//------------------------------// // Sirena Canor // Story: Canterlot High Ends With You // by Golden Flare //------------------------------// As the group approached Crystal Prep, Neku voiced a thought, “While she may be sore about this ‘Battle of the Bands’, if you think about it, she may just be ticked off at the irony of the mission.” “Maybe so, since she WAS a siren once, but either way, I don't trust her, especially not with the lives of whoever else is playing this twisted game.” Sunset said. “While I don't have a pretty good opinion of her after she tried to clobber me, I think we should at least try to give her a chance,” Twilight suggested, “Her life is on the line just as much as ours is, so she's gonna have to swallow whatever pride she has at some point if she wants to live.” “But I wonder what happened to the other two? Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk?” Sunset pondered. “What’s their relationship with her?” Neku asked. “I don't know,” Sunset said, “All I know is that they were her accomplices in the whole ordeal.” Neku looked thoughtful as Beat spoke, “She may have done some things and now hates your guts, but I think this could eventually be a turning point for her. Besides, that Wayward guy she's partners with seems much like Lollipop. More cool headed and relaxed, and could help her change.” “Did you actually say something intelligent, Beat?” Neku asked. Beat looked at him weird. “I didn't say nothing like that. I just talked.” “Whatever,” he said, stopping and looking at the large building, “This it?” “Yup.” Twilight proudly said, “I was the best student here with all of my grades, though I never bragged about it to my fellow students.” “You seem like Shiki in that regard,” Neku commented. “I don't know if that was a compliment or an insult.” “We’ll worry about that later,” Sunset said, “Let's just get inside and figure out how to break this, ‘Siren’s Curse’.” “Let’s do a quick scan first,” Neku suggested. “Good idea.” Sunset scans the school grounds and find a large, unending amount of Negative Noise. “WHOA! There are like at least hundreds of Noise here!” “I wouldn't be surprised,” Everyone turned to Twilight, “The whole school is negative about everything, even the teachers, they just...care about only themselves.” “Hmm…” Beat thought out loud. “Something on your mind, Beat?” Sunset asked. “Wha? Oh, right,” Beat stammered before talking clearly, “I ain’t the analistical type, but I don't think we can clear all this Noise with what time we have.” He pointed to his hand, it showing roughly an hour and fifteen minutes left. “Um...maybe if we can find whoever or whatever is drawing them, we can thin them out and finish them...I think that's how it works?” Twilight suggested. “That could work,” Neku complimented, “You know the school's layout, lead us to the highest concentration of students and we can start there.” “The only places that have most of the students is either the gymnasium, the cafeteria, or the assembly room. I just hope this school doesn't have that graffiti symbol like the one back at the café, or this might get awkward.” “No need to worry, the Decal is primarily for shops, stores, and food places,” Neku said, easing Twilight’s fears. “Let’s try the cafeteria first.” “Okay, let’s go, follow me.” Twilight lead them through the school. When they arrived, Neku pulled out his phone, checking an app that beeped like a metal detector. “What's that, Neku?” Sunset asked him. “Yeah, it sounds like a type of scanner…well, other than your Player Pin.” Twilight guessed. “An upgrade that Mr. H put on my UG phone to track heavy signals of one kind or another.” “Amazing!” Twilight said in awe, “I never knew anyone could have technology like that, it looks like it could put my spectrometer to shame!” “Sounds interesting,” Neku said, “This room holds a signal, but it's not the strongest.” “Okay then, we’ll try the gym next.” As Twilight led them to the gym, Neku stopped the group, “Hold up!” “What's wrong? Did you find something?” Sunset asked. “No, the signal’s getting weaker. Let’s try the other room you mentioned.” “The assembly room it is, then.” Twilight said. When they arrived, Beat started looking around more frantically than usual. “What's up with Beat?” Twilight asked. “I think this place reminds him of A-East back in Shibuya.” “I read about that once for a multi-cultural assignment,” Sunset began, “It's a huge concert hall, right?” “Yep. The hangout of three Reapers as well. 777, BJ, and Tenho.” “Wow, are they in a band?” “Was. 777 was erased by a GM for lending us a Keypin,” Beat said, shamefully. “Reapers...can erase each other?” Sunset asked in shock, “But, they're on the same side! Why would they do that?!” “Shibuya was put on Emergency Call when Beat saved me from being Reaper chow,” Neku explained, “777 tried to erase us, but after giving him a sound beating, he felt that we would be what would save the Shibuya UG. So he gave us a Keypin, but then the