Four days, that's how long it had been. Four days in slumber.
Mikoto Misaka rolled her eyes in the darkness as she yawned, crawling on all fours, and climbed out from underneath the heavy blankets on the back of the wagon. Stretching and stumbling, zipping up her armor along the wagon, she went to the front, grabbed the edge, and hopped onto the bench. And sat next to Vita.
Mikoto glanced sideways as Vita settled herself. "Any more stories, and I will," she slipped her finger across her throat. Vita grinned softly, knowing she had no intention of carrying out the threat.
"Ask her who Mya is?" little misaka asked.
Mikoto blinked against the afternoon twin sun's light as she took in her surroundings. The wagon rolled slowly along the burned stone path, with nothing but empty rocky terrain on either side. Vita held the reins, gazing straight ahead as the massive, smelly beast plodded along.
"Morning," Mikoto mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "first..." she said, "Who and why?" she asked, referring to the two naked women she had woken up. "Kara and Eileen," Vita answered. Mikoto recognized the smart-ass grin growing across her mouth. "And because they had fought well in the battle and I asked what they wanted," Vita gave a little crack of the reins. The smelly beast snorted as the wagon jerked. "They said you." She nodded.
"So, I am a reward?" Mikoto asked. Yes, you are." Vita smiled, looking towards the sky. "A very special reward."
She knew why. Behind her, the entire small army followed her, wanting to become vampires. Vita didn't mind giving them hope—false hope, according to Mikoto.
The last thing she wanted now was an army of vampires to lead. She wasn't ready. But Vita didn't or wouldn't listen. What harm will it be to have them know what it takes to be one? She would say, half listening to her mistress.
It was Mikoto who didn't want it. Especially knowing now that each would have to be in the embrace of death to turn them. Mikoto had met death a few times. And while she seemed very nice and friendly, the last thing she wanted to do was upset one.
Mikoto sighed, shoulders slumping. "Ok... and why are they naked?"
"Because they can be?!" Vita chuckled. "It can get really hot underneath, so..."
Mikoto groaned, looking over her shoulder as the blankets moved as they dressed.
"Did I miss anything exciting?" she asked, looking past the moving blankets to the troops walking behind. Vita shook her head, "it's been quiet..." she said, waiting for her Mistress to turn around. She had something to say.
In this realm, the twin suns had no adverse effects on vampires. But the blankets offered some sort of privacy. The nights were bitter cold, and the days oppressive. Under these blankets, she could close her eyes and escape. And much to her "annoyance," two, sometimes three, would wait until she was asleep, crawl underneath, and lay next to her.
It was Vita at first, then Vita and Mariam, who had recently turned during the last garden. And why? Vampires slept in packs, surrounding the most dominant vampire. Vampires found safety in numbers. On earth, Mikoto slept with Anastasia, her bonded mate and queen of the four kingdoms. And in this realm, in the village, Mikoto slept in the longhouse. Aya, Nya, Kea, and Gallum had, unbeknownst to them, taken the role. And on this long journey, it was a sort of raffle system. At nearly eight hundred years old, Vita knew more about vampires than most. A queen needed someone equal to her in strength or a pack to sleep well. She could stay awake for days. Her personal best was seven straight days with no sleep.
"Why? !" was the response she got from Anastasia. Her bright blue eyes were wide. Put the accent on the little What the? Why the hell? Would you or did you do that? Expression.
"Because I could!" Mikoto growled, eyes half-lidded and blood-streaked. Actually, it was because of a challenge. A young she wolf bet she couldn't do it. And why would a wolf bet a vampire queen on something so unimportant as staying awake? Who could stay awake the longest? Because that is what shewolves do.
"Damn wolves."
"Next time," Mikoto clenched her fist.
But there was one problem with staying awake for that long. It meant a very long downtime and waking up with a severe headache.
