Chapter 10: Pain and Passion, Deactivation

Rin didn't wake up until noon that morning. Something didn't feel right; She felt empty as if something was missing from her life now. Last night, Rin had let Len into her room, and the two had shared a passionate kiss that lapsed longer than it should have. He had laid next to her for a good hour in pure silence before leaving, and she had passed out shortly after. Most would say it'd been romantic, yet, Rin was upset. Rin approached her mirror, trying to sort herself out. Why did he do that? Why did I even let him do that? Why do I even feel this way? This is stupid! I'm supposed to be happy after a moment like that… W-was it nothing then? Was…Was it just nothing? Rin hugged herself, deciding to finally get dressed for the day. She slipped on a hoodie too large for her and some shorts. Maybe it was a fling…It could be nothing…I…I….I want to sing.

Len laid in bed, reflecting on what he had done the night before by screaming internally. He had kissed Rin in her bed, and then left. What if she hadn't liked it? Well, that wouldn't explain why she nearly grabbed his ass. Len let out a long groan, but it was interrupted by a flurry of knocks on his door. Len got out of bed with an annoyed groan and answered the door to see a panicked Oliver.

"What is it?" Len rubbed his rather tired eyes, "Is something wrong?"

"It's-It's Piko!" Oliver gasped out, panting, "He's gone! He's nowhere!"

"Give me a second, okay?" Len yawned, as he immediately grabbed some clothing, "I'll shower and be out to help."

I still feel off, even now. I feel empty? Is that the word? But why? I'm pretty sure this is love, considering everything. Shit. What if she thinks I'm some horny dude wanting a piece of that ass? …I mean it's a nice ass and all but-off topic! Tokyo Teddy Bear….She…She means a lot more to me than that! I'm not THAT terrible of a Vocaloid! …Well, I'm pretty sure I'm not!

Len came out of the shower and joined the search for Piko. As the hour passed, Len realized how serious this was. A missing Vocaloid meant several things: brainwashing, kidnapping, or deactivation. Piko was too young to be a victim, or at least Len wanted to think that. Then again, he had no reason to trust those in charge of this stupid place. Len bit his lip, worried that the worst case scenario had happened. He would have to check those places to know for certain.

"Oliver," Len turned to him as they sat at the staircase, "Get Kaito. Stay in your room, unless someone gets you." Oliver nodded and went back up the stairs. Dammit, why was this happening now?!

Rin approached the piano in her room, a recent addition she had yet to use. Rin sat at the bench, examining some sheet music that had been gifted to her alongside the piano itself. Rin knew enough of the piano thanks to a few lessons with Len to play. She sighed, shuddering as she did so. If it wasn't anything, I'd like to pretend for a moment it was worth something. That is WAS something.

"Migikata ni murasaki chouchou. Kisu wo shita kono heya no sumi de~. Setsunai to iu kanjou oshiru. Hibiku piano. Fukyou waon…"

Len snuck over to the middle staircase, leaning against the railing. First he would have to check the brainwashing room, and not get caught in the process. He had done this quite often, enough for it to be child's play for him.

"Warui yume ni unsareta watashi o haiku okoshite. Donna koto demo hajamari wa sasai na koto deshou"

Len pressed his body up against the walls, inching his way to the nearby vent. He took off the covering and climbed in. He met up with Kaito, who had gone about another way to sneak in, and crawled their way into the room.

"Doko ga iika nante kikaretemo komaru kirei na? Yoru ni madowa sareta, mama yukue fumei dakara"

Kaito unscrewed the vent in front of them and gently set it to the side before sliding out into the room. Len followed after. No Piko. Len and Kaito exchanged worried glances, fearing the worst. Piko couldn't have been a threat to Soprano and Frankenstein. He was the least threatening person that Len knew, besides Lui.

"Nagai matsuge mikaduki airain. Mabutani nose te hikaru rippu! Migikata ni murasaki chouchou kisu wo shita! Kono heya no sumi de!"

The boys climbed back into the vent, made sure the covers were replaced as if they had never been there, and then went straight into the basement. Their metal hearts – or equivalent to that organ – began to thud in their chests, worried to confirm he worst. Len took out his secret key and unlocked the door, wondering what they would see beyond the door…

"Setsunai to iu kanjou wo shiru! Hibiku piano, fukyou waon!" Rin took a deep breath after the last note. She took a few deep breaths. Rin didn't notice the tears streaming down her face until she saw a drop hit her hand.

"…It shouldn't bother me this much, it shouldn't!" Rin tried to wipe the tears away with the back of her arm, but they didn't stop. Rin grabbed a few tissues and covered her face in them, tossing each as it became soaked into a trash can, "This is stupid," Rin rested her head on the keys, a soft chime resounding from the piano.

"Rin. Open up." Len's voice was followed by a few knocks. Rin sat up. He couldn't see her like this! She didn't need him to see her crying like a stupid idiot! Like hell he would come in.

"I'm busy!" Rin shouted back, "I-I'm on my period!"

"…What the hell?" Len sounded rather confused, "Yeah, I doubt it, otherwise I'm sure Gumi would be cursing at me for making a fuss." Shit. He knew their cycles synced. But how?

"…I'm busy!" Rin repeated back, "Just, just tell me from outside!"

"It's, it's important." Len sighed. He seemed a bit upset. Rin pulled the hood over her head and approached the door. One more wipe away of the tears and she opened the door.

"Okay, fine. Come in." Rin let him in. Len entered the room and sat at the edge of her bed, just like last night, "What is it?"

