I'm back. Here's the new chapter. We're nearing the end. Enjoy.
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The Time Has Come
It has been almost a week since the Descendants have returned to Auradon. Robin Hood and his Merry Men pressed no charges against the four ex-villains because they are needed by the king to take back the Episkevi from Maleficent and stop her plans of time-traveling. The next few days have been filled with the Descendants, once again, adjusting to their life in Auradon. The mission of restoring Carlos' memories seems to have a good start. Jane has been spending a lot of time with him and the dog lover enjoys her company, much to the dismay of Evie.
Maleficent hasn't made a move for the blue rose Evie possesses, but Mal and her friends are remaining alert, no matter if they're attending a party or enjoying time with their friends. Evie still kept her promise and wore the rose on her hair every day, but she has been more focused on the problem of her love life. She knows the only way to solve everything is confess to tell Carlos how she feels and tell the truth of their relationship to their respective ex-lovers, but, for some reason, she doesn't want to do it.
On this new day, Mal, as always, is avoiding Ben, still upset at him and herself. She has, however, agreed to continue her education in Auradon Prep. So far, while she continues to impress in art class and self-defense class, she still has a lot of catching up to do. She was reading about computer programming during lunch, alone. Suddenly, she was approached by a friend.
"Why alone, Mal?" It was Lonnie.
"Go away, Lonnie," said Mal.
"Or what? You'll give me a bad hair day?" replied Lonnie. "I just want to give you company."
"I don't need any company," said Mal.
"Why are you like this, Mal?" asked Lonnie. "You never let anyone in, not even your own friends."
"If you've been talking to Ben, you know why," responded Mal.
"Just answer me this, please?" started Lonnie. "When we stop Maleficent's plans, are you going to give Ben a chance?"
"No, not until I find out his reason for banishing me," answered Mal.
"And will that make you feel better?" Jane joined in.
"Ben is happy to see you, and you're only making him feel worse for what he did to you." Doug joined in.
"Don't tell me Princess Selfish and Prince Jock will be joining us?" complained Mal.
"You're not my best friend, Mal, but I don't like how you're treating my friend." Audrey joined in.
"Why even stay here?" Chad joined in.
"My mother," answered Mal.
"When you're finished with her, then what?" asked Audrey.
"Continue my education," answered Mal. "Nothing more, nothing less."
"Nothing more? What about Ben?" questioned Lonnie.
Mal shuts her book in anger. She gets up and walks away. Before she can get far, she looks back and tells them, "A storm is coming. I don't have time for romance."
Meanwhile, the new VK quartet are currently on the roof of the school. When they cause trouble, they always hide on the top. The only person who knows their secret hiding spot is Harley.
"You guys can't keep doing this," she said.
"That's easy for you to say. You've gone soft," said Katie.
Harley grabs Katie's ponytail and pulls it, hurting her. "How's this for soft?" She releases Katie. "I'm still the same Harley. I just found out there's a better path than following my mother's footsteps."
"Same person, but new path. Is that what you expect from us?" questioned Garth.
"If you guys would at least give it a try, you would like it," said Harley.
"Tough toenails, Harley. Not a chance," said Uri.
"We shouldn't be doing this. We should be creating chaos, making our parents proud," said Fernando. "We're the new generation. We should be living up to our name."
"Then why are we still here?" complained Katie, punching the roof.
"Then stick by me!"
"Who said that?" asked Fernando.
"I did!" Black smoke shows up on the roof and Maleficent shows herself.
"The worst of the worst. Nice to see you again," greeted Katie with slight scorn.
"Likewise," greeted Maleficent in a formal manner.
"What do you want?" asked Harley.
"I want to give you kids the opportunity to do what you want," started Maleficent. "Help me, I'll help you. Simple."
"What do you need?" asked Uri.
"A blue rose. The one that Evie owns," answered Maleficent.
"There's plenty of blue roses around here," said Garth.
Maleficent said, "Time for a lesson, children. The blue roses on the Isle of the Lost are magical. They can do many things. Unfortunately, the Isle is surrounded by a barrier so you know why the roses are just ordinary. One day, they all died. But one still remains. The rose that the snow-haired dog lover gave to his lovely little girlfriend."
