Fantasy Are you tired of sipping Crab Coladas? (Pirate RP) (Always Open)

[WayfaringWaaksian]

"So goin' further, do ye just go by upper halves an' lower halves? Or could ye-- fer example, wear Seb's pants, but also me underpants? Do ye mix-n'-match, or... see what I'm gettin' at?" Though she went on as if she had, Fergie hadn't ignored the more critical aspects relayed of the challenge. An iron grip was required if they hoped to have success; luckily, years of holding ropes in the billowing wind and hoisting herself up the heights of the masts gave her a grappling strength to envy after. She wouldn't be letting go of the chest easily, hostile interference or none.

She wouldn't be letting go of her compulsion to annoy the shit out of people she didn't like either, which was either a blessing or a curse depending on one's perspective.
Barely holding back a full-out guffaw at Sebas's little comment and the subsequent pissiness from the demon, Fergie was all too quick to own up, "I dunno 'bout 'im, but I did," nodding and grinning like the idiot she was.

The confirmation that the items hidden within were indeed rare-- one-of-a-kind, in the case of something she could only fathom-- made her nearly giddy with excitement. Could it be that all-seeing amulet or whatever Captain was talking about up in the ship, or something new entirely? Simply not knowing was making her curiosity itch insatiably like the skin under a callus, and the only way to scratch it was to bet their souls to this horny wench who probably just wanted to see "the goods" after being stuck in a dark room for who knows how long. Fergie wouldn't go so far to consider it a fair bet, but a risk well taken?

"Hell yea! Let's do this shit!" Fergie swam over and gripped one handle of the chest in both hands. "C'mon, Seb. Grab 'er chest. Kept 'er waitin' long enough." A not-at-all subtle wink was flashed the demon's way.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Cursed Chest Room​

"It's times like this where I hate being a Curse Demon," she muttered, "If not for Provocation, I'd cut out your insolent tongue.........anyways, I take whatever clothing I want from either of you until I have on a full set. What is taken is 100% determined by me. My 50/50 split was a gesture of good will. Keep it up and I will strip Sebas of only his most insignificant articles and you of your most vital."
Sebas recognized that, when given control, a curse demon will stretch that leash as far as it could go. "Oi, let's not piss her off any further." He grabbed the chest, "You're joking, but this really isn't the chest I'd rather be grabbing right now." He never said the Curse Demon had NO allure. She held all the beauty he would want if he were chasing demon tail. It's just that knowing she was a Curse Demon, alongside the dodging spears and swimming deep under the ocean to get treasure to a man who had no qualms risking THEIR lives, cut his libido to shreds. Seb cleared his throat and, in unison, they said the key words. "Strip me bare oh baron-ness so that I may carry out your task."

Frigid Waters
Immediately, the waters crashed in on the duo.........well the COLD of the waters crashed in on them. All of their scuba clothes were imbued with magic that let it regulate their temperature. If they were hot, the magic kept them somewhat cool. When cold, the fire magic kicked in to warm them up. It allowed them to survive in hot or cold climates...........like these waters. Both of their bodies were ripped of a lot of these clothes, which meant they were now both a hypothermia risk.
Sebas was stripped at the bottom. Pants and underwear. Ferg was stripped bare at the top. Shirt and bra. Sebas lost both his gloves and Ferg lost both her flippers, hindering her ability to swim
"Oooohhh," the chest said in the voice of the now disappeared Curse Demon. "Sebas, your underwear are certainly quite big.........Wish it was only your clothes. Ferg's clothes feel like literal rags."
"Can you not commentate on my underwear?" his teeth were clenched. All together, their clothes prevented hypothermia. NOW, since half of it was gone, it was only delaying it. "We're on a timer here, Ferg." At a certain level of hypothermia, symptoms like clumsiness, dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion.


The Darkness receded to reveal Elaina at the doorway. Before she could move in, Sebas stopped her. "Absolutely do not touch the chest. You touch it, it'll likely blow up your tank."
"What can I do to help?"
"We cannot let this chest go. It's on you and Razor to defend us." All they had was one hand to defend themselves at most. "We need to leave the way we came in. Take us to Razor's cell and we'll exit from there." That will allow them into the Pockets, which will give them a chance to warm up before hitting the way out. The last thing they needed was to be on a Hypothermia timer while wandering around this

They were submerged in frigid water. The remaining gear they had on it extended their time. They had about 5 minutes to warm up before hypothermia set in. Either that, or they release the chest to get their clothes back on to prevent it.
WayfaringWaaksian RoseAstasia

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

The way Fergie was continuing to grin like an idiot, it was undeniable that she was getting a rise out the curse demon's rising agitation. She might have gone further in that moment if not for Sebas's order to back down. Besides, she was much more interested in his sentiment regarding chests. "Eheheheh-- same."

