CHAPTER 35

The VK's park their bikes before taking off their helmets.

"Hey. I'm me again," Mal cheers as she looks at her hands and then her hair.

"Duh. Evil magic doesn't work here. Kind of the point," Celia tells her before walking off.

"Welcome back," Val says as she and Evie walk on either side of Mal. Celia leads them to a door with 'PA DERANJE' written on it before she knocks to a beat. Someone on the others side knocks a beat back. Celia responds with another beat before smiling at the VK's as the door is opened. Val and Mal share a smile before they follow Celia inside.

"Hey," Dr. Facilier calls as he sees Celia.

"Daddy," Celia calls as she runs over to him.

"Here she is," Dr. Facilier says as he picks her up before setting her down. "Come on. And.. And..." They dance causing Val to smile at the two. "Ho!" Dr. Facilier taps his cheek before Celia thumps his hat and tries to run. "Hey, yeah. Come here little rascal." Dr, Facilier pulls Celia into a hug. Celia and Dr. Facilier walk away while the VK's look around the arcade. Carlos notices a tv before dropping a coin into the top of it causing it to play.

"Alerts of the sleeping spell keep coming in as it spreads throughout Auradon," The reporter on the tv says.

"Uh. guys. Come look at this," Carlos says as he sits down.

"There are rumors that Sleeping Beauty's daughter, Audrey, is behind the spell. We're trying to discover who is responsible for these vicious lies, and which villain has perpetrated this evil. We have an update. It's what? It's moving this way? It is moving this way," The reporter says as they watch the tv in shock. Mal then nods her head for them to leave.

"Wow! Rookie mistake?" Carlos says as they walk outside to see Harry, Gil, and three more pirates on their bikes.

"Long time nay see," Harry says as the other two pirates take off.

"Get off my bike, Hook," Jay orders as he and Carlos rush towards their bikes.

"Catch me if you can, Jay," Harry calls as he takes off.

"Over the roofs. Cut them off. Be careful," Val says before Jay, Evie, and Carlos take off in different directions.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, not you," Mal says as she grabs Celia, who had tried to follow them. "They got this. You, Val, and me gotta go find the ember."

"Good timing. It's right about his nap time," Celia says before she starts leading the way. Jay gets close to catching Harry but Harry turns a corner getting away with a victory cheer as Jay glares at his fading figure.

"Hey. How big is that dog?" Mal asks as she notices a 'Beware of Dog!' sign.

"You'll see," Celia answers as she unlocks the gate. "Okay, stay quiet. It echoes, like, crazy in here." Mal and Val share a concerned look before following Celia. They are walking when loud barking and growling comes out of nowhere causing Mal to look around panicked. "Come on. Come, come." Celia hands Mal and Val a helmet before turning the light on her own on. Val and Mal turn their lights on before getting on the rail bike with Celia. Val looks around at the glowing blue light before hearing barking again. They reach the end of the tracks before getting off of the rail bike. The barking is louder as they walk into a room to find Hades asleep in his chair. Val and Mal follow Celia down the stairs to where Hades is. The barking starts again causing Mal to look around before Celia points at a record playing with a smile. Val and Mal start walking towards the ember before Celia stops them motioning for them to walk behind Hades. Val and Mal start walking that direction and Val stops letting Mal go. Celia gets tired of the record repeating and moves the player causing it to scratch.

"What are you doing here?" Hades asks causing Mal to freeze and Val to hold back a gasp.

"I noticed you were low on canned corn," Celia answers as she tosses Hades a can of corn. Mal grabs the ember but her hand is quickly grabbed by Hades causing her to gasp. Hades takes the ember as he turns to face Mal and Val, who is now beside Mal.

"Hi, Dad," Val and Mal say at the same time. Hades takes off his sunglasses and waves at Val and Mal.

"Quite a show you both put on the other day," Hades tells them.

"Right back at you," Val responds.

"Hmm. I was just coming to see you both," Hades says with a smile as he stands up.

"Really? Wonder why. Is it because I'm gonna be Queen?" Mal questions as she walks away from Hades.

"Ah! Now,  Mal, don't be bitter," Hades says with a chuckle.

"You abandoned us when we were babies," Val says as Mal nods and crosses her arms.

"No. No, I left your mother. She's not the easiest person to get along with," Hades corrects. 

"You think?" Mal says with an eye roll.

"Huh. You see? We have something in common already. We all hate your mother," Hades says as he puts on a scarf before walking over to Mal and Val.

"No. We don't hate our mother. She may be an evil lunatic, but at least she stuck around for us," Val argues as she glares at Hades.

"Oh! Boo-hoo. Wake up and smell the stink. You think you've had it rough?" Hades says as he walks around Mal and Val. "I used to be a god! I had an entire world which bore my name. And now I have nothing! And you have no idea what that feels like."

