Chapter Eight

A/N: I do not own anything with the exception of my OCs (who, as always, are free to play with). Everyone/everything else belongs to the wonderful world of Disney.

Well, it seems that COVID is still running rampant throughout the world. Everyone doing okay? Stay safe if you can and don't take unnecessary risks. Last thing I want is for you guys to be sick. Virginia's still doing well but it's estimated that our cases will peak around the first week of May before the drop begins. Hard to believe May's almost here-where has the time gone?

ElectricDragonSemblanceHunter: First off, love your name. But no, sorry. Chillin' Like a Villain will be next chapter though.

SailorMartin3: So in Descendants 3, when Mal goes back to the Isle after being cursed by (SPOILERS-but it's been almost a year. If you haven't seen it yet, you're probably not going to) Audrey, she remarks that she's back to normal. Celia states that only bad magic is blocked there.

As for Mal being protective of Gil, honestly that was something another reviewer had come up with and I personally kind of like it. I could see Mal defending the weaker kids on the Isle (I mean she's friends with Carlos so that has to have some basis of fact). Besides, Mal and Uma used to be friends so it could be that Mal still had a soft spot for Gil based on that.

Ayakitten83: Oh yay! I'm so glad!

twilightgirl587: I graduated High School in 2011, so I was in middle school from 2004-2006 (well technically 2007 but our school considered 8-9 as Jr High).

As for Ben...I'd be scared if I was him.

AmethystDragon14: Oh I'm so glad! Hades really needs to work on his anger management skills doesn't he? But then again I'm sure every dad would love to turn the boy who made their daughter cry into ash.

kaia: agreed, hopefully it doesn't scar the poor boy.

reika88: I never really liked Evie in D2, just because of the fact that she roomed with Mal. She's around Mal the most and she can't figure out that her best friend is hurting?

Tracie: Ah yes-Dragon Mal is my favorite!

Grapesoda77: Oh, thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

lilyflower101: Hard to say. Sometimes the heroes are not the best at noticing things that are out of the ordinary.

Kaybugg1: Glad to hear you're doing well in NC!

Dark Serpent Cat: Yes, there will be another break story after this one. Mainly because I enjoy writing them!

Hope you all enjoy this chapter and let me know your thoughts!

[The scene opens on a portrait of King Ben while a clock chimes in the background. As the camera pans the room, you can see Ben hard at work at his very cluttered desk.]

"You got enough stuff on that desk, dude?" Emir chuckled, resting a hand on Ben's shoulder.

"Yeah, that's got to be a fire hazard," Akiho smirked though he had to admit he was happy to see Mal and Ben sitting next to each other again. That didn't mean that he wouldn't give his best friend a hard time.

"Debra?" Ben asked, speaking into an earpiece.

"She needs a vacation when all of this is over," Adam/Beast noted. "She's an incredible worker—didn't take a day off throughout the entire coronation process."

"But that was a year of planning!" Ben exclaimed.

"Yep," Adam/Beast nodded. "Wouldn't take any overtime either. That didn't stop your mother from slipping into her paycheck."

"I don't know what you're referring to, dear," Belle said with an innocent expression on her face with the exception of a slight smirk.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Can you ask Lumiere to call me regarding Cotillion?" Ben asked, not paying much attention to the conversation as he was staring at multiple pieces of paper.

"Reminds me of your desk," Cinderella whispered to Kit.

"It's not that bad," Kit chuckled and Cinderella just raised an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe I need to look into some organization."

"The kids have neater rooms than your desk."

"Okay, okay!"

"Yes sir."

"Thank you."

As the conversation finished, Evie knocked on the door and then walked into his office.

"Evie, you never have to knock," Ben chuckled.

"Oh so if you and Mal are—"

"Oh wow, what's happening on screen?" Ben quickly cut Evie off, seeing Hades' glare deepening. Zeus, seeing the look on his brother's face, chuckled.

"Can't protect them forever Hades," Zeus muttered, resting a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Ben?"

"Evie?" Ben asked but then looked delighted to see his friend as he stood up. "Come on in."

Belle smiled as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder. She knew more than anyone how stressful the job could be and she was so glad that Ben had his friends in his life.

Evie turned around and shut the door. As she turned to face Ben, the pain could be clearly seen in her eyes. "Mal's gone back to the Isle."

The joy that had been on Ben's face slid off and a shocked look replaced it. Evie closed the distance between them and handed Ben a piece of paper.

Mal inwardly winced as she saw the look of pain on Ben's face. She never meant to hurt him.

