Fifteen men on a dead man's chest

[secondcity_npc]

Characters: Knives, Agent Derek, the Doctor, Zoro, Axel, Billy Borden, Sora, Kitten, Spin, Toph, Ebenezar McCoy, Billy Kaplan, Usopp (whew!)
Time: Night - there is no passing of time here
Location: Aboard a pirate ship in the middle of the ocean
Content: Nabbing constellations? Doesn't sound too hard. It's not as if you're looking for dangerous

Comments

[secondcity_npc]

[As if the majestic bird had heard Spin's words, it swoops lower to the ship, the flames dripping from its tail falling dangerously close to the ship itself. The Phoenix hovers above the Flying Dutchman, peering curiously down at Spin, Billy, and Usopp. Unlike the Dragon or the Tiger, it says nothing]

[8000_followers]

[It hadn't taken Usopp long to choose his ammunition and put Kabuto at the ready. A firebird of his own probably wouldn't do any damage, but at least it was big and distracting and maybe they could figure out another way to bring it down-

But the other guy had said not to hurt them, and there's something about this giant bird that's...well, not as outright terrifying as he'd usually find it. The bird doesn't look angry; just curious.

After a few very long seconds, Usopp lowers his arm, letting Usopp's strings go slack again, shot unfired, with a quiet reply to the guy next to him]

I don't...know if we need to.

[He looks back up at the bird; a bit louder this time]

What are you?

[billyalpha]

Of course he got stuck with the one that flew. Wasn't that just great? Billy thought sourly. He didn't even bother trying to loosen his clothes up. Becoming the wolf wouldn’t do any good, anyway - not when it meant he was grounded. But as he watched the bird hover there, he had to agree the one holding the gun.

"It's a phoenix," he said, with no small amount of awe. "I didn't even know those were real... But what's it doing here?"

[agentphones]

Once the bird came close, Spin had to gawk. The lack of malice in its apparent tone and body language was a relief, but there was still something unnerving about the experience as a whole. Namely the fact that they, for some reason, had shown up on a ghost ship and were now staring down a firebird.

This time it is for real...
how can I make myself more clear?

"I think a better question is, does it know what we're doing here?" He couldn't take his eyes off of it, and swallowed as he spoke up to address it. "I mean--do you? We don't really get what's supposed to happen here..."

I never say quite what I mean, and never mean quite what I say,
and how did that get out of me, and what the hell did I mean to
say?

[secondcity_npc]

[The phoenix continues to hover above the Flying Dutchman, the hot gusts created from its wings causing the flags on the ship to flap wildly and anything light not bolted down on the deck to go rolling about]

YES. WE KNOW.

[8000_followers]

[Well hey, at least someone knows what's supposed to be happening around here, even if it is the giant firebird. That's better than nothing and definitely better than a giant angry firebird. He'll take it. He'll also try not to get blown over. That would be helpful]

So what are we supposed to do?

[secondcity_npc]

[The Phoenix bows its head, almost in regret.]

THAT I CANNOT TELL YOU. IT IS SOMETHING YOU MUST LEARN ON YOUR OWN.

[It looks off in the direction of the Dragon and the Tortoise, both of whom are acting much less pleasant towards the others than the majestic bird is] BUT KNOW THIS - NOT EVERYTHING IS AT IT SEEMS. YOUR TRUST MAY BE MISPLACED IF YOU DO NOT TREAD WISELY, CHILDREN.

I KNOW YOU SHALL SUCCEED IN YOUR MISSION.

[Then, with a beat of its wings and a gust of hot wind, it flew higher into the air and made off towards where its fellow Guardians were making life miserable for their charges.]