There's always one problem when it comes to thievery. After making the theft in question, you had to keep out of sight for a while, lay low until the heat dies down before showing your face again. Less chance of people recognizing you and trying to hunt you down. One Spider Miles, this was easy. The place was a massive maze of factories and Nicholas had only stolen little bit and pieces.

This situation was a little bit different. He, along with a certain pale haired beauty, had stolen treasure right from under the Revolutionary Army's nose, beating up several of their members in the process. And when you steal from an organization which pretty much controls the entire island, it makes lying low a lot more difficult. Nicholas was really wishing he had thought this through a little bit more, but when gold and jewels call, you've got to accept. It's just proper, after all.

Nicholas had managed to find a good place to stash his stolen loot. Now it was just a case of finding a way off of this island. The problem was, the boat he had used to get here from Spider Miles had sunk shortly after he had arrived. To be honest, it wasn't really surprising. The thing had been pieced together rather shoddily, and Nicholas never claimed to be a shipwrights. But now that left Nicholas with little to no means of getting off of the island.

The man stuck to back alleys and out of the way locations, trying to avoid the gaze of revolutionary soldiers. No doubt they were looking out for him after that little stunt he pulled. He wished he hadn't split up from Linnea after they got the loot. If you're being hunted, it's always nice to have some company. Especially very pretty company.

This had been a rather profitable expedition... Linnea would have preferred to snatch the treasure before any of the Revolutionaries actually got to it, while instead she arrived afterwards, defeated them all (albeit with help), and claimed their precious booty. That treasure had just been discovered, and after the one responsible claimed his own share in the form of everything he could carry, the Revs planned on helping themselves to the rest. That said, Linnea and Nicholas had no means to carry everything out, so they took out as much as they could carry too. But that didn't stop the revs from being pissed.

Naturally, she wasted no time stashing her share onto the ship, before getting back on the Island once more. She had everything ready to leave, the only thing left was packing up what stuff she still had at the inn. She activated her Kenbunshoku Haki in order to stay one step ahead of any pursuers, and thanks to that she had steered clear of any aura strong enough to suggest a capable fighter. But among all the auras she sensed, there was one that struck out as familiar: Her partner.

They had gone their separate ways after the heist, no doubt both of them heading to stash away their share of the loot. But after a little close inspection, Nick seemed incredibly nervous... He be in trouble escaping the Revolutionaries. With a little luck, Lin might be able to sell him a way out. Heading towards where she sensed him, Linnea soon found herself in an alley. Crossing her arms and smiling shyly, she addressed the blond man once more:

"Hello again...", she greeted, looking up into his eyes and asking the question she already knew the answer to, "Having trouble getting out?"



OOC: Used B.rank Kenbu (35/50)

Used emotion sensing on Nick

[ooc, i am gonna join in. if i am not allowed, then i will delete my post]

Mea, though not really all that bothered by the heat, would have her hood up and try to avoid being in the sun for too long, as she was fairly pale and burned easily. Mea would be reading a book on the top of a house and would be just small enough not to be noticed by anyone that would be able to get her down or try to. though she wasn't paying much attention, Mea would notice a man talk to Naga, the woman that Mea had grown quite attached to, and would be a little cautious about trying to know what they were saying. "hmm... do i go down or stay up here? spying is not good but i shouldn't pop in until it is the right time. I'll get down after this chapter." Mea thought in her head as she would watch the two talk, putting her book into her bag and happily look down.

Nicholas hadn't expected to be seen, let alone spoken to. So when Linnea D. Naga approached him, his first reaction had been to spin around and prepare to fight whoever saw him. Instead, he managed to control himself at the last moment, merely looking like he simply flinched. As he turned. He was pleased to see that it was his partner in crime from earlier. He knew he was just lamenting splitting up with her, but hadn't expected her to suddenly appear. The universe was a strange and wonderful thing.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Nicholas rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "That's what happens when you pull off a heist like this without thinking of an exit strategy." He really didn't like admitting he had messed up, but Linnea seemed like the sort who didn't judge you for that. "So what about you? Having revolutionary troubles of your own, or we're you more better prepared than me?" As he spoke to her, he continued to keep a look out for anyone who might be approaching. No sense in getting caught off guard while having a nice conversation. However, he failed to notice the young woman above them, reading and watching their little talk.

The guy jumped to his feet ready to fight, earning a chuckle from Linnea and confirming her suspicions. He was very much on edge at this point; having no way of knowing how many people are after you or how close they are will do that to a person. Lin could tell exactly how close her own pursuers were, and it was in no small part due to that reason she managed to appear as calm as she did now. Nick seemed pretty pleased to notice her there... Was he truly and utterly left without an exit plan? His body language proved it:

"I wouldn't know; usually don't need to think too hard on that part."", she flashed a faint smile and shrugged, pointing outside the alley up into the distance, all the way to the ocean. There was a small, roughly thirty meter long ship docked there, "See that? That's my ship. I figured you could use a little ferry service.""

