I woke up with a jolt, Japan! I can't believe we were going! Finally (well in a week but then again Japan)! You could consider that I was up early cause I was just too excited to sleep. Washing up I heard Kaito stir from the other room, I glanced at the clock as I walked out of the shower toweling dry my hair…the blue dial flashed, 7:30am. I frowned, Kaito should have been up by now…I walked to his adjoining room, and he was no where? But I did hear something…then the sheets on his bed moved, ok…I was seriously freaking out, I grabbed my hardcover book on the desk in defense, for the second time in my life my vocaloid went missing and there was something else in his room?
Then a tuff of blue peaked out from the bottom of the sheets, I lowered my book a little. This was getting stranger and stranger. Then a head and a hand and a leg! Then Kaito…or I think it was Kaito tumbled onto the floor in his blue PJs…and landed on his bottom.
I crouched down in front of him, he rubbed his eyes and looked up at me. I squealed! Haha! I just couldn't help myself! Kaito was chibified right in front of my eyes, too cute!
He stared at me then he stared at himself, then realization and panic hit him, "Nicole! Why am I so near the floor! And did you suddenly grow tall at night?"
I moved to the side, so that he could see himself in the floor length mirror.
"I'm…small?" he asked his reflection then he moved so close to the mirror that he bumped into 'himself', then he looked up at me again, "what's going on?"
"I have no idea…" I started, then I giggled, "…but you look so cute now…" I patted him on the head, then I burst into fits of laughter again.
I took a glance in his direction and saw that he had crossed his arms and wasn't looking too amused.
"Ok…ok…" I said, doing my best to stop laughing, then an announcement sounded out though the overhead speakers.
Good morning! Students and vocaloids of Crypton's School of the Future, as some of you may already know, all vocaloids as well as vocaloid items have been chibified due to some technical glitches in the system, please do not worry as we are trying to fix this within the next three days, so do not be alarmed, lessons will proceed as per normal. Thank you.
"Well now we know what's going on!" I commented trying hard not to laugh.
He tried to stand, but fell right back down cause he was not used to his chibi form, after a few tries he finally got the hang of it though.
He grabbed his clothes for the day and hopped off to the bathroom, when he said in a panicky voice, "I can't shower!" I popped my head into the bathroom. Now this was a problem…if I turned on the bath shower for him it would be like a tsunami hit him and that wouldn't be good, I turned one full circle then I stopped facing the sink…the sink…
"Why not try the sink…and I'll help you turn on the tap?" I suggested.
"Mmm…okey!" Then I scooped him up on my palm and placed him on the ledge near the sink.
"Uh…okay…I'm going to on the tap and go get my books for today…okay…so…err…you just do whatever you normally do…" I said, a little awkward.
Xxx
I slung my backpack over my shoulder, and I heard Kaito calling from the bathroom, "Yep wassup?" I said.
"Help me off the tap!" he said, tip toeing and trying to reach the handle to turn it off, he looked like he was on the verge of slipping off the edge.
Stepping quickly, I flicked the taps off. "Hop up!" I said offering my palms.
"This is nice! Ice cream!" he exclaimed, pointing toward the fridge, changing direction, he was seated in the palm of my hand when I put him next to the sensor where he scanned his hand and managed to open the freezer. I propped up the door with my book and left him to find his desired flavour of ice cream. I turned to go get some green tea for the morning, pouring the hot water into my cup, I heard the slam of the fridge door, I held the cup gingerly as I made my way to where Kaito was, and for the second time this morning he was missing again, but if he had closed the fridge door, then he should be outside...unless…wait…I heard the door slam…I looked down the book was on the floor...oh crap! I hurriedly opened the fridge door.
"Kaito! Are you ok?" I exclaimed as I opened the door Kaito tumbled out holding a tub of chocolate aisu shrunk down to his size of course, catching him in my hand, I placed him next to my hot cup of tea.
"F-freezing…and I didn't know that there were no lights when fridge doors are closed…" he replied, warming his hands on the surface of my cup.
I sat down in the chair, "I'm so sorry…I'll make sure that you are out next time any door shuts…" I stared at my drink feeling bad, then I got up went to the fridge an picked an apple, then I picked one box out of my many tsubu tsubu pocky and tore open the pack and started munching, this was the typical breakfast by the way, if you were wondering. Except you could say that today's breakfast would be shrouded in gloom with me huddled in some corner if this was an anime. Yes, I get down if I feel bad.
"Nicole-sama…it's ok…" he finally looked up and said. "Don't worry! I wasn't scared at all! And a little cold doesn't really hurt, and I have my scarf, see!" he said holding up a blue stripped scarf that I recently bought him. He was so sweet trying to make me feel better.
I smiled wanly, and murmured, "Thanks."
Then he looked around his scarf swishing from side to side, the furrowing his brows he hugged his ice cream tub and said in a burst, "You know!"
