Chapter 20: The Great Harmony

Miku adjusted her ribbons in the show room mirror for what had to be the hundredth time that evening, smoothing the pleats in the skirt of her Vocaloids costume.  She tried to take a few breaths to calm herself.  'I mean it's not like I'll forget the words… or trip on stage… or get blinded by a stage light or…'

She slapped her cheek.

"POSITIVE!"

"Oh boy, Miku's doing the cheek slap.  Must mean she forgot to practice again."

Miku grumbled and turned to the ponytailed blonde boy leaning in her dressing room door frame.  "Do you mind?  I'm TRYING to make sure I have my opening number ready to go!"

She grabbed a brush and stroked her ponytails angrily for emphasis as Len laughed jovially.  "Yea, wouldn't want to ruin the star attraction right before her debut!"

He grew slightly more serious.  "Hey… it's not about him is it?"

Miku's hand shook as she stopped brushing.  She fumbled for the words she needed to answer the question.

"… I'll take the long silence to mean 'yes.'"

Len never teased her about this subject.  He was sharp enough to know how much it affected her.

After all, performing the first "Vocaloids" concert as five instead of six was hard enough as it was…

Miku laid on the futon in Kaito's arms, her bare body barely covered by the blanket.  How wonderful it felt to be in her own home again… though the bed situation was going to have to be improved.  Selling that loft bed and getting something bigger for Kaito's wingspan… did she even have enough space in her tiny bedroom for a bigger bed?

'Yea Miku… the BED is what you should be focusing on…'

She looked up into Kaito's face and took pleasure in his peaceful smile.  The people who hurt him were all gone forever.  The dissonant melodies that plagued him fallen silent.  No more fighting, no more running, no more fear.   She'd fulfilled her promise to protect him.

She stroked his cheek lightly.  "I'm not going to disappear, Kaito…" she whispered to him.

"There's only one way to know for sure."

He pulled her in for a deep kiss…

"How's our little starlet?!"

As Miku left the dressing room, she laid eyes on Gumi.  "See guys?  I TOLD you I could introduce you to her!"

Standing behind the girl were a tall man with black hair and red-framed glasses as well as a green haired woman with tanned skin.  "So this is Miku… she's shorter than I thought she'd be in person…" the woman said.

As Miku looked at the two adults with Gumi, the obvious question rose in her mind.  "Are these your… parents?"

"Heck yea!  Mom and Pop already bought your album!" Gumi said, "Made me promise I'd pull some super-secret strings to get them in here!"

Of all the people to have seemingly normal, living parents… "Wait… Gumi, if your parents are fine, why were you living in a bomb shelter?"

Gumi let out a snort.  "Pfff, how do you think I was paying my food bills?"

Her father clapped his hands on her shoulders.  "My daughter has always been so driven to change the world, what father wouldn't support her?"

He let out a broad laugh.  "And she landed the biggest story of the century didn't she?"

Her mother tenderly folded her hands under her chin.  "We always knew she'd make us proud!"

Gumi blushed deeply at all the praise… Miku wasn't used to seeing her humble.  "So hey, about Blue… is he coming or what?"

Miku shook just a moment.  Of course Gumi would be the only one blunt enough to ask a question like that without care…

The peaceful sea breeze tossed the black ribbons in Miku's pigtails as she dug into her ice cream float, her white dress with black frills ruffling slightly.  It was so pleasant to enjoy a peaceful day with her friends and not dealing with more news media interviews.  Not that the publicity was bad per say – once they got wind of the heroes that saved the world being in a band, suddenly the girl found herself inundated with record companies seeking them out.

"So Gumi managed to get another member of the Diet ousted on corruption charges.  Can you believe our folks paid off that many of em'?"

Len shook his head in disbelief.  He wore a white jacket, green shirt and red bow tie, and black shorts.  "They did always hang around with politicians, Len…" Rin chimed in, wearing a white dress with lace sleeves and a white ribbon in her hair.

"They also had all kinds of blackmail if they didn't co-operate," Oliver added.

The light-haired blonde was sandwiched between his two siblings, still clad in his former school boy uniform.  Miku wondered if the poor boy would have to wear bandages for the rest of his life, but at least his heart surgery had gone well.  This was the first day in the two weeks since that he'd been out with them.

Luka rested her spoon on the table.  She wore a white ruffled shirt, flower printed tiered skirt, and a white headband.  Naturally once the chaos of the week of hell was over, she'd gone back to her elegant self, though Miku noticed she seemed a lot more relaxed with the ordeal behind them.  Perhaps because she no longer needed to try so hard to conceal herself from her friends.

"At least they're somewhere where they won't hurt anyone else," Luka said darkly, "I'm about done with the lot of them."

She locked hands with Gakupo.  "How are the de-commissionings going, Oliver?" Gakupo asked.

On most days Luka and Gakupo didn't even bother hiding their wings, but today they quietly concealed them to grant themselves some much-needed anonymity.  Gakupo in particular tended to get chased down by eager fans thanks to his viral fame.  Today he was unusually dressed down, just wearing a white t-shirt, black vest, and grey jeans with a black choker.  Miku guessed this was his idea of "incognito".

Kaito tended to keep his own wings concealed – he didn't like drawing any extra attention to himself if he wasn't flying.  Naturally, he'd felt awful that he'd lost his scarf and shirt due to the Hearts – his first pieces of human clothing were still quite close to his heart.  So at once Miku had rushed out to grab him another tank top and blue scarf as a replacement once the shops were open again.  And naturally… he was wearing that same ensemble today.  Ever predictable.

