Daddy Issues | A Descendants Story | Mal & Hades

ONE

ONE

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When she'd been unable to relight the ember and Audrey had turned Harry and Uma to stone, she knew Hades was her only option. Managing to escape mostly in one piece (with only a sprained or possibly fractured wrist courtesy of Audrey and the blast she'd sent hurtling towards Mal's wing as she tried to flee) Mal had borrowed a bike from the school and returned to the Isle as fast as she could.

Mal caught a glimpse of herself in the bike's mirror as she quickly drove off and cringed. Apparently being knocked out of the sky by Audrey had caused a deep purple blotch to bloom across her cheekbone and an equally angry gash across her forehead. The only comfort she took from this was that her cheekbone didn't appear to be broken.

She hadn't planned on re-visiting her father so soon after her last trip to the Isle. She'd hoped she could avoid seeing him, and un-burying all the deeply suppressed emotions that accompanied setting eyes on the man, for as long as humanly possible. Of course, things rarely go to plan, a sentiment Mal was silently cursing as she cast the spell allowing her to get to the Isle on her bike, desperation the overwhelming factor driving her back to Hades.

Before she crossed the barrier that surrounded the Isle, a sharp pain in her wrist made her glare down at the offending injury. "I swear I almost understand why the villains did what they did if all heroes throw such overblown temper tantrums," She mumbled to herself as she undid her leather jacket and tore off the bottom of her t-shirt to tightly bandage her wrist. The fact that Mal was the main cause of Audrey's said tantrum was a fact she decided wasn't worth mulling over at this exact moment in time. That could wait.

With a final glance back at Auradon, her expression sullen, Mal crossed the barrier and hurried to where Celia had taken her to see Hades the last time.

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Mal was pleasantly surprised that when she tried the gate that led to her father's cave, it was unlocked. She supposed most people wouldn't be stupid enough to break into Hades' home unless they had a death wish. Her father may not have been as great and powerful as he once was but that didn't mean he wasn't still feared. Correction, his non-existent three-headed guard dog was still feared. A ghost of a smile settled on Mal's lips at the thought, almost enough to make her momentarily forget why exactly she was here. Of course, she quickly did remember, and the small smile was gone as she drew her lower lip behind her teeth.

As she made her way deeper into the cave, Mal faltered for the first time. "I'll take my chances," the last words she'd smirked at her father as she walked away with the ember. Clearly, her chances sucked. Perhaps Hades wouldn't help her. Then what? There was no one left in Auradon who could and the ember, Hades' ember, was the only thing powerful enough to stand a chance of stopping Audrey now.

There wasn't a real reason why Hades would help her this time. The people of Auradon had been the ones to trap him here to begin with so he no doubt believed they deserved what happened. Doing what was right had never been a belief he'd shared before and that was unlikely to change. As for Mal, well, doing what his daughter asked of him hadn't been something he'd jumped at for the past sixteen years.

Perhaps he'd have a change of heart? Or more likely he'd get back with mom. Mal thought bitterly as she climbed off the bike and removed the helmet from her head, realising both were virtually impossible.

Of course, Mal didn't have much of a choice here. A miracle that would change her father's mind was the best chance she currently had of saving Auradon, of saving Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Ben. She'd let them down tonight; she'd let everyone down. Audrey might have been right after all: Mal wasn't fit to be queen.