Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from Monster High, Ever After High, Disney Descendants, DC Super Hero Girls, and Project MC2 worlds which are trademarked by Mattel, Guru Studio, Disney, Dreamworks Animation's AwesomenessTV and MGA respectively. All characters are created and owned by Mattel, Disney and MGA and I do not claim any ownership over them or their story and it is not purported or believed to be part of the original story canon. This story is for entertainment only.

Episode 14:

Before the Brawl

-Twyla-

Evening of Friday June 9th, Twyla inwardly groaned as she entered the chow hall with her classmates. The entire student body was abuzz with chatter about the upcoming fight and Darling's entry had caused a dull roar of excitement at dinner.

Cleo, next to Twyla in line, furrowed her brow, "Oh my Rah, what is all the fuss about? Is there new merchandise at the supply store? Why wasn't I notified?"

Blondie waved her hand dismissively, "No new items there, trust me you would be the first to know."

Cleo put her hand to her chest, "Well I should hope so. Tell me then, what is everyone talking about?"

Crecha huffed, "Everyone is talking about Darling. And how she's a hero. And other blah, blah, blah nonsense stuff."

Twyla shrugged as she grabbed a food tray, "Well if Darling's fight can prevent another Freddie-"

"You're the closest thing we have to Freddie," Crecha growled.

Cleo raised an eyebrow, "I can understand your irritation but we're all on the same team."

"Besides," Cleo placed her arm over her forehead and leaned back, "They should be talking about me like I'm the hero. I was the one who single-handedly carried everyone out of that city run yesterday. All Darling did was run fast; I mean really, what's a ghoul have to do to get the recognition she deserves?"

Blondie shrugged, "I don't know. Darling's fight seems to be a pretty big deal to people."

Cleo put her arm down, "That's it! Darling's fight. That is how I will become the one everyone talks about. It will be glorious and Darling will be in her rightful place, below me."

Twyla quirked a brow, "Uh how do you plan on-"

"What do you want?" Ensign Cookie demanded as she tapped her serving spoon impatiently.

Twyla sheepishly pointed, "Chicken tetrazzini please."

Once her tray was set, she sat at a table where Abbey, Billy and Lagoona were already present.

Billy glanced down at her tray, "When did they bring out the tetrazzini? I didn't see any when I was up there."

Twyla turned her plate towards him, "Wants some?" Billy smiled as he took a bite.

Lagoona slammed her hands on her tray and rose from the table, "I think I've lost my appetite."

Abbey pinched her lips together as she held up her hand, "Finish meal."

"I can't be apart of this, sorry love," Lagoona took her plate to an empty table and ate by herself.

Twyla furrowed her brow, "What's eating Lagoona?"

Billy took his tray, "I don't know but I'll find out."

Abbey sighed as she dug into her meal with gusto.

Twyla poked at her plate, "Was it something I did?"

Abbey ignored the question as she shoveled food into her mouth. Twyla cast a glance towards Billy and Lagoona but when she made eye contact with Darling she tensed. Darling fixed her with a cold glare.

She's been extra aggro towards me too. Between Crecha, Lagoona and Darling I'm beginning to wonder if my shadow jumping has them wary of me. Crecha mentioned I was like Freddie. Darling seemed peeved that I can just jump through shadow to the showers. I'm not sure what Lagoona's deal is though, I can't think of anything I've done that would squick her in any way.

Everyone finished their meal and headed upstairs to grab their summer homework for the last official study night of the spring semester.

It was tense in their dorm room. Twyla did her best to remain outside the shadow as she retrieved what she needed. Lagoona seemed more annoyed than ever as she stared at Billy.

Billy rubbed the back of his neck, "Hey…hey Darling umm. Do you want to work on the homework together?"

Darling closed her eyes and turned her nose up, "No but you can go study with Twyla."

Billy threw his hands up in exasperation, "I want to study with you Darling, I mean it... I…I-"

Darling pointed towards the door, "Well you can study forever after without me."

Twyla narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. Wait…

Billy hung his head and grabbed his books as he disappeared. The opening of the door was the only indicator that he left. Farrah bowed as she grabbed her bag and followed after him.

Faybelle burst through the door before it could fully close. She flipped her ponytail and sang, "Darling~ all the school is betting on you to beat Mal, but we all know that my sister is going to majorly cheat so I've decided to help you win your fight."

Darling rolled her eyes and folded her arms, "No thanks Faybelle, you're not needed."

