Ghostly Writings/February19

* Culture Shock
* Rio Ushitora’s First Day
* Ghostly Writings

**Culture Shock was written by Lola Bunny**
# Meet the Character:

## Desdaemona Cambion

17-year-old daughter of an Incubus (Father) and a Human > Cambion [1][2]

**Killer Style:** I like to show off what I got. Not that it matters though. I could wear your granny’s attire and still be admired more than you..

**Monster Quirk:** You know, sometimes all the attention I get might get too much. Just kidding, I LOVE it.

**Biggest Pet Peeve:** People stealing the attention away from me. Not that this ever happens but I can imagine I won’t like it.

Desdaemona swung her bedroom door open and entered. She immediately threw herself onto her bed, sighed and pulled out a small book with a lock on it. Then she used the key on her necklace to open it up, took out the pen placed in a contraption on its spine and started writing.

*So, apparently I can’t go to New Salem High any longer because of the way I look now? I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean, but “I have to hang around my kind more” mum said, “because it’s safer”. I don’t particularly like that she made me switch schools mid term, but hey! She finally spilled the beans on the whereabouts of my neglecting father. And, guess what? She even wants me to meet him. I don’t understand her sudden 180 on this matter though. I usually wasn’t even allowed to mention him, like, at all. But it would be a lie to say that I’m not curious to meet him after all this years. After all - he is my father. So I agreed. He will be taking us out for lunch tomorrow. Gosh, I think I’ve never felt so nervous in my life before…*
The door swung open again and the scene repeats.

*Wow. Never in my life have I encountered such a smug individual. He was blattering nonstop about himself and mum was hung on his every word, no matter how mundane his utterance was. One time, mum got up and went to the bathroom to gussy up herself - though she was completely overdressed for the occasion anyways - and left me sitting there all alone with this guy who, apparently, is my father. “I heard”, he started talking, “mum wants you to switch schools?” I don’t know why he was so interested in me all of a sudden, had he been talking all about himself for the past hour and a half but whatever. I’ve told him that, yeah, it sucks, but on the other hand it might be exciting to meet new people. I mean, I really am kinda excited about that. He proposed to me that “I should come and live with him for a while” because “his place was closer to my new school.” Like what the hell?! I don’t know this man. He didn’t, for the past seventeen effing years I mind you, cared enough to even call me once. Mum was returning just in this moment. She clearly heard what he said but didn’t object. Quite the contrary, she thought that this was a, quote, “marvelous” idea. She said we could bond or some sh\*t like that. I...really didn’t want to. And then I find out ...he is living in an effing mansion. What? My mom and I don’t live in too shabby circumstances ourselves but our home was a shack compared to my dad’s place. Turns out he’s a very successful businessman or whatever. After a tour around his place I agreed to move in. I mean come on - how could I have said no to an effing suite with my own bathroom the size of my current bedroom? And this place is easily big enough to not even having to see him if I really didn’t want to. Like, I don’t want him to think that he can, you know, “buy my love” or something, but I won’t say no to something I clearly deserve.*
A few days later.

*I am shook. Can’t even hold the pen properly right now. My whole world, everything I’ve believed in...was just turned upside down. My dad is...not human. I saw him shapeshift. It was nuts! Does this mean I am a weird hybrid offspring? It does explain the changes my body is going through right now. And it also gives sense to what my mum said a few days ago, when she was talking about “my kind”. I thought it was just her being overly esoteric again and I really didn’t think too much of it. I’ve also learned that the new school my parents want to send me to is called “Monster High”. I thought the neighborhood of my Dad’s place was kinda weird but all of this just takes the cake. What even is this world I got dragged into??*
The evening after.

*So...I went there. To Monster High. And oh boy - nomen est omen - it was full of...well, monsters. But not the stuff from nightmares. Well, at least not only. It felt like a weird, off-date halloween school party. There was that one girl who was all friendly and welcoming, who threw her hand at me. Her hand! It just came right off and almost hit me in the face. Ghosts coming and going through walls, herds of zombies crowding the hallway and, the most ironic image I encountered today: a headless headmistress. Her head was there...it was just not where you’d expect it to be. She was carrying it around like a basketball. And then there was that self-proclaimed queen-bee, an egyptian mummy princess who thinks she runs the place and talked down to me as I was her new servant. I was caught off-guard, honestly. After all I was having like the biggest culture shock in the history of culture shocks. So I simply couldn’t think of a comeback in that very situation. But trust me, I will show her who’s the real queen. I’ll show EVERYONE. I am Desdaemona Cambion after all and I am a force not to be messed with.*

**Rio Ushitora's First Day was written by Rita Screamer**
*Author note: Unis Taur belongs to Wallpacapaca, Cooper Calcatrix belongs to Tess-Fabled*

The new ghoul at Monster High reluctantly stomped out of the school bus, making an unnecessary amount of noise with her chunky platform boots. The ghoul’s hair was a sight to be seen with its spikey style and bright green color, and the strands seemed to move on their own somehow.

