A/N: 3-4 more chapters after this. A bit of a cliffhanger at the end of this chapter, nothing that will prevent sleep though. I still love reviews, every single one makes me smile, even if I don't address them all.
The barge bumped softly against the dock, the area below appeared empty. The goblins quickly unloaded usual, to an onlooker nothing was out of the ordinary. However just behind the tree line something astounding was happening. Diego was double checking that all the kids had everything they wanted or needed for the rest of their lives. He was reminding the younger ones that this was forever, no matter what they would never see their parents again. So far they had all nodded, they were ready, no one had forgotten anything. Diego waited for the signal, all the kids were hiding in and around the trees of surrounding the wharf. Even if Maleficent herself walked to the wharf nothing was out of order.
One goblin walked to past the trees before letting out a sharp whistle. Another goblin, they assumed on the boat let out another whistle, then a moment later one more sounded. Like a flood the children scampered down from trees, around from rocks and out of divots in the earth. Just shy of two hundred children darted up the gangplank to freedom. As soon as they got on the barge they laid down flat. Anyone watching the barge from the Isle would see a patchwork of colors, just like deck of the barge usually had. Diego continued to watch from the trees, the goblin walked back down the path making a come here gesture. Diego waited for him to get to the bottom of the gang plant before yelling, "Any one else?"
Nothing answered him, so he ran from his tree to the gangplank, grinning wide as he made it to freedom.
The boat left with no issues, Diego couldn't believe their luck. The kids had just escaped, he slumped against the railing, never in his wildest dreams did he think that they'd make it off the Isle, but here they were.
On the dock of Auradon the original four Isle kids waited for the rest of the Isle kids to get there. Mal gave a sigh of relief as the barge came into view. They had made it safe, now the hard part, adjusting to non-Isle life. Ben had been going to send a cars for them to be driven to their village, Mal had laughed in his face.
"Let us walk. It will help them, I know this is fucked up to you, but please, just let us do this our way."
Ben immediately agreed, him and some others were waiting in the warehouse, on the opposite wall from the door with nothing but open space between them. Everything was as non-threatening as it could be.
As the barge approached the dock Diego called for the kids to stand up.
"First and foremost, is anyone injured beyond a scrape or bruise? Please get to the front of the group. Once they are out of the way anyone who hasn't eaten in the last day or so get behind them. Anyone with someone younger than two, behind them. The rest of you fall in, my team bring up the rear, from here it's up to you to make sure no one is left behind." He gave his orders and watched as the kids fell into groups as he asked. To his surprise the Gastons and Harriet Hook were helping get everyone in the right group. The barge bumped against the dock and Diego went to lead them down, helping a young child that appeared to have a broken leg. Mal greeted them with a backpack of supplies, "Injuries over here, Evie and Carlos have food for the starved ones. Anyone else just wait for a few minutes and we'll walk to the village.
Jay and Mal bandaged the kids up, most of them needed splints, the ones with leg injures would be carried by older kids as needed. The kids that were hungry were given a snack and drink, nothing much but enough to keep them going until they could get to the village.
"Who are the leaders right now?" Mal asked Diego, the later gave a whistle and seven older teens walked over. "This is my team, we are acting leaders just because we're older."
"Okay, two in the back, two with the hungry, two with the babies, two with the broken"
Diego quickly paired his friends off and they all took over their groups. They began the march to the village, Mal was extremely happy to see the apartment come into view. They walked through a small gate. "The whole area is behind this short fence, I know you guys can jump it easy, that was the plan. You can see the border but it's easy to cross. Inside this fence your comfort is first, no one else." They continued to the warehouse, some of the kids whispering to each other. "This is home" Mal stopped at the door. "Inside are a few people who helped bring this together. There is also a table with food, enough for all of you and there will be more at dinner time so you don't need to hoard it. There is a wall with blankets and things to make beds, please let the younger kids pick first, we will get more of anything that is needed. Older kids may go into the apartments when they're ready, if they're ever ready."
"Kids that are injured, even just scrapes and bruises, please stay to the right hand wall, Carlos is in charge of you for the moment." Jay said, watching as some of them shifted ready to go as soon as they could. Mal shoved the doors open, and the kids filed in. The broken kids went to sit along the wall, the older kids breathed a sigh of relief when they saw how open it was here. The younger kids grabbed blankets and pillows, many of them never having a chance to get anything of their own before. Kids that hadn't eaten in days gravitated to the food table.
