Descendants Junior Novel Read online

  Copyright © 2015 Disney Enterprises, Inc.

  Cover design © 2015 Disney Enterprises, Inc.

  All rights reserved. Published by Disney Press, an imprint of Disney Book Group. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. For information address Disney Press, 1101 Flower Street, Glendale, California 91201.

  ISBN 978-1-4847-2993-9

  For more Disney Press fun, visit www.disneybooks.com

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  Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Photos from the Film

  To Mom, for lending me her spell book

  I’M MAL, DAUGHTER OF THE EVIL SORCERESS MALEFICENT.

  I KNOW WHAT YOU MUST BE THINKING: I’M AN EVIL VILLAIN, TOO. I MEAN, HOW COULD I NOT BE WITH A MOM LIKE THAT? SHE HAS HORNS, FOR BADNESS’ SAKE. PLUS, SHE CURSED SLEEPING BEAUTY AND HER KINGDOM ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. EVEN ALL THE BADDIES HERE ON THE ISLE OF THE LOST QUAKE AT THE SIGHT OF HER. AND THIS PLACE BRIMS WITH ALL THE MOST EVIL VILLAINS, SIDEKICKS, AND STEPMOTHERS AND STEPSISTERS EVER—BASICALLY ALL THE INTERESTING PEOPLE.

  TWENTY YEARS AGO, WHEN THE BEAST FINALLY PUT A RING ON IT AND MARRIED BELLE, HE UNITED ALL THE KINGDOMS AND BECAME KING OF THE GOOD OL’ USA—UNITED STATES OF AURADON (BLECH!). HE ROUNDED UP ALL THE BADDIES AND BOOTED THEM OFF TO THE ISLE OF THE LOST WITH A MAGICAL BARRIER TO KEEP US HERE. THIS ISLE IS MY ’HOOD. NO MAGIC. NO WI-FI. NO WAY OUT FOR ME AND MY THREE WICKED FRIENDS—HANG ON, YOU’RE ABOUT TO MEET THEM.

  BUT FIRST THIS HAPPENED....

  MEET BEN. SON OF THE BEAST AND BELLE. PRETTY EYES, KILLER MANE. YOU CAN SEE THE RESEMBLANCE. ANYWAY, BEN STARTED THE WHOLE THING WITH HIS BIG IDEA ONE DAY....

  In the castle of Beauty and the Beast, their son, Ben, kept gazing out the window.

  Even from way across the sparkling blue sea, Ben could see the magical barrier flickering and shimmering over the Isle of the Lost. It was so pretty, that far-off isle of exiled prisoners…but Ben couldn’t help feeling sad at the sight of it.

  The royal tailor was fitting Ben into his blue coronation suit, jotting Ben’s measurements down on a notepad, when Belle and Beast strolled into the room.

  “How is it possible that you’re going to be crowned king next month?” Beast said, blinking his blue eyes behind black bold-frame glasses. The gold crown atop his head glittered. Soon it would be passed on to Ben. “You’re just a baby,” he said.

  “He’s turning sixteen, dear,” said Belle, looking lovely in her yellow dress.

  “Hey, Pops,” said Ben.

  “Sixteen?” said Beast, taking off his glasses. “That’s far too young to be crowned king. I didn’t make a good decision until I was at least…forty-two.” He smiled and tucked his glasses into his jacket pocket.

  Belle faced him. “Uh, you decided to marry me at twenty-eight,” she said.

  “It was either you or a teapot,” said Beast as he winked at Ben.

  Ben chuckled.

  “Kidding,” said Beast, his eyebrows dancing.

  “Mom, Dad, I’ve chosen my first official proclamation!” said Ben.

  Beast and Belle looked at each other and smiled.

  “I’ve decided that the children on the Isle of the Lost should be given a chance…to live here in Auradon,” said Ben.

  His parents gawked at him, wide-eyed.

  The tailor, sensing the sudden tension, sat down.

  “Every time I look out at the island,” Ben said, gesturing toward the isle out the window, “I feel like they’ve been abandoned.”

  “The children of our sworn enemies?” said Beast. “Living among us?”

  “We start out with a few at first—only ones who need our help the most,” said Ben. “I’ve already chosen them.”

  “Have you?” said Beast, his eyebrows furrowing.

