#ouat zeus

[naiariddle]

Killian Jones it’s a survivor. And it so much true that Zeus didn’t want to make of Killian a liar so he returned him to life so he could be with Emma. I am crying

[piraterefrigerator]

Ouat Zeus just weirds me out a tiny bit because I know about Zeus and uhm...why do you ship Captain Swan enough to send my guy back from the dead🤨 Like I know why he's special to me but why is he special to you good sir? True love?? Didn't you cheat on your wife?? HMMM???

[martianbugsbunny]

"It's time to take you where you belong" and it's literally just. with Emma they're the couple ever

[saveme-storybrooke-potc]

Gideon: Hope Alice Jones, will you marry me? Hope *to Zeus*: Thank you. Hope *to Gideon*: Yes, Gideon Gold, I will marry you.

[kazoosandfannypacks]

So I guess Zeus saying "I'm gonna take you where you belong" then dropping Killian next to Emma in our world implies that Zeus is a CaptainSwan shipper ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[exhaustedpirate]

only because I have an issue with Zeus in Once Upon a Time, I wanted Persephone instead ( I was trying to incorporate her with the Hades we were given - I love the Hades/Persephone ship but it wouldn't have worked out in the OUAT universe ) rated G | 1287 words also on AO3

The light was blinding. He welcomed it - he was moving on, no more fights, no more pain.

No more more.

"Welcome, Killian Jones."

A soft voice echoed through the empty white room. He thought it was all over, the light was supposed to be the end. Why was he facing a stranger? Why wasn’t it over?

"Who are you?"

"My name is Persephone, I'm here to guide you."

For all the stories he didn't hear of Hades, he knew of Persephone fairly well. Her name was whispered in prayers through the sailors when the weather roughened. She was said to be kind, to welcome them into a peaceful resting place.

Her long brown hair fell by her waist, a soft purple gown fell down to her feet, her dark skin contrasting the whiteness of the room. A kind smile, soft eyes - perhaps the sailors were right.

"Guide me?"

"It is my duty to welcome everyone who makes their way into the light, guide them on their way beyond. You, however, are headed somewhere different."

For a moment, he wondered if he was wrong. If he was in fact doomed to burn for eternity, his actions while living too vile for his redemption to matter. He wondered if, even after death, he wouldn't see Emma again.

A hand on his shoulder startled him out of his spinning thoughts. Her understanding smile welcomed him, reassurance in her eyes.

"Calm yourself, Killian Jones, the path ahead of you is bright." Her hand falls away from his shoulder, clasping both in front of her. "I am here to reward you for your heroic actions, in life and even in death."

He had done good deeds, he knew, - that was what heroes did, afterall - but there was clear surprise in his face at the idea that a goddess would think the same. She seemed aware of his shock and laughed, a musical laughter that brightened and lightened your heart even as he stuttered his protest.

"I am no hero, your Highness."

Persephone blushed at the title. She shook her head with a chuckle.

"If that were true, I would not be here." She held out her hand, willing him to take it. "Come."

How could he not? Killian held her hand, following as she pulled. 

They could have been walking for hours, minutes, seconds, he wasn't sure. The room seemed to elongate, never ending, never starting, just light, white and bright. 

"I have heard much about you, your Highness, but never about this occupation of yours."

If he hadn’t been looking at her, he wouldn’t have seen the flash of sadness in her eyes. He could hit himself for causing such a reaction. When her eyes found him, there was resignation, a soft smile on her lips.

"I loved a man, I believe I still do, despite it all. Hades had been much different than he turned out to be." Killian tried to control his surprise at hearing of her romance with the demon who tortured him for days on end. He focused on her words. "I tried to fight back, I tried to escape. When I did, he trapped me here, leading souls just as yours beyond while I stay here, forever." His hand tightened around hers and she smiled, sadness pushed back as a spark of determination filled her dark eyes. His heart stuttered  - how many times had he seen the same happening on green eyes?

"Not to worry, Killian Jones, I am filled with happiness to be able to bring you and everyone before and after to where they belong."

Reassured, his mind flashes with images of his loved one, head jerking at attention.

"Does that mean… you've seen my brother? And my mother?"

Persephone smiles, a brilliant smile of memories, and nods.

"Yes and yes. They've both trekked this path before you. Your mother spoke very highly of you and your brother, telling me stories upon stories of your mischief and love."

Killian couldn't help but blush at the implications, knowing that he had been less than angelic in his youth. Persephone laughed.

"I'm sure she will be expecting you once you do reach her, and so will your brother."

That thought sobered him. He could see his family again, he could be a family again.

"And Milah?"

That thought brought a frown to the goddess' face and his heart stuttered.

"Unfortunately, the River of Lost Souls is not part of my dominion."

"So, she's gone?"

"I'm afraid so." Her other hand joins their locked hands in a reassuring gesture.

They stay in silence, walking in tandem, hands interlocked.

It seems like no time after that they find themselves face to face with a door. A dark door contrasting the room they're in. They stop.

"This is where you leave, Killian Jones. Once you walk through this door, you'll be taken to where you belong." Her smile is serene as they turn to each other.

"Will I be able to see my family again then?"

"That is up to you." Killian frowns, confused. "Listen to your heart." Her hand lays flat on his chest, right above his fast beating heart. “It will take you where you belong.”

"And you?"

His question seems to surprise her and her laughter shows it. 

"There is no one more deserving than you, Killian Jones." She says with a bright smile as both her hands cup his cheeks, stopping him from looking away even as his cheeks tinge red. "Worry not, this is my duty, I will be alright."

Killian is ready to protest when the kiss the goddess lays on his forehead silences him. Even as a bitter taste coats his tongue, he nods.

"Go on, your happy ending awaits you." Persephone says as she nods and urges him towards the door.

"Thank you, your Highness." 

With a bow and an answering smile, Killian turns the knob on the door and walks through. 

Images of his childhood, of his mother's voice, of his brother's scolding when one of his pranks went wrong, of the smell of pastries and the laughter of three flour-covered people, flood his brain. How he misses them.

And then, green eyes, blonde hair, soft kisses and passionate kisses. He sees her smiles, so rarely given before, more and more constant as she let her walls down, as she let him bring her walls down. He sees the brown-haired boy's laughter, the boy who looks so much like the people he loved. 

He will never watch him grow. He will never see her smile again. He will never embrace them. He will never kiss her. He will never watch them laugh. He will never feel their love again.

His nostalgia for a past gone by, a past he lived through, a past that he will always remember fondly, is nothing to the yearning of a future he will never see happen, a future he won't witness.

His heart calls for them, for the Swan and her boy.

Killian finds himself in a graveyard, confused as to how it would be possible. His name is etched in the stone. He looks around, looking for answers. How is it that the beyond looks so much like Storybrooke?

And then he sees her.

Walking slowly, head down, her blonde hair swaying limply - the vision of mourning. Could it be?

"Swan?" He calls out.

And then she turns. Any pain, any suffering, any heartbreak is worth it. To see her face, to see her smile of recognition, to watch her run to him. To embrace her tight in his arms, her heart beating in sync with his.

And all he can do is thank her. Thank her for taking him where he belongs.

