A/N: Hey guys! I watched Maleficent and I am O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with it! It's so good and I'm shipping the Malora ship like FedEx.

I was going to make a fic that tackled what happened after the movie but I found that there are already a lot of it here so I decided to make a slight AU. This is set in the present in a fictional place with the characters from the movie. This is my first time dabbling in anything other than glee so please let me know what you think, deal?

Nothing belongs to me. The characters belong to Disney.

"Teacher!"

Oh no...

"Teacher!"

Lord, give me patience.

"Teacher!" the anonymous child called again, "teacher come see!"

I had to physically stop my eyes from rolling as I made my way to the little boy, his tiny sausage-finger grasping at the sand underneath him, "what is it, Jimmy?"

The child quickly thrust his hand towards my face just as I was crouching down to his height causing my eyes to cross for a moment; I jerked back, "It's a worm! A lum...lumbra..bri.."
"Lumbricina." I tell him as I take the worm from his tiny hand, the poor thing was being squished.
Jimmy's eyes light up while he watched me place the worm on palm, "I'll get the jar!" He shot up but I managed to grab him before he could dart past me, "what's the jar for?"
"to be his house!" the kid says simply, his green orbs shining with excitement. "I can keep him as a pet, right teacher?"
"Um..." "Please?" He cuts me off, giving me his best begging face.

I sigh and nod, "Fine. Go get the jar. No running." I tell him. He screeches as he jumps and runs all the way back to the classroom.

As I waited, I looked around at the twenty or so kids that were scattered around the school playground. Most of them were sitting on the benches or down on the grass as they played with their respective smart phones. A few were scattered around the yard, some were on the slides, others took turns crossing the monkey bars.

My eyebrows furrow as I watched the kids on their phones,

Technology has ruined the fun of playtime. I complain silently.

Jimmy appears from the school doors, holding a glass jar that looked like the ones they kept in the science lab. "I got it!" he yelled from across the yard, making his classmates look at him then at me.

"What's that?"
"Jimmy, why do you have a jar?"
"Teacher, what's that in your hand?"

A chorus of tiny voices started, mostly from the kids already playing around, they follow Jimmy as they made their way to me.

"This..." I start, taking the jar from the boy, "... is an earthworm. I think you studied this with Ms. Barnes last week?" A chorus of agreement settled around the six kids.
"Did you find it, teacher?" Another little boy asks.
I shake my head, "Jimmy found it and he's chosen to keep it..." I tell them and went on with a silent, 'although, I'm pretty sure it'll be dead in a few days.'

"I want one too!" a young girl says from beside me,
"Well, if you can find your own and a jar, then you can." I say before kneeling beside the bushes lining the school fence. "Before you all go searching, you need to listen first, okay?"

"Okay!"

Using the jar itself, I carefully scooped some dirt into it, "You need to have soil and..." gently placing the worm on top of the dirt, I picked up some dead leaves and crunched it on top of the jar, scattering dead leaves on top of the soil. "... just leave your leftover fruits or vegetables for them to eat, understood?"

"Yes teacher." They chant in unison
"Can we find our own now?"
"I'm so excited!"

I waved them off to look for worms before I headed over to the outdoor sink, washing the dirt off of my hands.
"Mal, I didn't know you were good with kids." a male voice appears from behind me.
"I'm good with earthworms, I was teaching the little beasts how to take care of them."
I turn and see a small towel being offered to me so I take it and dry my hands.

I walked with the young man towards one of the empty tables, he had a paper bag in his hands along with a bottle of water, he must have seen me staring at the contents of his hand because he offered the bottled water to me, "for the second half of your day, just as you asked." he says slyly. I took the bottle from his hand and took a tentative sip.

The clear liquid burning a path through my tongue and down my throat, "thanks." my voice raspy from the heat.

"I admit, I'm surprised you got until playtime without gagging a single one." he smirked as I fished my snack from my bag, "oh and a snack pack. You've really gone over to the dark side." he added teasingly.
"Shut up. One of the kids brought this for Ms. Knotgrass but since I'm subbing, I got it." I pulled open the lid and dug into my chocolate pudding. "I'm going back to my class tomorrow, I can't survive another day of drooling, screaming, crying little beasts."

