(yes I am aware the song is "N"ights fall. But I like twisting the titles of songs.)
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"Ben!" Mal calls for what feels like the 500th time as we wander around Ben's castle. Uma and her group lag behind, almost radiating boredom. Dude trots in front happily.
"This way!" he proclaims yet again, making a turn.
Mal throws her hands in the air. "Ben could be asleep anywhere." She moans.
"Or turned to stone." Celia reminds her. Evie quickly covers her mouth with one hand while Mal sends her a look.
"BEN!" Mal calls again.
"I got a scent!" Dude exclaims. "Very pungent cologne. Easy to track. Follow me, people!"
"That's great, Dude." Jay tells him, all of us crowded into one hallway.
"FYI, I give great cuddles too." Dude says smugly.
Uma points to him thoughtfully. "Weren't you the dog Mal 'spelled' to talk?"
"I recall bacon." Harry adds. "And asking about your weight."
"So... if that wand was fake, why can he talk?" Uma asks.
"Oh, because Carlos wanted to ask Ellie out but was too scared so Mal made a truth potion and I ate it!" Dude yells, wagging his tail.
Uma snorts. "You needed a truth gummy to ask a girl out?" she asks Carlos, who sighs through his nose.
"Let's just keep going." He says, and moves forward. I take his hand, and he squeezes it reassuringly. Dude scampers along, all of us following.
Harry is still laughing at Carlos when Uma stops dead. "Hold up." She says, touching the wall. I hadn't even noticed that the map there is sliced in half, claw marks on the wall. "What's this?"
Carlos doubles back to examine it. "Uh... any chance this was already there?" he asks Mal.
"Aaaaand follow me!" Dude says, running off. We trail behind, Mal calling for Ben... again. Dude leads us along nonchalantly, and as we walk, we see more and more mysterious claw marks with destructive remains. A torn curtain, an overturned table, a shattered vase. Each one makes us all move a little faster. Something about it all tingles in the back of my brain, like I should remember something but I don't.
Dude finally leads us to a set of huge double-doors I don't recognize. Of course, the last time I was in Ben's castle, I was like six, for his birthday party. That was before my powers started going haywire and I became an outcast, and I was still the future Queen of Arendelle, so I was invited everywhere.
We enter a wide room filled with stained glass windows not unlike the one Ben had done for Mal at Cotillion, suits of armor lining all the walls inside little niches. We all slowly move forward, Celia hanging back. Because hey, when you enter a freaky room you don't recognize, you need to leave one person in the doorway so it can't close behind you. Typical freaky movie.
Gil stays back with Celia and Dude, reaching down to scratch Dude on the chin. "I wonder if you'll have talking puppies?" He asks, standing to follow the rest of us.
"Talking puppies." Dude chuckles, shaking his head. Celia starts petting him after that, and his tail wags happily.
"I bet you lost some sleep thinkin' about me on the Isle, huh?" Uma asks Mal, examining her nails as if the topic bores her.
"No." Mal says. "Dragons don't really lose sleep." She stops, thoughtfully biting one nail. "I wonder what fried octopus tastes like?"
"Okay, why do we not do this?" Evie asks, her hands on her hips.
"We're celebrating our differences." Uma says to her, smirking.
"Well, why don't you both celebrate a little quieter?" I ask.
"Yeah, with y'all blabbin' we're gonna get caught if Audrey is waitin' for us!" Sera says.
Harry suddenly puts a hand up. "I believe we're being challenged."
Uma waves him aside. "Let's split up and look for Audrey."
"That makes absolutely no sense!" Mal snaps. "Unless you give me my ember, she's going to spell you."
"GIRLS!" Harry yells, and we all look at him. He's staring at a suit of armor in front of us. "We have a situation here."
My stomach lurches in surprise as the suit of armor starts to move, spitting out pink fog like the kind that trailed Audrey. It bows in a very feminine way, spreading its arms.
