Chapter 6: The Battle of Monster High
"Well, that was a nice bit of insight," said Maddie, "we'd better finish things up here and get home before it gets worse."
"What are you talking about?" Cleo asked as our heroes and allies stood in the makeshift infirmary where bare moments ago, at least to Apple, Raven, Frankie and the others, Siegfried sacrificed his life to save Clair's.
"Oh, nothing important," said Maddie, "so, what's happening now? Oh yeah, there's like twenty bad monsters outside the school."
"More like thirty now and more coming," said Iris Clops as she looked out the window, "they're covering all the exits."
"What about the catacomb exits?" asked Bloodgood.
"Operetta's looking into that now," said Iris, "she knows those tunnels and passages better than anyone. If the enemy tries to get in that way, Operetta will know and stop them."
"What about the necklace?" Avery asked, "the one Obsidian's so keen on getting. Is that still safe?"
"Safe in the safe," said Bloodgood as she pulled out the keys to the safe, "I'm the only one who knows where in the safe the necklace is, as well as the combinations for the tumbler locks. But none of that matters without these."
The Headless Headmistress then handed the keys to Frankie, "if something should happen to me, keep these secure and away from the hands of evil. Obsidian can torture me into giving up the combinations and the location of the necklace, but that safe will not open without the keys. If I should fall into enemy hands, then it is up to you and your friends, Frankie."
"We won't let you down, Headmistress," said Frankie as she took the keys. She then pulled out a spool of thread for her stitches and used it to make two loops for the keys. She put one around her neck then handed the second to Clawdeen.
"Why can't I have one of the keys?" asked Cleo.
"And why not me?" asked Toralei.
"Do you really have to ask?" said an annoyed Clawdeen as she and Frankie put the keys around their necks.
"And God forbid one of us gets captured," said Lagoona, "would you hold up under pressure, Cleo?"
"Will any of us?" asked Cleo, "this is a crisis not even the entire Egyptian pantheon could have prepared me for. Who knows what will happen to any of us when the moment of truth comes?"
"You want to back out and go home?" Robecca asked, "I'd say it's a little too late, considering that we're pretty much surrounded about thirty Kaijin."
"More like forty now," said Iris as she looked out the window.
"How can you tell?" asked Raven.
"I can tell the differences in the individual creatures," said Iris as she smiled confidently, "and a near photographic memory can't hurt."
"She's got an app on her phone that links her to the school's security cameras," said Toralei.
"I helped set up that security system, thank you very much," said a slightly annoyed Iris, "and I'll thank you to keep your paws off of it. It took me hours to reboot the system after you decided to make your own reality show!"
"You didn't," said an irate Cupid at Toralei, "you didn't sabotage the security cameras, did you? Are you really that selfish and insensitive?"
"Apparently," said Toralei in a thoughtful, matter of fact tone, "because I'm still hoping I can get a deal with a major TV network."
At that everyone in the room groaned in annoyance, while someone brought their palms up to their foreheads.
"Toralei Stripe," said Bloodgood sternly, "you can either assist your fellow students in this crisis or stay out of the way; the choice is yours."
"Oh, I'll help," said Toralei as she sauntered towards the door, "but only because I feel like helping."
"You don't think she and Kitty Cheshire are somehow related?" whispered Dexter to Raven.
"I wouldn't be all that surprised," whispered Raven.
It was then that Iris pulled out her beeping and vibrating phone and read an urgently red message, "oh no! Oh, this bad, this is very bad!"
"Now what?" asked Frankie.
"The enemy, they're jamming cell reception and WIFI," said Iris, "we can't call or email for help."
"What?!" exclaimed Cleo as she, Frankie and the others pulled out their mobile devices and were shocked to find no cellular or internet reception bars.
"Do we at least have interschool communications?" asked Bloodgood.
"Spectra should be looking into that now," said Iris, "it's one of the things we planned out in the event of a worst case scenario."
"Losing internet and phone reception is a worst case scenario?" asked Tobias.
"With Spectra, it is," said Cupid, "I can only imagine that without the ability to post her blogs, The Ghostly Gossip is zooming around the walls in a panic. Same thing might happen to Blondie when deprived of access to the MirrorNet for too long."
"What about landline phones?" asked Avery, "do you still have that? Or have you gone fully digital?"
"I still have a regular phone in my office," said Bloodgood, "this may be the digital age but no system is infallible."
"As my grandmother once told me," said Avery as our heroes and allies went with Bloodgood through the school corridors to her office, "'No matter how secure you think you are, always have a backup plan. It may just save your bacon.'"
"Your grandmother must have been a wise woman," said Bloodgood.
"Are you kidding?" asked Avery, "I could write a book on her words of wisdom. In fact, I may just do that someday."
"You can preorder my copy right now," said Apple.
"We'd better get to that phone before it starts ringing," said Maddie.
"What makes you think it's going to ring?" asked Frankie as they reached Bloodgood's office and opened the door, just as the phone of the Headmistress's desk began ringing.
"Well, that's ominous," said Frankie.
"I'd put that on speaker if I were you, Ms. Bloodgood," said Maddie, "I have a feeling it's something we all need to hear."
Maddie, will you please not skip ahead in the plot?
"But you're dragging things a bit," said Maddie, "and it is important, right?"
I've got things set up the way they are for a reason.
"But you spent the first five chapters on flashbacks and exposition!" moaned Maddie, "I'm bored!"
But if I rush it, the readers will miss the important details. I know I seem a little long winded sometimes, but it's just my style of storytelling. Now please, no more interruptions.
"Oh, alright," pouted Maddie as she stubbornly crossed her arms, "just more dialog ahead anyway."
"Does she always do that?" Cleo asked Cupid, "talk to herself all the time?"
"Not all the time," said Cupid, "but only when something's about to happen."
"She is right this time," said Bloodgood as she held the phone in her hands, with one hand covering the speaker end, "it's the enemy leader, Irvin Weis, he wants to talk." She pressed the speaker button on the phone, "go ahead, Mr. Weis, I'm listening."
"I hope the others with you are listening too, Headmistress Bloodgood," said Irvin on the other end of the call, "otherwise you wouldn't have put the phone on speaker."
"Maybe she just likes to have the speaker on when having a conference!" said Frankie defiantly.
"Oh, you're there too, Ms. Stein," said a delighted Irvin, "as are your confederates, Ms. Wolf, Ms. Blue, Ms. De Nile and the rest of your freakish cabal. But what of the meddling Riders? I'd rather not have to make the same offer twice."
"We're here, Irvin," said Ian, while Lance and Jessie stood next to him, "Siegfried can't come to the phone."
"Not after you had Draculaura torture him!" snapped Jessie, "not after…!" but that's as far as she got before Lance made a shushing gesture, while Ian mouthed the words 'don't let them know he's dead!'
"It doesn't matter," said Irvin, "my offer is for Headmistress Bloodgood and Ms. Stein."
"Whatever it is, we will not accept," said Bloodgood.
"So take your deal and shove it!" said Frankie as her neck bolts sparked with defiance.
"Oh, you'll want to hear this deal, Ms. Stein," said Irvin, "it may just save your lives. By now I assume that your beloved headmistress has distributed the keys to the safe among you and your friends."
"How'd you know that?!" exclaimed Frankie as she clutched the key around her neck, while Clawdeen checked to see that her Key was safe too.
"A certain lady vampire told me about the keys," said Irvin, "don't worry, you'll see Draculaura and Valentine soon enough, though I'd rather conclude this transaction of ours without their presence. Those two undead lovers have been wearing on my nerves lately."
"I hope they're driving you bonkers," muttered Lagoona.
"As for the deal," Irvin continued, "surely by now you've all accepted the fact that no outside help is coming; no police, no military, not even your parents will lift a finger to assist you in any way, shape or form."
"Why? What'd you do to our parents and families?!" exclaimed Clawdeen.
"If you did anything to hurt my mom and dad," said Frankie as her neck bolts sparked furiously, "I'll…"
"You'll do nothing but listen!" snapped Irvin, "I've done nothing to your families, physically that is. Never the less, I've arranged it so that none of your families will help, not even if you appear on your knees before them, begging for your miserable lives."
"What could he have possibly done to them?" asked Raven.
"Keep it down," whispered Avery, "I don't want him to know that we're here."
"Good idea," whispered Raven.
"Then what do you want, Mr. Weis?" asked Bloodgood.
"You know what I want," said Irvin, "I want the necklace you sequestered in that improbably large safe of yours. You've got twenty minutes to retrieve it from the catacombs and walk out the front door of Monster High with it."
