Black and Ashes

Chapter 3
Smile

I yelled loudly, my right eye pounded from within its sockets. I pulled back a hand, a horrified look crossed my face. It was covered in blood.

No. It was just an eye. I have no time…

I tried to blink it; I bit back another scream, it hurts like hell. No, I must focus. I looked around for Rin, a gasp escaped my lips as I saw Rin lying on the floor. Her face expressed great pain, and she was biting back a scream. "Rin!" I yelled as I rushed towards her side. I bit my lip, blood and tears stung my right eye. "I'm sorry," I apologized, lowering my head down.

Rin gasped in pain, her back stretched into an ark. Rin cried out a profanity, her manicured nails dug down on my clothing. "Kuso!" she hissed. I did not know what to do. I want to relieve the pain… I can't look at her like this…

What should I do?

Kaito yelled out in pain, he jumped up from the sofa as Luka tried to clean Kaito's wounded face. "L-Luka!" he whined, "B-be careful!"

"Yeah… Sorry," she apologized softly. Kaito bit back another scream, Luka tried her best not to hurt the male Vocaloid. A sigh escaped through Luka's nose, her lips pursed, as she tried pushed Kaito back down when he jumped up. "What happened to your face anyway?"

"Ah!" Kaito bit his lips, he could see Luka removing his peeled off skin. Luka ripped off the excess skin like paper. The male Vocaloid screamed again, as Luka pulled the last excess skin, and immediately placed a cloth over Kaito's bleeding face. "I would like an ice cream now," Kaito blurted, he tried ignoring the pain on his face.

Luka stared at Kaito with a raised brow, "You haven't answered my question," she pointed out, her brows rose skeptically, "Well?"

"Oh," Kaito took the cloth from Luka and pulled back, he winced as he placed the cloth over his wounds. Kaito let out a sigh, he turned his head to the side and stared at the open space. "It's…" Kaito paused to sigh, "Len."

"Len-kun?" Luka asked, her face contorted that into confusion. Then realization hit her, her eyes widen. "But he wouldn't—"

"Well, he tried to hurt Miku!" Kaito snapped, his dark blue eyes glared hard at the floor, his sudden burst made Luka jump on her seat. But then he realized what he had done, "Ah! G-Gomen!" he apologized, tugging his blue scarf nervously. "I-I didn't mean…"

Luka blinked, Kaito's sudden out burst somehow made her believe that Len really did attacked Kaito. "No," Luka said, she shook her head, "I-it's fine…" she said. The pink-haired Vocaloid stood from her place and walked off.

"Ah! A-ah! L-Luka!" Kaito called, but the female Vocaloid already left the room.

'Len… Someone so innocent and kind… attacked Kaito?' Luka thought silently, 'I guess that incident really did damaged him.' Luka sighed heavily as she headed back to her room, "Poor Len," she muttered as the door of her room slid close behind her.

Kaito groaned, as he slapped himself. He repeatedly called himself an 'idiot'. Miku entered soon after, and noticed the older Vocaloid grumbling. "Kaito-nii?" Miku called, in her hand she held a tub of ice cream and a metal spoon.

Kaito jumped in surprise, "Ah, Miku-chan," the male scratched the back of his head sheepishly. His face brightened as he noticed the ice cream on Miku's hands. "Ice cream!" the Vocaloid bounced on his sit happily as Miku sat down next to him. Miku smiled weakly and peeled of the lid of the ice cream.

"So," Miku trailed of awkwardly, "How are you feeling?" she asked, as she stared at the vanilla ice cream.

Kaito blinked, "Oh, I'm fine… I guess," Kaito replied, muttering the last part. The bluenette beamed and took the ice cream from Miku; his face then scrunched up in confusion. "Err," Kaito can't eat with out putting down the cloth on his face, "Damn, Luka forgot to the bandage," he mumbled. Kaito placed the tub between his legs and took the silverware from Miku, and he started to eat the ice cream… Awkwardly.

