It was early Saturday. Adrianna was laying on the couch reading one of her books and Claytin was watching her while Clara was upstairs doing something. There's a knock on the door, followed by a familiar voice. "It's the Faciliers!" Charlene says from the other side of the door. Claytin let them in. "Hey guys, didn't expect to see you guys today." "Hello!" Adrianna said looking up from her book. Charlene goes over to hug Adrianna. "Aww, I see you're wearing the dress! It looks great on you!" she says. "Yeah, I really like it," Adrianna said. "I really hate to say this, but we are really busy today. Stuff at the Court..." Claytin started but stopped when Clara came running down the stairs. She had her black cloak on, and she was in an obvious hurry. "What's got into you?" CLaytin asked. Clara came up and kissed him. "Gotta go! Late! See you later!" She said quickly. She was in such a hurry, she didn't even notice Shane and Charlene. "What? Clara, we have to go to the Court today remember?!" "Reschedule! Bye!" Clara grabbed her dagger and went out the front door. "Clara! I can't just... and she is gone..." Shane sighs. "Should I go see what she's up to, or...?" "She is on the bus to the other side of Paris..." Adrianna said. Claytin turned to her, "Huh?" Adrianna showed them the small magic mirror. "She just stopped the bus and got on it. She is going to the other side." Claytin sighed before turning to Shane, "This one is yours until she gets back. I don't have the powers to travel fast like you do. Adrianna, come on we gotta get to the Court, Char you wanna come?" Charlene looks at Shane. "I guess I have no other choice," she says. "I swear, I am going to kill my wife one of these days," Claytin said. Adrianna got up and went over to Claytin. "Alright, we should go. The bus usually takes half a day to get to that side of Paris so it's up to you what you want to do Shane," Claytin said. "I'll just head there now and try to stay hidden," says Shane. Claytin nodded. "Alright, come on you two. I don't need my dad coming to hunt us down," Claytin said leading Charlene and Adrianna out.
Shane teleports to an empty hut on the other side of Paris. "Now I just need to wait here until Clara arrives," he says. Half a day later, the bus finally arrived and Clara got off. "I seriously hate that bus!" she muttered to herself. Shane wakes up from his nap after hearing Clara's voice. "About time, too. That dream was about to get weird," he says to himself. He exits the hut and looks around for Clara. Clara put her hood up and hurried off. She went to her mansion when her phone rang. She picked it up, "I'm here, geez. I'm coming. Lord, you impatient." She hung up and put her phone away. "Home sweet home..." she muttered rolling her eyes. "She better not be doing what I think she's doing," says Shane. He phases into the shadows and follows Clara from a distance.
Clara went inside. A few guards looked to her, she waved her hand, "Out!" she ordered. "Miss Frollo your father..." "I don't give a damn, I said out!" The guards looked at each other before reluctantly leaving for another post. "Way more assertive to the guards than she used to be," says Shane. Clara went into the library. "Took you long enough!" A girl with a red pixie cut came out from the corner. She was chewing gum. She looked to be in her early twenties. "I was running late! I live on the other side of Paris!" Clara said rolling her eyes. "That must be her 'old friend', "says Shane. "Just help me get the books and we can get this over with," Clara said. "Your American friend going to come?" "For all I know he is following me in the shadows listening to us. And just saying, if he is, he better come out soon because I did tell him he could help." "So you told him what we are doing." "He'd murder me, no. I just told him that it wouldn't be boring." Shane emerges from the shadows. "Sorry, just wanted to make a grand entrance," he says. Clara looked over to him, the girl was glaring. "Shane, this is Emily, daughter of the Evil Queen, Emily, this is Shane Facilier, the one I was telling you about." Emily popped her gum loudly still glaring. Shane inhales deeply. "Ooh, strike one already," he says. "Thanks for stealing the whole magic mirror schtick from my family." "I don't like him." "I know, you didn't have to meet him and it was obvious," Clara said. Suddenly, a raven flew into the room through the window and snatched Clara's pendant from her neck before placing it in Emily's hand and landing on her shoulder. "You really had to bring her?!" Clara said. "A raven, huh? You stealing Maleficent's thing, too?" Shane says, folding his arms. The raven flew into the air spun and a girl