"… by the end of the week the last of the operations will be done," Oliver said quietly, "I expect they'll all want to return to the Islands with the last group."

Miku looked to Kaito, and to her surprise, he hadn't even touched his ice cream.  "Kaito… are you okay?" she asked, trying to hide her shock at the sweets-loving man losing his appetite.

His face appeared serious as he stood up in front of them.  "I… I've been thinking things over… and…"

"… I'm going to go back to the Islands with them."

Miku felt her heart stop.  Everyone else stared at him in surprise.  Of all the people to want to go back… Kaito seemed the least likely.  Hadn't he told Miku he'd never go if he couldn't take her?

"K… Kaito… the laws…" she stumbled.

He wouldn't even face her… meaning he didn't plan for her to accompany him.  She tried to hold back tears.

"Kaito… the Council is dead, the vigils are ended," Gakupo said, "There's no more duties for you to perform there.  Why do you wish to return?"

His hands trembled.  "Because… I haven't accomplished what I planned to do."

He looked into the skies.  "I destroyed the Noise, but… the humans and the Seruva are still separated.  They don't know what to do next.  And right now the Seruva really have no leadership at all."

"You're not planning on reviving the vigils!?" Luka asked with some alarm in her voice.

Fortunately, Kaito shook his head in denial.  "Those are done as far as I'm concerned," he said, "The Seruva cannot move forward if they only listen to the words of the past.  But…"

Miku clutched her napkin in her hand so tightly it felt like a balled up rock.  "They also can't move forward alone.  I… I could help them do that.  I've lived among humans long enough to know many of their customs, and they still trust me."

"Right… because of the Great Harmony."

Luka spoke the words the Seruva had begun to call the miracle that destroyed the Noise utterly.

"But… until I change their laws… their hearts… I… I can't…"

As Miku's vision blurred, she ran from the table.  She didn't want to hear anything else.  She didn't want to imagine a life without Kaito in it, but now he was choosing to do it himself!? 

Did she truly mean that little to him after all!?

"Let me just check the allowances one more time…"

"Luka, you don't have time to sew it anymore, you're going to have to just accept it for what it is."

Luka kept tugging at the sleeves of Gakupo's repaired jinbaori.  "I know, it's just… you have that big dancing number and I don't want you getting tangled up…"

The purple-haired Seruva laughed.  "I've practiced dozens of times today!  Truly, the humans beholding the concert are going to be in awe of a true samurai of the arts!"

Now it was her turn to start laughing – all of Gakupo's notes tingled with the excitement of his coming performance.  She adjusted her skirt and corset carefully.  While Gakupo had chosen to keep his costume the same, Luka's was too soaked with blood to allow her to wear it again.  So she simply decided to press forward with an all new design, a long black skirt slit up her thigh, black stockings and boots, metallic armlets, and a tan corset with an elaborate design on the left breast.  A simple collar with a small ribbon rested around her neck.

Gakupo had felt guilty about the ruining of her original costume, but after Luka happily showed off her new one, she was able to convince him to let the last lingering worries about "Harbinger" drift away.  Besides, he'd cheekily commented, he thought the new costume more properly showed off her "assets."

The costume hadn't stayed on long.

"Nasu-saaaaaan!"

For just a moment, Gakupo's excitement turned sour as he heard his least favorite nickname in the world.

"Oh wow, he's so impressive in person!  But I thought he had wings?"

Luka turned to see Gumi and her parents approaching.  Of course Gumi had given her a heads up that she'd be bringing them by.  Even Gumi couldn't have snuck past their rather… devoted… security.  But Luka was still struck by how normal they looked.  'It figures,' she thought to herself.

Luka heard Gakupo's concealment melody cease, his wings reappearing at once.  "Some of my dance steps are rather… difficult… with them out," he explained.

Before anyone could stop her, Gumi's mother was poking at his wings.  "Ohh!  They're so soft!  Like velvet!  You'd never guess it from the TV!"

'Poor Gakupo… the price of celebrity is so hard…'

The mighty samurai was blushing, but he didn't stop the curious woman from fondling his feathers.  The last year had trained him well in public relations.  Something the Vocaloids had been taking advantage of, naturally.  Even tonight's concert was the culmination of that… a year of peace and a lot of time spent trying to prevent the horrors of the past from ever taking place again.

"You IDIOT!  You didn't tell her FIRST?!"

Luka had never seen Len so upset.  Miku had only just left the table moments ago… there was no way she hadn't heard him…

Kaito lowered his head.  "I… I just… I wanted to tell everyone at once."

Without another word, Len left the table in a huff, chasing behind Miku.  Oliver looked startled – not really knowing the Vocaloids that well, he chose to remain silent.

In spite of the nervous notes in Kaito's voice, Luka detected a steady melody at the base of it.  He'd been so happy these past weeks, just practicing with his friends and enjoying the time with Miku.  None of them had even gone back to school – the fallout from the summer prevented them from getting classwork done.  Yet now he was giving it up.

"Kaito-niisan, aren't you happy here?!" Rin said, tears in her eyes.

"Of course I am…" Kaito said, "But… I can't let that stand in the way of others being free."

