Hey guys!

May the Fourth be with you all, and extremely overdue Easter wishes to those who celebrate.

I am back, finally! Brand new chapter with lots of feels incoming. I hope it was worth the wait but I'll understand if I find a mob with pitchforks outside for the delay.

Anyway, let's jump on into the reviews! (Just jump on over the reviews and straight into the chapter/Author's Notes if you wish.)

Tiredandlazy: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapters and that I was able to make your night in however small a way. I hope you're doing ok and maybe this chapter will further help. :) And Harry Potter has definitely petered out of the 'mainstream,' but it still has a strong fanbase that is kicking and screaming, lol. I think it's making a bit of a comeback with the new side books that Rowling is writing to expand on the universe and background worlds/characters. It's pretty neat, actually, how in depth she's going and I for one am thrilled, lol!

Guest1: I'm glad I could satisfy, haha. Hopefully this will be equally satisfying for you.

Call Me Random: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much and that I was able to make you emotional, lol. I hope you'll continue to enjoy.

hershey201214: Sorry, the update was not soon, haha, but I'm so glad to hear how much you're enjoying this story. And I'm especially happy you enjoy my characterization, since I always worry about how my characters are coming across. I will definitely keep writing and I hope you will keep reading and enjoying! :)

Kevin4baconhugs: Thank you so much for all your kind words! It always makes me happy to hear that people are enjoying my writing, even if it's just fanfiction (for now, lol) I'm glad you like this story so much and are enjoying the way I portray the characters. I agree, I am also a bit sick of the 'rich bitch' stereotype, lol, and there definitely needs to be more fleshed out characters in general with Disney. But yes, Chad is a bit of an ass, but don't worry, I plan to develop him too.

*Deep breath* Ok, about to impart some deep and important writing secrets here. Step 1: Write. Step 2: ….uh, that's all I got.

Lol, but in all seriousness, it's the best advice I've been given and the best I can impart to you in turn. Always be writing, even if you think the idea isn't that good. Carry a notebook with you (or use the notes app in your cell phone since we're all so technically minded.) and write down things that catch your attention: weird street names, an interesting looking bit of graffiti. Take snippets of conversations you hear and turn it into a dialogue for a story. Pay attention to people. (And by that I mean stalk them, lol.) Notice the way people talk, the accents they use, the random 'catchphrases,' like someone who always says 'cool,' when they agree with something, or 'yass,' or whatever.

Seriously, I have a whole notes section in my phone just for random snippets of dialogue I hear that interest me and adapt to conversations for stories. I have another notes section dedicated to character names and meanings, and yet another for just random things I happen to notice while I'm out that day. For example, I was taking a road trip with my family once, and the GPS told us to turn onto a road that didn't exist. Like, they named the street, but the street itself did not exist; no sign no nothing, just road. So what do I do? Add it to the notebook and now one of my characters will find themselves lost on a road that doesn't exist, lol.

Always always read! That's the true Step 2. Good writers are good readers and vise versa. If you have a certain genre in mind that you want to write, like fantasy or sci fi, find some books in that genre and read them. Make note of the patterns in that genre like the general story length, some classic trends/rules that they all follow. Not saying necessarily copy those same things (you want to be you and stand out as a writer) but it's good to know the rules of the genre you're writing. Like, a Western has to be set in the West, etc.

But honestly, if I have to say just one thing, it's this. Write. Don't be afraid to take risks! Get out of your comfort zone and write a scene you never thought you'd write. Most importantly, be true to you! Don't let anyone tell you that you have to do this exactly (even the advice I'm giving you right now). Write the way you write, and don't try to be anyone different.

And that, Kevin, is my super secret success tips for writing. :D Feel free to PM me too to talk more, and I definitely want to read some of your stuff when you have something you want to share! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Gracfully: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you liked the chapter and I hope you will continue to read and enjoy.

magiclover222: I'm glad you loved the one shots, they were really fun to write. :) I hope you'll continue to follow along and enjoy this story.

starflight34: Thanks for the review! It's ok if you didn't review the last one, I'm just glad to hear from you, lol. I'm glad you liked the chapter and I hope you'll continue to enjoy.

IWantColoredRain: Thanks for the review. I know this update wasn't soon but hopefully you'll enjoy it anyway. :)

KattyRivera: Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm so glad you reviewed and that you enjoy this story so much. Honestly, we're still in the beginning stages of what I've got plotted out, but I was thinking maybe about 40 or so chapters total….but hey I'm more than happy to oblige and crank out 100 for you, lol! :) I hope you'll continue to follow along and enjoy.

MakeItShineDiamondKat31111: You're very welcome, thanks for sending in such a great idea. :) I'm glad you enjoyed my little one shots, I had fun writing them.

Thanks for pointing out those mistakes, I'm combing through and fixing them now.

And don't worry, I'm a major theatre fan myself, so I definitely will treat it with the respect it deserves. Not sure if Carlos will join yet, but I've got something planned for him, don't worry. :) I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy!

Codelulu-chan: Hi, welcome to the story and thank you for the review! I did know that about the singing, and I thought it was really interesting to learn. But thank you for pointing it out, too. It's neat to know that other people are learning about it too, and I do actually plan to incorporate it into my story. :) I hope you'll continue to follow along and enjoy!

Shots and Giggles: It's ok, I've been out too, haha. But we're both back now, and it's good to hear from you! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapters. I agree, they definitely got used to Auradon way too fast, especially considering all the technology and the lack thereof on the Isle. And yes, I figured if anyone could relate, it's Aladdin. And of course, there's others, they just haven't made an appearance yet, though they will! ;)

I hope you'll continue to follow along and enjoy!

Kitty Kat Vixen: Welcome to the story and thanks for leaving a review! I agree, people like Kropp are the worst! I'm glad you like my story so much, and yes, I made Audrey more normal and human, lol. I can't stand people like her in the movie, either, but I figured it was just exaggeration for the sake of the story and so I changed things up a bit. :) I hope you'll continue to read and enjoy!

Guest 2: Thank you for your review. I really appreciated all those solid points you mentioned. The reason for it being such a big deal because it's Jay will be revealed in time; I've actually hinted at it a bit here, but yes, I agree. Carlos does have forgiveness issues. But I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much and I hope you will continue to follow along and enjoy. :)

Guest 3: Yes, Harry Potter reference for the win! :)

Carmine De vil: Thank you for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying this so much and I hope this chapter lives up to expectations.

