Disclaimer: Descendants and its characters don't belong to me. Jeez, y'know how happy I'd be if they did.

So, I've been writing Metanoia and wanted to put these scene in my fic but I get caught on the Pre-Auradon part and then things were pretty wild on my writing so this scene wouldn't fit well on it. So I decided make it a one-shot then! And here we are.
The title of the fic comes from the song "Here we stand" by Hidden Citizens, and I wrote it while hearing Oblivion by Zayde Wolf and Neoni.

I crossposted this on Ao3.

Sometimes, the world forgets it and in her darkest times, Mal does it too.

The twisted horns on her forehead, the sharp teeth in her mouth that shine through her red lips, the iron around her that burns her skin, the tips of her ears she refuses to hide from the others and the weight on her back that have helped her in touching the sky, all of it reminds her she is the daughter of a fairy, as Fae as anyone who belongs to the Unseelie Court. But... Mal is also the daughter of a God and there is a fire in her chest that was borned from the depths of the Underworld that no barrier, nor human, will ever be able to extinguished. Her words may be the truth - lies may will never slip from her tongue - and her promises may be fulfilled, but there are no strings on her and who needs to trade favours when there are deals to be made.

Her father may have abandoned her but his blood still runs on her veins and his words still runs through her mind.

(Our anger can break the world, Mali. We have destroyed entire civilizations in pure whim, no one wants to see what we can do when we are really furious.)

She perfectly knows who she is and what she is capable of. And she may not look as if... but she's furious.

They have been imprisoned, their magic has been stolen from them and this heroes' children looked at them as if they were trash, something that should have never left the Isle.

Mal is ready to show them their wrong ways and this prince just stupidly gave her the chance. She almost felt bad for him, but she wasn't raised to be benevolent.

Neither did him, now that she thinks of it. No with King Adam as his father.

("Don't you know swimming? My wings get heavy on water, but you don't have any wings on your back, little thief"

"My kin were borned from smokeless fire, silly sidhe, we were made to lay between the desert's sand under a scorching sun. Water... water doesn't receive us on her arms."

"Jay, we live among water, this is an Isle."

"I know better than anyone, believe me.")

He probably got it from Belle's side. After all, she also lent a hand to a monster.

But this monster will not give Ben a happily ever after, as Beast did to Belle.

Mal looked at the crowd around her with amusement in her vibrant green eyes, she felt Evie's smooth hand helding her own and caught a glimpse of Jay and Carlos' worried expressions. She really shouldn't, what a risky thing to do among enemies, they were surrounded... but who could say no to such a tempting offer.

She stepped forward and dropped Evie's hand.

Mal immediately missed her warmth but was okay, soon they won't need to cling on eachother as if it was the last time. Soon they will be safe forever.

("Are you afraid of your mother?"

"Sometimes")

She has never had any rulers and all souls have always spoken the truth to her, all living creatures will come one day to her father's realm - as everything needs to die to born again - and there is a crown that lays on the Styx's shores with her name on it, it burns like the Phlegethon and claims for her as the souls in the Cocytus.

There was a smile hiding on the edge of her lips when she put a hand on the prince chest and felt his fluttering heart under it.

No, Ben, I'm sorry but this monster can't love you.

Mal doesn't need to cross the Acheron to reach the Underworld. It's there, behind her fae eyes, it's there burning as embers on her palms.

It's there, patiently waiting, expecting the naive wish of an unfortunate one.

"And I would give my kingdom for just one kiss"

So she got closer to the son of a coward king - with his blushed cheeks and his sweated forehead - and she gently took his left hand on hers, almost a lovely caress. The kids around them - and they are kids in a way they were never allowed in the Isle - cheered at them and laughed in delight.

("Mal, you don't need to... I've already, Mal, stop it, I'm being serious. I've healed myself enough to know if it is well done, she also gave some medical supplies after I finished cleaning my blood off her fur coats"

"If she ever dares to touch you again, I'll rip her flesh from her fucking bones. She will never be allowed to be near you after this"

"Mal, she's my mother"

"Well, she's fucking insane."

"I know.")

She slowly approached her face to his and breathed in, his eyes were sparkling and she feathery brushed her lips on the untouched skin of his left earlobe.

"Just one kiss, you say"

Mal was sure then that there were no more than mere pieces - remains - of old magic on him. Just a fragile human on her hands.

He smelled like innocence and his soul was one of the purest she has ever felt. What a pity.

The kid happily nodded at her.

Mal felt the eyes of her friends dulling her head, but they haven't come this far to regret now.

If they follow her mother's plan, all is gone. Their freedom, their magic, all this world that had just opened to them, that they haven't known yet, all will be gone. And after Maleficent would finish with it, they will not have more than a high body count and the ashes of a kingdom on their hands.

"Is that so? Let's make a deal, darling"

The Beast's spawn hopefully smiled and Mal's blood sang, her magic rumbled on her bones and boiled in her veins.

In the darkest depths of abyss, something showed proudly their fangs.

Their queen will arrive soon.

Hope you like it, and remember, reviews are love!