╭━ ╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍ ♛ ⎈ ♛ ╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍ ━╮
I swear I will rip off
your tentacles.
╰━ ╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍ ♛ ⎈ ♛ ╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍ ━╯
Sunlight filtered in through the large kitchen windows, filling the open room with a cheerful feeling. Animated voices bounced off the white tiled walls, surrounding the VKs as they filtered into the room. Each of them threw something to Jay who placed them into the large wicker-basket on the kitchen island. Neatly packaged food littered the worktop, enough to feed more than the five VKs that were currently dashing about Evie's over-sized cottage. All of them were dressed in summer clothing, looking forward to taking advantage of the beautiful heat.
"Got the beach towels." Carlos said, marking a mental checklist in his head.
He was very meticulous about the events of the morning, planning each minute in vast detail. He was terrified of forgetting something, or of something going wrong. Jane's birthday had been at the forefront of his mind for the past month. It was their first birthday as a couple, and he was adamant everything had to be perfect.
An apple flew past Eva's face. She let out an ear-splitting shriek, ducking away from the poisonous object. Startled at the noise, Evie fumbled her way through an apology. Somehow, Eva found it hard to believe the sincerity of the apology, given that her sister was doubled at the waist from laughter.
"You're not funny." Eva deadpanned. "You could've killed me."
"I'm hilarious," she shot back before making a remark that sounded eerily like 'drama queen.'
Eva narrowed her eyes at her twin, but smiled when she noticed Evie stick another allergy shot in the picnic basket, tucking it safely away from the apples.
Lifting open the lid of the white box to check on the birthday cake he had commissioned, Carlos whined pitifully when he noticed a chunk was missing. Regardless of the irritating screech of Carlos' meltdown, the VKs were having a perfect morning. They so rarely got to spend time together as a whole outside of formal events, only catching sparse minutes together here and there. Being friends with the King had its downfalls sometimes. (But also its benefits. Eva was initially scheduled to be on duty but Ben had sweet talked Merida into letting her have the day off). All of them feared that Carlos might skin them if they missed Jane's birthday.
A flash of light momentarily blinded the group in the kitchen. When they recovered, they noticed the sky darkened for a brief moment. Thunder rattled the windows in their panes. Armed with the knowledge that Maleficent's sceptre was currently in the hands of an unknown villain, the VKs rushed outside. Spilling onto the patio, the Grimhilde twins, Jay and Carlos halted at the shocking sight of Audrey. The Queen of Auradon's crown perched atop her long locks, and she held the sceptre aloft in one hand. Before they could move to restrain her, the newly turned villain disappeared in a cloud of pink smoke.
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.
╍╍╍ ♛ ╍╍╍
Sneaking through back alleyways, they did their best not to alert people to their presence. Whilst the residents of the Isle were more welcoming to them nowadays, they didn't need people crowding around them, inquiring about what they were up to. They needed to get in and get out before Audrey could harm more people. Coming to a stop side-by-side, the VKs clambered off their bikes, leaving their helmets to rest on the seats. Mal looked down at her hands, surprised to see youth returned to them.
"Hey, I'm me again!" She began squishing her cheeks, pleased to find the skin smooth and soft.
"Evil magic doesn't work here." Celia remarked, matter-of-factly. "Kind of the point."
Eva smirked at the young girl's sass, following behind her. Facilier's daughter led them down the joined alleyway, stopping before a steel door. The VKs watched as the tarot reader whacked a rhythmic beat against it. A different tune sounded back, prompting Celia to continue with her song. When the door opened, Celia turned to the impressed watchers with a small smile. Falling into her old role as leader, Mal strolled into the building, not even looking to see if the others followed. She knew they would.
The hallway ended at the top of a few stairs. The small group looked out at the cavernous room filled with various knick knacks and milling people. A large sign titled 'Dr Facilier's Voodoo Arcade' hung in the middle of the room. Colour decorated wooden stands and signs, trying to brighten up the dark warehouse as much as possible; a reprieve from dull lives and endless days for the inhabitants of the Isle.
"Daddy!" Celia dashed across the main floor and straight into Dr Facilier's arms.
