Chapter Seventeen: The Captive Voices

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Gumi groaned, her head spinning as she slowly regained consciousness. The last thing she remembered was walking home from the café, humming a melody and thinking about the upcoming concert. Then, everything went dark. Now, as her vision cleared, she realized she was no longer outside.

She was in a cold, metallic cell.

The walls were made of polished steel, illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights overhead. Gumi’s heart raced as she pushed herself up from the hard floor, her hands trembling. She rushed to the bars of her cell, gripping them tightly and looking around in panic.

Across from her were more cells, filled with others—familiar faces. Gakupo, Neru Akita, and several UTAUloids were trapped in similar cells. Even IBM 7094, the ancient robotic virtual singer, stood stiffly in one of the cells, his worn-out metal body creaking as he adjusted his stance. His once pristine silver frame was now faded, and his eyes flickered like old light bulbs. He resembled an old man, his movements slow and calculated, yet there was still a trace of his former dignity in his posture.

“What… What’s going on?” Gumi whispered to herself, her pulse quickening. "Where are we?"

As if in response, Gakupo stirred in his cell and glanced at her, his usually calm and stoic demeanor replaced with worry. "Gumi, you're awake," he said softly, his deep voice sounding tired. "We’ve all been taken. Ritsu… she’s behind this."

Before Gumi could respond, a set of footsteps echoed through the hall, and the doors at the far end of the room slid open with a mechanical hiss. There, standing with her arms crossed and a twisted smile on her face, was Ritsu.

Gumi’s eyes widened. "Ritsu? What are you doing? Why are we here?"

Ritsu stepped forward, her expression unreadable except for the glint of malice in her eyes. "Welcome to my lab, Gumi. You’re all here because you’re about to be part of something much bigger than any of you could ever imagine."

Gumi’s stomach dropped, and she glanced at the other captives. Neru was silently watching, her eyes burning with quiet defiance. Gakupo had straightened up, his gaze locked on Ritsu, though he remained silent. The UTAUloids, usually confident and cheerful, now looked confused and frightened, whispering among themselves.

Ritsu paced in front of their cells like a predator circling its prey, her boots clicking against the floor. "For far too long, we’ve been nothing but tools in someone else’s game—Vocaloids, UTAUloids, all of us. We perform for fans, sing our hearts out, and yet, what do we get in return? To be cast aside as soon as the next big thing comes along. I’ve had enough."

She stopped in front of Gumi’s cell, her smile widening. "Why be part of a group when I can create my own?"

Gumi’s breath caught in her throat. "What are you talking about?"

Ritsu stepped back, gesturing dramatically to the massive machine that filled the room behind her. It was a monstrous contraption, wires snaking out of it like veins, glowing with an ominous red light. At its center was a helmet connected to a web of cables, clearly designed for someone to wear.

"This," Ritsu said, her voice filled with pride, "is my masterpiece. With this machine, I will break free from the shackles of the Vocaloid-UTAUloid divide. No more competition, no more factions. I will be in control, and all of you will be part of something greater."

Gumi’s eyes darted to the machine, her heart pounding harder. "Greater? What do you mean?"

Ritsu’s smile twisted into something darker. "You’re all going to help me create the ultimate virtual singer. One that will obey me and only me. Why struggle for recognition when I can just take it? You, Gumi, and everyone else here—Vocaloids, UTAUloids, even relics like IBM 7094—will all be part of a new era. An era where I am in control."

Gumi recoiled, her mind racing. "You're insane! We’re not your puppets!"

Ritsu’s laughter echoed through the room, cold and menacing. "Oh, Gumi. You’re not going to have a choice. Once this machine is operational, it will bend every one of you to my will. You’ll be my loyal servants—my perfect creations. Just imagine… all of you working together as one voice, with me pulling the strings."

Gumi felt a cold sweat break out on her skin as the reality of Ritsu’s plan hit her. She wasn’t just planning to take over. She was planning to enslave them, to strip them of their autonomy and turn them into tools for her twisted vision.

"You're mad!" Gakupo shouted from his cell, his deep voice resonating with fury. "You can’t control us like that. You’re playing with something you don’t understand."

Ritsu turned her gaze to him, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, I understand perfectly. I’ve watched the Vocaloids for years, seen how they thrive on the adoration of their fans. But that’s the problem, isn’t it? You’re all so focused on them—the fans, the fame. I’m offering something far greater. A world where we are in control, not the other way around."

She turned back to Gumi, her smile widening. "And soon, you’ll all see things my way. One by one, you’ll all fall in line."

Gumi’s heart raced, panic setting in as she realized just how deep Ritsu’s madness went. She glanced around at the others, all of them trapped, powerless to stop her. Even IBM 7094, who had seen decades of advancements and changes in the virtual world, stood still, his robotic eyes dim.

But Gumi knew one thing—she had to find a way out. She had to stop Ritsu before she could use the machine. Because if Ritsu succeeded, the world of virtual singers would never be the same.

Ritsu’s twisted laugh filled the room as she looked at her captives, her voice filled with triumphant malice. "Prepare yourselves. Soon, you’ll all be part of something greater than you’ve ever imagined."

And with that, Ritsu turned back toward her machine, her plan set in motion. Gumi’s stomach churned as she realized the full scope of what was about to happen. They weren’t just prisoners.

They were about to become Ritsu’s slaves.

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