Snapping my attention from my pocky to him I said, "No…I don't know…"
"Well…" he began, "…remember you said that Barzini was in all those horrible groups…"
He was? I thought to myself when? Then I remembered! Oh ho! The spy game! He continued! This is war!
"Ah…yes…why?"
Then he started telling me what Barzini told Miku who told him what the 'real' truth was and when he got to the Willy Wonka part, I was doing my best trying not to laugh. When he finished he looked up at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. "Well..." I stalled. Then a light bulb went off in my head, why not rope in Kaito to trick Miku and get Barzini over there in a sticky mess. Did I really want to do that? But he did start it…
I sighed, "Well…you see…I'm technically a double agent in another organization that is sworn against all these acts…which was why I used to be in the same group as Barzini is now in the first place…and the assassination of Willy Wonka was not done by me but by my partner…" I heard Kaito gasp, then I put my hand up, "But! It was necessary as Barzini is actually a master at mind control and Mr. Wonka was compromised and under his influence and actually wanted to stop all production of chewy chocolate," I said with emphasis, knowing that chewy chocolate was one of Kaito's favourite ice cream flavours, without pausing I grabbed a pocky from my box, "and you know what his plans are now…" placing my hands at both ends of the pocky I broke it into two.
"No…" Kaito said.
I nodded sadly nibbling on one end of the pocky, "Yup…their plans are now to break all pocky…that's why he wanted to get close to me in the first place…there now you know everything…"
"…" He messed up his hair with his hands, "Nicole-sama! Why are you involved in such dangerous things! How will I…nevermind…" then picking himself up using his hands, he asked, "I should warn Miku about Barzini-san's mind control!"
I nodded gravely at his statement. His eyes went out of focus for a while.
"Done~! I PMed Miku…" Kaito told me.
"Well…I think we should go now…" I said, of course I was just anxious cause I wanted to see the other vocaloids chibified too, call me biased but Kaito is the no. 1 cute and I know it!
"Kait-" I called, then I remembered, he couldn't get down from the table by himself. "Mmm…you wanna sit on my shoulder?" I offered. He nodded. Scooping him up, placed him on my shoulder, "Is it ok?" I asked. "Yup!" he quipped.
I stepped out of my room, outside was a chaos as usual, but more so today. I was just going to take one more step when a voice said, "Wait! Stop! Halt!" my foot half in mid air I looked down, it's was Aki! Then Amy hurried over, "You know for a second there I seriously thought you were going to step on her..."
"Well how about you carry her?" I said, vowing at the same time to be more vigilant for any chibi vocaloids walking around.
"Good idea!" Amy picked Aki up placed her on her shoulder like I did with Kaito.
We were walking to class and I asked, "Where's Yukina?"
"Eto...I think she left early for some Lit project she was supposed to do..."
I was going to reply when, Aki started making weird gestures, shaking her head wildly at Kaito. I looked down…
He dripped aisu on my shoulder...
Well now he was frantically trying to rub it out but he was just making it worse, "Ok ok...stop!" I exclaimed.
"Nicole-sama…" Kaito said, I turned and saw that his big blue eyes were shiny.
"You know what? I'll go back and get another shirt….tell Mr Ng that I'll be late…" I said to Amy. Nodding she hurried off.
Turning to Kaito I picked him up and placed him on my palm and said, "Hey! Don't be upset…it's ok…I'll just get another shirt!"
He rubbed his eyes and looked up at me.
I was thinking that I was going to die from his cuteness, "Do a headstand if you can't hold in the tears!" remembering the line from a Taiwan drama. I finally reached my room, unlocking the door, I kicked it shut behind me.
I sat him down on the table and took a seat on my chair, "It's ok…don't be upset or gloomy cause of this okay!"
He curled up in a ball, "B-but…Nicole-sama will be late for class…" he said in a whisper.
"You know what…being late won't kill me…and besides…you'll be gloomy about the shirt the whole day if I don't change right? And we definitely can't have that…"
"Okay…" he mumbled still not looking up.
"You know what…I'm gonna be as frank as possible…my responsibility is to you and so if you are upset that makes it my problem too…"
I looked down at Kaito hoping that he understood what I was trying to get at. Instead he had a horrified expression on his face, "That means every time I'm upset…I'm hurting Nicole-sama too!"
"Uh…" Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that…
"I'm not going to ever be upset again!" he announced. Well, ok…I was hoping for something like that…but definitely not in this way. Argh! But nevermind, so long as he not in the gloom.
"Okay! But if you ever have any problems…you just tell me okay!" I popped him on my hand and we got some ice cream from the fridge, setting him down on the table I turned to my room to change.
Xxx
I ducked at the classroom windows, creeping towards the classroom door, leaning my back against the door, I took a deep breath, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kaito taking one too, then bracing myself, I rapped hard on the door three times and stepped in, "I'm sorry I'm late!" I announced bowing at the same and shutting the door behind me.
