Seagulls squawking can be heard. The fox dozes on a hammock. Batten sleeps hanging upside down from the wrench bar. Rose sleeps at the foot of some steps. Sonic sleeps lying on the deck. He wakes up with a yawn and stands up.

"That was a late night." he commented, walking unsteadily to the edge of the deck.

He stretches and looks down at the sea. He nearly falls at the sight of the water if he hadn't caught himself up on time.

"Whoa! I'm awake!"

Sonic steps back and then spot a Loop-de-Loop underwater.

"Ah, there it is, Green Hill. Just like all the other places."

The ship sails on. He spots Dread and Gwen standing by the cannon, looking ahead. Sonic joins them and his expression drops.

"Water... That stuff's the worst, am I right?"

Dread says nothing while Gwen just rolls her eyes.

"So, what's the plan, Captain D? Where are we headed?" Sonic asked.

"We aren't." Dread replied.

Sonic and Gwen look at him funny.

"Huh?"

"Say again?"

Dread wraps his arm around Gwen and makes her turn towards the crew as Sonic follows his sight.

"Look around you. We need to take it easy and enjoy the day."

The fox flies up to the edge of the deck, holding the bucket before dumping out water onto the sea.

"Just like we do every day." he sighed.

"This calls for a song!"

Dread fires more confetti from the cannon. Gwen is so confused as Dread stands on the Barrett Rose and Batten are holding and starts singing.

🎵 Oh, this be a tale of salt and sea

Sonic cuts him off, stopping the song.

"Another party? Didn't we kind of do that last night?"

"Yeah, even the whole dancing?" Gwen added.

"Relax! Have a sea dog. Let your cares sail off into the sunset."

The fox hands Sonic and Gwen both sea dogs, using his mechanical hand tail. Sonic takes it while Gwen politely declines.

"It's first thing in the morning." Sonic pointed out.

"Close enough. Now, where was I? Oh, yes."

🎵 Oh, this be a tale of salt and sea

"No! No, sorry, Dread. But we're not in the mood for another party. It's kinda like a waste of our time." Gwen said, slightly glaring at him.

"She's right. I love kicking back as much as the next hedgehog, but we have places to be and people to see."

Sonic eats a sea dog and gulps.

"We need to get outta here, and to do that we need to find a Shard."

Dread stops singing and taps his foot on the barrel to get the girls to put him down. The fox approaches them.

"What be a 'Shard'?"

"It's like a rock that glows and is full of magic." Gwen said.

This causes the crew, including Dread to gasp.

"Whoa!"

Dread frowns, which Gwen notices and gets concerned.

"That sounds like the stone from the Incident!" Batten said excitedly.

"Aye! 'The Devil's Lighthouse'." Rose said.

Dread immediately growls at Rose, who quickly postures herself.

"That we don't speak of ever!"

"Wait! You know about the Shard?" Sonic asked.

Dread walks past him and picks up the coconut. Gwen could tell that talking about the shard must be personal and figured it had something to do with Emeraldas.

"Sonic..."

Sonic didn't listen and kept asking Dread, who stands by the edge of the deck.

"You need to tell us where it is!"

"Forget it! That treasure brings nothing but pain." Dread glared.

"I can't forget it. My friends need me and sis, and we need it to get back to them."

Dread sips on the coconut and glares harder at Sonic, placing the two sharp spikes of his gloves near his chest.

"Leave.It.Be."

He then walks away. Gwen approaches Sonic and places a hand on his shoulder.

"Sonic, I don't think you should pressure him. He's been through a lot."

"But..."

He was cut off by the water flying up by the ship and a cannonball misses. Batten flies up to the Crow's Nest with her telescope. She spots another tall ship firing.

"Captain! We're under attack! It would be yer old crew... again."

"Argh! Take yer positions!" Dread ordered.

He and others rush off somewhere, except Sonic and Gwen as they get into their fighting stance.

