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As the magic surrounded her, she shut her eyes to not blinded. Moving between the mirror was always uncomfortable. She felt feathers start to prickle at her skin, and her clothes tingled around her body. Hair flowed behind 5 she landed her foot on the ground, wobbling. A white pointe shoe flattened, and the other foot planted itself next to it, pulling her body through.
Duchess took a deep breath and held out her arms to inspect the number of feathers. Her tutu was definitely different, becoming mostly black and fading to white. The purple details on her corset were nice. She ran her fingers over the torso of her outfit, still not used to the colour change that came with the mirror. Reaching up to her ear, she felt the amount of black feathers that circled where her ear was supposed to be.
Another breath in and out before she looked ahead. Cupids recording studio met her in all its pink glory. She turned to the door and headed into the creaking, tall hallways of Monster High. Most students just glanced at her, assuming she was a new student, and went back to what they were doing. Holt smiled at her and greeted Duchess with a wave. That boy was always crossing the world to go see his own partner, Hopper.
Eventually, Duchess found the door to the catacombs and walked in slowly. She never understood how Operetta could live in these halls. Spider webs adorned the ceiling, and bugs crawled between the cracks. Loud clacks came from her pointe's as she made her way through the cavern. Noises of guitar soon started to fill her ears, and she smiled. That was definitely her.
She peered through the doorway at the phantom in her room. The girl was sitting cross-legged on her bed, with her coffin shaped guitar on her lap. That mess of red hair was tied up and out of her way as her fingers worked the strings. Duchess stood in the door frame, utterly taken in by the ghouls... everything.
Operetta stopped to look at who was in the door and quickly set her instrument to the side to sweep up the ballerina.
"Swan! Hey, sugar, you made it!" Her voice had that high point to it that always made Duchess smile.
"Yeah, that mirror is awful to go through. Feels like being trapped for a few seconds."
"I know. I'll go through it soon, I promise." She pressed a kiss to Duchess's forehead, leaving a red lip stain on the skin. She groaned and attempted to rub it off with her hands, which just smudged it more. The phantom laughed at it and put Duchess on the bed to grab the makeup wipes.
The walls were covered in green vines and moss. Honestly, she had no clue how anything grew down here, but it did. On the shelf was a stack of masks, all heart shaped in different patterns and colours. Of course, the mask didn't do much to cover the deformity, but apparently, Operetta didn't care. The mask was just to be like her dad. The girl wasn't insecure about the scarring at all!
That's another quality that Duchess loved about her ghoulfriend. She didn't care what others thought of her. On the other hand, Duchess cared too much about what others thought of her. Pale hands cradled her torso as she sighed, skinnier than last time...
Her thoughts were snapped out as a wet wipe was smeared onto her forehead, taking off the lipstick kiss that was there a few seconds ago. Then Operetta moved to wipe off her own lipstick, making sure that it couldn't transfer on the back of her palm. The phantoms' original lip colour was a dark purple, and it caught Duchess's attention. They looked so soft...
"See somethin' you like, sugar?" She winked and blew a kiss before giggling at the swan. Duchess rolled her eyes and gently pulled Operetta closer for a quick peck. The phantom obliged immediately, leaning down to push into Duchess softly.
The girls pulled apart and smiled at each other, not entirely knowing what to say now. Operetta swung her bag on her shoulder and lifted up Duchess, who now stood a good few inches taller than the ghost.
"The creeperteria should have somethin' for lunch we can have."
Duchess nodded and followed the ghoul through the twists of the catacombs. Usually, Johnny Spirit would be down here, but apparently, he had to go back to Georgia for some important business. Duchess and Johnny were the ones to meet first, before Operetta and before Holt. He had come through the mirror specifically to visit Briar but had seen Duchess crying in the hall and offered her a room in the catacombs to calm down in. Since then, the two grew close, and eventually, he introduced her to his ghoulfriend, Operetta.
She shook her head to get out of her thoughts and realised they were already walking down the hall to the creeperteria. Duchess held onto Operetta hand as they moved. The school always creeped her out. She supposed that was the point, though. A smash was heard from the staircase, and they both froze.
Seconds later, purple sand covered Duchess head to toe, and it tingled her skin immediately. The world got wobbly fast, and she thought she might’ve fallen to the floor if it wasn't for the fact that she could feel what she was now. A hideous-sounding honk escaped her beak, and her small eyes looked up to Operetta desperately.
The phantom looked at her in shock, stranding straight and looking down to the black swan. Her fists balled, and Duchess quickly waddled to her legs, rubbing her feathered head against the jeans.
"TORALEI!" Came the screaming voice of Operetta. The sound travelled all around the hall and up the staircase. The phantom slowly crouched and sat on the floor to hold Duchess's new head. The purple hands cradled the small form and rubbed the feathers on her cheek.
