Hiya Descendants!
So, not going to lie... I forgot it was Monday until my phone reminded me I have a delivery coming in today... Monday the 14th...
X.x
Whoops.
Anyway, things are starting to get better in the Dark house, Twisted house too. Which is great because Christmas is coming and dates don't care if you're sick or feeling overwhelmed.
But anyway, back to the story...
We saw the fall out of What a Rip Ohana Style amongst the Core Four, now we're jumping over to see how David handles all the new information about the VKs still on the Isle.
Lots of Love, Health, and Safety everyone!
-Dark-
Well, that had been… enlightening.
A true look into the lives these kids tried so hard to downplay, except when they had no choice but to face the ugly reality of their upbringing.
He rubs the back of his neck.
Kai.
If he felt drained after that interaction… How was Jay's pack taking it?
There had been so much information exchanged in such a short amount of time. So many nuances to pick up on.
He had wanted to call Nani so badly, but he couldn't force these kids to talk about it with them. And they had looked so-
Confused. Angry. Lost. Frustrated. Happy. Relieved. And a swell of other emotions that must've been not only exhausting but overwhelming as well.
Though despite that, Kai help him, it was still better than the alternative.
At least they'd gotten some questions answered, even if it brought more to the forefront.
If they'd been forced to talk to their- ugh. Birth parents, and he barely wanted to call them that.
He takes a deep breath.
If he were being honest with himself, he was torn.
He wanted to talk to them so badly after that exchange, but he also needed time to dive into it himself. Think about it, and unpack it.
He was so glad Jay had the foresight to text him.
Was glad that he could see for himself, albeit minutely, what the Isle was really like.
Time to figure out how to help them.
But most importantly, he walks through the door to their beach house, he was glad it hadn't been a session.
Not a real one.
If anything it had been an insightful glimpse into these children's lives.
He looks around the room, finding Hiro hunched over the computer, Lilo over her laptop, and Nani waxing one of their extra boards, before he walks over and plops on the couch with a sigh.
"Glad you made it home." Nani frowns as she looks up, "You fix the Snafu?"
"No kiddin' Ipo." He shakes his head. "An' not even a lil'." He places a hand over his eyes.
Lilo frowns as she rolls her chair over to the back of the couch, "You're taking some serious deep breaths there, nui brah."
He looks up to find her multi streaked hair falling into her face as she leans over to look at him.
Hiro hits a key before he turns in his chair to look at him, "Yeah, no kiddin' who kicked your ass?" He lifts an eyebrow.
"Seems like Auradon thought it would be a good idea to have the kids get the opportunity ta be talkin' to their parents-"
"You've gotta be shittin' me?" Hiro growls as he looks back to him with an incredulous look, "They forced Chibi-chan to talk to that bitch he's forced to call a mother?"
"Don't go lolo." Lilo takes a deep breath, "But seriously, it feels like half of this place wants to send them back because of their parents, and the other half wants to pretend that they came from loving homes. Kokami, how can they ever feel like they have even ground to stand on?"
"Ya, you ain't jokin' iki lolo." He shakes his head, he sighs, "But yeah, it wasn't their parents who showed up."
Nani's eyes widen as she sets the board aside and shifts to sit closer to him, "Can we talk about it?"
"Technically wasn't a sesh, so I think it's all smooth surfing." He nods.
"Who showed up then?"
He snorts, "Harry an' T."
"T like-" Nani bites her lip.
"Yeah, that one."
Lilo and Hiro look at each other before they both roll their chairs over to the coffee table, "Kay, get ya can't talk 'bout part of it, but better whoever the fuck those two are right?" Hiro asks as he leans his elbows against his knees carelessly.
"Oh, no doubt about that." Nani nods, "It's the difference between their Villain parents and friendly faces."
"Oh." Lilo tilts her head to the side. "Well, there's something at least."
"Hai," Hiro nods. "But-" He looks at him expectantly.
"It answered some questions. Left a fuck ton more. And left them iki brahs a bit concerned, but relieved."
Hiro snorts, "Conflictingly complex much?"
"Ya ain't wrong brah." He grins.
"How did Harry and T get the phone or computer?" Nani asks as she takes his hand and absently starts rubbing his palm.
"Apparently T-" He chuckles, "Intercepted the package by way of goblins."
"No shit." Hiro lifts his brow.
"Carlos has mentioned T a few times while we were hanging out." Lilo smiles, "The one that likes shadows and large black hoodies, right?"
