it&#x27;s going down for real

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

They probably had a super strong man waiting to get their bags from the limo, so it’s not like she’d ever notice the extra weight! But our plan’s going to work, we just have to keep ourselves from getting distracted and you’re right, we’ll be there in no time. We could always go visit the squirrels and then come back inside to avoid the rain in our dorms, I like that plan best of all. Seeing your face makes me happy too, Kronk! I bet I wouldn’t like my face nearly as much as yours.

#talking to: hayley #f2f #f2f: hayley

I have a really good feeling about this, Hales. The more we talk about it, the more sure I am it’s going to happen. And Freddie’s less scary than I thought she’d have been so... I’m officially hoping even if hope makes us weaker! Visiting squirrels, a rainy clean campus, dorm rooms with real beds, and you, all away from this - it sounds so perfect. But you should like your face more than mine! Your face is the best I’ve ever seen, even if Evie says she’s the fairest of them all, she’s wrong.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

I don’t want to have to risk it. It’s too bad we aren’t friends with any of the people who got chosen last time. We could have packed ourselves in their trunks and snuck over that way! We wouldn’t have been allowed to go to school but maybe we could have gone and lived in the woods and the squirrels could have taught us how to take care of ourselves. And we can send them all our great ideas until they realize we’re harmless and we don’t have to be in hiding anymore, we can be normal citizens of Auradon like everybody else. I thought only Evie’s mom’s mirror saw inner beauty! But maybe you’re right, we just really don’t have any mirrors around our house and there must be a reason…

#talking to: hayley #f2f: hayley #f2f

Han’s daughter took a lot of bags - I bet we could’ve snuck into those without her noticing even if we weren’t her friends, but eh, it’s alright, we’re going to be on our way over soon enough! And this way we’ll be allowed to go to the school, not that living with you in the woods with the squirrels doesn’t sound awesome, but I need to learn stuff if I’m ever going to be able to keep up with your smarts. I wish you had more mirrors around your house; seeing your face always makes me happy and I want you to have all the happy possible.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Totally, I bet they can fix almost anything. But they can definitely fix up animal bites, like by cleaning them and sewing them back together I think, or just putting something on them to make them feel better. A year’s such a long time, and the longer it takes the closer we are to being adults – you don’t think they’ll ever let adult villains go, do you? I don’t think people like my mom would be good citizens of Auradon. You’re right, smelling DNA would be crazy, and unless rabbits are doctors who can examine our blood I bet I’m safe. Her reflection is super scary. My mom breaks mirrors with mallets, though, not with her face.

#talking to: hayley #dash

...I can’t see them letting like my momma or your momma near Auradon, no, but like, the kids who’ve grown to adults maybe? A lot less likely though, I’d think; grown-ups are scarier. If anything they should be reaching out to the little kids! That’s something we can promote when we get there, right? No offensive against your mom but she could probably break them with her face too, because mirrors can see inner beauty and she is NOT inner beautiful.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

But on Auradon they actually have doctors, and magic – and not like sketchy ones the way that Dr. Facilier is. You’d be a really awesome base, I bet you’re the strongest one there! How often do you think they’ll do lotteries now? I mean, once a month would be crazy, but maybe they’ll send four new people a season or something. We could be there by spring to see the flowers bloom. Or by summer to go SWIMMING! I hope rabbits won’t like be able to sniff my mom’s DNA and automatically hate me, that’s not a thing, is it? I hope you’re right, I don’t understand how evil people like our moms aren’t afraid of their own reflections.

#talking to: hayley #dash

So like if we got bit by animals and stuff we’d be able to get fixed? That’s such a relief! I hate getting all itchy and stuff with bites. Finally a good use for my strongs! Maybe once a season, I hope? I hope it doesn’t take a whole year, though, that sounds like a nightmare. I wanna be there in time to go swimming! I love swimming, especially in clean water where there are no alligators. Rabbits don’t smell DNA...right? I might, I can’t smell DNA, so surely other animals can’t. Maybe that’s why all my mom’s mirrors are smashed! Because she’s scared of her reflection!

