Chapter Text
Once Upon a Time, there was a story. A whole lot of stories that all start the same. Our story actually starts with the ending of one such of these tales we grew up time and time again reading and watching and listening to. The tale of "Beauty and the Beast," where in the end, the pretty maiden tames the Beast and they live Happily Ever After. I don't have to remind you of the end, of course, only highlight what came just after.
After Belle and the newly unenchanted King Adam got married in front of six thousand of their... closest friends. No worries, it was a lovely thing and had a big cake so everyone got a slice. Afterward, instead of a honeymoon, King Adam united all the kingdoms and got himself elected King of the Unites States of Auradon. A rather fancy title if I do so say myself, and quite a feat to say the least.
Of course, he didn't stop there though. His next move was to round up each and every villain, sidekicks, and anyone who he deemed dangerous and the rest of us deem interesting - I mean the only ones who don't find villains interesting are the heroes, right? - and put them in a place called the Isle of the Lost, with a magical barrier to keep them there.
And that is where things got interesting. See, Belle and Beast do most people do eventually- they started a family. Prince Ben was born. Then he grew, and now in only a month's time he was about to be King Ben.
Ben knew what he wanted in life. He knew himself very well, even if his youth still allowed him plenty of room to be swayed by his peers. That wasn't a problem for the real things he cared about though. Maybe he had a girlfriend that everyone had told him he had to have. Maybe he was captain of the football team because everyone had told him it was what he was supposed to be. Maybe he had perfect grades and attendance because it what everyone told him he was supposed to do. But there was something he wanted that he had come up with all on his own.
For years Ben had looked through the windows of the Palace, and his eyes always fell on the exact same place. Even now as he got fitted for his coronation, his eyes wandered to the perfect view of that same place now. The person fitting him kept correcting his gaze and straightening his head, but each time it only took a few seconds before Ben was distracted again.
The process was cut off when Ben's parents came in. Belle and Adam themselves. They beamed with pride at their son and he smiled back, if for a different reason. "I can't believe you're going to be King in a month. You're just a baby," his dad teased.
Belle, holding Adam's arm, turned to him with an affectionate eye roll. "He's turning sixteen, Dear."
Ben greeted them, but the Beast was rather focused on what he was saying, so only his mother nodded her head to him in response. "Sixteen! It's far too young to be crowned King. I didn't make a good decision until I was at least... forty-two," the current King protested. Personally, I have to agree with him but geez man, aren't you the one in charge of the laws? Perhaps raise the age level just a bit? I guess I can't say anything about it- fairytale characters are out there getting married and falling in love at fourteen and sixteen all the time. Maybe it's the trauma.
It seemed Belle had yet a solid point to make. "Uh, you decided to marry me at twenty-eight."
The King, every so witty, replied , "Well it was either you or the tea pot." The jerk. I don't know how Belle puts up with that but... good for her I guess. Ben chuckled to keep the mood light, but Belle seemed to take the words a little hard. Girl, I would too. "Kidding," Adam offers. Good lukc to him on trying to make that better.
Sensing the rising awkwardness and no easy transition, Ben simply throws out, "Mom, Dad-" He goes to step off the podium he stands on to get fitted and stops when he's barked at by the man fitting him. He steps back and tries to keep his courage as he continued onto what he was saying before he was so rudely interrupted. "I've chosen my first official proclamation." I don't know what his parents were expecting, but from their excitement it definitely wasn't, "I've decided that the children on the Isle of the Lost be given a chance to live here in Auradon." Cue distressed parent noises. And really, you can't totally blame them but as I said before, when Ben had made up his mind about something, there was no swaying him. Unfortunately, he didn't make his mind up so solidly often enough, but here he had and that was what was important. "Every time I look out to the Isle I feel like they've been abandoned." He did step down now, his fitter far too shocked to stop him this time.
Adam's mood had changed. He was more serious now. Focused. "The children of our sworn enemies? Living among us?"
