Chapter Ninety One
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! I don't know what exactly has inspired this writing bug but believe you me, I'm happy to have more updates to give you guys as opposed to fewer! And I'm sure you guys prefer that as well lol!
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think!
Audrey resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she grabbed her scroll. Honestly, if she'd volunteered her brother to read, she'd have gotten lectured.
While Ryan and Ben were having their time with their sisters, Mal smiled as she enjoyed some one on one time with her dad.
"Nothing's better than one on one time with a parent," Kitty said with a grin.
"Unless you're being lectured," Lucy pointed out.
"Very true!"
Such time was rarer than sun on the Isle now that she was in Auradon and it would always be treasured.
"And that will never change," Malinda said, nodding her head.
"You know you can't always duck over to the Isle whenever you want, right Mali?" Hades asked as he started to whip up some of his garlic crispy chicken for her.
"I mean I don't do it anymore," Malinda said. "Not since Ben got Zeus to agree to have the portal open year round so dad could live in Auradon with mom, Hadie, and me but still be able to do his job."
"…I'm sorry what?" Hades asked.
"Probably could have eased them into that," Benji chuckled as even Zeus looked a little shocked at his future actions.
Malinda shrugged. "It was a wedding present."
He didn't need the Olympian mind link to know that's what she wanted. At some point, he'd have to talk to Beastie Jr. about possibly getting a delivery service set up so that Mal could have his cooking over there in Auradon.
"Yes please!" Mal and Hadie said at the same time.
Benji chuckled as he looked at his wife. "And here I thought saying 'please' was an Isle no-no?"
"Rules change if it means getting dad's chicken," Malinda shrugged.
But for right now, he'd savor the moments he got with his daughter.
"Any good father would always savor the moments he gets with his children," Kit said.
She certainly seemed happier than the first time he saw her, after all that handler nonsense got resolved.
"Good," everyone in the room said. Yes everyone.
Hey Audrey might not have trusted the VKs but she had to deal with Natalie as well. No one deserved that!
All he would say there is that that Natalie woman was lucky it had been Steph in Auradon and not him. She'd have gotten more done to her than just an inability to grow plants, that was for certain.
"Believe me dear, I'm sure my scroll self wanted to do more," Persephone said, her voice low.
"Dad!"
"Whoa! Mali! What happened?" Hades asked as Mal rushed into his arms.
"A mini she-demon happened!" Macaria said, crossing her arms.
"Normally I'd say the kids from the Isle are influencing your kids, but then I remember she's got Meg for a mom," Hades said to Hercules.
Without thinking, he wrapped her up in a hug and frowned as it felt as if Mal's shoulders were shaking. Almost as if she was crying. But Mal didn't cry. The exception to that rule was obviously near death experiences but Hades didn't think Mal had any of those over in Boreadon. After all, all the villains were on the Isle.
"Not all of them," Benji growled; his eyes growing hard at the remind of Natalie.
His eyes looked over the other companions who'd rushed in with Mal, lingering on the newbie. "Explain," he growled, glaring at the new boy.
"Hey! It's not Benny's fault, dad!" Mal exclaimed.
Jay and Harry wouldn't have made Mal cry, and Uma would have killed anyone who even thought about it. That just left him.
Malinda shook her head. "Dad, would I have brought Ben to the Isle if he was the one who made me cry?"
"It's not Ben's fault Uncle Hades," Uma said immediately, as if to bring attention away from the guy.
"Thanks Uma," Malinda said, giving her cousin a small smile.
"I thought we weren't going by that while we're on the Isle?" 'Ben' asked and Hades paused. Ben...Ben...wait, wasn't Mal dating a Ben?
"Bit slow on the uptake there, Uncle Hades," Uma chuckled.
"You wouldn't happen to be King Ben would you?" Hades asked, his voice still dangerously low. After all, Ben was a fairly common name and it was more than likely parents started naming their own brats after the Prince upon his birth.
Chip tilted his head, as if in thought. "Actually…Benji's the only 'Ben' I've heard of now that I think about it."
