Chapter 12: The Harbinger of Noise

He collapsed in the grass of a clearing, his talons digging into the dirt. She was dead. She was dead. He'd killed her. She trusted him and he had killed her.

Harbinger.

He reached for his weapon. He momentarily thought of reenacting the ritual seppuku of a samurai…

… but he was not a samurai. He did not deserve a samurai's honorable death.

Harbinger.

His hands shook as he held the hilt. In spite of his will to end his life, his arms locked in place as the blade hovered over his heart.

Harbinger.

'… you will not release me.'

Your release comes with the End.

He tried one last time to plunge the blade in… but the sword barely tapped the fabric of the costume she had crafted for him. The dissonant melody bound his actions too tightly.

Harbinger. Tear the world asunder.

Finally he became aware of why he'd wound up here of all places as he turned and set his eyes upon a small swirling rift from which endless Dark Notes flowed. He rose to his feet and approached it, raising his blade and feeling the power rush from the rift and into himself.

His heart became a conduit of Noise, refining him into the instrument the Noise willed him to become…

"I refuse to stand idly by and let them destroy the Spirit Caller!"

The blonde woman in front of Gakupo appeared unmoved by his outburst. Such fury was unbecoming of a warrior. But every time he thought of Kaito's nearly lifeless body…

"Commander Lily, we cannot allow this travesty to continue! Kaito is… is…"

He caught himself. "… the last Spirit Caller. If they break him, our people shall break with him."

Lily checked around the room. Of course he knew why – speaking such treason could get him Severed. But right now… he knew he would give up everything if he could stop them from letting Kaito die…

"Gakupo."

Finally hearing her speak silenced him. "You're too... emotionally attached… to your charge to think rationally right now. A strong warrior must be dispassionate. Right now, you may make a mistake that could risk his life."

The notes of disappointment snuck into her otherwise solid voice as she made her pronouncement. "In light of your current state, I've no choice but to relieve you of duty."

Gakupo wished to protest, but he knew it would be futile. He might never see Kaito again. He'd come to terms with leaving his feelings unspoken, just so long as he could continue to protect him. Why could he not have stilled his tongue so he might stay at his side?

"Who will you place him under next?" Gakupo asked.

Lily's stern expression softened. "I shall care for him myself. If you're in better shape in a few days, I'll try to have you reinstated. Please… take this time for yourself."

As his commander departed, Gakupo saw no reason to stay in the training halls – he needed a good long flight to clear his head. But as he left for the outside, a hooded Seruva bumped into him. "My apologies…" she said, grasping his right hand.

As she released it, Gakupo felt a piece of parchment slipped inside…

Luka slowly opened her eyes. Her body felt heavy and weak… but she was alive.

"… I have to wait with her. It's my duty as her friend."

"Is… anyone there?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Just the strength she needed to speak felt monumental.

"Luka! You're awake!"

Luka began to roll her head to one side to see Kaito sitting at her bedside. He was safe. She had kept him safe this time…

"Just a second, I'll sing for you…"

Kaito's voice serenaded her and slowly her fatigue left her. The work of a master healer… but… Kaito had been muted when she was injured… how?

She looked down at herself – at some point she'd been changed out of her Vocaloids costume into a white t-shirt and black sweat shorts. She wasn't in a bed – she was resting on an air mattress. The only lighting came from a few lanterns swinging from the ceiling as there were no windows in the odd room she'd awoken in. Random clutter and trash adorned the space, along with dozens of quickly hung wires leading to multiple desktop computers.

"Kaito? Where are we?" she asked, trying to comprehend who could live in such a haphazard home.

"This is one of Gumi's… 'pads.' In a security shelter under the streets."

Kaito said the word "pad" so oddly that Luka guessed he'd heard Gumi rattle it off without explanation before dashing off. "We agreed our homes probably aren't safe right now… not with 'Big Sweet' looking for us…"

So that explained the lack of windows. The entirety of Tsubasa City had been built with an elaborate network of underground tunnels and secure shelters in case of disaster. A strange safety system given the potential threat of earthquakes and tsunamis... but apparently the Hearts were more concerned with death coming from the skies than the sea.

Not shockingly, the tunnels saw little regular use outside of getting turned into basement storage in the shopping districts. Luka found herself similarly unsurprised that Gumi of all people would simply break into a shelter and convert it into a "secret base."

Luka observed the bags under Kaito's eyes. He clearly had slept very little or not at all. "Kaito…" Luka chided, "you're taking care of yourself too, right?"

He let out an embarrassed laugh. "I'm… doing my best…" he said.

A few moments of silence passed before Luka found the courage to ask the most obvious question.

"What happened to Gakupo?"

The last image she had of him in her mind was those feral eyes coming towards her, his sword outstretched… with her voice silenced, she'd hoped in vain he'd recognize her and stop if he just saw her but… even her warrior was powerless to the Noise.

Kaito's smile faded as his mood grew more somber. "We can't find him," he said, "After… you were hurt… he flew away…"

He hung his head. "We don't know if he's alive…"

If Gakupo truly were emulating a samurai…. he wouldn't be. Luka held her wrist in one hand, lightly rubbing it with her thumb and trying not to imagine him having done himself in out of grief.

Kaito shook his head from side to side. "But I'm sure he wouldn't die like that! I… I still believe in him. He always protected me, and now I'm going to help him!"

For a moment, Luka thought Kaito was looking at someone. She turned to follow his eyes, but the room was empty except for the two of them. He returned to face Luka as though nothing had happened. For a moment, she began to recall her last conversation with the Kagamines about Kaito's strange behavior. But before she could ask, the sound of the door flying open interrupted her.

