Hello everybody! This is a collaboration between me and AliceUnderSkies13! It IS a Vocaloid fic, but in an attempt to make it as original as possible, all the main characters have original names.
In this chapter, you meet
Ria Verrucae (Kagamine Rin)
Lear Verrucae (Kagamine Len)
Migina Ansell (Hatsune Miku)
As for the others, you'll know as they appear! xD
Also, this is set before the main events of the story. Think of it like a prologue chapter of sorts, because it leads into the story. Ria and Lear are seven, and Migina is eight.
The pale moon, a frowning, frostbitten face, was hidden by a grey cloud and surrounded by a sea of stars. Below, the still water was filled with these same celestial eyes. Waves lapped at the shadowed shore and rocked the hull of the swaying canoe that was resting in the open water. Ria and her brother, Lear, stood at either end of the canoe. Ria held a fishing rod in her hands, they had snuck out to the lake for one purpose; to catch one of the glittering fish that swam beneath the glass-like surface. The two of them loved to sit on the rocky shore and watch the fish swim, their scales glinting whenever a beam of sunlight touched their bodies.
"We should catch one," Ria had said earlier that day. "And then we could eat it for dinner."
"Or we could put it in a glass bowl," Lear had suggested quietly. "We could keep it alive...instead of killing it." His round eyes, a deep cornflower blue, had widened and shimmered with unseen tears.
Ria had responded with a punch to her brother's arm. "Stop being so soft! You're gonna be a warrior one day, so get used to killing stuff! And if it makes you feel any better, I'll just stab it while you're not looking."
Lear remembered his sister's words, and the grin that had spread across her face. Her hair was short and yellow, just like his, so people often got the two of them confused, but when Ria smiled, there was no mistaking that she was the wilder, bolder twin destined for the throne. A single tooth missing, scratches on her sunburnt cheeks, Ria looked more like a natural fighter than Lear.
She should be the warrior, not me, Lear thought to himself. He peered over the edge of the canoe, seeing nothing but the endless darkness of the black lake.
"This is stupid!" Ria suddenly exclaimed, dropping her fishing pole in frustration. Lear glanced up, "What's wrong, Ria?"
Ria growled, "The stupid fish won't get caught on the dumb hook! I even put a worm on it! Fish like worms, right?"
Lear couldn't stop a chuckle, "It depends on the species, sis. Some fish prefer bread, or algae, or even other fish." Ria pouted, slouching on her arms, "You know Lear, you're the smart one. I'm too dumb to be a queen like everybody says I have to be."
Lear put a hand on his sister's shoulder, "You're not dumb. Whenever we play chess, you always have me beat! I stink at seeing the opponent's next move and stuff."
Ria waved him off, watching the water's ripples cause the moon's reflection to refract and fade. "Tactics are easy. It's all that booksmarts stuff I suck at," she muttered, "You should be the heir, not me. I'd like to be a warrior, a super strong one."
Lear opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a quick squeal from Ria. Something was tugging at the fishing pole's string.
"Woah! We got a bite!" she said happily, picking it up and trying to reel it in. She grunted, being slowly pulled forward, "It's strong! Lear, help me with this!"
Lear jumped up and nodded, grabbing his sister's shoulders and pulling her backwards. Together they managed to reel in a flopping silver fish, probably about a half foot in length.
Ria grinned wildly, "We did it! We caught a fish all by ourselves! Now we can eat it!"
Lear nodded, "Yeah sis, but...do you know how to cook a fish?"
The blonde girl thought for a moment, before slumping her shoulders in defeat.
"Uh...no...Do you?" She was answered by a shake of Lear's head. "Then what was the point of catching it if we can't eat it?"
Lear shrugged. "Um, well, it's still alive," he said, gesturing to the flopping creature in the canoe's floor, "Wet your hands in the water." He demonstrated by dipping his hands in the lake, dampening them. Ria followed his example. "Okay, now, we throw it back."
Ria nodded and unhooked the fish's mouth, then she and Lear picked it up and threw it back into the water, together.
"Okay, but why did we have to wet our hands?" she asked him, sitting back down.
"Because, fish have special slime on their scales that keeps them from getting sick. If you touch them with dry hands, it rubs it off, and they'll die. I read it in a book," he explained, sitting next to her.
"Ohhh. Okay." Ria yawned, "It's late, and I'm sleepy. Let's go back home." She grabbed one of the oars from where they had been left in the canoe's bottom, and Lear took the other one.
Together, they led the little boat back to shore. The air was becoming colder, and a light snow had begun to fall. "Look, there's Migina," Ria said, breathing hard as she leaned against the oars. Her voice was taken by a sudden breath of wind that flung her words across the silent lake. Icy fingers worked their way in between her vertebrae, sending a spasm of cold down her spine. "It's cold, Lear, row faster!"
They pushed against the oars and Migina's slight body grew larger in the distance. The closer they got, the more in focus she appeared, her form hidden by the dark shadows of the tall trees. Finally, the canoe hit the pebbly shore, and Ria hopped out of the boat.
