Ch 10 (Still 2015)
"Make sure you actually bring in a good haul today. And lock up the shop behind you. We're closed for the day." Jafar ordered, coming out of the back of the shop.
Gabby glanced up from where she'd been cleaning the shelves. "Where are you going?" she asked curiously.
"Not that it's any of your concern, but I'm heading over to Maleficent's place. For some reason, the school in Auradon wants us all to be present for a computer talk thing with our kids." Jafar explained disdainfully.
Gabby perked up. "You're going to have a video chat with Jay and the others?" she checked.
"I guess that's what it's called." Jafar shrugged.
"Could I come?" Gabby asked hesitantly.
"And waste prime thieving hours? Of course not!" Jafar snapped. "I wouldn't be going myself if Maleficent didn't insist. Wants to make it seem like we support our children or some such nonsense."
"Well,…you said it's at Bargain Castle?" Gabby checked, trying to think of something quick. "Maybe I could…offer to clean for Maleficent." she suggested.
Jafar scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. You're my slave, not Maleficent's. However,…you could snoop around for some stuff to steal." he added thoughtfully. "I'd bet there's some expensive stuff in there."
The thought of getting caught stealing from Maleficent sent a sharp jolt of terror through Gabby's gut, but she was desperate to be present during this video chat. "I-I could try, I suppose." she answered hesitantly.
"Excellent. Then I suppose you could come along. But if you get caught, you're on your own." he added sternly, pointing a finger at Gabby's nose. "If you're caught, I had no part in this plan. Got it?"
"Yes, sir." Gabby answered obediently before grabbing her bag and following him quickly from the shop. She locked the door behind them, which took a few minutes, before they hurried down the lane toward Bargain Castle.
Jafar and Gabby were the last two to arrive. Maleficent, Cruella, and the Evil Queen were already huddled around a brand new computer. Gabby heard Maleficent mention some men from Auradon dropped it off that morning and they were scheduled to have the video chat with the kids any minute. They just needed to figure out how to get the computer working.
The computer was set up on the dining room-like table near the middle of the room, and the four villains were crowded around the screen trying to get it working. Gabby wandered around the room for a moment, her eyes casting about quickly for something she could quickly grab before the video chat started so she could focus on Jay and the others when the time came. She spotted a few things on the table right in front of the computer. She hesitated at the thought of blatantly taking something literally in front of Maleficent's eyes, but she was too focused on trying to get the computer working.
Casually strolling over to the table, Gabby sat down on the edge of the table behind the computer. She set her bag on the table next to her and glanced down at the computer that the adults were stilling fussing over. They really were technologically challenged.
Seeing that they were all so focused on the computer, Gabby turned to look at her opposite side. She opened her bag and shifted through it's contents, subtly grabbing an ornate antique teapot in front of her and placing it in her bag. She pulled a jacket inside her bag over the teapot to hide and protect it. She then grabbed a candle by her leg and put it in her bag before closing it. She sighed and looked around again.
"Can I please see a remote?!" Maleficent snapped, causing Evil Queen to quickly hand the remote over Maleficent's shoulder. Jafar and Cruella were sitting on either side of Maleficent trying random buttons. "Is this thing on?" she asked, pointing the remote at the computer, though Gabby noticed the remote was backwards. "It's broken. Ugh! I hate electronic equip-Hey! You. You're a kid!"
Gabby's eyes widened as she realized Maleficent was staring right at her over the computer screen. "Me?" she squeaked before clearing her throat.
"No, the other 90 pound pipsqueak in the room." Maleficent retorted with a roll of her eyes. "You get this working." she ordered.
Gabby hopped off the table and moved around the table. Jafar was watching her carefully, making her even more nervous as she carefully leaned down between him and Maleficent, carefully avoiding her curled horn.
She scanned the keypad on the computer, as well as the two remotes sitting in front of her, completely lost on what to do. Her mind kept repeating on a loop, 'What would Carlos do?'. The screen was completely black, so there wasn't anything to click with the mouse. That made her wonder…
Leaning closer and biting her lip nervously, she pushed the power button, already feeling like this was wrong.
