In this chapter, we'll focus on CJ and her villain kid crew. We've read about them in battle. Now let's see what they're like when they're not trying to vanquish their enemies on the battlefield.
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CJ Hook had told her brother that she found herself a ship at Skull Rock. It was a pirate ship, alright, but it was no Jolly Roger. It was an old, wrecked ship, filled with cracks on the hull, holes on the deck, and a broken mast. CJ, of course, knew that it was not seaworthy, but she was not going to miss this chance to claim a real pirate ship.
She told her crew that she traveled to Neverland and held Tinker Bell's life hostage in order to force the fairies to give her their pixie dust. She used it to make the old ship fly in the air. She steers it back to a remote area on Nerverland, where she forced the original Lost Boys to repair it. After the rebuilding process was complete, which included some painting and creating a new flag, CJ named her vessel, "The Lost Pearl."
To ensure the Lost Boys don't inform Peter Pan or King Ben of what she forced them to do, she keeps Tinker Bell as a prisoner on her ship, locking her up in a bird cage in the captain's quarters.
A few weeks before all of that, CJ found hidden treasure on an uncharted island, which also contained magic potions, including one that can make anyone and anything undetectable by sight and magic. She used it on The Lost Pearl, which allowed her to fly the ship above the grounds of Auradon without being seen in order to deliver a message to Mal, via a cannonball.
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"Isn't she a cute little one?" Harry teased the caged Tinker Bell by poking her with his hook.
"She sure is," CJ agreed.
"And you're sure this will keep those Lost Boys from telling anyone?" asked Maddy.
"It's Tinker Bell, Maddy! Of course, they won't say a word," said CJ confidently.
"Well, we killed a kid and made Mal angry," Ginny recapped gruffly. "What next, captain?"
"Now, we wait," said CJ.
"For what?" asked Ginny.
"For Mal to make her move," said CJ. "While she deals with her anger, we'll be busy hunting for treasure."
"Finally," said Harry, excited.
"What?!" Zevon shouted, not pleased by the captain's answer. "We are wasting time, CJ. We should be coming up with a plan to take over Auradon. We should break into the museum and steal whatever magical items we can get our hands on. We'll bring this kingdom to its knees within hours."
"You think big, Zevon, I appreciate that, but that's the problem with you," said CJ.
"Excuse me?" Zevon reacted.
"Thinking big doesn't mean seeing the big picture," said CJ. "Do you have any idea why I ordered for a retreat after killing poor little Rose?"
Zevon had no answer, therefore, he has no idea why.
"The original plan was to kill or let go of the hostages depending on who wins each fight, but when Malsy found out that we used Maddy to turn the odds in our favor, I had to change the plan," said CJ. "Failing to save one innocent messes up a hero, so I thought I'd just get it over with."
"I've been thinking, how did Mal even know I was using my magic?" asked Maddy. "For all she knows, I could just be a bug on the floor."
"At least The Lost Pearl is hidden from naked and magical eyes," said CJ.
CJ exits her quarters and walks up to the quarterdeck to steer the ship. The rest of her crew see Gil sweeping the deck, which is what CJ ordered him to do. After all, someone needed to make sure the ship stayed spotless, and who better to do that than someone with a small brain who has no problems taking orders?
"You're being really secretive with this second plan of yours, CJ," said Zevon. "I hate codrumdums."
"First of all, it's conundrum," said CJ, correcting Zevon. "Second, I did tell you that we need Malsy and her friends to know that we mean business. It's not just about outfighting them. It's about proving something."
"Which is?" asked Zevon.
"That she's not this goody-two-shoes princess she keeps trying to convince everyone she is," said CJ, revealing only a small part of her secret plan.
"Fine, stay clandestiny if you want to," Zevon sighed, giving up trying to figure out CJ.
"Clandestine," CJ corrected.
"Whatever," replied Zevon.
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"I don't like this," said Zevon.
"Stop complaining, Zevo," said Ginny as she rolled her eyes.
"The name is Zevon, son of Yzma, and you will respect me," said Zevon, offended by the name-calling.
"Am I supposed to be intimidated by your mother?" Ginny asked. "Honestly, I doubt half of Auradon even remembers her."
