A big thank you to everyone who's keeping up with the story.
A review would mean a lot, it lets me know people are still actively reading along with what I post.
I appreciate all feedback and it will motivate me to keep writing.
Don't be afraid to ask any questions, I always try to reply.
Enjoy!
Chapter 12: On the Mainland
Red, like all kids from the Isle, had often fantasized about what it would be like to set foot in Auradon. It was more of a curiosity thing than a genuine desire. After all, their parents would always talk about Auradon as if it was the most boring, prudish and overall repulsive place in the world, leading their kids to adopt a similar mindset.
For Red, Auradon always just seemed like a way out. Away from her mother. Away from all the villains who hated her. Auradon, to her, did not necessarily mean running towards something, it meant running away from something.
What she did encounter after making her way across the magical bridge was most definitely not the fairytale kingdom she had always imagined, with its colorful flowers, chirping birds and a bright rainbow permanently decorating the sky. No, Auradon felt almost as eerie and desolate as the Isle. The sky was cloudy. The streets were littered with frozen Auradonians. There was no laughter or singing or talking animals to lighten anyone's mood. Auradon was a dark and hopeless place, at least for now.
Nowhere was this change as apparent as in the behavior of Red's new companions. CJ Hook, Carlos De Vil and that blue-haired Chloe Charming girl had practically abducted Red, though they preferred to word it as 'kindly bring her along', and now she was on the run with them.
They hadn't had a real chance to make any introductions as they made their way further into the mainland. It was only when the sun was down that the group took refuge in the storage space of a supermarket. The store itself was riddled with frozen people, who were extremely freaky and unpleasant to be close to, so this was a necessary compromise.
Once everyone got a chance to sit down and take a breath, all eyes immediately went to her.
"So, this Red…" A blond guy with a bow and arrow directed himself to CJ. "You just picked her up? How come she isn't frozen? And who is she, anyway?"
Red was really starting to get annoyed by how everyone kept talking about her like she wasn't in the room with them, but kept her mouth shut. The group consisted of seven people, all of whom were armed in one way or another, so she didn't like the odds of her standing up to them.
"This is Red…" CJ explained, just like she had done for Chloe back on the Isle. "Daughter of the Queen of Hearts… She's an annoying and bratty little psychopath…"
The bow-and-arrow guy blinked. "So, why is she here? And how come-"
"She isn't frozen?" CJ finished his question. "Royce, I have no clue. We ran into her. Chloe and Carlos thought that, well, since she appears to be the only person still able to move around, other than us and Levi's band, she should come with us… I don't like it… I don't like her… But they have a point… Usually, things like this happen for a reason…"
The bow-and-arrow guy – Royce – bit his lip. "Well… I can't argue with that… She managed to withstand the freezing spell." His eyes met hers judgingly. "But she is a villain, and she was still on the Isle. That means she's bad news, right?" He asked the cluster of other villain kids who were seated closest to Red.
CJ, Carlos and Celia Facilier all turned towards Red, causing her to blush slightly.
"What?" Royce questioned in an exasperated tone. "Don't tell me she's another Uma or Solomon…"
Red let out a slight sneer of protest. It was bad enough to have everyone stare at her like she was some weird sideshow attraction, but having her get compared to the likes of Uma and Solomon was taking it a step too far.
"No." Celia spoke up. She stared at Red with a mix of compassion and fear, like one would at a dangerous wounded animal. "I mean… Red was never cruel… She was just… Well…"
"A pest." CJ added. "She made a habit out of being where no one wanted her and bothering everyone in the most annoying ways imaginable."
"You're one to talk, CJ." Carlos scoffed, though his tone was somewhat playful.
"Look, I get that we all did bad things back on the Isle, but I was not as bad as her." CJ snapped, pointing at Red. "And she comes from the slumps. She was never a real villain to begin with…"
Now it was Red's turn to scoff. Sure, she was used to constantly being reminded of her slump heritage back on the Isle, but to have it be used in such a demeaning manner even here, in Auradon, in front of all these new people, was especially cruel.
CJ, Carlos, Celia and this Royce guy started bickering more earnestly about Red, the Isle and the slumps. Red didn't even try to pay attention anymore. If she wanted to hear people say mean things about her right in front of her face, she would have just stayed on the Isle and waited for her mother to come back to life.
