Rotten to the Core

D1- Part Eleven💙

I was doodling idly on a piece of parchment.

'Children, excuse me. As you know, this Sunday is family day here at Auradon Prep.' said Fairy Godmother. 'And because your parents can't be here due to, well, distance, we've arranged for a special treat.'

She turned the TV on.

Maleficent's face appeared, looking confused. 'I don't see anything, nor do I hear.'

Godmother beckoned to us. 'Kids, come closer.'

We stepped towards the TV, shooting bewildered glances at each other.

Maleficent fumbled with the camera. 'How do you work this... rubbish?'

'Press enter, you dim-witted horned lady!!' taunted Jafar.

'Shut up, Mr. I-Know-Everything,' snapped Maleficent. 'it's taking all my concentration to figure this thing out. Does anyone have a remote?' she asked, snapping her fingers towards my mom.

She handed Maleficent a remote from the fruit bowl beside her. 'Here.'

'Is this thing even on?!?!' Maleficent shouted, shaking the camera. The screen went black for a moment.

Fairy Godmother gave us an awkward half-glance as we heard Maleficent's voice again.

'What is wrong with you?!?!?!' she yelled, as we flinched from her voice.

'It's broken.' said Cruella de Vil, cackling.

'Ugh,' scoffed Mal's mom. 'it's broken. I hate electronic equip-'

'OH!!' everyone gasped in surprise as they saw us.

'Evie!!' my mother, the Evil Queen yelled excitedly. 'Evie, it's mommy!!' she turned to her comrades, full of pride. 'Look how beautiful my daughter is.' she nudged Maleficent's arm, laughing. 'You know what they say, the poison apple doesn't fall far from the tree.'

'Don't you mean the weeds?' Maleficent said, raising an eyebrow.

'Hi, mommy.' I said quietly, trying to look glad.

'Ew,' Cruella said in disgust. 'who's the old bat??'

'This is Fairy Godmother.' said Mal, as Carlos shot an apologetic look at Fairy Godmother for what his mom had referred to her as.

Maleficent's lips parted in shock for a moment, but then they curved into a sneer. 'Still doing tricks with eggplants?'

'I turned a pumpkin into a beautiful carriage!!' snapped Godmother, looking highly offended.

'You really couldn't give Cinderella until 1 a.m.?' jeered Maleficent. 'I mean, really. What, the hamsters had to be back on their "little wheels"?' she did a fist-bump with my mom, full of jeering laughter.

'They were mice!!' retorted Godmother, looking furious. 'They were mice, not- they-' Mal pushed her out of the way, calming her down. 'They were mice!!'

'Thank you,' said Mal, pushing her out of the way. 'Hi, mom.'

'MAL!!' yelled Maleficent. 'I m-m-miss you.' she spat out as if saying those words were like acid to her tongue.

'You children are... never Jafar from our thoughts!!' Jafar grinned at us. 'Get it? Far, Jafar, get it?'

'Yeah,' said Jay quietly. 'really funny, dad.'

'How long must mommy wait to see you?' interjected Maleficent, looking at her daughter.

'Well, there's a big coronation coming up.' replied Mal. 'Maybe sometime after that.'

'When?'

'Friday, 10 a.m.'

'You're sure I can't see you before that? I don't know what I'll do if I don't get my hands on that magic wan- YOU!- you little nugget that I love so much.'

'Yes, I completely understand, mother.' said Mal.

'Carlos, is that a dog?' Cruella turned to her stuffed dog perched on her shoulder. 'Oh, yes, baby, I do understand. It would make the perfect size for earmuffs.'

'He's the perfect size for a pet.' said Carlos, defending his newfound best dog friend. 'This dog, unlike you, loves me. And I love him. And FYI, your dog is stuffed. So give it a rest.'

Cruella gasped. 'How- how dare-'

'BURN!!!' laughed Jafar.

'Why don't you go sell a toaster, you two-bit salesman!!' said Cruella angrily.

Jafar turned to her with a smug look on his face. 'People who talk to stuffed animals shouldn't throw stones.'

'Well, people who sell toasters shouldn't use mixed metaphors!!'

Jay turned the TV off just as Jafar shouted insults that were too harsh for my innocent ears.

'I am so sorry.' said Godmother.

Jay smiled sadly. 'Thanks for the special treat.'

'Of course.' replied Godmother. She exited the room, looking at us with pity.

'M? What do you think our parents are gonna do to us if we don't pull this off?' I asked Mal worriedly.

Mal turned to me with a smile on her face. 'I think they will be quietly disappointed in us, but ultimately proud of us for doing our best.'

'Really?' Carlos asked, surprised.

'Nope, we are definitely goners.' Mal said, her smile replaced by a sharp frown.

'Mal, your eyebrows are together again!!' I cried out in horror, fetching a makeup brush and some foundation from my purse. 'You're looking pale, if you just let me-'

'E, stop it, I'm plotting.' Mal snapped.

'Well, I don't think it's very attractive.' I said, pouting and putting my things back.

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I was sitting on the bleachers, doing my chemistry homework when I heard a voice.

'No!! I - don't - want - to!!!!'

There was something inhuman about the voice. It was very deep, and had a growling effect on it. I wanted to run away, but the voice talked again, and it sounded like it was in pain.

'NO!!! I - won't - do - it!!! W-won't... never...'

I looked around for the source of the voice.

'N-no...' the voice said weakly, turning more and more human by every passing second. 'Won't d-do it...'

That voice sounds familiar. 'Nicholas??'