Ok, Author's Notes!

We are finally starting to get into the meat of the story, so to speak. We're three days into the VKs Auradon transfer, and so much shit has already gone down. (sorry, language disclaimer) It's about to go down just a little more, as the Auradon kids begin to realize in more ways than one that things with the VKs aren't entirely ok.

Hold onto your viewing devices and maybe tissues if you get emotional easily, as I myself do. (No shame. I am very much a feelings person.)

The standard warnings apply; language, and some more mentions and detailed talks about child abuse/neglect.

****Also, mentions of same sex couples (Male and Male) so for those who are prone to 'disliking' that sort of thing…*thinks of polite way to say too bad* DON'T LIKE DON'T READ. (Sorry, no hate intended, but also no hate will be tolerated so please leave this story now if you don't like the idea of same sex/LGBT couples/relationships because this will be a prevalent theme for this story.)*****

Ok, enough from me, I hope you all enjoy and I can't wait to hear from you! Especially all you silent lurkers. Don't be strangers, review!

Thanks!

- Raven

Ben

The dorm hallways were moderately busy this time as he approaches two doors. He'd managed to get up early, though Ben suspected that was more to do with his lack of sleep than actual responsibility on his part. He just couldn't get over how horribly wrong things seemed to be going. Not just with the attacks and the problems in classes; the four themselves just weren't…right.

Ben lets out a short sigh, which he quickly sucks back in, plastering a smile onto his face and knocking on the nearest door. He'd decided to pick up Carlos first, since the younger boy was alone with Jay in the infirmary. Granted the boy very well could have slept with the girls like he and Jay had that first night, but he figured it didn't hurt to check.

There was no sound from the other side of the door, and Ben shifts his weight nervously, knocking again a little louder.

"Carlos?" he calls tentatively through the door. "It's Ben, can I come in?"

Ben thinks he hears some kind of noise, but it takes a moment for a word to be made out, and it's broken up and only just audible through the wood.

"O-o-o-open."

He smiles again, and twists the knob, pushing open the door and stepping inside. He nearly trips over a large, tube like device in the doorframe, and Carlos makes a soft noise, scrambling forward on hands and knees to lift the device from under his feet, cradling it carefully to his chest.

"Good morning Carlos," Ben says with a chuckle. Carlos nods his head jerkily, eyes on the ground as he balances the device in his hands, crossing to the giant closet beside his bed and gently sliding the thing inside.

Only once the door is closed securely on the device does Carlos straighten and turn, offering Ben a careful wave in greeting. He still wasn't quite meeting his eyes though, and Ben feels a pang of sadness inside as he realizes that things were basically back to square one. He tries not to let it show on his face though, and instead nods his head in the direction of the open door.

"You want to head over and grab the girls? Then we can all head to breakfast together."

He tries to keep his tone light, and leave the suggestion open for the boy to refuse. But Carlos just nods, and ducks to grab a small bag from under his bed before making his way to the door. Ben goes out first, and Carlos follows behind as they walk the few doors down to Mal and Evie's room.

The door opens before he can knock, and Evie offers Ben a strained sort of half smile, tossing her hair easily over her shoulder.

"Hi," she says lightly, but her eyes are on Carlos, and Ben can see the concern in her gaze. "Um, Mal will be right out."

"I'm here," Mal's voice replies, and there she is, suddenly taking over the door with her presence. And she is definitely looking him in the eye, her own gaze sharp and penetrating. "Ben," she says stiffly.

Ben is reminded of the sparks of magic he had seen last night in the infirmary, and he has to fight not to shudder, to continue meeting Mal's eyes and appear calm.

"Good morning," he says, and she curls her lip at him, her eyes instantly shooting to Carlos.

"You up for breakfast?" she asks, and there's a sort of gentleness in her voice that doesn't match the death glare she'd given Ben.

Carlos grits his jaw and signs, a blur of gestures that Ben doesn't pick up, although the last one; a 'five' shape with his thumb tapped against his chest; he does know.

[Fine.]

"Alright," Ben says cheerfully, smiling despite the tense atmosphere. "Let's head down then."

He tries to ignore how unsettled he feels, and not hear the harsh whispering behind him. It stops when they reach the dining hall at least, although his nervousness still remains. He turns back to face the three VKs, and offers another careful smile.

"Ok, you guys know how it works, right? Just hop on in line and get what you want."

"Yeah," Mal says, and her voice is hard with steel. "We got it, thanks."

"Ok," Ben drawls slowly, glancing over to the others. "Well if you guys want a place to sit, you can always join my table. Um, our table," he amends with a chuckle. "It's me, Audrey, Jane, Lonnie and Doug, so…"

"We're good," Mal snaps, and before Ben could think of anything else to say, she'd stalked towards the buffet, scattering students in her wake.

Evie shook her head, but there was a smile on the other girl's face as she followed Mal's lead. Ben stared after them, a little dazed and slightly disappointed.

"Good talk," he murmurs, and Carlos snorts softly beside him. The other boy's lips twitch, and Ben turns to him, hopeful.

"My offer still stands," he says, and Carlos' not-quite-there smile disappears. "If you want to join us, you can. We're that middle table there."

Ben points it out, and Carlos nods once, before walking briskly away after Mal and Evie. Ben sighs, his own smile slipping from his face as he watches him go.

"Right. Ok."

It was going to be tougher than he thought. He only hoped it wasn't too late to reserve what damage had been done.

Carlos

"Can you believe him?" Mal snarls, slamming a white carton onto her tray with such force it almost sends the whole thing toppling. "Inviting us to his table; like he's not just trying to show off or talk about how 'good' he is, bringing the poor souls from the Isle and….."

"Mal. Breathe," Evie says shortly, and Mal growls instead, shoving aside a student and snatching something warm and yellow from the buffet. Then Mal turns to the student, browsing their tray before snatching a round orange something and tossing it in the air.

"C, catch," she murmurs, and Carlos only just manages, the thing almost rolling out of his hands.

He frowns at Mal, but she's not looking at him anymore, moving down the line with Evie in tow. Carlos doubts Mal even knows just how close 'perfect Ben' had come to being a perfect stain on the wall. His explosive wasn't done yet, hadn't even been primed or charged, but a good kick; like from being tripped over, still could have easily set it off. Maybe would have even taken out the top floor of the dorms, and it would've sucked because Carlos would've been taken out too and then he'd miss seeing it explode.