He looked out over the ocean, watching the tumbling waves but not truly looking at them.  "All of my descendants will carry the same power I have… any one of them could summon Sujata Raka… if that happens, millions could die… and the Noise will return."

"… you wish to stop the war from recurring."

Gakupo bluntly cut to the point. Yet Luka could hear softer notes in his melody – he may not have appreciated the suddenness of Kaito's proposal… but he understood his motivation.  

"Kaito, do you mean for the two of us to accompany you?" Luka asked.  Naturally, she didn't need to state who she meant.

"Ah!  Gaku-niichan, Sempai, you're going to leave too!?"

Rin was about to burst into tears.  "I won't ask you two to come," Kaito said, "Only if you wish to.  I'll go alone if I must though."

Gakupo shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  "I doubt it would be wise for me to return," he mused, "The humans may not be aware of the Harbinger's actions, but I doubt there's been enough time for the Seruva to separate the two of us.  Even regardless of my intentions… many died because of them."

As Kaito's eyes fell to Luka, she found her choice surprisingly simple.  Even if she could easily return now with her wings intact…

"My life is on Earth now.  Besides, it might still be awkward for a former Val'Sharess to return, wings or not."

She left the other half unspoken – she would not leave Gakupo behind.  They'd already started planning a life together, quietly, out of the prying ears of the world.  If she went to the Islands… he'd follow her.  And she would not allow him to come to harm by choosing that path.

Besides, she'd been quite clear – she identified more as a Japanese woman than as a Seruva now.  Even if she was now a Japanese woman with wings.  Regardless of how she'd come to live on Earth, she had plans for her life that didn't include a life in the sky again.

If the prospect of undertaking his task alone bothered him, Kaito showed no such emotion.  He offered a small smile.  "I'll miss you.  All of you."

"Are you certain this is what you want?"

The blue-haired Seruva did not waver.  "I'm the Spirit Caller… with the Elders dead, with the priest caste asunder… I'm the closest thing they have to leadership.  I'm the only one that can take charge."

His melody grew melancholic.  "I can't… I can't let what happened to Meiko happen again."

Luka had tried to comfort herself since Meiko's death with the memories of the joys they once shared.  She'd accepted her actions had been the result of evil performed upon her… and she'd accepted that those who' d hurt her had properly been served justice because of it.

But Kaito's sense of guilt was not alien to her.  Even now, Luka wondered if she should have tried harder on that fateful day to take Meiko too when she tried to escape the Islands with Kaito.  Maybe the tragedy could have been averted… maybe the war never would have returned… maybe the kind brave girl would still live…

'There's no time for maybe.  There's only now.'

Luka looked off down the wharf where Miku had run away to.  "She'll understand Kaito… but you shouldn't cut her out of your life so harshly.  She's your 'protector,' remember?"

She shot him a stern look.  "You owe her a huge apology for not telling her before you told the rest of us."

"Hey, you're Gumi's parents, right?!"

Gakupo had never been happier to see Rin and Len.  "Oh, the Kagamines!" Gumi's father said, "Ah, Rin-chan is my favorite… she's so cute…"

Rin did a cute curtsy, luring the couple away as Gakupo turned his attention to Gumi.  He hadn't seen her in person in months… she was just as busy as any of them, but she wasn't a Vocaloid.  She didn't perform in concerts.  Her work was ensuring the massive corruption left behind in the wake of Mirror's fall lay exposed to all.

For how well she knew how to get under his skin, he'd grown a healthy respect for the girl.  Not a warrior by trade, but an unflinching advocate for the oppressed. After riding into battle with her, Gakupo saw her in many respects as a war comrade.

He approached her as she and Luka caught up, catching the end of their conversation. 

"… yea, Miku said she hadn't heard from Blue at all… it's kinda weird, though… I've been nosing around my sources in the government and they're supposed to be receiving a delegation from the Seruva… you think he'd tell her!  A concert this size should have gotten his attention!"

"Communication with the Islands isn't simple, Gumi," Gakupo said matter of factly, "It's not as if there's cell phone towers and internet access in a floating sky kingdom."

"Nasu-san!" she said as she lit up, "Sorry my folks bugged ya like that."

The Seruva warrior laughed.  "I'll take them over the tabloids any day."

But the mention of a Seruva delegation had lit his interest.  "What do you know of these events?  I've not heard of them in the media."

Gumi flashed a knowing grin.  "You know me… I can always find people in the right places…"

'Like Oliver,' Gakupo thought.  He searched the backstage area, but he hadn't spotted him yet.  No doubt his own guests were keeping him occupied.  A year of peace had granted him a great deal of responsibility, but also great freedom.

Gakupo could relate to the odd position he'd found himself in.  Being the world's most famous Seruva meant he had little time to himself.  At least Luka was always with him.  And of course he knew why he'd allowed himself to become so public, along with the rest of the Vocaloids.

"… the records of 'the Harbinger' have all been destroyed."

Oliver sat in what was once the chair of one of his parents, in what was once a home he shared with them.  If the irony of finally being free to return while they were now prisoners had hit him, he chose to keep it to himself.

Gakupo stared out the window of the small study, observing the empty hills, as he listened to Oliver speaking to him.

"Thank you."

For once, he was perfectly blunt.

Cutting that part of himself out for good was necessary.  He'd never be able to rid himself of the memories, but at least on Earth he could rid himself of the consequences.  He had to.  Thanks to his public warning in the hours before the attack on Tsubasa City, he'd become the most well-known Seruva on the planet.

