AN;
Hi readers!
There will be a few new characters in this story. So, as a reminder, the only characters of my own creation are Cassie and Helena. All the others belong to the Descendants creators/writers.
Also, I never did watch the animated Descendants series. So if the characters in here are also in there, they probably won't be anything close to the animated portrayals.
The sounds from Dragon Hall could be heard from Helena's salon. Considering how deathly quiet the Isle was when the sun went down, it was somewhat understandable, but the vibrations pulsing through the concrete floor were incredibly daunting. Cassie could practically feel it thumping against the bottom of her feet, enhancing her already fragile nerves. The cold air made her shiver, but whatever Helena had poured into their glasses back in the salon had Cassie encompassed by a faint warmth.
Helena was practically skipping on their way to Dragon Hall, her fingers tightly wound with Cassie's to pull the little cat along with her. Whatever 'fear' Helena claimed to have felt when she was doing Cassie's hair earlier seemed to have disappeared all together; either that, or her friend was very, very good at keeping it under wraps. Unfortunately for Cassie, she was still reeling from Helena's 'laws of attraction' explanation.
If nothing else, Helena was a wonderful teacher—not that Cassie had doubted it for a second. To begin, the Queen of Hearts had explained just what sexual attraction was and what it felt like, which, as it turned out, was extremely similar to apprehension.
"It's not as hard to understand as you might think, Pussycat," she began, pulling up one of the chairs to sit directly beside Cassie. "It feels like moths flying around in your stomach." Helena's eyes drifted upward, a sly kind of smile tugging at her lips. "Or maybe a little lower than that."
Cassie blinked, quite bewildered. "Lower than that?"
Bringing her eyes back to Cassie's face, Helena's lips thinned momentarily. "Have you ever felt it? When you see someone that maybe looks a little bit yummier than everyone else?"
The little cat paused, her eyes flicking to the side as she did her best to rummage through her brain. There were very few moments she could recall something like that happening to her, but the VK's that had managed to draw it out stirred a familiar irritation.
"When I met Maddy for the first time," she admitted rather shamefully. "I remember how she looked at me. It was, well, kind'a weird for me. My tummy started to feel weird, and I got goosebumps on my arms. But that's being nervous, right?"
Thankfully, Cassie found no judgement in Helena's expression, only understanding. "It can feel like you're nervous sometimes. But it's easier to figure out which is which as time goes on. Did it happen with anyone before Maddy?"
Cassie took a sip of the lukewarm liquid in her cup, its bitterness soothed by a strange fruity tang. Then she managed to mutter, "It happened once or twice with Harry." She left it at that, not wanting to go into further detail. If she had, she would've been forced to admit just how often he'd managed to stir some form of pleasant disruption in her stomach.
"Oh, I don't doubt that," giggled Helena, resting her cheek on her palm. "Nice to look at, isn't he?"
"But how do you know if it's nerves or... something else?" asked Cassie, hoping to navigate their conversation back to its original purpose.
Helena gave Cassie a look, one that let the little cat know that Helena knew exactly what she was doing, but, to Cassie's relief, she let it go. "Well, this is all new for you, so it's gonna feel the same no matter what. These are new feelings, and you're gonna wanna run away from them. What's important, though, is that you don't have to rush it. Don't feel like it's something you have to figure out right away, like it's something to cross off on your list. You can figure it out at your own pace. It can be scary, but it's easier to work out when you find someone you can trust."
Cassie felt like a small weight was taken from her shoulders. It was so easy to get wrapped up in all the things she hadn't experienced yet because she was new to being out on the Isle, and frustration often urged her to seek them out as fast as possible, like she was trying to catch up with all the things she'd been missing. To have Helena reassure her that it wasn't something that could be done easily or quickly was a welcomed comfort. It still annoyed her, of course, but she was lucky enough to have Helena guide her through it all.
"I guess it's easier when they touch you. If your tummy feels weird, but you don't really wanna clock 'em in the face, that usually means there's something there." Helena slouched against the side of the chair, taking a sip from her cup. "And if you're really not sure, then try touching them. Only if they want you to, though. It's easy to tell if someone doesn't like you here, so I don't think you have to worry about that, but you have to make extra sure that the touching is okay."
"Body language is a key, but it's not always a good one," continued Helena. "Some people here, like your little pirate, use flirtation to throw people off; they make out they want something else when they really wanna kill you. So if they're getting touchy, but something in the back of your head is saying it's wrong, then get the fuck outta there. I'm serious; gut feeling can get you away from some messed-up situations before it kicks off."
Cassie nodded. It was similar to her senses when she was a cat, and sometimes when she was human. Paying close attention was essential, but leaning into your natural instincts also helped.
"So how did you learn about this stuff?" asked Cassie.
"One of my teachers at Dragon Hall," explained Helena. "Yen Sid, that guy I mentioned that came from Auradon, the one who trained Sophie, he was in charge of our sex-ed."
Cassie's head twitched to the side. "Sex-ed?"
Helena grinned. "Sex, Cass'. You've never heard of it?" The little cat shook her head in reply. "You've been around the Isle, so I'm sure you've heard and seen some things. You haven't seen two people wrapped up a little too close? Haven't heard little moans or screams that sound like someone getting hurt, but there's something there that makes you think twice?"
Again, Cassie flipped through the pages of her mind, but it didn't take her very long to find what she was looking for. She had heard those noises before, usually pouring out from a window left open or sometimes from down a darkened alleyway. Echoing gasps and stifled grunts from both men and women, oftentimes suggesting some kind of attack but typically far too hushed to be considered as such, like they were doing their best to avoid anyone stumbling into them. Then there were the times she'd gotten a little too close—dangerously so, in fact. The most she could recall witnessing were heavy kisses, where hands wandered across bodies and grasped at certain places, and occasionally their legs would wrap around each other. Naturally, Cassie hadn't lingered to observe anything further; she'd always been too occupied with finding 'special things' or getting home.
"And that's what that is?" asked Cassie.
Helena shrugged. "Pretty much. Or something close; there's a few bits in between."
Cassie frowned, curious. "So what is it?"
