A/N: Okay, so… I'm starting over from scratch. The old story will stay up until this one reaches its destination. Thanks everyone for your support on the original story, but this is the new and improved story! Please support me like you used to! I really, REALLY want to do better on this, so... please support me!
Project: Vocaloid
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- Prologue -
Untitled
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Log entry 259
User: Miriam Takashi
Date: December 27, 2007
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This is my final entry.
To this computer and to the lab.
What is the occasion, you may ask? I've simply grown exhausted. This is a precious day indeed, to retire on a quiet, beautiful winter day of snow and pure cleanliness. If it weren't for the hopes and dreams of pursuing success and glory, I would've given up years ago. Now I realize my studies were in vain.
My life's work meant nothing. I should've known from the beginning, scientists will never be able to play the role as God but I still tried despite the disadvantages. I naively thought in my youth that I could create anything with technology and a lab. Us, scientists can create machines and technologic uses. We can hope and dream, design artful weapons of destruction, we can create medicines and bondages. We can do so many things within our knowledge.
But not one of us will ever be able to make a blade of grass.
We cannot create life.
We can only destroy it.
And this is all my fault. For the past seven years, I've shed sweat, tears and blood in sheer desperation to rebuild something I've lost at the price of my own foolishness. It was the only thing that could make me live on after all remaining love for Leon was lost. Today is the day which would've been my daughter's birthday. Leon may never forgive me for this, but it's time he has to know that life can never be created at our hands. Crypton Media Future is no longer alive, but dead. Just like my dreams.
I'm afraid I've been reaching for the moon for far too long. Too many times has Leon seduced me with the arts of science. But he is no longer the man I loved.
And I, am no longer the woman I used to be. These past seven years are no longer of any use. They were filled with such pain and sadness, I sometimes found myself having to take multiple pills just to soothe those painful headaches.
Hear me, God, I ask for your forgiveness. Too long have I been trying to play your role. I now understand humans are only creations with limits on their abilities. Not even science can match up to your greatness. I am no longer worthy of the title scientist. I have sinned greatly.
Rin, forgive your weak mother. Forgive me for keeping you locked away for so long. If it weren't for me or the rest of this company, you'd be living a normal life as a little girl by now. You would be attending kindergarten and making new friends and learning about your alphabet. But instead you lived among isolation.
I'm sorry. Oh god, I'm so sorry. I can no longer express the gratitude of the memories we've spent together. Not like this. You are my heart, my precious daughter, my life's work. I love you with every ounce of my strength, mind, heart and soul. You were my only happiness.
But this is goodbye.
And know that I will be the one to finally save you. O Father, please grant me this one last prayer. I know I am not worthy to be heard out, but please. This is my final wish.
To destroy what was never supposed to exist.
The lights flashed on and the automatic doors slid open as a woman stepped into lab one. She appeared in her early thirties. Her hair, normally kept in a tidy bun, fell past her shoulders in a ragged mess. Her once bright and beautiful blue eyes, dull and cloudy. She walked at an unsteady pace, knees wobbling with each step she took.
A large glass tube bubbling with water stood in the middle of the room. Miriam walked over before stopping directly in front of the clear tank. She gazed at the creature inside, curled up in a protective ball and sleeping peacefully. She reached out to touch the creature's face, and her fingers met instead with the cold glass wall.
She smiled achingly.
"My little Rin."
Berlin, Germany
02:00 AM
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General POV
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Ssshh…
Hissing noises broke into the silence of the dark, empty lab. Coldness grasped the air with its icy, merciless claws. Darkness was the main thing there filling the expansive lab. But within the walls of the room was a giant reactor.
And inside the reactor, was a naked girl. Her nude body floated inside the clear tank filled with chilled, icy-blue water.
Sshh… sshhh…
Her deep, hissing breaths would indicate to others that she was still alive, only asleep. Of course, for a very long time now.
For seven years.
Ba… bump…
The girl's fingers twitched.
Sssh…
One could tell the girl was a delicate beauty by a simple glance.
Soft light hair drifted around her gaunt face. She was extremely thin, her arms and legs hard, though several bones appeared to stick out through her skin. It was as if she was starved. Her skin appeared stone-cold and white. Her breasts, budding. And her frame, straight.
In other words, a living perfection.
And yet, there was something carnal and frightening about the sight. It was something beautiful and scary existing at the same time.
Project Rin.
Ssssshhhhh…. Ssssh… sssh…
Ba-bump, ba-bump…
Her heart, which was once still and unmoving, slowly started to beat. It created a noise inside her head. Her eyes shifted uncomfortably.
BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP, BA-BUMP…
Ba… bump.
Eyes snapped open, revealing a luminous pair of blue. Blue eyes.
The sound of heavy breathing grew as the Project glanced around, absorbing her surroundings with now cleared vision. It was then until she realized nearly every part of her body was chained to thick silvery tubes. She grasped the largest one connected to the small of her back and sucking in a deep breath from her purifer, she ripped it out.
Her scream came out in muffled bubbles.
Summoning a bony fist, she slammed it into the thin wall.
Glass shattered.
She then proceeded to break down the wall as the water poured out, enabling her comfortable movement. The nude girl wobbled out of the reactor and collapsed onto the stone ground in the process, gasping and shivering.
"Rin," A soft, breathy voice reached her ears. Startled, the girl glanced up and around the room. "Rin…" The voice sounded again, this time, it sounded as though it were calling her. Not only that, but it sounded so familiar… "My little Rin."
The Project blinked. It was a woman's voice. Then, a slow gasp of realization as her eyes widened.
She remembered.
She remembered everything.
Without another moment, she ran for the heavily-locked door. Just then, three armed robots jumped from the ceiling and landed right in front of her. Their red eyes glowed in the darkness, their metal armor shone menacingly. They aimed their pistols directly at the girl. A quiet gasp escaped from her as she took a few steps back.
Then, her eyes narrowed in barely concealed rage.
Electric threads exploded from her fists as she glared at her opponents. With a thin line forming her mouth, she threw out her hands and released the splitting shockwaves. Not having time to react, the electricity came in contact with the machines and shut them all down, causing them to collapse to the ground. She walked past their bodies and stopped in front of the locked door. She looked to the side and saw the code breaker, slamming a fist into it.
The door groaned and opened. For a moment, the Project felt rather accomplished.
Then, the alarm went off.
Gasping fearfully, the Project quickly made into the wide corridor. She ran through the dark, her senses overcome with adrenaline and her gaze set directly forward. Then, her body ached with pain. Her muscles began tightening. It hurt everywhere.
Pushing her body to the max, she felt so much pain. The muscles in her legs were cramped and screaming with pain, and her developing chest heaved with desperate breaths of air. She was about ready to stop and collapse.
It hurt so much…
Her thoughts were soon interrupted as she heard a heavy rush of clanging footsteps approaching fast.
They were coming.
Gulping another amount of oxygen, she ignored the pain and broke into a fast sprint, rushing through the dark corridor. The booming voices of the robots started to chant mechanically as she heard their guns cock and reload.
"THREAT IN SIGHT. THREAT IN SIGHT. PROJECT VOCALOID HAS AWAKENED. ACTIVATE IMMEDIATE SEDATION."
The Project sprinted through the dark, endless corridor. Lights lit up the path with every step she took. With a deep breath, she swung around and activated her right fist, which started to heat up at an incredibly fast rate. Flames charged and coursed her veins before a medium-sized fireball settled on her palm. She shot out her fist and sprayed the oncoming machines with hungry red flames. Her body swung around once the machines hit the floor and her legs starting running again.
The alarm continued screaming at her. The girl frantically looked around for an escape route. She needed to get out of here, she had to find her. But where was she supposed to go?
Time was running out.
Shadows danced on the wall ahead of her, their shapes matching the tracker robots'. Gaspingly and quickly, the Project threw herself against a dark corner, pressing herself deep into the wall and squeezing her eyes shut as the whirring machines ran past. The breath she had been holding in came out in a deep exhale. She turned her head and saw a barely visible door made of steel, standing there.
Not thinking twice, the girl immediately turned the knob and slipped inside. Blue lights automatically lit the entire room at a low level. Computers and papers were scattered everywhere. In the far side of the room, stood a giant computer screen with keyboards and a full operating system included. She walked hurriedly towards it.
She pressed a single key and the giant screen brightened to life. It wasn't long until words popped up in dark green heading.
Initiating access...
Initiating...
Open file to KOKORO program?
- Yes - No -
Old memories came back to her. One particular one shared her child self sitting on her father's lap.
"Listen, sweetheart. You are a very, very special girl. Daddy and mommy take pride in who you are, because you are our own unique creation. You understand?"
"Yes, daddy. I do."
"You are a very strong, very smart little beauty. Don't let the other scientists judge you because of it. they're jealous. But anyway, your mother and I are working on something that will help you later on in the future... but we're not sure of how stable it is." her father looked at her seriously, "So promise me to never operate the KOKORO program. It may be too much for you, understand?"