GM erased him for acts of treason.” “We tried finding her where he was erased, but we was ambushed by a giant bat Noise,” Beat added. “And if I recall, when it attacked, you--” Neku began to tease. “BWAAAH!!!” Sunset began to giggle, “What happened?” “What do you think?” Neku answered. He checked the tracker, “The signal’s strongest here. Scan the area, both physically and with your pins.” The group began to search the room, but their search turned up empty. They searched for a whole hour before they got back together. “No Noise? At all? That's strange.” Sunset said. Neku checked the tracker again, “I just hope it didn't go glitchy on me.” “Maybe it's tracking something other than Noise.” Twilight suggested. “I was,” he answered. “Why don't you try the other one,” Beat suggested. “What other one?” Sunset asked. “The other upgrade,” Neku said, “The camera function can take pictures of the past.” “No way!” Twilight said, “T-That's impossible!” “Did you do anything on this stage in the recent past?” “W-Well, no, not really.” “Okay...just set the time to an hour ago...and…” He snapped a picture of the room’s entrance, showing them as they just walked in. He showed it to her and she took it as well as expected. “WOW! THAT’S AMAZING! I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT THERE’S TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN TAKE PICTURES OF THE PAST!!” Twilight screamed before she squealed in excitement. “Not so loud,” Beat said, while cleaning his hurt ears. “And I hate to disappoint you, but it only works in the UG,” Neku said. “Still!” Twilight argued, “That kind of technology should be beyond our reach!” “But not for a fallen angel,” Neku muttered to himself. “Did you say something, Neku?” Sunset asked. “BOYAH!” Beat shouted, holding his phone up. “Managed to score something good with this!” “What was that about me being too loud?” Twilight quipped. “Never mind her,” Sunset dismissed, “What did you find, Beat?” “Check it out,” he said, showing her a picture of two Reapers in the middle of the stage just before the time they received the mission. “I think Stache and No-Stache may have been here, Yo!” “Those Fan Film Brothers?” Twilight asked. “Flim Flam Brothers,” Sunset corrected, “Applejack told me about them; how they nearly scammed her out of her bass guitar.” “Now why would they be here?” Beat asked. “Where were they standing in the pic?” “They was…” Beat looked at his phone and walked to a spot on the exact center of the stage, “Right here.” “Hmm,” Twilight hummed, “I remember this area had a hidden trapdoor; it was used in magic acts for talent shows, but Principal Cinch stopped having them and now uses the bottom of the stage to run wires for lights and microphones for our weekly assemblies.” “I get the feeling that this will be similar to the bat scenario back at A-East.” “A bat type Noise?” Sunset asked, “How bad could that be?” A loud screech accompanied by the lights going off answered her. Neku used his phone for a light. “Something’s chewing on UG wires. Beat, Twilight, check the room and keep the Noise off the wires!” “You can count on us!” Twilight said. Beat and Twilight managed to find the trapdoor and get past it. Once inside, Beat saw the Noise chewing on the lighting and mic wires. He then said, “That's it. No more sushi for a month for me.” “Now's not the time for jokes!” Twilight chastised, “Let's just get rid of these things!” Beat wasted no time and started using his board like a club, while Twilight began firing energy blasts to back him up. Back on stage, when the lights lit back up, they were greeted with a large fish-like horse Noise. “A siren?!” Sunset shouted in surprise, “I thought we got rid of them in the Battle of the Bands!” “I don't think it's any of the three you mentioned, but we've gotta take it down!” Neku rushed forward, then teleported above it, aiming down with an energy blade. It glanced off of an invisible shield, knocking him off. The siren then hit him away, skidding across the stage. “Neku!” Sunset ran to him, “Are you okay?” “How did you defeat the Sirens at the Battle of the Bands? And summarize please.” “We had to use a musical counter spell against them, and it took me and all my friends together.” “I guess music may be what we need to take down its shields.” “Do you have any music pins?” “I've got two,” he answered, pulling out two pins, “One I can use, and the other I think you should try.” “Okay, let's do it!” Neku tossed a pin to Sunset. She concentrated on it and her guitar manifested in her hand. Neku did the same with his pin, summoning a set of large speakers and DJ turntables. He quickly hooked up his headphones and MP3 player to the system. As the music started up, Sunset began to almost instinctively play and sing along. Grab the key let's go out and have some fun Have you ever seen such a perfect day? What's in your mind? Let's do it one by one Have you ever thought such a day would come? Time's up! Forget the theory