Chapter Forty 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.
*smh* honestly you guys, it's hard to believe we're almost to the end of the group reading Choosing Family! Now I do just want to reiterate, they will be reading all of the Choosing fics in this story. Why? In all honesty it's because the Watch and Learn series burnt me out and I can't do another series like that! Especially since it looks like the Choosing series is going to have five fics—two more sequels after this one.
That'd be ten stories total! I love you all but there's no way I can do that lol!
Oh, for Harry's fear of spiders, I borrowed a bit from an interview I saw with Thomas and BooBoo back when they were promoting Descendants 2. :D
Tracie Adams: I might do a sequel after this story, to show how they all work to implement what they learned. Plus Belle and Beast need to work on Ben's workaholic behavior.
JaclynnM: Oh I'm so glad! Thank you so much!
danifan3000: I remember that episode! Which is weird because I didn't watch it that frequently.
Marcus Emrys: Very true, that would have been a great thing for Malinda to say. You know what they say about hindsight though. :D
AmethystDragon14: Yay! Everyone's excited about the Bal date! So am I! And did you think Akiho wasn't going to call dibs on reading about Ben's date? Honestly I think Uma's going to be in denial for a while!
BlackWidowAndCapRule: I'm so glad you're liking the story!
What If: Oh I loved this! And now I have a new show I'll need to check out! :D
JudiAndTheFandoms: *repairs metaphorical door* Yes, yes I did say new story idea! It won't be published until I finish The Last Bridge though, which has about fourteen chapters remaining.
Hufflepuff24: Hmm, that wasn't something I meant to imply but it's definitely a possibility!
Jarlos4Ever 2: I loved this one shot just like I loved the one over in The Last Bridge! Seriously I could definitely see Carlos' kid having a dog named Dude Jr. :D
twilightgirl587: *checks to see if apartment is bugged* Uh…you're kinda on the right track there with the first idea. But now I'm curious to see how Ben could get left on the Isle for ten years. Also, yes, do get back into writing! :D
LotusQuil: Nothing better than family floof! :D And yeah, you can definitely say that Hades and Persephone panic in this chapter—and good point! These guys do need to sleep don't they?
Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Akiho had to almost restrain himself from bouncing in his seat as he unfurled his scroll. Hearing about his best friend's first date with Mal? Yes please!
As the two of them drove off to the location of the date known only to Ben, Mal couldn't help but wrap her arms around the Prince. If only to prevent herself from falling off the bike as she told herself.
"Keep telling yourself that Mal," Uma chuckled. It was clear as the sea that her cousin was at least intrigued by the Crown Prince.
And hey, they wound out married so there had to have been something between them. Even if it wasn't there before.
Ben though couldn't help but smile as he felt her arms around his torso.
Benji smiled at the memory. "It felt nice. There was always so little contact between Audrey and me on dates…this felt more personal in a way."
"Grammy always said that it's improper for there to be contact between a Prince and Princess on a date," Audrey said.
Benji shook his head. "We were already dating Audrey and everyone knew that! At the very least could have held your hand as we walked or had my arm around your shoulder. There's nothing wrong with that."
"Grammy always said that it's important to make it clear that there's not a sign of impropriety between couples before the marriage," Audrey said. "That way, there's no doubt about the heirs."
Lonnie couldn't help but facepalm as she heard that. "Oh for Gods' sake, it's Ben! He'd eat his own arm before he did anything to make you uncomfortable Audrey! But fine, if that's how you view it, more Ben cuddles for Mal."
"And I'll thank you to stop filling my daughter's head with that nonsense," Aurora said, glaring at Leah.
"So, I don't mean to pry," Mal said as they rode along. "Actually, who am I kidding, I love to pry. But um, shouldn't you have a swarm of security following us right now?"
"Yes! Pry about the lack of security!" Chip nodded.
"Isn't that something Akiho would normally say?" Emir asked.
Chip shrugged. "Since he's reading, I figured I'd take over for him for now."
"Technically yes," Ben said with a small smirk.
"Technically?"
"I gave them the day off," Ben chuckled at her reaction.
"Still can't believe you did that," Malinda shook her head.
"Brad and James had more important things to do than guard me on my date," Benji said. "Brad had his daughter's piano recital and James's sister apparently had given birth that day. Family's more important than work. Besides…I paid them time and a half every time I gave my security team a day off."
"That would explain why they never complain about not being able to do their job," Chip mused. "Oh wait a minute, they do!"
Audie smiled as she heard that. "So no matter the timeline, you've got the same two guards for your main security team."
"You did what?" Mal gasped. "Why?"
"Because I figured neither one of us wanted my security team following us around on our date. Do we?"
"And I for one didn't want my best friends potentially scaring off Mal either," Benji added as Emir and Akiho opened their mouths.
"Well, no not really," Mal told him. "But Ben, you're heir to the throne. I'm a VK. Wouldn't security just be natural?"
Ben shrugged. "Are you planning to do something?"
"No," Mal said. I have too much riding on not being wicked for once. Besides I've already done something to you. Something that I need to reverse as soon as I get back to my dorm.
"But that doesn't need to be done—ouch Mel!"
"You know you deserved that," Melody chuckled, having got up and lightly smacked Phil Jr. on the shoulder.
Malinda smiled as Melody sat back down. "Much appreciated."
"Well then what are you worrying about?"
"I'm a VK. Worrying about potential outcomes is what we're good at," Mal told him causing Ben to chuckle.
Hadie chuckled. "Way to be ominous there Mal. You're not supposed to scare off the guy!"
"Well don't," Ben told her. "Besides, I give my security team the day off all the time. Drives 'em nuts."
"Which is why Lonnie appointed herself head of Ben's student security," Lil Shang nodded.
Lonnie smirked. "Ben can't give me the day off because technically I don't work for him."
Mal couldn't help but chuckle slightly at that. Ben was definitely not what she'd expected, even if this was just because of a love spell. The scenery wasn't bad either. Unconsciously, Mal raised her hands so that they were resting on Ben's chest and leaned a little closer into him. Ben smiled and sat up a little straighter.
Abby leaned forward slightly, smiling as she heard that. She was happy that her brother had finally found someone he liked to be around rather than someone he felt obligated to be around.
They arrived at a parking lot surrounded by a wooded area and Ben turned off the bike. He was loathed to leave though; Mal's embrace sent shivers down his spine.
Ben flushed slightly. "Calm down future me, you're going to come off as creepy otherwise," he muttered to himself.
But they had to get off the bike to go to the Enchanted Lake. Hopping off, Ben held out his hand for Mal to take.
"It's gonna be a bit of a walk. Hope that's okay," Ben said as they started making their way down the path.
"Oh no, walking! I'll just collapse on my fainting couch at the very thought of exercise," Mal said, shaking her head in amusement.
"Oh no Ben, clearly I'm the type of person who wouldn't be okay with the idea of walking," Mal snarked with a chuckle causing Ben to chuckle as well. Making their way over a rope bridge, Ben couldn't help but smile as Mal held out her arms as if trying to touch both sides at the same time.
Persephone couldn't help but smile as she heard that. She knew growing up on the Isle didn't exactly allow the kids to behave like teens but more like mini adults, struggling to survive themselves.
It was nice that Mal would have the chance to be a teen and not just a captain.
"Tell me something you've never told anyone," Ben said as he leaned forward, grabbing both sides of the bridge with his hands.
"Going straight for the personal stuff huh Benny?" Malinda teased, leaning into his embrace as Benji wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"Hmm…my middle name…is Bertha."
