogated about their home origins that she had finally learned Flynn wouldn't. When he basically vouched for her, saying they were from the same village and even giving a lot of details about it, did she realize he wouldn't betray her.

It was a hard thing to accept. She was so used to being betrayed that to not be had hit her hard. It showed how much more her new teammates - friends - were.

Trex nodded.

"Yes, a shame really. It would have been nice to find a few more of them but everything changed. Maybe once we find Zelia again we can get back on it. I know we had a few ideas where the next one would be." He grinned at Flynn. "Don't worry. We'll get them for you."

Pirates X-Over: Salazar's Cursed Treasure { Ninja & Angel }

Will paused at the question. It was a fair one. If she was going to help she needed to know some. Probably not everything. But at the same time, he wasn't going to completely spurn her. He did need her.

"Will," he said in response to her question about his name. "And the girl is the cousin of someone I know." Someone he loved. Someone he would never be able to love again. He looked away a moment, gathering himself. "Let's just say, I don't think anyone should be held by pirates as a prisoner - especially as they might just use her. But at the same time, it's a bit personal because her safety would mean a lot to the person I know."

He shrugged and turned his attention back to her. At the comment about his name, he didn't reply just gave a partial incline of his head. Part of him honestly didn't care what her name was but at the same time, that was a bit rude. So he pushed the thoughts aside.

He did notice the slight wince as she rose. The injury still there. He listened as she made her demands.

"Within reason, I will listen. But I want to be kept appraised. I don't like to be kept in the dark on something - especially as honestly I have no choice but to trust you but it doesn't mean I like that. If what you tell me to do makes sense or can be explained then I can work with you. But I can't make a promise to obey a hundred percent of what you command when neither of us know each that well and don't fully see eye to eye. If that's fine with you, than we do have an accord."

He held out his hand for her to take it. He didn't take hers as he had ammended the deal and now wanted to see what she was going to say.

Tsubasa and Black Ninja: Fairy Tail: Next Generation

Ryzo raised an eyebrow at her remark. The fact she smiled when she said it was tempting gave him an indication that she would NOT do it. Though she probably wanted to. He knew he had hurt her a lot. It was more his associates but the betrayal was just as great. He hadn't wanted her involved. But it was what it was. And the fact that she had been forced to stay asleep by someone from his party hadn't helped.

His gaze met hers as she held out the rock. Very interesting. She was trusting him not to hurt her - probably same logic he had: she figured he needed her. Which he did. Though, he also noted that if he freed her, she was not obligated to do the same to him. Very interesting indeed. It would give him a good idea of what she truly thought and how badly she felt she needed him.

He took the rock.

"I won't hit your neck." It was a simple statement though there was assurance behind it. He had no intention of hurting her. "You might lay down so the ground stabilizes it." He told her.

He knelt down beside her, moving a bit of her hair aside, gently.

"You ready?" He asked, his eyes meeting hers.

~ ~ ~

"Likewise," Trex shook his head. "I wish the war never happened. But we're almost all back together again." He gave a partial smile. "Alright, let's catch a train."

The trains had started picking up again and open to civilian use. Though there was still a lot of military and war transport. Bringing people home, transporting injured. Getting tickets for most civilians wasn't difficult but still based on priority. Thankfully, being wizards who had seen action, they were able to get up on the list.

Once on the train, Trex looked across at Skye and Flynn.

"So catch me up. What have you two been up to?"

Pirates X-Over: Salazar's Cursed Treasure { Ninja & Angel }

Will was not really in the mood for a lot of games. And every minute wasted her was a minute Abigail was left in the hands of the decadent pirates. Still, he couldn't rush this woman. If she knew how desperate he was, she could use it against him. Well, technically, she would know he was desperate when he asked but at the same time, he hoped to reach some part of her conscious. Despite kidnapping and holding the girl hostage, she hadn't killed Abigail. That counted for something. Though, more likely so she could get away really. Either way... He had to rely on her. Despite his instincts saying otherwise.

"The pirates have captured Abigail. With the Commodore gone, I can't convince the governor to send someone out after her. His own niece." He shook his head furiously. "They could be doing who knows what awful things to her. She's only 18!"

He looked back at Vivienne.

"I need help to find her and rescuer her. I don't have the knowledge of pirate lairs nor have the means to run a vessel on my own." Right. How was he going to get a ship? Pay for one? He didn't have enough money for that. He sighed. "If you help, I will get you out of here. After I get Abigail and we return, you have my word that we can part ways and I won't try to bring you in as a prisoner again - at that time."

