Going from 5.97 to 6

So my fellow travelers, this is a strange happening it is. I glared at the Pirate Lord and he jabs a gloved finger at the paper, "No lass, you've just a little bit to go. C'mon now, you know how it is. You give me gold, I give you a voyage." I roll my eyes and slap down the payment, in gold of course. "Thank you lass. Good sailing!" Right, I think to myself.
Several days have passed, I have sailed amongst different crews, some bad, some really bad, and some just don't seem to have a clue. Bit I digress. And I missed my mark, some really fun crews. Just holding a thumb and index finger a little bit apart, mind you, some fun crews. After a good night's rest I ponder, what to do today.
I pat my pockets down, darn, no pockets. I glance down my dress, "Ah, here it be." That Athena voyage nearly long forgotten. With a hefty sigh I lay it down and wonder for a moment where I'll be traveling this time. Ah, a little lazy S around the western side of the world. But something feels off about this, I worry not and put it out of my mind and mark my map. Something still doesn't feel right.
I begin my journey, first to Sunken Grove, then an outpost. Then to Crooked Masts, all to easy to find them little X marks. Giddy with excitement I head off to the nearest outpost, but something still doesn't feel right. And it isn't quite bothering me yet, but me mind is going - Something isn't right. Then I hear voices, "Hey, let's form an alliance." I quickly glance around, I have three captains chests and a marauder's chest. I get at least two turned in before I hear the voice again. "Hey! Let's form an alliance." I glance around, in a panic, the voices sound much closer than before. "Hhh-hold on, it'll be just a moment." I quickly turn in one chest. I'm not dead yet. "What now?" I ask the voices. "An alliance, let's form one. We've got one other ship and they are sailing the Forsaken Shores.", the voice says. "Ummm, sure. Hold on." I quickly join their alliance, and think to myself - No shots have been fired. After the brief change of plans I turn in my last Captain's chest. And then I hear it, the most beautiful laugh I have ever heard. The angels are singing to me. I take pause for the moment and smile. And chat it up with a crew of two on a brig. Or was it a sloop. That laugh, it was from an angel, and I don't even remember what sort of ship she was sailing on with her crew mate. I shake myself off and bid them farewell and head off to another destination, in the west.
My voyage manifest is quickly whittled down to four destinations, huh, something still doesn't seem right. Eight destinations, hmm, let's see. Nope, eight destinations. Off I sail. Or, I mean we sail. I had a companion with me, who takes care of the ship or jumps in to battle should I fall. It's a marvelous arrangement.
One of our destinations is none other than Cannon Cove. I sail up to the pier and set anchor. I am hoping that I have just the right spot for cannon coverage, should the beach become the main battle front.
I launch myself from the cannon and land on the beach, no sign of skeletons, yet. And then I hear it, the snarf snork, snorf, and such sounds that those skeletons make. I whirl around and ring in my face is a skeleton wearing a bandana. We begin battle and I quickly dispatch it, but begin to wonder. Where are the others? I walk to the East side of the island and encounter another skeleton, this one is a lowly crew member. He quickly falls to my blade. Still, something doesn't seem right. I shake off that same feeling that has been coming and going through out this Athena voyage. I travel to the west side of the island where it is known that those cursed crews crawl up from the ground. And sure enough, there they are. But what is this? They are gold. I run! And as I do so I pass a Shade skeleton, what? Are my eyes deceiving me? I glance back, and take a shot in the leg from one of the skeletons. "By all that is sacred, what is going on here?" My mind is in a panic, I am fighting two different crews! I then suddenly find myself on the Ferry. Pondering my fate. "What trickery is this?" I say to myself, aloud. There are others here but I don't pay them any attention until I hear that beautiful laugh, I look and there she is. And she laughs again and then vanishes through the door. I take a deep breath, get yourself together.
Once I am returned to my vessel I quickly look over my location manifest and find that...What?! I have four captains at Cannon Cove, and then I flip through the other destinations. I gasp, "No wonder I have had this odd feeling. I have two battles to wage on this very island! Eight captains, in all." We fight, and I claw, shoot, stab, and maim. To give my enemy credit, they did b*****e up quite a few times, and thankfully it was in the most advantageous way. Indeed. But I begin to wonder, what about the other captains?