He's jerked out of his thoughts by a laugh, and a pair of feet sliding into his vision.

"Hey there, Freckles. Back at it again I see."

Carlos blinks, lifting his head to spot a familiar cocky grin, dark hair swept across the forehead, and mischievous, laughing eyes.

"Aziz," Mal growls, and the Arabian boy laughs again, nodding his head at her and Evie.

"Good morning ladies," he croons smoothly, ignoring Mal's glare and turning back to Carlos. "So," he says. "I went and visited Jay this morning."

Both Evie and Mal give shocked gasps, while Carlos fights the clenching of his stomach and heart. He keeps his face carefully blank, but he's almost certain Aziz can tell it's fake.

"Yeah," the other boy says. "Apparently he's been giving the fairies a hard time, not wanting to rest and recover like he's supposed to."

That's Jay, Carlos thinks miserably. Never doing what he's supposed to.

"What were you doing visiting Jay?" Mal grumbles, and Carlos doesn't miss the threat in her tone. Aziz doesn't either, but he simply blinks a moment before shrugging it off easily.

"What can I say? The guy's grown on me."

Like mold, Carlos interjects mentally. A stupid, slimy bit of mold that you somehow get attached to even when you know you're supposed to hate it.

"Right," Mal retorts. "Like I'd believe that from the guy who's his sworn enemy."

"Enemy?" Aziz gasps, placing a hand to his chest. "I'd never! I consider him more my…friendly rival, or even a long lost evil twin. He's great."

"Well," Mal says tensely. "It's so great that you two are such good friends."

Carlos shuffles his weight nervously, wishing he had some way to escape the conversation. He hated this, hated all of this. He hated that Jay wasn't there, hated how Mal kept hovering, how Evie kept giving him sideways looks like she expected him to start breaking things, or worse breaking down. He just needed it all to stop, to just get away and…

"Anyway," Aziz drawls, carefully edging away from Mal's now green-eyed glare. "I came over in part by his request, Carlos. He wanted me to make sure that if you pissed off that biology teacher of yours again to record it somehow so he could see. Lonnie showed me the pictures and I kinda want you to record it too."

Carlos feels a tentative smile creeping onto his face, and he actually exchanges a sort of laughing glance with the other boy. Maybe he wasn't so bad, and things could actually be good here. That Aziz seemed actually genuine in his talk of his Jay's relationship, how the other boy was equally ready with a laugh or a joke. How he didn't pry, even when it was obvious that Jay's message was clearly just the Isle boy's way of checking up on Carlos. Even though Carlos had pushed him away, he was still making sure he was ok, and Carlos was finding his resolve weakening.

Then Mal's voice cuts in and shatters his forgiving and optimistic thoughts.

"Well," she say tightly. "There won't need to be any recording because we're all just keeping our heads down for now. Right Carlos?"

"R-right," Carlos says, his voice clipped with barely concealed anger.

"Well hey," Aziz says. "If you guys want to keep your heads down with company, you should come and join the table. I promise we won't bite."

And he winks at Carlos, who actually feels a laugh bubbling in his throat that he has to swallow to keep it from becoming audible. He thinks, fleetingly, that there should be more danger being presented here, that surely it couldn't be this easy. And of course…it wasn't.

"Thanks," It's Evie this time, and though the girl's voice is much more light and open than Mal's, there's still something testy there. "But we're fine where we are."

"Appreciate the offer," Mal mutters, not even glancing back as she starts away, towards the corner table Carlos had found that first day. "Come on guys."

And that did it. Carlos straightens, hefting his bag a little higher on his shoulder. He's not sure where his sudden ballsiness was coming from, but he grabs the most edible looking thing off the buffet, slides a carton of something onto his tray and turns to Aziz.

"I-I-I-I'm in."

Carlos' voice isn't as loud or as firm as he wants it to be, but he knows he's been heard when Aziz grins broadly, and Evie gasps behind him.

"Carlos!" she hisses sharply, and there's a soft squeak that he knows is Mal's shoes on the fake wood/rubber floor.

"Wwhat?" he snaps, and the firmness he'd been looking for earlier was now very much there.

Mal has turned around now, and Carlos thinks the only reason she hasn't torched him where he stood was because she seemed confused as to why he was still standing by Aziz.

"What are you doing, Carlos?" Mal asks, and Carlos bristles at the tone in her voice; that threatening-worried thing she only did for him. When she was trying to control him but be subtle at the same time.

He straightens and presses his lips tightly together, gripping his tray tightly to keep his hands from shaking, though he knows better than to hope for the same with his voice.

"I'm going wwith him," he says. "To-to-to the table."

Mal's face twitches, her head cocking slightly to the left. "What?"

"Mal," Evie murmurs softly, her eyes flicking pointedly in Aziz's direction. Mal grits her jaw, her face twisting into something cold and fierce, and Carlos tightens his own expression, letting his mask take over his usually soft features.

He could see the surprise cross through her eyes at his challenge; he was surprised himself. He had never once deliberately gone against the group or challenged Mals' authority, and here he was doing both at the same time. And all because of this stupid trip to Auradon. Or maybe, not so stupid.

"You guys are more than welcome to come," Aziz says, noticing the tension and yet still somehow managing to smile at them. "There's plenty of room and I'm sure…"

"I'd rather die," Mal deadpans, but she's glaring at Carlos, and he doesn't miss her not-so-subtle threat.

"Thank you for the invitation," Evie says, a little more civilly. "But we're fine where we are."

I'm not, Carlos thinks, meeting Mal's gaze despite the death threats. I wanted more from Auradon, and I think I'm gonna get it, wand or no wand.

"Alright then," Aziz says. "Well if you change your minds…"

"We won't," Mal promises, and Carlos tilts his head ever so slightly to her as he shifts his body away and towards Aziz.

Neither will I.

"Ok," Aziz says, clapping his hands together and grinning at Carlos as Mal and Evie turn and depart for the corner table. "Let's head on over."

Carlos nods, but he can't help but grip his tray even tighter, biting the inside of his cheek as he follows Aziz across the dining hall. He knows there's eyes on him, he can hear the whispers, and though he tries to stay focused on Aziz's back in front of him, he can't help but wonder if he'd really made the right decision.

And then suddenly he's standing in front of the table, and there's all new eyes on him and he's certain that this was a mistake. Then Aziz places a hand on his shoulder, and the shock of the contact is enough to jerk him out of his head.

