w I feel so bad, I should be working on the next chapter of the President and Her Vice, but... but... my game console spoiled and had to be sent for repair! T^T Nuuuuuuuuu! I need my daily zombie killing de-stressing! I itch to play Resident Evil, seriously.
So lately I've been hanging around the arcade playing Project Diva Arcade and occasionally some shooting games 8D But, as my friend so quaintly puts it, "Congratulations. You have rejoined the ranks of 'NOOB'!" _ So evil! I haven't played in a really long time, okay? (Plus the fact that I laugh randomly at weird moments while playing the game. But I can't help it! Miku and Luka in Cantarella with Miku in Kaito's voice is just...)
So I had this idea suddenly. Wow. But I apologise beforehand, because I can't write action scenes! Dx
Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloids!
'They never stop coming. What's going on?'
"Megurine-taichō! Things are getting bad!"
To say that things were getting bad was an understatement. Luka quickly surveyed the situation and it was clearly not to their advantage. Two-thirds of her team was in no condition to fight; they were wounded, or worse, dead. Those remaining were quickly running out of ammunition, several of them already engaging in battle with their melee weapons.
"Those bitches are acting really weird. Usually they- holy cow!" Gumi swore furiously when the latest batch of reinforcements for their enemies showed up. "Zombies? They're teaming out with zombies? Teaming up? Them!"
"Calm down," Luka struggled to follow her own advice; she had to stay cool and be strong for all of them. "Do you have any grenades left?"
"Now you're talking!" Gumi smirked. "I have three of these babies left, it can probably take out most of them, which takes cares of the zombies, but there's still-"
"Those with ammo left; try to round them up; those fighting close range, get rid of them as soon as possible and re-group back to Gumi!" Luka ordered into the communicator, helping out take down a few with her shotgun.
"Gumi," Her second-in-command looked up, accepting the shotgun that Luka pressed into her hands in confusion.
"What-"
"You're in charge now, try to keep most of the team alive, okay? And don't forget to shoot those who died with the special bullets before they rise up again." Luka's smile grew as the look of confusion on Gumi's face lightened. "I'm going to lead the remaining ones that survive after the blast away, so stay alive! Gakkun and his team will be coming soon, leave nothing for them to kill."
Gumi remained silent as Luka unloaded herself of any excessive weapons, dumping at least two dozen magazines into Gumi's lap.
"That should last you all of for a while!" Luka smiled, but Gumi didn't return it.
"Why don't you take this with you?" She offered Luka the shotgun back, knowing that it might be the last time that they would ever see each other again.
'Stop!' Gumi scolded herself when she felt tears prickling at her eyes. 'I must see the bigger picture, like what Luka's doing! One in exchange for many…'
"I have this," Luka refused and she unsheathed her katana. "And I'll need to travel light."
Gumi wished that she could be as positive as Luka; it was ironic how their roles seemed to be switched right now with Luka all smiling and positive, Gumi looking as morose as a drowned rat.
Wondering how she was going to explain to Lily that she had let Luka do this, Gumi took extreme care to aim where the grenades went so that they would cause the most damage. After all, the more of the enemy that was killed, the better chances of survival Luka had.
Gumi tensed, waiting for Luka.
"…now!"
They hid behind the abandoned cars as blasts rocked the area, Luka already up and running once the blasts subsided, not even waiting for the dust to clear as she rushed in to get rid of any survivors.
Gumi couldn't help but watch in admiration as Luka went to work immediately, slashing one of them into half with her enchanted blade and gutting another in the stomach a split second later.
'There doesn't seem to be any more coming…' Gumi chewed her bottom lip nervously, her hands itching for her to take a shot but she was afraid that she might hit Luka instead, and Luka was drawing them far away like she said she would. 'Five low-level undead…'
Her thoughts were cut short when a bloodcurdling scream pierced the air.
"Zombies," Gumi scowled. They might be less dangerous than vampires, but zombies usually attacked in droves and they were highly infectious, a single bite from them and you would turn into a zombie too, sooner or later.
