Pirate Toon 101

Hello, everyone, and welcome to my little experiment.

This will probably start as a bunch of related short(or long, I don't know) stories, but this could become a chapter story eventually!

Also, this is an Adventurous Dragon Fruit Wiki exclusive, if you're wondering.

Anyway, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this weird little thing I'm making.

## Character Creation Screen

"...Argh, curse ye, pirate! You're standing in me blind side! Are ye a boy, or a girl??"

Huh? What!?

I look around, hoping to see who talked to me. Fortunately, I don't have to look far before I find a bipedal blue dog? Wearing pirate clothes and looking like there's a pillow underneath his shirt, no less?? And there's also a bipedal yellow duck? Who's also wearing pirate clothes??

Wait, what is the dog squinting at? Is the dog squinting at me?

At this point, I look down and see my form flashing before my eyes, and suddenly, at least something makes sense.

I'm a boy, and also a duck toon.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that I always was those things.

But, where did I come from? Who are my parents? Who am I, really?

"Hello!?" The dog exclaims. "Pirate?? Come on, we don't have all day!"

Oh, right.

"I'm a boy, sir!" I exclaim, hoping that I didn't make a fool of myself in front of Captain Flippy and First Mate Slappy, feared pirates of the high seas.

It's then that I notice my voice. Honestly, it's hard *not*to notice it, since it sounds like a whole bunch of different voices layered on top of each other. Even weirder is that the voices all sound male, but are as different as can be despite that.

What's going on!? Why is my voice like this!?

"What's yer name, then?" Captain Flippy asks, seemingly oblivious to my voice.

Wait, what!? My name?!

I begin to search my mind for my name, various ones coming up as I do.

Sneaky James Quackington...

Sneaky James...

James...

Suddenly, it all clicks together and I remember who I am.

Of course! How could I have forgotten?

"I'm James," I say with the weird voice I have.

"I told you!" First Mate Slappy says to Captain Flippy. "He's the one!"

The one? The one for what?? Screwing in a lightbulb for them?

I chuckled at my joke.

Captain Flippy looks at me, humming and rubbing his chin.

"Maybe he is, maybe he isn't," He says to First Mate Slappy, then turns all the way to me. "If ye are who ye say you are, prove it."

"We know you're an orphan," Captain Flippy continues. "How'd you lose your parents?"

How'd I lose my parents? I don't even know that I *had*parents-

Wait, what am I saying!? Of course I had parents! I know exactly how I lost them, too!

"I-" I start, then cut myself off because of my weird voice. "They were eaten by a sky squid."

"Yer parents were eaten by a sky squid?" Captain Flippy says, eyes wide. "Tragic!"

"So sad," First Mate Slappy says, looking sympathetic. "It happens all the time."

"So, who raised ye, then?" Captain Flippy asks. "Where'd ye grow up?"

When the name of the place I grew up in didn't come to mind immediately, I begin to search my mind for it. After a bit, the name pops up despite there being nothing for it earlier- Skull Island.

"Skull Island," I say simply.

"Raised in the dirty streets of Scrimshaw, were ye?" Captain Flippy says. "You must be as sneaky as a Wharf Mouse!"

Instantly, memories of my time on a pirate ship and at Scrimshaw fill my mind- being taught by the captain of the ship I grew up in in sleight of hand and how to steal to survive, having to hide from other Wharf Mice that I stole from in Scrimshaw, hanging out with my Wharf Mouse buddies- yep, it was all there.

"How did you know-"

"Honestly, ye seemed to have a sneaky edge to ye the minute I saw ye," Captain Flippy interrupts, winking at me. "So how'd ye end up locked in this brig? What crime did the Cog Armada arrest ye for?"

Hmm...

After a minute of thinking, the answer appears in my mind.

"Dueling," I say. "My best friend was humiliated by a Cog Armada officer, so I challenged the Cog to a duel in order for my friend to regain his honor!"

"So, ye assaulted a Cog Armada officer while defending your best friend's honor?" Captain Flippy asks me.

I nod.

"You are a Swashbuckler!" First Mate Slappy says. "Swashbucklers are known for their speed and cunning."

"What distinguishing marks have ye got?" Captain Flippy asks me. "You know...species, fur, feather, or scale color, expression and whatnot..."