Tipping her head back, Helena emptied her cup. "Well, this is where it gets weird."
After being led through numerous alleyways and faintly illuminated roads, they arrived at Dragon Hall. Cassie could vaguely recall passing the school during her many journeys through the Isle, since it wasn't too far from the salon or Maleficent's tower, but she found it far more intimidating in the evening than during the daylight.
The building was large and made of brick, but the signs of time were evident. Under the colourful fairy lights nailed into the walls, Cassie could see scattered remains of where the sides had begun to crumble and fall apart. Although she also assumed most of it had been caused by the residents, her theory encouraged by the spray-painted drawings and words decorating almost every surface. Tilted graves stuck out of the brown patches of dying grass surrounding the grounds, the names of their occupants long-forgotten or erased due to the painted pictures and tags. As a school for the children of villains, it truly lived up to that standard.
Cassie hesitated for a brief moment. Most of the VK's she'd met had been under rather hostile circumstances and entirely unexpected. On her first meet with Harry, she'd stolen from him and he'd chased her through the maze. Her first time meeting Helena, the Queen of Hearts knocked her out and tied her to a chair. Her first time meeting Uma, she'd been stuck in the cell on the ship. It was almost embarrassing, really, that her very first time meeting a fellow VK had been through rather nefarious means. Now, she was about to meet almost a school-full of other VK's, and whether or not they liked her was based solely on how she presented herself tonight.
"Hey, what's up?" asked Helena, having felt Cassie's grip tighten around her fingers.
"I'm just, I don't know, a bit off," muttered Cassie, placing a hand against her twinging stomach.
Helena stepped closer to Cassie, stroking the little cat's cheek with the back of her hand. "You'll be fine, I swear. Just stay close to me, okay?" Her lips twitched into a playful smile. "Have I ever let you down before?"
Cassie's lips quirked, and she shook her head. "Never."
Helena squeezed Cassie's hand gently and said, "Exactly. And I don't plan to start. C'mon."
Swallowing down her nerves, Cassie allowed Helena to lead her up the steps and through a set of large steel doors.
The hallways were illuminated by the flaming torches along the walls. The state of the inside was similar to that on the outside, with the walls and ceiling crumbling and falling apart, with brightly coloured images and words painted across the walls. There was a winding staircase leading down, and the passage they went through was unusually narrow—so narrow that Cassie questioned how flocks of VKs managed to get through at all without hurting each other.
Cassie, a little taken aback by the close proximity of the walls, questioned, "Is it all like this?" She was no stranger to small spaces, having had to flee through the occasional tight space when running from whoever she'd taken a 'pretty thing' from. However, she always knew what was ahead of those little spaces and that they wouldn't stay narrow for long. She was way out of her comfort zone here. If someone came at them from the front or back, there was nowhere to run to.
"Nah," replied Helena, reaching over her shoulder to keep a hold of Cassie's hand as they went down the stairs. "It's just the way in. The floor opens up down here."
Trying to take her mind off the stuffy surroundings, Cassie asked, "So, uh, what exactly did they teach you here?"
"Oh, you know, just a bunch of shit our parents think is important. Facilier runs the place; he's the principal here. There's science; it's boring as hell but passable if you pay attention. Ginny's mom works here; she teaches 'Selfishness', or 'Selfies' for short. Advanced Vanities—my mom actually taught that one. Don't know who's running it now, though," explained Helena.
Cassie's head tilted. "They didn't come looking for your mom after, well, she stopped showing up?"
Helena laughed. "Nah. Mom was flaky as hell; half the time she didn't wanna show up." Thankfully, it seemed Helena hadn't taken offence at Cassie's intrigue regarding her mother's 'disappearance'. "There's Wickedness, but the teachers would always switch. Sometimes it was Cruella, sometimes it was Evil Queen, and sometimes we were left alone. Lady T' was in charge of Evil Schemes. Oh, I loved that class. She hated my mom's guts, and I guess mine too, so pissing her off was always a good time. There's Enrichment, which, by the way, you would've done amazing at."
"Me?" asked Cassie.
"Yeah." Helena's brow quirked as she glanced back over her shoulder. "They teach you how to take stuff."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I guess so. What else?"
"Hmm, Unnatural Biology. Gaston was in charge of P.E. Uh, Schemes, Artists and Thieves, Wharf History, Tall Tales, and Underwater Science." Helena paused then and turned to look up at Cassie. "You would've liked it here, I think."
Cassie hummed, a peculiar sense of unhappiness washing over her. If her father hadn't been so damn paranoid, she might've actually been able to attend school. After all, her curse didn't take hold until she was thirteen years old, so there was plenty of time before that where she would've had a chance at going to school with the other VK's. So being at Dragon Hall with Helena tonight might've always been on the cards for her.
"You think we'd have been friends if you'd met me before?" asked Cassie.
Helena gave a smile. "I think we found each other at the right time. I was a quiet kid; I always did what momma told me." She turned and started back down the steps.
"Yeah? I wasn't." Cassie's tone turned teasing. "Maybe I would've taught you some stuff back then." This earned her a huff of laughter from Helena.
After what felt like twenty minutes of descending the stairs, they finally came to an opening, and there was no mistaking that the party was on this floor.
It was frighteningly overwhelming. First, Cassie was almost submerged by the music, so loud it was on the verge of bursting her eardrums. It was slow at first, clearly the beginning of a new song, with a hypnotising voice floating in. Then the bass hit, pumping through the floors and vibrating Cassie's entire body, like it was attempting to force her heartbeat to match the rhythm. Behind the music, she could hear a swarm of different voices. Some shouted, others hollered or howled, and a few sang along with the song. Then came the lights, dimming shadows of purple, blue, and red, drowning the room. Finding a familiar face in the large hall would be almost impossible from a distance; the most Cassie could see were silhouettes of moving bodies. Behind the crowd, she recognised arches instead of walls, leading into other and less occupied parts of the room.
Between the pulse of the music and her own nervous stomach, Cassie wasn't sure which was worsening her apprehension. Holding Helena's hand with both of hers like it was a lifeline, Cassie followed her friend through the high-spirited horde.
