Ch 20:
Chloe was warm and comfy, a familiar heartbeat thump-thumping in her ear as her pillow moved gently up and down in a soothing pattern. Then a new noise pulled her from her sleep, a distant click and creaking sound. The bed shifted, something behind her sitting up.
Squinting her eyes, irritated at being woken up, she rolled over and glanced around, her tired mind registering that she was in Carlos and Jay's dorm. Then her eyes landed on the open door and the figure bent over Carlos' 3D printer on the table. Chloe scrambled into a seated position, a scream frozen in her throat.
"Whoa, whoa!" Chad put his hand up calmingly. "Calm down! It's cool! No need to freak out."
"What the heck are you doing in here?" Chloe demanded, trying to calm herself down. Dude was sitting up next to her, and Motley rolled over to get a better look at what was going on.
"Well, I could ask you the same thing." Chad countered condescendingly. "Girls aren't supposed to be in the boys' rooms after curfew."
"You're not supposed to be out after curfew, either." Chloe countered, though she knew she was probably breaking more rules than Chad in that moment. "And you broke into my brother's dorm, and you're using his printer without his permission."
"And you're sleeping in a boy's bed." Chad countered stubbornly, checking on whatever he was printing. "I'm sure Fairy Godmother will side with me if you decide to snitch. In case you've forgotten, her and my mother go way back."
Chloe glared silently, unable to think of a response. Dude perked up just then, before hopping down from the bed and scurrying out the open door. Chloe glanced toward the alarm clock on Carlos' bedside table, seeing that it was going on two in the morning.
Movement in the doorway made Chloe's head snap up, briefly terrified she'd get in trouble if caught in here, only to relax when she saw Carlos and Jay, Dude in her brother's arms. Motley sat up at the sight of them, her tail thumping against the bed with every wag.
"You've got to be kidding me." Carlos commented, both boys staring at Chad in annoyed disbelief. Chad turned off the printer and spun around.
"I knocked." he said awkwardly. If he did, Chloe must have slept through it.
Carlos put Dude down before holding his hand out expectantly. Dude scurried over to rejoin Chloe and Motley on the bed while Chad morosely surrendered a room key he'd probably printed. Chloe watched curiously, relaxing slightly at the sight of Carlos and Jay unharmed. Maybe everything went fine and everyone was back, safe and sound.
"What is that?" Jay asked, looking at whatever Chad had been printing with disdain.
"Oh, a Chad action figure." Chad explained eagerly, reaching in and pulling the little doll out. He made it "fly" by their unimpressed faces before noticing something. "Oh. Minus the head."
"Sounds like an improvement." Carlos replied, making Jay smirk and Chloe snort from across the room. "Excuse me!" They pushed past Chad to hook Carlos' phone up to the 3D printer. Chloe really want to ask what was going on, but didn't dare to with Chad in the room.
Luckily, or unluckily, Chad solved that issue for her when he looked over their shoulders.
"Why are you guys making Fairy Godmother's wand?"
Chloe's back went ramrod straight while the boys jerked away from Chad. The boys clearly tried to come up with a lie, looking at each other while trying to make the other answer the question. Before they could come up with anything-
"Ben's been captured!"
Everyone stared at Dude in shock and horror. Chloe's jaw dropped and she looked between the little mutt and her brother.
"What?!" Chad exclaimed. "Dude can talk?"
"I was stalling!" Carlos hissed at his dog.
"I thought you forgot." Dude explained innocently. Any other time Chloe would probably have laughed.
Jay reached over and smacked Chad on the shoulder. "Don't tell anyone. Ben's life depends on it."
"Really?" Chad asked, intrigued, while Chloe barely caught sight of movement in the open doorway. "So if something were to happen, you know what I'm saying." Chad went on.
"Something bad, we get it." Carlos nodded, Chloe and both boys looking to Chad suspiciously.
"God forbid," Chad chuckled, "but if something were to happen…who do you think would be in line to be King?" he asked, holding up his headless doll.
"Is it me, or is that in really poor taste?" Jay asked rhetorically, both De Vil twins staring at Chad in disbelief.
