Misrecalled arrival and setup

[smilingarmor]

To say Sylvando was surprised to be suddenly plunked down on a lawn of perfectly manicured grass would be an understatement. But it was significantly less uncomfortable than his first trip between worlds, and a significantly nicer place to arrive than the one he'd been drawn to previously, even if he hadn't had the chance to see much of it. So he got up, dusted himself off, and took a look around. "Well that was certainly quite a trip," he said to himself. "The question now is, where am I?" And after a moment of looking around, and noticing the eerie emptiness of the otherwise lovely castle, "...And for that matter, where is anyone?"

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[smilingarmor]

Sylvando nodded his understanding. What Ben said fit with what he'd been told by Mal, so it was good to have it confirmed, even if he wished it were otherwise. But wishing only got one so far; fixing this particular aspect of the mess they were in would take a lot of work, and would likely extend beyond his time in Auradon, however long that turned out to be. Though if anyone could do it, it was likely Mal and Ben.

He did indeed see the moment the weight of it settled on her, and while he firmly believed her to be more than equal to the task, he knew that she likely had her doubts. He considered speaking, but thought the better of it, instead just giving a reassuring smile and a slight nod. Another reassuringly solid presence, despite his oddities. Or maybe because of them; Sylvando was, if nothing else, entirely comfortable in his own skin, and thus was living proof that getting to that point was possible.

[mal_contented]

Mal shook badly. She felt like she was breaking. This was just too much on top of everything else. She had to be future queen, and on Uma patrol. And look out for other villains. And plan the next... something. And there was that upcoming tour and she had dress fittings for it with....

With Evie. Who wasn't here.

A pang in her chest, but something else as well.

There was no Uma patrol if Uma wasn't here. She had no social calendar, there was no dance upcoming. All of life had been frozen by this magic in the oddest way.

She straightened, thinking.

So much of what she had to do, what was so overwhelming was... paused. Sure there were other problems and other challenges but...

But Ben was right... she could do this. Maybe not while getting ready for a kingdom tour and studying for finals and planning dances and graduation parties and the wedding... Oh dragons, the wedding...

But she couldn't do any of that now. There was no one to visit. There were no teachers to give the finals. No dance committees. No graduates to graduate.

But there was a chance. A chance to help whoever showed up. And to prove at the same time that magic could be allowed again so long as it was used reasonably. She could draft a proposal. Dalmatians, she could write a paper! FG loved reading research papers. She could almost write them in her sleep at this point. In fact, she had almost done that a few times.

She... she could do this. Right? Of course right! She took a deep steadying breath only to discover that she was already steady. She was okay. She reached over and took her book from Sylvando deftly as she used to pick pockets and hugged it softly to herself. Not defensively. She found her arms steadier, stronger, than she feared they'd be.

She looked up at Sylvando while leaning more into Ben. "I think I can do that..." she said softly, but there was strength in her voice. Strength, determination. And fierce pride. Because she could. With all that rest cut away, she could do it. And she knew now what she she hadn't fully understood when she ran alone last...

That asking for help wasn't failing. It was letting others share her victories. Okay, so she was still trying to get used to sharing in general. But still.

[smilingarmor]

Sylv didn't resist as Mal took the book from his fingertip, his smile spreading to a proper grin. If she'd needed a bit more of a boost, he'd had a little trick planned for that, but it looked like she was going to be just fine. Besides, he was sure there'd be plenty of other opportunities to turn amusing tricks into clever metaphors about life lessons.

"I knew you had it in you, darling," he said proudly. "With the three of us working together, not even the most ponderous of problems or the most convoluted of conundrums stands a chance!"

"For now though, we really do need to take stock of what supplies we have. And once we've done that, I'll use some of them to make us some dinner; can't go saving the world on an empty stomach, after all."

[mal_contented]

"Taking stock of supplies as a whole will be a larger task than we can accomplish in a day," Ben said. "So perhaps we eat sooner rather than later. We can break up tasks over the meal." He was so busy these days that working meals were about the only ways he got meals at all.

Mal nodded. "We could go to the cafeteria and I could..." she shifted the book.

Ben sighed and his shoulders fell a bit as he gave Mal a look she couldn't possibly see since he was still behind her.

But her wink to Sylvando was probably hint enough that she was aware of it. She let the pause linger for just a moment more, before causally finishing with "...seeing if there are sandwhich fixings in the cafeteria kitchen."

The look on Ben's face was probably exactly what Mal was going for, trapped and frozen, unsure if that had been a joke and he was supposed to laugh like he half wanted to; or if she had actually noticed his reaction and changed what she had been about to say, and he should be concerned...

[smilingarmor]

Sylv managed to keep from grinning any more broadly at the way Mal was teasing Ben, at least long enough not to ruin the joke. But his eyes glittered with amusement. This was Mal at her best and most natural. Really she and Erik would get on like a house on fire if they ever met, though there might be some of the same sort of good natured sniping that occurred between him and Veronica too. Come to think of it, he'd almost pay to see Mal and Veronica together as well, though it might result in a few fireballs being thrown around by one or both of them.