[bestsiblingstournament]

Shaggy & Scooby VS Crash & Eddie

Part B, Round 2, Match-Up 1

Shaggy & Scooby- so far defeated: Zeus, Poseidon & Hades

Crash & Eddie- so far defeated: Zelena & Regina (OUAT)

(my dumb ass forgot to post this yesterday)

[lvcygraybaird]

why is ouat Zeus a tiny twink gdhdhdjsksksk

[postwarlevi]

Disney Disney Disney.... 😊

Aladdin or Prince Eric?

Flynn or Shang?

David or Steve Rogers (since Marvel is included imma include the MCU..... I'm sorry)

Captain Hook or Smea?

Hades or Zeus?

Westley (it's on Disney+!) Or Inigo?

Mr Magoo or Mr Banks?

Ooooh there's so many! I'm sorry if I spam you. 🥲😅😳🥺

Yay Disney asks! Send me more! It's only fair since I spammed you LOL

Between Aladdin and Prince Eric, Eric for sure! He's a prince battling a seawitch for a mermaid, and he has a fluffy dog! Aladin lies to Jasmine and has a monkey...and I don't care much for either of those things!

Flynn or Shang? "You fight, good." LOL As well spoken as Shang is I will go with my boy Flynn. He finally learned there's more important things than a crown and was willing to die for Ranpunzels freedom <3

I'm guessing this is OUAT David...this is haaaaard! I mean we have "I will always find you" romantic David and but Steve is also romantic and wholesome, and they both know how to fight. Uh.... Imma flip a coin...Steve it is! I can't break up David and Mary Margaret, and Steve and I would have such romantic dates!

Is this animated Captain Hook and Smee? I'm guessing so. Either way I'd stick with Hook, in OUAT because well, HELLO, and animated because even though he acts like a menace, he's really a big baby haha

Hades or Zeus, gimme Hades! He's hilarious and maybe I can reign in that temper.

Okay so I haven't watched Princess Bride in a while but I believe I'd pick Westley for all his "as you wish" lines! I've give it another look soon!

I don't understand this one? The only Mr Magoo I can think of is the animated version haha and well, can you believe I've only watched Mary Poppins all the way through once?! But I guess I'll go Mr Banks because even if he's strict, he believes it's for everyones benefit, and he eventually becomes caring to his family. So, I'll take him over loud, near sighted Magoo!

2 characters to date

[zumpietoo]

Not worrying about Jughead dying permanently it will be like Hooks on ouat. They will be a Zeus who sends him back or some other thing. He's as dead as he was in s3 lol

Yep, Gabriel shows up for him....orrr....another Jughead?

Orrr.....one moar scenario Tabs didn't get to see.....

I'm now curious if Jug dies not by Percy, but somebody else???

[piraterefrigerator]

you seem to be posting a lot of pjo posts, so if ouat was in the percy jackson universe, do you have any headcannons for that? what would be your au if you had to write pjo!ouat? (tempted to say NO big three gods (zeus, poseidon or hades) as parents allowed apart from for emma bevause it can link to her role as the saviour 👀)

Okay, so, I want to start this off by saying I've never read pjo, watched the musical or anything. That's me interacting with @fairytalepsuedonym who has read the books and such. They've dragged me into this fandom and I'm happy to be here but I don't know everything yet, so I won't give specific ouat characters specific pjo characters but I will do like a parent anylization thingy using my greek mythology knowledge (fairytalepsuedonym please correct me if I say something stupid)

Killian is a Dionysus kid. I'll fight someone on that. An article on Dionysus states, "Dionysus is known for having something of a dual personality: He brings joy, ecstasy and merriment, but also delivers brutal and blinding rage". Dionysus is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. So yeah, Killian is a Dionysus kid (see also; one of my favorite songs, The Cult Of Dionysus by The Orion Experience)

Milah is an Apollo kid. Apollo is the god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the sun and light, and poetry. Tell me Milah isn't an Apollo kid.

While making Emma the child of a big god would be easy and would make sense, that's not what I'm doing. Emma is an Ares kid. This may not support her savioring as well as some other options would but as the god of war and courage, I think Ares is perfect.

Unfortunately that's all I've got at the moment, but this was fun, thanks for the ask!!

[martianbugsbunny]

OUAT Thoughts Pt.54--Episodes 21-22

I have watched through S5E22; spoilers DNI. Also, spoiler warning for anyone further behind than I am.

—*obnoxious sing-song voice* CAPTAIN HOOK IS BA-ACK!!!! *intense screaming*

—The second Zeus told him he was going where he belonged, I just held my breath. And continued to hold it through the entire funeral. What can I say, hope springs eternal! And this time (just this once) my hope was rewarded. Hook is back where he belongs *squee!* at Emma’s side….

—Oh, wait. He’s trapped in a cage with the Charmings and Zelena. Well, at least he’s alive.

—Robin’s death was kinda hard, though. I liked him. He was a goshdarn good guy. And I really feel for Regina. And for Roland.

—When Zelena decided to name her baby Robin, I bawled my eyes out. It’s so sad that Robin Sr. didn’t live long enough to know what her name was.

—I have been waiting forever for Jekyll and Hyde to show up. I just adore that story, it’s absolutely bonkers, and I am beyond thrilled that it actually got into OUAT. My first instinct was, hey, this is totally Jekyll and Hyde, but I couldn’t remember whether or not he physically changed when he switched between the persons, so I was dubious that it would actually turn out. So cool!

—Also, can I mention how much I love Darth Maul? It tracks, I swear. He’s one of the best parts of Star Wars, imo. His story is so complex and he’s enthralling. Which is partially due to his beautiful, beautiful voice—and here’s the track! Sam Witwer is going to be what really sells Mr. Hyde, I can just feel it. So excited!

—Zeus basically looked like the total opposite of what I expected. Which is actually kind of interesting, now that I’ve thought about it. You would expect the ruler of the cosmos to be big and buff and intimidating, but what does it say about his character if he’s kind of small and ordinary-looking? The answer: he must have some kind of charisma or draw to keep people following him. He must have something other than brute strength going for him. Which is kind of interesting.

—*salty* how come Zeus got to wear Greek-style clothes and Hades didn’t?

—Hades’ death was exactly the right kind of anticlimactic. That story got precisely the amount of mileage it needed, no more, no less.

—Zelena killing Hades to protect her sister was poetic. Especially the part where they cried over their dead loves together. And the bit where Zelena realized it was Regina who loved her most? Lovely.

—I still don’t like Zelena, but seeing her and Regina being proper sisters is nice. I think it works so well because they started off with a bunch of animosity, so they’re not going to be the overly touchy-feely variety of siblings that really honk me off. Most of the time, your conversations with your siblings aren’t going to be like Elsa and Anna’s. You’re not gonna spend most of your time hugging your siblings. You’re more likely to just sit in silence or quote memes at each other. Maybe talk about your current fandom-ings. Of course, a lot of people take it too far the other way and have the shallowest possible relationship and takes the teasing and mock-fighting to an extreme. I think Regina and Zelena are going to hit the sweet spot.

—Henry is being stupid. Like, I get that he’s upset about how often his family’s lives get screwed up by magical means, but how did he not stop to wonder if maybe destroying magic would hurt his very magical moms?

—That part of the library in New York with the bunch of storybooks was awesome.

—Rumple being in a regular (if incredibly posh) hotel room is weird. (Just looking at the TV screen I can smell the hotel air. It freaks me way out.)

—I knew Belle’s father would decide to be an arse.