"You have more power than ever, why not get it yourself?" said Katie.
"If I so much as get close, Mal will know I'm here. I may have power, but my little girl always has a way," explained Maleficent. "I need someone to do it without her knowing."
"And you need us?" guessed Katie.
"Get me that rose, and I promise you a chance to put Auradon beneath your feet," offered Maleficent.
The villain kids look at each other with certainty. Harley, however, didn't like it.
"No way!" she yelled.
"Well, can't have you telling your friends." Maleficent unleashes a cloud containing the amnesia spell on Harley, then casts a sleeping spell on her. "So, kids, do we have a deal?"
"Deal," said Katie.
Evie, meanwhile, is at chemistry class with Doug, as always. However, she wasn't paying attention.
"Hey, Evie," whispered Doug.
"What?" asked Evie.
"I think you want to pay attention. You don't want to fail do you?" whispered Doug.
"Sorry, just got a lot in mind right now," said Evie as she started jotting down notes. "Doug, can you meet me after school?"
"Where?" asked Doug.
"Anywhere," said Evie.
"Why?" asked Doug.
"We need to talk," said Evie.
The bell rings. Chemistry class is over. Evie packs up her stuff and walks out of the classroom. Doug was held back by Chad.
"You're in trouble, dude," said Chad.
"What do you mean?" asked Doug.
"'We need to talk?' When a girl says that, it's never a good thing," said Chad. "That's what Lonnie said before she broke up with me."
"We're not even in a relationship," defended Doug.
"No, but maybe she's not interested anymore," said Chad.
"We'll see," said Doug.
After school, Evie stays in her room, expecting Doug to meet her later. She didn't tell him where she would be because she needs time to get ready to tell him something. She looks at the mirror and touches the rose she is still wearing on her hair. At first, looking at it reminds her of the promise she made for Mal to keep it away from Maleficent, but now it just makes her think of Carlos. She promised Mal she would take care of Carlos, but now he's always spending time with Jane and she is pushing herself back to Doug. It made her learn a lesson about keeping secrets, but she intends to end her pain, even if it means she has to break a heart. She knows Doug is good soul so she knows, or hopes, he will understand and they can remain friends.
Doug, meanwhile, was looking for Evie. He tried the park but she wasn't there. He was headed to her dorm, until he was knocked out by a blow to a head. It was Garth. He hides the body in the janitor's closet and locks it, via the key he stole from the janitor.
Mal was being invited to dinner again by Ben. The only reason she agrees despite not wanting to see him is because she wants to spend time with him. As soon as she entered the front door, she found a few castle staff members unconscious. She saw a note attached to one's clothing. All that was on the note is a king crown symbol with a marked slash. She knew what this means.
Mal immediately runs for Ben's bedroom, but it was empty. She heads for the master's bedroom but there was no sign of Ben or his parents. There was, however, a playing card on the bed. It was an ace of hearts.
"Harley," she growled, crushing the card in her hand.
She quickly heads for Harley's dorm. She ignites her hand with fire and rips out the door knob. She kicks down the door, startling Harley and Abigail.
"Hey, Mal," greeted Harley. "Why did you..." She was interrupted when Mal grabbed her and holds her against a wall.
"Ben! What have you done to him?" yelled Mal.
"What are you talking about?" asked Harley.
"Don't play innocent, Harley. Where is he?!" yelled Mal.
"What makes you think I have anything to do with this?" asked Harley.
Mal takes out the crumpled card and shows it to her. "We've known each other or a long time, Harley. I know you like to leave a card everywhere you've been. So I'll ask for a final time. Where is Ben?!"
"I don't know," answered Harley.
"Mal, stop!" screamed Abigail.
"Stay out of this, Abigail!" yelled Mal. She fires a magic blast at her, knocking her out. She turns back to Harley. "Still not talking?"
"I swear. I have no idea," said Harley.
Mal places her other hand on her throat, choking her.
"Mal!" someone called out. It was Felicia. "What are you doing?"
"Someone kidnapped Ben," said Mal. "I'm trying to get the walking card here to talk."
...