"Bertha?"
"Yep," Mal snorted. "Just Maleficent doing what she does best. Being really evil. Mom offered to change it but I kinda liked the contrast between it and my first name."
"So…why didn't Ben question that?" Elle asked. "Considering Mal said when she arrived that Maleficent's daughter was dead?"
Malinda sighed. "The registry still has me as biologically Maleficent's but the written one had noted at the time that mom adopted me. Ben had checked the written one after I told him."
Elle nodded to show that she understood. "Gotcha."
"Mine's Florian," Ben told her and Mal couldn't help but chuckle.
"How princely," she said. "It suits you."
"Ah well, it's better than Bertha," Ben teased as they continued to walk.
"Is it though?" Akiho asked. "Is it?"
Soon though, they made it to a part of the path that Ben wanted Mal to close her eyes as they walked down it. That way, she'd be surprised.
"Hey Mal? Could you…could you close your eyes?" Ben asked, his voice soft. Mal hesitated, closing one's eyes on the Isle could mean the difference between getting attacked or not.
Malinda looked over at her younger self with a small smile. "Don't worry. You're the safest you could be with Ben."
Mal shrugged slightly. "I'm sure it's reflex by this point. Sixteen years on the Isle after all."
"I know," Malinda nodded. "But if you're going to trust anyone, trust Ben. He's the one person who will never break it."
"If you say so but my instincts haven't steered me wrong yet so I don't see the harm in trusting them."
Ben looked over at Mal and gave her a small smile. "It's okay if you don't completely trust me Mal. As you said, sixteen years in an environment doesn't just go away overnight. Take as long as you need, I'm willing to earn it."
"Well considering I end up marrying and having a child with you Ben, I think it's safe to say you end up earning my trust," Malinda told him with a small smirk.
Persephone looked over at Hades. I know you'll dislike him on principle Hades, but you can't deny our daughter could do a lot worse than a guy who's willing to say that, she thought to him.
Hades shook his head slightly. And what's to stop him from only saying that because we're both in here and could smite him if he said anything else?
Hades, you're listening to the same scrolls we all are. Does that really sound like Prince Ben?
…alright. For now, I reserve judgement Steph. After all, we've had twenty years of Isle living thanks to Sunspot's father.
Thank you Hades. That's all anyone can ask of you, both as Mal's father and as an Isle citizen, Persephone thought and gently gave his hand a squeeze. She wasn't fond about the idea of Mal growing up either—she'd missed too much.
But she did what he asked. After all, Ben was trusting her by not having his security; she could do the same.
"Actually Ben probably wouldn't have his security regardless of whether you were a VK or not," Chip said as he shook his head.
She felt him take her hands as her eyes closed. Ben carefully led Mal through the woods, guiding her feet and taking care to make sure she didn't trip over anything.
"Why…why would I make it so that Mal tripped over anything?" Ben asked, tilting his head. "If I'm asking her to close her eyes, it's the right thing to do to act as her guide. To do anything else would just be cruel."
Malinda chuckled softly. "Oh, now I see why everyone calls you a puppy," she told Benji.
"Does that mean that you're a cat?" Benji asked her.
"Oh no Benny. I'm a dragon," Malinda told him.
"Okay, you ready?" Ben asked her as they got to their destination.
"Ready," Mal said softly, nodding her head.
"Open."
Mal opened her eyes to see a beautiful lake with ancient columns that wouldn't have looked out of place in Olympus if her mom's stories were true. It was probably the most beautiful place Mal had ever seen.
Persephone couldn't help but smile as she heard the description. "That sounds lovely. In fact it sounds like a perfect place for a first date."
"Ben…" Mal whispered.
Ben smiled as he led her down to the stone patio where a blanket and picnic awaited them. Thank you Chip, Ben thought as he quickly took off his jacket and put it on the back of one of the nearby chairs.
"You are quite welcome Ben," Chip grinned.
Lucas chuckled. "You know he's not thanking you right teacup?"
"Doesn't matter. He's thanking a version of me and therefore I will respond." Chip told him.
"Do you like it?" Ben asked Mal as she hadn't said a word since they had arrived at the lake.
Mal nodded. "It's beautiful Ben," she said softly. "I'm surprised it's not packed to be honest."
"Even if it was the most popular place for Auradon Prep kids to visit, as soon as those two learned where I wanted to take you on our date, they would have pulled out all the stops to ensure our privacy," Benji said, pointing to Emir and Akiho.
"I feel I should be surprised but I'm not," Jasmine said, shaking her head.
"Hey I don't mind," Ashaki said with a shrug. "The more Emir's involved in Ben's love life, the less he's involved in mine."
"You have a love life?" Emir and Aziz asked at the same time, Akiho popping his head up to look at his surrogate little sister.
"Well not yet but I will at some point, won't I?"
"Boys! Leave your sister alone," Aladdin said, shaking his head. "And yes, that includes you too, Akiho."
"Stealing our kid Aladdin?" Anna asked with a small chuckle. As Kristoff had said earlier, Emir was thought to be theirs as well with how close the boys were and she was happy to see that Akiho had the same relationship with his friend's parents.
"I might be one of the few people who know it's here," Ben said with a sheepish looking smile.
Mal couldn't help but smile slightly at that. "That's almost Isle like of you Benny, having a hiding spot that's all your own."
"Really?" Mal asked, looking over at Ben. "How'd you find out about it?"
Ben gave her a small smile. "I went running a couple of years ago with Emir and Akiho, we were training for Tourney. These woods are actually a great little track."
"And you didn't invite me? Or the rest of the team?" Chad asked, more than slightly stunned.
"You were on a date, Will had something with his dad, Miguel had a meeting with his mom and Maui, Li was actually spending time with Lonnie and his cousins, Connor had a date, and Brenden had to study," Ben rattled off.
No one noticed Jay stiffened slightly at the thought of another guy with Lonnie.
"Really?"
Ben nodded as he sat down on the blanket, laying down on his side as he was propped up on one of his elbows. He never would have thought to do this with Audrey, she probably would have shot it down claiming she could have ruined her dress.
"And she could have just replaced it the next time you all went on a shopping 'date'," Emma muttered.
"Yeah. So anytime I need to clear my head or just get away from the pressures of being 'Prince' Ben, I come here.
"Good," Esmeralda said, nodding her head. "Every kid should have at least one spot where they can go and have the pressure disappear."
It helps that Emir and Akiho think I live in my office so that's usually the first place they look when they want to find me."
"We know now!" Emir said with Akiho, nodding his head and grinning from ear to ear.
"I can understand that," Mal said with a small nod. "…being known as Maleficent's daughter isn't the easiest thing on the Isle, especially when it's not true. She may have given me life but that's all she's given me."
Mal couldn't help but give Ben a slightly sad smile before looking over at her parents. "At least I have a place I can go when I want to drop the act."
"And you always will have a place Mali," Persephone promised.
"Also, can we please wipe that image from our brains?" Hades and Chip said at the same time.
Ben couldn't help but give her a sad smile. "Well…here we can just be Mal and Ben. Nothing else."
Mal couldn't help but give him a small smile, which Ben happily returned.
Belle couldn't help the slightly sad smile that pulled at her lips. Ben should be able to do that more, just be himself without worrying about the pressures of being royalty.
"You hungry?" Ben asked. "I…I wasn't sure what you'd like so we have a bit of everything."
"It looks amazing," Mal told him. "I'm surprised you got this all done in such short notice."
