Nefera wandered around the lantern for what seemed like the thousandth time. In over a millennia of unlife, she was sure she had already experienced true boredom.

She had not.

It hadn't taken long to get used to the black and green genie's outfit, or spend her hours stacking books, or stare up the piles of gold that would normally enchant her if it weren't for the fact that they were worthless.

Nefera supposed things weren't all that bad. Becoming the genie had done wonders for her hair, and her makeup was enviable, despite no one else being able to admire it.

Today, at some point between the endless hours, she stacked the books up high above the towers of golden coins. She climbed atop them and sat, staring down at the piles of her shiny golden subjects. She sighed. Maybe one day, she'd read the books.

Then, the piles of gold shook, and she sat upright when her literary throne joined the tremble. Smoke overtook her vision and, like bile in her throat, Nefera said,

"Hello, Finder, how may I serve you?" She scowled and opened her eyes, only to roll them. "What do you want?"

Cleo, who looked fresh out of the shower, held in a laugh. Nefera hated her for it. "Isn't it obvious? I want to be served, of course."

Nefera let out an emphatic sigh. "This is payback, isn't it? For everything I did to you."

Cleo smirked. "Not exactly." She strode into what Nefera assumed was a closet and tossed her towel aside.

Nefera groaned. Everything in her seethed—she wanted to leave, but she couldn't. Cleo was her Finder, and everything genie in her told her to stay. She glanced around the room, hoping to distract herself and feel some sense of control.

Out the window was a large field of green and tall trees. Nefera grimaced and looked back to the room. There was a large bed in the center and some quaint furniture. A photo on the wall showed Cleo and Deuce grinning ear to ear at some beach. This had to be Deuce's room until Nefera heard the sound of Cleo's footsteps echoing from the closet she had disappeared into.

"So, how's floating treating you?" her sister snickered. Cleo strode out the closet in intricate golden heels and a short navy and gold dress, draped in all kinds of glittery bandages.

Nefera glared. "You and Deuce live together?"

"Yes," she said offhandedly. "We used Daddy's treasure trove you stole to rebuild the street you tore down to build the palace. You know, the street we lived on? The same street Draculaura, Frankie, Lagoona, Clawdeen, Jackson and Holt, and Deuce lived on?"

Nefera scoffed.

Cleo made her way to the vanity and sat; she sent a glare at Nefera through the mirror. "Just wanted to be sure you remembered." She pursed her lips and applied a deep red lipstick. "Some houses are smaller than before so we left the rest of the street to nature, which is fine since your kingdom needed some green in it anyway."

Nefera bristled. All she felt was a desire to please her Finder. "Just make your wishes and get on with it!"

Cleo grinned and grabbed a blue eyeshadow. "We've been trying to fix the mess you made, you know."

She paused, and her fists unclenched. "So, that's why you wanted me. First, you used Daddy's amulets to rebuild this street and now you're using me to 'fix the world'?" She went to flip her hair over her shoulder but forgot it was in an updo and swept the air. "I guess we De Niles aren't so different, hmm?"

Cleo froze, then rigidly set down her makeup brush. She spun in her chair and leaned forward. "I didn't use those amulets, Nefera. I melted them. And I sold them. I'm nothing like you."

"Then what do you call this?"

"I call this saying goodbye," Cleo said, her voice raised. She swallowed. "I'm saying goodbye, Nefera."

She shook her head and huffed out a laugh. "Fine. Tell me your thirteen wishes, and I'll gladly never see you again."

Cleo looked to the floor and inhaled deeply. When an eternity of a moment passed without a word, Nefera groaned.

"What's with you?" Nefera raised her arms and they flopped at her sides. "I can do anything—well, almost anything—you want, and here you are moping—"

"We fixed Monster High."

Nefera stilled. Her brows furrowed. "You did?"

Cleo nodded, finally looking her in the eye again. Her purple irises were glassy. "We did. Took years to get it up and running, but I thought you should know."

Nefera, for one of the few moments of her unlife, was at a loss for words. She started. "Wait. Years? Cleo," her voice deepened, "how long was I in the lantern?"

Cleo sniffed and spun in her chair. She glanced at Nefera through the mirror and smirked. "Five years."

Nefera's nails dug into her clenched fists as she watched her sister nonchalantly apply kohl to her eyelids.

"I also think you should know that Amanita woke up," she said, her voice clearer. "Turns out, she was asleep on purpose. When she sensed the palace being demolished, she woke up. She sure had a lot to say about you."

Nefera's blood rose to a boil. "That bitch—"

"Anyway—" Cleo spun in her chair one last time and stood, "—I'm ready for my wish."

"Thirteen, Cleo," Nefera said with an eye-roll.

"No." Cleo strode over to her sister until she stood directly in front of her. "I wish... I wish that the genie... can't leave her lantern."

Nefera scoffed. "You can't do that."

Cleo glanced down. "Looks like I can."