Much of her days having been spent in cramped quarters and shared spaces, Fergie wasn't deterred by the thought of being unclothed in front of her fellows. She wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the prospect, but after sharing showers, living spaces, bathrooms, and the like, it didn't bother her anymore. Even though she was a woman in the male-dominated world of sailing, she lacked half of the allure the demonness had. What did she have that was even worth staring at? So her threat of "stripping her of her most vital articles" wasn't much of a threat in her mind.

"Strip me bare, oh baron-ness, so that I may carry out your task."

It wasn't until freezing waters bit into her bared skin when she realized just what she meant by "vital". So this was the crazy catch that would come back to bite them? Fergie felt like a fool for forgetting just how deep underwater they were. A shudder passed over her body, a compulsion to release her hands to rub at her chilling arms passing over her mind. But she wouldn't be letting go over anything less than an emergency, regardless.
The only compulsion that wouldn't be stifled down was the one that made her say to the demon, "Big enough to cover yer fat ass?" Honestly, she was surprised she wasn't bitching about the size of her own clothes, given Fergie's lack and the demon's... generous proportions.

Fergie let Seb do the explaining, taking a moment to map out the ground they'd covered in her head. It would take much longer to reach the ship from the caves than it would take for them to reach the pockets in their current whereabouts. Another thing worried her. Sebas's cold tolerance was likely higher, large and muscular as he was. Fergie, however, barely had more than scraps of meat on her bones, hardly anything to protect her from the frigid temperature. Both of them were ill-equipped in these conditions, but Fergie knew she'd be feeling the effects faster, with Sebas not far behind. "Can that sub fit more than one person?" she asked him, thinking of ways to cut corners and save time. Assuming the sub was still at their disposal, and not engaged in hordes of enemies. They hadn't heard from him for a long time now, she realized.

Kylesar1 RoseAstasia

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Underwater Prison(?) ---------> Razor's Cell​

"It should be able to," Sebas said as they exited the room and followed Elaina and Razor. At minimum, that sub had to have a bathroom and a co-pilot, so that alone would be enough space for 3. "I just hope Sub clears that horde before we get there." While Elaina could take out an enemy or two, Razor was the only one capable of taking on multiple enemies at once.
"We're putting Razor in the front and Elaina behind him looking out for enemies."
Elaina cast a spell to reveal all of the rune traps they were in danger of activating. "There are 2 Fishfolk in Razor's cell. One mage and one spearman. We'll take care of it."

The waiting was agonizing as Razor and Elaina made short work of the fishfolk. Sebas knew Ferg's body wasn't exactly made for cold places, given how scrawny she was. It would make it harder for her to warm and easier to chill. By the time Hypothermia set in for him, it would be at an advanced stage for Ferg. That gave Seb more motivation to move faster. They had to move. Waiting was not gonna be fun for them.

By the time Razor and Elaina dismantled the fishfolk, Sebas was under a full body chill while Ferg was under a level of cold that felt like burning. Upon their emerging from the room, Sebas charged in. "Sebas, there are 5 fishfolk up top waiting." As soon as they enter that hole back up to the Air Pockets, they would be meeting spears and spells.
"Then go take care of it," Sebas said, the chest starting to feel heavier as he got colder, "We'll be up right after you, so make it quick."
As they swam away, he looked to Ferg. "Sub is a much better destination than to the ship itself. We'll get there and I guess Elaina and Razor will have to swim for it." It wasn't like they wouldn't be able to support. It's just that they can't expect to be of effective help with at least one hand hauling this big-ass chest. "They can probably hitch a ride back up to the surface."
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Fuck, it was cold. To think that not far above them the ship was rocking in sun-kissed waves, her crew toiling and sweating under the beating heat. Or was it already twilight up there? Hell if she knew, her sense of time was fucked. It felt like they'd been under for six damn months or something.

