Prince Jay had grown up always knowing he was the forbidden son of Jasmine. Forbidden in the sense that, while his birth was common knowledge to the household, anyone outside of that circle didn't know who his mother was, only seeing him as the son of Jafar and likely a random servant woman. It was just as well. It would cause too many scandals if the truth was revealed, that when Jafar had his way, briefly, he had married Jasmine and had enough time to impregnate her. Villains and heroes didn't mix, that was the truth. Jay was raised in the shadows, close to his half-brother but never fully having the approval of Sultan Jasmine.

That sure didn't stop them from sending servants to dress him up in the finest red and orange robes and trousers, a matching turban on his head, and slip-on shoes, and telling him his fiancée had just arrived from the neighboring nation of Chūnlán, alongside her family. A fiancée he needed to have a dinner with, and act all proper and noble and whatnot. Oh, screw it. When had any of those people cared about propriety?

"Lookin' good!" Aziz praised him, dressed in a similar robe of cream and gold and orange, a bandana tied loosely around his head. "I mean that."

Jay pushed him playfully. "Let's go see our ladies."

Aladdin and Jasmine smiled at the boys when they arrived in the dining room, dressed their best as well. Aladdin wore silver and violet robes, a similar bandana on his head, and Jasmine wore a flowing red and violet dress and a matching veil that flowed around her, silver earrings and a necklace and nose piercing to complete her look. Jay was sure he had never seen a woman as beautiful as his mother. He had seen paintings and portraits of the other rulers around Auradon, and he knew, none were as beautiful as her.

"They'll be arriving any minute now. You two look great," Aladdin said warmly. "Just remember your manners, and this'll be a sitch."

"The Li Family, of Chūnlán, with Empress Ting-Ting and Emperor Consort Ling, with Imperial Princess Liwei, Minister Fawzi and family, and the lovely Princess Hannah of Kioto Jima!" a guard at the door announced, and the atmosphere suddenly shifted as the adults talked eagerly and led the teenagers to the table, which was low and required everyone to kneel on colorful cushions.

"It feels we haven't talked in forever!" Mulan smiled at Jasmine.

Jasmine smiled. "I know. We must remedy that."

Jay sat across from his fiancee, the lovely Fa Ming-Lei, daughter of Mulan. They both smiled at each other as the appetizers were served, Jay taking in her appearance. She wore a long yellow and green gown, patterned with geometric shapes. A yellow ribbon was tied carefully behind her back, and her bob was styled nicely with a green ribbon in it. It was a simple look, but nice enough for the dinner. Jay knew why. Ming-Lei didn't come from wealth, not the wealth of her peers.

Aziz also sat across from his fiancee, Liwei, dressed impeccably in rich blue silk with a purple robe and ribbons over it, her hair styled into a high bun decorated with blue jewels. They both looked respectfully at each other.

Fawzi; or the now human Genie, sat with his family, the centerpiece being Aziz's childhood friend, Ruqayya, wearing a golden gown with a sheer silk robe over it, her hair braided behind her and matching silver jewelry like Jasmine's. Hannah sat alone, with no family members to accompany her and only a servant, and her iciness and loneliness made Jay wonder why she was even invited in the first place. Probably political stuff Jay didn't fully understand and didn't want to ask about.

She wore an exquisite carnation pink kimono decorated with butterflies that trailed behind her and came with three layers, each one lighter in color than the last, with her red hair pulled into a tight bun secured with flower petals.

"Welcome to Agrabah, our beloved home." Aladdin stood up and announced. "We, Jasmine and I, hope that you feel welcomed here, and that good relationships between us can continue to foster and develop."

Jasmine smiled. "We may be formal, but we hope you feel comfortable all the same."

Everyone raised a glass in toast, then pleasant conversation broke out between everyone as they started to eat.

"I'll never get used to the food here," Ming-Lei suddenly said, playing with her dates.

"Can't be that different from Chūnlán." Jay popped one into his mouth.

"Oh, it is. We eat a lot more noodles and vegetables. And our vegetables are different from yours," she said. "You should visit sometime. I know chivalry and marriage laws say I need to be here in Agrabah because this'll become my kingdom when we're married, but seriously. Visit Chūnlán at least once before that happens. You'll love it." She sipped her drink. "Want to go outside for some air? I'm not actually all that hungry."

Jay couldn't turn down food, but he knew what Ming-Lei really wanted. He looked around, then took her hands. "Close your eyes. Where do you want to go?"