"Hey, Blue! I'm baaaack!"

Gumi skipped into the room with plastic bags in each arm. When her eyes linked with Luka, she promptly dropped them and dove for the bed. Within seconds Luka found herself trapped in a crushing embrace. "Doubles! Oh my God, you're finally awaaaaake!"

For a second Luka thought she was about to pass out again… this time from a lack of air…

Fortunately, Gumi released her and wiped some tears from her eyes. "Holy crap… when I saw you with a sword sticking out of you, I thought that was gonna be it! But you gotta have like… a buncha guardian angels looking out for you!"

On being reminded of how she came to this place, Luka touched her chest reflexively. She briefly turned her body away from Gumi and Kaito and tugged down her shirt collar. Examining her bare chest, she couldn't find even a single mark indicating where her mortal wound had struck her.

"Speaking of guardian 'angels'… how did I survive? You'd lost your voice…"

"Miku and Len sang the ballad for you, when Rin and I couldn't," Kaito explained.

"Wait…Miku?!"

"Yea, they were all pretty surprised, let me tell ya!" Gumi butted in, "But there was this weird light… and then BOOM, you just stopped bleedin' right there!"

Humans… humans could harmonize. Whatever Len and Rin's power was, they'd found a way to borrow Miku's voice to wield it.

"I finished healing you when my voice came back," Kaito continued, "That's why you don't have any scarring. But you were asleep for the last three days…"

Gumi returned to the pile of grocery bags and ran over to the fridge, stuffing the fresh items inside. "Okay… I got two cups of strawberry ice cream, a bag of spring onions, a bunch of bananas, a bag of oranges, a bundle of carrots and… huh, I don't remember buying the eggplant…"

She stared at the vegetable before her face spread into a grin. "Oh that's right, it's because it made me think of his head! Hee hee… he's Nasu-san from now on!"

"Wait, you said everyone was out tracking Gakupo?" Luka asked, "What did you mean?"

"Oh, remember that cool tracking device I built?!" Gumi gushed, once again drowning out Kaito entirely.

Luka spotted a familiar laptop on the counter, which now appeared to have even more weird bits and wires on it. "Well, Miku didn't damage the last one too bad so I was able to use it to track Noise and Dark Notes all over the city! I still can't find out where the wifi signals are coming from to turn them on… but I got a guy on the inside working on getting that to me…"

She shook her head rapidly. "ANYWAY! Pigtails and the dynamic duo are chasing down as many of these as they can to see if Nasu-san turns up near one… they'll let us know if they find anything…"

"Is that safe?!" Luka asked. She of all people now understood how dangerous Gakupo's corruption made him.

"They… they insisted…" Kaito said, "Every one of us… wants Gakupo back. Because… he's one of us."

Luka felt her body starting to tire… she began to wobble as she sat upright. Kaito caught her before she tumbled onto the floor. "I can heal you if you want…" Kaito said, "I… I know how much it takes to come back from the brink of death."

She nodded her head wearily, and soon Kaito's soft voice enveloped her. "Uh… hey… been meanin' to ask…"

Kaito let out a frustrated sigh – Luka took that to mean Gumi had probably spent most of the time she was unconscious pumping him for information on the Seruva. "Yes?"

She saw her tap him on the back. "So if you're so good at healing, like, bringing people back from the dead…"

"… why can't I just bring back my wings?"

The sharp, bitter notes in his voice indicated he'd expected this question. Even Luka hated hearing it – at least their friends had the decency not to ask… but Gumi was nothing if not blunt. Since she was awake, she chose to relieve Kaito of having to answer for once. "Gumi… even regenerating a lost limb is quite trying since we have to rebuild something that's been lost. If I lost my heart entirely… that would be that."

She touched her chest tenderly. "Our wings though… they're an extension of our spirituality. Having them Severed… it also closes off a window to our magic as well. Nobody can regain that… not even someone as talented as Kaito. It's one of the reasons becoming Val'Sharess is so heavily stigmatized."

She chose her words carefully for Kaito's benefit. The religious teachings on Severing were far more severe, but he already felt enough shame for the events beyond his control.

The soothing tones of Kaito's ballad lifted her battered spirit. Not just from the magic, but from hearing the words of the friend that lured her back from the brink of death. Except… somehow when she heard Kaito's voice echoing in that narrow window between life and death… she hadn't heard him as an adult.

She'd heard him as the frightened boy she'd abandoned on Earth to slow down his pursuers. The boy she'd promised to return to…

Did he grow lonely and attempt to return on his own? Had he simply failed to follow her instructions to hide himself? But of course, he was still a young boy who'd grown up attended to by priests. No doubt he exposed his location due to inexperience.

But when she heard his fearful voice crying out to her… all Luka wanted was to survive. Again.

And this time… she would not fail another precious person again.

With one swift slice, Miku chopped another Noise Generator in half. "There… you won't hurt anyone else!"

"You go Miku, you show that box of electronics whose boss!"

She groaned at Len who was snickering behind her. "Hey, I don't see you contributing!" she shouted.

"Miku's just cross because she had to leave Kaito-niisan behind…" Rin said, her voice taking a dreamy quality, "Ah, the brave college girl fighting impossible odds to protect the man she loves!?"

