The ghouls got up and went to breakfast early before they headed to Bloodgood's office. They arrived a little earlier than they needed just in case Bloodgood had an abnormal day. She did not.
"It's so weird." Draculaura stated, looking at her phone as Bloodgood passed by, "9:17 exactly."
Frankie stared at their watch, "Ok, you have five to seven minutes."
The other two monsters gate them a questioning look. "It varies, naturally." Frankie defended.
"You two keep watch." Clawdeen said, walking into the office.
Frankie gestured that they'd wait at the banister and quietly crept over. A few minutes passed and Frankie started to grow a little concerned.
"Four minutes." Frankie whispered to Draculaura.
Then, Frankie heard the toilet flush and the door open. For a moment they wondered if the headmistress washed her hands. Gross.
"Not Bloodgood!" Frankie said. Not what they meant to say but it got the point across.
"What?" Draculaura said, "Stall her."
"How?" Frankie asked, distressed.
"Chat her up, make conversation." Draculaura said.
Frankie gestures wildly. They've never been good at that! It's fine when they're chatting with a classmate when they don't just walk away or pick on them but this was a lot of pressure. Frankie did what only could be described as a panicked pout. Besides, Bloodgood was a terrifying monster Frankie wasn't keen on talking to.
"Go!" Draculaura ordered.
Frankie didn't seem to have much of a choice, "Okay."
Frankie rushed over to the stairs to head off Bloodgood.
"Headmistress!" Frankie greeted with a forced smile.
"Oh, Hello!"
"How was the bathroom? Was it fun?" What? Frankie thought.
"That's a personal matter, Frankie." Bloodgood said, "Now, if you'll excuse me."
"Oh, wait." Frankie said, stepping in front of her.
"Yes?"
All Frankie could think about was bathrooms. It was better than nothing they guessed, and went with it.
"Did you know the first flushable toilet was invented in 1596 by Sir John Harington?" Frankie said. They didn't even know they knew that. They kept going, "He happened to be the godson of Queen Elizabeth I, who as we all know, became one heck of a ghost."
"Fascinating." Cleo said, shocking them a little as she stepped between Frankie and Bloodgood.
Frankie stood awkwardly behind Cleo, trying to think of a plan. They were thinking so quickly, they didn't realize Cleo had said something else.
"Please just put them on my desk, Cleo." Bloodgood said.
What? In her office? Frankie thought frantically. Were they supposed to distract them both now?
It was too late to worry about it now as Frankie watched Cleo head up the stairs. Frankie hoped Draculaura could handle the mummy.
"Well, that was…informative." Bloodgood made to get past Frankie.
"And, did you know," Frankie paused, trying to think, "that the oldest toilet in the world is still functioning, 4000 years after it was built?"
Frankie went into the details of why and how it was made. Bloodgood looked interested but she could have just been polite. It didn't really matter though. Frankie was comfortable slipping into spouting facts to keep her distracted.
When they turned back into their words, they wondered when they started talking about toilet paper. They were so relieved to see Clawdeen and Draculaura pass by.
"Can't talk, see ya." Frankie said, quickly walking after their friends.
"Miss Wolf." Bloodgood called, "How's your speech going for the founders day dinner?"
Clawdeen definitely lied then but Frankie just went with it. Once Bloodgood left, they all left the hall and sighed in relief.
"Oh. My. Ghoul." Clawdeen said, "Draculaura totally turned me into Bloodgood!"
"Really?" Frankie grinned, "That's so cool!"
"Yeah, it was pretty awesome." Draculaura said, "Solid job distracting Bloodgood, Frankie."
Frankie cringed, "All I could think about was bathrooms! And Toilets! I never thought I'd say this but I wish I did not know so much about something." They shivered, "I couldn't think of anything else."
Clawdeen and Draculaura chuckled.
"Well, it definitely came in handy today." Clawdeen said, "Never change, Frankie."
Frankie smiled as they headed to class.
Frankie tried to listen to Komos for most of the history lesson but they were having trouble focusing with the looming task at hand.
"How are we doing?" Clawdeen asked Draculaura.
