Halsey stood besides her parents patiently, smiling when appropriate whenever a camera was flashed in her direction (so, most of the time). The cheering outside increased, and the smartly dressed men in traditional blue and yellow began blowing on their trumpets as the soon-to-be kings carriage pulled up. Halsey smiled as Ben held out his hand for Mal who gratefully took it, and all fell silent as they walked up the stairs of the red carpet, Ben immediately embracing his sister into a hug when he reached the top. "Hey, you look beautiful." Ben whispered to Halsey whilst Mal and Belle exchanged a few words. Halsey rolled her eyes through her small smirk, glancing down at the traditional yellow gown. She couldn't not agree; she felt beautiful, too, thanks to the magic hands of Evie.
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Belle and Adam nodded respectfully at Ben before walking away and heading inside, and Ben gave Mal one last kiss before she was taken inside through the side doors. Ben took a deep breathe as the trumpets started again, Halsey handing out her arm which Ben willingly took. "Lets do this." Halsey whispered as they both turned to face the golden gates that glared down on them, slowly opening and revealing the myriad of guests whom all rose as the two royals slowly walked in. Halsey could sense Ben's nerves as everyone politely bowed, yet she knew he had everything under control; Halsey smiled at the occasional person here and there as soft gasps and awhs slipped past people's lips. Ben, however, kept his head straight and only sent Mal a small smile. The slow walk towards the fairy godmother and the king and queen finally came to an end, Ben went down on his knees as Halsey stood besides fairy godmother whom greeted her and mother with kisses on the cheeks. The fairy godmother then turned to King Adam and politely bowed, the king doing the same before she gently took of his crown and placed it on Ben's. Ben caught Halsey's smile as she lifted the glass case that was shielding the fairy godmothers wand and took a hold of it, handing it to the fairy godmother. All eyes were on Ben as the fairy godmother began the official chant to legalise Ben as king, all eyes except for four—well, five.
The crowd erupted into loud gasps as the wand was suddenly snatched, and everyone broke into loud, worried mutters as they peered down at the thief. Halsey sighed when she spotted her best friend proclaiming that she would make herself beautiful if her mother wouldn't, yet she clearly had zero control over the wand in the first place. Halsey quickly ran down the steps before attempting to snatch the wand, shocked when Mal suddenly took a hold of the wand, too. Jane quickly gave in and let go of the wand, yet Mal as Halsey were left fighting over it with all eyes on them; both wore desperate looks. "Mal, what are you doing? Let go!" Halsey exclaimed, shock and frustration evident in her voice as Mal continued grunting and pulling. Mal's eyes glowed an emerald green as she spoke softly, "I'm so sorry, Halsey", confusing the blonde headed girl whom loosened her grip and let go.
Jane quickly ran to Lonnie and disappeared within the crowd as Mal breathlessly stared at the wand in her hands. "Mal, hand me the wand." Halsey demanded as the three other descendants raced through the double doors towards them, "Halsey, stand back!" "Mal, please—", Ben stepped forward and put out a hand, only leading to Mal yelling again to stand back. Halsey was shocked — at this point, who wasn't? — and was staring at Mal with disbelief and sadness seeping into her eyes. She was sad because she knew that this wasn't what the girl wanted. Carlos and Jay suddenly encouraged at the same time, "Revenge time" and "Lets go, Mal!", clearly desperate to leave before they felt even more guilty. Ben looked deep into Mal's wide tearful eyes. "Is that his what you want, Mal?" He asked, voice breaking as he stepped toward and no longer afraid. "Ben, what choice do we have! It's our parents cho—" "Your parents made their choice, Mal! It's time for you to make yours." Halsey interrupted, taking a few steps forward and standing firmly besides her brother. Mal was left gripping the wand tightly with fear it might disappear into thin air, glancing from King Adam and Queen Belle, to the Fairy Godmother, and then back to Halsey and Ben who awaited patiently. "I-I think I want to choose good." Mal whispered softly, her voice so little that only the few brave enough to be standing behind and in front of her could hear. Halsey nodded slowly, "You are good, Mal!" "How do you know that!?" Mal suddenly exclaimed, voice breaking and it was desperate that she needed to know the answer. "Because.. because I'm following my heart, Mal. Don't you want to follow yours, too?" Halsey took another step closer, Mal becoming less and less intimidating by the second. Mal's face softened slowly and she began to put down the wand, realisation hitting her. "I-I do want to follow my heart." She admitted in a broken, soft voice before turning round to face the three V.K's. "And my heart is telling me that we are not like our parents! I-I mean, stealing things doesn't make you happy. What makes you happy i-is playing on the Tourney field and eating victory pizza and flirting with girls." Mal laughed at Jay, who shrugged with a small smirk. "And you, taking Dude on long walks whilst eating chocolate with Halsey makes you happy." Carlos smiled at this, glancing at Halsey whom was attempting (and failing) to keep in her smirk. "And Evie, you do not have to play dumb to get a guy. You are so smart!" Mal tearfully added, Evie nodding through her smile and tears. "And I know that plotting and taking over the world doesn't make me happy. I want to stay and learn at school. And be with Ben", Mal turned to look at Ben with a growing smile as her tears finally fell down her cheeks, "Because Ben makes me really happy." Mal pointed at Ben's ring that was sitting on her finger and shining brightly as the light enhanced its beauty. "Being friends with you guys makes me happy. Not destroying things. You guys.. I choose good." Mal admitted, placing her arm in the middle of the circle. The three descendants remained quiet for a short while before Jay slowly nodded and also brought out his fist which softly brushed against Mal's, "Me, too." Evie and Mal exchanged a look before Evie grinned and pulled out her arm, all eyes now falling onto Carlos. Halsey slowly made her way towards him as he asked with a small smile, "Wait, so just to be clear, we don't have to worry about how mad our parents are going to be? Because they're going to be really mad!" Everyone laughed fondly at the younger boy as Mal shook her head with a small smile. "They can't reach you here." Halsey whispered behind him, sending shivers down his spine as he turned to his left to face the girl. "Good", he smiled and finally placed his fist in the middle. Mal encouraged Halsey and Ben to do so, and Carlos quickly intertwined his fingers with Halsey's as the guests cheered. The notorious moment, however, ended just as quick as it began as a loud explosion went off and a sudden smoke of green stream wrapped around the pillars before landing straight in the middle of the circle of friends, sending everyone flying back. "I'm back!" A voice suddenly cackled, and Halsey's eyes widened with shock at the one and only, Malificent, stood besides her. "It can't be!" The fairy godmother suddenly whispered out loud, fear evident on her face as King Adam quickly pulled his wife towards him. Carlos quickly wrapped an arm around Halsey's waist and kept her close to him as Mal demanded her mother must leave.
