//------------------------------// // Hanging Like A Villain Does // Story: Descendants of the Isle 2: Back Among The Hidden // by Melody Song //------------------------------// “Alright, Pharynx, the keys and the remote.” Sandbar tossed them to the changeling, who headed for the carriage. “Wait!” Luna stopped Sandbar and adjusted his hat. “There.” Monarch, who had padded out after them, sat on the steps. “I call shotgun!” They all looked over at him. “Did he just…” Sandbar began “Thorax told me he asked Tempest for a truth spell, and Monarch licked some of it.” Gallus explained. “Before she left, she saw him again and told him it should only last until after Cotillion.” Pharynx shook his head. “I can’t believe I missed the signs she was hiding something from me…” “Well… I knew… and Gallus…” Luna murmured. “But we told her to stop using the magic so much.” “So… do I get to come, or…?” Monarch spoke again. “Monarch, you’re staying here buddy.” Gallus scratched him behind the ears. “The Hidden Isle is way too dangerous.” The other three shook off the confusion before heading to the carriage. As they got in, Luna began giving Pharynx instructions. “Once we cross the bridge, park under the pier in the old garage, got it?” “Yep.” Pharynx said as the carriage pulled out. The carriage easily made it across the magic bridge and pulled into the place Luna had instructed them to. They got out quickly. “Sandy, help me with the tarp.” Gallus said as he grabbed for it. Sandbar joined him and they all worked together to stretch it over the carriage. “It… it feels really weird to be back here…” Luna whispered Pharynx nodded. “We’ll get in and get out, as soon as we find Temp.” “Mhm.” Gallus said. “But we keep it chill, right? The last thing we need is our parents finding out we’re here.” “Well… mom’s back in Equus-” “You know what I mean Lu.” Gallus said, reaching with his wing to pull Sandbar against him so he wouldn’t wander off. They headed into the alleyways. Luna walked slower than the others, nervous. As she lagged behind, a foal shot out from behind a dumpster and grabbed her forelegs to hold her still. “Hey!” as Luna struggled, a second foal rushed out and reached into the flowing cloak she was wearing, snatching her wallet. “Hey, stop!” The others turned, noticing the struggle as Luna grabbed the foals. But as she did, Luna looked into the foal’s frightened and desperate eyes. She released them. “Just take it. Go on.” she said, watching them run away with the wallet. Sandbar managed to slip away from Gallus, who sighed and followed him, leading the others after the pony. They found him in a mostly empty space, except for a stallion who jeered at him. Gallus flared a wing out in front of Sandbar protectively and lunged at the stallion, flashing his claws. The stallion grunted and left. “Sandy, what were you thinking?!” Gallus hissed “What?” Sandbar blinked. Gallus planted his claws on Sandbar’s shoulders. “This isn’t a parade, Sand, it’s the Hidden Isle.” Gallus grunted, shaking him slightly, then pushing away and going to the opening in the enclosed space, looking around. Sandbar looked hurt, until Pharynx caught his attention. “Look, keep your hooves to yourself unless you’re stealing.” “Either slouch or strut.” Gallus called over. “And never ever smile.” Luna finished. “Alright, thank-” “No thank you's.” Gallus snapped. “And drop the please. Just… hang, got it?” Sandbar nodded quietly. He’d never seen this side of Gallus, and wasn’t sure if he liked it. Luna stepped into his sightline. She began singing. “Let me tell you something you can really trust Everycreature’s got a twisted side I know you think you can never be like us Just watch and learn so you will get it right!” Gallus and Pharynx nodded at each other, then headed over. They picked up the song alongside Luna, doing the movements they described. “You gotta drag your hooves Gotta nod your head Gotta lean back Slip through the cracks You need to not care-” “You need to not stare.” Gallus added, pushing Sandbar’s chin to look straight ahead. “You need a whole lot of help-” “You need to not be yourself.” Pharynx spoke, flashing the wallet he’d taken from Sandbar’s jacket. Sandbar snatched it back. “You wanna be cool? Lemme show you how You gotta break the rules And I can show you how So that once you catch this feeling,” Luna sang, as Gallus and Pharynx