"Guys," Aziz says lightly. "I'm sure you all know Carlos. He's gonna be joining us for breakfast."

Audrey

The last thing Audrey was expecting that morning was another encounter with one of the VKs. And yet, there was Aziz with the mother of all sly grins, and a casual hand on the shoulder of none other than Carlos de Vil.

"Guys," Aziz says, and Audrey isn't sure how to interpret his easy tone. "I'm sure you all know Carlos. He's gonna be joining us for breakfast."

Audrey blinks in shock, and she glances sharply over at Ben to see that he's just as caught off guard as she is. Even though it had been his idea to invite the VKs to their table, she can tell he hadn't thought any of them would accept. A quick glance around the table reveals that everyone else seemed to feel similarly, although strangely enough it's Jane who recovers first, the youngest of their group actually smiling.

"Really?" she says, and Audrey looks back to see Aziz nod enthusiastically.

"Yeah really," the other boy replies. "But I'm actually going to duck out and see if I can find Nikki. I might have promised him a breakfast date."

"Wait so you're just going to leave us with…Carlos?" Doug squeaks, and Jane shoots the half-dwarf a dark look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snaps, and Audrey blinks at the other girl's outrage.

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Doug protests. "It's a valid concern!"

"It's stupid and offensive," Jane retorts, and Lonnie chuckles, offering Carlos a sly smile of her own.

"I assume Janey's sudden attitude change has something to do with you," she says. "In which case I'll say it's about time, and thanks for that."

"Lonnie!" Jane hisses, blushing furiously.

"What?" the other girl replies with a shrug. "It's true. And anyway, he's just hovering all weird and it's making me nervous so just…sit down, ok de Vil?"

She says it all in a casual rush, so even Audrey doesn't catch the invitation at the end until Carlos himself does. The boy starts, and his eyes flicker nervously around the table before he glances questioningly back at Lonnie.

"I-it's ok?" he asks softly, and Audrey lifts her brows slightly as she catches his stutter. She'd heard about it, of course, but she had never heard it herself. It's soft, but there, and she sees Doug straighten as well, surprise flickering clearly across the other boy's features.

"Well I invited you, didn't I?" Aziz replies lightly, though his head is turned and his eyes roam the cafeteria anxiously.

"Actually," Ben says, finally finding his voice. "I did."

"See there you go," Aziz says with a quick laugh. "The Golden Boy himself invited you so it's definitely ok. Now if you guys don't mind…"

"Yeah yeah," Lonnie sighs, making a face at him. "Go find your boyfriend."

"Shut up," Aziz snaps, making a face back. "You're just jealous cuz you're not getting any."

"An-an-any what?" Carlos whispers, and the table freezes, panicked and guilty glances exchanged all around.

"And on that note," Ben cries, lifting his hands. "I'm no longer hungry."

"I bet Aziz is," Lonnie mutters cheekily, an almost wicked grin on the other girl's face.

"Lonnie," Audrey cries, horrified, reaching over to pat Doug on the back as he starts to choke.

"I swear, I'll murder you," Aziz says, glaring, though Audrey doesn't miss the slight flush of the boy's cheeks.

"Carlos," Jane chimes in. "Just come sit by me."

"O-ok," he whispers, and Audrey can't help but notice that he wasn't looking any of them in the eyes. He crosses carefully around the table and slides over the bench, placing his bag under his feet. "Wh-what was that…?" he mumbles to Jane, and the other girl shakes her head sharply.

"Don't worry about it," she says quickly.

"B-but…"

"Trust me," Jane interrupts. "You don't want to know."

"How do you know Janey?" Lonnie asks slyly, and Jane casts a glare over at the other girl.

"A certain perverted daughter of a Chinese warrior."

"Oh come on," Lonnie protests with a laugh. "I'm not that bad!"

"Not that bad?" Doug retorts. "Like that time you told us about how you'd…."

"Ok we don't need details, we do not need details!" Jane cries, covering her ears and going pale.

"Not while we're eating, please," Ben agrees.

"Wimps," Lonnie scoffs cheerfully, and Audrey shakes her head, turning her attention back to her granola.

"W-wait, boyfriend?"

Audrey glances up to see Carlos frowning in the direction that Aziz had gone, his brow furrowed in confusion. Or was that worry?

"That's a thing hhere?" he continues, and Doug lifts a brow at him.

"Yeah," the dwarf boy answers sharply. "Why, you got a problem with it?"

"Doug," Ben scolds, and Doug spreads his hands innocently.

"What?" he replies.

"You're being a little harsh," Audrey offers, and Doug frowns, but he leans back in his chair from Carlos, much more non-threatening than before.

"I just meant," Carlos says slowly, his eyes on his tray now. "I mmean, I wa-wasn't sure…that's allowed here?"

Audrey blinks, and exchanges a glance with Ben. She can see her own concern reflected in his eyes, but it's him who speaks up.

"What do you mean 'allowed?'"

Carlos blinks then, his head snapping up and catching her eyes first. Then he seems to notice the rest of the table staring at him, and goes a little pale.

"Nnothing," he says quickly, shaking his head and dropping his eyes to his tray again. "I didn't mean an-anything."

Audrey wants to press; to ask what he had truly meant; what about the idea of Aziz having a boyfriend seemed to bother him. To question what the Isle was truly like. But she bites her tongue, and lets it be, watching Jane slip her hand in Carlos.'

An awkward and tense silence settles over the table, and Audrey lifts another spoonful of granola to her lips, trying to ignore the conflicting feelings inside her. Doug doesn't take his eyes off Carlos, and Lonnie is still frowning, though, all things considered, Audrey isn't quite surprised on that regard.

She is however, surprised when Carlos picks the orange up off of his tray and bites into it, peel and all. He makes a face, but doesn't spit it out; instead he continues chewing a moment before swallowing, and he glares at the fruit like it's offended him.

"Carlos," Jane says, though the girl is laughing softly. "That's not how you eat an orange!"

"I didn't kn-know it wwas an or-ange," he mutters, still frowning at the fruit.

"How could you not know?" Doug retorts. "It's an orange. It's literally orange."

"The only ones I've sseen are g-green," Carlos replies softly, not meeting Doug's eyes. "Or-or-or they have wwhite sspots."

Audrey is suddenly no longer interested in her granola, and Lonnie gags in a slightly over-exaggerated way. Even Doug looks a little green, as he stares at the fruit in Carlos' hands and whispers:

"Green? White spots?"

