"COOOOOOOOO!", Phoenix is strong! Phoenix is great! Phoenix is best Phoenix!
'You're overreacting, Phoenix-yoi.'
"YOOOII!", Shush Pineapple-human! It's Phoenix' day today! PHOENIX DAY MEANS PHOENIX BOSS!
Essentially in this new series, Marco gives his body to Phoenix every now and then. This story will be a compilation of One-shots of Phoenix' days when he's out. (The first few line got nothing to do with this one shot, just a lil intro thay Phoenix is in control)
"YOU LITTLE SHIT TURKEY, I'LL FUCKING SKIN YOU!"
"..."
"..."
"Thatch is not in a good mood." Ace said as he looked towards the back of the deck where the screaming was coming from.
"Well, it probably has to with Ph-"
"God damnit, just wait! I'll teach that stupid bird a lesson!" Thatch passed the duo still grumbling, entering the ship but quicky coming back out and seemingly making his way to the back of the ship, only to stop and...
"Why are you putting up Cd-discs?" The local firecracker asked confused as their chef started hanging said disks all around the passage way to the back of the deck.
"Why? Why? To keep that freaking chicken away from the back deck!"
"Why can't phoenix go there? Besides, he will just fly passed."
"First of all, he won't. Bird is as stupid as any other bird. Second, BECOUSE THE SHIT KEEPS DESTROYING MY GARDEN!"
Thatch gaped at Ace's confused look and wiped a hand over his face. "Really Ace?" he signed and made a motion to follow.
Confused the raven did follow and was led passed the row of cd's glistering in the light and towards the back of the deck. It wasn't that big and not many people came here, he atleast never came here himself, Thatch was one of the only ones he saw coming here pretty often.
"I present to you my little garden to keep all you black holes fed with tasty food."
"Huuuuuhhh, how long has this been here?" Amazed Ace looked around the patch of sand spanning the back of the deck, seeing a foldable roof tucked away, ready to be pulled out when needed. "This is pretty neat."
"Since before you joined, doofus. And yes, thank you." Thatch started pointing towards different plants, "These are all different kind of spices, I could never produce enough actual food for everyone here, but for spices it's a good place."
"Oooooooh, I see strawberr-"
"Don't touch them, they're mine."
"... I swear I won't" and he somehow means it because Thatch's glare is already killing him. "What about those things, they look weird. He pointed to some plants that well... were weird. They had holes in the leaves.
"Those weird plants are all Phoenix's fault. They were blooming well, but Phoenix likes them … or doesn't like them. I don't even know. He always comes to peck at them, I don't know if he even eats them or is just destroying them. What I do know is that the bird steals all my freaking strawberries to eat. For which Marco owes me a few crates by now as compensation. My only little treat on this ship gets stolen by that bird every time one sprouts! Doesn't even get the time to become red..."
"Why don't you just like-" Ace made a motion over the plants, "put a net ove rit or something."
A sigh followed instantly, "While phoenix is stupid. A net doesn't stop him, I tried... No, wait, let me rephrase. There are two things that can happen and have happened.
1. he has a smart moment and slices through the net with ease with his talons and his beak.
2. He has no smart moment and is his stupid self and still lunges for the plants, not minding the net, thus tangling himself into it. Then getting into a fight with said net and making himself be stuck even more. Theeeen after not getting out, panick sets in and as a result you have a screeching crying Phoenix getting more and more stuck in the net." Thatch sighed again as he looked over his garden, "And while I hate the bird for doing this, I don't want to hurt him. Last time I tried he dislocated his wing, and while it heals when he's free, we all know the thing still feels pain."
Ace hummed along and nodded, so a net wouldn't work. "You're nice to not want to hurt him even if he destroys your garden."
"... You really thought I would be that cruel, Ace?"
Shrugging he spoke, "You do scream about pulling out all his feathers, maybe you would reason it's his own fault for getting stuck."
"..."
"What's with all the weed though, just laying around?"
Another sigh escaped thatch as he carefully stepped into the garden, going down on a knee and pushing the roots of said weeds back into the ground. "Not weed, Dill. Phoenix likes to pull them out. That's it. Does nothing else with it, just tugs at them, I think he likes pulling them out. He doesn't destroy them though, so I just push them back in and most survive."