"And if we refuse to surrender the necklace?" asked Bloodgood.
"Then the consequences will be rather painful for you and your students, Headmistress," said Irvin, "it won't be a complete massacre. No, I have orders from my superiors to keep as many of your young freaks alive. So either come out with the necklace and save yourself and yours a lot of unnecessary pain, or I'm coming in with a lot of Kaijin ready for a fight."
"It'll be a cold day in hell before I allow any Kaijin into my school," said Bloodgood with righteous indignation.
"We're ready for a fight," said Frankie, "we won't be pushed over!"
"I imagine as such," said Irvin, "but why delay the inevitable? I will have that necklace and there's nothing you can do to stop me. I'll be waiting outside the front doors of the school. You have twenty minutes to decide and bring out the necklace. After that, I'm coming in."
With that the line clicked and the dial tone could be heard over the speaker.
"I think he means business," said Frankie.
"So do we," said Bloodgood as she walked to one of the bookcases in her office and pressed a hidden switch.
A hidden panel in the floor opened up and from it emerged a hologram projector that displayed a 3D image of Monster High.
"Where'd you get this, Headmistress?" asked an amazed Frankie, "it's clawsome!"
"Monster High has always had its defenses," said Bloodgood as she stepped up to the hologram and used her fingers to interact with it. She enlarged the image and focused on the school grounds. Multiple red dots with different colored rings around them were scattered around the school building.
"The red dots are the Kaijin," said Bloodgood, "those with blue rings are Orphnochs, the yellow are Fangire."
"What are the green dots, Headmistress?" asked Robecca as she indicated said dots within the school building.
"Us and the rest of the students and teachers," said Bloodgood as she zoomed the image out, then brought up several white dots scattered across the outside of the building and the grounds, "while these are the means in which we shall fight back."
Just then everyone heard Irvin's voice over a bullhorn, "You now have nineteen minutes, Bloodgood!"
"What…is he doing a countdown?" asked Cleo irately, "of all the nerve!"
"He must think he's the end all of villains," said Jessie.
"You should have met the proxies we faced," said Avery, "they would have given you a headache."
"About the white dots," said Bloodgood, "as I said, they shall be the means in which we fight back."
"Ooo! Is this like in Deathly Hallows?!" exclaimed Chad eagerly, "where Professor McGonagall cast that spell that brought the statues and suits of armor to life to fight against The Death Eaters? And will there be this massive shield spell covering the school?"
"No, that was fiction," said Bloodgood in an admonishing manner.
"And since when has Monster High ever had suits of armor and statues just standing about?" asked Cleo.
"We do have a few dragons down in the catacombs," said Lagoona.
"And they shall stay in the catacombs," said Bloodgood, "the last thing any of us needs is a score of dragons on the loose."
"You now have eighteen minutes!" shouted Irvin over the bullhorn.
"I'm starting to dislike him," said Raven as she crossed her arms, "you still have Madison's derringer, Apple?"
"Sorry, I left it back home," said Apple
"That's alright," said Raven, "I've got a spell or two I'd like to try on Irvin."
"What kind of spell?" asked Cleo in an intrigued manner, "will it involve vomiting insects for an extended period of time? Or perhaps force him to endure excruciating pains until you've decided he's had enough?"
"I figured more along the lines of turning him inside out," said Raven. "My grandmother, Rachael Queen, she worked on a curse that turns people inside out, but she never got a chance to use it."
"Did your mother ever use it?" asked Dexter in an uncomfortable manner.
"I sincerely hope you're on your way to the catacombs, Bloodgood!" shouted Irvin, "because you now have seventeen minutes!"
"No, but I will if he doesn't shut up!" said Raven irately.
"We have more efficient means to deal with intruders at Monster High," said Bloodgood.
"Booby traps," said Tobias.
"Precisely," said Bloodgood, "they used to be nonlethal traps design to incapacitate and detain, but I've upgraded them in light of the current crisis. And you'll see what kind of upgrades as soon as the enemy makes their move."
"As my grandmother once said," said Avery, "'the best defense may be a good offense, but having a backup or two plan never hurts.'"
"Which is why I installed Material Emancipation Grills on all the windows and exterior doors," said Bloodgood, "if the Kaijin get past the traps on the grounds and try to break in, they'll encounter quite the nasty little surprise."
"What's a Material Emancipation Grill?" asked Apple.
"You've never played the Portal games?" asked Jessie.
"They don't have video games like we do on Ever After," said Avery to Jessie.
"But what if they somehow get inside the school?" asked Clawdeen.
"More traps and a few volunteer tentacle Monsters will slow them down," said Bloodgood, "oh, I forgot to mention that I armed the school's resident Gargoyles. They'll provide support from the roof."
"You gave the school's Gargoyles weapons?" asked Cupid in an uncomfortable manner, "what kind of weapons?"
"You'll find out when the enemy makes their move," said Bloodgood, "and if the enemy still gets past all that I've prepared, there's an emergency escape tunnel I've installed in the auditorium."
"You now have sixteen minutes!" shouted Irvin.
"I'm gonna take that bullhorn away from him and make him eat it if he doesn't shut up," said Clawdeen.
Just then Iris, whom had stepped out of the office, ran back in, "Headmistress! You've got to stop them!"
"Stop who?" asked Bloodgood.
"Manny and the others!" said Iris franticly, "they're…they're going to go outside and…"
"Over my decapitated body!" said Bloodgood irately. With that she hurried out of the office, followed by Frankie, Raven and the others.
They soon found Manny Taur with Heath, Slow Moe, Romulus and Braham, all of them standing in the hallway near the front door of the school.
"Then it's agreed," said Braham as he held five straws in his hand, "whoever gets the short straw does it."
"Does what?" asked Bloodgood as she irately placed her head in her hands.
At that Manny and the other boys looked rather sheepish and a little uncomfortable at the sight of Bloodgood's head glaring at them.
"I'll ask you young gentlemen again; what are you going to do?" asked Bloodgood.
"You now have fifteen minutes!" shouted Irvin.
"We were deciding which of us would go out and give that jackass with the loudspeaker a piece of our minds, Headmistress," said Romulus.
"You can't do that!" exclaimed Iris, "those horrible things will kill you!"
"Like they could take out this bull!" boasted Manny.
"You can't honestly expect us to believe that just one of you is going out there to fight," said Avery.
"Fight? Are you kidding?" asked Heath indignantly, "no way are we going out there!"
"Like just one of us has any chance against an army of those things," said Romulus.
"We're just going to taunt the enemy, that's all," said Braham, to which Slow Moe moaned in agreement.
"Oh, well, that's not so bad," said Frankie.
"It's still a risk that I will not condone," said Bloodgood, "there will be no taunting of the enemy at this school; it's unseemly, uncouth and overall in bad taste."
"Headmistress!" said Braham irately, "do you expect us to simply be idle while that barbarian outside verbally assaults our ears?!"
"You're expected to behave like a civilized vampire and take the higher road," said Bloodgood.
"Yeah, well, I'm not so civilized," said Manny, "I'll do it." With that the bullheaded Minotaur stomped towards the nearest window.
"Manny! Don't!" pleaded Iris.
"Stop right this instant, Manny Taur!" shouted Bloodgood.
"I'm just gonna shout out the window," said Manny as he reached the window, "I'm not even gonna stick my head out, it'll be fine."
"You know have fourteen minutes!" shouted Irivn as Manny opened the window.
"Your mama has fourteen minutes!" shouted Manny, whom then quickly closed the window.
"That's it?" asked a dumbfounded Heath.
"Uh…yeah, that's it," said Manny.
"Are you saying that after all that bluster and posturing," said Braham, "that you couldn't come up with a better insult?"
"Uh…yeah, that's pretty much all I had," said Manny.
"Oh, you handsome but still a dummy dummy," said Iris as she worriedly placed her arms around his.
"YOU WHO JUST SHOUTED!" bellowed Irvin, "WHAT WAS THAT YOU SAID ABOUT MY MOTHER!?"
"I think you struck a nerve there," said a grinning Romulus.
"I did?" asked Manny, "I mean…of course I did! I'm the insult king after all!"
"If you're such a master of the taunt," said Braham, "do it again, strike another nerve."
"Okay, I will," said Manny as he went to the window.
"He's not that stupid, is he?" asked Raven.
"Your mamma's so fat, I took a picture of her last Christmas, and it's still printing!" shouted Manny.
"He is," said Cupid.
"Your mamma's so dumb, she got locked in the grocery store and starved!"
