AN: So grateful to Fan (Guest), miranda88, Bodsarmy, and danifan3000 for reviewing. It means the world to me.
Also, thanks to mitchell-thompson-56 for following.
Your support really keeps me going. Each notification I get brightens my day and someway somehow I keep getting ideas. So excited to share the rest of this story with you all. Working hard on Descendants 3 right now! 3
Chapter 26
Mal was back to her old self in no time. She understood that with the both of them gone for the past several months Uma would have made moves to claim their side of the Isle. Drac threw his jacket over the back of a chair before sitting in it much like Hades sat in his lair. Playing with the hem of his scaly green tee shirt, he filled her in on how Uma had been trying to take over last time he'd been there but she only had half of the Isle on her side, the rest of the villains and their kids and minions were on his since he had a smidge of magic and quickly gained powerful allies. Dr. Facilier was one of them and probably the biggest name. The Sanderson Sisters worked for him secretly – a fact he did not yet divulge to Mal – as did CJ. He told her about how he had recruited the goblins not just from the Slop Shop but from the Isle of the Doomed. With her arms crossed and a smirk on her face Mal nodded along looking impressed. Her own mind fell back into it's old strategic ways and with the prospect of a turf war on the horizon Mal was able to let loose and put the Auradon stress behind her. Needless to say he didn't say a word about their father. That subject would either make her stressed all over again – or so mad that Maleficent's wrath would look like a walk in the park.
Mal assured him that together they'd take back the Isle from Uma and rule just like they had meant to, like they were born to.
"Because we're rotten." Drac said and his sister smiled at him.
"To the core."
She ran a hand through her hair and scrunched her nose. "And I don't look wicked looking like this."
He stood from his seat, "So let's go."
They reached the Curl Up and Dye and Drac noticed the sign that said they didn't open until midnight and pointed it out to Mal. She said Evie had history with Dizzy so she'd let them in early.
When they walked through the door Drac could hear music playing and part of him missed Auradon and the music he'd begun to fall in love with there. He shook that feeling off when he saw little Dizzy Tremaine sweeping the floor and spinning around in small graceful circles. He knew he didn't need Auradon, with Mal back they'd take over again and make the Isle ten times better then Auradon anyway.
"Mal! Drac!" Dizzy cheered when she saw them pulling her headphones off her head, "Is Evie back too?"
Mal scoffed, "As if." Dizzy's face dropped but Mal continued talking to get her mind off her friend, "I um forgot that you guys don't open til midnight. Place looks good."
Drac moved to look at several of the broken mirrors that were splashed with hair dye and nail polish while the girls talked. This is how he'd been way back before Ben had invited them to Auradon. He'd go with Mal around the Isle but kept to himself a lot and only made a handful of friends, most of them siblings as well trying to find their place on the Isle. That was how Drac had gotten the reputation of being Mal's shadow before he'd returned alone.
"So what is your deal?" Mal asked, "Has your grandmother given you any customers yet?"
"Just a witch here and there. Mostly it's a lot of scrubbing and scouring and sweeping. Lots and lots of sweeping." Dizzy shrugged looking at her broom.
"Sounds like the old Cinderella treatment hey?"
"Yeah. She's gone from wicked stepmother to wicked grandmother." Drac followed Dizzy's gaze to the ceiling where Lady Tremaine must be until her shop opened at midnight.
"That's not much of a switch." Mal muttered as Drac sat on one of the chairs and started spinning around slowly.
"You hear anything from your cousin Anthony?" Drac asked her, Anthony Tremaine had never gotten along with their group and the last time Drac had seen him was when he'd chased him, Maddy and the rest of their crew off the bridge they'd been trying to throw Mal and the others off of. Drac was secretly trying to see if Dizzy had heard anything her cousin might have let slip about Uma's side of the Isle. Anthony used to have a thing for Mal but when she turned him down he turned his sights to Harriet Hook who had returned the interest, though Drac had heard from CJ that Harriet was just after any treasure the Tremaine's might still have. But if Drac wanted to get an upper hand on Uma Anthony Tremaine could be useful for information.
