Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started on a quiet dawn as Cleo prepared for bed. She went through her before-sleep routine: washing her face, brushing her teeth, and making sure her homework from Mrs.O'Shriek's class is done. Once finished, she turned her attention to Hissette, her pet snake, who was coiled on the floor, playing with a pile of her glittering jewelry.

“Hissette, it’s time to sleep. You’ve been playing around all night,” Cleo sighed, scooping up the tiny snake.

Hissette, however, wasn’t ready to end her fun. She looked Cleo with wide, pleading eyes that rivaled any puppy’s charm.

Cleo groaned softly, already feeling her resolve crumbling. “Aww, alright. But just a little longer, okay?” she relented, placing Hissette back on the floor gently. “Enjoy your 'royally' extended playtime, sweetie snake.”

Hissette flicked her tongue happily and returned to playing with the shiny baubles as Cleo climbed into bed. She left her nightlight on, casting a soft glow over the room, and removed the Mummy Talisman from her pocket. Carefully, she placed it on the nightstand, under the warm light of the nightlight.

Unbeknownst to Cleo, the gleaming gold talisman caught Hissette’s attention. The bling-loving snake’s eyes glimmered with delight as she slithered toward the nightstand. With nimble movements, she climbed up, grabbed the talisman in her jaws, and slithered away.
Hissette made her way into Cleo’s treasure room, a glittering space filled with gold and jewels. She nestled the talisman amidst the other treasures, happily playing with her new, shiny prize. Meanwhile, Cleo slept peacefully, unaware that her most important possession had just gone missing.

---

Evening arrived, and Cleo stirred awake, feeling refreshed from a restful day. She stretched her arms gracefully and let out a delicate yawn before calling out in her usual dramatic flair, “Good Evening Hissette!”

Turning toward Hissette’s tiny, jewel-encrusted bed, Cleo froze, her brows furrowing when she found it empty. “Hissette? Where are you sweetie snakes??” she asked, slipping out of bed. She scanned the room until her eyes landed on a familiar golden gleam in the treasure room.

“Aww, there you are!” she exclaimed, spotting Hissette nestled atop a pile of her treasures, fast asleep. Cleo started toward her pet, intending to scoop her up, but paused. “Awwwieee You look so comfy, I suppose you’ve earned your beauty sleep hmm” she said with a fond smile, leaving Hissette undisturbed.

With her pet accounted for, Cleo began her evening routine. She took a luxurious bath, enjoyed a light breakfast of fruits, and brushed her teeth before sitting down at her makeup table. Carefully, she applied her signature Eye of Horus eyeliner and gave herself a satisfied nod in the mirror.

Once ready, Cleo packed her bag for school, but as she was about to leave, she remembered something.. “Oh! My Mummy Talisman!” she said aloud, heading for the nightstand.
But the talisman wasn’t there. Her eyes widened as she scanned the area.

“Wait… where is it? I specifically placed it right here, under my nightlight!” Cleo mused, checking under the desk, around her bed, and even beneath her makeup mirror.
Her search turned up nothing, and a wave of frustration crossed her face.

“Ugh, of all nights for this to happen,” she groaned. Then, glancing at the clock, her irritation turned to panic.

“Oh, my Ra! Look at the time—I’m going to be late for Mrs. O’Shriek’s class!” Cleo exclaimed, her voice rising dramatically. She sighed, pinching her nose bridge.

“Well, no use sulking. I’ll just have to bring my organ jars with me tonight. No big deal,” she said with a resigned tone.

Grabbing her bag of preserved organ jars, Cleo hurried to the door. Before leaving, she cast one last glance at her room. “That talisman better be here when I return, or heads will roll. Literally,” she muttered under her breath, slamming the door shut as she rushed off to class.

The sound of the door slamming shut jolted Hissette awake. The tiny snake let out a sleepy yawn, stretching her slender body as she slowly regained her senses. Blinking groggily, she realized something was missing—the shiny Mummy Talisman she had fallen asleep hugging was nowhere to be found!

Hissette froze, her little heart racing as panic set in. She darted her head around, scanning the pile of treasures she had made her cozy nest in. But the talisman was nowhere in sight.
Just as she was about to panic further, a thought popped into her mind: (Cleo must have taken it!) Her panic subsided, replaced by the comforting assumption that her mummy had already retrieved the talisman and all was well.

With a soft, contented hiss, Hissette coiled back into the treasure pile, burrowing herself among the golden trinkets. The treasures glinted in the faint light, hiding the Mummy Talisman somewhere in their shimmering depths.

