going down

                                    

                                          
Jay, Lonnie, and Carlos had just arrived on the Isle, and the atmosphere was tense with anticipation. "I'll get the swords," Jay said to Lonnie, who nodded in agreement.
"Okay," Lonnie replied, watching Jay head off before she quickly made her way over to Mal and Evie, who were waiting for them. "Oh, Lonnie!" Mal exclaimed, surprised but relieved to see her.
"I made them bring me," Lonnie explained with a grin as they embraced.
"I'm so glad you did," Mal said, her relief palpable.
"Hi. Welcome to the Isle," Evie added, hugging Lonnie warmly. "It's good to see you."
"Thanks," Lonnie replied, smiling back at them.
Meanwhile, Jay and Carlos opened the back door of the car and were greeted by an unexpected sight. "And Dude," Jay said, noticing the dog sitting there.
"I told you to stay," Carlos said sternly, trying to sound authoritative.
"I flunked obedience class," Dude replied nonchalantly, causing Jay to grin.
"Great. And he can still talk," Jay said with a chuckle, while Carlos sighed, picking Dude up.
"You're lucky I love you. Come on," Carlos said, carrying Dude over to join the girls.
"Ooh," Mal said, her eyes lighting up when she saw the fake wand in Jay's hands. "Here, let me see." She took the wand from Jay and admired it. "Wow, what a beauty," she smiled, appreciating the craftsmanship.
"It's noon," Carlos reminded everyone, his tone serious.
"All right. Are we ready?" Mal asked, looking around at the group.
"Yeah," Evie confirmed, and Mal nodded in agreement.
"Let's do this," Jay said, scanning the area before realizing something. "Wait, is Elina still not here?"
The girls shook their heads. "No, she's probably with them," Mal replied.
With no time to waste, they began heading towards the giant pipe. Carlos turned back to Dude, who had started following them. "Stay!" Carlos commanded sternly, trying to enforce the order. "I mean it."
Dude paused, looking back at Carlos with a hint of defiance, but ultimately stayed put as the group continued on their mission.
As noon approached, Elina walked towards the deck, her mind made up after the heartfelt conversation with her mother the night before. She scanned the scene: Uma stood waiting for the VKs, Harry was taunting Ben, who remained tied to the mast. Taking a deep breath, she moved towards Maddox, who was leaning against the ship, staring at Auradon in deep thought.
"Hey, Mad," she said softly, coming to stand beside him. Her green hair, a new change she had embraced, caught the light as she looked at him. The transformation symbolized her newfound clarity and determination. Maddox turned to her, his expression softening at the sight of her.
"Elina..." he said quietly, his voice tinged with a mix of relief and longing.
Elina smiled gently, taking his hand in hers. The simple gesture conveyed the connection and trust between them. "We have a lot to talk about after this," she told him, her voice steady but carrying the weight of unspoken words. Maddox nodded, unable to take his eyes off her, completely mesmerized.
She turned her gaze towards Auradon, the place where her heart was pulling her back to, and whispered, "Just follow my lead. We get Ben and get away, okay?"
Maddox nodded again, his resolve firm. He trusted her completely and would follow her anywhere. As the plan began to unfold in his mind, he knew that whatever happened next, they would face it together.