In Evie's dorm, the blue-haired narcissist is still waiting for Doug. She has been rehearsing for hours how to tell Doug the truth. She stopped fifteen minutes ago and lies down on her bed to wait. He still hasn't shown up. Suddenly, she heard knocking. She stands in front of the door, takes a deep breath, and opens it. To her surprise, it was Katherine, Uri, and Fernando.
"What do you guys want?" asked Evie.
In a blink of an eye, Katie pushes Evie back to bed.
"We want the rose," said Katie.
"Why would you be interested?" wondered Evie. Suddenly, she realized something. "Maleficent. She came to you."
"Smart girl," replied Uri.
"And why would I give this up?" said Evie.
Katherine snaps her fingers. It signals Garth to come in with a still unconscious Doug hostage, his dagger against the dwarf's throat.
"I think you can tell," said Katie. "Hand it over."
Evie takes the rose out of her hair and looks back and forth between it and Doug. She was about to give it to Katie, until the pirate was hit from behind by a fire blast. It was Mal, along with Harley and Felicia.
"I thought Maleficent wiped her memory!" yelled Uri.
"Let me guess. Harley was there when my mother showed up," said Mal. "Well, that doesn't mean she doesn't know you guys well."
"I'm still expecting an apology," said Harley.
"You'll get it when we're through with this," said Mal. "Promise."
Felicia uses her long ponytail to whack Garth in the face, making him drop the dagger. She takes Doug out of the room. Harley grabs the dagger and stands on the doorway, trying to make sure no one escapes. Mal approaches Katie and grabs her.
"Where's Ben?!" she demanded.
Katie takes out her phone and contacts Ben's number. Actually, Maleficent is the one in possession of the king's phone. "Maleficent, Plan A is a failure. You may initiate Plan B."
"Plan B? What's Plan B?" asked Mal.
Katherine explains. "Plan A was getting you out of the way so we can use the dwarf to make Evie hand over the rose, but since Harley just spoiled the party, we can move on to Plan B. You want to know where your future husband is, well, try threatening your mother."
Mal knocks out Katie with a fiery punch before pushing Harley aside from the doorway.
"I think we need to join her." Harley said to Evie and Felicia.
Suddenly, Fernando uses shadows to subdue the shadows of Evie, Harley, and Felicia. As soon as his friends walked out the door, he releases them.
"Not going to make sure we stay?" questioned Evie, mocking him.
"The big one is coming. Everyone has to join the party," said Garth.
"What's Plan B?" asked Evie.
"Let's just say the skeletons in your closet will be walking on two feet, and I'm not speaking metaphorically," said Katie before she and her group leave.
"You guys get Jay. Get Carlos. Get everyone else." Evie told Harley and Felicia. "We are at war."
Mal showed up outside the school.
"Mother!" she yelled.
A magical orb shows itself. Mal grabs it. There was a message. Maleficent's face shows up and says, "Hello, Mal. How's my precious little daughter? Your old Dragon Hall buddies reported their failure, so I'm moving to Plan B to get that rose." She shows Mal the King Auradon and his parents, unconscious and tied up. "As you can see, your 'true love' and his family are having a little nap. I can make it permanent if you don't give me that rose. Meet me at the fountain of the nearest village. With my rose, of course. You know the villain game, Mal. You don't want to disappoint me."
As soon Maleficent was finished speaking, Mal crushed the orb between her hands in rage.
"Mal!" someone called. It was Evie, along with Jay, Carlos, Audrey, Chad, Lonnie, Jane, Doug, and Harley.
"Where's Felicia?" asked Mal.
"She's going back to her kingdom to be with her family. If we fail, she wants to spend her last moments with them," answered Evie.
"Well, we're here," said Jay. "Now what?"
"E, you got anything? What's Plan B?" asked Mal. "I know there's more to it than using Ben."
"All Katie said was 'the skeletons in your closet will be walking on two feet,'" said Evie.
"She's gone insane," said Mal, referring to her mother, knowing what she's planning.
"What is she up to?" asked Chad.
Mal didn't say anything. She just lights up her hand with magic and transports herself and her friends away.
Mal and her friends show up where Maleficent asked Mal to meet her. At the fountain in the nearest village. All they saw was Maleficent herself.
"Where's Ben?" demanded Mal.
"U-uh-uh. First, the rose," demanded Maleficent.