He didn't know how they would react to knowing about his activities when he was a puppet of the Noise.

"The squads that died in those operations were sent on classified missions, so their cause of death is officially unknown.  Obviously the Hearts, Mayu, and Flower still know about you… but they're not going to be taken seriously without evidence."

And now Oliver had ensured they would never have it.

With a few simple corrections to history, Gakupo's past was clear.  He could start everything over again, learning how to live as a Seruva amongst humanity.  Somehow, that didn't bother him at all.

He'd thought letting Kaito go might turn into a far more agonizing affair than what actually came of it.  After years spent making his safety his only priority, years of conflicting and painful emotions built day by day over him… the day Kaito left, he was calm and collected.

To say he wasn't worried at all was a lie – of course every one of them worried about Kaito trying to go back to caring for himself after everything he'd been put through as the Spirit Caller.  But after the experience of the last summer, he'd noticed a change in his former charge.  He'd witnessed Kaito stand tall against those who'd once pulled his strings like a helpless puppet.  Further, the most dangerous people to him were now dead – three by the Harbinger's hand, one destroyed with the Noise.

Ironically, the former bodyguard to the Spirit Caller had more confidence than any of the other Vocaloids in Kaito making what should have been impossible happen.

And as Kaito lifted into the sky and Gakupo watched him until he vanished beyond the clouds, he'd felt something unexpected – relief.

Besides… Kaito had sworn he'd return.  And they'd all privately agreed if he was gone too long, they'd simply go fetch him themselves.

"What will you do now, Oliver?" Gakupo asked, "Besides being Rin-chan's other big brother."

He glanced back and saw a smile on the boy's face at the thought of his dear younger sister.  Oliver was already in the process of getting the two of them moved back into their old home – and Rin was especially eager since he'd allowed her to have a cat once they were settled.

"I've been thinking a lot about what Kaito said… that he wanted to reunite humanity and the Seruva."

Oliver's face grew pensive.  "He has a difficult task – the Seruva did declare war on the humans, after all.  And there were so many humans scared of even the idea of the Seruva that we never had much trouble finding people to experiment on them at Mirror."

Where Gakupo could simply separate his actions as the Harbinger from himself, Oliver seemed unwilling to allow himself any amount of distance from the tasks his parents forced him to perform.  "But so much of the technology Mirror created… it could change lives.  It could change humanity entirely.  For the better.  Medical advancements, efficient energy production… someone has to make use of it."

"… I'm going to try and get control of Mirror's assets and use them for something better.  Officially, I'm still their son, so I have some pull.  Right now the government's in a bad state in trying to take control of the company due to all the corruption charges.  If I play things right… they'll be eager to offload it to someone like me and wash their hands of the affair."

'Taking something evil and turning it to good…'

Gakupo mused on the boy's statements.  In the middle of the chaos of battle he'd moved forward without a second thought on his actions leading to him becoming the Harbinger.  His entire focus had been simply ending the war with a minimum number of casualties, and rescuing his allies.

Now he felt somewhat rudderless – a soldier without a war to fight.  But humans looked to him as a hero.  Perhaps he and Luka could serve Kaito's goal of stopping another war as well… just as Miku was doing right now…

"MIKU!"  "MIKUUUUUUU!"  "MIKU-CHAAAAAN!"

All of a sudden a single spotlight shown along the darkened stage, illuminating the first act of the night. 

"The number one princess in the world!"

Miku spread her arms wide as her voice carried across the crowd.  The audience waved their sea green glowsticks in perfect synchronicity.

"Know how to treat me that way, okay?"

Len watched calmly as Miku pranced around on the stage, her swaying movements evoking a self-absorbed diva.  Any nerves she had before the show had vanished into her stage persona.

"Hee hee… Miku writing a song about being a princess," Rin giggled behind him, "Kaito-niisan better watch out if she starts talking to him like that when he finally comes back!"

"First thing, notice when I have a different hair style from usual! Second thing, be sure to go as far as looking down at my shoes properly, do I make myself clear? Third thing, for every single world I say, reply with three words!"

Len snickered at the thought of poor Kaito getting cowed by Miku.  Naturally he'd helped her out in getting this song put together, but after a year of their Vocaloids training kicking into high gear, she didn't need the help as much anymore.

Besides… he knew without her telling him that Vocaloids had turned into therapy of a sort for her.  As long as she kept working, she didn't need to think about being alone.

Len found Miku leaning against a lamppost on the wharf.  He could hear her sobbing as he approached.  His anger at Kaito faded as he approached his broken friend and former crush, replaced by feelings of worry for her.  After everything the two of them had been through… why would anyone leave her like this?

Miku seemed to hear Len's footsteps and tried to wipe her eyes before he reached her.  "I'm… I'm sorry…" she started to say.

"For what?  That was pretty low, the way he did that."

Her crying began to calm.  Uncharacteristically, Len stayed silent.  He had no idea what he needed to say right now.

"I… I get it… he has his own home… he's always missed it, he never wanted to come here and be human… so of course he needs to go back and…"

"Oh stop that, whatever's going through his head, you know he's got to be broken up about leaving you behind, right?"

Was he defending Kaito?  No… worse.  He was starting to understand him.  "You've been together all summer.  He never said anything about leaving before, right?"

