Chapter 15: Rivalries

CJ slid down a drainpipe before silently landing on the ground. Right as she turned around she heard a voice behind her.

"So, planning on joinin' the army sis?"

She quickly unsheathed her sword and pointed it straight at the throat of Harry Hook, who'd been leaning back against the wall in the shade.

CJ looked at him with pure hatred and disgust. "I don't really feel the need to inform you of what I will or won't do, bro!"

Harry chuckled, which only drove CJ to press her blade a little more into his throat. He raised his hands. "Okay, come on sis, let's na make decisions ya gonna regret later on, shall we?"

"Put the sword down CJ!" said the only voice CJ despised more than her brother's right now. She looked back and saw Harriet Hook standing behind her with crossed arms.

"Like you haven't threatened his life over a dozen times already!" CJ scowled at her.

"True." Harriet said coolly. "But times have changed, and right now I need both of you to be alive." When CJ did not lower her blade, Harriet impatiently moved her hand to her own scabbard with a piercing look towards CJ.

CJ scoffed before moving her blade from Harry's throat, leaving a thin cut in the process and stepping back. "What do you want?" she asked harshly, for obvious reasons she wanted little to do with her siblings. She looked at them. Harriet and Harry had always looked like siblings, with their dark hair, blue eyes and tall stature. She had always been the odd one out, standing significantly shorter and with her blonde hair. The only way someone could identify them as siblings would be that they were all wearing red leather coats.

"You both heard our good friend Solomon's plan, didn't you?" she started. "But come on, we both know he cares about as much for our aspirations as he does for our next breakfasts. I'm not even sure what his end goal is here, but I know we won't be a part of it. I do wonder what deal he made with Uma to get her on board." She said and looked at Harry.

"She won't linger on specifics." He said. "Only that he plans on taking over Auradon and is willing to leave her a piece."

"So, she trusts him?" Harriet asked skeptically.

Harry grinned. "That low-life scavenger, not for a penny. But I know she plans on overthrowing him should he betray her trust."

"Shrimpy has always held her own capabilities in too much of a high regard." Harriet scoffed.

Harry drew his sword and pointed it at his older sister. "Don't go around insultin' my captain sis!" he said threateningly.

"I'm just saying Harry!" Harriet began with clenched jaw, "That she might go in over her head. I'm not sure what Solomon's abilities are, but you can bet your hook that they'll be dangerous. Uma has no idea what she might go up against."

"What's your goddamn point!?" CJ said loudly, and both her siblings looked at her. "We know you don't give a shite about Uma, so why worry about what happens to her?"

"I don't worry about her, I worry more about my own hide." Harriet said.

"That does sound more like ya." Harry said, which caused Harriet to sneer at him.

"I don't know what will happen as Solomon's plan unfolds but I'm willing to bet my sword that he has not let anyone in on his actual plan. All I want is some reassurance!" Harriet said.

"What do you mean?" CJ asked.

"I mean that, when the time comes, we'll be able to rely on each other, at least for a while." Harriet said.

The other Hook siblings looked at each other perplexed. "Ya want us to team up like a happy ol' family is that it?" Harry then said.

"Not a chance." CJ said before turning her back on her siblings.

"We all know what we're capable of, but we don't know that about Solomon. I'm not saying we need to team up now, only if this situation gets out of hand and Solomon needs to be taken down. If our gangs team up we can overthrow him, and we'll only have ourselves to worry about after that."

CJ was about to share another look with Harry but saw to her amazement that Harry seemed to genuinely consider her plan. "It's true that he's kind of a wild card. I don't really know that much about him, but I know that for this cause he'll sacrifice us in the blink of an eye." He said.

"That's right." Harriet said before looking at CJ. "Shouldn't you be more worried, sis? Who do you currently have to watch your back?"

CJ gave her sister a foul look. "Not that you would care, but I don't need anyone watching my back."

"That Freddie girl was allowed into Auradon wasn't she?" Harriet teased. "It must be awfully lonely without her."

Harry caught CJ's arm mid-air as she swung it at Harriet. "Knock it!" he said as she tore herself loose from his grip. "And you!" he said as he pointed his hook at Harriet, "You are dreadfully unkind to people you want to help you."

"I just want to make sure our dear little sister knows what she can expect in the future." She said with a glance at CJ. "But anyway, do we have a deal?"

"For the time being." Harry replied. "Until we're either all safe or that bastard Solomon betrays us. I will talk to Uma about it. But know this." He said as he moved a little closer to Harriet, "When this is done I will gladly never see you in my life again."

"Same here." Harriet said unimpressed.

Both the Hook siblings looked at CJ. She scoffed. "I don't need to be a part in this stupid war you guys are conjuring up and since I'm not even a part of any of your 'gangs', I think I'll spare myself the drama."

"Sis, wait!" Harry said, and he reached for her, but she hit his hand away furiously.

"Don't even try Harry!" CJ almost screamed. "Do you think I have forgiven you?"

Harry looked down. "No, of course not."

