Disclaimer: I do not own Vocaloid, Len, Rin, Miku, or UTAUloid...actually, I don't know what Ted is really like. I just made him the good guy.
Len's personality is based on SPICE!, Rin's is based on Kokoro, but only in the beginning...references are made throughout the chapters, so look for them~. This is my very first fanfic, so please be kind ;-). Constructive criticism is wanted, but try to put it in a nice way...otherwise it really won't be constructive...and please don't post reviews that just say stuff about updating and stuff. Chapter is already done, and is undergoing proofing and stuff. If you find any errors, please tell me~I anticipate your reviews...if I even get any. I put the genre as Drama/Romance, because I really wasn't sure if it would be good it put it under Humor . I'm not really good at that, that's Riku's strong point...but that's another story ;-).
Edit: Fixed some spelling errors...;) I spelled the fanfic title wrong, and changed it...thanks OnigiRimi for pointing it out. ;-) Is it just me or am I using that smiley a lot...?
Once upon a time, there was a girl who was completely and utterly alone. She did not have family, if she ever did; they have long since abandoned her.
"I should just give up hope," she thought.
But it wasn't her choice.
The hospital curtains danced freely in the wind, revealing open blue skies and shining sunlight that reflected upon the metal of a hospital bed. It shined through the dust on the flower vase beside the bed, and cast long shadows on the equally dusty floor.
Kagamine Rin stared at the vase's contents dully. Two wilted chocolate cosmos lay in the vase, their petals now a crinkled shade of muck brown. Her chapped lips opened, as if to speak, but no sound came out. They closed again, and blood sprouted on her lips where the skin had stretched.
How long had it been? How long had her eyes been cast upon normal human flesh? Could she still see? She wasn't sure anymore. How long had she been here? How much time has passed since that day?
Her dehydrated hands slowly reached out and grasped the handrail, then reaching out for the window sill; she crawled over and watched the commotion below. People watching. Was that all she could do? That was the closest she could get to civilization.
How long had it been since that door creaked open to reveal a person clad in white, or even better, somebody with colors? How long has it been since she has heard life besides her own? Was she alive?
Questions with no answers.
How old was she? When was her birthday? What was her name, even?
More answers with no answers. Was that all she had? Questions?
…what are questions?
Ten minutes went by, and when Rin touched her face, it was wet. Her face scrunched up involuntarily, and she screamed, it's intensity shattering the afternoon sky. Even though no sound had come out of her throat, her world fell silent, subdued by her pain.
Kagamine Len woke up with a sudden jolt, cold sweat painted over his body. He picked up his alarm clock. 4 A.M.
He had been dreaming about her again. A girl dressed in white with washed out gray eyes that, if he was not mistaken, could've been a beautiful, vibrant shade before.
But what woke him wasn't the dream. He reached and picked up his ringing cell phone, sitting up with a look of annoyance. He was wearing an unbuttoned, crinkled white shirt, the type you wore under a suit. It revealed smooth pale skin underneath, with a rouge lipstick mark painted on his chest. His pants hung loosely on his hips, and he smoothed back his hair with his right hand while he accepted the call on his cell phone with his left.
"Where were you and who have you been with?"
Len nearly laughed at this. How cliché, he thought to himself. Girls were so easy to control.
"I was, and still am, in my room sleeping," he replied. "Alone," he added with an afterthought. He leaned back and closed his eyes, tuning out the endless chatter on the other end. There had been a rumor that he was going to screw the young, hot teacher across the hall tonight, and his "girlfriend" wasn't too happy about it.
There's more where you came from, he thought. You're just one out of a million.
And even if he and gone through all the girls in the world, all of his ex-girlfriends would gladly take him back. He smirked into the phone as Miku ranted on the other end about what a jerk he was. He already knew what she was going to ask next.
"You owe me, Len," he heard her say, her voice suddenly breathless and husky. He heard sounds of clothing ruffling, and his lips curved into an amused smile. "You could've slept with Meiko-sensei, when you should've been with me."
After ten minutes of Miku doing dirty things on the other end, Len finally hung up on Miku in disgust. He would go to Meiko's office instead.
Four hours later, Len was being dragged through the polished halls of his father's company, and he groaned as he was thrown into his father's office.
"Len, I am very disappointed in you."
