Silver Springs * Young Hook

five

The weekend came and went and Monday was upon the students once again. Idalin rushed out of her room and headed to Alchemy taught by her headmaster and father, Merlin. She made it down the hall of the classroom and took note that others also waited at the door. Once again, her father was late for class.

She spotted Ella and proceeded to hurry over but was grabbed and pulled back. She was pulled back so no one had noticed her arrival. To a little corner she was pulled by something slimy. Who it was turned her around and pinned her against the wall.

Uliana smirked at her and made sure to trap her between the wall and a tentacle.

"Hey!" Uliana says in fake happy tone. Idalin frowns and notices they weren't alone. With Uliana was half her rat pack of Maleficent and Hades. Hades had a smirk on his face, something that Idalin could obviously note that he was satisfied with whatever revenge he was going get. All because of a smack of a wood spoon. What is my life?

"Aren't you gonna greet us back, Lost Girl--" Lost Girl? "That's not very nice of you." Uliana gave her a fake pout of sadness, which Idalin scoffs at.

"Yeah? You know what else isn't nice? This three against one situation right now." Idalin motions to them.

"We just wanna talk, Linny. Don't you wanna talk to us?" Hades chips in, placing his hand against the wall beside her head to trap her of all exits.

"Not really, no."

"How about we talk and you listen?" Uliana said. She trailed one of her sharp nails against Idalin's face. "We have a proposition for you and you're gonna take it.

"Sorry, I don't make deals with sea witches, fairies, or Gods." Idalin points at each of them. They all cackle in return.

"Don't really have much of a choice here, sweetheart." Maleficent says, a glow of her green eyes made her all the more menacing.

"You're doing so well with Morgie, he might actually make it to junior year. Just barely." They mocked their friend so easily, it made Idalin's bloody boil. "We've decided to let you take on Hook as well."

Wait-- "What?" Idalin stood stunned.

"He needs help with histories. And since you're an 'A' grade student, we thought you'd be perfect for the job."

"There's about a dozen other 'A' grade students, why me?" Idalin questions. She noted the smirk that formed on Hades' face as well as Uliana.

"It seems you're the only one that isn't afraid of me, therefore you're not afraid of him." Uliana explains with a smug look on her face that Idalin wouldn't admit out loud-- she wants to smack it off.

"And in return, we'll leave your precious, sweet Bridget alone." Maleficent mocks in a baby talk tone. She wants to smack Maleficent too. And Hades again.

"And Ella too." Idalin says. Maybe she wasn't in the position to negotiate, but that doesn't mean she won't try. Uliana lost her smirk and steps closer to her prey until was she was face to face.

"My my, aren't we suddenly brave right now?"

"Ella too, or no deal." Idalin says more forcefully. She wasn't gonna give them a choice. It was already cruel to use Bridget as a way for her to do as they wanted, so she might as well benefit from it. And what better way than to protect her dearest friends? Uliana's face grins.

"Alright. You just make sure our boy is... learning as much as he needs."

"Spend as much time with him as possible— for educational purposes of course." Hades chips in. With that, Uliana retracted her tentacles. When she backed away, the other two followed along.

"See ya 'round, Lost Girl." Hades waves mockingly at her as he leaves. Once they were gone, Idalin let out a breath of relief. In that moment, she saw her father hurrying down the hall to get to his class.

"Ida? What are you doing? You'll be late for class." Merlin lectures. Idalin looks at her father with disbelief.

"I'll be late? Dad, come on!" Merlin grabs her by the arm and rushes her with him, ignoring her comment. They made it to the door now crowded with students.

"Coming through, if you please!" Merlin announce and removes his key from his ear to unlock the door. Idalin finds Ella and sticks by her. Once they sit down together, Ella takes a good look at her friend to notice a serious look on her face. The lesson starts and Merlin drones on.

Quietly, Ella leans in. "What's up, Linny?" Idalin flinches at the nickname. Hades using it made her feel a bad kind of queasy.

"Nothing, it's nothing." She reassured her friend. Whether Ella believed it or not, she chose to drop the topic and focused back on the lesson and left Idalin to her thoughts again.

Maybe this won't be so bad. James Hook is a nice (enough) guy. He got Hades off our backs for now. And this is a good deal! Bridget and Ella will be left in peace. Right? Right. This is a good thing.

•                                                             •

This was a very bad idea. Morgie thought to himself. He here was sat as Uliana relayed her plan to Hook. Hook looked ready to bolt out of there, but his loyalty to Uliana kept him still.

"Do you understand, Hook?" Uliana says loudly. Hook didn't move for a second, trying to process what was told to him all while glaring as a smirking Hades.

Morgie was in the stress of his life. He liked his friends, but he also liked Idalin. Even if she doesn't do his homework for him and makes him care his heavy books needed for class. Even if she was the daughter of his mother's enemy.

Idalin isn't afraid of him. Treats him like a normal person. He knows he isn't so smart, but she treats him just as any other person. She feeds him snacks. Helps with homework. She is the loveliest (yes loveliest!) person he's ever met. He doesn't want to hurt her in any way...

So why didn't he speak up when Uliana was telling Hook what he was tasked to do?

James Hook's job

Get Idalin to fall in love with you.

Get her to confess.

Break her.