Chapter Fifty-Eight: Stranger in a Strange Land

There was nothing quite like sailing a ship through the open skies. The wind was on Wash Buckler's back, the clouds were at his cheeks, and the world was at his reach. An infinite number of islands meant an infinite amount of discoveries and adventures, and ship sailing made him excited to seek out each and every one.

At the moment, he was technically on duty, sailing to his next place of work. But Wash Buckler found this exciting as well.

For his destination was the mysterious Cloudbreak Islands.

In the next hour, Wash Buckler's ship arrived at Woodburrow island. He spun the wheel around, and ran back to the post to adjust some of the sails. The ship made a wide turn, descending down to the main levels of the island. During this trip, Wash Buckler caught sight of a familiar presence riding on the vines. The figure's armor glinted bronze in the sunlight, and fire trailed behind his head and boots.

Wash Buckler waved at him, his tentacled moustache curling up as he smiled. "Blast Zone! How's it going, dude?" he greeted cheerfully.

Blast Zone waved back, shouting in response, though it seemed Wash Buckler was too far away to clearly hear what he said.

Wash Buckler jumped closer to the side of the ship, gesturing to the land. "I'm just gonna take her 'round to the landing site! We'll meet up there!" he shouted.

Blast Zone halted, throwing his arms up. He seemed displeased about something. Whatever, they'd meet up properly soon enough.

The ship dipped suddenly as the wind changed directions. Wash Buckler ran back to the post, readjusting the sails so he properly reached the edge of the island. Then the ship hovered for a moment as Wash Buckler searched for a landing site. There didn't seem to be a dock, or a landing site. No matter how long he flew about, he couldn't seem to figure out where he was supposed to park his ship.

And was there a crowd of people emerging from the woods into the clearing?

Wash Buckler knew some were enraptured by the recounting of his exploits. But he didn't think those exploits were enough to warrant a whole welcome committee.

Wash Buckler decided to take a chance, knowing he couldn't just circle around forever. He released the anchor, watching it land on the edge of the island. Wash Buckler climbed over the side of the ship, his tentacles popping every time the suction cups pulled away. He reached the anchor's chain and grabbed for it, sliding down to the grass. By this point, the crowd had nearly reached the ship, and Wash Buckler could properly tell who they were.

They appeared to be a village's worth of foxes, led by three strangers. The first was a spider-like robot, the second was a yellow snake with a brown shirt and hat, and the third was a green bushy-tailed skunk. Those three led the way, weapons out, keeping guard of the crowd.

No one seemed particularly happy to see him.

Still, Wash Buckler had to go up and introduce himself. He stepped out from the shadow of the ship, waving to the crowd. He smiled at them as well, hoping that they'd see his good intentions from that. In another moment, however, Blast Zone flew up in front of the crowd. He offered a few quick words, and then turned to catch up with Wash Buckler. The three strangers followed suit, occasionally glancing back at the crowd. The crowd, in turn, had relaxed, though they still glared warily at the newcomer.

Wash Buckler moved up to try and hug Blast Zone, only for the furnace knight to push him back. This gave the strangers plenty of time to take to Blast Zone's side, and none of them seemed particularly happy. Indeed, all four of them seemed quite exasperated.

So the mermasquid shrugged, giving a meek smile. "I thought you'd all be more excited to see me," he wondered.

The spider-like robot stepped forward, squaring up against him. "What kind of entrance was that?" he spat, fists clenched. "Are you trying to make an enemy of everyone in the region?"

"Course not, dude. That's why I traveled like this. To bring attention away from my Skylander-ness."

"Your what?"

"Yeah, cuz you guys called in saying how the locals hate Skylanders."

Blast Zone placed a mitt on his face, shaking his head. "No, Wash Buckler, we said they hated outsiders," he sighed.

"That's what you told him from the call, right?" the skunk asked. "That the people here hate outsiders?"

"Yes, of course that's what I said."

Wash Buckler took his hat off, scratching his head. "From my end, it sounded like 'Skylanders'," he insisted.

The robot threw his hands up, gritting his teeth. "From your end?" he scoffed incredulously. "Exactly from which end did you hear it from?"

Wash Buckler put his hands up defensively. "Alright, it was an honest mistake," he relented. "I take full responsibility for the screwup. But I'll have to meet-and-greet anyway, so let's go settle things, huh?"

The snake shook the rattle on his tail, tipping his hat up. "I'll lead this time," he decided with a smirk. "They'll relax once I explain that this newcomer is both a Skylander and an idiot."

Wash Buckler placed his hat back on his head, crossing his arms with a frown. "Thanks for that," he scoffed.

The three strangers made their way back, and Wash Buckler and Blast Zone lingered for another moment. The mermasquid awkwardly looked at the furnace knight, noting how tired and frustrated he seemed. And he certainly had every right to feel that way. Wash Buckler hadn't even been in Cloudbreak for two minutes, and he'd already caused a stir.

Still, he tapped on Blast Zone's shoulder, putting his arms out for a hug. "I did miss you, you know," he insisted.

Blast Zone looked at him with a weary smile. He then took him into the hug, going, "I missed you, too."


Wash Buckler spent the rest of the day greeting the foxes- apparently every member of Woodburrow had indeed come out to see him. It took quite a while for everyone to relax around him, and they still held those mean glares toward him. Perhaps the only person to be friendly toward him was the Chieftess. She greeted him warmly, and didn't hold a single ounce of animosity toward him. In fact, she even offered to contact the other villages in the Cloudbreak Islands to inform them of Wash Buckler's arrival- an offer which the Skylanders were more than eager to take up.

