Chapter Fifty Two


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

Wow…I can't believe we made it all the way to the end of them reading Choosing Family. Honestly it feels like just yesterday that I started this fic and now look where we are! Fifty two chapters later! :D

And yes, I've added to this already crowded group of readers—why you may ask? Well two were already planned, one I just wanted to add and the remaining four were requested by a reader over in Choosing Home and I happened to like the idea.

Marcus Emrys: Oh good to know! Actually this information is what prompted me to mention the Black Spot in Choosing Home! :D And yep the stuffed bunny appeared and honestly, anything that makes Leah miserable is okay by me! That would make sense regarding Camelot. :D

DeathCrawler: Oh thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

Katt Kiki: Oh it's definitely going to be crazy, not going to lie.

JaclynnM: I'm so glad to hear that! :D

Katie2001: Oh thank you! Glad you're enjoying the story!

AmethystDragon14: Yay! Well I'm glad you enjoy helping me out because I think we wouldn't be as far as we are otherwise! And yeah Leah got off easy but think about it, if the Gods smite her, what do the hyenas eat? :D

61394: That's a good point about Aziz being the same rank as Audrey and yet still being able to be a decent SO to Rachel. Lol I can see what I can do about publishing that! It sounds like it'd be hilarious :D I honestly think it's amazing that the Isle became a thing just because of how many people they'd have to bring back from the dead. Like why? Villains can't beat death so why risk your safety otherwise? It just doesn't make any sense. Glad you liked the chapter!

LotusQuil: Yeah it was long but I'm glad to get it done. And I'm glad to give you ideas for later chapters! Ah getting to shut Leah down by everyone was the best part to write. Honestly in canon, I think it's worse because Leah was nice to Mal until Audrey pointed out who Mal was. Heh, I might make that into a break chapter!

Flaresouth: Anything is possible! :D

Lord of the A.U. FanFiction: Oh that's a good suggestion! Definitely something I'll think over and see about implementing :D

Urmimala Hazra: I'm so glad you like the story :D I'm sure Persephone could smite Leah but I'm keeping her around until a certain chapter in CL. A sibling talk is in the cards because I won't lie, it's needed. Oh Gods, as much as that would be fun to read, my brain cells hate dealing with Freddy.

danifan3000: Wait…Beast and the Enchantress used to date? Well that beats my fan fiction lol! :D

Descendants-fan08: Ah! Well I didn't really have Moana in the story that they're reading so I don't think she'd show up here.

SixUnderOneXSix: Oh thank you—and you're welcome! :D Oh very true, honestly it'll be interesting to see what their kid's teenage years are like.

Hufflepuff24: So glad you liked the chapter! And yeah I agree, though Mal's a bit more expressive at times than Ben since he was raised in the royal circles.

JudiAndTheFandoms: Hey I've got plenty of stuffed animals myself so Leah makes men angry too. Also, you may have inspired some of the comments in this chapter with your 'Coronation Day' comment :D

jessaminego5134: Oh I'm so glad you enjoyed it! :D

twilghtgirl587: Agreed, you never mess with the mama bear or mama God, and you're right about Chip having a good point. I had a jacket that looked like something Cruella DeVil would wear but I somehow lost it at a father daughter dance. I miss it. Ooh that's a good point, would Mal know if she was around Maleficent more? Oh that sounds like a beautiful necklace! Of course Belle would learn Greek to read a book :D Agreed. Borrowing Chip's nickname there? :D Oh yeah angry God is approaching! And yeah I don't think Leah magically became a lawyer. Trust me, if there's an option to make an online appointment, I take it. I may try to do something with Ben growing up on the Isle. And you're right about Mal and good point about Ben being able to bust open his office door if necessary! :D

BlackWidowAndCapRule: Oh I'm so glad you like it! :D

Mixer145: Oh thank you so much! I'm so glad you like this chapter in Choosing Family! Hope you like this chapter :D

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


Phillip sighed as he unfurled his scroll. "I think a break is definitely in our near future."

"Maybe even a rest," Aurora nodded.

The next day came faster than Ben had expected it to.

Time flies…especially if you don't want it to, Belle thought with a sad smile.

Honestly, he didn't even remember falling asleep but he must have as he awoke with his stomach in knots. It was the day he had been looking forward to and yet dreading for months…his coronation day.

"Would you say you're feeling elated or gassy?" Akiho asked with a small grin, trying to alleviate some of the worry from his best friend.

Anna sighed and shook her head. "Of all the references to make, he chooses that one."

"He's your son," Kristoff chuckled.

Okay, nothing to worry about, he thought as he started to get ready. Just getting coronated in front of the entire kingdom. Breathe. You've been preparing for this for sixteen years. You can do this. It's just kneeling in front of Fairy Godmother, my mom and my dad; saying one line. There's no way I can mess that up.

"So…how'd you mess it up?" Jay asked, looking over at Benji.

"What do you…?"

"You just invoked Murphey's Law there," Rose said. "Everything that can go wrong will go wrong."

He shook his head, trying to stamp down the nerves that were building up inside him. He needed to talk to someone soon otherwise he'd be a jittery mess come Coronation. Okay, so coronation's not for a few hours. Why don't we see what Chip is up to? He's usually good at being a calming voice.

"That is true," Lucas smiled. Chip was the one their girls went to if they needed someone to calm them down. On the flipside, if they needed someone who could provide a way to logically fix their problem, they went to him.

Ben pulled out his phone and quickly dialed up Chip's number. He listened to the ringing of the other line and couldn't help but hope that Chip would be available to pick up.

"You need me, I'm there Benji," Chip said.

"Hey Benji! What's up?" Chip's chipper voice sounded thought the phone. "How're you feeling?"

"Nervous. Very nervous," Ben told him, seeing no reason to lie to the man who was his brother in all but blood.

"You know, considering it's Auradon post the creation of the Isle, is there much reason to be nervous?" Evan asked. "I mean when my mother was crowned Princess of Corona, she had her coronation crashed by Lady Cane and her followers and had to fight them off as they tried to imprison guests including my grandfather. I doubt anything as exciting will happen this go around."

"Yes and we're happy about that," Rapunzel said but sighed. She'd forgotten about Lady Cane—and really the reason she'd crashed her coronation was to get revenge on her father being thrown in jail after Mother Gothel had kidnapped Rapunzel. Going that hard on punishment…that could breed resentment and possibly cause someone to act out in revenge.

She hoped that wasn't going to be the case at Ben's coronation.

"Completely understandable."

"But I mean should I be nervous? I'm only kneeling and saying one line. Really Fairy Godmother's doing all the work."

"Ben, you're not just kneeling," Chip told him. "You're also accepting responsibility for looking after the lives of everyone in the kingdom."

"I don't think that's what Ben was looking for when he called you," Emma said, shaking her head.

"Thanks Chip, I called you to alleviate my nerves. Not to be more nervous than I already was," Ben sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Ben, relax and listen to me okay? You will be fine. Have I ever been wrong? When it's important I mean?"

Ben sighed. "Chip….I don't know. I mean, I know I've been preparing for this for sixteen years but now that it's here…"

"The thing is…it's a lot earlier than you probably ever expected it to be," Ariel said with a kind smile. "Even if you expected that the day would come, it's completely normal to feel nervous when it actually arrives."

"I know Benji, I know," Chip said, his voice growing gentle. "It's a totally different thing. It's real now."

Rapunzel nodded. "A thought is different to something actually happening. With Coronation day being a date in the future, it doesn't feel as real as it would on the actual day."

"It's stupid but…I'm just worried I'm going to mess everything up and Dad's going to realize he made a mistake stepping down—"

"Okay, first of all it's not stupid," Beast said. "Your feelings are not stupid Ben. And second of all odds are you're going to mess somethings up but that's what your advisors and your council are there for. Plus you'll still have your mom and me for advice. And finally, I know I'm not making a mistake because I know how much you care about Auradon."

"Ben, he wouldn't be stepping down if he didn't feel you were ready. Like he said yesterday at Family Day, remember?"

"Yeah, okay, he thinks that now. What if in a month or so he realizes he made a mistake? Chip, I'm serious, I don't know if I can do this! I-I—"

"Ben, if I was going to change my mind, I would have said so by that point," Beast said gently, looking at his son. "You can do this."

"Ben, I want you to listen to me! Your dad would not be stepping down if he felt you weren't ready. You can do this."

"And remember, you won't be alone Benji," Chip said.

Ben ran a hand through his hair once more. "Chip, what makes you so sure?"

"Because not only have you been raised and trained for this since birth but you want to do a good job ruling the kingdom."

"And that makes all the difference," Persephone said.

"Well of course I want to do a good job! Doing a bad job would mean people might suffer!"

"I think you might have just proved the teacup's point, mate," Harry said.

"You just proved my point," Chip said gently. "Ben, if you weren't ready for this, you wouldn't have said that. The fact that you're thinking about others being affected means you can do this."

"As I said Ben, if you weren't nervous, you'd be a tyrant," Chip said, looking over at Ben.

Ben took a deep breath. Chip had a point—and besides he would have his friends by his side. Sure he would have the council, but when it came to advisors, there was no one Ben trusted more than his friends.

Emir and Akiho grinned as they looked at Ben. "And there's no one we'd trust more as our King. We're ready and waiting to advise, we've already done half of the training after all."

"Ben, trust me. You're going to be fine," Chip told him. "And honestly, I'd rather have a king who's nervous on his coronation day than have one who's completely calm."

"Is it wrong that I'm nervous to ask why?" Evan asked as he looked over at Chip.

"Why?"

"Because it means he doesn't have an ego the size of Jupiter for one and would be able to think things through, preventing the kingdom from suffering."

"Okay you didn't have to make a jab at Chad in the name of making Ben feel better," Kitty chuckled.

Ben couldn't help but give a weak smile at that, even though he knew Chip couldn't see it.

"Even if I can't see it Benji, I know it's there," Chip said, giving Ben a small smile of his own.

"Thanks Chip," he said softly. "What would I do without you?"

"You'll never need to find out," Chip promised. "I'm always going to be here Ben. You need anything, even after that crown touches your head, I'll be there."

"And he always has been," Benji said, looking over at Chip with a smile.

"Thanks Chip."

"Not a problem. You feeling a bit better Benji?"

"Yeah."

"I always do after talking to Chip," Ben said with a small smile.

"Good. You got this Ben. Just keep telling yourself that okay? Plus, if it helps, think of Mal looking all nice in her dress as she looks at you in the front row."

Benji smiled as Mal and Ben flushed slightly. "I have to say, you did look beautiful in your dress for my coronation," he told Malinda.

Ben smiled at the thought. "I…I hadn't thought about that," he said softly.

"Well do think about that cause that's what's going to happen," Chip said with a chuckle. "Now, little bro, you're going to go out there and rock this coronation. Then you're going to enjoy yourself at the party your shadows are throwing for you."

"Oh dear Gods," many of the Auradon adults sighed and shook their heads as Emir and Akiho grinned.

"Oh so they've given you details?" Ben teased.

"Of course!"

"Any chance you'd spill some of those details?"

"I don't think it'd be that easy," Emir said with a small smirk.

"Hmm…sorry Benji, your shadows swore me to secrecy."

"Chip!"

"Ben, do you really think that'll work on me? I can hear the pout in your voice," Chip chuckled. "Don't forget I've known you since you were a baby—hell I changed your diapers!"

"Today on this episode of 'Things I didn't want to think about'," Abby said with a chuckle.

Ben sighed. "So I'll be going into an Akiho and Emir party completely blind?"

"Yep, but you'll enjoy it."

"You always do," Emir and Akiho both said with a grin.

"If you say so. You know those two always go a bit overboard on their parties."

"Trust me Benji."

"You know you've said that a lot in this conversation. I will always trust you Chip. However, I do have concerns when it comes to parties thrown by my best friends. You do remember what they did for my 16th after all. Just a hint couldn't hurt could it?"

"Oh yeah, that was fun," Emir chuckled.

Aladdin sighed. "Do I want to know what you two did?"

"Fine, only because it's you and it's your coronation day," Chip told him. "Be prepared to be carried into the party by some of your Tourney team mates. Also it's outside."

"…why are you carrying me in on the shoulders of our team mates?" Ben asked, looking at Emir and Akiho.

"So you'd know that no matter what happens during your reign, we'd support you," Emir said.

"Okay…" Ben said slowly. "Did they happen to say why that's going to be happening?"

"Can't tell you that."

"Honestly…I think it might have calmed Ben's nerves to hear what Emir had just said," Ashaki said. "Otherwise he's just got a big old knot of nerves in his stomach."

"Of course you can't," Ben sighed. "Chip just tell me this…they're not planning on blowing anything up are they?"

"When have we ever blown anything up?" Akiho asked. "We've frozen plenty a thing with Aunt Elsa's help but we've never caused an explosion!"

"Yet," Ben said, his voice flat. "And that's what worries me."

"You know you love us Ben," Emir chuckled.

"Do fireworks count?"

