Picking Scabs

Notes: All right, back from my hiatus with a new fanfic. I'm also in the middle of turning 'Being Stupid' into a comic.

My fanfics more follow the continuity in the Diaries with Draculaura being fearleader before Frankie was and Clawdeen never joining.

Disclaimer: Monster High is the intellectual property of Mattel and I am as of this moment unaffiliated. Coppelia is my creation, though. Based of the wind up doll in the ballet "Coppelia".

Chapter One: Whatever it is, let it go

"And, remember, support the flyer on your chest, not your arms." Cleo fiddled with the whistle around her neck as she surveyed her fearleaders. "We don't wait another a trip to the ER." She stared pointedly at Frankie who frowned.

"I said I was sorry." She knelt down for Draculaura to support her weight on her shoulders when she lifts her up in the air.

Cleo watched over the multitude of young ghouls in her squad. It had taken a lot of work to get the ghouls at school trust her again and join the team. Of course, it didn't hurt that most of them were fleshmen who had no idea what she was like. Downside was- a young pixie wobbled before falling backward off her partner's shoulders- they needed a lot of work.

"Pretty sorry bunch you got there, Twice Defeated." Cleo rolled her eyes. She didn't even have to turn around to know who it was.

"Oh, hello Copperplated. I didn't know you got back from Russia." She answered over her shoulder. "What brings you here? Oh! Wait, wait. Let me guess." She tapped her chin in mock thought. "You've come to tell me you've decided to finally get a life and leave me alone?"

Frankie glanced over Draculaura's head. "Who's that Cleo's talking to?"

"Hm?" Draculaura looked up. She recognized porcelain white metal skin and permanently en pointe feet instantly. "Oh, that's Cece." She answered. "She's the captain of the Cybernetics Tech fear squad. You know, the robot school?" Draculaura launched into the air in a perfect arabesque with her arms straight and one leg out. A crowd of JV fearleaders 'ooh'-ed as she cartwheeled off of Frankie's shoulders, finishing in a liberty lift.

"You know how Cleo gets some times?" Frankie nodded, remembering that time Cleo made her do laps by back flipping around the track. "She's like that but times a hundred."

Frankie's eyes widened at the thought of a hundred Cleos. "Woah."

"And she doesn't turn it off, either."

Coppelia crossed her arms. "Real cute, De Nile. But, you and I both know you've never could best me before and now won't be any different."

Realizing she was not going to go away any time soon, Cleo sighed. "I swear, half time I have no idea what you're on about."

"Soon, I will prove once and for all, who's the better ghoul." Coppelia looked down her nose at Cleo. "That is, unless you back out like you did last time."

"What?" She groaned and hit her head with her clipboard. "I dare you to make less sense."

"Admit it. I had you runnin' scared."

"I admit you're mental." Cleo muttered. "How did you even get in here?"

"You're going down, De Nile Your day of reckoning is nigh." With a dramatic flourish, Coppelia whorled around on her toes and sashayed out of the gym.

"What. A. Freak."

The lights of the rides outshone the stars and formed a glowing outline around the the pier. Old timey ragtime organ music that hadn't been changed since 1920's played over the crank of questionable carnival rides. The smell of sea salt and twice fried food was everywhere.

"Ugh, what is that?" Cleo gagged when her boyfriend returned with a basket of crispy concession stand food on sticks. Each were covered in powered sugar to hide the fact that they looked like giant misshapen fish sticks.

"It's a fried candy bar." Deuce put a bit in his mouth while Cleo blanched. Inside the batter fried coating was a mess of brown and black goop.

"That looks disgusting!"

"It's really good." He licked a bit of powered sugar off his fingers. "You should try a piece." He tore off another piece. A long stringy trail of melted caramel and chocolate hung from it.

Cleo recoiled at the thought. "What? No." She took a step back, grinning despite herself. "I like my arteries unclogged, thank you."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her back. "Come on. Just one bite." He teased.

She clamped her mouth shut and tried to twist her head away. But to no avail.

Cleo sighed. "Oh, all right." She opened her mouth for him to feed it to her. Chewed thoughtfully on the bit of candy. The outside was crunchy and tasted like pancakes. The chocolate bar in the middle was chewy from being melted and starting to harden. She shivered with a sugar overload.

Deuce licked the excess chocolate off his fingers and popped the rest in his mouth. "So, what do you want do next?"

Cleo let herself relax in his arms. This was nice. It had been forever since they had done something like this. She looked up the Ferris wheel. "Hm... I think we should-"

"Well, well."

No.

Cleo's smile fell off her face in an instant. That settled it. Life was unfair and the universe was conspiring against her. That had be it. "Hello, Coppertone." Coppelia sauntered over. She had the smuggest grin on her face. Cleo had to admit was quite the feat considering she grew up with Nefera.

"Imagine running into you here." The mechanical ballerina towered her, using her en pointe pose to boost her up a few inches.

"Yeah. Imagine." Cleo rolled her eyes. "What did you do? Follow me?"

Coppelia looked Deuce over critically. She crossed her arms. "Wasting time, I see. Tell me how is that you can be so content being so second rate?"

Cleo rubbed her temples to soothe the throbbing headache she felt coming on. "You are a such a creeper, it's not even funny." She turned to Deuce. "Why do I attract the nut bars?" Deuce shrugged.

"Cece?" A soft german voice called.

"I think your mother's calling you." Cleo motioned behind her.

"Cece!" Her mother called again. Coppelia glared. Cleo may have won this round, but-

"This isn't over." She said while jabbing Cleo in the chest.

Cleo swatted her away. "I don't doubt that."

Coppelia closed her eyes and simulated taking a deep breath. The hostility in her face melted away. "Coming, Mother!"

"Seriously, what in the name of Aten is her deal?"

"Our two finalist are..." The announcer paused, not only for effect, but also a drum roll. "Miss Coppelia Coppelius!" Coppelia stepped out onto the stage into the spotlight and applause. Victory was almost hers. Only thing would make the moment sweeter. "And Miss Setepenre De Nile!" A true smile broke out on her face. She couldn't wait to see the look on her face when the judges awarded her, Coppelia Coppelius, the award and title of Pre-Teen Miss Pumpkin.

But, no one stepped forward.

"Setepenre De Nile!" He called again. The spotlight started to feel hot; Coppelia became acutely aware of the eyes on her and whispers of the audience. The stage director darted on stage and whispered something into the announcer's ear.

"Oh." The announcer cleared his throat. "It appears Miss Setepenre has dropped out. Our winner and new Pre-Teen Miss Pumpkin is... Coppelia Coppelius!"

There was smattering of polite applause. A crown was placed on her head and someone handed her a bouquet of black roses. She tried to force a pageant smile, but the best she could muster was a tight grimace.

TBC