Hi! The following AU is a rewrite of the 2022 live-action Monster High film suggested by my friend, DRAGONDAVE45. I am really excited to bring a new twist to this tale using g1 MH as a launching point as that will forever be my favorite iteration and the universe in which I write my tales.
...
Maleficent, Queen of the Dark Fae, was sitting on her throne gently stroking Diablo's black feathers when Christina burst through the entrance hall in a blaze of purple flames and dark sparkles, clearly upset. Past experience had the castle minions diving for cover as she passed!
"Christina?", she called, concerned as she stood. Her favorite granddaughter streaked by wordlessly, dark sparkles practically spraying from her rapidly fluttering wings as she flew to the stairs toward her suite of rooms near the tower. The dark queen sighed heavily, guessing the two most likely causes('Cadfael or Fayebelle') as she took up her staff and ascended the stairs to follow. She found Christina in her private library, fuming.
"What's wrong, my little Love-Bat?"
"More like what isn't wrong, Grammy!", the teen hybrid huffed. "First those so-called 'good' fairies give me a hard time for being 'dark' and a 'future villain'. Then Fayebelle starts on me about Dad being a 'leech' and me not being a 'real fae', and being half-monster no one will ever marry me. The Cad sticks his stuck-up nose in and says that he'll marry me since nobody else will! UGH!"
"Don't let those fools bother you, dear", Maleficent said, conjuring a pint of Christy's favorite ice cream and a spoon. "You know Fayebelle and your Aunt Lucinda are just jealous that Fate granted YOU the Dragonmark, making you my heir instead of Fayebelle. Your Uncle Puck will deal with them. Cadfael is just an arrogant princeling too proud to admit that he desires you, even if he'll never be worthy of you. As for those three firelies; they have their heads so far up Milton Grimm's backside that they can see the back of his teeth!"
Christina couldn't help but giggle around the spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. "Thanks, Grammy", she said after swallowing.
"Not at all, Dear."
"I'm sorry, my Queen, Princess", a shadow-pixie fluttered in.
"What is it?", Maleficent asked sharply, not appreciating the interruption. The pixie cringed.
"There's a visitor requesting an audience with you both in the throne room", the tiny fae squeaked.
Moments later, both royal dark fae took their thrones, with Christina rolling her eyes when she saw who the visitor was.
"Milton Grimm", Maleficent drawled. "To what do we owe the displeasure of your visit."
"Your Majesty. Your Highness", the tall, pudgy man bowed deeply, maintaining his manners. "As you know, the new term at Ever After High will begin soon. All the students have been confirmed for attendance...except Princess Christina. As you know, this is Legacy Year, very important. So I'm sure there has only been some oversight or miscommunication, therefor I thought it prudent to come verify..."
"I'm NOT going to sign the Book!", Christina announced. "Because I'm NOT attending Ever After High!"
"WHAT?!", Milton half-shouted/half-spluttered, much to Maleficent's amusement. "B-b-b-but you HAVE to! You've been down to attend ever since you returned to Ever After to learn fae magic! Your story...your page in the Storybook of Legends...!"
"Can be signed, and her roll fulfilled by her cousin Fayebelle with zero repercussions", Maleficent said firmly. "As one of the school Governors, I looked it up. Your brother Giles was MOST helpful in that regard. Christina does not want to be evil. She IS NOT evil, despite being born dark. Her mother fled to another realm entirely to escape that accursed Book of yours! I WILL NOT lose my granddaughter as well!"
"But then where will she go to be schooled?!", Grimm asked pointedly. "Where else can she learn what she must?"
"Here", Christina said with a grin, holding up an orange envelope, that had been sealed with dark-purple lace and a wax skullette seal. "My Uncle Dracula sent this to me through the Magic Mirror. I've been accepted to Monster High, the school he and my father attended."
"But that's a MONSTER SCHOOL! And it's in that other realm!", Milton argued. "They can't possibly prepare you for your Destiny!"
"I'M GOING TO WRITE MY OWN DESTINY, YOU POMPOUS WIND-BAG!", Christina shouted.
"And I believe that's you cue to leave, Milton" Maleficent laughed wickedly at the sputtering Headmaster of EAH.
...
"Mom, what am I, like, gonna do?", Shaggy sniffed, tears streaking down his furry cheeks. "I, like, can't go back to school when the new school year starts looking like THIS!"
Stacy Rogers was at her wit's end with worry. Several nights earlier, during the full moon, her son Norville had unexpectedly transformed into a werewolf! And worse, it was in PUBLIC! He had been on a triple-date with his friends at the Crystal Cove drive-in theater; him with his gf Googie in his car, Fred Jones with Daphne Blake in his "Mystery Machine", and Velma Dinkly with her friend Gibby Norton in his solar-hybrid car. Luckily, Scooby and Norville's friends were able to save him from the mob and get him home safely, but Googie-that shallow, self-centered, heartless little 'c-u-next-tuesday'!-called him a monster and abandoned him!
"I don't know, Norville dear", Stacy said softly. "I still can't believe they CHASED you like any unruly mob! And Redd Herring in the lead! He used to be such a nice, well-mannered boy."
"*pffft!* Only in front of adults, Mom", Shaggy scoffed. "He was actually the culprit in the first mystery the gang and I solved in elementary school. And he's been trying to hook-up with Googie since junior high. *sniff* She ran right into his arms and he, like, smirked at me. I can, like, never show my face in town again! Literally!"
"Oh, Norville", Stacy hugged her son comfortingly, joined by his little sister Sugie, who loved her bro dearly.
