Brianna got off the bus as it stopped at it's final stop and just down the street, was her home. It was on a large private property in the city. The commute was no trouble at all for her...that wasn't the problem at all.
Brianna stood there at the bus stop's lamp post, the only source of light along a dark street. She stood there for a moment. Her body was rigid, her heart was pounding up to her ears, even listening to her audio book did nothing to calm this crippling fear.
"Enough with this nonsense." She wiped a tear away that rolled down her cheek, she played classical hip hop music on her phone as a way to keep her focus. She pulled out a glow stick and turned on the flash light on her phone and one brave step and she was surrounded by the darkness.
She was breathing heavily as her anxiety was through the roof but...she must conquer this fear.
Flashback
I am Brianna Lucia Giselle Johnna Romanov De La Sonata. A great name was attached to me before I even knew what it was, but I quickly learned that with a great name came a great burden. I was trained before I even knew what was happening...I was raised to be a proper Lady Sonata.
A Little girl with rich, thick black hair that was pinned up in a tight bun sat on a couch of a large brightly lit sitting area while adults were talking. She was alone, bored and restless but she wouldn't dare get up.
"Your Juice, Mistress." The butler handed the little cute girl her apple juice, "You are doing so very well. Keep it up. Don't let your Father see." He whispered to her, handing her some butterscotch candies. She nodded and popped one into her mouth and hid the rest in her little purse.
She sipped her apple juice in a silver cup. She wore a stuffy white dress with pink bows. She listened to the classical music being played by a band in the corner. She looked at her father, A Man with thick black hair was speaking and sipping champagne, she sat straight up as she saw that he was walking towards her.
"May I introduce my daughter, Brianna of the Sonata." Her father smiled widely as he was introducing her to British Diplomats.
"Dobryy vecher dzhentl'men." She got up from her chair and gave a perfect curtsy as she greeted them in her native tongue, Russian.
"Now Pet, these man don't know what you're saying...Why not show them in English." Her father nodded with a proud wide smile.
She cleared her throat, the five year old struggled, "Goo...evening...G-G-G..entle...man." Her tongue felt twisted as she was trying to speak this new language, she wanted to hide behind her dad but...
A Lady is not shy, a lady is confident
"The heir I presume." One of the man said delighted, bowing his head to her curtsy.
"Five years old and speaking English, how exciting." The Man's wife nodded in approval and continue to speak to her Father, "What is this Great Sonata going to be doing? Perhaps a Great Opera Singer like her Grandmother or is she going to play an instrument, write music...or dance."
A Lady is seen, not heard unless she was being addressed directly.
As long as I sat still around company, as long as I did what I was told, Listened to him...be the perfect little girl, I would be loved. My behavior could reflect badly on him and he had a reputation to protect, he had his career as a famous Cellist and my Step Mother was a heiress of a Dance Company who despised me.
"Well that's a secret." Her Father laughed.
I couldn't play outside unless it involved my lessons. I was trained to play instruments from the flute, to the cello...to the violin, whatever my father thought sounded right, I was made to sing and dance since I was four. I was force to play the violin from morning until night, only resting to put my hands in freezing cold water so I can play again. I would sing until my voice would be raspy and they were difficult as they were in a different language. For Dance, I had to be flexible, lean and...thin. I was on a strict diet, no sweets, no soda...barely juice unless it was freshly squeezed or juiced, preferably beets and milk. The butler would sneak me butterscotch which I had to hide from Father.
I would see other kids eating sweets and always wondered what they taste like while I ate chopped carrots and apples for dessert. I would smell the sweetness of chocolate and caramel, I would see fruit tarts, Honey cakes, and Blintzes, and my mouth would drool. I just wanted to try it, but I would always feel his watchful eyes, so I just munched on my carrots.
My father was proud of me, he said I had the natural raw talent of our great family for all three. I wanted his and Step Mother's approval so badly, that I would do it without complaining but there was always another reason why I always obeyed.
When Brianna was 7 years old, she stood there in front of the fireplace. Her father had his back turned and her Step Mother was sipping a glass of wine, with a smile almost pleased with something.
