Auradon was almost everything the VK's thought it would be. The prissy princes and princesses, royals, and goody good citizens put a sour taste in their mouths from the moment they met them. As soon as the core four stepped from the limo on day one to Auradon Prep, they were forced to put on a mask and went on the defensive. It only took one look from the Auradonians for them to be branded as trouble. Did the VK's care though? Of course not, because that meant they would be left alone to try and figure out what they could possibly do to save the innocent children of the Isle.
Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos stayed close to each other, very familiar with all the ways that Auradon could potentially hurt them. The kids were easy, but the adults were another problem entirely. Most of them left them alone but it set the VK's on edge even more. They couldn't learn from them or study their ways, so they always tensed and braced themselves for a beating that hasn't come...yet. There was one though, Fairy Godmother, who had slowly begun to work her way into their comfort zone. Each time they found themselves relaxing around her gentle and caring nature though, they pulled back and withdrew into themselves, knowing that she would be just like any adult they had ever met. Adults were bad, they always were. So, they skirted past the adults because they were never to be trusted. Evil always lurked behind those awful smiles.
The hero kids, or HK's as Jay now called them in retaliation, had no sense of camaraderie; they were vain and only cared about themselves. One of them though, they had an inkling to go more easy on; Ben. They knew that it could all be a front for the blonde haired prince. With him being the son of King Adam and Queen Belle, he would be the one to get close to the VK's and learn as much as he could about the inner workings of the Isle before twisting and bending it to his own agenda, but doubt shadowed the Dragons minds each time he laced his words and promises with genuine sincerity. The boy wore his heart on his sleeve.
And then there were the others. Lonnie, daughter of Mulan and Li Shang was the worst one out of them all in Mal's eyes. Upon meeting her, her perceptive eyes and body language told Mal that she knew the ins and outs of battle and that she regarded them as a potential threat...right before she dissolved that look in a matter of seconds. It made sense, her parents being war generals, but it told Mal that she would be the best one out of them all to slip in and destroy everything they were trying to do.
Doug, the son of dwarf Dopey, was a wild card. His eyes immediately found Evie on day one, and both Jay and Carlos tensed up behind her while Mal slipped into his field of view, hovering over his shoulder in a nonchalant attempt to get the boy to shift his focus from the princess to her. Eyes like that were never to be trusted, but then again, his eyes were...different. They would have to watch him because his actions didn't line up with what they knew about the men that were smitten by the Evil Queen's daughter.
Jane on the other hand was the epitome of all things good and meek. Being Fairy Godmother's daughter, Mal saw no trace of ill will towards them, save for a little bit of fear. Mal had to admit that she had a little bit of fun toying with her; feeling her out as a possible way to steal Fairy Godmother's wand to use it to their advantage. She would be the easiest to manipulate and control.
Aurora's daughter Audrey, Mal's supposed sworn enemy, was easy. Her and Cinderella's son, Chad, were the easiest to read out of them all. Their emotions always gave them away and their more aggressive nature actually made the VK's more comfortable, because violence was something they knew. It became more of a game to see who could piss them off the most, but of course Mal always won because she was getting closer to Ben, much to Audreys dismay.
Not too long after arriving in Auradon, it was Mal who discovered that they were being watched. It was expected, of course, but she had hoped that these Auradonians would prove her wrong. They were always watching, lurking even and studying them. At first she had thought that the side eyes they would get were just them adjusting to having them in their world and making sure they didn't hurt anyone, but when those side eyes turned into an undercover guard detail, she reigned her crew in tighter and told them what she saw. It was never the same person, but there was always someone wherever they went, watching, and then following their every move. They had to assume that they were just waiting for them to slip up and do something bad, just so they could be sent back to the Isle. The King and Queen were so against them even being here, so they knew that it had to be their way of making sure they didn't stick around. It would be impossible at this stage to make plans to steal Fairy Godmother's wand. If they were caught and sent back, then their crew as well as the rest of the suffering VK's would forever be trapped in a place that would inevitably destroy them. Of course this was all speculation by the Dragons, but it made the most sense. Mal had other plans though to ensure they stayed; she was going to prove them all wrong. They would allow the stalking for now, and once they earned the Auradonian's trust, then they would make their move to set their Isle free.
Jay and Carlos settled in more easily than Mal and Evie did. When the boys asked Mal if they could join the Tourney team, she allowed it as a way to fit in easier. That left her and Evie alone when they boys were tied up, and their minds always tended to slip back to Ember and Kenzi. Evie was having a horrible time at keeping the tears out of her eyes, and she would let them fall only when Mal allowed it; when those other eyes weren't watching them. And as much as the worry of Maleficent finding her own daughter plagued her every second of every day, Mal had to stay strong and tell herself that she was doing all of this for her; to set her free. The boys joining the Tourney team also became beneficial when faculty pushed them medications after minor injuries, and expected nothing in return. After some prompting from Mal, some 'minor' injuries were played up to gain access to the hospital, where Jay was able to use his skills to steal the 'good stuff' to bring back to the Isle one day. He only did it once though and faced the wrath of Mal when he refused to do it any more. The Auradonians had an x-ray machine that they used on his arm and found old injuries that he was forced to lie about. Mal's spell only covered the injuries the human eye would see on the surface. He didn't want to tell Mal what they had seen, or he would face much worse for almost giving them away.