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Actually, I totally might. I’ve never gotten to cheerlead before, it might take me a while to learn all the moves which means I’ll need you to catch me when I fall. But I know you always will, and I’ll try to catch you, too. But you’re kind of bigger than I am which means that I might end up being like a soft landing mat instead. You’re so smart, too, Kronk! I’m just like overplanning because I really want to make sure we get this perfect the first time so we don’t have to wait too long before we get to go to Auradon. We’re probably better at sticking with Harriet, girls are way more competitive with each other than they are with boys, usually. I think a fluffy white rabbit, but not like the creepy talking one that my mom said ran around Wonderland all the time. Do you think there are any on the island? Maybe the squirrels could show us where to find them. It’s okay, I like when you’re off topic – squirrels are important, and sometimes I’m scared if I think about evil plans for too long I might start to turn evil too.

I don’t want you to be a human landing mat, though! I would hate to, you know, crush you. Maybe I’ll just stick to being the bottom of the pyramid. Overplanning right now is perfect, though. I’d rather not have to wait longer than we need to, though if I’m waiting with you I’m sure it won’t feel like we’re waiting too long. You’re a girl so I trust your opinion on girls better - Harriet it is! The squirrels would totally help us find rabbits, if there are any in Auradon, I’m sure! Squirrels love whoever feed them so where there’s more food, they’re sure to love me even more! You? Evil? Hayley, that’s impossible!

#talking to: hayley

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Kronk, don’t worry, I’m never going to get sick of you, ever. Besides, if we both join the cheerleading team together, then we can work extra to catch up to the other people on the squad, and we wouldn’t have to worry about being alone or falling behind. See? Everything’s better with you. Oh my gosh, no, Kronk, I forgot – other people don’t like helping like we do, so Freddie might think it’s gross that we want her to be nice and make us do better. Instead of saying it’s helping, we should tell her that it’s… hurting! Who does Freddie really not like? We can tell her that by making sure our projects are good, she’s making that person look bad by letting our grades pass theirs. Freddie would definitely be a good croc momma; isn’t her dad from a place that has alligators in their backyards as pets, or like keeps them in their swimming pools? She’s like born to be good at this. I’m glad I’m not an animal, no matter how cute I think that fluffy white rabbit my mom talks about sounds.

Right! Plus I’m strong and would never let you fall to the ground, not that you would, but, you know, better safe than sorry, and learning to cheer with my best friend? It sounds like super fun! Oh....Hayls, you’re so smart, that never even would’ve occurred to me. I know she and Harriet Hook don’t seem to get along, like even more than everyone else doesn’t seem to; I’m pretty sure she’s also had to stab a Gaston brother in the foot once, but I’m not sure why or which Gaston it was, but that’s a great idea! I think she’d so go for it. What animal were you born to be a momma to, do you think? I know I was born to be a squirrel daddy! Sorry, off topic. Um, yeah, that sounds like a good plan! I say yay!

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

BFFAE – best friends forever and ever! I think it would be fun to be a cheerleader? In all the stories mom says how horrible they are because they’re so happy and encouraging all the time, but I bet I’d really like that. And it sounds like something you’d be really good at, too, Kronk, so of course you should do it too. You’re never cramping my style… and just in case we don’t instantly make friends in Auradon, it would be really nice to have you there. Um… we could say we need her help with ideas for our end of year evil project because ours got rejected the first time, and ask her to come over tomorrow after school? That would make her feel proud of us thinking she’s evil enough to come to, and it’s sort of believable that we’d be bad at the assignment. Oh no! I know I think they’re scary but they still don’t deserve to be eaten, even our moms aren’t mean enough to do that.

Happy and encouraging are two things you’re totally good at being, I could give my friendly reference if that kind of thing is needed to join up. Yay, as long as you’re sure! I bet we’ll spend even more time together when we don’t have to be around our moms or hide being nice, so I just wanted to make sure you wouldn’t be sick of me by then, ha ha ha. You’re so brilliant, Hales! Asking for homework help makes sense and could totally work to get her to the lair - and Mom will be happy that I’m socializing with villains that aren’t just, well, you. Not that there’s anything wrong with you! It’s just...yes, that’s a good idea, and I’m sure Freddie will be a good croc momma! Right?! Animals are way brutaler than humans, it’s insane.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

That’s what best friends are for; I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure that you always feel better whenever somebody makes you feel lousy, okay? If I get any bruises I want it to be because somebody dropped me at cheerleading practice or I accidentally tripped and fell, and not because somebody tried to hurt me on purpose. That kind of pain doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Really? Oh my gosh, Kronk, that would be perfect. You could just wait to log it until after we spend time with Freddie? Then if she steals it you can put one less than there actually were, so that you don’t get in trouble and so that Freddie will be in a good enough mood to help us. You’re not going to be too sad about letting it go, though, are you?

