AN;
Warnings for this chapter;
. Swearing
. Violence (Nothing graphic, but the intent is there.)
Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
Cassie realised quickly that getting into his room had been way too easy, and in her mind, she relentlessly scolded herself for not having seen it sooner. All the other doors had been locked tight, all except his. But, while she felt greatly annoyed at being bested by a pirate, she had to admit he was quite the clever one.
She quickly glanced at the open door behind him, knowing full well that - if she was lucky enough to somehow catch him off guard - she could slip by and be on her way. Cassie didn't want to fight him, and if she could spare herself from doing so then she would. All she wanted to do now was go back home, but if she had to throw a few to stay alive then she was more than willing to do so.
The pirate in front of her didn't move, and for that fact alone Cassie was slightly grateful. He kept his distance, standing tall and unmoving from his spot close to the door. His eyes slowly scrutinized her from head to toe, a small and thoughtful frown on his face as he debated whether or not she posed a large threat to him.
When his gaze narrowed in on the pocket watch around her neck, Cassie clasped the charm tight in her right hand, hiding it from his view. As soon as she did, though, his eyes snapped up to meet hers. She hardened her gaze and he tilted his head in slight intrigue, his eyes darting between her own and the object she grasped in her hand.
'Mine.' She didn't have to say it out loud for him to get the idea. The glare on her face and the whitening of her knuckles around the charm spoke volumes. The 'special thing' might have been his only minutes ago, but now it was hers, and she wasn't giving it up for anything.
The pirate in front of her stared back, his glare almost mirroring hers precisely. He raised his chin and dropped his arms to his sides, his shoulders back and chest pushed out in a rather overdramatic display of strength. He was showing her that, between the two of them, he was the biggest in the room right now and there was no way she could possibly match up to him.
Even in her human form, Cassie always relied on body language to make her decisions. Soft and soothing voices didn't mean anything to her, especially if they had evil intentions: Which the majority of the Isle possessed when it came to her. She wouldn't dare go anywhere near someone if she thought for one second that they were a threat. After all, she was rather small in her feline state and she could never attempt to win a fight with a rather large person. Even in her human form, she was small, and though her slender body and short stature helped her hide, it didn't quite help her when she had to seem somewhat threatening.
In a matter of seconds, this pirate had shown her that he was the dominant one between them and that he would be the one to win if she had to fight her way out. And while it greatly pained her to admit it, she had to admit it was true.
Cassie gave a small pout of displeasure, and the pirate smirked. He kept his posture straight and took a step forward, only to stop and give a small chuckle as Cassie growled a small warning. It wasn't exactly as threatening as it would have been while she was in her feline form, but it got her point across.
"Now that that's out of the way," he muttered, "Who exactly are ya?"
Cassie pursed her lips and crossed her arms, her brows raised as she rather blatantly refused to answer his question. This man didn't need to know her name or who she was. He didn't need to know anything, and she had absolutely no desire to tell him either.
"Not much of a talker, are ya?" he wondered, noting her defiance. "Well then, if ya won' tell me who ya are, then tell me what ya're doin' on my ship."
Cassie's mouth dropped open at his words, and a small shiver made its way through her body. She hadn't even considered the idea that she was dealing with the Captain of the ship she was on, she'd just assumed he was a part of the crew. In a way, though, it made sense. The way he presented himself, even before she'd gotten close to him, was very 'alpha-male' in a way. Everything about him screamed 'Isle' or 'leader' and she hated to admit that it scared her.
"Oh I can' wait till Uma hears about this," he laughed.
Cassie frowned, her brows furrowed in slight confusion. "Uma?" she asked.
"Ah! So she does speak," he exclaimed happily, taking yet another step forward.
Cassie spread her legs slightly, her feet firmly planted against the floor, and growled once more. The danger he presented was not lost on the young girl. If he came any closer then she had no choice: She would have to run.
The pirate laughed at her attempt to keep him back, and Cassie rolled her eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing, and now so did she. He could have run straight toward her as soon as he caught her in his room, but he hadn't. For whatever reason, this pirate seemed to enjoy messing around with people and she was merely another victim.
"Uma is my Captain," he explained, "She's the one who'll decide what ta do with ya."
Cassie knew that she should have felt, at least a little, worried about what he said. After all, she wasn't naïve, even she'd heard that pirates often enjoyed sending their enemies into the dangerous water below their ships. But his statement only raised more questions in her mind.
