- Influence
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(The old traditional holiday of the VI, Beat A Sean Day, typically set on Frimary 18th. It’s established it’s not quite the right day in the first post, but the beasts of Bully get worked up pretty easily. Warnings for mostly slapstick violence. There are also some questionable anachronisms and behaviours/characters hiding in here but it’s a silly enough thread as it is. Verging on Through The Looking Glass in places. Sean, introduced by Zilaco in this thread was an NPC/autoable character. Characters involved: Sean S. Seanwood, Xhavek Mokorai, Extrimis, Ireana Poysonar, Jeshal the Ironclaw, Gonzalo A. Perez, Vladimir Ullyanov (yes the one who became Emperor), Rizanne G. Swoperkurke, Armina Rogue, and Hunter/Juno)
BEAT A SEAN 1729
First post Primary 29, Yr. 1729, 1:32 pm
Sean S. Seanwood
Sean S. Seanwood lurked down the streets of Bully, his eyes shifting from left to right. True it was not quite the day yet but the scraggy ferret was well aware his holiday was fast approaching. His back was still smarting from being hit with a large mackerel on the docks the day before. A snaggle toothed fisher rat had snickered with glee as he slammed the large fish into the hapless ferret's backside. Sean had slunk off the docks as fast as possible, picking scales from his person as he went.
Now the ferret was making his way towards the docks he had vacated the day before. The rat was probably off mending nets or better yet sailing with a fishing barge away from Bully. Sean had decided since last year that the streets were definitely not a safe haven for a cowering beast. It had snowed a few days back. A light snow that was now melting and turning the gutters into a slushy mush of filth. Sean hurried his gait, making for the docks. Perhaps he could sneak on board a ship like the BlackShip before anybeast found him and served out the purpose of the holiday season.
Xhavek Mokorai
Xhavek of course had been looking forward to his first official Beat A Sean Day for a while. So, it was not very surprising that he had been waiting for a particular ferret to show his sorry hide out in the open. Like a shadow Xhavek stole up behind Sean. Oh yes, a certain lizard was going to enjoy this. Pacing the ferret easily the monitor lizard was on the ferret in 3....2...1...
"GOTCHA!"
Xhavek slammed a full body tackle onto the ferret.
"Juzt vhere do you think you're going Zean?"
Extrimis
"Heheheheh that looks like fun!" Extrimis dug his foot in the ground and watched, waiting for Xhavek to get off the ferret. As soon as the lizard was up, Extrimis took off, and jumped onto Sean. Standing up, Extrimis brushed himself off and said, "Why did we do that?"
Sean was getting up, so, convinced that because Xhavek had done it, Extrimis could do. He dropped onto Sean again, but with more force.
Ireana Poysonar
Ireana Poysonar walked drunkenly up to Extrimis. She had been drinking a kind of ale known as "Heineken" by bilge rats and other beasts of ill repute.
She punched Extrimis in the face and said, "Stop beating up that poor beast! You are a fool! BTWs what kinda name is Extrimis?"
Ireana knew the name of Extrimis because she knew everything, as she was telepathic and all powerful.
Extrimis
"What the!?" Extrimis shoved the monitor and turned around mumbling "Ye didn't have to do that. As far as I know this has some meaning to it... like a... holiday." He watched Sean just laying there, then looked at Xhavek. "Maybe we killed him?"
Extrimis bent down, and picked up Sean by his ears. Shaking him a bit, the fox was trying to get a response. "Oh, and my name...well, WAIT! How did you know my name?"
Jeshal the Ironclaw
A groan emitted from further along the docks and a rather hungover Hide beast stumbled out from behind a cluster of moored vessels. The copper-furred fox, Jeshal, flinched at the commotion nearby and snarled at the pounding in his head. His patched hat askew and his iron paw squeaking, he stomped onto the scene.
Two monitors, one of which was his superior officer, and another fox he had seen on occasion around Bully Harbour were smashing the daylights out of a scrawny ferret. For a few moments Jeshal listened, wondering briefly at a word that the female monitor hissed, the fact that it was an acronym evading his currently taxed brain.
Realisation dawned that the Imperium holiday of Beat-A-Sean was upon them. Poor beast, he thought. You'd think the parents would learn by now not to name their offspring as such. Then again, perhaps his parents had done it out of spite. It didn't matter much to Jeshal. It wasn't him getting the pummelling.
As the other fox rounded upon the unfamiliar lizard, the Ironclaw seized his opportunity. He stalked up behind Extrimis and snatched the dangling Seanwood from his grasp.
"I think it'd take a bit more ter kill 'im. Just needs a mite o' wakin' up, does 'e," he growled.
Jeshal lifted the poor ferret off the ground and strode over to the nearest docked vessel. Baring his teeth in a wickedly grim smile, he swung Sean out by his collar and slammed him bodily into the ship's hull.
Gonzalo A. Perez
Gonz was walking about the dock trying to think up tons of nasty ways to punish the beast who had killed his parents before he killed him. That is, if he found him. He had just added another idea to the list when he heard some bickering and one of the biggest thumps that he had heard in a long time.
He quickly rounded the corner to see a somewhat scrawny-looking ferret having his whole body banged across the hull of a ship by a ruthless todd, and some lizards and another fox just a few feet off to the side. ‘How dare that todd beat up that helpless fellow!' Gonz thought as he decided how to attack this scoundrel. After all, with his parents killed, seeing anyone beating on a fellow ferret, that just made Gonz furious.
The one thing that he did decide on before he charged was to leave his sword where it was upon his waist, for now, at least until he got a grip of who he was fighting, because even being in a furious rage, he knew how to be sportsman-like.
"Let go of that ferret you beast!" Gonz yelled as he charged the fox and punched him in the gut between where his arms were holding the helpless lad.
