Chapter Two
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to Disney or the Greek Myths.
Holy cats you guys! I can't believe that we're only one chapter in and we've already gotten 18 reviews! I am amazed, astounded, and so grateful you guys have provide support like this! Thank you so much! :D
Oh, quick question—because my brain won't shut up about fic ideas, I've been toying with an idea and would like to toss it out as a possibility: would you guys read an Encanto/Descendants crossover if I wrote it? :D
The Christian Dino: Oh I'm so glad this seems like a plausible situation for the Choosing series—and nope, it's not sad at all! :D
AmethystDragon14: Yay! Yep, it's here! I'm so glad you're excited! :D Oh yeah Hades, turn Maleficent into ash! Do it now! And yeah Steph is not messing around this time!
Katt Kiki: Yep, we're getting to Auradon quickly this time! :D
Guest: Well to be fair, a lot of things don't exactly fly with Zeus lol :D
twilightgiirl587: Well in retrospect it wasn't a whole forest, but it was when he found out that Hercules was alive and just sorta lost his temper.
Katie2001: Yeah it did, I wanted to do more but it just seemed like a perfect spot to end it there. :D
Isabelly Silva Sousa: Yeah it's like an AU for my Choosing Series—so an AU of an AU :D
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danifan3000: Thank you sos much! :D It'll be interesting to see how Auradon thinks of Mal and whether they consider her Persephone's daughter. :D
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Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Hades paused as he looked at his wife in shock. Out of all the things that he had expected Persephone to say, that was not one of them.
"I'm sorry, you mind runnin' that by me again? I must have had a chunk of brimstone wedged in my ear or something."
"Think about this logically Hades," Persephone said, shaking her head slightly at her husband's words. "If Mal has an injured ankle, how is she going to survive the Isle? We've got no medical system here and the other kids will see her as a target. Maleficent's daughter injured, the number one spot ripe for the taking."
Hades shook his head. "I understand that Steph, but think about what you're saying. Taking a kid off the Isle?"
"I'm not talking about a kid Hades. I'm talking about Mal."
"Belle and Beast won't see it like that, not with the fact that I'm not listed as Mal's father in the registry. If you get sent here permanently because you took a child from the Isle of the Lost…"
Persephone sighed and gently rested a hand on Hades' cheek. "Hades, I know the risks. But what would you rather have happen? Mal get a chance to heal without constantly having to look over her shoulder? Or not having Mal in our lives at all because she was injured on the Isle and someone tried to take advantage of that?"
"Steph…"
"Hades, if I take Mal off the Isle, I can petition for custody of her," Persephone said. "Yes, Zeus didn't help us and likely won't help me once he realizes what I've done but I can petition Belle at the very least. She's got two kids of her own after all and Crown Prince Ben is Mal's age. She'd have a friend over there who'd be an impressive alliance, one worthy of her rank as a Godling."
"And what if Beast assigns you to the Isle permanently?"
"You think Beast is dumb enough to risk the wrath of my mother?" Persephone asked. "Mother introduced the mortals to winter the first time I went to the Underworld. I don't think Beast wants to risk that happening again even if it'd be a logical choice for him."
Hades sighed. "Steph, I went through four years of not being able to see Mal. And now you expect me to just jump at the thought of you taking Mal to Auradon of all places?"
"Hades, I know it's not ideal," Persephone said. "But getting Mal to Auradon, getting her to a place with a medical system, is what's best for her. If that ankle's broken and it's not healed properly, she could be looking at a limp for the rest of her life."
"She's a Godling though."
"Even the Gods can get injuries that can last a lifetime. Just look at Hephaestus."
Hades sighed, knowing his wife had a point. But at the same time, the last thing he wanted was for Persephone to be banished permanently to the Isle.
She had a goodness about her that would easily be snuffed out by the other villains of the Isle and he knew that she'd be devastated by all those she couldn't help once the supplies she brought over ran out.
"Hades," Persephone said gently. "I know the risks. I know there's a possibility that I'll end up here on the Isle full time. Even though I know Beast isn't dumb enough to risk my mother's wrath, there's still the possibility. But I have to do this. Just think about how much easier it'd be for Mal to heal in Auradon rather than having to heal on the Isle? Having to fake not being injured around the other kids or worse Maleficent?"
"…you're right," Hades sighed. "If Mal pretends like she's not hurt, that ankle's not going to heal properly and she'll be guaranteed to have problems with it all her life depending on how badly Maleficent injured her."
"Auradon's the best place for her—."
"What?!"
Persephone and Hades turned around to see Mal in the doorway, clinging to the wall for dear life as she tried to avoid putting weight on her ankle.
"Mal!" Persephone exclaimed.
"You're not…sending me to…Boreadon," Mal said firmly, even as she gritted her teeth in pain. Just the short hop from the couch in the den to the kitchen had been torture since she had to put her foot down three times to steady herself. But they had been talking about her and even if Uma trusted them, she should get to know what it was they were talking about! "I don't…even…know you!"