"Hey Migina! Have you been waiting here the whole time? It's freezing!" she said, helping Lear get out of the boat without tripping.
Migina stepped out of the shadows, the moonlight revealing a girl, about a year older than Ria and Lear, with long, light blue hair and bandages covering her left eye.
"You guys are going to get in trouble for being out so late, and if you get sick from being in the cold, the other servants will have my head. What were you doing out here anyways?" Migina asked, holding out a blanket to them.
"Catching fish!" Ria said excitedly. "And we caught a whole bunch of them, didn't we Lear?" She elbowed her brother and grinned.
"Uh, sure," Lear said, shrugging.
A tiny smile blossomed on Migina's face, she could tell that they were lying. She didn't anything, though. Instead she closed her pale blue eyes and nodded solemnly. "Well, good job, Your Majesties. But we really need to get back to the palace. I..." She lowered her head and swallowed. "I was so worried about you two, out on the lake, alone, and if any had happened I'd be so sad...and..." She subconsciously touched the red welts on the back of her neck, still fresh from her most recent beating. The other servants were not too fond of Migina. They found her to be odd, detached, and spoiled because of all the nice things she was given. But having fine, silk dresses and solid gold jewelry did not mean much to Migina; she just wanted to make Ria and Lear happy.
"That Migina is good for nothing," the other servants would hiss. "She hardly ever works, is terribly unfriendly, and strange overall. She's stupid too, what kind of idiot gets themselves poked in the eye by a sword? Prince Lear was just practicing his swordsmanship and that stupid little girl walked right in front of it." These kinds of taunts followed Migina everywhere, but she had learned to block them out, her inner self secretly plotting her tormentor's untimely end.
"Don't look so sad," Lear suddenly said, breaking her train of thought. "We're all right, and I swear that you won't get in trouble."
"T-thanks, Lear," Migina stuttered, her cheeks burning.
"Yes, well this chat is very lovely, but we need to get out of here," Ria said quickly. "Look, palace guards! If they catch us then we'll all lose our heads. Now run!"
Grabbing both Lear's and Migina's hand, she dashed into the forest. The three children flew through the wood, tree branches whipping across their faces, scratching their arms, and tugging them back. Ria held tight to their hands and led them forward, pulling them over exposed roots and broken tree limbs. Adrenaline pumping through her veins, her breath loud and heavy, Ria felt exhilaration unlike any she'd felt before.
Is this what it feels like to run into battle? She thought.
"Slow down!" Lear shouted. "Ria, you're going to kill us!"
"Just relax, I've got it covered!" she shouted back and pumped her legs faster.
Her senses heightened, Ria was able to hear the forest as it creaked and moaned. She felt the wind lashing against her back and the snow peppering her eyelashes. Above, hawks jumped from tree branch to tree branch, and a wolf howled from somewhere out in mountains, outside the castle grounds. The avian patrolmen of the night moved unknowingly, whispering to each other and occasionally swooping down to snatch a mouse off the forest floor. Ria stopped suddenly, Lear and Migina stumbling to a halt, and looked behind her. Her large eyes widened in the darkness.
Standing before them, silhouetted by the moon, was a bear. A large black bear, and from the look of the white foam glistening in the light around its mouth, it was rabid.
Migina almost screamed, but before she could Ria's hand was covering her mouth. Lear
clung to the back of Ria's dress, and she put a finger to her lips, signaling him to stay quiet. "It hasn't noticed us yet," she breathed, "Step back, slowly..."
Lear and Migina followed Ria's instructions, stepping backwards, one foot at a time. Ria followed them, her amazingly blue eyes never leaving the bear's figure.
Just when they were starting to relax a bit, Migina tripped on a stray tree root. Her surprise combined the pain of landing on her still aching back caused her to squeal loudly.
And of course, the bear noticed.
It sniffed up in the air, turn towards the three children. Migina screamed again, and it growled. "Migina, shut up!" Ria snapped, yanking her up off of the ground. The bear was coming towards them now, and it was coming fast. Ria looked to her brother, "Run!"
Lear nodded and took off in the opposite direction from the bear. Ria and Migina followed.
Even more adrenaline was pumping its way through Ria this time, and she was actually praying that one of the guards would find them. The guard would be able to protect them from the terrifying black creature chasing them through the darkened forest. Ria couldn't do anything to keep herself and her friends safe, she could only run.
But maybe that's the solution...?
Ria stopped, and Migina and Lear turned towards her. "Ria!" Migina exclaimed, "What are you doing? Come on!" Lear agreed. "Come on sis! It's right behind us!" he said, gesturing in the direction where the bear was.
Ria waved him off, "Both of you shut up and go ahead. I'm fastest; I'll distract it."
Before either of the other two could argue, she turned back and ran towards the bear's direction. Lear made a move to go after her, but Migina grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Ria will be okay," she told him, "Let's just go like she told us!"
"But..." Lear began, but he never finished, Migina pulling him along, away from his sibling.
