Mal was annoyed. No, she was peeved. No wait she was vexed. Which was a word she only knew because of her extremely happy and talkative shadow!
Ben had gone from hanging onto Beast like the former King would disappear if Ben took his eyes off of him to hanging onto her like she'd disappear if he took his eyes off of her. And what was worse? Uma and Harry would only spend time with her if Ben wasn't there. They said they didn't want to spend time with the 'baby'.
Which to be fair was an accurate statement when Ben was hanging onto Beast. But not when he was around her! Bad enough Ben had somehow managed to get a bad rep with her allies but now she was tainted by that rep?
"Mal, wait up!" Ben called as Mal continued to stalk ahead of him. A small part of her knew that leaving Ben of all people alone on the Isle was close to idiotic, and Harry would probably compare her to Gil had he been fond of Ben. Though considering Ben wasn't exactly Harry's favorite person either, Mal might have gotten praise for shaking him from her tail.
"Keep up!" Mal called over her shoulder, weaving through crowds. If she had to be around him, then she was taking him to the Chip Shoppe so Uma would still spend time with her. I mean, yeah, they could hang out around the docks with Uma and Harry but that would require Uma and Harry to want to be around Ben.
Uma had even told Mal that she would rather be around DeVil than be around Ben...and DeVil was three! Not to mention he was also the most timid VK known to man! He was even worse than Virgil if that was possible!
"Hey look boys, it's the new babysitter of the Isle!" An older VK called as Mal and Ben walked into the Chip Shoppe. "Though maybe we shouldn't be surprised, after all rumor has it she'll be going off to Boreadon with him."
"You want to taste fire, keep talking like that Gaston!" Mal growled. It wasn't the head idiot, but one of his vaunted sons. And yes, vaunted was another word she only knew because of Ben!
For a five year old, he had a rather extensive vocabulary. Mal didn't know if it was because he was a royal or because his mother gave him unfettered access to their library back in Auradon.
Her fireballs might not have been that impressive but they were better now that she had gotten a taste of life past the barrier. And the Gaston twin deserved it anyway, he could be helping his sisters instead of prattling on like an idiot!
Oh...speaking of idiots....
"Hi..." Ben said softly as he went over to Gaston Jr.'s table. "I'm—."
"I know who you are," Gaston Jr. sneered. "Everyone on the Isle knows who you are and who your worthless father is."
"Watch it Gaston," Mal growled with a glare as Ben paused slightly.
"Gaston?"
"The best hunter on the Isle!" Gaston Jr. said, puffing up his chest with pride. "And someone who wouldn't even be on here if it wasn't for your father."
Mal rolled her eyes. "I think you've been drinking your fair share of sea water, Gaston. Your dad has no one to blame for him being here. Other than himself, I mean."
"Shut it Mal, the men are talking! Don't butt in about matters you don't understand," Gaston Jr. snapped and Mal's eyes flashed causing the older boy to pause. Although word had gotten around the Isle that she was staying with Lord Hades and Lady Persephone, everyone knew who her 'mother' was.
And even the LeGume boys had enough brain cells to know that even if Mal might not have had access to Maleficent, Maleficent would still know if they hurt her. Maleficent knew everything that happened on the Isle after all. The only thing she didn't seem to know was that Mal was living with Lord Hades.
Though that would likely require Maleficent to care about Mal in some way.
"Pretty rich to say Mal doesn't understand something when you literally have rocks for brains," Harry said as he walked over to them. "And I thought Uma kicked you out?"
Gaston Jr. scoffed. "She can't do anything to me. My dad—."
"Your dad's the idiot who decided to attack a Beast in hand to hand combat, we all know the story," Uma spoke up as she walked over to stand next to Mal, her arms crossed over her chest. "And by the way, I think it's time you leave."
"You can't do anything to me!"
"No...but my mama can," Uma said and quickly pulled Harry and Mal down as a tentacle seemed to come out of nowhere and wrapped itself around the older boy. Ben was thankful he followed Mal's lead otherwise he could have wound up tossed as well.
"And stay out!" Harry yelled as the saloon style doors swung back and forth before looking back at Mal. "What were you doing talking to Rocks for Brains?"
"He called me the new babysitter of the Isle," Mal said, rolling her eyes. "I wasn't exactly talking to him, Harry. I just showed up."
"With Beastie Jr," Uma muttered, giving Ben a look that never failed to make him feel small. He didn't know what it was he'd done either, Uma and Harry seemed like they'd liked him when he arrived at least.
Mal shook her head. "Ignore him Uma. We just want lunch and then we'll be out of your hair."
"Coming up," Uma said. "Your usual right?"
"Slightly burnt breaded clams," Mal nodded.
"Glad to see your brief time in Boreadon hasn't made you soft," Uma grinned as she headed off. Harry patted Mal on the shoulder before walking off as well. Both of them not exchanging a single word with Ben.
Honestly cuz, I wish you didn't have to pal around with him, Uma thought to Mal.
I don't exactly have a choice, Uma, Mal thought back. You know as well as I do Steph would be disappointed if I left Ben to his own devices. Plus...he went up to Gaston Jr! Clearly Beastie Jr. here lacks any survival instincts.
...You have a point Mali but...do you have to hang around him so much?
Would you rather he go back to being a Papa's boy?
Oh Gods no! I think that was even worse!
I'll see what I can do about Beastie Jr.'s survival instincts though, he needs to toughen up if he's going to make it on the Isle even six months. I think Virgil has better survival instincts!
To be fair, Virgil got Panic for a papa so he's got that working for him. Oh your food's on its way out.
