Chapter 1: The Royal Proclamation

BEN POV

Today's the day where I tells my parents about the proclamation on the children of the Isle of the Lost coming here to Auradon. I'm sure they are not going to take it well, but I know – in my gut – that it is the right thing to do. While I stared at the Isle of the Lost, the Royal Tailor was making some last adjustments for my coronation suit.

"Sleeve. Head." When he turned my head forward to measure my head size, the balcony doors opened and entered my parents.

King Beast was every bit as regal and authoritative as anyone can be, especially if your parents are the reigning King and Queen of the United States of Auradon (USA). I stared at my father and see the similarities that we share: same muscular build, chiseled features, temper, and a smile that makes mom almost cave in (emphasis on ALMOST). The only differences we have are my eyes, hair, personality, and my thirst for knowledge, which I inherited from my mother, Queen Belle.

My mother is the exact opposite of Dad. She's the calming, logical influence; the perfect counterbalance to my father's anger and stubbornness. She prefers books, favored knowledge, and ruling the kingdom with justice, mercy, and an understanding hand instead of anger first, ask questions later. Her beauty is still present with age on her round face; her sandy brown hair cut short and kind hazel eyes can make anyone feel safe and comfortable in her presence. Auradon is going to miss them both when they retire and I will be taking care of the kingdom towards a new era of peace. No pressure.

"How is possible that you're going to be crowned King next month? You're just a baby," my father said.

"He's turning sixteen, dear," Mom said in reply to the "baby" comment.

"Hey pops." But couldn't get another word in edgewise. I saw my mom pick up some clothes I left on the foosball table and began folding them.

"Sixteen? That's still far too young to be crowned King. I didn't make a good decision until I was forty-two." My mom stopped what she was doing and stared at my father.

"Uhh…you decided to marry me at twenty-eight," she retorts.

"Well, it was either you or a teapot," he replied, throwing a wink at me. Chuckling at my father's joke, he turned to look at my mother who was giving him her poker face. "Kidding," he said to appease her and she rolled her eyes at his "funny" joke. Taking a big breath and began to tell them of my plan.

"Mom, Dad –" I began, but the tailor wouldn't let me move from my spot, so I continued. "I've chosen my first official proclamation." They looked at each other in excitement and bated breath, waiting to hear what I have decided. Here goes nothing. "I've decided that the children on the Isle of the Lost be given a chance…to live here in Auradon." Their faces were frozen with shock and mom dropped the pair of pants she was holding to the floor.

"Every time I look out to the island, I feel like they've been abandoned." Walking towards them and pointing at the island that has circulated my thoughts for over a year now.

"The children of our sworn enemies? Living among us?" he questioned. I know he knows this is beyond sane: he's probably thinking I've finally gone mental for deciding this. But I wasn't budging on this, so I continued explaining my proclamation to them, confidently and proudly.

"We start out with a few at first; only the ones that need our help the most." I glanced over at my mom who nodded her head in acceptance and approval. "I've already chosen them," I said.

"Have you?" My father was coming closer to me, a frown appearing on his face that made me falter for a little bit, but mom held him back.

"I gave you a second chance," she stated, remembering who he was before: a villain. He stopped what he was doing and guilt shown in his eyes. "Who are their parents?" This is the moment that will make it or break it for me. Well, there's no turning back now.

"Cruella de Vil…Jafar…The Evil Queen…" I listed and this last one worried me a bit. My mother grabbing my father's arm making him wait and listen until I finished picking the villains. Standing straighter, I listed off the last villain. "And Maleficent." The tailor behind me squeaked in hearing her name.

"MALEFICENT?! SHE IS THE WORST VILLAIN IN THE LAND!" My father screamed at me for suggesting it, his hatred towards the Mistress of Evil evident on his face.

"Dad, just hear me out here-"

"I won't hear of it! They are guilty of unspeakable crimes!" The tailor knew that there was going to be an argument between the King and Prince of Auradon, so he bowed and left the room.

"Dad, their children are innocent! Don't you think they deserve a shot at a normal life?" The doors close behind me, giving us some privacy to "discuss" this matter. He stared at me; I stared at him, and neither of us backing down. "Dad?" I pleaded with him. Frustrated, he knew I had a point, but faced my mother for guidance. She nodded her head in approval. With mom in agreement, he has no choice but to accept this decision.

"I suppose their children are…innocent," he said. I sighed in relief, glad that he is supporting my proclamation towards them.

"Wow," Mom walked over to me and fixed my suit with a smile on my face. "Well done." I made her proud that I stood up for what I believed in. "Shall we?" Both of my parents exited out the balcony entrance. Leaving me in my room waiting for the adrenaline that hasn't passed yet, I stared out the window towards the island while glancing at my signet ring, realizing that life is going to be different from here on out.

