Hook shut the cabin door behind him and stared down the old man across the room. Davy Jones was no longer an immortal human-octopus hybrid, but he was no less intimidating. He carried himself with a ferocity and intensity that Hook could only hope to match. Hook had thought long and hard about what he'd do if he ever saw his father again, and now that he finally had the opportunity, he refused to show any weakness to the man who abandoned him at sea so long ago.
"Why so quiet, father?" Hook asked. "Don't recognize your own son?"
"Liam?" Davy Jones asked.
Hook slammed his hook into the wooden table, shaking everything on it.
"Wrong. Guess," Hook said through gritted teeth.
"Killian, then," Davy said.
"Aye, Killian," he replied. "But it's Captain Hook now."
"How is this possible?" Davy asked. "I left you over a century ago."
"We both found a way to cheat death," Hook answered.
"Aye, that we did," Davy said. "I assume your brother was not so fortunate."
"You shut up about Liam!" Hook said.
Davy and Hook locked eyes. Hook searched for something in his father's intense stare that mourned for Liam, but there was nothing there.
"How did you live so long?" Davy asked.
"I spent the better part of a century in Neverland," Hook answered. "I was biding my time until I found myself a way to kill a crocodile. It's a tale of woe, revenge, Dark Curses, Overtakers, and resurrections. One you need not be concerned with. It's your tale here that matters. So tell me, father, where does a scoundrel like you run after he abandoned his sons on an old ship with no money and no prospects and no one to care for them?"
Davy sneered. "Do not presume to take that tone with me."
"Oh, I will take whatever tone I want with you," Hook said. "Because you're nothing to me any more, and guess what? I'm the one with the powerful friends who can condemn you to a fate worse than death. Now talk!"
Davy raised his eyebrow, half-angry and half-impressed at his son's impertinence.
"Very well then," Davy replied. "I knew that soldiers were waiting to arrest me at the next port, so I fled on a life boat. They'd have hung me if I'd remained. The sea was not kind to me. My boat was destroyed, and I was cast into the depths. I washed up on the shores of an island named Ogygia, the home of a treacherous sea goddess named... Calypso."
Just saying the name Calypso seemed to pain Davy Jones. There was a longer story involving the sea goddess, and Hook had his suspicions, though he did not pry.
"I was tasked by her to ferry the souls of the dead lost at sea on another world," Davy continued. "I was bound to the Flying Dutchman, and later I was the victim of a terrible curse that turned me into the most fearsome monster on the seas, robbing me of my humanity. That is, until a meddlesome pirate named Jack Sparrow caused me to be leashed to the control of a sad little man hungry for power, a state I remained in until a foolish pair of lovers ended my suffering permanently... or perhaps not so permanently as the case may be."
"I can arrange for you to return to the depths," Hook said.
Hook was surprised at the smirk that crept onto his father's face.
"That would be a sight to see, now wouldn't it?" Davy said with a light chuckle. "Might not turn out the way you'd want it, though. The depths and I are old friends."
"I don't know what the bloody Hell that's supposed to mean, and I don't care," Hook said. "So why don't you just do what you're good at and run away like the coward you are?"
Davy stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I suppose I could do that. I'm sure I can purchase quite comfortable assurances by leveraging what I've seen. After all, I'm certain there are quite a few parties interested in that gemstone."
Hook clenched his teeth. "You've made your point. What do you want?"
"Perhaps I simply wish to see the crew my son has taken up with?" Davy answered.
"Or perhaps you've set your eyes upon the gemstone, and you're plotting to take advantage of its power," Hook countered.
"Perhaps that as well," Davy answered.
Hook scoffed and stormed out of the cabin, slamming the door behind him. Jafar was lurking a few feet away.
"Well?" Jafar asked when Hook caught his eye.
"Wipe his mind with your hypnosis, then we can dump him at the next harbor," Hook said.
"Such hostility," Jafar mused.
"You'd be hostile too if your father abandoned you and felt nothing resembling remorse for his actions," Hook said.
"Perhaps so," Jafar replied as he ran his fingers over his beard. "But did you truly expect remorse from your father? After all, remorse isn't exactly an emotion we value."