"Nicoleee" Mr Ng, started and dragged out my name, I winced at what was to come and also for my poor ears who were adjusting to the crazy pitch again. "Thank you, for at least knocking the door…" he continued, "But~!" he barked, "You are still late~!" once again he dragged out the last syllable, his voice changing pitch to what I thought was a minor key.
I was shuffling on the spot now…
"SO~!" he switched the key back to normal, "please do the sum on the board…or else…"
I stared, not quite grasping the suddenness of his request.
"Nowwwww…" he dragged once more, this time in a very nasal voice.
I snapped to attention and walked stiffly to the board, I saw Kaito burring his head in him hands trying not to show an upset face because of what I was subjected to since I was late, "No worries…" I whispered in assurance. Looking up at the board, I saw the diagram and the topic and smiled, Geometrical proofing…easy…I had this in the bag! It was my favourite topic and I read the chapter wayyy before hand.
I stared at the diagram for a while, twirling the marker about my fingers, then I started, "…therefore, since PQ / AD, by intercept theorem…and since =AB2 by tangent secant theorem…" I mumbled while frantically trying to decipher the patterns in the diagram, "There! Proven!" I said triumphantly finishing off the last part of the question with a flourish, capping the marker with a click, I twirled it around my thumb and handed it back to Mr. Ng.
Sure I was a little smug, but I couldn't help it ok! I heard Kaito heave a sigh of relief.
"Not~! Bad~! You may sit!" Mr. Ng said in undulating tones again.
Taking my seat, Aki asked softly, "How! How did you do it! He didn't even give you any guiding questions to help you, like it normally is asked! He just went straight to the final question! I really thought you were in for it!"
"Well…consider it my mystical eye powers of figuring out patterns in circles and triangles…" I said mysteriously.
"Hehh! Okay!" Amy said.
"Nicole awesome!" Kaito quipped.
"Back there~! Don't talk!" Mr. Ng snapped at us. We fell into silence.
Xxx
Lesson finally ended, with me ending up with one more piece of assignment for being late.
I slid down on the desk my hands sticking out, "…More homework…" I groaned.
Kaito crossed his legs on the table and rested his chin on his hands, "Gambatte!" Well, I guess it was good to see that he was not glooming like he normally would have.
"So what's up with being late today?" Zhengyi came up to me, Neru was propped up on his head trying not to look interested, "Normally, I would have been the late one…"
"Uh…don't ask…" I waved him off.
"Hungry! Lunch!" Aki exclaimed.
"Now that you mention it…to the canteen people!" Amy said grabbing Zhengyi and my wrist and dashing out of the classroom, effectively dragging us along.
"Waii~!" Kaito said in shock as he scrabbled for some handholds before he got flung off, I saw Neru holding on to Zhengyi's hair.
Xxx
Ordering our food, I got some Soba for myself and Ramen for Kaito together with some maccha ice cream.
"Yo~! Over here!" a familiar voice called, taking deep breaths, I turned to find Garcia waving. Nori was…I have no idea…
Sitting at their table I noticed, Marcia was also there along with another girl (who had a Japanese traditional tea set all set up at the table, tea enthusiast?) and what I presumed was her vocaloid.
"Nice to meet you! Nicole! And this is Kaito…" I said sliding Kaito on the table, taking in her appearance, long dark-blue hair, tied in a low ponytail and her blue eyes were framed by white specs much like mine. Her vocaloid on the other hand had a Gakupo kind of hairstyle except it was black and a pair of black chopsticks held up his ponytail, he had black eyes with silver half-framed glasses and sported a white version of Kaito's earphones on his ears. He was wearing a black unbuttoned coat with long sleeves that were rolled up to his elbows and a white shirt with the top few buttons unbuttoned which was tucked into his black pants.
"Hajimemashite! Karen! And this is Yuki!" she replied.
"Yuki…is that…"
"Yup…Haru and Nori's older brother…"
The two vocaloids stared at each other for a while, when Yuki ran up to Kaito and said, "We are gonna be bros!"
Looking a little taken a back Kaito and Yuki eventually sat together and started talking.
"Congrats on getting tops for the music project!" Garcia said.
"You too!" I said in reply.
Next to me, Neru was pounding Zhengiyi's head, "Put me down! Put me down!"
"Alright! Alright!" Zhengyi picked up Neru and sat her on the table. I looked at where Neru was gazing at, she was looking at Yuki? An admirer maybe?
Then suddenly, "AHHHH~~~!" I looked up at the source of the noise and found Nori flying…no you didn't read wrong he was flying…
"Save me~!" he was starting his descent and was failing his arms about attempting to no make a crash landing.
"Gottcha!" Garcia said as she caught Nori, "What experiment did you get yourself into?"
"Well…it's my latest experiment!" Haru replied, flying though the air too and handing on his feet on the table. "With that last experiment…I have perfected the angle of elevation for my contraption to launch my chibi self at the perfect right arc on to tables of this height so that I don't die." ending in a frank statement.
"So does that mean I don't have to help you up on tables anymore?" Marcia asked her vocaloid.