"…Piko's no longer with us." Len sighed, coming straight out with the news, "He-he was deactivated." Rin's eyes widened in horror.

"Wh-what?" Rin stomped over in shock, "Y-you're joking…Why?" Len looked away from her, biting his lip, "Did something happen?"

"No, we don't know why." Len sighed, looking at her once again, "We have no way to know why. Kaito and I found him deactivated in the basement." Rin had hoped he was coming into to tell her something else, not this…

"I can't…" Rin's knees buckled and she fell to the ground. Her emotions were already too high, and now this? She began to cry. Len realized he had no idea how to comfort her.

"…Um, uh," Len got to the ground, crouching next to her, "D-don't cry? It's…okay?" Len put his arm around her awkwardly. Rin panicked mentally. OH MY GOD. …Shit I'm crying again! But-but he thinks it's about Piko…that works. It's okay.

"Th-thanks." Rin stammered out. Len kept awkwardly patting her back, but saw the piano. Len got up and walked over, "What are you looking at?"

"You played on this?" Len asked her suddenly, "The keys are still warm." Why was he investigating her piano? Shouldn't they be mourning?

"I did, yes," Rin admitted, sounding a tad defensive, "Why are you-?"

"What song?" Len asked her, but saw the sheet music, "That's an old song."

"Wh-what about it? It's a good song." Rin commented, "A classic some might say."

"You're hiding something," Len bluntly said, looking over at her. Rin bit her lip. How-how the hell did he know? Maybe he was bluffing.

"I'm not." Rin denied it. Len turned back to her.

"You were crying earlier, weren't you?" Len asked her, adding in, "Your face was red before I told you what happened to Piko."

"I-I wasn't!" Rin denied that too, "Why would I?" Len walked back over to her.

"I don't know, was it the song?" Len crouched down to her level again, "Though, it's not usually seen as a sad song, it kind of is."

"It's-You're looking too deep!" Rin insisted and gently shoved him.

Rin had shoved the boy too hard, and ended up on top of him. Rin didn't realize what she'd done until she saw Len's flushed face. Rin stammered and sat back up, getting off of Len, but sitting right at his feet.

"Am I?" Len tackled her this time to the ground, ending up on top of her now. Rin's face became even more red now.

My heart's racing…Why-why does he make me feel like this? Does that…Does that mean this is love?

"Ri-" Ruby and Gumi came in right at this moment. Gumi had a bowel of candy in her hand and Ruby was chewing on bubblegum. Both stared at the two blondes on the floor.

"Oh. Rin, um, Len." Ruby greeted them, accidentally swallowing her gum from the shock.

"Y-yes?" Rin looked up at the two girls. Len looked over as well in silence.

"Do you need some privacy?" Gumi innocently asked, a hint of evil intention and teasing laced in, "I understand if dear horny Len needs alone time with Rin." Len immediately got off of Rin with that statement.

"Wh-what the hell?" Len glanced at Rin, then Gumi and repeated this a few times, "You'd think we'd do-do that? Sex? You're insane!"

"Ehhh, you haven't seen reality TV." Gumi bluntly said.

"Or any film targeted towards women," Ruby added nonchalantly, "Or any teenage film."

"…Huh?" Rin and Len looked on in confusion, both confused by what they meant.

"Well you see!" Gumi put on a pair of red frames missing lenses, an attempt to look smart on her part, as she explained, "When two people love each other very much, sometimes, they have sex! Because ya know, stuff happens. And then, sometimes, if there's a girl and a boy involved, the girl gets pregnant, and then," Gumi looked over the frames at the two, "Well, you know what happens then."

"Gumi." Len sharply inhaled, "WHY WOULD I HAVE SEX WITH RIN?"

"I mean, you are a cocky asshole, and probably horny." Gumi chided. Len glared.

"Anyways, bye!" Ruby left the room, not wanting to be a part of this any further.

"Use protection!" Gumi added on her way out, closing the door behind her.

The two stared in awkward silence for a moment, trying to process what had just happened.

"…So," Len turned back to Rin, wanting to try and forget what had just happened, "You were playing Migikata no Chou, aka Butterfly on your Right Shoulder?"

"Y-Yes." Rin nodded. At this point, she didn't feel like fighting him on this, and was willing to just be honest, "I did."

"A song about passionless love, usually for sex, money, or something of the sort?" Len asked her for clarification, "Or at least that's an interpretation."

"…I guess, yeah." Rin nodded.

Silence. Rin wondered if she had responded with the wrong words. Len eventually got to his feet and went over by the door. He turned to face Rin, seeming nervous.

"…Don't overthink anything, okay Rin?" Len left the room. Rin sat on the floor of her room, flushed, and in shock at his comment.

He loves me.

"It's been done," Prima returned to her husband's side as he sat down at a computer desk.

"The bastard tried to escape, and paid the price," Frankenstein's eyes were glued to the screen as he smiled at his finished work, "Maybe the others will be smarter."

"Yes, and...I, I belive that," Prima's voice cracked as she told this to her dear husband, "I believe they took our dear Mayu from us…" She hurt, and pained from the loss.

"What is the new girl's name?" Frankestein suddenly asked. Prima was surprised by the sudden question of his.

"Rin, Why?" Prima added rather quickly, "She's been here for only a few months."

"She'll be a marvelous replacement very soon."

The plot thickens? Anyways, uh stuff is progressing as usual. I wasn't patient for Project Diva F by the way, but I enjoyed playing it. – Kingdom Mitsumi