An: ...Hi

Villain shipments never stopped coming to the Isle of the Lost. It was just how it went. People broke laws, or didn't conform to Auradon standards, and King Beast sent them here. Over time, as more shipments came, the Isle itself grew to accommodate them. It was one good thing about the island.

When the shipments happened, a larger barrier would appear around the Isle's usual barrier. An extra protection that held a spell to send you right back to the middle of the Isle in the event of a villain trying to escape and getting trapped between two barriers.

Then, the ships would come. Sometimes large, sometimes small. Some armored, others not. Occasionally, the would pull pirate ships behind them, as no on in Auradon wanted those after all.

As the ships came closer, villains from across the island would gather at the main entrance, on the road leading to the neutral city. Children were rarely present, seeking refuge with their gangs for protection as the worst of the worst came out from the shadows.

Out of the crowd would come the designated leaders for each section, or those they sent in their place. As Maleficent never missed a shipment, Claude Frollo would send always send someone else, so he wouldn't have to stand next to an "abomination."

One by one, the ships would empty, with an Auradon messenger calling out their names and crimes. This time, on the first of January, there were three ships. The first was the largest, holding the usual pirates, magicals, prostitutes, and thieves. No one worth remembering as far as Maleficent was concerned, as none led the way to new heroes in Auradon.

The next ship held a circus, one that had apparently gone up against Frollo's foes. Maleficent couldn't help but notice the tears in the eyes of a blonde woman, and how she stayed as far away as she could from the man named Sarousch.

Along with the circus was a lone man, dressed in a green ruana and bound in the same magical handcuffs that the witches and fair folk were forced to wear. He stood tall, or as tall as a man of his height could stand, as the guard said his crime was bringing doom to those around him and stealing magic from his niece, which was ridiculous. You couldn't steal someone's magic, nor could a human, even a magical human, control the future, but she didn't expect Beast to care if the crimes were legitimate or not.

Finally, the third ship came. It was the smallest, and the most guarded, signaling a highly dangerous person. Maleficent watched as ten guards led a man with both his feet and hands in magical shackles off the ship. A very large, very muscular man. A man who was gaining the attention of many in the crowd. The fact that he was only wearing a skirt definitely did not help matters.

She tensed as the guards read his name. The demigod Maui, charged with stealing Te Fiti's heard and trying to doom humanity. She wasn't well versed in the roles of the gods and demigods, especially those outside of the Greeks. She left that to Hades. If there was ever a time for him to come, it would have been today. Only he had gone deep into the Underworld to have a meeting with his brothers, as he did on the first of every year.

Despite the weight of the crimes that were called out, the demigod kept his head high, eyeing everyone in front of him carefully. He was searching for someone, Maleficent could tell, she just wasn't sure who.

When the roll call finished, the guards climbed back onto their ships. The head guard looked down at her and nodded before the ships magically gained speed and made their way to the barriers.

For just a moment it was quiet, then all hell broke loose.

Cries from the crowd started, everyone trying to entice the new villains to their gangs, trying to get closer despite the vines Persephone had grown that only allowed a few at the front of the entrance. When the ships left the first barrier, Maleficent raised her staff and slammed it down with a loud bang, an echoing of green lightning and thunder followed. it was one of the few tricks she allowed herself to do lately. Nothing really magically impressive, just childish effects, but it had the desired outcome.

"Quiet!" She shouted, not daring to turn around. She had Borra for that. "Let us do our job!"

Slowly, the onlookers piped down, and Maleficent took a step forward. None of the other representatives argued. Hate her all you wanted,she was the head of the Isle. She brought her gaze to the villains in front of her. The Isle had changed in the past eleven years, and in order to keep it running smoothly, the new arrivals needed to know the basics.

"You have all been sent here by King Beast," she stared, "Maybe he had reason, perhaps he didn't, but it doesn't matter. As far as Auradon is concerned, you are all villains, and have been sent to an island full of other villains. An island run by other villains." She watched their reactions carefully, noting how some of the men from the first ship seemed to be almost gleeful at her words. While expected, it was never a good sign. "But that doesn't mean we don't have out own rules, and our own domains."

