//------------------------------// // Battle of the Bands Part 2 // Story: Rise of the Numbers // by goldenrise365 //------------------------------// Fang and Veenus had spread out to cover more of the school. Fang used his extra sensory powers to find the source of the darkness he sensed. He passed an empty hallway and saw one of the Sirens. Aria Blaze. "That's odd. I getting some sort of dark aura from her, but she seems mostly good, and pretty too." She then punched a locker. "Still pretty." "Stupid Adagio. She's the reason we're stuck here," Aria grumbled to herself. Fang came up to her. "Something on your mind?" "What do you want?" Fang put his hands up. "Hey, I just saw you in a bad mood is all. I was wondering if I could put a smile on your face." "Pfft. Don't bother. Nothing can change my mood." "That a challenge?" Fang turned around for a second. When he turned back he had big puppy eyes. "Like that's going to work." Aria kept her stern look. But then she let her guard down for a second. Those puppy eyes melted her heart. A smile sprung onto her face. "Fine. You win." "Works every time. So, what's bothering you?" asked Fang. "Just some family stuff. My sister Adagio had this brilliant idea of taking over the school." "Taking over the school?" "Me and my sister's just wanted a meal, but she had to push it much farther." "Meal?" Fang got even more confused. "I should go. My sister's are probably wondering where I am." Aria passed Fang. "See ya around handsome." She walked off. "I still have so many questions. Maybe Veenus got some answers." Meanwhile, Veenus was walking outside. He passed by a flower bed that had seen better days. "Poor things." He looked around to make sure no one was watching. "Let's give you some life." Green particles spread out from his hands. The flower bed sprouted with bushes of red roses and other flowers. "There we go." Veenus heard some humming and ducked behind the corner of the building. When he looked back around he saw another Siren, Adagio Dazzel. "Aria thinks she can lead our group. She just scares everyone." Adagio looked at the new rose bushes. "These are pretty." "Not as much as you," said Veenus out loud. "Uh." Adagio saw Veenus peeking around. "Who are you?" "I'm Veenus.." He then tired to lean on the wall, but missed the wall, hitting the ground. "Ow." Adagio giggled. "Your cute Veenus. Clumsy but cute." Veenus got up and brushed himself off. "I'm usually not like that. I just get nervous around cute girls." "Your just full of compliments. Wish I could stay but I have to get back to my sisters." Adagio walked off. "Well that was a pleasant meeting. Hopefully Fang found something." Veenus grabbed a rose and walked off. Gold was walking out of the building when the two walked into each other. The two fell to the ground. "Sorry. Didn't see you there." "No, that was my fault. I should have watched where I was going." Veenus stood up. "I'm Veenus Bloomer." Gold stood up. "Golden Rise. Nice to met you Veenus." "Hey, you look familiar..." "Yeah, yeah, son of Maximillion Pegasus, heard it before." "Ok, guess I didn't have to say it. Reason your stressed out?" "Well we got a problem here, and I need to figure out who is on side." "Well if you need any help, me and my friend should be able to help." "Thanks." Gold looked at his watch. "The two teams for the finals would have been decided by now. We better find our friends, and come up with a plan." ------------------ Meanwhile, Trixie was incomplete disbelief that the Rainbooms had moved on instead of her. "This is a travesty, A TRAVESTY!" Adagio was about to walk over, but a dark hand kept her back. "I will handle this one." A dark figure stalked over to Trixie. "Yes it is." "Who are you?" "You could say I'm the manager of the Dazzelings. I'm here to offer you a chance to join the Dazzelings and have the glory you seek." "Trixie doesn't trust any dark and creepy people." "Well if you want to talk, just call." The dark figure handed Trixie a card. "It's blank." Dark wisps of magic began to surround Trixie. "What's happening to Trixie?!?" "Let the Number take over. Feel it take control." Trixie couldn't fight back. She was soon over taken by the dark magic. "Now that you are under my control, I have something for you to do." ---------------- Gold had gathered everyone that wasn't involved in the battle of the band's in the main foyer. "Ok everyone. We know who we are after, and we know a way to beat them." "Yeah I have a question," said Veenus. "Who are we fighting?" "A group called the Dazzelings," said Light. "Oh." "Something wrong Veenus?" asked Show. "Well I kind of met a girl with that name, and I may have, sort of, fallen in love with her." Gold face palmed. "Why do we always fall in love with the bad girls?" "Speak for yourself," said Light. Gold began contemplating his situation. Then an idea struck. "We can actually use that." "What do you mean?" asked Fang. "Veenus could try and break this girl from whatever is controlling her." "Will that work?" asked Silver. "It's all we got. And