But the screen turned on and five people appeared on the laptop screen.
"Oh! Evie!" Evil Queen exclaimed excitedly while Jafar practically elbowed Gabby out of the way to see. She quickly backed up a few steps, but her wide eyes remained fixed on the computer screen. "It's Mommy! Look how beautiful!" Evil Queen gushed as Evie waved back shyly. "You know what they say. The poison apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
"Don't you mean the weeds?" Maleficent retorted grumpily, fixing her horns after Evil Queen messed with them.
"Oh! Who's the old bat?" Cruella asked rudely.
While Mal introduced Fairy Godmother, Gabby let her eyes travel among the group. From left to right, it was Evie, Mal, Fairy Godmother, Carlos, and Jay. They all looked the same, but at the same time so different. Evie looked much the same. Still dressed in a beautiful blue outfit with perfectly-curled hair and good posture. Mal was wearing a purple dress-like outfit that looked almost perfect for Auradon. Carlos was holding a dog. Jay was wearing a crimson and burgundy leather vest without sleeves, and his long hair was hidden under a red beanie.
Fairy Godmother had started the video with a cheerful smile, which vanished after Cruella's comment. It went downhill from there. The four villains continued sneering and poking fun at the older woman, who became incensed and defensive. Gabby expected the others, Mal especially, to laugh and poke fun alongside their parents, but they simply looked uncomfortable. Gabby couldn't stop her eyes from continuing to stray to Jay. Something about him just seemed completely different.
As soon as Fairy Godmother left the screen and Mal greeted her mother, all laughter ceased.
"Mal!" Maleficent snapped. "I m-m-" Evil Queen thumped her horns, "miss you."
Gabby rolled her eyes. That sounded so very believable. Not.
"You children are never far from our thoughts." Jafar added cheerfully, probably to end the tension. Jay looked even more uncomfortable at his father's comment.
"I got it." Maleficent grumbled quietly before adding to Mal in a syrupy-sweet voice, "How long must Mommy wait to see you?"
Mal told them about a big coronation coming up Friday, so it would be sometime after that. During this conversation, Jafar seemed to notice that Gabby was merely standing there watching the conversation. He turned and waved her off frantically behind the others, probably wanting her to steal a few more things before the video chat ended.
Nodding in understanding, Gabby moved away, casting one last glance at the computer screen to engrave their faces in her memory. Part of her felt like Jay was watching her, but it was hard to tell on a computer screen and camera. She was probably just being stupid. There was something different about each of them, she just wasn't sure what it was.
While Gabby moved over to a blue-green wooden cabinet, she heard Cruella interrupt the important conversation.
"Carlos! Is that a dog?"
Gabby cringed as she placed a glass bottle in her bag. She couldn't help glancing over her shoulder at the computer. She saw Jay cringe much like she did.
"Oh, yes, yes, Baby, I do understand. It would make the perfect size for earmuffs!" Cruella spoke to her stuffed dog before giving off her infamous evil laugh.
"He's the perfect size for a pet!" Carlos snapped, pushing to the front of his friends. Gabby froze, her hand hovering over a mug she'd been about to grab. Her eyes fixed on Carlos's familiar, freckled face. She'd never seen him stand up to anyone, much less his mother.
Cruella seemed to think the same thing, if her surprised yelp was anything to go by.
"This dog loves me, and I love him. And FYI, you're dog is stuffed!" Carlos ranted. "So give it a rest!"
Gabby's mouth fell open, and she watched the screen as Jay pulled their youngest group member away from the screen. Jafar began laughing and poking fun at Cruella, which instantly started an argument between the two. But Gabby ignored them, still staring at the rest of her gang on the screen. They all looked uncomfortable with their parents arguing, even though they were all used to it. Jay seemed to look at the others' expressions before he leaned forward and suddenly, the screen was black again. He'd clearly ended the video call.
"Oh, great! Now look what you've done!" Maleficent complained, pushing buttons as if it would bring it back.
Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Gabby stuffed a couple more things into her bag before putting it back on her back and rejoining the adults. She waited silently in the background until Jafar announced he was leaving. He metaphorically pounced on Gabby the second they were outside, demanding to know what she managed to steal.
When they returned to the shop, Gingersnap returned to her favored perch on Gabby's shoulder while she emptied her bag for Jafar. She then cooked him a quick meal and decided she didn't want to hang around the shop that evening, sleeping alone under her shelf. So she grabbed a mushy apple and stale bread bun-which crunched with each bite-and snuck off to the hideout with the intention of spending the night there.
As soon as she pushed the door to the hideout open and entered the building, Gingersnap flew off and Gabby found her in their shared corner. Gabby crossed the room, passing Jay's couch until she reached her little corner by the window and heater. Gingersnap was perched on the tallest bar on her tall lamp with only one working light bulb. Gabby plopped her bag on her fuzzy, dark red beanbag before carrying her tiny dinner across the room to where most of the gang used to hang out all together.
This space hadn't been claimed by anyone individually. It had a ratty old red, leather couch. Behind the couch was a lamp and a bunch of old musical instruments Jay and Carlos collected like a couple guitars, a drum set, and even a tuba. There was a red desk next to the couch with pencils in a green cup; and in front of the couch was a small wooden coffee table, which held an old beige-colored TV set from the '90s, equipped with rabbit ear antennas.
Plopping down on the couch, Gabby kicked her boots off and curled her legs under her before leaning forward to turn the TV on. She changed the channel a couple times, which brought her right back to the channel she'd started on, before she leaned back into the couch and settled for watching whatever show was on the Auradon News Network.
It looked like they were just starting to show the Prince of the week segment that Evie was obsessed with. Gabby had caught glimpses of it on occasion, but she didn't watch it regularly like Evie did. And honestly, how many princes could Auradon possibly have? Surely they didn't really have enough to feature one every single week for who knows how many years.
This week they were doing a segment on Prince Ben, the soon-to-be-King of Auradon. They talked about common knowledge stuff, like how his parents were King Adam, formerly the Beast, and Queen Belle; his coronation to become King was coming up in a couple weeks, on Friday, which was also his sixteenth birthday; and he was Captain and number 7 on Auradon Prep's tourney team, whatever that was. They also mentioned a few personal details like how he loved reading and his secret wish was to live happily ever after. As if that was some big secret. Didn't most Auradon people want that?
Gabby sighed when the segment ended, tossing the apple core, which was all that was left of her dinner, into a nearby trash can. From the sound of it, she only had to suffer through this lonely existence until the coming coronation, from what Mal had said in the video chat. Then, whatever happens, Jay and the others would be back. And either things would go back to normal, or all the villains would be released to take their revenge on the good guys. Whatever happened, Gabby could only cling to the hope that there would still be a place for her among their little gang. It seemed to be the only place she might belong.
*~0~*
The next couple weeks for Gabby passed in the same dull yet dangerous routine. She cooked, cleaned, and stole for Jafar, and in order to make up for a lack of Jay being around to help it took her most of the day to do enough work to keep Jafar happy.
But then, she finally got a day off. Or at least part of a day off. Coronation day arrived and Jafar was as obsessed as Maleficent to see how things turned out. And it seemed the theory that something big was going down at the coronation had trickled down the hierarchy of the Isle. Gabby had heard whispers that many businesses were going to be open and having the coronation playing on the TV.
Thankfully, Gabby didn't have to go anywhere or be near anyone she didn't want to in order to watch the coronation on TV. She just curled up on the couch in their hideout and turned on their old TV with Gingersnap perched on her shoulder. After some commercials a program came onto the TV screen showing a crowd in front of an old Cathedral with a line of horse drawn carriages dropping off people in formalwear.
"At last, here we are, broadcasting live from the coronation where Prince Benjamin will soon be crowned King!" a cheerful woman's voice came onto the old, static TV screen before a beautiful woman with fair skin and black hair appeared holding a microphone. "I'm Snow White, bringing you up-to-the-second coverage of who's the fairest of them all."
