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 29:

Betrayal on Gold Hill

-Twyla-

After the visit from Frankie and Farrah, Twyla had promptly set aside the notes and gone back to sleep.

It was late in the evening when shouting woke her.

"We need healing," Billy yelled as he burst through the infirmary door.

Twyla peered from under the bed as Montoya rushed out of the back and towards the front.

Montoya ran to him as he carried a bleeding Blondie, "What happened?"

Billy placed Blondie on a bed, "We were attacked in the caves."

Montoya shooed Billy away as she healed Blondie.

Twyla slid out of the shadows and peaked through the partition at Blondie. Blondie had a chunk of stalactite piercing through her stomach and out her back. When Montoya removed the chunk and placed it on the floor, Twyla noticed an indigo shimmer was mixed in with the blood.

She furrowed her brows, in her haste to figure out what Cleo was currently up to; she forgot to ask Blondie what she had done with the sword and it looked like she wouldn't have another opportunity any time soon.

She slid back into the shadow and snuggled under the bed.

Blondie was stabbed through the front, which meant she saw the attack coming. So, the attacker must have been someone Blondie knew and trusted.

Twyla mulled over the possibilities.

Why would someone attack Blondie so violently? And that shimmer, it wasn't Mal's or Raven's. I never did check to confirm if siblings share the same magical signature but if they do then that would eliminate Evie and Faybelle. Which just leaves Cleo. Why would Cleo hurt Blondie.

She hummed thoughtfully as she recalled Frankie's visit.

She was mad that I got hurt because I'm part of her domain. Does that mean that she would punish Blondie for hurting me?

Twyla propped herself up and tapped her chin. Cleo is a queen, stands to reason that she would feel entitled to execute judgments against her own subjects. But what offense did Darling commit against Cleo's subjects and who would bring up the offense?

Twyla thought back to the day Darling died and suddenly it dawned on her.

Frankie and Ghoulia. That's right, during the city run. Darling ran ahead and they ended up in the infirmary. I bet that's why Cleo came up with the plan to use a cursed sword and shield. It was meant to backfire. She presented it to make herself look good. If I hadn't been in the hallway Darling would have fallen during battle and Mal would have taken the blame because she had already killed a freshman.

Twyla grabbed a cup of tea and sipped it to calm her nerves, "She cannot be allowed to get away with this."

The next morning Twyla climbed out of the shadow and stretched. She may have missed part of PTV that morning but she wasn't going to miss breakfast. She turned to her bedside table and reached for Abbey's notebook when she noticed Evie's pocket mirror.

She opened it and found a note, "Hey girl, been a weird year. Bad for me, well bad for all of us. Sorry about all I put you through but, I know who really killed Darling and before things spiral further out of control, I'm going to let everyone know. I just wanted to tell you first. Face to face, meet me in the latrine at twelve o'clock. The one in the hall of windows. Evie."

Twyla closed the mirror, "So she really did see something that day." She grabbed the notebook and sprinted past Montoya.

Montoya gasped, "Wha…what's the big rush, I haven't cleared you to leave yet."

Twyla turned around and jogged in place, "Super hungry, got a thing, thanks for everything. Bye."

"Sombrita!" Montoya shouted as Twyla ran out of the infirmary.

Twyla changed as fast as she could and ran down to the chow hall.

Breakfast smelled amazing. Twyla loved fall breakfast because the meals were larger, keeping her full longer. The fruit was also her favorite color, purple, with deep plums, dark grapes, and juicy blackberries.

Behind her, Evie and Faybelle strolled into line. Twyla glanced at Evie. Evie raised her eyebrows. Twyla nodded and Evie smiled.

Faybelle gasped, "Oooh, where did those apples come from, they look so juicy! Two please." The lunch lady placed them on her tray. Faybelle smiled, "Here Evie, you should have one too."

Evie turned, "Oh, thanks."

Faybelle smiled a bit too wide and batted her eyelashes, "You're welcome. What are friends for."

Twyla sat down at a table with Abbey and Lagoona.

Lagoona looked Twyla up and down but didn't say a word. Abbey elbowed her in the ribs. Lagoona winced and looked at the ground, "Glad to see you're all right."

Twyla nodded and ate her grapes silently.

Abbey huffed, "Lagoona."