  Belle placed a hand on Beast’s arm. “I gave you a second chance,” she said. She looked at Ben. “Who are their parents?”

  “Cruella De Vil, Jafar, Evil Queen...” Ben took a breath. “And Maleficent.”

  The tailor gasped and dropped his notepad.

  “Maleficent?” shouted Beast. “She is the worst villain in the land!”

  “Dad, just hear me out here!” said Ben.

  “I won’t hear of it!” said Beast, shaking his finger. “They are guilty of unspeakable crimes!”

  Butlers opened the door and the tailor slunk quietly out of the room.

  “But their children are innocent,” said Ben. “Don’t you think they deserve a shot at a normal life?”

  Beast stared long and hard at his son.

  “Dad,” said Ben, giving him a pleading look.

  Beast looked at Belle and said, “I suppose the children are innocent.”

  HA!

  AND THERE IT IS.

  SUCKERS!

  SOME KIDS GROW UP HEARING LAME LULLABIES AND STUPID FLOWERY FAIRY TALES.

  BUT ON THIS ISLAND, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT “LONG LIVE EVIL.”

  On the Isle of the Lost, Mal spray-painted a battered city wall.

  With her purple hair, leather jacket with a decal of two dragons on the back, and tough-as-nails boots, Mal had trouble written all over her—which was precisely what she was going for. The bilious green spray paint spelled out LONG LIVE EVIL. Mal holstered her paint can, reveled in her work, and stepped into the bustling marketplace, where she was quickly swept up in the throng and blended into the sea of haggard, worn faces.

  Jay, son of Jafar, watched Mal vanish into the crowd as he looked out over the bazaar from the roof­top of a nearby building. Oozing confidence, he had long dark hair and biceps that bulged out of his leather vest. He smiled. His eyes glinted dangerously. In several cobra-like moves, Jay leaped and slid down a rusty ladder from the rooftop. Those who knew of Jay would say that he was dirty, no good, bad to the bone.

  Evie, daughter of Evil Queen, spotted Jay making his way toward the street and returned to strutting across a table, where disheveled urchins were trying to eat. They ogled Evie’s dazzling smile, dark wavy hair, and hypnotizing eyes. She wore all blue, with a necklace that had a red gem topped by a gold crown. She carried a red box-shaped purse. She was a natural beauty, but it was hard to tell under all the makeup. Her mom had taught her that looks were everything. She glanced around to see Jay was gone.

  Carlos, son of Cruella De Vil, spied Evie as he climbed out of a window and stepped into the rowdy street. Carlos was a skinny teen with white hair with black roots, and he was all decked out in a red, white, and black leather jacket and boots. As he walked through the bazaar, he stole a handkerchief and then swiped an apple. Villagers considered him a callous lowlife. And he loved them for it.

  Evie and Mal emerged from a back alley. Carlos raced up to them as Jay leaped down from a building to join them. The four friends were united once again. They slid aside a chain-link gate and marched from warehouse to warehouse. They ran through clothes hanging on lines and banged old washing basins. Mal spray-pain
ted an M onto a shower curtain. Jay stole a teapot. Evie flirted with a merchant. Carlos kicked over a food basket. As they stomped out onto the filthy street, the friends struck fear and respect into the hearts of the street hawkers, pickpockets, and scam artists. The four teens were truly rotten to the core.

  Mal snatched a lollipop out of a child’s hand, and it began to cry. She held up the lollipop triumphantly. Mal’s friends laughed. They were pleased with her stunt.

  Suddenly, a shadow loomed in their path, and all the merchants scampered away, hiding in shops. It could only mean one thing.

  Henchmen appeared and cleared the way to make room for Her Royal Wickedness, Maleficent, Mistress of Evil. Her horns were wrapped in leather and she carried a scepter, her eyes flashing green.

  “Hi, Mom,” said Mal with a mischievous smile.

  “Stealing candy, Mal?” said Maleficent. “I’m so disappointed.”

  Mal scrunched up her face. “It was from a baby,” she said cheerily, holding out the lollipop. Mal’s friends laughed again at just how very mean she could be.

  Maleficent smiled. “That’s my nasty little girl!” She snatched the lollipop from Mal’s hand, spit on it, clamped it in her armpit, and handed it to one of her henchmen. “Give it back to the dreadful creature,” Maleficent said, eyes gleaming.