"Yes, daddy."
The Project blinked and shook her head. Her fingers momentarily lingered over the keyboard. Suddenly, another memory came to her.
"Eventually, you will have to finish the KOKORO program yourself. Understand?" The woman asked her five-year-old self as she stroked her hair lovingly.
"But, mommy... daddy said-" her child self started to protest.
The woman shook her head, her eyes clear and determined. "Pay no mind what daddy says, sweetheart. This is for the best. KOKORO will give you something very special. It has the power to lend you the strength and wisdom that surpasses everyone. And it will make you..." she paused.
"Make me what?"
The woman's eyes seemed to darken, she lowered her head and whispered;
"Like everyone else."
Like everyone else...
Exactly what had she meant by those words?
Open file to KOKORO program?
- Yes - No -
Her eyes flashed from the 'yes' to 'no'. Slowly, she moved the mouse towards the 'no'. Then, she stopped, hestiant.
"Like everyone else."
'I want...' she looked at the 'yes', 'to be like "everyone else.' The Project rolled the mouse over and clicked the 'yes' button. 'I want to understand.'
Then, a bright white light illuminated the entire room. The Project gasped as the light began to enfuse with her hands, crawling up her arms and surrounding her nude body. Warmth spread throughout her body, tingling with sparks as she breathed.
Then, it happened.
Happiness.
Confusion.
Loneliness.
Anger.
Sadness.
Vanity.
Jealousy.
Love.
Affection.
Greed...
She finally understood. And she finally knew what it meant...
To be human.
Tears of mixed emotions filled her now changing eyes. Her body began to tremble under the emotional pressure and her breathing became erratic. Her eyes widened further as the lights changed colors. She suddenly noticed something on top of the table. It was a necklace with a silver heart dangling from the chain.
With trembling fingers, the Project reached over and picked the necklace up. She gasped upon realizing who the item belonged to, tears spilling down her cheeks. Her head dropped low.
"Oh..." she fell to her knees, clutching the necklace tightly against her chest. An image of with long golden hair cascading down a woman's carved shoulders flashed before her eyes. A hot tear slid from her cheek, onto her lap. "Mother..." she uttered with despair.
The Project continued to sit there, weeping silently as she realized everything what had been done. Moments later with the last of her tears spent, she shakily got to her feet and stared up at the screen with new, quiet determination. Her hands hovered over the keyboard once more.
Opening a file webpage, she started typing rapidly and downloading important items. Her icy-blue eyes fired with persevere and her lips set in a firm line. With a click of a few buttons, she set the recording tool on and began her message. With a final smile, she started to sing.
As she sang, a cluster of footsteps were heard. A booming voice was heard over the metal noises. It sounded awfully close.
"Over here, metal dogs! I hear her! Move faster, you useless machines!"
She froze in her place, but continued singing the lyrics in a steady, melodious voice.
"We're getting closer, idiots! Ah! She's in Miriam's office!"
Just as she finished the song, the door suddenly crashed open, revealing a burly man with dark features. At his side was a giant gun. Thirteen tracker robots were already surrounding the room, positioning their guns straight at her. She narrowed her eyes.
Harkinian was the burly man. He was her father's right-hand man.
"Well, well, if it isn't the little princess. Finally done from your long rest, eh?" The man said with a puff of his cigar, his dark eyes flashing, "It's a shame little girls aren't supposed to be up at this hour." He sneered. The girl let out a low hiss as she moved across the room defiantly, her fists sparking with electrity. It was as if she were preparing to attack.
Which she was.
"RAAAAAH!" The girl screamed at the top of her lungs as she executed a round-off and sprang high into the air before whirling her legs into a spinning kick, her feet crashing against the robots and busting their parts into pieces. Alarmed, the other trackers began to fire. She swiftly dodged the bullets with incredible speed, swinging her fists into sharp jabs and quick but powerful uppercuts. Her body twisted and spun as she continued to use her fighting skills, though it looked more as if she were a graceful dancer. Electric threads scattered across her arms as she suddenly slammed her fists into the ground, creating a splitting shockwave that killed and shut down the rest of the machines off. All of them, except Harkinian, collapsed to the ground in a busted pile.
The man smirked and threw his cigar to the side. He cocked his giant gun and chuckled.
