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ISBN 978-1-368-04407-3
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
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
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Photos from the Film
To King Ben, for taking a chance on four villain kids from the Isle and changing our lives forever
HI, Mal here. Remember me? Daughter of Maleficent. Wicked wild child of the Isle turned proper lady of the court. Right? I know.
At first, I tried way too hard to impress Ben and all of Auradon and totally lost myself. I was suffocating under all those layers of pale pink tulle. It wasn’t me. So I broke up with Ben, fled home to the Isle, and rediscovered my roots (literally—Dizzy gave my lame blond hair a fierce purple makeover). my lifelong nemesis, Uma (who I call “Shrimpy”), the daughter of Ursula, and her scallywag gang of wannabe pirates weren’t too happy with my return—old turf wars and whatnot. Then there was the pirate duel, which was kinda legendary.
As was the Royal Cotillion. Uma transformed into a giant octopus and threatened my friends. I went all fire-breathing dragon on her and saved Auradon. Uma is scared off for now, but all her antics made me realize that I do belong as Lady of Auradon. I can’t deny that I’Ll always be part isle, though. The true me lies somewhere in the space between. The other amazing thing that happened at Cotillion? Evie asked Ben to help bring over more VKS from the Isle to Auradon, to give them the same chance he gave us. And, well…
Mother always said it was good to be bad. I can’t believe she was actually right about something….
At dawn, a ragtag paperboy rode his rusted-out bicycle down a squalid Isle street. He careened over a teetering makeshift ramp and past a run-down tenement with Long Live Evil graffitied across its wall. The young street rat pulled a copy of the Troubled Times newspaper out of his grungy messenger bag and tossed it over his shoulder. “Hey, check it out,” he yelled to the other kids in the square.
A curly-haired imp in a rumpled pink dress scampered to pick up the paper. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! Look at this!” the girl exclaimed in shock. The big bold headline splashed across the front page read VK DAY IS HERE! 4 MORE TO GO ASHORE.
“It’s VK Day,” she squealed to the crowd of kids who’d gathered around for a peek at the paper. “I want them to pick me so bad.”
A detailed article described the progressive new holiday established by His Royal Highness King Ben and villain kid turned successful fashion designer Evie. For the first time, any villain kid could apply to attend the kingdom’s esteemed Auradon Prep. The new class would be handpicked in person from among the Isle applicants by the original villain kids: Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay. Then, one week later, King Ben and the VKs would be back to escort the lucky students to Auradon to start the new school year.
Many of the Isle kids had never lifted a pencil or sat behind a desk, let alone brought their teacher an unpoisoned apple. The hope was that the chosen students, like the inaugural class of VKs, would thrive amid the opportunities Auradon had to offer.
As the paperboy tossed another paper nowhere close to anyone’s door, Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay rounded the dilapidated street corner in step. Since making their own way in Auradon, the four friends had become folk heroes to the villain kids still stuck on the Isle. And now they were back in their old hood with good news—make that great news.
They ducked under clotheslines heavy with drip-drying rags and yelled for the Isle kids to rise and shine—well, as much shining as could happen in the sunless place. It was time for all the young VKs to get up and step up; Auradon Prep was waiting.
Mal and her close-knit squad strode with confidence down the grimy street and into a cobblestoned square now named Mal Court. A group of inspired villain offspring had renamed the shabby square after seeing a clip of Mal on TV. The broadcast showed Lady Mal at Cotillion giving a public shout-out to her Isle roots. The Isle kids knew she hadn’t forgotten them.
Mal turned toward her three best friends, bursting with excitement, as her purple hair, tinted a more violet hue than ever before, flew behind her in the wind. That day was going to be epic. She slayed in leather leggings, wedge high-top sneakers, and a fitted tailcoat. On the back of her coat were sculptured leather dragon wings that caged her signature two-dragon icon.
Evie, daughter of Evil Queen, flashed a dazzling smile at Mal. After months of diligent planning and painstaking prep, VK Day was finally here. Evie exuded confidence and authority as her blue suede boots hit the pavement. She swept down the street like the leader she was, the essence of style in her short blue leather skirt and matching jacket with her heart-and-crown emblem painted on the back.
With his long dark brown hair and mischievous smile, Jay, the son of Jafar, wove easily through his old stomping ground. He radiated attitude, with his sleeveless leather vest and leather pants showing off his athletic build. Jay glanced at Carlos and laughed. They were about to change some lives forever. What an amazing feeling.
Carlos, son of Cruella De Vil, rolled through the street, energized by the big day to come. Once thought of as puppy dog cute, with his face full of freckles, Carlos had grown up and was now coming into his own. He was also super edgy. All the VKs were. He had shocking white hair with black roots and wore a red, white, and black jacket with a flipped-up fur collar. He’d come a long way from the boy who was afraid of everything—particularly his mother and puppies—and he couldn’t wait to pass his good fortune forward.
