Episode 2 - New Tricks
Lakewood Plaza's been converted into a base of operations for newer and veteran heroes from the old days. As the war continues to spread across the Earth, now isolated from the rest of the known universe after a string of unsettling events, K.O., in a sort of leadership role for recruits, checks in with the Toon Republic periodically with his girlfriend Dendy. She prepares a video chat from her laptop and summons K.O. over in their home to start the call.
"Your call's about to start."
"Thanks Dendy," said the boy getting to the computer. "I sure hope they're not mad at us…"
In the meeting are only two founders of the original Toon Force: Jimmy Neutron, arguably the head of the entire Toonverse, and Danny Phantom who actively watches over the new heroes of the universe.
"Mr. Neutron!"
With a smile, Jimmy nodded, "You can just call me Jimmy, K.O. How are you today?"
"I could be doing better if I'm honest," he confessed. "I've been trying to get new heroes to stop fighting evildoers like evildoers. But nothing I tell 'em really works."
Danny chimed in, "I wouldn't quit on 'em just yet. I know from experience it takes a planet to get people to change. Besides, we don't wanna keep sending Irken patrols out to watch over you guys like you're children."
"I'm 18," K.O. corrected.
Fenton chuckled, "Didn't say you were 10."
Thinking back to prior events, Jimmy asked, "You haven't heard anything else about that assault in Toon City, did you?"
"You mean that brawl where everyone had glorbs," K.O. wondered.
"What else?"
It was like any other day in Toon City when an attack began at the central park of town where pedestrians were caught in the crossfire between heroes and villains from K.O.'s world. What none expected most however was their use of Glorbs on both sides of the battle causing even the do-gooders to show very little regard for collateral damage. No one was killed, but the aftermath was catastrophic as many were left hospitalized from the attack.
Feeling a wave of pressure, K.O. said, "Jimmy, I promise I won't let that happen again. Everyone involved is already in intensive treatment or working to pay for the damages."
"You can't pin everyone's actions on yourself, K.O," Danny comforted. "Everyone's independent."
"But I'm always the one they look up to…"
"We'll sort this out," Jimmy assured him. "We always do. Just hang in there and keep doing your best where you can. We'll be in touch."
"Ok…"
Abruptly, Danny recalled, "Oh by the way, not sure if we toldja, but Cattus visited Voxmore to look for your Dad the other day. It's for his part in the whole Cyber Catra thing Mao and his friends took care of. All he could find was evidence that a fight broke out."
"You don't think my Dad's hurt, do you," K.O. asked worriedly.
"Nah. The only hint of any injury was blood from some Cosma lady. But Cattus hasn't seen her either. All we know is he was somewhere around like you said, but not in the building. We'll let you know if anything comes up."
"Thanks guys!"
His smile quickly fades to a disappointing frown the second he hangs up his call. He slouched against his seat and let out a deep sigh which Dendy caught wind of without having to try. Worried, she walked over to him and asked bluntly, "You blame yourself for everything, do you?"
"It's hard not to when you almost killed everyone when you were very young," he explained. "Especially when your dad's an intergalactic supervillain."
Dendy lightly pressed her hands on K.O.'s wrists, "That was in the past, KO. And everyone knows you're not an evildoer like your father. Your best option would be to continue to be your best self and not let everyone's fears get the better of you."
She paused then smiled, "After all, a good leader needs to be firm in their beliefs."
Barely holding a smirk, K.O. relented, "Aw, sure thing. I just wonder where Dad went all this time. Last I heard from him, he went to a gaming tournament to cheer on Fink. I even got to hang out with her once but it was just us."
"Perhaps he doesn't want to escalate current affairs with his presence alone. Or maybe he is spending time with his boyfriend."
Chuckling, he shrugged, "I guess. Man, Boxman... He went from my Mom to Lord Boxman. What a love triangle, huh?"
In the first stages of the Professor's training, he attends a class of new warriors of Lyvsheria; albeit children, taught by the great Professor MaBarnacle. A similar situation that even Cattus and Bimm were in at the same academy. Seeing Venomous in the front of the room hunched in his little chair nearly makes her laugh silently as she finishes her lesson on Magisword combat. A subject the villain would need to know later the further along he gets with Cattus' training.
