Titanic
Arika: Oh hi there, I know you want me to leave, buuuuuuut I'm not, and in all honesty, if you took a look in the mirror, you'd see who the real cancer is.
[The scene opens up with a shot of the harbor as a cruise ship is shown docked at port. Cedar Harbor is the main port where ships and freighters come to drop off passengers and cargo, the latter of which is taken to different parts of the city and across the island. The main horsepower to provide clearance and a safe guide into port is the Star Tugs, under the command of Captain Star; they were the fleet most used for contracts to and from the port by a majority of the businesses in the city. Usually, operations involving the Star Fleet go without mishap, but sometimes, things can go rather unexpected]
[One such event occurs as Ten Cents and Sunshine are shown returning to the harbor after escorting a schooner out to sea. The sky is orange with a few clouds scattered above. A wisp of wind blows, causing Sunshine to shiver]
Sunshine: Brrrrrrr, it's a bit nippy this evening, init?
Ten Cents: Yeah, looks like the peak of summer is over, gonna start gettin' chilly soon.
Sunshine: Aye, just hope we don't have to deal with another big freeze, can hardly get work done, man.
Ten Cents: At this rate, I don't know what's going on with the weather…ah, great, it's gettin' hard to see.
[A low fog begins to hang over the water, obscuring the two switchers' view of the port]
Sunshine: Oi, 'eck, this fog ain't half thick.
Ten Cents: Strange, where'd it come from?
[The two tugs turn their lights on for better visibility, but the otherwise uneventful trip is interrupted by the sound of something behind them]
Ten Cents: Oi, what was that?!
Sunshine: Well, it sounded like a ship…I think.
Ten Cents: Ah, I wish I could see it betta', could help tow it into port.
[The sound comes again, this time a little bit closer, it sounds like a low whistle, fitting to an ocean liner]
Ten Cents: Ahoy! [blows his hooter] You need help into port?!
[No response comes]
Ten Cents: What the…I said, ahoy! [blows his hooter again]
[Suddenly, the whistle sounds as if it's right up to the switchers]
Sunshine: Aye, what on Earth?
[At that moment, a huge vessel emerges from the fog, revealing itself to be an ocean liner, painted black on most of its body with red on the bottom, a white top, and four tall stacks colored mostly red with black tips]
Ten Cents: Oh, bolts!
Sunshine: Good lord!
[Ten Cents and Sunshine back out of the way just in time as the liner passes between them, heading straight for the city]
Sunshine: Aye, man, what was that?!
Ten Cents: I dunno, a liner just came outta bloody nowhere!
Sunshine: It's headin' fa' port, with no one to guide it!
Ten Cents: Shoot! Quickly, we gotta catch it!
[The switchers set off after the vessel, trying their best to navigate through the fog, and squinting their eyes to see better. But as soon as they come closer to port, the fog disappears, much to their surprise]
Sunshine: Cripes, the fog's liftin'!
Ten Cents: Wait a minute, where's the ship?!
[The tugs look ahead, seeing no liners in front of them, or anything resembling one by the port. They look at each other, stunned]
Sunshine: Uh…what just happened?
Ten Cents: That doesn't make sense, we just saw a liner pop out before us! How could it just disappear?!
Sunshine: Ya' don't think that…we were just seein' things, were we?
Ten Cents: I…I don't know…
[Ten Cents and Sunshine continue to head back to port, looking rather pale as the Star Dock comes into view. Ten Cents in particular is distracted by what he saw that he ends up bumping against the side of the dock, giving an "OOF" in response, and catching Top Hat's attention]
Top Hat: I say, what's gotten into you? Looking all zoned out.
Ten Cents: What? Oh, sorry, Top Hat, I just had something on me mind.
Top Hat: Hmm, must have been something real deep to lose sight of your bearings.
Ten Cents: You didn't see what I saw, so don't gimme that.
Top Hat: CAH, well, what did you see then? No need to be so temperamental about it.
Ten Cents: I…aaaaaah, shoot…well, ya' never believe us if I said it.
Top Hat: Hmph, well, you've got my attention now, better than sitting here in awkward silence.
Ten Cents: Okay then…did you happen to see any ships entering the port?
