A/N: In this story, I'll have various opinions of my own. For example, the Kagamines are twins, and the genderbends, such as Kaiko Shion and Kasane Ted, are their own character, but are the brother or sister of the original Voca/UTAUloid. I've also included my current favorite Vocaloid, Kaai Yuki, as I don't feel that she is used that often. As for a fanmade Vocaloid? I included my own, who is named Kao Zikai, although in the early parts of the story, she will be referred to as Zikai-chan, as she doesn't reveal her first name until later in the story. I will try my best to get each chapter finished quickly, but due to school and sleeping routines, this might not be possible at the current time. But enough dilly-dallying! Let's get L.I.F.E started!
The Death and Mourning of Len Kagamine
Today was the 3rd of June, and the weather was depressing and bleak. It suited the mood of Vocatown to a tee. Since the death of the Kagamine boy named Len, the town hadn't been the same. He'd held the town together with his positive attitude and bright outlook on life, but exactly a year ago, a young UTAUloid who went by the name of Teto Kasane found him in a pool of blood outside the Vocaloid School for the Musically Gifted, the school every kid in town attended. Len and the eldest Shion sibling, Kaito, had been the star pupils, and were also a known couple up until a few months prior to Len's untimely death. Today was also the day of Len's funeral; his twin sister, Rin, couldn't bring herself to hold it last year with barely any preparation, so had spent the year making sure everything was the way Len would have wanted to have it. Len's best friend, an Engloid named Oliver, was also shaken by his death, and had helped Rin in any way he could.
Now, let's think of how Kaito felt when he gained knowledge of his ex-boyfriend's death. On the outside, the blue-haired Shion showed almost no emotion whatsoever, giving off the impression that he didn't care that Len was gone, which was the biggest lie possible. Deep down, Kaito was falling apart, devastated by the blonde's death. His sister, Kaiko, edged cautiously into her brother's room, followed closely by Nigaito and Akaito. "Kaito, are you coming down for dinner, or should I send Nigaito downstairs to get it for you again?" she asked him, peering around the door. As of late, Kaito hadn't been eating with the family, preferring to isolate himself, staying in his room unless it was to leave for school, and even then, it was a war to get him out of there!
"No, I'll come down...I need to see the rest of you, after all..." he muttered in response, standing up from his bed, where he had been sitting for who knows how long. Kaiko stood back from the door as her brother emerged of his own accord for the first time in possibly months. Nigaito and Akaito almost fell on top of each other when Kaito stepped out; they hadn't known him to come out of his room since what happened to Len! "Kaito, y-you're out of your bedroom!" the green-haired Shion said, taken aback by this.
"Yeah...so what, Nigaito? Am I not allowed to be out of my room? Has it become a crime?" his elder brother answered dryly.
"Of course you're allowed out of your room! It's just...you never usually come out of it..." Nigaito then sped downstairs, holding back tears. He hadn't meant to upset Kaito, he was just surprised that he was actually out of his room for once! The eldest Shion sighed and folded his arms. He shouldn't have snapped at Nigaito like that; after all, he had stated the truth. He then walked downstairs, and when his brothers saw him, they stared at him with their mouths agape. "KAITO!" Taito yelled, throwing his bundle of bandages out of his hands and running over to his brother. "You're out of your room! Kikaito!" The yellow-clad brother looked up at his name being called and nodded, to show he was paying attention. "Go get the golden leaf ice cream, Kaito's finally out of that bedroom of his!" Upon hearing this, Kikaito leaped from his seat and ran to the kitchen, returning moments later holding the tub of ice cream he had been asked to get. "Guys, there's really no reason to do this...anyway, I need to go to Len's funeral...even if Rin and Oliver don't want me there..." Kaito said, walking to the front door. He was right- Rin and Oliver didn't want him to come to the funeral, as he had broken Len's heart into a million shards of crimson red lies...
"Rin, we're almost ready to load the coffin into the limousine," the British boy told the solemn girl who happened to be the twin of the deceased.
"Thanks, Oliver...just...just let me look at my brother for a few moments more, before he's trapped for eternity in that tomb of oak and mahoghany..." Rin answered, doing her best not to cry, although she was struggling to do so. Who had done this- in fact, who would do this to someone like Len? She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see Oliver doing his best to be supportive. Rin smiled a little and stood from the seat next to her brother's coffin. "You can load it into the limo now..." she trailed off, leaving the small room. A few seconds later, Leon and Teto's brother Ted appeared.
