HUGE THANKS to kivirantapetra0 and Guest for your reviews! Glad you liked the song, let me know what you think of the one I picked for Camilla!
Chapter 27
Jay had taken the limo and made his way back to the Auradon Prep dorms alone. He still couldn't believe he hadn't noticed Carlos sneaking out, he knew it wasn't his fault but he couldn't stop the guilt that had crept into his thoughts. When he got to their dorm he was greeted by Dude and he knelt down and gave him a pet.
"Hi Dude. Sorry Carlos isn't back yet, he got captured with Ben." He told the dog before he turned and noticed their door was open. When he looked inside he found Chad at the 3-D printer.
"You have got to be kidding me." He said and Chad turned abruptly.
"I knocked." He said like that excused his breaking and entering. Jay walked up to him and held out his hand. Jay was a master thief and knew Chad possessed none of the skills necessary to break in so he must have a key. The prince sighed and handed it over. Then Jay noticed what he'd been using the printer for.
"What is that?" he asked.
"Oh! Hehe, that's a Chad action figure." He said proudly zooming it in front of Jay's face, "Well, minus the head."
"Sounds like an improvement. Excuse me." He said as he knocked past Charming and pulled out Carlos' phone. He'd found it on the couch he'd been sitting on back at their hideout and knew it must have fallen out of his pocket. Lucky for him it had no passcode and he was able to figure out how to program the printer to make Fairy Godmother's wand in a second. Mal had been right, if Chad could do it Jay could.
"Why are you making Fairy Godmother's wand?" Chad asked from over his shoulder.
"Uh, because. . uh –"
"Ben and Carlos have been captured!" Dude called from his bed.
"What? Dude can talk?" Chad asked.
"I was stalling." Jay scolded the dog.
"I thought you forgot." He shrugged, well, if a dog could shrug.
"Don't tell anyone." Jay said to Chad as he hit the prince in the shoulder, "Carlos and Ben's lives depend on it."
"Really? So if something were to happen. . . you know what I'm saying?" Chad let on smiling as if this could be a good thing.
"Something bad I get it."
"God forbid." Chad said insincerely, "But if something were to happen. . . who do you think would be in line to be king?" he asked holding up his headless action figure.
"Is it me or is that in really poor taste?" Jay asked pretty sure hoping for your king's demise was more of an Isle thing than an Auradon thing. He made his way to the door and gestured for Chad to get out. The prince seemed appalled as he held up his action figure.
"I'm taking this." He said as he left then turned back to Jay, "And if you think –" Jay slammed the door in his face before Charming could finish, resuming his work on making the phony wand.
- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
Camilla had gone to Hell Hall to check up on her mother. She stood in the doorway that led from the main hall into the sitting room where she found her mother on the same ratty old red sofa. Cruella's back was to her and Camilla could see she still had a glass of gin in one hand and her long cigarette holder in the other. She'd take a puff between sips of her drink while she muttered to herself.
"Idiots. . . fools. . . imbeciles. . . wretched mongrels. . . Roger that horrid man. . . I'll get even just wait, Anita will be sorry. I'll get my spotted puppy coat, there's probably enough to make an entire closet of coats now! AHAHAHAHAHA! I'll be wearing Anita's dogs! AHAHAHAHA!" she cackled away as Camilla ducked out and headed upstairs to her room with a heavy heart. Her poor mother had only gotten worse in her absence. Camilla tried to ease the guilt on her mind, soon Uma would have the wand and they'd all be free, her mother would finally have her revenge and hopefully that would return her to her former state of mind.
If only Carlos could see her now, she thought as she changed into her half black half Dalmatian vest, would he have any sympathy for the woman who practically made him a servant? Not that he ever put up much of a fight, he was always easily impressionable. Then a light bulb went off in Camilla's mind, maybe that was it. Maybe Carlos hadn't chosen good over evil on his own maybe Mal had influenced him to. He had been the last one to pick good at the coronation and hadn't her brother always been seeking the approval of others? Maybe this was all Mal's fault, she was the daughter of the Mistress of all Evil after all, it wouldn't have been hard for her to manipulate the others into choosing good, after all it certainly had it's perks Camilla had to admit. It made sense too, Mal wouldn't want her friends to abandon her so she used her evil ways to coax them to her newly found good side. And with Carlos in the brig of the Lost Revenge Camilla had the perfect opportunity to talk to him without Mal's interference. A smile spread on her lips and the joy she felt at this new possibility made her happy enough to sing.
"Finally the moment I was hoping would come, the moment he would realize he chose the wrong one. There isn't any curse I could cast to match this feeling. The pain I knew when Carlos turned his back on my heart at last will be Mal's when her life falls apart. Suddenly the future's looking more appealing. Once I was filled with rage, now I'll enjoy the ride. It's so electrifying watching all her dreams denied." She sang as she made her way across her large room and pushed the red tattered curtain away from the window looking out at the Isle where she knew –somewhere – Mal was hiding. "Oh I, will fly into tomorrow, that dragon full of sorrow, finally paying for her sins. I'll smile all the while she is crying, inside she's slowly dying, learning wicked always wins. Oh evil may be powerful but wicked always wins."