"Brat, I always knew you were spoiled, but I never thought you were this good. It looks as if I hardly stand a chance at all." Harkinian chuckled, "After all, you were raised by that insane father or yours. I almost feel sorry for you," he scoffed, "But anyway, Leon isn't who you're looking for, right?" The Project flinched, "Ah... that's right, you must be searching for..." A wicked grin flew across his manly features.
"Miriam?"
At that one word, the Project snapped. With a furious, inhumane shriek, she charged towards Harkinian with fire and electricity blazing her fists. His grin widened and he cracked his knuckles. He was about to swing his gun out before-
"Stop."
Both stopped. The Project took a sharp intake of breath.
From the shadows of the entrance, a figure stood amidst. A tall, handsome man walked into the light. He had pale, unkempt blonde hair and sharp green eyes. A deep frown creased his mouth. The girl felt a boiling feeling towards this man as she watched him approach.
Leon Takashi, her father.
With a sharp glare towards Harkinian, he said. "Were you planning to hurt her?" Fumbling for words, the burly shook his head vigorously, murmuring in embarrassment Turning to his daughter, a cold smile grew on his face.
"My daughter… Sweetheart." Leon approached with a sickeningly gentle tone. Disgusted, the project took a few steps back, holding out her fists. "What are doing up so early, honey? Aren't you cold? You know you're not supposed to wandering and about." Leon drawled, removing a specially-created rifle from behind him. Then, he stopped.
Her eyes…
Her blue eyes… were no longer blue. But discolored, filled with rage.
And utmost loathing.
'No…' Leon's eyes widened in shock, staring agape at the sight before him. "Impossible! It can't be..! Your heart..!" Seeing his open display of shock, the project took this chance of springing past him and into the final corridor which led to a secret exit.
"NO!" The girl heard Leon shout as heavy footsteps scurried after her. Beams of nuclear blasts shot past, which she narrowly dodged. Panting, she slammed her fist against a weak spot on the end wall and ran out onto a secluded cliff, jumping past sharp rocks and ridges to where no ordinary human could cross. "NO!" Out of the corner of her eye, reinforcements were charging out, all of the most advanced robots, but it was too late now. She was getting away. "STOP HER! WE MUST NOT LET HER ESCAPE!" Leon roared in Japanese, frantically commanding the machines.
In the midst of the dark, the girl could hear waves crashing below. It was freezing out here. She breathed in the cold, salty air of the ocean.
It smelled like freedom.
With her specialized night-vision, she could see a connected beach in the distance, just a few yards away where she could run to and escape. If she could make that distance, she could surely go another wonderful place where she adapt to the outside world and find what she was looking for. There was only one question.
What place was there for her to go?
"My dearest, Japan is the most wonderful place in the world.." A soft and loving voice suddenly spoke to her. Her eyes widened as she recognized it as her mother's.
Japan...?
"NO!" Unfortunately, Leon managed to aim right this time as he fired one last desperate shot at his daughter. The nuclear blast ended up hitting the back of her head, making her jerk and lose her footing. She fell sideways with a slight groan as the acid-like substance sank into her skull.
Leon widened his eyes as he witnessed his daughter falling into the ocean.
"N-No!"
"Haaah..." She breathed and threw her head back. A sudden pain ripped through her brain. Another throbbing pain ripped through her optic nerve, but this time, it was far more intense and permeated her down her spine. Electricity danced around her head, she could feel its shocking, penetrating impulse. Beads of sweat formed her forehead, running down the side of her head. "Oh... ooh..." Her brilliant blue eyes dulled into a dark, murky color. Her other senses began to numb, and her breathing became raspy.
What... what was happening?
It felt as though she were being drained.
She couldn't feel anything anymore.
'I...'
Her eyelids suddenly closed shut as her body continued falling through the air.
Ba-bump, ba-bump…
Ba-.. bump…
Ba-...
bump...
SPLAAAAASH!
The only sound heard that hour was Leon Takashi's mournful howl of anger, fury, and loss as he watched the girl's body waves and disappear into the dark, murky waters. Harkinian and the robots stood by, silently watching as their boss grabbed a fistful of hair and slammed himself against the railing, wailing.
And that was the only the beginning of what was to come.
A/N: NEW AND IMPROVED! ^^ What do you think? Len and Kaito will be appearing in the next chapter of course, WITH some improvements! :D Don't worry, they'll certainly meet. Look forward to it, okay?
Reviews= Motivation to write
A/N: Miriam's goodbye entry on the computer. This was originally supposed to appear on the last story, but... I figured, 'Eh, why should I? I'm too lazy'.
Reviews: Motivation to write