Things to take note while reading: This story contains multiple narration shifts. Only the prologue is in script format. The rest of the story follows first person narration.
Other things: My usual username is Zepher. My usual pen name is Eric Phillips. For now on, I'll be posting the 'close' to final draft version of this Raft. The rough drafts and unfinished chapters are at .?showforum=5 That way your eyes won't melt when you read this Raft. Reviews are much appreciated because they're food for the writer.
Prologue
Log in? _ _ _
Atsume Rhapsody
Age verification? _ _ _
November 14, 1989
Description? _ _ _
Hair: Brown, the back end sticks up and lean to the left. Bangs that can almost cover my eyes. They aren't leaning in any direction, except the middle, long bang strand that sticks out and leans. If I pull the middle bang down, it will reach my chin. Eyes: Red, color texture is focus at the top. Height: 165 cm. Weight: 45 Kg. Build: Slightly above average. Clothes: Oriental brown shirt with green trimmings, brown slacks, black belt, and bookbag. Sometimes a laptop latch belt to wear over my shoulder. A pair of black sneakers for convenience.
Occupation? _ _ _
Synthesis Engineer.
Drive E: Start up : documents : Folder 1442-1446 : File 000
Password? _ _ _
Collection
Purpose? _ _ _
Personal Journal
Spring, May 27th , 2009. Crypton Co. Building, Tokyo. Yet…Depending what Crypton will do for you; might result in a binding life contract.
Anything you'll gain will push you into debt… I will pay my debt before I could gain anything.
For those that have been save by me, we're the caged singing canaries for Crypton…
Chapter 1
Candidate
Rhapsody's Narration.
The company can be very considerate about my requests. They build a secret room in my office even though I was joking around on the resume.
Resume question (Optional): How would you like your office to be like? An office that lacks a desk and chairs, since they'll be in a separate meeting room. Instead there will be multiple servers to make the Synthesis machine more versatile to use. For me, I like a small hidden room with a metal desk that I can bring my laptop a suitcase and a futon to sleep in.
This secret room isn't that shabby, even though this room is cramp. The futon will be place under the metallic desk holding my personal laptop…beats paying rent, even though I use to live with my childhood friends, until I took the job here at Crypton. Well I can now focus on work and make sure they wont mess up any of the deals I've set up.
I took the laptop from the table for today's job. It's the only custom laptop I use. You can call it a Mac, but it has a pear instead of an apple. It doesn't run Mac OS, but it runs a custom operating system that matches the Synthesis machine. Placing my hands on the wall, I slid open the way towards my office. They over did it with the 'how many servers should be sufficient for the Synthesis machine', but for the work I'm hired to do though… it might be enough to help my goals. My pager buzz as it gives the sign for today's project. I decide to pass though the office quickly until I bumped into someone.
"Hey where's the fire Ras?" A man in his twenties with the blue scarf that matches his hair asked as I was knocked down. He wears a white coat with blotches of blue on the sides of the sleeves and sides. Underneath the unzip section of his long coat you can see that he's wearing brown slacks. Even though it's spring he still wears that winter style of clothing…He's a childhood friend of mine. In my point of view, he's taller than me.
He helped me up as I answered, "We finally have a candidate today, though I don't think she'll last long according to some of the co-workers."
"I'll be driving then." Kaito reacts, "You know that they hired me as the manager today, and well…"
"Yeah, yeah." I sigh as we walked out the building and towards the vast parking lot, "Seriously, how can you use all of your money on just ice cream?"
"Well?" Kaito gestures for me to hand over the keys before he could answer my question. He always wanted to drive one of the company's cars. I have no idea what the model is, but the body is slender. They have a black coat, with black tint windows. It comes with a silver hood ornament, and there's a sense of the old fashion look to it.
I give him the keys as the passenger door swings open. I boot up my laptop to start reading the specs of today's candidate. Everyone is working hard for this to be a total success. Their information is quickly flickering through the screen as I tried to find the where the specs in this mess are.
Weight: 42 Kg, height 158 cm… where is the voice sample? Ah found it! Everything that's here is enough to start inputting the synthesis program but…
The folder containing the voice sample is missing. I continue to search for the reason why they haven't given me such an important piece to check. I need to know if they are compatible or not. I might have to cancel the synthesis. The screen continued to flicker when I'm trying my best to find anything related to the voice sample.
"Hey Ras pick it up and let's go." Kaito lure my attention. The car was already in park, and he was waiting outside for me.
I start to give some thought on what I should do next, and offer. "Hey Kaito, keep the car."
"Thank you for the donation!" He smiles at me, and bow.