"Aye, but vengeance is," Hook argued. "He abandoned me, so he gets abandoned. An eye for eye. A wrong for a wrong. Never forgive, never forget. Let what goes around come around. That's the Overtaker way, is it not?"
"If that is truly your wish, then it shall be my command," Jafar answered.
"Sorry, but your lil' wish has been denied," Ursula said as she entered the room, still in her Vanessa disguise.
"Why are you still in that form?" Jafar asked.
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, mate," Hook said as he ogled the sea witch, earning him a poisonous glare from Jafar.
"I'm simply in the mood for something different," Ursula answered. "As for Davy Jones, Maleficent feels he's too much of a liability to kill or set free, so he's staying with us."
"So I'm to be expected to coexist with that old bastard?" Hook asked angrily.
"Calm your clams, sweetcheeks," Ursula said. "You can avoid him as easily as any other Overtaker. After all, when was the last time you had a conversation with the Kingpin?"
"Who's the Kingpin?" Hook asked.
"My point exactly," Ursula said with a smirk. "Now, if you're through, Maleficent needs you above deck. She's ready to set sail."
"Very well," Hook said as he took his leave.
Loki scanned the ballroom and glanced at the clock. Half past twelve. Gaspard was supposed to have made his move by now, yet there was no sign of the Grand Duke or any of his mercenaries. Loki scowled and exited into the courtyard, where he would not be seen. With a few mutters and mentally drawn sigils, Loki began to perform a locator spell for his ally.
"What a surprise to find you out here, Loki," Amora remarked as she interrupted.
Loki cursed, dismissed his spell, and put on a fake smile before turning to face Amora.
"Enchantress, how lovely to see you," Loki said, his voice not betraying his annoyance at her arrival. "Though shouldn't you be in the ballroom making your move to capture the heart of Celene? Grimhilde has already gained a distinct advantage over you."
"I've already made my move, Lackeyson," Amora taunted.
Loki cringed at his childhood nickname. Oh how he loathed the reminder of Sif and Thor's taunts. Amora snapped her fingers, and Skurge appeared next to her, brandishing a spear with a severed head skewered on it. Loki gasped in rage when he saw that it was the head of Duke Gaspard.
"Did you really think that I was oblivious to your scheming, Loki?" Amora asked. "I've known you longer than anyone else in the Overtakers. I know you, and I knew that you were simply using us as pawns in a scheme to win yourself power."
"So you surrender victory to Grimhilde all for the sake of sabotaging me?" Loki asked.
"In truth, victory in this manufactured challenge is worth considerably less than winning a true victory against the Liesmith's schemes," Amora explained. "Though I do believe Gaspard's head will win me Celene's heart. After all, what does every woman truly want? Why, the death of her enemies, of course."
Loki could do naught but chuckle and applaud Amora's efforts. She'd played the Game well.
"Bravo," he said. "Victory seems to be yours. I suppose every dog will have her day."
"A dog, at least, is a loyal and useful companion," Amora said as she turned to walk away. "Certainly better than being a Lackeyson with polluted blood coursing through his veins."
As Amora left to earn her victory, Loki's grin devolved into a scowl.
"Loki is never bested by a whore," he said to himself. "I will not allow her a victory! My schemes may be forfeit, but I can ensure that her's are as well!"
Loki pulled out his phone and dialed the number he needed. After ringing six times, the person on the other end picked up.
"What are you wearing?" Blackheart asked in a sultry voice as he answered the phone. "I hope you're wearing the horns. They do something to me. You could even say that I'm horny for them."
"Amusing," Loki remarked in a tone that betrayed that he found Blackheart's "joke" to be anything but. "I have a task for you."
"You're a bossy bitch, aren't you?" Blackheart said with a cackle. "Who do you want me to make suffer?"
"Amora," Loki said. "She has tested my patience. I want you to drag her to Hell and leave her there. I owe her that retribution from the last two times she's done that to me."
"What's in it for me?" Blackheart asked.
"How would you like control of the fabled Disir?" Loki asked.
"Ooh, sounds tasty, I'm in!" Blackheart said. "Time to book Ms. Enchantress a ticket on the Highway to Hell!"
