"Hey. How big is that dog?" Mal called to the two girls and her sister as Celia was about to unlock the door. "Let's just say whatever is in there makes more noises than Dude." Vanessa sent her sister a look with a hidden smirk as Celia and Scarlett nodded in agreement before they unlocked the gate.
"Okay, stay quiet. It echoes, like, crazy in here." Scarlett warned Mal before her and Celia walked ahead. "M, can you and Dad try not to involve me in whatever happens?" Vanessa whispered to her sister as they walked down the tunnel.
"What makes you think that we will?" Mal furrowed her eyebrows as she turned to her sister in confusion but she knew exactly what she meant. "Because I know you two." Vanessa answered her before she created a small dark cloud below her feet that lifted her off the ground as they heard dogs barking and growling.
"Come on. Come. Come." Celia called to the girls who followed them behind the two girls so they could grab some helmets with flashlights before Mal, Celia, and Scarlett got on a tunnel bike. "And times like these is why I'm glad I have this." Vanessa mumbled to herself as the girls started to bike ahead while she just glided away with her clouds.
A couple days after the Cotillion and the whole fiasco Vanessa's power had gotten stronger and she had received clouds of darkness like her and Mal's father have. She didn't question it and neither did the others, everyone just went with it.
Not even five minutes later did they reach the end of the tunnel and when they did the girls got off the bike while Vanessa removed her clouds. The four continued to walk until they had reached Hades' lair where Hades was fast asleep.
As they walked down the wooden staircase Mal heard the dog barks more and more but then Scarlett nodded over to the music player where the noise came from. Mal turned to her sister with a look only to get a smirk and a low chuckle from her.
Mal was about to walk up to Hades but Vanessa shook her head and grabbed her hand pulling her the other way in while the other girls stayed where they were.
"What are you guys doing here?" Hades questioned when Celia cut the dog barks while Mal froze behind him as Vanessa stepped back. "We noticed you were low on canned corn." Celia answered as Scarlett tossed him a can while Mal tried to get the ember but Hades grabbed her arm causing her to gasp.
"Hi, Dad." Mal and Vanessa greeted him as he grabbed the ember and turned to his daughters while Celia and Scarlett looked at Mal in shock as they didn't know that she was Hades' daughter. "Quite a show you both put on the other day. And congratulations on dying and your transformation." Hades commented after he waved at the two with a sarcastic smile.
"Yeah because I enjoyed the process of that to my transformation very much." Vanessa nodded sarcastically as she leaned back on the beam. "Right back at you." Mal threw back at their father the same time Vanessa spoke.
"I was just coming to see you two." Hades smiled as he stood up as did Mal while Vanessa stayed put. "Really? Wonder why. Is it because we're gonna be Queens?" Mal questioned him as she stood in front of their father's seat. "Now, Mal, don't be bitter." Hades pointed to his oldest daughter as he looked at himself in the mirror.
"You abandoned me when I was a baby." Mal reminded him as Vanessa moved over to her sister. "At least you didn't get taken and put here only to be mostly left alone. . . Now that's bitter." Vanessa grinned sarcastically as she crossed her arms as they both sent a look to their father.
"No. No, I left your mother and technically I didn't take you, that was all Maleficent." Hades turned to his two daughters as he corrected them. "She's not the easiest person to get along with. And before you ask your mother and I agreed it was only one night." He pointed out to Mal before turning to his youngest.
"Wasn't going to ask but. . . great to know." Vanessa shook her head before sighing as she walked around the lair. "But good to know we all hate your mother." Hades wore his scarf before walking over to Mal.
"No. I don't hate my mother. She may be an evil lunatic but at least she stuck around. Even Vee can agree with me on that." Mal pointed at her father with an angry and accusing tone to which he mocked her with.
"Your mother took me from my mother, almost took my mother from me and almost took me out permanently. Yeah not that I hate her but I most certainly would not put her on my most favorite people list." Vanessa smiled sarcastically from the top of the almost breaking ledge before jumping off and landing beside them.