Underneath the spikey bangs sat a pair of intimidating eyes that were lined with pitch-black eyeliner that pointed upward in a wing that could be declared lethal. Toned muscles showed beneath the skin of her body while cheekbones sharp enough to kill a man protruded from the sides of her face.

“Rio Ushitora, I presume?” Came a stern, but gentle, voice.

The ghoul looked up to see a tall woman with no head walking towards her. She was a little confused by the woman’s lack of a head but after closer inspection it was clear that her head was safely cradled in the woman’s hands.

“Yeah?” The ghoul hesitantly answered.

The detached head of the woman smiled.

“Welcome to Monster High, Rio. I am Headmistress Bloodgood. “

The headmistress grabbed a firm hold of her head and placed it securely on her neck. She turned to walk up the school’s front steps and gestured for Rio to follow her. Rio, reluctantly, did so.

“We are so happy to have you join our student disembody, Miss Ushitora.”

“Rio.” The spikey haired ghoul firmly corrected.

“Of course,” Bloodgood obliged, not fazed at all by Rio’s fierceness. “It may be new to you now but I know that you’ll fit right in here at Monster High. Many of our students came here from your previous school and are doing very well. Perhaps you’ll see some familiar faces today!”

Rio groaned. She hoped not. As much as she would love to still be back home in Japan, even she had to admit that Yokai High School was dull, and so were the students. None of them were any fun! Rio had hoped she wouldn’t have to go to school at all after Yokai High kicked her out but, sadly, she was sent to Monster High instead.

Headmistress Bloodgood guided Rio into the school’s main foyer and down an adjacent hallway.

“My office is this way,” She told Rio. “We will go over your class schedule and then you shall begin your journey at Monster High.”

 What a boring day! Rio couldn’t wait to get out of the school. She rushed out of her Monster Literature class as soon as the dismissal bell rang. So far her expectations for her new school had been exactly what she thought; dull and zero fun. How was she ever going to survive?

As Rio was grabbing her backpack from her locker she could hear the faint sound of music, and not the boring kind of music like piano or symphony pieces. From the sound of it, the instrument had to be an electric guitar, and it was coming from somewhere in the school.

Letting her ears guide her, Rio followed the tune down the hallway until she reached the doors to the gym. She pushed the heavy door open and the sound of the guitar became crystal clear. At the center of the gym floor was a centaur boy with rainbow colors in his hair and a dazzling pink horn. Next to him was a large amp that his guitar was plugged into. He didn’t notice Rio walk in, as he was entranced in the notes he was playing.

Rio watched with intrigue as the centaur played. Now this was the kind of music she liked! And this was the type of monster she wouldn’t mind getting to know. A centaur in a rock band seemed pretty humorous at first but Rio liked that weird mash-up. She wasn’t one to dislike mash-ups on the principle that she was one herself.

It wasn’t something she brought up much but Rio is the daughter of an oni and a harionago. Outwardly she showed off her harionago side more with her deadly spiked hair and lack of oni horns or oversized teeth. She got made fun of as a child from the full-blooded oni children for her appearance but, over time, she grew to love who she was and pushed the hurtful words aside.

After some more inspection of the guitar-playing centaur, she began to notice that he must be a hybrid monster as well given the unicorn horn on top of his head. Rio smiled at the thought that there might actually be some cool people at this school. With some newfound positivity, Rio marched over to him.

Rio’s second day at Monster High was beginning to be much better than her first. After a talk with the uni-centaur, whose name was Unis, Rio was left with a spark that she hadn’t felt in a long time. If she was going to be stuck at Monster High she was determined to make the most of it.

It turned out that Unis was in a band and had been practicing after school for one of their upcoming gigs. Rio was adamant on joining the band but there was, unfortunately, no openings available. But that wasn’t going to stop her. She would have to start her own band! She had spent hours the previous night drawing up some fliers to pass out to possible band members and had a large stack ready to go.

On the way to her locker, Rio was nearly slapped in the face by a leathery wing that belonged to a student, who looked to be a cockatrice. He walked right past her and didn’t seem to notice her at all.

Just as she was about to scold him for almost running into her, Rio noticed the type of clothes the guy was wearing. His studded belt and cool boots really spoke to her. Maybe he would like metal music too?

