//------------------------------// // Arc XXX Episode VII: Smash And Grab // Story: Family Begins With You // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// “You’re being targeted!” Coral shouted over the phone, “They’re aware of your presence and they’re trying to find you.” Aria took this in stride with an excited smile on her face. “Well, we’ll just have to say hello in the nicest, most respectful way possible.” “Be careful,” Sonata advised her sister, “We don’t know what sorta stuff they’ll have up their sleeves.” “Pssh. You worry too much about details,” Aria scoffed as they continued deeper into the facility through its hallways. And when they came across a group of goons with guns, they immediately took shelter behind a corner. That’s when Aria approached them and called out. “Hey, losers! Don’t you know you’re working for someone crazy who’s using power they don’t understand?” The guards didn’t stop to think about what she said. Instead, they simply opened fire, shooting live bullets at her! Thankfully it wasn’t enough to stop her, as Aria was quick enough to create a tornado that blew the bullets away before sending a forceful gale from her palms that knocked the guardsmen back into the nearest wall, knocking them out instantly. “Huh. That was almost too easy,” she commented as she flexed her hand, then beckoned Sonata to follow. “This way. Come on!” Sonata followed her sister deeper into the facility until they came across a pair of weighted doors. The sirens paused for a moment as they felt what appeared to be a magical signature coming from the other side. “It’s here,” Aria commented, “I’m sure of it.” “Your opposition has been rather light thus far,” Coral commented over the phone, “I’m honestly pretty suspicious of what this could mean.” Sonata weighed in, “Either they’re scared of us or prepared for us.” “Or both,” Aria replied with a sigh, “But we don’t have time to stand around and wonder about it forever. Come on.” With a weighty, air-powered kick, Aria smashed the doors open which revealed a small laboratory where dark magic crystals were being refined in various test tubes and jars. “...well that explains that,” Aria muttered. Then, Coral called out. “Behind you guys!” They turned to see Parabola standing there with a gun drawn at them. “...I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist falling into my trap. So what if I’m using your world’s magic to power my devices? It’s all fair game for corrupting my home, isn’t it?” “W--do you even realize what you’re doing?!” Sonata yelled out as she put her hands up, “Dark magic is highly unstable and could result in loads of catastrophic effects if you’re not careful! Even I know that!” Parabola snickered as she approached them a bit more closely. “Exactly…it’s just what I need to send you and your wretched teacher back where you came from. And…I see you’ve got a little accomplice helping you, hm?” Aria played it off, “I’ve got no idea what you’re talking ab--” But suddenly, they heard Coral’s voice over the phone… “Hey! Lemme go! Agh! Hey, quit touching me there, creep!” “Coral?!” Sonata tried to reach for her phone, but the call was suddenly cut off and hung up. “...what did you do to her?!” “I didn’t do--” Aria, who had just about enough of her talking, cut her off with a swift, powerful gust of air from her palm. It was just enough force to blow the gun out of her hands. “Sonata. Grab that big crystal and let’s go. I honestly couldn’t be assed as to what her plan is.” Without hesitation, Sonata shocked the test tubes around the room, destroying the smaller crystals before grabbing the biggest one and running off with it. “We need to find Coral! I’ve got no idea what just happened to her!” As Aria followed her sister out, she looked around but didn’t see any sign of Parabola. Maybe their might had scared her off? Whatever the case, she was more focused on saving Sandbar’s little sister. Soon enough… The girls rushed back to the van where Adagio had been waiting at the wheel. “What’s going on?” the eldest siren asked as she opened the doors, “Did something happen?” “Big problems,” Aria called out as she hopped into the van. “Coral’s been screwed up. Something’s wrong.” “Where is she?” Adagio asked. Sonata jumped in and shut the doors. “She just texted me her location. It’s one of her hideouts that’s around the corner from here.” And as soon as Adagio got that information, she shifted the van’s gears and put her foot on the gas. “Hang on, girls. We’re about to hightail it.”