The day was so busy that Wash Buckler passed out in his new room that night. There was no coming down for dinner, no collecting his belongings to take up, and no decorating to make the place feel like home. He was dead to the world, done with any and all business until whatever time they fetched him the next day.

He wasn't sure how disagreeable the others were about that. Wash Buckler woke the next morning half-draped onto the bed- the way he'd fallen asleep last night. He noticed his boxes of belongings had been taken up and put into his room, and a lukewarm bowl of soup sat on the nightstand by the bed. His hat had also been placed from his head and onto the bedpost. Wash Buckler didn't see any sort of sabotage, no damage, nothing that would indicate the three strangers' acting out their displeasure toward the newcomer.

Wash Buckler shifted around so he properly sat on the bed, yawning with a big stretch. He'd have to discuss their displeasure with him pretty quick. Though he was sure that feeling would only quickly grow after this morning's meeting.

They hadn't properly discussed Wash Buckler's reason for being here yet.

Wash Buckler took the bowl with him as he made his way downstairs. He turned toward the kitchen, finding Blast Zone setting things up for breakfast preparation. The mermasquid rapped his knuckles on the wall, getting his friend's attention. Blast Zone stopped what he was doing for the moment and turned to look at him. He hovered over and took the bowl from Wash Buckler.

"I did wonder if you'd get around to touching this," Blast Zone chuckled warmly. "Maybe I should dispose of it. It can't be much good anymore."

"Ah no, I'm sure it'll be fine if you heat it up," Wash Buckler insisted. "I don't want it going to waste."

Blast Zone raised an eyebrow in confusion. "It sat in that musty room all night," he added. "Who knows what got into it?"

"I've eaten worse. And the room wasn't that musty."

"It was pretty musty. We didn't get to properly air it out before you got here. Later today, go back in there and take a good whiff. You'll see what I mean."

Wash Buckler shook his head. "I wouldn't believe it."

Blast Zone firmly held the bowl, his mitts glowing orange. He set the bowl on the table the moment steam rose from it. "I'd give that a few minutes to cool before eating it," he concluded.

Wash Buckler pulled a seat up at the table, grabbing a spoon. "Thanks, dude," he smiled.

In another moment the three strangers- who Wash Buckler now knew as Spy Rise, Rattle Shake and Stink Bomb- entered the kitchen. Spy Rise and Stink Bomb sat at the table while Rattle Shake went over to the counter with Blast Zone. Wash Buckler received wary looks from every single one of them. Couldn't fellow Skylanders at least give him the benefit of the doubt?

Unless they already knew Wash Buckler's purpose for being here.

No, Blast Zone wouldn't have let him off without telling him that.

"G'morning, dudes!" Wash Buckler greeted them. "I hope you're all feeling well on such a beautiful morning."

"Yeah, I can't wait to muck things up with you," Spy Rise snipped, rolling his eyes.

Stink Bomb drummed his claws on the table. "You're definitely looking well, Wash Buckler," he hummed. "Did you sleep well?"

Wash Buckler put his spoon into the bowl. "I'm awake and alert, and ready for team cooperation today," he promised them.

Spy Rise placed his elbow on the back of the chair. "Joy," he muttered.

Soon the kitchen fell into an awkward silence. Wash Buckler took a spoonful of soup, wincing as it burnt his tongue- it had cooled from its dangerous levels, but still wasn't quite cool enough for easy dining. Still, he continued on enjoying the meaty soup, looking around the kitchen. It was a smaller space than Wash Buckler was used to. On his home ship, and at the Citadel, the kitchens were massive, meant to support hundreds of hungry mouths. They even included massive mess halls where everyone could enjoy themselves. Here, it seemed the kitchen was the mess hall as well, and it had only one table that could seat about eight.

Come to think of it, Blast Zone had said there were about eight rooms for everyone, right?

"This base seems pretty small, don't you think?" Wash Buckler asked.

The three strangers looked at him in varying degrees of surprise. Stink Bomb and Rattle Shake looked at him in shock, as if this base was larger than any building they'd been in. But Spy Rise looked at him with a hint of… hope? It was one of his more pleasant expressions directed toward the mermasquid.

"We fashioned this base from a watch tower that was no longer in use," Stink Bomb explained. "It was meant for a team of eight to monitor the entrance to Woodburrow and push invaders back."

"Ah, so that number is specific," Wash Buckler nodded. "It won't do for us."

"It's served well so far."

"Can't do that for sixteen. Or eighteen, if we do reach that limit."

Spy Rise sat up, a look of wonderment in his eyes. "So they really are seeing us as a viable team," he gasped. "A viable team that the Citadel will put effort into building up."

Wash Buckler finished off the soup, pushing the bowl away. He definitely felt a lot better having put something into his system. It almost made him ready to explain his purpose to them.

"I wouldn't be here, otherwise," Wash Buckler insisted, hands behind his head. "Eon sent me to help put this team in ship shape."

Spy Rise grinned, clapping his hands together. "Finally! The dismissals really were frustrating me."

"It means that this old watch tower will need an extreme makeover. A bigger kitchen, a proper training room, and enough bedrooms for the entire team."

Rattle Shake touched his chin. "That drastic?" he wondered. "We could always just have roommates, if anyone needs the space."

Blast Zone cuffed him on the shoulder. "My room's certainly not big enough for two people," he scoffed.

Stink Bomb set his head into his hand. "Okay, but that still leaves us in one confusing spot," he insisted. "Who actually gets to make that order?"

"I should," Spy Rise argued, getting up from his chair. "I discovered why this place needs protecting. I should get to dictate how that happens."

Blast Zone looked at Wash Buckler, nervousness in his frame. "I'm also the veteran of this team," he muttered. "I know how this stuff works."

