The two broke into a run.

Cross threw his string of wires around, the blades leading as if they had a mind of its own, slicing across fingers and leaving scratches. Avoiding fatal wounds, it was sufficient as a distraction.

Takara fiddled with a strange, crossbow prototype he made, affixing the wooden arrow to the bolt and aiming it to the sky. Pulling it, the arrow flew forward and fell into the sea.

Unknown as of the moment, the arrow had run through the string that tied the boat to the ship-- and cutting through it, the boat came loose.

"Don't let them get away!"

Marines lined up before them, guns in hand-- a few approached them, diving to grasp them, but Cross nimbly escaped each attempt. If he was caught, he'd tag out from his position.

As for Takara, he ran strong. Shooting back at a grasping hand, ducking under feeble attempts, or simply charging through with brute force.

The boat was right ahead. Takara swung his crossbow hard on someone's face, throwing on guys off him, ten leaped over the railing and into the boat right below.

Stepping on someone's face, Cross leaped forward and into the embrace of the sea-- abruptly, a hand grabbed him by the ankle and dragged his body in, sending it flying all the way back to the mast. 

A loud crash ensued a terrible back injury, but Cross stood up with little effort.

"You sure played me good, didn't you?" 

The boy was a soldier about Cross' age-- strange blue hair, odd orange eyes-- and he looked pissed. It was the same soldier boy Cross first tagged in, and Cross was quite sure he was still bound by handcuffs--

"Oh, Lock!" Cross remembered his name, "nice to see you again, I guess you got out of those iffy hand bolts."

Lock, cracking his knuckles, cornered the boy uncomfortablu close.

His hand punched the mast once, leaving an enviable crater with its impact.

"Woah, are you human?" Cross mused.

"Shut it, pirate," his words spat with spite, "you and your companion are getting back on this boat, and we're sending you to a shitty prison cell."

Lock's hands reached for Cross' neck-- and gripped firm.

Cross chortled, "what if I don't wanna?"

Lock did not respond, but his gaze darkened. 

Cross smiled. "That's a nice face, you seemed so soft earlier, is this your real face?"

The next moment, perspectives were swung again. 

Cross' hand was on Lock's neck-- and this time, Cross clutched the cylinder of skin with his sharp nails, drawing bloody from the force.

Lock's foot rose to Cross' stomach-- but right at that moment, they switched places again, and Cross' foot burrowed into Lock's stomach.

In the surprise, Lock's grip loosened, and Cross came free.

"Strength isn't everything, sir," Cross told him.

"Don't get cocky, brat!"

Before Lock could grasp him again, Cross switched places with a soldier that was at the edge of the boat. Too far away-- Cross was already falling down into the sea.

"Y'know, I kinda like you, Lock," he threw his voice, "I hope we meet again!"

"Get back here!"

Landing on the boat, Cross greeted everyone with a smile. 

"What took you so long?" Titus asked, sorting through sacks of metal ornaments, "Takara's getting the oars, c'mon."

"Ehe," Cross simpered, "I said goodbye to my new friend!" 

Leer went "gao!" at the side, a large wooden row in his mouth.

"Oh, Leer! Were you a good boy while I was gone?" Cross took the oar from him as Takara tossed another to Titus.

"Gawraa!"

"A good wind's coming, guys, let's get rowing," Titus hollered from his boat.

"Woah, what's all this?" Cross gawked at the treasure as Takara took a spot and the boats began to drift away from the ship--

Marines were in a ruckus and the ship was moving, some soldiers coming down with ropes-- but none of the boat occupants were hasty.

"Oh, Leer and I went around the ship just now," Titus levered the oars at the same pace as Takara, "I saw you just now, you were reeaally scary!"

"Ehehe," Cross scratched the back of his head, bashful at the praise. 

"Garaa," Leer climbed around Cross' feet, "garr!"

Cross picked him up, "You did awesome today too, Leer!"

"You two, quit messing around and ROW the boat!" Takara yelled.