"So, there's some things I have to fill you in on." Hope spoke, taking Mazikeen's hand in her own as they walked down the corridor.

"Ben, the guy Jed keeps eyefucking, is actually really old. The gods I've somehow awakened are his extended family and they put a curse on him." Hope explained, as Mazikeen listened.

"I also pulled this bracelet off of Ben, and I broke it... so something very scary will probably be making its way to the school very soon." The Mikealson added as Maze frowned, "Huh. No pressure or anything." She spoke.

"Oh and one more thing, the alpha is injured." Hope spoke nonchalantly as Maze didn't say anything in response.

"My alpha is injured?!" A voice spoke angrily, belonging to Jade. The pair spun around, both looking fairly surprised by their resurrected friend, but trying to contain it.

"How the hell are you alive?" Hope asked, letting go of Mazikeen's hand as she approached the Hale. Mazikeen was frozen in place for a moment, her eyes looking over the Hale before she looked away.

"I... It's a long story." Jade admitted, "But I'm here and I need to find my mum and Jesse... and now my supposedly injured alpha." The Hale spoke, though from what she had heard, she could only assume that Jed had been attacked by the monster that went after Ben.

❤︎

"Jade Adelina Hale!" Molly blurted, before she rushed to hug her daughter. Jesse took no time in rushing to hug the pair too, as a Hale group hug.

"How... how is this happening? Are you really alive?" Molly asked, feeling like with everything going on, she could truly be hallucinating.

"I'm really here, Mama. It's all thanks to Landon, actually." Jade confessed, with a sad smile. At the mention of his late boyfriend, Jesse felt a sadness swell in his chest, as he missed the Kirby so much.

"I can't believe my family is whole again." Molly choked out, tears stinging her eyes as she hugged her kids again. "This is all I could have ever asked for." She said in hardly a whisper. Jesse and Jade both were teary eyed now, feeling similarly.

Hope and Maze, who were standing by the doorway, now entered the room as Hope spoke, "How sweet. Now did you want to see your injured alpha or not?" Mazikeen gave a shrug, "I think we should put the injured pooch out of his misery." She insisted, though this earned a glare from the Hales.

Moments later the group approached Jed and Ben, as Ben refused to leave Jed's side. "Father.." The Tien whispered in his sleep.

"Oh boy, Daddy issues." Hope stated as Mazikeen snorted in amusement, "Jed and I have more in common than we realised." The Parker stated, before looking down at her black nails.

Hope rolled her eyes playfully before she grabbed Mazikeen's hand with her own, again. "That's never good, trust me. I think it's time that you man up and jam my proposal through the Super Squad Senate, because if I don't kill this monster, Jed's only going to get worse." The tribrid explained.

"Describe what attacked you again." Maze demanded, looking to Ben. "It was terrifying." The god began. "Unlike anything I've ever seen before, and I've seen my fair share of monsters. I would have let it consume me, but I had to get Jed back."

"Good thing you did." MG spoke up, as he entered the room along with Wade, Azazel and Ari. "Help has arrived." The Greasley added.

Ari came to a halt, seeing Jade. "J.. Jade?" She blurted, as the Hale turned to her best friend and smiled softly. The Mae then rushed forward and threw her arms around Jade, as she hugged her. With tear filled eyes, Jade hugged back.

MG also stopped, as he smiled upon seeing the Hale again. "Is this the monster you saw?" He then asked, turning back to Ben with a book in hand.

"Very much so. What is that hideous thing?" Ben asked as Wade answered cautiously, "A clown. S...Scariest monster ever!"

"There was just enough of what you said about it for us to make the connection." MG declared proudly before his face fell, "Though now that I have, I kind of wish I was wrong."

"I have never seen one... are they actually as scary as everyone is making it out to be?" Azazel asked, before everyone answered in unison, "YES!"

"How does one kill a clown?" Ben asked as Hope laughed to herself, "I ask myself that question a lot lately." Before she concluded, "It's simple. You don't. I do."

Ben then approached Hope, an unfriendly expression on his face. Mazikeen shot the god a glare, and took a step infront of the tribrid.

Ben and Maze glared at one another for a long second, neither wanting to back down so instead Ben looked over Mazikeen's shoulder and at Hope. "It is your fault that Jed is hurt." He stated.

Ben then approached Molly, passing by Jade and Ari who were still holding one another while Ari questioned how the heck Jade was alive.

"Headmaster Hale, I know we've only just met, but wherever I go, the monster will follow." Ben explained to Molly, as the vampire seemed a little surprised by the Headmaster title.

"You're not gonna be going anywhere, my sweet boy. I put a barrier spell up around the school, so we're all stuck here on the grounds with Bozo." Molly explained, which kept the clown away from civilians, though it obviously meant that Molly and the students would have to deal with it.

"I am impervious to magic. You cannot hold me here, and I think it best I flee as far from the school as possible." Ben finally decided.

Mazikeen and Hope shared a look, before Mazikeen's eyes blacken over as she looks at Ben. He goes to leave before Molly could stop him, but ran straight into an invisible wall, making a loud thud noise.

