Every masked reaper from tall to small encircled Elise. She couldn't even believe that these treacherous ghosts were once Captain Archibell's trusty crew. Lyra, stood at the forefront, the only one without a mask, but Elise wished she donned it. She couldn't take those haunted, blood red eyes that seared with betrayal from the captain she had once pledged her life to.

"Well then," Lyra uttered, leering at Elise. "I heard everything that salty dog said. How he spoke of friendship and comradery. How he even made you Captain. Let me tell you the sick truth."

Elise began to back away as the skeleton crew drew towards her.

Lyra's smile widened. "He told us the same thing that night we ventured into hell. About friendship and comradery and how we, his crew, was the true treasure. But...look what became of us."

Elise began to whimper. "No..." she muttered. "Please don't say that."

"Your ex captain!" Lyra said, the bangs of her bob darkening her eyes. "My ex captain. Traded his treasure, his whole crew FOR HIS LIFE! What do you think of that?"

Elise sniffled. The Whoo Hoo Lady's prophecy was most likely true. But Archibell had already given his life for her, hadn't he? She was the captain now.

"I'm..." Elise said softly.

"You're what?" Lyra asked vindictively.

The ever short Swanson laughed behind his mask. "Perhaps we scared her so hard she's just babbling senselessly now!"

"No," Elise said firmly. "I'm the cap'm now."

Lyra's pale nostrils flared. "That means nothing. Your crew is dead so you are the captain of nothing."

"You're wrong," Elise shouted, pointing a tiny finger at them. "I'm the captain of my own heart! And I will avenge my crew!"

Elise closed one of her eyes and made a hook with her fingers. "Arrrr! Yee will be walking my plank now!"

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"Seize her!" Lyra screamed at the top of her non-breathing lungs.

The reapers all drew in towards her. They outstretched their hands like predators ready to seize the witting child. Elise whimpered but then touched the golden triploon around her necklace. Suddenly, the piece of the trident emitted a blinding white light that scarred the undead eyes of all the reapers. Even Lyra recoiled, causing her golden piece of the trident to clatter to the floor. Being quick witted, Elise dove and seized it.

The short stick of gold felt warm in her hands and radiated with such energy she felt it coarse through her veins. "She sells sea shells!" Elise exclaimed. "I feel amazing."

Shielding their eyes, the reapers all drew closer to her. Without thinking, Elise took the piece of the trident and thrusted it straight at Lyra's chest. She screamed as golden light surged through her torso. The head reaper stumbled backwards blinded by the light and inflamed by the golden energy. "How do you like that?" Elise shouted. "Not so mean now, you big meanie!"

All the reaper's watched helpless as Lyra's body began to convulse. Her chest rose and fell. The void of death suddenly appeared from the center of her pelvis and started to spew up Archibell, Sincirce, Tito, Tony and even Sugar Southern Cross.

They all fell on the creaky wooden floorboards in a heap. Elise was so overjoyed to see them, she ran and hugged them tightly.

"Whoa pally!" Tony said flopping up and down. "You saved us even quicker den da captain. Maybe he was right to make you da big cheese."

"Thank the pagan gods," Sincirce muttered, pulling the straps of her top back up. "Being in a dimension of hell is murder on a witch's skin!"

Tito sat up. "I never thought I'd be saved by a girl. I didn't even know girls could be captains, but Speckles...err...Elise, you are mine! Owch!"

Sugar straightened her cowgirl hat and bonked Tito on the head. "You little brat. Of course filly's can be captains. I run ma whole ding dang ship!"

Tito rubbed his head. "I just wish you didn't save this mean old lady Elise!"

"I am thirty four!" Sugar screamed.

A brawl was about to ensue before Archibell crawled out from the pile. He shook Elise's hand. "A fine first move, cap'm! Saving yer mateys and we didn't even have to ask ya. We can't thank you enough."

"Aww thanksie!" Elise said and she grinned a wide gap toothed grin.

Unfortunately for the crew's merriment, a damper had been caused by a sickly groan behind them.

Lyra was panting hard as a golden light erupted from her chest. "I will not go down that easily!" she cried. "I will not be bested by a little girl and the lily livered scrub who had left me to die all those years ago!"

"Cap'm," Archibell said, placing his hand on Elise's ginger head of hair. "If I may make a motion as the lily livered scrub on your crew. Do you know what our crew does next?"

"What's that?" Elise asked looking up at him.

Archibell put his hands on his hips and grinned. "It's what I do anytime I encounter my ex's. It's a little thing I call: Run for your flipping life!"