Unbeknownst to Hissette, the talisman had slipped from her grasp while she slept, now lost, buried in the sprawling golden chaos of Cleo’s treasure room. For now, though, the snake was blissfully unaware, drifting back into a peaceful slumber atop the mountain of shiny treasures.

Chapter Text

Art class was about to start, and Frankie sat in the second row, saving a seat for Cleo. They tapped their fingers lightly on the desk, glancing at the door every so often. Soon, the familiar sound of wedge sandals echoed in the hallway, growing louder until the door creaked open.

Cleo stepped into the room, letting out a small sigh of relief when she realized Mrs. O’Shriek hadn’t arrived yet. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for—

“Cleo! Over here!” Frankie called, holding up their severed left arm to wave enthusiastically.
Cleo smiled at the sight and made her way to the seat Frankie had saved.

“Saved you a seat, hehe,” Frankie said, beaming as Cleo sat down beside them.

“Aww, thanks, Frankie,” Cleo replied with a warm smile. She settled into her chair, placing her bag of organ jars on the desk.

Frankie tilted their head, noticing the bag immediately. “Huh… Cleo? Why did you bring your organs today? Is it some kind of special day? Like, uh, bring-your-organs-to-school day?”

Cleo chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Oh, well, I had a bit of a mishap earlier. I couldn’t find my Mummy Talisman anywhere in my dorm room, and I didn’t have time to keep looking. So, I just brought my organ jars instead. I figured I’d search for the talisman later.”

Frankie’s cheerful expression softened. “Oh no! Do you want some help finding it? I’m free since Clawdeen and Draculaura are busy with fearleading practice.”

Cleo gave a small nod, smiling at Frankie’s offer. “That would actually be amazing, Frankie-bean. Thanks!”

Before they could talk more, Mrs. O’Shriek entered the room, her usual cheerful tone filling the air. “Hell-o class! Please pass your homework to the front, and we’ll get started!”

The class flew by quickly, and soon the skull-shaped bell rang..er, screamed, signaling the end of the period. Frankie and Cleo left the classroom together, chatting as they walked down the hall.

“Let’s stop for zappachinos first, and then we’ll look for the talisman,” Cleo said, reaching out to take Frankie’s hand, walking to the direction towards Coffin Bean

“Oh Okay, Sure!” Frankie replied following Cleo.

The two arrived at the Coffin Bean, ordered their zappachinos, and sat down at their usual spot. Cleo tucked her organ bag under her chair before taking a sip of her drink.
As they sipped their zappachinos, Frankie leaned forward. “So, fill me in about the missing talisman. What happened exactly?”

Cleo thought for a moment before responding. “Hmm well, here’s what I remember. I put the Mummy Talisman under my nightlight before going to sleep. Then I woke up, did my usual routine, and it wasn’t there anymore!”

Frankie nodded, listening carefully. “Hmm. Well, the talisman glows when you’re near it, so that should help us find it faster,” they said, taking another sip of their drink.

Cleo sighed, her lips curving into a hopeful smile. “I really hope so. Let’s finish up here and get started.”

On the other side of the Coffin Bean, a commotion broke out as Barkimedes shouted, “Race ya!” Barky and Howleen dashed toward the café, Barky speeding along on his skateboard while Howleen ran on all fours.

As Barky closed in on the Coffin Bean’s entrance, disaster struck—a splash of water from the pipes, courtesy of Lagoona and Gil, caused his skateboard to slip. Barky tumbled forward, but Howleen reacted quickly, catching him mid-fall before he could faceplant.

“Close one, huh?” Howleen teased, setting him upright.

But Barky’s skateboard didn’t stop. It rolled forward at top speed, bumping into Cleo’s bag of organ jars. The bag tipped over, spilling its contents onto the floor.

“Augh! Pardon you!” Cleo exclaimed, kneeling down to gather the jars. Frankie immediately joined her to help.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry, Cleo! It was an accident!” Barky apologized, rushing over with Howleen to assist.

“It’s, uh… fine. Just help me pick up my organs,” Cleo replied, her voice laced with irritation but still composed.

“Be careful next time, Barky. No skating on wet floors,” Frankie added, giving him a pointed look.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Howleen said, elbowing Barky. “We were racing, and, well…”
Together, they managed to put the jars back into Cleo’s bag.

“Again, uh, sorry about that, Cleo,” Barky said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Cleo gave a small sigh. “Apology accepted, Barky. But Frankie, we’d best be going now.” She waited for Frankie to grab their things and walk with her.

“Bye, Barky! Bye, Howleen!” Frankie called as they left the café.