"Ben…" Evie whispered and then handed him the ring he had given to Mal at Coronation all those months ago.

Audrey sighed as she looked over at Mal and Ben. Giving back his grandfather's ring would be the nail in the coffin. Six months ago, she would have clamored for the chance to have Ben back. Now, though, she just found herself wishing they would solve their problems.

Judging by how close the two were sitting, it seemed they were starting to.

Ben looked over at Mal, knowing that he still had his ring in his pocket. But he didn't ask. Not yet. It would be too awkward, especially as they had just started sitting together again. Besides, he did not want to give Hades a reason to fry him.

As if shaken from his stupor, Ben scrambled to read the note Mal had left him, reading a bit of it quietly to himself as the words 'I am so sorry' could be heard.

"She has nothing to apologize for," Kitty muttered under her breath. Sure Ben was Chad's friend and she'd always have a soft spot for her brother's friends (and even her brother on occasions). But that didn't mean he was forgiven for how he acted toward Mal.

Problem was, Ben was the king and Kitty didn't really want to find herself facing the Isle.

"What are you plotting?" Chad whispered, leaning over to block her from their parents' view. "Believe it or not, I won't tell mom and dad."

"Who are you and what have you done with Chad?"

"Look, I may not fully trust them, and I know I'm the last person to say what's a bad idea in a relationship, but Ben was out of line. Anyone with eyes could see Mal was at least trying. If anyone's asking for a full on Katherine Charming prank, it's Ben."

Kitty chuckled and nudged her brother in the shoulder with hers. While they may never see eye to eye, he was still her older brother. It was nice to know he had her back when it counted. "Thanks. I'll leave your name out of it though if I get caught. I don't think you can afford to get grounded again."

"I think I'll be running our kingdom before I'm finished with being grounded," Chad shook his head.

As Ben finished the note, he clenched it in his fist. "This is my fault."

"Finally!"

"This is my fault. I-I blew it. She's been under so much pressure lately and instead of being understanding, I went all Beast on her!"

"That's a saying?" Adam/Beast asked, looking over at his son with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe between me and the other guys on the team?" Ben chuckled softly, hoping he didn't have two extremely powerful people mad at him.

"I'm just messing with you Ben," Adam/Beast chuckled.

Standing back up from when he slammed his hands on the desk, Ben said softly "I have to go there and apologize."

"NO!" Emir exclaimed.

"Are you crazy?!" Akiho asked, staring at Ben as if he hadn't seen him before. "You, the son of the guy who threw all the villains on the Isle in the first place? That's like sending a lamb to a feast!"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Carlos shouted. "Of all the options, you pick that one! We have phones on the Isle you know! Call her!"

"Going to the Isle has got to be the dumbest thing you could think of!" Chad groaned. "You're the king!"

"Gee, it's a good thing this hasn't happened yet," Ben chuckled, pointing to the golden glow surrounding the permitter of the screen. Mal, meanwhile, was staring at her boyfriend in shock. In the chaos, no one noticed Hades' glower dim slightly at Ben's decision.

Belle, however, quickly grabbed her husband's hand and squeezed it in worry. While Ben was the king and could make whatever decision he wanted, it wouldn't stop a mother from worrying about her only child.

"Belle, lessen the grip," Adam/Beast muttered. "You're going to cut off the circulation to my hand."

"You're exaggerating."

"Remember when you gave birth to Ben? I think you broke three bones in my hand then."

Belle rolled her eyes but lessened the grip she had on her husband's hand.

"I have to go there and—and beg her to come back."

"Ben, you'll never find her," Evie told him, as if trying to talk some sense into the king.

"Yes, listen to Evie!" Jay nodded, as if encouraging the on screen Ben to see sense.

"I—"

"You need to know the Isle and how it works and…" Evie stopped as Ben went to stare out the window. Speaking softly, Evie continued, "you'll have to take me with you."

"So close," Jay sighed and shook his head.

"Evie, what are you doing?!" Mal exclaimed.

"Future or no, you're my best friend Mal," Evie told her. "You're worth it."

"Yes!" Ben agreed, whirling around. "Uh, are you sure?" Ben stammered out the question.

"Yeah. She's my best friend," Evie said before turning around as if she was trying to prevent Ben from seeing her face, "and we'll bring the boys too, because there's safety in numbers and none of us is really too popular over there right now."

"That's true," Uma smirked, thinking of the fun she could have with Mal on the Isle.