repeated the phrase. “Once you catch this feeling.” You'll be hangin', hangin', oh Hangin' like a villain. Hangin'! Hangin' like a villain. Hangin'! Hangin' like a villain Hey! Hangin' like a, hangin' like a- Hey! Villain.” They headed out of the enclosed area, and Sandbar wandered towards a griffon that wore a long cloak. He opened it to reveal a bunch of trinkets. As Sandbar reached for one, Gallus pulled him back. “You call attention when you act like that!” Gallus hissed at him, glaring. Luna took over. “Let us teach you how to disappear.” Pharynx nodded, strutting over. “You look like you would lose a fight to an alley cat Gotta be wrong to get it right 'round here.” The three villain creatures jumped onto a narrow fence, balancing perfectly as they strutted on top of it. “You gotta watch your back Gotta creep around Gotta slide real smooth Don't make a sound.” They leapt down, looking at him. “And if you want it, take it And if you can't take it, break it And if you care about your health-” “Seriously, you need to not be yourself.” Gallus muttered, though Luna ignored him and kept singing. “You wanna be cool? Lemme show you how You gotta break the rules I can show you how So that once you catch this feeling-” “And once you catch this feeling.” Gallus and Pharynx finished, then all three sang. “You'll be hangin', hangin', oh Hangin' like a villain Hangin’! Hangin’ like a villain Hangin’! Hangin’ like a-” Sandbar jumped into the song. “Look, I really wanna be bad a lot I promise to give it my best shot-” Sandbar broke off and sighed. “But… it's hard being what I'm not…” “Well if you don't, you're gonna get us caught.” Pharynx deadpanned. Luna nodded “He's right, we’re gonna hafta stay low-key Now, show us how bad you can be.” Luna nudged Sandbar, who put on some sunglasses. “Like that?” “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” The three encouraged, nodding. Sandbar then grinned and pulled out Pharynx’s wallet. “Like that?” As Pharynx snatched his wallet back, Gallus and Luna nodded. “Yeah, yeah!” Sandbar then pulled out Gallus’ phone and passed it back to him. “Oh yeah, I’ve finally got this! Let's go guys, I'm ready to rock this!” As they made to leave, he flung out his forelegs to stop them, then grinned. “And I’m not even gonna thank you for your help Now that I’ve found the worst to myself.” They all nodded and all four sang as they sauntered down the alley. “You wanna be cool? Lemme show you how You gotta break the rules I can show you how So that once you catch this feeling- Yeah, once you catch this feeling, You'll be hangin', hangin', oh Hangin' like a villain Hangin’! Hangin’ like a villain Hangin’! Hangin’ like a villain!” As they walked, Sandbar swaggered a bit. He bumped straight into a pegasus colt with a white coat and dark blue navy mane pulled into a slicked back style. “Hey!” his green eyes then flashed with recognition. “Hey… aren’t you-” “No, he’s not.” Gallus snapped “What, do you think I’m stupid?” he snapped. “It’s King Sandbar, and how could I forget those feathers? Just like our colors.” He flashed the colors of the straps around his shoulders. Blue and yellow. Gallus grabbed Sandbar’s hoof and dragged him along. “See you later, Luna, Pharynx, Gallus.” he said in an eerily knowing tone, before spreading his wings and flying down the alley. “Gal…?” “I’m not one of them.” Gallus said. Luna caught up with them. “That was Soarin Skies, son of the Sky Blazers.” “The Pegasi who were teamed with the Rainbooms and tried to sky-bomb Equestria?” “Mhm. Now let’s go. We’ll have to be even faster. If Soarin knows we’re here, then his Captain, Spitfire, will too.” Pharynx said Pharynx led them to a sign saying Beware: Flying Rocks. He grabbed a rock off a table and hit the sign with it. “Alright, she’ll be up there. Everyone else stay here, this is my mess, I’ll clean it up.” Pharynx said, before heading up. The others sat down at the bottom of the stairs to wait. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pharynx walked into a loft room, hearing the familiar noise of a spray paint can. He smiled softly and got closer. Tempest had decorated the place with graffiti of lightning bolts and storm clouds. He saw a couple familiar faces, her father, for one. He chuckled, making her turn around and gasp. “At least I don’t see a picture of me with horns and a spear.” “Pharynx...”