Pirates X-Over: Salazar's Cursed Treasure { Ninja & Angel }

Will stormed away from the garrison, furious. The governor was not going to help. He didn't care. They had repairs to make, wounded to care for - who cared that an eighteen-year-old girl was gone, kidnapped. It was sickening. He couldn't let it just stand. For Elizabeth's sake he would go after the girl. Actually no, he'd go after her because no female should be a prisoner of pirates. The unspeakable horrors that would await was not something he'd willingly allow to fall on anyone. Besides, Elizabeth was married. That was the end of that.

But how to proceed? He didn't really have a ship or sailing experience. He didn't even know where to go. Where did pirates go after they did a raid? Was there a meeting place?

He scoffed. It would be unlikely that an honest person would know. It would take a pirate to find a pirate.

He stopped in his tracks. A pirate.

Turning he quickly made his way back toward the prison. He wondered if the woman was still there or if she had been executed. Or perhaps even rescued, though he doubted that. Pirates had no sense of loyalty.

Finding no guards at the door, he was a bit more worried as he made his way down to the cells. Relief hit him as he spotted the woman still there, despite the hole in her cell.

"Where do pirates hang out?" He asked to an abrupt halt outside her cell.

Tsubasa and Black Ninja: Fairy Tail: Next Generation

Ryzo watched as Zelia stood. She was weak. Extremely so. He wondered again how long she had been here. Had their captors intended to just leave them here to die? It made no sense. Why would they do that? Why put a collar on them and then never come back? If the intent was for them to die, than why not have them killed right away?

Either way, what-ifs and wonderings wouldn't help much. Going over beside Zelia he looked at the crack then his gaze looked at her. They were close - close enough that he could see the vibrant color of her eyes as well as the droplets of water forming at the edges: tears. He didn't comment on them or point them out knowing that it wasn't really his place. Besides, it was understandable.

He frowned slightly, his hand going to the collar at his neck.

"Well, I haven't figured it out yet but then again, it is a bit difficult to examine it when it's on your own neck. But now that we both are here, I can get a better look. Do you mind?" He asked his hand moving up slightly to touch her collar. He brushed her hair slightly aside and leaned in to examine it. It fully encircled her neck. No beginning, no end. It was completely fused.

"Interesting." He frowned. That would make breaking it more difficult. Still...

"How about you try that rock on my collar." He nodded toward a large rock. "See if you can bust it off. Just...just don't hit my neck okay?" A smile toyed on his lips but he was partially serious. He wasn't sure how much she hated him. He was betting on the fact that she wasn't going to purposely kill him as she could use his help to escape. Though, he wouldn't put it past her to 'slip' once or twice.

~ ~ ~

Trex waited for Flynn to say goodbye. He gave his friend a slight grin as the older boy headed out with them. Nudging him in the shoulder, he lifted his eyebrows. "Still with Lucy huh?" There was a bit of teasing in his eyes, though not as much as there once had been.

Moving on to the question at hand, Trex frowned. "Well, let's start at the border and work our way back. Her last location was up north so we'll go there and see what they say. Then we can trace the most logical route back - presuming there wasn't any conveys that came from that area. It will be a big search but hopefully we can narrow it down and find her."

Pirates X-Over: Salazar's Cursed Treasure { Ninja & Angel }

It was the pirate woman - had to be. His life wasn't perfect. In fact with Elizabeth getting married - had married - Will wasn't sure about the future. Then you had the pirate woman show up. His first pirate engagement ever. One that was ruined by his drunken master who, like always, received all the credit despite the fact it was Will who had kept the woman occupied until the soldiers arrived. And now, there were more pirates. It was as if the woman showing up had brought the rest along. Which was a good possibility.

Dodging a sword, Will ran a pirate through before moving along. His skills were impressive and he found that though some pirates were skilled, not all of them were on the level of the woman he had fought. Thus, it made it fairly easy to defeat them.

Will jumped aside as a massive ball at the end of a chain nearly hit him. The pirate, a massive bloke, grinned and started to swing it again, gaining momentum. Will watched carefully as he knew one blow from that could break a rib or even kill him, pending where it landed. Thankfully, a weapon like that was cumbersome. Not the easiest to manage. Dodging another blow he let the pirate 'push' him, using the terrain against the man. Even as the man knocked down the sign over his own head, the pirate didn't realize what had happened. Though most likely as the man lost consciousness he'd have realized he had been doped.

Will shook his head. Pirates. Such foolish individuals. A glass hit the bag of his head at the moment, and as he hit the ground, his vision going black, he found it ironic.