NO ONE'S POV

Mal is painting her tag of the outline of her mother with the words "Long Live Evil!" written in Slime Green spray paint on the side of a blank brick wall. Assessing her work, she jumped down from the tin cans and began walking back to the Main Square, bumping into some people that were afraid to face her, but she ignored them just the same.

As the self-appointed leader of her tight-knit group, she has pale skin, a button nose, a heart-shaped face, full mauve lips, short purple hair, and green eyes that can make anyone do anything she wants. In her signature purple animal skin leather with hints of neon pink and green, fingerless black gloves, purple pants, and black combat boots, with a green heart-shaped from dragon wings, she looks every bit as intimidating as her mother. Turning her head to the roofs, she sees Jay climbing down the metal ladder and pushing open the door that led to another warehouse.

Jay was the oldest one in the group by two months. His tan caramel skin, handsome features, angular nose, triangular-shaped face, dark brown eyes, long shoulder-length black hair that was covered in a red mauve beanie and muscular body asserted his position as the 'bodyguard' of the group. His blue jeans, black combat boots, a jacket vest in auburn, blue and yellows with his father's family crest of a cobra on the back, demonstrated he was – and is – someone not to be messed with. As he was walking, Mal easily caught up with him and headed towards the Main Square of town.

They see Evie climbing on top of a communal lunch table and strutting down like she owns the place and everyone looks at her in confusion as to what does she think she's doing, the daughter of the Evil Queen was the definition of the words "absolute beauty." Her long curly blue hair with a crown braid in the front, an oblong-shaped face, flawless skin, rosy pink cheeks, warm brown eyes, and pouty pink lips gave her the image of princess to any person who meets her. But her blue leather jacket that looks like a cape with puffy sleeves and her mother's crest on the back, black fingerless gloves, a graffiti lettered skirt, black and white splattered tights, and black sneaker wedges make her pretty to get you while plotting your demise behind your back.

Climbing down from the rails, she immediately runs to Jay and Mal walking to try and find the last member of their group.

Carlos comes out from a window and steals a metal worker's red bandana from his back pocket. Carlos de Vil was very clever like his mother, but his specialty was in his technology and science and her area of expertise is fashion. His white hair, dark peach skin covered in freckles, brown eyes, and childlike smile doesn't seem very intimidating when you first see him. However, his cleverness, his mother's signatures colors of black and white leather jacket with a fur-lined hood, grey t-shirt, black and white shorts, his mother's crest of black and white crossbones, and black boots will terrify anyone and everyone with his mind and silver tongue into silence.

He runs to the tunnel, comes out, catches the apple a kid was throwing in the air, and he throws it back after taking a bite. Coming together in the back alleys of a warehouse they all spend the day causing mischief surrounded by a group of their lackeys and followers. Hearing a wagon wheel squeak, Mal turns to face the woman pulling it with a baby sucking on a piece of candy. She snatches it away from him and holds it up to everyone like a trophy. Laughing at her supposed deed of evil, people surround her like she was Queen of the Island. Yeah…. right.

In a matter of minutes, people began screaming, running and hiding for their lives. Those screams of fear and terror are a clear indicator who is behind Mal and her friends. Her mother. Maleficent, Mistress of Evil. Clearing her throat, Mal lowered her arm with the lollipop and spun around to face her.

"Hi, mom." Maleficent pushed aside her two minions and revealed herself to Mal. Her sharp cheekbones, an oval face, thin lips, black horns on her head, straight nose, and in one hand carrying the Dragon's Eye while on her shoulder was Diablo, her loyal pet raven made standing in her presence intimidating, but the real weapon that makes her feared by everyone…are her piercing green eyes. Just staring at her can make anyone cower and bow down to her will. Something Mal has done for the past sixteen years without question.

"Stealing candy Mal? I'm so disappointed," Maleficent pouted at her only daughter. Mal made a face and held it up for her to approve.

"It was from a baby."

"That's my nasty little girl!" Handing the stolen treat to her mom, Mal smiled a genuine smile, knowing she made her mother proud. However, Maleficent didn't see it like that. She spits on the lollipop and placed it under her armpit to clean the germs her daughter licked on. Mal's face formed into a grimace when she saw her mother "disinfecting" it.

"Give it back to the dreadful creature," she handed the piece of candy to her henchman to give back to the baby.

"Mom-" Discouraged that her mother didn't like her effort in living to Maleficent's expectation, she whined about what had just occurred.

"It's the 'deets,' Mal, that makes the difference between 'Mean' and 'Truly Evil,'" she said with a smile and waved at the woman who carted the baby in the wagon.

