Chapter 18
A/N: Okay, you all know the drill. I own nothing. Nada, zip. If I did own anything, I would be extremely wealthy right now.
So I'm sure you may have guessed but this is the last chapter *ducks incoming projectiles* let me finish! It's the last chapter of this story. I have more planned to build up the relationships developed in this story. Why not just do all three movies in one story, you may ask? Because I am a masochist who likes to give myself more work than needed. Plus my brain doesn't know when to shut up sometimes.
Now, I know I've been off for a while, and I am sorry about that! Unfortunately, someone had the brilliant idea that I needed to age a year so I celebrated my birthday with my parents last week. We went on vacation and had a blast! Regrettably, that meant I didn't have my laptop with me and while I did have a couple of notebooks, one was reserved for plotting out a novel attempt for November and by the time we got back to the hotel room, we were pretty much pooped. I mean, we were walking around 7000 steps a day. We're used to about maybe 2000 in a day where I live so our legs were jello by the end of the day.
So I'm just going to throw this out there-I don't hate Audrey as much as I used to, hence the scene in this chapter. She's a young girl under a lot of pressure to be perfect from her grandmother of all people. That's kinda messed up if you ask me. I get that Leah missed out on Aurora's childhood but Audrey's her own person and shouldn't be pressured into something she doesn't want to be...and I'm talking about a fictional character again.
That being said...I will forever hate Chad and I am looking forward to writing scenes where he gets chewed out for telling Mulan's daughter she can't be on the team.
So I got a lot of questions about who I think the other parents are for the Isle kids. I tried to run it by my roommate but a: she's not a Descendants fan and b: the minute I told her Dopey had a kid, she ran out of the room screaming. I actually haven't given it much thought and I love all the ideas that have been thrown out there. There were a couple reviews who suggested Daniel as Evie's dad and (thought it's not Regina/Robin as my shipper heart requires), I do love that idea and will now steal it if that reviewer doesn't mind!
61394: I honestly don't know as I'm not a twin. However, most media does show that the older twin holds it over the younger twin. Any twins out there who can verify? I'm also an only child so I hope I'm doing the older/younger sibling relationship justice. Again, mostly based off media.
SailorMartin3: Yeah, "Be Our Guest" in Descendants also makes me cringe. While I love the hiphop in Hamilton (yes I am a theater nerd, thank you very much), I just couldn't handle that when I first saw it. It grew on me slowly...only because when I worked at Disney, I was stationed in the childcare room one night and couldn't figure out how to turn off the DVD player that was playing Descendants. So it went on a loop.
Star-The-Writer: Gods I love your comments!
nitewolf423: If you've seen Descendants3, you might change your tune!
danifan3000: I think the reason everyone blames Maleficent is based off the original Sleeping Beauty. Remember, Audrey mentions a 100 year nap, which wasn't specified in the animated or live action movies.
Arbiter8991: I regretted it as soon as I got about five chapters in and had maybe ten characters constantly commenting. Hence the constant requests for characters.
Shirani Atsune: So the Mal from Agrabah line was a borrowed line from CinemaSins. For those who might not know, they're a Youtube channel that sins movies. A lot of movies. One of their common sins is saying "In case you mistook it for blank, blank" if a title card has a really obvious city and country, like Paris France or London, England...or New York City, USA. The animals appear as people-because I really think talking animals would freak people out.
EAH: You have an excellent point-and don't forget that Audrey celebrates Fairy Godmother's Day, so they're obviously still a huge part of her life.
Swan Lake: So I'm not going to be able to bring in Odette and Derek. I want to, but I can't. Anastasia was made by 20th Century Fox, which was recently purchased by Disney. Hence Dmitri's addition. Swan Lake was made by Blue Nest Cinemas I believe and is still cranking out movies so Disney hasn't gotten them yet. They might but for right now, no dice.
Disney Afternoon: How dare you appeal to my childhood like that?! You get all the cookies and ice cream! lol, seriously though, I loved TaleSpin as a kid and while I didn't get a chance to add him here, I might be able to bring him into the next story.
MagicWarriorDragon: I think you'll like some of the characters in this chapter!
Guest: Yep! Virgil is definitely a reference to Thomas' Sanders anxiety. Also a sign that I watch way too much Youtube.
Guest: So Zephyr is Esmeralda's and Phoebus' son from the second Hunchback of Notre Dame. Quasimodo's is not in here only because I could not come up with a kid name that started with Q. Next story, definitely a possibility!
Technobable1: Yeah, the next 'Watching the Film" story will have the cast significantly windowed down. But I'm so glad that you like it!
Guest: A Harry Potter/Descendants crossover? You're giving me ideas! Thankfully I have about 50,000 notebooks all over the place! (Literally I do, every time I go out I buy a new notebook).
So, I'm going to cut this off as the actual chapter is fairly long and I don't want you guys to have too much work to get the stuff you actually want to read! Sorry for the length but since it's the last chapter, I thought I'd go all out!
Let me know what you think! It has been a pleasure writing for you guys! I can't believe how well this story was received-we're almost at 1k reviews!
Mal couldn't believe it. Her half-brother, her little Beastie, was there in Auradon. He was also choking off her air supply with his hug.
"Hadie, what are you doing here?" Mal asked as best she could, looking down at her little brother.
"Mom came over to prepare for her visit," Hadie told her and released her from his hug. "The portal was open and I saw Celia show those two how to use it to get off the Isle."
Mal sighed and shook her head. Of course Hadie would be tempted by the portal, any child would have been. "Hadie, your dad's going to be seriously angry that you're missing."
"Dad won't care," Hadie shrugged. "Besides, I'm with you Mally! Nothing bad could happen!"
Mal couldn't help but chuckle and ruffle Hadie's hair, causing a squawk of annoyance from the younger boy. "Kid, I've been around a time or two. Gods really don't like it when their kid goes missing."
"Mally! Leave my hair alone!" Hadie cried out and Mal shook her head in amusement. Sure they had their rough spots when they were younger, especially when Persephone was over and Hadie got both his parents while Mal had to contend with just Maleficent. It wasn't until Mal turned thirteen that she was able to stop blaming Hadie for something that he wasn't responsible for and that he couldn't control. Ever since then, they'd been thick as thieves on the Isle.
Sure, she still hated Hades for abandoning her as a baby but that wasn't Hadie's fault.
Hadie's silence broke Mal from her thoughts and she saw that the younger boy was looking down at the ground.
"Hey, what's up?" Mal asked, concerned for her brother. He was hardly ever silent.
"You left," Hadie said and it was clear that he was trying hard not to cry. "Everyone leaves but you always said you wouldn't."
Mal sighed and knelt down to his level. "I know I left,ἀδελφεός, but my mother didn't exactly give me a choice. She let me know about my invitation to Auradon Prep the same day the limo came. Had I more time, I could have found a way to hide and stay on the Isle."
"Really?" Hadie asked, his eyes lighting up at Mal's use of greek. Persephone never hid away in Hades' lair and always tried to help the children of the Isle the best she could. The Isle was a completely urban area so there wasn't much the Goddess of Vegetation could do so instead she tried to make sure each child learned something new that they wouldn't have otherwise.
"Really," Mal chuckled and looked over her shoulder at the rest of the room. It was clear that they were trying to not freak out openly at another child escaping the Isle.
"Hey Hadie," Evie gave the smaller boy a great big smile, trying to ease the tension in the room, and drawing Mal's attention back to the younger boy.
"Hi Evie!" Hadie exclaimed, returning the smile. Out of the corner of her eye, Mal saw Hercules move to walk over to their area. Mal had an idea of why Hercules was coming their way but she also hoped that he hadn't caught her use of Greek. If anyone knew what that word meant, it was Hercules, his wife, or his kids. Well, and Hadie but that went without saying.