He took the spoon from my hand and ate some of my pudding, "good..." he says around the pudding in his mouth, "Penelope wanted me to tell you that you'll be getting a new student. Transfer from another school or something."

The pudding flew out of his mouth whenever he spoke anything with a T or an F and I jerk as pieces of chocolate goo lands on my face, "Val, christ! Will you swallow first before talking?"
He ducked his head and loudly swallows, "sorry." he mumbles, setting down my snack pack.

I slowly wipe the pudding off my cheek as I process what he said, "it's the middle of the school year. Why would they accept a transfer?"
"I only assign the classes, Mal. I don't know their reasons. I put them in your class, didn't think you'd mind." He says absently.
"A senior? That's interesting."
He shrugged his shoulders, not really caring for the news, "Are you still going on that date with Mr. Mysterious?" he asks and for a moment, I have no idea what he's talking about. "Who?"
"Oh c'mon, Mal! You can tell me. Mister Mystery? Tall, dark and handsome?"
It clicked, "oh! You mean, Todd?"
"Yeah. You know, I don't like him." He says as he crossed his arms on the table, his eyes narrowed.
It made me laugh, "you don't like anyone. I'm starting to think you don't like people in general."
"You may not be wrong." He chuckles, "I'm surprised that I liked you to begin with, you're awful. And such a bad influence too!"
"Maybe I'm not human." I chuckle, wiggling my eyebrows at him.

Val had always been my friend for as long as I can remember, although 'Friend' might be the wrong term for it. He seems to enjoy whenever I tell him what to do or what I need. He doesn't talk to anyone except me but it was never a romantic relationship with him. I was there when he had nobody and I found him when I needed it. After that, we were inseparable.

He acted more like a brother than a friend, always judging the men who tried to court me. I'm even convinced that he scared Stewart Dusenberry, my fourth grade crush, away because he liked me too.

"Todd." he scoffed, "He doesn't seem all that cool with that name." he l laughed harshly.
My hand came up to my mouth to hide my own stifled giggle, "don't be mean. It's not his fault that your name sounds so old and regal, Diaval." I emphasize every syllable, making sure I pronounce it right. I hadn't said his full name in so long that I thought I'd forgotten how to say it.

He gasps, "you're one to talk, Mal-" "Don't." I cut him off.
"Your name sounds older than mine. Admit it or I will say it." He teased.
I narrowed my eyes at him, "Don't you dare."
"Maleficent."

I stared daggers at him and he only smirked victoriously, knowing I couldn't do anything with the kid's so close. "F-" the bell suddenly rang, "- you"

By the end of the day, I was ready to handle my lazy, dramatic high-schoolers again, at least I could talk to them like adults and without having to bribe them with chocolates. Kids were just too... much. When I got to my bike, I opened the back compartment and dumped my bag in before pulling out my riding jacket. My cardigan had already been stuffed in to the bag along with anything that might fall off during the ride like earrings or bracelets. I only kept my mother's ring on my finger.

I swung the black and green jacket on and fished my phone from my bag, shooting a text to Ms. Knotgrass.

You owe me. I have permanent ear damage.

Smirking to myself, I sent another text, this time to Todd telling him that I was on my way before tucking the phone back into my bag. I had just swung my leg over the seat and put my helmet on when two quick raps of a car horn sounded from behind me, "nice ride!" a young man says as he pulls up in his red Nissan Frontier.

I nod my thanks but keep quiet as the boy examined my bike. "Ducati, right?"
"Yes. Ducati 1098." I answer behind my helmet,
He nods before lurching his car forward, leaving me with a quick "awesome."
I ran my hand over the black paint and gold-dragon vinyl before kicking the stand up and peeling out of the parking lot.

Todd and I had been co-teachers at Greystone for a few years when he transferred here from somewhere south. He had always been the quiet one in the teacher's lounge and of course students have spread rumors about why he was so silent, he was rumored to be somewhere between a witness for an FBI drug cartel case or a BDSM sex-slave at night.

What scared other people intrigued me. I approached him and got to know who the real Todd Rudder was. I found that he was actually a shy introvert that enjoyed studying things that most people found disgusting; toads, snakes, spiders and all the bugs he could find. Yes he was far from norm and I thought it made him that much more interesting.