"Yes, Lord Hades," Ben nodded and Hades had to give the little sunspot credit, he wasn't melting into a puddle of goo the way most mortals would at seeing an angered Lord of the Underworld.
"Then again, jury's still out about whether or not Ben's human considering his reactions to things," Lonnie chuckled.
Then again, Beastie Jr. did have the advantage of the fact that Mal was still in his arms. Hades would never want to risk hurting Mal, no matter what happened.
Malinda smiled softly. "Don't worry dad, I know you'd never hurt me…but I'm glad you didn't smite my then-boyfriend."
"Then maybe you or one of Mal's minions here could explain why my daughter is currently crying in my arms?!"
"Since when are we Mal's minions?!" Uma exclaimed.
"Why does he insist on calling us her minions?" Harry muttered.
"Because that's what we are in a way. We'd do anything for Mal and you know it," Jay chuckled.
"As you've said, you're with her til the end of the line," Audie said with a smile.
"Aye Jay but the difference is this. Mal would also do anything for us."
"And you know it Harry," Mal smiled.
Hades shook his head. "I'm growing ancient here!"
"You're already ancient though, dad," Hadie pointed out.
On that note, where was Persephone? She had gone to Auradon at King Ben's invitation but he knew there was no way she'd let their daughter just go back to the Isle without her. Or without their son. If Zeus had done something because it wasn't one of her six months in Auradon, heads were going to roll!
"I wouldn't do anything like that Hades!" Zeus exclaimed.
"You already were ancient Uncle Hades," Uma stated but then sighed as she started explaining everything that had happened. By the end of it, Hades had a pretty good list of all the tortures this Natalie would face once her soul came to be judged by him.
"Oh that's right, memo to me. Memo to me, make sure none of the other Gods of the Dead have called dibs on Natalie's soul," Hades muttered to himself.
Persephone may have handled her punishment in life. But death was his playground.
"I mean Aunt Steph helps but considering where Natalie is likely to go, I think calling it your playground's fair game Uncle Hades," Herkie nodded.
"Hey, hey, Mali, it's okay," Hades said soothingly; gently rubbing Mal's back and ignoring Ben's wide eyed stare of astonishment. He figured it was probably a strange sight, the big bad Lord of the Dead being gentle.
Maybe to scroll-me, but I've kinda gotten used to it, Ben thought with a small smile.
But Hades didn't really care right now. All he knew was that he had an upset daughter and he would do anything to make it so she wasn't upset anymore. "Hey, you want some garlic crispy chicken? And I'll fill you in on everything that's been happening here?"
"But doesn't Mal get reports from Henry and Harriet?" CJ asked, her voice soft. "She'd known already."
Mal looked up and gave him a weak smile. A smile that Hades readily returned as the group made their way to the kitchen and Hades learned everything that was going on.
"Something tells me Hades was not happy to learn about everything that had happened," Hera said.
Let's just say he was fairly impressed that the Cerberus in a mortal's body his daughter was dating didn't hightail it out of there the moment Hades started shouting.
"Was it in the fridge again?" Chip asked.
Lucas shook his head. "I have questions and yet I'm afraid to ask them."
"How've you been?" Hades asked. Ever since that first encounter, he had grown to tolerate Beastie Jr. If anything, he was good around Virgil, the older boy having been in the kitchen their first trip. Most people would have easily gotten annoyed by the half-imp's stammer but Ben seemed to take it in stride.
"Have you met Ben? I don't think it's possible for him to be annoyed by anyone…Freddy doesn't count as he annoys us all," Akiho said as Emir opened his mouth.
"I've been good," Mal told him as she shook her head. "Ben's been insane about making sure I don't have too much stuff on my plate after everything that happened with Natalie. Akiho and Emir have practically become my shadows which is annoying because I've actually started liking some of the Cotillion stuff.
"I'm sorry, what now?" Uma asked, turning to look at Malinda with a raised eyebrow.
None of the prissy dress stuff but working with Jane to make sure the colors don't clash, it's actually testing my art abilities and it's kinda fun."
