Sunlilly: When history repeats

Chapter 16: Cotillion

We make it back to Auradon and Ben helps me stumble onto school grounds while Lonnie takes the swords back to the gym, suddenly Jane comes out of nowhere to talk to Ben
"Ben! There you are. Cotillons tonight come here, look"
Jane shows Ben a mock up stained glass mural of him and Mal, it was beautiful
"This is the stained glass window for Mal, Isn't it beautiful? She's gonna love it"
Ben leans over to Mal
"Do you want to cancel?"
He asks
"Um, you know what? I can come back-uh, but like, really, really soon"
Jane says
"No,no,no, now is fine"
Ben assures, he leans back over to Mal
"Do whatever you need to do"
He tells her
"Ahem, still... bleeding to death here"
I cut in
"Oh! Gods! What happened?"
Jane asks concerned
"...Long story"
I sigh, Ben helps me back to mine and Lonnie's dorm and I practically fall onto my bed
"...Thanks man"
I pant
"No problem, hope i'll see you at cotillion"
Ben says
"I have magical healing hands... i'll be there"
I assure
"Alright, see you later"
Ben leaves the room and I get to work on my stab wound, I untie the fabric and immediately place my hands over the wound allowing my magic to do it's thing for a couple minutes, the wound closed and the bleeding stopped though it did leave a bit of scar but it was healed enough I could walk without support, I hear a knock at the door and find Evie and Doug with a rack of dresses
"Well good to see you on your feet again"
Evie says
"That makes two of us"
I laugh, Evie gives me mine and Lonnie's dresses and continues with deliveries as Lonnie walks in
"Guess who just became captain of the fencing team!"
Lonnie exclaims excited
"Oh, fuck yeah!"
I cheer
"Oh, I assume you're gonna want your dress for Cotillion?"
I say as I toss Lonnie her dress
"Why yes"
Lonnie laughs. We get ready for Cotillion while praying to god I'll actually be able to walk the whole night. I put on my dress and pinned up my hair in a half up half down braid and strapped my dagger to my thigh. I made it to cotillion which was held on a boat which can only go well, I met up with my friends and saw Jane and Carlos holding hands and looking deeply into each other's eyes
"So I guess you finally got the balls to ask her out?"
I asked Carlos, He simply nodded his head and went back to Jane, I saw couples all around me and I stood at the side of the boat overlooking the Isle, fiddling with my necklace as it ticked in my hand
"Hey, you alright"
Lonnie walks up and leans beside me
"Yeah, I'm alright... just kinda miss him, which I know is dumb because I just saw him but like... still sucks"
I explain
"No I get it, he seems... decent"
Lonnie starts
"Hey, he did save my life earlier... after i intentionally almost ended it"
I add
"Yeah that was really dumb"
Lonnie says
"But it worked"
I defend, we laugh for a minute when Jay walked over
"What's so funny?"
He asks
"My bad decision making"
I answer
"Oh, that's hilarious"
Jay laughs, I look over to Lonnie and see a light pink fade cross her cheeks as she giggles
"Yeah, did Raina ever tell you about when she chased down Mal for a necklace"
Jay continues
"To be fair, we were eight"
I defend
"And you started it"
We all laugh and Lonnie's face is getting more and more pink
"How about, I leave you two alone so Jay can drag me in peace"
I suggest
"You sure?"
Lonnie asks
"Yeah, whatever he tells you I'll just debunk later"
I reassure, I walk off and dance with some of my fellow single peers, I'm a good dancer so i'm not an unbearable partner, I ended up dancing with Aladan and Jasmine's son Aziz, he was also a good dancer and a gentleman so it wasn't tourture but it was a little awkward
"So, you came alone too?"
Aziz asks, spinning me into him
"You could say"
I respond as Aziz dips me
"I have a boyfriend but we're... long distance"
"He's on the Isle?"
Aziz says as I twirl away from him lightly gripping his hand
"Yep"
I say
"He's a little unhinged but I love him anyway"
I explain
"How unhinged?"
Aziz asks intrigued
"We met because I caught him trying to feed his hand to a crocodile"
I say
"Well damn"
Aziz gasps. The music dies down and Lumière walks to the front of the steps, I part ways with Aziz and join my friends closer to the steps, trumpets blow and Lumière begins his announcement
"The future Lady Mal"
Mal walks out to the steps in a yellow dress with blue lace detail with layers of tulle beneath the skirt and her hair braided with some purple gems laced in, We all cheer and applaud as Mal descends the steps and Evie takes her hand
"How are you?"
Evie asks
"Uh, I sort of feel like I'm gonna throw up"
Mal laughs
"Okay, that's ok"
Evie reassures
"Look, we're right here with you, okay?"
