THE GROUP HURRIED THROUGH THE museum when they slid to a halt when a room caught their attention. It was dimly lit and sparse of interaction from the outside world as dust hung in the air, possibly from the lack of dusting. Six statues stood tall on their platforms, their faces masked well with true glee, desire and mischief pooling visibly in the wax of their eyes. The group of teens stared, mouths agap, as they looked at the model of their parents before they were banished, when they had other worries besides searching for ways off the Isle or caring for their children-the latter holding little affect.

"Mommy?" Evie whispered as she stared at her mother's statue. Issa's eyes tracked over the statue of her own mother, taking in how realistic she seemed. Her dark brown hair and sharp, wicked gleam in her eyes, as well as the power that went with it.

"I'll never forget mother's day again." Carlos swore, sounding petrified, as he watched the statue of his mother chase after Dalmatian puppies crossing over the bridge. Oliver grimaced, his skin turning pale as he stared at the statue of his mother that seemed to warp between an old, wrinkly woman with matted grey hair hanging over her face and a hunched back as she crowded around a golden, gleaming, sun-kissed flower before shifting to the version Oliver knew so well, as she stood proud with a cruel glint in her eyes that seemed to bore into her son's soul.

Jay shook his head, withholding a shiver as he turned his friends. "Well, the wand's not here." He stated with a clap. "Let's go."

Carlos and Evie snapped out of their daze, moving to follow after Jay. Evie paused turning to Oliver and Issa, who still stared up at the statues. "Issa, Oliver, let's go."

Issa glanced at Oliver, taking notice of his tense stature and palness. Grabbing his hand, she gave it a comforting squeeze. "It's only a statue. She's not here."

"I know." Oliver replied quickly, taking a deep breath before hanging his head. "C'mon, we've got a wand to find."

°°°°

Gathering around the balcony, the teens stared down at the wand as it levitated from its podium, protected by not only a cylindrical glass casing but a blue energy barrier, keeping the magical item under strict protection. But that didn't erase the smiles on their faces, especially Jay's.

"Whoo!" The tan skinned male cheered, racing out of the room and down the steps towards where the wand awaited. Ducking under the railing, he advanced towards the barrier and reached forward, dismissing the warnings from above. Immediately upon impact the barrier shot Jay spiraling back and the alarms went off loudly. The teens groan, wincing at the noise.

"Idiot!" Oliver cried, running down the steps and over to Jay, pulling him off the ground. "What part of 'wait' don't you get?"

"The 'wait' part."

"A force field and a siren?"

"That's a little excessive."

"Lets go!" Mal said hurriedly. The teens raced through the halls of the while the security guard had snapped out of the spell, and was on their trail. Issa was about to step out the front gates when she noticed that Carlos had hung behind, chattering away on the phone while the sirens were still going and the security guard was still right behind them.

"Hello? Uh, uh, just give me one second." He said as looked over the machine before pressing a couple of buttons and silencing the alarm. Grinning in triumph he return back to his conversation with other person on the line. "No false alarm. It was a malfunction in the, uh, LM 714 chip in the breadboard circuit. Yeah, okay. Say hi to the missus."

"Carlos," Issa whispered, fanning over the white haired boy. "Hurry up!"

"You're welcome," Carlos grumbled before he and Issa met up with the rest of the group, just missing the tail end of the security guard's flashlight. As they made it back to school grounds, Mal narrowed her eyes at Jay.

"Way to go, Jay," she said. "Now we have to go to school tomorrow."

°°°°

The next morning, the seven teens sat in their Remedial Goodness 101 that was specifically made for them before their arrival and was taught by the Fairy Godmother, because who else? Oliver slumped his head against his forearm, droning out Fairy Godmother as she taught, wanting to sleep most of all.

Oliver thought Issa appeared to be following the Fairy Godmother's lesson but was quickly proven wrong when he saw the white ear buds sticking in her ears, hidden by her long brown hair. Shooting a quick glance to make sure that the coast was clear, he took out one of the ear buds and placed them in his right, humming in approval at the music choice.

"You should be paying attention to the lesson." Issa whispered, holding no scorn behind her words.

Oliver snorted. "You're one to talk. Where did you even get this?"

"Stole it."

"Seriously?"

"No." Issa grumbled and twirled the wires of the ear buds. "It was one of the many gifts from Robert."

Robert had been providing Issa with an assortment of gifts since her arrival that the teen girl was not even sure what to do with. The gang had enjoyed it because, while stealing was fun, free stuff was a close second. Oliver had a feeling however that the gifts were beginning to get on Issa's nerves, which was surprising but made sense.

"Aren't you enjoying the gifts?"

An irritated gleam filled her brown eyes and a frown followed. "Why should I be happy about a couple of pity gifts? Just because he sent a stuffed animal to the Isle after I was born doesn't change anything. He lived at Auradon for the majority of his life, I lived the on the Isle. We're polar opposites and he really should stop trying to get to know me. Not like it's going to matter anyways."

Oliver nodded in understanding. Building relationships here was pointless as no one really wanted to know them, and when they steal the wand they won't have to be concerned.