"Evil Queen! Old hag!" Gingersnap squawked instinctively, flapping her wings for a moment. Gingersnap was used to hearing the phrase "fairest of them all" by the egotistical former Queen.
"It's okay. It's not the old hag." Gabby assured her parrot, reaching up to offer the parrot a piece of stale popcorn from a bag she'd snatched that morning.
The screen then changed to seemingly show the inside of the Cathedral, where many people in fancy gowns and suits were mingling and admiring each other's outfits. Gabby smothered the small, bitter thought that most of those people would wear those outfits once and then never again, while people on the Isle got by on scraps of cloth.
The screen then showed an older woman in an elegant blue dress stepping up to a raised dais, and Gabby recognized her as Fairy Godmother from the video chat. Snow White confirmed her thoughts a moment later.
"Oh, Fairy Godmother is looking radiant." she gushed. "But what is happening with Jane's hair?" The screen then showed a small portion of the crowd, which included a few teenagers. In the center was a young girl who closely resembled Fairy Godmother. She was dressed in a blue dress with a pink bow, but her hair was in a dull bob that looked limp. She looked very uncomfortable and Gabby felt a small pang of pity for her.
"And there is Fairy Godmother's wand!" Snow White continued as the screen showed Fairy Godmother whipping a blue sheet off a glass jar, revealing her magic wand. Gabby briefly wondered what was so great about the magic wand. Why did the villains have to be so obsessed with that? Weren't there plenty of other magical objects in Auradon that Maleficent could use to take over? Maybe a magic lamp, King Triton's Trident, or Jafar's Staff?
"Oh, and here comes Ben now."
The screen changed again to show a young couple sitting in an elegantly-designed carriage approaching the front of the Cathedral. It took a few minutes for them to get close enough for the cameras to get a good look at the couple's faces.
When the carriage reached the front steps of the Cathedral, a young man who Gabby recognized to be Prince Ben stepped out of the carriage and helped a beautiful young girl in a purple dress out of the carriage.
And Gabby's jaw dropped.
Snow White called the girl a princess while Gabby got over her shock of seeing Mal of all people dressed in an elegant, light purple dress with a ruffled skirt. She was used to Mal looking hard and tough, with dark clothes and a scary air about her. But this Mal looked beautiful and kind and radiant.
She looked like she belonged in Auradon.
"Now, let's see who this beauty is wearing." Snow White continued, lifting up a note card. "Evie." she read, making Gabby's mouth fall open. "Someone named Evie designed her gown." she added, somewhat awkwardly for not recognizing the name. But Gabby couldn't help a short laugh, clapping her hands a few times for Evie.
It was another few minutes of Mal and Prince Ben approaching the Cathedral, where they met the current King and Queen. The TV then showed a brief commercial before returning to the coronation. It showed the inside of the magnificent Cathedral. There were dozens and dozens of elegantly-dressed people lining the hall as the camera showed Prince Ben entering the Cathedral.
Gabby watched with curious interest as the prince approached the raised dais, where his parents and Fairy Godmother were waiting for him. They then got the wand out from under the glass jar it was being kept in. Gabby couldn't help leaning forward slightly as Fairy Godmother blessed the new King with her wand. After all, if Mal and the others were going to snatch the wand, now would be a good time, right? Or maybe they would wait until later?
Then, a small, pale hand appeared on screen and snatched the wand from Fairy Godmother's hand, causing many gasps. Gabby's own heart flew to her throat even though she'd been expecting it.
Then, there was a loud bang that seemed to shake the very core of the Isle. Gabby, who'd been sitting on the very edge of the red couch, almost fell to the floor and Gingersnap took flight with a screech, leaving the room.
The people in Auradon didn't notice what'd happened on the Isle, because they were watching their own problem unfold. Gabby's eyes returned to the TV screen and saw that it wasn't Mal who had stolen the wand, but Fairy Godmother's daughter. Gabby didn't catch what words were spoken, but Mal suddenly appeared and wrestled the wand out of the girl's hands. Then, the chaos fell to a tense silence as everyone stared at Mal, who was holding the wand aloft in both hands.
