Once upon a time, long, long ago well, more like twenty years ago the beauty married her beast in front of six-thousand closest personal friends. How can someone have that many close personal friends? Anyway, instead of a honeymoon the beast united all the kingdoms and got himself elected the king of the United States of Auradon. Then he rounded up all the monsters, evildoers and, sidekicks before booting them off to the Isle Of The Lost with a magical barrier to keep them there.
This is where I live. No magic, no WiFi, and no way out.
Or, so I thought.
Things were about to change.
…...
King Samuel and Queen Stacy looked proudly at their son as he was being fitted for his coronation Royal suit with his sister Princess Sugie and his bestest buddy Scooby Doo looking on with goofy grins. He was being coronated as "Crown Prince" and Heir to the Throne in a few weeks. This meant he could take a more active and official role in ruling the kingdom beside his parents, and he had a lot of ideas, like...
"Mom & Dad, I've like, chosen my first official proclamation", he said.
"Oh!", Stacy chirped, her interest piqued.
"Have you?", Sam added with a small smile. "Well, let's hear it, Son."
"I've, like, decided to give the children on the Isle of the Lost a chance to rejoin the kingdom, and to attend Ever After High."
"*gulp!*" Scooby gasped. Shaggy hadn't told him anything about this! The King and Queen were speechless.
"Every time I, like, look out at the Isle, I feel like we've abandoned them", he said in a somber tone.
"The children of our sworn enemies? Living among us?", Sam asked, to be clear.
"We, like, start out with just a few at first; the ones that need our help the most", Shaggy clarified, to their mild relief. "I've, like, already chosen them."
"Have you?", Sam asked dubiously.
"I gave YOU a second chance didn't I, my love?", Stacy reminded him, then turned back to her eldest child. "Who are their parents?"
Shaggy took a deep breath to bolster himself. "The Big Bad Wolf(there was a 'THUD" as Scooby fainted next to him), The Dragon Lord, Captain Hook, the Wicked Witch of the West, and the niece of Lord Dracula who is also the grand-daughter of... Maleficent."
Sugie gasped, Scooby fainted again, and the tailor fitting the suit squeaked in fear.
"MALEFICENT?!", the King yelled. "She is WORST and most EVIL VILLAIN ever!"
"And Theodora lives for nothing but CRUELTY!", the Queen added.
"Please hear me out here?", Shaggy begged his parents.
"I WON'T HEAR OF IT!", Sam snarled, a sound he hadn't made in years. "Their parents are guilty of UNSPEAKABLE CRIMES!"
"But their children are, like, INNOCENT!", Shaggy urged. "Don't you think they deserve a shot at a normal life? Dad? Please?"
Sam looked from his son to his wife. The King and Queen truly contemplated their son's words for several moments. Then they couldn't help but smile somewhat at Shaggy's kind heart; a trait that would help make him a great ruler one day.
"I suppose the children ARE innocent", Sam conceded, patting his son's shoulder before turning to walk away, so Stacy could hug her son.
"Well done", she said warmly.
Prince Shaggy looked out the window as his mother joined his father, to see the Isle of the Lost in the distance.
…...
The isle was a dismal, dirty place where the sun was always blocked out by a cloud. Where mayhem and mischief ran amuck as bad as it was many had settled down, having families to raise ensured legacies lived on for one reason or another. Currently, one such teen amused herself by tagging the run-down shops. Purple and black declaring long live evil were scattered all throughout the market and the buildings beyond. No one bothered her.
Christina just looked like trouble. Brown hair tossed wildly behind her, her skin was pale and large eyes were sharp, taking in everyone and everything around her, ensuring she wouldn't be messed with. Wearing a black top with mesh paneling under a patchwork leather jacket, hand-painted with dragons along the sleeves, paired with a pair of shredded black jeans wiping her hands on her jeans, Christina turned away from her work, chucking the spray paint away.
"They say I'm trouble, they say I'm bad
They say I'm evil, and that makes me glad"
Marching her way down the street she was soon joined by Hadrian Hook son of the infamous Captain Hook. Dressed in a slightly updated, worn down pirate garb, a rusty sword and tarnished hook sheathed on his belt. Dirty as the weapons were they could do some serious damage if push came to shove. Hadrian was not to be messed with.
"A dirty no-good, down to the bone
Your worst nightmare, can't take me home"
A howl pierced the air as they were passing by the ramshackle houses near the market.
"So I got some mischief, in my blood."
Clawdeen was awake, ready for mischief. Stepping out of her house, twirling the tattered remains of a scarf aside, the pretty young wolf was about as fashionably dressed as one could be on the isle, her cropped jacket, top of patchwork animal prints, and mended mini skirt was the envy of almost every isle girl,
almost.