After a few weeks went by, the VK's were finally able to get a little more comfortable with the workings of Auradon. Mal was always on edge, but she allowed Ben to get closer to her by means of a spell. They had thought that if they got closer to the one who was the most passionate about bringing over VK's from the Isle, then they could potentially sway him to help them all without use of the wand; but they kept that to themselves for the time being. They were just so torn over what to do. Have Ben help them, or they do it all themselves the only way they know. They couldn't rush this as the safety of the innocent depended on them and them alone. When Mal found herself actually enjoying her time with the young prince, especially when he brought her to the Enchanted Lake for the first time on a date, she realized that maybe he really was in it for them...and that scared her.
"I told you that I loved you," he said as he looked at her; really looked at her on the edge of the lake as only he dripped wet from a swim in the waters. "Do you love me?"
At first, she startled herself when she wanted to say it, but then averted her gaze and bit her lip. Love didn't really exist on the Isle in the way he was thinking. Yes, she loved Ember and cared deeply for her friends, but she didn't really have room in her heart for more, no matter how much it was starting to ache for this boy. No one had really loved her before. "I don't know what love feels like," she admitted, still not able to meet his eyes and betray the tidal wave of feelings she was having right now. "But why do you love me?" she had asked him as her eyes finally met his, blurting it out before she could even stop herself. As she waited for the enchanted answer, she wondered if she would ever find real love. Sure, if she closed her eyes and pretended that she had not spelled Ben to fall for her, then she could live the lie for as long as she wanted...but she didn't think she really wanted that anymore.
"Because,"he answered, his golden hair dripping wet with lake water in the sunlight, "I look at you and see how hard you try to keep your friends happy, even though you are in the presence of the people who kept you caged on the Isle. I see how hard you are trying to fit in, even though it makes you uncomfortable to try. And I see the way you look back at the Isle as if trying your hardest to keep some sort of promise. I see you, Mal."
She wasn't expecting that answer and it set her a little on edge at just how much he really did see her. As Ben jumped back into the lake with that same, goofy smile that sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach, she couldn't help but stay on that waters edge and contemplate his answer. She never went in the water that day or learned of the lake's powers, but she did enjoy the view just the same.
It wasn't just Ben that they started to feel more comfortable around. They started to see some of the other HK's for who they really were and thought that maybe they judged them too quickly. Lonnie, they realized, really and genuinely enjoyed spending time with the VK's. She was fascinated by them and she was the most open minded out of the group. And Doug as it turned out was someone they actually wanted at Evie's side. His eyes were different because they were not filled with the wicked lust like the males of the Isle. He was always quick to defend her, especially from Chad whose tendencies definitely reminded them of those from the Isle. Chad and Audrey did everything in their power to make them suffer, but the VK's always landed on top; they were rotten after all.
One day, Ben invited them all to a get together with the students of Auradon Prep at the Enchanted Lake. By this time, The VK's had allowed Lonnie, Jane, and Doug to get closer to them, and they would be there along with the King and Queen, and Fairy Godmother as chaperones. Audrey and Chad of course wouldn't miss the chance at being there to pester them, but Mal didn't mind the challenge. She was actually enjoying the day, her mind slipping back to her date with Ben here a few weeks before. She watched as the other students lounged or jumped from the rocks into the water, her not yet taking the leap into the glistening lake. They all looked so carefree, not a worry in the world as the sun chased away the slight chill in the air. It made her a little upset at how easy their lives all were when across the bay, kids were literally dying in the streets of the Isle. She kept an eye on her crew lounging further along the banks, soaking up the sun's rays as the HK's splashed around not too far from them. Her worries and emotions slipped to the back of her mind when she heard Jay yell for her to join them; they wanted to go into the water.
The VK's didn't know about the properties that the Enchanted Lake held, how it could wash away any spell or enchantment. They also felt extremely vulnerable when they shed their clothes down to their swimwear, exposing themselves to the judging eyes of Auradon. They had all seen each other this way, sure, but that was because they were always too busy stitching eachother up or bandaging their wounds. Their skin now was free from these marks though because of Mal's spell the day they came over, but it unnerved them to be seen scar free, their bodies equal to the people of Auradon. There was nothing equal about them, but still they jumped into the lake and let the water wash away their worry as they splashed with the others and actually found themselves having fun. Concern flickered across Mal's mind when she noticed that some of the other students were staring, but today was literally perfect, so she did not dwell on it for too long.
It wasn't too much later when Audrey had the nerve to call out something she saw on Evie's chest, taking joy in it when everyone's eyes snapped to the blue haired girl and making her shrink back in distress. Evie's eyes found what Audrey had seen, and then took in Jay, Carlos, and Mal, realizing that somehow, all of their scars were now showing for the first time since crossing the bridge. Mal put herself in the HK's line of sight, dropping the indifferent mask she had put on the day they had arrived in Auradon, effectively causing everyone to back away a little in fear as her eyes blazed in warning. She heard Jay and Carlos behind her, ushering Evie from the water in an effort to hide her scarred body from them all, knowing that it was crushing her to be seen as anything other than perfect. It was just ingrained in Evie, burned into her mind by her mother. The others couldn't care less as all three of them were now completely exposed on the banks.