At the end of the crumbling street, Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay broke apart and fanned out in every direction, eager to get the word out about VK Day. They headed down dusty alleys littered with overturned wheelbarrows and snaked through dismal passageways filled with desolate shacks. Jay literally shouted the news from the tin rooftops. They urged all the villain kids they could find to hit the streets. VK Day offered a chance for any Isle urchin who wanted to be like them. And didn’t everyone want to be like them?
Mal moved through a courtyard, doing her best to spread the word. She wanted these kids to know they had the opportunity to join her in Auradon and live their best life. A young girl in a threadbare purple dress pushed open her window and waved her Auradon application excitedly at Mal. Mal looked up and saw kids in every broken window and rotting doorframe around the courtyard gripping their applications. She smiled, realizing just how many next-gen VKs were choosing to be good.
While Mal circled through the courtyard, Carlos stormed through the Isle orphanage, with its rickety bunks and walls with chipped paint. He bounded by a plaque that rea
d CARLOS HOUSE, and he chuckled. He still couldn’t believe these little mischief-makers looked up to him, but it warmed his heart. He yanked a ratty blanket off a sleeping boy, who jolted awake. The boy stared in awe for several seconds when he saw Carlos standing at the foot of his bed, then grabbed his application from beneath his lumpy pillow and pushed it into Carlos’s gloved hand.
Down the block, Evie stood beneath the weathered CURL UP AND DYE sign and waited with giddy anticipation. She raised her gaze to the sign, which depicted a giant pair of scissors crisscrossing a faded perfume bottle, just to check that it was real. She’d imagined that moment again and again, ever since she’d dispatched royal couriers to that very spot with a scroll the past spring. But this time it wasn’t a daydream. Dizzy Tremaine, still holding her broom, bolted out of the shabby salon’s double doors wearing a patchwork dress and nightcap. She hugged Evie, whom she looked up to like a big sister, and the two girls marveled at what that day meant for kids on the Isle.
Evie and Dizzy talked over each other, trying to catch up on months of conversation in mere minutes, as they strutted down a back street to meet up with Mal, Jay, and Carlos. Evie was thrilled to see so many aspiring students. She hoped there were even a few fellow chemistry fans in the crowd. VK Day had truly turned out to be everything she’d envisioned and so much more.
The rowdy group walked by Jay, who was pumped about giving back to other misguided Isle kids. To kids like these, Jay was a hero. He was a celebrated athlete and team leader. Jay accepted applications from several kids and went off in search of Mal.
Mal had returned to the courtyard and was spray-painting VK Day! in bright purple and green hues across a battered old garage door while Evie looked on. She stepped back and admired her art. Who said graffiti couldn’t beautify the neighborhood? She slid open the just-tagged panel and a wave of bedraggled VKs, all clutching applications, rushed out wildly. Mal scanned the group of wharf rats and noticed a few key kids were missing. Not on her watch. Mal’s aim was for every offspring of evil to get a shot at life in Auradon. She hurried back onto the street toward the Isle’s bustling bayou.
With its strings of brightly colored lights and notes of jazz music in the air, the vibrant French Quarter district was one of Mal’s favorite Isle locales. In the heart of the jumping neighborhood, Dr. Facilier’s feisty daughter, Celia, set up shop under a FORTUNES TOLD sign covered in colorful question marks. The tween had shoulder-length bouncy red curls and wore ripped jeans adorned with fluorescent tassels and a tiny top hat sporting a feather plume. From her belt hung a fuzzy skull totem, an homage to her voodoo heritage. Celia fanned out her brightly colored fortune-telling cards and let Mal pick one at random. It depicted the word Journey and an illustrated man at the end of a long winding path pointing toward the stars. Celia’s eyes lit up. She pocketed her cards and flipped her sign to read THE FORTUNE TELLER IS OUT. Mal put her arm around the spirited girl and led her down the alley toward her future.
Within minutes, Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos reunited in the center of Mal Court, followed closely by the boisterous parade of prospective students. They led the rambunctious throngs through a dank tunnel that exited into Bridge Plaza. The villain kids charged across the grungy plaza. The space looked out over the broken bridge that had once connected the Isle and Auradon. With VK Day upon them, there was now a promising new way for the Isle residents to reach the prosperous land. This euphoric crowd knew their four leaders were right: today it was good to be bad.
Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay climbed up the steps to a stone balcony overlooking the plaza. They eyed the rowdy mass of hopeful kids, who were waving their applications in the air and vying for the four former Isle kids’ attention. “Who wants to go—you?” asked Mal, pointing at a girl in a moth-eaten red trench coat and purple tights.
Just then, she noticed Captain Hook’s first mate, Smee, arriving late with his timid sons. They were twinned out in matching striped shirts, tortoiseshell glasses, and red stocking hats. Smee handed his scrawny offspring their applications, hugged them, and watched as his shy bespectacled sons handed them over. Jay collected the forms, handed them to Evie, and joined his friends to deliberate their difficult decision. This was going to be a tough one.
A little while later, the VKs broke from their huddle. The applications had been vetted; selections had been made. Mal scanned the crowd as she clutched one of the lucky applications in her right hand. She beamed with pride at Evie, clearly touched by her best friend’s unwavering efforts. From that bold moment at Cotillion, when Evie first spoke to King Ben about bringing more VKs to Auradon, until this very second, when her thoughtful idea was coming to fruition, Evie never stopped fighting for her noble villain kids cause.