—Emma’s funeral outfit was gorgeous. Semi-masc looks good on her. Suit jacket, button-down…yes yes.

—What’s up with Jules Verne world? Why do Jekyll and Hyde live there? Aren’t those blimp-thingies just the coolest? The answer is yes, they are.

—Also, Dr. Jekyll—or at least I’m 80% sure it’s Dr. Jekyll—is v cute. Bit of similarity to Archie? Yeah. Appearance, not necessarily vibes, although…maybe a little bit of that, too. I want to spend time with Hyde for his voice, which let’s face it is stunning, but Jekyll is just so cute! It’s either ‘dang, I get both!’ Or ‘how can I choose?’ I’m going with the first option. Great voice, cute guy, always one or the other.

[ivycovehq]

Can I get a members Most Wanted please?

straight from our discord: trevor belmont (castlevania), hector (castlevania), grog (critical role/tlovm), jace grace ( percy jackson ), percy de rolo ( critical role ) & luke skywalker ( star wars ), Mr. Darcy (Pride & Prejudice), Anthony Bridgerton (Bridgerton) Elijah Mikaelson (the originals), eleanor crain & steven crain ( the haunting of hill house ), robin buckley ( stranger things ), Snow White/Mary Margert (OUAT), Gaston (BATB), River Song (Doctor Who), veronica sawyer ( heathers ), charlie dalton ( dead poets society ), norman osborn ( marvel ), artemis, zeus (mythology), miles morales, miguel o’hara (marvel), arya stark (game of thrones), jacaerys velaryon (house of the dragon), thor odinson (marvel)

[hitchell-mope]

(Third film. After “warriors”. Hades, Persey and Hadie are at the doors to Olympus. And Hades is seething)

Persey: don’t worry dad. This’ll work. Trust me.

Hades: it had better. I had to leave your siblings for this. Again.

Persey: she’ll understand once we explain it to her.

Hades: Mal might. But the king and his major-domo have promised to kill me if I ever abandoned your sisters again. Which I have. So I’m a dead duck the next time they see me

Persey: you’re the god of the dead.

Hades: the king’s a hybrid and the major-domo’s half dwarf. Trust me. They’ll find a way.

Persey: if you say so. Yeah Hadie? What’s wrong?

Hadie: yeah. Um. What happened to our clothes and why is Phleggie gone?

(There clothes have indeed changed. Hades is wearing his toga from the Disney movie but in the Eva Green guise. Persey is wearing a silver, black and electric blue dress/tuxedo combo with all their hair swooped over to the right. Hadie is once again wearing the ouat!mad hatters outfit complete with slicked back hair and top hat. And yes. His Phlegathon tempered steel sword is gone)

Hades: oh yeah. I forgot about this. Olympus has a failsafe installed. Once inside the perimeter you automatically get put in your finery and your weapons get confiscated. Zeus’s doing. If you look your best and don’t have weapons on you then infighting is allegedly cut down.

Hadie: has that theory ever proven true?

Hades: oh my dear boy. I once launched a coup. The failsafe did not stop me

Persey: and it won’t stop us this time either.

(This is when “don’t stop me now” happens. After the song. The three deity’s burst into the throne room. Only to find it empty except for Persephone who’s sitting on Zeus’s throne)

Persephone (smiling proudly): well done.

Persey: hey ma.

Hadie: ma? That’s our. That’s our mother?

Persey: yes. Gentlemen may I please present to you. Persephone. New queen of tbd gods.

(Persephone gets off the throne and bows to them. Hadie squeaks, runs up to his mother, pulls her into a crushing hug and bursts into tears. Hades, however, remains still)

Persephone: hello hades. How’ve you been?

Hades: stu-stustu-stupid.

Persephone: pardon?

Hades: I slept with Jas Hook 19 years ago and now my son’s a Vernon Dursley.

Persephone: ummmm

Hades: I married Maleficent, she left me the morning after the wedding and I just abandoned my daughter again even though I said I wouldn’t.

Persephone: oh. O-okay

Hades: I rebounded with Grimhilde and now my youngest daughter hates me because I had to save her life by withholding contact.

Persephone: right. Uh. Huh. Persey. Sweetheart. Translation please.

Persey: he has three other kids. Harry. Mal. Evie. Mal’s the only one who wanted to get to know him. But I needed his help with this coup. So now, unfortunately, the king of Auradon wants his head on a platinum platter.

Persephone: ohhhh. Now I get it. It’s fine hades. I completely understand. We have an open marriage.

Hades: it’s open. But not to marry another.

Persephone: we were apart for 23 years. I never expected you to stay alone.

Hades: I know. It’s just

Persephone: it’s just what?

Hades: I don’t know. It just. Feels. Wrong.

Persephone: how so?

(Hades sighs heavily. This is when “who do you love” happens. After the song. They turn their heads to see Persey and Hadie standing there awkwardly)

Hadie: uh. Huh. I did not know you knew how to dance

Persey: I didn’t know you still knew that dance.

Persephone: it’s just like riding a bike. Now. Your father and I have business to attend to. So why don’t you take your brother on a tour of our new home?

Persey:....Kay....c’mon Hadie. I think you’ll like tne chandelier.

(Once the twins are gone)

Persephone: oh boys. Bring them in

(Pain and Panic poof in with two tied up bundles)

Persephone: I believe you’ll our nephew Hermes. And I know you’ll remember

(She takes the hood off the second bundle to reveal-)

Hades (snarling): HERA!!!!

(He launches himself at his treacherous sister but Persephone stops him)

Persephone: ah bup bup. Not quite my love. I have a little gift in mind for her.

Hera: I don’t want a gift

Persephone: well tough shit Hera because you don’t get a choice anymore. Not after what you did. Now tell me

(She reaches for a jug full of green liquid and starts preparing a glass. This is when “chandelier” happens. After the song. Persey sends lightning at the still screaming form of Hera, killing the goddess stone dead. At the exact moment this happens. Back in Auradon. Harry wakes up from an ill timed nap on the Lost Revenge)

Harry: what the fuck was that?

Gil: probably just lightning. Probably.

Cj: “probably”?

Harriet: whadya mean “probably”?

Gil: well it might also be Maleficent. But you won’t know until you taste metal and your skin fizzes

Harriet: and when’ll that be?

Gil: search me. Why don’t you stand on top of the mast with that weathervane from Uma’s cabin

Harriet: okay!

(She rushes off below decks but Cj stops her)

Cj: NO WAIT DON’T!

Uma: not yet at least. You’re still useful right now.

Cj: must you do that?

Uma: mhmm. It’s funny

Cj: no it’s not

Gil: yeah it is.

(Cj looks unimpressed)

Gil: oh come on now. Don’t look at me like that. You’re pirates. Cutthroat. Bastardoues. Treacherous. You laugh at this stuff.

Cj: yeah. And you left us

Uma: he had a chance at a better life and he took it. And I don’t blame him for that. Anymore.

Gil: thank you Uma.

Cj: are you ever come down to the deck with the rest of us peasants?

Gil: at least she admits it

Cj: what was that?

Gil: No! No we’re not.

Cj: why?

Uma: because Gil’s the one running this whole thing

Cj: I thought you were.

Gil: Uma’s only leading the armada. Officially. I’m in charge

Cj: well that sounds needlessly complicated.

Gil: only to you.

