[4] Phoenix | Descendants 3

THIRTEEN: Displays of Unity

Going their separate ways, the boys took their own path into the forest to search for Ben, whereas the girls were heading to the museum to get the wand. Mal, Evie, Helena, Uma and Celia neared the Museum of Cultural History, they slowed when they saw something strange on the building's steps. Evie stepped forward, approaching the stone statue that most certainly wasn't supposed to be there.

Evie's eyes widened as she realized what, more like who, it was on the museum's steps.  "Guys, it's Fairy Godmother," she announced, much to the shock of the others. "Audrey turned her to stone."

"That's the lady who helped Old Cindy get to the ball?" questioned Celia, she and the other running up to join Evie and inspected the good fairy.   

"And the woman that Audrey's known for most of her life," Evie said bitterly. "After everything Fairy Godmother's done for her, this is what she does to her?"

"This is what the scepter is doing to her," Helena clarified. "Come on, we better hurry."

The girls moved up the museum's steps to the front doors, where they peeked through the glass to look inside. The monitors that were hung up on the walls were off due to there being no power in Auradon. The security guard that was supposed to be watching these monitors was asleep, curled up on the pedestal that Maleficent's spinning wheel was displayed on. It was such a familiar sight that it made Mal, Evie and Helena smile.

"Wait a minute," Uma said suddenly, everyone turning to look at her. "That's your mother's spinning wheel?"

The daughter of Maleficent groaned, "What's so wrong with my mom's spinning wheel?"

"It looks lame," Celia said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

"It's magic, it doesn't have to look scary."

"Well, at least my dad had his Friends on the Other Side to make him look scary," muttered Celia, Evie shushing the younger girl. 

Mal grabbed the door handles and recited a spell. "Make it easy, make it quick. Open up without a kick."

The doors to the museum opened up on its own, and the group walked inside. Inside the museum were some of Auradon's most famous and historical treasures. But the moment they walked inside, the VKs knew that there was something wrong.

The various items that were on display at the museum were ruined. Hercules' Gold Medal was vandalized. Beast's Enchanted Rose had all of the petals torn off. King Triton's Trident laid on the floor broken in two. 

"What happened in here?" asked Evie. 

Uma stared at the trident, bending down to pick up both halves in her hands. "And to think of the stuff my mom did to get her hands on this." 

"Not that one per say, but the real one," clarified Helena. 

"Real one?" repeated Uma. "You mean to tell me all the stuff in here is fake?"

Mal nodded, "When the museum was originally getting up and running, the curators reached out to the royals, nobles and all the people from those famed stories for their stuff. Most refused to hand over their real items and instead allowed for the museum to make identical copies of the magical items to be put on display." At Uma's raised eyebrow, the future queen went on to explain. "They made the five of us take a class about this just in case any more incidents happened."  

"Most of the stuff belonging to the villains are real though, but not everything," added Evie. "It's not like they'll actually put my mom's poison apples in here for guests to get their hands on."

Helena gestured to the broken display cases. "But it definitely isn't supposed to be broken or on the floor like that."

"Do you think Audrey got here before us?"