Really sorry for taking an eternity to update but writers block hit me hard.

Thanks to everyone helping me on the RP it really means a lot <3

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~Mal's POV~

After discussing my siblings with Ben, I got a text from Evie on the way back to my room.

Evie: Hey M, can you come by the guest rooms? We're having... a few problems now.

I huffed and texted back.

Mal: oh Hades. I'm on my way right now

Evie: change into something more comfortable first.

Mal: Isle outfit?

Evie: if you have to

Mal: definitely.

Evie: okay fine.

I raced back to my room, quickly changing into my old purple leather Isle clothes. Even after months of wearing dresses and such, it was still my favorite outfit to wear. I couldn't wear it in public, which was now every day, so it was usually folded messily in the back of my closet. Then I ran to the western wing of the castle, where the guest rooms were located, on the opposite side of where my room was.

Hades if I could teleport it would be so much easier I thought as I leaned against the wall next to the door of one of the rooms, catching my breath. I've taken to using my dad's name as a swear word since I was reunited with him. He wasn't all that fond of it, but whatever. Since he'd left me and Madison with Mom for sixteen years, letting me use his name in vain was the least he could do. The very least.

Well there wasn't anything he could do about it anyway.

Sounds of muffled shouting came from the closed doors. I stood up straight and knocked.

No answer.

I knocked again. Even though it was trivial, the unanswered door was giving me flashbacks to the first night I met Thanatos. When no one opened the door of the Bargain Castle that night.

My thoughts were dispelled when Evie opened the door.

"It wasn't locked, M," she said.

"Okay..." I muttered, walking in.

The sounds of yelling from earlier were gone. Thanatos, Penny, and Madison were sitting on the couch, while Charlotte sat at the desk. Jay and Carlos simply leaned against the wall.

"So..." I started. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Penny said.

"They were arguing about home," Evie whispered. "And Maze is in the next room over, if you were wondering."

At the word home, I momentarily went into a panic. I'd gone there earlier today, and the old place was so much more dilapidated and rotten then I'd remembered.

Auradon was making me soft. Ugh.

"I see..." I managed to choke out.

"Evie, Carlos, Jay, would you let us talk with our sister privately?" Thanatos asked.

Jay nodded and stood straight, walking out the door.

"I'm not leaving," Carlos declared.

"Neither am I," Evie crossed her arms.

"No, really, it's okay," I said, not fully knowing if it was true or not.

"You sure, M?" Evie asked, concerned.

I nodded confidently.

Carlos went to protest, but Evie led him to the door. The two reluctantly left.

My phone buzzed in my hand.

Evie: They cause you any trouble, call me.

I didn't respond.

"So," Madison said, standing up and walking over to me, her eyes smoldering like Dad's ember.

"So..." I prompted.

"After you left, things got pretty f***ing bad," Thanatos also stood.

I backed up against the door. The way they were speaking made me sense that these weren't the same siblings I'd remembered.

"I- I know," I said. "Life wasn't ever easy."

"No, they got even worse," Penny said, staying in her seat.

"Why?" I asked.

"Especially after you became good," Charlotte spat.

"There were graffitied posters of me and Ben at the marketplace," I recalled.

"I left Mom's palace and went to live with Dad," Madison said. "Dad wasn't around much, but it was better then getting beaten everyday."

"And while you three were relaxing, I was wandering the streets." Charlotte remarked.

"We definitely were not relaxing," Penny argued.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Right you weren't."

Madison glared at Charlotte. "And what makes you think we were relaxing all that time?"

"Well, you had a reputation and a home," Charlotte said.

"We were constantly running around the Isle," Madison added. "Always scrounging for food. Stealing everything not nailed to the ground."

"Which was just about everything," Thanatos said dryly.

"We were all at the mercy of the Isle," Penny said. "It wasn't a good way to grow up."

"I know," I said. "Believe me, I know."

Thanatos turned on me. "And you, Malie, made it only worse."

I stared at him like a wolf challenging another to a fight to the death. "How so?"

"Everyone hated us because of you," Madison said, fury apparent in her eyes. "The Islanders seemed to all come after us Hades children specifically."

"They all believed we would betray them like you did," Penny said.

"You can't judge someone based off of their family," I said, referring to myself and my mother, but also myself and my siblings.

"Right," Thanatos laughed coldly. "What were we supposed to tell them? 'Don't judge us from our sister'? Malie, how many times did being Maleficent's daughter earn you fear and respect?"

That, I didn't respond to. The answer was too many.

"Exactly," Charlotte said, standing up. "If this whole 'princess' thing was an act, now would be a good time to let it go. The villains are released, why not join them in destroying Auradon?"

"They- they wouldn't," I choked out.

"They probably will," Madison agreed. "I mean, they're villains. Not villain kids."

Your parents made their choice, I remembered Ben telling me.

Oh Hades. They did.

And they probably weren't going to change their minds. They weren't like us.

Was taking down the barrier a bad idea?

I mentally slapped myself. Settle this with my siblings first. Then think over the villains.

"So, Char," I ventured. "You're saying what?"

"I'm saying that when the villains take over Auradon, you should join us," she said.

"Why?"

"C'mon Malie," Thanatos stalked closer. "There may still be a seed of evil in you. This can Finally be our real opportunity to make our parents proud of us."

"No." I said firmly. "I'm no longer evil."

"And we'll try not to be, but it'll be hard," Penny said.

"Especially for Thanny and Mads here," Charlotte put on an evil smirk.

"Why?" I asked.

Penny shot me a don't ask look. But I did.

"We just have... some anger issues," Madison managed.

"Oh... I see," I muttered.

"So..." Charlotte put on her evil smirk. "Thanatos. I saw Quinn around. You gonna-"

"Shut the f*** up!" Thanatos shouted, erupting in fire.

Literally.

His eyes glowed with blue flame, and his hair literally burst into bright blue flames with a few streaks of red. A few fiery lines traced down to his elbows.

"Thanatos!" Madison ran to him, restraining his arms before he could punch something, probably.

Penny helped Madison hold him still until the fires extinguished themselves when Thanatos calmed down.

Charlotte just stood there looking amused.

I jumped back in shock, my back hitting the now-closed door.

Thanatos calmed down soon enough.

"I see what you mean by anger issues," I sighed.

This would be rough.

Word count: 1234