Cj: and besides. I thought he was in charge of us now.

Gil: only when you’re back in the dungeons. Now I’m going to ignore you because I want to talk to Uma alone. Buh bye

(He turns to Uma)

Gil: you alright?

Uma: mhmm. I just never actually sailed a ship before.

Gil: well. Neither have I. But you’ve got it easy. I’ve got to fly a ship I’ve never been on before. At least you know this one inside and out.

Uma: heh. Yeah

Gil: Mr Smee. Do you have your, uh, what was it again, mini pianola on you?

Smee: yes your ‘ighness. May I ask why?

Gil: I think captain Facillier here is in need of a sea shanty. Wouldn’t you say so?

Uma: oh Gil I don’t think so-

Gil (unleashing the puppy eyes): pleeeeaaaase?

Uma (smiling in spite of herself): oh go on then

Gil: play on Mr Smee. Play on.

(Smee starts playing the miniature pianola. This is when “sailing for adventure” happens. After the song. Gil gets an alert on his cell phone)

Gil: alright. Here we go. Uma. Teleport us to our ships please

Uma: good luck

Gil: you too

(Uma teleports Gil, the Hooks and Mr Smee to their respective ships. On the bridge. Mal and Ben have landed directly in front of Audreficent and their army)

Mal: let. Her. Go

Audreficent (ignoring her): is this it? The beast king and the ungrateful daughter?

Mal: hardly.

(She clicks her fingers and the others materialises out of a cloud of emerald green smoke. Audreficent immediately takes notice of Evie’s heavily bruised face)

Audreficent: oh. So he has left you. Again. Heheh. Oh dear. What an awkward situation. After all you were always one to lash out at the nearest person when things do not go your way. Just like another certain other family yours that I could care to mention

Ned: HEY! You keep Uma’s name out of your goddamn mouth

Audreficent: oh my dear boy. As long as the pirate endures she will never love you

Ned: don’t care. As long as she’s happy.

Audreficent: how sweet(.) Oh come on now Mal. Can this please just be between the two of us? Blood is thicker than water after all.

Mal: Doug? You wanna field this one?

Doug: gladly. You see, your uh, your “eminence”. The full idiom actually is. “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb”. That is to say. Friends you’ve chosen are more important than the family you’ve been saddled with. We’re the friends that Mal has chosen. You’re the family she was saddled with. And we’re gonna help her bring you down.

Audreficent: yes. Yes yes yes. Evangeline’s face is quite the testament to that little decision. Tell me Mal. Did it feel nice? Beating your sister up? Puncturing her skin? Drawing her blood? Making her feel as small as you feel?

Evie: shut up. YOU SHUT UP RIGHT NOW!!!!

(She launches herself at the amalgamation but is held back by Jay and Carlos. Audreficent just cackles at the attempt)

Audreficent: oh I do believe I’ve touched a nerve. You boys have been awfully quiet. Is something the matter?

Jay: we’re just waiting for Mal’s signal.

Ben: where is he?

Audreficent: oh don’t you worry about him. Daddy Dearest is simply asleep until I have need of him. It is strange though. He seems distant from me while I wear this form. Is that odd?

Mal: okay that’s enough

(She draws a barrier between them and the villains. Then she turns to the others)

Mal: Ben, Doug, Jay. You know what to do.

(On the other side)

Audreficent: you all have your orders

Mal: we don’t need any prisoners

Audreficent: kill

Mal: them

Both: all

(Mal takes out the sceptre, sprouts her wings and shoots up into the air. Audreficent takes notice and smiles menacingly)

Audreficent (snarling): FINALLY!!!!

(They shoot up after Mal. Mal dismantles the barrier on the bridge. The battle begins. This is when “I’m me” happens. After the song. Mal lands on the other side of the island. Audreficent gets up, steaming at the edges slightly from the shock that the barrier gave them, and pissed off)

Audreficent: alright. Fine. If that is how you want to play. Then so be it.

(They summons Ursula and the Queen of Hearts to their side. This is when “one way or another” happens. After the song. Audreficent smiles cruelly as Ursula’s tentacles hold Mal upside down by her ankles)

Audreficent: anything to say?

Mal: go. To. Hell.

Audreficent: already been. In fact. I liked it so much that I want to recreate the world in that image. Now. Will you. Or will you not. Give me the ember and join me?

Mal: what do you think?

Audreficent: always so difficult. Drop her. You know what to do

(Ursula drops Mal on the ground. Then she starts secreting clouds of ink. This is when “cruel cruel world” happens. After the song. Mal wakes up in darkness which soon clears to reveal a stage that wouldn’t be out of place at a beauty contest. Then the music starts and Uma comes out onto stage on a palanquin carried by Ben, Jay, Gil and Hadie. This is when “walk the dinosaur” happens. After the song. Uma, Jay, Gil and Hadie disappear leaving....)

Mal: YOU!

Id: tis I! Tis I! Miss me?

Mal: what the hell was the FLOOR SHOW IN AID OF?!?!

Id: a distraction to soften the blow of what I have to tell you

Mal (supremely fed up): oh god. I’m dying again aren’t I?

Id: well. Cecaelia ink is clogging your lung, impeding your ability to breathe, so yes, I think you are, in fact, dying. Again. Funny that isn’t it?

Mal: not really no.

Id: thought not. But never fear. I know to get you out of here and back on the frontline.

Mal: oh joy(.) Do I have to accept myself again? Because I’ve already done that.

Id: mmmm. No.

(He flocks out a sheet of paper and hands it to her)

Id: read this. It’ll wake you up.

Mal: and if it doesn’t work?

Id: oh. Then we’re all done for.

Mal: that’s reassuring(.)

Id: innit just?

Mal: why’re you talking like that?

Id: I dunno. It’s so drugged up in here that I think we’re turning British. HURRY!!!!

Mal: okay okay okay. See you in a while

Id: hopefully only in your dreams

(He disappears. Mal starts reading the sheet of paper. This is when “I will always return” happens. After the song. Mal takes a long shuddering gasp and wakes up)

Mal: okay. Okay. What did mom say to do? Take stock. Alright. Okay. I am. Down the street from Ursula’s restaurant. No accounting for humour I guess.

(She starts patting herself down. Counting her limbs as she goes)

Mal: head. Hair. Arms. Fingers. Good good. Everything in place. Oh wait. I almost forgot

(She reaches into her chest cavity and pulls out her aorta)

Mal: oh thank Christ

(She puts it back)

Mal: now all I gotta do is find Ben and the others, plan out our next move and wait for the strange scurrying half body to get to me and OMIGOD WHAT THE FUCK?!?!

(There is in fact a half body scurrying towards her. Only it’s actually)

Mal: SYKES?!?! What in Grimm’s name are you doing here?

Matty: I’m a ghost you idiot. Kind of anchored here until I’m avenged. Remember?

Morgana: don’t be so hard on her honey. The poor girls still gathering her bearings. Mal. Do you know who I am?

Mal: your Uma and Celia’s aunt. Morgaine? Morgause?

Morgana: Morgana.

Mal: right. Yes. Sorry. If I may. How did....um....you know....it happen....exactly....?

Morgana: oh it was simple. I drowned in motor oil trying to kill my sister in an attempt to buy my nieces time to get back into Auradon with reinforcements.

Mal: I’m sorry.

