Descendants: The Isle of the Wicked

by Crystal Aura

If Only...

Rarity's hands dug through her bag, her eyes scanning through the cluttered mess of notebooks and pens. Spike noticed her fidgeting and looked at her curiously, but before he could say anything, Mr. Cranky interrupted.

“Are you looking for something?” Mr. Cranky's stern voice echoed through the quiet classroom.

Rarity's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly shut her bag with a tight-lipped smile. Mr. Cranky's expression remained stoic as he reached into his own pocket and produced an object, a small, shimmering object in the shape of a hand mirror. Rarity's mouth hung open as she stared at it, realizing that she had forgotten to put it back in her locker after using it for makeup touch-ups during lunch break.

“Thank you, Trender. It’s gratifying to see that someone still respects the honor code,” Mr. Cranky praised Trender, who beamed with pride, shooting Rarity a smug look.

Rarity's eyes darted towards Trender, her expression darkening. She knew he had purposely reported her to Mr. Cranky out of spite.

“I recommend that you be expelled,” Mr. Cranky's words made Rarity's heart drop to her stomach, and she felt a surge of panic.

“Mr. Cranky, I…” Rarity tried to defend herself, but Spike quickly jumped in.

“But that isn’t fair. Obviously, she was not cheating since she didn’t have that… whatever it is,” Spike argued, pointing towards the Magic Mirror in Mr. Cranky's hand.

“It’s called a Magic Mir---” Rarity started, but Spike cut her off.

“Stop, you’re not helping. Maybe she just needed another pencil,” Spike suggested, trying to diffuse the situation.

“Actually, I was---” Rarity began, but Spike cut her off again.

“Please, don’t help,” Spike whispered to her urgently.

“Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee?” Rarity and Spike pleaded with Mr. Cranky, hoping to convince him to let her off the hook.

“Well, if you pass this test, I’ll return your property and drop the matter,” Mr. Cranky finally relented, his expression awkward.

Rarity tried to smile, but it felt forced and awkward. The tension in the room was palpable, and she could feel Trender's smug gaze on her. She glared back at him, imagining all the ways she could make him pay if there were no witnesses around. Spike saw the fire in her eyes and quickly pulled her out of her trance, motioning for her to focus on the task at hand - completing the test.

Spike sat at a picnic table in the schoolyard during recess, scribbling something in a notebook as he ate his lunch. The warm sun shone down on him, and he could hear the distant sound of children playing. Suddenly, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders from behind. He turned his head to see Rarity, smiling at him as she held up a piece of paper.

With a gentle smile, Rarity placed her test results on the table for Spike to see. It was a B+.

"It's like I'm more than just a pretty face for the first time," she said softly.

Spike chuckled at the remark, glancing over at the paper before turning back to Rarity, "A shocker, huh?" She sat beside him, and they chatted for a moment.

"You were pretty great in there," Rarity complimented him.

Spike blushed slightly, feeling a sense of pride at her words.

"So were you," he replied.

Rarity's confidence seemed to be growing, and she spoke with determination, "I bet I can get an 'A' on the next test without the mirror."

Spike smiled, feeling a sense of excitement at the thought of studying with Rarity.

"Yeah, well maybe we can hang out and study together sometime," he suggested.

Rarity eagerly agreed, and they continued chatting, enjoying the warm sun and the sound of children playing in the distance.

As they were talking, Twilight approached them angrily. Her footsteps were heavy and her face was scrunched up in frustration. Rarity and Spike looked up to see her storming towards them.

“There you are! I’ve been searching for you everywhere!” Twilight exclaimed as she reached their table.

“What’s wrong, darling?” Rarity asked, noticing the anger in Twilight’s voice.

“Flash just asked me out… on a date!” Twilight replied, her voice laced with disgust.

Spike couldn’t help but chuckle at the situation. Rarity shot him a quick smile before turning back to Twilight.

“We can handle this. Bye!” Rarity said as she left to help Twilight.

As Twilight walked away, Rarity followed closely behind her. She examined her closely, noticing that her face was pale and her eyes were red.

“You’re looking a little pale…” Rarity observed.

“Yeah, of course!” Twilight responded, her voice bitter with sarcasm.

“I can fix that with some gloss and some blush,” Rarity offered, already reaching for her makeup bag.

“No!” Twilight snapped, pulling away from her.

“Twilight, darling, I can use the…” Rarity started.

“No, no, no!” Twilight interrupted, running away towards their dorms.

---

Rarity finished applying the blush on Twilight's cheeks and then picked up the lipstick. Twilight mentioned to go easy on the blush, and Rarity gave a nod before finishing the task.

