//------------------------------//
// Halloween Double Feature 2020: My Mummy is Calling 
// Story: Shy and Aggressive: Book 2 
// by Johng117 
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It was a blazing hot sunny day. The air howled, blowing the blistering white sand across the land. A group of men dressed in tan clothes were following a man of bronze complexion. He led them over to a deep pit in the desert.

"They say that they've found something," said the man, carrying a thick Arabic accent. The man in tan looked down at the pit, which was dug near a great pyramid that stood tall over the land.

"We may have actually found it," said one of the men.

The group made their way down the excavation pit, where they found themselves in a deep, dark underground cavern. It was much cooler down here compared to the air outside. They found the cavern coated with ancient bricks and markings left behind by the ancients that had built this grand structure. Seeing the place told the men that there was a lot more built than simple pyramids.

The men began to explore every inch of this cavern, passing by dusty sculptures that survived the millennia, wall carvings that depicted tales, and even riches that were beyond anyone's wildest dreams. They found the ground littered with silver and gold. Jewels hung on sculptures and were piled around.

"What a mess," said one of the men, grinning as he picked up a necklace, which bore a bright emerald.

"Put it down. That's future property of the museum," said one of the other archaeologists.

"Over here!" said another archaeologist. The men entered into a chamber, which was littered with many different treasures that put the mess they came across to shame. They found a golden sarcophagus to be lying in the center of the room. The sarcophagus was decorated with segments of blue and violet, while the gold made up the sculpted face and headdress of the sarcophagus. In the burial chamber also stood a great black statue, depicting the Egyptian God, Anubis. It stood tall, wielding a golden staff, towering over everyone. Its red ruby eyes glistened from the light shined from the archaeologists. A golden headdress sat upon its canine head.

"We may have found it! The lost sarcophagus of Queen Araphix!" said an archaeologist, growing giddy.

"Let's find out for sure. Open the sarcophagus," said an archaeologist. The guide looked to them in reluctance.

"Sirs, this is invasive enough already," said the guide.

"We just want to have a peek at the mummy. Open it," said the head archaeologist, looking to his colleagues. The men approached the sarcophagus and opened it up. What they saw made them gasp in shock.

"Impossible!" exclaimed an archaeologist.

"My God..." the head archaeologist stared, wide eyed.

Inside the Sarcophagus lied a feminine figure wrapped in dirty cloth. But what shocked the men was the fact that her face was partially exposed under the wrapping, just around her cheek and eye. Her skin appeared to be soft and bore some color. An archaeologist carefully began to remove more of the sheet around her cheek, revealing more of the face.

"Incredible. She doesn't look to have aged, let alone decayed for all of these years!" said an archaeologist.

"By Allah, the tales..." said the guide, appearing to have grown pale.

"Have everything ready to move the sarcophagus out of here. We'll need to keep the body preserved now that we've exposed it to the air," said the head archaeologist.

"You mustn't take the sarcophagus!" exclaimed the guide. The archaeologists looked at him in confusion.

"But that's what we came here for. We came to gather findings of the excavation site for our research," said an archaeologist.

"That was before we saw this! The reason why Araphix hasn't decayed is because of a curse! Legend says that if she were to be moved from her resting place, she would awaken and enslave the Earth!" cried the guide. The men laughed in amusement.

"Ah. I never took you for being superstitious," said the head archaeologist, as he began to circle around the sarcophagus. He cried out as he suddenly tripped. He groaned in pain. But, his eyes widened as he noticed a cobra to be coiled nearby, dangerously close to his hand. The serpent lunged for his hand and sunk its fangs into his flesh, injecting its venom. The head archaeologist cried out in agony from the venom, while the others frantically began to rush over and chased off the cobra.

"He's been bitten! We need to get him treated!" cried an archaeologist. As they scattered, the guide shuddered as his eyes fell upon the mummy that lied in the sarcophagus.








Two Weeks Later...


It was early noon. The students of Ponyville High found themselves in a fleet of buses, traveling through the city of Canterlot. Today was the field trip to the city's local museum. It wasn't for anything specific. It was mainly something that the school had set up that the heads thought the students would enjoy rather than just spending a day cooped up in the school all day. At least that's how Principal Celestia had put it.

Aria found herself scowling as she sat in one of the buses. She felt the bus rumble her seat, as the roar of the engine was muffled from outside. She glanced at her left, finding Junior to be sitting silently with a mildly annoyed and embarrassed expression. Adagio sat beside him, clinging to his arm.

"Are you a historical buff, Goji?" asked Adagio.

"Not really..." said Junior.

"Well, maybe you and I can learn a thing or two. We're buddies for the trip, after all~." Adagio smirked with a bat of her eye lashes.

"Lucky me," said Junior. Adagio giggled as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Egad." Aria grimaced.

"Aria!" called Sonata. Aria sighed in dismay.

"What?"

"I was asking you about tips on how I can get close to Aangey!" said Sonata.

"Sonata, I don't know," said Aria. This girl had been pestering her about Angirasu all day. It had gotten under her skin an hour ago.

"Hey Aria, I think I can help," said Rodan, peeping over the side from a seat behind. Aria looked back, her expression lighting up a bit in relief. Maybe now Sonata can pester him instead of her.

"Awesome! You have advice?" asked Aria.

"Yep. You and me can trade partners and we can hang out. Maybe what you need is some experience," said Rodan, bouncing his brows. Aria scowled.

"No thanks. I rather never try to never fail, if you get what I mean," said Aria, smirking as she turned back in her seat.

"Damn, you're cold as ice," said Rodan with a chuckle. Pinkie giggled in amusement beside him.

The buses parked by a sidewalk. The hisses of the breaks filled the air. The students were ushered out of the buses and met up with their assigned teacher.

"It's pretty cool that Principal Celestia is actually gonna be our escort," said Sonata. She and Aria joined up in a group comprising of Adagio, Junior, Rodan, Pinkie, the rest of the Main 7 and the rest of the Mutant 4.

"Personally I'd love to have been escorted by Vice Principal Luna," said Rodan in disappointment.

"What's wrong with Celestia?" Junior in confusion.

"Nothing. Just that Luna has that alluring mysteriousness about her. I almost wanna say she was a goth girl back in school or something," said Rodan.

"She could pull it off too," interjected Sunset.

"Meh. I'm with Goji. Who doesn't like more mature women?" chuckled Adagio.

"Whoa! I didn't mean it like that!" said Junior with a glare and blush.

"You're into MILFs?" asked Aria with a raised brow.

"Goji!" exclaimed Fluttershy with an appalled look.

"Shut up!" said Junior with a flustered look. Aria snickered mischievously.

"Hey! Hey! Is there a problem here?" Celestia approached with a disapproving look. Of course, her sights were on Junior. The boy stiffened, smiling sheepishly.