Miku shook her head.  "He… he promised he'd never leave if he couldn't take me with him…"

'… oh I get it now.'

"Sheesh, that's all?  Then he's probably figured out a way to make that happen."

Miku turned to Len, her eyes redder but filled with curiosity.  "If he's trying to change all the laws and stuff with the Seruva… then he's trying to fix it so he can take you there when he comes back."

"… he's going to come back…"

Miku said the words out loud and they appeared to grant her hope.  Seeing her cheering up made Len feel like his old cocky self.  "So we just gotta make sure he doesn't start slacking on Vocaloids when we're not around to make him practice!"

A small laugh escaped Miku's lips before fading again as she looked to someone behind Len.  Len turned around to see Kaito approaching the two of them.  As he pushed past the taller man, he whispered bluntly.  "You owe her, big time."

"SAMURAI!  Go kill yourself, scum!"

Rin peeked out behind the curtains as the audience went wild over Gakupo's explosion of dance moves.  Over a month ago, the idea had apparently struck him like a lightning bolt – everyone in Japan thought of him as an honorary samurai, what if he were a dancing samurai?!  Rin had been so tickled at the idea she'd already begun planning the song for him.

To aid his more acrobatic dance moves, Gakupo kept his wings hidden.  It didn't seem like any of his excited fans worried, all shaking eggplants as they cheered for him.  Gumi's nickname had gone viral along with his other images... and he'd just learned to embrace it.

"Dancing in the night, no matter what the beat! If I can't keep the rhythm I'll cut myself open!"

'Ah, Gaku-niichan… even when you're a singer, you're still a cool warrior!'

She straightened the bow on her costume.  Luka had prepared new outfits for her and Len to wear for "Gemini".  She said their "symmetry" inspired her – hence Len wore a grey suit with a black jacket and orange ascot, while Rin was now wearing a white dress, black jacket, and orange sash.  She love playing with the yellow fringe at the tips of her skirt.

The name of their song stirred some strange emotions in Rin – the only name the Hearts had for her and her brother was the same.  Yet they'd written the song themselves, without their parents ever knowing.  And that symmetry was the source of their unique powers.  So even if “Gemini” meant something to the Hearts, they'd claimed it for themselves.

Not that either twin cast magic much anymore.  Though once in awhile they'd try and fly for kicks, it was rather strenuous to maintain so they rarely flew far.

Something their parents had shown disappointment in the very last time she saw them.

Rin gripped her brother's hand as they entered the waiting area in the courthouse.  This would be the first time they had seen the Hearts in three months.  Possibly their only chance they'd get to see the both of them at once – naturally, the husband and wife had been sent to different prisons.

They'd deliberately waited as long as they could to meet with them for what each twin suspected would be the last time.

"You have no inkling of what you've enabled, do you?"

Lola Heart glared at Rin and Len as she scolded the two of them.  Leon merely had his arms folded, refusing to stare at either of his adopted children.

Oliver had refused to come at all – he wanted nothing more to do with his parents after his long ordeal.  He was too busy managing corporate affairs, he'd claimed.  But of course Oliver never let work get in the way of people he wanted to see – like his siblings.

Yet the twins agreed to just one visit.  If only for closure.

Rin had her hands folded behind her, not sure what to say.  She stared at her parents, perhaps hoping somehow they'd admit they ever cared about her.  Len didn't seem to expect that.

"Yea, I know what we did," he said gruffly, "We cleaned up YOUR mess.  You almost blew up the world, you know that?  If that stupid gear you installed in us was still functioning, we wouldn't have been able to help save it."

Leon appeared offended at any suggestion that he'd committed wrong doing.  "How dare you speak of our efforts in that tone?!  The Seruva are a menace, and you've allowed them to fly freely in our city!"

He finally turned to face his children.  "You were supposed to save us… instead you two have simply doomed us all.  You may have delayed Armageddon, but one day they will grow tired of sharing the world with us.  When that happens… they can wipe us out in an instant."

"… that won't happen.  Ever."

Len stayed firm, even as Rin kept her silence.  "We won't let it.  And neither will our friends."

Lola huffed.  "Indeed, the mass murderer you two hang around wouldn't dream of skewering anymore of us."

Rin's grip on Len's hand tightened – she hated hearing them insult her dear Gaku-niichan when they had been one of the people who continued to provoke him while he suffered under the power of the Noise.  But still she found no words for them.

"So what do the two of you intend to do with yourselves without us?" Leon asked, his voice cold and sharp, "You have no family.   You have no means for yourselves.  You're a pair of experiments without a purpose."

"Shut UP!"

Rin finally found her voice.  "We do TOO have a family!  I have… my awesome twin, my cool sempai, my best friend… four big brothers… and a big sister!"

The blonde girl had her hands balled into little fists as she finished her outburst.

"We don't NEED you to do ANYTHING!  And we NEVER did!  And… And we're going to fix everything you did and soon this whole PLANET is going to be FULL of happy Seruva and humans!  And there's nothing you can do to stop us!"

Her statement concluded, she tugged Len's hand and the two walked away from the Hearts for what Rin expected would be the last time.  She felt her heart racing from her rare burst of anger, but she felt so liberated finally having the strength to tell them what she thought of them… and to deliver one last parting blow that their planned world of enslaved Seruva would never exist, and it was entirely their own doing.

As the two left the courthouse, Len turned to his sister with one question.

