Dreadbeard's eyes went as small as ants as he gazed over the Skystones board before him, the blue stones that dominated it amid cracked and shattered stones shining like stars. His eyes trembled, and he lifted his head to peer at Chihiro, who only grinned and crossed her arms. Around him, Chihiro's own allies just cheered and grinned as they tossed their hands in the air. Dreadbeard lost, and they won. It was a simple statement, but one worthy of their celebration!

"Have, have I lost my touch?" Dreadbeard sputtered as he held a hand to his his face, "Oh, I don't feel so good…"

Dreadbeard groaned as he collapsed out of his seat. As he did several of the unconscious pirates finally came to their senses, and gasped as their eyes fell on Dreadbeard!

"Cap'n!" they cried as they surrounded Dreadbeard and lifted him up. One shook him as if to rouse him awake, but to no luck. Dreadbeard just sat unconscious as he slunk down in his seat.

"Speak to us!"

"It's no use, buddies!" Chihiro cried as she crossed her arms. "Your captain here was so shocked by losing to me that it knocked him out cold!"

The pirates gasped, and Dreadbeard slipped from their grip as they stood up and glared down Chihiro.

"So YOU did this to the captain?" one pirate cried as he held out his cutlass. "You're not getting away with it!"

Chihiro scoffed, and summoned an energy sphere as she turned back to the others. "You know what to do, everyone! Let's—"

The pirates slammed a button and the world around them rumbled! Chihiro gasped while her energy sphere slipped from her hands and vanished into a puff of sparkles. Her eyes turned to the manor as the doors flung open from deep within its limits, and a massive flood of carnival sweets came rushing in! Chihiro gasped, eyes so wide they practically popped out of her skull. She turned around and crafted a star platform as she zipped off.

"RUN!"

Whirlwind took to the skies while Swarm and Thumpback swept up the others in their arms, and they all ran fast as they could as the sweet tidal wave stormed after them! Behind them, the pirates screamed as they chased right after. Before these pirates could even lay a scratch on anyone, the sweet tidal wave swept them up and sent them spinning! Its sticky-sweet waves swept up everything in their grip, from buildings to pillars and game stands. with everything it ate up in its grip, it seemed like it only added to its speed! The sweet tidal wave’s waves lapped at Swarm and Thumpback's heels, and splashed sticky goop like water against the others.

"It's coming faster!" Blobbers cried as he climbed up Thumpback's shoulder and pointed to the wave.

"We're gonna get swept away!" the dragon cried.

"Not on my watch!" Swarm shouted! He held out his arms, and his stingers slammed into a building and knocked it over.

Swarm grinned and turned back as the building fell right over the tidal wave's path. Its pink waves were completely blocked off, and they could only lap at the building's surface with a rumble.

"That should keep it away for a bit!"

Swarm drew back as the rumbling grew louder and cracks formed in the building's surface! Pink ooze bled from the cracks the tidal wave pushed against the building even more furiously. The building shuddered so heavily under the weight that finally, it cracked and buckled entirely! The pink ooze came in faster than before as the building's remains sunk into its depths, and it disappeared amid a sea of syrup and cotton candy.

Swarm leaped into the air. "Or not!"

Swarm winced and flew faster, as did Thumpback who matched his pace with a run, but it did little to help them. The tidal wave gained speed and threatened to wash them away! The waters leaped up and nearly blew Swarm out of the sky. Thumpback flinched as he held the other close to his chest while the waves crashed against his back. Thumpback's eyes trailed over to a distant island, and with a soft grunt, he shoved the others into Swarm's arms.

"Carry them for me for a moment!" Thumpback cried as he whipped out his anchor. "I'm gonna try something!"

The tidal wave's roars only grew louder as Thumpback stood, but it did little to shake his concentration as he whipped out his anchor. He grunted, tossed the anchor out with a few swings, wrapped it around the island and pulled! Strained sweat poured down from his brow as he tugged on his anchor's chain, dragging the island out of the skies!

"What does he think he's doing?" Rizzo cried. "Heck, who does he think he is, an Elder Elemental?"

"He is, now shush!" Swarm shouted as he nudged the passengers in his arms. "Let Thumps work!"

"Wait, he is?"

