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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟏
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌

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What felt like an eternity passed of Rylee and Morgan sharing laughs and telling stories with their families and the three teens from the Isle. Everyone had smiles on their faces and the girls couldn't remember the last time they were this happy. It wasn't long after that when Ben and Mal walked over with his parents to join their conversation. The princesses instantly introduced Mal to their parents, who instantly started questioning the purple-haired girl about how Ben was treating her. Rylee and Morgan soon sensed the discomfort radiating off the couple, so they decided to save the day again by suggesting they play a game of croquet.

Carlos, Roland, and Rudy began running around the field with Dude while everyone else went to prepare for the game. It wasn't long after that when Ben, Jay, and Elliot went to meet up with Doug to play together. Rylee stayed back with Evie to talk to Rapunzel, Merida, and Belle while Mal went to join a game with Morgan, Eugene, Ryan, and Adam. Rylee thought it was nice to have a simple conversation for once that didn't consist of Tourney or Auradon's future. Instead, they were talking about what the two girls wanted to do when they graduated from Auradon Prep. Even though the Fitzherbert girl's future was already set in stone, it was nice to see how excited Evie got when she heard about all the options after high school.

Their pleasant conversations and games were soon interrupted by a shout cutting through the air. Everyone instantly stopped what they were doing and turned their attention in the direction of the voice. What Rylee saw next made her blood run cold. Mal was standing on the other side of the field across from a smug-looking Audrey, who was holding her distressed grandmother's hands. The Fitzherbert girl exchanged a look with Morgan before they followed Ben, Evie, Jay, and Carlos toward the chaos in the making.

"How are you here?" Queen Leah questioned as Rylee, Evie, and Morgan stood a bit behind Mal for support while the older woman looked over at the purple-haired girl, "and how have you stayed so young?"

"Queen Leah, it's okay. Maleficent is still on the island. This is her daughter, Mal," Ben reassured Audrey's grandmother after walking over to her with Jay and Carlos right behind him. As soon as he was close enough, he placed his arm protectively around Mal's shoulders. The four from the Isle, the future King, and his two Advisors didn't move an inch as they watched Chad and Pete take Queen Leah's other side. The two groups just stared at each other in silence for a long moment before a somewhat forced smile appeared on Ben's face. "Don't you remember my proclamation to give the new generation a chance?"

"A chance to what, Ben? Destroy us?" Leah retaliated, causing Evie, Jay, and Carlos to stiffen.

Rylee and Morgan quickly exchanged an irritated look before they turned their attention back to the situation at hand. When their eyes fell back on Audrey's grandmother, they found her looking around at the crowd for support. Audrey's smug look soon transformed into an unreadable expression while Chad and Pete just stared at the group in front of them with disdain in their eyes.

"Come on. You remember, don't you? The poison apples," Leah continued her rant before Fairy Godmother stepped forward and took the woman's hand into hers in an attempt to calm her down, "and the spells."

As soon as she spoke the last word, Audrey's grandmother looked back at Mal with anger in her eyes. That was all it took for Ben to send a worried look to Rylee and Morgan. It wasn't long after that when the princesses took a few steps forward so they were standing on either side of Ben and Mal. After studying the group standing in front of her, Rylee took the daughter of Maleficent's hand into hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Spells," the short-haired woman repeated as she continued to stare at Mal with an inextinguishable fire in her eyes, "my daughter was raised by fairies because of your mother's curse. So, her first words, her first steps, I missed it all!"

Rylee ignored the stare she was receiving from the son of Peter Pan and glanced over at Mal. The pit sitting in the blonde girl's stomach grew when she saw the purple-haired girl's mouth open as if to respond but no words were coming out. The Fitzherbert girl knew from the start that not everyone was going to be as open to having kids from the Isle come to Auradon. It was to be expected after being separated for so many years. But she never thought her people would be this cruel. They were supposed to be the heroes, after all.

