One-shot #7: Omega
Characters: Utau, Kukai, Amu
Summary: She would not stand by and watch while this atrocity continued. Even when all she thought was secure cracked underneath her feet. Even when all those who called themselves her friends betrayed her. Even when her brother didn't recognize her face. Until the end, she would fight.
A/N: Hope everyone likes this one. It takes place in a dystopian future. Can you guys belief how close it is to Christmas?! Crazy! Anyway, enjoy!
Utau tried to hide her disgust as the door unlocked, signaling the end of class. She and her classmates filed out in a perfect line, just as they had ordered. She took a glance back to her "teacher" – or, rather, a latex-covered hunk of metal, a robot created for "educating" the children, as she exited.
She walked carefully down the hall, trying to blend in as much as possible with the other students. It wasn't very easy – her long blonde twin tails and violet eyes gave her away. She was the only one left in the school with colored eyes or hair.
She glanced up at the ceiling, watching the electronic eye scanning the hallway with a laser beam. She tried not to flinch as it swept across her body and plain grey jumpsuit. She hated it, but it was the necessary clothing for "Imperfects" such as herself.
Instead of turning right to go to her class, as usual, she turned left, entering a side hallway.
There was a girl sitting at the end of the hallway, at a table, writing on a sheet of paper. She was bald, and possessed blank, grey eyes, much like all other "Perfects" did. A simple white dress covered her thin, petite form, and if you looked closely, you could see a black barcode with an ID number on the bottom of her wrist.
'Improvement' was what they called it. A surgery, forced upon ever human being once they turned 16. It took away everything they were. Personality. Emotions. Free will. They became, in themselves, robots.
They wanted uniformity. They wanted perfection.
She supposed, to a blank and mechanical eye, like the one that looked at her now, that this world they were in was perfect. Everything was white and uniform. No stains, no dirt, no mess. No unclean or unpleasant people. Peace. No wars or arguments.
But what caused disputes in the first place? Opinions.
That was something no one had anymore.
Utau stopped in front of the girl at the desk. What she was about to do was a criminal action.
She leaned down and hugged her.
This girl used to be her best friend. She used to have a name to identify herself, and a personality for people to know her by.
Amu. Her name was Amu.
But now, all there was left was a blank, cold stare where warm honey eyes used to exist.
She stiffened. Of course, Imperfects weren't even allowed around Perfects.
Utau leaned close.
"I'm sorry."
And let her go.
Turning, she started running down the hallway. Her time was limited now.
Everything they did, every single living, breathing second, from the time they had their surgery, or were "reborn", to the time of death, was planned. Ordered. They were told – no, programmed – to live the way they did.
Perfections was useless. Meaningless.
For what was the meaning of life? Did life had meaning without the things that made time worthwhile – happiness, and love? Was "perfection" worth the total destruction of human nature?
She supposed it all came down to that.
She arrived at the library. It was their place – before they took him too.
She saw him, sitting there, in the same chair he used to sit in. But he was different now. He had perfect, broomstick-back posture, not the casual, relaxed stance he used to have.
"Kukai." She spoke his name. After today, the last surgery, he wouldn't recognize that name anymore. He'd be known by a series of numbers.
He turned towards her. He still had his hair – most of it, anyway – but his eyes were monochrome. They used to look at her with warmth, and maybe even love. But now – now they were empty.
He was going to do it with her. Take a stand. Together. Against them.
But they'd gotten him first. And now it was too late.
Knowing she had no time to waste, she threw herself at him, trying not to cry.
This was it.
She'd never see him again.
Would he be sad? Would he cry too?
Probably not. Perfects couldn't cry, nonetheless show emotions.
She wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be outside, waiting, for them to take her too.
She was the last one.
Today, she and Kukai, the last Imperfects, would be "fixed", and a new age of 'humanity' would begin.
But she would rather die than let herself become something like that.
"I love you." She whispered to him, her voice cracking.
Ah, there they were. The alarms began to go off.
They knew she was planning something.
There was nothing she'd like better – to sit here, in Kukai's arms, and pretend everything was okay.
But that was just a fantasy.
She looked up, seeing his confused eyes.
He probably didn't recognize her anymore.
She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.
Did her return it? Her last farewell kiss?
Who knows.
Utau was out of the library and running before he could even register what had happened.
She heard them running on the stairs.
"Utau Tsukiyomi, return to Pad A of the Front Lawn immediately, or you will be terminated."
It did seem a bit harsh when she'd only been a little late, but they didn't tolerate mistakes of any kind.
She'd seen them shoot a small girl for hugging a Perfect. Her mother.
But didn't you know? Only Childcare Androids are allowed to touch children.
I will not stand by and watch while this atrocity continues. I will stand for what I believe in.
Even when everything she knew was a lie.
"Utau Tsukiyomi! Halt immediately!"
Even when all she thought was secure cracked underneath her feet.
The door of the roof burst open, and Utau's feet pounded on the pavement as she raced across the cement.
Even when all those who called themselves her friends betrayed her.
"Utau Tsukiyomi! Halt!"
Ah. I know that voice.
Even when her brother didn't recognize her face.
I will fight until the end.
She leapt up upon the edge of the roof.
Until my last breath,
She spread her arms,
Until my last heartbeat,
And let herself fall.
Until my time stops,
No one would take away who she was.
I will fight.
...
Utau Tsukiyomi, Imperfect
Perished via self-destruction
at
12:00 a.m.
on
1/1/1 of the New Age.
