Four Years after Evie’s Big Birthday Bash

 

Uma sighs, tapping her nails against the worn table as she listens to her overly cheery cousin go on about her latest column. Like anyone was even able to read them; the girl almost always ended up torching her own work.  

“Are you even listening to me Uma?” Hyades huffs before she jerks her hand away from the paper she was writing on, leaving the slightest scorch mark where her hand had been resting.

“What?” Uma blinks. “Yeah. Of course.” She lies quickly. “Riveting story.” She smiles at her cousin. 

“You’re a bad liar.” Hyades pouts as she slides down in her seat, disappointed. “If it’s not an interesting story, you have to tell me. No one wants to read stuff if it’s boring.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “That’s what my teacher says anyway.” She frowns at her hand as if scrutinizing it for any traces of fire.

“I think you lost me at adorable kitten.” Uma admits with a sigh as she leans back in her chair. “No one wants to read about that crap. They want the juicy shit.” She waves her hand. “Where’s the gossip? The rumours? Ya know, that type ah trash.” She offers, questioning her cousins thought process. “That Yen Sid gives you bad advice.”

“How is writing gossip good advice?” Hyades rolls her eyes.

“You want people ta be interested right?” Uma raises her brow.

Hyades purses her lips in thought for a long moment, “I doooo… But- But I’m trying to go for something a little more-”

Uma scoffs, rudely stopping her cousin before she stupidly finished that thought in the middle of the chip shop. “-Well who here wants to read bout good deeds and kittens and rainbows and shit Deez-” She hisses lowly, as she gestures around the room. “If you were anyone else ya’d be gettin’ yer ass kicked.”

“Being a demigod has a perk or two it seems.” Hyades winks with a saucy smirk before she scoots closer to Uma and lowers her voice, “But I’m not just writing for people on the isle anymore.”

Uma lifts a curious brow, “Oh?” She asks her lips pulling in a frown at the sudden switch of demeanor. “And what ya be meanin’ by that?”

“Well, I’m still writing articles and interviewing people to get their stories and all that…” Hyades grins and slides a little closer, “But Yen Sid said he thinks that even the King would want to read about the everyday happenings on the isle. He thinks I have a good perspective.” She beams proudly.

Uma stares at Hyades blankly for a moment, as she leans back with a frown. Several emotions cross her face before she lets out a heavy sigh. “Why?” She shakes her head. “As I said, he gives bad advice. Her voice drops several octaves. “What if your dad finds out?”

Hyades shrugs, “He doesn’t care where I go or what I do, and Pain and Panic are trying to help.” She smiles “They like the idea.”

Uma scoffs, “Of course they like they idea. It makes you happy and that's all those dolts care about… What do you even expect to come out of this exactly?” She asks as she props her head on her hand.

“I don’t really know.” Hyades frowns for a moment, seemingly lost in thought before she gives the chip shop a quick glance “I just, I feel like this, all of this, is all just- Like you, Uma. You don’t belong here. Gil, Carlos. What if no one even knows about you guys, and you’re stuck here forever for something you didn’t do?”

Uma’s eyes soften for the briefest of moments before they harden with a firm shake of her head. “I say you just stick with gossip.” She sighs eventually. “So much shady ass shit happens here, it’s like a gold mine for writing. Add some jokes, and boom.” She pats the other girls shoulder.

“You always do that.” Hyades sighs before she lets Uma have her space back, “I guess I could try getting more than just the stories from before the isle.” 

“Tch.” Uma sucks her teeth. “Ain’t noone gonna be tellin’ ya shit bout how they were before they got ta the top, but I admire yer determination.” She offers her eyes sparkling in amusement now that they were back to a safer topic.

“Sometimes the teachers talk about their past,” Hyades stubbornly points out before her chin drops, “But, most of the time people just tell me to go away.”

“That school is so stupid.” Uma crosses her arms, tone bitter. “I wouldn’t base the other Villains off those idiots.”

“What about you?” Hyades suddenly brightens, “Would you let me write about you Uma? Not gossip or anything, but like really write about you, the captain!”

Uma’s eyes narrows in thought. “Who actually reads these?”

“Pain and Panic… Yen Sid… Sometimes Carlos and Evie. Umm,” Hyades bounces a finger against the palm of her hand as she continues to count people off on her fingers, “Gil let’s me read them to him. Harry teases me, alot, but sometimes he reads them.”

Uma rubs her temples as she thinks about it for a moment. “If I okay them before anyone reads them.” She finally sighs. 

