Goddess • Ben Beast

6

1.21.24
Persephone had zoned out for most of the tourney game.

Jay and Carlos hadn't been in yet, and it was mind numbing to watch the ball get tossed back, and forth. And back, and forth. Things finally got interesting when there was less than a minute in the game.

The teams were tied up, and Carlos and Jay we're finally out on the field.

"He's bringing that hothead Jay in from the Isle of the Lost and that little guy Carlos can barely hold a shield."

Persephone cringed as Carlos stumbled behind Jay, living up to the announcers commentary.

"When they break from their huddles, this is gonna be a big moment here. And the tipoff is ready. Here we go-"

Persephone lost track of the ball for a minute. There were too many uncoordinated bodies stumbling around the field. It was a battlefield of sweaty bafoons. Mostly, she wouldn't categorize Ben that way.

"Long pass goes to Jay. Jay dishes off to prince Ben. Nice little block by Carlos. He does a little dancing jig in his opponent's face. And now Jay gets the ball back."-

Okay so Jay had the ball- what number was he again?

"Here comes Jay! Jay, hurdling maneuver at mid-field. Jay makes a nice pass to Prince Ben through the kill zone. Big block by Chad! Prince Ben moves over wide, gives it back to Jay. He's in the clear! Shot!"

The opposing teams goalkeeper blocked Jays shot.

Persephone was surprisingly disappointed for Jays sake. She wondered when she started giving a real damn about Mals crew.

"Oh, what a save by Philip the Falcons' goalkeeper!"

The teams lined up again. The crowd screamed. Audrey and her dancing bimbos shook their Pom poms.

"23 seconds left. You could cut the tension with a sword. The long ball is played into Jay. Jay, great jump, great leap. And a great move by Jay. Big block from Chad."

She kept better track of the ball this time.

"Jay dishes off to Prince Ben. And then Carlos with a big block, goes down. Jay through the kill zone, picks up Carlos. Oh, he's being hammered by dragon fire. Still, going on. Jay, hurdling maneuver at mid-field. He's in the clear. The ball goes back to Jay. He passes to prince Ben. He scores!"

She actually cheered with the crowd this time, standing, and blowing a sharp whistle with her fingers.

"Prince Ben has won it! What an unselfish play by Jay! What a team! Incredible! And it's the new guys, Jay and Carlos, who set up the prince for the win here. What a victory! An absolutely wonderful end to one of the best games ever. Here they come, folks. The winners of the first tourn-"

The announcer was cut off, as a breathless Ben unceremoniously snatched the mic from him.

"Excuse me. Excuse me. Can I have your attention, please? There's something I'd like to say."

The crowd waited in anticipation.

"Give me an "M"!"

Ben made an M with his arms, the crowd followed suit shouting-

"M!"

Persephone couldn't muster that much school spirit.

"Give me an "a"!"

"A!"

"Give me an "I"!"

"L!"

She gaped, catching on before most of the enthusiastic students.

"What does that spell?"

"Mal!"

She searched the crowd for her twin, and spotted her at the center with Evie. Smirking.

"I love you, Mal! Did I mention that?"

Persephone was absolutely flabbergasted. She knew Mal was after Ben, her twin had told her as much. But she had no idea she'd already made this much progress. Then the unthinkable happened... Ben burst into song.

She just watched, utterly dumbstruck as Ben serenaded Mal, even going as far as to crowd surf up the stands.

What made even less sense was how the crowd just cheered along. Except for Audrey who had left in a huff when Ben had begun his performance.

"I love you, Mal! Did I mention that?"

Persephone snapped back to reality, as Ben reached her sister in the crowd, once again professing his love for her.

Enter Audrey.

"Chad's my boyfriend now! And I'm going to the coronation with him. So I don't need your pity date."

The brunette spit into the microphone in Ben's hands, venom in her eyes.

The blonde twin was still watching the entire scene like it was a strange dream. Even going as far as to pinch herself.

"Mal! Will you go to the coronation with me?"

"Yes!"

She had to hand it to her sister, she was a true actress. And truly evil.

Ben returned to the team in celebration, Jay was declared MVP, and Persephone sat on the bleachers. She sat until the entire tourney field had cleared.

Maleficents plan, Mals plan, it was all coming together.

Had she expected Mal to get this far? She honestly didn't know. And what was she going to do if they succeeded?

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