"When I was your age, I was cursing entire kingdoms," she bragged to her daughter.

"- Cursing entire kingdoms," Mal repeated with her mother.

"You…walk with me." Maleficent grabs Mal and pulls her away to talk about her training. "See, I'm just trying to teach the thing that really counts: 'How to be Me'."

"I know that. And I'll do better," Mal quietly spoke, appealing to her mother that she will do better. With that intention, Maleficent nodded her head in acceptance of that answer. A light bulb turned on in her head. There was an important message that was sent from the Royal Family of Auradon.

"Oh! There's news! I've buried the lede. You four have been chosen to go to a different school…" she started in actual excitement with her goons surrounding Evie, Carlos, and Jay. "In Auradon." All of them, minus Mal, tried to escape from this kind of news, but Maleficent's henchmen kept them all in the same spot they were.

"What?!" Mal screamed. Her mother looked a little surprised that her daughter would reject this wonderful opportunity for freedom. "I'm not going to some boarding school filled to the brim with prissy pink princesses." Putting her two cents in the conversation, Evie walked over to Mal to place her opinion.

"And perfect princes." Mal stared at her friend in exasperation, her stare telling her "seriously?" Evie saw this and quickly changed her tune. "Ugh."

"Yeah…and I don't do 'uniforms,' unless it's leather, you feel me?" Jay faced Carlos trying to get a high-five but was left out to dry and Carlos stepped behind Mal speaking to her mother.

"I read somewhere that they allow dogs in Auradon. Mom says they're rabid pack animals that feed on boys who don't behave-" Carlos told Maleficent fearfully, but didn't realize that Jay was behind him and freaked him out with a "Woof!"

"Yeah, mom. Look, we're not going."

"Awww…you're thinking small, pumpkin. It's all about World Domination!" She licked her lips in obvious hunger for this plan forming in her head. Her daughter already failed her once by not letting the daughter of the Evil Queen touch her scepter and making her sleep for a thousand years. Now, another opportunity has come to prove to them that the new generation can be as evil as all the adults on the island, instead of the "disappointments" her child and friends really are. "KNUCKLEHEADS!" Maleficent screamed at her minions and began walking back towards her castle to discuss the plan in private.

"Maaalll…" she sang to get her daughter to hurry up. Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie all ran behind her while they walked in silence thinking the same thought: "What did they get themselves into this time?

When they reached Mal's house, they could see their parents also present in the dining room waiting for them. Maleficent walked up the stairs to the landing where her velvet, teal green blue chair was placed. She sat down, put her legs on the ottoman, and began filling her nails. As the four Descendants stood on the bottom of the landing, no one talked until Mal's mother said so. Multitasking, she deemed it time to explain her plot for revenge against everything that is good, hopeful, and peaceful and their archenemies who voted for them to be cast away on a piece of rotten, floating rock.

"You WILL go, you WILL find the Fairy Godmother, and you WILL bring me back her Magic Wand," her tone being nonchalant about the possible risk and danger of treason and getting caught by the Fairy Godmother herself. "Easy peasy."

"What's in it for us?" Mal questioned. If she and her friends were going to agree to this (like they have any other choice), then they should have something to reward them for "making them proud" per se.

"Matching thrones? Hers and hers crowns?" Maleficent answered.

"Ummm…I think she meant 'us'," Carlos said while Mal pointed at the other Descendants. The Mistress of Evil threw away her nail file and beckoned her daughter closer to her.

"It's all about you and me, baby. Do you enjoy watching innocent people suffer?"

"Well, yeah…who does-"

"Well then, get me the wand and you and I can see that and so much more," Mal's mother painted the image in her daughter's head, knowing that all she wants is her approval and finally being proud of her for once. "And with that wand and my scepter, I will be able to bend, both good and evil, to my will!" she screeched in the dining room.

"Our will?" Evil Queen corrected in which Cruella and Jafar stared at Maleficent in anticipation.

"Our will, our will," she quickly fixed her error. Snapping her fingers to get Mal's attention, she made sure this is an order you can't get out of. "And if you refuse, you're grounded for the rest of your lives, missy." Shocked that Mal doesn't have a say in this, tried to talk her out of it.

"What, but mo-" Mal couldn't even finish. Maleficent brought together her fingers in front of Mal's face to get to quiet down. And now comes the intense glowing Dragon Eye stare down, a competition to see who blinks first. If Mal can get her mother to blink, then she doesn't do anything, but that never happens. Mother and daughter stare at each other, trying to get the other to submit and comply with the order. Since Maleficent's stare was more dominant and powerful, Mal lost the challenge and blinked.

"Fine. Whatever." Even though she doesn't want to go because she lost, she is REQUIRED to go. Mal sits on the stairs leaning her head against the structure of the rail.