"That's because he didn't," Chip grinned. "His amazing and fantastic older brother did it!"
"And so modest too," Malinda snorted in amusement.
"Thanks," Ben said. "Have to be honest, all this was Mrs. Potts. Well her and her son Chip. Last time I tried to help in the kitchen, it did not end well."
Audie giggled. "Mal told me about how Ben tried to make a loaf of bread for the soup kitchen. It turned into a flour war between her, Ben, Chip, Hadie, King Beast, Queen Belle, and Lady Persephone. There's supposedly video but I haven't seen it."
"Huh…so no matter what timeline I'm in, I am a disaster in the kitchen," Ben muttered to himself.
"Actually…dad gave you a couple of cooking lessons after I really started craving his garlic crispy chicken but before we found out I was pregnant," Malinda chuckled. "You were petrified the entire time."
Mal gave a small giggle at the thought. "I can cook to a degree but I only do it if I have to. The Isle has a few restaurants I prefer going to."
"Really?" Ben asked with a smile. "What's your favorite one? I can see if we have any similar restaurants over here if you want to try them out, to compare."
Mal shook her head. "Sorry Benny but no restaurants could compare to dad's. No if's, and's, or but's about it."
Mal paused, inwardly debating about what title she would give her dad when talking about his restaurant. "…my dad's," she said softly.
"I think every kid prefers their parents' cooking," Kristoff said with a fond smile.
"Lord Hades has a restaurant?" Ben asked.
"Technically it's Aunt Steph's," Uma said,
"Yeah, dad's name's just on the place so that way no one messes with it," Mal nodded.
"He does things like garlic chicken, fried fish, curly fries," Mal said with a small smile thinking about her dad's cooking. "I'd be there pretty much every night, plus helping him come up with new things in the kitchen at home. Plus there's Ursula's Fish and Chip Shoppe."
"Which technically was established before Uncle Hades' place," Uma said.
Hades chuckled. "Oh yeah, I forgot she stopped talking to me for about five years because of that. Good times, good times."
"Yet you still kept an eye on Uma?" Poseidon asked.
"I'm the God of the Dead, not the God who enacts retribution against those who succumb to hubris against the Gods," Hades said, shaking his head. "That's Nemesis' job."
Ben looked thoughtful. "That actually sounds pretty good, the food from Lord Hades' restaurant. I wish I could try some…and that probably sounds pretty stupid."
"You said it not me," CJ muttered.
Milah sighed and looked over at her youngest. "Behave."
CJ rolled her eyes. She only had one mom, thank you. Yeah she knew that Harriet wasn't truly her mom based on stories Harriet would tell her but at the same time…Harriet was the only mom CJ had known. "Why should I? As Harriet keeps saying, VKs don't behave."
"Why?"
Ben looked over at her. "Why what? Why do I want to try some of the food at Lord Hades' restaurant or why do I think saying out loud sounds stupid?"
"Both I guess."
"Well for the food one, it's because everything described sounds good," Ben said.
Ben sighed. "The Isle's part of Auradon, whether people realize it or not. Besides, we don't have many restaurants that make food like what you just described. But it sounds dumb to say it out loud because I'd have to go to the Isle and I figure I'm not the most popular guy over there just based on who my dad is."
"That would be a fair assumption to make," Hades nodded.
Persephone sighed. "Be nice Hades. At least he actually wants to see the Isle and help the people there."
"You'd be correct," Mal said softly, thinking of the numerous defaced posters of King Beast that scattered the Isle.
"Who put those posters up?" Uma asked.
"Probably an intern at the Bureau of Isle Affairs," Beast said and Ben looked over at him in shock.
"There's a Bureau of Isle Affairs and we're only just learning about the issues on the Isle now, dad?"
"It's where the inspectors came from," Benji told him. "In all honesty, I don't know what all it did but they did make the posters."
"Which made for excellent target practice and spray paint practice, considering the amount of animosity that was directed toward Auradon at the time," Malinda nodded. "They even put me on one of those posters."
"They what?" Benji asked, looking at her.
Malinda nodded. "Yeah, apparently Freddy's gang used it for dagger practice according to Claudine. It was when we first started dating, after you were crowned and after Uma, Harry, Hadie, and Gil came to Auradon. It said 'Mal, formerly of the Isle of the Lost, encourages you all to follow her example' at the top and then the main text said 'If I can go from Bad to Glad, you can too' with a picture of me standing in front of Auradon Prep."
"Please tell me you're joking," Benji sighed.
"Oh did I forget about the bottom text where it said 'A united future is possible! Choose Goodness!'?"
"…we're disbanding the Bureau of Isle Affairs as soon as we get home."
"But…speaking of the Isle…can I ask you something?"
"Ask away," Ben said with a small smile.
"What made you decide to bring kids over from the Isle?"
"Because he's a good hearted and amazing person who the Fates created to make it so that everyone could see that the kids of the Isle were just like us," Emir stated.
Ben sighed. "There's a view of the Isle from my parents' castle. For the longest time I'd look out at it and know there were kids on the Isle, kids who didn't ask for that life. They were innocent in all this."
Mal couldn't help but look over at Ben as she heard that. No one else knew this but there was a view of Auradon from Maleficent's castle. When she was really young, before the days of knowing that Hades was her dad, she'd think about possibly escaping the Isle. Escaping Maleficent's clutches and make her way to Auradon.
It was only the fact that Harry and Uma needed her that kept Mal on the Isle. Even after Hadie was born and Mal had run away from the Underworld, the fact still remained that her crew needed her there rather than in Auradon.
"Would you ever consider bringing over more than just me, Jay, Carlos and Evie?" Mal asked, her heart racing as she realized that Uma, Hadie, and Harry's futures hung in the balance.
"Mal, I'd wager that if Ben's not dreaming of you, he's dreaming of bringing more kids from the Isle," Emir said with a smile.
Ben flushed slightly and shook his head. "Of course I want to bring more kids from the Isle. What good is a VK program with just four kids?"
"And we thank you for that your highness," Harriet said, the thought of Sammy and her brothers crossing her mind.
Ben smiled. "Of course! I won't be able to get approval until after coronation because of dad's council but after that, the plan is definitely to bring over more kids. Out of curiosity, why do you ask?"
"For her health of course!" Rose sighed, shaking her head. "It couldn't be because she has friends on the Isle that she wants to get off said Isle!"
"I have some friends…some family…that I was hoping to have come over," Mal said softly.
Ben nodded. "Of course. I'll send the invitations right after coronation Mal."
"No, what you'll do right after coronation is celebrate and then take a nap and then send the invitations out," Akiho corrected.
Ben blinked. "You know that when I said you were the 'mom' friend, I was joking right?"
"Hey, someone has to do it and that someone will be me!"
Mal couldn't help but stare at him, slightly in shock. It was really that easy? That was all she had to say?
"What? Do I have something on my face?" Ben asked, noticing her staring at him.
"That was all I had to say? You don't want to know who they are? Or there's no deal involved for it?"
"To be fair, that would be rather shocking," Uma nodded.
"Yeah, the Isle's practically built on deals," Harry added. "Not to mention, Mal's the daughter of Lord Hades, who pretty much has a rep for his deals."
"Mal, you said they were your friends," Ben said. "I figure you wouldn't be inviting anyone you actively hated. I can get the information when I send out the invites. Why would there need to be a deal? I want to bring over more kids, you know of kids who could come over. It's as simple as that."
