Harbor thief hijinks

It wasn't too often Ornlu just obeyed anyone giving him an order, but he found himself in a tight spot and no plan up his sleeve. In a manic scramble the trio put on the outfits with a little fuss, though it defied the laws of space Tom and Bobby fit into the uniforms as though they possessed a humanoid body, boots and white gloves for hands formed on the ends of the uniform as their "heads popped out of the top." Ornlu's uniform was a size too large for the wolf boy.

The fiddled with the clothing; the buttons, the zippers and such. They were so distracted they were caught completely by surprise when the door flung open and knocked Maggie out cold. The three of them were mortified and their expression said it all. The guard came in and drew his weapon on the group of them. "Well well well, what have we here? It seems you three managed to capture the intruder, excellent work unit forty-one,, forty-three and forty-six. Take her to the captains office, he will want to have a word with her.

Ornlu and the others exchanged knowing glances. "Yyyyyeah, that's what we did, sure taught this bird brat a lesson eheheh." Ornlu nudges Tom and looks Maggie suggestively. Tom nods and hoists her over his... Shoulders? On the way to the captains quarters Ornlu spotted a key card on the accompanying android guards hip, his eye gleamed a white glint as his dexterous hand stealthily crept its way to the guard. Tom and Bobby ran distraction stratagem 12 in which Tom tripped forward and into Bobby, the ensuing fight and argument stopped the android guard as he attempted to separate the two. "You two must be malfunctional! Stop this behavior immediately! You will scrapped if you keep this up!" It was enough time bought for Ornlu to slip the card off the guard and into his pockets.

The captains office was simple but functional: wood panel walls, a dark wooden desk, a few medals on the wall, photos and... A cage? It was a rather sizeable cage that could easily fit a person or two, though it hardly looked like a person had been kept in there what with all the claw marks on the floor. The captain was a tall and lanky man with some gaunt to his face, his hair was thin and mostly hidden under his cap. "Aha well this little bird must be our intruder." His comically evil British accent made the trio cock their eyebrows in unison before Tom and Ornlu looked at Bobby with accusatory eyes. Bobby rolled his eyes already getting the "Posh Englishmen are evil joke". The Captain continued "Well make sure to bind her up well, those wings look like trouble. I shall interrogate the criminal when she wakes. Good job then men, back to your posts for now."

Ornlu and his friends had to leave Maggie where she was, not like they could do anything about it. The three of them sat guard fairly close to the dining hall, all of them worried about their situation in one way or another. Ornlu wanted to just go for the food, they're not exactly chums with the woman and didn't owe her anything. Tom and Bobby however felt pretty bad for leaving her in there, they wanted to bust her out. "You two know why we're here, we are not wasting our time because some pretty broad is in peril." As Ornlu does a comedic impersonation of a damsel in distress. "I have better things to do besides die." Tom chimes in quickly "Like what? Stuff your fat mouth and sleaze around pubs? I ain't gonna leave that nice young lady with that 'ol creep in there." Ornlu glared Tom down and growled "Hey, who's in charge here? I'm the one with the brains, I say we bail before one of these things figures out we ain't made of metal." Tom stood beside Bobby and stood up for him "You're not the damn Queen, even if you act like one." "I didn't vote for him." Tom mumbles in jest.

Ornlu was once again outvoted by his mutinous friends, he wasn't about to let them go alone to help save Maggie. As soon as the coast was clear of the patrol they snuck away back down inside the ship, more prepared for what they may encounter... Or so they believed.

In the time she was out she couldn’t see what was happening, but she had vague hints of her surroundings. She could feel being moved, carried off to somewhere and then the cool feel of metal as she stuck in what she could only assume was some kind of cell. Sounds, words, they were distant and faint echoes and she could piece together some things…never complete statements, but at least the general feel for them. There were doors opening, creaking, stairs being climbed, and then…a terrible accent that felt out of place here.

That was gonna be a fun bridge to cross when she got there.

