The Isle of the Lost

Maddie's Perspective

Madeline Medusa was...quiet. Especially when she saw an antique golden watch on Aurelius Radcliffe's wrist. It was easier to swipe every time. And after he turned onto a more crowded street, she made her move.

Creeping closer, careful not to make a sound, she wound up right behind him. She pulled one of her pins from her hair and brushed one of the red braids tumbling down behind her ear. She poked his left arm with a pin and he looked down at it. While his attention was diverted, she reached for his right wrist and--

"Hey, Mads," someone called. Aurelius jumped and looked behind him, noticing Maddie. Maddie spun, noticing Giovanna Gothel behind her, looking...like herself. Perfectly styled black curls, stormy gray eyes, ridiculously short red skirt, freshly manicured hands, and obnoxious coral lipstick.

"If this watch ends up in your psycho mom's shop," he began, pointing in Maddie's face. "I swear to Hades I'll--"

"You'll what?" Giovanna asked, stepping closer to him. She smiled and he glared at her. "I'm way curious."

"This is between me and this sticky-fingered--" Aurelius began. Maddie got ready to run and Aurelius grabbed onto her wrist hard enough to hurt.

"This sticky-fingered," Gio waved her fingers, "whatever you were gonna say is my friend. And I'd hate for you to say anything bad about her. My mom might suddenly decide to stop selling makeup to yours and...we all know she needs it so bad."

"You--" While he was distracted, Maddie noticed he'd grabbed her with the hand he wore the watch on. She reached up and undid it, pulling the clasp open quickly. Then she gently lifted it off and lifted her leg to hide it away in her boot.

"I know, your dad would just start paying triple to get her real face covered up again," Gio said with a chuckle. She took another step closer, still smiling sweetly. "But we all know how much he hates to waste money. If he knew you were the reason for it...well he'll probably forgive you."

Aurelius paled, taking a step back. Maddie gently pulled a ring off a finger while he pulled his hand from her wrist. When he turned to face Gio fully, Maddie undid a golden chain on his neck and gently slid it off. She put the necklace in her boot and the ring in a hidden pocket in her jacket.

"He'll forgive you, right?" Gio asked, smile growing when she noticed what Maddie'd done. "It's only money. He won't punish you for it, will he?"

"You know what?" Aurelius said. "Nevermind--"

"No." Gio said flatly, smile falling. "Apologize to my friend and give her a compliment. So I know we're all friends. Right?"

Aurelius flushed angrily, turning back to Maddie. He glared, looking her up and down. "Sorry." He still looked her up and down until he said, "your eyes are the color of money I guess."

"Thanks, Relli," Gio said, smiling again. He checked his wrist and noticed his watch was gone. Before he could say anything, Gio said, "You can go, we have girl stuff to talk about." He glared at the two of them and turned to leave.

"You did that on purpose," Maddie said. Gio started walking back the way Maddie came from and she giggled. Maddie followed her.

"Maybe," she said brightly. "But maybe I knew you'd get more than that stupid little watch. You're very talented, you know, I always liked that about you. It's why we're friends."

Maddie laughed aloud at that. "Oh really," she said, rolling her eyes. "We're friends?"

Gio gasped and put a hand to her heart, turning into an alley. "I thought we were," she said, seeming hurt. "I looked out for you with Radcliffe."

"I had it handled," Maddie said, looking around the alley to make sure this wasn't about to be a sneak attack. "Why are we here?"

"I have good news, Maddie." She looked to the ground, tears forming in her eyes. "Maybe not if we're not as close as I thought."

"What?" Maddie asked. Gio sniffled. Maddie sighed . "You know that doesn't work on me."

Gio wiped her eyes and immediately her face turned happy. "Fine, you're right. Not besties, but...I have good news for you. We're going to Auradon."

"What?" Maddie exclaimed, nose curling up. "You better be joking, that's disgusting."

"Didn't you have flies in your birthday cake." Gio laughed. "I think Auradon is slightly less disgusting. You should be happy."

"How? Why? What?"

"I already told you what's happening. How's easy. A letter to the king," Gio said proudly. "Why is even easier. Free us from this," she looked up at the smoggy, gloomy sky, "here."

"I don't need to leave." Maddie started to fix the braids in her hair, bundling the bun on the left side before sticking her pin through it. "My mom's shop needs me, I'm fine."

Gio rolled her eyes. "I think your mom wants you to help get her outta here so she can get a diamond that's not secondhand."