Morgana: eh. What can ya do. Bring drowned in oil beats getting iced. And at least this time I died a hero’s death as opposed to trying to kill a preteen in the process of attempting to one up my sister.

Mal:....right. Anyway. Why did you save me? Why did you bring me here?

Matty: isn’t it obvious yet?

Morgana: we want them all dead

Mal: understandable.

Matty (his face contorting into an extremely severe slasher smile): and you know how to do it.

Mal: oh i don’t like that face.

Matty: well too damn bad. Because it’s the only face I have.

Morgana: relax Jerome. Now. Mal. Do you have a plan?

Mal: yes. But it’s painful. It’s incredibly painful. And there’s a very high chance that it could kill me

Matty: do it. DoitdoitdoitDOIT!!!!

Mal: you vicious little brat!

(She force chokes him. The stops and looks at her hand in surprise)

Mal: how the hell did I do that?

Morgana: well. We’re dead. Your dad is the god of the dead. Stands to reason you’d have some control over us. Which means I can do this

(She puts her hand on Mal’s shoulder reassuringly

Mal: thank you.

Morgana: it’s okay. Now what’s your plan?

Mal: iron dust. I’m gonna flood the whole island with iron dust.

Morgana: oh. Right. Are you sure that’s necessary?

Mal: unfortunately yes. It’s the only thing I can think of that could kill Maleficent and possibly allow Audrey to survive

Matty: is that truly necessary?

Mal: heh. Yeah. I know. It’d be easier to just let her die. But she’s an innocent in this equation. Aurora may have given me permission to do what’s necessary. But I don’t think I can bring myself to do it.

Matty: what’re you now? Weak or something?

Morgana: not weak. Just changed. Mal listen to me. I know you’re trying to be the hero here. But take it from me. Sometimes, to do the right thing, you need to do something bad. Something cruel. To save or protect someone. Sometime you have to hurt them in ways you hate. It’s not nice. And it’s not pretty. But sometimes it’s what you have to do

Mal: I wouldn’t compare what I have to do to what your brother did to Ariel’s lost things.

Morgana: I’m not talking about my brother or our family. I’m talking about yours

Mal: what?

Morgana: I know your father. He’s a bit of a dipshit sometimes but he’s a basically decent man. And he wouldn’t have left you or your sister again if he’d had a choice. Not again.

(Mal angrily scrambles away from the sea witch’s ghost)

Mal: I don’t want to talk about him.

Morgana: Mal——

Mal: NO! No. No. If you want to help me then you help me. Or I swear I will kill you if you mention him to me again.

Morgana: I’m already dead.

Mal: do you really think that’ll stop me Morgaine?

Morgana: alright. Alright. Fine. Do you have an anchor?

Mal: anchor?

Morgana: a tether. If you’re going to near fatally poison yourself then your going to need something that’ll ground you.

Mal: like a spell?

Morgana: anything really. A spell. A person. A memory. A song.

Mal: a song? Ooooh. I think I know.

Morgana: good. Think of it. Hopefully. You’ll be fine.

Mal: oh I’m gonna do more then think of it. I’m gonna sing it.

Matty: why?

Mal: because we’re in a musical and it fits the situation

Matty: fair point.

Morgana: be careful though. They think you’re dead. The moment the dust appears they’ll find you.

Mal: that’s what I’m counting on.

Morgana: you’re a very odd girl. You know that right?

Mal: hm. Yeah. I’m a vegetarian, insomniac dark fae Greek god hybrid who’s addicted to junk food and is engaged to the king. Whadya expect?

Morgana: fair enough. Now I suggest you get started. These things take time and that is something that you don’t have right now

Mal: thanks for the help. I’ll tell Uma I saw you. It might give her some peace.

Morgana: thank you dear. Now go.

(Mal teleports onto the balcony of her old apartment)

Mal: even though I might die/iron dust rain down from the sky/ take Maleficent down/make her bow/help me now/help the crown

(Flurries of iron dust start falling from the barrier. Near Morgana’s old Speakeasy. The leaders of the coven are watching the iron snow)

Queen of Hearts: she wouldn’t.

Ursula: she would

Audreficent: she did. I shall deal with her. You take care of the rest of them

(Mal sees Audreficent burst out of the roof of the Speakeasy and smiles weakly)

Mal: game on

(She sprouts wings and shoots up into the sky. This is when “seven nation army” happens. After the song. Mal’s body finally gives up on her and she passes out in the middle of the square right next to Audreficent. Then Ben touches down and sees Audreficent next to Mal’s unmoving form)

Ben (his eyes glowing a fiery royal blue): YOU!!!!

(He stalks over to the amalgam and promptly boots them in their stomach. To which they just laugh)

Audrficent: is that all you have?

Ben: not by a long shot. Can you hear me in there Audrey?

(Audreficent hesitantly nods. Deep inside their mind. Audrey’s in yet another ornate bird cage seeing all of this through her and Maleficent’s shared eyes)

Audrey: yes! Yes! I can hear you!

Ben: do you remember that scene in Multiverse of Madness when Scarlet Witch laid waste to the Illuminati?

(Audreficent once again nods hesitantly)

Ben (kneeling down, grabbing Audreficent’s chin and glaring deeply into their eyes): all that is going to seem like a cakewalk compared to what I’m going to do you right now. Understand?

Audreficent (Audrey’s voice): do it. Do it now!

(Ben drop kicks Audreficent into a building at terminal velocity then sends iron knives on chains into her back to drag her back to him. All the while Audreficent screaming in an unimaginable amount of pain)

Ben: just remember that you did this to yourself.

(He cracks their head over an empty stone fountain and skewers them in the gut)

Ben: everything Mal is happened despite you

(He snaps their neck then brings them back with magic)

Ben: everyone she’s helped

(He peppers their back with millions upon millions of tiny iron knives)

Ben: everything she’s done in the last two years

(He turns them over and starts beating their face with his fist)

Ben: All. Of. It. Happened. Despite. You. Got all that)

(Audreficent laughs deliriously and spits greenish black blood in his face)

Audreficent: how are you not affected by the iron?

Ben: hybrid

(He flies up to the barrier, dragging Audreficent with him, turns them to they’re facing the ground. Then slams them back down into multiple iron broadswords which are driven into their mouth, chest, stomach, legs and arms)

Audreficent (coughing up blood again): AURGH!!!!

(Ben’s just about to deal the felling blow when Doug and Evie teleport in)

Doug: BEN!

(Ben whips around, the iron chainsaw he’s holding still on high)

Ben: yes?

Doug: where’s Mal?

Ben (choking up): she’s unconscious.

Doug: then let’s get her and get out of her out of here

(Ben drops the chainsaw on Audreficent’s head, rushes over to Mal and cradles her unconscious body)

Ben: c’mon c’mon cmon. Wake up. Please wake up. Oh god. what do I do? what do I do?

Mal’s Id (whispering in Ben’s ear): sing to her.

Ben: okay. Okay okay okay. Um.

(This is when “rule the world” happens. After the song. Doug lightly shakes Ben’s shoulder)

Doug: it’s time to go.

Ben: okay. Okay. Evie could you help please?

Evie: sure

Doug: I’ll be there in a sec.

(He goes over to Audreficent)

Doug: well doesn’t all of this seem familiar? Huh?

