"All hands on deck!" Scurvy screamed out as the fast-moving ship quickly approached. The seasoned blue cat could recognize that ship anywhere. The sorriest sight to ever sail the ocean blue, the Clipper-On Tie was a force to be reckoned with. The gang of Raiders had been outcast even by their cog brethren for many years, recruiting only the most despicable and evil scum that Cog Nation had to offer. Every once in a while a Loan Shark or a Backstabber would make it in, but the Raiders ruled the sea. "Everybody, prepare yerself for a fight. These Raiders want trouble, well they be gettin' bit!" Around the ship, the flummoxed crew ran around aimlessly. None of them had prepared for something like this. Fortunately, Scurvy had planned ahead in the case of an emergency and had ordered three large crate full of gags. "Behind the vittles. Orange crate. Everyone best be armed, they closin' in quick!
Calypso led the crew as Scurvy attempted to keep away as long as they could. Pushing the large craft to its limit, Scurvy cursed as the hulking load was no match in speed for the much lighter vessel that the cogs pursued in. "Mariner, Edmund, Cross, I want you guys to be our up-front defense! Take a pack of foghorns each! They get close? You let loose. John will be up on the crows nest wth the cream pies and will pick off anybody who wants to try and come in from above. Me and Five-o!" tailing off, the light blue duck scanned the ship. "Wait, where is Horsenado?"
As Calypso spoke, the ground rattled as the ship was struck with a shot from the enemy. Unlike the Melville II, the Clipper-On Tie was attached with cannons. However these did not shoot heavy balls, but rather ink. Booming explosions deafened the crew as white smoke enveloped the sky around them. Constant shaking had knocked both Cross and Edmund down to their knees, and watched as the boxes of gags slid around. "Hold on tight!" John screamed, as he clenched to the rungs about halfway up the ladder. Weighed down by a heavy pack of gags in his pocket, the older crocodile gritted his teeth. When the firing stopped, he quickly scrambled up into the safety of his lookout tower.
"Arrrrgh. You Toons be out in our waters! There be a high fee to be sailin' these seas!" a Raider dressed in elegant purple robes and shining, colorful jewels stood surrounded by dozens of comrades. Holding up his hand to the cannon firers, he allowed the smoke to clear the air as both ships slowed to a crawl. "The Melville II? Well if it ain't Captain Scurvy! I guess ye losin' your ship wunt enough for you to keep away." laughing at the fuming blue cat the Raider looked around to his crew, riling them up. "Now mateys. You are well outnumbered, if me math ain't wrong! Looks like six of ye and many of us!" this caused raucous laughter from the cogs. "How 'bout this, Captain! You surrender yer ship, and we go easy on ya and let you live! We'll even let ya stay on yer ship as oar slaves!"
"Steel-Beard you slimy, seaweed sucking scoundrel! I ain't over yer dirty tricks sinkin' me Melville! Ye ain't takin' us down this time!" peering back, Scurvy nodded to John and Calypso who had cream pies ready. "Fire!"
A hell-fire of pies rained down on the unexpected crew of the Clipper-On Tie. Calypso and John had both experienced fighting the cogs, and while their accuracy was not great, they knew sometimes with enough chances you would hit your shot. This was for the fate of the ship, and everybody knew it. Calypso ignored the stringing pain in his shoulder as he catapulted desserts onto the deck of the ship just feet away. The confusion had sent the opposing Raiders scattering for cover, unable to fight back. The three younger Toons stood spaced apart on the front line near the barriers, fogs in hand. There would be no plank-crossing today. Once the dust settled, the cogs rushed back into action. Tossing ill-fated jury notices and launching inkball shots, projectiles launched back and forth between the two. Several cogs had met Davey Jones, exploding and raining gears down onto both ships. The Toons had suffered a few minor injuries. Edmund had been hit in the jaw with a jury-notice, knocking a tooth out. Scurvy had fallen when running to grab their sword and skinned a knee, but otherwise things were going well. "Keep fightin' mateys! Don't give up the ship!"
Inside of his room, Horsenado sat shivering underneath a blanket. The horrifying booms, and wails of exploding cogs were too much for the young horse. Whatever courage that he had found previously was gone. He felt like a young child again, cowering away. "I'm such a stupid coward! Everyone out there is fighting but me" the red horse punched his mattress in frustration at his abandonment of his comrades. "What good am I though? I don't know how to fight a cog!"
"You just gonna sit in here pityin' yourself, matey?" a voice yelled out. Throwing his blanket over his head, Horsenado stood in awe as his captain waddled across the room holding a pair of aoogah swords. "We ain't got time for cowerin' away! We got trouble brewin' and we need ya!" Scurvy's eyes pleaded with his second-in-command as the sound of Mariner screaming on obscenity at the enemy echoed through the hollow wooden walls.
"Captain! I can't! Look at those guys! I'm nothing like them! I would just get in the way!" Horsenado slung his legs over the bed and dug his face into his hands, muffing his cries. "But I don't want you guys to get hurt! I certainly don't want to lose the ship! Ugh! Why is this happening!"