Prince-or was it King now?- Ben tried to talk Mal down while the camera, which was shaking a bit now, turned to show Jay, Carlos, and Evie running to reach Mal's side.
Gabby watched at the edge of her seat again as Ben tried to talk Mal down, while she did her best to make him back off. He wouldn't listen. Gabby expected Mal to just blast him away with the wand, and when she didn't Gabby knew things were more complicated than they were supposed to be. Mal had to feel at least something to keep her from lashing out at Ben in that second.
"We have no choice, Ben!" Mal cried, sounding desperate. "Our parents-"
"Your parents made their choice." Ben cut her off. "Now you make yours."
Gabby held her breath as the camera zoomed in on Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos. Belle and Beast's son had just put words to what Gabby herself had been thinking for years. Now, she could only wait and hope that they would listen as Mal stared at the people around her with her mouth open wordlessly.
Finally, she spoke in a voice that Gabby almost couldn't hear. "I think I want to be good."
"You are good!" Ben insisted.
"How do you know that?!" Mal exclaimed desperately. Gabby had never seen Mal lose her composure like that before.
"Because…because I'm listening to my heart."
Mal stared in silence for a few moments before her eyes dropped in thought. "I want to listen to my heart, too." she announced quietly. She looked up at Ben again before turning around to face Evie, Carlos, and Jay. "And my heart is telling me that we are not our parents." she told them tearfully. They stared at her as she turned to look specifically at Jay. "I mean, stealing things doesn't make you happy." Gabby's eyes moved to Jay's face on the screen, watching his expression closely. "Tourney and victory pizza with the team makes you happy." Mal told him, and Gabby couldn't help smiling when Jay did the same. It was more than a smirk or a grin. He was genuinely happy, and Gabby had never seen that expression on his face. He and Carlos exchanged an equally happy grin, and Gabby noted Carlos didn't look scared or nervous or shaky for once. He was holding himself with his head high and looked like a different person.
Mal went on to say that scratching Dude's belly makes Carlos happy, which Gabby didn't completely understand, but it made the others laugh a bit. She guessed it had something to do with the little dog Carlos had been holding a couple weeks ago. Then Mal told Evie that she doesn't have to play dumb to get a guy. Finally she said that being with Ben and being friends with the others makes her happy.
Mal's use of the word "friends" hit Gabby right in the chest. She had always had to consciously remind herself that no one had friends on the Isle of the Lost. That Mal, Carlos, and Evie were not her friends. That Jay was not her friend. They were in the same gang. She was Jay's property. They might have her back. But she had no friends. No one on the Isle did.
And now, their short time in Auradon seemed to have changed that. Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie were no longer a gang. They were friends.
And Gabby had to try to not let that get to her.
Then, Mal put her fist out, saying, "I choose good, you guys."
There was a long silence as Evie, Carlos, and Jay looked down at Mal's fist. The five seconds of silence seemed to stretch out, and Mal appeared to slowly be losing her confidence the longer the stillness remained. Then, finally, a familiar, tan-skinned fist reached out and met Mal's.
"I choose good, too." Jay announced with a smile.
"I choose good." Evie decided, also stepping forward and touching her fist to theirs. They all then turned to look at Carlos, who stood between Evie and Jay.
"So, just to be clear," Carlos started, "we don't have to be worried about how really mad our parents will be?" he asked, causing the others to laugh. Even Gabby smiled sadly at the reminder of how cruel Cruella was to her son. "Because they're gonna be really, really mad."
"Your parents can't reach you here." Ben assured him, causing Carlos, Jay, and Evie to look at him with serious expressions.
Finally, Carlos smiled again and stepped forward. "Okay, then. Good." he decided, putting his fist to the others'.
It was what Gabby always pictured a modern day fairytale ending would look like. Ben joined them in touching his fist to theirs, and everyone looked happy. It was perfect.
