A/N: Back again! I'm on a roll. Well, not many updates, so continue on with the story!

Chapter 8

Dinner crept up on the students without much incident. The group had been hanging out in Carlos' and Jay's dormitory. The guys were playing various video games on the TV while Evie and Mal were studying books. Studying being an operative word. Evie was sketching and drawing fashion ideas while Mal was reading her mother's spell book. The cover being concealed.

When Ben announced that it was time for lunch, the Isle kids quickly scrambled to clean up their mess. While it wasn't necessary, it was out of a force of habit back from the Isle. The villains always instilled about a clean environment as well as making the kids clean up being too lazy to do it themselves.

Ben chuckled, "You guys don't have to clean up. We have maids for that."

Mal shrugged, "Force of habit."

That left the Auradon teens questioning what that meant. Which led to other questions although none of them voiced it aloud.

As they made their way to the cafeteria, the group conversed about different things. Evie and Doug were speaking about chemistry, and she was asking him pointers on what to study. Chad, meanwhile, was coaching Jay and Carlos about tourney, giving them little tips on what to do.

Ben turned to Mal. "So how have you enjoyed your stay here so far?"

Mal thought about it for a moment before answering. "Well, it hasn't been completely awful. It's a nice surprise that's for sure," she confessed.

"Surprise, how?" Ben asked.

"Well, for one, it's a lot, and I mean a lot, different than how school is taught on the Isle," she explained.

"What it's like there?" Ben queried.

"The teachers don't really care. They're actually just some of the villains that were put to teach. They don't really care though if you're late or show up at all. The officers that are installed there for security though, the ones that your father put on the Isle, do care a great deal. When you get caught by them, you're sent to detention with one of the teachers. I'm surprised they're still around," Mal summarized. Ben noticed that she hesitated before answering, but he didn't comment on it.

They finally reached the eating hall much to Mal's relief. Ben and the others were starting to grow on her, but she still didn't like it when they asked about life on the Isle. She quickly filled her plate with some hot pasta and salad. Making sure to grab another plate, she filled those with some less perishable foods like sandwiches to save in their room. She needed to practice magic after all, and the emergency stash couldn't hurt.

When she sat down, she noticed Ben didn't grab anything.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"Oh, I eat dinner back at home. We eat a bit later though since my dad has to oversee the kingdom, and I wanted to talk with you guys," he explained.

"Oh, ok," Mal said.

They all fell into an easy conversation, talking about random and pointless things. Mal slowly chewed her food as she half listened to the exchange as she pondered about how they were getting to the wand. The barrier around it was a snag, and they needed to get to it before their parents get angry. Although now that she thought about it, Mal was starting to enjoy life here. Would she throw it away for ultimate power alongside her mother? They were finally free from their parents' grasps.

Halfway through their meal, an agitated Audrey began to storm up to their table with an Asian girl and Jane following in suit.

"There you are! Where have you been all day?" Audrey exclaimed, almost bordering a shriek.

"I've been hanging out with Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos. I'm trying to help them get situated into the school. Plus, they're my new friends now," Ben explained, trying to placate her with reason.

"You didn't text! You didn't call! You could've said something, so I don't worry!" Audrey whined.

"Sorry Audrey," Ben apologized, "we were caught up today. Between classes and tourney practice and teaching them the ropes, it slipped our minds."

"Fine," Audrey said, visibly subsiding in her anger. She then turned to the four newcomers.

"So, how'd you like Auradon so far? Does it keep to your standards?" she asked. Ben inwardly groaned. He knew that Audrey didn't mean anything by asking about standards as she always wants to keep up with them. However, he knew the four teens wouldn't know that, and they might take offense to it.

"I guess so," Mal intoned. "Way better than the Isle for sure."

"I actually like it here," Evie chimed in. Jay and Carlos nodded in agreement.

"They actually have a sport for charging at people. Isn't that sweet?" Jay exclaimed. Mal, Evie, and Carlos exasperatedly rolled their eyes at his comment.

Audrey was surprised. She didn't really think they would enjoy being at a hero prep school.

"Really? Then the school on the Isle must not be that great," Audrey said, a bit sardonically.

Mal shrugged, "Can't argue with you there."

Audrey seemed satisfied with their answer. Not a moment later, she widened her eyes.

"So sorry! Totally forgot. This here is Lonnie, she's the daughter of Mulan," Audrey explained. Lonnie waved at them. "And this here is Jane, daughter of the Fairy Godmother."

The four teens nodded their heads in acknowledgement. Audrey then plopped herself down in-between Mal and Ben, who had been sitting next to each other. Disgruntled at being jostled, Mal gave her a sharp look but said nothing more. The girl must really need her quality time with her boyfriend, Mal thought. Lonnie and Jane sat down in the available seats. Mal quietly laughed when she noticed that Jane made a point of deflecting her eyes from Mal and her longtime friends.

"So,"Audrey spoke, "what's life on the Isle like?"

The four looked at each other. Another person trying to nose their way to information about the Isle? Granted, no one here ever encountered what it was like there, but still. Mal exasperatedly gave another inward sigh.

"It's ok, I guess. We never knew anything different," Mal replied.

"What's your parents like? Are they still, you know, evil?" Lonnie piped in curiously.

Carlos snorted, "Of course they are. They're banished to the Isle because they were evil. It's not like they're gonna stop. It's practically written into their DNA."

Audrey let out a small noise of agreement. Truthfully, she was not surprised, but she had to ask to make sure.

"What are they like though?" she pressed.

Jay shrugged, "My dad's not that interesting. He owns a store there and sells things to the residents."

"My mother is kind of like a ruler there," Evie piped in. "It's natural though since she was a queen."

