Black and Ashes

Chapter 4
Blank

Systems… Online.

Miku anxiously stood in front of the metal door, hesitating whether to knock, or simply barge in without warning. The female Vocaloid nervously shuffled in her feet as she glanced at the male Vocaloid—Kaito, standing next to her. The bluenette raised his brow and asked, "Well?"

Miku pressed her mouth together, creating a straight line with her lips, determination shone through her teal-colored eyes as she rapped her knuckles on the metal door. The occupants of the room, who were the scientists jumped in surprise and exchanged incredulous looks. The door slid open and the two Vocaloids entered the room. A scientist, Dr. Yamamoto—as said by his nameplate—pushed his thin-framed glasses farther into the bridge of his nose, "Miku-chan, Kaito-kun? What seems to be the problem?" he had asked, flashing a kind smile to the two Vocaloids.

Kaito cocked his head towards Miku's direction, the scientists' eyes fell upon the teal-haired robot. Feeling their gazes, the petite robot shuffled in her feet, "A-ano, Yamamoto-san. I was wondering why Len-kun hasn't left the lab yet…" Miku mumbled. The scientists kept staring at her as if asking her to continue, "Uhm," the Vocaloid made a quick glance at Kaito, his face was all healed up, and there was not a missing patch of skin. "Well, Kaito is all healed up… Wouldn't Len-kun be the same?"

It has been weeks since they've last seen Len, and Miku—and the others are worried.

Yamamoto exchanged glances with the other scientists, as if communicating with their eyes. Yamamoto glanced back at Miku, "Ah, is that so…" the scientist paused, "Well, his inner computer is still under repair…" Yamamoto trailed off, he had stopped when the tealette glanced down, her eyes reflected sadness and disappointment.

"Ah, is that so… Sorry for disturbing," she had said, she took Kaito by the arm and pulled him out of the room.

"Miku?" Kaito was being dragged by Miku, his eyes furrowed in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"They're lying," she mumbled, but Kaito heard it.

Kaito stopped, which made the tealette also stop. "About what?" he asked again. Miku did not turned her head, her teeth dug down on her lower lip.

"About Len," was all she said before running down the hall, leaving Kaito dumfounded.

"What about Len?" he muttered as he slowly followed the female Vocaloid.

Yamamoto chuckled, receiving looks from his colleagues. "It's strange that robots act too human than they're supposed to," he said, before shaking his head. He stared at his computer, the status of a 'certain' Vocaloid displayed on the screen. Some parts of the head of the Vocaloid blinked red.

One of the scientists, his name as said by his nameplate, Dr. Sato chuckled and bobbed his head in agreement. "They are, I actually believed it was real," he replied, returning back to his computer screen, which displayed a blueprint of a Vocaloid.

Yamamoto laughed, his glasses slowly sliding down the bridge of his nose. "Yes. Back there, I actually felt bad lying to Miku," he said as if it was a joke. Yamamoto sighed and flopped down on his computer chair, spinning it around to face his colleagues. "How is 'she', by the way?" he asked, changing the subject.

Sato glanced up from his screen, a thoughtful look crossed his features. He turned to Tanaka, also one of their colleagues, "Now that you said it…" Sato trailed off.

Tanaka furrowed his brown brows together, he huffed, "Nakamura-san is the one handling 'her'," he said, scoffing.

"Oh," Yamamoto nodded his head, "By the way, where is Nakamura-san?"

The other two scientists shrugged their shoulders, before turning back to their work.

A man around his thirties glanced around the hall, when he was sure no soul—or robot around, he entered the lab right in front of him. The unit Kagamine Len lay on the metal table, a wire connected to the port on the back of his neck connected him to computer nearby. His metal nameplate showed his name, Dr. Nakamura. He anxiously approached the computer by the wall, he placed his hands on the keyboards, and started to type down commands on the computer to the unconscious unit on the table.

He sighed as he remembered the reason why he was doing this. He was walking down the hall, until he met up with a distraught Miku.

Nakamura was walking down the hall, when a distressed Miku passed him, he could've sworn there were tears in her eyes. He looked back to where she came from and saw the KAITO unit slowly approaching him. "Kaito-kun," he had called, the bluenette stopped on his tracks, and turned to face Nakamura. "Is there something bothering Miku-chan?" he asked kindly, a frown formed on his lips.

Kaito merely shrugged his shoulders, "I think it's something about Len," Kaito replied before leaving the scientist in his thoughts.

