Were You Expecting Flowers? ✔️

36

And if your heart surrenders
We'll hold it up together
We were born ready
We were born ready
Don't care if the world ain't ready for me
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"LET ME finish." The King sighed, turning back to the five of us, "Please believe me when I say that I do feel responsible for what had happened. And that I'm sorry. I did not plan to bring you any more harm, but this is a huge matter on our hands. If Audrey isn't returned, all hell will break loose. And the reason why I am thinking of sending you five is because you're the most familiar with the Isle. You'll blend into the crowd easily, unlike a group of guards. I want to keep this a secret for the sake of our nation's image, and so that the people don't feel the need to panic. And I trust that you'll do a good job in bringing her back." He looked at Ben, then let a rare smile take over, patting his shoulder, "What do you think, son?"

Ben looked a tad intrigued, then acknowledged his father with a prompt nod, trying to keep the composure and hide the relief.

"I understand what you're implying. They obviously know the territory well, since they grew up there, but I really don't think it should be that hard find an AK amongst all the villains." Ben rubbed his hands together, "I think it's too unnecessary and too risky to pull through. I don't want them near their parents again."

"But their parents are in lockdown." The Beast looked genuinely confused.

Jay and I looked at each other. Well this was news.

'In lockdown' means that they've been locked away into the deepest part of the Isle. No one's allowed in or out. It's almost like the Isle level two.

Ben gave his father a look. "You didn't tell me that."

"Or me." The Fairy Godmother piped in.

"Or us." Jay snickered, a little too playful in such a heavy conversation.

"I was about to tell you, but you got a little ticked off before I could." The Beast looked amused, "So technically the parents can't even reach them. But, the remote can."

"I'm confused." Carlos admitted, finally brave enough to speak now that the mood has lightened up.

"Let me run my idea over again." The King's demeanor had changed- less intimidating and more open. "If Audrey is stopped before she finds the lockdown- which by the way, is completely hidden from everyone, we can just pick her up and take her back without even interacting with the parents." He looked at the five of us, hopeful, "That is- if you are willing..."

"What's in it for us?" Jay asked.

I smacked him on the head, sending him a glare for being so direct and disrespectful in front of the most important people in the land.

To everyone's surprise though, Beast broke into a booming laugh.

"I can imagine what a handful you guys must be for your teachers." The King remarked before straightening up, "What do you want?"

Jay didn't expect his request to be taken seriously and he just stared at him, mouth agape.

"Dizzy!" Evie suddenly cried. Realizing how high of a volume she said spoken in, she blushed in embarrassment.

"Dizzy?" Fairy Godmother said.

"Dizzy!" Mal suddenly joined in, grabbing Evie's hands.

"Who's Dizzy?" Ben and I asked at the same time.

"Drizella's daughter." Evie replied, "Daughter of Cinderella's stepsister? Ring a bell?"

I smacked my hand against my forehead. "Oh!"

"And what is it about this girl?" The King said, scratching the back of his head.

I had honestly forgotten his existence amongst Evie's squealing until he spoke up again.

"She's like a sister to me, and she had always dreamed about living in Auradon..." Evie trailed off, but her eyes were optimistic.

The King smiled, catching on. "Alright. If you do the mission, I'll allow another VK to Auradon. But just one. For now."

"Wait." Carlos gulped, turning towards us five, "No offense to Dizzy, but are you guys seriously considering this? We turned our backs on the Isle. And might I mind you: we were a second away from getting worse than just beatings."

I bit my bottom lip. It didn't take half a brain cell to understand why Carlos was so afraid.

Mal shrugged. "If our parents are locked up... I don't see why not..." She said slowly and mindfully.

"And besides," Evie was beaming, seemingly having forgotten how scary it actually was to go back, "we get Dizzy."

"I don't know, guys." Jay rubbed a hand over his face, "I don't know if I wanna see that place again."

I finally managed to gather my thoughts and speak up. "I get it. I am also completely horrified by the idea of going back to the Isle. But- as weird as it is, Audrey needs us. And if she manages to free our parents and have them come to Auradon, there will be no running away this time. Maleficent's gonna do worse than just cut my face."

Everyone fell temporarily silent.

Evie held out her fist. "I'm in if you guys are. For Dizzy."

I held my hand out next to her. "I'm in."

Mal and Jay exchanged a long thoughtful look, before adding their fists into the circle that had formed. We looked over at Carlos, who was having a hard time.

I caught his eye and he took one long look at me before sighing and joining us. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this."

Ben suddenly reached out and held back Carlos' hand. "Are you guys positive you're willing to do this?"

I smirked lightly. "Sure."

"Then I'm going with you." Ben declared.

Beast turned to him, obviously unsure about the idea.

"You trust me, right father?" Ben said.

His father stared him down, as if looking for a flaw in the determination on his face. He smiled. "I suppose. I can't stop you anymore, now can I?"

"You're all awfully brave." The Fairy Godmother said, "Maybe even a bit too brave."

"Yeah." Mal's smirk was even more twisted than me, in a good way. "Cause we're rotten..."

The answer came simultaneously to us.

"To the core."

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*starts fangirling over my favorite Descendents quote*