Hello my lovely readers! If you see something that you recognize, then it isn't mine. I am so close to the scene that started this journey, but realized that some networking had to happen first. If the Core Four want to rescue Violet and get the Core Kids off of the Isle, then they need parental support. Let me know what you think!
Networking
Jay's Point of View
We walked in to the party a bit late. Just in time to catch the welcoming performance from several of the students, consisting of a hilarious rendition of "Be Our Guest." Seriously…I was too overwhelmed by the strangeness of the situation to even laugh.
Once the musical number ended, the kids scattered to meet with their parents. "Jay!" I heard my name and turned. Aziz, one of the guys from the Tourney team, waved me over to meet his parents. I smiled as I jogged over, fist bumping Aziz before turning to see his parents.
"Mom and dad," Aziz said, "I want you to meet Jay. He's the best player on the Tourney team and a great storyteller." I blushed a bit as I looked at his parents, then I felt my mood drop like a stone. "Jay, these are my parents, Jasmine and Aladdin."
My mouth went dry and I could feel their eyes on me, judging I'm sure. I straightened and looked at the woman my mother had spoken of often. Scheherazade used to work in the palace and was a good friend of Jasmine's. I knew that Jasmine and Aladdin probably hated my father for what he did, but I'm not sure if they remembered my mom.
"Wow… I've heard so much about you from my mom. One her favorite stories was the day you tried baking cookies and ended up covered in flour and with cookies so hard they could be used as bricks. She loved telling that story because it was the first time that she saw my father laugh."
This was my chance. I knew that making a favorable impression on someone my villain of a father wronged would go a long way towards gaining support to remove our kids from the Isle. I tried to convince myself that I was only doing this for the Core Kids, but I knew that the real reason was to connect with someone else who knew my mom.
Jasmine looked surprised as she studied me. "The woman I did that with vanished a long time ago. You say that she was your mom. Is she Scheherazade? Do you know where she is now?" Her questions became more rushed as her excitement appeared to grow. She looked at Aladdin. "Do you remember all the stories I told you about my best friend, Scheherazade? She told the best stories, and she loved a man that I did not consider worthy of her. She had this way of seeing things through other people's eyes, and had one of the most compassionate hearts I've ever seen."
Aziz's face brightened as he chimed in. "She was the one who came up with the stories you told me before bed when I was kid, right? You often said you missed her and wondered what happened to her. She sounded like such a great person I always hoped that I would meet her someday."
Aladdin looked thoughtful as he gazed at me. "How did she end up on the Isle?"
Jasmine and Aziz gasped before Jasmine gathered her wits. "You are right," she said, "the only way she could be Jay's mom is by following Jafar to the Isle of the Lost." She looked at me again. "I'm not surprised that she managed to follow the man she loved, but how did she trick the guards into taking her to the Isle?"
I took a deep breath before beginning the story. "Do you remember that Jafar was one of the last villain's to be arrested? He wished to be a powerful genie, which was his downfall. He was reduced to living in a lamp, and the owner of the lamp held almost complete control over his powers. This made it easy to stay hidden." I realized that I had dropped into what my mom called 'storytelling mode'. This happens when my speech slows and my voice becomes mesmerizing. I then begin using my hands for elaborate gestures to underline the points in my story. I learned this skill from her, but the bit of magic I inherited from my father allowed my voice to mesmerize my audience more than my mom's ever did.
Princess Jasmine and Aladdin likely didn't know Jafar's backstory, so I realized that I should start from the beginning. "My mother, Scheherazade, had loved Jafar for years. He used to be a kind, if austere, man. She treasured the times she could make him laugh, and he loved listening to her stories. Over time, however, his ambition grew and clouded his mind. He focused more on changing the world to fit his ideals, instead of adapting to the reality around him. When the sultan began pushing Princess Jasmine to marry, Jafar was afraid that my mother would follow her friend to another kingdom if Jasmine followed a husband. This was when the madness truly set in. He wanted a prince who would stay in Agrabah, allowing my mother to remain in his sphere. In his obsession, he didn't notice that he was pushing my mother away, and he grew a bit madder every day."
"When he was finally defeated and confined to the lamp, my mother grabbed it before it could be sent back to the Cave of Wonders. She replaced it with a 'common oil lamp' before your genie could dispose of it. She kept Jafar hidden in her room, and he left the lamp to join her when she was alone. As they spent time talking every night, he regained his humanity and began to realize how horribly he had messed up. He begged my mother's forgiveness and finally admitted how much he loved her and how he was afraid to lose her. He was truly contrite, but his time exposed to evil magic left its mark. He was focused on my mother, but didn't care about anyone else."
"When King Adam and Queen Belle were raised as the leaders of Auradon, with a royal council to advise them, they started rounding up all of the villains to send them to the Isle. They even went so far as to arrest Hades and force him to give up villains who had already entered the underworld. He was then imprisoned as well."
