So Many Ways to be Wicked

Chapter 13

Mal stood awkwardly on the field, watching as hundreds of heroes and sidekicks milled about, chatting and snacking on the food. She didn't know where Ben had sauntered off to, but she could feel the presence of Evie and the boys behind her, all watching out for each other. An older woman stepped towards her, looking confused, her wrinkled brow furrowed.

"Do I-Do I know you, child?" The woman asked. "Are you a friend of Audrey's?" Mal held back a scoff and turned her face towards the ground.

"No, I'm more like a...transfer student. Just got here a few weeks ago. Audrey and I aren't on the greatest of terms. How do you know Audrey?" Mal explained, looking over her shoulder and spotting Evie and the boys watching with rapt attention and looking vaguely alarmed.

"Why, I'm her grandmother, dear," the woman, now identified as Queen Leah, laughed.

"What?!" Mal whipped her head around so fast she was sure she got whiplash. Her eyes were wide as she took in the similarities between Audrey and her grandmother. "I'm-I'm-" Mal didn't know what to say, for the first time in her life. It's not like she was going to say she was the daughter of Maleficent in front of the woman who birthed Aurora! A pit of unease settled in her stomach and she gestured behind her back for the others to come and get her out of the situation before any harm were to happen. Mal was trying and she knew this misunderstanding would set them all back to the mindset they had on the first day they got to Auradon. Of course, before her friends could make their way to her, Audrey popped out of nowhere, as if she could smell the potential drama from a mile away. Mal's breathing was coming short and fast, her chest felt like it was being squeezed. Her hands shook as she wiped the sweat off them on her purple jacket. Never once had she felt this way, not on the Isle and certainly not while in Auradon, but she'd seen it from Carlos enough to know she was having a panic attack.

"Grammy!" Audrey exclaimed, pulling the woman into a hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Audrey. I was just talking to this young lady here and--"

"I wouldn't talk to her if I were you, Grammy," Audrey said darkly, sniffing haughtily. "Unless, of course, you plan on taking another one hundred year nap." Queen Leah turned to scrutinize her and Mal awkwardly shifted from foot to foot, though she stopped when she felt the presence of her friends at her back.

"YOU!" Queen Leah cried, stumbling back and into Audrey, causing the girl to spill her cup of tea on herself. Mal would have laughed if the situation were any different. Fairy Godmother, Chad and Doug made their way to the small group, though everyone's attention was on Mal and Leah. Mal felt hands on her shoulders and stiffened. She didn't know who was holding her. Definitely not Carlos or Evie, they had longer fingers and slender hands. Jay's palm was calloused and larger than this one. Mal peeked up and saw Ben towering over her. Instead of feeling protected, Mal felt like someone punched her in the gut. This was not going to be good.

"How did you escape the barrier?! How are you so young? Is no one else concerned that Maleficent is standing amongst us?" Leah cried, looking furious.

"No, Queen Leah. This is Mal, Maleficent's daughter. My girlfriend." Queen Belle looked absolutely faint while King Adam looked furious at this news. "Maleficent is still on the Isle. She can't hurt anyone!" Ben exclaimed, looking naive and hopeful. "Don't you remember my proclamation?" Queen Leah's eyes hardened.

"Of course I remember your proclamation, foolish boy. How could I not when you seem so intent on destroying what your father built for us all? Bringing villains to Auradon? You don't know them like we do, young man. They're vile, cruel and rotten. I missed my daughter's first words, first steps, first bruise, first everything because of what this wicked child's mother did to my family." Queen Leah sobbed, turning to lay her face in Fairy Godmother's jacket. Mal didn't know what to do. She took a step forward in order to say something, anything when Chad fucking Charming blocked her path.

"Don't touch her! Go away, stay away from her," Chad said, putting his hand up.

"Chad, don't do this," Ben said, a warning tone in his voice.

"Do what Ben? Protect an old woman from Mal? Do you really think they're nice people? They were raised by their parents, they don't do nice or kind, Queen Leah was right. Mal stole someone's boyfriend," Ben made a noise of protest but Chad continued, pointing at Jay. "You enjoy hurting people." Carlos. "You're a nobody." Evie. "And you, oh, you're a gold digging, lying, cheating whore who wants to fuck her way to the top." A gasp rippled through the crowd at the boy's language. "It's true! She lies and cheats using her magic mirror and she tried seducing me so she could get my castle!" Another gasp. Evie felt her face burning, tears gathering in her eyes.

"That's enough, Chad," Ben said, though there was only exhaustion in his voice. Mal was in complete shock. How dare this guy have the nerve to talk to her friends like that! Mal's eyes began to glow green, eliciting a squeak of fear from everyone around them. Both Jay and her took a few steps, ready to punch the daylights out of Chad when Carlos and Evie grabbed them by the arm, turning and leaving the field.

"Guys!" Ben shouted after them, though he sounded more relieved than anything.

The four of them found themselves at a picnic bench far away from the field. All of them felt terrible about themselves and angry about what had been said about each other. They stewed in silence until more hero kids began arriving, signalling the end of family day. Chad and Doug passed them, glaring openly before taking a seat at the table behind the four VKs. Audrey and Jane sauntered over, smirks on their faces.

"Y'know Mal, after this little stunt you pulled, I'm sure Ben will get over his little bad girl infatuation and leave you. It won't last long," Audrey laughed.

"Yeah, I mean, he's never going to make a villain a queen," Jane agreed. Mal scowled, her hand curling into fists. "Oh, and I would like a bit of clarification from Evie. I heard that she's dating Carlos while Audrey heard she's dating Jay. Doug insists it's both of them because she's a slut who can't keep her legs closed." Jane laughed, turning on her hell with Audrey as they gossiped back and forth between each other. Mal unclenched her fists, slightly taken aback. For a moment, she burned with jealousy before she saw the tears start streaming down Evie's face and the confused looks the boys shared with each other.

"That's it," Mal whispered. "Beware, forswear, undo Jane's hair." It was a simple incantation, one she had memorized when she found the hair changing spell in case she needed to do something like this. She did the hand motion and heard a scream from behind her. The VKs all stood up and turned to look at Jane, who had her old haircut. Audrey and the other girls were laughing at her when they noticed the villains staring at them.

"There's a lot more where that came from. Just fucking try me," Mal hissed.

"Who do you think you are?" Audrey demanded, hands on her hips.

"I'm Maleficent's fucking daughter!" Mal roared. "Do I look like I'm kidding?" Mal paged through her spell book and watched with barely contained sadistic amusement as the girls all scattered, along with Chad and Doug. Mal let out a huff before turning around to face her friends.

"Come on, we have work to do. Let's burn this hellhole to the ground."