Hey Descendants!
So, apparently, Thursdays have become a D&D night for me, but I didn't forget you guys this time!
How about that last chapter, huh?
Ready for this next one?
Don't forget to check out our Cove Club on Pat reon. We have some goodies at all reward levels.
Lots of Love!
And don't forget to leave us some love in the comments/reviews.
-Dark-
He frowns as his eyes travel around the room in concern.
Carlos was taking apart the gaming console in the corner of the room, tediously laying the tiny parts out on a blanket to one side while Dude slept at his opposite knee.
Evie was embroidering fuck only knew what as her eyes glance between it and the door, with occasional pauses to pick up her compact to check her make-up.
If he didn't know them so well, he'd say nothing unusual there.
But he did know them.
And though it was hard to see, he could tell they were nervous.
The set of Carlos's shoulders as he hunched over the parts.
Nervous fidgeting.
The way his hand sought Dude's head between each removed screw.
The way Evie didn't seem to be paying attention to her thread, except to sigh and pull her work apart every few minutes.
Mal was eyeing the room slowly, just like he was. The end of her pencil absently tapping her sketchbook as her eyes narrow in concern.
When their eyes meet, he sighs.
If they have a moment. If they're not too busy.
Like they'd ever be too busy to talk to Ben.
Mal nods to him with a tight- He couldn't call it a smile. Or frown. Line?
Sure, why not, a tight line.
He nods back from where he was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.
Waiting.
Waiting for Ben to come and have a conversation with them.
Conversation.
If you're not busy, I'd like to stop by for a conversation, if you don't mind.
Mind?
No, he didn't mind talking to Ben.
So why did the word conversation feel like a brick of ice in his stomach?
Why had the text made them all nervous?
Worry?
Set him on edge.
Like they were back on the Isle and waiting to hear from one of the OVs.
Conversation.
He takes a deep breath.
David promised nothing would happen to them.
Nothing could send them back to the Isle.
Nothing-
A knock at the door startles him, but after a quick glance around he sighs.
At least he hadn't been the only one.
He pushes off the wall, making it to the door before anyone else moves.
One more deep breath.
Nothing.
David and Nani promised.
He opens the door to find Ben about to knock again.
"Sorry man." He tries to smile.
Ben tilts his head to the side before he shakes his head, "I think I'm the one who should be saying that." He steps into the room. His eyes sweep over the others as he rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry." He sighs.
Jay shrugs as he leans back against the closed door, "No big. Sup?" He catches himself before he can cross his arms over his chest and instead slips his hands into his pockets.
That seemed more casual.
Hopefully.
He takes another deep breath, one hand gripping his new phone.
Ben smiles, "I talked to my father-"
"What's wrong?" Mal asks, clearly on the defensive as she stands.
One hip jutted to the side.
Arms crossed.
Pissed.
"What'd we do now?" She asks, barely containing her groan.
His grip tightens at the scared looks Evie and Carlos give him.
If something new was being blamed on them, they would have heard about it.
Right?
He looks from the pup's sad eyes to the Tv over Evie's shoulder.
Wait… when was the last time they actually-
Ben blinks. "Uh yeah. Definitely owe you all an apology." He frowns. "None of you did anything wrong." He quickly adds. "I just have something I need to talk about, but-" He looks around. "Is this room still soundproof?"
"Yeah…" Mal frowns as she looks over Ben in concern.
Ben nods before he turns to him, "And the door's locked?"
He frowns before he releases his phone and turns the bolt on the knob, "Yeah." He pushes off the door to face Ben.
He wasn't sure if Ben meant to be so mysterious or if this was actually Isle-level paranoia important, but he was intrigued.
"Good." Ben's concerned frown quickly turns to a wide grin. "I have some news, but it can't leave this room. Except for Lonnie, Doug, and Roy. If you want to tell them. And even then, it needs to stay between the eight of us. And the conversation has to be secure. I just needed to tell you four first."
Mal's brows knit in confusion, "Kay..." She says slowly, slightly annoyed. "VK's know how to keep their mouths shut."
Evie glances up at him smugly as she stands.
Oh, he didn't even need her to say anything. She obviously approved of the way Ben was handling the situation.
Or just how much better he was handling it compared to the way he and Mal handled the T situation.