"My mom was never really big on makeup tips. I never had a sister," Twilight spoke, her voice soft.

"Well, now you do. We're gonna need all the family we can get if we don't pull this off. My mother's not a barrel of laughs when she doesn't get her way. Just ask Cadence," Rarity replied as she focused on the lipstick application.

Twilight's lips formed a small smile at Rarity's words before she asked, "Are you afraid of her?"

Rarity paused for a moment, considering her response before answering, "Hmm, sometimes. Are you afraid of your mom?"

Twilight's expression turned serious as she replied, "I just really want her to be proud of me. She gets so angry with me when I disappoint her." She took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing, "And sh… Yeah, she's my mom, so I know she loves me… In her own way."

Rarity took Twilight's hand and led her to the large mirror in the room. "Moving on. Come see," she said, breaking the tension.

Twilight followed her, and they both stood in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection. Twilight let out a strangled laugh as she held the sides of her pullover close, saying, "Oh."

"I know," Rarity giggled, finding Twilight's reaction amusing.

Twilight started to say something but paused before finally speaking, "Not hideous."

"Not even close, darling!" Rarity responded, her giggles continuing.

After finishing Twilight's makeup, Rarity left her to the mirror. Two soft knocks reverberated through the door. Flash was there, dressed in his Wondercolts pullover. Twilight opened the door and greeted him with a sigh, and Flash complimented her, "For the first time, I understand the difference between pretty and beautiful."

Twilight blushed at the compliment, wearing a lavender dress with a black pullover. Flash then showed Twilight a helmet in his hand and asked, "I hope you like bikes."

Twilight simply nodded and took the helmet, shooting one last frustrated glance at Rarity before making her way out. Flash followed her with a smile, and Rarity walked towards the door, closing it with a smile on her face.

---

They rode the bike to a nearby forest. Twilight’s hair flew behind her as she held onto Flash tightly. The wind whistled in her ears as they passed by tall trees and lush greenery. The peaceful scenery brought a smile to Twilight's face, and although she didn't say anything, Flash could sense her joy.

As they walked across a long bridge, Flash proposed a question, "Tell me something about yourself that you’ve never told anyone."

Twilight furrowed her brows, thinking hard. "Um… My middle name is Dusk.”

"Dusk?" Flash repeated, surprised.

“Yeah. Just my mom doing what she does best. Being really, really evil. Twilight Dusk…”

Flash chuckled. “Mine’s Fluoresce.”

“Fluoresce?”

“Yeah.”

“How princely! Oh, that’s almost worse.”

“I mean, you know, it’s better than Dusk.”

“But it’s still not…”

“Watch your foot!” Flash interrupted, alerting her as they reached the end of the bridge. He helped her get down carefully, making sure she didn't trip or fall.

---

“Are you good?”

“Mm-hmm.” Twilight said as she kept her eyes shut as Flash told her to do so.

“You ready?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Open,” Flash instructed Twilight.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes and admired the beauty in front of her. The place for their date was in the middle of greenery and a water stream. It was an old white gazebo, with some parts of it broken, and green moss growing on its pillars. The sunlight shining on it made it look even more marvellous.

Twilight looked at the place and then back at Flash in surprise. “Go on,” Flash said, and Twilight slowly made her way to the wonderful place, followed by Flash.

Twilight walked towards the picnic blanket, her eyes taking in the beauty of the surroundings. She admired the way the sun's rays made the leaves on the trees sparkle, and how the water in the stream shimmered in the light. She sat down and reached for a jelly donut, taking a small bite and savoring the sweet taste.

As she was licking the cream off her fingers, Flash sat down next to her and chuckled. "Is this your first time?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

Twilight's eyes widened, unsure of what he meant. "Mm...we don't date much on the island. It's more like gang activity," she replied, feeling slightly embarrassed.

Flash laughed, realizing his mistake. "Um, I meant, is this your first time eating a jelly donut?" he clarified.

Twilight smiled and shook her head, taking another bite of the donut. Flash leaned in and wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth, making her heart flutter. "You got a...just a...I mean, yeah, do this," he said, licking his lips.

Twilight followed his lead and licked her lips, feeling a blush creep up on her cheeks. They both laughed, enjoying the moment together.

Flash then turned to Twilight and said, "You know, I've done all the talking. Your turn. I really don't know that much about you. Tell me something."

Twilight sighed, thinking of something to say. "Well, I'm 16. I'm an only child. And I've only ever lived in one place," she shared, feeling a bit self-conscious.

"Me too. That...we have so much in common already," Flash said with a smile, trying to make her feel more comfortable.