"You like a prince, Mal?" Audrey's voice reverberates from the armor. "How about a knight in shining armor? Or knights." The armor clasps its hands around its sword, stepping down from its podium along with every other set of armor in the room.
We all quickly back up, watching them advance. In a split-second (nearly unanimous) choice, we all sprint for the exit except for Uma. True to form, the knights all block our way out, trapping us inside and Celia out.
♫Watch your back, watch your back, watch your back, watch your back♫ We all chant, slowly reversing our direction.
♫We can counter their attack! Hit 'em til' the armor cracks!♫
♫This could get a little sticky!♫ Uma sings, alone on the podium in the middle of the room.
♫How to win this battle could be tricky!♫ Gil and Harry lunge for the swords used as decorations around the room. We all follow their leads, grabbing swords and tossing them to those who aren't close enough.
♫But I know the best way, fall back, let me lead♫
♫You hold the line, and we'll bring them to their knees♫
Mal pushes Uma aside. ♫Swords in the air, if you're with me!♫
♫YEAH!♫ Our side yells, leaving Harry and Uma sneering in disgust.
♫They've got us outnumbered one to fifty!♫
♫But victory is ours, 'cause I got a strategy♫
♫You take the left♫ She gestures to Uma and Harry ♫And the rest of you can follow me♫ She looks to the rest of us, forming a circle around the podium.
♫Uh-uh♫ Uma snaps, pulling Mal back.
♫This is my crew!♫ Mal insists.
♫This is my squad!♫ Uma retorts back.
♫This is my turf!♫ Mal says, getting in Uma's face.
♫Oh, my gosh!♫ Evie groans, pushing them apart. ♫Look guys, we got bigger fish to fry. Put your differences aside, 'cause right now we're on the same side♫ Uma and Mal jump off the podium, leaving Evie alone up there.
♫Until the night falls, everyone♫ Evie sings, holding her sword in the air.
♫We'll stay together 'til the battle is done♫ We all chorus back. The knights attack as one, and we defend the podium. As of right now, I am so thankful I practice fencing as much as I do.
♫Watch your back, watch your back, watch your back, watch your back♫
♫We can counter their attack♫
♫Hit 'em 'til the armor cracks♫
♫Until the night falls! We're aligned!♫ Only the girls sing, including Sera. She has a big grin on her face, probably having way too much fun for such a horrible situation.
♫It doesn't mean that we're on the same side♫
♫Watch your back, watch your back, watch your back, watch your back♫ We all yell, moving in a circle to intercept a new suit of armor each second.
♫Hit 'em hard and hit 'em fast♫
♫They're too heavy to react♫
Mal and Uma break out of the circle, and new knights move forward to meet them.
♫The situation's gettin' kinda heavy!♫ Mal yells, bringing her sword down on one together with Uma.
♫Hold your weapons tight, keep 'em steady! 'Cause if we stick together, we can make it out alive♫
♫I'll cause a distraction, you attack them from the side♫ Carlos stops a sword inches from my nose with his own, forcing the knight backward while I take over his old one.
♫All my soldiers stand at the ready!♫ Uma calls, but for once I don't think she's referring to only Gil and Harry.
♫We can cut 'em up like confetti!♫
♫We'll hit 'em from the front! You counter from behind!♫
♫Don't forget the fate of Auradon's on the line!♫ She and Mal join the circle, the boys climbing onto the podium while the girls line in front of it.
♫This is all-out war, they've got us outnumbered♫ We sway back and forth for a few moments, probably confusing the heck out of the armor, before rejoining the group at the podium.
♫The way the swords clash is the sound of the thunder!♫
♫And we are not going under! We will never run for cover!♫ Mal crows.
♫We battle for the victory and ride for each other!♫ We all yell back. Everyone jumps off the podium as one, and I climb on alone, raising my sword like Evie did.
♫Until the night falls! Everyone!♫ I call.
♫We'll stay together 'til the battle is done♫ Sera grins at me, kicking a knight backward onto his butt.
♫Back to back, back to back, back to back, back to back♫ Carlos' sword gets knocked out of his grip. I lunge to intercept the sword from the knight he was fighting, and Celia tosses a shield his way. He pounces on it, sliding across the room like it was a sled to retrieve his sword.
♫We can counter their attack, hit 'em 'til the armor cracks♫
♫Until the night falls, we're aligned♫
♫It doesn't mean that we're on the same side♫
♫Back to back, back to back, back to back, back to back♫
♫Hit 'em hard and hit 'em fast♫
♫They're too heavy to react♫
The knights seem to realize they're breaking apart, so most of the form a triangle on the far side of the room, drawing their swords as one while leaving a few on the entrance to guard our escape. I bound off of the podium, making my way in between Sera and Carlos, knocking swords with both of them as a greeting.
The armor starts to advance yet again, but Uma and Mal strike together. As their swords make contact, the knights start to writhe, covered in white lightning. Mal runs back, standing on the podium as her eyes flash green.
"Suit of armor, strong and true. Make this metal bust a move!" She yells, and surprises us all by literally starting to dance in a way that vaguely reminds me of something Egyptain.
To my ultimate shock, the knights instantly copy her moves, looking much less graceful as their metal parts squeak in resistance.
Catching on, Uma leaps up, moving her body around and swinging her sword. Knights all around copy once again, and then it's Carlos' turn. Arching his back, he stomps his foot along with the knights.
We all follow their example, dancing around the room. Carlos pulls me up with him, and starts dancing the way we did at Cotillion. I can't resist, and I start laughing. All around the room, knights are trying to copy our movements but are too confused from the multitude of dancing teenagers.
Carlos and I jump off and Celia takes our place, looking like she's having the time of her life. As Carlos spins me around the room, I catch sight of Jay, Harry, and Gil in each vacant spot where a suit of armor used to be, dancing their hearts out and kicking the armor. Mal, Evie, Sera, and Uma are in the entrance, swaying back and forth to the beat.
♫Until the night falls, you can trust!♫ Evie yells again, kneeling quickly to let Sera leap over her, landing with her fist plunged onto the ground. A destructive ring of fire erupts from her knuckles, slamming into the knights and sending them all towards the platform in the center.
♫I'm gonna help you win this battle, because♫ We all sing, grinning. Now it's reversed---the suits of armor are clustered in the middle of the room, all of us circling them.
♫I got your back, got your back, got your back, got your back♫
♫All for one, and that's a fact!♫
♫Nights fall, pitch-black!♫ The knights all collapse as one, piling on the podium as their dance-selves overheat and expel all of Audrey's magic.
Carlos and I stop, still holding hands. He grins at me. "Who knew dancing could save us someday?"
Everyone laughs, and we all cheer as we realize the gravity of what we've done. We overcame Audrey's spell! We beat her goons! Uma's group and Mal's group alike are shouting with joy, clapping hands and bumping chests. Possibly breaking bones in Sera's case.
"YEAH!" Uma crows. "We did that!" She and Mal start to high-five, and my heart leaps at Evie's hopeful grin, but the two stop inches before touching one another.
Evie's grin falls. "No..."
But Uma and Mal are backing away from one another. Carlos, Jay, Sera, Harry, and Gil seem to realize it as well, because they all stop in their tracks. Instead of cheers, all I can hear now is the clearing of throats and patter of footsteps as everyone goes to opposite sides of the room, leaving Evie and I between them.
Evie looks at me pleadingly. Then at everyone else. "Guys, come on! This was so great! Right? Ellie?"
"We were a good team." I say, unable to resist my smile as I remember mine and Carlos' ridiculous dance.
"Yes! We worked together!" Evie insists. "Come on!" She reaches for Mal, but her friend brushes her off. Evie turns to Uma. "Come on." But Uma shakes her head, glaring at the rest of us in disgust.
Evie sighs. Then an almost evil grin crosses her face. "You know what we should try? An icebreaker."
Mal's side of the room groans, but I honestly think it's a good idea. If we're going to work together, we may as well not hate each other. For a few hours at least.
Evie turns to Uma's side. "You say something you really like about the other person, okay? Ellie, you want to start?"
I can feel all the blood drain from my face when she says that, but I nod anyway and turn to Uma's trio. Gil looks kind of hopeful, Uma is rolling her eyes, and Harry is staring determinately at the ceiling.
"Uma." I decide, because between her and Harry she's the only one I can say something nice about. She groans.
I consider my answer. I don't want to sound like I'm insulting her, because that would just make her angrier. "I...like that you're so determined to help the kids on the Isle." I eventually say slowly, kind of shocked at myself by how true it feels once I say it.
She looks surprised, something I hadn't thought her capable of. She doesn't answer, but she doesn't look at me with quite as much of a glare anymore.
"My turn!" Evie says, regarding Gil, Uma, and Harry. Harry once again refuses eye contact.
"Harry." Evie says, and he huffs out, looking at the ground this time. "Great accent." Evie says sincerely. "Now you go!"
"Are they always this perky?" Uma asks Mal, still watching me carefully. "Because I remember Beauty Queen being that way, but not Ice Queen here."
"Oh, it wasn't really your turn, but thank you." Evie says.
"Okay, Evie." Mal moves forward, grabbing Evie's arm and pulling her back. Sera does the same for me.
"I love you." Mal tells Evie, who smiles.
"I love you!" She says back.
"I love this energy." Mal continues, holding Evie's hands in her own. "But we are very short on time. Audrey clearly knows we're here, and we need to get out of here ASAP."
"All right, where does this cheerleader bunk down?" Uma interrupts. "Even if she's not there, we might find some sort of clue."
"Actually, she's still in the dorms." I realize, cursing myself internally. We were there!
"You're right!" Mal says. "Because of summer school!"
Harry laughs, then downright cracks up. "What? Summer school? Summer? School? No wonder she wants revenge!"
The scene of him dying laughing is so ridiculous for the situation, I find myself fighting to keep the smile off of my face. He notices, and points to me with an 'ehhh' sound coming out of his mouth.
"Okay." Mal says, breaking between our groups. "I need you guys---" She points to Carlos, Jay, Harry, Gil, Sera and I, "---to go find Ben. We will meet back at Evie's in two hours. Okay?"
Uma nods thoughtfully. "Sounds like we're going with my plan. I'm just sayin'."
"It was kind of the obvious plan." Mal snaps.
"Uma said it first." Gil reminds everyone.
"Right. So, my plan." Uma says, grinning at Gil.
"Whatever!" Mal spreads her hands, stalking from the room. Uma mimics her action before exiting herself. Sera catches my arm as I move to follow.
"Icy, I totally understand your and E's thoughtline... but it ain't ever gonna happen. Okay?" She puts an arm around my shoulder. "Uma'll never back down. She hates us."
"I think it could work." I insist. "Evie's on the right track. Life will never be good until we get the VK's on our side."
"Most of them are." Sera says. "But Uma an' Harry..."
"Gil changed." I argue.
"Gil's an exception." Sera interrupts.
"You changed."
Her brown eyes flash red. "Man, yer really pushin' my buttons. You really think we'd be okay if Uma an' Harry weren't behind a barrier?"
"Yes."
"Wow, okay, I was jus' kiddin' there." She regards me curiously. "You ain't kiddin'?"
"No."
"Mm-hm." She taps her chin. "We should catch up with everybody else."
"If you see Arson, tell him hello from me." We jog to catch up with the group. They're already splitting up, heading in different directions.
Sera salutes me, running backward to get to Uma, Mal, and Evie. "Will do, Icy."
"See you, Sera."
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Now you see why I needed a short chapter before. This chapter was kind of long.
Anyways, writing "Night falls" was INSANELY fun. Hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I liked writing it!
Also: I took a test via a YouTube video, and the question was "Which D3 character am I?" and I got Uma! TOTALLY didn't see that coming. It got me kind of good, tho.
ANYways. byeeee!