"You mean Lord Tremaine?" Dizzy asked with a tone of sarcasm and Drac remembered the few times he'd actually gone to class at Dragon Hall and the boy had tried to get the others to call him that since he technically was of royal blood, not that the name ever caught on. "He's been sniffing around the Queen of Hearts Salon – don't tell Granny. I think he's got a crush on Queenie, you know, Red's twin sister?"
Drac snickered as Mal looked around the salon, "Hey Dizzy, you used to do Evie right?"
"Yeah I thought of little braids." She said proudly.
"Got any ideas for me?"
Dizzy tapped her chin and sat Mal down in another chair as she circled her, "The washed out blonde with purple tips? The best of no worlds, you can't see where your face ends and your hair begins." Then she looked at her nails, "Oh what is this? Bored to death pink? Hmmm, how far can I go?"
"The works." Mal shrugged, "I mean, whatever makes me feel like me but, you know, way worse."
"Yay!" Dizzy squealed before grabbing a pair of hedge trimmers from the table making both Mal and Drac share a nervous look.
Dizzy seemed excited to actually get to have customers to herself and not just sweep up after her grandmother. She set down the hedge clippers beside Mal's chair and ran about the room grabbing more supplies. As she rifled through tubs of hair dye and nail polish looking for the right shade of purple she went on and on about how cool it had been that Drac had ran half the Isle by himself and now was being offered a lordship in Auradon's Court. Dizzy was apparently always watching the news broadcast from Auradon, eager to hear anything about Mal, Evie, Drac, Carlos and Jay. Dizzy went on and on about Auradon and how wonderful it must be to live there.
"The grass is always greener." He told Dizzy, "Every place has its ups and downs."
Dizzy then started brushing through Mal's hair and talking about when Drac ran her half of the Isle, Dizzy's shop was just over the border line between what had been his and Uma's turf. Now that he'd been gone Uma had been wrapping her tentacles around more businesses and the Curl Up and Dye had been one of her first conquests. She was creeping over his side of the Isle and Dizzy asked him what he was planning to do about it, now that she assumed he'd be taking back what had been his before.
"He's not by himself anymore." Mal said picking at her nails. "So Uma better really watch out."
Dizzy sighed, "It must be nice to have siblings." She said and they knew the closest she ever had was Evie. As Dizzy began to cut and color Mal's hair he stood up and stretched his arms over his head.
"I'll catch up with you later sis."
"Where are you going?"
"If Uma's been stealing our turf I want an insider's view." He explained, fixing his jacket but leaving it unzipped. "My old spies should be more then willing to help me out there."
Mal quirked a brow again looking impressed, "Your spies?"
"I've got some pull here." He smirked at her as he left and Dizzy began to pour purple over Mal's blonde hair.
Once outside he immediately crossed the alleys to the place with a sign out front that read, 'Hades Souvlaki it's under this world.' He was thankful for the hood on his jacket, which he pulled over his head to hide his obvious hair. He was also glad what he wore bore no logo that would make his identity stick out like a sore thumb. Even the indigo in his outfit would help him blend in better as some anonymous villain kid.
When he went inside the place was dark – darker than the Slop Shop and had even fewer customers. Two little demons were scurrying about trying to keep up with the few orders they had and Drac smiled and chuckled watching Pain and Panic.
"Hey guys." He said as he passed them heading to the back door that led to the stairs that would take him underground and into the tunnels that led to his dad. The two demons crashed into each other in fright as he startled them.
"Drac!"
"Drac!" they cried, partially happy to see him, partially scared.
"We heard you vanished!"
"We heard you might become a lord!"
"How'd you get them to let you back into Auradon?" Panic asked and Pain whacked him.
"With his magic obviously." The stocky pink demon said.
Panic rubbed the side of his head as he turned to Drac, "Ca- can we get you anything?"
"It's on the house!" Pain added.
"Thanks guys but I'm short on time." He declined then crouched down and whispered, "Don't let anyone know I'm here alright?"
They both nodded vigorously before they got back to serving the customers and Drac slipped through the back door. He needed to get a leg up on Uma and her pirates and he figured his father was the best place to start.
Drac couldn't help the small smile that rose on his face and Hades smiled back, Drac had noticed his father had always had more of a soft spot for his kids than his mother had.