While Sebas was charging into the room with the speed of a bull, Fergie's swimming kicks were already slower, hampered by her missing flippers and exasperated by the intense shivering her body was giving into. It burned, all over her bare skin. Almost like fire, but... cold. Weird. Deeming it better to focus on how perplexing this was over how much it hurt, the iron grip she maintained and the look on her face wouldn't display any notions of pain. "S-So that would make... pockets, s-sub, ship... th-three drops." Best case scenario, no hostiles or environmental factors would make them let go of the chest prematurely. But she knew better than to expect anything short of the worst. "Uh..." She glanced down at Sebas's paling hands. "C-Can ye still f-feel 'em?"

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Razor's Cell​

The Razor/Elaina duo moved up to take care of the fishfolk, with Elaina revealing all of them through the walls and Razor going to work.

While waiting, Ferg asked him about his cold. "Nope." Seb responded. When it comes to cold, the limbs lose heat first to keep the core warm. "and it's starting to full body burn......." He was feeling the chill in his bones. "Luckily Razor moves fast, so we can get up to the pockets and warm up without letting go." If they don't let go while warming back up, it'll save them a drop in case they encountered enemies that would make them drop. "We'll bring a Temp Stim for now on," he chuckled. Laugh to keep distracted. A Temperature Stimulant is made to regulate the body's temperature in extreme circumstances. Keep you from going into sicknesses due to extreme heat or extreme cold. Keeps you from cutting open a caribou and climbing inside to survive a sub-zero raging blizzard, or drinking cactus juice to cool down.

"Done," Elaina chirped
"Let's move," Seb said and charged upwards and out of the water.

Sebas shivered as he lay on the ground, wanting to curl up in the fetal position to conserve heat. He just couldn't due to not wanting to let go of the chest. "F-f-fuck.......We got 2 more of these to go." It was like a race with a moving goalpost.
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

"Temp Stim's 'r h-handy. S-Still thinkin' about that keg ye promised." Alcohol gave the illusion of warmth, but temperature stimulants didn't ease the mind of worries that brought more chills to her spine than the frigid cave waters. And they weren't just worries borne of their current predicament, even as her skin was alight with cold fire and feet growing more numb by the moment.

Squatting and shivering in the relative warmth of the pockets offered some relief, but not much. Though she shared in Sebas's dread of the drops to follow, dwelling on it wasn't helping. "It'll be worth it, Seb. Just think 'bout all the shit we'll be gettin' out of it. Gold, respect." She pointed with her head at the chest between them. "This sour tart, 'ere. Imagine what we could get outta 'er." If the tribute she demanded was within reason, then they would have an invaluable asset at their disposal. "Dunno 'bout you, but I got meself a few requests in mind," was said with a growing grin, anticipation with a hint of mischief glinting behind her goggles.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
The Pockets​

Sebas didn't really think about the words that were said and what they were looking to gain......It didn't even process until Ferg brought it up. It was immense. "Oh yeah. Her as a relic is probably more valuable than everything in this chest. She had to be desperate to gamble servitude for this."
"I am NOT DESPERATE!" the chest shrieked.
"Silence, unholy wench! Mortals are talking!" Sebas barked savagely, smacking the chest and hearing her acknowledge the smack. Since she possessed the chest, she could feel the smack. Sebas's annoyed savagery was coming out again, and not even a curse demon was immune to the effects of one of his verbal lashings. He was about to berate her to the deepest corners of the Void, but seeing Ferg shivering brought him back to reality
"Anyways, I got some requests of her," Sebas responded, "This is big boy divine power. Divine power and divine assets.......though I sincerely wonder about the potential of it.......and if Adonis would get envious he can't utilize it." It was big boy divine power indeed. A tribute would be a small price for something like an unrestricted favor to the limits of her power.

He had warmed up quite a bit now, enough to continue forward, but Ferg wasn't as muscular as he was. Far from it, in fact. Was SHE ready? "What devilish idea do you got for her? Or am I left to guess?"

WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

"Tch. If Capt'n wants in on the deal, he should've come down an' risked 'is own damn hide." Fergie didn't mean disrespect towards the man, but fair was fair. They put their lives on the line for this, and if Adonis dared take issue with their reward, he could forget that stupid froo-froo bottle of wine he wanted so badly.