"Is it not ssupposed to?" Carlos asks, and he actually looks up this time, but he's looking at Jane.

"No," she murmurs, taking the fruit from his hands and beginning to peel it for him. "They're supposed to be orange like this, and you don't eat the skin. You peel it."

"Oh," he mumbles, taking the now peeled fruit back from her and staring at it. "It's only ever been ssoft. We al-always just b-bit through the peel."

Audrey tries not to let the connotations of his words get to her, but there's really no way to ignore it. The fruit had been so rotten that the peel could actually be bitten through; so rotten in fact, that at times there was even mold growing on it. And yet, Carlos talked about eating moldy food as if…as if it were no big deal.

She clears her throat, if only to distract from the situation. "So Carlos," she says, and she's careful to keep her voice light and not too loud. "What are some things you like about Auradon so far?"

"Aside from biting people, of course." The tease comes from Jane, startlingly enough, although what's even more startling is that Carlos actually laughs.

"Wwhy does ev-ev-everyone keep asking me that?" he mutters, though his tone is light enough. "It's nnot like I have al-lot of exp-p-p…" he stops short, blushing as the word sticks somewhere between his throat and lips. He draws a slow breath and tries again, talking a little slower than before.

"It's not li-like we've been here long enough to-to-to say wwhat I like," he finishes, and Audrey notes the way he'd changed his words to fit when he couldn't say what he'd wanted with his stutter. It's an interesting coping mechanism, but she finds it's almost endearing. And resourceful of him.

"Fair enough," Ben replies, smiling at the other boy. "But there has to be something, right? One thing that's different from the Isle that you like about Auradon."

Carlos shrugs, picking at the orange a little more, but not actually eating it. "I guess…I like ha-having a bedroom, e-even if I'm sharing it wwith Jay. But the bed's too ssoft."

"Too soft?" Doug blinks, looking moderately put out.

"Wwwell I used to ssleep on the floor at h-home," Carlos mutters with another shrug. "It's just w-weird having something ssoft."

Silence falls across the table at his words, and Audrey suddenly regrets her questions.

"Well, it's a good change at least. Right?" Ben asks, and Audrey can see the hope pinching his face, that desperate need for something to be positive out of this.

Carlos frowns, looking unsure, and Ben sinks ever so slightly in his chair. Jane reaches over and gives Carlos' hand another squeeze, and it seems to make the other boy relax just a bit. Audrey ponders over that, idly stirring her granola further as she watches Jane instruct Carlos how to pull apart and eat an orange. To see Jane- usually so shy and reserved- now suddenly confident, calm and at peace with herself for once. Audrey thinks that maybe that is a good change about the VKs presence.

"So Carlos," Lonnie breaks the silence next. "You got any more fun surprises planned for biology?"

There's a sly grin on the Chinese girl's face, her eyes twinkling mischievously. Doug shakes his head, his attention on the puzzle cube he'd pulled from his bag.

"Yeah I did hear about that," Ben murmurs, also glancing in Carlos' direction. "Kropp said something along the lines of you were making fun of him?"

"Ju-just telling him wwhat he wanted to know," Carlos replies, and though his lips twitch faintly, his eyes are on Doug's hands as they twist the cube.

There's a curiosity there, and a longing in his eyes, but he chews his orange instead of speaking up, and Audrey is startlingly not as saddened as she thinks when she sees him nibble at the rind. He had said that food was scarce and not in good quality, but still…it's painful to see it and be forced to acknowledge the truth of the situation.

Audrey glances over to see that Doug has almost completely matched the colors on his cube, and she sees Carlos lean forward with interest as Doug slides another section of colors into place. Doug frowns, shifting the cube over and revealing the blue side, and Carlos makes a quiet noise of surprise.

Audrey hides a smile, and Jane giggles softly, pressing a hand to her mouth to stifle the sound. Doug looks up and frowns as he notices Carlos' stare, glancing around the table before turning back to meet the other boy's gaze.

"What?" Doug says, and Carlos blinks, shaking his head quickly.

"N-n-nothing," he mumbles, biting his lip nervously. Doug's brows furrow, and he glances back down at his puzzle, sliding another color into place before looking back up to see Carlos hanging on his every move.

"Do…do you want to try it?" Doug offers slowly, and Audrey lifts a brow, surprised. She wouldn't have thought Doug would make an offer like that, but she can tell that the boy himself is just as surprised.

But Carlos nods anyway, and within moments Doug is explaining how the cube works, and a few more moments and Carlos is shuffling pieces around like he's done it his whole life. There's a look of absolute concentration and joy on his face, and Audrey thinks he might just finish the entire puzzle when the bell rings shrilly above them.

Instantly the moment is shattered, as Carlos drops the cube like it had burned him. The look of shock and fear is so strong it almost takes over his entire face, and the sharp gulp of air he takes is one that Audrey instantly recognizes as panic. She straightens in alarm, exchanging a glance with Ben and trying to figure out what to do when Jane takes the initiative; leaning over and placing a gentle -if not tentative- hand to his cheek, the other curling softly around his wrist.

Carlos stiffens at the contact, but Jane doesn't pull back, doesn't take offense. She just purses her lips and talks softly, her voice low but firm.

"Hey Carlos," she says, not breaking eye contact despite the fact that Carlos' eyes don't seem to focus on her. "It's just the bell, nothing to worry about."

He blinks and nods jerkily, his eyes flickering over the table before seeming to realize that he was being stared at. He blushes, resolutely not making eye contact and slowly pulling away from Jane's hands.

"I kn-know it's the b-ell," he mumbles in a voice that Audrey can only just hear from her place a few feet down. "It just ssurprised me."

"I'll say," Lonnie chimes in, and Carlos' blush deepens, spreading across his jaw.

"Ssory," he whispers again, and he carefully reaches over and grabs the puzzle cube, placing it in front of Doug with trembling fingers. "Ssory," he repeats, almost frantically, seeming to tuck into himself as he draws his arm back. "I-I-I didn't mean to…"

Audrey frowns, the sudden shift in the boy more than just a little disconcerting. It was almost like…like he was expecting some kind of reprimand for his reaction. And the way he continued even now to apologize in a low tone to Doug, made Audrey pause.

Doug notices it too, and there was something calculating in the dwarf boy's eyes as he peers through his glasses at Carlos. Audrey knew that look; it was the same look he got when he was working out a particularly challenging equation. A decision of some kind was made, and Doug straightens grabbing the puzzle cube and reaching back over to Carlos.

