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 23:
What Was Lost
-Bonny-
Bonny groaned as her body tilted and her face slammed onto the cold tile floor. She blinked bloodshot eyes as the conversations she overheard during her rest compiled in her memory. She smacked the side of her head with her palm as she rose. They already know about the tiles?
She tilted her bottle back and scowled as no liquid greeted her parched lips. She shuffled down the hall, rearranging her tangled clothes in the process. Time for a refill of the old blue.
She waved at the door of the infirmary in courtesy as she passed and fumbled with the door to the lost and found. Once inside she nudged the bags of deceased students out of her path to open the door to her office.
It was a simple enough room, one lantern hanging from the ceiling, a desk with deep drawers and shelves covered in booze. She selected her favorite rum from the shelf and pocketed her empty bottle. Oh, looks like this is the last bottle. Time to brew some more.
She hummed to herself as she reached under her desk and flicked the switch to the hidden door. A click was heard and the wall behind the desk creaked open.
She entered the lightless room and lit a lantern. The light from the lantern gave the room an emerald glow as it reflected off of the jade vials labeled elixir along the walls. She pocketed a vial and ventured near several large barrels labeled fountain water that occupied the middle of the room.
"Is it that time already?" Delahaye cooed in a sultry voice from the doorway.
Bonny peered over her shoulder, "It'll be October next month and everyone on staff will need at least a pint."
Delahaye pushed away from the wall and sauntered up to her, "Ah yes, our anniversary," She frowned, "I always look forward to it."
Bonny chuckled, "You don't look to pleased."
"Hmm? Oh, yes well, who wouldn't want to live forever in prison."
"You couldn't die even if you wanted to."
"I suppose that's true, blessings and curses…" Delahaye leaned forward on the barrel, the contents of her loose-fitting blouse threatening to spill, "Speaking of curses…"
"Mm hmm?"
"Well, you remember how impressive our little Freddie wielded her shadow magic?"
"Ay."
Delahaye pouted as she brought her chest up to her chin, "Well, I really want to do that."
"Oh?"
"Yes, imagine how strong we could be if I wielded shadow magic."
Bonny tilted her head, "As in you and I?"
"Why yes," Delahaye reached forward and caressed Bonny's face, "If I gain access to shadow magic I could say, prevent, little miss nosy Shih from stepping wherever she pleased."
"Oh! It would be nice to be free of this place and put Shih in her place. I never liked how she looked down on Grace and me."
Delahaye grinned, "I'm glad you see it my way."
Bonny licked her teeth as she drew nearer to Delahaye, "So what'll it cost?"
Delahaye hovered mere inches from her lips as she whispered, "The shadow girl."
"Oh, Jacquotte," Bonny chuckled as she set down her booze, "The chaos you wish to sew doesn't come cheap."
Delahaye grinned as she sat on a barrel, "The benefits far outweigh the cost."
-Twyla-
On the night of September 21, Twyla sighed in frustration as she finished her dinner in the shadows. She had tried and failed to follow Cleo's ever-expanding crew into the secret meeting room but every time their shadows would disappear. She was beyond frustrated.
She tossed her empty tray to the dish washers and climbed up the shadow to the dorms to think of a solution to her problem.
How would Cleo have killed Darling, and why? Cleo gifted Darling the sword and shield so that she could take credit for a victory. It doesn't make sense, yeah, she's super secretive nowadays but she didn't come into the hall until after Mal screamed. At least I thought she didn't. Those vines were super dense. Could she have cast a spell from the door and if so, how would Evie have seen her do it? Evie was clearly upset about something, and if Faybelle was my only comforter I'd want her gone too. I just… I wish I knew everyone's magical signatures. I was so certain it was Mal; I never stopped to consider what was happening with my own classmates.
The door to the dorm opened and everyone entered to change and grab their books.
Lagoona picked up her bag, "Abbey, you're normally the first one changed, what gives?"
Abbey shook her head, "I have something I need to take care of."
Lagoona nodded, "All right. Well, if you ever change your mind come to the chess clubroom on the second floor." She left the dorm, leaving Abbey alone in the room.
Abbey huffed and looked around, "Twyla, stop hiding. I tire of this."
Twyla blinked her eyes to activate the glow that revealed her location in the shadows, "Why? Are you going to avenge the death of your friend? Kill me then if you think I'm guilty."