"Really? Because for 16 years, we had nothing. And now, I have a whole world. But unless I get that ember, it's game over," Mal explains as she walks over to Hades before holding her hand out for the ember.

"Hold, please," Hades says as he pushes her hand away causing Mal and Val to look at him shocked.

"Listen little girls

You're talking to a god

And I don't wanna hear the drama

Kindness ain't my brand," Hades sings as he looks down at Mal and Val.

"Oh, I guess that's why you ran," Val sings as she glares at him.

"Try being married to your mama," Hades sings causing Val and Mal to roll their eyes.

"You stink at being a dad," Mal sings as she walks away from him.

"Poor, Mali, are you sad?" Hades sings as he walks down the stairs.

"Not as sad as you

Without your powers

We didn't come to fight

For once do something right," Val sings as she faces Hades, who is taking off his scarf.

"I steal souls Were you expecting flowers?" Hades sings as he wraps the scarf around Val.

"I only need you Cause I came here for something," Mal sings as Val throws the scarf back at him.

"I've given you everything" Hades sings.

"By giving you nothing" Hades sings at the same time Mal and Val sing "By giving us nothing"

"I did what I had to do" Hades sings as he walks away from Mal and Val.

"Ooh" Celia sings.

"No, you only did What's best for you," Val sings.

"Well you can learn A thing or two

When push comes to shove

You do

What you've gotta do, yeah," Hades sings as he walks over to Val before bumping her to the side. Hades then sits in his chair propping up his feet.

"You were never there

I guess you don't have a phone

You never called to say

"I miss you"" Mal sings as she leans on the chair.

"Are you kidding? Is this a joke? You both need to let it go

You're both stronger with those daddy issues" Hades sings before standing back up.

"Oh, thank you" Val sings as she walks around the chair.

"Show me some respect

It ain't easy to neglect

My attention

Would've made you softer" Hades sings as he uses a lamppost as a microphone.

"Should I be proud?" Mal sings as she and Val walk over to him and he leans the lamppost to them.

"Don't turn this thing around" Mal and Val sing as Val pushes the lamppost away causing Hades to duck.

"I guess you are

your father's daughters," Hades sings with a chuckle.

"Don't think I need you

I just came here for something" Mal sings before holding her hand out for the ember. Hades grabs her hand spinning her around before catching her.

"I've given you everything" Hades sings as Mal glares at him.

"By giving you nothing" Hades sings at the same time Mal and Val sing, "By giving us nothing"

"And I did what I had to do" Val sings as she spins Mal away from Hades.

"Ooh," Celia sings.

"I made it on my own

No thanks to you," Mal sings as she pokes Hades in the chest.

"Well you could learn

A thing or two

When push comes to shove

You do what you gotta do" Hades sings before pushing Mal into his chair causing her to sit. "How about I go with you

And we'll spend some time?"

"How about you stay here

'Cause you're out of your mind," Val sings before pushing Hades head away from Mal.

"Let's make new memories

You can show me the town," Hades says as he puts a hand on Mal's shoulder causing her to look at it in disgust.

"No you can keep

Your memories now" Mal sings as she moves Hades hand away.

"Get over it" Hades sings as he gets in her face.

"We are over it" Mal and Val sing as Mal stands up.

"I'm over you being over it" Mal, Val, and Hades sing together.

"Let's dance," Hades sings before dancing with a tambourine. Hades then tosses the tambourine to Mal.

"I did What I had to do" Hades, Val, and Mal sing as the sisters follows Hades.

"Oooh," Celia sings.

"No you only did

What's best for you" Mal, Val, and Hades sing before Mal throws the tambourine down. Hades motions for the girls to come up the stairs before they holds their hands out to him. Hades grabs their hands, pulling them up the stairs. "Well you can learn A thing or two

When push comes to shove

You do" Mal shoves Hades before looking at her nails. "When push comes to shove

You do," Hades pushes Mal back. "When push comes to shove

You do

What you gotta do

Yeah" They finish singing, standing back to back.

"Do you wanna make up for being a lousy dad?" Mal asks as she turns to face him. "Give me the ember." Mal holds her hand out to him.

"The ember only works for me," Hades tells her.

"No. It'll work for us. We're blood," Val argues.

"You're only half Hades. The ember won't do everything for you two that it does for me," Hades explains to her.

"I'll take my chances," Mal tells him with a smirk as he holds it up. Hades gives Mal the ember before they start walking up the stairs.

"If it gets wet, it's game over," Hades calls after them and Mal only waves in response.

"That's my girls," Hades says with a smile once Val and Mal are far enough away.

"I guess that's the reason why he's always asking about you both," Celia says as she leads the way out causing Val and Mal to stop.

"Evie is the only one who knows that he's our dad," Mal tells her causing Celia to nod in understanding.

"And so as far as I'm concerned, he doesn't even exist," Val adds as Mal nods in agreement.