"Okay, that's enough, Manny," said Iris.
"Your mamma's so fat, she shares both sides of the family!"
"Seriously, stop it, Manny!" said Iris.
"Your mamma's so dumb, she put a watch in the piggy bank and said she was saving time!"
At that both Abbey and Heath laughed. "What?" asked Abbey as she saw the annoyed look from Frankie and the others, "it was funny."
"Your mamma's so fat, she'd give a vampire diabetes!"
"You know, he's really good at this," said an impressed Clawd.
"Don't encourage him," said an irate Clawdeen.
"And here's the killer!" said Manny, "Your mamma's so ugly, she looked out the window and got arrested for moooooooning!"
"Stop it!" laughed Heath as he and a giggling Abbey nearly fell over, "I can't…I can't breathe!"
"THAT DOES IT!" exclaimed Irvin, "NO ONE INSULTS MY MOTHER! ORPHNOCHS! FANGIRE! GO FORTH AND KILL!"
"You just had to push the envelope," said an irate Lagoona at Manny as the assembled Kaijin assumed their true forms and rushed towards the school.
"Uh…sorry?" asked Manny.
Just then came there was one, then another, then several more explosions outside.
"Ah, they've reached the first layer of the minefield," said Bloodgood as another explosion sounded.
"You really expect a minefield to take out a Kaijin?" asked Tobias.
At that Ghoulia moaned as he pointed out the window, from which could be seen a green flash.
"Oh, they're plasma mines," said Tobias, "yeah, those will do much more damage."
"But will they destroy an Orphnoch or Fangire?" asked Ian as he and the others looked out of the other nearby windows. They saw several Fangire and Orphnoch cautiously making their way across the grounds towards the school proper.
Just then they saw an Orphnoch step on a mine and was engulfed in a blast of green energy. The creature emerged from the blast, staggering about like a drunkard, only to step on another mine. When the green blast cleared, the creature was covered in blue flames as it stumbled and fell to the ground, collapsing into dust.
Another blast went off and from it was thrown a Fangire, whom then slammed into a tree and shattered, its pulsating soul rising up into the air.
"We really have to do something to keep those things from getting away," said Lance, "Fangire souls do regenerate."
"They do more than regenerate," said Avery, "but that's not important right now."
"That minefield won't last forever," said Dexter.
"There are other traps," said Bloodgood.
Just then a Fangire fell into a concealed pit, screaming in terror for several seconds until it fell too far away to be heard.
"Oh, the old bottomless pit," said an impressed Frankie, "that's a great trap."
"So's that," said Clawdeen as she pointed at an Orphnoch that was hoisted up by a snare that had enough kinetic energy, it flung the creature away from the school like a catapult.
"And that," said Lagoona as she pointed at another Orphnoch, one that was caught in a bear trap that electrocuted it.
"Hey! I think I see Irvin!" said Jessie. She then pointed out the lone human standing with two black cloaked individuals and a dozen more Kaijin, all located just outside the school property line.
"Looks like another Normie to me," said Cupid, "then again, so did Cuthbert, Ophelia and Manfred."
"Trust me, he's no Normie," said Frankie.
As if in response to Frankie's statement, the figure that was Irvin raised his hands and summoned a beach ball sized sphere of dark energy and tossed it onto the grounds. The sphere of dark energy detonated, sending out a pulse wave that set off the remaining mines and traps on the grounds.
"Uh…maybe I shouldn't have badmouthed his mom," said Manny sheepishly.
"Ya think?!" Clawdeen asked irately.
"Let's try this again," said Irvin, "ORPHNOCHS AND FANGIRE! GO FORTH AND KILL!"
With that the assembled Kaijin advanced towards the school building again.
But then there was a massive explosion that knocked two Orphnochs and one Fangire down, while stopping the other creatures from advancing further.
"What was that?" asked Frankie as another explosion went off, this one directly kitting an Fangire, shattering it and releasing its pulsating soul into the air.
"That would be the resident Gargoyles," said Bloodgood.
"With what, a bazooka?" asked Jessie.
"More like a mortar tube," said Tobias as another explosion went off, this one knocking down several Kaijin and forcing the rest back beyond the boundary line.
"You gave the Gargoyles a mortar?" asked a shocked Cupid.
"Be grateful that's all they have," said Bloodgood, "they asked for machine guns and howitzers. I told them that a howitzer wouldn't fit on the roof and automatic weapons are illegal in this state."
"So you gave them mortar shells and a launch tube?!" asked an exasperated Cupid.
At that Ghoulia moaned something, then brought up on her computer the schematics for a modified potato gun.
"Oh, you made one for them," said Cupid, "that's different, I guess. But what are they using for explosives?"
At that Ghoulia moaned something in an annoyed tone.
"Alright, I won't ask you," said Cupid, "but how many shells do they have?"
"Enough to hold them off until we can think of something else," said Frankie.
"Uh…that may not be enough time," said Heath as he looked out the window, "one of those black robbed guys, he's doing something weird with his hands."
Everyone looked out the window and saw one of the Shadow Acolytes' hands were crackling with electricity. The black robbed man raised his hands and a double bolt of lightning shot at and hit the roof, followed by the sound of several Gargoyles squealing in pain, then the zapped creatures tumbled off the roof, along with the destroyed makeshift mortar.
"So much for that plan," said Raven as the Kaijin began advancing towards the school again, while more Kaijin arrived and gathered around Irvin.
"They still have to get inside," said Bloodgood, "every door and window is reinforced with a Material Emancipation Grill."
"But what is a Material Emancipation Grill?" asked Apple as one of the Orphnochs reached the front door and tried to break it down, only for a blue force field to knock it back several feet.
"Oh, that's a Material Emancipation Grill," said Apple.
"Yeah! That's slowed them down!" said Deuce as he and the others saw the Kaijin back away from the front door.
Just then Frankie's cell phone began ringing.
"I thought they jammed all digital communications," said Avery as Frankie looked at her phone, the caller I.D. saying that the number was unlisted.
"I think someone really wants to talk to us," said Frankie. She answered the call and put it on speaker, "hello, Irvin."
"Your headmistress is quite the tenacious planner, Ms. Stein," said an irate-sounding Irvin.
"I wouldn't have survived my initial decapitation if I weren't, Mr. Weis," said Bloodgood.
"I know, and I respect that," said Irvin, "seriously, you and yours have more than earned my respect, but also my ire."
"Well, I'm glad my students and I have made such an impression on you," said Bloodgood.
"No more bantering, you mutant filth!" snapped Irvin, "just what do you hope to accomplish by resisting? I've already made it clear that no help is coming! Monster High stands alone! Do you honestly believe that a school for freaks can resist the combined might of Obsidian and Dai Shocker?"
"This school for freaks isn't alone, you bastard!" Chad shouted, "just you wait until Clair gets a hang of her powers! She'll…"
"Shut up!" hissed Avery as Frankie covered the phone, while Clair shook her head.
"Don't let them know that she's the new Kiva," said Avery, "and don't mention us."
"Obsidian doesn't know we're here," said Raven, "we'd like to keep it that way for a while."
"I know you can still hear me, Ms. Stein," said Irvin, "I don't know what you're trying to hide from me, but it matters not. Keep your secrets, what little good it'll do you." With that the call ended.
"What a pisser," said Ian.
"But he's not bluffing," said Bloodgood, "while we have significant stores of food, water and other essential supplies, the enemy can wait us out."
"I refuse to believe that no one is coming to help," said Cleo as she dramatically posed in the style of her people, "how can he prevent our families from noticing that we haven't come home, let alone called? Why, I'll bet my father is on his way with his own private security force to relieve the situation. I'll bet he'll be here in less than five minutes."
"I didn't get the impression that he was lying," said Raven.
"But how could he stop our parents from coming to help?" Clawdeen asked, "how can he make them not care?"
"Who knows what dark powers the proxies of Obsidian possess?" asked Tobias.
Just then Bloodgood's phone beeped. She pulled it out and activated an app that linked her phone to the hologram display in her office, projecting a smaller but identical display of Monster High and the enemy forces.
"They're on the move," said Bloodgood as a large number of enemy dots broke away from the main group at the boundary line.
"Are they trying to get in through another door?" asked Dexter, "or a window or a tower?"
"They can't get past the Material Emancipation Grids," said Bloodgood, "and if they try to break through the walls themselves, they'll find an even bigger surprise waiting."
"Wait! What is that place?" asked Raven as she pointed at a specific point on the display.
"That's the new outdoor Creepateria," said Frankie, "complete with patio seating and a new healthy menu."
