"Alright then, Miss LeGrand, what seems to be the problem?" Chihiro asked as she leaned back and forth.

"It's something of a long story, but I'll try my best to explain," Jess said as she took a deep breath. "My hometown was invaded by pirates who make everybody play their silly little card game!"

Chihiro materialized a notepad and pencil out of thin air and wrote down the details. "Yes, carry on."

"When people lose at the card game, the pirates take them prisoner! And as luck would have it, just about everyone from my home is awful at card games. I managed to escape, but my people are still trapped."

"And since you can't take them on your own, you came to us for help?" Chihiro nodded as Jess did the same. "Trust me, I've heard plenty of stories like this. Now, if you'll give me a moment…"

Chihiro grabbed Gill Grunt and Zap by the hand and paw and dragged them off to the island's hub. As they reached the center of the hub, Chihiro cleared her throat.

"ATTENTION!"

With that shout, the other Skylanders gathered around them! Eruptor, Slam Bam, Zap, Terrafin, Gill Grunt, Spyro… It wasn't a fairly big crowd, admittedly, given that it was just a handful of the Skylanders were assigned to guard the island, but it was more than enough for their current circumstances.

"Thank you all for gathering here today. Now, today we have a very important briefing." Chihiro paused to shake her head. "You know what? I can't do this formal stuff." Chihiro breathed in and exhaled. "Long story short, we've got a mission! Some island got taken over by pilfering pirates with a penchant for card games, and they need our help! Who's with me?"

The Skylanders all cheered in response.

"I like your spirit, guys!" Chihiro beamed and gave the crowd a thumbs up, "Now, to decide who's going."

Chihiro pressed her fingers against her chin as she glazed over the Skylanders, and pointed her finger at Zap and Slam Bam. "Zap, Slam, and…" As she pressed her fingers against her chin once more, Chihiro's expression stretched into a confused frown. "Now, who else would be a good fit for this mission?"

"C'mon Chi," said a voice from the back of her crowd, "put me in the ring, I can take these guys!"

Chihiro gave off an amused smile. "Think you got what it takes, Terrafin?"

"Chi, I'm sure I can take 'em. You're talking to the twenty-time champion of the ring after all!"

"If you say so~" Chihiro smiled before she put on her best important announcement voice. "Terrafin, you'll join Zap and Slam Bam!"

Another figure pushed through the crowd and stationed themself next to Slam Bam—none other than Terrafin himself! As soon as he reached Slam Bam's side, he made a toothy smile and stretched his muscular arms to the sky.

"Miss LeGrand is waiting on the beach. She'll fill you guys in on all the little details and stuff!"

Chihiro skipped ahead, only to snag her foot and trip! Terrafin quickly noted this as he stepped to Chihiro's side and caught her, rested her arm around his brawny shoulders, and heaved her up.

"Careful there, Cheerio!" Terrafin watched as Chihiro stood tall and stretched out.

"Thanks, Fin." Chihiro winked and let go of his grasp. "Bring me back a souvenir if you can?"

Terrafin gave Chihiro one of the most confused looks he could, and smirked. "Alright, who are you and what have you done with the real Chihiro?"

Chihiro giggled and stuck her tongue out. "Oh you~" Chihiro then tugged on her sweatpants. "Trust me, I'd love to come, but I've got important portal master stuff to do. Sorry."

Terrafin raised a brow as Chihiro's face fell, but smiled and patted Chihiro on the back. "It's no big deal, kiddo! I'll tell you all about it when I get back, okay?"

"Alrighty then!" Chihiro looked at Spyro, who patiently waited for her to return to his side, waved at him and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Spyro, where'd you say Master Eon and Hugo were?"

"They should be in the mission simulator room! I'll take you there, just follow me!" Spyro shouted before he turned to the other Skylanders. "I will see you guys later."

With that said, Spyro flew over to the portal building with Chihiro close behind. The two of them flew straight into the building's open door and vanished from everybody else's view. As the crowd of Skylanders dispersed with them, Eruptor turned towards Slam Bam and Terrafin, his red eyes attentive as if he was getting ready to say something. Terrafin, however, only winked towards Eruptor and grinned as he burst into an awkward blush.

"I know what you're gonna say, 'Ruptor," Terrafin teased as he laid a hand on Eruptor's shoulder. "Don't get too busted up during the mission or you'll blow your top!"

"Finnnn…" Eruptor whined before he brushed a round hand over Terrafin's arm and cast an aside smile. "It's true, though! I don't want my…"

"Don't worry, Ruptor," Slam Bam chuckled as he laid a hand on Eruptor's shoulder, oblivious to how Eruptor's lava bubbled brighter. "We'll be careful, alright?"

"Alright, Slam," Eruptor chuckled as he walked off and waved. "See you later!"

Terrafin made a chuckle himself, and looked over at Slam Bam while the two of them watched Eruptor leave. The widest smile drew itself onto his face as he slung his arm around Slam Bam's shoulders.

"So, Slam, what's been goin' on?" Terrafin asked as he nudged Slam Bam's shoulder just a bit. "It's been days since we've really gotten to sit down and talk!"

"Not much, really. Just cleaning up the mess Kaos made," Slam Bam replied as he softly blush. "Oh, Ghost Roaster tried to teach Chihiro how to cook once! It was awful though. It took at least three hours to clean that up—" Slam Bam looked at Terrafin, noted the cheesy smile on his face, and smiled as he playfully pushed Terrafin back "—dude, quit looking at me like that, you look goofy!"