Ben may be impervious to regular magic, but something about the magic that came from Mazikeen's darkness seemed to work on the god.

Mazikeen's eyes return to their normal colour as she let out a wicked laugh, catching everyone's attention. "Oh no, not the crazy laugh." MG said quietly.

Hope took this opportunity to rush towards a dazed Ben, and snap his neck. The god soon laid on the floor, as she looked around at everyone's unproud expressions.. except for Mazikeen's of course.

❤︎

After taking out the clown with the help of Cleo especially, everyone was quite scarred that Mazikeen had decapitated it first, using her dark magic.

Despite its head and body being separated, the clown still hadn't been officially killed. Cleo had to kill it using a frozen blade.

"That was disgusting." Jade spat, approaching Maze in the gymnasium. "You just traumatised everyone... and for what, your dark theatrics?" The Hale asked, keeping on Maze's trail as the dark witch tried to ignore her.

"God would you stop complaining? You were so much less annoying when you were dead." The ravenette grumbled. "This is me now, and if you don't like it then I don't know what to tell you." Maze responded as Jade grit her teeth in annoyance before she reached out and grabbed the Parker by the wrist. Maze stopped walking and spun around.

"This isn't you, and I'm not giving up on the real you. None of us are." Jade insisted, keeping her eyes on Maze as the Parker kept a glare on her best friend.

"Is everything okay?" Ari asked, entering the gymnasium now, her eyes on her best friends. Mazikeen ripped her arm out of Jade's grip before her eyes darted between the pair with a faux smile.

"Look here... the best friend squad all back together again." Maze said, before she clapped her hands together. An uncomfortableness filled the air as Ari approached Jade.

"Except were we ever best friends? You just wanted to get in my pants." Maze began, looking at Jade before her eyes turned to Ari. "And you dropped me for my sister the first second you had."

If the atmosphere could get anymore uncomfortable, it certainly did.

"You know that is not true..." Jade scowled, looking at Maze. "You're just lashing out to make us hate you... but it's not working."

"You know Ari dropped you too, Jade after supposedly being in love with you... have you heard about her trouble in parathrice?" Mazikeen asked, looking back to Jade now, wondering if she was aware of Ari's relationship with Finch and Josie, although Josie had ended things when she left the school.

Ari's jaw dropped, and guiltily she looked to the Hale, who was already looking at her. "Ar, you don't have to explain. I died, it was only expected you'd move on eventually—"

"I thought I heard trouble." Hope spoke, now standing in the doorway to the gymnasium, making Jade and Ari jump.

"...My little Bo peep and her two annoying sheep." The tribrid spoke, her eyes passing an offended Jade and Ari before they landed on Mazikeen, with a somewhat loving expression.

"Everything is fine. They're just mad I ruined their circus." Mazikeen shrugged nonchalantly, as she walked past Jade and Ari to approach Hope. Hope gave her girlfriend a tight lipped smile before she reached out to take Mazikeen's hand.

The pair then left the gymnasium, leaving a very frustrated Jade and Ari.

Jade's breath hitched in her throat before she finally spoke, "I... don't know what to do, Ari." Ari turned to the werewolf, "Landon would know how to bring Mazikeen back, but I have no idea." The brunette spoke, her eyes fixed in the distance.

"Hey..." Ari spoke softly, approaching the taller girl. "It should have been Landon, Ar... it shouldn't have been me... I don't know what I'm fucking doing." The Hale rambled on.

"Jade!" Ari huffed, her hands on Jade's shoulders now. "Don't put this all on your shoulders, okay? Maze is in too deep... I... I really think this is something we're all going to have to do together." She explained, as Jade nodded, through tear filled eyes. 

❤︎

After a heated hook up with Hope in their shared dorm, Mazikeen found herself sitting outside on a bench. Basking in the fresh air and last of the sunshine, the Parker enjoyed being alone, as it was all Dark Maze wanted.

"Hey... mind if I sit?"

But wasn't going to get for long, it seemed.

Maze turned her head to see Azazel, and shook her head. With that, the brunette sat down beside her. "I spoke to Mum... she's really worried about us so I'm sorta expecting her to show up sometime."

"Oh great, did you tell her about the gods?" Maze asked as Azazel opened his mouth to say no, but his expression gave himself away. "Oh Azzie, you sweet fool... she's definitely going to show up here now." Maze admitted, a little amused.

"I don't know anyone else... I guess I kind of tell Mum and Dad everything." Azazel replied, scratching the back of his head. "That's lame." Maze replied, surprising her twin.

"Look... if you want to socialise and make friends... the students here are annoying but, I think they'd like you." Mazikeen spoke in her usual monotony voice, that she'd used ever since accepting the darkness.

"I... I think that would be nice. They seem like cool people but... I just don't exactly know how to make friends." Azazel rambled on, as Maze listened. "Well, fortunately for you they're annoyingly friendly so... go say hello and I'm sure somebody will talk to you and.. want to be your friend." She explained, patting Azzie on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Maze." Azazel said with a smile, as Mazikeen responded with a tight lipped smile. The boy then leant his head on his sister's shoulder, as Maze didn't refuse it.