"We're almost there." Draculaura said, "Powdered mace wing, witch hazel, rosemary." She sighed, "Who knew mayonnaise would be so hard to find."
There were a few places on campus that may have mayonnaise. Frankie remembered quite a few storage rooms on the map of monster high they memorized.
"Mayonnaise? On it." They said as the bell rang for the end of class.
Frankie was seen off by Komos with a hi-five before they headed to the library where they pulled out the map of monster high.
"What are you looking for?" A voice spoke from right behind them, followed by a cold breeze.
Frankie jumped a bit and looked over their shoulder to see a girl with blue skin and white hair. A yeti?
"Hi, I'm Frankie." Frankie said out of habit, "Pronouns they/them."
"I know, we have some classes together."
Of course Frankie recognized them but they did know her name.
"Abbey." The yeti said anyway, "Pronouns she/her."
Frankie grinned. Another successful introduction. "I'm trying to find mayonnaise."
"Are you looking to make a sandwich?" Abby questioned.
"Well, no." Frankie said, looking back at the map, "But it's important I found it."
Abby hummed in response, "Try the east wing staff lounge?" It's pretty busy during school hours but most faculty are in their office's when classes end.
Frankie grinned, "Thank you."
"Anytime." Abby said, "I'll see you later."
"Bye!" Frankie waved enthusiastically.
Abby seemed nice. Perhaps friend material? Frankie was way too pleased to sit down, so, they went to walk around the grounds before lunch.
"I'll catch up with you later." Frankie called to Clawdeen as they rushed down the hall. The east wing was on the exact opposite side of campus so it took a while for Frankie to get there. Finally, in the now completely vacant hallway, they listened at the door to the lounge but it was completely silent.
They tried the door and found it was, unfortunately, locked. They looked around before pacing anxiously.
"Come on brain." Frankie said out loud, "Give me a spark, maybe something on how to pick locks?"
"Why do you want to pick locks?" A voice said.
Frankie whipped around to see Lagoona in the hallway. Frankie leaned to see around the sea monster, looking for Cleo.
"It's just me." Lagoona said, "What are you trying to open?"
Frankie looked between Lagoona and the door, "I need mayonnaise."
"Mayonnaise?" Lagoona questioned.
"Yes." Frankie said, "and there should be some in there but it's locked. None of me knows how to pick locks."
"Oh!" Lagoona walked over to the lounge and bent down, blew a stream of water in the key hole while twisting the handle. "It's a good thing they have these older locks unlike in the dorms. So easy to crack."
Frankie stood slack jawed, "That was amazing! Thank you."
Lagoona smiles, "Any time."
Frankie gave pause, "Aren't you going to make fun of me? Or go tell Cleo?"
Lagoona shrugged, "That's more Cleo's thing. She's just under a lot of pressure, living in her sister's shadow."
"Cleo has a sister?" Frankie asked.
"Yes." Lagoona looked horrified, "Please don't tell anyone I said that."
Frankie smiled, "I won't. You helped me get mayonnaise. It's the least I can do."
"Oh thank you, Frankie!" Lagoona said, taking off in a jog, "I won't forget this!"
Frankie watched her go then shrugged, entering the empty staff room. They looked in all the cupboards before pulling open the fridge. Inside, there was a large glass jar with a label that read 'Scary's homemade mayo'.
Frankie stomped in excitement before grabbing the jar and bolting for the dorms.
They narrowly avoided a few students as they stumbled a few times jogging towards their door.
Frankie burst into the room, proudly holding the jar, "I found mayonnaise!"
Dracualura and Clawdeen first gave them quizzical looks before smiling.
"Where did you find that?" Clawdeen asked with a laugh.
"Yeah I looked through the kitchens and I couldn't find any." Draculaura said, taking the mayo from Frankie, reading the label, "isn't Scary the hauntenomics professor?"
"Yep!" Frankie said.
"And she gave you a jar of mayonnaise?" Dracualaura questioned.
Frankie gave the girls a sheepish look and gestured with their hands, "Not exactly."
"Oh my gosh." Clawdeen jumped up from her seat, "Did you break into the teacher's lounge, Frankie?"
