Chapter Summary: Paranoid and cautious the group bands together to try to protect Thatch from any more attacks, but they're planning was all wrong.

Mantha was already in the hall waiting for them. She was even pacing around so Casper could see something major was on her mind. But, she was refusing to speak. She only guided them to the cafeteria quickly, and Casper didn't question it. Yes, he was concerned, but he knew Mantha would tell them once they all sat down. So they grabbed their trays from the lunch ... thing. Casper still had no clue what to classify it as. A big purple monster. That's all he could figure out.

Casper was happy to see they even sat in the same order as the day before. Ra, Mantha, and Slither on one side while he and Thatch got the other. The way they positioned themselves was so Casper and Thatch had their backs to the wall while the others had their backs to the rest of the room, as to shield them and so no one could sneak up on the couple.

Once again Thatch wasn't eating, and it was of concern to Casper. Thatch didn't even look at his food. He had just set his tray down and actually scootched it more towards Slither. It was of great concern, but then Casper tried to brush it off to Thatch being a vampire. The monster of the night had claimed the food wasn't as nutritious as blood, and Thatch did have animal blood over the weekend. Maybe he simply didn't need to eat. Casper couldn't linger on Thatch for long before Mantha was itching to talk now that they were all sitting and the room was filled with the talking of other students. With such noise, people couldn't hear what they were saying.

"Guys, we need to watch Thatch today," She warned lightly. Everyone was listening more, confused at her words of warning. "I heard Dummy Girl whispering to Harpy and Triclops last night. I couldn't hear the details- I should have thrown my ear- but they're planning something. Dummy Girl is planning something to hurt Thatch again, I'm sure of it. They were plotting to hurt him in Dr. Burns class."

"Well, that's right after this," Ra muttered softly, looking at the vampire. The mummy was already fiddling with his necklace, turning it over between his fingers, something he always did when nervous. Thatch sunk back in his seat. He looked upset, but at the same time somewhat understanding as to why he was the target. Everyone hated him...

"So they're wanting more revenge on me? Fine. Let them try." He hissed softly, but his voice sounded so weak compared to any other time. He probably hadn't fully recovered from yesterday.

"Thatch no, you got so sick yesterday," Casper spoke comfortingly, leaning against the vampire's side to capture his complete attention, and it worked. The vampire smiled gently and wrapped an arm around his ghost boyfriend, nuzzling close to the other. Casper tried not to smirk. He was learning exactly what Thatch needed and how to fulfill his need for acceptance and love. It was so cute. "We'll look out for you Thatch, right guys?" Casper directed the question to everyone at the table.

"I'll be upfront today." Mantha reminded. "So I'll be facing the class. No way I don't see them going for Thatch. Maybe you shouldn't wear your cloak though," she offered lightly. Thatch defensively raised his hand, clutching the bat clasp around his neck and his eyes narrowed. "Hey hey calm down, just a suggestion. That's how they got you last time."

"I know," he muttered after a few tense moments. Casper could understand why Thatch was on edge and defensive. He had a huge target on his back. Thatch clicked the clasp open, letting his cloak fall from his shoulders. He caught it before it touched the ground and he neatly placed it in his lap while he removed the clasp itself, slipping it into his pants pocket for safekeeping. "If you think it'll help then... okay." He agreed with the zombie. Certainly, something new, what a great change!

"Ok so Mantha is our eyes, but we got to take extra steps," Ra muttered. "Thatch sit by me today. I sit middle front."

"What? That's dumb..." Slither hissed. "You're putting him in the middle?"

"Exactly. Everyone can see him." Ra grinned. "And Casper said pretty much everyone is on our side. If anyone tries to do anything to Thatch again we'll all see this time." Ra explained. Slither settled back again, mulling over the plan carefully before he simply nodded. "Ok, good. Slither you will sit with Casper this class."

"I want to be close to Thatch." The snake muttered.

"Ok, sure whatever. Casper mind taking the corner?" Ra asked. The ghost just shrugged. He wanted to be close to Thatch, but he knew Slither had extendable arms that could reach to defend Thatch as a last resort. Casper wanted to be out of the way so the other could do that. So he'll go far top left with Slither to his right. It'll all be fine. Thatch would sit to the left of Ra, placed nicely between Slither and the mummy. Everything was planned perfectly. With Thatch placed so close to the center Mantha would be right in front of him. No one would touch the vampire today!

