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Entering Overlook, dirt plastered pirates with their grubby faces end their conversations with other filthy bastards as they all sit around, staring at Mantis as he glares at each and every one of them on his way through this city. His eyes panning over all of them for defensive purposes, yet for a probable cause, looking for Monique Swane has become a difficult task and just suddenly at that. ~ Filthy Pirate ~ So! What do we have here, Boys!? Looks like you�re in the wrong place at the wrong time drifter!!! The only big black guy stands off in the distance, the one he spotted entering a pub only to exit it, standing guard at it beyond the rest of these pirates that all surround Mantis. They pull out their scimitars and grin their toothless smiles at him, Mantis comes to a halt�stopping dead in his tracks upon seeing the first flash of a blade coming from it�s resting place at some filthy pricks hip. Mantis stares at the one that talks while he just continues on speaking some type of slobbering jibber-jabber due to a great lack of education. The flies buzz around the dirty pirate wearing dirty torn rags. His three teeth are yellow like the sun in the morning sky. ~ Filthy Pirate ~ You�re outnumbered Fifteen to one, Mate! Don�t try anything stupid, just give us your gold and we MIGHT think about letting you walk away with your previous little LIFE!!! Surprised that the filthy pirate counted out fifteen heads, more like he�s more surprised that the pirate could count up to fifteen�Mantis stares at the pirate with a mouth as if he couldn�t be serious; or more like he was just a joke instead. The pirates surrounding him raise their swords up into the sky and they all continue sputtering drunken rambles and pirate jargon like �arg� and other insignificant irrelevances that further provoke and motivate Mantis into breaking at least three bones in all fifteen of their bodies. ~ Filthy Pirate ~ Beg for mercy now and I�ll think about using your body to scrub the bottom of my ship! Mantis crosses his arms, just waiting for one of them to try something. Monique Swane along with her first and second mates Charlotte O�Malley and Henry Bowen. She stops on the outer skirts of the fight scene unfolding; beside Bubba is where she watches out of curiosity. Studying Mantis as he just stands there, taking the verbal abuse�yet without expressing the slightest hint of fear whatsoever. ~ Charlotte O�Malley ~ Should we intervene, Captain? ~ Monique Swane ~ No�we�ll wait and see what this guy�s got. This could be amusing. Bubba, Monique, Charlotte and Henry watch from afar as the pirates start walking circles around Mantis, usually this is a sign for when Pirates attempt to take everything you�ve got except for your life. Mantis just stands in one spot, like a statue�he slowly unfolds his arms as one of the pirates attacks him from behind. Bending forward and over, Mantis dives to the ground to dodge the horizontal hacking motion of a scimitar�doing a push up, he kicks his feet up and catches the pirate in the chest�rolling forward in the ground all in one fluid motion, Mantis stands upright and in a defensive martial arts fighting stance. Motioning with his index and middle fingers for the rest of the pirates to fight him. ~ Filthy Pirate ~ What the hell was that!? THAT�S IT!!! GET THIS SCALLYWAG!!!!!!!!!! Mantis frowns at the pirate with a big mouth before averting his attention back to slightly shifting his body so that he side steps another scimitar, his eyes still locked on the trash talking pirate that keeps his distance in fear of the stranger. Mantis drops down onto one knee to duck under another sword, he drives his knuckles into the kidneys of that very attacking pirate�disarming him of his sword with his free hand just afterward�Mantis stands upright, blocks a sword attack from another pirate than kicks that one clean in the balls. ~ Monique Swane ~ OH Damn!!! Where have I seen that art of fighting before�? After the pirate got kicked in the nuts hits a high note and crumbles to the cobblestone below, Mantis stabs the sword down in through the pants of the pirate to pin him to the ground by sinking the tip of the blade down into the dirt between the cobblestone plates. Buckled over and stuck to the ground, Mantis dodges two more decapitation attempts by two other pirates�his bodily movement seeming like water. ~ Henry Bowen ~ Impressive�opting to take on an entire crew single handedly� ~ Charlotte O�Malley ~ Hmmm�Captain? He would make a great addition to our crew, would he not? Making it impossible to strike him as he counter attacks twice, once for each individual that tried taking his life just now�striking one of them in a pressure point on the side of his neck and swiftly following up afterward striking the other with a knock out blow to the temple. Both pirates collapse one after the other. The one taken down by a pressure point appears to be having a seizure and the other drools in an unconscious state of mind. Mantis turns a glare over toward Monique Swane. ~ Charlotte O�Malley ~ �Captain� Charlotte notices the glare the stranger gives her captain and she reaches for the hilt of her blade that�s located at her hip and Monique wisely places a hand to her wrist to prevent her from pulling out her weapon. A pirate tries to sneak up behind Mantis with a sword drawn high above his head, Mantis kicks his right foot backward�catching