//------------------------------// // Escape Part 1 // Story: Legend of the Sirens: Wild Vines // by zalla661 //------------------------------// Adagio awoke to the sound of light chatter around her. Her head throbbed in pain like she was hit over and over with a metal bat. Gripping her temples and massaging them with her fingers she slowly opened her eyes to a piercing light. Slowly her senses came back and she found herself in a bed in a room that she didn’t recognize. It was a simple room with the bed she slept in, a large dresser, and nightstand, and a built in closet to her left. Beside it was a door that was closed, and just beyond that she could hear the voices continuing to talk in a more excited volume now. Shifting her weight in the bed Adagio realized someone was sleeping next to her under a thick blanket beside her. Lifting the blanket she saw the sleeping form or Rainbow Dash beside her. She was wearing a white tank top and green sleep shorts. The young prismatic haired woman snored sound asleep, but the covers left her exposed to the cool air making her shiver, causing her to shift closer to Adagio and snuggle against her. With a sweet smile Adagio kissed Rainbow on the forehead and covered her up again. ONce Rainbow was covered Adagio slipped from the bed slowly to not awaken her lover and slowly crept out of the room. Adagio gently opened the door, it’s old frame creaking as she opened it and slipped through. Closing it behind her it took but a few steps down the hall for her to piece together where she was. Along the hall there were pictures of a group of people she knew well, the Apple Family. Several pictures were aligned down the hallway leading to a staircase at the end. Pictures of Applejack with Apple Bloom and their brother Big Mac. Some were of Granny Smith over the decades. Some baby pictures of Applejack and Apple Bloom, and even one of Big Mac. Absent was any sign of Applejack’s parents. As Adagio learned recently, never ask about the parents. Apparently whatever happened didn’t end well, so the Apple Family, or what’s left of them, never speak about it. Even Apple Bloom never asked, but in strict confidence told Adagio that even she wanted to know what happened to her mother and father, but no one would tell her. It was sad to think about. As Adagio made her way down the stairs she thought back on her own life. Just a few years ago she was trying to take over the world by absorbing the Rainbooms magic with her sisters. Now? Now, she was in love with one of them, as were her sisters. *OH, how our lives have changed.* She thought stepping lightly down the stairs. As she reached the bottom there voices of her friends came from the other room. Then a harsh, “SHHH!” Silenced them all at once as the voice of a news reporter reached Adagio’s ears. “-in latest news Godzilla was battling a mechanical counterpart similar to himself when eyewitnesses say, ‘a large plant monster broke from the earth and attacked both’. Shortly afterwards two smaller creatures were seen assisting Godzilla in driving back these kaiju. Once defeat the plant retreated to the earth only to reemerge a few hours later-” *A few hours later?!* Adagio scream in her mind. *How long have I been out?* Alarmed by this she listened in on the news report again. “-the latest reports indicate that Godzilla has returned to sea and the plant monster has created a large plant barrier around Camp Everfree trapping several people inside.” The reporter looked to the side when another reporter, a woman in red, came on screen. “In related news, a tank crew who was defending against Godzilla captured on of the smaller creatures and have taken it to the Avalon Air Base just outside Canterlot City. Major Spitfire of the G-Force, has been reportedly been seen entering and leaving the base for the last day every few hours-” *BEEP* The TV shutdown as Applejack casually tossed her remote on the table in the living area. Sunset and Twilight were sitting on the couch while Sonata was pacing back and forth just behind them. Sunset sighed turning around and threw herself on the back o f the couch and grabbed Sonata by the wrist stopping the siren's pacing. “Sonata, love?” “YEah, Sunny?” Sunset pulled Sonata around the couch and sat down letting the siren sit on her lap. “PLease, stop pacing. You’re annoying Applejack.” Sonata sighed, but nodded. Applejack gave Sunset a cross look. Adagio snickered from her hiding spot. She knew that face Applejack made was her “Triggered Face”. “Well, we still have the problem of saving our friends and family!” Applejack said throwing her arms up. “We can’t get back. Not with that plant thingy surrounding the camp.” Sunset and Sonata both sighed leaning into each