And here's where the 'not right' solidified itself in Audrey's mind.

Carlos stiffens, his eyes shutting as a low and quiet noise echoes in his throat. Jane presses her lips together tightly, while Ben straightens and Lonnie's brow furrows, her lips parting like she wants to say something, but doesn't know what. Doug, for his part, doesn't even blink; although Audrey can see the flicker of his eyes that he determinedly masks with a smile.

"Hey," Doug says, and Carlos' eyes open, widening in shock at the sight of the cube before him. "It's fine, I didn't mind."

Carlos doesn't say anything, his eyes darting back and forth between the cube and the hand attached to it, never once lifting his gaze any higher to meet Doug's face.

"I have to get to class," Doug continues, still in that casual tone. "But do you want to hang onto the puzzle?"

Instead of smiling, or reacting in any positive way, however, Carlos does the opposite; flinching back and shaking his head vehemently.

"N-n-n-no," he murmurs, his face twisting as the 'N' stuck to his tongue. "I don't w-want to…it's yours and I ca-an't…."

Doug purses his lips, his eyes flickering again before he straightens and pushes the cube a little closer.

"Let me rephrase that," he says firmly, but not unkindly. "You're really good at the puzzle and I can tell you like it too, so hang onto it and let me know if you finish it so I can give you another one."

Then he rises from his seat, gathering up his bag and swinging it over his shoulder before Carlos had a chance to protest. The other boy tries, Audrey notes with a small pang of…something. He stands with them, grabbing the cube only to hand it back out to Doug, who shakes his head with an enigmatic smile.

"Finish it first," he says. "Then you give it back."

"I'll see you guys later then," Lonnie says, grinning briefly at the stunned Carlos before hurrying off to class.

"Bye Carlos," Jane offers hastily, squeezing his hand with a quick smile before following after the other girl.

"But," Carlos whispers, still looking to Doug for confirmation.

Doug shakes his head with a soft sigh, but he still smiles in farewell before leaving. Audrey loops her arm through Ben's, if only for some reassurance of her own as Carlos stares down at the puzzle in something close to wonder.

"It was nice to actually meet you Carlos," she says softly. "You should definitely join us again."

She elbows Ben when it takes him a moment, and he quickly sputters out a reply of his own.

"Yeah," the other boy blurts with a short, nervous laugh. "And maybe bring Mal and Evie with you next time? And Jay, of course, once he's out of the infirmary."

"Ssure," Carlos murmurs in assent, and he finally manages to bring his head up, an actual smile playing at his lips as his eyes light. "Yeah."

"Alright," Ben says, with a much more natural laugh, and as the second bell rings and they part ways, Audrey makes note of the way Carlos' eyes follow them; sort of longing there, and she vows to find out as much as she could about the Isle. The VKs should have been brought to Auradon ages ago. There was no way to reverse the past, or erase the damage done, but she'd be darned if she didn't at least try. Her grandmother had taught her that much, at least.

Mal

Mal didn't know which was worse: seeing Carlos walk willingly off into unfamiliar company- that wasn't their group- or the nagging realization that they weren't kids anymore (but honestly, had they ever been?) and that she was going to have to let him…go.

The space between them was more than just a length of tables, and Mal was still feeling that yawning ache even when the bell finally rang. She had jumped up from her seat so fast she'd actually moved the table back an inch, the legs of the circular table skidding in a jarring squeal across the floor.

"Mal," Evie had muttered disapprovingly, but Mal didn't give a fuck about being polite.

All that mattered was that everyone was together again, and even though Jay was still painfully absent, she wasn't about to let Carlos slip through her fingers. Not if she could help it- and she could.

And so it's even more jarring (so much more jarring than the table) when she rushes over to retrieve him -save him- from the Auradonian group, and sees the dwarf kid give Carlos some kind of colored cube. She tenses, thinking it must be some kind of trap, or weapon or poisonous something- never mind the fact that if the Auradonians had taken away their weapons, why would they have such things of their own. But it's not fear or panic or anything like that on Carlos' face: it's wonder, and joy, and something so painfully open and…innocent. It makes Mal's stomach churn, in more ways than one.

She's biting back the bile that rises in her throat at the next moment; the one where everyone is smiling at Carlos, and he's smiling back, and there's an invitation being extended but she doesn't fucking care because he can't leave them; they can't take him from her!

"M?"

Evie's voice brings her back to reality and she swallows hard, setting her face and hardening the ball of emotions inside until she's steel and cold once more.

"They're not allowed to have him," she growls under her breath, glaring at the sweet smiles on Ben and whatever-her-name-was…Andrea or something…'s faces. "I won't let them take Carlos too."

"Take him?" Evie chuckles, but Mal can see the flicker in her own eyes as she glances in Carlos' direction. "Mal, this isn't the Isle, they can't…."

"They took Jay," Mal points out through gritted teeth. "And just because this isn't the Isle doesn't mean they can't…."

"Mal," Evie cuts in firmly. "Breathe."

She does, but it's only to growl out curses as Carlos slowly begins shuffling towards them.

"What happened to wanting good things from this place?" Evie says. "I thought you wanted this…for us to be…happy?"

The words don't come out right, but that's because the translation from the instinctive evil to this goodness isn't so direct. But Mal lets it pass, if only because Carlos is almost to them now and she doesn't want any denials she made to be heard.

"I do want it," Mal obliges lowly. "But for us…not them. Not with them."

And then Carlos is there, and anything Evie has to say is lost beneath Mal's greeting.

"I see you've finally made your way back," she mutters, her eyes narrowing at the cube in his hands. "Did you have fun with your new friends?"

She spits the word like it's poison, and Evie hisses her name again in disapproval. But Carlos doesn't even flinch, although his fingers do grip the cube a little tighter. Instead he straightens, and actually meets her eyes, his own eyes dark and determined as he answers.

"Yeah, ac-ac-actually," he says lowly, firmly. "I did. They're pppretty cool."

"Are they now?" Mal growls, her eyes narrowing despite the way her face lifts in surprise at his boldness.

"They a-re," Carlos replies evenly, and he holds out the cube for them to inspect. "Dou-dou-doug gave me this," he says, and there's something almost like pride in his voice. "It's a puzzle, and he ga-gave it with no sstrings…no c-catch."