the pirate in the junk with a powerful backward heel kick. Pirate yells in pain, his eyes wincing shut�the sword tings off of the cobblestone and Mantis grabs him by the throat and drops into a sitting position, stunning the pirate. ~ Bubba ~ I can take him, Cap�N!!! ~ Monique Swane ~ You wouldn�t stand a chance against this guy Bubba�stand down!!! That�s an order!!! ~ Bubba ~ �But�But�Fine� After Monique stares Bubba down, he avoids making any eye contact with her afterward. Bubba continues to watch as the pirates conceal Mantis� tiny body from their sight. Dog piling on him, at least trying to as Mantis silently dodges every simple attack thrown his way�evading every swing of every blade and retaliating by counterattacks, counteracting every evaded attack with a landed critical strike�yet not too critical. Just proving his worth with punches, thrusts of his knuckles, sweep kicks, roundhouse kicks, drop kicks, spin kicks and one ground and pound that leads to a triangle submission hold that dislocates that certain individuals shoulder�popping it out of it�s socket. Mantis takes the sword from the dislocated arm of that individual and rises back up to his feet again. Mantis turns a glare toward the filthy pirate that was talking shit. ~ Filthy Pirate ~ OH�SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!! The pirate with the mouth remains as the last one left not laying on the cobblestone groaning in pain. The only one that hadn�t been taught a lesson yet� Mantis walks toward him and he drops down onto his knee�s, begging for mercy. ~ Filthy Pirate ~ Please!!!! Don�t hurt me�I�ll give you anything! You want gold!? I Have gold!!! Mantis walks right past the begging pirate as he closes his eyes, cowers and soils himself. Mantis tosses the sword off to the side, discarding it while advancing toward whom he would like to believe is Monique Swane. She claps her hands while looking at Charlotte and Henry, giving them a look mentally telling them �watch my back� as she then smiles at the stranger approaching her. ~ Monique Swane ~ That was impressive and quite a show, Mate! The name�s Monique Swane. I would ask for you to state your business here but it appears that you�ve already done that and thoroughly�you must be Mantis of the infamous Mantis Clan. ~ Mantis ~ �You�ve done your homework� ~ Monique Swane ~ Yes. The art you were using gave it away. That�s the art of Lord Sukinahito, is it not? ~ Mantis ~ That is correct. I wish to speak to you�in private�if at all possible? ~ Charlotte O�Malley ~ Hell no you don�t! I don�t like this one bit Captain�you just saw what he did! �Monique shoots Charlotte a quick stern look to silence her� ~ Monique Swane ~ Mantis is a special guest, Charlotte. Everything will be okay, I assure you of my safety. The filthy pirate that has a big mouth and ended up soiling himself gets back up to his feet and steadily cowers away step by step until he builds up to the courage to run back to wherever he came from. Leaving the majority of his crew behind as the remaining pirates try to crawl after him. Monique accompanies Mantis back into the Rusty Plank pub where they can speak in one of the rooms for sell. Mantis follows Monique, feeling all of the greedy eyes of other pirates on him as he walks past them. ~ Monique Swane ~ Right this way, I always have a room here on reserve�just in case. ~ Mantis ~ Just in case of what�? Mantis questions Monique while glaring right back at a staring pirate that sits at a round table, located over in the far corner of this pub and inn. Monique smirks down at the floor than pushes a door open to reveal a flight of stairs heading upward. She looks back at Mantis just as Mantis looks back at her again, they make eye contact and Monique giggles a little under her breath before turning and heading up the stairs. ~ Monique Swane ~ Just in case I get too drunk. As you know�there�s plenty of filthy bastards out there that would try to take advantage of a young sexy thing like me any chance they would get! That�s why this room up here is reserved in my name, permanently. Yeah, the owner and I are real close. �Mantis slowly nods, putting pieces for discussion together� ~ Mantis ~ �You�re very trusting for telling somebody you don�t know about this� �Monique smirks and stops Mantis at the door to her reserved room� ~ Monique Swane ~ �Well, if you truly wanted to due me in then you would have by now� ~ Mantis ~ �Good point� Monique shuffles her right hand through her pants pocket and she pulls out an old skeleton key that unlocks every door in the rusty plank. She slides the key into the hole and twists it, unlocking the door�she pushes it open and Mantis follows her inside of it before she closes it behind them. Mantis looks around at the small well-decorated inn room. ~ Mantis ~ The purpose for my arrival here in Overlook is to inform you of Lord Sukinahito�s whereabouts. He�s located down in the village of Fitstral, where he has settled down for the time being. I�ve been overhearing talk amongst the clan members. Rumors of a great departure in the next couple of years to come when all of the clan members will be separated and sent to all regions of the world to deliver certain stones to every nations leader�the purpose of these stones will be to glow whenever such nations are in danger. Mantis studies the old vanity mirror that collects dust on the far wall of her reserved room here in the rusty plank. Monique