05 | DEPARTURES AND DESTINIES

Maleficent's lair, perched ominously above Bargain Castle, was everything one might expect of a dwelling befitting the Mistress of All Evil. It was a realm of shadows and echoes, where the dust danced with the devilish dim light and the smell of sulfur hung heavily in the air. The mismatched colored windowpanes filtered out any trace of sunlight, casting the room in a perpetual twilight, while green crystal lights swung lazily from the lofty ceiling.

Maleficent herself reclined regally in her towering throne, a striking figure with her nails being meticulously filed, her feet propped up as if the world was hers to command—which, in many ways, it was. Around her, the once-mighty villains and their offspring, a gallery of faded glory and worn-down wickedness, waited in tense anticipation.

Cruella, her iconic black-and-white hair now wilder than ever, draped herself in a threadbare coat made from dalmatian fur, complete with a grotesquely bejeweled toy head that she caressed absentmindedly. Jafar, no longer the svelte sorcerer of old, now sported a potbelly and a desperate comb-over, his pants a testament to better days long past. The Evil Queen, once the epitome of sinister beauty, now constantly tugged at her surgically altered face, her gaze trapped in the reflection of a hand mirror.

The room's tense silence was shattered by Maleficent's commanding voice. "You will go," she decreed to the teens. "You will find the Fairy Godmother and you will bring me back her magic wand." A casual blow on her freshly manicured nails punctuated her order: "Easy peasy.""What's in it for us?" Mal challenged, her voice a blend of defiance and curiosity.

"Matching thrones," Maleficent responded with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Hers and hers crowns."

Carlos, ever the voice of reason, tried to interject, "Um, I—I think she meant us."

Maleficent, undeterred, flung her nail file aside and stood, her presence imposing as she summoned Mal closer. "It's all about you and me, baby," she cooed, leaning in, her voice dripping with dark promise. "Do you enjoy watching innocent people suffer?"

"Well, yeah! I mean, who doesn't?" Mal replied, her response echoing her mother's twisted enthusiasm.

"Then get me that wand! And you and I can witness all that and so much more!" Maleficent exclaimed, her arms raised in triumph, the visions of power swirling around her. "With that wand and my scepter, I will bend both good and evil to my will!"

Evil Queen interrupted, lowering her mirror with a sharp click. "Our will," she corrected sharply.Cruella, pointing dramatically at the Evil Queen, nodded in agreement.

"Our will, our will," Maleficent amended hastily, trying to salvage the moment as she fixed her gaze on Mal. "And if you refuse, you're grounded for the rest of your life, missy."

"What?" Mal gasped, the weight of the ultimatum crashing down on her. "Mom!"

The intense stare-down that followed was a familiar battle of wills between mother and daughter. They locked eyes, each challenging the other's resolve. These confrontations were common, and Maleficent always won. Eventually, Mal broke away, defeated. "Fine, whatever," she conceded begrudgingly.

"I won," Maleficent declared, a smug triumph lacing her voice as the villains around her murmured in a mixture of awe and fear. The stakes were set, the challenge declared, and the gauntlet thrown down in the dim, sinister glow of Maleficent's tenement apartment.

Maleficent turned her intense gaze back to her daughter. "And while you're at it, get me the Prince of Dragons," she commanded. As Mal blinked in confusion, a green hologram flickered to life in the dim room, revealing the image of a young man.

The Hologram: 

"This is the Prince of Dragons, or better known as Prince Erendil. Get him here to the Isle, and we will have another upper hand against the so-longing heroes," Maleficent said, her voice laced with cunning as she gave a small, satisfied smile.

Mal and her friends stared, mouths agape at the revelation and the strategic depth of Maleficent's plan. "Damn," said Evie, unable to suppress a chuckle at the audaciousness of it all.

"Why—why would we want him?" Mal asked after a moment, her voice tinged with confusion and disbelief.

Maleficent simply shrugged, her expression unfazed by the enormity of her request. "He is a being of untamable power. His father nearly beat me one time, and his mother is just as ruthless. And hear this, pin drop: he's half Night Fury, the greatest of dragons ever found, dearie. Now, are you going to get them or not?" Her tone was casual, as if she were discussing the weather, not the potential abduction of a powerful prince.

Mal nodded slowly, her resolve hardening. They would get the wand and that prince. No matter what. The stakes were higher than ever, but so was the thrill of the challenge. The plan was set, and the wheels were in motion.

The air vibrated with anticipation as the horn sounded from the street, signaling the start of an unforeseen journey.

"Let's get this party started!" Jay exclaimed, his voice echoing with excitement and a touch of reckless joy.

"Carlos! Come!" Cruella's commanding tone cut through the noise, beckoning her son with an urgency that spoke of wild adventures ahead.

Evie, ever the image of vanity and allure, checked her appearance in the mirror, her fingers tracing the contours of her face as if to ensure her beauty would be up to the challenge.

"Who is the fairest of them all?" the Evil Queen intoned, her voice dripping with a venomous charm.

"Me," Evie replied with a smirk, only to catch the sharp glance of her mother.

"Ugh!" the Evil Queen expressed her disapproval.

"You," Evie quickly corrected, turning the affirmation into a flattering appeasement.

"Yes!" the Evil Queen exclaimed triumphantly. "Let's go."

Jafar, meanwhile, pulled Jay aside for a moment of secretive mentorship. "Now recite our mantra," he instructed, a twinkle of pride in his eye.

"There's no team in 'I,'" Jay recited, the irony of the statement perfectly reflecting their individualistic ethos.

Jafar smiled warmly, a rare show of emotion. "Run along. You're making me tear up!" His words were thick with uncharacteristic sentiment.

As everyone filed out of Maleficent's lair, the dark sorceress herself threw open the doors and led Mal onto the balcony. Below them, the isle streets buzzed, strung with lights, a lively contrast to the quiet, menacing decor of the interior. Across the sea, the distant silhouette of Auradon Prep was cradled by majestic green mountains—a sight that was both daunting and awe-inspiring."The future of the free world rests on your shoulders," Maleficent declared, her voice low and resonant as she placed a firm hand on Mal's shoulder. "Don't blow it." With a wink, she retreated into the shadows of the apartment.

Mal lingered on the balcony, her gaze fixed on the distant land of Auradon. The mix of fear and excitement was palpable in her heart as she pondered the new life awaiting her. Was there someone out there, on that distant shore, looking back towards her?

"Mal!" her mother's voice called out again, a melodious beckon that pulled her back from her reverie.

With a final, lingering look at the tiny dot that was Auradon Prep, Mal turned and headed back inside. Below, the horn honked once more, a resounding call that it was time to depart on their grand adventure.