"Uma's your Captain?" she asked, and he nodded. "But you said this was your ship."
The pirate smiled and held out his arms. "It is my ship, love."
"But you're not the Captain," she pointed out, her complete bewilderment rather obvious. "How is it yours if you're not the Captain?"
The pirate scowled at her persistent curiosity and Cassie realised she'd hit a touchy subject, of sorts. The mischievous glimmer in his bright-blue eyes was long gone, replaced with something that - even though she had no idea what it was - unnerved her. He didn't talk again and neither did she, knowing full well that she'd let her mouth run again and it had gotten her into something she could have avoided.
However, how was she to know her inquiries would piss him off? Despite the rather volatile tension brewing between the both of them, Cassie felt she'd been rather justified in her question. She'd assumed he was the Captain when he announced the ship she now stood on was his, and he had puzzled her when he brought up this 'Uma' person. Cassie hadn't ever been around pirates before, so how on earth was she supposed to know how things worked? She just assumed that if someone owned the ship, then they were automatically declared Captain. It wasn't her fault she was rather anti-social and didn't know anything about anyone unless it was whispered on the street.
From the looks she was currently receiving, though, Cassie had a small feeling this pirate wasn't quite so eager to hear her out.
"I'll ask ya again, little kitty. What the fuck are ya doin' on my ship?" His voice was strong and loud, the unusual accent he held thicker when he was angry. She knew she had to answer straight this time... or else.
"Isn't it obvious?" she wondered, her hand pointedly loosening around the charm to reveal it to him.
"Ah," the pirate chuckled humourlessly, her earlier - and apparently offensive - question still firmly rooted in his mind. "So ya're a thief then."
Cassie growled once more, this one much louder than her warnings before. "I am not a thief!"
The pirate's earlier grin slid back onto his face, irritating Cassie further. She loathed that term with every fibre of her being. She wasn't a thief, not really. Yes, she sometimes took things that didn't belong to her, and maybe she did, technically, 'borrow' them from their original owners. But thieves were slippery and sneaky, dipping their grubby little fingers into the pockets of everyone for absolutely no reason. They took whatever they wanted and - as far as she knew - they took things they didn't even need. They were greedy and selfish and everything she hated, and she didn't consider herself one. She only took the pretty things, the special things, objects that were beautiful and meaningful, and everything the Isle wasn't. She was a collector, not a thief.
"Sorry kitty-cat," the pirate winced with mock sympathy. "Did I touch a soft spot there?"
Cassie sighed and lowered her eyes for a moment. She couldn't let her emotions get the best of her, not now while she was cornered in his room and severely outmatched. She had to play it smart and bide her time.
"Tell me then love," he began, crossing his arms across his chest. "If ya're not a thief, then what are ya?"
Cassie frowned and eyed him warily, a little unsure of whether she should answer or not. Everyone dubbed her a 'thief', and she never stuck around long enough for them to ask anything else. By the time they realised something of theirs was missing she was long gone, already halfway home and toying with whatever 'special thing' she'd found that night. She didn't speak to people, and people didn't speak to her. Not that that was an option during the day. She only ever left the tower when she felt that familiar itch again, and she did what she had to and then went home. So for her to stand here now with this pirate and have him ask her what she did... well, it certainly wasn't something she was used to.
He'd thrown her off completely. She knew he didn't really want to hear her answer: If anything he was probably toying with her again. And while she partly wished he'd just do something and get it over with, a tiny fraction of her wanted to tell him. The idea of someone... anyone, knowing why she did what she did was rather enticing in its own way, and she couldn't ignore it.
"I-I only take the pretty things," she admitted quietly.
"The pricey things, then," he assumed, and she vehemently shook her head.
"I don't sell them. I keep them."
The pirate frowned and tilted his head, and Cassie almost giggled. "What do ya do with 'em?" he asked with obvious confusion.
"I play with them," she said with a small shrug. "I like how pretty they are." The little cat could tell by the puzzled expression on his face that he still had no idea what she was talking about, but she didn't quite care either. He was listening to her, and that was more than anyone else had ever done.
"Why did ya follow me?" he asked rather abruptly.
"You had something with you when you left the others," she replied honestly. "Something shiny. It caught my eye, I guess."
