Mal’s little mixed troupe silently breached the back of Dr. Facilier’s shop and crept forward with the utmost caution, all the while listening to the feisty argument in the front room.
“That’s Uma.” Gil smiled proudly, forgetting silence.
“You lead.” Mal mouthed at Harry.
Hook’s son paused, considering what angle the purple-clad rival was taking. He was shocked to realize she was serious.
“Thanks, Mal…” he gave her a small bow, “We’ll break in and overwhelm them. There’s eight of us. Nine if Uma isn’t tied. Should be easy.”
“What?” Carlos hissed, “Against Dr. F? You can’t be serious.”
“It’s his show, Carlos.” the purple-clad girl growled.
“But…”
“It’s his show.”
“Alright fine.” he backed down, “But, let’s creep.”
“No, let’s move fast. Smash and grab.” Harry gave him a look before waltzing into the front room. The others had no choice but to follow.
The old villain and Uma stopped in mid sentence, shocked to see the combined force working together.
Freddie’s eyes bulged when Harry lifted his hook and she jumped in before he could ruin everything.
“Hey, uh, Beastie-boy is on the phone back in your office. We heard it while we were cleaning and answered.” she shrugged, “ASAP, Dad.”
“That’s quite an entourage you collected to come tell me.” His eyes burned holes in his oldest daughter.
“Nothing but the best for my dad.” she shrugged.
“Right…” He smirked.
“Okay, fine.” Evie shrugged, “Don’t believe us. But you know he’s just gonna pick someone else to recognize.”
“What?”
“Just what I said. Beast will start calling someone else when he calls the Isle.” she shrugged, “Your name will be forgotten.” She gave him a wistful smile, almost pleading, “I just don’t think that’s what you deserve. You’ve always been top tier in my book.”
*o*o*0*o*o*
Back in his classroom, Yen Sid faced the royal council, trying to look like the venerable old sorcerer that he was, but he really had no idea what was going on.
“Your majesties…” he began, his voice grave, “We’ve got a very interesting situation right now…”
“What is it, Yen Sid?” Ben looked urgent, “Are my friends okay?”
A frantic knocking on the door interrupted him. This was what he’d been stalling. He opened the door, intending to step outside, but Celia ran in, speaking in a rush “Dr. F captured Uma!”
“What?” Beast’s eyes bulged, “What does this mean?”
“Uma reactivated her mom’s seashell.” the young VK answered without thinking, “She’s wearing it. If—”
Fairy Godmother gasped, “You mean—”
“No, no, no!” Yen Sid hastily intervened, “I don’t believe he can break out with it, any more than Uma could…in fact, he has less chance, since they aren’t blood relatives.” He tried to look reassuring, “Mal and the others have gone to rescue her…we just, we just, have to wait for word…”
*o*o*0*o*o*
Mal’s face was hard as stone as the combined force spread out in a circle and inched forward. It was dumb of them to not have a clear plan before they came in, but they hadn’t had a choice. Time was of the essence.
Quick as a flash, Jay saw an opportunity. He grabbed a pack of tarot cards from the cash register counter and waved them in front of his old headmaster “Look what I got for ya, Dr. F!”
The old villain froze and his eyes almost rolled back into his head. He didn’t even seem to remember that the cards were literally stolen right before his eyes.
“You want ’em or not?”
Jay tossed them carelessly into the air and caught them as the old villain pounced, but the force of the momentum sent both of them crashing into the wall.
“Run!” Carlos barked.
The others obeyed instantly but once outside Mal and Evie’s steps slow.
“Come on!” Carlos urged, looking back, “Jay will be alright! Trust him!”
*o*o*0*o*o*
“Well,” Ben gave the council a tight smile, momentarily wondering if they were seeing him as a king or a school boy, “I think it’s a good sign. They’re all teaming up to save her..”
“I think it could be.” Belle agreed, her voice quiet. Glancing at her husband and Fairy Godmother, she gave them a quick smile, “As I said before…”
Suddenly the head mistress remembered her promise to Evie; she’d agreed that they could all come back, no questions asked. She’d even arranged the details with Yen Sid. She’d said that she loved them. So, why was she doubting them now? Of course, Mal and her friends could handle this. Of course, they could turn old enemies into friends. Hadn’t they become friends before they even came to Auradon?
“I think so too.” she said, smiling at the retiring queen, “I-I mean, I arranged it with Yen Sid that they could come back anytime because I trust them. So I know I can trust them to be right about this.”