"Right, guys, could you be so kind as to help me lift this coffin into the back of the limousine?" Oliver asked the other two. They nodded, and both ran to the coffin, then, with very little effort, lifted it up. Seconds later, they had it in the limo and had closed the door.
Where was Kaito, you ask? He was running as fast as he could to the funeral. He was almost there now, he could feel it! Suddenly, out of nowhere, Gakupo appeared in front of him. Kaito groaned. "Gakupo, move it! I need to get to Len's funeral!"
"Rin told me not to let you anywhere near the funeral, she doesn't want you there after what you did to Len," the purple haired Vocaloid said almost emotionlessly.
"I don't give a damn what Rin says, I have a right to attend the funeral of my ex-boyfriend!"
"Kaito, just go home. I won't let you pa-" Before Gakupo knew what had hit him, Kaito had shoved an ice cream cone into his face, obscuring his vision. Kaito then dashed to the place where the service was being held. He walked to the church doors slowly, and opened them with caution, as to not alert the other Voca- and UTAUloids. He sat down beside Gumi, a quiet girl who never really said much, because she was too shy to do so.
The service lasted at least an hour, and when everyone turned to leave, they saw the unmistakable blue scarf that was Kaito's trademark. "Kaito! Get out of here!" Miku yelled. She was Rin's best friend and always stuck by her side if she needed her.
"No, Miku, I won't get out! I always told Len that if he died before his time, no matter what it took, I'd go to his funeral!" he barked in reply, then sat down again. "Look, I know what I did to Len was wrong, but you have to understand, I loved that boy more than anything, and nothing will ever change that...he was my world, and I die inside every day thinking that...that maybe, if I hadn't of done what I did, then Len might still be alive...if you want, you can throw me out now...I know you all despise me being here, and I don't need any more guilt than I already have..." He felt someone place their hands on his shoulders and looked up to see Rin standing there.
"Kaito...we're not going to throw you out...Len really meant that much to you?"
"Of course he did! I'd have gladly died in his place, anything to have kept him here!"
"But Kaito, what about your brothers and sister? Wouldn't they be crushed if that had happened?"
"Yeah, but they'd have Len and you to help them through the grieving..." Suddenly, a short crimson haired Vocaloid popped up from behind the gaggle that surrounded Kaito.
"I can remember meeting Len...he was really nice..." she said, her deep blue eyes shining pools holding precious memories of the Kagamine boy.
"Kao, when did you get here?" Gumi asked, peering under Rin's arms as to be able to see Kao.
"I've been here the whole service, Gumi," she answered, exasperated. She knew she was quiet, but surely she wasn't invisible! "Anyway...I only knew Len for a year before he died; the rest of you have known him all your lives. So...what was Len like...you know, before I moved here?" The whole party looked at Rin- after all, she had been with Len since birth, so she'd have more to tell about the very early years of Len's life.
"Well, seeing as it's the first anniversary of his death, I think it'd make sense to talk about him...especially his whole, but short, life. Where do I start?"
"How about the first few months of kindergarten; when you guys met Miku, Kaito, Oliver and Meiko?" Haku said as she finally came over to where everyone else was. The others nodded in agreement, and Meiko, having not been paying attention, cocked her head and asked "Who said my name?"
"I don't actually feel comfortable talking about Len's life in the church...let's go to Voca park..." Rin said, and the others nodded curtly, then followed the Kagamine to the doors, walking to Voca park, the one place where Rin hadn't visited since what had happened to her twin...
Once they reached the park, they found a picnic table for them all to sit at. Because of the sheer population of Vocatown, the picnic tables had been specially designed to allow a large group to sit at just one table, so it wasn't a hard task. They sent Kao and Meiko to get food and drink, and then waited for them to return. When they did, they passed each Voca- or UTAUloid their food and drink. As usual, Neru wouldn't get off of her cell phone and so Kao hit her with the newspaper she constantly carried with her. When everyone had their things, Rin cleared her throat, and they all looked at her with confused expressions. Rin blushed from embarrassment then took a deep breath. "Well, you all asked me to tell you about the early years of my brother's life, so that's what I'm going to do. Although..."
"Although what, Rin?" Luka said, looking up from her tuna fish she had been eating.
"I can't remember every last detail, so I'll have to get Miku, Kaito, Meiko and Oliver to help me at parts...if that's OK with you guys of course."
"Of course it's OK, Rin-chan! Kaito, Meiko, Oliver, you had better get your memory caps on, we need to remember what happened in kindergarten!" Miku yelled, grinning hugely at the other three, who looked as if they wanted to hide due to Miku's over-enthusiasm.
"OK, so this is how Len's life went..."