Short 24: Talking Heads

Whew I have art trades to work on and a ton of homework piled up for the long weekend, but I do believe I still have time to write! (hopefully)

I saw Mal enter the dining hall and quickly ran to get Evie, Jay, and Carlos. "She looked as if everything was completely normal," I said, slightly exasperated. "She even waved to me like nothing was wrong!"

"Maybe she does think nothing is wrong," Jay tried to crack a smile. Evie shot him a look as we entered the room.

"You've been evil all along!" I blinked, clearly not expecting Audrey's sudden burst.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Carlos closed the door behind us. I noticed Jane, Ally, and Lonnie were there with Audrey as well. "Accusations are flying faster than Aladdin in here!"

The son of Jafar circled Sleeping Beauty's daughter. "And you don't wanna let frown lines spoil that beautiful face, do you?" The girl only scowled.

Evie and I had approached Mal and faced the brunette. "Audrey, we VKs may be a lot of things but we're not fakers."

"Just admit it!" Audrey refused to let in, still pressing matters at Mal. "You're furious about not getting a jewel and you're 100% evil!"

"You're wrong, Mal is our friend!"

"Audrey, could you please quit the drama and just let all this pass?" I crossed my arms, frowning.

"After all these accidents that keep happening when she's involved?! And are you seriously going to say something after what they've done to you?"

At that, I was taken aback. "What exactly do you mean?"

"We have been planning this song and dance for ages—"

That's when chaos broke loose. Well, more like a very heated argument that didn't seem to end. I was behind Mal, watching everyone just begin to fight over the situation. I wanted to engage, but I had no idea what everyone was saying. I did see Mal bring her spellbook out though.

"Bicker, holler, squabble, and squawk, twist their words when next they talk!"

Green smoke emitted, and I ducked when one almost hit me in the mouth. It hit everyone else's mouths though, and the next thing I heard after that was Audrey shout. "In trouble big you are! Huh?"

"What now happening is?" Ally held her face.

"Voices are she's bewitched!" Jane gasped.

"Deserve you what get you!" Jay said triumphantly. But then he heard his own words. "Hey!"

"Dust the what," I gaped. "I mean, what the dust? Whew, thank Neverland…"

Everyone began to approach Mal, but Evie and I stayed near, attempting to defend. The blunette held her arms up. "Okay, okay! Things got a little heated, we all said things that didn't make any sense!"

"You bet you did," I huffed.

"But I'm sure if we ask nicely, Mal will take it all back. Right, Mal?"

"Wrong!"

The purple-haired girl suddenly jumped up and onto a table. Suddenly she…began to sing?

"~I carry on like a princess
But man I've got 'em fooled~!"

She surfed the tables and onto the stage, green power formulating from her hands as she danced.

"~'Cause underneath my business
I am cold, I'm hard, I'm cruel~!"

Next thing we knew, she hit us with her magic and everyone – including me this time! – began to dance against their will! I saw everyone's horrified faces as they didn't even seem to realize what was happening!

"~Never gonna put a spell on me
Never ever gonna bring me back
Never gonna make me be
Somethin' I'm not because I'm evil!

Tell the people
I'm evil~!"

Although, I had to admit, it was nice to dance without looking like a puppet for once – probably never going to tell this little detail to anyone – but the next thing I knew, Audrey seemed to have broken from the spell, causing a domino effect. She threw one strawberry puff at Mal, and everyone began throwing food as well. She dodged them all, naturally, but I could hear everyone's twisted shouts.

"Ah!"

"No!"

"What the heck?!"

"Anyone pizza like?!"

"Here's face in your pie!"

"Gross!"

"NO!"

"Sorry, so I'm!"

I was ducking underneath the buffet table, beside Evie, who stuck her tongue out in disgust at everyone's behavior. "Tell me when it ends," I groaned.

Jay was laughing and pointing at Carlos, until a puff was thrown into his mouth, and he ended up chewing it. "Not bad. Hey! Eating cures the spell! Dig in!"

I slowly stood and scoffed at everyone who began eating the food in their hands. Especially at Carlos, who had eaten the food on his face. I stuck my tongue out at him before Audrey stomped over to Mal.

"That's it! As chairman of every committee, I hereby banish you from the Jewel-bilee!" This earned a gasp from Jane, and me dropping the nut I was going to eat. "And if I had the power, I would banish you from Auradon!"

Evie clamped a hand over her mouth, but the daughter of Maleficent seemed far from fazed. "Awww, that's okay Audrey~" Mal got up from her seat. "~Because I'm evil~"

Using her magic to open the doors, she continued to sing. "~Feels good to be bad, heh, so good to be bad~"

"What is going on?!" Jane cried, running after Mal.

The rest of us were too spooked to come up with a realization. "This isn't Mal," Evie said. "Why is she acting like this?" Jay and Carlos had no answer.

"Do you guys think she's really returning to villainy?" I couldn't help squeaking out.

"No way! …Possibly?" The three VKs exchanged a look, and I could tell they weren't at all definite.