He snorts, "It's all I could see of that one. Not that Harry wasn't rockin' one too." He turns to Nani with a grin, "Mal seems to think he's starting a cult."
"Mal would worry about that." Nani chuckles.
"Girl likes to be in charge." Lilo snorts, "I like her."
"You would," Hiro slings an arm around his wife and rolls her closer.
"He ain't wrong spoon voodoo-er." Nani snorts.
"I haven't done that in years." Lilo waves her sister off.
Hiro snorts, "Lil' liar."
"Art critics are hardly human," Lilo frowns as she crosses her arms over her chest, "and definitely don't count."
"Of course they don't," He shakes his head.
Lilo would think that.
"So, what were they like then?" Hiro asks. "Chibi-chan's mentioned both."
"Has he ever mentioned someone named Senior or Hades?" He slowly breathes out.
"Ya mean the 'god'?" Hiro snorts, "No."
"Well, he was there too." He leans back to rest a hand on his forehead. "Since they were in his temple."
"Huh." Nani frowns as she lets his hand fall to his side and instead pulls one of his feet into her lap.
"Right?" He grins at her as he moves to lean against the armrest with a contented sigh. "Thanks Ipo." He shakes his bread, "I've never met a full Olympian in person."
"I just make their tech." Hiro shrugs, "Heard they're as huge as they are cocky though."
"Yeah, that-" He shakes his head, "that checks."
"Prick, then huh?" Lilo snorts.
"Obnoxious. Full of himself. Definitely has narcissistic tendencies, if not a full narcissist. Broody as he was moody. Prone to entertainment that puts others in danger. Loved the sound of his own voice, and enjoys making commentary and" He narrows his eyes, "Power plays that are- He was really insecure."
He takes a few deep breaths as Nani finds a sore spot.
Hiro lifts an eyebrow, "No shit."
"Cocky, not confident and hyperly over-compensating." David nods.
"Huh." Lilo shrugs, "Guess even gods are flawed. Who knew?"
"Oh, for sure," He nods, "But for some Kai only knows reason, he was completely fine with those kids being there in his temple, and hates-" He breathes out, "Or at least is disgusted by kids being raped."
"How the hell did that topic come up?" Lilo's brow furrows in disgust.
"Ya for fuckin' real?" Hiro lifts his brows, "I mean, I guessed but-" His face twists into disgust and indignation, "The fuck brah." He takes a deep breath.
He shares a look with Nani who frowns.
"Did it come up in the video?" Nani lifts a brow.
He nods, "Right," He sighs, "He decided to share, thank Kai vaguely, T's life story and proceeded to go off on a rant about what he was plannin' to do once he was back to rulin' his domain, cause as I stated, narcissist."
Hiro's lips curls, "This place is so fucked up." He crosses his arms. "Ugh."
"God of Death huh." Lilo frowns as she looks over her shoulder to the window, beyond it to the slowly fading light kissing the waves breaking on the beach.
"Ya," He frowns. "It was lolo." He runs a hand through his hair. "Everything I've heard 'bout the olympian has painted him in a completely different light but-" He sighs.
It was complicated.
On one hand, he knew what the god had done to his daughter. The torment he'd put her through. The emotional and mental abuse. That much at least was clear from the letters. Her suicidal thoughts hadn't come from nowhere.
And he'd bet his best board that the god was a large portion of that.
On the other hand. Ugh.
Was he looking out for those kids? At least on a level?
If so why?
From everything he knew- It just didn't make sense. Unless there was a serious change in the god's morality. But what could've caused that in such a short amount of time?
It bothered the shit out of him.
But-
Still, he runs a hand over his face. It was more than what they could do from here.
That thought alone was enough to tear at his chest.
How many of those kids had been tortured like that.
"Wait, that means that the disgusting fuck who-" Hiro growls as his fists clench in his hoodie pocket. "He's gotta be dead right?"
"Aye, iki Brah." He frowns. Which brought up another slew of problems.
Did these kids have to kill often?
He never picked up on it in any of their counseling sessions but- he chews his lip.
There was still so much he didn't know.
So much Jay and his pack kept close to their chest.
He'd known that Deez had accidentally killed but- Had the other's been forced to kill in order to protect themselves and those they cared about?
His heart slams in his chest at the thought.
They definitely fought as if they could.
"That doesn't sound good." Nani breathes out calmly.
Though her grip on his arch was anything but calm.