"So ya see, a Magisword can do a great many things," she concluded. "But you young lads have it simpler now thanks to those disks of yours."
"You skipped over that part," Venomous interrupted.
"That's because this is a lesson on traditional combat, not a trading card game. Ye in particular will need this in order to stand a chance against The Ultimate."
He smirked at the children and the professor in a cocky manner, "If he's so 'ultimate,' why not teach me himself? It's his show."
"So he makes it easy for ya after knocking you out the other night."
Nearly the whole class is filled with laughter much to the expense of Venomous as his pride turns to annoyance.
"Just take it in, Venomous," he thought to himself. "You'll get them soon."
"Class dismissed. And Professor, I would like a word with ya."
As the rest of the attendees vacate the premises, Venomous comes face to face with the elderly feline awaiting potentially another insult. Clearly, a tactic to egg him on as a motivator for his training.
He asked, "I'm guessing you have something else you wanna say about me, don't you?"
"Oh no Laserblast," MaBarnacle said. "It just so happens that your real lesson starts now."
In a flash, she pulled out a broad sword from her desk and attempted a chop close to Venomous' nose! The blade cuts clean through the wooden table distracting him long enough for the elder pirate to elbow him in the face! He covers his lips barely avoiding a few more strikes from MaBarnacle's claws as she relentlessly swipes at him before stopping herself to let him recover.
"That was to see for myself how you would fair as of now," she clarified. "Ye be slow for your age, but there is still potential."
Through the window, Cattus along with his son, Cosma, and Familiar arrive just in time to see the Professor in a weakened state straightening his jaw.
"Wow! She got you good," Cosma commented.
"Thanks Cosma," he snarked. "You always make light of tough situations…"
"Yeesh," MaBarnacle said as she rolled her eyes. "It be only a flesh wound, young lad."
"I'm in my 50's."
"And I'm in my late 60's. Older, yes, but not cold."
Still cracking his neck and flexing his jaw, he turned to the king, "Now I see how humiliating it was for you under Cyrus' teachings, Cattus."
He responded, "There is a difference between being humbled and defeated, Professor. And there is nothing wrong with admitting you are wrong. You tell yourself 'I will fail.' And you will, but only to grow from that failure."
"You sound like I don't already know that."
"I know you do," Cattus grinned. "I'm just here to remind you."
In awe, Cosma palmed her cheeks, "SO WISE!"
Venomous asked, "How long will it take for me to get on your level," then shook his head. "Actually, no. How long will it take for me to get any stronger than this? It's been a few days and we're still on chapter 1 of potentially hundreds of subjects."
Cattus thought, "Judging from your current expertise, I would approximate...four months."
"FOUR MONTHS?!"
Familiar commented, "I mean, for what you're up against, that's a pretty short window. If you were like me, you'd have to go through years of training that ultimately doesn't equate to what you'd actually be facing… Ignore that last part."
The Professor argued, "That would just give Black Hat enough time to do whatever he wants!"
"Not to worry," Cattus assured him. "My son here is still monitoring current operations in the criminal underworld. If anything of note comes to mind, you will be informed swiftly."
"Y'know what that means," Cosma asked Venomous.
"That I'm going to be stuck with a family of furries and a lizard for the next 121 days?"
Offended, Nyando replied, "Y'want a furball in your mouth?"
The lizard pat the human's back, "You're gonna get back to your old helmet-wearing self soon!"
"And better," Cattus smiled. "I would like you to continue with your training, Venomous. You as well, Cosma. I believe you would be a valuable ally for him."
Cosma began bouncing, "EEEE! I'm gonna get a cool spinny sword!"
"Spinny sword," Venomous questioned, still unnerved by Cosma's change of heart.
"Ah yes, the Magiswords," Cattus explained. "Trainees under the Warriors used them to great effect before. I believe you should familiarize yourself with them more before you're ready to wield another like mine. That's the purpose of MaBarnacle's seminar."
"Fine, then where should I start," Venomous wondered.
"With this."
From a pouch he's been carrying, Cattus reached for a hilariously shaped Magisword: A literal blowdryer on a stick. He hands it to the human who struggles not to find it in him to feel belittled.
"How do you expect me to face anyone with a blowdryer?"
