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It’s when they are on the limo ride back to Auradon that the vehicle suddenly shakes violently. Mal and her gang swore as Jay desperately tried not to swerve. He had just enough time to put the car in park before they disappeared in a flash of smoke.
“Not this again,” Carlos complained when he saw the theatre-esque room once again. Mal didn’t have time to say anything in response to him before she was bracing for an attack from Uma who had jumped at her and was only stopped as Harry and Gil both caught her around the arms.
“We have an audience,” Harry hissed. Uma snarled at Mal but didn’t attempt to attack again. Mal took in the new people in the room. There were a few Auradon citizens who hadn’t been present last time and surprisingly a number of Isle residents as well. Among those residents were CJ and Harriet Hook who seemed to get a glimpse of their brother at the same time and barreled into him tourney tackle style. Harry crooned when he saw CJ and bodily picked her up.
“Wait Harry no!” She shouted fruitlessly as Harry tossed her to a delighted Harriet who cackled heartily.
“Toss the CJ! Toss the CJ!” A few members of the different crews chanted. Harriet tossed CJ back who went limp midair like a ragdoll letting Harry catch her bridal style. As Harry was getting ready to chuck CJ again Adam’s voice finally broke through to the teens.
“That is enough!” He called harshly. “That is no way to behave and is completely irresponsible and dangerous. You wouldn’t want this child to be hurt now would you?”
Harriet and Harry both rolled their eyes. “We’ve done this over shark-infested waters to get her from one ship to another,” Harriet said drily, “I think on stable ground should be fine.” Adam turned an interesting shade of red but was stopped from saying more when Hades started talking.
“Now those of you who have been here before likely understand that I will be showing you events I believe to be important. For those that don’t I’m sure you’ll catch on quickly.” Hades grinned darkly. Next to him Hadie, his son, waved enthusiastically completely ruining the ‘dark and scary god’ aura he was attempting to project.
“Try to keep an open mind, don’t threaten one another, and most of all keep your reactions in check for I will be watching,” Hades warned lowly. Mal huffed as she sat down with the boys and Evie hesitantly following her.
Uma glared but sat down and motioned for her pirates to sit down too. Harry sat down on the arm of Uma’s chair, Gil sat at her feet, Jonas positioned himself precariously on the back of Uma’s chair (Mal silently wished he’d fall down just so she could laugh about it), Gonzo sat almost in Gil’s lap as did Desiree, and Bonny sat, like a normal person, in the chair to the right of Uma.
Harriet and her crew, with CJ tucked under her arm horizontally, settled in the row directly behind Uma’s crew.
In the background someone asked if it was appropriate for them to be sitting like that but got shushed.
“What, can’t be alone?” Mal sneered meanly. Uma bared her teeth.
“Say that to your bodyguard,” she taunted. Mal glared even as Jay continued to keep his hands firmly on each of them.
Mal was cut off from saying anything more when the viewing started.
Ways To Be Wicked.
“I think we would remember all of Auradon Prep suddenly turning evil,” Ariel murmured. Eric and Melody both nodded.
Ways To Be Wicked: bad to the bone line.
“Traitors like you could never,” Harry hissed. Jay rolled his eyes.
Ways To Be Wicked: change the way the story’s told line.
Uma appraised Mal for a moment in silence.
“Spit it out Shrimpy,” Mal said through gritted teeth. Uma glared.
Ways To Be Wicked: steal it line.
A few of the Isle kids glared at Jay as they thought of all the things he’d stolen from them over the years. Jay tried not to make it obvious the stares were making him uncomfortable, but Mal could still tell so she glared harshly at the room at large.
Ways To Be Wicked: Mother always knows best line.
“Parents don’t always know best,” Aurora said gently. Mal swallowed and looked away.
Ways To Be Wicked: hear her voice line.
Carlos waved his hands. “Don’t worry about it,” he reassured the not-reassured room.
Ways To Be Wicked: evil is the only way to win line.
The Isle kids looked at each other uncomfortably.
