Timeless Bonds

Bonus 10: First steps on the Isle

When the villains were relocated to the Isle of the Lost, chaos erupted almost immediately. The transition from their previous confinement to the Isle's grim reality was jarring, sparking a frenzy among the inhabitants. The Isle, once a relatively organized and controlled environment, was now a battleground of tension and disorder.

As soon as the gates of their new confinement slammed shut, the villains—who had been used to their structured lives in the Academy—found themselves thrust into a maelstrom of confusion. Long-standing rivalries, personal grudges, and the sheer strain of the transition ignited a flurry of confrontations. The Isle's narrow, winding streets quickly became arenas for skirmishes as old rivalries resurfaced and new tensions flared.

Maleficent stormed through the tangled alleys of the Isle, her anger palpable with each step. She had been searching for Blanc ever since the chaos erupted, her mind a whirlwind of betrayal and frustration. When she finally spotted Blanc standing alone in a narrow alley, her rage reached its peak.

Without hesitation, Maleficent grabbed Blanc by the arm and yanked her into the shadows of the alley. Blanc stumbled, her face a mask of confusion and fear. Maleficent's eyes, usually so cold and calculating, now burned with a mix of anger and hurt.

"Did you know this would happen?" Maleficent demanded, her voice a low growl. The alley's darkness seemed to amplify the intensity of her emotions. She had known Blanc was from the future, a fact that had been shared in secrecy long ago. Maleficent had respected that confidentiality, never prying into the specifics of the future Blanc had come from. But now, with their world turned upside down and their freedom stripped away, all that respect seemed to dissolve in the face of her rage.

Blanc stood frozen, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find the right words. Her face was a mix of fear and sorrow, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Mal, I—" she started, but the words caught in her throat.

Maleficent cut her off, her disappointment sharp and piercing. "You were supposed to be my ally, my friend. How could you keep this from me?" The hurt in her voice was almost as palpable as her anger. She had hoped that Blanc, of all people, would be her confidante, someone who understood the weight of their situation and could be counted on in this crisis.

"I couldn't tell you!" Blanc cried out, her voice trembling with a mixture of pain and guilt. She tried to explain, but her words were drowned out by Maleficent's fury. Deep down, Maleficent knew Blanc's intentions were not malicious, but her anger clouded her judgment.

In a sudden burst of frustration, Maleficent's fist flew out, connecting with Blanc's cheek with a resounding smack. Blanc's body was thrown back by the force of the blow, and she crumpled to the ground, clutching her face. The pain was sharp and immediate, but it was the look of anguish and betrayal on Maleficent's face that hurt the most.

Maleficent stood over Blanc, her chest heaving with the aftermath of her outburst. The sight of her friend, now on the ground, clutching her bruised face, was almost too much to bear. The anger that had driven her had now given way to a deep, gnawing regret. She had let her emotions get the better of her, and the realization of what she had done began to sink in.

Blanc looked up at Maleficent, her expression a mixture of sadness and understanding. She knew the anger came from a place of hurt and betrayal, and though the physical pain was sharp, it was the emotional distance between them that cut the deepest. She could see that Maleficent was struggling with her own remorse, the anger slowly being replaced by guilt.

"I'm sorry, Mal," Blanc said softly, her voice barely a whisper. She winced as she touched her cheek, her eyes locked with Maleficent's. There was a silent plea in her gaze, a hope that they could find their way back to each other despite the turmoil that had come between them.