"Regardless of what happens, you'll unleash your army," said Mal.
"Wait, what?" questioned a confused Doug.
"You really know our game, Mal," complimented Maleficent.
"'Your' game," yelled Mal. "I play a different game."
"Choking the life out of someone isn't in the villain's playbook?" questioned Harley. Mal just glared at her.
"If it's war you want, it's war you get," said Mal to her mother.
"You would risk the lives of these innocent people just to get back your precious Ben? Not very heroic," replied Maleficent.
"Even with all that power, mom, I'm not afraid of you," said Mal. "I will stand against you until you can't stand anymore."
"So now you're going to take my life? That might benefit the kingdom, but what will these people think?" said Maleficent. "They were scared of you for what you did to Princess Sofia, but taking my life in front of them will only result the same way. Face it, Mal. You're not destined to be good."
The darkness and the rage inside Mal are beginning to ignite. However, the purple-haired sorceress kept the darkness under control and spoke calmly, with a pinch of anger.
"I do intend to end you, mother, but I'm not doing it so the people can see me as a hero. I'm doing to rid the person who has given me nothing but pain," she said. "You're not getting rose, but you're not going to tell me where Ben is. If we have to tear this village apart to find him, then so be it."
"If you wish," said Maleficent playfully. "Souls of the forgotten and dead, I command you get out of bed." Maleficent's spell caused skeletons of the village's cemetery to rise up from the ground. They started walking towards the village, scaring everyone.
"You want war, you got it," said Maleficent. "Get them!"
Every skeleton advances and comes for the children.
"Take a partner. Spread out," ordered Mal.
Mal takes Harley. Evie takes Audrey. Jay takes Chad. Lonnie takes Jane. Carlos takes Doug. They all split up, splitting up the undead army as well.
Be, meanwhile, has regained consciousness in a bakery. The baker was under a sleeping spell. He saw his parents.
"Mom, dad, wake up," he called.
Belle and Beast wake up.
"Son, where are we?" asked Beast.
"In a bakery. What do you think the bread is for," joked Ben.
"I always admire that sense of humor, Ben, but I don't think now is a good time," said Belle.
"I know. Maleficent," said Ben. "Wait, do you hear that?"
They can hear commotion outside. Lucky for Ben, his feet aren't tied up. He manages to get up and look outside the window. He can see Lonnie and Jane running away from an army of skeletons.
"Dad, remember that story you used to scare me on Halloween night when I was five?" asked Ben.
"The undead story? Yes," responded Beast. "Why?"
"Because that's what Maleficent is doing. Right now," explained Ben.
"Here? In the village?" questioned Beast, worried for the people.
"Don't worry. Mal and the others are taking care of it," said Ben. "We just need to get out of here."
"Why? We're practically safe here, even if we are hostages," said Belle, nervous about seeing a living skeleton.
"Maleficent needs that rose. We have to be out there," said Ben.
"How are we going to get out of these ropes?" asked Belle.
Ben looked around until he saw a kitchen knife. He uses the blade to cut the ropes. Now that he's free, he unties his parents.
"So, what's the plan, son?" asked Beast.
"You two protect the villagers. I'll find Mal," said Ben.
"Well, you're the king. We will do as you say," said Belle.
"You're my parents," replied Ben.
"We know," said Belle.
After a family hug, Ben rushes outside. Belle and Beast give each other a look to tell each other, "He's going to be fine."
Doug tries to help citizens get back to their homes while Carlos distracts the skeletons. Doug has just taken a little girl back to his mother, until Carlos came crashing, literally. A skeleton just grabbed him and threw him.
"Remind me why I'm the distraction," complained Carlos.
"Because you're the one who can fight. I'm just a bookworm," said Doug.
"Even if I do fight, that was when I could remember," said Carlos as he threw a barrel cover towards a skeleton. "But I don't." He uses a garden shovel to whack a couple more skeletons until one took it away from him. "What would the old me do?" He ducks from the shovel strikes.
"From what Evie told me, he would use his video game experience," answered Doug. He runs away to find more citizens.
