Short #9: Good is the New Bad
This is a slight songfic. You have been warned! w
"Guys, you're gonna be late for the talent show!"
"Oh, right, that thing's tonight."
"You still sure you're not joining, Pen?"
"I'll be fine, Eve," I assured, nodding with my arms crossed. "Now hurry up and get dressed!"
A few hours after that, I was wearing my favorite green denim jacket for the occasion. One reason I liked it was because it had my symbol – my Dad's red feather in dark green outline – behind it. I was with Mal and Evie, encouraging them for tonight's performance, and overheard Audrey and my roommate Lonnie, talking as well. They were partners for the show, so it makes sense, but their conversation was just stupid.
"You look totes cute."
"No, you look totes cute!"
"No, you look totes cute!"
"I am going to be totes sick," Mal groaned. I chuckled, agreeing, my hand on my waist.
"Welcome to Auradon."
"Hmph." Someone in the corner caught my friend's eye. "Who's that?"
I turned to see yet another familiar face. Evie beat me to introduction. "Ally, Alice in Wonderland's daughter."
"We go back," I said, smiling a bit. "Our parent's aren't royalty, so we've hung out a few times before."
"I see…"
"Girl's got to know her competition! Or in this case, her not-atition! Get it? Because she's not competition?"
"Seriously?" I deadpanned, and the bluenette shrugged.
"I got," Mal sighed. "Living in Auradon is getting to you. You really need to stop with the made-up words."
"Whysies?" Evie winked.
"Even I don't do that," I sighed, waving the blonde girl over. "Ally!"
The lost-looking girl looked at me and frantically came up to us. It kind of confused me, considering Ally was usually a cheerful person.
"Hi, Penelope…"
"Hey Ally, you OK?" Evie asked.
"No! My partner lost her voice, and can't sing tonight! I need to find a new partner now, or my chances of winning go down the rabbit hole!"
"What about Pen?" Mal questioned, gesturing to me. "She's sort of available."
"No, I'm not," I responded quickly. "I don't sing, neither dance."
"Aw, Penny," Evie teased.
Freddie, who had just entered the area, was groaning as she came up to us, muttering her complaints as she waltzed over. "You shrink one guy's head, and no one wants to sing with you…"
"What, you learned how to do magic and shrunk someone's head within the hour?" I gaped.
"Uh…yeah?"
"Ally doesn't have a partner," Mal mentioned. "Why don't you two sing together? Penelope's being a baby again."
"Am not!"
"A VK?" The blonde girl chuckled. "Are you magical? Do you spout horns, just how evil are you?" When Freddie glared, she backed up a bit. "I don't think I can sing with her. If I hit the wrong note, she might turn me into a frog."
"Just because her father did it to Naveen, doesn't mean she'll do it to you," I pointed out. The black-haired girl shrugged innocently.
"Maybe…but I'm not taking any chances! It can happen!"
"Never! I'd just shrink your head like my last partner." Freddie held up a small, rotten head by its hair, and Ally gasped.
"Oh, it's disgusting! But curious, can I touch it?"
"Ew." We were obviously interrupted by Audrey's drama. "Can you guys talk about this somewhere else? We're first."
I suddenly noticed the students about to pile into the room. The lights were dimming, being replaced with spotlights and much brighter ones. "Showtime," I murmured.
Mal scoffed. "Ho! Actually, we're up first."
"Sorry!" Audrey sang, not really sorry.
"That isn't fair, Auds," I shot.
"Hey! They'll be after us. All's fair in showbiz." She turned to Lonnie. "Let's go."
The Chinese looks unsure as Audrey was already moving. "But, they're already—"
"Now, Lonnie!"
She shot us an apologetic look, and Mal and Evie waved it away. As the music was starting, I gave my friends a bit of a cross between a dirty look and a sly smile and encouraged Mal and Evie onto the stage as they were singing.
Call it bad, call it good
Call it even if you could
Call it good, call it bad
It's the best you've ever had
Audrey only ended up shoving both of them to the side. Mal and Evie turned to me, shrugging. "Forget them! At some point, you're gonna sing," I insisted.
"Wow, seriously?" Mal smirked.
"Yes! Just keep having fun, and I'll be at the center." I grinned and whipped my tab out of my jacket.
"What about you?" Freddie questioned, raising and eyebrow.
"Like I said, performance isn't my style. Again, I'll just be here!" I leapt off the stage and pushed my way into the audience.
We know what's hot, what's not
We strike a pose and then they take a shot
They get in close, they try to run the spot
We come to show 'em what we got, we got
As I made my way to the front, I found Ben cheering for the girls. Once he saw me, he smirked. "Hey, you're not singing!"
I had to laugh as we high-fived. "Please, you know very well I don't do that stuff."
"Hey, Pen!" I turned to my side and grinned wider when I saw Carlos. Walking beside him was Jay, and I fist-bumped them both.
"'Sup guys."
"Some show," Jay commented, chuckling a bit. "Never did I think I'd ever see Mal sing on stage."
"That much of a shock, huh," I chuckled.
"Singing about being a villain, sure," Carlos bit his lip. "Singing about being a cross of evil and good? Not so much."
