Along the way northwest the Eds met up with an unsavory part of their childhood when a treasure ship blocked their path. "Hey hey hey!" Eddy shouted to what seemed to be the one leader of the tiny boat. On the other side of the grappling hook like salvager sat three more men, in diving suits like they're leader. "What's the holdup? We have a schedule ta keep, MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!" the boatmen stayed eerily quiet.

"Eddy, this boat has the right of way, it would be illegal to ram it."

"I love seagulls guys!"

"I knew it girls!" the first of the three divers announced, starting to take off his (Or hers, it was difficult to tell which) helmet off. The other two did the same.

"Wow, first a silver rupee, now this!" the second diver (Definitely a girl) announced in a higher voice. "Today must be our lucky day!" the third said with an odd snort. The Eds reeled back in terror. "It never gets easy, does it?" Eddy asked silently tucking into his tunic. "I suppose it's too late to violate that nautical law." Double d thought out loud as his knees shook. All Ed could do was staring, wide-eyed, at the one thing on earth he truly feared. "Never thought you'd see us again, 'ey boys." Cooed Lee Kanker.

The horror of it all gripped them. "KANKERS!" they shouted together while falling over each other. "S-s-stay back!" Eddy stuttered, backing up until he fell out of the back of the boat into the salty water. "We are warning you!" Ed held up the hero's sword and closed his eyes, hoping some sort of magic would save him. Lee, Marie, and May Kanker stared at the spectacle for a moment before laughing together. "Awww, they still remember our past!" Lee joked, pointing at the Eds. "Past?" Eddy was sopping wet but back in the boat, and Ed started peeking out from between his eyelids. "We made a promise with someone to change," Marie smiled, winking at Double d, "So we did."

"A total reboot!" May gloated. Double d, which at first had been concerned, became surprised instead Funny, I didn't expect them to keep their promise . . .

"It's true. We owe 'em our lives, but they'd rather do it the pay-it-forward way." Lee continued, "So we packed up and shipped out ages ago, leaving you guys alone for good."

"So now instead of torturing us . . ." Eddy started to ask.

"We sink people's boats and steal their money." This tossed Eddy into another panic, "You guys are crazy if you think we're giving you our treasure!" He shouted, taking the hero's sword and pointing it again at the Kankers. "Ah, quit you're blubberin'!" Lee pushed the sword away with her finger, "We've already got enough money to live like queens for the rest of our lives, right now all we need's a place to live in luxury." Eddy put down the sword, but jealousy painted his face at such wealth, "Speaking of luxury . . ." Lee reached into her diving suit and fished around for a pocket. When she found it, she pulled out a blue map with an anchor on it, wrapped up with string. Ed gasped "A pretty piece of paper!"

"Actually Ed, that's a treasure chart." Double d opened it and saw that it portrayed an island shaped perfectly like a triangle and winced; he had severe problems with seeing triangles for many years. In the waters near the Eastern point of the isle someone had painted a red X on the map. "It's a little something that couldn't fit in the boat, consider it pay for all the damage we used to do."

"PAYDIRT!" Eddy shouted, grabbing the map and popping the sails open, "To the money!"

"Eddy wait!" Double d shouted over the speeding sails. The Kankers stood in their boat watching the Eds speed off. "Jeez, can't believe we ever loved THOSE clowns!" Lee smiled at her sisters and their rowing slave, an old balding man named Gossack. "I hear ya sis, I never saw how stupid those two could be." May agreed, putting her helmet back on. "At least I fell in love with the hero!" Marie gloated, shaking her shoulders. "Anyway, let's keep looking for a place to crash." Lee ordered.

"How about that island?" May pointed to an island covered in flowers and tall trees with a little cottage on it. Easy chairs lounged around a calm pond and birds sung happily all over it. "Nah, too girly. Remember, we need a place that's comfy yet tough, NEXT ISLAND!"

"EDDY, SLOW DOWN!" Double d screamed for the tenth time before Eddy finally lowered the sails. "You're killing me, Double d." He sighed, "What's wrong now."

"One, we have no idea where this island is, Two, we have a pearl to find, three, I'm concerned; the king of red lions hasn't said a word since the Kankers arrived." The boat came to a stop and the Eds stared at the figurehead. "Mr. Lionking?" Ed poked the mentor and made a shocking discovery, "HIS HEAD IS MADE OF WOOD!!!!"

"It was always made of wood, numbskull. Hey Tomcat, any idea where this island is?" Eddy held the treasure map in front of the lion's motionless eyes. Suddenly it shook and spoke again, "Ahem, I'm so sorry, what was that?"