"What is this?" Her Father asked in a stern hiss, he turned around, holding a small trophy. His frown stretched across his face, her smile disappeared and she clenched her lips tight.
Don't show any emotion, it just makes him madder.
Her hands were clenched tightly as an effort to hide her fear.
"I won a-" She gave him a light smile, but she yelped as her trophy was threw to the ground.
"YOU WON WHAT? THIRD PLACE!" He roared, his slick black hair was unraveled by his rage.
Brianna twisted her fingers together, her fear was turning her stomach into knots and clogging up her throat, making it difficult to speak. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream. She trained hard to win the Belgium National Violin Contest, she practically had bandages on every finger from the pain and bleeding of holding the strings for so long.
"Father, I-I-I think I...did good." She mumbled those words, hearing her stepmother sipping her wine and a light chuckle, delighted by the scene in front of her.
"Good? Good? Just Good?" He took several deep breaths but that didn't calm him down one bit, "Good she says? YOU ARE A SONATA! YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO DO GREAT! FANTASTIC! PHENOMENAL!"
"Father-"
"Silence...You would have won first place if you didn't rush the rhythm. If you just played it the way it was suppose to be played. You let your that passion get in the way once more." He leaned against the fire place but his rage didn't subside, "Do you know why the crowd was full at the nationals? Do you? I'm waiting for a reply, young lady."
"N-No." She shook her head wildly.
"Because of you, little thing." Her Stepmother said something, smug as ever.
I hated her too, she was only ever happy when I failed. She despised me for some reason. She would look at me with vile disgust. What did I ever do to her?
"When the country learned of a Sonata, making it to the finals, tickets were sold out. The Belgians, like the Whole World knows of the Sonata's greatness, your Great Grandmother and your Grandmother sang there once and it has never been forgotten. Then here comes you, winning third place...ruining their victories...their honor." He walked to the wall, pulling a golden rope cord, "I'm disgusted."
"Now Now My Love, I did hear that her playing was remarkable for her age. She played with such feeling that it gave the judges chills." Her stepmother teased, looking at her with a smirk.
"Father, I did good." Brianna's bottom lip tremble as her tears started to form, "I-I just got scared and I was excited...and happy but I was scared. Ya byl napugan!"
"English...you will speak in English. You gave into that one fault that we Sonatas are prone to...Passion."
"Father-"
"A Lady doesn't talk back...a lady doesn't make excuses." He said coldly, standing over her like a giant.
I begin to hate being a Sonata
The butler and House keeper came up.
"Take her...to the room."
"No...no Father...no..." She turned pale when he mention The room. "Please...anything but there. Daddy?" She whimpered as she was about to be grabbed by the servants. She ducked out of their reach and grabbed his leg, begging.
"DADDY PLEASE!"
"You need to be punish, how else are you going to learn?"
"WHAT DID I DO! DADDY! PLEASE! I WON'T DO IT AGAIN! I'M SCARED OF THE CELLAR! PLEASE! NO! NO!" She held on for dear life even as the servants were pulling and tugging, she started screaming and crying in Russian, the Stepmother just watched in pure delight.
"Mistress, come now." The Housekeeper struggled. Even as they pried her off his leg, she kicked and screamed at the top of her lungs.
"How disgraceful! You're fighting like a wild animal! Have some decency." Her father scolded her.
"Anything but that!" She continued to cry as she was suddenly grabbed and picked up by the butler.
You're going into the room." Her Father said without an ounce of emotion as his daughter was crying wildly
"NO! AHHHHH!" She kicked and screamed even higer. She started grabbing at the walls, grabbing at any interior, even falling on the floor; but she was grabbed by the butler and house maid even they faltered at the fear in her eyes and her begging, "PLEASE Daddy! AHHHH!"
"ENOUGH!" He pushed the servants and grabbed her around the waist, "You are a Sonata, you will accept your punishment." He carried her down the large wine cellar and towards a shabby looking door.