"We're so smart." Ra grinned cockily. Mantha tried not to let her eyes roll out of her head. "Nothing will get past us."

~~~

Everything was set up so perfectly. They had finished their breakfasts (expect Thatch) and all rushed to Dr. Burn's class to get their planned seats. Thatch kept his cloak off as planned, just having it rest in his lap as he got his notebook and fountain pen out. Casper could see he and Ra were very stiff next to each other, both of then bumping into each other as they set up their stuff, and both unsure whether to pass an insult or say sorry. So neither of them spoke. Honestly, they were a headache.

Casper sat to the left of Slither, and he was happy to see the snake monster was sinking down in his seat and back so Casper didn't have to lean to look around him. It was a small but thoughtful gesture nonetheless. He was glad he was able to break Slither out of his shell.

Casper took a calming breath and got his notebook and pen out to take notes, but he was just so nervous. Dummy Girl would pay for this. How dare she attack Thatch, two days in a row as well! It made his blood, even if he had none, boil. As students filed in Casper kept looking behind them, careful to see who all sat around them. To his surprise, Dummy Girl and Triclops sat in the very back of the class. Harpy was sitting behind Casper, and from what the ghost noted she was all fluffed up and upset, her feathers all ruffled. Maybe she got into a fight with Dummy Girl and Triclops? Harpy certainly looked upset... Did Harpy back out of the plan and get yelled at by the other two? Perhaps... But now that Harpy seemed out of the picture that just meant they could focus more on Triclops and Dummy Girl.

Wolfie and Fly Boy were actually behind Thatch and Ra, and it brought comfort to Casper. Casper rose from his seat and went over to their table, weakly smiling. "Hey guys," he whispered softly. "Listen, don't ask questions but... I think there's going to be another attack on Thatch. Don't let anyone behind him, ok? Just nod." He instructed gently. Only Fly Boy listened and nodded.

"I'll bite off anyone's hand that tries anything!" He growled, showing off his teeth proudly. Casper couldn't repress his smile.

"Thanks, guys." He said and went back to his seat. At Slither's odd look Casper just shrugged and brushed it off. He didn't feel like explaining that he got Fly Boy and Wolfie on their side. When their teacher walked in is when Casper really started to feel nervous. The class was starting now. Any moment an attack could happen. Mantha was called up to the front of the class, just as planned. She moved and stood right in front of Thatch as she went on about how zombies were once the most feared creatures, and how all her limbs still worked even when removed and such. Many people brushed zombies off as outdated and boring as Thatch did, but they were still terrifying. Casper had a feeling Thatch was only harsh on Mantha because vampires, mummies, and zombies were all the living dead, and in a way, all had to compete with each other. With mummies being rarer there was a little worry with Ra, but Mantha would be a threat.

Zombies VS Vampires. A very interesting dynamic. Casper took notes dutifully, his eyes drifting from Mantha and then to Thatch. He couldn't help but smile every time he and Thatch met each other's gaze. Seems Thatch wasn't fully paying attention to Mantha as well. Casper wanted to of course but he had a duty as Thatch's... boyfriend to protect him. It was so thrilling to consider himself the vampire's boyfriend. He just wanted to shout it out to the world. But, he kept it contained and just tried not to blush as he wrote down what Mantha said and Dr. Burns said. She was much more talkative than Slither, and thus they got a lot more information.

He wrote, a gentle smile on his lips as he watched the black ink flow smoothly out of his pen, but not as smooth as Thatch looked. Maybe he should get a fountain pen, or he could always just... borrow Thatch's. He was sure the vampire wouldn't mind it.

Casper tried to mimic Thatch with his own normal pen. The smooth black lines flowed across the white, following Casper's careful writing, until the ghost gasped in pain, clutching the pen and yanking his arms close to his body so quickly he left a long black streak all the way down the page, actually ripping it from how harsh he had pressed down on the pen when he retracted his arms. Pain filled his body and he gasped despite having no lungs, his vision filled with red. Pain filled him and he couldn't even tell why or where the pain was radiating from, but he could feel it most intense at his core, leaving him utterly helpless.