Top Hat: Not really, a rather empty day for ships might I say.
Sunshine: Oh…well, we thought we saw an ocean liner tryna' enter the harbor, came right between us, but when we tried to catch it, the ship just straight up vanished.
Top Hat: In that case, you two must have been seeing things, a ship that size would be hard to miss if I saw it.
Ten Cents: …Sunshine?
Sunshine: Yeah…?
Ten Cents: Uh…never mind…
[The switchers don't say anything more and reside in silence. The scene cuts to evening as the other members of the Star Fleet have arrived back and settled into their dock, all are asleep; Big Mac and Warrior on the right side, O.J. in the middle, Top Hat to the left, Hercules further right with Ten Cents and Sunshine each higher left, barring the switchers]
Ten Cents: Ya' don't reckon this is another White Fleet incident?
Sunshine: Oh, I can't say for sure, it looked real enough to me…then again, so did that King Neptune thing…
Ten Cents: Yeah…well, let's try and get some sleep, a'kay?
Sunshine: Yeah, sure thing…
[Ten Cents and Sunshine begin to drift off to sleep, still wondering about what they saw. The scene cuts to the next morning as the Star Fleet set off to work, leaving the switchers as the only ones left in the dock]
Ten Cents: I guess I know how Big Mac felt when we made fun of him for all that talk of ghosts.
Sunshine: Aye, I just hope we were seein' things like last time, once was bad enough.
[As Sunshine pulls out from the port, a loud hooter causes him to jump before revealing to be Zorran exiting from the Zero Dock]
Zorran: Hehehe, no need to be frightened, short stuff, it's only me.
Sunshine: Oi, Zorran, ya' bloody cheek! Whatcha' go and do that for?!
Zorran: Well, I couldn't help overhearing that you lot saw a ship that wasn't real, somethin' tells me there's a few screws loose in there.
Ten Cents: How about you back off and leave him alone? Last I checked, you weren't exactly the bravest when we all saw the white fleet.
Zorran: [splutters] I wasn't scared, just a bit startled is all.
Zebedee: [as he passes Zorran] Das not what I heard from Izzy Gomez.
Zorran: Shut it, Zebedee, you two-faced pillock!
[As Zorran huffs off, Ten Cents and Sunshine look back at each other]
Sunshine: Talk about a real case, init?
Ten Cents: Yeah, anyway, suppose it's best we carry on as usual, though best keep a look out for anything strange.
Sunshine: Aye, ya' right there.
[The two Star switchers head off from the dock as Zak and Bluenose can be seen in the distance, with the former hauling a barge of coal. The scene then transitions to the park, right on top of a hill, where Antoine is painting a mural, Tails is laying on the grass a few feet away, looking contently at the sky above as he twiddles a flower in his hands. The scene cuts to Antoine's painting as he stands back to observe]
Antoine: Hmmm…ze clouds are too misty, and ze aren't enough lines on da grass.
Tails: And all the rest.
Antoine: Hmph, very funny.
[Antoine looks over to his right and notices something in the distance, what appears to be a large ship many miles away from the city]
Antoine: Huh, must be coming in from afar…
[The coyote begins to go back to painting without a second thought…he then blinks and quickly looks back]
Antoine: Um, Tails, you're a smart kid, aren't you?
Tails: Well, yeah, I guess?
Antoine: Tell me, is it normal for a cruise ship to have four stacks?
Tails: Huh? Oh, not unless it was from the 1900s, the most you'd find today are three stacks and they don't even make those ships anymore.
Antoine: Okay…then explain that.
[Tails stands up and looks in the direction Antoine is pointing at. Indeed, there stands a ship in the distance with four stacks]
Tails: Wait a minute, that ship looks familiar…black hull, white top, red and black stacks…
[The kitsune suddenly sweatdrops. Antoine takes notice]
Antoine: Tails, are you alright?
Tails: That, that's not it, it would be impossible, it just doesn't make any sense.
Antoine: Tails?
Tails: No, no, it's just an illusion of sorts, yeah, or a replica, yeah, that's the only way to explain-
Antoine: AHEM!
Tails: Huh! Yeah, Twan?
Antoine: You were zoning out there, looked like you'd seen a ghost.
