Chapter 28: Ere the Sun Rises

[Previously on Project Vocaloid…] (cut to Kaito, GUMI, and Black Rock Shooter in a lab room)

GUMI: Say, aren't you—(Meiko, Miku, Rin, Len, Gakupo, Luka, Neru, Teto, Haku, and Kiyoteru fall from the ceiling and land on Kaito, generating a thick dust cloud)

(cut to black) [A few moments earlier…] (cut to Kaito standing over a pit)

Kaito: I don't see any candy—

Meiko: (kicks Kaito into the pit) SPARTA!!! (Kaito screams)

(cut to black) [A few moments before that…]

(cut to Miku, Rin, and Len fleeing from a booby trapped bench, screaming; they all stop a safe distance away)

(cut to black) [Uh, that's a little too far back. Skip ahead to the part where we left off, okay?]

(cut to Meiko, Kaito, Miku, Rin, Len, Gakupo, Luka, Neru, Haku, Teto, and Kiyoteru at the entrance of a secret passage beneath a bench) [There we go. Now then, as our heroes close in on Black Rock Shooter's trail, who knows what surprises await them?]

Kiyoteru: We're in. Now stay alert, everyone; Neo Prism probably rigged this entire passage with traps.

Haku: I sure hope not, because if we run into another trap, I'd totally freak out.

Miku: Uh, you weren't even here, Haku-san. (Rin narrowly avoids a buzz saw in the background)

Haku: Who told you that?

Miku: Luka-san took you and the others to Tokyo Tower to look for Black Rock Shooter. (Len narrowly avoids an anvil that falls from the ceiling in the background) Remember?

Haku: Oh yeah. Now I remember. Why is my memory so bad these days?

Miku: Maybe it's because of all that sake you drink. Even Meiko-san knows when enough is enough.

Haku: Then how do you explain (Gakupo narrowly avoids a flamethrower in the background) how she can drink so much sake at once without any negative repercussions? I've been trying to find out since we met.

Miku: By drinking as much as Meiko-san? You do realize how unhealthy that is, right?

Haku: Mmm…I guess.

Miku: As for how Meiko-san manages, I don't know; if I drank that much in one sitting, I'd probably throw up immediately. Maybe being able to tolerate all that alcohol is something that comes naturally to people like her. (Luka, Neru, and Teto avoid an explosion in the background)

Haku: Kind of like how Neru told me you never let your star status go to your head.

Miku: I guess so. (cut to Kiyoteru near a huge metal door1)

Kiyoteru: (notices a huge pit in the passageway) Huh? That's odd; this pit wasn't here before.

Kaito: This doesn't look like where you said you'd take us, Hiyama-sensei.

Kiyoteru: I know; this pit shouldn't be here, unless it's a trap Neo Prism forgot to reset. He spends so much time setting traps he sometimes forgets to reset them all.

Kaito: How do we know this IS a trap?

Kiyoteru: That's the catch; Neo Prism tends to put up so many traps in any given location, it's almost impossible to tell which contraptions are traps and which aren't.

Meiko: I guess there's only one way to find out: someone has to go get the candy at the bottom of the pit.

Kaito: Huh?

Meiko: (to Kaito) Didn't Hiyama-sensei tell you, Kaito? There's candy down there. Look for yourself.

Kaito: (looks down the pit) I don't see any candy—

Meiko: (kicks Kaito into the pit) SPARTA!!! (Kaito screams) (laughs hysterically and grabs her sides)

Miku: What did you do that for, Meiko-san?

Meiko: Oh, sorry, Miku. I couldn't resist. (leans to the side; her hand rests on a hidden button)

(cut to view of Meiko, Miku, Rin, Len, Gakupo, Luka, Neru, Haku, Teto, and Kiyoteru; the floor opens up beneath them; they all look down, then at each other)

Kiyoteru: Well, I didn't see THIS coming.

Len: I think this is the part where we're all supposed to fall and scream bloody murder.

(everyone starts running in place and screaming)

Rin: BLOODY MURDER! BLOODY MURDER!

(everyone drops; cut to everyone falling into the darkness, screaming)

(cut to Zenkaito watching an episode of Takeshi's Castle2 on a security monitor, laughing hysterically)

Announcer: (off screen) And off he goes. He's headed over the Log Run, and now he's on the Bridge of Death, and here come the flying meteors—OH!!! Right in the kisser! (continues in the background)

Zenkaito: (almost falls out of his chair) Geez! I can't believe they canceled this show so long ago!