Helena, skilfully navigating her way through the crowd without getting smashed into, took Cassie to a rickety old table covered by cups of all colours. Two large bowls, one filled with a shimmering blue liquid and the other with a glittering green, were positioned side by side in the centre of the table.
"Okay, Pussycat, choose your poison," said Helena, gesturing to the bowls on the table. "But first rule: don't ever mix your colours. I want you to remember tonight, and you won't if you mix."
Cassie took a moment. Upon closer examination, she discovered gold flecks swirling within the green liquid, glistening each time the lights shone on the bowl. It reminded her of the grassy mountains surrounding Auradon. Meanwhile, the pale blue of the other bowl reminded her of the water on the other side of the barrier. For an alcoholic beverage, they were unnaturally pretty.
"I'll take green," said Cassie. While the colour itself was lovely, it reminded her of her treasures when she'd been living in Maleficent's attic.
Grabbing a green cup from the table, Helena filled it with the green liquid using the ladle and gave it to Cassie when she was finished. Then she grabbed a red cup, pouring herself a drink from the blue bowl.
"Rule number two: don't drink that too fast, no matter how good it tastes. You're new to this, so it's gonna have you floating sooner than later. Too much too quick, and you won't be able to move," instructed Helena, pointing at Cassie's drink. "You need a refill, ask me, okay? No one else." The queen's tone left no room for objection, not that Cassie would have, of course.
Cassie nodded and counted on her fingers. "No mixing colours. No drinking too fast. And only ask you for refills. Got it." She smiled. "Can I drink this now?"
Helena giggled. "Of course."
Cassie brought the rim of the cup to her lips and, as told, allowed the liquid to carefully flow into her mouth, pulling back after a small sip. At first, it was rather pleasant, if not a little too sweet. When she swallowed it down, though, there was a sharpness lingering on the back of her tongue, forcing a slight wince from the little cat.
"This doesn't taste like the one you had," she grumbled, her nose wrinkling.
"Yeah, mom got the good stuff from before they put her here. This—" Helena lightly shook her cup. "—is Isle alcohol. Hard shit, made to make you happy no matter the cost. And if you drink too much, it costs a hell of a lot."
What that meant, Cassie wasn't sure. Bringing the cup to her lips once more, Cassie took a slightly larger mouthful, hoping the displeasing aftertaste would go away after a while. There was a slight sting in the back of her throat as it moved down, followed by a peculiar warmth stirring in her tummy. She wasn't particularly sure what drinking it would do for her, but she partook anyway.
"You wanna have a look around?" asked Helena. Cassie nodded in reply. "Let's go." Taking Cassie by the hand once again, Helena led the little cat on a slow walk around the room.
In surprisingly little time, the loud noises stopped burning through Cassie's ears. The vibrations of the music still moved through her body, but they weren't as anxiety-inducing as they had been when they first arrived.
"See anyone you recognise?" asked Cassie, almost glued to Helena's back, to make sure the queen could hear her.
With a shake of her head, Helena's gaze swept over the moving bodies in the centre of the hall. "Not right now." Her head then turned to the left, her eyes narrowing in on the darkened area through one of the archways. "Oh shit!"
Cassie squeaked as Helena tugged her away from the dancing and through the archway, the contents of her cup spilling over the side as she was pulled. Peering around Helena, Cassie saw a few beat-up couches pushed against the wall, occupied by more than a handful of VK's she didn't quite recognise.
"Freddie!" yelled Helena with a squeal of delight.
"Oh, damn! Queenie!" an unfamiliar female voice yelled back, with just as much enthusiasm.
Cassie remained motionless while Helena let go of her hand, observing with interest as her friend practically leaped for one of the VKs, disregarding the fact that she was carrying a drink.
"I thought they had you blacklisted," exclaimed the unknown girl, holding Helena's forearms.
"Don't act like you don't know what went down," replied Helena knowingly. "I know your little friends told you."
A mischievous chuckle came from the other VK. "Oh, my little shadows like to talk. They said Madd's was pissed!"
"She was! It was great," laughed Helena. "Oh!" Spinning around, Helena grabbed Cassie's hand to pull her forward. "Freddie, this is Cassie. Cassie, this is Freddie."
Standing a few inches taller than Cassie, likely due to the heeled boots on her feet, the VK—Freddie—meticulously eyed Cassie from head to toe. Meanwhile, Cassie did the same. Black corkscrew curls with streaks of white or grey framed Freddie's slim face, while the rest was pinned into two high buns on either side of her head, beaded braids falling down to reach her waist. A tiny purple hat, securely fastened to prevent it from falling off her hair, rested on the left side of her head. The scarlet-red dress, tight enough to show off her outline but long enough to cover her knees, was tightened around her waist by a purple belt. When Cassie eventually brought her eyes back to meet Freddie's, she was momentarily startled by a glowing ring of green circling her pupil. It was brief and only apparent when the lights hit Freddie's eyes, but still very unsettling.
"Oh!" gasped Freddie, her lips stretching into a wide smile. "I've heard all about you, Kitty. Maddy came snooping around my neck of the woods looking for yah. Did she find you?" Harmless as the dark-skinned VK seemed, there was a glint of something or other in her eyes that nagged in the back of Cassie's mind.
Then Cassie, though her brain was becoming rather faulty, recalled Helena talking just a second ago. If Freddie knew about Helena's dispute with Maddy, then surely she had to know that Maddy had tracked Cassie down.
"I think you know the answer already," replied Cassie, swallowing down her nerves with another sip of her drink.
Freddie's lips twitched. "I have some... friends, that like to tell me things," she said ominously. "I do wonder, though, how you managed to survive an attack like that." The inquiry was there, but Cassie had no intention of divulging her little 'trick'.
Cassie shrugged. "I guess I'm just lucky."
For a moment, Freddie's eyes flickered between Cassie's, almost as if she were looking for something. "Luck? On the Isle?" She giggled. "Fine, that's what we'll call it." Backing up only slightly, the VK clasped her hands behind her back. "Would you like to see a trick?"
