Canon in D

Episode 1

Strategy X

One day, the pirate ship, 'X-Men' was sitting in dock about to sail out into the Bayville Sea.  A member on the ship, Duncan Matthews, was more of a pretty boy than a sailor and everyone knew this.  Especially the first mate who goes by the name of Scott Summers.  Even though Scott finished his work on time and had a higher rank than Duncan did, usually the wenches would go to Duncan.

There was one lass in particular who was Scott's favorite, Jean Grey.  But, as usual, she had been wooed into loving Duncan the cabin boy.

To make matters worse, Duncan and the rest of the cabin boys often filtered out all the thieves that attempted to stowaway on X-Men.  There was a certain thief who constantly seemed to try to hornswaggle the ship that everyone had gotten used to calling Toad.

Duncan caught Toad just outside the boat, attempting to board.

"Let's crush him, Dunc!" cheered one of the cabin boys who worshipped Duncan like an idol.

"Let's NOT, Dunc." Said Scott as he rounded the corner.  Scott didn't care for fighting, especially while the Captain was currently away and left him in charge.  He would much rather see that Toad was to walk the plank as opposed to beaten to a pulp.  Duncan knew how Scott favored Jean, so he decided to pick a fight and, since the Captain was away, he knew that he would most likely get away with it too.

However, this first mate has a special quality, for he is a mutant pirate and, even though they only look like simple eye patches, those patches actually keep Scott from blowing everything he looks at up.  No one really questioned why Scott would wear two eye patches at the same time since it seemed to work for him because he never would really bump into anything.  It must have been magic.

The fight began.  Toad escaped off the ship and left Scott to defend himself against the cabin boy, Duncan.  Duncan didn't know that Scott was a mutant pirate and Scott had no intention on letting him ever find it.

"Me and me hearties were gonna squash that scalleywag!" Duncan said angrily when he realized that Toad had gotten away.  "And you and your two stupid eye patches ruined that!"

Scott barely suppressed the urge to blow Duncan up just as Jean, the lass, came around the corner.

"No!" she yelled.  "Stop!"  This distracted Scott momentarily so Duncan ran up behind him and punched him in the face, knocking his eye patches askew.  This caused red rays to shoot out of his eyes and destroy a small piece of the town.

Authorities came to the scene, wondering what had happened as Scott covered his eyes in attempt to stop it.  Jean was also a mutant, you see, and she had the power of telepathy and telekinesis.  She helped Scott with his patches and the two fled to the ship.

"What happened here…?" said a puzzled authority figure as he tried to figure out the events leading up to the disaster.

Luckily, it was that time when Captain Xavier arrived.  Well, Captain Xavier is ALSO a mutant pirate and he is a very powerful telepath so he used his abilities to make the authorities think that something else had happened.  Captain Xavier also has two peg legs, which is a bit ludicrous so he just got a specially made wheelchair.  The cabin boy, Duncan, got out without serious injury but had little memory of the fight.

Meanwhile, Captain Xavier stood before his great ship, his wench, Storm, by his side.  "Things are under control…" the captain said to Storm.  "For now.  But we better hurry.  Germany will be docking any time now."

He and his wench moved down the port just as the ship Germany began to unload.

Just offshore an island, 'Market', located not too far away, the ship Wolverine docked to collect some information.  The captain on that ship was Captain Logan and he too was a mutant pirate known for his healing abilities and indestructible skeleton.

"What's the latest?" Captain Logan asked the man at the dock.

"Disaster at Bayville." The man answered.

"Bayville, huh…?" said Captain Logan thoughtfully.  Little did Captain Logan know but he was being watched by a strange pirate who no one knows the name of…

Back at X-Men, Scott stood outside Jean's quarters.  "Give it up, Jean, it's hopeless!" Scott called, knocking on the door.

"Almost done!" Jean said.

"We're gonna be late!" Scott said, sounding annoyed.  "The ship is casting off tomorrow and I have to make sure everything's all set!"

Jean opened the door.  "So, are we going or what?" she asked as she walked past him and made her way to the deck.  Scott followed her and on their way there, Captain Xavier stopped them.

"I would like to see both of you in my quarters." Captain Xavier said.  "I'd like you to meet someone."  Scott and Jean entered Captain Xavier's captain's quarters to see a hooded figure in the corner.  "This is Kurt Wagner.  He arrived earlier today on Germany."

"Hi Kurt!" said Scott, putting his hand out.  "I'm Scott, the first mate.  This is Jean, the lass."  Jean waved.

 Kurt didn't say anything at first, but then he put his hands out and everyone was shocked to see that it was blue and he only had two fingers and a thumb!  AVAST!!  Kurt could see the surprised expressions on everyone's faces so he quickly put his hand back in his pocket.

Captain Xavier cleared his throat.  "I was just telling Kurt that I began this voyage in search for gifted youngsters that I could make into fine pirates." He began.  "Gifted as in people with gifts that are not always an asset…right First Mate Scott?"

"So…you heard about it?" Scott said nervously.

