Talk about going overboard! shrimpy just got a
a whole lot bigger.
Guess the slimy tentacle doesn't fall far from the
sea witch.
-

Uma sloshed a wave of water over the yacht that sent everyone stumbling. Then she vanished under the waves and resurfaced. "True Love's Kiss won't defeat this!" Uma roared, grinning. "The world will know my name!" She threw back her arms, then flung out long slimy tentacles. One nearly swept Evie into the sea, but she jumped aside. Another lashed out at Lonnie and Jane, who dodged it. Uma cackled with her hands on her hips; then, she folded her arms, ready to strike again.

Mal watched her friends avoid Uma's attacks. She clenched her fists. Her eyes sparkled bright green, her hair whipped with magic, and then...
Mal vanished in a burst of purple smoke—and turned into a giant dragon.

She had iridescent purple scales, a bilious-green underbelly, razor-sharp claws and teeth, two curved horns on top of her head, and a long spiked tail.

She was smaller than valia but no less dangerous.

It would have made Maleficent a proud mom had she been there to see it.

Everyone on the yacht gasped.
Mal locked her glowing green eyes with those of the enormous sea witch.

"Bring it on, Mal!" Uma yelled, swiping with her arms and tentacles as Mal wheeled overhead. "Let's finish this—once and for all!"
Mal spread her huge green-purple wings and soared over Uma, breathing out flames. People on the yacht crouched down to evade the heat. Uma ducked under the waves, rocking the ship violently back and forth, with everyone on deck staggering one way, then the other.

Ben had seen enough. He roared mightily, removed his crown and jacket, and ran to the fence. Despite the screams from the guests, Ben dove off the yacht into the sea. He surfaced between the two dueling giants. "Stop!" Ben shouted. "Mal! Uma! Back down!" He looked from one massive monster to the other. "Back down!"

🐉

Oh, Ben wasn't the only one who had enough. Valia too. She growled, getting her friend's attention, just like mal smoke whirled aorund her and soom a great shape of a beast bigger than anyone had seen before took off riddling the water with its massive wings.

"Enough!" The dragon roared her breath, coming off in warm waves. Mal and Uma, along with Ben, looked at the giant beast. Its glowing purple eyes scared them, "I've had enough of your insolence. Your pathetic puny fights! This will lead to death and nothing more. You won't be revenged, Uma. Neither your Mal. Think before acting. Ben, you should know better than to dive between two beasts. At home, they spare no one. My aunt died due to mortals petty fight" valia sighed, breathing a plume of fire before flying closer to Mal, then down to Ben and grabbing him in her front talons.

Ben scrabbled for a hold in the mighty beast's talons, grabbing her black claws for our age. "Stop it, all of you," Valia growled and narrowed her eyes at Uma. The sea witch quivered under the dragon's gaze. Uma sighed, and now valia could see the look on her face. Looked torn. Her eyes softened. She reached out a tentacle to Ben, still In valia'a claws. She then dropped his beast-head ring into his hand.

The three watched her lower silently beneath the waves.
And then Uma was gone. The crowd aboard the yacht watched Uma head out to sea, and they
exhaled a collective sigh of relief. The clouds parted, and the sky twinkled with infinite stars. Ben took his eyes off Uma's wake, and valia flew over to the boat, placing him softly on its deck.

After her, Mal flew up and hovered above them.
Mal's wings closed, and then...
POOF!
Everyone gasped.

She vanished in a swirl of purple smoke—and dropped on two feet on the yacht in front of the stained glass. She was Mal again, but not quite the same Mal.

Her hair was long and thick and purple. She wore the purple dress depicted in the stained glass, with its purple cape and rich layers of fabric that swept past her feet. The dress sizzled where it touched the wet deck. Mal patted out the fiery embers, and the crowd giggled. A gold crown shimmered atop her head. She curtsied to Ben, who bowed. Mal grinned and laughed. Fanfare played, and two guards took her by the elbows and escorted her down the stairs as the crowd clapped for her.

Soon after, a small roar was heard, and the crowd and the VKs looked up, seeing Valia circle over them and touch down on the deck, shifting simultaneously. Soon she stood there again. Her hair was in a Targaryen braid, but her cotlition dress still gleamed in the night.

Mal immediately ran over, enveloping her best freind in a hug. Valka let out Melodie's laugh and embraced the purple-haired girl. And the crowd cheered.

🐉

"I owe you guys a lot," Ben said to the crowd. "If there's anything I can do or if there's anything you need, please—"
"Umm, actually, there is something you can do, Ben," said Evie. "I know a girl who'd love to come to Auradon. It's Drizella's daughter, Dizzy. She's like a little sister to me and..."
Ben nodded. "Then she should come." "Okay! Okay, great!" said Evie. Everyone cheered.

"There's a lot of kids who'd love it here in Auradon. But, kids just like us also deserve a second chance. So, could I maybe get you...a list?"

"Yes. Yes! Absolutely!" said Ben. "Please."
Evie beamed as the crowd clapped.
A guard approached Mal with her spell book. "My lady Mal."
"Yes," she said.

"We found your spell book below deck," he said to her. "Uma had it." "Oh." Mal took it and examined the cover, with its gold dragon
encircled by a ring of Mal's green and purple spray paint. "Thank you. Um..." Mal looked long and hard at the old leather book her mother had once used, and Mal had been using as of late to put on the whole perfect- princess performance. The act was over. Mal was free to be herself, and Ben would love her. "You know, this seems like the kind of thing that belongs in the hands of Fairy Godmother. Fairy Godmother!"
Fairy Godmother stepped between the guard and Ben. "That's me. Excuse me. Thank you."

"This belongs in a museum," said Mal, handing her the book.
"Yes. And I'm going to take it." Fairy Godmother tucked the spell book under her arm and happily vanished into the crowd.
Mal looked at Ben. "I'm not going to be needing it anymore." She moved toward Ben and playfully kicked water back at him.
Ben grinned and kicked water at Mal. She shrieked, delighted, and turned away.

When she turned back to face him, Ben was beaming. Mal took his crown in her hands and angled it crookedly on his head. She pressed her forehead warmly to his.

🐉🐉🐉