Song inspiration: Crossing the Line (From: "Tangled: The Series")

Artist: Mandy Moore and Eden Espinosa

~~~~~~~~~

Crash!

Screams echoed through the air.

Crowds of people scattered as they rushed for the exit out of the fair grounds.

Barney raced through the crowd with his snow cone cart, bulldozing his way through the chaos.

"Move! I'm not letting this get damaged! It's a rental!" he cried despite the bodies he was shoving with said cart. Judy, the mayor's secretary, rushed over to Barney with her blonde hair a static disaster. Her face was covered in dust as if there were an explosion.

"Barney, where's the mayor?!" she asked while trying her best not to sound frantic. Barney opened up his cart to reveal a delirious Mellow. The man's suit was scorched in certain places and torn in others, and his hair was sticking up in all different directions. He stared up at the two with a weak smile.

"I'd say evacuate the people... b-but that seems obvious, doesn't it? Anyone seen mother?" he asked before slamming his face back into the shredded ice.

BOOM!

"Those kids are gonna be the death of us all!" Judy screamed before sprinting away with her arms up in the air.

In the middle of the fair grounds, causing all the chaos, was none other than Corey and Laney.

The two were in a stand off, blasting one another with super sonic frequencies coming off their instruments. Around them were trashed stands, scattered debris, and a stage broken in half.

Their focus, though, was solely on each other. Their gazes burned with hatred and glowed the same color as their weapons.

"I've always hated you and your insane plans!" Laney spat while her green bass vibrated through her clenched fist.

"Oh yeah? And you think you're not annoying with constant complaining!?" Corey shouted. His blue guitar played a loud riff in protest. Both teens pointed the necks of their instruments at each other. The tips of them began to glow brighter and brighter.

"I should have never joined this stupid band!" Laney screamed. 

"Like I ever wanted you to join in the first place!" Corey exclaimed as their instruments grew so intense with their light that barely anything else could be seen.

Silence fell through the blinding light-

-Until an explosion blasted through the air like a crack of thunder.

...

-GROJBAND INTRO-

<Earlier that day>

Corey and Laney stood together by the computer in the garage. Corey scrolled through a website, and they both equally stared at the festival pictures in awe.

"I can't believe this music festival is coming to Peaceville today," Laney said. She noticed pictures of bands performing and stands that carried several instruments, t-shirts, food, or other items for purchase.

"I know! People from all over will be coming to check this festival out. This is the perfect opportunity for Grojband's big break! If we perform here, tons of towns will know our band's name!" Corey exclaimed with glee.

As the band leader continued to scroll through the website, Laney looked behind her. The twins sat on the stage, talking among themselves. Kin was busy scribbling inside a book with Kon was pointing a few times at his brother's written work.

"You sure you guys don't want to check these pictures out? There's a ton of food vendors... even a cheese and chocolate one," Laney said with a smirk.

Kon lifted his head to meet the redhead's gaze. He soon began to drool at the thought.

"Mmm, cheese and chocolate-" he stopped, though, and slapped himself out of the trance.

"Nope! Not yet. Not until we finish going through this," the larger twin finished while pointing to the book.

"And what is that again?" Laney furthered. She waltzed over to the brothers as Corey turned to face his bandmates.

"Remember that box that we found Fairteeny's book in?" Kin asked, looking up from the leather-covered text.

"Yeah..."

"Well, Corey's Gran Gran had a journal too in that box. She documented dozens of magical items inside it."

"Whoa, really? Wicked!" Corey exclaimed before heading over to the group.

"Why are you guys going through it now, though? We should be focusing on learning more about this festival before someone decides to sign us up for their competition," Laney replied with crossed arms, glancing directly at Corey. The band leader grew a guilty smile before waving off the judgemental tone.

"Come on, Lanes. We've played tons of gigs before with little knowledge or preparation going into them. We've got this," Corey explained, standing taller now.

"Yeah, but this isn't any ordinary music festival," Kin said. The genius glanced towards his brother. Both suddenly grinned from ear-to-ear.

"ROCK LORE TI-"

"Nope! Nope, guys, we don't have time for a whole story. We gotta get ready for our gig," Laney spat as she stepped onto the stage and headed towards her bass.

The twins sunk down till they slid to the floor.

