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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄:

𝑅 𝑂 𝑇 𝑇 𝐸 𝑁  𝐷 𝐸 𝐴 𝐿 𝑆

Harry Hook and his pirate mate Gil abandoned the wrecked motorcycles they had stolen from the goody-goody VK's. Honestly, it was the easiest thing in the world taking their bikes. Auradon really had gotten to them, leaving valuable things out for anyone to steal. Where's the suspicion? Or did Auradon just juice them out of their default evil ways completely? Harry would've felt sad for them if he actually cared enough.

But, they weren't entirely useless, no, the one good, yes this was actually good, thing they brought with them was that nifty little remote that opens up the barrier encasing the island. Just as they were stepping through and not bothered to look behind them, Harry and Gil quickly made their way to the small bit of portal left for them to jump through. Again, they're so trustful now that they don't even bother to check if someone were to come up behind them. Did they learn nothing from Hades yesterday?

Well, better for him. Now he had his chance, his shot at finding his dear Hatter. He wore the jacket that Jax had stained completely black with squid ink practically every day now. The young alchemist had said 'You need a little less color'. When he found it in their joint closet, it was wedged between clothes of his boyfriend, seeing as how Jax liked to experiment with the material most worn out clothing had on the island. Harry saw it when he had to leave his regular bright red jacket out to dry from jumping into the ocean. It just called to him, and it made him more relaxed with the Hatter's scent mixed into the material. And thus the spotted black leather pirate jacket was part of his main ensemble for the past few months. In a way, it felt like he was still with him when he wore it.

These few months had not been kind to him, he barely slept, barely ate though because it was Isle food he had good reason to, the dark spots underneath his eyes were very visible even when he wore an abundance of black liner to try and hide it. If he were to be assessed by a professional, they would probably tell him he was depressed and expressing it in deep unpredictable ways.

It's not about being with Jax or even having Uma back, it's the not knowing that was killing him. Not knowing if they were in danger, injured, separated from each other, or worse. He couldn't handle it, so he chose to let his emotions and worries out in different, more surprising ways. Wrecking Jay's motorcycle was practically cathartic for him. It was an excellent distraction.

Harry and Gil leaped through the portal, he landed with a graceful roll whilst Gil landed on his stomach. Gaston's son didn't seem to be too bothered by it however as he picked himself up quickly and both boys ran to each to hug and celebrate their small triumph. Now that they were out, they weren't planning on going back.

They end their celebration pretty quickly due to the shocked and cautious faces of the Rotten Four, "Hey guys, we're uh, we're just coming for a wee visit," Harry laughs maniacally but as soon as he takes a step forward Carlos shoves him back while Jay shoves Gil back to the entrance of the Isle.

A scuffle is formed as the pirates try to move forward, in the process of pushing Carlos back, the De Vil boy bumped into Mal as she drops a blue rock from her hand. "Hey!" She almost had her hands on it before Harry, acting impulsively and wanting the satisfaction of her losing something, jams his hook around her hand and pushes it over the bridge. She gasps, watching it head for the water "No!"

Harry laughed loudly which was quickly cut short by the rest of the VK's moving forward to see the rock go into the ocean, but before it could, a tentacle shot up and caught it in one swoop.

And right there the waist of a beautiful sea blue sparkling dark-skinned girl resurfaced, followed by various tentacles attached to her. Uma shook off the excess of water to look up and smirk at everyone's shocked face. "Drop something?" She presented the glowing ember.

Mal was quick to answer since she was more worried about the ember than the fact that Uma had made an appearance. "It can't get wet! Give it back before it goes out!" Uma only laughed in mockery of the dragon girl. She loved having leverage with her worst enemy.

"Uma!" Exclaimed both pirates. Harry turned his head quickly to Gil, as though it weren't real, he already found one of his people, and with Uma in his corner, he was bound to find Jax soon. He, in particular, was happy to see her again, but since she was an octopus when she swam away from the ship filled with Auradoners and again right now, he had a feeling that Jax wasn't with her. It unsettled him.

"That's my name." She smiled and waved evilly at the boys with a giggle at the end. With a deep breath, she submerged herself underneath the water once more, creating a small water spiral that kept growing and growing until it splashed everyone with water and dismissed.

Harry was worried for a few seconds, he didn't have time to think it through, so he kept wondering if she had swam back to Auradon or had done something with that rock Mal wanted so badly.

"Hi boys," She greeted from behind everyone, the rock in hand.

Harry started laughing, pointing his hook at her as he approached her, "Welcome back!" He embraces as she links her pinky finger with his hook, it was their own personal greeting.

"Uma, you swam off and forgot all about us." Gil says sadly as he thought back to the somber day.

"Yeah, planning her revenge no doubt," Mal accused.

"It's not all about you, Mal." Uma redirects to which Mal raised an eyebrow at that, "I was looking for a whole in the barrier. To let everybody out." She motioned to the Isle and then turned back to her crew, "And you know what I found, boys? It's way better out there than we thought." She walks back to them with a smile, "There's this thing that looks like a furry rock called a coconut, and fish so big you can dance on their backs!" She exclaims as she twisted around to look at the Rotten Four. "And they've been keeping it all for themselves." Uma shook her head.

Mal shrugged it off, "Whatever. Uma, I need that to break a spell." She said quickly as she held her hand out as though the sea witch would just hand the ember back to her.

"Cast by Audrey, Sleeping Beauty's daughter." Carlos informed them a bit of the situation.

"Hm, so the good guy's the bad guy?" She laughed, "Well I might not give it back, let's see what happens," Uma said in a soft voice that reflected her teasing vibe.

"Uma it's not the time for games, people's lives are in danger!" Mal yelled at her ex.