Unbeknownst to them, one small jar had rolled behind the Boo-Crew’s usual red-purple couch—Cleo’s inner ear jar. It lay there unnoticed until Mortimer, the delivery dragon, flew overhead. Spotting the bright blue jar, Mortimer swooped down, grabbed it with his claws, and carried it off to add to his lost-and-found collection deep within the catacombs.

As Mortimer flew away with the jar, Cleo suddenly stumbled, her body wobbling as if she couldn’t balance.

“Cleo!” Frankie cried, catching her just in time. Cleo leaned heavily on Frankie, struggling to stand.

“Cleo, are you hurt? What’s wrong?” Frankie asked, concern etched on their face.

“Well, I…” Cleo tried to respond, but her head was spinning, and her legs gave way beneath her.

Realization dawned on Frankie. “Oh no! Are we sure we got all of your organs?!” they exclaimed, supporting Cleo as she slumped against them. Frankie quickly reached for the bag, rummaging through its contents. The truth hit them like a bolt of lightning.

“Your inner ear jar—it’s gone!” Frankie panicked.

Cleo could barely respond, her body completely dependent on Frankie for support.

“We have to go back! Right now!” Frankie said, scooping Cleo up in one arm and clutching the organ bag with the other. Without wasting a second, they rushed back to the Coffin Bean to recover the missing jar.

As soon as they arrived back at the Coffin Bean, Frankie gently laid Cleo on the Boo-Crew’s familiar red-purple couch, placing her organ bag beside her. Frankie scanned the area thoroughly, darting from one corner of the café to the other, but the missing inner ear jar was nowhere to be found.

“Oh no! Cleo, it’s not here,” Frankie said, panic rising in their voice.

Cleo groaned softly, her head still spinning as she struggled to sit upright. “How about… we check inside? Maybe someone… saw it,” she suggested weakly, her voice faint and dizzy.

Frankie nodded firmly, “Okay, let’s go.”

Slinging the organ bag onto their arm, Frankie carefully lifted Cleo once again, her arm draped around their shoulder for support. They hurried toward Monster High’s main hallway, where they spotted Deuce taking selfies with his snakes near the lockers.

“Hey, Deuce!” Frankie called, running toward him.

He turned to look, but Deuce froze mid-greeting. “Oh, hey Frankie an—woah,” he said, his eyes widening at the sight of Cleo leaning heavily against Frankie, clearly unwell.

“What’s wrong with Cleo?” Deuce asked, lowering his iCoffin mid-selfie as his snakes hissed in concern.

Frankie shifted Cleo in their arms, her weight pressing heavily against them. “Uh, well…”

Frankie began, launching into a quick explanation. They detailed what had happened at the Coffin Bean, how the Mummy Talisman went missing in Cleo’s dorm, and how Cleo had lost her inner ear jar, leaving her dizzy and disoriented.

“Man, bad luck day for Cleo,” Deuce muttered, a frown creasing his face. “Let me help. We’ve gotta find that jar fast.”

With Deuce joining in, the group—plus one ruler of dizzy city—spread out through the hallways, asking anyone they passed if they’d seen a small blue jar labeled with a drawing of an ear.

Cleo’s condition worsened as they searched. She passes out in Frankie’s arms, her head lolling to the side.

“Oh no, she’s out cold!” Frankie exclaimed in panic. “We need to find the jar fast!”

At that moment, the fearleading team wrapped up practice and made their way back to the main hallway. Iris, Kuma, and Toralei veered off toward the Coffin Bean, while Clawd, Clawdeen, and Draculaura headed toward the Boo-Crew.

“Heeey, Boo-Crew!” Clawdeen called out, grinning as they approached.

“We’re done with practice!” added Clawd, his cheerful tone fading when he noticed Cleo. “And—wait, Cleo? Is she okay? What happened?”

Draculaura’s expression mirrored his concern. “Oh no, what’s wrong with her?”

Frankie sighed, holding Cleo tightly. “She lost her inner ear jar. We’ve been searching for it everywhere,” they explained.

“Huh? I thought with the Mummy Talisman she didn’t need to carry her organs anymore?” Clawdeen asked, confused.

Frankie gave a sheepish laugh. “Yeah, about that… The Mummy Talisman is also missing. It disappeared in her dorm earlier.”

As Frankie filled them in, Clawdeen, Clawd, and Draculaura shared equally horrified expressions.

“Ugh, that’s awful,” Draculaura said, her voice laced with worry. “Have you checked the Coffin Bean thoroughly?”

“We did,” Frankie replied, adjusting Cleo in their arms. “No sign of the jar.”