Before Cassie could find an answer, Freddie brought her right hand back between them, spreading her fingers to reveal a row of cards, fanning herself with them. They were hard to see in the darkness of the room, but similar to Freddie's eyes, a glimmering purple outline of a skull was drawn along the back of all the cards, only truly noticeable when the lights came down.
"Would you like to know what your future holds, pretty kitty?" Freddie's voice was unnervingly melodic, bypassing the heavy bass of the music.
"Ah, ah." Helena was quick to put herself between the two, placing a hand on her hip. "Not this one. She's broke."
Freddie's face fell. "Ah, damn, that's no fun. Sorry, Kitty." A wave of her hands, and the cards were gone, like they'd never been there to begin with. "So, what brought you guys here tonight?"
Helena placed an arm around Cassie's shoulder. "This is my pussycat's first party," she announced.
"At Dragon Hall?" asked Freddie.
"Ever," specified Helena.
The disbelief in Freddie's expression was almost comedic. "You're kidding!" Helena shook her head. "Oh, shit. I knew you were new to the Isle, Kitty, but that's somethin'!" She passed a glance at something, or someone, over her shoulder before coming back to Helena and Cassie. "C'mon, meet my guys."
Cassie was incredibly grateful when Helena linked their fingers again, keeping the little cat close to her side as Freddie took them over to the circle of couches.
"So, head-count," announced Freddie, skipping behind the couch to point out each member of her group. "First, Claudine, but her daddy's not supposed to know she's here, so keep it on the hush-hush. Then there's Hadie, her boyfriend. Then Harry, Jace, Yzla, and last, but definitely not least, Hermie."
Cassie took a second or two to assess her fellow VK's. The first, Claudine, was a pretty girl with wavy blonde hair, cut short to her jawline, in a simple grey dress that was high collared and came beneath her knees, loose enough so that it didn't cling to her skin. She gave Cassie just a fleeting glance before darting nervously to the area behind her and other areas of the room, as if she were waiting for someone to break in and take her away. She gnawed at her thumbnail as her leg violently bounced against the ground. Next to her sat a young man, whose hair shone a navy blue when the lights came around. Wrapping his right arm around Claudine's shoulders, he gently caressed her arm with his fingers, whispering something in her ear. Beside him, the boy who held the name Cassie had honestly been hoping not to hear tonight. In a simple brown high-neck shirt and dark brown trousers, his hair covered by a plaid flat cap, he lazily observed Cassie from his slouched position. The boy beside him, Jace, had on a similar outfit, but instead of a brown shirt, it was faded green. Draped across the armchair next to the couch was a young girl with flowing black tresses, her lilac dress cut short at the thighs with only thin straps to hold it on her shoulders, and heels sharp enough to stab someone in the stomach. The flat cap atop her head was incredibly out of place against her outfit, but Cassie assumed she'd taken it from Jace. Last, of course, was Hermie, wearing fitting brown leggings and a white strappy shirt, covered by a long red coat with a white collar.
"Diego was supposed to be here too but, well, his aunt's been a fucking nightmare since Carlos went to Auradon," said Freddie with a light shrug, moving to stand beside Hermie. "But these—" She waved a hand to gesture to the group. "—are the Anti-Heroes."
Cassie almost laughed. Yet another gang on the Isle she'd have to watch out for.
"Guys, you remember Queenie," said Freddie. Her eyes then drifted towards Cassie, a glimmer of excitement burning through her gaze. "And this is Cassie, the Cheshire Cat's kid."
The little cat startled when Freddie's announcement brought a swift, and only slightly subtle, reaction from the VK's. Claudine and Hadie barely spared Cassie a glance, the short-haired girl far too consumed by apprehension and the guy next to her doing everything in his power to calm her down. The flat-cap-wearing lads straightened, now staring at Cassie with something akin to curiosity. Yzla, however, spared the subtleness, almost jumping to her feet to break into Cassie's personal bubble.
"So, you're the one everyone's been talking about," she drawled, her voice somewhat taunting as she circled Cassie. "They say you can change into a cat. Is it true?" she asked, coming to stand directly in front of Cassie. Her eyes, so dark they were almost black, stared deep into Cassie's.
Cassie swayed for a moment. "Kind'a," she replied, her head tilting to the side.
Yzla hummed, her eyes dropping to take in Cassie's outfit. "Momma turned into a cat once," she said, lifting her gaze back to Cassie's face. "But they were nice enough to turn her back before dumping her here." Done with whatever it was she was attempting to find from Cassie, she returned to her chair. "Your daddy's a cat, but you're clearly not." Her brows furrowed. "What's that about?"
"None of your damn business," sang Helena, earning a scoff of irritation from the VK. "I didn't bring her here for a shake-down, okay?"
"She's new to us," pointed out Hermie. "We're allowed to be curious, yah know."
Taking a sip of her drink, Helena stared at the other girl. "Why? You want her to join the circus?"
Hermie scowled. "I don't do that anymore."
"Oh," muttered Helena, but it came out mocking. "So you're not tryn'a catch the Unholy Trinity anymore? Your daddy really had a thing for those guys, huh?"
Hermie took a step forward, almost threateningly, but was gently pushed back by Freddie. Cassie, meanwhile, turned to face Helena, confused by her friend's sudden animosity.
"What's going on, Hel'?" asked Cassie.
Helena tilted her head down. "Her dad used to run a circus on the Isle. Still does, I think. He's a crazy old bastard. Used to catch every animal you could think of to try and make them do tricks. And, well, let's just say he wouldn't encourage them with treats. Dead pets were showing up on the Isle way before Harry caught you, Pussycat."
Cassie shivered despite the pleasant buzz coursing through her veins. Glancing back at Hermie, she examined her attire a bit more closely this time. It took her a moment or two to fully recall, since she hadn't seen that man since she was younger, but it soon flooded her body with ice.
"Your dad's the Ringmaster," said Cassie, though she was purely thinking out loud. Oh, she knew she'd seen that coat before.
Hermie winced, almost regretfully, like hearing the name out loud struck her with pain. "You've met my dad." It was almost a question, but the sudden fear in Cassie's eyes must've been telling enough.
