Disappearance

***"How is everything I've heard... real?"***
This piece of *Evie and Mya* literature is outdated and is scheduled to be rewritten or tweaked in the future. Please note that some events currently depicted will be heavily altered or removed when said content is updated. Read at your own risk of discombobulating the series canon in your head!
And spare yourself from Av's old writing, please.
"I'm not there yet!"
 This page contains ***major spoilers*** for the series. If you're not caught up, stay back! Av's not gonna be too thrilled if you react to spoilers prematurely...

## Disappearance

### Director

Potato Flakin

***Disappearance*** is the eighth episode of *The Adventures of Evie and Mya* in Season 3, and the twenty-eighth overall.

## Synopsis

Nita and Patrick Heartley have vanished without a trace, and with Harlow and Ivanna the only suspects to blame, Evie and Amira help Winter unravel the mystery. On the other hand, Daniela attempts to reach out to Mya - playing risk and reward with a rebellious queen.

## Content Warning

*This episode contains blood, gore, violence, suicidal mentions, abuse, mature language, and sexual harassment. Viewer discretion is heavily advised.*

## Transcript

*The episode opens in the Heartley household, where all is quiet and peaceful and the lights mostly dimmed.*

Nita and Patrick watched Winter as she slept peacefully in bed, blankets around her and a plushie in her arms.

It was soothing to see her like this after the break-in two days ago. Mya had somehow gotten in, stolen the family's money, and bashed her sister's head into the table to escape.

Now there was the imminent fear of Harlow and Ivanna using all of their money for their own ghastly benefits, but for the Heartley parents, that didn't quite matter now - Winter was safe, and her head wound had begun to heal.

Nita yawned, putting a hand on her mouth. "I think she'll be okay, babe. I'm ready to go to bed."

Patrick nodded. "Come on, let's go put on the TV and settle in."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door that swiftly repeated itself, and Patrick sighed. They rarely got visitors late at night - who could *possibly* want anything to do with them now?

He and Nita shuffled over to the foyer, and he unlocked the door, opening it.

His heart *fell* all the way to his stomach, and Nita gasped, frightened beyond her wits.

*Harlow and Ivanna* were in the doorway, and they looked like they were ready to create a storm of epic proportions.

"I told you *aren't welcome here*!" Patrick growled, his sleepiness vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Nita peered around him, locking eyes with Ivanna. "You greedy *demons* are the reason why one of *my daughters* is borderline **traumatized**!" Patrick gave her a warning glance - too much noise would wake Winter and risk harming her mental state even more.

"Oh, please. We haven't come here for *more money*," Harlow retorted. Then, without warning, he yanked a pistol out of his pocket and pointed it at Nita's chin, finger ready to pull the trigger.

Nita almost screamed, opening her mouth to do so, but Harlow stuck the front of the gun right at her lips, almost pushing it inside and past her teeth. Patrick, beyond petrified and fearing for *all* of the lives in his family, dragged Nita all the way back to the hallway wall. Harlow pinned them there, and Ivanna drew a pistol of her own, loading it and ready to shoot away.

Ivanna put an ice-cold hand on her son's throat, squeezing slightly, and she pointed the gun at his temple. "If you *don't* comply with what you're told, we're going to kill you both, kill your little adopted daughter, *and* kill Mya. Fair offer, isn't it?"

Patrick shivered violently, teeth chattering as he cried. "You- You c-can't! Please... Mya and Winter are j-just chi-ldren!"

Harlow, agitated, struck him and Nita on the chins, making them yelp in pain. His voice turned to frost, his hazel and gray eyes both narrow slits.

"We're only going to say it *once* - leave Pineshadow. *Don't* come back. Stay here, and your pretty little *children* die."

*Mya!* Patrick thought as if his throat had been cut, and he were convulsing on the ground, choking out all the blood as he imagined Mya being shot to bits right in front of them, and then Winter meeting the same fate, then Nita... Then *himself*.

*My family... Dead. Because of our secret... No...*

"Pat... We have no choice. There's nothing left. Mya *must* survive!" Nita frantically whispered. Snarling, Ivanna struck her *hard* with the front of her own pistol, splitting Nita's chin open, and blood spattered the wall behind her as she tried to staunch the bleeding with a hand.

Patrick knew grimly that Nita was right. Any choice he made now rebelling the Parkers would mean that Mya would die. The light in their lives. Her sister's life was going to be gone too, he just knew it; Harlow and Ivanna would *never* be that merciful.

"Fine," he muttered. "You win."

Satisfied, Harlow and Ivanna hid their guns back in their pockets, and Nita and Patrick scrambled to pack their things, troubled by the fact that they were leaving everything they had known behind.

And for Harlow and Ivanna, their new beginning was about to begin.

**SEASON 3, EPISODE 8 - DISAPPEARANCE**

The next morning, Winter stretched, waking up to a sunny day. She was welcomed by the sun's friendly beams and the plushie she had been holding in her arms, the horse plush that Mya had talked to her fondly about.

A pang of sadness hit her. *I remember those times. She was the sweetest little thing.* Shaking it away, Winter got up out of bed, changing into her regular clothes for the day and brushing out her hair. She looked forward to a hopefully peaceful day after the break-in a few nights back.

She opened the door, about to turn the corner to the hallway, when she stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart rate sped up so fast she almost went into a state of vertigo.

The hallway was quiet, no sign of her parents. But the wall in front of her was stained with *red*.

*Blood*.

Winter screamed, and panic set in. *Her parents*. This was the blood of one of her parents. The house was too quiet.

*No! No no no no NO!*

Winter sped to every door in the house, peered in every bathroom, every room, every nook and cranny. Her mother or her father weren't in the house at all.

She was breathing rapidly now, struggling to take in the precious treat of air. Winter opened the door to the garage. Her family's car was *gone*.

*What??? No... They can't have left me here!*

Winter made two laps around the front yard before she finally gave up, running back into her house, the vertigo plaging her growing sharper.

*Her parents were missing.*

She was in a full-blown panic attack at this point, and Winter stumbled over to the sofa, crying everything out into a pillow, her breathing inconsistent and sharp. Air pained her to breathe in and breathe out. The gash in her head seemed to re-open from a few nights before.

The world was *spinning*, and she cried, begging for it to be over.

When it seemed like the vertigo had passed her, Winter turned on the TV, hoping it would bring down her nerves. She grabbed her phone, choosing to call Evie.

"Pick up, please pick up," she whispered, top lip quivering.

After a minute of uncertain silence, a familiar voice spoke through the phone. "Winter? What's going on?"

"Ev! Get over to my place now. My parents have *disappeared*! There's *blood*!"

