//------------------------------// // Arc XXVIII Episode X: A Keen Eye // Story: Family Begins With You // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// Meanwhile, with Trixie… “Alrighty. I think I’ve got my costume all picked out,” she monologued as she made her purchase, having changed back into her regular clothes and carrying out her cat costume. But just then, a magical aura overtook her--seemingly out of nowhere and without her even realizing it… And then, all the sudden…she could start hearing things that nobody else could. ‘...that woman is a prime target for my scheme.’ “What the--who said that?” Trixie muttered as she looked around and tapped the side of her head. “...Am I hearing things or…?” At the kids’ shop nearby… “Big brother! Sandbar! Over here!” Coral shouted as she fled the backroom with Skeedaddle and Wallflower in tow--much to the visual panic of the shopkeeper. “Cici?” Sandbar gasped as he turned around, and quickly approached her for a hug. “Whew…glad you’re okay. What happened? Where didja go?” “The lady who runs this store freaking kidnapped us!” Coral pointed to the now empty front desk. The woman was gone. “What the--where’d she go, yo?!” Sandbar cracked his knuckles as he grit his teeth. “I need’ta file a complaint.” Sonata was equally confused and asked, “Wait a minute--wasn’t she just there a second ago?” “The bitch probably ran off,” Wallflower muttered, "but Coral caught her on video via her smartwatch. Show them.” Coral would then show them the events that had transpired from her watch’s camera. True to her word, everything she had described had taken place was on video--including the woman’s desire to hold Coral for ransom as well as kidnapping Skeedaddle. “She’s a monster,” Skeedaddle grumbled, “If I didn’t have trouble breathing, I would’ve--I--...” Coral put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. “Easy, Skeedaddle. I don’t want you getting worked up over this. However…I don’t know where she could’ve gone. We need to start looking for her before she escapes the lot.” “I’m on it,” Sandbar started running towards the mall’s northern entrance. “I’ll take the North. One of ya’ll take the South.” “Oh no you don’t. I’m coming with you, big brother!” Coral hurried after him, and encouraged Skeedaddle to follow. “Come on, Daddle!” “O-okay!” Skeedaddle ran after her as well, leaving Sonata and Wallflower to handle the Southern entrance. “Guess we’ve gotta handle this side,” Sonata commented, “You with me, Wall?” Wallflower nodded, then put on a face of conviction. “Of course…she needs to be held responsible for kidnapping some innocent kids.” Everyone started to head out to their respective sides. However, they didn’t account for one more: There was a small Emergency Exit on the Eastern side of the mall’s map. Which is exactly what the woman used to escape. ‘Dammit. Those bastard kids ruined my plans to get rich. Whatever. I’ll just have to pick after the next richest kid I see.’ But then, she was stopped by an invisible, supernatural force. ‘...take my power, and you’ll have what you desire.’ ‘...’ Inside the mall… Inside, Trixie scratched behind one of her ears. “There it is again. Power? What power? Who was that person? Or…is it even a person at all?” Her curiosity got the better of her, and Trixie followed the voice towards the source…the Eastern end of the mall. It wasn’t exactly a voice inside her head, rather, it was akin to a radar in which she was able to hear it louder and louder the closer she got to it. And once she found the exit, she saw the woman who had been overcome by a sickly green magical aura. It had put so much strain on her body, that she was down on her hands and knees. “Erm…hello? Miss? Is there something wrong?” Trixie asked while approaching her, “I couldn’t help but notice that you’re a bit…overcome by magic. And as an expert on magic, I’d be more than happy to--” The woman’s voice had become distorted as she stood up and spoke. “...I don’t need your help. In fact, I can get everything I want now!” Behind her, the ghostly apparition of what appeared to be a floating eyeball with wings appeared to be possessing her! “What the--?!” Trixie shrieked as she leapt backwards. “Is that a Malocchio?!” “Correcto. And you’ll be my first victim, young lady!” A blast of poison was fired from the woman’s palms, to which Trixie screamed as she jumped out of the way. “ACH!” she dove behind the nearest trash can and started dialing Sonata’s phone number. “Come on…pick up!”