I'm so sorry!
I abandoned you all!
:'(
Yeah, I've been super- mondo busy with Quiz Bowl and school and stuff, so I haven't had very much time to write. A little while ago, I was looking through some old files and realized I haven't updated in a whole three or four months! I was like, "Gah!" And then I was like, "Oh noes!"
So. Please forgive me because I sat down and forced myself to write this. Hopefully, it isn't awful. And please don't kill me.
Review Replies
AwesomeSaucelv8- Thank you for your time! And I apologize for your dilemma! :( But your question is answered!
Yuuki Yami- Aw, I'm sorry for taking so long! :(
Jak656- Indeed. Plot twists! Sorry it took so long!
IdrewAcow- Please, don't call me a genius... *shudders* I just have good ideas once in a while... Thank you so much for your time and I'm sorry this took so long!
Utopia
Chapter 3: Escape?
As the consciousness slowly but surely returns to my mind, I can recognize the clinking of chains and the rumble of jet engines. My eyes flutter open gradually as the light assaults them. In a very frustrated slump, Miku sits in the corner. She has her hair down and is furiously braiding and unbraiding the strands, a constant pattern. I give a little grunt and try to sit up; Miku turns to face me.
"Good, you're up," she softens, releasing the halfway twisted lock of hair, and it hangs limply at her side.
"When did I fall asleep? I remember the metal- legged guy, but then... I don't know..."
Her face falls a bit. "Are you sure? You honestly don't remember anything?"
"Miku. Do I look like I'm kidding?"
"N-No," she answers after a moment of hesitation. "Alright, then, I guess I'll tell you," she adds before pausing to recollect on events.
I nod and roll my shoulders back. They feel so tense, and I'm not completely aware of what the problem is. Maybe it's because I slept on this hard metal floor. That does tend to cause back pain. What I do know is that I feel somewhat heavier than normal, almost in an uncomfortable fashion. I suppose I can ask about these things later and push them to the back of my mind.
Miku looks slightly worse for the wear. Her teal hair is in disarray, her necktie loose, and her skin covered in minor flesh wounds and filth. Taking a moment to glance down, I notice my outfit is of equal dishevelment and I feel my fuchsia- colored hair beginning to slip from my bun.
"Okay, Luka," she begins again. "Hm... Well, after Kaito- the guy with the metal leg- captured us, you lunged at him and said some things I'd rather not say aloud. So, he fell down, but I guess he must've kicked you in the head or something along those lines because the next moment, you were unconscious.
"We were put onto a jet and flown to London. Haku tried to help us, she really did, but they caught her and... They deactivated her. Then the next day, they took you from our cell and wouldn't tell me why. I was alone for several days, at least a week or so, before they returned with you. I'm still not entirely sure what they did to you, but I have my suspicions."
After Miku's long- winded explanation is over, I ask, "So, where are we off to now?"
Miku looks me straight in the eyes and whispers solemnly, "They're taking us to the New York Facility."
Crap. New York? The facility rumored to be the worst of the worst?
I frowned. "We can't go there. We've got to escape!"
"I know. I've been working on a plan."
"Great. Ah, one more thing. Can you check my back? It feels odd."
"Sure." She pulls me over to a mirror in the corner so that I can see, too. I roll the back of my shirt up, inspecting the damages. Miku's eyes widen and her mouth hangs slightly agape.
Up and down my back, scars lightly criss- cross. There's some sort of metal plate right above my ribcage, and a red light flashes faintly from within my body.
"Miku? What's going on?" My voice wavers in uncertainty.
She snaps back to reality and tries to avert eye contact. "Well, I think I know why they're bringing us to New York..."
"What is it?"
"It's a conductor plate. It's the same sort of opening they used for my arm." As if on cue, the spindly metal limb emerges from her back and the fingers twirl experimentally.
"You mean to tell me that those crazy android scientists are trying to relocate my soul?"
"W-Well, yes, I suppose that is what I just said. But they're only halfway there. I'm not entirely sure what they're doing; normally, you'd be put into a metal skeleton and 'flesh' would be grafted on over the top. However," she squeezes my arm lightly. "It seems you're just as mortal as can be."
"Then why did they put a conductor plate in my back?"
"I'm not sure..."
We sit in silence for a few moments. The red light continues to flash in my abdomen.
Eventually, I hear a faint clicking sound, and, from the look on her face, Miku hears it, too.
"Hello, girls," Kaito purrs. We turn simultaneously. "My, my, Miku, getting friendly, are we?" He smirks, gesturing to my shirt, rolled halfway up my back. Miku turns a light scarlet and shoots a death glare in his direction.
"Shut up, Ba-Kaito," she counters. His smirk disappears, replaced with a look of disgust.
"Whatever. Get up, we're almost here."
Miku stands and reaches to help me up. In one fluid motion, I stand and tug my shirt down, hiding the red light.
Kaito looks me up and down. "I'm surprised you're still in one piece, human, seeing as how hard I kicked you."
"It's Luka. And, no, I'm fine. Maybe you need to work on your kicking as well as your comebacks." Miku giggles.
Kaito raises a clenched fist to strike me, but I dodge and Miku's robotic arm clasps around his wrist, twisting it sharply to bring him to his knees.
"Gah!"
He stands again, but by then, Miku and I are long gone, heading towards the cockpit.
…
Did I ever mention I'm afraid of heights? Yeah, skydiving isn't exactly my thing.
I have my hands clasped tightly to the backpack straps, my eyes are clenched shut, and my legs flail about wildly.
"MIKU! I CAN'T BELIEVE I LET YOU DRAG ME INTO THIS!"
Relax, Luka; you're making a scene. Besides, we're almost down." Glancing down as quickly as I dare, I confirm her soothing words.
Once we've landed, I resist the urge to kiss the ground and instead survey my surroundings. We're just outside the New York City limits. Miku stretches her arms above her head and asks, "So, now what?"
"Huh? I thought you had a plan!"
"Well, I knew how to escape, but I can honestly say that I wasn't confident enough in us to actually make it this far."
I feign a look of hurt and betrayal. "Thanks for that, Miku." I check to see if the light still blinks. Steady as clockwork. When I look back up, Miku is starting down the hill, heading away from the city on the distant horizon. I guess I have no choice but to follow.
"Miku? Can I ask you something?"
"You just did."
I roll my eyes. "No, something about Kaito."
Her feet falter for half of a step. "Oh... sure, I guess," she mumbles, shrugging.
"I suppose it's just that you don't seem to like him, but you guys seem close in a weird sort of way. I was only wondering if something was going on."
"Yeah, well..." Miku exhales a puff of air and her bangs lift up. "Kaito's sort of my ex- boyfriend. I broke up with him a few weeks before this happened," she gestures to her back. "He's the idiot that volunteered me for testing." Her fists clench angrily before she visibly relaxes and turns back to me with fear in her eyes. "That wasn't too much information, was it?"
"No, not at all. Thank you. I'm sorry to bother you." She smiles and waves it off.
"It's fine. I kind of needed to vent about it. It feels good to let thing out every once in a while, huh? You should try it."
I think over her words in my mind. The walk continues in silence.
That is, until the ground opens up and swallows Miku up without a trace.
Ah, don't you love it when I leave cliffies for you? :D
Once again, sorry for this piece of crap. I'm going to go hide now.