The pirate laughed in amusement and raised a brow. "Was it this?" He raised his left arm and Cassie shrank back, another growl forming at the back of her throat. "Easy little kitty," he reassured her, "I just wanna show ya somethin'."
Cassie nodded but made sure to keep her concentration this time. During their small 'chat' she'd gotten lost in the topic at hand and had somehow forgotten just how much shit she was in, and how dangerous this pirate was or could be. She couldn't let her guard down in here, not for a single second.
He carried on raising his arm, slower this time now that he knew she wasn't a fan of quick movements, and Cassie felt somewhat relieved at the fact. She kept her eyes on his as he moved, looking for any sign that he may try and hurt her, but her gaze immediately swayed when the soft glow from the candle reflected on whatever it was he was holding.
A small gasp of wonderment came through her parted lips, and she took a hesitant step closer. She'd always been a huge fan of finding 'special things' that she hadn't ever been able to find before, and this was one of them.
The object in question was only a hook; Albeit a very large one. It had a handle for him to safely keep hold of it, and the shape was somewhat astounding. It looked so smooth and so well polished that she knew it wasn't just another stupid weapon on the Isle. It shined and held a rather murky reflection of anything close, but the light bounced off of it in just the right way, and she was so utterly captivated.
"Ya like this, don' ya?" he whispered, and she nodded. He ever so slowly moved it from side to side, and her dark eyes followed. "Would ya class this as a 'pretty thing' love?"
"Yes," she breathed instantaneously, the beautiful object around her neck quickly forgotten. "I've never had a hook before." He gave a small laugh at her admission, and though it confused her greatly she didn't focus on it.
"Trust me on this, love, if ya weren' tryin' ta steal from me then ya would've by now."
Cassie paused and ran his rather odd remark through her mind. "Huh?" she wondered.
"Hook." The pirate licked his lips and stared down at her, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. "It's my name, love."
All too quickly, the weight of the situation came down on Cassie like a bucket of ice-cold water. She swiftly took a few steps away from him, not realising before just how close he'd managed to pull her in when he showed her his hook.
'Oh, you stupid fuck-' Cassie cut her inner rant away in an instant, but the overwhelming idiocy and embarrassment weren't lost on her. She'd been so preoccupied with finding and keeping her 'special thing' that she hadn't even noticed the weapon he carried around with him. She couldn't admit that she knew who he was, but she'd heard rather terrifying tales about his father. How he was the most ruthless and insane pirate on the Isle, and how he'd spent a good amount of his villainous life trying to murder a thirteen-year-old boy. The Hook name wasn't foreign to her, not even in the middle of the Isle, but she never thought she'd have the misfortune to meet the man himself.
But she wasn't dealing with Captain Hook: She was dealing with his son. No one could possibly be of rational mind after being raised by a psychotic - and rather powerful - father. The man she was dealing with now had become a much larger threat than she'd anticipated, and she knew that - if she escaped this alive - she'd be kicking herself for not noticing it sooner all damn night.
"I'm a little hurt love," the pirate laughed, apparently satisfied with the reaction she'd given him. "All I did was tell ya my name, an' now look at ya. Not so curious anymore, are we?"
Cassie pouted childishly. "What do you want?"
"I want a lot of things little kitty, but right now all I want is yar name."
"Why?" she snapped, lightly shuffling her weight from foot to foot. She couldn't hide how anxious she was now, and she was more than ready to run the moment she had the green light.
"'Y' is a letter you ought to know better," he drawled ominously, and Cassie raised her brows with utter bewilderment.
"Wha-"
"Tell me yer name, kitty," he demanded firmly, cutting through her question before it was even asked.
"It's Cassie," she said rapidly, regretting her answer as soon as it flew through her lips. She truly hadn't planned on telling him anything, but he was somehow different from others she'd encountered on the Isle, and - for some ridiculous reason - her annoyance flared around him. One minute he was a threat, and then he wasn't, and then he was again. It was all very frustrating and she didn't like it one bit.
"Cassie eh?" the pirate repeated with a small nod, testing the name on his tongue. "I like it. It suits ya."
Cassie didn't dignify him with a response. How could she? She'd already embarrassed herself enough tonight. First by not seeing the obvious trap laid out for her on the ship, then for even talking to him about her strange habits, and lastly for not recognizing him as Hook's son the minute she laid eyes on his weapon. She was really out of sorts tonight.
