Title: Developing A Resistance To Kotori's Eyes
Characters:
Kousaka Honoka
Sonoda Umi
Minami Kotori
A/N: This is one of several one-shots set in my Love Live/Log Horizon crossover AU world. Most of the information about it is 'Other Media' and you can check it out on my tumblr blog: eri-loves-nozomi
Umi doesn't quite know how she gets herself into these sorts of situation. One moment she is sitting in a (somewhat expensive in her opinion) net café, arguing with her best friend Honoka about the proper types of monsters to use for leveling ("No Honoka, charging in against a mid-level boss is not the perfect way to level up someone who is below level 10!"), and the next she is staring that mid-level boss monster right in the face.
Honoka is a ways away, looking at the (suddenly too real) rocks and dirt and well, everything. She hasn't yet noticed that they are all about to meet their demise at the tusks of a giant pig, being her usual enthusiastic self.
"Hey, isn't this great? I feel like I'm actually in the game. Everything is so real!"
Umi notices that her hands are shaking as she grips her katana. She is pretty confident in her sword fighting abilities, but there is this little screen in her upper left hand field of view telling her that she is only level 3 and her brain is telling her that all of a sudden, that matters a lot more than how much she has been practicing lately.
The 'Imperial Forest Boar lvl 33' snorts and turns toward where Honoka is loudly and enthusiastically exclaiming about how she just saw a bird flying overhead.
"Honoka-chan…" Kotori breathes worriedly. Umi is glad that Kotori is here next to her, instead of over near where Honoka was unexpectedly drawing the attention of all sorts of hostile wild-life.
"Don't worry, Kotori. I'll protect you!" Even though she said that, Umi seriously doubts that she can get them both safely out of this situation. However, she will do her best to save Kotori, even if she has to go down fighting. She gives Kotori a brief, reassuring hug, because she still looks a little worried.
"Be careful, Umi-chan" And Kotori looks at her with these large, puppy dog eyes that are impossible to resist (and oh, how she has always tried so hard to resist), and she has to agree not to do anything stupid, even if she wants to sometimes. There isn't any more time to talk, because the boar is charging their dear (oblivious) friend and so Umi has to rush in, even though she doesn't think it will do any good. Like with Kotori and her unusually persuasive looks, Umi can't ever stop herself from running headlong into whatever Honoka has gotten herself into, because saving her is what she does.
"Huh? Hey, did you hear that!?" Honoka finally notices the boar heading straight for her, but Umi is already there, doing her best to distract it's ire from her defenseless friend. She gets one hit on its underbelly that does…1 hp of damage…and then the tusks send her flying into a nearby tree.
"ahaha…well crap." Honoka has a nice way of summing up the situation, Umi thinks and then her mind is gone and so is her body.
Umi can't remember where she was before she woke up. She remembers getting hit by a giant pig, of course, but after that, there was something else. It doesn't really matter, because now she is sitting in a large cathedral, the place that adventurers re-spawn. She's been here at least 20 times already, since Honoka's method of leveling is sort of the 'throw them in and watch them drown' variety, but it's never been so real before. She can hear a lot of confused chatter from other adventurers outside. They are probably all wondering how this could have happened. But Umi is more concerned about Honoka and Kotori.
It isn't long at all before they both appear in the cathedral. Kotori immediately cries out her name and runs into her arms. Honoka just scratches the back of her head and gives her that grin of hers.
"I was so worried about you Umi-chan. I'm so glad you're alright." Kotori looks at her with tears in her eyes, and Umi can only hold her and give her a tender smile.
"What happened?" It's more of a question for Honoka, but Kotori is the one who answers.
"Honoka-chan couldn't figure out how to use her special attacks."
"It's way too hard to fight with one hand and use the menu with the other! And I need both hands since this is a two handed long sword!" Umi is certain that was the dumbest thing she had ever heard. She frowns and considers giving her friend a piece of her mind, but Kotori's hand on her arm stops her.
"Don't be too hard on her, please, Umi-chan?" Kotori is giving her the look again, and Umi tries really hard to resist is, but she can't. She only sighs then and nods.
"But hey, at least we know we can't die now!" Umi's eyes twitches and she'd really just like to punch her just once, but she knows she can't. Not this time.
"Shut up Honoka! Just…be quiet for awhile." She isn't resistant to Kotori's puppy dog eyes yet, but Umi is working on it. One day, she will be able to tell Honoka 'No!', even with Kotori standing there, and save them from a lot of misfortune.