Plot bunnies attention! Plot bunnies attack!
I always theorized that the Cour Four never got physical abuse (Carlos a little bit, but nothing major) because the villains always were talking about making them the worst of the worst, truly evil. While, on the other hand, we actually saw Ursula nearly beating Uma after What's My Name. If Uma didn't jump, the tentacle would've slammed and tripped her, making her fall and possibly get a concussion if she hit her head. Eh, just my theory.
Gil shook as he faced his father again.
"What do you want with me?" He squeaked.
Gaston glared. "Let's just say we have a little... secret we've been hiding about you. Your mother, perhaps?"
Junior and Bronze smirked. "Oh... did little baby bro remember about her?"
Gil curled up suddenly at the mention. He didn't remember his mother except for a pretty face and blond hair that cascaded around her like a halo.
"Your mother, Gil, was someone important," Gaston said. "She has a hatred against the Beast as well, but even before that. Now, she resides here," he knelt down, "with only a withered rose."
Adam sat at his desk, the old one he used to use when he was king. It was a dark wood, with carved roses along the sides. His nails gently scraped against the top.
The poor "Gil" person. Either Gaston gave illegal birth to him, he wasn't Gaston's son in the first place, or "Gil" wasn't his real name. Adam wasn't quite sure which one was true. Maybe they all were.
He growled softly, nails digging in the wood.
"Dad?" A soft voice asked, as Ben peeked around the door. The young king smiled at his father, before shuffling in with some papers. "I think we might have an answer to the problem." He laid them down, looking at his father. "But, I was planning a trip to the Isle again, to see how the children were faring. We've already planned bringing some over by Evie's request."
Adam knew the real reason he wanted to go over, but smiled anyway. "Just... be careful, okay?"
Ben nodded. "Since we had just brought Freddie and..." he coughed, "CJ tagged along, they decided to help escort us." He smiled at his father awkwardly. "I just really hope we can find him."
"Me too."
Ben hurried out, seeing the two girls smiling easily at him. CJ scoffed after. "Gil's as real as you," she punched him playfully in the arm, "had a good fight with his brothers once. I ain't a runt, he shouldn't be either. Gaston's just a messed up guy, though I can't believe he'd do that to Gil." She crossed her arms. "Harry might kill him if he finds out, and that's not saying about Uma. Poor lass. Carryin' the weight of others on her shoulders. It ain't her fight, but she gonna fight it anyway."
"Okay, are you girls sure you're okay going back to the Isle?"
"Set the sails! Hoist the anchor! Off ta pillaging and plundering the island of lost!" CJ cried.
Freddie rolled her eyes, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You really need to stop taking control of every situation. It's annoying."
The blond winked. "That's not whatcha said couple days ago." Freddie spluttered and turned red.
Ben blinked. "Okay... anyway are you packed up?"
Freddie answered for the both of them, glaring at the daughter of Hook who was innocently staring at her nails. "Yup. We're good to go. You?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "Meet me in an hour. The limo will be waiting."
CJ groaned. "Not a car!"
It turned out CJ was quite carsick, which, to Freddie, was absolutely hilarious. "So you can never get seasick, but the second you're in a vehicle with wheels, you're as green as a frog."
Ben was glad he was in front. He was dressed in Isle clothes (Evie modified it with the others help, so he didn't look like Ben at all) and actually driving the car. Guards would only get in the way, but they implanted a tracker in Ben's jeans for safety.
CJ groaned again, leaning out the window. "This will disappear with the bridge, aye? Or is it just gonna fall into the water and..."
"Now I'm going to throw up," Freddie muttered.
"You could be helping!" CJ glared. "At least hold my hair back or hold my stomach! It eases the pain and reduces the popped veins I'm gonna have ta deal with- ugh." She covered her mouth again and turned out the window, Freddie reluctantly holding the other's stomach and gagging when she saw the vomit.
"Thanks," CJ murmured, stomach settling as she leaned against Freddie.
"You're not kissing me until you wash that mouth," Freddie warned. CJ pouted, but obeyed as the shadow girl wrapped an arm around her girlfriend.
The limo pulled up to the Isle, luckily it was at the time of night everyone was asleep. Freddie used the small abilities she could control into persuading the shadows to keep them hidden.
After parking in an abandoned warehouse, the three moved quickly along the darkness. "If Zevon's here, I swear to Davy Jones..." CJ muttered.
"Yeah, he's the one who actually taught you about partners. So scary," Freddie rolled her eyes. CJ hushed her as they walked further.
"Probably on the Lost Revenge. Harry will let me on, dunno 'bout you guys," CJ muttered.
"I highly doubt that," a voice called. The three turned around to face Uma and Harry. Harry smiled darkly. "Especially since he's not on the Lost Revenge. Hey Calista."
CJ stiffened at the use of her full name. "Where's Gil?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Uma replied, fists clenching. "Junior dragged him off, almost killed Jonas." Ben glanced between the four, as Uma looked at him. "And who are you?"
Harry's hook met his neck as wild blue eyes stared into him. "Well, put me in a boombox if I'm wrong, we're lookin' at Beast Jr. aren't we?" He snickered. "I think I'd know a pair of Boreadon eyes when I see 'em."
"Harry," Uma warned, sending him a sharp glare. "Don't damage the goods." She glared at Ben as she pulled Harry back. "Especially if they aren't broken yet."
"Um..." was all Ben could muster, looking around the Isle. "So, I guess we were here for a reason. I was going to bring Gil over and... his name wasn't in any of the records," he ended straightforwardly.