It was during the loud bickering that Chloe Charming, the blue-haired daughter of Cinderella, sat down closer to Red. "A-Are you okay? Y-You're not hurt or anything, right? Are you hungry? I-I can make you something to eat… There's plenty of food around here…" She asked in a kind voice.
Red leaned back, pulling a face as though the girl's breath reeked. It didn't, in fact. She smelled very nice. It was the simple fact that no one had ever asked Red such a kind and considerate question that threw her off. "What the hell?" She muttered.
"Chloe! Get away from her!" Another one of the Auradon boys spoke up, rushed over to Chloe, and hastily pulled her back by her sleeve. "She could be dangerous!"
"Knock it off, Chad! I'm supposed to look after her!" Chloe argued.
The way these two spoke to one another made it obvious that they were very close. Maybe he was her boyfriend? They would fit the 'arrogant blond prince' and 'bubbly pretty princess' Auradon stereotypes to a tee.
"You don't have to look after her, just keep an eye on her!" CJ interjected. "I know she cannot be trusted, so we can't just have her run off, or worse, try to attack one of us!"
"Hold on! You tasked my sister with looking after this little psychopath?" Chad, the curly-haired guy, asked in an incredulous tone.
Red could not help but raise her eyebrows in surprise. "Sister?" She audibly muttered, though no one paid any attention to her. Her gaze shifted between Chloe and Chad. They looked nothing alike.
"Those cuts on her! I bet she's responsible for those, isn't she? Why the hell is she not in cuffs, or, even better, still stuck on the Isle!?" Chad went on.
"Chad! Stop!" Chloe shouted, loud enough that everyone else shushed her. "Yes, we had a, ehm, altercation back on the Isle… But Red is with us now… She can help us…"
Red was still a little overwhelmed that someone like Chloe was actually standing up for her.
"But she's dangerous!" Chad argued, turning to CJ and Carlos. "Right?"
The two villain kids exchanged a look. "Not if we keep an eye on her and don't give her any weapons…" CJ eventually answered. "And, let's be real, she's nothing compared to the actual villains we're dealing with."
Red was getting sick and tired of all the unanswered questions that whirled through her head. "Who are these villains!? And who are all of you!? Are you just gonna stand there, bickering about me right in front of me, or is someone going to explain what the hell is happening!?"
Everyone stared at her, and Red tried her best to match their gaze with unbridled intensity.
"S-She doesn't know?" The last Auradon boy, who had white-blonde hair, wore glasses and was more plain-looking than either Royce or Chad, hesitantly asked.
"We were a bit busy running for our lives to tell stories, Dillon!" CJ snapped.
"CJ!" Celia hissed in an accusatory tone. "Dillon was just asking a question… And so was Red… And, you know, despite everything, we do owe her an explanation…"
CJ kept looking between Red and Celia. "You know what? Fine! But I'm not gonna be the one to tell her all that… I've had a long day, so you guys knock yourselves out…" With that, CJ retreated to the furthest corner of the storage room and made herself comfortable on a pile of boxes.
"Okay…" Chloe Charming turned to Red. "Ehm… Introductions first then, right? So… You already know CJ, Carlos and Celia, right?"
Carlos's expression did not change one bit, but Celia made a face as though Red had once gravely insulted her – which, to be fair, was not that far off the mark.
"Okay, so, the rest of us are from Auradon… I already introduced myself… I'm Chloe Charming, and this here is my brother, Chad." She pointed towards the boy with the blond curls.
Chad just snorted. He obviously had much more to complain about regarding Red's presence, but kept his mouth shut for now, most likely out of respect for his sister.
Red had some questions of her own. For one, how come he and Chloe looked absolutely nothing alike? How did she seem so much nicer and more approachable than him? And did he actually know how to use his sword, or was he one of those fancy Auradonian knight wannabees?
"And that's Royce, son of Robin Hood…" Chloe went on, pointing at the bow-and-arrow guy. Given that he was the son of Robin Hood, his weapon of choice seemed both very appropriate and perhaps a little too on the nose.
Royce, like Chad, scowled at her slightly. She got the impression that these young men were not the fondest of villains overall.