"They want to fight? We'll give them one!" Sonic glared. "Right, Dread?"

They noticed Dread isn't there.

"Uh, Dread? Dread? Dread?" Gwen called, looking around.

The hedgehog siblings noticed Dread is ducking behind two barrels.

"Is he... hiding?" Sonic questioned.

"Seriously? Is he even a real captain?" Gwen deadpanned.

The old crew's ship powders through the water. Sonic and Gwen walk up the stairs, watching the ship get closer. Similar to Dread's ship, but with black and white sails. It pulls alongside and several pirates stand on deck. Dread's crew hides.

"Sonic, but these hedgehogs are not about to roll over for a few lousy pirates." Sonic grinned.

"You got that right, bro." Gwen grinned.

"But we be pirates!" Batten said.

Gwen groaned and facepalmed.

"No, you idiot! He meant those pirates, not you guys!!"

The old crew drops a plank and runs across it to hoard Dread's ship.

"Take them for everything they've got!" Captain Jack (Jacksepticeye) ordered.

"Boy, I do love messing with this bunch!" a purple cat lady smiled.

"Nothing beats sticking it to our old captain!"

Jack takes a sea dog from the plate that one of the crew was carrying. Batten and the fox notices Gwen is standing on the railing, facing the old crew.

"What is she doing?" the fox asked with worry.

"Is she really gonna... fight them?" Batten asked.

Suddenly, a tentacle of water pull one of the old crews from the deck of the ship as they went flying and fell into the water. This caught everyone's attention as they look at where the crew had splashed.

"Hey!"

They turned to see Gwen glaring at them.

"E-Emeraldas??" Jack stuttered in shock and fear.

"No, the name is Gwen. Leave this ship and my friends alone and I'll give you a quarter."

The old crew looks at each other confused.

"Quarter?"

"It means... I'll show you mercy!"

Gwen knocks over a few old crews from the deck with a massive wave. Jack and the other leftovers old crews bring out their sword as Gwen pulls her own and points it back at them.

Before they could attack, Sonic's voice called out.

"Hey!"

They turned to see Sonic jumping down and landing on the cannon.

"Lay a hand on my sister and I'll have you all walk the plank! Back to your boat or else!"

"Bold talk for a lad with no sword." Jack scoffed.

Sonic fakes his distress.

"Gosh, gosh! You're right. Oh, whatever will I do?"

Sonic aims the cannon. Gwen smirks and grips her sword. Dread watches.

"We'll find out! Boys, let's get 'em!"

Sonic jumps into the cannon and spins out. He barrels through three pirates and turns back. The cat and frog watch in amazement. Gwen blocks their sword with her own and jumps onto their head and backflips. She lands behind the two and trips them by kicking their feet before water bending them overboard with her water whip.

"Don't say we didn't warn you." Sonic grinned after knocking down another pirate.

He jumps on two swords and the pirates throw him off of them. Sonic lands almost close to the edge.

"My turn."

Sonic spins at three pirates and knocks them overboard. He charges, but lands on the rolling barrel and rolls off the ship, and lands into the water. Gwen rolls her eyes and looks at the pirates surrounding her. She smirks and draws water from the sea and fires it at the old crews, knocking some away. Gwen knocks one off their feet with her waterbending. She disarms their weapons, using her sword. Two more pirates charge her when she dodges them and fires a jet of water and some more pirates. One pirate draws their sword and swings it rapidly. Gwen deflects the sword with her own. Another pirate goes to attack her from behind when she draws out water and knocks the pirate toward a wooden pole and freezes them against it. The same pirate keeps chasing after her and swings their sword. Gwen freezes the pirate's wrist to the same pole the other pirate was trapped on.