"Do you think I ever will?" before Harry had a chance to answer, CJ spoke for him. "I won't! You betrayed me in a way I will never forget, and I will never forgive! Still, I urge you to not associate yourself with her!" she said with a destructive look at Harriet.

"You're acting like a child." Harriet said coolly. "And I have no need to associate myself with one."

CJ had heard enough, she gave both her siblings one more dirty look before quickly climbing over a fence to escape them. "I don't need them." She said to herself. "I don't need anyone."

"So, the sea serpent is already making complots?" Uma said to Harry after he told her of Harriet's plan.

"Yeah, I guess she just really distrusts Solomon." Harry replied, not even mentioning the fact that Uma insulted his sister.

"So much so that she's even willing to crawl back to you and CJ, hm." She pondered. "How did CJ take it?"

"She wants nothing to do with Harriet, and can you blame her? But I also got the feeling she wanted to distance herself from the war in general."

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about that brat anymore, what damage can she cause on her own?" Uma said. Harry made a sound and pulled up his shoulders. "What?" Uma asked. "Still hung up on your sister?"

"She's not like Harriet." Harry said. "CJ can be nice, and I really wished I could have convinced her to join our side, at least that way I can keep an eye on her during the fight."

Uma stood up. "I told you I don't want her anywhere near our gang. The only reason I still tolerate her is because she's your sister, but she had crossed me too many times Harry!"

Harry just shook his head, so Uma decided to change the subject. "About Harriet. My guess is that Solomon frightens her. She might be an acceptable captain, but she knows pathetically little about magic. She might be willing to let him bring down the barrier, but she doesn't want him anywhere near a position of power. We can use this to our advantage. We wait and see what Solomon does and if he crosses a line, we'll team up with Harriet to take him down, and if not, we'll inform Solomon of Harriet's betrayal and let him deal with her."

"Brilliant as ever." Harry said with admiration. "That's why you're the captain."

"Wouldn't be much of a captain without a first mate." She replied with a wink.

CJ again scoured the roofs of the isle. She had recently found quite a cozy corner near Bargain Castle where she would now often stay the night. The large building had been uninhabited since Mal and Maleficent left.

Her nook gave her some shelter and made sure she was not visible from the street, which was a great plus if you didn't want to be robbed on the isle. The only items currently there were some pillows and a blanket for her to sleep on, some items of food, a bucket, an extra sword and her dad's old pocket watch dangling on the wall.

CJ looked at it, she had taken it a few days after Harriet had chased her out of Hook's inlet, initially simply to piss off her sister, but now it held some sentimental value.

She had taken it right before Freddie got picked to come to Auradon, and when her best friend hesitantly said goodbye, CJ had wanted to give her the watch. Freddie had closed CJ's hand around it however and told her to keep it herself. This was the last thing she had said before stepping into that limo, leaving CJ all alone.

CJ annoyingly wiped the tears from her eyes when she thought back to that moment. Her reasoning behind Freddie's refusal to take the watch was that she wanted to forget about her, leave the past in the past, and that made CJ furious.

She was also furious at Mal and the other VK's in Auradon. Not taking her away from the isle was one thing, but also taking her only good friend made her all kinds of furious. She had watched as people in Auradonian uniforms had taken multiple villain kids back to Auradon, most of them younger than ten. A few of the older kids had been chosen to go as well, Freddie among them. If CJ had known that certain villain kids were to be picked to go to Auradon, she knew that she would never be among them. In her youth, she had constantly clashed with not only Harriet and Uma, but Mal and her gang as well. They did not have the most intense of rivalries, like she had with Uma and Harriet, but they were very far from friends.

As she looked along the market place, she suddenly saw Solomon walking on the path below her, seemingly heading towards the other side of the isle. She remained where she was as he approached.

"Saw you at the meeting." Solomon said without raising his head.

CJ felt a blush appear on her cheeks, she had noticed he had not needed to look up to see her. "So, what?" she said back as she moved towards him on her roof.

Solomon looked up at her with those dark eyes of his. "Didn't know you had joined a gang. Which one?"

CJ scoffed. "I didn't join any gang, I just wanted to see what the commotion was about."

"Ah." Solomon said understandingly. "So? Joining the army?" he asked with a sly smile.

CJ pulled a face as she remembered Harry asking her the exact same question. She briefly considered accidentally letting it slip that her siblings had plans to usurp him, simply to get revenge. She changed her mind when she looked at Solomon though.

He smiled at her. It was a dark smile that did not reach his eyes, which were cold, dark and heartless.

"Wasn't planning on it." CJ said as she crossed her arms.

"Shame." Solomon said. "I know you can fight, and we need good fighters on our side."

"Not interested." CJ said shaking her head.

Solomon shrugged. "Oh well, if you change your mind you know where to find me. Just remember that everything you want can be accomplished, revenge on anyone you can think of, whatever you desire." He stated before making a sarcastic bow and leaving a confused, yet thoughtful CJ where she was.