Ian pushed away the hatch, his smile dropping when he came face to face with his school.

New Mushroom Town High School.

He looked to the side to see the school mascot smiling at him.

Barley and [Y/n] came up behind him, their smiles also dropping as they saw the school.

Ian climbed out, coming to the middle of the road.

He looked around, seeing that he was indeed back in town.

A bus honked at him and Barley rushed over, pulling him, [Y/n] and Will to the side of the road.

“We're back home?” [Y/n] asked confused, still looking around.

“No, that doesn't make sense. We took the Path of Peril. We followed the ravens, we went to the end of the water...……” Barley started rambling, also a bit confused.

“Unless the X meant stay away from the water.” He said, pulling out the clover from his pocket, looking at the drawing.

“Or it could be, like, a campfire? It's okay. We can figure this out.”

“Figure out what? We're back where we started.” Ian said.

“I mean, it has to be here. There was a gauntlet. I mean, unless that gauntlet was for, coincidentally, some different quest. That's a possibility.”

“What?”

“No, no, no. This has to be where the Phoenix Gem is. I followed my gut.” Barley said, turning away from the two.

“Oh, no.” Ian said, making Barley turn to him.

“What?”

“The gem is in the mountain. The mountain we could have been to hours ago if we just...…If we just stayed on the expressway.”

“No, the expressway is too obvious. You can never take the obvious...…”

“If I hadn't listened to you! Okay? I can't believe this. You act like you know what you're doing, but you don't have a clue………”

“Ian, don’t say that.” [Y/n] said, coming between the two, but Ian ignored her.

“…….and that's because you are a screwup.”

“Ian!”

“And now you've screwed up my chance to have the one thing I never had!”

Ian shook his head and then grabbed his Dad walking away.

“Where are you going?” Barley asked.

“To spend what little time we have left with Dad.” Ian replied, shoving the staff into Barley’s arms, before walking away.

“Ian, wait!” [Y/n] said, trying to plead with him.

“We can still find the Phoenix Gem. We just have to keep looking. Ian! Ian!” Barley called out, but Ian ignored him.

Ian brought his Dad to the edge of a cliff, overlooking the sun as it was going down.

Will stretched his legs forward, trying to feel for Barley.

“No, Dad. He's not here.”
Will then turned feeling for [Y/n], and Ian sighed.

“She's not here either.”

Ian sat down, as Will sat beside him, both of them watching it sun as it slowly went down.

Barley tried looking around.

“It has to be somewhere around here, I know it has.”

“Barley…….” [Y/n] started but Barley cut her off.

“[Y/n] you believe me right? I mean, verything was so real, we can’t just………it can’t just………”

“Barley even if the quest was real, it was an ancient one. And let’s just assume it did lead us here. How are we going to find the Gem here, under all the civilization? We don’t enough time to look.”

“No we can look, I mean we just have to………”

“Barley, I really admire you. You know I do, but I think it’s time we just………I don’t know………give up.”

“[Y/n], no come on.”

“I'm really sorry Barley.”

[Y/n] shook her head and walked away, making Barley glance down sadly.

Barley raised his head to see [Y/n] sitting on a bench opposite her school, but then remembered what she said.

The Gem might have been buried underneath civilization, it’s still here.

With the clover tile and staff in his hand, Barley started looking around.

“Come on. Where is it? Follow the water.”

Barley turned his head to the old fountain that stood in the park. The same fountain he was trying to stop constructors from tearing down.

He rushed towards it, dropping the staff, and started searching the waters.

The constructors glanced up and hroaned, when they saw him.

“Ugh...…”

“All right. Come on, out of the fountain.”

“No, I'm looking for an ancient gem.” Barley said, still searching.

“Oh, yeah, we know. The old days!”

They picked him up, and carried him away from the foubtain.

“No! Stop! Please! No! Okay, ow, okay! Okay. I'm leaving.” Barley said, making them release him.

As soon as that happened, he ran back to the fountain again, grabbing the staff, and climbing to the top.

“Hey!”

“Come on!”

“Can someone call the cops? We got the history buff again."

(Fun fact, the voice of that male construction worker, is actually the person who voiced Hamm in Toy Story. And he has also voiced characters, in every single Pixar movie)

Ian watched the sun, and then pulled out his notepad frm his pocket.