Ben couldn't help but give a weak chuckle at that. His best friends meant well but their parties…let's just say there was a reason one of the ball rooms at Beast Castle was an ice rink.

"I thought we'd gotten it up to three by that point?" Akiho asked.

"Right, right," Ben sighed. "You're just lucky my parents aren't the ball holding type."

"But why have a ball room with no balls?"

Anna sighed. "Akiho, please stop quoting my eighteen year old self."

"I make no promises mom," Akiho grinned.

"Other than the fireworks, no Benji, they're not planning on blowing anything up. Honestly, and you didn't hear this from me, it actually sounds pretty tame."

"Oh good."

Ashaki tilted her head as she looked over at her brother. "You and Akiho can do tame?"

"It's a shock to me too," Emir told her.

"Yeah, other than the Tourney guys carrying you in. Gods I hope someone gets that on video!"

Lucas chuckled. "And here I thought you'd be the one filming everything teacup?"

Ben chuckled. "Why would you need someone to film it, Chip? I'd have thought you'd be there in person?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Chip promised.

"Oh I will be," Chip promised.

"See? No need for there to be video then!"

"Oh no Benji, I will make sure there's video even if I have to film it myself!" Chip chuckled.

Lucas shook his head. "Why am I not surprised?"

Chip chuckled and Ben could almost see him shaking his head in amusement. "Get dressed Benji or you'll be late."

"That's nothing new for Ben though," Elle said, shaking her head.

"Okay, talk to you later Chip."

Ben hung up his phone and sighed. It never failed; talking to Chip always seemed to help calm his nerves.

"I'm glad I could help Benji," Chip said with a small smile on his face.

Taking a deep breath, he got dressed in his coronation attire. Just as he was finishing up, there was a knock on his door.

"Your highness? I have your breakfast," Mrs. Potts said. "Chip and I made your favorite in honor of the day."

"Wait…wasn't Ben just talking to Chip on the phone?" Ruby asked.

Benji chuckled. "One thing you need to know about Chip is that he's a disaster in the kitchen. Mrs. Potts probably waited until I called him to actually start cooking."

Ben grinned and opened the door. "Thanks Mrs. Potts!"

"You're welcome dear, oh look at you! You look so handsome. Are you feeling alright Ben? You look a bit pale."

"She's mothering again," Beast said with a fond smile.

"I was feeling a little nervous earlier but Chip calmed me down," Ben said as he took the tray of food.

"But not before accidentally increasing the level of nerves Ben was feeling," Rowyn chuckled.

"Good. Try to eat something, you've got a big day after all."

"Yes Mrs. Potts," Ben said with a smile. No matter how old he got, Mrs. Potts would always be like a second mother to him.

Chip smiled. "She always considers you a second son Benji…well actually a sixth son but you know what I mean."

Mrs. Potts smiled before dipping into a small curtsy. Ben chuckled and gave a small bow in return, returning the smile before looking down at the tray.

Benji smiled and shook his head. "She knows she doesn't have to curtsy to me," he said.

"This looks really good Mrs. Potts," Ben said, looking back at her.

"Thank you dearie. Well I'll let you get to eating. Just leave that tray in front of the door when you're done."

"I will—thank you again!"

"Mrs. Potts is truly the best," Beast said with a small smile. She'd practically been his mother after his mother passed away.

Mrs. Potts gave Ben a kind smile as she walked off, and Ben closed the door to his room to eat the breakfast she'd prepared. Actually, breakfast was a bit of an understatement—feast was a more appropriate word. And yet, Ben managed to eat all of it.

"Oh, that's probably not a good idea if you're already feeling nervous," Poseidon said.

"I agree, the last thing you want is to become queasy at your coronation from overeating, Prince Ben," Persephone nodded.

As he finished up, Ben checked his watch to note the time.

"I'm…not running late?" Ben muttered to himself as he saw the time.

"It's a coronation day miracle!" Akiho chuckled.

Despite being the Crown Prince and knowing the importance of punctuality, Ben had started developing a reputation for running late—if only because of all the items on his schedule.

"And that will be rectified soon enough," Beast said.

"This is a weird feeling. Okay then, I should probably head down anyway. Wonder how many people I'll freak out because I"m early for once."

"Just the people who know you well," Lonnie said with a small smile.

He chuckled and straightened out his jacket once more before opening the door and made his way downstairs. Ben couldn't help but smile as he saw all the attendants and servants hard at work preparing the castle of the transition.

"But why?" Neal asked. "It's not like Ben's going to boot his parents out of the castle once he's King. After all, he's still underage so he'd be living with his parents right?"

Making his way down the stairs, Ben chuckled to himself as he saw his parents in the foyer.

"Hey mom, hey dad!" Ben called as he finished descending the stairs, slowing his pace a little as to not appear as if he was rushing.

"But…if you're not running late, why would you need to be rushing?" Rose asked.

Ben shook his head. "It's a default mode," he said sheepishly.

Reaching his parents, Ben gave each of them a smile; noticing the tears that had begun to well in his mom's eyes. "Oh mom, don't cry!"

"I'm sure they're happy tears Ben," Belle said, softly dabbing the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief. "Tears of pride and happiness. My selfless boy grew up too fast."

"I'm sorry Ben," Belle said, dabbing at the corners of her eyes. "It's just hard to believe you're going to be King after today. Look at you, you look so handsome."

"You really did," Malinda whispered to Benji.

"I didn't look half as good as you did," Benji whispered back to her.

"Thanks mom," Ben said with a small smile.

"Hard to believe you're the same little boy who used to get into mischief with Chip," Beast said fondly, resting a hand on Ben's shoulder. "You grew up too fast, Ben."

"I think that's what every parent thinks," Eugene said with a small smile as he looked at his six kids. "Well minus the mischief with Chip part."

Mal looked over at Ben. "You know it's hard picturing you as the type to get into mischief," she told him.

"It doesn't feel like it," Ben told him. "Dad, are you sure about this—?"

"No Benny, the eleventh hour is when your dad's going to say 'no you know what? I'm not sure my son would be a good King,'" Uma said, shaking her head.

Beast gave his son a comforting smile. "Ben, it's natural to feel nervous. But, like I said yesterday, I wouldn't be stepping down if I wasn't sure you'd be able to do the job."

"Again, I doubt your reign's going to be as exciting as mom's was when she was Queen of Corona for a day," Evan said. "I doubt you'll have barbers complaining about fiddlers, or sheep disputes, or people angry about cats and kittens."

"…you've hung out with Uncle Varian a bit too much haven't you?" Ruby asked.

Ben couldn't help but give him a small smile before sighing softly.

"We should get going," Beast said. "Wouldn't look good for you to be late at your own coronation."

"Even if it wouldn't look good, like Elle said, nothing new for Ben there," Melody chuckled.

Ben chuckled slightly before the three of them began to make their way to their respective carriages that would take them to the chapel.

Wait a minute! Ben suddenly thought, stopping in his tracks.

Malinda smiled as she looked over at Ben. "Aren't you forgetting something? Or should I say someone?"

Mal! She should be riding in the carriage with me! We need to pick her up!

"Wait, so you almost forgot Mal?" Uma asked, chuckling slightly.

"Wait!" Ben exclaimed, causing his parents to pause and look back at him. "Mom, dad, I need to pick up Mal! She's my girlfriend after all, she should be riding with me!"

"I can't believe you almost forgot me!" Malinda chuckled as she looked over at Benji and shook her head.

Belle turned to Beast. "I told you we were forgetting something."

"I won't be long," Ben promised.

"Take your time Ben," Belle said with a small smile. "After all, it's your day."

"We'll meet you at the cathedral," Belle told Ben, who nodded before turning and went to make his way to Mal's dorm; riding to the school in the carriage before telling the driver to meet them in front of the school.

"You know it just occurred to me," Benji said as he looked at his parents. "Since you guys were meeting me at the cathedral, shouldn't you have left before me?"

"You'd really think we'd leave before seeing you?" Beast asked, raising an eyebrow.

Thankfully, all the students were in their dorms preparing for coronation so no one prevented him from getting to Mal's dorm.

"Pretty sure no one would have prevented that from happening even if they were in the halls," Lucy pointed out.

Knocking on the door, Ben waited nervously; straightening out his jacket once more as if to have something to do with his hands. Thankfully, Mal didn't keep him waiting long as she opened the door maybe about five minutes later.

"You're normally faster than that," Benji muttered to Malinda. "Was everything okay?"

"I was walking in Auradon heels for the first time in my life Ben. Of course I'd be a bit slower than if I'd been wearing my boots."

Ben didn't think it was possible for her to look even more beautiful than she already did. Clearly he was wrong.

"I'd like to revise that statement as the fact remains that she looked even more beautiful on our wedding day," Benji said.

"Uh…you..you look…" he stuttered, trying to pull the words out. She truly was a vision in a lavender dress accompanied by a high collar.

Malinda shook her head. I need to remember to talk to Evie and see just what fabric she used there. Because again, it somehow withheld a dragon transformation.

"What's the matter Ben? Cat got your tongue?" Mal asked with a small smirk, a teasing tone to her voice, and Ben couldn't help but flush.

"A cat may not have his tongue but looks like a dragon does!" Celia said with a chuckle. She knew that Maleficent was called the Dragon but she also knew that Mal liked dragons. How could she not know that after being in this reading? So she saw nothing wrong with referring to Mal as a dragon.

"You look beautiful," Ben said, finally getting the words out.

"You always do," Benji said softly, gently kissing Malinda on the top of her head.

"Thank you," Mal said softly. "Evie's amazing when it comes to clothes. I have to give credit where it's due. I don't know how she managed to make the dress so fast, maybe she had a Fairy Godmother of her own."

"Or maybe she is a Fairy Godmother and we just don't know it!" Dizzy said with her typical grin threatening to split her face in two.

Ben chuckled and gave her a small smile. "Um…I've got the carriage ready to take us to the cathedral if you're ready to go?"

He didn't know why but the nerves he had been successful in stamping down earlier had returned as he held out his hand for Mal to take.

"Probably because you're trying to figure out if she realized you almost forgot her," Hadie said with a chuckle.

She took the offered hand, giving him a small smile as she stepped out of her dorm.

"Relax," Mal said softly before smirking slightly. "All you really have to do is just kneel there and look pretty."

"You know about the confrontation with Sarousch?" Esmeralda asked.

Malinda nodded. "He's one of the more lower class villains anyway because his big plan was to steal a bell. But we're familiar with him. He rants about Madeline using that line against him as she took the, and these are his words not mine, 'Captains' brat and his leverage' out of his hands. If I'm honest, you guys downgraded when you went from Frollo to Sarousch in terms of your villain."

"I might not have trusted Madeline but I was damn grateful she was there that day," Phoebus muttered. "I don't know what he would have done to Zephyr if he stayed in Sarousch's clutches."

"He…he doesn't have a kid, does he?" Esmeralda asked.

"No," Mal said, shaking her head. "To be fair, he doesn't seem like he plays for the 'liking women' team. Not when he likes to also rant about missing out on his diamond underpants."

"Why…why would anyone want that?" Aziz asked as the guys all winced at the thought. "That sounds like it would be chafe city!"

"That's easier said than done," Ben told her. "Relaxing I mean. I think Chad's got the 'stand there and look pretty' aspect down to a science."

Kitty chuckled. "Yeah it looks like he does indeed," she teased her older brother.

"Well just pretend it's like a Tourney game or something," Mal said, giving him an understanding smile and then paused. "On second thought, bad idea considering you don't eat before a big game."

Chad shook his head. "I think I'm going to miss that superstition of yours."

"Hang on…if the coronation's pushed back, we can still have our captain!" Emir said with a grin.

Ben couldn't help but give a soft chuckle at that. "Well I had something to eat so you don't need to worry about that."

"And for once it wasn't a sandwich!" Akiho teased.

"Good," Mal said with a chuckle of her own as they arrived to the carriage. "Last thing we need to worry about is you passing out because you forgot to eat."

"Between Mrs. Potts and Akiho, I don't think that would have been possible," Benji said.

Ben gave her a small smile before opening the door to the carriage and holding out a hand for Mal to take so she could enter first.

"Thanks," Mal said softly, giving him a small smile, as she climbed into the carriage, gathering up the hem of her dress so it didn't get caught in the door. "By the way, this dress? It's for today only."

Malinda couldn't help but smile slightly. "Yeah, that dress was but believe it or not it's not the last time we'll wear a dress."

"I kinda figured," Ben said with a small chuckle.

Mal smirked. "Good. So, you excited? The big day's finally here."

"In a way. It's…it's hard to process," Ben said as he climbed into the carriage and closed the door.

"Understandable," Mal said with a slight nod of her head.

"I get that," Mal said softly.

"I mean, it's a good hard to process," Ben said as the carriage started to move forward. "Last year, when my dad gave me the news, I'd resigned myself to being king with that betrothal contract looming over my head."

"Not on my watch!" Chip said, only half joking.

"Well, there's no problem there anymore," Mal told him.

"Thanks to you," Ben said with a small smile.