Abbey put her hand on her hip and leaned her weight on one leg, "You take cowards way out, not face trial. You live life of damned while claiming not guilty."
Twyla scoffed, "I lived that life before Darling died. It simply got worse afterward."
Abbey sucked her teeth, "Tch, I apologize. After I tell Darling about Billy, she become highly upset. I thought, since you heard all commotion you upset as well."
Twyla slid out of Abbey's shadow with a sigh, "I didn't know Billy was dating her until after she died."
Abbey jumped and turned around, "You found out at funeral?"
"I didn't go to the funeral."
Abbey frowned, "Is rude not to show."
Twyla rolled her eyes, "Why would I show up to the funeral of a girl everyone thinks I killed?"
"Send off is for living. We mourn to move on."
"Yeah well, I'll move on when I find the real killer."
"Real killer?" Abbey gazed at her, "I must know, you look me in eye and tell me truth. Did you kill Darling?"
Twyla glared, "I did not kill Darling."
Abbey furrowed her brow, "Then why you run? Why you no explain this to me?"
Twyla pointed at Abbey with both hands, "What was I supposed to do that day, everyone thought I had killed her. Her blood was literally on my…actually there was no blood on my hands…"
She furrowed her brow, "There was no blood on my hands. But she was stabbed…"
Abbey tilted her head to the side, "Hmmm. Was there blood on the floor?"
Twyla nodded, "Some spilled but not much and there was definitely no blood on me. I was holding her and yet I didn't have blood on me."
She put her hands together and touched her lip with her two pointer fingers, "I remember the sword had her skin on it, like it was burnt and there was blood there but…"
She shook her head, "The sword didn't go all the way through her. It must have just pierced her chest."
Abbey tapped her palm with her finger, "If it was just flesh wound, LT Montoya heal easy. Darling was dead upon reaching her."
"It must have been whatever magic was used, the sword was reversed mid-air. Mal said that herself."
Abbey narrowed her eyes, "Can you do magic?"
"No!" Twyla threw her hands up, "That's what I've been trying to say. I literally just caught Darling when she fell. I know Cedar says I pulled Darling down but I was just catching her."
"Is good that you tell me this. You must tell everyone this."
"No one will believe me. I think that they think that I was jealous of Darling and Billy's relationship and killed her."
"Who thinks that? I don't think that. You do good to explain truth to friends."
Twyla lowered her eyelids as she frowned, "I don't have any friends left Abbey. Everyone hates me. Cleo and her crew hide from me. Billy doesn't believe me. I have no one to turn to."
Abbey tapped her chest, "You have me."
Twyla smiled, "Thanks."
Abbey walked towards the door, "Is no problem."
Twyla grabbed her bag and followed, "Earlier Lagoona mentioned meeting outside a clubroom?"
Abbey shrugged as she descended the stairs, "Everyone in class involved in secrets. Lagoona join them. I tell her secret meetings are meant for entire class; we should include you. She dismiss idea. Try to convince me to come alone. Is very strange. Last year secrets kept from teachers, this year secrets kept from each other. Is not healthy."
"Do you know what the meeting is about?"
"Escape, I think. Only logical. What not logical is how they communicate."
Twyla chewed her cheek as she chose her next words carefully, "Is it possible that Cleo is planning something less than ethical?"
Abbey furrowed her brow as they reached the main hallway, "What you mean?"
Twyla tilted her head, "Well, Freddie managed to leave the school a year early by covering herself in the blood of other students. Perhaps Cleo-"
"What nonsense you speak!"
Twyla winced as she peered around, "Well, the other day, Evie ran into the latrine crying. I followed and Faybelle promised Evie that she wouldn't let Cleo hurt anyone else ever again."
Abbey folded her arms and scoffed, "Faybelle is liar. Cleo is good ghoul, no harm anyone. Cleo bring sword and shield to Darling. Better question, why Faybelle tell these lies. I think Faybelle guilty. I think we question Faybelle."
Twyla shook her head, "What will that do? What if Faybelle is telling the truth?"
Abbey stomped down the hall way, "Faybelle is liar, I go get truth."
"What, wait!"
Abbey threw open the library door and yelled, "Faybelle, show yourself."
Faybelle was next to Evie with her feet propped up on the table, "Like, chill. I am over here. What is it?"
Abbey turned towards Faybelle and held her hand out, "You are the one needing to chill." She froze Faybelle up to her shoulders.