Mikoto slowly turned around, settled herself, and leaned back against the bench. She rubbed her temples and gazed out at the aftermath of her railgun blast that created this road. Swaths of smooth black obsidian glass, lightning veins spidering along the ground. Its glass-like surface glittered and sparkled in the sun's light, both a spectacle and its impact adding to the oppressive heat.
"Do you see that?" Vita murmured, her voice colored with a sort of calm urgency. "I see it," Mikoto whispered.
"and those are not birds," she said.
Little misaka, her inner avatar, yawned and stretched, "Well, aren't we masters of the obvious?"
A shiver ran down Vita's spine, and Mikoto knew it. A glimmer in those eyes, the way her mouth curled and sharpened. She knew Vita was a sort of battle junkie. I loved the violence, the chaos, and the moments after the battle. The silence of victory is what she called it.
Mikoto's senses sharpened, her instinct polished. Her reddish-brown eyes transformed, becoming predatory and focused. She inhaled deeply, hoping to catch their scents... The pungent smell of reptiles set her nerves on fire.
"This isn't good," she said.
Vita gripped the reins, her knuckles whitened, her eyes widening. "We might have company?" she asked. Her tone says, please let us have company. Her gaze is up to the skies like a cat eyeing a fly on the ceiling.
"What do we have? Mistress?" she asked. A vampire queen sight was ten times sharper than any other vampire.
"Twenty...maybe thirty?" she said.
She followed the creature's flight paths, many disappearing behind the earthen plateaus. Others coming out from behind them.
"Just another day in paradise." Little misaka sighed.
She was rolling her head around until her neck cracked. Large screens surrounded her like something out of a hacker movie. She tapped the screen, and the images got larger and more detailed.
"I think we have entered some kind of nesting ground, "Mikoto said "...for dragons," her voice dreading.
Upon their arrival on this planet, they fought against dragons and giant beasts. While the results favored Mikoto, she felt the cost was too high, losing four of her top leaders.
They couldn't turn around. They had already been spotted.
The large, smelly beasts pulling the wagons caught her attention as she glanced at them. She could sacrifice a couple of them. She wouldn't miss the large, stinking beasts. But she knew a certain vampire beside her had a kinship for them. Why? She had no idea. But she treated them like pets.
They knew a battle was about to take place. Mikoto and Vita exchanged glances and shrugged.
Vita was now in battle fiend. Her eyes shifted in the predatory gaze of a hunter. Her fangs peaked over her lower lip, and a primal urge was already coursing through her veins.
"Always wanted to be a dragon slayer." She purred, eyes glinting...
"Because slaying dragons is what every girl dreams of, right?" little misaka smiled slowly, looking more like some psychotic battle junkie. "I know it's mine."
"don't you dare disappoint me?" Mikoto said, steeled her gaze. In other words, don't die.
There was no way around it. And gave her the nod.
"Break off into teams, ready railguns only," Vita commanded.
The soldiers acknowledged and quickly scattered into teams, set about their tasks.
Conventional weapons would have very little impact against dragons' thick hides. Even so, they might soften them a bit. With their powerful kinetic energy, the rail guns could penetrate even the toughest scales if fired at close range. The battle against the bat-like beast had taught them valuable lessons, and they were prepared to use them to their advantage.
Vita's expression softened as she noticed her mistress' concern. Her features, ready for battle, slipped away, taking on a gentle warmth. With a subtle tilt of her head and a slight blush across her cheeks, she employed her signature: "Cute attack." This tactic she'd often used to lighten the mood or to subtly influence those around her.
Mikoto noticed the attack from the corner of her eye. Biting her lip, she couldn't help but chuckle at her vain attempt. She shook her head. "Really? Vita. Trying the cute card on me?" she teased.
"Oh, the cuteness overload is making me blush in all the right places," she said, pretending to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Little Misaka had a sense for the overdramatic. She often expressed it, knowing that not all outcomes were guaranteed. She eyed the big screen, with data raining down on it, giving odds for success.