Evie says
"Okay"
Mal acknowledges, the trumpets blow again as Lumière announces Ben's arrival
"King Benjamin!"
Ben descends the steps in a blue suit with yellow detailing and crown, the cheering revs back up and Evie leans over to Mal
"Go get him"
She whispers, Mal meets Ben at the end of the steps and they bow to each other
"Mal, I wish I had time to explain"
Ben says as the spotlight focuses back on the stairs and... Uma walks out. What. the. Fuck. Ben kisses Uma's hand which now has the Auradon emblem ring on it's index finger
"Sorry. It all happened so fast"
Ben apologizes
"Something happened to me when I was on the Isle with Uma. A connection"
"What are you saying?"
Mal asks on the verge of tears
"I'm saying-"
Ben starts
"It was love!"
Uma interrupts
"It was. I just... I realized how alike Ben and I are, you know?"
Uma giggles
"We are"
Ben affirms
"You're so beautiful"
Ben says
"Ben. Ben, did you go back for her?"
Mal asks
"He didn't have to. I dove through the barrier before it closed and I'm an excellent swimmer so..."
Uma explains
"You are"
Ben compliments
"Thank you"
Uma says
"Listen, Mal. I just really want to thank you. I do. For everything"
Uma says as she hugs Mal and returns to Ben
"Don't you see Mal? You were right. You knew that we weren't meant to be together. That's why you never told me you love me"
Ben exclaims though it was more just adding insult to injury if anything else. The music swells up and Uma and Ben begin to dance, Evie pulls Mal into the group
"Not too thrilled I risked my life for him"
Carlos says pissed
"Your telling me"
I add as I reach for my dagger
"We're with you, Mal"
Lonnie affirms
"Let's get out of here"
Jay whispers
"Okay"
We all go to leave when Jane runs up to Lumière
"Lumière, unveil the gift. They need to see it"
Jane commands, the spotlight turns back on as Lumière unveils the gift
"And now, for the unveiling of King Ben's masterpiece, designed especially for his lady"
A curtain drops unveiling the stained glass portrait of Mal and Ben, the portrait depicted Mal in a beautiful purple gown with green detail and dark green eyes and golden tiara
"Ben did that?"
Mal asks
"Yeah, he did"
Evie confirms
"Oh, Evie, Ben's known who I was all along"
Mal gasps
"He loves the real you, Mal"
Evie says
"A true love"
"Yeah"
"Told you"
Carlos intersects causing Mal to laugh a little
"Cover that back up!"
Uma demands
"I will not"
Lumière opposes
"Um..."
Uma chuckles nervously
"Why don't you tell everyone the present you got for me, Ben?"
Uma suggests
"I have an announcement"
Ben begins
"Uma will be joining the court tonight as my lady"
"Son-"
My uncle Adam intersects
"No! Not now dad!"
Ben yells but something odd happened, Ben... glitched out for a minute, like he wasn't all the way there and he was almost dead behind the eyes
"Uh, so, as my gift, uh, to her"
Ben stutters
"I'm bringing down the barrier once and for all!"
Ben announces, the crowd gasps in utter shock
"Fairy godmother. Bring down the barrier"
Ben orders
"I most certainly will not"
Fairy godmother opposes
"I am your king!"
Ben yells
"Obey him!"
Uma adds
"Ben's been spelled!"
Mal relizes
"Uma found your spell book"
Evie adds
"Ben"
Mal walks up to Ben and Uma
"Ben. look at me"
Mal orders
"No, look at me, you love me, remember?"
Uma interjects and that's when I walked up brandishing my dagger and put Uma in a headlock holding my dagger to her back
"I recommend you choose your next words very wisely unless you want matching scars"
I whisper
"No you don't"
Mal denies to Uma's claims
"Ben, look at me"
Mal orders
"Bring down the barrier now!"
Uma yells, I push my dagger a little closer to her back
"Ah- wisely"
I remind
"I do not take orders from you"
Fairy godmother says
"Ben?"
Uma tries to get his attention
"Ben. I never told you that I loved you because I thought that I wasn't good enough"
Mal cries
"And I thought that it was only a matter of time before you realized that yourself but Ben, that's me"
Mal says as she gestures to stained glass portrait
"I'm part Isle and part Auradon"
"Ben, eyes over here"
Uma directs
"And, Ben, you've always known who we were and who we can be"
Mal continues
"Don't listen to her"
Uma interrupts leading me to pull her closer to me
"Watch it, Uma"
I whisper
"Ben, I know what love feels like now. Ben. Of course I love you. Ben, I've always loved you"
Mal leans in and kisses Ben and the light flutters back into his eyes
"Mal"
He whispers, the two stand and softly laugh to each other while Uma is furious
"Ugh! Give it to me!"
