****Meanwhile at the Isle of the Lost****

***Ursula Fish and Chips****

Celia usually tried to avoid making questions to her father but sometimes she couldn't avoid making them.

So when he started to act a little bit strange, she said nothing and still kept her mouth shut when some of her stuff started to go missing, but she finally asked what was going on as they walked towards the pier and then he told her that she was going to live with her mother for a while.

The girl frowned and asked "So Ursula finally remembered that she has more than one kid?"

"Sort of" Her father admitted after a few seconds.

"Sort of? What does that even mean?"

"I told her that she should spend a quality time with you"

"Not like she cared when she had precious Uma" Celia muttered and then asked half-hopeful "Does she care now that she only has one kid here?"

Dr. Facilier stopped on his tracks, he knew that his daughter was up for some heartbreak but also he knew that Celia would be better off at this side of the Isle... at least till he got Lady Tremaine to forget about the matter.

(He had to take care of Yen Sid's situation but it wasn't as urgent as the old wizard knew how to take care of himself)

It was good that Ursula had agreed.

Even if it was because she was short on staff for the restaurant and had given up on searching for her usual help.

Something that surprised him was that Ursula never showed an ounce of love for any of her daughters, and that was one of the reasons their relationship failed, though he had heard that the sea witch had given her necklace to her eldest for some reason.

(He suspected that it wasn't out of sincere love)

When they arrived at Ursula's place, there was one of Morgana's sons, Morgan, to receive them instead of the sea witch.

Celia looked at her father and asked "How long?"

"It won't be long"

"You are not telling me the truth" She accused him.

"I can't tell you everything" Facilier said trying to convince her and put a hand on his youngest shoulder "I just need to sort some business at our side of the Isle, you'll be better with y... Ursula"

"Something to do with Lady Tremaine, Gaston or Mother Gothel?" The girl asked quietly, she had seen some strange things going on at school and she knew that Dizzy's grandmother had always wanted to have some kind of power over them, even if it was just on school and would do everything she could to get her father out of his role as headmaster.

Dr. Facilier grimaced, he didn't want her to know about it, but he said "Yes, all of them but mainly the old lady"

The pink haired girl nodded finally understanding why he had been so secretive about it, she would have ran away like Freddie did when she didn't agree with their father, and said after considering things for a few seconds "I will try to stay here...I can't make any promises, also I'll miss reading cards at the shop"

"Don't get Ursula angry and try to keep out of the pirates' way, these ones aren't as civilized as the ones at Hook's ship"

She raised an eyebrow at that and asked with a hint of sarcasm "Are the ones at the Jolly Roger civilized?"

"Just keep out of their way, the ones here actually sailed on the real sea " Her father said handing her a bag with some coins "Don't use all of them at once"

Celia just hugged her father before greeting her cousin, who was same age at her, with a wave while saying "Long time no see, Morgan"

He snickered and said uninterestedly "Celia, I always wondered if you would come around" He made a pause before making eye contact with Dr. Facilier "She will be okay here, Ursula doesn't come out a lot and my mother actually liked Uma"

The man nodded at that, Morgana wasn't the best mother but she didn't actively hate her children or niece. He simply said "I'll come back when everything is sorted"

"All of our fathers said that" Morgan muttered with some resentment but then quickly regained his initial uninterested stance "I'll show you your room, you'll have to stay there till Harry comes back as he is the one to kind of run this place since for some reason likes him"

Celia waved goodbye to her father before going inside with a heavy heart. It had been years since she had seen her mother, she didn't even remember well how was the layout of the place, also she had never interacted much with Harry or her sister's crew…unless they were stealing from Dizzy which usually ended up in a screaming match between her friend and the pirates.

Dr. Facilier put his hands on his pockets before walking back to his side, he had a school to run and a certain old wizard to visit.

****Forgotten Apartments****

Jayda* bint Nasira was cleaning up her apartment and waiting for someone when Gianna LeGumme, the oldest of Gaston's children, entered without knocking.