"Wake up and smell the stink. You think you've had it rough? I used to be a god! I had an entire world which bore my name. And now I have nothing!" Hades began to rage at his daughters as Celia and Scarlett hid trying to avoid his moment. "And you have no idea what that feels like."
"Really? Because for sixteen years, I had nothing." Mal glared at Hades as she got his rage as well. "Hey!" Vanessa exclaimed as she turned to her older sister feeling offended.
"Sorry!" Mal apologized but made sure her rage was still the same to still be arguing with their father. "And now, I- we have a whole world. But unless we get that ember, it's game over." She walked up to Hades as she extended her hand waiting for the ember while Vanessa stayed back knowing their father very well.
"Hold, please. Flame would you?" Hades waved Mal's hand away before asking his youngest daughter as he walked up the platform. "Yeah because I'm only here to provide you all with music." Vanessa clapped sarcastically before sighing as she held her arm up and snapped with an instant rock music began.
"Listen little girl you're talking to a god and I don't wanna hear the drama kindness ain't my brand" Hades began to sing as he smirked over to Mal who rolled her eyes. "Oh, I guess that's why you ran" Mal crossed her arms as she sent Hades a look. "Just grand. Oh man!" Vanessa sang in annoyance as she knew she just got herself involved in this.
"Try being married to your mama" Hades sassed back to his oldest daughter as everyone knew how Maleficent can be. "You stink at being a dad" Mal shook her head as she tried to walk over to her sister.
"Poor, Mali, are you sad?" Hades walked down the stairs as he pouted tauntly to Mal. "Not as sad as you without your powers. I didn't come to fight for once do something right," Mal sang as she tried to make him see what is the bigger prize.
"I steal souls, were you expecting flowers?" Hades reminded her as he rolled his eyes at his oldest daughter. "Don't be so sour," Vanessa sent her father a look as she moved around. "We only need you 'cause we came here for something," Mal shouted as she knew what was at stake for everyone at Auradon.
"I've given you everything," Hades sang before he and Mal began to stomp on the ground. "By giving you/me nothing!" They screamed at each other while Vanessa rolled her eyes at their actions.
"I did what I had to do," Hades walked out of the curtains after he walked away from Mal. "Ooh!" Celia and Scarlett sang as they popped out behind the beam causing Vanessa to furrow her eyes as they hid back. "No, you only did what's best for you," Mal shook her head as she got up to her sister.
"Well you two can learn a thing or two! When push comes to shove you do what you've gotta do, yeah," Hades shoved Mal to Vanessa who caught her as he sat down on his seat. "You were never there I guess you don't have a phone you never called to say "I missed you"," Mal pointed out as she moved over to him.
"Are you kidding? Is this a joke? You need to let it go. You both are stronger with those daddy issues," Hades scoffed as he told his daughters which Vanessa caught. "Oh, thank you!" Vanessa and Mal thanked him sarcastically as they rolled their eyes.
"Show me some respect, it ain't easy to neglect my attention would've made you softer," Hades grabbed one of his lamps as he pretended it was a mic before pointing it to Mal. "Should I be proud? Don't turn this thing around," Mal glared as she kicked back the lamp.
"I guess you are your father's daughter," Hades laughed as he placed the lamp somewhere while Vanessa sat in his seat. "Don't think I need you I just came here for something," Mal held her hand out for the ember.
"I gave you everything," Hades took her hand and twirled her around. "By giving you/me nothing" They sang with the same annoyance to each other. "And I did what I had to do," Mal shouted to Hades with anger.
"Ooh" Celia and Scarlett sang in before hiding once more. "I made it on my own no thanks to you," Mal shook her head as she poked Hades chest.