Activating the switch caused a blast of hot air to send Cosma and Familiar flying across the room while Cattus calmly stood firm in the middle of the fallout. He walks over to the device and shuts it off with his finger before the trainee can get any ideas seeing its capabilities for something so ludicrous.
"Hm… Perhaps that was too much of a start," Cattus thought aloud.
MaBarnacle whispered another suggestion in Cattus' ear and agreed. He reached into the drawer of the split desk and pulled out another Magisword. "Here is your real training weapon."
Rather than even a theoretical weapon of sorts, he hands him a hilt holding a sheet of bubblewrap like a sword. In a fury of mixed emotions from disbelief to anger, he yelled, "THIS IS BUBBLEWRAP ON A STICK!"
"That's right," Cosma cheered! "And it makes a very nice popping sound." Facing the reader, she asked, "Can you say 'pop'?"
Looking around then following Cosma's line of sight, Familiar asked, "Who're you talking to?"
"Commence the montage," MaBarnacle ordered.
MONTH 1, WEEK 2
In the first weeks, Venomous was taught basic combat for both Magiswords and hand-to-hand fighting. Cattus and the frog Phibby Croax personally practiced the use of physical blows instead of weaponry since the Professor was proficient enough with whatever was given to him.
"Man, you're a fast dude," Phibby said throwing punches being dodged fastly by the human.
It seemed a prideful Venomous was about to gain the upper hand from being, ready to try and hit him precisely in the neck just barely above the shield with an attempted chop when the brute turned around and grabbed him by his head, slamming him into the floor of the padded training room! He breaks him so hard, the walls shake and the floor cushions jump from their sockets! Venomous was down for the count.
Croax commented, "I thought I went easy on him!"
"I thought so too," Cattus agreed.
MONTH 1, WEEK 3
An agent of the Toon Force, Mao Mao, accompanied by Adorabat and a young guest ally, Kitra, hold a brief discussion with Cattus at the castle while Venomous hides in plain as a civilian to practice his stealth skills. Just as the conversation with the king ends, the trio leaves the vicinity. But it seems the disguise wasn't very effective against Kitra's sharp eyes as they're instantly drawn to the Professor's position as she walks off keeping silent. Perhaps if she did recognize him, she'd have assumed Cattus would've caught him by now or has yet to do so. Either way, the supervillain is lucky as his costume, a black trench coat with a mustache, wasn't up to Vambre and Prohyas' standards. Instead, the two used a magisword to completely rewrite their DNA into that of canine anthros to blend in with the residence of the manor.
"Ok, that time I was taking notes from you two," the human admitted.
"Gee, we ain't that pathetic," said Prohyas.
MONTH 1 WEEK 4
Cosma participates in practicing melee combat with Venomous atop a roof in the sunset, easily blocking each kick and punch from the Professor with her face turned away to admire the scenery. Even late into the night rather than sleeping, he continues to perfect his technique, blending his swift wits with more refined martial arts inspired by recordings of Jenny the robot, Samurai Jack, and Ashi. With a Peephole Magisword, Cattus observes the man honing his skills for a moment impressed with the promise he shows.
MONTH 2 WEEK 1
On a whiteboard, the King had written a number of notes about Business 101. Basic things he learned from Venomous himself in the Toon Wars and from reading in his spare time. A demonstration is drawn beside the tips in the form of a dark top hat - representing Black Hat - and the sun-shaped One Blade symbol.
"You already know from experience how well an operation can run so long as you have the manpower," Cattus explained. "But every operation has an oversight. Try and name one."
Cosma raised her hand, "Oooh! Oooh! I know!"
"Go ahead Cosma."
"The vents."
"How is that an oversight," Venomous asked her. "It's to keep everything- Oooooooh, right." He nodded, "Someone like K.O. could fit in there."
Cattus gave a thumbs up, "Very good!"
Cosma made a slight purr while Venomous tried to hide a blush not wanting to show his flattery. He pretends to stay completely masculine by jotting down more notes in his notebook. The same he reads through later on as he comes up with a few ideas for taking down different facilities Black Hat runs. In the study the next afternoon, he is aided by former Princess Zange and Plunderbite for advice on getting past different defenses through use of clever wordplay or brute force if necessary.
"Normally I can come up with the right words whenever possible," Venomous credited himself. "But with every villain being loyal to Black Hat, what would you say to get through security?"