Jeshal the Ironclaw
Jeshal wheezed as the blow struck him in the stomach, coupling pain with his pounding head. Took unawares, he let Sean drop into the gap between the ship and the boardwalk and stumbled away from his attacker. He shook his muzzle and growled, focusing his bistre eyes upon the albino ferret.
"Wot were that fer, yer lummox? Impedin' me in 'elpin' a fellow beast come to 'is senses..."
The copper fox snarled and lunged for Gonzalo, snatching the collar of his tunic. He raised his left paw, the iron digits curled to give a crushing punch.
"Wot be yer name, beast? Pray it ain't Sean."
Vladimir Ullyanov
"My Lord?"
The Minister of Misanthropy looked up from the pile of papers he had been reviewing. One of the Ministry officials, a stoat dressed in a smart black tailcoat, had entered from the guardroom.
"My Lord, he has arrived. Would you like me to show him in now?"
Vlad nodded, carefully closing the file and locking it away in his desk.
"Indeed, show our guest in."
The stoat bowed and hurried out, reappearing moments later with a rat and two of the Minister's black clad guards. The rat glanced about him nervously as the guards nudged him closer to the great desk. The Minister's eyes fell on the rat, who shivered visibly.
"Ah, Mr Proudpaw," Vlad purred. "Welcome to the Ministry. If you would be so good as to confirm your first name for me?"
The rat gulped. "It's Sean, m'lud..."
Vlad nodded again. "Very good Mr Proudpaw. Now, I'm sure you are aware of the date today? And what that day signifies?"
Sean nodded warily. Vlad slowly got up from his desk and padded around so he was standing next to the rat. At the flick of a paw, the two guards grabbed the unfortunate rat's arms and forced him to his knees. The tail coated official handed Vlad a large, ornately decorated frying pan.
"I know the current trend is for random beatings in the street Mr Proudpaw, but I myself am something of a traditionalist. For Beat A Sean Day, it should be the frying pan, or nothing at all, I'm sure that you appreciate that."
The rat nodded quickly, mentally bracing himself for what was to come. Taking the bejewelled handle of the frying pan in his paw, Vlad lifted it above his head.
"This is going to hurt you much more than it hurts me," the Minister recited, before bringing the frying pan down sharply.
There was a loud clang, and Sean's body went limp. The Minister inspected his pan, then handed it back to the official.
"Clean him up, and deposit him somewhere out of sight."
The official nodded, and the guards dragged the unconscious Sean out of the office. Vlad padded back to his desk. The festivities done, it was back to work.
Rizanne G. Swoperkurke
Beat a Sean Day. Rizanne never cared much for it. The pine marten saw more than a few beasts traipse in to the Lonely Lovebird that day, gulp down their drink and scurry out. It was so easy to spot a Sean by the furtive way they snuck about on this day every year; Rizanne would've thought they'd have learned by now how to be more subtle.
She also wondered why parents even bothered cursing their children with such a name anymore.
Rizanne was let off her duties early that day and was walking to her apartment in the Trenches when she nearly tripped over something lying in the little side street next to her apartment building. On closer inspection it was a rat, a very groggy specimen indeed. Crouching down beside him, Rizanne gently stroked his forehead as the rat's eyes flickered open.
"Mmmf...wha...?"
"What's your name, sir?" the marten asked, though she thought she had a good guess.
The rat recoiled, confirming her suspicions. "Nothin'! I'm nobody! Proudpaw! Just Proudpaw! Leave me alone!"
"Come on, Sean Proudpaw, I won't hurt you," she said, gingerly feeling the enormous welt atop the rodent's head. "Someone sure got you good, Mr. Proudpaw. Here, let me help you."
The beaten rat only whimpered in response, allowing Rizanne to help him to his feet and guide him to her apartment.
Sean S. Seanwood
The ferret wheezed as air was pressed from his lungs. Somebeast with a heavy and quite cold body had smashed him into the ground! Sean struggled as best he could and was relieved as the pressure was lifted. The scraggy ferret was about to try to pull his body to safety when another sickening thud sounded against his body.
"Thank goodness there's...no... frying pan yet..." Sean muttered the words through a swelling face before another crunch, worse than the other two smashed him back to the ground. The latest blow sent him into unconsciousness.
Time and more beatings passed until the limp body of Sean hit the oily water between the hull of the Hide and the docks. The cold woke Sean and he gulped in the salty dirty water. He was drowning! Sean fought with the strength he had left. He was hardly able to keep afloat. His body hurt all over, he needed to get onto land!
It sounded like beasts were fighting above him. Maybe he could slip away! Sean swam for his life away from the crowd of beasts, making for the slimy shone line of the harbor area. He pulled his welted and beaten body from the water and tried his best to get himself out of sight...
Armina Rogue
Armina didn't understand the purpose of Beat A Sean Day. There had never been such a thing in Fyador, if you discounted all the days at the orphanage when the older kids decided to make her their punching bag. Armina figured it was just a chance for sanctioned discrimination and violence based upon a beast's name.
Which, of course, was why she was out here in the first place.
Armina hefted the frying pan in her right hand, feeling its weight. She'd had a rather violent run-in with a frying pan salesman a couple weeks ago, resulting in the scattering of the beast's wares. Armina, still rather begrudged, had slipped back and spirited a pan away when no one was looking, intending to give it to Rynn, the Hide's cook.
And then she heard about Beat A Sean Day.
Armina walked past the Bilge, and a drunken stoat stumbled out of the doorway. Armina's eyes narrowed. She recognized this beast; he'd harassed her quite a bit the other night, seemingly under the impression that she was a stoatmaid in disguise. Before the drunk could waddle away, Armina stepped into his path.
"Good afternoon," she said quietly. "What's your name?"
The stoat seemed confused. "I's Le'roy, miss," he mumbled, unsure.
Armina adjusted her grip on the frying pan. "No," she responded calmly, "it's Sean."
