011. | CORONATION DAY
Ben's coronation was a huge celebration. Everyone in Auradon packed the streets, waving flags and cheering Ben on as he and Mal rode down the street in the royal carriage.
Evie, Jay, Carlos, and I were in the crowd, watching the two as they talked. Evie had designed my dress for that day: a shimmering green dress with silver and gold embellishments, which was a big change in style compared to the tomboyish shades of green I usually wore. But I did love it, and I had straightened my hair for the event as well.
"What do you think Mal will tell him about me?" I asked Evie.
"She said that after she breaks the spell, she'll tell him she's in love with you," Evie said. "But she hopes that she can still be friends with him."
"I can imagine," I said. "He's the reason why we're here in the first place."
Evie just gave me a look, the expression in her eyes telling me more than words could ever say.
Once the parade had ended, we all went inside for the coronation. Mal was up front, while my friends and I were on the balcony watching them. Everyone was more than happy to be there, but the tension we all felt about our plan was unbearable.
Ben knelt in front of Fairy Godmother, who put a crown on his head. Positively beaming with pride, she asked him, "Do you solemnly swear to govern the peoples of Auradon with justice and mercy as long as you shall reign?"
Mal, what are you doing? I asked as Mal stood there, not moving an inch. Just grab it and let's go!
Ben looked up ar Fairy Godmother with a nod. "I do solemnly swear."
Fairy Godmother smiled, tapping the wand on his shoulders. "Then it is my honor and my joy to bless our new ki–"
Before she could even finish the sentence, Jane lunged and grabbed the wand, struggling to control its power as a beam of magic shot into the air.
"Child, what are you doing?!" Fairy Godmother shouted.
Jane was whipped back and forth with the power of the wand, but kept a firm grip on it as she yelled, "If you won't make me beautiful, I'll do it myself! Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!"
Mal had told me that she had reverted Jane's hair back to its original state, but I never thought that she'd be so drastic as to try and use her mother's wand herself. So my friends and I ran down to the main floor, ignoring Beast's call to take cover.
Then, I saw Mal grab the wand from Jane and hold it up, pointing it at Ben. We all ran up to her, gathering behind her as we prepared to run.
Ben slowly walked towards Mal, holding out his hand. "Mal, give me the wand."
Mal shook her head. "Stand back."
"It's okay," Ben said, still moving towards her.
"Ben, I said stand back!" Mal shouted, causing everyone in the crowd to gasp.
"I told you so!" Audrey shouted, only to have Mal point the wand at her.
Carlos put his hand on Mal's shoulders. "Let's go!"
"Revenge time," Jay agreed.
"You really want to do this?" Ben asked us.
Mal looked at him sadly. "We have no choice, Ben! Our parents–"
"Your parents made their choice." We fell silent as he added, "Now you make yours."
Mal was silent for a few moments before she said softly, "I think I want to be good."
"You are good," Ben told her.
"How do you know that?" Mal demanded.
"Because..." Ben paused. "Because I'm listening to my heart."
His words seemed to sink in, and Mal nodded her head. "I want to listen to my heart, too." Turning to us, she said, "And my heart is telling me that we are not our parents." She looked at Jay with a smile. "I mean, stealing things doesn't make you happy. Tourney and victory pizza with the team makes you happy." Jay nodded in agreement, and Mal went on to Carlos. "And you, scratching Dude's belly makes you happy. Who would've thought?" We all laughed softly at her words, and Mal said to Evie, "And Evie... You do not have to play dumb to get a guy. You are so smart." Her eyes finally went to me, and her words hit me straight in my heart. "And I don't want to take over the world with evil. It doesn't make me happy. I want to go to school." She walked up to me, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. "And be with Freddy. Because Freddy makes me really happy."
In that moment, I didn't care about the shocked gasp from the crowd, or the whispers that followed. All I cared about was Mal and my friends. I felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I smiled as I rested my forehead against hers.
After a minute, we turned to Carlos, Evie, and Jay. Mal had her arm around my waist, as if she never wanted to let me go.
"Us being friends makes me really happy," Mal said. "Not destroying things." Sticking out her fist, she added, "I choose good, you guys."
I stuck out my fist as well, watching our friends for their response. At first I thought they weren't going to agree with us, but then Jay stuck out his fist.
"I choose good, too," he said.
Evie did the same. "I choose good."
Carlos looked at us hesitantly. "So, just to be clear, we don't have to be worried about how really mad our parents will be?" We all started laughing at his words, and he went on, "Because they're gonna be really, really mad."
Ben smiled. "Your parents can't reach you here."
Carlos looked at him before sticking out his fist. "Okay, then. Good."
Mal called Ben over, and he joined our little circle. The crowd began to cheer as I rested my head on Mal's shoulder, and she pulled me closer to her with a content sigh.
Then, the moment was shattered when a ball of billowing green smoke burst through one of the windows, and, much to my horror, my mother flew in behind it, riding her broomstick with an evil cackle. And when the ball of smoke landed, it materialized into a person.
Maleficent.
"We're baaaaack!" Maleficent taunted.
I shook my head as Mal tightened her grip on me. "It can't be."
"Go away, mother," Mal said bravely.
Maleficent began to laugh; she didn't think Mal was serious. "She's funny. Oh, I'm so... you're very funny." Snapping her fingers, she added, "Here. Wand me. Chop chop."
Mal looked to her mother, then turned and tossed the wand to Fairy Godmother instead.
"No!" Maleficent cried.
Fairy Godmother caught it, then waved it in the air as she said, "Bibbidi-bobbidi–"
My mother cut her off, "Boo." Then a green pulse of light emanated from Maleficent's scepter, and everyone except for us froze. Literally.
"Psych." Maleficent smiled, walking up to the royal family and taking off Beast's glasses, then stuck the tip in her mouth and said, "Ooh, in another time, in another time." Continuing on, she sang to herself, "Evil like me, don't you wanna be mean..." Stopping in front of Fairy Godmother, she took the wand from her and poked it at the woman's nose. "Oh. Oh, no. Someone needs to pluck their nose hairs."
Turning to us, Maleficent said, "Where shall we begin? I know. Why don't we start by getting rid of this?!" She stuck out the wand, and Mal's ring went flying off her finger and onto the wand. Then Maleficent said, "Wow! Perfect fit!"
"Child, what are you doing there?" my mother asked, pointing to Mal, who still had her arm around me. "Come on, we have much to do." When I just glared at her defiantly she snapped, "Dost thou comprehend? Come with me, now!"
"No," I said.
My mother looked shocked. "What?!"
"You will not hurt Freddy," Mal said. "Not while I'm here."
"You mean, you... you two..." My mother struggled to find the words. "You love her?"
"Yes," I snapped. "So much more than I will ever love you, you heartless hag!"
My mother shrieked in anger, launching a bolt of green electricity at Mal. I shoved her out of the way and took the hit instead, crying out in pain as I fell to the ground.
"Freddy!" Mal said, running over to me.
"I'm okay," I said, pushing myself up to my knees, only to fall back down again.
Maleficent chuckled, and we watched as she adjusted Ben's crown before turning his head away. "Aw... Falling in love is weak... And ridiculous. It's not what you want."
"You don't know what I want!" Mal said, keeping one hand on my back. "Mom, have you ever once asked me what I want? I'm not you!"
Maleficent rolled her eyes. "Oh, obviously. I've had years and years and years and... years of practice being evil. You'll get there."
Mal shook her head. "No, I will not." Maleficent stopped, and Mal told her, "And I really wish that you had never gotten there yourself. Love is not weak or ridiculous." She looked at me and smiled. "It's actually really amazing."
Maleficent narrowed her eyes. "I know one thing, young lady. You have no room for love in your life!"
Mal set her jaw, then stuck out her hand. "Then now I command, wand to my hand!" The wand flew into her palm, and she gasped, "It worked!
Maleficent stared at her, pacing back and forth in anger. "I hardly think so. Frankly, this is tedious and very immature. Give me the wand. Give me the wand!"
Carlos ran up to us as I slowly rose to my feet. "Hold on, guys. Maybe good really is more powerful than evil."
Maleficent snorted. "Oh, please! You're killing me." Suddenly Dude came out of nowhere, running towards Maleficent and leaping onto her with a growl. The horned witch just barely had time to get the dog off of her before Jay used the distraction to grab her scepter. But she froze him in place, feeling his muscles before saying with a smirk, "Gaston should be jealous."
Maleficent knocked Jay backwards, then spun around and stepped back. "Enough! You all will regret this!"
Smoke billowed from her body, and then she turned into the creature that she was infamous for: a dragon.
I barely had time to comprehend what was happening before my mother let out another shriek, swooping down towards me and grabbing me, then hauled me up onto her broom and headed towards the exit. I saw my friends yelling and running as Maleficent chased after them, and anger filled my body at the sight of them. So I rolled off the broom, falling from the sky before landing right on Maleficent's back. She roared in surprise, and I used the same trick that I had with Chad. It didn't put her to sleep, but it did cause her to crash to the ground.
My mother swooped down to me again, but this time I was ready. Gathering up what strength I could, I stuck out my hands, and volts of electricity shot from my fingers. My mother brought her broom to a stop, then watched as the electricity hit her and turned her into dust.
Then Maleficent shook herself, throwing me from her back and onto the floor. My body hit the ground hard, banging my head on the cold marble floor, and even though I tried, I couldn't stay awake.
The last thing I saw was Maleficent disappearing in a cloud of violet smoke, and Mal running towards me. Then I blacked out.
━━━━━━━ ❃ ━━━━━━━
N/A: Don't hate me there's a reason why I did this.
Anyway, the next chapter is gonna be the last one before part 2! It's gonna be short but I think it'll wrap things up quite nicely.