Before we resume the tale, I wish to apologize to everyone for the irregular update. My schedule's been rather chaotic lately and is still chaotic, meaning I have very little time to write. That, and I have other story projects I want to work on. I'll do the best I can and bring you the best story I can write, so please be patient with me. And with that said and done, the story resumes!
Chapter 2: Open Your Eyez For The Coming Of Faiz
…Hexiciah Steam's Workshop…Present Day…
"So where was I?" Frankie asked.
"You and the others had gotten away from that Orphnoch thing that attacked you at the Maul," said Cupid.
"And Draculaura shut herself in her room," said Raven.
"Right," said Frankie, "anyway, we convinced her to go outside again, and if she would put the necklace somewhere safe."
"If that Orphnoch bloke wanted it so badly, it must have been important," said Lagoona, "and it was, but we didn't know it for sure at the time."
"So what'd you do with it?" Dexter asked, "where is it now?"
"I'm getting to that," said Frankie, "anyway, Abbey suggested we airship it to her cousins in Antarctica."
"Cousin Viktor runs a hot spring resort near Mount Erebus," said Abbey.
At that Ghoulia moaned something.
"We know it's winter in Antarctica right now," said Cleo, "so trying to get a plane to fly down to Ross Island would have been problematic at best."
"So then Lagoona suggested we hide the necklace in the deep end of the pool at Monster High," said Frankie.
"There's still a lot of that place that's unexplored," said Lagoona, "but since there's still that nasty klepto-kraken and Neptune knows what else down there, Draculaura vetoed the idea in a flash."
"So we asked Headmistress Bloodgood to hold onto it for the time being," said Frankie, "I thought she'd put it in a safe deposit vault in a bank or something. Instead, Headmistress Bloodgood had a different idea…"
…Monster High…A Few Weeks Ago…
"I had no idea this was in the catacombs, and I live here," said Operetta as she, Frankie and the rest of the Ghoulfriends, stood with Headmistress Bloodgood and Nightmare in front of a large safe door deep in the bowels of the school, deeper than Frankie and the others had been before. The safe door was over ten feet high and made of solid steel. There were three tumbler locks on the safe, as well as two keyholes.
"This particular safe is one of Monster High's oldest legacies," said the headless Headmistress as she dialed the combination into the first tumbler lock, then the second, "since the school's inception, it has been the honor and duty of each successive headmaster or mistress to guard the secrets within."
"What kind of secrets?" an awed Lagoona asked.
"Secrets that determines the future of each and every student that passes through Monster High's hallowed halls," said Bloodgood as she dialed the third combination. She then took out a silver key from her coat pocket, "Nightmare, your key, please."
At that the fire-breathing horse tossed her head and from her mane tumbled out a silver key on a small silver chain attached to her bridle. Both headmistress and horse inserted the keys into the locks and turned them simultaneously.
Frankie and the others then heard several tumblers turning as the locks disengaged, followed by the screech of rusted metal as the door swung open. A small gust of stale, dusty air blew out from within the safe as Bloodgood stepped inside and flicked a light switch.
"Well, don't keep us in suspense!" said Cleo urgently, "what's in there?" With that she rushed into the safe, only to find a massive cavern filled with countless file cabinets. "What…what is this?"
"Your permanent records," said Bloodgood, "as well as the records of every Monster High student going back to the beginning in 1814."
"So this is where you keep everyone's info," said Lagoona as she opened one cabinet and pulled out a file, "Crikey! Here's Heath's!"
"You shouldn't look at that!" exclaimed Bloodgood, but by now Frankie and the others were looking to different records.
"Oh, have I got the goods on Neffra now," said a mischievously eager Cleo as she found the records for her older, wicked sister.
"Hey, Frankie!" said Clawdeen as she read one file, "did you know that your dad blew up the school's science lab at least seventeen times?"
"I guess that's why he got his own lab in the catacombs," said Frankie, "oh my ghoul! There's a whole drawer for Toralei here!"
