"Len...?" Miku asked, astonished. Pride/Len didn't answer, his face blank. Envy smirked and nodded to Len. Len stepped toward them, a small dagger in his hand. His face as blank as ever, he stepped forward. Rin shuddered, huging herself. Len clenched his hands and brought the dagger up, swinging it down with amazing force and strength. Rin screamed as it flew toward her. She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain. There was a grunt, then a loud thump! Rin opened one eye, peeking under the lashes.
Luka lay on the ground in front of her, the dagger in her stomach.
Rin screamed. "LUKA!" Bending down, Rin hugged Luka to herself, Rin's small body shaking with sobs.
"Why Len? Why?" She cried. "Why are you doing this...?" Len's mouth twitched into a frown. "Why are you calling me Len? My name is Pride. You must have me confused with someone else." Rin stared, tears in her eyes. Pride's heart cracked a bit. He stepped forward, almost as if to apoligize. Rin glared and stood up, her fists clenched. "Stay away from her, Le- Pride. You'll have to get through me first to get to Luka." Kaito touched her shoulder. "And me." Gakupo also stepped forward. "And me." Shortly after him, Miku followed. "Me too. Stay away from all of us, Pride. Run, before we kill you." Pride glared and turned, dissapearing down the swerving street, but not before shooting Rin a hurt glance that made her heart ache.
Rin sniffed.
She had spent the past hour having a good cry over Len.
Not only the Len she knew, but the new Len.
The one who tried to stab her.
The one who had hurt Luka.
The one who no longer loved her.
A slight breeze flew through her room, ruffling her hair.
Wait, a breeze?
Rin turned. The window was open, and someone was coming in from it. Rin opened her mouth to scream-
And Pride's hand closed over her mouth. "Shut up," he hissed. "I'm not here to hurt you!" Rin glared, but her gaze softened when she realized that Pride's eyes were serious and pleading, with a touch of sadness, just like Len's were when he was asking something important of you.
Rin sat on the bed, waiting.
Pride was wearing the same outift as before - black jacket with a red line down the side of the sleeve, black tanktop, black pants with a red stripe down the side. Black black black.
Pride sat down next to her, his blond hair covering his expression. "Did you know me when I was human?" He asked quietly. Rin hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah..." she whispered. Pride turned, his eyes peircing and bright. "What was I like?" He asked excitedly. Rin smiled softly, memories of Len filling her mind. "Well... You were nice. Giving. Lovable. Kind. Funny. Impossible to hate. Sometimes infuriating, though I could never stay mad at you. You were also shota-ish-" "I'M NOT A SHOTA!" Pride glared. Rin laughed, her sides aching. Pride stared at her, confused. Was she always this loud?
When Rin finally calmed down, Pride was scribbling in a small journal. Rin peeked over his shoulder.
Pride quickly slammed the journal closed. Rin smirked. "You have a diary, huh? Shota-chan?" Pride glared. "It's not a diary," he smiled, all the anger rushing out of him when he saw Rin's happy eyes. "It's a-" "Journal, you've told me a thousand times. You used to tell me that a lot when we were...alive." Rin's smile faltered at the word alive. Pride couldn't resist stroking her hair. "We're still human, you know." He murmured into her hair. "We are?" Rin mumbled. She could feel Pride nod. "Yeah. We can feel right? We both have emotions, we can feel pain, we can love. That means we're human." Rin sighed, not saying anything. Her head fell to Pride's chest, her eyes closing. Her breath fell in rythm to Len's heartbeat.
Pride smiled at Rin's small figure.
He gently set her down, careful not to wake her up. Then, quietly, he slipped out the window.
While returning, he mentally facepalmed. I forgot to ask her who I was! Pride thought, exasperated. Oh well. I'll ask her next time. Smiling, Pride arrived at the Homunculi' hideout. Envy smirked at Pride. "Where've you been, shota?" He asked. Pride gritted his teeth, but kept from replying. Replies just fueled Envy.
Pride headed to his room, which was more like a cell.
With white walls, a small bed, a bookshelf, and no windows, it did kind of resemble a prison.
Sighing, Pride slumped onto the bed, journal in hand. His eyes slowly closed, drifting off into dreamland.