"Umm," Kaito turned his attention to Miku, "I could… err… um… help… y-you," Miku stumbled out, as she stared hard on her shoes. Kaito beamed, and handed her the spoon and the tub of ice cream. The Vocaloid grinned and opened his mouth wide. Miku laughed awkwardly, she scooped up the ice cream and carefully fed Kaito.

Miku observed Kaito's face, he looked horrible, he was missing a few patches of skin, here and there. Moreover, the cloth he was holding was heavily stained with his blood. "Ano," Kaito started, "Where's Meiko?" he asked as he swallowed the melting treat in his mouth.

"Oh, Meiko-nee went to tell the scientists what happened," she replied, her voice lacked it usual brightness, as Kaito have noticed. "I just hope they won't do anything bad to Len-kun," she said, barely a whisper. Kaito immediately noticed Miku's tears gathering by the corner of her eyes.

Kaito panicked, "Ah-ah! Miku!" the Vocaloid took the silver spoon from Miku and scooped up the vanilla flavoured ice cream, and placed the spoon between her lips. "Uhm, uh… You have to taste it! It's good!" he exclaimed happily, yet it was forced. Miku blinked, and stared between the spoon and Kaito. "Open up! For Kaito-nii!" Kaito said, forcing a goofy grin. Miku smiled sadly and opened her mouth. "There~" Kaito sang, smiling widely, Miku returned it with a small smile.

Meiko slowly walked back to the living room, her conversation with the scientists replayed in her mind.

"Len attacked Kaito," Meiko said, as she stared hard on the tiled floors. One of the scientists looked up, his mouth formed an 'o'.

"What happened?" he asked, as he placed down sheets of paper down on the table.

"I-I don't know. Len suddenly—" before Meiko could finish one of the scientists cut her off.

"Ah! Well, then," the scientists exchanged looks as if conversing with their eyes. The scientist smiled at her, "thank you for informing us, Meiko-san."

Meiko reluctantly turned around and bit her lip, she was about to step out but turned back to the scientists. "What will you do to him?" she asked. However, the scientists merely smiled and told her she should check Kaito.

And here she was, walking down the hall with that uneasy feeling bugging her. Wondering what would those men that created them do to Len. She just hopes nothing bad.

Meiko entered the room, and found Kaito and Miku sharing a tub of ice cream, simultaneously feeding each other. "Kaito-nii! I can totally feed myself!" Miku said, her face held a small pinkish-tint.

Kaito laughed, and grinned. "But you won't eat if I didn't~!"

Miku flushed heavily but then noticed Meiko standing by the doorway. "Ah, Meiko-nee…" she greeted. Kaito's eyes widen, and he immediately scooted away from Miku. "What happened?" she asked. Meiko shrugged her shoulders and flopped down on the sofa, and sat right next to Miku.

"Not much," was the brunette's reply.

I ran around the floor, the fire exits were already blocked by the falling ceiling, and there was no way out except for the windows.

I stood in front of the window, and stared at it. The building was shaking uncontrollably, and I could hear the cracking sounds of the cement. I stared at Rin, who stared back with her wide, wet eyes. "What now?" she asked, her voice cracked… I wonder why?

I shook my head, I feel the dread in the pit of my stomach. "I…"

I don't want to answer. I don't want to tell her that I don't know. Jumping off the window was suicide, we're in the fifty-seventh floor, and there is a chance where our vital parts could be damaged.

This was it.

It was the end.

It was our end.

Heh, at least I'll be dying with Rin.

"Len?" I looked up, and stared at my sister's eyes once last time. The building gave one strong shook, and the ceilings started to crack, the lines crawling around and spread across the ceilings. The fire had melted the building's metal posts, and the explosion did not help either.

Oh, I haven't told you where we are… We're in Crypton Future Media Records office. Someone apparently tried to bring Crypton down… I mean literally. There was a bomb, of course, but it did not bring down the whole building. It destroyed some of the floors, yes, it started a fire, yes. It killed us, no, not yet.

