Pandemonium broke out in the parking lot as everyone began talking at once.
“We can overtake them easy; they’re walking!”
“They’re VKs! They’ve probably already given us the slip!”
“It hasn’t been five minutes! We’re not stupid! They’re just up the road!”
“It’s Jay and Carlos!”
“Don’t you think our heritage counts for something? We’re AK’s! We can handle this!”
Jordan let out an ear-splitting whistle and suddenly you could hear a pin drop.
“Don’t applaud,” she rolled her eyes, “unless you want too, but I’m about to save this show. Watch and learn, peeps.”
Closing her eyes, she continued, “I wish we were home.”
“You’re lamp?” Audrey looked around quizzical, turning a full circle to get her bearings, “Why—?”
“Uh, did I give anyone permission to talk?” Genie’s daughter gave her a look, “Lamp rules, remember?”
“That’s not a—” Audrey argued, hands on her hips.
“Whoa, Aud, whoa,” Ben put a hand on his ex-girlfriend’s elbow, “Let’s see where she’s going with this.”
“Thank you, Ben.” Jordan gave Audrey another look, then closed her eyes again, “I wish Jay and Carlos were here too.”
“What the—” Carlos gasped, looking totally confused.
“Hey!” Jay immediately realized what had happened.
“Busted.” Jordan smirked, folding her arms across her chest.
“Busted doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Freddie growled, stepping forward with fists clenched, “How could you guys go back without telling me?”
“Hey, we just didn’t want anyone getting hurt!” Jay defended them.
“That doesn’t explain why you didn’t tell me!” she shot back, “I grew up there too!”
“Hey, we just found out this morning, alright?” Carlos fired back, “Sorry, Freddie, but we didn’t even talk about it. We just left when we thought the coast was clear.”
“Only, it wasn’t,” Jane giggled.
“We understand,” Ben broke in hastily, “but we really want to go with you guys.”
“Apparently you weren’t listening before,” Jay growled, having had enough of humoring them, “We made concessions for you, Doug, and Lonnie, but no one else.”
“And we meant it,” Carlos reiterated firmly.
“Excuse me?” Freddie retorted.
“Fine,” Carlos rolled his eyes, “You can come if you want, Freddie, but I don’t see why—”
“Just because I wasn’t part of your little gang doesn’t mean that I’m not their friend!” she snapped, “I want them back here just as much as you do!”
“I didn’t mean—” Carlos started to apologize, seeing the pain in her eyes.
“But we want to come too!” Audrey stomped her foot for emphasis, “We decided. All for one and one for all.”
“What, really?!” Jay whirled on Freddie, “Did you okay this?”
“Hey, leave me out of it!” she glared back, “I told ‘em!”
Chad thrust his chin out, “If Lonnie gets to go, I should be able to too! I was team captain!”
“Yeah, until you got whooped!” Carlos snickered, “And that was after Jay went all soft from living here. A hardcore VK on the Isle would—”
“Hey!” Jay scowled, “Are you calling me soft?”
“If the shoe fits!” Carlos crackled, dodging behind Lonnie when his friend took a swing.
“Oh, that’s brave!” Chad snorted sarcastically, “How did this guy even make the team?”
“Guys!” Doug’s voice rose over the din, “We’re wasting time! I need to find Evie!”
“Don’t worry,” Freddie laughed, patting his back, “She can handle herself.”
“Well, it must be time for me to save this show again.” Jordan gave them a tiny wave.
“Don’t, Jordan—” Carlos eyes widened in horror, “You don’t know—”
“I wish we were on the Isle.”
*o*o*0*o*o*
Mal and Evie peered through the curtained doorway to make sure the coast was clear, then slipped into the Curl Up and Dye unseen by the young girl who was sweeping the floor, skipping and dancing to some song in her head.
“Missed you.” Evie whispered hoarsely, touching her shoulder.
“Evie!” Dizzy shrieked with joy, “You came back again!” She flung herself at the older girl and they held each other for a long time.
“To stay this time.” the blue-clad princess whispered softly, stooping down to eye-level to talk.
“What?” Dizzy’s gasped, her voice quivering with surprise, confusion, and delight, “Really?”
“Really.” Evie couldn’t help but smile.
“But I thought you loved Auradon!” Dizzy looked stressed, “They-they didn’t kick you out, did they?”
“Of course not,” Mal scoffed, interrupting the reunion, her eyes glowing green with renewed frustration.
“No, no,” Evie answered quickly, sensitive to her purple-clad friend’s mood, “I-I just learned something these last few weeks.” Her voice quivered slightly, “I-I learned that I really just want to be with my best friend.”
`”Even if it’s on the Isle?” Dizzy’s eyes widened.
“Even if it’s on the Isle.”
Looking back and forth between the older girls, Dizzy realized they were having some sort of argument and she readily took up Evie’s cause, “Well, now that you’re here, would you like your old sketchbook back?”
“Oh, yes!” the blue-clad girl almost melted with gratitude, “I could add the dresses that I made for Jane’s birthday party!”
“I’d love to see them!” Dizzy squealed, rushing to get the old book from another table.
“Me too!” Mal agreed, her face brightening.
“Let’s see,” Evie muttered, sitting down. She picked up the stub of a sea-green colored pencil as her friends pulled up chairs around her.
“Goodness!” she muttered, frowning at it, “it’s gonna take a little while to get used to these again!”
“Maybe someone will accidentally drop a good pack in the trash,” Dizzy suggested with a giggly shrug, “now that you’re back.”