“Yes, yes!” Ben had tears in his eyes, “Thank you, Fairy Godmother. Thank you, mom.”
Beast’s face colored, reminded of his earlier behavior.
“Now, I admit…” Fairy Godmother’s face colored too, “I haven’t been completely trusting this whole time either.” She looked down at her hands, “It’s hard not to fall back into old habits…but we must try—for everyone’s sake.”
“That’s why Mal came back…” Celia looked at the classroom floor, “She was afraid that she’d fall back into old habits.”
“I don’t blame you a bit, Fairy Godmother.” Ben consoled her, laying a hand on her shoulder, “I knew it would be hard for some when I first brought them here. I’m glad you trust them now, as I do.”
Belle nodded, raising her eyebrows at her husband, “Dear…?”
“I guess I do too.” Beast gave them a rueful smile, “No, I know I trust them.” He shrugged, “I certainly don’t have a reason not too.”
“I feel like I need to make it up to them.” Fairy Godmother bit her lip, “Saying I believe in them—I said that to Evie’s face—then going out and second guessing them the moment things get iffy.” She shook her head, “They’ve lived in iffy situations all their lives so this probably doesn’t even faze them…but us.”
She smiled at Belle, “You, Mulan, Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, Jasmine and Ariel handled iffy situations. Not to mention the Dalmations and Simba’s Pride. I know a lot of others have too. Oh, how lucky you are to know the virtues of a trial by fire…I only wish I could help them now…like I helped Cinderella all those years ago.”
“Well, perhaps, it’s best we don’t help them.” Belle pointed out, “I mean, maybe they need to break free on their own. It’s stuff they’re dealing with over there since before we came into their lives, so maybe we don’t have any right to butt in now.”
“It kinda goes against the nature of a fairy godmother to not help someone in need.” The headmistress gave her a small smile.
Belle laid a comforting hand on her arm, “I know, Fairy Godmother. Cinderella was lucky to have you… Maybe, if you think that our helping them would be more harmful, it’ll help.”
*o*o*0*o*o*
Jay’s heart was in his throat as he and Dr. Facilier sprang to their feet and circled each other. His friends had gotten away safely and that was what he really wanted, but now self preservation was a concern. He hadn’t thought about it before, but his old headmaster’s eyes had recovered an evil twinkle that had never been there in Jay’s lifetime. He wondered if he could really outsmart him this time.
“What up, Dr. F?”
Mal’s confident voice spoke behind him and a small smile appeared on his mouth. Of course, his friends wouldn’t leave him.
“You better let him go.” Hadie spoke.
Dr. Facilier gritted his teeth with renewed frustration and disgust. Ursula’s old seashell had brought life back into his old veins but the sight of these VKs helping each other and loving each other deflated him.
Sucking in his breath, he refocused himself and swaggered towards them, rubbing his hands together. Who knows…maybe his luck had turned and he would beat them this time!
Bowing, he took his top hat off, “Good afternoon, Mal, Hadie. How are you?”
“A lot better than you’ll be if you don’t do what I say.” Mal’s eyes burned green.
“Now, is that any way for the Queen of Auradon to act?” he sneered.
“We went through that yesterday.” she didn’t flinch, “I’m not gonna be Queen of Auradon, but I do rule here on the Isle.”
“Does Uma know that?” the old villain sneered.
“Of course, she does.” Jay fearlessly bluffed, “They’re gonna co-rule.”
Dr. Facilier burst out laughing.”You can’t be serious!”
“What’s so funny?” Evie spoke up, her arms crossed over her chest as Carlos, Uma, Harry, Gil, Freddie, and the other antiheroes came through the door behind them.
“Come in, come in!” the old witch doctor’s eyes lit up, “All of you, come in!”
“Uma, my dear,” he moved like a snake to snare her arm before anyone could react.
“Dear child,” Dr. F’s voice dripped like honey as he tried to ignore Harry’s hook at the back of his neck, “you don’t understand. I want to help you!” He babbled, “I mean, did you know that Mal plans to be Queen of the Isle?”
The green-clad girl smirked. She’d known that was coming and smight have reacted differently in another time, but not now.
“So?” she shrugged, “She’s Maleficent’s daughter. Why shouldn’t she rule us?” Smirking at Evie, she added, “The big fight was between Maleficent and Evil Queen.”
“You must not understand…” his face awash with angst, “I said—”
“Oh, we understand perfectly well!” she looped an arm around the purple-clad girl, “You’re nothing but a filthy rotten villain and we’re not putting up with it!”