She did as she was told, remaining silent. They had done this enough times that Jay knew exactly where his magic would point them to, and when her eyes opened, they were in the expansive palace gardens, making her smile.

"Beautiful!" Ming-Lei ran around. Jay watched her. She ended up in the center, surrounded by the fountains and statues of gods. Jay heard one of the servants, from Auradon City, call the fountains 'splash-pads' after seeing a young Ruqayya and her brother Omar wade in one, but the man didn't bother to explain what the unfamiliar term meant. Ming-Lei kicked off her shoes and rolled up her dress, dipping her toes into the fountain and sighing a bit as she sat on the ledge.

"Discarding your shoes isn't ladylike," he teased, coming up behind her. "Might have to tell your parents."

"Oh, no! Not them!" Ming-Lei playfully cried.

"Oh yes! What would they say? Should I also tell them about how you fence, and climb trees, and cut your hair?" He sat beside her, keeping his legs up and out of the fountain. The sun was starting to set.

"They'd understand! My mom cut her hair!" Ming-Lei continued to laugh.

"I thought it was a big deal," Jay moved closer to her, and suddenly their faces were very close to touching.

"Well…." Ming-Lei looked at him. Neither of them looked away, moving closer and closer until they heard loud laughter and pulled away, curious. "Hello?"

"Who's there?" Jay called out, jumping off the fountain and following the laughs, finding himself in a long pathway, one of the paths that led to their flower maze. "Hello?" He walked down it, the laughter dying down, and almost turned back before he saw a flash of silver. He walked closer and in the shadows could barely make out two figures, but caught the familiar shapes of their clothing.

It was Aziz and Ruqayya, laughing and kissing in the garden.

Jay ran off, slightly sick.

-0-

The guests were scheduled to stay a few weeks more, which made things awkward, in Jay's opinion, when Aladdin made the announcement that Jay would be going to Auradon Prep for his first year, alongside Ming-Lei, Ruqayya, and Aziz, who would continue going. Aziz was already in his last year.

"I know there was the decree and everything, but are you sure it's a good idea?" Jay asked, feeling nervous he had to ask that in front of everyone.

"Why not? They could give you a better education than any of us," Aladdin said.

"Well, Jafar would tell me to stay where my roots were." Jay never saw the man, but he knew enough of him to know he was very proud of Agrabah, despite his evil plots. "I think I'm fine here."

"Awww, you'll leave me all alone?" Aziz teased. "Come on, one year. It won't be so bad."

"Think of all the mischief you could get into," Ruqayya teased with a wink. He looked away with a wince.

"...Fine. One year. Just because you all are going."

"Yeah!" Aziz clapped him on the back.

When the teenagers left the room, Aladdin looked at the other letter he'd received, gasping in horror.

"What is it?" Jasmine asked, concerned.

"Your father….he…" Aladdin couldn't finish and just held up the letter for her to read, making her gasp.

"Dead?! But how?!"

"Well, he was old, Jasmine. Old people die."

"I know, but he was the picture of health before he left for his vacation."

The two looked at each other, their grief written all over their faces.

"I don't mean to intrude, but you need a funeral, right? I'd suggest you hold off on the kids going to Auradon Prep just yet. My Ming-Lei is a big girl, she can wait a while longer," Mulan said suddenly. The trio had no issue speaking Chinese with each other.

"I agree. I know Aziz will be upset, but we're in mourning. It's more important than being at school for the very first day," Aladdin said.

"We belong to Allah, and to Him, we return," Jasmine said quietly.

-0-

Jay was not expecting to be invited to Auradon Prep, but he especially was not expecting to be told an hour later to halt his packing and instead get ready for a funeral.

"Who died?" he asked Aziz, who had delivered the news.

"Grandpa."

"Really?" Jay asked, suddenly feeling awkward. "Uh, I thought it was a distant relative, or, you know…" He didn't want to name the person he'd assumed was dead. "Well, he's old."

"Yeah, but Mom and Dad seem worried about it."

Jay didn't say anything. He shouldn't be talking about that man anyway, he wasn't really a relative. Yeah, he was born from Jasmine, but was he really her son? Jafar was his family, though he had to admit he knew nothing from that side. He didn't even really have fond memories of the man, only a few scattered memories of an old but bright man who enjoyed making models and maps, teaching Jasmine and Aladdin how to rule before stepping down, and happily lifting Aziz up when he was still small, while Jay remained in the shadows as he always had.