The olive skinned woman just sighed and guided the raven haired girl to the shabby living room she had, most of the furniture had been given by Jafar to his sister after no one bought it back. It happened less often as their neighbors started to steal back from Jafar's Junk Shop or simply decided that it was more useful

Both young women sat for a moment without saying a word before Jayda simply signaled to the tea set on her table while saying "Would you like any tea? I don't have coffee"

The person she was waiting for didn't drink coffee, she didn't know if he actually liked tea either but it was better to have one ready.

(Actually the tea was for herself to keep her calm)

"Sure" Gianna said uninterested while looking at the surroundings and then picked up the tea she was offered, she sighed before saying "You know why I came here"

"Then you can leave"

"You have to hear me"

"My answer is no"

"Jade..."

"Jayda" She snapped.

Gianna rolled her eyes and said "Well, Jayda...my offer to join my gang at the Abandoned Factory still stands"

The Crimson Ones was Gianna's gang; they were mostly young women who were past school age, orphans or had been thrown out from their houses by their parents.

Of course there were some boys or young men but they were mostly women.

For security reasons.

"I-"

"Your mother died three weeks ago, Jayda" The other woman said in a frustrated tone and took a sip before continuing "You can't live here alone and your uncle is in no position to take care of you and Jay hasn't said anything about you joining him at Auradon, has he?"

Jayda frowned and snapped "I don't need to go to Boredon!"

The truth was that even when her cousin had called a week ago, which didn't happen as often as in the first months, she didn't have the heart to tell him about her mother dying.

And well, she didn't even tell him about her being sick on the first place.

It wasn't like Jay could do something about it anyway, he was off with the good ones and there he should stay.

Gianna looked at her as if she was stupid and studied her for a minute before saying "You don't have a plan"

Jayda rolled her eyes and said " I do have a plan...and it is to stay alive"

"You won't survive alone"

"Except I won't be alone" Jayda thought but instead said "It's not your problem"

"I know that, I'm just doing this because I'm honor bound to your mother"

Nasira had helped Gianna when Gaston threw her out for not knowing her place as a woman, whatever that meant, the man had made multiple cuts through her right arm, the torso and almost the face before letting her at the marketplace for everyone to see, no one helped her...

Except for Jafar's sister who had used the little of first aid knowledge she had to cure the wounds and try to keep her put Gaston's sight for a while.

Of course it wasn't kindness, it was more like pity but Nasira had saved her life and Gianna was bound to repay that debt.

Even if it was through Jayda.

"I don't think I can leave..." Jayda admitted after a tense few seconds "It's too soon"

"It won't be too soon for some guys who will break in to have their way with you" Gianna snapped and when she noticed the look on the girl in front of her she awkwardly said "Sorry for being so blunt but you know how risky is to live alone and I'm not saying you can't defend yourself..."

Jayda bit her lip fot a few moments before saying "Can I at least think about it?"

"Haven't you thought about it?" Gianna asked raising an eyebrow "You knew why I came here"

"But you put things on a new perspective" She said taking a sip of her tea and then added "Are your brothers still with Mad Maddy?"

The older woman nodded before saying "Yes, they are not the brightest of the bunch...they don't realize that it will get them dead unless somehow the barrier gets down"

"Are they pissing the pirates off?"

"On both sides of the Isle" Gianna said cringing "Also, they are not on good terms with the witches"

"The witches are the worst"

"Agreed"

Gianna stood up and said "That tea was...okay"

Jayda raised an eyebrow and said "Not everyone drinks Slop Shop coffee"

"I know" She smirked "Think about my offer"

"Sure"

Then the gang leader left as swiftly as she had come in.

Jayda put the teacups in the sink and looked out of the window, she wondered why he was running late.

She almost cried out when she noticed that two little blondes entered her apartment through the window. How did they get to the third floor? It wasn't an easy task and she was almost amazed by it.

They were Sean and Simon, or Squeaky and Squirmy, Sammy's younger brothers.

"What-?" She started to ask but Sean (Squeaky) made a sign to make her keep quiet and then Simon (Squirmy) asked "Can we use your other window? We saw something that may interest Sammy down at the pier?"

