Lasko slept like a kitten, though he was a rat as the rest of the crew was sleeping peacefully.
It had been a hard few days, both for himself and for poor Isabel. It broke her heart when she saw what Ratbeard had done to her adoptive family, Jack, Manny and, Moe. Just for a treasure that might not even exist. They buried the three rat pirates inside the cave with their most important valuables, Jack's peculiar sword, Moe's old Ring, and Manny's weird stone key. The crew gave a moment of silence and the young pirate Isabel gave a heartbreaking goodbye. That should be the end of the three's story. But some things don't stay dead, some things can't rest.
"Lasko..."
"Lasko..."
"Lasko..."
"Help me..."
The Rat Pirate soon began to toss and turned in his bed, trying to sleep as the voices grew louder.
"Lasko..."
"Lasko..."
"Lasko..."
"Help me..."
"Please..."
"Hmmm... Itzen... I'll help you with the net, you're not supposed to cut it open..." Lasko moaned in his sleep as a green light shined brightly, causing him to slowly wake up, thinking that Isabel left the lights on again.
"Izzy, you're supposed to-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t!" The rat stuttered, shaking in his sheets as he saw the ghost that lies before him, a ball of energy with a glow of green.
"Lasko... Help me..." It pleaded, causing Lasko to scream in terror!
But as quickly as it came, it vanished, just as Isabel came in with Goldy on her shoulder!
"Lasko, are you okay?!" She screamed as the rest of the crew came in with their weapons in hand.
"I-I saw a g-g-g-g-ghost! It was right in front of me!" Lasko shivered as his adopted daughter came by his bed to calm him down.
"Oh, Lasko, I think you just had a bad dream." Bonnie Anne sighed causing the others to complain from the false alarm.
"You woke us all up because of a silly dream?" The Monkey Conquistador known as The Marchioness growled in irritation and crankiness while the lizard Quinn began investigating the floor.
"Marchioness-san, please show some respect to Lasko-san. His mind is still troubled and clouded and for good reason, both he and Isabel lost three members of their family." Egg Shen whispered into her large ears.
"No, my friends, I fear that this was not an illusion of his mind." The Petero Vindicator grunted, gaining the attention of everyone.
"How so, Cous?" The Captian wondered as her cousin gathered some weird ooze from the floor which was glowing and eerily green.
Nanu Nanu soon saw the goo and rushed over to get a better look.
"Wait, I know of this icky goo. My tribe sees it when ancestors visit us. It is called Ectoplasm." The Water Mole gasped as it confirmed Itzen Kaan's theory.
"This proves it then, the furry warrior was visited by a spirit, a troubled spirit."
This caused the rat pirate to hide under his sheets, shaking with fear.
"So what are we going to do? We can't have a ghost wandering around the ship." Bonnie asked as Isabel thought of something.
"I think we should we Madam Vadima. She knows ghosts and spirits like the back of her hand."
"Yes, I see from the Ectoplasm that your adoptive father, Lasko was indeed visited by a ghost." The Witchdoctor Teacher confirmed as her gaze was upon the ooze within the vile from the ship.
"Why Lasko? He's done nothing wrong." Isabel questioned as Lasko felt a twinge of guilt.
"Whoever this spirit was, is quite troubled. Something in the ghost's life is not resolved and they are pleaded for his help." Madam Vadima answered as she shuffled around the shelves of her magical spells and types of equipment.
"Here, take this potion and combine it with the Ectoplasm. It will create a steam that will lead you to the grave, once you find the grave, pour the potion on the soil of the grave and say the words three times, 'Spectral Spite.' Then the spirit will appear and the answers will be there. Good luck, dear Pirates." The gypsy instructed as she handed the potion to the captain.
The crew thanked her then left, unprepared for what was waiting for them.
The worn ragged ship soared into the skies as Egg Shen and Emmett poured the vile Ectoplasm into the potion. The steam rose and created a trail for the crew to follow.
"Okay, Bonnie, follow that creepy smoke!" Isabel ordered as the fox took the wheel.
"On it, Captain!" The Fox woman saluted as she steered the ship where the smoke followed.
The young Quinn then turned to see the worried pirate Lasko and try to bring him comfort, like he did for her.
"Everything is going to be okay, Lasko. Whoever this ghost is, he won't get away from this." She promised as the scorpion on her shoulder copied her movements.
