I'm back...and with some idea of how this story will go!
So, I realized that I used "Hispanic" in my last chapter and had me wonder if the Descendant's Universe had names for ethnic and nationality groups. So...I'm just going to wing it and make it seem to lie Audrey's paternal family hails from a country called Hispania before migrating to what would be Auradon...May do similar things for other characters...DON'T JUDGE ME!
Auradon Prep...
3rd POV
The extended break is over and all of the students at Auradon Prep have already filled the campus, gossiping, meeting up, and for the vast majority, wondered:
What was going to happen next!?
The kingdom was still talking about the princess of Auroria's major interview, and while it had done its job on taking the focus of off Prince Ben, it also received backlash.
There were those amongst royalty that knew what Princess Audrey was doing and saw right through it. They still didn't want Ben to dare try regaining the throne.
Another group that reviewed to see the error in their ways and continued to support the Isle and no one leaving it. The VKs that had already come had proven their bias and won't be listening to anyone else soon.
And there was, of course, major hysteria amongst the younger class as to how a would-be king forgets his girlfriend's magic disorder!? (That one was mostly gossip amongst the girls, especially those who knew where Audrey's pain was coming from.)
King Adam and his royal family received most of the backlash after the interview. Most of them were about Ben's immaturity and ability to rule a country, his treatment of Audrey, and even threats that were taken for investigation. Ben forced himself to read every single hate letter he got, but it only made him more resolved to fix his mess and his relationship with Audrey.
The Aurorian royal family was bombarded with interview requests and hate mail for numerous reasons (which they saw coming) and sympathetic letters, mostly to Audrey and her plight, along with recommendations from doctors who wanted to help her manage her disorder.
Meanwhile, other parties were looking at new changes.
Fairy Godmother had charmed her mailbox to dispose of any hate mail sent to Jane before undergoing her magic lessons. Jane was afraid of being bullied again at school but was more anxious about how she'd approach Audrey and apologize.
Lonnie was all the more prepared to be Jane's bodyguard and help her face the princess. She was also advised by her parents and Lil' Zhang to give Audrey some space beforehand since she's going through a lot.
And as for Chad Charming, it was rumored that he'd miss school spend the remaining semester in Cinderellasburg, where he'd be temporarily homeschooled all while working as a servant alongside the castle help! King Charming (whose first name is Henry) thought it was overkill for his soon to work as a servant, Queen Cinderella believed the best way to humble him was for him to start exactly where his mother was all those years ago.
So as the student population went abuzz with excitement for what's to come, nothing prepared them for what happened next.
Stopping at a clean halt in front of Beast Statue, a chauffeur quickly got out the limo and opened the door for one Princess Audrey. The air went still, but full of tension now seeing the princess since the interview. But when she stepped out, students and onlookers' jaws dropped while others took out their phones.
Stepping out the limo was Audrey Rose, forgoing her usual pastels, that was dress in a silk magenta blouse, dark, azure jeans with white at the bottom, brownish-pink Lita boots, and, surprisingly, a black leather blazer. On her neck was a necklace that appeared to look like roses surrounded by thorns. And the most eye-popping was her hair: Still, while her natural brown showed at the roots, her new hair dark rouge pink with light blue tips at the end, coming together so perfectly that sunny day, that it appeared as if a hair was a gentle, purple fire on her head.
It wasn't like Mal's or Evie's hair. She wasn't possessed by magic nor trying to copy the VKs. It was a darker, more regal twist than her usual style and more so, had a message:
The Old Audrey was gone and she was never coming back!
Audrey's POV
CLICK!
CLICK!
CLICK!
CLICK!
I focused on the clicking of my heals while I stood straight with my head up past the whispering crowd around me. I could understand that my new choice of wardrobe might bring too much attention, but I wanted it! I was no fan of all the sympathy letters I got, and I decided I needed a new look.
New look, new attitude. No pity! And a little hair dye won't kill me!
Now...if only my Grandmother could see that.
Flashback...
Shortly after the interview, my dad split up with me, Mom, and Grandmother as we had paid off a few people to go to a secluded section of the mall in Auradon City that wasn't crowded and guarded with security.
"Are you sure you want to shop here? There are more...desirable stores that could hold your attention," Grandmother muttered. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.
This portion of the mall was a little less known because, surprise surprise: Auradon is known for their bright and vibrant colors, darker shades mostly to represent royalty!
These stores held more of an option for darker colors like gray, navy, deep red, black but don't get advertised much due to the fact they don't fit Auradon's image...until the VKs came and slowly, but surely, sales increased. But then the coronation happened, and any chance of getting publicity bombed and practically borderline became a pariah.
The stores that almost made it lost a lot of business (and didn't have much, to begin with) started to fade into obscurity because they now showed the affiliation to the VKs and the Isle of the Lost.
