Disclaimer: I don't own .hack//SIGN or any of it's characters. All I own is the plot and my own original character Lain Auska X. Yeah man!! This is the sequel man! I got it started finally! Tell me what you think!! Oh and Blade is owned by Blade38 ßisn't that right??? I'm sorry if it's not though!! Well anyway I will be adding some more characters latter on. All the old people from my last fic and maybe even BT will be added…but not to sure cause I was never really to found of her and that attitude and such… Well anyway! Read on!!!

.hack//SIGN

Episode 01: The World in Our World

Saga: Darkness and Light

Lain gazed through the window that was on the only door in the small room she was in. She looked through it with fear in her eyes. The room she was in was bright, everything was white, padded.

Ever since her adopted father had found out that she had gotten out of the game, she had been put back in the mental instatution. For no reason, she wasn't crazy, Tsukasa knew it…so did her adoptive mother. But her story about being stuck in that game… it all seemed crazy talk. No one believed what had happened to her, well besides Tsukasa and her father, who was refusing to admit it. Since he was the one who had put her in the state that she was once in.

Lain sunk back away from the window. Today was her nintenth birthday, she was hoping that she would have at least seen Tsukasa today. He was the only one that seemed to care about her, the only one that seemed to want to do anything for her. He was the one who was trying so hard to get her out of this game. The only one who seemed to give a damn about the way she was felling. Everyone else…they just thought…she was crazy.

"Tsukasa," Lain muttered under her breath. She turned her back on the door and then walked over to one of the corners in the room and sat down. She was once again wearing that two size long white dress, but then again she had grown since then. She was now at least five feet, six.

She blinked away the tears that were starting to form in her eyes at the non-appearance of Tsukasa. Where was he? If he had loved her so much…then why wasn't he here now? Trying to help her? If not help then why not visit?

The door in front of her burst open a second latter, to a white haired man. He was twenty-two and had sad blue eyes. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, you could also barley see the short sleeve black shirt he had on under it. His pants were a dark blue and his shoes were black. "Tsukasa!" Lain said shooting up from the ground. She rushed over to him and then threw her arms around his neck. "I was starting to think that you would show up!"

"What!?" Tsukasa replied sounding shocked. "No way. Don't think that Lain. I wouldn't forget about you."

"Yeah I know," Lain said letting him go. "So…did you talk to my dad?"

"No. He wouldn't let me in his office," Tsukasa said frowning. "I'm beginning to think that he doesn't really care about you anymore. You're old enough to make your own decisions now, right?"

"You're right. But then again I can't make my own decision's anymore," Lain answered gravely. "I've been declared insane and unable to think for myself… So that means my parents have to make all my decisions for me… But I do wish there was another way though..."

"Yeah there is," Tsukasa began but paused as if trying to figure out what to say next. "I've been doing a lot of thinking…and a lot of reading also… Well you see we've been together for at least two years now… and I was sort of thinking that we could like take the relationship…well…further?"

"What are you trying to say?" Lain asked sounding a little confused.

"Well uh… Lain I was wondering-" Tsukasa was then cut off by the door opening. One of the doctors walked in and looked at the two of them.

"Visiting hours are over. You're going to have to leave now," the man said.

"No wait just a minute please. I have to ask her something," Tsukasa said looking at the man mortified as if he were about to mess up something really important.

"I'm sorry but you have to leave," the doctor replied steeping towards him. "Now."'

"Just wait!"

"Rules are rules and I don't want to get into trouble. For letting someone stay later than you already are."

"Lain!" Tsukasa began but was jerked backwards by the doctor towards the exit. "LAIN! I…I…I want you to marry me!"

Lain was lost of words. So was the doctor. He had let go of Tsukasa instantly.

Tsukasa took advantage of what had just happened and then reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled something out in his hand. He walked up to Lain and then smiled at her.

"Will you? Lain?" Tsukasa asked taking her hand in his.

Lain nodded her head a little dumbstruck.

He put the thing in his hand on her finger.

Lain threw her arms around him, as if never wanting to let go of him. But she had to let go of him a second latter when the doctor began to try and pull them apart. Tsukasa left along with the man. He was smiling brightly at her.

"Don't worry Lain! I'll be seeing you soon! And don't worry anymore; I've got everything under control. You're going to be out of this place in no time at all," Tsukasa called out at her as the door shut. He was still smiling as he followed the doctor down the hallway.

Lain sank back down over to her corner of the room and then sat down. She held her hand with the ring on it, up in front of her face. She looked the ring over and smiled. But what did he mean by he would get her out of this place? He couldn't do it…unless it had something to do with why he had chosen to ask her to marry her, now…

She smiled wider and then gazed up at the ceiling.

