The Gladers from the Isle (ABANDONED)

Dude.

Thomas slowed down to speak to Ben. "He's Cruella De Vil's son."

"Then shouldn't he love dogs?" Ben asked.

Thomas nearly tutted, thinking that the answer was obvious. Ben had been led to believe everything was sunshine and flowers everywhere, as had most of the Auradon kids. "She raised him to fear them."
Ben's expression softened. Of course the villainous, self-centred fur-loving maniac wasn't going to raise her son properly: Of course she'd use the thing that betrayed her against him. Ben was glad that he'd made the decision to bring some Isle kids to Auradon: they'd have a better life here, he thought.

When they found Minho and Carlos, the latter was in a tree, while Minho was picking up the little dog to hold in his arms. "Ben, help! This thing is a killer, he's gonna chase me down and rip out my throat. This is a vicious, rabid pack animal." Carlos recited.

"Hey, who told you that?" Ben asked, easily taking the dog from Minho. "Your mother?"

"She's a dog expert, the dog yellerer." Ben was almost amused. Thomas and Minho shared looks as they tried very hard not to laugh - though Thomas was more pitiful.

"Does this dog look like it's gonna hurt you?" Minho asked. Carlos didn't look like he knew what to say.

"Have you ever met a dog?" Ben continued.

"'Course not."

"Dude," Ben began, "meet Carlos. Carlos, this is Dude, the campus mutt." Carlos flinched when Dude suddenly turned his head to look at him. Years of having an opinion forced on you wouldn't be easily rebuffed in three seconds just because of one anomaly. Carlos wasn't sure if he was ready to believe that dogs could be anything but monsters. However, he could easily believe that his mother had raised him based on the resentment of her failures.

"Your mother lied to you," Thomas began. Carlos looked at him. "You know she did. We saw how she treated you that day, remember?" The day the Gladers agreed with Newt: because she cared more about her car than her own son.
Over the past year, he'd not needed to escape to the Glade very often: Jay, Mal and Evie had been there for him. But whenever he'd needed to, they had been there for him. And it was almost always due to his mother.

"He doesn't look like a vicious rabid pack animal," Carlos climbed down from the tree and took the dog, slowly and shakily, from the prince. He then started rocking Dude like a baby.

"Good boy," Ben stated with a smile, before catching himself. "I mean, well done- you've done well. You're fast."

"Not faster than me," Minho said cockily.

"Actually..." Thomas added, pointing to the clipboard.

"0.01 seconds faster?" Minho exclaimed. "Rematch!" The boys laughed, and Dude licked Carlos' finger.

"Oh. Thank you." He said to him.

The boys laughed again. "You can hang onto him for now," Ben said, taking the clipboard back from Thomas. His phone started ringing and he tutted, "Audrey... I've gotta go, I'll see you guys later."

~

After Ben left, the boys stayed on the field with Dude for a bit. "Have you guys ever seen a dog?" Carlos asked the Gladers.

"No," Minho replied, "but we know you can teach them tricks," he pointed at the little dog, "sit!" He did as he was told.

Carlos was amazed, "a-are you magic?"

Minho was about to facetiously say 'yes', until Thomas replied with "dogs are smart enough to be trained to obey commands. Ask for his paw."

"His paw?" Carlos echoed. Dude extended his paw, placing it in Carlos' hand. He flinched, looking down to see the dog's paw in his hand. He held it for a moment, before shaking it. Dude panted happily, wagging his tail when he saw a smile light Carlos' face.

Thomas smiled and Minho scratched Dude's head. Carlos flinched when the dog turned to look at Minho. "You're making progress," Thomas said to him. "Pretty soon, you'll be the greatest dog trainer in Auradon!"

"Ironic," Minho stated. "People would think you had an alterior motive."

"Minho," Thomas warned.

"No, he's right," Carlos replied with a sad smile, "people are used to the villains so it's all they expect from anyone who's come from the Isle." Dude shuffled in front of Carlos and laid down, his head on the boy's folded legs. He stroked Dude's head, comforted. He felt safe, and with a dog! He never thought that would happen.