Chapter Text
Max Hatter had ended things with Luis Madrigal a year ago. It was hard to be with such a happy, optimistic person when all you wanted was to shrivel up and die. Being known as the kid of the worst villain in Wonderland and one of the craziest villains in the world wasn't easy. People shouted things like, "It's Mad Max! Everybody run!", and whispered behind his back things like, "I can tell he's going to become just like his dad. Just look at him!"
Beyond that, worst of all, people would say, "I can't believe Luis Madrigal is dating that guy. You think he put a love spell on him or something? He's about to be murdered in his sleep!"
It was hard when Luis just told Max to ignore it all and to look at the brighter side of things. To focus on their relationship, not on the false words of people who didn't matter.
But Max couldn't. It was exactly why their relationship had to end. Luis didn't get Max. Didn't understand him. After Max ended it on that gloomy Monday morning, he fell into a bad state of mind. Started hanging out with the other VK's, people who would actually understand him. It was where he belonged, wasn't it? Listening to Hazel recount stories of the captives her and her father tied up on their boat. Watching Felix use his cards to terrorize kids around the school. Watching Squeaky and Squirmy be Hazel's evil little henchmen.
Max himself didn't have any stories to tell or any cool, evil gadgets to use. He'd never done anything super evil or bad. It was just his dad. Nobody seemed to understand that. The only person who did, well, he was long gone. Their story was done.
Max leaned against a fence at Auradon Prep, tilting his hat down to block out the bright sun. He heard some sort of commotion and looked up to see the bright colors of red and blue. His two least favorite princesses.
Chloe Charming was privileged and didn't understand how it felt to be a villain kid. She would make up meaningless problems just to try and feel something. It annoyed Max, who actually had problems. She wore her shiny, polished glass boots around the school like they were a trophy that said, "look at me! I'm Cinderella's daughter!"
Red Hearts was a whole other story. Her and Max were both from Wonderland, and Max knew more than he'd like to about her. Going to school with the same princess you were supposed to worship back at home was strange. He'd been bowing down to her since he was a child. Red liked to act like she didn't have it all. Perfect mom, loving sister, best friend, and most of all--
Luis walked up to Red, placing a hand on her shoulder as Robbie Hood trailed behind with Chloe.
--the perfect boyfriend. Max scoffed. He knew Luis was dating Red to get back at him. If you can't have the villain of Wonderland, why not have the princess? What an asshole. Max wasn't about to let Luis get a reaction out of him, so he looked to Felix instead, who was shuffling his magic cards.
"Spoiled little brats." Felix mumbled, glancing up at Chloe and Red.
"Fucking nepo babies." Max said, and Felix laughed. It wasn't fair that Red and Chloe had their whole lives handed to them on a silver platter. They lived in castles for gods sake. With maids and butlers and guards and everything. Before getting his dorm at Auradon, Max lived in a small, abandoned cottage in Wonderland. Alone. It just wasn't fair. Red had everything Max wanted. The perfect life.
Max dreamed of an alternate reality where he lived in The Queen of Heart's castle. He wouldn't have to sew his own clothes or dye his hair with glow-in-the-dark mushrooms he found outside his home. He would have people waking him up, dressing him in nice, comfortable cotton clothes, and doing everything for him. He'd never have to worry about anything ever again.
Sadly, that wasn't his reality.
Felix started showing a few HK's a magic trick with his cards, so Max took the opportunity to join in.
"I'm going to show you a hat trick. If you don't like it, I'm going to be very upset," he said, lowly, taking his hat off in fake solidarity. He twirled his hat around, making sure the HK's eyes stayed on it. He swiftly grabbed a bag of money out of the HK's pocket and shoved it back into his hat. Max couldn't keep anyone captive or use anyone as servants, but he sure could pick-pocket. He honestly just did it to feel something. Feel that something that everyone saw in him. The evil part. The HK's all clapped for him at his distraction-trick and he bowed. Felix pulled one of his cards out and scared the kids, all scrambling off while screaming. As the HK's ran off and Max put his hat back on his head, a smirk on his face as he jingled the coins in his hands, he locked eyes with Luis. Luis's eyes looked sad and maybe... disappointed? Max's smile faltered. The one person who ever saw the good in him.
The moment was broken when Red stumbled back into Luis's arms, Luis catching her perfectly like he was dipping her at a wedding.
Max's eyebrows creased and he shook his head. He tried to refrain from it, tried not to let his anger get the best of him, but he couldn't. He waved a hand behind him, urging his crew to follow him as he took slow, careful steps to approach the group in front of him. He twirled a gold coin around in his fingers.
"Hey, Robbie," he said, a mocking smile on his face, "for Sherwood's collection box."
He flicked the coin at Robbie, who caught it with a frown.
"Drop the act, Max. No one's buying it," said a familiar voice, guiding Max's eyes back to Luis Madrigal's face. "No matter how hard you pretend not to be your father."
The words felt like a stab at Max's heart. From anyone else, he would've rolled his eyes and moved on. But, Luis? The boy he once loved? The boy he spent late nights with venting about his father and the bullying he faced because of him? The boy who told him that no matter what anyone said, Luis would always know Max was good? His eyes began to well with tears. He quickly pushed them back, his eyes stinging, not about to let his friends and the HK's and most importantly Luis, see him cry.