"So who's your biggest enemy here? Who's going to target you?" his dad asked leaning back in his chair and resting his feet on the arm. Drac stepped back where there was a wooden rail, he sat on it and propped his foot on the pole that was holding it up.
"Uma, the daughter of Ursula. She's had bad blood with Mal for a while, she'll want to take control now that she's gone."
"Well if the only one we have to worry about is a squid I think we'll be okay." Hades joked and Drac laughed for a moment before turning serious again.
"She's got allies in Hook's son and Gaston's youngest. In a place without magic muscle is everything."
"And numbers." His dad reminded him, "And you've got that from the goblins who served your mother alone. But goblins won't be enough, we'll have to find some big name villains to stand by your claim to the Isle, ones who that Shrimp girl won't tangle with."
Drac nodded glad that at the very least the goblins would help keep Uma away until he could get some of his own street cred without his mom or his sister.
"And you're wrong about the magic." Hades added and Drac looked back at his father.
"That crack in the dome is letting some of it flow back in. Not enough to break out and not enough for everyone. But the strongest will be able to channel a fraction of their power. And if that daughter of Ursula is anything like her mother, she'll be practicing."
"So what can I do?"
Hades chuckled and sat up on his chair resting his elbows on his knees. "I think it's time I taught you some of my old tricks."
Drac heard the record playing dog barking that helped his dad to maintain his solitude and took the final turn revealing Hades' lair. He walked over to the record and pulled the needle off of it. He looked around but didn't see his father anywhere. Did he leave? That didn't sound like him, or something he'd do. Then Drac heard footsteps from another tunnel and saw his father emerge humming to himself and looking very pleased.
"Heyy-eyy Drac." He greeted in a sing songy tone, "Long time no see."
Drac shrugged, "Yeah, sorry about that. It was a, uh, last minute trip."
"Oh I heard." Hades replied smoothly, "Endless Catacombs, talismans, purple dragon, all leading up to you earning yourself a spot as a Lord."
Drac blushed and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he looked at his shoes. The reminder that he would have been made a lord when Mal became a lady always embarrassed him. Then he cleared his throat and shook it off, "How did you hear all that?"
Hades smirked, "People talk on the Isle my boy, they whine about failures and brag about victories. Between the bits my customer's gossip about Pain and Panic heard enough that I pieced it all together. I take it you and Mal recovered the next Dragon's Egg?"
Drac nodded this time holding his head high. Recovering the most wicked of all magical objects was no easy feat and he was proud he'd been able to do so without suffering a single injury. Hades pat his chair and Drac took a seat resting his feet up on the arm and crossing them at the ankle like his father did. Hades sat on the back of the chair with one leg bent over his knee that he rested his elbow on as Drac began telling his father their tale. Everything from running Mad Maddy and her crew off the bridge to how they'd been through the toxic lake, the desert, an abandoned city and finally, his encounter with the dragon. His father expressed how proud he was that Drac had stood up for himself without the aid of his sister and had been the one to rescue her instead of it being the other way around.
"Your sister never knows when to ask for help." He commented, "She tries to do everything on her own."
Drac knew it was true, even leaving Auradon Mal hadn't asked him for help, and she hadn't asked him for help in the weeks of stress leading up to her fight with Ben. But Drac knew she couldn't do everything alone, no one was that strong, and whether she asked for it or not Drac would be there to offer his help.
"I hope she knows how lucky she is to have you." Hades said getting up and moving to a mirror he had nailed to one of the wooden posts keeping the ceiling up. He ran his hand through his blue hair making sure none of it was out of place and Drac took his feet off the arm of the chair and sat up.
"I know she does." He replied remembering the grateful smile Mal had given him back at their hideout when he'd been giving her his advice just before they left for the Curl Up and Dye.
"Hey." Hades called and Drac looked up to see his dad looking at him from over his shoulder. Then he turned and rested his foot on the wooden platform in front of him and rested his elbow on his knee again, "No matter what happens you follow what you want. What you believe, okay?"
Drac nodded his head and Hades smiled at him.
- - LONG LIVE EVIL - -
"Hey, there I am."
"Voila." Dizzy said.
