So I should definitely be publishing the last chapters of this story today and it's very likely I will start publishing the sequel to this story today too so I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who's read this and commented it really does make my day. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Replies to reviews: Stoffe: Leah's definitely going to be punished, which you'll see more in the sequel. And yeah dramatic music would be fitting right about now. Valentinagabrielle: Technically not in this one but he will be included in the sequel, in fact I've literally just finished typing up chapter 21 in which he's very central. Jeremy: Yeah, Mal definitely knows that in the end it's her mom and dad who loved her and not Maleficent and she's not even going to think of trusting the woman who she literally ran away from as a three year old.
Also I'd like to give a small note of warning about the sequel it is slightly darker and will have more fighting and violence in it because a lot of it takes place in the Isle.
Villiangirl: Yeah Maleficent's about to be about as dramatic as she always is don't you worry.
"Mal is right." Belle smiled warmly at the Isle kids, "You're safe here. You never have to return to the Isle. Mal was right to bring
you all here."
"I have never felt more proud in my life." Adam stepped forward, "All of you belong here. Mal you-" he was cut off by a rumbling noise outside and above them, like thunder, and then a green cloud of smoke came bursting through a window, and Ben was yanking Mal behind him, Jay, Evie and Carlos grabbing Audrey and shoving her behind them and moving so that the four were hiding the two girls from sight protectively as the smoke sped spiraling to the ground and took the form of a tall woman that Mal knew on sight-their eyes were the same. One look and Mal could feel that, and Ben's face had gone deathly pale as Mal whispered, "Leah must have broken the barrier."
"I'm back!"the woman's high pitched voice echoed around the hall as people scrambled backwards, and Mal noticed Philip shoving Aurora behind him trying to keep her out of sight.
"Go away mother." Ben's voice was strong despite the fact that Mal had seen the terror in his eyes when he'd grabbed her and shoved her behind him.
"Oh isn't he so funny." Maleficent laughed, holding her staff tightly, "You're so funny Braeden. Where's the wand then?" and Mal realized she was still holding it as Braeden shook his head.
"I don't have it."
"Well where is it? You were sent here to get it, you broke the barrier didn't you-oh and where's that runaway daughter of mine. I saw her on the TV." she cackled, "I should have known when I couldn't find her on the Isle that she got away, she always was a smart little thing. Where is then I want to see her, my little Queen, though I have to say I am disappointed, not even invited to my little girls Coronation now that's just sad."
"She's not your daughter!" that was Belle, trying to surge forward, though Adam grabbed her arm to stop her, "She's ours! We're the ones who raised her-"
"Oh hush now." Maleficent waved a hand dismissively. "She's my daughter she'll understand that soon enough once I've punished her from running away from me. And you'll pay for stealing her from me and making her soft."
"You're not touching her." Ben's voice was angry now. "And I told you I don't have it."
"Braeden do not disappoint me." the tone of Maleficent's voice made Mal shiver slightly.
"I wasn't the one who broke the barrier." Ben snapped, "I didn't steal the wand and I wasn't going to! I'm not following your orders anymore mother I'm doing what I want!"
Mal was pale shaking as she turned her head to see Jennifer who gave a small nod, holding out her hand for the wand, and Mal toko off, turning around and rushing up the steps, throwing it towards Jennifer, who caught the wand.
"Bibbidy Bobbidy-"
"Boo!" Maleficent's voice cut over the Fairy Godmothers and the stone on her staff glowed a bright green, and Mal cried out when almost everyone in the hall froze mid motion, her father lunging forward, her mother grabbing for her fathers arm.
"No!" Mal screamed the word and Maleficent clapped her hands together, a gleeful look on her face.
"There you are!" Maleficent's scepter glowed again and the wand flew from Jennifer's frozen grip straight into Maleficent's outstretched hand, "My little Mal all grown up wearing a crown." and Ben tried to move forward, to stand protectively in front of Mal but Maleficent waved the scepter and knocked him aside, sending him crashing into the three other Isle kids, the only other people who hadn't frozen, knocking all of them to the floor, though she paused when she saw the frozen Audrey stood behind them "Oh and who's this.. that face, that dress-"
"Leave her alone." Mal's voice sounded stronger than she felt.
"Oh no." Maleficent turned her head to look at Mal, "Tell me you're not friends with that stupid little Aurora's daughter. My daughter cannot be friends with the daughter of that little brat-"
"Don't talk about them like that." Mal stepped forward.
"Oh no no no.. I had so much hope for you!" Maleficent shook her head, "When I saw you on that TV screen I thought wonderful, my little girl's going to be their Queen, she'll be the key.. but this... they made you soft and pathetic-"
"They loved me!" Mal glared, "More than you ever did."
"I am your mother do not talk to me in that tone of vo-"
"You are not my mother!" Mal yelled the words, "My parents are the people who raised me! Not a woman who I don't even remember."
"Be very careful what you say child." Maleficent snapped, "You have one chance and one chance only-you can be evil like me, rule the world with-"
"Shut up mother." Ben staggered to his feet along with the other Isle kids, Jay pulling Carlos up as Ben pulled Evie to her feet.
"Braeden." Maleficent turned her gaze to her son, "You've failed me... you were useless you didn't even bring me the wand, I will deal with you later now come here-"
"No." Ben made his way to Mal's side, Evie, Jay and Carlos moving with him to stand next to Mal, forming a unified front. "We're not like you mother we want to make our own choice." he grabbed Mal's hand and squeezed tightly, which Maleficent noticed, her eyes narrowing.
