Chapter 5:
Ben and his father arrived at Fairy Godmother's sprawling English cottage on the outskirts of Auradon, a winding dirt path brought their car to a waist-high fence covered in delicate pink climbing rose bushes and a short walk up a stone pathway took them to the cottage's front door that was covered in a high archway dripping with bright purple Wisteria. Butterflies and birds flittered from colorful blooms and massive willows surrounding the adorable home.
Jane answered the door, looking tired but offering a kind smile as she led them into her mother's bedroom. She quickly excused herself to prepare refreshments and snacks for their visitors even though Ben insisted it wasn't necessary.
"I apologize for not being able to meet you elsewhere but I'm afraid I'm much too weak at the moment to move," Fairy Godmother said, gesturing to a small chair in the corner of the room and a footstool.
The two men carefully seated themselves, "It's really no trouble at all Fairy Godmother, our concern is about you. Have any of the other fairies come up with any new ideas about your condition."
Fairy Godmother looked hesitant for a moment, "In fact, I just saw one of the most senior Fairies this morning. She rarely comes out of retirement anymore, she's well over five-hundred years old now, though I swear she doesn't look a day over two-hundred."
Ben and his father chuckled at the mild joke, sincerely hoping she'd get to the point soon.
"It's really only a theory you see, even as knowledgeable as she is, Fairy Ida said it's a very rare thing. She's only heard of it happening, it's not documented anywhere. Typically, girls are chosen at a very young age to receive the gift of being a fairy, because their hearts and minds are pure and they show a want to help others above all else. I was chosen when I was merely ten years old, after helping a toad receive a kiss from a very reluctant princess. Afterward, I was taken to a special school where I learned how to become a fairy godmother, was given my very own wand and told someday I would get the chance to help someone and change their destiny. Now however instead of choosing a successor the usual way, which honestly I hadn't given much thought to, I have to pass my powers down to my daughter. Fairies rarely become involved much with humans, except to help them of course, but once our jobs are finished we leave. I'm afraid I fell in love with a human and although I would have gladly stayed with him forever, I was needed by others and I had to go. Once my duties were done, I searched high and low for him, but I could never find him and then I learned I was pregnant. So now it's Jane's turn, tomorrow the fairies will help me perform a ceremony that will transfer all my powers to her."
Ben and his father sat shell-shocked for a moment. "Is Jane ready for such a responsibility?"
"She'll have to be if I don't give her my powers they will slowly fade away and me with them," Fairy Godmother said.
"What about the spells you've cast? The barrier surrounding The Island of the Lost?" Ben asked.
"I really don't know, the magic changes from person to person depending on their hearts. If Jane doubts herself, if she wavers even for a moment she could possibly undo everything," Fairy Godmother replied.
The sound of a platter and china teacups crashing to the stone floor made everyone jump, Jane standing in the doorway, her hands shaking, eyes wide and terrified.
"I don't want to become a fairy godmother, I'll ruin everything!" Jane shouted, fleeing from the house.
Ben leaped up to go after her but stopped short at Fairy Godmother's call.
"Ben please help her, Jane has to see how important this is. I don't care about myself, but I've got dozens of spells all around Auradon that are protecting people, and if the villains are set free it'll doom everyone."
Luckily for him, Jane hadn't gone too far, she was sitting on a swing suspended high above from the sturdy branches of an oak tree. "You'd better hold on tight, future fairy."
Jane squeaked in surprise as Ben's hands pushed her back and propelled her and the swing forward. She hadn't been on this old swing in years and she clenched her eyes shut, clinging to the ropes for dear life. As the wind brushed through her hair, sweeping it across her face a smile blossomed on her lips and a giggle burst from her mouth. Ben continued to push her, as she soared into the sky higher and higher each time, she finally opened her eyes remembering this feeling of freedom and wishing she could reach out and touch the topmost branches of the trees.
"She's wrong you know, you'd make a fantastic fairy godmother," Ben said, stepping back as Jane swung high over his head.
"But I don't have a pure heart like my mother. I'd never be able to cast the kind of spells she can," Jane protested.
"I think it's pretty pure, you stood up to Maleficent," Ben argued.
"I was so vain and shallow, all I could see was myself. I've even canceled on Carlos four times since the Cotillion, I can't believe he's even speaking to me," Jane said sadly.