I approached him one morning as he was reading an article about Ravens and struck up a conversation. At first, it was mostly about animals and biology but eventually we started sharing things about ourselves. I found that his favorite color was Gold. He has a pet python named, Donnie. His parents are deceased and his only sister was working somewhere in Europe and had her own family.

We spent day after day talking about anything under the sun, he looked happy just having someone to talk to that understood his fascination but I could always see hesitation in his eyes. He told me that he wasn't sure what a 'beautiful woman like me could want with someone like him' and my heart reached out to him and his insecurity.

With my high cheekbones, pale skin, large lips and deep-set green eyes I was definitely one of the younger and better looking of the teachers at Greystone and my closed-off, rebellious attitude did little to drive away any suitors.

But I was never interested.

Not in Tobias, the history teacher that half the girls at the school seem to be crushing on or Cody, the hunky football coach. Not those two, nor was I interested in Enrique, Dwayne, Hal or, the bi-curious Lesley. Although, I had to admit that I was enjoying spending time with Lesley.

I was even surprised that Todd had asked me out, it had always been clear to him that I was only interested in being friends but he said that we were going to go out as friends, thinking nothing of it, I agreed.

We had been in the restaurant for over an hour just talking about his latest works and my interests, which were similar. I loved animals and although he loved creepy-crawlers, he hated anything bigger than a bird-eating tarantula.

"Oh, I heard you had to cover for Ms. Knotgrass today, how did that go? Should we expect calls from angry parents soon?" He asks with a knowing look, he knew I hated kids and I was the least eligible person to have been allowed to sub for a second-grade class.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny." I tell him blankly, "I was the only one they could find in the teacher's lounge. Apparently, I can't hide as well as the other teachers." I laugh.
"Did you tie anyone to a tree? I bet you d-" my mind suddenly tuned him out and all I could hear was a loud ringing sound.
"Ah..." I hissed, quickly pressing my palms on my ears. The ringing was slowly fading away and was replaced by a light, melodious laugh. It echoed and bounced all around my skull, I couldn't tell where it was coming from.

There's a low sound and it made the laugh erupt again, I glanced to my left and then scanned the room, turning my body left and right to find the source of the sound. "Mal, are you alright?" I barely heard Todd ask but I held my hand out in front of him. The laugh had died down and I couldn't hear it anymore, it was like my mind unfocused until I could hear the dull buzz of conversation and eating around me.

"Sorry, I got-um-I got-"
"Distracted?" he finished for me and I nod at him.

My heart was pounding a mile a minute and I couldn't stop myself from looking around for the source of the most beautiful I've ever heard, "did you hear that?" I asked Todd.
"Hear what?"
I suddenly realize how stupid I was acting and straightened up, "I'm sorry..." I apologized, touching my temples with my fingers, "I thought I heard laughing. A girl, laughing."

He cocked his head to the right and pointed his finger up, "there was someone laughing from the second floor, is that what you meant?"
"Upstairs?"
Todd nods, "yeah."
"Oh, okay." I swallow down my curiosity and manage to stay in my seat and make light conversation with the him but my mind was reeling at what had just happened. I was forcing myself to refocus on Todd but light peals of laughter would always cause my mind to go numb. I looked around and saw no one else disturbed by the woman.

Who was she and why was I so affected by her? Why did it feel like my whole body was attuned to her?

"You're doing it again." Todd smiles but I could sense a hint of annoyance behind his eyes.
My shoulders drop and I excuse myself, "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired from watching over kids all day. Do you mind if I go to the restroom for a minute?"
He stands before answering, "I don't mind. Take your time." Todd smiles as he lets me pass.
"Thank you." I nod as I stepped around him, running my hands along his shoulders as I walked past.

As soon as I closed the bathroom door behind me, I sprinkled some water on my face to wake me up. I reached for the tissue dispenser and found it empty. "Ughh..." I groan, trying to get some sort of control over my mind and heart. Why was I so nervous, it was only a date with Todd and I've never been nervous with him before. What had changed?

The laugh.

I realized it all changed when I heard that damn laugh. What was it about that laugh that's gotten me so... unhinged.

"get a grip, you're just exhausted." I tell my reflection before entering one of the bathroom stalls. That's when I zoned out again, I felt dizzy as my eyes blurred and my ears focused on that one sound.