Zange simply put, "I think I'd tell them somethin' other than 'I surrender' for one."
"Why is that?"
"Because fake surrenders happen all the time. It works but it breaks the Geneva Convention. And second, I would tell them something to…appease 'em or whatever."
"Like flattery…?"
Plunderbite clarified, "Eh, there's that or comin' up with a white lie based on whatever's goin' on back there. You goin' in a sewer? Tell a worker you're lookin' to get a tour for your new gig down there."
"Hm… Guess I'd better tell Cosma that. Everyone's gonna know my face."
MONTH 2 WEEK 2
A new suit begins crafting as Venomous had gone through multiple attire that absolutely doesn't suit his style. Even Zange, Cosma, and Simone think so from a copy of Prohyas' suit to one of Familiar's old orange ones. Medieval themed. Familiar himself walked in to see everyone coming up with a better design, to which he remembered Cattus' original outfit. One very similar to his current look but much simpler. Comparing his build to the Professor's, he pulled out a Sewing Magisword to spin a few fabrics around him, giving him an almost perfect copy of Cattus' One Blade boots.
"There. The blue pops out but isn't so loud it makes you wanna shield your eyes," Familiar said.
"Hm," Simone squinted. "Needs to look a bit more…modern. Like this!"
She summons forth a pink aura around her hands, blasting Venomous' palms to morph a flexible metal around them, then sewing the fabric to duplicate Cattus' gloves.
"An extra layer of armor," Venomous pondered.
MONTH 2 WEEK 3
While bolting across a field with their hoverswords, the Warriors behind Cattus taunt Venomous as he seemingly struggles to catch up despite his snake-like speeds. However, when they turn the corner, the duo is met by a trap. He had asked Cosma to stand idle in an enlarged state at the exact spot he expected them to bolt to knowing they'd make it harder for him based on their character. With no effort, Cosma gulped the two without them even seeing it coming. Cattus, on the other hand, propels to the sky with his Whirlwind Magisword and in a single slice de-leaves the shrubs where Venomous tries to hide to reach him. But the Professor's come prepared. He pulls out the new Magisword System that spawns a Carrot Launcher to shoot at him from surface-level. Yet this does nothing to phase the king as he shields his face with his Magisword.
"Impressive," he complimented.
Cosma promptly spat the duo out who both look at her in disgust as she grimaced at them.
The next day, Venomous was face to face against a flurry of magic-based attacks on an island above a pit filled with spikes! Cattus stood nearby to keep him from getting hurt should he fall. Lightning bolts shot down from the skies by Simone's hands nuking what little leverage the human had to reach the other side. He was forced to hop from platform to platform hoping he didn't miss a jump when the second to last flooring collapsed from a strike! This didn't stop him when he grabbed the very edge of the cliff during his descent and began his climb to the top where he grabbed onto something to pull himself to the grass; failing to see he's just grappled onto the imp's foot and waist.
It took him a moment to recover, catching his breath when he saw what he thought was a stone was actually Simone's sandal she just slipped out of. He politely handed it back to her, to which she responded with, "Eh. Nobody's perfect," before smacking him back into the pit with it!
MONTH 3 WEEK 2
Now in the freezing cold on the icy crust of Transylberia, Venomous battles with Phibby again and successfully lands a hit on him! With a punch, he struck him in the stomach, then the lower lip, then the back of his leg in quick succession until he is grabbed by the head again and lifted into the air! Phibby lets go and kicks the man into a boulder! But this time, Venomous doesn't drift asleep. He gets back up and slithers his way toward the frog not to hit him but to strike the ground with his fist! Cracks began to form when Phibby stepped away from the danger zone and the ice broke apart.
"Woah," he shouted! "That could've been messy if I didn't see that! You, dude, are the master of extreme environmental hazardry!"
Venomous wondered, "Is hazardry even a word…?"
The next day, nearing the last stretch of the week, he and Cosma practiced one more time together atop the highest roof of the castle in the moonlight, this time accompanied by Cattus himself. He demonstrates several stances and techniques without the use of his Magisword, imitated by the pair.
