Open Side Adventure Completed The Timmynocky

[SwifttailTheFox]

Swifttail leaned against a bulkhead on the weather deck, a mug of lukewarm tea cradled between his paws. His shift in the engine room had ended not long ago, and for once, no beast had come barking for his help. He wasn’t about to waste the rare luxury of quiet air and a moment to himself.

Then he heard it. Darragh’s voice, sharp with determination.

Swifttail’s ears perked.

He didn’t move just yet, just lowered his mug a touch and angled his head toward the cluster of voices. From this distance, he glimpsed Darragh and a kitted up ferret circled by several dozen other crew beasts.

Creeping to the edge of the gathering, he stayed quiet for the moment. However, if Darragh called upon him, if the moment needed one more voice to seal the story, he was ready.

 

[FinnianBrightfur]

Finn was late to the party. Mortholemew, as it so happened, was not dead. After Finn had finished organizing, bathing, and feeding Mr. Barrett's leech collection... the prized fishing lure was found to be missing.

Of course, Barrett wouldn't let Finn go for dinner that night until he had found the resurrected leech. But Arthur had left Finn to his own devices. Having exhausted his search of the infirmary, Finn decided to widen his area. (Best check the galley first, right?)

Hearing the commotion, Finn drew up alongside Swift and nosed his way under the fox's arm. "What's going on?" he asked, tipping his head upwards.

 

[SwifttailTheFox]

Swifttail felt the fuzzy little nose poke under his arm, and lifted it slightly to let the little fox underneath. In a hushed voice, he addressed his tiny shipmate companion.

"It looks like Darragh is confronting Jinx, and he already has 'im flustered! I'm just standin' by to lie 'bout the Timmynocky if he calls upon me!"

 

[Silvertongue Songfox]

Silvertongue had been much more behind on his duties than he had anticipated, and after a few agonizing hours of rushing about, he had managed to catch himself up. He was walking along when he saw Swifttail and Finnian. "What are we looking at?" He peered over Swifttail's shoulder.

"Oh- that must be Jinks, if I had to guess. I've got half a mind to go down there and give him a stern talking to. But I shan't. This is Darr's moment, after all."

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii was trying to sleep, it really didn’t work out for him. There was a question that drilled a hole in his head so deep he couldn’t sleep because of it.

The matter was serious enough that after many attempts at shutting himself down, Kaii finally decided he needs to tire his body more. He got up, put on his pants and frilly shirt, then he padded through the ship aimlessly.

His paws brought him to find Swifttail… at least he could see his tail. Turning the corner he was already opening his muzzle to ask for help with the question that gnawed at him. Fortunately he didn’t, because the scene in front of him was certainly something.

Swifttail, standing there with his tea, accompanied by Finnian, snuggled under his arm, poking his snout through the gap between his elbow and the rest of his body. Of course, Silvertongue was there too, resting his muzzle on Swifttail’s shoulder. Many times he heard derogatory words for being cuddly himself, but such was a fox nature he imagined.

They were all looking at something. He thus took a few steps forward and stood behind Swifttail, perking himself up and straightening his legs to maximum just to be able to perk over his head, his muzzle, not touching his head, finding itself between his ears.

There he saw what caused this fox totem we was now a part of. Darragh, firmly standing with fire in his eyes against a beast Kaii would guess was a brute who tried to haze him. “I see we’ve all gathered for a show.” He remarked with hushed, sarcastically plain voice.

 

[Arthur Barrett]

Barrett stormed up on the deck, breathing out murder. The pine marten had a small... black... booger-esque thing attached to the side of his snoot, and seemed none to pleased about it. Though he had intentions to ream Finny out -- his rage soon settled as he saw the somewhat chaotic scene on deck. Perhaps he wouldn't add to the chaos of the moment.

"O-oh! Hey Mr. Barrett!" chirped the small fox happily, until he saw the leech latched onto the side of Barrett's face. "Uhm... y-you found Mortholemew!"

"Yes. I did," seethed the surgeon, seizing the young kit by the collar. Digging a claw under the leech, Barrett pried him off, and dropped him down the back of Finny's shirt, leaving the poor todd writhing and wriggling silently as he tried to get the leech out.

"...what are we watching here?" he asked the group of foxes. Whatever was going on, it sounded like trouble.

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii did turn around as Finn spoke the name of the chirurgeon. Only to witness an act of what he could only deem a needless punishment. He stilled the kit, putting his paws on his arms and then reaching under his shirt to get the leech out. All while speaking with dead calm. "Mr. Harper's standing up to the beast trying to haze him. We put our paws to get him act, now we congregated to see the effects of it." Kaii had explained before finally getting the leech and putting it into Finn's paw. Then turning away to continue seeing the events unfold.

