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 21:
Sparks of Fair Light
-Frankie-
"And the winner is Corporal Thorn!" Frankie heard as Raven cast a spell on their boat so they would drift down slowly.
Frankie sighed as she held her oar, "Well dang."
Evie leaned her face in her palm as she shook her head, "I knew Mal would cheat. I just knew it."
As the large floating platform glided past everyone that still had a boat moored their boats and climbed aboard.
Frankie's eyes widened as she stared at Mal's crew. All their arms were bent at unnatural angles and Faybelle lost her stomach.
Evie balled into her fist, "Oh that tears it." She stomped over to Mal and smacked the back of her head, "Mal Valorie Thorn, what is your deal!"
Mal clutched her injury as she pushed Evie back, "What do you think you're doing, private?"
"Knocking some sense into you," Evie smacked her arm away as she stepped closer, "And its private first class, not that my rank actually matters."
Frankie rushed to Evie's side as Mal's eyes switched from gray to green, "Let's not antagonize the winning senior."
Evie allowed Frankie to lead her away as the platform reached the shore.
Raven placed a hand on Evie's shoulders, "I know you and Mal were close in Auradon but… here, you can't call on her on bull. Trust me, I've tried. We've all tried." She leaned close and whispered, "You weren't here but during our freshman year, Freddie killed one of our classmates. LT Delahaye and LT O'Malley have really been pushing Mal to live up to her example."
Evie frowned, "Why?"
Raven shrugged as she stepped onto shore, "Who knows anything when it comes to the LTs. You take care."
Evie shook her head, "What this place does to people is awful."
Frankie linked arms with Evie as they headed inside, "Which is why we need to solidify an escape plan as soon as possible."
Evie chuckled bitterly, "Our last plan wasn't exactly a success."
"That's because we didn't know what we didn't know. Being in a different world can do that. Come join our meeting. Since Sunday is the beginning of fall semester, it'd be nice if we had more people in on the search."
"Meeting? What meeting and whose going to be there?
Frankie glanced around as she leaned in close, "Cleo has everyone searching for the way to break the curse."
Evie's eyes widened as she halted, "Cleo? I... I don't think I can-"
"Aww, come on," Frankie gently tugged on Evie's arm, "I know you two had some differences of opinion but-"
"No!" Evie snatched out of her grip and glanced around the hall. She lowered her head and pinched her lips together as she stepped closer, "Look, just promise me Cleo won't throw any of her magic around."
Frankie furrowed her brow as she noticed beads of sweat form along Evie's hairline, "Um, the only spells she cast are concealment charms to keep the meeting secret-"
"Concealment?" Evie's eyes widened, "As in hiding things?"
"Well yeah..."
Evie let out a breath and nodded, "Okay. I'll see you later tonight." She didn't wait for a response as she quick-stepped towards the nearest latrine.
Frankie tilted her head as she watched her. Ghoulia tapped her on the shoulder with a bemused groan. Frankie smiled with a roll of her eyes, "I didn't say anything that taxing, I was just recruiting."
Ghoulia chortled as she shuffled down the hall and Frankie laughed as she followed.
Later that evening, Frankie led Evie up the stairs to the second-floor chess club room. She glanced around with brows furrowed, "Oh I guess we're the first ones here."
Evie shuddered and rubbed her arms as her breath came out in visible wisps, "It's a little chilly in here."
"Oh wow, I don't feel a thing."
Evie turned towards her, "No offense, but you're a little dead."
Frankie pointed to herself, "I'm still affected by cold, my joints stiffen and pop off something awful. It is super annoying trying to so on a knee locked in one position." She glanced around, "So I know when its cold and I'm not-"
A rush of cold went through her and she shivered, "Oh my ghoul! What was that!"
Porter Geiss appeared in front of them, "Sorry, had to check and be sure the coast was clear before I let you into the hall of memories."
Evie furrowed her brow, "Hall of memories?"
"Yeah, can never be too careful these days." He tugged at the chains around his waist and tossed onto them, "Try not to freak out, okay."
Frankie marveled as the chain tied itself around their waist, "Oh my ghoul! Am I about to become a ghost?"