A thoughtful hum escaped Ace, making Thatch look at him.
"What?"
"Hmm, nothing, nothing. Well, I do hope your Cd plan works, whatever it is. I gotte go."
Looking on speechless, thatch watched his youngest brother just leave out of nowhere... "whatever, I'll just f-"
SCRRREEECH
Thatch swung around, just in time to see Phoenix lunge towards the few dills he just pushed into the ground again, "NO! BAD PHOENIX! GET OUT!"
In the distance Ace snorted at Thatch yelling and phoenix's screeching. He didn't see the bird pass him, so he probably used the other side of the boat if he didn't fly. There were two passage ways, better use more CD's thatch.
Couple of moments earlier – POV Phoenix
"Morning phoenix."
"Cooo", yes, It is morning, human! Smart observation!
"It's your day today huh?"
"Yoi yoi!", the whole day is Phoenix day! No pineapple-human!
"Going to the garden, Phoenix? Be careful, I think Thatch is there right now."
"…", Foodman... He squinted his eyes. Foodman was a good man. Had good food. Hence his awesome title. But... foodman also didn't want him in his garden, while actually foodman should be HONOURED that Phoenix wants to visit his garden, even help to take care of it, pull out weeds, stinky grassy flower.
Phoenix gave a nod to the speaker as thanks for the information, he'll know to be very sneaky now.
Thus, as quietly as he could, he got lower to the deck, crawling forward to the small pathway that led to the back. Careful, careful, almost th- "SCREECH!"
He jumped back as something was there. Something was hitting him! A weird fruit user?
Jumping around, flying small distances he dodged the colourful beams, getting back until they couldn't reach him anymore.
Once he knew he was out of reach, he took a moment to inspect the path. But... there was no human, no one shooting beams. Then where did the beams come from? The other humans here also didn't seem fazed and while they weren't as smart as Phoenix, they never let unknown humans roam around.
He slowly got closer again, not taking his eyes of the deck, if anyone popped out, he would kno-, "SCREEECH!", IT WAS THERE AGAIN, ATTACKING HIM!
Turning around he ran away to a safe distance, taking cover behind the big shiny guy who could also shoot beams (A/N: reflected light = beams). The shiny beam human had been something to get used to too, scared him the first few times he sa-PHOENIX NEVER SCARED! But... he's used to this human now and knows he is not always shiny. Will also tell Phoenix when he becomes shiny. And now Phoenix thinks he's pretty. But phoenix will not tell him.
"Phoenix? What's up-AUCH okay no petting!"
He ruffled his feathers lightly, human always trying to pet the mighty Phoenix. Phoenix is on a mission right now, no time for pets. Pets are for in the afternoon, after lunch.
"Cooooo", he called out, nudging the commander to the passage.
"Phoenix?"
"COOO", No time for questions!
"Alright alright, I'm following."
He kept pushing the man now he let himself be moved, going closer and closer. No reaction from the human yet, good good, maybe the beam person is scared of the other big shiny beam person. HAHA! his beam person was better then hi-, "YYYYYOOOOIII!"
He quickly hid behind the man as the beam was there again, but he was able to dodge it luckily... No, he dodged because he's awesome, Phoenix fast, FAST LIKE LIGHTNING!
"..." Jozu looked around confused as Phoenix jumped away and hit behind him, obviously scared of something. And then the bird looked very proud, like... what the hell? It was already strange he had come to get him like this before he had had food.
"He's scared of the light."
The commander turned to one of Ace's division members who was on deck duty nearby. He watched him point to the pathway, "Commander Thatch put up those CD's earlier. They reflect light when the sun hits it. Phoenix is scared of it. Or well, I think that is it, it's the only new thing over there."
Jozu hummed, waiting until the clouds moved and the sun hit the cd again, he stepped aside to have the beam hit the bird and instantly feathers stood up and he jumped away, once again behind him. So that's what it is, he's using him as protection to still get to the garden. But Jozu doesn't want to escort the bird. He likes the bird, kind of. But Thatch would take away his desserts... Doesn't mean he can't give any tips.
