Hey Descendants,

We got a lot of work done yesterday! So in celebration, we hope you enjoy this chapter.


Barely an hour later...

Hyades storms through town, not caring where she was going anymore. Anything to get away from… Whatever that had been.

She lets out a heavy sigh, her angry driven stomps slowing until she slumps against a wall. What the hell had that been? What had she done?

She slams a fiery fist into the wall behind her. She just wanted to hang out! She had been quietly reading in the corner with Carlos. Everything had been fine. Happy even.

Then she was goaded into dueling T. It wasn't something she wanted to do, but it had been kind of fun. She felt more comfortable sparring if all she had to do was defend herself.

And just what was so wrong with that?

Why did she feel like she was completely the opposite of everyone when it came to stuff like this? Everyone wanted to practice to get better, get stronger. She was scared to use her full strength. And it took forever to figure out how much she could use while wielding a thin little strip of metal that could cut flesh to ribbons.

She growls in frustration as she slams her fists into the wall again. Did they want her to be a tool for fate? Did they want her to cut strings early? Be a monster?

"Ugggh!" She shakes her head as she shoves off the wall, pushing past all her anger and hurt until she felt the humiliation. What was going on with T's line of questions? And why had she felt the need to answer?

She never talked that much, maybe about something she was writing or something that had caught her attention, but never about herself. What had she been thinking, answering questions like that in front of Mal? She was never going to be able to talk to Mal again. Not without facing serious amounts of shaming and flaming.

Hyades brings her hands up to her face, discovering flaming tears on her fingertips when she pulls them back. She lets out a resigned sigh, "And things had been going so well." She'd finally gotten back into a rhythm with both groups. Things were getting easier. Like things were going back to normal.

She slides to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest. As if normal was actually a thing she could ever have.

"Hyades." Atilla greets with a rakish grin. "Weird to find you on the edge of my territory." He continues as he languidly makes his way closer to her. "Not that I'm complaining..." He adds smoothly. "Just rare." He stops, giving her a good five feet of clearance before he leans against the wall. He tilts his head to the cracked and scorched cement behind her. "So who was stupid enough to piss off the fire goddess?"

"Atilla." Hyades nods. Great, one more check on her 'what could possibly go wrong today' checklist. She lets her head fall to hit her knees.

"Glad you remember me." Atilla smiles.

"You're not really someone people forget." She mumbles, not looking up. How did she get into these situations?

A low chuckle rumbles from the other boy's chest, "My reputation precedes me, I see." He studies her, humor not reaching his eyes. "But so does yours." He nods towards the wall. "So which is bothering you, the newt or guppy?"

Newt? Guppy? Hyades scrunches her face in confusion. Who the- Oh… "It's nothing like that." How the hell was she going to get out of this. If she burned Atilla, she could start a war. And she wasn't even calmed down from her last confrontation.

"Then what's it about?" Atilla asks. "Don't tell me it's gotta do with your old man."

Since when did he care so much about anything? Hyades slowly picks her head up to face Atilla. "I didn't mean to infringe on your territory-"

"Oh your far from infringing babe." He shrugs, "It's just rare I get to talk to such a beautiful face."

"Oh," Hyades slowly pushes herself up using the wall behind her for support, She needed to make an excuse to get away now, "well, I should get going-"

"Already?" Atilla pouts as he carefully circles closer to her. "But we've barely spoke." He continues smoothly. "Doesn't the princess teach you any manners?"

Hyades frowns, "Sure Evie and I talk manners, but I need to get home."

Atilla looks at the darkening sky with a frown, "Don't tell me your afraid of the dark?" He chuckles.

"Hardly." Hyades can't help the snort.

"Then stick around a bit." Atilla grins as he crowds a little closer, "Hang with people of actual worth for once."

Hyades frowns, "Mal's gang is very valuable to me." Not that they needed her to defend them. She looks into Atilla's eyes before she quickly looks away. She needed to get out of this. She wasn't thinking straight.

"Sure, if you're into shadow wars…" Atilla shrugs lazily, "But not if you value actual power." He studies her intently for a moment, "Some part of you has to have realized you don't belong with them. They can't match your physical prowess. They can't keep up with your growing needs. They can't challenge you the way we can. You may not want to acknowledge it, but with out their alliances with their parents the guppy and newt are nothing more than that. Pests to be crushed."

She hated herself for it, for the hesitation his words gave her. She couldn't shake it. It rang in odd harmony with her own self doubts of not belonging. It crowded her mind, drowning other, far more rational thoughts out.