The body arrived and once it had, the family began to busy themselves, preparing for the funeral. He was to be buried in the same tomb that the rest of the royal family used, beside his wife. First was the ritualistic washing. Jay filled up buckets with water and handed them to the other men present, as well as cloths. The act was done slowly and carefully, scrubbing every inch of the Sultan's body before folding his arms up in prayer and covering him in a white shroud.

Jay stared at the body as they wrapped it, trying to see anything that might indicate a strange cause of death, but he found nothing. He just looked like a sleeping old man.

Afterwards, everyone dressed in somber and plain clothing, heading to the mosque for the funeral service. As was expected, the extended family and several other members of the community had arrived, resulting in a hundred people total, and Jay wondered where all of these people came from, or how they knew the former Sultan.

"There's a lot of people here," Aziz noticed, voicing Jay's thoughts for him. They stood in the first line, made up of men. Aziz's younger brother, four years younger than him, but still seen as a man in Agrabah, stood next to them, trying to look tall in his robes and bandana. Aziz gave Jamil a reassuring smile.

Anara, Aziz's ten-year-old sister, stood in the second row with the other children, a solemn expression on her face as she stood all alone with strangers, wearing a simple robe and pants with a short veil draped over her shoulders.

Ruqayya, Ming-Lei, and Jasmine all had to stand in the third row with the women, keeping their heads down. Jay wondered why Ming-Lei felt the need to participate in such an event when she wasn't Agrabahan. Etiquette didn't insist she come, so why did she? He tried to catch her eyes, but she was staring straight ahead with her hands behind her back. Her pure white dress made her eye-catching in a sea of dark colors.

"Everyone. We are gathered here to honor the life and death of the former Sultan. A wise man, if eccentric, he ruled us all with care and love, much like a father would his children. And a good father, was he, to our Sultan Jasmine, who rules with the same grace and intellect as he." The imman at the front of the room said. "Let us have a moment for prayers before we begin the burial."

Everyone bowed their heads and listened to the prayers being recited, which went on for almost half an hour. Afterwards, the men all gathered themselves up and picked up the coffin, carrying it down to the burial grounds. They moved quickly and placed the casket beside the old Sultana's, covering it wiith dirt before leaving it. Afterwards, they headed back to the palace.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with all this," Jay told Ming-Lei apologetically when they were reunited and walked beside each other.

"Do you think I'm a stranger to funerals?" she asked.

"No. Just ours."

The mood was quiet but cheerful as dishes were prepared and placed out on the table, the children ran around, and the adults talked, telling Jasmine her father was in a better place.

"I'm glad his friends were still able to come," she said to Aladdin as they drank together.

"Grandpa had friends?" Aziz asked.

"Why wouldn't he? He was beloved," Jay said. "Being Sultan doesn't always mean shutting yourself up inside."

"I am sorry for your loss," Liwei interrupted with a formal bow. Jay stared at her, thinking she was so silent of course he had forgotten all about her. How did her and Aziz get along?

"Oh, yeah. Uh, you should tell that to Mom. She knew him best, after all," Aziz said with an awkward smile. Liwei nodded in understanding and walked off. Aziz walked away too, and Jay followed, not wanting to talk to anyone else. "There's way too many people in there. Makes me nervous,"

"You, the big social butterfly, getting anxious at a gathering?" Jay teased. "I should be the one who's nervous. I don't know this man at all."

"He's still your family."

"Barely." Jay scoffed before he could catch himself. "Like, I get it, you're my brother, I'm part of the family, but I'm also like, not, you know? I'm sure Sultan Jasmine wants me to leave the second I finish my schooling, whether that be here or at Auradon Prep. I'm just a reminder to her of that marriage."

Aziz frowned. "How many times do I gotta tell you that no matter what anyone else says, I see you as my brother, and that's all that matters? We're inseparable."

Jay just looked away. The fact he couldn't even call the Sultan anything other than her name seemed to be more than enough proof of where he stood in the eyes of the family.

-0-

Since the family was still in mourning, Fawzi asked if the kids would enjoy visiting his magic shop in Auradon City to lighten the mood.

"Should they really be traveling?" his wife, Dahlia, asked. "I mean, I get you want to make them feel better, but they aren't even allowed to go to school!"

"I get that concern, but I feel bad for them. Cooped up all day. Especially Ming-Lei, who didn't even do anything," Fawzi said. "It's a weekend, they'll be fine."

"Oh, that place that sells temporary spells? I heard about it from the Fitzherbert twins," Ming-Lei said.

"So it's magic that doesn't last forever? What's the point of that?" Jay asked.

"It sounds cool! They have weird things, like a cannon that shoots cotton candy!" Aziz chimed in.