"Unfortunately, many innocents were caught up in the purge. Some people were simple followers of a corrupt regime, and many people from Snow White's kingdom were given no choice but to follower her stepmother. Anyone who voiced agreement with the Evil Queen's decisions were taken to the Isle. Many of them only voiced support in exchange for safety for their families. There are more than just villains on the Isle, but the migration of people to the Isle occurred so quickly that the less notable characters were not even given a trial. The guards were so focused on finding the evil masterminds, that people who got in the way were frequently deported as well."
"My mother saw King Adams gaze turn towards Agrabah, and she knew that her time was limited. She ran away from the palace, taking my father's lamp with her. Three months later, they caught up with her. She knew that separation from my father would leave them both desolate, so she fought the guards when they came to take Jafar away. She was a known friend of the princess, so they initially thought that she was unaware of the significance of the lamp. When she realized that she would not be taken to the Isle with her husband, for they had gotten married the month before, she knew she had to do something. She deliberately attempted to pickpocket the lamp from a guard and was caught. They were both sent to the Isle, where my father's powers were blocked.
They settled down and opened a shop. As years passed, it became harder to stock the shelves. I was five years old when my father started teaching me how to steal for his shop. It was an action of necessity. If we did not fill the shop, we could not buy bread. I stole only what we couldn't afford…"
At this point I looked to Aladdin and smirked. He chimed in, as we said together, "and that's everything."
Aladdin and I started swapping stories of our best heists. He said, "I also started teaching Aziz how to liberate items from unsuspecting individuals at age five. He knew that stealing was not necessary, as we could supply anything he needed, but it doesn't hurt to have a few tricks up your sleeves if you end up facing a villain of your own someday."
"Aladdin!" Princess Jasmine gasped as Aziz smirked. Aladdin gave her his best, "Who, me?", look. She threw up her hands in exasperation and turned to me. "How are your parent's dear?"
I took a deep breath. This was the question I was afraid of. "My father is still on the Isle, running his shop. I'm no longer there to stock the shelves though, so either he is visiting the shipments himself or he is paying another kid to do his dirty work for him. And I do mean dirty. As in dusty and filthy work going through containers of trash."
"And your mother?" Jasmine pushed.
I took a deep breath and my face became impassive. "She was taken from us when I was eleven and Mal was ten."
Aladdin looked confused. "What do you mean by 'taken away', and how does Mal fit into the story? Isn't she Maleficent's daughter, and one of the ones who came with you from the Isle?"
I smiled slightly. "Mal is practically my sister, and she called my mom the 'mother of her heart'. My mom practically adopted Mal when she was four years old. We were nine months apart, but were in the same grade in school." My face then grew dark, "it wasn't like she was being taken care of at home. Maleficent isn't called the 'worst villain' for nothing."
Aziz repeated the question that I did not want to answer. "What happened to Scheherazade? I've always wanted to meet her. If she isn't a true villain, then we can get her off the Isle, right?"
I knew that there was pain in my eyes as I elaborated. "My mother was taken from us when I was eleven. She was destroyed by Maleficent and was never returned. She died the same night she was taken."
The entire family gasped as Princess Jasmine lamented, "I am so sorry! She was a good friend."
Aladdin searched my face as he asked, "what do you mean by taken and destroyed? Was she killed? Why would Maleficent do that? Is this a common practice on the Isle, killing others?"
Princess Jasmine grasped what her husband was saying and turned to me. "How many people are dying on that Isle, and how many are deliberately murdered? For that matter, how many don't deserve to be there?
There were a lot of innocent people sent to the Isle, or at least those with a smaller measure of guilt, but the Isle changes people. Heroes and villains are made, not born. The necessary actions needed to survive on the Isle caused many of the less deserving of punishment to live up to their sentence." I shifted uncomfortably as I replied. "Many children die due to a lack of food and shelter. Adults die when they cannot provide for themselves and are not able to steal enough to feed themselves. I think that Maleficent isn't the only villain who purposefully sets out to murder people, and I don't know how often she does it. I think that she uses it as a way to control Mal, as punishment for any perceived misdeeds. I've recently realized that it must be more often than I had previously believed." I shot Mal a pained look across the lawn, which was not lost on Aziz's parents.
I turned back to them and continued. This was my chance to promote the Core Kids and their plight. This was the reason we were here, and I wasn't going to let Violet down. "Mal, Evie, Carlos and I have taken the Isle's poorest children under our protection. Mal set up bolt holes for them, Carlos and I keep the supplies stocked for each location. We also teach the kids how to scrounge for food. We have access to Auradon's trash, as it is funneled through our Isle, so we try to supplement their food with what we find. You lot have a habit of tossing food before it goes completely bad. Evie teaches the kids how to effectively use anything that they can scrounge from the trash, and Mal sets up protections for the bolt holes. Our goal is to provide a place where children can grow into heroes, instead of following in their parents' footsteps."