"Yup!" Haru replied.
"That's awesome!" Marcia said high fiving her vocaloid.
"I could use that…" I think I heard Zhengyi mumble that. Too bad for him Neru caught that statement, and let's just say he ended up apologising profusely.
"Try not to bully my littlest brother over there will you…" Yuki sighed to Haru.
"Well…what's done is done, niisama!" Haru retorted in reply.
"But sti-" Kaito started wanting to be of some help, but was shot down by Haru in a look that looked evil almost.
Drinking her green tea, Karen commented, "I think you better take good care of Kaito now…"
I gave her a questioning look.
"He just gave him the evil stare…" Nori said, "…I'm so sorry…" bowing his head in solemn silence after that.
My eyes widened, "What? What's gonna happen!"
"Haru is probably going to use him as a lab rat!" Yuki said whipping out a sake bottle a pointing it toward the ceiling.
"EH~! So…but…wait…ok…but you are his new found bro right?" I asked Yuki.
"Well…I am…"
"So aren't you going to save him or something!" I asked anxiously.
"I would…but…too late," was the reply as I followed Yuki's thumb down to the floor, Kaito had some how got off the table and was tied up! And he was being dragged by Haru to his weird contraption from before…oh crap…I was thinking…
"Nicole-sama!" Kaito squealed as he shot out from the contraption curled in a ball.
I stood up knocking the chair down, "Ok! I got it!" Catching Kaito like how I would catch a baseball.
I looked up from my catching stance, and saw Yukina clutching her book to her chest and holding a box of pocky in the other, "What…are you doing?" she asked tilting her head to the side.
"Uh…I was…um…just catching Kaito…" I said sheepishly, then narrowing my eyes at Haru, "…cause he got shot dangerously from a machine…"
"Thanks of catching me Nicole!" Kaito said gratefully.
"Ah…ok…" Yukina answered, nodding.
"Where's Piko?" I asked.
"Right there!" she said, pointing down. Lowering my gaze, I saw Piko holding a book reading and pushing along one of the library carts.
"Library cart?" Zhengyi raised one eyebrow.
Piko looked up and answered practically, "It was finally small enough to push around with me at all times so that I don't have to keep going back to get more books…we just came down for a snack anyway…"
"Uhhuh…so where Mai!" Garcia asked Yukina.
In reply she fiddled her thumbs, in a poor imitation of Mai and his PSP.
"Heh~ he was supposed to show me his new game!" Garcia pouted.
The warning bell for the start of the next period sounded, "well…ok…I better get going…" Yukina said.
"See you in choir practice later!" I waved back, yes…I managed to convince her to join last week!
The rest of the day was manageable, only the problem was the fact that the vocaloids chibified sure they were cute (Kaito was twirling about on my desk when I was bored during Geography class) but, I ticked off the list I was quickly forming in my head...
You have to watch where you step…or you'll end up like me almost stepping on Aki this morning.
You have to remember that they can't follow you if you put them on table they can't get down from…remember this morning…
When your vocaloids need to get things from high up places…you either need to be tall enough to support your vocaloid or you have to stack a lot of thing so that they can climb.
Touch activated items like the fridge was a huge hassle.
And most of all taking a bath was dangerous…recount this morning…
List to be continued…
Xxx
"Quick...quick!" I mumbled to myself, scribbling madly on my scores.
It was nearing the end of the day, only Choir practice was left and it starts in half an hour. I was supposed to fill in the solfege for the twelve page score and attempt to sight-sing it later, but obviously, I was already running out of time. Kaito was helping me a lot by telling me what major or minor key each page starts with and was identifying all the key changes for me in the song. It kinda made me wonder how I even did his without his help before…
"Andd! Done!" I exclaimed, checking the time, I had ten minutes to rush to the choir room.
Placing Kaito on my shoulder, I exited my room and walk briskly to the practice room, humming the tune softly to myself trying to internalise what I could.
"Nicole-sama!" Kaito said from my shoulder leaning in as far as possible to see the score, "it should be like this for bars 40-45…" he hummed it out.
Eyes scanning the page, "Yup you're right thanks partner!"
I was still looking intently at the score when someone bumped into me nearly causing Kaito to lose his balance…there! See! I added mentally too my list, point number 6, bumping into people can now be life threatening to vocaloids.
"Nicoleeee!" Karina squealed, and she hugged me tightly.
"Uh…Rina…you are crushing me!" I said using her pet name.
Len who was sleeping on her head, sat up sleepily at the commotion and gave a small wave.
We entered the choir room together. The choir room was actually a 180 degree viewing galleria which overlooked the school's garden, with glass window planes that reached ceiling high and had a few raised steps along one side and a grand piano in one corner.
"Yo!" Yukina said in greeting as we entered. Our choir was small, only 15 people and well it was all made up of girls so far…though of course the vocaloids could always help for the Bass and Tenor bits. Our conductor insisted that be sing SATB scores…Most of our songs were acapella, seeing that we were small, it was a perfect fit.