Audreficent (struggling to breathe): you could have been great. Instead you threw your lot in with them. History only ever remembers the winners my boy. I trust that you will remember that.

Doug: mhmm yeah. That is completely and 100% factually true. Except. You’re getting the pewter. And we’re the gold. And I trust that you will remember that. Yes?

(He starts going back to the others)

Audreficent: YOU WILL NOT WALK AWAY FROM ME!!!!

Doug: oh shut you nauseating amalgamation

(He turns, gives them a swift and pointed kick between the legs and goes back to the others all without breaking his stride and ignoring Audreficent’s howls of pain)

Evie (absolutely enamoured with Doug): wow.

Ben (chuckling): it’s always the crotch attacks with you isn’t it?

Doug: man. Woman. Harridan from the pits of hell. It shuts them all up in the end. Now. Where’re we going?

Ben: the cathedral. Only our side can get in there

Doug: by your leave your highness

(Ben teleports them to the cathedral. This is when Mal wakes up)

Ben: it’s okay. It’s okay. You’re. We’re fine. You’re safe

Mal: where are we?

Ben: Auradon Cathedral.

Mal: what’s she doing here?

Doug: don’t start M. We’ve got more important things to worry about.

Mal: for instance?

Doug: like the fact that when Maleficent shot up afyer you. So did all the others.

(Mal gets up from her pew, stumbles a little and Ben catch’s her)

Mal: they have magic?

Doug: yup.

Mal: well there’s only one thing we can do isn’t there? Can I have the ember please Ben. Thank you. Let’s see now. To even put the rising odds/give my friends the magic and power of gods. Doug aim for the wall.

(Doug sends a blast of forest green magic at the wall in front of them)

Doug: awesome.

(Just then a cloud of turquoise smoke drops the Hook siblings inside the cathedral)

Mal: what the fuck are you three doing here?

Cj: they’re sunk?

Mal: what?

Cj: the Lost Revenge. The Pearl. The Queen Anne. The Hispaniola. All of em. Gone. Once Ursula hit them all una sent us here and Mr Smee to the medical he got blindsided by a cannonball. Uma’s up on the Legacy with Gil holding the fort.

Evie: if those ships are sunk properly then you’d be sunk with them

Cj: believe us. Don’t believe us. It doesn’t matter. The ships are gone. Your sisters lost the seas. And she also neglected to mention that our parents all have MAGIC NOW!!!!

Ben: in fairness we found out the same time as you

Cj: what is she going to do about it? Even the playing the field?

Doug: well for starters I can do this now

(He force choked her for nearly a full thirty seconds then let’s her go)

Cj: you gave him magic but not us?

Mal: I gave everyone on our side magic but you. You’re fodder. Deal with it.

Harriet: not even Harry? He’s our brother.

Mal: your brother not mine. And besides. It already has magic. Wether or not it’s actually able to use its magic is another matter entirely

Harry: you’re an evil bitch you know that right?

Mal: no Icarus. We’re fighting evil. I’m just ruthless.

(Harry’s eyes glow blood red and he goes in for the kill. But Cj stops him)

Cj: Harry stop. She’s not worth it. If we win. This’ll be her only claim to fame. After this she’s just a glorified trophy wife to quite frankly lacklustre king

Mal: and just what the hell is that supposed to mean?

(This is when “I write sins not tragedies” happens)

[wicked-storybrooke]

50 Hues of Green, a 756k CS smut fanficton by Captain Swan’s no. 1 fan, Zelena.

Full crack recap here

[hookaroo]

A Captain’s Heart (25 of 33?)

Chapter 1 Chapter 24

Rated T for language and graphic descriptions of injuries.

Also on FF.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12937105/1/A-Captain-s-Heart

Tagging @therooksshiningknight & @killian-whump by request :)

Something had awakened Killian from his less-than-restful slumber, and it took him a long moment to work out what it was. As he blinked up at the sky above, his eyes were automatically drawn toward approaching movement.

“Bloody hell.” He pushed himself stiffly - but successfully - up onto his knees. “Marvel. How did you get up here?”

The human ship climbed the stairs, carrying the blanket off of his bunk and looking both self-satisfied and annoyed. Killian launched himself at the wheel and managed to grab on despite screams of protest from his wrist.

“I figured out how to magically transport myself.” She slowed, watching as he pulled himself to his feet with a snarl of pain.

“That’s impossible,” he wheezed. “Eris said-”

“One cannot use magic to reach the island. Apparently, short distances are allowed.”

Now standing, favoring his fractured ankle, Killian took slow breaths against surging nausea. The short nap had not alleviated his vertigo in the slightest. He focused on the horizon and noticed the volcano skulking into his peripheral vision. Scowling, he adjusted the wheel and nearly toppled over as a result. Marvel crept closer. Killian felt for his hook, but it was nowhere to be found. Damn.

“Please, dear Captain… please stop fighting me. We’re so close, and then we can return home, and you can be with your Emma and forget all of this. Let the gods take care of their own. Please.”

“Stay back, Temptress. I don’t want to hurt you.” Killian tried to center his weight, preparing for a scuffle. But none came. In a flash, Marvel was behind him, drilling magic for which he had no defense into his brain. One final sob of frustration and Killian was out cold again.

No ropes this time. Killian was all ready to celebrate, but he couldn’t. Couldn’t move at all, in fact, except for his eyes. They snapped open just as the traitorous Marvel knelt down beside him, the looming volcano making a frightful backdrop to her apologetic expression.

They were both still on the quarterdeck. Killian reclined against a nest of pillows - probably the whole stash aboard the ship - in the very stern. His head was raised enough to be able to see what was going on, and with a blanket tucked carefully over him, he found he was actually quite comfortable. Apart from breathing, his absolute stillness took much of the strain off the majority of his injuries. They still ached, with an occasional twinge as the curse continued to deepen them, and his back burned from lying directly against it, but that couldn’t be helped. And he was most accustomed to that pain, anyway.

“What’ve you done?” hissed Killian, surprised and relived that he could at least still talk. Marvel brushed some hair back from his forehead, then rested her hand over the swollen bump on his temple.

“I found your stash of squid ink. Actually, technically speaking, it was never hidden in the first place. Not from me.”

Killian was about to reply when the tingle of magic crawled through his scalp. He bit his tongue, wishing desperately to squirm away from the sting. She lacked the practiced finesse of his Swan… but slowly, the swelling subsided and the cut sealed itself. The headache remained, but much abated, and most of the dizziness and fog had lifted. Momentarily, a weary Marvel straightened, her smile placid.

“How is that?”

Killian opened his eyes. “Marvelous.”

A hint of the usual playfulness appeared in her expression, but fled an instant later. “Let me try…”

She put on a solemn frown and moved lower, toward the source of greatest pain and hemorrhage: his abdomen. Her faltering powers flicked aside bandage and shirt, revealing the gash. Now uncontained, blood trickled down his stomach in pulsing spurts entirely in sync with the necessary motions of breathing. Inhale, the gape widened and spewed more blood; exhale, it collapsed on itself and stifled the stream. Marvel did not think twice about placing her hands over the wound, blood and all.