"Hey Evie, why don't you take Hadie and introduce him to Dizzy?" Mal suggested. "I don't know if they've ever met on the Isle."
"But—"
"You can come right back," Evie told him, knowing what the complaint would be. Hadie rolled his eyes but followed Evie. Once Hadie was sufficiently distracted, Mal stood up and blocked the path of the demi-god.
"Excuse me," Hercules said, giving Mal a polite smile.
"You're not going anywhere near him," Mal told him, not even caring if she was seen as too blunt. "Not now, not ever."
"I'm not sure I follow."
"You and I both know who that boy's father is," Mal said, her eyes flashing green in her irritation. "I also know that the adults of Auradon have no qualms about airing their grievances onto the kids of their respective villains. I might be able to be chewed out for my mother's crimes but I'm sixteen. Hadie's ten."
"I would never!"
"Yeah, I'm sure they all said that about Queen Leah over there too," Mal scoffed, the green glow disappearing. Hercules sighed but had to admit that based on what they had seen, Mal had a point.
"I will respect your boundaries, Mal, but will you please let Hadie know that I would like to talk with him at some point? I would like to get to know my cousin/nephew."
"Wait, how can he be your cousin and your nephew?" Mal asked, slightly confused.
"You don't want to know," Hercules told her and walked back to his family.
No I kind of do, Mal thought with a frown. If Hadie was Hercules' cousin but also his nephew, did that make Hadie her brother and nephew? The Gods were confusing, and it was Zeus' fault too!
"Shall we resume?" The Blue Fairy asked and Hadie walked back over to Mal.
"Was that Wonder Breath?" Hadie asked, causing Mal to smirk in amusement.
"Sure was," Mal told him. "Now hush!"
Hadie chuckled and sat next to Mal, causing everyone on Mal's right side to scoot over one. It also allowed for people to switch spots if they chose. Paige took the opportunity to sit next to her twin while Lucy scurried to grab a spot behind Kitty and Dizzy.
"Ready?" The Blue Fairy asked once more.
"We're ready, Blue Fairy," Ben nodded. He was curious about the young boy who could get a reaction like that from Mal but thought that this might be the wrong time to address it with her.
The screen opened up on a shot of the chapel where Ben's coronation would take place. It's later revealed to be a television screen where the parents of the Isle kids watching and eating pop corn.
"Where'd they get that?" Dizzy asked, looking amazed.
"Some princess must have thrown out a bag during a purge of the pantry," Mal said, rolling her eyes.
"At last, here we are, broadcasting live from the coronation where Prince Benjamin will soon be crowned king! I'm Snow White, bringing you up to the second coverage of who's the fairest of them all," Snow White said.
"I get to cover the coronation?" Snow gasped. This was a big break for her career; despite being a princess herself, no one ever took her seriously thanks to that apple.
"Congrats, mom," Emma gave her mother a big smile.
"I'm sure you'll be great!" Neal told her.
"I'm Snow White," the Evil Queen mocked. "Who are you kidding? She's definitely had work done."
Snow couldn't help but frown as she heard her step mother's comments. Despite all the years away from her, it still hurt.
"You look beautiful," Ferdinand whispered and kissed his wife's hand, having noticed the frown.
The Evil Queen threw popcorn at the TV as the other villains stared at her.
The scene cuts to the inside of the chapel where the royals of Auradon were milling about. Audrey could be seen showing off her dress as Chad looks at her in adoration, while Jane moves through the crowd just as timid as she was the day she first met Mal and the others. Fairy Godmother walked up to the bell jar.
"Really mother?" Aurora sighed. "An almost carbon cut out of my dress from when I was sixteen?"
"What?" Leah asked. "It's the style Audrey looks best in."
"Because you refuse to let her wear anything else," Aurora told her. "If I buy Audrey a dress in any other style or color, it mysteriously goes missing the next day."
"Oh Fairy Godmother is looking radiant," Snow White said as it cuts back to the television. "But what is happening with Jane's hair? And there's Fairy Godmother's wand!"
"I'm so sorry Jane," Snow said, turning to the younger girl. "I should have never made that comment."
Jane waved it off though, she figured that there would be comments like that just as there were comments before Mal changed her hair.
Fairy Godmother uncovered the bell jar with the wand underneath it.
"I want that wand!" Maleficent exclaimed, getting closer to the television.
"Do you? Hadn't heard," Cruella quipped. Maleficent turned to glare at her.
Carlos couldn't help but snort in amusement. Despite his mother being a fur obsessed lunatic, that was still a good line.
"Oh and here comes Ben now!" Snow White's voice from the television brought Maleficent's attention to the coronation. The scene cuts to Ben and Mal riding toward the chapel, Mal holding a blue box and looking nervous while Ben seemed more relaxed. Ben looked over at Mal, who had her head down, and grabbed her hand while offering her a smile.
"Mal!" Evie gasped. "You look gorgeous!"
"I don't know why you're surprised," Mal chuckled. "It's probably a dress you made."
"Mal, you look like a princess!" Dizzy grinned.
"Yeah, all hail her royal purpleness!" Hadie yelled and Mal nudged his shoulder.
"Don't be nervous," Ben said. "All you have to do is sit there and look beautiful. No problem there."
Many of the girls sighed, longing for a guy to say that to them.
"Thank you," Mal told him but looked back toward the box.
"Mal? Would you wear my ring?" Ben asked, never letting go of Mal's hand.
Audrey stared at the screen in shock. Ben had never asked her to wear his ring—though Audrey had always assumed it was because of how active she was. That ring was a family heirloom of Ben's and the last thing she wanted was for it to fly off in cheer practice.
He's spelled, that's all it is, Audrey thought but in her heart she knew that her head was wrong. There was truly something there if Ben was offering his grandfather's ring.
She just hoped Mal wouldn't do anything to hurt her oldest friend.
Mal, shocked, lets go of Ben's hand and holds it close to her. "Um…not now. I think it would probably just fall right off of me."
"Why not just spell it to stay on?" Hadie asked.
"My mother's spell book is better suited for evil," Mal told him.
"Right, the same spell book that makes cookies and fixes people's hair," Kristoff quipped, having overheard Mal's comment.
"Wait, what did we miss?" Nancy asked, turning to Giselle who quickly brought her friend and ex-fiance up to speed.
The two sat in silence for a few seconds before Mal spoke up.
"I have something for you," Mal told him.
"For me?" Ben asked, looking surprised and delighted at the same time.
"Don't look so surprised, Ben," Lonnie chuckled.
"Yeah," Mal said, giving him the blue box. "It's just for later, you know, when you need strength. Some carbs to keep up your energy."
"Seriously? How are sweets evil?" Kristoff asked. "And why would there be an Anti-Love potion in the spell book anyway?"
"Always thinking," Ben told her as he looked back at the box, causing Mal to laugh. "But I can't wait," Ben said and took the brownie out of the box and took a bite.
"No!" Mal exclaimed.
"I don't think Mal wanted that to happen," Kitty shook her head. "Seriously Ben, what is with you eating food Mal doesn't want you to eat?"
"Mm! This is really good," Ben told her.
"Really?" Mal asked, turning toward Ben.
"Make it for me and I'll tell you," Ben teased and Mal flushed as she remembered that this scene hadn't happened yet.
"Uh, do you—"
"Mal?"
"Do you feel okay?" Mal asked.
"Why wouldn't he?" Hadie asked. "I mean, he ate a brownie. It's not like when I was seven and you knocked that beehive down and it landed right on your—"
Mal quickly placed a hand over the younger boy's mouth but it wasn't there for long as Hadie licked Mal's palm to remove the offending limb.
"Aww!" Hadie pouted as Mal didn't squeal in disgust.