Reporters hound Mal.
“Oh so it was a daydream,” Jane Darling realized.
Uma snorted while Mal blushed and glared. She was ashamed her most inner desires were playing out on the screen in front of her.
Reporters hound Mal.
“I’m sorry my colleagues have been harassing you,” Snow White said looking appalled. Mal nodded her head.
“It’s not your fault,” she said softly.
Ben cuts the reporters off.
“Ooo, Ben’s being protective over his girlfriend,” Aziz said while pretending to swoon. Mal blushed again as Ben rolled his eyes, and Jasmine scolded her child.
Fairy Godmother gets rid of the reporters.
“That's actually a good point. Shouldn’t a fancy school like yours have some type of protection against that?” One of the Gaston twins asked (Mal was pretty sure it was Junior, but she’d always had a hard time telling them apart).
Fairy Godmother sighed. “We do,” she said simply.
Mal says she has twenty more events after the cotillion.
“Why do you have so much stuff lined up?” Anita asked innocently.
Mal gave a tired grin. “Just comes with being the king’s girlfriend,” she answered. She tried not to let the calls of ‘traitor’ from the group of Isle kids bother her.
Mal asks if Evie ever wonders what they’d be doing on the Isle.
“Fighting for territory,” Harriet said casually.
“Fighting for food,” Ginny Gothel provided.
“Having a turf war,” Gil suggested even though that was essentially what Harriet had said.
Mal scowled when she heard the answers. It’s not like she’d forgotten what life on the Isle was like…she just missed not having to constantly look over her shoulder.
The TV host says that Mal was from the wrong side of the tracks and no one thought she and Ben would last.
“Wow, what a trashy thing to say,” Lonnie said. Mulan eyed her daughter like she was considering reprimanding her.
Evie says Ben wouldn’t like Mal using magic.
“What?” Uma leered. “Afraid of a little magic, King Ben?” She said his title mockingly. Ben frowned.
“No,” he told Uma and then turned to Mal, “I never want you to feel like you have to hide parts of yourself from me.” Mal looked away.
Mal says she misses stealing, lying, and fighting.
A few of the Isle kids jeered and jostled one another while others sneered at Mal.
Evie says they’re Auradon girls and need to leave the past in the past.
“Traitors,” Bonny hissed, “you guys got the perfect life while leaving us to
rot
.”
“Don’t say that about them!” Dizzy protested. “I’m sure they did everything they could for us.”
Anthony Tremaine sighed at his cousin’s words and the guilty look on the four’s faces. “Be careful about building a tower of hope,” he cautioned, “for when it crumbles the fall will hurt worst of all.” He put his arms around her shoulder to soften the blow of his words as she squeezed closer to him.
Jay says he’s going alone so he can dance with all the girls.
“Classic Jay,” Jade said with only a hint of bitterness to her words. Jay smirked at her.
“You know it,” he told his cousin not letting his cousin’s bitterness affect his words.
Carlos tries to talk to Jane.
A few guys on the tourney team winced as Carlos completely failed at talking with Jane.
Jane asks Mal what she wants for cotillion decorations.
“Jane,” Fairy Godmother started. Jane blushed.
“I’m sorry Mal I got carried away,” she said. Mal nodded her head.
“It’s fine,” she assured awkwardly.
Jane overwhelms Mal.
Leah and a few others in the room gasped as Mal’s eyes flashed green. Most of the Isle kids had instinctively cowered away. Those who weren’t cowering were instead glaring spitefully at Mal.
Lonnie says the cotillion is like getting engaged.
“Lonnie,” Mulan scolded, “that was completely unfair to dump on Mal like that.” Lonnie blushed as her mom scolded her in the room full of people.
“I’m sorry,” she told Mal quietly. Mal waved her hand again.
“You’re good,” she assured.
Ben tells Jane to make sure Mal’s eyes are green.
Mal grinned softly as Ben got her eye color right. It was a small detail, but it meant a lot to her.
Evie says when she looks at Chad she thinks of a king.
