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 17:
Till Death Do Us Part
-Frankie-
Frankie couldn't tear her eyes away from the image of Cleo without makeup. It was Sunday, the first day of the summer, and Cleo stood in the infirmary among a crowd wearing no makeup, her hair was covered in what looked to be ash and it was still jagged from the previous day's stunt.
The infirmary door opened to reveal an irate Mal. She stalked across the room, parting the crowd, as she held up a piece of paper, "What the hell is this?"
Cleo cut her eyes towards Mal, "It's an invitation I see you've chosen to ignore. Why are you so brightly adorned, it is a time of mourning! Do you really intend to show such contempt for the deceased?"
Mal gestured over herself as she stepped back, "And what about this screams brightly adorned?"
Cleo narrowed her eyes as she motioned towards those present.
Mal glanced around. All the students wore the sand-colored blouses and forest green bottoms of the formal uniform while she stood in her purple tank top and distressed skinny jeans. She bowed at the waist, her body a near perfect 90-degree angle, "I didn't mean to violate decorum, its just-"
"Then go change, we will wait for you," Cleo motioned for a seat and Deuce brought one to her.
Mal smiled as she rose, "Thanks…but there's still a slight problem."
Cleo arched a brow as she lounged, her silhouette still elegant and regal despite the stiff material of the formal uniform.
Mal forced a smile, "Today is the first day of summer and its my job as senior to ensure we all go through the forest." She tilted her head, "Its part of school tradition."
"A royal was slain before your very eyes. I allowed you ample time to declare the week of mourning but you did not give the order and thus it was left to me."
"Week?" Mal chuckled as she glanced at the invitation, "You expect me to allow all of you to not work for a week?"
"It's not a matter of what you'll allow, it's a matter of principal. Darling was a royal and as such she is entitled to a royal funeral." Cleo held her head high, "No work can be done for seven days-"
"Excuse you-"
"But," Cleo raised a finger, "Our funeral procession will pass through the forest. You may direct your class to chart the course."
Mal and Cleo stared at one another for an uncomfortable passage of time.
Frankie leaned close to Farrah and whispered, "I hope they don't start a fight."
Farrah gripped her wand, "I'll just push things in the right direction." She flicked her wrist and the swirling spell hit Mal.
Mal gasped as her clothes changed into the formal uniform.
"Now that everything is as it should be," Cleo clapped as she stood, "Everyone, let's migrate outside. Pallbearers in front, wailers behind them."
Mal narrowed her eyes and grinned as she walked past Farrah, "I'm glad your classmate has your loyalty."
Farrah trembled, "I…"
Frankie shook her head, "Don't worry, I'm sure Cleo will-"
"Oh marquis~," Faybelle linked arms with Farrah and tugged, "So like, why would you embarrass your queen?"
Frankie reached for her but the wailers began their sobbing lament and LT Montoya ushered everyone out of her infirmary.
Evie tapped her shoulder as they made their way outside to the tune of sobs, "Come on, let's gather some samples."
Frankie tugged at the rigid collar of her blouse, "Of the blood trees?"
"Yes, best do it early, no telling how long it will take to analyze," Evie hissed as her eyes darted around scanning every student, "This school changes people. Even friends can become enemies."
Frankie shielded her face as they stepped into the bright sunlight of the morning, "Are you and Robecca not getting along?"
"What? No! She went to grab a few things before we got started. She'll meet us in there. I just didn't want to stand by those trees all by myself."
"Oh okay," Frankie nodded which rubbed her bolts against the collar. She tugged at the blouse, "This is the least comfortable uniform."
Evie chuckled as she ran her hand over the material of her own sand blouse, "It's the closest thing to mourning clothes that we have." She spun around but the forest green pencil skirt didn't flutter, "We most definitely won't be doing work in this outfit."
"Mother earth won't appreciate us stomping through the woods in these heels," Venus kicked up her foot to show off the dull beige pump as she walked up to them, "Although the uniform is made of wool and recycled materials."
Frankie waved as Robecca and the rest of the freshman joined them, "Hey!"
"Hello," Robecca chuckled as they neared the trees, "Despite what it's made of this uniform doesn't make much sense for pirates. Why use such stiff materials if the whole point of pirating is looting?"
Evie tilted her head, "Do you have the…"
"Oh yes, in my bag. By the way, i hope you don't mind but Venus offered to help us gather the samples."
Venus waved dismissively, "I'm sure I can talk to the forest and find out what's really going on."
Frankie smiled, "Voltageous!"
Rochelle shrieked and leapt back as a blade of grass swiped at her leg, "Mon Dieu! It would seem that more than the trees are hostile. Are we really to traverse such a dangerous place?"
Venus held out her hands to the curving grass, her brow furrowed as she bent her knees, "I don't understand."
Frankie's eyes widened as some of the blades grew and lashed out, slicing Venus's leg, "What's happening?"
"This grass isn't natural; these trees aren't natural. What is this?"
Evie closed her eyes and put her hands together. A small white orb formed at her fingertips, she cast it out with her palm and it hit the forest floor. The grass blades absorbed the spell and lengthened.
Rosabella, Justine and Li Mei winced as it cut them, taking drops of blood in the process.
Evie shuddered, "I didn't notice it last year because we were so busy, but this forest absorbs everything. Magic, blood, it takes it all away."
Frankie tentatively stepped into the darkened section of forest. The grass leaned close but did not slice her, "I think we can enter because we already bled in it."
Venus frowned as she tried to control the slicing grass blades, "How much blood does this forest want! It doesn't speak, it just cackles!"