"My dad mentioned him a lot," admitted Cassie, her fingers tightening around her cup. "He used rats and mice to bring the cats in. Would trap them in cages, piled on top of each other, and carry them around the Isle on a shitty little cart. The ones on top would shit and piss on the ones below, and the smell was worse than anything on the Isle. I don't really know the dirty details, dad never said, but he didn't really have to." Cassie paused, hesitant for a second. "He almost caught me once."
The little cat had endured many terrifying nights on the Isle, even before Harry came along, but her run-in with the Ringmaster took the number one spot.
She'd been quite young, only thirteen, and her father had been gone for a few months. Having been the sole provider for them both, he'd left Cassie to fend for herself, scared and on the brink of starving. Yes, he'd taught her the basics of getting in and out of a tricky spot, but she'd never had to do it on her own before. Weakened by the curse of turning, since she wasn't used to it just yet, she'd slinked off onto the Isle in her feline form, assuming that her chances of catching something to eat were higher as a cat than a human. At first, nothing had seemed wrong. She had stayed close to the exits and on the familiar paths, avoiding the Isle-dwellers. Turning down an alleyway, she'd heard the unmistakable sounds of a mouse squeaking in pain or distress. She could still remember the sickening churning sensation in her stomach, the kind that came with extreme hunger and the need to eat something while it was still alive. Before her turning, her dad had always killed them first before bringing them back home and roasting them over one of the many fire barrels scattered across the Isle. He'd never really had a problem with eating them raw, having been a cat for the majority of his life, but he'd at least been sensitive enough to assume that Cassie would rather not do it that way.
Looking back on it now, the Ringmaster's tricks for catching stray cats were good enough, but they weren't clever enough to trick a human trapped in the body of a cat. Even consumed by hunger, Cassie's senses had screamed for her to turn away from the juicy little rat rolling around inside the rusty old cage. She'd warily moved past the trap, closely keeping an eye on the writhing animal inside. She often wondered if, had the Ringmaster not been stupid enough to kick across a stray glass bottle, he would've caught her with that net. His laughter had been manic and horrifying, echoing through the alley as he chased her through it. Even after she'd darted through the hole in the wall and out to safety, she'd kept running, his voice loitering in her ears even when she put further distance between them. Her fur had been soaked, and one of her paws was stinging profusely after she'd accidentally stepped on something broken, but still she ran. She hadn't really realised how far she'd gone until she wandered near the daunting ship on the edge of the Isle.
"I'm not my dad."
Cassie was pulled back into the hall, and the beats of the music drowned out the terrifying laughter in her head. Looking ahead at Hermie, Cassie recognised the guilt in the VK's expression.
"You're right," she muttered, hoping the small smile she gave Hermie was enough to reassure her. "We're not our parents."
The tension that had been steadily building through the group was immediately swept away. Hermie seemed genuinely apologetic for whatever her father had done or was still doing, and Cassie couldn't find the energy to hold it against her. Plus, tonight was about having fun and meeting other VK's in more peaceful circumstances. Holding onto their parent's issues and attacks wouldn't help anyone.
"I'm gonna get another drink," announced Hermie, evidently discouraged by the mention of her father. She headed for the table, with Yzla following her through the crowd.
"Hey." Helena turned to look down at Cassie. "You never told me about the Ringmaster."
Cassie shook her head. "Hmm. It wasn't exactly a good time for me back then. I thought I'd forgotten it, but then I knew I'd seen her coat somewhere before." Bouncing on her feet, Cassie attempted to shake off any lingering thoughts of the Ringmaster. "But it was a long time ago. No point hanging onto it, right?"
The little cat released an 'oof' of surprise when Helena yanked her into a tight one-armed hug. "I'm sorry, Pussycat," mumbled the queen, her lips near Cassie's ear.
"For what?" wondered Cassie. Though baffled, she returned the hug.
"I'm sorry we didn't meet each other sooner."
Cassie smiled, but a sudden melancholy swept over her. There had been many talks with Helena where the Queen of Hearts divulged little details of her childhood, like how lonely and miserable she'd been before meeting Gaston J.R. or how her mother would strike the backs of her legs with a thin wooden stick if she misbehaved. Cassie, overcome by resentment towards the former queen for how she'd treated her friend, often knew with certainty that—had she known Helena back then—she would've taken down the frightening Queen of Hearts herself. After everything Helena had done for her so far, going as far as to abandon her old gang to keep Cassie safe, the little cat had no doubt that Helena thought the same when it came to her own past torments. While their friendship now was wonderful, it was a strange kind of sadness to wish they'd found each other well before then, to offer each other the protection their parents failed to show.
Pulling back slightly, Cassie's head tilted curiously when she recalled something Helena had said earlier. "What's the Unholy Trinity?"
"Ah, them," muttered Helena. "It's what Frollo used to call them. We just called them the triplets."
"Why unholy?" asked Cassie.
Walking over to the armchair Yzla had abandoned, Helena sat down, gently pulling at Cassie's waist until she was atop her lap. "Frollo is, well, a weird fucking guy. He had a bunch of rules, and he always talked to this 'God', but no one ever saw it. He would take it out on the girls the most, though. Would give us detention for just about anything. Short skirts? Harlots. Anything that went under the neckline? Whores. Hades, I crossed my legs one time, and the guy almost died." Helena laughed. "But the triplets hated the man. They were always joking around in class and teasing the teachers, throwing shit around the room, and barking at kids they didn't like. When we were around, hmm, I don't know, about thirteen or fourteen, Facilier closed down the school. And trust me, they never closed this place down; it takes a hell of a lot to scare our teachers. There were rumours after that. Someone tried to kill Frollo after school ended. After that, the triplets stopped showing up to school. Makes sense; I mean, no one really liked showing up to class. But it was still weird." She paused to take a sip of her drink. "Frollo showed up to class with these scratches on his face, shaking and going on and on about beasts and the devil. Don't know what they did, but it scared the shit out of him."
Cassie frowned as a shiver tickled along her spine. "No one knows what happened to the triplets?"