"Thanks, Izzy..." Lasko muttered.
Before Isabel could ask what was the matter, Bonnie shouted that there was land ahead and it was the one island that Isabel that never wanted to see again, Blood Shoals.
The crew followed the smoke as they entered the cave for traitors, or better known as Traitors Cave. Everyone felt sick to their stomach and felt a pair of eyes watching their every move.
They soon reached the cave where the crew of Ratbeard's, Jack, Manny and, Moe. Their graves were ling up in the row as the steam pointed to the gave of Jack.
"Lasko, I think you should be the one to do this," Isabel whispered as the air felt heavy.
She handed the potion to the rat pirate and the rat did the ritual as she was told. Suddenly, the tombstone began to rumble as a ghost rat appeared in front of them with sorrow in his eyes.
"Lasko... Help me, please..." The spirit pleaded as he floating above his grave.
"As I live and breathe, it's Jack!" The surviving rat pirate gasped.
"Oh, Lasko, Oh, Isabel, please hear my tales of woe, for I have made a grim mistake in life and cannot undo it in death." The undead rat pirate moaned as Isabel and her adoptive father approached their former crew-mate.
"Jack, what's wrong? Why are you haunting Lasko? Are aren't you moving on?" The blond demanded with her voice was filled with concern.
"I cannot move on because the quilt chained me here, for it was my choice, my actions that will bring the destruction of Skull Island." He explained with a grim tone.
"WHAT?!" The crew gasped in horror from his words.
"Long before I joined Ratbeards crew or met our dear Isabel, I once worked for Avery. But I made a horrible mistake and aligned myself with the Cutthroats and acted as their spy. I was a fool. Even after I joined, I sent my reports to them, with the promise of gold flooding my mind. Before I died, I was told that they would attack using the secret sewage system in the very Court itself next to the School of Swashbuckling within days. You must hurry." Jack the Rat Pirate pleaded as he disappeared into vapor.
"We gotta get to the Court, hurry!" The captain gasped as the crew rushed to Avery's Court.
When they got to the Court, they notice that everything was still peaceful. It appeared that the Golden Scorpions made it before the sharks attacked.
"Isabel, the sewage!" Lasko gasped as he pointed to the weak spot of Avery's defense.
"Let's stop this before it begins." The Quinn Girl ordered as they crew entered the sewage of Skull Island.
As they entered the disgusting sewage tunnels, they began to hear voices coming from deep within the tunnel.
"Sharks..." Nanu Nanu gasped as he held his spear tight.
"We'll send those dishonorable sharks running." Egg Shen growled as the crew ran down into the tunnels.
Soon the crew was face to face with the Cutthroats and their strange leader.
"Uh, Yarg! Avast Ye Ol' Scally Wag. Ye Walk the um... Wood- no Plank!" The shark stuttered sounding rather strange.
"What did he say?" Bonnie questioned as everyone including the sharks looked confused.
"Something about wood...?" Lasko commented as he tilted his head to the side.
"Well, whatever he said, he's going down. ATTACK!" Isabel ordered as the Cutthroats and the Scorpions engaged in battle!
Things were not looking great for the Cutthroats as their leader tried to flee, Isabel blocked his path with sword and shield in hand and Goldy was ready to sting.
But before they could attack, the leader suddenly used magic, blasting Isabel and Goldy to the wall as the shark fled. After the crew finished the sharks, they rushed to their injured captain.
"Izzy, are you okay?" Lasko gasped as he helped her up.
Goldy shook off the attack from the shark who strangely knew magic and went to his master's side.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just got the wind knocked out of me. I didn't know that Cutthroats knew magic." Isabel answered as she rubbed her head.
"They can't only Witchdoctor Sharks can be able to do that," Lasko answered as a chill ran up their spines.
"Well, we send them running. Let's go tell Avery What happened." Bonnie suggested as they all left the cave for Avery.
"Isabel Quinn, welcome back! How is the search for Gunn's Gold going?" The old pirate greeted.
"It's on hold, Avery, there was a planned attack by the Cutthroats in the sewage drain. But we were able to send them packing." Isabel reported.
"WHAT? Cutthroats trying to enter Skull Island? I better alert Mordekai about the situation. You'll need to speak with Madam Vadima. I hear she is looking for you. After you're done, report to Mordekai and see how you can help." Avery ordered as the crew of the Golden Scorpions headed to the Witchdotors lair.
