A Visit To The Homeland (Rewrite Finished)

"Little Lily, come here," Maleficent called for Hancock loudly. She stood and petted a very large and ferocious-looking ape.

"What is it, my lady?" Hancock asked. Those observant would note the fear and awe in her tone. Maleficent had since they arrived on Raspberry Island told the sisters who she was. Not that she was the definite creation of everything alive, but that she was a world traveller and very strong.

"You don't have to call me that, you know. I think I even told you not to call me that." She looked a little uncertain. "I have a hard time remembering what I say sometimes." She confessed.

"You have indeed. But I feel it's appropriate to call you so. Otherwise, I could call you boss? Like Mr Awesome does."

"It's up to you. I have many names, technically every name is mine... but we're getting off-topic." Maleficent waved away the ape. It banged its furry chest and jumped away, but not before its crimson eyes locked in on Hancock.

"He is angry he lost to you," Maleficent said to clarify. "Good job on that, by the way."

"Thank you, boss." The girl let the words sink in, trying to get a feel for it. "Yeah, definitely. It feels natural. Boss it is." She smiled and now fully turned her attention to Maleficent.

"Now you have my attention, boss."

"Great. Because we're going to Amazon lily today."

"Really." Hancock threw her arms up in celebration. "Finally!"

"Indeed. Ready the ship for me and tell your sisters."

"Sure thing, boss!" The little girl ran away as fast as her legs could carry her.

***

The sea was calm, oddly enough. But Hancock had learned that this was always the case when Maleficent was around. Nothing ever got out of hand when she was present. It was like she controlled the sea. "Ridiculous." She whispered to herself.

Sonia came up behind her and asked: "What's ridiculous?" She had added a few pounds the last few weeks. They had barely been fed at the prison, but at Raspberry Island, there was more food than they knew what to do with.

But because of their starving state, they had to ease into it. Their bodies couldn't at first handle all the food Kurama made them eat. But since then, they had bulked up, and they had grown a few inches. Amazing progress for only three weeks.

"Nothing, I'm just talking to myself. Anyway, are you excited?" She knew the answer to her question, but why not let her sister vent.

"Very! I can't wait to see everyone again, and I'll bet they'll be so surprised to see us."

"No doubt." Maria joined in and said. "Normally, no one captured by those bastards leaves except in body bags." Her hair was the longest among her sisters. Its red colour matching the fireball Hancock held over her palm.

"If I ever meet one of them, I'll use this to burn them" She clenched her hand and the fire disappeared. "One. Piece. At. A. Time."

"And I'll cut their precious jewels off." Sonia showed her sword. A beautiful white blade, with a silver hilt.

"And I'll separate their limbs from their bodies with this mighty weapon," Mari declared as she too brandished her equally beautiful spear. A white spear. A long black grip adorned with golden jewels.

The sisters shared a look before laughter broke out between them.

"Today marks the beginning of the rest of our lives," Hancock spoke proudly. "Today we show our people the might of the boss and after that, the world! For Maleficent!" She shouted.

"For Maleficent!" Her sisters joined in.

On the floor above them, the goddess herself sat and enjoyed a cup of tea. She smiled contentedly as she felt the pride and loyalty in their warcry.

"Soon." She said.

***

"We've arrived!" Maleficent's voice rang out throughout the ship. Immediately doors were heard open and hurried footsteps approached her location.

Hancock, followed by Mari and Sonia appeared soon after. Their baited breaths indicated how excited they were.

"Someone's excited." She could not help but comment. Children were her favourites because of how excited they could get over the little things. But these girls had been through hell and now they had arrived at the one place where they felt truly safe.

"Come one, hurry, boss. I can't wait anymore!" Hancock, with a spring in her steps, jumped down from the ship. She was followed closely by a green and red blur.

"Still so young," Maleficent told herself as she chuckled.

She raced after the three siblings and found them talking to an old woman, short in stature. But her posture and gaze showed she had a lifetime of experience.

"Ah, boss, come meet the Empress of Amazon Lily!" Hancock ran and dragged Maleficent over, because of their similar height it looked like two friends running hand in hand. The only exception was Maleficent's more mature body. She was small but very... developed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gloriosa," Maleficent said courteously. She knew from being a goddess herself how to act proper.