After a long moment of leaving poor Ben stuck, Sylv laughed. "Really, the look on your face, Ben darling," he said. "Oh, it's just too, too good!"

Still, he composed himself fairly quickly, even if the grin remained. "I think I can come up with something a bit better than just sandwiches though. Come on; let's see what we've got to work with eh?"

[mal_contented]

Mal laughed as well. And Ben relaxed to laugh too. "Okay, you got me. Fair. And better than sandwiches sounds almost as good as sandwiches does," he said with a chuckle.

There was a smile from Mal. She twisted to give Ben a kiss on the cheek. "You two go on ahead, show Sylvando what we have to work with. I have something I need to do really quickly. I'll meet you there."

Ben eyed the spell book warily, he couldn't help it.

"Not magic," she said. "But still something to make me feel a bit more... me. All the parts of me," she said, touching the book.

He hesitated just a moment then nodded and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Alright. I trust you."

It had been the smallest of kisses, but Sylvando would be able to see the way it - and the trust - made his purple haired friend sway slightly, almost swooning. The smile she gave Ben was sparkling and radiant and involved her whole heart. The kind of smile he'd never seen on her face before. For multiple reasons.

"And I love you," she said softly. She dashed away, a bit unsteady on her feet. She hid it well enough that most people wouldn't have noticed. But Sylvando and Ben? No way they missed it. She gave Sylvando a quick one armed hug sos he didn't have to let go of the spell book, then she headed out unless Sylvando stopped her. Her eyes were still full of joy and young love. True love.

The same look was in Ben's eyes, as he watched her vanish around a corner.

[smilingarmor]

Sylvando's grin softened just slightly at the way that little kiss affected Mal, and the truly radiant smile it left her with. Not even he, one of the world's foremost spreaders of smiles, could hope to bring out that sort of smile in his young friend; no, that privilege was reserved for someone very special. And from what he'd seen, she'd chosen a wonderful young man for the position, one who clearly loved her every bit as much as she did him.

He returned the quick side hug then watched her scamper off around the corner, the warm smile still on his face. "Ah, young love!", Sylv said. "It's a beautiful thing!" And once he was certain Mal was out of earshot, he added more directly to Ben, "The two of you really do make an absolutely adorable couple, you know that?" Really, how anyone could look at the two of them together and not wish them all the happiness in the world was beyond him.

Still, standing around talking about love wasn't getting them any closer to dinner. "Anyway, we've got a dinner to get going. Lead the way, darling! To the kitchen!" The last was stated with all the energy of someone embarking on an epic quest. And who knew? Maybe this particular quest would begin with dinner. He could think of far worse ways to start things off.

[mal_contented]

Ben smiled warmly, and still a bit goofily. "Thank you. She really is amazing." And he was still unsure how she could manage to love him, how this could be his life. Yes, sure, king. But she's not Audrey, being king wasn't a bonus to Mal, it had always been a major obstacle. She didn't love him because he was king, but despite it. How she could love him enough to put up with everything... he didn't know, he was just glad that she did.

"Right. Kitchen. This way," he said, leading the way. "Did Mal ever tell you how she used the kitchens here when she first came to Auradon?" he asked, with a bit of a dreamy smile as he led the way.

The kitchen, when they got there, was a huge industrial kitchen, but prep areas were seperated and made to look cozy by the way things were arranged. Everything was perfectly clean and spotless and organized and the walkways were wide enough for a fairly wide chef to carry large trays through without knocking things off of countertops and stoves.

Ben showed Sylvando where everything was and chatted with him as they worked. It didn't take long before Mal came back. She was in a leather jacket very like the ones that she wore in the Kingdoms and Diatu, the one that let her hide her spellbook and pen hidden within. Her pants were comfortable purple leather. But the shirt under the jacket, the fingerless gloves, and the short boots - while all purple - were softer purple. A bridge between Auradon Mal and Isle Mal. And if the Jacket was far more Isle, the Jewelry was more Auradon. She came in and gave a little spin. "What do we think? Isle, Auradon, and worlds beyond." She missed the bracelet Sylvando had given her though. But like her Spellbook it hadn't returned with her memories.

[smilingarmor]

The answer to Ben's question of course, was the fact that he loved and trusted her in return. And Sylvando knew well how much that meant to Mal. He encouraged her to be the best version of herself, but accepted and cared for her even when she fell short of that, something everyone needed and that had been sorely lacking in Mal's life before he'd come into it. "She's certainly that," he agreed. And maybe one day she'd see it herself.

But back on the subject at hand. "No she didn't," he said as they headed off to the kitchen. "But do tell! I have a feeling it was something exciting." After all, he wouldn't be telling the story otherwise. And knowing Mal, it was probably something chaotic and wonderfully colorful.