He sighs as he nods in agreement with Mal.
Still, he didn't have the heart to be upset with Evie.
Hindsight or not, he still thought it was the right thing to do.
Ben nods before his grin widens, "I just left a meeting with my father-"
He quickly coughs to cover what he could only imagine would have been a deep groan of disgust from Mal, judging from the way her lips curled at the mention of the king.
Ben chuckles as he walks over and wraps an arm around Mal, clearly amused. "-And we discussed the others. VKs, I mean."
Evie's eyes widen, "Like, discussed meaning…" she trails off as she gestures impatiently for Ben to continue.
"Meaning if I, and hopefully if you agree, the rest of you work diligently, we could have them over by this time next year."
"Them?" Carlos asks softly as he stands with Dude in his arms.
Ben turns to Carlos with a grin, "All of them."
Carlos and Evie gasp at the same time.
"What!?" Mal turns and punches Ben's shoulder, "You ass! Who buries the lead like that!"
Ben chuckles even as he rubs his shoulder, his smile sheepish.
A slew of cursing and thumps follow, but he quickly loses count.
All of them?
One year?
A smile curves his lips as he takes his first true breath.
The first since getting the text.
They could have all the kids from the Isle over here in a year.
Because of a meeting between Ben and the king?
Ben's chuckle continues as he wrangles Mal into a hug before he looks around the room at all of them with the happiest expression he'd ever seen on the prince's face.
They jump when Carlos whoops, breaking the stunned hush as he jumps up with one fist in the air while hugging a happily barking Dude closer.
Evie squeals in delight as she jumps up and down, clapping excitedly. "Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!"
Mal holds up a hand, quickly pulling them back to silence.
He chuckles at their leader's glare when Dude lets out one last yip.
"You said 'agree and work'." Mal points out, "What do you need us to do?" She asks with as much authority as one could as they look up at the person they were ordering.
"Well, I'm going to need help to combat the council on my own from now on. Information. Documents. Presentations. Graphs. Testimonials. Anything I can come up with to call meeting after meeting. Push demand after demand. Lobby for more removals. Lobby for there to be more kids per group. We need to trip them up. Make it so they can't keep up with every meeting. Separate them. Convince the ones on the fence. Anything and everything to keep them distracted and focused on me."
He furrows his brow.
He recognized that tactic.
Cause a scene on the left, attack from the right.
It was something they did to overwhelm stall owners to prove they still had game. To keep the other gangs off their turf.
So, if they were doing that, acting the aggressors, who was going in for the steal?
Mal snorts as she twists in Ben's arms before she steps back and looks up at Ben with a wicked smirk, "Please, we're VKs, we can outmaneuver some has-beens all day, every day."
"We've been pulling tricks like that since we formed." He adds with a nod.
"Yeah but, not like with people who really matter." Carlos points out, "Like has-beens or not, they still have a lot of power. I've been reading up on the structure of the Auradon government, and it really seems like those councils have most of the power."
He rolls his eyes before he leans over and ruffles Carlos's hair, "You would read up on something that boring without even being in a class for it."
"You're not wrong." Ben smiles at Carlos, "But this isn't a power play. Though, please, feel free to research as much as you need to. I'll give you the topics. This is purely a distraction."
"A distraction?" Evie perks up.
Ben turns to Evie, "Yeah," He nods, "While my father-"
"Wait-" Mal holds up her hand, "Your father actually, like approves of more- All of us coming over?" Her skeptical tone colored in disbelief.
Ben chuckles as he pulls Mal to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder again-
Bravely in his opinion.
"He's not above admitting he's been remiss," Ben continues, "and he wants to right it."
He frowns, "Huh." He shakes his head at the memory of Faustina's second letter.
People had to be able to admit they were wrong to begin with or something.
Like she knew, or at least suspected, their only real chance was for people, not just a single person, to realize they weren't evil.
And because they weren't evil, they didn't belong on an Isle created to contain the evil of the world.
Like Deez always said.
He can't help the small smile.
How well did those two get along?
And how much were the others hating that?
As much as they hated T and Deez together?
"Really?" Mal asks in confusion.
"The realist." Ben kisses the top of her head. "He actually scheduled the meeting with me. It's been weighing on him heavily. Since meeting you four in person. Learning about you. Seeing that you're all amazing. How deeply goodness runs in you guys."