“Now, there’s a thought!” Mal’s eyes lit up, “Maybe we’ll get something a little less moldy in the Slop Shop too.”
“I think we’d have to raid the barge at the dock,” Evie mused, “if we want better food.”
“So we’ll rumble.” Mal shrugged.
Opening the sketchbook, Evie quickly drew a full-length fitted gown with long-sleeves on a tall athletic-looking red-head, adding sea flora and fauna embroidery with a gold stub for embellishments.
“Arabella.” Mal guessed, nodding in approval, “That’s a beautiful color on her!”
“Thank you.” Evie smiled, wiping tears away, “I think it’s my favorite one,” she continued, setting the stub down to reflect for a minute, “I was making her another one from water resistant material for Melody’s underwater debut the week after Jane’s party.”
“Cool!” Mal nodded in approval, “I’d love to hear Melody sing again.”
“Maybe we can find it on TV.” Dizzy suggested, “We get more channels now.”
“Hey, I bet you’re right!”
“Melody would love it if you’d just show up.” Evie cocked a hopeful eyebrow.
The purple-clad girl shook her head, pulling a wadded up piece of paper from her jacket and tossing some old gum into her mouth as she replied, “I think not.”
Watching her snap it, the blue-clad girl wrinkled her nose, “That’s another thing I’m gonna have to get used to again.”
“It’s raspberry lemon.” Mal grinned, blowing a bubble.
“Your mother would definitely approve of the flavor.” Evie smirked, “Sour not sweet.”
“You know I was always a mama’s girl.” Mal blew another bubble.
At that, everyone burst out laughing and it was several minutes before Evie could pick up another pencil. Drawing a short pink flowery creation that hung off one shoulder, she said, “This is Audrey’s—or what I wanted it to be.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mal stopped chewing.
“It means I haven’t finished it yet.”
“Audrey won’t be happy about that.” the purple-clad girl grimaced.
“No, she won’t,” the blue-clad girl’s face twisted with grief, “I hope she can forgive me though.”
“I guarantee,” Mal snorted, “she can’t.” Then she laid a hand on her friend’s arm, “I’m so sorry, E.”
“That’s alright,” the Isle’s princess shrugged, “I don’t deserve to be forgiven. I’m letting her down.”
“How villainous of you.” Mal smirked.
Hey,” Dizzy interrupted, trying to cheer Evie up, “Can you draw Arabella’s other dress too? I’d love to see it!”
“I’ll do that!” Evie’s eyes lit up again, “It’s navy blue with red sea life embroidered on the skirt.”
*o*o*0*o*o*
Much to Jay, Carlos, and Freddie’s relief, Jordan’s magic deposited them on the beach instead of in the middle of town and they quickly gave instructions before the AK’s could react to the sights, sounds, and smells around them.
“We’ll go to Maleficent’s castle first, traveling together, but in three teams,” Jay looked commanding with his hands on his hips, “Freddie, Carlos, and I will lead. Whatever we say goes. No questions asked, alright? If they aren’t there, we’ll find some place to hide until they get back.”
“Why does he get to be a team leader?” Chad pointed at Carlos as he held Audrey close, “He was hiding behind a girl not five minutes ago!”
“Uh, let me guess,” Jordan rolled her eyes, “maybe because he grew up here.”
“I’m a better leader!” Chad insisted.
“I’m betting not,” she folded her arms over her chest, unmoved.
“Chad,” Jay snapped, “You do know where we are, don’t you?”
“The Isle, duh.”
“Maybe we should send him over to the Curl Up and Dye before we head into town.” Carlos suggested, keeping a sharp eye out for wharf rats.
“A haircut and a shave,” Jay nodded, “Good idea!”
“I shaved this morning, thank you!” Chad shot back, sticking out his chin and running his hand over it, “See?”
“Evil Stepmom won’t mind.” Carlos gave him a crossed-eyed look.
“She’d give you a nice close shave too,” Jay added, “You being her step-grandson and all.”
“We’re gonna need backup if this keeps up.” Freddie hissed in Jane’s ear.
“But who?” Fairy Godmother’s daughter was wide-eyed with alarm, “We’re on the Isle!”
“Wait, I’ve got it!” Freddie snapped her fingers.
Jay gave her a look, “What are you talking about?”
“Why don’t I sneak over to Dragon Hall and ask Yen Sid if the antiheroes can help?” she suggested, “There should be more than the three of us to get everyone through town.”
“That’s a great idea!” Carlos’ eyes lit up and Jay agreed with a mute nod.
“Wait!” Audrey held up her hand, “Can we trust them?”
“Can you trust us?” Freddie gave her a look.
“That’s different!”
“Well, not really,” Ben disagreed, “Not when it’s all for one and one for all.” He threw an arm around her, momentarily pulling her away from Chad, “Right?”
“I don’t know…” she hesitated, suddenly very uncomfortable; Chad pulled her back and glared at Ben.
“Oh, what to do?” Ally looked strained, “What to do?”
“Guys!” Doug barked impatiently, staring up the long dark pathway with growing angst, “Whatever we do, we gotta do it now! Evie might need us!”
Freddie cracked up again, but Jay waved her away.
“Go. We’ll hang here until you get back.”
“But hurry,” Carlos stressed, scanning the scene for wharf rats again, “The goblins could show any moment.”
“Don’t you think,” she scowled in return, “that I actually do understand what’s at stake here?”