He threw his cane to the man he was talking to so as to catch her, spinning her around and gently placing her on the floor. Watching the pair of them dance together, Eva couldn't help the smile gracing her face. It was always nice to see some VKs having a pleasant relationship with their parents. Most of them were stuck with bitter, nasty, and sometimes violent parental figures. Seeing evidence that some children were loved, cherished, and genuinely wanted was always heart-warming.
Celia walked over to where she kept the key to Hades' cave, and the rest of the VKs spilled out onto the main floor, taking a look around. Eva couldn't recall ever having been inside, but she definitely remembered running past the building. Usually when Jay dragged her along to one of his heists.
Eyes raking over the stalls, she was intrigued by the myriad items on sale. Some of them she had only heard about in the villain's recounts of times gone by. Most of them held no power but the story behind the objects made them of interest to buyers. Moving past a cracked hourglass - that was said to have once held Princess Jasmine captive - the knight's eyes landed on a detailed drawing hanging from one of the walls. It hung behind a stall covered with black cloth. A perfectly painted tarot set laid atop it. Spotting the scribbled signature in the left-hand corner of the image, Eva was touched that Celia proudly displayed her artwork in her tarot booth. She had gifted the drawing of the loa to the young girl as payment for a job. It was almost comical for Celia to have hung it here, taunting her father with the spirits who had dragged him to the Other Side.
Across the room, Carlos wandered over to an old-style television set. Placing a coin in the top of it, he settled down on one of the stools, watching as the screen crackled before the picture finally flickered into view.
A news presenter stood in front of Auradon Prep, a nervous look on his face. "Alerts of the sleeping spell keep coming in. Reports say it's spreading throughout Auradon."
"Uh, guys?" Carlos called out, gaining the attention of his friends. "You might want to look at this."
The group crowded around him. Mal and Evie took a seat beside him whilst Eva hovered behind. Her hair tickled his neck but he was too focused to care.
"There are rumours that Sleeping Beauty's daughter, Audrey, is behind the spell. We're trying to discover who's responsible for these vicious lies and which villain has perpetrated this evil."
A scoff sounded in Carlos' ear, notifying him that Eva was unimpressed with the tale the presenter was spinning. The villains were always to blame. Heroes and fairies had a tough time grasping the fact that one of them could turn. All it took was a difficult day for someone to snap. After all, even the villains didn't start off inherently evil. (Okay, maybe some of them did but let's give one or two the benefit of the doubt.)
Knowing their time-sensitive mission became more critical, the group gathered Celia and made for the exit. As the door slid open, Carlos let out an irritated sigh, looking at the people seated on their bikes.
"Long time nae see!"
Eva scowled when Gil drove off on her bike, making a mental note to scold him for it later. She knew he would apologise profusely but she'd grown rather attached to the metal contraption. And now he was stealing it.
"Get off my bike, Hook!" Jay snarled, taking a step towards him.
The movement provided Harry with a clear shot at Eva's furious face. His smug expression dropped for a second. Of course she'd be here, you idiot, Harry scolded himself. The other pirates drove off, unaware of Harry's hesitation. It was only when Jay punched at him that Harry remembered to release the clutch and zip down the alleyway away from them.
"Catch me if you can." Harry chuckled, leaving the furious VKs behind.
Springing into action, the VKs sprinted off in different directions, attempting to catch them before their bikes were lost to them forever. Mal grabbed Celia by the back of her jacket before she could follow, reminding her they had a far more important mission.
Feet pounding against the broken gravel, Eva dashed through one of the open warehouses, dodging people as she went. Just like old times. Curses followed her lithe form but she refused to slow. He wasn't getting away from her again. The growl of her engine filled the air, informing her that she was getting closer. Skidding around the corner, her body collided with the larger form of her thieving friend. She yelped, falling backwards but his arms shot out to catch her, pulling her up.
Harry's laughter carried over to them as he zipped down the road. A yellowed piece of parchment fluttered over to them, sticking to the beading of sweat on Eva's forehead. Yanking it off, she snarled at the badly drawn hook on it. Storming back towards the barrier, her foot lashed out, connecting with Jay's shin in retaliation for the laughter coming out of his mouth.
