Chapter Twenty Seven

A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths!

Woo-hoo! Another chapter done! Honestly it's kinda hard to believe how quickly this is going! :D Also kinda hard to believe we're about 18 reviews away from 300! *blows horn in celebration*!

Blue Wolf blade 16: Yeah the VKs might not 'do' cute but that doesn't mean they're not cute lol!

AmethystDragon14: Yay! Yeah it doesn't seem like anyone's complaining :D And it was nice to write Henry, Derek, and Ryan!

danifan3000: Honestly it might be hard to say just how loyal Hook's crew is to him!

LotusQuil: I think the Muse always has the right of it, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time lol! Agreed, protect the smol boy at all times!

OceanBlueSeaEyess: Henrietia's a character I made up, just basically because I don't think there're enough Disney villains to completely populate the Isle you know?

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D

Time passed and soon the Isle was once again abuzz. However, this time, the buzz wasn't from the gossip of Persephone adopting Mal but from the birthday of the daughter of the Evil Queen.

Invitations had made their way out through the vultures, but some lucky VKs had theirs hand delivered by the Princess. Rumor had it she had been trying to build her own gang, the same way Mal, Uma, and Harry had their gang. She had already brought in Quinn, Queen of Hearts' daughter, and Ginny Gothel.

Mal honestly believed they'd last a week before disbanding. They called themselves the Royals after all, any gang that prissy would be eaten alive.

Of course, Evie had continued to exhibit her lack of brains (at least according to Mal) when she decided to hand deliver Ben's invitation right in front of Mal.

Though, if Mal was honest, she hadn't expected the response that came from the Prince.

"Ben!"

"Oh, hi Evie," Ben said with a smile as Evie came walking up to them. Strictly speaking, running was reserved fo getting help if someone was hurt or if you were trying to get away from someone you stole from. Jay, Jafar's son, was often an example of the latter.

But Evie always managed to take it to the next level. Something that seemed to always irritate Mal but Ben never understood why. Most of the royals across the bridge tried to take what Chip called 'dainty' steps—the older boy insisted the shoes some of the older girls wore made it hurt to walk hence the dainty steps.

"Blueberry," Mal scoffed in greeting.

"Mal," Evie nodded her head before turning back to Ben and handing him an envelope. "I hope you're able to make it to my party Ben, almost all the Isle's been invited. Of course we haven't invited Freddy Frollo—."

"Why not?" Ben asked.

"He's the spawn of Satan, do we have to go over your flash cards again?" Mal asked, looking over at the confused royal.

"Oh! Right!" Ben nodded as the knowledge came back to him. It made more sense now why Evie wouldn't want Freddy at her party.

"Well…I hope you're able to make it," Evie repeated. "It's in April so you should still be on the Isle then according to mother."

"…Where's Mal's invite?" Ben asked.

"Oh…well you know, there's a lot of people—."

"You said, almost all the Isle's invited except for Freddy," Ben said. "Mal's not mean like Freddy so shouldn't she get an invite too?"

"Like I'd want to go to Blueberry's party anyway," Mal scoffed but Ben could hear a bit of hurt in Mal's voice. He knew what it was like to be excluded and some of the other Isle kids seemed to be giving her a berth as the news had gotten out that she was no longer legally Maleficent's kid.

She'd lost her power as heir apparent to the Isle because of the adoption. Not that Mal cared about that, but having the ability to protect Uma and Harry was all that mattered to her. Oh and protecting Ben of course.

Ben had actually earned some points in Uma's book by going up to her after they found out that the news had spread throughout the Isle. Apparently Ben wanted to repay everything Mal had done for him by making sure nothing happened to her because of the change. Sure she had only gone from Maleficent's kid to Hades' kid but Ben was no idiot even if he knew most of the Isle kids thought he was.

It was one thing to be the daughter of a God. It was another thing entirely to be the daughter of the Dragon who ran the Isle. And so Ben, despite his slight worry that Uma would just laugh in his face, went to the teal haired girl to set up some protection for Mal.

And set it up they did. They entered into a tentative alliance with Henry Kersey of all people, along with some of the other Warf Rats that lingered around The Jolly Rodger. Harry had entered into that alliance as his father was the Rats' fathers' captain. Meanwhile Uma went ahead and got them a tentative alliance with the hyenas. Ben had stayed far away from that, per Uma's orders. After all, the lowest ranked female hyena was still higher than the highest ranked male so they probably wouldn't be happy to see him.

