Fate is a dominating downfall of an ending we can't personally create. We can try to craft destinies as best we can but the inevitable always finds you. Consuming all that you've come to know and lead you to all that you've tried to avoid. King Beast told Ben his whole life that fate is not something that can be controlled. That one must live out their story and happiness would always come to them. Fate gave heroes the one ending, they always deserved. A happy one.
Villains were always destined to fail and never achieve any amount of happiness. For the happiness they sought was corrupt and depended on the pain of others. But Belle had shown King Beast that everyone was worth redemption. That good was in all. For if she hadn't looked past the first impression of him then the King would still be a beast. It was fated for them to fall in love. There was no other outcome, no world where his father didn't learn to love or his mother's father wasn't spared by the beast.
His parent's story had set the path to the villains revivals and to their son's own love. Their story had also swayed the other kingdoms into becoming one. For who could have a better love story than a girl who loved a beast?
To Ben, it was the story that would forever define his life. Not only did it bring him into existence it also etched his romance with Mal. But the ever-positive Ben's heroic image of his father was slowly dissolving. His short stay on the Isle had confirmed the fears he always had.
That his parent's kindness was also viciously cruel. Children on the streets starving and the ones that made it past a certain age only knew the taste of rotten food. They suffered at the hands of their parents and even worse at the hands of his own parents. Their laws and decrees had done this.
They thought they were doing a kindness in sending unwanted food to the Isle. It seemed to Ben it wasn't kindness at all but hope the villains would suffer. Ben told no one but after they came back from the Isle he had locked himself in his office. There his royal portrait seeming to taunt him. What kind of King will you be? It would ask menacingly. He imagined the painting transforming and the dark part of himself finally being revealed. The beast.
He tried his best to conceal the monster that laid dormant inside him. The roars were getting more frequent and his thoughts were getting more frazzled. He tried to smile it away and keep a positive outlook on everything. But the truth had looked him in the eyes. The starving abused children, the wretched smells, and the blatant corruption were things he couldn't deny.
How could he fix it? He didn't have the answers to that but Uma did. The natural born leader had turned a place without dreams into a flux of belief. She told them they wouldn't be forgotten. Kept all their names stored in her mind and gave them hope.
A hope that Ben himself dreams to inspire in others. With her help in finding the best methods for saving the other kids there, a new Auradon would come to light. One that got rid of its elitism and showed everyone happiness is possible for all. But would he actually be able to save her?
Ben wasn't sure how long he, Evie, and Mal had been trying to figure out ways to break Uma free. It felt like months but he knew it was only about twenty minutes. Their desperation for progress hung in the room threatening to choke them all. They would have to visit Uma soon and with no plan to free her they would really have to say goodbye.
Mal throws out another idea praying this would be the one to save Uma.
"What if we get Carlos to hack into their palace computer and find out the floor plans?" Mal suggests pulling out her phone ready to text Carlos the idea.
Carlos knew all things tech there was no way he wouldn't get in. In fact, Mal felt a little upset with the fact she didn't consider this earlier.
"There isn't any technology down there, Mal." Evie soothingly reminds her purple-haired best friend she frequently sang love ballads to. "Everything is completely magic based."
Evie sighed thinking of the magic mirror she had given Fairy Godmother weeks prior. If she had it now they could look on Uma and find out exactly where she was. But Evie had given up on magic and the mirror had a grip on her that was hard to get out of. Could she really think like this now? Uma's life was on the line...she should at least consider it.
As Evie debates within herself, Mal closes her eyes and feels her nails dig into Evie's comforter. This was a snag in all their plans. Every plan or even the briefest suggestion was thwarted by the unknowingness of the sea.
Evie sensing Mal's frustration puts her thoughts on the back burner and tries to comfort Mal by reassuringly patting her shoulder. Mal, however, shrugs Evie's hand away and Evie quietly gasps shocked by the rejection.
Mal opens her eyes and faces Ben whose sitting in Evie's desk chair. "If everything is completely magic based, how did you video call King Triton?" She questions Ben who looks gutted with guilt.
"Magic." He answers like a lover that had been caught cheating. And he had in a way.
That's why he looked so guilty. Mal was magic free for days now after giving up her spell book to Fairy Godmother. She had renounced her use of it and committed herself to a magic-free life with Ben. And yet Ben had used magic to talk to King Triton.