"N-No, ma'am! We're just goofing around," said Junior, wrapping an arm around Rodan and brought him close. Rodan grunted and winced as he felt the hold beginning to crush him. Celestia's expression lit up into a smile.

"Good! I'm excited to chaperone you kids for this field trip! You'll love this museum! I used to come around here back in my school days!" said Celestia, walking ahead to the entrance. Junior released Rodan and furrowed his brows.

"What gives?" Rodan winced as he rubbed his neck.

"That was for starting that stupid conversation." Junior glared at the boy. Rodan scowled.

"Mature women, huh?" asked Mosura, glancing at the boys.

"I wouldn't consider her that mature. She has the youthful spirit of a 20 year old. Luna I think has more composure," said Junior. He noticed everyone staring at him blankly. The boy sighed.

"Look, I get sent to the Principal's office a lot! You pick up on a few things!" said Junior.

The students found themselves led through the museum to many different exhibits. Celestia often gushed on about facts that she knew when it came to the exhibits. The students found it rather charming to see a woman that they assumed was way more professional and mature behave like a youthful spirit. Twilight herself was charmed.

"I never knew Principal Celestia was so smart," whispered Twilight, grinning.

"Oh! Here's my favorite exhibit! The Egyptian exhibit!" said Celestia, pointing ahead. The students made their way to the exhibit, set in a completely separate large room. Inside, they found many different artifacts that belonged to the ancient empire, whether it was tablets, vases, urns, sculptures and statues. There were even some displays that held mummies, wrapped in cloth and visibly having decayed. The entire exhibit was designed to resemble that of an inside of a pyramid, with the walls decorated to resemble tan stone bricks, and walls coated in Egyptian art.

"Neat!" said Pinkie. The teens began to look at different displays, admiring them.

"Oh my goodness! There she is! They actually have her here!" cried Celestia, rushing deeper into the exhibit. The rest of the teens followed, both curious as to what had caught their principal's attention. They were led to a section in the exhibit that led into a smaller room, decorated to resemble a burial chamber. A statue of Anubis stood over them, staff in hand, as though it was protecting something here.

"They actually have new the mummy here," said Celestia, grinning.

"Oh great! Who wouldn't want to see another dead guy wrapped in dirty gauze?" asked Rainbow sarcastically.

"This isn't your typical mummy, Ms. Dash," said Celestia as she led the teens over to the display. They were in shock at what they saw.

The display was a glass box, containing a sarcophagus. Two flat sheets of glass separated the top and the mummy from bottom half of the sarcophagus. The mummy itself was only wrapped up to her neck, with head fully exposed.

"I-Is that a real mummy?!" asked Mosura in shock.

"This is Queen Araphix. She ruled Egypt thousands of years ago. Her reign was short, but was said to have been the most beautiful Queen in Egypt's reign," said Celestia. She was grinning as she held up her cell phone and began to record the display.

"They weren't wrong. She doesn't look like she aged a day," said Sunset in awe.

"She looks good. For someone dead and who may have had a family history of inbreeding," said Junior with a chuckle. Adagio squinted.

"Wait... Is it me or..."

"You think so too?" asked Sonata in shock.

"What?" asked Junior.

"Doesn't she kinda look like Aria?" asked Adagio.

"What? No way! She- Oh crap, you're right!" said Rainbow.

Everyone began to take in the traits of this mummy. Her skin was a bit tan. Her face had some oval features that Aria shared. Her brows were thin, and her hair was long, and a darker violet compared to Aria's. Despite the lack of highlights, the two had an uncanny resemblance.

"No she doesn't!" scoffed Aria, scowling.

"She really does!" said Celestia, aiming her phone to Aria. The teen recoiled and glared at her.

"You guys are blind! We look nothing alike!" said Aria.

"Maybe you and the Dazzlings are related to her. She could be an ancestor of yours," said Twilight with a shrug.

"You really think so?" asked Sonata in awe.

"Hmph. I always knew we were special," said Adagio as she ran a hand through her hair, smugly.

"Don't believe it so easily, you two! This might just be a prank or something by the museum. We probably don't even have Egyptian ancestry," said Aria in exasperation.

"It could be that, or you're some kind of reincarnation. That is if you believe in that sort of thing," said Twilight, shrugging. Aria grimaced as she glanced at the dead Queen. The longer she looked at her, the more she was beginning to see the similarities herself.

"Great. The last thing I need is more stuff to get unwanted attention," said Aria. Adagio hummed as she looked around.

"You know... An Egyptian themed concert would be awesome. Hey Principal Celestia, can we do that for the dance that's coming soon?" asked Adagio.

"That is an excellent idea! We can talk more about it after the trip," said Celestia. Rarity squealed.

"Sounds wonderful! You have to let me design your outfits!" said Rarity.

As the group began to leave the exhibit, Aria felt a chill in the air. She felt dread, prompting her to glance behind herself. After a moment, Aria felt calm. She shrugged it off and began to follow the group out of the exhibit.








Later that night...


It was cold and dark in the Canterlot Museum. Surveillance cameras scanned the entire building's different rooms and exhibits. Alarm systems were armed and ready to alert authorities to anything. A security guard was sitting at a desk, listening to the radio broadcast. He sipped his coffee as he listened to a radio talk show during this night. He sighed, a bored look on his face. He noticed a man to be walking by, nodding to him.

The guard recognized him as one of the archeologists that discovered the mummy that was on display in one of the exhibits. He was told that he'd be coming by to study more of the findings that they had in his private office. Soon, the guard would likely forget he was here because of sitting here alone in boredom.

The guard began to look through his tablet, which depicted different security feeds. He flipped to different feeds out of sheer boredom. He was babysitting priceless artifacts that no one seems to be interested in stealing. Just once he wished that something interesting would happen to lighten up his nights.

The camera feeds suddenly began to distort. The distortion grew worse to the point that the feeds went dark.

"What the hell?" the guard tapped his tablet. He sat up with the tablet and began to walk over to the nearest camera in the room and began to wave at it.

Meanwhile, the archaeologist that had arrived into the museum was sitting alone in a dimly lit office. He had a gold tablet resting on his desk. His eyes analyzed every inch of it, while he had a book resting beside him. He muttered to himself as he worked to decipher the ancient hieroglyphs He sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes.

The man suddenly jumped as he heard a loud shriek in the air. His heart was racing as he heard the shriek muffled from outside of his office. It was the security alarm. It was triggered.

"What in the-" The man grunted in frustration as he stood up and made his way to the door. He stopped as he heard the sound of loud sliding. He turned to find the windows of the room to be sliding open, and then slamming closed. They did this several times, banging every time they closed. The archaeologist stepped back, beginning to panic.