She would be out for a short time after she had been tossed in the cage. Five minutes…ten…fifteen…and then twenty, she was stirring awake with a faint groan. For the most part, physically, she wasn’t that bad off. No broken bones, maybe a bruise or two, and as far as she could tell she’d be able to move around no problem once she got out of the cage. The only thing was that her head was throbbing with pain, but it was manageable. She was pretty sure she had been through worse hangovers by comparison. Her head still hurt like hell, but she’d be able to finish the job and get out of whatever situation she landed herself in.

Landed herself in…

No, that didn’t feel right. She wasn’t sure how she had been knocked out, but she knew she wasn’t alone when it happen. That wolf kid. He had been there. He wasn’t responsible for what happened, but as her vision returned she found that he wasn’t present in the cage here with her. That didn’t feel like a relief. From what she had seen he was…well, there wasn’t really a good word for what he was. Unpredictable? That was close to it and right now she didn’t like having a wild card in the deck. She needed to be able to stack a deck and right now.

She quietly reminded herself this was why she preferred working alone.

When she finally collected herself, her senses back in full swing, she found that while the kid wasn’t here, another person was. A tall figure that sat only a short distance from the cage. She adjusted herself a bit in the cage, bringing herself up from the floor and instead sitting, leaning against the back bars of the cage. It was hard to get comfortable, but this was the best she was gonna get in a situation like this. As she adjusted herself, her eyes fell on scratch marks, claw marks from…something? A bear maybe? A black bear could fit in a cage like this, but…that didn’t seem right. Another unknown to add into the deck, another thing she would have to find a work around.

With a small sigh, she would start them off. “When I signed up for the cruise I was hoping for a more spacious room. I give this one...pffft...two stars? Two and a half? Definitely needs improvement.” She commented, tapping her knuckle against one of the bars. “Do I at least get room service?” She turned her gaze onto him, having gotten in a good scope of the room. It seemed like a standard office or captain’s quarters, minus the cages. Not too many points of entry and exit, which was a bummer, but she’d find a work around. “I don’t imagine you are feeling generous and wanna let me out of this cage so we can have a proper chat? Discuss things and work out a deal on how to handle this situation we both find ourselves in?”

As she spoke she plucked a feather off her back and nonchalantly blew it from her hand, letting it drift passed the man and under his desk. He had no reason to believe the feathers were anything more than just that. If left unchecked she could start moving it towards something and do…something? She hadn’t thought that far ahead, but she would improvise someway to get out of this.

“At the very least, wanna get me a glass of water?”

The tall villainous captain fellow didn't pay her any mind at first, merely annoyed by her squawking. His beady eyes trailed over some old looking papers, some frankly looked like parchment from some old world library. When finally he had enough he rose from his seat, completely missing the feather that swept underneath. "Silence you babbling nitwit! There are parrots less annoying than YOU." He adjusted his suit before he strode over to the cage with a pomp and circumstance display like he was at some prestigious party. "Do not take me for an imbecile you little winged goblin, you're some manner of thief no doubt... Or worse." As his eyes shifted in contemplation. "Never the less you ruse has failed and you will be enjoying your new mhm... Bird cage, for as long as I see fit. I've come too far now to allow espionage to undo me. You will answer all my questions as they are put to you."

Ornlu and his friends found it difficult to just walk back to the captains room without being seen, No doubt the guards would find it suspicious if he was just wandering off from his post. A thought occurred to Ornlu as they made their way long ways around the ship, slinking in and out of every dark corner and hole, squeezing their cartoon physiques into seemingly impossible places. Ornlu couldn't help but wonder if a cruise ship should be so heavily guarded, seemed like overkill to him. The trio rounded the corner on the lowest deck about to head upstairs when... *BWOOM!... BWOOM!... BWOOM!* The sound of a huge metal thing stomping on the floor above like footsteps, much heavier than the footsteps of the guards. The three backed up and hid behind the stairs shaking with fear, Ornlu gathered enough guts to peek out from under only to see the brutal metallic hind leg of some large creature. Part of it was fleshy and very cat like, it continued walking as it hadn't seen the boys.

