(Sunset and I are prepared for our nature walk)

Me: Ready to go, Sunset?

Sunset: Yeah. I've never been on a nature walk this early in the year.

Me: You'll get the hang of it in time.

(We depart from the studio)


Pirate101: The Pirates of Lore

Chapter 5: The Search for Lost Love

To allow Moe's spirit to move on, the pirates need to return a wedding ring he stole from his ex-fiancée, Wilhelmina. They climb a ladder that leads to a set of caves above the cave where they met the spirits. They search the area for the ring.

"No rings in here, pirates." Bonnie Anne reported.

"Hmm… maybe it could be somewhere in there." Lola pointed to another tunnel. They enter and see a sea chest guarded by Skarakeets.

"That must be the sea chest!" Ryan confirmed.

"Looks like those Skarakeets don't look so friendly, though. Polly want a cracker?" Bonnie Anne joked to which Lindsey and Kyle giggle.

"We can save the humor for after we get that ring," Hunter said as the crew fanned out.

Hunter, Lola, and Kyle fought off the Skarakeets while Bonnie and Ryan provided cover fire. They were able to drive them off after about eight were defeated.

"That takes care of those birdbrains!" Kyle said. "Now let's open that chest." He opens the chest and sees a beautiful diamond-studded wedding ring.

"This ring is so beautiful!" Lola complimented.

"I wish I had a ring like that." Lindsey agreed.

"Wilhelmina will be so happy to have this back," Hunter said as they made their way back to the entrance to Traitor's Cave. They see a wooden house by the docks. Lola knocks on the door and hears a woman's voice.

"Come in."

The pirates enter and see a rat woman with purple hair in a nobleman's outfit. "Excuse us. Are you Wilhelmina by any chance?"

"Yes, that's me." She replies to confirm her name.

"I believe your ex-fiancée sent us to return this to you," Hunter revealed the ring they retrieved.

"My ring! Wherever did you… Oh no! If Moe is gone… that means no one can help me. Unless…"

"Wait a minute. What do you mean by "help you"?" Kyle asked.

"I thank you for returning my ring, but right now, it's useless to me since my Captain Gordon is in the claws of those accursed crabs, the Red Claw Gang," Wilhelmina explained. "They wanted payback for putting an end to their smuggling syndicate."

"And I take it you were planning to ask Moe for help, right?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, but since it appears that he sent you five, I assumed the worst," Wilhelmina told them. "Please, pirates, heed my prayers – save my Gordon. They took him away in one of their ships. Where they are going, I know not. You must find a way to track him down."

"Don't worry, Wilhelmina. We'll find Gordon for you." Hunter nodded to her as they left and boarded the rickety ship to find Red Claw Ships.

"I hope this thing can help us in the long run." Lindsey gulped.

"It'll keep afloat. Trust me." Hunter reassured as they found a Red Claw Ship. "There's one of them now. Lindsey, Ryan, prepare to fire!" They fire the cannons at the Red Claw Ship. The broadside battle went on as they boarded the enemy ship.

Ryan gave the crew cover fire as they fought the Red Claw Crabs. They defeat all of the crabs aboard. Hunter took out his pistol and aimed it at a goon's chest. "Wish to keep those claws? Tell us where to find Captain Gordon."

"Heh, you'll never find him here! Buster Crab has him, in Devilfish Hollow!" The Red Claw goon told him. "You'll never get him out of there alive!"

"Devilfish Hollow, you say? Then that's where we're going." Hunter said as he signaled his crew to sink the ship. They made their way to Devilfish Hollow.

"Devilfish Hollow, the blackest part of these skies," Sarah commented.

"They say any pirate who comes in doesn't come out." Barnabus agreed.

"And there's the dock. It gives me the shivers!" Bonnie Anne shivered. They dock at the entrance of the cave hideout.

"I never liked this cave before. Let us be done with this quickly!" Subodai sighs. Lindsey spots some tracks leading into the cave.

"Here are some crab tracks, guys," Lindsey reported.

"And a lot of them. They lead into that cave." Bonnie confirmed. They follow the tracks and meet a crab named Shelley Duvall.

"It's about time you shirkers showed up! Buster wants all this in Red Hook by…" Shelley began before noticing the crew. "Wait, who're you? Get them!"

Shelley and some other crabs start attacking. Hunter and Kyle took on Shelly while the other fought the other goons. With some sword strikes, pistol shots, and spells, Duvall and his men were defeated.

"I don't see Gordon anywhere," Emmett reported.

"That's 'cause he ain't here no more. They hauled him off to our new hideout on Skull Island. He's in Red Hook Cave, where he'll be staying, too!"

"Red Hook Cave, huh?" Lola thought. "That's not too far from the marketplace."

"Lead the way, Lola," Ryan told her as the Buccaneer takes them back to Skull Island and takes them to the marketplace.

"Where is this Red Hook Cave?" Kyle asks.

"It should be inside the mountain behind the ring shop. Follow me." Lola leads them to a cave up the mountain. "Here it is – Red Hook Cave. Captain Gordon has to be inside."

"Let's head in there," Hunter said and see the entry into the hideout guarded by a Red Claw Thug named Sammy Jones.

"Excuse us. We're friends of Captain Gordon. We have a message for him." Hunter told Sammy.

"Ah, friends of Gordon, are ye? No worries, he's right through that door, isn't he?" Sammy guided them to the door.

