Inspired by the song 'Human' by Rag'n'Bone Man & Tokio Myers version of the same song.
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CHAPTER 1: TWO WORLDS COLLIDE
Wicked World
A girl's eyes shimmered in mesmerizing hues of green as the sea reflected the sun rays straight to her face. She squinted her eyes for a second, and sighed with a bitter frown forming in her face. In the distance, the silhouette of a different world mixed up with the orange sky as if it were just a mirage, a simple illusion. She turned around giving her back to those who had given her their back first, and walked away.
The wind started to hit her with a vengeance while she walked down the gloomy and dangerous streets of her neighborhood. Her purple hair floated in sync with the wind giving her an ethereal look. Her pale skin looking almost transparent as the sun disappeared and left place to a colder atmosphere. And though her frame was in deed petite, people in the street ran and hid at the sight of her. Some of it had to do with herself, but most of it was linked to the blood running down her veins.
She stood in front of a small grocery store and kicked the door open, causing a crack to form on the glass. "Hello…" she greeted with a smile that sent shivers down the back of the young store's clerk. The boy was around the same age that the girl disrupting the store.
"Oh! Why so scared? Is it because of little old me?" She spoke with a fake sweet voice. Her expression mocking the poor boy's fright. "Awww! Don't pee yourself. That's disgusting." She winked and laughed as the boy stepped away from her, pressing his body against the shelves on the back while causing some cans of beans to land on the ground.
The purple haired girl shook her head. "No, no, no, no. Look at the mess you are making…" She grabbed a bag of snacks and opened it. Throwing some chips into her mouth, she spoke while chewing. "You know why I am here right?" She swallowed and smiled.
The boy tried to reply, but found himself with the wrong amount of air to do so, and just stood there with his mouth opened. The girl rolled her eyes and threw away the bag she was holding, stepping on the bag's contents that were now scattered all over the floor. "Your boss owes my mother." She said. Her previous smile now replace by a menacing blank expression.
"I-I-I I don't know." The boy managed to mutter. The purplette got closer to his shaking figure, which was two heads taller than her. She took out a gun and placed it bellow the guy's chin. The dangerous smile returning to her face.
"You better hand out the two grand. NOW." Answered the girl while tightening her grip on the gun, pressing it into his skin. The boy gulped and opened the cash register. "Good boy." She said smiling. "Now stand back!" she ordered. The young store's clerk did as he was told.
The purplette took the cash out, and started counting it with her right hand while using the left one to keep the gun pointed at the young fellow's head. "There's only five hundred." She said, saving the money on her jacket's pocket while still holding the gun up. "You better have the money next time I stop by. Ok? Tell that to your boss, be a sweetheart." The sarcastic tone of her voice palpable in each one of her lines.
She started to walk outside, not before turning around and shooting at the store's main light bulb, causing a big electric explosion. The girl laughed in amusement as she walked outside. She rolled her eyes as she caught a glimpse of the young worker rolled into a ball on a distant corner.
The sun was completely gone. The filthy streets of the Villa Isle looked even more sinister under the dim light of damaged light poles and twinkling light signs of small questionable stores. The petite figure of a purple haired girl now stood in the middle of a dark alley spraying her gang's name on a brick wall. Suddenly a tall muscled figured appeared behind her.
"Hey Jay. What's up." She greeted simply as she kept staring at the illegal canvas in front of her. The light hit the dark figure's features revealing a young boy with long black hair, slanted eyes and bronze skin. He was wearing a wide grin as he leaned on the wall next to the girl.
"You are in the zone Mal?" he asked his friend, as he laughed softly at her concentration.
"You bet!" she answered not taking her eyes out of the wall, at least not after spraying the final touches into her master piece. "We need to establish our territory. Uma, Harry and their stupid little group are messing with what's ours again." Mal stated as she stepped back to stare at her finished marking. In big black gothic letters, the words 'The Dragon's Lair' was surrounded by flames in colors green and purple.
