Chapter 9: ADVENT OF THE FALLEN DIVAS
"So, lets me get this straight," I said as my brain try to recollect the mumbo jumbo that Miku just dumped on me a while ago, "this Len, who is this little blondie's twin brother, was supposed to appear in the REAL world together, but somehow got separated. That's the gist of it, right?"
"This little blondie have a name you know, its RIN," said Rin, annoyed, "well yeah somehow that brother of mine got separated during the advent and materialization."
Uhuh. Yeah, right.
"So, what about it?"
Miku suddenly jumped up and stare at me in disbelief, "Its obvious! We have to make a search party for Len-chan! Call 911! Wait, no, better call SDF! Or CIA!" Miku started to walk back and forth frantically that it started to drive me nut.
"Calm down," I said as I forced Miku to sit, "I know that you are worried, but sorry, we wouldn't do that."
"WHAT?" exclaimed the three girls. What did I say something wrong?
Miku look at me with her eyes about to cry, "Aki-kun, h-how could you…"
"Looks like I misjudged you, Aki-sama," utter Luka without even bothering to look at me.
"Like I said before," I tried to remain calm with the intense atmosphere, and reason with them ,"we are short in time, so we couldn't afford wasting it worried and make a search party for him."
"Aki-san, that's kind of cold, don't you think," said Gackt.
"Miku-nee, it sucks to be you , stuck with a cold-hearted beast as a master," Rin interrupted and sneered at me. That insult kind of hurt, what's more when it came from a girl younger than me. Not to mention that huge white ribbon tied in pair on her hair. It kind remind of an animal that bite me during middle school. Rin is making faces and that remind me lot of that white rascal. Damn, was I annoyed!
"You should watch your tongue, you little flat rabbit!"
Rin's face flushed with anger. She then lunged at me and barked, "Said that again if you dare and I will plummet you with this fist."
"With that tiny hand? Huh! I would like to see you try!"
A fight would be imminent, if it wasn't for Yue intervention, "Stop it you two! Honestly, you two are acting like a bunch of preschoolers."
"Well, he started it," uttered Rin.
"What, why you..!"
"Would you two….STOP IT?" Yue's voice echoed throughout the room, and both Rin and I stop bickering. Heck, we even stop breathing for a moment. Its Yue's famous 'General Voice'. Apparently legend has told that the Sanada family has certain hereditary trait to influence people. It shows in Yue when I was around her way back. She scared me when she got angry.
"Now, let's be calm and talk this through. Rin-chan, I know my brother well, and even if we haven't see each other for a time, I believe his kindness never changed. So, he must have a reason for acting this way, right Nii-san?"
Yue's soothing voice soothes my anger and I faced all of them and said, "Sorry, but I think you guys misunderstood me. I never said anything about not searching for Len."
Huh?
Ignoring their surprised reaction, I continued, " Well, remember how we all met, from Miku to Luka and finally this rabbit here," again I ignored Rin's glare but Yue deep stare change my mind, " sorry, Rin-chan here. It's all by pure coincidence. Say it fate at motion or anything, but it doesn't change the fact that how we all met. So, I think we ought to continue our plan to visit Masao's shop to see if we can borrow some of the instruments, and hopefully, stumble upon Len along the way."
Unsatisfied, Rin sneered, " Sounds like a simpleton plan to me. Whats your guarantee that it would work out like you said?"
I tried to remain patient. Calm down. She just a brat. An annoying one at that. Much more than Miku. I guess it ran in the family huh.
"I don't have a guarantee, but my guts telling me to go with this," I faced Rin and said, "unless if you have a better idea, I would love to hear it." Rin was taken aback and kept silent. Hah, take that, you annoying rabbit.
"Urghh, have it your way!" mumbled Rin before retreating to her sit.
"That's took care of it. So, anyone else have any objections?" My questions was followed by silence. I looked at Miku who are still looking worried. I walked toward her and slowly pat her on the head. I smiled as she looked up.
