Serene's view

I wake up slowly, not entirely sure of where I am or, in all honesty, who I am. My vision is fractured, literally, split into little fragments like broken glass. Parts are normal, filled with hues and warmth, while the majority is leeched of all color, sick and pale and filled with shadows.

"Serene."

Stop it, I want to say. But I can't. The noise is far away, barely an echo in my head, something I can't quite follow. My body feels distant from my mind. I can make out people, a small room, a shaded residue hovering over me, moving slowly like they're sludged in time.

"Serene!"

Stop it. Stop it! I'm suddenly thrust back into my body, back into a normal vision, and I sit up suddenly, shouting "STOP IT!" as I throw my arms out, shadows bursting from me with such a fury I'm knocked backward as well. Blake ducks quickly, the razor-sharp wave barely missing him.

"Blake!" I cry in horror, retracting my hands. "Oh no---I'm so sorry---"

Blake looks at me in awe. "Don't apologize. You broke the shield, Serene. It's gone."

"I---what?" I look to Maleficent and Pitch for confirmation. Both nod. I look down at my hands, which are shaking uncontrollably. My vision splits yet again for a moment, then releases to normal.

"Child, do as I say." Maleficent says. "Stand."

Trembling uncontrollably, I rise to my feet. The sudden movement makes blood rush to my head, but I hold my ground and lock eyes with Maleficent.

"Now summon all the power you have." Maleficent says loudly. "And loosen it!"

If this had been said to me before all of this, I would have stopped and asked for clarification. Before all of this, I would have hesitated and worried I was doing it wrong.

But now...

Without a thought, darkness is ripped out of me, this time managed by my thoughts. It wraps the world in perfect, raven-black curtains of inky darkness. Power is inside me, outside me, strength I never even thought existed. I can tell that no one but me can see, no one but me can watch the wonder I'm sure is showing on my face. I broke out of a magical shield. I broke out of a magical shield.

For once, my shadows are more than just a power I was born with.

For once, they're... bigger.

Janessa's view

"Okay, you have to promise not to laugh." I say, feeling every worried feeling I'm sure Max felt when he showed us his floorboard. It's the next day, Saturday, and I'm standing in my room, with Isla and Max seated on my bed, my nightlight turned off and hidden away by magic.

"Promise." Isla says.

"You didn't laugh at mine." Max points out.

"Okay. Okay." I take a deep breath in, and squat down to the floor. Reaching out, I hit the switch that activates my nightlight, filling the room with the illusion of my forest.

"Whoa." Isla says. "Cooool! Are you doing that?"

I point to the nightlight. "Look again, Isla."

The spell around it must be insane, because Isla's looking in the right place, but doesn't seem to be focusing on it. "I don't see anything, Jan."

"C'mere." I grab both of my friend's hands and guide them toward the nightlight until they're touching it. They both flinch back like they've been shocked, then finally seem to see it.

"Cool! What is that?" Max asks, poking it.

"Um, it's... kind of my nightlight." I mutter.

Isla and Max look up. "Your secret is you still sleep with a nightlight?" Isla demands. "That's not big! I sleep with one, too! Full black is freaky!"

"Yeah, Jan, this isn't a good trade at all." Max says, looking annoyed.

"The actual nightlight isn't the secret." I explain. "It's the reasoning behind the nightlight that's my secret."

"Oh!" Isla says. "Okay. Spill." She hops back up onto my bed, crossing her legs. "And also explain how I've been in your room hundreds of times and never seen that thing."

I sit on my bed as well. "Okay. So, years ago, my Aunt Endora heard me telling Dude something that I'll explain in a minute, and she made me this thing. That's why you couldn't see it. It's enchanted to turn off and hide itself when anyone but myself, Dude, or Aunt Endora enters the room."

"Yeah, but why?" Isla prods. "That thing is so cool!" She reaches out to touch a tree a few inches away. "I can practically believe I'm here!"

"Um. Well... okay, this sounds really cheesy, you guys. Promise not to interrupt, or laugh, or..." I trail off.

"We won't, Jan." Max promises.

"Okay. So, you know I'm the daughter of some of the biggest celebrities in Auradon. I'm the oldest kid, the one with all the popularity, the cool powers, the troublemaker reputation. And I don't mind any of that, most of the time. But..."

I look down at my hands, wishing I had Dude here. He's probably hanging out with Mom somewhere.

"When I was maybe eight, or nine, I don't remember, I'd just gotten back from a birthday party for Eleanor, where nobody even paid any attention to her because they were hanging out with me. I felt awful, even though Eleanor told me it was fine, that she'd just hung out with Finn and pretended they were spies. So I was talking with Dude, trying to distract myself, Aunt Endora was there to say bye to Mom and Dad before she took Elea home, and she heard me."

"And made that?" Isla interrupts.

"Isla!" Max scolds.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Isla looks at me sheepishly. "Continue."

