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We walk up the stairs and into our hiding place. I take off my jacket and sit down on the couch placing my fingers to my temple. I take a deep breath. Am I nervous about tomorrow? Well, yes. I mean there's no chance that we're getting out of there without a fight. I just hope that we are the ones that win the fight. "We will get Ben back Kara. Don't worry." Evie says and I nod. "Let's get some rest. We've gotta need all our strength for tomorrow." Mal says. "Yeah, you're right." I say. We look at each other and then they walk off towards their beds which we placed in the hideout.
    I get off the couch and grab the box that I shoved under the table. I study the maps one more time and realize that I can't get anything out of them. The dagger isn't on the Isle, I know that much. There aren't any trees here. I sigh and yawn. I don't want to leave without having read the books. I guess I just have to take them with me tomorrow. I could just place them in the limousine before we go to Uma's ship. Yes, that could work. I yawn again. I walk towards my bed and lie down in it. We can do this Kara. Believe in your friends. And with that thought, I fall asleep.

"Kara!" Evie yells. I shoot up. "I'm awake. I'm awake." I say as I rub my eyes. Evie laughs and I look and see her standing beside me. "You know that it's getting harder to wake you every single time?" she says. "Yeah I know I am sorry." I say. "Come on." she says. I get up and we start preparing. We stand in the middle of the main space. We all have our jackets on and we have my bag full of smoke bombs. "We ready to go?" Mal asks as we look around the hideout one more time. "Let's go." Evie says and she grabs my bag off the ground and walks out of the room toward the stairs. Mal follows her and I am about to follow her too when I realize that I need to bring the box with me. When I come down the stairs they look at me. "What's with the box?" Evie asks. "It's just some stuff out of my old house which I need to get through." I say. "Why are you bringing it with you?" Mal asks. "Well the boys will be meeting us at the pier in the old garage right." I say. "Yes." Mal says. "Then I will put it in the limo so I can take it with me." I say. "Makes sense." Mal says. "I thought you said that you weren't going back." Evie says. "Evie. I need to find something and it isn't on the Isle." I say. "But-" she starts. "I will explain everything later, but right now we need to get going." I say. "Right." she says and we start walking towards the old garage.
    We get there and right at that moment the limo comes riding into the garage. Jay and Lonnie get out of the front and I frown. "I'll get the swords." Jay says. "Okay." Lonnie says and she walks towards us. "Oh, Lonnie!" I say as I spread my arms. "I made them bring me." she says and she hugs me. "Oh, I'm so glad." I says and we let go of each other. "Hi." Evie says as she hugs Lonnie. "I'll be right back." I say and grab the box from the ground and walk towards the back of the limousine.
    "And Dude." I hear Jay say as I walk over to them. "I told you to stay!" Carlos says as he points at Dude who is apparently in the car. "I flunked obedience class." Dude says. "Good to hear that he can still talk." I say as I stand next to them. "You're lucky I love you." Carlos says and he lifts him out of the car. "What's with the box?" Jay asks. "Long story. I'll tell you guys later alright." I say. "Uh. Yeah sure." Jay says as I put the box in the trunk. I open my mouth to say something to him but I get interrupted by Evie.
    "It's almost time." she says. "Right." I say and Jay closes the tailgate. We walk over to Evie, Mal, and Lonnie and Carlos gets out the wand. "Ooh. Here, let me see it." I say and he hands it to me. "Wow, what a beauty." I say as I study it. "It's noon." Jay says. "All right." I say and I hand the wand back to Carlos. "Are we ready?" I ask. "Yeah." Evie says as she holds up my backpack with the smoke bombs. "Let's do this." I say and they nod.
    I walk inside of the big tube that leads towards the bay. I hear footsteps follow me and take in a deep breath. We can do this. When we step out of the tube and walk onto the pier I immediately spot Uma on her ship. I look around but I don't see Ben. I walk down a set of stairs.
