Chapter 13: Who You Calling a Heathen?

"Sooo, you were all planning on saving us?" Ben asked as Doug went to take a shower.

Mal glanced over from where she was berating Jay, glaring she turned her back to the still filthy prince. "Yeah, we decided to become the heroes and save you guys," Evie batted her eyelashes at the prince. She came up beside him, ignoring the awful smell and the sloshing sound in his shoes.

Mal snapped at Evie, "Get away from him. You don't want a prissy prince anyway."

Stepping forward, Evie shrugged her shoulders bringing her hands up in exasperation, "Umm, do you even know me? That's kinda my mom and I's entire goal in life."

"Evieee," Mal groaned. "We've talked about this. Just 'cause your mom wants that for you doesn't mean that it's all you're capable of. Make your own goals, become the evil queen," Mal turned to Evie.

"Actually, I'm taken," Ben chimed in before the usual argument could really begin.

Mal and Evie glanced over at the prince before locking eyes. Mal rolled her eyes as Evie sighed, "Pity," under her breath.

Mal turned to face Jay again only to find him trying to creep away to Carlos. "Uh-uh, don't think you're getting off the hook just because I got distracted. What the hell happened? Why didn't you come back for backup once you confirmed my mom had them?"

"I already told you. Besides, coming for back up would have just been more dangerous. Everything was fine. Why are you so upset?" Jay crossed his arms.

"And if you had been caught? How would we have even known? My mom would have hung you from the tower and we wouldn't have had any way to stop it!" Mal snapped.

Softly, Carlos cut in, "Mal. Let it go. Yeah, he should have come and got us but everything worked out. He's fine."

Glaring, Mal turned back to Jay, "Just don't do it again." She picked up her spray can and wandered over to a half done mural.

"So, why did you guys help?" Doug asked as he stepped out of the bathroom. Betty quickly ran in, hoping to escape from the scary situation. "I mean, it's not like we're friends or even acquaintances."

Aziz jumped in, "Actually, I asked them to."

"But you just met them today. Why would they go against her mom for you?" Ben asked.

"Cause he's one of us. It doesn't matter that he's only been one of us for a day. He's one of us now and that's all that matters" Jay explained as he leaned against the wall.

Fighting down a blush Aziz said, "I didn't know you guys cared so much."

The villain kids shared a look before Mal glanced at him flatly, "Okay, you're out of the group."

Aziz eyes' widened before he began laughing. He paused when the VKs didn't join in. "Wait, are you guys serious?!"

The VKs burst out laughing. "Nah man. You're still cool, but the look on your face…" Carlos trailed off laughing again.

"Betty get your butt out! Some of us still smell and would like a shower. I know you're done, the water's off," Melody banged on the door.

The group of teens heard a frightened squeak before, "I'm coming."

Rolling her eyes, Melody turned back to the group and saw all of them looking at her, "What? You know she's just trying to hide in there."

"Melody, please try to be nicer to her. You know she gets scared easily and today has been stressful," Ben tried to reason with the water princess.

"Whatever," Melody turned back to the door as Betty scurried out and hid behind Doug. Without glancing back Melody walked in to rinse the sewer residue off.

After making sure Betty was okay Ben turned to the villain quartet, "Sorry about that. Today hasn't exactly been the easiest."

"Really? I thought today was you guys' ideal day" Mal snorted.

Rubbing that back of his neck, Ben smiled slightly, "I wouldn't say that. But anyway, I should probably thank you guys. Even with you being friends with Aziz, you didn't have to rescue us, but you did. So thank you."

"Whatever," Mal said before setting her spray can down and going to sit next to Jay on a beat up sofa.

Walking up beside a bemused Ben, Aziz explained, "Yeah, they don't really do the etiquette thing. They're kinda heathens. Fun heathens, but still heathens."

Suddenly, Carlos jumped on Aziz's back. "Who're you calling a heathen? What even is a heathen?" The two boys began play-wrestling on the floor.

Smiling, Ben walked away shaking his head at their childish antics. He went over to Duncan and stood with the only other Auradon kid who had yet to shower.

After a few minutes Maeve came out of the bathroom. "Took you long enough sis. Did you get a perm while in there," Duncan teased her. Sticking out her tongue, she walked past him to talk to Melody.

Finding himself alone Ben began to reflect on everything he learned on the Isle. Life here is horrible. Their food situation is deplorable. It's nothing like what I thought we were sending over. Half of these people don't even deserve to be here. They're only here because they worked for the villains when they had no other choice. I mean you have to work to live and if you only have one employer choice you're kinda stuck. And these kids. They can be good, if they just get away from their parents. That little girl in the market shouldn't have to grow up this way and these guys can be good. They just need a chance to prove it and act on it. It's still a year away but I'm going to change this when I'm king. And in the meantime I'm going to talk to my dad about fixing some things here, starting with the food. That needs to be fixed immediately. There's a difference between not sending them prime rib and lobster and sending them rotten food. Nobody deserves that.

Maleficent POV

Maleficent screamed as the two guards scurried out of the room in fear. She was pissed that they had just confirmed what Hades had told her. "How dare he know more about my prisoners than me," she hissed to the empty room.

She stalked back and forth as her anger increased with each step. "How dare they escape. How dare someone help them escape. They were my ticket off this damn island. I would have been free to rule the world."

The anger built until finally she erupted in a fit of rage. Swinging her staff around, she hit random walls and parts of the floor. After a few minutes she exhausted herself and sunk into her throne.

"I have to get them back," she whispered to herself, "but how?" Leaning back in her throne, she began coming up with different plans and examining every aspect of them. It had to be perfect or it would never work and she'd have wasted the opportunity.

Ten minutes later, she had settled on the plan with the highest chance of success. They had brought her them once, they could do it again. She called for the guards, sending one of them to fetch Cruella, Jafar, and the Evil Queen. Meanwhile, she stalked into her smaller office. It was more private for the secret planning she would need to discuss with the others.

She pulled out a map of the Isle and began to examine it. This is the entrance, that's where the kids will be heading. There are 2 main streets and 2 alleys that lead out to the entrance. If I have each of them in an entrance with some guards and Dimitri in the remaining one that will block off their reunion. I will be able to capture them again, find the traitors, and even get the rest.

"Yes, this plan will work," she whispered to herself, tracing the map. "Then, we can form a circle and close in. Yes, yes, it's perfect."

Bang. Bang. "Cruella, Jafar, and the Evil Queen have arrived, your magnificence," a guard announced through the door.

"Yes. Yes. Send them in."

The doors opened and the three came in, stumbling over each other. "Maleficent so good to see you again. I know we will do great things together," Jafar took the lead, Cruella and the Evil Queen following close behind nodding.

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure. Now come here. The prisoners have escaped and we need to get them back before they leave the Isle. Here's the plan."