When the princess finally looked back to the standing group across from them, she found Leah turning into Fairy Godmother's comforting arms. Rylee was surprised that all Audrey did was stand next to her grandmother, not even moving to ease her emotions. But what happened next shocked her even more. The Fitzherbert girl never expected Mal to take a step forward as if to comfort the woman. As she watched the purple-haired girl's motions, the princess silently hoped this would show the woman that the girl wasn't like her mother. Unfortunately, Mal's kind gesture was soon interrupted by Chad forcing himself in front of the purple-haired girl with hatred in his eyes.

"Stay away from her!" the boy in blue demanded, causing irritation to run through Rylee's veins before she placed herself between Mal and the spoiled prince.

"Don't do this, Chad. You're not thinking straight right now," the Fitzherbert girl told him right as Morgan stepped up to stand next to Rylee while Ben moved Mal behind the three of them.

"Just walk away and go calm down before you do something you'll regret later," Morgan added after crossing her arms over her chest and glaring up at the Charming boy.

"What? They were raised by their parents. What do you think villains teach their kids? Huh? Kindness? Fair play? No way, okay? Nuh-uh," Chad retaliated then pushed past the two girls in front of him to get in Mal's face once again, "you stole another girl's boyfriend."

"Enough, Chad," Ben stated, only for his words to go ignored by the blonde boy as he stepped to the side and pointed straight at Jay.

"You enjoy hurting people. And you," the boy in blue said in disgust as he glared daggers at Evie, "you're nothing but a gold digger and a cheater."

As soon as he finished his rant, the Charming boy looked around at those who surrounded him with a smug smirk. Anger radiated off Rylee and Morgan as they glared at the prince standing in front of them. However, before they could say a word in defense of their friends, Evie confidently walked forward to stand beside the future Royal Advisors with her mirror in hand.

"Mirror, mirror, in my hand, who's the biggest jerk in the land?" she recited before shoving the mirror in Chad's face, showing him his own reflection.

"What?! Come on!" the blonde boy shouted before he roughly slapped Evie's hand away, causing the blue-haired girl to stumble a bit.

The next thing everyone knew, Jay rushed forward and pushed Chad away from Evie before grabbing the boy by his suit collar. The son of Jafar shouted at the prince while Evie pulled out a perfume bottle from her bag and sprayed it in Chad's face. Rylee and Morgan managed to break Jay's grip around the Charming boy's jacket and pulled him back right as he fell backward into Pete's arms.

"Jay, you need to calm down," Morgan pleaded with the boy as he continued to struggle to get out of their grasp.

"Show everyone that what he said about you is wrong," Rylee told him, causing Jay to become as still as a statue. His eyes stayed glued to Chad for a moment longer before he looked down at the two girls in front of him. That was all it took for the Fitzherbert girl to find the courage to continue speaking. "We know you don't like hurting people. That's not who you are. You're just looking out for your friends."

As soon as Rylee's words registered within him, Jay visibly relaxed while keeping the anger in his eyes. The four from the Isle took in the scene in front of them one last time before sprinting out of the garden. Once they were out of sight, the two girls turned back around to see Chad coming around. After exchanging a look with his two best friends, Ben turned around to face his parents and the lecture he knew he was about to receive. Despite the looks they received from their own parents, Rylee and Morgan didn't hesitate to walk across the field and take their places at his sides.

"I feared something like this would happen," King Adam sighed before taking the handkerchief out of his pocket to clean his glasses.

"This isn't their fault!" Ben exclaimed while he looked between his mother and father with determination in his eyes.

"No, son," the Beast man stated as his eyes scanned over the three teens standing in front of him before they landed solely on his son, "it's yours."

Rylee tried to ignore the shock that began to run through her veins as she kept her eyes glued to Adam, completely unaware of the glares he was receiving from hers and Morgan's parents. Everyone watched as the King and Queen sent their son one last look before they turned and walked away. As soon as they were out of sight, Rylee, Morgan, and Ben turned around to find their former friends walking past them with disappointment in their eyes. It wasn't long after that when the future King turned around to face his Advisors with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

"Can you find Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos and talk to them?" he asked them without even trying to hide the exhaustion in his voice as he readjusted his jacket, "just...just try to reassure them that not everyone thinks that way."

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