She walked over to one of the pillars, where a crude drawing of the island was. The new arrivals kept their eyes on her, perhaps realizing that it was safer to listen to her than to go straight out to the wolves.

Some of them would never leave the wolves.

"On the north central side of the island, where we are now, is what we call the neutral zone. It is run by Lady Tremaine. In the neutral zone, you leave your gang wars behind. You go to the market. If you start a gang fight, you get out and never look back."

"Or what?" One of the pirates cockily asked. Maleficent didn't even spare him a glance.

"Or you'll be dinner for the wild animals that roam. Next, we have the south central part. This is where the majority of witches and magical beings live, and it is run by Madam Mim and her coven."

With no interruptions, she continued, moving to the right side of the Isle. "This area is split." She told them all. "The northern part is Claude Frollo's domain. Many of the hunters reside there, along with humans who didn't want to live in the neutral zone, and pirates who were kicked out of the coves." She looked pointedly at the other magical people, "Magical blood isn't welcome there. The northern part is where many of the warriors, such as the Huns, settled, along with outcasts."

"How can you be an outcast on an island of outcasts?" A woman from the second ship boldly asked.

"It's quite simple, really." Maleficent said, "You break the rules of the area you're in."

"And you'll tell us these rules?"

Maleficent turned back to the map. "Each area is different. Continuing on, most of the left side is populated by pirates and thieves. Lord Hades and I are in charge, followed by Ursula and Captain Hook."

"You left some places out!"

"So I did." She looked back at the new villains, catching the eye of the woman who asked for the rules. "There are no handouts on this island. It's all survival."

Just from looking at them, from the way they reacted to her words, she could tell where most would be going. She knew who to keep an eye on, as well. "Choose were you'll settle, learn the rules, and survive."

Mal hated villain shipment days, almost as much as she hated resource shipment days. It wasn't safe for the Isle kids to be out, and so they all had to hide. Being a crew based in pirate territory meant their current base of operations was a beach.

All around her, children were huddled into different groups. Over the years, as the island and pirate village slowly grew, the smallest of the coves was abandoned. Thankfully, it was easily fortified and was the area the Never Lost claimed. On villain shipment days, they allowed Harriet Hook's crew in as well, which was good for them as her crew were all just a bit older and able to help protect the little ones.

"How long do you think we'll be here today?" Jay asked Mal as they surveyed their crew. Small fires were built all around, and the few blankets that had been brought out were being passed to the youngest children.

"I don't know." Mal answered truthfully. "Maman said that Borra would fly across the sky once it was safe."

Jay groaned, "That could take hours."

Mal nodded as she attempted to warm up her hands. She hated winter, and every year it just seemed to get worse. Black snow, icy waters, sharp winds, smog, and the horrible freezing temperatures that the barrier only seemed to trap in. She supposed it wouldn't be as bad if they could dress in heavy furs, had better food, and were able to heat their homes better, but as it was winter was a death trap. Especially for the pirate children, who spent the majority of their time by the water.

They'd need ships and huts sooner rather than later, along with whatever medicine and cold season supplies they could find. It was why she'd come to the cove early that morning. The villain shipment was a surprise.

You'd think that being Hades daughter would mean she'd be able to warm herself up like her father and brother could, but so far she couldn't even get her hair to catch fire. Instead, it seemed like she got cold easier than most.

Today was worse than normal, for some reason. She'd woken up cold, and ached all around, despite being in her father's warm cave.

Mal blinked as a weight was put on her shoulders, and looking down she saw red. Harry's coat.

"The perimeter has been checked," The tall boy said. "No one's come near."

"And the village?" Jay asked.

"Still practically deserted. Uma's climbed up to look out again."

"She shouldn't stay up there long, the wind's picking up."

"Aye."