We were getting into our rows, when the door swung open with a bang.
"No! No! NO!" our conductor, Sir Tay (or at least that's what he said we are supposed to call him though I honestly think he's living in the wrong century…like what is he?...trying to role play as a knight or something?) , screeched when he saw that we were in rows, he was wearing a three piece suit and his champagne coloured tailcoat jacket was flapping behind him. As we stared on as we watched our conductor get on one knee and somehow produced a rose from nowhere and held it sideways in his mouth, then he clapped his hands twice and said, "Today! We dance!" Well, ok…if you thought that was dramatic you should have seen when he came in last week in a knights costume complete with a sword and started giving out scores for a Japanese song…talk about no link…ok…I'm rambling…
"He can't be serious…" Len said incredulously.
"I know right…but considering last week…" Kaito replied in a whisper, eyeing the conductor.
"I'm here!" a blonde haired girl flew into the room and stopped midway at the entrance, she was wearing casual clothes and a pair of head phones hung around her neck and on her right hand was a yellow wrist band, much like Mai's I was thinking, slowing down I saw Gakupo hanging out from the pocket of her shirt, she looked around questioningly, "So…did I miss anything?"
"Well…we are supposed to dance…" Piko answered.
"But I thought this was the choir where people sing?" she questioned back.
Our conductor stamped his feet and whined, "NO! We are going to dance! And since you are new, come introduce yourself!"
"The name is Toey! And this is Gakupo!" the girl said, plucking the Hakama - Jinbaori clad vocaloid from her shirt and placing him on her head.
"Fantastic, my dear~!" the conductor exclaimed, presenting Toey with his rose, "now, we shall demo for the rest!" Grabbing Toey's hands he pulled her into a dancing stance.
"Now one two three, one two three, and two and two…and one!" he chanted as the pulled Toey in a whirl across the room. Half way he snapped his fingers and the piece of music we were supposed to sing played throughout the room.
"There! People that's how you do it! Now follow!" And he dragged me, earning a look of distaste from Kaito, and partnered me with Toey as he paired up the rest.
"Hi!" I said while dancing, "I'm Nicole and over here is Kaito."
"Hi! Isn't this the choir?" she asked back.
"Well," I said taking a turn, "it is…don't ask me how it ended up like that…he was more normal the last practice…but maybe that's cause we didn't really do any singing yet…more of like a get to know you session"
"I see…I kinda just transferred here that's why I missed the first practice…" Toey replied, I turned my head a little and found Kaito bobbing along to the music.
Gakupo on the other hand had 'stabbed' a katana in Toey's hair and was dancing around it a fan poised in his hand. He should trade katana secrets with Neru I thought to myself.
"Ne~! Where's Luka?" Gakupo asked Toey.
I raised my voice a little, "If you are looking for Luka…she's with Mai…"
The grip on my hand tightened and I winced, "Mai…you know Mai?" Toey asked.
I nodded, "Uhhuh…hand!" I said, she relaxed her grip, then looked at me expectantly, Gakupo had stopped dancing and was listening. I was thinking…what does she have to do with the PSP loving boy…don't tell me…she transferred…no…I don't think so…
"Well…uh…" I started, then Kaito cut in lying flat out on my shoulder, "Mai-san was in our group for the last music project…and he takes Lit. major…so yes we know him…"
"I see…" Toey replied, then the music cut off.
"No talking! Feel the beat! Dance the dance!" the conductor shouted at us from across the room. We fell into an easy silence, I let myself relax and feel the music, picking out the harmonies and melodies, my pitch sensitive ears teasing out the chords. Then it ended fading off, and everyone let out a collective breath, seemed like I wasn't the only one into it. Later I found out that the song was actually looped five times…crazy music teacher…
"That was good!" our conductor clapped his hands, and he continued and said, "now we will sing with solfege!" the starting note rang out from the piano.
We scrambled for our scores and I shared mine with Toey.
As we sang, I was slight-singing the piece as well as I could with Kaito humming some bars to help me along, I realised that the dancing steps matched the basic rhythms though out the piece and made sub dividing the trickier parts of the song much easier.
"Okay! Everyone! Lie down~!" the conductor cried out midway through the song.
We scrambled to obey, I carefully put Kaito on the floor before lying down next to him, still singing.
Our conductor had also followed suit, his hands up in the air giving us beat and time as we stared up at the ceiling, then nearing the end of the song, he cut us off together in a flourish.
"That was good!" he said, his voice sounded out though the room, "Now we can go back into your rows! Toey shall join Nicole's section."
"Dozo yoroshiku," Gakupo said with a bow next to me.
"No prob!" I said back inclining my head.
We sang the song one more time, it was almost perfect in technique and rhythm, and called it a day, honestly it was the fastest I've ever learned a song.
"For being such a lovely bunch you shall all get flowers!" our conductor said with a huge gesture and roses started flooding out from nowhere.