“Really?” Hyades’ blue eyes widen in admiration as she brings her clasped hands to her chest.

Uma rolls her eyes, as she waves her hand. “Fuck if I care if the mutt and idiots read them, and it's the least I can do to keep the princess happy.” She chuckles, leaning over to run her fingers through her cousins silky hair, pulling it taunt before letting it curl around her finger.

“Don’t call me that.” Hyades demands angrily as tiny blue flames break out along her arm, “I’m not a princess.”

Uma lets out a bark of laughter even as she backs away weary of the flames. “Calm down before ya burn down the joint princess, it was said with the utmost love.” She blinks innocently.

Hyades blinks several times before she looks down at her arms, “It’s cool!” She yelps softly as she pats at the tin flames, “It’s-cool-It’s-cool-It’s-cool-” She continues to mutter under her breath until the flames are out.

“So touchy.” Uma teases once the fire was under control. 

“Sorry.” Hyades takes a deep, slow breath, “I’m just, ya know, not a princess.”

“Says the princess.” Uma smirks, with a dismissive flick of her wrist. “Just let me know if that list grows longer.”

Hyades growls softly, but shakes her head. 

“You know, it would be easier to write about my awesome adventures if you actually joined the crew.” She offers as she leans back to the table propping her head on her hand thoughtfully as she studied Hyades seriously.

“That would be true, but I thought you didn’t want me in your group if I was still hanging out with Mal and her people.” Hyades looks back to her small stack of papers and salvaged pens. She pulls the cap off a new one and writes Uma’s name on a new sheet.

“Well, obviously you can’t keep talking with that purple haired twit.” Uma sits back dismissively, “But come on, think bout it Deez. What we could accomplish after we establish ourselves. All the adventures you could write if you were actually there.” Her eyes brighten with mischief. 

“And that would be fun,” Hyades smiles as she continues to make notes, “But I like being able to go to the school and come here to see you.” 

Uma pulls a face before she mockingly barfs. “Lame. What’s so fun about school and Mal anyways?” She scoffs. “You know Harry an’ Gil an’ me actually care about ya. Fuck that scheming bitch and just join the Rats… I know we’re not big yet, but you watch, I’mma win that cocksucker Hook’s boat and make a real name for myself. No one will ever be stupid enough to call me Shrimpy again, and you’ll be able to write as much as you want bout who ya want- Just might be at knife point.” She tries again, passion growing as she grew confident at the thought of the race next month. 

Hyades scrunches her nose at the thought of holding a knife on someone, “That doesn’t sound-”

Uma cuts Hyades off, lifting her hand into her cousin’s face, her thumb and forefinger a short width apart. “I’m this close to getting a ship, things are finally coming up Uma, and I want you to be apart of my crew. “Already have me the beginning’s of a real crew, but we could always be usin’ an educated type ya already be havin’ more schoolin’ than the rest of us.” She takes a deep breath before she smirks, “And once Mal and her crew pledge fealty to me, ya’d be able ta talk to em again.”

“So you’d let Mal and them join?” Hyades asks skeptically. 

“Under me is exactly where Mal belongs.”

Hyades sits up and looks around expectantly, “How did Harry not hear that? ” She giggles as she continues to look for the lewd pirate, “He’s going to be so pissed that he missed out.”

“He’s on rounds with James.” Uma chuckles, as she waves her hand. “But seriously what do you say? Wanna join? Get outta that Crypt and actually live life like the rest of us.” She asks her hopefully.

Hyades sighs and puts her pen down, “So what I’m hearing is that you are gathering a crew and gunning for a ship…”

“Ya know it.” Uma winks as she leans in.

“And I fully support you getting your dream, but Uma…” Hyades looks down at her papers, fanning them out to show Uma the scorch marks, “Ships are made of wood.”

“Which are surrounded by water.” Uma flicks her wrist. “Swimming ain’t that hard, and I’mma hell of a teacher.” 

“And I’ll gladly learn,” Hyades accepts with a smile, “But I really don’t want to be the reason your ship goes down one of these days.” She frowns, “It would kill me if I ruined your dream.”

Uma’s face falls for a moment, before she shrugs. “We’d figure something out for you Deez, I know we would.” She starts again, feeling closer than she ever had to having her agree to join. 

“And I’ll listen when we do, but for now not even my writing is safe from my fire.”

“So if I figure out a way for you to stay on my soon ta be ship safely yer sayin’ ya will join us?” Uma asks excitedly.