Her skin had stopped burning since they'd surfaced, feeling returning to the parts that had been exposed, but she was still deeply chilled. It couldn't hurt to stall a little longer, just to get some heat in her body before they went for the long-haul. "Eh, places to go, scores to settle. That sorta thing." What pirate didn't have some unfinished business to take care of elsewhere of the crew? Better to leave him to guess than to give him her whole life story. Squatting in a cave half naked wasn't the best place for that. "I know business comes 'fore pleasure, an' all that, but what I could really go for right now is a thick slice of devil's food cake," she directed at the chest, grinning wider in anticipation of the hellfire that would ensue.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
The Pockets​

"Devil's Food Cake......well TRUE Devil's Food Cake is beyond my power to give you." The chest responded.
"Yeah, I don't think she meant that the way you're taking it." Seb didn't know, but mortal sweets didn't sound Ferg-like when half of her bits were out in a damp leaky cave over a thousand meters under the water. All he knew was that from his lens, he definitely wanted a slice of this chest's curse demon. A tribute for a night of unholy divine pleasure? sign me up, Seb thought. Oh and he would, knowing that as long as he had a tribute, she was at their disposal an unlimited number of times

But she had unfinished business. Relatable. "True. I also got unfinished business that I'm not even sure exists anymore." For all he knew, he could be the last party alive, but to share her mindset, half naked in a spot like this wasn't a good place for it, though he was sure she probably didn't care at the end of the day anyway

"It's time to move forward," Seb said, "Phase 2 will be a bit more challenging.........." The next stop was Sub. They had to go through the trap tunnel, out to the maze (which is hopefully still dispelled), and through the extremely narrow tunnels that would lead out to Sub. If they couldn't get the chest in the Sub, they could still hitch an effortless fast ride back to Big Daddy. With an easy heave, Seb was set with an iron grip on it.

"We'll keep scouting ahead. Unless we run into a threat against Razor, you should have an easy clear path," Elaina said cheerfully, feeling more confident now than before. Those two moved forward fairly quickly, and the sound of the door opening meant they were swimming again.

"Since we didn't drop here, if you'll need to let go while we're out, just tell me so we can release at the same time." Otherwise it would count as 2 releases. If she were gonna release to get her warming clothes back, Seb may as well get his warmth back too
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Well, there wasn't any hellfire, but Fergie did find the demon's confusion worth cackling at. In hindsight, she had to wonder if her advances would have even been met with the disdain she expected. With how desperate Fergie believed that tart to be, she had to wonder if she was willing to take even a briny half-goblin such as herself. Who knew how long since she last was given a tribute?

Testing that theory would have to wait, as well as chit-chat about the past. Sebas seemed ready, and despite her tits freezing off, Fergie felt ready too. She was eager to get the chest back into the water so her arms would stop shaking trying to carry the big-ass thing. "Aye. Got it." Chilled to the bones she may be, she felt more secure having an extra drop to spare. It was going to be a long trip, but for now, with Elaina's perceptiveness and Razor's prowess paving the way, she was confident.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
The Pockets​

Seb inhaled deeply as they made it to the water. His stomach began to churn a bit at the knowledge that they had to go back in this frigid ocean. "Oh god, I don't want to do this shit," Seb muttered
"You better do it," the chest responded.
"Shaddup before I leave your ancient ass in here for fish men." Seb knew how desperate this chest was, which was why he was free to degrade her as he wanted. While they were bound, Seb knew that she wanted them to complete the challenge if for no other reason than to leave the Pockets. "Tributes dry up?"
A bit of silence. "The fishfolk leaders are exceedingly cheap with gold and valuables they have no use for since they're under the FUCKING OCEAN!" she screamed in an ear-piercing shriek. "10 tributes. I got 10 tributes in 25 GODDAMN YEARS!"
That caught Sebas off guard. "How long have you been here?!"
"25 years."