"Hey, don't drag me into this!" Carlos exclaimed at the mention of the 'boys', chuckling as Mal nudged his shoulder. Anita and Rodger couldn't help but smile at the interaction, even if Anita was cutting off the circulation of Rodger's hand in her worry about Carlos on the Isle.

Aladdin looked over at Jay in concern at the idea of the young boy going back to the Isle.

"He'll be fine," Jasmine whispered, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Doesn't mean I won't worry," Aladdin muttered back to her.

"Dear, this hasn't even happened yet," Jasmine told him. "I'm worried too but I'm trying to remind myself about that fact."

"Thank you."

"But let's get two things straight," Evie said, turning to face Ben. "You have to promise me that I won't get stuck there again."

"I promise," Ben told her.

"And there's no way you're going looking like that."

"Evie!" Mal sighed and shook her head. "She's not wrong though."

"Even Gil would be able to see you weren't from the Isle if you showed up in your suit and tie," Carlos chuckled, causing Uma to shoot a glare at the smaller boy. She was the only one who could mock her crew mates. Even if the DeVil boy had a point.

Ben paused before resting his hands on his hips, as if resigned to his fate of an Evie makeover.

[The scene fades to black before opening up on a shot of the Isle. Mal walked down the street, no one bothering her as she walked up to a shop named Lady Tremaine's Curl Up and Dye.

"Hard to believe my step-mother runs a shop," Cinderella shook her head.

"Aunt Ana does more of the upkeep than Granny," Dizzy told her. "I think I've only seen mom in the shop once and that was to pick me up when I was younger. Usually though I've been working with Ava."

"The name's not the most welcoming though," Ashaki noted.

Noting the sign on the door said Closed Until Midnight, Mal walked in. Inside the shop was an explosion of paint and colors, with broken down furniture. A young girl worked in the center of the room, sweeping as she listened to music. Mal smiled from the doorway as the young girl looked up.]

"Oh I love this song!" Kitty grinned.

"I know, I downloaded it when I was here," Dizzy chuckled. "Don't you recognize the headphones you gave me?"

"How'd you keep them from your grandmother or Anthony?" Lucy asked as Kitty stared at the screen in shock, noting the younger girl was right.

"Granny doesn't know and Anthony dismissed them as too girly," Dizzy told her. "Ava liked them though, hopefully I can get her a pair since her birthday's coming up."

Kitty looked over at Lucy, who nodded. One way or another, they were going to get Ava the headphones.

"Mal!" The girl exclaimed, taking off her headphones. "Is Evie back too?"

"Feeling the love," Mal shook her head in amusement.

"As if," Mal chuckled and the girl seemed to deflate in disappointment.

"Oh Dizzy," Evie sighed as she saw the disappointment on the younger girl's face.

"I, um, forgot that you guys don't open until midnight. Place looks good."

"Good? Clearly you don't know the meaning of the word," Rowyn muttered. "Place looks like mom's studio when Variant's raccoon broke in and smashed all her paints."

Meanwhile Lucy and Alexandria were chuckling about the fact that the shop didn't open until midnight. Given their mother's history, it seemed especially humorous.

The girl seemed to gain her excited energy back at the compliment and chuckled.

"So what is your deal? Has your grandmother given you any customers yet?" Mal asked, walking further into the shop.

"I don't know many people who would trust a ten year old with their hair," Emma whispered to Neal. She liked Dizzy and didn't care that she was from the Isle but the girl was still ten.

"Ah, just a witch here and there. Mostly, it's a lot of scrubbing and scouring and sweeping. Lots and lots of sweeping."

"Sounds like the old Cinderella treatment, hey?"

"Yeah, she's gone from Wicked Stepmother to Wicked Grandmother."

"Not much of a shift," Kit muttered, looking at his wife. "Probably acts as a wicked mother toward Anastasia too."

"Don't remind me of Anastasia still being on the Isle, Kit," Cinderella sighed. "But there's nothing we can do until the council makes their decision."

"The council moves slower than molasses in February," Kit grumbled.

"That's not really much of a switch," Mal said. "Hey Dizzy, you used to do Evie, right?"

"Yeah, I thought of the little braids," Dizzy told her, beaming with pride.

I stand corrected, Emma thought as she looked over at Evie. The Evil Queen's daughter always had great hair but Emma always thought it was Evie's doing.

"You have any ideas for me?" Mal asked, as if expecting the younger girl to bombard her with ideas.

"Mm," Dizzy said while holding one of her hands up as if studying Mal's face, before walking over and holding up part of Mal's hair. "The washed-out blonde with purple tips? The best of no worlds."