Tails: Yeah…I guess I kinda lost myself there, hehe, yeeeeeah…
[Antoine begins to take down his mural and painting tools]
Antoine: Um, perhaps we should go, you're looking a bit on edge.
Tails: Yeah…okay…
[The two begin to walk off from the hill, Antoine looking back towards the ship in the distance, still in the same spot as it had been before. He feels a chill run down his body and turns around]
[The scene cuts to evening at Cedar Station. Daisy is shown dropping off passengers as Madoka, Homura, Wolf, Robin, Rouge, Pinkie, Hokey, Norbert, Dagget, Colleen, Dot, and Ariel exit the railcar. The redhead is shown at the back of the line, being the last to pass Daisy as she looks out to the sea nearby. She gives a glance without much thought, seeing nothing but the continuous stretch of water reaching out to the horizon]
Ariel: Hmm, might be nice to take a walk.
[It cuts to Ariel walking along the dockside where different boats are moored in their respective docks. She then notices what appears to be lights shining in the distance]
Ariel: Oh, a ship's coming in.
[As she says this, the air begins to grow colder, causing the girl to shiver]
Ariel: Brrrrrrr, it got chilly fast…huh?
[From Ariel's perspective, the sea appears to be getting ice in some places, seemingly extending to the ship far off]
Ariel: What on Earth…?
[The sound of something cracking can be heard, faint at first…but then louder…and louder, almost like ice breaking. Ariel looks down to see the ice in the water splitting apart, and the large mound of light coming closer and closer to her]
Ariel: Oh…OOOOOOOOOH!
[Ariel turns to run away as the ship comes closer and closer to the port. She gets to a safe enough distance and ducks down for the sound of an inevitable crash…all is silent…Ariel meekly stands up, and then makes her way back to where she saw the ship…only there is no ship…the water is calm once more, no traces of ice to be found]
Ariel: Wha…what…?
[Ariel stays still, trying to process what she just saw…only the sound of the wind is heard in the otherwise silent harbor]
[The scene cuts to a bedroom, revealing it to be that of Lapis Lazuli. The blue gem tosses aside her keys before dragging herself over to the bed, plopping down onto the mattress]
Lapis: [sighs] What a day…
[The blue gem slowly closes her eyes for a few seconds…before they shoot open at the sound of a loud hooter from outside]
Lapis: Are you kidding me…?
[Lapis begrudgingly goes to close the window]
Lapis: There…
[She goes back to lie down on the bed and preoccupy herself with her thoughts…the hooter is heard again, only Lapis just gives an annoyed expression as she turns away, closing her eyes once more. The noise continues to the point where the gem becomes thoroughly irritated and shoots up from the bed]
Lapis: WHO is blowing whistles at this time of night?!
[The gem storms up to the window and opens it]
Lapis: Keep it down, people are trying to sleep!
[Lapis shuts the window in a huff before turning away…a few seconds pass and the noise appears to subside]
Lapis: Aaaah, that's better…
[Lapis turns back to lie down on the bed once more, slowly closing her eyes and beginning to drift off]
[Lapis is next shown looking out from the bow of a ship. Only the bow is visible as she looks out at the ocean below]
Lapis: Beautiful…
[Lapis extends her arms out as the wind blows in her face, feeling light as a feather]
Lapis: Haha…hahaha, I'm flying, I'm flying…
[The silhouette of someone's hand is shown holding onto her waist]
Lapis: Oh! Hehehe, excuse me, but who are-
[Lapis turns around and feels herself turning pale at the person right behind her]
Lapis: J…J…Jasper?
[The large orange gem's face is neutral as the background changes from bright sky to nighttime, revealing the ship's deck lighting up. The loud whistle from above is followed by a call from the bridge]
?: All hands on deck!
[Lapis stands in silence for a moment before the looming silhouette of a large chunk of ice is shown approaching the ship. She turns around just to see it up close]
Lapis: AAAAAAAAAA-
-AH!
[Lapis abruptly opens her eyes, jolting up and panting as she finds herself back in her room]
Haaaa…haaaaaa…haaaaa…what was that…?