"You can take the girl out of the Isle but you can't take the Isle out of the girl," Mal told him.
"You can tell us the rest of the story later," Carlos whispered to Hadie. He didn't know why Mal seemed to have a close bond with the younger boy, but any embarrassing stories were always welcomed.
"I heard that!"
"You bet," Ben said, giving her a small smile.
"Would you say that you're still in—that you have very strong feelings for me?" Mal asked, stuttering over the question as Ben licked the rest of the brownie off his fingers.
Melody and Grace leaned forward, eager to know the answer.
"Of course he is!" Roman exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "It's just like all the stories, where true love conquers all!"
"Roman," Rosetta warned her son. While not biologically hers, Rosetta still loved the young boy with all her heart.
"Ugh, feelings," Logan Linguini groaned, straightening his glasses.
"Logan," his father gave him a look and shook his head.
"I'm not sure," Ben told her as he set the box down on the carriage floor. "I mean, let's give the anti-love potion a few minutes to take effect. Yeah."
"YOU KNEW!" Everyone exclaimed.
"Well, know," Ben corrected them. "But yes, I knew. I've known since Mal and my first date."
"At the Enchanted Lake!" Jane shouted.
"Meaning you're not spelled right now," Audrey said faintly. "You love her."
Ben looked over at Audrey, who had silent tears streaming down her face as she realized that Ben would never be her's again. But she still smiled as she realized her best friend would be happy.
Aurora looked over at her daughter and saw the same tears streaming down her face. There was nothing Aurora wanted more than to comfort her daughter but she didn't want to embarrass Audrey in front of her peers.
"Okay," Mal said faintly before the realization hit her. "What?"
Ben laughed at her reaction.
"Oh that's nice," Emir shook his head. "You shock your girlfriend and then you laugh at her reaction?"
"What? You knew?" Mal exclaimed.
"That you spelled me? Yeah, yeah I knew," Ben told her.
"I'm—I can explain myself," Mal told him, stumbling over her words.
"No, look, it's fine," Ben told her, still amused by everything. "I mean, you had a crush on me, I was with Audrey. You didn't trust that it could happen on its own. Am I right?"
"You couldn't be further from the truth," Patton chuckled, pushing his glasses back up as they slid down his nose.
"Yes," Mal told him, laughing in relief at the lack of an explosion. "You're so right."
Her amusement and relief faded as she looked back at Ben. "So, then, how long have you known?"
"Since our first date," he told her. "Your spell washed away in the Enchanted Lake."
"Wait," Carlos spoke up. "Why isn't Mal surprised?"
The five Isle kids looked at Mal, who shrugged.
"Secret secrets are no fun! Tell me now or else we're done!" Hadie exclaimed, glaring at his sister.
"Evie already tried that, Hadie," Mal chuckled. "Didn't work then, won't work now."
"The last break! Ben told you!" Evie shouted.
"So then what? You've just been faking it since then?" Mal asked.
"I haven't been faking anything," Ben told her as he slid his ring onto her finger and kissed the back of her hand before looking back up at her and giving her a smile. Mal smiled back, disbelief evident on her face. Their carriage reached the chapel and Ben helped her out of the carriage.
"Awww!" Elle sighed, wishing she could have a prince like Mal's.
Meanwhile, Mal and Ben shared a chuckle over the similarities in their dialogue to when Ben had told Mal in the previous break.
The scene zooms out onto the tv on the Isle.
"Well, if it isn't…"
"My daughter," Maleficent finished the Evil Queen's sentence, shocked. "Looking like some kind of—"
"Is she shocked that I'm wearing a dress or that I'm going in with Ben?" Mal asked.
"Knowing your mother? Either or," Evie sighed.
"Princess!" The Snow White on the tv finished. "Now let's see who this beauty is wearing. Evie?"
"Evie!" Dizzy squealed.
"That's me!" Evie gasped. Mal shook her head at her best friend.
"Of course it's you! If anyone's going to force me into a dress, it'll be you and only you."
"Evie! That's my dau..Evie!" The Evil Queen exclaimed.
Evie blinked back the tears that had formed in the corner of her eyes. "Is she proud of me?"
"Someone named Evie designed her gown," Snow White finished.
"That's my daughter!" The Evil Queen exclaimed once more, astonished to hear her daughter's name as the designer.
"Oh wow, she sewed a dress," Maleficent shot back, getting up and standing next to the Evil Queen, who was almost next to the tv. "Meanwhile, my girl duped a prince and she's this close to grabbing the magic wand!"
Evie and Mal shared a smile at the sight of their mothers celebrating their achievements. Even though in her heart Mal knew she didn't want to go through with the plot, it was still nice to hear her mother be proud of her. Or at least as proud as she could be.
"Bitter, party of one. Bitter, party of one," the Evil Queen taunted.
"How is that bitter?" Penny asked.
"It's happening people!" Maleficent exclaimed, startling the villains. "It's happening! I say, gird your loins. Gird your loins! Villains, our revenge begins today!"
"So is it wrong to say I really don't want to think about Maleficent's loins?" Phillip Jr asked, causing everyone around him to chuckle.
Going back to the coronation, Mal and Ben approached the King and Queen hand in hand. As they reached the top of the stairs, Mal curtsied to them.
"About the other day, I just…"
"You're not the one who needs to apologize Mal," Aurora told the younger girl, giving her a kind smile before looking straight at Queen Leah. "You did nothing wrong."
"I told Ben this wasn't going to be easy," Adam/Beast told Mal, giving her an apologetic look.
"You also taught me that a king has to believe in himself. Even when it isn't easy," Ben reminded him.
"I did?" Adam/Beast asked.
"Every day since I was five, dad," Ben reminded him.
"I did?" Adam/Beast asked, causing Belle to whack him on the arm. "I…how very wise of me."
"Nice save," Eugene chuckled.
Belle grabbed Ben's hands, ignoring her husband. "Ben, we are very proud of you. You keep listening to your heart."
"Thanks, mom," Ben told her, giving his mom a big smile.
"You're going to make a fine king," Adam/Beast told his son. Adam/Beast took Belle's hand and walked off. Ben walked closer to Mal.
Ben couldn't help but shoot his parents a smile. Lately he'd been worried that he wasn't going to be much of a king considering how everyone was treating the four from the Isle. It was nice to hear otherwise.
"Wish me luck," Ben said as the man standing behind Mal cleared his throat. Mal held out her hand and the man took it, leading her off opposite the direction the King and Queen went. Ben walked into the chapel. Inside the chapel, a children's choir is singing while Jay, Evie and Carlos are seen with their fellow classmates in the balcony. All three of the Isle kids look nervous.
"So, question," Evie spoke up. "You stated that up front it's just you, your parents and your girlfriend. Why then were Audrey and Chad allowed up front and yet we apparently have to go to the balcony?"
"Audrey's Grandmother's plus one," Phillip Jr. spoke up before Ben had the chance to say anything. "I can't speak for Chad though."
Ben walks into the room as the King and Queen rose from their seats. As Ben continued to make his way into the hall, everyone bowed or curtsied as he passed. As he made his way to the center, Ben shot a small smile toward Mal.
"Could he be walking any slower?" Maggie gripped.
"He's probably nervous," Emma told her.
"Don't blow it, kiddo," Maleficent whispered as she watched on her television.
No one commented on that. They all knew that Maleficent's definition of 'blowing it' and theirs were two very different things.
Fairy Godmother walked toward the bell jar holding the wand and exchanged a greeting with Belle before bowing to Adam/Beast. He bowed back, allowing her to take off his crown. Ben knelt before the bell jar while Mal stared at the wand in apprehension.
"Is she going to grab it?" Hadie whispered to Dizzy, who shrugged in response.