"Where did you get the extra brother and the big sister from?"

Suddenly his eyes widened.  "Wait, you're not counting THEM are you!?"

"A 6300 km radius is as far as my hands can reach, I've realized that I can do it now, so please stand back!"

Miku watched Luka twirled, unfurling her wings behind her like a peaceful, glimmering angel.  'Ahhh, sempai, all that practice and you're so perfect…'

She fluffed up her pansy dress for the next number after Luka would depart the stage.  She mentally ran through her choreography – all the hops, all the correct maneuvers she'd have to make to time her movements exactly with the LED holograms.

 "An 85 cm radius is as far as my hands can reach…"

As the last words left Luka's lips, Miku let out a gasp as someone did something off script.  Gakupo lightly descended onto the stage behind Luka as she stopped her twirling.  Yet the surprise of having an extra person on the stage with her couldn't possibly upset her.  She smiled warmly and held her hands up, Gakupo taking them and twirling her gently into his arms.                                                                                                                                                                      

"When I someday grow tired of spinning, please stay by me!"

Locking eyes with Gakupo, Luka sang her final lyrics to her partner so naturally it might as well have been part of the act.  Miku watched Luka stroke Gakupo's cheek lightly as the audience seemed to collectively sigh all at once, seeing their easy romantic moment play out as part of the show.  The two of them took flight, departing the stage while still holding each other's hands.

Watching Luka flying away with the person she loved made Miku's heart ache for just a moment… before she walked across the darkened stage to her mark, facing away from the audience with her hands in the air.  When the spotlight turned on, she began shaking them lightly, causing her pansy bracelets to flutter.  She turned to them with an easy smile as the holograms on the stage crafted the illusion of LED lights forming patterns everywhere she stepped…

“The dazzling strobe lights and the pounding LED’s take my hand and run off, I stumbled and my eyes opened…”

Performing made everything else feel so easy…

Miku clutched Kaito tightly as he soared through the Tokyo night skyline.  In the darkened sky, the multitude of lights and signs appeared almost magical.  He soared towards the famous Tokyo Tower, glittering in white light with the deep blue Diamond Veil lights sparkling like stars.

Tokyo was an even larger city than Miku could have imagined.  Just one day seemed cruel when she'd have so many things to try and discover with Kaito!  But he eagerly flew her from place to place, occasionally riding the trains when he needed a break.

At first it seemed Kaito's favorite location was Ueno Zoo – Miku gathered the wildlife in his homeland was drastically different from anything he'd seen or heard of.  Elephants, lions, pandas, koalas… Miku had never seen them up close, but Kaito didn't even know they existed at all.  They could have easily spent an entire day just there, but Kaito and Miku both had so much more of Tokyo to see and so precious little time...

Then they'd wandered the streets of the trendy Shibuya, Kaito being amazed that a dog had a statue all its own.  Miku kept admiring some of the fashionable dresses in the storefronts, surrounded by the youths dressed to the nines to show off their own personal senses of style.  She knew she couldn't go wild with shopping – how were they going to carry the clothes?  But Kaito insisted he could carry anything she bought.  And so she tried to be quick, so as not to drag Kaito down too long... what man would want to just watch her try on dresses all day?  But to her surprise, he insisted on trying a cosplay oriented shop.  As he stared longingly at a classic suit with a long black coat and pants and a fancy white shirt and blue vest, how could she deny him the chance?

Miku thought Kaito looked like a fairy tale prince when he walked out of the booth clad in such a flashy suit. Miku gleefully tried on a dress with a white top, yellow tie, elaborate purple skirt, and a white pointed hat.  She waved around her plastic wand, threatening to turn Kaito into a rabbit if he disobeyed the will of "Queen Snow Miku!"

…after that they'd broken down into uproarious laughter. And so Miku bought the costumes with a smile – she imagined they'd bring her far happier memories than a fashionable dress anyway.

But Tokyo Tower finally caught Miku's eye as the two of them entered Zojoji Temple for evening prayers.  Miku had insisted Kaito experience the spiritual side of Japan along with the modernity, and Kaito sounded fascinated at the idea of partaking in a human religious ceremony.  The distinct red and white tower stood out against the traditional Buddhist holy ground.  Miku promised Kaito it would only get more exciting.

And so not long after evening prayers ended… Kaito saw the lights in the tower begin to glow.  Once the Diamond Veil finally lit up as the two ate ice cream cones in Shiba Park, she nodded to him.  It was time to finally see it.

Under the cover of night, the pair slipped onto the highest observation deck, Kaito quickly hiding his wings before their unusual entrance was noted.  He took a few steps back, staring at the beautiful sight in awe.  Of course Kotori Tower in Tsubasa had its modern charms, but this was the world-famous Tokyo Tower!  It had a wonder all its own.

Finally Kaito turned to Miku, his glowing smile speaking for him.  "This was the best day of my life."

Miku tried to burn that smile into her memory forever.  "Mine too."

Kaito's happiness shifted to confusion – Miku guessed somehow the sadness in her thoughts had impeded her "melody."  There really was no hiding the truth from a Seruva.

When Miku finally saw Kaito approach her at the wharf in Tsubasa City, she'd expected some kind of half-hearted apology… some statement of his duty, the importance of his sacrifice, excuses of why she couldn't go…. Instead he'd given her a simple invitation.