Mal shrugged. "I did what I needed to do Ben. Anyone else would have done the same thing."

"Not everyone would have," Lil Shang said.

Ben shrugged, the small smile still on his lips. He knew not everyone would have attempted to spell him but he kept quiet about that. The staff did like to gossip after all.

"Smart," Emma nodded. "The last thing you need is The Gazelle running a story like that on Coronation day."

"Well regardless, it's in the past Ben," Mal said, breaking the silence. "You're out of it now. One less thing to worry about."

Ben nodded and then sighed. "Now I just have to be responsible for an entire kingdom," he said softly as the carriage made its way to the cathedral.

Malinda took Benji's hand and smiled. "Nope. You take half and I'll take the other half."

"Hey," Mal said gently, grabbing his hand so that their fingers were intertwined. "You got this Ben. All a kingdom needs is a ruler who cares and you've already proven that. After all, you were the one who wanted to see what the Isle was like and you're the only one who considers the Isle part of Auradon. If you're worried about making a mistake, well…you're human. As long as you learn from the mistakes, I don't think anyone's going to care that much."

"Mal, Mal, Mal," Emma shook her head. "Do we need to reintroduce you to a little nuisance called The Gazelle?"

"No," Malinda muttered. "If I never have to think about that rag, it'll be too soon."

Ben gave her a small smile, gently squeezing her hand. "Thanks Mal."

"Hey dealing with stressed out Princelings is something I'm growing used to," Mal chuckled. "My dad is King of the Underworld after all and I've got a little brother."

"Oh yeah!" Hadie grinned. "Why do I keep forgetting that I'm technically a Prince?"

"Because you were born on the Isle probably," Mal chuckled.

"Who will definitely be part of the next group of VKs," Ben promised.

Mal smiled and gently squeezed Ben's hand. "I know Ben. You keep your promises after all."

"And he always has," Malinda said as she gave Benji a gentle kiss on the cheek.

The carriage made its way through the city to the cathedral; crowds of citizens lining the streets to wave at the passing carriage and their new king. Ben smiled and waved back. However Mal couldn't help but be a bit more reserved despite the crowds waving on both sides of the carriage. She stuck with giving a small smile to the crowds.

"You know, that's very reflective of their personalities and the way they were brought up," Poseidon said.

Ben looked over and gave Mal a small smile, their hands still intertwined. "Hey, don't be nervous. All you have to do is sit there and look beautiful. No problem there."

"I think you stole that line from her, Benji," Chip said though he did have to smile. Hearing Ben actually be in a relationship where he could hold his girlfriend's hand and not try to pull himself from her touch…that's all Chip wanted.

"Ben…" Mal said softly, a small flush coming to her cheeks.

"What? It's the truth," Ben said with a smile. She looked gorgeous after all.

"Thank you," Mal said, her cheeks still sporting a faint pink hue.

Benji chuckled. "Well that's just a fact of life. You know, like how water is wet, fire is hot, Mal's beautiful or gorgeous depending on the situation."

Ben gave her a fond smile, if it wasn't for the fact that he knew there were cameras around he would have kissed her cheek. Taking his ring out of his pocket, Ben looked over at Mal. "Mal? W—would you wear my ring?" Ben asked, keeping it out of frame so the cameras wouldn't pick up on it.

"What?" Audrey asked, stunned. "Ben…all the time we were dating, you had never asked me to wear your ring! You even said you were to never take the ring off! Wait, why am I saying 'were'? The contract hasn't been officially dissolved! There's only been talk!"

Hera looked over at her. "Would you like me to dissolve it right now? Because as I stated, marriage is kinda my thing and therefore I'd have the power to do that."

"Word of advice? Don't piss off the Gods," Audie whispered to her other self.

"Um, are you sure Ben?" Mal asked, looking at him with her eyes wide. "I wouldn't want it to fall off. It has to be important to you, and valuable. Am I really the best person to—?"

"Of course I was sure," Benji said with a smile. "Not that we knew that at the time but it was practice for the future."

Ben couldn't help but give her a small smile. "You're the perfect person to wear my ring, Mal," he told her as he took her hand and started to slip his ring onto her finger. Making sure it fit, Ben bent his head down and gave a gentle kiss to Mal's hand.

Malinda smiled as she looked over at Benji. "That might have been the first ring you put on my finger but it wouldn't be the last."

What's happening to me? Mal thought as her cheeks flushed once more at the feeling of Ben's lips on her hand. I'm not the one who goes all gooey over a guy—that's Evie. Come on Mal! Snap out of it! Boyfriends are a waste of time remember? If there's one thing Maleficent spent years drilling into your head it was that love is weakness! So what that Ben is a good guy? So are Jay, Harry and Carlos and you're not fawning over them! Never mind the fact that Jay and Harry are practically your older brothers and that fawning over them would be like fawning over Hadie.

"Since when do you listen to Maleficent?" Uma asked.

Malinda shook her head. "When you're trying to deny your feelings after living on the Isle of the Lost for sixteen years, you try everything. Even if that means listening to a power hungry dragon for once."

The carriage arrived in front of the cathedral and stopped, allowing Ben to get out before offering a hand to help Mal out of the carriage. Mal took it with a small smile, hyper aware of all the people around them.

"That's a VK sense right there," CJ said. "Always be aware of the crowds."

The Auradon kids couldn't help the sad smiles on their lips, like they couldn't even fathom having to grow up in a world where they had to be aware of things to survive.

You learned quickly to be cognizant of crowds on the Isle; an increase in crowds could lead to an increase of people getting crushed if something went wrong.

"They won't have to much longer," Ben said, his voice firm.

Ben returned the smile, his thoughts seemingly untroubled with potential disasters to which Mal couldn't help but be jealous of as the two of them made their way up to the cathedral.

Benji sighed softly. "You could have told me you know?"

"I was being silly," Malinda shook her head. "Besides it was your day."

"My day or not, you're entitled to your feelings," Benji told her.

Okay, you can do this, Mal thought as they reached the front door where Belle and Beast stood. Never mind the fact that they were practically statues yesterday. You will not make a scene Malinda. Not today.

"But making a scene could be fun!" Harry said.

Mal shook her head. "You wanna give anyone a reason to say why more VKs can't come to Auradon?"

Belle smiled at the both of them and reached over to grab Ben's free hand, as his other one was still intertwined with Mal's. "Ben, your father and I are so proud of you. You keep listening to your heart."

Malinda smiled slightly. "That kinda becomes our unofficial motto of our rule. Right next to 'Ruthless yet Loyal'."

"Thanks mom," Ben said, giving his mom a big smile.

"You're going to make a fine king Ben," Beast told him, patting Ben on the shoulder before taking Belle's hand and walking off. Ben turned to Mal and gave her one last smile.

"He's not wrong," Malinda said as she rested her head on Benji's shoulder. "You do make a fine King."

"Wish me luck."

"Good luck!" The under-fifteens in attendance said in unison, causing the others to chuckle.

"Good luck," Mal told him as one of the attendants led her off in the opposite direction of Belle and Beast. Ben took a deep breath as he entered the cathedral, hearing the choir start up as his cue to enter the main room. Walking into the chamber as his parents rose from their seats in the middle of the room, Ben slowly walked down the aisle.

Abby couldn't help but give her brother a sad smile. "Be sure to reserve me a spot as well Benji. Because I'll be in that crowd watching as the proudest sister ever. Even if you won't be able to see me."

"I'm sure you got a spot reserved Abs though I…I wish you could be there in person," Ben said softly.

Okay, you can do this. Remember: a king believes in himself even when it's not easy, Ben thought as he made his way down the aisle. Besides, Chip, Emir and Akiho would never let you live it down if you ran out of this room.

"No, first we'd make sure you're alright," Chip said. "Then we'd never let you live it down."

He shot a small smile toward Mal, hiding the frown that formed at her curtsy to him.

"You should never have to curtsy to me," Benji muttered.

"Ben, you were about to be crowned King," Malinda muttered back to him. "You know it's what needed to be done. Besides I curtseyed to you at Cotillion and all the other formal dances we did. It's not that big a thing."

Benji shook his head. "I still don't like you curtseying to me Mal. Besides, before thee crown touched my head, we were the same rank."

He knew she had to but it still didn't sit right with him.

"No one has to bow to me," Ben said, shaking his head.

Reaching the middle of the room, Ben knelt down in front of Fairy Godmother who had bowed to his father for the last time before taking the crown from his head. Ben stayed quiet as the last seconds of his life as a Prince ticked by. Fairy Godmother lowered the crown onto Ben's head.

"I'm so proud of you Ben," Abby said softly, a sad smile pulling at her lips.

In the back of his mind, Ben couldn't help but think that the crown was a bit too big but stayed quiet.

"So…what was the point of the guy measuring Ben's head in a previous scroll if you're just going to take the crown off his dad's head and put it on Ben's?" Lonnie asked.

"Yeah, that made it sound like Ben was going to get his own crown," Emir nodded. "So…where is his crown?"

"No offense to King Beast of course but taking the crown off of his head and putting it on Ben's isn't going to make people see Ben as a King," Akiho added. "It'll make him look like he's a kid playing King."

"Yeah I mean if King Beast really wanted a 'symbolic crown removal' why not have Ben's crown there on a pillow waiting and have a free pillow for his crown and have Fairy Godmother take it off like she did there, place it on the pillow, and then pick up Ben's crown to place on Ben's head?" Kitty asked.

"Those are excellent suggestions," Beast said. "And we can keep them under consideration whether the coronation is in a month or in two years."

"Guys, I'm not going to be seen as a 'boy playing King'," Ben said. "I wouldn't be there if I thought it was something I could play at. I know how important this is."

At least I hope I won't be seen as that, he thought.

Benji sighed. "You don't know how the other leaders are going to see you Ben. Remember you said in the previous scroll that there were people upset about taking orders from a teenager. How do you think they'd see you if they saw you wearing your father's crown? All I'm saying is you, mom, and dad need to make sure that your crown is done in time for the coronation…and frankly maybe invest in some new goldsmiths."

"I'll check in with the goldsmiths when we get back to see the progress on Ben's crown," Belle said.

Ben glanced over at his parents for a split second before looking back straight ahead; his dad taking the lid off the bell jar that housed Fairy Godmother's wand.

"Do you solely swear to govern the peoples of Auradon with justice and mercy as long as you shall reign?" Fairy Godmother asked, breaking into Ben's thoughts.

"Well I mean 'justice and mercy' are practically Ben's middle names," Emir chuckled.

"I do so solemnly swear," Ben said, thankfully remembering his line.

Fairy Godmother gently tapped Ben on each shoulder with her wand, a big smile on her face. "Then it is my honor and my joy to bless our new ki—"

Before Fairy Godmother could finish her sentence, a hand shot out and grabbed the wand.

Audie frowned. Jane wouldn't steal the wand in this timeline would she? I mean, Mal hasn't messed with her so I don't see why Jane would want the wand.

Mal stared in shock upon seeing Evie struggling to control the power that was Fairy Godmother's wand. She was only a mortal without magic, it would be ridiculous to expect her to be able to wield it.

"Then…how was Lady Tremaine able to wield and use Fairy Godmother's wand?" Alexandria asked, looking at her mother. "She was just a mortal without magic too right?"

"That's an excellent question Alex, but it's not the time," Cinderella told her youngest daughter.

"Evie, what are you doing?!" Mal exclaimed. Where did she even come from? I thought she was standing up in the balcony with Carlos and Jay, she thought.

Evie started to cry as everyone looked over at her. It was one thing for Snow to know but it was another for everyone else in the room to. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I don't have a choice! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

The Auradonians all stared at her in shock while the VKs all looked at each other before Mal looked back at Evie. "Evie…what do you mean you don't have a choice?"

However, the blue haired girl was crying too hard to properly answer. All she could seem to say was sorry as the relief of more people knowing seemed to overtake her.

Malinda went over to Evie as Snow held her close. "Evie…E…hey look at me," Malinda said gently. "It's okay, don't cry. You'll ruin your make up and I know you hate that. It's okay."

"Malinda's right Evie," Snow said. "Sweetie, calm down. No one's angry, just confused. Your father will be fine, I promise."

"You…you're sure?" Evie asked, looking at the both of them, tears running down her face. "You're sure he'll be okay?"

"Wait…Daniel?" CJ asked. "I…not to be blunt or tactless or anything but…I thought he was dead?"

Evie shook her head, her eyes welling back up with tears. "N-no but…if I don't get her the wand…M-Maleficent will make h-him wish he-he was…and-and it will b-be my fault!"

Snow continued to hold Evie close as she gently rubbed the younger girl's back. "It won't be your fault Evie. Okay? Because we'll get your dad out of her clutches. You just relax okay? It'll be just fine. Come on honey, don't cry. You're clearly not doing this with malicious intent. Someone who was wouldn't burst out crying when they were found out, it's okay."

"How can you say—?!"