Another pirate goes to attack Gwen and she gets ready when the fox comes to the rescue and fights the pirate and disarms them. She was surprised by this and turned to see Batten and Rose fighting back against the old crews. Sonic comes back to the ship after and is also surprised to see Dread's crew fighting. The cat bursts out from hiding and grabs another pirate. Captain Jack runs at the fox when Gwen uppercuts him by the bottom of his chin. Batten swoops over and knocks him away. Behind the barrels, Dread watches the crew fight while amazed at how Gwen fights. Rose fights a dog pirate, who knocks her back.

"You're done for!"

Before the pirate could finish her off, a pan knocks him out, which the cat holds it.

"Enough! We surrender! We surrender!" the purple cat lady pleaded, putting her hands up.

"Argh! Givin' up already?" Batten grinned. "Takes the fun right out of it, don't it?"

"Oh! I've waited a long time to deal out some pirate justice!" Rose smiled, pointing her sword at their faces.

Gwen and Sonic blocks Rose's way from hurting the old crews. Gwen carefully moves the blade to the side.

"And by 'pirate justice,' we mean a stern warning to get back on your ship and leave us alone. Right?" Sonic said.

The old crews nodded their heads rapidly in agreement.

"Ugh. Fine." Rose sighed in disappointment and sheathed her sword.

The old crew runs across the plank back to their ship.

"Retreat!"

"Run!"

"Run away!"

"Run!"

Jack flies back to his ship using the balloons.

"Pleasure doing business with ya'. Thanks for the sea dogs."

The old crew sails away. The crew cheers in victory that their enemies are gone.

"Sonic! Gwen!"

"Show them, scalawags! Whoo-hoo!" Rose cheered, wrapping her arm around Sonic and Gwen.

Gwen notices Dread comes out from hiding, picking up his captain hat, and walking towards her and Sonic. She knew she was going to regret this, but she needs to know if they were ever going to get home.

"Dread, please be honest. Where can we find the Shard?"

Rose chimes in.

"Enough stalling! Tell Captain Gwen what she wants to know."

"Captain??" Sonic and Gwen questioned in unison.

Gwen shakes her hands.

"No, no, no I'm not the captain! Dread is!"

"Aye, you are now, Captain." Rose saluted.

Batten flies up to her.

"You have given us a taste for the pirate life along with your brother, and we want more, Captain."

All of them, except Sonic, Gwen, and Dread cheer in agreement. Dread stares silently.

"No, no! Forget it! Please stop calling me captain! I'm more of a solo, not a leader!"

"Aye, Captain." Rose said.

This caused Gwen to facepalm herself hard.

"Just tell us about 'The Incident'." Sonic said.

Dread growls and walks forward.

"I begged you to leave it alone, but you're just too stubborn, aren't ye? At least, Gwen has respect for me."

"I've been called worse." Sonic said.

Dread sits down on the crate.

"Fine. Black Rose, tell the tale."

"Yes!" Rose jumped in excitement.

Everyone looks at her in silence. She quickly clears her throat to ease her embarrassment.

"Oh. Sorry."

"Just remember, you're the one who asked for this." Dread said, glaring at Sonic.

"Dread, are you sure?" Gwen asked with concern.

"It's fine. It's best if you know." he said, looking at her softly.

Black Rose clears her throat and starts the tale.

"It was years ago."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ FLASHBACK ~

Dread's ship sails past the giant sharp rocks through the stormy skies.

"Knuckles The Dread was the most feared pirate that sailed the seas."

The pirate could be seen pulling on the rope of the sails with barrels and crates sliding side to side from the moving ship.

"Fame, treasure, power, love, he had it all."

Other more pirates, who are the old crews of Dread, work around the ship to keep the ship steady while attempting to stop the moving crates and barrels from falling off. Dread could be seen steering the wheel of the ship with Emeraldas standing beside him.

"But there was one prize that eluded his grasp..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The Devil's Lighthouse!" the fox said with a dramatic effect.

Rose pushes him to the side.

"Let me tell the story, Sails!"

"Sorry." Sails said with sass.

Rose sighs that he almost ruin her narration.

