Chapter Text
Mal had a plan. A very stupid plan. But at least this way Jay, Carlos, and Evie could get away while she distracted the security guards. So if they caught her she could say it was all her idea. That the others had nothing to do with this. Only she would get sent back to the Isle. Her gang could stay safe in Auradon.
She hoped it wouldn't come to that. She just had to find out of this maze of a museum.
“Lost your way?” A voice whispered from her right. “Come with me.”
Mal looked over. Standing by a passageway that hadn’t been there before, was a hooded figure dressed in black. She shook her fist while she debated whether or not to trust this stranger or to take her chances.
“Check over by the Magical Medicine exhibit.” Mal could see the beam of light right in front of the entrance to the gallery she was hiding in. It stopped.
“Why are we doing this again? Nothing’s here,” someone whined.
“Hey, when a princess calls and makes demands we follow up. Her grandmother is a Patron of the museum.”
“I get it. Rich people call the shots.”
“Look, the kid is always polite when she visits. Unlike some of the other snobs. She’s shown up with donuts and coffee a few times.”
“I mean, am I wrong? My cousin could call up and say she thinks someone is robbing the museum but you wouldn’t take her as seriously.”
“That’s just the way it is.”
“Where’s Frank anyway?”
“If I know Frank, he’s probably taking a nap. We’ll check this gallery and then go.”
Mal didn’t see another way out. She had picked a dead end. There were no windows and the only way out was where the security guards were standing. She hurried over to the stranger in a crouch.
The stranger pulled her inside and closed the panel. “Nice of you to join me.”
“Who are you?” Mal narrowed her eyes.
“You can trust me.”
The voice belonged to a woman.
“Yeah nothing screams trust me like someone dressed in all black and hiding their face, sneaking around in the dark.” Mal crossed her arms.
The stranger laughed. “Were you not just sneaking around yourself?”
“Yeah, well.” Mal huffed. “What is this?”
“A secret passage.” Mal heard a click and buzzing. Suddenly, they were washed in an orange light. They were at the top of some stairs. At the bottom was some kind of tunnel with lightbulbs evenly spaced every few feet, but not enough to see the end.
“I know that! Obviously. I mean this. You being here.” Mal looked the stranger up and down.
The woman was dressed head to toe in black, which Mal realized was some kind of body armor, almost like what some do-gooder knight out to slay a dragon would wear. But it wasn’t plate metal. It could pass for the leather armor people back on the Isle pieced together from scraps, yet it had the feel of something that Evie designed. And still Mal could feel something more from it. Like a buzz of magic. So while it looked and moved like leather, Mal knew it was stronger than that. The figure also had a hood pulled up, casting a shadow over their face. Which Mal thought was overkill, because the woman was already wearing a mask. Mal would never say it outloud, but the whole look was badass.
“You know most people say thank you when you save their ass.” The Stranger chuckled.
Even though Mal couldn’t see the Stranger’s face, she just knew they were smirking behind their weird mask. “I didn’t think people in Auradon used such language.”
“Well, we’re full of surprises here. Come on.” The Stranger waved her forward.
“Why does a museum need a secret passage?” Mal followed behind.
“This used to be an estate of a noble that threw in with the villains. They’d have meetings here and it’s not like Hook and Jafar could be seen using the front door. He lost everything when the villains lost. This house was sold as restitution for the victims of the war.” The Stranger turned back to look at her. “Then it was turned into the museum you just tried to rob.”
“We weren’t-” Mal decided to change the subject. “Who was it? Maybe I know him from the Isle.”
“He didn’t make it to the Isle.” She gruffed out. “Took his own life. And it’s not like he was worth being back to life.”
“Oh.” This conversation got dark quick. And while she was used to dark, she didn’t want to think about what people did when they got caught doing evil while she had been doing the same. “You know a lot about this building.”
“Yeah.” The Stranger laughed. “I spent a lot of time here growing up. Got friendly with the guards. Frank showed me this passage. Not that many guards know about it. I was excited since I’m something of a history buff.”
The passage had come to an end with a rusted ladder missing the bottom rungs. It started halfway up the wall.
“I’ve got you.” The Stranger had her hands on Mal’s hips and picked her up. Startled, Mal grabbed onto the woman’s biceps. She felt her toned arms as she lifted her up to reach the ladder. Buff is right, Mal thought to herself.
“History, huh?” Mal mocked, as she looked back down at the Stranger.