It stopped at a room far down the hall, the room to the door opened upon a growling noise from the creature. Ornlu could see a strange ocean green light coming from the room. When the coast was clear the three crept up to the metal door where the metal beast had entered and they spied some truly haunting sights. There was a great orb in the center of a macabre looking room adorned with black spikes and demons head carvings. The orb sat in a pool of ocean water, the center of the glass like orb swirled with smoke and amorphous forms that Ornlu thought looked ghostly. There were a few men in dark robes gathered around the orb and touching it, it was way too cultish for the wolf boy. The strange wispy figures in the orb seemed to be suffering as their wailing suggested, the men in robes were pulling them out somehow with what looked like magic.

Ornlu was about to duck outta there when he noticed that the giant metal cat thing was looking right at him through the window and Ornlu got a good look. A vicious half metal Bengal tiger, it's angry glare was enough to get Ornlu going. Ornlu, Tom and Bobby made it half way down the hall before the doorway they were peering through exploded open violently and sent shrapnel and parts flying. The great beast wasn't as easily deceived as the androids and gave chase to Ornlu, the boys ran frantically and the chaos began.

So much for getting some water…

He certainly was…eccentric at the very least. One for the play on words and puns, which was…at least it would be a good story to tell back at the bar. In the meantime, she would just smile up innocently at the captain, letting him rant on as he did, letting him get out all those terrible bird puns as much as he pleased. Nicolas would certainly get a kick out of a monologue a cliché captain villain. She was sure the boss would also love the idea of it and laugh in that simple, hearty way he did.

When he finished she let out a sigh and dipped her head back, looking to the door. “So, before you ask me questions, I got one for you.” Her head dipped back in his direction, a coy grin spreading across her face, “Did you spend all that time just quietly thinking of bird puns so you could…hatch them out all at once or was that all off the top of your head.” She gave an over-exaggerated slow clap, “Cause-“Chef kiss, “Bravo, sir. Never have I ever heard any of those before. Not once in all my time as the world’s best thief.” She mused with an overstated smile.

“Though honestly, my man. I probably do have some info you’ll want. Not just about what I am doing or whom I work for or any of that, but you should start wondering if there are others like me here. If I came alone or not? Or maybe I have other valuable information beyond this boat. Maybe I could lead you to something else you want. I am a very well-informed bird. You can hear a whole mess of things from up in air.” She gave a casual stretch of her legs, trying her best to then stretch her arms despite the confines of the bird cage. “Problem is, even with…’torture’” she snorted at that, “I’m not much of a talker. Though, maybe if I had some more room to move around with or even just a glass of water, I might open up a bit share some of the stuff I know.” (Feel to have cut her off during any part of this.).

She shut herself up, ready to listen to man’s counter, or worse, more of his puns. As she had ranted, honestly just speaking to speak, her feather was moving across the room. At first she had thought of maybe knocking something over, distract the man for a moment, but that wouldn’t give her nearly enough time to do anything. Instead, her feather now edged to a different section of the room. It was in the peripherals of the man, but provided his attention was solely on her, he still wouldn’t notice the feather edging towards the fire alarm. If she could pull it…well, she wasn’t sure what she’d do then, but…that was part of improvising.

She’d probably come up with something.

Up the stairs down the hall! Left! Right! Stairs! Up! Down! Every direction that was open and wide Ornlu and his buddies ran like Sam Hill before the fearsome creature on their heels, what's worse is the additional guards now in pursuit. Bolts of energy trail the three as they make their way unknowingly back towards the engine room they met Maggie in. The trio bolt inside and slam the door shut, by now the ship is bathed in the violent red beams of emergency lights. There was no way out of this as the security forces slammed on the door, the sound of that demonic thing not far behind. Ornlu scrambled and hid behind a big turbine looking thingy while Tom and Bobby played like a real hammer and paint brush. The door booms a few times before finally giving way and falling down with a thunderous boom upon the floor.