He started stroking out the remaining items on his to-do list.

He stroked out, Heart to Heart and Laugh Together from his list. He was about to stroke out Driving lessons, when he suddenly paused.

“I can't do this.” Ian said nervously.

“Yes, you can.”

“I'm not ready!”

“You'll never be ready. Merge!”

Ian merged into the traffic successfully.

“Nice job!” Barley praised.

Ian ticked off driving lessons, putting a check mark on the box next to it.

Then he looked up at the top of the list, Play Catch.

Barley smirked, picking off a chip from the boat.

“Think fast.” He threw it at Ian.

“Aloft Elevar!” Ian caught it, and threw it back to him.

He ticked that off.

Then he glanced at, Laugh Together

Barley went behind his Dad’s legs, doing funny dance moves, making [Y/n] and Ian laugh.

Ian ticked that off too.

He glanced at, Ask For Advice On [Y/n].

“You should tell her. Everything in life comes by taking risks. I mean……you never know what could happen unless you try right?”

“What if she doesn’t feel the same way?”

Barley let out a small laugh. “Yeah, like that’ll ever happen.”

Ian ticked that off his list, then he came to Share My Life With Him.

A young Ian stood on a small diving board, looking into the swimming pool with scared eyes.

A young Barley came up behind him and pushed him inside.

Ian and Barley both emerged from the pool, laughing and splashing each other.

Young Ian and Barley were playing pillow fight on Ian’s bed.

Barley hit Ian on the face, and Ian gave Barley a weak smack on his leg, making Barley gasp and fake die.

Young Ian glanced at a young (h/c) girl who was looking at her drawing with sad eyes, as she had no color pencils to finish it.

Barley handed over a (f/c) color pencil to Ian, and pushed him over to the girl.

Ian gulped slightly and stretched the color pencil out to the girl, who smiled at him with her gap teeth showing, and took it from him.

Ian looked back at Barley smiling, and Barley smiled back, waving slightly.

Young Barley helped Ian ride his bike, before pulling back, letting Ian ride successfully on his own.

“Whoo hoo!”

“I know you're stronger than that.”

“My little brother has the magic gift.”

“Don't hold back.”

“You should tell her.”

“Hey. You can do this.”

Ian ticked off, Share My Life With Him.

He glanced at his list, seeing that each one of them, had been ticked off.

Ian suddenly realized, he had a father in his life, someone who had been there for him the whole time.

Barley.

Barley was his Dad, his big brother, his best friend, everything.

Ian smiled softly, but then gasped.

He picked his Dad up, and then started running back to town.

[Y/n] sat on a bench, with her head down, feeling slightly guilty.

She felt  she didn’t do enough for the boys.

Maybe Ian was right, maybe she was just a burden.

[Y/n] sighed and rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself.

“Hey girl.”

[Y/n] turned to see Liz and her gang walking towards her.

“Oh, hey Liz.” [Y/n] greeted, standing up, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Wow, are you okay? You look like you’ve had a rough day.”

[Y/n] chuckled.

“You have no idea.”

[Y/n] smiled a bit, but then remembered something.

“Hey can I borrow your phone, I need to make a quick call.”

“Oh sure.”

[Y/n] nervously tapped her feet as the phone rang.

“H……hello?” Came a raspy voice from the other end of the phone.

“Hi Aunt Corazon, it’s……it’s [Y/n].”

“Hey sweetie. I’m being trying to reach you since this morning. How are you and the Lightfoots?”

“Well, you know, we’re just……hanging.”

A police car pulled up in front of the fountain, and the cops from the night before came down from the car.

“Okay, come on. Get down right now.”
Barley gripped the fountain firmly and then glanced down.

There was a clover shape hole on the fountain.

Barley reached into his pocket and pulled out the clover tile, placing it in the hole.

He started looking around for the Gem.

Then suddenly, the top of the fountain slowly opened, revealing the Phoenix Gem there, in all it’s glory.

“Yeah! Yeah!” Barley cheered happily.

He reached out and grabbed it, small tears peeking out from the corner of his eyes.

Barley turned to see [Y/n], who was still on the phone.

“[Y/n]! [Y/n] look!”

[Y/n] turned at the sound of her name.
“What is………holy sh…….”

“[Y/n] language!”