"And back there's Dillon, son of Doc… You know, one of the seven dwarfs who helped Snow White? You know the story, right?" Chloe kept going, not paying the awkwardness any mind, as she introduced the younger and more timid-looking boy with the white-blond hair in the back.
Dillon had the curtesy to conjure up a forced smile and raise his hand in an underwhelming and somewhat clumsy greeting. Red just looked at him, and he quickly lowered his gaze.
All in all, this ragtag group was not what Red had always expected Auradonians to be like. For one, half of the people present actually came from the Isle. Second, other than Chad, no one in the group came off as overtly prissy or pretentious. Royce came off as a seasoned warrior. Dillon was more of a scrawny little nerd. And Chloe was – without a doubt – the bubbliest and nicest-seeming person Red had ever met.
"So, now you've met the gang…" Chloe shrugged. "Do you maybe want to say a little about yourself? We can get to know you a little as well…"
Red again made a face as if Chloe had asked her to take a swim in a pile of manure.
"Or not… Well, ehm, you also wanted to know more about who we're fighting, right? Ehm, Royce, do you maybe want to explain that?" Chloe asked the son of Robin Hood.
Royce was obviously surprised that Chloe would ask him, but he nonetheless stepped forward. "Ehm, okay… Sure…" He eyed Red suspiciously. "Okay, so the villains we're facing are actually Auradonians… That's the first part, and that's what sets this apart from basically every major altercation that's ever been fought on Auradon soil… Normally we're fighting real villains, you know, from the Isle…"
Red just crossed her arms as Royce kept on talking. He explained in detail who their main enemy – Levi, son of Peter Pan – and his four accomplices were. He went on a long and insult-ridden rant about their plans – which included freezing everyone and freeing Chernabog in order to reshape Auradon in the villains' image. Despite Red trying to keep up a stoic appearance, she could not help but listen intently to every single word. Chernabog was such a powerful and malicious entity, that he made even the most hardened villains quake in their boots, Red's mother included. The idea that he could be released and act out the will of some villain-hating twerp with a chip on his shoulder, was a terrifying prospect indeed. Royce spoke quickly and with authority, and immediately listed off the group's plans for resistance along with the horrors they would be facing. The trio of CJ, Carlos and Chloe had traveled to the Isle to retrieve Hades's ember, which they believed they could use to unfreeze Mal, who would in turn then help them defeat the villains once and for all. It was overall not a very detailed plan, which very much counted on the villains not managing to find out where they were or what they were up to.
When Royce finally stopped talking, he looked to the others to see if they had anything to add.
"So, that's the gist of it…" Chloe said. "I'm sure you can help us somehow…"
Red gave a brief chuckle. "And, why would I want to help you?"
Chloe blushed and also looked to the others. "I, ehm… B-Back on the Isle, I asked if you would help us, and you said you would… That's why we brought you along…"
"Yeah, but you forgot to tell me you all are facing off against freaking Chernabog! What? Did that little detail slip your mind? Hell no, I don't want any part of this…" Red argued.
"A bit too late for that." CJ spoke up from her corner. "You're caught up in this, whether you like it or not, Red…"
"She's right." Royce added. "You have nowhere to go. You don't know Auradon, and if you try to run somewhere, then Levi and his band will surely spot you. You don't exactly blend in well…" He gestured at her bright red hair and clothes. "And let me tell you, these guys hate villains… Hate, with a capital 'H'… They are cruel and vengeful, and they possess some of the most powerful magical weapons on the planet… You don't want to be caught by them, trust me…"
Red bit her lip as she glared at Royce. It was like he and the others were delighting in explaining exactly how miserable her position was. Red was indeed alone in a place she didn't know. She was unarmed, had no magical powers that she knew of and no allies she could fall back on. Really, her only options were to stick with this little group of people she didn't like, or go back to the Isle she despised so much. Honestly, that second option didn't sound so bad anymore…
"Ugh, why the hell did you bring me with you!?" She asked Chloe in an exasperated tone. "Can't I just go back to the Isle? Pretend like this never happened? I was doing fine, you know?"