"About time," said Cupid. She then looked at Avery, Tobias, Dexter, Apple, Maddie and Raven, "you wouldn't believe how unhealthy the food here was."
"I try not to imagine," said Apple.
"Hey! They're stopping at the patio!" said Lagoona, "what are those mangy dingos up to?"
"Ghoulia, please tell me you can get the internal security cameras back up," said Bloodgood.
At that Ghoulia moaned something along the line of 'just a second' as she worked furiously on her laptop.
"Look at her go!" said an amazed Dexter, "and here I thought that zombies were stupid."
"Appearances can be deceiving," said Raven.
It was then that Ghoulia moaned in triumph as her laptop now showed multiple views from the school's security cameras. Ghoulia then brought up the exterior view from the outdoor eating area, where a dozen Kaijin were waiting a few yards from the Creepateria patio doors, while three Fangire were clustered together.
"What are they doing?" asked Ian.
As if in response, the three Fangire that had features of crabs began to emit pulses and crackles of dark energy, then merged into a form that resembled an energy cannon that moved on crab-like legs.
"Oh, that's not good," said a highly worried Frankie.
"So they've got an oversized blaster!" said Clawd, "big deal. That Emancipator grill or whatever it is, it'll stop anything."
"I don't think so," said Jackson nervously, "the Material Emancipation Grid was designed to prevent solid matter from passing from one point to another, but not energy."
It was then that the Fangire cannon began charging energy and fired a blast at the door, tearing it off its hinges and violently shaking the whole school as if suffering a small earthquake.
"That's definitely not good," said Frankie as every recovered from being shaken up by the blast.
At that Ghoulia moaned urgently as she pointed at her laptop, which showed a view of the Creepateria interior as first one, then several Fangire and Orphnoch began charging in.
"Time to go to work!" shouted Ian as he held up the metal case containing the Faiz gear. He opened it and pulled out the belt, phone and additional equipment, which now contained a collapsible sword in the shape of a motorcycle handbrake. He then ran off into the corridors.
"You too, Clair," said Jessie as she and the others ran after Ian, "you're gonna fight as well."
"What, now?" asked Clair, "I can't fight now! I just got these powers! I don't even know how to fight!"
"Just ball up your fists and assert yourself," said Jessie, "it's easy, once you get the hang of it."
"I…I don't know," said Clair as she looked downcast, "I…I just…"
"It's going to be alright," said Jackson, "I believe in you."
"We all do," said Frankie.
But then she and the others heard and felt an explosion ahead, followed by several cries of pain.
"Faith alone won't be enough," said Jessie as she put the belt around her waist, "not unless you're a certain Son of God, but that's a whole other kettle of fish." With thats he began dialing.
5 5 5
STANDING BY
"Henshin!" shouted Jessie as she raised the phone up, then brought it down to click into place on the belt.
COMPLETE
With a flash of red energy, Jessie became Faiz, just as two Orphnochs appeared from around a corner just ahead. Faiz held the handbrake-like sword grip and it extended to its full length. She rushed in and slashed at one of the Orphnochs, delivering a massive amount of spark damage that knocked the creature back several paces and startling the other.
"No more moping around!" shouted Clawd, "time to get serious!" with that he dashed towards the other Orphnoch and began hitting it with massive blows, while dodging the creature's clumsy counterattacks.
"Are we gonna let our big brother show us up?" asked Howleen.
"Not on your life!" said Clawdeen. With that she and Howleen dashed in, joining Clawd in his battle. Together, the three werewolf siblings dominated the hapless Orphnoch.
But then three Fangire approached from the other side of the corridor.
"Now's the time to step up and shine, Clair!" said Ian.
"Siegfried wouldn't have chosen you as his successor if he didn't believe in you," said Lance, "you are one of the chosen! Chosen by the forces of light to stand firm against the darkness."
"Okay," said Clair in a slightly unsure tone, "I'm ready. Kivat!"
"I'm ready to!" shouted the golden bat as he flew around Clair, "Kivat Ikuze!"
Clair grabbed Kivat in her right hand and held him over her left.
"Gabut!" shouted Kivat as he big the web of flesh between Clair's thumb and forefinger.
A rising and falling, distorted whistle could be heard as stainglass-like patters flowed from the bite up Clair's arm and onto her face, while ghostly chains circled her waist and materialized into the belt of Kiva.
"Henshin!" said Clair as she clicked Kivat into place on the belt.
But instead of being covered in mirror-like energy, dark red energy crackled from the belt across Clair's body. She screamed in agony and collapsed to the floor as the belt vanished and Kivat flew free in a startled manner.
"Clair!" shouted Jackson as he ran to her side, "Clair!"
"What happened?!" exclaimed Ian as he, Chad and Lance ran to Clair, "why didn't she transform?"
"I…I don't understand," said Kivat, "it should have worked."
"We'll worry about that later!" said Frankie as the three Fangire approached. She then had to duck a bolt of dark energy from one of the creatures. The bolt went on behind her and damaged part of the wall.
"No one messes with my school!" shouted Frankie as electricity flowed from her neck bolts and down her arms. She aimed her hands as the offending Fangire and blasted it with a double lightning bolt, knocking the creature down.
"Viva Monster High!" shouted Rochelle as she charged in and delivered a stone-hard punch to one of the Fangire, while Robecca delivered a steam-powered kick to the other.
"We've got to help them!" shouted Apple as she, Raven, Maddie, Dexter, Avery, Tobias and Cupid remained just out of sight of the battle.
"No! Not yet!" said Tobias.
"Why wait!?" exclaimed Dexter, "these are our friends and they're fighting for their lives!"
"They don't seem to be doing that bad," said Raven as she watched Clawd, Clawdeen and Howleen tear apart the Orphnoch they had been fighting, the remains of the creature bursting into blue flames and crumbling into dust. The werewolf siblings then attacked another Orphnoch, while Lagoona and Gil faced a third. Faiz stabbed the Orphnoch he had been fighting where the heart should be. The creature gave a wail of pain as it burst into flames and turned to dust, while Faiz turned to face another.
At the same time, Frankie was electrocuting two Fangire at once, while Rochelle and Robecca had shattered the two they were fighting. Abbey and Heath were alternating their elemental powers on another Fangire, while Deuce was fending off two of the creatures as Cleo fumbled in her purse for something.
"Still, we just can't stand around while they're doing all the fighting," said Apple, "we have to do something."
"We will, just not yet," said Tobias.
"He's right, we need to wait," said Apple.
"For what?" asked Dexter.
"For the right moment to reveal ourselves, duh!" said Maddie as she pulled a collapsible table out of her hat, followed by her faithful tea set, which Earl Gray helped serve, "but don't worry, the right moment's coming, right, Mr. AnderwK9000?"
Maddie, please don't try to get me to spoil things.
"I know," said Maddie as she added sugar to her tea, "I'm just keeping my friends in the loop."
"Well, I'm not going to wait around for the right moment," said Cupid irately as she summoned her bow and exploding arrows from a pocket dimension or wherever Olympian gods keep their stuff, "this used to be my school and these are my friends!" She knocked an arrow to her bowstring, drew back, aimed and fired at a Fangire trying to sneak up on Frankie.
Cupid released, the arrow flying true and striking the offending Kaijin between its stain glass-like eyes and shattering it.
But then a massive Orphnoch with features of a gorilla stampeded into the area and with one swipe of its oversized arms, knocked Clawd, Clawdeen and Howleen off their feet and into several nearby lockers with enough force to cause part of the ceiling to collapse on them.
"No!" shouted Frankie as she tried to rush to her friends, only to be grabbed by the Gorilla Orphnoch and thrown into Rochelle, Robecca, Abbey and Heath.
Faiz tried to attack the creature but she was brushed aside like a twig. The Gorilla Orphnoch then hit and knocked Deuce down, separating the son of Medusa from his sunglasses. Before he could close his eyes, Deuce's gaze found Avery. With a blast of green energy, Avery was turned to stone.
"What…what?!" exclaimed Apple as she realized that Avery had been petrified, while Deuce landed hard on the floor. Covering his eyes with one hand and groping for his shades with the other, he was unaware that the Gorilla Orphnoch was advancing towards him.
"Hey! You!" shouted Cleo as she pulled out a crocodile-like amulet from her purse, "no one hurts my man and gets away with it!" she pointed the amulet at the creature and fired a beam of orange magic at it.
Yet the attack had no effect, other than driving the creature into a fit of rage as it began mindlessly rampaging through the halls, smashing lockers and destroying the walls and ceiling with reckless abandon.
