To "Oh dear" reviewer- I am so happy that you enjoyed how I'm wrapping up the end of this story! :3 And... I'm cracking up /so hard/ right now that you read that author x author drabble with me in it... ^^; I'm also somewhat flattered that I apparently don't come off predominantly as either one gender or the other to you. *smiles and cocks head* Since for me, it's all about WHO a person is, rather than what /gender/ they happen to be, this pleases me. I approve. :)
However, I might mention offhand that, (while I gave BlazingDevilBoy permission to present me as the gender of his choice,) none of the physical details listed in that story are actually, ah, accurate to me, from hair color (it's blonde) to eye color (it's blue) to, ahem, breast size, yeah... *sweatdrops and blushes, grins* also, I NEVER use the -pyon suffix; cutesey crap like that, I just, o.O no. D: I'm not a freaking shota, I'm also not a little girl. So, noo. I'd be more likely to use "-bozu" instead. ;) *smirks and dodges incoming missiles* ;)
Still, I admit that I had a lot of shameless fun reading it when he had finished that drabble. (Except for the random proposal part at the end. o.0 That was appalling to me DX, and I ... haa ^^; just.. DX nooo...) ;D but... yeah, YAY for fun with other authors! xD I overwhelmingly approve of this. ;)
*fist in the air* EXCELSIOR :o
Oh- and- the idea of Master's hands being surgically reattached to Kaito's body was /fascinating/ to me, but I decided against it; 1) because I think their blood types would not have matched and 2) Having a piece of Master permanantly attached to Kaito's body would just have been mentally too fucked up for the poor bluenette. D: Although Master would probably have liked it, I think it would have been WAY MORE traumatic, over a long, long period of time, for Kaito, to have this happen successfully. In the end, Taito's present was more along the lines of justice, than of correcting a problem already unfixable.
...and now for the final chapter of this fic. Probably. :) Thanks for sticking it out with me to the end!
*sings randomly* How many people can do it like me? Zero! *poses and flexes, grins some more*
Kaito: ... Masterrr... *facepalms without saying anything else*
...what? *innocent* :)
I DO WHAT I WANT! XD *says in a crappy fake voice and poses dramatically again*
Kaito: Please don't say agai-
EXCELSIOR! *runs off into the night*
...
"Is it okay, if she stays with us for a while, Master?" Mikuo asked quietly as he watched Taito and Rin sitting together in the living room, working on a puzzle together. Well, Rin was working on the puzzle. Taito was watching her working on it, occassionally giving her a random piece, as if somehow that was helpful, which she would take, look at, arch her eyebrow at the dark-purple haired Vocaloid, and then place back down with the other currently useless pieces.
"Well, it's fine by me," Master watched the pair also, his brow wrinkling slightly in concern for the blonde female. "But under normal circumstances, she would need to be returned immediately to the store that she was purchased from."
"You mean, like used merchandise?" Mikuo felt appalled, the words had a nasty taste in his mouth. "I've never heard of that... actually happening before."
"Well, it's pretty uncommon, but it does happen. She might have a little trouble being repurchased though, considering her condition," Master paused, then explained, "But, it's not impossible. You know, Taito was a return, too, when I picked him up."
Mikuo's attention focused intensely on his Master. "I... didn't know that. What happened?"
"The details weren't given to me," Master admitted, his eyes still watching his Vocaloid male, as Taito offered yet another useless piece, and Rin smacked him lightly on the back of the head. The dark-purple haired Vocaloid smiled his quirky half-smile. Master smiled at the sight.
Taito rose to his feet suddenly, and walked over to where Mikuo and Master were speaking softly. He stood quietly, looking at the pair, and crossed his arms over his chest, frowning.
"Taito? How are you feeling?" Master had asked him so many times since he had come home that morning. Taito didn't respond, just staring Master down with his one remaining purple eye, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. Master sweatdropped.