Lagoona sighed, "I…I may have been a bit harsh on you. Abbey told me that I have a bad habit of getting mad at people and not telling them what they did to make me mad. Sorry, I thought you were doing those things on purpose."

Abbey leaned close, "You get to point?"

Lagoona scoffed and narrowed her eyes, "I am getting to it."

Twyla held up her hand, "I got the basic gist."

Abbey slammed her fist on the table, "No, Lagoona needs to learn to stop doing this. She get mad but never say what for then gets mad again and again and again. I never keep up with why she mad, she just stays that way. Always offended but never tells me offense. I cannot fix what I don't know is broken."

Lagoona took a deep breath, "I know. I get it. And your right it's not fair, I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?"

Abbey folded her arms, "Only if you forgive Twyla."

Lagoona looked at Twyla and opened her mouth to speak but a scream caused everyone to turn.

On the table foaming at the mouth were Evie and Faybelle.

Doug ran over and held Evie as her eyes rolled into the back of her head, "Evie! Evie!"

Faybelle's throat eroded away as acid dripped onto the table, black blood bubbled out of the opening and Faybelle twitched for several seconds before she too slumped over as dead.

Doug lifted Evie and struggled towards the door, "Help me get her to the infirmary."

Abbey ran over and grabbed Faybelle, "Come."

Cleo opened the door and they all departed.

Twyla rubbed the back of her neck and turned to find Mal standing right behind her.

Mal hissed, "What did you do!"

Draculaura smacked Mal in the back of the head with her umbrella, "You need to calm down, now is not the time to be jumping to conclusions."

Mal held her head as she turned, "Ula D-"

"Don't Ula D me!" Draculaura bared her fangs, "You're the reasons life at this school has become so hectic! You were the one who killed Catty, you responsible for the death of Darling."

"I didn't-"

"You may not have killed her but you certainly didn't save her. You were too busy trying to be a stronger senior than Freddie was to get a legendary boon from Delahaye." Draculaura wailed, "You even tried to kill me in that stupid boat race. Friends don't do that to each other. Yeah, that boon would grant us freedom but if we're dead does it really matter?"

Mal reached for her, "I'm sorry, I just-"

"Where did these apples come from?" asked Robecca.

Everyone in the chow hall turned to look at the apples on the table. Both apples were glowing yellow, almost radiating light.

Apple White covered her mouth, "Those are poison apples… this is a cruel irony."

Raven narrowed her eyes, "This looks like light poisoning, very deadly for dark magic users."

Petra stiffened, "You would accuse a De Nile of paltry poisoning? Pah-lease, if we were to kill someone it would be much more dignified and grander."

Twyla narrowed her eyes, "A dignified and grand death…like a warrior dying with a sword in their hand?"

Petra slowly turned towards Twyla and stared, her silence speaking volumes.

Farrah covered her face and shook her head, "No, that's not right. Cleo wouldn't, she has no reason, she…she…she's so nice."

Robecca wrapped her arms around Farrah just as the bell rang, "It's alright, Farrah. We can simply ask her. I'm sure Cleo will be more than willing to tell us the truth."

Everyone filed out of the chow hall, Twyla gathered the apples to take to Montoya. The one Evie had taken a huge bite of had a yellow glow to it but oozing out of it was a noxious red gas. Twyla held it away from her face while she looked at Faybelle's apple. Faybelle had taken a very small bit out of her apple but the gas that leaked out of the apple was purple. Both apples looked equally good on the outside but the core of Faybelle's apple seemed much more malicious.

Twyla handed the apples to Montoya, "Here are the poisoned apples, I think someone targeted Faybelle. Look at it."

Montoya glanced at the apples and tightened her lips, "I see. Well, I will tell you what I told your friends, there is nothing I can do about Evie and Faybelle. I am sorry but the current state that they are in renders my abilities useless. I apologize for your loss."

Twyla's eyes widened, "You mean they're…"

Montoya nodded, "Infer what you will. Now off to class. Go on, you have missed enough schooling this year."

Twyla sighed as she left for class, Evie's pocket mirror heavy in her bag. Evie knew Cleo was the killer as did Faybelle, but that apple Faybelle ate was extra spiteful.

She furrowed her brow. I didn't even see any apples when I went through the line. Where did they come from?