Vocaloid Tales: The Nutcracker

Chapter 1: Miku and the Nutcracker

"Miku, get up already! It's Christmas morning!"

Miku groaned as she tugged at her fresh bedsheets, her brother's voice ringing in her ears. One of the goose down feathers poked at her soft cheek. She tried to work it back down with her fingernail, only for it to fly back up again.

"Miku, mother's going to have both our hides if you're still wearing your nightgown when Gakupo shows up! Come ooooon!"

"Gakupo's never given two whiffs how prepared I am when he comes over," Miku muttered to herself, "It's only mother that cares."

Still, she needed to go down before her brother knocked the door down with his enthusiasm. And appearing like a proper lady kept the peace. Besides, she reasoned, Gakupo Kamui's presence in their home would be a welcome change of affairs. The quirky toymaker never pressured either of the Hatsune children so hard as their mother did.

Miku crawled out of bed, her floor-length, powder blue night gown settling around her bare feet. She opened her wardrobe, choosing a simple yet presentable black and green dress. Noting the snow falling outside her window, she was grateful for the long sleeves – they'd fit well under an overcoat should she choose to take a walk later.

The walks aided in her coping with the stifling atmosphere the home had taken in the last year.

Miku slipped on her white chemise and began to lace up her corset. After that, layer after layer of petticoats. She added a pair of black stockings over her long legs. Finally she pulled the long dress over her head and fastened it shut.

How she envied Mikuo's simple trousers and shirts – she couldn't deny that she could be vain about her appearance, but when she simply wanted to get work done, this was far too much effort! But her mother had spent money the family barely possessed on ensuring her 16 year old daughter was properly presentable now that she was approaching marrying age.

As she finally laced up a pair of black boots, she could already hear her brother stomping down the hallway. "That boy... makes enough of a racket for the both of us!" Miku remarked flippantly as she sat at her vanity and brushed her hair into two long teal pigtails, securing them with worn black ribbons. She stared longingly at the clockwork cat on her dresser – long ago a gift from Gakupo, he'd built the small toy for Miku after she'd cried about not being allowed to have a real cat. Of course all it could really do these days was hop around and jerk around as it tried to walk...

'If I ask Gakupo when mother's not listening, maybe he can tell me how to fix it myself...'

The rough knocking on her bedroom door bounced Miku out of her thoughts. She let out a loud huff and stomped to the door, throwing it open... only to see Mikuo running down the hall as their mother called for them. She just barely saw the back of his grey shirt and black pants as he ran down the hall in a pair of black boots.

Miku lifted her skirts and began to run after him as well – she was not going to let her brother spoil a fine Christmas morning. Just as she arrived in the foyer, Miku spied her mother approaching the front door. The black haired woman gave her daughter a stern looking over before nodding her approval to her appearance – there would be no scolding this morning at least. She opened the door and Miku relaxed at the welcome sight of a familiar man.

"My, what a lovely Christmas morning we find ourselves having this year!"

There stood Gakupo, with that ever so charming smile on his ever youthful face. Despite being old enough to have befriended her parents when she was still a child, Gakupo looked like a dashing young man, nary a wrinkle on his face, his long purple hair pulled into a luxurious ponytail that hung down his back nearly to his waist. His crisp purple overcoat and white shirt and waistcoat underneath showed the care he put into his appearance, along with his snappy black pants and boots. In his arms he carried an abundance of packages – as usual, handmade by himself.