"Oh Braeden... I would have expected this from Mal, she's been in Auradon too long but you... I thought I taught you better than that..." her face screwed up as if she was thoroughly disgusted by something. "Don't tell me you think you're in love with my runaway brat. You know better than that! Love is useless, it makes you weak!"
"No it doesn't!" Ben yelled the words, "Mom coming to Auradon is the best thing that's ever happened to me I have never been so happy before! And I don't feel weaker I feel stronger now! Better. I'm not like you I never have been I'm not evil."
"I'll make the four of you regret your little change of heart." Maleficent pointed the wand at Mal, "And if you want to be some pretty little Auradon Princess then so be it. I'll curse you!" and she thrust the scepter towards Mal, the magic sending her flying backwards, back hitting the plinth that had held her crown, said crown falling off her head from the force of the impact, and Maleficent waved the wand and started to speak but Mal threw her hand up, screwing her eyes shut.
"Magic wand follow my command, come right now into my hand!" and the wand glowed, flying from Maleficent's hand into Mal's even as Ben, Evie, Jay and Carlos cried out loudly and rushed towards her.
"How dare you!" Maleficent's voice was furious and she waved her scepter again, the stone glowing, and Mal cried out as an invisible blow struck her from the side sending her flying, but Ben caught her before she could go too far and she gripped the want tightly, Evie grabbing her elbow to help steady her.
"Mal are you okay?" Ben's voice was near frantic.
"I'm fine-"
"Give me the wand!" the words were nearly a shriek and Maleficent looks beyond furious, "Give it to me now! Give it to me right now young lady! Braeden take it from her!"
"No!" Ben shook his head. "No mom I'm not doing that."
"We won't let you win." Evie's voice was loud and clear as she glared, and Carlos nodded, and the three Isle kids rushed at Maleficent, who sneered and knocked them all to the ground with her Scepter, "Pathetic! You're all pathetic! But if you want to do this the hard way then this is all your own fault!" and as she spoke she was turning and green smoke surrounded her swirling around her and growing bigger and bigger-and Mal gasped loudly as a very large dragon that she realized had to be Maleficent emerged from the smoke.
"Oh crap." Ben went deathly pale, and then he was dragging Mal, the others Isle kids scrambling to their feet too.
"Run!" That was Evie, her voice panicked, "Oh god run!"
"We're running!" Jay grabbed Carlos' arm, dragging the boy with them as they ran, desperately trying to duck behind pillars as the dragon flew after them, breathing fire-nearly burning Mal if Jay hadn't yanked her to the right just in time.
"What do we do?" Mal's voice was terrified, "Oh my god what do we do how do we stop her?"
"I don't know." Ben shook his head, "We don't have weapons and I don't have magic!" he grabbed Carlos' arm, yanking him to the side as they ran to stop the other boy from getting burned.
"There has to be something!" Jay yelled the words, then Evie's eyes widened and she rushed into the center of the aisle before the others could stop her.
"Evie!" That was Carlos, but the blue haired girl pulled something out of her bag and held it up as Maleficent flew towards them.
"Magic Mirror show your bright light!" she thrust the mirror towards Maleficent, and the dragon reared back when the bright light shone in her eyes, roaring loudly as it veered and hit the ground, though it recovered quickly, rising again, and Mal, Ben, Jay and Carlos rushed forward, Jay and Carlos grabbing at Evie protectively and Mal and Ben rushing to stand in front of the girl.
"Stay behind us!" Mal cried out loudly, gripping the wand tightly.
"Stay away from my friends. This is between you me and Mal mom, not our friends."
"The strength of evil is good as none when stands before five hearts as one." Mal's heart was racing as she plucked the words from nowhere. She'd always been good at inventing spells on the spot after all. And Maleficent glared, eyes glowing the same green and Mal knew her own eyes were and Mal repeated the words again. "The strength of evil is good as none when stands before five hearts as one." and she could feel Maleficent's magic pushing against her own, harsh and unrelenting. And she wasn't strong enough, she was going to fail, she was in pain and she was going to fail.
Then a hand was in hers and she felt Evie's hand gently gripping the elbow of the hand that held the wand, and Carlos and Jay's hands landed on her shoulders, and when she spoke again this time it wasn't alone. "The strength of evil is good as none when stands before five hearts as one."
This time Mal could feel her magic pushing against Maleficent's, and then the green glow of the dragons eyes faded, and there was more green smoke, shrinking down and down... and when it receded Mal could see a little purple lizard on the floor.
She swayed, nearly falling, though Jay managed to catch her before she did and Ben helped her straighten up as the Fairy Godmother unfroze.
"What just happened?" Ben gaped, "Did we do that-"
"No, no Maleficent did." Jennifer bustled towards them quickly, "She shrunk down to the size of the love in her heart that's why she's so small."
"Good riddance." Ben was holding Mal's arm tightly, keeping her steady with the help of Jay.
"You did very well, all of you." Jennifer reached them quickly, "Are you alright?"
"I think so." Mal nodded, "I have your wand." she held it out, and Jennifer took it carefully.
"Thank you dear." she waved the wand, and the crown that had fallen off during the fight flew into her hands, "And I believe this belongs to you." she placed the crown on Mal's head carefully before focusing on the Isle kids.
"And I think you've all earned A's in Goodness class." that made Evie giggle, and Carlos and Jay both laughed as Ben grinned.
"So." Jennifer smiled as she looked at Mallory, "I do believe you're the Queen now would you like to give the order your Majesty?"
"Of course." Mal took a deep breath. "Fairy Godmother. I order you to remove the spell Maleficent cast and unfreeze my people."
"With pleasure." Jennifer beamed and she raised the wand waving it, "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo!"