A/N: This story begins after 'It's Going Down', after the VKs have escaped through the tunnel. Please read the end of chapter Authors Note, thank you! xx
The fight had just ended. Mal watched as Uma angrily stomped away from the edge of the dock, where once stood a rickety old bridge with few years left of its life. Harry Hook sent her a menacing wink as he obediently followed Uma, leaving Mal alone for just a few moments to look over the scene in front of her.
Only minutes before, she'd been fighting for both her life and her friends lives, all because Uma had decided to try one of her stupid plans to escape the Isle. The docks were a mess, not that they weren't usually, with barrels toppled over and rotten fruits scattered over the floor. A few of Umas comrades were still attempting to swim to shore, soaked in seawater and defeated.
This was where she grew up, what shaped her to be the person she was that day. She could hear the echoes of her friends calling her name behind her, echoing down the tunnel and reminding her of the days they'd run through the many hidden tunnels in the isle and unleash havoc, screaming and laughing together. She missed those days, the days of freedom away from the pretty pink princesses and ridiculously tight gown.
She wanted what Uma had. She missed the freedom of doing whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She missed being evil, and although Ben was everything to her, she had to make a choice.
She turned around and ran towards the other end of the tunnel, where her friends were already getting into the limousine to leave the Isle once and for all. She froze at the end of the tunnel, her eyes wide as Ben turned to look at her, just as he climbed into the car.
"Mal, come on!" He called, because although they'd broken up, he still loved her, and she knew he wouldn't leave her on the Isle willingly.
She took a deep breath, knowing what she was about to do would forever tear her and her friends apart, let alone her and Ben. Her eyes darted to the large rusted steel plank bolted to the left of the tunnel, used as a door in the occasional winter when some would sleep in the tunnel. She grabbed the flimsy handle, eyes focused on Ben for one last time.
"I'm sorry," she called, "Leave without me. And don't come back."
With the final word slipping through her lips, she pulled the door closed with a sickening screech, falling into an eerie silence as the tunnel was now blocked. She immediately burst into a sprint down the tunnel, turning right into a smaller, older tunnel rather than continuing to the docks.
"Mal!" Ben instantly called, jumping back out of the car to reopen the tunnel. However, a gentle hand pulled his shoulder back, stopping him.
"Don't," Lonnie began sadly, looking out at the Isle for the last time, "She's made her decision. She'll come back when she's ready."
"But she might never come back," Ben argued, "I can't lose her!"
"Guys, we need to go," Jay called worriedly from the driver's seat, "Uma and her men are going to be here in no time! We'll come back for Mal soon."
Lonnie pulled Ben back into the car, slamming the door behind them as Jay instantly sped off and away from the old parking lot. Evie and Carlos sat tense, watching as their king lost their best friend, the one he loved. Carlos held onto Dude tightly, knowing that Mal would never come back. She'd made her decision, and they had to accept it.
Meanwhile, as they passed the barrier quickly and silently, Mal kept running down the dark damp tunnel, knowing it was taking her far further away than she needed to be. She hadn't heard anyone run after her, assuming her plan had worked. She decided to stop only when her lungs began burning, leaning heavily against one of the narrow tunnel walls.
Life on the Isle was going to be hard, harder than it had ever been before. She was a traitor, and with Uma and her crew still on the Isle, it would be hard if not impossible to reclaim what she once had. She'd lost all her friends, all her allies and most importantly, Ben.
She slid to the floor and did the one thing that she'd promised herself not to do from the moment she arrived in Auradon.
She cried.
The Royal Cotillion passed by in a blur. After the news of Mal returning to the Isle broke out, many were disheartened. Ben still ruled as an excellent king, yet his heart ached every time he saw Mal's ring on his finger. However, he was determined to make the Isle a better place, especially now that he'd seen it first hand.
The morning after the cotillion, he'd asked Evie to make him a list of villain kids she thought would benefit the most from coming to Auradon. The list was complete in less than an hour, and invitations were being prepared for the first few who'd be transferred to the kingdom. The invitations were to be personally delivered in just a few days, meaning Ben had as many people as possible prepare for their arrival, including hosting a welcome party.