Mal watches Ben skeptically.
He had to admit it was hard to wrap his head around.
Ben snorts in amusement.
Actually snorts.
"I mean it. All of it. He deeply regrets how he handled the situation."
Mal shakes her head as she plants her whole hand over Ben's mouth.
"I turned into a fucking dragon and nearly crushed him. The fucking King of fucking Auradon. In my fucking claw. After my fucking mother showed up at your fucking ceremony and told the world we were working for her."
She shakes her head as she looks around the room before she slowly takes her hand away, "And he thinks we're good?"
"But you were a good 'fucking' dragon." Ben blinks innocently, mirth lighting up his eyes.
He snorts.
Ben said fuck.
It never failed to amaze him.
Every time.
A prim, proper, and good king-in-training: swearing almost like a VK.
"I know you guys are struggling to see it, but you saved the Kingdom. Every leader was at that ceremony. Every person important to ruling. You didn't have to. You could've bent to your mother's wishes. But you didn't. You fought her. Despite being so overpowered. Despite years of being terrorized by her. Despite not knowing you'd succeed. Despite everything. You sacrificed so much." His eyes slowly look over each of them with admiration, "You were raised to overthrow our Kingdom, yet instead you chose to fight for it."
"Like I could let her take everything I cared about away again," Mal grumbles as she crosses her arms over her chest.
Ben makes an amused noise before he moves closer to her and squeezes. "You said cared."
Mal rolls her eyes, clearly missing the joke.
"No shit we care about this place." He points out as he looks around at the rest of his pack
Evie nods, "About more than just about the amazing makeup and fabulous fabric."
"More than just the tech. Oh! And candy." Carlos adds.
"And like hell were we about to let her ruin everyone's chances at actually being happy." He continues, growing more confident with each word finally being spoken out loud to more than just David, "Because yeah, that's like, what you gave us. And we want that for the others too."
"We're wicked, not assholes." Mal nods.
Evie grins as she steps forward, "So just, tell us what you need."
"And we'll get it done." Carlos smiles, sounding more decisive and more confident than he had in days.
Ben's grin returns tenfold. "I knew that's what you'd all say." He kisses Mal's head again before he steps away and opens his messenger bag. "That's what took me so long." He adds sheepishly, "Which again, sorry for making you all worried." He pulls out several packets. "Here." He passes one to Mal before he walks over to hand one to Carlos, Evie, and then him. "I um, I got very excited after the meeting. And then very inspired when I went back to my own office." He grins sheepishly before he returns to Mal's side.
He frowns at the heavy packet before he flips to the first page.
His eyes widen at the clean outline of responsibilities.
Ben made this between the meeting with his father and coming here?
He could barely manage a two hundred-word essay without needing a break.
He flips to the next page, where he finds a list of adults who would also apparently be helping, including his future ohana.
This-
This was so thought out. So organized.
So easy to read and understand.
He blinks as he looks up.
Seriously. How the fuck had Ben pulled this together in two hours.
He'd assigned all of them several things to focus on. Like-
Doug, Lonnie, and Carlos were tasked with finding laws or footnotes pertaining to adoptions, land dispute settlements, and incarceration. Their findings would go to Nani and Hiro, who were in charge of all the legal work.
Direct. Clear.
Damn.
"Wait," Carlos looks up with a furrowed brow, "What are we distracting the councils from?"
Ben smirks.
Not just smirks, that was done smugly.
"Noticing what laws my father is making amendments to. The council can't focus on everything, and as heir apparent, and the fact it was my proclamation- My father has decided that he's pulling himself out of the affair entirely. So, they have no one to worry about but me. And-" His smirk turns wicked, "My own shadow council."
He blinks when Mal suddenly turns Ben to her and stands on her toes to kiss him deeply.
She steps back after a moment without so much as a blush, "How VK of you." She nods with a smirk of her own, everything about her countenance impressed.
"Seriously, brah." He chuckles, "This is some straight-up shit we've done. Not like-" He holds the packet out, "-this level of organized, but damn."
Carlos nods as he reads over the packet in his hands, his lips moving silently as his eyes shift back and forth over each page.
Evie lowers the packet with a saucy smirk, "Who would've guessed the ruling Royal family of Auradon could be so wicked. Love it!"