"Neat!" commented Jay while nodding his head in approval at what he saw. He extended his fist towards the purple hair girl, and said "Rotten…"
"To the core!" she replied with a fist bump, as an extra pair of two voices joined the last sentence. A blue haired girl and a freckled white haired boy jumped down from a fire staircase that led to a very old door.
The four teenagers smiled at each other with mischief shining through their eyes. "Let's have some fun!" Said Mal as she noticed the presence of the other two. The gang was complete. 'The Dragon's Lair' caused havoc on its path, and though they were young, they were a force to be reckoned with in the isle. Probably due to their parents' past; each one of them being the kid of highly ranked criminals.
A not so swift ride
Not so far away, a beautiful and elegant limousine made an astounding contrast with the dreadful Villa Isle's streets. It had come to a sudden stop, and was surrounded by smoke. What the limousine's passengers didn't know was, that in this isle, things didn't happen by chance.
"Bennyboo! I told you! We shouldn't have come!" a girl shouted with a whiney voice, as her breathing quickened. "What's going to happen to us now!?" She started hyperventilating. Meanwhile, the chauffeur left the vehicle to assess the situation.
"Audrey breath." The boy next to her kindly muttered. He was handsome, and had a gentle face. His golden brown hair was straight and suited his hazel green eyes at perfection. He smiled softly at the girl sitting by his side. "I am sure James will find what's wrong with the car soon, and we will be able to return to Auradon County." The boy was not just kind, but also optimistic. Still, his companion was having none of that.
"We are going to die." Complained the girl, sighing dramatically in defeat. "And this is all your fault, Bennyboo!" she accused. "Why do we have to help this awful people!" she added. Her silicone nails taping impatiently on the fine leather sit.
"Audrey! It was an orphanage! They were little kids…" Ben couldn't believe what his girlfriend was saying. How could she be so oblivious to the reality around her? "This is just a small inconvenience, which will soon pass…" he insisted trying to stare at her, but she refused to meet his gaze.
"Your father is the president! He should be the one doing the nice mambo jambo. Not you! And most certainly not me!" She snapped. Ben sighed deeply. This had been a long day in deed. He was happy with his actions. The smile of the kids at their presents and the feast they brought made his heart feel warmer. But his girlfriend's attitude had been souring the ambient since early hours; way before the limousine stopped working.
He stared at the dark streets through the window. He was about to get lost in thought when a loud thud was heard. He and Audrey immediately sprinted up. Ben turned around, and saw that James, who had previously been under the hood of the car trying to fix the malfunction, now laid unconscious on the floor.
"Stay here!" Ben commanded, and went outside to aid his loyal worker. But before he could get to James, a sharp knife lightly pressed against his back.
"Hiya mate!" a low voice came from behind him. A tall muscular boy with blue eyes, brown hair and disheveled clothes was the one menacing him. "What is a fancy gent, such as yourself, doing here?" The thug asked, mocking the serious expression Ben held on his face.
"Harry!" A strong feminine voice came from the other side of the car. "This one locked the car!" She spat, while kicking the limousines door where Audrey was. A little squeal escaped the lips of the girl inside the limousine, as she tried to hide. The new comer had long light blue hair in small braids, chocolate skin and a ferocious glare plastered on her black coal eyes.
"Don't worry Uma!" the thug replied. "I have a feeling this one will tell us how to open it. Right pal?" He asked punching Ben in the arm, causing him to lose balance for a second.
"Look, we don't want any trouble. We just-" But Harry didn't let Ben finish the sentence. He hit the president's son straight on the stomach. The now injured boy felt the air leave his lungs, and fell on his knees crouching.
Trouble ahead
The Dragon's Lair's kids on the other hand had just stolen a couple of bottles from a liquor store; calmly enjoying the view of their territory. Even though the island was a horrid place to live, they felt comfortable in it, because they were feared and respected.
"Did you see their faces when we came inside!?" Commented Mal with excitement coloring her voice. She then drank a big sip of whiskey straight from the bottle, wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve and laughed loudly; as a little kid celebrating a new toy.