“I’ll listen and really consider it.” Hyades explains.

Uma lets out a deep disappointed sigh, but nods her head. “Alright. You think about it, while I think of a way ta be fixin’ this problem.”

“You know I hate disappointing you,” Hyades carefully points out, “but I also don’t think I’d do well having to follow orders and stuff.”

“You’d learn.” Uma shrugs, “I’m not a monster like Atilla or Mal,  ya’d have yer freedom.”

“That is really important to me.” Hyades nods, “I like to make my own choices, and I like doing things my way.”

“I hadn’t noticed.” Uma rolls her eyes. “But if ya join before I be gettin’ me crew too big no one will question our orders.”

“You like sharing the spotlight as much as I like being in it.” Hyades points out with her own eye roll.

Uma chuckles, “Well, never said I’d be listening to your orders, but ya’d be higher rank than the others.”

“That’s never mattered to me.”

Uma rolls her eyes, “Why can’t ya just be a wee bit power hungry?”

Hyades shrugs, “Because being power hungry is what got the adults tossed here to begin with.”

Uma makes a face, before she turns somber. “...It’s more about freedom than power.” 

“Freedom is just an illusion when you are stuck behind a barrier.” Hyades points out with a small huff.

“Tch.” Uma scoffs, “Ya sound just like yer old man.” She shakes her head. 

“Eww.” Hyades deadpans.

“Ya gotta be learnin’ ta be appreciating the moment, first we gotta build a team we can be countin’ on-” She leans in and, in a conspirators whisper continues, “That’s where our parents failed. They didn’t be trustin’ no one. But I don’t plan on bein’ that stupid. We will eventually get out outta here, and when we do, we’ll stick together until we get to taste real freedom, and reassess from there. Then ya can be writin’ all ya be wantin.”

Hyades smiles as she leans her head against Uma’s shoulder, “Sounds like a great dream, and I’ll do everything I can to help you get that freedom.”

“We could get it together.” Uma pouts, already feeling the rejection of her offer.

“I just think that for now it’s best for me to do my part my own way. I’m not saying no, I’m just saying not yet.”

Uma lets out a deep sigh. “One day your gonna figure out shutting yerself out from the rest of the world can’t be healthy-” She shakes her head. “You know the invitation is always on the table.” 

“Thanks Uma.” Hyades stealthily grasps Uma’s hand in hers under the table, twining their fingers together.

“No prob Cuz.” Uma she offers as she ruffles Hyades hair, with her free hand, squeezing Hyades hand with the other. “I’ll always be here when ya need me, even when yer bein’ a stubborn pain in the ass.” 

A sudden slam of a tankard on wood makes them both jump, “Hey! I’ve been wait-”

Uma growls as she stands, slamming her hands on the table, “SHUT THE FUCK UP!” She interrupts the man with a nasty snarl. 

“Where’s Gil?” Hyades asks as she looks around in confusion, “I thought he was running food for you.”

Uma glances around the floor in confusion. “Dammit, that boy is a different kinda useless.” She curses as she scrambles out of her seat. “Cover for me, yeah? Imma go strangle him.”

“I got ya.” Hyades nods as she jumps to her feet. She quickly rushes over to grab the trays in the dirty window.

Uma frowns as she steps out of her mother’s shop, her eyes scanning the docks for any sign of Gil. It was out of character for him to up and leave the floor.

He wasn’t stupid enough to enter her mother’s kitchen. Her sweet boy had barely survived the first time. 

She shakes her head as she stalks the pier with a confident swagger, her hand always hovering close to the hilt of her sword. She frowns when she sees Hades Sr heading their way. 

Her steps falter for a moment. That was different, it wasn’t often her uncle left his temple. Her eyes narrow suspiciously, before she just shrugs. It was strange, but that wasn’t any of her business. 

She scouts several more moorings before she finally spots Gil, looking dwarfed between twin houses that were his brothers. She sighs, though it was definitely not in relief.

Unfortunately there was nothing she could do about family matters. With another sigh she turns back to her mom's shop. She hadn’t been gone long, hopefully she could get back before Hyades burned something. 

The sudden sound of dishes hitting the floor has her picking up her pace, but the scream that echoed through the streets after had her running. 

“Fuck.” She curses as she slides through the saloon doors, her eyes sweeping the scene around her, or at least tried too through the warm damp steam filling shop. 

