It was like magic. One day the villain kids were sociable and happy, and the next they were aloof and troubled. No one knows what happened.

The day started like any other. Chatter filled the breakfast hall, occasionally dimmed by a frustrated groan. People weren't happy — not when their cherished slumbers had been rudely interrupted by their alarms — but they weren't any different than usual.

Then, the villain kids entered. The entire room paused to watch them as they sauntered towards Ben. They would seem nonchalant if it weren't for their tense shoulders and stoic faces.

"Are you gu-"

"Where's Mal," Evie demanded, her voice cold but tainted with dread.

"Why? Is she-"

"Where. Is. She."

Ben gulped. "I haven't seen her since last night."

"You're lying. Just tell us-" Before she could say anything else, Jay grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. It would seem aggressive if it weren't so cautious. If anyone had to guess, they would assume he was trying to comfort her.

It seemed to work, because she glanced at Jay and stepped back. Carlos swiftly moved to her side.

"Where was the last place you saw her?" Jay asked, much calmer than Evie.

"I think it was by the fountain."

The group shared a look, and before anyone could say anything, they were gone.

"Wait!" Ben yelled, trailing them. "Is Mal okay?" But they were gone, and he was left talking to an empty hallway.

xxxxx

"How are we supposed to sneak into the security room?" Jay groaned.

"I could distract the guard," Evie suggested, slightly breathless from the pressure on her chest. Panic.

"But we're supposed to be in class; we can't let them see us."

"Guys?"

"If one of you help me, we could say one of us was hurt."

"They'd just send you to the nurse."

"I can say I'm not strong enough."

"Or, " In other circumstances, Carlos would have laughed. "we could just ask the guard."

If their faces were anything to go by, they hadn't thought of that.

"Fine," Jay moaned dramatically, "But if that doesn't work, we're going to do it the fun way."

"Whatever," Carlos drawled, rolling his eyes as he started walking towards security.

Despite the teasing, the mood was sullen, and silence overcame the group as they walked down the hall. As they walked, three sets of footsteps echoed in the hallway, a sharp reminder of what was missing.

Before they could reach the security room, Fairy Godmother found them. "Why are you guys not in class?" She asked, tone scolding; however, the crinkles on her brow broadcasted her concern.

"Why aren't you teaching a class," Jay muttered. She leveled him an unapproving look.

"Does this have something to do with Mal?" She watched them all tense up. "So it does. What happened?"

The group glanced at each other, unsure of what to say. Throughout their lives, they have always solved their problems alone. They never had had a support system outside of each other. They had never had people who cared, and though that has changed, the instinctual self-reliance proceeds to linger.

Sensing their hesitance, Fairy Godmother continues, "I heard what happened during breakfast. You guys can't find Mal?"

Hesitantly, they shook their heads. Though it was a simple action, it felt like they were fighting themselves.

Since the minute they woke up, they understood something was wrong. Their stomachs felt akin to a void, and their instincts were screaming danger danger danger danger dan-

Then Evie called frantically, saying she couldn't find Mal, and they knew. They just knew. And it scared them. It scared them because they hadn't felt this way since the Isle, because they were falling back into old habits. It scared them because they no longer felt like Evie, Jay, and Carlos, because they felt like villain kids again.

And even though they are in Auradon, where people care and are willing to help, their emotions were suffocating their rationality. They knew this. But...

Their feelings—their instincts—are the reason they survived on the Isle. In a situation so serious, that feels so dangerous, would it be wise to ignore them?

They were drowning, but if they stopped to breathe, they could be too late.

"She's probably fine," Fairy Godmother tried to reassure, "but if you can't find her at the end of the day, we'll send out a search for her. Now, go back to class." She turned around to go to her class.

She was being reasonable, they knew that, but it's better safe than sorry. That doesn't mean they hate their next decision any less.

"If you won't help us now, then we're going to look for her on our own, and you won't be able to stop us."

At this, she stiffened and turned back around. She quickly covered her surprise (poorly, but she tried) and looked at them, really looked at them, as if she had amnesia. In other circumstances, Jay would stick his hand out and say 'it's nice to meet you'.

Understanding dawned on her, and, with newfound caution, she said, "Okay." She shook herself out of her stupor. "Let's go look at the security cameras, since I figure that's where you were going."

And as they followed Fairy Godmother to the security room, all they could think was:

That was such a waste of time.