What is this, a very weird Q&A? I know that I'm standing in Captain Flippy's blind spot, but why is he asking about my appearance this way? Can't First Mate Slappy tell him what I look like or something?

What *do*I look like, anyway? For some reason, I know everything else but that. Maybe I haven't looked into a mirror recently?

I look down at myself again, trying to ignore the faint staticy noise in my ears.

Wait.

I have ears now!?

I quickly put my hands on my new ears and pull down on them. Ignoring the sudden pain I feel and the staticy noise growing louder, I'm amazed to find out that my new ears are changing from ones like Captain Flippy's to bear ears to back to none at all.

I stop being amazed and become even more confused when I discover that my species is changing every few seconds in my brain.

I'm a frog. No, I'm a bear. No, I'm a beaver.

I want to scream, but for some reason, nothing comes out.

Also, the staticy noise is getting even louder now.

Eventually, I just shut my eyes and hope that the confusion and my rapid species change ends soon. Maybe then, who I am will make sense.

"A pirate must dress to impress."

Hm? I'm sorry, I can't really hear you. The staticy noise is almost deafening now.

"What is your-"

A sudden loud scream from Captain Flippy interrupts First Mate Slappy and opens my eyes, making me see a hulking behemoth of a monster with static-like flesh and disturbingly bloodshot eyes practically eating Captain Flippy alive.

"GET BACK, YOU MONSTER!!" First Mate Slappy says, having already pulled out his twin muskets and starting to shoot with them at the monster. "GET BACK! LEAVE MY CAPTAIN ALONE, YOU FIEND!"

I know that I have to help. But how!?

Almost immediately afterwards, I remember the twin short swords that I have hidden in my tailcoat. I instantly pull them out and notice that my arms are black.

Of course they're black! Red foxes *do*have most of their arms as black, after all, and I'm a red fox toon, so *of course-*

Focus. I need to focus.

I notice that First Mate Slappy isn't doing much damage to the monster and realize that I'm still stuck in my cell, which means that I have to think my way out of here. Just as I am, though, the monster suddenly absorbs First Mate Slappy and Captain Flippy and expands its form towards me, leaving me pinned to the wall.

I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, please don't let me die-

"You," The monster suddenly says in a whispering, staticy voice, pointing to me.

Huh? What is it doing-

"Me," The monster continues, pointing to itself. "Me need to, absorb you. Then my mission, will be...Complete."

The monster then made its hand slowly go towards me, absorbing the prison bars and everything around it as it did. Suddenly, the wall I was pinned against is gone, and the monster and I are surrounded by static.

The monster's hand got closer, and closer, and closer...

*Shing!*

The next thing I know, I have my twin short swords out, the monster's severed hand is being absorbed into me, and the monster is clutching its arm and howling in pain.

The moment after that, I'm falling into turbulent winds, a small piece of the ship's wood is falling with me, and I promise that I feel like I'm rapidly losing my memories.

And the monster?

The monster is nowhere to be seen.

## Stranded

When I wake up, I find myself lying on a piece of wood, floating on what seems to be calm winds. I feel the winds moving me and the wood somewhere, but I'm not sure where I'm going exactly.

Then I realize that that's not the only thing I'm not sure about as I soon discover that I can't remember anything before the present.

Questions soon fill my mind as I look around wildly, trying to see if there's something here that I remember.

Who am I?

Where do I come from?

Why am I floating on a piece of wood, of all things?

Unfortunately, I don't see anything that I remember.

There's gotta be *something* I can remember, though! It's not like I popped into existence on a whim or something-

*James.*

I freeze.

James...

My name...is James?

Yeah...I think so.

I think...I think I'm also a fox toon, actually.

I look down at the parts of my black arms that are uncovered, and notice that I have a fox tail that's attached to and near me.

...Yeah, I'm probably a fox toon, then.

I sit up and look around again, realizing that I have no idea where I am. I don't know if I knew this place before or if I didn't, but it looks to be a place that you have to travel in in order to get to the islands that I see in the distance? Maybe??

Maybe that's why there's no ground or water, just air. Maybe you have to use something in order to navigate through this place and get to the distant islands.

But what, I wonder?

And how do I get to them now?

## Sunset

It's been like, what? A couple of hours??

I'm still not closer to any of the islands.

I tried to swim to one of them by laying my stomach on the piece of wood I'm on and making my limbs do the work, but I ended up going nowhere fast.

