Chap 5
"Thanks." Uliana said as she plucked a cupcake off Bridget's tray.
The girl seemed surprised but shook it off and kept her smile in place, "Oh, sure. Of course. happy to -"
"For all of them." Uliana said using one of her tentacles to pull the tray right from Bridget's hands. Drac's head craned to look it at, he knew he easily had the magic to teleport it into his hands, or yoink it right out of Uliana's slimy tentacles. But he didn't want to risk showing off and drawing more attention from his parents. He knew what they were both capable of, but he'd never had to fight either of them before and in all honestly he didn't know who would win that fight. He would be holding back and they, well, wouldn't. So he was pretty much powerless to stop Uliana's bullying.
"Flamingo feathers are like, super rare, right?"
"Hey!" Ella jumped in, "Give that back to her -"
"I'm sorry." Uliana snapped sharply, "I don't speak peasant girl. But I love your outfit by the way it is just so - put together." she said reaching out a tentacle and ripping Ella's blouse.
Uliana cackled loudly with Hook and Mordred, the latter who commented, "You said put together - cuz it's not."
Hades stepped between Uliana and Ella giving the girls an intimidating stare. Drac did his best to avoid eye contact but had to give Camilla credit for meeting Hades' eyes and raising her brows like 'is that it?' In the background Maleficent stood looking bored, her eyes drifting to Drac every few seconds.
"My name's Bridget." Uliana mocked with a finger to her lips, "And I have to bribe people with treats to be my friends, cuz I'm such a loser." she continued to cackle.
I'll fix Ella's shirt once they're gone, Drac thought to himself, don't show off here.
Camilla's laughter joined in as she sauntered forward and Uliana's died down as she looked at the girl with the two toned hair like she wasn't sure if she was going to join in or pose a threat.
"Really? That's the best you can do?" Camilla asked smiling and Uliana's eyes hardened as she got her answer, "What are you, three? No wonder Ursula's the better known sister."
Drac shrugged with a nod, she had a good point, he'd never heard of anyone called Uliana before. Heck, even Madame Medusa had more of a reputation, and she was one of the biggest failures on the Isle.
Insulted, Uliana stepped forward, her boys staying behind her. But Camilla didn't seem intimidated that she didn't have a crew to back her up.
"I don't know who you are." Uliana said slowly, "But at least I don't look like I fell asleep in white paint." she flicked Camilla's fishtail braid.
"Black and white is classic darling. And I'd prefer it to vomit colored dreadlocks."
"It's gold. Though I'm not surprised you're unfamiliar with it. It's probably the first time you've seen gold."
"I have chests full of gold back home. I just don't wear it because it's tacky, just like the rest of your outfit. Speaking of -" she leaned forward and sniffed, "I think you have fish poop caught in those gaudy gems on your collar."
"Funny you mention collars, all those spots obviously you're a dog person, so why don't you pick the poop off my outfit? I'm sure you're used to dealing with it."
"I have people for that dear, people I pay, kind of like your crew. I'm sure they demand large salaries for having to put up with you."
"They know real power when they see it."
"I think they know ugly when they see it and only stay near you so they look more attractive by comparison."
Red stepped forward. "I thought she had a squid face. Give the cupcakes back or I'll rip that magic tongue out of your throat."
Hook chuckled and stepped forward, "Easy love, dunno where you come from but here we don't fight until after school. Meet me then." he used his hook to play with her red hair.
"You think I want some lousy cupcakes?" Uliana laughed, "I only wanted the feathers. You can have the rest!" she let the platter fall where it shattered on the ground, the cupcakes going everywhere. Uliana tilted her head back and lowered the feathers toward her mouth.
"Wait!" Bridget shouted and Uliana paused, "That's too many."
Uliana laughed and dropped the feathers into her mouth. "Mmmmm- mm!"
"You shouldn't have done that." Bridget said looking sad and worried.
Uliana scoffed and pulled out her compact, watching her reflection as her eye makeup changed to pink. "I'm sorry, you are just jealous. Of my fabulosity. You can't handle my - AWK!"
A bunch of pink feathers shot from her mouth. Uliana gasped as everyone's eyes went wide and Bridget cringed.
"What was - EWK!" Uliana coughed up feathers again, "What was that?"
She started to shriek and tremble as she turned pinker and pinker.
"You alright Uli?" Hook asked, "You're looking a little. . . pink."
People snickered.
"Shut up!" she squawked again and started panting, "What's happening to me?" she screamed and bent over falling to her knees.
"Someone help her!" Fae shouted.