"If someone hands you a crying baby, do you (A.) curse it? (B.) lock it in a tower? (C.) give it a bottle? Or (D.) carve its heart out?" Fairy Godmother asked, directing her pointer towards each answer choice behind her. "Lock it in a tower." Oliver thought to himself. "My mother has plenty experience in that field."

Evie shot her hand up with excitement beaming on her face.

"Evie."

A bashful smile dawned on Evie's face as she lowered her hand back down on to the table. "What was the second one?"

The Fairy Godmother faltered at the response before returning her attention back to the lesson. "Anyone else?" No one spoke. The Fairy Godmother looked around and nodded at Issa. "Issa, would you like to answer?"

Issa froze and looked up at the headmistress. Everyone looked between the two in an awkward silence. It was common knowledge that Issa had difficulty reading English due to her godly heritage. Being the daughter of a Greek god, her brain was hardwired to read Greek, which was a pressing issue back on the Isle when she went to school. The rest of the VKs knew that Issa's difficulty with English was a sore subject for her, making her incredibly tense and frustrated when she struggled to make out the words in front of her.

"The answers (C.) give it a bottle." Oliver said as he took note of Issa's harsh grip on the edge of the table, nails chipping at the wood.

"Wonderful, Oliver," Fairy Godmother nodded in approval, before turning back to her chalk board. Issa gnawed on her bottom lip harshly, resting her elbows firmly on the table. Oliver pressed his knee comfortingly against her, but remained silent.

A girl with mousey brown hair cut into a short bob and a light blue dress walked into the room. She maneuvered herself between the four tables, letting out a squeak in fear as she passed.

"Hello, dear one," Fairy Godmother greeted as the girl moved towards her. The girl looked over her shoulder hesitantly, shaking where she stood as she passed a clipboard to the Headmistress.

"Hi. You need to sign off on early dismissal for the coronation," she informed. Not once did her eyes leave the villain children even as she stood by the Headmistress.

"Everyone here remembers my daughter, Jane,"

Oliver gave a snort, turning his face so that it could rest on Issa's arm.

"Um, Mom! No!" Jane exclaimed in an embarrassed fashion, but was waved off my her mother.

"It's okay. Jane, this is everyone," her mother introduced as if it was the most simplest thing, not noticing how no one appeared to care. Once Jane regained her clipboard she moved quickly to escape the classroom, or more likely flee from the villain kid's gazes. But as she was walking out, her attention kept returning to Carlos, who stared at her in confusion before turning back to the Fairy Godmother as Jane ultimately left.

"Let's continue. You find a vial of poison, do you (A.) put it in the king's wine? (B.) Paint it on an apple? Or (C.) turn it over to the proper authorities?" Issa shot Evie a smirk at the second answer choice.

While Evie, Carlos, and Jay's hands all shot up, Jay wrestled Carlos' back down on to the table to keep him from answering. "Jay," Fairy Godmother called.

(C.) turn it over to the proper authorities." Jay released Carlos' arm and wore a smug look in triumph.

"I was going to answer that," Carlos whined.

Jay mocked. "Oh, but I answered it first." He grabbed Carlos and trapped him in a headlock, rubbing his fist into his scalp harshly. Oliver lamely watched as the Fairy Godmother struggled to break up the little wrestling match, already used to Jay's and Carlos' rough housing to care.

"You know Robert has a daughter, right? What are you going to do when you meet her?"

"Fake it till I make it."

As the school bell rang, the VKs quickly gathered their things and hurried to leave before they could be called back for another lesson. Fairy Godmother followed after them, waiting until it was only Oliver and Issa left before she spoke. "Issa. May I speak with you for a moment?"

Oliver instantly turned to look at Issa, wanting to stay behind with her to show support.

"I'll see you later," Issa reassured. Oliver looked as if he didn't want to leave, but he knew that Issa would want to handle whatever the Fairy Godmother was going to throw her way alone.

Once he was gone, Issa turned to the Headmistress wondering why she was called upon. Fairy Godmother gave Issa a comforting smile and pulled a folded note from her breast pocket. "Firstly, I would like to apologize. I should have put two-and-two together when you didn't bother to answer during class, but you have nothing to worry about now. At Auradon we have had a few other students who have difficulty in their classes because of their dyslexia, which is nothing to be ashamed about. There is a class made for them specifically, and I think that if you went, it would be beneficial for you."

"There are two instructors who will teach you and the others who attend. At this program you can learn about ancient Greece and Greek, as well as receive assistance with your assignments."

Issa read over the slip of paper with a contemplative look on her face. Back on the Isle, it was difficult learning and doing assignments as her brain would switch around words and change symbols, making her want to rip apart her homework. Her mother helped the best she could, but there was only so much that she could do with barely understanding Greek. That was when her father stepped in and sent two helpers that he trusted to tutor her and assist with her lessons-Pain and Panic, if she could remember correctly.

"I'll think about it."

°°°°

This chapter with Issa's dyslexia and a special class for her was inspired by theashasylum who also wrote a Descendants series books. I insist that you go read them because they are amazing.