I watched the dawning horror on the faces of the family before me. Princess Jasmine and Aziz looked askance, not quite believing what I had to say. Aladdin's face, however, showed compassion and understanding. "I helped provide for many beggar children in the same way when I roamed the streets. They are often overlooked by people who don't want to admit that there's a problem." He gave his wife an affectionate glance before continuing. "The first thing we did when we married, was to establish safe houses for our poorest subjects. We provided food and a bed, then connected the adults with jobs and the children with an education. The only remaining beggars in Agrabah are those who refuse to work or accept help from the safe houses. Sometimes, no matter how much you give, some people still won't help themselves."
Jasmine cut in at this point. "Are you really subsidizing your supplies with our trash! And people are being murdered on the Isle? What kind of hell hole have we built? I feel ashamed to have been a part of this farce. We should have found a better solution and we should have taken the time to give everyone a trial before sentencing them to life on the Isle."
I had their attention and understanding, so I made my pitch. "We just want our kids to be safe. We call them our kids, because they are ours to protect and provide for. While we are here though, we cannot keep an eye on them. One has already been taken, and we are not there to get her back." My eyes watered a bit at this point, thinking of Violet. "There are so many innocent kids on the Isle, and their plight will never improve in a land where jobs are few and supplies are scarce. Stronger villains have formed 'gangs'; and walking the streets is not safe. We've learned how to avoid trouble, and our parents' reputations keep us a bit safer than most kids. Everyone is afraid of Maleficent, and fear of the parent often results in fear of the child. My father, Jafar, may be a simple man now, but if he ever left the Isle's wards then he would be the most powerful villain alive. Even Maleficent could not match his powers. The Evil Queen is vicious. Her friendship with Maleficent, or at least her tolerable alliance, grants her and her daughter a measure of safety. Cruella Deville is a bit of a joke, but she is an unpredictable and crazy one. Carlos's safety mainly comes from his association with Mal and I, and not from his mother. If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us."
I could see that Princess Jasmine and Aladdin were both totally behind the Core Kids now, so I looked around to see how my fellow Core Four members were doing. I could see Mal talking to Cinderella and Prince Charming. I could tell how hard she was working to keep from rolling her eyes, and I internally applauded her restraint. We knew that neither of the royals were all that bright, as illustrated by our mom's telling of the story, which explained so much about Chad Charming. He apparently did not have any intelligence to inherit, and I sort of felt bad for him. Cinderella's veneer was all that people saw, and she led Prince Charming around by the nose. They were probably the least effective rulers, but their names carried a lot of weight. I only hoped that Mal was able to keep her cool long enough to earn their support.
My eyes frequently turned towards Audrey, monitoring her position in regards to Mal's. The last thing we needed was Audrey goading Mal into making a scene.
I looked over and saw that Carlos was speaking with Princess Rapunzel and her husband Eugene Fitzherbert, Ruby's parents. Ruby is part of the technology club, so introducing whiz kid Carlos to her parents was understandable. Carlos and Rapunzel may be able to connect over their shared experiences with poor mother figures as children. Rapunzel is part of the child welfare committee on the royal council, so they are likely to agree with our hopes for the Core Kids.
As I surveyed the gathering, I saw Audrey and her mother arguing nearby. I could only overhear a few phrases, but it sounded like Audrey was in trouble for discriminating against Mal simply because of her parentage. Aurora and her husband Phillip are rumored to be quite kind and accepting. They are on the child welfare committee with Rapunzel, so it is possible that they will take our part over their daughter's objections. I'll have to see if one of us can feel them out before the day ends. I watched as Audrey stomped away from her parents and began speaking to an older woman who I believe was Queen Leah, Audrey's Grammy and Aurora's mother. I frowned as I saw them casting disparaging looks at Mal.
Evie was speaking with Lonnie's parents, Mulan and Li Shang. Neither of them is royalty, but they both hold places on the royal council because they were appointed by their emperor as reliable and reasonable representatives. Evie is stepping outside of her mother's expectations and blossoming as a scholar and as a person. She will be able to connect with Mulan, who left gender stereotyped oppression behind to become a powerful warrior.
I started looking for Audrey again, to monitor her position. She had moved, so it took me a moment to find her. When I did, my heart dropped. She was striding towards Mal, dragging her Grammy with her. I quickly made my excuses to Aziz and his parents before moving across the lawn as quickly as was polite.
AN: I am so sorry for the cliff hanger, but my original reason for separating the networking and confrontation is simple. I wanted to name the chapters different things. Please don't hate me! I just decided that I want to expand on the end of the next scene though, so you'll still have something new. I'll get the confrontation up in the next day or so.