Mal chuckled as Dizzy continued speaking.

"You can't see where your face ends and your hair begins!" Dizzy told her as Mal sat down in the nearby chair.

"She's got a point," Audrey nodded, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "Hey Mal? I would normally never ask this but could you—"

"Turn your hair back to normal?"

"Yes please! I feel like I fell asleep in a vat of bleach and highlighters," Audrey said and Mal chuckled.

"Only because it'll annoy your grandmother."

"I'm okay with that!"

Aurora and Phillip chuckled as Mal sat up straighter and pointed her finger at Audrey. "Beware, forswear, replace the new with Audrey's old hair."

With a swish of Mal's finger, Audrey's head moved on its own command. By the time it stopped moving, Audrey's hair was back to its original brown.

"You know Grandmother's not going to be happy about that?" Phillip Jr said with a smirk as Mal conjured up a mirror to show Audrey. "She'll probably make you get it redone."

"Then I'll just change it back again," Audrey said, smiling as she looked at her reflection. "I didn't want it anyway."

"Oh I don't mind that you did it. I just want to be there when she loses her mind about it," Phillip Jr chuckled.

Grabbing her hand, Dizzy looked at Mal's nails. "Oh, what is this? Bored to Death Pink? Hmm, how far can I go?"

"The works? I mean, whatever makes me feel like me, but, you know..way worse," Mal told her.

"Too bad you've gone soft," Uma sneered. "You wouldn't be able to pull off the Isle's looks anymore."

"Yay!" Dizzy exclaimed and raced to pick up a pair of large scissors before turning to face Mal, who looked slightly nervous.

"Those are some massive scissors," Melody pointed out. "I don't blame Mal for being nervous."

"Actually, we all look like that when we go to Lady Tremaine's," Evie told the younger girl. "Those scissors are so ancient, they may as well be the ones the fates use to cut the life strings."

Dizzy worked on Mal's hair, dying it back to its original purple, cutting it and styling it.

"Is that a painting of Lucifer?" Cinderella asked, slightly taken aback at the size of the painting.

"Yep," Dizzy nodded. "If I get a splash of dye on it, I'm spending a week sweeping the floor of the shop."

Dizzy also worked on Mal's nails while her hair was drying, painting them a dark color instead of the neutral polish she had had on.

"Hey! There I am," Mal said as she looked in the mirror after Dizzy whirled her around in the chair.

"Whoa, nice hair Mal!" Akiho said in shock. Not that Mal looked nice of course, but because a ten year old did a job that nice.

Ben looked over at Mal, who was biting her lip as she looked at the screen in thought. "What's up?"

"I want to change my hair back," Mal told him. "Seeing the me on screen, with that hair...it just looks right."

"So do it."

"You're not going to freak out?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow. Ben chuckled.

"I deserved that."

"Yep."

Without standing up, Mal pointed her finger at herself and used the same spell as she used on Audrey but with different wording. As the magic cleared, Mal was still sitting next to Ben but with her trademark purple hair.

"That looks so much better!" Dizzy squealed but inside she was a little bummed she wouldn't have the chance to work her magic on Mal. Especially now that she knew she could do it.

"Voila!" Dizzy exclaimed.

"Voila," Mal agreed as she reached into her pocket to hand Dizzy some money.

'For me?"

"You earned it," Kitty told her cousin. "We always tip people who earn it here."

"Further proof she's gone soft," Uma scoffed. "Who pays that much for a haircut?"

"Yeah, you earned it," Mal told the younger girl, who seemed to be shocked that Mal was giving it to her. Dizzy went to put it in the register but was stopped by Harry walking through the door.

Emma bit her lip to avoid the blood rushing to her cheeks at the site of the pirate. There was no denying the fact that the VK was very attractive.

"Like what you see, sis?" Neal whispered, shaking his head in amusement.

"Fork it over, ya runt," Harry told her and Dizzy reluctantly gave the money she had just earned to the pirate. Tapping on the counter with his hook, Harry said, "now the rest of it."

"What are you doing?" Uma hissed at Harry as the Charming girls turned to glare at the pirate. "You know I gave the order that Drizella's daughter was off limits."

"First of all, it's a business transaction. I'm not targeting the runt," Harry whispered back. "Second of all, I haven't done it yet. There's still the fairy magic floating around the screen."

"You know the reason why the runt is off limits. Tremaine allows us to get our food before everyone else based on her connections. If you do anything to sever that connection, you'll be mucking the deck until you actually need a hook!"

