"You think you can escape from me?"
"Where are you hiding Otto~?"
"Are you afraid of me..?"
"You're always be mine, Otto, mine."
That demon in the form of a girl died a fiery death. Otto stared into the kind eyes of his saviour and the girl with long white hair with him as he trembled violently in the narrow isolated streets, half dead. The kind man extended his hand to Otto and smiled. "Come to me, I'll keep you safe. You don't have to be scared anymore, I am here."
Otto reached for the hand of his saviour and he pulled him up. His grip was gentle yet firm and strong. The girl beside the man rolled her eyes and gave Otto a cold stare. Otto let out a small squeak. "I am Harry Robinson and that is my protégé Winter. The two of us will keep you safe. I promise. Winter, let's go home."
Otto is grateful for that man. He's a saviour and the kindest man alive despite everyone keep talking so revoltingly about him. What do they know about his mentor? Nothing. He is dead now and he can finally rest in peace. He saved Otto's life. Even today.
"Otto, wake up. C'mon, everyone's waiting for you. You don't want to be slacking off when others are working hard do you? Wake up from this nightmare and smile for me."
"˙lɐǝɹ ǝɹ'ʎǝɥʇ ,pɐǝɥ ɹuoʎ uı sǝɔıoʌ ǝɥ⊥"
Otto snapped his eyes open and stared into the plain white ceiling, his raspy breathing filling the quiet infirmary. His vision blurred and he squinted his eyes, shedding a few inky tears, before to trying to sit up with some difficulty. What happened? Oh yes, Lydie ran a few tests on him. Otto looked around his surroundings and stopped.
He stared at the unconscious girl in the bed opposite of him. She seems familiar. Oh yes. She's Yue Xuemei; Gaela. Otto remembered seeing her when Harry Robinson took him to meet Mr. Yue and his daughter before in the past. They killed several people together and stole some things. He stared at the clock above the unconscious girl. 2:27am.
Otto inhaled, taking in a whiff of what it seems to be food. He then stared at the plate of what it seems to be steak with carrots, peas and a side of mash and gravy on the bedside table. There was a sticky note beside on the table. 'Have something to eat. We're going to move you to a different room at dawn. Your siblings are visiting you this morning. Keep yourself under control. - Lydie W.'
The food seems to be fresh being given steam was still wavering out of the dish. "Siblings?" Otto wondered out loud, "must be Yinyu, Casper, Aisuki and Lait. Or maybe Artic too... Well, I don't know if she is still my sister.... It's late, Lydie must really care about my wellbeing to give me food. I really don't want her to get an irregular sleeping schedule because of me." Otto stared at the plate. He plucked out the steak and ate it, not batting an eye on the vegetables. The flesh was appetising and it tasted wonderful. Otto found it strange since he never eat much meat. Why does it taste so good and why does he crave for more..?
***
"So this is the place?" Yinyu asked in disbelief as he stared at the coffee shop in front of him. "Yeah," Ritchie said, "we're here. Hopefully Akamai got everything in order. I talked with Maria in the mental alyssum. She misses you loads Yinyu, saying she want to hug you and smooch you or something." Yinyu ignored Ritchie before turning to Rien. "Is your brother out of his mind?" "Maybe."
Ritchie rolled his eyes before wondering inside the coffee shop, heading for the staff room. The staff inside gave Ritchie a quick curtsy before continuing doing their job. Ritchie gave them a quick nod. Rien and Yinyu soon followed. To put it simply, there's a secret elevator in the bookshelf and Yinyu found himself in a secret base of some sort.
"This is a secret hospital founded by, erm, Her Majesty." Ritchie said, "it's used to treat rare diseases like the one your brother have right now." Yinyu looked around the giant empty and spacious building. Many windows were covered with iron coating and doors were firmly locked it seems. "This is like an agency of some sort in an action or sci-fi movie!" Rien chirped, "or those Alex Rider or Jane Blonde books or something!" Ritchie discreetly coughed.
"We're here," Ritchie finally said when they stopped in front of a set of metal double doors. He opened the door and peered in before nodding and open it wide enough for Yinyu and Rien to follow behind. Yinyu went inside and stopped. Otto was on a bed playing his old 3DS and Casper seems to be sleeping in an armchair with his reading glasses on and a book lying on the arm rest. Two girls that Yinyu never seen before was sleeping on a couch. One have lavender hair and the other have white hair.
Otto looked up from his 3DS, black-blue eyes twinkling in delight as he brushed tufts of his dark grey hair away. "Good morning Yin," he whispered, "it's nice to see you again." "I'll leave you alone Yinyu." Ritchie mumbled before dragging Rien off. "C'mon Rien, I need to see Lydie. You can wonder around or something. Don't die." The two Sun siblings went out of the door.
"What happened to you?" Yinyu asked quietly, "your eyes... what happened?! Also Casper's here too?! Who are those two girls? Where is my stupid sister and Aisuki?" "I can explain—" "Otto what is with all this?!" Ah. It seems Yinyu was a little too loud.
