Hey everyone, here's chapter 2! ^^ Thank you very much for reviewing talkstoangels77 and True Blue Fan! ^^ Yep I read Another birth! ^^ That's where the idea came from! Once more, thanks for reviewing and I hope that I can keep up to your expectations!
Disclaimer: I do not own .Hack//
BlackRose stumbled through the small streets of , her hometown towards the dojo-like building. It didn't look like a dojo from the outside, but it certainly was one on the inside. Her huge sword safely on her back. It was her third lesson with Nova, a heavy blade who taught her the basics. As she sauntered further she ran into a ninja like person with green hair and a scar on his left cheek. He looked annoyed at her, apparently ready to stab her if she didn't leave him alone soon. BlackRose just watched him, not wanting to let people overrun her. The guy smirked and took out one of his blades that were attached to his hands. 'A Twin Blade?' BlackRose thought as her hand found it's way to her sword. She knew there was nothing she could do, but she certainly wasn't going to let people overrun her.
Her resolve disappeared as he attacked without a second thought though. BlackRose closed her eyes for the slightest second and she heard steal cling. As she opened her eyes, Nova stood in front of her, blade raised to block the attack. He looked rather serious at the other warrior. "If you want to fight, Sora, you can get a new mission." he said kindly.
"Is that cutie your student?" he asked while eying BlackRose.
Nova pushed him a bit further.
"Keep an eye on her. She might run into trouble because of her temper." he said while retracting his swords.
BlackRose sighed as she walked into the dojo behind Nova. He turned to her and she got ready to get an earful. "You should be more careful." she heard Nova say.
As she looked up she saw him just smiling at her, no sign of a grudge to see.
"I know, I'm sorry."
Nova smiled at her. "Well, don't worry about it, let's get to practice. You only have two more lessons after this one."
"I know." BlackRose mumbled. Kamui had explained that for the basics of fighting with weapons they would each get five lessons. Nova had been very understanding when she said she couldn't heave her sword as good as he. "You'll get used to swinging it around." he had told her. She didn't really believe him then, but even with only two courses had, she was already able to swing it around without much difficulty.
She blocked an attack. She had to use all of her power to hold it though. Nova didn't hold back today. At first she had thought that it was because of her little problem with Sora, but apparently he was doing her a great favour by fighting real. Next she saw an opening and attacked. Nova dodged easily and pushed his sword down on hers. Not able to hold the weight of the second blade with the speed of the attack she fell on the ground panting heavily.
"Perhaps it's time for a small break." Nova said as he reached out to her. She smiled and gratefully took his hand.
'I can't believe courses are already over.' BlackRose thought as she walked over to the church. After those first hours of training, new warriors usually went to the church to swear their loyalty. In the church stood the sculpture of a girl bound by eight chains. She was the one in the world that would lead everything to the good of mankind. BlackRose sat down at the far back, behind a long Heavy Axeman.
Kamui stepped up. "You are the new warriors of this world. Be proud of that!" was the only thing she said before stepping down and allowing everyone to come to her and say the vows.
As BlackRose stepped up she took a good look at the statue. 'Why is the girl tightened up? Will she leave us if she has the chance?' Ignoring her bad feeling BlackRose made her vow.
"Hereby I, Akira, under the name of BlackRose will serve the land by defeating those who endanger it." She stood up from her kneeling position and walked out of the church, knowing that even if she could, she wouldn't turn back anymore. 'Fumikazu.' she thought.
That night they all ate in silence. Her mother was silent, her father was silent and even her five year old brother Kouta was silent. Not wanting to be the one clearing the mood BlackRose didn't say anything either. She eyed her sword that stood in the corner. "Tomorrow…" her father began making her look up at him. "…You'll be going on your first mission neh?" BlackRose nodded. "Don't…don't take any risks." he added. "Don't worry father, I won't. Besides there'll be a pro with us on our first few missions." she replied, trying to ease her fathers worries. He nodded, implying he heard her. BlackRose looked at her mother from the corner of her eyes. 'Mother…' she thought. She knew why she was so silent, she had been the same with Kazu. On his first mission she had been the same way, not talking to him as if it was all his fault. BlackRose stood up and put her plate away. "I'm going to prepare." she said as she walked up the stairs and locked herself in her room. Then she heard quiet sniffling. 'Shit! Kazu's Grunty!' she thought in a slight panic. The little animal was not much larger than a puppy so he couldn't tell her what he wanted to eat. BlackRose quietly opened her brother's locker where she knew he kept the food. She found some kind of yellow egg. 'Well I guess this'll have to do.' she thought as she fed the small thing.