"Phoenix."
"Yoi?"
"No need to be scared, it's nothing b-"
"SCRREEECH!"
"Aw aw aw okay okay not scared geezes, no need to peck me." Rolling his shoulders he looked around for a way for Phoenix to get to the garden and avoid the beams. The bird could fly, but well Phoenix would have tried that already right? Flying is like a first instinct to birds, right? So, no use in suggesting that, he would probably get pecked again. So what else was there... "oh, you can use the other pathway, Phoenix."
"Coo?"
Jozu pointed to the other side of the ship, a same pathway as in front of them at the other side of the cabins. He didn't see any CD's hanging over there, so Thatch must not have gotten to it yet. "Yea, there's no CD's there, so you'll be safe."
"Co?", CD's? The name of the enemy?
Confusion turned into an angry huff from the giant bird. Phoenix will remember. Beat up CD when he meets him! With this new goal, he nudged the shiny beam human again, ushering him to the other side. Only when they got very close and there was no sign of this CD human yet, did he peek his head out... Nothing... coast clear?
He lowered himself to the ground again, with squinted eyes stepped out and got closer to the passage step by step. Closer and closer with each wobble. He was almost in between the cabins and the railing, just a few more- HE MADE IT TO THE PASSAGE WAY! He almost cooed in delight but was able to stop himself and lower himself again, he didn't want to alert the CD man that he had found a secret pathway all by himself... he did a quick nod to the back, not to the shiny man who told him, he found it all by himself, Phoenix discovered it.
Carefully he made his way further and further, he could see the light of the end of the path, the way to the little garden. He also heard voices, food man and Fire man. Both people he liked. Fire man was a good distraction to food man, good fireman, just like he had planned all along.
Sticking his head out behind the wall he watched them talk, foodman standing with his back to him. Good good.
He took his time to inspect the garden, proud of the stack of stinky weed he had pulled out some time earl- ! there were some standing back up! They were so persistent getting back up again!
He sneaked closer and the moment fireman turned his back and left, he lunged at the weed.
"SCRREEEEECH!", HE'LL GET THEM!
"NO! BAD PHOENIX! GET OUT!"
"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSCCCCCCCCCCCCRREEEECHHHH", KILLLL THE STINKY WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDSSSS!
"PHOENIX, C'MON, I JUST PUT THEM BACK!"
What does he mean 'put them back', Phoenix will get rid of them, they make the whole garden stinky!
He pecked out as many flower weeds as he could before the foodman picked him up. He screeched as he craned his neck to get the few still standing.
"Damnit Phoenix!"
Before he was pulled away, he was able to pull the last one and threw the weed in the air in victory.
"COOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"Stupid bird, you got all of them!"
PHOENIX DID GET ALL OF THEM, YES! PHOENIX STRONG!
Having fulfilled his mission of getting the garden safe again, he let himself be carried back to the main deck and into the kitchen, ready for his propper reward from the foodman. He started his day out great. Outsmarted the CD man, saved the foodman's garden so it smelled nice, and now he'll get tasty rewards! Then later after lunch he'll get pats! It's going to be a good day!
A week later – CD's installed at both passages
It's been a week and Phoenix has not given up on passing the discs that were now present on both sides of the ship. They were making it impossible for the bird to avoid the beams.
"I feel a little bad." Izou murmured as he watched the bird crouch low to the deck, sneaking closer and avoiding all the glistering lights on the floor. Only for the ship to shift, making all discs move, the light reflection thus moving as well and hitting the bird in the eye and scaring him away with a screech.
"Yea..." a crewmember who sat next to the commander said softly. "He looks so scared now when there's a lot of sun out and..." they watched the Phoenix walk away defeated, head held low as he went back inside. "He's barely out anymore..."
On the days that Marco let Phoenix take over, the bird was normally outside the whole day. Destroying Thatch's garden, playing around on the deck, chasing people and other birds. Flying all around the ship and collecting everything that was shiny or may be tasty. But now... now after he had tried to go to the garden, or even hadn't but was hit with a reflection of light, the bird got scared and, or went inside, doing who knows what, or gave Marco his body back already, maybe only an hour after he had gotten control.