Draculaura tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Hmm… I don’t remember seeing it, but I could whip up a tracking potion spell! I’ll just need a few ingredients...oop, and 35 hours of brewing time.”

“That’ll take too long,” Clawdeen interrupted.

“Wait! I just remembered something!” Clawd said suddenly. “During practice, when Kuma tossed Clawdeen and me in the air, I saw Mortimer flying around with a blue jar in his claws!”

Frankie’s face lit up. “That’s it! Mortimer must have taken it!”

“To the catacombs!” Deuce and Draculaura shouted in unison.

Clawdeen held up a hand. “Wait—if you’re going to the catacombs, we’ll look for the Mummy Talisman while you’re down there. We’ll cover more ground that way.”

“Good plan,” Frankie agreed. “Let's go!"

With that, the Boo-Crew split up, each group racing off on their respective missions to recover Cleo’s missing items. Group Talisman: Clawd and Clawdeen. Group Catacombs; Draculaura, Deuce, Frankie and Cleo.

Chapter Text

Clawd and Clawdeen hurried into Cleo’s dorm. Without wasting a moment, they started searching every inch of the room. They checked under the bed, rummaged through the desk drawers, peeked behind the curtains, and even scoured Cleo’s expansive walk-in closet. But no matter how thorough they were, the Mummy Talisman was nowhere to be found.

Eventually, the siblings found themselves sprawled on the floor, both exhausted and frustrated.

“Ugh, we’ve turned this place upside down,” Clawd groaned, resting his arm over his eyes. “I don’t think it’s here.”

“Haaa…” Clawdeen leaned back, sighing as she rubbed her temples, trying to think of where else they could look. Then her eyes landed on something she hadn’t noticed before—the faint glow of another room. She bolted upright, her eyes lighting up.

“Hey! We didn’t check everywhere yet. Look! Cleo’s treasure room!” Clawdeen exclaimed as she pointed towards the glowing doorway. She jumped to her paws and rushed toward the room, Clawd scrambling to follow.

Their excitement quickly faded as they stepped inside and took in the overwhelming sight. The treasure room was a dazzling mess of gold, jewels, and ornate artifacts—everything shimmering under the soft light.

“Yeah… should’ve seen this coming,” Clawd muttered, his shoulders slumping.

Clawdeen let out a frustrated sigh. “Of course the Mummy Talisman is gold! It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

Clawd ran a hand through his curly hair, resigned. “Ah, well. Guess we’re combing through every last piece of treasure.”

The two set to work, carefully examining each golden trinket, jewel, and artifact, hoping the Mummy Talisman would eventually reveal itself.

Meanwhile, in the catacombs…

Frankie, Deuce, and Draculaura walked into the winding tunnels. Their footsteps echoed as they made their way toward Mortimer’s hidden lair.

“Are we sure he really have the jar? What if it was just some random jar he found somewhere..?” Deuce asked, his snakes flicking their tongues as if trying to sense the way.

“He has to have it,” Frankie replied, adjusting Cleo’s organ bag over their shoulder. “Mortimer loves hoarding stuff like this. If he’s got the inner ear jar, it’s in his cave for sure.”

Draculaura glanced around nervously, the dim light of her bat-shaped flashlight casting eerie shadows on the stone walls. “I just hope we can find it fast. Cleo doesn’t look too good."

The three continued walking, determined to recover the missing jar before it was too late.

“We’re here!” Deuce announced as the group arrived at Mortimer’s cave.
The lair was dimly lit, with piles of random trinkets, jars, and treasures scattered across the floor and tucked into crevices of the rocky walls.

“But… Mortimer’s not here?” Draculaura asked, looking around for the dragon.

“Maybe he left again?” Frankie suggested. “Anyway, let’s find the jar!”

Draculaura nodded and stepped forward, her wand glowing faintly. “Let me try a locating spell,” she said, focusing her magic. She waved her hand in a delicate motion and recited:
“Lost jars, hear my plea,
Rise to the air for all to see!”

A faint pink shimmer spread through the cave, and one by one, every jar—big, small, old, and new—floated into the air, suspended by Draculaura’s magic spell.

Frankie, Deuce, and Draculaura scanned the jars eagerly, their eyes darting from one to the next, but none of them bore the distinct blue color or ear label they were looking for.

“Ugh, it’s not here!” Deuce groaned, lowering his sunglasses as his snakes flicked in frustration.

Frankie’s heart sank, their grip on Cleo tightening as they adjusted her limp form in their arms. “If the jar’s not here, that means…” Frankie paused, realization dawning. “Mortimer must still have it!”

Draculaura sighed, lowering her wand as the jars gently floated back to their original places. “Then we need to find Mortimer—fast.”