~ ~ ~

By time he came to, the pirates were gone and it was almost dusk. The town was silent on the aspect of gunfire and canons but there was still a lot of activity as soldiers moved through the streets checking to make sure there were no living pirates, a baby cried in the distance, and the people of Port Royal moved around, taking stock of the damage.

Walking back toward the blacksmith, hoping the pain from the back of his head would fade, Will listened to the chatter. The pirates had gone as far the governor's mansion. There were some rumors that Abigail was missing. Others dismissed it saying that the Governor and his niece had been moved to the safety of the garrison fairly early on.

It wasn't until he passed a couple soldiers talking quietly did he find out the truth: only the Governor had been safe. Abigail had been seen taken to the ship.

Though he didn't really have a connection with the girl that much, she was Elizabeth's cousin and therefore someone worth going after. Turning, he headed toward the garrison to see what the governor had planned. As well as hoping to hear any news regarding Elizabeth's safety.

[[sorry. Probably not the best of posts. I hope you'll be able to do something off this. If not, let me know and I'll add more.]]

Tsubasa and Black Ninja: Fairy Tail: Next Generation

No mocking smile toyed on Ryzo's lips, nor did he seem to take her remark negatively. Instead, he gave her hand a formal shake, noting that despite its softness it was a hand used to work. And he knew that. She wasn't one to just sit back and let others do the work for her. She was a partner, none who was not afraid of hard work. Which was good. That would aid in helping to find a way out of this mess.

"Completely understandable." He let her hand go, his own falling to his side slightly. "You felt betrayed and we aren't particularly allies prior to this. I'd be very surprised if you found it easy to just set your feelings and intuition aside. In fact, it would be rather foolish of you to do so."

The statement was more matter-of-fact. No malice, no sorrow. Just fact. He was from Caelum. One who trusted others to easily didn't live long. You always had to have a part of your guard up. You can work with others, even form alliances, but that didn't mean you tossed everything out - your feelings, gut, intuition. And trust...full complete trust was not something that should be given quickly. You could work with someone and have some level of trust without completely lowering your guard.

He was actually impressed and glad Zelia didn't fully trust him. He would have questioned her sanity otherwise.

Turning, he looked at the room. "Alright, so we have plenty of water but not a lot of food. I only have so much on me. Which means they didn't really search me or care." His eyes narrowed as he looked around the room. "The fact they inhibit our magic and then trap us is curious. They didn't kill us outright yet without food, we'd die soon enough." He inhaled. "The air isn't too groggy meaning there is some air floor." He turned to Zelia. "Perhaps if we find that entrance we might be able to expand it. Fresh air means a way to the surface. We find that and we might have a shot to get out of here."

~ ~ ~

Trex was surprised and a bit touched. He should have known his friends would rally quickly. "Alright, then we'll head out." He clasped Flynn on the shoulder even as he glanced toward Skye. He didn't touch the latter as the last he had seen her she had been way to skittish for such an action. And though she seemed a bit more...open, he didn't want to risk it.

He turned his gaze to Lucy. "Lucy, great to see you again. I'm glad you made it in one piece. Hope the rest of your team did as well," he said sincerely. Reaching down, he slung his back over his shoulder ready to leave.

Skye picked up her own bag. Like Flynn she hadn't just arrived but she did like to keep a bag always packed. Besides, she figured that if Trex or Zelia hadn't shown up shortly than Flynn would have gone looking for them. And she wasn't going to be left behind. Not that that was the only reason she would have gone along. Despite herself, she actually had grown to like Trex, Zelia, and Flynn. Concern for their safety would have sent her out as well.

It was strange to let others in. She wasn't sure she liked it but at the same time it was...nice. She belonged - or at least for now. And her time with Flynn during the war gave her some indication that they weren't going to just leave her or betray her on a whim. Or so she hoped.

She could be burned but...but for now, a little hope and trust was worth it.

Tsubasa and Black Ninja: Fairy Tail: Next Generation

What appeared to be relief crossed Trex's face. He had wanted to rush right away and see if he could find out what happened to Zelia. But at the same time he hadn't wanted to rush to any conclusions. She could just be late and he was over-exaggerating. Undoubtedly, as Flynn said, she probably was just getting sidetracked on her way back. She was kind-hearted so it was possible. And they'd all probably look a bit foolish if they had rushed it. At least that was his initial thought. But the fact that Flynn seemed to think leaving now to find her was a good idea, it helped Trex on the back and forth mental indecisiveness he had been going through. If Flynn felt they should leave now - even if it wasn't an issue - and he felt it, then it probably was a good idea to do so. He nodded.