"Just because I actively hate someone, that doesn't mean they don't deserve to come to Auradon," Mal shook her head. "There's a difference. I actively hated Blue…Evie but all she did against me was not invite me to a party. Not exactly permanently stay on Isle worthy. But Freddy tried to drown me, hence my hatred of him."
"So your hatred of someone could vary but just because you hate them doesn't mean they shouldn't be invited to Auradon?" Melody asked.
"Exactly," Mal nodded.
Mal stared at Ben, still slightly in shock, before shaking her head. "Ben, I…I don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything. If you can think of anyone else though, that'd be good. I want to stick with four—that seemed to be a good number this go around."
"Dizzy!"
"Celia!"
Hadie chuckled as both cousins immediately said the other's name, as if suggesting that they'd be the fourth person to get off the Isle. "Why not both and increase the number brought over?"
"Yeah, I like Hadie's idea," Uma nodded.
Mal thought for a moment. If they needed to bring four, then they could invite over Gil as well. Harry wouldn't like it but all he'd have to do handle the limo ride.
Harry glowered but sighed. "If…if it's just for the limo ride then I can put up with Fish for Brains. Any longer than that and I make no promises!"
After all, while he wasn't in the gang proper, Gil was friendly with Carlos since they were under the gang's protection together. Carlos and Gil could room together, allowing Harry and Jay to be roommates.
"Hey now see? It's good that Gil's coming then," Jay told Harry. "If he wasn't, then odds are I'd still be with Carlos and you'd be with Hadie. Or you and Hadie would be put with an AK."
"More than likely it'd be the second option," Ben said. "I'm a little surprised we didn't go for two boys and two girls again. That worked well this time."
"If we change that, I think that Celia should take the fourth spot," Uma quickly spoke up.
"Well I can think of enough for four people to come over…but one of them is a bit younger than the rest," Mal said softly.
"Gee Hads, I wonder who they're talking about?" Dizzy said with a grin threatening to split her face in two. Yes she would have loved to be in Auradon with Evie but at least her friend would get to go.
And hey, with her friend on the other side of the bridge, that just increased the chances for her to get an invite!
"That shouldn't be a problem," Ben told her. "Each person would get someone to act as their 'guardian' so to speak so age shouldn't be too big of a deal unless we're talking about a newborn."
"I'm not that young!" Hadie exclaimed as Dizzy and Celia chuckled.
"No, no! He's not that young—he's ten, about to turn eleven," Mal said quickly.
"Oh, okay," Ben said with a small nod of his head and a smile. "That shouldn't be an issue then. Like I said, each person gets a guardian so age wouldn't be something we'd need to worry about. It's certainly doable."
"And the reason why Mal can't just be Hadie's guardian is?" Hades asked, his eyes narrowing at the thought of another adult having parental rights over his kids.
"She's not yet eighteen," Ben spoke up, more than a little proud of himself for not melting into a pile of goo as Hades turned to look at him. "It wouldn't be fair to Mal to be forced into a parental role even just for half a year."
"So who would Hadie's other guardian be considering Lady Persephone would be in Auradon for six months?" Rowyn asked.
"I'd be happy to be Hadie's guardian while Persephone's on the Isle," Poseidon spoke up.
"As would I," Demeter nodded.
"And why can't Persephone just stay in Auradon?" Hades asked. "If we're going to have both of our kids in Auradon without either of their parents, at least let them have someone they trust and will willingly go to if something happens."
"Just because you don't trust me Hades doesn't mean your son won't," Demeter said.
"You almost turned Persephone into a tree because she fell in love with me," Hades said, his voice flat. "I've got good reason not to trust you Demeter."
Mal couldn't help but return the smile. She was getting her friends and her brother off that Isle. It was more than she could hope for.
"By the way, have something to eat! Please! You don't need to wait because we're talking," Ben told her.
Akiho shook his head. "Ben telling someone else to eat just sounds weird."
"You guys act like I never eat anything," Ben said, shaking his head.
"Not unless we make it so," Emir said. "After all, do the words 'missed dinner eleven times' not sound familiar to you?!"
Mal nodded and grabbed one of the weird white spheres that were on a plate near Ben. Biting into it, she could see a bright red center.
"First time?" Ben asked with a gentle smile.
"Hmm?"
"Your first time eating a jelly donut?" Ben clarified, smiling as he saw the powder and filling around her mouth. It honestly was kinda adorable.
Benji chuckled as Malinda gave him a look. "I know, I know. You don't do adorable. Even though you are."
Mal paused before looking over at Ben. "Is it bad?"
"No, no, of course not," Ben said. "You've just got a little…" he told her while gently wiping at the powder around her lips with his finger.
"Napkins exist," Hades growled, tensing up as Akiho continued to read.
Persephone shook her head. "Behave Hades. I get that you're protective after everything that happened with Maleficent kidnapping Mal but Prince Ben would never do anything to hurt her," she whispered to him.
"Doesn't mean I have to like the idea of Mal going on a date, Steph," Hades whispered back. The idea that Mal was growing up…yeah no sorry, sixteen was still an infant to the eons old Gods.
"I mean…yeah do this," he added, pressing his lips together so Mal could remove the remaining bit of powder.
"Can't take me anywhere I guess," Mal said softly, following the instructions. She wished someone would explain why she felt a shiver run down her spine as Ben's finger brushed her lips.
"Girl don't be proud, it's okay, you're in love," Macaria said in an almost sing songy tone of voice, a big grin on her face.
"Settle down," Meg told her daughter.
Ben gave her a smile as he laid back down. He didn't mean to but in the back of his mind he couldn't help but compare Mal to Audrey. Audrey would have never dared to touch a jelly donut out of fear it might ruin her outfit.
Kitty rolled her eyes. "I can hear the screaming fit she'd throw if that happened."
Whereas Mal was eating them without a care in the world, not even thinking about her dress. It truly was amazing, the difference between them. All Ben knew was he wouldn't trade this moment for the world.
"Well Ben, unlike Audrey, Mal hasn't had the opportunity to eat a jelly donut to know they have the possibility of 'ruining an outfit'," Lonnie said, shaking her head at the absurdity of the whole thing.
"So Ben," Mal said, trying to change the subject, "coronation's coming up soon. You excited?"
"In a way…"
"How are there ways to be excited about something?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's just one way to be excited," Dizzy nodded.
Celia chuckled. "Diz, that's just your default mode."
Mal tilted her head. "There are ways to be excited about something?"
Ben couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I mean I'm glad I'll have the chance to do more for the kingdom but I don't know if my dad's making the right choice, stepping down right now…"
Ben…you were the one who suggested it, Beast thought with a small frown. He knew why Ben had made the suggestion of course, and he would always be appreciative that his son wanted to make sure he had the chance to grieve Abby but…not if it meant that Ben didn't think he was ready to take the crown.
Mal frowned slightly; she honestly thought Beast never made a good decision but she wasn't going to say that to Ben. At least not on their date.
"Hmm, I'd like to correct my past self," Malinda chuckled, teasing her father-in-law. "Adam had the good idea to marry Belle and therefore produce Ben."
"You're worried aren't you?" Mal asked softly after a moment.
"Yeah," Ben nodded. "I mean…a crown doesn't make you a king. I just want to be sure I'm doing what's right for the kingdom."
"By bringing villains to Auradon? Ben, that's just going to be the fall of Auradon!" Leah exclaimed.
"If we are villains like you claim we are Leah, it's only because your actions made it so," Malinda told her, her voice flat.
"Ben…you're going to be a good king," Mal said gently.