"Don't you say a word Leah!" David snapped as Snow continued to comfort Evie. "Then again, based on what Audie told us, you have no qualms in traumatizing teenagers do you? Evie is doing this to save her father, a choice any loving child would make. So if you say one word, I'm sure there's more than one God here who'd happily incinerate you!"

Audie nodded and looked over at Phillip Sr. "I'd do the same thing," she said softly.

"If…if something had happened to my mom or dad and I had the option to have them back in my life in exchange for stealing the wand….I'd do it," Emma said, her voice soft.

Harriet and Harry bit their lips, not wanting to say anything. Because they would give anything for their time with their mother to not be temporary…and because they wouldn't admit to themselves that they were slightly jealous of Evie. It was one thing to think a parent dead, it was another for them to actually be like that.

Estelle plodded over to Evie and gently licked her hand, trying to comfort her. He knew she wasn't part of his Mali's pack but he didn't want any of the hoomans to be sad.

"I told you!" Audrey's dulcet tones rang through the main room. "I told you this would happen!"

"Audrey, dear, I don't think that's exactly the best time for that," Aurora said.

Evie turned to face Mal, both girls ignoring Sleeping Brat. Mal was honestly surprised to see fear behind Evie's dark brown eyes instead of any malice or hate there might have been.

"She's just a scared child," Jasmine whispered. "She shouldn't have to make the choice between stealing the wand and risking her father's life."

"You don't get it Mal!" Evie cried as she struggled to get the wand under control. "You have no idea what it's like to be raised by a villain! The type of pressure I'm under—you can do no wrong with your parents!"

"Believe me Evie, I know exactly what you're going through," Mal said, though her voice lacked any harshness that would have been there. "I know exactly what Maleficent's capable of when she's displeased."

"Evie, I know the pressure you're under," Mal said as she slowly made her way toward Evie as the crowd stood petrified as if unsure of what was going to happen.

Hera shook her head. "Why is a sixteen-year-old being the one to talk Evie down? Where are the adults?"

"I spent six years as Maleficent's daughter, you think I don't know? She kidnapped me, made me think I was her daughter. She may have been my birth giver but she is not my mother. I know the pressures you're facing. But you're here! In Auradon! The Evil Queen can't get you here."

"And she never will," Snow said as she continued to gently rub Evie's back.

"Mal…Maleficent has my dad!" Evie said and Mal froze.

"It makes sense," Phil Jr. sighed. "After all, holding hostages isn't exactly new for Maleficent."

Daniel was one of the few people on the Isle who didn't have any enemies simply because that was the type of person he was. He'd gone 'missing' after Evie's sixth birthday and everyone had just assumed by now that the man had died.

Persephone frowned and looked over at Hades. Did you…did you ever look in the Underworld to see if that'd been the case?

Hades shook his head slightly. Unfortunately…the day he'd gone missing was the same day as the delivery barge arrival. I was slammed and by the time I heard the rumors that Daniel was presumed dead, we had so much other stuff going on. Not to mention Evie wasn't exactly one of Mal's allies at the time.

So that was your plan Maleficent? I shouldn't be surprised, you were going to hold Phillip hostage for a hundred years after all.

"Thank you for that reminder," Phillip muttered, trying not to think about his time as Maleficent's captive. He had to assume that he'd had it easier than Evie's father though.

Plus Evie did humiliate me and therefore you by not inviting me to her party all those years ago-it was naive not to think you would never find out. I guess after dad took me in officially, you needed a new pawn and Evie fit the bill…and now Evie's pursuit of Charming Jr. makes more sense. Charmington's armies would be able to storm Maleficent's castle to get her father back.

"Evie, if we can help in anyway, Charmington would be happy to offer our armies to help get your father back," Kit said, looking over at the blue haired girl.

"Snow…Snow's already offered the armies of the Summerlands," Evie said, her voice no higher than a whisper as she wiped the tear tracks from her cheeks. "I told her…back during one of the breaks…."

"You knew and you didn't say anything?!" Leah exclaimed, looking at Snow White.

"Evie only said that Maleficent had given her a job to do and that she had her father," Snow said. "I saw no reason to pry especially seeing as it was already a tough conversation for Evie to have."

"When dealing with Maleficent, more people are better than fewer," Ben said. "We'll get your father out of there Evie."

"Why is she being rewarded after basically committing treason against Auradon?" Leah asked, shaking her head.

"And I thought I had been the one with a frozen heart when I was younger," Anna snapped. "Don't you get it? Evie's not doing this because of a quest for power or to make herself beautiful or anything else. She's. Doing. It. To. Save. Her. Father! If I had the chance to see my mother and father again, I would take it!"

"My family likes to say that people make bad choices if they're mad or scared or stressed," Kristoff added. "I can think of nothing more frightening or stressful for a sixteen year old in a new world than the thought of her father's fate hanging over her head."

"She told me the day we left for Auradon, if I didn't get the wand for her…" Evie said softly, pulling Mal out of her thoughts.

Mal frowned. "That…that would explain why you were asking about the button to open the barrier wouldn't it?"

"I…I had to," Evie said, her voice soft. "Maleficent had…she showed me my dad and…and told me what she'd do if I failed…"

"Evie, it's okay," Mal said soothingly. "We'll figure out a way to get your dad free, I'll even get Jay to help. Hell, I'll get Uma, Harry and the Warf Rats involved; they wouldn't turn down a fight against the Dragon.

"We may have had few interactions, but Daniel was…is one of the few decent adults on the Isle," Uma said before smirking. "Plus any chance to make Maleficent's day worse is definitely something I'm in for."

"The day where we refuse to try to make Maleficent's day worse, assume we've been spelled somehow!" Harry exclaimed.

"Hell, I think we could probably unify the Isle with the thought of getting rid of Maleficent," Harriet added. "Not that I'd want to work with Freddy but you know. Greater evil and all that."

But you need to give me the wand Evie. You are so much more than what your mother wants you to be, what Maleficent wants you to be.

Malinda nodded. "It's true. You are one of the most successful business owners in Auradon. Other VKs come to you when they want to start a business of their own."

When you were trying to be with Chad, you were miserable but I've seen you with Doug—you are so happy. And I know we were never the closest of friends, but that doesn't mean I want you making a mistake like this! If you do this, if you give the wand to Maleficent, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"

"Or I'm sure you will be happy once we've made sure he's not a stalker," Jay muttered to himself.

Evie paused and looked at Mal as she still struggled to control the wand. "Mal, I…I can't control this! Stay back! I…I don't want you getting hurt!"

"And that's how we know you're not truly evil Evie," Ben said as he looked over at her. "If you were, you wouldn't care that Mal could get hurt or that your dad was being held hostage. You'd just get the wand because Maleficent told you to do so."

Jane bit her lip. "I'm honestly surprised she's able to control it to the degree that she is, being pure mortal. She should have fainted at the very least after just a few minutes of the wand reacting like that."

"If you can't handle it, then let go of it, you stupid girl!" Leah exclaimed.

"Honestly Leah!" Jasmine shook her head. "Can't you be sympathetic for once in your life? Can't you see that if Evie lets go of the wand that, to her, she'd be choosing between Auradon and her father?"

"You know, I think Leah was just never loved as a child," Celia said. "If the VKs here can sympathize with the choice Evie's making and you can't, something happened to you to make you the miserable old crone you are."

"Celia's right!" Dizzy nodded. "Look at Evie! She doesn't want to do this and she shouldn't have to so the least we can do is be a bit sympathetic! If you can't show her sympathy, then at least zip your mouth shut!"

"…wow Diz," Hadie said after a minute where everyone stared at the bespectacled redhead. "Didn't expect that from you."

Dizzy crossed her arms. "She's got no right tearing into Evie like that!"

"Evie, it's okay," Mal said as she continued to step closer to Evie.

"Be careful Mal!" Belle called as Beast stood in front of his wife as if to protect her.

"The last thing I'd want is for her to get hurt because of all of this," Belle said as Beast held her close.

Ben watched in trepidation as his girlfriend continued to make her way toward the blue haired girl.

"Just calm down Evie. Look, come here," Mal said softly, gently tugging the wand out of Evie's hands. The stream of energy coming from the wand seemed to die down as it left Evie's hands.

"That makes sense," Fairy Godmother said softly. "Not only is Mal biologically a member of the Fae with Maleficent being incredibly powerful in her own right, but she was adopted magically by Lady Persephone. Making Mal effectively a Goddess with a sprinkling of Fae magic."

"Fairy Godmother, I believe this belongs to you," Mal said softly, holding out the wand to the headmistress.

"…thank you dear," Fairy Godmother said softly. Mal shrugged but before Fairy Godmother could take the wand back, a cloud of green smoke descended from the ceiling. When it faded, Mal's heart sank as she saw the last person she wanted to see in that instance.

"Freddy?"

"Zevon?"

Malinda sighed as she looked over at Uma and Harry. "Do either of them have the ability to travel via smoke?"

"I'm back!"

"Go away Maleficent!" Mal snapped as she whirled around to face the Dragon.

"Wha…how'd she escape?" Phil Jr. asked.

Malinda sighed. "Unfortunately, when Evie grabbed the wand and caused the stream of energy, it caused a small hole to form in the barrier momentarily. The Dragon seized that moment and escaped."

"So it's her fault that Maleficent is free to once again target my family?!" Leah exclaimed.

"Oh mother, Evie didn't set out to free Maleficent," Aurora shot back. "She set out on a task that should not have been given to her to free her father! While yes it would have resulted in Maleficent's freedom, that wasn't Evie's goal and I think there's something to be said about that, about having the love for a parent so pure that she'd do anything to make sure he was alright. Why, I think that could almost be described as a True Love."

She motioned for Phillip to read before Leah could recover from her stunned silence to speak once more.

"Oh she's funny," Maleficent smirked. "Give me the wand Mal."

"I'm not your daughter, I don't take orders from you!" Mal snapped and almost slammed the wand into Fairy Godmother's hand before turning back to the older Fae.

"A child should never have to take orders from their parent in the first place," Rapunzel sighed and shook her head. "Though Maleficent is clearly not Mal's parent."

"Nice recovery there Blondie," Eugene chuckled.

"You kidnapped me for six years and tried to brainwash me but you are not my mother!"

"What my scroll self said," Mal said with a nod.

"I've had quite enough of this foolishness! Give me the wand Mal!" Maleficent said, glaring at Mal.

"No!"

"You tell her Mali!" Hadie said with a grin.

"Clearly I didn't teach you obedience before your mongrel of a father got his paws on you," Maleficent growled. "That will be rectified shortly."

"Touch her and it'll be the last thing you do Maleficent," Demeter growled.

"You won't touch me," Mal said, a small growl to her voice as she stepped in front of Evie as if to protect the other girl.

Evie looked at Mal in shock. "You'd…you'd protect me?"

"No one deserves to have Maleficent's wrath aimed at them," Mal said with a shrug. "Well…maybe Leah but other than that, no one."

"Funny you should mention dad, I would have thought you wouldn't want people to know that you could easily be overpowered by a mere sixteen year old. He actually explained my powers to me and trained me in them as best he could with the barrier, unlike some people I could mention!"

"In all honesty I'm surprised Maleficent didn't try to train you in your powers," Uma said, looking at Mal. "With her ego…"

"Exactly cuz," Mal said, shaking her head. "She's a raging narcissist. If she didn't think it would benefit her, she wasn't going to do it."

"Hah! You overpower me? You, a girl who's spent her whole life trapped on that miserable Isle with that barrier compared to me, Mistress of All Evil?" Maleficent scoffed before pointing her scepter at Mal. "Give me the wand Mal! Unless you want another lesson in what happens when you disobey me? I recall I needed to teach you respect many times in the past."

"Respect isn't taught, it's earned!" Melody exclaimed, glaring at the scroll.

"I'm not six years old anymore Maleficent!" Mal snapped. "I'm not afraid of you!"

"You tell that Dragon, Mali!" Harry said though he wasn't going to deny, he was worried for his sister in all but blood.

I've got to get Evie out of here, Mal thought as she scanned the audience of frightened royals. However, she paused upon seeing a very familiar, very welcomed face.

"It wouldn't happen to be me would it?" Uma asked. "If the Dragon escaped, I'd be able to as well right?"

"You wouldn't leave Harry behind," Malinda said, shaking her head.

"Evie, go to my mom. She'll keep you safe," Mal said firmly. "Maleficent's fight's with me!"

"Why is it your fight?" Akiho asked. "Where are the guards? Why are they letting a sixteen-year-old take on Maleficent?"

"She's my demon," Malinda said with a small sigh. "I have to face her."

"What?!" Persephone exclaimed, stepping into the aisle. "Malinda, if you think I'm just going to—"

"Mom, I'm not joking! Look after Evie, I'll deal with this!"

"Mal, I…I don't know," Evie said softly, looking at Maleficent with terror evident on her face.

"Malinda Bertha, if you think for one minute that I'm just going to stand back and let my child take on that maniacal lunatic witch, then you've clearly got a ghost possessing you and don't know me!" Persephone exclaimed.

"I swear to Zeus, Evie, move!" Mal growled. "Go! This is my fight!"

Mal shoved Evie harshly toward the crowd and felt a twinge of relief as Persephone gathered Evie into her arms.

"Steph, what are you doing?" Hades asked, looking at his wife. "There're are plenty of people who can protect the Blueberry."

"Hades, you know perfectly well that if there's the slightest hint that Mal would be in danger—."

"I love you but you and I both know that if Mal's within an arm's length of Maleficent, she's in danger!"

Satisfied that the blue haired girl was safe, Mal turned her attention back to her birth giver.

"Playing the 'hero' Mal?" Maleficent taunted.

"She doesn't need to 'play' the hero, she already is one!" Hercules snapped.

Meg nodded. "What does Maleficent know about being a hero anyway?"

"More like protecting my friends from you Maleficent!" Mal shot back. "You've done enough damage to people to last two lifetimes!"

"Is that anyway to talk to your mother?" Maleficent scoffed. "I brought you into this world Mal. I can easily take you out of it."

"I'd like to see her try," Hades growled, his hands curling into fists at the thought of Maleficent hurting one of his kids.

"You are not my mother!" Mal snarled. "All you are is my birth giver and even that is generous! I have one mother and she's currently making sure Evie's safe! You are nothing to me!"

"Um…I'm not the best at History but even I know Maleficent doesn't exactly take well to being insulted," Neal said.

Maleficent's smirk faded and she glared at Mal. "I thought I taught you about respect Mal. Apparently you need another lesson. I find that pain is an excellent teacher!"

Don't make a crack about preferring Panic as a teacher, do not make a crack about preferring Panic as a teacher, Hadie thought. He knew it wasn't the time.

"You won't touch me," Mal growled as she heard Persephone snarl slightly in the background. She also heard Ben growl slightly.

"Um…let's not poke the bear shall we?" Tiana said. "Though I guess in this case it'd be the dragon."

"Watch me Mal!" Maleficent said, growling slightly in return as she pointed the scepter at Mal before looking over Mal's shoulder and smirking. "Or maybe…maybe I'll go for your lover boy?"

"What?!" Beast exclaimed and Belle grabbed his hand, her eyes wide with worry.

"If she touches him, she's dead!" Mal growled.

Malinda shook her head. "Don't worry. She learned quickly why that's not a good idea."

"You make one more towards Ben and you'll be vaporized before you can blink!" Mal snarled, her eyes blazing.

"What. I. Said," Mal snarled as she nodded slightly. "She goes near Ben, I will personally escort her to dad and Tartarus!"

"Your soul will be in so many pieces dad won't even need to judge you in the Underworld!"

"…pretty sure you just announced to the Isle who your dad is there," Harriet said with a small frown.

"Yeah Mal," Harry nodded. "Good thing though that Freddy's on the Isle and has no chance of getting off or else we'd be upping your protection."

"Ah yes your father, the weak mongrel who walked out on us. Who left you with me. Who went and got himself a new child with a woman who doesn't even know the full horror of the Isle. And yet you defend him," Maleficent said with a smirk.

"Oh she's lucky she's not in this room right now or else I'd show her exactly what 'd do to her once she dies," Hades growled.

You know some studies say the mongrels are healthier than pure-breds which is clearly the case between Lord Hades and Maleficent, Lucas thought.

"I might not have been able to defend you to her for years dad, but I'm going to now," Malinda said.

Hades shook his head. "Not if it means you getting hurt Mal. You should be out of there and either the Gods in attendance or your mother should be handling this."

Malinda gave her dad a small smile. "Dad…I understand where you're coming from but if I didn't deal with her then, she'd always haunt me. In a way, I needed to face her to be able to move on."

"I know Mal," Hades said with a sigh. "I know it's important to face your demons but at the same time I'm your father. The last thing I want to hear about is you getting hurt…especially when there's nothing I can do to stop it."

"You might not be there dad but mom is," Malinda said gently. "And you know that if it even looks like I'm losing and about to get hurt, she'd be stepping in before anyone could blink."

"And don't forget dear," Persephone added, "you're protecting our son. With Maleficent in Auradon, you know there's likely going to be a mad dash for power in the event she loses. I don't want Hadie getting hurt because of her."

"If it helps, in my timeline, Lady Persephone and Maleficent do face off," Audie said.

Uma smirked. "And let me guess, Aunt Steph won?"

"Mal did actually," Audie said, shaking her head. "Maleficent…she'd had us all frozen but from what the security tapes revealed…she threatened Hadie and Lady Persephone went to protect him. That's when Mal faced off against Maleficent."

"She what?" Persephone, Demeter, Mal, Uma, and Hades all exclaimed.

"Why was Hadie alone and not with mom if he was in Auradon?" Malinda asked.

"He got invited to the coronation as Mal's brother after the first viewing in my timeline," Audie explained. "He was with a group of friends and in the panic after Maleficent showed up, I guess Lady Persephone couldn't find him before Maleficent spotted him. Plus Lady Persephone was also trying to keep one eye on Mal as well."

"…maybe it's a good thing Hadie's not in Auradon yet in this timeline," Mal said. "The last thing I'd want is for Maleficent to get her talons on Hadie."

"That 'weak mongrel' as you call him is a better parent…hell a better being than you will ever be! He never left me! You are the one who kidnapped me! You are the one who made my parents miss out on half my childhood! Because of your brainwashing, I missed out on weeks with my little brother because I hated him! But you will not break my family!" Mal snarled.

"I'd been waiting years to say that to her face," Malinda said. "I'm still surprised she didn't backhand me at the very least. Maybe it was because we we're in public but still."

"Fool! You're weak, just like your father and that runt he had. Love is weakness Mal. I thought I taught you that! But if you'd rather side with the woman who provided your replacement and the man who left us…so be it! You will regret this…Maleficent!" Maleficent snarled before a cloud of green smoke surrounded her once more. When the smoke faded, a dragon stood before them.

Phillip stared at the scroll in shock, having thought he'd never have to think about Maleficent's dragon form for the rest of his life. He could feel his forearm get sore; as if the straps were cutting into his skin once more as Maleficent shot a blast of fire at him. His heart was racing and he had to resist the urge to wipe his hands on his pants lest he gave Leah a chance to comment. He could still hear Maleficent's voice echo in his brain.

And now you shall deal with me oh Prince, and all the powers of Hell!

"You want me to continue?" Aurora asked, looking at her husband in concern.

"No, no," Phillip said and shook his head. "I just…I just needed a minute."

So she's saying that she will regret this? How right she is, Audie thought. She would have said it out loud but she noticed the look on this version of her father's face and thought better of it.

Leah's face went stark white and she slumped in her seat.

"…did she pass out again?" Jasmine asked.

"That she did," Eric nodded.

"Again?" Lucas asked.

Audie smirked. "She passed out when I told her I abdicated."

"Which is why we'd like to keep you!" Chip told her.

"You have your version of Audrey, let me keep mine!" Lucas said.

"Jay! Get Ben out of here!" Mal shouted. Where are the guards?

"An excellent question!" Akiho nodded.

"What—Mal, no!"

"Ben there is a dragon in the room and you are the King," Akiho said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Listen to Mal and get out of there!"

"He's right," Emir nodded. "Ben I know you're obsessed with dragons but that would would rather eat you than have you stare at it in awe!"

Ben shook his head. "I'm not more important than anyone else in that room. We should be working at getting the guests, my parents, and Mal out first before I'm escorted out."

"Ben…until this little one is born, and born healthy, you don't have an heir who's related to you by blood," Malinda said, rubbing her stomach. "Meaning at that moment, you are the most important person in that room."

"But—."

"Ben, Auradon needs a leader. If something happened to you right then, Auradon would technically be leaderless since Belle and Beast wouldn't be able to rule."

"And technically Princess Audrey and the Roses could make an argument for having a stronger case for being next in line than Princess Emma as Princess Audrey was Prince Ben's betrothed."

Hades turned to Zeus. "Okay, you see that? That's not helpful in this case Zeusy. I don't think anyone wants to think about the Brat or her grandmother having a claim to the throne."

"La la la! Can't hear that! Not happening!"

Ben sighed as he looked at his best friends, surrogate brother, and sister. "Really guys? Audrey's still conscious even if Leah's not."

"Don't care Ben," Chip said. "If she becomes Queen because something happens to you then the Isle better be prepared to have some new residents because we're not sticking around to see it!"

"Um…as much as we'd love to have you on the Isle," Uma said, "wouldn't it be better to stay in Auradon? Because if the geriatric waste of oxygen gets her puppet of a granddaughter in power, the Isle's only going to get worse."

"…okay she's got a point," Chip sighed. "A sad point but a point nonetheless. Maybe we'll get Akiho's aunt to make us an igloo or something. We'd do something but we're not sticking around for Princess Leech to run the Kingdom to the ground!"

Anna shook her head. "If you guys can handle the cold, you can move into Elsa's ice palace but there's no place to store food and I don't think she made a bed either."

"Why are you going along with their insanity?" Kristoff asked.

"You know our son. He'd do it," Anna said. "At least we know where Elsa's palace is located."

"Ben, go!" Mal growled before looking at the dragon. "You didn't teach me anything. Love is not weakness. Love is the reason I have the life and the family I do. I don't need to take over the world Maleficent, my world is fine the way it is! I have a family who loves me, friends who care about me…and you are not going to ruin my life! Not anymore. And let's get one thing straight—my name's not Maleficent. It's Malinda!"

"I gotta say cuz, clearly you were meant to be Queen," Melody chuckled. "Just listen to that rousing speech!"

Malinda shook her head. "Princess of the Underworld, remember? No matter what, I'm still royal even if the current me would like to forget that part."

Mal sighed before closing her eyes, mentally pleading to the Gods that Jay had managed to get Ben out of the room before he saw this. After all, Mal was the daughter of one of the Big Three and the biological offspring of Maleficent…shapeshifting was in her blood even if she had never tried before due to the barrier.

Ben looked over at Mal. "One, there is nothing you could do that would change anything between us and two….what are you going to do?"

Malinda chuckled. "Oh I think you're going to like what I'm about to do, Ben."

Soon there were two dragons facing off against each other, staring at each other as if daring the other to make the first move.

Ben stared at the scroll, slack jawed and speechless. After about five minutes he looked over at Mal, leaping up out of his seat. "You can transform into a dragon? That. Is. Awesome! Can you do it now? Can you show me? Can I see? Please? Please?"

"Apparently," Mal said after staring at Ben for a minute. "I'm telling you now, I'll be trying that out as soon as we get back or when there's not a pregnant version of me in the room. I haven't been able to shape shift because of the barrier so…so I don't know how much control I'd have."

"Think I'd be able to see it?" Emma asked as Malinda, Emir, Akiho, and Abby were all beside themselves dying of laughter and shaking their heads fondly. "It could help me in my Dragon Anatomy class."

The VKs all looked at Emma in slight shock. "There's a class called Dragon Anatomy?"

Malinda chuckled. "Yeah. Jay got an A in it."

Your move Maleficent. I'm not a baby you can bully anymore, Mal thought with a growl. Dragon Maleficent roared and unfurled her wings, as if to fly at Mal.

"You know I'd like to just say that if this didn't sound absolutely terrifying, Ben would be in hog heaven watching it," Emir noted.

She flapped and lifted her body off the ground, diving at the slightly smaller dragon. Mal responded with a whirlwind, sending a stream of hot air toward the larger dragon and causing her to crash into the ground.

Audrey bit the inside of her lip, careful not to have any outward reaction show and held Rose, the stuffed bunny as close to her as she could without anyone noticing. While she held no love to the VKs in attendance, and her classmates had laughed at her and treated her with distain more times than she cared to count, her parents were in there.

And the last thing she wanted to think about was a dragon causing her mother or father harm. Or her grandmother. Or even her brother for that matter.

"Hey dad?" Phil Jr said. "You'd have a sword on you right? Why not do a little repeat of history and give Mal a hand?"

"Phil, sweetheart, it might just be better for your father if he got past this part," Aurora said gently.

Both dragons looked at each other once more, both eyes shining bright green. The Fae and the Godling faced off, each side glaring at each other with bright green eyes until Maleficent became covered in bright green smoke again. When the smoke cleared, a small green lizard was in her place.

There was silence in the room as no one quite knew what to say next. Mal stared at the scroll, her eyes bright with unshed tears of triumph. She'd did it. She'd beaten Maleficent. She'd…she'd be free.

"Ahem," Uma said with a grin. "My cousin everyone! Defeater of Maleficent!"

"You're going to be a legend on the Isle Mal," Harriet nodded.

Malinda chuckled. "According to some of the VKs, there was a small group who thought I only defeated Maleficent because I was more evil than she was. However that just guaranteed their loyalty to me so we never had to worry about them attacking Auradon."

Mal transformed back and smirked, kneeling down to the lizard. "I win. I was kinder than you deserved but my mom and dad didn't raise me to be a murderer. Remember that. Enjoy your life as a lizard, I doubt you'll change back. From this moment, you no longer exist to me. Don't worry. I'm sure dad will be happy to watch over you. Goodbye."

"Not that I'm glad it was so short but…that was slightly…anticlimactic to what I thought would happen with Maleficent off the Isle," Lonnie said.

Malinda sighed. "I wanted it to be done as quickly as possible. I…I didn't know how long I'd be able to hold the form and I had a better grasp on my magic than she did, being in Auradon for a month as opposed to just arriving. However she was older and more experienced and the battle might have turned in her favor quickly. You don't want to know what would have happened if Maleficent had had her way, being off the Isle. Trust me, I've heard enough of her rants."

Benji gently rubbed her back. "Not to mention, a shorter battle prevented any injuries to the guest. Considering none of them had fled the main hall during that melee."

Mal walked away, heading over to Persephone and Evie.

"I did it mom," she said softly. "I…I took on Maleficent! I won!"

"Yes you did. However….you do that again and you're grounded understand young lady?" Persephone said, pulling Mal into a hug.

"And it'd be a lot longer than just two weeks!" Persephone added as she sank back into her chair in relief.

"Yes mom," Mal said, hugging Persephone back. "But…mom, you really think I'm going to be battling Maleficent again?"

"Absolutely not!"

"I second that!" Hades exclaimed and looked at Malinda. "You don't right?"

Malinda chuckled and nodded her head. "I can promise you dad, I never go up against Maleficent again."

Mal smiled and broke the hug, looking at Evie. "You alright there Evie?"

Evie nodded, a bit shaky.

"Good," Mal said with a small smile. "I promise you Evie. We'll find a way to get your dad back. But, if you'll both excuse me, I have a king to go check on."

"Forgive me dear but I think you should probably get checked out," Fairy Godmother said. "You just used a boatload of magical energy that you're probably not used to using."

Mal didn't know where Ben was but she could only assume that his guards had finally whisked him away.

"One can only hope," Akiho muttered under his breath.

"For Gods' sake would you three let go? We can't leave Mal in there—"

Huh…okay sunspot, you got yourself some points in my book, Hades thought with a small smile. Any guy who'd willingly try to take on Maleficent for his daughter was alright by him.

Not that he'd ever say that out loud of course. Hades had lost enough of his rep due to these scrolls, saying that would probably decimate it.

Okay, not the guards I was thinking of, she thought as she walked over to the antechamber that was off to the side of the main room they were in.

Akiho shook his head. "Let me guess, Ben gave them the day off?"

"Ben, I don't know if you noticed but that was Maleficent! Not to mention, there were dragons! You're the king," she heard Jay argue.

"Dude, as much as I like Mal, she can handle herself. You need to be the priority right now—" Akiho stated.

"Sweet Zeus he's strong. Ben, calm down! You really think Lady Persephone is going to let anything happen to her daughter?" Emir asked. "Maleficent would be dust before she could touch Mal."

"Thank you boys," Belle said with a sigh.

Herkie stared, his eyes wide. "How strong is Ben? I mean, if it takes three guys to hold him back?"

"Leftover Beast enchantment," Benji said with a small smile. "It's almost like your Godly strength."

"Okay, okay, boys. You can all stand down," Mal said with a smile as she walked into the room.

"Mal!" Ben grinned, still in Jay, Akiho and Emir's grip. "Thank Gods you're okay! And that you're here, you seem to be the only one these three listen to!"

"Well Jay makes sense since I've been friends with him since I was five," Malinda said. "I still don't know how I became the Emir and Akiho whisperer though."

"Guys, you can let him go. It's over," Mal said, shooting Ben a small smile.

"If you say so Mal," Jay said and the three boys let go of the teenaged king who immediately bolted over to Mal. Mal couldn't help the small giggle that slipped out as Ben pulled her into an embrace.

Beast and Belle couldn't help but smile as they heard that, happy that Ben was able to have moments like these where he could just be a teen with his girlfriend. Rather than having to deal with royal responsibilities.

"It's alright, it's over. They did the right thing you know…"

"What, but we left you behind!" Ben exclaimed. "Mal…if Maleficent did anything—"

"She would have been tied up with vines before she could blink," Persephone promised.

"She couldn't touch me. I'm fine, I promise. Getting you to safety was more important. You were the most important person in that room—"

"Not more important than you Mal!"

"I'm not the newly coronated king Ben!" Mal shot back before sighing.

You really need to start thinking about yourself Ben. Don't you know our parents would be devastated if anything happened to you? Abby thought as she looked over at her brother.

"Are you alright?"

"I feel I should be asking you that question," Ben said softly.

"I'm fine. She had that coming for years."

"She really did," Hades muttered with a nod of his head.

"Next time I save you okay?"

"Yeah, let's hope for no next time okay?"

"There's not a next time right?" Mal asked, looking at Malinda.

Malinda sighed. "I'd love to say there's not…all I can say is that it doesn't involve Maleficent. She stays a lizard for the rest of our lives."

"Okay," Ben chuckled. "You…you can turn into a dragon? That's so cool!"

"Well I'm just surprised it took that long for Ben to start gushing over the fact that Mal can turn into a dragon," Chip chuckled, shaking his head.

Mal couldn't help but laugh at that. "Only you would think a dragon power is cool but yeah…shapeshifting runs in the family."

"Case in point, swan boy over there," Hades said, pointing to Zeus.

Hadie, though, perked up. "Hey, does that mean I'd be able to shape shift?"

"I see no reason why not Hads," Malinda chuckled.

"Why wouldn't I think it was cool?" Ben asked. "It's a dragon! So now my amazing girlfriend's even more awesome? I fail to see the downside here!"

Chip shook his head and chuckled. "That's all he's going to be talking about for weeks, I'm calling it now."

Mal couldn't help but giggle, shaking her head a little. Ben grinned before scooping her up into another hug, spinning her around and causing Mal to squeal happily. As Ben sat Mal down, Mal smirked and tilted Ben's crown to the right.

Glad to see some of the good things transcend timelines too, Audie thought with a small smile.

It was Ben's turn to chuckle.

Mal bit her lip. "Don't be too harsh on Evie," she said softly. "The pressures of the Isle…those don't go away after a month. Plus, if what she said was true and Maleficent had her father all these years…"

Jay smiled slightly. "You know, if someone told you when we got into the limo, you'd be advocating for Evie, you'd probably have them thrown into the Cove."

"Don't worry about her," Ben said gently. "She didn't know stealing the wand would let Maleficent out and you took it from her before she could really do anything with it."

"And that's probably the main reason why Ben's being so lenient," Audie said. "It was clear that Evie was between a rock and a hard place, not to mention she regretted her actions."

Mal sighed in relief. "Now…why didn't you leave the first time when it was just Jay trying to get you out of the room?"

"You think I'm going to just leave you to face off with Maleficent on your own?"

"This feels familiar…" Elle said with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, didn't we already have this conversation?" Melody asked.

"When you've just been coronated and there's no heir to the throne! Yes! And for that matter where are your guards?! This called for all twenty four of them!"

"You counted my guards?" Ben asked, looking at Akiho.

"It didn't say I was the one who made that comment dude," Akiho told him. "But to answer your question, yes. Yes I did. Or I will."

"That…is a really good question," Ben nodded. "Trust me, I didn't give anyone the day off today—security's too important."

Ben bit his lip as an idea began to form in his mind. Yes security was important…but it would be safe to say that Maleficent would likely be distracted by the coronation to care about anything else. If Ben were to divide his guards in half and send half of them to the Isle…and if they happened to come back with an extra person who would be the wiser?

"They need to be fired," Mal muttered.

Ben couldn't help but chuckle. "Easy dragon, easy. I'm sure there's an explanation for where they are."

Malinda gave Benji a small smile. 'The first of many usages of that nickname. And I loved every single one of them."

"There had better be a good one! Why would they skip out on protecting the king from a dragon or villain attack?"

"Well I mean…in their defense it's not that they knew there'd be a dragon attack," Lil Shang said.

"Mal's right Ben," Jay nodded. "Where are your guards? It shouldn't have just been me, Akiho and Emir to pull you out."

"Jay's right," Aladdin nodded. "By falling down on the job like that, it put Jay, Akiho, and Emir at risk since they'd be slowed down in getting Ben out of there and potentially hurt themselves."

"Yeah I have to agree Ben," Akiho nodded. "Where the hell are your guards?"

"I don't know! You know I was a bit more preoccupied with Maleficent escaping the Isle!"

"I will give her this, when she goes unconscious, she stays unconscious," Audie said as she glanced over at Leah.

"Sire?"

"Oh look there are the guards," Mal said, rolling her eyes as the aforementioned guards walked up. "Excellent timing. You all arrived after the danger to the king has already passed. Nice job."

"Mom? Did you take over Mal's body there because I think that's your level of sarcasm," Herkie said with a chuckle.

"Mal…" Ben said gently. "I'm sure there's a good explanation for all this."

"Well I for one would like to hear it!"

Ben frowned and turned to the guards. "For that matter, so would I. Where were you all?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," Zeus said.

"Sire we…"

"Yes?" Ben asked, tilting his head.

"Oh this better be good," Mal muttered and tapped her foot.

Emir chuckled. "Okay so we already know who's going to be 'good cop, bad cop' when it comes to your kid."

"We…we…"

"You were slacking off? Why yes how right you are," Mal scoffed.

"We didn't expect to be needed sire. After all, there's no real danger in Auradon and the barrier around the Isle of the Lost can't be broken—"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Carlos said. "I um…I may have caused a small hole in the barrier when I came up with something to try to get better channels on the TV."

"Did you not just see what happened? The barrier isn't unbreakable!" Mal snapped.

"We didn't think someone would steal Fairy Godmother's wand!"

"So that means they just avoid doing their job?" Celia asked.

"You're the security for the king! You should expect anything!"

"Exactly! How can they call themselves security if they're just avoiding doing their job?"

"There are few people who would even have the ability to steal Fairy Godmother's wand! Besides, we…we didn't want to appear as if we were focusing our attention on the Isle kids, sire."

"So…they don't want to focus on the 'Isle kids' so they do nothing when an actual villain shows up?" Harriet asked.

Mal sighed. Why was she not surprised?

"So you would have unfairly profiled the Isle kids as you called them if it wasn't for the fact that you didn't want it to appear that's what you were doing?" Ben asked.

"There's still going to be some, they can't all be like Benny I guess," Harry sighed.

"Sire—"

Ben held up his hand. "I just want to make sure I understand. Because you didn't want it to appear like you were unfairly profiling the Isle kids, you didn't do your job as security for the king and therefore weren't there when Maleficent attacked? I'm in no way saying you should have profiled the Isle kids, I just want to make sure I understand what you're telling me."

"Ooh is Ben getting mad?" Chip asked.

"Sire, we didn't—"

"You didn't do your job, there's no way around it," Mal said, her voice low as she crossed her arms over her chest. She was a little surprised that Akiho wasn't venting by now.

"As am I, I'm not going to lie," Emir nodded and looked at his best friend. "You feeling okay dude?"

Looking out of the corner of her eye, she saw Emir covering Akiho's mouth, the latter boy's muffled rant going at full speed. She smothered a chuckle at the sight.

"Apparently I'm being prevented from ranting at the derelict guards by you Emir," Akiho said, shaking his head.

"Dude!"

"Ah finally!" Akiho said as Emir wiped off his hand on his pants. "Now, as I was saying, what were you all thinking?! Your job is to protect the king! Did you all get distracted by something shiny?! He could have died! Do you all even realize how lucky you are not to be fired on the spot?! And here you all are worried about the 'Isle kids'?! Hey geniuses, one of those Isle kids just saved all our asses! You should be thanking her rather than digging yourselves deeper into the hole you're in! Ben, demote them all at least—!"

"Okay, I gotta ask," Ashaki said as she looked at Akiho. "What's with the obsession with making sure there are guards?"

Akiho sighed. "The guards failed Aunt Elsa and my mom during the whole Hans thing…between my mom getting locked in the room to die and Aunt Elsa almost getting decapitated…I don't want that happening to anyone else I care about."

Anna gave Akiho a sad smile. "Akiho, sweetheart, you don't have to worry about that. What happened with me and your aunt will not happen to Ben."

Benji nodded. "I have a wife who can turn into a dragon and she never takes a day off in terms of protecting me dude. I couldn't be safer."

"Akiho, calm down," Ben said before turning to the guards. "Unfortunately for you he has a point. You're all demoted and on probation effective immediately. Falling down on your job like this not only put my parents at risk but it also put Mal and the others at risk too! Mal could have died going up against Maleficent by herself! We're all lucky that Mal was able to save us and stop Maleficent, otherwise who knows what might have happened?"

Akiho shook his head and sighed. "His first real interaction with the guards and he has to demote them, the idiots."

Ben sighed and shook his head. "You're all dismissed."

"Yes sire," one of the guards said softly as they all left.

"Of course it wasn't his safety that got him upset but the risk to his parents and Mal," Emir said, shaking his head in amusement.

"Well at least he does care I guess."

"Wha—of course I care!" Ben exclaimed. "Do you all honestly think I wouldn't care about this?"

Malinda chuckled and turned to her husband. "I see you don't change much."

"Of course I care!" Ben exclaimed. "Guys, do you honestly think I wouldn't care about this?"

"Ben we know you do," Mal said gently. "We're not saying you don't but you do seem to treat your your safety like it's something to be brushed aside. You are the most important person in the room right now. Losing anyone else...while regrettable is…"

Ben shook his head. "Losing anyone isn't something I want to think about. As Crown Prince of Auradon, the safety of my people is paramount."

"And as your mother, your safety is paramount Ben," Belle said.

"No Mal. I'm not more important than—"

"Um, Ben. Hate to be the buzzkill but you kinda are," Emir chimed in. "You're king of Auradon now remember? And unless you have something to tell us, there's no heir to the throne after you yet."

"Um…yes there is," Neal said, pointing at his sister. "Everyone knows that Emma's next in line should Gods forbid anything happen to Ben."

"Emma's the 'unofficial' heir," Ben said with a small frown. "It's been the agreement with her family and mine since my mom miscarried when I was three."

"What is Auradon's fascination with deciding the future of kids when they're three?" Mal asked, looking over at Belle, Beast, and Snow.

"Get it in writing if you don't already otherwise I can already tell that your council will be fighting over the position like wolves until you have an heir that's related to you by blood."

"Ben, before you say anything, I'm just going to say this," Malinda said. "I am currently twenty three. Meaning you're looking at a seven year fight before you have an heir that is yours by blood. Get that in writing."

"It's a verbal agreement," Ben said. "Why would we need it in writing? Verbal's worked all these years."

"No one's this trusting, are we sure this boy's human?" Uma asked, rubbing her temples.

"Ben, Zeus had a verbal agreement that he was ruler of Olympus and he got overthrown," Mal said with a sigh. "Remember? It's kinda one of the things that got my dad sent to the Isle."

"True but honestly if overthrowing Zeus was Isle worthy on its own, Poseidon would be on the Isle with me," Hades said.

"…you overthrew Zeus?" Uma asked, looking at her grandfather who nodded.

Huh. You might be worth getting to know after all, she thought.

"Ben, if you don't get it in writing that Emma's your heir, Chad's technically the next in line," Emir said. "I'd live on the Isle before I called Chad king...err no offense Mal."

"No offense Mal? What about no offense Chad?" Chad exclaimed.

"No, I meant what scroll-me said," Emir nodded.

"None taken," Mal said with a small shrug. "Though I just thought of a way Chad being king would be worse Emir. Who's the one girl he's obsessed with?"

"…why would you put that image back in my head?!" Chip exclaimed.

"Don't put that image in my head!" Emir exclaimed after a second.

Mal smirked. "Hey I'm wicked remember? But yeah, Audrey as Chad's queen is an image I don't want in my head either. Anyway we shouldn't be giving Ben the third degree, not today."

"He can have the third degree the next day when he's neck deep in paperwork again," Kitty shook her head.

"Ah true, Akiho and I can give his majesty the third degree any day," Emir nodded.

Ben chuckled. "Guys, you know you don't have to use my title."

"Whether he's King or Crown Prince, he will always hate it when people use his title," Abby chuckled.

"As my liege requests!" Akiho said, faking a bow.

"You're just doing it to be annoying aren't you?" Alexandria asked, looking over at Akiho.

"You wound me, Princess!" Akiho gasped before giving the younger girl a wink.

Ben rolled his eyes but shook his head fondly at his best friends. "You two are insane, you know that?"

"Thank you!"

"...you know that's not a compliment right?"

"We know," Emir grinned.

"We just take it as one," Akiho told him.

"Ben, Ben, Ben, you've called us insane every day since we were twelve," Emir chuckled as Mal chuckled softly. "It's a compliment now."

Ben shook his head. "I think we should go back to the main room," he said softly and Mal nodded in agreement.

"Honestly I'm surprised that the guards didn't try to escort Ben back into the main room," Rowyn said.

"So..." Mal said softly as they started to make their way to the main room.

"So?" Ben asked.

"I'm just surprised there weren't more people fleeing in terror," Mal muttered.

Ben shrugged. "I'm sure a lot of people were more concerned. Didn't you hear my mom call for you to be careful?"

"Either that or Auradonians just don't have the proper survival instincts," Harriet countered.

"Honestly I was more preoccupied with getting the wand from Evie."

"Where is Evie by the way?"

"That...is a very good question."

Snow and Emma looked over at Evie, worried for her and even Mal had to admit, she was concerned about the scroll version of the blue haired girl.

"Well at least Leah's not-"

The sound of yelling from the main chamber interrupted whatever Mal was going to say.

"And she was invited why again?" Aziz asked with a small sigh.

"Spoke too soon," Ben sighed as he started to head over, entering the main room. "Queen Leah, what are you doing?"

"She's got no right to scream at Evie like that!" Snow said with a glare. "If she must be given a talking to about her actions, then it would be up to me as her legal guardian but we can all agree that it's not necessary since Evie had no choice in the matter!"

Leah stopped her tirade toward Evie to look at Ben. "I am simply reminding this...girl of her place King Ben."

"And what place is that?!" Milah exclaimed. "Because I think that place would be higher than whatever place Leah thinks she's at!"

"Her place? What place would that be Queen Leah? And how does doing that involve berating her at a volume so loud it could be heard in the hall? And since when was it your job to sentence people who have supposedly done something wrong?"

"Even the council at least listens to evidence before we sentence people," Zeus said. "We don't just berate people in public."

"King Ben, because of this girl's selfish actions the kingdom was put at risk. I am simply doing what any member of your council would do," Leah responded.

"Speaking as a member of the King's council, I don't think I would publicly berate a sixteen year old who had just announced that she was being blackmailed by the Mistress of All Evil," Aladdin said.

"I concur," Eugene nodded.

"And do you see any other member of the council tearing into a sixteen year old? No, you don't. Evie made a mistake-a mistake that I'm sure any one of us would have made if put in her shoes. You do not need to berate her Queen Leah as you are not her guardian nor are you her parent," Ben said firmly. "Evie's actions will be discussed and dealt with in fact I think it might be beneficial for her to go into counseling but there is no need to scream at and terrify her!"

Snow dropped her glare as she turned to Ben. "Thank you Ben for being the only one to stand up for Evie there. A room full of adults and not one of them standing up for a traumatized sixteen year old."

"Snow…your highness," Evie whispered. "I…I did just threaten the known life of everyone in that room. I would be surprised if anyone did stand up for me. I understand."

Emma shook her head. "Evie, you didn't know when you stole the wand that it would cause the energy blast that made a hole in the barrier thus causing Maleficent to escape. You were a desperate girl, granted with a bad plan. But no one in Auradon made you comfortable enough for you to go to them for help and that's on us."

"King Ben, because of that girl, Maleficent was able to escape the Isle. I fail-"

"Oh there's a lot of things Leah fails at but I don't think we have the time to list them all," Abby muttered.

"I know your history with Maleficent Queen Leah. But Evie is not Maleficent. I must ask you again to stop publicly berating her! Ask yourself this, if Audrey had done what Evie did would you want someone to yell at her like you're yelling at Evie?"

"Huh," Eugene said, looking at Leah's passed out form. "Thought that would wake her up."

"Do we care?" Robin asked.

Eugene chuckled as he looked over at his daughter. "That's a good point."

"Why would they need to? Audrey would never do such a thing!"

Oh, keep thinking that Leah, Audie thought with a small sigh. Because the viewing in my timeline showed that if pushed far enough I'm capable of far worse. At least Evie was just trying to save her father.

"Because Audrey wasn't raised in an environment where she might feel the need to!" Ben shot back. "But the fact that you can't even put Audrey in Evie's place shows a stunning lack of empathy Queen Leah. Now kindly step away from Evie and leave her punishment if any to me if you don't mind."

"Actually if you looked up the phrase 'stunning lack of empathy' in the dictionary, you'd probably see a picture of Leah," Audie said.

Leah glowered but did as requested, more than likely due to all the people staring at her.

Aurora sighed. Of course it would be the perceived threat to her reputation that caused her mother to back down and not basic sympathy to a distraught teenager.

"Thank you your highness" Evie whispered, looking down at the ground as she dropped into a curtsy.

Ben gave Evie a kind smile. "You don't have to do that Evie. Besides, no one deserves to be yelled at like that."

"Eh, we can think of a few people who deserve it," Harry said. "Maleficent, Freddy, Zevon…"

"Your father," Milah muttered.

Evie bit her lip but stayed silent.

"I do though highly recommend therapy Evie," Ben added as Evie nodded. "At the very least talking to someone. But that's a topic for a time when we're not in the middle of a cathedral."

Malinda sighed. "And she did talk to someone. Ben made therapy available to the new VKs and Evie. As well, so that it didn't look like Evie was singled out, Jay, Carlos, and I also were given therapists."

"How many of them ran out screaming?" Jay asked.

"None but Harry's came close several times," Malinda told him.

"Sire? What...what do you want us to do with the lizard Maleficent?" an attendant asked.

Ben sighed.

"Give her to me," Persephone spoke up. "I'm sure my husband would love a pet," she added with a smirk as Mal snickered in amusement.

"Yes!" Hades said with a grin. "Oh yes, let me be her jailer! I can think of all the things I've been yearning to tell her to her face that are just begging to be said."

"Believe it or not, Hadie actually told me some of those things," Malinda chuckled. It had been after the whole Natalie mess and she'd been able to explain to him everything that had happened and why she hadn't gone to him. "We had a moment where our magic practice hours coincided despite being in separate grades. His favorite insult of yours for Maleficent was 'a half baked has been who's only joy in life is tearing others down and who wouldn't know true happiness if it danced in front of you naked while wearing Frollo's hat'."

"…is it safe to say I worry about Hades' mind?" Poseidon asked.

"He was a bit stressed," Malinda said. "Apparently he became the ipso facto leader of the Isle after Maleficent was defeated."

"…what?!" Hades exclaimed. "Why would the brainless masses of the Isle think I'd be a good leader? They fear me just as much as they feared Maleficent!"

"Apparently they thought because I was your daughter…"

"…how does being a decent parent translate to leadership abilities?!"

"Dear, you rule the Underworld," Persephone pointed out.

Hades groaned. "Just because I manage dead people does not mean I'd manage the living just as well! The dead are better, they don't annoy me!"

"If no one else objects?" Ben called out. "I see no harm in putting Lord Hades in charge of keeping watch over Maleficent. If someone could get a container."

"Yes your highness."

"Make it as small as you can," Hades said with an almost feral grin.

"Hades," Persephone sighed.

"She. Hurt. My. Daughter. I don't give two drachmas about her comfort."

"Go on honey, I've got this," Persephone told Mal. "I'm sure there's a party somewhere with your name on it."

"I thought I was grounded?" Mal asked. "After Ben's coronation?"

"Why are you questioning getting to go to a party?" Kitty asked.

"After party counts as his coronation in my book," Persephone winked and Mal chuckled.

Hades chuckled. "That's my girl, always find a loophole to exploit."

"Yes mom," Mal nodded before walking over to Ben, taking his hand. "So what now your highness?"

"Now it's time for his party!" Akiho's voice called from behind Ben and Mal burst out laughing as Ben was scooped up and placed on the shoulders of his Tourney teammates.

"Well that's one way to make it dramatic," Uma chuckled along with the other VKs.

"What—come on guys put me down!"

"No can do Ben! It's a dramatic entrance!"

"You drop him, I get to hurt you boys," Mal promised.

"Guys, come on, I can walk perfectly fine," Ben said, shaking his head.

"And I think I just proved why no one should get on my bad side," Mal said with a smirk.

"Don't worry Mal, we've got Jay and Carlos as spotters," Emir promised. "Your boyfriend is perfectly safe."

Mal and Uma looked over at Emir before looking at Carlos and then back to the second son of Agrabah.

"I'm rethinking that decision as we speak," Emir told them. "Maybe Will would be better for spotter…"

"Hey!" Carlos exclaimed.

"Her boyfriend would also like to be on the ground!" Ben called.

"Nope! Onward team!" Akiho called and Mal shook her head in amusement as they started to make their way out of the cathedral.

Mal looked over at Ben. "You afraid of heights or something?"

"No," Ben sighed and shook his head.

"I didn't want it to appear like I was 'lording' it over everyone else," Benji explained.

"Mal!" Lonnie and Jane called, rushing toward her.

"Oh thank Gods you two are all right!" Mal sighed in relief, surprised she had actually been worried about the two girls.

Malinda smiled slightly. "Lonnie especially was one of the ones who looked out for me. It's only fair I would look out for her and Jane."

"Don't worry about me, are you okay?" Jane asked. "Mom's wand is extremely powerful—"

"Half God."

"Oh right."

"I really wasn't about to get into the technical details of what I was and wasn't," Malinda said, shaking her head.