Uma snarled. "I swear I'm going to rip Gaston to shreds," she muttered darkly. Her gaze turned back to Ben. "Well, finally come to see what this garbage dump is like?"
"I already got an idea, but I didn't realize it was this bad."
The daughter of the sea witch glared at him. "Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos got the best of it, Beasty-Boy. You know how to tell? When you tapped them, didn't they flinch away?" Ben nodded, remembering those painful memories of the Cour Four avoiding his touch. "The ones who get the best only flinch. They're scared that they will get beaten. But they haven't. The others, the ones who get beaten so much, they can't tell the difference between hurtful intentions and helpful. They're so touch-starved from all the neglect and abuse if you beat them they'll enjoy it because they're getting attention."
Ben tried to wrap his head around that, if it made sense in his brain. Ohh... oh god. "I didn't know..." He watched as Harry whined suddenly, his eyes growing hollow as Uma realized it and carded her fingers through his hair. He leaned into her touch, seeming so vulnerable, so helpless in the moment. Uma's eyes snapped up to Ben's as she moved her hand to slap Harry hard. He made no move to stop her, welcoming the act of violence.
"The ones you brought over, they aren't broken like us Ben, we're broken beyond repair. Think about that next time you bring someone over." She smiled a fake smile at the three of them, clasping her hands together like the outburst never happened. "Now, you wanted to see Gil? We're looking for him too. It would be great if we split up. Divide and conquer."
"Wha- oh, yeah," Freddie stammered out, nodding as she, CJ, and the king began to move out.
Harry groaned, lowering his head. "Why do we always lose him?" Uma leaned against him, embracing his warmth. "It's just not fair."
"Life isn't fair," Uma answered. "We're broken, those Auradon people don't care about us. When their toys get rusty, they throw them out for new ones. They don't care what happens to the broken ones." She moved forward along the dark streets, Harry not far behind her.
"God help the outcasts," he murmured.
Gil flinched as Gaston tested out a whip, one of the many weapons he displayed on his wall. Even though he had shot the Beast, he also had used a bow and arrow for hunting. Now, his most favorited weapon was a crossbow, a deadly hybrid of the two.
But the whip had his name engraved on it.
"You know, it's surprising how much the human body can survive. Especially since you're not all human."
Gil whimpered as he felt Bronze punch him, making no move to stop him. In fact it felt better than the times they completely ignored it.
"Wait," Junior interrupted, "do it again." Bronze followed through, leaving a worse bruise. Gil didn't even flinch, didn't even shed a tear like he usually did. "That's what happened earlier," a sick grin formed it's way upon the eldest sibling's lips, "he's enjoying it. We've broken him."
Gil froze at the words, burying his hands in his face, starting to sob. He's enjoying being abused. He's sick, it's disgusting! What's... what's happening to him?
He didn't understand. He was so confused, and scared, and...
"Gaston!" Came a cry, and it wasn't one that Gil could recognize. It wasn't anyone he knew, not Uma, Harry, or any of the crew.
The youngest Gaston child turned his head, and was met with a pair of gold eyes and matching hair, so bright it seemed like magic flowed around her. She smiled at him gently, before the gold turned dark, swirling dangerously as she glared at Gaston. "Let him go, now! How dare you hurt him like that!"
"You want your child back? Our child, Circe?" He smirked.
Circe snarled. "You're disgusting, give me Gil and I won't hurt your precious twins." The two in question seemed to step back as Circe took a dagger out of her pocket.
Gaston raised an eyebrow. "Threatening me now? How traumatizing."
"Such a big word for your tiny brain," Circe replied, as she hit Junior upside the head, who was currently trying to sneak up on her. She reached down towards Gil, blocking Bronze's attack. The blond boy looked up to her like she was an angel. Circe smiled and helped him up. Gaston grumbled, grabbing a pre-loaded gun and shot it.
Gil shrieked, trying to cover anything vital. This is it, I'm gonna die, he thought.
Time seemed to slow, and suddenly, he saw the bullet about to hit him between Circe's fingers, he was pressed close against her. "I've told you not to mess with me, Gaston. Even Maleficent is afraid of me," she sighed boredly, dropping the little round object. Gil gaped, before Circe whisked him out of the house.
There was a mug of warm milk in his hand, not spoiled, and a blanket around his shoulders. Circe heated up the fireplace, smiling lightly at him.
He stared at the milk, raising an eyebrow. "This won't turn me into a pig or something, right?"
Circe sat down across from him, smiling. "Of course not, sweetie," Gil flinched at the word, "just relax. Those idiots aren't going to get to you anymore." She reached over and pulled out his ponytail gently, running through his soiled blond hair.
Gil leaned into her touch absentmindedly, taking a sip from the warm mug. "So, you're Circe?"
The lady smiled. "I go by many names. Many people rather know me as Agathe." She gripped his hand comfortingly. "I'm so sorry, Gil. I wish I found you sooner, but King Adam banished me to the far side of the Isle, with a barrier around my home. I could only just break it, and- oh... I'm so sorry."
Gil's eyes were glazed as he looked down. "Maman?" He asked quietly.
Circe nodded. "Yes," she hugged him tight, "Gaston still is your father, and I apologize. He um, took me by surprise," she tried to say it in the most friendly way possible, "listen, Gil, I wish I would've gotten to you sooner."
"Wait..." he muttered. "Agathe?" The name stuck out, where had he heard it before? Hold on...
Gil jolted back. "You're the Enchantress."
Hehehe... yup, the Enchantress's real name is Circe. Look it up. Cliffhanger. Haha!
~Evil
