XJ → Harry Hook [1]✔

The Map

XJ led Harry to a side of the Isle he had never been to before. He didn't know it existed, and was shocked when he saw that the place was deserted. Here, he couldn't hear the regular noises and shrieks that haunted the Isle, no matter what time it was.

The place was at the foot of a mountain. It was a small clearing in the middle of a forest of grey trees, as nothing on the Isle was naturally green. XJ sat on a large rock near the edge of the clearing and closed her eyes.

Harry sat down at the foot of the rock, watching XJ intently. He waited for a while before XJ finally opened her eyes. She looked at him like he was from another planet. Harry realized that it was the first time she had realized looked at all of him.

"My father," XJ suddenly spoke, her voice melancholy. "was an old-fashioned coward. When he realized that his offspring was a girl, he was terrified. He wanted a son to carry the legacy. He thought it to be shameful to have a daughter, however, he was too weak to leave me perfectly defenseless, and so he raised me until I knew how to speak and how to hold a knife without stabbing myself. Then he left." XJ laughed humorlessly. "Poof. Vanished. If he hated me then he should have just killed me, but he was too weak to do what he believed was right. My father was a coward.

"I found my way without him. I've done more than he could ever achieve with what I have on the Isle. Everyone fears me, which is exactly what my father had hoped for himself but could never succeed at. My reputation is bone-chilling to any newcomer on the Isle and when a new child is born here, the minute they understand words, they are warned of the daughter of the villain of the East.

"And yet, I still want more, as I should. No matter how well I have it here, the Isle is still a prison. My chance has come – Mal has returned and when the barrier breaks, I will overrun Auradon. I will become ruler of all, those from both the Isle and Auradon. Then I will send troops to other countries until the world has fallen at my feet," XJ announced, her eyes with a faraway look and a grin forming on her face. Suddenly, her gaze returned to Harry, who was listening intently.

"But then I realized that when everything is done, what will I do? There is nothing left and I am the type of person who will never sit still, regardless of whether I've taken over the world or not. I don't know what to do, and that doesn't sit well with me. I'm beginning to think I'm more like my father than I'd like to admit; he could never settle with an uncertain future.

"I've set my path and although it may change, I don't want to have absolutely no idea of what's to come." XJ's lip quivered. She snorted abruptly, "Who would have thought that the daughter of the horrible military general who had taken over countries and had killed hundreds of people would be scared of the future?"

XJ looked at Harry, who was silent. It was a moment before Harry stood up and sat next to XJ on the rock. "You know what I think?" Harry asked.

XJ shook her head. Harry smirked, "I think I know what's wrong."

"Care to enlighten me?" XJ asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

Harry wrapped an arm around XJ's waist and this time XJ didn't protest. "I think that you need to learn how to improvise."

"Improvising my whole life is a very bad idea, Harry."

"Planning out your whole life and having it set in stone is also a bad idea, Xiao. I mean, think about it," Harry said, raising an arm to sweep across the meadow. "I know world domination is a goal of yours; it's every villain kid's goal, but everyone has a side quest. Before you get to the treasure chest, you have to find the map first, and the map will help you get to the loot."

"What's the map?"

Harry smirked and looked directly at XJ. "Me."

Harry expected XJ to scowl or insult him, but he did not expect XJ to laugh. It was the first time anyone had heard XJ laugh genuinely in a long time. She normally cackled or laughed sarcastically, and it stunned Harry how beautiful her laugh was.

When XJ had stopped laughing, she turned to Harry with a genuine grin on her face. "I think I could live with that." XJ said before putting her hands on the side of Harry's neck and kissing the pirate boy.

Harry laughed when XJ pulled away. He hopped down from the stone and knelt down on one knee, reaching for XJ's arm, looking positively ridiculous. "Come on, lass, let's go watch Mal squirm for her precious Ben."

XJ laughed as well before taking Harry's hand and jumping down. "I'd be glad to."

Harry got up from the ground and whooped as he picked up XJ and spun her around. "Let's go!" He shouted, like a child on Christmas Day, his eyes lighting up with mischief.

The two left the clearing, hand in hand.