other. “So what do we do now?” Sonata asked. At first nobody answered. Then as the seconds waned on Adagio made her appearance. Everyone gasped with excitement, and Sonata ran up to her sister putting her into a powerful bear hug. “DOWN! SONATA! DOWN!” Adagio yelped, pushing her sister off her. “DAGI! You’re alright!” Sunset also got up to hug her. Adagio was happy her friend was easier on the hugs than her sister was. Even Applejack came in to give Adagio some love. Oh course, Adagio by now was irritated by the excessive amount of non-consensual hugging she growled deeply making everyone step away from her. Taking a calming breath the elder siren gave the girls a warm smile and sauntered over to the couch and sat down where Sunset was. Everyone joined her with exception of Applejack who sat down on the table in front of the couch. “I heard everything,” Adagio said crossing her legs. “So our friends are all trapped in the camp by the plant thing that attacked earlier?” Everyone nodded. “What ya’ll think it is? Some sort of government experiment?” Applejack asked. “Applejack you’re being paranoid again. The government isn’t out to get us and our brains,” Sonata said scoffing at her friend. “They’re obviously trying to steal the world's supply of meat and lettuce and replace it with meat that has mind control chips in them!” This time Applejack groaned rolling her eyes. Adagio sighed smacking her hand over her forehead hard. Sunset patted the sirens back trying to comfort her friend. In all honesty she couldn’t blame Adagios reaction, she felt the same way. She had known Applejack to be a conspiracy theorist, but after Adagio started searching for her father Applejack seemed to go off the deep end. First it was with the disappearance of their friend Adagio, then Octavia, and then finally Vinyl Scratch. All disappeared within a week of each other, and no one knew where they three of them went. At the time Rainbow was upset and went looking for Adagio while Applejack was sure the government was responsible. A call later from Octavia saying she was going to an Musical Academy in France with Vinyl put that to rest. Applejack exceeded that idea shortly after. There were many things about Applejack Sunset found odd, but her wild imagination seemed to take the cake. Just then Adagio remembered her BMP. She had left it to go save her father. Quick as lightning she stood up and grabbed Applejack buy the shoulders and shook her. Adagio had a wild eye look like she had gone completely insane as she shook poor Applejack. “Applejack! WHere’s my tank!? What happened to my beautiful tank!?” Shaking Applejack couldn’t get a coherent word out as she was shaken. Then a set of powerful hands grabbed hold of Adagio stopping her form saking Applejack. “Calm down Adagio. Your tank is fine,” Sunset said pulling Adagio away from Applejack. “Okay, I’m calm now…” Adagio took moment to calm herself down and sat back on the couch. “So, what do we do?” “Well, the girls and I were talking,” Applejack started, but look nervous. “We think you should talk to the G-Force-” “HELL NO!! I REFUSE TO WORK WITH THOSE JACK WAGONS ANYMORE AND THAT’S FINAL!!!” Adagio bellowed loudly. Sunset sighed placing her hands on Adagio’s shoulders and worked her fingers on them. “Now, Adagio, I know how you feel. We don’t like them either, but we can’t do this alone. We need help.” Sunset said. “Then call Princes twilight! She can help you can’t she?” Adagi asked getting irritated. “She can’t she’s busy taking care of stuff in Equestria!” Sunset said, before she quickly added, “Beside’s the portal is closed for thirty moons!” Adagio huffed and crossed her arms, seemingly buying into Sunset’s story. Sunset rested against the couch while Applejack sat on the armrest by Adagio. “Listen, i know you hate the G-Force, but we need their help.” “No, I don’t need their help,” Adagio said defiantly. “You weak humans and, pony might, but I’m a siren! I don’t need humans to do what needs to be done!” “Ah ain't sayin you do, but can’t we just work with them towards a common goal?” Applejack offered. “No. I’ll never work with the G-Force. Their goals will never match mine, nor will they ever stop until my father and anything that threatens humanity is dead. All kaiju and beasts, anything not human,” Adagio glared at Sonata and Sunset. “ANYTHING not human is fair game to them. I’ve learned that over the last few months. I won’t work with them.” Adagio then stormed off leaving the rest of the group behind. Left them wondering what to do next. None of them knew how to contact the G-Force, and none of them wanted to invoke Adagio’s ire. Just when they were about to throw in the towel Rainbow Dash came in wrapped in a blanket. The girls got