Here's chapter 12. I hope you enjoy!Chapter 12: Down the rabbit hole

Groucho had led Mal through the maze that was the Termite Terrace. Harpo carried Chica on his back as they walked along the path. Every minute, Mal would feel eyes on her or she would see the siblings waving at someone.

" A lot of people live here", Mal commented.

" Is it overwhelming?", Harpo asked.

" It's just... never mind", Mal muttered.

Harpo nodded before walking forward alongside his brother. Mal glanced at Chica, whose pale skin had started regaining some colour but had fallen asleep whilst her brother carried her.

" So... you're from the Isle... what's that like?", Groucho asked awkwardly.

" Gloomy. A little dangerous. Although we don't throw bombs at each other", Mal said pointedly.

Groucho sighed," You're going to have to get used to that. Everyone in Canvas loves explosives. Fireworks, bombs, dynamite, grenades, you name it", he explained.

" Why though?", Mal asked curiously.

Groucho grinned," Apparently, it drove the royals nuts. Thinking someone's gonna blow up their precious castles. Brenner said he nearly scared the cruelty outta Leah", he said with a wild grin.

Mal chuckled," Things must always have been chaotic in Auradon at the time, huh?".

" Yeah. Granny says that it was even more chaotic when the villains were still around", Groucho exclaimed.

" Did they ever bother you guys, the adults I mean?", Mal asked.

Harpo snorted," Nah, it was the other way around", he said.

" We annoyed everyone. Heroes, villains, minions, sidekicks, damsel royals, some businessmen, blah blah blah", Groucho explained.

" It's our greatest trait", Harpo said boisterously.

Mal giggled at their antics. She wondered how often everyone would have gotten in trouble with their schemes and shenanigans. Reaching a building, they climbed up the flight of stairs until they reach the top floor.

" Here we are! Home sweet home", Groucho said before knocking on the door.

" State your business", a young child's voice said from behind the door.

" Zeppo, open the door before I get Harpo to bash ya skull in", Groucho said flatly.

There was a moment of silence before a series of locks unlocking were heard before the door swung open.

" Well well well, look who finally came...", Zeppo paused when he saw Mal curiously looking at him,"...home... who's the chick?", he asked rudely.

Zeppo looked exactly like Groucho and Harpo. But unlike the two boys, whose eyes were brown, his eyes were blue. He stood a little shorter than Groucho but was much taller than Harpo. He wore a black oversized hoodie that covered the top of his green gym shorts with gloves. And just like Harpo, he was barefoot.

" Zep, be nice", Groucho chided," She's a guest".

Zeppo rolled his eyes," Fine, who's the girl?", he drawled.

" This is Mal. She'll be staying with us until Beasty decides to pick her and her friends up", Groucho explained.

" Grand. Will she be sleeping in the guest room we don't have? Because, surely, we don't have an extra bed", Zeppo said in a sarcastic tone.

Groucho shrugged," We figured one of us or Brenner would be sleeping on the couch. Now can we come in?", he said.

" I figured you were just going to enter like you usually do", Zeppo said before stepping aside.

They stepped into the hallway that lead into three different rooms before turning into a corner. The wallpaper had tears but still looked new. Photos in frames hanged up on the wall, decorating the otherwise bland hallway.

" Welcome to our home!", Groucho said dramatically," And I'll be your tour guide today. Over here, we see the Hallway of Memories, which includes the ever-wonderful baby pictures of Zeppo!"

" Hey! Don't bring that up!", Zeppo yelled.

" Don't care! Over here to your left, we have our kitchen, where many cookies were made and leftover dinner camps out. And Brenner has still to get rid of the ugly mint colour!... C'mon, it's been a year", Groucho said charmingly before his comment on the kitchen, then he just looked plain grouchy," But whatever! Onto the living room!".

" Here's the living room! Where Brenner and we would spend most of our time watching television or eating because we're not allowed to take food into our room. As you can see the living room is a lovely brown colour to add to the feeling of family warmth because Brenner refuses to buy a heater. Also, the furniture may be second hand, but it's been here since Chica's birth so... yeah, too much info, let's continue. And behind that door over there is the closet, where most of our hanger-required clothes go. If ya got any dresses, coats, clothing that can't be folded or fit in the drawers, it goes in the closet, got it?", Groucho explained.

