Surprise!
Here is the next chapter!
As stated before, this chapter helps further develop my idea with Cruella and Carlos. Something in this chapter will be used for a future chapter. Well . . . a lot of things will be used for future chapters, but there is one thing specifically for a much sooner chapter, regarding an unexpected 'true love'. You'll understand what I mean once you read this chapter.
Somebody asked if I would do the whole quests. I won't do every single event on the quests, but I will go more in depth than I did with my other two stories that somewhat involves the quest.
I will not say when the next chapter will be posted. I'll keep it a surprise. Who knows? Maybe it will be Saturday or maybe it will be Sunday, or even Monday. ;)
By the way: you should check out my profile sometime soon. I spent half an hour adding the "Top 5 Most . . ." It kind of gives you an idea of which story is most popular. "Hades's Weakness" is very close to being on all of the lists and is number 1 on a couple of them. Anyways . . .
Enjoy.
After traveling to Hell Hall, Mal discovered that Carlos had somehow poked a small hole in the barrier with his invention, which somehow essentially turned into a tracking device for the scepter. Since Carlos was so insistent on keeping hold of the device, Mal insisted that he would join them on their quest—which was something Mal was gonna have him do anyways.
However, Carlos claimed that he couldn't leave until he finished all his chores that his mother left for him to do while she was away.
For the past hour, Mal, Jay, and Evie helped Carlos with the painstaking task of finishing his mother's laundry. Or, to be more specific, Jay and Evie helped Carlos, while Mal 'supervised'. Mal would have assisted the young boy if he had asked, but he was still too nervous to do anything.
For a woman who lived on a semi-deserted island full of ex-villains, Cruella sure had an elaborate wardrobe, Mal thought. There were fringed scarves and silky black gloves, fishnet stockings, and slinky black dresses, chubby wraps and whisper-knit cardigans, bulky coats and frilly corsets. Cruella De Vil might be exiled, but that doesn't mean her clothes were going to be anything less than stunning.
Just as they were putting the finishing touches on the last batch of black-and-white clothing and linens, they heard the roar of a car engine. It screeched to a stop in front of Hell Hall.
Carlos began to shake. "It's her . . . Mother . . . she's back . . . she wasn't supposed to be home till tomorrow. The Spa must have dried up."
A car door slammed, and a heavy accent raspy from too much smoke and yelling rang through the air. "Carlos! Carlos! My baby!" Cruella cried, her throaty voice ringing through the house. "My baby needs a bath!"
"She knows you're dirty from out there?" Evie asked, confused.
Carlos turned red again. "She doesn't mean me," he whispered hoarsely. "She means her car. She's telling me to give it a wash."
The four of them crept out of the laundry area and into the main room.
Cruella stopped short at the sight of three strange scraggly teenagers in her house. She still wore her hair in a frizzy black-and-white do. Her long, fur coat trailed on the floor behind her, and she was sucking on a slender black cigarette holder.
Mal gave her a disapproving glance. Cruella shrugged. "It's vapor, Bertha. Just vapor, darling."
"'Bertha'?" Evie repeated in confusion. "Wh—"
"It's the name I call my god-daughter," Cruella interrupted rudely as she gestured to that princess and Jay. "What are you two doing here?"
"Well, they're my . . ." Carlos stammered.
Mal knew he couldn't say friends, because they weren't friends, not really, Evie pitied him, and Jay was there only so he could attempt to steal the chandelier. Meanwhile Mal was basically there to help him gain some sort of confidence.
"Hi, Mrs. De Vil, I'm—" Evie said, offering her hand.
"I know who you are," Cruella said dismissively. "You're the daughter of Grimhilde. I see your mother still insists on dying your hair an abnormal color to keep up her façade from before. You had such beautiful hair until your mother ruined it with that color."
Mal thought it was interesting that everyone remembered who Evie was, even though she'd been kept in a castle.
