So guess who just watched Descendants? That's right: me. And did I like it, yes I did. It's a cute movie with its issues. Did I love it? Well... no. Not really. I was kind of disappointed in the way everyone just kind of brushed away how they treated the kids during the rushed little ending. Ah well, overall I figure the movie was good. Perhaps a 3/5.

Anyways, this will be a set of random shorts set after the movie. Feel free to leave any ideas just please, PLEASE, no pairings or slash or whatever they're called. I prefer friendships and am aware that some of the characters relationships extend past that I don't think that's all that defines them. That being said, yes, Mal and Ben are dating in this and- most likely- the rest. I'll add on to this whenever I have spare time and reviews fuel my fire, just so ya'll know.

Hope you enjoy.

Like most things, no one meant to figure it out.

It's unfair to call it an accident because that's not what it was- not really. They just forgot that they've spent their entire lives being told that they were right and could do no wrong that it came as a shock when they realized that might not have been entirely true.

It happened after their son's crowning- after the defeat of Maleficent- when they called the four kids from the isle together so they could talk. Ben was against it of course, protesting that the kids had just gone through some sort of ordeal, though no one but them really knew what, and it warmed their hearts to know their son was so selfless and protective, but they refused to back down on the matter.

So they called them in- just the four of them alone for the first time since arriving at the school, and to their credit they didn't look afraid. They were just standing around waiting for either the king or queen to speak, to give them some sort of clue on why they were suddenly all being signaled out.

"You're probably all wondering why we called you here," the king said first and he didn't miss the way the kids rolled their eyes as he continued, "It seems that the four of you are the only ones who can tell us what happened yesterday- when Maleficent attacked us."

It might have been a trick of the light but he could've sworn he saw them all flinch slightly- like the mere mention of the name brought back something dreadful and he realized his son might've been more right then he'd like to admit. The kids were strong, though, the expression disappearing as quickly as it came and three of them looked at the purple haired girl- Maleficent's daughter, he's told, and Ben's newest girlfriend.

She seemed to take a steadying breath, trying to calm something inside of her, before she looked steely gazes with him and asked, "What is it you'd like to know?"

He blinked, her voice strong in a way he's not accustomed to with children, and a quick glance around at the other children's faces and he realized that they were all staring at him with unrelenting expressions. It was almost like he- a literal beast, once upon a time- didn't frighten him; not after everything they've already seen.

What went on that isle?

"I'm told that you four were the ones who defeated her," he said in a calm enough voice as he looked at each of them carefully now, taking in even the tiniest reaction for some sort of clue.

Beside him, he's aware his wife was doing the same thing which was good because she's been much better at this then him. He suspected she always sort of knew and was letting him speak because this was something he needed to figure out on his own.

"Not really us so much as it was Mal," the white headed boy corrected, gesturing towards Maleficent's daughter with a point; she smiled slightly at the praise, bowing her head like she was afraid of someone seeing.

"Ah. I see," he said with a nod, eyes narrowing on her as he asked, "That's quite a feat for someone so young. I'm impressed."

"Thanks," the girl said as she swallowed and locked her eyes back with him before she shrugged and continued modestly, "It was nothing."

It wasn't nothing but he couldn't decide if she really was being modest or wanted him to let the matter drop.

"Uh, yeah," the long haired boy interrupted with a clap of his hands and asked, "If that's all then we'll just be going."

They turned like they were going to leave and- to his surprise- Belle stepped forward suddenly calling after for them to stop. They did, looking at her unsurely.

"We're sorry about the other day," she said firmly looking in all of their eyes, "at croquet. We realize that it had gotten out of hand, and we're sorry that we allowed for it to go that far."

He swallowed, feeling her hand circle in his as she urged for him to do the right thing and back her up in the matter. He nodded but said nothing; the kids just looked at them like they had suddenly grown second heads.

"It's not a big deal," the girl- Mal- replied with a wave of her hand, "Really. I mean, we get it. We grew up on an island full of villains. What is there to expect? And it's true."

She stopped, swallowing, and it was then that he realized that they weren't upset by the words so much as the truth behind them. As much as he tried to think otherwise, the kids had feelings and were trying so hard to ignore them until then.

"They had no right to say those sort of things to any of you," he declared and felt his wife squeeze his hand in approval, "Any of us, really, and my wife is right. We let it get out of hand and for that I'm sorry."

And he meant it.

He really did.

"We don't need your apologies," the long haired boy reassured and though he was smiling it was about the way it didn't quite met his eyes that unnerved him, "and it's okay. It's true, anyways and we might have overreacted."

"No," he denied with a shake of his head because he knew now that they hadn't; everything that was said was true, and that's what had hurt them the most. Chad knew that, which was why he had said it.

"Sir, really," the blue headed girl interrupted earnestly as she continued to gaze up at him like she knew something he didn't, "It's not a big deal and neither was the Maleficent thing. It's just a part of growing up on the isle."