If Abby was older and on the Isle, that would be a different story.

Ben shook his head to bring himself back to the present. "Evie, thank you so much for the invite but if Mal's not going, then I'm not going."

"What?"

"I'm really sorry, but it wouldn't be nice to go when Mal doesn't have an invite," Ben said. "I hope you have a fun time at your party though."

"You didn't have to do that," Mal muttered as they walked off, Evie staring stunned in the background.

"You're my friend," Ben shrugged. "Yeah I want to be friends…I mean allies with Evie and Gil but you were my first ally and I'm not about to let you be left out. Not if I can help it."

Mal gave him a small smile as she heard that.

Neither Mal nor Ben had heard anything more about Evie's party so Ben assumed that Evie had rescinded his invitation. Normally that would have upset him because the last thing Ben wanted to do was make someone upset with him. But there was no way he could justify going to a party that Mal wasn't invited to.

Uma and Harry had also tried to turn down their invitations but Mal had told them to go. In Harry's case, he didn't really have a choice since his father and sisters would also be there and Uma was always wherever Harry was.

"What do you two have planned today?" Beast asked as he walked past the den and saw the two kids sitting on the sofa.

"Dunno," Mal shrugged.

"I know the Evil Queen's daughter is having her birthday today, aren't you going to go to that?"

Ben shook his head. "Mal didn't get an invite and I didn't want Mal to be left out," he told his papa. "Maybe we'll hang out with Virgil!"

"Just stay out of trouble you two," Beast said. He wasn't going to lie, he didn't like the fact that Mal hadn't gotten an invite. Yes he knew that no one was owed an invitation but still. These were children they were talking about. They were too young to know the cruelty of the world.

And yes, he was aware of the irony of him thinking that regarding a child of the Isle of the Lost who had been brought to Auradon because of a broken ankle her mother had caused her.

A knock on the front gate brought Beast out of his thoughts and he couldn't help but frown slightly. No one knocked around here, at least no one that he knew of…but maybe Hades was expecting someone. He hadn't said but then again both Hades and Lady Persephone were busy preparing both the Underworld for any new arrivals that day and for Lady Persephone's return to Auradon.

Lady Persephone's, Mal's, and Ben's return, I mean, Beast thought as he made his way to the gate to see who was knocking.

"Oh! Hello there," he said with a smile as he saw a blue haired girl at the gate.

"Hello your highness," the girl said, giving him a small curtsey though Beast could tell she was nervous. "Is…Is Mal or Prince Ben available?"

"They're in the den," Beast said. "Would you like me to get them for you?"

"Yes please your highness."

Beast gave the girl a gentle smile before turning to go and get the aforementioned kids. Of course he had to blink in surprise as he saw both Ben and Mal standing behind him.

"How—?"

"The walls echo, papa," Ben said and Beast had to nod. That made sense now that Beast thought about it.

"Hi Evie," Ben said with a grin.

"Hello Ben," Evie said, a soft smile on her lips. "I…I wanted to come and give Mal her invitation. Seems it got stuck in daddy's book case because he used one of the invitations as a book mark."

Mal frowned slightly in suspicion but took the invitation. Sure enough the ink rubbed off on her fingers but Mal wasn't going to say anything. She knew Ben wanted to befriend Evie for some reason so she wasn't going to make life harder for the blue haired girl.

Plus, she didn't want a lecture from Beast since the man was still standing by the gate!

"…Don't expect a present or anything from me," she told Evie.

"Oh no, of course not. I know this is last minute," Evie nodded. Mal sighed but glanced at Ben. She really didn't want to but if he did…

"Can we go papa?" Ben asked.

"I don't see why not," Beast said with a small smile. "I'll let Lord Hades and Lady Persephone know where you are Mal, so they don't worry."

Mal nodded. "That…that is appreciated," she said. Well…looks like I have no choice. But hey, at least I'm going. Even if all Blueberry's doing is getting into Ben's good books, at least I won't be one of the only ones without an invite.

The three of them made their way to Evie's party, which Mal happened to note was right in view of Bargain Castle. AKA Maleficent's castle.

Wow, playing with fire aren't you? Mal thought as Uma and Harry came up to her; both of them holding what looked like… kittens?

"Lucifer apparently had a fling with one of the stray female cats of the Isle," Uma told Mal as she saw the quizzical look. "I'll split the rest of my baddie bag with you though."

