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 16:

The Tale of Two Tales

-Twyla-

Twyla held Darling in her arms as Mal's screams drew everyone into the hallway. People gasped and murmured as Twyla inspected the melted sword that had twisted to pierce Darling's chestplate.

She pried Darling's hand open to remove the sword, disgusted as skin and blood adhered to the wire poking out of the blue ribbon on the grip, "What the hell?"

A forceful wind flung Twyla across the hall. She slammed onto the floor. The breath knocked out of her chest. She groaned as she rolled over.

"Get away from her, haven't you done enough!" Mal crept forward with hands raised glowing orange.

Twyla's eyes widened as the crowd responded in outrage, "What? Wait, I didn't-"

"No lie, I saw you drag Darling down when you jumped out of her shadow," Cedar pointed.

Kitty gestured wildly, "That's no joke, Cedar's dad had the blue fairy cast a truth spell on her when she was brought to life. She can't say anything but the truth."

Frankie rushed over to Darling, "Oh my ghoul, Crecha help me!"

Crecha grabbed Darling's legs and helped to carry Darling out of the hall.

Evie covered her mouth as sobs escaped. She closed her eyes and ran out the hall. Her outburst snapped everyone out of their stupor. Lagoona glared at Twyla disgusted as she left with Abbey close on her heels. Robecca, Cleo, Blondie and Farrah whispered among themselves as they skittered away.

Twyla's breath caught in her throat as Billy appeared in the hallway mere feet from where Darling had fallen. He turned and fixed his gaze upon her. His normally grey human shaped eyes had changed to the piercing gold reptilian slits he used on Faybelle.

Twyla couldn't stand the look of utter hatred he threw her way. She lowered her head to avoid his gaze as she slipped into the shadow. She drifted from shadow to shadow aimlessly, replaying the fight in her head. She thought she had followed the layout of the first floor as far as she could go until she stepped into a shadow on the other side of a wall.

Where am I?

She stepped out of shadow and glanced around in the dim light provided by the wall sconce. She was standing on the landing of stairs carved directly from the rock wall. Curious she searched for the door that she had bypassed. The door knob was a dark burnt brass in the shape of a clock. She turned it to reveal the hallway near the mail room. The door to the room she was in was completely flat against the wall, purposefully hidden. She spotted a groove where a thin key could fit and in the center of the door were the thinly carved words: Booty Basement.

Twyla returned to the landing and peered down the stairs, even with the additional light provided from the hallway there wasn't much to be seen. She descended the carved spiral stairs; the air was warm and damp and the sound of dripping water echoed up the stairs and throughout the massive chamber. As she reached the large landing overlooking the room she gasped in wonder, "So this is what a treasure horde looks like."

She sat down on the landing and took in the glittering sights, piles of gold and trinkets big and small made rolling hills and golden mountains. She leaned back and accidently knocked over a goblet which sent it plummeting to the pile below. The only place the treasure wasn't built up was the steps and she did not want a pile of gold breaking her fall. A noise at the top of the stairs alerted her to another presence.

She slid into shadow and pressed herself against the wall. A few gold coins splattered noisily to the ground below making her cringe. She closed her eyes and hoped to remain unseen. A deep sigh made her open her eyes. There on the landing stood Evie with her hand on her hip as she gazed over the room.

Twyla stepped out of the shadow, "Evie?"

Evie shrieked in fright as she turned and slipped on some gold coins. She fell over the edge taking a sword, a few goblets, plates, forks, knives, and bangles with her.

Twyla reached out and grabbed her hand, "Hang on!"

Evie panicked and screamed like there was no tomorrow.

Twyla pulled with all her might, "I can't help you when you move around like that."

Evie reached with the other hand and grabbed the ledge to pull herself up. When she was safe, she shoved Twyla down and sprinted up the stairs crying.

Twyla clenched her fist as she stomped up the stairs. Everyone thinks I'm a murderer! How could this happen? I'll bet I can find the evidence I need on that floor.

She focused her gaze upon the floor once in the hall of windows. The blinding glare that had greeted her initial entry had dimmed considerably. There were faint traces of silver and indigo fairy dust all over the floor. She furrowed her brow.