Ben sighed, shaking his head slightly. No one knew he was going to be a good King, they were just reassuring him.
"Hey," Chip said and Ben looked over at him. "You want to know how I know you're going to be a good King? It's because you're actually worrying about this and not strutting around like a peacock."
"I think the only time I saw Benny here strut was…never actually," Malinda said.
Ben gave her a small smile. "Thanks. It's just there's this…feeling that no matter what I'll do as king, there'll be people out there comparing me to my dad's reign. I'll only be the second king of Auradon after all—there's no one else to compare to."
"Why compare yourself to others when you're not them?" Celia asked, rolling her eyes.
Harriet though couldn't help but give the Crown Prince a small smile. She knew what he meant; after all there were still days where she'd wonder what her mother would have done when dealing with Harry or CJ and if she'd made the right call.
"Well what do they matter?" Mal asked. "I mean, Ben, you can't please everyone. Honestly that's a lesson we learn pretty quick on the Isle. Besides, you'll be king. You're going to be the one making the final decision so you're going to have to go with your gut for some decisions."
Benji nodded. "And I've used that advice. In fact, I use it every day."
"I…I just don't like people being upset," Ben said and then sighed. "Trust me, Chad and Audrey have graciously proven that sometimes there's no pleasing people."
"Of course they have," Akiho muttered as he and Emir rolled their eyes.
Mal couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Ben, look at it this way. You're probably the only person I've ever heard say that you consider the Isle part of your kingdom. You're wanting to go on the Isle to try the food—which if you're serious about that and we can wrangle it safely, I'm willing to take you—"
"You'll do what? Uncle Hades is right, the sun really does soften the brain!" Uma exclaimed. "There will be no taking the son of persona non grata to the Isle! Or if you're going to do this mad thing, contact me first so I can set up a guard for you! A guard he can't give the day off because it'd be our people not his!"
Ben seemed to perk up at that. "Really? Absolutely Mal, I'm serious! Being a good king means caring about my subjects after all and for the life of me I can't remember ever seeing a report on the Isle. How can I rule Auradon if I don't know how some of its citizens are living? The food would just be a bonus."
"We have a Bureau of Isle Affairs and yet Ben hasn't seen a report on the Isle?" Jane asked.
Beast shook his head. "I don't give Ben all my paperwork, in fact I'm still confused as to how he has so much since he's only supposed to have enough paperwork to fill up the three hours of allotted time on his schedule. Which we will be reducing by the way."
"What?" Ben exclaimed.
"If you can't get to bed at a normal hour and you're forgetting to eat meals Ben, you're working yourself too hard," Beast told his son. "I think one and a half hours should be enough time to work on paperwork."
Ben stared at his father, flabbergasted. However, the wheels in his head began to turn as an idea started to form. Dean was amazing and always seemed to know what he wanted before Ben did. If Dean happened to grab a bit extra paperwork…I mean, it was to help take the strain off his dad after all. At least until the coronation happened.
Mal couldn't help but nod slowly. "Maybe we could slip you on when we pick up the next group but you'd have to borrow some of Jay's clothes. I doubt you have anything that would be considered 'Isle style'."
"That would be a safe assumption," all of Ben's friends said in unison.
Ben nodded and then paused. "Won't Jay's stuff be a bit big on me? I mean he's like five inches taller than me at least."
"That's a good point. How tall are you Jay?" Uma asked.
"I'm 5'8"," Jay told her.
Malinda chuckled. "Hey Benny, you're taller than Jay! Didn't you say you were 5'9"?"
Harry smirked. "I've got all of you landlubbers beat. Six feet even."
"And yet when you see a spider, you shrink to three feet tall and jump on the bed or couch or chair and call for Jay, Hadie, Uma, Ben or me to come and kill it," Malinda said with a small smirk.
"How…if you all don't have a medical system…?" Ruby asked, pulling attention back to the original topic before Uma or Mal had a chance to tease Harry.
Uma chuckled. "Aunt Steph liked to measure us when we were kids after we learned that Mal was my cousin and it was just a tradition that stuck," she said. "She wanted to make sure that we weren't being too adversely affected by the Isle's diet."
Mal frowned slightly. "Do you have a pair of jeans?"
"I think so," Ben said. "If not, I know Chip'll have an old pair I could borrow."
"I do," Chip nodded. "But why not just go and get your own pair of jeans?"
"Or if all else fails I guess I could steal something off Carlos for you," Mal muttered. "Carlos' stuff might be too small on you but it's the only option other than borrowing something of mine. It won't matter too much if the top's too big. Most of the kids on the Isle are in clothes that are a bit big on them but you need to be able to walk."
"Wouldn't Jay's stuff be better then?" Robin asked. "Ben could always roll up the pant legs but if the pants are too tight, that's a horse of a different color."
"If it comes down to it, I've got an old pair of sweats from Tourney that might work," Ben told her.
"You mean the dark blue sweat pants with the words 'Auradon Prep Fighting Knights' written down the side in bright gold lettering?" Akiho asked, looking up from the scroll and raising an eyebrow at Ben.
"Good." Mal said as she took a bite of one of the strawberries, her eyes widening slightly as she actually tasted it. "Mmm!"
Benji chuckled. "And thus the favorite food of the Queen of Auradon was discovered!"
"It can't really be that good, can it?" Mal asked as Audrey rolled her eyes.
Malinda smiled and handed her younger self the bowl of strawberries she was snacking from. "Why don't you give it a try?"
Mal shook her head but grabbed one of the red fruit. Biting into it, her eyes widened as the sweetness of the berry ran over her tongue. It really wasn't anything like they had on the Isle.
"I think you just answered your own question," Malinda said with a smile. "Ben, it might be a good idea to keep plenty of strawberries in stock over at Auradon Prep."
"I'll take care of that," Fairy Godmother nodded as Ben opened his mouth.
"Thank you Fairy Godmother," Belle said with a small smile.
Ben grinned as he heard her utterance and made a note to have strawberries in stock in the kitchen. "Glad you like them," he told Mal as he looked out over the water. "Hey? You want to maybe go for a swim?"
Chip chuckled. "I knew this would happen."
"Well yes, because Malinda confirmed it would, teacup," Lucas said, shaking his head.
"Hush. Don't be a thief of joy."
"Now?" Mal asked, her eyes wide.
"Yeah, come on!" Ben said with a grin as he hopped up, already starting to unbutton his shirt.
Benji sighed. "I should have thought about that…that you might not be able to swim," he murmured to Malinda.
"I lived on an island for sixteen years Ben, it was logical to assume I'd been taught how to swim," Malinda murmured back.
"I…I think I'm just going to stay here and eat some strawberries," Mal told him. "They're good."
Ben chuckled. "Don't eat the whole bowl," he said as he made his way over to the other side of the lake.
"She's actually done that," Benji told his younger self. "I'm actually curious to see if she can eat all the strawberries in Auradon."
"You are aware that your child is the one making me crave them right?" Malinda asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Uh huh. And what was the reason before you were pregnant, Mal?"
Mal finished the strawberry she'd stuffed in her mouth then stood up, smiling slightly at the sight of Ben climbing onto a rock on the other side of the lake.
"How fast was Ben walking? It's not like he can teleport," Macaria said, shaking her head.
Ben looked out over the lake and gave Mal a wave as he saw her looking. He'd stripped down and so was only in his boxers but he didn't care. They were long enough that they passed as swim trunks.
Malinda couldn't help but smile at that memory, of how happy Ben had looked that day. He didn't seem stressed or anxious about the future but more like a sixteen year old boy on a date.