❤︎

Departing from Mazikeen, who planned to either spend her night alone or with Hope, Azazel was approaching the common room, hoping to talk to the other students.

Walking through the doorway, he saw MG, Jesse and Kaleb sitting on one couch, whilst Cleo, Finch and Clarissa sat on another. Jed, Ben, Jade and Ari were no where to be seen.

"Hi." Azazel awkwardly waved, as everyone turned to look at him. "Hey Azazel, come to join us?" Clary asked, with a smile. "Uh... if you don't mind." The Parker replied awkwardly.

"Of course not... come take a seat." The O'Connell insisted, as Azazel nodded before he walked over to the empty couch and took a seat.

"So... is it true that you spent your whole life in the prison world?" MG asked, as Azazel nodded. "Yeah... I basically did, so I have the social skills of a pebble—"

Azazel stopped as everyone started to laugh at his awkwardness, that was everyone except Finch. "They're not laughing at you personally, they're laughing at what you said." She assured him, hoping to make him feel better, even though she did find his comment amusing. "It does feel like I'm being laughed at.." Azazel admitted awkwardly, as he scratched the back of his head.

"What do you think of the real world?" Jesse asked, signing with his hands, while Clarissa translated for the deaf werewolf. "Uh... it's definitely overwhelming. I mean— it does seem fun! It's just, a lot." The brunette responded, while Clary signed for Jesse to understand.

Jade and Ari then entered the room, Finch's face lighting up upon seeing her girlfriend. Cleo noticed this and got off of the couch from beside Finch, to offer her spot to Ari. The Sowande moved to sit beside Azazel instead.

Ari approached the couch where Clary and Finch sat, and took a seat between them. The brunette turned and placed a kiss on Finch's cheek, before the Tarrayo then leant her head on the witch's shoulder as Ari placed her arm around her.

Jade instead took the free seat beside Cleo, as the Sowande realised they hadn't met yet. "Hi, I'm Cleo." The muse spoke, with a smile. "Nice to meet you, I'm Jade. I uh... used to be a student here but I... died."

"I saw your grave on the school grounds." Cleo awkwardly inputted. "I always thought it was sad that you died young... but you received a second chance at life." She said, trying to seem optimistic.

"Yeah... I consider myself to be really lucky." Jade responded, although Cleo could notice the tinge of sadness in her voice. "But I left somebody else behind." The Hale added.

"Landon?" Cleo asked, as Jade sadly nodded. "He helped inspire me which played a part in helping to escape Malivore... he was really kind." She added as Jade nodded, "That is Landon.." The Hale trailed off, before looking over at Jesse who was laughing along with MG and Kaleb about something.Even though the werewolf boy looked happy, everyone knew he hadn't truly been happy since he lost Landon.

"Can I ask... what do you mean by needing inspiration?" Jade asked, as Cleo nodded, happy to give a bit of lore on her species. "I'm a species of witch, called a muse. I can create spells but I also can provide others with inspiration. When I met Landon, I lacked inspiration of my own." She explained a little. "Oh... that's really cool." Jade responded.

As time passed, everyone slowly dispersed, beginning with Ari and Finch who left hand in hand, then Kaleb and Jesse soon left also, followed by Jade and Cleo who wanted to make some hot cocoa per Jade's request.

Now in the common room remained Clary, Azazel and MG. "So how did you... become a dragon? Were you born like that?" Azazel asked Clarissa, as the O'Connell looked to him. "Oh uh... Malivore actually turned me into one." The blonde said as Azazel looked confused, "What is Malivore?"

"It's a hell dimension... well, it was. We defeated it." MG spoke up, as he was laying sprawled out on the couch with a comic book in his hands.

"Wow... the real world is strange." Azazel admitted awkwardly, as Clary and MG laughed. "Yeah... you don't say." Clarissa said, getting to her feet. "I'm gonna facetime Lizzie before I go to sleep... so i'll see you guys later." The dragon declared.

"Okay, goodnight Clary." Azazel said, as MG also wished her goodnight before the blonde left the two boys alone.

With the couch closest to MG being vacant, Azazel decided to get up and plonk himself into it, so he was closer to the vampire. "What is that?" The Parker then asked, pointing to the comic in MG's hands.

"Oh, this? It's a comic book!" MG piped up, before sitting up so he could show the siphon witch the pages. "And these are the characters? They look really cool." Azazel admitted, seeming really interested in the comics.

"Did they not have comics in the prison world?" MG asked, as Azazel shook his head, "There were a lot of these old classical books but no comics... they look a lot more interesting than Gone with the wind." The Parker admitted as MG chuckled.

Seeing the interest, MG was happy to explain the comic series to his new friend, which turned into him sharing the entire lore of the DCU... the vampire rambled on for hours, and Azazel didn't complain once... in fact he was completely interested.

Perhaps Azazel wasn't just interested in the comics and the DC universe... but the nerdy vampire who was educating him about it.