"But you've done this story already!" I can hear you say to which I say, "Let me explain"
In July 2014 I was not even a full year past the death of my mother. I was fourteen, it was the summer before high school and I was in the middle of a move. Months earlier I had gotten hooked on this AMAZING MLP audio drama on YouTube and I followed the link to the fan fiction desperate to see the ending. I had been reading as a guest but I've always told myself stories.
Easy pastime when you have no friends. The characters in the shows I watched and the books I read were my friends. I followed along on their adventures and started to create my own. I thought:
Hey, I can do it too.
My first stories were horrible, unreadable garbage in every sense of the word, with no grammar, run-on blocks of text, the worst! But, I took everything my English teachers had to say and applied it.
Annnnnd.
My work was STILL A HOT MESS.
It truly wasn't until I received a PM out of the blue one random day in 2016.
Do you like Monster High?
In all honesty, I hadn't watched it since 2012. My father is/was an "It's EVIL" type of person buut:
Yes.
One little word, a handful of messages, and an OC that had been in development for a year later I typed out a (Still bad) first chapter to a story I titled Scooby's Monster Adventure. Through that original story, I met DRAGONDAVE45. A wonderful friend who's kindly helped me grow as a writer and improve.
Still not as good as he says I am though.
Anyway, this is for my past self who always asked what if.
The kid who'd imagine herself trailing after a Disney princess or helping the gang catch the monster of the week.
For the grieving teenager who lost herself in countless episodes of Scooby-Doo to escape reality.
This is for me now: a twenty-four-year-old cat mom and book dragon who's stumbling her way through life.
For all 130-odd people who silently read my work, I'd love to hear your voices now and then.
And this is for DRAGONDAVE45, Thank you for being my friend.
I don't have many.
Enjoy this first chapter.
...
"Like, tell me why we're doing this again?" Shaggy trembled, sitting in the passenger seat of Melissa's bright red convertible, eye-catching against the gray skies.
"Because no one signed up so they drew names out of a hat," Melissa deadpanned, "And the others are going to that new private, prep school. How you doin' back there Scooby?"
"F-F-Fine!" Scooby lied through chattering teeth watching the Welcome To New Salem sign disappear behind them.
"Don't worry, boys you've got me and I've got old Betsy"
"You brought your mallet?"
"Duh, I just finished the ultra lightweight compact version, it's field testing time"
"I don't want to know what else you have in that jacket do I?" Shaggy eyed the red leather jacket warily.
"Nope"
"Okay"
The trio fell silent. It wasn't very much longer until the converted Gothic castle came into view. Monster High. The stuff of urban legends, where the next generation came to learn. Their new school for the year. A dull purple and gray stone structure spires piercing the gray skies above, school banners snapping in the wind.
"Looks like they're expecting us," the intricate looping metal gates were already opening, the pathway so empty a tumbleweed could blow across it at any moment, Melissa pulled into the parking lot, grabbed her bag, and looked at the chow hounds expectantly, "Let's go"
"Do we have to?"
"Yes, Shaggy," Melissa tossed him a bag of hot fries and Scooby a bag of jerky treats.
When the two remained rooted in place Melissa seized them by their collars to haul them up the steps, her brand new Nightmare Before Christmas bag smacking them every other step until they got the hint and followed her on shaky limbs into the building.
"We're being watched," Shaggy mumbled, ducking behind Melissa.
"You're the new students, right?" a girl who appeared stitched together with black and white hair asked with a wide smile stepping from the sea of bodies to greet them, "I'm Frankie, I was the new kid once, I'll show you where the office is"
"Thanks," Melissa tugged Shaggy and Scooby along, "I'm Melissa, this is Shaggy and Scooby; don't mind them they're a bit nervous"
"That's okay, everyone's nervous on their first day except maybe Cleo but she is royalty so.."
Frankie chattered on, Melissa only half listened taking in her surroundings and ignoring the boys' death grips on her arms. She had half a mind to smack them with her bag but that could break the Zero zipper charm so she didn't. The other students gave them a wide berth, sticking to the walls and hanging in doorways to watch as they passed. Clusters of vampires with their noses turned up, ghosts flying every which way, a purple-haired one snapped a picture of them, werewolves were passing a basketball back and forth, zombies lumbering inch by inch to their homerooms.
Beyond the students, the floors were tiled with a checkered pattern, the halls lined with pink coffin-shaped lockers, a web of stairs led to the upper levels, and another staircase led to an open door marked Catacombs.
"That's where the student lounge is but I'd get a friend to show you around first they can be confusing for newcomers," Frankie saw where she was looking.
"Noted"
"Here's Bloodgood's office, she's expecting you I'm sure I'll see you later, I gotta get to class"
"Thanks, Frankie"
...
Bloodgood's office had a strangely cozy feeling for a monster school. The headmistress was just as inviting, though her blue, red-eyed horse ducked behind a chair upon their entrance.