Twilight giggled, feeling grateful for Flash's effort to make her feel at ease. "No, trust me, we do not. And now you're gonna be King," she said, feeling a twinge of sadness, though she couldn't quite understand why she felt that.

“Yeah…”

“What?”

“A Crown doesn’t make you a King.” Flash replied, his expression turning serious.

“Well, it kinda does.” Twilight said, feeling a bit unsure.

“No, it… your mom is the Mistress of Evil. And I’ve got the poster parents for goodness. But we’re not automatically like them. We get to choose what we’re gonna be. And right now, I can look into your eyes and I can tell that you’re not evil. I can see it.” Flash said, his voice filled with conviction. He suddenly got up and invited Twilight, “Let’s go for a swim.”

“Hm? What? Uh… right now?” Twilight hesitated, feeling a bit nervous.

“Yeah, right now.” Flash said as he undoes his buttons.

“I think I’m just gonna stay here...”

“No, no, no. Come here.” Flash held out his hand.

“I think I’m... gonna stay behind! And, uh, try a strawberry! I’ve literally never tried a strawberry before.” Twilight took a quick bite of the strawberry and widened her eyes. Flash smiled at Twilight “Don’t eat all of them!”

“Okay!” Twilight said, chewing her new favorite fruit. She took two more and enjoyed nature's goodness.

As Flash emerged from behind the rock, Twilight's eyes widened as she took in his appearance. He was wearing a pair of blue swim shorts with small golden crowns dotted all over them. She couldn't help but laugh as she yelled out to him, "Are those little crowns on your shorts?"

Flash glanced down at his shorts and shrugged. "Maybe!" he shouted back, his voice filled with playful amusement.

Twilight waved at him and he waved back, a huge grin on his face. With a loud roar, he suddenly launched himself off the edge of the rock and plunged into the cool waters of the lake. Twilight watched as he disappeared beneath the surface, causing ripples to spread out in all directions. She couldn't help but giggle at his antics, feeling a rush of excitement and joy course through her body.

She turned away from the lake, a sigh escaping her lips.

A million thoughts in my head.
Should I let my heart keep listenin’?

‘Cause up till now I’ve walked the line.

Nothin’ lost, but somethin’ missing’.

I can’t decide,
What’s wrong, what’s right.

Which way should I go?

If only I knew what my heart was telling me.
Don’t know what I’m feeling…
Is this just a dream?

Uh-oh, yeah!

If only I could read the signs in front of me.

I could find the way to who I’m meant to be.

Uh-oh
If only,
If only,
If only.

Every step, every word.
With every hour, I am fallin’ in.

To something new, something brave.
To someone I, I have never been.

I can’t decide,
What’s wrong, what’s right.

Which way should I go?

If only I knew what my heart was telling me.
Don’t know what I’m feeling…
Is this just a dream?

Uh-oh, yeah!

If only I could read the signs in front of me.
I could find the way to who I’m meant to be.

Uh-oh

If only,

Yeah!

Am I crazy?
Maybe we could happen, yeah.

Will you still be with me when the magic’s all run out?

If only I knew what my heart was telling me.
Don’t know what I’m feeling…
Is this just a dream?

Uh-oh

If only I could read the signs in front of me.
I could find the way to who I’m meant to be!

Uh-oh

If only, yeah
If only, yeah
If only, yeah

If only,
If only,
If only.

As she sang, Twilight closed her eyes and let the melody carry her away. The soft breeze ruffled her hair, and she breathed in the scent of the lake. Memories flooded her mind - her childhood on the Isle, her journey to Equestria, and the time she had spent with Flash. Her heart quickened at the thought of their date.

But when she opened her eyes, Flash was nowhere to be seen. Panic seized her, and she called out his name. "Flash? Flash!" Her voice echoed across the lake, but there was no response. Fear gnawed at her stomach, and she knew she had to find him. Without a second thought, she plunged into the water.

Her body was tense as she thrashed around, struggling to keep afloat. She felt helpless, useless, and alone. But then, strong arms encircled her, and she was lifted out of the water. She gasped for breath, her heart hammering in her chest. Flash was there, his face etched with concern. He then slowly swam towards the picnic area and placed her on the edge of the gazebo. He shook his head, causing water to splash onto Twilight.

“Ugh! You scared me!” Twilight said, pushing Flash.

“You… you can’t swim?”

“No!”

“You live on an island!”

“Yeah, with a barrier around it! Remember? Ugh!”

“And you still tried to save me.”

“Yeah, and do you thank me? No! All I get is soaking wet!” Twilight huffed in anger, looking away from Flash.