"I want to keep her," Taito stated bluntly. Master blinked. So did Mikuo.
"Don't return her," was all he said, before he left the pair, walking into his room and closing the door behind him. Mikuo and Master stared after him in disbelief, then exchanged their own glances.
"I... I'd like that too, Master," Mikuo admitted, a blush staining his cheeks and nose. Master put his hand up to his face and scrubbed it against his eyes and cheeks.
"You know, I think that's the first time I've /ever/ heard Taito ask for anything," Master mumbled through his hand. He dropped his hand back down to his side, staring at Rin, who was standing up and rubbing her palm against her thin shoulder, as if it ached.
Mikuo glanced back at Master. Master sighed a very, very long sigh, but then smiled, running his hand through his hair.
"Hey... Rin? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Master summoned the petite blonde female, who turned her head at his words. Rin nodded, her blue eyes solemn, and walked over to join Master.
Mikuo watched the two walk away into the dining room to talk. He turned to go to Taito's room, a hidden, happy smile threatening to break out on his face. He knew that look of Master's very well. Mikuo knocked on Taito's door.
"What?" The light voice called back from the other side.
"I'm coming in," Mikuo said, and turned the knob. Taito glanced up at the teal-haired male with a blank look. Mikuo let his smile beam forth.
Taito stared at Mikuo for a long moment, then slowly, slowly, smiled back.
...
"I'm a little scared," Kaito admitted, anxiously. "What if your Master doesn't like me? What if he doesn't want me to stay?"
Gakupo tried to smile encouragingly. He and Kaito were getting ready to pick Master up from the airport. "We'll just have to see how it goes, I guess. But it's okay. Whatever happens, I've got your back. You know that."
Kaito nodded, but he looked unhappy and worried.
The ride to the airport was silent and tense. Gakupo's hands clenched the steering wheel hard as he drove.
The airplane was late. The line of passengers coming out seemed never ending. Kaito's anxiety at being around so many people was palpable. Gakupo kept his arm tightly around the bluenette, providing nonverbal support. The bluenette was wearing one of Gakupo's slightly oversized shirts, the long sleeves hanging down over his stumps, disguising them to some extent.
"There he is," Gakupo announced after what felt like an eternity. The violette moved forwards, dropping his arm from Kaito, to greet his returning Master. Kaito swallowed against his nervousness, hard, and followed closely. The man that Gakupo approached was tall, with broad, muscular shoulders.
"Ah! Gakupo!" Master smiled brightly at Gakupo, his dark skin making his white teeth seem impossibly bright. He turned his chocolate brown eyes towards Kaito, who was hovering directly next to his violet-haired Vocaloid, leaning towards Gakupo as if to draw strength from his presence. "Ah... who's this?"
"Master.. this.. is Kaito." Gakupo tried a smile, then turned to the bluenette. "Kaito, this is my Master."
Kaito stuttered, his eyes a little wide from fear, "H-hello."
The bluenette pulled even closer to Gakupo, and Gakupo's eyes softened. Gakupo put his arm out again, pulling Kaito suddenly closer into a half embrace, looking into the bluenette's eyes with an encouraging, soft smile. Gakupo's Master watched the interaction, his eyes widening slightly.
"Master, welcome home. I'm sorry to spring this on you suddenly, but... some things have happened. Kaito has been staying at our house for the past two weeks, while you have been gone on your tour. Is it alright, for him to return with us, and I can tell you all about what has gone on while you were gone," Gakupo turned serious, anxious eyes back towards his Master. "It is not a good story, and Kaito's Master is... gone, now."
The buff, dark-skinned man frowned, and the slight, almost unrecognizable blush that was on his face cleared a little. He made a soft, thoughtful sound for a moment, as he regarded the two Vocaloids, how closely they were standing, and Gakupo's serious, earnest looking violet eyes.