"Now, where was I? Oh, right."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dread glares at the distance ahead, looking focused and eager. Emeraldas though looks worried, having a bad feeling about this as she glances at her lover.

"The Devil's Lighthouse. Captain'd spent years looking, and he'd finally gotten his mitts on the map that would lead him to it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's a pirate need with a lighthouse?" Sonic asked.

"The Devil's Lighthouse isn't a lighthouse at all. It's a gem, priceless beyond imagining, whose heart glows with a light enough to pierce the densest of fogs!" Dread explained with glee.

Sonic's eyes lit up.

"The Shard! Where is it? Do you have it?"

Dread growls at him, and he backs away.

"Sonic! The story!!" Gwen glared.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Listen to the story. Sorry."

"With the map, I knew the location. All I needed to do was get to it." Dread said, continuing his story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A beam of light could be seen behind the sharp rocks as Dread looks through the telescope.

"Keep that sail full o' wind! Steady as she goes!"

The ship heads for dozens of sharp rocks. Jack looks worried and calls out.

"Captain, change course!"

"We'll wreck on those rocks for sure!" the purple cat lady said.

"They're right! I don't think we can make it through here! We should find some other ways to get there!" Emeraldas said.

"She's right! Turn around, Captain! We're beggin' ya!" the dog with an eyepatch said.

Dread grabs him by the strap.

"Get offa me, ya yellow-bellied dog!"

He throws him aside.

"Dread!" Emeraldas exclaimed in disbelief.

Dread ignores her and holds onto the wheel and steers around the rocks.

"The crew thought I'd lost me marbles, especially Emeraldas." Present Dread narrated.

"Captain, you lost your marbles!" Bunny Bones cried out.

"And they were right. My only thought was getting my hands on that stone, no matter what. I didn't even hear Emeraldas' warnings until it was too late."

The crew and supplies fly across the deck more rapidly.

"Ye have gone too far, Captain!" the dog pirate said.

"Dread, please! Stop this! We're gonna crash!" Emeraldas exclaimed.

"It'll be fine, Emeraldas! We're close!"

Under dark skies, Dread sails toward the blue beam on the mountain. He grins at it. The ship speeds at another sharp rock. He screams and tries to move to the side, but it was too late. The rock hits the starboard side, causing all the crew and the supplies to go flying into the water. The ship tips to the side and Dread immediately holds onto Emeraldas as the water crashes into them. Dread drops into the water and looks at the sinking ship. It turns upside down. Dread notices Emeraldas isn't beside him and looks around in panic and then looks down to find Emeraldas unconscious as she sinks... below. He immediately dives after her and tries to grab her as he reaches out to her, but the water somehow had a mind of its own and pulls him away from her. Dread struggles to fight back and keeps on trying as he was close to grabbing her hand, but was forced to be on the surface. He shouts out her name as bubbles bursts out of his mouth, watching his lover disappear below the sea.

Dread goes up to the surface and grabs the life preserver as he gasps for air and coughs. He spots his crew on the lifeboat.

"Over here! Pick me up! That's an order! Emeraldas is drowning! Help!"

"Leave him be." Jack said, pulling a pirate on board and glaring at Dread. "There's not enough room! You showed us that you don't care, Captain! And it's your fault that Emeraldas is gone! She would've been a better captain than you!"

The dog placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You're the captain now, Jack."

The crew then rows away, leaving Dread stuck in the life preserver. He glares at their departure and quickly dives back into the water to find Emeraldas. He searches around for any sight of her in the water as he swims below, but it was too dark for him to see. But he doesn't want to believe that she's gone as he keeps searching and searching until he couldn't hold his breath anymore and quickly swims up to the surface.

"Emeraldas! Emeraldas?"

No replies from her, not even her voice. He begins to breathe heavily, feeling himself about to break down at any minute. Suddenly, he heard a familiar song and looked around with hope. Only to find a music box floating towards as he picks it up to see the song playing on its own. That's when he comes to the horrifying realization that she's gone. He roughly closes down the cover to stop the music as he begins to tear up.