At first, the searing magic seemed to be working. An uncomfortable Killian could feel the damage reversing from the inside out, severed muscle and fascia knitting together before skin began to do likewise. Sweat broke out on Marvel’s forehead as she struggled to direct the unfamiliar ability, to channel it into much-needed assistance for her captain. But just as the pain began to fade… the curse’s invisible knife sliced through the success, tearing and gouging, splitting flesh into a deeper rift than before. Killian groaned a curse as his anguish roared back. The same or worse, it hardly mattered. Mumbling epithets herself, Marvel replaced his bandage.

“I’m sorry, darling. It seems the curse must be broken before healing its effects is possible. I suggest we don’t attempt it again until then.”

Killian winced and closed his eyes in miserable agreement. He had no wish to repeat that excruciating failure anytime soon. Sighing, Marvel got up to return to the helm.

“Please, Marvel,” began Killian, intent on trying one last time. Knowing it was useless. “Don’t do this.”

Predictably, his plea fell on deaf ears. It was then that he realized the volcano had been silent that whole time. Killian swept his gaze over the island: a gentle wisp of steam continued to rise from the summit, but the mountain was still. Free of lava and ash.

Resetting.

Suddenly, Marvel threw out her hands, and the sails were furled in the blink of an eye, the anchor cast over the side with a splash. The ship slowed, trailing the anchor along the sea floor until its weight was enough to stop all momentum.

“This is as close as I dare go,” admitted Marvel, “without knowledge of the seabed surrounding the island.”

“Agreed,” Killian said. “Wouldn’t do to damage your previous incarnation.”

Marvel turned back and studied him for a moment. Her anxious determination was palpable even from the other side of the deck. “Wait here. Rest. I will retrieve the potion and we can be on our way home.”

Killian’s jaw tightened at the thought of her facing the island’s perils alone. “Hold on, love; can we discuss this?”

“There’s nothing to discuss. You’ll never change my mind.”

He sighed. “Then let me come along. I promise not to try and stop you. My only concern would be your protection.”

She watched his face for several heartbeats, as if trying to discern his sincerity. Then she shook her head. “I’m sorry, my love. Even if you are telling the truth… you can’t be of any assistance until the squid ink wears off. I’ll be fine.”

Frustration and fear weighed heavily on his chest, but there was nothing he could do about it. Swallowing back further protests, he met her gaze squarely. “Be careful.”

She nodded. Then moved closer, crouched, brushed a hand along his tense jaw.

He watched her descend to the main deck, position the rowboat over the side, and climb in. The last he saw of her was the flash of auburn that matched perfectly the accent stripe along the ship’s hull.

Killian gave voice to a string of curses that didn’t do anything to make him feel better. There was a very long wait ahead. And with nothing to do but lie there and let his imagination run wild, that wait was likely to be extremely tense.

He wondered how Marvel would go about finding the potion. According to Eris, the island contained other treasures - who knew what forms those others would take? What if there were more than one potion? Would she have to steal them all? Would Eris, in turn, relieve them of all of Zeus’ magical items and use them for her own nefarious purposes?

Even from this distance, the volcano looked huge. How could Marvel possibly scour the whole thing in less than three hours, not to mention leave them enough time to escape afterward? And, come to think of it, did they even have three hours left? He had, admittedly, delayed their arrival by turning the ship... and had been unconscious for the majority of their overall journey. He had no clue.

The more Killian thought about it, the less he believed in their chances of survival. There was no way. To have had any hope, they should have arrived before the eruption stopped, necessitating a wait so that they could travel with the boundary as it receded.

Well, he had fought all along to prevent Eris from winning. Succumbing to the volcano was one way of assuring that. But he had been hoping that at least Marvel could make it out. To tell the tale, bid farewell for him… to give them all that memorial space they’d had the first time. Now they would never know, never hear, never have.

Killian’s melancholy gradually gave way to anger. In recent years, he had learned to control his propensity toward rage: heroes didn’t let their temper get the best of them. But right now, it was either anger or fear… and so Killian chose anger. He let it surge through him, a boiling wave that scorched with the utter need to move. To tear. To destroy. But yearning muscles were held captive by magic, and Killian lay motionless. Hissing breaths quickened through clenched teeth. And finally, he cut loose with a howl.

“Zeus!! This is your bloody island; I’d wager my remaining hand that you can hear me. Show yourself!”

No response. Killian growled, still straining ineffectually against magical bonds. “Zeus, damn you! Come out, you cowardly bastard!”

To be honest, he wasn’t expecting the god to actually show up. But suddenly, inexplicably, there he was, complete with white robe and serene smile even as he chastised the pirate lying at his feet.

“Killian Jones, that is not how you address an all-powerful being, particularly one who broke all the rules to send you back to the land of the living not three years ago.”

“I couldn't care less about propriety right now,” snarled Killian. It hadn’t taken long for his surprise to dissolve back into wrath. “If I’m to die today as a result of holy tampering, then I deserve some assurances from you.”

Zeus remained calm, amused even, and Killian seethed.

“Such as?”

Killian swallowed. He was making this up as he went along. “First of all, that your wayward subject Eris won’t be allowed to punish the ones I love for my failure.”

“And?”

Scowling, noting that the god had not yet agreed, Killian added,

“That you’ll regain the control you’re meant to have over her. She may lose today, but I can guarantee you she won’t give up. And I don't believe it’s too much for we pathetic mortals to ask that you do your bloody job and keep her in check.”

Killian’s scathing glare was met with aggravating placidity; he could scream with the frustration building within him. And then the god spoke. And his words did nothing to soothe the pirate’s anger.

“So you think you know better than the gods, do you? You see the big picture? You know how all the lines entangle, what will happen when, what’s best for all of mankind?”

“Of course not, but any fool could guess that allowing the goddess of chaos free reign-”

“She has nothing of the sort.”

Killian rolled his eyes; he begged to differ. “At the very least, she will do, when she has in her possession this bloody potion of yours.”

“Have a little faith, Killian. Do you truly think I would make something so dangerous and leave it lying around for her to find?”   

Killian released a huff of annoyance. “So there is no potion? This damn voyage was for naught?”

“No, there is a potion, doing exactly what Eris described. What she doesn’t know is how it will affect her, if she uses it as she intends.”

“Bloody hell,” snapped Killian. “Out with it, then. What will happen?”

“Simply put, the potion prevents any external magic from enacting on the user. She’s correct that her own intrinsic powers would be unaffected. What she doesn’t know, though, is this: the same powerful magic used to create her out of the very entropy she craves is still in play just to keep her in existence. So by consuming the potion…”

“She reverts back to the chaos whence she came.” A shiver of understanding tingled down Killian’s spine as he finished the thought, and his scowl deepened. “So you’ve been in favor of our success all along.”

Zeus merely donned his infuriating smile, and Killian wanted to punch him that much more.

“Damn it, you couldn’t have told us this earlier?”

“I’m a very busy deity, Killian. There’s always one crisis or another. Even now, the best I can offer is verbal guidance; my might is currently occupied elsewhere.” He had the nerve to wink then, raising Killian’s blood pressure into a most unhealthy zone. “Besides, there is a certain amount of free will involved.”

“Like hell there is,” Killian muttered. But he chose to focus on the earlier statement. “All right then. Guidance. What other pearls of belated wisdom would you care to impart? Any advice how to get out of this bloody trap of yours?”

“Sadly, your own counsel is best in that regard.”

“Run like hell?”

With a tolerant nod, Zeus added,

“I’ve ensured that your polymorphous companion has had no trouble finding the potion. She is on her way back as we speak.”