"Wha'?" The stoat was even more confused now. "Bu' i's Le'-" Suddenly he caught on. Backing up, putting a paw between him and the deranged vixen, he warned her, "Na' wai' ah minu-"
He never finished his sentence. The stoat crumpled under the weight of the iron pan, falling limply to the ground.
Armina turned over the pan, inspecting the underside for damage. She was impressed; that foreign ferret had actually made the pan well. She was sure that by now he was completely sold out of his wares.
Armina brought the pan back to her side, moving on to find another victim. Who knows? She might actually find a beast called Sean, and get to bash his head in as well.
The crazy vengeful demon vixen was unleashed on Bully Harbor.
Extrimis
Extrimis laughed as the scene before him turned to havoc. This was fun. Standing up, he kicked the todd who had thrown Sean into the water. Then Extrimis noticed the dark shape swimming through the wat. "He's geeten away you idjit!" Extrimis ran for the ferret swimming in the water, trying to keep up.
He launched himself into the area he had seen the newest ripples of water and landed on something drenched, but solid. It let out a yelp of surprise, confirming that he should have hit Sean. Pulling the head fur into a twist around Extrimis's paw, the todd swam over to the ship Jeshal had rammed Sean on and began knocking Sean's head on it, laughing hysterically all the while.
Armina Rogue
Armina wandered along Market Lane, a strange, satisfied smile upon her face. Already she had run into five beasts who had harassed or annoyed her in the past. All five she had dubbed 'Sean'. All five would be waking up in short time with a splitting headache. Armina felt some slight guilt about taking revenge upon them (after all, if they were seriously injured she would be held responsible), but she justified it with the thought of all their past transgressions.
Suddenly Market Lane opened onto Fleet Street, named for the Imperial fleet that moored off its docks. As Armina passed the barber's shop, she saw a strange, but not altogether unexpected sight – a black fox was slamming a ferret, presumably named 'Sean', into the side of the Hide, while Jeshal and Xhavek stood by and watched. Armina raised an eye at the sight. While she could justify using Beat A Sean Day for the sake of revenge, she could not do so for random bullying and persecution.
Hefting her frying pan, Armina approached the struggle.
"Good afternoon," she growled, adjusting her grip. "Which one of you wants to be Sean?"
Extrimis
"He is!" Extrimis lifted Sean out of the water, threw him on the path, and dove under. He wasn't taking any chances. Swimming far off to where he had last seen Jeshal and Xhavek, the todd pulled himself out of the water and crawled forward. His back was having weird pains as if someone was standing on him.
He rubbed his back and felt all the splinters he had scraped off a docked ship. Swearing, he pulled them out one by one.
Xhavek Mokorai
Xhavek watched in grim satisfaction/merry malice as the poor fellow the monitor lizard knew to be named Sean was beaten. Once more Xhavek chuckled. It was tradition and Xhavek was going to enjoy this to the hilt. When Armina approached he grinned more broadly. It seemed everybody wanted a piece of this particular fellow.
"Hey Armina. Pleazant day, yez? Too bad for you I'm Xhavek and not Sean."
This was rather a regret among the more troublesome of the Hide's crew. The regret that they would never get the chance to jump their belovedly brutal Second mate that is.
Armina Rogue
(Slight auto on Xhavek)
Xhavek turned, a satisfied grin on his face.
"Hey Armina. Pleazant day, yez? Too bad for you I'm Xhavek and not Sean."
Armina chuckled darkly. Oh, how wrong you are, she thought malevolently.
Xhavek turned away, and Armina took the chance to close the gap between them. "No," she said calmly, raising the frying pan above her head, "it's Sean."
And, with a complete lack of ceremony, Armina brought the frying pan down on her officer's head.
Extrimis
"Harrharr ha he..." Extrimis stood dripping as he watched Armina take out Xhavek with one swipe. "He's right, ye know. His name is Xhavek."
Making his way slowly to the first and real Sean, Extrimis giggled like a naughty Dibbun and rammed Sean into the path. Then, he looked at Armina. "This is the real Sean... uh... again in case you, er... forget yah, in case you forget."
Xhavek Mokorai
Xhavek of course hadn't thought Armina would actually hit him with that frying pan. Of course unfortunately for Armina he had been hit over the head by professionals so her blow, while painful didn't knock him unconscious outright. However, he was knocked to the ground and pretty little stars danced in his head.
"Eerrrrrrrgh... Armina you vill report to mine offize az zoon az I can zee ztraight... Urrrggh."
And with that Xhavek slumped basking in the oblivious world of solitude that was to be found only in unconsciousness.
Jeshal the Ironclaw
The sobering Jeshal growled at the clumsy kick that was swung in his direction by the todd with a strange name and caught him a glancing blow on the shin. He released the beast with whom he'd been about to brawl and whirled to turn his wrath upon Extremis... until he noticed Armina stride onto the scene.
In utter bafflement, he watched the exchange between her and Xhavek and the climax in which the poor Second Mate received a clonk to the skull.
Lost in a mix of amusement and irritated rage, the Ironclaw tramped towards Armina and gave her a dangerous glare.
"Ye've put me at a cross-roads, liddle miss. On the one 'and I could drag yer fer trial afore the crew fer assault on a superior officer an' best 'ope I pleads ye were falterin' sanity. On the other, I could plead the falterin' meself an' use it ter give ye what ye deserve..."
He held out his iron paw and flexed the keen claws, studied them briefly, and then gave her a horrid smile.
"How's about the latter? What say ye, Miss Sean?"
Hunter/Juno
Such a calm, peaceful, boring night. And Hunter was, if you'll forgive the pun, on the hunt. After all, a night in Bully Harbor was supposed to be anything but peaceful. If it ever was, than someone wasn't doing their job right, and it was up to people like Hunter to whip them back into shape.
Lucky him, however, the sound of blows and screams filled the night. 'Ah, now that's more like it. What beautiful music...' Hunter took a moment to revel in the sounds of violence before following them to their source for a little fun.