Casper opened his murky grey-blue eyes before before yawning, groggily taking off his reading glasses. "Hello Yinyu," he greeted, standing up, "you're doing well I see." The two girls woke up too. The taller lavender haired girl opened her cyan eyes before letting out a squeak of freight. The shorter girl immediately sprang up and hugged the taller girl protectively, pulling out a pair of chopsticks in her hair. Yinyu stared at them questioningly.
"Yinyu, I know this is strange but this is your sister Artic. The other one is your sister. She's nameless." Casper introduced. "Hey Hvítur! How many times do I have to tell you my name is Lucia and my sister is Shauna?" The white haired girl pouted. "My apologises. I am used to calling you Artic just like how you're used to calling me Hvítur. Please, call me Casper." "Oh. Sorry Hví— I mean Casper." Otto chuckled to himself. Yinyu's cold and resilient (debatable) heart was immediately warmed up. It's been a while since he heard Otto laugh or let out a small chortle. Also it's been awhile since he heard his siblings referring to each other with their 'codenames'.
"I am late it seems."
A white haired perfectionist strolled inside the room and folded her arms coolly. "Winter!" Lucia cheered. "Aisuki," Casper acknowledged. "Hello Aisuki, it's been a while." Yinyu greeted. Aisuki's cold gaze softened the slightest as soon as those icy blue eyes landed on Yinyu. "Hello there everyone." Aisuki simply said. "How's everything going Aisuki?" Otto asked. "The training facilities are top notch. The laboratory is splendid. Brian is a great partner to train and socialise with. He's a man of class, intellect and skill. He have my praise." Aisuki said. Casper coughed.
"The gym is awesome and the science fair is nice and Brian is a good acquaintance," Aisuki said quickly as soon as she saw Yinyu's look of utter confusion. "So this is the Raven-Hawk I heard so much about," Lucia said, observing Yinyu up and down with a fist below her chin, "he's quite tall I have to say. But he look weak. Pretty lanky." "P-Please don't be offended by Lucy!" Shauna squeaked, "I apologise in behalf of her!"
Aisuki and Casper both walked towards Yinyu and wrapped an arm around him (awkwardly because he's taller than both of them). "Arctic is right.... I believe I need make you another step closer to perfection," Aisuki said sternly, "it seems to me I need to train your body. You lack muscles." "It's important to be strong both the mind and body Yinyu," Casper said, "with all the books I've read and the knowledge I possess, I know exactly how I can help you." Aisuki and Casper both gave each other a competitive stare. Yinyu sighed. They were at it again.
A soft knock was heard and the double doors suddenly opened and a black haired scientist peered inside. "I-I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything but Otto I need to do a checkup real quick." Lydie said hesitantly, walking in with a wheelchair, "come along." Otto nodded and sat up. Yinyu and his siblings(?) can only watch as Otto and Lydie went out of the room together.
Casper let go of Yinyu suddenly and Casper's head abruptly shot up, his dreamy murky eyes focusing and seem strangely awake. "Oh. It's time already? I need to go. Brian, Threatening, Maili and myself have some things to talk about and do." Aisuki gave Casper a nod. With that, the white haired male left the room too, leaving Yinyu alone with Aisuki and his new sisters apparently.
***
"So how are you feeling? Are you alright? Are you hungry or anything? Are you tired? Does it hurt anywhere?" Lydie asked as she began scribbling furiously in a clipboard. Otto got out of the wheelchair and sat into an office chair. "I'm fine, just a bit fatigued." Otto mumbled, "I crave for some flesh." Otto paused. "I-I mean meat. Sorry, that was some strange wording."
Lydie paused and looked up. "What kind of flesh? What meat?" "Hu— I-I mean... anything really!" Otto squeaked. Lydie looked down at her clipboards and reread a few sentences before biting her lips. "Does your 'claws' hurt?" Lydie finally asked. Otto shook his head. "How about your eyes? Anything strange about your eyesight?" Another shook of his head. "Any differences in your metabolism?" "I only want to eat meat..." Otto mumbled. Lydie went quiet before she sighed, putting her sheet down on the laboratory counter and kneaded the side of her head.
"Otto. I'm afraid to say you're not really a human anymore." Otto's blood ran cold and he widened his eyes in shock and disbelief. What does Miss Lydie mean by that?! A feral growl escaped from Otto's mouth and the next thing the small boy knows, his claws were around Lydie's neck and glowing things with the hue of blue materialised behind his back - like two fragmented broken wings of a demon. "What do you mean?" Otto said slowly, voice patchy and rough as he tightened his grip on Lydie.
Two individuals immediately burst out of the storage room door, taser in hand. Fuze quickly ripped Lydie from Otto's grasp and Ritchie, with absolutely no hesitation, tased Otto. The electricity tingled Otto before it burnt his insides, hurting him. The small boy cried out before floundering his arms around, clearly loosing his cool. Otto let out screams of anger and confusion as two black hand-like objects materialised out of thin air and mimicked Otto's hand movements, going bizarre and knocking over and breaking lab equipments.
