Ben's Perspective

"Come in," Ben called when he heard the knock at his door, setting down his mug of coffee. He was reading over some documents before heading down to class, but when he saw Millie enter the room, he rose. He regretted the action when he felt the soreness all over the front of his body worsen from getting up so fast.

"Good morning, your majesty," Millie called as she walked in with a cake carrier between her arms.

"Millie!" Ben exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, me," Millie said with a chuckle. When Ben just continued staring in surprise, she asked, "Is something the matter?"

"No, not at all," he said half-heartedly. "What's that you're carrying?"

"A cake. It...I heard you weren't well, but you look about as chipper as a kipper."

"Thank you. Wait, you heard I was unwell?" Ben asked. "Where from?"

"Nothing. It must have just been a little rumor, I wouldn't pay attention to it. But, I suppose, I'll still give you the cake." She set the carrier down on the table and smiled. "I have a special talent for guessing what kind of cake is a person's favorite. I just knew you must love carrot. Am I correct?"

"Yes," Ben said, his eyes slightly widening. "You really only guessed?"

"Of course. Well, it's a little more than that. People with kind eyes usually like carrot, I've found."

"Thank you." Ben eyed the cake gleefully before his face gloomed. "Um," he started, "I'm very sorry to say this, Millie, but I have to put an end to our study sessions."

Millie's eyes scowled? No. No, they widened. Ben must have imagined the hateful look that cast over her face for half a second. "May I ask why?" She asked pleasantly.

"I just...can't be tutored by you anymore. I'm sorry."

"Well, no worries." Millie's tone was even more pleasant than before. "I'll see you around, your majesty. Goodbye." She turned and strode gracefully towards the door. She sent a smile over her shoulder before leaving the room. When the door was closed, Ben sighed and picked his coffee mug back up. He went to take a sip while he looked at the cake sitting on the table, but the coffee spilled all over his front. He was sure he'd been holding it upright, but it's like the liquid developed a mind of its own for a second. He held in a scream as it scalded him. He had been sure that it was barely above room temperature-the way he preferred it-but now it was near-boiling.

How odd. Ben thought.

Mal's Perspective

Mal liked to think that she was pretty used to attention. She literally grew up with a spotlight on her on the Isle thanks to being Maleficent's daughter. Then, she got used to the wary looks that followed her when she first came to Auradon. Then, it was the starstruck and sometimes jealous looks that came with her dating Ben. But today, things were a little different. She was only a few hours into the school day, but so far she knew something was off. Everyone went out of their way not to meet her eyes or be caught staring at her. She'd rounded a corner earlier after hearing someone mention her name and, when the two people that were talking noticed her, they literally fled at a near-run. Even one of her teachers had trouble making eye contact with her when she answered one of his questions. All of this had her feeling a little on edge. That was why she jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand tap her shoulder. She turned around and saw Mason.

"I'm here to collect your soul," Mason said in a deep, raspy voice as he made his eyes roll to the back of his head and put on a creepy expression. All smiles and laughs, as usual. "Come on, I know that was funny," Mason added when she didn't react. "Why're you so jumpy, what's wrong?"

"Other than the fact that everyone's been staring at me?" Mal asked.

"Oh. Did something happen?" Mason asked.

"What do you mean?" Mal asked worriedly.

"Nothing," Mason said, now avoiding eye contact.

"What is it, Mason? You have to tell me before I go insane."

"Well, I heard from Ginny, who heard from Jazz, who heard from Raf, who heard from either Winter or Hurrit that Pinch said he saw you magically turn Ben's head upside down and throw him around the forbidden forest. Naturally, I assumed it was worth taking seriously," he said sarcastically. "Though, if you ever do decide to commit treason like that, you can count on me to give you the perfect plan to run from the law," He finished with a chuckle. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed how wide her eyes had gotten. Mal's heart had sunk into her chest as she realized why everyone was acting like they were scared of her.

"Oh no," Mal finally breathed.

"This isn't true, is it?" Mason asked incredulously. When Mal didn't respond, he said, "Well, don't worry, this is all gonna blow over. I'm sure that, in a few days, they'll all be talking about something different." When she still didn't respond, he added. "I could go do a horrible breakdance during class so that everyone has something else to talk about. Or we could ditch if you don't wanna deal with school today."

"Thank you for trying to make me feel better, but I think I just need to be alone right now." Mal put on her best poker face as she said, "I'll be fine."

"Sure," Mason called when she walked away without another word.

Later that Day in Uma & Carver's Room

The sound of clattering dishes made Carver a little nervous when he approached his door. It sounded like a tornado was hurling around thousands of breakable objects. After doing a sweep with his mind and determining only Uma was in the room, he opened the door cautiously. On the other side, he found Uma holding a sword in one hand and a porcelain cup in the other. She was surrounded with shards of glass and shattered china and she'd kicked off the heels she usually wore when she walked around as Millie. She tossed the cup in the air and struck it with her sword before it could fall to the ground, sending pieces of what used to be Carver's favorite coffee mug all over the room. One of the shards would've cut her leg, but her ring glowed and it bounced right off of her. When she noticed Carver, she put the sword down...by shoving the blade into an end table so it embedded itself into the mahogany.