"I'm fine." Maddie said stubbornly. "The answer's no. It's perfect for me here." They heard a cough and someone turned into the alley, hacking in a coughing fit. Gio covered her mouth and nose.

"Sorry, the smog's--" the little boy began, covering his face with a cloth.

"Didn't ask for your life story," Gio said cuttingly. "I don't want tuberculosis, so...bye." The boy's face fell and he turned back the way he came. Gio turned back to Maddie, flipping her curls over a shoulder. "If that's how you feel, fine. I only want you to go if that's what you really want."

Maddie pursed her lips. "What do you mean?"

Gio rolled her eyes. "What I said. I'm not gonna beg. If you don't wanna go, I can't force you to. And I know how important your mom is to you.

"Okay," Maddie stared for a bit, trying to figure out Gio's angle here. The redhead turned to leave the alley and began to walk away. "Bye."

"Bye, bestie."

"Not your bestie."

"We'll see." Gio called in a sing-song tone.

When Maddie turned around to see what she meant, Gio was gone.

Reggie's Perspective

"Where is it?" Reginald Hart called. He was on his knees looking behind a dumpster. "Where are you, darling?" He heard someone clear their voice behind him. He tried to straighten out and bumped his head on the dumpster he was under. Sliding out, he stood and saw Giovanna Gothel.

She was smiling wider than he was comfortable with. "Let me guess, Red," she started teasingly. "Looking for your dignity or your imaginary boyfriend?"

Reggie blushed. He cast his red eyes on the ground. "Hello, Gio."

"Hiiiiii," she said, drawing out the word. "Watcha looking for?"

"A butterfly," he said, glancing around his yard. "Mum had me paint it red and now he can't fly. I was going to clean him up."

"Queen of Hearts," Gio mused. "Weirder than ever." She glanced at Reggie and giggled again. "The yellow hair is better than the black pompadour thing. Good look."

"What?" Reggie ran to the fountain to fix his hair and looked closely. Pale skin, sharp red eyes, button nose, flushed lips, and...a banana peel on his head. He threw it into the dumpster and made sure his black pompadour was gelled the way he liked it. He turned back to Gio resignedly. "Are you just here to poke fun at me?"

Gio gasped. "No," she said sincerely. "We're friends. Who got the pirates to stop following you home from witch school and calling you a weirdo?"

When he didn't respond, Gio just stared at him. When he got uncomfortable, Reggie said, "you, Giovanna."

"Yes, I love you and your posh little accent," Gio said with a bright smile. She reached for Reggie's hands, then thought better of it. "Sorry, you have trash hands right now. But I have good news."

"What is it?" Reggie asked, trying not to get too excited.

"We're going to Auradon. In one week exactly."

Reggie's eyes widened and his heart started beating faster. "Truly?"

"Totally," Gio said. Reggie's face broke out into a grin and he jumped happily.

"This is perfect," Reggie said, laughing giddily. "Papa and I were supposed to wash Mum's laundry that day. I almost feel bad ditching."

Gio smiled at Reggie. "I'm glad you're happy to go with me, buddy. But one thing, though,"

"I can't wait to tell Papa. Yes? Anything you want."

"I love it when boys tell me that," Gio said with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. The silver color turned cutting. "Your mom has, like, these super special magic cards, right?"

Reggie's face fell and his mood dropped. "Yes, but she keeps them locked up in--"

"Awesome, you know where they are," Gio said happily. "You're going with me because I need someone who knows how to do magic. All you've gotta do is get her to give you those cards or take them. You've got seven whole days."

Reggie sputtered a bit before managing to get out, "I don't--I think--she'll never let--she'll go mental and do something horrible when she finds--"

"You'll be gone by then," Gio said, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing tighter than necessary. "I really really want you to get those cards. I'd hate for someone to tie you up and make you miss the car."

Reggie's heart dropped.

"Especially cause we both know how much harder it'll be without me here to protect you." Her hand left his shoulder and she tapped his nose. "I want my friend to be safe, but I can't make sure of that from Auradon, can I?"

Reggie's pulse hammered in his neck and at his wrist. He could already imagining all those posses at the Silver Serpents Seafaring Academy bothering him on his walk to school every day. "I'll manage it somehow," he said softly.

Gio smiled. She spun and hugged him. "Perfect. I'll see you in 7 days." She held his shoulders and looked at him. "But tell me if Harry and Gil give you trouble again, Shen'll scare 'em if I ask him to."

"Thank you, Gio," Reggie said, worried to have her so close. Especially because he knew how angry she got when he sneezed. But her jasmine perfume always aggravated his allergies.