"So here's what's gonna happen little kitty," he began slowly, and she frowned. "Ya're gonna put that-" he pointed to the pocket watch around her neck, "-back where ya found it." She opened her mouth to object, but he carried on. "But I like ya. So I'm gonna let ya go."
Cassie's eyes widened. "W-what?"
"Hmm, I don' know what it is about ya love. It does seem like a waste ta kill ya," he commented with a small sigh, his eyes slowly raking over her form once again. "I'd hate ta have ta hook somethin' so pretty."
Cassie felt the small hairs on the back of her neck raise at the thought of his hook piercing her skin, but she couldn't withhold a small scoff at his words. How could someone this insane be so charming? It was ridiculous, and not at all fair.
"How 'bout this then, love? I'll let ya take somethin' from my little treasures over there," He tilted his head to the side and Cassie looked over, wrinkling her nose at the pathetic knock-offs on his desk. "Think of it as a reminder of our little chat. Eh?"
Cassie lightly rolled her eyes skyward to make it seem as though she were debating his offer when in reality it was somewhat far from her mind. He was being rather generous with her now, and even though she had no idea why, she wasn't about to challenge him outright. But he was so willing to hand over whatever trinket he had on his desk, and yet he'd told her to put the pocket watch back. She would understand him more if she was trying to take his hook. After all, he seemed to keep it close to him and was rather unwilling to part with it. But he'd left the pocket watch in his room, unattended, like it was a simple piece of wall art when in reality it was so much more.
"Does this mean something to you?" she asked instead, sliding the charm between her fingers.
"If I said yeah, would ya hand it over?"
This pirate was good; Very good. All night he'd had her stumped and struggling to answer, and since he'd confronted her she'd been on a small whirlwind of emotions. But now she had him. He could try to act indifferent to the fact she had the pocket watch around her neck, but even she'd noticed the way his eyes often wandered down to the object she held. She didn't know if he knew, but he held his breath every time she played with the pocket watch as if her small hands would somehow break it. For whatever reason, he wasn't enjoying the fact that she had his pocket watch, and Cassie could only assume it meant something more to him in some way.
However, his obvious desire to take back what was his just made Cassie want it more. It wasn't just a 'special thing' anymore. Now, it was a meaningful 'special thing'. The best thing of all. The personal and beautiful objects were the hardest to find, especially on the Isle where people didn't care about anything but themselves. The majority of the Isle residents would happily trade their family members for something they thought they needed, but she'd somehow found the one person who had something that held personal significance, and it just so happened to be a very beautiful thing.
"I think I'm gonna keep it," the little cat told him with a long-winded sigh.
Her answer didn't please him one bit. "Ya're playin' a very dangerous game little kitty," he told her, stretching out his arm to point the dreaded hook in her direction. "Ya're jus' as crazy as yar dad if ya think ya're leavin' with that."
The mere mention of her father sent the small girl into a rather sudden, and overwhelming, fit of anger. She was genuinely surprised when instead of a growl, a pitched hissing noise came from her throat. Her dark eyes flashed a bright and luminescent yellow, and for a moment her vision made an abrupt and startling transition.
"Another one with daddy issues, eh?" the pirate taunted, releasing a small and hateful chuckle in her direction. "Why am I not surprised?" He moved his arm back to his side and looked her over once more. Instead of the intrigue and slight amusement his eyes held before, this time it was something akin to disappointment. The small revelation that she was deeply offended by someone talking bad about her father lessened his interest in some way.
"I've got daddy issues?" she snapped in retaliation, pushing her small 'episode' to the back of her mind. "I'm not the one running around with a hook on my hand, am I? I didn't join some stupid little pirate crew to prove something to my father-"
"Ya don' wanna do this, love," he warned, the small circle of black in his eyes contracting with each shot she fired at him.
"What? You don't like it?" she continued, ignoring the red flags waving erratically in her head. She'd only just met the guy, and she didn't know shit about him or his father, but by the way he was reacting, she could safely assume she was hitting the mark. "Lemme guess, the big bad crocodile didn't want your hand, huh? Can't say I blame him. I've heard about your daddy too, yah know. Poor Tic-Tock probably didn't want to spend the rest of the night throwing up all that black, tainted blood in your veins."
That was it; That was what broke the pirate. Cassie barely had time to dodge the vicious swing he took with his hooked hand, but she did. He was undoubtedly stronger, but she was much, much faster. When he fell over the edge and decided to make his move, taking a large lunge forward at the same time, he put a decent amount of space between himself and the door. Enough distance for Cassie to quickly slide underneath his arm and take the escape given to her.