Despite the seriousness of their situation, Vito's playful gesture brought a moment of humor to their conversation. It reminded them of their bond, seeing them through countless challenges and trials.
With a quaint smile, Mikoto reached over and gently patted Vito's arm. "Nice try, though," she added with a wink. The kind, motherly gesture of her normal, stoic, and firm mistress action caught Vita off guard.
"But I think I need to go check on something?" she blurted, her voice stubborn and without waiting for a response, which is typical of Vita. She leaped off the wagon with graceful agility and landed on the ground with barely a sound.
"Mistress.!" Vito's voice rang out.
Mikoto disappeared into the rocky landscape.
Vita surveyed the surroundings to see if there was any sign of danger. She jumped off the wagon, running her hand over the smelly beasts as she looked up at the side of the massive earthen plateaus casting long shadows over the landscape. She trusted her mistress's ability to protect herself and knew she trusted her ability to get the job done.
With a heavy, anxious sigh, she growled, clenching her fist, and turned around and yelled at the others as they readied themselves.
Mikoto made her way up the side of the earthen plateau with the grace of a predatory hunter. And below, she could hear Vita barking orders, directing them to fire on anything that ventured too close to her mistress. The sound of weapons charging reminded her of the danger above them.
As she climbed higher, the hot wind whipped at her skin and armor, carrying the taste of dust, death, and decay. The foul stench of rotting flesh was pungent and mingled with the dust coating her mouth. Becoming a rather disgusting paste. With it, the faint sound of a wounded animal begging to be released from suffering.
Mikoto dug her boots into the rocks and jumped towards the top. She reached a critical moment where, with one final grab, she propelled herself over the edge. She landed gracefully and discovered what could only be described as a crude nest.
The rough edges tore into the stone, likely from a colossal dragon, and scared the walls. Inside, the air was stagnant with the smell of decay, while remnants of past kills lay scattered on the ground.
She carefully studied her surroundings, her heightened vampire senses aware of the deep sniffing and low growls coming from the other side of the cave. On the other side of the cave, an ominous entrance showed before her, swallowing all light with its impenetrable darkness.
Even with her vampire senses, she could not clearly picture the beast or beasts within the cave. The stench of decaying, half-eaten parts played havoc with her abilities.
Tension coiled as her body instinctively prepared for confrontation. Her nails extended and hardened. Her heart quickened, and the adrenaline surged through her veins, stirring the primal instinct of her vampire nature. Fangs grazed her lower lip as she waited, wanting whatever was inside.
The closer she came, the growling grew louder, vibrating against the stone walls and sending a thrill through her. Her sharp nails slid against each other with a familiar sound that helped her focus.
Six red dots pierced through the dark, getting closer and growing in size. Like swimmers emerging from the pool, the beasts came from the shadows, the darkness slipping off them like water.
Three dragons slinked out of the cave, their scales shimmering as they circled around Mikoto with calculated precision, revealing a surprising level of intelligence in their movements.
Mikoto found it peculiar that reptiles would coordinate in a pack, as she associated them more with ambush tactics, like alligators and crocodiles lurking beneath the water's surface. However, these dragons slowly herded her towards the edge, their actions reminiscent of a wolf pack's strategic maneuvering.
And wolves were something she could handle. Drawing from her instincts, training, and general ass-kicking of the elder wolves and shewolf pack back home, she grinned as tiny bluish-white sparks jumped from her fingernails as they clicked together like flint.
A hiss shattered the silence. With a quick pivot, she narrowly dodged massive jaws, lunging towards her unprotected side, spit, and hot breath rushing over her just moments away. The beast swung its massive head. Its form was imposing and menacing as it shifted its weight.
The creature inhales deeply as it tries to locate its prey. This is the source of the suffocating stench of death that penetrates the air. It is thick and cloying, mingling with its desperate urge to end its suffering—maybe to die in battle and not just throw itself over the edge. With each strike, there is pain. It is desperate.