"Well…" Frankie spoke, "Technically yes, but I had help."
"From who?" Draculaura asked.
Frankie was about to tell them but remembered their promise to Lagoona, "I can't tell you that, I promised."
Clawdeen pouted but Draculaura nodded, "Respect."
Frankie grinned again and walked over to their part of the room, sitting in their electric chair while Clawdeen and Draculaura opened their textbooks.
Another step closer to completing the potion.
Frankie and Draculaura went into the science lab to gather the last of the easy ingredients while Clawdeen was getting snake venom from Deuce before they all met up in the dorm.
"Ok!" Draculaura said, double checking her spell book, "We're set."
"Tonight then?" Clawdeen asked hopefully.
"Tonight." said Draculaura, "I just hope I can pull it off."
"You got this." Frankie said, "The dinner isn't until tomorrow night so we still have time."
Draculaura took a deep breath, "Right. I don't know what I would do without you guys."
The trio snuck out after curfew. Once they reached the graveyard, Draculaura asked how Clawdeen managed to get the venom from Deuce.
"He showed me how to get it after a few failed attempts." Clawdeen explained, "I tried to get it without him knowing but the only snake I could get to was Mo."
"He has a snake named mo? Draculaura asked.
"Yeah," Clawdeen confirmed, "and let me tell you, you don't wanna mess with Mo."
"So he just gave you the venom?" questioned Frankie.
"Yeah."
"It was that easy?" asked Draculaura.
"Yes, we're friends." Clawdeen said.
Frankie thought that gorgons could be pretty protective of their snakes. There had to be more going on, right?
"He is so into you." Draculaura stated.
Frankie lit up, that must be it. They did seem to be attracted to one another.
"Totally into you." Frankie agreed.
"No." Clawdeen attempted to assert before something, or rather, someone one, burst out of the ground.
"Definitely into you." Ghoulia said from her grave.
"Really?" Clawdeen said hopefully.
"Yes." Draculaura said, lightly pulling Clawdeen towards the mausoleum, "Now let's open that door."
They set up outside the door. Draculaura handed Frankie the book and they read off the instructions as they completed each step.
Once they added the ogre bone, Frankie read off the last line before the incantation, "And now it just says, 'mix ingredients well'."
Draculaura mixed them up and eventually, it gave them two globs of the mixture. It looked like slime so it all stuck together. Frankie figured that was probably what the mayonnaise was for.
"Ok, let's hope this works." Draculaura said as she turned towards the door, Frankie holding up the book for Draculaura to read. The vampire smushed the mixture in her palm, "Bring the power to my fist, release the hold with gathered mist."
She thrust her hands out towards the door where a sparkling green mist shot towards the door. When it hit the structure, the mist turned to dust but the door remained locked.
Clawdeen encouraged her to try again. This time, the mist engulfed the door, and spread outwards. It looked like it was working but the door remained locked and the mist turned to ash once again. Frankie didn't know a lot about witch craft but they couldn't help but wonder if Hyde built a magic-proof lock.
"I guess I'm just not good enough." Draculaura said.
Frankie and Clawdeen frowned. Clawdeen tried to comfort her with a touch to the arm. Frankie went to do the same but couldn't figure out the best place to put their hand so they awkwardly hovered before opting to just retract their hand.
Draculaura turned and began walking back to the school. The other two monsters followed wordlessly. Frankie handed the book back to Draculaura before exchanging looks with Clawdeen.
"You said it yourself." Clawdeen said as they approached the school, "Witchcraft takes a lot of practice."
"Yeah." Frankie chimed in, "It's like in science, and I think sports. You have to keep trying until you get the reaction you were hoping for. Alan Turing's machine didn't work the first try, or even the second. It took months but it eventually worked how he wanted it to and he helped win the war."
Clawdeen gave Frankie a proud look.
"You're right." Draculaura said, "You're pretty good at pep talks Frankie."
Frankie smiled, "So we will try again tomorrow."
"Right." Clawdeen agreed.
"Right." Draculaura said, but not with the ideal amount of conviction.