His silly jokes are getting to me. If Meiko wasn't here she would have… wait. I started to look around just in case she'll show herself. "Where's Meiko?" I ask. "The voice samples are missing so we would need her help." Before Kaito could answer, my ear piece activates and starts to receive a call from the recording studios.
Meiko calls in. "Hey Ras, how's work going? I can't wait to meet her."
"Ah you're right on time Meiko." I reply while I wrote down her whereabouts on an old receipt and hand it to Kaito before he left. "I just sent Kaito to your location turns out we'll need your assistance. Meet me at my office at Crypton… Wait, meet me where the Candidate is at."
"Okay, I'm on it, and I'll make sure Kaito won't go on any side trips."
It seems that everyone has their own taste in style. Meiko is Kaito's older sister. She based off Jazz/salsa theme. Her sleeveless red top is slightly zip up reveals her belly and red skirt that goes just above the knees. Her brother is winter wear while she wears the summer style of her choice. In the past, she used to have red headphones, and detach sleeves syncware that shows a status screen on one of the sleeves. Now she uses a microphone for her job. Without her syncware, we'll have to back her up with effects and equipment to record her songs.
I switch my earpiece to an open channel and head into the hospital. I already gotten used to the smell of cleaner from all the visits to various hospitals. This is your usual typical hospital where the building, furniture, and uniforms are bleached with white. From what the data was telling me, candidate was at the third floor, but I still need that sample since it wouldn't really be a success if Meiko has to sync with her.
My eyes scan page through page on my laptop as I ascend the stairs. "There's still nothing here." I sighed. The clanking of my foot steps helped calm my nerves. The co-workers working on this should tell me what I need. Before I knew it, I was about to go on the fourth floor due to my pondering. I turned back and went towards the candidate's room.
I was surprise at the sight of the hybrid crowd consists of doctors, and my co-workers here. The candidate was in her teens as she wore a plain grey hoodie, sweat pants and glasses. She has aqua green hair that's untied and slightly wavy. Where are her parents?
The bald co-worker approaches me. "We have permission to do the synthesis on her."
"Do you have the papers?" I ask.
The co-worker hands them to me. "Yes, they're right here."
The doctor and nurses stare at us in confusion, albeit I told them the procedure in advance. "We'll need an ambulance to move her to Crypton."
"But at her condition, it's too late…the virus is spreading to her vital organs." the doctor told me in a hopeless voice.
"Her heart is still beating, so there's still a chance." I correct the doctor as I gesture the nurses to move the candidate towards the elevator.
One of the co-workers tries to comfort the doctor. "She's our responsibility now."
The doctor just continues to contemplate. "But with today's technology¬–"
"Is advance enough to save her." I interrupt his sadist thoughts. The rest of the co-workers and nurses already left with the patient while I try to convince the doctor. I rush down the stairs to meet up with them. The ambulance is ready thanks to the co-workers downstairs. They lift the patient towards the back of the ambulance right before I climb on with one of my co-workers at the back.
As the ambulance started to drive off to Crypton, I ask. "Where's the candidate's voice sample?"
The co-worker answer. "Well… she… doesn't have one." The ride wasn't very stable. Medical equipment sways with every bump we pass. Frantically, the nurses with us, hold the patient still.
"She lost her voice due to a childhood sickness." One of the nurses explained, "We thought it disappeared after she matured, but…" Her voice starts to break up. "It came back and the result is…" She looks at the candidate with regret written on her face.
"What about her family?" I continue to survey everyone.
"Her parents died from the same disease, but she did survive by giving up her voice. As a result, we continue to look after her health."
"If we didn't decide to pay for the fees they would have pulled the plug on her." The co-worker continues. "It took us a while but we found someone compatible to one of the programs we have."
Ugh, this is why I don't like most of the co-workers at Crypton. Their only worried about their reputation. I begin to review my research. "The doctor took care of the candidate when her parents died." I know they're just covering up their motive about moving her location to Crypton, but I had to say something. I decide to ask about one of the concepts that has bothering me when I was gathering the patient's specs. "But she doesn't have a voice?"
"Well, um, I sort of… how can I say this…" The co-worker nervously changes the topic.
"Spill it!" I order him once I'm at my limit.
"I risked the companies funding on her after I said it would be 100 percent chance of working."
"But in reality it won't work at all." I figure out his scheme.
"Wwwhat are you going to do?" He asks, looking at my serious eyes.
"If this actually works, you'll be off the hook, but if it doesn't…hmm I guess you have to pay the funds we wasted." The co-worker faints once I told him the consequences.