"Wait." Carlos blinks as he looks up, "So, I get we're the distraction and everything, but all this-" he tilts his head to the side, "It could actually help your arguments."
Ben nods. "Absolutely."
"So, the plan hasn't really changed then?" Evie asks hopefully, but still hesitantly, clearly too afraid to ask her real question.
"Dizzy and the others you guys helped me settle on will still be coming over in the summer- If you notice the last few pages, they have their own assignments as well." Ben smiles broadly.
Evie squeals before she rushes to Ben and Mal, circling them both in her arms as she holds them tight.
"And I'll, of course, continue rallying for a larger number and a quicker process during my meetings. Hopefully, we can pull over more to help us, to give my parents more time to amend and create new laws." A broad smile pulls on his lips, "And, sorry, can't remember if I told you all or not, but my father is in the process of allocating funds and scholarships in reparations. And my mother has started working with Hiro to erect new schools for those that are behind in academics so everyone who needs to can catch up." He suddenly turns serious, "It'll never make up for what you guys have had to deal with, but it's a start."
He blinks, hardly registering all the words, "Funds and scholarships for what?" Not that that sounded the most important, but it was a start he was sure he could handle.
"The goal is to gather enough funds to make sure all of you can be comfortable until you all figure out where you find yourselves here. The scholarships are to make sure any of you who pursue it can continue your education in whatever schools you find yourselves drawn to."
Nope.
Not something he knew how to handle.
"Seriously?" Evie stares at Ben in surprise.
"Very." Ben nods with warm eyes and a soft smile.
"That's- that's a lot." Carlos frowns, "Like, that's a lot of work, and money, and..." He blinks spastically, "And just a lot."
Ben shrugs, "It's literally the least our Kingdom can do. I know it'll never make up for the past, but we're hoping to make sure you're all set up for a brighter future."
"But most of the councils don't even want us here." Evie frowns. "How are you- Well, how are your parents able to-" Her eyes narrow as she searches for the right word, "accomplish? That?"
"Currently there aren't any stipulations for it. And as for where it's coming from. The crown has plenty of funds to pull from, and there is a surprising number in my parent's circles who are privately contributing. Though-" He snorts as his eyes brighten in amusement, "Our biggest contributors you're all very familiar with."
"Hiro." Mal groans as she runs a hand down her face.
Evie and even Ben join his laughter at the sheer look of disgust on Mal's face.
"Really?" Carlos grins widely, "Hiro and Lilo are the biggest contributors?"
Ben smiles as he nods, "It was my mother's idea, but when Lilo and Hiro found out about her plans, they demanded to help. That was a family dinner I'll never forget, seeing as the two-" He chuckles, "Invited themselves."
He shakes his head as he watches the awe in Carlos's eyes turn to a look of horror.
Ben chuckles. "My mother was delighted to have them, though-" He turns to Mal. "Sorry to say you and my father share a similarish opinion on Hiro."
Mal groans as she buries her shaking head into Ben's shoulder.
"You're mother does love weird people and situations." He shrugs, trying to placate both Mal and Carlos.
"She loves mussing up my father's fur even more," Ben adds as his eyes shine.
Mal pulls back to stare up at him, pursing her lips as she glares.
But Ben just pulls her back to him in a hug.
He looks back to the packet in his hands, "You really think this will work?" He asks bluntly as he looks back up, "Like, you really think you and your parents working like this will help us get them, all of them, here faster than we thought?"
Ben looks to him before he nods, "I would not have brought it to you if I had any doubt. That would just be cruel."
"Only cruel if you said you believed in it completely and didn't." Evie points out firmly.
He nods absently as one hand presses to his hidden jacket pocket where he kept his letter from Deez and now the copies of the letters from the Isle.
They could hold out for a year.
T could hold the line against the assholes on the Isle that loved going after the defenseless, especially with Harry and the rest of the Rats watching his back.
He knew Harry would kill for T. Literally.
And god forbid someone hurt T now that Gil knew that Faustina was in there too.
Uma was a force to be reckoned with on a good day.
But with her family?
Fuck, Harry wouldn't be the only one killing.
And Deez? She was never one for burning shit, let alone people- But he had no doubt that she would burn the Isle down if it came down to it.
Down to the people she loved. The people she'd dedicated her whole life trying to save.
