Dressed to Steal

by Tatsurou

The Northern Lights

When Jean Bison withdrew to the north, we followed him. While we lost the trail at first, it wasn't long before we saw a couple clues to his whereabouts. First, the Northern Lights were acting very strange. One night they'd be bright as day, the next they'd be gone completely...which is really odd since they'd been a steady glow until we'd chased Bison further north. Considering the talk about a 'Northern Lights Battery', we were pretty certain that had something to do with it.

The second clue we found was surprisingly unsettling to me. An entire forest had been harvested, from the looks of things practically overnight, to make room for a logging camp churning out massive amounts of lumber. The sight of so much natural beauty destroyed so callously...it made me physically nauseous. I was able to push past it long enough to find the Vault, though. Inside, there was an upgrade for the electrified strike of our canes that would let us sustain the electric field longer for a spin attack.

Dad told me Bison was able to cause so much damage because of the Clockwerk Talons. We had to get them away from him. However, we couldn't go too fast. Arpeggio was on the way to pick up the Battery, and he had the Clockwerk Brain. The only way we'd be able to get access to the Brain was if we could get onto the blimp.

While I was hitting the Vault, Dad took some recon photos, and came back with a great deal of interesting news. Not only was the Battery we were interested in already gone from the charging station, but Jean Bison was posting the Clockwerk Talons as the prize for the Lumberjack Games as a way of bringing in more competition. If we won the competition, we'd get the Talons! ...well, as long as we were able to give Bison reason to play by his word.

And between what I saw of the charging station and what we know of Bison, I had a couple ideas...

The prep work for the games didn't take long. I was sent to retrieve a frozen tome on log cutting for research, since I was able to use my Flame Fu to melt the ice without damaging the book. Dad took care of bugging Bison's office, and Uncle Murray infiltrated a guard barracks competition to gather information.

With that, we were ready for the games.

---

Bentley laid out the plan he'd come up with. "Alright, after reading that log chopping guide, I've come up with a plan to win...that hinges on Coco's magic."

"Eh?" everyone gasped in shock.

"I analyzed the way Coco's magic allows her to climb up trees," Bentley explained. "It syncs her magic with that of the tree, allowing a magical interchange. However, in the case of a dead tree - or a log - doing so would drain magic out of the dead wood and into her, rendering the log brittle and easily broken. If she takes the drained energy and puts it into a strike, she should be able to split a thick log in a single strike."

"That ought to put her faster than Bison," Carmelita observed. "Since they're a prize, he can't use the Talons in the games...right?"

"We can assume so," Bentley agreed. "Of course, if that's not the case, he'll probably go easy not expecting much from someone so young."

"And that will give me a chance to talk with him," Coco added. "What are the other games?"

"Ice wall climbing and log rolling," Bentley continued. "For the former, I've managed to modify your cane so you can split it into four climbing hooks you can grip in each of your hooves...somehow. I'm still not sure how you're able to hold things in your hooves."

"...magic?" Murray suggested helpfully.

"I prefer to understand the mechanics of it," Bentley pointed out firmly. "I can't really improve on what I don't understand. Anyway, with the four hooks, you should be able to run right up the ice wall. As for log rolling...well, there's only so much that can be done there..."

"Actually, she should be naturally advantaged there," Carmelita pointed out. "For a log to be big enough for Jean Bison to balance on, Coco could stand on it with all four legs spread. That means she'll be able to run normally while it spins...and with her incredibly low center of gravity, she has excellent balance."

"So it's all on me, then?" Coco asked curiously. "I...I think I can do it..."

"I don't like the idea of leaving it all to her alone," Sly pointed out worriedly. "What if Bison is a sore loser? Or he has someone try to sabotage her?"

"Unfortunately, any attempts on our part to cheat will just anger Bison, even if he can't prove it," Bentley pointed out. "Coco seems to think she can get through to Bison, get him to help us. Only chance we'll have to do that is if he keeps his temper."

"Meaning have him be confronted by a little kid trying to be a grown up, only to show immense natural talent?" Murray asked.

"I guess that's something I'm good at," Coco murmured softly. "Be absolutely adorable right up until I steal everything that isn't nailed down."

Carmelita took a slow breath, then let it out. "Yes...you are," she muttered. "You are very good at that...especially when what you're stealing is a march."

"Can't I steal an April instead?" Coco asked with a playful pout. Reaching into her bags, she pulled out a metal helm with a face mask, both covered with downward curving spines. "I'll even look the part!"

Everyone but Bentley found that hilarious.