The girl frowned but nodded and wondered what could interest them, it wasn't like the pirates that lived around did something else than drink, eat at Ursula's and fight among them.

Both boys ran to her room and she couldn't help but follow them.

****The Lost Revenge****

Harry had been doing a very...acceptable work at keeping other gangs from taking over the Lost Revenge.

At least on Gil's opinion.

But he wasn't a captain or a first mate so couldn't really evaluate his best friend's job.

Gil was alone at the ship for the day since he didn't go to school anymore.

He used to go to Serpent Prep with Uma, Harry and the rest of their crew back when his mother sneaked some money out from their tavern to pay for the school fee and his school materials but his father had discovered it and both learned not to hide money from him...in a very bad way.

He hadn't seen his mother in a while.

But Genna said that mother seemed to be okay the last time she went to visit, that she was mostly worried about Gilly and Gabi who still lived with them and were on risk of getting thrown out.

The blonde boy shuddered at the thought of his twin and thirteen-year-old sister living on the streets, Gabi was too fearful of everything to survive on her own and he knew that Gilly and their oldest sister were on bad terms since they hadn't agreed on their view about ransacking Bargain Castle back when Maleficent was defeated by Mal.

Gilly had gone with the rest of Maleficent's neighbors to loot the place with their brothers while Gianna had told them that it was a very bad idea, that they didn't know if the evil faery would be back to the Isle or if Mal would "appreciate" the destruction of her home.

He didn't take sides with either of their sisters, he still feared Maleficent but neither of the evil faeries lived on the Isle anymore so... taking a few of their things wouldn't hurt, especially since they wouldn't be using them anymore.

Uma had forbidden her crew to go there, she didn't want any of their trash at her ship.

Gil often wondered what was Uma doing outside the barrier, a small part of him doubted that she would go back for the but he also believed in her.

She was the one to rescue him from his brothers back when he had been thrown out to the streets by Gaston five years ago.

She had been the one to give him a home when his mother couldn't stand up to his father.

She had been the one to make him realize that they couldn't keep the things the way they were on the Isle.

Of course Harry had a hand on that and while Uma got annoyed at him pretty easily, especially when he called her Shrimpy (intentionally or not), she was family now.

He had been organizing the rations for the day when he heard some commotion outside in the piers, it wasn't unusual since many pirates and sailor lived there and were usually drunk but this time he went to see what was happening.

He did not expect to see Jonas and Gonzo having a mild discussion with his brothers and Ginny Gothel.

Why were they there? Didn't they have school?

Oh, right.

School started at Dragon Hall around noon and even then the teachers would always arrive a little bit late.

In Serpent Prep they started school at six o'clock on the morning.

Still, his brothers liked to sleep till around ten like their father.

What they were doing there?

He had avoided crossing paths with them since they beated him into pulp a year ago when he went to visit Gabi for her twelft birthday and gave her some supplies.

Suddenly he felt his hands sweat and his legs trembled, the urge to run away was so great but at the same time he couldn't move.

The blonde boy stood there with his hand on the sword he always carried, a gift from Harry, but he didn't move.

That was util Gaston Jr. noticed that he was standing on the main deck and watching, his older brother pointed at him while yelling "Gil! Come down, we are not going to hurt you!"

"Yes, we just want to talk!" Gaston The Third added with one of his smiles.

Gil knew not to trust those smiles and after he gained some hidden courgae he had, he yelled back "We are not going to make deals with any leader of the other gangs!"

"You don't have any other option" Ginny coolly said while she gave him a bored look "It's not like you have Uma's protection anymore and Harry is far far away at that wharf rat school"

The pirate clenched his fist and bit his tongue, it wouldn't be good for his crewmates if he responded from the deck.

He had to go down.

But he felt as if his feet would have been rooted on the floor but he knew that he couldn't stay there.

So he quickly jumped to the pier with his sword on hand.

Gonzo and Jonas gave him a kind of a grateful look, they were older than both of his brothers having been among those who were born around the second year at the Isle.

The six of them took a defensive pose for a few seconds on which none of them wanted to move.

