Sonata Dusk paid the convenience store clerk and left, idly swinging the plastic bag with her purchases. Outside the store, she paused and looked at the handful of coins she'd been given as change and sighed.
“Adagio's gonna be mad,” she muttered to herself. She pocketed the change and began walking down the street.
Money had been tight for the three sirens ever since the Battle of the Bands and their amulets had been destroyed. While they couldn't feed on negative emotions or magic anymore, they found they could at least survive on regular food. So eating wasn't a problem.
Everything else, on the other hand.
Thanks to their voices, the three had been able to manipulate anyone to get what they needed. That included finding places to stay as they traveled from place to place. Money had never been a concern. After the amulets had been shattered, they had found that a lot of the generosity they had created was no longer available. As a result, they didn't have the funds to get out of Canterlot City, forcing them to stay in the city after their defeat.
On the plus side, they owned the small house they were living in, free and clear, thanks to a mortgage officer they had charmed shortly after coming to town. Additional funds were raided by selling other property they owned in other cities, but Aria was insistent that money remain invested in various other stocks and properties. In fact, that was Aria's “job” these days: day trading and managing their portfolio. They may not have been able to touch that money right now, but Aria assured both of them that it would pay off in a few years and they'd all be able to live like they were used to for the rest of their lives.
Until then, well, it was the generic cereal and mac and cheese currently swinging around in her bag. Sonata hummed a random tune to herself as she walked down the suburban streets. After a few months, their voices had returned. They couldn't charm anyone anymore, of course, but it was nice to be able to sing again. Not that you would know it, by how much Adagio claimed it was more a “cosmic joke” than any real relief.
There was a flash of light on the pavement ahead of her. Sonata turned her head to see a car slowly driving down the street behind her. She frowned. The speed limit was only twenty-five in the neighborhood, but this car seemed to be going slower than that. A prickling sensation ran up Sonata's spine.
She clutched the bag of groceries to her chest, set her eyes forward and began walking faster. An intersection was coming up. She could circle the block and approach her house from the other side. She bit her lip and set forward, crossing the street and then turning left. She walked for a few moments, occasionally glancing behind her.
The car turned onto the same street. Sonata's eyes widened and she picked up her pace, not quite running yet, as she tried to figure out what to do. The house was on the other side of the block, and all their neighbors had fenced in yards. She could try to make a break between the houses, but that meant climbing a lot of fences, and maybe even setting off some security alarms.
She risked a glance behind her. The car was still there, moving at the same slow rate. Sonata squeezed the bag of groceries closer to her chest, took a deep breath, and broke into a run.
Her feet pounded down the sidewalk, almost in time with the pounding of her heart. Her eyes widened as she heard the enging of the car rev, increasing speed. Adrenaline kicked in and she ran faster, rounding the corner of the block.
Come on come on come on come on!!! The phrase repeated incessantly in her head. She looked back behind her and she slowed as she saw the car continue through the intersection and didn't come after her. She slowed down and took a moment to catch her breath. When she calmed down, she started giggling.
“Okay, maybe Adagio and Aria are right. I do let my imagination run away with me.”
She stretched and began walking home.
Aria was in the living room working on her laptop.
“Where the hell have you been?” she asked, as Sonata closed the front door.
“Sorry, got sidetracked,” Sonata answered.
“With what?” Aria snorted. “Some piece of trash blowing in the wind?”
“Nothing important.” Sonata walked past Aria toward the kitchen. As she reached the door, an arm shot out, blocking her access. Adagio appeared in the kitchen doorway.
“I'll decide what's important around here,” the siren leader sneered. “Where were you?”
“I just ran down to the store for some snacks,” Sonata answered. “I thought someone was following me on my way home. They weren't. The car just kept driving when I turned down Rudell.”
Adagio quirked an eyebrow then stepped aside. “Next time, call if you think you're being followed.”
“Or, y'know, don't,” Aria chimed in. “One less mouth to feed around here if you get kidnapped.”
“Oh, screw you, Aria!” Sonata yelled back.
“Never happen. Not with your fat ass.”
“MY ASS IS NOT FAT!”
Adagio groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Will you two knock it off?! I swear, one of these days all your caterwauling is going to make the neighbors come over here and – “
She was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. The three looked at each other.
“Did somebody order pizza or something?” Sonata asked.
“Not me,” Aria answered.
Adagio frowned and turned to Sonata. “You're positive you weren't being followed?”
“I thought I was,” Sonata answered. Fear was creeping across her face. “Can't we just ignore it?”
They were answered when an insistent pounding came from the front door. Adagio frowned and gestured at a kitchen knife sitting on the counter. Sonata grabbed it and held it close. Aria closed her laptop and got to her feet, picking up an umbrella from the stand next to the door.
The pounding came again, followed by more insistent ringing from the doorbell. Adagio walked into the living room. Sonata followed after her holding the knife.
The three sirens faced the door, Adagio flanked by the other two. Aria held the umbrella in front of her like a sword while Sonata gulped and held the knife out in front of her. Adagio glanced at each of them. They nodded in reply. Adagio quickly ripped the door open and assumed a posture of defiance.
Defiance that was short lived. All three sirens' eyes widened. Sonata dropped her knife and scrabbled backward from the door. Adagio threw the door shut, but a hand stopped it and forced it back open, knocking the other two sirens to the floor.
Adagio shook her head, dizzy, then looked up at their unwanted visitor. “You,” she hissed.
“I'm glad to see you remember me,” said Tempest Shadow as she entered the house. “Let's have a chat.”