At first, Miku had wanted to keep her new relationship quiet… try to sort out all the feelings rushing through her head. Luka nearly dying, losing Gakupo… loving Kaito. She'd just wanted to be to enjoy being with Kaito and how wonderful it felt to finally know he loved her too. But of course the danger that chased him at every turn would find a way to ruin even that happiness…

Naturally, Miku and Kaito couldn't keep anything a secret because Kaito had declared he loved her right in front of everyone.

He refused to explain his odd choice of timing in the days since. Furthermore, he seemed to act a lot more protective of her now, as if frightened of losing her… but why wouldn't he be after what happened to Luka and Gakupo!?

The trio carefully snuck out of the back of the building they were in. Miku had grabbed what clothes she could out of her home and ran, hence why she just wore just a black shirt, red skirt, and white hoodie over her red sneakers.

"That's three in a row… no sign of Gaku-niichan…" Rin lamented.

The twins were similarly dressed down, Rin in a brown hoodie, white button down shirt and brown skirt, Len in a white shirt, red pants, and white sneakers.

Rin was taking the recent turn of events almost as badly as Kaito. She'd wanted so dearly to help anyone, but without her voice she could only watch the horrifying events play out in front of her.

The only thing keeping any of the Vocaloids going in light of such a devastating turn of events was their drive to save a friend.

Miku pulled out her phone and updated the results. "Urgh… how fast did Gumi code this app? It's always crashing!"

She saw her phone light up with a text – finally, some good news.

"Sempai's AWAKE!" Miku shouted.

"Ahhh! We should go talk to her right now!" Rin insisted.

"Well, can't we hit a few more of these places on the way?!" Len added, "Think about it… if we could at least get sempai some good news about Gakupo, she'd probably feel better…"

Before Miku could make a suggestion as to their next action, all three Vocaloids froze as they heard the sound of massive wings flapping nearby. On instinct, Miku drew her sword. "Sh… Show yourself!"

A silhouette of a winged figure darted over them. Miku looked up into the clouds and saw a female form with short hair and red and white robes highlighted against the sun. For only a moment, Miku looked straight into her brown eyes and saw nothing but disdain… but not aggression.

In moments she was gone, leaving nothing behind but a trail of white feathers.

Miku caught a few feathers in one hand as Rin said exactly what was on Miku's mind. "We need to tell Kaito. Now."

Gakupo grasped the hood around his head as the night wind on the Verdant Plains kept threatening to blow away his disguise. He knew of course that whoever had summoned him would know his true identity, but he didn't want everyone else to know too…

"We fight for the heart and soul of the Seruva. The Elders insistence on chaining us to the Ancestor's wishes have left us stagnant – a society ruled by corpses. And one that cannot survive on this course."

The figure standing before him spoke in a voice that was difficult to read gender from, covered in an elaborate disguise that completely concealed their face.

"You'll find little disagreement from me," Gakupo remarked.

He wasn't lying – he'd grown to mistrust the directions his tribe had taken, the cost of insisting on a life with no technology and rigid social customs.

Not to mention the toll he learned it had on the one tasked with deriving those orders.

"We have but one way to break the power of those who chain us… and that requires depriving them of the Spirit Caller."

For once he was glad his duties were suspended. If this person had laid out a trap for him to get closer to Kaito… he knew Kaito was still safe with his Commander. Still, he doubted they'd risked contacting him to get him to murder Kaito. He'd been contacted after his outburst in the training hall, after all.

"If your intent is for me to kidnap him…" Gakupo mused aloud, "The timing is wretched. With news of his ailment, the temples are crawling with guards. They will be during his next vigil as well…"

Gakupo sincerely questioned if Kaito could survive another vigil.

"We can arrange for that problem to solve itself… if you can assure us you can escape with the Spirit Caller."

He was betraying his people, his vows, and his caste… for just a single chance. "No simple feat, but one I can handle."

There would only be four other people in the room with Kaito… the most dangerous of them would be Meiko. The other three Elders were old men – easily dispatched.

"They'll rend the islands in two seeking him out though… we'll need safe shelter."

The figure stared out into the plains. "We can provide you a fortified location."

And of course, Gakupo was taking one more great chance – that after he committed high treason, Kaito would willingly go with him. He had to hope that Kaito's trust in him was stronger than the lies spun by the Elders. "For the good of the Seruva…" he murmured.

To kidnap the Spirit Caller during a vigil… every step must be executed with perfection or he'd simply end up Severed for nothing.

"My only condition… is that I stay with Kaito."

He clenched his fist around his sword hilt. "And I swear… I will kill any one of you that tries to interfere."

Kaito took the feathers from Miku and clutched them tightly. If what she said was true… if she saw Meiko…

"What I don't understand is why she'd come alone…" Kaito whispered.

"Maybe she separated from her guards?" Luka suggested.

Now their pursuit was going to be more dangerous. Did she already know of Gakupo's possession? Was she trying to find Kaito herself?

'At least she can't Sever you again.'

Somehow Kaito could just imagine his friend's sarcastic quip and it set his nerves at ease. Still, if she was in the city... matters had grown far more serious. "Maybe we should try to find her," Luka suggested, "She may not be the person she used to be, but we've been operating from a position of ignorance. We don't know what the Heralds are, we don't know what's happened to Gakupo, and we don't know why any of this is happening in the first place."

"Hey… guys?"

Gumi interrupted the discussion pointing to her monitor. "I'm uh… picking up a HUGE Noise reading… but it's not in any of the places I've marked for having generators…"

Kaito felt a shiver. If it was a Herald… he walked over behind her, trying to interpret the large black blob on the map. Gumi stared at the anomaly on her monitor in intense thought. "Gonna run this one by Finch, to be honest…" she said, "Could be anything…"

"… it must be Gakupo."