They security might have had to search the room for quite a while seeing  he size and complexity of it all, this would be the case if  Ornlu didn't fall from a hanging pipe, the very same he clung to last time he was here and hits the metal floor with a thump "YEEEEOW!" All the guards turned at once and had Ornlu dead to rights "Well well look what the cat dragged in one of the guards trying out his comedy chops, standing beside him ironically is the monstrous cat creature looking riled up at the sight of Ornlu but remaining in its place. "Now hu hold on mates!" Ornlu nervously utters out as he backs up against some large piece of machinery. "I think you have the wrong idea amigo, YOU"RE the one who's in trouble here!" The guards all chuckle in an autotuned voice. Ornlu reaches in his pocket looking for anything as a hail Mary and pulling out nothing but a crumpled receipt from the corner store "Uhh you see... I was hired! I was hired to test out security preparedness on this floating shit bucket. And LET ME TELL YOU! You guys failed horribly!" The guards stand there looking at each other confused then back to Ornlu incredulously.

"You're full of shit bub." One of them responds with a bit less than absolute certainty, a small crack in confidence that a shit talking, scheming wolf could exploit. "OH?! I suppose you think I just appeared here by magic right? Come on, use your processor a bit. You guys let me on the ship and thought I was security, how do you think that's gonna look in my report hm? You'll be turned into spare parts by sun down. " The guards got spooked thoroughly by the convincing act as they muttered to each other, the creature seemed confused by what was going on as well.

The captain was showing little interest in the spiel being dolled out by the feathered intruder, his face twisted into a posh yet disgusted grimace as she kept talking. "What are you trying to do now? Distract me from something hmm? I bet you think you're clever getting onto my vessel, I wonder who let it slip we were disguising ourselves as a cruise ship. Perhaps those sea witches." Before Maggie's feather made its way to the fire alarm the entire ship was alight with the emergency lighting and sirens. "WHAT THE DEVIL?!" The captain turns to his intercom device on his desk immediately ignoring Maggie and leaving her open

She leaned against the bars as the captain spoke, rolling her eyes. "Mhmm..." She murmured unenthused. Her hand idly swatted at the lock, almost like a cat playing with yarn. She let out a small yawn at the accusations, letting out another "Mhmm..." as the captain murmured to himself. This was all growing a bit tiresome. If he had been even a small bit appealing she could've worked with that, but this guy. Oof.

That was really the only word for it that came to mind.

Oof.

He would be a good joke back at the base. Someone they'd all laugh at.  She smiled contently at that. There was something oddly comforting about having an incompetent captain as a captor.

She watched her feather inch ever close to that alarm before she suddenly jumped, nearly banging her head on the top of the cage, as the alarm started to blare. This wasn't her work, which meant...the wolf kid from before? Was this handy work? Either way, it was something she could work with. Feathers slipped off her wings and glided against the floor; their movement covered by the flashing emergency lights. They moved with a quick grace as they stuck to the shadows, all shifting closer to the captain.

One by one they would begin to strike out against the captain. She was careful not to strike too hard, not piercing skin, but striking with enough force that his skin would begin to bruise. One would slam into the back of his shoulder, and then other would come from the front and strike his knee, and then every which way, never striking in the same place twice in a row. As she barraged him with the flurry of steel-like feathers a collection of three would attempt to hook onto the captain's key and securely bring it back to her.

Once the key was in her hand, she opened the door and was out of that cage in a flash; she moved across the room and to the door. She still had plenty of feathers on her back while the rest still buzzed around the captain like a swarm of bees. Like a conductor she waved a hand around and feathers would follow the motion. All at once, they would come together and all strike the same point at the man's rear, knocking him off his feet. As he fell, the feathers would all return to her wings and she'd be out the door, laughing, her hands her pocket as she began to flap through the air and move on to whatever was ahead of her. Idly, her thoughts went to the wolf boy and she wondered what exactly he had done to cause the alarm. Perhaps he had found the safe with the loot inside and set off that alarm? Or maybe he had found...what was it...the cafeteria? A buffet?

Either way, she'd have to...unfortunately, thank him for the distraction. Even if she didn't need it, the kid came through.