"What about Freddie, though? That normal?"
"It's never normal when a VK sings." When Carlos winked, I giggled a little, knowing that's true.
It's time to make a stand
We breaking through and now we in demand
We here for good it's really not so bad
So shout it out and give it all you have
"You guys enjoying Auradon so far?" Ben asked the boys.
"Oh, yeahhh," Jay said, droning out his words.
"Jay," I said sternly.
"Hey! It's no Isle of the Lost, but we're definitely feeling at home now."
Bad was all the rage last week
But good had got a wicked beat
"What about you, Carls?" I said teasingly, nudging him at yet another nickname I'd made up on the spot.
"It is wicked here," he admitted.
I raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh."
"No! I meant, wicked as in good!" He smiled sheepishly. "You know, wicked is how we VKs call good?"
"Uh-huh."
"Seriously!" Carlos laughed, nudging me back. "So you wanna take hang out with Dude later? You know…just the three of us?"
I blinked at him, resisting the urge to smile or giggle again. Was he asking me out or something? "Of course," I replied determinedly.
The albino smiled back.
In my pocket, I felt the love potion Freddie had given me. I stuck my hand in and rubbed it, slightly hesitant. But I'd already made up my mind to throw it away later.
Good is the new bad
Good is the new bad
We can feel the mad love
Gimme more of
I watched as all six of my friends were on stage singing now. As I'd predicted, no one was pushing anyone, and they all seemed to work together and have fun. I smiled at the people beside me: Ben, who was cheering the loudest for Mal; Carlos and Jay, in which one was screaming for his friends and the other just mock clapping yet still grinning; even Jordan, who was surprisingly enjoying the performance of the people who had just intruded her home just seconds ago.
Bad is the new good
Bad is the new good
We can feel the mad love
I think that we should
The girls were performing various moves now, and I was giving Mal a thumbs up. As she was dancing with Evie, she raised an eyebrow at me as if that wasn't good enough.
I think that we should
As some other posed, the purple-haired teen got Ally, and they just knelt by the stage, grabbed my arms and pulled me up. It was way too quick, and Mal held onto me way too fast for me to process. I had to climb on before my limbs were torn off, and the crowd cheered even louder.
I think that we should
I froze and turned around, with the others posing behind me while singing. Ally giggled up to my side as she gripped my arm and encouraged me to join.
Call it bad, call it good
Call it even if you could
Call it good, call it bad
It's the best you ever had
The next verse came way too quick and I had ended up being pushed to the back. The verse was taken by the VKs, and they only grinned at me, as if telling me to follow their moves.
We use to love the dark
But then we saw the light and felt spark
Then the AKs slid in, with Ally pulling my arm again. They know encouraged me to follow their own steps, with the VKs only scoffing beside.
We bring the fire and make it better and better
Cause good is back and now it's badder the ever
As Mal, Evie, and Freddie stepped up, Ally, Audrey, and Lonnie continued.
Bad was all the rage last week
But good had got a wicked beat
I had just been standing there, chuckling to myself lightly with my arms crossed in between both sides. As the verse ended, I brought out a handful of gold dust and threw it to the floor.
Everyone gasped, obviously blinded by the sudden smoke. The music had paused just for a brief second, and the smoke began to clear just as quick. The crowd cheered even wilder now upon having realized that the two teams were mixed.
Good is the new bad
Good is the new bad
We can feel the mad love
Gimme more of
Bad is the new good
Bad is the new good
We can feel the mad love
I think that we should
The crowd didn't notice our glances at each other as we grinned happily.
I think that we should
Despite my having fun, I still checked my jacket pocket to make sure my tablet was still there. I smirked, knowing it was.
I think that we should
Preparing myself, I'd already positioned myself to the front of the stage, kneeling as I waited for Ally to come up, and we all began posing.
Call it bad, call it good
Call it even if you could
Call it good, call it bad
It's the best you ever had
At that final line and final pose, I instantly leapt off the stage, much to everyone's confusion. I landed on the floor and had turned around almost instantly, immediately snapping a picture as the last word was sung. What do you know? It was picture perfect.
As they all cheered loudly without me, I instantly put in a caption to my new photo once again: Good IS the new bad!
Feeling satisfied, the boys were laughing at me as they patted my shoulder. Exclaiming protests, I heard Evie was chuckling as well, as she held her hand out to me and hoisted me up again. Mal was giggling, probably from how exhausted she was and also at my little stunt. "What was that all about?"
"Grand finale?" I replied innocently. "Come on, admit that was awesome."
"It was hilarious, actually," Evie said breathlessly.
"You guys know I'm like a shadow!"
"In a world of VKs," Mal rubbed the top of my head. "You're a light now."
The girls gathered around me, only grinning. I looked at them all, smiling sheepishly. Great, now I felt bad. I only shook my head in exasperation and uploaded the picture.
Hope ya'll enjoyed! Descendants is sure getting popular, no? :3
I'd also like to make a short shout-out to Charr2003! Once again gurl, you never fail to be my favorite reader! :D
See you guys in a week~