"It's designed to help Auradonians be less afraid of magic, or give people from non-magical realms the chance to mess around with it," Ming-Lei said. "I love the idea!"

"People shouldn't be so afraid of magic," Jay said instead, lamely. In Agrabah, magic was simply a tool to be used, something neutral that could be exploited for either positive or negaive means.

The Genie gathered them all into a circle. Ruqayya snapped her fingers and they all found themselves in the shop, which had crystals and dreamcatchers everywhere. Crystal balls and wands were behind the counter. It smelled faintly of wood and spice smells, but what surprised Jay the most was the fact that there was nobody else there. Dahlia and Fawzi instantly disappeared into a backroom, leaving Ruqayya to spin around and change her appearance, now wearing white and cream robes tied with a gold belt, a circlet hanging low in her dark curls. It made her look more mature.

Aziz and Ming-Lei busied themselves looking through a spell handbook, while Jay just hung back, looking at everything.

Magic was something he felt like he was forbidden to possess. Jafar was a sorcerer, everyone knew that, but he was unwilling to teach Jay and so his magic pounded hotly in his veins, crying out for an outlet. He figured he was a sorcerer too, but that meant he needed something to channel the magic. He didn't think he had genie magic, as Jafar's stint as a genie was temporary, but still.

"We know what we want!" Ming-Lei spoke. Always straight to the point, that girl.

"Which spells?" Ruqayya asked, slamming a large book onto the desk.

Aziz grinned. "Cotton candy. I want to clap my hands and have a bowl of it appear!"

"I want ice to appear from my hands!" Ming-Lei said.

Ruqayya nodded. "That one is very popular thanks to The Fifth Spirit." She then looked at Jay, her business-serious tone contrasting with how he usually knew her to be. "And you?"

If his magic needed a push, then it surely couldn't be coerced from ice or candy. He was sure it was something darker, but the store wouldn't have anything to actually harm anyone.

"Turn something into a small snake," he finally said. Ruqayya nodded.

"Ten gems."

Aziz stepped up and dispensed the proper amount of jewels. "Luckily for you, those spells have already been made, just drink these vials, give them a few seconds, and then your wildest dreams will come true," Ruqayya recited. She handed them three crystal vials that Jay stared at, the fluid inside sticky and viscous, completely clear.

Ming-Lei and Aziz drank quickly. Jay was a little more hesitant, but after a moment, yanked the stopper out of the bottle and drank the whole thing in one shot.

He winced at the bitter taste and his stomach roiled and flipped, and for a brief moment he was afraid he would just vomit it all up. After a few more seconds, the nausea faded and his fingers began to tingle. He pointed them at a random collection of crystals. The large purple one twisted into the form of a snake. hissing as it slitered out of the basket. It watched Jay carefully with vacant emerald eyes.

"Woohoo!" Ming-Lei cheered, spinning around and pouring ice across the shop floor. She jumped up and tapped her shoes, and they soon turned blue with images of snowflakes on them. Aziz clapped his hands and just as he requested, a bowl of cotton candy fell at his feet, pink and sweet.

Jay stared at the snake, but it didn't lash out, only hissed and slithered closer to him. He picked it up and waited for it to strike, but it was still. It hissed once more before morphing back into a purple crystal. Aziz still had a handful of cotton candy left, and Ming-Lei sighed when her movements didn't summon forth a flurry of snowflakes anymore.

"Did you enjoy it?" Ruqayya asked, leaning against the doorway.

"Are you kidding!? That was amazing! I'm telling my folks about it! I'm coming back next week!" Aziz shouted.

"You probably get a lot of customers, huh?" Jay asked, trying to shake the snake from his mind. "How come I haven't heard much about this place?"

"Because a lot of people, especially in the more modern hubs, are fearful or distrustful of magic," Ruqayya said bluntly.

Jay couldn't blame them there. Agrabah was unique in its beliefs. Even most kingdoms felt the same, such as Dämmerung-Fleur and Schönheit, both of which were famously anti-magic in their beliefs, fearing dark powers. Too many villains and not enough heroes had it.

"But Dad thinks that isn't fair. Plenty of people have used magic and been good, and magic itself is neutral. They don't really understand that. So we set up this shop to let people experiment and help them understand that magic is nothing to be afraid of," Ruqayya continued.

"I think that's great. With more people who trust others, the world will be a better place!" Ming-Lei smiled.

"You think more would accept it, with how famous your dad is," Aziz said, leaning forward over the counter and looking at her.