"Let's fly away together.  Anywhere you want.  Just you and me, like we planned.  A desert, a castle, a mountain… Whatever you wish.”

And all she could think of was their wild imaginings of where they'd go when the war was over and how Kaito was prepared to fly her across continents if she so asked.

She picked Tokyo.  She didn't want the poor man to tire that easily.  And so as the sun rose the next morning, the day before Kaito was to fly away from her… He lifted Miku into his arms and ferried her across the countryside and into the famous city.

Miku walked over to the railing and stared out into the red lights of Roppongi.  What might it have been like to take Kaito into one of the nightclubs, now that he needn't fear a Herald's machinations?  She watched the shifting colors of the Rainbow Bridge, thinking of how it would feel to stand atop it and watch the cars zip by.  The Daikanransha Ferris Wheel turned in the distance, an ever spinning flower of light, and Miku tried to imagine Kaito's first amusement park ride.

As Kaito's hands rested on her shoulders, Miku looked up at him and forced a smile for him.  "You know, Kaito?  It was so nice… trying out all those new things together.  Discovering new things even I didn't know about…"

But his serious expression belied his detection of the truth.  She wished she hated him for wanting to leave but… she couldn't.  How could she?  He'd lost so much in the war, even if he tried to keep it quiet.  She knew he still mourned for Meiko, and he'd quietly blamed himself for not digging deeper into what had happened to her and somehow saving her from the terrible fate thrust upon her.  She couldn't forget his emotional promise to the priestess in her final moments to try and set everything right...

And that was why he waited so long to speak.  Because somehow, he felt afraid to admit he was giving away being with people he loved even if he knew what he could do would ensure their own safety.

"I'm coming back.  No matter how long it takes."

He delicately pressed a hand against her cheek, caressing her face.  "I will never lose you again.  If… if I'm unsuccessful… then I'll accept it and just come back."

But Miku knew it wasn't just the Seruva that served as an obstacle.  She remembered how cruelly they'd been torn from each other that night by humans that feared him.  Kaito's dream was larger than one person should have to handle alone.

And all day she'd thought things over and realized that Kaito didn't have to bear it alone, even if he would be far from his friends.

"I have a new reason, Kaito."

Miku didn't wish to accept her fate as Juliet, devoured over losing Romeo.

"For Vocaloids?"  Kaito cocked an eyebrow at her, questioning why the sudden swerve in topics.

Miku brightened up, twirling a strand of her hair.  "Heh, I mean… I kinda need a new one, you know?  I ALREADY found the boy I was looking for… AND I saved the world!  But Vocaloids is about to make it big… all those music labels are sniffing around us now!  Who wouldn't want to sign a pop act with OUR crazy credentials?  Three Seruva, two people from both worlds… and one human!  It's the perfect mix!"

Yet she refused to be Cinderella, waiting for her prince to place a glass slipper upon her feet and carry her away.

"So… while you're gone… my reason is to make humans accept the Seruva!  That's our new mission for Vocaloids!"

Kaito looked surprised.  "You think that'll work!?" he asked.

Miku's face broadened into a genuine smile now.  "Of course it will!" She said, counting on her fingers, "I mean, Luka and Gakupo are already Seruva and Gakupo's like super famous already, Rin and Len are like… kinda Seruva?  And I'm the human that can explain all the stuff other humans won't get in like… human language!  So naturally, we'll warm the hearts of humanity with the power of SONG!"

His face softening, Miku guessed that her burst of positivity eased Kaito's worries about leaving her behind.  And now… she had something to do to bring him back sooner.  Because if humans were inviting to Seruva… that would make it even easier for Kaito to convince the Seruva that humanity could be trusted again.

Under the sparkle of the Diamond Veil, Kaito kissed Miku and she swore she would do everything to ensure this would not be their last date.

Miku adjusted the little gold crown on her head, ensuring it was tightly pinned in place.  Her magenta dress and magenta wrap heels made her the image of a gothic princess.

She'd never wanted to have to perform this song alone… but since Kaito wouldn't be here to perform it with her… she didn't have a choice.  In her heart, she simply imagined it with him at her side and it would be the closest she could have to Kaito performing it too.

The fantasy gave her strength where once there was weakness.  This concert… all of it… was for a shared dream.

'Okay… time to bring it home.'

All the months of press tours, the television interviews, all for the same goal – stopping another war.

As the months stretched into a year, a surprising thing happened.  While much of the press attention had focused on Gakupo and Luka at first due to their status as Seruva, slowly Miku emerged as the star of Vocaloids.  Her passion for the project and her natural charisma as a performer began to shine through the tighter her focus became on her goal.

Slowly she'd begun to form a following across Japan… and the world.  More and more she'd become an idol that everyone wanted to see more of.  And the story of her lost romance only seemed to make her more enticing to the public.

Everyone could see how dearly she loved Kaito… and as they grew more comfortable with the idea of Seruva through Luka's elegant presence, Gakupo's determined adoption of samurai culture, and the enthusiasm of Rin and Len as they showed off their strange existence between human and Seruva… slowly it seemed more and more people wanted to understand and meet more of the winged people who'd descended to Earth.

She walked out onto the stage in the dark, waiting for her spotlight.  A hologram of a clocktower appeared behind her as rose petals fluttered across the stage.  And finally, the light focused on the beloved diva and she began her song.

"Don't make my love like that of the tragic Juliet, take me out of here…"

"Then let us be off!"