Chloe shook her head in shock while the boys ushered Chad out the door. She couldn't even properly laugh when Jay slammed the door in Chad's face mid-sentence. She finally dragged herself from the bed and her thoughts to cross the room where both boys were bent over the printer.
"So, you going to fill me in? Ben's been captured? You're making a fake wand? What the hell happened over there?" Chloe demanded, crossing her arms and leaning against the table next to them.
"Well," Jay sighed, "remember when you made us promise to not let Ben do anything stupid?" Chloe nodded. "He did something stupid."
Carlos and Jay filled Chloe in on what had happened while on the Isle, since they had plenty of time while waiting for the wand to print. It would probably take at least a couple hours.
Apparently they'd found Mal easily enough, she just went to the hideout they used to crash in when their parents were too much. They sent Ben up to apologize and try to get Mal to come back. Whatever was said, it didn't go the way they wanted it to and Ben came back down the stairs alone and depressed. While Evie, Jay, and Carlos were distracted trying to get Mal to talk to them, apparently Ben wandered off down the alley alone and got himself kidnapped by Harry Hook and Uma's pirates.
Chloe shuddered at the thought of Harry. She was grateful he went to Serpent Prep, so she didn't see him very often, but he made her summers hell.
Harry told them Mal had to meet Uma at Ursula's Fish and Chips alone, which she did. And when she returned to the hideout it was to inform them all that Uma was demanding the wand in exchange for the King, or he'd be fed to the crocodiles. So, the basic plan was formed that Carlos and Jay would make a fake wand with the 3D printer and Mal and Evie would go to Curl Up & Dye to make smoke bombs. In the brief moment that Uma believes the wand is real, they planned to try and get Ben out of there.
"Well, you know it's likely to lead to some kind of fight." Chloe pointed out, trying to remain calm and think rationally. "And the pirates will have swords and other weapons. Shouldn't you guys do the same? Maybe pick up some swords from the school?"
Carlos and Jay exchanged a glance. "Yeah, that's not a bad idea." Jay agreed. "We can pick them up on the way out, the car's right by the amphitheater."
Chloe nodded, crossing the room and settling back down on her brother's bed. Jay and Carlos got comfortable in chairs at the table. It was mostly just a waiting game for now. Chloe curled up around Motley, leaning slightly into her dog while Motley rested her chin on Chloe's leg. She distractedly ran her fingers through Motley's spotted fur.
The thought of ever having to go back to the Isle was terrifying, especially if there was a guaranteed fight. And a very large part of Chloe never wanted to set foot on the despicable island again. But Ben had become her friend. And he was the King of Auradon. He was a good, kind, understanding person. Yes, he could be a bit naive, but he seemed to want to genuinely learn. He wanted to be a better King than his father was, to help the people who needed him. Something in this kingdom needed to change, and for that to happen, they needed Ben.
"I want to help." Chloe spoke up, quiet but her voice seemed loud in the silent room.
Carlos and Jay exchanged a glance. "Um, okay, well,…if you wanted, you could go get the swords. Or-"
"I want to come with you." Chloe argued, sitting up and facing them, pulling her knees to her chest.
Carlos shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Chloe-"
"Look, I know I'm a liability, but I can't just sit here wondering what's happening. Maybe I could…" Chloe trailed off, frantically trying to think of something. "I could be a getaway driver!"
Jay looked dubious. "You can drive?"
"What-you think Carlos was our mother's only personal driver?" Chloe asked rhetorically. "If I can drive that monster she called a car, I can drive the limo."
Jay nodded. "Fair enough."
"I don't know." Carlos argued. "I mean,-"
"Carlos, she could just drive the car. She doesn't even have to get out of the car." Jay pointed out. "And you never know. Having a driver ready and waiting could save us some time when we need to get out of there."
"But-but what about Motley?" Carlos stuttered, trying to change her mind. "I mean, you can't take her to the Isle. But without her you'll probably have a panic attack or something."
Chloe winced, petting Motley with one hand. Carlos did have a point. Taking Motley, her beloved Dalmatian, to the Isle of the Lost, where they'd be trapped on the island with her insane mother, sounded crazy.