Ruqayya gave him a determined smile. "He's just a sidekick, a plot device to help your dad. But we're hoping to change all of that with this!"

"Well, you got three loyal customers right here!" Aziz pulled Ming-Lei and Jay into a giant hug. "I'm going to stick around here, but you two can go on ahead."

Jay stared after Aziz, who followed Ruqayya into the backroom, the two smiling at each other before the door closed. Ming-Lei tilted her head as the two headed back, planning to rent a carriage to ride them back to Agrabah. The two shared a knowing look, and he wrapped his arm around Ming-Lei.

His mind went back to the snake, though he didn't want it to. Summoning the snake hadn't just felt good, it had felt right. Perhaps he really did need a push to cast spells, to conjure things, like a staff, same as what Jafar used. He knew that now. Maybe it was like those witches and conjurors he heard about in the southern portions of Auradon, deep in the forests, who needed spellbooks to recite from and spells and potions to memorize.

If he just got a staff, getting everyone at Auradon Prep to give up their baubles would be easy as pie!

He pushed down the thoughts about being a hero, about being good, that he was thinking like Jafar. He still stole things and showed what affection he had very roughly and his aggression was far worse.

Whoever said he was hero material?

-0-

Aziz had been in his room for the past few days, leaving Jay and Ming-Lei to finish their packing. Aladdin insisted he would be just fine to attend school, he just needed more time to himself. He did, after all, love his grandfather.

Not wanting to be a shadow in the palace, Jay somehow let himself get roped into visiting Schönheit, which was a fair ride away, and visiting a stable there to ride horses with the girls. Ming-Lei, of course, Liwei, and Hannah, the latter of whom was going to leave the next day to prepare for school.

And yet.

"Horses?" Jay couldn't help asking incredulously, even as they stood in front of the stables and Ming-Lei patted the snout of a buttercream mare. "Why exactly?"

"Prince Aziz told me you don't even ride horses in Agrabah! A royal must always know how to ride." Liwei commented. "Both princes and princesses. I think they're like camels, but without the hump, so they don't bounce as much."

Girls and horses made sense, that wasn't the weird thing. Most girls across the whole continent learned to ride, and he knew Ming-Lei could ride before she could even walk, and hold a bow and sword just as fast, because in Chūnlán, she said, the women were fierce warriorwomen who rode out to protect their people. It was more the fact that…didn't they want something more engaging to do?

"Hello ladies! And…sir." The attendant looked them over, staring at Jay. "It's not your first time riding, I presume?"

Ming-Lei smirked. "No, I am a very seasoned rider."

"It's mine," Liwei said.

"I think I rode a horse once as a child," Hannah murmured.

"I've ridden camels. A horse, maybe once or twice but it wasn't formal," Jay chimed in.

"Okay, so aside from the Imperial Princess, you all have some experience. That is good. Pick a horse and get on."

Ming-Lei jumped up onto the saddle of the horse she picked, purposefully sitting astride and letting her dress ride up to show off her black leggings. Hannah gasped, scandalized. Ming-Lei laughed. Liwei picked a white pony, said to be slow and gentle, and Hannah picked a dark brown mare, tall and broad, her coat shining in the sun. She rode sidesaddle, patting the mare's head.

Now he just had to pick something. He wandered through the stables, finally settling on a stallion with a braided mane and a coat that sparkled like gold. It reminded him of desert horses back home, gorgeous but wild. He jumped on the horse as is, not needing a saddle.

"Okay, now lead them out gently," The attendant said. Jay snapped the reins carefully and the horse got the hint, walking out of the stables and onto the trail slowly. Ming-Lei came up on his side a few seconds later, riding steadily.

"So, what's the point?" he finally asked, making her laugh.

"It's just supposed to be fun!"

"I don't think ridin' is my thing."

Liwei rode up beside them, keeping her horse steady. "I agree. In Chūnlán, I am not expected to ride or make a fuss. Father once asked if I wanted to learn, but I said no, and he respected that."

"Horses are more of a prince thing, and I'm not one, no matter what the court officially introduces me as," Jay continued. The bouncing was giving him a headache. Sometimes Ming-Lei's horse would pause and nibble at grass, and she'd pat her horse's mane whenever she stopped.

Jay recalled when Aziz would go out riding, robes and headdresses flying through the wind, riding off into the sunset. He'd ride like the wind and be one of the only people who could tame the wild desert horses.

They rode around for a bit, Jay reaching the end of the trail first, and then put their horses away. The three girls chatted in idle Chinese, and while Jay could understand them partially, he still tuned out the conversation. Liwei caught his eyes and started walking beside him, much to his surprise.