A few people groaned at the stroking of Chad’s ego.
Chad complains that Jay was made captain instead of him.
“Chad,” his father said sternly, “apologize to Jay right this instant. That was completely uncalled for.”
Chad grumbled. “I’m sorry Jay,” he murmured petulantly.
Jay quirked an eyebrow. “Uh, it’s fine,” he said.
Evie and Doug say there’s not a lot of there there about Chad
“Doug!” Snow White scolded. “We went over this before-that’s completely inappropriate to say about someone.”
Evie and Doug both blushed. “I’m sorry,” they said together.
Chad set his shoulders.
“Thank you,” he told them primly.
Evie says she doesn’t need a prince because she has Doug.
A few of the Isle kids gagged.
Ben says he gives presents on even dates because Mal’s ‘even more perfect than he thought.’
“Gross,” Ivy De Vil said drily.
“It’s sweet if you ignore how disgusting it is,” Diego De Vil put in his own two cents. Mal glared at them both.
Ben says Mal didn't have a lot growing up.
“She lived in a castle!” Desiree protested. Ben stammered for a moment.
“Even those with better living conditions than others still suffered on the Isle,” he said finally. Desiree sneered at him.
“Lot you’re doing to rectify that huh King?” Jonas snorted.
Mal asks “Does an ogre like cheese puffs?”
“They do,” the Isle kids all said in varying states of enthusiasm.
Mal and Ben go back and forth on if it’s Thursday or not.
“Nice save,” Evie said under her breath. Mal rolled her eyes.
Mal says she needs to bake something else, and Ben asks her about classes.
“I think you two should slow down on the gifts,” Belle advised carefully, “it’s a great way to show you love each other, but at this point it seems like it’s draining for at the very least Mal.” Mal scowled, but Ben nodded.
“I didn’t think of it like that,” he said quietly, “like I was setting up more expectations on your already full plate.” Mal grimaced.
“It’s fine,” she assured, but Ben shook his head.
“It’s not, but we’ll work on it. If that’s something you still want to work on with me,” he said sounding embarrassed towards the end.
Mal nodded.
“Yeah, that sounds good,” she said.
Jay and Lonnie fight.
A lot of the Auradon Prep girls in the room cheered when Lonnie revealed herself.
Chad says they’ll be the laughingstock of the league if Lonnie joins.
Desiree, Harriet, and Bonny all grinned. Jonas, Anthony, and Gonzo shivered. “Why,” Desiree started.
“The fuck-” Harriet continued.
“Would having a girl make you a laughing stock?” Bonny finished.
Chad floundered for a moment. “Girls can’t play it’s in the rule book!” He protested. His parents shook their heads.
“We’ll be talking about this more later,” Cinderella warned him.
Jay says he can’t throw out the rule book.
“Jay!” A few people gasped. Jay sank in shame in his seat as even Evie and Mal glared at him.
“I didn’t want to think you a traitor,” Jade said, “but I’m so
disappointed
in you, Jay. How could you do something so backward just to follow some stupid rule in Auradon?” Jay physically flinched when Jade called him a disappointment.
“I-” he started to explain, but Jade held up her hand and cut him off.
“I don’t want to hear it,” she told him bitterly. Mal thought of how many times she’d had Jay’s back, how often she’d saved his ass, and wondered what would possess him to bend over backward for a stupid rule.
Lonnie says if her mother thought that way, she would have lost the war.
A few people physically flinched at Lonnie’s words.
Carlos fails to talk to Jane again.
“Yikes,” Aziz whispered as Jane blushed and his her face in her hands when she realized she’d completely bowled Carlos’ attempts at talking to her over.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Carlos looks at "How to get out of the friend zone" guides.
“Just talk to her man,” Aziz despaired as Carlos looked that up. Uma rolled her eyes. Auradon citizens and their pointless niceties drove her wild.
“I get to nervous to,” Carlos said softly, “I’ve never been in a situation where being delicate was the right call.” The citizens of Auradon shifted uneasily at the reminder.
