Mystery: Monster High

(Hall & Oates - Out of Touch)

It has been two months since the episode at Karidan Rendezvous National Park. A combination of horror at what occurred, homesickness, and a chance offer brought you back to California. You've been staying with a survivor of the incident, Richard Cave, who had taken a fancy to you. When not continuing your relationship with him or lounging on the beaches along the Bay Area, you were finishing your enlistment into R.A.D., recommended to you by your old friend, Agent al-Kafri. By this time, you're ceritied as Agent Trainee De la Cruz. You've been expecting your first independent case for a while. But not while you're in bed, spooned by a man five years your senior.

"Mhh... Something about you turned every Sunday into a Lazy Sunday for me. I'm worried about my work ethic, you know." Richard laughs, rubbing your shoulders as the time hits noon, your naked bodies entangled in bed for the third time today. "Well, at least for anything but this... I could pull overtime." The music used to cover up the buzz of a 'massage wand', among other things, continues to play while you're embraced. But soon, another vibration starts. Belonging to your phone.

(Scattle - Flatline)

"Gabriella," A familiar voice tersely calls, "I've got your first assignment. And it'll be with some familiar people... Try to remember that you're better-trained now."

The agent explains that a series of unusual attacks have been committed on teachers and students at a boarding school just outside your new city's vicinity. While they vary wildly in nature, there are two unifying factors. The first is that it seems to be thanks to the rising tensions among the student body, which has separated into vicious, catty gangs. The other is that almost all of them are trademarks of the supernatural. Vampire bites, spontaneous combustion, even psionic damage. There's something going on in there. And she'll meed help to deal with.

After getting off the phone, Cave will look at you, worried. "So, this is it?"

It's not long from then that a knock on the door occurs, with Richard answering it and revealing, lo and behold, Professor Richard Fang. "Mr. Cave! I'm sorry to intervene on your domestic bliss, but duty called. And he sounded like he desperately needed another cup of coffee." As the academic speaks, he looks over Richard's shoulder to grin at you. "And there is the newly-minted R.A.D.-ical. Don't pick up any of Agent al-Kafri's habits now, Ms. De la Cruz. Your looks are too youthful for cigarettes!"

"It's good to see you too, Professor. I'm glad infilitrating a boarding school hasn't made you lose your zest." He pats the older man on the shoulder amiably before moving aside to let him in. Given how close he lived, it was as if you went from sharing motel rooms to being his next-door neighbor. "Did you want us to go over your treatise on, uh... Interdimensional Projection again?"

"No, no! I know such material is nothing better than a doorstopper, and even a crack is enough to let me in far too frequently than either of you need me to." He bows humbly as he comes in, approaching you with obvious excitement. "I haven't taught secondary school in over a decade. How it will bring me back... That was before I even knew how to summon a familiar! Naive Fang..."

You decide to enjoy a spot of tea, prepared your paramour, naturally, while you wait for your second companion...

An hour later, there's another knock, and a familiar one at that. Even if it had been months. Sophia always had the same rhythm, whether she knocked, tapped, or hummed. She explained that it was a refrain from a... 'theme song' of the Order of the Hidden Grove. At least, that is the way Gabby would understand it, she said.

Richard lets her in, saluting her with a klingon hand signal and smiling. "Hey, Sophia. Gang's all here, huh?" Rosenkrantz returned the gesture with a bemused grin. "Present and accounted for, Ricky. I like that symbol- have the three of you gone and started a secret society without me? Ours has cupcakes. You are missing out."

Professor Fang calls out for his old friend, happy to retort wittily. "Ah, Ms. Rosenkrantz, so old-fashioned! You see, we've moved onto truffles, topped with mousse." Sophia is quick to peer around the corner at the two of you, grinning even wider, and warmly too. "Good that I am here to protect you from the demons of gluttony... Maybe I am one of them, though. Richard, my sweet, /are/ baked goods out of the question?"

"I guess I can order some cookies... Do you guys need your shoes polished, while I'm at it?" As Sophia sits next to you, both her and the professor resond. "Yes, please!"

After some cookies, which Richard asks if he should put on a butler's outfit to serve them in- after all, you all are distinguished monster hunters, Special Agent al-Kafri is put on speakerphone. He's quick to get down to business, having already had the 'pleasure' of calling all three of you individuslly. Cave excludes himself from the debriefing, giving you a kiss on the cheek as he departs. "Michel- you act like you don't miss us. I can hear the sentimental whine in your inflection." The Initiate teases, like she used to plenty before. "You read palms better than you read tones of voice, Rosenkrantz. And you haven't changed, either."

"How sore would you be if you missed a shift in our darling dark master's life, Agent? I don't know what you would do with yourself if she wasn't exactly as you remembered." Fang hums, adding into patronizing the way an old man does.

"Breathe a sigh of relief, professor, that's what I would do. I don't know how you can get your students to focus when you have trouble doing it yourself." You can hear Michel's scoff crackle through the phone. "Now, now, agent, don't let your pride show... You are our commander here, aren't you?"

al-Kafri grumbles but lets the matter go to rest, opting instead to inform you of your mission. Thebian Academy, a boarding school on the outskirts of the city, has had reports of an unusual string of incidents involving primarily their students. Attacks, presumably a result of delinquents fighting, or a stalker preying upon the school. Normal fare, as far as high school goes. Save for the fact that police reports have a running theme to them: The injuries all coincide with known Acquisitions. That is, monsters. Bites similar to vampiric infections, signs of necrotic flesh left behind, even brain damage identical to the result of a psionic attack.

"I would like high schools much more if such quarrels occurred. Instead, it's only cyberbullying." Sophia sighs, though you get the impression that she never went to a normal high school anyways. "There's plenty of that, too. Apparently, the school used to have a reputation for being sophisticated, but it's had clique problems for a while now. Students don't trust adults, or each other, mostly. They're apparently ruthless."

Michel explains that the unknown factors at play, combined with a unique political situation, have resulted in the assignment being pushed through to R.A.D. And the low-intensity, but niche qualifications make it perfect for you. The catch? It entails undercover work.

"Agent De la Cruz will be posing as a student, while Professor Fang will be a teacher. Rosenkrantz, you'll be a guidance counselor. Hopefully, if you all act the right combination of incognito and supportive, you can start to gleam some information from the school and find some leads to follow."

"I shall give them guidance they never knew they were capable of receiving. Something tells me they have lived a spiritually defunct life." Sophia seems tickled at the prospect.

"You'll be 'transferring' starting tomorrow. Obviously, tread carefully. These are kids." Michel is silent for a few moments before continuing. "Don't get too into it, Gabriella. We're trying to disseminate the social issues and resolve the paranormal ones. Not relive junior year."