Ben met him immediately. He had considered this. "Well, we start out with a few at first. Only ones who need our help the most." Already Belle was nodding and it encouraged Ben to get more confidant about what he was saying. "I've already chosen them.
Seeming to already be made up on his disapproval of this decision, Adam stepped forward to question, "Have you?"
Luckily, Belle was quick to point out a very important point. "I gave you a second chance." That seemed to calm Adam. Good for her. "She turned to Ben with a look of open mindedness. I wish she was my mom, dang. Would love to have that level of readiness to understand and accept. "Who are their parents?"
Ben steadied himself before speaking. "Cruella De Vil." He let that sink in. They seemed to take it mostly well. "Jafar. Evil Queen." They continued nodding, even though their smiles were strained. He hesitated a second, letting his arms fall as he attempted to brace himself for the reaction. "And Maleficent." Behind him, the fitter squeaked and dropped his book. Fitting reaction, I will give him that.
"MALEFICENT?" Adam demanded, getting heated as he raised his voice. "She is the worst villain in the land!"
"Dad," Ben interrupted as Belle stood there, stunned. "Just hear me out here-"
"I won't," Adam refused, raising a finger. The poor fitter in the background looked ready to wet himself. Let the poor man leave for Pete's sake. "-hear o it. They are guilty of unspeakable crimes!"
Ben almost smiled. This had been just what he was hoping his father would say. "Their children are innocent!" Servants began to leave and Ben felt himself grow more confident. He wouldn't be shot down. He believed too strongly about this. "Don't you think they deserve a shot at a normal life?" Ben paused there, but when Adam didn't say anything, all Ben had to offer was a plea. "Dad..."
There was a long silence where Adam looked to Belle for guidance. Despite his stubbornness and tendency for terrible humor, I will say he did make the good move there. Finally, looking between his son and wife, Adam saw sense and gave in. After all, Ben was right. How fair was it to punish children for the sins of the parents? "I suppose the children are innocent." Ben perked up, glad of the acceptance, and was returned with Adam nodding before leaving the room.
As Adam paused to wait for Belle, she turned to her son. She straightened his suit a little, smiling with pride. "Well done," she congratulated. He had come to her with this a lot sooner than he had his father so she knew what was going on, which is why she'd taken it so smoothly. She knew how much he believed in this and how much he'd prepared for this confrontation. As she herself had never handled Adam's outbursts with a level head until she was much older, she was glad to see she'd taught her son to be smarter and more level headed. With that out of the way, she turned to her husband, looping her arm with his. "Shall we?"
For the maybe millionth time, Ben turned to the window in the room and looked out toward the Isle. He then looked down to his ring, fiddling with it. He had done it.
Meanwhile, on the very Isle was looking at, trouble was brewing. Those kids that Ben had just named? They were friends, actually. You want to know why? Because they were some of the worst on the Isle.
Carlos was more a lap dog than anything, but he knew how to be nasty when the time called for it. He was more mischievous than evil, liking to have fun and tending to get bored very easily. He was the son of Cruella De Vil, and he made sure everyone knew it. They all saw his mother as quite a bit unhinged and steered clear of him in case he was too. His favorite past time was actually dancing, and he was quite good at it. He used that talent, unfortunately, most often to get out of close calls and wake people up as they took naps or recuperated from night jobs. As of now he was headed to a hang out with his friends and on his way, he snatched an apple from a young girl, taking a bite before tossing it back to her over his back. You know, just villain stuff.
Jay had a bit more of a nasty reputation. In his past time, he stole. He'd been doing it since he was very young and had never stopped since. He had first acquired the habit from his father, of course. Jafar had always been a talented thief, if not a very good mastermind. Jay had gotten his sneakiness from his mother, before she had passed when he was quite young. Thankfully, too, because his father's power play way of dealing with things wouldn't have worked here. There were too many people who did it far better than him. What he was good at, that made him quite a powerful enemy, was that he was incredibly good at gymnastics. IN the classical sense at least. What he did better resembled parkour - after all, being a thief is not good if you can't get away in the most unconventional way possible.