Fairy Godmother lowered the crown onto Ben's head, causing the prince to smile to himself before looking up at his parents. His dad nodded his head, causing Ben's smile to grow as he looked head on. Mal continued to stare at the proceedings, her feelings evident on her face. Adam/Beast lifted the bell jar, revealing the wand.
"Woah!" Dizzy and Hadie gasped upon seeing the wand.
"Is that crown the right size?" Lucy whispered to Kitty, who shushed her sister.
Mal looked up at her friends in the balcony, and then back at the wand; she didn't know that her mother had gotten closer to the television in her excitement.
"Your mother has a problem," Jay told Mal.
"You think I don't know that?"
Belle handed the wand to Fairy Godmother, who made her way in front of Ben.
"Do you solely swear to govern the peoples of Auradon with justice and mercy as long as you shall reign?" Fairy Godmother asked Ben.
"That's a lot to ask a sixteen year old," Ariel frowned. She knew she was nervous when she became Eric's princess at sixteen. She couldn't imagine being queen at that age.
"Oh grab the thing already!" Maleficent exclaimed though her voice was near a whisper.
"Oh right and it's not like there aren't hundreds of people who could stop me," Mal scoffed. "Not to mention you're asking me to hold the most powerful magical item with barely any training in my own powers."
"I do solemnly swear," Ben told the Fairy Godmother.
Fairy Godmother tapped Ben's shoulders with her wand, a great big smile on her face. "Then it is my honor and my joy to bless our new king."
Everyone gasped as the wand was taken out of Fairy Godmother's hand. Meanwhile, back on the Isle, the villains were celebrating.
"I told you Ben!" Chad exclaimed. "Mal stole the wand! Right in front of you too!"
"You don't know that Chad," Audrey said softly and yet everyone was still able to hear her.
"What?!" Chad gasped. "Audrey? You're sticking up for her?!"
"I'm not sticking up for her," Audrey rolled her eyes. "However, all we saw was a hand. We're already grounded enough, Chad. Use the brain I know you have and think before you speak."
Everyone stared at her in shock. It was a good five minutes before anyone was able to say anything.
"Maybe we are related," Phillip Jr. whispered.
"Okay, she'd be an okay sister in law," Kitty muttered to Lucy, who nodded in return.
"Yes!" Maleficent exclaimed.
"Oh!" The Evil Queen gasped.
"Yes!"
"Why mother?" Mal sighed, shaking her head at her mother's antics.
Hands could be seen holding the wand as power surged, whoever was holding it was clearly not experienced with the magic the wand held. The energy from the wand made its way to the Isle, where a small hole was created in the barrier. On the Isle, the room the villains in shook due to the impact.
"Oh!" Maleficent exclaimed.
"The barrier is broken!" The Evil Queen announced. "We're free!"
"It's not broken," Carlos scoffed. "The wand did the same thing I accidentally did when I wanted to get better channels on the television."
"Wait," Adam/Beast turned to Carlos. "There's a small hole in the barrier?"
"Maybe?"
Maleficent opened the double doors to the balcony before holding out her hand. "Scepter! Now!"
The scepter moved to her hand instantly and Maleficent disappeared in a cloud of smoke, her cackle lingering on the wind.
"On second thought, Maleficent with her magic is probably the most terrifying thing in the world," Carlos said, not trying to think about what that would mean for Auradon.
Back at the coronation, the guests were still dodging the energy from the wand.
"Child, what are you doing?!" The Fairy Godmother exclaimed as it was revealed that Jane had stolen the wand, not Mal.
"JANE!" Lonnie exclaimed. "How could you—"
"I don't know!" Jane shouted. "I haven't done this yet!"
Tears streamed down her face, however, as she saw her future self struggling with the wand. If she was truly a powerful fairy like her mother, the wand would have accepted her.
"If you won't make me beautiful, I'll do it myself," Jane retorted, still struggling against the power of the wand. Ben ran and positioned himself in front of Mal, while Adam/Beast held his arm in front of Belle to keep her from going forward. "Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!"
"This is not going to end well," Alexi muttered, as his mother grabbed on to his sleeve. Both of his parents had bad memories of magic and so were very happy when Fairy Godmother had retired the wand.
"Take cover!" Adam/Beast shouted as Jane spun around, clearly unchanged. The energy from the wand continued to terrorize the guests and Mal ran up to Jane, trying to take the wand from her.
"Be careful Mal!" Morgan shouted.
"Don't get hit!" Violet told her, Valerie placing a hand on her little sister's shoulder to try to keep her calm.
"Careful, Mal!" Belle exclaimed as Mal and Jane struggled for the wand.
Mal looked over at Belle in shock, clearly not expecting to hear those words come from the Queen's mouth.
"I mean it," Belle told her, noticing the look of shock on her son's girlfriend's face. "Or will mean it…dealing with the future is complicated."
Mal ripped the wand from Jane's hand and the energy seemed to retreat back into the wand.
"Whoo!" Hadie cheered. He didn't know much about the wand but knew that his half-sister's powers from their father would have helped.
Meg looked over at Mal in shock. How could she have subdued the wand when Jane, the daughter of the Fairy Godmother, could not? They were both half Fairy after all.
Mal struggled to catch her breath while the other three Isle kids made their way from their spot in the balcony. Jane ran off as the other guests cowered in fear. Ben quickly moved from the side to stand between Mal and his parents.
"Really?" Mal raised her eyebrow at Ben. "Here's a thought—why wouldn't I just walk up the stairs and give it back to Fairy Godmother?"
"I can not defend nor explain the actions of my future self," Ben told her.
"Mal, give me the wand," Ben said calmly.
"Stand back!" Mal told him, her voice oddly calm as she kept both hands on the wand. The doors burst open as Carlos, Evie and Jay ran through.
"So we're going through with it," Evie sighed, looking sadly at Doug. He was going to go back to sit with his family, she knew it. To her surprise, she felt a hand on hers.
"I'm not going anywhere," Doug told her. "Even if this is what may happen, it doesn't mean it will."
"Doug's right," Emir said, causing the half dwarf to jump because he hadn't realized the prince had heard him. "Sides, after what you've told us, there's not much you could say to your parents to get you out of this mission."
"It's okay," Ben told her, reaching a hand out for the wand.
"Ben, I said stand back!" Mal repeated, an edge to her voice.
"What's with the edge?" Jay asked. "You were the one insisting on stealing the wand in the first place. Why not just take it and run?"
"Oh, maybe it's because it's probably taking everything I have to subdue the freaking thing in the first place?" Mal threw out there. "That is the most powerful item in existence and I'm half-Fairy. At some point, that magic will overpower me."
"No it won't!" Hadie chimed in, looking at Mal in confusion. "If anyone can keep that wand from going crazy, you can Mally!"
A few of the girls sitting near them aww'd at the statement.
"Thank you Hadie, but we have to be realistic," Mal told him. "That's Fairy Godmother's wand—"
"So?" Hadie asked, getting a little agitated that Mal was ignoring the obvious. For someone older than him, she sure was dumb. "You're half-God, remember?"
There was silence throughout the room. Everyone stared at Hadie and Mal in shock.
"Um, Mal?" Evie asked. "You want me to distract them so you can run or…"
Mal shook her head. "Thanks Hadie. I was hoping that would be revealed in a big room of people already judging us from being from the Isle."
"No problem," Hadie told her with a grin.
"There's only one God on the Isle," Meg said in a faint voice, as if figuring it out. "Is Hades your father?" She asked in a louder voice, gathering the attention of everyone.
Mal took a deep breath and simply nodded once. "Yes," she stated. "But my mother is not Hadie's mother," she elaborated but that was all she was going to say.
"I knew it," Meg smirked.
"How?" Mal asked, slightly shocked.