About the same time, another girl exited the house across the square, pulling on her finger-less gloves she smiled at Clawdeen.
"Can you blame me? I never got no love "
Melinda West, ready for action in her own leather jacket with the studded collar and asymmetrical zipper, worn over a band shirt so faded you couldn't tell who the band was, black leggings and knee-high biker boots, their leather cracked but Melinda refused to give them up. The two ran to join Christina and Hadrian who were disrupting wash day for those unfortunate enough to stay put.
The ruckus was loud enough to catch the attention of the one member of the group who wasn't present. Duncan peeked out the window, catching sight of the goings-on below, leaping onto the window ledge he made use of a clothing line to zip down to the street. Dressed in his own faded shirt and holey jeans,
"They think I'm callous, a low-life hood
I feel so useless, misunderstood:
Now that the group was together they split off in a race to the center of the island. Girls vs boys:
"Mirror, mirror on the wall
Who's the baddest of them all?
Welcome to my wicked world, wicked world"
Clawdeen howled when the girls went zipping down the alleyway, while the boys bounded across the rooftops. All itching to win.
They met up again in the farthest corner of the housing area.
"I'm rotten to the core, core
Rotten to the core
I'm rotten to the core, core
Who could ask for more?
I'm nothing like the kid next, like the kid next door
I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the
I'm rotten to the core "
Tearing through the island's poor attempt of a community area, walking across furniture and tossing it about. Christina coming face to face with Toralei, her childhood bully, who she stared down before pushing her aside.
"Call me a schemer, call me a freak
How can you say that? I'm just unique"
Hadrian meanwhile, was swiping whatever he could get his hands on.
"What, me? A traitor? Ain't got your back?
Are we not friends? What's up with that?"
Clawdeen wondered through the laundry lines, snatching whatever she liked while some boys looked on.
"So I'm a misfit, so I'm a flirt?"
But while Clawdeen either ignored or flirted innocently Melinda took a more hands-on approach one of the onlookers learned when he made a grab for her. She spun, roundhouse kicking the offender in the teeth.
"I broke your heart, I made you hurt?"
Duncan pulled the bloodied boy to his feet, swiping his wallet in the process.
"The past is past, forgive, forget
The truth is, you ain't seen nothing yet"
"Mirror, mirror on the wall
Who's the baddest of them all?
Welcome to my wicked world, wicked world"
Finally reaching the center of the island, their pockets full of treasures the group celebrated despite the fact they'd tied.
"I'm rotten to the core, core
Rotten to the core
I'm rotten to the core, core
Who could ask for more?
I'm nothing like the kid next, like the kid next door
I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the
I'm rotten to the core"
Their revelry was cut short by the screams of those around them. Christina pocketed her finds and spun. The only explanation was...
"Hi, Grammy"
"Causing trouble, dear?" Maleficent stepped out from behind her guards.
"Just having fun, why?"
"You're parents want you to come home right away"
"Is something wrong?"
"Something's happened"
"Let's go, guys," Christina didn't wait for the others flying ahead to one of the only castles on the island, her home.
…...
"Auradon!" Christina just about yelled, "I don't want to go to a boarding school filled to the brim with prissy pink princesses"
"Why?" Alissa prompted.
"I don't want to leave you alone," Christina looked to each person in her family, "It's not fair"
"Ve know it's not fair but it means ve have a chance, you have a chance"
"A chance for what?" Clawdeen questioned watching the other parents as they came in, save for Belloc who stood outside the window.
"A chance to set the record straight," Maleficent explained.
"Are you sure we can?"
"Certain," Captain Hook declared, "If-"
"Bring us the Fairy Godmother's wand," Dracula interrupted.
"With the wand and my scepter, we'll be able to unravel the lies that doomed us here,"
"I'd hope so considering what we went through to get it," Christina shuddered at the memory.
"No kidding," Clawdeen nodded.
"But how are we supposed to get the wand?" Melinda questioned, "There's bound to be security"
"Which is why-"
"I'm giving you this" Maleficent stepped forward, placing a package in Christina's hands.
"And for Melinda, from your mother" Alissa handed Melinda a box.
"Open these in Auradon," Belloc said from the window.
A car horn beeped outside.
Christina hugged her parents then her cousins, trying not to cry.
"It's okay Christina, we'll be together again soon"
"I'll walk you outside," Maleficent placed a hand on Christina's shoulder.
Around the room, the kids were hugging their parents. Save for Melinda who's mother was absent from the group.
