merc storia ch. 1 ( messengers from another world )

[mandytl]

 

Reku: ... well done. Very well done.

 

A place that truly suits me. I, who fled from the light; who'd been sometimes driven away; who has chosen to sever himself from this world.

 

It's a splendid thing, this rotting estate. The blood-curdling chill; the dim and gloomy atmosphere. It feels as though I reside in the valley between life and death.
 

Kukuku. There's even a coffin someone left behind. And inside it there's... nothing? Hmm. It's fairly sturdy. Perhaps someone prepared it for me?
 

To rot away the rest of my life... I think it suits me well. Though I suppose most wouldn't call it ideal.
 

Well. In any case, it seems rather comfortable. Tonight I shall use this coffin as my bed and... — hm? Who's that over there?
 

Melodis: ... grrhh.
 

Reku: Ah, forgive me... I didn't realize I had a visitor. What do you say? Would you like to dine with me? I put quite a lot of work into preparing this dried meat. There's also tomato juice to pour.

 

Melodis:... grrhh!

 

Reku: Oh? What's the matter? Are you injured, perhaps? There seems to be a thorn from a rose bush stuck in your leg...

 

Melodis: Grrhah!
 

Reku: Kukuku. I can understand your fear perfectly well, but do try to calm down. Here. Listen to this song of mine... ♪

 

~♪ ~♪ ~♪
 

Melodis: .... grrhh.

 

Reku: Well? Did the thorn in your heart give way some? Now you can show me the extent of your injury. I won't do you any further harm...

 

Melodis: Gh... grrh.

 

Reku: ~♪ ~♪ ~♪

 

A song envelops and inspires. It grants people the power to face tomorrow... Not that it sounds convincing when someone like me, who became a hermit, says it.

 

Melodis: .... grrh?

 

Reku: There. It came out. Your pain should let up now.

 

Melodis: ... wauh.

 

Reku: Now, now... there's no need to lick me so. Kukuku. You're quite the troublesome fellow... Honestly. Now my face is all sticky...

 

Melodis: Wauh... ?

 

Reku: Well, no matter. That aside, do you not have a name? I'm not fond of the inconvenience that comes with trying to address someone who's in need of one.

 

Melodis: ... wauh.

 

Reku: Hmm. Ah, I know. I've a brilliant idea. Should I give you a name to commemorate this fateful meeting of ours?

 

Good. Henceforth you shall be known as...

 

---- flash forward ---

 

Koga: C'mon, c'mon! Where are ya? Quit bein' sneaky and show your faces already.

 

Adonis: ... calm down, Oogami.

 

They'll notice us if you make even the slightest amount of your presence known. Unless we use the brush for cover and become one with the land, we'll cede the initiative. 

 

Koga: Shut it! I'm not gonna waste my freakin' time on that.

 

Rayne: Adonis is right... your methods go against the rules, Koga.

 

We can't preserve order if the rules aren't maintained... both the town and church we should be protecting would be exposed to risk. That goes for you, too... 

 

Koga: Ahhn?! The rules? Don't go sayin' stuff just like that shitty four-eyes, you expressionless woman!

 

You can't collar me or chain me down. I'm a proud lone wolf, got it? So quit orderin' me around.

 

Rayne: It's only natural to obey the rules of battle. I don't understand why you're going out of your way to break them...

 

Koga: Are you half awake or what? Life ain't fun if all you do is live by the rules.

 

Adonis: Stop... please don't fight.

 

Koga: Ugh. C'mon. Y'don't gotta make that face every single time. My bad, okay? For havin' no tact. I was just trying to...

 

Adonis: ... Oogami.

 

Koga: Wha? What now?

 

Adonis: ... something in the air changed.

 

Rayne: Be on the lookout, you two...

 

Koga: Kukakah! C'mon! Come at me! Let's see ya make my day! I'm gonna go wild!

Adonis: ... the bushes just shook.

Koga: Hyahah! About time. ✩ Let's go crazy on 'em!

Chocoshroom: ... kurururu!

Koga: It's just a freakin' mushroom!

Adonis: ... that color might indicate that it's poisonous.

Rayne: Chocoshroom... they don't spew any venom despite having that flashy coloration.

Koga: Which means it's just for show, huh.

 

Ughhh. That's confusin', dammit!

Chocoshroom: Kururu~...

Adonis: ... you scared it. Don't bully the weak, Oogami.

Rayne: Don't let your guard down... the Chocoshroom is still a monster even if it's timid...

Koga: Ahh, man. I was ready and rarin' to go when I heard we were fightin' monsters! Now my motivation's all... huh?