Casper could only see red, and despite his ever-present need to be quiet he let out a pained cry, curling in on himself in his chair, his body trembling. He started to feel lightheaded and dizzy, swaying as his vision blurred. He couldn't make out much, a hand, or arm... Oh, it was Slither. Slither was reaching out and grabbing the ghost to steady him. Casper felt like collapsing, but at the same time, the pain that shot through his body kept him wide awake to feel every terrible wave.

Yelling was in the room, full-blown panic. Something was thrown over him and Casper was jumbled around, moving. He could feel his body being passed to someone other than Slither, actual hands gripped him tightly and he could feel the movement, each action making him ache... but then, the pain faded like he was given a painkiller. Whatever that was on him was removed from over his head and Casper could see just fine. He was in Thatch's arm, the cloak draped over his body still from where the vampire had just thrown it on the ghost. Thatch was backed into a corner at the far side of the room, his eyes wild-looking as he held Casper to his chest, his back pressed against the stone wall.

Casper turned his head slowly and looked towards the class, spotting Mantha actually fighting Dummy Girl. Hair pulling, kicking, yelling- oh and Mantha just lost an arm. But now that detached arm was grabbing Dummy Girl's string on her back just to piss her off. Looked like a nasty fight.

Harpy was crying from her seat, using her wings to cover her eyes as Ra uncertainly comforted her, but Casper could see the disgust on his face. Ra was pissed. Why was Ra mad at Harpy? What happened?

Slither was holding something- a flower. It had a black stem that reflected light in a purple glow. The flower, well the bud was red. The plant hadn't bloomed yet. It reminded Casper of a red rose, a weird monster style red rose perhaps?

It was letting off some sort of red mist, a lot of it. The mist seemed to cling to whatever. It was fuming around Casper's seat, and now around Slither since he was holding it up as Dr. Burns inspected it. It was only then Casper noticed that Harpy was surrounded by the red mist...

She did this? Harpy...

"Foul bird... I'll pluck her and maketh her a stuffed turkey." Thatch hissed, his voice dripping with venom. Casper frowned, looking back at the enraged vampire. He then noticed just how tight Thatch was holding him- it hurt but nothing like what that flower did. Casper leaned against Thatch's chest, letting his head rest there as he sighed softly.

"I'm ok... Don't be mad. She's filled with guilt and that's enough. Look, she's crying..."

"Her drops of sorrow are obsolete. I shall alloweth her to suffer in her own sorrows, but the lady deserves worse." Casper tried not to smile. He could hear a bit of an accent, or something when Thatch spoke. "The lady is nothing but a foul beast, a monster with nay morals or cares for those 'round her. To attacketh the innocent-"

"You sound like a dusty book."

"I'm pissed!" Thatch snapped. Casper tried not to laugh. So in great times of extreme emotions Thatch would revert to old English? That was so confusing but ever so funny. It made Casper feel better, to smile and laugh. Now Thatch wasn't talking like an old dusty man at least. It reminded the ghost of Ms. Krimzon with her wheezy voice like a deflating tire. If Thatch ever ended up like that, it certainly would be a sight.

"I can see that," Casper mumbled softly, then simply rested. He felt exhausted. He was also terribly confused. What was that thing? He knew there were few things that could hurt ghosts. Even in Ra's monster card games ghosts were 'OP' as the mummy put it. Overpowered or whatever in the system, but that was just how ghosts were. But if ghosts were so powerful, then what the heck was that thing!?

Dr. Burns refused to touch the flower, just leaning close to exam it and ordered Slither to turn it anyways he pleased. "Exactly what I thought... Blood Blossom. This plant is forbidden in the Underworld, and extinct in the fleshie world." He noted, his eyes narrowing as smoke rose from his nostrils. His eyes went to Harpy who was shaking and crying. "Where did you get it!" He yelled. The student couldn't respond, too deep in her tears. "Slither, toss that flower into the fire at once!" He ordered.

The serpent monster nodded and he moved towards the teacher's bunsen burner, but as he moved closer he looked at Thatch. Thatch's eyes narrowed and he shook his head. Slither pretended to throw it into the flames, when he actually slipped it up his sleeve, out of sight.

"Thatch...?" Casper whispered.