Evie flipped her hair over her shoulder, "This part of the forest is must be some type of evil curse. Freddie was right, if we cut it, it will cut us back."
Venus spread out her fingers as she glared at the trees, "This may be a cursed forest but there are still good seeds in here."
A pop of green sprouted among the grey grass blades, as it shot up the grass turned towards it and sliced until it was a pulpy mess. Venus covered her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks, "Its pure evil!"
Robecca hummed thoughtfully as the grass blades stabbed at her repeatedly, "Hang on a tick, is the grass trying to bleed me?"
Rochelle chuckled as the grass slapped at her legs, "So it would seem that you were not successfully bled."
Frankie's eyes widened as they tried to catch up to the mourners, "Wait, so you're not bound."
Robecca tilted her head, "I must not be."
Evie's eyes twinkled, "You could fly out of here and get help!"
Robecca hummed thoughtfully, "Well I could most certainly try but where would I go? All the magic needed to return to our world is hidden here and all of you are bound to this location."
Venus scrunched her nose, "What do you mean return to own world?"
Robecca recounted, "Last year, when we tried to escape a few of us dug through the volumes in the library to discover that we are currently a prisoner in an entirely different world. This isn't the our world nor the fairy tale world. Magic in this world, while physically present all around us on this island, is merely a concept of fantasy."
Evie nodded, "The stories that we live out in our world are only read about here."
Rosabella stumbled over a tree root as she turned her head, "The stories don't come true here?"
"Nope."
Justine whined, "No enchanted dancing?"
Li Mei shrugged, "Well at least we don't have to worry about invading armies."
Evie shook her head, "This wars of this world are deadlier than anything my mom ever concocted."
The screech of wailers grew louder as they drew near. Frankie hopped out of the dark forest and into the light, "At least we know one thing about this forest."
"What," everyone asked.
Frankie grinned, "Rochelle and Robecca can't be bound to it."
Evie put her hands on her hips and smiled, "Now all we have to figure out is how we got here so we can send them back for help."
-Twyla-
It was late in the evening when everyone returned to their dorms. Twyla lurked in the shadows, watching, waiting for her target.
Mal entered the senior hall, her bare feet smacked against the floor as she carried her pumps, "…and you just stood there."
Billy pushed his hair back with a sigh, "How many times must I say I'm sorry."
Mal glared at him, "Until it brings back your dead girlfriend."
"That's not funny."
"You think this was fun for me? Watching that?" She shook her head as she inserted her key in her door.
He placed his hand on the door frame and leaned on it, "Mal, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I just, I didn't want you to fight her."
Mal flung her door open, "Yeah well, you don't get to tell me I'm good."
"But you are a good person, I can see it in your eyes-"
"Don't! I don't want to hear that from you." Her eyes shifted to a glowing green, "You don't know me and don't pretend that you do."
Billy sighed as he pushed away from the door, "Take care of yourself."
Mal scoffed, "Are you threatening to protect me now?" She rolled her eyes, "You might have everyone else fooled with your grieving boyfriend routine but I see right through you, you're just as evil as me."
"You don't mean that."
"Do I not? How's my sister?"
Billy's back went rigid. He lowered his head and became invisible.
Mal snorted as she entered her room, "That's what I thought."
When the door closed Twyla spoke from the shadow, "We need to talk."
"Who…," Mal narrowed her eyes as she scanned the room, "No, where are you and why are you in my room?"
Twyla glided from shadow to shadow, to obscure her location, "I have a few questions."
"Okay, first of all, I don't need to answer to you, or Billy, or anyone but myself. Second of all, why would I waste my time talking to a murderer like you."
"Because you were the one casting spells and it was obviously magic that heated her up like that."
Mal narrowed her eyes as she turned in a circle, "The only spells I used were illusions. Whatever spell you cast killed her."
Twyla furrowed her brow, "I don't cast spells, why would you think I cast spells?"
"You're not fooling anyone Boogey. You're just like Freddie. Shadow spells, voodoo and all. You we're even covered in the dust from your magical casting. Pretty obvious it was you."
Twyla reached up and touched her hair. Silver and indigo fairy dust was mixed with the regular dust on her head, "Can you detect who the caster is based on the dust?"
Mal put her hands on her hips and pointed towards the door, "I don't even know why I'm talking to you. Get out of my room."
"Why, will you scream for Billy? I'm sure he'd show up since he knows you so well."
Mal laughed, "Is that a hint of jealously I hear? Unbelievable." She let her arm fall to her side, "A shadow crushing on the unseen. It's hilarious."
"About this dust."
Mal cut her eyes towards a shadow in the corner, "Yes, you did give me a laugh. Alright, every spellcaster leaves a magical signature behind, a novice like yourself is more overt than others. When the sword reversed mid-air it was smoking, I've seen that style of smoke before from Freddie's shadow spells. It's how I know it was you. The popping out of shadow and dragging her down thing doesn't help your innocent plea. You should have let her fall naturally, best way to eliminate competition and have old Billy all to yourself."
"You mentioned Faybelle to Billy earlier, why?"
Mal scoffed as she turned towards another shadow, "Are you stalking me now?"
"I wanted to know what you did during the fight."
"Hmm, and I wanted to know how my sister was doing, he's in a position to talk to her daily."
"Mm, be seeing you."
Mal scowled as her eyes darted around the room. Twyla didn't wait for a reply as she drifted out of the room and made her way upstairs to the shadow underneath her bed. I'll need to observe magical signatures. If I can figure out who cast the spell I can get to the truth.