"Hey, control yourself!" Fuze barked, wrapping his arms around Lydie protectively as gadgets and containers around them shattered and crashed. "For a little kid he's quite strong," Ritchie growled as he hooked Otto's flailing arms in his arms, tightening his grips. Otto immediacy panicked and continue to trash about. What will they do to him?! Kill him? Torture him? Experiment with him?
"He's no kid Ritchie - he's as old as Miss Yi; a few years younger I believe." Fuze answered hastily, "his family including himself doesn't have birth certificates or documents since they've been taken in by that disgusting rodent of a man. With the exception of Lait and her blood brother with documents of course." "L-Listen to me Otto. I may be wrong about this since I have a lack of evidence but you're not a human anymore." Lydie wheezed, clutching her neck in pain. She shakily got out of Fuze's protective embrace and stood up. "You're a new species, a new race. You have newfound abilities humans don't and will never find themselves possessing. Listen to me. Don't blame me if you accidentally killed your family."
Otto immediately stopped trashing around in Ritchie's grasp, widening his eyes. "K-Kill my family?" Otto breathed, "w-what are you talking about?! What new abilities? I don't understand!" Lydie gave Ritchie and Fuze a nod. Ritchie let go of Otto and Fuze lowered his guard. The floating hands slowed down and floated around idly while the broken demon wing-like fragments stopped glowing before it disappeared in thin air. Otto took a deep breath. "I need answers Miss Lydie."
"You're not a human but not a monster. That virus you injected yourself with is some sort of mutation catalyst it seems. God, what on Earth is happening in this world? Body modification? Genetics alternation? This makes no sense." Lydie kneaded her head, "this is some bad news. Otto you and your family infiltrated the hidden Dal laboratory right? I wonder what are the intentions of Dal... I need to inform Mr. Häyhä about this."
Otto nodded and looked down at his claws. He then hovered his gaze at his withered bony and fleshy lower arms and then those floating hands circling around him. "I'm not a human nor a monster," Otto whispered, shedding a single ink-black tear, "what did I do to deserve this..?" "You don't deserve this," Fuze said, "but think positively. You're a new race. You can name yourself. Well, name the new species created by Dal. What do you want to name it? And what do you want to call those manus things?" Otto pondered a bit.
"Hmmm... I'm a Vladai. Plural; Vladais. I want to call these hand things... uhm, goop..?" Otto said uncertainly. The genius scientist burst out laughing as Fuze and Ritchie stared at each other questioningly. "Vladais sounds cool not gonna lie but goop??? Really?" Ritchie asked, genuinely looking concerned. "Yeah. Goop!" Otto decided, nodding, "doesn't it sound cool?"
"Cute you mean," Lydie chuckled, "like you." It took a few seconds for Otto to process what Lydie just said. Otto immediately widened his eyes upon realisation before covering his face with his withered claws, blushing. "Miss Lydie!I-I'm not cute!" Otto squeaked.
"Anyways Lydie. I don't want you to get hurt. Are you sure you're going?" Fuze said, looking at Lydia intensely. Lydie nodded. "While we're quarrelling, I asked Aisuki to bring Brian here to see what he have to say. You heard that man too; I'll be fine! Brian, Maili and Adrienne will go with me. Not to mention Aisuki said she's coming with us too. I really think Lait and her family can get along with us," Lydie smiled, "I can convince Cillian Häyhä to leave them alone - well, he's doing that now but you know what I mean." "Huh? What are you talking about?" Otto asked, "Aisuki isn't normally one to go with someone she's not familiar with on a mission. She works solo." Lydie looked at Otto dead in the eye and gave him an optimistic smile.
"Dal is going host a party in celebration of inventing something 'miraculous and life changing'. The party is in around a week. I want to infiltrate the company HQ and laboratory to gain some information and exotic materials I believe they possess. Otto, you're a brand new species created by Dal. I want to go and steal some gadgets and materials that can help you if they have any. I want to learn who you are and what you are. I want to know more about you, Otto. As a scientist, I find you life changing," Lydie rambled, her brown eyes glittering like stars. "I know it's illegal but I want to learn how body modification works. But you know what? We're already doing some pretty illegal stuff so it doesn't faze me as much anymore. Oh and it'll be a bonus to learn about transference of consciences too since I'm working on stuff related to that. I believe Dal have loads of useful date being given they created a new species."
"Aisuki cares about me huh..." Otto trailed off. "Yeah. She said she'll do anything to help her family. She's worried about you." Fuze said. "All we have to do is to wait for Brian to come back with Casper, Threatening and Maili from the mission they have. They should be back tonight or so," Lydie said excitedly, "and then we can talk about the plans on the Dal party and save the day~!"
A/N: The Vladais species belongs to @20lait1! I hope you don't mind me mentioning the species as an Easter Egg to Otto's character design (if you don't want me to mention it, please tell me. I'll scrap this chapter and rewrite it and apologise profusely).
Oh and in the beginning of this chapter I subtly described Eris, another OC of hers :0 I hope you don't mind ;;
#IStillWantToBeAVladaisLaitPleaseI'mBeggingYouHowLongHasItBeenQAQ