It didn't take long for Cassie to sprint through the hallway and back up onto the ship. She ran with as much speed as she had in her, her small legs carrying her over the bridge she'd found so hard to cross and into the maze that was the Isle streets. She had no idea which way to go, or which way was safest, but she could hear the loud thuds his footsteps made as he chased her, so she tried hard not to think. All she had to do was get back into familiar territory and take it from there.
"Cassie!"
She ignored him as he called her name, her entire form filled with a fierce determination to get back home. If he caught her then he'd kill her, and she had no doubts about that fact. She'd been stupid enough to push him as he had her, and now she was paying for it.
Cassie made a sharp turn to the right, only to find herself in a state of utter panic when she realised she'd hit a dead end. She ran her hands through her hair with frustration, her head twisting in every direction in an attempt to seek out some kind of exit route. But there wasn't one. No ladders, no holes in the walls for her to try and climb. Nothing.
"No! No, no, no," she muttered in disbelief, her heart beating loudly in her ears and painfully in her chest as she realised there really was no way for her to get out of this one.
"Cassie!"
The small girl trembled at the sound of his voice, a quiet whimper leaving her throat as she realised how close he was. She slowly wrapped her arms around herself and stumbled back into the wall caging her in, sliding her back against the wooden planks as she sank to the dirty and cold floor.
In some way, Cassie had always known that her curiosity and unrelenting stubbornness would eventually lead to her death on the Isle. She'd always been such a nosy little thing, constantly intrigued by shiny and pretty objects, and every time before she knew one day she wouldn't be as fortunate as to make it back home. But she hadn't imagined her 'time' would come so early on in her life.
Cassie took deep and shaky breaths, her dark eyes wandering down to the pocket watch still around her neck. If she'd just given it back to him then he would have let her go. Although, on the Isle, people rarely stuck to their word and she truly had no way of knowing if he really would have let her walk away. She preferred to assume he would've killed her then and there. At least then she could reassure herself that running had been the right thing.
She pushed down on the button above the pocket watch and it popped open. It really was a 'special thing', maybe the most special of all since she'd soon be dead because of it.
A small and sad smile spread across her face as she watched the hands on the clock move. The hands read five o'clock, and Cassie couldn't deny her slight surprise at the sight. She was very rarely out of her home when the sun came up, since she almost always made sure she got back before sunrise. After all, she couldn't ever risk the transition in such plain sight, and bringing her 'special things' back home was always such a pain in the ass when she was in her feline form.
'Motherfucker!' she thought, her eyes widening with hope and realisation. She jumped to her feet and looked up at the dark clouds that always loomed over the Isle, the grey now faintly tinged with specks of orange and pink. She yelped in great happiness and turned around to face the wall, her hands firmly pressed against the wood as she peeked through the cracks. She had to make sure it wasn't just wishful thinking. She had to make sure it really was morning.
Cassie felt it taking place before she saw it, and for the first time in a long while, she couldn't completely hate it. Her nose crinkled as she smiled, a breathy giggle of relief coming through her lips. She didn't know if her prayers had been answered, or if she somehow had the most amazing luck in the land tonight, either way, she couldn't contain how truly grateful she felt.
She wasn't going to die. Not tonight anyway.
Cassie closed her eyes and tilted her head back, her feet and legs becoming numb as her 'curse' took place. The rest of her body soon followed suit, and for a tiny second, she felt absolutely nothing, like she was floating mid-air. But the dreaded sensation of feeling like someone had punched her in the stomach with all of their strength also returned, and Cassie couldn't hold the shriek in her throat as pins and needles spread through every inch of her skin.
In a quick flash of white light, Cassie finally felt her feet touch the ground. But instead of the two normal feet she enjoyed using, she now had four paws.
'Damn it,' she thought, the sound of crunching gravel hitting her sensitive ears. She couldn't stick around for him to find her, but she couldn't leave her clothes and 'special thing' either.
Cassie jumped to action in an instant, her small fangs closing in around the soft material of the dress she wore in the nighttime. She struggled to drag it back behind a small wooden crate, and she repeated the motion with her shoes and the 'special thing' until every item she held was hidden safely. She made sure to nestle the pocket watch into the bundle, securely hidden amongst the black fabric. It wasn't the smartest decision she'd ever made, but it was the only one she could make.