"Hard not to." Captain Xavier said.  He turned to Kurt.  "Scott's eyes emit a destructive optic blast beam.  That's why he's wearing those specially made eye patches."

"Sink me!" said Kurt as he pushed his hood back to reveal that he was all blue and fuzzy.

"What about you, Kurt?" asked Jean.  "Are you a mutant pirate too?"

Kurt then disappeared in a puff of smoke and appeared on the other side of the room.  "Maybe." He said.

"Shiver me timbers!" gasped Scott and Jean.

"I'm going to help get Kurt settled in." said Captain Xavier.  "He's going on the account."

Meanwhile, Toad the Scallywag was attempting to get on a different ship.  He had decided to give up on X-Men and attempt another.  On his first stop, he struck gold.  This ship was called The Brotherhood.

"Toad?" said the Captain of the ship who, surprisingly, was a female.  "How about we talk a little bit about Scott Summers, the first mate on the Pirate Ship X-Men."

"What about him?" asked Toad.

"We need to know more about him and the rest of the crew, including Captain Xavier." The Female Captain continued.

"I don't wanna…" started Toad.

"Avast!!" yelled the Female Captain as she began to morph into a giant purple dinosaur like creature.  "You'll do as you're told!  Understand?!"  You see, this Captain was also a mutant pirate who went by the name Mystique.  She had to ability to change her appearance so she could look like anyone or anything she wanted to.

The next morning, Captain Xavier and Storm the Wench went to show Hand Kurt his new quarters.

"Sink me!" said Kurt.  "This room…is mine?"

"Of course, Kurt." Said Captain Xavier.  "That's why your captain sent you to us.  Because he knew you'd be happy here."

"Happy?" sighed Kurt.  "How can I be happy if I look like this?"

"I have a surprise for you." Said Captain Xavier as he took a bandana out from behind his back.  "Put this on."

Kurt put the bandana on his head and, to his surprise, he transformed into a regular looking person!  "Sink me!" he exclaimed.  "I can't believe it!  I'm… normal!"

Captain Xavier and his wench decided to leave Kurt with his happiness and new quarters.  He looked around for a bit until he came across a small box.  Inside the box were nicely folded pirate garments.

Scott, the First Mate, was trying to make a few last checks on the well being of the ship and all its hands.  That's when he came across Toad the Scallywag.

"Ahoy, Summers." Said Toad as he flipped up onto a large crate that was being boarded onto X-Men.  "What's up?"

Scott looked around to see that no one was currently watching.  "That's quite a jump." He commented, starting to get the idea that maybe Toad was a mutant pirate as well.

"Well, as you can see, you and I got something in common." Toad said.  "We ain't like other pirates.  We're different."

"You're point is?" Scott said, now definitely assured that Toad was a mutant pirate.

"I just wanna talk." Said Toad.  "Get to know each other better."

"I'll think about it." Scott said, walking away.

"Sure, you think about it." Said Toad.  "I got other stuff to do."

Captain Xavier was sitting in his captain's quarters mapping out their route to continue their voyage when he suddenly looked up and put down his compass.  He wheeled around the corner to another secret room.  He looked at a map of the world that was in front of him to see a small red dot had appeared right there in Bayville.

"Hm…" said Captain Xavier just as he got a telepathic message coming from his first mate.  "What is it Scott?"

"It's one of the land lubbers here." Scott said.  "He's…kind of like us."

"Yes." Said Captain Xavier as he placed a giant bushy hat with a long feather coming out of it on his head.  "The Scallywag, Toad."

"You know him?" Scott said, confused.

"Cerebro just got a reading on him." Captain Xavier answered.  "He must be using his powers out in the open now."

"Anyway…" Scott said.  "He's not the kind of lad I'd like to share quarters with.  Let me put it this way, he's got the personal hygiene of grog."

"We cannot turn our backs on anyone." Said Captain Xavier.  "I'll speak with you later."

Just then, Kurt entered Captain Xavier's secret room dressed in his pirate garb that was given to him.  "What's that thing, Captain?" he asked, referring to the bushy hat.

"This thing is Cerebro." Said Captain Xavier.  "It detects the manifestation of mutant powers.  That's how I found you."  Captain Xavier then used his telepathy to contact his wench, Storm.  "Storm?"

"Aye Captain?" Storm answered.

"I wonder if you could…audition someone for me." The Captain replied, for he knew very well that Storm was a mutant pirate as well with the ability to control the weather.  Actually, most people on his ship were mutant pirates with the exception of the occasional swab or wench.

Storm knew that just outside was Toad the Scallywag so she quickly donned her pirate garb and took flight.  Their ship was to leave that very night and they had to know for sure weather Toad would be joining them on X-Men or not.

Toad leapt from the dock to the ship with ease.  As he wandered around on the deck, Storm flew overhead and used her mutant pirate abilities to blow Toad into the actual quarters of the ship.

Kurt was in the quarters and was bowled over by Toad when he was blown in.

"Blimey!" said Toad when he saw Kurt and they began to circle each other.  "What are you supposed to be?  Some kind of squiffy?"