"Well you could learn a thing or two when push comes to shove you do what you gotta do. How about I go with the both of you and we'll spend some time?" Hades sat Mal beside Vanessa as he sang to them trying to find a way out. "How about you stay here 'cause you're out of your mind," Mal pushed his head as she turned to her sister.
"Let's make new memories, you can show me the town," Hades wrapped his arms around his daughters as he smiled. "No you can keep your memories now," Mal crossed her arms as Vanessa shook her head at them both.
"Get over it." Hades told Mal, seeing as she's the one fighting against him. "I am over it." Mal argued as she stood up. "I'm over you being over it! Vanessa!" They both sang before they turned to her so they could get her on either their side.
"I'm over both your arguments!" Vanessa sang as she stood up with the smoke rising behind her. "You two are so not ready for the truth, but here it is you're father and daughter so stop arguing before someone loses a tooth," She grabbed a bat her father had in his lair as she pointed it to both of them.
"Always putting me through this and you both think this is what I miss? Well no! Truth be told, listen before we are all doomed!" Vanessa tossed the bat to their father before she created a many clouds hiding all three of them.
"You think we can deal with your fighting well we can't! So stop chatting and your bickering because you're both quivering" Vanessa removed the clouds showing them that she was hanging on the beam before she jumped off and grabbed a mirror glass showing them their reflections.
"So what are we going to do?" Vanessa crossed her arms as she sang with a raised up eyebrow. "Let's dance," Hades answered as he moon danced backwards tossing the bat back to Vanessa.
"I did what I had to do, no you only did what's best for you," Mal and Hades moved forward to the platform as Vanessa jumped up to the platform. "Well you can learn a thing or two," Vanessa sang between the two as the three stood beside each other.
"When push comes to shove you do, when push comes to shove you do, when push comes to shove you do," They all sang as the air flew through their hair while Vanessa and Mal leaned their backs on their father's shoulders. "What you gotta do!"
The song ended as Hades continued to appreciate the music tones that matched his personality very well.
"Please. . ." Mal rolled her eyes as Hades stuck his tongue out with a grin. "I wonder how normal families handle arguments. . . they must be peaceful." Vanessa sighed as she crossed her arms leaning on the rail.
"Do you wanna make up for being a lousy dad? Give me the ember." Mal questioned Hades before holding out her hand once again while Vanessa looked over her sister and father. "The ember only works for me." Hades had informed her but Mal wasn't going to back down.
"No. It'll work for us. We're blood. Especially with Vee she died and got more power in her." Mal shook her head as Hades chuckled while Vanessa thought about everything. "You're both only half Hades and her powers are still brand new so it'll drain her. The ember won't do everything for you that it does for me." Hades explained to them as he held up the ember he always carried around.
"I'll push through it." Vanessa turned to Mal and Hades who looked over to her. "I have people that I care about in Auradon and on the Isle I'm going to fight for them." She told her father confidently as Mal looked down for a second remembering what would happen to the barrier before she turned her attention back at what was happening.
Hades looked between both his daughters seeing how determined they were to save Auradon and he had to admit he was impressed so he handed Mal the ember. Mal walked up the stairs heading over to Vanessa before they began to walk out the lair.
"If it gets wet, it's game over." Hades informed the girls as Celia and Scarlett ran out of the lair. "We'll make sure it doesn't get wet then." Vanessa nodded over to Hades before her and Mal walked out.
"That's my girls." Hades chuckled with a smile after he made sure they couldn't hear him.
"I guess that's the reason why he's always asking about you." Celia pointed out as they walked out the cave gate. "Evie is the only one who knows that he's my dad and that Vee is my sister." Mal sent Celia and Scarlett a look which they responded with a nod.
"And as far as I'm concerned, he doesn't even exist." Mal rolled her eyes before Scarlett and Celia walked ahead of them. "Say what you want to say Mal but he does care for us even if you don't want to see it." Vanessa sent her sister a small smile before she walked over to the girls.
~~❦~~
Published~ September 4, 2020