  “Mom...” Mal said, annoyed at how her mom always had to one-up her.

  The henchman trotted off to return the lollipop to the mother of the baby.

  “It’s the deets, Mal, that make the difference between mean and truly evil,” said Maleficent. She smiled and waved to the grateful mother. She looked back at Mal. “When I was your age, I was cursing entire kingdoms.” She gestured grandly.

  Mal mouthed along: “Cursing entire kingdoms!” She rolled her eyes.

  “Walk with me,” said Maleficent, putting her hand on her daughter’s shoulder and guiding her forward. “See, I’m just trying to teach you the thing that really counts: how to be me.”

  “I know that,” said Mal, nodding, “and I’ll do better.”

  “Oh! There’s news,” said Maleficent, whipping around. “I buried the lede!” She pointed at Mal and her friends. “You four have been chosen to go to a different school. In Auradon.”

  At these words, Evie, Jay, and Carlos made to bolt, only to be snatched up by Maleficent’s henchmen.

  Mal gawked at her mom, eyes widening.

  Her friends stopped struggling against their captors.

  “What?” said Mal. “Mom, you have to be joking.”

  “Nope!” said Maleficent. “You’ll be joining the bastion of privilege and exclusivity of…Auradon Prep.” The words left a sour-apple taste in her mouth.

  “Mom! I’m not going to some boarding school filled to the brim with prissy pink princesses!” said Mal.

  “And perfect princes!” said Evie dreamily as she stepped beside Mal.

  Mal glared at her.

  Evie’s smile vanished. “Ugh!” she said, feigning a look of disgust.

  “I don’t do uniforms,” said Jay. “Unless it’s leather. You feelin’ me?” He grinned and tried to high-five a terrified Carlos, who stepped toward Maleficent.

  “I read somewhere that they allow dogs in Auradon,” Carlos said. “Mom said they’re rabid pack animals who eat boys who don’t behave.” He gulped, unblinking.

  Jay snuck up to Carlos and barked in his ear.

  Carlos jumped back and Jay laughed.

  “Yeah, Mom, we’re not going,” said Mal matter-of-factly. “You are not going to start to see me doing curtsies and book reports.”

  “You’re thinking small, punkin’,” said Maleficent. “It’s all about world domination!” She licked her lips. Then she turned to her henchmen. “Knuckleheads!” She turned on her heel, sweeping her cloak, and took off down the empty street, flanked by her devoted thugs. “Mal!” she sang over her shoulder, beckoning her daughter forth.

  Mal and her friends exchanged glances and followed Maleficent.

  WORLD DOMINATION? OF COURSE. IT’S ALL MOM EVER TALKS ABOUT.

  THAT…AND REVENGE. TYPICAL EVIL OLD MOM. WELL, HERE WE GO!

  Maleficent’s tenement apartment sat directly above Bargain Castle.

  It was dark, dusty, and dirty—just to Maleficent’s liking. The colored windowpanes were mismatched and blocked out the sun. Lights in green crystals swayed from the high ceiling. The whole foul place smelled of sulfur. Maleficent, filing her nails, was seated in her tall green throne chair with her feet propped up. Mal and her three friends and their three parents sat around the apartment, waiting for Maleficent to explain why she had summoned all of them.

  The villains had seen better days. Cruella, with her wild black-and-white hair, wore a ratty, nearly bald black-and-white dog-fur coat, which sported a bejeweled stuffed toy Dalmatian head next to her neck. She stroked it lovingly as if it were alive. Jafar, with his trademark mustache and goatee, was rocking a potbelly, a comb-over, and puffy Sansabelt pants. Evil Queen, a former beauty, pulled at her cosmetically altered face and stared into a mirror. Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos feared their parents nonetheless.

  “You will go,” Maleficent commanded the teens. “You will find the Fairy Godmother and you will bring me back her magic wand.” She blew on her nails. “Easy peasy.”

  “What’s in it for us?” asked Mal.

  “Matching thrones,” said Maleficent. “Hers and hers crowns.”

  Carlos gestured to his friends. “Um, I—I think she meant us.”

  Ignoring him, Maleficent tossed her nail file over her shoulder, stood, and beckoned Mal to her. “It’s all about you and me, baby,” she said, leaning in close to Mal. “Do you enjoy watching innocent people suffer?”