"Oh…that makes sense now that I think about it."
"Have you told them that?"
"Of course I have!" Mal chuckled. "But they don't do it often, only if they think I look overworked. And nine times out of ten it's just a quick break to the Tourney field to throw toys for Estelle.
Estelle yipped softly and wagged his tail. That sounded like fun!
"Sounds like he approves," Emir chuckled.
We went to the Enchanted Lake once but I think they picked up the hint that water and me don't mix when I refused to get in."
"Hey, they may be insane but you can always trust them to make sure you're comfortable," Aziz said.
"You know I'm sure Ariel would be happy to—."
"Of course I would," Ariel nodded; not even upset that her Great-Uncle was volunteering her for something.
"Yeah I'm sure too and I'm also sure that Poseidon would also be happy to give me swimming lessons," Mal shrugged. "All the same, I'm fine on the land. Uma and Harry are the swimmers after all."
"That being said, if you'd like swimming lessons, I'd be happy to provide them," Poseidon said.
Hades nodded and plated the chicken for Mal, ignoring her mention of his little brother. He might not have been on Hades 'dead to him' list but he still wasn't thrilled that Poseidon hadn't attempted to help when Persephone went to Zeus all those years ago.
Poseidon sighed. "And I'll always regret not offering my assistance," he said softly.
Speaking of brothers... "How's your brother doing? He never seems to come on these clandestine trips of yours. You two aren't in a fight or anything are you?"
Not anymore…Malinda thought as everyone tried to avoid looking at each other, the scrolls from Hadie's point of view coming back to the forefront of everyone's minds.
Mal shook her head as she dug into her chicken. "No, no nothing like that. Nine times out of tine, we don't even plan these trips so there's no time to grab Hadie. Besides, he's usually with Alexandria anyway."
"Oh? Does the little Lord have a girlfriend?" Harry teased.
"Who?"
"Alexandria Charming, the youngest daughter of Kit and Ella."
And Hadie's future girlfriend, Malinda thought with a mental smile.
"Oh, one of the daughters that caused Tremaine to be in a snit for a month after we heard the news," Hades nodded.
Cinderella sighed softly and Kit gently rubbed her shoulder. They weren't surprised to hear that but…it still stung a little. After all, Lady Tremaine was the only parental figure Cinderella had left.
"Lady Tremaine wasn't...oh wait what am I saying? Of course she wasn't happy to hear Cinderella had healthy children," Mal sighed, shaking her head.
"Yeah well I am happy she had them, and I'm sure so was Ava and Aunt Ana," Dizzy said.
"That would be an understatement, Mali," Hades chuckled. "Furious would be more accurate."
"Yeah well…she's insane so who cares what she thinks?" Lucy shrugged.
"Furious? That Cinderella had healthy kids?"
"Apparently, since Queen Ella used to be a scullery maid, having healthy kids was above her station," Hades rolled his eyes. "Never mind the fact that Cinderella's father was a lord when he died meaning having healthy kids would be perfectly within her station but the woman's insane anyway. Err...Tremaine, I mean. Not Cinderella."
"No need to clarify Lord Hades, we knew who you meant," Celia said, rolling her eyes at the behavior of her…oh Gods Lady Tremaine was her grandmother!
"I knew who you meant dad," Mal chuckled as she continued to eat her chicken, cleaning her plate and leaned back with a sigh. "Gods, I know Auradon has some good food but there's nothing that can beat your chicken!"
Malinda nodded. "I mean, strawberries are great but you know, if the Fates wanted to provide a pregnant woman with a plate of dad's chicken…"
"Here," Benji said, handing Malinda a plate. "I've been waiting for you to eat something other than strawberries since the strawberries arrived."
"I wasn't that bad!"
"You eat any more strawberries, you'll give birth to one!"
"Flattery will get you everywhere Mali," Hades smirked as he held up a Tupperware container of garlic crispy chicken. "There's enough in there for both you and your brother since this is Hadie's favorite too. I can't believe I have to say this but share with your brother."
