I've spent most of the story keeping Mal and Ben separated from each other for the sake of Mal standing on her own and exploring this evil new world. Now, it's time to really explore the relationship between Old World Mal and New World Ben. Enjoy...

WARNING: Read at your own risk.

Leave a review after reading, please. Feedback is always appreciated.

I'd like to thank the following users for reviewing the previous chapter: DragonEmperor999, danifan3000, CarvieCamfia2, Mustang52, xez2003

To Mustang52: Well, it was mostly Evie fighting dirty, but true.

To xez2003: Well, I wasn't gonna rule out true love's kiss having SOME effect to Carlos' memories. But I wanted to show everyone that it takes more than that. Well, the resistance's chances of victory only emphasize just how dark and cruel this new world is.

The first thing Ben did upon seeing the daughter of Maleficent is draw his sword to force her to stay back. Mal was not intimidated. She just rolled her eyes and took a step closer. Ben stepped back a little when she did. Mal smirks at him and takes another step closer, forcing him another step back. Ben tried to keep his brave face on, but a drop of sweat escapes his hair, showing his fear.

"No need to be afraid, your highness. I mean you no harm," said Mal.

"I don't believe you," said Ben.

"I know. My escape has given you no reason to believe any word I say," said Mal. "Well, except if I tell you that I want to kill you, you'd believe me."

"But you're not?" Ben questioned.

"No," said Mal. "Like I said, you and I are due for an actual conversation."

"I'm not listening to anything you have to say," said Ben. "If you want to make an example of me, go ahead. My people will never stop fighting you and your mother."

"It's amazing how much hope you still have in your heart," said Mal. "16 years of defeat, millions and millions of good people meeting their untimely deaths, and you still have hope for a brighter future."

"Things will never be the same even if me and my people reclaim Auradon, but we prefer freedom than living in fear," said Ben.

"But in spite all that inside, you let your anger cloud your judgment," said Mal. "You come out of the open and almost got your people killed. Granted, I didn't have to barge in, but I did. Still, reckless move on your part, and I know reckless."

"Where are my friends?!" Ben demanded an answer, worried about his friends.

"Relax. They're safe and sound back on the island," said Mal. "Carlos, on the other hand, he stays with me until I decide to return him to you."

"Why are you doing all this?" asked Ben. "You haven't told anyone where the resistance hides, I can tell. What sort of twisted game are you playing?"

"I wouldn't answer that even if I wanted to, Bennyboo," said Mal.

"Stop calling me that," Ben growled.

"Okay. Okay. I'll try to be more respectful to you, Ben," said Mal. "But first, let's put the sword down, shall we?"

"Not a chance," said Ben. "I'm not letting my guard down, no matter what you say to me."

"Okay, fair enough," said Mal.

"I've grown tired of this conversation," said Ben. "If you won't kill me, send me back to my people."

"No," said Mal. "Not until we finish her."

"I'm finished here," Ben snarled.

"Well, I'm not, your majesty," said Mal. "You know why? Because I want you to know what I want."

"Funny. You strike me as someone who drags a mystery on and on," Ben said sarcastically.

"True, but when the situation calls, I try to be an open book. Try being the key word," said Mal.

"You surrender yourself to find my people. You escape while we were unaware. You send your people to kill us. You hold one of my friends as a prisoner. You take me here against my will. You really don't know how to make someone listen to you, do you?" Ben said.

"Believe me. I'm a lot more complicated than that," said Mal. "But you're right. I know I've given you no sign that I'm worth listening to. Every word that comes out of my mouth could be a lie or just some wicked wordplay to manipulate you. You're a smart boy, and I admire that. But you're going to hear what I'm going to say even if you won't like it."

"It's not like you're giving me much of a choice," said Ben.

Mal slowly walks closer towards the waters as Ben keeps his sword pointed at her. She touches the lake with her magic finger and the waters begin to show images that Mal wishes for Ben to see. Ben keeps a tight grip on his sword as he looks into the lake for what he must see. It was horrible, to say the least.

A young boy being forced to carry heavy loads for a ruthless man.

Innocent men and women used as slaves.

His own people imprisoned and being tortured.

"Stop it," Ben said, quivering due to the unsettling sights he is being forced to see. "Why are you showing me this?"

"Because I want to give you a reason to listen to me," said Mal.

"What, remind me that you're a big part in all of this misery?" Ben replied.

"Yes, I am!" Mal replied loudly. Technically, it's true. She created this world and subjected all these innocent people to a life of suffering. "But you need to listen first. Assumptions come afterwards."

Ben didn't say word. That means he was willing to listen, for now.

"Carlos. CJ. They turned on their kind because they believed there is more to life than being villains," Mal started. "You treat them like family while learning that some villains have a good side in them..."

"And you're saying you have one?" Ben questioned.

Mal was annoyed he cut her off, but she just continued.