"Voila." Mal agreed taking out some money and paying her.
"For me?" Dizzy asked with wide eyes.
"Yeah you earned it." Mal said as she smiled before moving to the register. Then someone else walked into the shop and Mal went on the offensive turning on her best glare as Harry Hook stole the money she had just paid Dizzy.
"Fork it over ya runt." He said before banging his hook on the register, "And the rest of it."
There was a high pitched ching as the drawer opened and Harry put the blue and gold Auradon dollars between his teeth as Dizzy handed him more money.
"Thank you." He said presumptuously as he turned for the door.
"Still running errands for Uma? Or do you actually get to keep what you steal?" Mal said in the tone she used when she wanted to intimidate someone. Harry turned, pulled the money from his teeth and looked at her in shock, clearly he'd never expected to see her back.
"Well, well, well. What a nice surprise." He said using his most seductive tone of voice.
"Hi Harry." Mal replied dull and bored.
"Just WAIT until Uma hears you're back." He said seeming delighted, "She's never going to give you back your old territory." He said looking Mal up and down trying to find a weakness he could pick at, a nervous twitch of a finger, shifting from one foot to another – but Mal didn't back down easily.
"Oh, well, that's okay. Because we will be taking it." Mal said making Harry tilt his head at the word 'we'. Slowly he ran his hook through her purple hair.
"I could hurt ye." He threatened and Mal grabbed his hook.
"Not without her permission I bet." Her words made Harry pause and they both knew they were true. Being first mate Harry couldn't act without orders especially since Uma would definitely want to take down Mal herself. Harry turned his glare back to Mal as she smirked and took her gum from her mouth and put it on the end of Harry's hook. He smirked before bringing the hook to his lips and snatching the gum between his teeth as he turned to leave. Before he did he swiped his hand along the table and knocked everything to the ground in a messy clatter. Then, in good form, he bowed to them before taking his leave.
"Great, more sweeping." Dizzy whined.
Harry continued his strut as he left the Curl Up and Dye, all around him people ducked into the shadows or did their best to avoid eye contact with him. Knowing all it took with him was one wrong look and he'd –
But he never got to finish the thought as he bumped into someone who turned the corner with confidence like they owned the place. And once Harry got a good look at him he grinned evilly.
"Well, well." His voice practically hissed, "Today must be my lucky day."
"Hook." Drac replied standing tall, though his form was not as tall as Harry's. But his posture was unafraid. Harry might have height and muscle, but Drac had magic, even if it wasn't much, he could still set someone on fire.
"I just saw yer sister." Harry laughed, "Hehehe, looks like the little dragon is back to playing second fiddle eh? Hope ya enjoyed being on top while it lasted."
"Funny, that's what I was going to say to your captain when Mal and I take our turf back." Drac replied smirking but Harry's grin only widened.
"Yeh were clever I'll give ya that. Usin' them witches ta spy on our land. But Uma found a way of keepin' them out."
Drac's tough guy expression faltered for a moment. How did Harry find out about the Sanderson Sisters? They were a big name yes, but often they were overlooked. Drac had been sure he'd be able to resort to using them again. Apparently not.
In Drac's silence Harry became even more gladdened, "I could skin yeh right now if I wanted." He said stepping forward menacingly as Drac stepped back two paces.
"No you couldn't." Drac replied trying to regain the upper hand.
"And what makes ye say that?" Harry asked challengingly.
A wide smile spread on Drac's face, "Because if you hurt me, I doubt CJ would appreciate it."
Harry's look turned murderous as he grit his teeth and snarled as he stepped forward meaning to attack. But Drac lifted his hand and conjured a green flame, its appearance seemed to make Harry pause as he remembered the threat Drac could possess. Then his charcoal lined eyes went from the flame to Drac.
"Yer right." He admitted as he stepped back and smirked, "CJ would much rather gut you like a codfish herself."
Before Drac could ask him any more questions Harry walked off as he began to whistle leisurely. Inside Drac had this clawing feeling to go after Hook and demand answers. But then he remembered his sister, Mal still needed him and they had to stick together. Uma had removed one of his most powerful allies from his side of the board and now Drac had to come up with some new plans.