“We learn from the mistakes of our past. And from the mistakes of others. Study what they did wrong. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned,” the Stranger let out a bitter laugh as she pulled herself up. “To repeat it.”
Above Mal’s head was a grate. She pushed it up and moved it aside. She climbed out. Mal had no idea where they were.
“Okay, weirdo. Thanks for whatever this was.” Mal waved her hand in dismissal. “But I got it from here.” Mal started walking away.
“Auradon Prep is that way.” The Stranger called after her.
“Right.” Mal took a step in the direction the Stranger was pointing.
“You won’t make it back in time!”
Mal stopped walking. But she didn’t turn around.
“Your friends had a head start. Plus this passage spit us out further away from the school. And you won’t be able to sneak back into your room without getting caught.” The Stranger led Mal to a motorcycle. “Hop on.”
Mal grinned. There was at least one interesting person in Auradon. She got on the back of the motorcycle.
“So how did you know we would be at the museum?” Mal loudly asked.
“When you arrived you said magic wand way too many times. So I figured,” the Stranger chuckled. “You were going after FG’s wand.”
“Was it that obvious?” Mal wrapped her arms tighter around the Stranger’s waist.
“After I had some time to reflect.” The Stranger sounded amused, like she was in on some joke Mal wasn’t in on.
“You were there?” Mal’s brows furrowed.
“As part of the overwhelming welcome wagon? I was.”
Mal tried to remember the faces of everyone that was there.
“I can hear you thinking. Don’t worry about it. Like I said you can trust me.”
That eliminated Audrey. She did not trust that prissy pink princess at all.
“Here we are. Less of a chance of being seen from the windows if we go to the side of the school.”
The Stranger pulled up as close as she could to the castle wing their dorm was in. They crept through one of the many, many gardens until they were right underneath the window of her and Evie’s room. She could see Evie pacing back and forth looking worried.
“I can’t believe they gave you guys a room on the first floor. And at the end of the hall. It’s like they wanted you to sneak out. Which, how did you guys sneak out in the first place?”
“We just walked out the front door,” Mal mumbled embarrassed. Saying it outloud made them sound so lame.
“That says a lot more about Auradon than it says about you. But of course, it’s a lot harder to get back in,” The Stranger looked up. “The quickest way is up instead of going through the rest of the garden to get to your other window. How good are you at climbing?”
“Pretty good,” Mal admitted. Jay had taught her a few tricks. He wanted them all to know how to escape if he wasn’t there to protect them and they couldn’t stab their way out of a bad situation.
“It’s not that high. I’ll give you a boost.” The Stranger waved her over and then cupped her hands.
Mal smirked. She’d show this stranger just what she could do.
In situations where she was forced to choose between fight or flight, Mal usually picked fight. It's how her gang ended up with so much territory. She was feared. But just because she stood her ground didn't mean she didn't know how to sneak around.
She ran at the wall. Once her foot made contact with the wall, she pushed up. Her hands missed the windowsill. She fell backwards.
And landed in the arms of the Stranger. Mal blushed at how close the two of them were. She flailed around and the Stranger put her down.
“Not a word.” Mal couldn’t look at the Stranger.
“I saw nothing.” The Stranger shrugged. “So about that boost.”
If Mal didn’t need to be in her room as soon as possible, she would have shown the Stranger she could nail the wall run. But she swallowed her pride.
The Stranger crouched down and cupped her hands together again. “I’m sure your thief friend taught you this too.”
Jay had. He had taken her on some of his heists back on the Isle. He’d boost her up into windows and she’d let him inside. They’d do a little breaking and entering for fun. She loved the thrill and the challenge.
Mal stepped up into the Stranger’s hands. The Stranger didn’t struggle to lift her to her shoulders. Mal got her feet on the Stranger’s shoulders.
“You should try out for cheerleading.” The Stranger held onto Mal’s boots. “You’d be a good flier.”
“Ew.” Mal reached the window of her and Evie’s dorm. She slid it open.
“Mal!” Evie came to her aid. She pulled her inside the room. “Where have you been?”
“Long story,” Mal let out a puff of air, as if she was trying to get the setbacks of the night out of her system.
Evie was looking past Mal. She turned around to see what had caught her best friend’s attention. The Stranger had her leg over the windowsill and was climbing into their room.
“What the hell,” Mal hissed. “You can’t be here.”