Heh, my tragic end as a singing robot. Don't worry, Miku-nee, Meiko-nee, Luka-nee, and Kaito-nii are safe, but not me and Rin.

I laughed silently, Rin gave me a confused look. "Don't worry, Rin," I whispered. There was an explosion from the upper floors, I could guess it was another bomb. "Everything will be fine," I told her reassuringly. I could hear the upper floors crashing down, and soon will reach the floor we were in.

I will die with Rin. We will die together, in that way, we won't be separated… Right?

But my plan has to backfire. Fate must've hated my guts.

Len was staring at the ceiling for the past few hours. But his trance was broken when the lab's door opened, with three scientists standing by the door way. Len tilted his head to the side, the scientists where conversing among themselves… They were talking about him.

One of the scientists sighed, "Kaito destroyed his inner antenna, we'll have to shut him down manually," he told the other scientists who nodded their head.

Shut down? They will shut him down? Why would they…? No… He won't let them.

Len hoped to his feet, and snarled at them, baring his white teeth. The scientists flinched, and raised their arms, "Calm down, Len," the scientist told him reassuringly. "Everything will be fine, just calm down."

The blond Vocaloid did not believe them, he jumped to his feet and sent a fist towards them. The scientist barely dodged his attacks; the other two caught his arms, but Len was shaking them off harshly. "Fa-Faster!" one of the scientists holding him ordered the other, as he was pulled and pushed by Len's swinging arms.

The scientists nodded and went to Len's back, he pulled out a thin screen-like gadget, with a wire protruding on its top; it was a remote. Len trashed even more, "Cr-crap!" the scientists cursed as Len was able to push them away.

The scientist frowned, "Very well, Len. You leave me no choice," the scientist pulled out a rod out of his lab coat, its end sparked with electricity. Len held his ground and growled at the scientist, his blue and red eyes flaring angrily. But then, Len felt a shot of electricity running across his back. His knees failed, and he crashed on the floor face first, with a loud crack and a clanking sound. Len felt weak, and he cannot move a limb.

The scientists gathered around him; the one holding the remote bent down by the back of Len's neck. The scientist brushed Len's hair away, he scratched a certain part on Len's skin, and it peeled off, revealing a port. Len hissed, yet he still cannot move his body. He felt the scientist place the wire into his port, and he gained access to Len's head.

The scientist sighed, "If you acted like a good boy, then I won't have to do this, Len-kun," he said.

Oh, he's calling him Len-kun now?

Len panted, his breaths came as gasps. "Wh-where's Rin?" he asked, but his system is already shutting down.

His eyelids dropped slowly, he saw the scientist's lips move but he did not heard him.

"Kagamine Len, shutting down."

"Len! I refuse!" Rin had suddenly shouted. I blinked, had Rin known what I was thinking?

Of course, she would. She knew me like the back of her hand, and I knew her just as the same. She probably knew what I was thinking.

"Wha—?" was the only thing I blurted.

Rin was crying rivers, I could barely see her bright blue eyes behind those tears. "I can't let you die!" she shouted. Oh, she does know. "I'm already too pathetic to live anyway…"

I stared at her with wide eyes. What is she talking about? What is she doing? Rin?

Before I knew it, her lips crashed into mine. Her fingers wrapped around my neck and my hair. However, she pulled back, much to my dismay. She smiled, her innocent, care-free smile, the smile that sent butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

The building gave one last rumble, the floor above us cracked and crashed down towards us.

Then…

Rin pushed me towards the window, the glass cracked in process.

My eyes widen, "No—!"

I tried to reach her.

"Rin!"

She was smiling.

"Don't—!"

I don't want to leave her.

"Goodbye, Len…" she said as she gave her last, heart-warming smile.

Why…?

My face held pure horror as I crashed in the pavement head first.

My vision darkened and blurred.

It was the last time I saw her smile…