[Episode] The Duel of Fates

Milo Skye wrote:Name: Duel of Fates
Category: Episode (-4 Difficulty)
Player Participants: Milo @Ziek @Milo Skye
Planned Location(s): East Blue [WARSHIP ISLAND]
Planned Time Range: February 03, 1829

Summary: A group of Pirates are holed up in a rather large cave of Warship Island. Rumor has it they are planning an illegal bout between swordsmen with a juicy Berry price on top. While Ziek is there to compete and take the prize to give some much needed upgrades to his ship a certain bat Mink, also there to steal the price for himself, will cause no small amount of trouble for the feline's swordman...

Well well well...
The light squeaking of Milo's boots signaled the blue furred mink was up to no good. He had just arrived on the island and was already searching for ways to swindle people or get more funds to hopefully make it to one of the big places he could settle down and start a life for himself.
It was a nice day, the sky was clear and the sun was slowly dipping below horizon. No clouds and barely any breeze. One constant though, was the smell of the sea. Milo had learned pretty quickly that ever since eating his Devil Fruit he would no longer be able to swim in the sea or any other body of water. Not that he minded much, he didn't particularly like having his fur wet, but there was always a small bit of melancholy lingering every time he saw the sea.

Milo's large ears flicked. He suddenly overheard something: a conversation. The Island was inhabited, but it was more of a den where various crooks and pirates would come from all around to discuss their illicit dealings. The bat would quickly find a place to crouch down behind and get closer. Inch nearer.

"So yeah I heard Krat was gonna try and go to that cave by the river up north."
"Yeah? What is he gonna do in the middle of nothing?"
"Haven't you heard, you idiot? There's a ring fight going on there. Sword people beating the shit out of eachother."
"Man those guys and their toothpicks again? What's the deal this time?"
"I dunno, but there's talk of alot of money on the line for whoever wins. You know Krat wants money."
"Well if he dies we're better off without him..."

Milo quickly weasled away, snickering. So... an illegal tournament with alot of money. Sounded like something he should check out. Perhaps he could also... have a little fun with this. Perhaps he could... borrow a body and get into the action instead of just stealing the prize. Yeah. He could do that. He could use his powers to convert a strong looking sword guy and use their abilities to win. That way he wouldn't even need to hide and immediately fly away from the island!

He quickly followed the clues he heard. From the docks where various pirate ships were tied down it would be relatively easy to find the river. Following it to the north would make the path much narrower, but it would also snake past a small forest and lead straight to the place. Milo found himself in a small clearing, where a bunch of... less than recommendable people with sharp blades were chilling, probably waiting for their turn in the arena. He could see the entrance of the cavern, it was lit with torches.

Milo quickly put up the confident act, walking in the group as if he was there to participate. The act wasn't going to last long, but he didn't need to let people realize he had no weapon. He just needed to find someone alone. Someone he could wear. As he strolled about, his large ears picked up the sound of someone arriving. A single set of steps as well. Perfect.

With a devious grin, Milo quickly hopped to walk towards the incoming person, the person who would soon become his new self for a good bit.

WC: 565/5000

@Ziek

There were two reasons why Ziek continued to serve food as he sailed the sea even after his mother died. The first was that the Mink loved to cook. It was a coping mechanism to the harsh life the sea brought him. To be able to take so many different ingredients and throw them together to make something that everyone could enjoy. It was a skill that could build armies. It was a skill that his mother taught him and was the only thing that could soothe him at times. Ziek was going to be a chef for the rest of his life. So since he was going to do it anyway, why not take advantage of it?

And that led to the second reason he continued to feed those who passed on the sea. He was the furthest thing from a servant, he was a businessman. And when money and treasure couldn't be used to buy his food then information was. And thats just how he had made a living for so long. Finding opportunities to get just a little bit more in life, and seizing them.

The cat mink was currently on Warship Island to see about a nice little contest that he had heard for some passing pirates. It was at a place that he had heard of before, but never really felt the urge to come to. That was before though. He had recently heard of a prize that he just had to get his paws on, and since he was in the neighborhood then why not? He would be in and out in no time.

His boat had been pulled up among much larger ships as he made his way down the path that led to his current destination. While his ship looked nothing like a pirate ship, that's exactly what he was at the moment. Not the chef, but the swordsman. And he had his two rapier at his side to prove it. But who knew, he might find something to cook up while he was out here. He could fillet with those just as well as he could stab or slice.

A battle of swordsman was laughable, because the nine foot cat man knew that he no one on this island could beat him. The money was as good as his. So he was going to win it, and add it to the cash he already had. His baby could use so many upgrades then! And the people here wouldn't even know what he them. "Nyahahaha!" he laughed as he tilted his head to the sky. The day was a beautiful one and the forest he had passed reminded him of home. And that was something that brought both joy and painful memories to the chef. He could remember running through forests and fighting invisible enemies with sticks while his mother called out for him to come for dinner. Or training with his master until he dropped so that he could prove to his mother that he was strong enough to leave.

Looking down with his hands at his waist, he was deep in thought when a figure jumped out at him. Before he could react, it was too late. He couldn't move out of the way, so all he could do was defend himself.

WC:552/5000

Milo would see the other mink before he would be seen. The guy was a mountain of a man. If he were any bigger his fruit would probably not going to work.