"What, me, goofy?" Terrafin placed a bulky hand on his chest, and gently punched Slam Bam in the arm, "I don't think so!"

The two of them laughed together in a playful way, like this was something they did so many times that it was practically etched in their hearts.

"Geez, Fin." Slam Bam rolled his eyes and crackled his knuckles as he walked towards the stairwell. "Come on, the mission won't wait all day."

Terrafin smiled and joined Slam Bam as the two of them talked above something inaudible to everyone else. Meanwhile, Zap, ever true to his name, zapped off and left a trail of slime behind him as the other Skylanders disappeared into the distance of their daily activities. As they walked further, however, Slam Bam slowly pushed past the others and went to the side of the worried-looking mabu woman stationed at the docks.

"So, what seems to be the problem, Miss…" Slam Bam asked as he looked as the young mabu woman before him.

"LeGrand, Jess LeGrand," Jess said as she wiped the dust from her pants and stood tall. "I can give you the whole story on the way there. For now, we should go—those pirates are only conquering more the longer we stand here."

Jess walked back to the docks, rapped against the hull of her ship, and stepped back as the plank fell down onto the dock.

"You know what that means, guys!" Slam Bam shouted.

He looked back and caught Terrafin and Zap, who both came running. As the two of them drew closer, it almost appeared that they were… Racing?

"There's no way you're beating me, dude!" Zap shouted, a playful tone in his gargly voice as he skated on a trail of slime.

"Not if I can help it!" Terrafin shouted back with a smirk as he dove into the sand and swam ahead.

Zap's eyes bulged as Terrafin swam leagues ahead of him, so he bent his knees and skated ever faster! This didn't end well for Zap, for he lost his footing, tripped over his own paws and landed face-first into the sand. As he got up and shook the sand off his head, Zap looked up and found that Terrafin was nearly there! Zap narrowed his eyes and spat the sand out of his mouth as his gaze darkened.

"Not today, dude."

Meanwhile, Terrafin already reached the docks and jumped out of the sand! As he landed on the wooden docks, he grinned and stretched his arms to the sky. "So what's the deal, Slam?" Terrafin said as he slapped a hand down on Slam Bam's shoulder. "Are we leaving now, or—"

Before Terrafin could finish his sentence, his eyes shot wide as he turned around and saw something leap straight for him! While this giant blur of a creature zoomed towards him, Terrafin merely sidestepped out of the way as the blur landed headfirst onto the docks. The blur, which since revealed itself to be Zap, groaned with pain, sat back up and shook his head.

"So, did I win?" Zap gargled with the smuggest look on his face.

"Only in your dreams, kiddo," Terrafin smirked as he crossed his arms, and gently ruffled Zap's head in the way a teasing older brother would.

"I'll beat you someday, dude!" Zap stuck out his tongue. "I'm telling you!"

"You keep saying that."

Terrafin winked at Zap before he walked towards the plank. Zap growled, and his eyes narrowed as he focused on the plank. With another smirk, he zipped right past the plank and flipped onto the deck in no time at all! Now fully stationed, he looked back down at the others with his smile even wider than before.

"How about now?" Zap smirked as he looked down to find a very irate Terrafin rested in Slam Bam's muscular arms.

"Seriously, dude?" Terrafin shouted as he jumped out of Slam Bam's arms and shook a fist at Zap.

"Awww, c'mon Terrafin." Zap's grin was maybe a little too cocky for his own good as he circled around the deck. "Don't be such a sore loser~"

"Sore loser?" Terrafin's gaze narrowed as his mouth bore a fanged snarl. "I'm telling you, kid—"

"GUYS, KNOCK IT OFF RIGHT NOW!" Slam Bam exclaimed as he pushed himself between the two of them and gave them both scorning looks.

Terrafin and Zap looked at Slam Bam with slight caution in their gazes, and both turned away from each other as they muttered out nasty things under their respective breaths.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Slam Bam said as he turned back to Jess and said.

"Are they new to this whole Skylander thing?" Jess asked as she looked back to Zap and Terrafin, who still gave each other nasty looks and grumbling insults under their breaths.

Slam Bam glared at Zap and Terrafin, whose gazing ceased and they both stared at him. "I'M AFRAID NOT!" Slam Bam glanced back at Jess. "Now, may you take us back to where you're from?"

Jess ran up the plank and took the steering wheel. "Absolutely! All aboard the Mourning Sun!"

As Terrafin ran up the plank, Slam Bam pulled him back by his arm and gave him a gentle stare.

"Don't worry about Zap, Fin, he's just playing around. I'd know, we share quarters and all," Slam Bam said as Terrafin freed himself from Slam Bam's grasp.

"In my defense, he started it," Terrafin retorted as he crossed his arms and shot Zap a nasty glare.

"I know Zap doesn't know when to quit sometimes, but we've still got a mission." Slam Bam laid a cold hand on Terrafin's shoulder and smiled. "Can you promise not to start any trouble?"

Terrafin teasingly smile and winked. "I'll try. Can't make any promises though."

"That's good enough for me."

Slam Bam smirked and gently nudged Terrafin's shoulder with his head in a soft, almost affectionate way.

"Dude, we're in public!" Terrafin's grin turned even wider as he gently shoved a chuckling Slam Bam, and nudged Slam Bam on the shoulder with his snout.

"Let's just go."

Slam Bam's tone turned sappy and gently as they boarded the Mourning Sun, and the two of them leaned against each other as it began to sail.