"I am very excited for school to start again. My two cousins got accepted and I'll finally get to spend more time with them. We're cousins but all three of us live completely different lifestyles, so it's just hard to see them properly. And you? Are you joining a sports team? Father says boys love sports and physical education and all of that!"

She was smiling. Not a polite smile of formality, a geniune one. She wanted to know more about him.

Jay shrugged. "Uh, I don't know. I'd probably be good at like, fencing. Where you fight with swords? Maybe swimming. I'd just go wherever I'm wanted."

"I think you would be great at the school pride, Tourney. Aziz says when he graduates, he's going to play for the national team. You know, the one in Auradon City?"

-0-

And so, after days of mourning and hanging around the capital, everything was finally ready for them to leave and make their marks at the school. And that was how Jay ended up on the same caravan as the others, heading to Auradon Prep, having no clue what was expected of him.

They left the girls to their own devices and tossed their bags in their respective dorms, because Aziz said unpacking was for people who didn't have a whole school to explore. He truly came alive, eagerly showing Jay the library, cafeteria, the wings where the classes were, and sports field, telling him those were the most important parts of the school. Jay rubbed his hands the entire time, thinking of all the jewelry and other treasuries to steal.

"Oh no, I know that look in your eyes. Don't even think about it." Aziz nudged Jay. "Not here."

"Everyone is loaded though! Why would they miss a single bracelet or ring? They have plenty others."

"Okay, I know it's tempting. But I convinced my folks you could come here because I promised them you'd turn over a new leaf. Back home, they could vouch for you, but here, it's different. People only know you as the son of Jafar. You need to show you're more than that."

Jay grumbled to himself. "So I'm only here because you told them I could be a good person?"

Aziz just stared.

Stealing was associated with villainy, even Jay knew that. As a kid, Aziz struggled with thievery, but easily grew out of it, knowing that wasn't right. Jay did want more out of life, but he still didn't think Auradon Prep was it. Still, it would do no good to get kicked out on his very first day.

"Alright, alright, something interesting. Roommates, who'd you get?" Aziz asked as they headed outside for the field. "Mine are Herkie Egan, Chad Charming, and James Smith. I think Chad might be the son of Queen Ella, you know, the one Mom is always hanging out with? I definitely see the resemblance."

"I got three boys from Gaston. All the same name, basically. I bet I won't get much sleep with them around. Might even have to rough them up myself if they get too rowdy." Jay rolled his eyes at the thought.

Aziz laughed. "Gonna play a sport? Tourney is very popular, you'd be good at that. You could also do discus or fencing. If you were a lot younger, I'd suggest the jump-rope team! The younger kids love that one,"

"Uh, probably fencing. Or Tourney." Jay shrugged. He was a fast runner but wasn't a big fan of sports. What did he like though? All he really did was want to steal and flirt with girls. Aladdin told him once he had a knack for magic but he couldn't actually tap into it without guidance, and his father didn't want to teach him. He heard about other types of magic that made him slightly envious, magic where people just said a word and something happened or could summon whatever was needed from their palms. Magic was a tool to be used, but Jay had to admit he couldn't really think immediately of any heroes or princesses that had magic. That couldn't be his thing after all.

"Great choices!" Aziz nodded in approval. They looked out on the field and saw a few kids stretching or running, one girl jumping-rope so fast the rope almost looked invisible.

"Watch where you're going!" A girl suddenly snarled at a boy who ran into her, spilling her drink all over her. "You almost ruined my jacket!"

The boy bowed humbly. "Sorry, someone was chasing me and-"

"I don't care." The girl rolled her eyes and stormed off.

"Wow, is she an HK, a Hero Kid? She seems so rude," Jay mused.

"I've heard of her. It's her last year here too. Jennifer Hawkins. She's definitely an HK but very punkish and rebellious. Nobody really likes her and if you call her Jennifer, she'll punch you. Definitely not a princess," Aziz said.

"Never heard of her."

"Yeah, most people haven't. Dad says that there's a lot of people out there who aren't super famous, all because according to Scribe Mickey, nobody liked their stories, or their stories failed to make big splashes. Her dad's story was one of them."

Jay shook his head, not wanting to hear about Scribe Mickey. The man, or mouse, rather, oversaw everything that happened in Auradon from his magical storybook, but nobody was really supposed to see him or even know he was there. All Jay knew was that everyone loved Aladdin and Jafar's story and that's all he bothered to remember.