Linnea winked, she wasn't that good a saleswoman but she at least knew how to appear exactly when she was needed. If he played his cards right he might even be able to get his boat ride for free in return for further treasure hunts. But then there was also somebody else nearby:

"Mea-chan, you can come down now... I'll be setting sail soon."", she smiled warmly, looking to where Mea was sitting, having detected her with her Haki.

OOC: Active B.rank Kenbu (35/50)

getting found out by her new found friend wasn't bad, in fact, it was the reassuring to know she could find her even if she was trying to hide. "Sure thing, Linnea. just give me a few seconds." Mea said as she would slide down a pipe and land safely on the ground. "good thing i didn't mess that up" Mea thought to herself before going to the two and saying hello. "sorry for the surprise drop down. I am Mea Kurosaki, the doctor of the crew. nice to meet you" Mea said in a kind tone as she would put her hand out to the man and smile.

Nicholas was a bit surprised by the new arrival. The fact that he hadn't noticed her made himself mentally kick himself for not being more careful, but at least she was on their side. He extended a hand to the girl, shaking her hand. "Nicholas Edison, at your service." She mentioned that she was a crew's doctor. So Linnea and Mea were part of a crew? And judging from where they were and what they had just done, it was easy to deduce that it was a pirate crew.

Nicholas turned back to Linnea with a smile. "Well, that's a very kind offer," he said, "Though I can't help but ask what the catch is. I wouldn't have gotten far in life if I didn't learn that people don't do things for free." He was curious what Linnea would want from him in exchange. His part of the treasure? Some sort of service from him? What services could he provide a beautiful woman like her? Then again, he hadn't seen her with any men...

Focus man! She probably doesn't want THAT! She was showing interest in your dial earlier, maybe the repayment is something dial based. Well, let's just wait for her response.

He waited patiently for her response. To be fair though, he would probably accept her offer no matter the cost. Nicholas had to get out of here before the revolutionaries found him. Wouldn't do for his no doubt dazzling career to end so quickly.

Mea-chan came down as requested, earning herself a soft head petting from Linnea. She had taken to treating the younger Kuja as a sort of little sister, and hoped to help her train and grow strong so she one day might be able to fulfill all her dreams by herself. For now she was happy enough to simply have the girl fulling the non combat role as their crew's doctor. She was far from comfortable with allowing this girl a chance to fight yet. She smiled and greeted Nicholas, who for the most part displayed the usual elegance Linnea had come to know:

"A ferry service would normally be paid in beli, but considering your expertise, Dial enhanced weapons would be a fair trade.", suggested Lin, reaching one hand up to her chin.

Since she was dealing with a man who like herself understood the value of gold and trade, there wasn't really any point in being deceptive. How best to make a deal with a businessman than offering him some business? She didn't exactly state how much money she'd want, but then Nicholas might have already realized that Lin wasn't really a greedy woman. She usually spent most of her fortune right away on various forms of gear and equipment... She could probably be convinced to give him a lift for free, but in that case he would have to settle for being dropped off whever she might happened to wander into next.

Regardless of what he answered, she would re-scan her surroundings for potential Rev guards out on the lookout for the thieves before gesturing towards the ship. She still had to ensure the guy got all of his stash out, regardless of however much he suggested paying her...


OOC: Activated B.rank Kenbu (20/50)

getting petted by Linnea felt so nice, it made Mea feel so happy and loved as a little sister to her idol, Linnea, so much so that Mea would have a cute smile and blush, swaying side to side in a cheerful way. after stopping her swaying and shaking the guy, Nicholas, hand, Mea would consider getting a book out and reading a few chapters but would need a suitable spot to read. "Linnea, i am gonna read over by that wall, studying a few herbs around the area. if you want to talk to me, just ask, Nicholas. i am the doctor, so i need some knowledge of herbs so then i can use them in my medicines. don't hesitate to try and talk to me, Nicholas." Mea said in a kind tone as she would get out a book and sit down near Linnea, facing her and keeping her back to the wall.

Nicholas was starting to like this pair. Linnea was definitely honest and reliable, and Mea appeared to be a cute little thing. He couldn't help but smile, giving a small nod at Linnea's price. Either beli, or using his skills with dials to augment their weaponry. Either way was good for him. He needed the lift out of here. "You've got a deal," Nicholas replied, [color=red]"I'll grab my stash and then meet you all at the docks. The sooner we get out of here, the better.

Giving both ladies a friendly wave, Nicholas checked out to make sure the coast was clear, before slipping out of the alley into the streets. It wouldn't take him long to find where he had stashed his treasure. He made sure to put it in a place nobody would look, in the attic of a home that was currently being renovated. Getting to the treasure was one thing, but getting it to the docks without being accosted was another. He had brought enough to fill one of the chests, but the chest was still pretty heavy and would take a bit to carry.