"Oh, Bertha, tell your mother I will by later today, darling," Cruella said, gesturing with her vapor cigarette.
"Sorry, but I can't," Mal apologized insincerely. "I have to go look for something on the other side of the Isle. Mom and Dad will tell you more. Jay and Evie are coming with me and we need Carlos to find it. Can he come with us?"
"Of course!" Cruella agreed. "After he washes my car. I can't let it stay so filthy!"
Mal adverted her gaze to Carlos, who was blushing bright red, maybe from embarrassment or maybe from anger. The fairy raised an eyebrow at him. "Well? Are you going to listen to her?"
Carlos hesitated, unsure of what to say in front of the audience to his mother. "Umm . . ."
"Don't just stand there," Cruella chided in a tone that sounded like she was forcing to be rude. "Go wash my car—"
"No."
Cruella raised an eyebrow at the interruption. "What do you mean 'no'?"
"I mean no, I'm not washing the car," Carlos explained in a slightly steady voice, much stronger than the stuttering mess he was before. "I shouldn't be doing everything in this house when you live here too. I'm not your slave or your servant, Mother. I'm your son."
Jay and Evie gawked at the youngest teen's declaration against his mother. Mal, on the other hand, was practically teeming with joy at her hard work finally paying off.
To Carlos's surprise, Cruella smiled genuinely. "Finally," she cheered with a satisfied sigh. "I've been waiting forever for you to stand up to me and it finally happened. It looks like that party on Thursday really did help you, to some extent."
Although the son was completely confused, he paled at the mention of the get-together. "You knew about it?"
"Bertha asked my permission the day before," Cruella revealed while Mal smiled mischievously. "She wanted you to believe you were going behind my back when I knew all along. I'm glad I did."
Setting her cigarette aside, Cruella rested her hands on her nervous son's shoulders. "Carlos, I only gave you so many chores so you would one day stand up for yourself." She smiled reassuringly. "I know I have never said this to you, but I am so proud of you. Although that car outside is my baby, you, my amazing and intelligent son, are my true love."
The mother kissed her son's forehead, who could probably melt from pure happiness and burst into joyful tears at any moment. Cruella's smile grew at his reaction. "Go, join your friends," she insisted. "Have fun with your adventure. I'll be with my friends when you return."
Like the mother informed, Cruella arrived at the married couple's home twenty minutes after her conversation with her son. Of course, Cruella was slightly confused by Maleficent's somewhat depressed state, but a quick explanation from Hades quickly caught the single mother up on the events that happened while she was away.
Cruella was about to inform the couple about her breakthrough with Carlos to cheer them up when there came a harsh knock on the door.
"Auradon guard," a familiar voice—though haven't heard in nearly twelve years—announced from the other side. "I have a letter for Maleficent from the future King of Auradon. It needs to be read immediately. It's quite urgent that she responds as soon as possible. His first official royal decree depends on a timely response."
Hades shared a look with Maleficent, who was laying on her stomach on the cot that was brought into the living room once again. Have him slide it under the door, he mouthed so the guard couldn't hear him. We can't have him know we are together, or else the Auradonians will find out.
"I can't come to the door at the moment," Maleficent called out a moment later. "Would you mind sliding the letter under the door? Depending on the message, I'll send a response in an hour or so."
In the moment, an envelope with the royal family's crest stamped on it slid underneath the crack of the door. Waiting until after she heard the man leave, Cruella swiped the letter from the ground and handed it to her closest friend. Sitting up on her elbow, Maleficent hastily ripped open the envelope to read the contents of the letter.
A smile emerged on the fairy's face as she summarized the message, "Mal has been invited to attend the current academic year of Auradon Prep and has the opportunity to live in Auradon indefinitely. Three of her friends have also been granted permission to attend Auradon Prep with her, which is why I need to write back."
Hades raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What does that mean?"
Instead of answering her husband, Maleficent turned to Cruella with a happy smile. "Carlos is going to Auradon too."