When her job was done, Cassie slid into the small crate, her wide and yellow eyes eagerly awaiting the pirate she could hear approaching. She knew he wouldn't see her, but she had to hide anyway. He was a smart one, and since he seemed to know full well who her father was, all it would take was one look at the black cat that appeared out of nowhere and he'd know it was her.
The pirate soon appeared from behind the corner, and Cassie shrank back, her thick tail fluffing in alert at the sight of him. He didn't linger long in the alley she was in. A quick look around and he was gone again, muttering obscenities as he stormed back the way he came from.
Cassie slowly manoeuvred out from behind the crate as soon as he left. She could still hear his footsteps as he walked away, and his insults were loud and clear in her ears. He wasn't pleased that she'd gotten away from him, and Cassie knew that from this point on she'd have to use extreme caution when she eventually left Bargain Castle again. She'd never taken a 'special thing' and been seen by the victim before, but this time he'd really seen her, and she knew now that - for a good while at least - she'd have a small target painted on her back.
With the threat gone, Cassie finally let herself relax. Not too much, though. She was still in unfamiliar territory, after all, and it would take a little time for her to get back to Bargain Castle. The worst thing of all, though, was that she'd have to do it without her belongings. Dragging them through the streets would only draw attention, and she really didn't want to get them dirty. All she could do was leave them and return before the sun went down, and after that, she could leave this side of the Isle for good. She'd almost lost her life to the pirate and it wasn't a lesson she was going to forget anytime soon.
The small girl, now a small and furry black cat, begrudgingly started her walk home. She really, really didn't want to leave her things behind, and she hated the idea of having to come back to this side of town to get them. She just assured herself that after tonight she'd get her stuff and leave, and she wouldn't ever have to be here again.
That was the hope anyway.
~...~...~
Harry shoved the doors to Ursula's Chip Shoppe open with great force, the rickety doors barely staying put as they crashed against the wall. He hastily removed his sword and placed it into the sword check box, only then continuing his journey to find his Captain.
Everything had been going so well. The Core Four had willingly abandoned the Isle and decided to stay in Auradon, their declaration of choosing 'good' seen by everyone with a T.V. And, with Maleficent gone as well, so was the Isle's hierarchy. Everyone on the damn island had been fighting their way up the ladder tonight, stealing, trashing, and murdering whoever and whatever they felt like. But while the rest of the Isle had been erratically proving their own points, he and the crew had been given their task to complete.
'They're gone, now it's our turn. It's time to show the Isle who we are.'
The first mate replayed Uma's words in his head perfectly. She'd wanted to erase every memory of the Core Four from the Isle and he'd done his best to follow her wishes. They'd spray-painted nearly every territory mark and more, even going as far as to hit Jafar's Junk Shop, Hell Hall, and even the Evil Queen's Castle. They'd had a mark to make and they'd done it. By the time the new day was over everyone would know who they are, and who had taken over the Isle. Their time had finally come and they weren't going to waste any of it.
Harry shoved an innocent bystander into another table, his overwhelming frustration at having lost the little kitty still fresh. He wasn't in the mood to play today, and it was all her fault.
The son of Hook quickly pushed down on the button on the T.V., the ramblings of a well-dressed woman filling the otherwise silent room. He slid himself onto the stool next to Gil, removing the tricorn hat from his head and placing it beside him on the table. His eyes, surrounded by thick and black eyeliner he'd stolen from his sister months ago, stared a hole into the table, his twisted mind forming new and rather creative ways to hook the little kitty when he found her again.
A blue tray filled with chips, and whatever the hell else, dropped down in front of him, blocking his view of the table, and Harry looked up.
"You did good," his Captain praised with a small smirk, resting her right hip against the table.
Harry grunted and nodded his head in thanks, grasping a mushy and cold chip with his fingers and chucking it into his mouth. He didn't mean to be so short with Uma, but he really couldn't help himself. The little cat had put him in a bad mood and until he had her warm blood dripping from his hook it wouldn't leave. He had to find her again, but his eyes itched awfully from the lack of sleep and his stomach rumbled, both small reminders that until he ate and slept for an hour, or two at least, he wouldn't be able to find her.
Uma pursed her lips in slight annoyance. She thought that, after last night, he'd be in somewhat of a good mood. But instead, he was sulking, chewing on his food with little enthusiasm as his eyes roamed the room in thought. "What?" she demanded.