By the time Mal eventually joined them, the kitchen wasn't quite so spotless, and several cutting boards and other cooking implements were waiting in the sink to be washed. And while the food Sylv was preparing was taking a bit longer than sandwiches would have, the smells coming from the pot and large frying pan on the stove indicated that the results would be well worth the wait. He looked up from his cooking at Mal's entrance and grinned. "You look fabulous, darling!", he said. "That outfit is definitely you." In fact it was probably the most 'her' he'd ever seen her look. The most comfortable in her own skin. And that's what really made a look fabulous.

[mal_contented]

Ben was happy to take off his jacket, roll up his sleeves, wash his hands, and help. However he could. Sadly he had... little experience in the kitchen. So mostly just did what Sylvando told him to, and shared a story.

"Well, it wasn't long after Mal arrived that she gave it to me, but I'm not fully sure when she did the actual baking," he admitted. But he knew parts of the story from Lonnie. "But she and Evie and Jay and Carlos snuck into the kitchens, not realizing yet that they were welcome to use it openly. Or perhaps it was because they were cooking a spell and didn't want anyone to see. I'm not sure, and neither was Lonnie. Anyway, they were baking, of all things, a love spell. I don't think Mal ever realized that she didn't need it. I was more than halfway there already. But you van imagine Lonnie's reaction when she found out later that the cookies she impulsively added chocolate chips to when she saw them baking was meant to make me fall in love with Mal." He chuckled a bit.

He mixd or chopped whatever he was told to as he spoke. "Mal got me to eat one of the cookies, using the social version of the wounded bird feint my dad taught me when he was teaching me how to use a sword as a child. He taught me that you had to temper compassion with common sense..." That day was a whole other story though. "So even though the trap was obvious, I took the bait. I ate the cookie. I will admit the next bit is... a bit fuzzy," he said with a chuckle. "But the spell washed away on our first date. I was going to tell her I knew about the spell then and there, and was trying to figure out how to tell her that we needed to be honest with each other. Except..."

His smile was slightly different here, amused but also... diplomatic. Whatever he was about to say, Sylvando was good enough to catch the fact that he was about to start editing as he spoke. "She thought I was in danger because I was taking so long, trying to gather my thoughts. She threw herself into danger, sure I needed rescue. Any concerns I had about why she had felt so desperate to spell me faded then when I saw her throw herself in harms way to try to rescue me. Spell or no spell, I was in love," he added, his smile misty again. Editing over.

"I was raised to be honest but after that... I didn't tell her I knew about the spell. Not immediately. Not until the day of my coronation. When she gave me the antidote. That showed me... that she wanted me to love her, not because I was about to be king, but because she wanted me to love her. Me, the person. Oh the look on her face when she found out that I knew all along. And the even better look on her face," he added with a misty and loving smile as he remembered, "when she agreed to wear my ring, knowing I loved her. Without the spell."



When Sylvando complimented her outfit, Ben nodded. "I love it too, Mal. You look amazing. But why was it so important to change before we ate?" he asked, puzzled. He was relieved that she had left the spellbook back in her room. Maybe he had been concerned for nothing.

She smiled brilliantly. "Because the coat is the perfect place to keep my spellbook in easy reach without anyone knowing I have it on me," she said cheerfully. "And whatever that is smells amazing, shall we eat?"

And wrap!

[smilingarmor]

Thankfully, it didn't take much experience to peel and chop vegetables, so Ben was mostly put to work helping with that, or with fetching different utensils and bottles or containers of spices. Sylv, meanwhile, handled the more delicate tasks and the actual cooking as he listened to Ben relate his side of a tale he'd already heard from Mal's perspective.

He also caught the slight hesitation that meant Ben was editing his speech somewhat as he went. Not that he needed to, but Sylv approved of his suspected reasons. One day, Mal would feel comfortable enough to tell her beloved the whole truth, but for now it was enough for the two of them to be young and in love. No sense making things more complicated for them then they already were, or telling a story that wasn't his to tell.

"Hmm, I wonder if adding chocolate to a love potion would make it stronger or weaker?", Sylv mentioned thoughtfully. "Or if it would have any effect at all? After all, chocolate and love do go hand in hand, but one never can tell with magic." Serena would likely know, and he made a mental note to ask her whenever he next got the chance as Ben went on with his story.

And it really was a good story. Romance, intrigue, danger, a heartfelt eleventh-hour confession... really someone should write a book about it. Or perhaps several, since he suspected that was only the beginning of their adventures. And who knew? Maybe they would.

For now, Sylv grinned at Mal's cheek and nodded. "It'll be ready in just a moment, so if the two of you would be dears and set the table, such as it is, we can get down to dinner." And with good food, a toast to the hope of a successful venture. Whatever the days ahead might bring, they would face it together.