Mal only vaguely heard the conversation as she continued to frown at the coat. "I shouldn't be wearing this." She said, interrupting the boys, although she made no move to take it off. "It'll show weakness. And you'll be cold."

Harry eyed her critically. "I'll be fine. The ship gets cold at night. If I need to, I'll go to a fire. You, on the other hand, look like ice."

"And no one will think it's a weakness, Mal." Jay said with a stern look. "All they'll see is a first-mate being sacrificial." He looked down at her, and for some reason she was finding it hard to focus on what he was saying. "We can't have you dropping."

Mal didn't answer him, instead watching their crew and guests. Harriet was heating up water they'd carried from the wells, having one of the Never Lost new recruits, Maddy, help pass it around. Some VK's were beginning to pull the younger ones closer, their huddles getting tighter.

At least, she thought they were. Everything was growing fuzzy, things seemed to be moving wrong, somehow.

Everything looked wrong.

She felt herself begin to slide down, and after that, everything sounded far off.

"Jay, her lips are too blue!"

"...the fires..."

"Don't let them... they can't know.."

"She won't... too cold..."

"But the villains... you can't!"

That was the last she heard before she blacked out.

Jay knew that being out in the open today of all days was stupid, but he really had no other choice. As soon as Mal started to fall, he and Harry had whisked her off into a small cave, out of the crew's sight. Soon, Uma and Harriet joined them.

They all argued on what to do, but Mal's skin was growing colder and colder, faster than it should have been. Harriet guessed that she had already been sick, and none of them knew it. Every moment she was out in the elements, it got worse, and something was causing it to escalate at a faster rate than was normal.

So despite the rick, Jay picked her up and left the cove, telling Harry to stay behind with Uma, and headed to Hades cave. While he knew that Mal wasn't always happy about being the smallest out of the four, he had never been more grateful for it. He didn't think he'd be able to make it if it wasn't for that.

Carrying Mal made sneaking through the village hard, but doable. A few women spotted them, much to his frustration, but instead of hindering them they helped in their own way, bringing fingers to lips and then signaling when it was safe to move.

They almost made it out of the village when a figure emerged from the shadows. Jay didn't recognize him. He wasn't from Captain hook's crew, nor from Barbossa's. He had a wild look, a dangerous glint. His sword was stained.

Mal stirred in his arms, almost as if she sensed the danger. The pirate stepped closer, and Mal's eyes fluttered. They were glowing, bright enough that the stranger noticed.

"Would you look at that," the man whispered, chuckling. "I wonder what I could get for her."

Jay backed up, looking around for anything he could use against the man. He couldn't risk putting Mal down, and his sword was in his belt.

Why didn't he let Harry come with?

Right as the pirate got close enough to reach out, and Jay was about to make a run for it, a shadow engulfed them. Jay had seen panic plenty of times hanging around the pirate village. Most people had a healthy fear of Hades and Maleficent. Even in the middle of the Isle, he'd seen people turn and walk away.

This pirate had that look. When the voice behind him boomed for the man to back away, he did. Jay, however, didn't turn around. He didn't recognize that voice.

"Relax, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." The shadow said, once the pirate had fled. "Either of you. I want to help."

He really didn't have a choice but to believe him, not with the color Mal was turning, not with the way her eyes were flashing again and again, so her turned. The man behind him could have easily been the largest man he'd ever seen, at least Hades height. He was clad in nothing but a skirt, covered in tattoos. Judging from the red rings around his wrists and ankles, he'd had magic suppression cuffs on.

He could hurt both of them. Jay took an involuntary step back, searching for any sign that the man would pounce on them.

Instead of hunger or anger like many newcomers, this man's eyes were soft when he looked at Jay, an expression the boy had only seen on a few people. His eyes turned to concern when he looked at Mal, and Jay heard him mutter something in a language he didn't recognize, but he moved back when the man moved closer.

The man held out his hand, palms up. "No touching." He said, "Got it." He put a hand on his chest. "My name's Maui. As I said, I just want to help. Your friend, she's not doing so hot."