"What is he? A magician?" Kaito exclaimed, looking around for the source of the flowers.
"Beats me all I know is that he's one good conductor," I breathed back.
By the time, the barrage of roses ended, Sir Tay…I thought drily to myself, was nowhere to be found…just as well I suppose…
Tapping me on my shoulder Karina's eyes sparkled as she said, "The lying down really made me work my abs muscles!" Now that she mentioned it, it was true…it was only now that I realised that my muscles were aching from the singing and dancing.
"Nicole-sama is hurting?" Kaito tugged on my sleeve.
"Eh! No…I'm just fine…only if it hurts then you know that you are singing from the right place and using your full gut power and not your throat voice to sing…doesn't that apply to you too?" I explained and ask back.
He shook his head and said curiously, "Nope, we are born to sing, so obviously we don't consider where we sing from is right or wrong. We just sing."
"Lucky~" I said back.
I looked around and frowned, "Where's Toey?"
"I think I saw her go off with Yukina…" Karina said. Went off to go find Mai?
"Wanna grab dinner with me?" I asked my childhood friend.
Xxx
I waved bye to Karina and Len, Kaito was being extra careful of his ice cream he was eating on my shoulder.
"Haaa~…" I sighed, thinking about the extra math homework, making my way back to our room.
"Let's not go back just yet…" Kaito said.
"Then where do you suggest? Honestly I'm so sleepy and tired, I can drop dead right now…" I commented, singing was not an easy feat ok! Especially when I had to learn dancing as well…not that I have two left feet…ok…I get carried away…
"Music hall! You haven't finished telling me the names of the stars!" Kaito proclaimed. I was surprised, well, normally he would have just given in to me, so I guess it's a nice change for him to want something…besides ice cream…
"Okay!" I quickly agreed.
Sneaking in through the back entrance of the hall, I sat at my usual seat reclined it so that I was facing the ceiling, seeing that her chair was too big for the current chibi Kaito I put him on the chair's armrest instead. I watched the galaxies swirl above me. Somehow whenever I was here, I always felt like there's someone watching.
"So which constellation…" I asked Kaito.
"How about that one?" he pointed his small finger.
"Andromeda…she was a princess in one of the Greek legends," I murmured.
"And that's Alpheratz the brightest star in that constellation and that same star is shared with the constellation Pegasus…" I continued, tracing out the pictures for him.
"I see…" he replied. We were always awed by how realistic the music hall managed to project the night sky.
Out of the blue I commented, "I've always liked Greek legends…especially their stories…"
"Tell me one," he asked simply.
"You sure? This will take some time…"
He nodded vigorously, "Tell me! And I'll give up aisu for tomorrow!" he said with great conviction.
I laughed, "No need to do that!"
Then I started my story.
Once there was Pan, the Greek god of shepherds and nature. He was a great musician who was known for inventing the Greek pan flute.
"How does that…pan flute…look like?" Kaito interrupted.
"Uh…good question…we can go search it up on google tomorrow…anyway continuing," I said hastily, well honestly, I only tell the story, that's it, nothing else.
The sound of his music from his instrument was so good that he grew proud, and believed that he was greater than the chief musician of the gods, Apollo and so he challenged Apollo to a musical duel. Apollo agreed to the test, for he wished to punish Pan's vanity, although he was vain himself. The place where the competition was to be held was the mountain Tmolus, who was appointed the judge of the contest as well, for none was as old and wise as the hills.
"The hills can hear music?" Kaito exclaimed.
"Uh…well…I guess if you sing hard enough they can…" a smile played on my lips as I said that.
"I would like to try that someday…" Kaito said, breathing out in awe? Wonder?
I nodded, "Some day…"
Then I continued my story…
When Pan and Apollo came before Tmolus for the duel, their followers came with them to hear. First Pan played; blowing on his reed pipes, and out came a tune so wild and yet so coaxing that the birds flew down from sky to the trees; the squirrels came; and the trees swayed as if they were in a dance. The fauns laughed aloud for joy as the melody tickled their ears.
"Fauns can laugh?" Kaito interrupted again.
"Figuratively! Figuratively!" I said, continuing to gesture with my hands in the air the scene of Pan playing.
Then Apollo rose, and in his hands he held his golden lyre. When he touched the strings of the lyre, a tune that neither god nor mortal ever heard before starting playing. The wild creatures of the wood fell into silence; the trees kept every leaf from rustling; earth and air were quiet and not a whisper was heard. When Apollo stopped playing, it was like bidding sweet fairwell.
"Was it a sad song?" Kaito turned to look at me.
"I suppose so…or at least that's what it sounds like to me…" I said in reply.
When the spell of Apollo's music was broken, the hearers all praised Apollo and proclaimed him the winner. All but Midas…
"Midas?" Kaito questioned.
"Yup…um…you know the King who can turn anything into gold with one touch…"
Kaito cocked his head to one side, "Really?" then thinking for a while, "That's kinda sad…he can't he aisu cause it will turn into gold…"
"Yeah…maybe that story for another time…" I murmured back.