He felt very bad of her and he had concluded that if Miku sees Len again, she might return back to that bright Vocaloid Nakamura was fond off. A sigh escaped through his nose, if the others found out what he was about to do, he'll be ridiculed. Whatever he was doing right now, he is sure he'll regret it later.

Nakamura stepped away from the computer, he watched in fascination as the Kagamine unit started to twitch.

Bright red letters flashed before the computer's screen, 'Unit Kagamine Len: Systems Online.'

The unit's skin has long healed, and so is its face; however, when his eyes fluttered open, Nakamura gazed back at the same pair of red and blue eyes. The cold and emotionless gaze sent cold chills running down Nakamura's spine. The unit sat up, and pulled the cord out of his neck. He turned his head towards Nakamura and simply tilted his head to the side.

With a weak smile, Nakamura led Len out of the room.

Just as they left, red fonts flashed on the computer screen, 'Error: Emotions failed to respond. Error with the Kagamine Len Unit, attempting shut down. Error: Unit failed to shut down.'

Meiko sighed heavily, chugging down a bottle of beer, her body sprawled across the sofa. Luka sat from across of the older female Vocaloid, her eyes focused on a book she was reading. Kaito sat next to her, his feet propped on the low table in front of him, as he scooped up a spoonful of ice cream and shoved it into his mouth. Miku sat on another separate sofa, she stared blankly at the vacant sofa in front of her, the sofa the Kagamine 'Twins' usual occupied. It was silent, and the atmosphere lacked its usual cheeriness… Come to think of it, the 'twins' are usual the ones who make the atmosphere 'lighter', simply because of their juvenile attitudes, and their usual pranks pulled on the other Vocaloids.

However, anxiousness blanketed the atmosphere, a simple drop of a needle would've resounded through out the room. Miku sighed heavily, she missed the laughs and the fun. She missed Len… and most especially, she missed Rin. A lone tear slid down the side of her cheek. Rin was the closest Vocaloid to her, she was her little sister, and now she is gone, crushed and melted into nothing but ashes and metal joints. Sure Len was still here, but he is still 'dead' nonetheless. He is not the usual Len Miku know, instead, Len is a wild beast ready to attack if given the chance. He is not the usual passive, kind, and innocent Len Miku knows. No, he was far from that. The Kagamine Len Miku know of was now gone. Dead.

'If one is missing, I guess, the other one is missing as well.' Miku thought silently. The thick tension between the Vocaloids disappeared when the door opened, they had craned their necks to see who it is.

"Len," Luka said, breaking the thick silence. It was indeed Len standing by the doorway, however his eyes and face were void of emotions. Kaito tensed up at the sight of the blond Vocaloid, Meiko as well as she sat straight on the sofa.

Miku did not know what to do, should she approach him, or not? Will Len attack her like he had done last time…? Isn't this what she wanted?

No, it wasn't… She wants the Kagamine 'twins' to be back. Not Len. No… Not him.

Len slowly approached them; Kaito fisted his hand, prepared to whatever Len will do. However, the blond sat down on his and Rin's couch casually, his eyes stared at the walls blankly. The other Vocaloids exchanged looks, confused of Len's lack of emotions. Wait, what?

"Len?" Miku started, a pair of blank red and blue eyes stared at her, boring through her teal-colored ones. She unconsciously gulped air, her 'heart' fluttered nervously. When Miku made no attempt on continuing, Len's eyes returned to stare at the wall.

Len was back, yet it was not the same.

Kaito and Luka were at the kitchen, Kaito was pulling out another tub of ice cream while Luka was staring intently at his face. Kaito's face was all healed up, yet there was parts on his face that was bent, and was low than it should be. His face was deformed.

"It's weird, huh?" Kaito had said which made Luka jump.

"Weird about what?" she asked, even if she already knew the answer.

The male Vocaloid shrugged his shoulders, shoving a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. "Len, I think."

Luka understand him fully, who would not? Sure Len was back, but it was still not the same.

"What about me?"

The two Vocaloid whirled their head around to see Len staring at them, his eyes and face still lacked emotions. Kaito's hand shook as he brought the spoon upon his lips, he stared at Len's eyes before looking away.

"Nothing," he said, as he walked out of the room, leaving the blond Vocaloid and the pink-haired Vocaloid. Len stared at the door, his face still refused to show any kind of emotion.

