Chapter Text
Carlos, by the will of the evilest forces of the universe, managed to exist. Cursed with the genetics of a mother who is, quite literally, the definition of insane; born on a prison island where not even death is an escape, full of the most vile people that have ever lived. Not to mention, he wasn’t exactly the best at being evil, which is like the Isle of the Lost’s whole thing. Plus whatever the fuck else was wrong with him. Carlos is a smart guy. He can recognise when somethings…off. (Besides his De Vil genetics, of course.)
Well, long live evil, he supposes?
Once again, the universe's forces have placed their generous blessings upon Carlos with the news that he, as well as 3 other Villain Kids (VKs), are to be sent to Auradon, of all places, to attend school with all the children of heroes their parents have committed atrocious acts against. A virtuous proclamation of the soon to be king for his 18th birthday.
Oh happy day.
Carlos, however, was lucky that the 3 other VKs sent to Auradon with him are people he’s friendly with. Well, as much as you can be on the isle. The isle doesn’t really do “friends”. They're in a gang together, which is more what isle friendly is.
Evie, the gorgeous, intelligent, daughter of the Evil Queen, the witch who fed a poisoned apple to her step-daughter Snow White (as well as anyone else she deemed too beautiful). Carlos was the closest with her. They both shared major similar interests such as love for all things fashion, science and knowledge, and were both deemed too “good” for the isle.
Jay, the sticky-fingered, quick-witted, son of Jafar, the man who almost successfully took over an entire kingdom and became an all-powerful djinn. Jay and Carlos were fairly close too, they trusted each other enough to roughhouse and play fight pretty regularly. It was a hard thing for Carlos to get used to at first but jay always knew what overdid it and what was fun.
And of course, Mal. A ruthless, born leader, daughter of Malefiencent the dark fae, mistress of all evil. Infamously known for sleeping beauty’s tale, a curse she put on an innocent baby, condemning her to death on her 16th birthday with the prick of a spindle simply because Maleficent was not invited to the young princess Aurora's christening. She takes pleasure in cruelty and misery, a true example of what it meant to be evil. Carlos and Mal were pretty complicated in the terms of their relationship. They’d known each other ever since Evie and Jay became friends at dragon hall at around 11. After Jay introduced Mal to Carlos and Evie, she accepted them and could see their worth. All together they created the most feared gang on the isle; a title certainly not unearned.
All of them were fairly close, could laugh and touch, had enough trust in each other not to kill one another in their sleep, or sell them out. Still couldn’t be too careful with secrets and things that can fall back on you; That was lesson one of the isle. Never fully trust anybody, never rely upon people; everyone will backstab you the second they get the chance. Mal trusted Carlos the least out of the gang. She just couldn’t read him, but she liked the scrappy goof enough and she knew that he knew her reach on the isle, you can’t hide from Mal Bertha. God, that middle name was the evilest crime her mother committed, Mal thought.
Carlos was scared of Mal, she was a huge deal and if looks could kill she’d be a serial murderer. But he quite liked the Mal he got to know over the years, a strong sense of protectiveness and care even if she refused to admit it. She was, “wicked and vain,” in her words.
All of their parents were among the most feared and respected on the isle. Wicked, immoral, utterly depraved and in Carlos’ case,
Insane
“an adjective that describes someone with a severely disordered state of mind”
That was Cruella De Vil to a tee. Obsessive, eccentric, theatrical, impulsive, vain, violent, mad, crazy, and by now you get it. You could fill journals of all the words people had used to describe the woman. In old newspapers hanging on the run down hell hall walls, Cruella was bestowed “bold” “brilliant” “the future,” by the media, but no one with common sense in this day and age dared to name her such things. She was the crazy old bat who tried to skin poor puppies for a coat, Cruella De Vil; which Carlos could admit, wasn’t exactly wrong, if she wasn’t stopped in time she most certainly would have a prized black and white spotted coat added to her endless collection of beloved furs.
“Guys!” Mal yelled for the gang, “We gotta go, my mom wants us for something.”
“All our parents do, Mal. I am literally so close to finishing this jacket! Ugh, it’s really not fun being kids of the big bads…they always want something from us,” Evie puts her tools down and gets up from her desk, walking to Mal. Mal rolls her eyes at Evie’s first statement.
“Heh, you’re telling me…” Jay mutters. His dad always needed something from him one way or another. Jafar would tell him to ‘Clean up. I need things to sell, Jay. What’d you score today. It’s not enough.’ It was never enough.
Mal yells for Carlos from the entrance, “Los, c’mon! My mom’s gonna be pissed if we’re not there in time.”