The laugh sounded so close this time, followed by footsteps and the sound of the bathroom door swinging open.

"I'm really excited!" a light voice says, echoing around the small bathroom.
Another female scoffed, "you're the only I know that would be." this was a slightly older voice that seemed somewhat familiar.
"What's not to be excited about?" the young girl asks happily
"Oh you'll see."

I was frozen in place inside the stall as I listened to their conversation like a creep. If I stepped out now, they would think that I've been listening in on their conversation. I mean I was but they didn't need to know that.

The girl let out a laugh, making the sound echo around my head.
"Don't be silly. I'm sure it'll be fun!" she says followed by the sound of the door being pulled open, "you'll see." the younger voice adds.

I breathe once to steady myself before stepping out of the stall; any thoughts of drying my face, gone.

"Mal?" I froze for a moment before snapping my head up, meeting the gaze of a woman in the mirror.
"Juno! Sorry, I didn't notice you." I lied smoothly, shaking my head for effect, "lots of things on my mind." The blonde's brows furrowed, "are you alright? Imelda did tell me that you were subbing for her today."

"I'm um- I'm fine. Just a little distracted. How is Ms. Knotgrass, I heard she had some sort of accident?" I deflected. Holding my tongue from the question I wanted to ask the most; I wiped my hands again with a paper towel just to give my hands something to do.

"That old woman is as clumsy as a deaf bat. She knocked a vase off a table and it landed on her foot. She's fine now." Juno laughed.
I smiled at her, "well, that's good. I have to get back to my... friend. Tell Imelda that her kids missed her at class today." she nods as I turn towards the door.

"I'm sure she'll be at school tomorrow." She calls out from behind me, "She's helping our Niece settle in."
I stop mid-step, halfway out the door, "your Niece?"
"Yes!" she says excitedly, "She just arrived from Georgia and she'll be staying with us."
"I didn't know you had a sibling?" turning around slowly, I catch a glimpse of panic in her eyes.
"Imelda's brother, he's not well. That's why the child was entrusted to us."
I nod my head slowly, "she attend Greystone? What grade is she in?"
"Yes, she's just starting senior, actually."
"A senior?"
"Yes. You just missed her, she was here not ten seconds ago!"

Absently, I could feel my head nodding at the blonde, "Mal?" I hear Todd call and I see him standing in the hallway, "you were taking so long, I wanted to check on-" "I'll be right there." I tell him quickly, flashing him a smile.

His mouth pressed into a thin line but he nodded and walked back to the table, "is everything okay?" Juno asked.

No. Everything was not okay. In fact, everything felt strange and I felt like I had been underwater for a long time. My heart was beating in my throat and head, my hands were clammy and I felt like I was going to pass out. "What- what's her name? Your niece?"

"Mal, are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I told you, I'm just tired."

I didn't understand what my body was doing, why it was reacting this way for no reason. It felt like something big was about to happen, like my life would change. All because of this girl and her laugh that wouldn't leave me alone.

"Do you need anything? Water? Food-"
"Her name."

Juno looked at me curiously and for a moment I was scared that they might think I was some kind of pervert, "You know..." I shrugged, composing myself, "... So I can make sure she doesn't get into trouble."
Juno smiled and nodded, "well, we wouldn't want that. Would we?"
"No we don't. I'm sure Ms. Knotgrass will be busy with her kids and since she'll be in classes, I can keep an eye on her. Make sure she's not getting into trouble."

There's a short pause as I watch Juno nodding absently as she stared at my face, "Ms. Thistlewit? Her name?"
Her mouth dropped into an 'o' shape and she shook her head, "Oh! Right! Right!" She giggled, "Aurora." she says with a proud smile.

"Her name is Aurora."

The next thing I knew, I was sitting in my own bed. I glanced at my clock and saw that it was a few minutes past midnight. I vaguely remember walking back to my table in a daze and telling Todd that I needed to go. That was almost three hours ago, had I fallen asleep?

I looked around and everything seemed normal. Since my bedroom was basically the second floor of my apartment, it overlooked the living room and the windows heading out to the balcony. Downstairs, I could here Diaval snoring and I remember him telling me that he would stay over.