"I may be a fairly new Skylander, but this isn't my first go around at command."

Wash Buckler passed the empty bowl to Blast Zone, getting up from his seat. Now that they were talking about it, maybe he should mention it. But could he really do that so soon? The newbies were just starting to like him.

They'd also quickly hate him once he did tell them. Might as well rip the bandage off quickly.

"Funny you should mention that," Wash Buckler stammered, shoulders shrugged. "Eon sent me here… so I could lead this team."

Soon all of the newbies were up, rushing over and surrounding him. Their faces contorted in all manner of surprise, and Wash Buckler couldn't quite identify the emotions motivating them.

"You're joking, right?" Spy Rise asked. "We saw what happened yesterday. Tell us that you're joking."

"I can't do that," Wash Buckler said quietly. "Master Eon was impressed with my track record of leading missions, and he thought I should bring my skills over to this team. Said he thought it was necessary."

Spy Rise frowned, crossing his arms. "Necessary? The four of us are already a team. We could've chosen among ourselves," he insisted.

"Blast Zone, is this really true?" Rattle Shake wondered.

Blast Zone nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I called Eon a while back, trying to figure out which of us should lead," he explained. "A few days later, he called back saying that Wash Buckler would probably be a better fit. He'd work out our rough edges and help fit us together into a team that can effectively protect the Cloudbreak Islands."

"Him!?" Spy Rise hissed. "He's an idiot! You saw as much when he got here!"

Wash Buckler stood by, watching the Cloudbreak team argue about his place here. Eon really had insisted that Wash Buckler should lead them. He thought his attitude would bring everyone together. And the mermasquid really did have experience leading smaller teams on missions- Blast Zone had been with him on many of those missions. But he always worked better when he knew who he was leading. He could direct them to do a certain action when he knew what they were really like. He certainly couldn't lead complete strangers- like these newbies were to him.

It really didn't make sense.

"I know Wash Buckler doesn't always think things through," Blast Zone continued, "But he does have a keen eye for detail. If we miss something, he'll pick up on it. He's brave, kind, and fair. Really, he could've been leading an official team already."

"I don't see it," Spy Rise huffed. "I don't think I ever will."

Stink Bomb flicked his tail about, twiddling his thumbs. "It's certainly too soon to make him the leader," he decided. "I wouldn't mind it in… in the future. But we barely know him now. We ought to spend more time with him first before we really decide on that."

Wash Buckler blinked, his tentacled moustache curling with his smile. "Fair point, Stink Bomb," he decided. "And I think, for the rest of the month, you newbies will take turns leading."

"Hm?" the newbies asked in unison.

Wash Buckler put his hands on his hips. "Yup. Each week, one of you will lead our missions. I will accompany every patrol, getting to know each of you as time passes. And on the last week, I'll take charge. Hopefully by the end of the month, we'll figure out which of us is best fit to lead."

The room fell silent afterward, everyone pondering the idea. Then they came together in light murmurs, discussing it further. Wash Buckler stood by to note the curiosity in their eyes, and so far he couldn't detect further animosity. Perhaps he had managed to smooth things over. At the very least, he hoped he offered them some of his future potential as a leader.

Then Spy Rise turned to face him directly, announcing, "Okay, we've got it. I'll lead first, then Rattle Shake, then Stink Bomb. And as discussed, you'll have your turn on the last week. Hopefully by the end of this charade, it'll come to light that I am most fit to lead."

"So we're a go, then," Wash Buckler beamed.

"Yes, I suppose we are."


The first week, Wash Buckler spent most of his time in Woodburrow and the surrounding woods, as well as at the summit of Mt. Cloudbreak. Spy Rise was very particular in what he wanted everyone to do. He and Wash Buckler patrolled together to monitor the volcano's activity- or that was to say, activity around the volcano- and the others would patrol the other regions on their own.

Wash Buckler got the hang of things pretty quickly. The two of them would travel the whole length and depth of the volcano, occasionally splitting up, but remaining in constant contact with one another. Everything was rather calm that week, with reports from the others indicating only minor scuffles. Yet Wash Buckler couldn't help but feel that some things were off somehow.

He brought this up as they returned home on the last day, asking, "Shouldn't everyone be patrolling in teams of two?"

Spy Rise tapped his chin, going, "Yes, that is proper protocol for non-Core teams, isn't it? Things aren't exactly optimal for us at the moment. Until we get enough team members to do that, we'll have to head out individually."

"What if one of them gets ambushed?"

"I don't know. It's something we'll have to figure out. Like I said, our situation isn't exactly optimal."

Wash Buckler grabbed the frame of the front entrance, glancing back at the shape of the volcano in the distance. "And… shouldn't you patrol more places than just Mt. Cloudbreak?"

"As a team, we can send multiple members out to patrol the entire region. I believe my skills are most needed at Mt. Cloudbreak. Whenever someone uses magic, the runoff heads straight to that volcano, where it can be replenished and re-released at a later date. The balance of our world depends on the safety of that volcano. If anything's going to strike this region, it's going to happen there."

"Yeah, but multiple people can patrol the volcano. You don't have to be the only one doing it."

Spy Rise stopped short of the front entrance. He turned around to face Wash Buckler, giving him his classic frown.

"What are you trying to gain by asking all this?" he asked.

"Huh?" Wash Buckler muttered.

"You're trying to get a leg up in this experiment. You're seeking out information early on so you can formulate your strategy when it's your turn to lead. But cheating won't make up for your inadequacy."

Wash Buckler shrugged, raising a brow. "I just asked a few questions," he insisted. "I'm not trying to get a leg up on anything."

"You better not be."

