"Arr matey, I'm not likin' how the wind be blowin' this evenin'," said the old Krawk mariner, stepping out of his boat shack. "I haven't seen a night like this since... since," he shuddered at the memory. "Aye, Snapjaw," he murmured to himself, shaking his head. "Yer an old fool, imaginin' things. You be seein' things like that in the high seas, not by Krawk Island, arr." He took a long look at the large island just north of him. He didn't harbour any ill thoughts towards its inhabitants... he just preferred his own company, as opposed to that of others. Stretching, Snapjaw went back into his boat shack to settle down for the night

The fog horns started to blow around eleven o'clock that night, but Snapjaw just grumbled and rolled over. It wasn't anything uncommon. Near midnight, the old Krawk awoke with a start, and quickly lit a lamp. He looked around frantically for a moment, then let out a deep breath. "Aye, Snapjaw, you old fool. T'was just a bad dream," he assured himself, laying back down.

Just then, a tremendous crash sounded outside, like something had collided with one of the buoys. Snapjaw raced outside, carrying his lamp, before stopping in horror.

Ahead of him sailed a giant ghost ship... that was headed straight for Krawk island! As the ship passed, he forced himself to look at the name written across the back: The Dark Star. Shaking, the old Krawk fell to his knees. No, it couldn't be... not after all these years! Racing as fast as his weary legs could carry him, he leapt into his rowboat and headed for Krawk Island. They had to be warned,...

"The Dark Star is coming!" he alerted them. "The Dark Star is coming!" Dozens of civilians awoke from their sleep, alarmed by the old Krawk's yelling. They rubbed their eyes wearily, then began to move out of their houses.

"Aye... are ye out of yer mind, scurvy dog?" asked one of the civilians. "The Dark Star, it were just a legend... yer not foolin' us with this stupid prank!" It was when he said this that the ghost ship finally arrived.

The pets all yelled in panic as several pirates leapt from the boat... ghostly pirates, at that. "Ha ha ha!" shouted the one who appeared to be their leader. "Raid all the treasure, leave nothing behind!"

Snapjaw's eyes widened when he saw the ghostly crew for the first time in twenty years. "Well, if it ain't Cap'n Crosseye and his crew of pirates," he whispered. "If I know him, there's more than treasure that he's after," He desperately dashed towards the building that held his only hope... The Swashbucking Academy?

Meanwhile, the pets tried their hand at defending against the pirates. Unfortunately, they didn't have much luck at harming their ghostly opponents. Time was running out for both the civilians and Snapjaw... they had to think of something quick!

"Sir, is Captain Threelegs present?" Snapjaw hurriedly asked a young student Kacheek.

"Yes, he's right over in that room," replied the Kacheek. The aged Krawk quickly thanked the Kacheek, then went off to meet the Captain.

"Get on yer feet, Threelegs!" he yelled. "Crosseye is in town!"...

..."Crosseye?!" exclaimed Captain Threelegs, as his eyes narrowing in recollection of his previous encounter with the infamous captain.

It had been many-many years since he'd last been many, many years since he'd last seen the ominous Dark Star at sea; far before he'd been given the name "Threelegs"...

The ghost ship swiftly appeared out of the darkness, and immediately began firing upon his own ship, The Golden Dubloon. Captain Crosseye's crew stormed aboard, slaying most and wounding many others, including Captain Threelegs himself. They stole everything that held any value; gold, jewels, food, clothing... and left the ravaged ship, along with its crippled crew, to perish at sea.

Miraculously, yet a third ship came upon The Golden Dubloon as it drifted. It was a fishing boat from Mystery Island, and on it was a young Kougra named FireMouth. By this time, there had been only two survivors to rescue; the Captain and his first mate.

These two survivors of the attack on The Golden Dubloon spent months on Mystery Island, recuperating and adjusting to their new lives. The first mate had lost an eye, and also a hand; To his stump they attached a metal hook. The Captain's wings had both been broken, and even as they mended he knew he would never fly well again. He had also lost a leg--by the very hand of Captain Crosseye himself. As he hobbled around the island on his wooden pegleg, the locals would ask, "And how are you today, Captain Threelegs?"

...Threelegs turned to face the elderly Krawk who had brought him this doom-filled news. With hatred in his steely eyes, the Captain said, "I'll get that dastardly Crosseye; for stealing me gold, me ship, and ME LEG!!!"...

