The Shadow in "The Isle of the Lost"


Hey guys! So I put in this oneshot because I realized that there are some points in Melissa de la Cruz's Isle of the Lost series in which Penelope could be inserted in. Before reading this oneshot, make sure you read her books, or have already read them! I'm going to write Penelope in a way that it was as if she played some role in the series as well, just as I did for the movies and the cartoon.

Although, I do want to mention, since the only signs of Auradon life in the book are all focused on Ben, I would like to take the opportunity to focus this oneshot on Ben and Pen's friendship. I treasure it most, after Carlos and Pen, and before Pen and Evie. Since I gave Ben an older brother figure to Penelope, I'd like to properly elaborate on their relationship, as well as just how much of an impact Ben and Pen can have on each other.

Remember: the story takes place before the first Descendants movie!

I do hope you guys like it!


It was just another day in the United States of Auradon.

Just another day spent in this goody two-shoes of a country.

Just another day closer to Benny's Coronation.

I admit, I was excited for my friend. Since I technically grew up with him, it was nice to see him most especially out of the many princes and princesses here upgrade to King. Hey, maybe he'll allow me "first-in-line" privileges at the cafeteria.

Kidding. Okay, but in all honesty, I was also concerned. Being King was a big responsibility (obviously). I know Ben was only fifteen and I was thirteen, but hey, a girl can be worried for her "technically best friend." Most days it seemed as if Ben was out of the zone the more his Coronation day got closer. And that can be distracting on both his case and those around him.

Many may not have noticed it. Everyone thought Ben was too perfect for words. But when you're a shadow and practically living behind one, you'll notice a bunch of things.

So I approached him after Life Skills Without Magic class – a class I have a hard time dealing with – and approached him. "Need help with those?" I gestured to the pile of papers he was carrying, along with his heavy backpack filled with his schoolbooks, and the rest of the contents that were spilling out of it.

The prince gave a light laugh, and smiled softly as I collected the items from his hands. "Thanks Penelope," he sighed, fixing his backpack, and I walked him to his locker.

"You really have to pay attention to all of this?" He nodded, and I scrunched my nose up in disgust. "Who knew being king had its perks."

"Of course it does," Ben groaned. Something he rarely does, mind you. "It always does."

"What's this? A Sidekicks United petition? What?"

"Well, the sidekicks of previous generation believe they're not getting what they deserve."

"You're kidding, right? Ever since my dad left Neverland, pixies have been getting holidays nearly every day!"

"Which is, actually, another petition people sign up for."

"People want everything nowadays." I scoffed, and we'd reached Ben's locker. He opened it with ease as he sighed and placed some books inside.

"I know. And I really wish I could get all of these over and done with. If this is my life before my coronation, who knows what Underworld I'll experience once I'm actually king?"

I crossed my arms, conceptualizing. "Very bad." The brunette shot me a look and I shrugged playfully.

"Well, now I have to meet up with these sidekicks," Ben continued, taking the papers back from me. "It'll be one step closer to seeing if I can handle responsibility."

"I'm sure you can do it!" I exclaimed triumphantly. "You're the son of King Beast!"

Said son fiddled with the beast-head ring on his finger, and he stared at the ground. "Right…ahem, thanks Pen."

"Don't mention it!" I pumped my fist in the air. "Now get out there and start being kingly!"

"The council meeting is still tomorrow morning and I'm not king yet."

"Close enough! I'll see you tomorrow morning!"

Laughing, Ben also pumped his fist. "You got it!"

"You can do this!"


"Okay, so things might've gotten out of hand…"

After that meeting, I was just walking around the school courtyard – I often walked around most areas – when Ben came up to me. He seemed very much exasperated, so I took him to sit at a nearby bench before he could explain further. "What happened?"

"It was chaos," Ben said breathlessly. "I don't know what got over me…they all just started shouting their complaints and I couldn't handle it and I was getting overwhelmed and—" I was just about to cut him off but it seemed like he did it to himself, biting his tongue in the process. "I just went all Beast mode…"

"Benjamin, breathe," I instructed calmly but forcefully. The prince held his head in his hands and I could only press my hand to his back, using my other to grip his knee. I couldn't say anything. I could tell without him even saying it that Ben thought he was a failure.

"Look," I started, my tone low and slow. "Everyone fails at the first try. Okay, well, most people do…but things will turn around—"

"Ben!" A familiar, sickeningly-sweet princess voice called out, rather charmingly. We lifted our heads to see Ben's girlfriend, Audrey, the daughter of Aurora, quickly run up to us. I couldn't imagine how she was able to run in such high heels and knee-high skirt, but I suppose she was used to it. Audrey was the idea of a perfect princess, the kind of person I would hate. However, those people are also people I can tolerate, so the brunette and I got along on a neutral level. I especially hated it when she brought up the fact Ben and I got along "way too well."

"Audrey, now's not a good time—" I began.

"But I was here to pick Ben up!" the girl exclaimed matter-of-factly. "It's urgent!"

"Urgent?"

"Not really," Ben had cleared his throat, quickly straightening himself the moment Audrey arrived, and stood to turn to her. "But I promised we'd go to her parents' starter home castle today. Sorry…"

"Oh, it's fine, I guess I'll see you later?"

Ben turned back to me, a pained smile on his face. It was one of those smiles I couldn't bear to see him wear. Him, or any other person I knew. It was just too depressing to see. "Yeah, I will…"

Without saying another word, Audrey took her boyfriend by the arm, locking his with hers, and the two walked away.

