After a few rounds of Hangman, the two VK factions adjusted to one another’s presence, despite staying grouped in their old cliques. They’d all grown up playing this game so it was a great ice-breaker.
Sitting back in her mother’s faded ripped-up old easy chair, Mal looked like a queen, staring down from on high at all her minions and there was an undeniably peaceful vibe in the room.
It’s never been like this before, she thought. Growing up as the daughter of Maleficent, she’d always been fearfully respected and her mother had taught her to get what she wanted through intimidation.
That changed in Auradon. They weren’t afraid of her over there. And why would they be? They had won. She was a loser to them. She, her mother, her friends.
At least, that’s what she thought, before she fell in love. Before her friends found their own happy endings.
It must have scared her, she thought, the idea of ruling without fear and intimidation. It was like she’d was a shark on the beach, unable to breath and move about in the way she’d always done. That’s why she came back here to the deep dark side. At least she felt free again.
Only, now, she almost felt homeless, like she had a foot in both worlds and couldn’t be true to herself in either one.
“You okay, M?” Evie whispered, plopping down on an armrest, stretching her long legs out in front of her.
Mal cut her a look, “You can read my mind, can’t you?”
“Like Magic Mirror.” the blue-clad girl smirked, “You seem happy…but…not…”
“Bingo.” The purple-clad girl sighed.
“Hey, Evie, it’s your turn.” Big Murph interrupted, “Just five letters left. I bet you can solve it!”
“Oh, uh,” the Isle’s princess blushed deeply, having not been paying attention in this round; she gave the phrase a quick once-over and realized that he was right, “I’d like to solve then.” She brushed her hair off her shoulders, “The Isle of the Lost.”
“Dang it!” Diego cried, “I knew that!”
“I bet you’ll get the next one, cuz.” Carlos whacked his back.
“Actually,” Claudine looked almost apologetic, “W-we need to get going. I-I didn’t plan on us staying this long.”
“Gotta go report back to Yen Sid?” Hook sneered.
“What’s wrong with that?” she bristled.
“Nothing at all.” Mal broke in, quickly coming to her feet, “We’re glad you guys stopped by.” She began hustling the antiheroes towards the door, anxious to have them gone, but the green-clad girl’s voice stopped her cold.
“I need to get going too,” Uma said, “We all do. I gotta serve dinner at the Chip Shop. They need to-to do some night surveillance on our ship. You know, make sure nothing important got stolen.”
“Sure, of course.” Mal tried to at least look calm; she knew Uma had something else in mind, “Anybody else have other plans?”
“Well, I need to actually move in!” Evie giggled, “You know, pick a bedroom such.”
“Well, at least you don’t have to unpack.” Mal smirked.
“Oh, gosh, you’re right!” the blue-clad girl giggled.
“We packed light too.” Jay nodded at Carlos.
“Come on, Celia,” Freddie took her sister by the shoulders, “Let’s go clean up at school before dad blows a fuse. Check ya later guys.”
“Later.” Mal waved.
“He’s probably still with Madam Medusa…” Celia grumbled, as Freddie pushed her out the door ahead of Uma’s crew, “They’ve been pulling overnighters lately.”
“Good.” her older sister cringed, eying then pirates with unease as they hustled off in the other direction, “More alone time for us.”
“You follow those traitors back to Dragon Hall.” Uma hissed at her two officers, once they were around the corner, “I need to get back to the Chip Shop, but I want a report within an hour.”
*o*o*0*o*o*
Back in the castle, the core four suddenly found themselves completely alone for the first time in almost a month. But no one spoke about the past; they were glued to the windows.
“So far, so good,” Jay muttered.
“Haha,” Evie bumped his ribs; she was glad Mal hadn’t started anything, but concerned that their meeting had broken up so quickly, “Uma’s too smart to just follow ‘em while we’re watching. Look at ‘em going around that corner, like they think we’re idiots or something.”
“Ah, but they do.” Jay smirked.
“I kinda feel bad for her…” Carlos sighed, frowning thoughtfully, “Uma, you know. I mean, she was a real trip this morning at mom’s.”
“I feel bad for Gil too…” Evie’s lips twisted into a lopsided smile, “He might not have a lot of there, there, but he’s a sweetheart and sooo funny.”
“Well, first things first, guys.” their purple-clad leader called them to attention, “Let’s get over to Dragon Hall and keep our new friends from finding out about Ben’s visit.”
*o*o*0*o*o*
“Hadie!” Claudine hissed in his ear when he started lagging behind, “Snap too! Eyes forward. You know they’re following us.”