"I was around your father for a good portion of my life," Meg told her. "You share many traits, but it's the chin that really stood out."
"Um, are we not going to address the Cerberus in the room?" Chad piped up. "So not only is Mal the daughter of the Mistress of all Evil but she's also the daughter of the Lord of the Underworld?"
"So you can keep track of things that aren't about you," Kitty said, throwing a smirk her brother's way.
"Got a thing against half gods?" Hyllus asked, glaring at Chad. Chad, for once in his life, picked the wise move and did not answer. Queen Leah, on the other hand, did open her mouth.
"Mother, don't say a word," Aurora told her, shutting her mother down. "Mal has proven time and time again that she is not her mother and now we can say that she is not her parents. She can't control who she was born to any more than Audrey or Ben, or Chad, or myself."
Ben couldn't help but stare at Mal in shock. Not only was she the daughter of the most powerful magic user known to man, but she was also the daughter of one of the most powerful gods? It was a lot to take in.
"I told you so!" Audrey shouted from the audience and Mal turned toward her, causing the others to scream.
"Really Audrey?" Phillip Jr. groaned. "Was that really the best time for an 'I told you so'?"
Evie, Jay and Carlos ran up toward Mal, worried for their friend.
"Let's go," Carlos said.
"Revenge time," Jay told her, his teeth clenched.
"You kids really don't want to do this, do you?" Aladdin asked, looking over at Jay. Jay gave a shrug in return.
"I mean, it doesn't matter what we do or don't want to do," Jay told him. "Maleficent runs the Isle, she could make our lives a living hell if we refused or failed."
"That's if we had lives at all," Carlos muttered.
"You really want to do this?" Ben asked.
"We have no choice, Ben!" Mal exclaimed, exasperation evident in her voice. "Our parents—"
"Your parents made their choice," Ben told her. "Now you make yours."
He relaxed his posture and Mal stared at him, before looking up at Adam/Beast, Belle and Fairy Godmother; all waiting to hear Mal's answer.
"No pressure," Kit muttered, feeling sorry for the young girl. She obviously wanted to make her mother proud and yet felt conflicted based on how she felt for Ben. Kit couldn't help but think of himself back before he married Ella. True, his father wasn't the Mistress of all Evil but the pressure was still there.
"I think I want to be good," Mal said, her voice faint.
"You are good," Ben told her, his voice projecting loud so that all in the chapel could hear.
"How do you know that?" Mal asked.
"Because…" Ben said, taking a minute to think over his answer. "Because I'm listening to my heart."
"But your heart is just an organ," Logan pointed out. "It would be your brain that makes the best decisions and—"
"Logan, shut your ever flapping gob talker," Patton cut in, as he had been enjoying the scene and Logan's comments ruined the moment.
Mal paused, as if thinking over the words Ben had said. "I want to listen to my heart too," she said after a few minutes. She lowered the wand and turned to face her friends. "And my heart is telling me that we are not our parents."
"Try telling everyone else that," Kristoff muttered and looked over at his fellow Learning to be Royal members. They would have to bring Mal in at some point since it seemed as though Ben was truly smitten with her.
The other three stared at her but didn't react; Evie gave Mal a small smile.
"I mean, stealing things doesn't make you happy," Mal told Jay. "Tourney and victory pizza with the team makes you happy."
Jay smiled at the thought as a boy in the audience shouted in agreement.
"Emir, was that you?" Jasmine asked, chuckling at her son's antics.
"I don't know!"
"Doesn't pizza make everyone happy?" Jamie asked.
"Unless you put pineapple on it," Annabelle chimed in.
"You know where liars go, right?" Jaime turned to Annabelle. "Their rooms! March!"
"I would but I'm not a liar!"
"And you," Mal said, turning to Carlos. "Scratching Dude's belly makes you happy. Who would have thought?"
Rodger and Anita shared a smile at that, knowing Carlos would have a great time with all their Dalmatians.
Mal gave a small laugh at that before turning to Evie. "And Evie. You do not have to play dumb to get a guy. You are so smart."
"The smartest girl I know," Doug said, causing Evie to smile at him.
Both girls laughed as they blinked back tears and Mal sighed. "And I don't want to take over the world with evil. It doesn't make me happy. I want to go to school."
Everyone looked over at Mal in shock, obviously not expecting that answer.
"She's faking—"
"That is it mother!" Aurora exclaimed. "I've tried to be nice but you've gone too far with your constant rants and put downs toward Mal and the others. Audrey and Phillip will not be staying with you this summer. Not until I know you're not trying to foist your horrid views on them."
"I have every right to see my granddaughter," Leah shot back. "She's the future of this family."
"Do you even hear yourself?" Aurora asked. "I forbid you from seeing both your grandchildren and your main concern is not seeing Audrey?"
"Seeing how you favor Phillip, I should be concerned," Leah spat. "Audrey's just doing what she should be doing and you're taking away her phone and grounding her."
"And if Phillip was seen doing the same thing, I'd punish him the same way," Aurora said, standing up. She turned toward Audrey. "Audrey, love, it's your choice. You're old enough now to make your own decisions."
"Wait, are you making me choose, mother?" Audrey asked. "Between you and Grammy?"
"I told you, it's always the children who suffer," Leah sniffed but was shocked as Audrey launched from her seat and wrapped her arms around Aurora's waist, not caring for once about how others thought of her.
"I'll always choose you," Audrey whispered. "I'm so sorry, mother. Grammy had us the whole summer while you and dad were helping with that freak snow fall in Arendelle."
"Hush my flower," Aurora comforted her daughter, rubbing Audrey's back.
"I take it I'm still grounded?" Audrey asked when they separated and everyone around them chuckled.
"Yes," Aurora nodded. "But I think being away from your grandmother will be more of a punishment for her than it is you."
Audrey nodded and then turned to Mal. "I don't think we'll ever truly get along but if you truly are trying to do good, I can accept the fact you're dating Ben. Just know this, if you hurt my friend, I'll hurt you."
"How un-princessy of you, Audrey. Tell me, if you didn't know I was the God of Death's daughter, would you still be saying this?" Mal smirked. A tense few seconds passed before the two of them burst into laughter.
"The question still stands though," Mal said after the laughter cleared.
"I don't know what I'd do if I didn't know you were Hades' daughter at this moment," Audrey said.
"Good answer," Mal smirked. "Just remember Audrey, we're not the only ones who you put through hell."
Audrey nodded and sat next to her brother.
The crowd gasped as Mal said this and Fairy Godmother smiled from the back.
"And be with Ben," Mal continued, causing Ben to lift his head in shock. Mal turned to face Ben and held up her hand which still had his ring on. "Because Ben makes me really happy."
Ben beamed at that and wrapped his arm over Mal's shoulder. "You make me really happy too," he told her.
Ben smiled at her, as did Adam/Beast and Belle.
"Us being friends makes me really happy," Mal said, turning back to her friends. "Not destroying things. I choose good, you guys,"
Mal held her fist in the middle of her group of friends, who stood motionless. Fairy Godmother gasped and held a hand to her mouth while Belle looked up at her husband. Mal looked at her friends in apprehension before a fist joined hers.
Everyone held their breath, unsure as to which of the remaining Isle kids would join Mal.
"I choose good too," Jay told her, causing Mal to chuckle before looking over at Evie.
Aladdin couldn't help but give Jay a kind smile while Dizzy gave Evie a worried look.
"I choose good," Evie said, putting her fist in the middle.
"Mal's my best friend," Evie said. "Where she goes, I go."
"So, just to be clear," Carlos said, "we don't have to be worried about how really mad our parents will be?"
"They won't be able to get you," Anita promised. "In fact, I have a few words I'd like to say to my 'dear, devoted old school mate'."
