Rewritten- Let Love Flow

Chapter 25: Undercover Slither

Chapter Summary: After the attack on Casper none of the group feels safe. they need to know what Dummy girl plans to do, so the group gets the idea to plant a spy.

Thatch was careful as he, Mantha, and Casper entered the boy's dorm together, which was empty due to everyone still being in Dr. Burn's class probably. The violet-eyed vampire looked over to Casper's bed, but then changed his mind and carried the ghost over to his coffin. Mantha opened the lid for Thatch and the living vampire carefully placed Casper in, letting the ghost rest on the soft, silky padding. Thatch sat on the lip of the coffin then, close but not all up in Casper's space. A spot where he could guard the injured ghost, watch over him for any danger that might come their way. Casper wanted to protest, but Thatch's coffin was very comfortable and the cloak over him served as a nice blanket. It was warm and comforting, and Casper could tell it was THE cloak. Thatch's father's cloak. He had a piece of history over him, from Vincent to Thatch, and now Casper was allowed to use such a precious object to Thatch as a blanket? It was mind-boggling.

"Let me get you a pillow." Mantha hummed and went over to Casper's bed, grabbing the pillow off of it and carrying it over to Thatch and Casper. She was about to just hand it to Casper when Thatch took it. He looked it over carefully, then passed it to Casper once he approved of it. "Geez, paranoid much?" Mantha muttered as Casper set the pillow under his head.

"Better safe than sorry. We already messed up today." He sighed. Casper smiled, hearing Thatch say 'we' instead of blaming Mantha purely for this, which the old Thatch certainly would have. Casper didn't really want to lay down and rest, but he was feeling sore and knew he probably should. So the ghost didn't fuss as he nuzzled into the pillow, curling in on himself as he pulled the cloak close, faintly smiling.

That seemed to get to the vampire because his gray skin heated up and turned pink. Thatch actually had to stand up and started to pace around nervously, trying not to look at the ghost. Mantha just smiled and watched the vampire with some amusement in her eyes.

"Okay Thatch, we need a plan." Mantha decided easily. "If we're going to pin this on Dummy Girl we gotta be smart about it. How did she even get it?"

"Wouldn't be hard if you knew the right people. Those flowers like to grow in the forests and swamps of the Underworld. I bet if you go far enough into the school's forest you might find some. They're trying to eliminate them but those things grow like weeds. Hell, my dad used to grow them."

"Your dad grew them?"

"Very strong chemical reactions." Thatch explained quickly, his eyes darting back to his coffin. Casper was listening in silence, wondering about Thatch's life again. Thatch's dad grew such a dangerous plant? "My dad had a single flower pot in his lab and he just let it grow so much it took over an entire wall. Honestly, those things grow like crazy." Thatch waved the thought off. "My dad used them in some sort of test. My mom kept growing them after... Ya know," Thatch mumbled softly. His hands drifted back into his pockets, grabbing the bat clasp that he kept ever so safe and with him, always. "But were outlawed in the Underworld forever ago so mom disposed of it so even my family don't have access to them. Dummy Girl probably forced Mosshead to get it, or went into the Underworld market and paid some people off."

"But what for? Just to hurt Casper?" Mantha sighed softly, looking off as she fell into deep thought. "She has to have some sort of end goal for this, right?"

"Or she could be dumb and just trying to get revenge in childish... dangerous ways. I have no clue." Thatch countered. "I've lost all control over her."

"Let's use Slither!" Mantha said excitedly, an idea popping into her head just as the dorm door opened.

"Let's not..." Slither whispered as he stood behind Ra. Both of them were red mist free, a bit wet from cleaning up but at least they could do no harm to Casper. The ghost smiled and waved to them from Thatch's coffin. Ra gave a respectful nod, and much to Casper's disappointment he got no response from Slither.