Mal almost let out a snarl from her place in the water when a chorus of gasps erupted from the HK's along with the Queen and Fairy Godmother from further down the banks. The King on the other hand had a look of disgust as well as a bit of anger at the disruption that he had predicted that the Isle kids would have caused today. Mal knew what they were seeing and she tried her hardest to threaten Audrey to get everyone's eyes to land on her while Evie and the boys scrambled for their towels. It didn't work, and she knew they had seen their marks. She slammed her walls back up and reverted back to her Isle mindset.
They had seen the ragged, ugly scar right over Evie's chest from where the Evil Queen had attempted to carve out the young girl's heart in a bout of insanity. The long and short lacerations littering her pale skin along her stomach, sides, and back from years of torture from her mother and her goons, as well as battle wounds from the years of gang activity.
And it wasn't just Evie. They had seen the burns and whip lashes littering Jay's back and arms, left over from the abuse of his father at failing to live up to his expectations. More scars and old punctures reflected in the eyes of the HK's from his shoulders, all the way down to his feet; but he wore those proudly and challenged them all for even looking at them. They didn't deserve those stories.
Carlos, they observed, was covered in long, curved slices before they disappeared beneath the towel he finally managed to throw around himself. They didnt know he got them from his mothers shearing blade, having used it in the past to skin innocent dalmations just to make her fur coats. Tiny burns still peeked out and dotted his arms, evidence left from when his mother felt the need to snuff out her cigarettes there. All of the confidence he had managed to gain on the Isle was now gone as fear and worry now stared back with Evie at the many eyes staring right back at them as they fidgeted on the waters edge for Mal's orders.
Jay planted himself in front of the two VK's, shielding them from prying eyes while wearing his scars proudly, looking to Mal still in the water for direction. Mal was furious; this lake gathering had to be a trick, meant to wash away any and all enchantments that they may have spelled themselves with...right? If it was, then that meant that the spell she cast on Ben… they were here weeks ago, and he was still with her after being in the enchanted water? What kind of game was he playing? The way they were all looking at her crew on the waters edge relit the fire in her that she had squashed down. She shot Ben a look of betrayal as she retreated from them, only because she didn't trust herself right now not to hurt them and Jay was too far away at the moment to stop her. Mal didn't care if they looked at her as she dragged herself out of the water, hell, she hoped all eyes were on her if that meant they were not on the rest of her crew. This time, the gasps filled her with even more fury as angry tears slipped from her eyes, mixing with the water still on her face as a picture of Ember crept across her mind as she pictured her there, littered with some of the same scars that would someday mark her if she stayed on the Isle. She squashed it down and turned to send a scowl that was supposed to send everyone scrambling away from them, but instead, concern looked back at her from those in and around the lake.
All eyes were now on her, covered in more horror than Jay, Carlos, or Evie. She was after all the daughter of the most wicked villain in the land. The knife mark across her throat was more prominent, longer, and deeper than the one she had given Evie the day they first met; this one coming from her mother after one of the times she had tried to kill her because of something she had no control over; she was 9. A long laceration traveled across her chest before catching on her collarbone, cracking it, and leaving it healed at an awkward angle left over from one of the unlucky times she had gone up against Harry Hook. She won that fight though, but it still stung nevertheless when she recalled the night he set aside their differences and carried her back to their territory after the encounter with the Huns. Tiny, pink nicks littered her arms from the time she caught shrapnel from a homemade bomb; Carlos paid for that one and she never let him live it down. Then there was the puncture to her upper arm where a knife had slid in, and a cut across her thigh from that same knife; yet another attempt on her life ordered by her mother. Other cuts, gouges, scores, and tears marked her body from years of living on the streets and fighting for her life, as well as for the lives in her crew. The one that got them all though was the four perfect lacerations hooking from her left hip bone, curling around her ribcage and around to her back as if from some beast. Never would their minds imagine how that night went, or even why it had happened.
Not realizing it, in the single minute from when Audrey shattered the perfect day, Ben appeared at her side on the banks and she jumped, bringing her fist up to defend herself when Jay grabbed ahold of her wrist to stop her. She realized who it was and dropped her hand back down to her side in a feeling of...she didn't know. There were too many emotions swirling around in her head at the moment, but they all formed themselves into one when a towel draped around her, filling her nose with Ben's scent when she realized that he had covered her in an effort to shield her from the eyes she had collected. "I see you," he whispered with a sad smile, slipping between her and the water to give them a chance at escape as Mal's mind was thrust back to their first date. He didn't know Mal and her crew were spelled. At their retreat, Ben's words sent Mal's mind spinning. What did he mean by that? Had her spell been broken this whole time, and he still cared for her? She couldn't dwell on it for too long because she had to tend to her crew and run damage control. Sometimes she wished that she didn't have to carry this burden, but she also wouldn't want to wish it upon anyone else.
The days that followed were a nightmare for the crew. Of course Mal had spelled them again to hide their scars, but Fairy Godmother had requested a meeting with them at the King's orders to explain what they had all seen. She was fed nothing but lies and short answers, and soon was forced to give up. They could see the hurt and worry in Fairy Godmother's eyes, but they didn't care. It was entirely too soon to confess what they had been through, especially when the King thought it all to be a ruse to stir up trouble. It was obvious that they still haven't gained their trust yet. Auradon could wonder all they wanted, but never would she gamble with the lives of the Isle.