Atilla's eye's brighten. "Ah, so you have seen it… It won't be long now before they force you out- Afraid of your amazing gifts. Of your power. Of the influence you hold over their underlings. It wouldn't take much you know… For them to fall under your command. You're smart, attractive, and powerful… All the things their leaders are not. Do you really think the guppy and newt will always allow you to go in between them? That they'll allow you to interact with their underlings while you run around unattached? How long before the newt determines you a threat, or the guppy thinks your too much effort?" He asks his tone dripping with concern that didn't quite match the calculating look in his eyes.

Hyades shakes her head. She didn't care about being a leader, about having followers. That was an uncommon stance on the isle, but it was her's. But, how could he possibly know her fears? Her fear of not belonging, and her fear that they'd eventually make her choose, or lose everyone forever. Would they do that? After her embarrassing display back there she didn't doubt Mal might think about kicking her out for good. She looks down the empty ally she was in, looking for the quickest escape.

"You would make a great second under the right leader though. Someone who appreciates everything you are. Someone who doesn't run away from how destructive your powers can be. Someone who can just let you, be the gorgeous creature you are. Let you be the demi-goddess you were always meant to be." Atilla holds a hand out to her.

"Look, I- I know what it must be taking for you to be here with this offer," She shifts, inching her way along the wall away from the broad teen and his hand that she couldn't tear her eyes away from, "And I don't want you to think I'm being disrespectful, I'm just saying I need to get home."

"It's not disrespectful, just foolish." Atilla gives her a sad smile as he closes his hand into a fist. "If you really think that the newt or guppy's group will ever really accept you for who you are, and who you are meant to be…" He shakes his head. "And since when did daddy dearest care what time you got home?"

"Since when did you care about curfews?" A voice calls down from above them.

Hyades smiles in relief as she snaps her head up to the roof line. Then her cheeks burn, "Of course…" She shakes her head, hoping T knew what he was doing.

Atilla's friendly demeanor suddenly shifts to a harsh one as he whips his head up. "Who the fuck are you?"

"We weren't done with our discussion Deez." T continues as he drops from the rooftop landing like a cat in the corner of the ally, keeping Atilla between him and her for now.

"You might not have been-but-I-was!" Hyades growls as she strikes the fresh wall behind her with renewed flames.

"Ah… So it really wasn't the newt or guppy…" Atilla stretches to his full height as his hand hovers over the hilt of his blade.

"Mhmm, but I wasn't." T continues ignoring Atilla.

"I. Don't. Care." Hyades snaps. She moves away from both Atilla and T, wishing tonight would just end already.

"Clearly." T agrees simply. "Hence the snapping." He continues boredly.

"Who the fuck are you?" Atilla snarls again.

T turns back to Atilla, "I'm in the middle of something, do you mind?" He snaps.

Atilla's lips turn at that, a nasty snarl marring his handsome features. "Do you have any idea who you're talking too?"

T brings his hand to his eyes and presses his fingers into them. "Do you?" He asks as he lowers his hand and meets Atilla's glare with a look of disinterest. "Me and the princess were talking first, so take a fucking number and get in line."

"I'm not a fucking princess!" Hyades snaps.

T rolls his eyes before turning back to Hyades. "Hardly the point Deez." He turns back to Atilla, barely missing a blade by his face as his eyes widen in surprise.

"I asked for your name." Atilla demands with a growl.

"And I told you I was busy." T, pushes the blade back with a clank of his dagger. "Deez? Do you mind?" He asks as he brings up his other dagger offensively.

Mind watching you and Atilla kill each other? Hyades stares dumbly, wondering what T could possibly be trying to get her to do. Continue their earlier conversation? The underworld would freeze over before she'd want to go back to that talk.

Atilla growls as he and T start dueling. Atilla's swings harsh as they met with his daggers.

"Your fucking name shadow! What is it?" Atilla demands.

"I could, but-" T blocks another swing, " t's much funnier this way." He goads the much larger boy with a devil-may-care grin.

Atilla snarls as he jumps back before launching another series of attacks, only to have T evade them.

Hyades couldn't move even if she'd wanted to. Part of her was terrified of the fight. Terrified for T. Atilla had a reputation as a fierce warrior. Trained by his father and all the Hun army that had been sentenced to the isle. T had proven to be good in a fight when he had surprise. But Atilla was using a sword. She was terrified for T. And still angry with him. What was she supposed to do with this?

"Ooh, that one would have hurt baad." T teases as Atilla's sword clashes with the cement hard enough to catch sparks.

"Stay fucking still!" Atilla complains as he pulls back to swing at T again.