Something went wrong. Time seemed to stop. She couldn't hear anything going on anymore in the background. All she could hear was her breathing. She tilted her head down and looked around the room. Nothing. She saw nothing. But still, all she could hear was her breathing.

She picked herself up from the ground and looked around once more. Something fuzzy was coming into view. It was a man. He looked oddly familiar… He came into better view. She was now looking at him fully, but he seemed as though he were on a computer screen, cause he was all glitchy. The man looked like…Crim!? No! It couldn't be. He had promised to never play that game again, after what had happened to Tsukasa and her. She looked at him more closely and noticed that it was not Crim. But indeed another person that oddly resembled him.

This new man had the same hair cut as Crim, except his hair was black. His eyes were dark green and he seemed to be gazing at Lain a little amazed as to what she was doing there. On his face on his left cheek he had a scar that was in the shape of an 'X', that seemed to stand out most about him. He was wearing a long sleeve black shirt with a dark blue leather over it. Down his left arm he had silver armor and he had black cut off gloves on his hands. His pants were baggy, blue, and outlined in black. They seemed to be loaded up with pockets as well. On his feet was a pair of black five-inch high boots. Wrapped around his waist was a plain brown leather belt. Held between the belt, were two Katana's. Each the same size, and in dark green sheaths.

"What the?" Lain began and then stopped. She frowned at the sight of the man. Not out of hatred but out of confusion. "Who are you!?"

"Where am I?" the man said looking around wildly. "I'm not in Fayon anymore… What the hell is going on!?"

"Who are you!?" Lain called out a little louder. Only so he would snap out of what ever he was talking about and listen to her. It hit her then… had he just said Fayon? Wasn't Fayon in the video game that had sent her into a coma? The area were she had first met up with Bear when she had just begun playing 'The World'?

"You," the man said ignoring her. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"Lain Auska X. You're in Shinjuku Mental Hospital. But…who are you?" Lain asked looking at him questionably. "And did you just say Fayon? As in the Fayon in the game called 'The World'?"

"Right," the man said looking around the room he was in wildly. "Blade. That is my name. I'm in Shinjuku Mental Hospital? I didn't know they added this in to the game… Weird, why would they need a mental hospital."

"This isn't the game," Lain replied looking at him horrified. "Your not in the game anymore. You're in the real world."

"What?" Blade asked looking at her confused and then stupidly. "Don't be stupid. I can't be in the real world. I'd have to log out. But I am still logged into the game. If you're trying to play a prank on me… I'm not falling for it."

"But I'm not," Lain said looking at him worried. "How can I be? I mean look at your surroundings! Look at yourself! Can't you hear yourself breathing? Can't you feel your heart pounding? You can't experience any of this in the game. That is if the same defect happened over again… But I dought it had. The makers of the game did a hell of a job covering it all up, and I'm sure they upgraded lots of stuff to try and prevent it from happening again…" She trailed off into thought but was then brought back to reality from Blade tapping on her shoulder.

"Alright then," Blade said looking at her straight in the eyes. "If I really am back in the real world, though I don't believe you, then explain how I got here?"

"I don't know how you got here!" Lain said a little angry at him. "How am I supposed to know!? I can't even think for myself, yet make my own decisions. Why don't you go and ask my father! He should know. He was good friends with the makers of 'The World'! He's probably doing another experiment on kids again! Damn him!"

"Whoa, whoa," Blade said backing up a little. He waved his hands in front of him and smiled nervously. "Calm down, I didn't mean to upset you. I was just wondering if you knew how this all came to be. I'm not really too sure that you're telling the truth, that's all. I mean don't you think that it would be a little odd if I was actually in the real world instead of in the game?"

"Yeah it would be," Lain replied crossing her arms over her chest and then sighed. "But then again odd things seem to bark around me."

"What do you mean by that?" Blade asked sounding a little confused at what she had just told him. To him it all sounded as if in riddles.

"You mean you don't know?" Lain asked looking at him shocked. "That I was one of the two people that went into a coma after playing the game that you are playing now? How I was stuck in that game for eight months before of the blue I just woke up from it? How could you not know? I mean it was all over the news, and newspapers."

"Why are you here than? In the real world, that is if this is it. I mean why would you belong in a mental hospital? You don't look or sound crazy to me," Blade answered, but sounded a little unsure of what he was saying.