As the swing slowed to a stop, Ben crouched down in front of Jane, trying to catch her downcast eyes. "Do you think Carlos and the other villain kids deserved a second chance?"
Jane's head came up, "Of course! They're nothing like their parents at all, Mal was willing to help me when I was so upset about Audrey making fun of how I looked, Jay is always making jokes so people laugh but their funny jokes, not mean ones and Carlos is so nice, nobody has ever asked me out before that."
Ben smiled at the conviction in the girl's voice, "What did your mother think when I announced it?"
Jane grimaced, "She thought you were crazy, she was sure it would end terribly. She even tried to talk your father out of it."
"Do you think I should let more kid's from the island come over to Auradon if they want? Do they deserve a second chance, or should we condemn them for their parent's crimes?" Ben asked.
"If they're anything like Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos then absolutely they should come over. I know how hard it can be living in your parent's shadow, you never feel like you measure up and like everyone is comparing you to them," Jane replied.
"See, you do want to help others, you do it all the time. How much of the student council do you oversee?" Ben asked.
"Almost all of it, Audrey thinks she's in charge, but I keep the scheduling, I get all the events set up, I handle the accounts so everything had the proper funding and I make sure everything fits within the school's guidelines so we don't get into trouble."
"And how about helping your mom? How much time do you spend there?"
"I'm pretty much her secretary, I run school appointed errands, pass messages along to teachers and school faculty, I even make sure there is plenty of coffee in the lounge."
Ben laughed, "I'm king and I'm not even that busy yet. It's no wonder you haven't had any time for dating, you help everyone else at the expense of your own happiness. If that's not a pure heart then I don't know what one is."
Jane blushed but couldn't help the smile that crossed her face at the compliment.
"Your mother said the ceremony isn't happening until tomorrow, so why don't we get back to Auradon Prep and you can finally have that date with Carlos?" Ben suggested.
Jane's mouth opened in a squeal of delight and she launched herself at Ben with a bear hug that sent both of them to the ground.
Carlos grabbed his cell off his desk when it chimed, surprised to see a text message from Ben.
(B): Got great news! A friend is coming over for dinner, get dressed!
Figuring it was about the meeting with Fairy Godmother, Carlos threw on a pair of his black skinny jeans that Evie had littered with shiny silver studs, chunky thick-soled boots that laced up to his calves, his favorite red long sleeved shirt and black and white leather vest, that had a ring of faux fur around the collar. His hair was still damp from the shower and Carlos stared into the bathroom mirror not sure whether to slick it back or brush the front down along the side of his face, but if he didn't make a choice soon the whole thing was going to start curling into the old ringlets that he despised. Plucking out a few choice pieces of jewelry, a wide black leather wrist cuff with white dog bones embroidered across it that Evie had made him and a few necklaces of different lengths he was about ready to go when Jay came through the door.
"Hey, Ben was looking for you, I told him I'd send you down. You going on a date?" Jay asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked Carlos over.
"No, I got a text from Ben about good news and dinner. Said he was bringing a friend too," Carlos replied, glancing at himself in the mirror once more.
"Why didn't I get an invite? Who's the friend?" Jay asked.
Carlos shrugged, wondering why Jay was suddenly sounding defensive. "Come on, if the news is about Fairy Godmother, don't you want to hear it too?"
Jay followed Carlos as they made their way out of the dorm room, surprised to see who was standing at the bottom of the stairs with Ben.
"It is a date, you liar. I thought you two broke up?" Jay whispered.
Carlos' eyes widened in surprise, he swallowed nervously as they got closer. He really hadn't thought Jane had been serious when she said she would like to give their botched dates another try sometime, but here she was, wearing a very pretty pale yellow sundress and a happy smile.
"Carlos, didn't Ben tell you I was coming?" Jane asked, glancing at his less than date-worthy clothing.
"Not exactly," Carlos muttered, plastering a smile on his face. "What about the big news?"
"Jane already knows, so she can fill you in over dinner while I tell everyone else," Ben replied, motioning towards his limo that was still parked by the curb. "Have a good night you two."
Carlos glanced back at Jay, his nerves practically screaming for an intervention but the other boy still had his arms crossed and was all but glaring at Jane. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous now when for the past month he'd all but begged Jane for a date, so he took Jane's outstretched hand and helped her into the car.