"Oh, great, Cleo!" said Cupid as she fitted another arrow to her bow, "you made it worse!"
"I didn't mean to!" said Cleo as she found Deuce's glasses and helped cover his eyes.
"Then leave the magic to the professionals!" shouted Raven as she stepped forward, "if this isn't a right enough moment, I don't know what is!" she then charged up a sphere of her own dark magic and threw it at the creature, yet the sphere missed it by inches.
"You call yourself a professional?!" exclaimed Cleo as she helped Deuce back up.
"It was supposed to miss, the first time that is," said a confidently smiling Raven.
Just then the sphere swung around and slammed into the back of the Gorilla Orphnoch, dealing a massive amount of damage and nearly knocking it down.
"Oh, a boomerang spell," said Dexter, "cool."
"You're welcome to join me," said Raven as she hit the creature with a spell that impaled it with a thousand needles.
"Never mind that!" exclaimed Apple, "What about Avery!? He's been turned to stone!"
"It'll wear off in a few minutes," said Deuce, "he'll be fine."
"In the meantime," said Faiz as she took the chip off the back of her phone, "let's finish this bit of dirty business!" She then attached the chip into the handle of her sword.
READY
She then opened the phone and pressed Enter
EXCEEDE CHARGE
A pulse of red energy flowed up the phone, down his arm and into the sword, charging the blade. Faiz then slashed the sword at the creature, sending out a blast of energy, which she dashed along with it.
The energy blast hit the creature, trapping and suspending it in midair within a cylinder of red energy.
Faiz then rushed in and delivered a double slash at the captured Gorilla Orphnoch. A red circle with a diagonal slash in it appeared as the creature burst into blue flames and crumbled into dust.
"And that's that," said Faiz. With that she powered down and took the belt off, handing it to Ian, "your turn next."
"I don't think I'll get the chance today," said Ian as he looked around, seeing no more Orphnoch or Fangire in the area.
"They seemed to have retreated for the moment," said Bloodgood as she sheathed a saber, apparently having spent the whole battle dueling and just now finished destroying one of the Kaijin.
"Oh my ghoul!" exclaimed Lagoona, "Clawdeen!"
"I'm alright!" said a mildly disoriented Clawdeen as she and Clawd groggily extracted themselves from the pile of locker and ceiling debris that had fallen on them.
"I'm fine too if anyone cares," said Clawd as he brushed dust and bits of rubble off his letterman jacket, then scratched some dust out from behind his ears. He then looked around, "wait, where's Howleen?"
"Howleen?" asked Clawdeen urgently as she turned back to the debris pile and began digging through it, "Howleen!? Where are you?!"
Clawd quickly joined her, followed by Abbey, Frankie, Deuce and the others. But after several minutes of frantic searching, there was no trace of the young werewolf girl.
"She was right there with us!" said a panicking Clawdeen, "I swear she was right there!"
"We'll find her, Clawdeen, I promise!" said Frankie in a reassuring manner, "maybe she managed to get free while we were all busy with that one big Orphnoch."
"And go where?" asked Clawd, "it's not as if she would run away from the fight."
"Speaking of missing friends," said Gil, "anyone seen Rochelle and Robecca?"
"And where is Manny and Iris?" asked Abbey.
"Oh, they're probably hiding somewhere," said Heath, "things must have gotten too intense for them."
Just then everyone heard Irvin's voice over his loudspeaker, "Headless Headmistress Bloodgood! I have some of your precious students! If you wish to avoid arranging several funerals, meet me in the lunchroom and we'll discuss terms!"
"The bastard!" said Ian, "he used the fight to take hostages!"
"He didn't!" growled a wrathful Clawdeen, "he's dead if he did!" with that she dashed down the wreckage-strewn corridor towards the Creepateria.
"Clawdeen! Wait!" shouted Frankie as she and the others dashed after her.
They caught up with Clawdeen just outside the Creepateria, where inside stood Irvin, a full score of Orphnochs and Fangire. Bound and kneeling in front of the Kaijin was Howleen, Twyla, Rochelle, Robecca, Venus, Manny and Iris.
"You piece of crap!" barked Clawdeen as she tried to rush at Irvin, only to be held back by Clawd, Frankie and Abbey.
"Well, hello again, Ms. Wolf," said Irvin as he gave a sinister smile, "how delightful to see you and your friends in the flesh again. Ms. Stein, you're as lovely as ever."
"Let them go, Irvin," said Frankie after she made sure her friends had Clawdeen safely restrained.
"Ah, you see, I can't do that," said Irvin, "that's just not how it works. If I let them go, then I have nothing to bargain with."
"Then what the bloody blue hell do you want, you wanker!?" exclaimed Lagoona.
"You know damn well what I want, you mouth-breathing, aquatic whore!" snapped Irvin, "give me the necklace or I start executing your fellow freaks!"
"Don't give him anything!" shouted Howleen, only to be viciously slapped across the face by one of the Fangire.
At that Clawdeen barked with unbridled rage as she once again tried to get to her sister. This time it took Abbey, Heath, Clawd, Deuce, Ian and Lance to hold her down.
It was then that everyone heard Valentine and Draculaura laughing as the insidious vampire couple strode through the opening in the Creepateria, stopping next to Irvin, "someone needs to put a muzzle on that mutt," said Valentine.
"Draculaura!" exclaimed Clawd. Now it was his turn to be restrained as he tried to get to the twisted vampiress.
"Oh, the little puppy still carries a torch," said Draculaura, "I'd almost feel sorry for you, dog, almost. Now stay back before I have you fixed!"
"You undead bastard!" said Cupid as she pushed her way past Frankie and the others, "what the Tartarus did you do to her?!"
"Chariclo Arganthone Cupid?" asked Valentine.
"I thought you transferred to another school," said Draculaura.
"I did," Cupid, "but I heard you weren't feeling well, Draculaura, something about your heart being bent out of shape or something like that," she then reached into her quiver and pulled out an arrow with a pink heart-shaped head, "fortunately, yours truly has a cure for that."
She knocked the arrow to her bow and aimed for Draculaura's heart, "time to remind you why you fell in love with Clawd in the first place!" she then loosed the arrow.
But Draculaura caught the arrow between two fingers and snapped it in half, "sorry, no messing with my heart, freak!"
"That…that's not right," said a startled and disturbed Cupid, "nobody can catch one of my arrows."
"She's not the same ghoul you last saw, you obsolete Olympian," said Valentine, "oh, and Irvin, old sport, we know you were planning on moving ahead with the plan without us."
"Fortunately, we found what we needed with plenty of time to get back," said Draculaura as a Fangire walked up with a wooden case. Draculaura opened the case and took out what appeared to be a gasmask, as well as a glass beaker filled with a green gas that glowed with an insidious light.
"What the hell is that stuff?" Irvin asked as he cautiously eyed the beaker.
"The results of a rare and most vile piece of magic," said Valentine as Draculaura took out a small canister and connected it to the beaker, allowing some of the gas into it. She then connected the canister to the gasmask.
"As for the masks themselves," said Valentine as another Fangire brought out and opened another case that contained a second mask and canister, "one could say that they're reverse gasmasks. Instead of keeping toxic fumes out, they let in specific fumes."
"And what does this type of fumes do?" asked Irvin.
"You'll find out," said Draculaura as she loaded the second canister with gas, then connected the canister to the second mask, "bring the lovers!"
"Hey! Watch it!" shouted Manny as he and Iris were manhandled over to Draculaura and again forced to kneel.
"Manny!" said Iris as tears began to fall from her one eye, "whatever happens, I love you!"
"I love you to, Iris!" said Manny as he struggled to break free, yet the creatures restraining him were too powerful for the young minotaur.
"What are you going to do to them!?" demanded Frankie, yet her outburst went unheard.
"The masks themselves are enchanted to adapt to the faces of their wearers," said Valentine, "forming an airtight seal to ensure the victims receive a full dose of the vapors."
"But what are you going to do to them?" pleaded Frankie.
"Just watch, ghoulfriend," said a viciously smirking Draculaura as she handed the masks to two Orphnoch, "do it!"
"Manny!" shouted Iris as one of the Orphnochs forced the mask onto her, the insidious object morphing to form an airtight fit over her face.
"You get that thing off my woman!" shouted Manny as the other Orphnoch forced the second mask on to his face.
There was a double click and hiss as the gas was released inside the masks. Manny and Iris tried to hold their breath, but only for a few seconds. They both gasped loudly and were forced to inhale the gas.
