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Chapter 1:
March Rabbit
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Len has always been the scared little boy around these parts. Never really the warrior sort; even the slightest rustle in the bushes sends him running or cowering until it was revealed to be nothing more than a harmless animal of the sort, from rabbit to cat to fox. In the end, he was left as red as a tomato.
Oh, how much he hated the feeling. No matter the case, Len wished to be braver than he is. To be the warrior instead of the timid mouse. But how could something that drastic happen? "It's nothing but a big dream," he was told from time to time. To change from the scaredy cat in to the brave knight told in fairytales; it is rather bizarre. But then there does come the saying, "Dreams can come true," and by World's surprise it has to happen to the one child on earth.
It started like any other night for Len Kagamine. Come home, go out, come home, the cycle repeats over and over. Every once and while though, there came a rustle in the lush greenery that borders the lonely hut. Each time, he would grab the nearest thing, whether a large branch or tiny stick to even a rock, and strike the spot of the rustle. This time, however, he didn't expect to hit anything. When the bush rustled, he grabbed a surprisingly light rock and shot at the spot. As if it hit whatever was there, an unexpected yelp sounded.
With a terrified mind, Len approached the bush with an average sized stick and parted the the thick greenery. Behind the bush was, to his surprise, a girl somewhere around his age and a strange-colored cat. The purple cat hasn't caught much of his attention, unlike the girl in front of him.
She was a strange figure to say the least. Her clothes consists mainly of a black overcoat covering a white short-sleeved shirt and a white short skirt. With the scheme she also wore black tights and white, knee high boots. But the most noticeable feature was her golden-yellow 'eye'. That single right eye stood out from the rest of her, with a black eye-patch covering her left; Len suspects that under that patch may either be a glass eye or no eye at all. Whatever the case, he didn't want to know.
"May I help you?" Snapped out of his trance, he looked at the girl with a red face. He noticed a tiny bump on her head; almost unnoticed under her black hair. Still it must've stung slightly.
"S-sorry!" The timid blond said as he stood up. As expected by most, he hit his head on a low branch just above him and the girl. Rubbing his head, he shot her a slight smile, "Heh, I'm sorry...I thought you were something else the moment I threw the rock. Now we're sorta even...right?"
"I'm not the kind who wants revenge," she answered simply, making Len tremble slightly, "I would suggest thinking before you act," That made him sweat-drop; it was also a stated fact that the blond is clumsy and short-minded.
"It was an accident," the boy said to his weak defense, "I didn't think I'd hit something; all those other times I missed!" The golden-eyed girl looked at him, puzzled. It dawned on Len that he just admitted his fearful nature.
"You're the boy who is scared of everything, aren't you?" The girl stated, causing Len to grow redder than a ripe tomato. The young blond half-heartedly expected the girl to burst out laughing; they always do. To his surprise,though, she kept a neutral face. It was almost as if she found the thought rather dull; somewhat bland. It was reassuring but...unusual.
"So, um...I guess I'll be on my way now," Without another word, he went on his way. The girl was strange in many ways, from her single eye to her full body attire. The entire thing seemed costumy, yet strangely familiar. Maybe the design was from one of those stories?
The stories, the many places of fantasy. The personal favorite of the little town was the standard Alice in Wonderland. From the white rabbit to the Mad Hatter to Chesire Cat to the Queen of Cards to the well known Alice, the star player of the story. Such a place of fantasy sprung into the young minds of children only to be shattered in the later years of adulthood. Truly mystifying, yet nothing but a piece of fiction on old paper held by the bindings of the leather cover. It always struck Len to wonder if he had a chance to enter a Wonderland much like in the story.
"Len," The boy jumps at the sound of his name and turns to see the same girl from before, "Is it okay for me to follow you home?"
"N-no, not really..." He stuttered, "H-how do you know my name...?"
"I know many things," came her answer, "and your name was just one of them," She made a slight bow, much to Len's surprise, "My name is Rui," the girl said as she stood straight.
"Rui," The name stuck to him in an instant, as if the name was something precious, "Have we met before? You seem familiar,"
"Maybe we have," Rui answered, and went on her way. The boy stood there, slightly fearful and yet, curious. Today seems like something from a dream. Maybe today is nothing but a dream, he thought to himself. But one thing stays the same; he must go home like nothing has changed.
{*w*}
The Kagamine family was a rather distant group along the edge of the forsaken town. It was the same as any other family; a man, his wife, a young boy and his younger sister. They were just like everyone else; they leave the home, and go back by night. It has never changed ever since the beginning of time.
They were out by the yonder hill at the house border leading up to the woods; Len and little Lenka. The two were close; not a day has gone by when Lenka runs up to her big brother for some time in the setting sun. They were her favorite times since the golden rays disappearing along the horizon create a magnificent sight. "Take me down!" she would tell Len, and the two would come down the hill tumbling. It was something a little more than the standard brother-sister relationship.