"If it came to a fight between her and mom, I'd pick her," Carlos whispered to Jay.
"Same," Jay whispered back.
Mal threw her head back in laughter and the others looked amused as well.
"Because they're going to be really, really mad," Carlos added.
"Your parents can't reach you here," Ben told him, walking toward the group.
"Umm….you sure about that?" Dizzy asked. "Cause I'm pretty sure we all saw Maleficent leave the Isle."
Carlos shot him a small smile before saying "Okay then. Good." He put his fist in the middle as Mal looked back at her boyfriend and gestured for him to join them.
"Come on," Mal said. Belle leaned on Adam/Beast as they smiled at the kids while Ben made his way to stand next to Mal and put his fist in the middle as well. Everyone applauded as Mal rested her head on Ben's shoulder and smiled at Evie.
Everyone couldn't help but smile at the scene, and couldn't help but hope that would be it. These kids didn't need the troubles they were dealing with, they were kids!
An explosion prevented any further celebration as everyone gasped in fear and panic. A ball of green smoke entered the chapel and upon fading revealed Maleficent. Fairy Godmother stared at the sight in fear.
"I'm back!" Maleficent exclaimed.
"Oh no!" Mal groaned.
"That's your mom?" Hadie asked, causing everyone to look at him.
"How do you—?"
"Mom keeps me inside when she's around and you really think dad trusts Maleficent to not hurt me?"
"Good point," Mal conceded. "But they showed her earlier and I called her 'mother'."
"I didn't hear you."
"It can't be," Mal whispered as Ben stood in front of his mother to shield her from Maleficent's view. "Go away mother," Mal said, clearly done with her mother's antics.
"Nice," Emir grinned.
"No way it's that easy," Grace sighed.
"She's funny," Maleficent laughed before giving a little snort. "Oh! I'm so—you're very funny. Here. Wand me. Chop chop."
"Don't do it, Mal!" Dizzy shouted.
She pointed to the ground next to her and gestured for Mal to give her the wand.
"No!" Ben shouted. Mal threw the wand to Fairy Godmother, causing the audience to gasp.
Dizzy sighed in relief—this was it, Fairy Godmother would stop Maleficent and Mal and Evie and Carlos and Jay could be happy.
"Bibbid-bobbidi—"
"Boo," Maleficent interrupted before lifting her scepter and freezing all but the kids from the Isle and herself. "Psych."
"She can do that?" Audrey gasped, looking over at Mal as she realized just who Mal's mother truly was.
"The sleeping curse was light," Mal told her. She did want to mention the fact that her mother's curse originally called for Aurora's death but thought since the peace between herself and Audrey was so fragile, it was a bad idea.
She chuckled to herself once more before catching notice of Adam/Beast. "Ooh," she said as she walked over to him. "Ooh, in another time, in another time," she said, taking off Adam/Beast's glasses and holding them to her mouth.
Mal gagged at the thought of her mother and Adam/Beast together. "I'm sorry but that's wrong."
"That kinda goes up there with her loins," Phillip Jr. spoke up. "It goes on a list of things I don't want to ever think about!"
As she walked through the royals, Maleficent could be heard singing 'Evil Like Me' under her breath. "Ow!"
"How does she know that?" Zephyr asked, looking over to Mal for an answer.
"Because she's been singing that since I was six," Mal told the younger boy. "It was basically a lullaby for me at times."
"Better lullaby than what I got," Kovu muttered under his breath.
She snatched the Fairy Godmother's wand from her hand. "Oh, oh no. Someone needs to pluck their nose hairs," Maleficent said, gesturing with the wand to the offending items.
"Why I never!" Fairy Godmother gasped. "Using the wand in that way—"
"Mom?" Jane interrupted. "It's not going to happen this time. You don't need to worry about it."
"Oh yes," Fairy Godmother nodded.
"Where shall we begin? I know. Why don't we start by getting rid of this?"
Maleficent pointed the wand in Mal's direction and caused her hand to fly up, knocking Ben's ring off her hand and onto the wand.
"No!" Mal gasped, hoping she'd be allowed one thing of Ben's to remind her of him when the villains took over. But it was too much to expect her mother to allow her that small bit of happiness.
"Perfect fit!" Maleficent exclaimed. Mal gasped and looked at her now bare hand.
"Oh, excuse me. Pardon me, excuse me," Maleficent said, ducking under Fairy Godmother's outstretched hand. "The horns, the horns."
Mal put her hand down while Evie looked at her with sympathy in her eyes.
"Aw," Maleficent chuckled as she made her way toward Ben. "Falling in love is weak and ridiculous."
"Don't you touch him!" Audrey and Mal yelled at the same time. The former enemies looked over at each other and nodded. While they may never truly like one another, they knew that Maleficent having anything to do with Ben was much, much worse than anything they could think of.
She tilted Ben's crown to the side as she batted his head back and forth. "It's not what you want," Maleficent told Mal as she made her way toward her daughter.
"How does she know that?" Aurora asked. "Has she asked you, Mal?"
"Never came up," Mal shrugged.
Aurora shook her head. "Children are not our chance for a do over," she sighed.
"You don't know what I want!" Mal shouted. "Mom, have you ever once asked me what I want? I'm not you!"
"Oh, obviously," Maleficent told her.
If one looked closely, they would have seen Mal wince at that. The one thing she feared, that she would never be her mother, had come to pass.
Thankfully, Hadie did look closely and subtly grabbed his sister's hand.
"I've had years and years and years and years of practice being evil. You'll get there."
"No I won't," Mal said. "I don't want to. If I'm given the choice, I'll never want to. I've seen what it does to people and I never want to be sent back to the Isle."
"Same," Evie nodded, Carlos and Jay muttering their agreement in the background.
"No, I will not," Mal told her, an air of finality to her voice. "And I really wish that you had never gotten there yourself."
Maleficent's stare deepened as she realized that her daughter was not going to come willingly.
"Love is not weak or ridiculous," Mal told her mother. "It's actually really amazing."
"How would you know?" Chad scoffed. "You said earlier you didn't know what love felt like."
SPLAT
"LUCY CHARMING!" Cinderella exclaimed as Chad got another face full of pudding.
"I've wanted to do that ever since you did, sis," Lucy grinned and wrapped an arm around Kitty's shoulders.
"I know one thing, young lady. You have no room for love in your life," Maleficent declared, pointing the wand at Mal. Mal glared at her mother before reaching out her hand.
"I have more than enough room," Mal muttered looking down at Hadie before looking around at all her friends and boyfriend. "I just wish she had room for love in her life."
"Mal, what are you planning?" Evie asked, directing Mal's attention back to the screen and noticing the screen Mal's outstretched hand.
"And now I command, wand to my hand!" Mal recited and the wand glowed yellow, as if pixie dust had been dropped on it. Maleficent struggled against the wand but it quickly made its way to Mal's hand. She stared at the wand in shock as Carlos smiled at her success. "Ha! It worked!"
"It worked?" Mal gasped.
"You're Hades' daughter," Paige said. "Wouldn't his powers plus Maleficent's powers mean you were more powerful than Maleficent?"
"Oh that's cute kid," Mal chuckled. "No one is more powerful than my mother. Well with the exception of the Blue Fairy."
"I hardly think so," Maleficent said as she turned around to face the royals. "Frankly, this is tedious and very immature. Give me the wand. Give me the wand!" Maleficent shouted, turning back to her daughter and the others.
"She says we're acting immature but then she throws a tantrum?" Carlos asked.
"Hey, it's better than bursting into song," Jay pointed out.
"Hold on, Mal," Carlos said, and Maleficent looked over at him in surprise. "Maybe good really is more powerful than evil."