Kaito turned to Luka and saw her fold her hands over her heart. "Tengu… protect forests and temples. That anomaly… is in the forest at the edge of the island."

"AH! Doubles, you're so good at this!" Gumi said with stars in her eyes.

"Then we all need to go check this out," Kaito said, "If this one really is him… we need to be prepared. Especially… if other Seruva are searching for him."

Of course Kaito had no idea what he was going to do when he found Gakupo… every time in the past, his ballad had only temporarily halted the corruption. For reasons he couldn't fathom, it was insufficient to clear his heart entirely. If Meiko showed up, perhaps she would know the source of the corruption and how to break it.

If Meiko showed up… she would find out he was Val'Sharess. It was… doubtful Meiko would show the same kindness Gakupo had towards Kaito losing his wings and willingly living amongst humanity. Let alone his relationship with Miku…

Kaito tried to control his emotions as he saw Haku standing behind Luka. "It's okay! This won't kill you! Well, I mean, he might. But saving him won't!"

As he took a step forward, he heard the sound of a paper crane crunching under his foot. "EEK! Hang on, I haven't finished stringing them yet!"

Kaito couldn't let on that he was being followed by spirits… not now. If he did, no doubt Luka would figure everything out and… she might try and stop him from doing what he had to.

On the other hand… if Meiko appeared… perhaps he could make her tell him what was happening and he could save his own life as well as Gakupo's…

"Pardon me, but… how are we going to get there in time?" Luka asked.

Gumi waved her hands. "Hey, the kiddos got their scooters, Pigtails and Blue can ride on the back of theirs, and you and I are takin' Ranka-chan!"

Gumi practically skipped out the front door. Right now, the emerald-hair girl seemed to be the only cheerful person. As Miku passed Kaito by, she gave his hand a squeeze of reassurance.

How ironic. He'd wished so hard for more time with Miku. But as he watched her following Rin and Len outside, he felt awful knowing that the extension of their happiness came at the cost of Luka and Gakupo's.

"Ummm… Kaito-niisan… are we going to have to fight him?"

Rin's melody shook with fear. "He's… he's basically a Herald, right?"

Miku had a hand on the hilt of her sword. "So… we just treat it like that. We find out what's causing all that Noise… break it… and then Kaito sings for him."

Technically they didn't know what the Heralds were, or whether or not Gakupo was one as well. Even so…

"Miku's right, Rin. Don't worry, even if we have to fight him, we're not going to try and hurt him."

Even if he was only assuring himself… "We're going to save him. Gakupo is a Vocaloid… we won't leave him behind."

Gakupo watched vigilantly as Kaito entered the prayer chambers. Fortunately, the warrior had worked to put up the façade of normality he needed to ensure he could successfully return to his post.

While the Spirit Caller's gait seemed to indicate he was back to full health, his paler complexion gave away his true health – Kaito had barely been awake a few hours. Yet naturally, it took just six words to coax him back to prayers.

"For the good of the Seruva."

For almost an hour, nothing disturbed the peace. Gakupo began to worry that his signal to action would never arrive. Until finally an explosion from outside distracted the guards at once, the ancient stone temple trembling with its shockwave.

"The chains that bind us shall be BROKEN!" he heard several people cry as fighting broke out at the entrance to the temple.

Gakupo sprang into action, gesturing to the guards at the temple doors. "Quickly! Go to their aid! I shall fortify this position for the Spirit Caller!"

Most of them left at once to the outside. Only the three guards at the door remained at their posts – loyal to a fault. Three brothers he'd trained with as nestlings. Wil, Yuu, and Kyo. "Don't worry, Gakupo!" one of them said, "We'll stand by your side!"

Taking them by surprise meant he had them laid out on the ground with a few good shouts and blows. He checked them for injuries – nothing serious. Now that he'd turned on his caste, there was no turning away from his plan.

As the room cleared, Gakupo barreled through the double doors and flew inside the ceremonial chamber. He could hear all the powerful ballads of magic swirling around the room as the Elders and Kaito continued in their vigils. He had to move quickly and disable Meiko first – she was the most powerful of the song mages…

As he broke inside, he spied Kaito with his eyes wide open and emitting a pure white light. "You must dive deeper!" Meiko shouted, "You must find them and claim Sujata Hama!"

Kaito appeared to be in great pain. "P….please…" he begged, "They're not here… they've been swallowed up… I can't pursue them and… and Meiko, please, it's coming for me! Please, I don't want to go any further!"

"…and you're not going to." Gakupo said gruffly.

With one mighty force wave he slammed Meiko into a wall. Apparently he'd landed the blow perfectly, as she rolled to the floor unconscious. He turned to the elderly men that began to cease their prayers to attack… but Gakupo was far too quick for them. He sliced through two spells at once and disabled them as he had Meiko. "Kaito! We must flee, now!"

Kaito was clutching at his head. "NO! Where are the anchors?! I can't… I can't find my way back!"

"Kaito! I'm right here!" Gakupo pleaded.

The white color in his eyes turned black and Kaito settled his sights on Gakupo. "You! You did this!"

Gakupo never wanted to turn his sword on Kaito… but the rage in his face struck fear into the warrior's heart. Dark ballads filled the halls as Kaito began to sing in a dissonant tone, radiating dark balls of energy that hurled themselves towards the trained warrior. Gakupo tried to carve through them as he had the simple Seruva magic, but he found them far more resistant to his blade.