Mal knew it was essential to communicate with the King and tried to write it off. Yet, there was a slight part of her that couldn't help but feel a little betrayed. Especially, with how Ben had given her magic is never an option talk for months now.
"King Triton's a god, so magic is kind of the only way he goes," Ben explained sadly wondering what Mal was thinking. He knew that his views of magic had pushed her back to the Isle once before. He didn't want that to happen again.
"No, it's fine. I get it." Mal gives Ben a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.
Evie who was silently observing the exchange decides to clear her throat and pitch her earlier idea. "Speaking of magic..."
"Evie, no." Mal cautions, "We can't go with that option. Right, Ben?"
Ben says nothing as Evie continues,"Mal, I know your fears but you won't have to use magic. I can."
"Evie..." Mal trails off, "Magic can change you."
Mal knew magic had mucked up her mind and distorted a part of herself so many times. Weeks ago, she almost kept her mother's dragon egg because of the safeness of its warmth. Just days ago she had gone back down the path of evil for a sense of familiarity. Magic wasn't something that could be played with. Especially, when you're just itching to use it.
No! Mal had thought the dark part of her was gone but even now magic called to her. She looks nervously at Evie praying that her friend would change her mind.
"Mal, I've been tempted by magic before. I can handle this."
"Ben," Mal calls wondering her boyfriends standpoint on this. His quietness was filling her with unease.
"What's your idea, Evie?"
"Well," Evie starts surprised Ben is actually considering her magic based suggestion. "My mirror can tell us specifically where Uma is. So, I can use it to lead us to her cell when we're in Atlantica."
"Great idea, Evie. I'll go tell Fairy Godmother we need it."
"What?!" Mal yells a little perplexed. What happened to the Ben that would never consider using magic as an option?
"We have no choice." Ben reasons.
"There's always a choice you taught me that," Mal says trying to wrack her mind for a non-magic possibility.
"I'm sorry, Mal," Ben says getting up from the chair he sat on to find Fairy Godmother.
A thought comes to Mal's mind, and she bolts from her seat on Evie's bed to grab Ben's sleeve. "Melody." Mal sputters out.
"Melody," Evie repeats, surprised the idea wasn't the first one she thought of. "That's it, that's the answer to all of this!"
Ben's expression fell like a small teacup pushed off a table. He nervously grabs Mal's hand, and she feels fearful of the words he was going to say.
Evie who had taken out her phone ready to text her friend Arabella stops to watch Ben.
"She's his granddaughter he'd have to listen to her. If not we can use her to distract him!" Mal enthuses happy to have a plan that surely wouldn't fail. A doubt appears unwelcomed in her mind as all doubts do. What if she refuses to do it because it's Uma? Mal thinks remembering Audrey's initial reaction to her.
Granted, she did end up stealing Audrey's boyfriend and throwing her whole potential as future queen out the window. But they were friends now, close friends. Though Mal, would never say it out loud she truly valued the friendship she had with Audrey. She wouldn't have gotten through half her lady of the court training if it wasn't for the princess.
"Mal, I don't know if you know this but Ursula has a sister," Ben informs and Mal nods acknowledging she was aware of that fact.
No one knew much about Ursula's sister. Only that Ursula didn't want anyone to know she had a sister.
"Morgana, I used to see Uma play with her cousins, sometimes."
"Well, before she was on the Isle she almost killed Melody."
"They were almost too late. They got there in the nick of time but the damage had been done." Ben chose his words carefully reluctant to reveal what had really transpired.
"What damage?" She questions afraid, realizing that she had never actually seen Princess Melody. Ariel usually sent her niece Arabella for special occasions.
"Like her grandfather, her heart was tainted by hatred."
"What are you trying to say, Ben?"
"As you know a lot of people were unhappy with your parent's returns."
Evie and Mal looked at each other thinking of the damage their mother's had done. Mal's mother destroyed a whole family while Evie's mother destroyed her own. Neither replied as their parent's revivals were bittersweet to them both. They understood why everyone felt the way they did but could they forfeit their own lives? Lives they truly started living here in Auradon.
"Our parents did ruin a lot of lives." Evie pondered full of sorrow for the people her mother hurt including her boyfriend's father. Her mind blocking out the many insecurities the evil queen had projected onto her.
"And ours," Mal says thinking of her mother's controlling perfectionist nature that still causes her to doubt herself.