"Yeah someone should help her." Hades said halfheartedly and got a small smack on the shoulder from Maleficent who he had his arm around.
Mordred ran forward and tried to help Uliana off the ground, but she was flailing so much from the magic overload that all he did was pull her coat off her before he fell backwards onto his rear.
Uliana stood back up and continued squawking. It was all she could do as they gasped and saw she now had a flamingo beak. She glared daggers at Bridget before she charged at her. Ella pulled her friend away as Uliana chased after the pair, the rest of the school following them out of the courtyard.
"I tried to warn you!"
"Bridget run!"
They heard the girls shouting as Ella pulled her friend around the school and toward another courtyard where they could duck inside and hide from Uliana.
"Hello there darling!" Hook said cheerfully as he and Maleficent cut off Bridget and Ella's escape route.
They backpedaled and the two villains blocked Ella as Uliana continued to chase Bridget who was repeating "Sorry, Sorry, I'm sorry. Sorry!"
"I just want to have a little chat with your friend." Hook smirked as Ella tried to get around him.
"Boo!" Maleficent cackled.
"I'm sorry! I told you to be careful!"
Red, Chloe, Drac and Camilla stood back with the crowd of students as Hades and Mordred crossed in front of the crowd, Hades holding his arm out to keep them back but with a smirk on his face that was intimidating enough to threaten them all without words. Drac had never been on the wrong side of that expression, and now he knew why everyone feared his dad.
"Bridget!" Ella shouted as Uliana chased her around a fountain and into Ella's arms. Ella immediately pulled her away and Uliana lost her balance and fell backward into the water with a loud squawk.
"Sorry. I'm sorry." Bridget was still saying as Ella pulled her away from everyone and headed off the grounds.
There was splashing from the fountain as Uliana kicked and struggled. When she broke the surface of the water she was normal again as she gasped and sputtered. She looked around at everyone staring at her and for a moment seemed utterly humiliated. Then she sneered, "Where's Bridget!"
"So. . ." Red began softly to their group, "Pretty sure we just found out who's gonna do the prank."
"I don't know." Chloe shrugged, "Maybe that wasn't so bad?"
"I will destroy her!" Uliana shouted.
Chloe got looks from Red, Drac and Camilla. "Maybe it was."
"Tell Bridget this isn't over!" Uliana threatened as she stumbled back inside.
Drac noticed Maleficent looking at him again and she hissed before following her crew.
Camilla noticed the students shrinking away as some whispered behind their hands while others chuckled, all of them returning to what they had been doing before the ruckus.
"Let's go." She whispered grabbing Red by the elbow and turning her from the fountain and leading them back into the building. It was their first time in the dorms but thankfully Drac and Camilla knew their way around and brought them to the lobby where the main staircase was.
"Where do you think they went?" Red asked but the answer to her question came running at her in a ball of pink. Ella was close behind, scanning the space for any sign of Uliana.
"How's Uli doing?" Bridget asked grabbing onto Red's arm. The redhead seemed frozen for a moment, shocked by her mom's concern for her own bully, "I feel terrible. I. . . should go, apologize -"
"No don't!" Ella said as Red pulled Bridget back. "She did it to herself. And it serves her right." Ella turned to them. "She's always bullying us."
Drac stepped forward and pinched the piece of her shirt that Uliana ripped. Then he moved his fingers the way Mal would when doing a spell and a line of green magic sewed the piece of the shirt back together.
"Thanks." Ella smiled at him, tucking some strands of short brown curls behind her ear, looking embarrassed that she had to wear stitched together hand me downs.
He slid his hands into his pockets, "Don't mention it."
"Ella." Charming called as he approached them, "Yo that was amazing! You ladies bested Uliana. I don't think anyone's ever done that before. And that makes you braver then I am, and I'm a prince - though I really don't like to push the royal angle."
"Yet you always find a way." Ella said sounding. . . flirty. Camilla smirked.
"You're the new kids right? I'm Charming." He introduced himself noticing the four new faces.
"That's debatable." Ella scoffed softly enough that Charming didn't hear.
"And, you picked the right time to show up, because it's Castlecoming week."
Ella rolled her eyes, "Castlecoming is an outdated, elitist tradition."
He deflated, "Wait, so does that mean you're not. . . "
"Squeezing into a super expensive dress and painful shoes? No thanks."
"Well, um, if you happen to change your mind. . . I'll see you there." Charming said before heading off.
"Hey Ella." Chloe said with a mischievous tone, "You seem pretty interested in your plans for the festival. Was I sensing some chemistry?"