Porter chuckled as he rose towards the roof and drew a door, "Not really, but if you remove the chain you will." The ceiling lit up with a strange pale blue light and the door whispered as it opened.
Evie's eyes widened as they rose into the air and flew through the open door, "I really hope I don't regret this."
Frankie giggled, "I must be lighter than air right now."
Porter laughed as he gently nudged her into the space and closed the door, "Mayhaps you are."
Frankie gazed around and noticed that the world was a dark and gloomy blue. Nothing was solid and the longer she floated in one place the heavier her shoulders ached for regret hung damp in the air.
She could see thin white vapors float past her eyes.
Evie reached out to touch one of the vapors and it solidified and fell as several water droplets of an unfulfilled rain. She managed to catch a few and brought it close to her face, "Oh. It's a memory. I can see a family laughing around an old dinner table."
Porter nodded as he floated between them, "That's the hall of memories for ya."
"It is so strange to hold someone else's sadness and joy," Evie turned her palm and let the droplets fall. When the drops gathered together it became a vapor once more and continued to float. Broken memories of shattered lives fluttered through the air.
Frankie glanced around, "Where is everyone else?"
Porter gestured upward, "On Glimmer's memory lane. I'll take you there." He floated upwards and the chains that held them pulled them up with him. There was no visible sky or ground in the hall, only a vast plane of floating memories.
He drew a circle in the air in front of a memory. The memory collided with the circle and formed a bubble large enough for everyone to float through.
Frankie could see the black and white garden that lay within, blurred in the background was an elegant mansion. It appeared to be early-Victorian, and everyone that was part of the secret meeting was there with a chain around their waist, sitting at a table looking over documents. The modern plastic table seemed foreign for the time period and it was in the middle of the stunning garden hedge maze.
The moment Frankie and Evie's body were fully through the bubble entrance they landed on the ground as the weightless affect ceased. Glimmer appeared quite solid wearing a black silk Victorian-style dress.
Evie ran her hand through her hair as she flipped it over her shoulder, "Well, this was unexpected."
Cleo waved, "Evie, I'm so glad you could join us we could really use another brain on this riddle."
Evie glanced at the chain around her waist and held it up, "Can I move about freely with this?"
Porter nodded as he floated forward, "Ah, yeah. That chain just keeps you tethered to your living state. Its length is unlimited."
Frankie stared at the chains on Porter's waist, all the chains were silver with splatters of paint except for one. It was a hideous rusted chain that pulsed red as though it had a heartbeat, "Is that the chain of death?"
Porter grimaced, "No, it's the chain that binds us to the island. We can't reach the gate to go beyond this hall, so we're tethered to this world."
Glimmer nodded, "More specifically this island. We've been wracking our brains trying to figure out how a curse could extend to ghosts but we just can't think of anything. It would help if I had access to the ghost library at Haunted High but I can't get there. It is so frustrating."
Petra growled, "Frankie! Aren't you and Farrah supposed to be out searching for a face? It's supposed to have blood in it, all you brought last time was a piece of paper."
Cleo glared, "That's my line!"
Farrah rose out of her seat, "We'll go, don't worry."
Evie walked over to the table and sat down by Apple, "So what is this riddle?"
Porter took Farrah by the hand as he opened the memory, "All right, where would you two like to explore?"
Frankie chewed her cheek as she became weightless once more and floated through the void, "Well, we still have quite a few places on the second floor we need to check for faces."
Porter nodded and pointed towards a gigantic prism up ahead, "Second floor, no problem. Let's just check into the clubroom real quick to see if we have any unwanted guest snooping around."
Frankie's eyes widened as she peered into the prism. It was the same room they had left but somehow, she could see it from nine different angles.
Farrah gasped, "Oh my goodness, I can see through everything and yet I can still see things. How is it possible? I know that desk is solid but…"
Porter laughed, "Yeah, that's how I always see things. I guess your vision is pretty limited when you're wearing flesh." He frowned when a flash of light entered the room, "What is that jerk doing here?"
He opened the door and flew through with them.
Frankie and Farrah were thrown, not so gently, onto the floor as he ripped off the chains around their waist.