Back on the Isle, Mal had attempted to settle back into her old hideout, spray painting the walls anew and laying low for a couple of days until the incident with Uma and her crew became old news. However, the hideout that was once her second home reminded her far too much of what she once had, of all her friends and all the people she'd left. Therefore, she soon decided to pack up and leave to find a new place, somewhere to start fresh.
The old television broadcasted one of the only two channels permitted on the Isle, her mind concentrating on packing her bags rather than what was being transmitted. However, the screen finally caught her attention when she realised what was being broadcasted; the Royal Cotillion.
Blue and yellow brightly lit the screen as she watched Ben descend the stairs of an Auradon ship, alone. His parents watched him sadly in the background, knowing that Mal would never come back. Mal could catch glimpses of her friends and the people she'd known during her life in Auradon, and for a short moment, she wished she was there with them all.
The gown Evie had made her had gone unused, Mal knew that. Evie would've never let anyone else wear the gown, she was far too stubborn to believe Mal really wasn't coming back. Mal watched the screen with interest for a few seconds longer before Ben's face flooded the screen, a close-up of the smiling king being narrated over by a presenter, probably Snow White. However, Mal knew Ben's smiles. He was faking it, putting on a show for the kingdom, and she couldn't bare to watch any longer.
Without thinking, Mal grabbed the first can of spray paint she could find and threw it at the TV screen, hard. It instantly shattered, the whole television falling backwards onto the floor, the screen turning black.
Mal swiftly finished packing her last bag, swinging it over her shoulder and turning away from the television.
She was back on the Isle and she was there to stay.
A few days after the Royal Cotillion, the Isle of The Lost was stormed by numerous Auradon guards, all in matching yellow and blue uniforms. Each one carried a bag of scrolls, each scroll with a different name on it. Villains watched curiously as the guards stormed through the streets, searching for the next Villain Kids to bring to Auradon.
Ben had insisted on returning to the Isle with them, however Evie had insisted against it as she didn't want a repeat of the last visit. Instead, Jay and Lonnie returned to the Isle as official supervisors of the event, watching as the guards gave out scrolls to multiple different villain kids.
Unknown to them, Mal had seen them arrive. She'd watched the barrier lift for a split second from her spot on the roof of Jafars store. She watched the streets as the garish yellows and blues brought colour to the dreary Isle, yet she stayed out of sight. She'd been living on the top of the building for a few days now, out of sight from the rest of Auradon and only accessible through the stock room of the store, which she'd learnt to sneak into when she was just 5. It was a temporary solution, yet effective.
Mal watched as the guards entered Dizzy's salon, knowing what was coming. They were bringing more and more people out of the Isle, and Dizzy was going to be one of them for sure. Evie had always had a soft spot for the young girl, Mal knew that, so it was no surprise when only a few minutes later, Dizzy Tremaine walked out of her salon with a full suitcase and eyes full of hope. The guards carefully lead her through the streets, and thats when Mal saw it.
The golden Beast crest adorning the scroll reflected the little sunlight that streamed through the clouded skies of the Isle. Mal recognised the crest, she'd watched Ben use it to close scrolls with important proclamations. However, what shocked Mal wasn't the crest, but where it was going.
Three guards, one carrying the special scroll tightly, were making their way towards the docks. Mal knew what was coming, something that had been inevitable from the moment Ben stepped foot on the Isle.
Uma was being sent to Auradon.
A/N: So I know; I'm starting a new story without finishing my old ones...
I've been EXTREMELY busy recently, having being cast in a local musical and also dealing with singing exams and work, therefore I have been unable to update any of my old stories. However, this story will be very short, hence the short chapters. I decided to write this quick fic as an ode to Descendants 2 being released, but also to get me back on my feet for writing. If you guys would be patient with me, I promise I will complete all my stories and continue writing. But for now, I hope you enjoyed. Thank you!