Disclaimer: I do not own any .hack characters, or the storyline ideas, or the merchandise, or the books, or the television series or the games. Also, anything related to .hack that I have not mentioned. But this fanfic? All mine.

Chapter 1: Memories from Before

Tsukasa looked up at the clear blue sky and watched as two players battled a monster. He was in deep thought. Why did I come back here? Since he returned to The World, thoughts have been flooding his mind. So many things have happened to me in this game. Horrible things. Three years ago. Has it already been that long? My head is still spinning. Do my friends still log on? I wonder—his thought was suddenly cut off. Someone was tapping him on the shoulder and looking at him with curiosity.

"Uh . . . don't mean to disturb you, your excellency, but can you help us out?" a long arm with a blue-tinted spear asked. "My friend and I are kinda new and we were wondering if you could help us out a bit. We thought you might be able to teach us the ropes." Several minutes passed, and Tsukasa stayed silent. No duh he's a newb! The wavemaster practically shouted in his head. He called me "your excellency". I'm not even a system administrator or anything. At least it was polite. Not like—

"Uh, hellllooooo? So can you like, help us?" apparently the player was getting impatient. Growling, he saw a small bug and ran after it, chasing it until he was out of breath. Then he began stabbing the grass violently with his spear and cursing under his breath. The other player in his party walked over to see what the long arm was doing. Her clothes were ripped in a few places, and her sword was tinted with blood. She looked as if she had a troublesome time with the monster. In her right hand, she was carrying two scrolls.

"Slicer! Did you ask?" questioned the female heavy blade impatiently. "You were so annoyed about dying all of those times that you abandoned our battle. Well, guess what? I won the battle all by myself. I'm keeping the item that was inside the treasure box. And I'm not sharing it with you!" she shouted.

"Pweese, friend?" Slicer begged. Tsukasa snorted. It was amusing to see Slicer being beaten by a girl. Now he put on puppy dog eyes. Too bad they don't work when a guy tries to use them to get something, Tsukasa thought.

"No." the heavy blade responded. "The items are mine and I deserve them. You didn't do anything. You just left me there, hoping that I would get the item and share it with you. Well, I am not and it is your problem if you cannot pay Hald back for that pretty spear you have. I thought it was a ripoff but you didn't even listen to your girlfriend."

"Okay," Slicer confessed. "I'm sorry, Cecilia. I won't do it again. Now give me a scroll." He held out his hand impatiently.

"No. That might work with your parents, but I'm not falling for it. You don't even talk to me at school anymore! Last time we went out was never. You don't even listen to me!"

"What? Err . . . .Yes I do!"

Cecilia hit Slicer in the head with her sword. "Liar! When then was the last time you talked to me!" Silence. Slicer was contemplating her question, but then discovered he did not have a good answer. He did not even have a good comeback. He did not even know how he was planning to pay Hald back for his spear except by abandoning The World for a while.

"Uh . . . . .well . . . ." Slicer began, scratching his head, "so how 'bout that scroll of yours that should be mine?" he finished casually, sticking out his hand again.

The girl seemed to get taller, and towered over Slicer, who was know kneeling on the ground, begging for forgiveness. She took a deep breath until her face got red, then roared "I SAID NO DAMMIT! IT'S MINE!" Slicer was blown over by how loud she had sounded. He immediately closed his mouth and slowly began to inch away from her.

"I—I'm sowwy?" he said hopefully. Unfortunately, that was not enough because then Tsukasa heard the heavy blade begin to ramble about how annoying Slicer was and how bad her day went and so many things that he stopped listening out of boredom. Well, that and the fact she was speaking waaaayy too fast. The only things he caught were bits and pieces, and they were all random.

"Ah!" Tsukasa whispered. Mimiru! That girl reminds me of Mimiru! But where is she now? Where's Bear and BT? Where's Subaru? Ah, what the heck? Maybe I can find them and do a dungeon quest sometime. This time it will be fun, and I won't have to worry about dying. Tsukasa smiled, stood up, and snuck behind a tree to gate out before the two characters noticed he was gone.

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END OF CHAPTER ONE

Mandarin: Okay, I know that was short, and I know it probably was not the best, but it's my first chapter of my first fanfic on this website, so if you don't like it so far, uh . . . . . .eat some cookies and come back. Because cookies are good and they keep you waiting for more. Oh, and by the way, in my story, Tsukasa is a guy in the real world as well. Sorry for editing this chapter so much!