Another loud splash hit the ground, and Chihiro winced as she floated down by Swarm's shoulder. Though, her focus wasn't on him so much as it was on the candy wave!

"Don't mean to alarm you, Thumps, but that wave's coming in really fast!" Chihiro cried as the wave raised up and roared. She gasped, and flew off as the wave slammed in and rushed for Swarm. "Swarm, look out!"

Swarm jumped out of the air just before the wave could hit him. As he hit the skies, the waves leaped up, brushing against the soles of his feet as if they beckoned for him to come down! Swarm winced and flew up higher, but as he did, his and everyone's eyes turned down to where Thumpback stayed steadfast on the ground with his hands clung tight to his anchor.

"Thumpback, watch out!" everyone cried.

Thumpback grunted and strained as he pulled on his anchor, but the sound of their shouts broke him out of his concentration just enough to catch the oncoming wave! Its sticky, gooey masses charged right for him, yet Thumpback just narrowed his eyes and yelled. He yanked the island out of the sky, and slammed it right between them and the wave in a move that shook the entire carnival grounds and everyone around!

Buildings crashed and crumbled as the distant island slammed right onto the middle of the carnival grounds. it not only forged a barrier, but knocked a couple of sheep off the island and onto the stray grounds! The sweet tidal wave smashed into the side of the island; its pink goop trickled down the island’s grassy top and around its rocky bottom—but in an absolutely miracle, the wave completely stilled! A couple of drenched, sticky pirates crawled onto the island and collapsed, and others surfaced from the waves on broken, soggy boards and planks as they groaned.

"Looks like they got a little washed up!" Chihiro chuckled as she hovered before Thumpback, leaped from her platform and onto his shoulder.

"And just to make sure they don't con anyone else," Blobbers remarked as he pulled out a device. With a few taps, the device flashed on and he tossed it down on the ground. "This should alert General Robot by the time we leave! He'll have them taken care of in an instant!"

Everyone else chuckled as the pager flashed, and paused as their eyes laid on the broken carnival, which was now so quiet and still without the pirates rummaging around. Their safety seemed guaranteed, but just to be safe, both Swarm and Thumpback high-tailed it across the grounds until the background changed from carnival fare to grassy earth!

They both panted as they hiked up the hill that lurched over the carnival and strode across the grounds. Their steps were so heavy that grass popped out from the earth and flew around them. The fresh scent of cut grass and the breeze in their faces chilled their heads, and better yet, the Dread-Yacht could be spied over the horizon! As they all drew closer, the faint images of Flynn, Cali, and the others who stayed behind repairing the ship came in over the horizon!

With one last stride, Swarm and Thumpback leaped right in front of the Dread-Yacht and deposited their passengers on the deck. The Dread-Yacht's own passengers glanced over the side of the ship.

"What happened to you all?" Flynn asked as he scratched his head with the wrench he held in his hand. "And where'd you get the extras?"

"That can wait!" Cali cried as she pushed Flynn aside. "Were you able to get a new engine?"

"It's a long story!" Chihiro said as she teleported onto the ship's deck and scratched her head. "But" — Chihiro's eyes popped wide open, and she buried her face in her hands — "the engine! I completely forgot!"

"Wait, you're having trouble with your engine?" Blobbers asked as he tilted his head to Chihiro. He only grinned when she nodded. "Don't worry, we'll get it fixed up in a jiffy!"

"Really?" Chihiro's eyes sparkled.

"It's the least we could do after you saved us!" the dragon remarked as they popped their head over Blobbers!

Blobbers chuckled and nodded, but his grin turned sour as he glared at Rizzo. "Besides, unlike some mabu who I won't name, we actually try to be somewhat reliable!"

"Hey, give it a rest already!" Rizzo shouted back as he shook a fist!

Rizzo and Blobbers both snarled and shoved their faces in one another's, but Nort and Snuckles just sighed and pushed them both apart before things could get ugly.

"Come on, you two," Nort groaned as he and Snuckles dragged Blobbers and Rizzo into the engine room. "Bickering won't get that engine fixed."

A gleeful Chihiro cleared her throat and sat in the center of the deck as the prisoners descended into the engine room. Everyone else gathered around her.

"Alright, so!" Chihiro cried as she slapped her legs, which crossed together as she smirked. "This all started when we went out in search of a new engine!"

