Your World, My World

Chapter 13: Memories and Copies

Your World, My World

Chapter 13: Memories and Copies

"Wait until the school ball ends, then I'll let you take me."

I stare straight into Mikuo's eye area. Well, if that blindfold wasn't still there. A side grin pierces his lips as he asks in a sweet tone, "Why then? And why do you suddenly surrender to me?" His voice seems calm and relaxed, unlike me.

"Because... Because I want to know my past, and only the P.M.T.S.A. can do it without killing me. Also, I would like to dance with all of my friends before I go, that's why I must attend the ball." I stare at him as he gives out a smirk. "Can you answer this, Mikuo? Why are you attending this school but not Neru? Where is she and why is she hiding?"

He laughs. A soft but firm chuckle. "I thought you would figure this out on your own, Miku. Just in case you told anyone about Neru, she doesn't want to be here where everyone can pity her. Possibly worse. But if you told anyone about me, I'm able to fight them off or play an act." He smiles widely at me. "Also, I have no intention on telling you where she is." He finishes.

We stand right where we first met. Right in the woods surrounded by tall trees. No one comes this far into the trees, so we can talk in peace here.

I stare at him. What if... what if they are both lying? What if Mikuo really isn't a part of me and is just another Vocaloid trying to frighten me more? Is it really possible to make a copy of a Vocaloid and turn it into a completely different program? If that's true... then what's the point of the black blindfold that always covers his eyes...?

Never mind that, it doesn't matter. He is here to bring me back. What does it matter if he is just a normal Vocaloid or not? Of course not. He is here to capture me for the sake of Neru.

I nod at him and start to walk back to the school building. Without looking back at him, I say in a firm voice, "I'll see you at the ball, Mikuo."

•••

The next few days flow past me like water flowing down a stream. I keep everything at a low profile. Such as attending school, studying, then going straight to bed. I have no intention to communicate with anyone.

Everyone except Len.

I stare at myself in the long body mirror attached to my dorm door. Rin stands behind me also looking at my pearl white dress that we bought the other day. Of course, there's no way you can escape her company. She's so social and nice... it's hard to ignore her. Also, how can you ignore your room mate?

She smiles and me as she twirls around in her short blue dress. Her hair is done perfectly into a small bun with small braids for detail. She is beautiful.

So much more beautiful than I am. I am in just a strap-less long dress with my hair curly and down from their pigtails. My hair is so long that even when it's curly, it makes it's way beyond past my waist.

"You look amazing, Miku. All of the boys are going to drool over you!" She nods and smiles at me. I blush lightly and smile back at her. "Not as much as they'll fall for a girl like you, Rin." I laugh and look back into the spotless mirror.

The light blue diamond heart shines against my collarbone. The necklace looks beautiful against my soft pale skin. It feels refreshing to finally show everyone this beautiful gift from Len.

As if almost reading my mind, Rin says, "That's a beautiful necklace. Where did you get it?"

My heart stops.

How am I going to explain this to her? I just can't say what this necklace's meaning is. I turn to her and try to change the subject. "Now let's go! We're going to be late!"

As we walk down the long hallway, a skinny pale girl walks in front of us from another hallway. She looks at us and nods. She is wearing a short black dress with long sleeves and the small white flower designs that matches the color of her snow white hair.

"Hi, Haku." I say as I smile at her. She looks beautiful too. Even her hair is done in a fancier ponytail. She smiles at me as us three walk to the school building where it is cleared out just for tonight's dance.

Soon enough we make it to the school entrance where plenty of people are already starting to crowd inside. Outside of the door is a boy wearing a black tuxedo and a bright blue tie that matches his sky blue eyes.

"Go ahead and go in, I'll be right behind." I say to Haku and Rin as they both nod and walk into the building. I walk up to Len and bow at him. As I look back up he is smiling at me and bows back. He drops down onto one knee, grips my hand, and kisses it softly.