" Got it", Mal said nodding, although she wasn't quite sure what he was asking about.

" Now onwards to the next room, over here we have the bathroom! Since you're a girl who has clearly got things in both the upper area and the lower area, you get to bath by yourself", Groucho explained.

" Lucky", Chica muttered tiredly.

" Did we wake you?", Groucho asked.

" Kinda. But it's fine. It's amusing seeing the poor girl get confused by your salesman persona", Chica said with a tired grin.

Mal blushed in embarrassment," You just talk so fast. It was hard to keep up with what you're saying", she explained.

" I get that a lot. But Brenner's worse, y'know, he can twist people's words all for the sake of being an ass", Groucho said chuckling.

" Or to make whatever someone says sound dirty", Zeppo added.

" Mostly the former", Groucho quipped before continuing," Anyway, onto the last area of our beloved home is our bedroom. Look at all the bunk beds! I hope mine is still reserved".

Zeppo rolled his eyes," You're just lucky Brenner didn't take in anymore kids", he quipped before turning to Mal," Well... at that time".

" Let me guess. I broke the record", Mal drawled.

" He just couldn't say no", Zeppo said shaking his head.

Mal chuckled before looking at the room itself. Three bunk beds littered the room. LED lights and stickers hung from the beds. It was untidy, with toys and clothes scattered everywhere but the kids didn't seem to mind and Brenner possibly didn't either... that or he hasn't stepped into the room for a long time.

" So where do I sleep?", Mal asked.

" We're still trying to figure that out", Groucho said," In the meanwhile, why don't you unpack? We've got extra space in the drawers".

" It seems so. Majority of your clothes are on the floor anyway", Mal retorted.

Groucho scoffed," Well 'scuse you lady, this is the best system to work with. Plus, laundry day is less of a workout", he said defensively.

" Yeah. Brenner always loses his wallet in here. Luckily for us, we know this place inch-by-inch, meaning we get free cash!", Zeppo said smugly before he felt Brenner's wallet get ripped out of his hand.

" I'll be taking that", Brenner said as he stuffed the wallet in his pocket.

" You guys didn't warn me!", Zeppo exclaimed.

" We didn't even see him come into the room", Mal replied.

" Ain't I a stinker", Brenner said smugly," C'mon, dinners inside".

" Ooh, what'cha got?", Harpo asked excitedly.

" Chilli. And this time, I went to Panchito early to get it", Brenner said as he brought out the steaming pot in the kitchen.

Mal's mouth watered as the scent reached her nostrils. She could see Harpo drooling in hunger and anticipation.

" Groucho, get the rice. Zeppo, the plates. Chica and Harpo, the cutlery and cups. Mal, come with me. Kiddos, where's Clyde?", Brenner said as he led Mal into the living room.

" He said he's working overtime. He'll be home at 11 tonight", Zeppo said as he brought in the plates.

" Okay, so we save some for Clyde", Brenner muttered as he scooped up some chilli with rice before wrapping it in foil.

" Why don't ya go ahead and grab ya some food. Chica and Harpo will be here with the spoons in a bit", Brenner said to Mal.

She scooped up some food before taking a seat on the couch where she assumed they would be sitting. Harpo and Chica came in with the spoons and handed everyone a spoon before they dug into their food.

Mal noted that dinner time was quite different from the Isle and Auradon. On the Isle, dinner is usually eaten from trash cans or is hunched over it to protect it from thieves. In Auradon, dinner is eaten at a table with various spoons, knives and forks and you had to sit with the correct posture. However, from what Mal noticed, everyone merely slouched over their food while the plates were on their lap, no protection and no table manners.

Mal loved that immensely.

" This is pretty tasty. Did you make this Mr. Hardaway?", Mal asked.

" It's Brenner and no. I'm a decent cook but I can't make chilli to save my hide. Tried once and I nearly poisoned myself. A guy I know, Panchito Pistoles, made this and sells it for a living. He makes about twenty pots a day and makes a hefty amount of cash for it. However, he only makes it every few months when the harvest kicks in", Brenner explained.

" You grow your crops organically?", Mal questioned.

" It's safer that way. No one here really trusts magic or whatever those scientists came up with", Zeppo said bitterly," Plus Auradon doesn't like sending their newer technology over here unless it's faulty, by then, our guys fix it and we keep it because Auradon's too afraid to send people back here to get their technology".