"Hold them off!" Gumi prayed that there were still some of her teammates left. The last time she had counted, there were only eight out of their original twenty-four; and judging from the screams earlier, their numbers had surely decreased once again.
Hearing the gunshots that answered her call, Gumi beamed. 'There's still hope left! Although… I freaking hate zombies.' Gumi scanned around, and seeing the long line of cars that had been abandoned by their owners fleeing for their lives, Gumi felt like laughing for the first time that night.
'Bingo.'
Luka kept her senses on high alert as she fought off the vampire attempting to claw her head off, sensing something amiss.
'It seems easy… too easy…' Luka allowed her attention to wander for a moment.
Her eyes widened.
Hunters had exceptional senses that were way above the average human's, and Luka always seemed to be able to detect vampires that were nearby; which was how she could see a bunch of level fours cornering someone a few blocks away, at a dead end in an alleyway.
'Something tells me that something important is going on there.'
A sudden blast rocked the ground, almost throwing Luka off balance. She looked back and saw that Gumi had somehow managed to blow up the cars, killing most of the zombies and creating a barricade of fire that would last them for some time.
'No worries there.' Luka dispatched the vampires surrounding her easily; she was so used to killing that it was as easy as breathing for her. With a quick glance to check that Gumi and the rest were fine, she swiftly made her way to the level fours, the element of surprise allowing her to kill several before they finally realized that she was there.
'Fifteen…' Luka counted as she made out a small figure huddled near the wall, making it out to be a girl through her ripped dress and flowing teal locks. She couldn't see her face, which were hidden by her pale hands, but Luka couldn't help but feel that she had met the girl somewhere before.
'Impossible, I would have remembered someone with such a unique hair color-'
Then again, she couldn't be too sure. Her days had long disappeared into one big blur, divided into day and night, her days spent training and resting, her nights spent killing and killing.
Luka tugged hard on the hilt of her katana but the vampire, whose chest it was through, clung onto the blade with both hands, refusing to let go. Several of the vampires decided to charge at her then, taking advantage of the situation.
'They're acting almost… smart.' Luka's eyes narrowed as she left her katana with the vampire and with one hand disappearing into her coat, she ran at the wall, running up it and flipping over the vampires that had charged at her. Drawing out a revolver in mid-flip, she calmly shot the vampires, getting all of them with a single shot to the head.
"Thank you," Luka said sarcastically when she managed to get her katana free, slicing off the head of the vampire that had dared vexed her. 'They aren't supposed to be this smart!'
Luka froze when she realized why, catching sight of something. There was a level six vampire amongst them, directing their actions. Luka watched as it gave her a smirk before waving its hands, sending another three vampires snarling towards her.
Luka glared back as she sliced up those coming at her, kicking and punching away a few as she made her way through the ring encircling the girl.
"Here. Wear this, it'll keep you safe." Luka knelt down and gently draped her coat over the shivering girl, having noted how she had recoil slightly from Luka's approach. Luka did it partially to lull the vampires into a false sense of security; the level six didn't seem to buy her trick buy the rest definitely did, all eager to attack when they saw her katana on the ground beside her, but Luka was ready to snatch it up instantly when it was needed.
"It's okay…" Luka soothed and the girl looked up, revealing a startling set of cerulean eyes.
'Focus!' Luka scolded herself; she had been stunned for a few seconds when their eyes had met, filled with a strong urge to hug her and- 'Cry?'
"Take this," Luka handed the girl the revolver. "Shoot them if they get near, okay?" Taking her hand in hers, Luka showed her how to hold onto the revolver and pull the trigger, using one vampire as a training dummy. "Good job!"
'Her hands… they're like ice… she must be really afraid…'
Gripping her katana in her hand, Luka made a decision. It was a miracle that the vampires hadn't attacked at all while she was busy with the girl, although their numbers seemed to have increased and they were completely surrounded.
Luka had a bad feeling, and she was usually right.
The level six gave her a bemused grin as though asking her, "What can you do now?"