"She was never good enough for you anyway, brother", Sugie said protectively
"Norville", Sam, his father called as he came in. "This just arrived for you."
He held out an orange envelope, sealed with dark purple lace ribbon & wax, addressed to "Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers"
Curious, Shaggy took it and, breaking the seal, opened it...
"It's, like, an acceptance letter to attend someplace called 'Monster High', a boarding school for monsters!", he said.
"Monster High!?", both his parents exclaimed.
"You both know it, Mom, Dad?", Sugie asked.
"Your great-great grandfather Lucas Rogers, the last wolf in the family, attended there", Sam explained.
"And I know of it through my brother, your Uncle Vincent", Stacy told them. "Human magick-users are aware of Monster High, but are not allowed to attend, due to the centuries long cold-war with the dark coven, causing distrust of all non-monster magick."
"So I can never attend", Sugie said dejectedly.
"But with the werewolf trait coming out with you, Norville, Monster High might be your chance for a place to fit in now", Stacy said.
"I guess", Shaggy agreed. "But, like, only if I can bring Scoob with me."
"Reah! Huh? *gulp!*"
"He can talk, so I don't think that will be a problem", Sam said. "Plus, I've read that other students brings pets as well. And you'll have relatives there as well."
"Like, relatives?"
"Cousins", Sam told him. "The Wolf siblings, the children of Clawson and Harriet Wolf. I've kept track of the Family over the years, including the werewolf side. The oldest, Clawdia, graduated last year, but the twins Clawd and Clawdeen will be in your year, and the youngest Howleen will be a freshman."
"Do you have a way to contact them, Dear?", Stacy asked.
"I can do that", he nodded. "They'll meet up and look out for you. But the most important thing for you to remember is that no one else there can know that you're half-human! They are SERIOUSLY anti-human over there because monsters don't trust humans; they fear and even hate them."
...
"I'm sorry, Duncan," Jenna said sadly. "I really do care for you, but your life is just too... I just can't handle the danger anymore. I just want a normal life, and that's just not possible with you. Good-bye."
The blonde turned, and walked away. Duncan, the half-human Kaiju Prince watched her go, too dejected and broken-hearted to speak, the amulet he had made with a crystal he got from his father's lair to give her as a 'going-steady' gift still in his clawed hand. A tear rolled down his cheek as he clenched his fist hard, crushing the token of his love. He turned and ran several steps as he sprouted his wings to take flight.
The next morning:
"Morning, Kenny", Margaret greeted her foster son over a cup of coffee as he entered the kitchen.
"Mornin', Margaret", Ken Rogers replied, pouring one for himself. "Duncan up yet?"
"No", she replied sadly. "It didn't go well with Jenna last night. She broke up with him. He's been up most of the night, quietly losing his mind. I was up with him most of that time."
"Aw man", Kenny groaned, feeling for his bro'. "what happened? I thought she was cool."
"I think that last rogue kaiju attack is what did it", Margaret surmised. "He said that she explained that while she does care about him, she just wants a 'normal life', and she can't take the danger anymore."
"And I guess I can't blame her for that", Duncan said as he dragged himself in, surprising the other two. "Morning, Mom, Kenny."
Margaret got up to hug her son. "Are you ok, Duncan?"
"Yeah, Bro. You get any sleep?"
"*dark chuckle* Not a wink", he said. "But what's really wierd is that THIS was delivered to my window a few minutes ago...by a RAVEN."
He held up an orange envelope bound and sealed with a dark purple ribbon and a wax seal. Margaret gasped when she saw the Skullette symbol of the seal. Taking it, she saw it was addressed to him; 'Duncan Xerces Fafnir Belhegor Rosenblatt, Prince of the Kaiju Kingdom'
"You recognize it, don't you, Mom?", Duncan guessed as she handed it back. "What is it?"
"Best that you open it and see for yourself first, Duncan", she sighed softly, as if she had known this day would come eventually.
With a touch of trepidation, Duncan cracked the seal and opened the envelope.
"Dear Prince Duncan,
You have been accepted to attend the prestigious Monster High, beginning at the start of this term on Sept. 5.
Here you will receive the finest dead-ucation available to monsterkind. Along with our core subjects and a wide variety of electives, we also boast the top-ranked course for monsters of noble and royal blood for their future roles and responsibilities. Please be aware, however, that while you are attending, you will be treated primarily as a student first, blood-status not withstanding.
If you choose to accept this opportunity; enclosed you will find the selection list of electives, a list of required school supplies, and directions to the school. As Monster High is a boarding school, you will need to pack any clothing and other essentials and personal items with you..."
"Monster High?", Duncan looked questioningly at his mom.
"*sigh* Yes, I'm aware of the place, as is MEGTAF, and your father", she said. "Your father wants you to go. MEGTAF has been hoping that moving us around so much over the years would keep them from finding you and delivering that letter. I've alway felt that it should be YOUR choice Duncan."
"So the urban legends are true?", Kenny asked.
"Yes", Margaret confirmed. "Monster High was the first school established by monsterkind as a safe place for their children to learn without fear of persecution by humans, or 'normies' as they call us. There have been recent movements to establish more peaceful human/monster relations, but progress has been...painfully slow to say the least."
"Then maybe I can help with that", Duncan said boldly. "By accepting this chance. Plus, it'll be an adventure."
"Are you sure, Bro?", Kenny asked.
"I'll take the risk", he nodded with a smile.
..
And so begins the most ambitious movie rewrite to date as suggested by my friend and co-author, DRAGONDAVE45 who so kindly wrote this first chapter.
Please, review!