The next day she was summoned to the register house also called the Mission Register. As she stepped out of her front door she was doubting herself for a second. 'Please Akira, you're BlackRose now.' she told herself and with that she left with steady steps.
She quickly arrived at her destination. As she stepped in she was greeted by the woman who had helped her to assign. Her name was B-Cord, apparently she had been a Blademaster herself until she got children and resigned. "It's that way." she said with a smile while pointing towards the stairs. BlackRose nodded and walked up the stairs.
She arrived in a clear room with one huge desk where at least five people were working on. "BlackRose?" the man at the far right asked. BlackRose nodded and walked up to him. "You're the first one to arrive." he said with a smile. Seeing a staff next to him she realised he was a Wavemaster just like Kazu. "You can wait there." he pointed to a chair. "Are they going to take long?" BlackRose asked. "Impatient?" the man asked, happiness getting through his voice. She nodded. Truth was…she was enormously nervous for her new mission. It didn't matter that she had practiced for hours if she wasn't able to use it out there in the field.
"Don't worry." the man spoke up. "They only have ten minutes left."
BlackRose nodded and sat down on the chair, half leaning on her sword in her hands.
A few moments later the girl she had seen in class walked in. The young Wavemaster dressed in Yellow that looked like an elf. She smiled friendly, immediately grabbing her hat, keeping it from falling off her head. BlackRose smiled a bit awkward and waved too. The Wavemaster ran up to her. "Hi! I'm Hokuto!" she yelled with a huge smile. BlackRose stood up. "I'm BlackRose." she said and bowed. "Are these the girls I have to take care of?" they heard a deep voice say. "Yep they're the ones." the Wavemaster from behind the desk said.
BlackRose and Hokuto turned around and saw a young tanned man with dark brown hair in a wolf cut and two different looking eyes. One was blue and the other yellow. 'Where have I seen it before?' BlackRose thought. Hokuto on the other hand seemed equally interested in his spear. It looked like a spear with an axe adjusted to it. He wore a scale-mail tunic and looked bored.
"I'm Hokuto. Nice to meet you." Hokuto said, introducing herself.
He stared at her for a second and nodded. Hokuto pushed me in my side with her elbow.
"Oh, I'm BlackRose." I said bowing politely.
"Okay. I'm Albireo." he said and then turned to the man behind the desk.
"So, what's our mission?" he asked.
The man behind the counter smirked. "You still don't like taking care of others do you?" he joked. Albireo stared at him. "You're mission is this. Close to our borders a few goblins have been spotted. It's your task to, together with these two charming girls, defeat them."
Albireo nodded as he received a scroll. "Okay. Let's go." he said and BlackRose and Hokuto immediately followed him.
Once outside the Mission Register he turned to them. "Do you have enough potions with you?" he asked.
BlackRose immediately checked her bags for a last time. Hokuto on the other hand just nodded. "I'm sure I have enough." she replied with her hands on her hips a smile plastered on her face. BlackRose could only look at their continuously staring at each other. Nor Albireo, nor Hokuto was going to give up.
"Shouldn't we be going?" BlackRose asked, trying to get out of this weird situation, she didn't even create.
"She's right." Albireo said and walked over to the gate. "Stay close."
After telling the Magic Portal the coordinates they got warped into a huge field. There Albireo turned towards them. "From here on out it's Mission Wonder Battle." He turned to Hokuto. "You must stay on the back and focus on healing." Hokuto nodded with an endearing smile. He turned to BlackRose. "You must focus on using that giant sword of yours. It's very destructive…don't hit an ally with it."
BlackRose suddenly felt the real weight of the sword in her hands. It was true, it couldn't only hurt enemies, but also allies.
"Don't worry about those goblins, they're not strong." he reassured them.
'He's though, but kind.' BlackRose thought feeling safe with Albireo around.
"Let's get going." he said and they started running into the field.
They had been walking for like a half an hour when Hokuto started to speak.
"When are we going to find them? This is annoying." she uttered.
Albireo didn't react, ticking her off.
"Are you always going to keep quiet when we ask you something?!" she yelled.
