we are here today to reveal a secret. A secret we have guarded for many decades,” Dracula stated, after taking to the stage with Mrs. Gorgon, Mr. and Mrs. Wolf, Mrs. Yelps, Mr. Stein, and Mr. De Nile.

“Scariff Fred? Are you just going to allow students and now parents to hijack your assembly? This is hardly appropriate behavior!” Miss Flapper chastised the man from her seat.

“While I understand your frustration, Miss Flapper, these parents are well-respected members of the community. So I feel it’s only right that we at least hear them out.”

“Thank you, Scariff,” Dracula said as Venus motioned for Cy, Robecca, and Rochelle to follow her back to their seats in the front row. “ASOME stands for the Ancient Society of Monster Elite. It is an organization that believes in a hierarchy of monsters. That is to say that vampires, mummies, and aristocratic ghosts make up the ruling class, which governs over all other creatures.”

The Vampitheater was not only quiet but still, as though every monster had been momentarily paralyzed by the information.

“I know this to be true because I used to be a member of ASOME back in the Old World. But I myself began to see that all monsters are created equal, and was increasingly bothered by the group’s failure to see this. And so I and Ramses de Nile left ASOME. We then came to the Boo World, where we met up with other monsters who shared our beliefs. Together we have worked tirelessly to keep ASOME out of the Boo World and out of Salem. It’s why we opened Monster High,” Dracula continued. “And when I say we, I mean all those that stand before you today. We are the Society of United Monsters.”

“What?” Deuce remarked. “It’s like I don’t even know my own mom! She’s a member of a secret group?”

“Tell me about it!” Frankie seconded. “What’s next? My last name’s not really Stein!”

“Not to worry, our last name is Stein,” Mr. Stein reassured his daughter as Dracula continued speaking.

“One of our members is not with us today, but as his daughter sits in the audience, I would very much like to acknowledge him. Hexiciah Steam.”

“Whaaaaaa—?” Robecca muttered as her eyes bulged and steam flew from her ears at a speed that Rochelle and Venus had never seen before.

“We also owe a great debt to Headmistress Bloodgood, who helped us start Monster High,” Mr. Wolf added. “And after years of working together, I feel confident stating that she would not support reaching out to ASOME, regardless of whom we were up against.”

“The list we found in the attic. It was the members of the Society of United Monsters,” Venus squealed to Rochelle.

“Yes, but Ramses de Nile was not on the list,” Rochelle said as she rubbed her chin.

“It must have been a mistake,” Venus responded as Miss Flapper jumped out of her seat and glided up to the stage.

“Excuse me, excuse me. But I simply must say something. I can no longer hold my tongue,” Miss Flapper said in her usual soft manner.

“Of course,” Dracula responded politely, and then motioned for her to take the microphone.

“While this new information about ASOME momentarily left me puzzled, it has not changed my mind. Wouldn’t you rather deal with a ruling class of educated monsters that maintains an ordered society than live like prisoners under normie rule? I know I would.”

The Vampitheater instantly erupted in shrieks and cries as the ghouls and boys of Monster High began debating the issue. Rochelle, Cy, and Venus looked around them as their peers’ voices grew louder and louder. Meanwhile, shell-shocked Robecca stood up and slowly walked to the stage.

“This isn’t the bee’s knees. This is the whole bee’s body! My dad was a part of your group? He helped start Monster High?” Robecca babbled to Dracula, Mr. and Mrs. Wolf, Mr. De Nile, Mrs. Yelps, Mr. Stein, and Mrs. Gorgon.

“Your father was a normie who understood monsters. He was a great man, and we all hope to see him again one day,” Dracula responded.

“Do you have any clue where he might be? What might have happened to him?”

“Unfortunately, young lady, we do not have any information as to your father’s current whereabouts,” Mr. De Nile replied coldly.

“But that doesn’t mean we won’t see him again,” Mrs. Gorgon said kindly, adjusting her large black sunglasses.

“Do you know what he was doing when he disappeared in the catacombs?” Robecca asked as she felt a heavy hand land on her shoulder.

“Chérie, are you okay?” Rochelle asked as she, Venus, and Cy surrounded their blue-haired friend.

“Yes, I am,” Robecca replied with a smile. “I’m more than okay—I’m the cat’s pajamas! Turns out, my dad is even more amazing than I thought!”

“That he is,” Dracula responded. “And to answer your question, he was supposed to meet Ramses in the catacombs, but he never showed up.”

“At first I was very offended. Standing up royalty is hardly appropriate. But then I realized something must be very wrong. And indeed it was,” Ramses de Nile responded.

“Mr. De Nile, do you mind if I ask you a question?” Venus interjected.

“Of course not, I know how interested ghouls are in the monarchy,” Ramses de Nile responded.

“Maybe other ghouls, but not me,” Venus explained, much to the mummy’s displeasure. “My question is about your stance on ASOME. You’re against it, right?”

“What a thing to ask! I’m a member of the Society of United Monsters!” Ramses de Nile huffed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just that Cleo mentioned something about you being in support of ASOME,” Venus clarified.

“My daughter must have had gauze in her ears. I have only ever told her that I am against ASOME. She probably just got confused, as her aunt Neferia, who is visiting from the Old World, is a bit partial to the antiquated manner in which ASOME approaches life.”

“Well, thanks for clearing that up,” Venus said with a tense smile.

By the time the final bell sounded, Monster High had descended into a mass of arguments over which risk to take—ASOME or the normies.

“ASOME goes against everything that Monster High was founded upon,” Draculaura stated forcefully to a messily clad mummy in the hall.

“Yeah, but I don’t want to live in Salem if the town is a jail! I would rather live by the laws of mummies, vampires, and aristocratic ghosts!” the boy cried.

“Easy for you to say. You’re a mummy,” Lagoona chimed in as she walked up to Draculaura and the boy.

“What do you suggest we do, then?” he muttered.

“That’s the hard part, mate. I don’t know. I just know that ASOME will destroy everything I believe in,” Lagoona replied.

“It seems nothing is easy. We may have slowed the support for ASOME, but now everyone’s arguing,” Robecca said to Rochelle and Venus as they made their way to the dormitory.

“Monster High divided as school decides whose rule they would prefer to live under,” Spectra announced as she floated past the trio in the corridor. “For the latest news, check out my blog!”

“Our classmates might be arguing, but that’s a whole lot better than everyone supporting ASOME,” Venus said to Rochelle and Robecca as they mounted the creaky pink rot-iron stairs to the dormitory.

“I doubt she sees it that way,” Robecca mumbled to her ghoulfriends as she spotted Miss Flapper at the top of the staircase.

“Is madame crying?” Rochelle asked the others as Miss Flapper looked at the trio and then turned around and headed back down the dormitory hall.

“What was that about?” Venus wondered as she bounded up the staircase after the graceful European dragon.

Leaning against the wall and quietly sniffling, Miss Flapper did not even look up when Robecca, Rochelle, and Venus approached.

“Madame Flapper, we are most sorry to see that you are so upset. Is everything all right?” Rochelle asked while offering the woman a pale pink Scaremès scarf.

“Is everything all right? No! Everything is not all right!” Miss Flapper answered, and then took the scarf and dabbed her tears. “I just heard from Scariff Fred and Superintendent Petra that Cleo and Toralei were abducted by normies while walking home from school this afternoon.”