Defendants B1:Black and White Decent

Chapter 22

No sooner than when they were satisfied that Ben was passable, he walked straight into a Vk. "Oh... hey..." he looked lost, unable to figure out what he was supposed to do.

"Hey, I know you," the Vk smiled. He looked happy and actually nice?

The others caught up to them. Varian's eyes widened and immediately used Jay to hide behind. "Don't ask," he whispered. Jay didn't make a move, proving that he had heard.

"No, no you don't..." Ben shook his head.

"C'mon, you know me. I'll give you a hint: my dad is quick, slick and his neck is incredibly thick. Come on man, I-" he suddenly stopped. "Hey, hair stripe kid!" He gave Varian an enthusiastic wave.

The teen groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Gill..."

Gill looked at Ben again and noticed the poster and his eyes widened. "Hey, you're king Ben!"

"Ok, we gotta go!" Varian grabbed Ben and started pushing him away. The others followed.

"And Evie, Jay, Carlos, random girl, hi!" Gill continued as he gave a friendly wave. Then it dawned on him. "Oooooh! Uma's gonna love this!"

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"She should probably be here," Jay announced quietly as he picked up a rock.  He threw it at the sign and it moved back.  The fenced door opened.  "She's up there," he nodded to Ben.

"Thank you," the king whispered as he briskly walked up the stairs, leaving the others to wait for his return.

"I never realized how bad this place was," Ruby whispered.  "Those two kids..."

"They probably hadn't eaten in a while.  The younger and more frail you are, the harder it is to eat," Varian muttered.  "Most parents don't care enough to feed them past the age five.  If you're lucky."

"If it wasn't for Evie and Jay and Mal, I don't know how long I would have actually lasted..." Carlos admitted.

"I shouldn't be alive..."  Varian mumbled.

"Don't you ever say that!"  Ruby shrieked.

"No, that's not what I meant.   I was always stuck in that basement.  Father  rarely ever let me leave and there was no way he was going to feed me.  If I hadn't figured out a way so that Cassandra could use a little bit of her magic, I'd never be able to escape the place. Uma helped a bit too."

"How did you befriend Uma so well?" Evie tilted her head.

"Oh, about the same way you befriended Carlos.  He told me the story the other day.  Only, for me, Uma was pushed down a well and I helped her out.  Since then we have kinda been on a firm truce to help each other out.  I met Cassandra at her fish and chips and it just went from there."

Jay and Evie winced at the mention of the well.  They didn't have to tell him.  Uma had already told him that her and Mal got into a fight and Mal came out victorious.  Uma kinda stayed on her own turf after that, trying to make a better plan or something.

"Those were the only people you could trust?" Ruby pressed.

"I mean there was Percy Mcleach and Shawna Yu, but I wouldn't put my life on them.  They were more like Cass's friends.  Cass wasn't actually the best at keeping her word either, but she still came for me when I couldn't get out of my own basement..."

"Have any friends with Uma's pirates?"

"Gill's kind and all, but probably not the sharpest pencil in the box.  I have nothing against him.  Harry... he can be a bit overbearing.  We pretended to get along for Uma," Varian chuckled.

The sound of Ben walking down the stairs got their attention.  They looked at him, surprised to find no Mal.  "She's not coming back..." he mumbled dejectedly.  He continued to walk on, trying to clear himself up.

"What?" Evie quickly walked over to the horn thing to speak into it.  "M?  Mal, it's Evie.  Let me talk to you for a second..."

"Go away!"  Mal's voice echoed, but they could still hear how it was laced in her pain she was feeling.

"Let's give her a couple hours to cool off," Jay said.

"Uh... guys?  Where's Ben?"  Carlos looked around.

"Ben?  Ben!"

A silhouette of a figure entered their view.  They sighed.  "Ben, don't scare us like that."

"Don't scare you?"  The figure came into view and he lifted his head.  "That's my specialty."

Varian's eyes widened.  "Harry," he whispered.

"What did you do with Ben?"  Jay raised his voice.

"Oh, we met him.  If you want to see him again, how 'bout you have Mal come to the chip shop tonight?  Alone."  Harry smirked, but then eyed Varian.  "But of course, Uma always has the door open for you.  I'm certain you two can find something to talk about, right?"  He laughed.

Varian glared at him, but squeezed his own arm and looked away.

"Awe, gee, did I hurt your little feelings?"  Harry set his hook on Varian's cheek.  The teen didn't move, but he held his breath.

Carlos shoved Harry away.  "Don't touch him!" he growled.

"Heh," Harry chuckled, unfazed by Carlos's threat.  He smirked before walking away.