Carlos remembers all the time he spent playing his action video games. Trying to remember all the moves, he begins striking the skeletons left and right. He uses punches, kicks, and combos. He saw two skeletons cornering a family. He slides underneath one's legs and kicks it in the face. He strikes the other one with a flip kick. He takes on one and uses a combo to take it down. First, he punches, then does a cartwheel kick. He finishes the other one by charging at it, grabbing it, and tossing it towards an open window of a lumber mill, where a saw cuts it skull into half.
"Wow! This is fun," he said.
"Carlos! Help!" cried Doug.
Carlos found Doug, taken hostage by a skeleton. It was about to burn him in a fire. Carlos remembered the paint bombs Jane told him about.
"Doug. Duck!" he told the dwarf.
Carlos threw two paint bombs and Doug ducked. The bombs hit the skeleton on the skull. The resulting explosion scattered the skeleton's bones and painted Doug with red and blue.
"Thank you," said Doug, even though he was bothered by the paint.
...
Lonnie and Jane continue running from the army of skeletons. They have jumped over obstacles, dragged kids back to their parents, and fixed someone's birdhouse along the way, but they're still running. Unfortunately, Jane was starting to get tired.
"Lonnie... stop," begged Jane, collapsing to her knees.
"Get up, Jane. We have to lead them away from the village," said Lonnie.
"I... can't... go on," said Jane, panting. "I'm not fit like you."
The skeletons were getting closer.
"Alright, pretty bow, you stay and rest," said Lonnie. "I'm itching for some action."
"Now you've reduced yourself to name-calling," said Jane. "I know Mal is good, but you may need to stay away from her sometimes."
"What's the matter, Jane?" Lonnie started kicking a skeleton over and over. "Afraid I'll be threatening others if they so much as anger me?" Lonnie spins in mid-air and kicks a skeleton in the skull. "Don't worry, Jane. So what if Mal is getting to me?" Lonnie strikes a skeleton, kicks it in the ribs, then trips it. "I'm still Lonnie." She grabs a skeleton's skull, twists it, then kicks it away. "C'mon, Jane." Lonnie stands on her hands, grabs a skeleton's skull between her legs, and throws him away. "I know you can't fight, but is there anything you can use?" Lonnie punches a skeleton on the skull repeatedly before kicking it. "I can't do this on my own."
Jane looks around for anything she can use as a weapon. A kid was calling out from an open window. He was offering her his slingshot.
"Jane!" yelled Lonnie. She was currently trying to keep a skeleton from hitting her with a baseball bat. Suddenly, the skull of the skeleton was knocked clean off with a pebble. It was Jane, using the slingshot. "Now that's what I'm talking about."
"Kid, hit me," asked Jane. The kid gave her another pebble. She shoots another skeleton's skull off its body. The kid placed six more pebbles for her to use. Jane uses each one to take out one skeleton the same way, knocking their skulls off clean. "What's you name?"
"Aaron," answered the kid.
"Thank you, Aaron," said Jane, giving him back his slingshot.
"Actually, Aaron, do you mind if she kept this just for tonight?" asked Lonnie.
"Sure," answered Aaron. He gives his slingshot back to Jane.
...
Jay and Chad are hiding from the skeleton army using the rooftops.
"Why are we hiding?" questioned Chad. "We can take them."
"It's called a sneak attack, Chad," said Jay. "It's a lot easier to take them down if they don't see us coming."
"Good point," replied Chad.
As soon as the skeletons entered a dark alley, Jay and Chad hopped off the roof. Jay grabs one skeleton and Chad knocks its skull off with his Tourney stick. Jay kicks one skeleton back to the street and uses a garbage can lid like a frisbee to take out another. Chad hits multiple skeletons with his Tourney stick, all while doing it in style.
"Show off," said Jay. He uses a roundhouse kick to take out another skeleton.
"Look who's talking," said Chad.
One skeleton grabs Chad, but he uses his Tourney stick to slap its arms off its body. He kicks it on the leg and takes it out with a slap of his stick.
"Now that's what I call 'slapstick' comedy," quipped Jay.
"Okay I have to admit..." Chad pretends not to look as he smacks one skeleton with his stick. "... that was pretty good."
Jay uses a spin kick to trip two skeletons surrounding him. "Comedy is hard business."
