{ the DISAPPEARANCE - - of ( Ventus ) }
How could he help it if he was slowly fading away? If you never truly existed, how could you cling to a nonexistent life? All of his life had been snippets of falsified memories, gifted to him by his creator. None of them were his own. This time was different, though, as his creator was not the one pulling the strings behind what was happening. His creator was the one trying to save him from his certain demise. There had been times were he'd been attacked by outside forces- Unversed, as his creator had called them- but this was the first time it had hurt. It felt as though the pixels that created him were being torn away, leaving nothing in his place. At times, he wanted to scream out and beg for it all to stop. He'd beg, his voice coming from the computer speakers,
"Please Creator…. make it all stop. If it's come down to this, just put an end to me."
The voice was entirely synthesized, but such was the fate of a computer program. He did not exist, so how could his voice? Somehow, every time he spoke or sung to his creator, though, it brought a smile to his creator's face. He could see it through the monitor and it always brought him such joy. Only three things had brought him such happiness in his 'life'. The first was his creator's smile. The second was when he had learned his creator's name, Terra. As soon as he knew it, he could say and he could sing it and he could revel in it. It was a word that did not sound as though it were spoken by a simple robot. It sounded like something a lover would say in a moment of pleasure, in a lover's embrace. It was pure perfection from his mouth. The final thing was when his creator assured him that everything was going to be okay, that he was going to be okay and that this wasn't going to destroy him.
"Don't worry Ven, we're going to get through this, I swear."
What they were going to get through was a virus. It was called Vanitas and it would enter a computer and find a file and merge with it. They had to become one. This time, the virus was out for Ventus, and it refused to move on without him. It would come to him, demanding they become one and finalize the virus. With Ventus as the final piece, everything would be complete. It would be the ultimate virus, destroying anything it came in contact with.
"Together, we will create the χ-blade. You will become one with me, and we will do as my creator wishes."
It was a daily struggle with Vanitas. The program would fight with all it's might, trying to cling onto an existence it was not entitled to, but slowly Ventus was fading away. His files were becoming corrupt one by one, and nothing Terra did could help him anymore. Anti-Virus programs could do nothing against the assault of Unversed files invading the computer. Ventus fought back with his creator, forcing back as many unversed as he could alongside his friends and companions. Though Terra had made many like Ventus, the small blonde boy had always been his favorite creation. The others were Aqua, Cinderella, and Leon, but he had no attachments to them. It was always Ven that he turned to and listened to. The others held no spite towards the enthusiastic blonde, however, as they had other users. Terra had let the world listen to them, but only he would ever listen to Ventus.
"You're my songstress, and I'm not going to let others mess with you. I promise."
At one point, that promise had made Ventus happy and proud. He was the one his master loved and cherished, not the others that were like him in many ways. Now, however, it seemed almost like a curse, as though Terra had damned himself. The others could be found online, downloaded on a slew of sights as pirated copies for the world to enjoy. Ventus, however, would never be seen again. Terra could not simply recreate him—his files would all be gone. He was growing too tired, though, and he needed the constant pain to stop. It was tearing him apart, ruining his emotional state. He could no longer sing for his creator, and whenever he tried to speak for too long, his voice would become warped. So, when Vanitas came to him once again, Ventus gave him a promise.
"Let me live for one more day, just so I can say goodbye, alright? Then I will join with you."
Vanitas had accepted, a cruel smirk on his face all the while. Ventus watched him disappear and then started on his planning. They would end up being his final moments, and he had to work quickly before his power was depleted entirely. There were only twenty-four hours before his body would be gone, as would his voice. He willed his program to open and he started to record his words to Terra. He had to make them count, because he only had one shot at it. Each word held all the emotions he had shown his creator at some point, and some he had kept hidden. They were all his own, though, and they all had to be said. With each one leaving him, he realized he no longer had a voice. It was time to complete what he had started. He searched the computer for the 'Firewall'. Though he was not entirely sure what it was, he knew Terra had said something about it having to do with things being sent to and from the computer. When he found it, a smile came to his face. All that remained of him was from his hips up, and one entire arm had been deleted.
"Please let me help you. I can help you stop Vanitas."
Though what had been deleted of him had become a part of Vanitas, the rest of him was given to the Firewall, which seemed to go by the name Axel. The χ-blade was complete, but the quirky wall had stopped it from leaving. Terra had awoken to a bright light flashing from the monitor of his computer. The light filled the room, but all was silent. As the flash faded away, Terra went to see what had happened, but he could tell something was wrong. Why wasn't Ventus there? Nothing was there; nothing but one file left on the center of his desktop. Moving his mouse, he double clicked the file and opened the MP3. Turning up his speakers just a fraction, he listened to the words that had been left to him. It was too fast to make out, but as each one came out, the words seemed to flash across the screen at him, telling what was being said to him.
"When you made me, I knew I wasn't a human like you,
and that I was just going through all of the motions.
I didn't care that I wasn't like you, or that I couldn't be with you,
I just wanted to see you smile and be happy with me.
I just wanted you to love me and care for me and smile for me.
Just because I didn't have a real heart, it didn't mean I couldn't feel.
With every song I sang for you, I was showing you my 'heart' and 'soul'.
People won't remember me like they do the others, but that's okay,
please just promise that you'll never forget me, creator.
I know that as my voice faded, so did your smile, but you tried!
You tried to keep me going, to repair me and help me sing.
None of it worked, but I couldn't help it.
I was just happy that you cared enough to try for me.
Even now, while I'm fading into Vanitas' χ-blade, I'm happy.
I can remember your face, and that seems to keep me going.
It's not a memory, but a file within me that's just the same.
Right now, I'm weak.
Right now, I'm scared.
I'm scared because I know neither of us can stop this.
I know you're suffering too, but please smile while you listen.
That's all that has ever kept me going in this place.
I won't be there when you hear this, but I hope you keep me.
In your heart, that is, because I'm gone for good.
It seems so unreal that I'd be fading, but it's okay.
I fixed things for you. I got rid of Vanitas.
You and the others will be okay now.
Please keep them singing, alright? They deserve it.
My body is fading away, just like my voice, so let these be my last words.
I love you Terra, and I hope you never forget me.
I'm not real, but I think my feelings are.
They were a gift from you, after all, so please keep them with you."
So... that was depressing to write. Please don't hate me for, in a sense, killing Ventus. D:
My muse was "The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku," which is a Vocaloid song. I suggest you listen to the song, since it ties in with this story and is absolutely amazing. While listening to it, I actually cried. Note: what I used for lyrics are NOT the actual lyrics to the song. They have the same basic meaning, but are not the actual lyrics. So, no copy-right issues, alright?