Len watched as the princess sobbed into her hands. "Those filthy peasants are soiling my castle!" Rin cried. Len put a hand on her shoulder. "Rin, I will buy you time. Run while you still can." Rin looked up at him. "Run? Where would I go? If I ran, my citizens would think I am weak, and I would be killed the instant anyone finds out who I am. I wouldn't stand a chance." Len smiled weakly at her strength. "Somewhere far." Rin glared. "It's just a revolt. Suppress the people." Len sighed. "Princess, this isn't just a revolt. This is a revolution." Rin frowned. "Len," She said, her voice firm, "We should-" "Lady," he interrupted. Rin glared at him in annoyance. "What?" He drew her closer. "Oujo-sama," he whispered. Rin buried her face in his chest. "oujo sama," Len whispered again. He thrust a bundle of clothes into her hands. He had hidden food in them to help her, along with money."Take them and escape immediately. We're twins - surely no one will notice!" Quickly, he shoved the princess into a secret chamber that not even the servants knew about. He shut the door closed. Opening her wardrobe, Len quickly changed into one of Rin's dresses, trying not to blush with embarrassment as he stepped into her undergarments. "God, how can she wear this stuff?" He asked himself. He shuddered as he struggled to comprehend the corset. He gave up on that.
When he was finished, Len tugged his ponytail off. He sat down on Rin's chair, waiting for Meiko and Kaito.
Len stared at the mob as he stood on the stage. Near the front was someone in a gray cloak. Len smiled slightly as he realized it was Rin.
Kaito shoved him to the guillotine. Len walked dutifully. He bent down, placing his neck on the wood. He stared at the crowd. Looking straight at Rin, he smiled. She smiled back, though it looked more like a cringe through her tears.
The blade came crashing down.
A tear trailed down Len's cheek.
When Pride awoke, his neck was aching badly. Was that a dream? He thought. Or...was it a memory? Sighing, he Pride went to his private bathroom and grabbed a towel. Groaning, he quickly undressed and took a shower. When he stepped out, his long hair was dripping. He pulled on a new change of clothes. Grabbing the towel, he rubbed at his hair, trying to dry it faster. He walked down the hallway, not really paying attention to where he was going. Hnnn... I wonder what Rin's doing today, he thought, a smirk on his lips. Maybe I should check on her. Smiling, Pride pulled on the only pair of regular clothes he had; A gray shirt, white jacket, black converses, jeans, and a black belt. He tied his hair up and put a baseball cap over his head, so he wouldn't be recognized. Quietly, Pride slipped out the window.
Rin sighed.
She was at the park with the other Vocaloids. They were celebrating the beautiful weather.
Except for Meiko, of course. She was at home, drinking. Again.
Sighing, Rin's hand snaked into her pocket, fingering the watch. She glanced around. Something - or, rather, someone - caught her eye.
A boy, with a cap over his hair, locked eyes with her. His lips curved into a smile. He gestured to her. Rin glanced at the other Vocaloids. "I'm going for a walk!" She called to them. "Meet me at home!" Miku nodded.
Rin walked to the boy. He gestured for her to follow and led her to an alley. Rin hesitated. What if he's Envy in disguise? No, if it was Envy, he would have attacked her by now. They were alone, after all.
The boy turned and yanked off his cap. Pride.
Pride smiled. "Rin!" He greeted. Rin smiled back. "Hi Pride." Pride pulled her close, hugging her. "Missed you," he whispered into her hair. Rin smiled. "Missed you too... Pride." They stayed like that for a while, unwilling to let go.
When they finally parted, Pride grabbed Rin's hand. "Yesterday you never told me who I was," Pride began. Rin finished his thought. "And you came because you want to know," she finished. Pride nodded sheepishly. "Well..." She said, her voice soft. "We were close as kids, but when we got older, we were split apart. I became twisted, a tyrant. You didn't care. You were always there." "Yeah, but who was I?" Pride asked, impatient. "You were my brother," Rin whispered. Pride blinked. "Older or younger?" Rin smiled. "Younger. We were twins." Pride groaned. "Great, I'm the younger one..." Rin laughed. Pride covered his eyes with his hands. "You have it easy by being older, Rin. Lucky duck." Rin grabbed his hand. "Don't worry. Being older isn't any fun. Anyways-"
"Pride? What are you doing with one of them?" They both turned to see Lust and Gluttony.