One by one they gathered their suitcases and headed downstairs.
"Oh, my OZ they sent a limo"
"We see it, Melinda," Christina said, watching Hadrian swipe the hood ornament, right under the driver's nose.
Rolling their eyes, the girls tossed their bags in the trunk, Christina turning to hug her grandmother a final time before scooting in beside Melinda. Christina turned her back on her family, she was certain if she looked she'd cry instead, she wrote in her diary. A semi-decent find it was red composition book which had hardly any pages filled when she found it. She'd torn those pages out, keeping the journal.
We're off to Auradon.
Yes, I know.
But, we have a mission. We need to bring back the wand.
"Are you okay, Christina?"
Christina shut her diary looking at Clawdeen.
"Yeah, peachy," Christina turned to Melinda, "Are you okay?"
"Just super"
"Girls, you need to try this stuff," Hadrian said.
Christina paid him no mind, taking an interest in the remote she'd found in the cup holder over the sweets piled before them.
"LOOK!" Melinda cried.
They were headed straight for the water.
"WE'RE DEAD!"
much to their shock they were safely suspended on a golden bridge that spread before them.
"Must be magic," Duncan deduced.
"Christina, do you feel that?" Melinda grabbed onto the equally shocked hybrid.
"Yeah, she turned to the window separating them from the driver, "Hey, did this little button open the magic barrier?"
"No, this one opened the barrier," the driver pointed out, "This one opens the garage, and this one"
He closed the window.
Shrugging her shoulders, Christina returned to her diary.
The things that were done to my family alone.
My grandmother, orphaned, was left in the crow tree because she had horns because she was different. My father, my uncle hunted for sport. My mother expected to be evil just because her mother was "Evil"
And when they rose up. When my grandmother defied expectation, when my father finally bested the hunter-simply because the idiot fell off a cliff- they were blamed. So much to tell, so much to say but we'll arrive at the school soon.
Then I can open my package though I suspect what it is.
…...
welcome banners snapped against the wind which carried the sound of the marching band to the limo pulling up the winding driveway. A bright, cheery welcome.
Too bad Christina didn't fill bright or cheery.
Even worse was the scuffle that broke out between Hadrian and Duncan over the dismantled sound system, the pirate was intent on keeping it, Duncan didn't see the point. So when the door open, their fight rolled out onto the flower-lined sidewalk which brought the band to an abrupt halt.
"Boys, Clawdeen growled, "We have an audience"
The two looked up at the prince and princess who stared down at them.
Duncan got to his feet first, hauling Hadrian up after him, "Just cleaning up"
"Leave it like you found it," sing-singed the woman next to the teens, "By that I mean just leave it"
the boys took the hint, chucking the stuff back into the limo.
"Welcome to Ever After High, I'm Fairy Godmother, Headmistress"
Melinda elbowed Christina.
Christina glared pointedly.
"It's like, good to finally meet you all, I'm Shaggy"
This was the person responsible for their transfer from the isle? He wasn't who they had expected, the boy before them wore an oversized t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
"Prince Shaggy," the blonde in the cheer uniform next to him interjected.
"This is Googie," Shaggy grinned.
"Princess Googie, his girlfriend, right?"
Shaggy laughed.
"Christina's a Princess too," Melinda grinned, nudging her friend, "Heir to the throne and everything"
"Maleficent has no royal status here and neither does she," Googie snipped, with a fake smile.
Melinda growled, Clawdeen grabbed her arm while Christina tried to keep from incinerating the blonde before her.
"Shaggy and Googie are going to show you around and I'll see you tomorrow"
With another bright smile, Fairy Godmother left them to their apparent student guides.
"Right," Shaggy collected himself getting back on track, "Like, it's so good to meet you all," he began reciting the speech he had been practicing in front of the mirror.
Hadrian pushed him away so he continued on to where Christina stood, still a tad angry. Fire coursing through her veins.
"This is a momentous occasion," he shook her hand, momentarily freezing before shaking his head.
Truth be told, Christina zoned out. Her thoughts whirling. Not a princess? Not an heir? Tell that to the birthmark on her neck. The horns curving through her hair. Guided by Melinda Christina followed on the tour of the school, barely paying attention to the grand curving staircases and beautiful art lining the walls.
An angry dark fae was a dangerous thing,
…...
Their dorm was pink. Frilly and pink.
"Ugh," Christina rolled her eyes, shutting the curtains, Melinda doing the same.
"Clawdeen lucked out, getting a room to herself, Melinda mumbled.
"Am I not cool enough for you?" Christina smirked.
"Christy, you know you're the coolest," Melinda grinned, "Now, can we do something about this princess puke?"
