Monster High - The School Grounds

[Vinnie Lovecraft]

Vinnie arched her eyebrow at Perry as she carefully slipped her best prints from the night into her bag.

"Horribly dangerous? Potentially trapped?! What kinda ghoul do you take me for, Perry??" She tried to feign offended but her grinning coils betrayed her. "Sounds like a total scream. I'm in!"  

[Perry Hartley]

"Yes!" He grinned ear to ear. "I knew it! I mean, who'd pass up mortal peril right? Boring monsters, that's who. And you and me? We are totally not boring."

He put an arm around her shoulder.

"You know, I think this is the start of a bootiful friendship."

He let her go.

"So what you think, Friday night? There's some lame Roller Maze thing on I think." He shrugged. "Bring your camera, we can totally sneak off under the pretence of going to watch the game."  

[HH Bloodgood]

Monday Morning: Mid-Terms.

The freakend was over, and students filtered slowly into the school. There was a lot of fangxiety in the air. Even though this was a short week, it was the most stressful one of the screamester - mid-terms!

For the next two days, the students would be tested and hand in massive projects in preparations for Parent/Creature conferences. Nerves were running raw as some students dragged projects to Home Ick, Mad Science and Art Class, and other students tore into their hextbooks in one last mad attempt at cramming for the big tests. Even the Creature Faculty seemed nervous; meeting their student bodies' parents required a great deal of extra work and forethought. Many of the parents were traveling from far and wide to find out the progress of their precious offspring.

The saving grace, of course, was that Fangsgiving was at the end of this week! At last, a chance to relax and fang out with family. If only it could come sooner....  

[Draconia St George]

"Please?" Glen asked as he dragged behind Draconia when the two entered the school. "Pleeaaaaaaase? Pleeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase?!"

"Glen! I said I'm terribly sorry, but the answer is no!" Draconia hexclaimed, slumping her shoulders and trying very hard not to raise her voice. "I simply cannot go to New Goreleans with you for Fangsgiving. My parents are going to be in town for the first time in hiss-tory and I simply must be here with them!"

"BUT." Glen stomped one sparkling-red foot. "I WANT all my beasties to be there!"

"Plenty of your friends are going! Nero, Kai, Rory...sounds like a lovely boo road trip. A bro-ad trip, if you will." Draconia gave Glen a firm nod. "I'm sure New Goreleans will be fangTAStic to visit, even without me."

"Guess so..." Glen grumbled a bit. "But it won't be EPIC. And besides...my aunt Scarie..."

"Yes, it was very kind of her to grimvite everyone. She seems very-"

"TERRIFYING." Glen waved his arms wildly in the air. "I don't need you there just as my beastie of all time, Drakie! I need you there as a buffer from Auntie Scarie - the way she stares at me gives me chills right up my spine! Brr-rr-rr - I can feel them right now! Feel my chills!"

Glen turned around and lifted up his shirt as Draconia pretended to be very busy putting books into her locker and pulling out her forty-page essay on Shakesfeare.

"Oh Glen, she seemed perfectly nice to me. I'm sure you'll have scads of fun. You'll write me every day. And post on my fiercebook every hour. And Skitter me every minute. It will be just like you never left at all!"  

[Perry Hartley]

Mid terms, Perry was trying hard not to let it show that he actually cared but the cracks were starting to show.
He'd barely slept all weekend as he pushed to finish his last few projects. He looked hexhausted as he dragged himself into school, rubbing his eyes and stifling a yawn.

"Sheesh man, ye look like death warmed up" Nathair slithered alongside his friend.
Perry looked up at him, glaring. The naga never seemed phased by anything that happened, it was infuriating how calm he was.

"Why are YOU so happy?" Perry snapped.

"Woah... who shot ye momma Bambi?" Nathair raised two hands defensively.

"Don't call me that."

"Come on, chin up. Fangsgivin' is nearly here!"

"Oh yeah.. greaaat. Means Buck's coming home for a few days to torment me." Perry really didn't much like his elder brother, they'd never seen eye to eye and seemed to just wind each other up. Perry was convinced Buck's entire purpose in life was to make his existence miserable.

"He's nay tha' bad."

"Yes... he is. He's only decent to you because you aren't blood."

"Decent would nay be a word i'd use... but.. .ye know.. considerin' me sisters... "

"Your sisters are clawsome. Evil? Yes, but clawsome."

Nathair rolled his eyes.
"Listen.. " He put one hand on Perry's shoulder. Perry shrugged him away but the naga continued to talk regardless.
"Listen, if it all gets too much, ye know ye can always sneak over to our place. Ye're always welcome. Mam always loves tae have ye over. "

"Thanks.. " Perry sighed. "I just.. I hate midterms. I'm convinced i've forgotten to study something, and I kinda need to keep my grades up or i'm off the team." Coach was pretty strict about his players not slacking academically.

"Ye'll be fine. Jus like.. distract yeself. Otherwise ye'll go totally mental."

"How is it that you're never bothered by any of this stuff? I mean.. how can you be so happy!" Honestly Perry kinda wanted to punch the guy, see if that would wipe that stupid grin off his stupid face.

Nathair shrugged. "I'm a good actor." He grinned broader than ever as he leaned close and whispered. "Truth is, i'm terrified man. But if I dinnae let meself show it, I start tae feel a little better. "

"That's the stupidest thing i've ever heard."

"An' yet... who's the one in the fowl mood?"

"I hate you."

"Nah ye don't. "  

[Kai Merha]

Kai was already sitting at his desk in his first feariod class, Art Class. He'd driven into school early so that Nero could help him unload his art project. He'd finally picked 'collage' as his medium, reasoning that at least this way he could use any materials he wanted without having to agonize over whether they fit his theme or not.

The project sat behind him now, covered in a large cloth. As he waited for the other students to arrive, he was engaged in a Faceslime conversation on his iCoffin with his step-sister. Octavia lived most of the year in the Scarribean sea with her father, Fathom Tempest, King of the Kraken.

"So yeah, we're going to New Goreleans for Fangsgiving. Dad thought it was a great idea, and Abyssa thinks it'll be a great chance for her to study some of the marine un-life there. She doesn't really get the point of Uhh-merican Fangsgiving yet." Kai leaned back in his chair and grinned at the digitized visage of his step-sister on his iCoffin. She frowned.

"Wish I could be there. It sounds like a lot of fun. I wish we celebrated Fangsgiving here. I'll just be at school all week."

"Well hey, chin up! Remember, you're coming here for the howlidays, after all! I've already started my Cryptmas shopping."

"Already?!" Octi's jaw dropped. "I haven't even THOUGHT about it!"

"Well, I have to start early because it takes me so long to decide what to get everyone. Though this year I have plenty of ideas. And maybe I'll find something neat in New Goreleans! Glen's aunt is going to be giving us all a grand tour of the area, and then we're going to do some hexploring on our own. I have a really good feeling about this trip, Octi. I think it's going to be way less traumatic than my last bro-ad trip."

"You mean the one to Monte Scarlo?" Octavia asked.

"We do NOT talk about Monte Scarlo!" Kai exclaimed. Octavia giggled, and then yawned. "Hey, I know it's getting late for you, and I'm almost ready to start class here so I'll let you go, ok?"

"Yeah, I guess so...." Octavia yawned again. "Darn time difference! Talk to you later, Steppy!"

"You too, Steppy." Kai grinned at his step-sister and signed off. He leaned back in his chair. Yes, he was certain this week was going to be a breeze.  

[Marceline LaGhede]

Marceline got to Dead Languages early, and sat at her desk with her book open. She didn't think she'd have any trouble with this midterm, or most of them, for that matter; mostly, she worried about her Hiss-tory hexam. She could whip up potent potions and clever concoctions like a proper Witch Doctor, but if you asked her to explain what happened in the Gore of 1812, she'd draw a total blank. Marceline flipped through the pages of her Hiss-tory book, and let out a sigh. Hopefully she retained enough to pass, and the rest of her midterms would float her average.

The week would go by quickly enough, and following parent-creature conferences would be Fangsgiving! Marceline could already smell Maman's jamboolaya simmering in the kitchen. She contemplated inviting Rorrim to visit... she wasn't sure of his Fangsgiving Break plans, but considering he could go anywhere via Mirrorverse, it didn't seem unheard of to pop in. Though, she realized, she'd never told her parents that they were "officially" dating! Maybe that would be the first thing on the agenda...  

[JD Leeds]

To: Vanissha de la Luz
C'mon, Vani-baby... can't we just talk about this?

JD hexted Vanissha for the 13th time since Saturday... all without a single reply. He sighed; she really wasn't going to see reason, as hard as he tried. Ghouls... At least they had Biteology together, and she couldn't avoid him then...

But today was the start of midterms! JD had completely forgotten. Not even spending an entire class period with her guaranteed they'd be able to talk it out. His iCoffin chirruped from his pocket; finally! Vanissha got some sense in her head and everything was going to-- or, The Ghostly Gossip had a shocking new post...

Trouble in Scaradise?
Monster High's newest power couple, JD Leeds and Vanissha de la Luz, may already be on the outs! JD was spotted this past weekend putting the moves on Tombcoming Queen Jewels Underne, treating Vanissha like she was, well, invisible! Will Vanissha find love again? And whose heart will JD break next??

JD groaned... Spectra Vondergeist never really painted him in a good light... another chirp from his iCoffin and he cringed, expecting an inflammatory hext from Vanissha... but instead found...

From: J. Leeds, Esq. (Dad)
Hello, son. Rearranged schedule, Sanguia and I will be flying in tomorrow for conferences after all. Trust they'll tell me all good things?

Could this day get any worse? He thought about his midterms and how little he'd studied, and contemplated sitting next to Ghoulia Yelps in Hiss-tory to ensure at least a shot at passing. He tapped out a one-word reply and moved onto class.  

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

Rory walked out of the boo's bathroom and straight to Dead Languages. Mid-terms had him a bit nervous...Mr. Rotter already had one dead, cloudy eye on him for being a late addition to the class and the written part of the test was sure to be even tougher for a kid who read everything backwards.

At least he got to look forward to sitting by-

"Marceline! Spookybee!" Rory grinned and hugged his ghoulfriend as she gave him a welcoming hug. "I've missed you so much!"

Yes, it's true it had been only 10 hours since they'd last seen each other, but to a creature in love, it felt like 10 eternities.

Rory sat down and started pulling out his notebooks and pencils.

"This is my first ever mid-terms. I'm so nervous! I'd bite my nails if it wouldn't lead to my finish getting chipped, er, more chipped. Do you think it's going to be hard? Have you had a mid-term with Mr. Rotter before? How many pages is it going to be? If I fail because I start writing things backwards, are they going to kick me out of Monster High forever?"

Marceline laughed at him, leaving Rory perplexed.

"Rory, sugarplumpie...this is dead LANGUAGES. Th' test's oral! Trust me, it's practic'ly a breeze through a graveyard at midnight."

"Really?" Rory asked, apprehensively.

"REALLY really. If you get overnervous for th' very first test, you're not gonna make it to Fangsgiving. Speaking of..." Marceline paused, as if she was trying to think of the right thing to say. Rory's eyes bugged out.

"Fangsgiving! Awp! I almost forgot!"

"F'rgot what?"

"I'm going to New Goreleans for Fangsgiving! Glen's aunt...I mean your aunt...I mean my aunt....I mean, er, Scarie LaVeau has invited mother and I to her Mason Scarriere! So I guess...I'll be in town if you wanted to get together, or meet, or...you know, anything!" Inside, Rory wondered if there was a way he could get the whose 'aunt' Scarie was thing cleared up or changed...it felt very strange to think that both he and the ghoul he dated had an aunt in common.  

[Marceline LaGhede]

"Oh, you'll be in N'Gawlins for Fangsgiving." Marceline repeated, half-relieved and half-even more nervous. "Well, that's wonde'ful, 'cuz my next question was gonna be if y'wanna drop in f'dinner with my family! It'd be a great intr'duction to 'em and since I met your mama..."

She reminded herself again to tell her parents about Rory...  

[Willow Whistler]

It wasn't exactly well-planned, Willow's arrival at the school shortly before mid-terms were to start. She'd just have to try her best, since she'd been home schooled and thus wasn't sure what to expect. She was certain it was difficult though, with how nervous the other students seemed to be...

The only good thing the ghoul could think of was her brother William coming in place of their parents for Parent-Creature Conferences. Hopefully, that'd go well...

And so, Willow would stay in her seat, silent and studying for World Hiss-tory. She may have come in the middle of the year and thus missed information, but that wasn't going to stop her from doing better.  

[Skinny Sally]

Sally made it into the school as she finished the book she was reading again. She wasn't too worried about Dead Languages at all, Algrrbra was a bit more of a stretch. But, she had time to do some last minute studying. For now, she headed to Hiss-tory, a subject that fascinated her, but she wasn't sure how well she understood it.

She sat at her desk in the classroom, stacking her books in front of her. She opened one, trying to go over what she thought would be on the mid-term for Hiss-tory. She tilted her head as she read.  

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

Marceline LaGhede

" It'd be a great intr'duction to 'em and since I met your mama..."

"Sure!" Rory agreed without a single thought more. "That would be...well, perfect! We could-"

"AH-HEM." Their discussions were grimterupted by Mr. Rotter lurking into the classroom, giving everyone a deadly stare. "As you are all avare, today is Mid-Terms. No qvuarter shall be given. No pleas for mercy vill be entertained. Today we learn if you are monsters...or merely children."

A chill ran through the spines of the students in the class who had spines. Rory looked at Marceline, who wasn't even breaking a sweat. He took a deep breath and tried to absorb some confidence from her.  

[Doriana Taylor]

Doriana stood at her locker, quickly putting her books in her bag. She, of course, studied way too much for these exams and was still hyperventilating. She was conversing on her iCoffin with her father, zipping her bag. "Dad I'm just really nervous. What if I spend too much time on one question?!"

She sighed, turning around and walking back down the hallway.  

[Melody Nocturna]

Melody walked to school after one final study session, and gave a sigh, she was confident she was do well on this test. Her biggest fear, on the other hand, was that Roswell wouldn't do so well. She took her ICoffin from her bag and began to text him a good luck wish.

Roswell, I know you will do uhh-mazing on this mid-term! Just remember the proper formulas and equations and you will do great!

Thinking of you,
Melly heart

She walked into her class and pulled out a pencil, ready for whatever question was ready to come up.