"Ah, Isabel, it is good to see you again. I needed to speak with you for a moment." The Witchdoctor greeted them as she showed her a dark shadow within her crystal ball.
"We need some help with finding some weird sharks we faced. We have never even seen sharks other than the warlocks use magic before. The only thing I have known about sharks using magic no matter what class were the Threshers, but they are extinct." Lasko hummed as the teacher of Witch Doctors was looking into the cauldron.
"It seems that not all appear what to be… The sharks who follow the… Threshers. They are but simple pawns. They will have nothing in the destruction of Skull Island." Madam Vadima informed, "I can make things become clear, but you must first speak with Mordekai and retrieve the tooth of a fallen Thresher."
The group nodded then left to meet with the shark, while she got ready to create the amulet…
In the Skyways…
Nothing seemed to make sense about this…
The Threshers were extinct as Mordekai confirmed, but these sharks appeared. Plus, there is something strange going on as the madam alerted them all to another threat coming their way from Blood Shoals. She gave them an Amulet which will lighten the way, whatever that means…
"Cool Shark Necklace. Still don't see what it supposed to do." Isabel looked at the strange necklace while her scorpion wanted to play with it.
"It could hold magical properties needed to defeat the Threshers." Egg Shen suggested as everyone looked to Lasko, who was thinking about the crew that Ratbeard killed.
Isabel then touched his shoulder while Bonnie steered.
"Don't worry, Lasko, we'll free him. Jack will find peace." She promised her adoptive father.
"I hope so, Izzy. I hope so…" Lasko breathed as they soon reached the mysterious tunnels of Corsair's Channel.
"Let's go."
In the secret lair of the Threshers?...
The crew was stunned, shocked when they saw that the enemy of Skull Island-.
"We're being invaded by shrimp!?" Isabel gasped as the creatures gasped.
"What, no! You ye not see we be-." The leader of the shrimp argued.
"That's a talking shrimp and they're playing sharks?" Isabel continued then laughed with her crew, the shrimp then noticed the amulet.
"Our spell?! So, you have seen us for what we really are…"
"Yeah, shrimp."
"NO! WE ARE THE GREAT PRAWN! WE ARE THE TRUE LEADERS OF SKULL ISLAND… and we are taking our island back." He declared.
"Let's deep fry these shrimps." Emmett declared as they prepared for battle.
"PRAWN!"
Later at the secret lair of the Prawn…
After thrashing the 'prawns' forces, blowing up their ships, and having the sharks turn against them, they managed to track down their leader, who was waiting for them within his lair.
"Foolish pirate, did you really think these setbacks would be enough to destroy us?" The Mastermind sneered.
"Face it, Shrimp, you lost. Your armies are gone, we blew up your guns, and your magic is depleted." Isabel informed coldly.
"You have lost. Surrender now." Egg Shen ordered.
"Or we'll skewer the lot." Lasko threatened.
"NEVER! WE ARE THE GREATEST FORCE IN THE UNIVERSE AND YOU MEAGER PIRATES ARE NO MATCH FOR US! AND WE ARE PRAWN!"
The battle then again as Isabel with her father took on the mastermind while the crew dealt with his evil cronies.
Teamwork overpowered magic as the two of them tag-teamed against the prawn. With Quinn's shield, Lasko was able to launch a surprise attack that cut the pawn's whiskers!"
"No, my magic! It's gone!"
The two then watched as his forces disappeared… and so did he.
"Woah, what's happening?" Isabel gasped.
"I think… he's disintegrating. Wait, you're not even really alive." Lasko concluded as he had seen the undead disappear like this before.
"We had one chance! One chance! We could have lived again! Ruled! She gave us that chance but without my whiskers, we're all just…."
Then he was gone.
Dust.
At Avery's office…
"Fantastic job. Thanks to you the Skull Island lands are safe, and the shrimp are gone. Jack has finally redeemed himself. Do tell him that all is forgiven while we look into who raised those shrimps." The Leader of Skull Island proudly declared that the Golden Scorpions left.
As they were outside, they saw Jack one last time.
"Thank you, Lasko… Isabel. My terrible deed has been undone and now… I am free…"
"Goodbye, Old Friend." Lasko bid as he watched him disappear, now a changed rat with a cutthroat coat, a prawn medallion, and a hat to match it all.
He hoped that all his men were at rest, he and Isabel, too.