"Yeah, that too." Evie agrees her voice breaking a little as she sits back down on her bed.
Evie's mother had spoiled her, and given her all the twisted love she could muster. Her mother was shallow and cruel, but she seemed to always have a soft spot for her. Evie was happy with her new-found freedom to live an independent life where she didn't have to rely on marrying a prince. But still, it hurt to know that her mother was so hated when she still loved her so.
"It's kind of weird, sometimes, because she's still my mom and I love her." Evie shares sadly.
"Yeah, I mean my mom's a lizard right now but..."Mal stops surprised at how much she found herself missing her mother, "I don't know how to feel, Evie. Our parents were awful to us."
"I know, it's just hard, sometimes," Evie replies sadly as tears brim on her eye, "I shouldn't miss her, I know."
"Hey, it's okay." Mal slips her hand away from Ben's and goes to sit on Evie's bed where she gives her a comforting hug,"I'm here for you, always. I'm your girl, Evie."
"You're allowed to miss her, Evie. She's your mother and it's normal for you to care for her." Ben comforts.
"I know. I just feel bad because of the people she hurt."
"You shouldn't."
Evie gives Ben a thankful smile and places her hand on top of Mal's. "Thank you, to both of you."
"You're welcome, Evie." Mal and Ben say in unison.
"I'm sorry for cutting you off, Ben. Please, continue what you were saying."
"Oh, it's an unnecessary tidbit." He deflects, "Maybe, we should give the Melody plan a try."
Mal and Evie both decide to not divulge further in what Ben didn't want to speak of. "I think we should, it wouldn't hurt to try, at least," Mal responds.
"We can try video calling her. I can get her number from Arabella." Evie says and Mal finds herself feeling at ease. Everything was coming together and there was nothing that could fault this plan.
"Alright, while you do that I'm going to call Fairy Godmother and get her to release your mirror."
"We're still doing that?" Mal asked frowning.
"Mal, we need to see if Uma's okay at least." Evie points out.
Mal nodded, "You're right. If you feel any temptation from the magic, Evie I'm here."
"I know."
Evie pulled her phone out and started texting Arabella while Ben called Fairy Godmother. Mal listened to Ben's conversation feeling herself whirling with every word. Magic. Her mind repeated over and over again.
She felt her body getting hot, and she knew her eyes were glowing green. MAGIC! Her mind screamed, and she wished she could numb her thoughts. Mal looked around and found herself relieved to find Evie focused on her phone screen and Ben's ear glued to his.
One spell. She just needed to do one spell. That would get the lust for magic out of her system once and for all. Mal gets up walking quickly out of the room praying Evie and Ben don't notice.
She runs to the school courtyard and smiles as she feels a breeze pull her hair back. Suddenly, she doesn't need to do a spell. The temptation falls off her, and she just wants to fly. Her eyes still glowed green as smoke begins to cloud around her.
Her wings flap slowly at first but then the speed picks up, and she's brought higher and higher till finally, she reaches her destination the sky. Here she could pretend that everything was fine. That Uma made it back to the Isle of The Lost and never encountered King Triton.
In the sky, Mal imagines another life, one where she and the other villain kids weren't bound by their parent's crimes. She gets lost in the fantasy but it crumbles as soon as she hears her name.
She looked down and saw two specks of people. She flapped her wings downward and recognize the specks as Evie and Ben. She landed and gave her them both an ashamed smile. As she walked with them back to the dorms in uncomfortable silence she couldn't help but wish the reality she dreamed of was real.
A.N. Happy New Year! Thank you, everyone, for all the reviews. I love them so much especially, the Mal and Evie fic idea. It's my dream to write that. I was also so inspired by the Killian and Harry comments I wrote a fic about them meeting. Not romantic though because Killian would so consider Harry his son even if he's from an AU.
Auradon will be the main setting for the next few chapters of this fic. I like to thank Sexly sango for suggesting I bring Melody in. If you guys read Runaway Melody is going to be very different from that story. The drama I promise is going to come full swing in the upcoming chapters. So, I tried to give Mal some happiness before I go full angsty flashbacks on her.
My next update will be Reverse which is centered on Evie. I am also working on a Shadows update so my other fics won't be updated until that's done. Anyway, thank you guys for reading! Hope you guys have a great day! Cheers to 2018!