We arrived at Crypton as soon as I've receive enough info about today's project. At the entrance to the building, I start to link my laptop to the server at my office. I close the open channel on my ear piece, so I wouldn't receive any disturbances during this project. We quickly pace ourselves to the elevator and head towards the basement. Just as the elevator open, we could see chairs and desks are stack up to each other in the next room. This is the waiting room for any relatives of the candidate. There's also a hallway and a stair case that's connected to the waiting room. It's faster to go from the underground parking lot to the hallways to here, but the company wants to make it look like a big deal. Everyone easily cross the empty center of the waiting room and into my office.
Like I said before, they over did it with my office. There's so much space in this room and equipment in this room; it's like Frankenstein living room here at my office. There's even enough hardware to run the Japanese's government. Before proceeding to the next step, I ask. "Is she in a coma?"
The nurse quickly answers my question. "She has been in a coma for four months…we still don't have a response on her yet."
"Alright follow me." I direct everyone. They followed me as the pass a number pad at the side of the door and into a small room. Inside this room was the Synthesis machine is being held. All you can see is a metal rim separating the room in two. At the side of the room is a portion of the Synthesis mainframe. The rest of the mainframe connects servers outside in the office. "It's best to have people that are Vocaloid manager or a higher title to stay in this room."
They stare at me at first then left without a word. I lock the door by pressing a few keys on the number pad, and started the process of Synthesis. Soon enough, glass appears from the metal rim and turn opaque shade of black. Even I don't know what's behind that glass wall once the process starts. All that's left to do is to wait.
My job is to give people a second chance with this mysterious machine. I only have an idea on how it works. First, we need people that are compatible with the programs the company makes. They are called Candidates. In order to check if they are compatible, we need to record a voice sample which we don't have, because the patient doesn't have a voice to begin with. If this actually works out, we need to name her after the program that's compatible with her.
After twenty minutes of pondering, my earpiece starts to buzz. "Hello who's this?" I answer.
"Mr. Atsume we're just checking in on the current situation." This voice belongs to my Executive. "Hopefully she's the voice we needed. What to do next?" He's getting his hopes up for this project. "Ah I know. Once you're done, we'll be placing you on a search for the candidates for two of our progr–"
"D..o..n…t…leave" Another voice suddenly speaks through my ear piece. The voice belongs to a girl I haven't met or was it… I checked the monitor as it showed the process is at 33%.
"The project sounds like it was a success!" My boss already thinks this voice belongs to the Candidate, "Hurry, we have no time to waste."
"But it's stil–" I try to finish the process while I still have the chance.
"Just leave things to Kaito. He is the manager of the Vocaloids we make." The Executive wants me to leave. He then tries to recruit me. "You two should be Vocaloids to join your friend Meiko."
"Sorry, but I'm the only one that can synthesize people in need, and I need to fin–"
"Like I said before, leave it to Kaito. We urgently need you right now or we will fire Kaito if you think he's not up for it. This is your last warning."
Blood sucking leeches! I wish I had said that but I don't want Kaito to lose his job because of me. Besides he'll be freeloading off of me, if I would have decline his offer, and start begging me for an allowance. I place the four digit code on the pad, and wait for Lola's voice telling the people outside to step back as the door open.
Crypton only has four programs left for me to synthesize. After that, I'll have to ring my way around their binding contract, and set the free.
Meiko's Narration
Ras walks out of the Synthesis room, and I shout at him. "Ras! How did the synthesis work out?" His expression on his face changes the mood.
"Meiko, could you check in on the process for me? I have to leave on a business trip for a while. The patient can communicate through our syncware but I wonder if she can really talk. Update me when it's finished and take care of the first voice: Hatsune Miku." Ras smiles as he left the room. Kaito walks toward the door during his leave. I shrug and decide to knock my little brother senseless. The co-workers drag him back after he fell to ground.
I approach the number pad that lock everyone outside and think out loud. "Ugh what's the pin for this room?" Yet before Kaito could tell me the pin, I already have heel drop the number pad to the floor.
Everything was silent for thirty minutes until we hear Lola's voice saying, "Pin accepted." You can hear a sigh of relief from everyone before I enter the room.
"Now, nobody is allowed in here." I wink as the door close everyone. The door makes a mechanical, locking clank. Is it normal for the door to close on its own?" In panic, I started to pound at the door, but suddenly hear a voice through my clothes and into my ears. "Where am I?" The voice of a girl projects through the computer's speakers. I stare blankly at the opaque glass wall and check the monitor: Readings are at 98%. "I dunno where I am. It's so dark, I… I
This is horrible. I still don't know the pin. In heat of the moment, I pound at the door again. Oh yeah… I realize that I'm a Vocaloid as well. Copying Miku, I raise my hand and focus onto it. The door open and responds to my actions. "Don't do anything rash again Meiko." Lola warn me. I roll my eyes and continue on.