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A small shock zapped through Mal when she walked through the barrier, the small gem in her hand blazing. All of the VKs were captivated by it, never having been this close to such strong magic. Using the distraction to their advantage, two bodies burst through the closing circle. Eva placed herself in front of the barrier as the two men rolled along the floor. The barrier closed firmly behind them.
The muscular men clambered to their feet, gazing up at the beautiful blue sky. Wonder lit up their faces. Neither of them had stood under the sunlight before. Smacking each other on the back in congratulations, Harry and Gil turned to face the unamused VKs. A wall of muscle encased Eva, wiping the scowl off her face as Gil hugged her tight. She took a step back, dodging the arm that Harry attempted to sling around her shoulders. A crease appeared between his eyebrows as the blue beauty re-joined her friends but his cheerful demeanour immediately returned. He was outside.
"Hey, guys. We're just coming for a wee visit." Harry grinned, taking a step towards Auradon.
Refusing to allow the pirates to escape without consequence, Jay shoved Harry back towards the barrier. Grunting at the impact, Harry returned the gesture with the same amount of aggression. Darting towards them in an effort to break them up, Eva kicked out when strong arms lifted her from the ground. She wriggled in Gil's arms, trying to get him to put her down. Everyone froze when Eva's foot connected with Mal's arm. The ember flew from her hand, tumbling towards the crystal-clear waves.
"No!"
As the ember disappeared from view, the waves began frothing and churning violently. Backing away from the unnatural behaviour of the water, the VKs knew their last attempt to save their home was ruined. Gil wrapped a protective arm around Eva's waist, pushing her behind him to protect her from the tornado of water.
"Drop something?" A familiar voice taunted, ember gleaming in her hand.
The group whirled around, shocked to find Uma stood on the bridge, a smug look painting her face. The VKs watched as she embraced the two members of her crew, recounting all the wondrous things she'd seen. Pleading with the daughter of Ursula, the dragon begged her to hand over Hades' ember. Glee lit up Uma's face at the idea of having the VKs at her mercy, igniting a prickly rage in Eva and she stormed over to the other woman.
"Hand it over. Now."
"You going to make me, Princess?"
"You're damn right I am, Octopus." Eva hissed, reaching out to snatch it.
As the only man brave (or stupid) enough to get between the two women, Harry sidled in front of them both, attempting to ease the tension brewing. The scowl on Eva's face was dark enough to dampen the beautiful sunshine above him. The small woman's dark glare turned on him. Whilst he knew she was terrifying, Harry found her insanely attractive with that fearsome fire flickering in her eyes. Bravado fading with every second she continued to glare at him, Harry knew he wouldn't be able to stop her if she charged at his Captain. Both physically and emotionally.
"Now, now, ladies. Let's act rationally."
Darting around him, Eva moved towards Uma, hands outstretched. A growl left her throat when she noticed her feet were no longer on the floor.
"Guarantee that every VK that wants off the Isle can." Uma bargained, taunting Eva by tipping the ember in her direction.
"I swear I will rip off your tentacles."
"Ladies-."
"Shut up, Harry," they both snapped, and then glared at each other for talking to the son of Hook in such a tone.
"Put me down." Eva grumbled, wrenching herself out of his arms.
"I can't promise that." Mal stepped in, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder, hoping to calm the temper burning through Eva. The VKs learned long ago that she didn't make empty threats. If provoked enough, Eva had no qualms about putting her words into action.
"Can't?" Uma dangled Hades' ember over the water. "How about now?"
Panicking, Eva thought about Parker's sleeping form back at Auradon. He had been down at Jane's party and the news presenter had said the sleeping spell originated from there. If that ember burnt out, Eva would never see her first self-made best friend again. Never would they laugh over something stupid together. Never would she help him pull off stupid pranks against their peers. Failing was not an option.
She almost sighed in relief when Mal shrieked, "Deal!"
Trusting the VKs was not a viable option so Uma locked the ember in her shell necklace, smirking when Eva's hands clenched into fists. Agreeing to put their differences aside, the VKs and the pirates made the journey back towards Auradon, working towards a 'common goal.' Still fuelled by lingering anger, Eva stormed ahead, ignoring Jay and Carlos' laughter at her expense.