Which left me degraded. I barely had time to comfort my friend. And I was just absolutely sure that from my observations on Audrey, she'd be way too oblivious to notice how big of an impact anything she'd say may have on him. What if she said the wrong words?

Well then…I guess that gives me time to think of what would be the right ones.


I found Ben in his office that night. He still seemed way too dejected from that morning, because he didn't even visit me after his outing with Audrey! That, and he was still staring at his desk sadly, without even giving me a glance. He seemed too dazed and distracted, just as he did every other day, but it seems like his own room and empty space is where he took it to intensify his distractedness. I entered the room, approaching him, and sitting on the table, and only upon seeing my hand near his is when he finally noticed my presence.

"Pen! I—Sorry, I didn't see you enter…"

I didn't respond to what he said. A storm brewed in his deep brown doe-like eyes, and he seemed too exasperated to form a sentence. When he finally paid attention to my silence, he stared at me, confused.

That's when I reached out and tickled his ear. His head jerked, surprised, but that didn't make me miss a chance to tickle his side. He stood abruptly from his side, letting out a yelp that also sounded like a laugh, causing me to do so myself. I remembered all the tickle fights Ben and I would play when we were kids. After the life of swashbuckling adventures with good pirates and Indians at age 3 to 4 when I was in Neverland, I resorted to the Auradon life of chilling, relaxing, and just enjoying the joys and natures of being a true child that interacted with other children like the prince I knew ten years ago. With all the excitement of Ben being king, and growing up having its perks and weaknesses, we rarely did little kids' hangouts like this anymore. It was the only way I could think of to make Ben laugh.

And he did. His laugh was melodic – much more harmonious than mine, I could say – and I hopped off the table when he was about to pounce at me. "Why, you, Pan!"

I continued to giggle as I ran around his office. "Ew! Fleas! Get your paws off me, Beast!"

Neither of us broke the act, and when he finally tackled me to the ground and attacked me with tickles, neither of us could stop laughing, especially when I began tickling him again in return. Once we were finally out of air, we sat up on the floor, huffing and wheezing, yet the smiles on our faces didn't seem to waver.

That's right. You can always rely on Peter Pan – or at least his daughter – to bring back the fun in you.

"Thank you, Pen," the future king finally said, a brighter smile than one I've seen in days finally appeared on his face. "I needed that."

I gave him a thumbs up. "Hey, I'm always here for you, dude."

"I really wish I could deal with this whole sidekick problem…"

I then stood up from the floor, dusting my green leggings as I held a hand out to the prince. "My dad always says there's a problem to every solution. Come on. Let's sort out these complaints." With a beam, Ben took my hand and I hoisted him up. We sat down behind his desk and got to work.

Usually, for all people I helped out, it just started with me rambling and then from my words, they formulated an idea, and took over the rest of their actions. I did the same whenever I helped Ben. We ran over the list of complaints all these sidekicks had, and Ben came up with a plan for them. I only gave pros and cons, as well as contribute to whether the idea was good or not. We seemed to solve things quicker that way.

As Ben was re-analyzing the three good fairies' complaint to use magic in their homes, I found myself staring outside Ben's window. If you looked at another angle, you would notice how beautiful Auradon could look underneath the moonlight. But as I noticed the Isle of the Lost, no light shone except for the street lights that seemed that have reached until this area. I frowned, knowing from many stories about it that it was dreary and dark there. I know villains were banished there, but what were they doing now? What was going on in that place…

Ben seemed to have met my gaze because he spoke up. "It's kind of sad, isn't it?"

I nodded slowly. "Yeah…even Neverland is more cheerful than that."

The prince exhaled. "Pen…did you ever get the feeling like…we've abandoned them or something?"

"Hm? Why would you think that?"

"I…I don't know…honestly…" He was quiet after saying so.

"Hmmm well…I know one thing for sure…"

"What's that?"

My gaze turned to the Isle again. "There are more than just villains there…there's more than what we think…"

"Umm…what do you mean?"

Snapping myself out of my own daze, I looked at my friend again and chuckled. "Sorry, sorry…it's nothing. Just…an instinct, I guess."

"Hmmm…okay…"


I had no idea I just gave an idea to the future king's first royal proclamation.


"Listen, Pen," The next day, Ben had visited my dorm room this time. Lonnie was MIA, so he seemed to have found the perfect opportunity to have a proper conversation with me. "I just wanted to say thank you."

I smirked, standing up from my bed and walking towards him. "Meeting with Grumpy finally went well?"

The prince smiled smugly in return. "He said I'd make a great king."

"And you will." I placed a warm hand on my friend's shoulder and made his brown eyes look into mine. "Trust me."

"I do," Ben nodded. "Seriously. Thank you for all your help. I couldn't have made it through last night."

I shrugged. "Meh, I bet you could've~ Just remember I'm here for you."

"Hey. And I with you."

We shared a passionate "low-five."

"Alright Benny, skedaddle! Don't you have a fitting you need to attend to?"

"Oh right…you don't suppose I could skip it, do you?"

I shot him a playfully irritated look and shot my pointer finger out to the door, my hand on my hip. "Gom mister."

Ben chuckled and patted my head, causing me to pout. "Alright, alright. I'll see you later?"

I beamed. "Definitely. See you later, Your Highness~"

At that name, he raised an eyebrow at me. But then we laughed it off as he went away.

I honestly can't imagine my life without Ben. He made me feel like it was definitely a great idea that my dad decided to bring me to Auradon before he began his new career. I may have a whole bunch of friends, but I don't think I could ever find a friend more true than the beastly prince.


That wraps it up! Again, hope you guys liked it! Watch out for Penelope in the book after this one!