I don't own these characters or profit from them

Monster High Ever After

By, Clayton Overstreet

Sometimes the unexpected happened. Especially at a place like Monster High. Frankie Stein, Draculaura, Clawdeen Wolf, and Cleo DeNile were looking at the broken monster mapalogue. Clawdeen said, "Well how are we supposed to find new monsters now?"

"We'll find a way," Frankie said. "I think I can get it working again. Let me try this…" She used a screwdriver and poked at it. Suddenly there was a flash of light and they were gone.

Dracula came walking past the hall and looked in. "Hey ghouls, who wants ice cream…? Hey where did everybody go?" He looked around, shrugged, and headed off down the hallway.

The founders of Monster high found themselves standing in a hallway. Cleo looked around and said, "Oh my Ra, where are we?"

"I don't know," Frankie said.

Clawdeen looked around. "This place is so… pink. And bright."

Draculaura looked around trying to think. "Well there are certainly a lot of lockers. It must be a school… eep!" She bumped into someone. Someone furry! On impulse she turned into a bat and flew up to hide on top of the lockers. To her surprise when she looked the other person had turned into a small white rabbit and was hiding behind another locker. They stared for a moment and then she flew back down and the bunny crept out of hiding.

They both resumed human form. The bunny was now a girl with white hair and long ears. They smiled and giggled nervously. "Uh, hello, I'm Draculaura. Who are you?"

"I… I'm Bunny," the girl replied. "Um, I was heading out for lunch. I don't suppose with teeth like those you like carrots."

"I love carrots. I'm a vegetarian."

"Me too!"

"Ahem," Cleo coughed to get their attention.

"Oh yes, these are my friends Frankie, Cleo, and Clawdeen. We're from Monster High."

"What are you doing here?"

"We're not sure," Frankie said. "We're not even sure where here is." She told Bunny what had happened.

"Well this is Ever After High, where the children of fairy tale characters go to school."

There were more people in the hall now. Clawdeen flinched a little, seeing a lot of "normies" but while they looked at the four monsters nobody was screaming. She also saw a cat-girl, Bunny, and… "Hey Cupid!"

"Clawdeen!" a winged girl said. "Long time no see. Frankie, Draculaura, and Cleo too! How are you all doing?"

"Not bad since they rebooted our show with a new timeline and we founded Monster High ourselves," Frankie said. Draculaura nudged her. "I mean, we're good."

"Well I've got to get to lunch. You ghouls have fun!"

Bunny said, "Maybe you should talk to Principal Grimm. He might know how to get you home."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Cleo said. "Let's get this raft on the Nile."

As she led them through the hallways and past classrooms Clawdeen asked, "Is it just me or is it a little weird not having normies running and screaming?"

"What's a normy?" Bunny asked.

"Humans. Non-monsters. Where we're from they're all scared of us."

Frankie said, "It's why we built Monster High, so monsters would have a place to go. Also so we can eventually live… well like this. Friends with normal humans who don't want to kill us."

"Why would they want to do that?"

Clawdeen shrugged. "Okay so maybe a few monsters used to eat them."

Bunny said, "Well we get that here too. Usually heroes slay them, though that's not really how we're trying to do things around here these days. Oh, here we are."

They opened the door and found Principal Grimm with Mr. Badwolf. They looked up as the girls entered. Grimm asked, "What is this all about?"

"I found these girls in the hallway. They say they were magically transported here from another world."

He pinched his nose. "This again. Thank you Miss Bunny. Please head out. I'll deal with this." She nodded, waved, and then turned into a rabbit and hopped back out the door.

Clawdeen walked up to the surprised Big Bad Wolf. "Hey dude, give me some paw." She gave him a high five. "Nice to see another werewolf around."

"A what wolf?"

"Means we can do this," she said turning into a huge wolf. A moment later she was back.

"Oh yeah that's me," he said.

"Mr. Badwolf I'll speak with you more, later." He turned to the girls as the teacher left. "So who are you four? Are you princesses?"

"I happen to be a queen," Cleo said. "Practically a goddess really."

"I'm a baroness," Frankie said.

"Countess over here," Draculaura said. "Or a princess. It depends on who you ask. Dad's had a lot of titles over the centuries."

"I'm an Alpha werewolf," Clawdeen said.

"Close enough. And how did you get here?" They explained. "I'm afraid I don't have anything like this mapalogue you speak of. It sounds like returning you to where you belong might be complicated." He picked up a mirror on his desk. "Send in Raven please."