A familiar voice interrupted her as the instrumental began.  A second spotlight hurriedly found the source of that interruption and upon sighting it, Miku trembled from excitement.

It was Kaito.

He stood on the stage, his wings shining in the spotlight, wearing the costume she'd bought for him in Tokyo.  He held his hand out to her, perfectly timed to the choreography they'd so carefully planned.

Miku only had fifteen seconds before she needed to sing again.  She buried her emotions and grasped onto the next verse of their song, trying to stay on focus.  She was a professional!  Everyone in the audience shrieked with surprise, so now she needed to pretend it was part of the show!

"Goodnight Mama and Papa, at the very least have sweet dreams… It's already time for adults to go to bed…"

"It seems someone has been thrown again into the depths of this abyss… Tonight, how far should I go?"

He'd made it… just in time.  The second he'd gotten out of all of his many exhausting meetings with the human ambassadors, Kaito had excused himself from his kin and rushed to change his clothes.  At first his guard protested at his intent to break away on his own, but Commander Lily intervened on his behalf.

"Don't snap at me, treat me kindly, I still don't like bitter things!"

"Taking pleasure at your expression as you nibble on the fruit; such loveliness…"

Even given the gap in time since he'd seen her, how could he lose his sense of timing with her so easily?  Their voices sang against each other, a Juliet begging for mercy, a Romeo toying with her confused emotions in his hands…

The news of the Vocaloids concert was hard to miss, so monumental the event!  It was all over the news when he'd quietly arrived on earth with his delegation.  His heart leapt at seeing how far his friends had come in the year since he'd seen them!  And Miku right on a morning talk show, speaking of how much she looked forward to performing!

The only time she hesitated, even for a second… was when one of the people interviewing her asked about him.  If he was going to come back to join their first concert.

… at that moment, Kaito knew he'd fly himself all the way from Tokyo to Tsubasa City without delay.  He had to.  Because he was a Vocaloid.

"I've been longing just like Cinderella, I'll run away with nothing but my uniform! May the magic stop the time before the villains bother us!"

Even as Miku sang a character with such a meek, fragile heart, Kaito could feel so much strength in her melody as he danced forward to embrace her.

"The Runaway Juliet… but you don’t like that name, do you? True, you are linked together, but it won’t be as fun if it isn’t that way…"

Just the sensation of touching her again made him feel so alive!  How he'd missed her and yearned for her at his side again!  So determined was Kaito to return to Miku the first chance he got, he'd actually packed his Vocaloids uniform and his "prince" costume… and he'd rushed to change out of his ceremonial Seruva clothes as he made a last second decision to wear this one.

How fortunate – Miku's princess dress made her a natural match.

"Now, why don’t we have some fun?”

Reluctantly, Kaito released Miku as they danced apart – he was no longer the frightened man who couldn't release the woman he'd feared never seeing again.  Yet… it felt so wonderful to hold her again.  Even with the pair surrounded by thousands of screaming fans, all Kaito remained aware of was Miku.

"Won't you softly peep inside my heart?" Miku sang to him, turning her head away in sadness yet her eyes focusing on him.

Naturally Romeo had no such pure intentions.  "Would you mind if I grant all your desires for a lock of your hair?"

Every day in his absence, Kaito had quelled his longings by putting on his uniform and practicing his Vocaloid songs and choreography on his own.  Rin had chided him between tears that she'd never forgive him if he stopped practicing.  And embracing his performances allowed him to recall the feelings of being with his dearest friends who shared in the Great Harmony with him. 

Occasionally he'd attracted some curious attention – the idea of the once quiet and self-conscious Spirit Caller suddenly embracing such an outgoing performance caused many of the priests to think he'd lost his mind during his time on Earth.

But his pure intentions for his friends… for his lover… shone through every cherished melody he sang.  What could have caused discontent instead became a symbol of hope.  The dark shrouds of the past that once encircled their tribe could be overcome if even the Spirit Caller could embrace the future so cheerfully.

"It seems that the lying Cinderella was eaten by a wolf… What should I do? At this rate, I too will end up being eaten one day…"

Juliet feared being ensnared in a terrifying tragedy, and Romeo, in the guise of the wolf, concluded the song by grasping his meek Juliet by the shoulders and pulling her close to his face.

"I am now here to rescue you."

As the final notes of the song serenaded the reunited couple, Kaito stared into Miku's quaking eyes, the only sign he saw of her true emotional state.

As the song ended, Kaito couldn't hold back another moment, not with his beloved so close to him after so long apart.  He drew Miku’s face close and kissed her.  Miku yanked him closer, diving into the kiss with the longing of a year's separation.

The entire auditorium erupted into thunderous applause.  Yet all too soon, Miku pulled out of the kiss and whispered gently in his ear.  "Kaito… we have one more song…"

He panicked – he'd been gone a year, what if he didn't know it?!

Miku winked at him.  "Don't worry, silly… you definitely know this one…"

A familiar piano melody played over the stage.  A series of spotlights appeared on the stage as the remaining Vocaloids stepped out.  Kaito looked to each colored light as his friends walked out… purple for Gakupo, pink for Luka, orange for Rin, and yellow for Len.  Miku's was last, a green light just barely large enough for Kaito to share with her for the song that he'd never forget.  The song that formed the Great Harmony.

The song that freed the world.

“Not to forget the intangible feelings, I deleted the routine layout…”