"Oh, I've got to see that!" said Clawdeen eagerly as she and the others rushed over, only to be blocked by Nightmare, whom irately snorted sparks and gouts of flame at them.
"I'll thank you to not violate the privacy of your fellow students and alumni," said a highly unhappy Bloodgood as she replaced the files in their respective drawers and closed them, "now, Ms. Draculaura, would you be so kind as to relinquish the troublesome necklace?"
"Please, don't lose it," said Draculaura as she reluctantly handed the necklace to Bloodgood, "Clawd gave it to me. I know that that horrible thing wants it for some horrible reason, but it's precious to me."
"It will be safe, secure and well remembered," said Bloodgood, "now leave me to hiding it. You all know where the safe is, but only I will know where in the safe the necklace shall lay."
…Hexiciah Steam's Workshop…Present Day…
"So we let Headmistress Bloodgood hide the necklace in the records safe," said Frankie, "and good luck to anyone who tries to get it."
"I'll say," remarked Avery, "a safe with three combinations, two keys, not to mention finding the damn thing again."
"I doubt I could find it again," said Clawdeen, "even if I tried to follow everyone's scents back to the safe, the air in that part of the catacombs was moving. By now our scents would have dissipated."
"I don't think even Operetta can find it again," said Lagoona, "and she lives in the catacombs."
"I don't think even Ghoulia could find it again," said Cleo, "no offense."
At that Ghoulia moaned something in the manner of 'none taken.'
"Okay, so you secured the necklace," said Cupid, "but what about Valentine? When did he grab and brainwash Draculaura?"
"I'm getting to that," said Frankie, "but there's more to tell first. Anyway, after we gave the necklace to Bloodgood, she gave us the rest of the day and the next off."
"I wanted to go back to the Maul," said Cleo, "to show that Orphnoch thing and its fellows that we weren't afraid of it."
"Abbey wanted to try and find it," said Clawdeen, "so did I."
"All I wanted was to just hang out somewhere where Draculaura would feel safe," said Frankie, "she was still jumpy from being attacked. We convinced her to come with us to a coffee shop that's popular among Monsters and Normies, when…"
…A Few Weeks Ago…
"I swear, every time we figure out the menu, they come up with something else," said Cleo as she and the others stood in a coffee shop trying to decide what they wanted. Around them were several Monsters and humans, enjoying coffee and getting along with each other, some from both sides sitting together at the same tables.
"I can barely pronounce half of what's on the menu," said Frankie, "I mean…what is that?"
"Don't know, but it sounds Italian," said Clawdeen.
"Might as well Pig Latin or Venusian," said Lagoona.
At that Ghoulia moaned something.
"You're right," said Cleo, "coffee is coffee, and yes, you'll be happy so long as yours has plenty of sugar in it."
At that Ghoulia moaned something else.
"Yes, yes, real sugar, not that artificial sweetener you detest so much," said a mildly annoyed Cleo, "I swear, Ghoulia, how can you stay so thin with all the junk food and sugar you consume?"
At that Ghoulia moaned again.
"Yes, I know all those empty calories are fuel for your brain," said Cleo, "but seriously, if you don't eat better, you'll lose your figure forever."
"You should eat more meat; the body needs protein."
"Exactly," said Cleo. She then frowned with confusion, "wait, who said that?"
"I did," said a familiar voice from a nearby table. Frankie looked and saw the man in the gray suit from yesterday, sitting with a newspaper in one hand and an espresso in the other.
"You!?" exclaimed Draculaura as she took several fearful steps back, "Frankie! Everyone! We've got to get out of here!"
"No! We're not running!" said Frankie defiantly as Clawdeen and Lagoona restrained Draculaura. Frankie irately walked up to the man, "so you're stalking us now? Just to get that dumb necklace?!"
"I haven't done anything," said the man innocently, "I'm just sitting here, reading the news and enjoying a cup of coffee." He then finished his drink, neatly folded the newspaper, set it on the table, stood up and faced Frankie and the others, "now that that's over with, be so kind as to give me the necklace."
