Captain Abacab raised his bushy eyebrows. "What do we have here? A wee bitty lassy and a goatman who is a bit sassy!"

The captain stood on his tippy-toes to get a better look at Monica. "And a beautiful senorita who I hope is napping!"

Chloe nodded as she struggled beneath Monica's weight. "We need to get her medical attention right away, even if that means joining your crew!"

"And who be you?" Captain Abacab asked taking another swig of his Yo-Ho.

"She's Annabell," Ramone remarked. "Queen of the…"

"Pirates!" Chloe interrupted him. "I'm heading to the Underpass to establish the first monarchy among sea thieves!"

"Ar har har!" Abacab roared. "An organized monarchy for a bunch of scurvy scoundrels?! And they said my my chances of uncovering the polka dot whale was unlikely."

Chloe frowned. "It's not unlikely. I'm gonna do it. That's what you do when you have a dream."

The captain gulped down another heap of chocolate soda. He squinted at her with his beady pirate eyes, before bursting into another round of 'ar har hars'

"I like the cut of your jibe, sassy lassy," the old captain said. "For my dream is just as bold and I refuse to quit it! If yar really pledge to help me find the rare beastie, I'll take you where you wanna go!"

"And...," Ramone asked, non-plussed. "What kind of ship do you have to get us there?"

Captain Abacab spread his arms apart. "I call it, the Whaleboat!"

***

Chloe, Ramone and Captain Abacab lugged Monica's unconcious body to the harbor key. In the pouring rain, they observed the most curious boat in the Mainland. It was an enormous pirate ship, painted a garrish green with pink polka dots. Its dome like frame was modelled after the ridiculously rare polka dot whale and it even had enormous whale eyes painted on the sides. "My Whaleboat is patterned perfectly like a polka dotter!" the captain boasted. "So much that one of those rare beasts might try to mate with 'er!"

"Wouldn't that destroy the boat if that happens?" Chloe asked.

"Fortunately," the captain said. "The polka dotters are a bit more dainty. They certainly aren't HUMPback whales!"

Stolen story; please report.

The captain chuckled, but both Chloe and Ramone didn't laugh. "I see ye didn't appreciate my arr rated humor! But anyway, let's get this young senorita aboard before she catches a cold!"

Ramone and Chloe walked the gangplank. Chloe marveled at the ship and her eyes glowed brightly in the downcast weather. "My very first pirate ship..." she said softly. "I can't wait til I have one of my own. It'll be the fastest, strongest, bestest warship in my battalion! And all these naval commanders will bow before it."

Once they boarded, they took Monica into the cabin. The walls were decorated with unfocused images of a green blur with faint pink colors mixed in. The captain's desk was stacked to the roof with geography books and the habitual living spaces of whales. Warmth from a burning lantern dried their sopping wet skin. There were a few cots, and Ramone and Chloe left Monica on the nearest one with an exhumed sigh.

"May I ask how yeh folks got so beaten up?" Abacab asked as he reached for another bottle of Yo-Ho on his desk.

"About that…" Chloe said, a glare from Ramone silenced her. "We're uh mud wrestlers! I wrestled so hard with Monica over here that she knocked herself out."

"Only in your wildest dreams, my queen" Ramone muttered. "But yeah… we just get into uncouth brawls for the fun of it."

"Well," the Captain said. "Yee picked the right cap'm. A scurvy dog like me's arm wrestled with a Squidossus before so you're in fine company."--the captain winked a bleary eye--"Wasn't fair either for the beastie because this ole cap'ms got opposable thumbs!"

"Anyway," the captain smiled. "Take a load off. We won't be hunting whales in this weather, but we will take this senorita where she needs to go. I assume you need the clinic on Central Commerce Isle"

"I hope we make it there in time," Chloe muttered looking out onto the dark, stormy sea.

***

Time passed slowly once the Captain disembarked. Chloe remained intent on watching her swordswoman ally to make sure that her condition didn't deteriorate. She wondered what kind of injection had Monica received. Monica's breast rose and fell gently as her dark hair uncurled itself on the bed. She's so beautiful, Chloe thought to herself causing Rosemary to chuckle.

"Don't stare too long, dear or she's gonna kickstart your puberty!"

Chloe turned bright red. "Great Ocean King, it's like I share my brain with my mom or something! Only my mom doesn't say stuff like that!"

"Hey," Rosemary quipped back. "I already had to go through my teen years once. I never expected to have to do it again, only in a runtier body."

"Neither of us are happy about this, witch!" Chloe pouted. "Especially since I'm never alone when I have to go to the bathroom."

"Ahem…" Ramone said entering the cabin.

He looked slightly unnerved. "I really hope there's a context behind this conversation you're having with yourself, my queen."

Chloe shook her head. "The implications are a lot worse than they actually are. But did you need me?"

"Yes," the satyr responded with a nod. "Our captain seems to have lost his way in this fog."

Chloe and Ramone exited the cabin. Chloe was greeted with a wave of fog so thick, she had to hold Ramone's hand as they stood on the deck. Captain waddled down from the wheel. "I think we're gonna have to wait before we go any further me hardies!"

"That's not good," Chloe said gripped Ramone's hoof tightly. "I hope Monica can hold on in time."

The three took refuge in the cabin again. "Fortunately...she seems to be doing…w…?"

Chloe gasped. Monica was gone from the bed. Instead, she was standing on the table with her sword in hand. Her eyes were open but they were rolled back. A black miasma dripped from her mouth.

"Scum...Django!" she screamed like a banshee. "I will send you to a watery grave!"