With that, Spy Rise went inside. Wash Buckler stayed put for another moment, finding this to be quite strange.

He brought it up with Blast Zone. The furnace knight insisted that Spy Rise was suspicious of everything, and told him not to think too much about it. Wash Buckler decided to leave it for the time being.


The next week, Rattle Shake took Wash Buckler to scour the Barrens of Cloudbreak- those earthy islands that practically attracted heat. They ran into quite a few troublemakers on their patrols- bandits and ruffians who let the constant heat get the better of them. Everyone else followed the same patrol structure as before, though sometimes Rattle Shake had them pair off in places they mentioned having sketchy activity. It was quite different from Spy Rise's method of leadership.

Yet Wash Buckler sensed something in the yellow snake. He detected a kind of softness in his eyes, as if he had a need to constantly patrol the Barrens.

"They said you were from the Cloudbreak Islands, right?" Wash Buckler asked one sweltering morning. "Is this where you came from?"

Rattle Shake blinked at him, put off guard. He glanced at the rocky outcrop near the horizon, muttering, "I'm from Iron Jaw Gulch, actually. You're familiar with its dirt shark population, but it also has a snake population living underneath."

"None of them like the heat?"

"That's right. We particularly didn't like the noise above us. I was sent above quite a few times to deal with it, only to fall into a kind of sheriff role."

"Watching you, it almost seems natural."

Rattle Shake chuckled. "I suppose on some level, it was. You know, when I heard they were starting to bring Skylanders out here, I thought I'd offer my services. This new title is just an extension of the old one."

"Were you put on this team right away?"

"Pretty quick. I…"

Wash Buckler watched as the humor in Rattle Shake went away, like bleach flushing the dye out of clothing. Rattle Shake frowned, wrapping his arms around his body. This attitude wasn't as extreme as what Spy Rise always showed the mermasquid, but it was similarly sour.

"M-Maybe I went too far," Wash Buckler stammered. "I-"

"Yes, I am fond of my home here," Rattle Shake growled. "But you don't need to doubt my loyalties. When the time comes to defend Mt. Cloudbreak, I'll be there."

"I-I'm sorry. I was just… trying to figure out how to best accommodate you."

Rattle Shake smirked again. "It's not quite your turn to be the leader," he insisted. "Is this information going to help you, then?"

Wash Buckler blinked. That was almost exactly what Spy Rise said.

"More information might help," Wash Buckler shrugged. "But I don't see how one month for me will be better than a lifetime for you."

"Still, you'll need everything you can get, when it's your turn," Rattle Shake insisted.

That was quite ominous, wasn't it?

Wash Buckler brought it up with Blast Zone when they got home that night. The furnace knight agreed that the snake and the robot having that same opinion was odd. Yet he didn't want to monitor their activity, as it might be seen as prejudiced. Wash Buckler decided to let it go once again, yet he couldn't help but worry about what that might mean.

He thought the newbies would start warming up to him by now, but it didn't look like it.


The third week, Stink Bomb implemented the infamous "Island Hopping" method of patrol. Mostly utilized by Portal Masters, it involved patrolling an island for interesting activity, and then heading to the next island once the Skylanders arrived. Though that method was usually more for one-on-one recruitment rather than… managing danger.

Usually the rest of the team would stay behind while Wash Buckler and Stink Bomb traveled the entirety of the region. Every time they found a hint of danger somewhere, Stink Bomb would contact one of the other team members to deal with it, and then take his small team to the next one. It was a rather flighty approach to patrolling. A leader certainly couldn't act that way.

They found a hint of monster activity somewhere in Cascade Glade, upon which Wash Buckler asked, "Think we should deal with it?"

Stink Bomb stroked his bushy tail, looking over the creek. "We need to have an eagle-eye on the whole region," he insisted. "We'll call someone in to help."

"Who? Blast Zone's in Winter Keep, Rattle Shake's in Fantasm Forest, and Spy Rise is in the Twisty Tunnels. Meanwhile, we're already here."

"They're probably done by now. There's no harm in calling them here. It's basic Core Protocol, right?"

Wash Buckler started making his way toward the water. "We're pretty far from the Core. And what we're doing is more of a Portal Master method, anyway."

Stink Bomb cocked his head in confusion. "It is?"

"Yeah, you know how Eon goes from island to island looking for possible recruits?"

"That's what that is?"

"Yeah. S'alright if you didn't know that, yet."

"I suppose I'm still fairly new to all of this."

Now Wash Buckler had two tentacles in the water. "Anyway, we're here now, and I'm fully equipped to take on the monster," he concluded. "Just give the word, and I'll go."

Stink Bomb stepped back. He released his tail, fists clenched at his sides. He frowned at Wash Buckler, though there was still fear in his eyes. Wash Buckler found himself disappointed once again. He still wasn't winning over any of the newbies.

"Y-You'll get to lead next week," Stink Bomb argued. "Right now, it's my turn."

"I won't go until you give the word," Wash Buckler insisted.

"Well I don't appreciate you trying to hop onto my week the way you tried to hop onto everyone else's."

Wash Buckler nearly stumbled over in surprise. He probably would have fallen straight into the water, if not for his suction cups grasping the ground beneath him. Never would he be more thankful for those than this moment, where he needed to maintain some level of composure in this moment. He straightened up, and looked at Stink Bomb directly.

"Is that what you think?" Wash Buckler asked.

"That's what Spy Rise and Rattle Shake said," Stink Bomb insisted. "They told me to look out for it. An outsider like you… thinking you know better than we do. Trying to take over because you don't think we're fit for the job."

"That's not at all what I was doing! I-"

"They said you were always pretty quick to jump on any perceived weakness to try and snatch their leadership away. I-I won't let you do that to me. Now step back, and let me find someone to take care of the monster here."