It would be a safe perquisite. Juno was particularly sedated tonight and Hunter felt almost perfect control. Besides, his peaceful counterpart was only on extreme guard while he was around any of his friends, and it wasn't like he was going to kill anyone. Well... Not on purpose, anyways.
As Hunter turned the nearby corner, his search was immediately satisfied with success, as he found a mob throwing punches in every directions. If he wasn't mistaken, he even saw a frying pan flash in the moonlight. Reaching out a paw he grabbed a young rat by the top of his headfur and dragged him over face-to-face. "What is going on here?" Hunter asked in a chilling yet somewhat monotone voice.
The rat gulped. "I-- It's Beat A Sean Day..."
"Oh, right," Hunter thought, recalling the celebration from his mental calendar. He drew back his paw into a fist. "What a pointless holiday." He struck the rat right in the nose.
"Oi!" The rat rubbed his most likely broken nose. "I'm not a Sean! You can't beat me!"
Hunter cocked an eyebrow and assumed an amused look. "You think I need an excuse?" He whirled around, throwing out his leg and catching the rat directly in the temple with his back paw. If the rat wasn't dead, he was going to wake up with the worst headache he had ever experienced in his life.
Hunter turned and began trudging through the outer rings of the crowd, throwing out curled fists into practiced pressure points and sensitive areas, effectively slicing directly through the mob into the center of the action, crossing directly between a wild cat with some kind of gauntlet and the she-fox he saw earlier that was wielding a frying pan.
Spotting a small trembling ferret whose look of terror was far different than the looks of glee the other beasts had, it was clear that this must have been a 'Sean.' Grabbing the beast who was desperately trying to crawl away by the ankle, he dragged him back, bringing him face-to-face and giving him a sinister smile.
"Now, now, now, Sean, where do you think you're going?"
Armina Rogue
Armina watched as Xhavek crumpled. The lizard moaned, undoubtedly seeing canaries circling before his eyes.
"Eerrrrrrrgh... Armina you vill report to mine offize az zoon az I can zee ztraight.... Urrrggh."
With that, he collapsed. Armina smirked, satisfied. Score was now six to nothing, in favor of Team Armina. Team Sean had yet to muster a defense.
And then she saw Jeshal.
The bosun fox was glaring at her dangerously, tramping towards her with his deadly slow stride.
"Ye've put me at a cross-roads, liddle miss. On the one 'and I could drag yer fer trial afore the crew fer assault on a superior officer an' best 'ope I pleads ye were falterin' sanity. On the other, I could plead the falterin' meself an' use it ter give ye what ye deserve..."
He flexed his terrible iron paw and flexed it keenly. He studied the grotesque mechanism before smiling at Armina maliciously. Armina felt her heart lodge itself firmly in her throat.
"How's about the latter? What say ye, Miss Sean?"
Something in Armina's brain clicked at that, and a voice in Armina's head began musing to itself. Miss Sean. I like that. Miss Sean Rogue? No no no, that doesn't work. Well, perhaps, but there's got to be better. Miss Sean Armina? No. Wait, let's go back a second. Miss Sean Rouge? Absolutely not. I've changed my mind, Miss Sean Rogue is just-
Would you shut up and let me concentrate? Armina demanded. The voice fell quiet, allowing Armina to return her focus to the setting around her. Now a golden fox (not Anithias, which in Armina's view gave him the benefit of the doubt) was beating up the real Sean, while her doom stalked towards her in the form of a 5'7" iron-pawed fox. Armina felt her brain go into overdrive. She was caught in a corner, with nothing to do but run for it. But Armina wasn't going to run. Her pride wouldn't allow it. So, there was only one thing to do.
"Sean! Sean!" she suddenly screamed, her face contorting into the very picture of insanity. "I'm a Sean! I'm a Sean too!!!" Then, to the astonishment of all present, she swung the frying pan at a difficult angle, catching herself on the side of the head. The last thing she was aware of was the voice in her head commenting, Asmodeus, that's got to hurt.
Armina collapsed.
Jeshal the Ironclaw
The grey vixen's attacker seemed close to sharing a state of unconsciousness as his brain puzzled over this performance. The confusion overrode his usual lack of concern as he glanced between the two huddled forms of his crewmates.
Jeshal sighed and rubbed the bridge of his muzzle with his one paw and hoisted Armina's limp form over his shoulders. It was fortunate they were already at the docks and the Hide would be close by. Stopping beside Xhavek, he rolled his eyes and lightly prodded the monitor with the toe of his sandal.
"I'll be back fer ye, sir, an' if'n ye ain't roused I'll just 'ave ter drag ye by yer tail. Never were I blessed with the strength ter lift a great lump like yerself."
Smirking cruelly, he gave a mocking salute to his out-cold officer and set off back to the ship. He didn't know about the dead weight on his shoulders, but the Ironclaw had had enough of Beat-A-Sean-Day for one year.
Gonzalo A. Perez
Just after the fox knocked him Gonz away he jumped back into a fighting position, waiting to finish this todd off so he could go help his newfound friend, even though they hadn't officially met, at all.
After a few scuffles with the todd Gonz felt satisfied with him and started to look for the poor chap that had gotten beat silly. The other fellow trotted off to meet a new beast in the 'party; that it had seemed to turn into. After looking around for a few moments he noticed another fox slumping the beast onto the dock and dived in, apparently swimming for his life after pointing out that the ferret was the real 'Sean'.
So that's what this is all about, they're beating him up just because of his name! This is just ridiculous! Gonz thought as he ran over to cheek the poor beast, hoping that he would be alright, and that people would stop attacking him. But if they did, he would gladly fight for him.
Extrimis
Exrimis walked over to Sean after Hunter finished. "My turn!" The battle-scarred fox lifted Sean off the ground by his ears, and then slammed the ferret’s head into the ground three times. Dropping him, Extrimis turned around to see Armina knock herself out.