The pain in Horsenado's conflicted voice brought Scurvy a newfound energy. Seeing this Toon, someone they viewed like family, was enough. Unsheathing one of the swords, Scurvy stabbed the blade down into the hard wood floor, keeping it upright. "Five-o. I ain't able to make ye do anythin'. If ye be too afraid to fight, then at least be prepared to defend. Might be needin' this!" Scurvy closed their eye and inhaled. Turning around they walked to the door and waited. "Make the right decision, matey..." unsheathing their sword, the angry captain let out a scream and looked to the sky. "Steel-Beard!"
Horsenado had not looked up from their hands. In the blackness that filled their mind, all they could see was pain. The explosions and screams painted a vibrant picture of cogs and Toons fighting. Pies splatting down onto planks, foghorns trying to out-scream the enemy cannons. Even from the relative safety of his room, Horsenado had a first-person view of the action. "Make the right decision?" the red horse thought on Scurvy's words. His mind wandered until the crucial four words Scurvy had uttered the previous night filled the blanks into his subconscious. "It's us or them." clenching his fists, the anxious Toon stood up. Scurvy was right. If things went south, none of them were making it out unscathed. Was it better to sit around and await his fate, or actively try to shape it himself. Opening his eyes he grabbed the sword and swung it around lightly a few times. He had the power to take lives, just as he did on the accursed island. He could not fear the power, he had to embrace it. Letting out a similar scream, Horsenado charged into battle.
"Ye blimey dubloons! Yer lettin' a group of Toons off too easy! nevermind goin' easy on them! Kill them all, that ship will be ours!" Steel-Beard screamed out orders to his crew. While the few that had stayed on the ship had either been splatted to pieces by pies, or had taken refuge in the safety of the lower decks, shooting cannons. The remaining cogs had been ordered to propel themselves onboard their new treasure. However, this had proven to be more difficult than they imagined. At first they had tried going straight across, but were quickly dispatched by a wave of sound which caused them to fall into the waves of the sea. Cursing, Steel-Beard had come up with a brilliant idea. Stagger attacks from all sides. Using the cannons and a few sacrifices, most of the crew was too focused on the enemy in front of them to handle the Raiders who had circled around the back and were descending from above. Turning to see the danger, John screamed out to the crew.
"Cogs on the starboard side!" John reached down into what was now an empty pocket. Complete out of gags, the crocodile choked up as a Raider quickly approached. Knowing that he had little chance against the behemoth, John looked around. If he had one strength it was adapting. Reaching out for a plank of the barriers, John stuck his legs against the railings and pulled until the smooth, cylindrical wood was torn off. The peg was long enough to use as a makeshift club. The Raider was now face to face with John, as neither spoke.
Moments passed before the cog smiled evilly and pulled out a pink slip. "I'm taking over!" John had never really been in a physical altercation with a cog this close. usually preferring long distance attacks. Closing his eyes, the older Toon clenched his wood and screamed. Swinging out, the felt a shock through his hands as the momentum of the club met the fat cog's steel propeller. Falling flat backwards, pain shot through his hands. The Raider, caught off-guard was unprepared. Feeling the bottom drop out from underneath him, the Raider plummeted onto the ship below, crashing and exploding into small pieces. Unfortunately for John, there were still several of these abominations coming and not enough resistance. Standing up, he clung to the ladder and slid his way down.
Scurvy felt a small amount of enjoyment as they hacked and slashed through silk suits and hard metal. While assuredly most of these cogs had not been around when Steel-Beard had sunk their ship many years ago, they still worked for that disgrace to the sea. Spinning and slicing, the blue cat grinned as they were quickly surrounded by three of the cogs. "What be yer problem? Can't take on this old bag o' bones? Tell Davey Jones I ain't ready to see him yet!" laughing manically, the blue cat plunged the sharp edge into the chest of the cog directly in front of them, causing an immediate self-destruction sequence. Turning to face their next opponent, they were knocked off their feet as the unaccounted for third cog launched a hard white ball, striking Scurvy right in the back. This gave the cogs the advantage, alternating power-ties had given Scurvy pause. They were no longer the aggressor, rather the hunted. They could feel their laff quickly deteriorating as they were pelted with powerful attacks. "You cowards, have to gang up on me! I ain't givin in yet!" Scurvy clenched the handle of their weapon and swung out, chopping off the foot of the Raider who had knocked them over. Toppling over, the Raider joined Scurvy on their stomachs. Before the unfortunate cog could counter-attack, a long piece of sharpened metal penetrated their face, preventing them from ever attacking a Toon again. Just as quickly as this cog had been defeated, two more had broken through the sound defense of Mariner, Cross and Edmund, who were now struggling as they were on elephant trunks and fire hoses.
