Sunlilly: When history repeats

Chapter 14: Even more nautical disasters

About three months after the trident incident we were coming up on cotillion, Mal and Ben's to be specific, Mal was freaking the fuck out naturally, I mean, six months ago she was committing heinous crimes and now she was making small talk with royals, she tried so hard to fit in, shit, she even went blonde. About three days before cotillion Mal was getting swarmed by press
"Only three days to the Royal Cotillion. Ever think a girl like you would be Lady of the Court?"
"How does it feel to be the most envied girl in Auradon?"
"Well, do you like being blonde?"
"Is your mother still a lizard?"
They shouted, Mal looked to be on the verge of a panic attack when Ben walked over to her
"Okay. All right. Excuse me. Uh, we will let you know if and when that particular situation changes"
He said calmly
"Did you ever think you'd be with a Villain Kid?"
One reporter asks
"We're done here"
Ben replies, the reporters continue to clamor for answers when myself and Fairy godmother walked over to disperse the crowd
"Okay. Shush, shush. Shoosh, shoosh. Shoosh, shoosh. This is still a school, so if you're here, you're either skipping or trespassing"
Fairy godmother informed as kindly as possible
"Just one quick question"
A reporter started, Fairy godmother continued to try to get them to leave but they just kept going until I got to enforce my power as head of security
"Ok, you are all trespassing so if you are not off the property in the next two minutes I have the legal right to take physical action"
I announce, brandishing my dagger which was enough to make the crowd disperse
"Ah threatening violence, my favorite"
I say jovially
"Thank you, guys"
Ben says gratefully
"No problem, scaring the press is fun"
I say
"Anyway, I gotta go. Running late for my dress fitting with Evie"
I run off to Evie's dorm
"Sorry, had to get rid of the press"
I said
"It's alright, anyway I'm almost done with your dress I just need to make a small adjustment in the waist"
Evie says, she goes to the dress rack and pulls out a dark blue silk gown with spaghetti straps and slit along the right leg and a thin gold painted metal belt around the waist
"Damn"
I say impressed
"Oh please, it's nothing"
Evie dismisses, she has me put on the dress and adjusts the waist to be two to three inches smaller
"Better?"
Evie asks
"It looks the same"
I tell her
"Which I assume is what we want?"
"Yes"
Evie says, I give her the dress back and look out the window to see Ben getting harassed by the press
"Mother fucker"
I speed back outside, dagger in hand over to the mob of reporters
"Y'all are still trespassing"
I manage to chase them off the property before the bell rings for class. The next day I was walking with Lonnie and Jane when we ran into Mal and Evie
"Mal?"
Jane says
"Yes?"
"I hate to keep bugging you, but the decorating committee needs more answers. So, as much as I hate to, um... you know, um..."
Jane stumbles
"Bug me?"
Mal finishes
"Right"
"Yeah, Jane, I would love to. I just have to get to class"
Mal says slightly rushed
"You know, just nod if you like it"
Jane says, she goes through a list of decorations and somehow landed on pen topper party favors when Lonnie decided to make a comment...
"I can hardly wait to see what your wedding will look like!"
"Me, too. Wait! What?!"
Mal says shocked and confused
"The Royal Cotillion is like getting engaged to be engaged to be engaged"
Jane informs
"I knew it!"
Evie says excited
"Well everyone knows it"
Lonnie adds
"Wait, so does that mean you and Raina are engaged?"
Evie asks
"Technically, we could get married but we'll see what happens"
I say
"I didn't know it! How come nobody told me that? Is my entire life just planned out in front of me–"
Mal starts to panic when Ben walks over to us
"Hi, Mal"
"Hi, Ben!"
Evie, Jane, and Lonnie say in unison
"Hi"
I wave to ben, Jane pulls him aside while myself, Lonnie, Evie and Mal walk off. That afternoon I was watching the boy's fencing practice with Lonnie when she disappeared before they started, as the practice went on this one guy was just kicking ass, they were good enough to make Jay yield, they took off the mask to reveal Lonnie underneath
"Hell yeah! That's my lady!"