    "Hey, guys! They're here!" I hear Gil sing. The pirates cheer. I look over to them and see Harry pushing a tied-up Ben. He gives me an evil smile and I narrow my eyes at him. "Welcome!" he yells and keeps pushing Ben. "Finally!" Uma says as she steps on the bridge which allows people to walk from her ship to the pier. Uma laughs. I walk towards the other end of the bridge.
    "Huh, let's get this party started
    I swear I'm cold-hearted
    There's no negotiation
    I'm not here for debatin'" She starts singing and I look at Harry who pushes Ben on the gangplank. Her pirate crew moves behind her and all have big smiles on their faces.
    "You need some motivation?
    Just look at Ben's face" She sings and I look over at Ben. He is standing in the middle of the plank. His feet and hands bound. He looks at me with a hurt face. Harry swings an arm around his shoulder and looks at me. I growl.
    "Then ask yourself how long you think I'll remain patient
    I'll throw him overboard and let him swim with killer sharks
    You either hand over the wand or he'll be ripped apart" She sings with an evil smile on her lips. Harry isn't leaning on Ben anymore, instead, he is holding him by the collar of his jacket and pushing Ben to the edge of the wooden plank. I step forward onto the bridge.
    "Now, let's all just be smart
    Although for you that must be hard" I sing trying to insult her but she just laughs.
    "You'll get your wand
    No one has to come to any harm
    Don't try to intimidate
    Your bark is much worse than your bite
    Who's the baddest of them all?
    I guess we're finding out tonight" I sing.
    "Let's go, bring it on
    Better give us what we want
    It's the wand for the crown
    If you don't, it's going down" The pirates sing as they start dancing around the deck on the beat.
    "Let's go, make your move
    Peace or war, it's up to you
    Give him up and do it now
    If you don't, it's going down" We sing as we also start dancing on the beat.
"We want the wand
    Or else the king is gone" They sing and they point their swords at Harry and Ben. I feel people jumping down and see that Carlos and Lonnie are standing at my sides.
    "Your time is running out
    You should really watch your mouth" They sing and Harry dangles a pocket watch in front of Ben's face.
"Let's go, pound for pound
    We're prepared to stand our ground
    Put your swords up, put 'em up
    It's going down" We all sing.
"Oh, oh, oh, make the trade" The pirates sing as they roll on the ground of the ship and Uma hits her sword against the wood of the bridge on the rhythm.
    "Oh, oh, oh, or walk the plank" They sing and Uma walks down her swords with two fingers and then pretends to jump off the plank aka her sword. Harry now starts messing with Ben and turn him around in circles.
    "Oh, oh, oh, make the trade
    Oh, oh, oh, or walk the plank" They sing and Harry turns Ben around and pushes him back so he is hanging over the plank. The only thing that is keeping him from falling is Harry who is holding onto his shirt. I turn around and see that my friends have gathered around. One look at them and I know that we can do this. I turn around and walk towards the middle of the bridge.
    "Ok, look, this is not a conversation
    It's a do-or-die situation
    If you don't give me back the king
    I'll have no hesitation
    I'll serve you right here
    And I don't need a reservation
    That way your whole pirate crew can have a demonstration
    Release him now, and we can go our separate ways" Harry joins Uma's side with a big smirk on his face. I don't look at him and try to ignore him.
    Unless you wanna deal with me and the VKs" I turn around and look at my friends. Jay giving me an encouraging nod. I look back at Uma.
    "So that's your big speech, huh?
    An empty ultimatum?" Uma sings with a smile.
    "All it takes is one swing and I'll humiliate him." Harry starts to sing as he starts to walk towards me.
    "Matter of fact, make one wrong move and I'll debilitate him." He continues. He now reaches out at strokes my face with his hook. I glare at him. He was my friend. Then he betrayed me and now he does this. I mean yes I know that he does the things that Uma tells him to do but he is taking it a bit far.
    "And if he even starts to slip, I'll eliminate him." I feel a hand on my back and immediately know that it is Jay.
    "All it takes is one long look and I'll-" He sings as he walks back and spins.