All but Midas, who alone would not admit that Apollo's music was better than Pan's and foolishly expressed his disappointment with the results. So then Apollo, unhappy, touched the ears of Midas, and they grew long, pointed, and furry like those of a donkey. The end.
"That's it? It ended with donkey ears?"
"Yep…well at least that's how they told it to me…"
"You know I kinda feel sorry for Pan…" Kaito said sitting up.
"Really? But he was being boastful." I countered.
"Yes…but don't you think that he just wanted more people to listen to his music maybe? And I think Apollo is mean, just cause one person doesn't like you it's not the end of the world!" he argued back.
Well this was a different view…I never really considered that.
"Hmm…there is some truth in that…" I commented.
"I think I want more people to listen to me too…" Kaito mumbled back so softly I almost couldn't hear.
"People do listen to you…" I said back.
"People only listen to Miku…" he breathed out and said. Then in an even smaller voice, "And…I was considered a failure…"
I picked him up and placed him on my palm then I leaned in and said, "The world may not listen to you but at least there's always me…just like Midas right…the only one… but I'll still be there…" I was thinking he had more fans than he knew of…that I was sure.
"Thanks Nicole-sama…"
"You are always appreciated…remember that okay…"
He nodded, and added as an afterthought, "Though I like Nicole's ears just fine…"
Xxx
Getting back to our room, I helped Kaito on the taps and everything for the washing up.
Then I placed Kaito on his bed, he was practically swimming in the sheets.
"I think I might just suffocate and die under the sheets…" Kaito said some what morbidly.
"Uh…" I just stoned.
"Well…waking up this morning I felt like I was going to die…" he continued.
So…I added to my list point number 7…sleeping in oversized beds are deadly…
We needed an alternative sleeping place…I turned a full circle and thought.
I opened the fridge to get a cube of ice, popping it into my mouth I was going to crunch my ice, when I stopped and took out my ice cream tub, then I looked at his tub-like bed.
"Uh…Kaito…" I said looking down, from him to my ice cream tub.
"I get to sleep in an ice cream tub for real!" he said excitedly getting what I was trying to hint to him.
O~k~…and here I was thinking I wasn't such a great idea, but I guess for an ice cream abandoned lover…
I dished the remaining ice cream out into my cup, then I washed out the tub, grabbing the tiny pillows and cushion from my dolls that I brought from my house, I made some sort of bedding I guess, "Test!" I said.
He snuggled down and said happily, "Comfy! And you know, it still has the mango smell from the aisu. I wish my actual bed came with scent…"
"Right…ok so…where do you want me to put your bed…"
"In your room? Cause well mine looks kinda huge when I'm small…" he trailed off.
"Okey~! Good night!" I placed his makeshift bed on the bedside table and turned off the lights.
I pretended to sleep, then after hearing the steady sounds of my vocaloid breathing, I got up and wanted to creep into the other room and do homework, when he started talking, "Aisu~banana split…butter pecan…caramel cone…cherry vanilla…chocolate…chocolate chip cooookie dough…chocolate peanut butter…coffee…cookies and cream…crème brulee…" Was he naming Haagen Dazs flavoured ice cream…in alphabetical order! I continued listening, "…vanilla bean…vanilla chocolate chip…vanilla swiss almond…white chocolate raspberry truffle…aisu~banana split…" Looks like he ended his list and is starting again, then I crept into his side of the room, turned on the side lamp and started doing my homework while savouring my ice cream at the same time.
Xxx
"Nicole…"
Someone was calling me, why does my whole left side feel stiff, I opened my eyes and see a pen…pen…I woke up suddenly and banged my knee hard on the table.
Ow~! I rubbed my knee. Time! Time! I glanced at the clock, 8am…ok…ok…still good…I looked down…I slept halfway though the last question! Gotta finish it before Kaito wakes up…
Scrambling for a pen…Kaito said, "Nicole-sama!"
"Wha- yes?" I answered then I realised he was already awake, so much for that, pen poised on the paper, then my mind backtracked a little, "How did you get up on the table?" I asked.
"Um…I…err…threw the pillows in my bed down to the floor, then I jumped down and landed in them, then I walked over to the table and climbed up those…" he pointed down and I remembered that the side of the table was shaped like a ladder…honestly made me think those people at Crypton really intended it for chibi's…
"I see…wow…ok…you can go be a stuntman or something…" I joked, "lemme finish this math sum first…"
"It's…by similar triangles which can be proven by Pythagoras Theorem, " Kaito said out of the blue.
"You're right…" I said finishing off the sum, "Your math isn't that bad!"
"I was thinking of the triangles as chocolate waffles in an ice cream sundae and it made sense to me!" he said cheerily, "Now can we go get breakfast please!"
