Captain Hook and Facilier: Piracy and Voodoo (English Version)

2. Family crises

Facilier and Celia spent a long sleepless night. Neither of them could sleep a wink, given the situation they were in. After a while, Celia tried to talk to her father to seek comfort, but above all she wanted to apologize to him, since they had ended up there because of her and she felt guilty about it. "Father...". Facilier, however, immediately shut her up and replied badly: "I told you a lot of times that you shouldn't read that book! And what did you do? You even started practicing one of those spells, and now look where we are! What's wrong with you, can you know? Weren't you the one who kept telling me to be careful with these things?". Celia was very upset, but still tried to talk to him: "I'm sorry, I just wanted to help you!", "By practicing spells that I had forbidden you to even read ?! You've always been against me because I'm always looking for easy ways and you for first did a stupid thing! Now we are prisoners and in the service of pirates of who knows what place and I will no longer be able to realize my dream!", "Why only yours? Why not both?", "Me I want to get rich, but when did it ever matter to you?", "What matters to me is to be well together, like a real family! I was trying to help you with your dream precisely because I wanted to see you happy!", "Of course, and now because of you there is no longer a chance to succeed! Congratulations on your cunning!". Tears began to fall from Celia. Her father was so infuriated with her for her mistake that he never stopped telling her bad things. She knelt in front of him and begged him: "Father, please...". Facilier got up and slapped her, knocking her to the ground. "Shut up!", he yelled at her, "I don't want to hear you talk anymore, understand? You have brought me back to life, but now you've become a real pain in the flank! I always did everything you wanted, I even left New Orleans for you and you thank me that way! I should have let you loose once I returned from the Other Side, so I would have realized my dream alone and with no one around to prevent me!". After this last malice, Celia went to a corner of the cell, sat down and burst into tears. She had had other arguments with her father in the past, but he never raised his hands on her or said that he would rather abandon her and not have her around. She couldn't calm down. James and Aisha crawled towards her and stopped on her shoulders. This time, however, not even they could cheer her up. Facilier was really angry and Celia feared losing her father and finding herself alone.

The next morning, Charlie showed up in front of their cell. "Wake up, wake up!", he said humming, "The captain wants to see you!". He opened the cell and led them out to James's cabin. Once there, he let them in. "Please take a seat", James told them. He sat them down, then continued: "Well, I'll explain the situation straight away: I am the fearsome pirate Captain James Hook and I need help to get rid of an insolent brat, a hoodlum that never grows and lives on the Neverland with other kids. He always made fun of me and he also cut off my hand, as you can see. I tried in every way to defeat him, but he always managed to beat me and humiliate me. So, as a last resort, I ask you and your magic to help me get rid of Peter Pan once and for all! Of all the opponents I have faced so far, he has proved to be a real calamity!". Facilier, as soon as James finished speaking, replied: "As long as we carry this brand, we are obliged to help you! But before you do anything, tell us where we are and what year we are in!", "Ah, yes, right! This place is a different world from the real world, you get there by passing through a star. In your case it was enough to come from the Other Side, but I prefer the star as a road. Right now we are sailing on the Neversea. As for the year, well... When I last returned to the real world there was a war going on, but other years have passed since then and I can't tell you what exact year it is. In these parts it is easy to lose track of time". Facilier widened his eyes, confused. "A war?!", he said, amazed, "Another one? But how many years have gone by? Damn, have we been on the Other Side that long?!", "It seems so, but what are you complaining about? Now you are free, right?", "Sure, and at your service, captain! What the beautiful freedom!", "If you'd like me to send you back, don't compliment! If, on the other hand, you will serve me to the end, you will have no problems!". Facilier had no choice. He nodded, gritting his teeth. "Very well", continued James, "Anyway, between both of you, you seem much more experienced with Voodoo", "Of course, we didn't end up on the Other Side because of me!". Celia, after this sentence, tried to hold back her tears. Her father was still very angry with her and didn't stop blaming her for her mistake. James then turned to her: "You would be his apprentice, then?". Celia, sniffling, replied: "I'm his daughter". Facilier made a face, turning his head away. James continued: "What's your name, my dear?", "My name is Celia, sir", "Do you know something about Voodoo?", "Few things, captain", "Well, better than nothing. What else can you do?", "I've always worked, I'm a bit of a handywoman", "Well, well. You could be useful in many things, then". Having said that, he called Charlie and, as soon as he entered, he told him to take Celia with him, to accompany her to Bethany's room and to explain to her too that from now on Celia would serve them in everything, as their personal housemaid. Once taken out her of the cabin, James chatted with Facilier again, explaining more details to him about where they were now and about Neverland.