Because People


A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to Disney or the Greek Myths.

Okay, chapter two is out! This time the focus is on Mal! :D I couldn't resist having a chapter focused after Cotillion where Mal got to spend a day in her dragon form.

I know if I was a dragon, I'd definitely spend a day in that form! Why not? It's a dragon!

Oh, if anyone's got any ideas what Jay, Evie, and Ben's 'Because People' moment might be, please let me know! I'd love to hear it!

Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D


Mal growled as she paced the floor of her dorm. She hadn't been joking when she told Evie that she wouldn't have time to breathe after Cotillion—ever since she became a Lady of Ben's court, it seemed like everyone was clamoring for her time.

To make matters worse, there was still no sign of Uma after she escaped Cotillion. You know, that lovely little dance where Ben had been spelled and Mal almost heartbroken? Yeah most people tended to forget about that part since it was also revealed that Ben and Mal were a True Love, Mal's kiss breaking Uma's love spell.

Thankfully though no one seemed to have any complaints about Mal's 'Isle style' or the fact that her hair was back to purple. In fact, the news had even stopped playing that loop about wondering how long King Ben and his girlfriend 'from the wrong side of the bridge' would last.

I have to wonder if E said anything to Ben about that, Mal thought as she continued to pace. It was a rare moment of downtime for her but she couldn't relax. How could she? The longer she waited, the more time Uma had to plan her revenge against Auradon. And against Ben.

At least Ben got his ring back. That's one less item Uma can use against him if she tried to spell him again. Though knowing Uma like I do she wouldn't go for the same trick twice, Mal thought. Besides, unless she also held Ben hostage, what would be the point of spelling him? One kiss from me and the spell's gone.

"Lady Mal?"

Mal's head jerked toward the door where Ben's chief assistant was standing.

"Um, yes Dean? What is it?" Mal asked, pausing her pacing to give him her undivided attention.

"Are you alright?" Dean asked. "Begging your pardon but I could hear you growling slightly and I…I wanted to make sure you hadn't become a dragon again."

Mal couldn't help but smile slightly at Dean as she heard that. There'd been some incidents since Cotillion where Mal had accidentally dragoned up since she hadn't been able to control the transformation as of yet. She had it down mostly down pat.

Of course, like she said, there had been some times where she'd transformed. Mainly due to stress.

"I'm fine Dean," Mal said, after realizing she'd been standing in silence for far too long. "Though I won't lie…becoming a dragon again is rather tempting."

Dean chuckled as he pulled out Mal's planner and opened it. "Well my Lady. It seems as if you have a couple of hours free. Why not take a few minutes and fly? If it relaxes you, I'd recommend it."

"…why do I have a feeling you're well practiced with this with Ben?"

"I don't know what you mean, my Lady. But if King Ben happens to find a new book in his possession after a stressful day so he can unwind…well he's the King. He gets given free books all the time."

Mal chuckled and shook her head in slight amusement as she made her way to the quad. It was the best spot to dragon up as Jay liked to call it.

Granted, it was truly the only spot to dragon up since she wouldn't be able to get out of her dorm if she dragoned up there—she doubted that she'd be able to get through the windows in her dragon form and Evie would probably kill her if she damaged her sewing machine.

Which Mal was proud to say only happened once and that was just because she was learning control of her dragon transformations. What? She had to learn to control them after all and nine times out of ten they seemed to come on in times of extreme stress.

Breathing in the fresh air, Mal smiled slightly as her fellow students waved to her. It had been an adjustment but she finally felt like she could handle the Auradon life style.

Okay, enough of that, she thought as she got onto the quad. Dragon time. You've only got a certain amount of time before your next pointless meeting. Would you rather spend it pondering your life and how you got here or would you want to spend it flying?

Mal smiled slightly before focusing all her energy into transforming her body into her dragon form. The cloud of purple smoke no longer disconcerted her when she saw it, it was almost comforting in a way. It meant dragons were coming after all.