This time was where it went downhill. the Father of the household needed firewood in the fireplace, and requested for Len to bring some in. It wasn't his favorite task since it meant going into the woods; Lenka wasn't allowed to follow him either for night in the woods is very dangerous. Some have wandered in an never came out; few others have made it through alive, but came out terrified. It adds reason for Len to frightful but that's just him. Timid little Len.
He didn't think that would be the last time he'd see a happy family. Some time later since he entered, there came the usual rustle. As usual, he acted without thought. This time he just cowered, and Rui approached him, her shadow covering his cowering form.
"So disappointing," the boy looked up as her voice echoed across the woods, "I would expect more from you than a cowering kitty,"
"Rui, what-?" He stopped for a moment when he looked at her again. Around her figure, a simple black haze surrounded her, and for a moment, he thought he saw a pair of rabbit ears hanging down like long, floppy dog ears. It disappeared soon after, and was nothing but a haze once more, "What's going on?"
She said nothing; she only walked in the direction of his home. Despite the lack of a response, a feeling of dread filled his entire being. Running ahead, he immerged from the thick greenery to a fiery site. An enormous fire had engulfed the home, and his family scattered on the ground like dead flies.
Wha-? What is this?! Nothing was making sense anymore; the fire, Rui, his diversed family. Wait, Lenka? What about Lenka?!
Fearing for the well being of the younger Kagamine, he made his way to his scattered family. It was terrible; his father and mother came out with a slit throat, and Lenka, poor Lenka! Her body was butchered and bloodied, and her left eye was cut straight of of her face, leaving nothing but an empty socket. The look of terror on her face was forever engraved to her cold, tattered body, and it sickened him to the never ends.
It was sick, it was horrifying; Len was shaken to the point of nearly vomitting. It was too much for him to handle, and he broke. The tears came down on the bloodied girl, and kept on coming.
Rui still held her emotionless stare; it was the most generosity she could truly offer. "You need to go now. The White Rabbit is on his way," The boy froze at the ever so familliar name, and looked at Rui.
"The White Rabbit is coming for you. It'll be catastrophic if he got a hold of you," The girl of a pitch black void said, and Len could see the haze from before.
"If this is going to be a Wonderland dream, then shouldn't it be good for the White Rabbit to come for me?" He asked.
"There are many versions to Alice in Wonderland. Some are true dreams, others end in a horrific way," Rui answered, "Never assume that this is the same story,"
Without another word, she vanished in the haze, leaving Len in this nightmare of a Wonderland.
What am I supposed to do now? he pondered, I can't find the White Rabbit, but I can't bring myself to follow her. His mind was twisted and broken; everything was just dumped on him. No points to what has or what will. Only the fact that he is scared to wits end.
"Poor you," Another voice sounded, and with a fearful gaze looked into the one eye of an albino man. The White Rabbit; the rabbit he shouldn't meet. He was almost the same as what the stories have said: tall, white ears of a rabbit; an overcoat similar to the ones worn to the balls of the wealthy class; the golden pocket watch dangling from the coat; it was no different. Just the single eye that hid behind a monocle.
"You're the White Rabbit," Len managed to say despite his weak condition.
"Indeed I am," the man responded with an almost too good of a smile, "I was told to kill you before the night comes to an end, and being the timely rabbit I am, I shall do so while the night is still early,"
He pulled a knife, and Len began to wonder how it will feel like to die. What will happen to him then. "How pathetic of you to think like that," a familiar voice rang within him. There was a black haze surrounding him. There was something familiar about it, but he couldn't remember.
Please remember.
The same voice echoed, and the memory struck him. Black and white, with one golden eye that stares straight through you.
She was there in front of him; with the same black ears tipped with white and a scythe crafted from the haze. The White Rabbit stared at Rui and smiled a sinister smile. "A pleasure meeting you again Rui, or should I say...
...the March Hare?"
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That was a number. This is like sooooo much work, and I felt drained. The chapter was supposed to end with a different cliff hanger, but I can't get to that point with this sort of a writer's block. It shall appear next chappy.
Rui and Len aren't the star of the real story. I'll tell more on that later. As for everything else, the story will grow more and more confusing and may possibly be slightly rushed. There may be more Vocaloids, and maybe not. That will depend on whether the idea will go on. This was a piece I slapped together in 2 days cause I felt like it. Deal with possible OOCness cause like I said, Rui and Len aren't the star. I just don't want to be bugged by the idea. I'll cramp in some stuff so it's not seemingly me taking a story and changing names...I own the idea anyway so I have my excuse.
I also don't care for critism; I hadn't had enough of those since I was 5, so if you hate it, great. If you don't hate, that's good too. I could care less.