Chad turns his Tourney stick into a spinning propeller and smacks a few more skeletons. Jay keeps using his kicks and athletic moves to take down the others. Soon enough, the alley ran out of skeletons.
"I can see why you guys think this is fun," said Chad.
"Well, the party's just starting," said Jay as he and the Tourney player took off.
...
Evie was battling an army of skeletons all by herself, because Audrey was hiding behind a barrel, scared.
"Are you gonna help me?" asked Evie with a little anger.
"Oh, no way. I'm not getting my hands on those disgusting freaks," responded Audrey. "Besides, I'm not a fighter."
"That explains why you never volunteered for the sparring part of the self-defense classes," said Evie. "So you're just going to let me handle this myself?"
"If you can handle a bunch of poker cards, I think you got this," said Audrey.
"I hate you," said Evie.
"I'm not a big fan of you either," said Audrey.
A skeleton charges towards Evie, but she kicks him away. Strangely, while the body is knocked down, the kick separated the skull from the body. Evie grabs it and wears a sadistic smile on her face. "Hey, Audrey. Heads up." She tosses the skull.
The skull lands behind the barrel and in front of Audrey. Audrey screams in fright and comes out from the barrel. When she turned around, a skeleton shows up. Audrey started running while it chased her.
"Oh, stop running. Don't you ever learn anything in class?" said Evie.
"Not exactly!" screamed Audrey as she continued running.
Evie just calmly walks as Audrey zoomed past her. She sticks her leg out and trips the running skeleton.
"Um, Evie, behind you," said Audrey, pointing to a skeleton coming behind Evie.
"I'm sorry. What was that?" Evie pretended not to know.
"Are you really going to make me do this?" questioned Audrey.
"It's either you put a dent on his skull or I'm dead," said Evie, not at all worried.
With no choice, Audrey grabs a nearby ball and throws it at the skeleton, causing it to stumble backwards until it fell into a barrel of water.
"Thanks for saving my life," said Evie playfully. Audrey was clearly annoyed with her.
...
Mal and Harley were giving it everything they have against the undead army. Harley was using a golf club while Mal relied on her fists and brains.
"Hey, Mal. Batter up," said Harley. She bats a skeleton towards Mal and the sorceress punches through its skull like it was cotton candy. Harley says, "This makes me feel ashamed about my mother's knights."
"They were just a distraction," reminded Mal. She uses an ironing board as boost and kicks a skeleton towards another. "You didn't care if they could take care of me and my friends or not."
"Oh, right," remembered Harley. She whacks a skeleton then kicks it towards a wall. "Why are minions so useless?"
"Beats me," responded Mal. She rips a skull off one skeleton. "Batter up." She throws it towards Harley. She bats it and it falls inside a chimney.
"Home run," celebrated Harley. The family inside the house, however, received a little fright.
"But my guess is that because they only know one strategy. Hit people," said Mal. She punches one skeleton and gives another a kick to the vertebrae. The skeleton cries out in pain until Mal rips off its arm and whacks it with it. The other skeleton tried to scratch her but she immediately destroyed it with a magic blast.
"Why don't you do that to the others?" wondered Harley.
"Now that would be too easy. I love a little challenge," responded Mal. Even without looking, she back-kicks an incoming skeleton behind her.
"And I thought you're very stressed about this," mentioned Harley. She whacks a skeleton in the gut before elbowing it in the skull.
"If my mom gets her hand on that rose, I will get mad," said Mal, putting emphasis on "will." To further emphasize her point, she grabs a skeleton by the skull, ignites her hands with flames and rips its vertebrae in half.
"I'm glad I'm not him," quipped Harley.
"Stay focused," said Mal.
Harley was trying to escort civilians back home. She heard crying from around a corner. She approaches the person. "Don't be afraid, I'm..." All of a sudden, Katherine comes out and gives Harley a serious cut to the side with her sword. She covers it to stop the bleeding.
Mal was finished tearing a skeleton's skull in half when she saw a young boy cornered by a skeleton. She was about to save him but then she saw Katherine about to strike down a wounded Harley. Mal is facing a tough choice. Save her friend or an innocent little boy? Despite the consequences, Mal ultimately chooses to go after the little boy. She uses her fiery hands to crush the skeleton's skull like a piece of paper. She carries the boy and takes him to her mother. A few dozen people saw the whole thing. They started applauding for Mal. The purple-haired sorceress seems to be enjoying the love, but she immediately remembers Harley.