Everyone wasn't in the room, except for Kaito. He sitting near the door, and Miku seem to be long gone form here. Still remembering that I'm a Vocaloid, I traced Ras's Earpiece, "Ras, I need your help?"
"What happened?" Ras reply.
"Miku ran away."
"How did that happened!?"
"She panicked. Not knowing where she was, she opened the door and-"
"You didn't know the pin, since you broke the outside keypad before entering. Miku probably locked you in the room, and reset the pin. So even if you know the pin, you wouldn't be able to get out until you realize that you're a Vocaloid right?"
"Hey don't say it like you know my habits! Anyway… how can we find her?"
"Don't worry I'll send you a tracer so you can track her down." Ras's voice calm down and I receive a tracer to my system.
"Thanks a bunch. I knew I can count on you."
"You're lucky that I wear always my earpiece. Don't forget to tell me if Miku can actually speak without the help of using other machinery."
"Don't worry I won't leave you out of the loop."
As we walk out of the building, Kaito ask. "So do you know where she is?"
"Yeah she was wandering around the bridge for a few minutes, and stopped at the river bank."
"Hey I'll be driving." Kaito declare. He took the car keys out of his pocket and away from me to tease me. "I don't want you scratch my new car."
I laugh as he said 'new car'. "I don't drink and drive Kaito." The car Ras gave him is just the normal company cars in the lot.
"What's Miku's background?" I ask while we drive towards the river bank.
"I heard this from the nurses since you locked me outside. That patient was sick from the disease that killed her parents. It robbed her of her voice and almost her life." Kaito explains "She used to play at the park before she caught that disease."
"That's so sad." I commented as I look at the sky from the window.
I begin to speak what's on my mind. "The disease took a lot from her even…now she's not even human."
"Hey you're still the same five years from now and from today. You're still my older sister."
"Thanks Kaito." We stop at the river bank. We can hear crying not far from where we're at. Kaito and I walk along the river bank. This part of town is really calm and quiet. I can see why she ran away to this spot. It's more of a suburban here. Eventually, I can see Miku's aqua green hair. We decide to approach her slowly. She turns her head at us once she felt that she wasn't alone anymore. "Don't worry you can stay here as long as you like."
"Yeah, we won't bite." Kaito smirk. I punch his face for making a dumb comment like that.
"Geez you always use the wrong phrase." I sigh, but I can hear Miku laugh. Her smile is really cheerful. The moment was right so I ask. "Hey, can you speak!"
She simply nods her head and explains. "I realized that after I reach the river bank." Her face change before she can continue. "But…my voice sounds so artificial."
"Don't worry. You just need to take time smoothing it out." I comfort her.
"Huh? Are you the same as me?!" Miku gasp and stand up from the ground. "Am I human?"
"From other people's views… no."
"But don't worry vampires are considered humans to some people." Kaito tease her. His comment just really…ticks me off. I didn't show any restraint on my next punch to his head.
Miku gasp at my action. "Is he okay?"
"Don't worry he's just unconscious. He'll be fine when he wakes up." I calm her down. "…It's just the things he says can be–"
Miku begins to smile and interrupts my last comment. "I think he's trying to make light of things." Her face change again for the next question she asks. "Now that I'm cured again, where will I live? The doctor took care of me because I was so frail."
"You can live with us." I offer.
"Really? But is it really okay?" Miku looks away.
"It would be great if I had someone to talk to other than that idiot over there and a friend of mine is away on a business trip."
"Who's this friend of yours?"
"He's the only one that knows how to work the Synthesis machine. He saved me with it five years ago, yet he kept asking me if I was sure to choose that option."
"Is it really okay to be a…Vocaloid?"
"Hey, we are alive, and I'm grateful for the choice I made."
The sun was setting in the horizon. I had to drag Kaito to back seat of the car. Miku was looking at the sunset while I drive us home. I remember now, since I'm a Vocaloid I can truly enjoy sunsets and not be blind.
"We're here Miku." I announce as the neighbors look at me when I drag Kaito into the apartment. "You can sleep in my room tonight. Kaito will have to be in a separate room. I'll set a separate futon for you later."
I buy some Ozeki from the vending machine and a bottle of green juice for Miku. "Kanpai!" I cheer for her. "Don't worry if he's going to wear that scarf, I won't even bother getting a futon for him."