Len squirmed uncomfortably in his father's office, but hid it with an indifferent shrug. Miku had walked in on Len and Meiko, and now, because of that, he was stuck listening to his father's lecture. His father, known as Mr. Crypton, was the owner of the very successful electronics company. He seemed to enjoy that position, and liked to keep an aloof and mysterious air about. First of all, he never told anybody his first name, not even the "secretaries" he kept.
"When you're a successful businessman like me, you need people to keep track of things," his father had said when Len, age ten, had asked. Then, he had saw his father cheating on his mother with one of them. Two weeks later, his mother was gone and Len had a new stepmother. He threw away the name "Crypton" away in disgust and changed it to "Kagamine", his mother's maiden name.
"When you put it like that, I feel so proud of myself."
"When will you ever learn? You are the heir of Crypton Electronics, the biggest company in Japan!" he paused for emphasis, then whipped out Len's report card. "We cannot afford lowly C's and D's! Not only that, I hear you have two girlfriends! Never mind who you will choose, the answer is simple; Hatsune Miku! She is the heiress of the largest food and medicine company in Japan, and has a body to boost!" He stuck a finger in Len's chest, pushing him backwards. "You will apologize to her," he hissed. "And Meiko is fired."
Apart from being the owner of almost the whole Japanese economy, Crypton also owns schools that only the most qualified attended. Len, of course, being the son of Crypton, attended Crypton High and was treated like a celebrity. It wasn't such a bad thing; it kept him busy, at least…
"You may own the school, but it's still being overseen by the education geezers," Len said, slumping in his chair. These conversations were so boring; they always included Len doing that was not "befitting" for the heir of Crypton, and a lame punishment that his father would forget the next day. "You can't just fire people at will."
His father sighed. "As you probably know, your sixteenth birthday is this Saturday." He peered at Len over his reading glasses. Len and his father didn't really look alike, but if you looked close enough, the similarities existed. Len was glad of this, since nobody bothered to look. His father's eyes were, in Len's opinion, a mucky gray mess of colors. But that was not entirely the truth. Indeed they were grey, but they were crisp and clear, with a depth that pulls you in, like a trance. Maybe that was what broke so many hearts and left a trail of them in Crypton's shadow; those eyes that entrap then break. Len's eye color was a mystery; sometimes it resembled a blue that painted the scene of the ocean, and at times it was just greenish.
"Instead of leaving you with your freedom, you will have to spend that day as a representative of this "family"." His father sniffed with a stuck-up air. "Your mother's family has recently discovered an inheritance out in the country. An old mansion, I believe. Your mother wishes to throw a birthday party." He spat the words out.
Len raised his eyebrows expectantly. His father coughed, then stared back at him with the same uncaring expression. "It will be your debut to the business world." He mouth opened in surprise, and he gaped at his father, who continued rambling on. His father actually had the guts to impose these business affairs on his mother, who only wanted to throw her son a sweet sixteenth party.
"You will accompany me and greet all of the guests. Expect topics on the economy, current events, etc. Bring Miku as your date." His father glared at his son. "Lessons instructing you on appropriate behavior will begin after this conversation."
Len grunted, and stood up, sending the chair skidding behind him. He then walked out before his father could say anything more. His hands moved fast as he dialed Kasane Ted, his best friend's, number. As soon as he picked up, Len began ranting. "What the hell, man, Crypton is enslaving me on my own birthday," Len hissed as he entered his room. "He is a total bastard."
"At least he remembered it," his friend replied. "What happened? I heard you fucked a girl last night, then had phone sex with Miku, hung up with her, did it with Meiko-sensei, and got her fired," Ted said sleepily. Len looked at his alarm clock. 8:00 A.M. "Well you birthday is on Saturday…today is Friday. Shit."
"I have to take Miku as my date."
"Double shit."
Len sighed, and then put his phone on speaker, dropping it on the bed. His maid would come pestering him about lessons any moment, and he should at least get dressed. He ripped off his crinkled shirt and replaced it with a t-shirt. He took out a pair of jeans and sneakers, and waited for his friend to speak.
"Well, you know Miku would take you back in a flash."
"But she would cling to me more than ever."
Truth was, Miku and Len had "grown up" together, being the children of the two top companies of Japan. Miku had immediately latched herself onto Len when she first laid eyes on him in preschool.
