...Still Makes an Ass of Me and You

Picking up where chapter 4 left off. Mal's about to learn something rather depressing about fairies she really could have lived with never knowing, but not just yet . In the meantime though, all is not well in fairy tale land...

*UL*

Mal couldn't believe it. No only had Carlos' spell worked flawlessly (after she failed so often!) it had caused Evie to run crying from the room. The purple haired girl had been torn between helping her friend and getting her answers pronto. But, old habits die hard. So in an unsurprising display of selfishness...

"Do me now." She jabbed her hand out to him. She could go after Evie later. This couldn't wait.

/That's not a good idea right now./

"Why? You just showed Evie."

/Um, Mal it's just you really ought to go after her-/ His words were halted by Maleficent's daughter swatting his hand down to once again offer her own.

"I can do that later. This'll only take a second right? Chop chop. The sooner you do the sooner I'll find her."

Carlos sighed, shrugged then took the offered appendage in one hand and a really big pin in the other. She tried not to flinch as he pricked (fucking stabbed) her finger but it hurt a lot more than she thought it would. With a none too gentle squeeze her blood dripped onto the flame, extinguishing it. Again the white haired boy blew on the wick and it reignited.

"Tell me who my father is. Now."

Across the table she could see her friend facepalm, though she couldn't understand why. The reason became pretty clear as the fire grew to monstrous proportions and enveloped her. Terrified she tried to beat it back with her powers only to have the heat intensify.

""AHHHH!" she shrieked. /Dear malice, I'm gonna die!/ The sensation of her clothing and skin burning away surpassed any pain she'd ever felt. The roar of the flame was deafening and all she could think about was how she'd messed up again.

And suddenly she was sprawled on the floor staring at the cream colored ceiling of the boys' room. Bolting upright faster than the human eye, she frantically pat herself down only to stop and stare at like an idiot. Not a mark on her. No burns, nothing. Her clothes remained intact, only the feeling of being burned alive remained tingling on her skin.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

/I tried to warn you. You can't demand anything of loa, the spirits./ Apparently he'd already cleaned up while her little episode happened. The candle now sat on a shelf free of blood and the power used in the design had returned to a pouch that seemed a bit too small to hold it all. /And they have a thing about loyalty. Well the nicer ones do./

Evie...

Shit.

The blue haired girl dashed out of the room distraught upon learning the woman she'd called mother all her 15 years might not be. Sure there were a buttload of issue between the two but still finding something like that out was major. Knowing what they did now about how Carlos was born gave rise to a whole host of scenarios for how she may not be Snow White's step sister. Making it just as possible she never should have been on the island in the first place. Never had to live in that vain woman's shadow. All that confusion swirling around in her best friend's head. And Mal just let her rush off to who knows where, alone. Wow was she a sucky friend.

And the loa the deVil child invoked punished her for it.

"I'm sorry. I gotta go." Hoping she hadn't gotten too far, Mal raced off to find the Evil Queen's not daughter.

Jay came out of the shower moments later and the two curled up on Jay's bed to watch TV, Dude nestled between them. Both wanting to helo but knowing they shouldn't. This was Mal's mess, and only she could fix it.

*UL*

Mal awoke the next morning in her bed confused as hell. Unable to remember getting into bed, she looked to the blue themed canopy in the room to see it undisturbed but a letter sitting on the quilt.

[I just need some time alone. If anyone asks, I'm just not feeling well. Be back soon, promise.

Love,

E]

She stared at the words scribbled on apple shaped and scented stationery. Mal had to have been more tired than she realized last night. E did have a history of just vanishing on the Isle, it was rather normal for her to hide away when things got a bit too heavy there. They'd all done it a few times. Being in Auradon just meant more places to hide right? Secure in the knowledge that as soon as her friend resurfaced, she could apologize, the former Princess of All Evil set about getting ready for the day. And dreading the math test she just realized she didn't study for.

*UL*

Our purple haired anti-heroine spent her free period head down at a random desk setup in the hall. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she'd tanked that test if Mrs. Murphy's disbelieving stare once she passed it in was anything to go by. Since when did math have so many letters?!

"Oh no! I'm so late!" Came a distressed cry to her left. By the time she looked up, Prince Al-Aziz had run by fast enough to cause her hair to blow to the side. Realizing her pity party had lasted her entire study hall, she got up to head to gym. Already late, why rush now? While gathering her things, she noticed a small paperback book AJ must have dropped in his hurry at her feet.

Faeries at a Glance

The odd but interesting title gave her pause. There only seemed to be about 300 or so pages. She didn't really know much about her own race beyond what mother dearest told her. Most of that she bet happened to be blatant lies. Maybe AJ won't really miss it until tomorrow. Shoving it in her knapsack she promised to return it. When she was done.

*UL*

"Man, just, try to work those out on your own. The calculator isn't doing you any favors; you get more wrong punching in numbers than scratching it out on paper." Jay sighed. He stood in AJ's door frame ready to leave their study session. The Son of Aladdin groaned as he flopped back on his bed. Placing a pillow over his face, he screamed in frustration.

"Why do I need to know how to solve stuff like this?!" he whined. "It's not like I won't be paying far more competent people to figure out how high the minarets have to be to cast a certain shadow length or the volume of an irregularly shaped ditch for a pool."

"You never know when ya gotta figure out how high you gotta jump to get away from guards or how far to swim to treasure AJ. Just don't give up. See ya at dinner."

"Yeah, yeah." came the petulant reply. As soon as the door shut, AJ stopped griping. Instead adopting a blank face and walking to the mirror on the other side of the room. "Mirror mirror on the wall, show me now my newest doll."

[Let me out of here you creep!] Evie screamed, pounding on the unrelenting surface. After storming off like she had, she ran into Al-Aziz in the courtyard last night. Yet had no idea how got trapped in a mirror (of all things!) but her money was on this jerk doing it. He smiled at her mockingly.

"Yeah, no. See, I need your...cooperation. But not necessarily your willingness to lend it, not from any of you. Not when you're all playing so very well into my hand already."

[What are you talking about?!]

"Let's see, Carlos is progressing splendidly in the voodoo arts, enough to persuade loa and show you your life is a lie. Jay is every bit as powerful as his father was at his zenith and will only grow stronger, he just doesn't know it yet thanks to the binds I put on him. Not to mention being unable to resist temptation and letting me in. And poor, poor Mal. I'm sure she'll be rather shocked to read the book I accidentally dropped for her. And the spell I put on it will insure everyone thinks you just ran away. Imagine how heartbroken she'll be to know it's all her fault."

[Why are you doing this? What did we ever do to you?! Aren't you supposed to be a good guy?!]

"Al-Aziz is. Unfortunately, he's not home right now."

Evie unconsciously stepped back in her prison as his soft maple eyes turned green and feline in dimension. The cackle he let out wasn't a male voice.

"But I'm free to play. Oh little mouse, you have no idea how proud I am of my darling son. And him cozying up to Facilier's brat will make this so much easier and fun! Almost worth the 4 years I spent in that hole, powerless and the following 16 bored to tears. He was after all a man with a plan." The tone now smooth and feminine. That grin even more predatory. "It helps to have friends on the other side. And a button nosed bargaining chip. There's a sushi bar tonight. I'd bring you something but I'm sure you're watching your figure. Ta, dear."

He/she snapped their fingers and the reflection reverted back for anyone who might happen to wander in. Evie could only watch from the now one way glass barrier as whoever was in control walked out of the room with a confident swagger and cat like grace.

*UL*

So, who saw that coming? I promise Mal's deal will be revealed very soon. Like next chapter soon.

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