"What is going on?" The archaeologist found himself suddenly thrown off of his feet and to the wall. He cried out as he was thrown all around by some unseen force. It was like the wind was throwing him about. The Archaeologist cried out for help, but his cries were drowned out by his pained grunts and the sound of the alarm outside. He was then slammed onto his back on the ground. The archaeologist suddenly felt a pressure around his neck. The air was cut from his lungs as he struggled to take in air. He attempted to cry out, but all that came out were pained gags, and desperate gasps. The world around him began to darken.







It was morning over Ponyville. The town was stirring as the sun began to rise up, casting its light over the land. A gentle breeze flowed, and the chirps of morning birds filled the air. A shrill scream suddenly broke the peace.

Adagio Dazzle gasped as she shot up, bags under her eyes. Sonata snorted and shot up as well, her eyes heavy.

"Huh? Wha...?" Sonata mumbled as drool hung from her lip. The two sisters found the middle child of their family to be sitting up on her mattress, staring at her trembling hands. Aria appeared sickly pale.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" cried Aria.

"Aria? What's wrong?" asked Adagio, bolting out of her bed and rushed over.

"T-There's blood!" cried Aria with a whimper. Adagio leaned in and analyzed the girl's hands. She scowled as a mild look of disgust was on her face.

"Relax! I think you're on your period. You didn't wear a tampon did you?" asked Adagio in disapproval. Aria was still trembling.

"But... I..."

"Arie..." Sonata shook her head in disapproval. Adagio sighed.

"Just get cleaned up. We have to go to school," said Adagio, yanking off the covers from Aria. The middle child shakily got up and made her way to the bathroom. She sighed as she attempted to calm herself. She began to wash her blood stained palms.

"Calm down. You just had an accident. Yeah. Just wash up," said Aria. After washing her hands, she began to undress herself. But as she was naked, she noticed that something that made her blood run cold. She began to look over her underwear, unable to find a single stain of blood. Her pajamas were clean as well.

"What the fuck?" Aria muttered to herself.

After showering and bushing her teeth, Aria began to get dress. Her mind was still on the blood that stained her hands. She couldn't think of anyway that could have happened. She didn't seem to have any wounds. Aria stepped outside briefly, taking in the morning air. She noticed a newspaper at her feet. Aria knelt down and picked it up. The front story however caught her attention. She quickly began to look through the paper.

"One of the archaeologists that discovered that mummy was murdered?" Aria continued to read. She found the story describing that the autopsy reported that the victim was violently beaten and had his heart removed his chest, as if something had torn it out. That made Aria's spine feel a chill.

Later that morning, Aria found herself in school. She was making her way to her history class, her mind still on this morning. She was still disturbed to say the least. However, she's managed to get by so far. The girl took her seat and began to slightly doze off as her teacher began a lecture on the subject. Aria lazily turned the page of her book.

"During this time, the Egyptian empire was led to victory thanks to the leadership of their Pharaoh," said the teacher. Aria suddenly shot her hand up. "Ah. Yes, Ms. Aria?"

"Actually, the information is incorrect. It wasn't Scarab that led Egypt to victory, considering that he had died before the last days of the war. It was in fact his daughter, Araphix who led Egypt to victory. She was able to rule the empire for a short time before her own passing," said Aria. Everyone stared at her oddly, while the teacher stood with a stumped look.

"That's... Actually correct. I was mistaken. Yes, Araphix ascended the throne and was able to lead her empire to victory against their foes. Thank you, Ms. Aria. But, when did you take an interest in ancient history?" asked the teacher.

"I don't know..." said Aria, looking down at her table. She didn't know where she learned that or why she suddenly blurted it out. She never cared about history class before.







Later that evening, Aria was lying sound asleep in her room, with Adagio and Sonata. The girl began to toss and turn in her sleep, wincing.

Aria found herself being dragged through a dimly lit room. She kicked and screamed as she attempted to get free, as men began to haul her over to an altar. They restrained her and began to wrap up clean white cloth. Her legs were first bounded, then up to her legs. She panted in panic as the sheets began to wrap higher up her legs and to her waist.

Aria suddenly screamed as she as swung her fist, punching one of the men that restrained her. He fell back, cupping his nose. Aria grabbed the other man holding her down and punched him as well. Aria quickly began to tear off the sheets that had wrapped around her and began to beat one of the men, her eyes bloodshot. The men rushed to her in attempt to restrain her, but Aria met them with hard kicks and punches. She attacked anyone that came near her.

Aria screamed as she lunged for one of the men, snatching up a ceremonial knife from the ground. She cackled as she plunged the knife into his chest. The man coughed and struggled as she dragged the knife along. She reached into the wound and drew out his still beating heart. Its beats echoed out into her hearing. Aria began to sink her teeth into the heart, causing it to squirt blood to the ground and her face. After devouring the heart, the girl cackled again, her laughs echoing out into the air.

Aria's eyes suddenly shot open. She was staring up at a familiar ceiling. Her eyes glanced to the side, finding the morning light beginning to shine through the window. Aria calmly rose out of bed and began to make her way to the bathroom.

Sonata yawned as she sat up. She smacked her lips as her eyes hung half open. She began to stagger her way out of the bedroom and to the bathroom, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Morning Ari-" Sonata gasped as she shot up more awake. She found Aria standing at the bathroom sink, her hands coated in blood. She began to turn on the sink and proceeded to wash her hands. Aria had a calm look on her face as she washed up.

"Arie, did you have an accident again?" asked Sonata, warily. Aria said nothing. She took her tooth brush and began to brush her teeth, a blank look on her face. Adagio yawned as she walked into the bathroom.

"Morning," said Adagio. Aria set her tooth brush down after taking care of her dental hygiene. She then made her way to the bedroom. She stepped over to a drawer and found pairs of clothes. Aria was about to reach in but stopped. She closed the drawer and made her way over to a closet. She found many pairs of clothes inside, belonging to none other than Adagio.

Aria proceeded to dress herself up in the clothes she selected. She sported a violet sleeveless top, which exposed her shoulders. She also wore a pair of black tight spandex leggings, which shined in the light. The leggings reached just below her knees. Aria also wore a pair of sandals, with straps that wrapped around up to her shins. The girl then began to make her way to a mirror, where she proceeded to place on her makeup. She began to touch up her eye lids with a violet tone, and then added black make up around her eyes, creating streaks beneath the lines of her eyes. The strokes she made gave the make up an Egyptian look. Aria stared at herself in the mirror, while Adagio and Sonata stood in the doorway, wide eyed.

"Aria?" called Sonata.

"Are those my clothes?" asked Adagio in annoyance.

"Do you mind? I thought I'd try something sophisticated," said Aria, her tone shifting from a flat one to a more regal one.

"I guess. Next time, just ask," said Adagio with an odd look.