"It's evidence. I'll find a way to pin this on Dummy Girl. Harpy was only a pawn." Thatch hissed. "And if it means planting this evidence back onto Dummy Girl herself, then so be it." The vampire decided. "Don't worry, I'll never let it get near you again, I swear. Slither is going to go seal it away in a jar, it'll be controlled then." He tried to smile. Casper couldn't return it.

With the Blood Blossom 'disposed' of it was only then Dr. Burns saw Dummy Girl and Mantha still fighting. Mantha had lost a leg now, and Dummy Girl was desperately trying to crawl away from the zombie, who was clearly winning the fight.

"Triclops! Get this dead freak off!" Dummy Girl ordered. Triclops looked to Mantha, then her gaze went over to Casper. Oh, she hated Thatch, but she liked Casper. Casper always helped her...

"Deal with your own problems. This is your fault," she said coldly. "Now Harpy is taking the fall." She scoffed, and Triclops placed her boot on Dummy Girl's face and shoved her back into Mantha before she walked away. Mantha managed to wrestle Dummy Girl down and pin her to the stone floor now.

"Girls... GIRLS!" Dr. Burns yelled as he walked over. "What is this all this fighting, Mantha release her at once!"

"She did it! It was all Dummy Girl!"

"It's not me, it's Harpy!" Dummy Girl lied swiftly. "You can see the red mist all around her, it's clearly her, I'm innocent! Mantha attacked me for no reason."

"Mantha! Detention!" Dr. Burns roared, separating the two students. He gave them both a glare, assuring they wouldn't attack each other before he went back to Harpy, taking the guilty student out of class to go face the Headmasters.

Mantha growled, reattaching her missing limbs before she looked around, spotting Thatch and Casper in the corner. She walked over but stopped when Thatch hissed, showing his teeth and clutching to Casper tightly. Casper softly whined, looking up at the vampire.

"Thatch? It's Mantha..." He mumbled, trying to assure the vampire it was all ok. The violet-eyed monster glared at the zombie, but after a few moments, he nodded.

"I was... She has no red on her that I can see."

"Yes Thatch, I'm safe." She comforted, holding her hands up in a peaceful manner. She moved over and Thatch allowed it now. Thatch was still careful to watch her, but she was never once near the Blood Blossom so none of the red mist clung to her, like it was doing to Ra, Slither and Casper's seat. "Let's get you back to the dorms."

"But class?" Casper weakly whined.

"Class canceled, I don't care. If they tell us to return to class we can all say we're ill or some crap." Mantha grumbled. Thatch nodded in agreement. The zombie led the way, clearing the path for Thatch and Casper, even holding doors since Thatch's hands were full. Ra waved goodbye, seeming to understand to stay away, despite the fact he was normally immature. He didn't want to hurt Casper, and since he had that red mist clinging to him the mummy couldn't even follow his best friends.

"I messed up..." Mantha whispered as they walked down the hall. She looked to Thatch and Casper, then averted her gaze in shame. "I thought they were going after you, Thatch... I should have thrown my dumb ear. If only I had listened more..."

"Mantha," Thatch carefully started. "You warned us something was going to happen in the first place. Without you, we would have been completely off guard. You would have been standing further away, unable to help- all of us would have had our guard down." He explained. "Slither wouldn't have spotted the Blood Blossom as quickly as he did." He smiled, then nudged Casper. "Right?"

"I actually don't remember much.... It just hurt a lot." Casper muttered. Thatch quickly nodded in understanding.

"Mantha wanna tell him what you saw? You would have seen everything."

"Yeah... Well." She started. "I was watching Thatch and Dummy Girl as planned. I saw her wave to Harpy. She pulled out a jar and just tossed the flower under your seat Casper." She explained simply, nervously removing her pointer finger and reattaching it as she walked. "When you curled in so fast you scared Slither half to death I think- he nearly fell back out of his seat. He didn't even try to catch himself honestly, he just grabbed you and lifted you up as he hit the floor. I think he hit his head, we should check on that. From the floor, he spotted the flower. Thatch by then had risen up and put his cloak over you and Slither passed you to Thatch so he could handle the flower. Ra was about to hit Harpy until he saw her crying so... And I attacked Dummy Girl while Thatch backed himself into a corner. That's all."

"See? In the end, you were our eyes." Casper softly smiled. "We messed up the plan, so what? We trusted each other and worked well together." Casper said firmly. Yeah, he was sore and tired, but he was still positive. They had each other and that's all that mattered.

Trust, loyalty, and love.