"Well, I guess you'll have to be on guard. Teto just texted me, and it seems like Meiko-sensei is still teaching at Crypton High."
Kasane Teto, Ted's sister, the only girl Len swore he would never screw around with. It was obvious that she liked him, but he respected Ted, and he would never play around with his sister, who, might he add, is still a virgin.
He groaned as he finished dressing, thinking of how he had Meiko's class second hour, but then remembering that he had to listen to "behavior tutoring" lessons instead. Oh wow, that actually sounded kind of worse. Len said goodbye to his friend, and reluctantly dialed Miku's number.
"Lenny!"
Even her voice sounded clingy, and he cringed. "Uh…Miku."
"I knew you would call! Crypton's already told me about your birthday plans, I'll be there!" He was left dumbfounded as the beeping tone of his cell phone rang in his ear.
…well, that was easy.
Everyday was the same.
The same sunlight, the same wind, the same depressing loneliness…every day was the same in the Kagamine mansion. Not like they were rich; it was just considered a mansion because it was the largest house in the countryside.
Only one person lived in it. And that was Kagamine Rin.
But she didn't know that, and didn't need to. She was a prisoner to her own room. Her legs had stopped working a long time ago, and her hands were weak from anemia and fatigue that wouldn't disappear no matter how much she slept. Kagamine Rin did not know how to sleep. She stared at the ceiling with a void expression. Her eyesight began flickering, and she sighed. Was it already starting? Was she going to shut down for good this time?
She laid on the bed for a good 30 minutes, until she finally gave up pondering on the alternatives that may explain her problems. She held her hands up to her face and stayed that way until a sudden giant gust of wind blew in through the window, and the curtains ripped across the air and into her face. She sputtered and spit her hair out of her mouth, which had blown in while the curtains were still billowing, and sighed. What was the point? Even though emotions were not something she knew, what she did know is when to give up. She's already been here for countless days and nights, and nothing has happened.
Just when she was about to accept the truth, a loose newspaper flew into the room through the window, sticking to Rin's left cheek. She shakily peeled it off slowly, her eyes unmoving. But when her eyes met the page, a jolt of electricity shot up her spine. She fell back against the bed, unable to feel surprised. When she finally looked at herself, she hadn't changed in any way, and she sighed, not because of disappointment, but because she just had an urge to do so. But as soon as she did, she sat upright: her only way to show surprise.
It was like something was moving inside of her, like gears clicking together, and a sudden burst of warmth and energy sprouted from the left side of her chest. Rin wondered why, and all of sudden, curiosity, an emotion which she did not have before, overtook her mind. "That's so weird," she whispered. But as soon as she said those words out loud, her eyes widened even more than they were before.
"…I…can…talk…?" she wondered out loud. Her speech was still slurred and unsteady from not speaking over the past years, but at least she had her voice back.
Earlier that day, Rin had seen a black minivan drive up in front of the house. They had come into the mansion, and now were making some kinds of preparations downstairs. She could tell, the noise was deafening. Or actually, she just had really good hearing. She strained to hear through the door and all the way to the kitchen.
"…something squishy…?" It had become a habit to say everything aloud for Rin, who hadn't been to talk for a long time. She sniffed the air. "It smells fruity, too…sweet…a little sticky. But just a smidge sticky." Her eyes lit up, and she snapped her fingers. "Bananas!"
"Gah!"
In her excitement, Rin had not noticed the middle aged woman who had crept into the room, who was now looking at her in surprise. She must be one of the people who came from the minivan, she thought. And it must be surprising to see me here. Ever since her encounter with the newspaper, Rin's wavering "condition" has been improving. She had practiced her speech, and had even learned to sing. She was even good at it, too. Her hands had stopped shaking, and they fleshed out, whereas it had been skeleton-like before. The woman turned around as if to call for help, but thought better of it and slowly walked over to Rin's bed. She knelt and gazed at her gently. "What is your name?"
Rin sat up straight and gazed back at her without hesitation. "Kagamine Rin." The woman looked shocked, but quickly recovered. "How long have you been here?" Rin's brow furrowed, and she struggled to remember. "Six years?" The woman asked hopefully. Rin's eyes widened and she nodded.
The woman sucked in a breath and hugged Rin. "You poor child…" As soon as Rin touched the woman's skin, memories flooded back, and she jumped, startled.