A short time later a girl with purple and black hair in an elegant black dress came in. "You wanted to see me Principal Grimm?"

"Yes Raven. These girls have gotten misplaced. I need you to check in with Baba Yaga and see if you two can return them where they belong. In the meantime I believe that there are a couple of empty rooms in the East Wing. Please show them there."

"Thank you very much sir," Frankie said.

"My pleasure baroness," he said. "While you are here please enjoy yourselves, provided you don't disrupt class."

"We'll do our best," Clawdeen said.

After they were given rooms Raven came back and explained, "Baba Yaga says she can make you some transportation powder, but it will take three days to make a batch that can cross worlds."

"Can I help?" Cleo said. "I'm not unfamiliar with spells and curses."

"Sure." She looked at the others. "Principal Grimm says you have the run of the grounds. If you get hungry just swing by the cafeteria and feel free to audit classes if you like. There's Heroics for Beginners, Evilnomics, and all sorts of other things."

"How about the other students? They aren't going to be a problem for people like us are they?"

Raven smiled. "Well I have to admit, as the daughter of the Wicked Queen, it took them a while to warm up to me and some of the students aren't exactly friendly, but you should be fine. If not tell me and I'll take care of it."

Cleo smiled. "Sounds like you have some major clout around this place. And I love your dress." They started to leave. "Tell me all about this place." She paused. "Will you girls be alright?"

"I'm sure we'll be okay," Frankie said.

Draculaura yawned. "If it's okay with everybody I'm going to catch a few winks. It's nearly noon, way past my bedtime."

Clawdeen nodded. "I'm going to take a walk around and check out the fashions around here. I don't usually do frilly, but something new is always good."

"Fableous!" Raven said with a grin. "You all have fun and we'll check in with you a little later." Out in the hall Raven said, How long have you been working with curses?"

"About six thousand years. It's a family tradition," Cleo said. She saw Raven frown. "What's wrong?"

"I… I'm not a big fan of tradition."

"Why not?"

So Raven told her about when she first started at Ever After high and how hard it was to find her own way when everyone, even her own powers, seemed to want her to follow in her mother's footsteps. "I eventually got everyone, even my best friend Apple, to see the merits in finding our own path, but it wasn't easy."

"So you're a sorceress and your mother was the evil queen… how far back does your dynasty extend?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well how long have you been queens?"

"Uh… I think since mom married Snow White's father."

"Yes, but you said it was a tradition. Was your grandmother an evil sorceress too?"

"I… don't really know. Mom's been trapped in her mirror prison for a long time. It's never come up."

"Well I've heard of Snow White… I don't remember her mother being kissed back t \o life by a handsome prince, but then I don't think I ever heard how she met her king. Is it something that happens in every generation or does it skip one or two?"

"I... don't' know. I don't think the old queen ever ate a poisoned apple."

"So it's just you and your parents… and a good half of you are supposed to die horrible deaths? Not much of a tradition if you ask me and believe me, I know traditions."

"I agree," Raven said brightly. "I think it was more about them wanting to make sure no new evil rose up and I have to admit, we've had some close calls. The Snow King was turned evil, my mother escaped, the Cheshire Cat caught us all in a curse…"

Cleo waved it off. "Please. Stuff happens. If six thousand years has taught me anything, it's that things change. Sure I ruled half a continent and was worshipped as a goddess by my people. It was great. But now I live in a world with fashion shows, credit cards, and plumbing. I've made friends and we're making the world a better place for all monster kind. All in all not a bad trade."

"Would you like to borrow my spell-phone" Raven said. "Maybe you could reach your school and let everyone know you're okay." She held up a small mirror.

Cleo shook her head. "I'm afraid our principal doesn't do… mirrors. But it's fine. We'll get back as soon as we can."

"Do you have these kinds of problems at your school?"

"Ghoul, I could tell you stories."

Clawdeen was wandering the grounds when she saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes watching her from behind a tree and under a red hood. She acted calm until she saw the figure ducking behind the tree and out of sight. A moment later she was there, right in front of the girl who had been trying to sneak away. "Whoa there grrl. What's the rush? I saw you watching me."

"I… I'm sorry," she said. I was just… curious." Clawdeen sniffed and leaned down near her butt. "Hey! What are you doing?"

Standing up Clawdeen said, "Hasn't anyone taught you werewolf manners?"