I yell
"Not bad"
Jay compliments
"You should put me on the team"
Lonnie suggests, suddenly Chad decides to get involved
"Hey, w-what?! No, no, no. We'll-- We'll be the laughing stock of the league. A-And what's gonna happen next? We'll have girls playing tourney? Come on, guys"
Chad gets defensive
"So?"
Jay says
"So? Uh, so, have you not read the rule book? Section 2, paragraph 3, 11-4. "A team will be comprised of a captain and eight men." Hmm? Why don't you read the rule book?"
Chad pulls a mini rule book from his jacket and shoves it Lonnie's face and I didn't like that so I climbed over the wall to go defend my lady's honor
"Wow chad! You can read!?"
I announce sarcastically
"Rule book!"
Chad continues
"Okay, yeah, but you're down a man! I mean, since Ben had to leave to do all that king stuff"
Lonnie points out
"Yeah, we're down a man"
Chad reminds
"Jay..."
Lonnie looks to jay to help her out but he just looks at her defeated
"I'm sorry. Coach trusts me. I'm not gonna stay captain if I just throw out the rule book"
He explains defeated
"If my mother thought that way, she would have lost the war"
Lonnie storms off and Chad continues to wave around his little rule book
"Hey chad, here's a rule for you. Don't fuck with my lady"
I say annoyed, I kick him in the crotch and watch him fall to the ground in pain and run after Lonnie
"Raina!"
Jay yells to me
"He earned it!"
I yell back. I find Lonnie sitting on her bed in our dorm
"Can you believe him?"
She yells
"Your telling me"
I say
"The Jay I know wouldn't listen to Chad"
I add, suddenly I get a text from Evie
"Mal went back to Isle... something about a fight with Ben"
"Your fucking kidding me"
I sigh
"What?"
Lonnie asks
"Let's just say I have another guy to fuck up today"
I speed to Ben's office and damn near kick down the door
"Benjamin Florian, what the fuck did you do!?"
I yell
"What did I do?"
He asks shocked
"Well, apparently-"
Just as I began to yell at him Evie walked in with a note and Ben's ring he had given to Mal
"Mal's gone back to the Isle. Ben..."
She says
"This is my fault. This is my fault"
Ben stutters
"Yeah, no shit"
I say
"I-I blew it. She'd been under so much pressure lately, and instead of being understanding, I just went all Beast on her. I have to go there and apologize. I have to go there and--and beg her to come back"
"Ben, you'll never find her.You need to know how the Isle and how it works and...you have to take me with you"
Evie demands
"Then i'm coming too"
I say, Ben gives me an odd look
"It's the isle, shits gonna get ugly and out of the three of us, which one has actual experience in a fight? I'm coming with you"
I explain
"Yes! Uh, are you sure?"
Ben asks
"Yeah. She is my best friend and we'll bring the boys too, because there's safety in numbers, and none of us is really too popular over there right now, though I think everyone still thinks Raina's dead"
Evie says
"Wait, they think I'm dead?"
I ask
"To be fair you were chased down by auradon guards and never seen again and not of people on the isle watch auradon programming"
Evie says
"Ok, yeah makes sense"
"Thank you!"
Ben says to Evie gratefully
"But let's get two things straight. You have to promise me that I won't get stuck there again"
Evie says
"I promise"
"And there's no way you're going looking like that."
We leave Ben's office to go put on some more practical clothes, at the time i was wearing a light blue off the shoulder dress and a pair of black pumps which I promptly traded for black leather pants, a white cuffed shirt, blue vest, and combat boots with braided hair along with my dagger and satchel. I meet Evie and the boys outside school where the limo was waiting for us, I look at Ben now in Jeans and a blue leather jacket and beanie, I then look to see dude had followed Jay and Carlos here
"shotgun!"
The mutt says
"No, dude, stay. the isle is way too dangerous!"
Carlos yells
"Did he just..."