"They didn't even attempt to stop us." The blue haired girl added cheerfully, as she sat on a broken bench while crossing her legs in a delicate way.
"I doubt they would be brave enough to try, Evie." Replied Jay with a smug look on his face, as he flexed his muscles. The long haired guy then tackled the skinny white haired one.
"Hey!" the small one complained, with his face against the floor, trying to push the muscled one away. "Let me go dude!"
"No until you give me the bag of chips you took from the store!" stated Jay firmly while pushing Carlos into the ground slightly harder. "That's right! I saw you!" the freckled boy grunted and pushed trying to free himself. Finally he resorted to pulling one of Jay's legs. The muscled boy fall into the ground due to the smaller kid's treachery, and both started to wrestle.
"Carlos! Jay! Knock it of guys!" Mal reprimanded, as she handed the whiskey bottle she was holding to Evie. "We don't have that much time. Our parents are waiting." Commanded the petit purplette.
Mal started walking, when all of the sudden she heard screaming and grunting cut through the silence of the night. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Guys." She said to her friends as she extended her arms indicating them to stop walking. "Have you heard that?" she practically hissed staring at the direction of the noise.
"Sorry," muttered Carlos with an embarrass expression. "I ate four bags of chips and…"
"Eww!" Expressed Evie, stepping away from her freckled friend. Mal rolled her eyes in annoyance at the other three for not understanding what she meant. Jay palmed Carlos on the back while shaking his head.
"I meant…" spoke the purplette again, this time between clenched teeth. "Have you heard that!" she said, signaling towards the direction of the noise. Some laughter could also be distinguished besides the yelling. Someone was menacing someone. The four pair of eyes widened. Who could be causing all of this fuss at this unholy hours? If it weren't them, or their parents… and then it suddenly clicked; Uma and Harry.
"Are they in our territory again?" Asked Evie, with clear concern filtering through her words. If they had, that definitely meant serious trouble. And though The Dragon's Lair's kids were the strongest and most feared ones, Uma and her gang had their ways to cause damage.
"If they are…" started Mal with a menacing tone in her voice, "they will regret it." She sentenced. And with that the four friends walked towards danger. As they always did.
Two Worlds
The world around Ben was twirling and swirling. He had received two kicks on the stomach, and one mighty blow on his head. Although he was the one receiving the anger from the thugs attacking the limousine, he still worried for the other two that had come along with him. Audrey and James. One was safe inside the car. But for how long? And the other was lying on the pavement, probably with a serious head injury.
The thugs had left him on the floor, while they tried to force the luxurious vehicle's doors open. Uma and Harry were speaking, launching looks at Ben from time to time. While other five trashed the limousine.
Ben stared into the nothingness of the darkened streets, as a terrible sense of helplessness invaded his heart. Suddenly, he caught the glimpse of something staring at him from the distant sidewalk. Right behind some tall bushes, there was something, someone.
His eyes locked with the strangers'. Hazel green staring into emerald orbs. Even though it was just a couple of seconds, it felt as if time had come to a pause. He saw something in those eyes. As crazy as that sounded, he felt things were going to be alright. Some way or another.
After those brief moments, the eyes disappeared just as fast as they had made their appearance. The night turned cold once again. Ben was slowly coming back to his senses, and tried to stand up. As soon as he was about to make it into his two feet, a hand shoved him against the car, and held him by the neck.
"Time is up!" Harry yelled on his face, he then pressed his arm tighter against Ben's pipes, making him grunt weakly in response. "How. Do. We. Open. The. Car." Spoke Harry, with a threatening grin and crazy eyes.
A gunshot stopped the scene, shattering the limousine's mirror right next to Harry, splattering him with some of the pieces. He stepped back, leaving Ben to slide down the car's side. "What the…" growled Harry.
More gunshots were heard, two of Uma and Harry's gang members flew the scene in a heartbeat. Uma stared at the direction from where the gunshots were coming from, and faced them defiantly. "Who is it?!" she demanded with a powerful voice, Harry stood beside her. The remaining three thugs of their gang covered themselves and tried to hide.