"Well the thing is that even though I don't look crazy…people think I sound crazy," Lain replied shrugging her shoulders. "Would you believe me if you never had the chance of meeting me that is, that I was stuck in a video game for eight months? People just don't believe that sort of stuff happens. And the people that actually do believe you, or put you in the state won't come forward out of fear… No wait, Tsukasa did try for me though… but I told him not too…"

"Tsukasa!?" Blade said now focusing all of his attention on the girl before her. "You mean to tell me that you know Tsukasa!? You were the one that was stuck in the game with him!?"

"That is what I have been telling you. Hasn't it been?" Lain asked frowning at him and then sighed. "Why is it that everyone seems to know Tsukasa but not the famous Lain Auska X?"

"You're her!?" Blade yelled out sounding more surprised. "The one who defeated that virus called Mitski!?"

"Yeah!" Lain shouted out at him getting a little more annoyed. "Were you even paying any attention to what I was saying at all?"

Blade laughed nervously and then backed up a little, so he was further away from her. "Well I caught most of it… but I couldn't really understand what you were saying."

"Never mind," Lain said sighing once more. She shook her head and then yawned. "Do you believe me now that you are in the real world now? Or do you still have your doughts? I mean after what happened to me in that game…wouldn't you think that it might be possible for you to be in the real world now? Even though you are still logged onto the game…and I'm guessing that that is your characters profile?"

"Right," Blade said grinning. "I'm not saying that I believe you, but it's not that I do believe you either. Yeah I've got my doughts though…"

"Figures. No one ever listens to the labeled crazy one," Lain replied smiling and then shook her head in stress. "So anyway where were you last before you appeared in this world?"

"The Dungeon of Hell," Blade replied. "I went there because I heard it was a real tough dungeon, and I thought it would be best to level my player up and stuff…"

"Dungeon of Hell? That rings a bell…" Lain began and then went into a state of thought. She burst out of it a minute latter with a huge grin on her face. "That was were I had to meat up with Sora! That was when I had that weird seizure thing too… uh… now I know how Tsukasa felt when he was there… Gezz man, he probably thought I was going to bled to death or something…" She shuddered a minute and then looked at Blade more clearly. He was starring at her nervously as though he didn't believe a word she had said.

"Well then. It would probably be best if I left now? Wouldn't it? I mean I did disturb you when you were in the middle of something? Right?" Blade asked sounding a little keen on leaving, and had the tone of hope in his voice.

"What? Nonsense! You've got to stay! I've got to tell Tsukasa!" Lain said panicking a little. "Subaru and the rest of them would want to know also… Wow this is huge Blade! I can't just let you go around Shinjuku!"

"Subaru?" Blade said focusing on her again. "You know Subaru? Have you seen her!? She stopped playing the game a few ago and I haven't heard from her since…"

"Yeah she did, didn't she," Lain replied sounding a little hurt. "But then again she did because I told her too… I didn't think that it would be right for her too keep playing if something bad could happen again…"

"Do you know how she's doing? Where is she!?" Blade said stepping forward and then panicked when Lain looked at him strangely. Had she noticed all of the concern in his voice? Or was she wondering why he was making such a big deal about it?

"How long have you been playing the game?" Lain asked narrowing her eyes. "You can't have been playing that long… I mean how could you? When me and Tsukasa were stuck in the game it was a huge deal. You couldn't have been playing when we were in… because I would have noticed you. That is because you sound as though your really good friends with Subaru and all…"

Blade laughed nervously again and then scratched the back of his head. "Yeah you could call us friends…but…uh… I haven't talked to her for a while, it's just that I wanted to know how she was doing…"

"How long have you been playing the game?" Lain  persisted, now putting her hands on her hips. "Come on. You can tell me."

"Three months," Blade replied guiltily and then gulped. "It's not that bad? Is it?"

"No way," Lain said smiling at him and then waved what he had said away. "I was starting to think that you were a newbie and that you just found out about Subaru and were like trying to stalk her or something like that? I mean friends are supposed to look out for each other…right?"

"Yeah, right," Blade replied laughing nervously again. "So can you leave this place?"

"No. This is a Mental Hospital. Everyone thinks I'm crazy, and that I'm a danger to anyone else," Lain said rolling her eyes.

"But your not," Blade answered. "At least your not right now."

"What are you accusing me of!?" Lain asked sounding a little hurt. "I'm not crazy!"

"I know your not, and I never said you were either!" Blade answered looking at her nervously and started to back up some more. He then ran into the wall behind him and laughed again. "Well then if you can't get it then there's no point of me staying in here. I mean why should I? I should be in the game but I'm not, and there isn't much else for me to do here…right?"