took its place. She had long black hair with a few black feathers tied into it. She had yellow eyes and she too looked in her early twenties. She spit in his face. "Don't offend me!" "Shane, meet Delia..." Clara said. Shane looks at Delia in confusion. "Excuse me. Who are you?" She ignored him and went over to Emily and wrapped her arm around her. "Delia is the daughter of Diablo, Maleficent's raven. Not many people knew he was a shapeshifter. Though interesting fact, a shapeshifter can only turn into one animal. Delia and her dad can turn into ravens. Basically they are half raven. She is also Emily's girlfriend," Clara explained, "Did you really have to bring her along?!" "You asked for the HVK's help. You think I was going to come with some of the others and leave my girlfriend behind, please, I thought you were smart," Emily said tossing Clara's pendant back to her. "You wouldn't happen to know Markus by any chance, would you Delia?" Shane asks. Delia tensed. Emily grabbed her hand. "We aren't here to talk about him. We are here for a reason," she said. "Send the bird away and we can get started," Clara said. "I had nothing to do with what happened to you and you know it! You wanted help with this! You called the HVK's!" Delia spat. Shane sighs. "Clara, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" "Nothing, I keep refusing to join. I mean if anyone would join, it would be you," Clara said. "Hey, I get to decide who gets an offer! I am the leader!" Emily said. "We know Em, we know," Clara groaned. Shane strokes his chin. "Hmm. I could be wrong, but I'm assuming that the H stands for 'Hero'. Because there's no way I'd join a group of true VKs," he says. "You are correct. The HVK's are a group of villain kids who decided to be heroes. You weren't the only one trying to convert me before. Emily tried too," Clara said. "Well, I was right wasn't I?" Clara rolled her eyes. "And I told you those years to ask Shane to join but yet you still never listened." "I don't like Americans. You know that," Emily said popping her gum again. Shane smiles. "And just like that, my opinion on you two has completely changed. Good to know that there's more VKs like me in this world," he says. "Are we going to do this or what?" Delia asked. "You are going to leave my house," Clara said. "Firstly, you moved out. How do you think Emily knows everything. I am the scout. I know practically everything about you and what you do. Which is why you should just join the HVK's because trust me, you won't get bored again." "I have my own problems to deal with thank you very much. Especially when it comes to him!" Clara said venom in her tone. "I can't control my brother! Stop acting like I can! I did not do anything to you!" "Seems like there's a lot of tension between you two," says Shane. "Yeah well ask who her mother is," Clara said rolling her eyes. "Don't bring my bloodline into this Clara! I didn't choose this!" Delia yelled. Shane looks at Delia. "It's Maleficent, isn't it?" he asks with worry in his voice. "I'm five years older than Markus, who yes, is my little half brother. My mom and dad had me, and when my mom found out I was a shapeshifter and not a Dark Fairy Witch she basically handed me off to my dad. My mom had Markus and then came the whole dragon fight, sleeping beauty situation. My dad was turned to stone, but they didn't know he was a shapeshifter. My mom didn't help him and by the time he was able to change form and break out of stone, she was dead. She could have freed my dad from stone with a wave of that stupid staff but she didn't. So my dad took me, a five-year-old and we went to Germany to live with my aunt, the Evil Queen's raven, where I met Emily and now we are dating. That's my life story. Great, so I hope it's clear, I did nothing to Clara!" "If you were always watching why didn't you try to stop him! He is your younger brother for crying out loud!" "Markus isn't a hybrid like me! My grandparents sent a lord from that dimension so Markus could be born! She saw me as a disgrace and not so much! She raised him and didn't care when my dad took me away! She didn't visit or try to talk to me! She probably told Markus all kinds of lies about me! He hates me anyway!" Shane huffs. "I don't really like him, either," he says. "But that's messed up, Delia. Maleficent truly is evil." "Can we just do this before your dad gets home, Clara?" Emily asked. "We have a whole weekend but fine," Clara said. She quickly grabbed the books and the secret passage opened. Delia turned to her raven form and perched herself on Emily's shoulder. "Come on," Clara said leading them down. Shane phases into the shadows and follows the others.