[Y/n]'s mouth dropped at the sight of the Gem in Barley’s hands.

“He found the Gem.” She said, her mouth perking up in a smile.

“What Gem? [Y/n] what are you talking about?”

Ian came running to the fountain.

“Barley!”

Barley turned to his brother, raising the Gem for him to see.

“Ian! Look!”

Red mist started oozing from where Barley had removed the Gem.

“Behind you!” Ian exclaimed.

Barley gasped.

“It's a curse.”

The mist continued to spread, oozing down the road, making civilians draw back.

It flew into the air, and formed a swirling circle, with a glowing core.

“[Y/n]? [Y/n] what’s happening?”

“Um……Aunt? I’m gonna have to call you back.” [Y/n] said distractedly into the phone, hanging up.

She walked up to Liz and her friends, as the cyclop took a picture of the glowing mist.

The mist rushed into Mushroom Town High, scattering lockers, making papers fly around wildly.

It reached out, grabbing a vending machine, a laptop, and various parts of the school building, including the wall where the school mascot was drawn.

The cops grabbed the kids in the park, running away with them as the whole earth shook.

Everyone one in the park ran away as the mist kept circling.

[Y/n] ran forward trying to reach the fountain, but she tripped and fell.

[Y/n] looked up, gasping as the mist slowly used the items it collected, including the school’s driver’s test car, to form a figure.

The mist formed a large dragon with red misty wings, and the face of the school mascot.

It roared loudly, making the earth quake and Ian fall.

The dragon turned and saw the Gem in Barley’s hand.

“Barley, run!” Ian exclaimed.

Barley started running, with the dragon behind him.

Ian ran forward trying to get to him.

“What do you want? The gem?”

Barley reached into his jacket pulling out the gem.

“Fine, take it!”

He threw it into some bushes, and the dragon ran over to it.

Barley reached into his jacket, pulling out the real Gem.

“Ha-ha!”

The dragon reached the Gem, seeing that it was a car headlight instead.

It turned, seeing the real Gem in Barley’s hand, making his eyebrows curve downwards in anger.

The dragon jumped up, landing in front of the two brothers, spitting fire between them, knocking Barley off his feet.

Ian gasped as the dragon stalked towards Barley.

Suddenly, the dragon was hit with something in his side, knocking it away from Barley.

The boys look up to see Cory flying towards them, with her mighty sword in her hand.

“The Manticore!” Barley cheered happily.

Ian looked closely to see two more people on the Manticore’s back.

“Mom? [Y/n]?”

“Hi. I hitched a ride.” [Y/n] said waving from where she sat behind Laurel.

“It's okay, boys, we'll take care...…” Cory tilted cutting Laurel off.

“Whoa... You're tilting! You're tilting!” [Y/n] exclaimed, holding on tight to Laurel.

“[Y/n]! Mom!” Ian exclaimed in worry.

“We’ll be alright.” [Y/n] reassured.

“Go see your father!” Laurel said.

“It's okay! If they stab the beast's core with that sword, the curse will be broken.” Barley said, as the dragon slowly started getting up.

“Come on!”

The boys ran forward.

The dragon growled, wanting to fly at them, but the girls flew past him, Cory cutting off one of it’s anthers laughing smugly, while Laurel and [Y/n] gave it smirks.

The dragon got up, and flew behind the girls chasing them past the ocean.

The dragon spat out fire which Cory expertly evaded.

Cory dug her sword into the ground, pulling up dust on to the dragon’s face, knocking him down.

The boys got on the platform, and Barley positioned their Dad right, grabbing the staff from Ian, placing the Gem inside.

“Barley, what I said before...……I am so sorry.” Ian started.

“There's no time. The sun's about to set.” Barley said and shoved the staff in Ian’s hand.

“Only once is all we get, grant me this rebirth. Till tomorrow's sun has set, one day to walk the earth!”

Ian casted the spell, and the magic slowly started to take place.

The girls flew directly towards the dragon that was laying on the floor, it’s core in view.

Cory flew towards it, her sword pointed out.

“Time to crush a curse!”

Cory flew straight at the core, when suddenly the dragon’s tail got up and whacked the girls from the sky.

Laurel and [Y/n] grunted as they slid across the floor, while Cory landed on her back.

“Ooh, my back.”