"She's funny!" Malificent exclaimed through her mad laughter, snorting before pausing and clapping her hands impatiently at her daughter. "Come on, wand me, chop, chop!" Mal threw the wand to the fairy godmother instead, to everyone's relief, and the woman immediately took control of the situation; or at least tried her best to do so. "Bibbity—Bobbity—" "Boo!" Malfiicent cut off with a smirk, the top of her sceptor which she held with her right hand glowed green as everyone paused in mid action. Maleficent let out another laugh, abruptly stopping when she realised that a certain girl standing far too close to Carlos was immune to her powerful magic. "Well, well, well, look who's magic proof!" Maleficent sneered, giggling at her little joke as she snatched the wand out of the fgm's grasp. Halsey was just about to retort, as nervous and scared as she may be, before Maleficent flicked her wrist and the ring which protected the girl from enemies magic came flying off and straight onto the wand. "My ring!" Halsey suddenly gasped, looking down at her fingers with disbelief yet before she could do anything about it, Malificent immediately snapped her fingers and froze the girl.
"Falling in love is weak.. and ridiculous." Malificent now spat as she walked over to Ben and tilted his crown so that it was about to slide off his head completely. The evil woman turned her attention to her daughter who's eyes were filled with tears again, and she smirked as she walked over to Halsey. "Oh, yes. How.. disgusting it must be to adore someone and then love them. I have never heard of something so stupid!" The woman sneered as she slowly walked around Halsey, whom was frozen and still staring at her finger with disbelief. Malificent suddenly grabbed the girls cheeks and ignored Carlos' protests as she lifted the girls head. "Ah, yes. It's especially sad when they're just so cute. Right, Carlos?" Maleficent asked as she glanced at the boy with a mocking pout, laughing as she slapped Halsey's face twice and walked over to Mal. "Love is not what you want!" "You don't know what I want!" Mal sobbed as she took a step forward, desperation clinging onto her like the clouds cling onto the sky. "When have you ever asked what I want, mom? I'm not like you!" Malificent rolled her eyes as she scoffed. "Oh, obviously, Mal. I've had years and years and years and years and — oh, what a wonderful ring!" Malificent flicked the magic wand and Ben's ring came sliding out of Mal's fingers and right into the wand. "Oh, two lucky fits! My, my, I might just start up a ring collection." Maleficent sighed happily, ignoring Mal as she sobbed even harder. Everything leading onto the point when Maleficent transformed into a dark purple winged dragon happened in a quick blur; Carlos was insulted, Jay attempted to get Maleficent's sceptor back (and miserably failed), and was thrown to the ground as Maleficent suddenly transformed.
The dragon began chasing the four descendants, Jay tripping and quickly jumping onto his feet and running even faster before rejoining his friends. "Leave my friends alone!" Mal yelled, standing in front of Evie and Jay, Carlos already cowered behind the pair. Mal's eyes glowed emerald once again as her eyes latched onto her mothers. "The strength of evil is as good as none when stands before four hearts as one!" Mal repeated this continuously until her mother, formerly a dragon, was surrounded by green smoke and seemingly disappeared as fairy godmother unfroze. Mal and the three descendants quickly ran back up the isle in the middle, and Mal softly gasped at the sight before her; her mother was a lizard. "Your mother, she shrank to the size of her heart. That's why it's so itty bitty." The fairy godmother softly explained as she scooped up the purple lizard and handed it to Mal. "W-will she be like this forever?" Mal questioned as she petted the lizard. "Well, you learned to love. She can, too." The fairy godmother smiled before Mal handed her the wand. "And this, I believe, is yours." Mal took Ben's ring which he gave to her out of the fairy godmothers hand and slid it onto her finger with a happy grin. "You have all received yourselves an A in goodness class!" The fairy godmother happily announced before swishing her wand, and everyone unfroze.
Ben suddenly jumped forward, still in a angry rage as he roared before Mal placed a hand on his chest and calmed him down through her giggles. Meanwhile, Carlos picked up Halsey's ring and shyly walked over to her. "Uh— h-hi." He stuttered as his cheeks warmed up, and she glanced down at her ring in his hand through her smile. Carlos slid it onto her finger, and just as he did so the slightly shorter girl quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe!" Halsey whispered with his head buried in the crook of his neck, and he slowly leaned back as he studied her carefully. Her arms were still loose around his neck and one arm was holding her tight to his chest. But he couldn't bring himself to kiss her because he was scared. "Let's get this party started!" Jay suddenly exclaimed as he threw his arms around Carlos, Mal, Evie and Ben joining in the huddle as they sang, "oh hey oh hey, oh!"
And with that, the six of them with all the support from Auradon run out of the golden gates and into the fresh air, big smiles plastered on their faces for this was only the beginning.
But wait — you didn't think this was the end of the story, did you?
