Go the Distance

11

Outside at the entrance to Auradon, Evie noticed Maia and Ben coming. "There they are."

Maia and Ben bowed to the crowd before climbing the stairs to address everyone.

Ben smiled. "Lady Maia and I wanna thank you for celebrating our engagement with us today. I couldn't be happier to call you my queen. So... raise your glasses, to our future queen of Auradon."

Everyone lifted their glass and said, "To our queen of Auradon."

Carlos grinned. "Speech, your specialness!"

"Speech, your fancy one!" Jay and Elias called.

Maia's face dropped as she looked at her friends from the Isle. "I can't. I can't be queen of Auradon."

"Maia," Ben called softly.

Maia met his eyes. "I can't turn my back on the Isle. We made a decision to close the barrier forever. And it was my idea under Mal's choice. But it's wrong. I've learned... that you can't live in fear... because it doesn't actually protect you from anything." She let out an awkward laugh. "You never know where the bad is gonna come from. And you never know where the heroes are gonna come from either. Without Uma and her pirates, Auradon would be gone. And without Hades..." she looked to Mal who nodded, "my friend Mal's father..." the crowd let out a surprised gasp, "Audrey would be gone. We are all capable of good and bad, no matter which side of the barrier we come from. And that's why I can't be queen of just Auradon. I have to be queen of the Isle, too. And it's time that we take the barrier down forever."

King Beast frowned. "We can't do that."

Ben turned to his father. "It's up to us, Dad. I choose to be a king who moves forward. It's time for forgiveness. It's time for new beginnings. The barrier will come down!"

The crowd erupted into a loud cheer. "Yes!"

"Bring it down, Maia," Ben said.

Maia shook her head. "I think Mal should do it."

Mal smiled and ran up to her friend's side.

The crowd began applauding and Mal called the VKs up to the balcony. Fairy Godmother gave her a nod.

Mal smiled and said, "To make the world a better place..."

All the original VKs finished, "...we have to do it face to face."

Mal pointed the wand at the Isle and a gold shimmering light shined. The gray cloud over the barrier disappeared and the bridge connected the Isle and Auradon. Mal leaned into Jay and they smiled.

[Break This Down]

A Chinese dragon Mal appeared and some of the VK parents appeared.

Maia noticed Harry ask Audrey for a dance and smiled. She watched as her brother asked Mal for a dance.

The crowd soon dissipated, and only the original VKs remained. Maia and Elias joined them. They stared out at the Isle.

After a moment, Evie asked, "Do you ever miss them?"

Carlos nodded. "Yeah."

"Do you think they miss us?" Mal wondered.

Carlos met her eyes. "Yeah. Of course."

Elias glanced between them. "They're still your parents."

Mal placed her fist in the middle. "Cause we're rotten..."

The VKs placed their fists in the middle, next to Mal's. "...to the core."

"Hey, last one over the bridge..." Carlos began.

"...is a rotten apple!" they finished.

After a hugs and smiles, the VKs ran across the bridge to the Isle. Mal motioned for Maia and Elias to follow and they ran across the bridge.