"Really?" Evie murmurs, and there's awe and surprise in her voice as she eyes the direction the boy had gone.

"And why would he do that?" Mal snaps, still edgy and not entirely satisfied.

"Be-because he ssaw that I liked it, and he let me try it, and w-hen he ssaw that I was good at it, he let me have it," Carlos blurts fiercely, and despite the vehemence in his words Mal is definitely taken aback by the significant decrease of the trips in his voice.

She's impressed, and glad for it, but she also hates it. Because if Carlos wasn't stuttering as much it meant that he was actually truly relaxed and peaceful. And she can't have Auradon be a happy place for them, no matter what stupid sentiments she may have confessed. This place was theirs to ruin, not acclimate to! Not get caught up in and…love.

"You know he's going to want something from you," Mal grits out, turning dismissively and heading out the doors before her emotions got the better of her. "He'll take it back eventually."

She forces herself to keep going; even when Evie sucks a sharp breath behind her and Carlos calls her a 'b-b-bitch' under his breath when he thinks she's out of earshot. Let them hate her for pointing out the truth. It wouldn't matter in the end, whether they believed her or not. The wand was what they came for, and she was going to get it. No matter how much it hurt.

Jay

He was slowly going insane.

"Ok Jay, that's good," the Pink One (he hadn't bothered to remember any of their names) says, her voice sickeningly sweet and her smile even more annoying than the Fairy Godmother's. "Now can you move your arm like this for me?"

She lifts her own arm in an exaggerated stretch above her head, and Jay barely stifles his groan as he methodically repeats the gesture, though he does roll his eyes to let her know just how not appreciated this bullshit was.

"Great!" the fairy chirps, not seeming to notice his reluctance. "Now how about like this?"

"Ok," Jay huffs, sitting up as much as his ribs will allow and leveling the fairies with a look. "I'm pretty sure we all know this is bullshit and that I can move my arm just fine. I don't need to keep doing these fucking exercises!"

The Blue One splutters soundlessly before darting from the room, and Jay just sighs as the Green One gives him a reproachful look of her own.

"Now Jay," she begins sternly, and Jay flops back down onto the bed, wincing as his ribs pang at the rough movement. "I understand that you're frustrated but the exercises really will help. Not only to get your body used to the healing magic, but also to relearn your limits."

"I don't fucking need to relearn my limits," he grumbles to the ceiling. "I need to get the hell out of here."

And get back to Carlos, a part of him helpfully supplies. Even if he doesn't accept me back. Jay can't think of a time where he had ever been separated from the younger boy or the rest of the group for so long. Not just in distance. The only time he could think of was back before they'd been a group, and since then, there hadn't been a time where he wasn't with at least one of them constantly.

He'd been tuning out the fairies and their chiding and muttering, so he almost doesn't register the shift in dialogue until he hears his name.

"…a visitor, Jay," the Blue One huffs, the door still open behind her from where she'd reentered the room.

"What…?" Jay starts to ask, but his words die on his tongue. Not because he was confused about what she'd said, but that the visitor is…

"Carlos," he breathes, and the smaller boy lifts his head, a tiny flicker of something tugging at his lips before fading.

"H-hi," Carlos whispers, and Jay straightens even further on his bed.

"We'll leave you to it," the Pink One says in a conspiratorially hiss, and she shoos the other two fairies out with her, the door closing with a soft click and leaving just the two of them.

"Hey," Jay says, blinking carefully to ensure the boy was really there.

"Hey," Carlos says again, taking a step into the room, and it's then that Jay realizes he's shaking, his hands fidgeting with something small and square down by his waist, and his eyes flickering nervously over the bandages that are visibly wrapping Jay's torso through the green infirmary gown.

"What's up?" Jay hedges awkwardly, wishing he had something more to say and wanting nothing more than to fling every apology he has at the other boy.

"N-nothing much," Carlos mutters, shuffling a little closer. "Just thought I'd v-v-v-visit."

"Yeah?" Jay says, and he can't help the hopeful note that creeps into his voice at the thought. "But wait, don't you have a class?"

He frowns up at the clock, and though it takes him a second to translate the time (the dial is different) he knows that there was a morning class.

"Biology," he recalls with an anxious pang. "Kropp…."

And Carlos huffs a sound that Jay realizes only by the twitch of his lips is a laugh. "G-got kicked out," he says proudly. "Diss-ruptive in-influence."

"Way to go C," Jay cheers, smiling just a little. "Making me so proud."

"Sshut up," Carlos mumbles, but he's smiling just a little more, and he's not shaking so much. He's almost to the foot of Jay's bed, actually, and Jay wants more than anything to scoot over so Carlos actually sits; but he doesn't want to ruin the delicate balance he has.

"So what'd you do?" Jay ribs a little more. "You didn't do the potion yet?"

"N-no," Carlos confirms, shaking his head. "Evie ssays maybe by tomorrow or Fffriday."

"Sweet," Jay says. "I might actually be out of here by then."

"Rreally?" Carlos says, and there's a lift in his voice and his face that Jay doesn't dare hope to interpret.

"Yeah," Jay replies, lifting his chin smugly to hide his thoughts. "The fairies are so sick of me that they'll probably kick me out too."

But his words have the opposite effect. Carlos' brows draw down, worry reflecting in his dark eyes as his hands fidget with the square thing again.

"But I-I-I thought this was ssuposed to make you better?" he says, and Jay picks up on the anxious note in his voice and quickly realizes his mistake.

"Well yeah," he scoffs, sure to keep his tone light. "It is, and it has. I'm fine now, but the damned fairies don't seem to think so. They have me doing these stupid 'exercises,' it's insane."

Carlos nods slowly, and shuffles just a little closer. Jay holds his breath, debating a moment, and then finally decides to just say it.

"Hey, listen, Carlos…"

"I'm ssorry!" Carlos blurts out over him, and Jay blinks in surprise.

"What?" he says, and Carlos's fingers twist the square in his hands while his eyes dart everywhere but at Jay.

"I'm ssory," Carlos repeats in an undertone.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Jay retorts, incredulous. "I'm the one who…I left you, remember?"

"Yyeah," Carlos replies bitterly. "But I'm the wu-wu-one who kept you away. I didn't…I thought…I didn't…."

"I know," Jay mumbles, shifting just a little closer. "I get it."

And he did. Carlos' reaction; shoving him away, stemmed from his fear of people he cared about disappearing. Leaving him for good, like Cruella had often threatened to do and only one other person actually doing so.