"Like I mentioned," Jay cut in again, earning a glare from his best friend, "Chloe could stay in the car the whole time, and Motley could stay in the car with her. There's enough space on the floor where your feet go in the front that Motley could comfortably sit down there, still be close to Chloe while being out of sight. And Chloe could just lock the car while the two of them wait for us."
Carlos looked like he was grinding his teeth in frustration, while at the same time like he'd bitten into a lemon. Finally, his eyes met Chloe's from across the room. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he finally asked her.
Chloe raised her head and jutted her chin, faking a confidence she sure as hell didn't feel. She replayed Jay's sensible words in her mind in the hopes it would turn some of her fake confidence to something real. "Yes."
Carlos stared her down for a long moment, Chloe's eyes burning from not blinking. Finally, Carlos' shoulders slumped in defeat and he nodded. "Alright, fine. If you're sure. But like Jay said, you'll stay in the car with the doors locked, with Motley by your feet if you choose to take her. And we'll give you some kind of weapon just in case."
Chloe nodded. "That's reasonable." she agreed. She thought for a moment before saying, "I should probably go get a change of clothes. And I could stop by the amphitheatre and grab some swords while I'm out, save us some time of grabbing them later."
Carlos and Jay both nodded. "Sounds good. Just…try not to tell anyone what's going on." Jay suggested. "We don't want too many people to know what's going on."
Chloe nodded, getting up from the bed. "Right. I'll go do that and be back as soon as I can." she headed for the door before pausing in the doorway, looking nervously back at the two boys. "I know I'll probably be back before that's done printing,…but don't leave without me." she ordered, making both boys smirk but hold their hands up in surrender.
Chloe told Motley to stay with the boys and rest before sneaking quietly down the hallways toward the girls' dorms. The hallways were dark apart from the occasional window, and pretty much silent. Still, Chloe kept to the shadows whenever possible as she hurried to her dorm. When she finally got there unseen, she slipped into the dark room as silently as she could, trying not to wake Jane.
She slowly closed the door behind her, making sure not to let it make a sound as it closed, before going to her dresser drawers to search for an outfit to wear on the Isle. She grabbed a patched leather jacket that had a few patches of white, but was otherwise mostly red and black. She put that on over a collared, white t-shirt, then pulled on ripped black jeans, black leather gloves, and red and black combat boots.
Chloe dressed behind the cover of her bed, just in case, and while back there she checked in the box Beelzebub had been nesting in. Bee was curled up in the box sleeping, a soft blue blanket arranged in a fluffy nest-shape on the bottom, and Bee's old pillow propped up behind her back.
Satisfied that her cat was okay, Chloe quietly left the room again, leaving it as if she'd never been there. Then, she headed all the way across the campus toward the amphitheatre. Sticking to the darkest shadows, she rounded the corner, planning to go in through the backdoor, only to practically run into someone.
"Lonnie!" she yelped, backing away a couple steps. "What are you doing out so late?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
"I'm coming with you guys." Lonnie announced bluntly.
Chloe blinked, studying Lonnie uncertainly. She was dressed in a girl version of the ROAR uniform, and had several swords strapped to her back. "Um, I'm not sure what you're-" Chloe started.
"You're going to the Isle to rescue Ben." Lonnie cut her off. Before Chloe could even come up with a lie or excuse, Lonnie went on, "Don't try to deny it; I overheard Jay, Carlos, and Chad earlier. You guys either take me with you or I'm going to have to tell Fairy Godmother."
Chloe blinked before sighing in defeat. After all, Lonnie clearly already knew the truth, there was no point trying to lie or change her mind. And after all, Chloe had heard people praise Lonnie's sword skills. It wouldn't hurt to have someone like that on their side.
"Okay, fine. If you've got enough swords for everyone, we can head back to Carlos and Jay's dorm. We can fill you in there." Chloe relented, leading the way back toward the dorms.
AN: Chloe's going back to the Isle! Well, only as the getaway driver, so she won't be part of the sword fighting, but you never know. She might have her own excitement…
I know this chapter wasn't very eventful, but review and let me know what you all thought!
Thanks!