"We don't have it," said Frankie as Lagoona and Clawdeen stood in front of Draculaura, shielding her from the gray-clad man.
"I can see that, I'm not blind," said the man irately, "so tell me where it is already!"
"No!" said Frankie as her neck bolts sparked with anger, "we're not telling you where the necklace is."
"Even if we did, we couldn't tell you exactly where it is," said Cleo as she held her purse with her cast-encased arm and awkwardly searched her purse with her left, "now where is that cursed amulet? I know I have it here somewhere."
"You Monster brats are seriously grinding my gears," said the man, "now tell me where the necklace is before I commit some collateral damage in this establishment."
"You can't," said Frankie as she looked around fearfully at the unsuspecting human and Monster customers, "all these people…"
"Are going to die unless you tell me what I want to know," said the man.
"You're bluffing," said Cleo.
"You think I am?" the man asked as he raised one eyebrow, "you were lucky yesterday that that shopping center was full of cowardly Monsters. They got away before I could do anything about them. But not now!"
With a flash of energy lines, the man transformed into the Jackal Orphnoch. Before anyone could react, it grabbed a nearby human woman. A pair of gray tentacles shot out from the creature and stabbed the woman in the heart. She gasped in pain as the creature retracted the tentacles and shoved her away.
The woman looked around in confusion, before gasping in shock as she crumbled to dust. This broke the stunned silence among the other customers as they all began screaming in fear and ran for the exits.
"Stop it!" shouted Frankie as the Jackal Orphnoch grabbed another human, a man this time, and stabbed him in the heart with his tentacles. Within seconds the man crumbled to dust.
"Why!?" demanded Frankie, "why are you doing this?!"
"Because I can," said the image of the man from the shadow of the Jackal Orphnoch, "and because you won't tell me what I want to know." It then grabbed a third human, a young girl no older than twelve. The creature's tentacles hovered over the terrified girl's heart, "now tell me where the damn necklace is already!"
"I…we can't," said Frankie as she looked apologetically at the terrified girl, as if begging her to accept her silent 'I'm sorry, I can't help you.'
"Too bad," said the Jackal Orphnoch, "more human blood on your pretty hands."
"NO!" shouted Clawdeen, whom had gotten behind the creature and kicked it with enough force to make it release the girl. Lagoona grabbed the girl and pulled her to her nearby terrified parents.
"It's alright, just go," said Lagoona, turning away to get back to Draculaura and the others without even waiting to see if the human family got away.
"You're going to pay for that," said the Jackal Orphnoch as it faced Clawdeen.
"You and what army?" asked Clawdeen asked as she rushed at the creature, her right fist balled up to sock it in the head. But the Jackal Orphnoch grabbed her fist in its own and began squeezing. Clawdeen tried to pull free but the creature's grip was too strong. She then tried to hit the Orphnoch with her left fist but that too was grabbed.
"I told you you'd pay," said the Jackal Orphnoch as it crushed Clawdeen's fists, causing her to howl in agony and collapse to her knees.
But then Clawd burst through the window and tackled the creature, forcing it to release Clawdeen as the momentum of the tackle forced it out the other side of the shop.
"Clawd!" cried an overjoyed Draculaura as Clawd grabbed Clawdeen and pulled her to her feet, then grabbed Draculaura and jumped out the window he came in with both of them in his arms. Running like the werewolf sports star he was, Clawd dashed across the street in a split second, then gently deposited his charges on the sidewalk
"Hey! Wait for us!" shouted Lagoona as she, Frankie, Ghoulia and Cleo, ran out the front door and across the street.
"Thanks for leaving us behind, Clawd," said Cleo irately, yet her verbal sting fell on deaf ears as Clawd held Draculaura in his arms, with Draculaura clutching her arms around him for dear immortal life.
"Oh, Clawd," sobbed Draculaura, "why? Why is this happening to me?"
"I don't know, D," said Clawd as he comforted his vampire love, "but no matter what, I'll always be there for you."
