• Published 21st Aug 2016
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Dressed to Steal - Tatsurou



Coco Pommel balances being the daughter of Sly Cooper and a member of the Cooper Gang with not disappointing her Law Enforcement mother, Inspector Carmelita Fox.

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Time Out: And That's Not Ideal

Once Henriette had control of her ship again, we were ready to go confront Lefwee directly, as that was the last ship we dealt with to avoid LeFwee figuring out what was going on. On the way there, Mom and Kyuubi had a...rather interesting conversation...


As the ship sailed back towards the Death's Head, Carmelita stood by Kyuubi's side. "So you're a navy officer?" she asked carefully.

"Aye," Kyuubi confirmed. "Her Majesty's strong arm of the law upon the seas."

"I'm surprised one who upholds the law was so sanguine about such...brutality," Carmelita observed mildly, glancing towards one of the ships where Henriette had been especially nasty with LeFwee's man.

"Then ye don't understand how the law works in this era," Kyuubi answered softly. "The rule of law and justice extends only as far out on the seas as far as the power of the throne can reach...about four hours on a fast ship from the nearest port. Beyond that, there's only one law on the high seas: kill or be killed." He turned to look Carmelita right in the eye. "You fight to survive. You fight the elements. You fight your own ship. You fight your own body as it adjusts. You fight the sea itself, and that last is a battle you can never truly win, only hope to survive. And ya fight every other boat out there that thinks yer an easy mark.

"Only two things keep you alive on the high seas...Fear and Respect. The more brutal you are, the more others fear you. The more effective you are, the more others respect you. Respect means other ship's captains are willing to banter with ya instead of crossing swords. Fear means they are wary of crossing ya. The reputation of your flag keeps yer crew safe.

"And LeFwee - a complete newcomer - trounced the Cooper Ship at what they were best at, robbing Henriette of ship, crew, hook...and reputation. If she doesn't go after him as brutally and ferociously as possible, with as much mysticism and fear tactics as she can manage...then her and her crew are dead men sailing the moment you and yours move on."

He turned back to stare out at sea. "And I won't let that happen," he continued simply. "Henriette ain't the only decent folk on that ship, and I won't let them die 'cause o' that bastard bird." He sent a smirk Carmelita's way. "Not ta mention she ain't yet swiped that jeweled chalice she's famous for accordin' to that book o' yer 'coon's."

Carmelita tensed up. "You shouldn't have been reading forward in time like that," she said with a scowl. "You could disrupt-"

"Henriette already read all of it," Kyuubi pointed out. "Ya really expect a pirate ta play by the rules?"


With everything ready, the strike happened all at once. All the pirate ships surrounded the Death's Head, coming in to attack from every direction at once. Despite all the firepower, Death's Head managed to stay afloat. A few shots revealed that it was actually a modern metal boat with a wooden exterior...and modern weaponry. Eventually, we had to move our ship into position to battle, and that held attention long enough to take the battle onto Lefwee's decks.

And that's when things started to go wrong.


The assault on LeFwee's ship the Death's Head was in full swing. Sly, Coco, Carmelita, Razor, and T-Bone were attacking by leaping across the masts, trying to cut off LeFwee's possible escape routes. Murray, Bentley, and Penelope were on deck, carving their way through his men to ensure he didn't have backup. Kyuubi stood at the helm, making sure no one could take control of the ship.

Henriette confronted LeFwee directly amongst the rigging. "Ye never shoulda crossed me, bird!" Henriette snapped out. "Now you're gonna roast!"

"Ye may be a toughie for your era, lass!" LeFwee called out as he brandished his sword. "But ah'm the smartest man on the seven seas in this or any era! I'll keelhaul ye before the day is done!"

They clashed sword to knife as they leapt about the rigging, Henriette managing to outmaneuver LeFwee in amongst the mainmast. However, LeFwee quickly leapt up higher on the mast, taunting her to pursue. Raising her hook, she launched it. The hook latched onto the crow's nest, and she swung and pulled herself up by the retracting chain.

When she was too far up to withdraw, she saw the Paradox troop - the gas masked troop - lean over and seize the hook. LeFwee swung his sword and expertly yanked the base of the hook from where it was affixed to Henriette's stump, sending her falling to the deck...to land on Bentley.

"Ret!" Kyuubi called out in fear, rushing to her side.

"Bentley!" Penelope called out, kneeling beside him.

"That...bastard..." Henriette growled out as she got to her feet, wincing.

"I'm...okay..." Bentley managed to call out as he struggled to move. "I can...still feel my legs..."

"Not fer long, laddybuck!" LeFwee roared out as he brandished his cutlass. "Yer all gonna fall this day-"

Penelope seized a cutlass from a nearby pirate and slammed her feet together. Springs in her boots sent her flying upward to Lefwee's height. before he could react, her blade had caught his, pushing it back as her leg came up to kick him right in the nuts with the force of her launch.

"T...that's dirty fighting..." LeFwee managed to squeak out as he staggered. "Yer gonna pay-AAARGH!"

The scream was because Penelope's cutlass had lashed out, cutting off LeFwee's blade hand at the wrist. Before he could react further, Penelope delivered a cup-palm strike to his ear, sending him tumbling down to the deck below. Penelope simply stared down at him angrily. She then held out the cutlass blade down...and dropped it.

It landed millimeters from LeFwee's beak, grazing his neck with the sharp edge of the blade.

"Let's go," Penelope growled as the Paradox goon had already made off with the hook. "We're done here. Bentley needs medical attention, and Henriette and Kyuubi can handle things from here."


We didn't argue. It was time to get going.

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