Monster High: Who's That Ghoulfriend? (Monster High: Ghoulfriends Forever) (5 page)

“I’m afraid we’re not in a position to dole out personal security. All of our men are busy patrolling Salem’s borders,” Scariff Fred responded sternly.

“Excuse me, but I couldn’t help overhearing,” a werecat man interrupted. “I am Tab Bee, the newly appointed guardian of Toralei Stripe, one of Monster High’s most exceptional ghouls—”

“Only in her own mind,” Venus muttered under her breath.

“So I must agree with His Royal Highness Mr.
De Nile. High-profile students need, dare I say, demand, extra security.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bee,” Mr. De Nile responded, clearly pleased that Tab had used the moniker His Royal Highness when speaking about him.

“I’m sorry, gentlemen, but it’s not going to happen. Now if you’ll excuse us,” Scariff Fred said as he and Superintendent Petra started off down the purple-floored corridor.

“This isn’t right! Children such as ours deserve protection,” Cleo’s father roared, stomping one of his ornate gold boots against the floor.

“As both of your ghouls are savvy, smart, and sophisticated,” a silky voice hissed from behind the two men, “they would be quite the force to be reckoned with if they traveled in unison. There’s strength in numbers, you know.”

“What’s Miss Flapper up to now?” Venus asked the others, suspiciously eyeing the petite European dragon.

Dressed in a floor-length lavender gown with silver buttons, Miss Flapper looked as spooktacular as ever. Her long bloodred hair, crisp green eyes, and delicate white wings instantly mesmerized both Ramses de Nile and Tab Bee.

“There’s a calculated reason behind everything she does,” Rochelle answered. “So now we just need to figure out what it is.…”

“Let’s start by checking out what’s on those papers,” Venus said.

“What papers?” Cy asked.

“We stumbled across a stash of hidden papers in the
attic, but we didn’t have time to read them, so I took pictures with my iCoffin,” Venus said as Robecca jumped in front of the green-faced ghoul.

“And you waited until now to tell us? I thought we were the Three Monsketeers!” Robecca boiled over as she flung her arms in the air with exasperation.

“What about me?” Cy asked quietly.

“Sorry, Cy! I meant the Four Monsketeers!” Robecca blustered as she eyed Rochelle and Venus harshly.

“No need to blow a gasket, Becs. We were going to tell you. The scariff and superintendent just momentarily sidelined us.”

Around nine thirty that morning, tucked away in the Libury between two bookshelves, Cy, Rochelle, and Robecca huddled around Venus and her iCoffin. With bated breath, the students watched as the plant ghoul pulled up her photo album. Lingering in the air, inciting tinges of hope, was the notion that these pictures could lead to the safe return of Headmistress Bloodgood.

At last the first photo popped up on the screen. However, within nanoseconds, anticipation turned to disappointment. The picture was so blurry that it looked more like a piece of abstract art than a written document.

“Talk about a flea’s sneeze! What if they’re all like this?” Robecca worried aloud.

“Then we’ll be exactly where we are right
now—square one,” Venus said as she pulled up the next photo, which was also blurred beyond recognition.

“When taking a photo with a flash it is imperative that the photographer keep his or her hand perfectly still.”

“Rochelle, are all gargoyles such know-it-alls?” Venus asked lightheartedly, suppressing a grin.

“
Boo-la-la
, Venus, I do not mean to be a know-it-all! It’s just that as your ghoulfriend, I wish to be as helpful as possible,” Rochelle explained sincerely.

“I know and I appreciate it,” the plant ghoul replied. “And for the record, I hold know-it-alls in very high regard.”

Venus then flipped to the next photo, but before she was even able to register what
she saw, Robecca crashed to the floor. The sound of copper knocking against the tiles resulted in a thunderous cacophony of sounds. Momentarily overwhelmed, Rochelle and Venus froze. Luckily, Cy was quick to react, instantly bending down to check on his copper-plated friend.

“Are you okay?” the one-eyed boy asked with genuine concern.

“Ugh, not zhem again,” a familiar voice droned.

Sleeping on the bottom two shelves of a nearby bookcase were the gypsy vampire twins, Rose and Blanche Van Sangre.

“Rose, vhy must these ghoulz alvays vake us from our naps?” Blanche said before releasing a long sigh.

“You ghouls are seriously selfish! Aren’t you
even going to ask if our friend is okay?” Venus shot back.

“Come on, Blanche, let’z go to zheir room and finish our nap,” Rose said as she and her sister crawled out from the shelves.

“For the last time, the school has given you your own room! So
s’il ghoul plaît
, use it!” Rochelle cried as the two pale-faced ghouls, dressed in identical velvet capes, sauntered off.

“Are you okay? Did your boiler run out of water?” Venus asked as she and Rochelle crowded around Robecca.

“It’s the photo… I saw his name…” Robecca muttered as two pumpkin heads skipped through the Libury singing, their jack-o’-lanterns bobbing wildly atop their puny little bodies.

“
It’s been eight hours, thirteen minutes, and
seven seconds since Headmistress Bloodgood disappeared! We are not happy, for it’s worse than we could have feared! Why, normies, why? Please stop all this before we cry
!”

“I don’t understand. Whose name did you see?” Rochelle asked Robecca as Venus pressed her hand against the copper ghoul’s forehead.

“I think she’s running a fever,” Venus said as she compared Robecca’s temperature to her own.

“Robecca’s father crafted her out of a steam engine; her temperature levels are completely different from ours,” Rochelle corrected Venus before turning back to Robecca. “You must tell us what happened. Whose name caused you to faint so suddenly?”

“My father’s name is Hexiciah Steam, and it’s on that paper.”

T
he sole legible photo taken in the attic was an untitled document with a list of names on it: Cleo’s father, Mr. De Nile; Ghoulia’s mother, Mrs. Yelps; Clawdeen’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wolf; Monster High’s headmistress, Ms. Bloodgood; Deuce Gorgon’s mom, Mrs. Gorgon; Robecca’s father, Mr. Steam; and Draculaura’s father, Dracula. However, only two names were marked up: Mr. Steam and Ms. Bloodgood.

“The two names that are circled also happen
to be the two people who are missing,” Rochelle thought aloud.

“Yes, but my father has been missing for over a hundred years.…” Robecca trailed off as she remembered the last time she saw him.

In the weeks leading up to his disappearance, Hexiciah had been keeping odd hours, often leaving the house in the middle of the night without explanation. Robecca assumed it had something to do with his research, extending normie life spans through the use of mechanical parts. But, alas, before she had the chance to ask him, he vanished into thin air. And though Robecca hadn’t a single bit of proof, she firmly believed that her normie father was somehow still alive.

After getting Robecca to her feet, everyone decided it best that she head straight back to the
Chamber of Gore and Lore for some much-needed rest. However, just before they started up the creaky pink staircase to the dormitory, a familiar Mosstrailian accent captured their attention.

“Hey, mates! Where are you swimming off to? We’ve got a Frightingales meeting, or haven’t you heard?” Lagoona Blue, dressed in pink board shorts and a white tank top, informed Robecca, Rochelle, and Venus.

“A meeting?” Rochelle repeated. “But I don’t have anything on my calendar.”

“It’s an emergency meeting. In light of everything that has happened, Draculaura and Frankie think it’s important we get together,” Lagoona explained as she flipped her long, curly blond hair over her shoulder.

“In that case”—Venus turned toward Robecca
and Rochelle—“we better head over to the Arts and Bats room.”

The Arts and Bats room, located off the main corridor, was looking even messier than usual. Ribbons, half-used tubes of paints, scissors, colored paper, glitter, and countless other items were strewn about the room. Hanging just above the doorway was a cluster of bats, which dropped bits of food atop Draculaura’s and Frankie Stein’s heads as they greeted members. And as usual the copresidents of the school’s most exclusive all-ghouls club were clothed impeccably—Frankie in plaid capri pants and a matching sweater-vest, and Draculaura in a pink-and-black babydoll dress.

“Welcome, ghouls,” Frankie said somberly as Draculaura nodded hello.

“Deary me! Fainting is an awfully tiring affair,”
Robecca remarked after taking a seat next to Rochelle and Venus. “Not that I should complain, since you two haven’t slept at all, which means it’s only a matter of time before Venus starts snapping worse than Chewy.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Venus asked indignantly.

“Do not get upset with Robecca. After all, it has been scientifically proven that plants become unpleasant and grumpy without adequate sleep or sunshine,” Rochelle explained in her normal matter-of-fact manner.

“You know what? You might be right. I think this lack of sleep is getting to me. I think it’s even causing me to hallucinate.…” Venus trailed off while staring dumbfounded at the door.