"Don't worry. I am sure he will turned up somehow, like you guys did, barging you ways into my life."
Miku smiled a little as I said that. The room tension just now also disappeared with her smile. A soft pat land on my back. It was Yue.
"See, Nii-san. Everything works out just fine if you make yourself clear. You always like that, sometime its hard to be your little sister, you know?"
"Heh, I guess I owe this one to you. You haven't change a bit, well except for that multicolor hair. Still the same kind yet scary Yue,".
"What, this? Its only wig. And what you mean by scary, Nii-san," Yue pouted as y teasing, " well you too are not that different. Your have grown your hair. And where is your favourite jacket and notebook?"
"Its long because I don't want wastes my money on haircut, and the jacket….AHHH! The jacket!" I totally forgot all about it. Damn, I was so caught up in other people business that I forgot mine. Better make the call and retrieve my belongings quick.
"Hey, Yue can I borrow your phone?" I asked assuming a high school girl like Yue would have one.
"My phone? Wait," Yue then walked to her bag and brought out a pink cell phone, typical, "here, Nii-san."
"Thanks. Lets see," I quickly dialed my phone number.
Drutt.
Drutttt.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Man, this waiting is killing me.
Druttt. Click. Alright it got connected!
"Hello kiddo. Its me…."
'The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable or out of our network service. Please try again.'
The hell? Out of network service? Where did he go to? The mountain? Urghh, no use getting worked up about it right now. I will report it to the authority tomorrow.
"Are you alright, Nii-san?"asked Yue as I handed her phone, "you looks tense."
"Ah, its nothing. Just some minor troubles, well everyone, I guess we should be going. I guess this is goodbye Yue." It's kinda hard to say that to her after such short meeting.
"What are you saying, Nii-san? I am coming along."
Huh? What?
"No way! Good girl should be at home at this hour. Beside, wouldn't the old man would be worried?"
"Nii-san! I am not a kid anymore. Beside, Oka-sama got me covered, so don't worry. And I kinda promised to help Rin-chan too."
"Huh? Why would you make such promise?"
"That's because Yue-san here is my Master,"interrupted Rin.
EHHHHHH?
"Rin-chan, I told you to stop with the Master thing," said Yue before looking at me with her eyes full of determination, "so can I come, Nii-san? Please!" She suddenly bowed soon as she said that.
Urgghh, that's unfair Yue. How could I turned you down after that?
I gave a sighed, "Whatever. You are going to follow us anyway even if I told you not too, right? Just make sure you won't get into trouble at home tomorrow."
Yue then looked at me and smiling, "Thanks, Nii-san! But errr," Yue seems to be a little hesitated to say whatever she got in mind, "sorry, but can I ask you for a favor?"
Favor huh? Well, I am her brother after all, so how could I say no? I just hope it wasn't anything that would cost us our precious time.
"Drat. I should have said no back then," I grumbled as the current band finished playing and the stage light went off. Our group except for Rin and Yue, are back, standing behind the crowd in the auditorium hall. Yui's favor was to see her favourite band performing before we go to Masao's place. Not only that we have to wait for her finished packing up in the changing room. Man, we are short in time here!
"Don't worry about it. Beside, we still in need of band to play the music, right?" said Gackt, trying to ease my worries.
"So, any suitable candidates yet?"
Gackt hesitated before answered, "Well, all of them are quite original in their arts, but I am afraid for our event, no."
Sigh. "Figures."
"Sorry for the wait. Have the band start playing yet?" A girl with short bob hair and spectacles came running toward us with Rin followed behind her. It was nice to see the old Yue without all those make-up. Natural is the way to go.
"I don't know. What's the name of the band again?"
Yue suddenly grew excited and exclaimed, "It's the legendary d2b! Their music is so awesome! This band is one of the reason I learned to play guitar and in a band. I am very grateful that Kei-san managed to get them in this gig!" I never saw Yue this excited, but then again I haven't been with her for quite a time.
