//------------------------------// // Then, Hiding, and Help // Story: Consequences // by shallow15 //------------------------------// Whinnyapolis. 5 years ago. “Did we lose them?” Adagio asked, putting Sonata down on the ground in the alley. Aria carefully poked her head out of the alley and looked both ways before turning back to her fellow sirens. “Looks like it,” she reported. “We can't stay here,” said Adagio. “No shit,” Aria replied. She looked down at Sonata. “Is she all right?” Adagio reached out and gently touched Sonata's shoulder. “Sonata? Wake up.” Sonata stirred and her eyes opened. Her expression was glassy and dazed. “M'shoulder hurts.” “That's because your dumb ass got darted,” Aria sneered. “Not now, Aria,” Adagio snapped. She looked back at Sonata. “We can't stay here. Can you walk?” Sonata pushed off from the ground and tried to stand up. She staggered and slid back down the alley wall. She shook her head. “Don' think so. Dizzy.” Adagio sighed. “Great.” “Well, she's stoned out of her gourd,” Aria huffed. “Now what, Fearless Leader?” “I don't know, Aria! Give me five minutes to think, will you?” “We don't have five minutes! Those two spooks are going to figure out where we went soon enough!” “I know!” “And we need her functional for our damn song to work right!” “I know!” “Then do something!” “I'm about to strangle you with your own goddamn pigtails!” Adagio screamed. “Would that make you happy, or at least get you to shut up and let me think?” “You should have been thinking about it back in Baltimare!” “Aria, I swear to Aris I will – “ “What's going on out here?” came a voice. Adagio and Aria looked over sharply. A door leading into one of the buildings that formed the alley was propped open by a dark orange woman with peppermint striped hair. She was wearing scrubs and bags were under her blue eyes. Said eyes widened when she saw Sonata slumped up against the wall. She jammed a doorstop under the door and pushed past Adagio and Aria and knelt down next to the dazed siren. “Can you hear me?” she said. Sonata's head lolled up. The woman held Sonata's chin and looked in each of her eyes, before looking up at the other Dazzlings. “Is she on drugs?” “Not voluntarily,” Adagio answered, then blinked at how fast she had responded to the woman. “What happened?” “Why do you care?” Aria frowned. The woman looked up, a stern expression on her face. “I'm a nurse, and your friend is in bad shape. I need to know what's in her system so I can determine if I need to call an ambulance or not.” “NO AMBULANCE!” Adagio and Aria chorused. The woman blinked then frowned again. “You're in trouble,” she stated. “None of your--” Aria was interrupted by Adagio, who pushed in front of her. “Yes, we are. She was hit with a tranquilizer dart.” The nurse looked confused. “That's... different. What did you do?” “Nothing.” Adagio's hand went to her amulet. Behind her, Aria did the same. While their song might not have been as powerful without Sonata, getting one human to do what they wanted should be simple enough. The nurse looked at Sonata, then back at the other two. She got to her feet and reached under Sonata's arms. “Help me get her inside.” Adagio blinked. “What?” The nurse sighed. “We need to get her up to my apartment. It'll be easier to figure out what to do for her if I've got light and she's more comfortable. Or would you rather wait out here for whoever's after you to find you?” Now it was Adagio's turn to frown. She looked over at Aria, who looked just as conflicted. She looked back at Sonata, then bent over to take Sonata's legs. “Aria, close the door after us.” They managed to get Sonata into the building and up the three flights of stairs to the nurse's apartment. It was small, but comfortable. The nurse and Adagio stretched Sonata out on the couch. “All right,” said the nurse. “Before I deal with her, are either of you two hurt?” “A couple of scrapes and bruises,” Adagio replied. “Nothing major.” “Right.” The nurse looked over at Aria, who was looking out the window onto the street. “How about you?” “I'm fine,” Aria muttered. “Not what I asked you. Are you hurt?” Aria glared at her. “Worry about the ditz, not me.” Adagio sighed. “Ignore her. She's always like this.” The nurse nodded. “Okay. There's ibuprofen, bandages and ointment in the bathroom. I'm going to look your friend over, then we'll figure out what do next. Fair?” “Why are you helping us?” Aria demanded. “For all you know, we could kill you and rob you blind.” “Maybe,” said the nurse, meeting Aria's glare. “But I prefer to think the better of people. I don't know who's after you, but I doubt it's the cops. They don't use tranq darts. You might be dangerous, but I don't think you'll hurt me. But she's hurt and I intend to help her. What you choose to do afer that is up to you. In the meantime, I have work to do.” The nurse turned and walked through a door, presumably to her bedroom. “You're lucky I was home. I'm usually on the night shift.” “We appreciate your help,” Adagio said. Aria grabbed her arm. “What the hell are you doing?!” she whispered. “Until Sonata comes to, she's going to be dead weight. If this woman can get her up on her feet, it'll make things easier. I doubt she's going to call anybody. She seems too much of a goody-two-shoes for that. So we let her help us and if she becomes a problem, we enchant her and use her to get the hell out of town.” Aria snorted. “Fine. But don't come crying to me if this bites us in the ass.” “I don't cry.” Adagio smiled as the nurse walked back into the living room carrying a first aid kit. “Thank you so much for your help. I'm Adagio, this is Aria, and that's Sonata.” The nurse smirked as she set the contents of the kit out on the coffee table. “That's funny.” “What's funny?” Aria asked, suspicion in her voice. “My name's similar. I'm Cantata. Cantata Luster. Nice to meet you.”