It happened so slowly he hadn't noticed, but because he knew his wife so well he could tell they were on the same page.
She'd worked out the same conclusion.
He struggles to breathe through the painful pressure until he hears a pop.
"It's okay." He holds up his hands to ward off the apology already on Nani's lips.
Hiro lets out a huff of breath as he swivels in his chair to glare in the direction Lilo had just been looking in.
"Ya know, Ben was trying to explain how all this United Kingdoms business works, and what the hang-up is with getting more of the VKs over-"
"Old cunts and twats afraid of children is how it fucking works," Hiro growls.
"That's not a strong opinion at all." Lilo rolls her eyes as she turns to Hiro before she frowns and shrugs, "But I guess that's fair. Queen Leah was not even in the top million of the nicest people I've ever met."
Hiro lets out another huff, "Stupid old fucking bitter ass bitch can go fuck herself with that fucked up rhetoric of hers." He makes a lewd gesture. "Fuckin' kids are bein' fuckin'-"
"Hiro. No need to reform horrific images we're all already seeing to prove a point." Nani sighs.
"Right." Hiro swivels back to them with a scowl, mumbling something about treason and chibi-chan under his breath.
He shakes his head.
Hiro.
He'd gotten used to Lilo's husband's temperament and righteousness, but he'd never seen the younger man work up into a frenzy so quickly.
Not that he could blame him.
He'd never been a violent person but the temptation to knock some heads together was tempting.
"Out of session-" Nani states firmly before she continues, "Evie and Carlos have talked about Senior a couple of times, and about the deals he loves making. Could that be all this is, this protection he's giving the kids? A deal?"
"Would make more sense than anything else I've been able to come up with." He lets out a deep breath.
A deal.
"Though that leads to the question, what exactly he got out of that deal?" He runs another hand through his hair.
Nothing good, he was sure of that.
"I'd make a deal with the damn god if it meant those kids being safe from that bull shit-" Hiro grumbles before he turns back to them. "Three calls. Three calls and we could just go to war with Auradon-"
"NO!" He shouts, joined by the sisters.
"Hiro," Lilo shakes her head, "Think about the repercussions. What do you think would happen to the four?"
Hiro lifts a brow, "That the US would take them as refugees." He grumbles. "What's the point of getting this high, and not throwing the weight. It's not-"
"But think of what that could do to Carlos. How he handled that situation with Leah. He'd be beyond consolable if a war was started on their behalf." Lilo runs a hand through her hair. "I get it my Tsuki but we can't just run in headfirst. Those kids, both the ones here and on the isle- Their lives are difficult enough, don't you think, without adding a war?"
Hiro's silent for a moment before he lets out a grunt of frustration.
He lets out a sigh of relief.
He could get it. He really could.
Now that they'd become interwoven with the politics and care for these kids, they had to proceed with cautions.
"We'll just have to keep reading the laws of each kingdom and the laws of Auradon until we find something, and trust that Prince Ben and his family are doing the same."
Hiro takes a deep breath, "Fine." He grumbles. "I'm in the middle of making an algorithm for the laws. And once we get better profiles of the kids and-" He snorts, "One's for the those willing to take on the isle kids- It'll be easier to place them once we get them outta that shit hole."
"Luck with that iki brah," He presses his fingers to his temples, "at least where laws are concerned."
"Yeah I know, but even if we're able to narrow it down, it'll make it easier." Hiro pulls out his phone, "Add to that, my team of lawyers." He shrugs. "It's better than nothing. But ya ain't wrong. The laws here are a fuckin' shit show."
Lilo rolls her eyes, "Understatement-" "But, I meant they are still working to combine several different types of governments under one overseeing government, I hope no one thought that was going to be easy."
No kidding.
Twenty years of union versus thousands of years of individual laws for these kingdoms was enough to make his headache.
"We need to find Auradonians on our side." Nani sighs.
"Well, we know of at least two." Hiro smirks, "Those two chicks, Esmeralda and Megara, were pretty forthcoming with their opinions. That and the Prince and Queen Belle. King's eh. Which is bullshit."
Lilo reaches over and pulls Hiro's chair closer to hers. "We don't know much about the King because we haven't talked with him, remember how easy it is for first impressions to be bad?"
"Right," Hiro sighs before he turns back to him and Nani. "Ben's mentioned a library full of correspondence with one of the kid's over there. Anything ya'll can share 'bout that, or it counselor hush-hush?"