"You… are… the first…"

Dark, wispy spears formed around Kaito's body and he flung them at his friend. Gakupo used all of his agility to duck out of their way, trying to close to Kaito and knock him out… before a spear shot through his wings, altering his path.

Gakupo let out a small shout of pain. To see Kaito's gentle heart consumed by such evil power… "What have they done to you?"

Another series of spears began to fly at Gakupo, pinning him to a wall by his clothes and through his white wings. Kaito's melody changed as he watched Gakupo struggling to free himself, not a sign of mercy or recognition on his face. He summoned a swirling, wispy ball of energy and hurled it towards his friend. As it slammed into the helpless warrior's body he felt Dark Notes swarm through his mind as it spread like a multi-tentacled beast, latching itself to his body and drowning out all conscious thoughts with the wretched cacophony of Noise.

Gakupo summoned all of his will to try and fight them back but as his vision clouded, he remained barely aware of Kaito blowing out a back wall of the temple and escaping. All he could hear in his mind… was the discord.

…what had he done?

He remained motionless, drawing power from the portal. He'd only been interrupted twice in the last several days. Both times by groups of humans. They sought to control him.

He simply destroyed them, feeding their bodies to the Noise he drew his power from, further binding himself to its will and granting it a place on Earth.

Soon the Harbinger would unleash the Noise upon the world and nothing would remain of this human city…

"And so I find you here."

He turned his head and saw the brown eyes of the person he hated the most besides himself. The Red Priestess. He pulled his sword away from the portal and promptly engaged to attack her. He cried out to summon lightning and wind, striking and stabbing at her with her sword and claws.

She in turn cried out with dissonant melodies of her own, summoning black chains from the earth to lash at him, trying to hold him fast. She was a far stronger opponent now than she had been when he'd struck her down in surprise. Even alone, he recognized the Red Priestess had the power to become something like him… no, perhaps she'd even surpassed him…

Though the two remained evenly matched, fighting a battle worthy of the heavens themselves, eventually the Red Priestess played her trump card.

"Stand. Down."

At once his body convulsed and stilled in spite of his will to destroy her. "You… are incredible. I never dreamt a wretch like you could form into such a perfect weapon."

'Find Kaito. Kill all who interfere.'

… his orders… were in her voice.

She had given him the orders that forced him to destroy the woman he loved…

She'd merely been testing him. In truth, he recognized her for what she'd become – his Master. Somehow… somehow she was responsible for the crimes he'd committed after his original sin…

A buzzing sound approaching his sacred shrine alerted him to the presence of outsiders. He turned his head to see them, but the Dark Notes clouded his perception of their identities. He only saw more foes…

"…Meiko."

The brunette turned to face Kaito and he thought his heart was about to pound through his chest, but he had to stay strong. Because right next to her stood Gakupo, completely motionless. And right behind them… a hole in the veil. Spitting out Dark Notes and pulsing with the Noise at its source.

"Gaku-niichan!" "Gakupo!" "Nasu-san, he's alive!"

Kaito tried to get a better look at Gakupo as he stood at Meiko's side. In the days since he'd last seen him, his features appeared far less Seruva-like than before. Somehow his face appeared sharper, his skin was white like a corpse, and his feet extended into long claws, like those of a crow. Kaito just prayed that his appearance didn't indicate that Gakupo's mind was gone as well…

"Gaku-niichan, it's us! We're here and sempai's okay!" Rin pleaded.

The twisted Seruva stood unmoved by her pleas, causing Kaito to fear the worst…

"Val'Sharess." Meiko spat the words out like a vile taste. "You've descended this far, Kaito?"

As Meiko turned her harsh brown eyes to Kaito, he felt that familiar sensation come back – shame. How easily she could make him feel utterly worthless…

Before he could respond, Miku was at his side. "He didn't do it to himself!" she shouted, "It wasn't his fault!"

"So am I to assume humans did?" Meiko's voice dripped with disgust. "And now you walk with them at your side?"

"What did you do to Gakupo?"

Luka's frigid notes crossed her melody like an icy wind. Meiko swept her hands to her silent partner. "This man… committed treason of the highest order."

Gakupo's red eyes fixed upon Kaito. He couldn't even tell if Gakupo knew who he was, but something about the way they shook indicated he understood what Meiko was saying even if he did not understand who she spoke to.

"Gakupo would never commit treason. He's the most loyal warrior in the entire tribe!"

Kaito spoke his words with the certainty of years spent at Gakupo's side, under his vigilant protection. Yet the high priestess' raised eyebrow gave him pause. "A curious statement given that he attacked you at the temple."

"I… I followed a spirit…" Kaito said weakly, "In the last vigil I… I lost my anchors and the spirit… I chased it to the Verdant Plains and…"

His voice trailed off as he realized he had no memories of what had happened to him in the temple while his spirit remained trapped beyond the veil. He only remembered regaining his perception of being in his body as he was attacked by the humans... anything could have happened before that…

"Your 'loyal' guard joined with rebels to kill you. When we awoke after his attack, we found our sacred temple in ruins, you missing… and the vile traitor pinned to the wall and raving mad with the power of Noise. I assume the rebels empowered him so… thus I had little choice but to claim him."

Kaito didn't want to believe it… this wasn't the person he knew… but as his changed friend lowered his eyes, he worried there was some truth to it…

… and he quickly realized Meiko was confessing to a crime of her own.