Evie was the Beauty Queen of the Isle. Her danger was in her looks and how she constantly abused the power they gave her. She would flirt with just about anybody, but it was always either a temporary fascination or something she used as a distraction. So if those pretty eyes landed on you, it was best to keep your own away from her and on your surroundings. If you're so lucky as to be getting her genuine attention, take the moment to appreciate it. It won't last long. The people on the Isle seemed impossible of learning this, unfortunately, as Evie was very good at wooing and thrived off of leaving a path of broken heart to mark her every step. What can I say? She really is beautiful. It's not really a surprise she can get anyone she wants.
Mal was the ringleader of the group, and the worst of them after. Taking after her mother, the one and only Maleficent herself, Mal was nasty and she loved being nasty. She stole and she escaped and she pranked and she terrified anyone who tried to cross her. Unlike Jay, Mal was very good at power plays. Her mind was made for masterminding and she had the fire power to prove it. No magic, unfortunately, as the barrier around the Isle was magic proof, but she was plenty of good at using other methods to enunciate her threat level. She was good at fighting and didn't care what anyone thought about her. She couldn't be tamed by anyone except Evie, and even then sometimes Evie had no affect on her. She spent her free time tagging, a spray can never far from her side. She was cruel and would expose any secrets she found int he most painful way possible. She opened doors on private moments and opened curtains when people showered. She got into fights as quickly as she ended them when they were inconvenient for her. Long story short: she was scary. It was her influence alone that made her friends so powerful, and their support that made her even more terrifying.
The four friends finally met up at their usual spot. "Hey guys," Evie greeted brightly, even as her eyes scanned the crowd for her next victim.
Mal rolled her eyes at Evie. She didn't see the point of romance on any level. It annoyed her that Evie tried so hard when today was supposed to be about them hanging out. They'd had to plan it around their parents' schedules for them. Jay said something about it though, as Mal wasn't one to stop someone from being terrible to someone else, even if it impeded on their hang out time. "Evie, can't you focus?"
"I am focused," Evie replied evenly.
Carlos chuckled, amused. He often laughed when someone had a witty comeback. He admired quick, clever thinking. "You know that's not what he meant."
Evie sighed. "Yeah, fine, okay." She looked at Mal, who suddenly seemed distracted herself. "Mal, what-?"
"Hush," Mal whispered before launching from her roost leaning against the wall. Her friends looked at each other before shrugging and following. They watched from a short distance as Mal casually watched a mother pulling a red wagon with a child in it. When the mother passed her, too scared to stop or question Mal in case the teenager started trouble, Mal reached down and snagged the child's lollipop. She then turned around and returned to her friends, grinning.
Jay was the first one to high five her. Candy on the Isle was incredibly rare and very expensive, so stealing it from other people was a statement of cruelty. Stealing it from a child was next level. As Mal went to take a bite of her stolen goodie, and before any of her other friends could say anything, the streets suddenly cleared rather quickly. People panicked and scrambled, causing Mal to be confused for a second... until she saw Evie, Carlos, and Jay's expressions. She then sighed, knowing exactly who it was. As she turned, she put on a smile. As much as Mal loved her mother, she had planned to be with her friends today. And I mean look at the now completely empty street. Even without magic, Maleficent was a buzzkill.
"And what are we celebrating over here?" Mal held up the candy she'd taken and Maleficent took it from her. "What, you stole candy? So disappointed."
"From a baby," Mal pointed out.
Maleficent's smile grew at that. "Ah! That's my nasty little girl." Mal got excited, thinking she was going to get it back, but then Maleficent spit on it and then pressed it into her armpit. She removed it only to give it to her guards. "Give it back to the dreadful creature."
"Mom-" She was mostly upset she hadn't gotten to enjoy her treat, but there was something so gross about the idea of that child getting that sucker back. Putting it in their mouth... Mal didn't like it.