Rio ran after the cockatrice boy, waving her fliers in the air.

“Hey, chicken face! You wanna be in a band?”

**Ghostly Writings was written by Lyon Heart**
I’m different. I know I am. You can tell by looking at me. No need to bring it up or rub it in. In short, I’m a monster, a hybrid. Child of a Vampire and a Witch. Being a hybrid is both a blessing and a curse at times. It’s a blessing at times when I am able to use my magical powers to help me: give me disuse and just help me with everyday life. A curse at times when my magic is acting up and I’m unable to hide my real form.

The life of a monster was never easy. Living with humans made it even harder. We’re forced to hide while the humans get to have fun. I spent many years hiding. Keeping to myself. Staying away from humans. I lived in an abandon castled with my parents, or I did until a few hundred years ago. The humans killed them, forcing me alone.

The years alone were hard, but I managed. I grew accustomed to doing things on my own, practicing my magic alone as well–it wasn’t fun at some points. Sigh. It gets lonely and I miss my parents a lot. They were my best friends, my mentors, my everything.

Humans... I don’t hate them, I just very much dislike them. Yes, they ruined my family. Though, I think it’s more than they are afraid of us. Back then, there were a lot of monsters, more than humans. I can see that. But, maybe, someday humans and monsters can live in peace...? Just maybe.

Recently, I’ve heard of rumours of monsters with feelings as me: wanting to get out of hiding. And finding their place in the world. I’d love to find them, but, I’m afraid they might see me differently because I am a Vampire-Witch Hybrid.

~000~
I heard of the place now. It’s called Monster High, where monsters can be monsters. A place where they can feel at home and safe. I didn’t go to find them right away. I needed time to think, did I want to go and leave my safe place? My only home and the last place I spent with my parents?

I don’t know. Should I go and find them?

~000~
I was still deciding when I came to me that I should study up on this place. So, that’s what I did. I found a way to get onto the Monster Web and search up this “Monster High”.
What I found, surprised me. It really was a place where monsters could live on peace and harmony with other monsters. And, no humans, normies as they called them.
I will admit, I am slightly afraid of going to this school. I’ll be the new Ghoul and know no one. Will it be easy or hard? Sigh. I guess it’s time to find out whether Monster High will be my new home.

~000~
It took me a while to finally leave my home-castle. I was both ready and not ready to leave. It was my home for centuries with my parents. The last place I spent time with my parents. In the end, I finally decided, taking some items with me to always remember my parents.
Entering Monster High, I was in awe of everything around me. It looked like a normal high school that Father told me before he was turned into a Vampire. Just grander. Looking around, I saw monsters of different types, mummies, skeletons, dragons, Cyclops, vampires, ghosts, and werewolves, for example.
I even met a Hybrid or two. I didn’t feel alone anymore. I felt at peace.

~000~
It took time, but I eventually made friends with some non-Hybrids. It was scary at first, but I pushed on and now I consider one or two very close friends of mine. They treated as a normal Monster, not a half of two species.

Since arriving, more monsters came, some species I’d never seen. One was an Elemental, a fire one, and I do not like him, at all. He was too much, too hyper, too much of everything. And flirting with me. Ugh. That did not sit well with me.
I’m loving Monster High. It is definitely my new safe haven. My new home. It’s a place I can be me. And I will be staying. Staying for good.

~000~
I’ve been at Monster High for a while now, almost four months. And now the headmaster wants me to go out and find this vampire somewhere in Paris France. The vampire’s name is Andrei Vasile. By the sound of his name, he came from Romanian, or at least that’s what I am guessing. I’m not good with cultures and things like that. Having been hiding can do that to you.
I’m just surprised the Headmaster picked me for this mission. Like, why not pick that Ghoul that’s been saving all the monsters and bringing them here, what was her name again?
No matter. Even though I am new, I will not let the headmaster down. I can do this. It shouldn’t be too hard, right?

~000~
I was SO WRONG! Apparently, this “Andrei” wasn’t alone and had a girlfriend with him. Oh yeah, the girlfriend also happens to be a vampire–but can FREAKING USE MAGIC AS WELL?! I quickly dodged a beam of energy from the shadows. It was hard to talk to them without either one freaking out.

“I’m not trying to hurt you!” I cried out, trying explaining again. “I want to take you to a safe place! A place where you can belong!”

“I-I don’t believe you!” A girl cried out. I was hesitant in using my own magic, I didn’t want to scare them. I could not go back to Monster High empty-handed.

“How can we trust you?” Andrei spoke, stepping out of the shadows with the girl next to him.

“Because. I go to this place as well. I feel safe and at home.”