"There's always times for Rock Lore," Kon grumbled with crossed arms. Corey shook his head at his sulking friends before following after the redhead.

"We should still be careful though! There will be tons of magic in the air once we enter those fair grounds!" Kin warned after shooting back to his feet and pointing towards the bassist.

"Yeah, yeah, just like every other gig we've had. Can you at least wait to tell us on the way there?" Laney complained with an eyeroll.

"You heard our bro. Hustle up, guys!" Corey shouted, which the twins saluted to.

Leaving Last Minute Transition!!!

As the band raced out of the garage with their instruments, Trina was stuck in her room moping.

"Since when does Mina decide to do something without telling me? We were supposed to talk about Nick Mallory's new haircut today!" the teen whined. She stood up from her bed and marched over to her closet. "I can't believe she would even step foot in that lame music festival, let alone go without asking me to come with. She is so dead when I see her again."

Trina searched through her clothes on the racks and shelves. She examined a few shirts and skirts before tossing them to the floor.

"Ugh, I need to head to mall... these clothes are sooo last week-"

When Trina pulled a pair of jeans off the shelf, a box was dragged with it. It fell to the ground, hitting the teen in the foot.

"GAH! Stupid piece of garbage!" she screamed before kicking the wooden box. It went soaring until it tumbled onto her bed. After it rolled, the box's lid flew open, revealing it to be a music box.

The tiny ballerina inside began to spin as a soft melody played.

A blue star then flashed across the box's trim.

Trina stopped. She blinked a few times before clenching her fists.

"Ugh! Like, get it over it will yeah?" the teen shouted. She whipped her head around to face the music box.

The melody chimed louder while the box shook.

"Look, your plan to make Mount Peaceville erupt was waaay too complicated and boring. Honestly, putting you away in my closet was a total upgrade for you," Trina said with a smile.

The music box vibrated even more.

"Uh, yeah I'm in a bad mood. Mina's going to this lousy music festival called Sonica Melody Mania or whatever... what's it to you?"

The music box fell silent for a moment. The ballerina paused mid-spin before slowly turning once again.

The angelic song echoed through the bedroom.

Trina's eyes flashed blue for a moment, causing her to smile.

"Hm, yeah. I should totally go confront Mina and shove it in her face that I'm better off without her... but I can't go alone. I'll need some groupies from school or something, and a totes cute outfit that she'll kill to borrow, which of course I'll never let her, and-"

The music box jostled forward while blasting out a high pitch note.

"Hey! Don't you dare use those words at me. We'll go only when I'm ready," Trina said with a flip of the hair. She took out her phone soon after and began typing. As she walked out of her bedroom, the music box fell on its face with a much slower version of its melody.

Music Box Frustrations!!!

"So... you're saying a famous musician created this festival and left behind several magical items?" Laney questioned. The group headed down the sidewalk on a cool spring morning. Both twins nodded towards the redhead in agreement.

"Yup! The story says that a musician originally created the area to be a place to lock up the most dangerous treasures she found over her career, to keep humanity safe-"

"-but over time the grounds was turned into an attraction, and the magical items became more of a myth. Since this festival has been around for centuries, no one knows for sure if these treasures exist or if they were just made up by the musician... She may have been known to be a little crazy. Yet, there are still tales of the treasures that curse the users to experience unimaginable horrors!" Kin exclaimed while hovering over Corey and Laney with an intense stare.

The two bandmates looked between themselves for a moment before the genius backed away.

"So why exactly are we going to this supposed dangerous festival?"

"Besides the competition? Well, it's all part of the adventure, Lanes," Corey replied with a grin.

"Yeah... nothing says adventure like being cursed by magical treasures," Laney grumbled.

"That's the spirit!"

"Well, there hasn't been any actual sighting of magic, and the legend says that all the items are safely locked away somewhere in the festival, so unless someone actually goes looking for them, everything should be fine. Just in case, though, we've been going through this journal. Corey's Gran Gran wrote down all possible magical items that might be here, so we can be prepared," Kon added while he held up the leather-covered book. Laney's brow knitted with concern while staring at the journal.

"So what do we need to look out for-"

"Hey, guys, we're here!" Corey spat.

The group followed his gaze to find Peaceville park decorated head-to-toe in several different stands, activities, and a huge stage in the center.