Frankie glanced down at Cleo, her face pale and still.

“Let’s go.” Frankie said firmly, leading the way out of the cave with Deuce and Draculaura close behind.

•••

Back in Cleo’s treasure room, Hissette stirred awake at the sound of clanking and rummaging. Cracking an eye open, she saw Clawd and Clawdeen methodically checking every piece of gold and jewelry in the hopes that one of them would turn out to be the Mummy Talisman. Stretching her tiny body with a yawn, Hissette slithered toward the two werewolves, curious about the commotion.

“Oh? Hi, Hissette,” Clawdeen greeted, pausing for a moment to smile at the little snake.

Clawd glanced up from the gold piece he was examining. “Hey, Hissette,” he added before turning back to his search.

Hissette tilted her head, watching them intently. Wondering what they were doing, she nudged Clawdeen’s shoe with her snout.

“Huh? What’s up, Hissette?” Clawdeen asked, crouching slightly to look at the snake.
Hissette turned her gaze toward the pile of gold treasures she had been sleeping on earlier, then looked back at Clawdeen, as if trying to ask a question.

“Oh! You’re curious, huh? Wanna know what we’re doing?” Clawdeen asked.
Clawd chimed in, “We’re looking for something important—the Mummy Talisman. Frankie said it went missing earlier. You wanna help us out?”

Hissette froze, her earlier panic returning as her wide eyes darted around. The tiny snake suddenly realized her assumption had been wrong—Cleo hadn’t taken the talisman that morning after all. (Oh no, I’m gonna get in so much trouble for this,) she thought to herself, dread settling in.

Determined to fix her mistake, Hissette slithered back toward the mountain of gold where she had been sleeping earlier. She dove into the pile, scattering gold pieces as she searched for the talisman.

Clawd and Clawdeen glanced at each other and shrugged, continuing their search. The siblings had already covered about a quarter of the room, carefully separating the treasures they’d checked from those they hadn’t yet.

The treasure room was a dazzling chaos of golden accessories, sparkling jewels, and ornate artifacts, with scattered gold shimmering under the faint light. Clawd muttered, “Man, this is gonna take forever,” as he placed another examined piece onto the "checked" pile.

“Yeah, but we’re not stopping until we find it,” Clawdeen said firmly, her gaze sweeping over the treasure room.

Hissette hissed softly, moving faster through the mountain of gold. Despite her small size, she was determined to make up for her mistake, hoping she could find the talisman before Cleo found out what had happened.

•••

The group from the catacombs returned to Monster High’s hallways, resuming their search for Mortimer. They asked everyone they passed, “Have you seen Mortimer?”

Deuce approached Ghoulia, who was busy adjusting her skateboarding gear. “Hey, Ghoulia, have you seen Mortimer?”

“Mhm-hmm, yeah,” Ghoulia replied with a nod. “I saw him flying around here earlier while I was skating.”

“Cool, cool,” Deuce said, leaning in slightly. “Was he carrying something? Like… maybe a jar?”
Ghoulia tapped her chin to think. “Hmm, I’m not sure. I couldn’t tell since I was skating and—”

“Yep, he was carrying a blue jar,” Twyla cut in, appearing from the shadows nearby.

Deuce’s snakes perked up at the confirmation. “Awesome! Which way did he go?”

“He flew toward Headmistress Bloodgood’s office,” Twyla replied calmly.

“Cool, great! Thanks, you guys!” Deuce said, giving them a quick wave as he turned to run.

“’Kay, Deuce,” Ghoulia replied, skating off. Twyla disappeared back into the shadows as quietly as she had appeared.

Deuce sprinted toward Frankie and Draculaura, who were waiting nearby. “Frankie! Draculaura! Mortimer’s headed to Headmistress Bloodgood’s office!” he yelled.

“Great news, Deuce! Let’s move!” Draculaura exclaimed, transforming into a bat. She flapped her wings and flew ahead to lead the way, while Frankie and Deuce ran after her.

Frankie glanced down at the passed-out Cleo cradled in their arms, whispering softly, “Don’t worry, Cleo. We’re almost there.”

With urgency driving their steps, the group made their way to Headmistress Bloodgood’s office.

BOOGSH! The office door burst open, slamming against the wall.
Headmistress Bloodgood paused mid-sip of her tea, startled by the sudden noise. She placed her cup down with a loud clink and fixed the group with an unimpressed glare.
“Has no one ever taught you how to knock?!” she said, her authoritative tone echoing in the room.

“Uh, sorry, Headmistress, we just—” Deuce began, but Draculaura cut him off.