"Mal, honestly! I turn around for two minutes and you're off the couch," Uma's voice came from the den as she and Harry scurried over to usher Mal back to where she could elevate her ankle.
"They were…talking about…me!"
We kept our voices to a near whisper the whole time, how did she hear us? Persephone thought to Hades.
Well she is a Godling, Hades thought back, ignoring the pain in his heart as his daughter said that she didn't know him. He figured that was the case but it still hurt to have it confirmed. Combine that with the fact that she's part Fae…
And thank you for reminding me of that fact, Hades.
I'm just saying that it makes sense why she'd be able to hear us. I bet you five drachmas that Uma probably could hear us too. Hook Jr. would likely be the only one of the three who couldn't hear us.
"Mal, honestly, I think it's a good idea," Harry said, pulling the two Gods out of their mental conversation.
"You…what?!"
"Mal, think about it," Harry said. "You can't hide in the clubhouse the whole time, there's no place for us to keep food. Plus we don't have any furniture in there."
Mal must have told them exactly what we were talking about, Persephone thought as she listened to more of the children's conversation. Clearly there are no secrets between these three.
"Harry's got a point," Uma nodded. "Plus Uncle Hades wouldn't side with Aunt Perseth…Persoph…Aunt Steph about taking you to Boreadon unless he thought you'd be in danger here. He hates weighing the souls of kids after all."
"How do you know that?" Hades asked, looking at his great-niece.
"The kid stuff or your nickname for Aunt Perseth—."
"Both," Hades said, not wanting to go through Uma trying to pronounce Persephone's name for a second time.
"Overheard you complaining to Hook one day after the Barge arrived," Uma said with a shrug. "Don't exactly blame you either, the kids didn't ask for this. As for the nickname? Overheard you using it in the kitchen just now."
You're a child too Uma, Persephone thought. You all are. This shouldn't be your life.
"You can use it too if you want to Uma," was what she said instead. "Persephone's such a stuffy name anyway. In fact you all can use it."
Uma shrugged slightly but couldn't help but smile at the thought of being able to use the nickname In a weird way, it was nice to have a connection to another family member on the Isle other than her mom and her sister Freddie.
And let's be honest, Uma didn't really have that much of a connection with her mom if it wasn't related to the Chip Shoppe.
"Think about it that way Mali," Harry said as they finally lowered Mal back onto the sofa; Harry propping up her ankle with a ratty pillow that Persephone still wasn't sure where he found it. "If you're in Boreadon, you can help make changes to the Isle. Make it so Harriet and the Runt have proper food."
"Make it so Freddie has proper food too," Uma said, her thoughts going back to her sister. "All the kids for that matter!"
"Even Freddy and Zevon?"
Persephone shook her head. Clearly it was time for her to interject into this conversation before it got off the rails. "Uma and Harry are right, Mal. Plus taking you to Auradon will allow you to heal the way you should be able to rather than having to always look around and fake not being injured."
"I can just stay in my clubhouse," Mal shrugged. "No one but Harry and Uma know where it is anyway."
"Uh huh," Persephone said. "And what happens if Maleficent starts to look for you? Or if Uma or Harry can't make it to the clubhouse one day and you have to go out looking for food on your own?"
I can always drop food off at the clubhouse, I know where it is after all from seeing it in the ember, Hades thought. Of course that's if Mal decides to stay here on the Isle. But I don't think she will—she may be four but even a four year old has some self preservation.
Mal bit her lip softly as she looked at both Harry and Uma. It wouldn't be fair to them to have to constantly be bringing her food—and Mal knew both of them had jobs. Uma had to work at her mother's Chip Shoppe and Harry was always working in Hook's Fish Shop whenever Hook needed new wares.
The last thing Mal wanted was to get Harry in trouble with his father—there had been a few incidents where Harry had shown up to the clubhouse with a red cheek or a cut lip. Normally Uma and Mal would have just assumed he ran afoul a Gaston twin or a Stabbington cousin but the way he'd try to avoid answering made it clear that it'd been Hook.
If going to Boreadon means Harry doesn't get hurt…Mal thought, increasing the pressure on her lip. Then it's worth it isn't it? Sure Boreadon doesn't care about us but I'm not going for me. I'm going for Harry. For Uma.
"…fine."
"You'll go?" Uma asked, shocked and truthfully she wasn't the only one.
Mal shrugged. "I want to be in fighting form to kick Freddy back to the shadows he was spawned from don't I?"
Persephone sighed in relief; she had legitimately thought that it would take a lot more cajoling than that. Though, she could have easily just picked Mal up and walked with her through the portal considering she was leaving the next day.
But that wasn't what Persephone wanted to happen—she wanted it to be Mal's choice.
Because so much had been taken from the kids already, she didn't want to take another thing away from Mal.
Mal sighed as she leaned back against the sofa, trying to ignore the throbbing pain from her ankle. Alright Boreadon…you'd better be worth this.