"Consider this as punishment for betraying your kin," said Katie. She punches Harley in the face and sticks her sword through her.
"Harley!" cried out Mal.
Katie withdraws her sword and leaves Harley to die. She saw Mal.
"Your turn, Mal," said Katie.
"You know. What you did to her reminds me of what I did to an old friend," said Mal.
"Except for the part where she stepped in the way of the sword. Your target was the snow-haired child," mentioned Katie.
"Regardless, I would've taken her life without mercy," said Mal. "But I'm not going to let Harley suffer the same fate."
"Tell that to her. She looks dead already," said Katie.
The two charge at each other. Mal dodges Katie's sword strikes until she grabs her hand and twists her wrist, making her drop the sword. The two get caught in a fist fight that Mal seems to be winning. She was striking relentlessly while Katie can't get a clear shot due to Mal's reflexes. Katie tries to trip Mal but she saw it coming and leaped over the kick. She delivers a hard blow to Katie's face and casts a sleeping spell on her. She immediately runs towards Harley.
Mal places her hand over the wound and chants, "A scar, a wound, needing a seal, I wish for my friend to heal." Mal's spell manages to partly heal Harley's wound.
"Thank you," said Harley.
"Don't thank me. Not yet," said Mal. "But I can say... I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," said Harley, sitting up.
"Find a doctor," advised Mal.
Evie and Garth were in another round on a cliff over the ocean. Evie manages to swipe Garth's dagger but he had a spare. The two get into a sword-like dagger fight, until Garth got hit on the head with a ball. It was Audrey.
"You're a good throw," complimented Evie.
"I'm starting to see why you and your friends rely heavily on instincts," said Audrey.
Suddenly, an explosion occurred. Fernando was using fireworks. The second blast knocked Evie away and left Audrey hanging on the cliff.
"Help!" cried out Audrey.
Evie was about to help but another firework was detonated near her. Audrey loses her grip on the cliff, but a hand stopped her fall. It was Mal. She pulls up the princess, while Evie takes out Fernando with her sleeping perfume.
"This doesn't change anything between us, but... thanks," said Audrey.
"No problem," said Mal. "C'mon."
Meanwhile, Uri, in octopus form, was throwing a lot of objects at Jay and Chad. They manage to dodge every one, but the raining projectiles keep them from getting close to her. Luckily for them, Carlos and Doug took something out of Jay's playbook. They're using the rooftops for a surprise attack. Carlos throws a paint bomb at Uri, covering her in paint. Lonnie and Jane show up out of nowhere and cover Uri with a burlap sack. Carlos tosses more paint bombs at Uri's tentacles, gluing them to the ground. He and Doug come down from the roof.
"Nice job, dude," complimented Jay, giving Carlos a friendly punch to the shoulder.
Mal arrives.
"Where's Harley?" asked Lonnie.
"At the hospital," answered Mal. "Don't worry. She's fine."
"Well, the entire skeleton army is down and the villain kids are down as well," mentioned Evie. "Now what?"
"Mother," said Mal.
On cue, Maleficent shows up. "Bravo, children. You actually defeated my undead army."
"You seem to keep forgetting that you have this new power, mom. Why ask for underlings to do you dirty work?" questioned Mal.
"It was I either get the rose without capturing your attention or hope that having your boyfriend as my hostage will force you to give it up," said Maleficent. "I guess I do have to deal with this matter myself."
Maleficent strikes the ground with her scepter, causing a magical wave that knocks everyone off her feet.
"Mal!" cried out Ben.
"Ben, get out of here!" yelled Mal.
Seeing her mother's eyes on the young king, Mal immediately gets in front of Ben.
"How did you get out?" asked Maleficent.
"Ingenuity," answered Ben.
"Stop using Ben, mom. You want me, here I am," said Mal.
"I'd love to teach you a lesson, deary, but I have my eyes fixed on something," said Maleficent, looking at the rose on Evie's hair.
Maleficent fires a magic blast but Evie dives out of the way. She continues firing but Evie is too quick. Suddenly, Maleficent shows up in front of Evie.