"I... see," Master finally answered. He looked strongly at Kaito, who looked frightened, back at him, with beautiful blue eyes. "So, what's his singing voice like?" Master finally asked, flashing that easy, bright white smile once again. Gakupo's eyes went wide, and his body sagged in sudden, overwhelming relief. He hugged the bluenette even tighter against him, turning his eyes to look at Kaito, smiling openly.
"It's beautiful," Gakupo mumured, and stared happily into Kaito's eyes. The bluenette blushed and ducked his head away, then peeked back up underneath his eyelashes at the violette.
"You... haven't even heard me sing," Kaito mumbled. Gakupo's smile widened.
"Oh... yes, I think I have," The purring tone made Kaito's eyes widen, and his blush increased by tenfold, as his mind worked out what it was that Gakupo was implying.
Master threw back his head and laughed easily, his deep voice booming through the airport terminal. Travellers stopped in their tracks at the noise, staring at the threesome.
"I've worried about leaving you alone while I'm gone for so long on my tours, Gakupo. But maybe, just maybe, I won't have to worry about that again, in the future, eh?" Master threw a knowing wink at the Vocaloids, and even Gakupo blushed at that. But Kaito just ducked his head again, and found himself smiling in pleased embarassment.
"Good. Now, help me with my bags. I'm beat, and want to get home." Master instructed, and turned to find the baggage claim, not waiting for the Vocaloids to follow him.
Kaito's eyes followed Master shyly as the large, muscular man walked away.
"He seems... nice," Kaito said, with a wistful tone to his voice.
"He is," Gakupo replied approvingly, his smile still in place. "And that went better than I could have hoped." Gakupo paused, glancing down at Kaito, and smiling once again. "Let's not tell him that we've been sleeping in his bed, though, okay, Kaito?"
The bluenette flushed and grinned in embarassed amusement, shaking his soft hair slightly. "I promise."
Gakupo laughed lightly and pulled the bluenette in for a quick hug, then released Kaito, and turned to follow his Master to the baggage claim. Kaito stayed close behind him, running for a few steps to catch up with his lover. Gakupo put an easy arm back around Kaito's shoulder as they continued their walk forward.
...
A multitude of random, quick footnotes related to the entirety of the story:
I felt like, this chapter still didn't quite wrap up everything that I wanted to write for this story, so I may at some point add an additional chapter or two. For that reason, although I am now listing this story as complete, and though I'm not sure when, or if, that will happen, at this current point of time, it's not impossible that another chapter or two will find its way back in here.
Random things/details, that I thought of, which were not included in the written story for the sake of the flow of the story:
1) Gakupo getting Master's car back: This happened early on, Mikuo staying with Kaito while Taito drove Gakupo to the airport to get the vehicle. Honestly, it was inconsiderate of Master to drive there and leave it at the airport. The reasons why Gakupo didn't drive Master there in the first place, so he could drive it home, are unsure, but for the sake of the story, let's call it a bad case of diarrhea. (Gakupo: "What!? Let's NOT!")
2) Kaito's stitches: They didn't have to come out until after Kaito's Master was deceased, and so this was able to be done at the hospital. Since Kaito was still registered to Evil Master, the bill got to be footed by the dead man. Take that, Bad Master.
3) Taito's (and Rin's and Piko's) visit to the hospital: For unknown reasons, Taito's Master was not called as per hospital regulations when he was admitted for care. This could be because Taito's Vocaloid registry was not updated due to a paperwork error, when he was repurchased, but it is more likely that his Master just forgot to update their phone number, when it was changed, a short while ago. Rin and Piko's Master failed to pick up the phone, for somewhat obvious reasons.
4) Piko, and his new home: He's getting his ass returned to the store. Since he's still young and cute, he should be able to be repurchased pretty easily, though I imagine he's going to be living with his trauma for the rest of his young life. I like to imagine that his next Master is an adult female, with soft, longish, slightly wavy brown hair and a kind, older-sister sort of look and feel about her.