"Anyone with eyes can see that." Jay snapped, finding his voice, then kicking himself for the sass. The man, Maui, just snorted. "Help isn't given freely, what do you want?"

Maui lifted a brow, "Who says I want anything?"

"Everyone wants something." Jay replied, eyes narrow. He waited for Maui to consider his words, his body language suggesting that he found them off-putting somehow, but Jay didn't care. It was foolish for an adult to pretend that they'd give help for free. That was an Auradon thing, not an Isle thing, at least not from strangers.

Maui sighed, "Fine. We'll do an exchange. I'll make sure no one tries to harm you two, and you take me to Hades cave."

Jay couldn't keep his eyes from widening, and even Mal twitched. Was this guy a dog? It would explain why he had cuffs. But he didn't look Greek.

He shouldn't do it. He didn't know if this guy was trustworthy, even if he did scare the creepy pirate away.

Mal's eyes fluttered again, and she whispered something, but her words and languages were slurring together. Jay couldn't pick out what she was saying.

"Deal." He said, tightening his hold on Mal. He turned on his heel and picked up speed. Maui wasn't quiet, Jay knew he was following.

As it turned out, it was a good thing he made that deal. More and more strangers were coming around, some paying them no mind, others focusing too much. Thanks to Maui, none came close.

The crowds thinned the closer they got to the mountain and cave, and the terrain changed. Carrying Mal made it more difficult to maneuver, and Jay decided then and there that he was going to start training with heavy and large packages so he didn't stumble this much in the future. Not that he ever wanted this to happen again in the future.

Finally, they were outside Hades cave. "Stay here." He told Maui, not turning around, before darting into the cave.

He went down a hidden entrance, the one that would take him straight to Hades living room instead of the parlor.

He prayed he made it in time.

Persephone was the only one in the cave when Jay arrived with Mal, having just gotten back from taking Hadie to Demeter. She hadn't even known of the new shipment thanks to that.

Seeing Mal in Jay's arms, blue lips, unnaturally pale, and wrapped in Harry's coat, could have easily been the scariest moment in her life. She raced forward, taking her stepdaughter from Jay and asking him what had happened.

As Jay told the whole story, Persephone focused on warming Mal up. She raced back to Mal's room to change her into warmer clothes, and wrapped her in blankets, then brought her back to the living room. With Jay still speaking, and being told to keep an eye on Mal, she went into the kitchen to make warm tea, hoping she could get Mal to sip it.

The girl was barely conscious, her eyes glowing a bright green.

"They haven't stopped." Jay said, after Mal closed her eyes. "They started doing that before Maui ever found us."

Without Maleficent or Hades there, Persephone couldn't tell if it was a good or bad sign. Yes, she was a goddess, but she wasn't the goddess of magic or healing, nor was she the girl's own parent. Her magic could only detect so much.

At least the color was coming back to the girl's skin. Painfully slow, but it was.

"Bring Maui in here." Persephone told Jay, making her way back to the kitchen and pulling out two mugs.

Jay frowned, "Not the parlor?"

"No, I need to keep an eye on Mal. When you come back, you can sit here with her while I talk to Maui, alright?"

"Yes Ma'am." Jay said, racing out of the cave.

Persephone only had a few minutes to get things ready, readjusting Mal so she was slightly hidden, and checking to make sure she wasn't warming too quickly.

Ever since Jay had brought her in, she had been mentally calling for Hades. So far, she'd heard nothing back. She didn't know what level of protection the gods had put up for their meeting, just that the brothers made it so no one could contact them during it.

When she heard Jay and Maui get closer, she magically changed her pink sweats to a black dress and called on her crown. Her skin glowed, the pink highlights in her hair went dark.

Jay did a double-take when he entered with a Polynesian man following him, but said nothing. Instead he scurried past her, settling himself next to Mal, while Persephone focused on Maui.

She could feel the magic he held. Not enough to be full god. A demigod, likely.