It was another few days later when Phoenix was trying again, that Ace came outside carrying a big box, placing it on the deck and calling out for the bird.
"Oiii Phoenix! Come here birdy! I got something for you!"
"Ace what's that?"
"Don't worry, you'll see."
"Coooooooo", Phoenix ran to his favourite fire human when called, he was far nicer than the scary beam things.
"Hi birdy" Ace cooed back, scratching the Phoenix's head with a burning finger. Phoenix always let him pet him if he was fire. "Look what I got for you!" Ace said after a few scratches, patting the big box he had brought out.
"Coo?", What's this? He stepped closer, pecking at the box. Just wood? Nothing special. Whole ship is wood.
Laughing Ace lifted the lid and Phoenix screeched in happiness, instantly pulling at the flowers sticking out.
"Ace! Did you steal my dill too! How could you!" Thatch cried as he got closer, ready to take it all back but... "That's not dill?"
"Nope" Ace stood up, watching Phoenix trying to pull out the plant. "It's all fake. Made with fabric, leather, rope, whatever."
A screech of confusion was there as Phoenix had let go of the plant only for it to snap inside the box.
"?", He was ready to pull out the weed, it didn't smell yet, but it could still start to smell so he had pulled hard but then it just... disappeared into the box! Pressing his head against the wood he tried to look inside the hole it disappeared into, Where did his plant go?
"You defeated it, Phoenix, goodjob!"
"Coo?", Defeated? But the plant is gone- IT'S GONE!, "Cooo!", Yes! Phoenix defeated the plant! Gone is the stinky plant!
"Oh no! What's this?" Ace kicked a little pedal at the side of the box and withing seconds the plant shot back out, he gasped and pointed at it, "It's back! Phoenix, get it!"
"SCRREEEEECH!", IT RETURNED! He instantly attacked again, pulling at it before letting go, watching how it hid way again in fear. YES! FEAR PHOENIX! He sung happily at another victory, Phoenix was the greatest! All stinky flowers fear him!
With a smile, Ace crouched next to the box, tinkering a bit with it and reaveling a lot more of the little plants. Phoenix instantly voiced his surprise before going in to pull at them much to Ace's amusement.
The others around them could only watch as Ace kept pulling more things out. Ropes that were hanging out, a few small bells attached to some, pieces of leather and drawers?
"Thatch, come here."
Ace said and pointed to the little drawers all around the box when the chef got close. "If you ever have a strawberry or something too much or if you just want to distract him, you can hide some in these drawers or under these sliding buttons.
Before Thatch could question him, Ace pulled out a few slices of apple, putting them in a few. He then called for Phoenix' attention who was now beak deep into the box to get the flowers out.
"Coo!"
"I'll get them out for you in a bit, Phoenix, look here first.", he held up an apple slice, giving one to the bird when he wobbled over happily for the treat. He then showed another one and opened a drawer at the top, dropping the slice in and closing it.
"...", Apple? Where's his apple?
"The slice is yours, Phoenix. You just need to get it."
The bird got closer, clearly confused, pecking at the wood and looking up at the raven.
"Coo?", there is no apple slice anymore, the box ate it.
Without words Ace lifted the drawer again, showing the slice inside but closing it when Phoenix tried to get it.
"REEE!", his slice! It was still there! The box was hiding it from him!
"C'mon Phoenix, you're a smart bird, get it."
Ace chuckled as he was pushed aside, Phoenix taking his place and pecking at the drawer, screeching at it. It took a while but eventually he was able to grab the drawer and lift it. A victory coo left him, but when he let go of the drawer, it fell shut. HIS APPLE!
"Faster Phoenix."
"Yoi!", He ruffled his feather and took a moment to stretch out his body, flapping his wings. A challenge, Fire human and box challenged him, Phoenix can do that!
Another five to ten times later, Phoenix had enough and when the drawer wanted to fall shut, in anger he kicked at the box, but by some miracle one little talon slid into the drawer, successfully keeping it open the tiniest bit.
"Goodjob, Phoenix!"
"?", What? He has no apple. Why is Fire human saying goodjob? Fire human gone stupid.