That was LONG before the last ship sunk, literally before he was 10 years old. That explained the desperation in that demon. His eyes almost glazed over, but his immediate sense of despair was just as immediately replaced with a sense of extreme apathy. Seb looked to Ferg. "This stays between us, Ferg. This can't possibly be the correct treasure.....but we're not coming back down here." 25 years was a LONG time, so given all of the sinkings that happened in that time, this place and these fishfolk probably had enough treasure and loot to buy a country. "I don't give a shit what Adonis says, or if this doesn't have the treasure he's looking for." Adonis was a skilled treasure tracker. He was looking for a specific relic that he was sure was on that ship, thus a specific treasure chest. To Seb, that relic was gone. He wasn't loyal enough to Adonis to pursue his mission any further, not in these conditions. Even if he was, neither of them would be in a position to come back. Sebas knew that hypothermia was almost a certainty
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Fergie gawked at what she was hearing. That certainly answered that. "Holy fuck. I... don't feel sorry fer ye at all." Further demonstrated by her laughing in the face of the demon's misfortune. To think that this divine entity, with all her power, had been wasting away in an old chest deep underwater, with only apathetic fishpeople to keep her company in the rare moments they deemed her worth their time. And that in particular had to be the biggest slap in the face; Fergie knew many landfolk who would readily stab backs just for a chance at having a demon at their service. Merfolk? They hardly gave a shit. "Aw. Wee imp must be so lonely."

Though it complicated things, for sure. They wouldn't be returning with what Adonis wanted. Still... "Again. Should've come down 'imself." They had been prepared to excavate a sunken ship on the ocean floor, not breach the territory of a massive fishfolk colony and get buttfucked in every which way. The captain was lucky that he'd be getting anything out of this. "Odds 're we got somethin' even better than that Eyesight Amulet 'r whatever." Whatever chest that held it probably wasn't being guarded by a curse demon, comparatively. Fergie was convinced that while searching for silver, they'd found gold.

A horrid chill spread though her body just from the foot of her lichen prosthetic testing the water tentatively, but it wasn't enough to bite back her returning excitement. "Heh heh. Just thinkin' 'bout the look on all them's faces when they see this." The crew would be greener than Fergie with jealousy. That alone made the trouble worth it.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
The Pockets​

"I don't always take tributes for sex, you swamp-lichen gutter whore," the chest bit back savagely, "Typical mortal, can't shut the hell up about sex." Sebas wanted to facepalm. This was all completely unnecessary. They had better things to do. "I have power that is only limited when dealing beyond this realm. Very few who know this want to take my vast power and put it into their gratification." The curse demon sounded almost irate yet a bit smug. "Out of the last 10 tributes, only 3 were for sexual purposes and only 1 was for direct sexual gratification." Which meant that those other 2 were to give them either sexual appeal or sexual aid. "I guess the undesirable one-legged half-breed is repressed to the point of obsession."

Sebas had to intervene. "Shut up, just shut up," he barked, unwilling to let this go any further. "Chest, you're an object. Shut up and be that object."
"Women are not ob-"
"YOU'RE AN OBJECT!" Sebas smacked the chest hard again. "I said act like the object!" Besides a low whimper that Sebas could only imagine her holding her head, there were no further words

He looked to Ferg. "Let's not provoke the chest anymore. Not down here." The last thing he wanted was these two verbally sparring while they were trying to get out of here. Ferg was proving herself an expert in pushing the Baroness's buttons
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

"Lonely in that merfolk don't care 'bout demon dealin's, ye spectral slut!" Fergie spat, a bit disenchanted with the back and forth now that her words were being flung back at her. "Takes one to know one!"

Sebas put a stop to it pretty quick, Fergie standing at-attention when her own hands felt the force of the smack through the handle. "Aye. 'Pologies." As much as she wanted to goad her into snapping— which she finally had, and was all too satisfied with it despite some choice words— she realized it was becoming petty of her egging this on. Not that she cared about that, she knew she could be petty as hell. She just didn't want to make Sebas an unwilling contender in this pissing contest she started.

Her fire for it was quickly quenched when they reentered freezing waters, anyway. And thus began the tedious task of retracting their steps in the labyrinthine caves. "Looks familiar 'ere. Wait, no it don't. Fuck me." Something to that effect was said a few times before she decided to shut up about it. There were no landmarks visible to her eyes that would lead to the way they came in. This seemed more in line with Elaina's skills. "We came into this big cave from a couple tunnels with plants growin' in 'em," she told her. Green plants in the pitch black? It was still odd to her why they were there, but it hadn't been the mystery on her mind at the time.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Outside the Pockets​