"I'm ssory," Carlos says again, and Jay lets out a short, repentant chuckle.

"Yeah well, so am I. So…tell me about that square thing because it's driving me crazy that you're playing with that and not your dog tail."

Carlos' face relaxes then, his eyes clearing and the tremors easing entirely from his body as he scurries the last few feet to Jay's bed. He heaves himself up onto the edge and Jay winces dramatically, flopping over when Carlos bumps his leg.

"Ugh," he groans miserably. "Oh, broken leg, oh the pain," he wails, and Carlos snorts, shoving an elbow into his side.

"Th-there's nothing wrrong with your leg, asshole," Carlos replies.

Despite the actual pain that Carlos' elbow causes, Jay still laughs, flinging himself up and latching his arms around the other boy's neck, ignoring the yelps and protests and viciously ruffling his hair. Only when Carlos starts running out of air does Jay let go, and, satisfied that he'd learned his lesson, leans back to give Carlos space.

Carlos still slides just a little further away, but there's an ease between them now, a calm, and Jay feels something strangely light and yet heavy filling him up inside. It makes him want to…do something, but he has no way of interpreting the feeling and so, no real way to act on it. So he simply leans a little closer to Carlos, enjoying the repairing bond and eyeing the square interestedly as the boy talks.

"It's a pu-puzzle," Carlos explains happily, his fingers shifting it as he talks. "Doug gave it to mme at b-b-b-reakfast today."

"Doug?" Jay repeats slowly. "The dwarf kid?"

"Yyeah," Carlos says carefully. "I sat with Ben an-an-and some of the oth-ers today."

"Oh," Jay says, surprised, and not entirely sure how he feels about Carlos joining other groups. "That's cool, I guess. So what, he just randomly gave you the thing? Or did you nick it?"

"He w-was playing with it," Carlos says, not seeming to notice Jay's reluctance. "And he showed me ho-how to do it and then ssaid I could keep it and give it ba-back when I finished."

"That is…actually pretty cool of him," Jay concedes, and he thinks that maybe these Auradon kids weren't all so bad.

And that maybe he'd actually give Doug his book back. The boy deserved it; after all. If not for him and his puzzle, he wouldn't have gotten Carlos back. And Jay always paid his debts. Still, it didn't meant he couldn't hang onto the book a little bit longer.

Ben

"Hey Ben, Audrey, wait up!"

Ben turns with no small amount of anticipation and dread, watching as Doug huffs his way up to them. Audrey seems to sense his worry, because she slides a little closer and slips her arm through his, squeezing lightly as though to reassure him of her presence. It does help, and he manages a tight smile at Doug as the boy finally comes to a stop in front of them.

"What's up Doug?" Ben says, trying for casualty and failing as his anxieties about their breakfast with Carlos swirl through his head.

"Can we…talk?" Doug asks, and Ben can hear the hesitation in his own voice, his eyes wary and nervous as they glance around the emptying hallway.

"I'll let you get to it then," Audrey says slowly, but with good humor, though Doug shakes his head quickly.

"No I kind of meant, both of you. All of us, really, but for now…um…" He trails off with a nervous adjustment of his glasses, and Ben purses his lips in concern.

"Ok, well shoot, I guess," he says, and Doug nods his head, adjusting his glasses again before speaking.

"It's about the VKs," he begins, and Ben instantly tenses, all set to start defending his decree again when Doug continues and he deflates. "Have either of you guys noticed anything...off…about them?"

"Yes," Audrey says instantly, leaning a little closer to Doug. "Why, what have you noticed?"

"You mean aside from the obvious indicators of child abuse?" Doug replies tersely, and Ben flinches, his eyes widening in shock.

"What?" he whispers, and Doug fixes him with a look, while Audrey goes silent, a reflective look on her face.

"Don't tell me you didn't see it?" Doug says, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I mean, I might not have been the most enthusiastic about this whole thing, but…still…it's clear."

"What is clear, exactly?" Ben presses, not wanting to even think about such ideas let alone speak them like fact. Yes, ok, there was the food situation, and the Isle clearly wasn't the lap of luxury, but that?

"Carlos," Doug says simply, and Ben chews his lips to keep his protests of denial to himself. "When he joined the table, he didn't introduce himself, Aziz did. He didn't look any of us in the eyes, and Lonnie had to actually tell him to sit down before he did."

"Well that could have just been meeting new people," Ben tries, but even he know it's a small excuse considering just what they were debating here.

"It could have," Doug concedes regardless, though his eyes are still sharp. "But then there's the fact that he only really seemed to interact with Jane, and the way he kept watching us when we talked; like he was making sure none of us were going to jump on him or something."

"I did notice that," Audrey puts in quietly from his side. "I just thought he was nervous about being surrounded by strangers. But…I noticed."

"And when I handed him the puzzle," Doug says, nodding at Audrey's input. "He was watching my hands…and the way he kept apologizing when he was giving it back."

"I could see it in his face," Audrey continues slowly. "It wasn't the bell that scared him; he was afraid because he'd been playing with the puzzle the whole time. Like he thought you would yell at him for keeping it."

"Exactly," Doug confirms, and Ben shakes his head hard.

"Ok, so maybe there was that," he says. "I mean, I saw it too, a little. But that doesn't mean…that doesn't mean…abuse." He whispers the word, practically choking on it, and Doug gives him a sympathetic look.

"No, it doesn't," he says. "But I think we need to keep an eye on them just in case. See how they react to different things, make note of other signs; weird things they say about life at home; stuff like that."

"Ok," Audrey says, though it's more of a determined, grieved sort of sigh, and Ben blinks, glancing back and forth between the two.

"Wait, but…if we do notice something," he says anxiously. "What are we supposed to do? I mean, we can't exactly confront them about it, can we?"

"No," Doug says. "We're not trying to be confronting. We're following your decree after all, Ben. Giving them a chance at a better life."

"And if it comes down to it, we talk to Fairy Godmother," Audrey decides, and Ben sighs as he realizes he's just as outnumbered and in over his head as his parents had feared.

But this was his decree, and what kind of example would he be if he backed out just because things weren't going as planned? What kind of King would he be?

"Ok," he says grimly, nodding his head.

"Then we're agreed," Doug says. "I'll let the others know…discreetly, of course. And we'll see how it goes from there."

Yeah, Ben things glumly. I guess we will.