The first mate rolled his eyes and reluctantly turned his head. "What are ya on about?" he asked her with a groan.
"You got your 'hook face' on," she said, her brows raising as she pointed towards his face. "Something happened."
"Nothin' happened, alright?" he muttered curtly, lowering his voice to avoid any of the customers overhearing their conversation. "Drop it, yeah?"
The teal-haired Captain furrowed her brows and crossed her arms, standing straight in an obvious sign of defiance. "No," she said firmly.
"Uma," he warned with a growl. He wouldn't dare hurt his Captain, but he was teetering on the edge right now and Uma was fond of pushing.
"Gil saw you like-" she paused and thought for a second, "- an hour and a half ago. What happened?"
Harry clenched his jaw and brought his hook down onto the table with a loud and echoing thud, the sharp point digging firmly into the surface. He looked up and found the entire Shoppe had fallen into silence, the surrounding pirates staring wide and fearfully toward him and Uma.
"What?!" the Captain yelled fiercely, and the customers rushed to continue what they'd been doing before Harry had lost his temper.
When she was satisfied everyone had stopped looking, Uma turned back to Harry and stared up at him in silence, patiently waiting for him to explain. She hadn't been at all shaken or startled by his small act of vandalism in her Shoppe; If anything she'd half-expected it. After all, they'd known each other for so long now and she knew his bad habits just as well as she knew the good. If Harry really wanted to hurt her then the hook would be inside her stomach, not firmly lodged in her table. Something, or someone, had made him lose it this morning, and she just had to find out what.
"What happened out there, Harry?" she asked again.
"Not 'ere," the first mate replied with a grunt, yanking his hook from the wood in a rather smooth motion. It wasn't the first time, and it wouldn't be the last.
"Fine, c'mon." Uma turned and walked quickly toward the back room. She didn't have to turn to make sure he was coming, she knew he was.
They walked past the kitchen, and past the stairs leading down to her mom's 'room', following the small hallway until they came into the supply room. It stank of fish, the wet floor slippery beneath their feet as they carefully entered. It was mostly used for storing the food not being used, but it was also Uma's room when they had to talk about something away from the rest of the crew. No one was stupid enough to risk her mom catching them out of the Shoppe, and barely anyone could stand the smell. It wasn't top-notch, but it was all she had.
"Right, spill," she demanded, perching at the edge of a wooden box.
"I felt someone followin' us when we were finishin' up," he began, running his fingers through his hair with utter exasperation. "It wasn' gone when we got back so I split from the lads, and went to the ship instead."
"Made yourself a target; Smart," noted Uma, then giving a small nod for him to continue.
"I tried ta throw 'em off, tried ta catch 'em out; Nothin' happened. So I did something differen', I went inta the ship and then came out, made it look like I was comin' back 'ere."
The teal-haired Captain listened as he carried on with his story, noticing the way his right hand constantly clenched and unclenched. He was pissed, that much was obvious, and she had to wonder exactly what happened to make him so angry.
"I waited 'round the corner for 'em ta show up, an' they did. She moved quick though, went straight below deck," he explained.
"You let an intruder into the ship?" she inquired, pressing her lips together as a small wave of annoyance rushed through her.
"Will ya jus' listen?" he sighed impatiently, and Uma nodded reluctantly. "Anyway, they went in an' I came in after. I knew where she was, I was clever enough ta leave my door unlocked-"
"Harry." Uma interrupted him, ignoring the scowl he fired in her direction. "I've got shit to do, can we get to the point?"
"She took the watch, Uma," spat Harry, slamming his closed fist against the wall.
The Captain raised her brows with utter bewilderment. She knew Harry could lose his shit at the smallest things, but this was ridiculous. All this trouble over one little watch? Surely he was losing his mind... more than he already had anyway.
"Harry, we're gonna be running this place soon. When we do, you can take all the watches you want, 'kay?" she told him with exaggerated and feigned reassurance, rising to her feet when she felt satisfied with the information he'd given her.
"Ya don' get it, Uma," he seethed, his blue eyes burning with an intense fury. Uma didn't know what the little kitty had taken from him, if she did then she wouldn't be so quick to dismiss his words.
"It's a fucking watch, Harry!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in slight exasperation.