"Well, its say here d2b would perform after the performance by 'Black Angels'," said Luka as she browse through the flyer, "oh, its that mediocre band just now. So, your favourite band will be up next, Yue-sama." As merciless as ever, as expected of Luka.
The stage then was slowly lit up with neon lights. A group of girls marched out and took their places beside each instrument. The stage was bright enough for me to make up of their figures. A girl with short green hair and a goggle is at drum, a tall girl with long gray hair tied in pony tail was tuning up the guitar and another one also has her blond hair tied in ponytail is holding the bass. A girl with red short twin tail, went forward and grabbed the mike. Her twin tails were nothing like Miku's, her was shorter and done in a manner similar to a drill. That cute hairdo was somehow neutralized by an threatening aura I felt from her. I thought the crowd would go wild –since Yue said the band was legendary, but only buzz was heard.
"That's not the d2b group! Who are they?" exclaimed Yue, confused.
Before I could say anything, Miku suddenly jumped up with joy, "Its Teto-ba! And Neru-chan! Haku-san! Gumi-san too! I don't know they are coming as well! This is wonderful!"
Ah. Same kind huh, Miku? That explain their uniform, then. Although each have certain unique design, all of them have certain resemblance.
"Hmm," Luka uttered, concerned, "I can't get the feeling of something is amiss, though."
"I agree. For instance, Haku'san boobs are a little bit smaller than usual," said Rin.
I was taken aback by that remark, "I know that you are kind of a perv, but how did you manage to confirm that from afar?"
"My Jealousy Eyes doesn't lie! It can scan beautiful figure with 100% scan even from afar" said Rin, in a proud manner. Rin. That is not something you should be proud of, isn't it?
"Well, lets just hope that they can deliver a good performance to make up for the anticipation of the crowd. Things would get ugly if they didn't," said Gackt, worried.
And soon enough, one of the crowd become tense and burst, "Who the fuck are you bitches? I came here to see d2b, not some otakus brats!" And the crowds follow that guy example and started to go wild. Uhoh.
And the vocalist reaction was?
"Heh, I am surrounded by a bunch of idiots."
A provocation. Not a good idea. Her insult just make the crowds went wilder, and I think someone will get seriously hurt. Yue, get behind me.
The vocalist just remain calm, drew her breath and screamed, "SHUTT UPP!"
And the crowds kept silent.
"We are the Fallen Divas! Just shut up and listen to my song! FINAL REASON!"
The drummer girl que the music with her drumstick. As the last beat was sounded, the gray haired girl start to strumming her guitar in an uber fashion followed by raps from Teto, the vocalist.
'Genetic feelings! Bodily harm!,
Rational resettlement grown!The collapse of self consciousness!,
Rich temptation! Die by falling!
Flash erosion! Luminescence revolution!,AHHHHHHHH!,'
The crowd that was booing before, kept silent, and suddenly banging their head, moving their body with their beat. I guess the song impressed them, but somehow I got the feelings something was wrong.
'Carefully placed picture with dirtied filter'
Huh? My mind….its all fuzzy. What is this?
'Killed with a gun making bounce! Sneering trash jester!'
"Aki-kun! Are you all right?" Miku voice jerk me back to reality.
'In an unfair and parallel word, is a place for forgotten me!'
"Looks! There is something wrong with the crowd!" shouted Yue. Its true. The crowds were way more than gone wild. Their eyes were full of ectasy, and their movements are irregular and creepy. There is no word to describe the atmosphere in hall right now, but one. Insanity.
'The smell of corruption began, To make Distopia!'
"Its her song! Its making people go crazy!" exclaimed Luka.
What?
"But why would Teto-san and the rest….wait Miku-neee!" Rin then chased after Miku who is already disappear into the crowd. Luka follows suit the two, making their way toward the stage amidst the dangerously looking crowd.
'Show me all the mistakes, But the pieces of existence broke apart,
Now we cant know!'
Yue panicked and hold onto me tightly, "Nii-san! What should we do?"