(Kaito falls by on another security monitor, later followed by Meiko, Miku, Rin, Len, Gakupo, Luka, Neru, Teto, Haku, and Kiyoteru; Zenkaito doesn't notice)

(cut to Black Rock Shooter facing Akaito with a katana over her head; GUMI is standing nearby)

Akaito: (panic-stricken) N-N-N-No wait. I can explain. It wasn't my idea, I swear; it was—(Kaito falls from the ceiling and lands on him)

(Black Rock Shooter and GUMI stare at Kaito and Akaito blankly; Black Rock Shooter drops her katana) (cut to Kaito getting off Akaito)

Kaito: (dusts himself off) Wow. I can't believe how euphoric this gets after a while.

Akaito: (off screen) Can't…feel…spleen…

GUMI: Say, aren't you—(Meiko, Miku, Rin, Len, Gakupo, Luka, Neru, Teto, Haku, and Kiyoteru fall from the ceiling and land on Kaito, generating a thick dust cloud)

(cut to dust cloud clearing, showing Rin rubbing her rear end)

Rin: Ow. (whining) I won't be able to sit for a week. (zoom out to reveal Miku beneath Rin)

Miku: I'm sorry you don't feel so well, Rin-kun, but could you please get off my back? (zoom out to reveal Kaito at the bottom of a heap of people; he has X's for eyes)

Kaito: (barely able to breathe) Would you…all please…get off mine?

Yuki: (walks in) Ooh! My doll! (picks up a Miku Hachune doll lying nearby3) (looks down at Kaito) Thank you for finding my favorite doll, sir. (giggle) Here, let me help you all up.

(cut to Meiko, Kaito, Miku, Rin, Len, Gakupo, Luka, Neru, Teto, Haku, Kiyoteru, Yuki, GUMI, and Black Rock Shooter standing in the lab room; Akaito is bound in duct tape4) [A few moments later…]

Gakupo: Let me get this straight; we came all this way to rescue GUMI only to find out she didn't need rescuing after all?

GUMI: Absolutely. It turns out Black Rock Shooter didn't have any malicious intent for me after all; she just needed me to root out a spy in the midst of the Dark Stars.

Kaito: And you stuck (holds up a small homing beacon) this homing beacon in my jacket?

GUMI: That was you? Sorry, Kaito.

Luka: And what about that transceiver that wound up in the twins' road roller?

GUMI: I have no idea how that happened.

Akaito: Hey, can we cut the recap garbage and just wrap this up? Look, now that you have me captured and bound up and you don't need that stupid robot anymore, what are you going to do? Kill me?

GUMI: (slightly insulted) Worse.

Akaito: Worse? How do you define worse? (cut to Rin and Len in Kanto Central Park behind a control panel)

Len: 3…2…1…GO, RIN!

Rin: (slams her hand down on a button) PRESS!!! (cut to Akaito; a giant spring goes off beneath a hidden platform)

Akaito: (gets launched off the platform) THIS IS GOING TO HURT WHEN I !!!!!! (disappears in the sky as a star) (cut to Meiko and Kaito looking up in the sky)

Meiko: Say, the moon sure is beautiful tonight, isn't it?5

Kaito: Is it? I didn't even notice.

Meiko: (turns to Kaito) That's kind of funny coming from you. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?

Kaito: Uh, that the moon is beautiful tonight? I have to agree with you on that point.

Meiko: (shocked) You… you… (enraged) you idiot! How could you not realize what I've been trying to (grabs Kaito by the collar and shakes him violently) tell you all this time? I have half a mind to come into your bedroom tonight and beat you mercilessly until you're covered in smears from an endless crimson stream of my infallible rage! And the other half of my mind will start screaming at me to kill the first half! The brain damage you have is nothing compared to the compound fracture I'm about to give to your skull!

Kaito: (dazed and confused) What are you talking about?

Meiko: (normally) (chuckle) I'm just kidding, Kaito. (drops Kaito, who has spirals for eyes) I could never stay mad at you for long.

Kaito: (moaning) Man, I just had the weirdest sense of déjà vu.

(cut to Gakupo and Luka)

Gakupo: (groans and shakes his head) (She dangled it right in front of you and you still didn't see it. Oh well; better luck next time.) (to Luka) What a wild night.

Luka: Yeah, and now that it's all over, I can finally put my past to bed. Thanks for your help, Gakupo.

Gakupo: Well, I suppose that warrants a kiss, eh, Luka?

Luka: Save it for when we get back home. (yawn) It's late. (starts walking away)

Gakupo: (smiles at Luka) (I'll never give up on you, Luka; I love you.) (cut to Miku and Black Rock Shooter)

Miku: So, Black Rock Shooter-san, does this mean GUMI-san can come home with us?

Black Rock Shooter: Certainly; considering you guys just catapulted Red Baron to who knows where, I don't need her for any more operations. But before you go, take this. (hands Miku a com link device)

Miku: What is this for?