Mal watched as Dizzy slunk behind the counter and started opening the register.

"Hmm. Thank you. Mm-hmm," Harry told the younger girl as he turned to leave, never noticing Mal was there.

"Wow, didn't think you'd miss Mal standing there," Gil chuckled. "Specially since you saved her life and all when we were kids."

"I need you to stop talking," Harry growled, waving his hook in front of Gil's face.

"Still running for errands for Uma, or do you actually get to keep what you steal?" Mal asked, causing Harry to turn around.

"Nice one!" Jay chuckled, raising a hand for Mal to high five only for it to be ignored.

"I got you," Carlos chuckled at the look on his friend and team mate's face and high fived Jay.

"Well, well, well. What a nice surprise."

"Hi, Harry."

"I don't think I'd be so casual," Jane Darling whispered as she wrapped an arm around Daniel.

"Jane! Stop it!" Daniel groaned.

"Just wait until Uma hears your back," Harry said, closing the distance between the two of them, a smile never leaving his face. "She's never going to give you back your old territory."

"Oh I'm sure I can handle Shrimpy," Mal said with a smirk.

"Not on your own," Uma shot back.

"Oh, well, that's okay. Because I will be taking it," Mal told him matter of factly.

Harry chuckled and brushed a bit of Mal's newly cut hair with his hook. "I could hurt you," he told her.

Ben glared and his hands balled into fists but he knew he couldn't do anything. He was the king—a king couldn't get into fist fights with his citizens. Especially over something that hadn't occurred yet.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hades' glare shift from him to Hook; Persephone resting a hand on his shoulder to try to keep the God calm. Was it wrong Ben was a little relieved to have the God's ire be on someone else?

"Leave Mal alone!" Hadie shouted, glaring at the pirate.

Mal grabbed his wrist and took the gum she had been chewing throughout the conversation and placed it on the tip of his hook. "Not without her permission, I bet."

"Nice burn!" Gil chuckled, causing Harry to whack the blond over the head with his hand.

"Have to agree with Gil," Akiho chuckled and Emir nodded.

"Where did you get gum?" Chad asked, looking over at Mal. "Does the Isle provide it?"

"That's what you're concerned about?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow. "But no, I brought it. I don't really care for pre chewed gum."

The disgusted look on Chad's face totally made up for having to exchange words with him.

Harry chuckled before eating the piece of gum from the tip of his hook.

Macaria gagged—she couldn't imagine eating gum that had been in someone else's mouth.

"That's disgusting," Jane Darling muttered.

He turned to leave but swept everything off the counter and let it clatter onto the floor. Mal stared, unimpressed, as Harry bowed before leaving.

"Great, more sweeping," Dizzy groaned.

"Poor Dizzy," Lucy sighed, shaking her head as Kitty glared at Harry for making life harder on her cousin.

Before the next scene could continue, they were interrupted by a figure walking through a door that had not been there before.

"Ah, Mary Poppins," the Blue Fairy smiled. "Are you joining us again?"

"Sadly, not this time," Mary Poppins told her. "I'm just here to drop something off and then I'll be on my way."

Looking at the door, Mary sighed. "I swear you Tremaines are all the same. Spit spot!"

Walking through the doorway was a young red-haired woman with a faded pink dress and piercing black eyes.

"Aunt Ana!" Dizzy exclaimed and raced over to her to give her aunt a hug.

"What's going on?" Ben exclaimed. "Mary—"

"Son, don't," Adam/Beast sighed. "I'm not happy about it either but remember what she told us last time. Mary Poppins would never bring someone who would be a harm to Auradon."

"Also, she never explains anything," Belle added. "I know. I've tried."

Anastasia looked over at Mary Poppins. "I really appreciate this but my children are—"

"They are currently enjoying time with their father," Mary smirked. "I must be off."

As Mary Poppins walked out of the room, many people shook their heads.

"I will never understand that woman," Mal muttered as Cinderella walked over to her step sister.

"Dizzy, dear, why don't you give your aunt a chance to breathe?" Cinderella suggested and Dizzy flushed before releasing her grip.

"Hello Ella," Anastasia said softly.

"So formal?" Cinderella chuckled before wrapping her step sister in a hug. "You're never going back. I promise you."

"Hey Anastasia!" Mal called out and the Isle kids waved. Anastasia chuckled.

"So now that I'm here….where am I?"

Cinderella shook her head in amusement. "Come on. I'll catch you up on everything."

"Oh you mean like how Mary Poppins knows who my husband is?"

"Exactly."