“You’ll figure it out,” Henry said softly.
Carlos looked away but muttered, “Thanks,” under his breath.
Mal’s eyes flare green.
Leah yelped in shock as Mal’s eyes flared green. Meanwhile, the Isle kids all eyed her disdainfully well used to her flaunting her mother’s power to get her way. Uma felt Harry and Gil both tense and move slightly in front of her.
“What?” Gonzo taunted. “You need to use your mother’s powers to get ahead in Auradon as well?”
“Actually the opposite,” Mal told him drily.
Mal loses her temper on Carlos.
“Jeez, I can’t believe you snapped at
Carlos
,” Jay said worriedly. Uma watched in horror as Mal actually blushed at the reprimand instead of berating her second-in-command.
“My bad Carlos,” Mal said which was not quiet an apology but way more open than any Isle kid would ever be on the Isle.
“Damn,” Sammy Smee whistled lowly, “you really have changed in Auradon huh?”
Mal flared her eyes green as she glared at him but the oldest of the Smee boys simply smirked lazily.
“I’m not afraid of your party tricks,” he said.
Mal asks if Carlos misses screaming at people and making them go away, and Carlos says she’s thinking of his mother.
“Your mother screamed at you?” Anita asked softly. Desiree snorted.
“If your mom or dad didn’t scream at one you might as well not have had one,” she said. She didn’t explain further even as the room evolved into confused murmuring.
“God if Da’ wasn’t screaming I was sure he was passed out somewhere,” Harriet mentioned casually.
“Ah yes,” Harry said.
“The only time the Hook house was ever peaceful,” CJ finished. The rooms occupants, at least those not from the Isle, looked more and more concerned the longer the Isle kids talked.
Chad enters Carlos and Jay’s room with the key he 3-D printed.
“Chad,” Cinderella ground out, “you’ve been trespassing?” Chad sputtered a protest.
“Breaking into another’s dorm and especially printing a key to continue to do so is an expellable offense,” Fairy Godmother said, “we’ll be talking about your punishment when we return to Auradon Prep.” Chad sank in his seat as his parents stared at him in disappointment.
“You’re also grounded,” Henry added sternly, “for a month.”
“But,” Chad tried to protest.
“Two now,” Cinderella said sternly.
“That’s not fair!” Chad cried.
“Do you want to make it three?” Cinderella asked. Chad wisely shut up. Uma meanwhile stared in shock.
The harshest punishment Chad was facing was being grounded?
Carlos asks about the truth gummy.
“If you need a truth gummy to help you say something you might not be ready to say it,” Ben said softly. Carlos ducked his head.
“You might be right,” he allowed, “but if I let fear hold me back I’d never do anything.”
Mal says going back to the Isle doesn’t sound that unappealing.
“You’re living it up in Auradon, and you want to go back to the Isle?” Sammy, who hadn’t seen Mal while she was on the Isle, questioned in horrified awe.
“I was struggling,” Mal defended herself.
“Struggling on Auradon still has to be better than struggling on the Isle though,” Freddie pointed out reasonably. Mal didn’t respond.
Dude eats the truth gummy.
“Dude can talk?” Audrey demanded.
Carlos nodded. “Yeah, it’s been…interesting,” he said hesitantly.
Uma and Harry insult Mal and throw fries at her image on TV.
Uma glared at Mal as the girl flinched when she was called out. She’d left the Isle kids to
rot
. Being called a traitor was the nicest way Uma could think to describe her.
Gil mentions that Mal wouldn’t let Uma join her gang and called her Shrimpy.
Uma glared at Mal once again.
“What?” She questioned faux innocently. “Got something to say, Shrimpy?” Uma glowered but Harry and Gil’s calloused hands gently laying on her stopped her from doing anything rash.
What’s My Name?
“Calling out to lost boys and girls?” Melody wondered.
“Anyone that feels lost or adrift or like they don’t have anyone on their side is welcome in my crew,” Uma explained.