"We'll rid the seas of 'em all, every last one of 'em..." Captain Threelegs muttered, "All of 'em filthy scoundrels..."

"Captain, they be GHOST pirates! Cruel, demented, vicious pirates who, it pains me to say, CANNOT BE KILLED. They already be dead! What we need to do is find out why, and more importantly, HOW they lost their lives and came back." Snapjaw said thoughtfully, controlling his anger much better than his captain.

"Well then, find out mate. I want 'em gone now, forever if possible! They must be gotten rid of!" The anger and hatred in Captain Threelegs's voice was growing. It was more apparent than ever that he wanted Crosseye gone, for good this time.

"Captain, I have an idea," the old Krawk said, "If they already be ghosts, then someone, or somethin', must've killed 'em before. If we find out what, or who, maybe we could get rid of 'em with their help."

"AYE, GOOD THINKIN', MATE! WE'LL GET 'EM YET!" Captain Threelegs yelled.

"But, how do you suppose we find out?" Snapjaw asked.

"FireMouth!" yelled the captain after a long silence, "What be the chances of a random Kougra sailin' by after the fight of our lives with the crew of the famous Dark Star?"

The Kacheek, who'd been studying outside the room, was startled by the captain's loud yelling and came running in. "Can I help you, Captain Threelegs?" he asked timidly.

Captain Threelegs replied, "As a matter of fact, there's one thing I believe ye can do fer me..."

...An hour later, the Kacheek arrived at Mystery Island. His mission was to find a Kougra named FireMouth, but how? When he had asked Captain Threelegs this, the Eyrie had replied that FireMouth just had a way of "showing up".

"How am I supposed to find a specific Kougra?" he wondered aloud. "He could be any Kougra, anywhere in all of Mystery Island!"

"Is it a Kougra you need?" asked a figure from the dock. As it came closer, the Kacheek realized it was a Kougra, with bright red markings around his muzzle.

"Are you FireMouth?" asked the Kacheek.

"Indeed, I am," said FireMouth. "And who wants to know?"

"I'm Karl!" said the Kacheek. "You need to come to Krawk Island right away! Captain Threelegs needs your help!"

"Threelegs?" asked the old Kougra. "What's the matter now?"

"Um... I really don't know," stuttered Karl. "But I was sent to come get you."

FireMouth felt a fondness for the young Kacheek. He was getting on in years, and didn't really want to go on a great adventure. However, his old acquaintance needed help, and Karl had come all this way...

"Okay," he said. They hopped a boat, and together they sped toward Krawk Island. When they arrived, Karl led FireMouth to the Training School, where Captain Threelegs was impatiently waiting.

"FireMouth!" he called when they arrived. "Glad yer here matey, we need your help!"

"With what?" asked the Kougra.

"What do ye mean, 'with what'???" bellowed Captain Threelegs. "Weren't the lad tellin' ye?!?"

"N-no sir," said Karl. "B-Because you n-never t-told me, s-sir."

"Well..." said Captain Threelegs, recovering. "This here matter should be o' no concern fer a young sprog, and--"

"Well I think it is," said FireMouth. "This boy can be trusted. He seems to be really a nice kid."

"Arr, okay then!" said Threelegs. "But only because we're needin' all the help we can get!" Karl breathed a sigh of relief. He really wanted to know what was going on. "Here's the deal," began Threelegs...

"Aye," Snapjaw nodded. "More importantly, how are we to be defeatin' 'em? They still be ghosts!"

Karl had become paler and paler as Threelegs told the story. "So The Dark Star is real..." he quietly whispered. "I thought 'twere only a myth; me mum used to scare me with stories of that ship when I were a little kid."

"Ye don't think mothers can be makin' up such stories, aye?" Threelegs smirked. "No, lad... The Dark Star is as real as you or me here, don't be forgettin' it. Me mateys and I, we fought 'em pirates back on the days when you weren' even born yet, as ya just heard. Now FireMouth, old mate, tell us what ye know 'bout 'em pirates. We be quite sure that ye know 'em a sight better than ye told us earlier."

