Discordant Harmonies: A Teto X Miku story.

Chapter Eighteen: The Escape

Meiko sat on the edge of her cot, staring blankly at the grainy image on the small, outdated TV mounted to the corner of her prison cell. The news was on, barely audible through the crackling static. She leaned in, focusing on the image of a newscaster talking about a growing crisis that had taken over the headlines for the past few days.

"Authorities are still searching for several popular virtual singers who have gone missing in recent weeks," the newscaster said, their voice distorted by the poor reception. "Among those missing are Vocaloids and UTAUloids, sparking concern and widespread panic among fans and the public alike. Investigations are ongoing, but no leads have surfaced as to the whereabouts of the missing singers..."

Meiko's grip on her blanket tightened. She'd heard whispers in the prison about disappearances but hadn’t thought much of it until now. The faces of the missing virtual singers flashed on the screen, some of them familiar. Gumi. Neru. Even Gakupo. Her heart sank. Something was wrong, and it wasn’t just an isolated incident.

"What the hell is happening out there?" she muttered to herself, her mind racing. She hadn’t seen Miku or any of the others since she’d been locked up for the fight with Teto, but the thought of them being in danger gnawed at her. She shook her head, trying to push away the growing fear.

Before she could dwell on it any longer, a deafening explosion rocked the entire prison.

The walls shook violently, dust and debris raining down from the ceiling. Meiko jumped to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest as the alarm blared through the corridors. Shouts and screams echoed through the cell block as prisoners scrambled in panic, unsure of what was happening.

"What the hell?" Meiko shouted, rushing to the bars of her cell. Through the thick dust and smoke, she saw a massive hole had been blown into the side of the prison wall, revealing the dark night sky outside.

A shadowy figure hovered in the opening, illuminated by the eerie glow of red lights. As the dust cleared, Meiko's eyes widened in horror.

It was Teto—or something that looked like Teto.

But this wasn’t the Teto she knew. This Teto was a robotic version, its eyes glowing a menacing red, and metallic tentacles extended from its back, writhing like the limbs of a machine brought to life. The once familiar, cheerful face of Teto had been twisted into something cold and unfeeling. Her robotic form gleamed under the prison lights, exuding a terrifying presence.

"What in the—?" Meiko barely had time to react before the Robo-Teto unleashed her tentacles, striking with blinding speed.

The mechanical limbs shot forward, crashing through the prison bars as if they were made of paper. Cells were torn apart, and prisoners were yanked from their cages, screaming in terror. Meiko watched in shock as Fukase, who had been pacing in his cell across from hers, was snatched up by the tentacles. He struggled, thrashing wildly, but it was no use. The mechanical arms were too strong, too fast.

"Let me go!" Fukase screamed, his voice echoing through the chaos. His body was pulled toward Robo-Teto, his eyes wide with terror.

Other virtual singers who had been imprisoned in the same block were also grabbed—voices Meiko recognized as UTAUloids and other digital performers who had been locked up for various reasons. Robo-Teto’s tentacles wrapped around them, lifting them into the air like prey caught in a web. Their struggles were futile.

Meiko’s heart raced as she realized she was next.

A tentacle lashed out toward her cell, the metal claws gleaming under the flickering lights. She ducked just in time, but the claws scraped against her arm, tearing through her skin with a searing pain. Blood dripped down her arm, but she didn’t have time to focus on the injury.

The tentacle struck again, wrapping around her waist and dragging her toward the open cell bars. Meiko gritted her teeth, adrenaline pumping through her veins as she fought back with everything she had. She grabbed hold of the bars, resisting the pull of the tentacle, her muscles screaming in protest.

"No!" she growled, kicking at the mechanical limb with all her strength.

Her foot connected with the metal, causing the tentacle to twitch for a moment, but it wasn’t enough to stop it. The claws tightened around her, cutting into her side. Desperation surged through her.

"I’m not going down like this!" Meiko yelled, slamming her uninjured arm into the tentacle. She managed to twist her body just enough to break free from its grip, falling hard onto the floor of her cell. The tentacle recoiled, but not before slashing her again, leaving deep cuts across her arm.

Meiko didn’t waste any time. She scrambled to her feet, blood dripping from her wounds as she sprinted toward the gaping hole in the wall. The entire prison was in chaos, guards shouting and prisoners either running for their lives or cowering in fear.

Robo-Teto continued her assault, capturing virtual singers one by one, their screams piercing the air as they were ripped from their cells. Meiko didn’t look back. She knew if she hesitated, she’d be next.

Her mind raced as she ran. There was no way she could stay here—not now, not with Robo-Teto on a rampage. And with the prison so far from Tokyo, the thought of getting back to the city weighed heavily on her. But she had no choice.

Miku. I need to make sure Miku’s okay. And the others… I have to warn them.

Meiko’s breathing was ragged, her arm throbbing from the injury as she dashed into the night, leaving the prison behind. The cold wind stung her face, but she didn’t slow down. She knew she was still a long way from Tokyo, and it would take her days to get there on foot. But nothing would stop her now—not the distance, not the pain, not the fear.

She had to protect her friends.

Even if it meant running through the night with the looming threat of Robo-Teto behind her.