"Stick your beak in, get your treat!"
… Only now the bird saw the crack and instantly lunged before it would close again, pulling out his slice of apple. "COOOOOOOOOO!", APPLE! HE GOT HIS APPLE! HE HAS WON THE CHALLENGE! PHOENIX THE BEST! He wanted to eat it instantly but stopped... He had to show the old man!
Instead of eating it he ran to the eldest on the ship to show his price. He was going to tell Phoenix got it all by himself! He would be so proud! Give pets! Use weird fruit to make it feel better, best pats! And! Phoenix could eat on his shoulder, high in the sky! Only more wins for Phoenix!
Ace looked fondly as the bird flew up to their captain, showing off the apple slice. Even dropping it in Pop's hand so he could see it closer before handing it back over and patting the bird. Only then did Phoenix eat it.
"What is this, Ace? You made this?" Thatch asked as he too watched the bird, he seemed... happy.
"Yep, started after you showed me your garden. I think that or he was doing some heroic act to protect your garden, you know Phoenix is protective of us. Or if it isn't that, then I don't think there is anything specific about your garden as to why he targeted it. But that it was just the funniest thing on the deck, different than the rest that's on the ship. Phoenix isn't that dumb of a bird, so I think he is maybe just bored."
"So... you made this, to keep him occupied."
Ace nodded, "Yeap. He can pull out these look alike plants to protect us, or well for amusement. He'll get bored of this eventually too if it stays the same. But I can keep tweaking it to do different things. Like the drawers, he now took awhile to get a treat, but once he figures out how they work, he will get everting in it withing seconds. I'm hoping with this toy, it will keep him busy and give him something to play with."
Thatch hummed, crouching to look at the box, pulling at the little drawers and pieces of leather and string, some even opened drawers of their own. The little bells would be annoying though if Phoenix liked them too much... "And what did you do to make these things pop up?"
"hmm, there's a pedal here" Ace said as he put his foot on it, making the flowers that were hiding pop up. "It's just a spring mechanism. I'm hoping that I can teach Phoenix how it works, then he can re-activate it himself again to play."
Thatch watched in awe as the flowers seemingly sprouted out of nowhere and he couldn't help but pull at some himself. They were kind of elastic, a bit of force behind it as you pulled that tried to pull it down, and when he let go it disappeared inside. "This is really neat. What else d-"
"SCRREEEECHHHH!", Food man was taking away his fights!
"Woah!" Thatch had to jump away as the Phoenix tried to knock him over. The bird huffing at him and taking his spot to pull at the plants. Glaring at him after he made another one dissapear.
Thatch held his hands up, "Sorry Phoenix, sorry. It's all yours."
Another squint of the eyes and Phoenix was back to enjoying his new toy.
Ace stood and looked to Thatch, "Hopefully this will keep him busy and entertained enough to not go and destroy your garden. So please take those disks away so Phoenix can be out again without needing to avoid half the deck because of the reflecting lights."
Thatch nodded along as he watched the bird, "I'll be sure to take them off later in a minute."
"Thank you, Thatch", Ace said gratefully, crouching to give Phoenix a few pets, laughing when the bird didn't even react as the bird was now focused on watching himself in the mirror that was attached to the side of the box. Getting up he dusted off his pants, "I'll help you take them off."
Together Thatch and him made quick work of the chef's defence line, removing all the CD's from the deck. And afterwards they both took to watching the Phoenix. The bird enjoying his box even for days to come.
Everyone was happy. No more Phoenix trying to destroy Thatch's garden or do other things like eat the rope of the rigging. Instead, there was a happy Phoenix that played with his box a few times a day when he was out. Even quickly learning if something broke, he just had to bring it to Ace and the raven would fix it for him. Allowing him to once more enjoy the fun box.
So... another story-series. And I wanted to put in the notes that this will be inconsistent in updates... but... all my stories are inconsistent. But for this it's more like... this will be for random ideas. For most other stories I have actual plans and endings. While this will just be things I think of randomly for Phoenix adventures on the ship. Just One-shots of small events. Unlike 'Shiny' in which Phoenix is also the main-character, but it has a real storyline.