Junior sighed as he strolled through the school hallway with a look of dismay. It was first period, but he already felt worn out for the day.

"Just another day for the grind," said Junior. As he walked, he noticed a few students to be turning heads, their eyes wide.

"Whoa! Is that Aria?" asked a student. Junior stopped as he found the students gawking. Curious, he followed their line of sight. His eyes widened as he found Aria to be strolling down the hall, with her sisters behind her. She moved in confident strides, something that Junior normally associated with Adagio.

"Damn. Her ass is really tight in those leggings," said a male student, drooling at the sight of the girl. Junior merely walked passed him, just as he roughly bumped his shoulder against him.

"Don't let her catch you saying that," said Junior. He made his way over to the Dazzlings.

"Hey, what's up?" greeted Junior with a forced smile.

"Hey, Goji," greeted Adagio, while Sonata meekly waved.

"So, Aria... That's uh... An interesting look you have," said Junior, trying to think of a compliment. He noticed that her hair was down, while she normally held it in twin tails.

"Thanks," said Aria, casually. She then hummed as she leaned close to Junior, causing him to recoil.

"W-What?" asked Junior.

"Hmph. You're a better specimen than I thought," said Aria. Junior cocked a brow.

"Thanks?"

The way that Aria was looking him over made him feel like he was being auctioned off at a slave market.

"I'll have to keep you in mind. I must be going," said Aria, brushing passed the boy. Junior just stared as she walked off, causing heads to turn and watch as she swayed her hips in a hypnotic manner. Junior suddenly felt Adagio smack him in the shoulder.

"Ow! What?" asked Junior. Adagio was pouting at him.

"How come you never stare at my ass like that when I walk away?" asked Adagio. Junior recoiled.

"I wasn't-! What the hell is going on with Aria?!" asked Junior, not wanting to engage with the Dazzling over that comment.

"I don't know. She's been weird all morning. She normally doesn't dress like that. That's my shtick!" said Adagio in a whiny tone.

"That outfit does look good on her though," said Sonata. Adagio sent her a glare.

"N-Not that it wouldn't look good on you too!" tittered Sonata.

The day went by as usual. However, it was quite an odd one to say the least. Everyone that knew Aria Blaze began to notice that she was acting quite out of character. During her history class, she became more vocal during the lecture.

"It would seem that Scarab made the mistake of having mercy on the cousin that attempted to seize the throne by assassinating him. Would you agree that he would've been wise to have him beheaded instead and left to the crows for food?" asked Aria, having raised her hand. The history teacher looked at her, a bit unnerved. Junior grimaced from the back of the class.

"I... suppose..."

Aria's cold and callousness wasn't the only thing that was off about her. As the day went on, she began to display more quirks. Junior was walking through the hall during passing period. He stopped as he noticed Aria standing among a group of boys. She brushed a hand through her hair as she stood with a haughty aura.

"If any of you are actually serious about dating me, then you'll have to get on your knees and lick my shoes," said Aria, sliding a leg forward.

"Seriously?" asked a boy with a grimace.

"Shit, I'll-" Rodan spoke up, but Junior quickly yanked him back.

"Ro, have some self respect!" scolded Junior.

"But if you're a man that's worthy as Gojira, than you don't have to. But I prefer to be the top of the pillar," said Aria, smirking. Junior recoiled.

"You mean you'll only go for the tall and dumb guys?" asked a male student.

"The fuck did you just say?" demanded Junior, prompting the student to stiffen. Aria smirked as she strolled over to Junior. She grabbed the boy by his hoodie and yanked him close. Junior was caught off guard by this, finding himself inches from her face.

"How about it? Wanna be my King?" asked Aria in a sultry tone. Junior cleared his throat as he gently pried the girl's hands off of his hoodie.

"No thanks. I mean, I like you. But you're coming on a bit too strong," said Junior with a nervous smile. Aria bore a dissatisfied look.

"Your loss," said Aria, turning to walk off. Rodan glared at Junior.

"Dude, seriously. Why do you keep getting girls?" asked Rodan. Junior sighed in dismay.

"It must be my charming personality," said Junior, sarcastically.

The day went by. Junior and Rodan had kept an eye out for Aria during the rest of the school day. They witnessed her behaving in a way that they've never seen her behave. She acted sophisticated, yet vain. She was also much more sexually aggressive than what they've seen from the likes of Adagio. And she seemed almost cold.

During P.E., Junior and Rodan watched Aria from a distance. They found her standing with her hand on her hip and a tennis racket in the other hand, while Sonata was rubbing her bruised cheek with teary eyes.

"Hmph. To think that a weakling as yourself is my sister," said Aria, harshly. Junior furrowed his brows.

"Something is definitely wrong with Aria. She's never that harsh," said Junior.

"Yeah. She's gone from hot to bitchy," said Rodan, shaking his head.

"Hasn't she always been a little bitchy?" asked Junior.

"No, she was more... Stern. She's rough but you know she has a soft interior. That's what makes her so damn attractive," said Rodan with a grin. He then hummed to himself. "Maybe that's why some girls are starting to like you."

"Or they don't," said Junior, dismissively. He then turned his attention to where Aria stood.

"But, you have a point. She's changed. She's acting like she just stepped out of a fantasy novel or some shit," said Junior.







Aria found herself sitting upon a throne with a cold look. A headdress was placed upon her head, which bore a small cobra on the top. The girl found her throne rising high, as a great pyramid rose from the earth, towering over every city. The stars in the heavens circled above, while the moon eclipsed the sun. Aria raised her hands, as a horde of figures began to rise from the earth below the pyramid.

Aria's eyes shot open. The girl rose out of bed and proceeded to make her way to the bathroom. She found that this time, her hands were clean. That was good, considering that they kept getting bloody throughout the past couple of weeks.

Aria soon dressed herself. She kept wearing the same sandals over and over, but she changed up her outfit every now and then. This time, she sported a short skirt. But the thing she was most consistent with was the way she wore her make-up.

"Aria, you got a second?" called Adagio.

"What is it?" asked Aria, turning her attention to her sister.

"Look, I'm all for trying out new styles and stuff. But I get the feeling that you've been obsessed with the 'Egyptian' look," said Adagio. Aria froze.

"Obsessed?" asked Aria.

"Yeah, I mean... It was cool the first couple days or so, but you've been acting differently," said Adagio.

"I have?" asked Aria.

"Yeah. Listen, you can have some of my outfits. But maybe tone down on some of that 'royalty' thing you got going on. I think that museum trip has gotten to your head," said Adagio with a chuckle, before leaving the room. Aria set her make up brush down as she stared at herself in the mirror, her stomach in knots.