The Stranger just grabbed her and dragged her to the ensuite bathroom. She turned on the shower. “Trust me. Get in!”
Mal started taking off her clothes and hopped in the shower.
The door to the bathroom opened the minute she was under the spray from the shower head.
“I told you she was taking a shower!” Evie’s shout carried into the bathroom.
“Excuse me! Do you mind!” Mal popped her head out from behind the shower curtain.
Audrey let out a choked noise as she covered her eyes with her hands. The Princess stumbled back towards the door. She hit the door jam in her rush to get out of the bathroom. The door quickly shut and Mal laughed at making the daughter of her mother’s enemy look foolish.
There was a knock at the door. “Mal, this is the RA, Melody. When you’re done, could you come out here?”
“Yeah. I’ll be right out.”
Mal grabbed a fluffy robe that was hanging right outside the shower curtain and put it on. She stepped out of the tub. The Stranger was nowhere to be seen. Mal left the bathroom.
Standing in their dorm room were Audrey and an older girl with black hair.
“Hi, Mal. I’m your Resident Advisor, Melody. Audrey came to me with a concern. That you were out after curfew.” Melody for her part, looked annoyed at being in their dorm room. The older girl was already dressed for bed.
“They were! I came by earlier. They weren’t here. So I called the Museum and told them to be careful! They’re villains!” Audrey pointed a finger at Mal.
“Audrey! That’s enough. Sorry for the misunderstanding. If you have any problems, just come find me.” Melody smiled gently at both Villain Kids before leaving.
Audrey stayed behind to hurl accusations. “You’re up to something. I know it! And I’m going to prove it.”
The Princess turned on her heel and left the room.
Once they were alone, Mal and Evie started to laugh.
“That was too close,” Evie caught her breath.
“We got away with it, didn’t we?” Mal’s grin was wide and self-congratulatory. “And these Auradon dorks don’t even know. Too bad we didn’t get the wand.”
“But Audrey called the museum,” Evie bit her lip. “She’s onto us. Luckily, Carlos took care of the security footage since I’m sure she’s going to be all over that. We have to be more careful.”
“Please,” Mal scoffed. “I’m not worried about Audrey.”
The Stranger dropped down from the ceiling of the bathroom. Evie screamed a little bit before Mal covered the other girl's mouth with her hand.
“Were you up there while I was taking a shower?” Mal narrowed her eyes.
The Stranger stretched her arms above her head, then rolled her neck, which resulted in a small pop. “Sorry. It was the only place to hide. I didn’t look. That would be highly inappropriate.”
“Right, you’re from Auradon after all. All prim and proper,” Mal snickered.
“Um, hello.” Evie gave a small wave.
“Good evening, princess.” The Stranger bowed.
Evie cocked her head to the side, studying the Stranger in front of her. “Pleased to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine.”
Evie giggled at the Stranger’s charm. Mal huffed, feeling something in her chest.
“I knew Audrey would do something like this,” the Stranger looked at the door, letting out a big sigh. Then she looked at Mal. “Watch out for her. I’ve got your backs, but I can’t be everywhere.”
Evie nodded eagerly. Mal gave the Stranger a look of disbelief. She knew what she was doing. After all, Mal had made it this far. Careless got you dead on the Isle of the Lost.
“Ladies,” the Stranger gave them a small salute before jumping out the window.
Evie and Mal hurried to the window. They watched as the Stranger made her escape, jumping and flipping over hedges and stone railings.
“Such an asshole,” Mal whispered to herself but she found herself impressed and intrigued by the Stranger more and more.
“Wow, one day in Auradon and you already have a Knight in Shining Armor,” Evie teased Mal, bumping her shoulder with her own.
“It’s not like that,” Mal protested as they got ready for bed. “And she wasn’t even in shining armor.”
“Well, a black knight then.” Evie waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“Evie!” Mal threw a pillow at her friend, who easily caught it.
“Let’s go to sleep.” Evie threw the pillow back at her friend. “We have class tomorrow. I want to be well rested to meet some more royals.”
“Ugh. Don’t remind me.” Mal got into her bed.
But Mal couldn't fall asleep, no matter how disgustingly comfortable the bed was.
Mal wondered who the Stranger really was underneath the mask. Her mind raced with questions. What was the real reason for saving Mal? Would they cross paths again? Would the Stranger help or hinder their mission for the wand? Why couldn’t she stop thinking about her?