The bat mink was quick to hop into view, stop and act surprised. "Oh hello! I didn't see you there." He would say to the other furred person with the two Rapiers. "Almost bumped into you there." He would add, dusting himself off and looking up to the guy's face. From your looks you're here for the brawl. Good luck in there. I even lost my sword to my foe." He would add. It was an obvious lie, a fabrication to get to his goal, but he wasn't technically completely lying. People there were betting even their teeth at the moment.

"Oh! I almost forgot to introduce myself. I'm Kylo. Nice to meet you, mr...?" He would make up a name on the spot, as it was not a smart idea to give his name out willy nilly. The Mink would raise his arm up high, offering his hand at the other in greeting. He cast the bait, not let's see if the guy took it. One could probably never guess how insidious a handshake with the bat mink really was and Milo counted exactly on that to catch people off guard.

He could alreay taste the sweet sweet taste of victory. He would do so much stuff with a body like that, not counting the expertise the guy had in swordfighting. Given that he was seemingly using not one but two rapiers meant that the cat mink knew a fair bit about what he was doing. All knowledge that would soon be his. He just needed the other to do one simple thing: shake his hand.

Wc: 865/5000

Ziek wasn't usually one to get caught off guard. Especially at a place like this. I mean, it was crawling with dangerous criminals that were here for the exact same thing he was. What was stopping anyone from trying to get the upper hand before the fights even started? He didn't need to be so underhanded, but he could always respect the hustle. It was just his luck that he was comfortable enough to let his mind wander and be distracted enough to let this happen. It was reasons like this that he knew he had to get stronger. He could not afford to make mistakes anymore. Allowing mistakes is what took his mother away from him.And that was a memory that was constantly in the back of his mind.

The tall cat mink was now standing with one of his long arms covering him and the other on the hilt of his rapier. His tail was as stiff as a board as he laid eyes on his assailant, preparing to start the show early. And he saw yet another Mink, looking more surprised than he was. Was he mistaken in the smaller man's intent? Until he was back on his boat he couldn't be too careful. "Yeah, you seem to be in a rush," the cool cat said as his tail and body both loosened up. Looking around for a moment to see if anyone else was there to surprise him, Ziek settled his attention back on the smaller man, who was now mentioning losing his sword in a fight. His mouth twitched into a small smirk. The kid was clean as a whistle. He didn't have a scratch on him, yet he lost his sword? What type of fighting were they doing in there if no one was getting cut? Was that the caliber of opponent he was facing? He hoped that he could at least have a little fun.

When his fellow Mink reached his hand out to him the long armed cat reached out as well. He seemed like a cheerful enough guy there was a wonder why he was there in the first place. Other than the money of course. He reminded him of one of the lost sailors that he and his mother might pick up and feed every now and then. He was a lot more giving back then, as opposed to now when everything was more transactional. But who could blame him? Some of those same sailors turned around and tried to steal from them, and he had to cut them down. This guy, however, claimed to have already evaded the blade once today. It might have been the best move to just shake his hand and send the bat on his way before he really got hurt. "Nice to meet you Kylo, You can call me Chef," he smiled before grasping the other man's hand and immediately losing all bodily control. His legs gave out on him as he just flopped forward.

WC: 1053/5000

Well, that was easy. As soon as Milo had a firm grasp on the other mink's paw, his hand glowed lightly in a golden light and the feline began deflating under the effects of the Jippa Jippa no Mi. He was almost remorseful, almost. The guy didn't seem like the other crooks who loved to exploit others. But, as he quickly learned in the first years of his life, in this world it was kill or be killed. Kindness did not grow on trees and you had to watch out for yourself or risk getting a shackle around your neck. He was even one of the lucky ones. There were others he saw once and never again. Lives destroyed by the despicable sins of spoiled people. Where people with power could just decide you were to be considered a thing just because you were different. He would have hoped life outside of Lucky Eight was gonna be better.

Boy was he wrong.

He watched as the other guy flopped onto the ground harmlessly like a towel, probably wondering what was going on. The feline would still be able to see and hear, but not being able to move was probably quite jarring. "Sorry friend, but I need to... borrow you for some time." Milo would state, reaching down to grab the slightly shrinking person-turned-onesie and thowing him over his shoulder like a towel. He would need to find a place to change in peace where others wouldn't see. "I kinda need that money to get by, so i'll be borrowing your swordmanship for the time being. Not that you can object to it in any case."

He stepped around the clearing, finall finding a place he was sure no one would find themselves around at all. "Terrific these Devil Fruit powers huh? Makes up for the awful tase the damn fruit leaves in your mouth. Just thinking about it makes me gag." He always enjoyed conversing with his volunteers for some reason. Usually he would leave them unconscious so that they couldn't come back to bite him, but he figured he would never ever see the guy again, so might as well have some more fun. Not like he could go tell the authorities in any case. If he was there he was as much as an outlaw as he himself was. Besides, they were both Minks. Government was already convinced each one of them were scum anyway. He got nothing to lose. Sure, the guy could come back for a vengeance, but with just a fake name it'd be much harder to track the bat down.

"Don't worry. The feeling of emptiness won't last long." Milo would add after a moment of silence, settling down the guy so that he could pull open the huge zipper that had appeared on the feline's back all the way down. From the nape to the waist. "You'll get used to it real quick don't worry. Tell you what, I just really need the Berries. If you play nice you can have the recognition of beating a couple of crooks in a cave. I prefer to remain on the down low in any case. It's good for the health."