Jay starts
"Talk? Yeah, I know, i'll tell you later"
Carlos says. we get in the car and we drive to the Isle. When we get to the Isle and Jay parks the car in an old garage under the pier
"Oh hey, this is where I got kidnapped"
I say jovially
"Wait, what?"
Ben asks
"Yeah, me and Harry got corned here and then the guards knocked me out and I woke up in Auradon"
I explain
"Ok..."
Ben acknowledges. We cover the limo in old tarps and Ben walks over to a big tunnel
"Hey, what's down here?"
He asks as the question echoes
"You don't want to know"
Jay tells him
"Hey, guys, keep it chill, alright? Last thing we need is our parents figuring out we're here"
Carlos says. We left the garage to go find Mal, we walk into a small alleyway full of people
"God, I forgot this place is such a shithole"
I whisper to Jay
"Uh, hey... where's Ben?"
Jay whispers back to me, I look around to see Ben nowhere in sight
"Aw fuck"
I say, I start walking around until I see Ben about to get his ass kicked by a crackhead, I signal for everyone to follow me and we stop Ben from trying to shake the crackhead's hand
"Ben stop, just stop"
Evie tells him
"What the fuck are you doing?!"
I ask aggravated
"This isn't a parade, it's the isle"
Evie adds
"Keep your hands in your pockets unless your stealing"
Jay tells Ben
"Either slouch or strut"
Adds Carlos
"And never ever smile"
Evie continues
"Ok, thanks-"
Ben says
"No. no thank you's and drop the please"
Evie interrupts
"Just, chill"
One lesson in assholery later we're back on track to find Mal when Ben runs into a tall muscular guy with a little blonde ponytail. Gil, Gil's a sweet guy but I don't think he's had a thought since the day he was born
"Hey man. Hey I know you"
Gil says
"Uh, no. Don't know you either, man"
Ben says
"Uh, yeah you do"
Gil insists
"Come on, man. Really? Huh?"
"Dude, i'll give you a hint. My dad is quick, slick, and his neck... huh... is incredibly thick"
Gil says, we look at each other feigning confusion, suddenly Gil looks behind us at a poster depicting Ben and Mal's faces and he eventually put two and two together
"Oh! Your king Ben!"
Gil says excited, Evie, Jay, and Carlos take Ben away and I stop to talk to gil
"Hi gil we're here on a little visit, say hi to Harry for me!"
I give him a small kiss on the cheek and run after my friends. We make it to an old apartment building and Ben goes to the top of the stairs while the rest of us wait outside. A little while later Ben comes back down looking defeated
"She's not coming back"
He says
"What?"
Evie squeaks
"I'll talk to her"
She insists, she walks over to a little makeshift speaker and tries to talk to Mal
"M. Mal it's Evie, let me just talk to you for a second"
"Go away!"
Mal yells
"Let's give her a couple hours to cool off"
Jay says
"Guys, where's Ben?"
Carlos asks, suddenly a shadowy figure starts walking toward us
"Ben?"
Evie questions
"Ben! Ben, Don't scare us like that"
Evie yells, suddenly the figure comes into view and it isn't Ben... It was my boyfriend
"Don't scare you? That's my speciality"
Harry says, Harry Takes me by the waist and kisses me
"Hello gorgeous"
He says holding my face
"Time and place baby, time and place"
I whisper to him as I pull away
"What did you do with Ben!?"
Jay yells
"Oh, uh, we nicked him. Mmm-hmm"
Harry explains
"Yeah, um, and if you want to see him again, have Mal come to the chip shop tonight. Alone, Uma wants a little visit"
He continues, Jay stares Harry down
"Aw. Jay, seems like you lost your touch"
Harry teases, Jay tries to lunge at him but Evie holds him back, Harry giggles before taking me by the waist again
"And maybe, I can see you tonight, love?"
He asks
"Yeah"
I whisper as he lets me go, Harry yips at Carlos and leaves
"Seriously. What do you see in him?"
Carlos asks me
"What? He's hot"
I laugh, we head up the building to the apartment Mal decided to call home and explain the recent events to her
"If you guys never would have brought him here this never would have happened, what were you thinking?"