"Hello, brother" Gaston Jr greeted him with the typical smile he wore before beating someone.

Gil started to get nervous till he noticed that neither of his brothers were carrying their swords.

That was strange and didn't make sense.

Unless...

He quickly dodged a lunge made by Gaston the Third.

The youngest of Gaston's sons saw the handle of a knife on his brother's back pocket.

Gonzo took out his sword while Jonas punched (or at least tried to) Gaston Jr.

"Guys!" Ginny raised her voice with a tone that Gil didn't like "We didn't come her to fight, we came to negotiate"

"As I already said, we won't negotiate with other gangs" Gil said trying to sound confident but the fact that his brothers were there made the task very difficult.

He only felt his limbs hurt like when they beat him, he was hearing their laughs while they kicked him, he felt as if he was going to throw up...

"We just want to make a peace treaty between The Lost Revenge and us" Ginny said walking cautiously towards Gil "We are going to break the barrier and we need a ship to get to Auradon and since the Jolly Roger-"

Gonzo interrupted her by laughing and said "There is no way out! We have already tried to get Mal to give us the wand and it didn't work"

"Because it was a fake one" Gaston the Third mocked him "We wouldn't have fallen for it"

Ginny rolled her eyes, she was getting bored by the conversation but knew she couldn't leave as she always did and so she added "We are working with someone from the outside"

It was Jonas' turn to scoff "It's not like those kids from the Anti-Hero Club are going to risk getting thrown out of Auradon and the others aren't exactly the evilest of all"

Gil noticed a brief frown on Ginny's face and so he gained the courage to say "If you want a ship, get one...that's if you actually get to break the barrier"

"Do you think they can?" Gonzo mocked them "They haven't been further than Mal's former territory in years"

Both Gastons swung a fist towards Gonzo but someone got between them.

It was Sammy Smee.

And he was with some of his (Harriet's) crew.

Gil didn't actually recognize many of them as he hadn't gone to the other wharfs in a while. He did know that one of them was Salt and another was Dan (Desiree's brother), but the other three weren't people he knew.

But Harry would have as he had grown up with them.

(At least till Captain Hook threw him out for being a disappointment)

"Sammy" Gaston the Third greeted Harriet's first mate.

It felt strange to greet Mr. Smee son by the childhood last name Captain Hook put him (when he was kind of sober and actually cared for the children in his crew) since the teenage boy stood even taller than the Gastons (the three of them) and was quite bulky.

"Gastons, Ginny" Sammy greeted them with a cold face "Funny to see you here when Uma made a deal with Maddy to keep you all out"

"I'm sure you heard why we are here" Ginny said "You always have one of your twerp little brothers running around to know everything"

Sammy looked to a moving curtains at one of the apartments that was near the wharf, one of the ones they had to build from scratch when the population started to grow too much.

If he was worried...he didn't show it and Gil admired that.

"You want a ship, get one yourself" Salt said menacingly.

"Pirates don't make deals with witches" Dan added passing by Ginny's side and while the girl seemed unfazed, they could notice a bit of fear in her eyes.

"Funny that their little captain is the daughter of a sea witch and a pirate "The frizzy haired girl said raising an eyebrow.

"Leave" Sammy simply said with a cold tone.

"Just like your captain left you hanging here?" Gaston Jr asked "Sad thing that she ditched you here"

That seemed to rile up Sammy and he grabbed the other boy by the throat, the other twin tried to defend his brother but somehow Gil punched him with all his strength.

That both froze them as it was surprising but they still kept a fighting stance.

"Harriet didn't leave us here" Sammy said "She will get the most of us out..."

Gil knew what he meant by that.

Harry's sister would try to take the younger ones out; she would try to fall into Ben's good graces before asking.

On Gil's opinion it was as useless as it was useful to be on good terms with the Auradonian King.

It wasn't like he truly cared, was it?

Sammy released Gaston Jr after the boy started to get blue and said "Leave, don't ever come back or think about getting near the Jolly Roger...just ask what happened to one of the forty thieves after he tried to sneak in"

Gil felt relieved when he saw both of his older brothers leave with Ginny on tow.

