As the island of the Helloha tribe threatened to implode on itself, Rotten Rogers and his crew didn’t care; in fact, they brought out a bunch of brass instruments and began to play in an obnoxious procession. In between loud braps on a bugle, Rotten Rogers stood over his fallen comrade’s casket.

“We have gathered here today to celebrate the life of my best mate, Nasty Ned…literally, because he’s coming back to life today!”

A bunch of hearty cheers came from Rotten’s crew, followed by a celebratory fanfare on the tuba.

Astrid nervously brushed her silver lock out of her eyes as clutched the crystal coconut tightly. Elise clasped her hands together, praying that Tito’s mother would not exchange her life for a no-good pirates. Archibell, who was tied up at the moment, and Tony, whose only ability was being a fish that could breathe on land also watched helplessly.

Rotten Rogers recounted on his friend’s past life. “Nasty Ned’s favorite pirate adage was: It’s not about the destination. What truly matters is the friends you make along the way.”

“Hey!” Archibell snapped. “I’m the one who usually says that.”

Rogers ignored him. “Nasty Ned…” the rubber chinned pirate croaked in tears. “Was the greatest friend I made along the way. He was worth more than me than doubloons and triploons!”

Some of the Rubber Chin pirates dabbed at their eyes and even Elise felt a bit of sympathy for him. Not enough to want to give up her soul for his best mate though. “Now,” Rotten Rogers declared, “Hellohain beauty, use your crystal coconut and your hereditary powers to resurrect Nasty Ned from eternal rest.”

Astrid was stricken with a look of panic. “Even if I wanted to…” she said. “I don’t know how.”

“Wap-wap-waaaaaap,” went the trombone playing pirate as Rotten Rogers scowled heavily.

“How can yee not know?” Rogers hissed. “It’s your tribe’s artifact.”

Astrid crossed her arms. “I was never into this rite of passage stuff, that was more my husband and son’s thing. I was always the person in the tribe who wanted to be a doctor. What can I say, I guess I’m a modern gal.”

“Wap-wap-waaaaaap,” went the trombone player again, but this time, Rogers shot him in the head, and he fell headfirst off the ship.

As the pistol smoked, Elise started crying from the shock of seeing a man murdered before her.

"Aww bub," Tony said, "Dese things happen a lot on the high seas. Gimme your flipper."

Elise sniffed and nodded, placing her hand in his tiny fin.

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"It's gonna be all right," Tony said.

She nodded again, wishing for Tony's words to be true.

Rotten then cocked his gun directly at Astrid. “Your son can kiss this modern woman goodbye if you don’t think of the right words to say.”

Astrid closed her eyes. “I think there was a saying my old father always told them. It involves their rite of passage and that coconut.”

“Good,” Rogers said, “Say it now or you’ll die without even having to walk the plank.”

Astrid help up the coconut. “Out with the old…” she said and the coconut began to gleam. Roger’s mouth opened in awe.

“Go on,” he urged her.”

“In with the new…” Astrid said, and Elise and the casket were bathed in white light.

Elise moaned and whimpered. She didn’t like the tingly feeling the light was giving her body.

“Restore eternal life in a sea of…” Astrid said and was about to speak the final word, but she was interrupted by a loud squeal. It seemed to be coming from the ocean, but Elise wasn’t sure. It did sound awfully familiar though.

“What arrrr ya doing?” Rogers demanded. But Astrid and even the Rubber Chin pirates were dumbfounded by the sight behind them.

An enormous blue tail had risen from the salty sea. It appeared next to the other ship of Rubber Chin pirates and towered over them menacingly. With another squeal, the whale’s tail leveled the pirate ship, slicing the mast in half and slamming the deck straight into the ocean. “Abandon ship!” the Rubber Chin pirates screamed as they dove into the ocean.

Elise cried out, “Tito!” as Blue-Gah, the whale, and Tito floated by them without a care in the world. Tito gave Rotten Rogers a mocking salute. “The Helloha tribe sends its greetings, Captain Butt-Chin.”

“My hero!” Elise smiled, a crimson blush striking her porcelain cheeks. “He makes my tummy feel all funny!”

“Kid,” Archibell said, “You might wanna get that checked out.”

“Quick!” Rogers screamed. “Finish the chant. We can still bring my first mate back!”

“Uh, Cap’m,” Terrible Tom said, “What happened to the sea beastie?”

Rogers turned to look, but Blue-Gah and Tito were gone. “The kid,” Rogers remarked brashly. “Must’ve gotten a cold chin after witnessing my number one mandible of pure manhood.”

“Guess again!” Tito said, standing on top of the whale’s tail, which was now next to the ship. He blew a whistle and the water beneath the S.S. Lazybones began to bubble. “What’s going on, Cap’m?” Terrible Tom cried, but this time, Roger’s had no answer.

Terrible Tom’s question was answered by a white geyser shooting beneath the boat and blasting it out of the water. Rubber Chin pirates were abandoning ship left and right. Elise and Astrid began to untie Archibell. The young girl grabbed Tony who remarked, "Pally, if we get outta this alive, we’re gonna have one whale of a tale to tell!”

Elise appreciated the pun, but there was no time to laugh, they had to escape before they were blasted into the sky.

“Cap’m,” Terrible Tom told Rogers, “We have to leave.”

“I’m not going without Nasty Ned!” Rotten Roger’s roared as he clutched the casket.

“Quickly,” Tony shouted in Elise’s arms, “Let’s make like a fish and ka-bish.”

Elise, Archibell and Astrid all held hands and leapt off the boat as it skyrocketed hundreds of feet in the air. Standing on top of the whale, Tito laughed like a playful scamp and spanked his rear. “Looks like the butt chin pirates got spanked.”

Rogers bellowed at the top of his lungs, “Curse you, Kolama” He hissed loudly, and with one last trick up his sleeve, he fired his pistol directly at Tito. The young lad uttered a cry and tumbled off the whale’s tail.

“Tito!” Elise and Astrid cried.

“Shrimp!” Archibell shouted.

Rogers' ship was propelled so high in the sky, it landed in a distant part of the ocean and could no longer terrorize the Hellohain tribe again.

Astrid breast stroked over to her son. She pulled his body over to everyone, and together, they brought him to the top of Blue-Gah. As everyone looked over Tito, tears filled their eyes. The bullet had got him right in the chest. With hazy eyes, Tito gave a confident, but weary smirk. “Told ya mom. My plan worked.”