vocaloidressing | (no subject)

[Hello. How are you doing?

Formalities aside, there is something new in the neighborhood today. Boxes. Crates. So they seem, until you step closer. Maybe you'll hear a Miku-sounding, "Oh, it's you!" as a red laser centers itself at your chest. The moment that dot locates the target (namely, you) the gun begins firing. Don't worry, they're not bullets. Just pieces of metal and whatever else he found during his supply hunt. These makeshift turrets are immobile and their ammo can be easily dodged if you're fast enough. The turrets aren't the strongest pieces of work, either. They're susceptible to gunfire, large impacts, and the Crypton Science Material Emancipation Grid. Sometimes there's only one in an area. Often times there are two or three. (Or more, if you prefer.)

tl;dr - There are box-looking turrets everywhere. Don't get shot and don't fall for the cute, Vocaloid-sounding voices that are calling you. It's a trap.]

((ooc: please, please, please threadhop with each other! KaITO won't be around to chat it up, he'll be busy observing.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

["There you are," says a Meiko-like voice.

And then it fires, fires, fires, all the little pieces straight at Len.]

[fortunately, Kaito is not distracted at all. he's been deliberately, methodically sweeping the area, doing his best to destroy the turrets he's found beyond any hope of repair and deliberately making himself something of a target in the process in order to lure the hidden ones into revealing themselves. sure, it's hazardous, and it's true he's already taken a few hits; but it isn't anything he can't handle. better him than somebody else, at any rate.

by this point, he's heard enough of the boxes talk to recognize the differences in their "voices." it's the easiest way to track them down... but it's also a warning. so when he hears the "Meiko" speak, he turns toward it immediately, preparing to go on the offensive—

only to see Len there, standing right in the damn thing's firing path, too far away for him to reach in time.]

—FATHER! Get out of the way—

[Kaito's call is what saves him. he'd stopped at the sound of Meiko's voice, directly in the line of fire, but when he hears Kaito, he turns - and the shrapnel tears his coat, his sleeve, his shirt, and a sharp edge grazes his side - it leaves a streak of red, and he cries out and goes to his knees.

but it might have been worse.]

[it might have been, it could easily have been—humans are so fragile. he knows how fragile they are, how easily they can be hurt, how easily they can be killed—

and suddenly it's not only Len's side that's red, it's everything: a familiar haze of blood and fury that he can't see through, can't think through... with one exception: the target.

he snarls and hurls himself at the turret, heedless of the possiblity of getting hit himself.]

[Len would look up, would call out - he's confused, alarmed, he wants to know what's happening, where his son is - but he's indisposed, at the moment. bent over double, clutching his side, coughing alarmingly loud and hard.]

[in his current state, it doesn't take Kaito more than a few seconds to rip through the turret, reducing it to nothing more than chunks of twisted machinery and broken boards. the destruction cools his rage some; and when the sound of Len's coughing catches his attention, the sight of his father dampens it entirely. he crawls over and tugs at Len's shoulder carefully, trying to see the extent of the damage]

Father...?

[the coughing fit goes on for a few more agonizing seconds before Len starts to get it under control, taking deep, gulping breaths. he starts to sit up, still wheezing a bit.]

Hahh... [cough] Hgggh.

[at his side, the blood stain is starting to spread.]

[he stares at it, listening to Len gasp for air, and then shakes himself. he can't afford to get angry again- not now.

instead, he pulls off his jacket, tying it around the wound as tightly as he can before scooping Len up and setting out at a run for home.]

[holds on as best he can, wincing as his wound is jostled, but gritting his teeth and bearing it.

when he gets his breath back, he says quietly, against Kaito's shoulder]

Sorry...