Hefting the chest onto his back, Nicholas managed to slip out of the house and into the street, making sure to take every back alley and side street he could. While avoiding people entirely was impossible. He tried to have as little exposure as possible. He also tried to hide his discomfort in carrying the heavy chest, lest people approach him offering to help him. While some help would be appreciated, it would cause only problems later on.

After an extended trek, he finally made it to the docks, heading towards the ship that Linnea had pointed out. Thankfully, here he could carry the chest without standing out, due to all the dock workers. He kept his eyes out for the two women.

She smiled when he accepted her proposition, Beli aside, Lin was keenly curious about the possibility of adapting those dials to her ship or, better yet, to her weapons. Meanwhile Mea seemed to get along with him right from the get go, which was pretty good considering the meeting with Alice... If that weren't enough she looked exceedingly cute swaying around in a childish manner when Linnea pet her:

"Alright, be careful...! There are plenty of guards in the main streets, but you should be alright if you stick to back alleys.", admonished Linnea before turning around to the patiently waiting doctor-chan, and gesturing for her to come along, "Let's go, Mea. We should get everything ready to sail once Nick comes back."

With that, she headed outside the alley, back towards the docks where she untied the rowboat, leaving Mea to take care of it while she awaited at the docks. Soon, she spotted the Dial expert's flamboyant figure carrying a heavy chest behind him, which she recognized as the one she helped him fill up back at the catacombs. She calmly approached him and grabbed the other handle of the chest, completely heedless of how men's pride often prevented them from accepting help from a woman when lifting loads. Instead she helped him carry the chest to the boat and loaded it in, before getting on ans rowing back to her ship with her two shipmates...

"The worst part is over...", she smiled at Nick, reassuring him with her gentle expression, "From her on out we can sail at ease."



OOC: Active B.rank Kenbu (20/50)

"Sure, sure. i got it. coming " Mea said before going along with Linnea and Nicholas, putting her book away and staying close to them. after reaching the boat, Mea would stay with the boat and keep it safe from anyone that wasn't Linnea or Nicholas. "i'll keep the boat safe. don't worry." Mea said as she would sit on a bench nearby the rowboat, grabbing a fishing rod and start to fish for anything that may want to bite it. "this maybe a little boring but i can try to get some tasty fish for the others to snack on and eat if they feel peckish. i don't know how to cook but i know how to make raw meet edible... i just hope that is enough" Mea thought as she would keep focused on the lure and have her eyes also set on protecting the boat.

It was a good thing that his two new friends had kept their word, not that they had any real reason simply leave him. I mean, what would they get out of it offering him a way out and then abandoning him? Nicholas smiled as he saw Linnea and Mea at the dock. When Linnea helped him take the chest off of his back, he certainly wasn't going to complain. The thing was heavy, and it was a relief to get that weight off of him. He let out a small groan as he stretched out his back. "Hey, little Miss Doctor, your skills wouldn't also happen to include being a chiropractor would it?" At least once they were on the boat he could relax. All this tension was getting to the guy.

He visibly relaxed after they loaded up the chest and were on the rowboat towards the ship. Unless someone had very good eyesight and recognized them from this distance, they were home free. He glanced over at the chest, no doubt thinking of her stash hidden on their ship. "So," Nicholas spoke up as they moved towards the ship, "Where is our next destination? While I haven't been in the South Blue for long, I have read up on the islands and such, and I think I could help you guys get around pretty easily." He gifted that offering his navigational skills might help sweeten the deal. After all, he had made it here from the North Blue, and he didn't recall Linnea mentioning a navigator amongst them.

So far so good... With Mea tending to the rowboat allowed her enough freedom to go meet Nicky halfway and help him carry his booty back to the boat. Carrying all that load around seemed to do a number on his back; if only he could have taken the time to carry it properly and slowly. But alas, time was of the essence and there was no chance to carry the treasure in the orthopedically correct manner. Once they were all on the boat, Nick asked Doctor-chan for chiropractic treatment while the Southbird Goku arrived and perched itself on her shoulder:

"Jyoooo!", squaked the bird, as Linnea pet it and introduced him to the new passenger.

"Nicholas, meet Sengoku. He's a Southbird.", she explained, certain the man would probably not know what species of bird it was. Still, as a navigator he'd probably notice instantly how the bird's beak pointed straight south, "I can Navigate well enough with his help, but with you here it might be easier to travel."

Soon the rowboat reached the Melusine, and she was able to climb her way up using the anchor. Once at the deck of her ship, Linnea threw down enough rope for Nick to attach his chest to so they could haul it upwards and stash it away:

"I might be heading for Karate Island; I could drop you off anywhere in between here and there.", suggested Lin, pulling off her hood and looking around the ship. She had swapped out the lateen sails for the square ones