Nefera looked down to her folded hands that moved without a thought. The words came out from her mouth like the same bile she felt moments before,

"Wish granted."


"Alright guys and ghouls," Holt's voice echoed amidst the catacombs from the towering DJ booth. "Time to slow things down tonight." At that, a slow song came on, and monsters quickly paired up and began to sway.

I peered between them and caught sight of the snack bar. Perfect. I strayed away from the dance floor and left Lagoona and Draculaura to dance with their boyfriends.

I grinned at the array of treats and placed any I could on a napkin. I popped a few bats in a blanket into my mouth when I noticed I wasn't there alone. I smiled. "Hey, Neighthan. How's your schedule for the week?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Good, I think. I still can't believe I'm a counselor."

"You've earned it."

He smiled sheepishly. Neighthan was one of the first former Monster High students to get their GED and go through college. Some monsters had yet to graduate, and others didn't go at all, but everyone tried to find some way to take advantage of their unlives in the past five years.

"Do you want to dance?"

I coughed on the chip I was halfway through swallowing when I glanced back at Neighthan, who stared straight at me.

"Um..." My eyes glanced everywhere but at him. In my peripheral, Holt made his way toward me from across the room, probably to ask the same thing.

"Hey, Frankie," Jackson appeared to my right, and I jumped. But before he could get another word out, Toralei swooped in and dragged him onto the dance floor.

"Frankie," Andy Beast, the school's new head of security, strode to the snack table. "Would you like to—"

"I gotta go to the bathroom!" I shouted, quickly piling up the napkin with snacks and scrambling up the stairs and out the catacombs.

When I made it to the top, I slammed the door behind me and sunk to the floor, stuffing whatever snacks that hadn't fallen to the ground into my mouth.

"That bad, huh?"

I yelped, and the rest of the snacks fell to the ground. I sighed and looked up at Heath, who smiled bemusedly. I gathered the fallen snacks. "You'd leave too if everyone you ever dated wanted to dance with you."

He clicked his tongue. "Well..."

I glanced up at him and frowned. "No party clothes today?"

He ran his hands down his tan suit. "No... I just wanted to walk the halls and get a real feel for tomorrow, you know?"

I rose to my feet. "It was your idea to have the party, Heath. The headmaster should be a part of it." I paused. "Then again, it probably isn't a good idea to have potentially hungover staff and guests at school gorientation."

He groaned and put his head in his hands. "See? I'm already messing up."

I laughed. "No, Heath. It's your first day, there's nothing to worry about."

"Maybe I should've waited," he stammered. "An education degree is hardly enough credentials."

"It's more than Headmistress Bloodgood had," I said.

His shoulders sagged at that. He took a breath. "Yeah. Yeah... You're right. But I first pictured I'd be, you know, coaching casketball or track or something not... running the school."

"Hey," I placed a hand on his arm, "you've had this in mind for years now. And you won't be alone. You'll have that assistant from the New Salem school... what's her name again?"

"Countess Drucilla." He shuddered. "She's terrifying."

I pointed a finger at him. "She has experience."

Heath flapped the lapels of his jacket. "Right. You're right."

"Frankie!"

When I looked over my shoulder, Cleo came bounding down the hall.

"It's done," she breathed, a hand to her chest. "She's trapped for good. Genies... Nefera... They won't be a problem anymore."

She stood quiet for a moment, leaving only the echoing thump of the bass below pounding between us.

I pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I know it wasn't easy for you."

"Don't be. I take full credit for the idea, after all." She sniffed. "It's strange. The lamp feels almost like an urn." Cleo pulled away and blinked repeatedly. "Besides," she flipped her hair, "it's not like I can't find some way to pop in and visit if I ever wanted." She took a few steps back, renewed energy revitalizing her features in the dim glow of the hall. "Anyway, I better grab Deuce and tell him how epic this party is. See you in there, Frankie!"

Cleo rushed back to where she came, and I slumped against the wall beside the door and devoured what little snacks I had left.

"So," Heath leaned beside me, "I think the music sped up if you wanna head back down."

I dumped my napkin at the nearest trash can and wiped my hands together. "Only if you promise to come down, too."

He grimaced at his outfit. "I didn't plan to..."

"Oh come on, Heath." I moved past him and opened the door. "You've earned this."

A smile managed to cross his face, and he followed me down the stairs. "How's school?" he asked once we made it a few paces down. "Did you finally stick to that major?"

I bit my lip, and when I looked back at him he shook his head.

"So what is it now?"

"Sociology," I said. "I feel good about this one."

"That's what you said about biology, psychology, and all those other gees—"

I laughed. "I'm serious this time. I feel really good about it."

He shrugged and I punched his arm. His brows furrowed at the foot of the stairs; the party raged on just feet away. "What if a slow song plays again?" he asked over the music. "Are you gonna dance?"

"Maybe." I shrugged. "Or maybe I'll go for snacks again."

"As long as you don't lead on my cousins this time." He pointed two fingers at his eyes and then back at me.