"What? I don't know what you mean…"

"Come on, that guy I met in the office it clearly your dad."

"What?!" She paled. "I don't…"

"Don't even. This nose never lies." She tapped her snout. "Jeez grrl, you're jumpier than a vampire in a pencil factory. What's got you do uptight?"

She looked around for anyone else listening and then lowered her hood revealing her wolf ears. "Well you see, my name is Cerise Hood and… I'm the daughter of the Big bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood. I take it you've heard of them?"

"Heard of them? That was one of my favorite stories growing up," Clawdeen said. "And I have to say your hood is really stylish. Though I don't remember those two hooking up in the story. Then again in the version my mom told the wolf won."

"Yeah, well that's the version they put out. Dad's a villain. Mom's a hero. You can imagine how that would go over around here. Things are changing since Raven Queen destroyed the book…"

"Whoa grrl, calm down. I need a bit of back story to understand all of this."

"Sorry I've just… never met a magical wolf before. You know other than my dad and my sister. And you're so… out there with it."

Clawdeen laughed and flipped her hair. "Of course. I look good and I'm not about to hide it." She looked Cerise over. "You rock the hood grrl, but I can see a lot of potential in you."

"Really?"

"Sure. Now why don't you tell me all about your situation? I'm a pack animal and my friends are off, so and I could use some wolf company."

Cerise nodded and led her to a fallen log where they sat down. She explained that as a villain and hero, her parents were not supposed to be together and that if anyone found out it would likely cause a big hassle. So they were keeping it under wraps until she and her sister Ramona Badwolf graduated. Raven Queen had taken away some of the worry by saving everyone, showing that everyone could have their own destiny, and everything but there were a lot of "heroes" around and they had been raised to think of the Big Bad Wolf as a monster.

"No offense."

"None taken," Clawdeen said. "I'm a monster and proud of it. Aren't you proud to be a werewolf?"

Cerise smiled. "Well I do like who I am. There's nothing like running…" They shared a smile.

"You need to embrace who you are grrl."

"You think I should just come out and tell everyone?"

Clawdeen shook her head. "That's up to you. If you think it might cause you problems I won't say you should just tell everyone. I suppose your closest friends know?" She nodded. "Well then that's all you really need. I run a salon back home. We do beauty treatments for monsters and normies… that's normal humans to you… and everyone loves it. But lots of people are afraid of monsters so we're revealing who we are slowly. Most of them think we're just wearing costumes.

"So I wont' tell you what to do. If you think people will attack you or treat you different, well then do what you gotta do babe. But just because they have a problem with you, you can't let that define you. Maybe you have to hide, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. And every now and then you need to remind yourself of that."

"How do I do that?"

"Well for a start, throw your head back and howl. Like this." She looked up and opened her mouth, letting out a loud howl. An answering cry came from the castle. "Now you try."

"Um… okay." Cerise let out a small cry.

"Oh come on should, you can do better than that. Let' them hear you!"

Cerise took a deep breath and let out a howl that shook the trees. They could hear startled cried from in the school and other places. Then an equally loud howl came back. "Love you too daddy." She looked at Clawdeen. "That did feel good."

Putting an arm around Cerise's shoulder Clawdeen said, "You know I'm going to be here a while. How about I give you a few more lessons and maybe update your wardrobe a bit? You look good in red and hoods are so in, but I think we can do something a bit more modern. Maybe make you something that works with wolf ears and a tail? I know how hard it can be trying to squeeze those into outfits made for humans."

"Really?"

"Just call me your furry godmother." As they walked away she added, "Really you should be grateful to this girl who ditched the traditions. If you'd gone through with it you'd have had to spend graduation making out with your sister."

Frankie had found herself in Apple White's room. The girl had been wandering around staring into space when Frankie had startled her. She had been afraid the pale blond would run screaming, but she had just smiled and said, "Oh, hello! My, your skin is such a delightful shade of emerald green. Are you from Oz?"

"Uh, no, I'm really not. Are you okay? You seem a little out of it."

"Oh I was just… thinking." She was obviously forcing a smile.

Frankie put a hand on her shoulder and said, "How about you tell me about it?" Apple tried to deny she needed to talk, but Frankie saw right through her. So now they were in her room and Apple was staring at a picture of herself. Frankie took a look and said, "Is that a glass coffin?"

"Yes. I… um… died a little a few weeks back. It's sort of a family tradition. Is that weird?"