Satisfied that everything was safe, I looked at myself. I was wearing my loose brown sleep shirt and by the way it slid against every inch of me, I was wearing nothing else.

"Groonk!"

The sudden sound made me jump out of my skin. I swallowed hard and tried to keep my pounding under control as I looked around the room, "Gronk!"

My head whipped to the ceiling, along the row of small rectangular windows lining the top of my wall. There it was, a large black bird sitting atop one of the rails- inside my home. "How the hell did that get in here?" I wondered aloud.

"Gronk!" it vocalized as it bounced on it's feet and tilted his head to the side. "crooooakk!"
"Ah!" I hissed, pressing my hands against my ears. "Val!" I called out

Diaval appeared from the the top of the stairs, his half-closed eyes looking at me, "wha- is id, Mal?" he asks sleepily.
"There's a bird in the ceiling, get it out." before I could finish, the bird had launched itself off of the window and perched on the rail beside my bed. My eyes widen as I stared at it, "Val..." I say slowly, not daring to make any sudden movements.

This bird was the size of a large cat, it's black feathers were glinting in the dim moonlight, the feathers on it's neck were fluffed up and it kept turning it's head from left to right. "Val... A little... hel-"
"It's beautiful..." He whispers and I see him approach the bird slowly.

The bird saw him and spread it's wings wide, they were almost as wide a my bed. This is it, this wild bird is going to poke my eyes out and eat my brain.

There was suddenly a strong gust of wind and I immediately screwed my eyes shut, No bird is eating my eyes.

I waited for a moment but nothing happened so I opened my eyes carefully and saw the bird on Diaval's shoulder, "hey look! It likes me!" my friend laughed as the large crow presses it's head under his chin.
"That's creepy as hell, get it out of here. You don't know what kind of disease that bird has."
He smiles and actually rubs the bird's head, "I don't know, I think I might keep him. What do you think?"
"Keep him? Are you crazy?"
"Oh come on..." he cooed, "look at diz pweedy face!"

I rolled my eyes, "whatever, do what you want but get that bird out of my house."
"Alright!" Diaval smiled, "I'll see you at school then. I gotta get him home!"
I paused and looked at him incredulously, "are you seriously going home? It's past midnight!"
"Well, you don't want to keep him here. Where else am I going to put him?"
I sigh, "Fine, there are large boxes in the utility room, keep him there and-" "Gronk!" "-shut him up."

Diaval nodded and headed for the the room just under the stairs. Once I heard him greet the damn bird a 'good night' I felt like all the exhaustion of today hit me all at once. My body sagged and I couldn't keep myself seated.

I collapsed on the bed, falling asleep quickly and having the most vivid dream I've ever had.

I was suddenly in a large wheat field, a dog was barking and I could hear a man screaming. I moved forward to get a better look at the man when I notice what I'm wearing; a long, flowing brown robe.

By the way the ground felt on my feet, I could tell that I was barefoot. There was a weight on my head and I was holding a long black staff with an emerald green orb on top; inside a hollow area of the staff.

Gronk!

The sound of the bird struggling caught my attention, yanking me back from my thoughts. It was caught in a net and was about to be clubbed to death. Watching the scene play out made a cold knot of rage for in my chest.

Into a man...

I watched as the bird jerked and cawed louder, it's legs and body becoming human. It transformed slowly until the bird had turned into a man covered in mud. "Demon!" the farmer screamed as he and his dog ran away.

Surprised that I wasn't scared of the bird-man, I walked towards him. I immediately felt a pain on my back and I had to use the staff just to stay upright. The man turned to me just as his beak turned into his nose, "What have you done to my beautiful self?" he asked, terror coating his voice.
"Are you complaining? I just saved your life!" I snap, narrowing my eyes at him.
He immediately folded and dropped his gaze, "I apologize, I owe you my life. I will be your servant from this day forward. Anything you need." He said with conviction.
"What is your name?"
"Diaval."

I examined him.

Even under the mud and dirt, I could make our several scars; a deep V on his chest and several gashes along the side of face. His skin was pale white just like mine and his eyes were black as the night sky.
"Wings..." I say quietly.
He tilted his head at me in confusion, much like a bird would. "Mistress?"

"I need you to be my wings."