My cheeks start to burn with pink and red. I give him a nervous smile and he stands back up and looks at my dress, then back up to my bright teal eyes.

"You look amazing, Miku." He says as he smiles warmly at me. I melt on the inside. Even though he has smiled at me a million times before, it still makes me weak.

His gaze lowers down to my chest where the necklace is clearly shown. He lifts it up and kisses the heart also. I blush again at him and smile.

But in an instant, my smile fades. Most likely, I won't see Len again. That's another reason why I am going to the lab: to hurry up and turn myself in before they catch Len and kill him.

As soon as he looks back up at me, I smile again. I don't want Len to know what I am going to do. I know what I am doing, all he will do is try to make me stay here on campus.

We walk into the building, dim lights and people are everywhere. It's easy to point out the Vocaloids, even the ones whom I haven't met. Such as the guy standing by Gumi and Luka with long purple hair.

In an instant, a pull tears me away from Len. As I look, I can clearly see it's Rin. "C'mon! I need to show you something!" She says as she starts to drag me away. I glance over at Len, but all he does is nod and smile as he disappears into the flood of people.

Soon enough she stops walking while dragging me. I look up to see deep ocean blue eyes stare into me. My breath stops.

•••

"Hey, Kyle, what are you doing?" I ask as I approach the man standing over the towering window. His dark blue hair matches that of his long decorated coat that he wears proud. Such clothing is only meant for royalty, which he is. He is the prince of the Country of Blue. No other man can do better than he. That's why I love him. Or... I think I love him.

Ever since I met that boy, Allen from the Country of Yellow, I can't stop thinking about him. We bumped into each other while running through the Country of Green. My beloved Kyle was with me, but he had to go get some cake so I stayed with the boy. He gave me this necklace as an apology, which only makes my concern for him even worse.

He turns toward me and smiles warmly. "I just received a marriage proposal from my dear friend Rillianne, whom is the princess of the Country of Yellow. Don't worry, I declined only because you are my love." He laughs softly and he walks over to me and hugs me.

Every time he claims he loves me, which I know he does, my heart starts to ache. If only I haven't met Allen, then I would still love Kyle as much as he loves me.

I heard rumors about the Country of Yellow. Such as how the princess is in charge, and that she is cruel to all of her people. Why would such a heartless princess want to marry this sweet handsome man?

It's only a rumor, maybe she is sweet and kind. I just wonder how she will think of me when she receives the letter back.

•••

"Miku? Are you okay?" Rin asks as she places her hand on my shoulder. I look up at her.

I keep staring at the boy with deep ocean blue eyes. Why was Kaito in my little meltdown this time? Kyle looked exactly like him. Their deep blue hair, and their eyes.... they're identical.

What are these things? I always get them when I meet someone new... but why?

Kaito smiles at me. He is wearing a white collared shirt with a black tie and black pants. The white shirt makes his hair seem to "pop out" from everything else, which matches with his eyes.

Rin bows at the both of us and disappears into the crowd giggling. Kaito turns to me and also bows as he holds out his hand for me to take. I take another glance around for Len, but then I realize that it's just a dance. It doesn't mean anything.

I take his soft hand as he wraps his arm around my waist. We slowly dance as he pushes me closer to his warm body. After a few silent minutes of slowly dancing, he lowers his head as well as his voice and whispers into my ear, "We used to dance like this all the time."

He smiles and backs his head away again. I stare up at him and stop dancing. A light head ache starts to form, but I ignore it and ask, "You mean, in our past life."

He nods at me. "Yes, when we both lived happily before your death. I was going to propose to you, but I didn't have enough time." His eyes grow cold as his face drains. "But I made a promise to ignore everything that happened. Us Vocaloids promised in this life to not remember our past life, because every single Vocaloid was made from our past."

That's when it hits me. How could I not see this before?

Every Vocaloid was a part of our past life. We all shared that date and time, every single Vocaloid.