"Yeah, she made it. Because... let's face it, guys, I'll never be able to just be in the background of something. I'll never be able to go somewhere without someone recognizing me. I know I don't have it as bad as you, Isla. But... haven't you ever wanted to be normal? To be somewhere alone, for a while, somewhere where you can just be another random person in a random universe? To be just... there? For once?"

Isla slowly nods. "Yeah. I guess I understand that. That's kind of what happened the other day."

"Exactly." I agree.

"So, your secret is that you want to be... unnoticed?" Max asks.

"Kind of. I just don't want to have people's expectations of what I'm supposed to be on me all of the time. You guys can understand that, with your parents and all."

They both nod.

"Jan... you being friends with me only makes it worse, doesn't it?" Isla asks quietly.

"Yeah, it does, but I wouldn't give it up for the world." I hug both of them. "Besides, the fact that I'm related to you can't be changed."

Isla giggles. "True."

We all jump together suddenly when there's a loud crash outside, and then a huge bellow of "ICY! ICY SENIORS!"

"Aunt Sera!" I cry, letting go of my friends and jumping to my feet. "You guys coming?"

Isla grins. "Yes!"

"Wait! Janessa---" Max catches hold of my hand. "Thanks for telling us."

"No problem." I say. This time, I mean it. I feel light, and happier than I have in a while. "You guys just have to hold up your end."

"Promise." Max and Isla chorus.

"Now let's go say hi to Sera!" Isla crows, sprinting from my room. Max and I follow, and it's only when I'm outside that I remember who Aunt Sera calls "Icy Seniors".

"Grandpa! Grandma!" I shout in disbelief, seeing my two grandparents gathered in a huge rib-crushing hug from Aunt Sera while my mom looks on in amusement.

"LITTLE GODDAUGHTER! LITTLE KIDS WHO I HAVE NO RELATION TO BUT STILL LOVE!" Aunt Sera yells, dropping my grandparents and galloping for us, grabbing Max, Isla, and I in a huge hug.

Mom covers her mouth to hold back a laugh. "Sera..."

"I AM NOT PUTTING THEM DOWN!" Aunt Sera shouts, planting big kisses on each of our heads. "Soon they'll be too big for this!"

"I think we already are." Max grunts from where he's squished against me.

"TOO BAD!"

"Sera, put them down!" Grandpa orders. "We want to say hello as well, and you see them every day!"

"Yeah, but that's when I'm in Teacher-mode." Aunt Sera protests, setting us down heavily. "I'm not allowed to have favoritism then."

"Hi, guys!" I say happily, running over to my grandparents. They hug me tight together, then they pull away.

"You need to stop growing." Grandma tells me. "You're going to be taller than us one day."

"That's the goal." I tease. "I'ma be the tallest person in history."

Mom laughs. "So what are you guys all doing here?"

"What, I can't visit my favorite goddaughter and kids whom I have no relation to but still adore?" Aunt Sera coos, rubbing my head. "And my favorite Icy and Icy Seniors who I didn't know would be here but I am happy to see?"

Mom crosses her arms over her chest. "Mm-hmm. And you all coincidentally decided to drop by at the same time?"

Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Sera hesitate. "Okay, so we may have met up before now and wanted to talk to you, Icy." Sera admits. "Away from munchkins?" She 'subtly' points to us by covering her face with her hand and pointing at us through her hand.

Mom nods and looks pointedly at us. "Kids?"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it." Max says. "C'mon, guys." He tugs on both of us, But Isla pulls away from him.

"I thought you were visiting my parents today, Aunt Sera." Isla says.

"I was, squirt." Sera says. "But now I gotta talk to Icy."

"Did my parents tell you something important?" Isla asks. "About Auradon?"

Sera blinks. "Um. Maybe? But I don't think---"

"I'm going to be Queen in less than a few months." Isla says stubbornly, ignoring Max pulling on her arm. "I deserve to know about this stuff!"

"Isla." Grandpa says sharply. Isla flinches, because my Grandpa can be pretty intimidating. "I know you're going to be Queen soon, but as of right now, you are underage and your parents would prefer you didn't know about this mess. It isn't of consequence yet, but the moment it does, your parents will inform you. And if they do not, I will."

"Dad!" Mom gasps, but he ignores her, walking over to Isla and crouching down a few inches to her level.

"Isla, I promise I will." He says. "But you have to trust the adults on this for right now."

Isla opens her mouth to argue again, but I pinch her arm. Hard. "Ow!" She yelps, glaring at me. I shake my head as subtly as I can, and she rolls her eyes. "Fine! We're leaving."

She turns and walks back out with us, grumbling under her breath. "I'm trying to act like a Queen for once, and I get shut down!"

"Isla, there's nothing we can do." I whisper. "Let's just get back to my room."

"Fine." She huffs, stomping in. She sits down angrily, and I go to join her, but---

"HEY!" A ball of fluff yells, and I leap back to my feet.

"Sorry, Dude! I thought you were still outside!" I pick him up like a big teddy bear, which I know he loves, but he squirms around.

"Put me down, I'm mad at you!" He says.