Once down, Clara showed them to the prisoners. Delia turned back to her human form. "Good grief..." she muttered. Shane emerges from the shadows and puts on his mask. "Emily..." "I know, I'm on it." Emily took out a coin from her pocket and pressed a small button on it. In a matter of seconds, a bunch of others appeared. All part of the HVK. "This isn't even half of us," Delia whispered to Shane. "Let's get started..." Clara said going over to a cell and breaking a lock. "Shane, can you call Claytin for me and put it on speaker, dropped my phone upstairs." Shane takes out his phone and calls Claytin. "I'm putting you on speaker," he says to Claytin. "Hey, it's me, I need a favor," Clara said. "Right, because we are just going to act like I am not angry at you for sneaking off to your father's side of Paris," Claytin said. "Oh come on Claytin, look at the calendar. We have been together for how many years now? There is one weekend every year, the same one every year, where my father has to leave Paris and doesn't come back till the weekend was over. I took my chance. But I need a place to keep a bunch of starved people. Know a place?" Clara said. Claytin sighed, "This isn't over but take them to the old Court of Miracles location, where I was staying during the takeover." "Great thanks!" "Don't worry, Claytin. We're not doing anything bad," says Shane. "I'll believe it when I see it," he said before hanging up. "And that is why I am a lesbian," Emily said using a potion to melt off a lock. The other the HVK group were now grabbing onto people and using what looked like small coins to transport them somewhere and then come back for more. "Well, we're making some good progress, HVKs!" says Shane. Emily gave him a look but didn't say anything. "Be careful, she really doesn't like Americans. But I've been trying to get her to offer you a place in the group. I don't just watch Clara you know," Delia said moving some of her black hair behind her ear, being careful not to pluck a feather. "Personal trauma or just unreasonable hatred?" "She's german," Delia shrugged, "I mean, I guess I could be counted as one too even though I would be french if my dad hadn't taken me to Germany. But Emily, she just hasn't had good things happen when it comes to Americans. I mean, her girlfriend before me was American. She hated Germans just didn't know Emily was one of them. And when she found out, the names she called her. She brought back past wars and all sorts of things. Emily only left her because, well, one I kissed her and said that I had loved her since we were young and the relationship she was in was toxic, and two, when your girlfriend gives you a scar from being burnt so bad, you leave right away." Shane sighs. "Emily's been through a lot. I guess I'll have to convince her that not all Americans are like her ex," he says. "We've all been through a lot. Not one of us hasn't been. We all have been abused by someone someway. Even if it isn't technically called abuse. Villain kids, we just can't have anything good. That's why Emily and I started this group. Believe it or not Shane, but you are one of the luckier ones. I mean, I have my mental scar and my stone fa... Clara has her mental traumas and her branding and Emily has her scar. I could go on forever. Not one of us just has the one bad thing of our parents," Delia said. "We've all been through a lot. Not one of us hasn't been. We all have been abused by someone someway. Even if it isn't technically called abuse. Villain kids, we just can't have anything good. That's why Emily and I started this group. Believe it or not Shane, but you are one of the luckier ones. I mean, I have my mental scar and my stone fa... Clara has her mental traumas and her branding and Emily has her scar. I could go on forever. Not one of us just has the one bad thing of our parents," Delia said. "It's good to know that I'm not alone in this thing," says Shane. "I really am one of the lucky ones, huh? I'm pretty sure that most of the HVKs here became heroes to spite their parents. But me? I just didn't want to be seen as a villain just because of my powers. I really feel bad for everyone that got the short end of the stick." Delia took a business card out of her pocket. "We should talk, I can learn a lot of things by watching, but sometimes talking helps too. Plus, there is something you need to know about my brother." She turned into a raven and went to help the others. Shane nods. "I should get to helping, as well," he says. "What were you two talking about?" Clara asked, helping a young child to one of the others to transport them away. "Nothing important," says Shane as he summons a portal. "Thanks for helping. And I hope you understand why I didn't tell you. Me coming to this side of Paris, back into this mansion, Claytin would have completely freaked out on me. And I wanted to do this. He would have made me let these guys do it alone. I didn't know how you or anyone else would react. But I haven't stopped thinking about these people since we saw them. I had to do something," Clara said. Shane guides some people through his portal. "And to think, I could have been like these people, too," he says. "Yeah well now that we know, we can prevent it," Clara said, "So, if you were to get an offer, would you join the HVK's?" "In a heartbeat," says Shane. "As long as I get to stay in New Orleans, I'd gladly accept the offer." Clara nodded. "Maybe Emily will warm up to you. I think you'd have fun." Shane smiles. "I hope so," he says. Clara opened the last cell and Delia helped a pregnant woman with a small boy clinging onto her out and transported them away. "We better get out of here, before guards figure out what I was doing..." Clara said. Shane closes the portal. "Agreed." "I'm taking the bus, longer I am from home, the longer I get away from Claytin's lecture. I'll see you soon. Looks like someone is waiting to grab your attention," Clara said pointing over to Delia who was watching them. Clara ran upstairs.