What’s My Name? Tell 'em who's in charge so they don't forget line.
“She’s in charge?” Chad questioned with his mouth gaping open.
“Chad,” his mother hissed.
“‘Course,” Harry drawled, “who else would we trust to lead us?” Chad stammered for a minute but ultimately said nothing else when he caught sight of the sharp tip of Harry’s hook glinting menacingly toward him.
What’s My Name? Fake crown line.
“Mal’s crown isn’t fake though,” Lonnie pointed out, “also she doesn’t even wear one.”
Uma rolled her eyes. “I’m saying she is a poser,” she answered casually.
“Oh,” Lonnie said softly.
What’s My Name? The worst is now the best line.
“Why would you call yourself the worst?” Danny Darling asked.
“Being the worst grants us power,” Gil explained casually.
“And power is everything on the Isle,” Squeaky said.
What’s My Name? And leaving us here will be their last regret! line.
The Isle four who lived in Auradon all flinched and looked extremely guilty especially Evie. Uma didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy for them. They should wallow in their guilt.
What’s My Name? Never learned how to count line.
“Wait, can you really not count?” Adam asked in horror. Harry leered at him.
“School wasn’t all that important on the Isle,” he said bitterly, “so I’ll let you make your own conclusions on that.”
Ursula hits Uma with her tentacle.
“Did your mom just hit you?” Ben asked in astonishment. Uma shrugged.
“I mean yeah,” she said casually not seeing why he was acting so horrified.
Gil gets kicked out.
“Where do you even go when you get kicked out?” Jonas wondered. Gil shrugged.
“I mostly just walk around the Isle,” he explained.
Ben is happy Mal made every food item Mrs. Potts made for his parents.
“That’s a lot,” Belle worried quietly. Mal and Ben avoided looking at one another.
Ben finds Mal’s spellbook.
“Ben,” Belle scolded, “you didn’t even let her explain herself.” Ben shifted guiltily.
Mal tries to spell Ben.
“She tried to spell the king again!” Leah shouted. Uma lazily looked at her.
“What’s your problem, lady?” She questioned.
“These ruffians are determined to ruin Auradon!” Leah cried. “We never should have brought any kids over from the Isle!”
Uma’s eyes hardened. She was mad when the other four were chosen, but she would never suggest that any child deserved the Isle.
“You think kids should be left to eat rotten fruit because it’s all they can get their hands on?” Uma questioned. Leah stammered.
“No, of course not,” she said.
“Do you think kids should have to steal to survive?” Uma asked. Leah shook her head.
“Then why,” Uma ground out, “do you think kids should stay on the Isle?” Leah couldn’t respond. Uma smirked nastily.
“You Auradon people like to think you’re so much better than those on the Isle,” she sneered, “but never forget you imprisoned children for the crime of being born.”
An uneasy silence fell on the room.
Ben says, “This isn't the Isle of the Lost, Mal.”
“Ben!” Belle gasped.
“I’m sorry Mal,” Ben apologized quietly, “I went too far.” Mal nodded stiffly but said nothing.
Mal leaves for the Isle.
“You do belong here, Mal!” Jane said as Mal shook her head.
“No,” Mal whispered, “I really don’t. You hold us to impossible standards with no care of how we were raised, or where we came from. We don’t just have to be as good as Auradon citizens; we have to be
better
.” A few of the royals in the room shifted guiltily as they realized the truth of Mal’s words.
Evie tells Ben Mal went back to the Isle.
“You want to go to the Isle?” Aziz questioned like he thought Ben was insane. His parents both looked faint.
“It was my fault she left, at least partly, it was up to me to rectify my mistakes,” he explained.
“Your family is like public enemy number one over there,” Aziz worried, “what if something happened to you?” Uma stared intensely at Ben as she wondered about what he was going to say.
“I can handle myself, Aziz,” Ben assured.
Evie makes Ben promise she won’t get stuck on the Isle again.
Some of the Isle kids frowned at Evie while others stared at her understandingly.
Dizzy says she does a lot of chores.