"Typical," Extrimis muttered, picking up Sean again. This time the todd slung the unlucky ferret over his shoulder and walked over to the nearest building. Pushing Sean against the wall, Extrimis shoved two daggers in and through Sean's tunic and into the wall.
Extrimis watched the ferret for a moment, made sure the daggers would hold, and began punching and kicking all over Sean's body, enjoying every moment. He liked this holiday.
BEAT A SEAN 1729
First post Primary 29, Yr. 1729, 1:32 pm
Sean S. Seanwood
Sean S. Seanwood lurked down the streets of Bully, his eyes shifting from left to right. True it was not quite the day yet but the scraggy ferret was well aware his holiday was fast approaching. His back was still smarting from being hit with a large mackerel on the docks the day before. A snaggle toothed fisher rat had snickered with glee as he slammed the large fish into the hapless ferret's backside. Sean had slunk off the docks as fast as possible, picking scales from his person as he went.
Now the ferret was making his way towards the docks he had vacated the day before. The rat was probably off mending nets or better yet sailing with a fishing barge away from Bully. Sean had decided since last year that the streets were definitely not a safe haven for a cowering beast. It had snowed a few days back. A light snow that was now melting and turning the gutters into a slushy mush of filth. Sean hurried his gait, making for the docks. Perhaps he could sneak on board a ship like the BlackShip before anybeast found him and served out the purpose of the holiday season.
Xhavek Mokorai
Xhavek of course had been looking forward to his first official Beat A Sean Day for a while. So, it was not very surprising that he had been waiting for a particular ferret to show his sorry hide out in the open. Like a shadow Xhavek stole up behind Sean. Oh yes, a certain lizard was going to enjoy this. Pacing the ferret easily the monitor lizard was on the ferret in 3....2...1...
"GOTCHA!"
Xhavek slammed a full body tackle onto the ferret.
"Juzt vhere do you think you're going Zean?"
Extrimis
"Heheheheh that looks like fun!" Extrimis dug his foot in the ground and watched, waiting for Xhavek to get off the ferret. As soon as the lizard was up, Extrimis took off, and jumped onto Sean. Standing up, Extrimis brushed himself off and said, "Why did we do that?"
Sean was getting up, so, convinced that because Xhavek had done it, Extrimis could do. He dropped onto Sean again, but with more force.
Ireana Poysonar
Ireana Poysonar walked drunkenly up to Extrimis. She had been drinking a kind of ale known as "Heineken" by bilge rats and other beasts of ill repute.
She punched Extrimis in the face and said, "Stop beating up that poor beast! You are a fool! BTWs what kinda name is Extrimis?"
Ireana knew the name of Extrimis because she knew everything, as she was telepathic and all powerful.
Extrimis
"What the!?" Extrimis shoved the monitor and turned around mumbling "Ye didn't have to do that. As far as I know this has some meaning to it... like a... holiday." He watched Sean just laying there, then looked at Xhavek. "Maybe we killed him?"
Extrimis bent down, and picked up Sean by his ears. Shaking him a bit, the fox was trying to get a response. "Oh, and my name...well, WAIT! How did you know my name?"
Jeshal the Ironclaw
A groan emitted from further along the docks and a rather hungover Hide beast stumbled out from behind a cluster of moored vessels. The copper-furred fox, Jeshal, flinched at the commotion nearby and snarled at the pounding in his head. His patched hat askew and his iron paw squeaking, he stomped onto the scene.
Two monitors, one of which was his superior officer, and another fox he had seen on occasion around Bully Harbour were smashing the daylights out of a scrawny ferret. For a few moments Jeshal listened, wondering briefly at a word that the female monitor hissed, the fact that it was an acronym evading his currently taxed brain.
Realisation dawned that the Imperium holiday of Beat-A-Sean was upon them. Poor beast, he thought. You'd think the parents would learn by now not to name their offspring as such. Then again, perhaps his parents had done it out of spite. It didn't matter much to Jeshal. It wasn't him getting the pummelling.
As the other fox rounded upon the unfamiliar lizard, the Ironclaw seized his opportunity. He stalked up behind Extrimis and snatched the dangling Seanwood from his grasp.
"I think it'd take a bit more ter kill 'im. Just needs a mite o' wakin' up, does 'e," he growled.
Jeshal lifted the poor ferret off the ground and strode over to the nearest docked vessel. Baring his teeth in a wickedly grim smile, he swung Sean out by his collar and slammed him bodily into the ship's hull.
Gonzalo A. Perez
Gonz was walking about the dock trying to think up tons of nasty ways to punish the beast who had killed his parents before he killed him. That is, if he found him. He had just added another idea to the list when he heard some bickering and one of the biggest thumps that he had heard in a long time.
He quickly rounded the corner to see a somewhat scrawny-looking ferret having his whole body banged across the hull of a ship by a ruthless todd, and some lizards and another fox just a few feet off to the side. ‘How dare that todd beat up that helpless fellow!' Gonz thought as he decided how to attack this scoundrel. After all, with his parents killed, seeing anyone beating on a fellow ferret, that just made Gonz furious.
The one thing that he did decide on before he charged was to leave his sword where it was upon his waist, for now, at least until he got a grip of who he was fighting, because even being in a furious rage, he knew how to be sportsman-like.
"Let go of that ferret you beast!" Gonz yelled as he charged the fox and punched him in the gut between where his arms were holding the helpless lad.
Jeshal the Ironclaw
Jeshal wheezed as the blow struck him in the stomach, coupling pain with his pounding head. Took unawares, he let Sean drop into the gap between the ship and the boardwalk and stumbled away from his attacker. He shook his muzzle and growled, focusing his bistre eyes upon the albino ferret.
"Wot were that fer, yer lummox? Impedin' me in 'elpin' a fellow beast come to 'is senses..."
The copper fox snarled and lunged for Gonzalo, snatching the collar of his tunic. He raised his left paw, the iron digits curled to give a crushing punch.