"Thanks," Mal said as Evie handed Ben a 'baddie bag'. Seemed animals were a recurring theme as Ben pulled a creature out of his. However, Mal frowned as Ben quickly put it back into the bag and pulled Mal off to the side.

"What is it?"

"We have a problem," Ben told her. "I need you to tell Uma to come over here."

Mal raised an eyebrow but shrugged. Yes it was very 'un Ben' to give her orders but if it meant he was finally coming into his own as a part time Isle dweller, Mal wasn't going to question it.

"What's up Benny?" Uma asked after Mal went to get the teal haired squidling.

"I need you to look in my 'baddie bag' and tell me if I'm seeing things," Ben said and held open the bag. Both Mal and Uma looked inside.

"Uma?"

"Yeah Mali?"

"Is that a hyena cub in Ben's bag?"

"It sure is."

"Has Blueberry lost whatever sense the Gods gave her?"

Harry shook his head as he came over and overheard a part of the whispered conversation. "Well that explains why Fish for Brains is blathering about a boy hyena cub in his bag. Shenzi's cubs must be part of the baddie bags."

Mal sighed and shook her head. "Okay then. Ben, you and Gil need to go to the docks and…I don't know where but you need to set up a shelter for the cubs."

"Papa's got a ship he doesn't use. He won't care if we set up there," Harry said.

"Good," Mal nodded.

"Harry, go with Gil and Benny," Uma told him. "Take Henry so you don't end up killing Gil. Mal and I will see if we can't find the other two cubs."

Harry nodded and the two boys headed off; Harry only pausing to get Henry and to drag Gil off as well.

"Alright," Mal sighed. "Who would have the other two?"

"Mali…Shenzi had four cubs," Uma said, the thought coming to her. "Two boys…"

"…And two girls," Mal finished her cousin's sentence.

"Exactly."

Mal sighed. "Well…I think a safe bet would be to look in Blueberry's castle. One of Ben's allies across the bridge has a mom who has a tiger so it's not like it would be out of pocket for a 'Princess' to have a hyena."

"Then who would have the other cub?" Uma asked.

"I'm not sure," Mal said. "You get some of the other girls here to find the cub and take her back to the boys. I'll go and see about checking out Blueberry's castle."

"Be careful Mal," Uma said.

"I'm always careful," Mal smirked but nodded, as if to convey that she appreciated her cousin's concern. The two cousins split off and Mal made her way to Evie.

"Hello Mal, having a good time?" Evie asked with a grin.

"You're about to have a bad time," Mal said and Evie's grin faded. "Where's the hyena cub?"

"I…I don't…"

"Evie," Mal said and Evie paused as that had been the first time Mal had ever said her name. "You're not as dumb as you want people to think. You gave Ben a boy hyena cub in his baddie bag because of his rank across the bridge and you want to have favor with him. For some reason you gave Gil a boy hyena cub so that just leaves the two girl hyena cubs. And you know Shenzi won't take long to realize her cubs are missing. Do you want an angry hyena at your party?"

"…Maddy has Madoa and mother gifted me Jasiri," Evie said quickly. "I told her I was fine with Iago's son but she insisted that a Princess has something that made her stand out. Jasiri's back at the castle in my room but I can't leave my party. It wouldn't be good hosting according to mother."

"Then it's a good thing I know how to break into places," Mal said. "Be right back."

Before Evie could blink, Mal turned and made her way over to Castle-Across-The-Way otherwise known as the Castle of the Evil Queen. Thankfully, the Evil Queen didn't have much in the way of security though that was probably because most of the Isle was at her daughter's party. Slowly making her way into the castle, Mal crept along as she looked for a sign that she was coming to Blueberry's room.

"…Why am I not surprised she has her door painted blue?" Mal shook her head as she came across the only locked door. "Okay, lock picking skills from Emir, don't let me down."

It took a minute but soon Mal found herself with a very sleepy hyena cub in her arms.

"Your mama will be happy to have you home," Mal told Jasiri, quickly shedding the cub of the blue leather collar Evie had put on her. Quietly making her way out of the castle, Mal made her way to the docks and couldn't help but smile as she saw Uma making her way there as well.

"Maddy put up a fight but we got the other cub," Uma said. "I'm about to head over to Shenzi to let her know her cubs are safe if you want to join Mali?"

"Sounds good," Mal nodded. They set the cubs into the Captains' Quarters of the ship and made their way back down the gangplank. Hey, Mal might not have cared for Evie but the girl did not need an angry hyena crashing her party.

Even if the thought did amuse Mal, her dad didn't need the extra work!