────── ☼ ☼ ☼ ──────

────── ☼ ☼ ☼ ──────

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟒
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐏

────── ☼ ☼ ☼ ──────

As soon as they arrived on the Isle of the Lost, the group of seven was greeted by a cheering crowd of kids. Smiles formed on everyone's faces as they carefully drove through island natives until Jay parked the limo a few feet at the entrance to an alley. After getting out of the vehicle and greeting those surrounding them, Rylee and Morgan broke away from Ben, Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos to talk to Hanna and her father. As they approached the father-daughter duo, Hans sent them a grateful smile before whispering something into Hanna's ear. The redheaded girl instantly let out a laugh as she wrapped her arms around her father to give him a tight hug.

"Thank you both for choosing my daughter," Hans told the two princesses with a smile on his face after they stopped right in front of him and Hanna, "she's been a little bored since Gabby left."

"Of course, Mr. Westergaard. We're very happy to have her joining us in Auradon. Gabby's excited to have her there, too. She hasn't stopped talking about it since we got back to Auradon last week," Morgan responded before her attention turned to a very smiley Hanna, "are you ready to go?"

The Macintosh girl's question caused the younger girl's smile to falter a bit before she looked up at her father. As soon as he noticed the look on his daughter's face, Hans pulled her in for another hug and whispered something else into her ear, causing Hanna's grip to tighten a bit. Another short moment passed before they ended their moment and shared another smile. After promising that she'd be able to see her father soon, the two princesses placed Hanna's bag into the limo's trunk and followed Evie and Dizzy into the vehicle.

"I can't wait to see Gabby again!" Hanna exclaimed as she jumped up and down in her seat as if her hesitation from a few moments ago vanished into thin air, "the Isle has been so boring without her! There's been no one for me to cause trouble with!"

"Well, I know she's looking forward to it, too. Gabs has been counting down the days until you arrive," Rylee said with a smile on her face as she watched Ben take a Tarot card from Celia's hands, "Ruby and Roland are excited to meet you, too."

The unfamiliar names instantly caused Hanna to become still on the cushion before she sent the two princesses a confused look. "Who now?"

"They're our younger siblings who are your age and absolutely adore Gabby," Morgan answered before letting out a small laugh and handing Hanna a piece of chocolate, "they were so excited to hear we were bringing more kids over."

It wasn't long after that when they arrived at the barrier. Cheers erupted from the crowd once again as they ran toward the limo. Everyone inside waved at the spectators with smiles on their faces as Jay pressed the button to open the magical gate. The five soon-to-be residents of Auradon watched in awe as the shimmering golden forcefield disappeared before their very eyes. As soon as it finished opening, the son of Jafar drove through and pushed the golden button once again to close the barrier. Evie looked back at the cheering crowd one last time with a smile on her face, only for it to fall a second later at the sight of a familiar face running toward them.

"It's Hades!" the daughter of the Evil Queen shouted, causing everyone in the vehicle to look out the back window and see the God of the Underworld attempting to break through the barrier, "stop the car! He's trying to escape!"

Jay instantly forced the limo to a stop while the older teens told their young friends to stay in the vehicle. Rylee and Morgan then followed Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Ben out of the car before Jay rushed to join them at the back of the limo. The Fitzherbert girl's blood instantly ran cold at the sight of Hades using both hands to force the barrier open before he stuck his head through. The magic from Auradon reignited the blue flames on his head as he stared at the teens with fire in his eyes.

"I am a god! I don't belong here!" he screamed at the top of his lungs as he continued to try to break through the golden shield.

Ben, Jay, and Carlos exchange a look before charging toward Hades, only for him to use the stone in his hand to zap them with blue beams. The force sent the three boys instantly to the ground with painful groans while the former god's laughter cut through the air. Rylee, Morgan, and Evie rushed to help Ben, Jay, and Carlos to their feet as a purple cloud began to surround Mal. As soon as the smoke cleared, a dragon appeared in her place and soared into the air. After letting out a loud roar, the daughter of Maleficent flew closer to the blue-haired man, only for him to use his gem to send off a powerful beam at her chest. Everyone watched with a hint of disbelief in their eyes as Mal began to grow weaker and weaker from Hades' power.

"Come on, Mal. Blast him!" Jay shouted, causing the purple dragon to shake her head a bit before her bright green eyes landed on Hades once again.

The two of them had another staredown before Mal let out another roar, forcing the God of the Underworld away from the barrier with her dragon breath. Everyone watched as Hades tumbled across the ground before the barrier finally closed. The daughter of Maleficent let out a few more painful growls as she flew back down toward the ground. Mal shifted back a few feet in the air before landing on the trunk of the limo. Evie and Ben were quick to help her off of the vehicle before the King pulled her into his arms.

"Are you okay?" Evie asked as the rest of their friends continued to stare at Hades on the other side of the barrier.

"No," Mal gasped, drawing everyone's attention to her before she took in another shaky breath, "he was draining all my magic with the ember, and I felt all of my powers slipping away."

"You're safe," the blue-haired girl told the daughter of Maleficent before they looked back over at the God of the Underworld, "he's back where he belongs."

