Chapter Text
The empty corridors of Monster High, lifeless and quiet, emitted an eerie air of abandonment during the evenings, perhaps to reflect upon its former days as a decrepit building. It was during one of these evenings that a distant clock ticked in the lonely silence surrounding the Headmistress’ office; the only yet occupied room. This was a silence unnoticeable to Nora, as it was drowned out by her racing thoughts.
Beneath her, on the flat surface of her hardwood desk, the candlelight spilled upon a letter from the school board; a letter that would decide the future of her school.
She took as deep a breath as her lungs allowed, savoring its sedative qualities to calm her heart which, in terms of pace, competed against the rate her thoughts entered and left her mind. Only time would tell which of the two parties would win the race.
Figuring that it was best to quit wasting emotions, she grabbed her paper knife and ran it through the envelope’s opening. With a slight tremble in her slender fingers, she pulled out the letter inside.
Headmistress Bloodgood,
While your penultimate report painted the state of Monster High in an exceedingly promising light, it is with great shock that we receive your latest letter; and it is with an even greater shock that the monster world received the news surrounding this normie scandal. But be assured that you will not be disciplined due to your actions, for we do acknowledge that we were just as guilty in hoping as you.
The presence of a normie on school grounds has since proven to massively taint the school’s reputation in ways we simply cannot afford, both figuratively and literally. On those grounds, we have concluded that your Normie Student Exchange Program must be terminated, effective immediately. And if any more such scandals should occur, you would only be fortunate to get any additional funding whatsoever.
From this, we could perhaps conclude that some theories should remain as they are; as mere theories.
Good luck with your future endeavors.
Respectfully,
Salem Board of Education
Every tense muscle in her being promptly relaxed at the hands of this relief. She was permitted to keep Monster High, and Victor was safely excluded from any future endeavors she feared the school board would insist upon.
Following some newfound energy, she’d spent the last few days reflecting upon every possible outcome, and this one was indeed the most prudent. Still, she found it typical how they seemed to be more concerned about fiscalities rather than the safety of a student.
Thus came the end of the normie student exchange program. Before any and all thoughts surrounding monster-normie relations could be resumed, it was clear that monster unification needed to be prioritized. Until then, no full-blooded normie could step foot in the premises again.
But it would be incorrect to say that she was now back at square one, nor would it be correct to call this a setback; for in terms of unifying monsters, her previous observations of her students had already given excellent results. By that alone, it was clear that fear is a difficult obstacle both to rewrite and overcome, but it was, by no means, impossible; for what can be created can be undone, though it may take time. All one could do until then was take one step at a time. Dreams and theories are meant to become more, the proof being that the clocks still ticked.
However, Hexiciah — who she hadn’t spoken to since their last encounter — still needed to be informed of the news surrounding Victor; an endeavor which would require another deep breath, if not plenty more.
* * *
“You see, the key is to avoid moving the pawns too much,” Victor explained, pushing his circular glasses up the bridge of his nose. A game had just been finished, and he was resetting the chess board. “It detracts your attention from the more important pieces. Actually, they should only mainly be used when getting said pieces back, assuming you’ve lost them.”
“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind, then,” Hexiciah replied, giving a patient smile. He sat on the opposite side of the chess table, located in the burgundy living room across the forehall.
A little over a week had passed before Victor began displaying proper signs of life again. The discoloration about his eyes had since faded and now blended in with his skin, which itself had a healthier veneer. A refreshing sight.
The kettle whistled from the kitchen; a room connected by an open door nearby. Hexiciah rose from his seat to set it aside, moving it from one plate on the stove to another.
It was then that a familiar knock was heard. Upon hearing it, he turned his head towards its spot of origin, showing his now-brightened features.
Having approached the front door with lightened steps, he swiftly turned the lock and hooked off the security chain attached to the door, which then creaked open.
“Nora.”
He allowed her to step inside.
“Hello; or rather, good evening,” Bloodgood said, catching herself off-guard. She cleared her throat, and settled on cutting herself short. “The school board has just given me instructions on how to proceed with Victor. His admittance is to be terminated.”
Hexiciah looked back at Sparky, visible through the wide arch connecting to the living room, where the chess board kept him occupied. He nodded to signal his understanding.
“I suppose it’s for the best,” he replied, facing Nora. “And if any additional education should be needed, I could always serve as a private tutor.”
