"I can't believe I have to go to the summer festival with these bruises and calluses! Gymnastics is totally butchering my cuteness!"

"Could be worse."

"Yeah, they could be on your face."

The three girls walked down the empty streets of the gated community without a second thought. The silence should have bothered most, but instead, it seemed quite normal. The three came practice, just like any other day, decked out in matching white and pink leotards, shorts, and dance sneakers, hair and quills pulled up into high pony tails. If anything unusual were to happen, it would definitely come as a surprise.

"Hey, did you hear about the CEO's of StormTroop disappeared this morning?" the first girl, a fiesty tabby, asked in a tone similar to school gossip.

The second, a short young chipmunk, chimed in, "Yeah! Third one in the last few weeks, eh Kit?"

"Something like that." Kit said with a shrug. "Hey Son, does that bother you any?"

The third girl, a hedgehog, shook her head. "My parents don't make weapons like the other companies do, they make motorbikes and scooters and things like that. So unless the villain has developed a desire to have an army of mall rent-a-cops and bike racers, we'll be fine. Piper, Kit, you had better not say anything! Just in case my parents become a target!"

Piper crossed her heart. "Wouldn't dream of it, right Kitz,"

"Right!" the cat chirped a bit too enthusiastically. "And now we must discuss something very important! The Summer Ball!" Kit was about to start when she was cut off by the ringing of her friends phone. "Soni, cant it wait?"

"It says urgent from the home phone. If I don't answer, I'll spend the next six months helping the maids. Just give me a sec, Kay?" She let herself fall behind the group to answer the crying phone. "Hello?"

"Miss Halmond?"

She immediately picked up on the voice of her father's attendant Fredric. "Speaking, is there something you needed?" she asked, hoping the answer was no.

"I'm afraid I'll need you to hurry home right away young madam."

"What for?"

The was an odd tone in Fredric's voice. "It's regarding your parent's inve-"

"Give me a minute Fred, I'm on my way!" She hung up the call and stuffed it back into her gym bag.

Kit and Piper had stopped about six steps away, concern in their eyes. "What was that about? Old Freddie on your case for something again?"

"No no, nothing like that, but I have to run, they probably just want me to do a bike demonstration or something for a buyer, just like any other time." she said, trying go give the most nonchalant shrug she could. "I'll catch you at practice tomorrow, Kay?"

She didn't wait for a response, and ran off down the paved streets, never once looking back.

"Do you think everything's okay?" Piper asked nervously, biting on her bottom lip. "Usually she doesn't actually run off, no matter how important it is, not after practice."

Kit shrugged. "How would you know? We can only hope, I guess. Now come on, I need to change into real clothes."

Piper complied, but still she couldn't help staring at the road leading to the Halmond's manor, wondering, and hoping otherwise, that something happened.