Faybelle demanded, "Hey, why give me the cold shoulder! Get me out of here Sasquatch."
Abbey put her hands on her hips, "Sasquatch is cousin, I am yeti but that not my point. You will tell me the truth about Darling's death or I leave you like this."
Twyla glanced at Evie who cowered behind a chair.
Faybelle scoffed, "Uhhh, is that all? You don't need ice for that just turn around. She's standing right there."
Twyla narrowed her eyes. Why would she say it was me if she supposedly knows its Cleo?
Abbey leaned forward and placed her hand on the ice, "I am not trusting you. You will tell truth. If I sense your lying pulse, I leave you here. It only takes seventy-two hours in intense sunlight to melt my ice. You in library with small windows, I am thinking it will take much longer. By that time, I am sure you be more forth coming with truth."
Faybelle screeched, "Gah! Seriously, this is ridiculous. You should interrogate the De Nile and Locks team. They were the ones that gave Darling that cursed sword and shield."
Abbey's eyes widened, "This is truth."
Twyla crossed her arms, "How could you tell it was cursed?"
Faybelle groaned, "It was cursed alright! Any magic user could have told you that. Now get me out of here. This ice is starting to burn."
"Where is the sword and shield now?"
Faybelle snorted and winced, "I don't know. Ask your favorite thief, Blondie. She takes everything if you leave it out in the open and a dead Darling clearly wasn't going to use a shield. Now get me out of here."
Abbey narrowed her eyes and shook her head, "You speak half-truths and lies, I want full truth about Darling's death."
Faybelle screamed, "Evie! Get me out of here, now!"
Evie shrank back at the scream and took a deep breath, with one hand glowing red and the other glowing indigo she cast two spells. One that shattered the ice into large sharp shards upon impact. The other spell teleported herself and Faybelle out of the library leaving an indigo shimmer on the table.
Abbey fell to the ground as shards pierced her, blood oozing out of her multiple wounds.
Twyla ran to put pressure on the worst wound, "Come on Abbey, don't you die on me. I need you, please."
Abbey looked up at Twyla and held her face in one hand, "I not die."
Twyla sobbed as she leaned into the touch, "Okay, okay. You're going to be okay. Just stay with me."
Abbey rolled her eyes, "Is merely graze. I heal, don't worry." She turned her head and smiled as she peered at something behind Twyla, "See, our friends are here."
Twyla turned just as a shimmer of light revealed Billy and Robecca.
Billy rounded a bookshelf of the library with Robecca behind him. He flipped the table over and ordered, "Here, let's use this as a stretcher and take her to the infirmary. Quickly."
Twyla stood up and wrapped her arms underneath Abbey's armpits as she dragged her onto the table. They all carried the makeshift stretcher to the infirmary.
Billy shouted, "LT Montoya, we need assistance."
LT Montoya rushed from behind the curtain. She took one glance at Abbey and grabbed the entire table, "What happened?"
Robecca replied, "An explosion of ice in the library."
Montoya nodded as she placed the table on a bed, "Everyone leave. I must get to work immediately."
Twyla, Robecca and Billy left the infirmary.
Billy wiped his bleeding hands on his pants, "Are you okay?"
Robecca looked at his hands, "You should have asked LT Montoya to look at you as well."
Billy shook his head, "I'll be fine. I heal fast."
Robecca scoffed, "Your rate of cellular reproduction is not faster than the amount of blood you are currently losing."
Twyla looked at Billy's hands, "Did you cut yourself on the shards?"
Billy glanced at Twyla then turned back to Robecca, "Let's go."
Robecca shook her head, "Negative. You need to have your hands looked at Billy, it seemed highly corrosve."
Billy flared his nostrils as he glared at Robecca, his eyes changing colors, "I'll be fine."
"I do not believe-"
Billy made his hands invisible, "Let's go."
Twyla scoffed, "Billy, stop being stubborn at least let Farrah look at it."
Billy raised an eyebrow at Twyla then sucked is teeth, "See, even Twyla thinks we should go. Come on Robecca. Farrah is in the other room."
Robecca bowed to Twyla, "Thank you for the suggestion. I will ensure that his needs are properly met."
Twyla blinked in confusion, "Uhhh, okay."
Billy turned on his heel and Robecca followed, "Billy, if your hands are bleeding that much did you get blood on my gears?"
Twyla slid into his shadow and followed them up the stairs.