He sighed deeply and turned to her. Apparently he was getting a headache from her behaviour.
"Listen, you'll put yourself in jeopardy if you keep yelling like this."
BlackRose looked up at him. He was right.
"How come?" Hokuto asked clearly not wanting to give up now that she had gotten Albireo so far as to actually talk to them.
"If they find you before you find them, they've got the advantage. And for newbie's like you, that could cost your life." He turned to BlackRose and while speaking kept throwing glances at Hokuto.
"You always have to focus on your mission. Every one of them is life threatening." He stared at Hokuto. "Got it?" he asked.
Hokuto nodded. "Sorry."
His eyes widened. He hadn't really imagined Hokuto to be able to apologise.
"Let's get moving." he said.
BlackRose looked around and made sure she was very quiet so that not one sound would escape her. The continuously carrying of the weight of her massive sword made her tired. Never before had she carried it for more than half an hour. She turned with her shoulders, trying to get the stiffness and the pain out of it. Seeing this, Albireo spoke up: "Let's take a break." Hokuto sighed deeply, glad with the offer.
Albireo sat down, spear next to him and took a sip of his bottle. As BlackRose sat down against a tree he spoke up. "You'll get used to that weight."
She looked at him. "I hope so."
"Of course you will!" Hokuto yelled with a smile.
"How come you're so sure?" BlackRose asked, taken aback by her spontaneous and crystal clear reply.
"There are like a hundred other female Heavy Blades, if they could get used to it, so do you."
BlackRose smiled. She was kind of glad she had met Hokuto. She could behave annoying, but she surely had her good sides. Albireo smiled nearly unnoticeable.
After a twenty minute break they stood up to continue their search.
BlackRose breathed in the smell of the trees, and she couldn't help but feel grateful that she could be here.
Suddenly she heard Hokuto yell something. "They're here!" she yelled, readying her staff. BlackRose cursed herself. She had gone too far from Hokuto to protect her from an attack. She quickly tried to make her way over to the elf-like Wavemaster. Too late. She saw the goblin raise its sword at Hokuto. BlackRose closed her eyes.
"What're you doing?!" Albireo yelled, getting her out of her reverie. He stood in front of Hokuto, blocking the goblins attack just like Nova had done for her. She clenched her fists and made her way over to them.
More goblins made their way towards them. She gulped. Could she do this?
"Don't worry, just slice at them. The weight of your sword will do the rest." Albireo said as he easily took out three goblins at the same time.
BlackRose spotted a sole goblin and made her way over to it, making sure she wasn't too far from Hokuto.
She jumped up, grabbing her sword in the process and dropped it onto the goblin. He put up some resistance, but after a few slices he was defeated.
BlackRose turned around and faced another goblin which she defeated more easily than the first one.
They all sat down, panting. Hokuto had used some spells to get the goblins away and was now huffing. Albireo looked as if he had just left the city though, looking at the two girls sitting against a tree next to each other. "That went rather smoothly didn't it?" he asked with a smile. Hokuto smiled weakly and BlackRose nodded. Then he turned serious again.
"BlackRose, never lose sight of the Wavemaster."
BlackRose looked up and nodded.
"They don't have much resistance when it comes to physical attacks."
"I'm sorry Hokuto." BlackRose mumbled to the yellow Wavemaster.
"Don't worry about it." she said with a smile.
After regaining their breath Albireo made them move on. "Staying in one place is dangerous." he told them.
"Do we have to take on more goblins?" BlackRose asked.
"No, we only had to take care of seven of them."
"Only seven?" Hokuto asked.
Albireo smirked. 'She's far more attentive than she lets on.'
"Yes, only seven. We have to keep a few for the other beginners."
"Newbie's." BlackRose mumbled.
Albireo smiled. Yep, that was the nickname beginners got.
That night BlackRose fell right asleep. Never before had she felt so grateful for her night sleep. She turned to her side and could see the moon through her window. 'Don't worry Fumikazu, I'll save you no matter what.' Then she frowned. 'But, what do I know about the fazes? What can I do?' With a headache she fell asleep, hoping she could soon begin her real search.
That was it for chapter two. I hope you all like it so far. ^^ Yep that was Albireo! Finally I got to write about him! ^o^ Well please R&R. ^^
Kunaigirl Logging out. ^^ (I really like that phrase)