And then it ended in a literal shattering of glass.
Everyone on screen gasped and cowered, and the camera shook for a moment before turning upward to show a poison-green cloud of smoke entering through a broken stained glass window. It swirled and spun before coming to a stop on the ground in front of the dais between Mal and Fairy Godmother.
Gabby held her breath, leaning forward with eyes wide in horror as she stared at the TV screen. The smoke touched down and spun as it dissipated, finally evaporating to reveal Maleficent.
"I'm BAAACK!" she exclaimed, holding her scepter aloft.
The camera person backed up a few feet, keeping the main crowd of people in the screen with Maleficent at the center.
"Go away, Mother." Mal said, sounding almost bored.
And of course Maleficent cackled like a deranged maniac. "She's funny. Oh! I'm so…You're very funny." And then she was serious again. "Here. Wand me. Chop chop."
"No!" Ben yelled.
Mal looked like she was about to hand the wand over, then she faked her mom out and threw the wand to Fairy Godmother on the dais, who caught it.
She gave it a wave, chanting, "Bibbidi-bobbedi-"
"Boo!" Maleficent mocked. Then, there was a loud boom, and suddenly the TV screen went blank. It was black for a second before a new screen showed up, showing several colorful rectangles. In the middle were the words:
'Technical Difficulties
Please Stand By'
Gabby stared, gaping at the screen for several moments before she shot to her feet, standing over the TV with her eyes glued to it.
"No!" she screamed. "No, you have to be kidding me! What's happening? Why would you-Why-" Gabby stopped, forcing herself to take deep breaths. "Okay, calm down. It's not the TV's fault." Then she groaned and began pacing. "But that just means something is happening in Auradon, with Maleficent, and Jay, and Mal, and everyone. And I have no idea what that is. But maybe it's something good." she told herself, still pacing between the couch and TV. "The last thing we saw was Fairy Godmother waving the wand. Maybe she handled everything. Maybe she's captured Maleficent and is sending her back to the Isle this second. Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. The TV will work again soon and tell me what's happening."
So, Gabby waited. And waited. And waited.
It felt like it took hours, but repeatedly checking the clock across the room, which seemed to be moving slowly, told her it was only about four minutes before the TV screen suddenly burst to life again.
The screen shook a bit, as if the cameraman was adjusting it, as Snow White appeared on the screen with her microphone again.
"Sorry about that, everyone. We now have Breaking News from right here in The Auradon Cathedral. As you all saw just before we went off the air, the evil Mistress Maleficent had managed to escape the Isle of the Lost and appeared here in this very hall." Snow White told the camera dramatically. "Not to worry, though, because Maleficent has been defeated… by her very own daughter."
Gabby's mouth fell open as she stared at the TV screen.
"To put it simply, Maleficent used the magic of her scepter to freeze everyone in the hall apart from a handful of people, which is why our cameras stopped working. The few people she left unfrozen aside from herself were the four kids King Ben brought over from the Isle of the Lost: Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay. The four kids managed to work together to defeat Maleficent, turning her into a tiny, purple lizard. No details have been given, but Fairy Godmother has assured us that Maleficent is no longer a threat at this time and will be placed under high security. And now that all the drama has passed, a new dawn is on the horizon for Auradon. We have a new King and a bright future filled with plenty of Happily Ever Afters. And with that, have a wonderful day, Auradon."
The program ended and went to some random commercial while Gabby stared down at the TV from where she stood in front of it. Then, she slowly sank down onto the couch behind her, letting her mind process all this new information.
Mal, then Jay, Evie, and Carlos all chose to be good instead of following in their parents' evil footsteps. And then they all faced the ultimate test just seconds after making that choice; Mal especially. They had to stand up to Maleficent, and they even fought her and won.
It was the best situation imaginable, in Gabby's mind. But then something else occurred to her.
'What now?'
Surely, Jay and the others would come get her, right? Or they would at least send someone for her. Jay knew how much she wanted to come to Auradon, and surely they wouldn't leave her on the Isle all alone.
Right?