Shane walks over to Delia. "You wanna talk about something?" he asks her. "We need to talk about Clara. Come on," she said before turning back into her raven form and flying outside. Shane shifts outside. "What about her?" Delia went back to her human form. "How long do you think you can put off dealing with Claude? Once he returns, he is going after her again and she may be strong but I've seen her when she thinks she's alone. She is breaking Shane. And she is breaking fast. I told Emily to tell her not to come to the mansion but Emily thought that Clara should help with that. If Clara breaks, she is going to leave France. I don't have to be her best friend to know that. And she won't go to New Orleans. She will go somewhere random, and she will hide. That's the breaking point she is at." Shane sighs and removes his mask. "That's what I've been afraid of," he says. "That's actually my biggest fear with her coming to this side of Paris. I don't want anything bad to happen to her." "Shane, something bad is happening to her. She is choosing between a man who raised her and a man she loves. You might see it as a simple choice, heck maybe she thinks that too, but deep down it is hurting her. She has good memories of that mansion. She has good memories of her father. If he is alive, she keeps having to choose!" Delia exclaimed. She looked around and sighed, "We care for Clara, the HVK's. And we want to help her. Which is why I was able to convince Emily..." Delia took a small coin out of her pocket. "You want to join the HVK's?" Shane looks at the coin. "As long as I don't have to leave New Orleans," he says. "I'm sure that you won't force me to, but I just wanted to be sure." "We live all over the world. We each have a coin, not real of course but we needed something that people wouldn't notice. When Emily or I press the buttons on ours, a place will show up on the coin and whoever can make it, comes to where we are. It's how we do our meetings. If one of you guys is in trouble and needs help, you press the button on your coin and as much of us as possible comes to help. We look out for each other. That's why Emily wants Clara to join so badly, but no one was been able to convince her to join. If she had joined, maybe the takeover never would have happened. Maybe I could have stopped my brother, doubtful but we could have at least gotten her blood back sooner." Shane nods. "Alright. Then I accept," he says. "Welcome to the..." Delia stopped. She turned around and faced a dark alleyway. Shane looks at the alleyway. "What's wrong?" "We're being watched,"
Delia quickly ran over to the alleyway. Shane shifts over to the alleyway after Delia. He remains hidden in the shadows. "STOP!" Delia shouted. A figure stopped at the end of it and turned to her, Markus. "Well, well, well," says Shane, emerging from the shadows. "If it isn't old Markie." Markus ignored him, his attention was focused on Delia. "You, you look good. We haven't spoken in what? Two, three years?" Delia said. Markus stayed silent. "Markus, please. It's me, Delia!" He blinked but when he opened his eyes again, they weren't their usual green, they were violet. Delia let out a small cry. "D..." Markus said almost asking if it was really her. "He-hey..." Delia choked out. "Okay, what's going on here?" Shane asks, clearly confused. "Shut up," Delia said to Shane. She took a step towards Markus but just when she did, a green flame appeared behind him. Delia's hand went to her right eye and she screamed in pain. Markus' eyes went back to green before he waved his hand and disappeared. Then the green fire disappeared. Delia shouted a curse her german. When she removed her hand, almost her entire right face was stone. "What the heck? What just happened?" "It's called being the daughter of Maleficent..." Delia said, flinching in pain. "What is going on here... Delia! You tried talking to Markus again didn't you?!" Emily said coming over quickly and examining Delia's stone face. She started saying something in german. "I'm betting that they're cursed or something. So they can't get too close to each other," says Shane. "Not exactly. My mom watches Markus like a hawk and when I'm around, she doesn't have control over him so she uses the magic she has to turn part of my face to stone. That keeps Markus from recognizing me so he can't fight her..." Delia said. "Hush! You shouldn't talk when your face is stone! We both know how it hurts! I knew I should have brought those healing potions with me!" Emily said looking in her bag. "Hmm. How strong is that spell?" asks Shane. "I'm a shapeshifter, I don't know..." Delia said. "Hush! Christ, you're lucky I love you. It takes one of my stronger potions to get the stone to go away, but I don't know anything about spells. I know more poisons and potions than anything," Emily said. "Dang. I was hoping I could heal that," says Shane. "I can get it once we get home," Emily said helping Delia up. "There is a reason Markus knows who I am. He was only a newborn when I was taken to Germany, but I would visit him. He hadn't acted like a villain till he was eight. That's when my mom got tired of him not wanting to be a villain and took control..." Delia said. "So you think Markus has the potential to be an HVK, too?" "I never said that. My brother is no hero. But he wasn't a villain either," Delia said. "Look, hate to break up this, with Shane figuring out stuff about your brother who did torture, Clara..." "No, no that wasn't my brother. That was my mom using her control..." "Whatever, either way, we have to get back to Germany and get that stone off you. You're a raven who watches everyone basically. You can go and talk to him in New Orleans whenever. But we need to heal this up," Emily said still examining the stone, "I mean, one of your eyes have turned into stone D, you can't see out of it." "I should get going, actually," says Shane. "I'm pretty sure my girlfriend is waiting for me. And I don't like to keep her waiting. But before I go, I'm just gonna say that I'm glad to be a part of the HVKs." "I thought she was your wife, I mean, I was technically watching the wedding..." Delia said, "I watch a lot of things..." Shane looks at his hand. "Shoot, that's right. We did get married," he says. "I guess wearing these gloves all the time made me forget about my wedding ring." "That's great, Delia, we are going now!" Emily said getting annoyed. "Alright, alright." Emily took out a potion and it opened a portal to Germany. She turned to Shane, "The first thing you can do for the HVK's, Clara. We will find other things of course but maybe you can talk some sense in her to get her to join. Plus maybe her husband might try to get her to join. It'll be good for her. And when it does come time to deal with Claude. Just remember, you have an army now. You and Clara, you two aren't alone with that anymore." Emily and Delia went through the portal and it immediately closed.