“There’s the jar!” she shouted, pointing toward Mortimer’s cozy sitting area beside the headmistress.

“What jar?” Headmistress Bloodgood asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she turned to see what Draculaura was pointing at.

Draculaura raised her hand, using her witch magic to levitate the jar into her hands. “This jar!”

Headmistress Bloodgood’s eyes widened as she recognized it. “Wait a moment… is that Ms. de Nile’s inner ear? Mortimer?!” Her voice rose as she directed her attention to the shy dragon, who immediately ducked his head in guilt.

“Where did you get that jar?” she demanded.

Mortimer groaned and made a series of grumbling dragon noises, explaining he had found it on the ground outside the Coffin Bean.

“And how exactly did it end up there?” she asked again, crossing her arms.

Mortimer groaned once more, shaking his head and shrugging his wings, indicating he didn’t know.

Headmistress Bloodgood turned her sharp gaze to the Boo-Crew, clearly expecting an explanation. “Well? Doesn’t Ms. de Nile have the Mummy Talisman? Why is she suddenly carrying her organ jars again?”

Frankie, still holding a passed-out Cleo, glanced nervously at Deuce and Draculaura before clearing their throat. “Eh, well… Headmistress Bloodgood, you see…” they trailed off, quickly detailing everything that had happened—from the Mummy Talisman going missing to Cleo losing her inner ear jar, and how Mortimer had unknowingly almost adding it to his collection.

As Frankie explained, the headmistress listened intently, her expression softening slightly by the end of the story.

“Hmm. Quite the ordeal,” she muttered, looking at the group, then down at Mortimer, who let out a small apologetic groan.

•••

“Find anything yet?” Clawd asked, his voice laced with exhaustion.

“No, no talisman yet,” Clawdeen groaned in reply, sitting back on her heels. “Gosh, this is impossible. Told you it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”

“Eeyup, needle in a haystack,” Clawd repeated, nodding in agreement as he sifted through yet another pile of scattered gold.

On the other side of the room, Hissette was determined, her tiny eyes scanning the glittering chaos for the missing talisman. The three of them had been ransacking the treasure room for the past hour, and golden treasures were scattered everywhere.

Just as Clawd and Clawdeen were about to give up, Hissette’s sharp eyes caught a glimmer of teal amidst the mess. She slithered toward the object. Reaching the familiar gem sticking out of the pile, Hissette grabbed it with her fangs and tugged it free.

“The Mummy Talisman!” Clawd and Clawdeen shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the room.

“Hissette found it! Good job, Hissette!” Clawdeen exclaimed, her voice bright with excitement.

Hissette slithered over to Clawdeen, carefully dropping the talisman at her feet. Clawdeen crouched down, picking it up with a grateful smile. “You’re a lifesaver, lil' snake!”

As Clawdeen stood up, Hissette began nudging her shoe insistently.

“Oh? You wanna come with us?” Clawdeen asked. She lowered her arm, letting Hissette climb up and coil comfortably around it.

“Let’s go!” Clawd declared, bolting out of Cleo’s treasure room and heading for the dorm room door. Clawdeen, with Hissette perched on her arm and the talisman in her hand, quickly followed.

As they sprinted through the halls in search of their friends, Clawdeen glanced at her brother. “I really hope Cleo doesn’t get mad.”

“Mad about what?” Clawd asked, his tone genuinely curious.

“I mean… her dorm room—especially the treasure room? We totally ransacked the place,” Clawdeen reminded him.

“Oh, right.” Clawd slowed down for a second. “Yeah, she’s definitely gonna notice that.”

“Better hope she forgives us when we show her the talisman,” Clawdeen joked, speeding up again to their destination.

Chapter Text

Deuce excused himself from the headmistress’ office and headed out to help Clawd and Clawdeen find the Mummy Talisman.

Meanwhile, Headmistress Bloodgood turned to Draculaura and asked. “Should we make an announcement about the missing talisman? The entire school needs to be made aware—if there’s a culprit, we need to catch them before they slip away.”

Draculaura, as Student Bloody President, considered the idea carefully. “I don’t think we should, Headmistress,” she replied, shaking her head. “The Boo-Crew’s already on it, and I trust them. Besides, announcing it might tip off the ‘culprit’ and give them a chance to escape.”

Bloodgood raised an eyebrow, mulling over the response. After a moment, she nodded, satisfied. “Very well, Draculaura. You make a good point,” she said, returning the skullette microphone to its stand.