Maleficent burst out laughing at the very notion. "Oh please! You're killing me!" She then proceeded to bark at Carlos as if to get him to cower in fear. All it did was cause Dude to jump up and land in Maleficent's arms.
"GO DUDE!" Several of the younger students cheered on the dog, causing the dog that was in the room to bark.
"Oh! Oh, the breath! The breath! Get off me!" Maleficent shouted as she gently threw Dude to the ground. Jay took the moment of Maleficent's distraction to grab the scepter but found that he could not move it. Maleficent smirked and closed the distance between herself and Jay.
"Jay, it wouldn't have worked for two reasons," Mal sighed.
"What do you mean?" Jay asked. "I always get anything I steal."
"Mother always said that there were only two ways someone could lift the scepter," Mal explained. "One, they had to be related to her by blood—so me or any siblings I had by her, or two, they wanted it for the purpose of being evil. I doubt you wanted it for evil and unless Jafar and mother have been keeping a secret from us for a very long time, we're not related."
"Gaston should be jealous," she said, feeling Jay's bicep before flicking him to the ground. Maleficent cackled in victory before shouting "Enough!"
"The only way Gaston would be jealous would be if I was involved, I would assume," Belle sighed. "Is he a father?" She asked, turning to the Isle kids.
"Yep," Mal nodded. "Three sons—Gaston Jr, Gaston Jr, and Gil."
"He named two of his sons after himself?" Belle asked.
"They're twins."
Mal and the others gathered around Jay as Maleficent spun around. "You all will regret this!" Maleficent declared. The same green smoke as before filled the room and as it faded, a giant dragon stood where Maleficent once was.
"Oh my gods," Phillip exclaimed, clutching his son close to him, Audrey being too far away to bring into his arms as well. It was one thing seeing that monster in his dreams, it was another to have it be in the same room as his son and daughter, unable to defend themselves.
Mal gasped upon seeing her mother in that form. The dragon sent a burst of fire toward Jay who barely made it out of the way. He ran to the side but was followed by the dragon.
"RUN JAY!" Several people exclaimed.
"Come on. Run, Jay, run!" Carlos shouted as the dragon roared. Jay scrambled to his feet and ran back to the crowd, trying to run away from the dragon. However Maleficent blocked his escape at every turn.
"This can not be good," Emma gulped.
"Hurry, Jay! Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Mal shouted as the dragon flew higher before diving down, its mouth open and fangs ready to devour the son of Jafar.
"No!" Lonnie exclaimed.
"Jay, come on! Please, Jay! Jay!" Mal continued to shout as Jay ran as fast as he could. For a second, it looked as though the dragon was going to grab him.
"Magic mirror, show your bright light!" Evie commanded, blinding the dragon with a light from her mirror; allowing Jay a moment to roll to safety. The dragon, blinded, crashed to the ground.
"That didn't rhyme," Moira pointed out.
"Not the time love," Merida told her daughter.
"That was some quick thinking," Snow told Evie, giving her a relieved smile.
"Behind me, E!" Mal told her friend before facing her mother. "Leave my friends alone!"
The dragon roared but Mal did not move. "This is between you and me, mother."
"It shouldn't have to be," the Blue Fairy sighed as she saw the young half-Fairy square up against her mother. "I should have been there and I am terribly sorry that I wasn't."
"In all due respect, this hasn't happened yet," Mal told her.
Maleficent's eyes glowed green, as did Mal's just like they did before. The only difference being was that Mal began to chant.
"The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before four hearts as one," Mal recited as her friends crept up to stand behind her. "The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before hearts as one. The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before hearts as one!"
"Come on Mal!" Evie pleaded.
"You got this," Ben told Mal, grabbing her remaining hand as the other one was still being held by Hadie.
Mother and daughter locked eyes, each pair of glowing green refusing to blink. Suddenly the dragon screeched and the cloud of green smoke returned and engulfed the dragon in it. Mal gasped and looked at Evie in shock. As Mal looked back, the Fairy Godmother unfroze.
"What just happened?" Mal asked.
"More importantly could Fairy Godmother do that the whole time?" Evie responded, referring to the unfreezing.
"Oh!" Fairy Godmother exclaimed. The four rushed to the center of the room, where there was still a small patch of green smoke.
"What just happened?"
"I have no idea."
"Did you do it?"
"I don't know."
"No, no, no, no," Fairy Godmother told them, rushing toward them. "Your mother did. She shrank to the size of the love in her heart. That's why it's so itty-bitty."
Mal stared at the screen in shock—she had actually done it. She'd beaten her mother in a stare down. Words could not describe the amount of pride she felt toward that accomplishment. It was a shame, though that it would never happen.
"Is she going to be like that forever?" Mal asked, kneeling down toward the lizard that was now her mother.
"Well, forever is a long time," Fairy Godmother told her, kneeling down next to her. "You learned to love. So can she."
"If my mother was going to learn to love, she would have done it long before turning into a lizard," Mal said. "If anything, me turning her into a lizard would just eliminate any love she had toward me."
Mal gave Fairy Godmother a small smile before returning the wand. "I believe this belongs to you."
Fairy Godmother took the wand before reaching down, causing the lizard-Maleficent to scurry away. "And I believe this," she said, picking up Ben's ring, "belongs to you."
"You bet it does," Ben whispered, giving Mal a peck on the cheek.
Mal slid the ring back on her hand as she and the Fairy Godmother stood up. "You all have earned yourselves an 'A' in Goodness class," Fairy Godmother told them, causing the four of them to laugh. The Fairy Godmother turned around and waved her wand over the room. "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!"
Ben unfroze with a roar, as did his father. Ben, though, continued to run before being stopped by Mal.
"So, what exactly did you think you'd be able to do against my mother?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow and turning to Ben.
"Honestly, I don't know," Ben chuckled at the actions of his future self.
"Okay, okay!" Mal told him. "Oh! We kind of got this all wrapped up here."
Belle straightened the glasses Maleficent had titled on Adam/Beast, before walking off with her husband. Ben grabbed Mal and spun her around, hugging her in celebration.
"I dunno, I kind of like them tilted like that," Belle whispered to Adam/Beast.
"Next time, I rescue you, okay?" Ben suggested.
"How about there's not a next time?!" Someone shouted, with numerous murmurs of agreement.
"Yeah, let's not there be a next time, okay?" Mal told him before giving him a hug and tilting his crown so that it was at an angle. Something in the corner caught Mal's eye as she told Ben "I will be right back."
"I love you," Fairy Godmother told Jane. "But you are on a major time out."
"I think 'time out' might be a bit of an understatement," Poppy muttered. The younger girl did cause the hole in the barrier allowing Maleficent to escape and become a fire breathing dragon.
"Don't be too hard on Jane," Mal said, resting a hand on Fairy Godmother's shoulder. "I was the one who put all that crazy stuff in her head."
Mal reached out and grabbed Jane's hand. "You are beautiful inside and out. Your mom got that right."
"Thanks Mal," Jane gave the purple haired girl a smile.
"I guess I did get pretty lucky in the mother department," Jane said.
"Yeah, I guess so," Mal agreed. Fairy Godmother led Jane off to the side as Audrey walked up to Mal.
Aurora tensed, not knowing what would happen. While her daughter was clearly different than what was being presented on the screen, she didn't know how screen-Audrey would react.
Mal curtseyed to Audrey, who curtseyed in response with a smile causing both girls to laugh.
Aurora let out a sigh in relief, and then paused as she had noticed something odd on the screen.
"Is that my mother, smiling at Audrey being polite to an Isle kid?" Aurora faked a gasp, causing the Isle kids to burst out laughing and even Audrey gave a small chuckle at her mother's antics.
"Honestly," Leah sighed.
An attendant with the bell jar lid caught Mal's eye as she exclaimed "Hey!"