"Any chance you can be there for me?" said Clawdeen as she gritted her teeth against the agony of her crushed hands, "remember me? Your sister who happens to be in indescribable pain!?"
"Huh? Oh, right," said Clawd as he and Draculaura went over to Clawdeen, "are you alright?"
"DO I LOOK ALRIGHT!?" exclaimed Clawdeen as she held up her mangled hands, while tears of rage and agony falling from her eyes, "my hands! Look what that…that thing…look what it did to my hands!"
"Uh…don't worry, Clawdeen, we'll get you to the hospital and they'll fix you up good as new," said Frankie as she tried to put up a brave front, yet she knew, just by looking at Clawdeen's hands, that they would never be the same again.
"I'm crippled, not stupid, Frankie," sobbed Clawdeen, "they'll never fix my hands!"
…Hexiciah Steam's Workshop…Present Day…
"Okay, maybe I overreacted a bit," said Clawdeen as she held up her bandaged and splinted hands.
"A bit," said Lagoona, "you were crying like a dogfish pup lost from his mum."
"Yeah, well," said Clawdeen, "I really was scared that I'd be crippled, that I could kiss my dreams of working in the fashion world goodbye."
"Oh come on," said Dexter, "even with a disability, you can still live your dreams."
"And I think I know a way to speed up the healing," said Apple as she sat next to Clawdeen and gently took the werewolf's hands in hers.
"With what, magic?" asked Clawdeen.
"In a way, yes," said Apple as she looked at Clawdeen's hands, "the healing arts on my world may be a bit more mystical than yours, but the results are what matter, so long as no one gets hurt in the process. 'Do no harm,' first rule of any healer."
"Oh, Apple, when did you start taking Riddlish lessons?" asked an eager Maddie as she dunked a cookie in her tea.
"What's Riddlish?" asked Cleo, "and where'd you get those cookies? I want one!" she then took one of Maddie's cookies and bit into it, then spat it out with a cry of disgust, "what is this?!" she exclaimed as she tossed the remains of the cookie to the floor.
"Snozberry Cookies, of course," said Maddie.
"It's a Wonderland fruit," said Raven, "and an acquired taste."
"Excuse me," said Cleo as she stood up, "I have this sudden urge to brush my teeth." With that she hurried out of the workshop.
"Huh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the magic mushroom," said Maddie as she poured a fresh cup of tea.
"We've all been having a bad couple of days," said Lagoona.
"At least you didn't freak you when you got that black eye," said Clawdeen.
"No one simply gave this to me," said Lagoona as she pointed at her black eye, then smugly crossed her arms, "I won it."
"Oh really?" asked Frankie in a daring manner, then looked at Cupid, "let me tell you how Lagoona got her black eye…"
…A Few Weeks Ago…
Just then the entire façade of the coffee shop exploded outward, followed by the irate stomping of the Jackal Orphnoch as it emerged from the wreckage.
"Oh, bloody hell!" exclaimed Lagoona as she and the others gazed in horror at the advancing creature, "let's get out of here!"
Lagoona turned to run, only to slam right into a lamppost, falling down to the pavement in a dazed heap.
"Lagoona!" exclaimed Draculaura as she rushed over to her discombobulated friend.
"Did anyone catch the license on that sea bus?" Lagoona asked in an unsteady tone, "I'm so suing."
"I love it when they make it easy," said the image of the man from the Jackal's shadow as the creature walked into the street towards Frankie and the others, only for it to be hit headlong by a red SUV with a reinforced fender. The creature was hit with enough force to send it flying several paces away, landing hard on the asphalt.
As three Normies exited the SUV, Frankie realized that the whole car had been armored, although not professionally. Rather, as if the armor, composed of corrugated steel and razor wire, had been welded on during a high school automotive class.
Frankie then got a closer look at the three Normies; two boys and a girl. The first boy was about 19 with short, dark brown hair and green eyes, the second was around 17 with black hair and dark blue eyes, while the girl was about 18 with shoulder-length chestnut brown hair and green eyes. The girl carried in her hands a large, metal briefcase.