"Are those little crowns on your shorts?" Mal called, trying to hide the slight giggle in her voice.
Ben looked down at his shorts and then looked back at Mal. "Maybe?!"
Benji sighed. "Actually…you were close. It was the Beast insignia."
"Oh yes because every aspect of your clothing needs to have that on it," Akiho shook his head.
"Says the guy with reindeer everything!"
"Not on my boxers though!"
"Wait, wait," Uma said, biting her lip as to avoid chuckling. It didn't work. "You…you have the Beast insignia…on your boxers?"
"…no comment," Ben said, his face flushing brighter than a tomato as all the kids present began to burst out laughing.
Shaking his head slightly, he gave a playful roar before jumping off the rock, cannon balling into the water. As his body hit the water, Ben couldn't help but inwardly sigh. He loved playing Tourney but there was nothing that was better than swimming.
Belle couldn't help but look over at Ben with a sad smile on her lips. How she wished he would have had more time to do things like this, to be a regular teen rather than a future King.
Mal couldn't help but smile fondly as she watched him. It was strange but she was honestly having a good time with Ben…a good time she knew would end once she got that antidote in him. Honestly she'd be lucky if he didn't kick her back to the Isle.
"The antidote which isn't needed—ouch Phil!"
"Hey, I got smacked for the same thing Ev. I'm not letting you get away with being unsmacked," Phil Jr. said as he went back to his seat.
At least Uma, Harry and Hadie would have their chance, she thought. Ben wouldn't take back a promise…would he?
"Considering the effort you had to go through to get him to get out of the betrothal contract which he did consider to be a promise…I can safely tell you the answer to that is no," Phil Jr. said, shaking his head.
After a moment, though, Mal realized that Ben was nowhere in sight. "Ben?"
At not getting any response, Mal called again. "Ben? Ben?!"
Belle froze and grabbed Beast's arm in fear. While she knew that Ben was a strong swimmer, she also knew that anything could have happened to him. She'd already lost one child, she…she didn't want to lose another.
Seeing no other choice, Mal jumped off the stone platform and began to wade into the water, not realizing how deep she was going.
"What?!"
"Mal are you crazy?" Uma exclaimed, looking at her cousin.
Hades shook his head. "I don't want to see my daughter's soul in the Underworld Mal! Get out of that water!"
"Dad, dad," Malinda said, gesturing to herself. "I'm here, I'm fine…I'm immortal, have we all forgotten that? Mom adopted me after all."
"I don't care Mal, you could have still gotten hurt," Hades told her.
Before she knew it, she was near the middle of the lake with the water coming up over her head. Thinking back, it might have been a good idea to take her shoes off before jumping in.
"That's what you focused on?!" Harry exclaimed, looking at Malinda. "Not the fact that you can't swim, but the fact that you left your shoes on?!"
"Harry, relax," Malinda said. "I'm here, I'm fine."
Harry shook his head. Auradon already took his mother from him, he wasn't going trust that they weren't going to take his sister in all but blood from him too until the scroll said so.
Well, at least I won't get sent back to the Isle for letting the crown prince drown when he was alone with me, Mal thought as she struggled to keep her head above water.
"Sunspot would have had a phone, why didn't you use the phone?" Hades muttered as he got up to pace, Persephone having gone to squeeze over next to Mal; holding her tight to her. Hadie had already rushed over to Mal and Estelle had climbed into all of their laps. "No wait, better yet, why didn't you call your mother? She would have been there in two seconds and can actually swim! I swear to all the Gods, if I wasn't a God, you'd be committing murder on my blood pressure Malinda!"
The only downside is Beast will probably end the VK program meaning Uma, Harry and Hadie won't be coming over after all. I'm sorry guys…I did try….
Abby shook her head. She may have been dead but she knew that her mother at least would have tried to keep the VK program going if…if something happened to Ben. At least to honor his memory.
To Mal's surprise though, the water seemed to be getting lower and she could breathe more easily. It was then that she discovered that Ben was carrying her out of the water.
"Oh thank Gods," Mal muttered though it sounded rather muffled due to how tightly Persephone was holding her. "Can everyone calm down now?"
"No," Persephone said.
"Mom! Choking! Not breathing! Let go!"
Persephone flushed slightly but did loosen her hold on Mal a tad.
"Seriously? There's no way this is comfortable for you mom!"
"Hush, okay Mal? You don't need to worry about my comfort right now."
Posideon shook his head slightly, making a mental note to teach both his niece and his nephew to swim, if Hadie didn't already know how, once they were both in Auradon.
He gently set her down on the platform. After shaking his hair out, he looked over at her.
"Ah yes because when rescuing someone who's drowning, it's always important to shake out one's hair," Akiho said, shaking his head as he looked over at Ben.
"You can't swim?!"
"You sounded so offended by that fact," Malinda said, resting her head on Benji's shoulder.
"You scared me!" Mal said, slapping his chest lightly.
Ben stared at her and looked over his shoulder as if he was being pranked. Looking back at her, he said, "I'm sorry, I just..I didn't mean…you can't swim?!"
Benji shook his head. "In that moment, learning that she couldn't swim, I guess I thought that Mal would put her safety over mine."
"Yeah, I'm not having the Crown Prince die when I'm alone with him," Malinda said, gently nudging his shoulder.
"No!"
"You live on an Island!"
"Yeah, with a barrier around it, remember?!"
"Good point," Alexandria said, her voice soft.
Harriet shook her head. "The barrier doesn't impact our ability to learn how to swim. Otherwise the Captain wouldn't have been able to teach Harry and me, and I wouldn't have been able to teach CJ."
"And yet you still tried to save me," Ben said with a slight smile on his face.
"Yeah, but do you thank me?" Mal asked with a slight eye roll. "No, all I get is soaking wet!"
"Honestly, I think he's in shock. Have you ever known Ben not to thank someone who did something for him?"
"And this fancy rock," Ben added, holding up a very shiny rock. "Make a wish and throw it back into the lake."
Akiho shook his head. "Not the best time dude. She's clearly mad at you after all and you give her a fancy rock?"
Ben, this is not the time to hand me a rock. Gods you're lucky you're cute…wait what?! Mal thought as she stared at the rock for a minute before throwing it back into the water before getting up.
"So you think I'm cute?" Benji teased as he looked over at Malinda.
"I married you, you goof," Malinda chuckled. "Of course I do."
I am such an idiot, Ben thought as he hopped back onto the platform and wrapped a towel around Mal's shoulders. "Thank you," he said softly, looking over at Mal. "I'll pay to get your dress cleaned. Least I can do."
"There we go, that's more like Ben."
"Don't worry about it. It's just water," Mal told him. You're more important than some dress.
Mal nodded. "Honestly Benny, you're the Crown Prince. The future for both Auradon and the Isle. That overrides a dress' wellbeing."
"Plus Mal's not exactly going to freak out over a dress being wet," Uma pointed out.
Ben stared at Mal in a slight daze, unused to someone reacting like that. Most of the girls in the school would have freaked out about their dresses, well maybe not Kitty or Lonnie.
"Not all the girls," Ashaki said, shaking her head. "A life matters more than a dress."
"Did the scroll say all the girls?" Akiho asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I just wanted it corrected that Kitty and Lonnie were not the only girls who wouldn't freak out about their dress."
"Fair enough."
"I'm sorry, by the way, for scaring you. I didn't realize I'd gone so far out," Ben said and Mal shrugged.