The lizard-Maleficent made a noise that sounded like 'help' as Mal made her way to her. "Careful, that's my mom!"
"You know what, that's a good idea," Evie nodded.
"Yeah, let's not piss off Maleficent more than we already have," Jay agreed.
Everyone around her started to laugh as the attendant bowed and walked off. Mal joined her friends in the little huddle they were in.
"Let's get this party started!" Jay cheered.
"Would we really still be in a mood to celebrate?" Melody asked. "I mean, no offense Mal, but giant dragon kinda kills any party vibes."
"Ohayohay, hey!" The five of them cheered and threw their hands up into the air. Back on the Isle, Jafar, the Evil Queen and Cruella walked out to the balcony and saw the fireworks go off in Auradon. Back at the castle, all the kids are celebrating their new king.
"And they didn't try to escape?!" Chad exclaimed.
"For once the idiot has a point," Mal sighed, looking at Jay and Evie. "Both your parents have experience with magic. Why didn't they pull the same stunt my mom did?"
"Didn't want to leave Cruella alone?" Evie suggested.
"Didn't trust the others on the Isle not to rob the shop?" Jay threw out there.
Mal and Evie:
Oh, oh yeah!
Let's set it off
Oh yeah
You can make it happen
"Ooh! I love your dresses!" Dizzy squealed.
"I'm pretty sure people on the Isle heard that," Hadie winced, rubbing his ear. "Also, when did you guys get changed?"
"It's probably just some modifications of our coronation dresses," Evie told him. "More importantly, that can't be the best way to carry the king into a party, can it?"
Jay, Ben, Carlos:
Ohayohay, hey!
Ben:
Kings and queens
It's our time to rise
Write the book
The story of our lives
This is us
Taking back the night
Lucy and Kitty burst out laughing at Chad's reaction to Ben ruffling his hair.
"I think Chad loves his hair more than he loves Audrey," Lucy giggled.
All:
Ohayohay
Mal:
Break the spell
We were born this way
Be yourself
"You know, I think we forget that part," Aladdin sighed.
"Well being ourselves is difficult when vipers like Leah exist," Eugene pointed out. "Speaking of which, we really need to bring Mal into the fold."
"I can bring it up with Belle," Rapunzel said. "Mal's dating Ben after all."
Forget the DNA
Everybody
Raise your hands and say
All:
Ohayohay, hey!
Evie:
Sound the alarm
Get on your feet
Let's set it off
Rock this beat
Dance till your heart is wild and free
"Nice job Doug!" Shelby cheered as her younger cousin danced with Evie.
"Why would she say that?" Doug asked, turning to Evie who shrugged but a faint blush could be seen on her cheeks.
All:
Oooooooooh
Evie:
Feeling the power
Let it out all
Like what you see
In the mirror-shout!
We got the keys
The kingdom's ours!
"Once upon a time, I'd feel a twinge of fear hearing that from an Isle kid," Jasmine whispered to Aladdin. "But they're really just kids like our son."
All:
Oooooooh
Ohayohayo, hey!
Let's set it off—oh yeah
Start a chain reaction
"I think Ben started the chain reaction by inviting you four here in the first place," Lonnie said with a smile. "Ben, I honestly think more kids need to come."
"Really?" Ben asked. "I thought you all hated the idea."
"Well at first we were skeptical," Kitty said with a shrug. "Not even going to lie, but that was just because you know, we didn't know them."
"Um, just going to throw out there that not all the kids are like us," Evie added.
"Yeah, if Shrimpy's here, I'm going back to the Isle," Mal said. "Uma and Harry Hook are two kids you do not want on this side of the barrier."
"Harry Hook?" Jane Darling gasped. "Captain Hook procreated?"
"This is a surprise to you?" Mal asked.
"Yes."
"Huh, well at least you're honest," Mal shrugged.
"Gil would be alright," Jay said.
"Only because he's too stupid to know how to follow Uma's orders," Mal scoffed. "The third son of Gaston makes me wonder how he survived the Isle for as long as he did."
Never let it stop
Let's set it off—oh yeah
You can make it happen
With everything we got
Let's set it off
Vks: Get ready
All: Set it off!
Vks: We 'bout to!
All: Set it off!
"Who was that dancing with you, Kitty?" Chad asked, looking at all the boys with a small glare.
"Someone without their head up their ass, probably," Kitty sniffed.
"He's not good enough for you, baby—"
"I'm two years younger than you. I hardly think that the title of 'baby sister' is necessary!" Kitty exclaimed.
Jay and Carlos:
Yo!
It's time to set this thing off!
Let's make it happen now
I'm a make my own future
Ignore all the rumors
Show 'em how passion sounds
They all told me I should back down
Judging me cuz of my background
Thinking about changing my path now!
Nah, I ain't going out like that now!
"Thank you," Jane said, giving Carlos a small smile. No one had ever danced with her before, and she figured that would remain the same considering her actions at the coronation.
"Don't mention it," Carlos told her, a small bit of pink staining his cheeks as Jay chuckled. Fairy Godmother made a mental note to still give both boys an A in goodness class, even if the mess at the coronation did not happen. They made Jane happy and that was all a mother could ask for.
Audrey:
Feeling the power
Let it out all
Like what you see
In the mirror—shout!
"Jay, you and Audrey?" Evie teased.
"He'd better not hurt her," Phillip Jr. glared, causing Audrey to roll her eyes.
"The 'brother' speech would be more intimidating from Ben, little brother."
Ben:
We got the keys
The kingdom's ours!
All:
Ohayohayoh!
Mal and Evie:
Ooooh, yeah!
"Nice block, Ben!" Carlos shouted, nudging Jay on the shoulder.
All:
Let's set it off—oh yeah
Start a chain reaction
Never let it stop
Let's set it off—oh yeah
You can make it happen
With everything you got
Let's set it off!
"So, um, when did you guys all learn this dance?" Aladdin asked.
"We can't answer that," Mal told him and Aladdin chuckled at his own stupidity.
"Fair enough. I forgot this hadn't happened yet."
Vks: Get ready
All: Set it off!
Vks: We 'bout to!
All: Set it off!
Vks: Get ready
All: Set it off!
Vks: We 'bout to!
All: Set it off!
Vks: Get ready
All: Set it off!
Vks: We 'bout to!
All: Set it off!
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Maggie and Paige exclaimed.
"Just kiss her!" Emma shouted, forgetting that Ben and Mal were sitting in that room, flushing in embarrassment.
Mal and Evie: YEAH!
All:
Let's set it off—oh yeah
"Oh I wish someone would look at me that way," Elle sighed as screen-Ben stared lovingly at Mal.
Start a chain reaction
Never let it stop
Let's set it off—oh yeah
"Oh Moira, you look beautiful," Merida said, smiling at her daughter as she danced in her yellow dress.
You can make it happen
With everything you got
Belle and Adam/Beast smiled as they saw their son's happiness with Mal. Clearly this was a relationship that needed to be protected.
Let's set it off!
Vks: Get ready
All: Set it off!
Vks: We 'bout to!
All: Set it off!
DJ: What?
All: Start a chain reaction
As the music faded, Mal's voice could be heard. "Oh! I was having so much fun, I almost forgot. You didn't think this was the end of the story, did you?"
"Are we going to see the rest of the story?" Hadie asked.
Mal turned toward the screen, away from the party, and her eyes glowed a familiar green.
The screen faded to black and the yellow glow around the edges faded. Everyone looked at each other.
"So what now?" Mal asked. No one had the chance to answer as they were all engulfed in the same bright light that brought them to the room before. The room faded, all proof it had existed gone from the world.
ἀδελφεός-brother (if anyone actually speaks/writes Greek, please let me know if this is right. Google is not my friend when using a language that's not my own!)