"NO!!!!"

He sobs uncontrollably.

~ FLASHBACK ENDS ~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwen couldn't help but tear up from hearing a tragic story.

"The Devil's Lighthouse took me reputation, me courage..."

Dread closes his eyes in grief.

"...and me first mate."

He then opens his eyes and glares.

"I swore I'd never go near that cursed stone again."

Sonic zooms to his side.

"But you're Knuckles The Dread! You survived a shipwreck, you've got a gold tooth! You are a pirate, Dread, a pirate! Help us find that map, and we'll help you get your pirate on."

"That map's at the bottom of the sea, sunk with me old ship and first mate... I've lost my way, boyo. You want the map? Find it yourself."

Dread walks away as Sonic looks down at the water with anxiety.

"Gone? But that means... we're trapped here."

Gwen walks up to Dread.

"I'm so sorry about your loss. It must be hard."

He looks down.

"It's alright. Now you see why I always party. To forget everything that I lost."

"But you know, she would want you to have your adventures and hunting treasures without her."

"But without her, what kind of captain am I if I'm going to repeat the same mistake?"

Gwen frowns and was about to speak when she feels something strong. She heads over to the deck and looks down at the reflection of the water to see her strand of hair glowing.

"Wait a second..."

She rushes past Dread and to the stern. Sonic sees that and looks down at his boots.

"You're a genius, sis! We don't need the map. We can find the Shard with my kicks and sis's hair!"

"They're boots." Sails corrected him.

Sonic speeds over and stands next to Gwen.

"And it's my hair strand." Gwen corrected him.

Sonic ignores them and looks at his boots.

"Huh, no glow this way."

Gwen rushes over to the bow along with Sonic.

"Nothing here."

"Wait!" Gwen said.

She notices her strand is glowing brighter. Sonic sees his boots glowing as well.

"This way!" she said.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Rose said.

Batten flies up to the Crow's Nest. Rose goes to the wheel and turns it. Gwen goes to Dread.

"So yer stealing me crew, me ship, and me job?" Dread asked, looking at her.

"What? No! No! I'd never!" Gwen shook her head.

Sonic goes to her side.

"Yeah! She's not like that at all!"

"Fine." Dread said, placing his hands behind his back.

"Lemme explain—"

Sonic stopped as if he was hearing this correctly. Gwen looks surprised.

"Did you just say 'fine'?"

Dread looks at Sonic in disbelief and frustration.

"Did ye not just listen to me tale of terror and despair?"

"I'm sorry, but me and sis need that Shard." Sonic said.

"I'm sorry, too. He's right. We really need that to get home." Gwen said. "Just... trust me."

Dread stares at her for a moment and sighs.

"Then their fates are in your hands."

He puts his hat on Gwen's head, gently stroking her hair strand to the side for him to see a better view of her face. Gwen blushes a little while looking up at the hat she's now wearing.

"Captain!" Batten called over. "There's something in the water off the port side! Could be a whale."

"It's not an orca, is it?" Sonic asked nervously.

Gwen rushes over to the port side and looks over at the water. She notices something huge approaching underwater. She glares at it as it passes under the ship.

"That's not an orca."

On the other side, a submarine surfaces, bigger than Dread's ship. Blue-grey with gold trim and yellow lights. The craft settles on the water. A hatch slides open to reveal Eggforcers standing on the deck. An elevator door opens to reveal Rusty Rose walking out. She steps up on the railing, using her extending robot legs.

"Rusty Rose?!" Gwen and Sonic cried out in unison.

"How are you here?" she demanded.

"You underestimate the council. Time for you to go down with your ship."

Rusty points at Gwen and the crew.

"Fire."

Eggforcers start shooting lasers as the shots head for Gwen and Sonic.

"Oh, coconuts..."