Well, a dragon was coming she should say.

Honestly I'm just thankful that I didn't transform that day in Carlos and Jay's dorm, she thought as the smoke cleared and she stood on the quad in her dragon form. Mainly because I'm sure I'd terrify Carlos and I'd be miserable in a dorm in my dragon form. Oh and because I'd probably be freaking out just as much as Carlos would have been since I had no idea I could transform.

Shaking her head slightly, Mal flapped her wings and took to the skies. She only had so much time to enjoy being a dragon, why would she waste it thinking about the past?

Besides, she loved flying. It was so relaxing, plus it allowed her a chance to be even closer to the sun than she ever dreamed. She never really knew why she seemed to perk up after arriving in Auradon but now, after discovering she could transform into a dragon, it made sense.

Dragons didn't like the cold, and they were lizards. Any lizard would welcome the warmth of the sun, especially one that had been denied it for sixteen years…

Mal sighed as she did a loop de loop over the quad, 'accidentally' knocking over Chad Charming with her tail as he walked past. Hey, Jay had told Mal what Charming had said to him when Jay and Carlos were trying to set up the fake wand.

Asking about who'd be the next King when Ben was captured? Jay had been right, that had been in really poor taste. Mal was only disappointed that Jay hadn't hit Charming again. Besides, he deserved it for what he did to Evie.

"Mal!"

Oh speak of the devil, Mal thought with a small chuckle as Evie called her down. Was it time for another one of my many meetings?

"Everything okay? Or is this just a relaxation flight?" Evie called up.

Mal snorted as she landed, as if to indicate the second one.

"Ah, I see," Evie nodded. "Any chance you'd like to de-dragon so we can talk about who the next kids to come to Auradon should be?"

Maybe I'd rather just fly all day long, maybe I'm just a little tired of once again having fifty different things thrown at me, Mal thought. Maybe I'm tired of people

"Is this a 'Because People' moment?" Evie asked, seemingly reading Mal's mind.

Mal nodded slightly, more than a little impressed by Evie's deduction.

"Well then say no more," Evie said with a smile. "Wait there, I'll go get the boys and we can have picnic on the quad while your dragon obsessed boyfriend admires you as you show off your dragon form."

Before Mal could do anything but blink in shock, Evie turned on her heel and marched off. True to her word, it wasn't long before she was back with a very confused King and two bemused VKs.

Oh and a small brown dog of course. Because where Carlos went, Dude wasn't far behind.

"Because people?" Jay asked as he saw Mal.

Mal nodded and snorted slightly, glad to see that her friends got it at least.

"Hey, anything that gives me a picnic is fine by me," Jay grinned as Carlos spread out the blanket. Dude looked at Mal in slight concern.

"She's not going to eat me, is she?"

Mal shook her head. I don't eat dogs anyway, I wouldn't do that to Carlos, she thought as she took to the skies once more.

"Mal, watch the paperwork!" She heard Evie exclaim but all she could do was chuckle as she heard Ben start to rattle off dragon facts.

Ah Ben, never change, she thought. But…maybe Belle should keep some of the books from you. I don't want to know what you were reading that taught you that bathing in dragon's blood would let you see the future.

She would apologize for missing her meetings later. For right now…she was just enjoying the chance to relax and be Mal.

"Hey Mal! Catch!" Mal heard Carlos call and she saw him throw something up in the air. Without taking a moment to hesitate, Mal caught it and to her surprise found it was a strawberry!

She gently whacked Carlos over the head, you don't waste strawberries! What if she hadn't caught it in time?

"I don't think Mal's happy with you risking a strawberry," Jay teased.

Carlos shrugged. "I wanted to include her. Besides she loves strawberries and she would have whacked all of us if we ate all of them without her."

Mal had to nod at that—the younger boy knew her well.

Thank Gods Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Ben don't count as people, Mal thought as she took to the skies once more. Because enjoying this day with them is just what the doctor ordered!