Faybelle coughed into her palm and cupped a hand around her ear, "Uh, I'm sorry, what, couldn't quite hear you. Thought you might have said no or something."

She lowered her hand and looked at her nails, "Which is ridiculous because you are fighting my sister so of course you would need my help."

Darling shook her head, "I don't need your help Faybelle."

Faybelle pointed at Cleo, "So you'll ask her for help but not me?! Why would you exclude me?"

Darling looked pointedly at her, "Because you only care about yourself, you don't care for others. You probably have coin or something riding on me and you want to ensure that you get the prize."

Faybelle rolled her eyes and sneered, "Everyone is already betting on you, if I wanted to win I would make you lose."

"Exactly, which is why I don't want your help. You have no integrity whatsoever; you only help others if it benefits you." Darling narrowed her eyes, "Worst of all, you don't even realize how pathetic you truly are, but don't worry when I'm done with your sister, I'll take care of that attitude of yours."

Faybelle shrieked as she leaned back, "Pathetic? Pathetic! Fine. I didn't want to help you any ways. Good luck in your fight Darling, you're going to need it." She flew out of the room and slammed the door.

Cleo flipped her hair, "No need to worry about Mal, if she does any crazy magic, I will ensure you are protected, leave it all to me."

Darling smiled as she sat down on her bed, "Thanks Cleo."

Cleo grabbed her bag and waved as she walked out of the dorm, "Don't mention it. Well, maybe a little."

Twyla sighed as she neared Darling.

Darling waved dismissively, "Just go away. I'll talk when I am ready to deal with you."

Twyla furrowed her brow, "Deal with me?"

Darling closed her eyes and turned her head away.

Abbey picked up her bag, "Come, must get as much done as possible."

Twyla sighed as she followed Abbey and Lagoona out of the room. As they headed towards the classrooms, she spotted Blondie sneaking towards LT Ching's office. What's she up to?

Once seated in classroom one, Lagoona slammed her bag onto the table and pulled out her school work.

Abbey puts her hands on her hip, "Why you act like this?"

Lagoona shrugged, "Act like what?"

Abbey narrowed her eyes and pointed, "You slam books, you say things in chow why you act like this?"

Lagoona opened her book and flipped through pages, "I'm all normal here, nothing out of the ordinary."

Abbey leaned forward on the table, "You no normal. Lagoona I know is happy. This Lagoona like iceberg, so much under surface no one wants to get near."

Lagoona looked up at Abbey and glared, "Nothing but calm waters here."

Abbey scoffed, "Calm waters with dangerous ice beneath."

Lagoona frowned, "Doesn't even make sense. You're not making sense. Just shut it if that is all you have to say."

Abbey blinked as she leaned back, "See, you say this to me then say is normal, not Lagoona at all. What troubles you?"

Lagoona scoffed, shook her head and looked back down at the homework.

Twyla sat down next to Lagoona and put a hand on her shoulder, "It might help if you tell us."

Lagoona jerked her shoulder away and growled, "Wouldn't help to tell you anything. How could you do such a thing? I can't believe you."

Twyla leaned away, "What!? What did I do?"

Crecha burst into the room, "Abbey! Oh good I'm glad you're in here, I need to…" Her eyes landed on Twyla and she squinted, "I need you for a thing."

Abbey raised an eyebrow, "Thing?"

Crecha held her hands in front of her, "The thing with the…you know…that a certain shadow can't know about."

Twyla threw her hands up and exclaimed, "What the hell!? Why is everyone keeping secrets from me?"

Lagoona mumbled, "Maybe it's because you do a lot of shady things."

Twyla gasped, "I am not shady." She tilted her head, "Well okay I can hide in the shadow so I can see why you would think I was shady." She shook her head, "But still, we're friends, aren't we?"

Crecha rolled her eyes, "Any ways, we really could use your help Abbey. With Ghoulia in the infirmary…well you know."

Abbey tapped her foot, "You speak in riddles Crecha speak plainly, no need for secrets around Twyla she is good ghoul, she just sleeps in dark places."

Crecha tapped her fingers together and grimaced, "Uhhh, well the thing is-"

Darling entered the classroom with a painfully fake smile, "Hello Abbey, you don't mind if I study here, do you. Not really feeling the usual spot."

Abbey nodded and waved to the table, "Plenty of room for friend, come have seat, we haven't started our study."

Crecha glared at Darling then shoved passed her as she stomped out of the room.