"Harry!" I yell, interrupt him. He looks at me and stops singing. Uma gives me a frown and places a hand on Harry's shoulder, pushing him behind her. "We get it, chill" She says to him but not taking her eyes of me. Jay takes my hand and pulls me back towards the dock.
    "Let's go, bring it on
    Better give us what we want
    It's the wand for the crown
    If you don't, it's going down
    Better give us what we want
    It's the wand for the crown
    If you don't, it's going down" The pirate crew sings.
    "Let's go, make your move
    Peace or war, it's up to you
    Give him up and do it now
    If you don't, it's going down" We sing.
    "We want the wand
    Or else the king is gone." Harry has joined Ben again and is forcing him to walk towards the edge of the bridge.
    "Your time is running out
    You should really watch your mouth" The crew sings.
    "Let's go, pound for pound
    We're prepared to stand our ground
    Put your swords up, put 'em up
    It's going down" We all sing. I extend my hand and Carlos hands me the fake wand. I take in a deep breath and start to walk towards the middle of the bridge.
    "Hey, we don't have to choose" Ben sings and I stop walking and look over at him.
    "We don't have to light the fuse
    Kara, whatever you do, it's gonna be a lose-lose
    There's gotta be a better way" He sings as he looks desperately at me. He thinks that this is the real wand.
    "Uma, I promise I'll give you your chance
    You'll have your say" He sings as he turns towards Uma.
    "Silly king! You? Give me?
    You're gonna give me a chance?
    Well, not a chance" Uma sings and she laughs heavily.
"Oh, oh, oh, make the trade
    Oh, oh, oh, or walk the plank
    Oh, oh, oh, make the trade
    Oh, oh, oh, or walk the plank" They sing and Uma walks towards me. I extend the wand. "Hold up." she says and she thinks. "Hmm. Too easy. Why don't you give it a test drive? We want to see it work." Uma says. I am a bit taken back by that. How could we be so stupid to think that she would just accept the wand and give us Ben without even knowing if it works or not. How could I be so stupid to think that we could actually pull this off. I scoff. "You always were quite the drama queen." I say. "Oh, and nothing too big or else Ben is fish bait." she says. I give her an angry smile as the pirates laugh. I look over at Ben who's upper body is dangling over the edge. The only thing holding him back is Harry's grip on his tied hands.
    I turn around and look at my friends. "What do we do?" I mouth. Carlos gives a slight nod of his head to the left. I look in the direction he nodded and spot Dude. Of course. Dogs shouldn't be talking. "Okay." I say and turn to face Dude. Think. It has to rhyme. Everybody knows that. I hear Uma sigh behind me. I take in a breath. "Although it seems absurd," I start and pause. "Turn your bark into a word." I say with a small smile, knowing that that was a good rhyme. I wave the wand around and point it at Dude. Dude doesn't answer. "Talk dog!" I say. "Does this vest make me look fat?" Dude asks and the pirates start laughing. I smile and wink at Dude. "Hey, does anyone have some bacon? Cookies?" Dude continues and I turn to face Uma again.
    "Give me the wand!" she snaps as she extends her hand. "Give me Ben!" I yell back. Uma stares at me and I stare back. "Harry, bring him over." Uma says after a while of staring. Harry pulls Ben away from the plank and walks him towards Uma. With a push, Harry forces Ben on his knees in front of me. Ben looks up at me and I look at him. He looks so disappointed. "Awh." Uma says and extends her hand. I extend mine in response. "Cut him loose, Harry." Uma says. He sighs and looks at me. "I never get to have any fun." he says and cuts Ben loose. As soon as his arms are free he grabs my hand. Uma holds him back by putting an arm on his upper arm. I move the wand towards her still outstretched hand. As soon as she touches it the pirates cheer. I let go of the wand and she let's go of Ben. I pull him off his knees and behind me. I turn around and push him back.