It was like wearing his flight suit. First the legs, pull up, then arms. Pull head over his own like a mask and then zip back up all the way with ease. In a flash, Milo was about two feet taller and no longer a bat, but the selfsame feline mink that had shaken his hand just a few minutes prior. He stretched and looked at the getup he was now using, once belonging to the person he was now wearing like a jacket. "Well? You can't talk, obviously, since I'm in control of your body now. But I can hear ya. Just gotta think hard enough." He stated, revealing a little bit more about how his powers worked. Milo reached down and pulled one of the two swords out of the scabbard on his waist. He examined and pondered for a moment.

"Huh...sharp toothpicks. Eh. Whatever works. As long as it works I'm not picky." He mumbled, swinging it around a bunch before putting it away. He spun on his heels and began making his way back to the place where the pirates were holed up. "If it makes you feel better, I can use all your expertise on swordfighting for myself, so I don't plan on getting whacked by someone. Well not everything everything, but just enough to know how to wave these things around without cutting myself. Feel free to throw in a couple pointers on footwork though. I'm more of an acrobatics guy. Wings and all you know."

WC: 1653/5000

This was by far the oddest Ziek had ever felt in his life! At first he was shaking the bat's hand. A hand that almost immediately began to produce a golden glow that the taller man had known was nothing good. And then out of nowhere, his body began to deflate. And no, he didn't mean that his posture changed, his body literally began to deflate under the touch of the one in front of him. All the rapiers wielding cat could do was look at the man before him with shock as he dropped to the ground, much like a heap of clothes. What did this mean? Was this what it felt like to die? All he could feel was emptiness as he laid there, helpless.

But then he heard the voice of the bat mink once more, going on about having to borrow him. What the hell was that supposed to mean? How could you borrow a person? And when he was done, was he going to give him back...to himself? This whole situation was messed up. When his attacker picked him up to throw him over his shoulder, Ziek tried desperately to move. He tried to knock the other man's hand out of the way, but his body would not listen to him. The overconfident feline was now more helpless than a child.

As the bat walked, Ziek managed to get glimpses of where they were going as he flapped around. And despite wanting to yell out stop, wanting to tell this guy to shut up and give him his body back, he couldn't do anything but listen to him. He said he needed the money, well they all needed the money! That's why the were here! But how the hell was he going to borrow his swordsmanship to get it? Usually he would say that was impossible, but as he lay draped over the bat's shoulder he couldn't confidently tell what was possible or not.

Of course Kylo had devil fruit powers, that was the only explanation for this. Ziek had heard of the awful taste and never wanted to put something so bad in his mouth, so the thought of getting abilities that way never crossed his mind. He preferred to get ahead with his own power. But he had to admit, it was the devil fruit that caused him to get caught off guard by someone who seemed to not have any blade skill.

Is that what he did? Did he take all of Ziek's skill and movement, and plan on winning with it while he was stuck in this corner? All the heap of skin could do now was try and figure out what was happening and why. Kylo mentioned that the empty feeling wouldn't last long? Did that mean that he had gotten what he wanted from him already and planned on giving him his motor functions back? Ziek eyed the devil fruit user with as much malice as he could while the other man pulled down the zipper on his body. The feeling was just as unpleasant as...wait...he had a zipper? He could only watch in horror as his body was stepped into and worn by someone else. So this was what he meant?!

When the bat finally finished getting dressed, Ziek's field of vision improved. He was standing up straight again, but everything seemed a lot higher than it was before. And he now knew exactly what Kylo meant by him not feeling empty anymore. He didn't feel empty, he felt controlled. Recognition didn't mean anything if he wasn't the one to actually do it. And whether they were his skills or not, he didn't trust the bat to utilize them to the potential that he would. As soon as he found out that he could still communicate with his wearer, he chuckled.

"Kylo is it? I hope once you release me that you can get away quick enough. If not, I'm going to drown you before you can make off with my money." In his predicament he was all talk, but he knew that devil fruit powers didn't last forever. "Also, those aren't toothpicks, in the right hands they can do more damage than any blade, he thought. "And my hands are the right hands, so if you mess this up, it's all on you."

WC:1779/5000

"Don't worry Chief." Milo responded, expecting vitriol and being totally immune to it. The faux cat swung his hips around and wiggled his new tail. He was in full control now and he kind of enjoyed every second of it. "I'll be out of your hair once I have the prize in tow, never to bother you again. Besides, what you're even going to use the money for. Bling? Booze? Ladies? Trust me, you can rest easy knowing you've helped someone make it to the end of the month. Consider it like some sort ot...charity. Yeah. Let's put it like that. Charity. I like that." He would conclude, getting near the clearing again and going for the entrance of the cave. He would quickly avoid the other crooks sltill lounging about and walk deeper in. "Ironic, isn't it. I've been a slave for most of my life and now I am the one that gets to control people. Best of all, they can't say no." He would say. "Have to say, I've merged with a good number of people, but it's a good thing I got you by surprise. The feeling I'm getting by...well... being you tells me I wouldn't last long mano y mano. This time though it helps. Fighting people with your body will be a breeze. You sit back, relax and enjoy the ride yeah?"

Witht that, the faux cat would arrive to the hidden ring...which was more of bunch of people holed up in a badly lit rocky cave shouting as two people in the middle of the circle beat the schnot outta eachother. There was also some blood on the ground. It seemed more of a place where anything goes. The faux cat would be approached by two burly dudes, blocking the way to the "stage"

"Hey cat, you here for fun?" One of them asked.
"What's up with the zipper huh?" The other stated, trying to reach for it before having the arm slapped away by the cat. For no reason that zipper should be pulled until he was done with wearing the cat.

