Chapter Text
The school bell rang, a faint echo sounding through the halls.
"Alright then! Class is now over!" Mr. Hack shouted as students hurried to pack their things. "Gather up your belongings, and remember to read chapter 9 in your textbooks!" He slammed down his butcher knife, embedding it in the desk. "Or else."
Many just rolled their eyes and continued on their way.
Frankie stretched her arms, leaning back in her chair. "Is it just me or did class take longer than normal?" She asked, looking at Aelita sitting right beside her. Aelita stared at her still open notebook page filled with different equations and strings of what Frankie assumed was coding. "Hell-o! Earth to Aelita!" she teased, waving a hand in front of the pinkette's face.
Aelita snapped to attention. "Huh? Did you say something?"
"Aelita, class is over," Frankie said as she stood up from her seat. "Are you okay? You seem pretty out of it," she asked with a frown.
Aelita forced a smile, closing her notebook and sliding it into her backpack. "I'm fine," she said, standing up and slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "I'm just a little tired. I was up later than normal."
"Was it-" Frankie looked around. "-Was it Xana?"
"No," Aelita said, shaking her head. "No… I was- uh, I was working on…" Her eyes glazed over. "I was working on something else," she said, giving out a long sigh. She looked at Frankie. "Come on, we don't want to be late for our next-" She froze, staring at the classroom doorway. "A-actually you know what? There was something I wanted to ask the teacher real quick!" She said with a weak chuckle, trying to turn and walk away.
Frankie looked at the door. There were Robecca and Venus. Robecca laughed at something Venus said and vanished into the hall, Venus following close behind. "Ooohh… Oh no. We are not doing this!" She said, grabbing the back of Aelita's shirt collar and pulling her towards the door.
"H-hey! Let go!"
"No! I am not having you avoiding Robecca all day!" Frankie snapped, pulling her out into the hall. She looked around, trying to spot Robecca. She let Aelita go, not seeing the robot in sight. "Seriously Aelita! Why are you avoiding her? We know she's immune and I can tell you she's able to hold her own in a fight, so why are you avoiding her?" She asked, looking at Aelita.
Aelita away. "I-It's complicated!" She stammered.
"Please talk to me," Frankie begged, her voice growing softer. She gently gripped Aelita's shoulders. "We're friends right?"
Aelita tensed at friends. She hunched her shoulders up as if it was an attempt to fold in on herself. "I-" She hesitated.
"Aelita?"
"I don't want her to hate me!" Aelita blurted out.
"What?" Frankie said.
"I- I don't want Robecca to hate me…" she said again, more softly. She ran a hand over her face. "Robecca was almost possessed by Xana because we were alone together. She got hurt because of me. I-if she finds out..." Tears dripped down her face.
Frankie's face softened. "Oh, Aelita," she cooed, pulling her into a tight hug. "She won't hate you," she said.
"H-how can you know?!" Aelita said, pulling away from Frankie.
Frankie paused, trying to think of what to say. She took a deep breath. "I don't know how it was at your old school, but we look out for each other here at Monster High. Robecca has gotten mixed up in our more… messy adventures," the fusion incident came to mind. "But she's still here. We're still friends. And yes we haven't ever faced an evil AI before-" At least not one that was intentionally trying to kill them. "-but I know Robecca and she won't leave you if she finds out what happened."
Aelita looked down the hall.
Frankie took Aelita's hands in her own. "Think about this. In twenty or thirty years from now, when you look back at this moment- this choice -will you regret it?" She asked. "Do you think that you'll regret not trying to become friends with Robecca because you were too scared of rejection?"
Aelita frowned, looking at her feet.
"And yes! Maybe she won't want to continue being your friend if she finds out about Xana. That's a risk yes, but all relationships are going to have that risk," Frankie continued, letting go of Aelita's hands. "The question is if you're willing to take it."
Aelita let Frankie's words sink in. Even if she couldn't be completely honest with her, Aelita enjoyed having someone to connect with. Someone who understood what it was like to be an outsider. Someone who was also fascinating to listen to. She wanted to get to know Robecca better. She really wanted to.