Duchess had been a swan before. It was part of her destiny powers, and all she had to do was focus and turn back. Her eyes closed, and she nuzzled into Operettas touch for some grounding. Her wings squeezed against her, digging into her sides. She felt some warping and things akin to fluttering around her, but when she opened her eyes, the large form of the phantom still greeted her. It didn't work.
Her eyes went wide, and her wings shot out quickly. Operetta jumped back in surprise as honking came from the distressed swan. Feathers spread over the floor as she flapped frantically. The phantom quickly reached out and clamped her wings shut.
"This is okay. It'll be okay, sugar." The phantoms face knitted together in concern, her hands continued to hold the swan as she began to slowly stroke the soft feathers. Duchess made a soft quack in response, and it seemed like a tear rolled down her small head.
"Let's get you to Twyla, darl..."
Operetta picked her up with ease, holding her gently and walking at a pace so as not to jostle her. Her thoughts ran 100 miles an hour. What if she was stuck like this forever? What if her destiny had just come true? What if she ended up like her mother!? The webbed feet kicked fast under the phantom, who seemed to be searching the shadows for a girl?
Eventually, two eyes appeared in the shadows, and Operetta leapt at the chance to grab her.
"Twyla! Oh, thank ghoulness you're here. My friend got turned into a swan with your boogie sand."
Duchess made a quiet honk to add to her point. Twyla looked at her and to the phantom, then back again.
"I... think I can help... but we have to go to my dads mansion."
Operettas hands continuously stroked and petted Duchess's feathers, which did a surprising amount to calm down the swan. After a while, her head found a resting place under her chest, nuzzling into the warmth. It was going to be fixed. The boogie sand would work, and her destiny would still be far far far away.
It will work.
It better work.
A small kiss was placed on her soft head, and she looked up slightly. Duchess nudged her beak into Operettas cheek, hoping that the phantom would understand something... anything... Duchess wasn't quite sure herself what Operetta should understand.
A house with multiple doors and windows came into view, which snapped Duchess right out of her thoughts. Who designed this horrid building!? Half the doors looked like they went straight to nowhere! As the shadow ghoul went inside, Duchess honked and quacked loudly.
Operetta huffed and held her beak shut, "darl, she's trying to help us."
Duchess looked up to her with dark eyes and slowly stopped making noise so they could enter. The inside was worse than the out. Doors were on every wall, and it honestly scared her half to death. Good godmother, it was terrible. Twists and turns, through this door, out that one. After walking for what seemed like half an hour, they arrived in a very tall room with shelves and shelves of sand.
Twyla scanned around and climbed up a ladder, making a triumphant noise and coming back down holding a bottle of green sand.
"Animal hybrid sand. It should take you back to being mostly... normie. With your regular other animal part."
Operetta placed Duchess on the ground, and she promptly sat down, curling her legs under her. It looked like she had none. The shadow ghoul poured some sand onto her hand and gently sprinkled it over Duchess. Everything began to feel wobbly again. Her skin prickled, and her jaw snapped, and feathers went rushing everywhere.
Now sat the ballerina on her heels. Her skirt was spread evenly around her, and her hair cascaded down her back once more. Operetta wasted no time in picking her up from the floor and hugging the dancer tightly. Duchess weakly hugged back with shaking arms. She swallowed thickly.
"Thank you... Twyla"
"No problem, I'm not even sure how Toralei got her hands on the swan sand."
At the mention of the kitty's name, Operetta stood up straighter. She gripped Duchess's hand until it hurt and tugged her back to the door.
"Speak of the devil, I have to go find her. Thank you very much, sugar!"
She half-waved to the shadow ghoul, and Duchess was dragged back to the school. It wasn't too far, walking distance definitely. But when you had shaky legs, it was awful. Whenever she tried to speak, a hideous honk came out, and tears pricked her eyes. Any time that noise came out, she'd cover her mouth with her free hand and look to the phantom.
The entire walk there, curses and swears, were muttered by the ghost. Duchess was starting to get worried about Toralei's safety. A honk, then a squeak, then some tears cane before she could speak.
"It... it's alright, Operetta, it wasn't too bad..."
"Not too bad!? Honey, I don't think you understand those words."
The doors to the school were practically kicked open, and Operetta screamed her voice out loudly to call for the cat. Duchess covered her ears as that piercing voice continued until Toralei was dragged to the ghost.
"Duchess, darl, why don't you go back down to the catacombs. I have to deal with this stray."
She nodded her head and tip toed quickly to the catacomb doors, ducking in and shutting the door. The walls vibrated with the intensity of her ghoulfriends voice, Duchess just smiled faintly. If she was ever in trouble, at least she knew that Operetta would have her back.