"I'm here for the fun." Milo stated, trying to use the height he gained to look more imposing. He placed a paw over to a rapier. "Do I have to sign up somewhere?" He would add.

The two crooks would recoil slightly and back off. "Easy man, you can just go there and ask to join. Last man standing." The first one would point behind him. Milo nodded and stolled off, still keeping an eye on the two. Just in case. There was something fishy in the air. He could smell it.

"Those two had the same tattoo on the right shoulder." He sent a thought to his would be partner resting in his head. "Something is not right. I'm beginning to think this is less of a tournament and more of a scam." He could still feel the guy was against him somewhat. The body he was using wasn't responding as fast as his original one. "Look, I'm already wearing you. It's not like you can fight it at this point. Could you like, relax and let me do my thing? Hell, if you help me out it'd be over much quicker too."

The would be feline would check in to the person he was pointed out and spot the same tattoo: that of a cracked skull with a knife piercing the top of its head. He frowned lightly. "Was told this is where we need to do things." He stated. The man nodded. "Go there" it said in a course voice. "Just fight. If you die or lose and whatever we get the stuff you have. If you win we give you the money. Now go, there's not many spots left for the first round."

The feline impersonator would once again nod assertively and make his way towards the fight ring. "So, any tips and tricks before I start fighting?" He would ask his prisoner within their shared mind. "Not that I need much, I already have your body and most of the abilities you have. Just so, you know. The real one is better than the imitation or something like that."

WC: 2357/5000

If Ziek had a mirror, he knew he would be terrified by what he saw. Here was was, moving about the place, but he had no control over any of it. And the way he was walking around now was so different from his usual movement that he cringed with every step. Inwardly at least. The way he held his head up and the swagger in his step were all gone. When he swung his hips around and wigged his tail the cat mink would have rolled his eyes if he could.

The bat didn't seem at all concerned with the threat that he had given, and it did nothing but make Ziek more upset. Who did this other Mink think he was? He had no way of knowing what anyone else was going after that money for. Bling, Booze and ladies? Pfft! Okay maybe a little of it was going towards that, but he had a legitimate use for the most of the money. He wanted to fix up Catarina, the boat he had parked outside. Though he took care of it like his own baby, There were certain things that weren't attended to since his mother was gone.

He honestly had no interest in helping someone through the month. If he was a pirate, then he had to do what needed to be done to survive. No one was going to take care of him when they had to worry about themselves to feed. Which was why he assumed this was happening in the first place. If it had happened to anyone else, he would be more intrigued than anything. But the fact that he was the victim out of all these thugs was very unlucky when he was probably the only one who would even offer some food to the skin wearing Mink.

Kylo mentioned being a slave and the cat kept his thoughts silent as he added that piece of information to the backstory of his so called kidnapper. It was a tough break, one that he could have went through himself if not for him being born under certain circumstances among those of the same race. It was a big reason why he was asked not to leave Zou all those years ago, why he had to prove his strength first.

They walked past several people who had seemed so much shorter a while ago, and finally entered the cave where all the noise was coming from. It was your typical underground fighting den. It was packed, filthy, loud, and the smell of the place would knock him out before any of the fighters would. When the two large men stepped in front of him and asked what he was there for Ziek tried to respond, forgetting that he wasn't in charge at the moment. He just smacked one of the guard's arms away and opened his mouth to speak when the bat was ready. This was so annoying.

However, he wasn't annoyed enough to miss the same things Kylo brought up to him. Something smelled fishy, and not the good kind of fish. But what could he do about the situation? Maybe if they scared the devil fruit user enough he would jump out of his body and fly off. And based on how he reacted earlier, it was as easy as touching a zipper. His silent treatment must have been getting to the other man, because he basically pleaded for him to deal with the situation for what it was. And after seeing the third tattoo Ziek realized that he might be in danger as well if he didn't do something.

Giving a heavy sigh, the cat mink gave in, if only a little bit. "Scam or not, I came here to beat everyone that got in my way. And if you have my skills, that's just what you need to do. Just, no more funny hip swings or tail movements."

WC: 2437/5000

Milo shuddered, the moment he felt the cat relent was the moment he finally felt great in his new albeit temporary body. He quickly seized complete control, straightened up his pose and gifted Ziek much more elegance in in his steps. "Hmm... much better. Alright then. No more wiggling." He thanked his partner. "Though...thanks there chief, this will help make things easier." He denoted, hearing his fake name being called and stepping up inside the ring of people, where he stood defiantly against the opponent he was to face. "If it makes you feel better, your body is not half bad. I quite enjoy it. Weird to say probably."

He quickly unsheathed both the swords he was carrying, instinctively entering the same fighting pose the original owner of the body he was using would employ. "Well then? Shall we get to it?" He taunted his opponent, ready to experience everything his new body had in store fighting wise.

It was...so easy. So incredibly easy. The first guy didn't take a single step and was already knocked out. He played with the second challenger... well like cat and mouse. The third challenger was mildly interesting, but failed to do much at all before being knocked out. The amount of power Milo was able to squeeze out of the cat's body was incredible. He really hit the jackpot. He saw right choosing to steal the cat's body. He was barely breaking a sweat. It came to a point where he was actively looking for more people to fight. He was having so much fun. He was able to be super light on his paws, his long tail kept him balance even when he was flipping and dipping. He kind of missed his wings a little bit, but when he was able to be this acrobatic... it was almost addictive.

