Hello my lovelies. Sorry I've been gone for so long. To make it up to you I decided to come back with a bang. I have completely revamped this fic (mostly because I lost track of time within the original.) I have taken more care in paying attention to the timeline this time. I will be making Thursday my update day and I promise I will update regularly. I hope you enjoy and please remember to review.
"Gah! Why do I have to keep correcting you!? Straighten your back unless you want to make it easy for your opponent to break it." Gaston chides in a harsh tone, only pausing his criticism to occasionally push ever graying strands of hair out of his face. Gale keeps her face passive as she does as she is told. This pattern continues for hours with Gaston ordering her to hit the punching bag a certain way and chiding her when she does so. She never lets it show how much it hurts her that she can never please him.
As the sun starts to rise Gaston leaves his daughter to go get a drink. Giving her a chance to unrestrictedly vent her frustrations into the punching bag. After a while she changes out of her training top and into a less revealing hoody. She fixes the braid her crimson hair is in before moving to the window. This place is suffocating, and the punching bag offers no challenge. Maybe I should go find Jay and his merry band of misfits. I could use a decent sparring partner… no… I don't need a sparring partner I just need someone to beat the crap out of.
She quietly slides her window open and climbs out jogging to town. Once she has made her way into town she begins the search for her target. Target… That's exactly what he is to me. Nothing more. I don't need friends. Friends are a sign of weakness. This has become somewhat routine for her. Train, disappointment, fight, repeat. Each day she tried to impress her father and each day she failed. Maybe it would be different if mom was still alive. If she stayed would he appreciate me? Ugg who am I kidding? She would probably be the same way towards me.
It doesn't take her long to spot Jay hanging out with Mal, Evie, and Carlos. She hesitates for a moment seeing how happy they are and for just a moment she feels a pang of jealousy. Friends are a weakness. Fun is a weakness. I can not be weak. I will not be weak. It is odd to see them all out and about so early though. After this thought she wins the fight she was having with herself and quits hesitating.
Jay notices her approaching and much to her dismay (though she refuses to show it) his face contorts into a scowl. She flashes him a devilish smirk as she stops a few feet away from Jay trying to bask in the trace amounts of fear in their eyes. Why do I always feel a little sick when they look at me like that? Villains like it when people fear them. I need to enjoy this.
"Oh come on now. Is that how you greet a friend?" Gale says mock pouting.
"You are not our friend. You just like picking fights." Mal says, her tone sharp with annoyance.
"Guys lets just go." Carlos says trying to diffuse the situation.
"Your right. True villains don't need friends. Who wants to go first today?" Gale says in a vicious tone expertly masking her sorrow. Pain is weakness. Jay steps in front of his friends ready to defend them as best he can.
"Either you leave or I'll make you." Jay growls out. Why does she always do this? What is wrong with her?
"Jay. Are you always such a martyr? I wonder how Jafar would react to seeing you throw yourself in danger for someone else." Gale taunts, earning a punch to her left shoulder by an infuriated Jay. She smirks seeing the brief red shimmer in his eyes. Gale throws two quick punches the first, as was anticipated, misses but the second hits its mark hitting him square in the gut. Jay's hand flies fast grabbing her wrist with one hand and using the other to get in two more good hits. Gale kicks him in the side forcing him to release her hand, however before they can continue their little fight they notice they are not alone.
"Hi mom," Mal says in a tone that could have been perceived as either mocking or timid.
"Oh lucky me I didn't have to go all the way to that shack in the woods to make sure I had all of you. You five are coming with me. We have business to discuss." Maleficent says in a sing-song tune.
The teens all react similarly trying to run as fast as they could away from Maleficent though none of them successfully got away.
"I have no business with you." Gale says turning to leave after glaring at Maleficent thoroughly enraged and debating breaking the one rule the isle actually had; Never attack one of the main four.
Even though they were not the strongest or the most wicked on the island they had something far more important; backup. Jafar, Cruella, Madame Grimhilde (more commonly known as the evil queen), and Maleficent all fight in the defense of their shared power even if they continually try to plot and scheme ways to overthrow the other three.
Maleficent's minions surround the group and before she said the one sentence that scared Gale more than anyone would ever know.
"Your father won't be happy if he has to retrieve you himself you know. Now let's go."
Maleficent's goons drag the five teens to the mansion shared by the main four up the stairs into the living room before silently taking their leave. Gale looks around the room seeing the organized disaster encompassing the space. Each of the four seemingly claimed a different part of the room with Maleficent having claimed a raised portion of the room on which her throne-like chair sits. Of course she sits there. She thinks she is the most evil of them all. What does dad have to do with all this? Will she let it slip that I wasn't home?