Start up the brand new story Straight up and put it shortly This is the way my life goes Someone said I am such a foolish girl Who cares? It's better than without a light Sometimes I need someone to hold me tight Explain to me what is justice what is right? "Wait a minute, it's all been done before" How long it takes to do it all over again What's in your hand? Now drop them one by one Have you ever thought such a day would come? Shut up! You're so wordy Forget about all those worries "Show me your smile, how charming" Go home and kiss your mommy Somehow I hate to see you lie and lie I know how dumb I am but so are you Sometimes I want to laugh and cry at once Explain to me what is justice what is right? As they played, the siren’s shield began to falter and fall, and it held its ears to try and block out the song. Neku moved to try and attack it, but when he stepped away from the turntables, it screeched at him and he had to get the music back up. “What do we do? It's not giving us an inch!” Sunset exclaimed. “Looks like you losers need our help,” said the voice of Adagio. The siren’s shadow suddenly wrapped itself around its muzzle and fore hooves, immobilizing it. Adagio suddenly rushed from behind Neku and drove a musically themed scythe into the siren’s skull, defeating it in an extremely bright flash of static. “Whoa! When were you able to do that?!” Sunset asked in surprise. “Who’re asking?” Wayward said as he stepped out of the shadows. “Both of you! The shadow thing, and that weird looking scythe!” “The shadows are my psych while Dagie’s scythe is hers.” “It’s ADAGIO!” She corrected as she stared at the spot where she erased the siren. “Something wrong?” Sunset asked her. “Those Reapers went too far with that mission!” Adagio shouted, “Siren’s Curse, my left foot! They just wanted to rile me up!” “And they succeeded thus far,” Wayward commented. “But what about the other two that were with you?” Sunset asked Adagio. “What do you think! They're my entry fee,” Adagio began crying as she said that. Sunset could sympathize with Adagio, for all she knew, her own friends could be her entry fee. She knew the only way out of this madness was to win this crooked Game. She decided to change the subject, “So...how did you and Wayward meet?” “Her ‘What in all things Green and Holy!’ kind of tantrum drew me and a bunch of Noise to her,” Wayward said, “I gave her the crash course, and we've been partnered since.” “Wow,” Sunset said, “Wait, what about Twilight and Beat?” As if in response, a loud, “YOUCH!” was heard from beneath the trapdoor and Beat burst out of it, with a fish Noise attached to each of his hands, his head, and his rear end. “GET ‘EM OFF!!! GET ‘EM OFF!!!” He bellowed while running around the stage like a chicken with it’s head cut off. Sunset began to giggle, “I-I’m s-sorry, I k-know I shouldn't b-be laughing, b-but that—” She couldn't hold it back anymore and burst out into full blown laughter. Neku, Wayward, and Adagio joined in the laughter. Neku calmed down first and pulled out one of his other Pyrokinesis pins and engulfed Beat and the Noise in fire. When the fire died down, Beat was devoid of Noise, but he himself was charred...Medium well. The laugher doubled. Twilight climbed out of the trapdoor after Beat jumped out of it, “Beat, are you o—” She noticed everyone was laughing, “What's everybody laughing ab—” She then set her sights on the soot covered Beat, “Oh my gosh, Beat!” She ran over to him, “Are you alright?!” He groaned an octave higher than he would normally be comfortable with and fell face first on the stage. The soot came off on impact. “Hey!” Twilight shouted, turning to the others, “I don't see anything funny about this! Beat’s hurt!” “He’ll be fine,” Neku said, “The only thing that could take him six feet under is Pi-Face’s arithmetical language.” “This isn't a joke, Neku Sakuraba!” Twilight chastised, “Beat is all burned up, and you're just laughing?!” “Yeesh! What's got your undies in a bundle,” Wayward asked as he commanded Beat’s shadow to heal him and get him on his feet. “If we weren't being friendly and friends, then you can accuse us of sadism.” “Don't you get it?! Our LIVES are on the line, and you're treating it all as some kind of joke!” “Relax, Twilight,” Sunset tried to calm her down, “We know what's at stake, but if we take it too seriously and not joke around a bit, we’ll all be too tightly wound up.” Twilight wanted to argue more, tell her that she was the joke, but logic ruled out her anger and she eased her nerves, “You’re right. I’m sorry.” “Don't worry,” Beat said, rolling his shoulder, “We'll win this, no sweat. We just need to not think too hard, Yo!” “Beat’s right, and look!” Sunset showed her palm to the others, no timer was found, “We cleared the mission!” “BOYAH!” Beat exclaimed in victory, “Who’s up for curry!” (Beat: “It's a party in my mouth!” Neku: “It's edible.” Sunset: “This is really good.” Twilight: “It’ll do.”) SIRENA CANOR CHAPTER CLOSED