A faint chuckle came from Chihiro, and she leaped over Trigger Happy before she dashed up the stairs! As she hit the top of the stairs, she grabbed a metal post and swung around with the gusto and glee of a dashing pirate. A chuckle left her mouth as she crafted a pirate's hat out of magic, and with a snap of her fingers, the sound of faint, but jolly music echoed down from the depths! Everyone below frowned and turned their heads around in search of wherever the music came from, but Chihiro just grinned and donned the hat as her boots clicked against the metal.

"We scoured the fields far and wide, not a sight to be seen! The vast green was empty and plain as could be~" Chihiro sang as she leaped from the pole and spun around, clicking her heels in tune with the beat. "We searched hard, we searched long, and yet it seemed we failed! There was no life upon this isle, or so it seemed!"

Spyro chuckled and clapped his paws, and Trigger Happy giggled and leaped up as he joined along! The others clapped along, and Chihiro just drank in it as she tipped her hat and danced, swinging around poles and tapping her feet! She chuckled as she spun around and winked, and with a snap of her fingers, blue mist trailed out from her palms and swirled around her audience!

"Upon the hills of rolling green, we found quite the sight! A carnival full of dreams within its rugged stands!"

Chihiro sang, and the mist warped itself, changing before her eyes! It took the shape of her and her crew entering the carnival in utter enchantment with its sights. Pirates strode up to them, and they all chatted it up with smiles on their faces.

"It was quite the sight, quite one to be seen! But unfortunately, it was, it was, it was…" The mist cleared in an instant, and Chihiro's magic hat disappeared as she rubbed her chin. "Crap, I don't know what to say next."

A few chuckles came from the audience, and Chihiro herself chuckled as she skipped down the stairs and took a seat. "But anyways, yeah, we ended up at this weird carnival that was run by pirates, and it turned out that these pirates were all signed on by this Captain Dreadbeard guy, and this whole thing was a scam to get others to rack up a ton of debts and stuff and—"

The engine room's door slammed open! Rizzo popped out and whistled as he brushed soot from his paws. He opened his mouth to speak, but Blobbers pushed him aside before he could.

"Alright, took us some elbow grease, but your engine should be good as new!" Blobbers proclaimed as he pushed back against Rizzo, a forced, strained smile on his face as his voice strained to keep its cheerful tone. "Give it a spin!"

Flynn grinned, jumped out of the little circle around Chihiro, and back to the pilot's quarters. He gave the wheel a spin, and the Dread-Yacht lifted off with a creak! The wind soared against its hull while the ship drove into clouds and smashed them to wispy bits. Smiles crossed the faces of every passenger aboard as it flew!

"We have liftoff!" Flynn cried as everyone aboard cheered.

Chihiro grinned as the last of the prisoners emerged from the depths of the engine room, and snapped her fingers. "Alright, and since you fixed the engine up for us," Chihiro remarked as a pile of warp starts fell into her hands. "It's time I sent you all home!"

This time, it was the prisoners who all cheered! Chihiro started up the warps and sent them away, but her gaze lingered over to Blobbers, Nort, Snuckles, and Rizzo and her smile disappeared. Blobbers and Rizzo still glared each other down, and they looked like they were just moments away from tearing each other apart! Well, hopefully they'd get over it soon.

"Alright, you four! You're the last ones left!" Chihiro shouted as she waved them over. "The warp's ready for you!"

Nort and Snuckles just chuckled. They dragged Rizzo and Blobbers away from each other and onto the warp Chihiro created, and they all disappeared within a flash! A handful of sparkles rained down as the warp itself faded, but Chihiro didn't linger on it for long. No, the sparkles reminded her of something!

So, she dashed down to the Dread-Yacht's dorms and yanked the door open, rushing into the halls just as the door closed behind her. Her eyes glazed over the halls for moment before she dashed into her temporary bedroom, but she didn't stop to rest.

Rather, she drifted over to a dresser and opened its drawer, dropped her yellow wheel inside the draw alongside the green and red ones, and tilted her head. Green, red, and now yellow. That was the third of these strange wheels that she ran into!

"Just what are these wheels, and why do I keep running into them?" Chihiro whispered as she closed the drawer and ran her hands over it.