"No don't leave! I don't want to be left alone again!" Lain shouted out at him steeping forward. She threw her hand out and grabbed onto his wrist. "Please don't go!"

"Lain? Who are you talking to?" a man asked breaking all the concentration that Lain had with Blade. "Lain? I asked you a question. Who are you talking to?"

"Blade," Lain answered looking at the man. It was her father, the one who had insisted that she be put back in the Hospital. "You can't see him, can you?"

"No I can't, and neither can anyone else. Its just voices in your head Lain. Destroy them, that is unless you want to be stuck in this place longer?" Dr. Kusanagi asked turning to leave.

"Did you hear?" Lain asked letting go of Blade's arm and then looked down at the ring that was on it. "Tsukasa asked me to marry him you know. We're going to get married soon too."

"Lies," Dr. Kusanagi replied opening the door. "No one's getting married Lain. You'll never see that boy again, he was all just a dream to you. Nothing more."

"Stupid jerk," Lain muttered as the door shut behind him. "I hate him. I don't even know why the hell he tortures me so much, when I've done nothing to him."

"Who is that? And why couldn't he see me?" Blade asked looking at her confused. "It was if he just looked right through me and saw nothing but air."

"I don't know," Lain replied. "I just wish he'd leave me alone. I'm tired of having to see him everyday. He's just ruined my birthday…great…"

"It's your birthday?" Blade asked sounding a little surprised. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," Lain muttered sighing again. "Nice isn't it?"

"It's okay, your just a year younger than me, that is… not bad is it?" Blade asked raising his eyebrow at her. "You don't mind hanging out with a man in his early twenties do you?"

"Your stupid," Lain said laughing and then shook her head, out of disbelief. "Yeah no problem for me. Tsukasa's twenty-two, and I'm getting married to him…so I don't really see a problem." She shrugged her shoulders and then frowned a little at his reaction. "What?"

"Y-y-your getting m-marred to the famous Tsukasa? The legendary Wave master!?" Blade shouted out sounding extremely shocked at what he had just heard.

"Um, yeah… You get surprised a lot don't you?" Lain asked laughing at what he had just said. "Is there anything else you would like me to tell you before I get to see you all shocked again?"

"No not at all," Blade replied laughing a little back. He had regained from his shock and was now looking around the room a little awkwardly. He then jumped a little and smiled. He had just remembered what he was going to give Lain from his item innovatory for her birthday…since he expected she got nothing because she was stuck in this hellhole. "Hey! I just remembered. Since you said it was your birthday I thought that I might give you this." He held out his hand and then an orb about the size of a softball showed up in it. It was the color of a dark night and had an eerie black glow to it.

"Is that an Escape Orb?" Lain asked eyeing it suspiciously. "No offense or anything…but what am I going to do with that when I'm in the real world, and your still in your game form but in the real world?"

"Hey if you don't want it then you don't have to be so rude. All you have to say is no thank you or something," Blade said turning away from her but stopped when she begun to talk to him.

"Hey! I never said that I didn't want it! I'll take it!" Lain said stepping forward. "At least this day seems to be turning brighter." She held out her hand in front of her and smiled. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, your welcome," Blade replied looking at her nervously. He put the orb in her hand and then coughed a little out of nervousness. "So I guess I'll be going then?"

"What the?" Lain said looking at the orb confused. Blade had just turned so his back was facing her, so he couldn't see what was happening.

"I really have to go though. I mean I can't stay in here. I've got to find a way to get back into the game. Right? Wouldn't you think that I would want to?"

"No not that!" Lain shouted out at him. "The orb! It's doing something strange! It's not an Escape Orb! It's something else! What the hell is going on!? It's like the light that awoke Tsukasa!"

The orb was now flickering the room in a glowing black light. When it stopped it left Lain was looking around the room a little dumbstruck.

Blade had now regained all consciousness at what had just happened and flipped around so he was now facing Lain.

"What the hell was that all about!?" Blade shouted out at the still dumbstruck Lain.

"I…I don't know!" Lain replied flinching a little as she felt a wave of cold air rush up her spine. "But I know it wasn't something too good… I mean black light? That can't be good right? Black dose represent Darkness…after all I went through two years I should know… Black doesn't mean anything good…"

"Lain…" Blade said as his eyes got bigger. The shadow below Lain was now starting to flicker…on and off. Like a broken Television set.

"What?" Lain asked.

"Something's happening to you Lain…I…Lain!" Blade shouted out as the shadow below her got bigger and then erupted, filling the room in a bright white light.

As soon as the light passed away Blade looked around the room viciously for Lain. She was now on the floor, her eyes wide open and in fear. A little blood was running down her forehead from where she had hit the ground.