"This is definitely the door we entered from," Sebas said decisively, but realized Ferg may very well be right. Then again, they didn't have a flare or torch rock like they had coming in, so their vision was limited. Well..........Sebas pulled out his flare gun and shot the chest, leading to a shriek from the Chest. "Shut the hell up before you attract attention," he hissed. A small voice was one thing. The curse demon shrieked like a siren though. "You're way too easily hurt for a demon."
"A lack of tributes will do that to a demon," she hissed back, "Give me a tribute and I'll grow stronger."
"I'm not tributing your sorry ass in this frigid ocean," Sebas retorted, "Go back to shutting up." It wasn't like he had much to tribute anyways. His soul was at stake for this challenge, so the price for making this challenge easier (aka keeping his body warm) would be more than he could deal with if he completes the challenge. She was probably trying to maneuver her way into securing her freedom by requesting a cut of the spoils from this chest, which included HER via her relic
"Damn, you're a mean mortal. Your partner puts up with this?" she muttered
"Ferg isn't a bitch........" he caught himself. "Well, Ferg isn't a bitch to ME so I don't have to treat her like shit." Not that Ferg would take shit from anyone anyway, Sebas thought. That was a definite common ground between the two
"Wait, what did I do to deserve this treatment?!" She was legitimately indignant at how Sebas was treating her.
"Both me and my partner are half naked in a frigid ocean. Hypothermia is a certainty because of you. You're a bitch."
She tried to counter. "You accepted my challenge! How does that make me a bitch?"
"Accepted the terms or not, you are the reason our clothes are off, now shut it."


"Sebas, there is a buildup of magic in your area. We're heading back towards you!" That was Elaina's voice and it sounded urgent.
"Fuckin hell," Seb sighed, "Look alive Ferg. Looks like our wooden screamer attracted attention." Sebas holstered his flare gun and drew his blade.

Looking behind them, a group of spear-armed fishfolk charged out the door they just exited. With one arm on a blade and the other holding the chest, letting go was a certainty unless Elaina and Razor got here before they absolutely needed to. On the bright side (literally), their path was lit up as the flare stuck to the chest, essentially meaning they were carrying a lantern. They could both see that they were on the right path in terms of heading back. On another bright side, the flare gave off radiant heat. While it wouldn't significantly delay hypothermia, every additional second helped........which is why they really shouldn't be fighting.
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Sebas had to be the first person on the ship to claim Fergie wasn't a bitch. Well, almost claim, but still. Good thing he corrected himself before she could get the chance to remind him. "Ha! Damn right. An' don't give me a reason to be one." Not that the baroness had given Fergie much reason, considering who had started the bickering, but in her mind, her status as a demon was reason enough. That, and the stripping shit.

Her incessant whining and crying bringing yet another wave of enemies towards them was adding to that, though. "Just our bleedin' luck," Fergie said through grit teeth, arming herself with the sword Razor had produced and flashing it towards the troupe headed their way. "Try an' take it , ye salty twats!" The fishmen rushed forward as if they would, but their leader ushered them back with a wave of his staff— one with a blue stone. "Shit—" She caught a glint of its glow, but there was scarcely time to prepare for the current that swept into them, sending the bare end of the chest slamming into the wall. Her side hit it hard, rock scraping her bare skin, but she maintained her grip. She didn't know if the mage was trying to shake them off or was doing a bad job of trying to crush them, but in fear of the latter, she knew she'd have to let go. They had to be exact in the timing, assuming Sebas hadn't been thrown off already. If he was still holding fast, they could let go together, but if he'd been flung off, she would have to continue holding it lest they lose another drop.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Outside The Pockets​

The move slammed them into the wall, kind of cutting his arm on the rocks fairly deeply. With the chest in their hands, they wouldn't be able to get close. The staff fishman was smart. Maybe he knew about the Curse Demon in it. Sebas held fast the chest. "We need to buy some time," he said in a low voice through gritted teeth, "The mage is the leader. Let's feint and float down. When I tell you to let go, we let go." Act like they were too hurt to continue. Sebas took the lead. They floated down where they hit the wall, letting the blood pool fill their area to make it look like it hurt worse than it did, not to say it didn't hurt. "If I tell you to attack, DO NOT let go. Attack and then push off the ground to swim upwards." Sebas was still willing to NOT let go if he didn't have to. His soul was too great a risk and he was willing to take a spear to the shoulder if it meant not letting go unnecessarily. Letting go was plan B, NOT plan A


Sebas didn't have time to wait for Ferg's acknowledgement. All he could hope was that she heard and would follow his lead. With the mage at the lead, they swam forward, probably with the intent to apprehend them and get that treasure back. It was a group of 4, the mage with the 3 spearman escorts.
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

If the rocks cut up Sebas's clothed arm badly enough to bleed, then Fergie's was worse off. She didn't have to look at it to know that it was gashed up, when the stinging from the salt was telling enough. A hiss of pain was the only acknowledgement she gave it, however; the numbness her skin was experiencing from the chill dulled it enough for her to ignore it. Even though Sebas wanted them to appear as battered as possible, and even though she relayed her understanding by saying, "Ham it up. Got it," the only indication she was hurt was in the trail of red that followed her down as she sank with him.