A few weeks after the incident at the Lake, the HK's had wormed their ways back into the VK's good graces. They didn't push or ask too many questions, but they could all still see the wonder and questions behind their eyes as the seasons changed. The vibrant greenery that had captivated the Isle kids had slowly changed to an array of red, yellow, and browns as the air got colder. The colors that incited joy in the Auradonians were a sign of the hardships about to hit the Isle. There, they had no access to heating, and staying warm was difficult due to the meek supplies they were able to scavenge. They often reflected back on the Mushroom Man they had found one morning. He was too decayed and unrecognizable due to the dozens of colorful mushrooms growing from his clothes and skin, but they knew he had frozen to death. He was curled up in an old wooden box most likely to get warm one night, but their patrols had found him weeks after his passing as their curiosity got the best of them as to what was inside of the box. Conditions inside the man's deathbed were perfect for the colorful fungi to grow, but it only made the harsh reality of living on the Isle more clear.
Fall break was coming up, and the VK's were looking forward to enjoying time alone to plan as the students of Auradon were all traveling back to their homes for the holiday. Unbeknownst to them though, the many reports from those who were ordered to watch the VK's since coming to Auradon, had sent into effect a plan to get a closer look into their lives.
Mal and her crew had branded the guards and teachers as 'stalkers', but really, they were put into place by King Adam in order to watch them for any signs of screwing up. King Adam was not a fan of his son's proclamation, and he was determined to find a fault in it in order to get it shut down. Of course he loved his son and his heart, but this was not something an inexperienced boy should be dealing with. He had banished the villains to the Isle for reason, and there was no way that their children wouldn't follow in their footsteps. Reports came back to him about the ways the children were acting around the school. Jay and Mal were the most aggressive of the four, but the way they all analyzed everyone put the King on edge. Reflecting back on Mal alone, he branded her to be extremely dangerous, and rightly so. He greatly disapproved of Ben's relationship with her, and he knew it was some sort of powerplay on her part. How could a villain kid love a boy whose parents kept her in a cage her entire life? The stunt they pulled at the lake was proof to that. The girl had almost punched Ben after all. She was using spells to get those around her to pity her, and King Adam wanted them all gone.
Queen Belle and Fairy Godmother thought the opposite of the King. Based on what they had seen and observed, they worried for the kids safety over on the Isle. They had been noticing other tiny details that the King referred to as tricks. The women knew that these villain kids needed someone on their side. It took weeks for the VK's to stop jolting in fear each time the class bell rang. The flinching never stopped each time an adult drew near to them, and Fairy Godmother herself had witnessed how the dynamic of the group would change in an instant at cues from Mal or Jay, depending on the situation. She brought this up to the Queen, and she too would watch and see what she was talking about. Mal would always take point, clearly the leader of the group. Her and Jay would work together and shield Evie and Carlos, all while making the entire thing seem natural in response to whatever they deemed threatening. It was clear that the other kids didn't notice it like they did, because they had never been exposed to dangers like their parents had. Could the Isle be a much more dangerous place than they had thought? The terrible scars littering their bodies on that day at the lake told them some sort of unknown story that they were determined to find out. Were these kids suffering over there for them to be this afraid? They were about to find out, because King Adam was sending them back.
"What do you mean you are sending them back?" Ben argued when his parents brought up the subject. "This is my proclamation, why are you interfering!?" They argued back and forth, and Fairy Godmother tried her best to calm down the situation. Even though it was just for fall break, Ben still didn't want his parents meddling with what he was trying to accomplish. He had thought that they would stay here, but if they wanted to go back to the Isle, then who was he to stop them? Did they tell his parents that they wanted to go back, or was it his parents that didn't trust them to be left to their own devices, alone, at Auradon Prep?
When Ben brought up the issue to the VK's, he expected either excitement or dread. He knew that they weren't really close with their parents, but they showed no emotion at all. Ben was confused when all eyes shot to Mal, as if waiting for her to make the first move. It took longer than the average person to answer, but when she did, still, no emotion exuded from her friends behind her. "Well then I guess it's time to pack our bags," she stated simply.
As they packed, Ben went back to his parents and told them what he had seen, also breaking down and telling them of the concerns he had noticed since the day they first set foot from the limo. He had kept it from them because he didn't want them to shut down his proclamation at the signs of trouble. Instead of disappointment, they looked at him proudly and let him know that he wasn't the only one, and that they had a plan to find out what exactly was going on at the Isle of the Lost. Only, the King wanted to prove their tricks, and the Queen wanted to prove their innocence.
The plan was for Fairy Godmother to spell them. And since it was Fairy Godmother's magic that had built the barrier, it was her magic alone that would work where no other magic would. This spell would be undetectable to the eye and follow the VK's around the Isle, collecting the moments they lived within its magic. It would sort of work like a video recorder. The particles of fairy dust would absorb these moments and when the VK's got back, they would be collected and displayed for the royals to see. It was the only way they knew on how to get an unbiased, uninterrupted view of the lives of these troubled kids.