"Wot be yer name, beast? Pray it ain't Sean."
Vladimir Ullyanov
"My Lord?"
The Minister of Misanthropy looked up from the pile of papers he had been reviewing. One of the Ministry officials, a stoat dressed in a smart black tailcoat, had entered from the guardroom.
"My Lord, he has arrived. Would you like me to show him in now?"
Vlad nodded, carefully closing the file and locking it away in his desk.
"Indeed, show our guest in."
The stoat bowed and hurried out, reappearing moments later with a rat and two of the Minister's black clad guards. The rat glanced about him nervously as the guards nudged him closer to the great desk. The Minister's eyes fell on the rat, who shivered visibly.
"Ah, Mr Proudpaw," Vlad purred. "Welcome to the Ministry. If you would be so good as to confirm your first name for me?"
The rat gulped. "It's Sean, m'lud..."
Vlad nodded again. "Very good Mr Proudpaw. Now, I'm sure you are aware of the date today? And what that day signifies?"
Sean nodded warily. Vlad slowly got up from his desk and padded around so he was standing next to the rat. At the flick of a paw, the two guards grabbed the unfortunate rat's arms and forced him to his knees. The tail coated official handed Vlad a large, ornately decorated frying pan.
"I know the current trend is for random beatings in the street Mr Proudpaw, but I myself am something of a traditionalist. For Beat A Sean Day, it should be the frying pan, or nothing at all, I'm sure that you appreciate that."
The rat nodded quickly, mentally bracing himself for what was to come. Taking the bejewelled handle of the frying pan in his paw, Vlad lifted it above his head.
"This is going to hurt you much more than it hurts me," the Minister recited, before bringing the frying pan down sharply.
There was a loud clang, and Sean's body went limp. The Minister inspected his pan, then handed it back to the official.
"Clean him up, and deposit him somewhere out of sight."
The official nodded, and the guards dragged the unconscious Sean out of the office. Vlad padded back to his desk. The festivities done, it was back to work.
Rizanne G. Swoperkurke
Beat a Sean Day. Rizanne never cared much for it. The pine marten saw more than a few beasts traipse in to the Lonely Lovebird that day, gulp down their drink and scurry out. It was so easy to spot a Sean by the furtive way they snuck about on this day every year; Rizanne would've thought they'd have learned by now how to be more subtle.
She also wondered why parents even bothered cursing their children with such a name anymore.
Rizanne was let off her duties early that day and was walking to her apartment in the Trenches when she nearly tripped over something lying in the little side street next to her apartment building. On closer inspection it was a rat, a very groggy specimen indeed. Crouching down beside him, Rizanne gently stroked his forehead as the rat's eyes flickered open.
"Mmmf...wha...?"
"What's your name, sir?" the marten asked, though she thought she had a good guess.
The rat recoiled, confirming her suspicions. "Nothin'! I'm nobody! Proudpaw! Just Proudpaw! Leave me alone!"
"Come on, Sean Proudpaw, I won't hurt you," she said, gingerly feeling the enormous welt atop the rodent's head. "Someone sure got you good, Mr. Proudpaw. Here, let me help you."
The beaten rat only whimpered in response, allowing Rizanne to help him to his feet and guide him to her apartment.
Sean S. Seanwood
The ferret wheezed as air was pressed from his lungs. Somebeast with a heavy and quite cold body had smashed him into the ground! Sean struggled as best he could and was relieved as the pressure was lifted. The scraggy ferret was about to try to pull his body to safety when another sickening thud sounded against his body.
"Thank goodness there's...no... frying pan yet..." Sean muttered the words through a swelling face before another crunch, worse than the other two smashed him back to the ground. The latest blow sent him into unconsciousness.
Time and more beatings passed until the limp body of Sean hit the oily water between the hull of the Hide and the docks. The cold woke Sean and he gulped in the salty dirty water. He was drowning! Sean fought with the strength he had left. He was hardly able to keep afloat. His body hurt all over, he needed to get onto land!
It sounded like beasts were fighting above him. Maybe he could slip away! Sean swam for his life away from the crowd of beasts, making for the slimy shone line of the harbor area. He pulled his welted and beaten body from the water and tried his best to get himself out of sight...
Armina Rogue
Armina didn't understand the purpose of Beat A Sean Day. There had never been such a thing in Fyador, if you discounted all the days at the orphanage when the older kids decided to make her their punching bag. Armina figured it was just a chance for sanctioned discrimination and violence based upon a beast's name.
Which, of course, was why she was out here in the first place.
Armina hefted the frying pan in her right hand, feeling its weight. She'd had a rather violent run-in with a frying pan salesman a couple weeks ago, resulting in the scattering of the beast's wares. Armina, still rather begrudged, had slipped back and spirited a pan away when no one was looking, intending to give it to Rynn, the Hide's cook.
And then she heard about Beat A Sean Day.
Armina walked past the Bilge, and a drunken stoat stumbled out of the doorway. Armina's eyes narrowed. She recognized this beast; he'd harassed her quite a bit the other night, seemingly under the impression that she was a stoatmaid in disguise. Before the drunk could waddle away, Armina stepped into his path.
"Good afternoon," she said quietly. "What's your name?"
The stoat seemed confused. "I's Le'roy, miss," he mumbled, unsure.
Armina adjusted her grip on the frying pan. "No," she responded calmly, "it's Sean."
"Wha'?" The stoat was even more confused now. "Bu' i's Le'-" Suddenly he caught on. Backing up, putting a paw between him and the deranged vixen, he warned her, "Na' wai' ah minu-"
He never finished his sentence. The stoat crumpled under the weight of the iron pan, falling limply to the ground.
Armina turned over the pan, inspecting the underside for damage. She was impressed; that foreign ferret had actually made the pan well. She was sure that by now he was completely sold out of his wares.