“Sorry…” he answered meekly, smoothing his smoldering blue hair as his face reddened, “It’s just I was hoping we could stay longer.” He swallowed nervously, “Back last night after everyone went home. I found out—”
Suddenly, his friends bolted across the street and all talk was ended. He had to run hard to catch up. Then they were banging on the huge double doors.
Gasping a moment later, as the vibration echoed down the cavernous hallway, Claudine snapped for them to stop, “How stupid of us!” She looked frantic.
“What kind of idiots are you guys?” Freddie’s head popped out the door. Celia was just behind.
“Oh, shut up. We were stupid but we don’t need a lecture from you.” Claudine rolled her eyes, “Where’s your dad anyways?”
“No clue.” Freddie shrugged, “We’re assuming he’s bunking with Madam Medusa again. No one was here when we came.” She stepped back, “Hurry up and get in here. We all know Uma has eyes on this place.”
The antiheroes needed no more encouragement and less than a minute later Claudine knocked on the Sorcerer’s door.
“Come in, come in…” Yen Sid opened up immediately, “How did things go?”
“Things went great!” Yzla was instantly enthusiastic, “We just sat around playing Hangman.”
“It was a little tense at first.” Diego admitted, knowing the Sorcerer wasn’t fooled, “I mean, we all have our histories.” He shrugged, “You know…”
“I understand.” Yen Sid’s mouth twisted into a lopsided smile under his beard, “But come, come. Draw the chairs. King Ben, his parents, and Fairy Godmother will be joining us shortly for a video call.”
“King Beast and Queen Belle?” the antiheroes gasped, squealing in a frenzy as they hugged and danced around the room in crazy circles, “Fairy Godmother? We’re going to meet them?”
“Yes, yes.” the Sorcerer’s grin broadened, “Now, children, children, quickly, settle down.” He held up his phone, “I’m going to call them now and you have to be ready. They very much want to hear about Mal’s party. Please children…”
“Manners, manners, everyone!” Big Murph called out, trying to take charge even as Claudine, Yzla, Diego, the Badum cousins, and Hadie quickly set up a seating assignment.
“Easy, big guy…” Hermie Bing corralled him, “Video is on. See? Ben’s office.” She took one of his elbows and Eddie took the other, “Come on. Sit down.”
“Hey, guys!” Ben’s enthusiastic face suddenly filled the screen, kindly giving them a moment before the older generation was revealed, “I’m glad we could all get together again so soon. This is my mom, dad, and Fairy Godmother.”
“Hello children,” Beast spoke up, trying to look and sound kind even as his heart flip-flopped with turmoil, “Ben has told us so much about you.”
“W-we’re grateful for your help last night,” Belle added, feeling awkward, “a-and-and–”
“Yes,” Fairy Godmother took over, “A-a-all of Auradon is very proud of you.”
“Let me introduce my antiheroes.” Yen Sid stepped forward to get things moving, “This is Dragon Hall’s bellringer, Claudine Frollo and Hades son, Hadie. This is one of Hook’s pirate’s son, Big Murph.” He continued, silently encouraging the children with his eyes, “Carlos’ cousin, Diego.” He pointed at the Badums, “Horace and Jasper’s boys, Harold and Jason.”
“Please, just call us Harry and Jace…” the boys spoke up timidly, to the admiration of their friends, “But not to be confused with Harry Hook.”
“Yzla is Yzma’s daughter,” the Sorcerer continued, “Hermie Bing is the Ringmaster’s daughter and Eddie is the son of Edger Balthazar.”
“Thank you again for-for meeting with us…” Belle spoke again, her heart starting to melt for these kids she’d never known and yet had somehow despised, “I-I-I–”
“Why don’t the children tell you what they’ve been up to?” Yen Sid again guided the conversation; his gaze fell on Claudine.
Frollo’s daughter swallowed hard, shoving her jitters as deep as they’d go, “Hm, well, ah, we’ve been at Mal’s for the last few hours. We played Hangman. Do-do you know that game?” She shook her head, mumbling, “Probably not…”
“How’d things go?” Ben coaxed her.
“It was okay…” she shrugged, still mumbling, “Good, I guess. Better than I expected.”
“Could you explain what you mean?” Beast was on high alert.
“Oh, she’s just sour,” Diego gave her a look, realizing her lack of enthusiasm would hurt everything.
Claudine shot him a look. “It’s just that we all have histories with each other.” she bit back her angst, “I-I, well, I just wasn’t expecting much. Maybe I could have if I let myself, but I didn’t. Mal, Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Freddie did a great job of smoothing the rough edges.”
“Great!” Ben looked relieved.
Obviously, things weren’t Auradon perfect…but, then again, no one expected that.