Chapter Text
-Chapter One-
“NO!” a large blue gargoyle screams, slamming his hand down on the desk with a sharp bang before sweeping everything he had on it onto the ground in one swift move. “Enough of the same old acts that get the same old views I need something fresh! Something to draw in views..” deliberately he gets up from behind the desk to step on a few new files that had been handed to him on the world's latest hits in music. Hacks, all of them. “Denise, get in here!” a young voodoo doll woman hurrys into the now messy room.
“Yes sir?” she asked meekly. Her main fabric was a dirty gray color contrasting nicely with her purple ‘hair’ she had pulled into a messy bun. She wore an orangish pink dress that matched her slightly mismatched button eyes almost perfectly.
“Scour the internet! We need stars! Something new and exciting- something that’ll drag in audiences!” He rants, passionately gesturing as he speaks. “Recruit at least ten new monsters internationally by next week. My competition will not fall in ratings you hear?!”
“But sir! When i find them-!”
“Bring them in immediately! Along with the staff- and clean my office!” The gargoyle strides out of the said office and down an expensive looking hallway still somewhat fuming leaving his assistant alone to clean and search with a submissive ‘yes sir!’
Denice rushes back to her own workspace, searching frantically on social media for any musical rising stars her boss might like.
‘Sky walker overnight guitarist sensation from Oregon.’
“His voice is like an angel's!” a fan claims….
After watching a video or two along with reading through the original article she came across the purple haired doll puts Mr. Walker on the list, quickly moving along. After hours of searching and maybe a small bit of overtime due to the high maintenance search and her normal duties she finally gets to the number nine. Now only one slot was left.. Just one more and then she could go home and rest. Sleepily she clicks on another random recommended video she normally wouldn't have ever glanced at titled, ‘DJ Hyde performs live!’
30,980 views…and it was only posted a day ago. Interesting…
She turned the volume of her computer up, almost instantly being assaulted with heavy synth beats mashed up geniusly and perfectly with other songs, the transitions were so smooth she barely knew where one song began and the other ended. To top it off it sounded like the remix was somehow completely original despite the fact other artists' music was present. When the video ended she anxiously clicked on the next one that popped up, now fully awake. After a few more videos of mashup party nights and even what sounded like an original song or two Denise added the name ‘DJ Holt Hyde.’ to her list. She sent copies of the list to ten others and her boss, assigning the managers and bodyguards to her chosen picks as she saw fit before she signed out of the computer all together with a happy sigh. Finally she had finished, the national music competition had their selected talent. Now she could sleep..
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A flaming blue monster strolled through the halls of monster high, softly humming to some song currently playing through his headphones as he tried his best to tune out the anxious thoughts from his other half that decided to invade their mind. Holt Hyde sighed in annoyance at the newest one.
What if we were getting suspended? Or detention or expelled?! What did you do holt?!
“Me? I didn't do a damn thing.” the fire elemental hissed under his breath, why did Jackson always assume he did something?!
Because it's always you! I can't remember a time when we were called to the headmistresses office for something I did.
Jackie did have a point there…the normie usually flew under most monsters' radar, only ever getting in trouble because of either bullies or Holt himself. “I'm innocent this time,” he muttered grumpily. He really didn't do anything this time, honest!
Oh- come on! He could practically feel Jackson's mental eyebrow raise in disbelief from the back of Holt's mind causing him to uncharacteristically flush with embarrassment.
“Shut up…” with that last verbal answer to his jekyll half, Holt strolled right into the headmistresses office without knocking like she usually insisted. “Hey hey hey headmistress! You wanted to see me?” Holt flopped down on one of the two chairs in front of Bloodgood's desk, trying to seem casual to hide the fact that Jackson might have unnerved him a little bit. Holt knew that neither of them did anything wrong, their grades were fine- Jackson made sure of that, bullies largely left them alone the entire week, Holt's been behaving to Jackson's enjoyment, He really couldn't think of any reason they needed to be called into principals office.
The headmistress stared at him with a blank expression for a few moments, probably deciding whether or not to address Holt's ‘disrespectful’ entrance. Honestly she could be such a prude sometimes…
“Mr. Hyde." she began, her hands clasped professionally in front of her. “I have just been informed that-” oh so we were skipping over the mild reprimanding he usually got? Odd… wait he was supposed to be paying attention!
“-You have been chosen by a Mr. Ian Stone of scary screams productions to compete in the MNMC!” she exclaimed, letting the false professionalism to fall in her excitement for him. Or rather what this could mean for the school now that a student was chosen.