Shortly after Evie had first arrived at Auradon Prep, she resolved to make a clean break from the Isle and look only forward to the future. She didn’t want to dwell on her Isle past, or even acknowledge it. Why spoil her beautiful Auradon life with thoughts of such depressing things? But everything shifted for Evie when she returned to the Isle to find Mal. Seeing all the wide-eyed villain offspring, just as miserable and desperate as she’d once been, Evie realized she couldn’t just bury her connection to the Isle. Quite the opposite. She had to lean into her heritage and start helping others like herself. And Evie knew then just how to do it: by inviting additional Isle kids to Auradon and giving them the same life-changing opportunity King Ben had given her. Today she was doing just that.
Evie gazed out over the hordes of unkempt hooligans and beamed brightly. “I can’t believe this day has finally arrived,” she shouted. Her big wonderful dream for the Isle was coming true. She’d never felt so proud before.
The crowd of villain offspring cheered and howled for their blue-haired champion. “I honestly wish we could take you all with us. And someday very soon maybe we can,” Evie said. Hope and determination crossed her face. The rowdy mob cheered loudly in support.
“Yeah, we’re going to be back here so many times you’ll get sick of us,” promised Mal with a nod.
“So sick,” repeated Evie with a sarcastic wave of her hand.
The frenzied crowd laughed with anticipation.
Evie flashed a smile at Jay, Carlos, and Mal and remembered the day King Ben had first invited the original Isle four to attend Auradon Prep. The limo, the chocolates, the awkward tour of the school grounds Doug gave them. The VKs had come a long way since they first arrived in Auradon. Now pillars of the Auradon community, Evie and her friends would share that dream-come-true chance with a new crop of kids from the Isle.
Poised as ever, Evie took a deep breath and asked: “Can I get a drumroll, please?” The mob was more than happy to oblige. They stamped and clopped their heavy boots and worn-down high-tops on the hard cement. The thundering result echoed through the plaza like a drumroll.
Evie looked down at her red gloves with heart-shaped cutouts and the application she clenched in her hands. “First, I would like to begin with the granddaughter of Lady Tremaine, daughter of Drizella, my sweet, sweet friend, my Dizzy.” Evie was thrilled to make the invitation public at last. She could think of no one more deserving of a fresh start in Auradon than the sprightly girl who forged chic fashion-forward accessories out of lousy dumpster junk.
Dizzy shrieked with delight upon hearing her name. She squealed so loudly her shouts of joy were heard way on the other side of Goblin Wharf. Goblins hated joy. But Dizzy’s glee could not be contained. She was headed to Auradon with Evie. Best. Day. Ever. Dizzy spun with delight, then skipped to meet Evie on the balcony, her rainbow tulle skirt flouncing as she went.
All eyes turned to Carlos, who stepped forward to name the second lucky VK. “Next is son of Smee,” said Carlos. “C’mon, Squeaky!”
Squeaky, wide-eyed and silent, looked at his dad for reassurance. Smee gently nudged the boy toward Carlos, who greeted him with a warm hug. Squeaky squished up his face, tugged at his stained shirt, and, still unsure, looked longingly toward the crowd at his twin
brother, Squirmy. The two had never spent a day apart. Now there’d be an ocean between them. Was Auradon really worth it?
But Jay quickly stepped in and put Squeaky’s fears to rest. “And no way we’re splitting up the twins…so get over here, Squirmy, come on!” he announced. Jay knelt down to Squirmy’s height, hoping to put the shy boy at ease. “Bring it in, buddy.”
Squeaky broke into a smile as his brother, Squirmy, ran forward. It was impossible to tell which brother was more relieved about the reunion. It was also impossible to tell which brother was which. That was exactly the way Smee’s introverted sons liked it.
Mal stepped forward to reveal the final name. The antsy Isle kids all leaned in anxiously, each one desperately hoping to hear his or her own name called.
“And last, but certainly not least…we all picked this girl, because we all agreed that she could use a little bit of Fairy Godmother’s goodness class,” said Mal, thinking back to the class she had loathed the most during her first days in Auradon. “Give it on up for Dr. Facilier’s daughter, Celia.”
As soon as she heard her name, Celia busted out in a brash touchdown victory dance. “I’m bad,” she said, and showboated for the crowd. She trotted up to Mal, brazenly slapping high fives to her friends along the way.
Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay put their arms around the newly selected class. Mal and her friends wished they could whisk the kids away to Auradon that very minute, but it was against the agreed-upon protocol. The future students would spend a week packing their belongings and saying so long to their villainous families before heading off to their fresh start across the bay.
“We’ll be back for you next week,” Carlos assured them.
“So pack your stuff,” instructed Jay, employing the same authoritative tone he used when acting as tourney team captain. “Your own stuff,” he added quickly, knowing all too well the wily pilfering ways of young Isle thieves.
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