we better get moving. The Rainbooms are probably at the amphitheater." The group went off to find the Rainbooms. They stopped at the entrance where they saw the Dazzelings standing. Trixie was on the stage next to a lever. Gold and Silver pulled the others behind the entrance wall. "That's Aria," said Fang. He pointed to the Dazzelings on the right. "Let me guess..." began Light. "Yeah I kind of like her," said Fang. "Well something tells me we just missed the Rainbooms," said Silver. "We may have to wait for tonight to do anything." "The only way to take out a villain is when there at their strongest," said Gold. The group slipped past the Dazzelings and ran behind the stage. "We'll wait here until tonight." ------------------------ That night, Gold was the only one awake when night had finally hit. "The Rainbooms should have been on by now." The group suddenly woke up when they heard banging. "What is that?" asked Silver. "Sounds like it's coming from under the stage," said Derpy. Gold grabbed a plank of wood that was on the ground. The group made there way over to the side stage door. Silver grabbed the handle. "On the count of three. Ready. Three!" The group rushed through the door only to find the Rainbooms, Sunset, Burst and the others. "Oh. Hey guys." "Gold, you saved us." Sunset rushed forward and wrapped Gold in a hug. She then blushed a deep red and backed away. "I mean, thanks." "No problem." Gold was blushing as well. "Sorry to ruin this moment," said Rainbow. "But we have some Sirens to deal with." "Right." Gold led the group outside. He then pointed to a nearby hill. "That hill should let your music project out to the crowd." "But how are we supposed to be heard?" asked AJ. "I got that covered," said Show. "A girl by the name of Vinly Scratch should be waiting for you up there." "How'd you talk to her?" asked Fluttershy. "She never takes off her headphones." "Let's just say we performers have a secret way of communicating." Inferno stepped up to Rarity. "Don't you have some outfits for the group Rare?" "Oh yes my dear Inferno," said Rarity. "Then you girls better get up there," said Ace. He turned to see Sonata and the other Sirens getting on stage. With another figure. "Is that Trixie?!?" exclaimed Sunset. "Yes it is." "Something tells me that there is another person in this match up," said Gold. "That's right Rise." A figure in a dark cloak materialized out of the shadows. "Your the guy I met in the hallway." "That is correct, and I believe it's time you knew one of my names. I am The Puppetmaster Master." "Sunset, you and the girls go handle the Sirens, me and the guys got Puppet over here." "Right." Sunset and the girls ran off. "Your fool for trying to take on my puppets. They listen to my every word," said Puppet Master. "The we'll just have to shut you up." Night cracked his knuckles. "Well your not just facing me." Puppet Master snapped his fingers. Two figures stepped out of the shadows. One was a guy that looked like Ace. Except he had darker skin tone, and black hair. The second was a girl with black skin, and dark blue, almost night-like, hair. Both wore a dark cloak. "I had a back up plan." "Dark Ice?" Ace was shocked. "I guess he's your brother," said Show. "Yeah. He went missing a few months ago. Puppet Master must have taken him." "I just love a family reunion." Puppet Master let out a dark chuckle. "Your not getting away with this," Gold growled. "Oh yes I will." Puppet Master began running. "Get back here!" Gold turned to the others. "Show, Ace, Fang, Veenus, Inferno, and Burst, you guys free these two. Me, Silver, and Light are going to track down Puppet." The others nodded and separated. Gold's group chased after Puppet Master. He had stopped at the front of the school. "End of the line for you." "Not unless I duel you." Puppet Master summoned a duel disk. Gold brought out his own. "And I'll make sure you lose." "That may happen, but your other friends will suffer." A magical, rainbow light pierced the sky. "And my plan is falling into place." "What do you mean?" asked Silver. "Your friends thought they have freed my puppets, but this is only the beginning. Prepare to see the duel of your life!" ----------------------------- Back at the stage, The Show, Veenus, Fang, and Ace went onto the stage to see if the girls were OK. But they were met with dark looks from the girls. "This seems bad," said Show. Each of them summoned a duel disk. "And this seems worse," said Veenus. The guys activated their duel disk. ---------------------------- Side of stage, Burst and Inferno were standing against Ice and the girl. "Who are you?" Burst asked the girl. "You can just call me, Nightmare." She let out a dark chuckle. "Ok, this just got ten times creepier," said Inferno. All of them activated their duel disk. -------------------- "Time for the ultimate battle to begin!" "LET'S DUEL!" Gold: 8000 Puppet Master: 8000 Show: 8000 Veenus: 8000 Fang: 8000 Ace: 8000 Trixie: 8000 Adagio: 8000 Aria: 8000 Sonata: 8000 Burst: 8000 Inferno: 8000 Ice: 8000 Nightmare: 8000