“Useless!Useless!Useless!” Ursula was pissed. The whole scene looked utterly terrifying. Her mother’s tentacles were whipping around in irritation; knocking over chairs as plates, tins, and mugs went flying.

The usual patrons were glued to the walls, all too terrified to move and draw the sea witch’s attention as they watched Ursula bear down on something in the thick fog. The depressing atmosphere that usually hung over the shop had dissipated, making way for a much heavier tension that had Uma’s heart slamming in her chest. 

She shifts in discomfort as her eyes slowly adjust to the fog, stiffening when she can’t find her white and blue cousin anywhere in the room. Her stomach drops as she finally notes where the thick steam was rising from a giant hole torn through the floorboards. The sounds of the waves beneath the shop finally sinking in. Her mouth runs dry as the sound penetrates her soul. The pieces she had been missing finally clicking into place. Her eyes slowly lower to see one of her mother’s tentacle keeping something under the icy brine beneath their shop.

“Burn my customers will you? And my floor? You useless brat!” Ursula shouts through a hole in the floor where one of her tentacles was currently wrapped around Hyades. “You worthless waste of a girl.”

“I’m sorry Aunt! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, I just tripped.” Hyades pleads between ragged gasps for air, coughing up water as she struggled to catch her breath.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it girly.” Ursula smiles sweetly. “This is the last time you’ll ever disrespect my shop.”

“No-” Hyades’ terrified scream is cut short.

Uma watches in horror as her mother thrusts Hyades back under the water, all but gagging on her fear as she finds herself frozen in panic. What the fuck was she supposed to do? She curses as her fingers twitch over the hilt of her sword, against every instinct Ursula had beaten into her. 

You don’t fuck with enemies, unless you're sure you can win. Always fight smarter. Know your limits.  

Uma subconsciously holds her breath as her cousin was held under the freezing water. The seconds stretch out into eternity. Her chest begins to burn. She knew she could hold her breath for a long time, how long could Hyades?

Her eyes turn to her uncle, ice flowing through her when she sees the cold, calculating look in his eyes as he watches his daughter drown. 

Instinctively she turns away, knowing he’d be no help in this matter. An unfamiliar rage bloomed in her chest. Her knuckles turn white around the hilt of her blade she was too terrified to brandish. How the fuck was she supposed to stop her mother? Why wasn’t she attacking her mother? Why couldn’t she move? Hyades was drowning! She opens her mouth to scream, but to her horror nothing comes out. 

The only sounds in the restaurant were the frantic splashes as Hyades fought under the water. 

And then, even that stopped.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, a throat being very obnoxiously cleared finally breaks the spell on everyone.

“Ursula, beautiful, you know I don’t mind you bossing my little girl around, but killing her?” Hades shakes his head. “Now that, that I kinda have to mind.”

“Ah, uncle, what a pleasure to have you to drop in.” Ursula greats with a cold smile as she pulls Haydes back from the water. The small girl was limp and lifeless in her tentacle as she hovers her above the crashing waves in an almost taunting manner. Her eyes dramatically drop to the girl curled in her grasp. “Ha. I really though she woulda lasted longer than that.” She shrugs. “Or fought harder at least. She wasn’t even able to ignite herself back up.” She shakes her head. “What a pity.” She titters under her breath while her tentacles flick around Hyades lifeless body. 

Uma’s eyes widen as she sees her mother and Hades share a look, and something in her snaps. Everyone knew how much Hades protected his daughter. Some even said he loved her. 

He wasn’t even mad though. His daughter was unmoving, no longer fighting for air. And he didn’t even seem fazed at her treatment. 

In fact if she wasn’t paying attention to the actual conversation, she would’ve thought her mother and uncle were talking bout the weather. 

“Ah well. I’ll just take her and we’ll get out of your uh- place of business.” Hades says with a frown as he runs his hand over his face. “I’ll send ya the bill.”

Ursula nods as she delivers the unconscious child at Hades feet. “Much obliged, uncle dearest.”  She huffs as she turns back to the kitchen, pausing just before she passes through the doors, “Uma. Fix the damn floor or it’ll be you swimming next.”

Uma jumps forward automatically to start repairing the hole, but she looks back over her shoulder, watching as Hades roughly picked up Hyades before leaving. 

Something was wrong, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. She could only hope that Hyades being a demigod had been enough to prevent any serious damage. 

She’d survive. Uma knew that… But, she doubted that she’d be seeing much of her cousin any time soon and that hurt more than anything else could. 

She swallows her tears as she begins the repairs, too terrified of retribution to ignore the orders.