Aelita let out a long sigh. "I-I still have two more classes, but… Before lunch I'll talk to her," she said meeting Frankie's eyes.
Frankie's face (and bolts) lit up. "It's going to go great, Aelita! I promise!"
The bell rung.
"Shoot. That's the warning bell. We better hurry, or else Coach Igor will have us running extra laps for being late," Frankie said, readjusting her backpack.
Aelita kept her word. As soon as her history class let out for lunch, she waited by the doors, scanning each student that went in. She froze as her eyes picked out the glint of copper. "R-Robecca, wait a second!" She shouted, a hard lump forming in her throat.
Robecca looked over at Aelita with a hollow stare. She walked over silently.
"I- Robecca uh-" Aelita stammered, trying to think of what to say. She swallowed. "I-I wanted to see if you were okay… After what happened yesterday."
"I'm fine." There was no emotion in Robecca's voice.
The hair on the back of Aelita's neck stood up. "A-are you sure? You don't seem alright," She said reaching out a hand.
Robecca grabbed a hold of her arm and threw her to the ground. Aelita yelped as she collided with the wood floor. She blinked, her brain trying to process just what was happening. Cold metal hands wrapped themselves tightly around her throat, cutting off all air. The entire time, Robecca just stared at her with hollowed eyes.
"R-Robecca-" Aelita wheezed trying to pry Robecca's hands from her throat, "P-please."
"Robecca, get off of her!" Howleen shouted. A pair of furred hands wrapped around Robecca's waist, desperately trying to drag her off of Aelita.
"Whoa, what's going on?"
"Isn't that Robecca Steam?"
"What's she doing to the new normie girl?"
"YO! There's a fight going on outside the lunchroom!"
Something cold and wet splashed over both girls. Robecca bolted up, letting go of Aelita's throat. Aelita sat up, coughing, as air filled her lungs.
Robecca's hair was drenched, as was the front of Aelita's shirt. Twyla stood holding an empty fast-food cup. She dropped the cup and helped Aelita to her feet. "Are you okay?" she asked, glancing between Aelita and Robecca.
Aelita rubbed the throbbing red mark on her neck where Robecca's hands had been. "I- I don't know," she stammered.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Howleen shouted, shoving Robecca away from her. "You could've killed her!"
Robecca looked around, dazed. "I- I what? How- I don't-"
A camera clicked. "Robecca Steam attacks new girl outside the lunchroom! What a story!" Spectra said floating through the crowd and up to Aelita, shoving her phone in Aelita's face. "Aelita, what could you have possibly done to have set Robecca off? Or was this attack unprompted?"
"I think there's been a misunderstanding," Aelita said.
"I didn't attack anyone!" Robecca defended, looking frantic.
"I'd say otherwise!" Howleen snapped.
More people surrounded them, whispering. A loud whistle cut through the crowd, hushing it. Rochelle Goyle forced her way through. "That is enough!" She shouted. "Please continue on your ways, there is nothing to see here!" She said to the crowd. She then turned to the small group. "Mlle. Wolf, Mlle. Bogey. Please take mlle. Stones to the nurse to tend to her…" Rochelle winced at the sight of the red marks on Aelita's neck. "-To tend to her injuries." She looked at Rochelle, letting out a heavy sigh. "Mlle. Robecca… I will accompany you to Mme. Bloodgood's office to report of your actions," she instructed.
"Rochelle. Please-" Robecca begged.
"Robecca, as the head of the safety monitor team at Monster High I am to make sure that the rules are enforced… among all the students regardless of my relationship with them…" She kept her gaze to a notepad as she wrote a slip. She tore it out and handed it to Aelita. "J'espère que vous irez mieux," she muttered. She turned on her heel and guided Robecca away.
"Come on 'Lita," let's going too," Howleen said, placing a hand on Aelita's shoulder and gently pulled her away.
Aelita took one last glance down the hall as she was led away, a strong sense of dread gnawing at her stomach.
"-It was so strange. It was as if she wasn't even there," Aelita said as she finished recounting the events. She closed her locker door as the rest of the girls listened on. "I've never seen anything like it before."
Clawdeen leaned against the lockers. "That is weird… What would cause Robecca to flip like that??" she asked, crossing her arms.
Draculaura gasped and covered her mouth. "W-what if-" She looked around the hall. "What if it was Xana?" She whispered.
"But Robecca immune," Abbey said, frowning. "How she controlled then?"
"But, if she wasn't under Xana's control, why would she attack Aelita out of nowhere," Clawdeen pointed out. "Howleen mentioned that she practically had Aelita's neck in a death grip."
Cleo glanced down the hall. "Hall monitor incoming," she warned, pointing down the hall.
Rochelle approached them, her eyes hollow and face blank.
"It's alright Rochelle, we were just heading off to our next class," Clawdeen said, pushing away from the locker she had been leaning against.
Rochelle said nothing and just continued walking, her gaze focused on Aelita.
Frankie stepped in front of Rochelle. "Rochelle, are you okay?" Frankie said, reaching out. "You don't look ri-IAHH!"
Rochelle grabbed a hold of Frankie's wrist and threw her into the lockers. She lunged at Aelita, hands outstretched.
"Frankie!" Lagoona shouted, rushing to Frankie's side.
Clawdeen and Abbey jumped into action. Clawdeen slammed her knee into Rochelle's stomach, wincing as pain rocked up her leg. Abbey grabbed a hold of Rochelle's wrist, trying to twist the gargoyle to the ground. Clawdeen regained her composure, wrapping her arms around Rochelle's shoulders in an attempt to help Abbey.
Aelita watched on in horror and the two tried to wrestle Rochelle to the ground. She looked into Rochelle's eyes, expecting rage, or at least frustration. But all there was- was just… nothing. Her face was just blank, not a trace of emotion as she fought against Abbey and Clawdeen. Her eyes had a hollow look to them. Just like…
Just like Robecca.
"D-does anyone have water on them?" She shouted, an idea popping into her head.
"What?! I don't think now is a good time for getting a drink!" Clawdeen snapped.
"I-I have an idea! Just trust me!" Aelita begged. Lagoona slipped off her backpack and tossed a metal water bottle at Aelita. She caught it and unscrewed the top. "Abbey, Clawdeen, hold her still!" Aelita commanded.
"Said easier than do!" Abbey growled, ice creeping up Rochelle's arms.
Aelita rushed over and poured the water on Rochelle's head, soaking her hair. Rochelle stopped fighting, looking around, confused. "Q-Quoi? Que S'est-il Passe?"
Clawdeen and Abbey let her go. Aelita stepped forward. "C'est bon," She said gently, trying to keep Rochelle calm, "Ton coffre maintenant."
"Rochelle, are- are you okay?" Frankie asked, walking up to Rochelle.
Rochelle rubbed her head. "I- I do not know…" She said. She looked around at the group. "What happened?"
"What happened?" Cleo snapped, jamming a finger in Rochelle's chest, "How about attacking Frankie and Aelita! That's 'what happened!"
"Stop Cleo!" Aelita scolded. She looked back at Rochelle. "Rochelle, what is the last thing you can remember?" She asked.
Rochelle rubbed her temples. "I am not sure… I had broken up the fight between you and Robecca. Then I escorted her to the office. After, I had patrolled the halls as it was my free period…" She frowned. "I do not remember anything after that."
Frankie patted Rochelle's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay," she said. "You should probably go see the nurse, though. Memory loss is serious."
Rochelle nodded. "You are right, au revoir." She turned and walked down the hall, leaving the group alone.
The gang exchanged glances among each other once Rochelle was no longer in sight. "So uh… What the hell just happened?!" Clawdeen said, breaking the silence. "Was she possessed or something?!"
"But she couldn't be she's supposed to be immune!" Frankie argued.
"Well, apparently not!" Cleo snapped, waving her hands for emphasis. "How in Ra's true name did the two people who were supposed to not be able to be possessed suddenly are?!"
"Where we wrong then? About possession?" Lagoona asked.
Everyone looked at Aelita.
Aelita felt her heart start drumming in her chest.
"Well?! What's going on, Aelita?" Cleo asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"I-I don't-"
"Aelita, what do we do?!" Ulrich shouted. "There's no way we'll be able to get a hit on him! Not when-"
Aelita stepped back, shaking her head. She hit the lockers, preventing her from going any further as the room seemed to loom around her.
"It makes no sense! How could Xana possess one of us without using the Scyphozoa? That's never happened before!"
Her breathing grew heavy, her lungs no longer seemingly big enough.
"It should be!" She defended, "I- don't understand How this could be possible!" This couldn't be happening. Not to him.
She squeezed her eyes shut as she tightly gripped her hair in her hands.
"Alright, that's enough!" Frankie shouted, putting herself between Aelita and the rest of the group. Aelita opened her eyes and looked up at Frankie. "Yes. Something really weird is going on and we don't know why… But hounding Aelita will not fix anything! Look at her!" She scolded, gesturing at the pinkette. "We just- We just need to calm down and keep a level head." She looked at Aelita, still shielding her. "Do you want to go to the supercomputer?" She asked gently, placing a comforting hand on Aelita's shoulder.
Aelita took a deep breath to steady herself. "N-no. I have the laptop with me so I should be able to perform all the necessary scans. I just-" She struggled to take another breath.
Frankie pulled Aelita into a hug. "Let's get you somewhere quiet, like the library," she offered.
Aelita nodded against Frankie's chest.
Frankie looked over her shoulder, still holding onto Aelita. "I'll take Aelita to the library. Keep your phones on you so if I need to contact anyone I can," she instructed.
"I come too," Abbey grunted. "If Xana comes-" She pounded a fist into the palm of her other hand. "-There is pay I want to give," she growled.
"I want to come too, safety in numbers!" Draculaura said, raising a hand.
"I have SKRM practice," Lagoona said, "I can keep an eye on the other members and Rochelle if she shows up."
"Same. Uh, not with any sport, but I can keep watch on the other Fashion Club members. The last thing we need is Jinafire or Wydowna coming after us next," Clawdeen said.
"I'll go find Deuce and update him on what's going on," Cleo said. "I'll go stay with Frankie in the Library after."
"Alright. We'll keep everyone updated! Stay safe, girls!" Frankie said, guiding Aelita down the hall. Abbey and Draculaura followed. Cleo left without a word.
"Stay safe," Lagoona said, looking at Clawdeen.
"You too."
The two split and went their separate ways.
Clawdeen walked down the oddly empty hallway as she headed to her clubroom.
"Hey, Clawdeen!"
She stopped and turned around, seeing Venus speed-walking up, a bundle of brightly colored fliers in her arms. She smiled. "Hey, Venus. New group clean-up planned?" She asked, pointing at the fliers.
Venus smiled, holding out a flier for Clawdeen to get a look at. "Yep! Environmental Protection Club is doing a massive clean-up of the park Saturday. It's shame just how much litter has build up. It's our job to protect mother earth after all!"
Clawdeen looked at the flier. "This Saturday? I have nothing going on, yeah I'll join," she said, reaching out to take the flier from Venus. She gave it a sharp tug, trying to pull it free from Venus's grip. "You know, you might get more of these passed out if you'd let go," she teased.
Venus let the fliers she had been holding drop to the floor, curling her freed hand into a tight fist.
"Venus? What are you-" Clawdeen's blood went cold as the Eye of Xana flickered in Venus's eyes. "Ah shit."
Venus brought her fist to her mouth and took a deep breath.
"LAGOONA!" Clawdeen screamed, turning to run. Venus grabbed a hold of Clawdeen's wrist, holding her back. "LAGOONA HEL-"
Venus blew a cloud of pollen in Clawdeen's face, sending the werewolf into a coughing fit. Clawdeen's body went slack, her face becoming devoid of all emotion and her eyes growing hollow.
"Now," Venus commanded, "Bring Aelita to me. Now."
Clawdeen pulled out her phone, her movements stiff and robotic. She dialed a number and put her phone to her ear. "Frankie? Meet me outside the Fashion Club's clubroom. I think I have an idea what might be going on."