EP.151|Bad Fruit

Carlos walked into Cruella and Hex's cottage to see it was burnt to a crisp. Carlos couldn't believe it. This was the place he grew up in, now it was burnt to a crisp.

“Mom? Dad? Dude? Anyone?” Carlos called out, Dude ran out of bottom kitchen cabinet and into Carlos’ arms.

“Dude, oh my gods and goddesses, what happened to you?” Dude just whimpered, Carlos tried to calm him down but it didn't work. “C-Car-Carlos! I-I’m so scared.” Dude stammered.

“Hey it’s okay buddy, don't worry, I’m here.” Carlos brushed his fur, Dude kept shivering. “Where’s mom and dad?” Carlos asked.

“T-Tan-Tangerine.” Dude stuttered, Carlos shivered. Sh-she’s back?! Carlos could feel the pentagram scar on his back begin to sting a little.

Just like that, the memories of when he was little came back to him.

“Are you sure we should leave him with Tangerine?” Hex questioned, after what happened in the past with Tangerine, he was too sure about leaving Carlos with her.

“I'm sure, after what happened, Tangerine changed, Carlos will be fine.” Cruella assured him.

“But how much has she changed? You saw what she did to my family, heck, you saw what she did to you.” Hex stated.

“Yes, but I know my sister, she's changed for the better.” Cruella smiled, packing Carlos' bag.

“Yeah but it's Tangerine.” Hex said. “I'll be fine daddy, I love Auntie Tangerine.” 5 year old Carlos smiled innocently.

Hex sighed, if only he knew what happened before he was born.

Once arriving at Tangerine's house, Carlos ran up the door, knocking on it. Tangerine opened the door, she looked drunk.

“Hey! Carlos, how are you,” a drunk hiccups interrupted her “buddy”

“I missed you Auntie Tangerine.” Carlos hugged her tightly. “Tangerine, are you sure you're okay?” Cruella asked.

“Yeah,” she clearly exaggerated “I'm totally fine.”

Hex looked at Cruella. We can not leave Carlos alone with her. She's clearly drunk! Cruella rolled her eyes. She's fine, don't worry so much.

“Alright, Carlos, listen to Tangerine. We'll be back in the morning.” Cruella told him, his parents kissing him goodbye.

Once they left, Carlos say Tangerine pouring liquor into a glass “what's that?”

“Liquor.” Tangerine drank the shot “imagine adult apple juice.”

“Why are you drinking it?” Carlos asked. “Cause it taste good.” Tangerine replied, pouring and drinking another shot.

“Can I have some?” Carlos tried to reach for the glass but Tangerine snatched it away. “No,” “why?” “because you're a kid. Why do you keep asking me stupid questions?”

“Because I'm a kid.” Carlos replied in a know-it-all tone. Tangerine groaned and slapped Carlos, making him cry.

“Wh-why'd you sl-slap me?” Carlos cried. “Because you keep asking stupid question!” Tangerine kicked him in the stomach.

“St-stop hitting me!” Carlos sobbed, curling up in a ball. “I will once you stop crying.” Tangerine said.

“I can't believe Cruella produced a wimpy kid like you.” she grabbed a belt, hitting Carlos with it “get up.” she ordered.

Carlos kept crying “I said get up!” Tangerine whipped him again. Carlos struggled to his feet, wiping his tears.

“I hope you learned your lesson.”

The next day, Hex picked up Carlos. Something doesn't feel right. “We had a great time. Didn't we Carlos?” Tangerine smiled.

Carlos fake smiled “the best.” Tangerine gripped his shoulder, looking at him with a face that said; don't tell your parents anything that happened or I'll punish you.

The drive home was silent, until Hex said “so, what'd you do at Tangerine's?”

“Oh…um, we played games, I lost most of them.” little did Hex know those "games" weren't normal kid games.

They were painful, scarring games.

“Carlos, what really happened?” Hex stopped the car. “Nothing happened.” Carlos lied.

“Carlos, don't lie to me.” Hex said. “I-I'm not. She told me not to tell you.” Carlos ran out of the car, into the cottage and in his room, starting to cry.

“What happened?” Cruella asked. “I think something bad happened at Tangerine's.” Hex answered.

Cruella knocked lightly on Carlos' door “Carlos?” she opened the door to see Carlos crying on the bed.

“Hey,” Cruella sat down next to him “what happened?” Carlos dived into his mother's arms and cried harder.

“Mommy! It's horrible there. She's horrible!” Carlos sobbed. “What did Tangerine do?” Cruella asked.

“She hit me, she whipped me, and I don't know what she did to my back but it hurts really badly.” Cruella looked at his back to see the pentagram scar.

“I hurt mommy.” Carlos latched onto his mom. “I know, I know honey.” Cruella soothed

“Hex!” Cruella yelled. “Take care of Carlos till I get back.” Cruella put on her jacket. “Where are you going?” Hex asked.

“To kick my sister's ass.”

Carlos snapped out of his flashback when he heard Dude whimpering “don't worry Dude, it'll take her out.”

Carlos hid Dude under his bed, behind some blankets “don't make a sound, okay?” Dude nodded.

Carlos continued his voyage around the house till he reached his parents room to see them chained to the wall, bleeding and bruised.