"You… you've been wielding Dark Notes…"

Gakupo's body twitched as the portal behind him let fly with a burst of Noise. Kaito could feel the wild swirl of power tear at his fraying emotions. "For so long, we were taught to believe the Noise was something we must contain…"

Meiko held her hand forward, examining her fingers. "That's why Spirit Callers exist… you are supposed to help us keep it from harming the tribe. When you disappeared after Prima's death… it became imperative to devise another solution…"

"…that solution became me. The Elders learned to manipulate the Noise without letting it infect them. They empowered me with it… but I've come to realize I alone cannot stop the human's incursions in our land."

She glared at Kaito. "You yourself were stolen away by humans, were you not?"

Flashes in his head of the lab, of the torture, of being pried away from the world he knew and thrown into a nightmare of pain and suffering. "And you were not the first! Even when we stayed away from humanity, even when we isolated ourselves in the Islands… they still prey upon what remains of us!"

As the portal pulsed, Kaito heard a few sharp notes in Meiko's voice as energy swirled around it. He remembered how the humans treated him when he was captured. How he was so frightened of them that he'd even distrusted Miku…

"Humans… aren't good or evil…" Kaito said, "They're… so much more than that. Some of them are truly evil… and some of them are truly good… but they all have so many wonderful melodies and lives…"

Meiko's calm seemed to shatter at his words. "Listen to what they've done to you! They stole our beloved Spirit Caller, our only window to the beyond, they mutilated you, and now they've even planted rebellion in your heart to turn you from your people!"

"Shut UP!"

Kaito had not expected Len to speak out so swiftly. "Just admit that you're the one that did this to Gakupo already! Then start going off on how awful we humans are, I dare you!"

The boy's fists shook with his rage. Kaito stared down Meiko, who seemed to be trying to restore her own sense of control. "This wretch… who so betrayed his own kind… did not deserve a Severing. So I crafted him into an instrument that could undo his evil…"

Kaito didn't want to believe this. He'd given so much of himself for Meiko, for the Elders, in the name of the Seruva… now Gakupo might have turned on him and they'd turned him into a monster?!

Did Kaito truly understand anything about his old life!?

"He's performed somewhat erratically… but otherwise… he took his orders well. I intend to take him, cleanse his mind of the resistance that remains and put him to service as the vanguard for the coming war…"

"You are not taking Gakupo anywhere."

Luka tried to remind herself that the person Meiko was now was not the person she used to care for. They had done this to her. But even so, she was now an enemy. And she had done this to Gakupo.

"I shouldn't even have to acknowledge you, Val'Sharess. But your objections are not unexpected given your similar penchant for crimes against the Seruva!"

Meiko turned her gaze to Kaito. "No doubt I have you to blame for his choice in company…"

"I make my own choices now!" Kaito shouted.

"In that case, I am compelled to give you one now."

Her stern expression shifted to one of a controlling parent bearing down on a child. "Your power amongst the Seruva is so great that even if you have become Val'Sharess, you would be welcomed back so long as you resumed your duties."

Kaito's mouth fell open in shock. "I… I can just… go home?" he asked in disbelief.

Meiko nodded. "Kaito… think of the good of the Seruva… how could you abandon them for the humans that destroyed us?"

Luka held her tongue, simply watching Kaito. To have that life dangled in front of him… such cruelty. "Tell me. What is the Sealing ceremony and what did you do to me?"

Kaito ignored the question as the high priestess stared at him in surprise. "What in the world do you need to know about that for?"

"My mother and Luka risked themselves to stop me from being Sealed. Now the Heralds speak of it every time I banish them."

He raised his head and glared at Meiko. "If you expect me to abandon my friends, the people who've stood by me through my trials, to let you do what you please with Gakupo… the least you'll do is tell me what the Seal is and why the Heralds continue to warn me of it."

Meiko's expression turned darker. "I understand… you ask because your oblivion approaches."

'Oblivion?!' Luka thought to herself, 'Is Kaito in danger?!'

"Your answer, Kaito. Now."

"Kaito would never go back with an awful person like you!" Miku shouted at the top of her lungs, "He's never thought twice about protecting others! He's a Vocaloid and he believes in us just like we believe in him and-"

"Miku… that's enough…" Kaito said.

Miku looked like she had more than a few more angry words to toss at the priestess, but she held her tongue as Kaito smiled reassuringly at her. He turned back to Meiko in defiance. "If you won't answer my question… then mine is simple. I will not abandon humanity. I will not abandon my friends. I will not abandon Gakupo and…"

He grasped Miku's hand to make his point extra sharp. "I won't abandon the woman I love."

Upon her realization of what Kaito was confessing to her, her face filled with revulsion. "To think humans could so thoroughly corrupt you!"

The priestess turned to her "instrument" and Luka mentally prepared herself for what would come next. Gakupo's eyes remained an eerie blank as he stared at the assembled Vocaloids without appearing to understand who they were.

"Gakupo! Retrieve Kaito. Kill every one of these humans so he might return."

"Remember… this is just a Herald… exactly like a Herald…" Kaito repeated.

This time Luka would not expect Gakupo to hold back. She looked to her companions and every one of them seemed ready for the wild fury he was capable of. Even Rin seemed ready for anything – she just wanted her "Gaku-niichan" back.

And Luka… wanted her warrior back.

He struggled to try and regain his senses but the strength of the orders pressed against his will. He only felt the fury and will to destruction as he charged forward to strike down his foes. He started with the girl with the sword – perhaps she would be an easy kill.

He swiped quickly, surprised that she met some of his strikes, but he was so much faster…

He heard three shouts and quickly sliced through three light arrows before they impacted him. The girl dove back and his sword met a shield of light.

These "humans" were not like the weaklings sent before. He doubted they were even "human".