Frankie said, "Not to me. Some of my best friends spend a lot of time in coffins. Admittedly vampires aren't really interested in a sun roof. Actually it kind of looks like my recharge chamber at home. I get in when I need a little jolt." She saw Apple's look. "I take it this has something to do with why you're so distracted?"

"Sort of. I think you've probably heard of my mother, Snow White?"

Frankie sighed. "A girl in a coffin who brought to life and finds true love. I love that story. I mean it's a little weird that the prince decided to kiss a dead girl especially during a funeral, but to each their own."

Blushing Apple said, "Well I was supposed to have the same thing happen to me. And I sort of did. Only…"

"Only what?"

"Well things aren't going exactly as I expected. I was raised to follow in my mother's footsteps and eventually I was supposed to live happily ever after. Only my friend Raven changed all of that." She told Frankie about Ever After High and everything that had happened since school had started. "And she was right. I fought against it, but Raven was right to throw away the book and give everyone their own destiny. She helped us defeat her mother and has been one of the best friends I've ever had. Actually she's my aunt, but anyway I don't' regret what she did exactly. I just… I've had to rethink a lot of things I was expecting."

"Well at least you got your true love right? I mean you broke the spell and everyone knows that can only be done with true love's kiss." Apple's face flushed bright red. "Something wrong?"

"Well that's another thing. The boy I thought was my true love tried to wake me up and um… it didn't work."

"But you did wake up, right? So somebody broke the spell."

"Yes, it was… his sister." She looked down demurely.

"And you don't like her?"

"I wouldn't say that. Darling is… well she's very nice, brave, and she did save my life. She's probably the most beautiful girl in the whole school. I am actually a little jealous of her." She brushed a bit of hair over her ear. "I just… I was supposed to be rescued by true love's kiss from Prince Charming, not Princess Charming."

Frankie sat next to her and nudged her a little with a grin. "Well as I understand it, doesn't the curse only break if you're kissed by your one true love? The person you're destined to be with and who you care about too?"

"Yes," Apple said in a tiny squeak.

"So?"

"It's just… not what I thought was going to happen. I haven't' even really spoken to her much since then. I don't think I've even heard of a fairy tale where two princesses fall in… in love."

Frankie said, "Oh I'm sure there are some out there, but even if there weren't so what? You don't have to do something a certain way just because it is expected and someone else did it that way first. My friends and I started Monster High to help all kinds of people figure out who they were and so they could be themselves. Not everyone may like it, but everyone has their own freaky fabulous flaws that are part of what makes them who they are. We're all different and special and if it makes us happy, why should we let someone else decide who we are? Look at me, if I did everything my parents did I'd spend like fifty years running around the countryside yelling 'fire bad' and chasing villagers.

"Now my grandfather, he did things his way. He literally made himself a family and some good friends, even when people told him it couldn't be done. And as for my parents, well when they were kids you'd never know they would eventually become who they are. My mom and dad are very different people. Actually they're somewhere between twenty and thirty different people." She giggled and wiggled the fingers on one of her hands. "You'd never think they'd end up together, but they are and they've been very happy for almost two hundred years."

"I suppose that doesn't sound too bad," Apple said. "Do you like girls?"

"That's complicated. I think maybe my parents made me a lesbian."

"If I got the parts could they make me one?"

"I think that's a decision you'll have to make for yourself. Or if it's how you feel, maybe it's not a decision after all. I understand how you can have different parts of yourself warring inside and maybe feel two different ways about something. But running away from it isn't going to help. In fact you might realize later that by not trying you let what you really want get away."

"Have you ever liked a girl like that?"

Frankie smiled and adjusted her neck bolts. "Well there is one girl I know who turns my head. Her name is Twyla and she's the daughter of the Boogeyman. She's really pretty and kind of shy, but she'll do anything for her friends. We've had a lot of adventures together."

"That sounds nice. No boyfriends?"

"Not since they rebooted our timeline," she said. "There was this zombie-unicorn guy I knew and this other guy who ruled over an island for a while who had a crush on me, but nothing else serious. I have a lot of friends, but really Twyla is the only one I've really clicked with."

"Have you asked her out?"

"Not yet. We've been really busy setting up the school, saving monsters, and opening Clawdeen's salon." Now she was blushing a darker shade of green. "I'm thinking now that when we get back I might ask her out."