up and greeted their friend with hugs and smiles, which Rainbow returned in full. More importantly she had an idea of what to do. “Girls, we need to go out shopping,” Rainbow declared. “I have a plan on what we can do, but it’s risky.” Everyone by this point was willing to try risky. After all what was the worst thing Rainbow could come up with? When it came to helping her friends, they all knew Rainbow would do anything to save them if need be. And so, with tentative ears the girls gathered and listened to Rainbow’s plan. *PoV Aria* I hate humans so much. Every time they poke me with needles and saw off a scale I can feel the pain. It has become a dull pain, but it was still pain nonetheless. She glared and growled at Vinyl Scratch who was busy studying her in the lab she was moved to. Vinyl was about to pluck another scale from Aria when another familiar figure came in. A young woman in a black suit. She had dark charcoal grey hair that went down to her waist and wore a Light grey dress shirt and a black vest with a golden chain that went into her left pocket. Aria watched as the familiar woman walked behind Vinyl who was oblivious to her presence. “Vinyl?” No response. “Vinyl?” The woman raised her voice. Again no response.Vinyl did notice Aria glaring at her and with her fingers reached for her ear and turned a small device inside right as the woman behind her screamed in her ear. “VINYL!!” “AHHH!!” Vinyl jumped clutching her ear as the other woman screamed right into her ear. Aria snickered under her bindings earning a stern glare from Vinyl and a chuckle from the other. “Glad to see you remembered to turn your hearing aid on, Vinyl.” “Dman it Octy, why do you always do that?” Vinyl complained. “You always turn that damn thing off when I need to talk to you,” Octavia said looking down at Aria, then back to Vinyl. “Major Spitfire wants to speak to you.” “Tell her I’ll be-” “Right now, Miss Scratch.” Octavia said sternly to her. Vinyl looked back at Octavia who was tapping her foot on the ground impatiently. Under her glasses Vinyl groaned and rolled her eyes walking away. She grabbed her coat and threw it on and walked out of the room leaving Aria and Octavia alone. Octavia glanced over her shoulder at Aria putting one hand by the sirens nose, drumming her fingers on the table. Aria’s eye twitched with the drumming of Octavia’s fingers. A low growl seemed to be what got her attention. “Ah, ah, ah, there’s no need for that,” She said coyly to the siren. “That’s certainly no way to act to a lady who’s trying to help you.” Aria quirked her scaly brown. “I know who you are Aria Blaze. I worked with your sister Adagio on a project back in school,” Octavia said rolling her eyes. Aria sighed under the binds. Looking up with her eyes, since her body was strapped down, she looked over Octavia who had developed quite well if she dared admit. “What do you want from me?” Aria asked. “Nothing,” Octavia replied dryly. “I’m just returning favor.” With that said Octavia pulled out a small knife. Flipping the blade open she pulled the straps and with her knife she cut through the binds that held Aria down. When she was free the siren didn’t leave or allow Octavia to leave her sight. When Octavia put her knife away and Aria kept staring at her the woman groaned placing her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Aria. It surprised Aria how this human wasn’t afraid of her. Then again she didn’t know of the power she had left over after the Battle of the Bands, but she wasn’t about to fault Octavia after freeing her. With a simple nod Aria said a short, “Thanks”, and flew off into the center of the room. Then she inhaled and breathed out fire and condensed it into a beam that tore through the earth and concrete of the ceiling. The facility shook and the lights flicker as the alarms sounded all around them. Then seconds later Aria ceased her attack when she realized she wasn’t going to blow her way out of here. Just when she looked at Octavia who facepalm hard enough for it to be heard over the alarms Spitfire came barging in with an entire security detail. Octavia ducked under a table, but looked over to see Spitfire draw her side arm and take aim at Aria. “Stand down beast, or you’ll regret it!” Spitfire threatened Aria. Everyone in the security detail aimed their rifles at Aria. To their surprise all this did was earn a deep belly laugh from Aria. Spitfire felt her blood boil as she watched the ‘beast’ laugh at her making a mockery of her. Just as she was about to tell the siren off Aria stopped laughing and glared at the group of humans with a sinister smile. Spitfire felt a chill run down her spine as Aria said, “You’ll regret taking me and not killing me, humans.”