"You're not mad at me!" Isla says, suddenly cheerful, taking him from me. He instantly calms down and snuggles against her, licking her chin. She laughs and pats his nose.

"What do you guys think is happening?" Max asks, nuzzling Dude's chin with his finger. Dude's tail thumps happily against my bed.

"I dunno." Isla says. "My parents have been super weird since Thursday, but I can't figure out why. Probably something to do with the random visit we had from pretty much every magical person a few weeks ago."

"Wait. What?" Max asks.

"A few weeks ago, your mom stopped by." Isla tells me. "And Endora, Jane, Sera, etcetera. Mom and Dad were talking to them in Dad's office, and I was listening, and they said something about the barrier, I'm assuming the one they took down before we were all born, y'know, and something about my coronation date, but then they caught me and---OW, Dude!"

She rubs her knee, where Dude had accidentally scratched her because she'd been scratching his itchy spot, which makes his leg thump.

"Sorry." Dude hops off of my bed, looking slightly ashamed, and accidentally bumps into my nightlight. The landscape changes instantly from my forest into a sweet little room with two beds, a kind of warm, wooden tone to it, and a skinny little kid laying on one, messing around on his laptop.

Dude stops, and sits down slowly, watching the boy.

"Is that..." Isla says slowly.

"My dad." I whisper.

He looks exactly like the few pictures I've seen. He has a curly mess of hair, and looks like he could be anywhere from twelve to fifteen. He has a babyish face, Serene's face, and is wearing the same jacket I'm wearing at this moment.

Dude whines, moving closer to the version of my father from when he first came to Auradon.

"Dude, is this your happy place?" I ask.

Dude turns to look at me, and I'm shocked to see he has tears in his little brown eyes. He whines again, and trots toward me, curling up against my ankle. "That's when I used to live in the dorms with Carlos. Just us. And Jay, of course."

I kneel down next to him, rubbing his back. "So... you miss being with just my dad?"

Dude nods, laying his head on my knee. "I love you guys. But I don't like being old."

"You're not old." Max argues, dropping to the floor as well. Dude just gives him a skeptical look, rubbing his graying muzzle with his paw.

"Okay, so you're not young." Isla agrees, joining us. "But you're not old, Dude. And you know Carlos loves you a lot."

"Oh, I have no doubt about that." Dude says. "I'm too lovable."

"There you are." I hoist him into my arms, kissing his nose. "I know you miss being little, Dude, but everyone has to grow up sometime. And we don't care if you have a little white hair. I have white hair! So does Mom! And Dad!" I grab my hair and shake the white tips in front of his face. "Heck, I'll draw wrinkles on my face if it makes you happy again, Dude."

Dude's tail starts to wag again.

"And we love you, Dude." Isla promises. "Even though I don't see you as often. You're the best dog ever."

"Because I'm adorable?"

"Yes." I say, hugging him tight.

"I guess you're all right." Dude says. He squirms until I set him down, then trots over and hits the nightlight again, turning the landscape off. "Sorry."

"Don't be." Max says. "We---"

"Wait." Isla suddenly says. "If Dude gets his by touching it, does that mean we can?"

I hesitate. "Um... I suppose so? I've never actually tried doing it with anyone else."

"Cool!" Isla says, darting toward it. "I want to try!"

"Isla, wait! This could be insanely personal---" I try, but she waves me off.

"You guys know all of my secrets." She taps the power button lightly, and the room is suddenly filled with a galaxy, purples and pinks and blues and twinkling lights in the sky.

"Whoa." Isla breathes.

"So you're a star." I murmur.

"What?"

"Oh! Something Endora told me. She said that she's a fairy in a palace, and she thought I must be a nymph in a forest. I suppose you're a star."

"Or, y'know, a particle of nothing in the sky." Max says, reaching out to touch one. Isla hits him on the head. "Ow!"

"I'm going with a star." She says happily.

"My turn, then." Max says, tapping it next. The galaxy washes away, replaced by a gorgeous beach in front of an endless aquamarine sea. The three of us slide down against my bed, staring at the churning sea underneath a blazing white sun surrounded by a sky that stretches miles and miles.

"Is this where you went, Max?" Isla asks.

He nods.

"I think I might like your landscape better than mine." I say, patting his head.

"It's my painting." Max says.

"What?" Isla looks at him. "I thought that's what I said."

"No. This is my painting." Max says. "I painted one with us, on this beach, with this ocean, with this sky. The one I did of us. You saw it."

I think back. "I do remember that."

"Except my hair was plain purple then." Isla says, fluffing her multi-colored hair. Max laughs, and puts his arms around both of us.

"You guys are the best."

"We know." Isla smirks.

"No, seriously. I love you guys. I don't know what I'd do without you." Max says seriously.

"We love you, too, Max." I grin at him. Isla and I, as if by intuition, lean in and kiss his cheeks on either side. He yells loudly, jerking away from us, but we're all laughing, and Dude's laughing too, and this moment couldn't be any more perfect.