"Same story…" CJ called out. "You try to get back, you'll get spotted… We're sure as hell not gonna give you the remote for the bridge, and I sincerely doubt you'll manage to cross the bay in a freaking rowboat or something without the villains seeing you… And again, if they capture you, we'll never see you alive again…"
Red let out an agonizing groan. "Auradon sucks ass…"
"Which is what we're trying to fix." Royce snapped. "Now, Red, I'm not expecting you to do any substantial fighting, planning or scouting, but if you're gonna be traveling with us, I need to know you'll not call any attention to yourself and the group…"
"Basically, you just stay down and be quiet. Are you any good at that?" Chad inquired in a tone as if he severely doubted it.
"I am good at sneaking around, if that's what you're after." Red answered. "And I can handle a sword."
"We're not giving you a sword." Royce replied. "Or any other weapon. But you say you're good at sneaking? That's good. You can show us when we're on the move again. We stay close to cover, either buildings or trees, and we travel light… We got one villain who can fly, another with superspeed and a whole army of stone men on the lookout for us."
"We ran into a stone man back on the Isle." Carlos stated. "That's how Nera located us."
"You kill it?" Royce inquired.
Carlos nodded.
"Tell me how. We need to know how to best combat them. The rest of you, get some rest. Chloe, get yourself patched up and otherwise stay close to our, ehm, new guest. Chad, can you take first watch? Remember, no lights and no smoke." Royce rapidly listed off, and everyone did as he asked.
Red just tried to make herself comfortable, seated atop a cardboard box and with her back against the wall. She hadn't realized up until this point how the events of the day – running from the Isle and being confronted with a bucketload of harrowing new information – had driven her to the point of exhaustion.
Chloe, despite her brother's previous objections, once again sat a little closer to her. "Are you hurt? I got some medical supplies."
"I'm fine." Red replied. She didn't know to address these people with anything other than casual dislike.
"What about that?" Chloe pointed to Red's abdomen, where her jacket sported a large tear.
"It's fine." Red muttered. Though, as she examined the tear, she only now found out that she hadn't noticed the blood stains due to the already bright red color of her jacket.
"You're bleeding." Chloe mumbled as she kneeled down in front of Red and took out a small first-aid kit from her backpack.
Red had to actively refrain from lashing out like a cornered alley cat as Chloe leaned in with bandages and disinfectant. The blue-haired princess, similarly, had to seemingly overcome some fear or at least hesitance as she began treating Red. She could not really blame her for that, given that Red had attacked her back on the Isle. Chloe's hands were soft and gentle as she caressed Red's stomach, and the way her eyes sparkled and her long blue curls softly swayed only made her look more like a princess. After she was done cleaning and dressing the wound, Chloe even took the time to get out a needle and thread and repair the tear in Red's jacket.
Red eventually could not hold herself back. "Why are you doing this?"
"What?" Chloe's eyes widened slightly.
"Being nice to me? After all that's happened? After that…" She gestured at the cut on Chloe's cheek. It was only then that it truly dawned on Red that Chloe had not looked after her own wounds yet, instead first making sure that Red was taken care of.
"Oh, I mean… It's not so bad…" Chloe touched the cut on her cheek and winced slightly. "Though it does need some cleaning…" She looked at Red as if she expected her to volunteer to help, but nothing of the sort happened. Red had only been in Auradon for a few hours. Back on the Isle, and especially in the slumps, you never offered to help someone. Red and Chloe sat in silence for a few seconds, before Chloe eventually picked up her medical supplies to start treating herself, sticking a band aid on her cheek. It really did away with her flawless Auradon princess appearance, which only made her feel more approachable in Red's eyes.
The two sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds, with Chloe continuing to look Red over with interest.
"What?" Red eventually snapped.
"I just… Ehm… D-Do you have any idea how or why you didn't get frozen?" Chloe hesitantly asked. "Like, as we said, you're the only person we have encountered in all of Auradon who wasn't frozen… Except for Hades, but he had his ember… Are you sure that you're not carrying a relic with you? Something that could have protected you?"
"Not a clue." Red curtly answered.
Chloe waited for her to continue to explain, but resumed speaking when nothing of the sort happened. "Well, I'm still glad we found you…"
"You're so weird." Red could not help but blurt it out.
"Weird?"
"You could have just left me…"
"We do things differently here in Auradon. You'll see." Chloe shrugged as she put away her medical supplies.