Bloodgood gave a nod, glad that he agreed with the decision and thankful for his suggestion. She silently turned around to place her hand on the doorknob, preferring a quiet leave.
He reached forward to place a hand on her shoulder, halting her before she was gone. “But… kettle’s just boiled?”
Nora looked down at his hand, savoring its warmth, and sighed, knowing it wouldn’t last. “Thank you, Hexiciah, but I really must—”
While avoiding the gaze of her colleague, Bloodgood’s eyes landed on the living room; specifically, the chess board inside. An object which might well be described as a staple of her youth. And it was perhaps muscle memory which now caused her fingers to tingle, if not the sudden wave of eagerness sent off from a dear old hobby.
She sent a glance down at the glinting copper framing the clocks on his arm, reminding her that she was off-duty. “I take it you’ve been playing chess?”
“Well, I’ve certainly tried.” Hexiciah gave a sheepish smile. “But his insistence on teaching me to improve tells me my attempts have been insufficient.”
Nora responded with a hum, and shot another look towards his copper wrist to check the time once again. Then, her heels came to click against the floor while she swiftly approached her former student, the speed suggesting that she feared she’d change her mind if she hesitated for much longer.
Victor inspected one of his two bishops as he awaited his opponent, pressing a finger against its curved tip. Before he could notice any more of its details, he spotted a hand placing itself on the adjacent chair. The light grip of its claws dented the fabric. His eyes followed the accompanied arm, leading towards Bloodgood’s face.
“Might I join you?” she asked.
Sparky looked towards Hexiciah, who nodded with encouragement where he stood by the door frame, and gestured for Victor to go ahead.
“Alright,” Sparky proceeded to reply.
Nora pulled out the chair, lowered herself onto it, and scooched forward. “Now, I must ask you to pardon my skill level. If I recall correctly, I don’t think I’ve played in…” She gazed to her side as she thought, tapping a claw against her chin. “A hundred years, I believe.”
The boy shrugged and told her he didn’t mind.
Thus, the game began, with pieces clacking against the checkered board they wandered upon.
And before long, after only a few efficient moves, Bloodgood opened her mouth. “Checkmate.”
Beneath his wrinkled forehead, Victor’s gaze dashed between the chess pieces. He scratched at his scalp, figuring he simply hadn’t been paying proper attention, and asked for a rematch.
Nora, not minding this excuse to go on, replied, “By all means.”
She assisted him with resetting the board, sparing all the time she could get. Victor prepared himself to pay close attention.
The pieces began clacking once again. They stopped only half a minute later.
“Checkmate.”
Sparky’s mismatched eyes widened with astonishment. “How— how did you do that?”
Bloodgood sat with her legs crossed, the table hiding how she bobbed a heel with excitement underneath. She held back a grin, the only remnant being a mild twitching in the sides of her mouth. “Experience, perhaps.”
Victor, on the other hand, made no effort to hide his grin; especially not when turning to look at the one watching from the door frame. “Are you seeing this, Hexiciah?” he beamed. “She’s brilliant!”
But before Steam could agree, Sparky had turned back to shower Nora with questions. “Tell me everything! Everything you know.”
Bloodgood laced her fingers together. “Well, it all boils down to…”
Hexiciah sent them the warmest of smiles before heading into the kitchen, from where their conversation sounded muffled, and no words could be made out. All he heard is that they now sounded happy.
He soon returned through the arch with two cups of tea; one being chamomile with minimal honey, the other being strawberry-flavored with the addition of exactly four sugar cubes.
Having placed both cups on the windowsill behind the chess board, he brought forward another chair for himself, on which he happily sat down to admire as another game began.
* * *
Victor went on to repeatedly insist on solely playing chess against the one worthy opponent he’d stumbled upon, a major aspiration in his life now being to beat her. Bloodgood told herself it would be improper to decline the invitations, and had no other choice than to accept.
Then, by the time summer arrived, Nora figured it couldn’t hurt to visit the Steams for a cup of chamomile tea, unpromptedly, every once in a while. After all, it was appropriate to keep in touch with her closest colleague. Spending too much time apart would surely cause them to grow out of sync; a most undesirable thing, since it would do the very opposite of streamlining work efficiency once the next scaremester started. And studying Victor’s so-called human customs would be highly beneficial for any potential future plans.
That is, at least, what she’d tell the school board.
In the meantime, Victor’s sketchbook and blueprints gathered dust in the catacombs, untouched, as if forgotten.
Perhaps they were no longer needed.