blinks, staring at Mantis through the mirror. ~ Monique Swane ~ Okay, so why tell me this??? Mantis picks up a small music box like trinket that was just sitting there on the dresser collecting dust, he slowly rewinds it and sets the lock on it so that it does not play immediately. He sets it back down on the dresser, closed. ~ Mantis ~ �Lord Sukinahito may need your assistance for when that time comes� Mantis slowly turns his eyes back up to the mirror to look at Monique again. As Monique knows, finding a vessel to transfer large groups of people across the world doesn�t come cheap, yet the price of such travels should be free taking into consideration that she owes Lord Sukinahito her very life. ~ Monique Swane ~ I understand. You can tell Sukinahito that I will be prepared whenever he is. I will be more than happy to help�say, would you enjoy having a few drinks with me Mantis? ~ Mantis ~ I�m sorry but I do not indulge in such nonsense. Drinking makes you vulnerable. ~ Monique Swane ~ �Tell me about it� Mantis slowly turns to face the door of her secret little hideaway from the cruel streets of Overlook. Monique sits down on the bed and looks up at Mantis as he crosses his arms, studying every crevasse nook and crack in the old wooden door. ~ Monique Swane ~ So�the infamous �Mantis� is standing here in my sleeping quarters. Is that all you�ve come to do? You�ve come all this way just to tell me about Lord Sukinahito??? ~ Mantis ~ �I have something you might find of great value in return for your assistance� ~ Monique Swane ~ Yeah? Do you now? What is it? Mantis smirks and reaches into his upper body assassin attire and for a second Monique gets a little nervous, her eyes locked on his hand as it disappears into his tunic�but instead of coming back out with a weapon, he pulls out a rolled up map with a red and blue stripped ribbon on it. Monique�s eyes widen at the sight of such a map. Mantis tosses it at her chest where it bounces off of her breasts and down into her lap where she catches it in both hands. She looks down at it and has a flash back of the last time she had her hands on this map. She feels her heart skip a beat. ~ Monique Swane ~ �Th-This is� ~ Mantis ~ �The map with the very location of your father�s treasure� Monique�s eyes light up as she looks up from the map and at Mantis again, looking like a child that just received an infinite amount of wishes on her birthday. That expression is then replaced by a dumbfounded look of confusion, lost in wonder as to how he had retrieved this map from Niamora�s soft and well-guarded hands. Then again, her expression turns from dumbfounded back to a happy state of mind again�figuring that she doesn�t have to ask an assassin details of how he did what. ~ Monique Swane ~ Is there�anything�I can do to repay you, Mantis? ~ Mantis ~ �Even I may never know when I�ll be in need of a favor somewhere down the line� ~ Monique Swane ~ Done! Whatever it is that you need from me, consider it done!!! Thank you so much!!! ~ Mantis ~ You�re welcome. I must be on my way. I need to get back to Fitstral. ~ Monique Swane ~ Need a ride? My ship is right outside� ~ Mantis ~ No, I can walk. I will return to you when Lord Sukinahito needs me to. �Mantis grabs the handle to the door and slowly pulls it open� ~ Monique Swane ~ Okay, I will be here waiting for you then. Excellent! ~ Mantis ~ Till then�I bid you farewell, Monique Swane. ~ Monique Swane ~ �Goodbye Mantis� Mantis exits her hidden room in the Rusty Plank and makes his way back out through the pub, leaving Monique Swane up in her room to smile down at the map that she holds ever so near and dear to her heart, leaving her in a world of thought�wondering how Mantis got his hands on this map and how he even knew about it. Her mind dwindles on her self-concentrated thoughts as she stares at the door that he had just exited. Mantis exits the pub�alone�which causes for Henry, Charlotte and Bubba to get nervous�all three of Monique�s crewmates rush into the pub. They look around for Monique and she�s nowhere to be seen until she comes to the doorway re-entering the pub with a satisfied look on her face, feeling weightless as a feather. ~ Charlotte O�Malley ~ Captain! Are you����wait���don�t tell me you did what I think you did�? Monique leans against the doorframe that leads up to the inn rooms, a relieved look on her happy face�the look of love in the air as if she just got laid. Monique smirks at Charlotte but than shakes her head negatively to assure her that she didn�t do what her dirty mind had processed concerning her and Mantis being in a room alone together. Sade Belleville watches Mantis while he walks away from the entranceway of the Rusty Plank�she blinks and than looks back and over at Monique. ~ Monique Swane ~ �No, but I wanted to����Sade, Charlotte, Henry�Follow me� Charlotte blinks, seeming to be confused�until Monique invites them to follow her up into her room. Bubba goes back to his post out by the ship, knowing better than to make an attempt in following them to Monique�s resting quarters. Mantis in the meanwhile gets on his way�passing the very cowering filthy pirates that gave him trouble earlier�they all seem afraid of him. This makes Mantis grin while heading back down toward Fitstral. Knowing that giving Monique the map to her fathers treasure would hook her into doing him a favor somewhere down the line�a favor that could cost her�and her crew�their very lives. | ||