Ways to be Wicked - Descendants 2 AU

Chapter 20

 They were spotted the moment they stepped out of the drainage tunnel.

"I see them!" Max cried from the upper deck of the Devil's Bayou, sending up a raucous cheer from the crewmen that were scurrying about below. "Tell Juleka they've arrived!"

"So much for subtlety," Kagami said sourly, her entire body tense. This wasn't the battle field she was expecting - an old battered steam boat docked off an equally rickety and decrepit dock and overrun by gangsters instead of warriors.

"We don't do subtle here, Kags," Alya explained, her sword openly carried at her hip instead of concealed in a sheath at her back like Kagami's. "We like a bit of showmanship with our hostage negotiations."

As if living up to her claim, the crew members on the Devil's Bayou took their places, forming two straight lines on either side of the gang plank, standing at rigid attention. They were silent now, each with their shoulders squared as Juleka made her way between them with a smug smile spread across her pale face. She looked every bit like the victorious warlord if Kagami had ever seen one. At her sides were three others, a tall dark-haired boy who Kagami guessed was Luka, a dark skinned man with glasses and an analytical gaze, and a short, pink-haired punkish looking girl whose smirk was most likely a permanent feature for her. At her feet were two large alligators who watched the newcomers with toothy grins. The sight of them sent a chill down Alya's spine that wasn't related to the sea chill.

"Welcome!" Juleka said with the spread of her arms, her jewelry and gauzy clothes shimmering in the cloudy light that filtered through the gathering clouds. "You finally made it!"

"Where is he," Marinette said flatly. Her eyes were cold, her gaze fixed on where Juleka stood still smirking.

Juleka blinked, feigning forgetfulness before she nodded knowingly. "Right, your little Auradon boy."

The sea witch turned on her heel, wiggling her fingers at one of the smoke stacks with a sneer. "Say hello, Your Highness!"

The Isle teens turned, all eyes glued to the spot where Adrien was tied to one of the boat's smoke stacks, his blonde head a bright smudge against the grimy metal. Marinette's expression tightened reflexively, her blue eyes fixated on where he waited. It was only a moment of weakness, the briefest flash of panic, before she turned back to Juleka with the same hard expression.

"Let him go, Juleka," Marinette growled, her hands clenched in a white-knuckled grip at her side. Juleka didn't seem fazed by Marinette's glowering though, merely clicking her teeth like a disapproving grade school teacher.

"Not so fast, Skullsy," Juleka tutted before holding out a long-nailed hand. "We have business to conduct."

"I'm pretty sure kidnapping isn't considered 'business'," Alya quipped, only to be cut off by the sea witch.

"The more you talk, the more I am convinced that you actually want me to feed your precious little princeling to our friends here," Juleka said, gesturing to the snapping alligators that waited patiently at Alix's feet. "If you're looking for some motivation, just look to your fearless king. It's either you hand over the wand, or you watch him become gator chow."

That threat sent up a chorus of snickers and sneers from Juleka's crew mates. They were silenced however by Marinette taking a firm step forward on the dock, her thick-soled shoes sending up a loud thump.

"Let's just be smart, alright," Marinette started only to blink in surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry, that must be hard for you."

Juleka snarled, clenching her teeth as she glared at her opponent. "Get to the point, princess."