" Cowards", Chica snickered.

" So Mal, tell us about yourself. You must have had quite a story to tell", Brenner said changing the subject.

" Well... I like to draw", Mal said.

" You draw? Do you have some drawings here?", Chica asked curiously.

" I have a couple in my sketchbook but they're just class doodles", Mal replied," My real ones are back in Auradon. Didn't have time to take them with me".

" But can we still see them?", Chica asked hopeful.

" Maybe later", Mal replied, much to Chica's disappointment.

" Do you do performing arts?", Groucho asked.

" Not really. I don't like a lot of people staring at me", Mal said.

" Thank you. Finally somebody gets it!", Zeppo exclaimed exasperated," You have no idea what it feels like to be in a family of actors and comedians and be the only one who doesn't like being the centre of attention. I mean c'mon, some people don't like the stares".

Groucho snorted," Just like Mom", he muttered.

Mal felt the tension in the room rise as silence wafted over the family. She saw how the water that was once in Brenner's mouth went back into the glass. Chica and Harpo were silent as they leaned into each other, the feeling of fear overcoming them. But where the tension really set off was between Groucho and Zeppo, the latter stared angrily at his older brother.

" What? It's true. Mom didn't like performing despite being a trapeze artist just like y-"

" You forget that me, Harpo and Chica barely remember her or the others", Zeppo sneered.

Groucho's eyes widened," Oh gosh, yeah. I'm sor-", before he could finish, Zeppo got up and marched out if the living room , then a few seconds later the sound of a door slamming was heard.

" Is he okay?", Mal asked.

" Zeppo's a bit of a hot-head. Just let 'em cool down before ya talk to him again. Chica, Harpo, you're on dishes. Also, Chica dear, you're going to have to sleep with me t'night. Eh, Mal can take your bed", Brenner said.

" Okay", Chica said quietly without complaint.

" Look on the bright side. You get top bunk", Groucho said trying to lighten the mood.

A little while after, everyone had settled into bed. Mal made herself comfortable on Chica's bed that was right above Groucho's bed. She saw Harpo send her a little wave from his bed above Zeppo's. The other two bunk beds remained empty.

" Harpo, did ya go to the bathroom?", Groucho asked.

" Yeah, I went", Harpo grumbled," You know I'm not a baby anymore".

" If you're not a baby anymore, why do you still wet the bed?", Zeppo retorted.

" I've got a potty problem", Harpo said defensively," Brenner said there's nothing much I can do about it except drink a lotta water. And then you two still complain".

" Because ya wet the bed and then my sheets gets half the punishment", Zeppo said.

Mal listened to the boys argue back and forth until Brenner screamed for them to 'shut their traps' as he had put it. After a few moments of silence, Mal pulled out her phone, finding several messages from Ben. She smiled, glad that her boyfriend hadn't forgotten about her so soon.

B: Mal? U awake?

M: I am now. Stop bombing my phone with ur sweetness

B: Can't help it. How's Canvas?

M: My guardian blew up a building with a bomb. A REAL BOMB

B: You're guardian's... Brenner Hardaway right?

M: Yeah. Did you choose him for me?

B: No, Dad did. I didn't know Canvas existed until the court day

B: It's weird. Hiding a place despite it being much better than the Isle... very suspicious. It is safe, right?

M: Looks so. But then again, I've only been here for about 6 hours.

M: Though everyone's really weird in a nice way

B: What do you mean?

M: They're kind but crazy

B: I see. My dad mentioned they were a bit sick.

Mal frowned. There was a strong possibility that they are mentally ill but Brenner had seemed almost normal to her.

M: Maybe

B: I have to go. Good night. Love you loads (heart emojies)

Mal: Night

Mal sighed as she tucked her phone under her pillow and was about to close her eyes. But as she fell into a peaceful slumber, she caught something odd hanging from the bed she was laying in.

A hospital IV bag

But due to her tiredness, she ignored the bag and slept until morning.

End of Chapter 12

Character list:

Zeppo: Smakky Warner (Animaniacs concept art)

*The Termite Terrace was taken from the name of the original studio the original Looney Tunes shorts were made in, which is called the Termite Terrace*

Review please!