Sadly, it seemed like not many people wanted to get beat up when they saw a mink with two swords slamming people left and right without as much as a scratch. "Well? Who's next?" Milo asked, at this point reveling in the power he had. No one stepped forward. "No one? Really? I thought this was a fight club." He taunted.

"Sorry man, no one else can fight." One of the burly dude called out, carrying a bag that jingled and seemed to be quite full. Full of coin no doubt. Milo quickly snatched the prize, grinning ear to ear. "Thaaaank you very much." he would say, flipping on his heels and winking at the clearly fuming guy. "Let's do it again sometime. Maybe not." He would add as he quickly walted past the mountain of groaning beat up pirates and the very unhappy organizators.

The moment he stepped outside, he bagin hopping along and went for the forest, prize stashed in his bag. "So... that was fun... but I think we're not out of the woods yet." Milo would speak out loud for the moment, using the cat mink's ears to look out for approaching danger. "Something tells me that the fighting we did was a set up. I expect those guys with the stabbed skull to be onto us soon to get the money back. Which means I'll be wearing you for a little bit longer, if you don't mind. Any tips for fighting more people at the same time?"

Wc: 2916/5000

All of a sudden, things didn't feel as bad as they had been. It still was a weird feeling to have someone inside of your body controlling you, but it was no longer uncomfortable. The mink could feel his movements get smoother, more familiar as he glided over to the "arena" where the fighting took place. And after continuously insuring him that he had nothing to worry about, Ziek had to admit he was intrigued with seeing what the bat could do. Through him, of course. "Oh I know my body is amazing, I experience what you are feeling right now everyday," he thought smugly. The tall cat had always been a bit cocky, he thought it healthy to love himself. It was only right that others would love to be him too. As his body moved and got into his own fighting stance, Ziek had to keep reminding himself that he wasn't in control. Reflex made him want to act. "Just don't let any of these grunts mess my body up."

But as soon as the fighting started, all of his doubts were swept away. Of course, not knowing which way he would go was kind of jarring, but it didn't stop him from enjoying the fight. Kylo was right, he did pick up his skills while in there. So it was like the longarmed cat had a front row seat to his own fight. He watched his own swift, fluid movements without having to think about them. One man down, and then two fell victim to his...Kylo's blade. The devil fruit user was jumping arounds cutting and stabbing, it was obvious that he may have been enjoying the feeling way too much. He couldn't blame him though, he was planning on enjoying himself the same way. As long as their goals aligned, this wasn't too bad. It still felt weird as hell.

When Kylo started taunting everyone with his rapier in hand, the cool cat just chuckled in his head. "Calm down now tiger, remember you're here for the money, not the fight." And as if in response to his thoughts, the tattooed man called out that there was no one else before handing him...Kylo...the money. Without a second thought the bat mink snatched it and went on his way, of course taking Ziek with him. "I would have taken all of the weapons too. Good for trading ya know," he thought. But that probably would have invited pushback that the smaller mink was not willing to get into when he already had the coin in hand.

But trouble was what they were going to get anyway. As they walked down the path that he had come on, Ziek paid attention to every little detail that he could cath . And there were a lot of them. Perk of someone else walking for you was that you could focus on everything else. "You're definitely right," he said, confirming his wearers suspicions. "I don't think they ever planned on giving away the money. They were probably trying to jump the beat up winner and take all the spoils for themselves." That must have been it. And seeing how they won with little problem, the plan must have switched to catching them off guard.

"The best tip I can give you is to let me go and fight them on my own. And if you won't take that one then how about, hit them and don't let them hit you."

WC: 3016/5000

Milo pondered. Pondered and pondered. He stopped walking and looked down. He checked the Zipper on his back. Still safely closed. The cat was still under his complete control. His mind wondered back to the fights he did after stealing his skills. He replayed the scene in his head a couple times. He let out a long sigh. "My real name is Milo." He stated after a while. "And from the way you fight...the way I have been able to fight after wearing you tells me you're not really one of those bad guys. Bad people kill and maim, meanwhile all your stuff I have been able to use either smacked them uncoscious or disarmed them. I guess that's what I get for lumping everyone together. Hell, I'd question why you'd even come to this place. You remind me of a friend I once had. He... didn't make it, sadly. "

He carefully reached for his nape. He grabbed the zipper and began pulling it down, hesitating for a moment. "You know, it's a real shame. I kind of liked your body, not gonna lie." Was the last thing before he pulled it down all the way. Once again, the cat deflated and was left on the floor as Milo stepped out. Ten seconds later, the cat was back to normal. The oversized zipper was gone. Not a trace.

Milo hadn't run away as he had said though. He remained there, a little sheepish. He had one arm outstretched. He was offering the satchel with the money to him. "I'll... find another way to get by." He mumbled, looking away. "Makes us even yeah?" He would add.

The fruit bat's ears twitched. With all the fighting it was well into nighttime. While the moon gave a good amount of light, the young mink's senses were still much more tuned to the dark. Large pointy ears especially. He could hear the sounds of quiet steps approaching. One was more weighty than the other, while the rest were mostly trying to be sneaky. He could also feel the faint tingles of brass buckles and wooden scabbards. He wiggled the satchel at the cat, signaling him to hurry up and take it. "I count four-no. I count five threats, closing from behind us. My bet is the crew with the stabbed skull. Probably a good idea to get our business done, they'll be on us in moments."

