PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

TWENTY ~ PETTY PIRATES

Ever the protective one, Jay immediately turned to Mal's aid. A strangled yell left his mouth once he saw the appearance of his friend. Her hands had become withered and gnarled, her hair white as snow and her back hunched.

"You look like Mom did when she tricked Snow White into eating that apple." Eva snickered, watching as Evie rushed to help the old woman stand.
Mal's wrinkled hand patted the smooth skin of the back of Evie's in gratitude.

"You might want to think of a spell for that," suggested Jay, recoiling at the sight of her.

"There's no spell powerful enough to reverse the curse of the sceptre."

"Well, that's a shame." Carlos said, prompting further laughter from Eva.

Mal glared at her friend, unappreciative of her humour. She was supposed to be helpful during this time, not making jokes at Mal's expense. With her croaky voice, Mal explained that Audrey wasn't going to stop with the purple - wait, no - white-haired VK. She informed her friends that Audrey was planning to cast her revenge against the entirety of Auradon. Misfortune had come knocking on Audrey's door, and she believed it was because everyone else had invited it in, not her.

Planning in her head, Mal thought fast. They didn't have much time to waste. The sceptre was powerful, dark, and it corrupted weak minds easily. Sharing her ideas with the group, Mal was met with unimpressed faces; Hades' ember was the only thing more powerful than Maleficent's sceptre.

"Like he's just going to hand it over." Jay remarked, reminding the others that Mal forced him back onto the Isle after his attempted escape.

"And no one knows where his lair is," added Carlos.

Piping up, Celia helpfully mentioned she was the only person on the Isle privy to that detail. Hades employed her to run errands for him as he so rarely left his underground cave. Decision solidified, Mal commanded that Celia aid them with their hare-brained scheme. Sprinting into action, the VKs turned and made their way back into the cottage, armed with their orders.

"So, we're sneaking back to the Isle again? Marvellous. I had such fun the last time."

Jay wrapped his arm around Eva's shoulders, pulling her into the kitchen. "At least you look good in leather."

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The engine purred beneath her as the five bikes came to a halt, looking out over the cliff's edge. Goggles perched on her nose, she could see the entirety of the Isle from her vantage point, dark and gloomy as always. Glancing behind her, Eva was transported back to a similar day six months ago. The four of them had stopped at this very spot, waiting for the bridge to open. The same leather jacket adorned her back, and the same swirling guilt formed in her stomach. Just like last time, it felt as if they were doing something very wrong. Except Mal was aiding them instead of running from them.

Experiencing her own version of déjà vu, Mal's eyes glowed green as she cast her spell. "Noble steed, proud and fair, you shall take us anywhere."

Knowing the spell worked, Mal knocked her kickstand up and drove out onto empty air, landing softly above the clear blue waters. Following, the VKs headed back to the Isle of the Lost to save the land of Auradon. Sea water sprayed her legs as they bounced along but Eva paid little attention to the crystal waves. Her mind raced with thoughts as they drew closer to their mission.

Blue made way to murky brown. The air became bitter and stale. Life on the Isle had been made bearable but it was hard to say it was pleasant. Crossing over from Auradon to the Isle made the VKs more aware of how dreadful their living conditions had once been. It was tough to ignore the minute resentment that resurfaced when she thought of how they had been left to rot, to suffer. Forgotten about and abandoned because their parents had been arrogant and immoral.