"Hello Uma!" jumped Mal out of nowhere and landed lightly on her feet. She had an innocent smile plastered on her lips. Gun in hand she stood up. She was so short, she looked like a tiny pixie, but everyone in the isle knew that it was just appearances. "I stopped by to say hi." The purplette spoke with fake sweetness.
Harry started to walk towards Mal with his knife raised up in the air. But stopped dead on his tracks; Evie, Jay and Carlos walked to the sides of Mal, surrounding her. "And with I…" said the purple haired girl smiling at her three friends "I meant WE." Her expression took on a darker note as she tilted her head slightly down. A wild feline staring at her prey.
"So, what do you want?" asked Uma with disdain. "This limo is in-!"
"I don't really care." The purplette cut Uma's sentence. "Now it's ours. So leave." Hissed Mal. At that Harry started to close up on the pixie girl's figure again, but was faced by Jay. They both stayed inches apart from each other. A fair match.
"What if we don't." dared Uma, she also took some steps towards the core four. Mal shook her head slightly and chuckled. She started to move the gun from one side to another.
"I don't think you are gonna like it." Replied the pixie, with sarcastic concern staining her remark. Uma was visibly shaking; out of anger not fear. She knew that gun in hand the core four had the advantage. Why the hell did she not take her gun out!? She reprimanded herself mentally.
"You are not going to kill us." Spoke Uma with confidence as she stared straight into Mal's eyes, not stepping back, not even a bit. Harry smirked at Uma's comment and crossed his arms over his chest, taking a more comfortable position.
"There are things worse than death." Threatened Mal. Harry lost his poise, but held his ground right in front of Jay. Uma was fuming, but she wasn't going to risk it. She knew Mal a little bit too well, and knew that the purplette wasn't baffling.
"Let's go Harry." Commanded Uma with a dark tone staining her voice. Harry turned around and stared at her with a puzzled expression. "Let's go!" she yelled and Harry walked towards her obeying his leader's order. "Until some other time Mal. You don't get to win every time!" She spat, and with that Uma, Harry and the remaining three gang members left into the shadows.
The Dragon's Lair's kids remained still for a couple of minutes, to see if the Monsters of the Tide made a comeback. But lucky for the later ones, that didn't happen. Wise of them to go away, thought Mal with a proud smile on her features.
When she turned around, she saw Jay happily approaching the limousine. Audrey's screams could be heard from inside the vehicle. Mal rolled her eyes, and rapidly walked towards Jay. She stopped him. "Time for us to leave too," stated Mal. Evie, Carlos and Jay's faces turned slightly to the side in confusion.
"But Mal! It's a Limo! Imagine the cash!" said Jay with enthusiasm as he pointed at the car in front of them. Mal chuckled and shook her head.
"Let's go or we will be late." To be honest with herself, Mal was surprised and confused too. Why was she doing this? She was ruthless and had no compassion in her heart. Why… and the question lingered in her mind as she slightly pushed her friends to walk away.
She was behind them and turned around to stare at the scene for one last time. A boy around her age was staring at her profoundly. He looked slightly bruised, but besides that he looked fine. Why was Mal wondering about the well-being of that stranger, who was obviously an Auradon kid?
She was about to look away in anger with herself when their eyes met once again. She got lost in those eyes for a couple of seconds. And then it happened… he smiled at her. A soft gentle smile, better than what any thank you could ever express. The purple haired girl didn't return it, but Ben had managed to do something no one had ever done; startle her. Her cheeks flashed to bright pink as she turned around. Their worlds were never going to be the same.
Update 11/16/2018 – Grammar & Style Correction (No changes to plot)
- Thanks a lot to UnicornSprinkl3 for my first review and helping me out! I am so glad you are liking the story so far!
- Special mention to two close friends of mine! For helping me improve the redaction of the story. Thanks radox123 & Ariana!