She at least tried to play the part of a cornered animal, curling up against the wall upon the merfolk's approach and baring her teeth at them. The mage was unimpressed. "You have the option to live." Of course, that likely meant they'd live for now, so they could put Sebas and Ferg on trial or throw them into the mouth of that Megalo later. "Return the chest and atone for all the losses you've caused us." He let the heavier end of his staff fall into his other palm, already letting his guard down while he looked down on the two. "Otherwise..." The three spearmen closed in on them, spearheads poised against any evasive actions.
Fergie looked as though she wanted to say something— a taunt or some form of snark— but instead glanced at Sebas, her silence giving away who was in charge.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Outside the Pockets​

Sebas got a bright idea. He looked into the face of the mage. "I will release this chest on the condition that we leave here alive," he said, holding down the glare
"You are not in the condition to be making demands of me, human!" the mage growled
"I agree........" for all intents and purposes, they really WERE compromised. He looked the mage up and down, "........damn, Baroness MUST be desperate to go after THIS"
"For the last time," the chest said, "I AM NOT DESPERATE!" she shrieked like a banshee and popped out of the chest, showing herself fully and enraged. This show threw off the fish surrounding them, who clearly weren't exposed to a Curse Demon inside a chest before. They saw her as the clearly bigger threat to safety.

The distraction was what Sebas needed. Quickly releasing his blade and grabbing his flare gun, he fired it into the face of the mage, where it stuck and then exploded, releasing more clusters. It wouldn't kill, but it would stick and burn, and more importantly, it would BLIND the mage until he could get it off, effectively taking him out of commission and leaving him vulnerable. "Attack now!" Sebas dropped his flare gun and grabbed the spear back, then kicked off the cave floor as per the plan

Needing to bite the bullet now as there's no way they'd survive a 4v2 while holding that chest underwater, Sebas gave the command. "Letting go! 3, 2, 1....." Sebas released the chest and kicked off the cave ceiling to propel himself into the fray, towards the spearman on his side, leaving the other 2 spearmen to Ferg. The moment they had open would allow Ferg to take down one if she acted quickly and struck with precision

"STRIKE ONE!" Chest screamed over the fray
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Fergie may not have known Sebas for long, but she knew that look when she saw it, no matter the face. And she thought she had an idea of what he might try, biting back a grin when he made a show of checking the mage out. When the fishfolk reeled back from the curse demon's appearance, anticipation quickened her pulse and brought her hand to clutch the hilt of her sword tighter. She acted in perfect sync with Sebas, kicking up and letting go when prompted, and pushing herself from the ceiling with her blade poised to strike.

Her first opponent rose his spear much too late, quickly succumbing when his neck was impaled through one set of gills and out the other. The second gathered himself and made to strike her by spearhead, but she tore her weapon out and threw herself behind the body, which he made contact with. With the point embedded, he couldn't tear it out before Fergie rushed in with slashing attacks. He maneuvered away from her hitting his vitals, a long gash slicing across his shoulder, and suffered another on his arm when he reached to grasp her and fling her away. By the time he ripped his spear out of his comrade, Fergie had righted herself and was propelling well out of range with the aid of her returned flippers. With mocking laughter, she urged him to follow, away from Sebas while he fought the remaining spearman and mage.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Outside the Pockets​

Sebas's sole spearman enemy quickly fell to an impaling through the chest, the pool of blood making Sebas smirk. He felt absolutely refreshed, his heat deprivation being in the temporary past. His could move easily now and he felt comfortable for the first time since starting this mission........well as comfortable as he could get, knowing that reality was gonna set back in the moment they lifted the chest again.