"That was a quick trip." Gaston says, a whiskey bottle in hand. At his voice Gale stands straight with her hands behind her back.
"The kids were all playing by the factory." Maleficent says cheerily.
"I see." He replies angrily. Gale's heart thrums in her chest at an alarming speed. I got caught… Crap… This will end badly.
"Mother why did you bring her home with us?" Mal says irritatedly.
"You five have been given a chance to go to school in Auridon. Normally I wouldn't let you go but well this could be a wonderful opportunity for you to grab the fairy godmother's wand and bring it here. With the wand and my staff I will be able to bend the forces of good and evil to my will!"
"Our will!" The four other villains shout in unison.
"Our will. Our will. Whatever. Now what do you say?" Maleficent says mostly looking at Mal with minimal eye contact with the other teens.
"Do you wish for me to go father?" Gale said almost robotically. Maybe if I obey him my punishment will be lessened? Probably not...
"Obviously you worm." He responds with a tone of disgust that made the other teens cringe.
"As you wish father." Gale responds obediently. Her behavior earns confused looks from the other teens.
"What about the rest of you children?" Maleficent asks
"We'll go mom." Mal says, looking to her friends.
"Then go get packed. You all leave tomorrow morning." Maleficent says cheerily.
"You to Gale. Get to it. I want you packed by noon."
"Yes sir." Gale turns on her heel and runs out of the house to her own home weary of the prospect of leaving. Father won't be happy I get to leave before he does…
Jay watches Gale leave, bewildered at her utter obedience. Our parents wish we were like that I'm sure. They would love that kind of power over us. I won't let that happen. We're our own people and we'll be more evil than our parents. Jay continues to pay full attention to his thoughts as his father calls him and he stays that way emptying his pockets. He pulls out an old silver lamp and his father's eyes light up hoping for there to be a genie inside and rubbing it insanely.
"Dad I already tried it." Jay says slightly embarrassed that his dad was behaving in such a way. Jafar glares at his son as if he just committed sacrilege by bringing him a lamp without a genie. Genie that word causes something to move within the teen, perhaps untapped potential or maybe a programmed hatred either way Jay didn't like it. Jafar dismisses his son to get packed for the trip a short while later and being that Jay doesn't own much he finds himself wandering the island for one last time before he leaves. It's still early. I have time to get back before nightfall. Why the hell was she acting like that?
As he approaches the cabin he ducks behind a tree just in time to make sure that Gaston doesn't see him. After the older man passes Jay's hiding spot he walks up to the cabin doors. He walks in quietly and is surprised to see the main room only populated by beer cans and clear glass bottles. The space has a vacant feel to it as it only contains a chair and a small table. Most remarkable about the space is that the chair and table are both made of some sort of antlers. Guess Gaston wasn't joking. Jay looks around seeing a small kitchen to the left of the front door. Dark granite countertops? They fit in with the dark oak flooring but how the hell did he get a hold of them? Finding himself curious if there was anything to steal he cautiously opens the black fridge only to be disappointed. Just booze? Damn I was hoping for something better. Upon further inspection Jay discovers that the only cabinets with any food have glass doors and are locked with several small locks each. Why are there so many locks on the cabinets? That's not normal.
Jay hears thudding down the hall so he decides to check it out. Making sure not to make any sound as he walks nearer. When he gets closer he freezes for a second because he could swear he hears crying. He approaches the last door in the hallway and quietly pushes it open a little more so he could see the room beyond. The first thing that catches his attention is the utter lack of furniture in the room. There is no bed or decorations simply a dresser nestled in the closet, and a tattered punching bag. After taking in the room he sees the state the girl he's come to view as a rival is in. She's wearing a halter top instead of her signature grey hoodie, and while normally that on its own would be surprising the fresh bruises painted across her normally pale skin caught him completely off guard. He looks closer and sees that among the bruises were many thin scars along her spine. Who did that to her? What's with the scars? They kinda look like runes but I'm not sure. Gale hits the punching bag one final time before collapsing to her knees. Is she okay? Should I say something? No why would I do that? She isn't my friend. I shouldn't care. I'll just leave her to it and go back to the others. With that he leaves the cabin.
Gale holds herself as her body is wracked with quiet sobs. What is wrong with me? Why does my own father hate me? My only chance to get my father to finally approve of me is getting that wand. What if they send me back? She stands back up, wipes her eyes and returns to training in hopes the exhaustion will give her a dreamless night.