Chapter Three

Thank you all so much for your reviews, and I'm sorry for the wait. If any of you out there are as bad at Chemistry as I am then you might be able to understand the problems there. (Hears Gibson lecturing me on the wonders of Chemistry and puts in some earplugs.) Okay, yet another thank you goes out to my wonderful beta reader dragonqueenc, now on to the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I do not own SRMTHFG, wish I did, but I don't. I don't own Brother's Grimm either, still wish I did, and I still don't.

3333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 Chapter 3

Allegra led the team into a warm home that smelled faintly of spiced apples. The house opened up into a large room, half a kitchen, and half a living/dining area. The walls were a deep velvety red that worked well to keep the overall cozy feel of the home, but there was a feel in the air of sorrow that made the red walls almost appear black and the warm feeling feel like sadness. A brown haired woman with warm brown eyes that matched the warmth of her home was at a counter. She wore a long blue skirt and a white shirt, and in her hands was a bowl filled with apples and spices, explaining the earlier smell. She gave a kind hearted smile at Allegra, one filled will both relief and sadness.

"You've been busy today Allegra, or so I've heard." Her voice was soft but held a unique firmness too it, a firmness that matched, and maybe even excelled over her husband's and daughter's voices. "Are these the ones who have come to help?"

Allegra looked at the team to signal that the story would have to come later, in private. "Yes mom, they're going to help us and get back Tessa and the other girls."

Her mother's eyes got a sad look. "Thank you, my name is Layla Rose. You've already met my husband, Riah Rose, and of course my Allegra." Her eyes filled with tears she quickly blinked away. "Allegra, would you go and get some cinnamon from the cellar please?" Allegra nodded and left the room. Layla looked at the Hyperforce. "Thank you for coming to help us. We're all worried about which of our girls is next. After Tessa was taken, Allegra was even more adamant about saving the girls, not to say she wasn't before."

"What was Tessa like?" Chiro asked, curious.

Layla smiled. "She's the opposite of Allegra in so many ways. She's quiet and shy, while Allegra is always bursting with life and noise. Tessa loves to watch while Allegra loves to participate, and she always lets Tessa follow her around like a puppy. Allegra is the mirror image of my husband while I guess Tessa is my own, and Allegra always kept an eye on her. She's been blaming herself for Tessa's abduction since the day it happened. But there was nothing she could have done" She cut off as a door opened and Allegra stood in the doorway her face desperately trying to hide the fact that she heard every word.

"Here is the cinnamon mom."

"Thank you Allegra, why don't you take everyone into the study and I'll call you when dinner is ready." Layla smiled at her daughter sadly.

Allegra nodded and led them through a door on the side of the room, and entered the study. This room didn't follow the same velvet red look as the original room but it was just as warm, the walls were a deep brown wood, and all around the room there were chairs. A large desk stood in the corner. Allegra sat on a large comfortable chair and the team sat at various spots around the room.

"Now I can tell you the story, I didn't want to earlier, because I didn't want my mom to relive it." Allegra took a deep breath and began. "Around four months ago, the first abduction took place. It wasn't as dramatic and noticeable then. A girl disappeared in the night and in the morning, when her presence was missed, no one could find her. She was twelve years old. After that the elders warned us about the forest."

"How do you know it was the forest that took her?" Sprx interrupted. "I mean, she could have just- Ow!" He rubbed his head where Nova's tail had hit. He glared at her, but looked away when her glare proved stronger.

Allegra didn't seem upset about the question. "You've seen our forest?" They nodded. "That forest has been there for centuries, and theirs many tales about it. None good, their all tales about creatures that dig their way out of the ground just to hunt on living beings, people who used to live in the forest who have all been found dead one day, about a vain queen who would murder her subjects just for beauty, and so many more horrible stories."

"I read a story like that in my fairy tale book!" Otto piped up. "The queen lived in a tower!" He shuddered. "I didn't finish the story; it didn't seem to have a happy ending."

Allegra smiled grimly. "Probably a story founded from our wonderful forest. The legends here have gotten many authors famous over the years."

Gibson cleared his throat in annoyance. "Back to our original story please?" He glared at Otto for getting off topic and mentioning his fairy tales again. Otto grinned sheepishly in response.

Allegera nodded. "The forest, after each abduction, the forest has gotten more and more

evil somehow. Maybe it's grown darker, or more silent, maybe the thorns on the vines have gotten bigger. Even the branches have grown in a way that looks as if they are reaching out to devour our town." She stopped for a breath. "Other abductions followed suit, a strange disappearance, or maybe a shadow that follows a child, little by little eating them up, till one day at the dinner table, they might be suddenly missing. We've even had one girl who was playing outside one day when it began to rain, the rain drops seemed to collect on her, and soon she was one big rain drop that sank into the ground. My sister was pulled into the forest; she screamed and fought but the invisible force that took her was stronger. Only in the shadows could we all see it." Allegra closed her eyes and took a breath, "It wasn't human, even if it was meant to appear as one."

"And that was when you called us?" Chiro asked. Allegra nodded. Chiro looked at the rest of the team and silently, they nodded. "Don't worry; we'll get your sister back, along with all the other girls. We promise."

"Allegra! Dinner's ready!"

End of Chapter 3

Okay, a little more substance with this chapter, at least now I can get to some action. I'm hoping the next chapter will have a bit of the forest in it. If there are any problems with the chapter tell me and I'll get to fixing them. Updates aren't on a schedule, though I wish I could update every week, sighs, school doesn't exactly give us writing time. At the end of the school year all it gives us is extra work! Review please! I'm hoping to get at least seven more reviews. And thank you again to all my faithful reviewers I have already.