"HE'S ALIVE!" Ed gave him a hug, which the boat fortunately couldn't feel, "But still made of wood . . ." Ed was left to this mystery.

"So yeah, where's this?" Eddy pointed to the triangle-shaped island and flashed a winning smile. "Oh, um, that! As soon as we get the final pearl that's where we're going, so you can get this treasure then. Until then, on to Greatfish isle!" the boat opened its own sails (Something the Eds' didn't know it could do on its own.) and started sailing again. "Your Majesty?" Double d asked, stepping to the front of the boat, "Why didn't you respond to us at first? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong. As to why I was gone-I MEAN, not speaking at first- you will discover this in time. Now, could you be so kind as to turn the wind and the rudder west?"

Double d was still perplexed by the boat's answer, but did what it had asked him to do all the same.

"Man it got dark fast!" Eddy peered over the blackened waves, looking for an island in the distance. Ed yawned, and the yawn traveled through the other Eds and even to the King of Red lions. "Has it occurred to anyone that we haven't slept since leaving Outset?" Double d asked, the bags under his eyes proving his point. "I guess even a great hero cannot save the world without proper rest; as soon as we get to Greatfish lord Jabun will give us shelter for the night." Ed gazed sleepily out at sea and asked: "Mr. Lionking, is Greatfish supposed to be all stormy and ruined?"

"Why, no Ed! It's a sacred island guarded by the spirit of the great sea. Why would it be destroyed in such a manner?"

"Because it is." Ed pointed to an island only a few yards away from the boat. It had dark storm clouds not unlike those of Dragon Roost above it, and looked by all perspectives empty. "What has happened to this place?" The King of Red lions asked him. "Gannon." Double d answered.

Rain came down in gallons over the island, which looked like it had been crushed by a giant invisible hand. "W-What is the meaning of this? The island . . . it is . . ."

"Trashed?" Eddy offered.

"Smashed?" Ed replied.

"Obliterated?" Double d also commented, but continued on, "I think Gannon's trying to send us a message here. And that message is-"

"We are too late." The King of Red Lions continued, "I knew we had precious little time, but I never suspected how little."

"Aww cheer up Kimba! There's still time . . . I think . . ." but Eddy's assurances didn't help. "There's no sign of Jabun, I fear the-"

"Ho, there Eds!" A voice called from the skies. Ed recognized it at once, "BIRDIE MAN!"

"Oh dear." Quill tried to pull up and land on a slanted part of the island, but Ed intercepted him with yet another hug. "Ed please, you'll crush my wings!" Ed let go.

"I feel funny."

"Maybe that's the gag wearing off." Eddy told him, "So what brings you to this soggy neck of the woods?"

"I've actually been looking for you. Are you by chance seeking the water spirit, Jabun?"

"Ummm, yes but it appears something has happened to his home. Would you happen to know where he is?" Double d carefully wrung out the top of his hat without taking it off.

"I am sorry to report to you that Jabun can no longer be found here."

"No, Really?" Eddy sarcastically asked while Quill continued, "Just look at how this place has been torn to pieces . . . I suppose this too is the work of the shadow in the Forsaken Fortress."

"Uh, you're a little behind the game there Tweety."

"We know that Gannondorf this."

"It's Gannon Ed. Honestly I don't know where you two get these fantastically inaccurate names from, but I'm sure Quill can shed some light on the situation anyway."

"I can, for I have seen Jabun leave this island before it was attacked in search of a safer abode, and he has found it."

"Great, can you tell us where, 'cause we're a little behind schedule!" Eddy pointed to the storm clouds to make his point.

"That abode is . . . On the island where you were born. On Outset."

"OH NO WAY!" Eddy shouted cheerfully, "WE GET A FAMILY REUNION, GUYS!"

"Not yet we do," Double d reminded him, "We still have a sister, and apparently a whole world, to save!"

"Not to mention a Duck!"

"And yet even if you were to go to Outset now, you would not be able to see Jabun."

"What, he too good for us?"

"Actually, it's because a huge slab of stone covers the entrance to the cave in which he hides."

"Oh."

"In fact, not even the pirates with their mighty ship could get in. . ."

"Ah, yes, and how are the pirates these days?" Double d asked casually.

"Unfortunately, I believe they are up to no good. I thought if anyone knew of your whereabouts, it would be the pirates. I told them this tale without thought of the consequences; I don't know what they hope to get but they immediately set sail for Outset Island and tried to break into the cave."

"Oh dear."

"It is lucky that they could not gain entrance. I have heard that they were last spotted on Windfall island, but doing what, I do not know."