Kurt sniffed the air.  "The name's Hand Kurt!  And at least I don't wreak like unwashed lederhosen!"

"You scurvy dog!" yelled Toad as he leapt at Kurt but Kurt just teleported away.  Toad paused and looked up to see Kurt clinging to the ceiling.

"As you say on these pirate ships," Kurt said.  "Arrr!"

"That ain't gonna help you, dog!" yelled Toad as he leapt at Kurt again.

Kurt easily dodged.  "You're so slow!" he said as he began to climb away on the walls.  Toad glared at him angrily and followed right after him.

Storm landed back on the deck and entered the quarters just as Captain Xavier wheeled in.  "Yes…" said the captain.  "Toad is indeed gifted.  He could very well be a mutant pirate like us."

"Sometimes Captain, I feel your good heart blinds even you from the truth." Storm said as the two watched Kurt and Toad hop around on the walls and ceiling, breaking things in their path. 

"Belay there!" Captain Xavier called.  "This test is over!  Todd is, in fact, a mutant pirate!  He is welcome to join us on our journey…if he so desires."

"The only thing I DESIRE is this scurvy dog's head!" yelled Toad as he jumped at Kurt.  In surprise, Kurt accidentally teleported both of them down to the belly of the ship which was also called, 'The Danger Room'.

"Sink me!" said Kurt.  "Where are we?"

"You asking me, dog?" asked Toad.  "You brought us here."

"And I think I'm about to regret it!" said Kurt as a bunch of cannons came out of the sides of the ship and pointed right at them.

Captain Xavier knew just what was happening.  "Scott, Jean!" he said telepathically.  "Hand Kurt and Toad the Scallywag have teleported into the Danger Room!"

"Shiver me timbers, the Danger Room has automated defenses!" said Scott to Jean.

"It'll attack them with everything its got!" Jean said.

"Get in there!" commanded the captain.  "NOW!"

Jean and Scott smartly put on their pirate clothing and ran off to the Danger Room where cannons and gun shots were being fired at Toad and Kurt from all directions.  "I've got the cannons!" Scott declared to Jean.  "You keep them clear of everything else!"

Scott began to fire at the cannons, destroying one by one.  Jean used her telekinesis to move Kurt out of the way just before a sword was thrown at him.  The four of them continued to brave the Danger Room until Captain Xavier and his wench finally came to the control room and ended the simulation by entering a special code.

"Sink me!" said Kurt.  "I get it.  It's a training area!  See?"  He then approached a cannon and tapped it a few times but, oddly enough, a cannon ball shot out of it and just barely missed hitting Scott and Toad.

"Forget this man!" said Toad as he hopped out of the room.  "I have seen enough!  I am outta here!"

"Toad!" called Scott.  "Sorry, Captain.  I couldn't stop him."

"It's all right." Said Captain Xavier.  "He wasn't ready to accompany us on our voyage."

"I blew it too, Captain." Said Kurt.  "I'm sorry.  You've been wonderful but I guess…I just don't belong here."  Then Kurt teleported away.

"Kurt, belay there!" called the captain.

"No sweat, Captain!" said Scott.  "I'll take care of it."

Toad jumped off the deck and landed very ungracefully on land where he was greeted by a man who shot metal hooks out of his hand.  "Going somewhere, lubber?" said the man.  He was wearing a big captain's hat.

"Ahoy, Captain Logan!" said Captain Xavier.  "Let him go."

Captain Logan looked, at first, disappointed but eventually cleared the way so Toad to get through, retracting his claws as well.  "I came back here because I smelled trouble brewing." Said Captain Logan.  "Of course, it could just be bilge water over there."

"I wish it was." Said Captain Xavier.  "Welcome home, me heartie.  We missed you."

Captain Logan tipped his hat to the elder captain.

Hand Kurt teleported into another part of the ship that he had not yet explored.  He was faced with a smaller vessel entitled, X-Jet, which, just by looking at it, he could tell would practically fly across the water.  "Sink me…" muttered Kurt.

Scott entered just then.  "She's nice, isn't she?" he said, referring to X-Jet.

"Very good!" said Kurt.  "Is it yours?  Please tell me you get to fly it."

"It's ours." Said Scott.  "And if you stick around for a while, I show you how to pilot this scallywag.  So what do you say?  You want to be part of our crew?"

"We have a deal then!" said Kurt.

"Welcome to the crew!" said Scott.  "Come on, I'll show you where they hide the grog."

We take you back to The Brotherhood.

"I can't believe this!" yelled the enraged Captain Mystique.  "You were actually inside and you ran away?!"

"Hey, I lost me head!" said Toad.  "I did what I could!"

"GET OUT!!" yelled Captain Mystique.  Toad quickly left the room as Captain Mystique threw her own temper tantrum.  Suddenly, a voice came from outside her quarters.

"Don't be too hard on the boy, Captain." Said the voice.  "We don't want to thin our ranks so early in the voyage, now do we?"

"Aye, Captain." Said Captain Mystique.  "I'll be more careful."

"Right you are." Said the voice.  "Remember, this is only the beginning."