"NOOOOOO!" He placed her down in the middle of an old dusty room, she tried to crawl away but he just grabbed her again. She continued to struggle until he grabbed her again and placed her on the floor.
"You will stay or I'll tie you up." He said sharply.
"Please...Daddy...No...the cellar is scary, it's too scary." She grabbed him by the arms, pleading but once again it fell on deaf ears. He got up and just walked out of the room, slamming the door shut, she was swallowed up in darkness, "No...No...please..." She sat up, shivering.
End of flashback
She took a deep breath as she made it to the large steel gate that surrounded her Grandparents' estate. It was a long drive way but she sighed in relief as the solar powered ground lamps were on. The driveway was covered in the golden leaves of the Ginkgo trees that were lined along the driveway.
The house was large and personally design for her Grandfather's eccentric way, he build it in the Gothic style, with its dark stone walls and pillars that held the large balcony up. This were several smaller houses on the estate, one for the servants, pool house and a banquet house specially built for parties. the Banquet home was build a little more white and red in the Grecian style to look a lot more inviting than the mansion, which looked more like a darker version of Beauty and the Beast's castle.
She used her key to unlock the door and went in, where the butler was coming down the stairs. Brianna covered her ears instantly as a loud music suddenly escaped from the mansion. It sounded like an whole orchestra was in, playing Les Toréadors from Carmen which meant...
"AHA!" An older man with black thick curly hair wearing a white business loose shirt, gray pants and boots, was sword fighting (with a cork on the pointy end) with a man who was wearing full body armor and the older man was winning.
"Master, please." The Butler cried out, struggling to keep up with the two
"Grandfather!" Brianna called out. The old man turned around, his face turned into a bright smile.
"Ah My Valkyrie Titania!" Her grandfather, who couldn't come home yesterday, made a triumphant comeback as he front flip and by the time the teacher turned around, he held the sword up to his neck.
"Very Good Sir." The teacher nodded, "Again next week?"
"Of course...of course." He agreed in a heavy Romanian accent, he gave the butler the sword and after the teacher left, he winced in pain, holding his back.
"Master!"
"Grandfather!" Brianna rushed to his side.
"Ah No No! Who dis Grandfather you keep callin'! Eh No Grandfather here." He shouted sitting on a couch.
She sighed, "Matei."
"That's clever, Titania very clever. Or..."He was happy that the butler gave him a sip of water.
"Matthew."
"That is correct. I may be gettin' the too old for all dhis jumpin' but ah who can not sword play to dhat." He waved his hands and arms in the air as if he was conducting an orchestra of Les Toréadors. Matthew was a Romanian diplomat and the main family head of the famous Sonata line. He's true passion was of course, music, a famous conductor in many operas, plays, ballets, and concerts around the world. He was constantly sought after, any job he took was always a great success. He trained many songstresses and male singers, including his wife, Margaret.
"Music, it does dhe soul good, do you not feel it? The rush, dhe adrenaline, and your heart pumping. It is enough to make one soar through dhe skies."
"Gr-Matthew, you must take it easy. You just came back from Romania too, I bet."
"Da Da da, Titania." He waved his hand dismissively but he got up, popping his back and gave his only granddaughter a big hug, "It is good to see you though. You get more and more beautiful which time. I have brought you and your friends presents."
"I can give it to them-" She walked down the hallway with him, she was a little worried about his wobbling.
"No need, no need. You invite friends, we have another charity party in dhe making. Invite dhat lovely one with dhe...messy 'air."
"Matthew, she's not interested in singing."
"She has such talent, such passion. Nu Nu Nu, Titania, I shall not give up. When I see such passion, it must be share with world. I will not give up, I did not give up with my Maggie." He spoke softly, wrapping his arm around her, "Have you spoken to your Papa?"
"No."
"Ah Titania, my brave Valkyrie, you take your time. Whatever your decision, we are behind you. Whether you like to play, sing or dance, your decision and no one elses...do you understand?"
"Yes, of course." She seemed a little baffled by this sudden serious look in his face.