Across the room, Frankie remained close to Cleo, still cradling her in their arms without even breaking a sweat. Now that the inner ear jar was back within proximity, Cleo began to stir, her balance slowly returning. Noticing the change, Frankie gently carried Cleo to a nearby chair and helped her sit down. Even as Cleo settled, Frankie kept a steady hand on her, ensuring she stayed upright.

“Cleo, are you okay now? Does your head still hurt? Do you need anything?” Frankie asked softly, their voice almost a whisper as they gently patted Cleo’s shoulder.

Cleo raised a hand to her head as she adjusted to her surroundings. “Hey, hey, one question at a time, please,” she said with a faint laugh. “My head’s just leaving Dizzy City, hehe.” She managed a small smile before adding, “That’s so sweet of you to ask tho.”

Frankie’s worry eased as they smiled back at her. “Just let me know if you need anything, Cleo,” Frankie offered.

Cleo glanced at Frankie and gave them a smile. “Thanks, Frankie.”

•••

Deuce sprinted towards the direction of Cleo’s dorm, He took a sharp right turn when—BUMP! THUD!

Deuce collided head-on with Clawd and Clawdeen, who were also running to find the Boo-Crew. The impact sent Deuce’s glasses flying off, but luckily, he kept his eyes tightly shut to avoid accidentally turning anyone to stone.

“Whoa, sorry!” Deuce muttered, fumbling around blindly.

Clawd quickly retrieved the fallen glasses, handing them back as he helped Deuce to his feet. “Here you go, dude. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. Thanks, C,” Deuce replied, sliding his glasses back on and adjusting them.
“Deuce! So glad to see you,” Clawdeen said. “Where are the others?”

“They’re at Headmistress Bloodgood’s office,” Deuce explained. “I was on my way to help you guys find the Mummy Talisman. Did you find it yet?”

“Yeah, we got it!” Clawdeen said, holding up the talisman.

“How 'bout you guys?” Clawd asked. “Did you find the jar?”

“And how’s Cleo?” Clawdeen added, her voice laced with concern.

“We got the jar from Mortimer,” Deuce replied with a nod. “But as for Cleo… I’m not sure if she’s woken up yet. She was still passed out when I left.”

Clawdeen frowned, exchanging a look with her brother. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

The three ran as fast as they could, heading straight for the headmistress’ office to meet with the rest of the Boo-Crew.

•••

Headmistress Bloodgood and Draculaura turned their attention to Frankie when they noticed Cleo regained consciousness. The two walked over to check on her.

“Cleo! How are you feeling?” Draculaura asked, her voice full of relief.

“Ms. de Nile, we’ll address the issue of the missing talisman later,” Headmistress Bloodgood said. “For now, you should rest.”

Cleo nodded faintly, still holding her head as she adjusted to her surroundings. Frankie gently squeezed her left hand, offering silent reassurance.
Moments later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway, growing louder and louder until—BANG!

The door burst open once again as Clawdeen barged into the office, with Clawd and Deuce close behind. The three skidded to a stop as Headmistress Bloodgood turned sharply, her stern gaze locking onto them.

“Has anyone ever taught you to knock?!” she repeated, her tone firm with irritation.

“Sorry, Headmistress,” Deuce apologized once again, scratching the back of his neck.

Clawdeen and Clawd, undeterred, raised the Mummy Talisman high, grinning ear to ear. “Mission accomplished!” they declared in sync.

Headmistress Bloodgood’s expression softened as her gaze fell on the talisman. “Hmm. Well done, you three,” she said with a small nod.

Cleo blinked, slowly registering the familiar sight of the talisman. “You… you found it?” she asked.

“Well, technically, Hissette found it,” Clawdeen corrected, smiling as she handed the talisman to the tiny snake.

Hissette eagerly took the talisman in her fangs and slithered over to Cleo. The talisman glowed faintly as it neared its rightful owner. Cleo reached out to accept it, her expression softening as Hissette coiled herself lovingly around Cleo’s arm.

“Awwiee, thanks, sweetie snakes,” Cleo said, hugging her loyal pet. She then looked up at the group, “And to you guys too. Thanks so much for helping me, everyone. This mummy might not have survived without you guys.” ,Cleo thanked the Boo-Crew.

Headmistress Bloodgood nodded approvingly. “Well, since everything has been resolved, and there appears to be no culprit, you are all dismissed.” She cast a pointed glance at Cleo and added, “Ms. de Nile, and all talisman wearers—be more mindful of your talismans, hmm? I wouldn’t want this incident to repeat itself.”

“Yes, Headmistress Bloodgood. We’ll be off now,” Draculaura said, speaking for the group as she carefully closed the office door behind them.

Bloodgood sighed as she returned to her desk and reached for her tea. She frowned after a sip. “Ah, my tea’s cold now.”