...You're not usually this fast.
You're not usually with Beastie Jr.
Uma...
Yeah, yeah. We still sparring in the clubhouse later?
Of course! I'll drop Ben off at the Underworld after lunch, he can hang out with Steph, Mal thought as Uma brought out the food. Taking a fork, Mal split the clams right down the middle.
"There," she said, looking at Ben. "That side's yours, this one's mine."
Ben nodded and took a clam without complaint, even if he didn't really like the burnt taste. Mal never complained after all.
Time seemed to trickle by before he and Mal were able to head out and make their way back to the Underworld. Mal seemed to be using alleys again but Ben wanted to explore—there were markets he never dreamed of and he could get something for Abby or his maman!
"Keep up!" Mal snapped as they ducked through yet another alleyway and Ben nodded, yet no matter how fast he walked, he always felt like he was lagging behind Mal.
"Oof!"
Mal turned around to see Ben lying on the ground, having walked into a very familiar someone.
How the heck did I walk past Gaston without him making any sound in his boots? Mal thought as she scurried to get back to Ben.
"Hiya Mal!" Gil said with a grin, looking over from where he was standing next to his father. Mal gave the younger blond a nod as she made her way past Gaston, she knew Harry didn't really care for him but he was harmless compared to his brainless brothers.
He actually cared about his older sisters too which gave him some points in Mal's book.
"Well, well, well what have we here?" Gaston said, his voice low and surprisingly menacing considering how he was slightly slurring his words. Mal would bet dollars to donuts that the man was drunk.
Also, dollars to donuts was a funny phrase. Why would anyone compare money to bits of fried dough?
Focus, Mal told herself as she began to pull Ben up onto his feet, the slightly damp ground from the salt air of the Cove making it harder to get his footing. You don't want to be lost in thought right now...not when Gaston has his gun. Why does he have his gun? Wait, what am I saying? It should be more alarming if he didn't have his gun, he's one of the only hunters on the Isle after all.
"...hiya Monsieur," Ben said, his voice soft as he also noticed the musket that Gaston was waving almost haphazardly. Or at least it would be haphazardly if it didn't seem to stop right in front of Ben.
"Do you know what we do to abominations on the Isle?" Gaston growled as he continued to point the gun at Ben.
"Papa, what...what are you doing? Mal's nice and her friend seems nice too! Plus what if Maleficent hurts us for hurting Mal?" Gil said, his eyes wide in fear though he tried to not let it show. He wanted to be strong like his big brothers...though honestly he thought his big sister Piper was stronger. Piper wouldn't have come crying to their father about Ursula being mean to her like Gaston Jr. did.
"Quiet!" Gaston snapped, glaring at Gil. Mal wasn't going to lie, she was more than a little thankful Gil was there. If anything it gave Gaston someone else to reflect his ire on and if he wasn't looking at Ben, then he couldn't shoot his gun at Ben. "Gods, how did I get a son as soft as you? It's from spending all that time around your mother isn't it?"
"But...I like mama..."
Gaston rolled his eyes and looked back at Ben and Mal, who had finally gotten Ben back up onto his feet. If Gaston was going to do anything, Mal wasn't going to have Ben seen lying down!
Even if they were five and Gaston was supposedly an adult.
Though Mal wasn't going to lie, her heart sank to her stomach as Gaston aimed his gun one more time; the barrel pointed directly at Ben.
"Mal, run!" Gil shouted as he tugged on his father's arm as hard as his little arms could muster. Thankfully Mal pulled Ben out of the way just as the musket went off so neither one of them were in the path of the bullet. And then they ran.
They ran as fast as their little legs could carry them; the dulcet tones of Gaston yelling at Gil fading as they ran. It was only until Mal pulled Ben into a nearby alleyway by the Chip Shoppe that they were able to stop.
"Are...are you okay?" Ben asked, panting slightly. He didn't remember ever running that hard in his life.
"I'm fine," Mal said, trying to ignore the burning of her lungs. They were still in public and if anyone had seen her running... "What about you?"
What? She might have been annoyed, peeved, or vexed by the Princeling but that didn't mean she wanted him shot.
"I'm fine...I think..." Ben said but winced suddenly as a searing pain resonated on his arm. "My...my arm hurts..."
"Let me see," Mal said, gently pulling Ben to her; her vexation forgotten. "Which arm?"
"My...my right one..."
And there it was. Right on his upper arm, a bullet graze fresh as day. Without missing a beat, Mal tore a bit of fabric from her shirt to stop the bleeding. She knew that Steph and her dad would have bandages back in the Underworld, Steph had brought some back when they came back to the Isle along with other first aid items.
But the best thing she'd brought back was something Hades had given Mal that morning.
"Here," Hades said gently.
"What is it?" Mal asked, looking at the item in her hands. It looked honestly like a small mirror, like one Emir and Akiho had shown her during her time in Auradon. And no, she didn't know how they'd gotten it.
Hades chuckled. "Hephaestus came up with it, Steph had apparently talked with him back when you two were in Auradon. As my daughter, you're going to have the ability to teleport from places whenever you want—."
"Neat!"
"Yep," Hades said with a small smile. "However, because of your age and the barrier, there's a good chance you're not going to be able to do it here. That being said...we still want you to be able to get out of tricky situations if you need to. You just press that little button on the top and it'll bring you back here."
"Hold on," she said as she pulled the mirror out of her pocket. Pressing the center button and making sure she had a good grasp on Ben's arm, the two of them disappeared; wisps of blue smoke the only clue that they had been there.