“Hm? Oh yeah yeah coming…” Carlos was zoned out, laid down staring at the ceiling. He quickly got up and caught up the pace with the gang. The Vks make their way through the isle from their gang base to Maleficent’s castle.
“What’s she want us for this time?” Jay starts.
“How should I know?”
“I’m just asking, chill out, M. They usually don’t just call us all together though.” Jay wasn’t wrong about that. There was rarely an occasion all of their parents wanted them together and it normally wasn’t for a tea party and chat. Carlos guessed it probably wouldn’t be this time either. Finally, they reach the dark tower and are ushered in by Maleficent's minions.
“Hello, children. We have special news.” Maleficent unleashes a sharp smile. Evie and Carlos half-hid behind Jay, he was just a little more used to the mistress of evil, knowing Mal so long. News on the isle was never good.
“You four, have been selected for an itty bitty opportunity,” Mal raised an eyebrow, “you’re all being sent to Auradon by the...royal family or something, Jafar where’s the letter? Ah yes, the prince of Auradon, for his 18th birthday proclamation.”
“Mom, you have to know there is zero way that’s happening right? I’m not going.”
“Yeah… I don’t do uniforms unless it’s leather, you feel me?” Jay jokes, he raises his hand for a high five from the black and blue eyed boy, but the only thing Carlos can think about are the dogs. Horrible creatures his mother would scream about, warning how the second they’d see him, they’d eat him, rip him right apart.
“They have dogs on the mainland Carlos!” Cruella exclaims loudly.
“Yeah I’m not going!” Carlos squeaks, moving closer to his mother.
“Oh he just can’t go! Besides, I’d miss him so…” She pulls his arm and hugs him from behind, gripping her skeletal fingers into his chest.
“Really mum?” Carlos’ eyes widened in surprise.
“Well yes? Who would do my hair, my makeup, fluff my fur, clean the house-“
Maleficent interrupts her, which leaves Carlos relieved she couldn’t finish the endless list but sad for hoping his mother needed him for something other than his chores.
“Cruella, dear, they’re all going, it’s all part of the plan to get off this horrid island!” Oos and aahs are heard in the room, “world domination! Isn’t that what we all want, Mal?”
“Oh yeah, of course. World domination woo!” Mal makes little celebratory gestures which her heart is clearly not in, “How are we supposed to get you all out?”
“Grab the fairy godmother’s wand and break the barrier of course!” The evil queen states.
“Right, great plan mom,” Evie says sweetly. Her mom liked when she kissed up to her, it showed that she wouldn’t have a problem trying to get in with other royals. Royals were privileged beyond a poor man’s wildest dreams. The Evil Queen knew that personally, part of privilege means never being told no. Evie needed to learn how to bend that fact to her will.
“Yeah, as always…but uh, what would be in it for us, exactly?”
“Matching thrones, hers and hers crowns. Whatever you want, pumpkin,” Maleficent rolled her eyes at her daughter's question.
Carlos dares to speak, “I- I think she meant us?”
“Oh course, get me the wand and we’ll all get revenge, obviously! And with that wand and my scepter, I will be able to bond both good and evil to my will! We could have anything we wanted,” she boasts, she notices the look on some of the villains faces, “What is wrong with you all? People used to cower at the mention of our names! For 20 years, I have searched for a way off this island. For 20 years, they have robbed us of our revenge! Revenge on Snow White and her horrible miniature men,”
“Awful little bimbo…” The evil queen had as much of a snarl as she could make without creating wrinkles.
“Revenge on Aladdin and his bloated blue jolly rancher.”
“I’ll destroy them…” Jafar begins.
“Pop we don’t need another rant right now,” Jay rolls his eyes. He wasn’t scared of his dad like most were, Jay lived with the guy. Jafar was more a tired old man that would shout if you walked on his lawn by now. But he was happy as long as Jay got him money.
‘Money makes the world go round’ he’d tell Jay. Which he thought was pretty ironic because Jafar didn’t spend any money he wasn’t absolutely forced to, so he wasn’t doing much lifting in the earth-moving department. Evie says he would fit right in on Auradon’s ‘cheapest millionaire’ reality show.
“Respect your father, Jadid!” Jafar raises his voice, more to get his point across than out of anger.
“Both of you shut up. Cruella, you could get revenge on all those sneaky dalmation puppies that escaped your claws…”
“Oh, but they didn't get my baby. They didn't get the... they didn't get the baby!” Cruella mutters incoherently, clutching Carlos to her and stroking his hair. The Vks felt uneasy at the sight knowing what the boy's home life was like, but Carlos was used to her unpredictable switching between affection and abuse.
“And I, Maleficent...The evilest of them all. I will finally have my revenge on Sleeping Beauty and her relentless little prince. Villains!”
“Mm?” Cruella hums.