"Ooh! Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!" Hadie grinned.
"Hadie, you know 'gimmie's never got' right?" Persephone asked.
"I know mom, I just want dad's chicken!"
"Dad, I'm sixteen not six."
"Not when it comes to sharing dad's chicken!" Hadie exclaimed.
Actually, she'd have to check and see how far off her birthday was. It'd be weird, celebrating in Auradon instead of the Isle for the first time in her life. But it'd also be the first birthday she'd get to celebrate with Ben. She'd have to put her foot down to avoid him spoiling her too much.
Ben shook his head. "There's no such thing as spoiling someone too much on their birthday!"
"Then why do you always complain when we—?"
"That's insanity, not spoiling," Ben said, looking at Emir.
"Yeah well separating my chicken from you is like taking a bone from Cerberus," Hades teased as he put the Tupperware container in a small bag. "How much time did I tell you to give them again?"
"I'm not that bad," Malinda said, shaking her head.
"Can I have a piece of chicken?" Mal asked.
"Mine!" Malinda said, holding the plate close to her chest.
"Half an hour," Mal sighed. "I can't believe I didn't know Ryan had a sister. How can I call myself a Captain if I don't know what's going on in my crew's life?"
Henry sighed. "Mal, I think that goes for all of us. I mean…he's my brother and I didn't know…"
"Mal, people keep secrets," Hades said gently. "I mean, for example, I thought everything was going fine in my daughter's life even though she'd just turned her birth giver into a lizard at the same event where her boyfriend becomes King of Auradon and then one day she mutes her mental link and her mother and I were forced to speculate until her cousin finally reached out."
"Nicely played, dad," Malinda said, shaking her head.
"How long are you going to play that card?"
"As long as I'm able to."
"Are you sure you haven't met Chip before now, Lord Hades?" Belle asked. "Because that sounds like something he would say."
"That's because he has said it," Beast said, shaking his head.
Mal shook her head. "I told you guys. I didn't want to worry mom, you know since she was trapped on the Isle. I didn't think Ben would just invite her off for me."
"I'm sorry, have you met Ben?" Lonnie asked.
"How long have you been dating the sunspot?"
"Why?"
"Cue the father wanting to know how serious his daughter's relationship is," Ariel shook her head. "I think Eric was the only one who didn't get interrogated by my father or his guards."
"I mean…he killed my mom for you and to unsell Triton's soul," Uma pointed out. "If that's not a clear sign of a relationship being serious, I don't know what is."
Hades chuckled. "Because Mali, it's clear to anyone with eyes that he'd do anything for you. If you told him you wanted your mom, he'd get you your mom."
"Ben would have done it even if you weren't dating," Rachel said. "Though honestly why didn't he just reach out to Mulan? She's your guardian after all. Plus her husband's on Ben's council so it's not like she wouldn't have known about Natalie being Mal's handler."
Malinda shook her head. "I still can't believe we missed the chance to see Mulan punch the living daylights out of Nat Bat just because we forgot she was my guardian."
"...he told me he loved me," Mal said softly and Hades stiffened slightly, not expecting that turn in the conversation. "After the mess with Natalie I mean. Well actually he told Natalie first but I was just in the room."
"I mean, I was here when we read that scroll and I'm still confused," Akiho said.
"And that's different to how you normally are how?" Ashaki teased.
"Okay, I'm going to need an explanation there."
"You're not the only one, Lord Hades," Lucas said.
"Ben said he wasn't going to stand for her treatment of me and that my Isle clothes and my spray painting were what made me the girl he loved," Mal said with a small smile. "I didn't tell him back but...I do love him dad. You and mom made it so Hadie and I know what love feels like, even being on the Isle. Looking at your relationship with mom...that's what I want. Minus the having to leave each other for six months."
"Knowing you cuz, if you want something you won't rest until you get it," Uma said.
"And you'll get it Mali," Hades said gently. Did he want to be having this conversation with his daughter? Not necessarily, since in his mind she was still the five month old baby Maleficent had stolen from him.