“Mom! Dad!” Carlos unchained them, causing them to drop to the floor. “Hey! Wake up,” Carlos began to tear up “mom…dad…wake up, please.”

“Carlos…I think…” Alvarez started, Carlos slammed his fist on the ground “no! They can't be dead! I won't let them!”

“Mom…dad…come on, you have to wake up! Please…I've been through so much…I can't lose you too.” Carlos held his parents in his arms.

“Come on, you gotta wake up. You gotta see my girlfriend. You're gonna love her mom, she's so strong and beautiful.”

“She's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. She loves me for who I am. Oh and dad, she's can fix anything! She's a welder like you.”

“And she's a pirate, I call her my Pirate Princess. She's a master with a sword. I feel so different with her, like I can be so open with her, she's so beautiful and perfect.”

“And I marked her too, Mom, just like you said. I was so scared because I thought she wouldn't want me to but she was so happy.”

“I've never felt the way I do with her with anyone else. There this…connection I guess…like I've known her my entire life.”

“She's just so special, like a little jewel I wanna keep all to myself all the time. She's just so adorable and cute, not cute, this girl is smoking hot!”

“She's so beautiful, smart, kind, strong, stronger than I'll ever be. Sometimes, I get a bit angry and jealous when guys flirt with her but she calms me down. She's my rock mom and dad, and I can't let her go.”

Carlos stopped when he heard slow clapping. He growled and turned behind him to see Tangerine.

“Well looky here, the little dog boy spilling his heart out to his soon to be dead parents.” Tangerine chuckled darkly.

“You did this to them...they did nothing to you…” Carlos’ eyes turned red. “They sent me to jail for 15 years!” Tangerine yelled. “You abused me! You branded a pentagram on my back!” Carlos yelled back.

“So? You act like that’s a bad thing!” Tangerine rolled her eyes. “You don't use a branding stick on people! Let alone a 5 year old!” Carlos scolded.

“You were the one who didn't listen! You’re such a whiny kid!” Tangerine tried to kick him but Carlos grabbed her foot “not this time. I’m not the same kid I was before!”

“Please, just because you went all around the world in hunt from the gail doesn't mean you’ve changed. You’re still a whiny little kid.” Tangerine said, she used her other foot to kick Carlos in the face, sending him back.

“I’ve grown through my challenges! Something you apparently haven’t done.” Carlos got up and transformed into a wolf and charged for Tangerine.

“Of I’ve grown! Araden showed me what the grail can do for us.” Tangerine dodged out of the way, causing Carlos to run into the door, breaking it.

“For “us”? You know Araden is just using you!” Carlos transformed into a Falcon and swooped down on Tangerine, scraping  her with his talons.

“I’ve always hated birds! Cruse: Poison Shooter!” Tangerine’s arm then turned into a crossbow, she hit him with arrow, sending him to the ground.

“Fuck…” Carlos groaned as he tried to get up but his arm began feeling numb “feeling a little weak there, dog boy?” Tangerine teased.

“Fuck...you…” Carlos coughed up blood, he tried to transform but nothing seemed to work.

“Phillip was right about you Carlos, you’re nothing but a little dog boy who can be easily crushed on.”

“You don't have the right be an animalistic, you couldn't even protect your family, let alone yourself. Curse: Everlasting Pain!” the pentagram on Carlos’ back glowed, he screamed in pain.

“You’re nothing, Carlos! Give up! Just give up!” Tangerine cackled, Carlos began to cry, the pain was too much.

“Just give up! The world would be better off without you!” Tangerine's words echoed in his head as the world began to fade away.

He began seeing memories of all the fun times he and his friends had. It was so warm and fuzzy.

So, this is what the road to heaven is like? As Carlos dropped deeper, the memories of him and CJ.

One in particular he loved, it was the day before they left Mimosa Island.

Carlos sat on the beach, watching the beautiful sunset.

“Carlos, I never want this day to end.” CJ snuggled up close to her animistic. “Who says it has too?” Carlos smirked, kissing CJ.

“Um the mission to kill Ben's brother.” CJ sweatdropped. “this mission is not letting me spend anytime with my mate.” Carlos pouted.

“Don't worry, after the mission we'll take a trip to one of the islands I found and we can spend an entire month there.” CJ smiled. "CJ, I'm so glad I'm with you.” Carlos kissed her again.

CJ smirked and leaned in “I can show you 37 ways just how happy you are to be with me.”

Carlos blushed “and I’ve been took pilates before the mission, so I’m very flexible.” CJ rested her hand on his thigh.

“Just think about it, dog boy.”

Carlos? Carlos?! CARLOS!! You can't give up! You have to live...for me...for us…

Carlos shot up, his eyes red as rubies, Alvarez took control “hello,” Alvarez glared at her “Tangerine.”

Tangerine shivered “wh-what…” Alvarez pinned her to the wall “shh...shh...it’s better if your quiet when I kill you.”

~A/N~

You guys remember Tangerine, right! The girl who burned the pentagram on Carlos' back.

Yeah, I decided to bring her back because I thought it be a nice surprise. Well, not nice for Carlos, but a surprise at least.

You may or may see more of Tangerine in my next book: Guns and Roses

So, why are the heroes siding with Araden? What other heroes will show up? Is the grail here in the Villain Islands?

Find out next time on Good At Being Bad!

Stay Sweet,
Sugar_And_Spice125 💕