"Unlike mustard gas or other forms of chemical warfare," said Valentine, "the vapors produce no harmful physical effects."
"See?" asked Draculaura as she pointed at Manny and Iris, whom were breathing in slow, even breaths, "they're perfectly fine. Well, mostly fine."
The masks were removed and the Kaijin backed away, revealing Manny and Iris, neither of them seeming to suffer any harm as they knelt, breathing deeply, their faces showing neutral yet calm expressions. But something wasn't right with them, something not right at all.
"Their eyes!" exclaimed Lagoona as she and the others realized that the eyes of Manny and Iris were fully dilated.
At that Ghoulia moaned something.
"You're right, it's as if they're in a trance," said Cleo.
"Not just any trance," said Valentine, "a trance that will leave them open to anything Draculaura and I tell them to do."
"Impossible!" said Jackson as he and a weakened but still functional Clair, walked up to and joined Frankie and the others, "you can't make a gas that'll make someone obey specific people."
"You can with the magic we've found," said Valentine.
"You still don't believe?" asked Draculaura, "I'll prove it!" she then pulled out a knife with a serrated edge and knelt down beside Iris, "Iris, would you kindly take this and cut off Manny's nose ring?"
Her face still neutral, Iris took the knife, stood up, walked over to Manny and without hesitation, cut off his nose ring.
"Oh My Ghoul!" exclaimed a horrified Frankie as she and the others saw Iris drop the bloody knife and ring, while more blood freely dripped from Manny's mutilated nose, yet the bewitched minotaur remained kneeling, barely flinching from the impromptu operation.
"No hesitation, no pain, only perfect obedience," said Valentine, "you want more proof? Manny? Would you kindly strangle Iris?"
At that Manny stood up and without even an instant pause, placed his gigantic hands around Iris's throat and cut off her air. Iris gasped for oxygen yet didn't struggle as Manny choked the life out of her.
"For the love of Ra and all the other gods!" exclaimed Cleo, "you've made your point!"
"That I have," said Valentine, "Manny, would you kindly let Iris go?"
At that Manny released Iris and backed away, while Iris collapsed to the floor, gasping and coughing for oxygen.
"The effect of the vapors is temporary," said Valentine, "yet until it wears off, they will follow any and every order Draculaura and I give them."
"They would walk into traffic and get run over by a bus and wouldn't even complain," said Draculaura.
"And what do you hope to accomplish by this…this display?" asked a highly disgusted Bloodgood.
"The acquisition of the necklace, of course," said Valentine.
"Give me back my necklace or I'll give out more doses of the fumes," said Draculaura. She then walked over to Robecca and Rochelle, whom glared up at the vile vampiress with hate-fueled eyes, "perhaps these two would like to surrender their wills?"
"Traitor!" exclaimed Rochelle, "salope turncoat!" at that she spat at Draculaura's feet, "Allez vous faire foutre!"
"Perhaps I should make Robecca rip your tongue out," said Draculaura, "After she tears your wings off," she then looked at Robecca, whom had adverted her eyes, as if refusing to even acknowledge the vile vampiress, "or perhaps I can make Rochelle crumple you into a pile of scrap iron."
"Why don't you just leave them alone!?" exclaimed Howleen.
"Oh, I almost forgot you where there, dog," said Draculaura as the masks were loaded with more of the gas, "yes, you'll receive some of the fumes, you and your dear friend there."
"No! You leave Twyla alone!" exclaimed Howleen.
"If only that ghostly ghossip was here, Spectra," said Valentine, "I'm sure she'd enjoy recording two best friends tear each other to pieces."
"THAT DOES IT!" shouted Maddie as she pushed her way past Frankie and the others, a look of unbridled rage on her normally happy face, "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU, VALENTINE!"
Maddie took off her hat, flipped it into its disk form and threw it at Valentine. He barely dodged a critical blow but the edge of the disk sliced open his face from below the nose to just above his left eye.
Valentine shrieked in surprise and pain as he clutched at his assaulted face, staggering back from Howleen and Twyla.
"That'll teach you to hurt my friends," said Maddie defiantly as she caught her disk, "you wobbling wangdoodle!"
"Oh, my dearest!" exclaimed Draculaura as she rushed to and comforted Valentine, holding a lace handkerchief to the cut on his face, despite the lack of blood from the wound, "what has she done to you?"
"I'd like to know that myself," said one of the Fangire as it and its comrades glared at Maddie.
"Who the hell are you, freak show!?" exclaimed one of the Orphnochs.
"And where'd she come from?" asked another Orphnoch.
"She's my best friend," said Raven as she stood next to Maddie, "and she's from Wonderland, got a problem with it?"
"I don't have a problem with it, Raven," said Maddie as she smiled at her best friend, "do you have a problem?"
"Nope, no problem here," said Raven as she smiled back.
"You!" exclaimed Irvin, "I know who you are, but you're not supposed to be here! Cuthbert..."
"Is no more," finished Apple as she stood next to Raven, "I ended his rampage. I wish it hadn't come to that, but his evil had to be stopped. I just happened to be in the right place and time to do the deed."
At that Irvin smiled viciously, "well isn't this a treat. Not only do I have the honor of presenting the Star of Rosskarn to the Obsidian Council, I also get to present Raven Queen & the heart of Apple White. Cuthbert was a fool to let two such prime and beautiful prizes slip through his fingers."
"You'll have to get past us to get to them!" said Dexter as he, Avery and Tobias stepped forward.
"Just who the hell are these people!?" demanded Valentine, "and why isn't my face regenerating!?"
"Yeah, why isn't he healing?" asked Frankie, "I thought vampires healed quickly."
"Not with that disk," said Irvin coldly, "or any other weapon from Wonderland, or from Ever After for that matter." He then smugly spoke to Valentine, "I'd say you're looking at several days before the wound fully closes, and the odds of you avoiding a permanent scar aren't in your favor."
"Are you saying I'll be marked for unlife?!" exclaimed Valentine. He then glared at Maddie, and if looks could kill, she'd be dead three times over, "you…you'll pay for this!" he then shifted his gaze on Howleen and Twyla, "after I make these miserable pups suffer! Expose them to the vapors!"
"NO!" shouted Cupid as she aimed and shot two arrows at the Orphnochs holding the masks. The arrows hit their targets, dealing critical damage to the creatures and crumbling them to dust, while dropping the masks.
"CAREFUL!" shouted Draculaura as she hastily picked up the masks, "those are really hard to replace!" she handed the masks to a Fangire, then before anyone could react, rapidly rushed up on Cupid and grabbed her with one hand by her throat.
"I should have done this the moment I saw you again!" said a viciously smiling Draculaura as she lifted Cupid up by her neck, the pink-haired demigoddess helplessly trying to break the vile vampiress's grip.
"I've never tasted demigod blood," said Draculaura as she bared her fangs, "but there's a first time for everything!"
But then the vile vampiress sensed an approaching attack and barely dodged a sword slash from Tobias, yet she couldn't avoid a deep cut on her wrist from the Sasword Yavier, forcing her to drop Cupid.
"Are you alright, Cupid!?" exclaimed Tobias as he caught Cupid with one hand, the other gripping and pointing the Sasword Yavier at Draculaura.
"I won't be singing any time soon," said Cupid in a slightly raspy voice, "but yeah, I'm fine."
"You jerk! You cut me!" exclaimed Draculaura as she clutched at her wounded wrist.
"We're going to do a lot more before we're done today," said Dexter.
"And just what are you going to do, Normie scum?" asked Valentine as he placed a comforting arm around Draculaura's shoulder.
"We'll do as my grandmother always said," remarked Avery as he pointed towards a ray of sunlight streaming from the forced opening in the Creepateria, "'no matter how hard and hopeless things get, always do the very best you can, 'cause that's all that life asks of you.'"
"What a ridiculous tidbit of wisdom," said an irate Valentine as the assembled Kaijin readied to attack again.
"I'm partial to agree," said Tobias, "but that doesn't make it any less true!"
STANDBY
It was then that Draculaura began screaming in fright as she frantically thrashed about, reaching behind her for some intrusive object, "get it off me! GET IT OFF ME!"
"Get what off?" asked Valentine.
As if in answer, the purple metal scorpion that was Sasword Zecter, scurried up Draculaura's back and onto her shoulder. It then jumped onto Valentine's face, scuttling around for a second before jumping off, just as Valentine slapped his own face in an attempt to rid himself of the creature.