"Anyway, maybe we could get to know her better. I hear her realm is really different, old-fashioned like ours but a lot of technology mixed together."

Jay stood there beside Aziz, mulling it over. Maybe Jennifer could be nice to befriend, but he just wanted Aziz. Ming-Lei would be there, which would be great for their betrothal, and Ruqayya could keep them busy, but it was Aziz who truly kept him grounded. Nobody else but him.

-0-

Carlos de Vil disliked being surrounded by dogs constantly. It wasn't anything with them, really, they just were too hyper and smelly and kept jumping on him, and most were really big so he'd fall over. He loved his adoptive parents, he just wished that they could adopt at least one cat or something, for crying out loud. He especially hated that when he was trying to design clothing or tinker with an electronic, the dogs would get super excited and jump onto him, ruining whatever it was he was working on.

Getting accepted into Auradon Prep was a surprise nobody expected. Unlike other parts of Auradon, London, where Carlos lived, was firmly stuck in the early twentieth century. They had cars, and movies, and telephones, and Carlos went to a completely normal high school down the road from the Radcliffes' house, with books and desks and pencils and whatnot. That wasn't why they were shocked he was accepted though.

It was because he didn't have a Hero Kid.

It was so unheard of that Carlos couldn't even name a single other person like him, and he assumed most would just disbelieve him if he ever said that anyway. The school had literally no reason to pick someone like him. No HK, no title or wealth, not even a famous villain. So, why?

Naturally, the Radcliffes encouraged him to go, saying he could make more friends. He didn't really have those in London, yes. The closest were probably his half-brothers, Harry and Jace, but he didn't really think they could have riveting conversations with him. He wrote letters to another boy his age, Eddie Balthazar, who was similar, and he was nice, but they couldn't exactly hang out due to the travel distance. But surely he could just make friends at his school? He had just started in ninth grade, after all, there was still time….

But Auradon Prep was in Auradon City, a hub where all of the different time periods and people all came together. There'd be so much new technology he could tinker with, better stuff, stuff he wouldn't even have names for….

Wanting a second opinion, he tried to ask his mother, who wasn't really imprisoned but just did community service for her crime until her time was up. She waved him away, telling him to do whatever he wanted. So, he would. And so, he did.

Roger and Anita Radcliffe drove him to the school in their car, hugging him at the front gate.

"Come see us whenever! You can visit every weekend, if you'd like!" Anita said.

"I…I think I should get adjusted to the school first." He took his backpack from them and walked away, trying to keep his head down in the sea of students. The bustle implied he was late, which wasn't a good sign, even on the first day. Here he was, at the famous school for princesses and heroes, the children of famed protagonists in stories every kid knew growing up. How would he ever fit in?

Carlos wandered around, knowing his first task should be to find a schedule and a map. Those would help him feel more like he belonged there. He saw many students running around but nobody who resembled any sort of staff member. The large space and sparse decorations made him dizzy, and his heart hammered in his chest. Everyone rushed by in colorful swirls. His breathing grew sharper and the sounds turned muted. He couldn't do this-

"Are you lost? You look lost. In fact, you look ready to puke," A warm hand gloved in leather took his own and led him into an empty classroom, then put their hands on his face. "Are you okay? Are you having a panic attack? If so, try to focus on my face and take several deep breaths."

Carlos followed the person's advice and stared at their face, breathing slowly and seeing the person was a short and blonde girl with mesmerizing eyes. He took another deep breath as she removed her hands.

"Sorry I touched you. My mother has the same problem so my sister and I learned how to handle panic attacks." She stepped back and Carlos took note of her straight bob which framed her face nicely(she even had a fringe, interesting) and purple sweater with a black leather skirt that was cut asymmetrically and fishnets underneath. Was she an HK? There was no way. Leather and fishnets were for VKs, everyone knew that.

"It's okay. That doesn't usually happen!" He laughed it off. "I'm just not used to huge places," He held his hand out to her. "Carlos de Vil."

"Anxelin Fitzherbert. Older twin of Ruby Fitzherbert." She shook his hand with a strong grip. "Daughters of Queen Rapunzel."

"You're HK?! No way. You dress like a punk!" Carlos blurted out, making her laugh.

"Do you know my dad? He was a thief. I guess that aspect of him rubbed off on me." She put her hands on her hips. "I don't mind though. I'm the tough punk daughter and my twin is the prim princess with the long hair and everything. That way we can make both of our parents happy."

"I'm lost, I'll admit it. I don't know where the staff are and I don't have any friends here." He sighed. "School back home was easier."