I scoffed. "I am not—"

"Move it or lose it, Frankie!" Heath waved as he spun on his heel and jogged onto the dance floor. He fit in right away.

I rolled my eyes and followed after him.

"Hey!" Lagoona appeared at my side and linked her arm in mine. "Come join us." She pulled me into the crowd until I caught sight of Clawdeen and Draculaura.

"Hey, ghoul," Clawdeen looked past me. "Where'd you run off to?"

I giggled nervously. "The slow dance came on and—"

"Aw and you didn't dance?" Draculaura's eyes widened. "I was so sure you'd be asked."

Clawdeen rolled her eyes. "Don't be scared to say 'no' next time, okay?"

I smiled and nodded.

"Hey ghouls!" Cleo bolted into our circle, Deuce on her arm. "Get onto the dance floor. I just made a song request."

That second, a familiar beat pulsed to life. Casta Fierce.

"I can't believe this song came out ten years ago," Clawdeen said. "We're getting old, ghouls."

"Speak for yourself." Draculaura said. Then, she sent a sharp glance at Cleo.

"Oh, please." She narrowed her eyes at her and flipped her hair back. "With this youthful glow, I'm only as old as I want to be. Now," she backed away onto the floor, arms in the air and hips swaying, "let's party, ghouls!"

-.-.-.-

That morning, I received a text from Ghoulia. I sighed and smoothed out my dress: short, straight, and light blue. I pulled my hair back and read the text:

Anyone who wants to be at Monster High earlier than when we must, please met me in Hexiciah's lab.

When I took the tombstone elevator down, I saw only four monsters beyond the opened golden door, each of them in pink, purple, or the same light blue I wore. "Is this all of us?"

"Looks like it." Heath, opting for a sharp black suit, placed an elbow on Jackson's shoulder, who shrugged him off.

"Ghoulia had me at 'Hexiciah's lab,'" he said with a small grin.

Abbey, in pink, approached my side and whispered, "Heath have trouble sleeping all night. Nerves eat at him. Here to keep close eye."

I nodded, and a purple-clad Ghoulia appeared at the base of the time teleporter, which had a glossy shine to it. "Goodmorning everyone," she moaned. "I'm glad you could make it. Robecca and I have been theorizing something lately and we think that maybe it could work. Keep in mind that this is simply a theory. This may not happen, but I wanted to tell as many who were interested."

"What's the theory?" Jackson asked. "Are you taking us back in time?"

She shook her head. "I think that there is a possibility that we may be able to use the time teleporter for an alternate purpose."

"Oh come on," Heath whined, slouching onto Jackson who once again shoved him off. "How long you gonna keep us in suspense for?"

"My apologies," Ghoulia mumbled. "But I am actually quite glad this group turned out to be smaller. Please don't tell anyone else. I was mistaken to invite everyone—"

"Ghoulia, out with words," Abbey said sternly.

She twiddled her hands."If my theory is correct, instead of the time teleporter sending us to another time, it could send us to another dimension. A dimension existing within our own. A dimension where all the older, ancient monsters exist."

"You want to bring our parents back?" I breathed.

She nodded. "There's nothing for certain. Please don't tell the others. It's best this doesn't spread around."

Jackson shook his head. "Boy, am I glad Toralei is hungover."

"She is, huh?" Heath leered, earning him another shove.

"That's all I can say." Ghoulia stepped down from the platform. "The next time you hear from me will be whether this works or not."

Heath scratched his head. "What do you think is going on over there, anyway?"

"I guess they'd start over," Jackson said. "Eventually, that world would be just like how things were ten years ago."

"Only if really are in other place and not gone," Abbey said, her voice flat. "Could have disappeared for good."

The room went silent.

"I think it's worth finding out," Ghoulia moaned, remarkably chipper. She looked to the clock beyond us. "Now, we have places to be." She gestured at Heath. "Especially you."

He straightened. "Right. Everyone, follow me."

We crowded into the elevator, and I brought my hand up against the bright sun that greeted us aboveground.

Behind us, young monsters trickled in from the front gates. Students. Press cars flocked along the school's center campus. Tall and elegant, Monster High felt new, different, and familiar all at the same time.

We followed closely behind Heath until he broke away and stood on the school steps. A red ribbon ran across the bottom railing, and the mayor held a cartoonishly large pair of scissors.

I flocked into the surrounding crowd of alumni, a sea of purple, pink, and blue.

Once the younger monsters had gathered, the mayor began their speech. Heath followed soon after.

Afterward, I would congratulate him. I'd wish him luck on his first day, and teenage monsters would flood past me. I'd look back at the sun silhouetting the strong tree across from the five-year-old tombstones. I'd feel at ease.

But it was the moment when the scissors were handed to Heath that everything sunk in, and I was jolted free of my trance.

Heath took a deep breath, opened the scissors over the ribbon, and cut.

"Welcome to Monster High!"

THE END