"You act like you're actually expecting me to keep hanging around…" Red scoffed. "Like whatever asshole is in charge is actually gonna let me stay…"
"Don't talk about Ben like that!" Chloe squealed, surprising Red.
"Who?"
"King Benjamin. Don't talk about him like that. He's kind. And caring. He's the one who decided to start bringing over villains in the first place. And with Mal at his side, they're the best rulers Auradon could have ever asked for…" Chloe argued, her face turning slightly red.
"That's easy to say when you're not the one being repressed by their stupid system…" Red snapped.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Ben and Mal are really trying to make things better for everyone, even the people still living on the Isle… They're even in contact with Harry Hook about his ideas and such, even after what he did to them during the war and stuff…"
Red could not really argue against that. She had heard about the cruel and terrible things Harry Hook had done, like torturing Mal and rampaging across the Auradon mainland alongside Solomon and Uma. To hear that the two royals were actually willing to set some of their grievances aside and actually help Harry improve the Isle, to an extent, was actually quite impressive.
"Still…" Red argued, not wanting to concede. "The Isle still sucks… Not like you would know, princess…"
Chloe looked like she wanted to keep protesting, but Red managed to shut her up with her best icy glare. Deciding that the newcomer had apparently received enough care, Chloe instead moved to the other side of the room and joined Celia Facilier and that scrawny boy, Dillon.
Red watched with a hint of annoyance as Chloe and Celia immediately started whispering to each other with soft, caring voices. Back on the Isle, Dr. Facilier's daughters had never been the most cruel or vindictive of villain kids, but they were nevertheless renowned for being notorious swindlers and blackmailers. To see Celia fawn over an Auradonian, and especially a prissy princess like Chloe, really threw Red for a loop. She could not help but keep watching, studying the way Celia caressed Chloe's cheek, brushed the hair from her face and reassuringly squeezed her hand, and wonder if perhaps they were more than just friends… That thought only served to make her even more annoyed – a feeling she couldn't quite explain…
For the duration of their stay in that storage space, no one tried to talk to Red the way Chloe had done. Red, at one point, tried to stealthily sneak out the back while everyone was asleep, but was instantly called back by CJ, who had not nearly been as asleep as Red had hoped.
The one upside about her predicament was the food. The supermarket storage space contained hundreds of boxes filled with the freshest and most delicious food Red had ever seen. The others didn't stop her as she rifled through some of the boxes and eat whatever she wanted. Red noticed Chloe shooting her an disapproving glare after she started shoving entire fistfuls of bright red candy into her mouth, but she honestly couldn't care less.
The combination of her fatigue and the first-time feeling of a belly full of sweets caused Red to quickly pass out shortly after that.
After what felt like only a few minutes, Red was rudely woken up by CJ, who informed her that the group would move out once more. Red felt nauseous from all the unhealthy sugary crap she had consumed, but was too proud and stubborn to ask the others to wait for her to first puke her guts out.
The Auradonians were not fun traveling companions. Royce was strict and humorless, Chad was a pompous idiot, and Dillon could not even look Red in the eyes for two seconds without blushing and quickly averting his gaze. The worst of all, perhaps, continued to be Chloe Charming.
The way she kept trying to talk to Red and share her feelings, and perpetually behaved like the most insufferably nice person to ever walk the Earth was so inherently foreign and infuriating to Red that she nearly burst a blood vessel on numerous occasions.
At least the villain kids – CJ, Carlos and Celia – had the decency to try to stay away from her as much as possible. Carlos outright ignored her, CJ only barked orders, and Celia would always get in between Red and Chloe whenever the latter would again try to approach her. Red wasn't sure if Celia did this to protect Chloe, so to speak, or because she was maybe a little jealous of all the attention Chloe was giving her.
Anyway, spirits were low as the group made their way around the outskirts of Auradon City. Even with everything that was going on, Red could not help but marvel at all the things she saw. Even the most mundane things – like parks, fountains, parking lots and playgrounds – totally amazed her, let alone the many picturesque shops, luxury cars and colorful clothing, plants and decorations that enlivened the place.
Every time Red's mouth would drop at another amazing sight, she could see Chloe having to attempt to hide a satisfied smirk, which once again endlessly annoyed her.
"I swear on my mother's underwear cabinet, Chloe, if you keep laughing at me…" Red eventually fell out at the blue-haired source of her foul mood.