"Not really," Audrey pointed out, "she kind of dethroned since she was evil and all that."

An uncomfortable silence rested upon the group at that answer. Mal quickly glanced at Evie and noticed she was a little upset before pulling on a mask of indifference.

"Well, it doesn't matter to me," Evie said, after a beat of silence. "She still believes it though. The people there listen to her, so it just doesn't seem like she's been dethroned."

"They have rulers over at the Isle," Chad asked, surprised. He, like many others, thought the Isle would've descended in chaos. The king didn't really put any type of ruling over there, letting them roam free but confined to the island.

"Yeah," Evie replied, smiling a bit at Chad for asking a safer question. This was something they were a bit more comfortable sharing. "Her and Mal's mother, Maleficent. They kind of rule over there. We got a whole castle and everything. It's not like they make rules though."

Mal shifted uncomfortably in her seat as Audrey turned to give her a piercing stare. Did Audrey not like Maleficent? Mal racked her brain to remember who her parents were but came up empty.

"It's not like they set out rules or anything," Mal finally said. "It's more like they're the heads because they're the most powerful. They like giving out punishments to people who they hate, but for the most part, people just keep to themselves." None of them added on that while people kept to themselves, they also went about stealing from each other, anytime they could. It was the only way to survive.

Audrey frowned. That was unexpected; she had been hoping that Maleficent withered away. It was only fitting as she rained so much terror on her family. She briefly wondered if Mal would follow in her mother's footsteps but stopped that train of thought. She and Ben had already had an argument about this last week. Audrey didn't want to have another. He was adamant to give them a chance, and as much as she didn't want to, she knew that deep down they should. It would be hypocritical as to call herself a hero otherwise. That didn't mean that she would be watching carefully though. Audrey still didn't trust them, but they seemed alright so far. Especially since Ben, Doug, and even Chad seem to get along with them.

The group fell into a somewhat uneasy, but bearable conversation. The four Isle grown teens were still somewhat uneasy about the Auradon girls. Ben, Doug, and Chad noted on that too, but they knew that they just needed time. Soon, they finished their meal. Ben excused himself, since he needed to head back to the castle for dinner with his parents. He kissed Audrey on the cheek and bid the others good night.

Ben headed outside where the driver was waiting for him with the car. On the way back, Ben pondered on the mysteries of the newcomers. They eluded to many troubling things on the Isle, but he can't seem to get a sure answer. It's not like he even asked, since he's scared on how they react. They were already so shielded and tight lipped on their past. It's better he and the others wait for instead of asking them. It's been a day, and their friendships are tentative and new. Better for the Mal and the others to trust them and come to them about it, then for him or another to ask them. However, that didn't mean he couldn't stop trying to figure out what happened on that island.

"Is there anything troubling you, sire?" the driver, Philippe, asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," Ben replied, "I'm just thinking about the Isle kids."

"Oh them. Are you rethinking your decision? Are they already causing trouble?" Philippe queried.

"It's nothing like that," Ben said, hastily, "they're actually quite nice. It's just they've mentioned some things on the Isle that might be concerning."

"Well the place is a dump," Philippe recounted. He had been the one that picked up the teens from that dreadful island. "Lots of scraggly people, and they all looked shady to me. Shifty eyes and all that. When I was picking up, it drew a crowd. Almost like they've never seen a limo before. I was half afraid they were going to raid it."

Ben made a noncommittal sound, but the new information was churning in his head. More things that alluded to a horrid life on that island. Before he could pick at Philippe's brain for any more information, they arrived at the castle. Ben absentmindedly bid Philippe goodbye and made his way inside. Meandering slowly, he eventually reached the dining hall.

Ben walked towards his mom and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Hey mom, hey dad," he greeted.

"Hi," his parents chorused.

"How was today? Any trouble?" Ben's father, Adam, asked.

"No, not really," Ben replied. "They were all quite nice. Jay and Carlos actually joined the tourney team. Chad and Doug quite like them too. Audrey, Lonnie, and Jane only met them during the back half of dinner. I had to go, so I didn't find out what they thought of them."

"That's nice dear," Belle said, smiling at her son. She was so proud of him, trying to make Auradon a better place. Regardless of the outcome of his first decision, it will be a lesson an incredible lesson for him.

"Hey dad," Ben said suddenly. "Do you ever get updates on what goes on on the Isle?"

Adam furrowed his eyebrows, "No, now that I think about it. I should from the few people that volunteered to go there, but they stopped contact a few months into their leave. I assumed it was because it was difficult to get any message across. The few times they did send any messages took forever and was difficult."

Ben inwardly sigh. It was as he expected. He loved his father, but some things just slip by him from all his work.

"Why do you want to know, sweetie?" Belle queried.

"Oh, it's just that when I was talking to them today they alluded to a bunch of things that make it sound like their life on the Isle wasn't pleasant," Ben answered, thoughtfully chewing on a piece of bread.

"That should be expected dear," Belle replied kindly. "They are living in a place filled with criminals. A few unpleasant instances here and there are to be expected."

"Don't forget too; they may very well be criminals too. Don't take their words to heart," Adam added.

Ben sighed, "I guess you're right. It's probably nothing."

With that, his family got into a conversation about the upcoming tourney match against their rival, Sherwood Forest. However, Ben's mind constantly shifted back to the Isle. His parents dismissed the idea of something horrible was going on there, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that it was worse than they thought. He didn't have any proof though, so he forced himself to think of lighter matters. Those problems can wait until he is able to address them.

A/N: There you have it! Another chapter done. If people are wondering why there's no connection between couples yet, I wanted to have them forge friendships before making any love connections. Anyways, until next time, and reviews and love are always welcome!