"Black for you?" Christina flexed her fingers, "Or-"
"White? Please?"
"There," Christina watched the color creep across the satin bed covers, washing out the pink until a pearly white remained.
"Purple for me" a deep plum drowned the pink on Christina's bed the frills unraveling before stitching themselves back into a dragon.
"What do you say we open the presents now?"
"Lets"
Each perched on their bed, bags kicked to the side, packages in hand. Christina went first, peeling back the paper to reveal her grandmother's personal spellbook.
"Christy-" Melinda started.
"Open your now, M" Christina breathed, holding the spellbook up.
Melinda did so, breath hitching in her throat when she saw the perfectly preserved crystal ball that sparked and clouded under her touch.
"Wow"
"Let's go find the others"
Christina yawned, "Let's get a nap first, okay"
"Sounds like a plan"
…...
The sun was just setting, streaking the sky with colors Christina had only dreamed of seeing. Melinda was still sleeping, a pillow over her head. Smiling to herself, Christina pulled the covers over her shoulders before settling down on her own bed her journal in hand.
This place is so bright. So colorful. Hard to believe there are such secrets to expose. Such dark, awful things. Things that we're judged for. That our families are judged for. I opened my present. Just as I suspected, Grandmother's spellbook or...mine now I guess. I haven't really looked through it just yet. I think it's bonded to me though. Is that odd? Can a book do that?
I know it's a super basic question but magical studies were sorta lacking on the isle.
I remember when I was little, I'd sit on grandmother's lap and she'd read to me from all her remaining spellbooks. We'd sit for hours until my cousins pulled me away to play a game.
Sibella and Draculaura that is.
Faybelle hates me.
Now, I'm in Auradon, buzzing with magic.
Seriously it feels like when I drink too much coffee and can't sit still.
We met Shaggy upon our arrival. He was nice I guess. Not exactly what I was picturing when Mom said the future crown prince was sending us here as part of a proclamation. He's just a regular boy.
His girlfriend, however, was acting like she owned everything. Hey, maybe she does but that doesn't excuse how rude she was. Me, not a princess? She clearly has no idea who she's messing with, my grandmother's title was never stripped from her, at least not by the one with any power to change it. She and her subjects were booted to the isle just like every 'evil' thing.
So, Googie better watch her back, she has no idea who she's messing with.
…...
When Melinda woke up they gathered their things and headed to the boys' dorm room with Clawdeen, finding Duncan immersed in a video game of some sort while Hadrian was stashing whatever loot he'd lifted off of the few students he'd encountered.
"Really?" Christina rolled her eyes, "We have a job to do"
"Yes, Christina, we know," Hadrian laughed.
She slammed her hand on the table, "This is NOT a laughing matter! This is our ONE chance to set the record straight!"
she looked to Hadrian, "To reveal how your father was framed"
To Duncan, "That your father saved your mother from her scummy betrothed"
To Clawdeen, "That the wolves were driven to starvation by royals"
To Melinda, "How your mother was manipulated by her own sister into becoming wicked"
To her own reflection, "That my grandmother was betrayed"
Christina was shaking with anger that sparked a fire on her wings. "THAT is why we're here, remember?"
"Yes," Hadrian said quietly, "What first?"
"Melinda, can you use your crystal ball to find the wand?"
"I can try," Melinda shrugged, waving her hands over it.
The smoke inside parted to reveal the wand suspended in the air, encased by a soft blue light.
"Zoom out"
The image zoomed too far out, so Melinda worked to zoom back in until Clawdeen cried:
"Stop!"
"It's in a museum!"
"Do we know where that is?"
"2.3 miles from here," Duncan declared, after searching.
"Great, let's go"
…...
The museum was dark save for a couple of lawn lights throughout the grounds, the sign next to the steps declaring:
Auradon History Museum.
Hours: 8 AM to 10 PM Monday through Saturday.
Closed Sundays.
"Good thing it's Sunday"
Creeping up to the door they peered inside. There was one guard, clearly exhausted, eyes drooping. Still, he spun in his swivel chair as if that was good enough. They ducked out of sight, waiting until his back was turned to really examine the room. A few random displays in glass cases lined the walls. Dresses and suits of armor. Most interesting was the display directly in front of the guard.
"That's your grandmother's spinning wheel?" Hadrian laughed at how simple the thing looked.
"It's magic, it doesn't have to look scary," Christina said, opening the spellbook, "Magic spindle do not linger, make my victim prick a finger"
It barely moved.
Hadrian laughed only to be silenced by Christina.