"Don't mind Nightmare, this is her first time meeting humans, please sit" she removed her head, sitting out on the desk.
Shaggy gasped sharply, further tightening his grip on Melissa's arm.
"Shaggy, you're starting to crush my arm"
Shaggy released her with half-mumbled apologies as they sat.
"Now, here are your schedules," Bloodgood's headless body passed them each a folder with the school crest on it, "Along with a copy of the student handbook and extracurliers for you to aquaint yourselves with. I spoke with your teachers at Crystal Cove and took the liberty of picking your electives of course you're more than welcome to change them if they don't work out just speak to the guidence couseler and he'll give you the paperwork"
Melissa's listed Art 1 and Creative Writing while Shaggy's listed Advanced Cooking and Art 2.
"Like those should be switched," Shaggy laughed comparing the schedules.
"Ah," Bloodgood saw what he was pointing at, "It's the same art class just differnt periods"
"These should be fine," Melissa shrugged while puzzling over Creative Writing. She journaled for therapy but wasn't a writer however there was no way she was about to fill out paperwork for a switch.
There was a peppy knock at the door.
"Enter," Bloodgood called with a smile.
In bounced a petite pink vampire in a cheer uniform, her black and pink hair tied into pigtails; a bright smile on her face.
"This is Draculaura, she'll show you to your first class"
Sensing their dismissal, the trio stood stepping around the chairs to the vampire that awaited them.
"HI!" she rushed forward excitedly only for Melissa to stop her in her tracks.
"Please don't touch me and the boys are a little frightened right now so don't touch them either, okay?"
"I'm sorry," Draculaura visibly deflated, smile briefly wavering, "I've just been sooo excited for you to arrive"
Shaggy audibly gulped as they stepped into the much quieter hallway, hunching his shoulders in an attempt to hide his neck.
"Please don't be afraid," Draculaura stopped walking, "I'm vegetarian, I don't drink b-b-bl- that stuff it's too gross"
"Then what do you eat?" Melissa asked, her face scrunched with confusion as she tried to work the mental puzzle of a vampire that didn't drink blood.
"Tomato juice, cherry juice, all kinds of things"
"Ah"
"Here's our class, welcome to Dead Languages"
The large classroom opened into auditorium-style seating. Most everyone turned to gawk at them as they slipped into empty seats at the top row.
"These must be our new normie students," the blue-gray-skinned phantom teacher in front of the chalkboard spoke drawing everyone's attention back to the front, "Please stand up and introduce yourselves"
Figuring they were going to have to do this several times that day, Melissa yanked Shaggy to his feet, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she forced out hopefully polite-sounding introductions.
Satisfied the teacher, Mr. Rotter turned back to his ongoing lecture.
Propping open her binder, Melissa fished a pencil from her backpack and set to doodling on her sketchbook.
...
Throughout the day, Draculaura introduced them to every single monster she knew. Needless to say, that was every monster in the school. Shaggy wasn't sure if he should faint or die from the overwhelming shock of it all. Worse, he had eaten EVERYTHING Melissa had crammed into her backpack including the Twinkies from her lunch box. Hopefully, she wouldn't kill him for that if he could just find a snack machine with some Kit-Kat bars. Just one. He. Just. Needed. One. After what seemed like forever he finally located one such machine two floors away.
I'll just say I got lost, he reasoned, clutching the restroom pass in one hand while fishing for his wallet with the other. There was just enough cash to buy one Kit Kat. With gleeful anticipation, he watched the machine whirred to life, the life-saving candy bar was so, so, so, so close.
Only for it to get stuck.
"No, no, no, no no, she's going to kill me!" he rested his head on the glass, staring bitterly at the hung-up candy.
"Excuse me, your blocking my M & M's"
"Sorry, sor-AHHHHHH"
Maleficent.
Teenage Maleficent with a raven on her shoulder and everything!
"Apologies," she flashed a fanged smile, "I have that effect on people"
Speechless, Shaggy stepped aside watching Maleficent pluck the share-size bag of candy from the machine. Tossing the candy into the bag over her shoulder she smacked the machine with her open hand dislodging two Kit Kat bars.
"Here," she held the candy out to him, "I'm sure your girlfriend will be wanting these"
He snatched the candy from her hand, jumping at the shock that went up his arm.
"I'll see you later then"
and she was gone just as he managed to say, "Not my girlfriend"
...
Beet red, Shaggy slipped back into the math class, mumbling apologies as he slumped into his seat behind Melissa who without looking up from her textbook held her hand out for the candy under the desk when the teacher had his back turned. Scooching further down in his seat, Shaggy kept his eyes on the ticking of the bone-handed clock over the door.
"What happened to you?" Melissa asked when the bell rang, "You look scared to death"
Allowing the bustle of the exiting students to cover their conversation, Shaggy grabbed desperately onto Melissa's shirt, yanking her close as he whispered in a panic, "Ma-Ma-Maleficent, I, I, I saw her!"