"Maybe it's a key!" Ed offered.

"To a rock?"

"Regardless, if you wish to see Jabun, I think you should search for the pirates on Windfall."

"Back to the island of riches!" Eddy shouted with joy, dragging the two others back to the boat without hearing another word of Quill's.

"I wonder why it's still dark?" Double d asked, when they finally reached Windfall, which took them a few hours.

"Beat's me." Eddy honestly answered.

"Maybe someone turned out the sun?"

"Turned out the sun? Ed that sounds highly illogical."

"Boys, we're here!" Their boat told them. The Eds looked up to see that they were floating beside a giant boat, and even in the dark of the night they could tell that it belonged to the pirates. "Well, land ho." Eddy said quietly.

"I know not what they are researching, but if they are hoping to get their hands on Jabun's sacred gem, I doubt they would tell you anything directly if you asked them."

"Well, duh!"

"Eds, I think you should try and find out what the pirates are up to, without them finding out about you."

"SNEAKY TIME!"

"Ed, you're gonna give us away. Shut your trap!" Eddy whispered clamping both hands on Eddy's mouth. With that the Eds slinked away quietly.

Now, if I were a low-down thieving pirate trying to get into a stone-covered cave what would I use? Double d thought while not paying attention to where he walked right into a wall. "Nice going, Double d!" Eddy chuckled while Double d examined the building. His eyes met a sign over the door with a picture of a bomb over it. "Of course." He whispered and went around to the other side. He pointed to the secret passageway behind the bomb shop he remembered seeing before he read the wayfarer's guide. The Ed's sidled across silently (Ed almost lost his balance but the other Eds saved him.) and climbed a vine wall to a hole on the second floor where the Eds carefully crawled into the building. The Eds peeked over the little ledge over the hole and listened to the pirates' conversation.

"Look, don't be mad at us!" One of the shorter pirate's with glasses said to the tied-up and gagged owner of the shop, "It's not our fault that we absolutely gotta have bombs to get the treasure we're after. How about you just think of it as payback for the nasty little monopoly you've been running here, yeah?"

"Are they going to play monopoly, Eddy?" Ed asked before Eddy and Double d clamped their hands around Ed's mouth. The little man continued, "So I bet you're thinking it was foolhardy to ask pirates to pay such an outrageous price, huh? Yup, I bet you are." He turned to Gonzo, who had just finished tying him up, "I still can't get over that bit of fast-talking you pulled to get that information out of the postman!"

"Huh? Oh! Oh yeah! That was smooth! I tell ya, the minute I set my eyes on that innocent-looking Double-d guy; I just knew he was hiding something back on Outset. So when I saw that postman, I just pretended to be worried about those kids and stuff, and presto! He spills the beans!"

"Good work, Gonzo! Really, just top notch! It's funny though . . . I'm thinking this is maybe the first time you've shown such wit . . . such cunning . . . you know, with your cunning and Miss Tetra's smarts . . . if you two got married and had a kid . . ."

"How barbaric!" Double d whispered, "He's at least twice her-" Ed and Eddy covered his mouth and the word "age died within his throat. Again, the pirates didn't notice them

"That kid would be the greatest pirate to ever sail the seas! Yup, the greatest!" to this Gonzo blushed and scratched the back of his head, "You idiot! Keep your mouth shut," Eddy nodded to this, "Don't be so stupid! Miss Tetra! Are you listening to this nitwit? Can't you dock him some pay or something?" Tetra was leaning on a box underneath the Eds, but they dared not look, lest they be caught, "Quit goofing off, both of you! Keep your childish jokes to yourself and get those bombs back to the ship! The second you're done, we're setting sail for Outset!" Gonzo immediately snapped out of it, "What? We have to leave so soon? But it's been so long since we've been on shore! We need to fill our bodies with some good eating, yeah? How about we grub tonight and shove off in the morning instead?" he immediately picked up on Tetra's glare, "I mean, uh, I-I'm fine either way, of course. It's just the boys were so excited to come to town, and I think it would be awful hard on them to leave so soon. Besides the treasure's not going anywhere!" he turned to the other pirates, who were holding heavy barrels full of bombs, Senza among them, "You're with me, right boys?" they stayed silent, probably to preserve their lives. Tetra looked annoyed by this, "You're all fools, do you know that? You saw that demolished island! You saw the senseless destruction. We have to hurry to Outset or the same thing could happen there!" the one with glasses stepped forward and asked, "Huh? Not to be disrespectful, Miss Dazel,"

Dazel? Double d thought as the pirate kept talking, "But by the sound of things, you're worried more about that island than the treasure." Tetra grabbed him by his blue and white striped shirt and hoisted him up, "One: Don't ever call me by my Middle-name ever again!" Eddy began to snicker, but Double d and Ed covered his mouth, "And two," she dropped him and tuned away, towards the ledge, "Don't be ridiculous! I want, you know . . . the treasure . . ." she got quieter as she spoke, going down to almost a whisper near the end. And then . . . she looked up . . .