"Dad…" Malinda sighed but gave her father a small smile.
Thanks to the Dragon, he was robbed of five precious years with his daughter. Years that had caused her to grow up too fast.
Malinda sighed softly. "I likely would have had to grow up too fast regardless, dad. Perks of growing up on the Isle after all."
But Ben made her happy. He allowed her the chance to see the sun and would do anything for her. At some point, Hades knew Ben was probably going to come and ask a question every father dreaded.
Probably sooner than you think, Lord Hades, Benji thought. He knew he asked for Mal's parents' permission before Cotillion but he couldn't remember exactly when it happened.
He also knew there was only one answer he could give.
"And clearly I did," Hades said, gesturing to the ring on Malinda's finger.
"You should go get them," Hades said softly as he looked at the time. "Any longer and they risk getting stuck in there."
"And I am not going to be the God who's responsible for the King of Auradon being trapped in the Underworld," Hades said.
"I know," Mal sighed. "But...I don't want to take them out too soon either. I know Ryan's got Henry and Derek looking out for him but at the same time I'm still his co-Captain. I want to make sure he's taken care of, that he...that he won't end up hurting himself in his grief.
"You're forgetting someone who'll look out for Ryan, Mal," Harriet said softly; looking over to her younger sister who was still wrapped up in Harry's arms. Of course neither one of her younger siblings had realized this, and Harriet was glad.
She knew the moment would end the minute either one of them realized what was happening.
"That wasn't something I wanted to put on CJ's shoulders," Malinda said, shaking her head.
And then there's Ben. He's never even gotten the chance to talk to his sister before."
"And we all know who we can 'thank' for that," Abby muttered, shooting a glare at Leah's cell.
"I know Mali," Hades nodded. "But if you leave them in there for too long and they'll become part of the Underworld. There's a reason why mortals aren't allowed in here unless they're dead after all."
"Well…that's a cheery thought," Hercules said.
"What about Icarus and Abu?" Mal asked, referring to the two mortals Hades and Jafar had kidnapped in their brief team up to take down Aladdin and Hercules.
"…Yeah that's a good question," Hyllus nodded.
"I'm convinced that kid was secretly immortal, no one survives flying that close to the sun and the less I say about that monkey, the happier we'll all be."
"Hey! What's wrong with Abu?" Emir asked.
Mal nodded and quickly got up to give Hades a hug.
"Aww," Snow White said softly but this time Mal didn't roll her eyes or flush. She would never be embarrassed about hugging her dad.
"Hey, hey, none of that," Hades said gently though he returned the hug and gently kissed the top of her head. "With all the back and forth you all do, something tells me that this won't be the last time I see you."
And it wasn't, Malinda thought, thinking about her next visit to the Isle and a request for a certain ember.
"I promise dad, the next time I see you I'll bring Hadie," Mal told him before ducking down the hall to get the two boys, the bag with the Tupperware clenched firmly in her hand. Hades smiled and nodded as he started to clean up. He had no doubt that what Mal said was true.
And it would have been…had it not been for a certain pest, Malinda thought with an inward sigh.
Meanwhile, across the bridge in Auradon, a tall, dark haired boy smirked as he strolled across the quad at Auradon Prep.
"….NO!" All the VKs shouted and caused Audrey to jump a little.
"I'm taking a leaf out of Akiho's book here. Where are the guards?!" Mal growled.
It honestly was like he was invisible, with no one even looking twice at him in his Isle garb.
"But wouldn't he be squinting? Shouldn't it be obvious that he's from the Isle?!" Harriet exclaimed.
Then again, with all the VKs already here, it was likely that the denizens of Auradon were used to people walking around in leather and other Isle clothing.
"Even so I doubt they're used to people wearing all black and being pure evil!" Hadie shouted.
Honestly, all the royals here and there's no security? Freddy thought with a scoff as a few boys ran past him.
"…Damn it, I hate agreeing with him!" Akiho grumbled, glaring at the scroll.