Straightening up, Luka brought her blade across her left palm, drawing blood and sending the vampires into a frenzy.
"Stay here." Luka called over her shoulder as she dashed forward, creating a break in the ring of vampires with her weapon and the rest followed, drawn by the scent of fresh blood.
Luka smirked when she saw the level six following as well, it may have been smart, but it still couldn't resist the thing that all vampires craved the most: blood.
Running out into the main street, Luka made a stand there; there was ample space for her to move around and she didn't have to worry much about the girl getting caught up in this mess.
Frowning as she threw herself into the familiar routine of dodging and weaving, slashing and stabbing as she made quick work out of most of them when her senses screamed out for her to watch her back.
With a swing of the katana she decapitated the last level four and she brought the katana up to her back, preventing another blade from slashing her back open.
"Why do you interfere in matters none of your concern, Hunter!" A level nine glared at her through blood-red eyes. "If you leave now, your life will be spared."
"I'm sworn to kill all vampires; my job is to save others from things like you!" Luka parried and the two of them fought at superhuman speeds, seeming evenly matched; the level six wisely waited on the sidelines.
"Die then!" The level nine forced her back with a sudden display of brute strength, causing her to stumble backwards and trip over a body in order to dodge the sword that was aiming for her heart.
The level six then launched itself forward, teeth bared, ready to rip out Luka's throat.
A gunshot rang out.
The level nine grinned. "How nice of you to deliver yourself to me!"
Luka rolled onto her stomach, the level six with a smoking hole in its forehead turning to dust not far away, staring at the teal-haired girl standing a few feet away.
'She… managed to shoot it fatally… from such a distance…'
"I came to watch your demise." The sound of the girl's voice sent a jolt running through Luka, and with that came a splitting headache. Luka was sure that she had hit her head pretty hard earlier, and hearing the girl's voice made her feel better and worse all at the same time.
The level seven grinned widely as he walked towards the girl, dismissing Luka.
'Shoot! Why won't you shoot?' Luka thought furiously, pushing herself to stand. Luckily, the level nine was too absorbed in gloating to notice Luka drawing near.
"Hey," She tapped his shoulder.
"What-argh!" Luka drew her katana across his eyes the instant he turned back.
'They really are acting strange today…'
Luka then watched in horror as the level nine screamed in agony, dropping his sword and he mutated into something that headed straight for the girl, razor sharp claws ready to shred her up.
"Watch out!" Luka threw herself on the girl, who had been standing there, as if she was rooted to the ground, with a look of utter shock on her face when the level nine had mutated.
"They don't normally do that," Luka watched as the mutated level nine drew back from the wall that its claws had collided with, lumbering around the street, apparently unable to sense the two of them.
"You're bleeding."
"My hand? It's nothing-"
"You're badly injured."
Luka glanced down at her side and saw that the girl was right; there were three long nasty gashes where the level nine had managed to hit when Luka had dashed in between his claws and the girl.
"Why?"
"What why?" Luka smiled reassuringly at the girl, having tons of experience at smiling despite being in great pain. "Don't worry, it's less serious than it looks, I'm fine. Really. You okay?" She rolled off the girl, not wanting to risk standing yet.
"Your coat would have protected you… If you hadn't given it to me," She looked guilty. "Why?"
"Uhh…"
"Your hand is still bleeding." Luka snapped out of her daze and looked away. The girl's eyes, they were so… captivating, it was difficult to tear one's eyes away and quit staring, and even if Luka knew that staring was rude.
The girl took Luka's hand in her cold ones as Luka watched, and she kissed the wound there before producing a delicate lace handkerchief out of nowhere to wrap it around Luka's hand.
"There." The girl looked satisfied. "This should do it."
"Wh-" Luka began when a shadow fell over them.
"Hiding here?" The level nine leered as he swiped his claws at them. Luka managed to push the girl away in time; instead she bore the full brunt of the attack and was sent crashing through a wall opposite the street.