"And I'd say yes," another voice said. Both girls jumped off the bed. A blue girl slid out of the shadows under the bed. "Hey Frankie."

"Twyla, what are you doing here?"

"Dracula asked me to look for you," she said standing up. "You left the mapalogue behind shooting sparks and you've been gone for hours."

"Yeah, we kind of got zapped here," Frankie said. "Can you bring us back?"

"Getting here wasn't easy. I think it's just something that works for me," she said. "When I finally tracked you down though, I heard you talking and thought I shouldn't interrupt."

Frankie's blush deepened. "I um…"

Twyla giggled and leaned forward the kiss her on the cheek. "We'll save it for when you get home. For now, how about we help your friend and then I'll go home and tell everyone you're at least in one piece." Frankie's hand fell off. "Give or take."

It crawled back up her leg and reattached at the wrist. Frankie shrugged and said, "Never misses a cue."

"Help me how?" Apple asked. Fie minutes later she was being pushed down a hallway. "Oh come on girls, please. I mean she might not even be in her room. I should wait. Maybe get my hair done or something."

Frankie smiled. "Are you saying you don't look absolutely gorgeous?"

Apple fought with herself, but try as she might she found she was physically incapable of saying that. "Well I…"

"This it?" Twyla asked.

"Um, yes." She looked at Frankie. "I thought you said she was shy."

"And that she'd do anything to help a friend. Go on, knock."

Apple hesitated and then knocked on the door. Twyla and Frankie backed up into a nearby shadow and basically disappeared. Apple looked like she was going to run. Then the door opened and Darling was there in a bathrobe. She flipped back her hair and time slowed. When she saw Apple she smiled wide. "Apple, what are you doing here?"

"I um…" An invisible finger poked her in the back and she winced. "I was wondering if you would like to join me for tea tomorrow. And maybe a walk in the woods?"

Darling grinned playfully. "Like on a date?"

"Um…" Apple pretended to fix a wrinkle in her dress. "Maybe." Darling leaned on the doorframe and folded her arms, waiting. "Or yes. Yes. A date. If you want."

"You're cute when you blush," Darling said. "I see why they named you Apple. Sure, I'd love to go on a date with you Apple. I'll see you tomorrow." She winked and then backed up and closed the door.

Frankie and Twyla reappeared on either side of her. Apple let out a sigh and said, "I think I'm going to faint."

"Well then we'll just knock and have Darling kiss you awake…" Frankie teased.

"Eek!" Apple really was turning completely red as she turned and ran for it.

"That was fun," Twyla said. She reached out and took Frankie's hand. "Want to take me to bed?"

Frankie was the one blushing now, sparks shooting out of her neck bolts. "What?"

"I have to get back to Monster High, remember?"

"Oh, um… right."

Twyla giggled and kissed her on the cheek. Hand in hand the two of them walked down the halls back to Frankie's room.

A few days later after a huge going away party thrown by their new friends Cleo showed up with a purple bag full of glowing green dust. "Okay ghouls, I have what we need. You ready to go?"

"I hope we can come back," Frankie said. "This school is pretty cool. It's given me some fun ideas for when we get back home."

Draculaura said, "It really shows how Monster High could be one day. That humans and monsters can get along."

Clawdeen nodded. "You have no idea. Though I suspect when we get back, Demoanica and some of the others will accuse us of telling fairy tales." They all laughed. "I admit that it was fun hanging out in the woods for a while, but I can't wait to get home. I miss computers and toilets and my salon."

"Agreed," Cleo said. She reached into the bag and took a pinch. "Here we go…' She threw it into the air and they were enveloped in a swirling green cloud.

When it cleared they were being stared at by several people. A flying girl in a blue and red outfit, a clown, and a girl dressed up as a bat. The flying girl said, "Barbera, do you know who these girls are?"

"Not a clue Kara. Harley?"

"Never seen 'em before."

Cleo looked around. "Whoops… uh, let's try this again." Another pinch and another new hallway full of lockers. Only this time it was full of strange looking animal people.

A pair of rabbits, one blue and one pink, came up to them. "Hi, I'm buster Bunny."

"And I'm Babs Bunny."

"No relation."

Clawdeen grabbed a pinch of the powder and threw it in the air. Another hallway. This one full of humans, they thought, except each one was a different color. A white skinned woman with rainbow hair came walking over. "Hello, I'm Principal Celestia. Can I help you?"

The girls groaned and Cleo reached for another pinch. "This may take a while…"