MONTH 3 WEEK 3
All is quiet in the manor walls as Venomous flipped through hundreds of texts and voicemails from many he knew. Lots came from Boxman, some came from K.O. likely to track him since the Toon Force couldn't locate him. One investigator, Dib Membrane, came close to finding the man the Republic and Lakewood are after, but nothing came of it. Nyando would frequently return to his father to give updates on Black Hat's criminal empire, stepping in once with help from close contacts, such as Tanya Keys and Tak the Irken, to ensure whatever was being planned wasn't going to be finished any time soon.
Once his messages boiled down to Fink, Venomous immediately answered the second a call came in. He knew he would have to ditch his phone after this to make extra sure no one tracks him. Fink wouldn't betray him, but someone else is bound to flip through outgoing calls on different worlds to find even a hint at where the supervillain maybe hiding.
"Fink…?"
"BOSS," Fink shouted on the phone! "THERE YOU ARE! Where've you been?! It's been 3 months!"
Indeed, he could tell her where he is right now, but knowing the reach Black Hat has on all villains, he wouldn't want to put her up to the task. He minces his words and says, "I uh…I've been busy with Boxman."
"Didja forget to pay your phone bill too?!"
He chuckled, "It's called 'privacy,' dear. You know that."
"Yeah. True, but y'know I miss ya. Thought you'd check an' see how I'm doing like you usually do. At least nowadays. Not unless your Shadowy self's back again tryin' to toss us out."
"No, no," he shook. "He's gone. T.K.O. took care of that, remember? It's just…we've been going through some things right now, and we wanted to try and work it out."
Confused, Fink asked, "Wait, so like, you an' Box Boss' thing isn't working out, or…?"
"O-oh no! It's just fine. It's me. My shadow's been a constant part of my life ever since I left heroism. I've been doing some soul searching. That's all."
"Really? Kinda thought blowing up planets was enough ta mellow ya out."
"Are you kidding? That's my favorite part! I'd do it again if the Republic wasn't everywhere!" He nearly bit his tongue from saying that, but he wasn't specific enough. His secret is still safe. "What about you? Still gaming?"
"You saying 'gaming' never stops weirding me out," Fink replied. "But yeah, that never stops. Just sorta thinking about…well…"
"Yeah?"
"Well that other me and T.K.O. were dating, and I'm sorta…debating on it too?"
Her boss' face lit with glee, "Aaaaw, Fink, there's nothing to be embarrassed about! After all, I'm the one who got with Boxman!"
"But what if I end up getting with a superhero or someone from the Toon Force I just can't help but really like like that?"
"Honey, you're talking to a man who's doing…um…done both. I'm sure you can compromise."
"You think so?"
"Love comes in mysterious packages, Fink," he shrugged. "Believe me. There's a first for everyone."
She relented with a sigh, "Ok. But…when're you coming back?"
"Coming back where?"
"To your place. The Vox factory," she pressed further. "Y'know, our old job!"
Venomous answered honestly, "That's being frozen for right now. I wanna make sure no other supervillain seizes our assets after a couple of them tried to attack Cosma."
"What was she doing there?"
"Probably to see me, I haven't really been answering her calls. And that's likely why those assassins showed up in the first place, to take her out specifically. After all, she is a planet eater and I don't see CN City on the map anymore. How'd you even find out about that?"
"I mean…it's on the news."
Venomous froze. "…It is?"
"Everyone's lookin' for ya! They all know you were around, just can't find ya!"
"Ah. Right. I ditched my mech and dealt with some heroes…" He considered perhaps going out back to his cabin with Boxman so Fink can meet, but even he's a suspect and Cattus is the only one who has the authority and skill to keep him hidden for as long as he has now. That, luckily, gives him an idea seeing his One Blade outfit sat next to him.
He chuckled, "Ok, I'll admit. I've been running errands to rebuild the suit. Course, I could hire someone skilled enough to do it for me. But there's nothing more satisfying than getting the job done yourself from the comfort of your own home."
Fink snarked, "And with your boyfriend?"
"Yes."
"Well why didn't ya just say so?"
"Cause I wanna keep it a surprise. And I don't want anyone to track this call, so… I'll be in touch!"
KRRSHK!
He effortlessly crushes the phone in the palm of his hand!
"Huh. Guess I did gain some strength after all."