[Lapis quickly runs up to the window, looking towards the harbor. She takes a few steps back and holds her chest]
Lapis: Oh god…it's happening again…
[The scene pans out from Lapis' window before cutting to the clock tower as the time reads eleven o'clock. The sound of the bells ringing carries all the way to the Star Dock where Sunshine is having trouble sleeping]
Sunshine: [sighs] Might as well get some fresh air, among other things…
As quietly as he can, he slips out from the dock and heads out into the harbor. Ten Cents opens a sleepy eye and notices Sunshine's trail]
Ten Cents: Ah, what's he up to?
[The larger switcher silently goes after his friend, unaware that both of them have caught the attention of Top Hat who opens one eye as soon as Ten Cents is far enough]
Top Hat: Hmm…
[Sunshine is shown having traveled to the far end of the harbor, right at the spot where he and Ten Cents had found the ship]
Sunshine: Boi, man, I canne get this thing off ma' mind…mayhaps I'm ova'thinkin' it…
[The sound of an engine catches his attention]
Sunshine: Who's there?
Ten Cents: Ah, don't worry, mate, it's just me…
Sunshine: Ten Cents, what are you doin' 'ere?
Ten Cents: Could ask you the same thing, bit late to be outta port ya' know.
Sunshine: Oh, I just needed some air, couldn't sleep ya' know.
Ten Cents: Yeah, I get it, I couldn't either…were you thinkin' about "it"?
Sunshine: You're right on there, I just can't stop thinkin' about what we saw, a ship that size can't just vanish into thin air.
Ten Cents: Yeah, and we both saw it, but then there was the fog and it just straight up disappeared…um, Sunshine?
Sunshine: Yeah?
Ten Cents: Did that ship look…familiar to you at all?
Sunshine: Well, from what I saw, it looked a lot like them old RMS liners.
Ten Cents: Yeah, like the Queen Mary, except I thought that this one had four stacks, not three.
Sunshine: But…all those liners were either scrapped or sunk, so…how could one of them still be around?
Ten Cents: Unless…that liner wasn't real…
Sunshine: Aye?
Ten Cents: I mean, think about it, unless it's some great big replica, there's no way one a' those ships would still be floating…which can only mean-
[A low whistle breaks through the silence, causing the two to jump before seeing just who's behind them]
Top Hat: Ah, sneaking off for undisclosed business, I see?
Ten Cents: Top Hat, what are you doin' here?
Top Hat: I couldn't help but notice you two going off for whatever reason, so I followed just to make sure you weren't up to something.
Sunshine: We're not up to anything, we're just out to get some fresh air.
Top Hat: Hmm…I say, what's that?
Sunshine: Huh?
Top Hat: Out there, I can see lights.
[Sure enough, in the distance, an array of lights can be seen miles away from the tugs]
Top Hat: Hmph, what a time to make an entrance.
Ten Cents: Strange, they never mentioned any ships coming in at this hour.
Sunshine: Um, is it just me, or is it gettin' hard to see?
[Sunshine is right, the view of the ship is obscured by the fog covering it]
Top Hat: What the?! Where did this fog come from?
Ten Cents: I believe I asked the same question…
[The sound of a loud low hooter rumbles around the area, catching the tugs by surprise]
Top Hat: What is this, some sort of joke?!
[At that moment, a huge hulking mass plunges through the fog, towering over the vessels below as they all look up in shock]
Sunshine: It's the ship!
[Top Hat notices he's right in the path of the oncoming liner]
Top Hat: Oh, good heavens, someone help! Please, I require assistance!
[The railway tug backs up as quickly as he can, Ten Cents and Sunshine watching in horror on either side. The latter looks up to the ship's stern and notices the name]
Sunshine: "Titanic"...oh great flamin' balls a' fire, it's a ghost ship!
Ten Cents: Hurry, Sunshine, we gotta stop that thing before Top Hat gets shipwrecked!
Sunshine: Uh, right!
[The switchers set off in pursuit, meanwhile, Top Hat is still on the run from the impending ship]
Top Hat: Oooooooh, why did I get myself involved?! I should have just stayed in my nice safe dock!
[Ten Cents and Sunshine find themselves drawing level with the ship, but they're still far off from Top Hat]
Sunshine: Ten Cents, what do we do?!
Ten Cents: Uhh, try gettin' a line on her!