He stood in front of her, patting her on the shoulders, looking her directly in the eye. He grabbed her right hand and pressed his thumb in the middle on her hand, "Me and Maggie are very proud to have you for a grandchild. You are smart, you are kind and you are loved, Titania." He patted her on the shoulder once more, but then he was back to his fun loving self, "We shall have dinner together, all three of us. We should call your aunt Rosalina. Dhat be a real treat, perhaps..."He paused for a moment as if reluctant to say the next word.
"Yes?"
"Nu Nu Nu, Never mind. We must be ready for dinner. Dhe cook will kill us if we miss food." He smiled again and walked down the hallway in a quicken pace.
Brianna sighed as she walked down the large hallway that was lined with portraits of her ancestors all the way to the 16 century and she walked into her room.
Blitz tapped his foot as he stood against the wall of a club. The giant had really nothing to fear or maybe he just didn't have the sense to fear.
An apex predator doesn't need to fear anything really.
The music was blazing, he was being checked out by every woman and even some men were jealous. He looked like a geek god of war with his rippling muscles and his white spiky hair that hung to the back of his neck and two sets of black streaks on both sides. He had a slight shadow of white fuzz on his face, making his look more rugged.
"I really should shave when I get home...or maybe I should let it grow. I don't know, I don't like making decisions." He said to himself, looking in his reflection and touching his phone.
He was tapping his foot to the beat as he was looking on this phone, but he was really checking the back room in the reflection. A door that was protected by a large guard.
"This is a good music, I like it." He said absent minded of the situation. He moved every time a girl was trying to approach him.
"How do I approach the guard?" He closed his eyes thinking for a second, "Brick would just threatened to melt the guy's face off, Butch would have either bribed or maybe he would use his charm, Beast would cower in fear but be cute enough to distract the guard into letting him through...Boomer would've probably just blew the guy up. What would I do?" He tapped his head, thinking hard. Blitz was smart just like his cousins but he was laid back (or lazy) and let the others do the thinking for him. He was the muscle of the group.
Blitz shrugged his shoulders, walked towards the back room and the guard stood in his way.
The back room was a den for gamblers. The smell of smoke filled the air, the clanking sounds of chips and the ball moving on the roulette table. A man with shaggy black hair sat at a table who was smoking and had the most cash at the poker table.
He placed his cards on the table, he smiled as he heard the sounds of groans and grabbed the pile of money and charge to his already large stack.
"Well gentlemen, it's been fun but-"
When Blitz, holding his phone was looking around, scratching his head as he was looking at the faces and comparing to the picture that Boomer sent to his phone.
He suddenly appeared next to the poker table, "Aha...there you are."
"Excuse me, but do I know you?" The man asked looking up at this tall man.
"Well, maybe...that's a good question, eh...You might, but we should really talk in private."
"I'm sorry, but I don't think so."
"I really think you should come. I mean, if you don't...someone else might come and he's a bit...well...prone to torturing."
"Are you threatening me?" The man named Kieran asked loudly enough that some of the bouncers were taking noticed and coming towards the table.
"Honestly it's more like a warning it's just a question about a robbery...or was it a heist..."Blitz tapped his forehead, a gesture of him thinking.
"What's it to ya?" He asked, suddenly suspicious.
"Oh well...my boss is very interested in hiring the men who could pull off such an impressive heist. Yeah, no casualities, you just went in and went out. My boss is very interested in that, one of your 'men'...Nobuo told us to find you." Blitz was a little surprised how easy it was to come up with that half-truth but it was enough to lower Kieran's guard.
"I'm sort of taking a break." Kieran looked at him, he had name brand clothes and was wearing a pure silver gold carot necklace of a dragon, "Well stranger, How about I play ya for it?"
Blitz looked at him, "Play?"
"You know how to play poker, right?" Kieran shuffled and shuffled the cards in his hands.
"I dibble."
"Why don't you put that sweet necklace on the table as a wager?"
"Oh...this thing...sure." Blitz took off the necklace and placed it in the middle of the table and sat down. Kieran smiled, thinking this was going to be an easy win, he pushed ome of his winnings onto the middle of the table.