“And, uh, this fancy rock.” Flash said, holding out a glittering rock. “It’s yours. Make a wish and throw it back in the lake.”

She looked at him and angrily threw the rock into the lake. Then she stood up and maintained a good distance from him. Flash looked taken aback but nevertheless got onto the dry ground and retrieved his pullover. He put it around her, and she sat down, minding her wet dress. Flash grabbed a towel, dried himself a bit, and sat on it. Twilight shivered a little, water dripping from her hair slowly. Flash looked at her with a sigh and toyed with her hair which prompted her to look at him, getting lost in his eyes.

“Uh, Twilight… I told you that I loved you. What about you? Do you love me?”

She felt her heart skip a beat. She had never been in love before, and she didn't know what to say. “I don’t know what love feels like,” she said softly, turning away.

Flash cupped her face into his hand and turned it towards him. “Maybe I can teach you.”

Twilight looked back at Flash’s eyes, uncertain on what awaits her down this road.

---

The sun poured through the windows of Equestria Prep as the transfer students and their Remedial Goodness teacher were in the classroom.

“Excuse me, children,” said Pear Butter, approaching the students. “This Sunday is Family Day here at Equestria Prep, and because your parents can’t be here due to… uh, distance, we’ve arranged for a special treat.” She smiled and went back to the computer on the teacher’s desk, switching it on to reveal Nightmare Moon staring into the screen.

“I can't see or hear anything,” Nightmare Moon said, annoyed. She slouched back on her seat while the parents of villains appeared on the screen, and Pear gestured for the students to come closer to the screen.

“Is it… is it?” Nightmare Moon asked.

“Press enter,” King Sombra said.

“May I please see a remote? Is this thing on? Ugh, it’s broken!”

“I hate electronic equipment,” Nightmare Moon started. But as she spoke, the screen on the Isle showed Fairy Godmother and others standing.

“Rarity! It’s mommy! Oh!” Chrysalis exclaimed, to which Rarity waved. “Look how beautiful. Oh! You know what they say, ‘The poison apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’”

“Don’t you mean the weeds?” Nightmare Moon sneered, eliciting laughter from her allies.

“Ooh! Who’s the old bat?” Gaia Everfree exclaimed.

“This is the Fairy Godmother,” Twilight stepped in to defend Pear Butter, gesturing to the older woman on the screen.

“Still doing tricks with eggplants?” Nightmare Moon mocked.

“I turned a pumpkin into a beautiful carriage!” Pear retorted, her voice rising.

“You really couldn’t give Fluttershy until one A.M.? I mean, really. What, the little hamsters had to be back on their little wheels?” Nightmare Moon taunted, causing her allies to chuckle.

“They were mice! They were not… They were mice,”

“They were not…” Twilight spoke up again. “Thank you so much. Thank you.”

“They were mice!” Pear Butter exclaimed before storming off to the side in frustration, out of view of the computer's camera.

“Hi, mom,” Twilight sighed as she greeted her mother

“Twilight! I m-m-miss you,” Nightmare Moon said, stammering, attempting to disguise her intentions from Pear's ears.

“You children are never far from our thoughts!” King Sombra said.

“How long must Mommy wait to see you?” Nightmare Moon asked, fidgeting with her dress.

“Um, there’s a big Coronation coming up. I think sometime probably after… that,”

“WHEN?”

“Friday! 10 A.M.”

“You sure I can’t see you before that? I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t get my hands on that Magic Wa… You… You little nugget that I love so much!”

“Yes, mother, I completely understand,” Twilight said, with a twinge of nervousness.

“Is that a dog, Braeburn?” Gaia asked. “Oh, it would make the perfect size for earmuffs.”

“He’s the perfect size for a pet! This dog loves me, and I love him! And FYI, your dog is stuffed! So give it a rest!” Braeburn yelled at his mom.

“Oh-ho! Burn!” King Sombra mocked Gaia.

“Oh, why don’t you go and sell a toaster, you two-bit salesman!” Gaia snapped back.

“People who talk to stuffed animals shouldn’t throw stones!”

“Oh! Well, people who sell toasters shouldn’t use mixed metaphors!”

“Enough!” Soarin said as he disconnected the call.

“I’m so sorry,” Pear said, looking at the kids apologetically.

“Thank you for the special treat…” Twilight awkwardly smiled, embarrassed.

“Of course…”

Twilight turned around, picked up her bag, and made her way out, followed by her gang.

Rarity wrung her hands nervously, “Twi, what do you think our parents will do to us if we don’t pull this off?”