Wash Buckler nodded, stepping away from the water. His heart sank into his gut, finally knowing what the newbies were up to.

When he got home that night, he didn't tell Blast Zone about it. Now that he knew what was going on, he didn't feel that he needed to.


On the night before his turn to lead, Wash Buckler couldn't sleep. His head was running rampant with thoughts about how it was supposed to go. Now that he knew the newbies expected him to take their power away, perhaps they would be insubordinate. He hadn't gotten them to like him at all. Maybe this week still held opportunity for that. Wash Buckler could still prove his value to them.

He could always show them that he did want to help them. Perhaps he could try to get Stink Bomb to lead a fight against a monster one day. Or maybe he'd try to pull Spy Rise away from Mt. Cloudbreak, and show him that there was a whole region in need of protection. He wasn't sure how to get Rattle Shake away from the Barrens to patrol the rest of Cloudbreak yet. Maybe when the team was bigger…

Wash Buckler sat up, the pit in his stomach growing. He really had been trying to get a leg up, hadn't he? He'd done nothing but analyze their quirks all month, gearing up for his chance to lead. Did he really find the others so incompetent? Could he really not resist the pull to leadership?

But like, he'd always just fallen into it. Wash Buckler thought back to other missions where he'd taken leadership. Each mission he'd been on with Blast Zone, when they had run into trouble out of nowhere, before Blast Zone had time to react-

Wash Buckler had stepped forward every time without waiting.

He never gave Blast Zone a chance to lead the mission.

Wash Buckler swung his tentacles over the bed, pressing his fingers to his temples. The pit in his stomach grew even larger, and his heart sunk even lower. Soon he thought his heart would drop straight down into that pit, vanishing into a suffocating darkness. He really did impose all the time, didn't he? He didn't even give his best friend a chance to prove himself.

Wash Buckler glanced at his boxes of belongings. He'd been so busy this month he hadn't opened them and decorated his room. He suddenly wondered if he should bother with that. The team had been doing well without him so far. Surely they could do well if he returned to the Citadel. Perhaps he should check on his ship, and make sure it was in good condition for a return trip. It would be inconvenient if it weren't- he could make it back himself through a Portal, but taking his belongings would be another story. He'd go check on his ship now, and then figure out a plan in the morning.

Wash Buckler got out of bed, taking in a deep breath through his nose.

It really was musty in here.

He opened the door and made his way out into the hall. Wash Buckler paused as Blast Zone hurried up to him. The furnace knight's flames stood out in the darkened path, his expression one of worry. Something bad must have happened in these past few hours.

Come to think of it, Wash Buckler found that it had been pretty quiet when he retired for the evening.

"What's going on?" Wash Buckler asked.

"The others ran out on us," Blast Zone groaned. "I was doing a late patrol with Spy Rise when he noticed something above the trees in Woodburrow. I told him that whatever it was, it would probably wait until morning to mess with us. He didn't seem convinced, and he likely told the others the same and dragged them out."

A late night mission, was it? And Blast Zone seemed eager to lead it. Maybe Wash Buckler could prove that he didn't have to impose where he wasn't needed. At the very least, he could give his best friend the chance he'd never given him before.

"Lead the way, then," Wash Buckler insisted.

Blast Zone stepped back for a moment, his brow furrowed in uncertainty. It was the same kind of expression Wash Buckler had seen on him during various missions together, and it was usually what convinced him to step in. This time, he decided to wait and give him a chance to step up. Indeed, Blast Zone eventually turned and went down the stairs. Wash Buckler followed suit, determined to step back this time.

They ran out into the night, making their way toward the edge of the island. Wash Buckler looked up and found a shape floating near Mt. Cloudbreak. If it had inched that close to the volcano, then he could understand why Spy Rise would want to head out. Blast Zone seemed to clue in on this as well, as he made his way for Wash Buckler's ship, which was still parked where it had been all month.

"Maybe we should have gone after it," Blast Zone muttered. "Wash Buckler, your ship is usually well fortified. Can we take it to the volcano?"

Why was he asking? Had Wash Buckler really stifled his abilities that much? "If you feel like we need the ship, then we should take it," the mermasquid insisted.

Blast Zone frowned- actually frowned- but he nodded in response. He turned around, motioning toward his back. Wash Buckler walked up and grabbed on, holding tight as the furnace knight flew them up to the ship's deck. Blast Zone directed Wash Buckler toward the wheel, still holding that glare. Wash Buckler couldn't tell what that was for. But seeing as he knew the ship better than his friend, he took hold of the wheel. Blast Zone picked up the anchor, and soon the ship set sail for Mt. Cloudbreak.

"Now what should we do?" Blast Zone asked.

This time Wash Buckler really couldn't contain it. "Why are you asking me?" he responded incredulously. "You've been here for months. You know the area better than I do."

"Well what would you have done if you'd seen that thing in the sky with Spy Rise?"

"Look, don't kick yourself for one mistake. It's going to-"

"I'm asking for your opinion."

Wash Buckler kept his gaze on their path forward, hesitant to look at Blast Zone. "I probably would've gathered the rest of the team and taken them on the ship to face that thing."

"There have been many times that I misjudged the situation when the best path was clearly obvious."

"It was one mistake, dude. You'll get better at this kind of stuff over time."

Blast Zone hovered up to his side, shaking his head. "No, I think I know what I'm comfortable with at this point," he insisted. "I'm comfortable being the right hand, leading the charge next to someone else. I've known ever since I was part of the Bomb Squad. Compared to you, I'm not at all comfortable in that position."