Firemouth sighed. "I never told you this, although you were my friends, both of you. It was my own business; I didn't want anyone to get involved. But now, if you really must know... Crosseye has been my fiercest enemy for a very long time. When I picked you up from the ocean back on those long-forgotten days, I was actually chasing him, in order to get rid of him once and for all. He got away before I arrived, but at least I found you."

"And what kinda grudge were ye havin' against him?" Threelegs wondered.

Firemouth frowned and looked aside. "He killed my father," he replied. "When I was still a young lad. I swore that I would have my revenge one day, so I dedicated my whole life to finding him."

Karl opened his mouth very shyly. "E-excuse me, sir?" he asked,"But, d-did you actually get your revenge? I-I mean, they're ghosts now..."

The Kougra gave him a short look and smiled. "Yes," he said. "Years before meeting Snapjaw and Threelegs, I finally managed to get aboard the Dark Star and light a gunpowder barrel. I nearly died in the explosion, but they returned... as ghosts. How they came back?" he said, frowning again. "I don't know, but I think there could be only one way..."

..."Their spirits are restless, because there's something that they have left to accomplish. They are still bound to Neopia by that desire, but what could it be?" asked FireMouth.

Threelegs turned pale. "They're not done wit' me," the old Eyrie sighed. "And ye too, Snapjaw. 'Tis us they be lookin' for, ter finish off the Golden Dubloon once an' fer all."

Snapjaw cursed. "Why, capt'n? We never did naught to 'em afterwards."

"They be after what we carried." Threelegs limped over to the wall, where a large, ironbound chest reclined. He thumped it hard, then turned to the others.

"This 'ere was our cargo on the last, ill-fated voyage. I were keepin' this ol' safe 'ere for many a year now. Those thievin' pirates will never get their filthy paws on it, not while I'm still alive!"

With an air of defiance, Threelegs withdrew a set of keys and unlocked the giant chest, scooping up a single item before the others could catch a glimpse of it. Firepaw held out his paw for it, but suddenly, there was a huge boom and the wall exploded outwards.

Through a ragged, dusty hole, a ghostly Wocky emerged, waving a sabre wreathed in blue flames, and wearing a tattered pirate hat. Threelegs gulped and scrabbled backwards.

The Wocky laughed manically. "Arr, me ol' buddies. Some'ow, ye managed to escape the fate we 'ad planned for ye. So we came back to claim ye, an' also, to claim what be rightfully ours!"

Other ghostly pirates began to appear, hovering beside the Wocky. The Wocky flinched as he caught sight of FireMouth. "And, ye, matey! We'll give to ye what ye gave to us... CHARGE!"

"Har har har! Ye know ye can't kill us, so just give up, Threelegs... we're invincible!"

The Wocky threw back his head and laughed menacingly. Then he turned to FireMouth. "Ye shall pay fer what ye did, bombin' the Dark Star... what were ye thinkin'? We were the most feared pirates on the high seas, an' we still are... take 'em away!" The ghost pirates grabbed FireMouth and tied him up. The Kougra struggled and growled at Crosseye.

"You'll pay for what you did to my pop!" he yelled.

"Oh, but I already did, FireMouth. Now ye have ter pay fer what you did to me." Crosseye chuckled. "Ye didn't think that would be the end of Captain Crosseye after bombin' me ship, did ye?" He smiled a toothy grin that showed many golden teeth. Threelegs, Snapjaw, and FireMouth were taken to the ghost ship, which was still at harbor.

The Wocky shouted, "Boys, we're done here! Set sail fer Smuggler's Cove! We be buryin' 'ese gentlemen at low tide an' waitin' fer high tide to take care of 'em! Har har har!"

However, nobody paid any attention to the Kacheek who'd slipped on board and hid behind a few sacks of dubloons...

...and the ship sailed on, to the Smugglers Cove. Karl, hiding behind the dubloons, devised a simple plan... the pirates would bury his friends, then probably leave for more plunder. While they were gone, he would dig them up before high tide. But what if the pirates didn't leave? Karl didn't want to think about it.

They arrived at the Smugglers Cove shortly, where the pirates dragged Threelegs, FireMouth, and Snapjaw, still tied up, over the sand. The pirates buried them up to their necks, after Crosseye plucked a strange amulet out of Threelegs's roped paws. Threelegs thrashed about, but could not free himself. Crosseye cackled, watching the waves slowly move in closer and closer.