“Tell me truly: do you believe we have a chance?”

“More than any other mortal in your place,” came the less-than-reassuring reply. Followed by, “It won’t be easy, though.”

“And you can’t just magic us to the boundary, or delay the eruption to give us more time?”

“No, as I said: verbal advice only.”

Killian cursed without thought of whose presence he shared; Zeus took it all without blinking. Then he said,    

“One last thing, and then my attention is required elsewhere. Should you choose to use the potion yourself, one mouthful will suffice. But keep in mind the caveat: immunity to magic. The choice is yours. And with that, I bid you good fortune.”

Killian was still hung up on the ‘use the potion on himself’ business; he barely noticed Zeus shimmer into a sunbeam and take his leave.

Immunity to magic. Including… dark magic, presumably. Curses. It would break Eris’ curse. Of course. The goddess had even hinted at such a move. But then… no magical healing? Should his wounds remain, he’d likely be forced to take the long path to recovery. Still, it was a small price to pay to give himself the best chance of surviving all the way home.

Only moments later, Marvel was hoisting the rowboat up to the gunwale, calling excitedly,

“Dearest! My dear! I found the potion, and… and Zeus himself appeared to me! I actually spoke with him, and it was real, I swear it!” She hurdled the rail and paused only briefly to secure the boat, then she was leaping up the stairs toward her captain. “You must believe me!”

“I do, darling; he came to me as well.”

Her grin dazzled against the darkening sky. “Marvelous! So, then, you know that it will do no harm to surrender-”

“Aye, but to have any chance of that, we have to sail as we’ve never sailed before. Cast off quickly, love; turn her about. Full sail.”

Eyes wide, Marvel caught the urgency in his tone and spun to face the rest of the ship. Her magic made quick work of the preparations, and just as a gentle wind pushed against the sails - blowing them toward the volcano until Marvel could complete a turn - a massive explosion sounded deep underground. The earthquake was visible in the dancing of the ocean, uncoordinated choppiness that was unlike tide or windblown wave. Marvel squeaked a gasp and yanked the wheel as hard as she could. Unable to brace himself, Killian closed his eyes and prepared to be tossed against the gunwale in response to the ship’s tight turn. But Marvel somehow had the foresight and concentration to grab hold of him with her magic, and he was prevented further injury.

Just before the volcano was lost from view, Killian saw the first plume of ash burst from its summit, followed by tree-sized rock meteors that plummeted down the sides of the mountain. As they struck the ground, they initiated thundering landslides, which rapidly increased in both velocity and volume. The sight disappeared behind the Jolly Roger’s hull, but Killian knew it was only a matter of time before the displaced earth plunged into the sea and sent enormous waves racing toward them. He couldn’t lie here any longer; he had to be up and helping in whatever small way he could.

“Marvel, the potion!” he called. She risked a terrified glance back at him, and her eyes widened even further at whatever new terrors the volcano was performing. “Now, love! You need my help!”

Frantically, Marvel froze the wheel in place and skidded to Killian’s side, pulling a large crystal phial from her pocket as she went. “What-”

“Bottoms up,” he winked, the swagger only partially successful at masking his own fear. But she understood his meaning and held the vessel to his lips.

The bucking of the ship meant that just as much of the liquid went up his nose and down his chin as into his mouth. Gamely, Killian held his breath until a full mouthful had collected, then swallowed, and only then allowed himself to sputter and spray the burn away. Almost instantly, the squid ink’s hold released; Killian rolled onto his side, gagging and wiping his face while desperately trying to push himself to his feet. Marvel corked and secured the phial.

“Careful, dearest, mind your-”

A deafening roar from their stern drowned out her plea, and both heads turned as one to stare at the plume of fire now spewing forth. Killian grasped the gunwale and heaved, heedless of the ripping sensations in a myriad of wounds tugged by the flailing. Now on his feet, he spun to face the helm. Marvel reached out and gripped his wrist to offer assistance.

Killian gritted his teeth as he limped to the wheel. “Now would be a good time to have my hook back,” he hissed, pain and stress altering his voice into something harsh.

“Done.” Marvel waved her hand, and his brace with hook attached magically affixed itself to his stump. He allowed himself one wince at the new pressure on the bandaged wound, then he took the wheel in hand and hook and pushed the anguish to the back of his mind.

Obviously, the curse’s effects remained, even if the curse itself had been broken.

“Can you magically provide us with some wind?” Killian had to shout to be heard over the continuous rumble from the mountain at their backs. Marvel bit her lip but nodded.

“I’ll try.”

She stretched her hands out toward the sails, and soon, a tentative breeze stirred in that direction, enough of a concerted effort in contrast to the wildly shifting natural air to be a definitive result of her powers. But before either of them could react, the first of the tidal waves buffeted the Jolly Roger, stern first, and both passengers were hurled roughly forward. Killian crashed painfully into the wheel, breath leaving him in a grunt; Marvel went flying and landed on her hands and knees just as they crested the wave. Killian wrapped his left arm around the wheel and held out his hand, calling,

“Hold on!”

Marvel scrambled to her feet. The deck lurched again and she almost fell, but somehow, she managed to stumble back to Killian’s side and grip his hand tightly. She glanced back, grabbed the wheel with her other hand, and yelled,

“Another wave!”

They were jolted again, both clutching desperately to the wheel as the ship tilted one way, then the other.

“I’ll tether us!” cried Marvel. In a flash, she had ropes secured around their waists and attached to the wildly plunging ship. Killian battled the wheel with all his might. He had to keep the waves from striking them broadside, or they might capsize. Marvel held on with one hand, but focused most of her attention on producing the steady wind they needed in order to escape.

Ash continually poured into the sky with such force and speed that it had no trouble outpacing the harried vessel. Looking like murderous storm clouds, the roiling black mass blanketed the afternoon sun. The deck of the ship grew darker with each passing moment. All color drained away until they were left only with shades of heavy gray. The air grew thick and acrid with fine particles; it burned and coated their airways, sending them both into periodic bouts of hacking.

More explosions sounded above the steady roar of the eruption, and soon, the snow of ash was joined by tendrils of ember that stung exposed skin. The dying fires were not quite strong enough to take root among the suffocating layer of ash on their clothing, the wood, the canvas and rope. Not yet, anyway.

After countless trips up and down violent tidal waves, the Jolly Roger settled into the more familiar tossing that accompanied any patch of rough weather. Feeling the heat at his back, Killian risked a glance back at the volcano. It had only increased its fury, spewing lava and lahars right along with the impossible amounts of ash that was starting to obscure the deadly mountain. He caught Marvel watching him uncertainly. Her magic flowed steadily into a stiff wind now assisted by haphazard gusts of displaced mountainside air. Killian flashed a maniacal grin.

“Just like outrunning the curse! Right, love?”

Her answering smile was strained, reserved. “I remember, Captain.”

“Hey! We can do this!” He shuddered through a bout of coughing before adding, “The best ship in all the realms, the best crew a man could ask for…”

“And the best captain,” she added, a bit more brightly. He winked.

“Goes without saying.”

Marvel edged closer to him, still keeping the majority of her focus on the production of lifesaving wind. But she rested a hand over his, where it held the wheel in a death grip.

“We’ll make it, won’t we, Captain?”

“Aye, love. No question: we’re going to make it.”