Turn That Frown, Upside Down

The wind whips his hair behind him as he stands on the bow of the ship. A man with a cigar poking out of his mouth strolls over.

"Wa near'n Zumba. Where ya wan' us tuh dock?"

"We don't want anyone to know where we are and follow us. We have a lead they don't. Dock in Quaown," he barks.

"Gotcha." He turns around. "C'mon! Ya heard da captain! Set da course tuh Quown!"

The crew bustles around, and soon the ship is sailing smoothly toward the tiny mining town of Quaown.

A man with slight stubble, and a white bandana around his head, shuffles up to the captain.

"Uh, thir we need dithguises. If don't, we'll get caught and everyone will know we gotta lead on da philos'pher stone," he says. 

"Then get the disguises."

"Buh thir, dere aren't enuf dithguitheth for evryoyun."

"How many disguises do we have?"

"Umm. . .Theven?" The man's voice is small.

"Seven!" The captiain's voice booms. There are fourty-two people on this ship, and I can only brings seven!"

"Mary cahn make a bunch more, thir!"

"Then why hasn't she made more already!" He strides down the deck, and pulls the hatch to stairs, open.

"Thee only thtarted wheh thomeone told her that we neeh dithguitheth!"

The captain stops suddenly, making the man stumble. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He then opens his eyes. "How many can she make in 1 hour?"

The man thinks. "Ummm. Two?

"Well, Stubbins, tell Mary that she has 2 hours to make as many costumes as she possibly can."

"Yeth thir."

The captain looks at the approaching land. Suddenly, his eyes widen. "Turn the boat! Turn the boat now!" A sailor sprints up to the captain.

"What's wrong, sir?"

"You see that ship?" He motions to Quaown's dock. The sailor squints.

"Kind of?"

"That's Jack Rayham's ship. I'd recognize it anywhere."

The sailor's eyes widen. "Do you think he's already seen us?"

"I don't maybe. If he hasn't, he will soon. Change our course to Illeas."

"Of course, sir." The sailor scurries up to the others. "Jack Raynham is at Quatown. Captain says change course to Illeas."

The man with the cigar poking out of his mouth comes up to the captain. "Dey've spotted us. Scout sah dem runnin' to dem ship."

The captain's brow furrows. "Chase-you, Manny, Bud, Peggy Dunes, and two others of your choice-sharpen your weapons. You guys will be with me. Everyone else, except for everyone who can't, or doesn't want to fight. Make sure everyone who is fighting has their preferred wepon at hand."

"Wah 'bout the cannons?"

"Pete, Oge, Nayvo, Elmo Kohen, and Mark can handle the cannons"

"Alrighty den, I'll go do dat now."

"One more thing. You'll be my right hand. Daley will be my left."

"Thanks. I'll goh tehl Daleh'."

Chase strolls away.

The sailor from before scurries up to the captain.

"They're to fast, sir! They're gonning to catch us!"

The captain nods. "I know Lev. Chase is telling everyone the instructions."

"Ok, sir. I'm neurvous, but you always get us out of these kind of situations." He jogs away.

The deck is chaos. Everyone is running everywhere, grabbing knives, swords, gunpowder, and everything you can imagine.

A bald man runs up to the captain. "We gotta -pant- hide the -pant- maps and -pant- books!"

"You haven't done it already! Do it now. You know better than to wait 'till the last second, Vero!"

Vero's eyes widen. "S-s-sorry c-c-captain.I-I-I'll d-d-o i-it n-n-n-now," he stammers.

The captain sighs and pulls his hand down his face. "I'm sorry Vero, I'm just very nervous."

"Of c-course captain."

Vero runs downstairs. "Blue, go help Vero hide the stuff."

"Yes, sir." Blue salutes then runs downstairs after Vero.

"Sir, they'll be here in about 1 minute and 17 seconds, " calls Lev.

"Hurry everybody!" The captain's voice booms. The captain rarely ever gives orders to everybody at once, unless it is a matter of life and death. So everyone does their task faster.

"Playses evehone, dey heyah in durdy segeonds!" Chase gives the order.

Everyone is whispering under their breaths.

"-my first fight-"

"-scared to death-"

"-so close-"

"-God help me-"

"-Jesus christ-"

Chase speaks over the whispers, loud enough for everyone to hear, but soft enough so the  Alpha's crew can hear. "Com un itlle beh fuh! Tuhn dat fwown uside duown!"

"Chase, just stick to your thing, they have their own motivations. If this is their first fight, then it proves that they have a spot on this crew. If this is their most difficult fight, it'll bring their status up. If neither, it's for boasting that they fought against Jack Rayham, and is crew, and won."

"Gotcha cahptaine." Chase slings an arm over the captain's shoulder. "Meh? It foh baggin' righz."

"Thank you, Chase, now please go back to your position on my right, not my front."

"Weh ih gotta potect ya somhah, don I?"

The captain sighs. "You will be protecting me more on my right, then in front, because if you are in front, I will slice you clean in half."

"Onleh, iv yah sode its da darged."

The captain sighs again. "Chase, I need all my concentration, focus, and energy to be put into this fight. Not you."

Chase raises an eyebrow. "Yah gettin bettah aht yah snahky cumbucks."

"What I said before. I need to focus on the fight, not you."

"But waht iv I giv yah mah fogs duing dah badal?"

"Stop it chase. I mean it."

"Ah, yah'd nevah kihl meh. I mayd yah da parat yah ah. Gotcha a repatation, ahn evthin. I'm lige a bother tuh yah"

"You are a brother to me, but if you are in the way, I will not hesitate to kill you."

"Den, I'll hant yah."

"I'm your brother. You would never."

Chase waggles his eyebrows. "Nevah seh nevah."

"Back to you."

"Eveh betta."

"You ready?"

"Watcha dink?"

"Yup."

"Yas."

"They're here."

Chase smiles. "Lige I sayd. Tuhn dat fwown uside duown!"

And the battle begins.