“Yes?” Jafer says.
“Get the things? Children, we’ve all prepared special gifts for you as a say, parting gift/help your mommies-“
“And daddies,” Jafar adds.
“Ew,” Jay and Mal say in unity.
“Shut up! -help your mommies and daddy take over the world and escape this wretched isle gift!” Maleficent continues.
“What is it?” Evie questions in a delightful hum.
“Ah for you, my little evil-lette in training, I have my magic mirror,” Grimhilde takes something out of a satchel, a compact inside, “it’s not what it used to be, obviously, doesn’t do a thing here, but on Auradon…well it’ll help you find things.” Grimhilde slyly smiles. Evie was overjoyed; in Auradon, would she finally be able to practice magical witchcraft, and not just practical?
“Like a prince!” Evie joyously exclaims.
“Like my waistline.”
“Like the wand! Hello?” Maleficent shouts, “Jafar give your boy the thingy.”
“Yes I’m doing it woman!” Jafar huffs and pulls out a cloth wrapped gift, upon opening it Jay finds a fairly large, golden, snake shaped ring, complete with gleaming red eye gems, and inscribed Arabic. Something to protect him, his father states. “Do not let the mainland do-gooders get their hands on you, Jay. This is a hafiz; it will make the curses coming for you perish at their approach.”
“Wow…jeez- thanks, pop. Also curses? Who’s gonna curse me?” Jay raises his eyebrows and widens his eyes. His dad never gave anything of worth to him before, or anything in general if he thinks about it.
“You think I got here without cursing a few people? Ha, please. Also give back that cloth, it's my dish towel rag.”
“Eugh,” Jay makes a face and throws it to his father with the tips of his fingers.
“Cruella did you find something for your runt?” Grimhilde questions.
“Mm I… they took my…the…it was mine-“ Cruella mutters nonsense staring into nothing, stroking Carlos’ hair tighter.
“Cruella, dear,” Maleficent snaps her fingers.
“What?” She snaps.
“The gift. For your pet. What did you get him.” She enunciates every word like she was talking to a child who didn’t understand common speak.
“Ahh oh yes yes of course! How could I forget! Yessss,” Cruella hisses. She finally releases Carlos from her suffocating grip and goes into her furred coat, she grabs a necklace, one obviously expensive, old.
Evie and Jafar make oos, it was utterly gorgeous, it could sell for who knows what on the isle, even on Auradon that could fetch a pretty penny. (Or a pretty prince)
“This is an heirloom, puppy. One my mother had, one I had, now you, it’s yours. I had Horace dig it up out of a grave just for you! Aren’t you so grateful, poppet?”
“Wha-“ Carlos whispers bewildered, before he was interrupted, he could only think confused. Why would his mother give him something so special? She always said he ruined anything he touched, her hair, makeup, furs, just a good for nothing.
“What? What grave?” Mal questions, but really who knows with cruella these days. The longer she was on the isle of the lost, the less herself she was.
“Batshit woman…” Grimhilde shades.
“Ha, Carlos got a dead woman’s necklace!” Jay teases.
“It’s gorgeous!” Evie smiles.
“That’ll give you smile lines dear.” Evie drops her face immediately at the notice of her mothers comment.
“I’ll say. Runt, I’ll give you 9$ for it, how about it. It’s probably fake gold anyway so you’re getting the better deal here.” Jafar bargains but Cruella snarls at him and yells to, in kinder words, buzz off.
“All of you shut up! You leave tomorrow morning, pack a bag, do whatever it is you need and wake up refreshed, horrid and wicked for tomorrow!” Maleficent commands, everyone goes silent, “but not before my daughter receives her present…” She walks to a locked drawer and pulls out a book, clearly handmade. “Mal, this is your very own spell book. It has basic spells for you to start with and the spells go on to be more powerful through the book. Use them to your advantage. I’ve handwritten it for you to use in Auradon. Won’t you make your mother proud?” Maleficent glares at her.
“I won’t let you down, mom.” Mal stares right back into her eyes, and holds the book tightly. There wasn’t a soul that couldn’t feel the tension between the pair.
“I know.”
The villains and their spawn spread out and returned to their respective homes. Carlos was terrified the whole drive back. They lived pretty far away, Cruella had all her land transported to the isle, so it was far from everything, plus they were one of the few who had a car on the isle.
It was a rare time Cruella opted to drive herself rather than forcing Carlos to drive for her. He remembered doing it as far back as he had memories honestly. During the drive, Carlos noticed he couldn’t place the look on his mother’s features from his stolen glances, was it anger? Joy? Sadness? He truly couldn’t tell. By age 16, Carlos knew every waking thing about his mother, her moods, how to tell as much as you could from the smallest sounds and movements. It terrified him. The unknown terrified him; it’s why he would consume any and all knowledge he could. He hated not knowing. Unknown was exactly what Auradon was, he had zero basis for it besides dogs. Gods, why did it have to be dogs?