"I panicked," she said softly, looking away from him.
Mal doesn't panic, Harry thought. Though…between being around water and the idea of being found to be responsible for the Crown Prince's death, I could understand why.
Mal did her best to hide it but she couldn't keep the fact that she had a fear of water from him. He'd been friends with her since they were three after all. Him, Mal, and Uma.
Ben frowned a little as Mal looked away from him. The date'd been going so well and he had to go and ruin it by swimming. Maybe the arcade would have been the better choice.
"Not necessarily," Jay said. "If the arcade was too crowded…well Mal would probably be tense the entire time."
"You guys know what an arcade is?" Phil asked.
"Phillip!" Aurora scolded.
Uma chuckled. "My dad runs an arcade, along with a small shop and being headmaster at Dragon Hall."
"Facilier….Ursula…why?"
Tiana shook her head as she looked at her husband before looking back at Uma. "Why did you have to remind him about that?"
"Cause his reaction's fun to watch and it'd been a while since I brought it up," Uma said with a smirk.
"Mal…" Ben said softly, gently cupping her chin and turning her face back toward him. Mal stared at him, his hazel green eyes almost staring into her soul.
"Please let our kids get your eyes," Malinda said. "In fact, they will get your eyes if I have a say in it."
Benji looked over at her, tilting his head. "But I wouldn't mind our kid having your eyes. I love your eyes."
Malinda shook her head, not really wanting to go into the reason why she wanted her child to get Ben's eyes.
"Because my eyes are evil," Mal muttered softly.
"…but eyes can't be evil," Ashaki said, having heard Mal's mutter and looked over at her. "The person connected to the eyes can be evil by choice but the eyes themselves can't be."
Mal sighed and shook her head, gesturing to Akiho to continue to read.
Gods what is this feeling? Mal thought after once again triple checking that no one could enter through the mind link. It's like I want to hit him in the face with a textbook but the textbook is also my face. Ben's going to make me go insane!
"Don't you sing again!" Mal said, glaring slightly at Macaria.
Oh dear, looks like I'm going to have to have a certain talk with Mal, Persephone thought. In all honesty, she had been delaying it as she wasn't entirely sure how to structure it in a way that would best fit the Isle.
Now though that didn't seem like it was going to be a problem.
"What?" Mal asked him softly, trying to not enjoy the feeling of his hand on her chin too much.
"Are you okay?" Ben asked, his voice soft and his hand still cupping her chin. The very touch sent sparks up his spine.
"That's called attraction my dear brother," Abby grinned as Audrey glared at everyone.
"Nope! Sorry but no, you're thirteen Abigail! And you will stay that way!" Beast said. "For the sake of my sanity, I'm going to ignore the fact that you know what attraction is!"
Belle shook her head. "Honestly Adam! Even thirteen year olds know what attraction is. Ben certainly did, though that might have been because of the books we read together."
Beast stared at her for what felt like hours but was probably more a few seconds. "…and it seems we will be discussing what types of books you read with our thirteen year old son as well after this reading."
"Are you really going to limit the books I read with our son Adam?"
Hades couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips and Persephone gave him a look. "Don't you laugh, you know you're just as bad."
"I'm fine."
"You sure? Mal you could have drowned. Your head went under the water. I…I want to make sure you're okay."
"If you want to make sure of that, you know there's this place with doctors who can verify such a thing," Emma pointed out.
"Ben, it's not the first time I've nearly drowned. You got me out in time, that's all that matters," Mal said softly.
"And you know who can verify if you're okay? A doctor! Go to one!" Lucas exclaimed.
Audie looked over at Lucas. "You know it's moments like this that I remember you're married to Chip 'Why haven't you tried True Love's Kiss, you idiots?' Potts."
"I don't recall him using those last two words during the viewing I was at."
"It was also the only one he was at and the last two words were implied."
Ben stared at Mal in shock. What did she mean that it wasn't the first time she'd nearly drowned? What happened? Had she been hurt?
"You don't want to know what happened," Ben muttered under his breath, his hands curling into slight fists at the memory of Freddy pushing Mal into the cove.
If she wants to talk about it, she'll tell you, he thought. The two of them continued to eat and talk, Ben finally letting to of Mal's chin to eat some food himself.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," Emir said.
"Wow, five waits. I think that's a new record," Ben chuckled.
Emir rolled his eyes and looked at Benji. "You mean to tell me that you sat down at the picnic, had Mal eat, went swimming, scared Mal into thinking you'd drowned, saved Mal's life, and only just now ate something?"
Benji chuckled sheepishly. "Why do I feel like my version of you is plotting to corner me when we get back to our time?"
"Because you've known me since we were four," Emir said, his voice flat.
"Did…did you have a good time?" Ben asked as they headed back to the bike.
"I did," Mal nodded. "More than I thought I would."
"I'm glad. Every girl should have a good first date," he said with a smile.
"Every one should have a good first date," Chip corrected. "You matter too Benji."
After what he'd learned in the talk with Adam, Belle, Ben, Abby, and Benji, Chip was never going to miss an opportunity to remind Ben he mattered. He'd drill it into his surrogate little brother's skull if he had to.
Mal couldn't help but smile at that. "Well, you succeeded. Though I'll confess, I never pictured I'd spend part of my first date planning on smuggling the crown prince onto the Isle."
"Truthfully I never really spent any time picturing my first date," Malinda added. "I didn't spend much time thinking about dating at all if I'm honest."
"Well you're a VK after all. Isn't planning to sneak around what you do?" Ben teased.
"What do you expect? She hasn't even been off the Isle a month after all,"
Mal chuckled. "Hey, it's what we're good at! But um…to reiterate my point from earlier Ben, you will be a good king. You just need to trust your gut and stand your ground on things you really think should happen."
Beast nodded. "You're going to make some mistakes during your rule Ben. That's just a fact, no King is perfect. The important thing is that you learn from your mistakes and if it's something you really believe in, then push for it until you get it."
Ben sighed. "I know you're right, and I know I'll need to be able to do that, especially if I want to bring more kids from the Isle."
Benji nodded. "She tends to be right about a lot of things."
Mal nodded. "Hey, if you need someone to be 'bad cop' to your good, Jay is quite skilled at glaring people down," she jokingly offered.
Ben gave a soft laugh at that. "I may take you up on that."
"Excuse me? I happen to be quite skilled at glaring people down myself!" Harry exclaimed.
"Ah yes but you're not in Auradon Harry," Jay teased.
"Yet. I'm not in Auradon yet."
"I'll let him know. He really liked being on the Tourney team by the way. Just don't let him know I told you."
"I'm glad—he's a good player too."
Jay couldn't help the small smile that formed as he heard that, while meanwhile Harry grinned proudly. That was his best mate, thank you very much!
"He is," Mal nodded, "which is weird considering we don't have Tourney on the Isle. But he's always been athletic I guess. Have to be really, to make it around the Isle."
"Hey, got to put my running over the roofs of the buildings on the Isle skills to use somehow," Jay said with a smirk.
Ben nodded slowly. He took a moment before speaking. "You know, when you first arrived, I thought you and Jay were dating."
"You what?" Mal asked, stopping dead in her tracks.
"You didn't think that during this reading did you?" Mal asked, looking at Ben.
"Of course not," Ben said quickly. "I know guys and girls can just be friends."
"Liar," Emir, Akiho, and Benji coughed.