"Quiet down!" CJ hissed, shooting Red a glare.
"I wasn't laughing." Chloe mumbled, blushing bright scarlet. "It's just, you know, endearing to stare at everything with such wonder… Like a kid in a toy store…"
Red loudly exhaled through her nose. Who did this prissy, soft-skinned princess think she was, comparing her to a kid!? Red was a villain through and through, and had made plenty of lives miserable back on the Isle. She was itching to add Chloe's name to that list. "Compare me to a kid again, princess, and see what happens…"
"It wasn't meant as an insult." Chloe whispered back as the group made their way past a large square filled with frozen Auradonians. "I guess I'm just happy to get to share this moment with someone… The moment of first setting foot in Auradon I mean…"
Red could barely wrap her head around how and why thoughts like those would be whirling through Chloe's head at this time, when they were sneaking and hiding away from people who wanted to hurt them.
"Who knows…" Chloe went on. "When the fighting's over, and you'll be allowed to stay, maybe I can give you a proper tour…"
Both Red's and Chloe's faces turned the same color as the former's hair. Red had no idea what to say, so she instead landed on a sarcastic remark. "Fun… Maybe I'll give you a proper tour of my mother's kingdom back on the Isle… I'll introduce you to the jabberwocky."
"Fun! What's a jabberwocky?" Chloe replied. Her tone was so genuine and innocent that it almost made Red regret what she was about to say. Almost.
"A monster that eats annoying girls."
Chloe's smile disappeared faster than you can say 'jabberwocky'.
"Ignore her, Chlo." Celia told her friend, also shooting Red a less-than-friendly glare.
"Yes, and keep doing so for the rest of eternity." Red spat.
"What is your problem!?" Chloe snapped, now turning red-faced in anger. "I try to be nice to you and get to know you, and all you do is insult me and make fun of me…"
"Is this your first time talking to a villain?" Red replied in a condescending tone.
"No, it isn't! But the others I've met have been kind and understanding! They're trying to be better people!" Chloe retorted, glancing at Celia.
"Good for them…" Red rolled her eyes. "It might have helped that they were allowed to come to here out of their own free will, instead of getting kidnapped and forced to fight against a group of power-hungry Auradonians… Do you really expect me to be, what, thankful? Happy? Relieved? Newsflash, princess, my life still sucks, so don't expect me to act all warm and cuddly, like your other 'villain' friends…" She emphasized the word villain, showing her disdain for Celia in particular.
"Oh, I know you didn't just snap at me!" Celia's eyes had widened and her hands were shaking.
"Guys! Seriously! Keep it down!" CJ hissed from the front of the group.
Red ignored her, instead squaring up with Celia. "Or what, Facilier? Hmm? You're gonna tell on me? You're gonna run and hide behind your Auradon friends?"
Celia reached into her satchel and pulled out a handful of tarot cards, which she began to shuffle while still staring threateningly back at Red. "I'm still a villain, Red. A real one… Unlike the scum from the slumps…"
Red balled her fists. Under normal circumstances, she would have reached for her sword or dagger. Since she currently possessed neither of those, the best she could do was straighten up and look intimidating. It helped that she was a lot taller than Celia. The tarot cards she was still shuffling had begun glowing slightly, though, causing Red to hesitate even more. "You're gonna read me my future? How scary…"
"I don't need the cards to know your future." Celia spat. "Your life will be sad, lonely, miserable and pathetic…"
Red had never been the best at keeping her emotions at bay. Back on the Isle, she had been very prone to lashing out at whomever even slightly bothered her. Right now, her desire to rip Celia's hair out clashed with the knowledge that she was unarmed and surrounded by people who would instantly jump to Celia's aid. Red felt all the anger, resentment and rage that been building up inside her, perhaps for years, coursing through her veins, waiting to be unleashed.
Then there was a different feeling. Warm and tingly – like the warmth of a campfire settling over her. Looking down, Red saw numerous red and white sparks jump from her balled fists, like she was some piece of faulty electricity.
"What the hell?" Celia muttered, wide-eyed and obviously scared.
Red was scared too. She had no idea what was happening. The sparks didn't hurt her, but she had no idea how she was conjuring them up or how to make them go away. If anything, things only got worse. Red shook her hands, but the sparks only grew more numerous and intense.