"I don't know whats going on, but if Luka's right we have to stop her song!", then my mind bulb light up, "the mixer board! If we can shut it down, the music will stop so will her singing! Gackt, do you remember where is it?"
'The cradles wobbles happily'
The rhythm suddenly slow down its tempo, and the crowd is no longer dancing around, but that doesn't change the emptiness in their eyes. They just wobbly around right now, like bamboo hit by wind.
'Feeling of inferiority play around like a happy joke'
Gackt recovered from his shock and said, "I-I think its at the backstage. Come on, follow me!"
We wade through the zombie-like crowd, pass through the motion-less bouncers from before and finally found the board with its operator lying unconscious on the floor. Damn, we gotta stop this insanity!
'If you were here with me..'
Where is the damn off switch? Arghh! Just pull off the damn plug!
And the music stops. So is Teto's singing. Things just went silent as graves. Too quiet. Suddenly I felt an eerie presence creeping behind us. I quickly pushed away Yue as I sense the danger that would follow suit. When I looked back, Teto was literally floating above me. She holds out her hand and spark started to coming out of it, until it formed a clear eerie black bolt. My skin could felt the burning crisp of air. I don't know if this is a dream or a trick of mind, but what I do know is, if that thing hits me, I will be burnt to crisp.
"Die, you meddling idiot!" Teto then hurled the black bolt toward me.
Oh shit! Here it comes.
What follow suit is an explosion, and I was flown away toward the stage, before crashing into the drums set. The pains make my mind fuzzy, but I tried hard to see through the cloud of smokes, where two blurry figures appear before me. One was Teto, who calmly walked out of the smokes, and another is Miku, who appear acting as shield before me. Her clothes are torn a bit.
Wait, did she just take that hit for me?
"And here I wonder who was it, but our precious Miku-chan," said Teto in disgust.
"Teto-ba! Stop this! This is wrong! This is unlike you at all!"
Teto glared at Miku's remark and hold out her hand again, "Shut up! What would you know anything about me?"
Another bolt was formed, bigger than before. Miku flinched a little, and her knees were shaking. This is bad. My body cant moved.
"Miku, run! Save yourself!"
Miku just look at me and smiled bitterly, "Its okay. Its my job to protect my Master after all."
"Huh! How touching. Now die!"
No! Damn. Move you, lazy ass!
"STOP RIGHT THERE, UNHOLY BEING!"
Something fast flew toward Teto causing her to jump back. Her lightning bolt disappeared into thin air. Teto managed to evade the attack, and it landed and stuck on the floor where Teto was standing. It was an ancient looking knife with a bizarre written paper attached to it. I don't know what it is, but it save us.
"Tch! The meddling one have come, huh? Show yourself, coward!" Teto angry shout echoed throughout the hall.
"Surrender yourselves, unholy being, and I promised the exorcism will be less painful."
Above?
A small slender figure suddenly flew from the ceiling and landed on the center of the stage, between us and Teto. A young girl in miko outfit was staring furiously at Teto while holding the same knife from before.
"Huh? Only one omyouji? Are you looking down at us kid?" shouted Teto as the rest of her group appear one by one.
"Ara? Have you not noticed? My comrades are already surrounds this place. Its just a matter of time before they bust in and kick your sorry ass!"
Teto flinched a liitle, "Heh, you are bluffing!"
"Oho, would you like to try wait and see?"
"Aki-sama! Miku! Are you alright?"
As I turned my head, Luka and Rin came running with Gackt and Yue. Thank God, Yue is alright!
"Tch. More troubles. Consider this your lucky day! Guys, lets go!" Teto held her hand, formed a small bolt and smashed into the floor, producing tons of smokes. As the clouds of dust cleared, as expected, Teto and the rest of them was nowhere to be found. Upon seeing this, the brave miko suddenly fall on her feet.
"Haaah! That was scary. I thought she would never leave!"
What? Was that spunk and bravery just now a bluff. However before that, there is something else much more important to ask.
"Errr, misss, excuse me?"
"Yes?"
WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED HERE?