"*Disappeared*? *Blood*?" Evie was shocked, and her tone of voice clearly conveyed it.

"*Yes*!"

"Have you looked everywhere?"

"I couldn't find them!"

Evie paused for a moment. "Okay. Hang tight, I'm going to get Ami and Dani and we'll be over as fast as we can." She then hung up, and Winter cradled her fingers, trying to tell herself it would all be okay, that her parents would be found, that everything would be righted once more.

After fifteen minutes, there was a light knock on the door, and Winter jumped up. She opened it, and there were the girls, worry and fear in their eyes.

Amira saw Winter, and her heartbeat spiraled. Her eyes were wet with tears, and from her facial expression, she was *scared*. Fearing for her life. Fearing for her parents.

"Oh, Win..." She murmured as she let herself fall right into her arms, not letting her go for a minute, and her girlfriend hugged her back, extremely grateful for her soft skin and fluffy hair touching her.

"Winter, *what happened*?" Daniela asked, and Amira broke away from Winter, allowing her to speak.

"I... I woke up this morning, and I saw *blood* on the hallway wall!" She stammered. "I panicked. I searched everywhere. But my parents are *gone*!"

She fell to her knees, crying out, her heart splintering in more places than one. It broke Amira's heart as well, and she fell to her side, remaining close to her.

"Something is *very* off here. I smell a *rat*," Evie said, pacing around the living room. The blood on the wall was enough to make her suspect foul play was at hand here. Plus, it was uncharacteristic of the Heartley parents to disappear into thin air without telling at least *one* of their daughters.

*There's a motive here. A very, very bad one.*

Suddenly, it occured to Evie, and she gasped. The girls turned toward her.

"There's no other explanation, isn't there?" She exclaimed. "Only *two* people we know damn well would be behind this - *Harlow and Ivanna*."

The girls let out gasps of their own, and Winter's face turned to curdled milk as she winced, feeling about ready to cry again.

"*They're* behind it?" Amira questioned.

Evie nodded grimly. "The puzzle pieces line up perfectly. Harlow and Ivanna have a *clear* disdain for both Heartley parents. And besides, they want *Mya* all to themselves. Not to mention the money..."

"If we don't crack this mystery, defeat H and I, and rescue Mya, we are all going to be *doomed*!" Daniela added grimly. "We *must* act fast."

"Please! My parents can't... Mya can't... They can't..." Winter was stumped, at a deep loss of words, and she buried her head in her hands, rocking herself back and forth.

"No. Nobody is going to *die*. Nobody is going to destroy Pineshadow. Not when you have us by your side, Win," Amira promised, bringing herself to smile despite the building ache inside of her with her girlfriend's pain. "Hope is our greatest weapon we can have right now. Just hope."

Daniela joined her side, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Also, just know that if Harlow and Ivanna kill somebody, *anyone* I love - I will *hunt them down* and make sure they die the slowest, painful death in *all* of humanity."

"That aside, now is the time where we have to search the house for any additional clues linked to the Heartley parents' disappearance," Evie stated, stepping up between all of the girls. "Some details are best caught at a second or third glance. *And*, whether we like it or not, we have to relay a message to Mya that her parents are gone and *she* needs to play her part searching for them."

"Uh, Ev? If we go straight back to Hollowleaf, Mya will kick us out again, and there is also a chance Harlow and Ivanna will *kill us*. Precisely *how* do we talk to Mya if she's using her "status" as "queen" to belittle us?" Doubt prickled into Evie the moment Amira concluded her sentence, and she realized that she was more than correct. Mya would give them the boot anyway with her qualms, and worst of all, Harlow and Ivanna would likely plot to silence *them* next should they catch them on their property.

"Well, it seems we're going to have to resort to-"

"I'll do it."

Evie dropped dead in her tracks, and she, Amira, and Winter instantly turned to *Daniela* in stunned disbelief.

"You heard me. Let me speak to Mya myself - *alone*."

"You can't go alone!" Winter pleaded. "Dani, Harlow is going to see you and try to assault you! Mya already hates you! Please... Don't sacrifice yourself like this!"

"I don't care," Daniela retorted. "Out of all of you, I can *see* Mya eye-to-eye the way she is. I know the way she's acting, I've seen it all too well..."

Evie took in a sharp intake of breath. Already, she knew what Daniela was getting at - her old self. The cruel, terrorizing, and ruthless villain who did anything in her power to traumatize any kid in school, her rival, Mya's infamous bully, and the person who attempted to kill Winter numerous times.

*Mya's bully*. That hit really hard for Evie. Daniela *loved* bullying Mya and dragging her family's name through the mud. Nearly every day she'd have to step in herself and threaten Daniela until she complied with her, or worst, demanded a fight.

There was no wonder why Daniela wanted to do this alone - she *understood* Mya's behavior, her new nature - and she'd do anything to fix it. Even if it meant taking a chance on faith.

"You guys aren't going to love it, I know you aren't," Daniela then admitted, placing one of her hands in her pockets. "But Mya is the spitting image of the old me. Callous. Vicious. Developing the incense to *kill*. There *must* be a way I can get through to her myself with what I've done..."

Winter approached her unsteadily. "Are you sure you want to do this solo?"

"Most of the crimes I almost committed were solo, Win," she chuckled warmly. "Never underestimate the inner warrior in me. If there's one person you can rely on, that would be this lovable goof right here." She winked.

"Okay. It's settled." Evie hugged her, making her blush. "Good luck, Dani. Stay safe, and put a target in my girlfriend, baby."

"Target acquired." With a click of her tongue, Daniela hugged Evie in turn.

An hour later, Daniela returned home and greeted her mother in the living room, where she sat typing on her laptop.

"Oh, you're back!" She greeted. "Did you find Nita and Patrick?"

"No." Daniela sighed, sitting down next to her mother. "Nothing has changed. But Ev and Ami are staying behind to search for clues, and someone needs to go to Hollowleaf Mansion to inform Mya of what's going on."

"I bet Winter volunteered," Rex responded optimistically. "She'd leap to that doorstep in an instant to make Mya listen to her."

"Winter wasn't the one who volunteered, mom."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Daniela gulped, bracing for chaos to develop with what she was about to reveal.

"*I did*."

"You **WHAT**?!" Rex, horrified, put her laptop down on the sofa and backed up. "Daniela! You have to to stop being so selfless and putting yourself in trouble! You... You got captured by Ivanna, and she threatened to bring harm onto *both* you and Amira. I absolutely **can't** let you do this again with what's at stake! Think about that *beast* Harlow!"

"No, mom." Daniela shook her head pointedly. "When I say I do things, I *will* do them. If I put myself in front of a firing line for those I *love*, so be it, my *friends* being alive **matters to me**. I have a *responsibility* to myself, and that's to not only prove to Pineshadow that I'm *worthy* of redemption, but to show Mya the light and restore her to what she *used* to be."

Slowly, Rex brought herself to a state of calm, sitting back down and placing a hand on her chin. Her mind was racing. Daniela was, *yet again*, about to throw herself over a chasm of risks for her friends and for the greater good. This was reckless. This was dangerous.

She didn't even want to consider the possibility of her daughter *dying*.

But the name of Daniela Burton Vunquist rung in her head as a warrior. A true fighter. A *hero*.

There was no use fighting her - she promised to never stop her from achieving. Rex had to hold true to that promise.

"Okay," she said. "I'll take you."

"Don't worry," Daniela then added. "I have an old tactic up my sleeve to make Mya *cooperative* and to protect myself should she script mayhem..."

Rex seemed rather nervous, twiddling her fingers. "What might that be...?"

"Intimidation."

Rex's mouth hung open in stupor, and she grew numb, feeling frostbitten. Daniela going out to *intimidate* others again? That was out of her character and definitely concerning.

"Daniela, you aren't just going to *stroll* up there and **bully Mya**, are you? That's just cruel..."

Daniela shook her head. "It's different this time. I don't want to intimdate her through speaking, but I want to do it with *style*."

*Style?* Rex's shock faded to confusion. "What do you mean by style? Your appearance? Personality?"

"Mom, do you remember my rock phase?"

"Oh yes, definitely." Back when Daniela was eleven, she had developed a huge rock phase and liked wearing black, spending a lot of time in her room jamming out to rock, symphonic metal, or occasional heavy metal. While she had expressed no interest in donning makeup, she adored spiked chokers, loose hair, and leather. Everyone in school raised an eyebrow, and so did Rex; her daughter's change had appalled her since she was so young.

But the phase was dead after two months, and Daniela hadn't dwelled on it much until now.

"I want to be a full-blown rockstar, since Mya hasn't seen that side of me yet. Just maybe, *maybe*, once she sees how different I look, she'll be so shocked that she'll have to spill the beans to me."

"That sounds like quite a *juicy* plan," Rex murmured, intrigued. Her skin was tinging, and for the first time, her daughter's plan made her develop a mischevious side. "Any ideas on what you want?"

"Black leather jacket that buttons over the shirt."

"Can do."

"Spikes on the shoulderblade if possible?"

"Spicy!"

"Choker around the right wrist."

"Hell yeah!"

"Leather pants, no rips."

"Ooh la la..."

"Spiked boots with studs."

"Mwahaha... That will most certainly do."

**THIRTY MINUTES (and some shopping) LATER**

When Daniela walked back into her room, she opened her eyes in front of her mirror, embracing the temporary *new* her in full bloom.

I told ya

I told ya

I told ya

Baby

Baby

Uh, uh

She had adorned a black leather jacket that had been tightly buttoned over her Washington State shirt. Two spikes stood on top of her left shoulderblade, fearsome as ever. Her pants were dark leather, ripped slightly at the knees, but not badly enough for her to complain about it. A choker had been fitted around her right wrist, spikes pointy enough to draw a nick of blood. Lastly, she had a pair of matching ankle boots that were studded with two dots of metal, and the heels were spiked, allowing for more traction when walking.

Daniela glowed. She was a *true* rockstar.

I told ya, baby

Uh-oh, uh-uh

I told ya, baby

Uh-oh

I told ya, baby

Uh-oh, uh-uh

"So mom. How do I look?" She asked, clawing the air with her hand and adoring her newly-painted black nails.

"*Stunning*," Rex commented, her blue eyes triumphant and proud - not only for herself, but for her daughter.

"Damn. I've never looked so *intimidating* for so long."

I told ya, baby

Uh-oh, uh-uh

I told ya, baby

Uh-oh, uh-uh

I told ya

"Mya should fear you."

"She *better*," Daniela growled, her tone returning to a more serious one. "We are in the calm before the storm stage. If I get through to Mya in time, there can be peace and no war."

Rex swept her into a passionate embrace, rubbing her cheek fondly. "Let's go, baby. Pedal to the metal."

*Best mother ever,* Daniela thought smugly. This plan was in motion.

Only around fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Hollowleaf Mansion, and Rex parked her car in the woods some distance away in order to avoid Harlow and Ivanna noticing her.

Daniela hopped out, and Rex joined her, blue eyes shining.

"Good luck, baby. Rock Mya's world."

"I will," Daniela promised. She hugged her mother, and the next thing she knew, she was walking up the cobblestone path, through the grasses and the lights she had traversed through with her friends on the night of the dinner party.

She shuddered. That memory was acid, searing into her brain. Harlow touching her, breaking down, her life spinning. *That was gone now*, she told herself. Now it was time to focus on her task at hand.

Daniela reached out with her hand, knocking on the door several times. Do or die. She took a breath, shaky, yet she kept her composure.

Then the door opened, revealing an auburn-haired girl with a long, gold-rimmed cape. Mya. And she looked *less* than thrilled.

"*You have no right*-"

Mya finally saw the black leather, the spikes, and the choker, and she stopped mid-sentence, her mouth gaping open.

*Yes!* Daniela grew stronger, and she puffed out her chest, furrowing her brows and leaning up against the doorframe.

"Hey, Mya. Surprised to see me visiting, eh?"

Mya *blushed*, looking away and trying to recollect herself, but it was clear to Daniela that she was perfectly frazzled. Checkmark in her book.

"Look. I'm here to talk, whether you like it or *not*," she then said.

Mya snapped back into her typical queen self. "Please, stop *lying* square to my goddamn face. The other girls are all hiding somewhere in yet another plot to expose us for no reason. Where are they, Dani? All hidden in-"

"**ENOUGH of this**!" With a frustrated groan, Daniela yanked Mya by the clasp of her cape and pulled her outside, showing her the surrounding trees, fields, and Hollowleaf Forest.

*Absolutely no one* was in sight, and Mya's face turned pink again. Daniela's tactic was working - she was clearly being more obedient and wasn't that eager to kick her out.

Daniela pulled her back in, not letting go of the clasp, and she let her temper give her the boost she needed. "I'm not here to play your *games*, Mya. I'm not gonna fall for what you preach. All I want to do is **talk**, are we *clear*?" She growled, squaring her shoulders so she appeared twice her size.

"One second." Mya turned, heading back inside, and Daniela heard two other voices mix with hers. *Ugh, she's going to tell Harlow and Ivanna about me. Gross.*

They appeared at the doorway with Mya in just a heartbeat, and they gave her curt, polite nods.

"Come with me," Mya said blankly, and Daniela followed her to a room downstairs.

Two curious gazes trailed her. *Very* curious gazes.

Meanwhile, at the Heartley household, Evie and Amira sat with Winter on the sofa, pressing against her worried body gently in the hopes it would help her relax. While it had worked, she still remained rather tense, her ice-blue eyes far away and distressed.

"Alright, Winter, we're gonna ask you some questions now on this whole ordeal, is that fine?" Evie asked.

Winter gave a small nod.

"Okay. When did you last *see* your parents?"

"Last night, when I went to bed, they tucked me in themselves," Winter responded quietly.

"Did you search everywhere?" This time, the question came from Amira.

"Yes!"

"Did you find any other evidence, then?" She questioned.

"*No*!" Winter broke down again, facing the floor, her face convulsing with pain and heartbreak. Amira, shocked, grabbed her and tugged her closer to her delicately, moving her hands down to her own and taking them. She placed a hand under Winter's chin, caressing it with the softness of feathers and making her meet her gaze.

Suddenly, she gasped, and jumped back, and Evie rushed to her side, confused as to what she reeled from. It was then that both saw something so startling that Evie got goosebumps.

On the side of Winter's head was a *long*, red gash that had only seemed to just start healing; flaked around it was multiple scabs. Amira was petrified, shaking - *how* did this happen to her girlfriend?

"Babe, what **happened** to you?" She inquired, her voice at a feverish, stunned pitch, and Evie laid her head on her shoulder.

Winter bit down on her lip, whimpering, the memory appearing in her head and making her beyond horrified. Mya with her cape looting the family's money, attacking her without mercy and smashing her head into the side of the coffee table. She had turned into a full on *demon* on her, already ditched her and her friends, betrayed all of them.

Was it over for the girls? Was Mya gone for good?

*No*. Winter couldn't bring herself to believe it, and she sniffed. A hand held her cheek, and the warmest brown eyes looked into her troubled thoughts, gentle as the flow of a brook. *Amira*.

"Sssh, there there. It's okay, Winter. You're fine. We're right here with you, just ease..." She whispered, her voice sweet as December snow. Winter let herself relax, her shoulders dropping, but she still remained very uneasy.

"Who gave you that across your face, Winter?" Evie asked again, shivering upon staring at her scar.

Taking a breath, and bracing for the absolute worst to come of her honesty, Winter let the words she'd been keeping in slide right off her tongue.

"It was *M-Mya*."

"**WHAT**?!" Both girls screamed at the same time. Amira felt sick, and Evie's face was distorted, painted with mortified, inconceivable shock and horror, her hands shaking.

"She... She broke into the house a few nights ago. Wanted our money and bank information, and I'm sure Harlow and Ivanna told her to do... Do it. I caught her in the living room, and I didn't want to hurt her, but I was going to. However, M-Mya was determined and threw my head against the corner of the coffee table. She got away from me and my parents unscathed and unharmed," Winter explained.

Now Evie's face turned into one of sheer denial, and her mouth remained unhinged. "No, she can't have! Please tell me you're joking!"

"The culprit had auburn hair and green eyes, Evie. I'm sorry. It was Mya."

Instantly, Evie felt like she was back at Pinelake Park chasing Mya's ghost, collapsing on top of that castle and sobbing her heart out, denying the tears she shed, denying that Mya had really left them and morphed into a rogue so desperate for power. Now, Mya had become selfish and gluttonous - and was willing to hurt *her family* for her own benefits.

Daniela was right. This was *exactly like* her only a couple months ago.

"Greed kills," Amira stated, shaking her head sadly. "Greed can turn *any* person bad in a matter of days, weeks, or months. Should Mya become more greedy, *everyone* in Pineshadow is going to face her wrath, and Harlow and Ivanna are likely going to inflict a decade of *misery* upon us all. Like I've said, we have to *act now*."

Evie observed Winter's scar again. Something in it was giving her a bad sense of déjà vu, something *dark*, horrible.

Something she had completely forgotten about, but it returned to her head now, and it *hurt*.

"That gash... I had one that looked precisely like yours, Winter."

Winter, surprised, fixed her with blue eyes. "You... You did?"

"Yes, and it was... It was the fault of my *mother*."

"**Opal**?"

"Afraid so, but it wasn't entirely her fault..."

**THREE YEARS AGO**

*Evie jumped onto her bed, curling up in her blue-and-pink blanket and resting her head on a pillow. She decided it was time for a much-needed nap, as her leg was sore, and so she sighed. She grabbed one of her plushies, tucking it against her chest.*

*Suddenly, her door opened, revealing her stern, tiger parent mother Opal. She had a pretty serious, if not delighted look, on her face that made Evie nervous.*

*"Get up, Evie. It's time for your martial arts training again," she said. Evie shivered, feeling her sore leg.*

*"Mom, my leg isn't in good condition right now. May this wait?" She asked politely.*

*Opal shook her head sternly. "No, Evie. When I tell you to do something, you will do it. Up now, come on." Evie reluctantly got up and followed her, not putting as much weight on her sore leg. She noticed how her mother wasn't dressed in her usual training attire, something which made her feel like bugs were crawling on her skin.*

*In the bedroom, her mother had cleared space to train, like always, though it didn't stop Evie from having a tinge of worry in her heart.*

*"Today's lesson will be an advanced one, not too bad for your age, and something that you are definitely ready for," Opal explained. "You must learn how to subdue your enemy - via a punch to their throat."*

*Evie's throat ran dry, and she gulped, now mildly terrified.*

*"The throat punch is one of the many weak points on your enemy. A simple punch will impact their respiratory system and mess up their breathing long enough for them to collapse unconscious. Like I have taught you, weak points are crucial in winning your fight and coming out on top."*

*Evie brought herself to nod. "And I've gotten stronger, hence why you think I'm ready for this."*

*"Correct," Opal praised curtly. "Now, I want you to punch me on my neck, but obviously not enough to knock me out."*

*Swallowing her building fear, Evie charged, aiming with a fist toward her mother's throat. However, she sidestepped, causing her to miss her completely. Evie planted her feet on the carpet, just barely stopping herself from crashing into her mother's dresser."*

(Ooh)

(Ooh)

*"Evie, your enemy is a moving target. Did you honestly expect for me to stand still?" Frustration built in Evie, and she snorted quietly, regaining her bearings. She tracked her mother's careful movements, calculating the time to strike.*

*Then, she charged again - Opal dodged her, and she skidded to a halt. She faced her mother, annoyance in her dark green eyes.*

*"Focus, Evie!" Opal snapped. "Think smarter, not harder."*

I put a target in you, baby

I put a target in you, baby

*Letting out a low growl, Evie sought out her mother's throat once more, pacing around the room, tracking her every movement. She was moving toward another door leading to the bathroom, but also about to move back toward her dresser.*

*Time to go. Evie leapt at her mother, finally making contact with her - but only on her chest.*

I put a target in you, baby

I put a target in you, baby

*She fell back onto the ground, leaving her momentarily dazed. She got up, her leg wobbly, and Opal bore into her with dagger-sharp eyes.*

*"Honestly, Evie! What is wrong with you? You're supposed to be thinking with your head, not your first instinct!" Opal spat stormily. "Remember what I've taught you, please! Faster, better, stronger."*

*Faster. Better. Stronger.*

I put a target in you, baby

I put a target in you, baby

*Evie gritted her teeth, clenching two fists in sheer fury. All she wanted to do was nap and rest her sore leg, but now, her mother had abruptly forced her into a training match.*

*Another day of her putting her own beliefs above her wellbeing.*

*This is what you've put me through for years! Stop pushing me around!*

I put a target in you, baby

I put a target in you, baby

I put a target in you, baby

*The fury took hold of Evie, and she stamped her foot on the ground. She wasn't going to play anymore with this game or with her mother's tiger parent antics. She saw she was off-guard, waiting for her next move.*

I put a target in you, baby

*With blood roaring in her ears, Evie screeched in a fit of rage, leaping up at her mother, a fist directed at her throat. Startled, Opal's eyes went wide.*

*At that moment, she struck Evie with both arms hard, and she flew back.*

*Evie, surprised by her force, had no balance as she tumbled back and smashed into her father's dresser near the bed. Blazing hot pain shot through her head, and she collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.*

*Opal gasped, screaming upon seeing Evie's unmoving body. She looked down at her arms. If I hurt my daughter, I have blood on my hands, she thought.*

*Evie didn't move.*

*Anderson walked into the room at that moment, anger radiating off him. "What exactly happened in here, Opal?" He questioned sharply.*

*But he didn't need to ask her, for he stepped past her and saw his daughter crumpled on the ground next to his dresser. Blood stained one of his dresser knobs.*

*"Evie!" He howled, dashing to her side and holding her limply in his arms. The back of her black hair was wet with dark blood, and her throat had a bruise on it that was just new. Her eyes were closed, and she was as light as cotton.*

*His gaze hardened on Opal, who looked away. "What did you DO to her?" He demanded.*

*"Well... I did something a little advanced-"*

*"YOU WHAT?" Anderson demanded again, irate.*

*"I thought she would be ready for the throat punch!" Opal stammered, regret clear on her face and in her eyes.*

*"Opal, you could have KILLED Evie with that! She's eleven and too young for anything like that. I can't believe you could be this hollow..."*

*"I'm sorry!"* She pleaded, tears in her eyes. *"I... I didn't know. She's just progressed so much in her lessons, I thought..."*

*Evie blinked awake, finding herself in her father's arms. She heard him arguing with her mother, and shocked, she glanced up at her. Opal was remorseful. She regretted everything and was guilty.*

*My mom... No. She didn't want to hurt me. She wanted me to succeed.*

*"Dad. It's okay, I promise. Mom didn't realize she was pushing me too far, and she regrets it too! See?" She told him, and Anderson stared at her, stunned, yet relieved that she had regained consciousness.*

*She was right. Opal sniffed, trying to stop herself from crying, though it was too futile. She was guilty. Anderson eased in this moment, knowing his daughter was right and honest.*

*"Hmm, okay. I'll go get her an ice pack. But Opal, this better NOT happen again. No advanced moves for her until she is around thirteen, okay?"*

*Opal nodded solemnly, wiping away a tear from her eye.*

*Evie managed to hobble back to her room, curling back up in bed, and her father brought her an ice pack. As it rested gently against her head, Evie wondered when her mother's impulsive and rash decisions as a tiger parent would come to an end.*

Evie shook herself out of the memory as quick as it had came, scrambling up to her feet. "That isn't one of my prettiest memories, Winter. However, family can do some real screwed-up stuff to you sometimes... We all have our scars from that."

Winter nodded. "Thanks for sharing that, Ev. I feel a bit better now."

Returning to her main point, Evie sighed. "Right, we need to search for evidence. Ami, you're with me. Winter, stay here and rest - today's already put a lot of pressure on you."

Winter nodded again, and Amira threw her a blanket, kissing her on the cheek. "Call for me if you want anything," she instructed, and she walked off with Evie.

Immediately they went back to the hallway, staring at the wall that had blood drops splattered across it.

"We don't know who's blood this is..." Evie murmured to herself.

Amira looked closely at the drops, and as she did, she caught a glimpse of something.

She plucked at it - a small strand of hair.

"Ev. We got something," she called out. She held the strand of hair in her hand, and she noticed that it was auburn.

*Auburn.*

*That's Mya's mother.*

Evie shared her sentiment, for she said, "That's a strand of her mother's hair. So that's the blood of Nita Heartley on the wall..."

"That means she got into an altercation with Harlow and Ivanna, and Patrick did too. They were pinned against the wall!" Amira exclaimed.

"Perfect thinking, Ami!" Evie's eyes were glimmering, her love for solving mysteries returning to her. "That's done and dusted. Let's go back to the living room and search there. In terms of evidence, I don't think Harlow and Ivanna would place anything so obvious in either bedroom... They'd want *someone* to search for it on their hands and knees."

The two returned to the living room, where Winter was still curled up in her blanket, watching them idly, waiting for something to come up.

"Do you have anything?" She asked. Amira bounded up to her with the strand of her mother's hair, and she squeaked.

"Found this on the wall. It belongs to your mother - she and Patrick must have got into an altercation that led to bloodshed."

Winter gulped, her face deathly pale once more, lips quivering. This was so terrorizing for her, making Amira settle next to her, digging her face into her neck.

"My parents... Bloodshed..." She stuttered.

"You're okay," Amira whispered, voice tickling her ear. Winter whirled around, burying her face into her shoulder, longing to feel her comfort and *blinding* love. She wanted to escape here.

"Hmm," Evie thought aloud as put her hands on the glass of the table, which was cool to the touch, and she surpressed a shiver. Inside the table were a bunch of magazines and old newspapers, some looking really old and dusty. It wasn't worth wondering how long they'd been in there, but Evie had a more nagging idea.

She pulled on the drawer, opening it and plucking out one of the magazines. Suddenly, a white sheet of paper fell from the pages and landed on the floor.

"Evidence!" She yelped, and Winter got up, the blanket around her shoulders falling. Amira and Winter broke apart from one another in astonishment.

Amira, crawling up from the sofa, peered at the paper over Evie's shoulder. "It's a letter," she remarked, and she and Evie began reading it.

*Girls. If you find this. We've left Pineshadow for the greater good. You mustn't let yourselves feel safe in this environment... We made a deadly mistake...*

"They've *left Pineshadow*?!" Amira's horror in her voice reflected everyone's thoughts in the room, especially Evie and Winter.

Winter now looked violently ill, though did not scream out, too terrified to do so, and thus she bit her lip.

"That can't be right." Evie scratched her head, puzzled. "They wouldn't leave Pineshadow for *any reason*, not even danger... Wouldn't they stay to protect their daughters?"

Shakily, Winter got up from the sofa, joining their side and finally managing to mumble words from her mouth. "Yes, they'd always stay to protect me and Mya, no matter what. They were here when Shetani happened, and I know Harlow and Ivanna are dangerous, but wouldn't they fight tooth and nail for us...?"

"Something doesn't feel authentic about this," Evie muttered.

"My parents *can't* have left Pineshadow - or worse, Washington *altogether*! We *need them* in order to save Mya! They can't be..."

"Winter, don't get ahead of yourself," Amira soothed. "Remain hopeful." She weaved around Winter, pulling her into a hug, her smooth light brown arms holding onto her in a way that made Winter grow a tad numb. Her nerves settled and reformed, and at last, her face regained some color.

Now fully relaxed in her presence, Winter took a look at the letter itself.

*They're already aware they made a deadly mistake. Why bring it up again...?*

*Wait.*

Blinking away tears, Winter examined the paper closely, looked at the letters. It hit her, rock-hard and painful, and she gasped.

"This wasn't in my parents' handwriting!"

Evie, surprised, faced her along with Amira. Winter grabbed a journal off the table and flipped it open, showing her parents' *actual* handwriting, flowing neatly onto two pages of paper.

"They write in more of a cursive font. Whoever wrote this letter was obviously faking the identity of mom and dad."

"Not Mya's handwriting either," Evie noted. "I've seen her write before, and her letters aren't as straight as this. Harlow and Ivanna must have *forged this*!"

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Amira said, frowning. "The family car is not in the garage, so we're already at a dead end. Harlow and Ivanna aren't holding them for ransom or holding them prisoner..."

Without warning, the TV returned to news hour, and the headliner began to blare, catching the girls' stunned attention.

"Good morning Pineshadow, and today, we come in with some breaking news. Through CCTV footage, the suspects of the recent robbery, break-in, and destruction of Old Town have been identified."

Evie's face paled. She remembered hearing the news of Old Town being destroyed - it was *ugly*. But a chill worked its way up her spine, and foreboding told her that what she was about to hear would be *jarring*.

The screen showed a panel of the camera footage - a man in a white coat and polished shoes. A woman with a flowery blouse and gray hair.

*A young girl with auburn hair and a long purple cape.*

"**NO**!" Evie wailed, breaking down and shattering, her heart fragments all broken up again. What she had just heard was chasing ghosts at Pinelake Park for the *second* time.

On the floor, she sobbed, unable to accept that her girlfriend, once the purest soul in all of Pineshadow, was tainted and corrupted by all this darkness.

"This can't be happening," Winter whispered, head hung low as she held Evie up, holding her into her shoulder. Seeing her heartbroken broke her own heart, and a few tears fell from her eyes.

"My girlfriend's cruel... She doesn't have a heart anymore!"

Amira joined Evie's side, and the three girls all pressed together, shaken to the core from every revelation and the news that Mya was slipping, further and further away, from her true self.

Life in Pineshadow would never be the same.

Daniela followed Mya through the halls of Hollowleaf Mansion. Her nerves were spiked, sweat dripping from her forehead; Mya had chose to "make her feel more welcome" by giving her a glass of milk and allowing her to rest on the living room sofa for a bit. Now, they were going to a room to speak alone, without the notable involvement of Harlow and Ivanna.

For all she knew, she was in the equivalent of the devil's lair.

They reached the end of the corridor, and Mya opened the door to a room. "In," she ordered tightly, and Daniela entered.

The room was an empty, square space with laminated floorboards and blank walls. Daniela was unsure why Mya had picked *this* room, but she was here now, and there was no going back.

Noticing Mya's wary look, she lowered her shoulders. "Mya. I promise I'm just here to discuss some things with you. Nothing malicious is going on."

This kind of love is never sober

And wandering eyes aren't meant for me

"Yeah, the girls do that *every damn time* they step foot in this place," Mya muttered. Daniela shook her head.

"No. I came here *alone* for one reason - to address you personally. And... It's because I see you for who you are!"

Mya whipped toward her like a lightning bolt, hackles raised. "What? What could *you* possibly know? Why has this brought you here?"

We're hypnotized and growing older

This kind of love is not for me

"Mya, I see you *eye-to-eye*. I know this new you like the back of my hand... You're the *old* me. The me that would feast on the suffering of others. The me that would cripple the school and make people *fear* me. The me that drove everyone away because of her own goals! You're who I once sought to be!" Daniela exclaimed.

"Duh, you were my *toxic bully*. But I have different things to achieve - power, money, my grandparents' glory. Besides, you were *never* a chosen one. You never had a destiny."

"I'm freaking aware of that!" Daniela snapped. "*Look* at yourself, Mya. You're vicious. Cruel. Ambitious. Capable of *murder*. You and I could have once floated in the same boat, but it is *not* too late to change your fate. *Turpitude* and *hatred* isn't the answer!"

I gave you all that I could give, bad motives

"You can't tell me what's right for me, Daniela," Mya warned. "*My future* is glorious and triumphant. I have everything set in stone." She flicked her cape back, holding her chin so arrogantly high, and Daniela groaned under her breath.

*Ugh, why are you being stubborn? Time to step it up.*

She approached Mya until they were almost nose to nose. "Don't you *try* thinking I'm being an impractical joker with you, queen bee. I've *warned* you of what you would become. Instead, you slammed me into concrete and disowned me. You should be *living* with regret, not embracing your new *marauder* history."

Mya showed her pristine white teeth, but Daniela put a finger to her lips, adding, "Oh, shall we consider this? It's too late for *any of us* to reverse the damage you've done to Old Town. I saw that on the news and knew you and your grandparents were behind that *hideous attack*. You injured innocent civilians!"

"That doesn't **MATTER**!" Mya screamed, eyes stormy. She gripped the collar of Daniela's leather jacket violently, pulling her back up to her nose.

"The raid was worth it. We *prospered*. Why does it look like I should give three flying damns toward you and the girls? You tried to **TEAR ME DOWN**. Especially you. You don't deserve any of my forgiveness, going around making me look like some kind of *heathen*."

Mya broke away from Daniela, circling her, becoming more and more of a wolf with her every action. Daniela was becoming desperate, but she refused to give her feelings away and squared her shoulders, letting defiance and rebellion take a hold in her bloodstream.

She was breathing fire, and she was going to be a rebel with the heart of a punk rocker.

"You can make things right again, Mya!" She pleaded. "Only *you* can! Listen to me!"

I gave you all that I could give, bad motives

Mya scoffed. "You only came here to *mutilate* me, your traitorous *freak*! You want nothing more than to save your own skin... How I should have expected this." She turned away.

Daniela wasn't fazed by her statement. She didn't back down. No, she wasn't *going* to back down. There was only one way out of this with Mya - revealing the truth.

It was something she didn't want to have to tell her.

But she did. And she chose to make her move.

Suddenly, Daniela leapt forward, grabbing Mya's arm hard, effectively restraining her.

"Your parents are **GONE**!" She spat, sending a shudder and a rattle through the room that made a thunderous clap. Mya's eyes stretched *wide*, and she became utterly horrified, her face twisting, the bona fide queen in her evaporating.

"*What*?" She squeaked, growing apprehensive, becoming smaller and mousy. Daniela didn't loosen her grip, but a part of her beamed upon seeing Mya relax.

"There's blood on the wall near your room. The car in your garage is missing. Your parents are **missing** and we don't know anything about their goddamn **whereabouts**!"

"No!" Mya shrieked, panicking, and she yanked on Daniela's arm. "I... I said so many horrible things about them, but I never wanted them to *disappear*..." She sniffed, and tears formed in her eyes. Compared to minutes before, she looked pale and terrified instead of ready to decapitate Daniela, her cape sagging pathetically behind her.

Finally, the real Mya was breaking through.

Relieved, Daniela let go of her arm and put her hand on her shoulder. "Mya. It isn't **too late** to turn things around for the better. Your parents need *you* to help find them, wherever they are. But, regardless of anything else, I will always be *loyal* to the you I've always known. Passionate. Friendly. The biggest heart in all of Washington. Hilarious when she doesn't mean to be... That's the you I enjoy the most."

Mya stared at her, eyes overwhelmed with emotion, and more tears slid down her face. She wiped them away, tugging uncomfortably at her cape, looking down. The shame was burning, and she deserved it, all right.

She was just a disgrace.

Finally she managed to lock her green eyes with Daniela's amber, reaching out her hand to touch hers.

"Okay."

Daniela smiled. The real Mya was back, and the girls were a step closer to winning. She felt so peaceful, and definitely ready to go home after all this. But first, why not have a little bit of fun?

"Do you like my outfit?" She asked Mya casually.

"Ooh, yeah. You seem rather *rad* in it, not gonna lie." She admired the black leather, her partially ripped jeans, and her studded boots. She blushed again - Daniela looked shockingly *attractive*.

"Hah, you're smitten!" Daniela teased, and Mya blushed again. "Okay. Enough being silly. Wanna go home?"

"Yeah. You go first. I'll be right behind you."

Daniela nodded, heading the door and opening it - almost walking straight into Harlow and Ivanna.

She yelped, but quickly shook her jumbled thoughts back into place. "My apologies, can you move out of the way?"

The two complied to her request, and Daniela relaxed. Things were normal, and she could see nothing but light ahead. They were free.

But, as she was about to find out, she was dead *wrong*.

Without warning, hands gripped her arms, and the next thing she knew, she was right back in the doorway.

Surprised, Daniela's fight or flight instinct kicked in, and yowling, she swung her boots and thrashed and tried to loosen herself. Her efforts were futile, as she remained unable to move.

It was then she realized that the pale hands of *Harlow and Ivanna* had trapped her. *No! This can't be happening!*

And then Daniela faced Mya back in the room. "Mya, *help*!" She howled, frantic.

Mya hadn't moved one inch since they made amends. She stood there, watching the scene unfold, not conveying anything from her body language or facial expression.

"Well, well, well," Harlow simpered in Daniela's ear. "We meet again, Dani. It looks like the stray kitten wanted to play with more of her nine lives than we originally thought." Disgusted, she growled at him.

"Think about it one more time, and I'll give you some real **emotional damage**!" She threatened, her amber eyes blaring defiance. Craning her head, she focused her gaze back onto the stone-cold, unnmoving Mya.

"Mya? What's the meaning of this?" Daniela questioned, and Mya glared at her. Finally, her complexion changed. Her eyes were hardened with deep, cold ambition. Frost. Insidious motives at her disposal.

An anvil fell on her head at that very moment, almost sending Daniela into a state of overwhelming disturbia.

She should have realized it from the start, yet she hadn't.

Mya hadn't wanted to make peace with her from the start. She *tricked* her into having a false sense of security.

And when she got the chance, she would make sure she got betrayed in the most agonizing way possible.

Now it was too late to stop time and change what was unfolding now.

"Mya! Let me go, please!" Daniela begged, squirming in the grip of the Parkers. Mya stomped up to her, the storm in her before building back up again and ready to scorch her to bits.

"Oh, Daniela, what a shame, what a shame," Mya snickered, pacing in front of her. "You always kept coming back for more, no matter how many times you've been told to stay away. An addiction, so to speak. You were a major, negative circumstance in our plans, so I'm afraid I had to tell Harlow and Ivanna about your grand idea. Sorry, not sorry."

"But the look! You were-"

"A blushing mess? *Please*. I never even fell for that in the first place. What, do you think I'm a *stranger* to you being intimidating?"

Daniela's heart crumbled, and her stomach churned knots. This was about to be prison all over again. She knew what was going to happen.

*I won't let you take me even if I die trying!*

With all of her strength, Daniela knocked Ivanna's grip loose, and she made a break for it. Footsteps hammered after her, and hearing the snarl of Ivanna, Daniela ducked under her legs, escaping.

*I'm almost to the door!*

She placed her hand on it and turned the knob, putting a foot out into the grass.

However, just mere seconds later, two hands pulled her back by the neck, and she was pulled into another body.

Those hands were pale, cold, and *coddling*.

Daniela's blood went *cold*.

Fingers pressed against her neck and went down to the back of her leather jacket's collar, rubbing the skin there. "Oh, yes..." Murmured Harlow, who seemed to be enjoying himself too much. "Don't fight it, Dani. You know you can't around me."