 

[Darragh Harper]

Jinks fumed. Jinks seethed. Jinks scrunched up his snout as he tried to think. This did not seem to come easy to the ferret. Darragh folded his arms. Finally, Jinks had an idea. A last-ditch attempt to get Darragh in trouble.

“Typical lazy, no-good excuse makin’,” Jinks growled, pointing a claw at Darragh. “Just like a Tookumberry brat to wriggle out of doin’ a proper job. Did yer stinkin’ mouse-fancyin’ mamma teach you that? Or was it yer skivin’ lazy dad? Tchah, yew prob’ly din’t even know ‘im, could ‘ave been any of the ugliest jacks in yer filthy little Tookumberry hovel-town.”

Darragh scowled. So, had it come down to cowardly insults and nonsense about his beloved dear mother, and his entirely honorable father? He knew that Jinks was shooting in the dark - trying various stereotypes about poor stoat families like Darragh’s. It was all to get a rise out of him. It was infuriating that Darragh heard a couple of sniggers amongst the crowd. Clearly there was enough simple-minded prejudice about, that merely mentioning the laziness of Tookumberry folk was enough to entertain a few dullards.

The ridiculous thing was, Darragh had never even been to Tookumberry. He was a Marquistry Cape native, but he had inherited the lilting accent of his forebears. Darragh knew that would be lost on Jinks though. He needed to win the crowd, not by defending against the accusations, but by getting aggressive himself. A chill rolled down the little stoat’s spine, and before he knew it, words were coming thick and fast from his muzzle.

“It’s pebble-brain Jinks here that’s so skivin’, stinkin’ and dim,
If he joined a circus, the fools wouldn’t even take him!
He’s been bleatin’ and brayin’ all day, but none of it’s true,
There’s nobeast that can say what work it is you even do!

From the moment you were born, you’ve been a cryin’ disgrace,
Your ma was drunk birthin’ you, then died when she saw your face,
Your daddy taught you nothin’, he fled before you grew fur,
So I’ll teach you a lesson in the ring, just call me… sir!”​

It wasn’t always that Darragh’s impromptu poetry landed, but in this case, it was a hit. There were plenty of laughs at the rude lyrics, and the braggadocious posturing. Deep down, the crew were still vermin, and loved it when foul language and fists went flying. Jinks on the other hand looked as though he was having a conniption. It was becoming obvious that even when directly challenged, the ferret was too much of a coward to get into a proper fight.

“Shaddap! Stop laughing!” Jinks fumed, stamping his foot like a spoiled child. He spied the fox totem, and in a moment of petulant rage, pointed at them accusingly. “Yew foxes are behind this! Yer encouraging him to defy his betters! See 'ow well that works out for yew in the end!”

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii promptly cleared his throat whilst taking a good look at the ferret. Such brutish and uncouth reaction. Lashing out at words that, while offensive, was in a way understandable... but said reaction should be targetted at the one who spoke them. Here however, the brute chose a target that was in no way related to those words. Kaii wasn't upset, his muzzle stoic as ever and his ears and tail merely perked at attention. It was the deep blue of his eyes however that was as icy as the land they were supposedly going for.

Staring at Jinks, Kaii finally spoke in calculated, cold tone. "You speak of defying his betters while accusing your superior officer, a noblebeast and a machinist of your rank yet far greater importance... bold manoeuvre really. Not to mention trying to accuse a child. You would better have appropriate proofs to your claim." Kaii accented his words by pointing at Finnian with his thumb while still staring at the ferret. "Your words prove only that Mr.Harper is at least right in two things. You are beyond foolish and that you should learn to speak with proper respect." The last word was precisely articulated and elongated. The marble fox was a book example of calm fury as he meticulously raised his paws to rub the ring of his dynasty in a silent threat.

 

[SwifttailTheFox]

Swifttail stood at the center of the fox totem, Finnian under his right arm, still shaking off the leech that Mr. Barrett had stuck under his shirt and Kaii had recently removed, Silvertongue on his left, and Kaii behind him. A tight formation of foxes like a totem carved in fur. He hadn’t planned to be part of a united front in this regard, but that’s how it had unfolded. Now, with Darragh’s verses still echoing in the air and the crowd reacting just as expected, he let himself smile.

Not bad, he thought. Not bad at all.

Jinks, meanwhile, was crumbling. His jabs were growing sloppier, eyes darting for someone else to blame. When the ferret’s claw swung toward them with that desperate, shrill accusation, Swifttail didn’t flinch. He simply waited, ears flicking once at the sound of Kaii’s voice cutting clean through the noise.

Swifttail met Kaii’s icy stare for the briefest beat and gave the marble fox a slow, approving nod. He waited a moment longer, then let his own words slip into the space that followed.

“Encouragin’ him?” he repeated, with a small shake of the head. “Nah. That lad just spoke up for himself. An’ if y’don’t like what he said, maybe ask why so many beasts laughed.”