"Deez. And-" Nani tilts her head to the side, "well, I know Ben and Mal are getting several of them published to try and sway the public opinion, so I believe this falls under sharable."
Hiro taps his fingers against his arms as he falls silent.
"Good," Lilo nods, "I was already planning on my next few pieces surrounding the four, some actual isle PoV wouldn't be bad to help with the press."
He can't help his smile, "You talked to them first right?"
"I talked to Mal," Lilo tosses her hair over her shoulder, "Artist to artist. I'm going to get some of her art into the next magazine. Girl's amazing with spray paint and her sketches are next level."
"I know she'd like that." Nani smiles, "Especially after everything that happened at the school, give her the chance to show off her actual skills."
He turns to Nani and nods, "Ya know what happened? She seemed agitated, well more agitated than normal. I thought it had to do with T, but..."
"She talked to me in confidence, but I am aware of more." Nani nods before she switches to his other foot.
"Noted." He smiles before he turns a critical eye to the silent Hiro.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't concerned.
A quiet Hiro was a thinking Hiro. And with the topic of discussion- He was leaning towards creatively reckless.
He sighs with a shake of his head.
"Whatever you're thinkin' brah, run it before acting." He pleads. "We can't afford impulsiveness."
Hiro waves him off. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'm not gonna put Chibi-Chan and his pack at risk. Just thinkin' of ways to expedite this process."
He shares a look with Nani.
"Isn't there an inter-galactic conference you need to worry about coming up?" Nani asks.
"Yeah," Hiro sighs. "But that doesn't mean this doesn't need addressing."
Trust Nani to remember things like that.
"You're so not wrong," Lilo smiles before she rests a hand on Hiro's shoulder, "but think how excited Carlos would be to go to that with you."
Hiro immediately perks up at that. "True." He grins. "Chibi-chan would probably love that, and kid needs something to look forward to."
"Best introduce him to uncles first. Jumba, Plealey, and Gantu would be a… Gentle way to introduce him to what he'd be walkin' into brah." He adds with a frown.
Carlos was a skittish one.
And as much as the boy might lose his shit, he couldn't imagine him not being set on edge by that many aliens.
There were still plenty that did that to him.
"Hai." Hiro nods, "That's probably a good idea. I'll talk to him once the adoption is finalized."
Lilo snorts, "Don't forget Stitch."
"So take it slow." He cautions.
"Yeah," Hiro scratches the back of his head. "Fair. That's probably gonna be a lot for Chibi-chan to take in."
Nani nods before she bites her lip for a moment. She turns to him, "You called Bubbles in right?"
He blinks before he quickly brings his finger to his nose.
Nani snorts, with a roll of her eyes, "Really mature."
"Oh come on Nani," He gestures wildly with his arms, "He likes you better."
"He does." Nani nods even as she crosses her arms, "But you need to work on your professional relationship with him. He likes you well enough off hours."
He pouts as he sinks further into the couch, "He only barely tolerates me because I'm patient and good with kids."
"Tch," Hiro snorts, "Then get your shit together, man."
He turns to glare at Hiro, "Are you really one to talk?"
"Geniuses and artists do better under chaos." Lilo sticks out her tongue at him.
"I'll have you know-"
"That they're not wrong?" Nani lifts an eyebrow.
"That I am super organized now," he pouts more, "is what I was going to say."
Nani narrows her eyes at him, "You didn't."
He has the decency to blush as he looks away, "I mean, I didn't mean to. But it happened, and after he worked so hard on it I feel bad every time I even think of just tossing something in the bag now, so it's still organized."
Nani rolls her eyes, "Well," She sighs, "That's- He is going to be our nephew soon enough, and I guess I can't complain about the results still." She glares.
"He's thoroughly entertained by it," he smiles hopefully, "if that helps."
Hi again,
I know Twisted normally does this part, but she's been very busy this past week with work.
So I'll give it my Dark best...
How was David's reaction to being part of that video chat?
What did you think of his Ohana's reaction?
Did this chapter have a good amount of laughs for you?
We know it's easy to get sucked into the way the VKs look at everything and all the obstacles that they face. So for us, this chapter was important because we really wanted to remind you guys that Isle of the Lost life might be normal for those stuck under the barrier, but it's not okay with characters who are not part of the system.
Don't worry, next week we get to see Ben process the video chat with his Mom and Dad.
Let us know what you thought of the chapter, and please ask if you have questions. We love getting feedback to improve the story and our writing.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Lots of love, (again) :)
-Dark-