WC: 3320/5000

If he was being completely honest then Ziek was growing used to the smaller man using his body. As off as it sounded, that's how he was starting to feel. The banter between the two in his mind. The total lack of responsibility he currently had for himself. It wasn't the best situation to be complacent in, but as his so called kidnapper continuously told him in the beginning, there was nothing he could currently do about it. So when the cat said that he should let him go, he had no idea that the other mink would actually do it! Hesitantly, of course, but he began reaching for the zipper and let Ziek's body go back to normal.

It was a pleasant surprise when he told him his actual name, and conveyed his thoughts of him being a good person. Especially since he was starting to feel the same way about the sneaky mink. And he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, able to deduce what type of man he was based on his fighting style. At first, the tall feline was fully intent on finding him and making him pay when he got his money back. But now he hoped to see the younger male get away safely. Especially if his life was as hard as he let on. It was something that he definitely understood. And when he really thought about it, the bat reminded him of an old friend as well. Maybe under different circumstances they would have gotten along from the beginning.

When the zipper was pulled and the at stepped out, it didn't take long for Ziek's body to get back to normal. He slowly stood up and felt for the zipper only to realize that it wasn't there anymore. And when he looked down at Ky...Milo, the young man was still there holding out the bag of gold. He could add brave as another one of his attributes. After doing what he did, and knowing what the older cat was capable of, he stayed. Pausing for a second, he grinned and snatched the bag. He did earn it...sort of. Well the details didn't matter right now. They were being approached already. " I knew you had a mink's heart," he said smoothly. "How about I treat you to a meal when this is done?"

Turning around to face the five that his new acquaintance mentioned, he pulled out his rapier once more, this time the true owner of the body wanted to have some fun. And just as the bat mink said, there were five men that showed up with that same tattoo on their necks. He didn't recognize the mark, but there were plenty of no name gangs trying to exploit others. He just wished they made sure they weren't so weak beforehand. "Look, he's got a little friend," one of them lcughed as the advanced. Dropping into his stance, Ziek placed both of his arms behind him with blades pointing towards his enemy. "What's up fellas, did you forget to give me all my money.?"

WC:3532/5000

Milo hid behind the now much taller cat, being a little more sheepish and insecure since he was no longer wearing the cat's body as his own. "I am not super great on a fight on my own. Maybe it was better if I kept wearing you a little bit longer." He would comment, he himself getting in a stance that had clear influence from Ziek's own but seemed more geared towards keeping space rather than closing the distance. He had just been fused to the cat mink for a few hours at best but the bat was already learning.
"I'll try to support you best I can, but you have to do the heavy lifting chief." He would add, just as the bigger guy of the group suddenly inflated like a balloon and about toubled in size. Another devil fruit user. He barked at his boys to go get the money and the fight was on. Milo's fur puffed up slightly as he would very soon have to run circles as he tried to keep his assailant from getting near. He ould begin launching bolts of electro at the bandit, zapping him once or twice and landing a hit while the guy's body was locked up. He also narrowly avoided getting head shaved off by a scimitar. The first time by ducking the sloppy overhead swing, getting the blade stuck in wood. The second one bly flying up so that the guy couldn't possibly hit him without having to throw the sword. After enough attempts, however, Milo managed to shock his target hard enough to make him drop the weapon. The bat would quickly swoop down on the disarmed enemy, kick the sword away with his boot and then smack the guy in the face, mimicking the movement he instinctively used when being Zeik. The guy recoiled as the blow hit the bridge of his nose, but wasn't yet out. Milo wasn't a strong without the cat's body. However, when the crook whipped his head around to reacquire his target milo smacked him again. This time he was able to use enough sentiment in his blow that the guy did a nice spin before dropping like a sack of potatoes.

Milo turned around to figure out the situation and see if Ziek needed help or if he had already took care of four assailants in the time it took him to just get one off their back.

WC: 3728/5000

This couldn't have been the same person who was talking like he was untouchable. While in his body the bat mink had no problem expressing how he felt, or his lack of care for whatever anyone else felt. Cocky Kylo, feeling like the world was his at a touch of his fingers. Ziek glanced down for a moment and looked at the meek Milo. There was a vast difference between the two, but the question was which one was the real version. Milo, after giving him his name and the money, chose to stick around even though he could have bailed at any moment.He was fully aware of his limits, and because of that this situation made him very uncomfortable. The cat mink was aware of that, and chose to believe that Milo wasn't a bad person. He had done the same for him at least. Watching the smaller mink's stance as he offered a little assistance, Ziek closed one eye and smiled. "Seems to me like you have more potential in you than you let on Meek Milo," he assured before turning his full attention on the approaching thugs.

One of them, apparently the leader of this little group, had another weird ability that made Ziek weary. He had been around devil fruit users before, in fact he had fought a few himself. But after what he just went through he didn't want to take any chances that someone else might get the drop on him. One of the guys went straight for Milo, who immediately started flying around as he chased him. Ziek stood and watched the chase before deciding to let the bat deal with it. Fighting that man might teach them both something about him. As he watched Milo maneuver in the air like he could only dream to do, one of the other four men attacked him, bringing down a katana to cut him down. Ziek calmly and narrowly evaded the blade by sidestepping it, transitioning into a spin that ended with the hilt of his rapier striking the back of the man's head. "Now that was rude," he said as the man fell into a heap on the floor behind him, the feline facing the other three assailants. After seeing how easily he dealt with the sneak attack, the cowards looked as if they didn't want to do it. But he had just gotten control of his body back, he needed to use it. "The plan doesn't change, get him!" the devil fruit user said, and Ziek took that as his cue.