"Okay… This is dumb." Hyades finally speaks up. She wasn't sure what was going on anymore, but at least T had gotten Atilla off her long enough for her to think clearer, "You two can kill each other or whatever, I'm going home."

The two seem to ignore her as metal hits metal again.

"Ugh, whatever." Hyades rolls her eyes as she starts walking away, the sounds of the fight fading as she starts running to get away from the two boys currently out for blood.

She really hope T knew what he was doing, she'd never forgive herself if she trusted him the one time she shouldn't have.


Fuck. Fuck. fuck. Jesus. Fuck me. Fuck! Shit! Why did god hate him? How did this happen again? Fuck?!

T jumps back from another rampage.

He totally didn't have the training for this. It was a miracle he wasn't a bleeding mess right now. All he could do was react. Getting his daggers to block the sword before the damn thing lopped off his head. He needed out. He hoped Hyades was gone by now, because his arms were starting to shake from the impacts.

He blocks one last time before he ducks and rolls away. He comes up on his feet, already running for a wall to vault. He easily grabs the edge of a poorly added roof and is pulling himself up when he feels the blade sink into his calf. A slew of curses leaves his lips as he pushes through the pain to pull himself up. He looks down, checking for any sign of Hyades when he catches Atilla trying to climb up after him, and failing horribly. He lets out a single rough laugh before he jumps to the next rooftop, aiming to get as much distance between himself and Atilla as possible.

Now he just had to patch himself up and find Hyades before she found more trouble.


"Of all the stupid, idiotic, brainless, egotistical, unbelievable-" Hyades seethes as she pounds her flaming fists into the sand over and over again.

"Are you talking bout me or Atilla?" T asks from the post he was leaning against. "Cause either would be a fitting description today."

"I don't know who I'm yelling at anymore!" Hyades snaps as she shifts to stare up at T.

"Fair enough." T agrees as studies her carefully. "I'm sorry…"

"How the hell did you even find me? I said I was going home. And I can't imagine-" Hyades stops, blinks twice, "Wait- You're sorry?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking earlier and I just-" T looks away before he shrugs, "I wasn't thinkin' and that wasn't fair to you- So I'm sorry… For my timing anyways." He continues before he looks back to her. "I'd want to pound my flaming fists into my face too if I was you…I totally get it." He plops down into the sand. "That's why I was looking for you in the first place…"

Hyades tilts her head to the side, "Well, I can't say I'm not glad you happened along." She admits bitterly. She sighs as she turns, letting her body thud to the ground as she stares up at the shimmery barrier. "So thanks for that. And at least you're skilled enough to get away."

T laughs humorlessly, "No shit. Glad that ape can't climb..." He lets his head fall back to lean against the post.

"So there are things he's not good at." Hyades shrugs, but she can't shake Atilla's words. She covers her eyes with her hands as color floods her cheeks.

"Thank fuckin god for that." T mumbles before he looks back to Hyades. "He's wrong you know… I know you might not feel it… But you belong exactly where you are… I've seen the type of person you are, you don't belong with that group." He pulls up one of his knees and slings an arm around it.

"How long were you listening?"

T shrugs, "I dunno, long enough to piss me off for sure…"

"I was trying to get away." Hyades sighs, "Like I need Mal or Uma to ever find out about a conversation like that again."

"Yeah, no shit…" T shakes his head. "But seriously, the kid is fucked in his head. I wouldn't take what he was goin' on about to heart..."

"I know," Hyades nods, "It just hurt to hear it in someone else's voice."

T frowns, "But it's not the truth, just how some can view it." He sighs, as he looks away. "You have to be really careful with that shit here… Nothing is ever how it appears on the surface."

"I know T. I wasn't sticking around because I wanted to," She huffs, "I just didn't want to start a fucking war if I burned him."

T studies her closely for a moment. "It just hurt to hear in someone else's voice." He echoes with a frown.

"It did, and it slowed me down for a second, but it doesn't mean I stopped trying to actually think things through. I knew I was in danger."

"But if I noticed it, so did he…" T points out with a frown. "He's like trained to do that type of shit…"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he did, he got very sure of himself after that." Hyades grumbles, "But I was still working on getting away, I was aware that he wasn't being honest with me."

T nods his head, and stays quiet. "I really am sorry about sparring. I would really like to continue working on it with you… Just the two of us…"

"No." Hyades rolls her eyes and tilts her head back enough to glare at T, "At least, no for now."

"I can live with that." T sighs.

"Look, Cerberus is out of the underworld anyways," Hyades sighs deeply as she twists to look back up into the nothing above them, "I always keep my strength in check, I have for as long as I can remember. Like, I figured out that hugging Pain was killing him, and started working from there."