"Uh, hmpf, no." Ella scoffed then looked at the unconvinced expressions around her, "Okay yeah, everyone loves him, and sure he's gorgeous and he seems nice. But you know how royalty is, well, except for you B. You're different."
"I just wish someone was that interested in going with me. Everyone already has plans, so. . ." she trailed off sounding sad. But Red looked like that could work in their favor. If Bridget didn't go to Castlecoming, then there would be no humiliation in front of the whole school and she'd never turn evil.
But any hope of that idea died quickly as Ella lit up and took her best friend by the hand. "Bridget, will you go to Castlecoming with me?"
"But, you just said -"
"I despise everything it stands for. But. . . if we go as friends, maybe, it won't be totally awful."
Bridget squealed in delight, "We have to try on dresses right now." she twirled into Ella, "We only have two days."
"I - can't. I have to get back home, but maybe later."
"Okay." she hugged her then took off up the stairs, "Gotta find the perfect dress!"
"I better get home." Ella gave the rest of them a wave as she headed for the large main doors and almost instantly Chloe and Red exchanged a worried look.
"Two days until my mom gets pranked."
"It's not enough time." Chloe shook her head making her chocolate curls bounce.
"It's gonna have to be. I just I-I can't believe my mom was so, sweet."
"Tell me about it. My mom's supposed to be the most, perfect, gracious, queen ever. Ella seems like she can't even stand royalty."
"Yeah, and you know the craziest thing of it all – they were best friends."
"They were best friends."
The two said at the same time and their eyes met, clearly they still hadn't adjusted to being on the same side.
"Okay." Camilla called attention, "Well now the question is: how do we stop Uliana before Castlecoming?"
"First we need to figure out what she's planning." Red continued, the two of them on the same mindset, Drac was finding them to be very similar. "Bugs in Bridget's dress or something with snakes. So many good options."
"No offense." Camilla chuckled, "But those all seem like amateur hour."
Red hummed, "Right, what happened with the pink beak and the fountain. . . " she shuddered, "That was humiliating. Uliana's going to go bigger."
"She's right." Drac backed her up. "Uliana looked mad as the sea in a hurricane. And being Ursula's baby sister she's going to have access to some pretty strong and dark magic. Bridget's in danger."
"So let's find out more about Uliana." Chloe suggested. "Think my mom might know?"
"Maybe. Plus, she's closest to Bridget so she'll know her weakness and exactly how to stab her in the back." Red said slamming her fist down on a nearby drum.
"You have some serious intimacy issues." Chloe commented warily.
Red only shrugged seeming unbothered by it.
"You guys go talk to Ella. I'm going to the library." Drac said, "Merlin Academy teaches more magic then Auradon ever did, maybe there's a spell book in there I can pull a protection charm from. Something I can cast over Bridget to keep her safe."
"I'll go with you." Camilla offered, "Villains pick off their enemies when they split up, we need to stay in pairs or all together."
"Okay. We'll meet up with you two after we talk to Ella. See you at the dorms." Red said with a nod before Chloe wished them luck and they parted ways and searched for the library.
It wasn't hard to find, there were vintage looking signs with directories pointing students every way they could need to know. Drac had taken the lead, walking with a swift determination as Camilla tried to match his pace without getting distracted. Merlin Academy was nothing like Auradon Prep and for Camilla it felt just as disorienting as the day she left the Isle with the others and saw the bright cheerful dorms for the first time.
When they reached the library it wasn't as bright as the rest of the castle. The bookshelves and walls were made of dark wood, torches and braziers still lit the ceiling, a soft light filtering down for students to read by. The bookshelves went from floor to the very high ceiling and ladders on rollers were placed where the last students had left them.
"So what exactly are you hoping to find here?" Camilla asked.
"Honestly, I don't know." Drac confessed, "But do you have any better ideas?"
She hummed, "Not really. Red and Chloe will probably get something useful out of Ella. But Red is too focused on Bridget. If Uliana is the one who does this prank then information on Bridget doesn't matter."
"Right. We need a way to stop Uliana."
"Don't we need to know what she's up to first?" Camilla asked as they passed aisles and aisles of bookshelves full to the brim with leather bound books, there had to be a solution here somewhere.
"Not necessarily." Drac said as Camilla continued to follow him. His eyes glanced over the shelves as he ducked his head into each aisle they passed, but when he didn't see anything that caught his eye they kept moving. "I got my hands on the Sanderson Sister's spell book once. If only I could remember the spell they used to turn Thackery Binks into a cat, then I could just use that on Uliana and problem solved. But there has to be something in here that I can use to stop her. A sleeping spell that would put her out until after Castlecoming maybe?"
