[4] Phoenix | Descendants 3

TWO: Not Quite Over

"Whatever," Jane muttered while rolling her eyes. She relaxed in her chair as cucumbers were placed over her and Audrey's eyes. "Besides, Mal and the others only showed up because of a proclamation that Ben made. They wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."

"I tried to warn Ben about bringing VKs over from the Isle of the Lost. I tried to warn everybody, but nobody listened to me. They even cheered when Ben told Mal he loved her in front of the entire school when we were still together."

Jane grimaced at the memory, "Okay, yeah, that was a terrible move on his part."

Audrey scoffed, taking off the cucumbers to look at her friend. "I still think that she cast a love spell on Ben. But I told myself, "Audrey, if that's what Ben wants, then you don't really want to be with him." So, I started dating Chad Charming."

"What was with that, by the way? I mean, Chad? Really?"

Audrey shrugged, "I have to stick with royalty. Makes communication so much easier."

"I suppose so," Jane replied, their nails beginning to get done.

"Grammy saw through the VKs, too. And of course, we were totally right. Turns out Mal, Helena, Jay, Carlos and Evie were all working for Maleficent the whole time." Just the thought was enough for Audrey to roll her eyes. "Ugh!"

"Wait a minute, that's not fair," Jane said, the face masks coming off. The two girls were then guided to stools nearby, so they could sit while they got their nails done.

"Of course, it wasn't fair. The VKs are going to bring down the barrier and let all the evil out. Destroy Auradon!"

"It's not like they had much of a choice."

"How hard is it to say no?"

"It's easy for us to say. We know about the villains, we never had to grow up with them or deal with them. And it wasn't just their parents, the entire island was depending on them."

"Whatever. And you want to know the worst part? Seeing Mal up there in that coronation carriage instead of me," Audrey recalled bitterly. "By the way, I wouldn't have stolen the wand and threatened everyone with it. Just saying."

"I did the same thing, too."

"That wasn't your fault. Mal and Helena manipulated you into taking your mother's wand, so they could steal it from you," Audrey rebuffed, Jane staying quiet as she knew her friend was right. "So, what happens next? Maleficent shows up with that crazy scepter and turns into a dragon in the middle of the cathedral." She then scoffed lightly, "Have they no shame?"

"I don't think villains really care about where they cause destruction."

"The VKs did the right thing in the end by standing up to Maleficent. Mal even turned her mother into a lizard. And I did behave myself. I'm still a princess."

"And then we had that huge dance party," Jane said, adding a happier note to their trip down memory lane. "And I think I remember seeing you dance."

"Duh-sies. I am an amazing dancer."

"Man, I never realized how much drama there was that year," The fairy said, thinking back to the year the VKs first showed up.

"Exactly and I needed a break. So, my fairy godmothers whisked me away to their cottage in the forest for a little R&R. I love nature." She then looked at her nails and frowned, "More sparkles." Audrey sighed as her nail technician continued to work on her nails, "I'm glad I stayed away because that's when things got really crazy."

Jane huffed, "I'll say."

"Hm. Mal and Helena couldn't handle the pressures of being princesses and heroes."