Aria began to gather her phone. However, she noticed that she received an email notification. She opened her email and found it was a link to an article relating to natural history, specifically Egyptian natural history. She had subscribed to the newsletter days before for reasons she couldn't think of. Aria wondered why she suddenly had an obsession with Egypt. The girl gasped as she read the article.

"Another Archeologist that discovered Araphix was found dead again? What's going on?" asked Aria, feeling overwhelmed by anxiety. By now, a few of them had mysteriously died during the past couple of weeks. Ever since she went to that museum, things have seemed to change.

Then, it suddenly clicked. The museum. Aria looked to the email and then herself in the mirror.

"There has to be a link," said Aria, feeling sick to her gut.

"A-Adagi-!" Aria stopped herself. She couldn't bother telling her sisters. Already she was acting off. If she told her sisters that she thinks that the museum had something to do with her change, they'd merely brush her off. Or worse, they'd think she's lost it. Maybe she has.

There was also the fact that they've been busy with the dance. They wouldn't put that off for what might be a wild goose chase. Aria needed someone that she can trust. Someone that had plenty of time on their hands. Then, an idea came to her.

"And it's a terrible one," Aria suddenly blurted out.

Later that morning, Junior yawned as he was walking through his neighborhood. He was glad that the weekend had finally greeted him once again. He had many plans for this weekend, mainly to sleep in. But as he passed a bush, a pair of arms suddenly reached out and yanked him in.

"Hey! You wanna get your ass-!" Junior was about to start throwing his fists, but froze as he found Aria to be crouching in front of him.

"Aria? What the hell are you doing?" asked Junior in confusion.

"Listen, I need your help! I think I'm cursed!" exclaimed Aria.

"Cursed? Huh?" asked Junior.

"Look, I've realized that I've been acting weird!" said Aria.

"That's a no brainer," said Junior, flatly.

"But, it all started ever since we went to that Museum a couple weeks back! I keep having nightmares about pyramids and everything Egyptian related!" said Aria, her tone in a panic. Junior almost wanted to brush her off, but her rattled state kept him planted here.

"I think there's something wrong with the mummy that looks like me. The guys that found her turned up dead the past couple of weeks," said Aria.

"OK, let's say that I 100 percent believe you. What do you want me to do about it?" asked Junior.

"Come with me to the museum to investigate! I think we can find some answers there," said Aria. Junior recoiled.

"The museum?! Aria, that's all the way over to Canterlot!" said Junior.

"It's just a couple hours worth of a bus ride!" argued Aria.

"But now?! Why can't you ask your sisters to help?" asked Junior.

"They wouldn't believe me! Plus I'd be asking them to skip out on school, which would take time out of them getting the concert ready for tonight's dance," said Aria.

"Great siblings," said Junior flatly. Aria merely sent him a glare. The boy sighed.

"Alright, I'm sorry. But why ask me?" asked Junior.

"Because you're the only one I can trust right now on such short notice. Plus, you have a lot of free time on your hands, so I didn't think it'd be that much of an inconvenience," answered Aria.

"Oh, so skipping school isn't an inconvenience to me?" deadpanned Junior.

"Look, I'll make it up to you. Whatever you want!" said Aria, desperately. Junior lowered his head in dismay.

"Forget it. Come on, let's go," said Junior as he stepped out of the bushes. Aria sighed in relief.

"Thanks. You're awesome," said Aria.

"I try," said Junior with a sigh. 'My mom's gonna kill me when she finds out I skipped school.'







It was noon. Junior and Aria found themselves stepping off of their bus. Junior sighed in exasperation.

"I always hated urban areas. Cities are no place for human beings to live," said Junior, looking around the tall buildings that surrounded them.

"My empire will dwarf these structures of steel and concrete," said Aria, her voice shifting to a regal tone. Junior did a double take.

"Aria?" called Junior. Aria gasped as she suddenly trembled.

"I-I think I blacked out for a second," said Aria. Junior grimaced. He didn't think Aria would be one to joke around or to pull off an elaborate prank. The way she spoke certainly gave him the impression that he was standing next to a totally different person.

"Come on. The Museum is just around the corner," said Junior.

The pair crossed the streets of Canterlot. Their steps carried them over to the site of the Canterlot Museum. They power walked to the structure and entered. They found the building to be partially filled, but there were less people then they've witnessed from their last visit. Junior and Aria began to make their way to the Egyptian exhibit, where they began to scan the displays.

"Just what are we looking for?" asked Junior.

"I don't know. Clues or something..." Aria trailed off as she stopped by a display, depicting ancient Egyptian wall art. She found the image of a woman who stood, with violet hair that draped down beneath her head dress. Aria stared at the image for what seemed like an eternity. She then felt a hand on her shoulder.

"AH!" Aria yelped.

"Relax! It's just me!" said Junior, quickly pulling his hand away. Aria sighed.

"Don't doze off. Come on, I think we should check out that Araphix display," said Junior as he began to walk off. Aria trailed behind him. The two came across the 'Burial Chamber' section of the exhibit. But, they found that it bore a sign at the front that read, 'Closed'.

"That's odd. Why would they close this section off?" asked Junior. Aria furrowed her brows as she began to walk passed Junior.

"Uh Aria... The sign," called Junior. Aria ignored him. Junior sighed.

"This doesn't bode well for my future," said Junior as he followed the Dazzling into the Burial Chamber. The two found that everything appeared normal. Nothing seemed to be out of place. When the teens approached the mummy display, they found Araphix to be lying just where they thought she'd be.

"I wonder how she was able to be this well preserved," said Junior. Aria furrowed her brows as she stared at the mummy in the display.

"I wonder if we can fix me by burning this bitch or something," said Aria. Junior stiffened.

"Aria, no. I am not helping you destroy Museum property. I'm already treading on a thin line as it is," said Junior.

"Hey! What are you kids doing in here?!" a voice shouted. Junior and Aria turned to find a security guard to be standing at the entrance of the 'Burial Chamber'.

"Ah fuck," said Junior, slumping his shoulders.

Later, the two teens found themselves sitting in a hallway. Junior scowled as he sat up straight, his arms crossed over his chest, while Aria sat slumped in her seat, a look of boredom on her face.

"I knew this was going to bite us in the ass," said Junior. Aria sighed. A door suddenly opened. They turned to find the security guard and an older man to be stepping out.

"Good news. The Museum's not gonna press charges for trespassing into a restricted area," said the security guard sternly. He turned to leave.

"You kids should head on home. Isn't it a school day?" asked the older man.

"Look, we just wanted to find some answers," said Aria.

"Answers? What would you expect to learn from sneaking into a closed off area?" asked the man.

"My friend here thinks she's cursed because of your stupid mummy display," said Junior, flatly. The man's brows furrowed.

"Cursed?"

