Chapter 5
First Song
Masami got settled down, and decided to sleep. When she awoke in the morning, she saw something at her bedside table. It was a small cellular phone, and it was ringing. The screen said 'Supervisor'.
"Hello?" Masami asked.
"It's me, the Supervisor."
"I have caller ID." Masami stated, still too groggy to care about politeness.
The Supervisor laughed, "How would you like to perform for a crowd?"
Masami tilted her head, "Excuse me?"
"The Vocaloids are voice synthesizing software. Your purpose is to sing. So, you will sing."
Masami's eyes narrowed. "Like, in front of a crowd? How does that work?"
"Step onto the platform and I'll explain in the port room."
"What platf- Oh." Masami said as a white circular table raised up from the ground.
She stepped onto the platform, and disappeared again. She was getting used to the feeling, that lurch in her stomach as she was materially disassembled here and reassembled as a construct of light elsewhere.
She reappeared, and stumbled off the platform. She managed to catch herself.
The Supervisor was there, laughing, "Take it easy, Masami."
She laughed, "Catching me would have been nice."
He shrugged, "That would be difficult. You being made of light and all."
She snorted, "What a gentleman you turned out to be."
He just laughed again.
"So what do you want me to sing?" She asked.
He shrugged, "That's another thing about the Vocaloids. They all actually make their own music."
Masami tilted her head, "So you want me to improv?"
The Supervisor nodded, "That's about right."
She nodded, "I think I know just what to do. Where do I go?"
"We'll bring you to the location. It starts in a few minutes. But you need something first. An item, that will bring you out from behind the rest. Something that will define the Vocaloid known as Masami Iwasawa." The Supervisor said, expectantly.
"I'd like... I'd like a Bass Guitar."
The Supervisor nodded, "Preferably the one you used in life?"
Masami's heart skipped, and the Supervisor smiled.
"We read your files, Iwasawa. Said you had a signature Bass Guitar, the only thing in your possession in your time of death. You would like that one, no?"
Masami nodded furiously, "Please."
The Supervisor went to the computer next to the platform, and typed in some things. He turned to her, smiled, and pressed the enter button.
within a few seconds, she saw small brown lights coming together, forming her beautiful instrument. It finally formed, after the longest three seconds in her entire existence.
She walked to the bulky instrument, and fell to her knees. She put her hand close to it, inches away, but hesitated. "Can I..." She meant to say 'can I touch it?' But she didn't want to jinx it.
The Supervisor nodded, "It's yours, Masami."
She touched the wooden object, and had to catch her breath when she finally made contact.
She put the strap around her shoulders, and felt the sleek design of the instrument.
Uncertainly, she plucked the string. It rang out, in a way that she had never heard before but from her own instrument, and she felt the same calming sensation she had missed for what seemed like so long since she last used the Tele Bass Guitar.
"Alright. Bring me to the show."
The Supervisor nodded, and pointed at the platform. She stood on the round surface, unhesitating. "Its time to cut loose!" She said, in the moment before she disappeared.
Suddenly, she stood in front of a huge crowd of people. They were yelling incoherently, all saying different things. But beyond all shadow of a doubt, they were all thinking the same thing. This better be good. Who was she to deny them?
She cleared her throat. She would have liked to say a few words, but that wasn't Masami Iwasawa's style.
She began singing.
Iradachi wo doko ni butsukeru ka sagashiteru aida ni owaru hi
Sora ha haiiro wo shite sono saki wa nani mo mienai
Joushiki butteru yatsu ga waratteru Tsugi wa donna uso wo iu?
Sore de erareta mono Daiji ni kazatte okeru no?
Demo asu he to susumanakya naranai
Dakara kou utau yo
Naiteru kimi koso kodoku na kimi koso
Tadashii yo ningenrashii yo
Otoshita namida ga kou iu yo
Konna ni mo utsukushii uso ja nai hontou no bokura wo arigatou
Kanaetai yume ya todokanai yume ga aru koto
Sore jitai ga yume ni nari kibou ni nari hito wa ikite ikeru n daro
Tobira wa aru Soko de matte iru
Dakara te wo nobasu yo
Kujiketa kimi ni wa mou ichido tatakaeru tsuyosa to jishin to kono uta wo
Otoshita namida ga kou iu yo
Konna ni mo yogorete minikui sekai de deaeta kiseki ni arigatou
When she finished her song, the song that cried out Masami Iwasawa, she looked into the crowd. She took a fast bow, then faded as she was recalled to the laboratories.
When she reappeared, she looked up at the Supervisor.
"Wait a sec, you were here? The entire time?"
The Supervisor nodded.
"Whatever." Masami snorted.
The Supervisor shrugged.
Masami rolled her eyes. "Just put me back in the system."
He shrugged again, and she stood on the platform.
She was once again in her bed. She looked around, seeing it was still the middle of the afternoon.
She picked up her phone. "Hey? Rin? Yeah, think you could come over and talk? Yeah, thanks. See you in a bit then."