"Shine and rise!" Abbey chimed as she held open the cave's wooden door.

"It's 'rise and shine'," Iris said.

"Come on, we have to get moving." Venus tapped her foot impatiently beside Abbey.

I rubbed my eyes and sluggishly crawled out from under the covers. I desperately needed a recharge.

I mean, Frankie would but Cleo wouldn't.

I slowly rose to my feet and stretched out my arms. "Where are we headed?" I asked through a yawn.

"The camp," Venus stated plainly, arms crossed.

I froze mid-stretch. "Your camp? Really?"

"The smaller one, actually, the house," Iris interjected as she put on the coat she slept on last night. "We want to see if we can find anyone else in the city."

"Must look for more help in city?" Abbey asked, bringing her hands down and closing the door as she did. The cave dimmed a bit but was still well-lit due to the sunlight outside, gently illuminating its icy cave walls.

"We need all the help we can get. Even if it's not much," Venus told her. Her hair looked so odd, green streaks entangled with what were once pink locks now brown strands. Iris mentioned it had something to do with the environment being ruined, but I couldn't help but wonder if Venus was partially at fault. From what I saw, the environment didn't seem bad enough to drain out a plant monster. Venus probably couldn't handle it being wrecked in the first place.

My arms slapped onto my sides. "Alright then, let's go." I started toward the door until someone grabbed my arm.

"Wait a sec, Cleo," Iris said before scampering off to the edge of the cave and quickly returned with a thick, dark green coat. "Put this on."

Knowing Cleo, she wouldn't be caught alive in this. Come to think of it, she wouldn't be caught alive wearing her day clothes to sleep either. Luckily, she wasn't in control right now. I graciously accepted the coat and, after having slight trouble with the zipper, slipped it on.

"Ready, Cleo?" Abbey looked eager to leave. Before I knew it, a smile spread on my face.

"Ready," I affirmed. Abbey held open the door as Venus walked out first, followed by Iris, and then me. Snow crunched beneath my feet as I stepped outside. It wasn't as cold as yesterday, but that could be because I was wearing appropriate apparel for the weather this time. Remnants of the pink and gold sunrise remained faint in the sky above us. I heard Venus let out a sigh as she stared at it.

Abbey rushed out of the cave, the door quickly closing behind her. "I am sorry. Had to make sure Shiver would be okay when gone. Said goodbye." A frown flashed upon Abbey's face for only a moment until she regained her composure.

"Okay then," Venus had already taken a few steps ahead, "let's go."


As the four ghouls continued trudging through the snow-ridden mountain, Abbey fretted about what she was getting herself into. She knew about the rebels, yes, but she didn't really know who they were. Were they old friends of hers? Or former Monster High students she never bothered to talk to? Abbey was a teenager the last time she was around her friends and she didn't know if she would see them again. She avoided Headmistress Bloodgood's home and instead retreated to her ice cave as soon as the school crashed down. Abbey wanted to stay as far away from the city as possible. Frankie used to be one of her best friends; it still shocked her when she thought of her rise to power. Then again, her "reign of terror" only lasted about a year, before the city was built. Now she just reigned. Things have been quiet these past few years.

"Abbey, please, slow down," Iris's plea sounded from behind her. The yeti ghoul glanced back to see the other three ghouls clumsily plodding through the snow, Cleo especially.

"Sorry," Abbey said sheepishly, stopping to let the other ghouls catch up. She couldn't help that the snow terrain was her element.

"I knew this would happen," Venus remarked once she caught up. "I thought getting a head start would keep me ahead of you, Abbey."

"I guess not," Iris muttered while approaching Venus. Cleo was still tripping over herself in the snow, attempting to rush over to them. She came over huffing and clutching her coat.

"Sorry," she giggled awkwardly.

"Looks like your coordination has amnesia, too, Cleo," Venus joked. Cleo didn't say anything, and Abbey continued walking, this time keeping pace with the others.

By now they had made it to the edge of the lower part of the mountain and, once checking that the others were close, Abbey swiftly glided down its small, rocky slope to flat ground. The others soon followed, Cleo still looking like a newborn calf when she did. Abbey couldn't help but laugh. Cleo wasn't known to be clumsy, and it was entertaining seeing her flail around.

"Just a little while more and we'll be there in no time," Iris reported, oddly enthusiastic. The cyclops ghoul followed behind Venus, who had already started walking through the winter-dead grass. Abbey looked back at Cleo, who was still trying to regain her balance by the mountain's edge.

She caught Abbey glancing back at her and smiled brightly. "I'm fine," she assured her. Abbey came over to her and helped steady her. Cleo smiled in thanks, and Abbey smiled back, tusks and all. Together they followed after the other two ghouls ahead.

"Must be strange not of knowing," Abbey remarked.

The mummy's daughter sighed. "I guess. I remember, um, some things. Like you."

"You know I am friend?"

"Yeah."

Her response warmed the icy heart of the yeti ghoul. "But everything else?"

"...I sorta remember it," Cleo fiddled with her fingers as she avoided Abbey's gaze. Before she could ask more, Abbey collided into Venus. She tried to apologize but the plant monster waved it off.

"We're almost there," Venus told them. "Follow me."


In a field of dead grass and charred trees was a substantial plot of land where an average-sized house with an un-average appearance lay in the middle. A couple of ghouls waited expectantly at the edge of what was once the driveway.

"They should be here by now," a finned ghoul remarked. The ghoul standing beside her said nothing and waited anxiously.

The finned ghoul put a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder. "There's nothing to worry about, Rochelle. They should be back in no time, love."