The door to the clubroom was thrown open as Crecha stepped into the hallway. When she spotted Billy and Robecca she put her hand on her hip, "Robecca there you are did you find…Billy why are only your hands invisible. Stop being weird."
Robecca bowed, "So sorry Crecha, I got distracted in the library…and then distracted again…and then well, Billy and I took a detour to the infirmary but no worries I will get back on track."
Crecha raised an eyebrow, "Mmm hmmm. Never mind Robecca, just get in here you can look another day."
Cleo stepped outside the classroom door and stood next to Crecha posing dramatically, "Robecca I am so disappointed. I thought the library was your thing."
Robecca bowed again, "So sorry Cleo."
Cleo flipped her hair and waved dismissively, "Well I suppose I can forgive you. Now come along we have much to discuss."
Robecca, Billy, Crecha and Cleo entered the classroom and closed the door. Twyla tried to follow but once again hit Cleo's magical light barrier. She stepped out of shadow and slammed her fist against the door, leaving a smear of blood.
"Are you waiting for me Private Boogey?"
Twyla turned and smiled as LT Delahaye ascended the stairs, "I ah…"
LT Delahaye's green eyes seemed to glow as she reached past Twyla's head and opened the door, "Then by all means, enter."
Twyla glanced behind herself and let out a breath of relief at the sight of the empty clubroom. She entered and willed her heartrate to relax as she anxiously hoped they stayed hidden.
LT Delahaye slung a familiar bag over her shoulder as she side-stepped the strange tile in front of her office door to open it.
Twyla grimaced when the lights in LT Delahaye's office were lit for the aura of the office made her skin crawl. The room was overly decorated with macabre items crammed into every available space along the shelves and the walls.
Delahaye gestured towards a chair, "Have a seat." She sat behind her massive white birchwood desk and steepled her fingers, "What is it you would like to know?"
Twyla sank into the seat and glanced around for a question. Her eyes widened at some of the items on the shelves. A massive skull of a long-faced one-horned animal sat on the top shelf; its white bones gave off an eerie blue-black glow. Beside it was a set of silver balls with crusted reddish-brown blood dried on the sides, the soft buzz of bees emitted from it.
In a glass case on the second shelf was a black jagged dagger with a twisted cage of sickly green as part of the hilt. A second dagger lay flat on a black velvet cloth in a wooden case, this dagger also had a twisted cage hilt but there was no strange color being emitted from it.
A black glossy rhino horn etched with strange runes sat on the third shelf right next to a thick black book with letters that continuously moved.
She turned towards Delahaye with determination, "How can a non-magical person determine what spells a magical person has cast?"
"Hmm, you want to detect magic, do you?" Delahaye grabbed the skull off the shelf, "Well, first you would need to see things through the caster's eyes. I would let you borrow him but I doubt you have the necessary material components to make him work."
"Next you would need the targeted item of the caster, like say a cursed clock or something of that nature." She chuckled, "You would then wear my pretty unicorn friend here and gaze upon the object to see what curse was cast and follow the created trail to the caster."
"And what would I need to make the skull work?"
Delahaye gently placed the skull on her desk careful of its horn as she tilted her head, "Something quite intangible actually. You would need a jar of dreams which, in and of itself, requires magic to obtain and therein lies the problem. I can simply detect magic so I had no need to learn such an extraction spell."
Twyla hummed thoughtfully, "Can it be a jar of anyone's dreams?"
"Of course, magical or not the ingredient is what's important," Delahaye's eyes curled into smiles as she leaned forward, "You know of a method to extract a dream?"
Twyla gazed at her intently, "I'm sure I could manage."
Delahaye laughed, "Well aren't you full of surprises. Shadow movement and dream extraction, all in one person. You truly are a prize. Any more questions?"
Twyla hopped out of the seat, "That was all, thank you LT Delahaye."
LT Delahaye removed a bag from her shoulder and held it out, "By the way, I believe this belongs to one of your classmates. Tell your friends to keep track of their things."
Twyla accepted Abbey's bag with trembling bloodied hands as she left the office.
I finally have someone who believes me and I lose them in the same day. Cleo is doing something secretive that's for sure and if what Faybelle said was true, then Blondie could have the sword and shield. If I can find it, I'll be able to figure out whose magical signature is on it and what they cast. Then I could find Darling's real killer and clear my name. I just have to corner the ever-elusive Blondie.