"Ka…Kagura-san?" The woman nodded, and hugged her harder, wiping the tears from her eyes. Although Rin knew that it was important to let the woman cry, she did not feel any sympathy. After all, she had no emotions. She suddenly felt herself being lifted into a standing position. "Oh my, you're so light…" Kagura commented through her tears. But as soon as she let go, Rin's legs wobbled and she collapsed, causing Kagura to gasp. "Rinny!"
Rin held her hand up to tell Kagura that she was fine, and crawled up onto the bed with her help as if it wasn't abnormal to collapse like that. "My legs haven't been functioning yet," Rin replied, frowning. "But it's kind of nice to be able to talk again."
Kagura also frowned thoughtfully. "But you've been here for six years; you shouldn't be able to do any of that." They sat a few minutes in silence, Kagura thinking about how Rin could be even functioning after being neglected for six years, and Rin sitting there, waiting for Kagura to speak. Afterall, waiting was no big deal to Rin, she's done it for as long as she can remember. Kagura suddenly gasped, and snapped her fingers. "Have you seen yesterday's paper?" Rin nodded and pulled out a wrinkled newspaper.
Kagura nodded. "Of course, if you'd been in contact with him or even seen a picture of him, you'd begin the revival process." Rin frowned at this. Who is this he she's talking about? "Nevermind about that! My son is coming for his sixteenth birthday tomorrow. I'd love it if you would join us."
Her son? Of course, a son. Rin tried focusing on the spot where the memory of Kagura's son should be, but her mind couldn't close on one specific detail. She knew that somebody was there, but her focus fizzed whenever she attempted zoning in on his face. She felt frustrated. Somehow, she really wanted to remember this guy, a person whom she's never even heard of…
Kagura must've read Rin's face, because she began stroking her hair, as if to comfort her. "You've only been in direct contact with me so only your memories of me have returned. As soon as you touch him, you will be sure to remember him. Besides, you've only been newly activated for a day or so, memories returning to you on their own is impossible at this stage." Rin nodded, not daring to reject their invitation to the party. She felt Kagura's gaze on her again, and like before, Rin returned it, thinking that Kagura would react the same way she had done before. But then, she burst into tears again, and Rin was taken back. She looked around uncomfortably, and was utterly confused. She had actually felt sort of…flustered.
"I'm so sorry!" Kagura sobbed, hugging Rin again. "I shouldn't have let him "take care of things". I thought he would continue to shelter you, but in the end, he just threw you into one of grandfather's old mansion!" She shuddered. "I still can't believe he knew about this house and never told me! It Is legally mine." She continued weeping, and Rin stared at her awkwardly. "You and my son used to be so close! I guess he got worried that the heir of the company was so emotionally close to a Vocaloid—"
Vocaloid?
"Rinny, you still can not feel any emotions, right?" Kagura patted her hand tenderly. "It will all come back soon." Rin nodded, not knowing how else to respond. "And your eyes…they were beautiful before, but gray also suits you." Kagura smiled, her tears stemmed. "Your eyes will return to being a beautiful, colorful shade soon."
Rin felt a little uncomfortable with all of this attention, and attempted to change the subject. "Tell me about your son," she asked. Kagura looked surprised. "You will know all about him tomorrow." Her head shaking, Rin fell back against her pillow, feeling tired again. "No, I want to hear both sides of this story. I want to understand…what a 'mother' means." I want to fall asleep by the sounds of another world, she added to herself. A world before all of this.
Kagura sighed, and nodded. "Okay. But before you fall asleep, I'm going to bandage your legs so at least you can use crutches to get around."
Five minutes later, Rin's legs were covered in clean bandages that restrained her knees from wobbling. She stared at Kagura, who sat motionlessly on her bedside. "Not tell me, please."
Kagura cleared her throat softly, and laid a blanket on Rin. "I only knew my son up to age ten, so I'm sure he's changed." She paused, and then her eyes glazed over dreamily, almost nostalgically. "He loved bananas. I would make him banana bread, mix up banana smoothies, and anything banana for him. I remember packing him a banana for lunch every day." Kagura smiled in the memory. "He was a sweet boy, as sweet as he bananas he ate. I remember a girl that claimed him as love as first sight." Kagura chuckled, and Rin wished she would stop interrupting herself. "Even though he always complained about her at home, he still acted nice toward her; although he did wish she would just go away. I guess because she was brought up like a princess, she assumed my son would be hers without doubt like all the dressed her father bought her. After my divorce, my son secretly sent me letters through a maid until she was discovered and fired. I have not heard from my son since. I can't imagine why his father would keep me away like that."