Zevon was getting angrier while Ginny's smirk grew wider. Maddy stood back and waited for the verbal fight to turn into a physical one.
"Whoa, guys. Relax," Gil interrupted. "We're a team. We're a crew. We shouldn't be fighting each other."
"Go back to sweeping the deck, muscle man," Maddy dissed him.
Instead of getting back to his duty, Gil took the time to admire his muscles, which made his fellow crew members roll their eyes, annoyed by his stupidity.
"I have one question, though," said Gil.
"What?" asked Maddy.
"Who's Yzma?" Gil asked.
Zevon becomes even more annoyed while Maddy couldn't help but chuckle.
"I can't believe CJ even bothered with you boys," said Ginny, walking away.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" asked Zevon.
"You're a bighead who can't even say the word revolution correctly and Gil is just an imbecile who's only useful because of his muscles," said Ginny.
"Thank you for noticing," said Gil, flexing his muscles.
Ginny rolls her eyes again and looks away from the son of Gaston.
"CJ chose me because she knows I have what it takes to succeed," said Zevon. "I almost took over Auradon, if I have to remind you."
"But you failed," said Maddy. "You had Jafar's scepter and all the jewels, yet you lost to Mal, a genie, shrunken twerps, and powerless nitwits. No wonder your mother gave you the cold shoulder when you came home."
"Oh, burn," Gil reacted. "Get it? Because she called him out on being frozen and all when he was delivered back to the Isle..."
"We get it, Gil," said Maddy.
"I seem to recall hearing a story about you two trying to feed Mal to the crocodiles, but you failed," said Zevon with a smug look on his face.
"That's it, Zeva," said Ginny, drawing her sword. "You want to settle this right now, let's do it."
Zevon takes out a vial of potion from his coat, preparing for showdown with Ginny. Maddy also prepares herself by transforming. Unfortunately, she accidentally transforms into a frog the first time. Fortunately, she gets it right the second time when she transforms into a tiger.
"That's enough, all of you!" Harry shouted. "Gil, get back to swapping the deck."
"Aye aye, cap... I meant, first mate Harry Hook," said Gil, sweeping the deck as fast as he can.
"And the three of you," Harry pointed to Ginny, Maddy, and Zevon. "If I hear one more ill word from any of you, you get the hook. You got me?"
Ginny, Maddy, and Zevon glare at each other before walking away in separate directions. Ginny transforms back into her human form, only after mistakenly transforming into a mouse and then a cat.
"Rats," Harry muttered, insulting the crew.
The Lost Pearl docks at the shore of the Border Lands. The ship's crew exit the ship and begin walking through the hot, dry terrain. CJ takes out her map to see where they need to go.
"What's so important about this treasure anyway?" asked Ginny.
"The treasure chest I found on this uncharted island was the first of three buried by the fairies from Neverland," said CJ. "The second map should contain not only more doubloons and magical doodads but the map to the third and final treasure chest."
"You know I can make us all the potions we need, right?" said Zevon.
"Maybe, but there is more to this than just about a bunch of magical potions," said CJ. "Harry, hold this."
Harry holds up the map while CJ takes out her phone, which she stole. She takes a picture of the map and then sends the picture to the phones of her crew. Their phones beeped, prompting them to take a look at the picture that their captain sent.
"We're splitting up, aren't we?" Harry guessed.
"The fairies made sure to keep the exact location of the second chest a secret," said CJ. "From what I can tell, it's either at the lake to the south or the cave to the west."
"So, who's going with who?" asked Gil.
"Me and Harry will check out the cave. The rest of you will head for the lake," said CJ. "Gil, you're in charge."
"What?!" Zevon, Maddy, and Ginny exclaimed simultaneously.
"Awesome," Gil cheered.
"We meet back here at the ship, got it?" CJ said.
Everyone nodded.
"C'mon, bro. Let's leave these four bilge rats to their search," said CJ, grabbing her brother's arm and pulling him towards the direction to the cave.
Zevon and Ginny glare at each other before turning away. Maddy starts walking towards the south.
"Hey, wait up!" Gil walked after Maddy.
Zevon and Ginny shove each other as they follow their crew mates.