"That's what I said. Anyway, what's the deal with that thing? Is it a real mummy or are you guys desperate for visitors that you set up a wax sculpture or something and claimed it was a well preserved mummy?" asked Junior. The man began to walk a few steps away, annoyance on his face.

"Araphix was an Egyptian princess. She longed to be queen. No, Pharaoh," said the man.

"Wait, could a woman be Pharaoh? I'm not too savvy on ancient history," said Junior.

"There were some cases of women ascending to the title of Pharaoh, although rarely. Pharaoh's were more than a king or queen. They were the supreme leaders of the land. Considered living gods on earth. Araphix aspired to ascend to that title. She even murdered her parents and siblings to seize the throne for herself," said the older man.

"Figures," said Junior. Aria was silent and listened intently.

"Legend says that during her reign, her lust for power led to her having her sorcerers cast a spell to allow her to be immortal. But it came at a price. She had to have a large supply of blood for one week to sustain her youth and immortality," said the man.

"After killing several suitors, Araphix realized that that she needed a much more permanent way to maintain her immortality. Her sorcerers claimed that if she took the blood of a living descendant, she would be young and immortal forever," said the man. Aria's eyes widened.

"Oh my God. Then... Then I might really be a descendant of her! Ever since I saw her here, I keep having these dreams! I keep waking up with blood on my hands! I-" Aria began to hyperventilate.

"Aria! Calm down!" said Junior.

"Bah. Utter drivel and superstition. There is no curse!" said the archaeologist.

"But what about the other archaeologists that discovered the mummy? They all turned up dead the past two weeks," said Junior.

"That's- That's merely a bizarre coincidence. Some of them died due to cardiac arrest. Not all of us are spry youngsters as yourselves," said the man dismissively.

"But I'm a living descendant of her! I keep having these nightmares!" said Aria.

"Can you actually prove that you are? Even if you are, it doesn't mean that you're cursed. If you've found this out recently after seeing our display, then it may be in your head," said the archaeologist.

"In my head?" asked Aria, biting her lip.

"OK, look. Let's say that this curse is for real. What reason would Araphix have to go after Aria specifically? She has two other sisters," said Junior.

"Boy, do not waste my time with 'what ifs' and hypothetical! I have research to do!" said the archaeologist as he stormed off. Junior furrowed his brows

"Old prick," said Junior to himself. He felt Aria griping his sleeve.

"L-Let's go," said Aria. Junior nodded to her.

The two began to leave the museum. They made their way back to the streets of Canterlot.

"Well that was a bust," said Junior. Aria was holding her shoulders, still appearing shaken up. Junior frowned as he glanced at her.

"Hey, don't worry. We'll figure this out," said Junior.

"What's there to figure out? I'm gonna be killed by a fucking ghost," said Aria. Junior wrapped a comforting arm around her.

"Well, she'll have to go through me first. I have your back," said Junior. Aria softly smiled in response.








Later that evening...


The Dazzlings were back stage in the gymnasium of their school. They were in the process of having their outfits properly fitted for tonight's dance. The girls wore matching white silk dresses. They were designed to resemble royal attire, with gold painted  braces and jewels.

"We're almost ready for tonight!" said Adagio.

"Mwah! You girls look fabulous! Wouldn't you agree, Gojira, darling?" asked Rarity. Junior stood by, dressed in a formal pair of clothes. His hair was slicked back.

"Yeah, you did good Rarity," said Junior, nodding.

"I should get ready myself! The dance will be starting soon!" said Rarity, before walking off.

"She's already dressed up. What more could she do to 'be ready'?" asked Junior, shaking his head. He found Adagio approaching with her usual flirtatious smile.

"It's sweet of you to come by and be our 'personal body guard' for the dance. Maybe we should've had Rarity set you up for an Egyptian styled outfit too," said Adagio, grinning.

"Why do we need a body guard anyway?" asked Sonata in confusion.

"Well, you know... You three are famous pop stars, right? Who knows if the crowd gets a bit too rowdy during your performance," said Junior, forcing a smile.

"Oooooh! That makes sense," said Sonata, a thoughtful expression on her face. Aria stood in silence as she stared at herself in the mirror. Just seeing herself in this get up did little to relieve her of her worries. She dreaded what was to come.








Meanwhile...


The air was cold. The moon hung high in the sky. Crows were perched on the bald trees that stood planted in a grave yard. Many grave stones lied, marking where the dead were resting in their eternal slumber.

The wind began to pick up. The crows in the area squawked, their feathers erecting. The wind howled as the sound of thunder filled the air.

"I provoke the power of Anubis to raise the dead. Rise," a distorted, feminine voice called out. The winds picked up, and the thunder grew louder, as clouds began to circle over the grave yard. Lightning crashed. The earth in the grave yard began to move.

"RISE!!" the voice cried again. Decomposed hands began to burst from the earth of every grave, as grey flesh or skeletal claws grabbed the earth. The grave yard was suddenly filled with ghostly moans, as the dead rose from the earth, their eyes glowing green. The dead began to climb out from their graves and shambled out of the graveyard, their moans being carried throughout Ponyville. Some proceeded to make their way to the highway to Canterlot, while others made their way to Ponyville High.

Meanwhile, in Ponyville High, the school dance was under way. Everyone cheered as the Dazzlings were in the process of wrapping up their concert. Music that was mixed with a theme that would be considered stereotypical for Egypt was playing as the girls swayed in place like cobras being charmed.

"We ain't in De-nile~! Na na na na na! Na na na! Na! Na! Na! Na! Na! Hey!" The girls suddenly struck poses, which mirrored those seen in ancient Egyptian art. The stage was lit up by bright lights briefly, before dying down. Students in attendance cheered as the girls rushed back stage.

"We totally killed it out there!" squealed Sonata.

"Damn right! I'd say this is our most successful independent concert yet!" said Adagio.

"Yeah, sponsored by Ponyville High," said Junior with a roll of his eyes.

"I think I'm gonna get changed and head home," said Aria as she walked off.

"But the dance isn't over yet!" whined Sonata.

"Hey Goji, wanna dance?" asked Adagio.

"Actually, I think I'll head home too," said Junior with a weak smile. Adagio frowned in disappointment.

"Oh foo." Adagio and Sonata began to leave backstage. Meanwhile, Junior made his way to the dressing room, where Aria was about to enter.

"I'll be out soon. Just don't leave without me," said Aria, her tone a bit small.

"I won't," said Junior. Aria closed the door, leaving Junior to stand in silence. For now, Aria's requested his presence to be close, considering that she was afraid to be by herself. Junior couldn't fault her. But he did wonder just how much help he could really be for something they don't completely understand. Junior suddenly took notice of a foul stench that lingered in the air. He cupped his nose as he began to look around.