Sasword Zecter then scurried up to and jumped into Tobias' waiting hand, while in the other he held the Sasword Yavier upside down. "Henshin!" shouted Tobias as he clicked the meal scorpion into place on his sword.
HENSHIN
Energy hexagons flowed from the sword and covered Tobias as he turned it blade-side up, materializing into the Masked form of Sasword.
"Well, that's just dandy," said an irate Irvin, "more Riders."
"'More Riders?!'" exclaimed one of the Fangire, just before Sasword stabbed it where the heart should be.
"Oh, no," said the Fangire as its body shattered, releasing its pulsating soul.
"Our turn!" shouted Dexter as his Rider Belt and Avery's appeared around their waists, while their respective beetle Zecters flew into the area and they caught them.
"Henshin!" shouted both Avery and Dexter as they clicked their Zecters into place on their belts.
HENSHIN
Energy hexagons flowed from the two Zecters across their bodies, materializing into the beetle-like armor that was the Masked forms of Kabuto and Gatack.
"Oh, those guys," said one of the Orphnoch, only to be blasted in the face by a shot from Kabuto's Kunai Gun, setting it alight and crumbling the creature into dust.
Gatack then fired off a barrage of blasts from his Gatack Vulcan, the quad-barrel energy cannon dealing massive damage to the assembled Fangire and Orphnochs, while Valentine and Draculaura frantically dodged the blasts in a state of blind panic.
"You idiots!" shouted Irvin at Draculaura and Valentine, "I had everything under control!" he then powered up a dark sphere and threw it at Kabuto, whom barely dodged it, while Gatack and Sasword dodged more dark spheres from the black-robed Shadow Acolytes, while giving the remaining Orphnochs and Fangire a chance to regroup.
"Ian! You're up!" shouted Jessie as she and Lance took cover behind an overturned table.
"I would if I could!" said Ian as he frantically looked around the floor of the Creepateria, "but we have a slight problem!"
"Are you freaking kidding me!?" shouted Lance, "tell me you didn't freaking lose the freaking Faiz Gear!"
"Okay, I didn't lose it," said Ian, "I did drop it and can't remember where."
"I got it!" shouted Chad from a few paces away as he and Jackson hid behind another table. Chad had opened the case and grabbed the belt and phone. He was about to toss it to Jessie when he suddenly froze up, a distant look on his face.
"What are you waiting for!?" exclaimed Ian, "give it here!"
Instead of throwing the belt and phone to Ian, Chad stood up, a determined look on his face as he put the belt around his waist.
"What the hell are you doing, man!?" shouted Lance, "you can't use that!"
"Yes I can," said Chad, "they said I could."
"Who said…wait…you…they…they didn't!" snapped Lance, "they wouldn't…would they?"
"I think we're about to find out," said Jessie as Chad began dialing.
5 5 5
STANDING BY
The klaxon-like sound emitted from the phone as Chad raised it above his head. "Henshin!" he shouted as he brought the phone down and clicked it into place on the belt.
COMPLETE
Red energy streamed from the belt and with a flash of light, Chad had transformed into Faiz.
"They did!" exclaimed Lance, "Alabaster, they chose Chad to be a Rider!"
"They did what now?!" exclaimed a startled Irvin as he and the other Shadow Acolytes ceased their attack on Kabuto, Gatack and Sasword.
"Now!" shouted Kabuto. With that he and Gatack flicked the horns on their Zecters, while Sasword pressed the tail on his. Energy crackled as the armor segments on the three Riders separated.
"Cast Off!" shouted Kabuto, Gatack and Sasword as the first two flicked the horns on their Zecters all the way down, while Sasword brought the tail of his Zecter all the way down.
CAST OFF
The armor segments of all three Riders blasted away and slammed into several Orphnochs and Fangire, knocking them down.
CHANGE: SCORPION
CHANGE: STAG BEETLE
CHANGE: BEETLE
"Okay, I'm a little confused," said Frankie as she and the others watched Kabuto, Gatack and Sasword rip into the remaining Kaijin, while Faiz dueled a single Orphnoch with features of a Stingray, "when did Chad become a Rider?"
"The Alabaster Council, they chose him, duh," said Maddie.
"But why?" asked Clair as she took cover with Raven, Apple and Cupid, "why Chad? And why didn't they choose me?"
"Those are mysteries for another day, I suppose," said Cupid as she watched Sasword decapitate an Orphnoch with adoring eyes, while Apple and Raven watched Kabuto and Gatack demolish a group of Fangire.
"Let's wrap things up," said Kabuto.
"Couldn't agree more!" said Gatack. With that he and Kabuto pressed the button on the side of their belts, "Clock Up!"
CLOCK UP
Reality blurred and brightened as the two beetle-themed Riders accelerated into hyper time. With the enemy Kaijin moving at a snails' pace, Kabuto and Gatack easily delivered massively damaging blows to nearly all the remaining creatures.
CLOCK OVER
Time resumed its normal pace as the Orphnochs and Fangire either crumbled into dust or shattered.
"Rider Slash!" shouted Sasword as he raised and lowered the tail on his Zecter.
RIDER SLASH
"Clock Up!" shouted Sasword as he pressed the button on his belt.
CLOCK UP
Accelerating into hyper time, Sasword rushed at and delivered a triple strike on the last Fangire in the area.
CLOCK OVER
With a crackle of tachyon energy, the creature shattered as time returned to normal.
By now only Faiz was still fighting, easily dominating the Stingray Orphnoch and knocking it down with a punch to the head.
Attaching the laser pointer device to his leg, Faiz opened the phone and pressed Enter.
EXCEEDE CHARGE
A pulse of red energy flowed from the phone down Faiz's leg and into the device. He then rushed at the struggling to get up Stingray Orphnoch and leapt into the air, the device shooting a cone of red energy at the creature.
"Crimson Smash!" shouted Chad as he finished his jump and aimed a flying kick at the Stingray Orphnoch. He merged with the cone, which spun rapidly like a drill and bored a hole through the creature.
Faiz materialized behind the creature just as a red circle with a diagonal line appeared. The Stingray Orphnoch burst into blue flames and crumbled into dust.
"I believe we've worn out our welcome!" said Irvin as he and the Shadow Acolytes backed away a few paces. He raised one hand and summoned a shimmering gray doorway, which the dark magic users stepped into.
"You may have won this round, you insufferable, do-gooder miscreants!" shouted Valentine as he and Draculaura stood just in front of the shimmering gray door, "but we'll be back!"
"This is not over, Cupid!" shouted Draculaura, "nor is it over with you, scorpion boy! You'll pay for cutting Valentine and me!"
"Just go already!" snapped Irvin as he shoved Valentine and Draculaura into the gray door. He looked back at Frankie, Raven and the others. He didn't say anything, but the look of unadulterated contempt he gave our heroes spoke volumes. He then stepped into the shimmering gray door, which vanished after him.
At that Frankie and her fellow students cheered loudly at the sudden reversal of their fortunes.
"And don't come back!" said Maddie smugly as Clawdeen, Clawd and others ran up to Howleen, Twyla, Rochelle and Robecca, whom were unharmed, while Apple ran with her first aid kit to Manny and Iris, whom were still entranced.
"You!" shouted Lance as he glared at Chad as he powered down, "You! How? Why!? Why'd Alabaster pick you?!"
"I don't know," said Chad, "I barely remember talking with them, but they said I had the right stuff."
"Obviously," said an annoyed Ian as he crossed his arms.
"I think we've got other things to worry about," said Jessie.
"How are they?" asked Avery after he powered down and ran over to Apple.
"I'm worried that Iris sustained damage to her windpipe," said Apple as she examined Manny and Iris, "while Manny, well…"
"It's amazing what plastic surgery can do these days," said Lagoona in a hopeful tone, "but what about their noggins?"
"What was that stuff they used to put the whammy on them?" asked Howleen as she endured the overly loving embrace from Clawdeen, "I still can't believe they made Manny and Iris do those horrible things."
"It was an incredibly powerful bewitchment," said Raven, "but I can't even begin to guess what they used."
"At least the baddies are gone for now," said Dexter after he powered down.
"And if they do come back any time soon," said Tobias after powering down, "we'll show them…" that's as far as Tobias got before he lost his balance and collapsed to the floor.
"Tobias!" exclaimed Cupid as she ran over to him, followed by Apple and Avery.
"I…oh my god, my head!" exclaimed Tobias as he placed his hands on the sides of his head, "all of a sudden, my head felt like it was going to explode."
"I don't feel so good either," said Dexter as he nearly lost his balance, leaning against the nearby wall for support, "I hurt all over!"