'I'm sure I cracked a few ribs or something…' Luka lied there for a moment before sitting up gingerly, inspecting herself. Although Hunters were made from much sterner stuff than normal humans, they were still very much mortal.
'And every much stupid,' Luka thought dryly as she rubbed her temples, wondering why she didn't sense the level nine sneaking up on them. 'So many things are off today…'
Her side protested when she tried to stand, so Luka crawled out on her knees, blinking hard as her fuzzy vision was slowly restored.
'The girl…' Luka increased her crawling speed, ignoring the pain that accompanied. Her head hurt, she was severely wounded, and she couldn't see straight, let alone think, but something spurred her on.
'The girl!'
"Can you even use that?" The level nine taunted, apparently having mutated far enough to regain eyes and a mouth. "Hunter's weapons aren't like ordinary weapons; they're very attached to their masters."
The girl merely clutched Luka's katana even tighter, trying her best to ignore the jolt of punishing electricity that came with every second she held onto it. The revolver had been useless against the level nine, none of the bullets worked on him and Luka's katana was her only defense left.
"Who sent you?"
"You already know that, your highness." The level nine gave her a mocking bow. "Someone doesn't like your existence, so…"
He lunged at her suddenly.
Her hand was moving before she even realized it, and the instant the blade made contact with the level nine's flesh, he recoiled, his whole body smoking.
That was when the girl realized that the level nine had been hit with the same electricity as her, only a hundred times worse. She looked down at the weapon in her hand curiously. 'It… seems to be keeping me alert… more than trying to harm me…'
Her thoughts were interrupted by a monstrous roar from the level nine, which didn't even seem humanoid in form anymore, his vampire instincts taking over to ensure his survival.
'Crap. I don't know how to deal with these things.'
Luka watched in amazement as the girl somehow managed to fend off the level nine, even managing to deal him some serious damage. 'Wouldn't Ted love to see this, he's always grumbling about useless recruits!'
Her relief was cut short when the level nine responded savagely, evolving even further. Luka glanced up at the sky; the sun would be rising soon.
'But not soon enough,' she forced herself to her feet. 'Shame, I would have loved to have some tuna before I died…'
She pressed her palms together and closed her eyes, focusing; bright light started forming between her palms.
'Doing this in such a condition is insane…' Luka smiled. 'Lily would be proud.'
Coughing out the blood that had been building up in her throat, she forced her slowing mind to think of an arrow.
"G-Go…" The light left her hands and she dropped to her knees immediately, watching, willing for it to hit its mark.
It did, and Luka felt herself slipping into the darkness as the level nine's existence was wiped out.
The last thing she recalled was someone cradling her head in their lap; tear-filled cerulean eyes as their owner shouted at her to not sleep, that the owner's name was-
"Miku…" Luka smiled faintly as she reached out a weak hand to caress her cheek, wondering why the name was so familiar.
All went black.
Miku stared at the unconscious Hunter; the way that the Hunter had said her name had been like a caress, sending involuntarily shivers down her spine. 'Why… are you so familiar…?'
"Miku-sama! Are you okay? The-" The blue-haired man stopped short at the sight of Miku. "A-A Hunter?"
"Shall I get rid of her?" The sound of a sword being unsheathed made Miku look up quickly in alarm.
"No Meiko, she saved my life." Miku absently stroked Luka's hair. 'What a pretty color… Pink… Pink and teal…' Miku straightened up. "We're teleporting out of here; the sun is rising soon and other Hunters will be all over the street once that happens."
"Got it!" The two of them said in unison.
Miku kept silent, all reports on what had happened would have to wait until later, for now, Miku felt the strangest urge to cuddle near the Hunter and watch her sleep, waiting till she awoke.
Luka blinked and she sat up slowly, looking around the unfamiliar yet familiar room.
'Familiar?' Luka surveyed the enormous room, her eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness that the thick velvet curtains provided. 'I must have hit my head really, really hard, because I definitely would have remembered seeing this room!'