It was all King Adams' idea, not really having kept up with what he had sentenced the villains to. After a long and tense conversation with his wife and Fairy Godmother, he had realized that he really didn't know how they were fairing over there, his Kingly duties pushing the concerns of the Isle to the back burner. All he did was sign the papers set before him. He was ashamed of himself for the situation that may be plaguing the kids of the villains he banished there, but he also needed to know if they were a danger to Auradon. Fairy Godmother had a pretty good idea of what that situation may be, but he just couldn't believe something like that could befall even villain kids. King Adam had to be absolutely sure before he did anything, because it was him as well as the other royals who had put them there. Accusations would not go over well without proof, and his plan to get an inside look could change the future of not only his kingdom, but for the other kingdoms as well who had a vote into the creation of the Isle.
A few days later, the four VK's found themselves back on the Isle, alone at the bridge. They had asked the royals not to tell their parents that they were on their way back, because they wanted to 'surprise them'. In reality, it would be too dangerous for others to know that they were back, their parents included.
"Lets go," Mal ordered, and immediately something shifted in the VK's. The day was just starting and the early morning sun that should have been peeking through the clouds over the barrier had brought out some of the Isle residents. The temperature had dropped several degrees, the barrier not letting in the warming rays that Auradon got on the daily. The surprised and hostile glances at the group drove the kids into the back alleys, trying to stay out of sight as they navigated to the place they called home. Their route was dirty, and they could have sworn that they passed blood stains as they avoided the puddles that collected on the grimy ground. The VK's clutched their packs even tighter when they passed the few residents that littered the alley ways, obviously sick and looking for a place to die.
As the VK's neared the center of their territory, they quickly became surrounded by more kids, but they didn't falter. They couldn't help but smile when they noticed the familiar faces of their crew, welcoming them back home. Following the familiar route, they eventually came upon their safehouse, scoped out potential invaders, and then and invited themselves in as they had done hundreds of times.
"Where's Roan," Mal commanded, and the rest of the eyes within the building snapped up to her as she shed her jacket. Familiar scars peeked out at her as she realized that her spell was no longer effective, and noticed that the rest of her crew were realizing that as well. Mal continued walking as kids scrambled out of her way, fearful but excited that their crew leader had returned. The core four took in the familiar scenes, finding comfort in the graffitied walls that now painted some of Auradon, courtesy of Mal. They made their way to the second floor and paused, taking in the small stores of supplies lining the shelves and grimacing at the sight of it. "Where's the rest of it?" Jay asked this time towards a dark haired girl.
"Roan had us split it between the other safehouse," she said, not at all as intimidated as some of the others.
Mal raised her eyebrow at the news, dozens of scenarios as to why he would do that running through her head. Jay grabbed Mal's pack from her, and threw his along with hers to a blonde haired VK who caught it and immediately dumped out its contents. Evie kept hers slung across her back until Mal took it and held it, while Carlos dumped his into the pile as well. Anyone outside of the Isle would have assumed that it would be clothing, or even some books and nicknacks that had been picked up from Auradon, but none of those items fell from the large bags. Instead, out came medical supplies; bandages, ointments, sutures and vials. They had swiped these things, mostly from Carlos and Jay after a hospital visit after a nasty Tourney hit, and collected them for the moment they got back to the Isle. Along with these supplies, vast stores of non-perishable foods also revealed themselves, as well as some thick clothing, having been collected throughout their time outside the barrier.
After a few minutes, the VK Mal was asking for walked down from the third and last level of the building. The dark haired VK sauntered up to them, towering over Mal and stared at her in challenge before backing down with a slight nod. He was the one she left in charge after she had left, but he relinquished control without putting up a fight. The eyes in the room all held a slight tinge of fear at the sight of Mal glaring back at Roan, but also some admiration. They had all been vetted by her and had looked deep into those green eyes. And speaking of vetting, a young unknown VK caught the attention of Mal when he cautiously walked into her field of view, and anyone outside of their circle wouldn't have caught the slight jerk to her head in his direction when Jay and another VK pounced on him. Mal on the other hand slammed her knee into Roan's gut, causing him to drop to his knees in pain as Mal then grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled back, exposing his throat to the knife she now held in her hand.
"Where the hell did this runt come from?" she asked in a dangerous tone that shook everyone in the room as the entire dynamic changed. The VK's poised themselves for attack not at Mal holding Roan with a knife to his throat, but at the young kid, no older than 8 or 9 that Jay now had trembling in fear in a headlock.
"Sykes had him," Roan managed to choke out as the effort caused the blade to draw thin beads of blood from the delicate skin. Mal sighed and lessened her grip, but still wavered her knife dangerously close to the skin. Now having more room to talk, Roan submitted and tried to explain why he brought another kid into their crew without her permission. "My father almost killed him, but he turned out to be one of the sneakiest kids we've got. He's not a threat, Mal," he growled, effectively pissing her off once again.
Even Evie and Carlos smiled at the violence in the room, a hungry look in their eyes that they hadn't had in a while. "Not a threat?" Mal asked. "For you to go around me to induct this kid, he must be some sort of threat, Roan."Her eyes then blazed a deep, jade green as they whipped over to the kid in Jay's arms. "Get out," she ordered him, granting the kid mercy instead of killing him on the spot. When Jay released him in disappointment, the kid stood his ground, staring instead at Roan who was frozen in Mal's grip. When she dropped Roan to the floor and stepped over to the kid who was defying her mercy order, her eyes blazed even brighter and he grabbed at his head as pain built behind his eyes. He whimpered in fear and pain, and then ran when the Dragon leader's eyes snapped away from him when she was tackled to the floor by Roan in an effort to protect him. The kid didn't get far, because it was Evie who slammed her arm into his chest, knocking him to the floor before planting her heel right above his heart. The situation had changed, and Mal's original mercy grant had expired.
