Written by: Mynxine
Disclaimer: I don't own .hack! D: Don't sue me, all I have are poptarts!
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You look back on things you've done and wonder what would happen if it had gone right. Everyone does. It's a part of peoples' subconscious, always believing that the grass is greener on the other side. It's probably where the phrase 'I'm sorry' came from; too many people feeling guilty for things they were destined to say.
I'll use one of my friends as an example. Kite, a kid who's about two years older than me was invited by his friend who I only know as Orca to play The World. That's right, folks-the ever-famous Orca of the Azure Sea. Well, it turns out that Orca took his friend who at the time was a newbie to a very safe area. It was level one or two, I can never get the details right.
But something happened there that changed both their lives. One was gifted with a bracelet, a bracelet identical to the one that put the other into a coma. The other as it has already been mentioned was put into a deep sleep, barely able to breathe for himself let alone open his eyes.
Two lives were changed and it seemed for the worse. I think about this and wonder, what would have happened if Kite hadn't followed Orca to that field? Would he still have been granted the Twilight Bracelet? And if he still were given the infamous thing, would he even realize its destructive power?
Everything that glitters, dies. It's a fact of life. It's like all of us saying 'I'm sorry' for things we aren't really regretting. Well, that bracelet was flashy and so was Mia; it was like having two magnets forced towards each other. One would end up victorious in over-powering the other, a battle of minds, and a battle of wits. Kite and Mia got along well enough, but that bracelet...did things. To all of us. It attracted unwanted attention, and some wanted but in Mia's case...things went to hell in the proverbial hand basket.
But I'm getting off track, aren't I.
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She regards life as a gently wicked dance; first you step one way, then the next, a pivot and a dip,all to no avail. You'll end up being dropped by your partner either way. Her tail, covered in the same violet fur as the rest of herself, flicks and dives of its own accord as she leans against a wall, grinning.
Mia had been feeling rather odd lately.
She couldn't remember things she did half the time. Everything was viewed through a violent haze of hacking and slashing, death and dying of other players she had lead to their doom. Ah, yes, that PK patch worked nicely...a langorious stretch, a feline growl, and she heads to the Chaos Gate to find another hapless victim.
It was strange; she had no console, she had no VR Helmet. This world was as real as the next one, sans the name. She wasn't a mindless NPC, she wasn't a player; she was stuck in-between two choices, with a voice calling her in dreams.
"Wake up." The voice had said, as she stared out at Carmina Gadelica with all the enthusiasm she could muster,"Wake up and live. Live for me!" The voice had also told her to call it 'Mother'. There was something amiss about this, but at the same time she wasn't worried. The voice-Mother had begun speaking to her only seconds after she realized that Mia realized that she wasn't really real...really. Her face contorted in confusion. "Wake up, Macha, and do what I say. Help save me, help save yourself." Her name wasn't Macha...was it?
And then, the PK patch had appeared in her item list one day, and she did the voices bidding. None of this made sense; she really should be telling someone about these strange occurrences and her realization of being...well, in-between. Mia had counseled Mother on this, and received a verbal slap in the face.
"You tell anyone and I'll snap your neck Macha, I'll snap your neck! You're ungrateful and you take the Bracelets side and I'll kill you as easily as that, Macha, as easily as lighting a match!"
Macha? Again, puzzlement struck her and left her dazed. Her name wasn't Macha! But Mother told her not to worry; the memories would come back in time.
Ah well. She headed over to two players who were glancing around the World as if just born. They might as well have been; they looked to be complete newbies. A long arm dressed in gold, male by the looks of it, and his female twin blade companion.
Inwardly she flinched. Twin blade. Kite was a twin blade, and he controlled that...that thing. That thing that had made the voice-Mother surface, that thing that had made Elk jealous. Twin blade, twin blade, twin blade. She sauntered over and grinned at the two.
This is her voice, coming out of her mouth but not sounding like her own: "By any chance, do you two need help?"
They look at her; they look at her cattish appearance and decide that she must be a veteran! Such a wonderful character model, with golden eyes and long, beautiful ears and are immediately trusting of this new person. Like lambs to the slaughter they give her their Member Address and they are off, Mia, the twin blade and the long arm.
Virtually seconds later, Mia gates in, alone and smiling. She sheathes her blade and goes back to the wall she had occupied only minutes before. She giggles to herself; bubbling laughter coming up through her ribcage and out into the streets below. She chatters to the voice called Mother in her mind and smiles, smiles, smiles.
For only a moment does she wonder where Elk is. As quickly as the thought surfaces, it is gone, and she is back to living in her dream world within a dream world.
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"I just think she's been acting odd, that's all. I'm worried about her, Kite-"
"You'd be worried if Mia was taking on a level two monster." Kite laughed back at his timid friend. Well, no-he wasn't as timid now, but he was still spooked of many people.
Elk blanched, stopping in mid-step and nearly dropping his staff. "I--I wouldn't be--Mia can take care of herself!"
"Yeah, sure, you wish she could be your damsel in distress though."
"I don't!"
BlackRose found this sort of talk primarily disgusting. Men shouldn't boast over their crushes and wish for them to be weak little flowers who need a man to do their bidding. She looked down at her fingers, then at the large blade held in her right hand. She hefted it up and stomped angrily over to the two boys who were currently locked in what they would call a battle of wits; they had begun arguing, using only the phrases 'Do not!' and 'Do too!' "Will you two quit being idiots?"
They both glanced over to the Heavy Blade as if suddenly realizing that yes; she was part of their party. Kite shrugged and scratched the back of his head, "Sorry, BlackRose. It's just that Elk refuses to admit that he loves Mia."
"I DON'T."
"Do too."
"Do not."
"Now children..." She waggled her finger at the two like a homeroom teacher, "Let's not argue about who worships who. We have a dungeon to explore. And damned if I'll let some newbies get our treasure!"
"But this is so much fun." Kite didn't know what had gotten into him; usually he was polite, but arguing with Elk had been entertainment at the least. Seeing his reaction, anyways.
For a second, BlackRose scowled; then she decided to play dirty. Pouting and kicking at the ground, looking forlorn and hopeless, she piped up, "Well, I just wanted to go dungeon exploring with you Kite, what with us trying to destroy the viruses we never get any time alone, anymore..." The question was, would the red-clad twin blade take the bait?
He took it hook, line, and sinker. "Oh, hey, BlackRose, don't get all sad!" He waved his blades around frantically. "See? We're going to the dungeon!" And dragging Elk by the arm, he was off.
BlackRose grinned. Men made such a drama of it all. She ran after the two, virtual sunlight glinting off her giant blade as she darted behind them.
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A/N: Review if you so desire! Confused yet? Things will be explained. :D Chapter 2: Things go awry as conditions in The World become more drastic.