Bringing the fight to them, Ziek shot forward and parried the first man's pathetic attempt at attacking to keep him at bay. He stayed there, purposefully baiting the second man to attack at his back once more. Of course, the thoughtless brute did it, and the towering mink easily blocked his strike as well with his long arms. Once the were both in reach Ziek got low and swing both his rapier around in a circular motion, dispatching of both gang members simultaneously. A they fell he kicked each of them toward the final piece of trash. He quickly turned to the large man and laughed. "Nyahahaha!" The already imposing man was now definitely at Ziek's level height wise, and he seemed to have the muscle to back it up. But the name of the game was skill, and he'd already proven that he had that to spare. "Hey big guy, do those muscles deflate like balloons too?" he asked while spinning his rapier in his gloved hands. The man spit at the ground and ran toward him, his size not doing wonders for his speed. A giant axe in hand, he swung once and Ziek ducked beneath it. The second swing was easily read and he disarmed the oaf, but his opponent took his chance and grabbed Ziek, trying to literally squeeze the money out of him. "Give me tho berries, you filthy animal!" he roared. The mink looked down, unimpressed. Suddenly, electricity began pouring from his body and the man screamed before letting him go and dropping to his knees. Pushing the man over on his side, Ziek heard a loud smack and turned toward Milo, and it seemed like he had taken care of things on his end. Sheathing his rapier, he walked over to his new comrade.

"So shall we get out of here before someone else shows up?" he asked, looking at the aftermath of the fight. He had been away from Catalina for too long. There was no telling if the had send someone there as well.

WC: 4303/5000

Milo nodded vigorously. He was quick to grab Ziek's paw and tug him along as soon as the cat retrieved the money. This time without turning him into a wearable onesie. Normally, he would have fled as fast as he could on his own, but given how strong the cat was it was probably the best idea to stick around him so that his chances of survival increased.

Milo tugged him along, looking forward and weaseling out of the rural foliage and into the makeshift docks following his ears, deliberately trying to avoid as much people as he could.

"You got a ship?" He asked, looking around. "I can fly, but without you being able to fly I don't think I can carry you. We need to find someplace to hide. It's probably best we leave this place for a good while. At the very least until these people have truly come and gone. Especially if there are more people of that fun crew running around looking for us." He would soon add, sticking to the walls and while still keeping the feline's paw clutched in his hand. He quickly shoved the cat in a more secluded place a couple of minutes later. "Stay here for a moment."

He moved over someplace, boots squeaking as his rubber soles warped to match his stride. The bat looked for something among some supplies left on the dock and retrieved a helmet he quickly stuffed on his head. With a moment to fiddle with it, ears poking up and mask pressed over his nose, Milo dropped the visor and pointed at the cat. "STAY HERE." He ordered. From that he would squat down, arms up and in a beat he was up in the air. He climbed up far, up to the clouds. The bat would then hover in place, looking around for other people coming for them. He could spot a couple of the bodies they left there in the woods, seeing them still knocked out through the foliage. Satisfied, he quickly skydived back down, frontflipping to land on his feet back on the ground. He pulled his visor up and looked a the cat. He offered his own paw to the other mink again, with urgency still.

"Okay, clear. Let's go. Go go go."

WC: 4111/5000

Mllo grabbed his hand and they were off before Ziek knew it. The bat mink was speedy, even on land. Ziek's longer legs were put to work as they ran through the foliage. The younger male must have really wanted to get away. He didn't know why there was such a rush though. These thugs seemed weak enough that they could stroll off the island with little problem. He'd have to work on the little guy's confidence. He was more badass than he let on.

But then again, a healthy fear could come in handy sometimes. Like, what if they did have a small army of thugs nearby, ready to pounce at any time? Or what if these criminals got their hands on a weapon that would do more than a little damage if used? There was no reason to stay on the island now anyway, so why be cocky? They continued to run until they reached the "docks".

"I got my baby Catalina docked nearby, but I'll tell you now she's not a battleship," Ziek responded to his speedy companion. He placed the information about the other mink not being able to carry him in the back of his mind. So a getaway to the skies was out of the question. Next thing he knew, the cat mink was shoved into a tight space, and told to wait there as the boot wearing bat went and found a helmet to put on. It was an interesting choice of wardobe, but to each their own. Then, Milo took high into the sky again. As soon as he did, a Ziek stepped back out and looked up. If someone approached him in the moment they were meant to find him.

The mink was definitely an ideal scout, scoping the area in one fell swoop before coming back down and showing off some nice acrobatic skill without even giving it a thought. After letting him know the coast was clear, Milo reached his hand out again, but this time Ziek grabbed his hand and took off toward Catalina. "I've got a better idea. Let's make sure they can't follow us." Letting go of the bat's hand, he jumped up on the first ship and slashed the sails with his rapier as he passed by and hopped on to another. Most of these ships were those of other pirates and businessman who hoped to make money from the ordeal. But none of them were his, so they had to go down. "Are ya gonna join me? Catalina's on the far end, but every other ship is fair game!" he smirked as he sliced through the mast of the second ship.

"Hey! Stop that!" called some poor guy who had just docked the island. "Sorry buddy, you're at the wrong place at the wrong time." The feline continued to do this until he reached a ship baring the same symbol on it's flag as the tattoos on the necks of their assailants. He stopped, and could hear something coming from below the deck. Several voices actually. "Lookout for me," he called to Milo as he walked down the steps. There were several men with the same tattoos talking while guarding a room. Before they could react they were both pinned against the door with his rapier. He grabbed them both by the throat and shocked them to sleep. His goal was whatever was so important that they had to leave two people to guard it. Removing his rapier, both men dropped to the floor and he pushed them aside as he opened the door.