Great! Now what am I going to do!? I can't stay here forever-

Huh? What's that?

Due to seeing something out of the uppermost corners of my eyes, I look up from my current sitting position and see the sky turning orange and pink.

What on earth? The sky was blue before! Why's it turning orange and pink??

...Although, I kind of like it this way.

It's very pretty.

Also, it makes me feel...

I smile.

...It makes me feel like everything's going to be okay.

## Woody the Piece of Wood

(Woody is the piece of wood that James has been lying/sitting on, by the way.)

How long has it been since I woke up here? Days? Weeks?? Months???

I feel like it's been a week, but I'm not so sure.

Still, at least I have a friend now.

"Hi, Woody!" I say, waving to the part of Woody that I'm not sitting on. "How are you doing this fine morning?"

I notice for what's probably the fifth time in a row now that my voice now sounds like an actual voice instead of a whole bunch of different voices layered on top of each other. I know that I should be used to it by now, but I promise that my voice used to be layered for some reason. I just didn't remember why or when it was, and maybe I shouldn't dwell on it because the last time I did, I ended up with a massive headache and random flashes of images that might've been my memories and might not.

Anyway, it's now that I notice that Woody hasn't responded yet. It's okay, though, because Woody likes me to respond for him.

"I'm doing great, James, my old pal!" I respond for Woody, making sure that my voice is deep and jovial because that's how Woody wants my voice to sound when I'm responding for him. "How are *you* doing?"

"I'm doing good, thanks to you!" I say to Woody in my normal voice. "I was so lonely before you came around! I would at least like a snack or a glass of water, though-"

"Why would you *ever* want those things?" I interrupted myself by responding for Woody. "You don't need them! All you need is *me,* remember?"

For some reason, I feel a little intimidated by Woody now.

"I know, but I'm really hungry *and* thirsty!" I whine, suddenly hearing my stomach grumble. "See? My stomach agrees with me!"

"Do you want me to leave?" I respond for Woody in a low voice.

"No!" I exclaim, panicking. "Please don't leave! You're the only friend I've got-"

Huh? Is that-

## A Friend

I suddenly see a small brown cricket standing on where Woody's face should've been. It was tilting its tiny head, seemingly confused by the conversation I was having with Woody.

"Um, hello there!" I say, waving at the cricket. "I'm just having a conversation with my good friend Woody over here."

It then occurs to me that I feel better talking to the cricket than I do talking to Woody, but only *a bit* better, mind you! I don't want to make Woody angrier than he already is, after all.

"You can stay if you want!" I say to the cricket. "I'm sure that Woody and I would love your company, wouldn't we, Woody?"

"Oh yes," I respond for Woody in a sarcastic tone. "I would *love* it if the cricket stays here with us."

"Hey," I scold Woody. "Be nice, Woody! The cricket is our-huh?"

The cricket! It moved! And it's-it's nuzzling me??

I suddenly feel overwhelmed by how cute the cricket is, and then get a feeling that the cricket cares more about me than Woody ever has.

In fact, is Woody even real? I'm starting to think that I made him up.

"Aww," I say softly to the cricket, then gently pick him up and start to pet him. "You're so cute, you know that?"

The cricket chirps cutely in response, making me love him all the more.

"Can I call you Chirp?" I ask the cricket. "You know, because you chirp? I'll even tell you my name! I'm James!"

The cricket nods its tiny little head.

"Great!" I say, gently hugging Chirp. "I think we'll be the best of friends, you and I."

Chirp chirps again, presumably to voice his agreement.

## A Plan

"So that's all that I've been doing ever since I've woken up here," I say to Chirp after relating all that's happened so far to me to him. "Admiring pink and orange skies, trying to get to at least one of the islands, making friends with pieces of wood..."

I sigh.

"I wish that I could find a way to get to one of the islands," I say. "Honestly, I'm not sure if I'll be able to survive out here any longer without some food or water. I'm *so* hungry and thirsty..."

Huh? What's Chirp doing? Why is he- ah.

"You want me to take off my shirt?" I ask, pointing to my white shirt. "But, why?"

Chirp, still in my lap, stands up on his hind legs and then mimes himself unbuttoning something that seems like a shirt, getting it off his arms and back, and then holding it up to the sky.

