As The World Caves In [Five]

Twenty-three

If you could travel to any year in a time machine, what year would you choose?

Music was already playing by the time they burst through the back doors and bounded up the steps.

Allison stopped at the top and flipped open her pad.

I need to go alone. It read.

"Allison, I can't let you do that, all right? She's beyond reasoning." Luther explained.

"You hear the music? It's started." Diego said, trying to urge the conversation forward to they could leap into action.

"Do you honestly think she's gonna listen? After everything that's happened?" Luther asked Allison.

"We don't have time for this." Klaus added, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Emery agreed wholeheartedly, his own eyes darting back and forth between the steps that would lead them into the audience and the rest of the Hargreeves.

"Okay." Luther relented, letting Allison go.

"Emery, you go too." Luther sighed. "As much as I get to admit it, you and Allison have the best chance at reasoning with Vanya."

"Ok, I'll go," he said, walking backward as he followed Allison. "Just- don't do anything stupid okay?" He added on hopefully before he turned on his heel, up the steps, and through the archway.

He slowed to a walk when he entered the back of the audience, walking down the right aisle while Allison took the left.

There Vanya was. First chair- the soloist of the orchestra. One quick glance at the audience told Emery they were hypnotized by her skill and he couldn't blame them. Vanya was amazing. The way her fingers danced over the fingerboard, shifting from string to string, position to position to make the notes on the page come to life.

And she seemed so at ease.

But her eyes were still white, even as she played, even as those eyes drifted off the sheet of music when she knew the part and flitted towards Allison and Emery. A smile took over his features when she saw them but Emery could see the underlying doubt. He tried to smile back, to wave, to signal something, anything. But then Luther and Diego were darting from each side of the curtains, leaping towards Vanya in a valiant push.

The girl stood without so much as looking at them and whipped her bow outwards. A sheet of white erupted like the edge of a knife and sent both boys flying back.

Worried murmurs erupted from the crowd as they all stood, pushing each other to the exits. Emery fought to hold his ground as people pushed and shoved him in an attempt to get away. He felt like a fish swimming against the tide and he could only breathe again when he pushed to the front of the crowd where he could see Vanya again.

The orchestra behind Vanya stood too but the girl was not having it as she whipped her bow once more and everyone sat back down, raising their instruments and playing once more- no longer of their free will. Vanya resumed playing at a pace much faster than the original- a gradual crescendo building in speed and volume.

Vanya sent another blade of power arching over the audience's head, nearly decapitating Luther and Diego if they hadn't ducked in time.

"She's stronger than expected," Diego said when they all grouped up behind a row of seats.

"Yeah." Luther said, ducking when another light swab arced over their heads. Something flew towards him and hit Luther in the head. "Yeah. We're fine, thanks for asking." He said, turning to half glare at Allison who had thrown the object at him. "Look, I almost lost you once, all right? I wasn't about to lose you again." Luther said upon seeing the look Allison sent his way. If looks could kill.