The three dragons swiftly moved, avoiding the struggling creature's snapping jaws. They were more worried about becoming an accidental victim than paying attention to Mikoto.
Mikoto moved silently, watching the beast. The electricity rolled over her fingers like snakes. The creature struggled with its heavy pants, its long tongue hanging from its bone-dry mouth. Slowly turning its head back and forth as if it were searching for something.
As she watched the struggling creature, it hit her. Realizing what was happening, a wave of empathy flooded her. She felt sorry for it. After a few calculated steps, Mikoto readied herself and snapped her fingers. The beast turned its head toward her.
"you're blind." She said.
Unable to see, the beast futilely attempted to charge but collapsed a few feet away. Letting out a whimper.
"I am so sorry," she whispered, extending her hand towards the creature and gently touching it.
Running her hands over the black bulbous growths that covered the creature's entire body. Mikoto furrowed her brow in concentration as she searched for its eyes.
"Something's not, right?" she muttered, frustrated.
She examined the head of the creature. "Its eye should be right..." she trailed off.
Mikoto touched the spot. It wriggled beneath her hand. " It's alive!" she said, jerking her hand away in disgust. " This better not be..." she hated the thought. And if it is!" she said in a voice tinged with venom.
She tapped the black bulbous growth, electric blue sparks jumping across and striking it.
A tiny creature let out a shrill cry of pain and dropped to the ground, writhing on its back, little black legs thrashing.
"it's a bug!" Mikoto screamed. Her response echoed far beyond the cave.
She hated bugs—always had and always would—and she'd never apologize for them. She growled and stomped on them until they were dead and then some. A supreme sense of justice came across her face.
A deep, icy shiver ran down Mikoto's spine. "I really hate bugs," her voice echoed off the stone walls.
She'd help with this one. A hard nod of her head followed. She didn't care what anyone thought. She sighed, "Then I'm gone," rubbing her hands together.
"All of you are about to die!"
She turned her attention to the three dragons slowly approaching her.
Lightning bolts flashed and crashed against the creatures, slamming them against the stone wall. One by one, the dragons rushed back into the darkness of the cave.
"This might hurt?" she said, trying her best to be supportive.
She looked into the soft, faded blue of its eye. Pain, a long time of pain. She saw it there. Mikoto forced herself to hide the disgust she felt at the black bulbous bugs covering its body. "but it will not be as painful as what you have gone through?" she nodded, resting her hand on one bug.
"ooh...and don't try to eat me afterward." She added with a wry smile.
The beast whimpered, rolling its massive head to the side and looking at Mikoto.
She gently patted it and walked over to where its muzzle should be, her hands resting on it. It was gross, wet, and had that slimy feeling that comes from nothing slimy.
A shiver rolled over her, feeling it roll against her palm, " I hate bugs!" she muttered through clenched teeth, a voice laced with determination.
"DIE!"
A flood of electricity rushed through her body into the black bulbous growths and enveloped the beast, and the black bulbous bugs exploded like popcorn, guts, legs, and flying shells in all directions and raining down. Some landed on their backs, tiny legs twitching and popping. Others must have released themselves before exploding, falling to the ground, and scurrying frantically to escape the onslaught.
The beast shuddered violently, letting out an anguished roar that shook the cave. "I'm sorry," Mikoto said, watching the arcs of electricity coursing, burning away the remaining parasitic bugs. Smoke and the acrid stench of charred remains filling the air.
"It ain't gonna happen!" Mikoto snarled, turning with eyes flashing with righteous fury. She pulled one hand off the beast, unleashing lightning bolts from her fingertips. Each bolt exploded as it hit the bugs, sending shockwave after shockwave through the air and incinerating the remaining bugs in a blaze of white-hot justice.
The area echoed with the crackling of electricity, the popping of vaporized bugs, and the manic laughing of a certain level-five vampire queen. As the last of the vile bugs exploded into oblivion, Mikoto Misaka grimaced at the grotesque remains still sizzling, giving off a sour stink.