"...Well, that doesn't answer the "why" part, but alright," I say, scooping up Chirp in my gloved paws and placing him on another part of the piece of wood. Then, I cautiously try to stand up on the piece of wood, not sure if it'll support my weight or not.

Surprisingly, it does, and I decide to take off my dark brown tailcoat before taking off my shirt. I then hold my shirt up to the sky, the wind(that had picked up earlier) ruffling the red fur on my exposed torso and arms as I do so.

"I don't know why you're making me do this, but I hope it works anyway!" I say to Chirp.

Suddenly, I feel the piece of wood moving faster than it ever had before and the wind blowing strongly against my shirt. These two things, coupled with my surprise, almost make me fall off the piece of wood, but luckily, I catch myself before I do.

"Woah!" I say before catching myself. Then I notice that Chirp and I are moving towards one of the islands faster than my previous attempts to do so as I manage to stand up again.

"Ohhhh, I see!" I say, looking at a now hovering Chirp. "You wanted me to use my shirt as something that could use the wind in order to propel us towards one of the islands! Why didn't I think of that before? You're a genius, Chirp!"

Chirp chirps happily and makes a "aw shucks, don't mention it" series of gestures.

Smiling at Chirp, I then look at the approaching island, wondering what it'll be like.

Then I see something else, and my blood runs cold.

## Monster

Right off to the side of the path the piece of wood is currently on is a hulking behemoth of a monster with static-like flesh who looks like it's eating someone alive. I can't see its eyes, but I don't think that I want to, especially since I already have.

Wait, I already have!? When-

Suddenly, I'm thrust into my mind.

*"GET BACK, YOU MONSTER!!" First Mate Slappy says, having already pulled out his twin muskets and starting to shoot with them at the monster. "GET BACK! LEAVE MY CAPTAIN ALONE, YOU FIEND!"*

Static.

*Just as I am, though, the monster suddenly absorbs First Mate Slappy and Captain Flippy and expands its form towards me, leaving me pinned to the wall.*

Even more static.

*I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, please don't let me die-*

Even *more* static-

All of a sudden, I hear the sound of frantic chirping.

"Huh? Chirp!?" I say, suddenly being able to see the outside world again and Chirp waving one of his front legs in front of my eyes. "Is there something wrong!?"

Chirp lets out a tiny deep breath and chirps again, but my attention is grabbed by the monster beginning to slowly turn its head towards us before I can figure out what emotion Chirp's displaying.

Panicking, I look at the piece of wood and get an idea that might or might not work.

I then grab my tailcoat and two sides of the piece of wood and turn it over, turning myself over as well in the process and making me upside down. Chirp flies over to me right before I see the monster suddenly close to the piece of wood.

What on earth!? It wasn't *this* close before-

"Where is..." The monster says in a whispering, staticy voice. "...The fox?"

I hold my breath in terror and hope to the heavens that the monster doesn't see me.

"Thought he was here...but..." The monster says. "...Guess not. Only thing here is...a useless...piece of...wood!"

Oh no.

I see the monster starting to ready its tail to knock the piece of wood into the sky, and the next thing I know, I think I'm flying right next to the piece of wood, clutching my shirt like my life depends on it and with my tailcoat covering every inch of my body.

My screams are muffled by my tailcoat, and I think that I can hear Chirp's chirping over them, but I can't see him because my tailcoat is covering my eyes.

I suddenly feel myself landing on something, or is it *in* something? I'm not sure, but at least I can move my tailcoat now!

I move my tailcoat with one struggling gloved paw and see that I'm upside down in a tree. My shirt and the piece of wood are on the ground, and my body and tailcoat soon remember the laws of physics and join my shirt and the piece of wood.

I land on my head, and for some reason there's tiny birds circling my head and chirping now? Maybe they were in the tree, but I don't know??

"Ugh..." I say, rubbing my head as Chirp lands beside me, chirping frantically. "Are we on the island yet?"

Chirp doesn't chirp, he just nods and points to the ground.

It's then that I realize that I'm on *solid ground, and* that I landed in *a tree.*

*"LAND!"* I cry, kissing the grassy ground. *"FINALLY, PRECIOUS, SWEET LAND!! OH, HOW I-I..."*

I suddenly realize that I'm ingesting dirt and grass.

"...You're kind of gross, actually," I say to the ground, then immediately try to spit out the dirt and grass I ingested while Chirp seems to laugh in his own way at me.