Helena shrugged. "Not really. I mean, they're still around. Their parents live near the little forest on the other side of the Isle; there's a bunch of caves down there, but those three are batshit crazy, so no one wants to take the risk. They run around the Isle at night with a few others."
Cassie hummed, her eyes drifting to the wall behind Helena as she thought. She couldn't say she'd heard of them, but she hadn't really known much about anyone unless her father had bumped into them somehow. Plus, she'd never wandered too far from the inner Isle during her nightly adventures, not after her incident with the Ringmaster drove her into the outer Isle.
"You think they'll show up tonight?" asked Cassie.
"Hard to tell. Maybe," answered Helena.
They fell into silence. Cassie, after taking another mouthful of her drink, which had, thankfully, become more bearable, observed the rest of the room. In truth, Helena's tale had piqued her intrigue. Three VK's had been ballsy enough to take on an original and lived to tell the story, and even terrified him in the process. The fact that they'd disappeared right after also caught her attention. Had they truly turned into beasts? Or was the man so taken aback by the brutal attack that his mind conjured images? It was quite the story.
"Well, well, what a nice little party."
Looking up from her lap, Cassie noticed a tall and slender VK standing in front of the couches. Dressed in various shades of purple, with black curls brushing against his forehead, he eyed the group with a taunting kind of amusement.
"Your sister's out dancing," said Freddie, her once-joyful smile twisting into a slight grimace. "No need to stick around."
The boy laughed, almost mocking. "Oh, c'mon now. We're friends, aren't we?"
"That's Zevon," said Helena, low enough for only Cassie to hear. "He's Yzla's twin brother."
Cassie nodded. "Huh." They certainly shared more than a few traits. "Freddie doesn't like him?"
"Doesn't surprise me," sighed Helena, unbothered by the guy's presence. "He was always a dick, even as a kid. Liked to bring trouble around. Last I heard, he was dating..." Helena's voice faded, and a flash of apprehension overtook her features. "Cass', get those ears off."
Cassie jolted, barely able to wrap her mind around Helena's demand before the Queen of Hearts was whisking the headband off of her head. "Uh. Hey!" the little cat protested.
Stretching back her arm, Helena allowed the ears to fall from her fingers. "Trust me, Pussycat."
While she trusted Helena, Cassie still wanted some answers. "What's going on?"
"I think you've dropped something." The voice was soft and playful, and it was unusually close to Cassie's right ear.
Unable to turn around due to her position on Helena's lap, Cassie leaned back against the arm of the chair, her head tilting until she was peering at an unfamiliar and upside-down VK.
"Are you the little kitty that lost her ears?" giggled the stranger.
Cassie's head began spinning from the position, so she gradually straightened back up again. Lowering her feet to the floor, she turned to better see the VK holding her 'ears'.
The girl was young, maybe younger than Cassie. Long, dark-blonde strands of hair were pulled back into a high ponytail, with bangs coming down in the front to frame her face. Her dress, around the same shade of red as Cassie's, was puffy sleeved and fell below her thighs, with a white poofy skirt just below to fan it out. The heels of her brown boots were thick, enough to give her an extra few inches of height, likely to make her look older than she was.
But there was something about her eyes. They were a beautiful shade of blue, enhanced by the lights around them. There was something there, though—something unnervingly familiar.
"They're mine," said Cassie, her eyes flickering at the headband dangling from the girl's finger.
"Oh," gushed the other girl, one side of her mouth twisting upward. "Then allow me." She was careful as she placed the headband back on Cassie's head, delicately smoothing down any strands she managed to mess with when doing so. "There. Such a pretty kitty." There was something else. Her voice, though it sounded like theirs, had a veiled twist. Hard to notice at first, but Cassie picked up on it when she said 'kitty'. With the gleam of cunning in the VK's eyes, though, Cassie wondered if she'd done so purposefully.
"Thanks," mumbled Cassie, partly aware of the spark of nervousness in her stomach. "Have we met before?" Usually, she was pretty good with faces, especially on the Isle. But while this VK's eyes stirred a familiarity, Cassie, for the life of her, couldn't put her finger on it.
The girl giggled, her cheeks rounding as she tilted her head. "Oh, have I been waiting to meet you," she enthused, resting her hands on the arm of the chair to lean over Cassie. "Or maybe if I switch it up." It was startling how fast her voice changed. The pitched, childlike tone from before dropped into a lower octave, taking the form of something Cassie was worryingly familiar with. "Am I ringin' any bells for ye' now, Kitty?"
'Harry's older sister stole hers. I don't know the details, but she has her own. And Harry's baby sister ran off without even trying to get her hook. Can't say I blame her, though'.
Cassie felt a breath catch in her throat. The eyes, the voice, and the gleaming smile that could mean either flirtation or extreme danger. Harry was Cassie's age, and this VK couldn't have been much older than either of them. So, she was left with one answer.
"You're Harry's little sister," she breathed, quite reluctantly, like she could hardly believe her own shitty luck.
"Ah," squealed the VK excitedly, the artificial voice she'd introduced herself with replacing the true form beneath it. "Didn't take you long, huh?" Raising to her feet, she gave a short bow. "Calista Jane, but C.J. to most." Her grin was undoubtedly wicked as she looked down at Cassie. "Big brother's been talking about you for days. Never thought I'd bump into you here, though."
"Yeah, well, you didn't," snapped Helena, pursing her lips.
C.J. stared at a furious Helena with a smirk simply meant to further irritate the older VK. "So touchy," she teased, lightly shaking her head. "Are we keeping secrets now? Oh, it's so much fun."
Helena returned C.J.'s grin. "Does Harriet know you're here?"
C.J.'s confidence faltered, but only for a second. "And what if she does?" she replied, a sliver of annoyance escaping her. "She doesn't get to control my life." There was a little too much anger there, like Helena had triggered a specific annoyance in the V.K.
"Oh, no," chuckled Helena, sarcastic. "I don't think she'd care about her fourteen-year-old sister drinking the night away with a bunch of older VK's or getting rowdy with her sixteen-year-old boyfriend, who, if we all remember, started a fire on her ship to distract them from him sneaking out of your room." Helena took a lengthy sip of her drink. "No, I don't think she'd care at all."