The man stopped and bowed low. While he was holding it together, Persephone noticed the way he shivered. Whoever was in charge of sending the new 'villains' didn't even have them dress for the weather.

"Rise." She told him, watching as he carefully did so. "I am Persephone, Goddess of Spring, Queen of the Underworld, wife to the god Hades. Who are you?"

"Maui, Your Excellency. Shapeshifter and demigod of the Wind and Sea." His eyes shifted to the couch, where Jay was adjusting Mal's blankets. "Is the girl okay?" He asked, genuine concern in his voice.

Persephone didn't let her fear show, keeping her voice level as she said "She's doing better, now." She gestured to the kitchen, the table set with tea. "Come, sit. Let us talk."

Maui looked at the kids one last time before following her. He downed the tea in one gulp, and she refilled it. She knew the demigod was watching her carefully, along with looking around at the vines and plants that filled the cave.

"I thought magic didn't work here." He said.

Persephone smirked. "That's what they say." She told him. "But you can't keep a god from using their powers." She nodded to his single black nail. "But you already figured that out."

Maui shook his hand, his hook appearing, then disappearing back to the nail. "I had a prior warning of my arrest." He told her, "I didn't think that it would work, but I had to try."

"Don't let it appear around the guards." Persephone warned. "As far as Beast in concerned, we're all trapped here. And we want to keep it that way."

"But why? If you can leave, you said it yourself the barrier does nothing to you, why stay?"

Persephone was quiet, looking down at her tea, thinking over her words carefully. "Beast is dangerous." She finally said. "In the early days of Auradon, he was on rampages. He was grabbing anyone who he thought fit the bill of a villain. Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon received a warning from the Fates. I don't know what they were told, but the next day Hades said that he had to come here. Whatever is to happen hasn't yet. We can outwait Beast, he won't be king forever."

"But we don't know when he'll step down." Maui said, eyes dark. "I don't know if I can... I was isolated once, for a thousand years. That was my punishment, and now King Beast has given me another one."

She leaned forward, "Tell me your story, Maui."

He started at the beginning.

In the following hour, Persephone learned of his childhood, his deeds, and his downfall by his attempt to steal the heart of Te Fiti. She learned about Moana, and wayfinding. She learned about the day he and Moana realized they'd woken up in a different world.

Not knowing what to do, but realizing that even the monsters of the sea were different, Moana's people once again stopped wayfinding. It wasn't until only two years before that they took it up again.

That's how they found Auradon. They were actually incredibly close to the land, it was only a few weeks. Moana, as the chieftess, met with King Beast. The months that followed were filled with debates and treaties, even the gift of more land, and Motunui became a part of Auradon.

But Auradon wasn't what they expected. That became clear very quickly.

King Beast was not a fan of magic. Whenever Moana played with the ocean and the High King was near, he'd flinch. Whenever a fight against monsters was mentioned, he'd look ill.

Maui should have known that he'd look deeper into the stories.

"I got on a warning on Christmas of my soon-to-be arrest." Maui told her, finally looking up from his cup. His dark eyes were rimmed with red, his voice hard. "Moana told me to flee, but I argued that it would make me look more guilty, and even if it didn't... I couldn't go through that. After so many years alone..."

Persephone took his hand, surprising him. "That sounds like Beast." She told him. "You aren't the first, you won't be the last."

"So you believe me?"

She smiled. "Yes." She didn't tell him that the tea was from Aletheia. It'd be out of his system soon enough anyways.

Maui looked relieved, then hopeful. "So you think Hades will help me?"

"Oh, he would have helped you anyways. So would Maleficent." She told him with a wave of her hand, taking their mugs to the sink. "After all, you did save their daughter."

Maleficent was the first back. By this point, Mal was stable and Persephone had moved her to her room. Maleficent wasted no time rushing back there.

There her daughter was, sleeping soundly and wrapped in a bunch of blankets. Maleficent walked over, brushing some of Mal's hair off her forehead and hissing at the coolness of her skin.