I know fairies leave dust trails whenever they do anything and Farrah and Faybelle have been through here this morning.

She knelt down and peered closer at the spot where Darling had stopped moving. There was a light dusting of purple and indigo shimmer. She ran her fingers over both the shimmers and the dust. The shimmer was thicker almost paste like in its consistency in comparison to the feathery light dust, "I wish I knew what type of spells Mal cast..."

She glanced around for footprints and frowned when she spotted circular patterns in various places leading out of the hallway, "Someone cleaned up in here… Billy, he was the last one to leave."

She put her hands around each circle, "This is way too small to be a footprint… was it blood and why would he wipe that up?"

She rapped the floor with her knuckle as she scanned the hallway. She spotted indigo fairy dust on the column by the entrance. As she neared it, she noticed another circle of clean amidst a shower of dust at the base of the column, "Whoever cleaned was either in a hurry or was focused on one thing in particular."

She peered up the column and noted the trail of indigo fairy dust that led up to the curved ledge just beneath the acanthus-leaves, "Was someone watching the fight from up there or was this from a previous incident?"

Twyla sighed as she slid into shadow. Hopefully Darling will recover and tell her side of things.

-Frankie-

Frankie winced as a few of her arm stitches popped as she carried a smoking Darling.

Crecha grunted as she adjusted how she carried Darling's legs, "Why is she wearing so much armor?"

Frankie trudged forward, searing her arm on the metal, "She seemed to suspect that Mal would fight dirty."

Crecha chuckled, "I bet being hurt by one of her own classmates didn't cross her mind."

Heels clicks accompanied sobs as Evie dashed past them. Frankie shouted, "Hey, can you help open the infirmary door?"

Evie stood with eyes wide and hair wild as she wiped tears from her face, "I, sure, yeah…"

Frankie's arms ripped at the elbow and she dropped Darling onto the floor.

Evie assisted, "It might be best if you get the door."

Frankie let go of Darling and allowed both her arms to crawl over to the door and pull it open.

Evie shook her head as they entered the infirmary, "How does your body work?"

Frankie shrugged as she reattached her arms, "Oh you know, science."

Inside the infirmary, LT Delahaye leaned on an instrument tray covered in various surgical tools. She smiled, "And here she is, the guest of honor."

LT Montoya stepped out from behind a partition, "It's Darling?"

Delahaye turned towards her with a grin, "She needs your assistance."

Montoya glared at Delahaye as she motioned to place Darling on the bed, "I should have known."

Evie and Crecha placed Darling on the bed then stepped back.

Delahaye swung her coattails as she went to Darling's bedside, "I'll take this, ow!" She retracted her hand as she burned her fingers on the sword.

Montoya gripped the sword with her apron and tossed it onto the instrument tray. She placed her palm against Darling's head and muttered something Frankie couldn't quite hear.

Delahaye pulled the partition closed with an upward twist of her lips, "I'm afraid there's not much we can do for her."

Frankie's eyes widened, "What? LT Montoya can heal anything, even undead."

Montoya moaned sorrowfully from the other side, "I'm afraid she's right. Please inform your classmates the best way you know how."

Frankie glanced at the instrument tray now devoid of a sword and turned towards Crecha, "Surely something can be done?"

Crecha pointed to her arm, "You felt how hot she got."

Frankie shook her head, "But-"

"Please exit the infirmary while I perform the proper burial rights," Montoya ordered.

Crecha linked arms with Frankie and dragged her out of the room, "Come on, we need to get your arms sewn up properly."

Frankie sighed as the infirmary door closed behind them, "Just like that, she's gone.

Crecha clung to her as she leaned close, forehead touching forehead, "We have our lives, and each other. Let's be grateful for that."

Frankie peered around the hall, "Where did Evie go?"

Crecha shrugged, "She left after LT Montoya pronounced Darling dead." She led her towards the dorms, "Come on, let's take care of those tears."

Frankie fiddled with her torn skin as she walked, "It just seems so unreal. One minute she's alive and fighting for the freshmen cause and the next…"

"Tears will make you short circuit and you've already lost a lot of volts here."