"Lagoona..." the gargoyle began. She hoped that Venus had made it into the city alright. Rochelle was genuinely worried for her friend. As much as she wanted to go along with her, Rochelle knew it wasn't the best idea. Sure, she would venture out into the city when necessary but just the thought of it reminded her of Scaris, and Scaris reminded her of Garrott. Thinking about her boyfriend was never a bad thing—it was the only good news Rochelle received from her hometown after her parents and older relatives had disappeared—but the distance between her and Garrott was massive, and Rochelle had no way to get there.

"Are you sure you know where she is?" a hiss interrupted Rochelle from her thoughts. The werecat twins, Purrsephone and Meowlody, approached Lagoona from behind, hands on their hips.

"Oui. She has been with us this entire time," Rochelle replied by Lagoona's side.

The werecats shared a glance with one another, turning back to the ghouls with unconvinced looks. Rochelle rolled her eyes. It already took long enough trying to convince Meowlody and Purrsephone to come with them from the city. They needed all the help they could get, even if it meant including these two. Rochelle just hoped that Toralei would deal with them when they made it back to the camp.

"Then why didn't she come get us?" the twins said in unison.

Beside her, Lagoona let out a frustrated sigh. Rochelle frowned. Only a few monsters were informed of the mission to find potential help from the city, Toralei not being one of them.

When they didn't answer, the twins decided to prod further, "If you know where Toralei is," Meowlody asked, her white hair gleaming in the daylight, "then why hasn't she come to us?"

"Yeah," Purrsephone interjected, "it's been five years."

"Look," Lagoona said sternly, "a lot has happened. Unlike you two, Toralei knows it's better to stay out of the Queen's city."

"So you just took her along with you?" Meowlody asked accusingly.

"Non," Rochelle put in, "she decided to come with all of us. Toralei is very glad she made the décision to, too."

The twins scoffed.

Rochelle was worried they might continue their pointless argument, but instead, they crossed their arms and headed inside the house, tails swaying rhythmically with one another. Meowlody and Purrsephone still had coordinating black, white, and red outfits, but their once long hair was cut short at the shoulders of each. That was about the only thing Rochelle saw in them that was different. Physically.

"Those two haven't changed at all," she remarked.

"Sure haven't," Lagoona agreed, shaking her head. "I'm just glad Toralei isn't as bad as she was," she admitted.

Rochelle nodded. "Of all monsters, no?"

A call came from beyond the house, "We're back!"


As we approached the house, I let the other three ghouls walk ahead of me as I hung back, anxiety suddenly taking over me. Which monsters would I run into?

The house had a gothic-Victorian sort of style and was tall enough for two stories. It looked like one of those homes where the attic could be used as a spare bedroom. There was a small wooden building near the house, too, that resembled a place where one would keep animals.

In the past, the house must've been impressive but to see it now... It looked like the earthquake that had caused Monster High to fall had spread out here, too. Not only that, but the paint was peeling and the flora about the lawn was blackened and charred.

Abbey walked just ahead of me, and I saw a flash of blue when someone rushed toward us, only to collide with the yeti ghoul. Abbey was left standing but the other ghoul had fallen to her rear onto the dirt. Abbey gasped and I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

Lagoona.

"Abbey!" The sea monster rose up from the ground and embraced the frosty monster. Abbey looked just as frozen as her scaritage claimed her to be. "It's so great to see you, love. It's been too long!"

I was thrilled to see Lagoona, even though she seemed to be focusing all her attention on Abbey at the moment, who finally returned Lagoona's hug. She hadn't changed a bit.

"So, Rochelle, have you found anyone?" Venus asked pointedly. I turned to my right and saw Rochelle standing beside the plant monster a couple of feet ahead of me. Another smile crossed my face. Rochelle.

"Er, a couple," Rochelle said, her French accent tinting her words like candles in a dark room.

As if on cue, the "couple" Rochelle mentioned approached us. Though their hair was shorter and they looked just a tad bit older, I recognized them immediately: Meowlody and Purrsephone. They weren't close friends of mine—ever—but it was still nice to see a couple of familiar faces.

I froze as they made eye contact with me, their red lips parting slightly. I expected them to say something but they simply stood there, their yellow cat eyes locked with mine. Or, rather, Cleo's eyes. As comfortable as I was in her body, it didn't belong to me and it was hard to remind myself of that.

I heard a loud inhale and broke my gaze with the twins.

"Cleo!"

I let out a yelp as Lagoona tackled me in a hug. She let go and rested a webbed hand on my shoulder. "I haven't seen you in ages! Of corpse, it probably feels like nothing for you, being over five-thousand and all."

I giggled at that. I was only a few years old, trapped in an ancient ghoul's body. What are the odds? "It's so nice to see you, Lagoona."

"You remember her?" Venus asked, coming over to me from Rochelle's side.

Uh oh. "Uh, yeah, we were really good friends. I mean, it feels like we're friends." I looked down sheepishly. I was never the best liar.

"Cleo has loss of memory. She sometimes remembers," Abbey informed Lagoona.

She took her hand off my shoulder. "Oh." I thought Lagoona might be sad about it but she put on another smile. "Then there's nothing we can't do to help her out, right ghouls?"

I grinned. She really hadn't changed. But something still seemed a little off about her. I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"Well," Rochelle cleared her throat as she took a step toward us, "perhaps we can discuss more once we get a little more, er, sheltered." She pointed a finger towards the sky, and I looked up to see that it was darkening with storm clouds.

Lagoona nodded. "Let's head in, ghouls."

She led us to the house and opened the door, where we were greeted by a long staircase. I followed in behind Abbey as Lagoona held open the door for all of us. Rochelle moved to the right and we followed her, bypassing the stairs into what appeared to be a small den. It looked sophisticated yet comfortable, never mind the dust. A couple of the ghouls settled onto a couch while I sat in the nearest armchair.

"So," Lagoona sat down between Rochelle and Venus on the couch in front of us, "what would you like to know?"