Piko doesn't appear in the scene with Rin and Taito and the puzzle pieces, and for the sake of the story, we'll say that it's because he had diahhrea. (Piko: No! Come on, I've already been abused! Can't you say I'm at the zoo, or sleeping in the other room, or something?) ...It's definitely explosive, debilitating diarrhea. Probably caused from stress. :3
5) Kaito's itchiness and/or phantom limb syndrome: Yes. Although I didn't end up writing this out, the itchiness drove him almost physically insane, shortly after his stitches came out. And yes, he will experience phantom limb syndrome, mainly as the result of periods of heightened stress, like when he has a PTSD episode, which will happen randomly and unexpectedly, and include nightmares, despite sleeping together with his lover in Gakupo's room from now on. It will also occur sometimes when there is pressure applied to the ends of his arms, and his nerves get all confused as to what the hell is going on.
6) Dead Master: This body does not resurface. It's unclear what Taito did, whether he hid the body somewhere, or just left it to rot into a pile of stinking maggots in the shed, which is far enough removed from the main road that screams and bad smells do not attract attention. Master's disappearance is eventually deemed a mystery, and it's uncertain to those who know him whether he simply vanished, or whether he is deceased.
7) Rin, Mikuo, and Taito's triangle: These three will likely enter a triangle relationship. I envision Taito as the seme, Mikuo as the savory cream filling in the sandwich cookie that is this relationship, and Rin as the bottom. Although Rin will probably boss them both around at her leisure as she regains her spunky enery/attitude while she recovers.
8) Rin's facial damage: Will scar permanantly. Her other physical damage heals on its own with enough time for recovery. She also gets a haircut, to lessen the poor appearance that Bad Master's haircut left her with. It will eventually grow back to its normal appearance.
9) Taito's eye: Is damaged permanantly, and he will not be able to see out of it again. He takes to wearing bandages over it as one of his character items. He also retains ownership of his beloved ice pick.
10) Adopting Vocaloids: For the sake of this story alone, adopting a Vocaloid is mainly a case of paperwork, in the event that a Master becomes deceased, or disappears from the home for unexplained reasons for an extended length of time. It is uncommon, but this occurance does happen enough that the stores all carry preprinted forms for the adoption of Vocaloids by those who stand to inherit them.
As for who is permitted to inherit a Vocaloid, the stores assume that if the new Master knows about the Vocaloid, and has them in their possession, then there is reason for them to own them. It's currently a very irresponsible system, mainly because there is little financial support going into this particular segment of the system, due to ownership changes happening so rarely. This is a case of "possession is 9/10's of ownership" law.
In the event of a previous Master's disappearance, if the previous Master returns and demands that a Vocaloid be returned into their posession at some future date in time, the current Master must comply, or be at odds with the law, in the same manner that posessing stolen merchandise would be dealt with.
Likewise, if a Vocaloid runs away from a Master's home, a Master can demand its immediate return, or the human sheltering the Vocaloid will be found in violation of the law, in the same way that possessing stolen merchandise would be dealt with.
11) Taito and Mikuo borrowing their Master's car to go looking for Rin: It was fine, because their Master owns two vehicles; one for himself, one for his Vocaloids. It allows for better convenience in allowing his Vocaloids to run errands for him, although Taito generally is always the driver.
12) Rin's Photograph: Gakupo returns it to her. He also keeps a copy for himself, with her permission.
13) Rooming with Rin: Due to space constraints, Taito will need to move into Mikuo's room and bunk with him, while Rin gets his old room.
14) Taito and Mikuo's Master knowing about Rin's MIA situation: The two Vocaloids' Master was kept apprised of the situation, allowing them to have the several days off of singing work while they looked for Rin. What a good Master, guys...
Did I miss anything obvious that needed to be addressed? Hope you enjoyed this fic guys, and again, thanks for sticking it out with me here until the end. :)