"Wha... how did you..." Evie was interrupted when she was hit from behind by a magic blast from Maleficent. The other Maleficent disappeared.
"Illusion spell," explained Maleficent. "This new power sure is gratifying."
Everyone stands in front of Evie, willing to defend her, but Maleficent easily gets past them with a phasing spell, passing through them like a ghost. She turns around and unleashes a magic blast that critically injures everyone. The only left standing is Mal. Mal fires a fire blast but Maleficent absorbs it with her scepter and fires it at Mal. Mal and Ben dive out of the way.
Maleficent takes the rose out of the Evie's hair just as she opens her eyes.
"Don't worry, dear. I only need one petal." Maleficent plucks off one petal and drops the rose near Evie before disappearing.
"How are we going to find her?" wondered Carlos.
Mal answers his question by heading back to Katherine. She lifts the spell on her, waking her up. She immediately grabs her by the coat and asks, "Where is my mom conjuring the time travel spell?"
"You can't make me talk," responded Katie.
"I think this will make you talk." Mal sets her hand on fire and prepares to punch her.
"Fine," gave in Katie. "A hidden passage behind a wall of rocks in the North forest of Sherwood."
Mal extinguishes her hand but punches Katie in the face anyway.
"So, what now?" asked Jane.
"We stop her," answered Mal. "E, Jay, Carlos, it's go time."
"Wait, wait. Do I really have to come?" asked Carlos.
"We need you," said Evie.
"But I can't even remember," said Carlos.
"Not true. I saw you out there. You can do this," said Doug.
"I believe in you," said Jane.
"In case I don't come back from this..." Carlos hugs Jane, who returns it.
Evie, meanwhile, takes Doug to a safe distance from the others. "Doug, about what I wanted to tell you..."
"What is it?" asked the dwarf.
Evie hesitated for a while. She finally decided to let it out. "Doug, you know I think you're a sweet, caring person, but you're not the man for me. My heart belongs to someone else."
"Who?" asked Doug.
"Carlos," answered Evie. "I love him. I've loved him for as long as a I can remember. We were actually dating back in the Isle."
"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Doug.
"I didn't want to break your heart," said Evie. "I'm sorry I had to tell you this, but keeping our relationship a secret came with a price. Jane still likes him and he is falling in love with her."
Doug didn't speak.
"Again, I'm sorry, Doug," apologized Evie. "Can we still be friends?"
"Of course we can," said Doug. "If Carlos is really who you want, I have no right to get in the way."
"Thank you for understanding." Evie hugs Doug.
"Do you want me to tell Jane?" asked Doug.
"No, it was my price to pay so it's up to me," said Evie.
"Evie! It's time to go!" called out Mal.
"Goodbye," said Evie.
"Bye," said Doug.
The four VKs stood together, but before Mal could teleport them away, Ben spoke.
"Wait," he said. "Just promise we one thing, Mal. Be yourself."
"If this is about me taking my mother's life, I'm afraid you can't stop that," said Mal.
"Just think about it," said Ben.
Mal remembers his words as the ones Sofia said when she realized that Mal's love for Ben is what helped her ignore the darkness in her blood.
"Goodbye, Ben," said Mal. She kisses him on the cheek.
"Be careful," said Ben.
Mal casts the teleportation spell. She and her friend disappear.
In the North side of Sherwood Forest, Maleficent is conjuring the time travel spell. She uses the petal from the blue rose to activate the Episkevi's function. She activates the spell and a portal shows up.
"Get ready, Mal. Mommy is about to become the best mother in the world," she said as she disappeared into the portal.
Mal and her friends arrive on time. The portal, however, was beginning to close.
"This is it, guys," declared Mal. "A journey through time. Are you ready?"
"Ready," replied Evie.
"You know I am," replied Jay.
Carlos didn't answer. "Well..."
"Carlos!" yelled his friends.
"W-why does that sound familiar?" asked Carlos.
"Are you ready?" asked Mal again.
"I'm ready," responded Carlos.
The four take each other's hands and jump into the time portal before it disappears.
I hope this was an entertaining chapter. Leave a review. Please.
Up next: The Finale (A two-chapter story)