"Your mom runs with her. Wouldn't Maleficent know how to undo a sleeping curse?"
Drac paused, she had tried to undo it, once. But it hadn't worked, not until. . . "I don't know."
"Is there anything you do know?" she asked, "Sorry, that came out worse then I meant it."
"It's okay. I get it." he sighed, "What I do know is in this universe my mom seems to have the same past, and she did end up with Mal, just not me. I'm not sure what it means."
Camilla thought back to the newspaper she'd seen earlier with the article about young Cruella. Drac had told Red maybe she was here to learn about her mom and use that knowledge in the present to stop her tirade. Could that be the reason Camilla was here as well? If Cruella's past here was the same as her mom's in her own universe like Drac's mom seemed to be. . .then maybe.
"Bippity Boppity Boo." they heard and both turned their heads. Fairy Godmother, or Fae rather, was looking up at a high shelf and pointing her wand at a book she couldn't reach. "Bippity Boppity Boo." she tried again and nothing happened.
"Fae?" Drac asked as he approached her with a smile, "Here."
He snapped his fingers and pointed up and the book her wand was aimed at vanished in a puff of green smoke and a similar smoke filled Drac's hand before it dissipated and the book appeared. He passed it to Fae.
"Thanks." she replied relieved. "They always keep what I need up high."
"Books on magic." he shrugged, "They probably don't want them falling into the wrong hands."
"Which reminds me." Camilla spoke up, "Why do they let villains into the school? Doesn't that seem counter productive?"
Fae sighed, "Villain is a demeaning word. The teachers don't like us using it. Principal Merlin wanted a school for all, inclusive ya' know? Sure, some of the kids are. . . rebellious, but I think he's hoping they grow out of that with the right tutelage. It makes me nervous sometimes, but, everyone deserves a chance right?"
"Time will tell." Drac replied only noticing the irony of his words after he'd said them. He cleared his throat, "Hey Fae? Do you know where I might find anything on a locator spell? Or a protection charm?"
"Why?"
"I'm just. . . trying to keep a friend of mine from getting hurt."
She smiled, "You mean Bridget right? After what happened with Uliana I'm sure she's out for blood."
"She brought it on herself." Camilla said crossing her arms and leaning against the bookshelf. "Bridget told her it was too many feathers."
"I think it's sweet you want to help Bridget, but you're asking the wrong girl. Me and magic. . . aren't mixing so great."
"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it." Drac smiled resting a hand on her shoulder and Fae actually blushed.
Camilla sighed, Drac got the impression she wasn't too patient. It reminded him of Cruella, he half expected Camilla to call him an imbecile.
"Well." Camilla piped up again and he could tell she was trying so hard to sound nice. "Is there anyone who is well versed in magic who might be able to help us help Bridget?"
"There's Ravenna." Fae shrugged, then led them back a few rows. She stopped and pointed down to a table where a blonde girl with long pin straight hair was sitting with a stack of books to the side of her. Squinting, they could read that most of the titles on the spines seemed to be about potion brewing. Camilla got nauseous at the thought of the weird pods Drac was squeezing earlier and hoped they were done with potions.
"She's a straight A student." Fae whispered, "Especially in magic related courses. But she's always by herself."
"Shy?" Drac asked.
"Not at all." Fae shook her head, "She just thinks she's better then everyone else. See those potion books? She's constantly brewing in her dorm, anti wrinkle potions, hair masks, teeth whitening spells. She's really into her looks."
"Oh my God." Camilla said then turned around slapping a hand over her mouth. Fae looked to her then to Drac, he just shrugged trying to play it off.
"Thanks Fae. And good luck with your assignment."
"Thank you." she replied, "Without your help I never would have gotten this book. Good luck with Uliana."
After she walked off Drac turned to Camilla and he shoved her into the closest aisle, "What was that?"
"Don't you know who that is, or, who that's going to be?"
"Ravenna? Never heard of her."
Camilla's eyes widened, "That's the Evil Queen." her voice dropped, "Evie's mom."
"She's blonde?" Drac asked turning and pushing the books on the shelf to the left and right as he peeked through.
"She's never going to help us. Not unless we can find the Fountain of Youth and hand it to her."
"Her mirror!" Drac hissed excitedly as he turned to her. "We can use her mirror to find a way to stop Uliana."
"I doubt it's handheld now." Camilla pointed out, "It used to take up a whole wall, there's no way she has it on her and I doubt you can do that little smoke trick on something that big."