Sunshine: How?! This thing's not real, is it?!
Ten Cents: I dunno, just do something!
[Sunshine tries to latch his tow rope on the Titanic's anchor, but because they're moving so quickly, he can't get a grip, neither can Ten Cents]
Ten Cents: Oh, CRUMBS!
[Lightning flashes above the Titanic as the sound of people and music can be heard from its deck. The harbor begins to come nearer and nearer into view through the fog]
Top Hat: Oh, dear, this isn't good!
Sunshine: Oooooooh, we're beached, Ten Cents, beached!
Ten Cents: It's gonna crash into the port! STOP! STOP!
[Top Hat rushes ahead to get out of the way, the Titanic, giving another loud blast of its whistle, rushes past him, sweeping a powerful wave and knocking him and the switchers off-course. The three tugs watch helplessly as the vessel comes nearer and nearer to port. But as the Titanic comes within several miles of the nearest dock, the clock strikes 11:40, and the ship begins to gradually become more and more transparent before with a ghostly whistle, the ship vanishes completely…the entire harbor is still…the three tugs watch with wide eyes, unable to say a word…at last, Top Hat breaks the silence]
Top Hat: What…the Devil was that?
Ten Cents: That…was the Titanic…
Top Hat: Titanic…but, they, they've been, what?
Sunshine: Honestly, I don't know how to explain it…if it can even be explained…
Top Hat: So…you really did see a ship…a ghost ship no less…I must be going crazy…
Ten Cents: I think we're all a bit crazy after seeing that…[sighs]...let's just get back home…
Top Hat: Yes…quite…
[Ten Cents, Sunshine, and Top Hat all silently make their way back to their dock, unable to comprehend what they saw, barring the fact that they had seen the Titanic, or at least, what looked like the Titanic. Even as the scene cuts to the next morning, the three remain silent about the affair. Anyone would think they were mad telling such stories, but they knew what they saw…the scene then cuts to several witnesses of the ship, all sitting next to one another on the bench at Cedar Station]
Antoine: So…how was last night?
Lapis: Rough.
Antoine: Ah, yes…
Ariel: Well, I had a lovely walk around the pier last night, nice to get a bit of fresh air once in a while.
Lapis: See anything 'interesting'?
Ariel: …No?
Lapis: Hmph, good.
?: Well, you look like a sight for sore eyes.
[Antoine and Lapis share an annoyed expression at the voice, the camera cutting to a mink with long blonde hair and wearing a red dress, a haughty air about her]
Lapis: Can I help you?
Minerva: More like can you help yourself, did you even brush your hair this morning, would explain its…appearance.
Lapis: I like it this way.
Minerva: Well, that says a lot, doesn't it?
Antoine: [clears throat] Madame, what is your business?
Minerva: Hmmhmmhmm, catching the train, soldier boy, just like you all are doing, I've got places to be too, ya' know.
Antoine: [under his breath] Cannot happen sooner enough.
[At that moment, Arthur pulls into the station with two coaches in tow]
Minerva: Ah, there's my ride, toodles.
[The mink waves coyly as the door opens for her and she steps into her seat. Antoine snorts and Lapis rolls her eyes as they board the train along with Ariel and Tails. Lapis takes the window seat and as the train sets off, she's sure she notices Jasper sitting at the edge of the key, and the memory of her dream comes back as a final loud blast of the Titanic's hooter makes the screen cut to black]
Character Guide:
Ten Cents, Sunshine, Top Hat, Zorran, Zebedee, Big Mac, O.J., Warrior, Hercules, Zak, Bluenose, Izzy Gomez - Tugs
Antoine D'Coolette, Tails, Rouge - Sonic the Hedgehog
Ariel - The Little Mermaid (1989)
Lapis Lazuli, Jasper - Steven Universe
Minerva Mink, Dot Warner - Animaniacs
Colleen - Road Rovers
Hokey Wolf - Hokey Wolf
Homura Akemi, Madoka Kaname - Madoka Magicia
Norbert and Dagget - Angry Beavers
Pinkie Pie - My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Robin Hood - Robin Hood (1973)
Wolf O'Donnell - Star Fox
Arthur, Daisy - Thomas and Friends