Ria picked up a few rocks and pine cones as she ran towards the bear, and when she came close enough that it could probably easily snap her up in its jaws, she started yelling. "Come get me, you stupid black dummy!" she screamed at it, throwing a pine cone at its head. It turned towards her with a thunderous roar, teeth gnashing, massive claws swatting at the air around her. She ducked, hearing the sound of its hooked claws cutting through the empty space, almost as if it were tearing the very molecules apart.
"Bear!" a voice suddenly shouted. It was a guard, Ria could tell by the jingling of chainmail and creak of armor that met her ears. The bear heard the noise too, and whipped its head around, growling and foaming wildly .Out from the bushes, a lone guard burst forth, brandishing his sword. He looked a little awkward, his armor oversized, his sword held in unsteady hands.
Great, he's an apprentice, Ria groaned inwardly, as green as that bush he jumped out of.
"En garde, you furry demon!" the guard cried dramatically. "Have you eaten our prince and princess? I shall cut them from your stomach!" And with a rather pathetic scream he ran towards the bear.
"Look out!" Ria shrieked.
The guard was halfway there, and then the bear lunged forward and knocked him aside like a rag doll. The guard hit a tree with a sickening crack, a flurry of leaves falling from the canopy as his body slid down the trunk.
Ria was still standing in the same spot, her chest heaving and heart pounding. She turned the rocks over in her hand, trying to come up with an bear became still for a few moments, sniffing the air with its long snout and pawing at the ground with its massive forelegs. The monstrosity of it seemed to melt away, the darkness and the mystery of nature settling over its hulking black form. Its fur looked as coarse as pine needles, its teeth were polished pieces of ivory, but still, it didn't look so scary after all. Ria tried to grin, but her face felt numb. She managed a half-smile, attempting to think positive thoughts, and took a single step to the right.
The bear must have sensed her movement, because all at once it turned around, roaring, and rose up on its hind legs . It towered over her, devouring her body its ebony shadow. Sweat rolled down Ria's face and she grit her teeth, trying to suppress a scream. Bulbous eyes, as large and as dark as twin new moons, glared down at her. Killer claws, foaming gums, soulless eyes, a gaping maw, red and bloody, ringed in a dozen pointed teeth...a dozen sharp teeth, like so many knives, waiting to rip into her flesh...
And then Ria's eyes fell on the sword. It was lying in the grass, a few feet away from the unconscious guard. Silver moonbeams fell upon its tempered blade and Ria knew what she had to do. She held her breath, waiting in agonizing silence.
One, two, three...go
Screaming, she ran, as nimble as an acrobat. She ducked and weaved, her heart beating in her ears. It felt like such a giant space to cross, and then she was there, only a few steps away. A root entangled her feet and she tumbled forward. The bear growled and turned around, ready to kill. Lying in the snow-covered grass, Ria reached forward.
"So close, I can feel the hilt! Almost there..." Her fingers brushed the cold silver; she could hear the bear behind her. With another scream, one as loud as a battle-cry, she gripped the sword and turned around, her blue eyes blazing.
A roar of pain, a grunt, a groan, flashes of moonlight and a wall of black fur, and then she saw blood. It splattered onto the snow and drenched Ria in a wave of red. With one final moan, the bear fell, shaking the forest floor. Ria sat in silence, her eyes wide and vacant, the sword still in her hand, only now, it was covered with blood.
Ria stared at the dripping red blade, breathing hard. I...I...did it...she thought. She started shaking, and leaned back against the tree behind her, slipping to the ground. "I...did it..." she muttered, shivering. Then she laughed, and repeated it, louder this time, "I did it."
She burst into laughter; huge, hearty guffaws that pierced through the icy night air like knives. Eventually her laughs died down into small chuckles, and then disappeared completely, leaving Ria shivering on the ground. Throughout the whole time, she was still clinging to the bloodied sword.
It was about two hours later that the guards found Ria, shivering from a mix of shock and cold, clutching the sword tightly in both hands. Lear was with them; he had insisted upon coming, and they couldn't deny their prince.
Lear kneeled down in front of his sister and placed his hands over her's. "Ria, you're freezing," he murmured to her, gently prying the bloodied weapon from her grip. He took her hands and rubbed them in his, trying to warm her up. Ria didn't say a word, still shaking. Lear reached a hand up and brushed away a stray bit of Ria's hair that had escaped its ponytail. "Come on sis, let's go home. I'm really sleepy, aren't you?"
Ria slowly nodded, clinging tightly to Lear's hand. Lear smiled softly, "Alright. Can you stand? Are you hurt?" Ria shook her head and shakily pulled herself onto trembling legs. Lear chuckled, squeezing her hand and standing with her. "I'm glad you're okay. Let's go home, okay?" he said. His sister nodded, and yawned, rubbing her eyes with the hand that wasn't entwined in Lear's grip.
They left the woods, leaving behind the dead bear and the body of the apprentice guard, the other guards escorting them.