WHeee! Feedback! xD

Feedback equals my writing stuff faster! Uh, well, maybe that's not particularly encouraging, haha ^^;

For this chapter, "He Said" by Group 1 Crew was my looped playlist BGM. I don't know, is that appropriate? Or is it in bad taste? I can't even tell anymore...

...

Rin's heart hammered in her chest as she reached out to open the front door of the house. Some part of her unconscious mind was terrified that Master would be waiting to catch them, right outside, as she turned the knob and pushed the door open, holding Kaito upright against her shoulder as she did so.

The warm, bright, natural light met her eyes, a peaceful, quiet scene without people in it, a soft, light, fresh-smelling breeze ruffling against her skin that was alive with nerves. The contrast between the horrific scene Rin had walked into in the garage, and the calmness of the neighborhood's usual, normal appearance rattled her nerves even more.

The serenity of the environment as Rin and Kaito stumbled outside together felt fake, felt unreal. The alarm in Rin's heart was making her eyes dart back and forth in fear, watching Master's house, eyes on the other neighbors' houses, trying to move as quickly as she and Kaito could manage, away, away, down the street, out of sight of the windows that Rin was /sure/ Master could clearly see the pair of them through, if he but chanced to look outside while they were fleeing.

Kaito was walking awkwardly, hurrying as quickly as his legs would move, but they didn't seem to want to hold him up very well. Rin noticed how very pale his face was, and her anxiety increased even further.

The two Vocaloids limped down the street, around the corner. Rin breathed a slight sigh of relief as Master's house disappeared from their view, she kept looking over her shoulder in paranoia. But her stress wasn't nearly gone. The pair continued to walk awkwardly, as quickly as they could manage, towards the nearby corner store Rin was aiming them towards.

When they reached the store, Rin felt an almost tangible relief. The owner was sure to allow her to use their phone. She could call for help. Rin helped Kaito make it to the bench outside of the store, steadied him as he sat down with clear exhaustion and continuing fear marking his normally smooth features.

"I'm going to use the phone inside. Stay here, where I can see you through the window. Do not leave, don't talk to anyone. Just wait, and I am going to get us some help." Rin tried to sound confident, as if she had a plan, as if Kaito didn't have to worry, but her own uncertainty wouldn't go away so easily, either.

'I just hope he's home,' Rin thought to herself as she opened the door and stepped into the store. The sound of the bells over the door jangled, frightening her badly. She tried to regain her composure, tried not to look as frightened as she felt, tried to project a calm outward appearance as she approached the counter and spoke to the girl who was working at the register today.

"Excuse me, but, may I use your phone? It's an emergency," Rin stated, trying to convey her seriousness, but not wanting to explain the situation. If Master came to the store and asked after them, she wanted to leave as little trace of Kaito's presence as possible.

The green-haired girl nodded, handing Rin the phone, and directing her to press "1" to access the outside line. Rin's trembling fingers reached out, and she grabbed her own wrist with her other hand, trying to calm her shaking. Rin took the phone and dialed the number that she had memorized months ago, shortly before Master had purchased her from the Vocaloid store and brought her home to live with himself and Kaito.

The memory squeezed Rin's heart. She had been so happy that day. So proud. What had gone wrong? Rin squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to whatever might be listening, as the phone rang, once, again... again.

A soft click on the other end of the line sounded, and a smooth male voice answered the other end of the line politely. "Yes, Ichijose residence. How may I help you?"

"Gakupo?" Rin's heart thumped painfully in her chest at the sound of her good friend's voice.

"Rin!" The voice on the other end of the line gained a sudden warmth to it. "It's good to hear from you. I haven't been able to see you lately, since Master has been keeping me busy, but he's on tour now. Perhaps we can arrange for you to come visit me, soon." Rin could imagine the soft smile on her purple-haired friend's face as he continued to speak into the phone.

Rin clutched the phone, longing for the comfort of her friend's presence immediately. "Gakupo..." She didn't know how to start, and despite her efforts, her throat suddenly choked up.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Rin..?" Gakupo's voice sounded like it was starting to get concerned. "Is everything alright? Is... something the matter?"

Hearing the kindness in the male Vocaloid's voice broke a soft sob free from Rin's chest. She shook her head violently, trying to regain her control, trying to get a handle on her fear.

"No, something... something awful has happened. I need your help. Please, Gakupo. Can you help us?" Rin didn't realize the plural she had used until it was already out of her mouth, and it was too late to take back. She waited with bated breath for Gakupo to demand what she meant, who "we" was, what was going on. There was another short pause on the end of the line.

"Of course, Rin," Gakupo's voice said into the silence. "Whatever you need. Where are you right now? Should I send someone to come get you?" There was another, almost trepid pause. "Are you in any danger right now?"

Rin's relief was almost blinding. "I, I think, I am. Gakupo... It's at the corner news shop down the street from... Master's house. Please, hurry."

"I understand," This time the soft reply was swift, decided. "I'll call a taxi; Master took the car to the airport when he left. It might be a few minutes. Will you be safe that long?"

"I hope so," Rin whispered, squeezing her eyes shut again, her high-pitched voice wavering slightly. "Thank you, Gakupo. You're a lifesaver, and, I mean that," She finished, wholeheartedly.

"You would do the same for me," Gakupo replied. "I'm going to hang up now, and call the taxi company. Hang in there, someone will be there soon."

The line went dead, and Rin let the phone drop down away from her ear. She stared at the phone in her hand for a long moment. A friendly, slightly concerned looking pair of green eyes caught hers, as the store clerk held out her hand to take the phone back from Rin. Rin handed it over.

"Th-thank you," Rin managed to mumble, feeling a sense of numbness and fatigue stealing over her suddenly. Her eyes snapped back to the outside, focusing on Kaito's slumped posture, his blue head was bent downwards, as if in defeat. Her heart hurt a little as she watched him.

Rin walked back through the door, and those damn bells startled her yet again as they slammed against the doorframe as it was opened. Kaito didn't look up at her as she walked back over to him and knelt in front of his body, looking up into his downturned face, trying to smile encouragingly.

"Help is coming, Kaito. My friend is sending a car. It's going to be okay, now," Rin said, but felt like she was lying as she tried to comfort the traumatized bluenette. How could it possibly be okay?

But Kaito acknowledged her words with a short, silent nod of his head. His hair fell down over his face, and he kept staring downwards at the ground, or... Oh.

Rin's expression crumbled a little bit. It wasn't the ground Kaito was looking at. It wasn't the ground, at all.