You’re right, that is what best friends are for! I’m going to spend the rest of my life doing that too, for you! BFF! You would be a cheerleader? Oh, I bet you’d be so good at that! If I became a cheerleader too, would you be okay with that or would you feel like I was cramping your style too much? For once being too forgetful to do inventory paid off! I’m sure that’ll get her softer to us; when are we going to invite her over? I won’t be too sad, I promise. I mean, I do love the gators too, but maybe the baby croc would be safer away from the masses of them anyway. Sometimes the big ones eat the little ones when Mom forgets to feed them...I’d rather the baby go somewhere else than be stuck with parents who don’t love it.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

It’s okay to forget; someday we’re going to be in Auradon and it’s going to be way easier to unlearn all the bad stuff they teach us on the island if we don’t really believe it to begin with. Words make me feel really sad; it’s like how when my mom says she’s never going to be proud of me and that I’ll always be a disappointment, that makes me feel way more bad than bruises and blood and stuff. Do you have any extras that your mom doesn’t know about? You should talk about how great they are and then we can let Freddie steal one. Or think she’s stealing one, I bet she’d like that better than a present.

You’re so right! Thanks, Hayley, you always make me feel better. I hope when we get to Auradon all you’ll get are good words that don’t make you feel like bruises and blood, but instead like hugs and happiness and harmony and good stuff. I know I’ll keep giving you as many nice words as I can in the meantime. I do know that one of the croc moms just had babies that I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten to log so far? We could give Freddie one of those and I could just “forget” to mark it in inventory. Oh, letting her steal it, that’s smart!

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Hopefully I’ll remember to do that – although if I get too evil, too fast, I’d be one of those mean people that laughs at you being sad and wouldn’t want to make your life easier by making you evil with me. Please never let me get that bad, I don’t understand why our moms enjoy it so much, it makes no sense. I think stuff can sound painful. Like when I think about getting hit with a croquet mallet, it hurts even if I’m not actually getting hit with one, because my imagination’s too good. I don’t know if she’d like a friendly chat, but maybe we could work her up to that. We could ask her to sneak out after curfew and… um, what do real evil people think is fun? We could show her your moms crocodiles?

Oh, right. I keep forgetting evil people don’t think the way that we do, but at least you’d be happy, right? That’s all that matters, but I can promise to try to keep you not that way as long as I can. Right?! Maybe it’s because our imagination’s too good, but words hurt worse than a cane to the shoulder-blades. Breaking curfew is pretty evil already but crocodiles! Good idea! I’d give her one as a present but then I’d have to lie to Mom when I do inventory the next day and I’m apparently a horrible liar.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

I’ll keep reminding you forever – or until the day I finally get brainwashed into being evil enough to enjoy your pain, which I hope is never, ever, no matter how proud it would make my mom. Right? I don’t think it’s impossible to get in at all, he’s not that powerful, but he’s still a creepy creep and I don’t want to think about what kind of voodoo he’d threaten me with if he catches us. Ever since there were rumors about magic being possible on the island again I’ve been a teensy bit scared. I was thinking, though…if it turns out it really is in there, maybe we should start seeing if we can get information out of Freddie.

If you ever get brainwashed evil, could you brainwash me evil, too? A world where we’re on opposite sides sounds...painful, if something can actually sound painful. Creepy creeps with voodoo are not fun to be enemies with, especially when they run the school, so I like the way you think. Freddie’s a great idea! How are we going to do that? Oh, maybe if we invite her to tea or something we can have a nice friendly chat and find out more! Or...I don’t know. What does she like? We could try that!

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Okay, that’s totally different, though! Your mom’s good at being evil, she’s probably actually really excited when things are good for her but bad for other people. You’re my favorite person ever, so if it’s news that would make you unhappy I wouldn’t smile, I promise. The hiccup news is that I think I figured out where they keep the Auradon lottery box and I’m pretty sure it’s in creepy Dr. Facilier’s office…

I’ll remember that from now on, but if I forget, remind me! Oh. Oh, that is hiccup news! That Dr. Facilier gives me the heebidy-bajeebies! And it’s like he’s got a million disembodied eyes watching the whole school for him. But it can’t be impossible to get in, right? We just need some muscle and some distraction...or a plan. Or friends on the other side of the administration...but we don’t have that. Huh.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Oh, no, don’t worry – would I be smiling this big still if the news were that bad? It’s totally like minor hiccup level, not seriously bad news, so I’ll save that for last and tell you the good news. Which is that mom hardly said a word about the fact that I’d already packed for Auradon when I got home last night!