Thankfully she let him go. "Toodles," she waved as she turned to leave, heeled boots clicking.

"Cheers, Gio," he said without any more happiness. How am I ever going to get those cards? he wondered.

"There you are, little squirrel," a familiar voice called quietly. Reggie turned and saw his father approaching with a warm smile.

"Hi, Papa," Reggie said, hugging his father quickly. "Can I have some help with something?"

"So you hear mum wants her dresses steamed again?" His father sounded resigned.

"Pardon?" Reggie's brow furrowed. "We steamed them last night...all of them."

"She said they're all wrinkled and..."

"She's always right," Reggie sighed. "But I needed help with something that...mum can't know about."

His father's eyes twinkled with a mischievous glint. "Things mum can't know about are the most fun things we do, are they not?" He looked down, noticing something on the ground. He bent to pick it up and it was the butterfly Reggie'd painted red.

Reggie chuckled, hugging his father again gratefully. "So, mum's magic cards are in the library safe. She plays croquet on the lawn every other morning, so she'll be out of the castle..."

Shen's Perspective

Yazmine was sloppier than expected. This sparring match was one of the last ones of the summer term and her stance was weaker than ever. Shen Yu had been worried to be paired with Yzma's daughter.

He dropped his staff and put his hands behind his back as he bent backward to avoid a swipe from Yazmine's heinously sharp nails. She swiped down and he sidestepped her. She stumbled a bit from her momentum before catching herself.

Something was off, but now wasn't the time to figure it out. Shen and...literally everyone knew Yazmine's nails were nearly always coated with poisoned polish. He dropped down and swept his legs out in a kick aimed at her legs.

Already off balance, she stumbled. Her gray skin tone looked paler and clammier than ever. Shen picked up his staff and vaulted to his feet, carrying the weapon with both hands. He locked one of her arms in place with a foot and the other arm with the other, holding the staff at her neck.

Shen looked up at his coach, his father, Shan Yu. "She's lost," Shen said. "In a real battle I'd have a glaive. And she wouldn't have a head at this point."

His father laughed proudly. "Good, Shen." His smile disappeared. "But Yazmine has shown sloppy technique in this battle. Perhaps she needs a lesson for the future."

Shen caught his meaning and jabbed her stomach with his staff as hard as he could. Yazmine cried out in pain and flushed red. Despite their fight being short, the girl was covered in sweat.

"Dismissed," Shan Yu said. "Yazmine, you have failed. Shen..." Shen was excited to hear what his father would think after such an-- "you were better than the failure. Try harder in the future."

Shen's mood fell, but he saluted. Releasing Yazmine, he said, "yes, General." After his father left, Shen headed for the changing room connected to the gym. It was completely empty other than...

"Hi, Biceps," Giovanna said. She was leaning against his locker with a smirk on her face. Shen's assessing eyes found little of note. Dressed a red top and skirt and black heeled boots, long black curly hair, stormy eyes, a purse too small to conceal a weapon in, nails not sharp enough to cut, and hands curled around... "Miss me?"

Shen smiled and nodded. "I always miss you. Don't know how my girlfriend will feel about you being here, though."

Gio gasped, looking around with a frightened expression. "Wouldn't want that, would we?" She whispered.

"No, we don't. She's crazy jealous," Shen said, pulling her in for a hug. "If she knew I let you feel my biceps, she'd kill you. She loves 'em."

"I see why," Gio said alluringly. "I heard she'd go so far as to poison people." She showed Shen the bottle in her hand. The pink liquid inside said Disorientation Elixer.

Shen realized in an instant. "You poisoned Yazmine?"

"Maybe I thought she wanted it in her coffee. She was carrying it to school today."

Shen hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. "That little gremlin was gonna poison me before our fight. It was worth half my grade."

"I know," Gio said breezily. "Maybe she'll learn her lesson about sneaking around like that."

"Doubtful," Shen laughed. He kissed her again. "Best girlfriend ever."

"I know, Biceps." Gio said, playfully pinching one of his biceps. "And you're not the worst boyfriend. That's why I'm taking you with me."

"Where?" Shen asked. "The General is running us through drills all night, I can't go on a date 'till tomorrow."

"I know," Gio said. "Always so busy. I could have four other boyfriends and you'd never know."

Shen's eyes flashed dangerously, the golden-brown color seeming brighter. "I'd break all their arms."

