Go where this voice gets stronger

....

**Kaito feels like such a failure right now, and has now decided that besides raiding the Costco for search supplies they are also raiding the library. Next time he meets an "injured" Vocaloid he wants to know what to do.

He can see that Len wants to move, though, so he reaches out and pulls him close. It's the best he can do... and he'll probably need it, with what he has to say.**

I'm sorry ...

We don't have one.

**it's true. The KAITO squad are on the road, and his hometown forbids technology. There's nowhere that Kaito could take him that could be considered a home.**

From:

[It didn't matter, Len was breaking down anyway. He knew this, he never wanted to admit it, but he didn't have much time left. Just starting up and functioning now was taking a lot of effort. This was it.]

R-Rin, [he said as he started to cry.] Rin...!

From:

[That's it. KAITO can't keep standing back anymore. He approaches the two and kneels down. He put a hand on Len's shoulder.]

Rin was happy, [he says as gently as possible.] She was thinking of you, Len.

From:

**oh god who is Rin? Kaito is suddenly very grateful to KAITO for knowing what the hell is going on. And he just holds Len tighter.**

Y-yeah.

**WHAT HE SAID.**

From:

[Len nods, still sniffling. He should stop crying, a part of him was thinking. He wasn't a little baby.]

I-I miss her... I miss everyone. Family, I want to be with the family. [He tries to turn his head to look at the one with the hand on his shoulder, but his head can't quite turn that far.]

From:

You will. [It really hurt to say that. It really, really, hurt to say that. He rubbed Len's shoulder in comfort.] You'll be with them soon.

From:

**uh -- now Kaito is thinking maybe KAITO needs to be the one hugging this guy. He kind of hints nonverbally at that... but KAITO doesn't seem to think so, so he just kind of repositions himself/Len so that they can look at each other, all while wondering who this 'family' is and being sort of amazed that they seem to have a concept of the afterlife even though they're supposed to be machines**

From:

[Oh. When he was moved, he was able to clearly see KAITO kneeling next to him. Oh, it was his brother. His older brother.

He smiled.] Bakaito.

From:

[He smiled back and threaded his hand into Len's hair.]

From:

[That felt nice. KAITO was an idiot, but for some reason Len felt comforted by the gesture. He felt at ease by what KAITO said.

He... wasn't that bad. For an older brother.

If only he could find the energy to say it. Slowly, but surely, his vision was dimming as he powered down. The light in his eyes was going out as he went still. This was it. He was shutting down -- held in the arms of a human with his brother at his side.

He wasn't lonely.]

From:

.....

**SOMEONE JUST DIED IN MY ARMS**

From:

[KAITO continued to stroke Len's head with a sad smile.]

I'm sorry I left you alone, [he murmured. Despite his words, he was still smiling.] I'm so sorry.

From:

abovethewall

**Mekaito is... attempting to process this. And becoming vaguely horrified the more that he does.

DUDE. WE CAN BREAK?

THAT SUCKS**

From:

... who was he?

Who was his family?

From:

[KAITO didn't turn his attention away from Len.]

He's a Vocaloid, like me. Kagamine Len. My little brother.

[He paused before looking up at Kaito.] Not my real brother, but we called ourselves a family. I'm supposed to be the eldest.

From:

**feels awkward still holding Len, but KAITO is focused on him. Decides to lie him down, anyway.**

You and the other Vocaloids - that's the family?

From:

[He watches the human lay Len down. A part of him still felt like he was hurting, in pain from seeing the younger Vocaloid like this.]

It was... the ones from the same company, I think. [He was smiling, still smiling.] MEIKO, Rin and Len, Miku, and me. There were other Vocaloids, but... they weren't close like us.

From:

**he nods. He doesn't really know what to say... KAITO's smiling like that, but was it one of those smiles that you needed to put on to keep from crying? Kaito still feels terrible.**

The radio might find more of them. Next time I'll be more prepared.

From:

[To be honest, KAITO wasn't sure if he could handle running into another functioning family member.]

I thought... I thought all of them were gone. I thought they all broke down.

[He watched Len's still face.] I didn't know he was here.

From:

abovethewall

**Mekaito takes a few steps closer, trying to make KAITO feel better, but he doesn't really know what to say, so he hangs his head for a moment in thought, then looks back up**

He was broke down.

**that was pretty much, exactly what he was like when Mekaito arrived. He looked dead, and he could barely speak. The little robot was the only one who had seen him like that.**

He just woke up for a little...

**Allowing himself to think and feel again had burned out Len's remaining energy - he must have shut down in order to save his system. If it hadn't been for their arrival, he would have slept forever -- there was very little difference between that and the way he was now, right?**

From:

[He looks over at Mekaito with a tired, but gentle, expression.] It's better this way. He was able to see us before he shut down.

It's better this way... [He takes a shuddering 'breath' -- even though he has no lungs and no need to -- and 'exhales' slowly.] He doesn't have to wait anymore.

From:

abovethewall

Okay.

**Mekaito thinks he understands, so he nods. He's probably not going to dwell on this too much, but it was certainly a learning experience...**

From:

**Kaito nods too, although he is obviously still troubled. He wasn't yet prepared for their search to end in this kind of sadness.**

... KAITO. Should we give you a moment?

Or ...

**looks out the door and then back, like he's thinking of getting out of here.**

From:

[He shakes his head.] I'll be fine.

[As if to prove it, he pulls himself away from the ground and stands. He's still looking at Len, though.] We should go.

From: