Monster High: Who's That Ghoulfriend? (Monster High: Ghoulfriends Forever) (2 page)

“Cy, were you able to locate Madame Flapper?” Rochelle inquired as she tapped her granite claws against the base of her candle.

Bits of wax splattered about haphazardly, prompting Cy to crouch down and cover his face with his hands.

“Sorry, but when you have an eye as big as I do, you worry about things getting into it.”

“Ah!
Je suis desolée
! It’s one of my most irksome goylisms. I tap my claws without even realizing that I’m doing it,” Rochelle apologized.

“It’s okay,” Cy replied as he stood up straight. “And as for Miss Flapper, she’s in the Creepateria with Jinafire and Skelita.”

Jinafire Long, a dragon from Fanghai, and Skelita Calaveras, a
calaca
from Hexico, had been lured in by Miss Flapper’s charms immediately upon arriving at Monster High. Robecca, Rochelle, and Venus couldn’t quite tell whether they simply idolized the fashion-savvy teacher or were in the throes of something more sinister, like a spell.

“Jinafire and Skelita are both pretty freaked out about the so-called normie invasion, so I doubt Miss Flapper will be going anywhere for a while,” Cy finished.

“It’s almost midnight,” Venus said after looking at her watch. “So I think it’s time to head up these stairs,” she continued before starting up the stone-walled passageway.

Littered haphazardly along the edge of the steps was an odd array of school paraphernalia,
everything from trophies to outdated microscopes to deflated Casketballs. However, unlike most items stashed away in unused corridors, these were not covered in dust but rather in smooth and shimmery strands.

“At least we finally know where all the spiderwebs are coming from,” Venus remarked, surveying the surroundings.

“I always thought it was
trés
bizarre that for all the webs we see on campus we hardly see any spiders, outside of the small cluster in the dormitory, that is,” Rochelle added.

“And don’t forget that some of the dolls of doom and notes had spider threads on them,” Robecca squeaked, shaking her head nervously. “Jeez Louise, is high school always going to be this stressful?”

“The spider ghoul is clearly involved with what’s been happening on campus. But the question remains, who is she working for and what are they ultimately after…?” Venus trailed off in frustration.

“Well, obviously she’s working with Miss Flapper, since Spectra saw her coming up here,” Cy responded in his usual soft-spoken way.

“Yeah, but do we really think it’s just the two of them?” Venus countered.

“Um, Venus?” Robecca stuttered nervously as they ascended the stairs.

“Yes?”

“You know I hate to be pushy, but what exactly is the plan here? Are we simply going to introduce ourselves to the spider ghoul and inquire what she’s doing at Monster High? How she knows Miss
Flapper? Why she left notes, graffiti, and dolls all over campus?” Robecca babbled rapidly, without stopping to take so much as a breath between words.

“Technically speaking, I don’t actually have a
plan
,” Venus replied slowly, laboring over each word as though that would make the information more palatable.

“
Pardonnez-moi
? What was that you said?” Rochelle called out from farther down the stairs.

“I said I don’t have a plan, or at least not a formal one,” Venus admitted grudgingly.

“Paragraph 80.7 of the Gargoyle Code of Ethics maintains that mission leaders must have a plan before beginning the task. Therefore, I vote we pause our activity, formulate a plan, and then
reengage,” Rochelle explained, her voice growing louder as she caught up to Venus.

“How long is the Gargoyle Code of Ethics? Because it’s beginning to feel like there’s a section on everything from flossing your teeth to breathing,” Venus grumbled.

“It’s 1,714 pages long. And yes, there are sections on both flossing and breathing,” Rochelle retorted. “Now about the plan, should we stop and write something down? I just so happen to have both a pen and piece of paper on me, not to mention excellent handwriting.”

“Write something down? You can’t be serious?” Venus moaned.

“Gargoyles are always serious, or haven’t you heard?” Cy mumbled under his breath.