"Finally mine!" he yelled maniacally. "This booty will give me all the power of the seas! No one will be greater than me!"

"What is he talking about?" FireMouth asked Threelegs. Captain Threelegs sighed.

"That amulet gives its holder the power to govern the seas. With its power, they can create storms, control tidal waves, and sink ships to Maraqua whenever they want! I kept it hidden so it wouldn' fall into the wrong hands! But now the waterways be doomed forever!"

Karl had snuck off the ship, and was now hiding behind some rocks. He waited and waited for the pirates to go, but they wouldn't leave. As the tide continued to rise, the young Kacheek's anxiety grew. He didn't know how he was supposed to defeat a crew of ghosts... unless he fought fire with fire and found another ghost to make them go away!

His mom, always one for telling him legends, had told him something that would come in handy right about now. Karl threw back his head and howled like a Lupe. FireMouth caught on right away, though he could not see who else was howling, and began to howl, too. Threelegs and Snapjaw, though confused, decided to join in.

"What be they doin'?!?" Crosseye asked frantically. He didn't become the most feared pirate on the high seas by being stupid. He knew they were up to something! "Stop!" he cried, but they wouldn't. Suddenly, something else howled across the waves. A terrible bark sounded, and the Ghost Lupe bounded across the water, his eyes flaming. The pirates leapt back.

"This ghost be one to reckon with..." thought Crosseye. The water drew closer, touching the buried Neopets' chins. Karl prayed that his spur-of-the-moment plan would work. Then the Ghost Lupe took a step forward, and in a powerful echoing voice, said...

Karl watched, fascinated. What could Crosseye have ever done to incurr the Ghost Lupe's vengeance? However, the Kacheek had little time to ponder this. He could see his friends from here... water was creeping up their chins, and slowly covering their faces. As silently as he could, Karl crept down to the beach and quickly approached his comrades, keeping a wary eye out for the pirates on the beach, all of whom were staring transfixed at the Ghost Lupe and his enemy.

He saw Cap'n Threelegs first. Putting a meaningful finger to his lips, Karl fumbled clumsily at the tight knots which bound his friend, freeing him after a considerable amount of time. But The water kept rising steadily, though... if they didn't hurry, they might not be able to spot the others laying helplessly in the murky water.

Thanks to some help from the Cap'n, Karl managed to free Snapjaw. But where was FireMouth? The trio waded as quietly as they could, searching for their lost friend in the waist-deep water.

A muffled shout was suddenly heard. Crosseye loomed unexpectedly in front of the three, his enormous paws grasping a growling Kougra... FireMouth! He cackled evilly. "You didn't think that Lupe would hold me off for long, did you?"

"Let him go," hissed Snapjaw, as menacingly as he could.

Again Crosseye laughed. "Nay, me hearties... I have many a score to settle with this one."

Threelegs caught a quick glance of the beach. There, the Ghost Lupe was valiantly holding off the rest of the ghostly crew.

FireMouth struggled, trying to wrench himself free from the tight hold Crosseye had placed on him. Threelegs sighed. "I suppose we have no choice but to surrender, do we, Crosseye? You are, indeed, invincible." Karl was stunned to hear the captain say this, but quickly caught on. He snuck behind the Wocky, until he was in full view of the amulet. Threelegs saw that his pupil had caught his cue, and continued, launching head-on into a long, mournful speech of how he knew all along this would be his doom. Crosseye smirked, apparently pleased at the Eyrie's words.

At that moment, Karl leapt, snatching the amulet out of Crosseye's grasp, and catching him by surprise. The Kacheek called on the powers of the sea, commanding the waves to come up and wash away this evil being and his crew for good. Just as he'd hoped, an enormous tidal wave rolled up onto the surf, just as he, his friends, and the Ghost Lupe were safely out of reach. Crosseye and his crew were swept away, dumbstruck, not standing a chance, banished to the bottom of the sea. Thus ended the evil pirate's reign, never again to spread evil and danger upon Neopia again... or so they thought.

A silvery Wocky was washed up on the beach of Mystery Island. Tattered, worn, starving, but not gone. Long dead, but not yet gone. The creature sat up, grinning maliciously, a pirate's sabre betweeen its teeth. "Oh, I will have my revenge, Threelegs. I will..."

The End