Rin felt her eyelids droop; it was an unusual feeling, and she didn't really like it. But somehow, her body welcomed it, as if it was someone finally returning after years…
She grabbed Kagura's hand, before she fell into the dream world.
"Yes, Rinny?"
"Your son, who is…his…what is…" she sputtered, struggling to put thoughts into words.
"Len, dear. His name is Len."
Rin whispered his name like a chant, and soon her eyelids closed entirely, enveloping her in darkness. It wasn't until later that Rin realized she could sleep again.
"Dude, I saw you in the paper on Thursday!" Ted waved a wrinkled piece of newspaper in Len's face. Ted and Len were like polar opposites, in a way. Ted did not care about keeping an "image" of himself at school, but Len was known as the school's "dark prince." The nickname came about when a group of girls had been discussing him. He was like a prince, a girl's ideal guy, they had said, but he had an extra twist, and wasn't a knight in shining armor. He was more like a bad boy.
Ted was also generally polite, and not the type who jumps before he thinks. He respects girls, and refused to have a girlfriend whom he doesn't live. Len, on the other hand, had seven girlfriends at one time, a personal record. One per night, he had said. Each girl has their own flavor, their own spice.
Len shrugged at Ted, and motioned for a glass of wine. He sipped it without spilling, even though they were riding in a car to the mansion on a bumpy road. He leaned back, satisfied, draping his arm around Miku. "1940", the bottle read. He smiled. Just one of the benefits of having a successful father. Actually, that was about where the benefits ended, too. His father had decided to ride in a separate car with Adaline, his stepmother. Fuck him for even thinking of bringing the woman who screwed up his mother's life. Len shuddered, and stuck the earphones of his iTouch in his ear. An unfamiliar song blasted into his ears, and he frowned, ignoring Ted and Teto's disapproving glances.
Miku pulled out an earphone and leaned in. "That's my new single. 'Melt'." She giggled. "I'm debuting as a singer." Len was scared to know how she managed to add the song onto his iPod, and Teto glared at Miku, nudging her brother, who sighed. "Miku-chan, you're debut hasn't been announced yet, so I wouldn't go around telling everybody about it. It's a being kept a secret…because it's a secret. Got it?" Ted raised his eyebrows, and Teto nodded, nibbling on a piece of bread. Miku just pouted and snuggled closer against Len, who winced. Miku didn't notice.
"God, I might be a little nervous," Teto commented. "They better have bread," she added under her breath. Her brother laughed. "Whose birthday is it, yours or Len's? But I agree, it's been awhile since I've seen Kagura-sama. I wonder if she's doing well." Len fell silent at this.
"Kagura-sama was always kind," Miku replied. "Not that Adaline-sama isn't," she added quickly. "But Kagura-sama is just more…powerful. She has a presence that makes you want to look up to her. But Adaline-sama is just weak. Kind, but weak." Everybody nodded. They knew what she meant.
But as soon as Miku mentioned Adaline, a burning image of his father closed around him. Those smoldering, piercing gray eyes…that were always suffocating him. Everybody traded looks about the way Len's eyes hardened, and everybody knew who he was thinking about. Crypton.
As the gray of his father's eyes entered his mind, he remembered the girl in white. The way her eyes looked; they were so sad and lonely. But they were such a beautiful shade of gray, with flecks of green and blue, and maybe even yellow and pink, that they didn't suffocate him. It almost brought him peace. He quickly took back his prejudice about gray eyes.
What seemed like minutes passed, and suddenly, Len sat upright with a jolt. His mind felt groggy with fog, and his focus on things were, well…unfocused. Had he fallen asleep? He turned his iPod off and slipped it into the pocket opposite the one containing his cell phone. A large, old fashioned house sat pleasantly a few ways from the car he sat in, and he sighed, smoothing back his hair. He checked his watch. 6:00 P.M.
"Young master and friends, we have arrived."
And the hell begins.