"Maman?" Mal asked sleepily. Maleficent leaned down, placing a kiss on Mal's forehead.

"Hello, Darling." She said, sitting down on the bed while Mal moved a little closer. "How are you feeling?"

"Cold." Mal told her with a pout. "But better. Uma okay?"

"She's fine." Maleficent reached out to rub her back, letting her magic flow over her daughter. "Borra made sure they knew when it was safe, and as always he watched to make sure Uma and Harry got home." Her hand paused above Mal's back, and she frowned. That couldn't be right.

She let her magic move again, but nothing changed.

"Maman? Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, smiling down at Mal, letting none of her worries show. "No, nothing. Go to sleep."

Mal's eyes fluttered shut, and as she began to go back to the land of sleep, she asked. "Will you stay here tonight?"

She'd have to get some things from the castle, but, "Of course, Darling."

Once Mal was fully asleep, Maleficent got up, making her way through the cave. She barely acknowledge Persephone and the man who was sitting with her. She didn't respond to Boora as she flew to the castle. She didn't let herself think as she grabbed a bag and mindlessly stuffed it with some of her things.

"Maleficent?"

She ignored him, she couldn't deal with this right now.

"Maleficent, I know you know I'm here."

They were wrong.

"Maleficent."

She dropped her bag. Her face was wet, why was her face wet?

She felt herself pulled into Borra's arms, his wings wrapping around her. He let her cry, pour her heart out right there. He didn't ask anything of her, just standing there.

Time passed, she didn't know how much or how long it took for her to be able to speak again, and when she did, she whispered. "We were wrong."

"About what?" Borra asked gently.

"Mal. Her magic. Her wings." She couldn't look at him when she finally said, "If she doesn't get off this island, it might kill her."

That night, after Hades had gotten back from his meeting with his brothers, both parents found themselves laying on Mal's bed. Their daughter was between them, fast asleep.

Just as Maleficent had done earlier, Hades had his hand hovering above Mal's back, his frown growing deeper and deeper. He sighed, letting his hand drop. "We should have expected this." He told her gruffly. "She's half fae, half god, and stuck under a magical suppression barrier. Her magic isn't exactly like mine, or yours, and unlike us she wasn't able to develop in magic."

Maleficent had already pieced that together, but she let Hades continue to think out loud. "Is there anything we can do?" She asked him quietly. He knew more about this than she did.

She hated the way his eyes closed, how she knew the answer before he said it. "On this island? No. The only thing we might be able to do is for me to take her into the Underworld and have Apollo and his offspring come monitor her, but..." He trailed off, groaning and covering his face. Maleficent finished his sentence.

"But that would mean that she'd come back to the island, not just with fully formed wings, but with stronger magic."

"And Beast would know."

They fell silent, watching their daughter sleep. "How long can she last here?" Maleficent finally asked.

"'Til twenty-one at most." Hades told her. " Likely closer to twenty. Any longer and either her body won't have enough energy to go on, or it'll attempt to transform." He paused, his face darkening, eyes shining. "She won't survive it."

Their choice, it seemed, was to condemn their daughter to death, or leave her life in the hands to Beast once he realized that his island wasn't what he thought it was.

"Sixteen." Maleficent told him firmly, minutes later. "We can wait until she's sixteen. But if she's not off this rock by then, you take her to the Underworld, regardless of what might happen after." Her eyes burned with a new fire, "i will not lose my daughter to Beast's deathtrap.

"Sixteen." Hades agreed, looking down at Mal. She was still sleeping soundly, her color finally back to normal, her skin no longer cool to the touch.

Ten years ago, the Fates told him that he had to go to the Isle of the Lost, for reasons they couldn't yet reveal. Days after Mal was born, they told him that she was entwined with the future of Auradon, and that one day she'd be off the Isle, but he couldn't interfere.

Today, he was giving them roughly nine years. Nine years before he took matters into his own hands, consequences be damned.