"Captain! Watch out!" Cross screamed, as a can flew down and covered her, preventing her from attacking. Scurvy peered through a gap and screamed in anguish as the realization that fate was likely to repeat itself was becoming more of a reality. Bracing themselves for one last fight, Scurvy had all but succumbed to the sheer volume of three gargantuan pirates. Clenching the sword, Captain was ready to swing when suddenly a electrical disturbance filled the air as a metal arm fell to the ground followed by a bellowing cry from a now-armless cog.
"Be off with ye scally-wags!" it was Horsenado! Fitted with an eye-patch and pirate ruffles, the red horse growled and clanked out his attack, finishing off what he started, making short work of the attacker. Quickly, the chubby horse was on his second opponent, as chaos reigned. The clanging sound of metal on metal, screams of anger and pain, and small zaps overshadowed the occasional ka-boom. Momentum was now on the Toons side. Horsenado fought relentlessly, fully giving himself up to his most basest of instincts. These cogs deserved no empathy from him, and he wasn't going to give them any.
With a new opening, Scurvy took advantage, standing up and grimfully chopping the whiskers from the final Raider who was so ready to kill them just moments ago. "Off with his head!" Scurvy laughed as the sharp metal cut through the weak point of the cog's body, decapitating and sending the head rolling down the deck. Mariner and Edmund who were not captured under the can, had innovated with their lack of gags. Finding some thick rope, they had tied large balls at the end, making make-shift clubs out of the seemingly useless material. Running around, the two friends grinned as they walloped unexpectant Corporate Raiders.
Now absolutely furious as his ranks of fighters was diminishing by the minute, Steel-Beard twirled his be-jeweled and braided face hair. "Everybody back to the ship!" at the beck and call of their leader, the remaining twelve cogs took flight, quickly escaping and landing back in the safety of their own vessel. It was now a stale-mate. Cross had recovered and joined the gang who had grouped together. All breathing heavily, the seven Toons stared across at the seventeen cogs still remaining. Piles of debris filled both sides. Empty tin cans and splotches of white whipped cream, as well as the inky black had re-painted both ships into something unrecognizable. "Looks like ye have toughened up a bit since the last time we met! Don't think I'll be forgettin' about this! Ye better watch yer backs, because when the Clipper-On Tie comes back, we won't be goin' so easy on ye!" The salty old Captain was ready to set off when he was interrupted by a response from the other side.
"Wait one second ye barnacle head!" everybody looked to face Captain Scurvy whom had stepped forward angrily. They couldn't let their greatest enemy - aside from that beast of a holy mackerel - get away that easily, off to harass and attack other innocent creatures. "Ye and me, Steel-Beard. One on one! Fight to tha death! No other cogs, no other Toons! We settle this like captains! One last battle!"
"Yer thicker in tha head than me old second-mate, Scurvy! Ye must think I be a fool if ye think I'd walk into a trap like that! Consider yerself lucky I lettin' you all live!" Steel-Beard shook a little at the idea of fighting the ferocious cat, but had to remain the fearless leader for the remaining crew. For a sea captain, their reputation was worth almost as much as their life.
Scurvy smiled. "Ye lily-livered coward. Afraid of me are ye? Fine then? Let's make this worth your while! I'll come fight ye on your own turf! If I lose ye can have me crew and me ship!" this elicited shocked gasps from the crew.
"Captain, what the heck are you thinking? You know what these cogs would do to us if they captured us? it'd be a death sentence! There's no way they go easy on us after what we just did!" Edmund cried out in horror.
"Scurvy, he's right." Calypso interjected. "We have the upper hand. They still out-number us but not by much. They have nothing to fight for. Let's live to fight another day. We have more important things. I know you hate these guys, and so do I, but is it worth risking all of our lives for?"
Closing their eye, Scurvy nodded and whispered to the crew. "Calypso, I'd never let anything happen to any of ye. Reason I be doin' it on their ship is so ye all have an easy escape. These scoundrels couldn't beat ye six over here. I don't think they be foolish enough to try. But I can't let them go. ye all know they sank the Old Melville. What ye don't know is they also sank me crew. Fourteen good Toons all gone to the pearly gates. By Neptune's graces I survived. Two times I have looked fate in the eye and spit in its face. Ain't goin' to get another chance, mateys. These landlubbers shant have the chance to terrorize anyone anymore. This be my final wish. If anything happen to me, you all carry on." Scurvy had an unsual expression. The wrinkles and scars wore the burden of many years of pain and regret. Nobody was going to talk Captain out of this and they knew it.
"Please, be careful Captain!" Cross cried out, tearing up as she tried to make peace with the idea that this would be the last time she saw the blue cat.
"I won't be needin' luck Cross. Everybody prepare the plank, let's finish this." Scurvy watched as the Raiders on the other side cheered and pumped up their Captain, an emotional and atmospheric flip-flop from the Toons side.
"Very well, Captain. I accept ye offer. Bring yer sword. Ye have my word as a captain that none of me crew will interfere. It be me, ye, and a pair of swords. Now walk the plank and meet your fate!"