Blackheart hung up, and Loki chuckled to himself. Of course, he never truly offered the Disir to Blackheart. He only asked if Blackheart would like them. His allies really should have been smarter about catching his penchant for exact wording.
Fish didn't know why Xehanort had allowed the Castle That Never Was to have a game room given his Organization's proclivity for distractions. Yet there it was. Maleficent hadn't bothered remodeling every room in the castle when she converted it into the Eminence Palace, and so the game room remained in tact. When Fish couldn't find Kieran in his bed chambers, it really wasn't difficult for her to guess where a teenage boy had ended up.
What Fish hadn't expect was hearing the sound of Russell cursing coming from that room. Fish peered into the game room to find Russell and Kieran sitting together on the couch, playing some incredibly violent PlayStation game together.
"The controls on this thing are fuckin' trash," Russell griped.
"That's just what dumbasses say when they're losing," Kieran pointed out.
"What exactly are you two doing?" Fish asked as she walked over and leaned over their shoulders.
"Mortal Kombat," Kieran answered without looking away from the screen. "Piper and I used to play all the time. She was way better than Russell, by the way."
"I will fuckin' eat you," Russell threatened.
Fish took a look at the screen. A scantily clad woman in red was fighting against a shirtless man with what appeared to be a cyborg eye.
"Now why do they always have women dressed like that?" Fish asked, gesturing to the television. "I haven't even seen Sarah Sanderson wear an outfit showing that much skin."
"You're just jealous because Skarlet has better tits than you," Russell remarked.
Kieran stifled a laugh at that.
"Really? You're corrupting my boy now too?" Fish asked.
"Oh relax, I haven't fucked him... yet," Russell said.
"I told you, I'm straight," Kieran said.
"That's what most men say until they actually try taking it up the ass," Russell said. "After that, they want it all the fuckin' time."
"You're vulgar and unbelievable," Fish said with a sigh.
"Thank you," Russell said with a laugh. "I try!"
"Not hard enough at video game apparently," Kieran said.
Kieran's player character grabbed Russell's and repeatedly head butted his opponent until her head literally broke into bloody chunks.
"Fatality. Kano wins."
"You know I actually did that once," Russell said. "A nun got mouthy with me."
"Are you two quite through?" Fish asked.
"Yeah, mama, we're done," Kieran said as he turned off the PlayStation.
"Doesn't even give me a best two outta three," Russell grumbled.
"Who do I get to kill today?" Kieran asked.
"I have my eyes set on another criminal empire to add to my forces," Fish said. "But I think the Don could use... a little motivation. And he seems the type to prefer the stick to the carrot."
"Sounds great," Kieran replied. "Just let me suit up and-"
"Hey there, hi there, ho there!" Hades said as entered the room. "Russell. Fishy. Guess who's back with Gem of Cronus Numeral I-I. Badda-Bing, it's me! HA! And let me just say that oh boy is- Boy. Boy? Boy!"
Kieran immediately reeled back from Hades's fiery eyes landing upon him. He kind of resented being called a boy, but he knew that arguing was futile.
"Uh, 'scuse me? Who is this?" Hades asked. "This Aphrodite & Fitch model definitely was NOT here when I left. Oy, Russell, babe, I really do NOT care if you have booty calls, but for the love of Zeus... well, y'know, if he actually deserved any, but, hey, turn of phrase, who am I to judge... ANYWAY, don't bring your pretty boys back to base. It's a security nightmare like you wouldn't believe."
"He's actually mine," Fish said speaking up. "And before you take things to a dirty place, I am not sleeping with him. He's my new apprentice who I'm training to become a powerful villain in his own right."
"Right, 'cuz that worked out so well with Demyx," Hades remarked. "This one gonna turn into Ansem too or what?"
"What's an Ansem?" Kieran asked.
"Not important right now," Fish answered. "Let me do the talking, Kieran."
"Look, Fishy, ya got a big evil heart," Hades said. "I respect that, I do, truly. But, c'mon, after Dem-Dem went all Damn-Damn this just ain't the smartest course to take."
"I take full responsibility for this one," Fish said. "How 'bout that? I'm watching him like a hawk, and I can guarantee that he'll be a valuable Overtaker in our organization."