    "Ben, go!" I say. He pushes forward and looks between me and Uma behind me. I push him harder and we walk off the bridge. "By the power of the sea, tear it down and set us free!" I hear Uma yell behind me and the pirates cheer. Nothing happens. "Ben!" I say urging him, but he doesn't move. "No!" Uma yells. She knows. We have to get out of here. I look at her and she breaks the fake wand in two. "You do not get to win every time!" she yells and I push Ben back along the dock. "Hurry go." I say as I give him a final push. "Get them." Uma yells.
    Just before the pirates can come towards us Carlos and Evie fire the smoke bombs. The pirates are surprised which gives us a little more time. Mal jumps down and stands beside me. She hands me a sword. But as soon as the smoke clears pirates come running towards us, swinging their swords. "You up for this?" Mal asks. "Am I ever?" I say. "Ow please, you enjoy a good fight." she says as blocks the blow of a pirate that comes running towards her over the bridge. She pushes him over the edge and he plummets down in the water.
    "Go!" Uma yells and two pirates run towards her. She blocks the blow of the first one and kicks him towards me. The pirate stumbles, before regaining his balance and raising his sword. He swings down and I block it. Then he moves to swing high and I block it again. He glances down at my feet and that is his mistake because I know that he is going down again. He swings down and I block his sword with my sword. I move my sword and backward, making him stumble forwards. I move beside him and push him towards the ground with my free hand.
    I look around and see Ben fighting Gil on the platform above me. A pirate sneaks up behind Ben. I jump onto the railing to my left and push away from it with my left foot as hard as I can. I spin around in the air and land between Ben and the pirate sneaking up behind him, blocking his sword that was about to strike. I push his sword to the right. His sword is now stuck under my sword and he tries to pull it out. He is so focused on the sword and I use that to my advantage. I use my free hand and slam his head down on the railing. He falls down and groans.
    Another pirate runs up to me. I block his blow to my head but he pushes down on me, forcing me to take a few steps back. I bump into Ben. I glance behind me and see that he is in a similar position. "The wand was a fake?" he asks. "Of course it was a fake. Did you actually think that I would bring Uma the real wand and give her the chance to destroy Auradon?" I ask him. "Well, yes." he says. "Really Ben?" I ask and we both move at the same time. I turn right and Ben does the same. This makes our opponent's swords slide down our sword to the side. Making them stumble because of the shift in pressure. This makes them stumble and allows us to kick them in the but, making them hit the wooden dock face down.
    We turn to face each other. "I don't know. I mean what did you expect me to expect?" he asks and two other pirates run towards us from both sides. We block them by extending our right arms. "A little faith maybe." I say as I grab the hand that holds the sword of the pirate that attacked me. I slam his head on the railing just like I did with the other pirate that I took out.     "How am I supposed to show faith in someone who I don't recognize?" Ben asks and he grunts. I turn around and stand beside him and kick the pirate that attacked him in the stomach, making him fall backward.
    "What do you mean?" I ask. "You left Kara. You kicked me out." he says. "I-I" I stammer. "I just didn't recognize you anymore." he says and looks down. "Do you now?" I ask him. "I d-" he starts but he gets interrupted by a yell of a pirate who comes running up to us. Ben steps forward and starts fighting him.
    I hear a thud behind me. "Well, well, well." an all to familiar voice says. I turn around. "Hook." I say and glare at him. He takes off his hat. We walk around each other and he swings his sword I lean back just in time. His sword swings just inches from my neck. Then he turns and raises his sword and hook. I put my sword up and block his blow. I push and he steps back. He swings at me again and I block his arm with my arm. He stumbles back and swings his hook at me. I block it with my arm above my head and he swings at my legs. I block it with my sword. I move our swords behind him and he turns around. He swings his sword while leaning backward and I duck. Because I am ducking he kicks me in the stomach. I groan as I fall down and kick him in the back of his knees and he goes down too.