"This bastard looks more dumb like a sack of potatoes." Kieran passed out the cards.
Blitz smiled revealing his sharp canine, hidden behind the cards.
Back to the Reds
Blossom was looking at her surroundings, she was making notes of everything, any special landmarks but she kept getting distracted by this new surroundings. She never really been in this district of the city, only seeing it from the skies but never really taking notice of it.
"Focus Blossom, you've gotta be prepared. He's probably taking me to a warehouse where he can torture me into telling him about the others. Or planning to lay a trap...OMG why didn't I think of that? Of course I thought of that, but I didn't know he was taking me somewhere else." She clenched her lips tightly, one hand was resting on her compact on her belt and the other was holding her phone, "No No No, calm down Blossom, calm down. He would've done something already, Brick isn't patient He would've done something to me already. Or maybe...he's patient enough to wait." She felt like she could be sick, he wasn't releasing his black aura, so that was a good sign.
Her phone suddenly rung, breaking the awkward silence.
She looked at her phone, it was Kasey, she answered it only to hear her little sister's crying.
"Blossom, when are you coming home?" Kasey screamed so loudly on the other end that she held her phone at a distance.
"What is it now?"
"Belle is forcing me to eat some weird soup she just made!" She cried loudly, Blossom could even hear Belle's calling for her in a spooky manner.
"Mom is there-"
"Mom stepped out, I'm all alone with her." She suddenly started whispering.
"Kasey, you might as well eat it. You know Belle is never going to give up looking for you." Blossom gave Brick a side glance as she chose her words on purpose.
"But it stin-"
"Found ya, Cousin Kase Kase."
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kasey let out a loud scream and the phone as hung up.
"She'll be ok, it's me I have to worry about." Blossom hung up her phone but still held it in her hand.
"Where are we going?" She snapped at him, trying to show she wasn't intimidated at all.
He didn't answer.
"We're still in the city, this is good. He might be less hesitate to act in public. If he drives out of the city, I'm jumping out of the car." Blossom thought to herself, it was a half baked plan but it was the only thing she could think of, "This was probably his plan, making me rush like this. I was so busy trying to get over here without flying that I didn't think of a plan...No...that's not Brick...that's more Butch's type of mind games, but that doesn't mean he couldn't have thought of it."
"Where are you taking me?" She snapped at him.
He stopped at a red light, his red eye glanced at her from the side, she winced but she gave him a glare right back.
"I told ya, I'm hungry."
"That doesn't explain where are we going."
"Last time I checked, I didn't have to tell ya anything. Your ass belongs to me, Cherry." He drove until he stopped at an underground parking lot, "Hurry up, if I get any hungrier, I might just tak eit out on you."
Blossom was taking back by his tone, she shivered as he got out of the car with his back turned. She got out and slammed the door. She followed him as they walked up towards the opening of the parking lot and out onto the city's sidewalk.
"You might wanna follow closely."He warned as he pulled out a cigarette. She frowned, still loking around to make sure this wasn't a trap.
Unbeknownst to her, there was a figure looking at them.
She followed him, when her phone rung again.
"Kasey-"
"BLOSSOM! WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK!" Kasey screamed on the other side, she was so loud that Blossom had to back away from the phone. She absentmindedly continued to walk beside him.
"Kasey, what's wrong now?"
"Belle is trying to experiment with me. She's trying to make me eat Bitter melon salad, help!"
Blossom stuck her tongueout in digust and shivered at that weird cucumber yucky fruit, "Better you than me."
"Please come back! RIGHT NOW!"
"I can't Kasey, I'll try to get back soon."
"Cousin Kase Kase!"
Blossom could hear her calling out for Kasey, then Kasey just hung up the phone.
"She's going to be alright." Blossom sighed.
She sniffed the air and smell something...good.
"The Sea Witch." Blossom read the sign of a large white and blue resturant with a mermaid on the sign.
"Hurry up." Brick instantly snapped at her. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her through the door. His eyes glanced back to the figure that had been following them.