When I find myself once again returned from the Ferry I hear the sounds of a small cluster of skeletons near. I am anchored near the dock. I happen to glance up when I suddenly see four captains glaring down at me. Dumbly we stare at each other then I get a slap on the back up the head. It's from my mostly silent crew mate, "Up there you a**e!" She points. "I know, I saw it, but I don't believe it." She snorts, "Me neither, now get me some balls!" Catching what she means I get some cannon balls, but by that time it goes quiet. For a moment. I jump in to the water and sneak up the ladder to peek around the pier. There is only one captain and he seems captivated by something in a barrel. Carefully I climb the rest of the way up the ladder and as quietly as I can, sneak up to him. With one hit from my sword then captain stills, as if being scolded for getting into something he ought not, then he turns and faces me. We exchange blows, I nearly get knocked off the dock. We tussle some more and then with a final blow from my sword the captain falls. Now mind you, I'm not getting attacked by anybody else. I turn around and start walking carefully down the wooden pier and wonder, where did they go? No sign of the other three captains, they just vanished. So I make my way up to there the battle started and there is a small knit of skeletal pirates finally giving charge. I run! Soon cannon balls are flying over my head, I toss a glance over my shoulder and none have fallen. I groan and make my way into the cove and shiver as the skeletons come as far as they can. More cannon balls fly, over me, behind me, one nearly taking me hat off. The way is almost clear, only three skeletons left. A shade with a rifle, a white skeleton, and one wearing a blue bandana. I get knicked by shade, bludgeoned by the white skeleton before he falls, and shot at by the blue bandana wearing skeleton. Now at this point, I am wondering, when will this be over? I am only one person, with cannon fire for support. And it's good su...why am I feeling tired? I drift off to sleep. A child's tune plays in my addled brain, just before I close my eyes, I see the skeletons doing the same. Struggling to stay away, but they cannot. Well naptime is over and the fight resumes.
Only two captains down, six more to go. I march my way up to the cave and quickly change my mind once I see two different crews charging me, and they are followed by two other captains. I run past a white skeleton, past a powder keg skeleton and may my way to the water. What?! A devilish idea comes to mind. I really dislike those keg skeletons, but they do serve a purpose. Blow lots of things up. So I race back, past a white skeleton who came up from the ground, past the powder keg skeleton who lights his fuse, I laugh as he is about to have a premature explosion, then he rethinks it and puts out his fuse and gives chase. I am finding myself surrounded by a vast horde of skeletons and a keg skeleton. This had better work!
After returning from the Ferry, I find out. Okay, more manageable numbers to battle. Between cannon, gun and sword I finally collect the eighth skull. I rush it back to my sloop and we make off for the nearest outpost and turn in our bounty. While there I ready myself for the final cargo run.
The run is from The Spoils of Plenty Store to The Wild Treasure Store. Nothing damaged, much better than my previous run mind you.
My next leg is to Smuggler's Bay. A riddle. I smile to myself as I make my way around the island. And finally come to the last clue of the riddle. Finally, the end. I lift my compass and pace out the steps, dig and then strike the chest. Yes! And I run. Skeletons are behind me. After putting them behind me, and around me I return to the chest and finish digging it up.
And then it happens. I feel it. And after steeling a glance at my voyage manifest I find I have to head off to Lone Cove. Huh, was here already. I think. But then I laugh to myself, or maybe it was another island. No matter. I rush to the location marked on the map and with one jab at the ground I strike. And there it is, the legendary chest. I dig it up, then run for my life. And my life is lost. My companion feels my death and runs to find the chest. She too is dispatched. I return to the ship and quickly make my way back to the chest. It is still there, sticking out of the ground. I dig it up, without interruption and run back to the ship with the chest. The air becomes charged, a storm that was once off in the distance is no longer in the distance. I find myself right in the middle of it, the storm.
My companion shouts over the roaring wind, "Turn south, turn south!" Easily said than done. "I am trying. I. Am. Trying!" From below I hear a horrid groan. "Repair the ship!" And there it goes, repairs getting done. And at some point the storm breaks. And the outpost comes in to view. Thank you! I glance up to the sky and take a deep breath then gracefully anchor the sloop. And grab the chest and make like a bandit on the run to the tavern to turn in my chest.
But then I feel it and I smile. With a new joy I wonder, what am I to do now? And then it hits me, "The Dress!!!!!!" Giddy as a school lass, I return to the tavern, play the mournful shanty to get to Athena's Fortune and then make my way down and walk into the light. I skip, a smile on my face, and that dress on my mind. I saunter up to the counter, "The dress." The man behind the counter nods, and looks me up and down for a moment then hands it to me. The dress. It feels light in my hands, lace that casts a green glow, fabric that is nothing short of heaven. I pay for the dress and rush to try it on. Everybody stand with mouth agape. "Lass, lass. Please. Over there, you're distracting the others." comments one of the ghosts. I skip over to an area to change in to it. "Mmmm, this feels soooo, good." I breath in, I breath out. The Ghost Dress' fabric seems to melt around my figure. I shudder, then saunter out. Displaying my dress. "No shoes?" says one of the band members. "No, I like to feel the deck beneath me feet, the sand between me toes, and the ...well the wind around m'legs." Then I wave to all and make my exit, to return to the land of the mundane. With my new dress on my mind.