"Guarantee me that every single villain kid that wants to, can get off the Isle." Uma pointed with her head.

"I can't do that." Mal denied truthfully.

Uma nodded quickly, but you could tell she wanted the conversation to be dealt with a bit more seriously. "Can't do that," She mumbles and walks faster to the edge of the broken bridge, the rock in her hand threatening to be dropped, "Well how 'bout now?!" She demanded.

The dragon girl was quick to respond, "Deal!" With a look from the sea witch, she calmly says it again with a deep breath, "Deal." She promises, her hand still out for the ember to be dropped in her purple gloved covered hand.

Uma, not believing her entirely, fakes a stumble over the edge as though to drop it in, Harry quickly reached to make sure she wouldn't accidentally fall in. He'd momentarily forgotten that his captain was a sea witch and she would've been fine, it was out of pure instinct.

"Uma! Her word is good," Evie assures.

Uma looked from the blue haired girl and back to the leader of the Rotten Four. "I'll still keep this," She pockets the blue ember in her front jacket pocket, "For the time being. Because if you think I trust you to save the world on your own, think again. This is a job for pirates!" She called out to which plenty of yeahs! in agreement followed through.

"We can always go back to hating each other when this is over." Jay tried to persuade Mal even if he himself had his doubts about the uneasy alliance.

"Fine." She sighs.

With that taken care of, Jay turned his head back at the pirates in fury, "Where are our bikes?"

"Oh yeah, we crashed them." Gil thought back to the fun memory.

Meanwhile, Harry had some fun with the boy of Agrabah as he made a motorcycle sound, whistled something falling and then finally an exploding noise. When he saw Jay's reaction he began to laugh in joy, "Look at his face," He pointed with his hook.

It was Evie that took it upon herself to be the diplomat between her friends and their lifelong enemies. She'd been castle schooled most of her life so the deep antagonism between the six didn't affect her much. She knew that because Mal was head of Dragon Hall and Uma of Serpent Preparatory that the schools had been in discord for a long time. But Evie never experienced that sense of rivalry that Mal, Jay and even Carlos felt for the pirate school. "Here's a thought, we could try to be friends." Everyone else's faces morphed into the same doubtful expression. "Put our history behind us and celebrate our differences." After a small pause she suddenly asked, "Who wants gum?" She pulled out a pouch from the inside of her sleeve.

The question was left unanswered as Harry took Uma by the arm to speak with her in hushed tones as possible. "Where is he?"

Uma only looked down and then back at him, licking her lips as though she was hoping this conversation could have waited a bit longer. "I searched," She started, "I searched for months for him in the sea."

Harry's face paled at that last word. "The sea?" He whispered as though it were a foreign word on his tongue.

"I thought he got out, I thought he was right next to me," She swore, "I was so tired when we arrived," She shook her head at the memory, "And I just wanted to shut my eyes for a few minutes," Uma gulped loudly and whispered, "But when I woke up he wasn't there. I thought I hallucinated everything or something,"

"So what are you saying?" Harry was being eerily calm about everything, but they both knew that he would blow eventually. Uma gave him a look, one that made the pirate back away from her as he shook his head, "No, no, no, no, no, no." He refused. "He isn't. Don't say it, don't even think it." He shot back angrily.

His small burst caught the attention of their recently turned allies, Mal's purple head turned to the pair, "Okay, what now?"

Neither of them responded, they both knew this was a personal matter and they weren't about to reveal anything, especially to Mal of all people.

The space fell into silence but Evie caught the worried looks that Uma and Harry sent each other, "Wait, is this about Jax?" She asked calmly, but still no response.

Mal then saw her opportunity, "What if I told you I knew someone who could find him?"

"I'd say you're screwing with us just to get this hunk of rock back," She pulls out the ember as a way to remind the dragon girl who had the upper hand.

Mal turned her view to Harry, the one that would risk anything to find his boyfriend, "Ruby Queen would know where he is, and I know where to find her."

Harry recognized the name instantly and walked directly towards the purple haired girl, his closeness provoked Jay to put an arm out so he wouldn't get any closer to her. "Take me to her." He ordered.

"Harry." Uma cautioned, knowing he was acting too brashly, he had to play it smart.

"Not without the ember first." Mal offered, her eyes drifting to the rock presented in Uma's hand.

Harry tilted his head, he turned back to Uma and without another word, plucked the ember from her hand. She was about to tell him it was a bad idea but then saw that he was copying her earlier move, dangling the rock over the bridge. "Do you honestly think," He started off slowly only for it to build up, "That you're in a position to make demands?!" He yelled at her.

"Harry, no!"

"Don't!"

Plenty of other pleads came through.

"I want to be taken to Ruby Queen." He demanded. "You made a deal with Uma," He pointed his hook towards his captain, "Now it's time for my bargain. What will it be, Mal?" He playfully turned the ember in his hand, still over the bridge.

Mal nodded, "Deal." Harry looked at her questionably with narrowed eyes, "Deal." She repeated with more force.

Harry slowly approached his captain, no one took his eyes off him, he was much more unpredictable than the last time they saw him. He gently handed the ember back to Uma. "Keep a close eye on that." He advised.

Uma only nodded back at him, understanding that her best friend was willing to do anything to get back to his love, and she was determined to help him.

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I hope you enjoyed that!

Honestly I am so excited about this book!!

Now:

Before anyone gets any ideas about commenting on Harry's mental state, let me make it clear in case i wasn't in the chapter:

he is going through a rough time, but not because he doesn't have Jax or Uma.

No, he's going through a rough time because he has no idea how they are. Neither of them have contacted the pirate in the past year so he has no clue if they're safe or injured or worse.
That's what's got him worried.

no mundanes allowed
- polaroized