Your World, My World

Chapter 8: A Living Nightmare

Your World, My World

Chapter 8: A Living Nightmare

"I need to what!?"

"You need to attend school with us," says Luka. Her soft pink hair tied roughly in a messy bun. "If you do not choose to fight back like the rest of us, we need to hide you." Her voice is strong, as if she is talking to a stubborn child who refuses to listen.

After my experience with Gumi back in the hotel, as selfish as it was, I still chose not to kill anyone. Yes, she told me loud and clear that if I chose to go with Master's original plan, every other Vocaloid besides me will die. But even if it meant my own life, I cannot stand to see someone suffer because of my doing.

It's sick.

And twisted.

I have no idea how everyone else can put up with it. The blood, the pleading, the crying... I rather not exist at all; even if that boy who tried to possibly kill me back at the hotel, he seeked for my life, but I will not seek for his.

Or rather, I think he did. When Gumi and I left the room, he was gone along with the purple butterflies. I tried to explain them to her and how beautiful they were, but she didn't eat the bait. No matter how vivid I explained it to her, she just shook her head and laughed.

I let out a sigh. "Fine. I'll go, but are we safe at this school? Won't Master's servants just track us down like they did the last time?" I ask looking straight into Luka's shimmering blue eyes. She nods, a few strands of her bangs escape her loose bun and fall onto her spotless face. "The school has a system where anything digital turns off."

"Won't we be turned off, too, then? I mean, we're programs." I say. Luka laughs lightly. "Of course not. We are nothing but a software for something greater."

I want to ask Luka so many more questions, but I'm afraid I'm already bugging her. So instead, I just nod lightly. It's not like I can just refuse to the offer, I don't want to put the other Vocaloids at risk of dying. If I decide not to go with them, Master's servants will track us down. And if they decide to leave me, considering I'm the only one with a working tracking device, they'll capture me and the Vocaloids will die. The closest thing to keep us all safe is for me to suck it up and attend this school.

"Also, we have a mind of our own thanks to our kokoros, which makes us no more real than humans themselves."

A high pitched voice echoes from behind. I turn around to see Rin and Len leaning against a big towering oak tree; it's yellow and red leaves gliding down onto the cold earthy ground. Rin is smiling brightly showing off her straight pearly white teeth. Len is by her side with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes are closed as he faces the leaf covered ground.

Len isn't like this, he's usually the one smiling warmly.

My hand grips around the small kokoro on my necklace. No, I'm still wearing it. Why does he look so... complicated?

"So are we all going to attend this school?" I ask, still observing Len. Rin and Luka both nod as Luka says, "Of course. Outside of the school's campus we are in nothing but danger. Only a fool wouldn't agree to attend. Starting tomorrow, we will live on campus and in the dorms."

So it all starts tomorrow. A new life hiding from people who want to use me, but for what? Does it matter? Of course not. I know they are trying to use me for a perfect program. I will not risk the lives of other people. That is the whole reason why we are attending. To hide. All because I refuse to fight back.

Rin and Luka both turn the opposite way of the big oak tree and start walking away, getting ready to live as a new life on a school campus.

Just as I turn to follow them, Len unfolds his arms and grabs me my arm quickly. Not hard, but enough to stop me from going anywhere. With Rin and Luka's fast pace to get ready to pack for tomorrow, there's no way they will notice my sudden absence at their side. Or at least not for a while.