Ben couldn't believe his eyes, they'd done it. Just under two hundred kids were inside the warehouse. Anita was playing triage for the hurt kids. Scrapes were going to Jay and Carlos to fix clean and bandage. Broken bones were going to a medic who had set up a small cubical in the far corner of the room. Little kids were laying on blankets with even smaller ones crawling around them. Their eyes were darting back and forth as if they expected their parents to appear and take them back. He wished he could take away their fear, but he knew it was useless.
Evie was sorting through the clothes, there was tons. First she did by boys and girls, then she did by size. She slowly worked through the kids, giving each one a shirt and pants, some of them changed immediately others tucked the clothes away as if unbelieving that they really could have them.
When dinner time arrived they were still trying to settle the kids, Anita had taken to the babies soothing them to sleep and giving their older siblings a break. Diego was glued to Ashlyn, the two had been fast friends. Carlos and Jay had just finished up the last of the wounds and the medic had two more casts to set before she too was done. There was a sharp knock on the door, it was amazing to watch, the older kids were instantly in front of the smaller. Everything had stopped, there was no talking, no movement nothing, just defensive stances. Ben went over to the door, the kids didn't trust him exactly, but they understood he was on their side. Behind the door was his father and Fairy Godmother who had agreed to continue using magic to help speed things along at the camp.
Ben turned and spoke to the kids, he'd noticed they responded best to Ben the teenager not Ben the soon to be king. "This is my father, King Adam, he just wants to check on how you guys settled and make sure there is nothing we need immediately. The lady is Headmistress you might have heard of her, Fairy Godmother." He heard some giggles, "She's gonna help with the food" A sweep of the room showed him the older kids had relaxed, they no longer expected an attack, but they also weren't entirely comfortable with the new comers. Jay solved that with a smirk, "they won't hurt you, thiefs honor".
"What honor?" Diego laughed, and just like that everyone relaxed. Fairy Godmother went to the table and spoke quietly to the kids near it. "I'm just going to wave my wand and bibbity boppiy boo you up some dinner. After this the table will fill on it's own at each meal." she performed her charm, then Carlos came up and asked for another favor, she nodded to the pale boy and did as he asked. Next to the main table was a smaller one that held candy and desserts, she watched some of the smaller kids dart to the candy. Carlos spoke up, "Remember the lollipops gave tummy aches if you didn't eat? That stuff is the same, you have to eat food first" the kids instantly redirected to grab real food.
King Adam spoke with everyone to find out how things were, everything was apparently, amazing.
"Hey guys!" Diego yelled. Heads whipped to him, smaller kids flinching at the noise, "Make sure you have enough to sleep on while we have people here to help us, everyone should have something to lay on, under and a spot for their head!"
"If the kids would stand, I can ensure everyone has what they need, without touching what they may have already acquired"
Everyone looked from fairy godmother to Diego, who nodded, everyone stood and she waved her wand. Those without a pillow got one, blankets went to those without and extra plush blankets went to those who hadn't grabbed anything to lay on. A large stack of extra things piled against the wall as extras. With a final wave every child was given a small stuffed animal. The original four laughed as they were included in that spell, they wanted to protest, but in truth they'd never had a stuffed animal before.
Ben watched the youngest kids hug the animals close while the other kids tried to look disinterested at the same time they held the animals in a death grip. His father came over to talk to him, "You've done well, better than I. I hope your success continues." King Adam told him. He hugged his father before he and Fairy Godmother left the kids to their own devices. Ben sought Mal out, he noticed the kids flinched when someone yelled, he wanted to avoid that. "Hey I have something more to show them, I don't want to yell though."
Mal smiled, "Noticed they hate it, hum?" Without waiting for an answer she whistled, it fluttered and sounded similar to a bird. Mal stood with her arms crossed in what Ben had decided was her 'leader' pose. Heads slowly scanned the room before landing on Mal. "All yours babe." she smirked and dropped her arms.
"I have one more thing to show you before night sets in, those interested follow us, the young and hurt please stay here, someone else will show you another time."
A small group that included the Gastons, Yzma's son, Harriet, and Smees' son gathered near Ben and the original VK's. After a moment he lead them out and around the warehouse following a string of blue lights, it was still light, but twilight was close.