“What if the spider ghoul gets angry? After all,
we are barging in on her unannounced,” Robecca worried aloud. “What if she knows a martial art? I heard spiders are naturals at goo-jitsu!”

“Goo-jitsu? Where on earth is this coming from?” Venus blustered.

“She has six arms! How will I protect…?” Robecca paused and then gasped, having just remembered her mechanical pet penguin. “Penny! Where have I left her this time? I hope not the washing machine again. All that spinning gave her such a headache.”

“Penny is in your dorm room along with Roux and Chewy,” Cy reassured Robecca, while pondering what a funny trio the pets made.

The always-hungry houseplant Chewlian, perpetually happy griffin Roux, and the eternally grumpy mechanical penguin Penny definitely made
an interesting group. But then again, just look at their owners.

“Listen up, ghouls… and guy. I know this is scary, but if this spider ghoul has anything to do with Headmistress Bloodgood’s disappearance, and I think we all suspect she does, then there’s no time to lose,” Venus explained as the stairs came to an end before a wall of webbed curtains.

Intricate designs containing the school crest, birds, and vines adorned each of the silky sheaths covering the entryway to the attic.

“Rochelle, we could use your claws here,” Venus called back to the small-framed
gargoyle, after noting the stickiness of the webs.

“Shouldn’t we knock or ring the doorbell or something?” Robecca mumbled anxiously while fiddling with her sapphire-hued hair.

“First of all, there’s no doorbell; it’s an attic. And second of all, you can’t knock on spider-webs,” Venus explained logically.

“Deary me, this situation really has put a bee in my bonnet, because now my head won’t stop buzzing,” Robecca whined.

As the sharp-clawed Rochelle sliced through the weaving, she winced with pain. So exquisite were the designs that she thought them more spooktacular than anything she’d seen in Scaremès or Croako Chanel. And that said something, for Rochelle absolutely adored both fashion houses.

Following a few minutes of meticulous work,
Rochelle made her way through the newly carved opening in the sheaths.

“Do you see her?” Venus whispered to Rochelle as she disappeared from view.

Five long seconds passed without a sound.

“Rochelle? Are you okay?” the plant ghoul called out in an unusually high-pitched voice, adrenaline surging through her thick green veins.

But again there was no response.

I
n all my years, I have never seen such beauty and fine craftsmanship,” Rochelle babbled, her eyes glazed over with wonder, as the others barreled into the room behind her.

“In the name of flora and fauna, you scared me!” Venus huffed as she and the others blew out their candles. “You couldn’t just have said that the spider ghoul wasn’t here? Or that you were okay?”

“Wow! This place is fangtastic!” Robecca proclaimed loudly, her hazel eyes widening to take in the sights.

Dangling from exposed beams, an array of webbed lanterns bathed the room in warm candlelight. Small, delicately crafted snowflakes decorated the walls, creating both a wondrous and wintry effect. And smack-dab in the middle of the room was a fluffy banana-shaped hammock, which seemed to invite all who saw it to take a nap. Long and billowy curtains, a tightly knit rug, and a wardrobe filled out the rest of the enchanting loftlike space.

“This ghoul is clearly an incredible talent. An absolute genius,” Rochelle marveled. “Just think what Clawdeen could create with this material!”

Silky-maned werewolf Clawdeen Wolf was the school’s foremost designer, not to mention the latest winner of the prestigious Moanatella Ghostier Fashion Fellowship.

“Um, hello?” Venus exclaimed with palpable irritation. “The spider ghoul’s also working with Miss Flapper. And most likely involved with Headmistress Bloodgood’s kidnapping.”

“Venus is right. Whether she’s talented or not shouldn’t change anything,” Cy muttered in agreement.

“
Boo-la-la
, I cannot believe I allowed myself to be swayed by finely woven fabrics and captivating designs. The fact that she created this boo-tiful space is completely irrelevant,” Rochelle admitted with a hint of embarrassment.