There it was, out in the open, and he felt his wife stiffen beside him.

"You're no longer on the isle-" Belle started but was interrupted by Maleficent's daughter again when she burst out in sudden laughter.

"You joking?" she demanded and something about her expression and laughter reminded him of the Mistress of all Evil, "Do you even have any idea why our parents even let us come? Why they agreed to all of this?"

"Mal," the other girl protested softly but her friend just held up her hand as she continued determined now, something in her eyes revealing that she wanted them to hurt now.

"They agreed," she continued with a certain edge in her tone, "because they wanted us to steal the wand and destroy everything you've created, everything you've ever cared for and finally have their vengeance. We were just the tools in getting there."

None of them seemed bothered by her use of 'tools' but Belle did beside him and some part of him was also. He didn't let it show, instead just continued looking in her eyes hoping to find some shard of a lie but came up with nothing. They're parents had only been using them and he couldn't help but wonder for how long.

She broke away first, shaking her head as laughter bubbled from her throat again and she demanded, "You really don't know anything about the isle, do you?"

He didn't answer, and they took that as permission to leave.

They left as a group, close enough to touch if any of them wanted to but that wasn't how they drew their comfort so they didn't. It was enough to just be near each other and the door clanging shut behind them was what finally broke whatever spell had been casted over the room.

Belle gasped, horrified, as her knees weakened and both her hands covered her mouth as she asked, "What horrors did they witness on the island?"

"Don't know," he admitted eyes still narrowed on the spot they all left from, "but I intend on finding out."

Ben wasn't much help, telling him what he already knew: the kids didn't like talking about their parents and whenever they did it was always cautious like they were afraid of them, they drew comfort from each other and they've expanded their group slightly but even then they didn't really have what the four of them shared alone.

He remembered on the field when his son asked Maleficent's daughter to be his girlfriend and how the long haired boy seemed to look after the other kid during the game, how well they had worked together. The coach even confided to him once that it was the long haired kid's idea to let his friend out in the game.

They were a close knit bunch, capable of letting others in but not completely.

He already knew that, though, and it wasn't until his son suddenly grew real somber, eyes turning too young and vulnerable as he spoke in a soft voice, did he realize how bad it might've been.

"I think Carlos's mother abused him," Ben admitted and he sounded so scared all of a sudden- like he could never imagine a parent treating their child cruelly- as he quickly added, "Not physically but I think she made him go through some terrible stuff. He gets… weird, like he's expecting someone to pop in and order him around. I asked Mal about it once and she got real serious and told me to never bring it up ever again."

He blinked, not sure how to reply as he looked at his son's eyes as they practically begged him to make it better. To undo whatever had been done to them.

"And I think Maleficent belittled Mal, convincing her that she wasn't good enough and that she was weak," his son continued and he thought back to that girl and thought that was impossible because she seemed so strong then, "and when I took her out on our first date she told me that she didn't know what love is, like she's never experienced it before."

"Of course she hasn't, Ben," he interrupted unable to take much more, "They grew up on the Isle of the Lost. Love was never the villains' strongest forte but surely they loved their children like all parents-"

"No Dad," Ben interrupted with a shake of his head as he leapt to his feet and practically breathed, "They'll all like that. It's like they're constantly waiting for the next strike, constantly afraid of someone saying something stupid and hurting them, and I know they're strong but, Dad, their just kids. Like me."

He had a brief vision of people treating his son like he saw the four of them be treated and something foul made its way up his throat. No wonder his son was so protective of them, it all just seemed so awful and wrong.

"I know Ben but it's all better now. Maleficent has been defeated and they're safe here-"

"We can't keep them locked up here forever Dad," Ben reminded sounding very old all of a sudden as he sat back down and admitted, "Besides, I think they hate it here. Not as much as back on the isle but all we've done is change one prison for another."

"Ben-"

"Don't say I'm overreacting because I know I'm not. It's gotten better but not good. They still don't feel like they're wanted and, I don't know, perhaps people treat them like that when I'm not around," his son interrupted fiercely and his eyes were practically burning now.

"I'm not trapping them here," he finally replied, hoping to calm his son down some, "They're free to come and go as they please. Maleficent's gone and everything will be okay."

"For us maybe," Ben snapped, "but what about the others? They all have parents too, with their own sets of problems."

"What are you saying son?" he pressed, wishing his so would just come out and say whatever he wanted to say.

Ben looked at him then, eyes filled with the same despair they held when he begged for him to allow them to join them, "They all have parents, Dad, and just because one person is gone doesn't mean that that all that abuse they've lived with on the island will just go away."

He swallowed, knowing his son was right.

There was only so long someone could take of being told that they weren't good enough, weren't strong enough, un-loved before they started believing it themselves.

They didn't seem to improve.