Frankie pulled away from her, "What is wrong with you! One of our friends just died."

Crecha snatched her by the arm and dragged her, "Because the one who did it is still out there and we're both vulnerable by ourselves. Cleo is the only one who can combat shadow and we still need to get your arm stitched up."

"Oh…" Frankie's mind wandered as she was led to the dorm.

Cleo, Robecca, Farrah and Blondie sat huddled together whispering when they entered.

Blondie hopped off the bed, "How is she?"

"Dead on arrival," Crecha shrugged, "Nothing could be done for her."

Cleo pulled at her hair as she kicked various things arounds the room, "I knew it! Twyla couldn't let me have anything! She dismissed every plan I had and ruined any chance I had to be praised!"

She grabbed a pair of scissors out of an open chest and cut her hair, "Darling is dead. Ghoulia lays gravely injured…"

Farrah covered her mouth with her hands, "Oh my goodness!"

The scissors clattered to the floor as Cleo dropped them, "This is a time of great grief. Her wounds were incurable, she stubbornly refused…," She shook her loose long strands which fell to the floor in a heap, "Let us mourn."

Frankie clutched her arm as she bowed her head for a moment of silence.

Crecha folded her arms, "Cleo, what will we do about Twyla?"

Cleo's eyes began to glow as she raised her head, "Twyla, hmph. Her name describes her character and her fate perfectly. Two threads woven together in strength when obscured by the glow of the rising sun."

She held her head high, "Judgement is coming for her; mark my words. She was cut-off from the dark when a greater evil was present but now, clearly that dark power has seeped into her heart and eaten away any sympathy she had. Now she lurks in the shadow scheming and rebellious. She is a fool if she thinks she can use these murderous tactics to get us to change our mind on freedom.

Robecca stood up, "Are you positive? It feels a bit off for Twyla."

"I don't know why she has turned against us but she has. I was watching through the door remember?" Cleo scoffed.

Frankie shook her head, "Well yeah, but it was hard to see through all those vines and mirrors."

"Those were illusions Frankie, any magic user worth her salt could see through it." Cleo made as if to brush her hair back but paused when her fingertips touched jagged edges, "Darling had just found the sweet spot of the illusion and was about to cut through it to escape when Twyla reached out of shadow and grabbed hold of her. I didn't see what Twyla did but I did see Mal's shocked face."

She frowned, "Darling was so close to victory, once the illusion was dispelled Mal would have had to surrender and Twyla knew this. At this point nothing sets her apart from Freddie." She pursed her lips and put her hands on her hips, "Ghouls, change begins with us; we are the only light that remains to save the rest of our classmates. Let's not waste our attention and resources fearing the shadow."

The door opened and closed. All turned to see who had entered. Evie trembled as she glanced around, "I know this isn't my dorm but the door was unlocked and…"

Robecca ran over to Evie and hugged her as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Cleo nodded, "I think it is high time we stop bickering with one another and work together. Frankie learned a bit of valuable information while in the infirmary and I intend to put it to good use. Evie, if you are able can you get a sample from the trees of the forest tomorrow?"

Evie wiped her cheek with the palm of her hand and nodded.

Cleo turned, "Good, Robecca can help you retrieve the samples. Give Blondie a list of what you need. I'm sure you're more than aware of Blondie's acquisition abilities."

Evie dabbed at her eyes as she sniffled, "Unfortunately yes."

"Farrah, I want you with Frankie on the knowing face search. Since Twyla has shadow hopping abilities, I want you to cast light spells for protection."

Farrah saluted, "You got it."

"And Crecha."

"Yes?"

"I need you to keep Ghoulia in the loop and if possible, keep an ear out for other juicy news."

Crecha sighed, "That sounds like it involves a lot of sneaking around. I'm not big on creeping in the dark."

Cleo closed her eyes and sighed, "Fine, if visiting Ghoulia is too much for you then you can try to convince Lagoona and Abbey to join our cause."

"You know the infirmary sounds nice."

"That's what I thought."

Frankie smiled as she neared Farrah, "Now where should we start our search?"