"I get it. Ruby ran off to hang out with her princess friends, so you can be stuck with me. I'll help you find your way around," she said.

"Great!" He perked up and followed her. He watched her masterfully weave through the crowds, finding a random adult and tapping their shoulder, whispering some things, and coming back with a rolled-up map and a green paper.

"This is the map and your schedule." She tapped the green paper. "You're in ninth grade, so your paper is green, just an easy way to keep track of things,"

"Um, you're not bothered about the fact that I'm a VK? I mean, I don't care, but my mom told me HKs hated people like me." He looked over his schedule, seeing some of it was regular academic stuff he did at his old school. Others were things he hadn't heard of before, like a chivalry course. Doing sports or electives sounded fun though. Those were completely normal school things he could do.

"Why would I be?" Anxelin asked genuinely, staring at him. "My dad was a thief. He reformed, but imagine if he hadn't. I would've been born a VK and maybe Ruby would've been born still but we'd be HK and VK rivals. I see no difference between us."

"Oh." Carlos hated how he was suddenly so speechless today, when normally he was a jokester, but around her he just couldn't talk much. "Do you have a VK?"

"Yeah, Ginny Gothel. The three of us left together but she bolted and ran off when we were halfway to the school. Truthfully, she probably won't even come." Anxelin sighed. "Ruby loves her and thinks she can changed, but between us, I don't think she can. She loves being evil, Ginny, and is way too much like her mom." She started walking again and Carlos followed her, going up the steps of a wide hallway. "You're the son of Cruella de Vil, right?"

"How'd you know? Most people don't know about her."

"You'd be surprised. Plus, my mom told me. She did research on the new kids coming this year, in case any had her class."

"Wait, your mom teaches here?"

"Yup! Art." They turned down another hallway.

"Isn't that like, nepotism? Isn't the school afraid the parents will just pick their kids constantly for answers?"

"We have a mix. The famous teachers are just the more famous people just because that's usually how that works out."

The two reached the dorms and she pointed him in the direction of the boys' side.

"Oh, before I forget, you have a great sense of style." She pointed to his pinstriped suit with a red leather jacket and matching gloves. "It's super modern. One of the grammar teachers is from London too and dresses like that and it's cool."

"Thanks for showing me around, and for liking my outfit." Carlos shook her hand again. "You're nice."

"Hope to see you around!" She waved and walked off, leaving Carlos to check out his dorm. He just had a small backpack, only having the essentials, as the Radcliffes promised they'd send over the rest of his wardrobe by the end of the week. He looked over the nameplates but didn't really recognize anyone except for one, Eddie Balthazar. He hid his excitement at the fact the one acquaintance he had was accepted as well, knowing that would make the nights a little less lonely. The two were an odd pairing, but Carlos could get used to that. Eddie disliked cats but didn't mind dogs and always dressed impeccably in suits. And hey, Anxelin seemed super nice too, so he could even say he made a potential friend on his first day.

Things were working out well for Carlos.

-0-

-Agrabah is based off the live-action Aladdin movie. I really loved it! Thus it's more based on India, Mughal India specifically, due to the Taj Mahal and the more Indian-inspired fashion shown in that movie. Jasmine is a Sultan and not a Sultana because the former refers to an actual head of state, while the latter is the wife of the ruler. Jasmine was named Sultan in the live-action movie, so I'm following that, as well as my research on the one female Sultan in India.

-Fawzi is the human Genie, Fawzi is an Arabic name meaning 'triumph'. I felt it would be a suitable name for Genie, having gotten his freedom and living as a human. Ruqayya is based on both Jordan from Descendants and Lian from the live-action movie, I wanted her to have a more accurate name, and Ruqayya is Arabic for 'she who rises high' which also felt appropriate. It's also a common name in Islam, being the name of several important women in Mohammad's life.

-Ming-Lei is Lonnie, same thing. Ming can mean several different things, such as 'bright' or 'engrave' Lei when used for a boy can mean 'pair of stones' and for a girl 'bud' I like how her name would therefore either mean 'engrave a pair of stones' referring to Mulan's legacy, or a bud, which is just cute because Mulan famously means orchid which means her daughter is just a bud. It also sounds similar to Mulan, which was my intention.

-I hope my portrayal of a Muslim funeral was accurate. I did my best to do my research from multiple different sources, but a lot of the sources were contradictory, and other experts said 'well this is wrong because of this and that' and so I eventually just combined the events that every source seemed to agree on. I intend to be nothing but respectful, so let me know if something is wrong or needed more detail.