Holt swore he felt his brain short circuit for a second. The monster national music competition was a very big deal in the music world. Hell, it was a very big deal to him! He and technically Jackson too grew up watching the competition when it aired, never missing an episode. Winning the competition meant you were the best artist of your generation in the world, even being selected could skyrocket a mansters career almost overnight! Not to mention the huge cash rewards, babes, and all the music deals he’d get even if he lost! Holt didn't even know how this Mr. Stone dude even knew who he was, He was just some underground club DJ for Satan's sake! But he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“What?! Yea-ah! Finally someone recognizes the talent of the best DJ at monster high!” he preened with an enthusiastic yell and grin. purposefully overlooking the fact that he was monster highs only dj…
Congratulations Holt! Jack piped up, he seemed happy for his other half but Holt could detect some bitterness hidden in the tone. Although he knew it was probably because the music meant his twin was to stay locked up in the back of their mind while Holt got to run around freely for a week at the very least. Holt didn't hold it against him. Not when he was likely to be in the same position when Jackson got his science career to take off somewhere after high school. Holt just got his dream first, if only for a little bit.
“Mr. Stone has sent your bodyguard assigned to you for the contest here to collect you, she said you are to leave at once." Bloodgood gestured to the office door right as some professional looking ghoul around his age strode right in, as if she was waiting for her cue to enter.
The ghoul was made of a faded blue stone that complemented her brown eyes nicely. Her hair was cut short, to just under her jaw while two longer red chunks in the front seemed almost shoulder length. In her navy blue hair were two gray-black horns twisted up and back modestly. On her shoulders and on the tips of her pointed ears light green freckles dotted her skin, looking almost like moss. She would have looked a lot like a gargoyle if it weren't for the large Eight insect-like wings protruding from her back, four on top four on the bottom. Her wings were tri-colored, lilac and black dominated mainly but an orangish red clung to the edges of the wings as if to further highlight them. She wore black fingerless gloves, showing off her pointed fingers, a professional dark purple and black suit minus the blazer, and what looked like specifically crafted brown boots that had green sprayed around the tops as if to resemble the moss freckles she naturally had. All in all she was pretty. At least in Holt's opinion. Jackson might have thought similarly or approved of something if the positive little tingle in the back of his head was anything to go by.
She seemed to be some hybrid type of monster if her appearance was anything to go by. Probably mixed between a gargoyle and a fae.
‘How do you know?’ Holt thought back, jackson hummed.
Just based on her features. He stated simply, not offering much more in explanation. He knew Holt didn't need more, he already understood.
“Pleasure to meet you Mr. Hyde.” the winged bodyguard spoke, knocking him out of his thoughts. “I am Roxxanne mortar-”
“Why would I need a bodyguard?” Holt cut her off, genuinely curious, although committing the name to memory.
“Not only do fans get…excited enough to be rather grabby we at scary screams productions would rather not run the risk of things like sabotage, hired attacks, and more. All of which have happened before.”
He guessed that made sense, although he could tell it made Jackson feel nervous.
“Because of these reasons I will rarely ever leave your side for the entire week.”
Oh he could deal with that, holt was not ashamed to admit to himself he would definitely be hitting on her later. He felt Jackson groan at him despite his own feelings. The nerd could suck it up, Holt usually had to when he was being a dork.
“A week with you sounds like a week in monster heaven doll.” he attempted to charm, showing off his signature flirty smirk.
“You won't reach heaven after dying in embarrassment from that line.” she sassed, somehow still appearing professional. “While it is a pleasure to meet you I’d appreciate it if you would collect your things Mr.Hyde, your family have already been notified of your new involvement.”
Her comment made him do a double take, he wasn't used to being responded to like that. He was used to a giggle or a look of disgust from his target, not almost indifferent sass and an order. It was a welcomed change..sorta. Holt had to admit his interest was peaked with this one.
He took her hand in his own with surprising tenderness, leaning down in a mock bow and kissing the top of it. “The pleasure is all mine~” he flirted.
She snorted in amusement, even raising an eyebrow as if to ask an unimpressed ‘Really?’ but showing no signs of discomfort or even interest in him. Just…indiffrent amusement.
Madam Bloodgood coughs, shattering the moment before the bodyguard could respond, if she even planned to.
“You and Jackson will be dismissed from your classes this week Mr. Hyde, have fun in your competition.” the headless headmistress of the school gestured for them to leave.
“No problemo, thanks bloodgood!” he yelled back at her as he followed his new bodyguard out and into the hall, making their way to the parking lot.
“Do you need to grab anything from the school before we leave?” Roxxanne asked after a few moments of silence, holding the front door open for him.
“Nope!” he said cheerily.
We should tell our friends, we wouldn't want them to worry.
“Good idea.” he whispered back, pulling out his phone. “Say cheese!”
He swung an arm around the girl and snapped a quick photo, posting it on his instagram with the label ‘Guess who got invited to the MNMC!!! #newbodyguard!!’. In the photo Roxanne seemed mildly surprised at the camera being shoved into her face, looking as if she were about to punch the phone right out of his hand while he was off to the right looking as excited and upbeat as ever.
“Nice!” he cheered, bounding down the steps.
“Where are you going?”
“To my car!” she raised an eyebrow at him, this one looking more skeptical. “Wouldn't you want to take the limo?”
He stopped for a moment. He didn't know there was a limo! ‘Please? Jackie?’
Fine. just tell mom where you parked the van.