Comments

[Slayerseba]

Steal march? Cause Skyrim reference was obvious.

[jacen]

... That TMNT joke at the end was hilarious.

[Chrome Masquerade]

"I guess that's something I'm good at," Coco murmured softly. "Be absolutely adorable right up until I steal everything that isn't nailed down."

Carmelita took a slow breath, then let it out. "Yes...you are," she muttered. "You are very good at that...especially when what you're stealing is a march."

"Can't I steal an April instead?" Coco asked with a playful pout. Reaching into her bags, she pulled out a metal helm with a face mask, both covered with downward curving spines. "I'll even look the part!"

Everyone but Bentley found that hilarious.

i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/ShyRangerSMRPG/EyeSeeWhatYouDidThere.jpg

[the other sans]

Coco is gonna have to use those cold hard techniques to win this round.

A pity Bentley can't come to grip on the logic with how Coco holds things.

I can see Carmelita is still split on having Coco in the competition.

[Dustchu]

"Can't I steal an April instead?" Coco asked with a playful pout. Reaching into her bags, she pulled out a metal helm with a face mask, both covered with downward curving spines. "I'll even look the part!"

Hahahaha! Ooohoho... I saw what you did there.

Nice!

[prism heart]

SHREDDER REFERENCE 4 THE WIN!!!!!! tmnt

[Devildogg20]

7941998 was the other one?

[Maverick Cloud]

i wish there was a the legend of spyro story like this one

[Kenshinryuu]

"Can't I steal an April instead?" Coco asked with a playful pout. Reaching into her bags, she pulled out a metal helm with a face mask, both covered with downward curving spines. "I'll even look the part!"

COWABUNGA!!!!

I like this plan and hope we get another redeemed villain soon. Also, since Bison is a herbivore like Coco, maybe they would synch up better???? I can just see the two of them ignoring any ending bell and keep going with the contests because they're having fun.

[cyberlord4444]

7942246 Give it time, it could happen.

[Tunnelspark]

7942041 I can't believe you missed a chance to make this joke. "I bet Coco is gonna Shredder the competition."

[Maverick Cloud]

7942399 i sure hope so

[cyberlord4444]

7942438 He made a Portal one, Spyro isn't as big a stretch. Only real obstacle is that Spike's already taken, Ember maybe?

[Dirty Bit]

Tonight, Coco shall dine on Bison soup...

[Starcat5]

7941998
...OK, for those of us who's computers are borked up, how is "stealing march" a Skyrim reference?

[Maverick Cloud]

7942447
yes. spyro, cynder and ember (the blue one) on their way to defeat the dark master. This would be awesome.

Or maybe trixie. or soarin?... i dunno

[Krimson_Shadow]

7942695 when you said ember, I first thought of the pink one from the spyro games, but then I remembered the ember in the show. also, due to her coloration, I assume that if ember were to end up in the spyro universe she would be an ice dragon?

[Slayerseba]

7942558 no the helmet is, stealing march is what I want to know what means.

[Tatsurou]

7943259
No, the helmet is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reference.
'Stealing a march' on someone is a colloquialism, meaning to gain an advantage on someone.

[Slayerseba]

7943355 oh :O thank you I made a mistake then as I never saw many of those.

[Maverick Cloud]

7943231
yes. or maybe a water one, but this is something the spyro fandom came up with

I really wish for a story like this one

[RC]

coco shreader! hahahahah

tas too good

[Just Defender]

You know, Bison is a lot like that Minotaur villain Well-to-Do from the comics. He was a chore to try reasoning with, and this game boss is pretty much the same. I can't see Coco getting through to him without wrecking his lumber equipment...

Or having a nearby orca swallowing him. Try looking up the comics for reference, Tat.

[Jake Witt]

7944297
I get it, now! Thank you!

[proto20]

"I guess that's something I'm good at," Coco murmured softly. "Be absolutely adorable right up until I steal everything that isn't nailed down."

Always best plan for fillies.

[Bookwurm666]

"Can't I steal an April instead?" Coco asked with a playful pout. Reaching into her bags, she pulled out a metal helm with a face mask, both covered with downward curving spines. "I'll even look the part!"

again with the Ninja Turtles images.wikia.com/fantendo/images/b/be/Shredder_TMNT.jpg

[NicktheDragonPony]

"Can't I steal an April instead?" Coco asked with a playful pout. Reaching into her bags, she pulled out a metal helm with a face mask, both covered with downward curving spines. "I'll even look the part!"

Everyone but Bentley found that hilarious.

Looks like Sly 4 wasn’t the only time they reference the ninja turtles.