The first mate bit down on his tongue to avoid lashing out at his Captain - and best friend. He stalked forward and craned his neck awkwardly, staring straight into her dark eyes. "She didn' take a watch, Uma, she took the watch." He scanned his Captain's face attentively, his anger dimming somewhat as he took in each change of her expression when she finally understood what he was telling her.
Uma's mouth dropped open in obvious shock, her brows practically raising to her hairline as she repeated his words in her head. "Oh shit." Was all she managed to whisper.
"Oh shite, indeed," he agreed, backing away from his Captain.
"W-who was it?" she asked, unabashedly showing just how taken aback she was at the news he'd just given her. In truth, she was very, very eager to know who had been stupid enough to steal Harry's pocket watch and think they could get away with it. Her first mate might not be as famous on the other parts of the Isle, but since they'd formed their crew he'd certainly made a name for himself: And not in a good way. Surely whoever this person was had heard about him, and for some insane reason this person had been idiotic enough to take one of the two objects he cared about.
Whoever it was, they were dead.
"Her name is Cassie," he told her, lightly carving lines into the wall with his hook. "Cheshire Cat's daughter."
"You sure?"
"You know anyone else who'd run 'round with hardly any clothes on an' cat ears on their 'ead?" he deadpanned, and Uma glared in response. "She got pissed when I mentioned tha guy."
"So," the teal-haired girl breathed with a long sigh, finally coming back to her usual self now that the surprise had worn off. "What are you gonna do?" A part of her didn't want to know, but as his Captain, she had to. It was her job to take care of her crew, and even though they were on the same level Harry was included in this. He took care of her, and she took care of him, and that hadn't changed. But it was also their turn to rule the Isle, and she had to know that he wouldn't be reckless with his new power. One little cat wouldn't be a problem, but if that cat had certain allies then it could become a big issue. Especially when they were so short with numbers.
"I may need some 'elp findin' the little kitty. When I do I don' need anyone else, I get ta do what I need ta do. Is that alright?" He was asking for permission, and that was a true rarity when it came to Harry. He was wildly impulsive and adored messing around with people on the Isle. But he was loyal, and sometimes understanding. He knew she had a higher authority when it came to them both, and he knew full well the problems he could cause if he hooked the wrong person. If she said no then he'd take her answer and leave, go back home, and wreak havoc on whichever poor soul happened to come into his view on the way. But if she said yes then he could do what he had to with no restrictions and no worries. In the end, she was Captain, and he would always listen to her.
"I know what the watch means to you," she whispered thoughtfully, her right hand taking the familiar path up toward the chain around her neck. She didn't care much for her mom anymore, but she still felt the joy and pride she'd felt that day when her mom had given her the necklace. The first time she'd gone into the water she was once so scared of, and successfully transformed into the ocean-dwelling being she was always supposed to be, her mom had been strangely pleased. And to show just how happy she was with her daughter she'd given her something priceless.
The pocket watch the Cheshire Cat's daughter had taken was to Harry what Uma's shell necklace was to her. It was the first - and last - time their parents had ever shown any interest in their offspring, and it certainly wasn't something a thief could take without punishment.
"Go for it."
Harry stayed silent for a moment, lightly shaking his head to make sure he'd heard her. "Ya what?"
"Do it," she said, clearer this time. She understood what he had to do and she knew full well she'd be the same way if someone took her pendant from her. "But be careful about this, Harry. We don't need a war on our asses."
"Ya insultin' my intelligence, Uma?" he teased with a large grin of excitement. Harry chuckled at the unamused look she gave him and took her left hand in his right, lifting her knuckles to his face to press a gentle kiss there. "I won' let ya down."
AN;
Hi readers! Just wanted to say a big thank-you to you who've reviewed, favourited and followed. It means a lot that you like this and are interested in reading more.
Sasha2702; I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter, I hope you like this one as well :)
StrawberryNeko7; I'm so glad you enjoy my writing, it means a lot :) And I'm really happy you enjoy how I write Harry in these fics. It's a lot darker than a few other stories I've read but - in my mind at least, Harry's a pretty crazy character and capable of doing terrible things. But I'm glad you like it.
Lola Vegas; :D
X Blue Eyed Demon X; I'm glad you liked the first chapter!
Anyway, please leave a review or PM to let me know what you think, or if you have any questions and stuff. And follows and favourites are also appreciated!
Thanks!
Any typos or misspells will be removed once I've had a proper read-through.