But then after a few moments I realize that, my eyes widen as my body grows cold. Kaito looks at me with concern, but all I do is stand there.

If... if that little vision I had with Kyle was true based on what Kaito just said... then the visions I am having aren't visions...

They're memories. Memories of our past life.

"I have t-to go..." I say to Kaito as I pull away from his grip. I walk roughly into the drowning crowd of students and Vocaloids until I find a glance of Len.

Even though I just learned the truth, I am still aching inside as I watch him and Rin dance close to each other. I should have known. Rin even told me when we first met, that they could be something more than siblings if they wanted since they are just programs.

Len... Len was using me this whole time. Why? I have no idea.

But now that I know that my visions of memories are true, Len is only my enemy. He killed me. He stabbed me in the cold well with that big sharp knife. I can still feel the pain that my dream caused me. It feels so real... and in a way, it is. Only a long time ago.

He glances over at me and I bolt my gaze away from him and run through the crows away from him. He never loved me.

I can feel the sting of tears form into my eyes, but I don't care. I let the warm salty tears roll down my cheeks with ease. Why not? Everything was a lie this whole entire time.

Maybe I shouldn't try to escape the lab once I regain my memories. Maybe I should let them restart me. What if every single Vocaloid is against me and has been lying to me just like Len the whole entire time?

No, they have to be. Len... was my best friend. He lied. And why shouldn't every other Vocaloid that I trusted have lied, too? I just don't know anymore.

I keep running through the crowd until I make my way outside of the school building. The stars twinkle brightly in to cool night sky. It feels nice to be away from everyone. How am I going to think this through when everything that I've known is a big lie?

"That went fast. Did you get to dance with Len?" A familiar voice sings to my left.

I slowly look over to see Mikuo, of course, dressed in all black with a red tie. He isn't smiling like I expected him to, but instead he is just facing into the sky as he leans against the building.

"That doesn't matter. Just take me to the lab, give me my memories, and hurry up and restart me."

He turns his head to look at me with a raised eyebrow. "What happened in--"

"-- Please, just hurry up and take me to the lab!" I yell. I don't want to be here for another second.

He pushes himself away from the wall, walks over to me, and bows low. When he comes back up, he holds out his hand. "First, I want to have a dance with you. And second, I want you to take off the blindfold, Miku."

I stare up at him. Is he serious? I am surrendering myself to him... and he wants a dance? --and for me to take off his blindfold? What's going through his mind?

As I take his hand, I ask quietly, "Why? Why do you want me to do this?"

He shrugs as he puts his hand on my waist and we start to slowly dance. "I'm not entirely sure yet, to be honest. Probably because I've always been somewhat attracted to you." He laughs.

My expression doesn't change, mostly because I just ignored his comment. That doesn't explain anything.

He smiles at me as he continues, "Well, I am you. That's all I am. Your data is stored inside me, the only difference is my mind."

We stop dancing as he remains silent. Out of no where, he bursts, "Do you want to know how it feels to be a copy!? No one wanted me! I only exist because my goal is to capture you! I have nothing against you, but my master wants you to restart. I have no idea why! I don't even know where Neru is!" He faces the ground as we remain silent.

"Mikuo..." I start, but before I can say anything he shakes his head. "No, don't say anything." He faces me again. "Take off the blindfold."

I don't want to reject him, because somehow... I can feel his pain. Slowly I reach my hand up and slip part of my finger behind the black blindfold. Cautiously, I slowly pull it off. I'm surprised how easy it just flew off; as if it was nothing.

His eyes are closed at first, but when he opens them I almost back away.

A spitting image of my own. He wasn't joking when he said he is based off of me. The way our eyes meet, they seem like magnets. I can't stop staring at him.

"Are you two ready?" A firm voice asks.

I turn to see Neru with her arms folded. She is in the school's uniform. Mikuo puts the blindfold back on before facing her, grabbing my arm, and walking away from the school.