 

[Silvertongue Songfox]

Silvertongue had intended to speak up earlier, but he had allowed himself to be caught up in the drama of the confrontation. Now, however, it seemed that everyone was speaking. So he decided to put his own two cents in on the matter.

“Mr. Harper, I believe you’ve made your point.” He called out. “As for you, Mr. Jinks, and the rest of the crew as well. Listen closely. Any other instances of hazing that I hear about will be reported to the Captain immediately from this point onward. I could be persuaded from bringing this incident up with the Captain if you apologize to Mr. Harper for your actions, Mr. Jinks.”

Silvertongue spoke calmly and with conviction in his voice. Up until now most of the crew knew Silvertongue to be more lenient and happy-go-lucky, but now he was completely serious.

 

[Darragh Harper]

Darragh was shocked at Jinks’ outburst. Yet almost as soon as the words had left him, the ferret seemed to come to his senses. Dull though he was, even the bully realised he had overstepped his bounds in the heat of the moment. There was a moment of silence, even from the boisterous crowd, as Kaii’s cold warning rang in their ears. Mr. Songfox might have been the ranking officer, but Jinks had also transgressed the sharp barrier of class, and that could be all the worse for him. Jinks and Kaii might have technically been the same rank, but everybeast knew who’s word would count, should higher ranking officers get involved. Not to mention the word of Swifttail, Kaii's fellow engineer, whose expertise lent him a position of trust. So, Darragh was getting a very good view of what it would look like if somebeast forcefed a ferret a lemon.

“’Twas on an impulse of anger, sir,” Jinks mumbled, suddenly becoming very interested in his own footpaws. “Instantly regretted.”

His excuse, and the manner in which he spoke it, made Darragh suspect Jinks had learned that line by rote, a long time ago. Perhaps it was his usual trick for wriggling out of trouble with his superiors. At any rate, it would not suffice. Mr. Songfox was to make an example of Jinks, though not in the usual brusque Navy tradition. Darragh wondered if the big, tough ferret might have even preferred a lashing, rather than making a public apology.

Darragh heard nothing for a moment but the gentle roll of the sea, and the snapping of the ship’s flag in the breeze. The crowd had gone quiet. Darragh saw something change in Jinks. His shoulders slumped, he breathed out a sigh.

He’s realised none of this is really worth it. He tried to play his little joke. It backfired, he had a tantrum, and now he’s on the cusp of serious trouble. All over a daft excuse to bully and hit out at the new jack. Something that probably happened to him once, back when he was new. Maybe he thinks if he had to, then everybeast else does too. It’s not a tradition worth keeping, though. He might be a coward when it comes to a fight, but there’s nothing dishonorable about letting this go.

“Yes, sir,” Jinks said, in a very quiet voice. He turned to Darragh and seemed to struggle with himself for a moment. “…er… hrmm… well… Sorry.”

Darragh narrowed his eyes, and folded his arms. For once, the poet found that he didn’t need a single word.

“Fine, I’m sorry!!” Jinks all but bellowed, apparently deciding it would be better to rip the bandage off all at once. “I’m sorry I made yew chase after a Timmynocky! It doesn’t acksherly mean anythin’ specific! It’s like… y’know, a thingymabob. So now yew know, welcome to the bleedin’ Navy, already! Now… now don’t everybeast have their own business to get to?!”

Thinking it wise to keep his mouth shut for the moment, as several in the crowd were already laughing, Darragh stuck out his paw to shake. The big ferret regarded the scrawny stoat’s gesture with momentary suspicion, before a glance back at the fox totem convinced him to grab Darragh’s white paw, and shake. Of course, both mustelids squeezed each other’s paws a mite over-enthusiastically, but Darragh had had it all from his older brothers before. He grinned up at Jinks, who returned a pained grimace.

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii stared for a moment longer, his tired eyes still radiating freezing cold, before finally moving along and looking around at the other crewbeasts. He knew his title was naught more than just an addition to his name. As of now, It was more of a reminder of his painful duty. Still, he was satisfied he found a use for it. He did so earlier, either to get access to a library for free, evade troublesome developments or even to negotiate advantageous terms for himself. This time however was among the few ones where Kaii truly had felt it was used rightly so, not as means to an end. Noble duty was to care for those less fortunate, such were lessons passed by his parents through his ward.

As Darragh and Jinks got to shake their paws, Kaii's muzzle relaxed and so did his glare. "I won't hold it against you." He spoke to Jinks more flatly then before. "But you ought to learn self-control for the future. I will not stand idley for any slander or unjust treatments." He then finally disentangled himself from the Fox Totem, stepping back and yawning. He was after all, still tired, but at least this whole act put his mind away from the bugging matter that didn't let him sleep. "I believe this is all done now. Goodnight friends. We did good and so did Darr, hopefully it won't come up again.." He spoke to the other foxes quietly with a trace of a grin on the ends of his muzzle.