The main theme for the room seemed to be 'larger than life', which explained why the room was so huge, the bed gigantic, and the doors way over at the other end of the room. 'The training hall back at Headquarters, it's probably about this big…'
Luka looked herself over and found that her injuries had nearly healed, with the wound on her palm closed and bandages wrapped around her side; and when she moved the pain was only a dull throb.
'But I…' Luka thought back to how she had gotten rid of the level nine. 'That messed up my insides, but... I'm not dead?'
She looked at herself again, to make sure that she wasn't dreaming.
Luka was wearing a white dress shirt, much like her old one; black trousers; and her waistcoat was nowhere to be seen.
'It's probably all shredded up thanks to the fighting,' Luka sighed. That waistcoat had protected her to a certain degree, even if it couldn't compare to her coat, and now she was going to have to get herself a new set of uniform. Again.
'At least the coat's still okay!' Luka brightened up as she got off the bed, walking over to where her coat had been slung over a chair at the dresser.
'The girl…' Luka remembered when she touched the coat, and she put it on, wearing a pair of slippers that had been at the foot of the bed.
'Might as well look around, perhaps I can find someone who can tell me what happened…'
'This is terrible. What kind of awful place is this?' Luka glared at the paintings that lined the walls. 'It's so… big! I'm sure that I walked past here at least three times!'
She had been walking around for the past half an hour, trying to find someone to no avail.
'Is it a law that big houses have to be empty?' Luka was getting even more irritated by the second; the setting sun was shining directly at this side of the house, the wide windows revealing a lush garden outside, as if mocking her inability to find her way down.
"Anyone here?" She called out for the umpteen time; receiving no answer except for the echo of her words.
"I give up." Luka sighed and wandered around, studying anything in the hallways that caught her interest. She stopped to inspect a suit of armor. 'There sure are tons of old stuff here…'
Somehow, she ended up at a door and exhaustion finally getting the better of her (she couldn't find her way back into the room that she had woken up in). Pushing open the door of what was apparently the library, judging from the hundreds, if not thousands, of books that lined the shelves in the room, Luka walked in cautiously.
"You're awake." Luka followed the voice to a large space in the room, with several comfortable-looking chairs; and residing on one, was Miku.
"Drink?" Miku offered as she got off her seat to lead a bewildered Luka to the other end of the chaise where she had been sitting on. She filled a wineglass with some and pushed it into Luka's hands, urging her to drink.
"Try it, it's red wine. Several hundreds of years old, I can't really remember." Miku poured herself a glass and placed the bottle back on the table, looking at Luka anxiously. "Relax; I won't try to kill you or anything!"
"M-Must be… really rare…" Luka managed to choke out, a headache suddenly coming upon seeing Miku again. Luka forced herself to take a sip and smile.
"It's nothing, there are tons more down in the wine cellar." Miku relaxed a little and she gulped down the entire glass, whether it was from happiness at seeing Luka again or nervousness, Miku didn't know.
"It's rather… empty here," Luka clutched at the stem of the wineglass so furiously that her knuckles turned white. 'My head…'
"Ahh, it's just that I normally wake up early." Miku beamed as she refilled her glass. "Are you feeling alright now? Your wounds were very severe."
"I'm fine, just a-" Luka realized something. "For how long was I unconscious?"
"Five days."
"Five days? Gumi's probably prepared my funeral!" Luka moaned at the mess that she would have to clean up once she got back, watching Miku refill her glass yet again. "Are you sure that you should be drinking so much? It's not good to drink, especially someone as young as yourself-"
"You still don't remember?" Miku cut in, looking highly amused and she started laughing.
There were many things that Megurine Luka could do, but she wasn't perfect; and one of the things that she couldn't do was swear. (Not that she minded, Lily swore enough for the bother of them, but still…)
'The signs! The signs! How could I have been so blind?' Luka's mind flashed to the enormous house, the stuff on display, Miku's words.
'Great flaming tuna in the ocean.' Luka watched as Miku's laughter revealed two perfectly sharp, pointed fangs.
'She's a vampire.'
I'll be good and work on chapter three now, no more arcades _ ;