There were barrels full of weapons, no doubt ones that they had taken from everyone who fell into their trap. Guns, swords, even things he couldn't quite name. It was safe to say that this operation had been going on for a while. And at the end of the room was a cell that had a child in it. Some frightened red haired girl who cowered at the sight of him. Using the tip of his blade, he picked the lock and knelt down. He didn't know who she was but it didn't matter She needed help, and there was no way that's what these other pirates were giving her. "Do you want to leave this place?" he asked calmly. She nodded vigorously and the cat meek placed her on his back. He then grabbed two barrels in each arm and made his way back up. He had spent enough time here. He sent his electro to light a fire on the deck next to barrels of rum. It was the cheap stuff so it would burn quickly.

Asking Milo for assistance, he jumped off of the ship and began making his way to the only working ship on the docks now. "I've found someone else to meet with us."

WC: 5113/5000

Milo was about to tug the cat somewhere safe, maybe borrow a boat or two, then the feline mentioned having a vessel of his own. "Great! This is perfect, we can go before-" He could not finish the phrase and the cat just had to rush him someplace and then start tearing people's sails. Milo's face scrunged up in a disbelieved pout. "We are trying to get out of here, not get everyone's attention!" He shouted at the swordman. His words fell on deaf ears though it seemed. "Tch. Showoff." Milo would mumble, not having time to do much but lauch at a breakneck speed behind the other Mink. He had no clue what the "Catarina" or "Catalina" or however that ship was named was, so he had no choice but to indulge in the craziness that the feline mink was currently entertaining. So much for trying to go unnoticed.

He moved quickly, using his wings for added power in his jumps, Head forward, body low on the ground, he flexed his addominals to get more power in his quadricepts. He did need to go fast, but he did not have a shiny metal toothpick to rip things nor he really wanted to. The bat resolved to follow the road left behind as best he could... and by that it meant being a little more nuanced in his movement and take out his full repertoire of parkour moves he had "borrowed" from one of the earlier victims. He made sure to learn as much as he could before letting that guy go, mostly because he was on the run quite often and knowing how to traverse living spaces in the most efficent way possible in the least amount of time was a godsend when you're trying to get out of dodge. Sure, you also needed extensive knowledge of the surroundings to pull off the fancier movement techniques. At that moment in time, it was a luxury he could not afford. He had studied the area a little bit as soon as he was there, but not enough to really know the ins and out. Even then, you couldn't exactly study ships in a dock. Each moment there would be one coming and one going. He would never be able to go somewhere if he tried to memorize them all.

Mindful of not slipping and falling in the water, certain death for him given the powers he had, he pushed through, growing more scared the more people caught glimpse of him and the cat. He quickly slid down where he could, vaulted over mast and lookouts. He threw in a couple of flips midair, twisting his body to reposition in case he had to land at an off angle to grab the ripped sheets of the slashed sails. It would go on for a couple minutes at most, then the cat had another fancy idea. Milo's fur would have bleached white the moment he saw the cat change course and go for the ship of the guys they left in the woods. "What the hell are you doing?!?" He shouted in a panic. They had just escaped a bunch of guys in the wood, this was no time for a rematch.

Milo shoulder rolled onto the deck of the ship, stopping in a three point pose, helping with his arms to grind his momentum down to nothing. "Don't go finding more troubl-" He would say, being more than capable of hearing sounds of people beneath the creaking wood. Naturally, the cat did not listen and went in anyway. Milo was left on the deck of the ship. Looking around frantically to check whether or not other crushed skull pirates were on their way. He was left with a decision. He could probably leave the guy now, run away and hide someplace. With the commotion the cat had created, he could probably find a barrel he could hide in to get on a ship and leave, but then again, it would be a tossup where he would end up. He wasn't much into letting luck pick. Not only that, but he had been seen trailing behind the cat. If he was found before the ship was in the docks, he could risk his life by being thrown at sea.

He hated it at the moment, but the cat was the best chance he got to get out there. "I should have kept you under my control." He muttered under his breath, boots squealing as he twisted around and ran up to the mizzenmast for the first few steps. He used that height to backflip and push up with wings, giving enough air time for him to get airborne again and up in the sky. His ears twitched. He could hear the sound of fighting from below. The sound of bellowing too. As he scouted the area around the ship, trying his best to remain as centered as he could in his panic he didn't know if he should just start crying. Why. Why did he had to go and fight the rest of the people. What if the other guys were now up and after them? What if these pirates then swore to kill them both and started following them around specifically to target them?

Oh man, oh man! He should have just run when he had the chance!

The feline would be out in a few moments, which would prompt Milo to leave his position and go back down. As soon as he gave a look at the guy he stumbled backward and almost fainted. Oh dear lord this guy just went in, beat up some dudes, stole their shit and was running away with the ladies a... WAIT WAS THAT SMOKE HE SMELLED?

Milo's adrenaline kicked in again. "Are you insane? Why the hell would yo- you know what, I don't care. I just wanna get out of here without being skinned alive by the locals. For the love of the gods and everything that's holy let's get the hell out of here." His heart was going so fast he was starting to feel lightheaded. He probably would faint any moment for real if this kept up. The whole thing escalated quickly the moment he stopped ordering the guy around. "I want off this place. Where is your ship?" He inquired. Enough bravado for the day, they needed to skedaddle and fast.

WC: 5183/5000