His eyes narrow slightly before he glances at Mal.
If T was holding the line, which he had no doubt that he would.
Was.
And the others had his back...
Didn't that make T a leader of sorts?
Oh. No-
He quickly dismisses the thought.
Some things were better not to think about with their alpha so close.
But still…
It was like a knot the size of his fist was loosening in his chest.
It wasn't fair.
Wasn't fair that they were here and the others were still there.
Wasn't fair that they had to protect people while the four of them went to school, made friends-
Got real families.
But, but a year was so much better than the nine they'd started fearing.
Nine years at least.
And no telling when T and Faustina would be satisfied that they were no longer needed on the Isle.
His eyes widen as he looks up.
T.
He looks around the room, his eyes narrowed before he sighs.
Might as well ask in front of everyone.
Evie pissed at him wasn't something he wanted a repeat of.
He absently rubs at his chest, "What about T?"
There.
If no one else seemed worried, he'd drop it.
But-
He knew, just knew that T would not give up if he believed he still had a job to do.
From the moment they first met, with T badly trailing Evie, Deez, and Dizzy, he'd known T never gave up on something he considered his responsibility.
And that stubbornness had not faded over the years.
Ben turns to study him with a concerned frown on his lips. "You're worried he won't want to join the others." He sighs as if he'd already come to the same conclusion.
Damn it.
He rubs the back of his neck, avoiding Evie's gaze as he sighs, "Well, yeah. But only because I know how serious he is about his jobs."
Mal snorts. "His 'jobs' will all be here. He can choke on his non-existent dick if-."
"Mal!" Evie snaps in an overly hushed voice.
He sighs, "But he's also paranoid, like a certain leader."
"Yeah, he and Uma are both psychos. What of it?" Mal sniffs in indignation.
"Right, Uma." Evie rolls her eyes.
"Anyway-" He quickly holds up a hand before Mal can retaliate, "I'm not sure that he would trust that all the kids are safe, and it's not like he'd listen to guards."
Ben's frown deepens as he studies him before his eyes drop to Mal and back. He sighs. "I don't want any of you ever going back there." His voice seemed to be somewhere between apprehensive and resigned. "Ever. But, what if it wasn't just guards who show up?" He takes a deep breath before he releases it.
He smiles, "David and I actually already had this talk. And he said the only reason I'd ever go back-"
"Like fuck are you going back there-"
He glares at Mal, "-was to get T, and with help from our Ohana. He recommended-" His eyes jump to Carlos and back, "well, he said the new guy coming to help out, Cobra Bubbles, would be a great choice because of all his training, and Hiro would be able to provide ya know, tech to help out."
Mal glares back, "-without one of us, aka I'm going with your stupid ass to get that fucking pain in the ass prick."
"You're dating the prince of Auradon and future king Mal. I don't have to be smarter than Chad to know that's a bad idea." He points out as he jabs a finger in her direction.
Mal crosses her arms as she sets her jaw. "I don't want you going back without one of us, and like fuck am I letting E and C go back to that fucking cess-pit."
He groans as he presses his fingers to his temples, "You don't think I feel the same way about you?"
"Oh, like I don't feel the same way about your righteous ass?" Mal scoffs.
"I'm your second," He didn't mean to raise his voice, but it was with every word, "this is my job."
Mal studies him for a long moment.
A long, silent moment.
A pin dropping would have shattered the silence like glass.
"Your ass better march straight to that shitty ass ship." She finally looks away. "That drunken asshole knows that little shit's habits, and fuck knows that fucking freak-" She takes a deep breath, "Just go to the damn fucking ship first."
"If the time-" He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, "When the time comes, we'll talk about it with the others first. You know I hate going in blind. We'll be a team. I'll just be the one to go." He nods, "And if the others are still there, yeah, that's where I'll go. No one can hunt T like me an' Harry."
"Tch," Mal scoffs before she shifts her gaze to settle on Evie and narrows her eyes.
"What?" Evie frowns, head tilting to the side.
Mal turns to Carlos, "Phones can record sounds too, right?"
Carlos furrows his brow but nods, "There are apps that can access the microphone and record audio, yeah, video too." He blinks, "Why?"
Mal's eyes turn back to him, "You won't have to hunt him down if he comes running to you."