Everyone took a step back as soon as Mal hit the floor with Roan trying to wrench her arms behind her back in an effort to seize control. Jay laughed when Mal used her skills to slide out from beneath him, and decked the former leader right in the face. Roan's fist soared straight for Mal's face in return, but she was quick enough to give him a deadly smile before dodging and ducking beneath it. He then whirled back towards her, but she simply lifted her boot and rammed him in his chest, knocking the breath from him before jumping on him as he staggered back and fell as her weight slammed into him. She straddled him and pushed her knife back to its position on his throat with fury now replacing the green in her eyes. Everyone was prepared for Mal to kill him, but she was hesitating to give him a chance to admit defeat.
"Bitch," Roan spat as he brought up his arm, assumed to hit Mal back, but instead it mildly slapped her shoulder and she released him. Disappointment followed when Mal lifted herself from the dark haired boy, and then extended her hand to help him up. He grabbed it but was pulled past her, the rest of their crew forming a wall between him and her as she rounded on the kid trembling beneath Evie's boot.
"What's your name," she demanded as his blue eyes slipped from Evie's to her. "J-Jaxon..Jax," he whispered as his eyes looked past her and tried to find Roan's for help. Mal let him look, because she knew that Roan wouldn't be able to stop her if she chose to end this boy's life. A moment later, she realized that this boy's arm was fixed at an odd angle, an old break she assumed that didn't heal right. He was very small for his age, so when Evie pushed even harder into his skin, he whimpered. For Roan to challenge her like he did, this kid had to be okay; but she was still the final say.
"Go," she told him, "until I figure out what to do with you."Evie released him then, and he shot off as soon as he gathered his feet beneath him. Once he was gone, she looked back over to Roan who was holding his bloody nose and he gave her a nod. She snorted in amusement and all of the tension that was just in the room dissolved in an instant. She jerked her head for some of her crew to follow her as she shrugged her jacket back on, and only a select few followed the core four up the final flight of stairs, Roan included.
The room was slightly smaller than the one they had just come from, but it was much more open and less crowded with VK's. The daylight coming from the boarded up windows reflected around the room, and there were less signs of weapons here. "You got off easy bro," Jay said as he nudged Roan with his shoulder, and Roan smiled in return as all any ill will from the floor below was gone.
"Talk to me," Mal said as she fell onto the tattered couch pushed against the wall. "What's been going on?"
Roan fell easily next to her and she slung a leg over his as she got more comfortable, sighing at being back in the room she had spent most of her life in. "Well," he started as he pressed a cloth into his nose, earning a laugh from Evie, Carlos, and two other VK's at the nasally sound as they went through Evie's bag over on the bed, "we moved Ember and Kenzi from Anastasia's over to the Tremains." The laughter suddenly ceased, and Mal rose to meet Roan in challenge as to why he would do such a thing. "We had to," he said, averting her gaze but preparing for the violence that was sure to follow." When it didn't, he looked back at her and then continued. "Madam Mim made a power play and seized the house."
"Seized the house?" Mal asked in disbelief, but remained coiled to strike. "Why the hell would she do that?" Evie joined her at her side and reflected the same body language that Mal was showing.
"Mal," he said as he made the decision to rise and meet the two mothers. He looked to the other two VK's in the room for help, but they just looked away. "Mal, you know that woman is bat shit crazy. We made sure to fly under the radar. Besides, that happened a month ago and they are still safe."
At that news, Mal relaxed slightly but still shot daggers of anger deep into Roan's soul. "So Lady Tremaine knows about them now," she stated, still waiting for Roan to have it make sense to her.
"Yes," he said, "but it was actually her idea. She had figured out from Anastasia that she was hiding something, and invited them to stay with her. She's surprisingly on our side, Mal."
Mal still couldn't wrap her head around why the woman who had tortured Cinderella for years would do this sort of thing.
"I swear to you that I didn't make this decision lightly," he continued. We thought that since the Huns were pressing in, it wasn't a good idea to bring them back here. Anastasia swears that they are safe there."
It took a moment to battle with the idea of snapping Roans neck, but she eventually dropped her shoulders and pushed past a shocked Evie, dropping back onto the couch in defeat. "And that's why you split the safehouse up too, am I right?"
The boy seemed surprised that she already of the supply split, but when Luna winked at him from across the room, he knew who it was that had told her.
"Roan, I swear if you give me one more ounce of bad news, I'll burn this Isle to the ground."
"Well…" he began, cringing when her eyes snapped back to him in warning, "It's drop day."
Mal had to close her eyes to keep the anger from spilling out. Even Jay and Carlos moved closer to her to keep her from exploding. She had to take a deep breath and release it before she could even talk again. When she did, she finally cooled off. "Shit," she managed to say in a calmer tone, "I almost forgot. And here we were hoping that we could all relax today and grab Ember and Kenzi. Who's taking priority?" she asked Roan, unsure if they had already gotten the drop planned out. She may be back, but she trusted Roan and his judgement as well; that's why she left him in charge. Priorities on drop day were the VK's who accompanied their parents on the docks to receive Auradons shipment of supplies. The adult villains, especially the most brutal, always got to go first, prying open boxes and taking whatever caught their interest. The priority VK would later steal anything from them that they wouldn't be able to get as Secondaries. It was a dangerous job, because stealing from your parents usually brought nothing but punishment; that is unless you could do it without them noticing. Jay and Carlos were usually the masters at that.