•••

The Boo-Crew walked together through the hallways, chatting lightly as they made their way toward the dorms. After a while, they began to split ways.

“Go ahead without me,” Frankie said to Clawdeen and Draculaura. “I’m walking Cleo to her dorm.”

“Ok yep, Got it. See you tomorrow!” Clawdeen said with a wave as she and Draculaura headed off.

“See you tomorrow guys!” Deuce and Clawd added, parting ways toward their own dorm.

Frankie and Cleo walked side by side toward Cleo’s dorm. Frankie carried Cleo’s organ bag for her, their hands casually intertwined.

“Woah, what a day,” Frankie started, breaking the silence.

“Right?” Cleo replied with a soft giggle. “I’m just glad everything’s back to normal.”

“Yep, yep,” Frankie nodded.

The two chatted quietly until they arrived at Cleo’s dorm door.

“Well, here we are. See you tomorrow, Cleo?” Frankie said as they handed her the organ bag.

“Yeah, see you tomorrow,” Cleo replied, pausing briefly before continuing. “Uh… Frankie, you carried me all day. Didn’t it strain your arms? I mean, I’m not that heavy, right?” She fumbled over her words, her cheeks warming. “I must’ve been, like, dead weight,” she joked, attempting to save face.

“What? Nooo,” Frankie said quickly, shaking their head. “I’m good! It was kinda fun, honestly. You, uh, fit in my arms just right, you know?” They stammered, realizing too late how flustered they sounded. “Erm, I mean, you’re fine! I mean—it’s fine!”

Cleo laughed softly at Frankie’s adorable fumbling, her cheeks flushed. She suddenly stepped forward and wrapped Frankie in a hug. “Thanks, Frankie. For everything you did for me today. I appreciate it so much,” she said sincerely.

Frankie was momentarily surprised but quickly hugged her back. “No problem… anything for you, Cleo,” they replied sincerely.

As they pulled back from the hug, they paused, staring into each other’s eyes for a moment that felt longer than it was, both smiling softly.

("that adorable smile.. deserves a little reward—") Cleo thought to herself.
Without hesitation, Cleo cupped Frankie’s adorable face in her hands and leaned in, pressing a quick, soft kiss to their lips. She pulled back just as fast, her cheeks glowing bright red.

“Eh, uh… see you tomorrow, Frankie-bean!” Cleo stammered, opening her door and slipping inside in one swift motion. She leaned against the closed door, her body sliding down as she hugged her knees, hearts practically shining in her eyes as she replayed the kiss in her mind.

Outside, Frankie stood frozen, their wide eyes staring blankly at the now-closed door. “See… you… tomorrow…” they finally managed to mumble, their voice barely audible.
As their emotions caught up with them, Frankie turned and slid down the door, sitting back-to-back with Cleo on the other side. Their stitches glowed faintly as they tried to process what had just happened, a goofy smile spreading across their face.

“She’s so amazing,” Frankie whispered to themselves, completely smitten.
Inside, Cleo smiled dreamily. “They’re so amazing,” she murmured, hugging her knees tighter.

The two stayed like that for a while, back-to-back against the door, electric and jarred heart, racing in unison..

Chapter Text

Frankie walked back to their dorm with a dreamy grin plastered on their face, replaying the moment with Cleo over and over in their mind. Their steps felt lighter, as if they were walking on air. “She's.. so amazing hehe,” Frankie whispered to themselves with a giddy laugh, practically glowing as they disappeared down the hallway.

Meanwhile, back in Cleo’s dorm…

“OH. MY. RA! WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!” Cleo shrieked, her voice echoing dramatically through the room.

She stood frozen in the middle of the chaos, wide-eyed as she took in the scene. Her once-clean dorm (clean yeah courtesy of Nefera cleaning after Cleo) and treasure room looked like they’d been hit by a tornado. Gold trinkets, jewels, and priceless artifacts were scattered everywhere in the treasure room.

The whole dorm was a mess—the desk drawers opened, clearly had been rummaged in. Her walk-in closet looked like a crime scene, even the curtains are misaligned.

Hissette, lounging innocently on a pile of treasures, flicked her tongue nervously. She slithered up to Cleo, nudging her gently.

Cleo’s eyes narrowed. “Hissette… what is it?” she asked suspiciously, arms crossed.
Hissette hesitated for a moment, then slithered in a small, apologetic circle before finally “confessing” in her own snake-like way: she had taken the Mummy Talisman while Cleo was asleep.

“YOU DID WHAT?!” Cleo shrieked, her voice reverberating through the hallway.