"It's in the details," Maleficent told her, cutting her off. "That's what make the difference between just mean, and truly evil!" She flared her hand, her voice rising as she grinned. It took everything in Mal not to roll her eyes. "When I was your age I was cursing-"
"Entire kingdoms," Mal finished.
Maleficent gave a half-hearted chuckle at Mal's slight attitude, but it was only in sarcasm as her face turned to a dead annoyed expression only a moment later. "Walk with me." She put her hand on Mal's back as they began to move a little ways away. "See I'm just trying to teach you thing that really counts," she cooed. Her hand dropped from Mal's back as she spoke yet, motioning into the air at every word like she was giving them a place in the sky.
"I know that. And I'll do better." Mal's voice cracked at the last word and her friends all looked at each other. They knew how hard Mal tried. How nasty she was all the time. What more could she do?
Maleficent seemed to consider it but before she could say anything else, she got distracted and exclaimed in excitement before turning back to the people behind them. They definitely hadn't gone far. "I have some wonderful news! I buried the lead!" Mal moved back to the others as her mother announced this to all of them. "You four have been chosen to go to a different school. IN Auradon.
Thankfully Maleficent's goons had moved behind the kids, because the second she said it, each one but Mal tried to book it. They were unsuccessful though and set right back down where they'd been, so there was obviously no point in running. Mal watched them struggle then faced her mom, not willing to leave them behind even if she could escape. Not that her mother would ever really let her. "What?" She demanded instead of trying. "I'm not going to some boarding school filled to the brim with some prissy pink princesses."
Evie stepped forward then, her smile wide. "And perfect princes." She seemed excited by the thought of either, but with one groan from Mal her smile wiped off her face.
"I don't really do uniforms," Jay added. Then he chuckled, continuing, "Unless it's leather, you feel me?" He said this to Carlos, but the other boy seemed distracted by something else entirely.
"I read somewhere that they allow dogs in Auradon? Mom said they're rabid pack animals who eat boys who don't behave." Jay barked in Carlos' ear, causing the white haired boy to skid away and Jay and Evie to giggle.
Mal was still upset. "Yeah mom, we're not going!"
Maleficent rolled her eyes. "You're thinking small, Pumpkin. It's all about world domination!" She looked at her thugs before screaming, "KNUCKLEHEADS!" They scrambled to her side. As she began to walk away she called over her shoulder, "Mal," in a very sing-songey voice and turned back. Mal looked at her friends before they followed after reluctantly. They all made their way to the hide out where the most terrifying villains and their kids always gathered for little meetings like this. It was why Carlos, Evie, Jay, and Mal were friends at all. Their parents were. "You will go," Maleficent began when they all settled in. "You will find the Fairy Godmother and you will bring me back her magic wand. Easy peasey."
"What's in it for us?" Mal demanded, her attitude set in and her eyes narrowed.
"Matching throwns?" Maleficent offered. "Hers and Hers crowns?" She looked between Evie and Mal, grinning wickedly. The girls didn't look at each other before shifting further away. There was a lot of history there and Maleficent never failed to point it out and rub it in their faces. I guess that's what really made her a villain. She didn't care who she was hurting- she just liked to cause pain.
"I think what she meant," Carlos said, stepping up to cover for Mal. "Us." He motioned to all of them as a whole.
Maleficent stood up, leaning over her desk to look at Mal. "Teasing aside, it's all about you and me, really." The others looked at each other before taking a step back, leaving Mal alone to bask in one of the few times she got to feel cared about by her mother. "Do you enjoy watching innocent people suffer?"
"Well yeah," Mal chuckled. "I mean who doesn't-"
"Well then get me the wand," Maleficent growled. Her voice softened a little. "And then you and I can see all that and so much more. With that wand, my scepter, I will be able to bend both good and evil to my will!"
"Our will?" The Evil Queen reminded. "Our will."
"Our will," Maleficent quickly, begrudgingly agreed before moving on. She snapped to get Mal's attention again. "And if you refuse, you're grounded for the rest of your life missy."
"Wha-" Mal began. "Mom!"