He put a hand on Sammy's shoulder and both blondes nodded.

There was no need to say thanks, it wasn't an actual custom at the Isle.

Instead, Gil would trade some fresh-ish fish with them.

He was sure that Harry would agree.

Also, Mad Maddy's gang wouldn't come back after that so shameful display.

Still he still felt some uneasiness as he saw some sunlight getting through the grey clouds that surrounded the Isle.

****The Tremaine Chateau****

Drisha was sweeping the floor of the entrance to the chateau when Harald arrived with a smug look on his face.

Sometimes she wanted to punch him but she knew that he was one of the very few guys on the Isle of the Lost that would be good enough for her according to her grandmother.

Even if she could barely tolerate him, the only one who actually liked the Westergaard brothers was Diana and it was only because she was kind of part of their gang.

(Or at least she had been before getting involved with Genna LeGumme who actively tried to get rid of them)

"Good morning, Drisha" He said making a mock bow and taking a seat on a small chair they had outside.

The girl remembered that the chair had been used to give time out to her younger sisters and cousins when they misbehaved, she wondered why Grandmother never used that chair with Diana, Anthony or her.

It was probably because they wouldn't have obeyed, when they were children their Grandmother wasn't that awful and well, Anthony and his sisters had Uncle Michel to protect him.

(Sometimes she missed Uncle Michel, he was not supposed to be in the Isle but being in love did strange things to you. Like leaving everything you had for the person you married and ending up dead with some kind of fever and by it forcing your wife to live with her mother once more)

Drisha's father had tried to defend Dizzy just once a few years ago and that had ended up badly, so badly that he left and never returned. Or that was she remembered, her memory wasn't the best.

(A part of her suspected that he wasn't at the witches' side of the Isle with a Sanderson whore like her mother said but she wasn't going to risk her life to find out, the Duke of Weselton was as dead as her baker uncle)

"What do you want? Diana isn't here " She asked, it wouldn't fare well for either of them if her mother caught them. There was a reason why Drizella had decided to make her stay that day and was that she had to clean the chateau till it shone.

(Also in some weird way, Drizella always seemed to try and flirt with younger men, especially the Westergaard and the LeGummes...until Grandmother reminded her that she was still married and that she owed respect to her husband)

"Can't one drop a visit to a... friend?" He asked making a fake hurt face "Come on, Drisha… I thought your grandmother taught you better manners, especially when she is trying to get you a husband"

"You are already here, spit out, we are not friends" She said without looking at him "I know you wouldn't come visit without a reason"

"Down to business, I like it" The young man said amused and stood up walking towards her "I need a small favor"

Ah, that was it.

Drisha tried to move away from him as he smelled as if he had been drinking, which wouldn't be a surprise as it seemed that it was all he did nowadays.

"And that favor would be?"

"When your cousin or your sister calls..." He started to say and didn't stop despite her confused face "Tell them to pass a message to my little brother-"

"I'm not a messenger" She said interrupting him "Ask one of the others, also, I don't think either will call"

Harald put his hands on his back and seemed to think for a moment before saying "Just like my useless brother"

"They never belonged here" Drisha said and then added "For a moment Anthony showed some potential..."

"When he joined that crackhead Maddy?"

She nodded and said "He could have seized that gang for himself"

"He then kind of joined that wharf rat, right?"

"Sort of" Drisha said as if she had eaten a sour lemon, she never liked Harriet and the short lived romance she had with Anthony "But at least it was shirt and he never actually became a pirate"

"Would it have been worse to have a pirate for a cousin instead if the minion of a witch?"

The black haired girl shrugged, then she changed the topic "It was better with Maleficent and Mal around"

"Do you really think that?" Harald asked with contempt "Even after purplehead turned good?"

"She kept the gangs in line, just like Maleficent did with the adults"

"But the alliances and the order are still alive without them" He pointed out "Evil Queen, Jafar, Madam Mim, Hook, Beckett and are keeping things running"

"True" She conceded but added "None of them actually seized power though"

"The older ones don't want a war; they don't need death"

After Maleficent was defeated by her daughter the Isle was left without rulers, for all her cruelty the dragon-fae was the one who kept the villains from killing each other and starting a war.