Cassie was rather uncomfortable being between the two, with the hostile tension brewing around them trapping her in the middle. She didn't want Harry to find out she'd come to Dragon Hall either, but she wasn't sure if Helena was handling it the right way. If anything, C.J. was more likely to go running to Harry if Helena pissed her off.
"So, how about this," started Helena, shuffling around in the armchair to better face C.J. "I won't tell Harriet about this if you don't tell big bro about seeing Cassie here. Sound good?"
Even Cassie could tell it didn't 'sound good' to C.J. There was a split second where C.J.'s expression twisted, her lips parting as if she were about to fire a long-winded rejection from her mouth. In the end, though, she righted her face, her lips curling into a smile that everyone in the room could tell was fake.
"Sure," she accepted, far too much glee in her voice. "Sounds great!"
After that, the young V.K. stormed towards Zevon, snatching his hand to drag him into the crowd of moving bodies.
A sigh passed through Cassie's lips. "You think she'll tell him?"
Helena, who'd watched the two disappear into the pile, turned to Cassie. "No idea. But you should get ready, just in case."
Cassie whined, tilting her head back to allow the liquid to pour into her mouth. With the sudden threat of Harry coming down on her ass loitering in the back of her mind, she was going to make the most of this evening to make it well and truly worth it.
"Up," exclaimed Helena, tapping Cassie's hips in a gesture. "Let's dance."
The moment Cassie was on her feet, she had to pause for a second. Gripping the arm of the chair with one hand, she put a hand to her forehead, her eyes fluttering closed as her body swayed. There was a pleasant kind of warmth flowing through her body. Peculiar tingles that, for once, weren't down to fear, radiated through her limbs. Finally, she was beginning to understand Helena's warnings when she first handed her the drink. If only one was enough to do this, she could hardly imagine what too much of it would do to her.
"Uh, woah, hold on," pleaded Cassie. "I don't know how!"
Helena turned, walking backwards into the mass of people as she held tight to Cassie's hand. "I'll show you!"
In her own defence, C.J. really hadn't shown up tonight aiming to cause trouble. Well, not too much trouble anyhow.
It was incredibly rare for her to gain the opportunity to go to the party at Dragon Hall. They were only held one night out of the month, and since her older sister knew her better than most, she was typically on lockdown in Harriet's ship when they held the party. Zevon had done what he could to try and sneak her out, but, to the youngsters annoyance, there was always some bothersome crewmate of her sister's hanging around, just itching for the chance to run off to their captain and rat her out. Unlike all those other months, however, this night in particular happened to land on one of her brother's monthly visits.
Though a daughter of the dreaded Captain Hook, C.J. had been fortunate enough to avoid the majority of his wrath and expectations. When Harriet was born, Hook had naturally been quite dismayed to have been given a daughter rather than a son, but his child's gender hadn't exactly dampened his intentions. According to Smee, Hook had still planned on teaching his daughter the ways of the Hook family as she grew older, adamant that she was to take over the crew when their father eventually passed. Then Harry came along, only two years later. After that, Harriet was almost furniture to the hook-handed captain. Lucky for them, Smee had been considerate enough to take over Harriet's care, raising her to become the headstrong captain she is now. With Harry, though, Hook had been overjoyed. Smee had even gone as far as to say he'd been delighted when Harry was born, something their father hadn't experienced in a very, very long time. Finally, he'd been given the son he'd always wanted. Unfortunately for Harry, their father had grown addicted to finding the bottom of a bottle long before any of them had come around. His mind was foggy and his patience thin, and he left no room for failure. The Hook trio weren't too sure who their mother's were or even if they were still alive, but there had never been someone there to stop their father's violent outbursts or vengeful rants. They'd had a sitter, of sorts, who they'd only known by the name 'Nana'. An older woman, around the sixties mark, with a strong accent and an even stronger determination. Regardless of who their father was, she'd been firm in her decision to raise them to know the Isle and everyone in it, pulling miracles by getting their father to actually allow them to go to school. Still, Nana's hands had been tied when it came to their father's punishments and lessons, especially where Harry was concerned.
C.J. wasn't an idiot. There wasn't much she did remember from her earlier years, but there were vague memories of Harriet dragging her beneath the bed or Harry shoving her into the nearest cabinet. She'd learnt early on to cover her ears and close her eyes tight, but sometimes, when the nights got a little too quiet, she could hear the smashing of clocks and her father's voice booming through the halls of Harriet's ship. He'd never really had the chance to lay a hand on her, but her brother and sister hadn't been lucky enough to avoid that fate.
While Harriet irritated her most of the time, C.J. was still overwhelmingly grateful that, when her big sister had found a safe place away from their father, she'd taken her with her. His anger had, somehow, gotten worse after Harry managed to find a way out. With no one else to take it out on, he'd focused instead on Harriet, suddenly determining she was worthy enough of being captain now that his only son had abandoned him. At fifteen, Harriet had gotten out from under her father's control, knowing that he'd never be satisfied with how his children turned out. They still lived along the outer Isle. Even after dealing with their father, the life of the pirates was all they'd ever known, and they didn't have the heart to leave pirate territory. So, they'd left their father, with a little help from Smee, and taken control of their own lives.
C.J. wouldn't admit it to Harry or Harriet, but she always looked forward to their monthly 'family gatherings'. Being under the same roof, talking about what they'd gotten up to since they last saw each other, and being able to make as much noise as they wanted without their father barging through the door to give them a spontaneous 'lesson', was wonderful. There was also the fact that Harriet slacked on her rules when Harry was around. Maybe it had something to do with being the eldest sibling and only wanting to see the youngers happy, or the fact that Harry was more than willing to help convince their older sister that C.J. deserved some kind of freedom. Either way, the air didn't seem so stifling with him around.