Maleficent closed her fingers together and Mal's lips snapped shut. Not because of magic, but because Mal had been trained well. How did she do it? Well that came next. Maleficent crouched to Mal's level, her eyes burning a neon green. Mal responded with the same glow in her eyes and they seemed to face off for a second. If you could call it facing off. Mal was squirming the second it started and gave up rather quickly as her mother stared at her with a stillness and stoniness that chilled Mal to her bones.
Mal groaned and looked away. "Fine. Whatever."
"I win," Maleficent chirped proudly.
Now that that was handled - because wherever Mal went, the others followed - the focus shifted to the other kids. "Evie!" The Evil Queen called. Evie grinned as she approached her mother. "My little evil-ette in training." Evie sat down at the table the Evil Queen was nestled at. "You go and find yourself a nice prince or princess with a big castle, and a mother-in-law wing-"
Evie's smile dropped for a second, until she joined her mother in saying the next part. "- and lots and lots of mirrors!"
Evie's little excited giggle was cut off by the Evil Queen ordering, "No laughing. Wrinkles!" Maleficent scoffed in annoyance. God she was working with slum wasn't she?
"They're not taking my Carlos because I'd miss him too much," Cruella finally voiced.
Carlos was surprised by that. "Really mom?" His voice cracked as he said it and Jay and Evie shared a glance.
"Yes!" She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Who will touch up my roots and fluff my firs and scrape the grout off my bunions?" At that she lifted her foot and Carlis caught it.
His face scrunched in disgust. "Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to go to a new school."
"Don't be silly," Cruella dismissed. "They allow dogs at Auradon."
Carlos paled. "Yeah she's right. I'll definitely be staying here."
"They're definitely not taking Jay," Jafar input in agreement. "I need him to stock my shelves." As if his words had reminded him, he looked at Jay. "What did you get me?" Jay began pulling all kind of objects from all over his body. His back, his waist, his collar- even his sleeve. It was quite impressive. Only when Jay pulled out a lamp did his dad seem to really care about the things Jay was handing him. "Oh!" He dropped everything, snatching it from Jay and pulling some of his scarf to rub it against the shiny metal.
Jay sighed. "Dad, I already tried." Jafar's shoulders slumped as the Evil Queen cackled at his disappointment.
"Listen to yourselves!" Maleficent exploded. "We used to be VILLAINS! People used to fear our presence and tremble at our names! Twenty years we've been stuck here. Twenty years I've been looking for each and every chance to get off this island. Twenty years they've held us back from our revenge! In twenty years, you've all gotten lazy and complacent! This is our chance to get FREE and finally take our revenge." She pointed to the Evil Queen. "Revenge against Snow White and her seven little men." The Evil Queen made a wounded animal noise and Evie pat her on the shoulder, only to be waved away. "Revenge against Aladdin and his stupid genie," she said to Jafar. Jay has to hold his father back as he almost launched into a rant. "Revenge against every single Dalmatian puppy that escaped your clutches," Maleficent continued, motioning to Cruella who waited and threw herself in Carlos' shoulders. "And revenge for me against that stupid Aurora and her unyielding prince," she growled as a finish.
Everyone looked at each other before nodding. Everyone except Cruella, who didn't have time to argue before the kids scrambled to get packed. Cruella complained the whole time but it only seemed to spur Carlos on and suddenly there was a honking outside and the four teenagers were waving their parents goodbye and heading outside to where a limo with the Auradon emblem on the side waited for them. Carlos sprinted to the limo, around his mother, and Evie and Jay went in after him quickly to block Cruella from pulling him out. She screamed something about him being an ingrate as he melted in relief in the safety of the car.
Mal leaned against the car, her backpack in hand. Her head turned to her mother who was on the patio above the square they now stood in. Maleficent put all her fingers down except her pointer and middle finger, first directing the fingers at her own eyes before motioning to Mal in the universal, "I'm watching you" symbol. Mal have a tight lipped smile before climbing into the limo.
Here went nothing.