They acted happy, allowing plenty of people to join them as they talked and laughed and just hung out, but he knew it was all just an act. It was the small things that set him off: eyes shifting towards the isle, the slight flinching whenever someone unfamiliar touched them, the way their smiles hardly ever seemed to reach their eyes.

Ben wasn't ashamed to admit that he was concerned about them and he reported everything he felt comfortable reporting to his father in hopes of him fixing it like he had before. Even then, he never really understood until he somehow ended up alone with Jay after practice.

The other boy seemed content in not acknowledging him and Ben swallowed something hard before he walked up to him, cautious of keeping his distance. It was no secret Jay was the most… physical out of the four of them.

"So… uh, how are you liking it here?" he asked trying to not sound too awkward.

Jay turned, raising an eyebrow at him, before he burst out laughing and replied as he playfully punched at him, "It's better than on the island, that's for sure."

"What do you mean?" Ben prodded and Jay dropped his hands to his side as he shrugged, shoving his clothes back in his locker.

"It's nicer here," he explained and though his smile never faltered there was something hard in his voice, "Cleaner. Better things to steal, that's for sure."

"Stealing is wrong," Ben recited one of the major things his mother had taught him and was surprised when Jay turned a confused expression on him.

"Says who?" he demanded before realization seemed to strike and he nodded with another grin, "Oh right, your parents. I keep forgetting."

"Forgetting what?"

"That it's different here," Jay admitted and he wasn't smiling anymore as he bowed his head; when he looked back up, though, the smile was back as he added, "You snobby kids have no idea how well you have it, no offense."

Ben waved the comment off, more interested in the fact that Jay just admitted his father had encouraged him to steal. If his father ever caught him doing that then he'd be grounded forever.

"Jay, did any of your parents do anything to you?" he suddenly blurted and then felt regretful when the boy's sudden hardened expression turned on him; it was one he hadn't seen before and it frightened him.

"Why? Has any of them said anything?" he demanded and his voice was cautious as he straightened his back so he was staring in the prince's eyes seriously now.

"Uh… not directly," Ben admitted with a slight shrug, "It's just the little things, you know? Why? Have they?"

Jay sighed, slamming his locker door shut before turning to him and growled, "Don't ever repeat what I'm about to tell you to another soul, but all this perfect little parents thing is different then what we're used to. Our parents aren't like that. They only care about certain things and we're not very high on those lists."

"What?" Ben asked, appalled at the words because there was no way their parents couldn't just not love them. They were their kids.

"Cruella only loves her furs," Jay explained in a hard sort of voice, "the Evil Queen her looks and Maleficent her revenge and stupid pet crow."

And Ben felt like he was pushing it when he asked, "And Jafar?"

Jay glanced away, "Whatever I can bring him at the end of the day. Everything I know about stealing I've learned from him, you know."

"Sure," Ben agreed though he hadn't really- had just expected he had butterfingers because he wasn't used to all the nice stuff not found on the isle.

Jay chuckled again, the noise sounding dry, when the door clanged open and Carlos's loud voice called out, "Jay? What's taking so long? Jay? Oh-"

The smaller teen turned the corner and Jay's face changed so fast Ben was almost convinced he had never not looked like he did then as he practically beamed at his smaller friend, something mischievous spreading across his features.

"I was just leaving," Jay explained as he slung an arm over his friend's smaller shoulders and they headed out of the room- not before the boy shot Ben another warning look before being drawn in to whatever Carlos was saying.

Ben swallowed, feeling a lot worst about the whole thing then before.

Mal figured out what he was doing the next time she saw him, frowning in disappointment as she crossed her arms and accused, "You don't trust us."

"What? Of course I trust you," he protested instantly, flashing back to the cookie incident and swallowed; if she offered him anything to eat then he'd refuse.

"Then why are you asking so much about our parents and the isle?" she demanded still sounding angry.

"Because I'm worried," he admitted and her expression softened fractionally as her shoulders slumped.

"This isn't something you have to worry about," she reassured softly, "It doesn't concern you and, in case you haven't noticed, we were doing just fine without all of your concern."

"It's not that," Ben rushed instantly, "I just don't want you to feel like you don't belong or aren't wanted. You are, and I just want to show you that."

"I know," Mal sighed before touching his cheek and whispered, "but we already know that. Our parents don't define us."

"But you're still scared of them?" he asked and hated the way she hesitated before nodding her head slightly.

"Of course. Not so much me anymore since my mother's been defeated but the others, sure. They're not the same as your parents, and they're not kind but they're still our parents and we do love them. For now, that's enough."

"You sure?"

She nodded again, a rare genuine smile crossing her features as she replied, "Sure and you don't have to worry so much. We might not be perfect but we're getting there. Our parents don't define us."

"Absolutely."

And he did back off, knowing that that's what they needed and- at the moment- that was enough.