That stampede had worked out better than he had thought. He originally was just going to pin the mess on that Rat in training he'd been talking to but to have her get crushed in the mess herself...and God, Ryan's reaction! He couldn't have predicted that if he tried.
"Oh he is not…he's mocking…I'm going to kill him!" Henry growled. How dare Freddy mock Ryan's pain!
"You won't be the only one Henry," CJ said as Claudine gently rubbed Henry's back in comfort.
But as they say, God works in mysterious ways. Ryan's reaction had driven Henry from the barge and completely monopolized the attention of the others, even removing three of the six Rats from the clean up crew; allowing Freddy the chance to sneak on board and make his way to Boreadon. However, now he knew he'd need a disguise and quick. Jay, Hook and Uma were somewhere. Not to mention Mal.
"Where in the Tartarus are we?" Jay exclaimed. "Someone needs to notice that demon now!"
If there were four people who Freddy knew would ruin his plans, it was them. He knew Blueberry was probably keeping to herself after the fiasco at the coronation so she wouldn't raise a fuss, and DeVil was still too timid to fight back.
"You'd be surprised Freddy!" Jane spoke up, surprising even herself but what she said was true. Carlos had come out of his shell in the scrolls and even here in the readings.
"…Thanks," Carlos said softly, giving Jane a small smile.
Gil would always be an idiot if Freddy's experiences with the boy's older brothers and even his older sister Locklyn taught him anything. Even if Locklyn was one of his Angels.
"Gil's smarter than you give him credit for!" Benji said, his voice near a growl.
He could handle those three. But he did not want to meet the 'Rotten Four'.
"Continue to underestimate us Freddy!" Carlos snapped, glaring at the scroll in Audrey's hands.
Oh they would meet...when Freddy was ready for them to. But until then he wasn't about to have them chuck him back onto the Isle.
"Oh we'll do more than merely chuck you back to the Isle, Freddy!" Harry snarled.
Claudine can handle the Angels for a while until I can get them off the Isle, he thought. After all, what was the point in getting her out of her shell if she can't run the gang? Then again, she can barely get a boy to break his no flings vow so maybe I should have made Strat the second in command like I promised when I stole him from the Rats. Uma didn't know a good thing when she had it and stuck with Hook, the worthless pirate who's own father doesn't want him.
"Harry's ten times the man you or Strat would ever be!" Uma growled.
"And why would Uma have Strat as her First Mate when he hates taking orders from women?" Mal shook her head. "Harry's the only person who deserves to be Uma's First Mate!"
And while I can't speak for this me, I can assure you Freddy, I want my son, James thought with a glower at the scroll.
Ducking into the school, Freddy opened the door to the first dorm he found. He blinked as the spotless interior stared back at him.
"Ugh, what poor sod's got Freddy polluting their bedroom?" Harriet shook her head.
"Okay...is this a person or a puppet?" Freddy muttered as he walked inside, closing the door behind him. "Gods, there's a reason why we called this place Boreadon if this is how they live. There's not a speck of dust out of place is there?"
All of the VKs paused and looked at each other.
"Was…was that a typo?" Jay asked.
"Has to be," Sammy nodded. "I mean…this is Freddy we're talking about…."
"Sammy's right," Harriet nodded. "There's no way he'd actually say 'Gods' when his whole thing is there being only one God."
"Maybe Audrey misspoke? After all, we're so used to saying 'Gods' that it's more natural than the singular," Lonnie spoke up.
All the VKs looked at each other and nodded. That made much more sense than thinking Freddy of all people was acknowledging there were multiple Gods.
Pausing at the bedside table, Freddy smirked as he looked at a picture that was front and center. Oh this was too perfect.
"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Claudine asked with a small sigh.
Not only had he wound up in a Boreadon royal's room, but it was Mal's Boreadon royal's room!
"Get. Out. Of. Ben's. Room!" Malinda growled, her green eyes flashing.
"Well then, this'll teach King Beastie Jr. not to have decent security around his room," Freddy smirked. "I wonder if he has a change of clothes I could 'borrow'. After all, it's the least he can do considering his father's the reason why we were all trapped on that Isle."