"Tell me you had some kind of luck." It sounded less like an inquiry and more like an order.

"I'd be lying," Carver said with a sigh. "You?"

She looked at Carver like he was an idiot then gestured to the shrapnel all over the room. "Does it look like I'm celebrating?! No, your stupid plan didn't work. I'm starting to feel like I should go to plan B."

"Which is?" Carver asked apprehensively.

"Teleport some piranhas into Ben and Mal's bathwater, kidnap Jane and demand the wand from Fairy Godmother, then break the barrier down. I could've had it done already if I wasn't stupid enough to believe someone from Auradon could come up with a halfway-decent scheme. There have been no results. You just have us running around trying to break up Ben and Mal like we're villains in some cheap soap opera. Do you not know who I am?"

Carver backed a step away as thoughts jumped from Uma's mind to his. She was definitely upset. No. More like enraged.

"I'm the Queen of the Isle. And you've got me acting like some dainty little princess. I've had it! For someone that can read minds, you are a horrible matchmaker. He rejected Millie. Your plan failed. We've got-what?-two weeks until Federation Day. What are we supposed to do? Do you even want the barrier broken down? Because it feels like you've been trying to play me." She picked up her sword and took a step closer to him. "And no one plays me! Do you understand?!" She took a step closer.

Carver raised his hands in concession. "I understand your frustrations. It's my fault, I assumed this would be easier. But you have to realize that we have to keep Mal away from Ben if this plan is gonna work. She'd notice something is up if she's too close to him."

"I don't care about your shipwreck of a plan!" Uma yelled, taking another step closer.

Carver noticed he was now within reach of her sword, but didn't back away. He gave her a calming look and lowered his hands. He continued assuringly, "I'm sorry it's taking so long. But if we just take the barrier down, it'll be chaos. I just know it. You have to know how many people from the Isle are resentful...rightfully resentful. It sounds horrible and unfair spending a lifetime there. But letting them free so suddenly would start a war and lead to everyone you freed just getting thrown back on the Isle, or worse. The Auradon Exchange Program would end forever. All the VKs would be sent back to their parents. But if we can get someone with a crown to broker a treaty...if you can use the influence you've gained-no, earned-from being such a powerful and respected figure on the Isle...it would be a different story. We can peacefully unite Auradon and the Isle. We have to be patient if we want that peace to be lasting."

"And how do you know that, genius?" Uma asked. She was still seething, but her thoughts had calmed slightly. Carver saw, though, that she was losing what little trust in him she had. So, he decided to give her a bit of truth he'd been keeping from her.

"You know how my powers revolve around minds?" He asked, making sure to seem reluctant to share this.

"Yeah?" Uma said impatiently.

"Well, I can also see the future kind of. I have these dreams and...I know this'll work. It has to work. Otherwise..." He reached out with his mind, offering Uma a memory of his. The premonition that drove him to contact her in the first place. He could feel Uma's mind viewing the memory and noticed her emotions and worries calm.

"Whoah." She said, suddenly speechless for a moment. Then she glared at him. "You've got one more chance from me. There are only two weeks to get this done. You'll hit fast forward on this plan, or I'll hit Auradon with the worst storm its ever seen on Federation Day. Capiche?"

"Yes. Thank you for your cooperation. You won't regret this, it'll work." Carver said.

"I'm going for a swim," Uma said before using a spell that made her disappear in a swirl of water droplets.

Carver sighed and collapsed to the ground. He was relieved that Uma had calmed down and went with the plan, but not surprised at how easily flattery worked. But now there was one issue: how to get this "shipwreck of a plan" back on track. Ben and Mal had rejected Millie and Mason thoroughly, so how could he change their minds? After a half hour of hard thinking with no good ideas coming to mind, he decided to sleep on it. He made his way back to his room, but stopped in front of his door when he noticed an odd squeaking sound. He followed it to Uma's door and opened it, thinking it might be a problem with her ceiling fan. When he entered the room and noticed the ceiling fan was off, his heart dropped.

Please don't be a rat, please don't be a rat, please don't be a rat. He thought. One of the many things that kept him from feeling he fit in in Auradon was his fear of everything that walked on more than two legs. He ran to retrieve a broom and returned to Uma's room. He followed the sound near her vanity and checked the floor around it for a solid minute before he noticed that the sound was coming from her jewelry box. He assumed she might've been keeping some weird creature in there for some magic potion she'd learned from her mom until a thought smacked him in the face. He had never experienced a thought being forced into his brain before, but the words open the box appeared all over his vision like he was seeing stars.

Against his better judgment, Carver opened the box and gasped.