Captain Flipper stood on a snowy hill, watching the village burn to the snow. His penguins had slaughtered all the bandits, including their women and children. But who cares, they were only blobs of data pretending to be people. They only exist to feed the players’ power so they can enjoy the game. Without them, Skulls and Crossbones would be a boring world to explore.

Flapper heard the original version of Skulls and Crossbones had no NPCs at all, except in taverns and shops. Players had to team up with other players to form their own crew on their ships. The sea was empty, monsters only appeared on islands, and there wasn’t any crafting mechanics allowing the players to build what they wanted. The makers of the original version wanted S&C to be a virtual sandbox with the focus of PVP and dungeon raiding with a furry pirate theme. However, the game reviewers were not impressed with the original concept, and many customers got bored with dull environments. To save their company, the makers sold the original game to a mysterious company called V-Max, the same company that designed Swords and Claws Online (another anthropomorphic type MMORPG in a sword and sorcery world). No one had a slight idea where they get their advanced technology and how they program the games. V-Max has a strange representation of keeping their working processes a secret. No one goes in and out of the building, except drones who deliver the games to the buyers. V-Max was so mysterious, people compared the company to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Instead of making chocolate while being isolated, the company made incredible virtual games for customers and companies.

Skulls and Crossbones became their finest work after they re-skinned graphics and added additional features to the upgraded game. Players could build their own ships and weapons, and they added more NPCs to the animated virtual setting. But the NPCs weren’t just NPCs, they were fully programmed to behave like real people in a real fantasy world. Sure, some of them were aware they were inside a virtual MMORPG, but they still acted like real people, interacting with their own world. Some could argue S&C was a different reality with game mechanics. However, the NPCs gave the players the opportunity to build their own pirate crews without cooperating with other players. Everyone can focus on their own goals or team up with other people for fun.

Captain Flipper doesn’t hate the NPCs. He enjoyed his NPC crew, although they could be a pain in the butt to him sometimes. They were highly obedient to him. Other NPCs who weren’t part of his crew were just food for his power. If anyone crosses his line, he will wipe them out from existence. Only the strongest could survive and enjoy S&C.

While his crew looted the surviving supplies from the burning huts, Flipper opened his map and dropped his mouth. Ghost Island has finally reappeared in the west, past Bengar Island. All Flipper has to do was sail past the island for two hours and he should reach it. But he better hurry before it will disappear again.

Flipper rolled up his map. “Hey! Carry the loot to the ship quickly! Ghost Island is back on the map!”

The penguins nodded and carried the boxes of stolen goods from the bandit village. This time Flipper won’t let the island get away from him.

*****

"Thank you for bringing back our tribe,” said Chief Paipa. “If it weren't for you and your friends, we would never see them again. Here is a token of our appreciation."

The panther chief placed a flower necklace around Lucy's neck with different colors; red, yellow, green, blue, and purple. They smelled like fruity sunflower seeds mixed with honey. Lucy enjoyed sniffing them. "Thank you so much!"

"As promised, I will allow my warriors to join your crew. How many do you need?"

Lucy scratched behind her head. "Errrrrrr….. Fifty?"

Chief Paipa raised his left eyebrow. "Fifty?"

"Or a hundred?"

The chief stroked his beard. "I can give you fifty. We do need the rest to defend our tribe."

Congratulations! You received fifty new crewmates.

Lucy smiled. "Thank you very much!"

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Toward her, Byron stepped forward from the crowd and bowed in front of the chief's throne. "If you don't mind, sire. I wish to join Lucy's crew."

Tashina dropped her mouth wide with smiling grins on her mouth corners. "It dat true!?"

"After she helped me free our people, I believe I should help her in return. Joining her crew should present my support for her."

Chief Paipa nodded to him with a grin. "You may join her as you wish. It will be an honor for you, Lucy, and our tribe."

Congratulations! You received a new crewmate.

"Yah!" Tashina hugged Byron, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "Suh happy yuh coming wid wi. Yuh should stay inna mi cabin. It very cozy. Heeheehee."

Byron smiled with red cheeks. "Sssssure, I will think about that."

"What about us?" A former fox slave asked. "We have nowhere else to go!"

Lucy smiled at him. "You can join my crew if you want. We need plenty of sailors to keep our ship strong."

Congratulations! You received 100 crewmates.

Wow! Lucy was surprised at how many crewmates she now earned. Including her friends and herself, the Iron Maiden has 155 crew. That should be enough for the ship to handle.

The former slaves cheered with their fists up. "Hail to our captain! Hail to Captain Lucy!"

The spaniel laughed. "I'm no captain, but you will meet him on his ship."

The new crew shrugged.

"You can stay for one more night," Chief Paipa offered. "We are having a feast."

"That will be grateful, but we have two friends waiting for us, back on our ship. I need to return for them."

Chief Paipa nodded with a grin. "Then don't let them miss the fun."

*****

While the tribe prepared the feast and the crew stayed behind to relax, Lucy and Byron followed the clear trail through the jungle. Charles and Ivy might feel bad for missing out on the fun, but the food should change their minds.

"So tell me, Byron," said Lucy, "how did you become a Wereshark?"

“It is a long story,” the panther replied.

“I’m sure we have time before we reach the ship.” Lucy grinned with her fangs over her lower lip.

Byron shrugged. “Before I was born, there was another tribe who lived here among the Black Moon tribe. They were called the Sea Bay tribe because they lived near the bay.”

“How original.”

Byron chuckled. “They were ordinary fishermen until their chief found a strange shark on the shore. It has two arms and legs, just like us. However, it was dead. Nobody knew who killed it, but their chief believed the shark was a gift from the ocean.”

Lucy widened her eyes. “It must be a mermaid. My father told me stories about those creatures. They take the form of women to lure sailors to their deaths. But I never heard of a shark mermaid.”

Byron shook his head. “It wasn’t a mermaid. Let me continue.” He stepped over a branch. “One night under the full moon, the tribe roasted the shark and ate his flesh. They ate everything, leaving only bones for decorations. Without warning, pain struck their bodies as their furs fell off their bodies. They grew bigger with fins and sharp teeth. Soon, they became what they had eaten.”

“A Wereshark?”

"I believed it was the first one to reach our island. But it was a demon.” Byron glared at the ground. “It turned the tribe to evil, fueling them with hunger and savagery. In the jungle each night, they attacked anything for its flesh without remorse. Soon, they attacked the Black Moon tribe to feast on them. To survive, the Black Moon went to war against the Wereshark panthers. It was a massacre, but the Black Moon tribe triumphed. Not a single Wereshark survived….. Except one."

Lucy cocked her head. "You were the last Sea Bay Wereshark?"

Byron frowned at her. "I was a cub when the Black Moon tribe found me at the Sea Bay ruins. Seeing I was harmless, a family took me into their care. They trained me in combat and how to defend their tribe. I became the most fearless warrior for Chief Paipa. During a full moon, I went hunting with my fellow warriors. We were ambushed by a giant scorpion, the most deadliest creature on our island. My foolish friends tried to fight it and two of them met their ends. Only three of us were left, and I knew I had to fight back."

He sniffed. "With all my rage, I suddenly transformed into a Wereshark and killed the scorpion. Reinforcements arrived and discovered my true nature. But my friends stepped in, telling them I saved their lives. Chief Paipa observed me and decided to let me live. After all, he noticed like fish more." Byron giggled.

"Wow….. You must be lucky for the chief to spare your life," said Lucy with a grin.

"Indeed. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be-" Byron stopped and gazed ahead. His ears twitched.

Lucy followed his gaze. "What is it?"

Byron glared. "We got company."