"Me too!" said Avery, "and…" he then clutched at his stomach, "and I think I'm going to be sick!" he stumbled to a nearby trashcan and vomited into it.
"What's happening to us, Avery?!" asked a now frightened Dexter as Raven grasped his hand in a comforting manner.
"I don't know," gasped Avery after he finished vomiting, while Apple placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He then heaved and clutched his stomach again, "but I do know I shouldn't have eaten so many snacks down in the workshop!" he heaved again, "here comes round two!" He then vomited again into the trashcan.
…The Enemy Lair…
"You Idiots!" shouted Irvin at Valentine and Draculaura, "you lust-obsessed morons! I had everything under control, then you had to barge in and ruin it all!"
"Like hell it's our fault!" snapped Valentine as Draculaura tried to apply a bandage to the long cut on his face, while her own hand was already bandaged, "we were but a moment away from forcing those fools into surrendering the necklace!"
"It was more like a second or two," said Draculaura, "yes, all we had to do was threaten to turn poor, pathetic little Howleen into a mindless slave and Clawdeen would have caved."
"And look what your gambit accomplished!" said Irvin, "not only did we fail to acquire the Star piece, you tipped our hand with that Enthralling Gas, and lost a good number of valuable Kaijin in the process."
"So we'll get more," said Valentine as he shoved Draculaura away from him, then applied the bandage himself, "Kaijin die, that's what they do."
"They're not like Storm Troopers or Goombas," said Irvin, "do you have any idea how much paperwork I'd have to fill out with my superiors in order to get more Orphnochs and Fangire from the source? You simply can't buy Orphnochs and Fangire in a store! Kaijin don't grow on trees!"
"Well, technically, some do, Mr. Weis," said a nearby Shadow Acolyte, "The Inves, the…"
That's as far as the Shadow Acolyte got before seeing the withering glare from Irvin. He hastily bowed himself out of the room."
"Then there's the fact that by revealing the Enthralling Gas or whatever you're calling it," Irvin continued, "those meddling brats will attempt to find a way to counter it. They may be teenagers, but they're not stupid."
"At least our plan was better than yours!" said Draculaura, "if you had just stood aside and…"
"I told you I had the situation under control!" snapped Irvin, "you're the ones who ruined everything by sticking your faces where they weren't invited!"
Just then Irvin's phone rang, "What!?" he exclaimed as he answered the call, "what?! I'm very busy with…WHAT! NOW!?"
"Mind clarifying things for us?" asked Valentine dryly.
"The Obsidian Council," said Irvin nervously as he dropped his phone, "they want a conference with us."
"Really?" asked an excited and delighted Draculaura, "I finally get to speak with The Obsidian Council?! Oh, my ghoul! I've got to get ready! How's my hair? And I need a new outfit! Oh, and I really have to get this hand of mine taken care of!"
"They're calling now," said Irvin.
"Now?!" asked a visibly shocked Valentine, while Draculaura looked equally nervous.
It was then that a holographic projector activated, displaying the shadowed meeting table at which sat the six members of The Obsidian Council.
"Yes, Valentine," said Chairwoman Noir, "now."
"My Council," said Irvin as he, Draculaura and Valentine bowed, "you honor us with this conference."
"Spare the supplications, Mr. Weis," said Chairman Taupe irately, "we know everything."
"Then you know it wasn't our fault, great ones!" said Valentine, "if we had just been given free reign from the start…"
"It's all Frankie's fault!" exclaimed Draculaura, "if she and those freaks at Monster High had just gave back my necklace like they'd been told to, then…"
"I had everything under control, My Council!" said Irvin, "when these idiots barged in and ruined it all!"
"SILENCE!" bellowed Chairman Dusk, causing the three villains to flinch and nearly fall over.
"You weren't brought together to bicker like schoolchildren over who gets to play with a toy!" admonished Chairwoman Sable.
"If you are incapable of cooperating," said Chairwoman Umbra, "then we'll find others who can!"
"Yes, My Council, we understand," said Irvin. He then glared at Valentine and Draculaura, "don't we?"
"Oh, yes, of course," said Valentine, while Draculaura nodded in agreement.
"Then there shouldn't be any further problems on that front," said Chairwoman Umbra.
"Um, if I may slightly change the subject, my Council," said Irvin, "we received some rather disturbing news that I hope you may be able to clarify. Not only did the students and staff of Monster High provide greater resistance than initially calculated, as well as those meddling Riders, Faiz and Kiva, but there were other Riders as well."
"They looked like bugs!" wailed Draculaura, "and they had little bugs! I'm going to have nightmares about purple scorpions crawling over me for decades!"
"I'm going to be seeing that mad girl with the hat in my dreams for a long time too," said Valentine.
"I believe that the intruders are from Ever After, my Council," said Irvin, "among them was Raven Queen and Apple White."
"Those two!" said Chairman Onyx through gritted teeth, "they are definitely becoming thorns in our sides."
"Then it's true, my Council?" asked Irvin, "has Cuthbert fallen?"
"Fallen into hell, yes," said Chairwoman Umbra, "as well as Manfred and some valuable scientists from Foundation X, not to mention countless Worms and a nearly irreplaceable Worm Mother. It'll be months if not years before another can be matured!"
"While your paramour, Ophelia," said Chairwoman Noir, "she is on thin ice."
"Ophelia?" exclaimed a visibly shaken Irvin.
"Friend of yours?" asked Valentine.
"We…we planned on getting married," said Irvin. He then looked desperately at the Obsidian Council, "what did they do to her!?"
"Nothing she can't recover from, Irvin," said Chairman Dusk, "yet her standing with us is in a precarious position."
"Only her many years of dedicated service has spared her a worse fate," said Chairman Taupe, "this Council has no tolerance for failure."
"Then…then she is…" said Irvin.
"Reassigned," finished Chairman Onyx, "she will finish the tasks originally given to Cuthbert; corrupt the realm of Ever After, slay Apple White, present Raven Queen and The Storybook of Legends before us."
"But if Raven Queen and Apple White are now involved in Irvin's mission," said Chairwoman Sable, "then perhaps Irvin may share in Ophelia's burden."
"Yes, My Council!" exclaimed Irvin, "allow me the honor of avenging Cuthbert, Manfred and the others! I will bring you Raven Queen and the heart of Apple White, both on silver platters!"
"Just them will do, no ceremony needed," said Chairman Dusk.
"But do not neglect your original mission, Irvin," said Chairwoman Umbra, "it is imperative that we have all nine pieces of The Star of Rosskarn! It is essential to our plans to initiate Kralizec in our favor."
"I know, my Council," said Irvin, "already we have a plan to find the two pieces at Monster High."
"There's another piece at Monster High?" asked Draculaura.
"Of course there is," said a wickedly smiling Irvin, "there's been one there since the school was originally built. Have you forgotten so quickly? Did you not sense it while we were at Monster High? No, of course you didn't. You've been too busy planning to make your former friends into your slaves that you neglected in the training of your new powers."
"I've been training plenty!" snapped Draculaura.
"Then you should have sensed it when we were there," said Irvin, "Valentine, I do believe you have a lot of work ahead of you."
"Indeed," said Chairman Dusk, "Valentine, we originally recruited you to bring Draculaura to us and to instruct her in the ways of the dark arts."
"As well as hone her ability to sense the locations of the Star pieces," said Chairman Taupe, "you've been falling behind on that part."
"Oh please, I don't need more training," said Draculaura boastfully, "just wait until I get back inside Monster High. I'll find that other Star piece and I'll find the necklace as well."
"Then a little additional training wouldn't hurt, would it," said Irvin.
"Best not to take chances, dearest," said Valentine, "besides, I have a few ideas on how to get back inside Monster High, and enthrall the entire student disembody in one go."
"Oh, do tell, darling," said Draculaura as the vile couple exited the room, "do tell."
"Keep a close eye on those two, Irvin," said Chairwoman Umbra, "they may be loyal for now."
"But one can never be sure when the likes of Valentine would stab you in the back," said Chairwoman Sable, "we've lost too many proxies as it is."
"I know, my Council," said Irvin, "I won't underestimate them."
"And do not underestimate the likes of Raven Queen or Apple White," said Chairman Dusk, "and do not underestimate any of the Riders, it could cost you more than your life."
"And most of all," said Chairman Onyx, "do not fail us. You know the penalty for failure."
"I know," said Irvin, "and I live to serve."
"See that you do," said Chairwoman Noir. With that the hologram ended, leaving Irvin to himself to plan his vile plans.
…The End Is Just The Beginning…