Monster High - The School Grounds

[Perry Hartley]

Perry couldn't see a thing beyond the glare of the spotlight. He stood frozen to the spot until one of the Naga ghouls on stage with him slithered over and elbowed him hard in the ribs.

This seemed to stir the boo out of his stage fright induced trance and he cleared his throat.

"So um... Let's... get this over and done with."

The band started to play and hesitantly, awkwardly, Perry joined in on bass and started to sing.

"OK so i'm standing here, on a stage, singing to you as a last resort.
I'm sorry, seriously sorry. "

His voice cracked, he took a deep breath and the ghouls joined him in a rousing chorus.

"Sorry you thought I was someone i'm not, sorry you felt mislead. I'm sorry you jumped to conclusions rather than actually listening."

Vinnie didn't look impressed, but of course Perry couldn't see her anyway. So he valiently continued his hastily composed song.

"Nathair tells me I can't put this in a song unless I want to get pelted. Also that this is supposed to rhyme.
I'm really not good at writing rhyme, it seems to take so much time.
I wrote this in an hour, if that's any consolation for how much it sucks.
I can't think of anything that rhymes with sucks.
So here's the chorus but with different words. "

Once more the ghouls joined in, Mehil on drums even seemed to be enjoying herself.


"I'm sorry I hurt you, sorry I threw you out a window, sorry I wasn't straight with you from the start. Sorry i'm not straight."

Nathair grinned at his friend from the edge of the stage. Despite the shoddy lyrics and mostly stolen tune, Perry really had put his all into this. Nathair just hoped Vinnie appreciated that.

Sadly he wouldnt get a chance to find out as Glen burst into the clawdatorium dramatically.

The music faltered, but the band played on despite the distraction. Nathair was proud of how proffessional his sisters could be.

"D ye' mind? We're kinda in the middle a somethin" Nathair slithered toward the green skinned witch boo.

Glen stared at him, then at the stage, then back at the naga.

"Come on, Rory's waiting for you."

nathair looked confused, then slowly realisation dawned. He'd been so distracted trying to help Perry all day he'd completely forgotten about the date with a snowball he'd agreed to.

"I cannae leave now! I've got a rousin' bagpipe solo!" He protested.

Perry squinted over to the ruckus and spoke into the mic. "Take him away Glen!"

Nathair continued to protest as Glen lead him out.

The song picked back up where it left off.

"You deserve a great guy, but that's just not who I am.
All i can offer you is friendship, even if you are far too cool for me.
Nathair told me to sing that, ignore him.

Why is rhyming so hard? This is seriously lame.
At the very least i'm glad you came?
I probably just made a total fool of myself, I hope it was amusing to you.
And that you can find it in your heart to forgive me too.

It's not just the pranks, or the glare you keep giving me.
Of course I would like NOT having to fear for my safety,
it's because you're worth all this hardship
I humiliate myself because I value your friendship.

Really i'd rather be anywhere but here
and if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be staring into this spotlight glare.
Nothing else has worked, so here I am

Vinnie, forgive me and i'll end this lyrical sham."

Perry managed a shy sort of half grin, clinging tightly to his bass and clearly expecting to be booed.

The song concluded with a drum solo from Mehil who really was having far too much fun.

The lights dimmed a little so Perry could see the empty clawdatorium, and Vinnie, sitting in the front row with tears of laughter streaming down her face.  

[Peggy Springwell]

Peggy came down the hall carrying her books. Her bag was over her shoulder and Heimdal had his head sticking out, chiding Peggy about not paying attention in class.

Peggy was lost in thought, trying to drown him out. Her classes were nice, although two of them had that obnoxious Boo in them. She did enjoy sitting next to Dashner at lunch and her guide was super screamtastic too. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad after all.

She was still lost in thought when she all but bumped into Kai  

[Kai Merha]

*whump!*

Peggy smacked into Kai full-force. She may not have been a centaur like Harry presumed, but she was as strong as a horse. Kai staggered back a little bit, and his sketchbook went flying.

"I'm open!" Chase called out, galloping backwards, and caught the notebook in mid-air. "Frighteous pass!"

"Oops." Kai grinned at Peggy. "Sorry about that."

"Pay attention when you're walking!" Heimdal squeakily lectured Peggy from her bag. "If your head's not literally in the clouds, don't act like it is!"

"Sorry!" Peggy apologized.