He worried about his mother. How would she take care of herself when he wasn’t here? Jasper and Horace do about the same amount of helping around that the merry old twins ‘butt-fuck and jack all’ did. She wasn’t the same as she was when she was young. She was a smart, brilliant, bold and eccentric woman who had a sense of humour with endless ambition; that’s what Horace would say in his drunken remiss of the ‘good ol days’ while Jasper agreed in angered huffs and hums. Carlos never knew much of that part of his mother, saw bits and pieces on her good days, but he longed for it dearly. The loving mother who would use her soft lips to kiss his bruises, and not deepen his beaten skin blue with sharp fists. He wished more for that especially as she aged and deteriorated.
Cruella was out of her mind by now, like a flower whose owner forgot about it, left it waterless and in a dark corner, shriveled up and then returns back to cluelessly question why it’s dead—that’s about the care Auradon gave Cruella without him there, what they gave anyone “wrong”. He’d heard of their hospitals, looney bins—Carlos was the caretaker that measured the water given carefully, seeped it in the soil on a strict schedule and made sure to move it in and out of the sun at specific times of day. Without her gardener, how will cruella not break apart brittle into the dirt?
Sometimes Carlos felt like more of a mother than his own mum did to him. Worried about his child when he goes for a work trip, he wonders if that’s how it is in the mainlands? Parents who love their kids and don’t just have them as a sign of status, lineage, ‘look I can afford this!’. Time would tell, considering he had no choice.
Before Carlos went to bed, after he’d tucked his mother into her room, he walked around the halls mindlessly finding any dirt or bugs by habit, eliminating it—
Squeak.
Carlos raised his head. A rat. He could hear it in the vents. Maybe he could make something furry for his mum! That would keep her distracted and happy for longer right? You might be thinking, how is a rat big enough to make anything at all? You obviously haven’t met isle rats. Big, horrible, mutant things that probably had some new sub-strain of rabies or mania or… something, Carlos guessed.
Squeak.
Perfect. It was near, he could tell. Jay always joked he had some kind of super hearing, that he could hear even a pin drop in a loud crowd, which Carlos admitted, yeah, he always wondered why his hearing seemed so heightened from the average isler. He just figured it was one of few perks of living with the folk-nicknamed “devil woman”.
Carlos pulled out a small peanut from his coat pocket, nuts were good for catching rats, they liked high calorie food, and well, there wasn’t a whole lot of food on the isle in general, so this was good enough for them. (and for Carlos when Cruella forbade feeding him and forgot for a few days) He set the peanut in front of a hole in the small vent, probably how they kept getting in no matter how often he catches them. He stalked from the side of the wall silently, hearing it approach.
Sqea- SNAP.
He heard the sound and grabbed it, he snapped its neck before it could wriggle and make it harder for itself. The dalmation-patterned skin and haired boy felt this was more merciful, a quick death before it knew what had even happened.
He didn’t like hurting animals, but cruella, she worshiped fur like a sacred object; it’s why she taught him to skin an animal the second he could hold a knife. Sometimes she’d throw him out into the woods and refused to let him back in until he brought back her precious fur, it was the worst when she wanted wolf fur.
He was terrified of them naturally, being so close in nature to dogs, but also felt the worst about killing them for some reason. Those nights, he’d cry himself to sleep— it didn’t matter though, a wolf that cried after its kills wasn’t any better than the ones that didn’t. It just made them pathetic. Like Carlos.
Carlos also hated wasting things, a life of scarcity will do that. He…couldn’t really remember the last time he’d eaten anything but nuts… Evie would enjoy the bones of the rat, to make jewellery, maybe something for her to do in Auradon! Plus, he’d have to get flesh off quickly somehow, after he skinned the thing for fur, so it’s not like it would hurt anyone. When they get to Auradon tomorrow, who knows where they could get food from, what time would all the edible food be gone? It was really better for everyone.
He took out the knife he had special for skinning, Carlos started cutting. The next thing he knew, he could taste meat and was cleaning the bones for Evie.
As Carlos spent the last little while drying the skin oils out and sewing it all up, he went to sleep in the dark, bear-trapped fur closet he’d slumber in since he was small. He wondered what would happen when they took the wand and broke the barrier? How would it differ from the isle? Villains being in control, just on a larger scale. All this work for the same results expecting something to change, wasn’t that like the definition of insanity or something? Something madam mim said at dragon hall, whatever.
What did Carlos care at this point? Gods, he needed a cigarette right about now.