Porter balled his hands into fist and growled, "Billy, what do you want!"
Billy became visible with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Porter, it was a complete accident, I'm really sorry."
Farrah glanced between them, "Sorry for what?"
Porter huffed as he folded his arms, "Girlfriend stealer over here thought I wouldn't notice that he was spending the night in my girlfriend's room everyday last year."
"Porter-" Billy started.
"Then he has the gall to tell me no hard feelings, I didn't mean to rekindle our old flame bro, I just needed a haircut." Porter's glow darkened, "Just because you're invisible doesn't mean I didn't see what you did. I would haunt you if you didn't live with other people!"
Frankie linked arms with Farrah as she grimaced, "I think it's time we go searching the school."
Farrah nodded in agreement as they left the room, she shrank down and administered the honey drop to the back of Frankie's neck.
Frankie smiled as she crept quietly along the sloped hallway. Footsteps echoed from the staircase. Frankie glanced around and rushed towards a door. When she opened it, the familiar rush of wind whooshed past her as she revealed the outer ramparts of the school.
Farrah landed on her shoulder and whispered, "This door makes a lot of noise when opened. You should go hide further down."
"Good idea," Frankie remained crouched as she snuck along the curved ramparts bypassing the huge outward facing cannons. She ducked behind a portion of the wall directly across from where she entered with her back to a shack.
She waited a few moments, staring at the door as her leg twitched.
"Do you need something," a voice behind her asked.
Frankie smiled as she turned around, "Oh… um, I was just curious about the cannons. What do you do here?"
The worker gazed at her perplexed, "You want a cannon demonstration at this hour of the night?"
"Well, more like a cannon anatomy lesson. A demonstration might be a bit...loud."
The worker laughed and gestured towards the cannons, "Supposing you can see in the dark, sure. Right this way."
Frankie rubbed her fingers together and created an arch of electricity for light. She held it above her head as she ventured forward towards a cannon overlooking the ocean. Her eyes widened when she noticed a shimmer of deep orange magic on the outskirts of the outer rocks, "Woah."
The worker followed her gaze, "Ah yeah, that sight never gets old. In the mornings its breathtaking, and you can really see how fast snail isle moves."
Frankie tilted her head, "Moves?"
He nodded, "Yeah, this entire island was Rear Admiral Jones's ship. It was his way of getting around the whole never stepping foot on land curse." He bent down and touched the cannon, "Now as for this-"
Frankie cast her eyes towards him as mentally processed his words. This island is a ship that moves. It's constantly in motion. I'm on a ship the size of an island that constantly moves in a completely different world than my own. What kind of device would allow ships to find it?
She leaned back against the wall. Farrah's wings fluttered by her ear as Farrah flew off somewhere. Frankie smiled at the man as he continued to show her things.
"Psst, Frankie, push on this rock right here."
Frankie glanced behind her and spotted Farrah pointing to a crevice void of stone. She continued to smile at the man as she placed her hand on the rock and leaned her weight upon it.
When it fell a small leather pouch with the name Tato inscribed upon it in ghostly gold was revealed.
The worker stood up and pointed to it, "Ah, looks like you found another one of those ghost notes."
"Ghost notes," Frankie placed it in her pocket.
"Yeah, whenever we get ghosts at this school they always float wherever they please, especially that one class, Class 149. They did something that irritated the captain and she got beyond angry. My brothers and I avoided the fourth floor like the plague that year," He shrugged as he bent down and returned things to its place, "After that, only ghosts I saw were in the classes 151-154. That group of ghosts and ghouls always roamed the school, writing on things, leaving each other notes. I never knew what for and I didn't care. I had a job to do."
Farrah whispered, "If the classes are recruited each year then those classes would have been here in the 1940s. He doesn't look a day over 20."
Frankie tilted her head as she watched him put everything back, "How old are you?"
He laughed, "My age? Heh, that doesn't really matter. I was born here about 100 years ago though."
"How is that possible?"
He gazed up at her and smiled, "You're a curious little thing aren't ya. I like you, put together parts and all, so let me give you some advice. Don't go snooping in places you don't belong. Captain Jones will purge a class if she thinks you know too much. I've seen it happen multiple times, its never a pretty sight."