Sure, Maleficent liked to see people suffering but if everyone was dead, over whom would she rule.

And she used some of the villains she kind of liked to keep order, she added Evil Queen to her list of "captains" a week before the Rotten Four left.
"Are you saying that you or your brother will try to crown yourself King on the Isle of the Lost?" The girl snorted.

There was no way either would do that, their gang was too small and they didn't cause enough fear.

"Of course not" The redhead said as if she had offended him "But someone else may, think a little…that's what I wanted to tell my brother but since you aren't a messenger"

She tried to think about whom and the answer was somewhere around her mind but she didn't find it.

Mal had kind of ruled as queen over the younger ones, she wasn't as rigid (she only had Jay at first) but with Harriet (now Sammy), Uma (now Harry), Gianna, Hubert, Clay and Hansel they kept some balance even when Maddy had tried to break it by trying to take over the Isle and being beaten by the other gang leaders.

"How long do you think this order will last?" Drisha asked after a few silent minutes.

"Until someone decides to rule over everyone, then there will be blood and we will have to choose well"

For some reason Drisha felt that he was telling her something else.

****Dragon Hall****

Ginny had raised to the top of the food chain at Dragon Hall after the Rotten Four had left though not without difficulty since she had some competition on some sides but they were gone now, either at Auradon or had graduated.

She smirked as she scared a pair of freshmen when she went to her locker and took out some of her portraits for the Selfies class, surely they had heard about her pushing Mal to the crocodiles during one of the Rotten Four's latest visit to the Isle.

The frizzy haired girl grimaced as she was still pissed off by the fact that Maleficent's brat had survived.

Why couldn't she have died?

It wasn't like someone other than her friends and boyfriend would miss her, if she died the half of the Isle that admired her would just turn to Evie or some other that had betrayed their evil roots.

Also, Maddy had been totally mad and had actually pushed Ginny when they were walking through the Rickety Bridge. The girl still had a few scratched from the incident and was bidding time till she had the opportunity to take revenge, but she had to wait since she hadn't yet swayed the Gastons totally to her side.

She had to take Maddy down and everything would be okay, she knew that the Gastons weren't actually interested on leading a gang, they were content just to push people around.

But she was now getting worried about their fail at getting the Lost Revenge to join them.

What had gone wrong?

She supposed they lacked more planning, but who would have known that little Gil would get a little backbone on him?

Maybe they should have taken the sword with them instead of mere knifes?

"Ginny, what are you doing here so early?" She heard her mother's voice behind her.

"Mother" She simply said after overcoming her surprise, it was almost noon but her mother usually showed up after lunch "I was just...planning something"

Mother Gothel rolled her eyes and said "We both know that you aren't able to think forward, don't lie to me"

"I'm getting better at it!" She protested.

"Sure" Mother Gothel said and squinted her eyes a little "Just don't get yourself in too much trouble with that little friend of yours"

The frizzy haired girl shook her head a little, she didn't understand whom she was referring to and started to say "I don't get it, why are you-"

"I thought you could be better than Mal" Her mother spat at her "She is no longer here and still you are a follower of one of those witches."

That hurt, but it was also true.

*Morgana is Ursula's sister from the Little Mermaid II. She doesn't hate her children (a lot) since she was overlooked by her mother and wants them not to have the same childhood she had.
*Yes, Uma is only half sister of Freddie and Celia if you didn't notice. You can guess who is her father.
*Yes, I renamed Jay's cousin to a more Arabic sounding name. Also gave the Smee twins actual names.
*Mad Maddy won't be happy that her minions failed.
*Also the villains are still obsessed with breaking the barrier, if three of them got out (though one was returned)...why can't they do the same but on a larger scale?
*About the apartments, you can't tell me that with all the people living at the Isle they could accomodate all of them at the buildings they transported with magic from Auradon. So here they built some aparments

*The Abandoned Factory is an old project the villains had during the first years at the Isle, it will be addresed later.

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