"And?" T shrugs, "So does Gil- You think they didn't give him a kitten in his baddy bag for shits and giggles? Kid has bear strength. But look how gentle he is with shrimpy."

"Gil-" A small smile tugs at her lips, "is… Gil." Her face falls before she can continue, "And-"

"And you are Deez, what of it?" T shoots back confused.

"I'm not as good as he is." Hyades says, her lips trembling slightly. "I make mistakes."

"Well no one's perfect, I've seen Gil pop off the Captain quarters doors like three times in excitement now…" T points out with a shrug.

Hyades chuckles and sighs, "I wish I could see that."

"Nothing is stopping you, but you, you know."

"Me and the fact that Uma loves that ship." Hyades shakes her head slowly, the thought of taking the one thing her cousin had worked so hard for making her sick, "That very wooden ship. Where the wood is the only thing between me and a salt water grave."

"I don't see you on fire right now… And there's no way those three would let you drown… So what else is stopping you exactly?"

"If I burned her ship I'd want her to let me drown."

"You're being ridiculous. Those three never make you blow like Mal does, you're not giving them the credit they deserve either."

Hyades sighs, "I know it's not fair, but I can't." SHe shakes her head, "Do you honestly think I haven't tried to go see them? Surprise them? I can't even get a foot on the dock."

"No, what I'm saying is that we all need help sometimes. Why keep forcing yourself to go alone when you know you can't. Gil or me would go with you in a heartbeat. So would Hook. Uma would go as far as to even take a day off if you meant it."

"I know, and then I'd have to deal with their disappointment when I can't, or the fear that they might take matters into their own hands and force me."

"What if we blindfold and carry you into the captain's quarters?"

"Why would I ever be okay with that?"

"So you could actually spend time with them?"

"But I'd be blindfolded."

"Only til we were inside closed quarters. Don't be such a wuss, I'm just trying to come up with solutions."

Hyades blinks, "But I'd be blindfolded."

"What do you think we would do? Do you seriously think any of them would let something bad happen to you?" T rolls his eyes.

"I don't know." Hyades flings her hands out in frustration, "I don't know why, but no."

"If it was Gil?" T prompts, "Do you seriously think Gil would do something fucked up to you? Kid wouldn't even hurt a fly."

"Unless he was ordered too-" Hyades slams one hand over her face and holds the other up, gesturing for T to stop, "Wait, I know, that came out wrong."

"Yeah it fucking did." T easily agrees. "Because if you think Uma would ever order Gil to do anything fucked up to you, ever, you really don't know your fucking cousin."

"Look, I know that." Hyades twists and sits up, "I do. I know and trust it wholeheartedly, but I still can't. I have to do it. I have to work on it. Me. No shortcuts."

T shrugs, before he stands up. "Well, I just wanted to make sure I apologized for earlier. It was fucking foul, and deserved one." He waves his hand. "Find you again later this week? Quadrant three?"

Hyades stares at him before she nods, "Maybe I'll even bring a sword."

"Don't threaten me with a good time." T smirks in response.

"Who said anything about a good time?" Hyades chuckles as she settles, laying back in the sand to stare up at hazy barrier. At least she wasn't fighting with T. It was hard to stay mad at someone when they called themselves out and apologized.

Now she just had to worry about Mal and the gang, and what she could possibly say to fix this situation. Where was she even supposed to start?

She'd write first. Writing always helped her gain perspective. She sighs again as she looks into her bag. Only four blank tablets. Those weren't going to last long.

She'd have to swing by the catacombs at some point to pick more up. But she couldn't face her father now, not like this. Usually her friends were her strength, but right now she felt as stable as the sand she was laying on. Sure, she'd sounded strong and sure of herself when T had called her on it, but Atilla had really shaken her.

Flameless tears trickle from the corners of her eyes. She felt lost. And felt angry with herself for feeling lost. More than anything, she felt confused. And she hated it.


And boom goes the dynamite, people.

Another chapter done and posted so you know what time it is-

Helping the writers time! (Makes crowd cheering noises)

Anyone else ever related with Hyades so hard? It's easy to feel like you don't belong somewhere even when people who care about you are staring in your face. And what do you guys think about Atilla? Happy that he finally showed up? And what about T? It's hard being the friend of someone who can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sorry there wasn't much fluff in this one, but it is the Isle after all.

Please let us know what you think! Your comments really do motivate us even if we can't always reply to you on time.

Also, just checking, what posting day would you prefer? We're wanting to get on a schedule again, aiming for two a week until Dark's new job settles and Twisted's new house is moved into fully.

With much love and appreciation,

Dark and Twisted