The woman eyed her suspiciously. "How do you know my name? I don't remember ever meeting you?"

"We have not met. But I make it my business to know my servants business. Nothing escapes my eyes." She said challengingly as if asking Gloriosa to challenge her. The two leaders stared down at each other for a moment, while the kids stood back.

The tense atmosphere choked up a few bystanders.

"That is one thing I wanted to discuss. Hancock said before you arrived that she now works for you. That is not going to happen. She is one of mine and the next Empress of Amazon Lily." She returned the challenging gaze. She stood strong, as a leader should.

Maleficent channelled some power into her words. "To clarify. She was one of yours. Now she belongs to me, now she is under my banner. And by extension so is this Island. You women hiding here like cowards, are under my protection."

Gloriosa exploded out with a screech and yelled: "Who told you we needed protection? And we are certainly not cowards! Apologize immediately, I do not care who you are!" She met Maleficent word for word, with an equal amount of power.

"Grandma, please don't start any fights. The boss is good. She rescued us and has been training us for the last three weeks. We owe her." Sonia said meekly. Hancock added a reassuring touch and nodded in agreement. Mari followed by example.

"My sister is right. We are happy to work for her."

"And I don't want to be Empress, I like being out on the sea, exploring and growing stronger. I would hate to be stuck on this island, wasting my life away."

"You heard them, Empress. What is your answer?" Maleficent asked with a smirk. She saw this as amusement at best, mortals trying to defy her was always entertaining.

"Still no! These girls need to be with their people, they will thrive here. And lastly, they belong here. We Amazon women stand as one against all threats. As it has always been."

Hancock let a flame blossom in her hand. "Look here, grandma. This is what the boss gave me. I can finally protect myself, and I like being out on the sea. Please, granny." The Empress resolve was visibly weakening, she cared so much for the girls.

"Be it marine, pirate or the universe itself. They will always have my protection as long as their loyalty stands intact. There is no better place than under my banner, Gloriosa."

The Empress steely resolve returned and after letting a sigh slip out, she said sternly: "Then prove it. Prove to me that your protection is greater and only then will I agree. At the end of the day, I only care for their lives. If they are safer with you, then I am happy."

"Gladly." Maleficent's gaze hardened and she released her magic. This was the power she used in the mortal realm so she would not disintegrate every world she stepped into. While in the mortal realm she had to seal her divine form and power. But to say her mortal form was strong was an understatement.

The entire island started shaking. "If I released it all at once, this island would not be floating here." Her words carried so much weight the warriors around them were being physically pushed down. Just when the ground started tearing and breaking, it immediately disappeared. As if the aura hadn't been present at all.

The Empress of Amazon looked stunned. Her ageing face showed a variety of emotions, most of all awe and fear. Maleficent felt the trepidation of the woman, the undeniable dread of facing something you didn't understand.

"That was absurd," Sonia whispered to Hancock, who was too mesmerized in Maleficent's form to listen.

"Kinda scary," Mari answered. "I hope she doesn't do that again."

"What say you, Empress? Do I qualify?"

Gloriosa stood silently, her face shadowed by her bangs. After minutes of somewhat awkward silence, she let a chuckle slip, which started a chain reaction with the other women. Soon everyone was wearing a cautious smile, undeniably nervous about what the Empress would say.

"I believe you. I will let the girls into your care. But Amazon Lily can protect itself. We are not weak nor cowards." She looked toward the siblings. "You girls are still Amazonian women, which means this will forever be your home."

"Granny!" The triple siblings yelled simultaneously and hugged her. The Empress was a grandma to everyone on the island, but none more so than these three.

"Interesting," Maleficent mumbled. 'I wonder if Father would ever care for me like that? Is it possible for him to love?'

"Are you staying for dinner, girls?"

They looked toward their boss.

"If you want, go ahead," Maleficent answered calmly.

"Wonderful. Come girls, you shall eat proper food tonight." Maleficent let that particular little diss be. She wasn't petty enough to let it bother her. The Empress of Amazon was after all just a mortal. Their words carried absolutely no weight.

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End