"You mean her?" Melissa pointed at her shirt. The Evil Queen, Maleficent, and, Ursala smiled deviously up at them. Bad Witches Club, the shirt read.
"Mm-hum but like, our age"
"I haven't seen anyone like that," Melissa gathered up her things.
"I'm telling you I saw-"
"Ready to go to electives?"
"ZOINKS!" Shaggy threw himself at Melissa who dropped her bag to catch him.
"Shaggy," Melissa spoke through clenched teeth, "It's only Draculaura"
"Oh.." sheepishly, he untangled himself from Melissa, "Right"
"Come on," Draculaura waved them into the hall, five doors down was Melissa's art class while one floor up was the advanced cooking class.
Stepping nervously through the door he quickly saw that the rest of the class was already paired up in small kitchenettes. Abby and Heath, Clawdeen and Duncan, among many pairs he couldn't recall the names of. Focusing on the floor tiles he shuffled his way to the last kitchenette in the back of the classroom only to faint at the sight of his partner.
Maleficent.
When he came to moments later she loomed over him, her long hair tickling his face.
"I do hope you aren't going to do that every time you see me"
"Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma"
"Ah, I see," She pulled him to sit up, resting him against the cabinets, "I've been told I look like Grandmother before she turned dark but I'm not her, my name is Christina and you're Shaggy right?"
"Mm-hum," he nodded wordlessly watching Christina.
She stood, getting him water from the tap before kneeling at his side again.
"Your eyes are really pretty"
"Thank you"
"I didn't mean to say that out loud"
"You're probaly just disoriented from the fall, it's okay"
Shaggy flushed red, hiding in his water cup. But, Christina's eyes were pretty. A myriad of floating colors hidden within chocolate depths, big and doe-like, sparkling with magic.
"Ready to stand?" she offered a hand, the jingling of the charm bracelet on her wrist snapping him out of his haze.
Shakily he managed to get to his feet with her help. Now that he wasn't so frightened he was able to get a better look at her. Dressed in a purple top and faded black jeans with beat-up sneakers. She pulled back her hair tying the waist-length ombre locks into a ponytail now it was easier to see her pointed ears. Carefully she removed the dragon ring from her hand, slipping it into her pocket alongside the bracelet before pulling her massive dragon-like wings over her shoulders and hooking them in front.
"Does that hurt?"
"No, I-I only just got my royal wings last month and I'm still getting used to them"
"Royal wings?"
"Ah, um, yes," Christina stopped washing her hands briefly caught off guard, "Um since it's the first day we're allowed to cook whatever we'd like; you can pick if you want?"
"Hamburgers?"
"If that's what you'd like"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong I'm a vegetarian is all like my cousin, Draculaura"
"You're Draculaura's cousin?"
"Yes, I'm a hybrid, Mom was dark fae and Daddy's a vampire"
"What would you like to make then Christina?"
"But I asked you"
"But what's the point of making something if only one of us can eat it?"
"Spaghetti? I know a recipe for some awesome tomato sauce and perhaps we can make a batch of cookies?"
"Christy's an excellent baker," Clawdeen called over the din.
"She has a AWESOME baking buisness," Duncan added.
"Like, I guess that settles it"
"I guess so"
...
Melissa zoned back in as the bell chimed for free period finding she'd gone through both elctives and lunch on autopilot. Standing with her bare locker open she watched students flood the front lawn, racing for their vehicles, desperate to leave the stale smells of Monster High behind for just an hour or two. When the last car had peeled out, Melissa shut her locker relieved at how quiet things had become, those not in free period behind the thick classroom doors.
With a tired sigh, she headed back to the art room finding it empty. Setting up an easel she grabbed some paint and lost herself in her work.
"Oh!"
Looking up, her jaw dropped, "Shaggy wasn't kidding..."
"No, I'm not Maleficent," the girl in the doorway spoke with a half smile, "I'm Christina, it's nice to meet you Melissa, you aren't going to faint like your boyfriend, are you?"
"Boyfriend?" Melissa thought for a moment before bursting into laughter, "No, Shaggy isn't my boyfriend, he's more like a big brother, my best friend"
"Oh," Christina grabbed an easel of her own, beginning to sketch an outline, "I'm sorry, Draculaura thought you might have been but wasn't sure and I saw you around earlier, sorry, I like your shirt by the way"
"Thanks"
"Amazon?"
"Yeah"
"Nice, I got mine from the Maul"
"That's...uh.."
"Ironic, I know," Christina shrugged.
"That's a cool dragon," Melissa peered at the outline.
"Thanks"
"paint much?"
"Not really, I only recently picked it up, I'm much more muscally inclined"
Christina fell quiet, a shadow passing over her face.
Melissa turned back to her easel. Mind doing mental gymnastics. She hit some sort of nerve. There was a mystery here.
But what?
Whatever it was. This was going to be an adventure.