"Are you alright?" the boy with brown hair asked.
"I…uh…" said a highly confused Frankie.
"Did that thing sting any of you?" the girl asked urgently, "we need to know!"
"Uh…no, not us," said Frankie, "but that creature…it did sting a few Normies in the coffee shop. Oh my ghoul! They…they just…"
"Turned to dust?" the boy with black hair asked, at which Frankie nodded.
"No doubt about it," said the boy with brown hair, "it's an Orphnoch."
"Just what is an Orphnoch?" Cleo asked, "and who are you people, anyway?"
"A monster unlike anything you Monsters have ever seen," said the girl with brown hair, "and for your information, my name is Jessie Carpenter."
"Ian Thatcher," said the boy with brown hair.
"Lance Baker," said the boy with black hair, "and for some reason, this particular Orphnoch wants you, Draculaura."
"Me?" Draculaura asked, "but…I thought it wanted my necklace."
"That too," said the Lance Baker, "but you as well."
"I'm sorry, but who the hell are you Normies?" Clawd asked defensively as he stood between the three humans and Draculaura, shielding her.
"Oh for the love of God, we're not your enemies!" said Jessie Carpenter. She then pointed down the street, where the Jackal Orphnoch was getting back up. "It is!"
"By Anubis!" exclaimed Cleo, "how do you stop that thing!?"
"With this," said Jessie Carpenter as she set the briefcase down and opened it. Inside was a sophisticated metal belt, a set of brass knuckles shaped like a camera, a large laser pointer-like device and a flip-open cell phone.
"Who's turn is it this time?" Jessie asked as she took out the belt, then loaded the knuckle duster into a slot on one side, then connected the laser pointer to another slot.
"I had it last," said Lance, "So it's Ian's turn.
"You got it," said Ian as he took the belt from Jessie and put it on his waist.
Ghoulia then moaned something as Jessie handed the cell phone to Ian.
"Yeah, where did you get that phone?" asked Cleo, "a garage sale?"
"I'd laugh if I weren't in such extreme pain," said Clawdeen.
"It's a gift from someone special to us," said Ian, "a gift to fight the Orphnoch.
"Then it's you," said the image of the man from the Jackal Orphnoch's shadow, "you are the ones who's been causing so much trouble for my comrades. You punks have a lesson to learn; how not to stand in the way of evolution!"
"Even if Orphnochs are the next step in human evolution," said Ian, "that doesn't give you the right to murder innocent people!"
Ian then opened the phone and pressed the 5 button three times, followed by a button marked 'Enter.'
5 5 5
STANDING BY
The phone then emitted a high-pitch klaxon-like sound as Ian closed the phone and raised it up in his right hand.
"Henshin!" shouted Ian as he brought the phone down and clicked it into place on the belt vertically, then turned the phone 90° to connect it all the way.
COMPLETE
Red lines of energy flowed up and down from the belt and with a flash of light, Ian was encased in a black full-bodysuit of material several times stronger than Kevlar. Strategically placed across the suit was gray and red armored pieces, while the upper torso was covered in a more complex chest plate. The helmet had an amber sphere covering the face bisected by a silver line that went halfway up the center of the sphere, while at the top of the sphere were two red antennae.
"I…I've never seen anything like it!" said an astonished Cleo, while Draculaura, Clawd, Clawdeen, Ghoulia and Frankie looked on with equally amazed eyes.
"But what is he?" asked Draculaura.
"Not a what, 'who,'" said Jessie, "Faiz: Kamen Rider Faiz."
"I will kill you, Faiz!" shouted the Jackal Orphnoch, "after I get the little vampire bitch!" it then charged headlong towards Draculaura, with Clawd and Frankie standing in front of her.
But Faiz got in front of Clawd and Frankie, intercepting and punching the Jackal Orphnoch hard in the chest, forcing it back and allowing Clawd and Frankie to get Draculaura out of the way.
The Jackal Orphnoch then threw a punch at Faiz, whom effortlessly blocked it, then blocked several more punches, before returning with a punch of his own that knocked the creature back several paces.