"Well…" he trailed, eyes finding Jay and Carlos before they looked back at him, fear filling Carlos and Jay pouting, with just a tinge of uncertainty. Carlos remained afraid, but Jay threw up his hands in defeat before sauntering over and sitting on the floor before them, ready to make plans. Evie came over as well, followed by the other two VK's. Evie handed a few plastic bottles of 'the good medicine' to Mal that was in her pack, who promptly began twirling them around her hands in thought.
"We were going to send Dahlia," he nodded over to the brown haired girl sitting next to Evie, "but we've been exhausting that route, sending her every two weeks for the drops. Hans knows she's been stealing from his priority picks, so we were going to use River this time."
River wasn't in this room, because Evie looked to the door with a frown. "No," she voiced, "he's too young and when he gets tagged…"
"I'll do it," Jay said, "I've done it the most, so I'll do it again. At least until we go back to Auradon."
"Go back?" Roan asked in unison with Dahlia.
The core four froze then, forgetting that they had just gotten back. "We are still working on getting everyone over; we're only here for fall break and then we go back."
Emotions swirled all over the place but everyone eventually fell back into their plans until another wrench was thrown in there. "Luna," Carlos voiced in dismay when he picked up what the tiny tv in the corner was saying, "turn that up." The tv in the background had caught his attention. A newscast was revealing that the VK's had returned back to the Isle for fall break, and that they would be returning once Auradon Prep was open again. It also continued to place doubt in the Auradonians as it had since they first went over, by asking the public what their thoughts were on the VK's 'reconnecting with their troubled roots', and what that would mean once they came back to their precious land.
Evie sat on the armrest of the couch and leaned into Mal who grabbed her hand. "So much for staying off our parents' radar," the princess voiced with a slight tremble.
"You guys?" Jay joked, obviously trying to get the pair to smile again, "yall are sending me to Jafar's. You just better have those supplies we brought ready."
With a roll to her eyes, Mal told Jay to shut up so they could continue planning. "What about our Secondaries? Are we still electing 3?" Secondaries on drop days were the other lucky few who were allowed on the docks, apart from the adults. Obviously the whole Isle couldn't fit, so those lucky enough to show up early got to go in. The guards usually took pity on the kids. The Secondaires main job was to trail behind the Primaries that were with their parents, going through the shipment after them to grab whatever would be useful to their crew. That wasn't their only job though; they were expected to keep an eye on the other Secondaries from rival crews, 'tagging' them with hand signals if they found something of value so that their crew on the other side of the docks could send Runners after them to steal the goods.
"Yeah," Roan said as he threw his bloody nose cloth at Evie who shrank back in disgust. "Now that Mal is here to take point, I'll go instead of Red. Then I was thinking about Luna and Elliot. It hasn't been uncommon for only two from each crew to be on the docks lately, so Elliot will be the backup in that case as well as Escort for Luna." Escorts were stationed just on the edge of the docks that would team up with their Secondaries to help get them to safety after the picks, since the rest of the crew would be further up the banks around the dock to keep an eye on things.
"And you?" Mal asked, "you usually want Nova as your Escort."
"Not lately," he told her in sorrow. "She has Jasper now...we lost Scarlett."
"No!" Evie said as her hand flew to her mouth. "Who did it?"
Mal was now slowly rising from the couch once again, angry at the thought of someone killing one of her crew when she wasn't there to protect them. The bottles of medicine were shoved into her jacket now that both of her fists were clenched in disbelief.
"Mal," Dahlia said, trying to push her back down but was elbowed out of the way instead. "She got sick; no one touched her. Scarlett got some kind of virus, and we couldn't do anything to save her. The Huns still control the hospital and we did all we could to send in party after party for medicine. They don't care and are bigger than ever before. Nova stepped up, and now Jasper is her life. He's only 5 months old now but that kid I swear changed her. She's not as wild and crazy anymore," she said with a small laugh, hoping to bring a little more light back into the room.
Mal still seethed, but dropped her shoulders in grief. "I'm going to get you all out of here, I just need more time," she whispered.She then shook the tension in her shoulders and turned back towards the group. "Jay, you and Jafar will take Priority while Roan, Luna, and Elliot take Secondary." She then thought about it for a second, and then continued. "Roan and Luna take Secondary, Elliot takes escort for Luna. Roan, take Carlos as your Escort. His eyes are sharp."
"Mal," Dahlia said, "let me take point on this one. Maleficent and the Evil Queen are going to be there."
Without missing a beat, Mal shot it down. "No, although Evie is staying here with Nova and whoever else stays behind. I'm taking point, but you stay with me Dahlia and...lets try Red. She was climbing the ranks before I left and I want to see what she can do. Cover will be the usual: Rhett, Maddox, Thea, Serenity, Finn, Brooks, Ivy, and Piper."
"And territory cover for anyone who is stupid enough to enter our parts?" Dahlia asked, excited at being able to work with Mal again, especially in the upper ranks."
Instead of answering her, Mal looked at Roan and raised her eyebrow in question. She was leaving it up to him to make the decision.