"Yup yup…" I said clearing up my homework and putting them in my bag, I changed and washed up then grabbed my pocky and sat down, today I gave Kaito a triangle waffle to go with ice cream…normally we saved it for our ice cream mega awesome sundae creations but ah well…
"You know I could have stayed up and kept you company…" he said licking his spoon.
"Nah…it's ok…but thanks!" I said back.
Xxx
Let's see, classes went pretty well considering that I wasn't late for any, and Mr. Ng didn't bug me after he saw that I aced the extra homework he gave me so that was, good, all I was doing now was to wait for the queue for the fishball noodle stall to get moving.
"Yo~!" Karina said cheerfully in my ear, Len on her head waved.
I turned, "Hi~!"
"Joining the queue?" I asked.
She nodded.
"What happened to Barzini and the gang?" I questioned.
"They'll come along…I just hurried down for the fishball noodle store…it always has a long queue…" Karina replied.
"Yea…long queue and they sell out so fast…" I lamented, Kaito was getting bored and playing with my hair.
Finally getting our food we sat at our usual table with Amy, Aki, Zhengyi and Neru.
"So how was your day?" I started, picking up my chopsticks and slurping up my noodles, I watched as Kaito did the same.
"Well! I slept in a paper-mâché treehouse that Amy made for me!" Aki quipped excitedly.
"Cool!" Karina commented.
"What about you guys?" I nudged Zhengyi.
"Well…" Zhengyi started, "…ever since Neru shrunk…I mean turned chibi…she got scar-" he was suddenly interrupted when Neru looked up from her instant noodles and threatened to stab him with her katana sitting on her head.
"You know what! Things have been awesome!" Zhengyi changed track and said.
"Huh…ok…if you say so…" I said back.
Then a voice came from behind, "We can sit here?"
"Yup of course! The more the merrier!" Amy said.
Yukina, Piko, Mai, Luka, Toey and Gakupo joined us…
Piko dined on his library cart, Luka was having tuna sandwiches, and Gakupo was eating eggplants with a side of rice.
I was going to ask another how's your day question when the floor started vibrating. The bowls started rattling, then right under our table, a glint of silver, then a drill-like thing came up from the hole in the ground. In the small glass cabin, was Haru and behind him was a very tired looking Nori.
Opening the glass door at the side, Haru hopped out and Nori…well he more like dropped out…
Then Yuki came running over, "Nori!" catching his brother in his arms.
"Haru! I think you really went too far…" Yuki reprimanded his other brother.
Then the three girls came running over too, "Came…as fast…as we could…" Garcia panted out.
Garcia bent down and plucked Nori from Yuki and left to get some water for her vocaloid.
"What was the crazy experiment this time, Haru-san?" Karen asked.
Turning on his scientific voice? Haru answered, "Well…since walking on the ground is now not safe for us…I devised away to dig underground and use a precise tracking system to get where I want…only thing is that it's powered by kinetic energy…which was why I needed Nori…"
"What? So you got your brother to go though all that just for this?" Aki asked.
"Sh~!" I said but too late!
Haru shot her that evil look…Kaito shook his head sadly and Yuki followed suit.
I think Amy was just going to ask what's going on when, the vocaloid items started shimmering, then they vanished all together. Then the canteen broke into murmurs of 'what happened', then and minute later, life size items started reappearing throughout the canteen. Especially obvious was Piko's library trolley which shot up suddenly.
Yup…looks like Crypton managed to solve the vocaloid items chibifying but not the vocaloids themselves.
Then the announcement bell rang…
All vocaloid items, except clothing items have now been restored to normal size, please do not be alarmed, we trust that you will all be tenacious and adapt to this change while we fix the other glitches. Thank you.
I don't know if it was my imagination, but was the guy announcing smirking? Cause it certainly seem more and more likely that this was some Crypton plan to make vocaloids chibi's and their items not…just when you like it's tricky enough…they pull something else like this…
Then Barzini, Hannah, Amoz, Michelle and Allen along with their vocaloids and Garcia with Nori came, by then we had to join three tables to accommodate everyone.
Then Barzini commented, "Where is Kaito?"
My eyes scanned the table…where…there was only bowls an ice cream tub…ice cream tub! I quickly flipped the tub over and found Kaito inside, licking his fingers.
"That was good! I suddenly had an extra helping of aisu!" he exclaimed.
"Barzini awesome!" Miku said raising her hands.
"Where did that come from?" I asked.
"Nevermind where that came from…I'm awesome and I know it!" Barzini proclaimed.
Chapter 10~! Haha! That was fast! Anyway thanks for reading! Arigatou! Not a long chapter…cos well…I don't think I can write long chapters anymore…I start school on Tuesday…!...That means time to hit the books again…Well anyway…I think Barzini-sama will have more time to keep you entertained….he's so lucky that he gets to start school way later than me…anyway...I'll give you meron pan just for fun! Mata ne!
Kaito: You starting school soon….
Me: Yep
Kaito: That's sad…-have an aisu-
Me: Ikr…
Oh well anyway…Till next time! Mata ne!