"Oh," Max nodded with a smile, like he wasn't offended. He nodded like it was some sort of challenge.
"What's wrong with his father?" Max heard Red ask. Now that earned an eye roll. Acting like she--the princess of Wonderland herself-- didn't know.
"You mean the number one villain in all of Auradon?" Luis replied, a strange tone to his voice. He said it, less like an explanation to Red, and more like he wanted Max to hear it.
"At least I'm not Luisa Jr." Max said, pointing with a smirk. He felt the strong urge to upset him. If he wanted to play dirty, then fine. Max knew Luis was insecure about people comparing him to his mom. "Do they feed you more than hay up on that mountain, Madrigal?"
Luis scoffed, and Max could tell he was upset. It was the way his eyes narrowed and he bit his cheek. Max always noticed that. "How about you just keep it moving, huh, Hatter? I'm sure the Hat Trix need help lurking somewhere. Sal de aquí."
Sure, the fact that Luis called him Hatter and not even his first name stung, but speaking Spanish to him was a low blow. Back when they dated, Luis would teach Max how to say things in his language. He would call him beautiful in Spanish. Max used to love when he spoke in Spanish. Now, in that very moment, he hated it more than anything.
Max could tell Luis was thinking the same thing by the look on his face. He did it on purpose. He was taunting him. Max and Luis got closer, tension high. Max was about ready to kill him.
"I know you're not dissing my crew," Hazel said, coming out of nowhere and pushing Luis and Robbie away with her hook.
Hazel began saying something else, inching towards Chloe with an evil look, but Max wasn't listening. His eyes stayed on Luis, whose eyes stayed on Red.
Suddenly, a loud whooshing sound came from above them. Max looked up, spotting something flying through the sky. He could tell what it was by the red, glittery trail of miniature hearts floating behind it. He swallowed hard. That couldn't be good. Max hurried behind Red as she caught the card, studying it over her shoulder.
"Maddox Hatter has captured the Queen! Come quickly!" The card spoke in that annoying, high pitched British voice that Max hated. He hated it even more when it said his father's name. Felix stole the card and made the VK's laugh, doing some dumb trick with it and hiding it behind his pointer finger. Red was upset, reaching out for it. Felix handed the card to Max, expecting him to continue the joke and steal it or something. Max wasn't laughing at the joke. He couldn't. His dad was ruining his life all over again.
Max handed the card to Red.
The VK's retreated, and Max felt dazed as he walked away. His throat was dry and his heart was beating. He and Hazel entered the school, and he pulled her off to a quiet, secluded hallway.
"What was he thinking, kidnapping the queen?" Max exclaimed.
"Well, at least you're here and he's in Wonderland," Hazel said. "No one can blame you."
"Except they do." Max replied, hurt in his voice. He thought about Luis and his words. "No matter how hard you pretend not to be your father," rung over and over in his head. "I'm tied to him. It doesn't matter where I am. I wish there was a way I could change that."
"Okay, so stop complaining and do something about it," Hazel urged.
Suddenly, an idea came to Max's head. "You're right! You're so right!"
Hazel laughed, proud. "Of course I'm right."
"Okay. Get Felix and the Smees. Meet me at the Rabbit Hole. Yeah?" He said, and hurried out of the hallway and out of the school. This could fix everything. He could save the day. No longer be seen as his father's son. He met up with his group, and began out to the Rabbit Hole, where two people already stood. Great.
"I hope your plan includes us, because we're coming with you to Wonderland," Max said to Red and Chloe.
"Yeah, I don't think our interests exactly align." Chloe scoffed, turning around. "Come on Red."
"You need someone that knows how to beat my father at his own game. And I can help with that." Max said, sincerely.
"You'd sell out your dad? It's not so easy." Red questioned. God, why was she being so difficult?
"Well, good news, princess. Not much of my life has been easy." He thought back to the whispered and shouts in the hallway, his house, his life, and Luis. "And I have my dad to thank for that. But I'm not him. And I never want to be."
"Not to fear, help is here." Luis said, appearing out of nowhere with Pink and Robbie. Great. Fucking amazing. Now, not only did Max have to complete this journey with two perfect princesses, he had to do it with his ex. Red looked just as annoyed. "Fine."
With that, they all walked up to the Rabbit Hole. Max had been down it thousands of times. After all, it was his home. He couldn't say the same for the rest of the kids, though. They all looked nervous, except for Hazel and Red.
Red jumped in first, as she too was experienced, then Chloe. Max watched as Luis reluctantly walked up to the void. Before he could stop himself, he placed a hand on his shoulder, urging him to go. Luis looked back at him, surprised, almost stumbling on his feet before he jumped.
Max and Hazel jumped in shortly after. Going down the rabbit hole was a blur of rainbow colors, mirrors, watches, and butterflies all too familiar. As Max slowly drifted down, he caught sight of himself in one of the mirrors. Except, the picture inside wasn't him. He looked....evil. Like, really evil. He looked like his father.
The reflection soon faltered and rippled away, and the mirror instead showed present day Max. And there was Luis, behind him. Max turned around, wondering if Luis saw it too. Luis just turned away, avoiding him.
Max tried not to be hurt by it. Soon, he felt himself drift slowly to the ground, and stared out at the beautiful, colorful world of Wonderland.