"Smells like something di-" Junior found himself suddenly tackled to the ground. He grunted as he attempted to fight back against his assailant, but found himself piled on by a small group of rotting corpses. The dead snarled as they held him down. Junior cried out in shock and alarm. As he attempted to muster his strength, one of the zombies grabbed him by the head and opened its jaws wide open. A green mist spewed from the back of its throat, engulfing the boy's face. Junior suddenly went limp, passing out from the mist. The creatures stood up from the unconscious mutant and turned their sights to the dressing room. They began to rush to the door and broke it down.

Aria screamed in terror, which was heard from those just near the back stage. The zombies stormed out of the dressing room, carrying the girl off.

Junior found himself being shaken. He heard frantic voices calling his name. His eyes shot open. He found Adagio and Sonata kneeling next to him, worried expressions on their faces.

"Hey, are you OK?" asked Adagio. Junior quickly shot up, his eyes darting around.

"We saw some monsters running out of the backdoor with Aria!"

"Oh shit! Aria!" cried Junior, scrambling to his feet. He found that the dressing room door had been broken down. As they said, the girl was gone.

"Gojira, what happened?! Where did those things take Aria?!" asked Adagio, frantically.

"Fuck! We should've told you!" said Junior, grabbing his hair.

"Told us what?!" asked Sonata. Junior took a breath in a vain attempt to settle his nerves.

"OK, OK! Look, Aria's apparently the target of the spirit of an Egyptian queen! She's going to be a sacrifice for Araphix's immortality!" said Junior. Adagio and Sonata stared at him blankly.

"That explains a lot actually," said Sonata. Adagio suddenly glared at the boy.

"Why in the hell didn't you two tell us that this was happening?!" demanded Adagio.

"Aria didn't think you'd believe her!" said Junior.

"We gotta save our sister! But where could they have taken her?" asked Sonata, her tone teetering on despair. Junior hardened his expression.

"I think I know where."







Aria yelped as she was thrown to the cold hard ground. She gasped as she found the living dead standing over her, their glowing eyes staring into her own. The creatures spoke in a foreign dialect. One of them pointed to the Egyptian exhibit, barking orders. A couple of corpses grabbed Aria with their cold leathery hands and began to drag her to the exhibit.

"Stop! Please, let me go!" cried Aria, desperately. She was on the brink of tears as she was brought to the exhibit, while the sound of glass shattering filled the air. Aria was forced to her hands and knees. She gasped as she heard the cries of a man. She found a familiar man was being dragged into the exhibit by more of the corpses. It was the archaeologist that had revealed to her the truth of what was happening to her. Aria and the archaeologist found themselves in the 'Burial Chamber' section of the exhibit. The display was destroyed, and Araphix lied in her sarcophagus. One of the corpses pointed to the archaeologist and spoke in his foreign tongue. A couple of corpses dragged the man away, who cried out in panic.

"No! No, this isn't happening!" cried the man. One of the zombies grabbed him by the head and swiftly twisted it, snapping his neck. Aria cupped her mouth, suppressing a scream. The man dropped to the ground, the life leaving his eyes. Aria suddenly felt a warmth against her palms. She gasped as she found that a crimson liquid began to appear on her hand. It was as though it had oozed out of her palms. A corpse called out again, pointing to Aria. The zombies grabbed Aria and hauled her to her feet.

"NO! NO!!" Aria cried out as she was brought over to the sarcophagus. One of the zombies grabbed one of her hands and forced it onto the body of Araphix. The blood began to stain the cloth that had wrapped around her, seeping beneath. The blood was removed from the girl's hand, which was taken in by Araphix.

From the sarcophagus, Araphix slowly began to rise. Her eyes shot open, life having entered the violet orbs. Aria trembled at the sight, as the mummy became animated. Their eyes met, sending a chill into the Dazzling's soul.

"Pharaoh," a corpse rasped. The zombies all began to get on their knees and bowed down, chanting. Araphix stepped out of the sarcophagus, the cloth still clinging to her body. She stood just a couple inches over Aria, but the resemblance between the two became much clearer. Aria shuddered as the mummy began to circle around her, like a predator looking for the precise angle to strike.

"You truly do share my likeness. I knew that you would be the one whose blood would be worthy," said Araphix, running a cold finger through Aria's hair. The Dazzling whimpered, finding it difficult to stand on her own two feet. Araphix's voice carried a regal tone, but even the voice reminded Aria of her own.

"It's a pity that you'll have to die," said Araphix, smirking. She then turned to take in her surroundings.

"The world has changed since I was put to rest. No matter. Soon, it will all belong to me," said Araphix. Aria suddenly forced a laugh and placed on a brave face.

"It's impossible for a moldy 3,000 year old Egyptian queen to take over the world!" said Aria. While her tone betrayed her bravery, she had faith in that statement. After all, Araphix wouldn't be facing off against guys with swords and horses. This was the 21st Century after all. Araphix looked to her descendant with an unamused look. Suddenly, a vase in the room suddenly shattered as a green flame burst from it. Aria flinched from this, while Araphix held a confident smile.

"There are things that you don't know that I'm capable of," said Araphix, laughing. The zombies hauled Aria out of the burial chamber, while Araphix followed. She raised a hand, while a khopesh sword was levitated from a display and into her grasp. The rusted sickle-like blade suddenly ignited with fire. The flames suddenly doused, revealing the sword to appear pristine, as if it had just come off of the forge. Aria was forced to her knees, while Araphix admired the weapon.

"It's been a while since I've held one of these," said Araphix. She smirked as she raised the weapon, while Aria pleaded.

"NO!" screamed Aria. As Araphix was about to bring the sword down, she was interrupted as a rock was hurled her way. She quickly ducked.

"Hey!"

Aria turned to find that standing in the exhibit was none other than Junior and her two sisters. Araphix's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?" said Araphix.

"The name's Gojira Takeshi, why don't you let the girl go and head on back to your sarcophagus and go back to sleep?" asked Junior, popping his knuckles. Araphix chuckled.

"A mere mortal, nay, a commoner, is making demands to me? I think not. Kill them," said Araphix, pointing to the teens. The corpses shrieked as they charged for the teens. Sonata and Adagio screamed in fright, while Junior stepped forward. He swung a fist at one of the zombies, knocking it back. He then sent another punch at another, knocking its head clean off with his sheer mutant brute strength. The zombie collapsed, unable to move again. The rest of the corpses began to pile onto Junior, causing him to kneel to the ground.

"Gojira!" Sonata and Adagio cried out in horror. As the corpses had gathered on top, Junior suddenly burst out with a primal cry. The corpses fell back from this, while the boy rushed to the closest one. He grabbed it by the leg and swung it against the other zombies. The impacts caused their bodies to break and snap, resulting in them to fall to pieces. Every punch and kick proved quite traumatic to these already decaying corpses. Soon, there was none left. They all lied in pieces on the ground. Junior panted briefly before smirking at Araphix, who furrowed her brows.