Lonnie shook her head in amusement. "Well, shall we go and make sure the Tourney team hasn't just kidnapped our king?"

"Even if they did, we know Ben's in good hands," Jane said with a small smile. "The Tourney team wouldn't let anything happen to him."

"That might be a good idea," Mal chuckled and then turned to look at Evie, who was hanging back near the side. "Evie, you coming?"

"Maybe I shouldn't…" Evie whispered.

"Uh uh Evie," Emma said. "You've got just as much of a right to be there as anyone else!"

The blue haired girl looked shocked. "A—are you sure Mal?"

"Evie, like I said, we may not be the closest friends but you made a mistake," Mal said. "You're not going to release Maleficent again are you?"

"Of course not!" Evie cried.

"Yeah…maybe it was a bit too soon for that joke," Malinda said with a small, sad smile.

"No!"

"Then no worries," Mal smirked before the four girls chuckled, making their way back to the school. Sure enough the party was in full swing and Mal grinned as she saw Ben get carried in.

"I have to say it was rather amusing to see," Malinda chuckled. "Ben looked so flustered about the whole thing."

"One king as requested Mali," Jay chuckled. "Unharmed and unspoiled."

"…did you just quote Tolkien Jay?" Ben asked.

"Maybe," Jay said, shrugging slightly.

"Good," Mal smirked. The smirk changed to a smile as she saw Ben. "Oh come on Ben, surely it wasn't that bad. Stop acting like a disgruntled pelican."

"How does one act like a disgruntled pelican?" Naveen asked.

"…how do you even know…you know what never mind," Ben muttered as the Tourney team set him down and he smiled as he pulled Mal into his arms. Mal chuckled as she melted into his embrace.

Malinda smiled slightly. "My favorite place to be," she said, her voice soft.

I have to say…I don't think I'd totally object to it, Mal thought.

"Come on, let's go dance," Ben said softly, gently pulling Mal onto the dance floor.

"Ben!" Mal chuckled. "I don't dance!"

Ben smirked as he twirled her around. ""Well then what are you doing now? Why…I do believe you're dancing Mal."

Malinda rolled her eyes. "You just wanted to tease me didn't you?"

"Hey, you didn't save me from the Tourney team," Benji told her.

"You know nobody likes a smart aleck."

"You know you love it," Ben teased gently as they continued to dance. Mal chuckled as the night carried on. Ben couldn't help but smile as he looked out at his classmates enjoying themselves—Carlos and Jay were off to the side with Akiho and Emir while Jane and Lonnie had gently dragged Evie onto the dance floor, where they were quickly joined by Emma White and one of Chad's sisters.

"Ooh which one of us is it?" Lucy asked with a small grin.

Judging by the strawberry blonde hair, Ben had to say it was Kitty.

"Sweet!" Kitty grinned.

"Hey Mal!"

Speak of the devil and she shall appear, Ben thought as Kitty popped up in front of them.

"Hey! Just because she's got the closest to red hair of the family doesn't mean you can call her a devil!" Lucy exclaimed though it was clear to everyone that she was only teasing Ben.

"Oh, hey Kitty," Mal said, looking slightly confused. "Weren't you just—?"

"Listen, can I borrow you for a second?" Kitty asked. "It's a surprise for his highness here."

"Seriously? You don't have to use my title Kitty!" Ben said, shaking his head.

Ben sighed. "Kitty, you've known me since birth. You don't have to—"

"Ben, you're pretty much going to have to make a proclamation telling people not to call you by your title," Kitty chuckled as she dragged Mal away.

"You know he actually did that?" Malinda said with a small sigh.

"Really?" Kitty asked.

Benji shook his head. "It was weird okay? People I'd grown up with were bowing to me and calling me 'your highness'. I'm just Ben okay?"

Ben sighed but went over to the side where Chad was standing.

"So…what does your sister have planned?"

"You honestly think I know?" Chad asked.

"Search me," Chad chuckled. "But she roped Lonnie and Jane into it, plus Emir and Akiho."

"Will the school still be standing?"

"We can only hope."

"FG, you'd better reinforce the school," Benji said with a snort of amusement.

Chad chuckled and Ben looked to the dance floor as a different song began to play. He couldn't help but smile as he saw the girls take the stage.

Kitty grinned before groaning. "The surprise is going to be ruined now!"

"Surprise?" Ben asked.

"Don't have to win the gold on all your own," Lonnie began to sing followed quickly by Jane. Ben's smile only grew as Mal and Evie joined in on the song only to have his shadows jump in accompanied by Carlos and Jay.

"You girls would sound lovely," Fairy Godmother said, smiling at Jane and Lonnie, along with Mal and Evie.

"Girls?" Carlos and Jay exclaimed.

"Oh sorry," Fairy Godmother said as Harry, Uma, and Mal cackled in amusement. "I should have said you all."

"Because we're better together, stronger side by side, this is our moment, it's our time. So we're different, whatever, everyone can shine. This is the moment of our lives, cause we're better together."

Benji smiled That held more truth to it than Kitty knew, he thought. If it hadn't been for Mal making friends with Macaria…we'd have never defeated Freddy at Auradon Prep.

"Should have known," Chad said, shaking his head. "Akiho went to Kitty about three weeks ago after you gave your proclamation, wanted her to come up with a song that fit the spirit of it or something."

"She didn't have to—"

"Wait, you wrote that Kitty?" Ben asked, looking at the younger girl.

Kitty shrugged. "Akiho had asked and I wanted to give it a try. Never again."

"Well it sounds like it'll be a good song," Ben told her. "I'll try to act surprised if I get to hear it this go around."

Cinderella and Kit though gave their eldest daughter a proud smile. "It truly is a lovely song," Kit told her.

"Once Akiho asked her, there was no stopping her Ben," Chad said, patting him on the shoulder. "You're practically another older brother to her, our families have been friends since we were born. Now if you'll excuse me, Audrey was supposed to be here."

Abby smiled and looked over at Ben. Looks like you got your sister after all, she thought.

"Chad," Ben said and the blond stopped for a moment. "I'm glad you're happy."

Ben shrugged. "You love who you love."

"…thanks Ben," Chad said softly, as if not expecting that.

"What? Expecting a speech about not going after your friend's ex?"

"Well I mean that would pretty much imply that Ben saw Audrey as being 'his' and that Chad would need Ben's permission to date her," Lonnie said. "I think we can all agree that is not the case with Ben."

"Pretty much, I mean the guys on the team already gave me a talk after Audrey basically implied I was cheating with her behind your back after the Championship game."

"Ben probably didn't want to believe it and was more focused on Mal," Rose said.

Ben shook his head. "I know you weren't dude. Besides, I may be king but I can't control other people. If Audrey makes you happy, good for you."

"But how did you know that?" Elle asked.

Benji shrugged. "I know Chad. Yes we were distant after the VKs came to Auradon but he would have told me that."

A few of the AKs in attendance looked at each other in disbelief.

"You know one of these days you're going to have a human reaction to something," Chad chuckled as Mal came down to pull Ben onto the dance floor.

"That would mean we'd need to finally figure out if Ben is human," Macaria pointed out.

"Because we're better together, stronger side by side," she sang softly, her voice blending into the others but Ben only had ears for hers.

Ben flushed. "So sue me," he said softly.

He couldn't help but smile as the lights caused her green eyes to glow, the small smirk never leaving her face. All Ben knew was that he wanted to kiss those perfect pink lips…but knew Mal wouldn't want something public like that.

Mal joined Ben in having her cheeks flush pink. "Um yeah…if you must, not in public and/or around people."

"And not where her father can hear about it," Hades muttered.

"Or brother!" Hadie chuckled. "I'd rather not talk about kissing at all thank you!"

Malinda snorted in amusement. "Oh so you don't want to know about the time dad walked in on you getting your first kiss?"

"What?!" Hades exclaimed.

"Yeah, Hads practically killed my phone battery with how long that phone call was," Malinda chuckled.

It'd be their first kiss after all.

"The most special one," Rachel said with a smile. "There's nothing like it."

"Eh…your first kiss as husband and wife tops it I'd think," Benji smiled.

As the song finished and everyone applauded, Ben pulled Mal into his arms. "That was amazing," he said softly.

"Eh if you say so," Mal shrugged. "Truthfully I could have done with some warning that we were going to be involved in a musical number."

"She was given no warning and yet she knew the words to the number," Hadie chuckled.

"Must be Auradon magic!" Alexandria grinned.

"Yeah that doesn't happen in Auradon. Warnings of impending musical numbers I mean."

"Oh goodie."

"You know, it would have to be weird for someone who's parents didn't burst into musical numbers," Neal said. "I mean…I'm pretty sure Lord Hades and Lady Persephone are the only ones here who haven't had a musical number."

"Huh," Uma said. "You're right. Even Vanessa technically had one."

Ben chuckled before pausing. "Hey, Mal? Can…can I show you something?"

"Hmm, something at the school we both attend?" Mal teased gently before smiling at him. "Of course Ben. If you can slip out without being detected. You are the king now."

"He may be the King but he's surrounded by hormonal teenagers," Lucas chuckled. "No one's going to notice him taking a moment to be alone with his girlfriend."

"I was crown prince before and I slipped away from Family Day without anyone noticing," Ben smirked. "Come on."

"Yep, Mal has definitely corrupted him," Harry nodded with a smirk of his own.

Taking Mal's hand, Ben took her to a hidden grove that was a short distance away from the party.

"This is a nice spot," Mal said softly.

"Kit designed it," Ben said gently. "He said everyone should have a secret spot to call their own, or at least he did according to mom when the school was being built."

Cinderella smiled as she looked over at Kit. "It reminds me of the little secret garden you showed me when we met at your ball. Remember? With the swing?"

"Oh yes," Kit nodded. "You were the first person I showed that to you know?"

"I'm honored," Cinderella said, her smile only growing.

"Is it really a secret spot if the parents know it exists?"

"Well I mean, it's kinda a good thing if the parents know it exists," Benji pointed out. "That way, if they're looking for their kid, they can search everywhere."

"I have no clue," Ben chuckled before leaning down and giving a gentle kiss to Mal's lips.

"I'm not hearing this, I am not hearing this," Hades muttered.

Malinda smiled. "And in that moment…neither of us cared about the answer."

Mal froze slightly, as if she hadn't expected the kiss, before returning it gently; slowly raising her arms so that they rested around Ben's neck.

A few of the more romantic AKs sighed as they heard that.

"That's got to be one of the most romantic spots to have your first kiss," Rowyn smiled.

"Nah Enchanted Lake sounds better," Lucy said.

Ben smiled against Mal's lips. He knew he'd need to go back to the party—hell Emir and Akiho would probably drag him back. But for right now, he was content to just be a guy and spend some time with his girlfriend.

"I think in light of the circumstances we can give you a pass Ben," Emir said as he and Akiho smiled.

Life certainly couldn't get any better than this.

Benji smiled and shook his head. "Oh you'd be surprised…that moment? It was only the first of your best moments but it still makes the Top Ten."

Phillip sighed as he rolled the scroll back up. "That's the end of the scroll. I'd like to propose a break considering all we've read…and maybe we could bring my mother-in-law back to consciousness as well."

"Why?" Phil Jr. asked.

"Phillip!" Aurora sighed.

However, before anyone could agree about taking a break, the eyeball of the Fates began to pulse and spin once more. As it finished spinning, there were several new members of the reading group.

"Esla!" Anna grinned and rushed over to her sister.

"Anna! Kristoff! Akiho!" Elsa smiled as she embraced her little sister. "What's going on?"

"We're reading about the future!" Akiho said with a grin.

Elsa stared at her nephew in concern. "…Anna are you sure you didn't have too much chocolate when you were pregnant with him?"

"He's telling the truth Elsa," Kristoff chuckled. "Come sit with us and we'll explain it."

As Elsa went to sit with her family, Harriet was rushing over to one of the other new members; a girl with ash blonde hair and a blue and white striped shirt.

"Sammy!"

"Harriet!" Sammy smiled. "What happened? I was with dad and my brothers…oh thank Gods they're here too…are we on Olympus?"

Harriet chuckled. "No, we're in the lair of the Fates."

"…that gives me more questions than answers."

"Captainess?" Smee said in astonishment as he looked at Milah.

Milah smiled. "Hello William. Lady Persephone brought me to listen to the readings provided by the Fates. I'm so sorry about Mollie."

"…how did you…oh I guess…I guess you knew already," Smee said with a sad smile as CJ smiled at the two younger Smee boys though she wished her friend Ryan could have come.

Estelle plodded over and licked one of the Smee twins' cheeks, causing him to giggle slightly.

However, as everyone went to sit down, the VKs were all stunned as they saw the remaining two new members. The red hair stood out like a sore thumb—another one of their crew had joined them but he seemed rather distracted.

"Well I think we can cancel that intervention," Harry said, his voice soft as the VKs stared at Henry kissing a girl. Not just any girl. The second in charge of the Angels; the sister to Freddy Frollo.

Henry and Claudine…who saw this coming? Mal thought.