After over half and hour of walking, the Hook siblings finally made it to the cave. It was dark, obviously, and the air inside felt cooler than the outside.
"Good thing 21st Century phones come with flashlights," said CJ, turning on her phone's flashlight.
The siblings navigate their way through puddles and rocky stairs as they venture further into the cave, looking for a sign of buried treasure. CJ looks over her shoulder and sees a look on Harry's face that tells her he wants to break the silence and speak his mind.
"If you got something to say, go ahead," said CJ.
"Last time I was in a place such as this, I was walking side by side with Uma," said Harry, flashing back to the time he and Uma went looking for the remains of Ursula's necklace on the Isle of the Doomed.
CJ rolls her eyes, slightly irritated by her brother's obsession with Uma.
"Have you ever thought about recruiting her?" asked Harry.
"If I could find her," said CJ. "You think looking for a twenty-foot sea witch with tentacles for legs would be easy, it's not."
"But you will consider offering her a spot on the crew, yes?" asked Harry.
CJ stops and looks at her brother with a bleak expression on her face.
"You know I never liked Uma," said CJ.
"Understandable," said Harry.
"But if it makes you happy, I will consider," said CJ, sounding strangely nice instead of snide.
Harry notices the look on her face and the tone of her voice, which causes him to smirk.
"Since when do you care about my happiness?" asked Harry.
"We're family, Harry," said CJ. "You were always the less annoying sibling."
For Harry, it was a compliment. They were never fond of their eldest sibling, Harriet Hook, but they always had a certain level of respect for each other.
"You promise?" asked Harry.
CJ coils her pinky around Harry's hook.
"Pinky promise, as the kids in Auradon would say," said CJ.
Harry lets out another grin, hoping his sister would keep her promise.
"Let's get that treasure," he said.
CJ and Harry continue their way down the dark, wet caverns, looking for something out of the ordinary. The found it in the form of a circular door with a painting of Peter Pan's shadow in the middle. CJ takes out a bag full of pixie dust and dumps some of it on the door, causing it to open up.
"How did you know that would work?" asked Harry.
"It worked back at the island," said CJ. "The previous map told me the key in the form a riddle. Have faith and you'll shine like a sparkle. Always trust that there will be a miracle."
"Heroes, am I right?" Harry remarked.
"Definitely," replied CJ.
Through the door, the Hook siblings find three Xs drawn on the floor. One was red. One was black. One was white. Obviously, only one of them has the treasure chest buried underneath. The others must be traps.
"How can we guess which is the right one?" asked Harry.
CJ shines her phone's light on the map. There was another riddle.
"The color you seek is not what you think, blank is what you seek that makes you sink."
"Blank?" Harry repeated the word. "The white one. White is a color that represents nothingness. Blank."
Harry grabs a shovel and makes his way towards the white X.
"Harry, wait!" CJ cried out.
It was too late. Harry had brought down the shovel on the white X, only for it to ground beneath him to collapse, revealing a deep hole. Harry manages to use his hook to grab on to the edge, keeping him from falling. His hat fell off his head, but he catches it with his other hand before tossing it up. CJ shows her face and offers him her hand. Harry grabs on to it. Unable to pull Harry up with one hand, CJ uses both hands. Harry helps by pulling on his hook, pulling himself up. CJ successfully pulls her brother out of the hole. She grabs his hat and gives it back to him.
"Seems like you care after all," said Harry.
"Like I said, we're family," said CJ. "The map said that the color we seek is not what we think, meaning that the obvious color we think the second phrase indicates is the wrong one. Since red is a color that could mean many things, there is only one other color that could indicate nothingness."
"Black," Harry realized.
CJ and Harry started digging where the black X is. After a couple minutes of digging, CJ struck something wooden. It was the chest. She and Harry pull it out of the dirt. CJ reaches into her pocket and takes out a key. The head of the key resembles the pixie dust tree of Neverland. CJ opens the chest and finds not only gold coins and potion bottles but also a fragment. It was bronze and had glyphs written on it.
"What is it?" asked Harry.
"That, Harry, is what I'm trying to figure out," said CJ, picking up the fragment.