I only found out about these stores because of Opal, the great-granddaughter of Mama Odie, and Jordan, daughter of the Genie, told me so. Opal is the one who found the stores during a visit from Towering Heights and told Jordan, who let it slip and mentioned it to the VKs while I was in hearing vicinity during Family Day. Then, I had a daughter of one of the servants scope the place out and gave me directions, and...now we're here.
"So...why are we here?" my mom asked.
"Because I need a new look, and I need something that's not...me. Well, it is me, but bolder and stronger and none of my clothes have that. And I don't want the fairies involved because they'll just botch any attempt at trying to make me new clothes," I explained.
"So...you want to dress like a child from the isle," Grandmother said distastefully.
I turned my head towards her. "No...I want to change my colors! I can't be Princess Pastel Audrey anymore. I'm sick of it! And also, as much as I hate to admit it, some of Evie's fashion sense drew me in. Not much t befriend her at the time, but I saw the appeal. And these stores, they're going to be shut down if discovered, if we hadn't already, and all because it represents the VKs and not the establishments that were here long before those kids came from the isle! Hardly anyone wears dark color clothing anymore, except for those in maybe the Northern Wei, Camelot Heights, and Agrabah. And if you do see dark colors, it's more likely in winter! So, I'm not copying Evie or Mal, just claiming darker colors as my own..."
"And by doing so, you bring publicity to these businesses and ease away the stigma, keeping them on the market," mom theorized before looking t me proudly. "That's ingenious!"
"I say its a waste of time and effort," Grandmother grumbled. "Just changing your color palette won't fix anything norPrince Ben's problems!"
"No, but it will give him time!" I exclaimed. "Look, grandmother, I'm not stupid. For all I know, by midnight, reporters will turn my speech into a smear campaign against Ben, like they always do when something or someone goes wrong. But the country is focused on me now! And as long as I can hold their attention, Ben can focus on his reelection! Just trust me! I know what I'm doing!"
Grandmother and I held a staring test for what felt like a lifetime but was only a matter of minutes before she broke it off. I didn't like challenging her, but I needed her to be on board.
"Fine! But just know I don't like it!" she stated.
"I know. I understand. But I'm still doing this!" I stated. And with that, I walked away and headed into the nearest store, which to my surprise, Through the Looking-Glass.
Flashback ends...
Imagine my surprise to see the Cheshire Cat was the one running the store, or at least a front of a store, which in turn wasn't a store but space with only a long, golden grand mirror hanging on the wall. He instructed us to step through it and next thing I knew, I was in Wonderland. He led me to the Mad Hatter who, au contraire to his name, is just into fashion in his realm as he is to making hats. He even made a bunch of dresses for Alice during her trips to Wonderland. When I told him what I wanted, he led me into his small boutique, and after me a serious of questions and taking my measurements, he told me the exact style he had in mind and would have them sent through my bedroom mirror that night (literally through the mirror). He even fashioned the rose thorn necklace from the stems of the Queen of Hearts' rose garden, using tiny traces of magic to dull them so I could wear it comfortably (andI did feel a bit high-spirited with static tingles when I first put it on, though a slight migraine appeared later). And when he asked if I needed anything else...that's when I told him to change my hair.
And one can guess how Grandmother felt about that!
After that, and spending the afternoon calming her down, we discreetly returned to the castle and met up with Dad, who just took one look at my hair and shook his head. To anyone else, it was an expression of disapproval, but I saw a ghost of a smile on his lips and knew he liked it.
And with such, I decided to ride to school in style and become the center of attention this remaining year.
Phase 1: Take the attention off Ben: Complete.
Phase 2: Deal with apologizes: Commence
Looking around at all the students staring at her, awe and dumbstricken gaze obvious and the flashing lights of cameras taking her pictures. Being the center of attention wasn't new to me, but before, I would have rather keep my head down and easily blend in with my classmates, unnoticed, for as long as I could.
Not going to happen now.
These people were the ones once who flocked to me because I was popular and with Ben. The same people who turned their backs on me, including the ones I thought, were my friends when they saw something better in the VKs. The same ones who bushed me off and ignored me and the pain I was going through just to be on the supposed winning side!
I don't trust them. I can't trust them...
But I have to accept their apologies and move on if my life is going anywhere.
So with that, lifting my head held high and strutted off into campus, I kept the whispers and gossips behind me as I headed to the school auditorium, where Fairy Godmother has a special announcement and speech on what to expect this year.
This should be interesting.
A/N I'm serious, she's not copying Mal. But I took some inspiration from Mal's D3 look and have Audrey wear it better, by being dark pink and blue! Still LOVE her Queen of Mean looks though!