"Yeah," Ben nodded. "Well you seemed to try to avoid spending time with Evie and weren't really close with Carlos. Jay's the only other VK I saw you around so I just thought…"
"Well you thought wrong," Uma chuckled.
Jay smirked. "Though if it'd been Harry Benny saw Mal with, he wouldn't be far off there."
"Jay, you're treading into dangerous territory," Uma said, her eyes narrowing as she looked at her fellow crew mate. She hated thinking about those two weeks where Mal and Harry were in their flirtationship.
"You know, that is rather commendable," Tiana said with a small smile. "It could have been so easy for Ben to try to seem 'better' than Jay because of his royal status."
"That's what we call 'pulling a Gaston'," Malinda said, shaking her head. "Ben would never do that. I think he'd damage a book on purpose before he'd use his rank to get what he wanted."
"I'm right here!" Ben and Benji said at the same time.
Malinda raised an eyebrow. "Was I wrong in my statement?"
"Ben, Jay's like my older brother," Mal told him. "We've been friends since I was five. Dating him? Just…ugh!"
"I feel I should be offended but after what Lady Demeter said about some of the Gods of Olympus last scroll, I'll take that as a compliment Mal," Jay chuckled.
"Okay, okay," Ben said with a chuckle at Mal's shudder. "I'm just telling you what I saw, plus I heard you and Jay talking one day and he had said you'd gone into his bed. I almost didn't ask you out because of it."
Jay shook his head. "You know what the best way to avoid thinking like that is? Ask one of us!"
"Yeah well like I said, he's my family. He's the only one of my gang I've got with me—I missed spending time with him. Besides no one would let me switch rooms or do anything other than share with Evie."
"All of the crew is my family," Malinda nodded. "And they always will be."
"That was Fairy Godmother's idea," Ben told her. "She thought you'd be more comfortable rooming with the other female VK. I had wanted to pair you guys up with Auradon kids, sort of break up the tension between our two worlds."
"Hold up," Evan said. "Didn't Malinda ask before who was the reason for Ben changing his mind on the room situation?"
"Oh yeah," Malinda chuckled. "Okay in my defense, it's been seven years since I had this conversation with Ben. As well…I've got pregnancy brain okay?"
Mal couldn't help but smile slightly at that. She really hoped he wouldn't hate her when she removed the love potion…and why did she care about that again?
"Because you like him!" Dizzy squealed.
Ben paused when they neared the bike. "Oh, by the way, I won't tell anyone about the love spell," he said with a small smile.
"Give the girl some warning first Ben!" Abby exclaimed though her eyes shone with amusement as she shook her head.
Mal froze and looked at him, eyes wide. "Wait, what?"
Ben couldn't help but give a small chuckle at her reaction. "Mal, I'm immune to love spells. Have been ever since I was born. Merryweather gave it to me as a christening gift."
"I swear, sensible christening gifts is what she's good at," Malinda said. "The other two, I can almost understand why the Dragon called them the 'imbeciles'."
"And you still asked me out? More importantly, I'm still here at all?!"
Ben sighed. "This may sound really bad but I was really happy you tried to spell me. It meant you at least wanted my attention."
"No, more like she wanted you to start thinking about yourself and get yourself out of that Gods forsaken contract that you should have never been in the first place! But since you were in it, you should have gotten yourself out of it and saved yourself misery and exhaustion and mm-mmmm-mmm."
"Emir, you do know Akiho's reading right?" Ben sighed.
"Oh I know," Emir nodded.
"So you know you're going to have to move your hand from his mouth?"
Emir gave Ben a flat look. "Ben, Akiho's rant on your betrothal contract has been clocked to go on for about four hours if unchecked. Do you really want me to unmute him right now?"
"…no, not really."
"That's what I thought. Give it about five more minutes before he realizes I'm not letting go—dude!"
"Much better," Akiho grinned as Emir removed his hand from Akiho's mouth.
"You licked my hand?!"
"Uh huh."
"Why?"
"So you'd remove it from my mouth."
Kristoff sighed. "Akiho, please read."
"Sure thing Dad," Akiho nodded.
"So if you weren't spelled the whole time, what was with that performance at the Tourney game?"
Ben sighed again. "Yeah, sorry about that. But I needed to get the point across to Audrey."
"Honestly I don't think the point was ever received by Audrey," Benji muttered under his breath. Malinda took his hand and gave it a slight squeeze, knowing what he was thinking about.
"You couldn't have just talked to her?" Mal asked. "You had to do a performance with the entire Tourney team?"
"Oh believe me Mal, I tried talking to Audrey," Ben said. "Unfortunately, as Emir and Akiho pointed out, Audrey only responds to the dramatic so I had to think of the most dramatic thing I could."
"And technically you didn't think of it, your shadows did," Carlos spoke up.
"DeVil has a point," Harry nodded.
"I can see that," Mal sighed.
"Yeah. I'm sorry if it put you on the spot though," Ben said with a small smile.
"No Ben, I mean it was only a performance in front of two schools where you basically declared your love for Mal," Neal shook his head. "Why would you think it would put her on the spot?"
"Sarcasm runs in your family it seems," Emir said to Emma.
"Oh no. It gallops."
"It's alright," Mal said, returning the smile. "So what, since you're not spelled, you've just been faking it the whole time?"
"He better not have been," Hades growled. Reading about his daughter going on her first date was one thing but if the little sunspot had been playing with her heart….
"Mal," Ben said stepping a little bit closer to her. "I haven't been faking anything," he said, gently cupping her cheek with his hand.
Because he's your True Love and you're his, Mal! Audie thought with a small smile. Sure it had hurt when she heard that line in the viewing because she thought she had Ben's heart but now that she'd grown up? Ben's happiness meant more than her ego.
"This is the part where you kiss the girl!" Melody exclaimed, causing Mal and Ben to flush while their older counterparts chuckled.
Mal's breath hitched before she could prevent a reaction from escaping. "Oh," she said softly and Ben gave her a soft smile.
"Mal, I know it was a rather crazy way to ask so I want to try it again," Ben said softly. "Will you be my date to coronation?"
Malinda smiled as Benji held her close. "You know you doing that really showed your character. I think that was one of the first moments I truly started to fall for you," she whispered.
"Well…since you asked so nicely," Mal teased before her tone turned genuine, "yes Ben."
He'd done so much for them, for her; the least she could do was make sure he didn't go to coronation alone.
Ben shook his head. "For the last time, you don't owe me anything."
"Still you can't exactly go alone when the school knows you asked me," Mal pointed out.
"Yeah and Benny? You can claim Mal doesn't owe you anything but it doesn't change the fact that we pay our debts on the Isle," Harry nodded.
"Great!" Ben said with a grin.
"Just don't burst into song again," Mal told him. "I mean, it was a great performance but…"
"Right, don't worry. No more big performances, promise."
"You don't, right?" Mal asked, looking over at Benji.
Benji ran a hand through his hair. "There might have been a moment at Cotillion…"
"Ben, that wasn't a performance though," Malinda said as her eyes narrowed at the thought of Freddy.
Mal sighed in relief. "Thank you."
Ben smiled and helped her get back onto the bike, a smile Mal returned as Ben got on as well.
"You ready?"
"Yeah." Mal said as she wrapped her hands around him once more. Ben smiled and made his way back to the school.
Benji smiled. "As far as 'first' dates go, that was the best one I'd been on."
"Hmm, yeah getting to go out with your dream girl would put that date on the top of the list," Chip chuckled.
Akiho smiled as he rolled the scroll back up. "Okay, who's next?"
"I'll go," Benji said.