"I win." No matter how hard she tries, she can't beat her mother in this stare down. So, as of tomorrow…Jay, Carlos, Mal, and Evie are heading to Auradon.

"Evie!" Evie's mother, the Evil Queen, called her daughter over to the table. She rushed over to the chair in front of her and sat down. "My little evilette in training. You just find yourself a prince with a BIG castle and a mother-in-law wing. And lots and lots of mirrors!"

"And lots and lots of mirrors!" Evie repeated along with her. Laughing at what awaits in Auradon, but couldn't laugh for long.

"No laughing. Wrinkles." The Evil Queen came closer to her face and saw something in the middle of Evie's forehead. "Evie's not going anywhere until we get rid of this unibrow," she commented while picking up her tweezers and plucked the brow from the T-zone of her daughter's forehead. The pluck made Evie give a little squeak of pain in one quick move.

"Beauty is pain, dear girl." Evie smiled at her and picked up the compact, going over all the angles her mother taught her when she was little.

"Well, they're not taking my Carlos, because I'd miss him too much," Cruella announced to the group.

"Really, mom?" He asked her in disbelief that his mother would ACTUALLY miss him.

"Yes. Who would touch up my roots, fluff my fur, and scrape the bunions off my feet?" Dejectedly rolling his eyes, there was a part of him that hoped Cruella would miss her son. Apparently, it's just wishful thinking on his part.

"Maybe a new school wouldn't be the worst thing."

"Carlos…they have DOGS in Auradon." Panicking over getting eaten by a dog, he begins to stutter.

"Ohhh no…I'm not going."

"Well, Jay's not going either. I need him to stock the shelves in my store." Jafar pulled his son aside and whispered, "What did you score?" Jay smirked at his father, knowing what he's waiting for. Then, he pulled out a piece of white lace cloth, a compact mirror, and a silver coaster from the inside of his vest, on his shoulder and glove. With his father buttered up, he takes out a lamp from the back of his pants. Jafar notices the item his son pulls out and his expression is one of shock and excitement. He drops everything on the floor and grabbing the thing for dear life like it holds all the answers to the universe.

"A lamp!" he gasps. Desperate to regain some of his former magic and getting the hell out of this prison, Jafar rubs the lamp back and forth to try and summon a genie inside. Sad, really: to be reduced to a vendor instead of a powerful sorcerer.

"Dad…I already tried." Jay tells him. Breaking the desperate illusion of hope, Jafar throws it back to Jay, disgusted and uninterested in the piece of junk. Jay throws the lamp in the trash while Jafar bends down to pick up the 'treasure' his son procured for the shop. Maleficent rolls her eyes at his display of desperation and insanity for a lamp, muttering to herself, "A bunch of imbeciles, but necessary for the plan to work."

"So, what do we do now?" Jay asked. Maleficent cast her gaze on him and gave him a smirk.

"Now, I will send them a reply that you four have accepted their invitation and the rest of you begin packing your things for tomorrow." But remember one thing: Maleficent has no idea how to send a reply by email. "Queen! Help Me!" With that dismissal, everyone left the castle to do get ready for the day that will start it all. Mal saw her mother going to her room to sleep. Realizing her mother doesn't want to be disturbed, she grabs her sketchbook and heads out for a secluded and desolate spot on the entire island. Her spot. Where she can come, contemplate about everything while watching what used to be her mother's fortress, the kingdom of Auradon, and the trash boats that come and goes every day to retrieve items that no one in Auradon uses anymore.

As the sun sets over the entire land, Mal looks at the view of her "supposed" kingdom and the world unknown and foreign beyond the barrier. Mal's head on her knees, arms holding her legs together, she mentally prepares herself for the most tiring and physically exhausting day to be welcomed in a place that strives for honesty, goodness, and happiness but to realize: she and her friends will be majorly hated by everyone because of their parents are. For a moment, a glimmer of light inside reminded her "that is something I want to change" but went away for the logical voice convincing Mal that "being evil is who she REALLY is." But is it enough?

I like to say Thanks to Cyn, the two Guests, and Web Slinger Spidey for commenting on my prologue and for saying such nice things about it. I'll try to write more chapters as much as I can, but with school starting in a few weeks and my job, it's going to be tough. Also, I'd also like to say Thank You very much for the people that favored and followed my story that I posted yesterday night; it means the world to me that a lot of people enjoy the story so far. Anyway, please continue with your support in my story and tell me what you think in the review box. And…I like to add that none of these chapters are edited, so if I make sentence mistakes or some kind of grammar mistake…. I apologize in advance.

Music:

Descendants (Original TV Soundtrack)

- Descendants Score Suite

- Rotten to the Core [by the Cast]