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this chapter kinda focuses on jay. this is mostly from what happened in part 25 of mal's diary entry.

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"AFTER your group went off script and stopped whatever plan your parents created... after Maleficent disappeared and never returned, chaos erupted. Not only from your parents, but nearly every villain on this Isle," Mad Maddy pulled a tea cup out of her hat, the steaming handle leaving a red mark on her thumb as she gleefully sipped, "Ah! Refreshing!" She flung the cup past Jay's head as Harriet footed a wooden chair at her; Maddy sat down on the chair at the correct timing moment.

Evie was the only one holding a surprising look, the innocence in her eyes becoming clear as she asked the very question a naive girl was expected to, "Why?"

"Why? Why? The Princess never stepped foot out the kingdom she lived in - honest to Zeus, Evie, you had the best life outta us all... so, I'll spare you and say - your mother was not included. She minded her business, she weeped over you being gone," Maddy flashed her a smile. It was gone as quick as it came, "Maleficent held power over the Isle. It was ruled by her and Mal - when it spread that power was no longer around, others stepped in to gain the title Maleficent once held. How do you get your title? You be feared. How do you gain henchman? You have resources. How do you get those resources? You get in the trading business. And how do you make sure you don't get fucked over in the trading business? You kill the person who thought it was okay to fuck you over..." Maddy began digging in the corner of her hand as she stared off into the distance, remembering how everything played out as if it was yesterday.

"People... were killed..." Evie spoke up, meeting Maddy in the eyes as she did so. Maddy gave a slow nod, "Killed, stolen... other things I can't speak of. Your group know how the Isle is. Kill or be killed, fear or be feared, cower or courage, nothing has changed, except it's worsened. We had to pay for what y'all decided to do last minute. Carlos - doggy boy, now your mother was already this psychopathic, dog hating freak. She was obsessed with you. When it was clear to her you wasn't coming back, she stabbed her house workers. Those homeless people she picked off the streets to come keep her house clean," Maddy twisted a string of hair around her finger, a joyful grin spreading across her face like the Chesire Cat.

Gil continued to keep guard, his leg shaking from anxiety.

They had certain time limits when it came to using Captain Hook's buildings - kids or not. Everybody was equal servants and pedestrians in his eyes. Therefore, everybody had to ablige by the same rules.

Carlos' heart raced as she said the last sentence. Yes, his mother used him to clean her feet, take out the trash, iron her clothes, wash her tub, run her bath water, take care of her hair, groom Fluffy, and sometimes massage her back. And yes, his mother had a habit of becoming physically abusive when he failed to do a task. But he never saw his mother as the type of woman to kill a human.

She was the type to kill a dog, and his now dog-loving personality made him cringe at that truth, but knowing she was capable of killing a person... a walking human... could she have killed him?

No, no... would she kill him? If they get caught by their parents, it's evident he's not as safe as he thought he was, nor are any of them. Was Mal worth it?

"Why... why kill..." Evie's voice broke, cutting into the thickening silence in the atmosphere. Her fingers gripped the tied knot around her wirst for comfort. She shared a look with Carlos, both of their eyes now glistening with threatening salt water.

Harry made a tch noise, "Dae yi''ll need a freaking visual, princess?" he spat out, but he sat back down when his older sister shot a look at him. Maddy let out a soft giggle, however.

"Evie's special! Evie is the type of VK to rip her own clothes to patch a injured kid's arm," Maddy teased.

"It's basic human decency-" Evie started to argue.

"You know a lot of us don't have that on this Island. A lot of us aren't like you, Evie. You're one of the very few people who understands what that means, you're rare. So when I compliment you on something, accept it. Because only you will get it for a reason," Maddy hurriedly cut her off.

Jay's jaw clenched, coming back to reality after letting their words sink in, "Hell broke loose, sorry about that. Weeping and blaming us for it won't change that. None of this is our fault. None of us asked for Beast to put our parents on this Island!" Jay snapped his head back around, staring at the ground thinking about what Mal could possibly be doing right now. Maybe they'd have a bigger advantage if she was here; maybe they wouldn't.

Her speech helped them choose to stay in Auradon, but none of them fit in. There were cultural barriers between the VK's and AK's that no amount of time could break. In more logical sense, can a speech really change the prejudice mindset a set of people hold?

How did the AK's go from holding pitchforks to ban them to politely greeting them in the halls? He carried the gut feeling it was a facade for so, so many months. He kept that facade for his friends - for his family.

He didn't want Mal thinking her mother was right; he didn't want Evie thinking her beauty carried her career; he didn't want Carlos thinking he'd never amount to anything. Jay kept that facade of positivity so the trio could believe they'd be something in Auradon; he wanted their decision to mean something.

