Go the Distance

03

[Obviously it isn't written, but the song above happens.]

Mal and Maia made their way to the salon. Mal ignored the 'Closed until Midnight' sign and walked inside. Maia, after a moment's hesitation, chose to follow.

Maia looked at the walls. They were splattered with different colors of paint, all matching the young girl's eccentric and bubbly personality.

Dizzy grinned when she saw them. "Mal! Is Evie back too?"

Mal let out a sarcastic laugh. "As if. I forgot that you guys don't open til midnight. The place looks good. So, what is your deal? Has your grandmother given you any customers yet?"

Dizzy shrugged. "Just a witch here and there. Mostly a lot of scrubbing and scouring and sweeping... lots and lots of sweeping."

"Sounds like a real Cinderella treatment, eh?"

Dizzy nodded. "Yeah... she's gone from wicked stepmother to wicked Grandmother."

"That's not really much of a switch. Oh, this is my friend, Maia. Hey, Dizzy, you used to do Evie, right?

"Yeah, I thought of the little braids!"

"Do you have any ideas for me?"

Dizzy studied Mal. "The washed out blonde with purple tips? The best of no worlds. You can't see where your face ends and your hair begins!" She grabbed Mal's hand. "Ugh, what is this? Bore-to-die pink? How far can I go?"

"I could use the works. I mean, whatever makes me feel like me, but way worse. If Maia wants something, you think you can do it?"

Dizzy clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay! Of course!"

Maia shook her head. "I think I'm gonna pass, but I'll definitely keep you I mind."

She went to work right away and soon, Mal's hair was straightened and purple. Mal had bangs, which Maia thought suited her nicely.

Mal smiled. "Hey! There I am! Voila." She handed Dizzy a dollar bill.

Dizzy smiled. "For me?"

Mal nodded. "Yeah. You earned it."

"Hee-hee-hee!"

A new voice caught their attention. Harry Hook. He turned to Dizzy. "Fork it over, young runt. And the rest of it. Thank you."

Mal smirked at him. "Still running errands for Uma? Or do you actually get to keep what you steal?"

Harry looked at her. "Well, well, well. This is a nice surprise."

"Hi, Harry."

"Just wait until Uma hears you're back. She's never gonna give you back your old territory."

"Oh, well, that's okay. Because I'll be taking it."

"I can hurt you..."

"But not without permission I bet." Mal took out her gum and placed it on the end of his hook.

Dizzy raised a lazy hand into the air. "Great. More sweeping."

Mal and Maia made their way to the hideout and the former started spray painting the wall.

---

Mal was nearly finished with the wall when a voice caught her attention. "At least I don't see a picture of me with horns and a pitchfork."

Mal turned towards the voice, still holding the can of spray paint. "Elias!"

He tried to walk towards her and Mal put a hand up.

He smiled. "Mal, I am so sorry about our fight. It was all my fault. Please, come home."

Ben walked up to Maia. "Whatever's going on, I miss you. Please come home." He held up his ring.

Mal frowned, walking towards Elias. "Elias, I am home."

"Ben brought the limo," Elias said. "It's a sweet ride."

Mal shook her head. "I don't fit in, Elias. I really gave it my best shot. If you think I can change, I think you're wrong."

Elias stepped closer to her. "I'll change! I'll skip school, have more fun, y'know? I'll blow off some of my responsibilities-"

She interrupted him. "No! No. See? I'm such a terrible influence. It's only a matter of time before I do something so messed up that not only the kingdom will turn on me, but they turn on you!"

"Don't quit us, Mal. The people love you. I love you."

Ben meanwhile was trying to reason with Maia. "I love you, Maia. Please don't give up on our home, on the people, on us." He placed the ring in her hand and paused.

Maoa placed the ring back and his hand and stepped away from him. "I can't, Ben. I don't know who I am right now. And I need to find that out."

"Maia, please."

Mal looked at Elias. "I have to take myself out of the picture because that's what's best for you, and it's what's best for Auradon."

"Mal, please," Elias begged.

Maia and Mal shared a look and the former said, "No. She can't do this anymore. I need to figure myself out. You should go, Ben. You too, Elias. Ben, Elias, please go. Please leave."

Elias asked sadly, "So we came all this way for nothing?"

"Yeah, I guess you did."

"Maia?"

Maia stared at her twin, saying nothing, then turned away.