[Y/n] watched as the dragon’s core closed up, and it stalked closer to the boys.

She furrowed her eyes in determination, pulling her hair in a bun.

She looked around, seeing a rope lying on the floor.

[Y/n] picked it up, tying one end to her waist, and tying a pointed stick to the other stand.

She took a deep breath and ran towards the dragon, letting out a yell as she threw the stick, lodging it into one of it’s crevices.

She swung on to the dragon, running across it’s body, making it turn it’s head back trying to look for her.

Laurel saw [Y/n] was distracting the dragon, at the same time, making his core vulnerable.

She picked up Cory’s sword and took off her glasses.

“I am a mighty warrior.”

Laurel ran towards the dragon, climbing on to it’s tail, before running up it’s body using the training from her morning exercises.

She got to the core opening.

“I am a mighty warrior!” She exclaimed, lodging the sword into the top of the core, making the dragon freeze up.

“Hurry! I can't hold this for long!” Laurel yelled out to her sons.

[Y/n] swung up to where Laurel was, and helped her push the sword deeper into the dragon, but it didn’t reach the center of the core.

Ian focused on the spell, as the Gem slowly rose from the staff.

Ian started loosing his footing, the force of the magic pushing him backwards.

“No! No, no, no! Barley!”

Barley rushed forward and wedged his brother, making Ian stand still and finish the spell.

The Gem rose from the staff and floated towards Will’s body.

The boys watch in awe as pixie dust spread around and the Gem slowly disintegrated, while forming Will’s shirt.

[Y/n] and Laurel smiled at the boys, but suddenly the core started to bubble.

The girls tried to hold the sword in, the core backfired, sending the girls flying back, and the sword into a rubble.

The dragon started getting up.

“Boys, it's coming back!” [Y/n] yelled.

The boys watched as the dragon started getting up.

Barley turned back to the sun, seeing it about to set.

“I'll go distract it.” He said, running forward.

“What? No!” Ian exclaimed, pulling him back.

“If you do that, you'll miss Dad.”

“It's okay. Say hi to Dad for me.”

Ian shook his head.

“No. You go and say goodbye.”

“What?”

“I had someone who looked out for me. Someone who pushed me to be more than I ever thought I could be. I never had a dad, but I always had you.”

Ian ran past Barley, as his older brother watched him go amazed and full of pride.

Ian ran down the cliff.

“Bridgrigar Invisia!”

Ian ran on the invisible bridge towards the dragon.

“Boombastia!”

Fireworks shot at the dragon’s face, making it roar and swing it’s tail at Ian.

Ian slid under the tail, and stood in the air, glaring at the dragon.

The dragon roared at Ian, and brought his tail down on him.

“Aloft Elevar!” Ian caught the tail, holding it firmly.

[Y/n] smiled dreamily at him.

“I know this is the wrong time but, he is so hot right now.”

Laurel ran to the rubble the sword fell into. She reached in, trying to grab it.

The dragon pulled on it’s tail, dragging Ian along.

Ian kept his hold on the dragon’s tail as he was being tossed around.

The dragon gave a firm swish of his tail, breaking Ian’s hold, sending him flying.

Ian groaned in pain as his leg hit the ground, but then his eyes grew wide as the staff got flung into the ocean.

“No!”

The dragon looked back at Barley, seeing the Gem still disintegrating.

It started walking up to Barley, making Ian gasp.

“No! No, no, no!”

[Y/n] gasped and ran towards it, grabbing the rope hanging from it, and climbing on to it’s back.

She ran up to it’s head and grabbed it’s horns, pulling it away from Barley.

The dragon bobbed it’s head, trying to throw [Y/n] off, but she kept a tight grip.

Ian panicked as he saw her, looking around.

“Use what I have. Uh, what do I have? I have nothing.”

Ian glanced at his palm, seeing the small stick in his palm.

“Splinter. Magic in every fiber.”

He pulled the small stick out of his palm with his teeth.

“Magnora Gantuan!”

The stick grew bigger, almost as big as the former staff.

Ian watched as the dragon threw [Y/n] up, her sliding to it’s neck, and then the dragon walked over to Barley.

“No! Voltar Thundasir!”

Ian casted the spell, blowing up the dragon’s side, revealing the core, the impact of the spell making [Y/n] to slide down further towards it.

Laurel caught