"Lain?" Blade asked now starting to panic. "Lain!? Can you hear me!? Lain! Answer me!" He walked forward so he was now standing a few inches away from where she lay motionless on the ground. He bent down so he was on his knees and reached out towards her. He stopped halfway when he was something coming out of her. Wait…something coming out of her!? What the hell was he thinking!? He blinked and his eyes got even bigger. A girl the same size, height, and age emerged from Lain.

She had knee length long black hair. It was held back bellow her shoulders in a red rubber band. She was wearing a long sleeve torn up red shirt. Over the red shirt was a short sleeve black one with a logo of a flame in the center of it. She was wearing what looked like a black catholic skit. It was almost knee length. Her boots went up her legs and stooped about two inches from her knees. The black boots were covered in what looked to be small belts, attached to the belts were tiny bells, held onto the buckles with red string. Two swords were slung over her back in dark blue sheaths. One of the swords was five feet long and the other was four. Her melancholy blue eyes were hidden beneath her black matted bangs. She had the appearance as if she had just got out of a rainstorm.

He blinked at her and the frowned. "Who are you? What have you done to Lain?"

"What are you talking about? I am Lain," Lain replied looking at him a little confused. She looked down at the ground and noticed her still body on the floor. She steeped back a few inches after seeing this and then shook her head in disbelief. "What's going on here! Why is my body on the ground like that!?" She then flung her hands up in front of her face, they looked the same. They were hole, it didn't look like she was in some sort of spirit form. She then flung her attention over to Blade, tears were almost in her eyes.

"Lain?" Blade said looking at her a little confused. "What's wrong? I'm sorry but I don't know what happened to you. I wish I could tell you…but I don't know…"

"I…I know you can't. You don't know more than I do… I wish I could get out of here now…" Lain muttered backing up until she was leaning against the wall. She gulped and then frowned. "I wish Tsukasa was here…he'd help me, he'd probably know what was going on…"

"Hey if your trying to compare me to him…it's not working," Blade said frowning, he then crossed his arms over his chest. "It's not my fault, I don't even know you that well."

Lain frowned at what he had just said and then crossed her arms over her chest also. She blinked a minute latter out of confusion and then held both of her wrists up in front of her face. She blinked again out of confusion and then spoke. "Blade…did you see this before? This bracelet that I have on my hand. Isn't it weird? It's like all glowing and stuff… What the?"

"No…I didn't," Blade said looking at it strangely. "What is it doing?"

"It's glowing," Lain said now staring to panic. "I hate it when things glow! Stop it!" She flung her wrist against the wall behind her, nothing happened, the wall just seemed to go through the bracelet, she only felt the pain of slamming her hand on the wall. "Ow!" She then flung her hand away from the wall and backed up a little. Her vision went to her bracelet, which now seemed to be going mad.

"Make it stop!" Blade shouted out running at her. "I'm not to found of glowing things either!"

"I can't!" Lain shouted out as the bracelet flashed a white light. It kept on flashing like a strobe light; everything seemed to be moving extremely slow. She moved her hands away from her body and then looked down at her feet. There seemed to be a black puddle underneath her. The puddle seemed to be winding up her legs, trying to reach her head. She began to move around wildly and then looked at Blade with fear in her face. The same thing was happening to him, except his puddle seemed to be blood red color.

"Blade!" Lain screamed out trying to reach for him. She couldn't make it. The black puddle had now managed to wind itself up around her neck; it was pulling her down, down into the darkness, the center of it. "Help me!"

"I can't!" Blade screamed out, he then began to fade out, like he had when he had first appeared in front of Lain. "Lain! I'm sorry!"

"BLADE!" Lain screamed out at the top of her lungs. It was never heard. She vanished as he did, right through the center of the black puddle she was standing in.

The room she used to be standing in was now in it's own original white form. The light on the ceiling was shining down on Lain's unconscious form on the floor. She now seemed to be lying in a puddle of blood; it was staining the white dress she was wearing. He short black hair was lying in her face in a tangled mess…

All seemed lost. What had happened?

Haha!!! Hope you all liked it! It took me at least three days to get put up! Well if ya did then read on. You'll all want to know what happened to this new form of Lain, and this wonderful new character Blade right??? Haha! And thanks again for letting me use your wonderful character  Oh and sorry if you don't like the stuff that I added on him, I mean like the sheath colors, his personality, and clothes…but then again you didn't really state what he was going to be wearing…and not to much of his personality… though it is totally not your fault. If you would like me to change it…then send me the new info and I will. But thank you anyway!!