Twilight paused, her brow furrowed in thought, “I think they’ll be quite disappointed in us, but ultimately proud of us for doing our best.”

“Really?” Braeburn asked, his voice full of hope.

“No, I think we’re definitely goners,” Twilight said before moving on. The rest of the group exchanged uneasy glances, their stomachs twisting with anxiety.

---

They all headed to Soarin and Braeburn’s dormitory and discuss their future plans.

“Okay, we all know what this looks like. So it’ll be up on the dais, under the Draconequus’ spell jar, and we’ll be coming in from here. I will be in the very front. You all will be up on the balcony.” Twilight said as she explained the things going to happen in the Coronation.

“Okay…” Rarity replied.

“Braeburn?” Twilight called.

“Okay, so I’ll find our Limo, so we can break the barrier, and uh, get back on the island with the wand.”

“Perfect. Rarity?” Twilight called to her bestie.

“Yes?”

“You will use this to take out the driver.” Twilight showed a perfume bottle which was filled with her potion. “Two sprays and he’ll be out like a light.”

“Okay.”

Feeling awkward, they all looked at each other. Braeburn and Soarin went towards their beds, Twilight sat down on a chair and started reading her spell book. Rarity noticed what she was reading and asked, "Twi? You want to break Flash’s love spell?"

“Yeah,” Twilight replied. Then she clarified, "You know, for after. I don’t… I’ve just been thinking, you know, when the villains finally do invade Equestria, and begin to loot and kick everyone out of their castles and imprison their leaders and destroy all that is good and beautiful, Flash still being in love with me just seems a little extra… cruel."

Unable to face the truth any longer, Twilight closed her book and made her way out.

“Twi?” Rarity called after her, but Twilight was already out of earshot.

That night, none of them could sleep peacefully.

Soarin got up from his bed and walked over to the trophy they had won during the Tourney Tournament. He ran his fingers over the gold surface, feeling the bumps and ridges of the intricate design. He remembered the rush he felt when they had won the tournament, the cheering of the crowd, the high-fives from his teammates. But now, as he looked at the trophy, it seemed like nothing compared to their ultimate mission.

Braeburn tossed around in his bed, unable to sleep. He reached out and grabbed his loyal dog Winona, pulling her close to him. He stroked her fur, feeling the warmth and comfort she provided. He knew Winona couldn't help him do his parents' bidding, but in that moment, she was the only thing that made him feel safe.

Rarity opened her drawer and took out her Chemistry paper, in which she had received a B+. She traced her finger over the red pen marks and sighed. She had gotten the marks through her own efforts, and for the first time, didn't cheat to get her way. And now, as she faced the prospect of going back to her roots, she started having double thoughts about it all.

Twilight was in the kitchen, mixing the batter to make a cookie to break the love spell she had cast on Flash. She poured in the ingredients with mechanical precision, her mind focused on the task at hand. But as she stirred, memories of Flash flooded her mind, memories of their time together, of their laughter and shared moments. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. This wasn't the time for nostalgia, she had a mission to complete.

A million thoughts in my head.
Should I let my heart keep listenin’?

I know it’s time to say good-bye.
So hard to... let go!

She cried as she uttered the last few words and her tear fell into the batter. She sniffed and closed the spell book. Twilight knew that she had to do what was instructed by her parents, as that's where her roots lie. She couldn't let her feelings for Flash cloud her judgment and distract her from her mission to prove her worth once and for all to her mother. That she indeed was, rotten to the core.

Author's Note:

Hi Everypony!

I’m back with a new chapter! My exams are finally over. But I had written this chapter just before my Maths exam! Just waiting to publish it took a lot of effort! Anyways, hope you like it!

---Crystal Aura

Comments

[sunsetsjournal]

Okay, first Trender needs to be condemned. Second I am happy to see Twilight and Flash together. If I am to be honest, I did not see this coming at the beginning of the story, but romance is all well and good. I just hope that the main characters will make the right decision in their hearts. Finally, congratulations for the call scene, you’ve pictured just how good parents can be at making you feel embarrassed perfecty.

PS: don’t worry about your exams too much, stress can be hurtful. Just remember that we are all here to support you.

[Crystal Aura]

9319817
Sorry for replying very late! Guess I forgot that you had left a comment (how stupid of me...). The call scene is funny, I know. And I guess no story is complete without a tad bit of romance for taste... xxxx

[Crystal Aura]

9878889
Hehe

[GRYFFINDOR123456]

good chapter!

[GRYFFINDOR123456]

931981
I agree. Don’t worry, everyone has exams. At some point. Just study hard, relax and you’ll get through them.