"S'all right." Kai nodded. Chase trotted up behind them, looking at the opened page on Kai's sketchbook. Kai had been practicing different banner fonts for Woestock on it.

"Woestock, huh? Are you going to the planning meeting?" He asked as he tossed the book over Peggy's hands into Kai's claws. "Wish I could, but you know. Football practice!"

"Yeah, and I know Jewels is going, too. How about you, Peggy?" Kai asked. "Harry's got some big ideas."

Ugh! THAT boo again! Before Peggy could open her mouth to say anything, Chase butted in.

"And how about Winter Sports Club? We could use a frighteous dudette like you on the team, brah!" Chase called everyone 'brah,' boo or ghoul. Despite being raised on the Q Family farm here in New Salem his whole life, for some reason his twang made it sound like he belonged on a Scalifornian beach shore. "We're gonna try to make it into the Hex Games this fear!"  

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

"Manster, now I'm regrettin' not lettin' my sister film the whole debacle." Nathair grumped a little bit as Glen led him outside. He'd given his word that he'd let Rory lob one snowball at him, and after it was done, he could slither back into the Clawditorium and enjoy the aftermath of Perry's song, at least. Rory's arm looked like he'd never even thrown a paper scareplane before, so this was going to be quick and painless.

"I really appreciate you letting Rory do this, Nat." Glen told Nathair, giving him a friendly pat on the back. "He's so nervous around...well...pretty much everything, he needs to learn the joy of things like a snowball fight."

"Ah, heh, no prob'lm Glen," Nathair replied, feeling a little self-proud. He was just fixing everymonster's unlife today! Maybe he should consider being an Elf-help guru when he grew up. "I kin tae a little snow tae the face in the name a' self grimprovement."

"Great attitude!" Glen grinned and opened the door of the front of the school for Nathair. "And, bonus, this gives him a chance to practice some of the magic I've taught him, too!"

"Wait...magic?" Nathair asked as he slid outside. It took a second for his eyes to adjust to the outdoor light. As he blinked, the first thing he saw Rory, standing in the middle of the schoolyard, both of his hands solemnly raised up over his head.

Well, that was odd.

Rory looked like he was concentrating really, super hard on keeping his hands raised, so hard that his eyes were glowing a bright purple.

The second thing Nathair noticed was that despite it being mid-afternoon on a clear, cold day, he couldn't see the sun. And the third thing he noticed, a split second after realizing the sun was blocked, was that there was not a single flake of snow left on the ground outside the school.

"Sweet murk a' McGurk-" Nathair managed to squeak out as his eyes rose up, and he looked above Rory's head at a snowball so massive, it blotted out the sun. It hovered slightly, glowing with the same purple light coming out of Rory's eyes.

Nathair swallowed.

"DEATH....SHARD...ICE...BALL....ATTACK!" Rory grunted out, finally lowering his hands in a throwing motion towards Nathair. Nathair had barely a chance to look left and right as the round shadow over him got bigger...bigger....bigger...

*WHUMPH.*

For the briefest of moments, everything was still as it sat buried under the massive snowball. A few late flakes trickled down, coming to a rest on the uniterrupted white mass that spread out and covered everything from the stairs to the parking lot.

Soon, though, the pristine peace was broken as Nathair's head thrust out of the snow with a gasp.

"Hewwww!" Nathair snort-laughed. "THAT was the biggest snowball I've ever been pegged with in my unlife!"

"Mmmhmm mmf ffmm hmmph!" Something replied near the bottom of the school steps. An instant later, Glen's head burst out. "I mean, isn't that great! I'm so proud of Rory I could pop!"

"Yeh, he got me but good!" Nathair laughed. It was just snow, after all. He half-slithered, half-waded back towards the school steps. "Say, uh...where is th' lad?"

"Help! Help!" The half-muffled sound of Rory rang out from the middle of the giant snowdrift. "There was a slight flaw in the plan! Locations were not taken into account beforehand!"

Glen bounced upwards, and resumed his upside-down flying from earlier, drifting around trying to locate where hexactly Rory was. Soon, he found a slightly fractured arm poking up from the drift. Glen grabbed it and gave it a pull, unearthing a snow-capped Rory. Rory coughed a little bit and looked around.

"Did it work? Did I get him?" He asked. "Is the deathshard iceball challenge met?"

"It's met, it's met!" Nathair laughed, still digging his way back up the steps. "I'll consider us even if ye promise not tae bury me in anoth' snowdrift!"

"I promise." Rory replied solemnly. Deep inside his fractured soul, he was glad to bring this chapter to a close. Despite Glen's assurances that this sort of snow-battle took place all the time, it seemed unreasonably dangerous to Rory.

"If ye two don't mind, I've left a project mid-note in th' Clawditorium I need tae get back t'. Peace!" Nathair took his leave, still shaking snow out of his hoodie as he slid back inside the school. Glen set Rory down near the steps and touched down himself next to his cousin.

"Rory, that was a hexcellent job at magical movement manipulation! See? You're an un-natural at it!"

"Thanks, I guess." Rory rubbed the back of his head, shaking loose a bunch of snowflakes. "I really only intended to grab a snowball the size of his head, though."

"I always say the more, the scarier myself." Glen replied, shaking the snow off his clothes before it could melt into water and become problematic for him. "I never do things in half-measures when I can overdo them!"
 

[Kai Merha]

Kai glanced at his watch as Chase made his pitch to Peggy about Winter Sports Club.

"Oop! I'm going to be late for the meeting!" Kai dumped his sketchbook into his bag. "You guys mind if I peace out?"

"Nah, brah, it's cool." Chase replied.

"It's fine. See you tomorrow?" Peggy asked as Kai pulled his backpack onto his back.

"Sure thing!" Kai called out and took off on a fast sprint for the fountain out in the front of the school.

When Kai stepped out the doors of the school, he was a little confused for a moment. Despite it not having snowed since morning, there was a good couple feet of fresh snow on the ground that hadn't been shoveled.

Weird!

Oh well, Kai thought to himself as he started wading through the drift. He didn't want to keep anymonster waiting for too long.

Finally, past the strangely centralized drifting, Kai walked over to see a handful of monsters gathered at the fountain for the Woestock meeting. Jewels Underne was there, and it looked like Harry had just arrived. Kai was happy to see that Frankie Stein was already writing down some notes - having her on board meant getting the entire Fearleading Squad active, too.

Most surprising of all was seeing Atomica Servo and Lin McGearloch there. Fearstivals didn't really seem up their alley, considering they usually accompanied Gryff to events. Gryff's preferences were events so obscure nomonster at school had heard of them.

Kai suspected that some of the 'events' Gryff blarghed about on his Grimblr were, in fact, just his three friends fanging out.

"Hey! Sorry I'm late." Kai puffed a little bit, exhaling a stream of steam into the crisp, wintery air. "Is anymonster else coming?"

"I sent a message to Tori, and hopefullysheandSallywill come." Jewels blustered a bit. Getting ahold of Sally through electronic means was difficult due to her static-causing powers, but that was nothing compared to what Lin did to technology. Kai wondered how Atomica managed to function as well as she did, constantly fanging around Lin.

"I'm the only Fear Squaddie who was free, but I'll pass on anything you want to Cleo and the rest of the squad!" Frankie sparked with cheer. Having Cleo DeNile on board would give their event a much-needed boost of royal credibility.

"Fangtastic!" Kai replied. "And I'll let Roswell, Dashner and Nero know what's up, too. I know they're going to be hextra stoked at getting the band back together!"

Somewhere, on the other side of the school where Nero was talking about dub-mixes with Holt Hyde, he received a strange, ominous chill down his back he couldn't hexplain.

Speaking of chills, Kai rubbed his arms together a bit.

"I should have thought ahead before suggesting the fountain as a meeting place. Anyone grimterested in moving this meeting to the Die-ner?"  

[Dashner Hawke]

Dashner felt a lot better about things one that he had settled things with his beast friend. He shuffled along the congested hallways, his back pack straps around his shoulders. He quickly packed what he needed to take home. Now on his way to Football practice.

He was walking down towards the field as he spotted Peggy with Chase. His face brightened slightly. He walked over to them, adjusting the beanie on his head.

"Uh hey, do you mind if I talk to Peggy? Sorry if I interrupted," Dashner smiled. It was almost a shy smile. Wait... What? Dashner? Shy smile?

"Sure, brah. We just finished anyway. Peace out, Peggy!" Chase said as he clopped away from the two.

"Hey," Peggy said to Dashner with a smile. Dashner shoved his gloved claws into his pockets.

"Hey. I was wondering if you wanted to do something Friday night?"  

[Perry Hartley]

By the time Nathair got back to the clawdatorium, the ghouls were already packing things up and Perry was sitting on the edge of the stage laughing with Vinnie and Draconia.

Nathair smiled a little, it was good to see his friend finally loosening up, the past few weeks of stressed and fanxtious Perry had been tedious to say the least.

"So I take it nothin' exploded."

Perry nodded. "yeah, humiliating myself worked."

"Ye welcome." Nathair knew Perry wasn't one to say thank you often, least not sincerely. Sincerity was something the boo seemed to really struggle with.

Perry glanced down at his Icoffin.
"I really gotta fly. Football practice. Uh.. see ya later." He stood and hurried out of the clawdatorium, calling back to one of Nathair's sisters. "Drop or otherwise damage my bass, and you'll pay. Got it?"

The sister stuck her forked tongue out at him as he left, grinning to the others.

"Sooo tempting to paint it pink or something, but he's no fun when he's grumpy."

Nathair shook his head.

"yeah well, much as this is fun and all, I got better things to do." Vinnie stood and headed out as well.

Nathair waved to Vinnie.

"So uh... I owe ya one there lass. Sorry I could nay fang around tae watch the whole show." Nathair grinned at Draconia who smiled softly.

"Oh it was nothing. You know I love this sort of thing"

"Aye, even so, we coul nay a done all this withou' ye... and it looks like it worked!"

Tanith slithered past. "Yeah i'd say they're back on speaking terms, and it's all yer fault." She snickered.

"Yeah i'm not sure what's worse, them being friends, or them being enemies. " Mehil added.

"Aww they're nay tha' bad. " Nathair protested.

"Well ye got ya hands full now brother of ours. All four a them." Tanith smiled and joined her sisters.
"We're gonna hit the coffin bean. Catch ya later"

"So... dinnae suppose ye fancy a cup a tea or somethin? Tae say thanks." Nathair asked Draconia as his sisters abandoned him.  

[Peggy Springwell]

Peggy was watching Kai leave and shoving the annoying little ram back into her bag when Dashner strolled up.

"do something?"

She blushed. She'd been thinking about the Hextreme sports and hadn't seen him until he was right in front of her. Bad habit that one.

"What did you have in mind?"

Did she seriously just get asked out.. on a date? This was a first. How hexciting yet scary!  

[Dashner Hawke]

Dashner thought for a moment. He hadn't thought that far, really.

"Well I was thinking about jet skiing..." He saw a look on her face as if that was boring. "... down a mountain?" He added uncertainly, wondering what he was signing up for.

"And then afterwords... dinner. If we ate dinner before it probably wouldn't work out very well," he laughed lightly.  

[Harry Herne]

"Whoa, no need to book off yet. I gotta summon my creeps, dude. My creeps will score us our boosical acts!"

Harry fished a small wooden coin from his dude-bag. The coin had his Old Monster's picture on it and had a secret purpose. Harry smashed his fist down through the ice in the fountain to reach the water beneath. Clearing a fair sized hole in the ice was easy. He flipped the coin into the water and waited. A minute later, the water rippled a goblin's face appeared in the water.

"Young Master?"

Harry grimaced. He hated that.

"Dude....it's Harry."

"Of course, Young Master,"

Harry let out a sigh.

"I need to borrow you and Gobbledygook for a few"

"Fright away, Young Master!"

A slash in reality appeared in short order and out popped two goblins. The first was the goblin Harry had been talking to. He was in a bootler's uniform. The second was a young lady goblin dressed as a maid...a mer-maid. She had been cleaning the Herne's pool.

"You could have changed...nevernind."

Harry turned to Kai and the rest of GOBBLE's new fearstival committee.

"Dudes and dudettes, this is Gibberish and Gobbledygook. They're my creeps from home!"

"Honored servants, Young Master."

Harry blushed.

"CREEPS! Now, let's head to the die-ner and we can start the Plan."  

[Lin McGearloch]

"His creeps will score the acts?" Lin said to Atomica, gazing up at his pseudo-sister as he hurried along, his short legs working extra to keep in step with her own as they followed the group to the Die-ner. "What does he mean they'll score the acts?"

Not ever having been one for tact or subtlety, Atomica initiated volume control on her voice module synthesizer to peak volume, "Hey! What do you mean that THEY'LL be scoring the boosical acts!?"

The progression halted and all eyes turned toward thee automaton and her micro gremlin cohort as they stood in the middle of the walkway -- right up until a corn honked its horn. Lin jumped and squeeled in surprise and Atomica scooped him up by his turtleneck and hurried across the street.