"What I just showed you, all that suffering, let's say I have lost my taste for it," said Mal.

"You expect me to believe that you've grown a conscience?" Ben replied skeptically. "Carlos and CJ turned because of how their families treated them. Carlos was more of a slave than a son. CJ was showered with ridicule instead of love. But you, you have everything a villain kid can ask for. You're feared by everyone, respected by your peers, and your mother is impressed by you. You have no reason to turn on your people."

"Like I said, you can't assume to know what I'm thinking," said Mal. "Assumptions are welcome, but they mean nothing. You can't read my mind. I, on the other hand, know what's on my mind."

"Doesn't mean I have to believe you," said Ben.

"Wow, you are so stubborn," Mal said with a lighthearted tone.

"This isn't a joke," Ben said angrily. "You say you want to end the suffering of my people by giving them freedom. I say it's just a lie. You say that I can't know that because I don't know what's in your head. I say I have more than enough reasons to believe you will never help me and my people."

"And I thought I was complicated," Mal commented.

"Enough!" Ben shouted.

Ben stepped closer. His sword now closer to Mal's neck. Mal remains calm as she casually clicks her tongue.

"You feed me these lies and expect me to swallow them," Ben accused.

"But instead, you spit them back at my face," Mal said humorously. "But they're only lies because you assume they are."

"Stop talking," Ben growled.

"Care to make an assumption for this next question? Why is it that I haven't told my mother where the resistance hides?" Mal challenged.

"I... I... I don't know. I don't care. I know you'll tell them eventually," said Ben.

"You and your friends would be dead if it weren't for me," said Mal. "I don't want any of you dead. I don't care if you don't believe that. I know what I want to do with all of you."

"Your attempts of manipulation are futile," said Ben. "I will never betray my people."

"I'm not asking you to betray your people. I'm asking you to listen. Just listen," said Mal.

"I will never believe you," said Ben.

"I believe you," said Mal.

"Do you have any idea what I had to go through all these years?" Ben asked, gritting his teeth in anger. "I lost my parents when I was just a boy. I lost so many of my people on my watch. You cannot begin to imagine how much all that affected me. I'm sorry if I'm not so optimistic about another villain kid possibly going over to the good side."

"Even if it means you might get a chance to claim the crown?" Mal replied.

"Enough! Just enough. Stop it," Ben pleaded angrily. "This conversation is pointless."

"It's not pointless if it means keeping you from making reckless decisions in the future," said Mal. "Like it or not, believe it or not, I'm your only hope."

"You attempt all of this as if you think there is a chance me and my people would ever cooperate with you," said Ben.

"You're right. What I'm doing has a 0% chance of working," said Mal. "But I'd like to think it's more of 0.0001%. I'll take those chances."

"Nothing matters to me more than the safety of my people," said Ben. "Their freedom is all I'm trying to achieve. You and your mother your people won't let us have it. Why? Good vs. Evil. That's just how the world will always work, right? No chances of peace is what the world is trying to tell me, right? Well, I understand the message. But I have to try. My people count on me, rely on me, trust me to give them the freedom they deserve. I'm not gonna let your or any villain get in my way."

"Then kill me," Mal dared. "Or do you need Philip's sword to do that?"

"That sword is for your mother," said Ben.

"Then I guess you'll have to make do with that regular sword you're pointing at my throat right now," said Mal. "Go on. I'm literally giving you the chance."

"Without a fight? That's not fair," said Ben.

"You'd do it to my mom if you had the chance, won't you?" Mal questioned. "C'mon. You and your friends wanted to use against my mom. Take your chance."

Ben couldn't. As much as he wanted to, there was no way he was just gonna kill her without a fight. No matter how far gone he is, he hasn't gone far enough to the point where he would just murder someone in cold blood.

"Fine. Let me help you," said Mal.

Mal grabs Ben's sword and stabs herself in the stomach, much to Ben's shock. What's more shocking is that Mal looked like she barely felt anything. That sickly smirk on her face and the near-absence of reaction due to pain, it was scary. Ben tried to pull his sword back, but Mal wasn't ready to let go yet. Ben suddenly started feeling a strange feeling in his head. He closes his eyes as the pain in his head increased. First, a massive headache. Next, strange images.

CJ stabs Mal with her hook and then pushes her off Skull Rock and into the water to drown.

Even stranger, he remembered feeling... afraid. Afraid that she would die.

Mal removes the blade from her body upon noticing that this unexpected action of hers has triggered something in his brain. Ben opens his eyes to see that Mal's wound was healing fast. Once again, no reaction from Mal. She just stood there, as if she didn't just get stabbed.

"Did you see something?" Mal asked. "Something unusual. Something... that feels like a memory long forgotten?"

"Wha... what... what did you do to me?" Ben asked accusingly, feeling beyond confused.

"I just wanted to test a theory," said Mal. "But you did see something, didn't you?"