"I never liked the idea of hitting girls. But I'll make an exception!" said Junior, charging towards the mummy. He lunged for the ancient Egyptian, but she instead greeted him with a kick. Junior was knocked back and fell to one knee. He glared at Araphix, who tossed her sword aside, raising her fists.

"I'm gonna beat your ass back to the Bronze Age!" said Junior, shooting back up to his feet. He swung his fists at the mummy, who swiftly moved out of his reach. She retaliated by sending quick yet strong jabs against the boy's face. Junior stepped back and then slashed his left reptilian claws at her, but Araphix ducked under and shot back up, sending an uppercut to his jaw. Junior stumbled back, rubbing his chin. Araphix smirked at him.

Junior gave an enraged shout as he lunged for the woman, who kept her distance. He rushed and sent his fists her way, but she was just too quick. She moved at inhuman speeds. Junior was shocked how someone who's basically been bedridden for thousands of years was able to outclass him in a fight.

Araphix swept in and jabbed Junior in the gut, causing him to hunch over. He was then met with her knee, shooting up against his forehead. Junior grunted as he was stunned from the blow. Araphix leapt and spun, swinging her leg against the back of his head. Junior slammed into a display, knocking down and shattering Egyptian artifacts to the ground. Junior panted as he shakily stood, but found Araphix approaching with her sword in her grip.

"I'm through playing games," said Araphix, raising her sword. Before she could bring the weapon down, three ear piercing shrieks filled the air. Junior cupped his ears, while Araphix was blown off of her feet. He turned to find the Dazzlings giving a unified sonic shriek. Adagio rushed to Junior's side.

"Are you alright?!" Adagio helped the boy to his feet. Junior winced.

"Just pissed," said Junior as he rolled his neck, causing it to pop. Aria and Sonata joined their sides. Araphix snarled as her eyes glowed green.

"You'll have to go through us if you want our sister!" said Sonata, defiantly.

"You cannot defeat the great Pharaoh!" Araphix shouted as she raised her hands, which glowed with flames. She threw balls of flame towards the teens. They all quickly dove for cover. Junior grunted as he felt the heat from the flames burst near him. He noticed an ancient shield to be lying on the ground beside him. He picked it up and turned to Adagio.

"I'll draw her fire! You guys attack from a distance!" said Junior, before jumping out of cover. He rushed to Araphix, who began to send the fire balls at Junior. The boy raised the shield, blocking the flames. But every time the flames bounced off, the hotter the shield began to get. He pressed on, while the Dazzling came out of their cover. They delivered short bursts of screams, which manifested into smaller waves of sonic waves. The waves shot passed Junior and towards Araphix, who cupped her ears. Aside from the ear piercing shrieks, her body trembled from the force behind them. She felt like collapsing, if not falling apart.

Junior suddenly appeared in her line of sight. With a mighty cry, he swung the shield with all of his might, sending the mummy crashing to the ground. Araphix grunted as her lip and nose bled. She attempted to stand, but Adagio and Sonata quickly pinned her arms to the ground.

"Aria, get a fire started! We're gonna test out that flame theory of yours!" said Junior. Araphix screamed in rage as she clenched her flaming fists.

"She's so goddamn strong!" cried Adagio.

"No! I will not be denied!!" Araphix screamed as her eyes began to glow brightly. She opened her mouth wide, allowing a bright stream of light to shoot out to the ceiling. Everyone recoiled and stepped away from the mummy, as her raw power was concentrated into a single beam of light. The ceiling began to crack, allowing bits of concrete to fall to the ground.

"Everyone, get out!" Junior shouted. Adagio and Sonata began to scramble away from the exhibit, all the while, the ceiling began to fall. As Sonata and Adagio made their way to the exit, Junior and Aria lagged behind.

"Hurry!" cried Sonata. Adagio gasped in horror as she saw a massive chunk of the ceiling fall.

"Look out!" Adagio screamed. Junior and Aria skidded to a halt and quickly retreated, narrowly avoiding the ceiling that fell. The debris left a large obstacle in their path, making it impossible to get around and to the exit on time.

"Find shelter!" cried Junior.

"Where?!" asked Aria. The teens gasped as they found that more of the ceiling began to fall. The entire museum was collapsing in on itself. Junior quickly pulled Aria to himself and forced her to the ground, his larger body acting as protection. The last thing the two heard were Sonata and Adagio crying out to them.

Aria winced as she opened her eyes. Her vision was a blur. But, she heard the sound of a heart monitor beeping.

"She's waking up!" a familiar voice whispered. Aria's vision began to clear. She found her sisters surrounding her. They bore looks of relief.

"Oh thank God. Aria, are you alright?" asked Adagio.

"Wh... What happened?" asked Aria, weakly. She noticed that her leg was held up via harness, while it was wrapped up in a cast. She felt pain throughout her body. Her head was also partially wrapped.

"The ceilings of the museum collapsed. The Egyptian exhibit is totally destroyed. If Gojira hadn't shielded you, we'd probably have lost you," said Sonata with a sad smile. Aria's heart jumped as she heard this.

"Gojira! Where's Gojira?! And Araphix?!" asked Aria, her eyes darting. Adagio placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, hey. It's alright. Goji's just in the other room. The doctors say he's gonna make a full recovery. Which is amazing considering that half a museum fell on him," said Adagio.

"He's the luckiest mutant alive!" said Sonata with a grin.

"As for Araphix... Well, we told the authorities about her. But, they never found her. It's like her body disappeared," said Adagio. Aria sighed, both relieved and still a bit worried. She didn't like that the mummy was never recovered.

"Well, I guess that's good. I mean, she's gone for good, right?" asked Aria. Adagio gave her a reassuring smile.

"Get some rest sis. I have to pay Goji a little visit," said Adagio with a giggle. Aria weakly smiled as her sisters left her alone in the hospital room. But, she felt that something wasn't right. Aria's eyes fell forward, noticing that a couple of nurses rolled in a patient, who was lying in a bed. The patient was parked across from Aria. The Dazzling gasped.

The patient was completely wrapped in clean white bandages, as though she were a mummy. A pair of familiar violet eyes were all that was visible beneath all of the bandages. The eyes were glaring hatefully at the Dazzling.

Aria glanced at her side, finding a tray that bore some medical tools. Among them was a scalpel. Araphix did the same, finding a scalpel on her end as well. Both were unable to reach for the tools in their injured states. The two then stared each other down, knowing that they had to rely on the recovery of their strengths.

"Only one us is leaving this hospital," said Aria, her tone low.

"And that's the way it shall be," retorted Araphix in a similar tone.

The two stared intently at each other, glancing only once at the occasional nurse that walked by. All the two had to do was keep waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting............