Love Words
"Lui, stop bitching for a second and learn to understand," Rin prompted.
She smiled identically to her twin Len and the sheer perfection of her teeth blinded him momentarily. With nothing else to do and the knowledge his Master was going to burst into his room with a petty scowl on her jest face, he stuck his tongue out at the blond.
Not that he was scared of Master Ring. A table spoon had a higher IQ.
Rin puffed her cheeks and strode out the room with a raging mood. He give a care for whatever Rin had to give or think. The blonde senior was just - possibly twice - as dumb as Ring.
"They'll be the end of me," he murmured sardonically. Such insipid occurrences were a regular. After all, he had an ignorant Master and a somewhat deranged neighbor with silky hair closely resembling a sparkling purple waterfall just next door.
This day couldn't get any worse.
"You girly bastard!"
Oh bless his luck, it just did.
"Hibiki, you messed around with my music sheet again!" Ring accused. Trotting up to him, she punched his shoulder lightly with an infuriated frown. "I told you not to touch it. It's fine just the way it is." Now if only Ring was actually aware her skills in music were below average. For that matter, she might as well quit music and hand him to her much more talented teal-haired elder sister.
Lui shrugged nonchalantly. "I just thought it could use some minor improvements s'all." Of course, minor didn't cut it. He had rewritten everything from top to bottom.
Besides, who in their right mind put "I like saucy sauce" as the main chorus? To hell if he were to sing something that ridiculous. He could see the headlines: Lui Hibiki, top-notch synthesizer, receives a piping 0 out of 5 stars for his new single Foxy.
Ring definitely needed some sense knocked into her. He withdrew from her side to the window quietly, much too tired for a useless banter.
"I'm both a girl and human, so I understand feelings better. Especially when the feelings you're going- my bad - trying to convey are those of love and affection." She snapped him out of his imagination.
"Says the girl with an unmarried status."
She stomped her foot childishly on the wooden waxed floor. "Don't even get into that subject robot!"
Her harsh words struck a metal nerve in his body.
"I'm your master!" Ring screeched. "You should be listening to me and following what I say. It's been two months Hibiki, and we haven't even released your first album yet." He, however, was unperturbed by her strict talk and noticing his ignorance, sighed suddenly; traipsing to where he was and plopping beside him with an audible 'thump'.
"I feel as if this is some sort of farce," she whispered quietly. Now Lui finally looked at her tear-rimmed eyes with genuine curiosity. "Don't I just suck?"
"I'm sure a nice man will find you and-"
"That's not what I'm talking about!"
She got up and from the look on her face, he knew she was contemplating storming out the room and digesting bowls full of ice-cream as she usually did when she was upset. But he decided, then and there he wouldn't let her. Tugging at her blue sleeve, he inclined his head for her to sit.
Obediently, she did.
"What's wrong?" He tried to console her with a hesitant pat on the back, but she was still in her self-anguish and pity. "You can tell me."
"My writing sucks, doesn't it?" she questioned softly. It would be a sin to dampen the mood when she's so down but he definitely had to make her understand. "Yeah, it does."
"But why?"
"B-Because…" he wasn't sure how to finish the sentence. Teetering on thin ice, he blurted out the first thing in his mind. "We're writing about romance so we have to know what romance feels like!"
She cocked her head. "How?"
"Umm, try dating someone to get the feel and experience."
He swallowed slowly, nearly chocking. Ring snuggled to his shoulder now, and he oddly find himself enjoying the sensation. His hands moved automatically without his say and he was just about to hug her when she suddenly came off him with a pair of determined eyes. "I have to improve myself for the both of us, right Lui?"
How many sides does she have? Lui thought. He felt a bit annoyed at her sudden declaration. Her warmth was starting to dissipate. The annoying buzz in his body increased, much to his own chagrin.
"You're right!" she pumped her fists in the air and his heart skims a beat at how happy she looked lost in her own little world. "I'm going to call Oliver and ask him on a date." Then the irritating feeling was replaced by a crushing sensation.
Jealousy.
"Y-you shouldn't!" he blurted all too quickly for his own liking. "Y-You can't! I didn't mean to suddenly go on dates and stuff."
"Well what do you mean Lui?"
It's the first time she's ever said his name and the sensation is not displeasing. More of an opposite, border-lining thrill and pleasure. Now he feels a sudden sense of craving for her to say his name over and over again, like a child for his sugar. Getting up without bothering to pat whatever dust there was on his pants, he trotted up to her and leaned in close.
"What I mean is; we should try things out ourselves."
Despite how wrong it would be for a human and a robot to pledge themselves in a relationship, he pressed his lips against hers. She responded quite unexpectedly, grasping his neck and pulling herself in deeper. Only the pitter-patter of footsteps running up the stairs gave them the reason to break-apart.
"Hi guys!" Kaito called cheerfully. He noticed their flushed faces and scowls. "Ring, Lui, are you both catching fevers?"
How dense the man was Lui would never know.
Ring suddenly turned on her heel to face her synthesizer with a cocky grin. "Hey Lui, I think I'm ready to write a proper hot-and-steamy song now."
The sensation and intoxicating feeling erupted once more.
-.-.-.-
Romeo and Cinderella
There was one thing Lui Hibiki disliked, and that was being convicted of mass indulgent in girly acts. Being the son of a very important Duke, only last week was he kidnapped for ransom money by two hulking Neanderthals. It wasn't being kidnapped that was the humiliation (in fact, being ransomed was actually a new faze many royal young boys were jumping full-heartedly into), no, it was being caught in a sky-blue sundress with pink bunnies emblazed here and there.
Why was he wearing such a disgusting dress instead of the natural cool gown, totally befitting the next Duke, hand-woven by experts?
Really, the reason was quite insipid. He wore it because his incompetent servant, Len, had left his personal dry-cleaning under the rain. Without proper clothes on during the dead of winter, loving elder sister Aoki had handed him one of her favorite array of clothing who so happened to land itself in the Kingdom's Top 20 Worst Dresses (hosted by Miku Hatsune and Rin Kagamine).
It was only by divine luck the media had no interest in who saved him. If that information slipped into wrong hands, he would never be able to walk calmly out without a loud guffaw to redden his cheeks.
Seriously, what was wrong with this country?
"Son, don't be a fool," Oliver commanded. Dressed in a fine suit lined to the brim with gold buttons, he smiled politely to the neighboring kingdom's queen, Sweet Anne. "Tell your sister to keep her inner thoughts inside. We've been mocked quite enough."
"Dad, don't you feel a bit worried your son could have possibly died?"
Oliver cocked an eyebrow. "Is the answer yes?"
Instead of beating some sense into him with a rather pointless banter, Lui huffed indignantly and sashayed down the rugged stair briskly. His sister with her air-headed personality was busy being courted by Cul. He already knew from his adolescent years that Aoki was quite biased on which gender she would fall in love with.
From the corner of his eyes, he spotted his cousin Piko flirt with the main chef Miki Sfatoo.
Len was suddenly beside him.
"So what should we do, Master?"
"Want to dance?"
"I'm not gay," he deadpanned.
Lui furrowed his eyebrows. "Neither am I. I just thought you might want to dance with Miku or Luka or somebody… but seeing as you have treaded your muddy boots all over my innocent offer, go get yourself a drink."
Len looked close to fainting. "M-Master please forgive me for those improper words-"
"Well aren't you happy," a squeaky voice asked with mock adoration. Piko slung a hand over Lui's shoulder and grinned lopsidedly. "I heard you were kidnapped, dear younger cousin. I feel sorry for you Len, having to put up with someone as useless as him."
Lui really wanted to punch the white-haired boy's face as well as say "It's the other way around" but Oliver's words reverberated in his head. Piko won this battle, but the next he was going to go down in burning flames.
"Well aren't you interested in Miki," Lui said nonchalantly.
Piko knitted his eyebrows and dragged him a distance from the growing crowd as more important people entered the large elaborate ballroom. "Why, is she dating someone?"
"Used to be me, but she doesn't have proper tongue attacks."
"Idiot!" he seethed.
The blond chuckled. "I'm joking. Leave me alone for a week and I'll give you every bit of information my spy Luka can muster. Either that or you can just ask Kaito."
"Why Kaito?"
"Oh, he used to date her," Lui admitted.
Now Piko was stomping towards the blue-haired stable boy with a balled up fist and an infuriated look on his face. His cousin however laughed whole-heartedly. Piko would believe any little white lie if it was about the cherry-red ahoge girl.
Miku appeared beside him, handing a cup of punch. "How are you Lui?"
He nodded at her in acknowledgement. "Doing fine, you?"
"I think I might be in love with your servant," she declared with a hand to her heart. "He's just so… so divine and splendid, full of enthusiasm and grace." As she said this to him, he couldn't help but watch Len trip over his shoelace. Grace was not a word to describe the young Kagamine.
"I thought you were head over heels in love with Piko last month."
She waved her hand nonchalantly. "Oh that was nothing. This however is true love."
"Didn't you say that about Kiyoteru two months ago?" he questioned sharply.
Miku glared and punched him lightly. "Way to kill a girl's dream. Just make sure you introduce me to him. If you don't, I won't introduce you to my sister."
Lui arched an eyebrow, taking a sip of the pink delight. "Why would I be interested in your sister?"
The tealette grinned lopsidedly and snapped her fingers. "Because my sister is someone very, very special. You owe her more than anyone in this planet. Her name's Ring Suzune and she's part of the Square Table Knights."
Knight?
The realization hit in as soon as a figure clad in a fine dress stepped up to him and extended her hand. "I hope you aren't insulted by how bumpy my faithful stallion was on the ride home."
There was a small pop sound and Lui found it was caused by his jaw hanging open idiotically. Ring chuckled melodically and grasped his hand, dragging him into the dancing fray. "I hope you know how to waltz."
"I-I do!" he said a bit too loudly.
Len pumped his fists in the air and Aoki shouted "Lui has a girlfriend finally!" Her echo rang in the room and all heads turned their way. Now he officially felt like dying. On another note, who knew Miku's sister was so… so pretty. He sized her up and found the similarities. Blue hair, blue eyes, porcelain skin and a sly smile, in terms of appearance they resembled each other very much.
He only hoped the girl in front wasn't as devious.
"So Lui, feel any spark? Cause' I sure do," she said.
Well, he did feel his heart beat fast enough to win a marathon. "No spark, just a very irregular feeling. It feels good though."
"I knew it," Ring muttered.
"Wait, are you leading?" he questioned.
"Yes. I'm manlier than you so obviously I lead."
Lui felt a bit embarrassed. "I'm one-hundred times better at being a guy than you!"
She rolled her eyes but the wide grin was still plastered on her face. Their dace was starting to become more elaborate as the other viewers joined in. Cul with Aoki, Len with Miku, Piko with Miki, Luka with Kaito, and Rin with Kiyoteru. How odd was this party going to be?
Ring pecked his cheek lightly. "I'm starting to feel ignored," she drawled lazily.
He couldn't help but feel a mixture of shock and embarrassment. "W-what was that for?" he whispered softly. She threw a wolfish grin at her sister and Miku caught on and winked. There was something going on and it obviously involved him.
"Do you believe in love at first sight?" she said hotly against his ear.
He wanted to melt from the pleasure. "N-No," he managed to stutter.
The bored expression spread itself onto her face and his heart fell. "Sad, I do." They twirl gracefully and he found himself lead to the window. They exited the ballroom and now, on the balcony with the moon shining down on them, she knelt on one knee and kissed the top of his hand gently.
A strike of thrill reverberated in his body.
"Want to run away with me?" she murmured.
He can only barely make out her words but nods. She cracked a grin and enveloped him a thick hug. "Let's run away to a place where the golden axe brings luck and there is no discrimination between a princess and her knight." He felt flustered underneath her hot gaze, but the blush rose when he understands he's the princess and she the knight.
"Cinderella's fleeing in her uniform," he heard Miku chuckled.
Now Lui finally understood the mess he got himself into as the guards and soldiers all attempted to burst past the wall of guests the devious tealette choreographed for their escape. "I better have me some nephews by the time I hit seniority," she hollered more to Ring than him.
"If you ever get old with your childish mind," Ring huffed. He gripped her hand when he's lifted over her left shoulder like a damsel in distress and she jumped off the balcony and to the garden bellow where a green-haired stable boy expertly handed her the reigns to a majestic white stallion.
"I trust you to take care of Josephine. He's the fastest horse I've ever bred." Ryuuto curtly bowed. "Have fun with your new husband."
She propped herself onto the horse and Lui squealed "Husband?" out loudly. The guards burst through the room and he got a good view of their confusion over Ring's shoulder.
She whipped the horse once and it speeds off with a well-timed 'neigh'. On the balcony, his father Oliver face-palmed and Aoki waved him goodbye with her handkerchief. Len looked close to fainting with his head squashed between Miku's large cleavage. Piko crudely saluted, grin on his face. Rin gave him a meaningful thumbs-up.
Ring suddenly slams him in front of her on the seat and he leaned on her chest. Now he feels her snuggle to his neck and the contented purrs spill out her mouth.
"Cinderella, Romeo's going to marry you."
-.-.-.-
Meltdown
She had said to him, on a fine sunny day; "Where is your reactor?"
He jumped into the nuclear-reactor with a heavy heart. He had to find Ring Suzune. Chances were she was inside seeking solace, crying from the pain and loneliness. "How are things, Hibiki?" Hatsune's voice buzzed calm through the ear piece.
"I feel as if Ring's acting like Rin," he spat. He hated the way his mother's name rolled off his tongue, rusty and unused.
"Your mother was a good person," Miku stressed from the other side.
He snorted. "I don't want to talk as if she's still alive."
"I'm not the one keeping her in my memories, you are. She chose to rewrite her past as Ring is doing now. I just want you to find my daughter."
"Fine."
The scene changed as soon as his foot lightly touched the ground. The mixture of divining green and yellow lights morphed into a one-way sterile white hall. Don't lose your reactor, Lui thought. Don't lose yourself as mother did.
"Miku?" he called into the ear-piece. There was no reply. Checking the watch on his palm, the minute hand moved backwards as the hour hand forward. Time wasn't his forte now. Ditching the considerably heavy communication device on the floor, he walked forward.
Once in a while, he would see visions of his mother run in the halls with a weary face. Her hair was held back with her signature white bow and two rusted bobby pins. Whenever she would get close enough for him to touch her, she would disappear.
"Don't think about her Lui. The nuclear-reactor's trying to trick you."
Astonishing or not, the government's best-kept secret had both a brain and a heart. He still remembered Ring's words before she willingly ran from both life and his love. "If you ever decide to search for me, don't let the past devour you."
Her pale face and washed eyes sent a shiver down his spine. She looked so… so unhappy.
Surprisingly, he felt cold. Dressed in an odd black and white dress-shirt, there was nothing to do but hug himself and repress the urge to run back the way he came. He needed to find her, and hopefully when he did, he would be able to sleep as his mother had done.
He had no intention to continue living.
Laughter rang in the halls and he felt a sudden sense of realization.
A small brunette boy walked towards him nonchalantly, rubbing the side of his head absentmindedly with a smile spread across on his face. This boy was him, as a child, before he changed himself.
Little Lui sniffed indifferently. "You only have ten minutes left."
From the looks of it, the kid was right. "What do I do now?"
Shuffling up to him, Little Lui grasped his hand and led him forward. "Everything leads back to the first foolish person who sought for their reactor. Our mother Rin Kagamine. Len followed after her, too saddened to part from his loving wife. Was it hard being left alone?"
"B-But Len was missing-"
"He was missing because of the war. When he returned, he found an unrecognizable son. Scarred and defeated, he took to Rin's side and joined her here."
Lui noticed the little boy had stopped. Fear and adrenaline rushed into his side when the wall parted in a blooming array of flowers and roses to reveal another hall, pitch-black save the far dim light. He heard Ring's melodic chuckles inside.
"She's in there," Little Lui pointed forward. He scrunched his eyebrows together in a tight frown. "Lui, you don't want to go there. She's crying inside, waiting for the nuclear to wash her from existence. You have a minute left now. You can save her and terminate yourself, or walk away with no knowledge of your past."
He didn't comprehend his words. "You mean, I either die or get struck with amnesia?"
Little Lui nodded sullenly. "The nuclear-reactor grants wishes to those who have found their reactor. Your reactor has been in Ring's grasp ever since she met you during the war and healed your broken body and damaged soul. You have found her, and thus your reactor as well. There is nothing left to do but forget about your past and everyone in it. Become a new man with a new destiny."
Lui could feel temptation rise in his heart. "I can free myself from Mom and Dad?"
"Yes."
"No more pain, no more torture, no more anesthetics to sleep, no more nightmares, no more… anything." He glanced warily at his child self. "But that wouldn't make me who I am, right? That would make my reactor break. I would rather terminate than pretend to be somebody I'm not."
Cocking his head, the adolescent's face was a question mark. "If you terminate, I terminate. And yet it's alright because I don't want to live anymore either."
"Should I go now?" Lui asked.
Little Lui didn't answer. He turned on his heel and hummed a sot tune his mother had composed about an evil princess and her loyal servant; The Daughter of Evil.
Smiling half-hardheartedly, listening to Ring's laughter before jumping forward, extending a hand for her to take and a smile to lighten her heart.
"I wish to sleep as my mother had done."
-.-.-.-
Vocalo-
"Lui!"
He was snapped awake from his peaceful slumber by her harsh voice. In front, Ring placed her hands on her voluptuous hips.
She seemed well beyond angry and, as per usual, ripped the large orange headphones off his ears. She rolled her eyes and he half expected them to pop out her eye-socket. "Meltdown? Aikotoba? Romeo and Cinderella? Why in Miku's name are you listening to Shota Shota Burning Night?"
He didn't have the sense to answer her question, blushing heavily at the dream - or dreams.
They were, in fact, lovers there.
"My god, we're trying to practice writing our own lyrics together and here you are listening to our senior's music. We can base it off, yeah, but try to be original." She grabbed his hand and his blush deepened. "Come on; let's go meet Aoki, Cul, Yuzuki, Mew and Tone. They're waiting for us at the Studio."
Lui sighed tiredly, sight still hazy from sleep. Well, at least in his dreams he had Ring all to himself.
"Don't you dare start listening to Spice!"
Well that wraps it up nicely. Written for Ventiwings' contest. You should check her out; she is a gorgeous person with a sweet heart and annoying lazy bone :3
Main pairing: Lui x Ring!
I love Ring, she sounds so cute^^ I can't wait for Lui's voicebank demo as well as Miku's English voice-bank. I hope you enjoyed~ The format of the story is similar to this age-old fic I read a few years back. I'm not sure what fandom it was, though. Now, which are your favorites?
I hope you love this Ventus~ Send my best regards to your other friend(s) judging in my place.
1) Love Words (AiKotoba) - Miku Hatsune
2) Romeo and Cinderella - Miku Hatsune
3) Meltdown - Rin Kagamine as well as Meltdown NiGATO ReMIX - Miku Hatsune