She turned from the window and buckled the belt that had her new sword on it, momentarily pulling out the blade a few inches dying to use it., "If she could see me now she would ache with regret 'cause she'd witness all the glory wickedness gets. She went and made herself queen and my blood boiled." She turned and made her way out of Hell Hall and headed back to the ship, "But that's all history, time they all understood what they call 'being bitter' villains call that 'looking good'." She winked at her reflection in a shop window, "Oh I, will fly into tomorrow, that dragon full of sorrow, finally paying for her sins. No strife, her life was so enchanted she took it all for granted." She ripped another cotillion poster down and tore it in half, "Now she'll dream of could-have-beens. Oh evil may be powerful but wicked always -. " she took another look at the Mal half of the poster.
"Wait, why just revel in Mal's demise when I can also use Uma's victory to my advantage?" she smiled as she balled up the paper, tossed it over her shoulder and made her way through the alleys of the Isle, all the while others ducked and dodged out of her way in fear.
"I'll help her to bring the VK's down. When Uma stands victorious we'll watch that dragon drown. When he learns the plan was mine, little brother you will see." she sang as she approached the docks, grabbing the wooden rail and looking out over the ocean. "He should have chosen me!" then she turned down the pier toward the Lost Revenge. "So I will fly into tomorrow, delighting in her sorrow as a better day begins. This time nobody's gonna stop me, no evil's gonna top me. Oh, wicked always wins." She looked up to see Harry at the bow of the ship and she couldn't help but smile, "A happy ending will be mine. 'Cause wicked always wins!"
- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
Carlos P.O.V.
Carlos had a lot to think about after Harry had left the brig. Luckily, he'd left the lanterns on so he wasn't in the total darkness he was in before. Captain Hook was dead. Auradon hadn't even cared enough to say anything. Why would they? To them he was just another villain, a man who had probably deserved it. But growing up on the Isle Carlos knew it wasn't that black and white, the line between wasn't that clear. Captain Hook was just like any other villain stuck here, to Carlos he'd just been a man with a bait and tackle shop trying to make enough to survive on sludge coffee and day old everything. He'd been a parent just like Belle and Beast were, he had children who loved him just like Ben loved his parents. Sure, he'd lived a life of stealing and pillaging but did that mean he deserved death more than anyone else? Carlos wished he'd brought some aspirin when they'd packed for the trip because now his head was starting to hurt. Everything he thought he knew he now was questioning. And for the first time in his life he didn't know the answers. Then the door creaked open again and he expected to see Harry or Gil ready with a rope to drag him off like they'd done Ben but instead in the dull light of the lanterns he saw his sister.
- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
Jay woke up to an irritating beeping noise, he sat up and adjusted his beanie and saw the wand – well an exact replica anyway. He opened the door to the chamber and pulled it out. It looked perfect, he just hoped it would fool Uma long enough for them to get their friends back.
"Not bad." He muttered as he made his way back to the limo but ran into Doug.
"Hey. Have you seen Evie?" he asked as Jay quickly hid the fake wand behind his back.
"Uhh, she went camping." He said knowing it was the worst excuse he'd ever come up with.
"Evie, I want to live in a castle, sleeping on the ground with no place to plug in a hairdryer."
"You know how spontaneous she is bro." he chuckled as he backed away hoping Doug would let it slide. He looked confused but walked into the dorms nonetheless. "Later Doug." He said as he turned right into Lonnie.
"I'm coming with you." She said and Jay noticed she was decked out in her R.O.A.R. gear with just about every sword the team had.
"What?" he continued laughing, "I don't need a sword at the. . . waffle hut." He said. Okay he'd been wrong that was the worst excuse he'd ever come up with. And he could tell from the look on Lonnie's face that she knew it too.
"You're going to the Isle to rescue Ben and Carlos. Look, it's either you take me or I'm gonna have to tell Fairy Godmother." He gave her a defeated look and she smiled and shrieked as she threw her arm over his shoulder and they headed for the limo.
Again just the lyrics below to make it easy to listen to the song while reading the revisions. :)
Finally the moment I was hoping would come
The moment he would realize he chose the wrong one
There isn't any curse I could cast to match this feeling
The pain I knew when Carlos turned his back on my heart
At last will be Mal's when her life falls apart
Suddenly the future's looking more appealing
Once I was filled with rage
Now I'll enjoy the ride
It's so electrifying
Watching all her dreams denied
Oh, I will fly into tomorrow
That dragon full of sorrow
Finally paying for her sins
I'll smile, all the while she is crying
Inside she's slowly dying
Learning wicked always wins
Oh, evil may be powerful
But wicked always wins
If she could see me now, she would ache with regret
'Cause she'd witness all the glory wickedness gets
She went and made herself queen, and my blood boiled
But that's all history
Time they all understood
What they call "being bitter"
Villains call that "looking good"
Oh, I will fly into tomorrow
That dragon full of sorrow
Finally paying for her sins
No strife, her life was so enchanted
She took it all for granted
Now she'll dream of could-have-beens
Oh, evil may be powerful
But wicked always –
Wait... Why just revel in Mal's demise when I can also use Uma's victory to my advantage?
I'll help her to bring the VK's down
When Uma stands victorious we'll watch that dragon drown,
When he learns the plan was mine
Oh, little brother, you will see, he should have chosen me!
So I will fly into tomorrow
Delighting in her sorrow
As a better day begins
This time nobody's gonna stop me
No evil's gonna top me
Oh, wicked always wins
A happy ending will be mine
'Cause wicked always wins!