Chocoshroom: ... kururu!

Koga: Hey! There's more of 'em.

Chocoshroom: ... kururu!

Koga: This is what they call, uh... "an SOS battle" or whatever, yeah?

Mudhandra: Ahgyahgyah!

Koga: Gyah.... ?! That two-legged thing's gettin' closer. The hell is it?! Talk about creepy.

Rayne: ... a Mudhandra. They're a bit difficult to handle...

Adonis: Which means... it's strong. In other words, a worthy opponent for me.

Koga: Hah! You're finally ready to go all out on this, huh! I'm gonna make 'em regret they ever met me with my fangs bared!

UNDEAD and these monsters! We'll see who's really on top; who's right or wrong!

Adonis: ... to think we, the monsters of the dead of night, would end up fighting the real deal. This battle... we can't afford to lose.

Koga: Bring it already. Let's get this show started so I can blow 'em all sky-high with my wrath.

-- battle --

Mudhandra: Ahgyahgyahgyah!

Chocoshrooms: ... kururuuu!

Koga: Gyahahahah! They turned tail and ran!

Rayne: ( ... so strong. They drove them away in the blink of an eye. But what was most impressive was how perfectly in tune they are with each other... — synergy like that isn't forged so easily. )

Adonis: I'm glad we forced a retreat. Fighting more than we already have is unnecessary. 

Rayne: ... your judgment is sound. Pursuing the enemy when you've already proven yourself stronger would be disobeying the rules.

Koga: Rules this, rules that. Don't you have somethin' else to say?

Rayne: Did you want me to thank you? You and I are... no, you and the church are only connected by the contract that binds you.

The church granted you, visitors from the Spirit World, asylum... and, in return, you drove away the monsters that threatened the town.

To us, this is all simply a matter of contract. So expecting me to express gratitude that you've done as you already agreed is rather..

Koga: ... keh. And this is what makes you so annoyin'. What I wanted ya to say is... —

Adonis: ... Oogami. You're being too confrontational. What Rayne's saying isn't entirely wrong, either.

Both Rayne and the church offered us special protection when we'd lost our way and found ourselves in the Country of the Dead. I don't doubt her when she says that we crossed over from the Spirit World... 

Koga: ... nghhh.

Adonis: In exchange for their protection, we agreed to drive away any monsters threatening them. Without this contract, I'm certain we'd only be lost...

Koga: Goody-two-shoes over here has to make a good point, huh? I knew all that crap without needin' you to tell me.

It's already been six days since we came to the Country of the Dead...

 

Rayne: ... already six days. Actually. You could say it's "only" been six days...

Koga: Aahn? What're you tryin' to say?

Rayne: It's strange. You came from another world and yet you fight on the same level as a templar like myself...

Adonis: A templar is someone hired by a church or an abbey to protect a town or village from monsters, I think.

Rayne: ... yes. We undergo harsh training in order to learn how to fight. Have you done the same... ?

Koga: We didn't do any trainin' like that.. guess you could say I'm just confident in what I can do.
 

And even if I went pretty wild back durin' the DreamFes that was gonna decide who the strongest idol was at Yumenosaki, Adonis's got more brute strength...

Rayne: ... "Yumenosaki"? "DreamFes"? What's that?

Adonis: Now that you mention it, this is the first time we've been able to talk like this.

Koga: Ain't this somethin' you typically ask guys from another world? Like where they're from or whatever...

Rayne: Listening to stories isn't my role...

Koga: Next to "rules, rules" it's all "role, role", huh. — man, listenin' to you makes me wanna puke.

Adonis: At any rate, this is a good opportunity. I'll explain what "idols" the academy are...

Rayne: ... idols. I think I've heard of this occupation before. I believe it was the sort of job where you sing and dance...

Adonis: If you know what an idol is then this will be quick. We go to a school that trains and raises idol candidates called Yumenosaki Academy.

We take lessons in singing and dancing and compete in live battles against our rivals in Dream Live Festivals; DreamFes for short.

All to bring smiles to the faces of the fans that support us...

Rayne: ... is that so.

 

Koga: Aahn?! "Is that so"... — that's it? That's all you gotta say when someone's takin' the time to explain it to ya?

Adonis: ... Oogami. ''I'm'' the one doing the explaining. You don't have to snap at her every time.

Koga: ... keh. Talkin' to this expressionless chick pisses me off.

Rayne: I apologize if I hurt your feelings. But I don't understand what it means to have fun. So I'm not all that interested in idols or live performances...

Koga: Hah! Don't go decidin' stuff when ya haven't even seen one before!

Rayne: ...