"Awe-some!" the twins muttered in pure awe.

"Come on, we better check in for the competition," Corey said, ushering his friends along.

The twins sped off from the excitement. Laney yanked the book from Kon just in time and held the text tightly.

"Core, we should really look at this first. If this festival is full of dangerous magical items, then we should know what to watch out for."

"You heard the twins, Lanes, there hasn't been any actual sighting of these treasures. Come on, we gotta check-in as soon a possible before we lose our spot in the competition," Corey explained before throwing a hand over the teen's shoulders.

"But Core-"

"Don't stress, Lanes. We'll be fine," Corey replied with a warm smile. Laney watched his grin, causing hearts to float in the air around her until her bandmate raced off. The readhead then shook her head violently and groaned at herself for getting distracted.

"Core!" she shouted in irritation.

"Ha, come on, Lanes!" Corey called out before racing further into the park.

The bassist sighed. She followed after her band at a slower pace. Laney then opened up the journal and began flipping through the pages.

As she walked, vendors all around her shouted out towards the passing people.

"Try your luck at ring toss! Win a music note shaped pillow or a rock star plushie!"

"Instrument themed t-shirts over here! Buy one get one free!"

"Head over here and get yourself a Barney's Snow Cone! We got every flavor imaginable! Even Bubble Gum Pop!"

Laney, though, kept walking. She grumbled under breath while she turned the pages quicker each time.

"Why can't we just think through a plan for once? Why do I have to be the only cautious one?"

She gripped the sides of the book the more she looked. Her cheeks suddenly turned a shade of pink.

"And why do I go along with it so easily!?" she snapped before chucking the journal across the grassy field. Her fists clenched while fire engulfed the top of her head for a moment.

She then let out a sigh, extinguishing the flames. The teen then smacked herself in the head.

"Great job, now who's the dumb one?" she groaned. The teen then sprinted off in the direction the book went.

Laney stopped, though, when she heard the thumping of a beat.

The redhead turned her gaze towards a stand. Several instruments were on display over the wooden counter, but her gaze focused on a bass guitar.

It hung up against the back of the stand by two hooks. It was triangular shaped, but its bottom half split off into two points like a star. The bass was forest green with lime trim. A pair of glowing green triangles flashed at the bottom of the instrument, mesmerizing the teen.

"Whoa..." she muttered after walking closer to the beautiful instrument.

Laney stared at the bass guitar so long that she didn't notice the stand's vendor walking up from behind the counter.

"You again? Oh, do you like this new bass? I found it tucked inside this old, old chest buried underneath the fair grounds. Can't believe there's not a scratch on her."

Laney blinked a few times and turned towards the vendor.

"Cliff?" she asked, noticing the man with short brown hair, glasses, and a sweater vest.

Her gaze then switched between the glowing bass and the smiling vendor.

The redhead frowned before backing away.

"Nooo way, nope! Grojband's not falling for a cursed instrument again. Definitely don't need to deal with the whole town flooding or something," Laney said while dismissing the vendor with her hands. She then glared at the man as she walked away.

"Bury that thing again! I'm watching you, Cliff," Laney growled, pointing a finger right at him.

The vendor backed away with his hands up for surrender. He then heard the pluck of a bass string.

He turned to find the bass guitar glowing brighter.

"No, she's probably right. I mean, just that fact that you're talking to me is a bad sign. So, back in the chest you go-wah!" Cliff spat when the instrument pulled him along as soon as he grabbed it. Cliff buried his heels in the dirt before the bass swung back around and whacked him over the head.

Releasing the bass, Cliff collapsed onto the ground while the glowing instrument landed on the table. One of its strings was plucked, giving an echo of its sound as it watched the redhead disappear into the crowd.

~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: AAAnd, DONE! Yes, it's quick and short, but I wanted to at least post the first part before the year came to an end. I most likely won't publish the second part until this summer only because of not much free time, lack of motivation, and that I need to figure out a few more ideas regarding this episode's plot. 

Either way, I hope you guys enjoyed! This is definitely my favorite idea yet for an episode, and I am so happy that the time for it is finally here! Wahoo! 

I hope you all have a Happy Holidays. God loves you so so so so much! See you next time!