Hades just stared at them for a moment longer before he turned his back to them and walked away. The seven of them watched as he journeyed down the path created for him before Jay ushered everyone back into the limo. As soon as they got back into the vehicle, they reassured the younger teens that everything was okay. They then continued their trip back to Auradon in complete and utter silence.

────── ☼ ☼ ☼ ──────

The following morning, Rylee and Morgan were asked to join a meeting with Ben, Mal, Fairy Godmother, Adam, and Belle. As soon as they arrived in the King's office, they immediately felt the tension in the room. The two princesses exchanged a quick look before they took their places next to Ben with Mal on the other side of him. A long silent moment passed of Adam and Belle just staring at the four young royals before the former king let out a long sigh and rubbed a hand over his face.

"I think we all know why we're here," he told them, causing Mal, Ben, Rylee, and Morgan to exchange looks amongst themselves before turning their full attention back to the three adults in front of them, "the people are in a panic about Hades. He almost got out."

"Who knows what he would've done if he had escaped?" Fairy Godmother added as an irritated smile formed on Ben's face.

"We can't risk having another villain on the loose," Adam concluded despite the annoyance in his son's eyes.

"I really feel like this is my fault," Mal sighed before breaking eye contact with three adults in the room to look over at her future husband, "I'm supposed to protect Auradon."

"You did, you do protect Auradon," Ben reassured the purple-haired girl as he took her hands into his.

"Every time we open the barrier, we're exposed to danger," the former king argued, causing the royal advisors to look back over at the man while the royal couple continued to stare at each other, "Maleficent, Uma, Hades."

"What if we have guards come with us next time? We can station them on both sides of the barrier so that way they can prevent this from happening when we open and close it," Rylee suggested in an attempt to keep what they've been working toward alive.

Her words received nods in agreement from Ben and Morgan while the adults and Mal stared at the Fitzherbert girl with skepticism in their eyes. However, before anyone could respond to her, Ben's phone began to ring. The Beast boy immediately took a few steps away to answer the call. It wasn't long before he finished his conversation with whoever was on the other side and rejoined the conversation with a defeated look on his face.

"Maleficent's scepter and the Queen's crown have been stolen," the King of Auradon announced from his place between Mal and Rylee, earning a gasp from Fairy Godmother in response.

"Uma?"

"We don't know for sure that it was her," Morgan stated to the former king before she looked over at Ben, who sent her a small nod in response.

"When people hear this, they will never wanna leave their houses. What do we tell them?" Belle said as she turned her attention away from her husband and back to the purple-haired girl, "Mal? What do we do? How do we keep evil out of Auradon?"

Rylee and Morgan looked over at the daughter of Maleficent with supportive looks on their faces. They all watched as she stared at the floor deep in thought while the two princesses tried to come up with ways to solve their problems as well. After a moment of silence, the purple-haired girl looked back up at everyone with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"I think that there's only...one way to guarantee their safety," she muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear her before she hesitated for a moment and took in a shaky breath as tears began to fill her eyes, "and I think that there...can't be anymore going in and out." While Ben, Rylee, and Morgan looked at her in utter shock, the three adults across from them looked almost relieved at her words. "I think that we have to close the barrier...forever."

As soon as his future wife finished speaking, Ben looked over at his parents and Fairy Godmother with a defeated look on his face. He just watched the three of them nod in response before Rylee noticed his hands clutching into fists at his sides. Just as she was about to attempt to calm him down, the Beast boy turned and walked away from them, ignoring his father calling out to him. Mal instantly followed after her future husband while the two princesses continued to stand in their places with disbelief in their eyes. Before the former king and queen or Fairy Godmother could say another word to them, Rylee and Morgan turned their backs to them and followed the royal couple.

"You can't be serious, Mal?" was the first thing Morgan said as the two princesses approached Mal and Ben, only for her to be greeted by a guilty expression from the daughter of Maleficent.

"We can't close the barrier and strand all those kids there, especially when we promised to bring them all over," Rylee declared after seeing the guilty expression on the daughter of Maleficent's face, "there has to be another way. We can't just leave them there."

"I do not want to take away your dream because it was so beautiful," the purple-haired girl told the three royals standing in front of her before she let out a long shaky sigh and took a step closer to her friends and future husband, "but as King, as Queen, and as Royal Advisors...what's our duty?"

"To protect Auradon," Ben muttered just loud enough for them to hear him while Rylee and Morgan exchanged a knowing look before the Beast boy took a step closer to his future wife and took her hands into his, "but do you know what this would mean? All those kids? Are you prepared for that?"

"I know what it means...and no, I'm not prepared for it," Mal admitted as she looked between the three royals standing in front of her, "I just think we have no other choice."

"We could find one," Rylee stated, causing everyone to look over at her while she did her best to contain all her emotions, "we just need some time."

A sad smile appeared on the daughter of Maleficent's face as she looked over at the two princesses. "That's something we don't have."

────── ☼ ☼ ☼ ──────

────── ☼ ☼ ☼ ──────