Faiz then delivered a multi-punch combo that kept knocking the creature back even more, then finished up with a hard kick that sent the creature flying back several yards, landing hard on the asphalt of the road.
"It doesn't have to go any further," said Faiz to the creature as it struggled back to its feet, "Just walk away and forget the whole thing!"
"You're really willing to let it go?!" an outraged Cleo asked, "after what that thing did!? After it broke my arm!?"
"Don't forget my hands," said Clawdeen, "and murdered those people."
"That creature was human once," said Lance, "before a cruel twist of fate transformed it into an abomination."
"But even though it's no longer human," said Jessie, "doesn't mean it has to surrender its humanity."
"You can go back to a normal life," said Faiz to the Jackal Orphnoch, "or at least start over with a new life. You don't have to murder people in order to increase your numbers. If the Orphnoch is the next step in human evolution, then let nature take its course."
At that the Jackal Orphnoch laughed cruelly.
"I don't think it heard you," said Clawd.
"You stupid humans!" snapped the Jackal Orphnoch, "and you stupid Monsters! This has gone way beyond human evolution! We Orphnoch have discovered another way to ensure the survival of our species, a way shown by The Obsidian Council."
"The what council?" asked Frankie.
"Really bad guys," said Jessie, "we'll tell you later."
"What does The Obsidian Council want with the daughter of Dracula?" asked Faiz.
"Like I'm going to tell you!" shouted the Jackal Orphnoch, "it matters not! You shall not prevent the acquisition of The Star of Rosskarn and the destruction of this world!"
"The what now?" asked Faiz.
"I've said too much!" exclaimed the Jackal Orphnoch, "DIE!" it then rushed at Faiz, whom dodged the creature, forcing it to overbalance and fall to the ground.
Faiz then backed up several paces as he removed from the back of the phone on his belt, the back resembling data card. He then inserted the data card into the laser-pointer device.
READY
Faiz then snapped the pointer device onto a connector port on his right calf, just as the Jackal Orphnoch began to get up. He then opened the phone again and pressed the Enter button.
EXCEDE CHARGE
A pulse of energy flowed from Faiz's belt down his right leg and into the pointer device. Faiz then ran headlong at the creature and jumped high into the air. He then somersaulted as a bolt of energy shot from the pointer at the Jackal Orphnoch.
The bolt of energy then expanded into a red cone that hovered in front of the Jackal Orphnoch as Faiz completed his midair somersault, dropping towards the cone and the creature with his right leg extended for a kick.
Faiz then connected with the cone of energy and seemed to vanish, just as the cone spun rapidly like a drill, burrowing right into the creature and expanding into a red circle with a diagonal line through it, just as Faiz reappeared several yard behind the Jackal Orphnoch. An instant later, the creature was engulfed in a blast of blue flames.
The fire dissipated after a few seconds, leaving the creature seemingly unharmed. But then the Jackal Orphnoch collapsed and crumbled to dust that blew away with a gust of wind.
"Score another for the good guys," said Jessie happily, but then was startled as Lance roughly brushed past her shoulder to reach Faiz, whom nearly collapsed as he powered down with a flash of red energy.
"Rude, much?!" asked Jessie irately as she ran towards Lance, whom was helping Ian back to his feet.
"Sorry, didn't want him to fall on his face," said Lance.
"I'm alright," said Ian, though from the sweat beading on his brow and the look of exhaustion on his face, he was far from alright.
"Well, I'm glad that's over," said Clawd as Lance, Ian and Jessie walked back over.
"Are you kidding?" asked Lance, "that was just one Orphnoch."
"There's a lot more out there," said Ian, "and behind them is The Obsidian Council."
"Not to mention the wicked middlemen between Obsidian and the Orphnoch," said Jessie, "they're the ones calling the shot in whatever vile scheme Obsidian is up to."
"So, no, it's not over," said Lance, "in fact, it's just getting started."