Mal lectures
"He was gonna come with or without us we just wanted to protect him"
Evie explains
"Yeah, and we completely blew it"
Carlos says
"Okay! Okay, so what are we gonna do?"
Jay asks
"We are not doing anything"
Mal says
"This is between Uma and me, and she's a punk and guess what? Now I have to go get him"
She continues
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Mal, you're still gonna have to go through Harry Hook and his warf rats"
Carlos warns
"Yeah, you're gonna need us"
Jay says
"Oh don't worry, I got Harry"
I say
"...Do we want to know?"
Carlos asks concerned
"Get your mind out of the gutter, I'll just keep him away from the chip shop"
I explain
"Look, Uma said to come alone"
Mal interrupts
"Mal, come on"
Evie tries to reason
"She said to come alone"
Carlos reminds
"I know one thing, I'm not going anywhere"
Carlos slumps down on a rickety couch
"We'll be here when you get back"
Jay says as Mal leaves. That night we're all sitting in the apartment when a rock flies through an open window, I look the window to see Harry smiling up at me
"And that's my cue"
I announce, I climb out the window and slide down a pipe adjacent to the window meeting Harry face to face
"Hello gorgeous"
I say resting my hands behind Harry's neck and kissing his lips
"Well good to see you too"
He laughs gently holding my chin between his thumb and index finger
"Shall we?"
I ask jokingly
"Yes"
Harry laughs, I link my arm under his and we walk down the streets of the Isle
"You know, I think you'd like Auradon"
I say
"Really?"
Harry asks intrigued
"Yeah, I mean the huge trade ships, the whole ocean to explore, wish I could bring you back with me"
I sigh
"Yeah well, doubt your family would approve of me"
Harry jokes
"My father was a known criminal and my cousin is dating the daughter of maleficent, I think your fine"
I say, we walk for another half hour until we reach the docks and lie down next to each other to observe the stars under the thin golden veil of the barrier
"What's it like in Auradon?"
Harry asks
"It's a lot cleaner, most people are a lot nicer and the law is actually enforced"
I say
"... sound boring"
Harry announces
"Your telling me"
I laugh, we lie in silence for a moment before I lie my head on Harry's chest and wrap my arms around his waist
"This alright?"
I ask
"Yeah"
Harry says as he twirls loose hair from my braid around his finger. we lie on the docks listening to the waves crash as Harry begins to fiddle with my necklace
"You still have this?"
He asks holding the pocket watch in his hand
"I never take it off"
I tell him
"Why did you give it to me anyway?"
"Because I liked you"
Harry laughs
"I just didn't know how to say it and you gave me my hook so I figured you wouldn't question if i gave you something"
He explains
"Yeah, but we were six when I gave you that hook, you gave me this when we were eight"
I mention
"Well guess I didn't think it all the way through"
Harry laughs. The hours pass and I end up drifting off the sleep listening to the waves and Harry's heartbeat when Harry gently nudges me awake
"Love, we should probably get going, it's almost midnight and Uma promised me I could mess with Ben"
He laughs
"Alright, just don't kill him because if he kicks it then I have to take the throne and I really don't want to"
I say as I get up. We're about Halfway to Mal's apartment when I suggest something
"Want to do one more thing?"
I ask
"Depends... what is it?"
Harry asks
"Want to go see if gothel's a dust pile?"
I ask
"And if she isn't?"
Harry questions
"We can make her a dust pile"
I suggest
"Yeah I'm in"
We walk to edge of the Isle where the tower stood even worse than when I left, there was still a 30ft long strand of Hair hanging from the roof and somehow the rope I tied to the window was still in tact
"Shall we?"
"Let's go"
Me and Harry climb up the rope and enter the tower which somehow got even shittier
"Damn, the guards did a number on this place"
I sigh, there we're broken tables and the shitty little television Gothel spent so much time around was practically shattered, not to mention support beams and bits of wall that had fallen and withered from age,Harry and I walk around and I see a long red dress with a pile of dust at the center
"Found gothel"
I yell to Harry, he comes over to the dust pile and looks in confusion
"Now what?"