Venomous looked on at the stars for a good portion of time on one of the manor's balconies. Thoughts of disgust echoed in his head from lying to Fink and keeping Boxman in the dark, but he didn't budge. He knew in the end this would be a necessary measure to keep everyone safe.
Suddenly, he overheard the footsteps of someone heavy walking up to him. Unsurprised, he began his conversation with the anthro.
"You know, I never asked, why did you lie to the council about where I was?"
Cattus answered, "Because I believe you can defeat Black Hat and complete your training so long as you are uninterrupted. After all, they did submit for your arrest."
Venomous smirked, "Hm. Sounds like you took a page from my book after all."
"Something is troubling you, is there Venomous?"
"Can't keep a secret from you either, huh? I just lied to my step daughter. Can't put her and Boxman in harm's way trying to look for me."
"Are you sure sir," asked the cat. "Perhaps she would love to come join us again someday."
Venomous rolled his eyes, "Oh please. All she'd wanna do is compete with the other girls here and poke fun at Cosma for acting less…Cosma. Plus, I wouldn't want her to if it means staying with me again. I thought she'd be better off on her own like she is now."
"But she still loves you, does she not?"
"She does, but…" He swallowed and relented, "I feel like I haven't been the best role model considering all the times I've been in and out of my Shadowy phase. In addition to encouraging the life of a classic supervillain, and her having to put up with me being exhausted or busy on most days."
"Ah, that is unfortunately the hardship of being a mentor, Professor. Believe it or not, I've been too tired or too work-heavy to be with my son when the war was at its peak. So not only did he join a small team on the roster, we've spent as much time as we could to bond. If he felt he needed to be alone, I would respect his wishes. And both of us would take comfort knowing that we still love each other. Perhaps Fink feels the same way."
"True, but I'm also worried about her future. What if I gave her and K.O. the wrong advice? That power equals being whole? That strength is absolute, or…"
Cattus interrupted, "You seem to fear your legacy and your past more than anyone I've encountered, Venomous. What seems to be the problem?"
He turned away, "Nothing you'd understand. But how could you?"
His voice quickly turned sorrowful as he explained himself.
"You have it all, including the intellect and power. Me…even before I was a hero, I only had my mind which worked against me. P.O.I.N.T. was chalk full of heroes with powers and brute strength while all I had was a helmet with little animal ears on top."
He smirked, "Still…I'd be lying if I didn't say it was worth it relying on my smarts once I lost whatever ounce of dignity I had." He turned back to Cattus. "It doesn't matter what year it is. It's always the same. Heroes and villains want more…MORE power, more brawn over mind. Me? I found a way to get both…once. I still have no ounce of natural strength in me like everyone else period. But at the very least, I haven't become what my other half wanted to make and what many have become. A brainless, thrill-seeking meathead looking for validation who is obsessed with getting what everyone else had that I didn't."
Nothing. Venomous expected the anthro to start giving his usual motivational advice. But instead, he is met with absolute silence.
"…I uh… Sorry. I lost my chill for a sec. Not even sure if I worded any of it right." He shook his head and straightened his hair. "Can we just forget about that, please?"
Cattus finally spoke, "That won't be necessary. Because you have concluded your first step to becoming a legendary One Blade!"
Confused by every word, Venomous responded, "What…?"
"You've come forward and spoke honestly and without fault! You understand your strengths and weaknesses, as well as those who you've observed. Like me, you've seen your world grow into what it is now. And I believe you can still help it. All I must know is if you are willing to complete your training or move forward with overthrowing Black Hat in your current state."
"You're letting me go even when it hasn't been 4 months?"
"If you are strong, the decision is yours."
Cattus reached for a hilt like his own strapped to his waist missing the blade. He hands it over to the human who admires its craftsmanship compared to the other, sillier Magiswords he's wielded thus far. His fears tell him he should go. He already has the suit, the strength, speed, and intellect to back him up. Even Cosma despite her change of heart is there at the ready to aid him when things go south. But he knows Black Hat. He understands how massive his reach is in the criminal underworld and how easy it is for him to pretend to lose. Mao Mao knew that well and he wasn't going to repeat the same mistakes for the sake of everyone.
"No," Venomous thought aloud. "No I need to make sure I do it right."
He looked up to Cattus again. "We'll move forward with your teachings."
"Marvelous, Professor," the anthro said.