"Prick the finger, prick it deep, send my enemy off to sleep"
Now the wheel did what it was made to, attracting the attention of the guard who was so mesmerized he couldn't help but prick his finger before slumping to the ground in an enchanted sleep.
Grinning, clawdeen tried to open the door only to find it locked.
"Let me," Duncan backed up but Melinda beat him to it.
"Make it easy make it quick, open up without a kick"
The doors flew open and Duncan laid sprawled on the floor, the girls stepping over him, giggling. Clawdeen turned back to pull him to his feet before they sprinted down the hall. Melinda's crystal ball was too big to carry around so they had to guess. Up the stairs, into the left-wing of the building they came across an exhibit that made them all freeze.
"Dad?" Duncan found himself staring up at an incredibly life-like, slightly menacing wax statue of his father.
"Whoa!" Clawdeen's expression mirrored her boyfriend's as she took in the sight of the big bad wolf statue, her father poised for the kill.
Not a foot away was the Captain Hook statue, the man appearing slightly insane, his fist raised, hook almost gleaming.
"She's supposed to have wings," Christina's voice shook, "Why doesn't anyone remember that"
"The wand isn't here," Clawdeen guided Christina away, "Let's keep looking"
But, Melinda stayed rooted to the spot. Staring at her mother's statue, the witch stood with her broom in hand, ready to cast.
"Look at you, look at me, I don't know who to be, Mother
Is it wrong? Is it right? Be a thief in the night? Mother
Tell me what to do"
Melinda turned away from the statue, not expecting an answer only to receive quite the surprise:
"You're funny Melinda"
The young with whirled to find her mother descending the steps of the display.
"I was once like you, my child, slightly insecure
Argued with my sister, thought I was mature
But I put my heart aside
And I used my head
Now I think it's time you learned
What dear old auntie said:
Melinda's mind was spinning watching her mother glide about the room, was this really happening?
"Don't you wanna be evil like me? Don't you wanna be mean?
Don't you wanna make mischief your daily routine?
Well you can spend your life attending to the poor
But when you're evil doing less is doing more
Don't you wanna be ruthless and rotten and mad?
Don't you wanna be very, very good at being bad?"
Did she? Did she really? While the other parents were more concerned with shedding their awful reputations, Theodora had embraced hers. The tyrannical ruler of winkie country. Malicious and awful.
Even to her.
"I have tried my whole life long
To do the worst I can
Clawed my way to victory
Built my master plan
Now the time has come, my dear
For you to take your place
Promise me you'll try to be
An absolute disgrace"
But, could she?
"Don't you wanna be evil like me?
Don't you wanna be cruel?
Don't you wanna be nasty and brutal and cool?"
"And when you grab that wand that's when your reign begins
Who wants an evil queen without a sack of sins?"
Melinda followed behind her mother as she lamented, trying to make her case on why being evil, being wicked was what was best.
"Don't you wanna be heartless and hardened as stone?
Don't you wanna be finger licking' evil to the bone?"
Theodora flew above her now, the fireplaces around the room, relighting.
"This is not for us to ponder
This was preordained
You and I shall rule together
Freedom soon regain
Mistress of the universe, powerful and strong
Daughter, hear me
Help me, join me
Won't you sing along?"
Well, it was best to do what her mother said, so Melinda grabbed hold of the broom handle.
"Now we're gonna be evil!
It's true!
Never gonna think twice"
Melinda yanked the broom in her direction:
"And we're gonna be spiteful"
Theodora yanked it out of her grip.
"Yes, spiteful!
That's nice
In just an hour or two
Our future's safe and sure
This mother-daughter act is going out on tour
If you wanna be evil and awful and free
Then you should thank your lucky star
That you were born the girl you are
The daughter of an evilicious queen
Like me!"
Melinda still stood frozen to the spot when clawdeen returned:
"Hey, we found the wand"
When Melinda turned back there was only a statue in her mother's place. Sufficiently creeped out, she followed Clawdeen to the wand display where the others waited. Christina was clearly deep in thought, eyes darting around the room, looking for something. Hadrian seemed antsier, itching to move. That's why he slid under the outer railing, hoping the small metal fence just after it.
"Hadrian, don't!" Melinda cried.
But he didn't listen reaching for the wand.
"NO!" everyone else cried.
As soon as he touched the barrier he was sailing across the room while sirens loud enough to wake the sleeping guard downstairs wailed all around them.
"Run!"
They just barely made it out, Melinda frying the cameras to erase the evidence while Duncan made up an excuse as to why the alarm had been triaged.
Needless to say, they were all angry with the now sheepish pirate,
"Great going, now we have to go to school tomorrow!"