Once safely on the other side of the road (why did the gremlin cross the road and all? nyuk nyuk!), Lin spoke up on his view, "I mean, I don't see why some of the students can't be in some of the boosic acts. The lass here?" Lin patted a self satisfied looking Atomica on the arm. "She runs the beast ghoul group at Monster High, Atomica and the Rest In Piece!"

(Actually the ONLY ghoul group at Monster High.)

"That's affirmative!" Atomica chimed. "And Lin here plays a mean... he plays a mean..."

She looked down at him, knowing he was quite proud of his boosical proficiency with his bagpipes. He was probably the only one, though -- save for his family (maybe!). Last time he rehearsed those things, she voluntarily went into shut down mode until the ghost was clear! Lin's eyes were closed and a proud smile was on his lips... but he noticed she was stalling and he peeped one eye open and looked up at her.

Atomica said, "He plays bagpipes!"  

[Harry Herne]

Harry blinked. He didn't recognize the gremlin or....whoa. Who was the metallic ghoul? Chrome as far as the eye could see and all very, very choice. Was she environmentally friendly and made out of recycled parts or was she righteous and super sano? THIS MUST INVESTIGATED! Harry rushed over to Atomica.

"Very righteous chrome! Is it sano or all recycled? My name's Harry. You don't seem to put out any pollutants and that is so CRUEL! I bet you could blow the doors off...."

Harry stared at Atomica's forehead for thirty full seconds before his brain rebooted.

"So, we're welcoming any boosical acts from school too. But we definitely need some BIG names to draw attention to our clawse. Your ghoul band is welcome to perform.

...

Unless you're all show and no go."

Harry started back towards the die-ner with Gibberish and Goobledygook. in tow.

"Your wee friend can play too."  

[Peggy Springwell]

Peggy seemed thoughtful, Heimdal glaring at her
"no, Peggy, you will NOT ski down a mountain"

A slow smile spread across her face

"yes, you're right. How about a VOLCANO!?"  

[Dashner Hawke]

"Great. Meet in the common area of the common area of the Doomitories Friday evening?"

Dashner grinned. He played it cool, but... He was really nervous. Then he remembered about football practice. To add to it all, his iCoffin ringed. He received a hext. He opened it:

From: Falconnie Hawke
hey, please tell Peggy to meet me in the doom asap! Her bags just arrived and I have no idea where to put them!!! thanks!

Dashner slipped the phone into his pocket, looking at the ghoul again. Man, she was so pretty.. "I've gotta go to Football. Also, Falconnie needs your help in the doom. Your bags arrived. I'll see you later!"

He smiled before they departed, smiling all over as he went to get changed for practice.  

[Chase Q]

On the football field of Monster High...

The football team, led by the captain, Clawd Wolf, and coach Igor, stood in front of the gathered team members as their friends looked on from the stands.

"Okay team!" Coach Igor barked. "I don't have to tell you how important the game is this freakend! Luna High for the division championship! You see how this manster is every game on your side?"

Coach Igor grips Clawd by the shoulder.

"Well you're going to be up against an entire team of Clawds! Same reflexes! Same speed!..."

"Just not as good as da manster himself!" Chase called out and the team murmured in agreement while Clawd just smiled.

"That's what I'm counting on!" Coach Igor stated, then pointed in turn to each member of the team. "And I'm counting on you! I want you all at your best! As great as you were at Tombcoming, I want you even better! Got that!?"

"GOT IT COACH!" The entire team called out as one.

"And speaking of Tombcoming..." Coach Igor stated ominously and turned a good eye toward Chase. "We won't be having any more episodes like we had then, will we?"

"Aw Coach!" Chase rolled his eyes but even that didn't take away from his smile. "You been asking me that every game since! And the answer is NOOOOPE! Check it out!"

Chase jetted a thumb toward the stands and the team and coach cast a wayward glance at the stands where Chase's little sister Whinnie was seated beside Devlyn, the little imp manster who Chase had made unlife a living heck -- until Glen and his bluddies Draconia and Hellene had helped set him straight.

"Right!" Coach Igor nodded. "Okay we're going to start off with tackling dummies. I want you split into pairs. One of you holds the dummy and tries to stop his partner from being able to tackle it, and him, out of the way. Hawke!"

Ignor pointed his pencil at Dashner. "You hold the dummy and try to keep Chase from tackling it!"

eek

And the coach started rambling off more pairings as Chase smiled brightly at Dashner.