Frankie nodded as she backed away, "You're right. I should probably go."
"Take care now."
Frankie turned and made her way back to the clubroom where Porter escorted them back to Glimmer's hall of memories.
Farrah sat down at the table, full-sized, as the leather pouch was opened, "Oh I hope this one is legible."
Frankie unfolded the old parchment and frowned, "Nope, more Losbreken."
Ghoulia groaned as she brought it closer to her face. She opened her notebook and laid a finger on the text. Frankie smiled, "Oh wow Ghoulia, you already have a working translation guide."
Ghoulia waved dismissively as she focused on her task.
Frankie glanced around and paused as a sphere grew larger by the entrance, "What's that?"
Porter turned and sighed, "Oh, it's just a sound from the other room. It will reach your ears in a minute. I'll go see who's in there." He exited just as the sound of a chessboard falling over passed Frankie.
Frankie shook her head as she watched the sound sphere continue past, "Wow."
Evie nodded, "I know, the ghost world has very interesting properties."
Glimmer shook her head, "You're not even in the real ghost world, this hall is more of an in between. It surrounds the living world but it's not fully connected to the ghost world, hence why I believe Captain Jones could bind us to it."
Blondie chuckled as she tapped her notebook, "Guess what I found on LT Ching's shipping invoice."
Cleo glanced at it and smiled, "Ooh, almond flour and heavy whipping cream. I'll bet that's going to be on the dessert menu."
Blondie laughed as she flipped a page, "Actually..."
"It's going to be for breakfast! Ooh, I love Saturday free days."
Ghoulia held up the note and groaned. Cleo rolled her eyes, "Well that's just as useless as the last note."
Evie held up a hand, "Ah, translation please."
Frankie smiled, "You'll get the hang of it. Translated from Losbreken it says, the golden face is always bright. it knows the students' plight, day or night."
Ghoulia shrugged a groan. Frankie laughed, "Roughly translated. Its written in Losbreken and in riddle so it's not going to be exact."
"The fun has arrived," Faybelle shrieked as she landed in the gray garden.
Cleo slammed her hands on the table and glared, "The fun can un-arrive, this instant!"
Faybelle stomped her foot, "Shut up hag, I'm not in the mood to deal with your diva."
Cleo gasped and clutched her chest, "Hag!"
Billy stood up, "I'll escort her out, Cleo."
Faybelle smirked as she gazed at her nails, "Oh Billy I know you will." She cut her eyes towards the table, "I'm sure Evie wouldn't let me hang out by myself. Right best friend?"
Evie wilted as she stood up, "I… yes. Anything for a friend."
Porter rolled his eyes, "Ugh, whatever, let's just go."
"Oh by the way," Billy paused and turned towards the table, "I found a similar looking note in the wall the other day."
Cleo narrowed her eyes as he pulled it out of his pocket, "Why didn't you mention it earlier?"
"I was trying to help solve the riddle, I didn't think about it. Here."
Cleo huffed, "And how pray tell, did you think to open the wall and also which wall?"
"The wall was smashed in when I found the note."
Farrah accepted the note and brought it to the table.
Cleo pursed her lips, "Were you the one who smashed the wall?"
"Stop asking about the damn wall," Billy growled and turned towards the exit, "Porter let's go, I've got to deal with Faybelle."
Faybelle linked arms with Evie as she smirked, "Or the other way around."
Porter's glow darkened as he opened the door, "I could kill you."
As they left Frankie turned towards a startled Ghoulia, "What does it say?"
Ghoulia's eyes widened as she bemoaned. Frankie gasped, "A normal map will tell you treasure lies beneath, but when the map is treasure it's guarded by sharp teeth. This map you should savor, four treasures are sweet but air there is never, you might become meat!"
"Oh how terrifying!" Farrah exclaimed.
Petra filed her nails, "This search just gets better and better."
Cleo scowled, "Or worse."
Apple held up a hand, "That's okay, we can figure this out if we put our heads together."
Petra rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say Cherry."
Apple glared but remained silent.
Frankie high-fived Apple's open palm, "That's the spirit. Come on ghouls, let's decipher some riddles!"