"Your father deserved to be 'trapped' there," Phoebus said as he held Esmeralda close to him.
Opening the wardrobe, Freddy began pawing through the collection of suits Ben had available. Quickly passing on the blue suits, and pondering how many blue suits a guy could really need, Freddy stopped on a light grey one. It was dark enough that it would still be him but light enough that anyone in Boreadon wouldn't stop him and ask him what he was doing there.
"If we have brains in our heads, we'll ask you…wait no, likely we probably will just think something happened to your clothes and Ben loaned you a suit," Akiho sighed.
He put it on, frowning slightly as he saw that the pants were a bit too short in the ankle.
"Good. You deserve all the discomfort you get," Henry growled.
But there was no time to fix that. If anything, the imbeciles in Auradon might just think that he'd recently had a growth spurt. There was no way they'd think he was someone from the Isle.
"No…but we'd likely question why you're wearing a suit with the Beast insignia on it when we know that Ben only has one older brother," Emir said.
And if they did, well then they'd just be considered paranoid really. Even though they'd be right.
"Not if he runs into Chip, Emir, or Akiho," Elle said. "We know how seriously those three take Ben's safety. If they questioned Freddy, we'd believe them."
"Now then, what do the Boreadon boys do for fun?" he muttered as he straightened the tie before making his way back to the quad.
"…He knows how to tie a tie?" Benji asked, tilting his head.
Malinda shook her head. "That's what you focus on?"
He wasn't going to lie, he wasn't used to how bright the sun was. It honestly made it hard to see where he was going and so he could be forgiven for bumping into someone.
"Please let it be a guard, please let it be a guard," Akiho begged, crossing his fingers.
"Excuse me!"
Oh God, I think they heard her back on the Isle. There was no need to be so ear piercing loud, Freddy thought as he turned to look at the girl.
"…No…he actually bumped into Audrey?"
"Wait, this could be a good thing," Kitty said. "If there's anyone we can count on drawing a crowd, it's Audrey. She draws a crowd, other people recognize Freddy's not supposed to be there, the Tourney team jumps him!"
She was the stereotype of a Boreadon Brat, clad all in pink and had a posse of hanger ons at her side. Her brown hair was tied up in a pony tail, as if she'd been born with it in that style.
"What?! I am not!" Audrey exclaimed.
But Freddy wasn't the head of the Angels for just his good looks.
"You were self-appointed the head of the Angels, Fred," Claudine said, rolling her eyes.
Giving the girl his best smile, he gave a small bow. "Pardon me mademoiselle, I was blinded by your beauty. As surely someone as angelic as yourself was brought here by the grace of God himself."
Phil Jr. rolled his eyes. "Audrey might be vain and full of herself but even she wouldn't fall for something as smarmy as that!"
The girl smiled as her posse giggled. "Finally, someone around here who knows how to treat a princess," she shook her head and held out her hand.
"…One job Audrey! You had one job!" Kitty exclaimed, shaking her head.
"Now you, your highness, are no mere princess," Freddy said, gently taking her hand and chastely kissing her knuckles.
Audie gagged and shuddered in disgust. "If you actually fall for his smarminess, I might actually have to worry about you," she said, looking at Audrey.
Such an action disgusted him to his core but he knew it was the only way to avoid being discovered.
"Actually…that's more likely to get him noticed," Kitty said.
"What do you mean?" Claudine asked.
"A boy who's not Chad kissing Audrey's hand? That's going to raise some eyebrows!"
After all, if Jay or Hook heard about a dark haired boy kissing a princess' hand, they wouldn't think anything of it.
"No, but we might think something of a dark haired boy kissing Audrey's hand," Jay said, his voice low.
"Have you ever heard the saying that flattery will get you nowhere?"
"Will it get me your name?"
"Oh Gods, I think I'm going to be sick," Phil Jr. muttered.
"Oh he is smooth," one of the princess' friends giggled. "Smoother than Ben ever was. Cut your losses and get with this one!"