He asks
"Well my plan was to put her in a jar, spit in it, and then chuck it at a tree, but I don't have a Jar"
I say, Harry walks over to the dusty, dilapidated kitchen and grabs a little glass jar with a cork lid and scoops the dust pile inside it
"Shall we?"
He hands me the Jar and we both spit on the pile of dust that was once my "mother" and descend back down to the forest to be rid of her
"Would you like to do the honors?"
Harry asks, I chuck the jar at a tree and it shatters, sending Gothel's dust everywhere, me and Harry laugh before returning to Mal's apartment
"See you soon, alright?"
I say as I give Harry a kiss goodbye
"Alright"
He laughs gently, I shimmy back up the pipe and through the window to find Evie, Jay, and Carlos still waiting for Mal
"Damn, she's still not back?"
I ask
"Nope"
Jay responds
"That can't be good"
Suddenly, Mal throws open the door looking angry and defeated
"What happened?"
Evie asks worried
"Uma wants Fairy godmother's wand"
Mal says
"There is no way we're gonna give Uma the wand, we can't just let her destroy Auradon"
Evie says
"Uma doesn't get the wand, then Ben is toast"
Carlos tries to reason
"Great, so we're going to give Uma, of all people, the wand"
Evie retorts
"Wait, you guys, your 3D printer"
Mal says, pointing to Jay and Carlos
"A phony wand"
Carlos exclaims
"Yeah, but the second Uma tests it, she'll know it's fake"
Evie says
"Okay so we just get Ben out really fast, we need some kind of diversion"
Mal explains
"Smoke bombs"
Jay suggests
"That's perfect! I'll get the chemicals I need form Lady tremains place that could work"
Evie adds
"I could see about getting Ben and easy escape if all else fails"
I say
"Carlos, Jay, you guys meet us at Pirates Bay, no later than noon"
Mal instructs
"And you guys, losing, not an option 'cause we're rotten"
Mal starts
"To the core"
The VK's all say in unison
"Let's do this"
Evie exclaims. I go back out the window this time securing a rope by the ledge and head for Pirates Bay, I'm a few feet away from the lost revenge where I see Ben tied up at ship mast with Harry standing guard, fucking with him
"Oh, perfect"
I sigh, I sneak behind the ship so I'm out of sight, I grab a rock off of the dock and throw it in the water to distract Harry, it doesn't work but suddenly Gil comes out from Below deck
"Uh, hey, there's a hole in the ship and we need help with repairs"
Gil explains, Harry huffs and reluctantly follows Gill below deck giving me a open window, I climb up the side of the ship and hang from the ledge
"Psst, hey, numb nuts"
I whisper, Ben looks my way and lights up
"Are you here to rescue me? Where's Mal?"
He asks quietly
"Not necessarily and she's not with me"
I respond as I flip onto the deck and pull out my dagger
"Then why are you here?"
He asks
"To give you an easy escape if everything goes to shit"
I say as I get to work fraying the rope tied around Ben's ankles
"As I take it if Mal doesn't deliver on her end of the bargain Uma is gonna throw you overboard"
"Yeah, she said something about killer sharks"
Ben whispers
"There's no sharks, she just says that to scare people, what will kill you however is drowning because your wrists and ankles are bound, so I'm giving you an easy out by fraying the ropes so you can get out if they toss you"
I explain as I work on his wrists
"Why not just untie me and we leave the island?"
Ben asks
"Because Jay and Carlos took the car back to Auradon so we have no way off and Uma could easily capture us both"
I explain
"Alright, you should be able to break the ropes now so just, play into whatever Uma wants and if shit hits the fan tomorrow you know what to do"
I say as Harry comes back up
"Alright, bye"
I dive into the water and climb onto the dock waiting for Harry to be out of my line of sight and make a run for it back to Mal's apartment. I climb back through the window being sure to bring the rope back up and close the window as I wait for the girl's to return
"Welp, this can only go well"