Gio giggled. "I know," her hands finger trailed down the muscles on his arm. "That's one of the reasons I love you so much." She took a hair tie from her purse and guided him to a bench. Stepping behind him, she started to fix his hair.

"So where did you wanna take me?"

She gathered the medium-length brown locks and began to pull and twist most of them into a tight bun at the back of his head. "Auradon," she said. She stepped in front of him, smiling.

"Huh?" he asked, looking up at her.

"Well I wrote a letter," she took the stray strands on the right side of his face, braiding them. "His benevolent Ben-ness is showing the great kindness of letting us leave this prison." She finished the braid and took a rubber band from her purse to tie it. Beginning the other one, she said, "a car is coming in a week to get us."

"Who's us?" Shen asked.

"You're the first person to ask me that." She kissed his forehead. "Curious, it's one of the things I love about you. Reginald Hart, Madeline Medusa, and moi."

"Weird group, but I assume you have your reasons."

Gio finished the other braid and looked at Shen. She took a compact from her purse and gave it to Shen. "I do, but a lady never tells them all, love." Shen looked in the chipped mirror and saw his hair was pulled into a bun. Gio had given him two braids to frame his face and the bands they were tied with were the same gold color as his eyes and eyebrow piercing. Other than that, brown hair, almond eyes, strong chin, and strong build. All the same as normal.

"And you're devious. One of the things I love about you," Gio grinned happily and sat next to him.

"You're right." Her eyes took on a dangerous glint. "And no way we're buying any of that 'never too late to change' nonsense."

"That's my girl," Shen said happily.

"And that's my guy," she said, giving him a peck on the lips.

Giovanna's Perspective

Gio returned to Mother's Maquillage for the last shift of the day, her sisters Ginny and Gigi happily leaving the door with a hasty goodbye, tossing Giovanna the keys.

Gio picked up a Tiana's Place takeout box, the only thing they had to carry their scheduled orders. She unlocked the display cases to get the proper foundations, eye shadows, eyeliners, eyelashes, mascaras, makeup wipes, lipsticks, and lip liners (almost all of them already used, of course). Setting the takeout box on the counter, Gio sat on the countertop near the notepad and safe that acted as the cash register. She wrote down her name for this shift in case her sisters messed up the math earlier (and earned a scolding from their mom after the inventory was checked against the profits).

She glanced at the clock and, right on time, she arrived. The reason Gio took a second shift today. Madame Medusa stormed in, red hair flying everywhere. She turned to Gio and smiled.

"Giovanna, dear, please tell me you have my regular." Medusa called across the shop, louder than necessary.

"Totally do for my favorite customer," Giovanna said with a winning smile. Ew, her pores are bigger than my head, Gio thought. "I even have a surprise."

Medusa's eyes turned greedy. "I love surprises," she said. "If they're unrelated to rats."

"Totes unrelated to rats." Psycho, Giovanna added in her head. "I made some good finds after the last delivery from the mainland. Can you keep a secret from my mom?"

Medusa's eyes rolled. "I wouldn't talk to her if she was the last person on this floating rock," she said derisively.

Gio chuckled with a grin. She leaned toward Medusa and whispered conspiratorially. "I found these brand new, never-used face masks. And lipsticks too. Liquid application, but they dry matte. I saved you the Crimson Comet and Coral Cutie before mom could find them."

Medusa's cackled maniacally and jumped in place happily. "Yes, yes, yes, I'll pay you anything. I want them now!"

Gio laughed softly. "Of course. In your box, free of charge." She slid it across the counter. "I just wanted to do something nice since you're my favorite customer." She looked down and schooled her face into a sad expression. "It's gonna be so hard to go. I won't see you for so long."

Medusa looked up from the box she'd torn into, testing the lipsticks on the back of her hand. "What do you mean, child?"

"I'm going to Auradon," Gio said happily. Medusa's eyes widened. "I'm so sad Maddie didn't wanna go. But I heard I'll get to mail letters and gifts back. I wish you were my mom, then I'd get to send you makeup or jewelry--"

"Maddie didn't want to what!?!" Medusa yelled. Gio pretended to flinch in surprise.

"I told Maddie way earlier that she's allowed to go with me," Gio said innocently. "She said she didn't want to go, she preferred to stay here to work in the shop. She didn't say anything?"

"She...is...going." Medusa said stubbornly. She slammed money down onto the counter, grabbing her box and storming out of the store. When the door slammed, Gio started to count the money.

"Love when the madame gets Mad," Gio said, giggling as she pocketed a few dollars. "She always pays extra on accident."