A Fifth Descendant

Chapter 12

"I'm back!" Maleficent cries with a twisted grin.

"It can't be," Mal whispers, not wanting to believe what she can clearly see. Hayden gives her a look and she grimaces before accepting things with a sigh. "Go away, Mother," she calls tiredly.

"She's funny," Maleficent says with a false laugh. "Oh, I'm so- you're funny!" She grows serious as she snaps her fingers and points right in front of her. "Here. Now. Wand me, chop, chop."

"No!" Ben shouts while Mal quickly throws the wand to Fairy Godmother.

"Bibbidi bobbidi-"

"Boo," Maleficent interrupts as she waves her scepter and freezes everyone in the room except for herself and the villains' kids. Hayden doesn't doubt, however, that they're all still aware of everything happening. "Psych," she sing-songs.

They all watch as she makes her way over to the royal family and Fairy Godmother, pulling the wand from her hand and mocking them as she goes. They all grimace a little as she takes the time to admire King Beastie.

"Gross," Carlos mutters.

"Mal, how do you wanna handle this?" Hayden asks. He figures it's only right to let Mal decide seeing as it's her mother they're dealing with. Before she can answer, Maleficent returns her attention to them.

"Where shall we begin?" she hums. "Oh, I know! Why don't we start by getting rid of this?" She waves the wand and Mal's hand moves, Ben's ring flying off her finger to land on the wand.

Mal gasps in dismay as she looks at her now bare hand.

"Perfect fit!" Maleficent exclaims. Evie drops a sympathetic hand on Mal's shoulder while Hayden glares at the dark fairy.

"Just say the word, Mal," he tells her.

Mal hesitates. "Not yet," she murmurs, clearly ready to try reasoning with her mother despite the fact that they all know it's unlikely to work at all.

"Aw," Maleficent fake pouts as she knocks Ben's crown crooked. "Falling in love is weak and ridiculous," she tells her daughter as she makes her way towards her. "It's not what you want."

"You don't know what I want!" Mal cries. "Mom, have you ever once asked me what I want? I'm not you!"

"Oh, well, obviously. I've had years and years and years of practice being evil. You'll get there."

"No, I will not," Mal says firmly. "And I really wish you hadn't gotten there yourself. Love is not weak or ridiculous," she continues with a half-laugh. "It's actually really amazing."

Maleficent's expression darkens as she fully realizes that her daughter will not be joining her willingly. "I know one thing, young lady," she says. "You have no room for love in your life." She points the wand at Mal who just glares back.

"Now I command wand to my hand!" Mal cries. The wand glows gold for a second before it flies out of Maleficent's hand and into Mal's. "Ha! It worked!" she gasps in delighted surprise.

"I hardly think so," Maleficent says with a slightly unhinged chuckle. "Frankly, this is all very tedious and immature. Give me the wand. Give me the wand, now!" she screams.

"Hold on, Mal," Carlos says. "Maybe good really is more powerful than evil."

Maleficent bursts out laughing at the very notion. "Oh, please. You're killing me!"

Hayden crosses his arms with a smirk. "If only," he mutters, just loud enough for her to hear. "If only."

Maleficent turns a glare in his direction before it turns into a smirk. "Oh, the little godling," she coos. "Surely you don't believe in all this 'power of goodness' nonsense. After what those Olympians have done to you?" she reminds him.