The only reason C.J. was even allowed to be at Dragon Hall was down to Harry. She'd begged and pleaded on more than one occasion, assuring their big sister that she'd be home by twelve at the latest. Harriet, though, hadn't relented. Then Harry came in, asking Harriet what she herself had been doing at C.J.'s age. The youngest Hook still wasn't entirely sure what her big sister had gotten up to back then, since she'd been quick to knock Harry around the head with a wooden spoon. Still, he'd managed to sway their sister, telling her that the tighter she held the rope, the more C.J. would fight against it. At fifteen, Harriet had left their home and built up a new one, taking on the responsibility of ten-year-old C.J. on top of that. At thirteen, Harry had duelled their father and won, earning his hook and the freedom he'd so desperately craved. So, in comparison, letting C.J. go to her first Dragon Hall party would hardly cause her long-term damage. And finally, her sister had broken, allowing her to go as long as she didn't drink too much and was home by midnight.
Safe to say that C.J. was incredibly loyal to her big brother, who, for the last few days, had been incredibly high-strung over a certain kitty-cat. It wasn't often he came to the two for advice, but he did this time.
The tale of the pirate and the cat was incredibly unhealthy and wildly comedic. It had actually earned one or two laughs from the Hook sisters, mainly at their brother's misfortune. How funny it was that his enemy had burrowed deep enough into his mind to catch his fancy. It was understandable, of course. Their brother was chaotically tempered and viciously impulsive, and if his story was right, the little cat was more than capable of not only handling it but also returning the fire. His methods of capturing her were rocky, at best, but still had the desired outcome. Had he gone about it the best way? Definitely not. But it was clear the Cheshire Cat's daughter held a slight affection for him too; otherwise, why would she have stayed around him this long?
Then he'd told them about the curse. A human by night and a little black cat during the day. It wasn't ideal, really, but with magic barred from the Isle, there was nothing any of them could do about it. Harriet had simply explained that, if he wanted the cat as much as he claimed, he'd have to take some time to figure out just how high his desire ran. If it outweighed the negatives of only being able to be with her during the evening, then the curse was nothing more than a slight hindrance to their relationship. If her curse truly bothered him that much, then it was best for him to leave the cat alone.
It was almost sickening to see how obsessed he seemed with the cat. One day he was furiously ranting about their past, how she'd almost killed him and managed to put their long-time feud to rest, thus winning their little 'game'. Then he was mumbling about how pretty she was with her hair up and how brutal of a fighter she was. It was like watching him play on a fucked-up see-saw.
C.J. had honestly been excited to meet Cassie. Finding her at Dragon Hall hadn't been expected, of course, but she'd never been one to shy away from such a delicious opportunity. When the Queen of Hearts had told the youngest Hook to keep her mouth shut about Cassie being there, though, things had taken a turn. Obviously, both Cassie and Helena knew of Harry's peculiar attraction for the little cat; otherwise, they wouldn't have been so terrified when meeting C.J. Now, C.J. wasn't entirely sure what the duo were hoping to achieve at Dragon Hall, but if it was something that needed to be kept from Harry, then it couldn't be anything good.
The young Hook had seen it, plain as day, in Cassie's eyes the second the cat realised who she was. Sure, the alcohol might've taken hold of her, but the slight guilt in Cassie's eyes was unmistakable. Whatever it was she was doing there, Harry wasn't supposed to know she was doing it, but if there hadn't been even the slightest amount of reciprocation, the cat wouldn't have seemed so jittery. Evidently, Cassie did like Harry, and whatever she was doing or about to do at Dragon Hall would only piss off Harry in the end.
As a devoted baby sister, who was C.J. to keep something as severe as this from her big brother? Harriet finding out that Zevon had been the one to set fire to the ship wasn't exactly a great outcome, but it hadn't been anything too bad—only a little spark on a few planks of wood. It wasn't like they'd had to rebuild the damn ship. So, with this in mind, C.J. demanded Zevon's sturdy boots, handed him her own, and took off in the direction of Harriet's ship.
Stumbling onto the deck of Harriet's ship, C.J. hastily moved down the stairs, doing her best to catch her breath as she slammed open the door to the captain's quarters. Inside, she was relieved to find both Harriet and Harry sitting at the desk near the far window, passing a bottle of rum between each other.
"Fuckin' hell, kid, is Tick-Tock after ye'?" exclaimed Harry, slouched down a worn leather armchair.
Hurrying over to the two, she grabbed the sides of his face with both hands, searching his eyes to see if his mind was clear enough to receive this information. "Had much to drink?" she asked, dropping the pathetic little voice she put on purely to fit in with the rest of the Isle.
"Enough to make me feel good, not enough to stop me hookin' ye' if ye' don't let me go."
Leaning back, C.J. put her hands on her hips, peering down at her brother. "Ye' feel like goin' to a party?"
Harry paused, his head falling to the side as his eyes narrowed. "Somethin' happen?" His concern was almost sweet, but quite unneeded.
C.J. grinned, tugging her lip between her teeth. "Oh, it's somethin' alright."
AN;
Hi readers!
First, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And I'm sorry the whole 'sex-ed' bit with Cassie wasn't longer. If you like, I'll put a longer version in the fic somewhere.
Anyway, thank you to everyone who've commented, left kudos, and bookmarked. It means a lot that you're enjoying the story :)
Thanks!
Reviews;
Lottielue1; Thank you for leaving a review! Again, I'm sorry the 'sex-ed' bit didn't go on for very long, it'll come back up in future chapters though. 😊
CallMeDella; Hello my wonderful reviewer!
(But she also has a point. She hasn't admitted she likes Harry. Pressuring her to admit it triggers three things: 1. Her stubbornness 2. Her denial 3. Her competitive side (aka her recklessness/takes any challenge because she refuses to back down))
- Yes! I know Cassie's a bit of a pain in the ass with her denial. But it is something she has to come to on her own. Everyone else putting it on her makes her take it as a challenge, which it technically isn't, but our girls got problems. 😅
(first of all, UNEVENTFUL? Hun I was shrieking! Never apologize for a chapter. I go feral whenever I see you update.)
- Thank you for saying that! I wasn't in a great headspace when writing the last chapter, so it means a lot that you liked it. I really hope you enjoy this one. And thank you for leaving a great review! They mean the world to me.
Thank you to all who've reviewed, favourited, and followed, it means so much that you're enjoying the story.
Thanks!