Darling blinked, "What's gotten into her?"

Abbey shrugged, "No idea. Study?"

Darling kept her narrowed gaze fixed upon the door as she nodded, "Yes, let us power through this homework. I do not want to worry about a fight and a paper."

Twyla clutched her book, "Is there anything else that you're worried about?"

Darling closed her eyes and rolled her neck as she sat down.

Twyla sighed. I guess it will have to wait until after the fight.

-Frankie-

Peppermint scented pillows tickled Frankie's nose. She slowly opened her eyes to what appeared to be a warm-glowing sunrise. In the distance she heard a faint ringing, like a cloth covered mallet circling the outer ring of a brass gong.

She sat up in bed and glanced at her surroundings as voices filtered into her hearing. She spotted the glowing lantern on her bedside table emitting multiple colors and realized it was only imitating the sunrise. She slipped out of bed and crept towards the opening in her partition to peer around.

It was nighttime. The curtain between the front and the back of the infirmary was open and LT Montoya stood next to a sink cleaning a large pan while LT Walker sipped from a mug at the table.

Montoya briefly made eye contact with Frankie before she set the pan in the sink, "It is a good plan, you'll have to trust me on this."

Walker set her mug down and pursed her lips, "Anything will look like a good idea to the desperate but you mustn't forget how greedy Jacquotte can be. She's lazy and loves to get others to do her dirty work. Remember how she betrayed everyone for a laugh believing she was safe from the binding? In the end only Koda Jo was happy. That's how this plan you and Shih have cooked up will end, you know. Another purged class."

Montoya wiped her hands on her apron as she sat down, "I will never forget the misfortune of class 149. If they had only succeeded in draining the blood from the knowing face."

Walker rose from her seat, "They got pretty close didn't they." She tilted her head, "And it was with our aid, not our manipulation. Tell me, will you really allow your pride to make you an enemy of these children? We're no better than they, we were in their shoes once."

Montoya cracked a smile, "I can hardly imagine either one of us in their shoes, they have such tiny feet."

Walker stepped around the table and lifted Montoya's chin with her finger, "I desire freedom too, but trying to create our salvation by forcing change through destruction will only lead to everyone's downfall." She let go of Montoya and sashayed away, "Thanks for dinner Josefina."

Frankie's eyes widened as the infirmary door closed. Oh my ghoul. A knowing face! What could that mean?

"Ahem."

Frankie jumped and turned to see Montoya standing beside her. She gave a shy smile, "Hi, eheh."

Montoya folded her arms, "Seeing as you are awake, I think it best to let you join your friends for study. It will be a lot easier to do your summer homework now than to wait until the end when you don't remember anything."

Frankie nodded as she jogged towards the door, "You are so right, thanks for everything." She headed straight for the hall of windows, passing Farrah on the way.

As soon as she entered classroom three Crecha hopped out of her chair and hugged her, "Frankie!"

Frankie coughed and tapped Crecha's shoulder, "You're squeezing my bolts."

"Sorry!" Crecha patted Frankie's hair and smoothed it down, "I'm just glad you're okay. How's Ghoulia doing?"

Frankie tilted her head, "Hmm? Oh my ghoul. I totally forgot to check on her, sorry." She held up her hands as she neared the table, "But I have something I must tell you. You wouldn't believe the conversation I just overheard."

Cleo nodded absentmindedly as she set a sword and shield in front of her, "I'm sure its fascinating." She smiled, "Guess what I've got!"

Frankie furrowed her brow as she sat down, "A weapon?"

Cleo held her head and arms up as though waiting for applause, "I personally enchanted Darling's weapon! Blondie managed to find it in the armory but my magic has made this fit for a princess."

Crecha grumbled as she pulled a cardboard box close, "Yeah well that princess needs to be more careful."

Frankie glanced at the aluminum foil, tape, vinegar and wires in the box, "What's all that stuff for?"

Crecha shrugged, "A magic bug zapper, I'll let you know if it's a success."

Cleo snapped her fingers as she cleared her throat, "Um, hello. Do you not see these enchantments?"

Frankie glanced at the faintly glowing sword, "I'm sorry Cleo, but I don't know much about magic. Which is why I wanted to talk to you about what I heard in the infirmary."

Cleo rolled her eyes and balanced her chin on her hand, "What did you hear?"

Frankie grinned, "Apparently there's a face full of blood that we can drain to earn our freedom."

Cleo leaned closer, "Go on."