Cinderella frowned over at Dizzy. “Are you okay honey?” She asked softly.
Dizzy smiled at her. “Granny isn’t that bad,” she dismissed even as she waved her hands and the rough calluses from hours of chores work showed.
Mal has Dizzy start styling her hair.
“Trusting a preteen to do your hair is a…choice,” Anita commented carefully.
Mal shrugged. “If their parents had shops Isle kids started working as soon as they could walk pretty much,” she explained, “Dizzy has years of experience.” Anita frowned.
“Oh,” she said simply.
Harry steals from Dizzy.
“Did you just steal from a child?” Adam demanded harshly. Harry’s eyebrows raised.
“Uh yeah,” he said, “it’s kind of the way the Isle works. If I don’t steal enough we don’t have enough money for food and supplies.” Adam’s face twisted.
“Stealing is wrong,” he lectured. Harry rolled his eyes.
“Sorry,” he drawled sarcastically, “that I have the audacity to kind of like surviving.”
Mal and Harry talk.
“What the fuck?” Audrey asked. Her mom and grandma were both too taken aback by her swearing to scold her. Harry and Mal didn’t look at one another.
Carlos says they don’t need their parents knowing they’re on the Isle.
“Yeah your parents would lose it,” Gil commented. “Everyone avoided them for like a month.”
“Great,” Carlos drawled sarcastically.
A child steals Evie’s coin purse.
“That child was so young,” Phillip murmured, “and he was already stealing?”
“Stealing is a necessity to survival,” Hadie said quietly.
Aladdin frowned and said, “We have failed as rulers to allow such suffering to happen under our noses,” to Jasmine quietly. Uma eyed him consideringly. Aladdin could be a good ally to have.
Jasmine nodded. “I agree,” she whispered solemnly.
They start directing Ben on how to act like he’s from the Isle.
“He’s going to get eaten alive,” Aziz said mournfully.
Chillin like a Villain you need to not care line.
“Why shouldn’t you care?” Eric asked.
“Caring lets people know how to get to you,” Gaston the third said.
Chillin like a Villain you need to watch your back line.
“That sounds like you’re constantly watching your back,” Roger pointed out.
“We are,” the isle kids said tiredly.
Chillin like a Villain if you want it take it, and if you can’t take it break it line.
“You’re encouraging stealing and destruction of property?” Adam demanded.
Evie sighed. “Life on the Isle is just different,” she said.
Chillin like a Villain ready to rock this line.
“Oh boy.” Aziz sighed. “You are most definitely not ‘ready to rock this’.”
“Hey!” Ben protested but quieted when everyone in the room gave him disbelieving looks.
Gil recognizes Ben.
“Oh this can’t be good,” Peter Pan drawled. Uma laid a firm hand on her first mate’s shoulder when he stiffened as the boy spoke.
“Why would Uma love that?” Wendy asked hesitantly. Uma grinned with all her teeth.
“You’ll see,” she told the woman ominously.
Ben apologizes.
“Yeah trying to convince her she could fit in by you doing things your parents wouldn’t approve of wasn’t your best choice,” Edward Darling gently admonished. Ben blushed.
“I’m sorry, Mal. I just wanted you to feel like you fit in,” he explained. Mal hummed.
“I’m always going to be from the Isle, Ben. There’s no changing how we grew up. With people constantly breathing down my neck-so excited to see me fuck up they can barely contain it-I felt suffocated,” she explained. Uma rolled her eyes but kept listening.
“I think we probably owe you an apology as well, Mal,” Snow White said, “as well as Evie, Jay, and Carlos.” The three looked over in confusion at hearing their names.
“We thrust you all into the spotlight with no support and on behalf of everyone I’m really sorry,” Snow White said sincerely. Uma watched quietly as the four stammered a bit. She wondered if anyone had ever apologized to her so sincerely.
She knew in her heart no one had.
Not for her unfair lot in life.
Not for her mistreatment.
Not for her false imprisonment.
Not for anything.