Once More... Torn isn't exactly a friend.

[ecopiracy]

Characters: Phoenix, Torn, Ashelin, NPCs [closed]
Setting: Based off of MS Elegante RP and Once More, Dear Friends... None of what happens in this applies to the game.

Comments

[sandpaperbreath]

Half a minute passed before Phoenix was graced with a response. The voice was that of a young man, tone chipped. Military.

"Captain Phoenix. You have entered restricted air space. Your request has been granted and you are asked to slow your airship and follow the escort issued to you."

Already two Hellcats appear over the walls of the city and head towards him.

"They are armed and the pilot of each are on orders to shoot to kill. This is your one and only warning. You will not receive another. Welcome to Haven City."

Click.

[ecopiracy]

Well. That was certainly a brusque enough greeting. Still, Phoenix appreciated the warning. Not everyone gave even that much.

Although, most of those who didn't were of the pirate sort.

"Acknowledged," he murmured before turning the radio off. Putting his hands back on the controls, he did as he was asked and slowed the ship to match the comparatively sluggish crawl of the two Hellcat cruisers.

Precursors, he'd rarely seen such unwieldy ships. They must be a different type than the Hellcat that Jak, Keira, and Daxter had used to fly to the Brink. It would almost be amusing if they did try to shoot him down. He was pretty certain they'd be lucky if they could land a single shot.

For now, though, he was more inclined to follow obediently, and within a few minutes, he'd set his ship down where the Hellcat cruisers directed. He emerged from his ship, his gun clipped to his belt, but otherwise presenting no overt signs of any hostile intentions.

[sandpaperbreath]

The hellcats landed beside him in the port and two men exited from each. Heavy boots hit the ground, and a moment later, their stun-guns were trained to Phoenix's back. Another guard approached, face partly obscured by his helmet. Only his gun is held in a non-threatening manner; leisurely in one hand, to his side.

"On the behalf of the Baroness and the Freedom League Guard, we welcome you to Haven City." The guard's voice was much deeper--older--than the voice over the radio. He sounded entirely uninterested in welcoming anyone, as if reading from a prompter. "Follow me." He turned and began walking. The guards behind Phoenix advanced a moment later, pressuring him into a walk.

[ecopiracy]

Baroness. Phoenix's ears twitched at the word and everything they implied. If history had played out as Razer had said, then "Baroness" meant Ashelin. His heart clenched briefly, threatening to miss a beat. Razer had not remembered him, nor had Blitz in their brief encounter. That was five people now who had no recollection of their time on the Elegante. Would Ashelin prove to be different? Or would she...?

Focus on the present, he reminded himself sternly. Because if he did not keep up with the older man, the guards behind him looked ready to take liberties with their guns.

Schooling his face into an expression of mild interest, he let his gaze wander even as he directed a question at the guard to his front. "Do you mind if I ask where we are going?"

[played out in e-mail while LJ was down]

[ecopiracy]

True to Torn's prediction, Phoenix was out of his chair as soon as the man made his move. He did not go for a straight attack, though, and instead angled to his right to get around Torn's fist. One hand clamped onto the other's wrist, and he used both his momentum and strength to try to pull the man off balance

[sandpaperbreath]

Too slow and too sloppy.

Torn twisted Phoenix around before he could do much more than prepare. In the next moment, he had him locked in a pacifying hold that he doubted the man knew how to get himself out of.

"Checkmate, princess."

[nottheaveragekg]

He wasn't accepting visitors? He wasn't accepting company? Not in her Haven. Ashelin heard that from the front, gave a single look that spelled her disapproval, and it won her entry into Torn's office. In she stepped, a hand upon her hip, lips parted to begin chiding him, and then she stopped.

She looked between Torn and Phoenix. What was this? Some kind... of stupid pastime? Didn't Torn have work to do?

Ashelin looked positively annoyed, "It's none of my business what you do in your spare time, but you don't do it when you should be working."

[ecopiracy]

Phoenix froze at the first sound of Ashelin's voice - not because Torn had a hold on him that he wasn't managing to break, damn it - and his head shot up as much as Torn's hold would allow. He opened his mouth, her name on the tip of his tongue before he could think better of it-

-and then what she said sunk in.

Phoenix choked. "Let go of me!" he snapped, renewing his struggles to break loose.