It's almost time.

The priestess could only control him because right now she was stronger than him. He carved through shield after shield as if it were nothing trying to get to the girl.

Harbinger… your power is infinite.

Even though he'd been interrupted by the priestess, he could still feel the power of Noise filling him from the portal. Chipping away at everything that was left of him and preparing him for his true purpose before the Noise.

They cannot destroy us.

He felt that power finally peak… and he felt the moment when suddenly "orders" mattered not. He mattered not.

Miku was gasping for breath from having to fight so many charges from such a furious attacker. She was covered in scratches and cuts from the times she'd failed her parries and Gakupo had clawed her up. She heard Kaito's voice in her ears and the pain from her wounds rapidly faded. He was trying so hard to keep everyone safe…

She saw a flash of light as the portal in the field pulsed several times. Gakupo suddenly ceased his attack and this time even Miku could hear the dissonant melodies in the air. "What's this?"

Apparently even Meiko had no idea what her soldier was doing.

Gakupo darted towards the portal, spreading his wings wide and holding up his blade. "I AM THE HARBINGER OF NOISE!"

His bellowing voice echoed through the trees, like that of an angry god. "THIS WORLD SHALL KNOW DESTRUCTION!"

The portal began to spew forth a wild flow of Dark Notes, light and wind ripping across the trees. Miku felt her emotions going into overdrive, anger, fear, sorrow, jealousy, hatred… her identity tearing apart as the chaotic powers flew at her.

She fell to her knees, trying not to let all of this power destroy her. She remembered being tossed into the Noise by Miriam and how she'd tried to use her feelings for Kaito to stay strong… she tried to imagine everything she loved about him and why she wanted to protect him and keep him safe...

She heard Kaito's voice ring out with the Song of Purification. He seemed to be channeling all of his power at the rift itself. She screamed as she saw Gakupo begin to draw his sword and aim for Kaito.

Luka rushed in front of Kaito, placing all of her will into the shield she was wielding to protect him. It wavered and shook as Gakupo sang out a twisted ballad, causing black lightning to slam into the shield. She glanced behind her – the Kagamines were huddled next to each other, singing out of their sense of bonding. Miku was using her sword to steady herself. Gumi was already unconscious and turning grey. None of them were entirely able to withstand so much power.

"Kaito! Can you close it?!"

Kaito gritted his teeth as he kept channeling energy against the rift. "I don't know… it's like it's using Gakupo as an anchor! We have to remove that but…"

A wild pulse drove Kaito back several steps but he remained steadfast in his ballad. She stared at the monstrous tengu that hurled one bolt after another at her, fighting her with every breath. Kaito needed to be the one to heal him… he was the only person strong enough… but he couldn't divert that power when he needed so much to hold back the rift. Luka knew the safest way to protect Kaito but… Gakupo would die.

That was not an option.

In desperation, she thought back to how he'd once pulled her from oblivion with a song. The first time she'd met him, her attempt to cast the ballad had a small effect on him. Maybe… if she started to perform it herself...

"Rin, Len, Miku! Keep protecting Kaito!"

After a moment, she saw a brilliant golden shield form in front of her. Miku stood by her side. Her hands shook around her weapon, but her stance was firm. "Sempai… I believe in you…" she whispered.

Luka knew the next task was hers. "YOU CANNOT CEASE THIS DESTRUCTION!"

She sang the song with every ounce of energy she had, trying to bend every note towards Gakupo. If she could reach him and calm him enough, she could try the next step…

It clearly had some effect because he practically roared at her with fury. "DO NOT INTERFERE!"

She knew those eyes… she tried to suppress the fear beating in her heart as the memories flooded back… she couldn't lose ground or she would fail him… she couldn't cease the song or she would fail him...

The melody hurt. Everything about it made him burn in agony. Why?! The witch couldn't stop him as the Harbinger… he would show her!

The witch must die.

All he could do was destroy… all he'd ever done was destroy… but her melody continued to work against him.

Harbinger, destroy her.

He held his sword out, intending to cut her down for good. He heard screaming around him, but not hers. This time she would not get up.

'This… time?'

Harbinger, destroy your foes!

He fought the clouded vision and roaring sounds to try and see his target... the first time he killed the witch… he shattered… why?

Before his sword pierced her chest he saw blue eyes and pink hair and a name flew into his head…

"LUKA!"

Gakupo shouted her name as he stopped just centimeters from impacting a golden shield of light. Rin and Len clearly didn't intend for a tragedy to repeat.

"Gakupo… you didn't kill me… I'm alive…" Luka whispered, staring into his eyes from the other side of the shield.

Once more the twisted Seruva thrashed around in front of her as the madness tried to take him again. Hopeful from his recognition of her, Luka continued to sing for him. As Gakupo finally seemed to calm again, he met her eyes again.

"Please… please end it… please stop me before I destroy you all… I won't stop you…"

"… and I won't kill you."

He stared up at her in shock. "It won't release me! Please… when the life leaves my body… Kaito can close the portal and…"

"None of us came to kill you, and none of us are going to kill you."

Gakupo looked as though he wished to speak again, when another fit took him and the fury returned to his face. Miku leapt forward first, parrying his blows with far greater ease than before – Gakupo seemed to have far less combat focus than before. Luka stayed clear, using her years of agility from dancing to stay one step ahead. She hoped her unbroken ballad was weakening the power of the Noise.

A hope that increased when Miku finally managed to knock his sword away from him. Luka grabbed it out of the grass and held it close...