That left only the mage, who was yelling in anguish from the flare still stuck and burning on his face. Sebas stabbed the mage in the gut and then took him to the ground. "I forgot how easy it is to take on the fishfolk," Sebas said with a chuckle. They depended too much on maneuverability and speed, as in opponents that don't move underwater like they do. When there are opponents that DO, they are easily overpowered, at least overpowered by the average human pirate. Of course, Sebas played dirty and depended on a distraction to dispatch them that easily, but then again, this was a 4v2........WHILE they were carrying a chest......UNDERWATER.......with only half their diving gear. It was more like a 4v1 with the 1 having a blindfold on, so he could be afforded a cheap shot

He looked down at the mage he was impaling against the rock. "I will.......give you my magic staff in exchange for mercy," the mage said to him
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

Being a slippery target for stabbing weapons, Fergie was able to dodge the second spear lunge— narrowly— and hoist herself up its length, fast enough to get past the fishman's defenses. By the time the mage was croaking out his plea, she was finishing dispatching her foe with a blade cutting into his throat. "Tch! An' let ye go blab to the other's where we be?" She ripped away from her felled quarry and approached Sebas's scene with hard kicks. "Could just take his staff after offin' 'im. Not much of a negotiation." In her mind, letting the mage go was simply a matter of the heart, which she had no reason to waste on him. His early offer to spare them could have only been temporary; not that he had any reason to show mercy to the people who broke into his territory and killed his comrades, either.

Kylesar1

 

[Kylesar1]

Sebas Deadeye
Outside the Pockets​

The fishman saw Sebas look at Ferg and then shrug, knowing her words were about to cause him his end. "Ok, ok. I'll give you my daughter!" he cried out
That made Sebas freeze. "Why the hell would I want your daughter?"
"You already killed my mate. When my daughter grows she will be forced to work with the Viperfish under threat of being fed to Megalo."
"That explains nothing," Sebas growled, "You think I'm some pedo? Why would you send your daughter with those who killed your mate?"
"You OBVIOUSLY don't mate with the young if you're carrying that Viper Sorcery spawn-seeker," the mage hissed back, "I would rather my daughter go with landwalkers than spend her life dealing with this whale shit."
He didn't want to be here? "Why are you here then? Why are you working with them?"
"Megalo......."
"Megalo, Megalo, Megalo. Who the fuck is Megalo?!" Sebas was getting fed up with this
He sighed. "Megalo is what you landwalkers call captain. The ruler of this region of the sea." Not a captain then. A monarch. "Far and away the most powerful, someone not even schools of you can take on if your carrier can't take a whirlpool." Guess he has a point, Sebas thought. "Our Megalo has become undesirable. He's been working with the Viperfish and taken on Viper Sorcery. He's literally started consuming his own subjects........like they do."

This was......disturbing to say the least. Working with those who are willing to eat his subjects, then start eating them himself. Sebas wasn't about to be some hero to these people, but he did understand why he wanted them to take his daughter. NOT have her slaving under the threat of being vored by her own king or the species he's in bed with. It put things into perspective. "So why are you sinking ships?"
"Four-fold." the mage responded, "Discourage human carriers from this region to prevent fishing. Megalo is looking to amass the largest undersea horde of treasure, and then a horde of landwalker blood as Megalo and the Viperfish believe it makes them stronger." It does. They've already seen viperfish schools go into a frenzy when they consume landwalker blood. They've also seen the Viperfish Berserkers get stronger and faster the more blood they consume.
WayfaringWaaksian

 

[WayfaringWaaksian]

During all this, Fergie had risen a hand up to her forehead, her other hand settling close to the wound that bled under her sleeve. "Gods amidst..." It was precisely moments like this that made her wish she was quicker to shoot first and ask questions later. The more she knew about the fucked up shit that went on behind the scenes, the harder it got to go about these missions. It was fine when it was just her and Sebas pitted against a band of treasure hoarders, but now that she knew these people didn't want to be guarding it in the first place, it was going to be too complicated to just cruise through the final stretch. And that wasn't considering all the crazy talk about taking in a child who would soon be orphaned because of them. Where could she even start with that?

"I... we... we can't just... fuckin' hell." They couldn't just what? Kill the mage, knowing that the fight wasn't his in the first place? Or take his daughter up to the ship, subjecting her to the dangers of a life of piracy? Would that be any better than being under a monarchy that would have her cannibalized should she swim out of line? Dammit, why did she care either way? She was a bloody pirate, the furthest thing from a hero... and she could barely take care of her own shit, let alone a kid.
Her face was burying into both of her hands now. "Seb. Help me here."

Kylesar1