Hades sighed and rubbed his temples. "Fine, fine, fine. Do what ya want Fish, but, for the record, a mortal hunk isn't exactly all-mighty villain potential. Malef's in the throne room with the gem if you wanna check it out. Senior Overtakers only."
Hades disappeared from the room in a puff of smoke that reeked of sulfur.
"He'll warm up to you," Fish assured Kieran.
"That's what I'm afraid of," Kieran said, thinking back to Hades's flaming hot hair. "That was Hades, right?"
"Yes, the second in command of the Overtakers," Fish said. "In theory, at least. If you ask me, my girl, Ursula, is more of an actual second in command. Speaking of, she'll be back as well. I'd like for you to meet her, Kieran."
"Yeah, okay, cool," Kieran said with a shrug.
Kieran and Fish made their way into the center of the castle near the throne room. Kieran was still getting used to the lay out of the Eminence Palace, but he had a pretty good idea of where he was. They were in a room called the Hall of Empty Melodies, a room defined by the fact that the floor was a railless platform situated over a deep chasm where the bottom wasn't even visible.
From the other side of the platform, the most beautiful woman Kieran had ever seen was walking towards them. She was brunette with a mischievous smirk that reminded Kieran of Piper, and she wore a golden seashell necklace. Kieran waved awkwardly at the woman, and she waved back before walking towards Fish.
"Why are you in that form?" Fish asked with a laugh as she and the beautiful woman kissed.
Kieran suddenly felt very foolish.
"I was in the mood for something different," Ursula answered. "I'm too beautiful to only look one way all the time."
"That you are, my dear, that you are," Fish agreed.
"Who's your friend?" Ursula asked.
"I'm Kieran," he answered.
"He's my new 'umbrella boy' as it were," Fish clarified. "He's an accomplished serial killer, and I'm fine-tuning him into a more formidable villain."
"Well welcome to the Overtakers, big boy," Ursula said. "I'm Ursula, but you can call me Vanessa in this form. If you're Fish's new 'son,' you can think of me as your new step-mommy. HA!"
"One big evil family," Kieran said with a smirk.
"So I hear you got the second gem," Fish said.
"Oh we got it, alright," Ursula said with a chuckle. "Got to give the Horned King a little dose of payback while we were at it. Turns out he and Mephisto found each other."
"Why am I not surprised?" Fish asked. "They deserve each other."
"Oh but get THIS!" Ursula said. "We got a new Overtaker while we were there too, and you're never gonna guess whose daddy he is."
"Please tell me it's not Jafar's father," Fish said. "I don't think I can deal with another one of him."
"Close. It's Hook's," Ursula revealed.
Fish gasped. "NO!"
"YES!" Ursula said. "Apparently he abandoned Hook as a kid and then shacked up with Calypso for a lil' somethin'-somethin' before getting himself turned into a tentacle-faced freak of nature... though who am I to judge someone by their tentacles? HA!"
"Oh that's messy, and I love it!" Fish said with a laugh.
"Just promise me you won't recruit my shithead dad from beyond the grave," Kieran said. "I already killed him once. I'd rather not have to do it again."
"You. I like you," Ursula declared.
"Isn't he great?" Fish asked. "I don't think I've ever liked a deranged white boy as much as him."
"Thanks mom," Kieran said. "...I guess."
Amora awoke to find herself surrounded by fire and brimstone. Her head was throbbing, and her joints ached from the battle. Images of Skurge's body parts strewn around flashed back into her mind. The Executioner would be a hassle to put back together again.
"Blackheart, you are going to be WORM FOOD!" Amora swore as she staggered to her feet.
It was obvious that she was in Mephisto's Hell, and teleporting out was only possible at a few specific nexus points. Blackheart will have left her as far away from one of those nexus points as possible. It would be his idea of a hilarious joke. As Amora began to entertain images of terrible revenge against the demon prince, it suddenly occurred to her that she didn't know Blackheart's motives in doing so. He had no reason to do this to her. In fact only one person with sway over Blackheart had any motivation to strand her in Hell.
"LOKI!" Amora said before screaming in rage.
Amora began to storm in the direction of a nexus point, completely unaware of the fact that she was being followed...