'Wait, what if Len's emotions aren't working?' Luka thought, 'Maybe it was removed or something?' The pinkette was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt the boring gaze of the other Vocaloid on her. She stared back to Len's 'life-less' eyes, an uneasy feeling fluttered around her guts. Looking around, Luka saw a yellow fruit, a banana, with a quick swipe, she handed the fruit to Len.

"Umm," she started awkwardly, however, unable to stand Len's gaze anymore, she immediately left the room.

The blond Vocaloid simply stared at the fruit on his hand. Without a second thought, he threw it down the trash can.

Kaito flopped down on the sofa, he had left Luka with the 'psychopathic' Len in the kitchen. He felt a wave of regret wash over him, he shouldn't have left Luka, who knows what the 'psychopath' will do to Luka? Speaking of Len's (supposed) 'psychopathic' tendencies; he seems to be lacking something, something that Kaito couldn't place a finger on. Ah, no matter, he still has ice cream to worry about. The Vocaloid happily dug down on his sweet melting treat.

The male Vocaloid looked up from his tub when he felt the sofa shifted, it was Miku. The tealette sighed heavily, Kaito was about to ask what was her problem when Meiko—who was still sitting across of them—groaned in an un-female manner.

"I though' he was under repaih," Meiko slurred, drowning on another bottle of alcohol.

Miku looked up and blinked. Kaito was confused as well. Yamamoto-san told them Len was under repair, right? Then, what was Len doing here? Was what Miku said is right? Did Yamamoto-san really did lied to them? To many questions, Kaito's head was already swirling in confusion.

"Now you have said it…" Miku mumbled, her brows furrowed together as she thought.

"Could it be that they're lying like what you said?" Kaito asked as he stared intently at Miku. The teal-haired Vocaloid stared at him, then she shrugged her petite shoulders.

"It could be… But why is Len he—?" Miku froze in mid-sentence, her mouth was agape as she failed to continue. Her eye lay fixed on a certain spot; Kaito and Meiko followed Miku's stare, and saw what she was staring at. Kaito felt a shiver run down his spine as his dark-sapphire eyes landed on a pair blood-red and sky-blue eye. Miku nervously shifted on her seat, as her gaze landed on the floor.

Kaito unconsciously gulped a lump forming in his throat; was Len secretly following him? Was Len planning on finishing him once and for all? Is he already plotting Kaito's demise, and soon Meiko's and Miku's? Wait—where's Luka? Kaito bravely stood up, despite the shaking and weakening of his knees, "Where's Luka?" he asked, however, his voice shook.

Miku glanced up at him, her face reflected confusion. Meiko sat straight, her glance switched from between Kaito and Len. What does Kaito means? Have Len done something horrible to Luka?

Len cocked his head to the side, yet his face remained blank as always, "I don't know," he answered in a monotonous voice. The blond Vocaloid headed towards the yellow sofa, and simply sat. The Vocaloids exchanged glances before they bolted out of the room to search for their pink-haired friend.

They had sighed in relief when they found their friend in her room. At least Len hasn't done anything… Yet.

Weeks have passed since Len had returned. Miku had concluded that Len's emotions were not working which is why he remained blank. Despite that, the older Vocaloids still feel uneasy around the blond. Currently, said blond Vocaloid was standing in front of a wall, his eyes glued on it. He felt… No, he cannot feel.

Len does not know why he was still here. What is his purpose? Why was he still here? He does not know. Where was Rin? Still, he does not know.

What? What was his purpose?

Purpose? Does he have any purpose at all?

In his pent up 'frustrations', the blond Vocaloid pounded his head on the wall, as if it would answer his questions.

Nakamura-san and the other scientists had gathered Miku, Kaito, Meiko and Luka on a certain lab; to show them a 'very special surprise'. Miku felt uninterested, yet she came anyway—not that she has much of a choice. The four Vocaloids gathered around by the entrance of the lab, Nakamura-san and the others had huge smiles plastered on their faces, and they nearly jumped in excitement.

"Now, everyone," Nakamura started, "I want you to meet someone," he said, as he gestured an arm to the opposite side of the room.

The lab was dark, and only the screens of the computers lit the room. The Vocaloids narrowed their eyes in the darkness, they could hear shuffling of feet, but there was no one moving—except for the person slowly walking towards them from the other side of the room.

What could it be?

What is their surprise?

…

The Vocaloids gasped in surprise. Miku's eyes started to water as she caught glimpse of two things…

A big white bow…

And blond hair.