Koga: If you've got time t'say you don't understand 'em then you've got time to come to one of our lives. Just a week ago our unit UNDEAD was holdin' a live...

It wasn't just a big hit with guys from the academy, but people visitin' too! It was like some kinda melting pot of excitement!

Even someone like you'd look more alive if ya had a taste of our performance.

Rayne: UNDEAD's live...

Adonis: ... yeah. That night was the best. Just closing my eyes brings back the thrill of that live. But now I think...

Everything probably started there...

Koga: Keh. Not that ya mention it... we got lost on the way back to the academy right after that RockFes held off-campus...

---- wowww flashback to the live ---

Kaoru: Man. A live with plenty of girls feels the best.

Getting to hear the high-pitched cheers of the blooming flowers in the audience really keeps me going.

Koga: ... shut it, playboy. Quit doin' whatever you want durin' our lives. All you're doing is makin' eyes at 'em...

Adonis: But Hakaze-senpai never fails to capture their hearts with his performance. That's something we can't do...

Koga: Ahn?! That's no performance. He's just hittin' on them like usual.

Rei: That'd be Kaoru-kun's specialty, Puppy. You could say it's his strong point. And in Adonis-kun's case, his strength lies in that efficient, steady song and dance.

As for you, Puppy, you sink your teeth into the hearts of our audience with your aggressive performance and drag them deep into UNDEAD's territory.

It isn't an exaggeration to say that we bared our hearts in tonight's live... ♪

Koga: What the? Gross. You're in a pretty good mood today...

Rei: Kukuku. Well done. Very well done. He who lives long lives well. ♪

 

Koga: Dammit! Don't ignore people when they're talkin' to you, you old geezer!

Kaoru: ... hey, so. Something's actually been bothering me for a while now...

Adonis: ... what is it, Hakaze-senpai?

Kaoru: Where are we?

Koga: Aahn? Wait, nothin' around us looks right.

Adonis: We were so satisfied with our live that we couldn't see the big picture...

Koga: Whoawhoawhoa! What's with this mist?! And there's a river right below us! The hell's goin' on here?!

Adonis: Mngh. This is too incomprehensible. It's almost like another world entirely...

Rei: Hmm. It's as you say, Adonis-kun. Something strange is certainly taking place. For instance... take a good look at what you're holding.

Koga: Huh? Holdin'... ?

Kaoru: Whoa, hey! What the?! I'm holding like, a super real-looking weapon!

Adonis: This heavy object and Oogami's sharp blade. They remind me of the time when I entered a mountain in my hometown and...

Kaoru: You don't have to get graphic, Adonis-kun...

Koga: These weapons ain't the only weird thing going on. Take a look at our clothes. We're wearin' our getup for the Halloween Party for some reason.

Rei: Kukuku. It seems we really were spirited away to some strange, far-off world.

Or perhaps I should say we've returned whence we came, to the home deep within our hearts...

Koga: Quit sayin' stuff like you're half-asleep! Night's when you're supposed to be up and about, yeah?! So why don't you know where—

Rei: That's why I can sense it. The chill in the air, the valley between life and death. A sweet-smelling scent...

 

And, lo and behold, there seems a mansion suitable for a vampire like myself.

Kaoru: ... eh?

Ah! Look, Doggie! That mansion just past the mist is straight out of a horror movie!

Koga: Don't call me Doggie! I'll send you flyin', playboy!

Adonis: There really is a mansion...

Rei: See? Kukuku... things are getting interesting. ~♪ ~♪ ~♪

Kaoru: Sigh... Sakuma-san started singing to himself. So. What now, Adonis-kun... ?

Adonis: ... that's an extremely difficult question to answer.

Koga: Hah. You guys're pathetic. Scared out of your wits 'cause nothin's makin' any sense?

Adonis: ... you're right. I'm a little shaken, given I've never seen such a giant creature before.

Koga: Huh? Giant creature?

Musica: GRAAAAH!

Kaoru & Koga: What is THAT?!

Rei: Hoh. It vanished into the mist after one howl.

Koga: Ugaaaah!! Why're you so optimistic?! This ain't the time to act calm!

Adonis: ... we need to hurry and take refuge somewhere safe. It's the most essential step for when you're being chased by a wild animal.

Kaoru: You call "that" a wild animal?! Hiih! It's chasing us! Shoo, shoo! Ugh, seriously! I don't get what's going on anymore!

Koga: Whoa, watch it! It's spittin' smoke at us!

Rei: Dash as far from another as you can, gentlemen! Once you've found cover, search for a way to return to our world that leaves not a single soul behind... !