Armina brought the pan back to her side, moving on to find another victim. Who knows? She might actually find a beast called Sean, and get to bash his head in as well.
The crazy vengeful demon vixen was unleashed on Bully Harbor.
Extrimis
Extrimis laughed as the scene before him turned to havoc. This was fun. Standing up, he kicked the todd who had thrown Sean into the water. Then Extrimis noticed the dark shape swimming through the wat. "He's geeten away you idjit!" Extrimis ran for the ferret swimming in the water, trying to keep up.
He launched himself into the area he had seen the newest ripples of water and landed on something drenched, but solid. It let out a yelp of surprise, confirming that he should have hit Sean. Pulling the head fur into a twist around Extrimis's paw, the todd swam over to the ship Jeshal had rammed Sean on and began knocking Sean's head on it, laughing hysterically all the while.
Armina Rogue
Armina wandered along Market Lane, a strange, satisfied smile upon her face. Already she had run into five beasts who had harassed or annoyed her in the past. All five she had dubbed 'Sean'. All five would be waking up in short time with a splitting headache. Armina felt some slight guilt about taking revenge upon them (after all, if they were seriously injured she would be held responsible), but she justified it with the thought of all their past transgressions.
Suddenly Market Lane opened onto Fleet Street, named for the Imperial fleet that moored off its docks. As Armina passed the barber's shop, she saw a strange, but not altogether unexpected sight – a black fox was slamming a ferret, presumably named 'Sean', into the side of the Hide, while Jeshal and Xhavek stood by and watched. Armina raised an eye at the sight. While she could justify using Beat A Sean Day for the sake of revenge, she could not do so for random bullying and persecution.
Hefting her frying pan, Armina approached the struggle.
"Good afternoon," she growled, adjusting her grip. "Which one of you wants to be Sean?"
Extrimis
"He is!" Extrimis lifted Sean out of the water, threw him on the path, and dove under. He wasn't taking any chances. Swimming far off to where he had last seen Jeshal and Xhavek, the todd pulled himself out of the water and crawled forward. His back was having weird pains as if someone was standing on him.
He rubbed his back and felt all the splinters he had scraped off a docked ship. Swearing, he pulled them out one by one.
Xhavek Mokorai
Xhavek watched in grim satisfaction/merry malice as the poor fellow the monitor lizard knew to be named Sean was beaten. Once more Xhavek chuckled. It was tradition and Xhavek was going to enjoy this to the hilt. When Armina approached he grinned more broadly. It seemed everybody wanted a piece of this particular fellow.
"Hey Armina. Pleazant day, yez? Too bad for you I'm Xhavek and not Sean."
This was rather a regret among the more troublesome of the Hide's crew. The regret that they would never get the chance to jump their belovedly brutal Second mate that is.
Armina Rogue
(Slight auto on Xhavek)
Xhavek turned, a satisfied grin on his face.
"Hey Armina. Pleazant day, yez? Too bad for you I'm Xhavek and not Sean."
Armina chuckled darkly. Oh, how wrong you are, she thought malevolently.
Xhavek turned away, and Armina took the chance to close the gap between them. "No," she said calmly, raising the frying pan above her head, "it's Sean."
And, with a complete lack of ceremony, Armina brought the frying pan down on her officer's head.
Extrimis
"Harrharr ha he..." Extrimis stood dripping as he watched Armina take out Xhavek with one swipe. "He's right, ye know. His name is Xhavek."
Making his way slowly to the first and real Sean, Extrimis giggled like a naughty Dibbun and rammed Sean into the path. Then, he looked at Armina. "This is the real Sean... uh... again in case you, er... forget yah, in case you forget."
Xhavek Mokorai
Xhavek of course hadn't thought Armina would actually hit him with that frying pan. Of course unfortunately for Armina he had been hit over the head by professionals so her blow, while painful didn't knock him unconscious outright. However, he was knocked to the ground and pretty little stars danced in his head.
"Eerrrrrrrgh... Armina you vill report to mine offize az zoon az I can zee ztraight... Urrrggh."
And with that Xhavek slumped basking in the oblivious world of solitude that was to be found only in unconsciousness.
Jeshal the Ironclaw
The sobering Jeshal growled at the clumsy kick that was swung in his direction by the todd with a strange name and caught him a glancing blow on the shin. He released the beast with whom he'd been about to brawl and whirled to turn his wrath upon Extremis... until he noticed Armina stride onto the scene.
In utter bafflement, he watched the exchange between her and Xhavek and the climax in which the poor Second Mate received a clonk to the skull.
Lost in a mix of amusement and irritated rage, the Ironclaw tramped towards Armina and gave her a dangerous glare.
"Ye've put me at a cross-roads, liddle miss. On the one 'and I could drag yer fer trial afore the crew fer assault on a superior officer an' best 'ope I pleads ye were falterin' sanity. On the other, I could plead the falterin' meself an' use it ter give ye what ye deserve..."
He held out his iron paw and flexed the keen claws, studied them briefly, and then gave her a horrid smile.
"How's about the latter? What say ye, Miss Sean?"
Hunter/Juno
Such a calm, peaceful, boring night. And Hunter was, if you'll forgive the pun, on the hunt. After all, a night in Bully Harbor was supposed to be anything but peaceful. If it ever was, than someone wasn't doing their job right, and it was up to people like Hunter to whip them back into shape.
Lucky him, however, the sound of blows and screams filled the night. 'Ah, now that's more like it. What beautiful music...' Hunter took a moment to revel in the sounds of violence before following them to their source for a little fun.
It would be a safe perquisite. Juno was particularly sedated tonight and Hunter felt almost perfect control. Besides, his peaceful counterpart was only on extreme guard while he was around any of his friends, and it wasn't like he was going to kill anyone. Well... Not on purpose, anyways.