Black Rock Shooter: My work as an agent may be more or less over, but my engineering work is still incomplete. I'll check in every now and then.

Miku: Oh. Thank you.

Black Rock Shooter: You're welcome. And now… (pulls out a smoke bomb) Farewell. (detonates her smoke bomb on the ground, generating a thick cloud of smoke)

Miku: (coughing) (the smoke clears; Black Rock Shooter is gone) Black Rock Shooter…who are you?

Rin: (running over to Miku with Len) Miku! (stops beside Miku) Whew. That was fun, eh, Miku?

Miku: You're not tired, Rin-kun?

Rin: Tired? Me? After everything that happened tonight? No way! (pause) (collapses on the ground, asleep)

Len: Oh, come on. You fell asleep that quickly, Rin? Sheesh. That must be a new record. (to Miku) Which reminds me… Miku, there's something I need to tell you.

Miku: What?

Len: (nervously) Well, uh…you see…I uh…uh… (begins sweating profusely) M-m-m-m-miku…I…uh… (makes gestures with his hands) uh…gyuh… (flails his arms and babbles nonsense) (faints)

Miku: (giggle) That's okay, Len-kun. Whatever it is, you can tell me tomorrow. (motions to Neru and Teto)

[Well, folks, it's been fun, but all good things must come to an end, including this story. Whatever the future holds for Miku and her friends, only time will tell, but I sure hope that whatever comes their way will all turn out good in the end. And now, we bid you farewell with one last song6. (fade to white) Places, everybody.]

All: Wait. What? Alright! One more song! Ow! Get off me! Has anybody seen my shoes? etc. (fade from white to slideshow of Vocaloids in various activities)

La la la la.
La la la la.
La la la la la la la la la.
La la la la.
La la la la.
La la la la la la la la la.

Kaito: Here on this faint spring breeze,
I ran into you and felt invited.
When I first looked in your eyes,
I couldn't look away.

Len: Here on this clear summer day,
As I wear half-sleeves, I feel delighted.
Fireworks light up the night sky;
Oh, how I want you to stay.

GUMI: I just can't believe a short time ago,
We all lived so far apart.

Luka: But now as one, as a new day dawns,
We all will depart.

All: And so we all carry on
With joy in our hearts.
There's no more need to make such a fuss.
Even if tomorrow
Brings only the dark,
Now and forever, you're welcome with us.

Gakupo: Here on this fine autumn breeze,
I couldn't hide what I felt deep inside.
Maybe I should have told you
A sincere apology.

Miku: Here on this cold winter day,
I felt so bashful, I couldn't speak right.
Oh but I must tell the whole truth
Of my inaccuracies.

Rin: I just wish I had a camera with me
To capture all our deeds.

Meiko: Still we share these feelings of kindness and love
And that's all we need.

All: And so we share all our smiles
In good times and bad.
Our time together is so wondrous.
Even if tomorrow
Seems only sad,
Now and forever, the day ends with us.

Miku: Well, I think it's your turn now, Hiyama-sensei.

Kiyoteru: What? Me? No no no. I'm not going out there—

Kaito: Oh, come on. Relax. How bad could it be?

Kiyoteru: Okay. I'll do it.

Meiko: Go get 'em.

Kiyoteru: And so we all carry on
With joy in our hearts.
There's no more need to make such a fuss.
Even if tomorrow
Brings only the dark,
Now and forever—

Yuki: Hey! That's my line!

All: And so we share all our smiles
In good times and bad.
Our time together is so wondrous.
Even if tomorrow
Seems only sad,
Now and forever, the day ends with us.
(fade to white, then to Meiko, Kaito, Miku, Rin, Len, Gakupo, Luka, GUMI, Neru, Haku, Teto, Kiyoteru, and Yuki on stage)

Now and forever, you're welcome with us.

(applause)

Crowd: (chanting with enthusiasm) Vocaloid! Vocaloid! Vocaloid! Vocaloid! (resumes applause) (cut to bus stop some distance away; Akaito crashes into the street, leaving an Akaito-shaped imprint)

Akaito: (climbing out of the imprint) Ugh…uh…I've got to find a better job…

THE END

1 The door is embroidered with the words "Night Fever".

2 Takeshi's Castle was a Japanese game show that ran from 1986 to 1989; it's known in the United States as Most Extreme Elimination Challenge.

3 Yuki's backpack has a label on it that reads "Shooting Star".

4 The roll of tape, seen near Akaito's feet, is labeled "Good Night".

5 What Meiko just said can be euphemistic for "I love you" in Japanese; it's based on an episode of Natsume Souseki, a famous Japanese writer in the Meiji period.

6 The final song of Project Vocaloid will be "Zutto Zutto", meaning "Forever and Ever" in Japanese.