Her chest heaved, smoke curling from her clenched fists. The echo of the high-voltage discharges was still ringing. She looked around the cave floor.
It hit her.
"I forgot about..." She covered her nose and mouth. "Where's my mask?"
"Like we really need one?" little misaka chimed in, now comfortably lounging on her favorite oversized recliner in Mikoto's mind. She pulled the lever and lay back.
Mikoto searched her utility belt and groaned. She rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't fancy inhaling smoldering bug guts," she muttered sarcastically and continued to rummage. "Just in case you're wondering, it's not a fashion statement, little Miss Lives in my head," another groan as her shoulders dropped. "It's in the…" she realized.
She had left it in the wagon.
"And what a pretty comfortable head we have," Little Misaka quipped back, wearing a surgical mask—not that she needed one.
"shut up, jerk." Mikoto shot back, scowling at her inner pest, and huffed angrily as she turned around and looked at the dragon.
It seemed smaller now, scarcely bigger than a large dog or an enormous wolf. Lying on its side, each breath labored and heavy as if each might be its last. Its sickly, pasty white skin bore painful pinkish welts from the muzzle to the tip of its tail. The head was a curious blend of feline and dragon eyes with a feline slant and feel, wrinkled ears folded against its wrinkled skin. It looked at Mikoto with a lingering expression as if longing for the release of death.
"you're safe now," Mikoto whispered, her voice softening.
It came naturally for the vampire queen to show warmth and reassurance. One of the many perks of having thousands under the house of Mikoto. Not to say she didn't have these characteristics when she was just a level five electro master in Academy City. Well, except towards a certain level four pain in the ass stalker, Kuroko Shirai.
She walked over, crushing the bugs' smoldering shells with each satisfying step. Mikoto knelt beside this wretched beast, grimacing at the smell but pushing past it and gently resting her hand on its neck.
"Just relax. I'll make the pain go away," she said.
She wanted to chuckle in satisfaction and was about to when the scuttling of tiny legs caught her attention. A sudden wave of disgust washed her. Her vampiric eyes thinned, focusing on the source—a smoky trail where something clicked along with many legs. A survivor.
"How dare it live!"
It zig and zag as small bolts slammed down around it. One strike sent it tumbling across the ground.
It was scurrying towards a large, thin column of rocks. Odd, Mikoto noticed the minor detail, which was easy to overlook.
It crawled up the base and headed to the mouth of the hollow column. "I don't think so," multiple explosions struck rapidly. Blasting the base of the column, progressing up its length. "Gotcha," she grimaced.
The bug exploded in a flash of electric blue. Its smoking pieces rained with the smoldering remains of the column.
"Sorry for the interruption," Mikoto said, returning to the dragon. I won't hurt you," she said again, looking over its emaciated form.
Skin and bones, she gently ran her hand over its muzzle, around its cracked and scaly nose, and up to the large sorrowful eye. The dragon leaned against her touch, an affectionate gesture much like a cat would. A wet, sticky, peeling noise followed by flakes of dead skin sloughing off and hitting the ground.
Along its thin, bony spine was an even thinner bone-like protrusion, which should have been wings covered in pale white fluff instead of feathers. They moved slowly in a sorry attempt to mimic hints of flight.
"Maybe this will help?"
She licked her fingers and wiped her saliva around its eye. The pinkish-inflamed welts sizzled like peroxide on infection, then vanished, leaving smooth skin behind. She did it several times, hoping to relieve some of its pain. Her eyes locked on its eye as the dragon's labored breathing seemed to ease with a spark of life simmering in that gaze. With it came the look of gratitude. But still, the silent plea for relief from its suffering.
Not gonna happen, she thought.
"I don't think I have enough..." Mikoto frowned.
"Mistress!"
"Problem solved." Mikoto grinned as Vita stepped over the edge, followed by Mariam.
"Vampires are us at your service." Little misaka put her arms over her eyes.