"That's a good idea, Flynn." Trex smiled, though the strain from his worrying showed through slightly. "It's good to be with you again. Both of you." He glanced toward Skye.

Though she lowered her eyes briefly and bit her lip, Skye didn't completely duck her head and look away. Trex was again surprised at how far she had seemed to come. He glanced toward Fynn. The wizard must have been a good influence on her.

"Alright, let's head out. Or do you guys need to get anything?" He asked.

"No," Skye shook her head. She nudged a bag at her feet. "I'm ready whenever."

Trex raised an eyebrow surprised she was packed and ready to go but didn't press. And the girl didn't offer any explanation. Turning, he looked at Flynn.

~ ~ ~

The mocking, he expected as much. But the fact it died and she turned serious was not expected. Ryzo kept his expression completely neutral as Zelia spoke. There was no indication which part was accurate: If it was a game or real. Nor did he seem to respond to the comment about hating each other. He waited until she finished, her question hanging in the air for a few moments.

"Loving each other is not something honestly needed on the specific task we are set out to do." And that was probably all he'll give her on that. True, he and the others didn't get along. Hatred was a bit strong of a word. Tye was.... well she was Tye. But despite that - and despite what Zelia thought or felt, he didn't despite her. Nor did he hate any of this other teammates. The bond of...family, as it were, might not be the same as Zelia's but in some aspects, Tye and Zen were basically all he had left. Not that Zelia would understand. Nor did that mean he trusted Tye.

"You might not believe me in anything I say, Zelia," he turned slightly away and glanced toward the trickle of water, his eyes moving up to the source. He wondered if they could get out that way. He turned back. "But you're presuming that I'm a villain." He gave a slight shrug. "Though, I will concede that in your eyes I probably am." For a moment his neutral expression shifted and there was just a faint hint of something else. Whatever it was, he looked a bit younger, more...not innocent but good. Vulnerable? Whatever it was, it faded. "I will tell you that when I first met you I hadn't known who you were or your relation to Flynn. I didn't anticipate you being a rival for the color keys." He gave a slight shrug. "But believe what you will. But I concur. What matters is that we have no choice but to work together. Any rivalry or ...dislike, we have for each other we should put aside. If we can't find a way to get out of this than we'll both die here." He met her gaze, his neutral eyes meeting hers. "So, truce?" He held out his hand watching her.

Pirates X-Over: Salazar's Cursed Treasure { Ninja & Angel }

Abigail honestly didn't anticipate the captain letting her go. She wasn't THAT naive. Still, it didn't hurt to toss it out there. She wasn't going to give him the opportunity to pretend to be a good person if he wasn't going to follow through with it. She met his eyes doing her best to appear brave half expecting him to say or do something, refusing her. But he didn't even reply, just gave a nod. She frowned a moment wondering if she had misjudged and he was actually going to let her go. That was when she saw the look on the quartermaster. Her heart sank a bit. She should have figured. She kept her chin up even as she was made to follow.

She wasn't surprised when the captain finally did announce what he was going to do to her. She was worth a lot. Thankfully, that meant she wasn't going to be killed - or worse. Still, it meant she was stuck here until it happened. Her jaw tightened as she gave the captain a dark look but it was slightly distracted as she noticed what he was playing with. Her heart lurched into her throat and she did her best to hide the surprise and desire to snatch it from him. He couldn't know how much it was worth to her. It would be something else he'd use against her. She had to hide it. Especially as she doubted he'd just give it back.

Turning her attention back to the captain, she raised an eyebrow. "It would behoove you to let me go now. Though my father would pay the ransom there is no doubt you'll regret taking me prisoner."

She had to be careful what she said. She didn't want him to think her worthless. He'd probably just kill her for spite. But at the same time, he would regret it. Her father would not rest until the man was hung. "Though I understand that you might be too foolhardy to do so."

It was amazing how brave she appeared. She was terrified. The fact her knees weren't knocking, her body wasn't trembling, and her voice wasn't betraying her was amazing. Years of hiding behind a mask at the society balls had helped her hide her emotions and feelings. She eyed the captain calmly.

Her gaze shifted slightly away from him, past him to the table. Her brow furrowed slightly as she saw a couple things that... her face paled. How did...? She quickly tried to control her emotion but it was hard. What was the Commodore's hat and Elizabeth's dress doing here? It had to be coincidental. A copy.

She forced her face to show no emotion even as her own mind was trying to understand what was going on.