Uma yells, she elbows me in the abdomen, knocking me off my feet and I fall backward onto the floor in pain. Jay helps me to my feet as Uma lunges for Fairy godmother's wand
"Guards! Seize her!"
Fairy godmother yells, Uma runs to the side of the boat as everyone surrounds her
"No! No, Stop!"
Mal screams
"Please, stop! Uma, I know you. You are so much more than just a villain, and you have to believe me because I've been there. Do not let your pride get in the way of something that you really want"
Mal says, Uma hesitates as her nautilus necklace glows and chirps and then she jumps off the side of the boat
"No! No! Uma!"
Mal screams, Uma falls into the water as a reverse whirlpool forms where she fell, suddenly water flies onto the boat flooding the deck and Uma reemerges as a gigantic sea monster with tentacles replacing her legs
"True love's kiss won't defeat this"
Uma booms
"The world will know my name!"
Uma flings a tentacle almost hitting a handful of students, suddenly Mal separates from the crowd and her eyes deepen and glow a dark green, a cloud of purple smoke envelops her and out comes a giant purple dragon
"Sweet shit"
I gasp, Mal flies over the boat and starts breathing fire in the direction of Uma to no effect
"Come on Mal! Let's finish this once and for all!"
Uma yells. Mal and Uma fight, Mal trying to fry Uma and Uma trying to slap the shit out of Mal, Uma sends a wave in the direction of the boat causing to rock and flood even more, suddenly Ben roars and hands his crown and over coat to Jay ands dives off the boat
"Mal! Hold on!"
He yells as he gets in the middle of her and Uma
"Stop! Back down!"
Uma laughs at Ben's attempt at defusing the fight
"What are you gonna do, Ben? Splash me?"
Uma laughs
"That's enough!"
Ben yells
"It's got to stop! This isn't the answer! The fighting has to stop. Nobody wins this way, we have to listen and respect each other. It won't be easy, but let's be brave enough to try. Uma, I know you want what's best for the Isle, help me make a difference"
He monologues, Uma pauses before giving Ben his ring back and disappearing into the ocean, Jay and Carlos bring down a ladder and Ben climbed back onto the boat as Mal flies back on deck, enveloped in another cloud of smoke, this time emerging human again in a beautiful purple gown almost identical to the dress in the portrait. Mal, actively smoking comes down the steps where Evie meets her
"So, I did not know I could do that"
Mal laughs
"Tell me about it. That makes two of us"
Evie says, she extinguishes the last bit of flame on Mal's dress and escorts her to Ben, he grabs her waist and pulls her in for a kiss
"All right, all right, all right, allright"
Carlos laughs as he guides Ben away form Mal's face
"I owe you guys so much"
Ben says
"Yeah"
Evie agrees sarcastically
"Got that right"
Carlos adds
"No shit"
I laugh
"Just a little bit"
Evie jokes
"If there is anything that you need, or anything that I can do for you"
Ben begins
"Um...Actually... there is, Ben. I know a girl who'd... Who'd really love to come to Auradon. It's Drizella's daughter, Dizzy. She's like a little sister to me"
Evie explains
"Then she should come"
Ben agrees
"Okay"
Evie chuckles happily
"Actually, um..."
Evie continues causing us to break into laughter
"Ben, there's a lot of kids who would really love it here in Auradon. Kids just like us who also deserve a second chance, can I maybe get you a list?"
Evie asks
"Yes, yes, absolutely, please"
Ben beams as the crowd cheers
"And maybe we can finally bring over my boyfriend"
I jokingly suggest
"Seriously, what do you see in him?!"
Ben jests
"Oh like you have room to talk, you dated Audrey"
I Joke as the crowd erupts into laughter
"Lady Mal"
A guard cuts into the crowd
"We found your spell book below deck. Uma had it"
The guard hands Mal her spellbook
"Um... you know, this seems like the kind of thing that belongs in the hands of Fairy godmother. Fairy godmother!"
Mal exclaims
"Okay. That's me. Thank you, Mmm-hmm"
Fairy godmother jokes as she makes her way through the giggling crowd
"This belongs in the museum"
Mal says
"It does, yes, and I'm gonna take it"
Fairy godmother agrees
"Go for it"
Mal laughs
"I'm not gonna be needing it anymore"
She continues, Mal splashes Ben with some of the deck water as he splashes her back and they share another kiss. The night goes on with Dancing and festivities, me and Lonnie even got to share another dance. A glorious end to a very eventful night