“Sweet! Holt hydes going to the big time!” he sang loudly, following the ghoul to a very expensive looking black limo complete with an older looking sea monster driver holding the door open for them. Roxxanne waited for him to get in first before following him in. As he got settled in the back the driver closed the door and spryly hopped into his own seat, which was its own surprise if only the fire elemental was paying any attention. “Where too?” the driver asked through the little window, it was quiet for a moment besides the sound of a certain someone playing around with the window.
“Do you want to stop at home and pack a bag? Say goodbye to your family even?” Roxxanne ended up asking after a minute of no one saying a thing. It took a second for the fire elemental to realize that ‘oh im in charge’. Eagerly he told the driver directions to his house, on the way there he could barely sit still, bouncing and investigating the fancy limo like a curious puppy.
“You got springs in your ass or something? Settle, you're only going to your own house.” the half gargoyle(?) attempted to soothe.
Instead of defending himself from the fact that ‘he was just SO excited!’ he did what he usually did, he spoke his mind.
“What are you?”
She seemed surprised at the sudden topic switch. “Im a rock sprite. A type of fae.”
He nodded. “Is that anything like a gargoyle-fae hybrid?”
“I guess so-”
“Knew it!” he pumped his arm up, almost punching the limo's ceiling.
Holt! That was rude! Jackson fretted in their headspace but Holt just brushed him off. Roxxanne didn't seem to take offense, if anything she just seemed confused. Luckily they pulled up outside the jekyll/ hyde residence shortly after, saving Jackson from more embarrassment courtesy of his other half's brazenness.
The fire elemental didn't even wait for the driver to open the door for him, he shot out of the limo like a bullet practically running into his house and up the stairs. Shoving open the door to his and Jackson's shared room with his shoulder, holt grabbed a plain black suitcase left over from when his family moved all over and hastily threw several articles of clothes into the thing. Along with a ton of other stuff like extra headphones, their charger, condoms because you just never know! All the while Jackson screamed in their thoughts, arguing about how that was not how someone packs a suitcase correctly. With an annoyed sigh Holt paused his music, a minute later flames crept up his body and he was thrown into their consciousness.
“Thank god.” Jackson whispered, sorting through the mess Holt left behind.
Hey man you can’t blame me! We got into the MNMC! It's a damn miracle I'm being this calm yo! Holt defended and Jackson couldn't help but agree. Yes this was a very big deal, especially for Holt's music career. He suspected his ‘brother’ hadn't fully let it sink in yet, and that was why he was so calm. Jackson was sure if it had Holt would be running around screaming in happiness, practically about to explode with joy. He predicted that to happen on the journey to wherever the MNMC’s first stop was.
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Jackson was right, much to his amusement and exasperation. Soon after the bag was packed and Jackson's situation was negotiated he gave Holt control back, if only so his brother could say his goodbyes himself and hop back into the limo. They had decided to keep Jackson a secret, just for now, an idea proposed by Jackson himself. While he wasn't the happiest that he would be spending most of his time in the headspace he couldn't help but want not only some time to himself to relax but he wanted Holt to live his dream as long as he could. It was his week after all, this ian stone guy didn't want to see jackson, jackson didn't even play music. With that surprisingly difficult conversation with Holt out of the way he was left in their mind to watch as the alter terrorized Roxxanne and the limo driver. As he suspected whatever shock the hyde was going through fully wore off causing him to act like a kid on a sugarrush, currently hanging out the sunroof and whooping as loud as he could.
“Mr. hyde.” a serious voice huffed, Roxanne of course. “Get back in here.”
“Aw why? Im jus’ excited! I made it to the MNMC! I'm allowed to be happy.” Holt turned to look back at the sprite, her arms crossed and giving him quite the stern and expectant look.
“You can be happy inside. If I let you hang out the window like that I would have failed at my job before you could even get a debut.”
Holt rolled his eyes but obeyed, closing the sunroof and flopping down on one of the luxurious seats with a curious amount of swagger. “I don't see how that's dangerous..” he grumbled before perking back up in record time. “Where we going anyway?”
Roxxanne lets the stern facade drop now that he listened, uncrossing her arms to fold her hands into her lap while she pleasantly gives up the information. “The airport Mr. Hyde, MNMC has its headquarters located in Australia. Coincidentally that is the tour's first stop for that very reason. You'll get information on the entire tour once we get there.”
The boy hums in appreciation. “One, quit all that damn ‘mr. hyde’ stuff. Just call me Holt, alright darlin’? Two, does this mean we’re traveling first class?”
“That's right M- holt.”
“Aw yeah! Everyone’s gonna be so jealous! Career takin’ off, first class, lovely little ghoul by my side~” he winks at the last thing, ignoring the way Jackson mentally sighs and Roxxanne's unamused glance. “Things are lookin’ up for the holt-ser!” he pumps his arms up before relaxing into the seat, laying his arms on the back of the seat and shamelessly manspreading.
Oh he couldn't wait to get to Australia!