Audie gagged. "Oh Gods, I think I need to go invent brain bleach so I can forget I heard that."
"Hush!" The princess snapped before turning back and smiling at Freddy. "The name's Audrey. Princess Audrey."
"Why? Why would you give him your name?" Audie groaned. "Some random guy you've never met before is asking for your name and you just give it to him? How is this not setting off alarm bells?"
"Well then Princess Audrey, should you need someone to accompany you to an event, allow me to be of service," Freddy said with another sweeping bow. "The name's Fredrick."
Malinda shook her head. "I know it's his legal name and everything, but it just seems weird referring to him as anything other than 'Freddy'."
He may have hated his full first name but in times like these, it came in handy. The Angels only ever referred to him as 'Fred' and of course Mal and her ilk gave him that disgusting nickname of 'Freddy'. If they heard the name 'Fredrick', they'd have no clue they were the same person.
"We're not stupid, Freddy," Harriet snapped. "I'm sure Harry, Jay, Uma, and Mal would connect the dots. Even Evie, Gil, and Carlos would as well."
Which was just what Freddy was counting on.
"As Harriet said, they're not stupid," Rowyn shook her head.
"Well Fredrick, maybe I'll see you at Cotillion," Audrey said with a small smile. "I have a spa appointment before hand of course but I should be there."
"And you will be staying as far away from him as Cotillion allows," Philip said, looking at his daughter.
"Oh…she wasn't there," Benji said.
"Even better," Phillip said as he, Aurora, and even Phil Jr. sighed in relief. What they didn't know was that Audrey felt a bit of relief go down her spine as she heard that.
"And where would this Cotillion be? If I were to meet you there?" Freddy asked. A big event like that would be the perfect place to enact his revenge against Mal and her gang. Without any of the Rats for backup, they'd be sitting ducks.
"That's what you think!" Emir growled.
"It's the same place every year," another one of Audrey's hanger on's said. "It's the royal yacht in the harbor."
"Why?!" Phil Jr. exclaimed before turning to Audrey. "Make friends with smarter people!"
Oh that'll work perfectly, Freddy smirked as the memory of Mal floundering in the Cove when she was nine and he was twelve came to the forefront of his mind. He could still hear her shouting for Uma to help her.
"…Is Freddy the stupid one?" Rose asked. "He honestly thinks this is a good idea?"
There'd be no stupid dog this time to hold her up.
Estelle growled. No matter what the mean hooman said, he would always be at Mali's side to help her!
No Hook to dive to her rescue.
"…I'm apparently attending this Cotillion as well, Freddy. You bet your soul you claim you have that I'll dive to Mal's rescue!" Harry exclaimed.
"And he wouldn't be the only one!" Ben said firmly.
"Well, your highness, until we meet again," Freddy said and gently kissed her knuckles once more. In all honesty, he had no intention of ever seeing that girl again. All she was was a spoiled Boreadon brat who didn't know how good she had it compared to the others.
"Good! And if this me has the sense the Gods gave her, she won't want to be anywhere near you for as long as she lives!" Audie exclaimed.
But she did provide him with the information he needed to get his revenge. Now...where could he make a smoke bomb?
"Don't even think about it Freddy!" Uma snarled.
Hook was certainly going to recognize him by this Cotillion and there was a likelihood of a sword fight against the son of Hook since Jay would more than likely be holding back Mal and Uma. Time for that Rat to be hoisted on his own petard.
"Good luck beating Harry…" Uma said before trailing off. "Didn't Freddy say he was going to make a smoke bomb?"
"He did," Claudine nodded.
"That little cheat!" Uma growled. "Harry, you don't go anywhere near Freddy until we can design a way for you to not get impaired by the smoke bombs!"
"…Aye cap'n?" Harry said, a little confused but an order from Uma was an order.
Audrey shook her head. "The scroll's done."
"If you don't mind, Miss, I'd like to read if no one else does," Mr. Smee said.
"Have at it Smee," James told him.