Too late, Daniela let her shoulders go slack, and she heard the devious lick of lips behind her. "Submissive. Good girl." He dragged her back to the empty room, which Mya was *still* standing in, remaining a venomous statue. Daniela shook in his grasp, and Harlow snuck his fingers up to her chin.

The heat was rising, and Daniela knew it wasn't going to be in her favor.

Ivanna approached the doorway again, glancing at Mya, who glanced back at her.

"Take her away," she commanded boldly.

Gripping Daniela with tendril-like arms, Harlow and Ivanna marched forward, dragging her across the hall, and while she tried to create friction with her spiked boots, they tore through the floorboards and made an ear-piercing sound.

"Mya!" Daniela screeched, her voice cracking. "*Mya*, please! **MYA**! **MYA**!"

Her voice died away, and eventually, Mya heard the sound of a door closing. Wherever that room was, it was to hold Daniela until further notice - or until she decided what to do with her.

Mya exited the empty room, meeting up with her grandparents in the hallway.

"That *catastrophe* of a girl has been locked in that spare room. We'll keep her, feed her, yada yada. Maybe until she proves useful," Ivanna reported.

"Good. Keep Dani down. She's feisty and notorious for her strength when tested," Mya replied, and Ivanna nodded.

"Don't worry, darling. *We've* got that covered." Harlow smirked as he said that, licking his lips pointedly and rubbing his hands together.

"I don't know what she was trying to prove in that room. My parents being gone? *Gone*? That can't be right. Probably just a lie she pulled out of her ass..."

This startled Harlow, and he shared a particular glance with Ivanna.

"That little brat," he whispered. "She knows what we're planning. I should show her how to *cooperate*..."

Remembering that Mya was still there, he turned his gray eye onto her. "Mya, why don't you get some shut-eye? We have some matters to deal with privately."

Mya frowned. How *dare* he think he could tell her what to do? Far as she knew, keeping Daniela under surveillance was her top priority right now.

"I'm not tired! You can't *tell* me what I should do," she retorted.

"Mya, that's an *order*. Go to your room and *sleep*."

Mya stomped up to him like an angry horse about to kick. "Excuse you! Nobody died and made *you* leader. Who gave you the right to *control me*?" With a huff, she stormed back upstairs and into her bedroom.

Itching burned throughout, and Mya rubbed her arm, trying to see if that would soothe it. Nothing. Frustrated, she went to her mirror, staring at herself.

She was still the same Mya as before - cyan t-shirt, auburn hair, leaf-green eyes, elegant purple cape. Except...

*The crown.* Mya lifted it up and onto her head, and in the mirror stood a regal queen, powerful, sharp as daggers.

*You'll never take me alive, my sworn enemies. For my name is the Queen of-*

Suddenly, a hand knocked on her door, and she put the crown back down on her dresser. "Come in, please."

The door slammed open, revealing Ivanna, who seemed rather crazed.

"What can I do for you, Ivanna?" Mya asked smoothly, slightly unsettled by her presence.

Ivanna ignored her question, and all of a sudden, she rammed Mya up against the wall using her body weight. Shocked, Mya yelped and tried to claw free.

Then, Ivanna pried her jaws open, pulling her top lip hard and sending blistering pain coursing through Mya. In her scramble, Mya saw a glass of water, coated in what appeared to be sugar, in her hand.

Raising her hand, Ivanna poured the entire glass down her granddaugher's throat ruthlessly, and Mya choked, wheezing violently, struggling to swallow the water and spitting it out all over the place.

"What was th-at f-for..." An intense vertigo hit Mya in the back of the head, and her world spun so fast around her she thought she could see every color, every insect, every flower on earth.

And then, she collapsed onto the floor with a *thud*, saliva dripping out of her mouth.

Ivanna approached her, tapping the tip of her boot near the unconscious girl's face.

"Rest now, Mya. You've learned today that misbehavior will make you pay the price. But don't worry, your ordeal will come to an end soon..."

As swift as she had entered, Ivanna had shut the bedroom door behind her.

## Cast

* **Wendie Malick** as Nita
* **Trent Garrett** as Patrick
* **Udo Kier** as Harlow
* **Pam Ferris** as Ivanna
* **Mae Whitman** as Winter
* **Peyton Elizabeth Lee** as Evie
* **Zoe Saldaña** as Amira
* **Eden Riegel** as Daniela
* **Nora Dunn** as Rex
* **Dakota Fanning** as Mya
* **Lauren Tom** as Opal
* **John Hodgman** as Anderson
* **Kari Wahlgren** as news reporter

## Songs

* Rihanna (feat. Slash) - *Rockstar 101* (snippet)
* JFI (feat. Veela) - *Target* (snippet)
* DM Galaxy - *Bad Motives* (feat. Aloma Steele)

## Trivia

* It is revealed that:
	+ Harlow and Ivanna drove Mya's parents out, likely away from Pineshadow altogether and covering it up with a forged letter.
	+ Daniela had a rock phase when she was younger that died after two months.
	+ In her youth, Evie received a bad gash on her head due to Opal pushing her too far in her martial arts training.
* Winter's vertigo growing sharper is a reference to the Rob Gasser and Laura Brehm song *Vertigo*.
* "Even if it meant taking a chance on faith" is a reference to the Heather Sommer and Uplink song *Chance on Faith*.
* As Daniela admires her rock outfit, the Rihanna song *Rockstar 101* plays in the background.
* During Evie's flashback, the 2011 JFI song *Target* is heard.
* One of Anderson's lines to Opal is an allusion to a *SpongeBob* incidental saying "YOU WHAT?" in disbelief.
* While Daniela confronts Mya, the 2014 DM Galaxy song *Bad Motives* plays in the background. *Bad Motives* is a major inspiration for the latter half of Season 3.
* Mya warning Daniela that she can't decide what's right for her is an allusion to *Pressure* by Draper.
* Daniela calling herself an impractical joker is a reference to the reality TV show *Impractical Jokers*.
* Daniela telling Mya that she should be existing with guilt is a nod to the ROY KNOX and Shiah Maisel song *Living With Regret*.
* After Harlow grabs Daniela, she warns him that he'll receive emotional damage. This is a reference to the Steven He meme *Emotional Damage*.
* Mya's line about Daniela's "addiction" is a direct parallel to the *Two-Sided* chapter *Good Girl Gone Bad*, in which Daniela compared coffee to how she gets energy from bullying Mya.
* Ivanna notably drugs Mya for the second time, although the glass of water is much more spiked than it was in *Rising Tensions*, making her pass out almost instantly.