    We both stand up and glare at each other. We slowly start to circle each other. I attack first by a stab towards his stomach. Harry dodges it and jams his at my head. I slam his sword away without any effort. I swing my sword down at his feet and he has just enough time to do the same. Our swords collide with a loud clang. We push at each other swords for a while, but he is stronger than me so I am slightly stepping backward. I muster my strength and push him back. Harry swings his sword at me and I parry his sword with a swift movement. He swings again and again but I parry his sword every time.
    "Really? Are you even trying?" I ask him with a smirk. Harry dashes forward and moves to swing at my legs but I jump up and spin around. Then he swings hard and I clash my sword with his. He pulls back and swings again. I block it again, with a little more effort now. He moves his sword behind his head and swings from above. I block it and he joins his hook on my sword. He pushes and I am forced to lean back over the railing. "Oh." he says and chuckles darkly. "Am I trying now?" he asks. He keeps pushing, not giving me any space.
    "Kara!" I hear Jay yell. I try to think of a way to get out of this position. I look at the hand holding his sword. It's worth a try. I place my hand on his hand on the sword and push. "Aw do you really think that that is going to work Gen?" he asks. I yell and push again. I swing my sword that was above my hand to the right, taking his hook with me, which takes him off balance. Giving me the advantage and I am able to push his sword away. He swings for my head, his hook still trapped under my sword, and I duck. He swings again and I duck. But he slams his sword into the wood of the railing. He pulls but it is stuck. I smirk and punch him in the stomach. Then kick him in his right leg and he stumbles a bit. I grab onto the hand that is holding his hook. I spring up and kick him in the stomach, making him fall backward. I have his hook in my hand.
    He stands up with an angry look on his face and walks towards me. I hold up his hook. I know this hook is precious to him and that he would do anything to get it back. "Uhuhuh." I say and he stops. He moves his arm slightly backward, thinking I won't notice but I do, so I walk towards the railing and hold his hook above the water. I look at him and he throws his sword on the ground. He extends his hand and looks from my face to the hook. "You're not getting off that easy." I say angrily and let his hook go. It plunges down and lands in the water with a small splash. He frowns at me angrily and growls. I walk away and I hear a splash behind me. I know that he has jumped into the water after his hook.
    I walk over the dock, dodging pirates in the way, towards the tunnel. I look back towards a pirate that I just knocked to the ground and continue walking but a sword stops me. The sword sticks in the ladder I am standing in front of and has missed my neck by just an inch. "Hiya!" a wet Harry Hook says. He takes back his sword and starts swinging with even more force than before. I climb backward on the ladder as I try to defect his blows. Because I am higher than him I think I have the advantage but he proves me wrong when I swing at him and he blocks it with his sword and his hook. He pushes my sword aside, making me tumble after it and jump off the ladder.
    I turn around and he is standing in front of me. He swings but I spring aside and behind the ladder. He once again stands in front of me, the ladder separating us. He swings and I block his blow moving out from behind the ladder. My back is now towards my friends and the tunnel. Harry just keeps on swinging and I try to block every blow but it is getting harder and harder.
    Then someone grabs my arm and pulls me back. Something explodes in front of me and I can't see anything but purple smoke. "Come on!" I hear Evie yell and I look behind me and see that Ben is walking on the plank that leads toward the tunnel. I follow him. I turn around when I am in the tunnel and see Uma and Harry walking towards the plank as the smoke begins to clear. I grunt and kick the edge of the plank. It falls down into the water and now they can't get to us.
    Uma looks at me angrily and Harry stands beside her. I look at him and he is taking in deep breaths and glaring at me. He looks angrier than I have ever seen anyone before. I don't feel guilty or anything and I just glare at him. "Goodbye Harry." I say and turn around. "Genevieve!" he yells. I ignore him and walk inside the tunnel.
    I jump out on the other side in the garage and run towards the car. I drop my sword in the back and Jay closes the tailgate. I get inside and see that Ben, Evie, Mal, Carlos, and Dude are already inside. Jay steps into the driver's seat, starts the car, and we start driving.

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4500 words
(15/04/2021)

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