DISCLAIMER: I don't own Vocaloid. But it's not like I want to or anything. B-baka, shut up, I...I don't even l-like anime! *inset tsundere tone*

Chapter 12

Miku's POV:

As a gentle stream of feathery snow fell from the skies, blanketing the ground in a powdery white, I sat at my father's grave and wept. How ironic it was; the beautiful snowflakes, illuminated by the weak late afternoon sunlight, seemed to be mocking my situation.

On the cracked and worn tombstone were crudely carved words, but most of them were too faded to be made out. Only two words could be read: Kaito Hatsune. Dark moss covered half of the tombstone, while scraggly weeds grew from cracks in the rock. It was a small, pitiful tombstone, barely noticeable. Probably, my dad was a small, quiet person too. I just hoped he wasn't as pitiful.

"…was extremely wealthy…left you an immense fortune for when you come of age…p-passed away because of a car crash when being chased by…" Snippets of my tearful mother's explanation swam in my mind, causing an churning flood of mixed emotions to stir within me. Shock, grief, anger, sorrow, fear, determination…

"Daddy, Daddy! Let's go! I wanna eat ice cream!"

"Sheesh, you two...I never knew that a man and his daughter could both act like two toddlers!"

"Guess what Mommy cooked tonight? It's delicious!"

"Your uncle's visiting us next week! He said that he's bringing lots and lots of gifts! Candy and dolls and toys for you!"

"Ah…I see. So Meiko finally decided to rat on me, eh?" The dreaded, hated voice that I could recognize anywhere said mockingly. Not turning around, I hid my face so that the tears cascading out of my swollen eyes and down my flushed cheeks couldn't be seen.

"…"

"…"

"Answer me. ANSWER ME, GIRL!" A filthy hand- that I noticed, chillingly, was covered in blood- grabbed my shoulder roughly and shoved me to the ground. I winced in pain, letting a small whimper escape my lips.

Bloodshot eyes stared at me malevolently as I slowly stood up, panting. I fell harshly again when a heavy glass bottle smashed me on the side of the head, at the temples. Meito, my cruel uncle, my dad's resentful brother, who had tormented my mother and I for ten years, leered at me sadistically as blood trickled down from the new gash on my head.

"He wanted it. All of it. That's why he m-murdered …Kaito. But…but he still had an obstacle that prevented him from obtaining his desired wealth. You."

Eyes widening, I slowly raised a trembling hand to my temple and brought it to my eyes. My fingertips were covered in bright crimson. I felt anger, unspeakable rage, bubble up inside me to bursting point, burning twice as hot as the sharp pain caused by my wound.

"H-he threatened me. Said he would beat me, burn the house, k-kill you. I had to act, treat you badly so you wouldn't know. T-to do such a thing…it was…s-so painful…impossible. B-but, it was either your life, or…"

Finally, my wall of calm broke and shattered into a million pieces. After ten years of cruelty and physical and emotional abuse, fury burst through my heart and filled my lungs. Clenching my trembling hands into fists, I shrieked, "YOU KILLED MY FATHER! TORMENTED MY MOTHER! THREATENED MY FRIENDS! WORM! FILTHY WORM! YOU DESERVE TO-"

Click. Suddenly, the alcoholic pulled out a small rifle and pointed it at my chest. Black and shiny, it glinted evilly in the midst of swirling white snow. Eyes widening in horror, I urged myself to think and consider the situation I was in, even while my heart raced wildly, as if trying to pump as much blood as possible before it would be pierced by a bullet.

"…He had ten years to kill me…"

"If that…monster had k-killed you, you…your fortune would go to your cousins…Mikuo and Aoki…it would still be possible for him to g-get the money, but harder…He's cruel, that man, likes to play with his victims…"

Eyes moving rapidly, I noticed that there was a slight stagger in how the man stood. When he looked at me, his eyes seemed to be unfocused and took a little while to adjust. Also, although I had a gravestone behind me, there was still enough space for me to run. Once I made it out, the busy streets would make it almost impossible for a drunk like him to find and shoot me, especially due to my small figure and athletic fitness.

If I wasn't in so much danger, I would've laughed. The stance in how he pointed his gun at me, topped by the plan I had in mind, was about as cliché as something could get.

"…I-it couldn't be! A-a-a ghost?! DAD!" I gasped, pointing behind Meito. As he turned around to look, I mustered all my strength and punched him in the stomach. He doubled over, coughing up blood. His reaction to my attack must have been furious, but I didn't stay to find out. I turned around and flew toward the cemetery gates. In a few moments I made it to the gates. Just as I was about reach out and open the door, a deafening crack sounded and I saw a smoldering hole in the door, five inches from my hand.

"…In any case, he wouldn't have been able to k-kill you. After all, I…I was always watching. Although I had to pretend that I …was on his s-side, I was always …trying to s-separate you…"

Foolishly looking behind me, I saw Meito. His pupils were contracting with rage, and he was closing in on me. "Run, girl, run. Run so I can catch you and rip you limb from limb." He snarled viciously. I gulped in fear, flung open the door, and sprinted wildly away from the cemetery, blood dripping from my temple.

The alley, I realized with horror, was completely empty. I felt the blood on my head, now dripping down my jaw and onto my shoulder, was sticking to my hair, which was falling out of its pigtails. The blood loss was beginning to make a serious impact on me.

Finally reaching a corner, I turned and saw myself on a narrow, quiet street. As the thundering footsteps grew louder, I jumped into a nearby narrow alley, sandwiched between two old buildings. Seeing a huge trash can at the back of the alley, I desperately flew to it and hid myself.

Great, Miku. You found yourself a hiding place, but it's a dead end. If Meito finds you, you're dead. Idiot. I mentally scolded myself.

Trying to make myself as curl up as small as possible, like a crumpled paper that one would ball up and throw into a bin, I prepared to wait in this spot for a long time. Maybe I would have to hide here for hours, or perhaps for even the whole night. But to escape death by a greedy drunk's hands, it was worth the excruciating time and mounting tension and dread. But no, I wasn't lucky enough for that to happen, of course.

A dark figure blotted out the winter setting sun, growing bigger and bigger.

Shit, I thought. My blood must have dropped onto the ground. I'm a goner.

I closed my eyes, waiting for the trash can to be knocked aside violently, and for a bullet to pierce my head. Then, I slowly opened them again, after realizing that it hadn't happened yet.

Meito had disappeared without a trace.

Hesitantly rising from my hiding spot, I crept to the edge of the alley and peeked out. In the light of a rickety streetlamp a few yards away, I saw two friendly faces staring at me in shock.

"Miku, what happened to you?!"

"Hatsune-san!"

With my face breaking into a relieved grin that my face was rarely seen wearing, I sighed in content. And then I collapsed.

OH NO, MIKU! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!

Don't hate on Meito. It isn't his fault. He's actually a good guy...JK. It's April Fool's Day! *checks calendar and realizes it's not* Well. whatever. My point is that you should HATE MEITO WITH ALL YOUR HEART! HE'S EVIL!

Yup.

Please review, everyone, and stay tuned for Chapter 13! Thank you!

~Rikasa