"Well, whatever's going to happen," said Frankie, "I'm just glad you guys are on our side," she then looked at Ian, Lance and Jessie with unsure eyes, "you guys are on our side, right?"
"You bet your life we are," said Ian as he held out his hand.
"Just checking," said Frankie as she shook Ian's hand.
Just then everyone heard someone groaning.
"What'd you say, Ghoulia?" asked Cleo, "you know we can't understand you if you don't enunciate."
At that Ghoulia irately moaned something along the lines of 'it wasn't me!'
"Oh, my ghoul! Lagoona!" exclaimed Draculaura as she and the others rushed over to their fallen friend, whom was regaining her senses.
"What…what happened?" asked a dazed Lagoona as she touched her face and winced.
"You…kinda leapt before you looked," said Frankie.
…Hexiciah Steam's Workshop…Present day…
"Wow, that Faiz guy sounds cool," said Cupid. She then hastily looked at Tobias, "nowhere as cool as Sasword and the others, mind you."
"It's alright," said Tobias, "one Rider is equally awesome as the next, just on different levels."
"But what about Ian, Jessie and Lance?" asked Raven, "What's their story?"
"Most likely the same as ours," said Avery, "they lead ordinary lives until they were drafted by The Obsidian Council to be Riders."
"If Ian has accepted Inui Takumi's mantle of Faiz," said Tobias, "then what about the other two?"
"They take turns," said Frankie, "for some reason, being Faiz seriously drains them of power and leaves them weak as a battery way past its expiration date."
"We later found out that none of them could remain powered up for more than fifteen minutes," said Clawdeen, "any longer could possibly kill them."
"I guess taking turns makes sense," said Dexter, "but why would Alabaster chose them to be Riders if the power is so harmful or even life threatening?"
"Who knows?" Avery asked in return, "if there's one thing I've learned about The Alabaster Council is that their decisions aren't always clear at first."
"Well, they've been really helpful since they showed up, Ian, Jessie and Lance," said Frankie, "and they're really great friends."
"I'm sure we'll like them," said Cupid, "but when does Valentine come into this?"
"Soon," said Frankie, "but there's much more to go through before we get to that. And I haven't told you about what happened when the Fangire showed up."
"Oh yeah, tell them about the Fangire, Frankie!" said Heath Burns as he sat nearby on one of the chairs.
"Heath!" exclaimed an irate Frankie, Lagoona, Clawdeen, Cleo and Robecca, while Ghoulia moaned with profuse annoyance.
"Hi, Heath," said Cupid, "didn't see you come in."
"He's not supposed to come in!" said Robecca, "last time he walked into my father's lab, he set fire to a priceless copy of Einstein's original notes!"
"Hey, that was an accident!" said Heath.
"Then there was the time you set fire to one of my design portfolios," said Clawdeen.
"That was an accident too," said Heath.
"Then you set fire and blew up one of Ghoulia's experiments!" said Cleo, while Ghoulia nodded in agreement.
"Well…what can I say?" asked Heath, "I'm just that kind of guy, you know?"
"Oh, we know," said Cleo as she irately crossed her arms, "Frankie, would you be a dear and…"
"I threw him out last time," said Frankie.
"Don't look at me," said Clawdeen as she held up her bandaged and splinted hands.
"I have this," said Abbey as she stood up, limped over to Heath and grabbed him by the back of his jacket.
"Hey! Come on, Abbey!" exclaimed Heath as Abbey easily dragged him to the door of the workshop, "I hadn't even done anything!"
"None of the offending, Heath," said Abbey, "you do make me laugh and I like you, but you are not welcome here!" with that she tossed him out of the lab, with Heath landing in the catacombs outside.
"Was that really necessary?" Apple asked.
"If you know Heath Burns as I know him," said Cupid, "then you know best to keep him away from flammable materials, or at least have some fire extinguishers nearby."
"You're all as cold as ice!" shouted Heath from the catacombs.
"And you're too hot to trot," said Frankie as she walked over and closed the door.
...The End Is Just The Beginning…