"I saw... I saw... something weird," Ben said, having trouble processing what he just saw.

Ben was overwhelmed, Mal could tell. He couldn't spit out a random hateful sentence due to the feeling of shock caused by what he saw. What he saw is what intrigued her.

"I know it may seem impossible for me to want to turn on my mother, but I want you to look back on this and ask yourself if I really am who you think I am," Mal said gravely and gently. "Yes, I have everything. I should want everything given to me on a silver platter. But it's just not what I want anymore. What I'm doing, talking to you, sparing your people, it's gonna cost a great dear. But it's a cost I'm willing to pay if it means putting an end to my mother's reign. If you won't listen, then we're all doomed."

Ben still couldn't speak due to what he saw.

"Let this sink in, your highness," said Mal. "This war can go on forever until every single good person in this world is either enslaved or killed. It's your choice whether or not to heed my words. Remember, I'm your only hope."

Mal magically removes the blood from Ben's sword before transporting Ben away.

"Hurry, Ben," Mal muttered hopefully.


Mal returned to her mother's castle. Since word of her battle with the resistance will eventually get out, she decided to go see her mother immediately. As usual, she's in the throne room sitting on that evil throne of hers. One hand on her scepter and petting Diablo with the other. She seemed preoccupied, though. Eyes closed with her thumb rubbing circles on the Dragon's Eye.

Sensing her daughter's presence, she opens her eyes and speaks to her.

"I heard you and your friends had a run-in with the resistance," said Maleficent. "Is this true?"

"It's true," said Mal. "We would've caught them, but my friends' incompetence allowed them to get away."

"Ugh, minions. Hard to rely on them sometimes, you know?" Maleficent said understandingly.

"Tell me about it," Mal pretended to agree.

Maleficent stands up and gives her daughter the disappointed look. "So, what are you gonna do now? You still won't tell us where they are, so we have to keep waiting on their next move instead of us making the first move. Honestly, I agreed we would do this your way, but after what happened today, I don't know if I can put up with this."

"There's another battle coming, mom," Mal predicted ominously. "I can feel it. It's coming. Us versus them. I don't know when or where, but it's coming. And this time, I'm gonna be sure it ends there."

"Can you promise that, Mal?" asked Maleficent.

"Well, I have confidence we will succeed," Mal said bluntly.

"Oh, don't tell it's this whole don't-make-promises-you-can't-keep philosophy?" Maleficent asked as she rolled her eyes.

"They're willing to fight 'til the end, but so are we," said Mal. "This isn't about promises. It's about preparation. They're strong, but we're stronger. We almost beat them today. We can sure as hell beat them next time."

Maleficent sits back down on her throne and says, "All the kingdoms are tightening their security because of what they've heard about today. I'm putting our people's future in your hands, Mal. Don't let me down."

"Since when have I ever?" Mal smirked.

Mal casually walks out of the throne room, almost looking like a high school teenage girl as she did.

Maleficent returns to what she was doing before her daughter walked in. Closing her eyes and using her scepter's dark powers, she tries to look further into the strange image that Mal had placed in her head. As she dug deeper, she started seeing more images. Images that felt like memories of the past. A past that doesn't even exist but somehow felt real. It confused Maleficent, but that's why she needed to dig deeper. To find out why she's seeing these images. Among the news images she is seeing are...

Her telling Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos that they're going to school at a place called "Auradon Prep."

The Royal Cotillion.

Mal, wearing a dress, sitting on a carriage with Prince Ben... she's watching it from the TV.

"What are you hiding, my dear little Mal?" Maleficent wondered. "Is this an attempt to mess with my head just for the sake of fun? Or is there something you're not telling me? None of these are real, yet... they feel real. And why do I get the feeling these mind images are linked to the reason you play these games with me and the resistance?"

Maleficent decides to make a call, via magic not technology. She sends three magic spheres across the kingdom. She creates three more just for herself; these three are linked to the other three like a video call. It's more comfortable for her. She contacts Evil Queen, Jafar, Hades, and Yzma.

"Make it quick, Maleficent. Zevon's making another mess that I have to care of," said Yzma.

"Hadie just came back with ghastly bruises. Those resistance fools will pay," Hades growled.

"I heard. Evie was so unladylike today, but she insisted on being a part of this fight" said Evil Queen.

"Well, Jay makes me proud. Teaching his future wife to be strong like him," said Jafar.

"Silence," Maleficent ordered.

Everyone silenced.

"We have to meet. Queen's castle. Midnight. Just the five of us," said Maleficent. "I think there might be a traitor among us."

There's uh-oh and then there's UH-OH (all caps).

So, what do you think? Did Mal and Ben's conversation live up to your expectations? Did Mal using the sword on herself disturb you (if so, I'm sorry, but I did leave a warning above)? Don't be afraid to leave a review. I can take it.