Turning around he instantly remembered the chirurgeon was here. With slightly more serious and stern gaze Kaii gave him a respectful nod before leaving the room. The sleep was calling him and well, at least for now the matter was solved. And should it come again? The cold fires of his silent, meticulous disapproval were not just for show. And Kaii didn't want to unleash them.

 

[SwifttailTheFox]

Swifttail blinked. Huh... of all the endings he’d imagined, he hadn’t expected that one. Jinks, crumbling, apologizing, backing down without a fight. No swinging fists. No shouting match. Just a bruised ego and a bowed head.

His gaze shifted to Darragh, and a quiet warmth bloomed in his chest. The stoat had stood tall. He faced down his bully with grace, fighting with words, not blows. That was how it should be. Swifttail let the moment settle in him, beaming with a quiet pride he didn’t try to hide.

With the tension fading and the moment unwinding, he gave Finnian’s ears a final affectionate ruffle, before stepping slightly aside, dissolving the little totem of foxes they’d unknowingly formed.

“Good night, Kaii,” he offered gently, matching the marble fox’s parting tone.

He turned next to Silvertongue and met his eye with a grateful nod.

“Well stated, matey. Thank you.”

Then, without flourish, he lifted his lukewarm mug of tea and drained the last of it. The cup hung by his side as he padded away across the deck, steps slow and contented. A quieter place awaited him someplace on deck, where he could take in the final rays of sunlight in quiet contemplation.

 

[Arthur Barrett]

Arthur rather enjoyed watching the crew's antics -- though, this one seemed to be on the brink of breaking out into a fight. Though Arthur was technically an officer, his duties were truly relegated to the infirmary. If anyone should say something, it would have been Mr. Songfox... but to nudge the young officer out into his duties (in front of the crew, none the less) would have undermined what authority he had.

His jaw dropped as the stoat verbally thrashed Jinks with an improvised rhyme. Barrett himself was quite fond of poetry, but try as he might, authoring a verse was beyond him. And here, the stoat was composing off the cuff. Barrett studied Darragh more closely. The stoat looked... unfamiliar. While Barrett wasn't wonderful with names, he was very good with faces -- and he couldn't quite remember the stoat walking through his infirmary yet.

Even more surprising was watching Mr. Songfox step out and speak with authority. The young fox was quite capable and athletic... but seemed terribly unfit for leadership. He was too timid, and wouldn't be able to lead a group of beasts in fair weather -- much less on a battle field. But there he was, negotiating leniancy. Perhaps there was more to the young fox than met the eye?

But what was the young stoat's name?

"We did good, and so did Darr..."

Aha. Now he remembered. Darragh was quite the unique name.

"Mr. Harper, is it?" he announced in a loud tone similar to a schoolmaster calling out a misbehaving dibbun. "You're the recruit who signed up at the last minute? Yes... yes, the captain handed me your paperwork. I was wondering when you'd come by for your physical! You were due in three days ago!"

 

[Darragh Harper]

For a moment, Darragh was content. The ordeal was over. He had found friends of foxes and faced down his ferret foe. The moment was beautiful, worthy of framing as a painting in the palace of his mind for the rest of his life. Alas, every moment is a thin sheet of crystalline glass, ready to shatter and be lost forever. In Darragh’s case, the hammer-blow that did it was the firm, no-nonsense tones of Doctor Barrett, the ship’s surgeon.

Grin frozen on his face, Darragh did not quite like how genuine Jinks’ grimacing smile had become. The big ferret winked at him. “Well now, I wouldn’t want to be delayin’ yew in yer duties, mistah Harper.”

When Darragh failed to move, Jinks helpfully grasped the stoat by his shoulders and turned him around to face the pine marten, whispering in his ear, “Ah, ‘s’not so bad, the physical… until ‘e pulls out the big syringe, o’course. Seeya!”

Jinks made himself scarce after having his last bit of fun, just in case that flouncy feathered fox did have another punishment in mind. Darragh meanwhile was left transfixed by Barrett’s merciless gaze. With no other choice other than pitching himself over the side, the stoat dragged his footpaws with all the grace and enthusiasm of a condemned prisoner towards his doom.

Big syringe? BIG syringe? How big is ‘big’? He was joking. That was another Jinks lie, right? What would I need a big syringe for? What do I need physicking for? I’m perfectly healthy! This is a mistake! WHAT BIG SYRINGE???!

Darragh looked up at Doctor Barrett, detecting a maliciously gleeful glint in the pine marten’s eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, to make some excuse, to flatter, to beg. He was the ship’s poet, and he needed to use his words to evade this clearly excessive, unnecessary and potentially injurious medical procedure. He had to say something! Anything! Anything but the Big Syringe!

“…eep.”