There was the sound of a chair dragging across the floor and they both turned back to Ravenna and spied on her through the book spines.
"She's leaving. We can follow her." Drac said, "Maybe the mirror is in her dorm. I doubt she lets it be too far from her."
"Good idea." she agreed and they waited until Ravenna passed their aisle and left the library - then they took off after her.
One thing that became very clear was the difference between the OG villains and the VKs. Growing up on the Isle both Drac and Camilla were well versed in sneaking, stalking, and most importantly - not getting caught. But for the OG villains, they grew up a bit more privileged, so they never had to develop skills like that from a young age. Most didn't focus on becoming expert sorcerers or fighters until after some life altering event that filled them with hate and the bloodthirsty need for revenge. Which explained how Ravenna strutted back through the campus, away from the Academy, and into a huge mansion off the grounds without so much as glancing over her shoulder.
It made trailing her all too easy for the pair of VKs. Her royal blue top stood out, it's tight material clinging to her arms and body. It was tucked into a black pencil skirt and a shimmering gold leaf clip was pinned in her blonde hair and reflected the sunlight making it even easier to not lose sight of her.
Upon arriving at the mansion Drac and Camilla ducked behind an old stagecoach as they watched her go inside. Only when she made it to the front door did she look back to make sure she wasn't being followed.
"Bingo." Camilla said and Drac turned to her confused.
"What bingo?"
Camilla jutted her chin toward the closing front door, "She hasn't been watching her back the entire trip out here but now she's being cautious not to be seen going inside? She's hiding something in there. And most likely that is -"
"Her magic mirror." Drac finished the thought and Camilla nodded.
They crept out from behind the stagecoach, very aware that Ravenna could be keeping an eye out the window for any followers. Thankfully there was plenty of overgrown shrubbery for them to duck behind as they made it closer and closer to the mansion. Drac felt another chill, just like the one he'd felt before his young parents showed up at school and a feeling of dread filled his stomach. He turned to glance over his shoulder and jumped.
"Hey!" he exclaimed falling back into a shrub. Camilla turned too and stepped back. They both were still as boards as a bluish transparent man floated not far from them.
He tilted his head one way, then to another, "Can they see us?"
"No of course not." a raspy voice replied and they turned to see another ghost with long white hair and a beard that covered everything but their eyes.
"Yes we can." Camilla corrected.
"Don't listen to them, they're lying." the raspy voice continued.
"Whatever." Camilla rolled her eyes and grabbed Drac's elbow, hoisting him up and pulling him along with her toward the porch that wrapped around the mansion.
"I could swear they were looking right at me." the first ghost continued to ponder as they walked off. Camilla grumbling about a witch hiding a mirror in a haunted mansion of all places.
They hurried up the steps and to the door but they didn't enter. Instead they worked their way around the house using the porch that was partially concealed with ivy covered lattice.
"Maybe there'll be a broken window we can climb through." Camilla suggested in a whisper.
Drac smirked, "Or better yet." he drew his pointer finger and conjured a small green flame. Pressing the pad of his finger to the nearest window he drew a large oval. When his finger met the place where he began, thus completing the shape, a line of lime magic moved down the oval vanishing the glass as it went.
He turned and smirked at her and she smirked back. Then, like a gentleman, he held out a hand and helped her through, ladies first.
Inside the haunted mansion all the furniture was covered in white linens, there was a layer of grey dust over everything but looking to the floor that only made it oh so much easier to follow where Ravenna had gone.
Camilla was expecting her to go to the cellar. The last time she - or rather her friends - encountered the Evil Queen's magic mirror it had been in the cellar. But instead Ravenna's dusty steps, like those left in freshly fallen snow, led up a grand staircase to the second floor.
"How are we going to cover our tracks?" Camilla asked. "Ravenna will see them when she comes down."
"We stay down here." Drac replied. "After she leaves then we'll follow her footprints."
"We don't know how long she'll be, it could be minutes or it could be hours." she pointed out.
Drac looked defeated, "It's just a sacrifice we'll have to make."
Then he sat down behind a covered sofa and got comfortable on the floor. Camilla was crouched and her muscles were starting to protest her position. But looking at the dusty floor then to her outfit, she cringed. She stayed squatted for as long as she could, until, with a groan, she had to give in and sit on the floor like Drac.
So much for this pair of black jeans, she thought.
Next Poll: What do you think was Rise of Red's biggest cinema sin?
-Chloe's poofy, then flat, then poofy wig
-Uliana getting frozen whether Red & Chloe were there or not
-Red opening the cookbook when there was no reason for her to
-Cringe choreography
Or something else?