"Thanks so much." Ryan thanked the thug. The Musketeer then whispered to the others. "That was easy."

"It's not over just yet, Ryan," Kyle whispered. "We still need to get Captain Gordon out of here." They enter the lair and they meet more crabs.

"Oho, what have we here? Uninvited guests? Let's show them the door, boys!" A crab named Frankie Pinch started attacking the crew.

Ryan fired at a Red Claw Gunner and Lindsey casts her spell to deal some damage to some more thugs. Kyle fought Frankie. He felt overpowered, but it didn't stop him from teaching him a painful lesson. Frankie starts to run.

"Look! He's scuttling away!" Sarah noted as Frankie flees from the battle.

"Gordon must be inside the inner chamber," Bonnie noted. "Let's go!"

They enter the inner chamber where they meet Frankie again. "Sorry, but we can't let good Captain Gordon go just yet. It'd spoil our dinner plans right through! Crush them, boys! Crush them all!"

They engage against Frankie again. Ryan spots Captain Gordon in a cage suspended above a boiling cauldron.

"Help! One of you, jam the winch before I'm in the soup!"

"Stay there, Gordon. Help's on the way." Hunter told him as he turned to his crew. "Lola, help the captain. We'll deal with these guys." Lola nods as she breaks from the team and heads towards the winch.

"That pirate's heading for the winch! Stop her!" Frankie commanded some crabs to intercept her, but Barnabus and Sarah Steele cut them off.

"Don't bet on it, you crabs!" Sarah glared.

Lola took this chance to lower the cage quickly. Captain Gordon gets out. "My thanks! If you hadn't stopped the winch, I'd be today's dinner!"

More crabs enter the fray. "There's more of them! Protect Captain Gordon!" Bonnie Anne exclaims.

They continue to fight the crabs with Captain Gordon by their side. Ryan fired some close-range shots and provided cover fire for Lola and Gordon. Kyle beat Frankie and Lindsey and Hunter were able to beat the rest.

"I thank you, Pirates. These cowering crustaceans have been after me ever since I broke their smuggling ring." Gordon thanked the crew.

"Yeah, Wilhelmina would be devastated if something bad happened to you," Lola mentioned Gordon's fiancée.

"Wilhelmina, you say?"

"Yeah. We returned her ring and she sent us to rescue you." Hunter explained.

"Then what are we standing around here for? Take me to her!"

Before they had a chance to leave, they hear a firm voice. "Not so fast!" They turn and see the Red Claw's leader, Buster Crab, along with some other crabs.

"Buster Crab!" Louis identified him.

"You must be friends of the good Captain Gordon, are you?" Buster asked them. "Well, I've no intention of giving up my favorite seasoning."

"Gordon, we'll keep these guys occupied. You head to our ship outside." Kyle whispered to Captain Gordon.

"Don't even think about it. There're a hundred Crabs between you and the door. Say your prayers, pests!"

Hunter raised his pistol, but Bonnie stopped him. "Hold on! I claim Parley!"

"Parley? You may be one of Avery's favorites, Miss Fancy Airs Anne, but what right do these little whelps have to the Code of the Brotherhood?"

That's when Crab Gunner Johnny Cake spoke up. "Beg your pardon, boss, but I recognize these fellas. They're the ones that stopped the Troggies from blowing up the Island. They even got the drop on Fin Dorsal, they did!"

"Shells and sails! That's a fine nuisance. Real Pirates, eh?" Buster asked. The Pirates nod in confirmation. "Alright, it's Parley then. It'd be hard for me and the boys to part with good old Captain Gordon. Still… we might be up for a trade. If you lot are game, that is."

"What kind of trade?" Hunter asked.

"There's this pirate they used to call The Dutchman. The man was infamous before Captain Gunn rigged his first sail. Famous he was for his Golden Hook. You get the Dutchman's Hook for us, Gordon's all yours."

"But where will we find the Dutchman's Hook?" Lindsey asked.

"I'll wager that his ship, the Marie Celestia, was lost in a storm. I'm sure you find the Hook in the wreckage. Have we an accord?" Buster offers a claw. The Pirates aren't ones to trust Crabs, especially the Red Claw, but finding the Hook will bring them one step closer to granting Moe peace. Hunter reluctantly shook his claw. "Heh-heh. Good. Don't be too long now… my boys are mighty famished."

"So where can we find the Marie Celestia?" Lola asks. The pirates ponder a bit before Bonnie Anne comes up with an idea.

"We can ask Skinny Pete at the Kraken Skulls. He knows all there is to know about the old-timer Pirates."

"Good idea. To the Kraken Skulls!" Hunter speaks as they leave the cave to get information on the Dutchman's old ship.


(We return from our walk)

Me: That sure was nice, huh?

Sunset: Yeah. Though, I didn't expect it to snow.

Me: Weather works in mysterious ways, Sunset.

(When we come in, we find all of the lights off)

Me: Hey, what happened to the lights?

Sunset: I got it.

(Sunset went over to the light switch and the second she turns them on…)

Everyone: Surprise!

Me: Whoa! You guys put all this together?

Gil: It wasn't easy, but with Pinkie around, we got it done in no time.

Molly: And we did it all to show our support to you. Happy birthday, Archer!

(Everyone applauds for me as party poppers go off)

Me: Thanks, everyone. This has been the best birthday of my life. Please review and thanks to all who wished me a happy birthday! Excelsior!