"Celia! Chloe! Step back!" CJ shouted, unsheathing her sword as she stepped closer.
"I-I don't know what's happening…" Red stammered, her knees wobbling slightly as she spread her fingers and tried to get her hands to stop shooting out sparks.
"You're using magic…" Carlos spoke up, joining CJ. "It's your first time, obviously. Just stay calm, Red. Try to make it stop."
"Someone's gonna spot us!" Royce hissed, drawing his bow. More sparks jumped from Red's hands, bouncing across the ground and shooting up into the air like a miniature fireworks show. Surely every villain or stone man nearby would easily be able to spot them now. "We need to get her inside until she regains control!"
Red was totally overwhelmed. It was one hell of a thing to discover you actually possess magical abilities. A mix of shock, awe and pure dread surged through her as the sparks kept flying. Everyone in her little traveling group had taken a few steps back and was covering their face.
"Red! You need to stop!" CJ shouted.
"I don't know how!" Red shrieked in pure exasperation.
"Get inside! Quick!" Royce scanned the sky with clear panic in his eyes.
Red looked around. All the houses around her had heavy wooden doors. She did not like her chances of being able to break them down by bashing against them with her shoulders. All the while, the sparks flying off her hands only increased in severity. Red felt like she was about to faint from all the adrenaline. She closed her eyes, her hands shaking uncontrollably, and tried to will herself to stop. Even back on the Isle, with no friends and no real home to call her own, she had at least always had full control over her mind and body. Now Auradon was taking that away as well…
Right as she felt as though she would burst into flames, two warm hands suddenly grabbed onto hers and squeezed tightly. Red's eyes flew open to see Chloe Charming standing right in front of her, clasping her hands as tightly as two bear traps.
"Calm down… Breathe… J-Just try to focus, okay?" Chloe spoke in a gentle voice, though she was unable to completely mask her panic.
Red wasn't sure why, but she decided to listen to Chloe. The two stood there for a few seconds, matching each other's breathing. Red stared intently into Chloe's brown eyes. It felt so strange. She deeply disliked this person, and yet, being this close to her somehow made her feel at ease. Her shoulders relaxed. Her grip on Chloe's hands slackened a little. The sparks slowly died down.
"Wow… Okay, Chloe…" Carlos muttered, obviously impressed as he hesitantly approached the two girls.
It was as if Red only realized how close she stood to Chloe at that very moment, because she instantly yanked her hands away from hers and took a few steps backward.
"So… You do have magic…" CJ added, still holding her sword at the ready.
"I-I didn't know…" Red stammered. Her hands were still shaking and she felt as though she had contacted a bad flue.
"It's a normal reaction…" Celia jumped in. She still looked angry, but also curious. At least she had put her tarot cards away. "Back when I first arrived in Auradon, I could also suddenly feel the magical energy flowing through me. It can feel very weird at first. It'll take some getting used to, but she will get used to it…"
"That's all well and good, but she shot those sparks up into the sky. It'll take a miracle for the villains not to have spotted that little lightshow!" Royce ranted. "We need to move. Far away from here. Fast!"
The others wordlessly agreed.
Red shivered, both from the continued sensation of magic flowing through her body and because she knew that there was absolutely no chance that whoever was hunting them had not just seen the sparks. Chloe and CJ grabbed Red by her upper arms and dragged her along. She felt woozy, and probably would have fallen over if not for the two of them holding her up.
They only made it about half way across the square.
Red only heard a faint whoosh, and a second later she was flung through the air and made a rough landing on the pavement. In her already dazed state, Red was barely able to discern which way was up and which way was down. All she knew was that her back was hurting a lot.
Turning onto her stomach, Red saw the rest of her group similarly splayed on the ground in a messy heap of limbs. Chad had landed right on top of Dillon, who was visibly struggling to breathe.
Red had no idea what had happened.
"Lookie here… The whole gang… Everyone together… What a treat…" A high-pitched voice cackled above their heads.
Up ahead, the only person left standing was pacing back and forth, obstructing the group's path. She was short and slender, with lilac-and-red streaks in her curly hair. Her enormous blue eyes twinkled both playfully and maniacally. In her hand, she twirled something on a chain… Something very familiar…
A pocket watch…