All of them hid their demons differently. Jay put his into sports, Evie hid from hers, Carlos let's his make him vulnerable and Mal hid from her demons through her art. When she stopped making art; she had no shield, no protection.

So....why did he start ignoring Mal? Why did he play a part in driving Mal to... that?

He found out she lied. When they were kids, Jafar believed Jay stoke one of his lamps and forced Jay to sleep on the streets for weeks with no food or water, despite him telling his dad he wouldn't steal from him. The memory left him in a state of isolation everytime it appeared in one of his dreams. A young boy, scrawny, alone, starving.

And it was because of Mal.

That mystery person who went around spilling Mal's past... they told the truth. Mal was the one who took the lamp and never owned up to it. She cried when the person revealed the information and begged for Jay to meet her at an understanding ground, but Jay was too pissed to speak to her.

Was he wrong?

He hurt her enough to where she psychically harmed herself.. and then she left. He played a part in that... but was he wrong? None of them had a right to be back here. They caused harm. It was selfish to come back for a friend that left.

Maddy hopped over to Jay and snapped her colorful-coated fingers in his face, "Don't get so snappy, handsome! Own up to ya responsibilities!" She tittered as she playfully wrapped a string of his hair around her index finger, "We won't hurt you. We only ask you leave.... after you tell us why your friend is back," She cheerily smiled.

Jay met her eyes, the pained expression covering his face revealing the emotions he's worked hard to bury, "I can't tell you," he simply replied, never shifting his gaze from hers.

It was an unspoken battle of power. The eyes were the window to the soul; the gate to knowing. Eye contact told a lot about your confidence; about your courage. A shy person avoids; a confidence person stares. Confidence was key on the Isle and the gateway to power; the leading path to being the area's big time bully.

In a battle of power, you never look away.

"Would she have that loyalty for you..." Maddy edged, "... I don't think so," she sung, skipping away from the group to the watchful duo of Harriet and Harry.

Harriet folded her arms as the group gathered around her, "Dinnae trust 'em. We git a meetin tae boost tae, ah will pat th' henchmen oan door watch," she explained, a tone of tiredness lingering in the back of her throat. She knows everyday is an unexpected day on the Isle but holding the past rulers captive wasn't on her list of things to possibly expect.

"When Uma is finished with Mal; we'll be finished with you. None of this is for our own game... there's children to protect here. I know y'all haven't considered it," bitterly speaking the sentence, Maddy waved goodbye to the trio, linking arms with a sulking Gil as Harriet shut the cabin's door.

The trio remained silent, a cloud of shame hanging over their heads. Evie's fist trembled behind her, the tears she was holding finally threatening to fall, but she still refused to cry. What would crying do? It wouldn't make up for what they caused.

"It's my fault..." Carlos began speaking, "... I knew about the person. I knew they had access to Mal's diary and I tried helping her on my own for selfish reasons. I tried being the hero. I failed. I wanted to come here for a selfish reason. No, I didn't think about the people's reactions; only my mother's. I didn't think about the treason or the disrespectful attitude we've been carrying. I've only wanted to see Mal and apologize..." His quiet tone was hardly heard, his eyes never leaving the creaking floorboard.

He sighed as he continued, "And selfishly, I still do. I feel bad.... This is our fault. But... Mal is a part of this blame as much as we are. That's why we need her back, guys," Carlos chewed on his bottom lip.

After hearing Maddy's story and knowing what happened to the Isle thanks to their parents... after knowing what his mother did... there was no way he was staying here past this day. If they couldn't get Mal after today, would they give up? They can't leave their sister.

"Mal wouldn't leave us... Maddy is wrong..." Jay spoke afterwards, clenching his jaw, "Don't go thinking we did anything wrong, alright? We never asked to be born here, we never asked for our parents to have us... they won't get me. And I won't let them get you two. Just stick to our plan; bring back Mal and-"

"It's not about Mal!" Evie cried, "People died! People died, Jay! And we... we let them! If we.. if we offered opportunities the second we got ours, there would be no war! If we fought hard these months to officially keep the bridge opened, there would be no war! No war would have happened if we cared! This isn't about Mal anymore; no, kids were involved in what happened! And I... I thought about the kids on the Isle day and night and never said anything 'cause I knew they wouldn't listen... but if I tried..." her voice cracked with every word, the sentences falling flat with a strain of tears behind them.

Her eyes glistened as the drops fell silently on her face, her fist now shaking with hatred towards nobody but herself.

"I love her with my entire heart. That's my sister... but kids come first. I can't sit here after hearing that and still believe in rescuing Mal only. I can't...."

Jay and Carlos didn't respond. The cloud of shame crowding the trio grew bigger by the second, an everlasting silence falling upon them again. Their own personal goals took over their thoughts as they sat there without another word spoken.

What were they going to do now?

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