He narrows his eyes before he tilts his head, his gaze jumping to Evie as he tries to follow Mal's-
Oh.
He grins, "Wicked."
Evie looks between them with a small confused frown.
Ben and Carlos look between them, wearing similar expressions.
"T always showed up whenever Evie or Carlos were in trouble."
"He could recognize their screams in a Howler," Mal smirks.
"And he'd come running if he was hearing them again after thinking they were safe." He crosses his arms over his chest, "Good idea Mal, I'd take his hatred to get him here."
Oh, and there would be hatred.
Anger.
Probably blood.
But fuck it, if it got-
Good enough.
"Oh." Evie blinks before she turns to Carlos, "I think I can manage-"
"Uh-uh." Carlos shakes his head, "All you, he can't hate you."
Evie studies him for a moment as she rolls her lip between her teeth. "I doubt he could hate you, but I understand." She turns back to him and nods. "You actually put a spider on me I'll hurt you. With more than just a few jabs to your fucking chest." She glares as she points her finger at him.
He chuckles. "Where would I even get a spider here?"
Not that it was a bad idea. Evie hated spiders.
And spiders were everywhere on the Isle.
At least once a week she'd try to tear out of the hideout screaming her head off unless he managed to get a hold of her and cover her mouth.
"A pet store." Ben supplies slowly with an apologetic look in Evie's direction.
"Really? People here have spiders as pets."
"That's so gross. Eww…" Evie shakes her head, "What kind of monster has a pet spider?"
Carlos looks down as he kicks at nothing.
"Don't-" Evie stiffly tilts her head to the side.
"That monstrosity-" Mal's face shifts in horror.
"Shut up!" Evie shrieks with a stomp of her foot.
Carlos taps his fingers together, "Come on, guys-"
His eyes light up with amusement, "You did say he was petting it like you do, Dude-"
"And that shit is a monster," Mal finishes mirthfully.
"What part of never again was not clear to you people?" Evie snaps as she rounds on the entire room. "Never mind, if you bring a spider near me, ever I will make you the tightest, most un you tux you've ever seen, and I will force you to wear it, sew you into it so you can never take it off, so fucking help me, Jay. And it will be made beautifully for everyone to see, but I will use the most awful, scratchy fabric I can find to make the inner lining."
"Heard." He holds up his hands.
He didn't doubt her.
But ten to one, he could talk Roy or Hiro into doing it.
Well, maybe not Hiro.
Hiro seemed to be the only person more scared of her than Mal.
Smart man.
He chuckles as he shakes his head.
Two hours ago they were pacing the room trying to figure out what they could be getting blamed for this time, what they could have done or said to make Ben need to have a conversation with them.
But now?
Now, they had a start.
No, better.
They had a mission.
He'd write hundreds of profiles about the VKs of the Isle if that's what it took to help Ben and-
Yeah, even thinking about helping the king was strange.
But, strange or not, that's where they were; helping the king and future king of Auradon outwit a group of royals working against them.
Working to change laws.
Working to bring more of their people over to Auradon
And that?
That he could put aside his dislike for the King.
And his hatred of homework.
He takes a deep breath, smiling when he realizes how much easier it was to draw in a whole breath.
The ache in his ribs didn't even seem to really bother him anymore.
It was there, just faded.
Like the knots that had been tangling in his chest.
A year.
He could see them in a year.
They could handle that.
He could handle that.
Ben has a shadow court. Ben has a shadow court. Ben has a shadow court. Hey. Hey. Hey- She sings horribly off-key in a song voice.
Amiright though?
Who else is excited as fuck?
Giggling like an idiot as they stare at their phone/pc/tablet/laptop?
I know I was giddy as fuck re-reading this chapter.
And like fuck, couldn't come at a better time.
Shitz been so heavy the last couple of weeks for them (oh and hey, you guys too… Hopefully- BUT only when it comes to this fic. I ain't wishing bad, heavy shit on you in RL. I'm seriously not that big of a psychotic twat)
Love this chap?
Hate?
Love Jay's random tangents?
Oh, happy we picked to do it from his POV?
*claps excitedly*
Get it done, son!
Fave quotes:
"You won't have to hunt him down if he comes running to you."
-Mal
"You said cared."
-Ben
Much love and appreciation Bitches,
-Twisted