As Hunter turned the nearby corner, his search was immediately satisfied with success, as he found a mob throwing punches in every directions. If he wasn't mistaken, he even saw a frying pan flash in the moonlight. Reaching out a paw he grabbed a young rat by the top of his headfur and dragged him over face-to-face. "What is going on here?" Hunter asked in a chilling yet somewhat monotone voice.
The rat gulped. "I-- It's Beat A Sean Day..."
"Oh, right," Hunter thought, recalling the celebration from his mental calendar. He drew back his paw into a fist. "What a pointless holiday." He struck the rat right in the nose.
"Oi!" The rat rubbed his most likely broken nose. "I'm not a Sean! You can't beat me!"
Hunter cocked an eyebrow and assumed an amused look. "You think I need an excuse?" He whirled around, throwing out his leg and catching the rat directly in the temple with his back paw. If the rat wasn't dead, he was going to wake up with the worst headache he had ever experienced in his life.
Hunter turned and began trudging through the outer rings of the crowd, throwing out curled fists into practiced pressure points and sensitive areas, effectively slicing directly through the mob into the center of the action, crossing directly between a wild cat with some kind of gauntlet and the she-fox he saw earlier that was wielding a frying pan.
Spotting a small trembling ferret whose look of terror was far different than the looks of glee the other beasts had, it was clear that this must have been a 'Sean.' Grabbing the beast who was desperately trying to crawl away by the ankle, he dragged him back, bringing him face-to-face and giving him a sinister smile.
"Now, now, now, Sean, where do you think you're going?"
Armina Rogue
Armina watched as Xhavek crumpled. The lizard moaned, undoubtedly seeing canaries circling before his eyes.
"Eerrrrrrrgh... Armina you vill report to mine offize az zoon az I can zee ztraight.... Urrrggh."
With that, he collapsed. Armina smirked, satisfied. Score was now six to nothing, in favor of Team Armina. Team Sean had yet to muster a defense.
And then she saw Jeshal.
The bosun fox was glaring at her dangerously, tramping towards her with his deadly slow stride.
"Ye've put me at a cross-roads, liddle miss. On the one 'and I could drag yer fer trial afore the crew fer assault on a superior officer an' best 'ope I pleads ye were falterin' sanity. On the other, I could plead the falterin' meself an' use it ter give ye what ye deserve..."
He flexed his terrible iron paw and flexed it keenly. He studied the grotesque mechanism before smiling at Armina maliciously. Armina felt her heart lodge itself firmly in her throat.
"How's about the latter? What say ye, Miss Sean?"
Something in Armina's brain clicked at that, and a voice in Armina's head began musing to itself. Miss Sean. I like that. Miss Sean Rogue? No no no, that doesn't work. Well, perhaps, but there's got to be better. Miss Sean Armina? No. Wait, let's go back a second. Miss Sean Rouge? Absolutely not. I've changed my mind, Miss Sean Rogue is just-
Would you shut up and let me concentrate? Armina demanded. The voice fell quiet, allowing Armina to return her focus to the setting around her. Now a golden fox (not Anithias, which in Armina's view gave him the benefit of the doubt) was beating up the real Sean, while her doom stalked towards her in the form of a 5'7" iron-pawed fox. Armina felt her brain go into overdrive. She was caught in a corner, with nothing to do but run for it. But Armina wasn't going to run. Her pride wouldn't allow it. So, there was only one thing to do.
"Sean! Sean!" she suddenly screamed, her face contorting into the very picture of insanity. "I'm a Sean! I'm a Sean too!!!" Then, to the astonishment of all present, she swung the frying pan at a difficult angle, catching herself on the side of the head. The last thing she was aware of was the voice in her head commenting, Asmodeus, that's got to hurt.
Armina collapsed.
Jeshal the Ironclaw
The grey vixen's attacker seemed close to sharing a state of unconsciousness as his brain puzzled over this performance. The confusion overrode his usual lack of concern as he glanced between the two huddled forms of his crewmates.
Jeshal sighed and rubbed the bridge of his muzzle with his one paw and hoisted Armina's limp form over his shoulders. It was fortunate they were already at the docks and the Hide would be close by. Stopping beside Xhavek, he rolled his eyes and lightly prodded the monitor with the toe of his sandal.
"I'll be back fer ye, sir, an' if'n ye ain't roused I'll just 'ave ter drag ye by yer tail. Never were I blessed with the strength ter lift a great lump like yerself."
Smirking cruelly, he gave a mocking salute to his out-cold officer and set off back to the ship. He didn't know about the dead weight on his shoulders, but the Ironclaw had had enough of Beat-A-Sean-Day for one year.
Gonzalo A. Perez
Just after the fox knocked him Gonz away he jumped back into a fighting position, waiting to finish this todd off so he could go help his newfound friend, even though they hadn't officially met, at all.
After a few scuffles with the todd Gonz felt satisfied with him and started to look for the poor chap that had gotten beat silly. The other fellow trotted off to meet a new beast in the 'party; that it had seemed to turn into. After looking around for a few moments he noticed another fox slumping the beast onto the dock and dived in, apparently swimming for his life after pointing out that the ferret was the real 'Sean'.
So that's what this is all about, they're beating him up just because of his name! This is just ridiculous! Gonz thought as he ran over to cheek the poor beast, hoping that he would be alright, and that people would stop attacking him. But if they did, he would gladly fight for him.
Extrimis
Exrimis walked over to Sean after Hunter finished. "My turn!" The battle-scarred fox lifted Sean off the ground by his ears, and then slammed the ferret’s head into the ground three times. Dropping him, Extrimis turned around to see Armina knock herself out.
"Typical," Extrimis muttered, picking up Sean again. This time the todd slung the unlucky ferret over his shoulder and walked over to the nearest building. Pushing Sean against the wall, Extrimis shoved two daggers in and through Sean's tunic and into the wall.
Extrimis watched the ferret for a moment, made sure the daggers would hold, and began punching and kicking all over Sean's body, enjoying every moment. He liked this holiday.
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