Wash Buckler felt his tentacled moustache sag. "I just… felt like I was always butting in whenever it was your turn to lead," he sighed. "I felt like I've been doing it all month."

"Did the newbies get in your head?"

"Maybe. But aren't they kind of right? I've been trying to step in every time they got to lead."

Blast Zone set a mitt on Wash Buckler's shoulder. "I thought it was like a mentor thing. You assessed their performance, and then you gave them advice on what they could do to be better for the next time. And you thought of that advice from your own experience. I can't imagine anyone being better fit to be a leader than you."

"I still don't want to impose on what you've all been doing. I know they're all concerned about me insisting that I know better than them."

"Well, that's something we can work on in the following months."

Wash Buckler nodded.

They drew closer to Mt. Cloudbreak, and the mysterious shape in the sky became clearer. It appeared to be a serpentine creature, with a reddish purple hue to its scales. Dark purple crystals protruded from its back, all the way up to its head. A dark aura hovered around it, reading as nothing else but pure evil.

"Wh-What is that thing?" Wash Buckler stammered, his fingers shaking.

"That's a Fire Viper," Blast Zone muttered warily. "They're pretty common in the Barrens around here. But I've never seen one like that."

Wash Buckler gripped the wheel with determined ferocity. "We need to regroup with the others. Get in contact with Spy Rise, ask him where they are."

Blast Zone got out a strange mechanical device, likely a creation from Spy Rise. He talked into it, humming as it gave him a response. He then replied to Wash Buckler, "They're waiting for the creature at the summit."

"Then man the sails. We're turning toward the summit."

Blast Zone nodded, rushing over to the ropes. Wash Buckler watched as the sails changed position, then spun the wheel to set them on their new path. The furnace knight hovered by the sails, his heat producing new air currents to push them along. In no time, they arrived at the summit of the volcano, spotting their missing teammates waiting by the crater. Blast Zone flew back over to Wash Buckler. The mermasquid climbed onto his back once more, and they flew over to meet up with the rest of their team.

The recruits, having held defensive positions for who knew how long, relaxed slightly as Wash Buckler and Blast Zone arrived. Spy Rise frowned at them- or at least, at Blast Zone specifically. He crossed his arms, turning to study the creature in the sky.

"Now you bother being concerned about it," Spy Rise huffed. "No one believes me when I tell them about what danger Mt. Cloudbreak could be in."

"We're going to be facing a Fire Viper," Blast Zone warned them. "This isn't some routine patrol."

Rattle Shake slithered back, eyes widened in shock. "A Fire Viper?" he stammered. "They're not supposed to come out this far."

"How bad are they?" Wash Buckler asked.

"It's taken twenty people to take down one."

Stink Bomb began shaking, struggling to hold onto his shurikens. "That bad? We're not equipped to fight something like that!" he insisted. "What are we supposed to do?"

Spy Rise knelt down, sifting through a tiny bag at his side. "I've planned for this sort of impossible situation." he insisted. "I have mini turrets that can deter the beast while we do what we need to in order to take it down."

Rattle Shake glared at him, fists at his side. "Those little pebbles won't do any good against their thick hides!" he argued. "I doubt the Fire Viper will even feel them!"

Wash Buckler noticed the creature drawing closer. It would be upon them any moment. They were wasting time by arguing about this.

"Alright, everyone stop! I'm the captain now, so you all need to listen to me!" Wash Buckler announced.

The bickering stopped. The recruits were glaring at him now, but at least he had their attention.

"Rattle Shake," Wash Buckler began, "you clearly know how to handle these creatures. What are their weaknesses?"

Rattle Shake's expression lightened, apparently surprised at his opinion being wanted. He explained, "Those strange crystals on their backs are quite delicate. They also seem to be a source of power. If we destroy those, the Fire Viper won't be able to fight."

"Is there anything that can draw them away so we can get that chance?"

"Strong firepower. Like… bombs or lasers."

Wash Buckler looked at Blast Zone and Spy Rise. "I was wondering that, too," he nodded. "You two will be our diversion while we go after those crystals."

"You'll need a chance to hide while we do it," Spy Rise argued. "Good luck with that."

Wash Buckler turned to Stink Bomb, whose shaking had increased as his apparent talents had become known. "They say you're a master of stealth," he insisted. "You can help me and Rattle Shake sneak onto that thing's back."

"I-I can't just- I can't fight a monster like that," Stink Bomb stammered.

"It'll be okay. You won't have to do it alone. Rattle Shake and I will be right there with you."

Stink Bomb nodded, his eyes growing misty. "We-We don't really have a choice, do we?"

Wash Buckler grabbed Stink Bomb and Rattle Shake by their wrists, ensuring that the snake's dominant hand was free to use his weapon. He noted that the creature was almost upon them. It was now or never.

"Everyone stay close to your respective teams," Wash Buckler announced. "It's go time."

Stink Bomb flicked his tail, producing a pungent mist that surrounded the whole group. Everyone but the skunk gagged, though Wash Buckler and Rattle Shake were nicely cloaked alongside him. The Fire Viper rushed in, and the group ran in separate directions. Spy Rise and Blast Zone fired bombs and lasers at the beast's head. Wash Buckler drew his team away until the tail appeared. They then rushed in and jumped, landing on the beast's back. Wash Buckler's trusty suckers clung tightly to the viper's thick scales.

"I'm holding on tight to you guys," Wash Buckler announced. "You two focus on breaking the crystals, I'll move us up as we go."

The two recruits nodded. Rattle Shake went first, firing venom from his snake gun. Stink Bomb capitalized on that by throwing a shuriken where the venom hit. With the two working in tandem, the crystal weakened until it broke.