The school opened the doors for them, they walked inside.
Suddenly, the lights in the foyer turned on and the group froze as Bloodgood, Komos and Cleo approached them.
"Well, well, well." Bloodgood spoke, "What do we have here?"
"Oh, sparks." Frankie swore nervously.
"What's the punishment for students out after curfew, ?" Bloodgood asked.
"Per ghoul code, one month detention." He replied.
Frankie glanced at Cleo, who seemed all too pleased with herself.
"That's right." headmistress blood good said, "But we have a much more serious problem, don't we, students? The fundamental values of Monster High have been betrayed. Our unnatural order has been offended."
Draculaura and Frankie exchanged looks before glancing at a mortified looking werewolf. Did they know about Clawdeen?
"Headmistress, I can explain-" Clawdeen started but was interrupted by Bloodgood.
"Witchcraft."
Frankie blinked. Unexpected but a far more favorable outcome than Clawdeen's expulsion.
"Wait, what?" Clawdeen asked, just as taken aback.
Now Frankie's concern fell on the vampire next to them. This was still bad, very bad.
Bloodgood continued, "It's been reported that you, Draculaura, have been practicing witchcraft."
Cleo then stepped forward, "In my mortal life, I studied with Heka, god of magic and medicine. I know an incantation when one's thrown at me."
Frankie was confused at that. Not the mortal life part but the fact that Cleo had studied magic yet still hated it.
"Thank you, Cleo." The headmistress said, "Open your bag, please."
Draculaura opened her bag, revealing the spellbook in which Komos confiscated.
"I'm so sorry. I'll never do it again." Draculaura said.
"What will your father think?" Bloodgood scolded.
"Please, you can't tell him." Draculaura pleaded.
"You've left me no choice." Bloodgood turned her attention to Frankie and Clawdeen. "And you two, encouraging her. You should be ashamed of not living up to the standards expected of you."
Frankie wanted to defend their friend but suddenly the lights started flickering and the space was filled with loud growling and shrieking. They clamped their ears to block out some of the sound, it made them feel incredibly anxious.
"What is that?" Draculaura asked.
"It's like the school is screaming." Komos said as everyone looked around frantically for a source.
Out of all the sound a sudden crack drew their attention to a gargoyle statue that was coming loose.
Frankie retreated backwards, pulling Draculaura with them. The next thing they knew, Cleo screamed, Clawdeen surged forward and tackled Cleo out of the way seconds before the statue could crush her.
Frankie's heart pounded, bringing a hand to their chest in a vein attempt to calm it.
"I'm alright." Cleo said, then looked up at clawdeen, surprise evident on her face, "You saved me."
"You're welcome." Clawdeen said, brushing it off.
"Go to your rooms now." Bloodgood said, "Use the south stairs."
Frankie looked worriedly at their friends who both looked defeated as they started towards the stairs behind Cleo while Bloodgood talked to Komos.
"I didn't want to believe that this could happen again, but these gins, it's the school itself crying out." Bloodgood said, "It can only mean one thing. There's an untrue monster heart among us."
The trio stopped, looking back at Komos and Bloodgood.
"A human?" Komos asked.
"Yes. And if we don't find out who it is and get rid of the threat, the school could tear itself apart."
Draculaura continued on and Frankie threw a worried look at Clawdeen before they followed the vampire.
Frankie kept their eyes on the floor until they made it their, opening the door, "Bloodgood really is terrifying."
"Draculaura, I'm sorry." Clawdeen cried, "It's me. I'm the one destroying the school. I'm putting everyone in danger. I'm sorry for all of it."
Draculaura didn't answer, she turned her back and went to get changed.
Frankie fidgeted with their hands. Without magic and the school essentially tearing itself to pieces over a human presence, Frankie feared they may lose both their new friends.
Still, Frankie wanted to help, "She'll be okay." They said as they went to get changed as well.
None of them talked for the remainder of the night. Frankie even forewent their usual fifteen minutes in the electric chair and went right to bed. There had to be a way to open that door, keep Clawdeen at the school and help Draculaura practice witchcraft. They just had to think of something.