"You just feel bad for almost breaking my nose," he scowled. "We've been using Leo, Mila, Aria, and Jace, but we can throw in Ava and Cole for a trial run." He then sneered at her, "I didn't want to use them without your say so."
"My say so?" she growled in warning before dropping it, not wanting to go there with him about the kid he let into their safehouse. "No one comes back here after the drop. If the Huns are getting as bold as you say, I don't want anyone accidentally leading them here. The packs will be stashed as usual, and then recovered tomorrow when we are absolutely sure no one has eyes on us."
More talk went around the room, but the crew knew better than to ask about the happenings of Auradon. If Mal thought it was necessary, she would tell them. Not too much later, Jay left to go meet with his father, and then an hour later the rest of them all moved back downstairs and mingled with the rest of the crew until it was time to go. Mal was the last to leave the room, hiding the bottles that were tucked into her jacket in the secret compartment in the wall above the bed. Only the core four knew where the stash was, along with Roan. It was to be used only in emergencies as these kinds of medicines were extremely hard to come by.
More and more Isle kids began drifting into the safehouse as the drop time neared, each one making sure that Mal saw them, and gave her a welcoming nod back. Mal made sure to go up to Nova when she arrived, touching her forehead to hers in sadness before telling her how much she respected her for taking in Jasper. Nova offered the baby to her, and Auradon would have dropped their jaws to the floor if they saw how she gladly took the child and made him giggle with tickles. After handing him back, she walked away with a slight smile on her face and a longing in her eyes.
By the time afternoon fell, a nervousness had filled the room and those chosen for the drop were beyond ready to go. When Mal gave the signal, they all moved and drifted from the safehouse one by one when the coast was clear, and when they all met back up, she took the lead confidently. The long walk took them to the edges of the Isle and into the neutral zone around the territories. It may be untouchable and unable to be claimed, but it was still open to attack should a rival gang get the itch to do so. As they walked, some of the crew dropped off and slipped into hiding around the buildings they passed when Mal would signal. These were some of the covers, ready to intercept rival gangs or run the packs to a safe place.
The rest of them continued on until they came upon the noisy docks where the shipment from Auradon was supposed to come in. Everyone remained together, waiting for the ship while all eyes raked over their surroundings, trying to pinpoint who was who and where they were stationed. They found Jay almost immediately, standing rigid by his father. Mal couldn't tell if he was injured or not, because showing weakness here of all places could get you killed; and he was great at hiding things. She sent her Secondaries in, grimacing when Elliot wasn't allowed. Uma's crew was already there, but the dark Pirate leader was nowhere to be found. She moved away from the group just a bit to keep an eye on Jay, but Dahlia stuck to her side.
The shipment docks were a good way down below them. It aligned with the ocean, with the docks between it and steep banks carved into the rocks. In its center, the docks then led into a boardwalk that cut through the rock before meeting with flat ground, making a T-shape against the ocean. The crews were stationed up on these rocks so that they could get a good vantage point down below.
After a few minutes of taking in the scenes, Mal froze when she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She knew that they didn't belong to any in her crew, but she had a gut feeling of who they did belong to. Dahlia on the other hand didn't, and jumped when Mal addressed the intruders coming up behind them.
"Hello, Uma," Mal had said simply. Lazily turning around and after pulling Dahlia back, she crossed her arms in boredom.
"Mal," the Pirate leader growled in disdain, "nice of you to join us. What, Auradon life get too 'hard' for you? Tired of hot meals, soft beds, and prissy princes and princesses?"
Mal snorted in amusement. "You know why I'm there, Uma. Don't test me."
Harry Hook then gave Mal a wicked smile and dragged his hooked hand across his chest in mockery, calling attention to the scar that stood out on her own chest from that same hook. Mal gave him a dangerous look, and she could have sworn that he stepped a little closer to Uma.
Uma dropped her mocking smile and walked up to her enemy, slipping her eyes over to Dahlia as if telling her to walk away. Getting the hint as Hook sauntered off, Mal jerked her head towards her own crewmate to leave, and Mal was left alone with Uma, staring down at the docks as the adults milled about in anticipation.
"I'm sure you've heard," Uma started as she nodded down to Shunyuan next to Shan Yu, "but the Huns are getting more bold. Their ranks have almost doubled and they are causing problems all over the Isle," she said.
Mal sighed in disdain. "I've heard. It's only a matter of time before they swallow Jungle territory into their own, and then we're screwed." Meetings like this were not uncommon before a drop. In the time before a drop, the docks became neutral to everyone on the Isle, territory here belonging to no one. The moment the drop ship departed though, it was every man for himself. "Do I hear a question behind your old news, Shrimpy?"
Mal laughed as the pirate gripped her sword hilt just a little bit tighter before throwing back her own insult that stung Mal even worse. "I should have let my crew have you that night when we found you, bleeding out in our streets after those same Huns jumped you."
Mal faltered for a moment and her mind slipped back into the darkness she was always trying to keep at bay. Just as she considered this conversation as done, the Pirate leader apologized.
"That was too far," Uma said with a sigh. "I swear I didn't mean it."
Mal looked back and saw the sincerity on her face. She bitterly rejoined her rival, but said nothing more on the matter. It was a night both of them fought so hard to forget. When the Uma continued, Mal's interest peaked. "With the Hun's getting stronger, we need to do the same… I'm proposing an alliance."