The Fire Viper roared in pain. It suddenly sensed that there was a presence on its back, and so thrashed about to try and throw it off. Wash Buckler and his allies yelped as they were tossed about. Still, Wash Buckler kept his grip on his allies and his footing.

"Keep focused," Wash Buckler told them. "I'm not letting go."

They moved up, though it was a slow task to ensure that they stayed on. Rattle Shake and Stink Bomb broke another crystal. With that, the Fire Viper took to the air, circling the crater. While still difficult to hang on, it had lessened due to the motion becoming smoother.

They soon broke three more crystals, slowly moving up to the head. With each broken crystal, the creature weakened, flying more slowly. It was definitely encouraging. What was alarming, though, was the interest the Fire Viper took in the crater itself. The slower it became, the closer it drew to the crater.

"I don't like this," Stink Bomb muttered. "It looks like it wants to dive straight in."

Wash Buckler tightened his grip on his allies, using the suckers on his fingertips to do so. "Just focus on the crystals," he insisted. "That's all we can do."

Something flew up directly in front of the creature's face. It caused the Fire Viper to renew its violent thrashing. Wash Buckler and his allies stood their ground, but a rather loud yelp from Rattle Shake caused them some concern. They couldn't focus on that at the moment, because then Blast Zone came into focus. Spy Rise was riding his back as they flew, firing lasers at the Fire Viper.

"What are you doing?" Wash Buckler shouted at them.

"It's seeking to go into the volcano!" Spy Rise yelled back. "We can't let it do that!"

He definitely understood that. This creature's evil aura was pervasive. They couldn't let it endanger the volcano. But an idea came to Wash Buckler's mind.

"Blast Zone, take him to my ship!" Wash Buckler demanded. "Fly it over and activate the Harpoon Claw!"

"Oh yeah, that would be great!" Blast Zone nodded. "We'll meet up in a bit!"

They flew away, and the creature settled back down. It was at this point that Rattle Shake turned toward them, his yellow scales becoming pallid.

"That last shake threw my weapon out of my hand," he whimpered. "I can't fight. And my poor Serpiente may be hurt."

The look on his face was absolutely crushing. Even more so because he knew they couldn't do anything about it. Wash Buckler looked down at his own belt, noting that his shiny pistol had sat there unused this whole time.

"We'll figure it out later," Wash Buckler promised. "But we have to focus on breaking these crystals. My Bubble Blaster has water magic that can summon piranhas. You can use that for now."

Stink Bomb tugged on Wash Buckler's arm. "Wait on that for a moment," he insisted. "They're coming back."

A sound of clanking metal carried through the air. Another one followed suit, and suddenly the world flipped upside down. The group yelped with the lurch, with the snake's and mermasquid's hats falling away. Wash Buckler looked upward, seeing his trusty ship and his trusty best friend up above.

"Good work!" Wash Buckler shouted at them. "When we break the last crystal, fire up the Secret Rockets!"

"Hear you loud and clear!" Blast Zone replied.

"This old thing has Secret Rockets, too?" Spy Rise questioned from somewhere.

Wash Buckler smiled. "It has everything a good captain needs!" he replied. "Rattle Shake, grab my Bubble Blaster!"

The Fire Viper started thrashing once again. Rattle Shake managed to get a hold of the Bubble Blaster, though not without taking Wash Buckler's belt with it. He bit his fangs on the dial to set it to the magic he wanted, and was soon quickly firing vicious piranhas at the crystals. He and Stink Bomb continued their old routine until another crystal broke. Wash Buckler moved them down slightly, bringing them closer to the last crystal.

It was around then that Wash Buckler became aware of his own fatigue. His arms were trembling as he gripped his allies' arms. His legs held a similar quiver, and he panicked at finding that his suckers were starting to lack. They couldn't falter here. They weren't done yet.

"Blast Zone! I'm gonna need you down here pretty quick!" Wash Buckler cried out.

Rattle Shake and Stink Bomb broke the last crystal. The Fire Viper let out one last roar as it went slack at the loss of energy. Everyone jerked as they started going down, the ship taking on the rest of the viper's weight. In another moment, they stopped falling, the Secret Rockets having been activated. To Wash Buckler's relief, Blast Zone came down to meet them. And with that meeting, the trembling in Wash Buckler's limbs grew worse.

"I'm here," Blast Zone nodded, sensing Wash Buckler's worries.

"Take them," Wash Buckler insisted, tugging on his allies' arms.

He received a glance from both Rattle Shake and Stink Bomb. It seemed like they could sense his worries, as well.

Blast Zone nodded. He took Stink Bomb into his arms, and Rattle Shake took a spot on his back. Wash Buckler released his grip on them as soon as he was sure they were secure.

"I'll come back for you really quick," Blast Zone insisted, concern growing in his voice.

Wash Buckler nodded weakly.

He watched as Blast Zone carried their allies up to the ship. He managed to give a weak smirk right before his legs gave one last tremble. He suddenly lurched forward, followed by a series of worrying popping sounds. Wash Buckler found himself falling toward the Fire Viper's head. His heart skipped a beat, and he looked for something to grab onto. His fingers failed to grab hold of anything.

He begged Blast Zone to hurry and save him.

Suddenly Wash Buckler felt something tug at his shirt. He gagged as the collar caught his throat, but he knew he had stopped falling. Metallic purple arms wrapped around him, righting his view of the world. Wash Buckler turned his head to find that it was Spy Rise who had saved him. They were dangling from a greenish string, attached to the side of the ship.

The robot had his brow furrowed and his lips pursed, a look that Wash Buckler hadn't seen on him quite yet.

"You're carrying quite a bit of tension," Spy Rise wondered.