Why would she not grant him peace?! Did she not understand how dangerous he was!? How many people had suffered because of him!?

Harbinger! Destroy her!

Her melody hurt him, physically and mentally as it kept trying to wrench his corruption from him. But she couldn't complete it. She could only end him. But she was stubborn. She was always stubborn. That… that was something he loved about her.

He loved her.

He loved her far too much to let her give her life so pointlessly.

Harbinger… there is a way…

The Noise beckoned him – if he drove himself into the rift, it would finally tear him to pieces… he would be free and Kaito could obliterate the rift… he broke away from fighting and turned to dive into oblivion itself…

… he felt arms around his chest and he quickly stopped himself before both he and a persistent "witch" were destroyed together…

"If you're so determined to fling yourself in there and end it, you'll have to destroy me too!"

"NO! Luka, release me!"

Trying to maintain a grip on the writhing Seruva took every bit of strength she had. Gakupo tried pushing her hands away, but still she maintained her hold on him. She would turn that sense of sacrifice against him by any means.

"I'm not letting go… and I won't stop singing…"

Indeed, she had not broken her ballad. Somehow it had pierced the madness trying to pry her warrior from her for eternity. The rift flared again, nearly pushing Luka and her warrior apart, but still… she held fast.

"Why…" he murmured, sounding so broken in melody and spirit, "I am beyond salvation for my crimes…"

"Because I will never allow them to take another precious person from me again."

As he seemed to calm, Luka pleaded with him. "Gakupo… please… sing the ballad with me… sing until it releases you…"

If there was enough of Gakupo left… maybe he could sing with her… maybe his voice could complete it and finally free him…

… she heard the first few weak notes emerge from his throat…

Every note burned, like the vilest acid singing his throat. His voice shook as he pressed forward anyway. He tried to allow his voice to follow Luka's and entwine itself with hers…

You are the Harbinger of Noise!

The Noise tried to drown him out with its oppressiveness, but with every note, he felt it breaking away from him. His own power, his own life, his very identity and sense of self…

You are the Harbinger of this world's End!

'No.'

Gakupo felt as though his heart beat with another as he continued his song…

Kaito felt his hands shaking as he started to run out of stamina, but he had to sing as long as he could. He couldn't fail Luka and Gakupo! "Don't worry, Kaito-niisan, we'll help you out!"

He felt his fatigue being slowly erased by the twin ballad of Rin and Len. He felt the rift trying to drive him back. He realized none of the others saw the rift as he did – a wretched tear between life and death, the veil itself ripped asunder allowing the Dark Notes infecting the world beyond to spread and destroy.

But finally… as he heard Gakupo's voice build and join Luka's… he felt himself winning. The rift trembled as their voices grew in strength and the invisible link between the Noise and Gakupo shattered. With every ounce of power he had, Kaito began to form a ball of light in his hands.

"Oh… that's a new trick! You're better at this than I was…"

"Tch, I could make it look cooler…"

"Ah, the cranes are getting blown away!"

"You do know it won't forgive you for this, right?"

Kaito hurled the energy forward into the center of the gaping rift. It pulsed and warped as the light wrenched it close, created a massive shockwave…

… and Kaito felt the last of his energy leave him…

"KAITO!" Miku shouted, catching him before he hit the ground.

As she saw his weak pallor and still face, she grew fearful. "Kaito, hang in there!" "Kaito-niisan, please!"

Kaito remained still but slowly his eyes opened and focused on Miku. He looked so frail… "Kaito, you scared me… for a second… I thought you were… you were…"

She pulled him closer to her and felt him embrace her tightly. "I'm… I'm fine… I've just never used so much power at once…"

He released Miku and looked over her shoulder. "Gakupo… did we save him?"

Miku looked in his direction to see Luka and Gakupo on the ground, tightly embracing each other… a cloud of white feathers drifting around them from his white wings…

"Luka… I think… I ruined the costume you made for me…"

… he loved the chime of her laughter. He loved the smile on her face. He loved the way her eyes sparkled with joy…

… she loved his rich voice and his terrible sense of humor. "The dissonance…" she murmured…

Every note in his voice drifted with happy relief. "It's gone… it's finally gone…"

A/N:

Finally, all of the important questions are being answered.

GUMI'S SCOOTER HAS A NAME! I know, what a shock! Phew, well, we can all rest easy now.

I considered one more cliffhanger this week… but this was another busy chapter given some of the plot threads it resolved. Alas, Tengupo, you were taken out by a very determined woman with arms of steel.

Seppuku is something I probably don't need to explain in detail here since it's a rather well-known element of Japanese samurai culture. I'll just point out that ritualized suicide is intended to allow a samurai to preserve honor upon death. Gakupo choosing not to perform it is him acknowledging that he's not a real samurai (feeeeeeeels).

"Nasu" is Japanese for "eggplant." Some of you that follow me on tumblr may have noticed me occasionally nicknaming Gakupo "Nasu-san", well, it's because I wrote this chapter and looked up the word. "VanaN'Ice" actually includes the word in the middle of the name to get Gakupo's character item in there. I debated just calling him "Eggplant", but "Nasu-san" sounds so much more formal… and hence more ridiculous for Gumi to use as a nickname.

If you guys are curious what Tengupo looked like, I encourage you to head down to my DeviantART account, rebochan, and take a gander at my journal entries. I posted both a concept sketch and later a full color badass angry Tengupo both done by Syradhe, a fan of the series and someone who helped make him the holy terror he was. I based his final form on the full color art she did where he's even got bird feet. Luka, you are NUTS for trying to talk him down...