Smiles can be misleading! My mom smiles a lot when she needs me to clean the croc pit, you know, which isn’t the best news for me, so I’m glad for the clarification! Oh, yay! I’m so glad, Hales, your mom is kinda loud when she wants to be, and mean, and I’m just glad you’re okay! What’s the hiccup news????

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

I have both for you on this fine morning, best friend, so which do you want first?

#talking to: hayley #dash

Good news, please! No, wait, bad news. Well, it depends. How bad is the bad news? If it’s like a 6 or higher on the bad scale, I want that first, but if it’s not, good news first. Did that make sense?

LEFT BEHIND → HONK F2F

[He snorted - Kronk didn’t think of himself as better at anything, not even goodness.] “Or maybe the animals will be gentle and kind and teach you to not be scared.” [Kronk suggested hopefully, looking out onto the settling sun and nodding as he tried to remember everything they’d talked about doing; was it finding the list of kids who needed help, finding out where they kept the lottery box….too many things to remember. He trust Hayley to remember, even though he felt useless as any part of any kind of brain in this situation. He couldn’t concentrate on any of it long enough but he wanted Auradon more than anything - that drive would help Hayley, right? He sure hoped so.]

“It’d be fun to have it better while we’re here, but you’re right, we won’t be here for long.” [The idea of tearing down the court was sad to him, so he could only imagine how much more sad it would be for Hayley.] “I could ask my squirrels to tear it to bits after we leave. Or they could move in.” [He tried, not wanting to doom the place that was their happiness to destruction.] “But I’m sure we could rebuild it in Auradon! With real non-rejecty mallets and everything. And we wouldn’t want to hide it, unless we wanted to. I love everyone but it’s nice sometimes feeling like we’re the only two people in the world.” [The sun had set enough that it was getting dark really fast and Kronk stood, reaching out a hand to her.] “Come on. It’s practically night. Time to go back to reality.”

#f2f: 001 #f2f: hayley #talking to: hayley #//understood bb #//reblogging for closure's sake

[Hayley found that it was hard to wipe the smile off her face at the idea of them having their own special place in Auradon still – of being in Auradon at all! – as she extended her hand to Kronk to climb down off of their rooftop. In her head, she kept going over the mental list of things they needed to do – a mental list that she planned to actually write down as soon as she got home. Unless her mom got to her first and punished her for being all packed and ready to go… She really hoped that didn’t happen, but even the idea of being her mom’s croquet ball for the evening didn’t phase her, with all that they had to look forward to. It was worth a few bruises to know that she and Kronk were both leaving the rooftop happier than they’d been even this morning, when their hopes had been so high about leaving. They would leave, she just knew it… now, they just had to take matters into their own hands.]

LEFT BEHIND → HONK F2F

“Us! Right, definitely us… but you’re still better.” [Hayley laughed, trying to brush it off as just teasing, but deep down she didn’t think there was anyone who could ever be as good as Kronk, not even her.] “I lose points for not being nice to your crocodiles, since I find them so scary. I bet there’ll be animals in Auradon that scare me too much to be kind and gentle with them, too – I’ll never be mean, I’ll just learn how to avoid them at like all costs.”

[Hayley looked around her croquet court, then her glance went back to Kronk; it was hard to look away from him, especially when there was a chance of seeing his bright smile that always cheered her up, even on the Isle’s darkest days.] “I wish I had a pen and paper up here so that I could write down all the things we need to remember to do! I’d say we could install some kind of secret notebook nook up here, but I bet we’re going to be leaving soon to show Auradon how great villain kids are and how amazing of a future they can have if they just give us a chance. So we don’t need to waste our time making this place even better, since we probably have to tear it all down before we leave, right?” [A part of Hayley was scared that if she left it there, her mom would find a way to break the barrier and follow her through to Auradon to bring her back and punish her for her secret sanctuary.] “It’s too bad we can’t tell anyone else about it, they’d probably think destroying it was a lot more fun than we would.” [She cast another wistful glance around the court, turning to Kronk and swallowing a lump in her throat.] “Do you think we can rebuild it in Auradon? Maybe it’ll be even better there because we won’t have to use my mom’s old reject mallets.”