The Eds tucked into the shelf as close as the could, but she could still see their green hats, and though they could not see her wink they could easily hear what she said next "All right! Fine! Have it your way! We can leave town tomorrow, you big babies. But we're setting sail at first light, so no sleeping in! Understood?"

"AYE-AYE!" the men shouted with joy for their time off, but the one with glasses and Gonzo stayed behind a moment. "Say there, brother, what was today's password again?" the glasses-wearing one asked. "Mako, are you serious? You forgot already? You're so useless; today's password is Killer whale, Remember? You know Niko won't let you in unless you say it right! Again, it's Killer whale." Mako repeated the password to himself and the final pirated left the bomb shop to the Eds and the still wriggling bomb-shop owner.

When the Eds felt it was safe enough to let each other go Eddy was the first to speak. Well, more like jump into the air laughing, "DAZEL? WHAT KIND OF STUPID MIDDLE NAME IS THAT? IT DOESN"T EVEN MEAN ANYTHING!" Eddy continued laughing and Ed even chuckled a bit, mumbling Dazel to himself. But Double d defended this odd name "Oh, sure, coming from a guy whose middle name is Skipper!"

"Oh yeah, Marian!"

"Yea- wait just one doggone second, why are we even having this argument? WE HAVE WORK TO DO!" the Eds ran from the shop to the pirate ship without haste.

After getting onto the pirate ship (Which was not easy, let me tell you.) they found that the door to the lower decks was locked. When they tried to open it, they were given a riddle from Niko, "What's the only fish to ever appear in Psycho?"

"The ki- but the killer whale is not a fish!"

"Just go with it Double d!" Eddy ordered.

"Did somebody say 'Double d?" Niko asked, throwing the door open, the three Eds ran inside and out from the rain.
But before responding to Niko, Eddy found something else more of interest, "Hey guys! Tetra's room's off-guard!"

"But Eddy, that's trespassing, and a breach of privacy I might add." But Eddy was already inside.

"This is so wrong," Double d mumbled as Eddy filed through her dresser drawers. Ed and Double d followed him inside to make sure he wouldn't break anything. Immediately Double d was amazed with the room and all its surprises. Over her bed hung a sketch of the hero (A bizarre thing for a pirate to own) and a drawing of a triangle-shaped portion of ocean that he turned away from quickly. His eyes fell upon a desk nearby, with a globe of the world on it and a picture of an older woman who looked a lot like Tetra over it. On the desk was a journal bound in blue and written in gold ink. The final entry Read like this:

Today, a pair of Darknuts killed my mother, the original leader of this great pirate crew. Now, as her daughter, I must take her place. I hope I can do it as well as she could, she was such a strong leader; no one ever said another word against her judgment! I'll always miss her, both as a leader and a mother. But I must be strong, for her memory. I probably won't ever be able to write in this anymore, because I'll see this entry and remember her. But I'll always love her.

Double d tried very hard not to cry on the paper. How someone so strong could become that way after losing someone they loved died so suddenly. This changed everything Double d ever thought about the pirates and their captain, but he didn't have long to reflect on this. "Hey Sockhead! You gonna read that thing or take it!" Eddy had Tetra's jewelry, money and some of her underwear in his pockets. This threw Double d into a rage "EDDY, PUT THOSE BACK!"

"Aww, listen Double d-"

"No, YOU LISTEN! ALL YOUR LIFE YOU'VE BEEN TAKING AND TAKING AND TAKING FROM PEOPLE WHO CARED ABOUT YOU, AND HERE'S A GIRL WHO HELPED US TWICE WITHOUT THOUGHT OF HER OWN GAIN, AND YOU'RE STEALING FROM HER ANYWAY! WHY, TELL THE READERS OUT THERE WHY!" and with a snort Double d's rant was over.

"Jeez, I'm sorry ok? I'll put them back!" he did as he promised and Double d slowly calmed down, "What's gotten into you?"

"Double d sighed, "A diary entry; Let's get out of here."

They came down the same staircase they did before the Forsaken Fortress and found Niko yet again by the light fixtures. "Double d, my old swabbie!" he shouted with delight "So your alive!"

"Of course, why wouldn't we be?"