  “Well, yeah! I mean, who doesn’t?” said Mal.

  “Well, then get me that wand! And you and I can see all that and so much more!” said Maleficent. “And with that wand and my scepter”—she held up her arms—“I will be able to bend both good and evil to my will!”

  Evil Queen lowered her mirror. “Our will,” she said.

  Cruella pointed at Evil Queen and nodded.

  “Our will, our will,” Maleficent said, trying to save face. She looked at Mal. “And if you refuse, you’re grounded for the rest of your life, missy,” she said firmly.

  “What?” cried Mal, distressed. “Mom!”

  Maleficent stared into her daughter’s eyes. Mal stared right back at her. The stare intensified. It was a test of power and focus. Mal and her mom did this every so often. Maleficent always won. Mal tore away her gaze. “Fine, whatever,” Mal said.

  “I won,” said Maleficent.

  “Malef, relax,” said Evil Queen. “You’re going to pop a vein and that is a look no one can rock.”

  Cruella cackled.

  “Did her face just move?” Maleficent asked Cruella, pointing at Evil Queen.

  Cruella used her thumb and forefinger to indicate “a little bit.”

  “Someone alert the media!” said Maleficent.

  “Hilarious,” said Evil Queen sarcastically. “Evie! My little Evil-ette in training.”

  Evie ran over and sat obediently across the table from her mother.

  “You just find yourself a prince with a big castle and a mother-in-law wing,” said Evil Queen.

  “And lots and lots of mirrors,” said Evie and her mom in unison.

  Evie beamed and clasped her hands.

  “No laughing,” her mother told her. “Wrinkles.”

  Evie’s smile vanished and she pouted.

  Maleficent looked at them and sighed.

  “Well, they’re not taking my Carlos,” said Cruella, caressing her son’s head. “I’d miss him too much.”

  “Really, Mom?” asked Carlos.

  “Yes!” Cruella said. “Who would touch up my roots? Fluff my fur and scrape my bunions off my feet?” She kicked up a leg and Carlos caught her foot in his hand.

  He looked miserable. “Maybe a new school wouldn’t be the worst
thing....”

  “Carlos, they have dogs in Auradon!” said Cruella, stroking his cheek.

  Carlos looked petrified and shook his head. “Oh, no! I’m not going!”

  “Ugh,” said Maleficent.

  “Jay’s not going, either!” said Jafar. “I need him to stock the shelves in my store.” He looked at his son. “What did you score?” he asked him.

  Jay laughed and pulled a variety of stolen trinkets—one of the last items being an old lamp—from his vest, sleeve cuffs, and boots and handed them over to Jafar.

  “A lamp!” Jafar grabbed it and rubbed it furiously.

  “Dad, I already tried,” said Jay, shaking his head.

  “Well, Evie’s not going anywhere until we get rid of this unibrow.” Evil Queen eyed Evie, extracted a pair of tweezers, and approached her daughter’s eyebrows.

  “Will it hurt?” asked Evie.

  “Beauty is pain, darling, beauty is pain,” said Evil Queen as she plucked.

  Maleficent addressed the room. “Am I here? Was I speaking? What is wrong with you all? People used to cower at the mention of our names! For twenty years, I have searched for a way off this island.”

  Evie began to pluck her mother’s eyebrows.

  “Ouch!” said Evil Queen.

  “For twenty years,” continued Maleficent, “they have robbed us of our revenge.”

  “Ouch!” said Evil Queen as Evie kept plucking.

  “Revenge on Snow White and her horrible little men,” Maleficent told Evil Queen.

  “Ouch...” said Evil Queen at Maleficent’s words.

  Maleficent turned to Jafar. “Revenge on Aladdin and his bloated Genie!”

  Jafar shook his fists.

  Maleficent rounded on Cruella. “Revenge on every squeaky Dalmatian that escaped your clutches.”

  “Oh, but they didn’t get Baby,” said Cruella, stroking the stuffed toy dog head on her vest. “They didn’t get the...” She wheezed maniacally. “They didn’t get the Baby!”

  Jafar locked eyes with Maleficent. “I am with you!”

  Maleficent returned the stare. “Who are you?” she asked him.