CJ dips her hand in the chest, searching for something. She pulls out her hand with what appears to be a scroll. It was a map.
"Two down, only one more to go," said CJ.
Harry carries the treasure chest by himself as he follows CJ back to The Lost Pearl. They wait by the ship for half an hour, but the rest of the crew haven't returned yet.
"It's been twenty minutes, CJ," said Harry, looking at his pocket watch.
"Actually, it's been thirty minutes," CJ corrected him. "Let's go. They better not have been eaten by boars or drowned in the lake."
CJ and Harry walk to the south to find their crew mates. When they arrived at the lake, they find Ginny and Zevon in the middle of a sword fight, which Zevon was losing. Gil was looking back and forth between the sword fight and Maddy, who has transformed herself into a dog to dig for the treasure chest. So far, she has dug four holes and found nothing.
Ginny kicks Zevon's hand, knocking his sword away from him. She then twists his arm and places her sword against his throat.
"Alright, I surrender," said Zevon.
"Never thought I'd hear you say those words," said Ginny.
"Alright, you two. Quit it," CJ ordered.
Ginny walks away from Zevon with both her hands in the air. Zevon holds his aching hand, which Ginny kicked.
"I can't leave you scallywags alone for five minutes, can I?" CJ complained.
"She won't stop insulting my greatness," said Zevon, pointing at Ginny.
"Your greatness? Is that what I'm insulting? I thought I was complimenting your awesome skills in getting us lost on our way here," said Ginny.
"I followed the map correctly," Zevon argued.
"Guys, please, not in front of the captain," Gil pleaded.
"You were supposed to be in charge," said Hook, poking Gil on the chest with his hook.
"Hey, I tried to stop them from fighting, but Ginny punched me in the face," said Gil, gesturing to the bruise on his cheekbone.
"And you just let that stop you?" Harry asked.
"She also told me that if I let them fight, she'd buy me a ring for your sister," said Gil with a big smile.
In response, Harry smacks Gil across the face, hitting the very cheekbone that Ginny punched.
"Maddy!" CJ called.
Maddy jumps out of the hole she was digging.
"Harry and I found the chest. You can stop sniffing dirt and change back," said CJ.
Maddy changes back into her human form, right after accidentally changing into a tick.
CJ and her villain kid crew return to The Lost Pearl and set sail to where the third treasure chest is buried. CJ steers the ship as she enjoys the feeling of her long blonde hair dancing to the wind. After sailing on a rowboat for months, it felt good for her to feel like a real pirate, sailing a real ship on waters outside the barrier that surrounds the Isle of the Lost.
"Feeling like the queen of the world, aren't you?" Harry said, walking towards his sister.
"Just enjoying the life of a true pirate," said CJ.
"You're definitely not the classic type of pirate," said Harry. "You gathered yourself a crew of bumbling scoundrels instead of real pirates."
"Why do you think I picked them, Harry?" CJ asked. "Gil's no smartypants but he's got the strength and loyalty that a captain needs. Zevon may be a bit full of himself but his overconfidence mixed with his expertise in magic potions can be useful. Ginny not only has the attitude of a rotten queen, but she's pretty adaptive, as you can see by her swordsmanship. Maddy, well, Auradon is a magical world, after all, so we could use someone who can wield magic."
"You forgot to mention someone," said Harry. "Your own brother."
"Two reasons," said CJ. "One, you're a real pirate, Harry. You've got the fire, the hat, and the unpredictability I always admired about you. Two, I couldn't sail the seas and claim my glory without sharing it with someone of my own blood who's had to suffer
"What happened to the little runt who always looked out for herself?" asked Harry, surprised to be hearing these words.
"I guess Auradon is kinda getting to me, but what if it is? I think family is the one thing both heroes and villains should treasure," said CJ.
Harry couldn't stop himself from grinning. He then reaches into his coat and takes out what appears to be another hook.
"My hook," CJ recognized it. "I've been looking for that thing since I was 7."
"Well, since you were setting me free, I thought I'd pay you back," said Harry, giving CJ her hook.
CJ and Harry hi-five with their hooks and laugh evilly together.
Awww. Brother-sister bonding. What do you think?
Do you guys think I should continue?