Wash Buckler smirked at him. "Comes from caring for the crew," he insisted. "Thanks for the save."

"I just happened to be faster than Blast Zone at the moment. I know he'd kill me if I didn't do anything to help."

The robot looked away, and Wash Buckler could detect a hint of sheepishness from him.

"Sure, dude," Wash Buckler chuckled. "Now how about we get back up and get this big catch to shore?"

Spy Rise's lips quivered into a small smile. "Sure thing."


Dawn had cracked by time they set the Fire Viper on land away from the volcano. The creature seemed quite docile without the crystals on its back. It snored almost calmly on the grass, all fury seemingly vanished. Nevertheless, the Skylanders weren't keen on releasing the Harpoon Claw off its tail.

Wash Buckler carried a tray of drinks from the lower deck onto the upper deck where everyone else was. Blast Zone was flying back, Rattle Shake and Stink Bomb sat together, and Spy Rise studied the planks. He couldn't help but chuckle at how disheveled his crew looked. They all chattered and joked merrily, the tension of the battle nearly forgotten. They looked up at him, and that cheerfulness didn't melt away as it did previously. Would he finally be welcome among them?

"Hey dudes, I got us drinks from my Secret Root Beer Storage," Wash Buckler announced. "Nice and cold, to revitalize us from the heat of Mt. Cloudbreak."

The recruits accepted the drinks before Blast Zone did- as the furnace knight had his arms full at the moment. A red snake leapt from his grasp, and Rattle Shake was quick to embrace the tiny creature.

"I went fishing for the things we lost in the volcano," Blast Zone explained. "Your hats fell onto a stalagmite, while that little guy caught onto a ledge. I couldn't find your weapon, Rattle Shake, so you might have to make another one."

Rattle Shake stroked the tiny serpent's head, tears in his eyes. "That's easily replaceable," he insisted. "This little one isn't."

Spy Rise walked back to join the group, saying, "I contacted Eon a few minutes ago, asking him to come study this Fire Viper. I have a suspicion about it's origins, but I thought I'd have a Portal Master check it out."

Rattle Shake and Stink Bomb looked up with worried expressions, but Blast Zone only nodded in morose understanding. "You think it's a Portal Master," he nodded.

"I found evidence of Portal magic here last time I came as a bystander," Spy Rise insisted, arms crossed. "It was clear tampering to access the Core of the volcano. I have to assume that whoever did that had something to do with this."

Wash Buckler stroked at his tentacled moustache. "It makes sense to me," he sighed. "That Fire Viper wandered far away from the Barrens where it's supposed to be. It would've done so if a Portal Master commanded it to."

Spy Rise curtly nodded, taking the drink offered for him. "Eon said he should be here by tomorrow. I think it would be in our best interest to guard the Fire Viper until he gets here."

Everyone nodded, sipping their drinks together.

They fell into an awkward silence, taking glances at one another. At one point, Rattle Shake set his drink aside, taking his hat and bringing it down to cover his face as he sat against the wall. Everyone was clearly exhausted, but it felt like there was still something missing.

Spy Rise voiced that idea, going, "So who is it that gets to make that call?"

Blast Zone knocked his drink back, wiping drips from his mouth. "I don't think you're ready for that, yet," he insisted. "While you clearly saw a threat during our patrol, you failed to gather everyone to deal with it. What's more, you seemed to hold authority over the others' heads, disregarding everyone's concerns. Of course, I got there kind of late, so I can't say for certain."

Spy Rise cringed. "The others insisted that I bring you two, but I disagreed. I brought out gadgets, even when they told me their concerns over using them. I didn't even consider what kind of creature we were going to face. It could've been a sky whale as much as it was a Fire Viper."

The robot then looked over at Wash Buckler. "You, on the other hand, were quite the natural," he muttered. "You took charge quickly, listened to advice, assessed where everyone should go based on skill… you fell into it so easily. I kind of understand why you were so eager to lead."

Wash Buckler rubbed the back of his neck. "I really wasn't trying to steal anyone's thunder," he insisted.

"I mean that as skilled as Rattle Shake, Stink Bomb and I are, we don't have as much experience in that area. If you still want to lead after this week, I wouldn't be completely opposed to it."

It warmed Wash Buckler's heart to hear that. He knew Spy Rise would have been especially hard to win over, if he indeed won them over.

"That's really nice to hear," Wash Buckler insisted. "But I'll only do it if everyone else is okay with it. I want everyone to feel included in what we do."

After saying that, he realized that the other two had been unusually quiet. Wash Buckler looked over to where Rattle Shake and Stink Bomb sat. Stink Bomb now leaned against Rattle Shake, eyes firmly shut. He was definitely asleep. And if he had to guess, Rattle Shake was also asleep. They probably hadn't heard a word of the conversation.

"We'll ask them later," Blast Zone chuckled. "For now, maybe we should follow their example."

Spy Rise stifled a yawn. "Yeah, not a fan of late nights," he nodded. "Can't wait until the team grows bigger."

Wash Buckler nodded, wandering over to a seat across from the recruits. He watched as Spy Rise took a seat at Rattle Shake's free side, also using him as a pillow. Blast Zone took a seat next to Wash Buckler, tipping his head back the way Rattle Shake did. Right now, it really did feel like they were all part of the same team. Wash Buckler set his hat in his lap, leaning on Blast Zone and shutting his eyes.

"I don't usually consider myself a good pillow," Blast Zone insisted.

Wash Buckler could practically hear his smile as he said it. He chuckled in response, slowly drifting off. "Shut up. You're the best pillow," he argued playfully.

"Or I'm just your preferred pillow. I'm glad to have you here, Wash Buckler."

"I'm glad to have you with me, too."