.hack/Memoirs

Chapter 2: Encounter

Haseo opened his mouth, but to be truthful, he had no idea how to approach the Twin Blade. Should he introduce himself first or fire off the question?

What could he do?

Haseo growled in frustration. He hated when he was stuck in indecisive situation.

"Um…"

"What?!" He snapped. Then he realized who he had snapped to.

Kite seemed bit hurt by the outburst, but quickly recovered, returning to his friendly self. "Ah, uh – I was just passing by, and I was wondering if you need any help?" The twin blade tilted his head, making his mass of green hair flutter.

Haseo could feel his veins popping out of his head. 'How many times do I need to be mistaken for a noob?' He was about to kindly tell him to mind his own business when an idea struck his head. He will just have to act like a newbie to get the twin blade's trust. It bothered him a little that it was just what he had done to Silabus and Gaspard when he lost his data. But… it was only to get what he wanted: information.

Besides it was true that this was his time in 'this' World.

Right?

He nodded, "Yeah – help would be nice."

-

Kite explained the basic mechanism of the system, pointing out several key things (like how to attack, how to use skills, etc.). While he listened, Haseo noted mentally that the system he knew was far more efficient. The current one was similar, but it lacked so many upgrades… he was going to need some getting use to.

"So that's about it." Haseo 'Hn' – ed and looked into virtual wateres, not looking at Kite. He could tell from the reflection that Kite was curiously looking at him.

"…Hey." Haseo softly called out. Kite answered. "Yes?" Haseo momentarily looked sideways to Kite and then stared down at the water again. "…Nothing."

What are you?

The question rang in Haseo's head.

-

Kite had suggested on going to a dungeon with him in Omega server. He complied, determined to not let him out of his sight.

Highland City Dun Loireag

The small village was peaceful and lazy, surrounded by blue sky and white, cotton-like clouds. Few players ran around the town, buying or selling items. Some of them formed parties and set out for an adventure.

"Wait here Haseo – a friend of mine should be coming soon." Kite smiled at him, but gasped suddenly, making the Adapt Rogue jump. "Ah, I forgot to buy something – be right back!" Kite rushed toward the other side of the wooden planks. He stared at the shrinking back clad in red and muttered, "Sure…"

Haseo slumped down near the Save, no it is Recorder here. He sighed. This World was so similar yet so different. He dazed, pondering about his fate.

Suddenly and most unexpectedly, something huge and furry bumped into him, and when he saw what exactly it was, Haseo did a double-take. A creature that was at least triple his size fully armoured in brilliant metal, stared right at him. "Are you not Master Kite's new ally? Clang!"

Oh god, it was talking to him!

Haseo rigidly nodded, getting ready to run for it if it started attacking (since you couldn't attack or use any of your skills in Town; not because he was scared or anything!). Oblivious to Haseo's apparent fear of itself, the creature excitedly said, "Master Kite is great, isn't he? Clang. He raised me when I was a mere baby and here I am, full- grown, clang. So please do help him in his quest, clang!"

At this, Haseo blinked. "Quest?" he echoed.

"Do you not know? About his friend – …"

But the conversation was cut short when Kite returned and was tackled fondly by the creature. "Master, clang!" It exclaimed as it nuzzled its master. Kite laughed heartedly. "Whoa- there, there, Iron Grunty. You can get off of me now."

Iron Grunty, the creature's name Haseo assumed, obeyed immediately. Haseo watched the exchange with a disturbed expression. Kite eyed Haseo curiously. "What's wrong?"

Haseo pointed at Iron Grunty rather bluntly. Kite scratched his cheeks, an apologetic grimace on his face. "I guess Iron Grunty gave you a little scare. Is this your fist time seeing a Grunty?"

"What – that thing is a Grunty? But it's gigantic! And it looks nothing like you." Haseo yelled. Grunties were small, annoying NPC's that gave you stupidest quests (not to mention with bossy personality). And all the Grunties he knew took the appearance of its guild master.

Kite looked confused. "That's odd. There are only limited types of Grunties in each server. But maybe the ones you are thinking of are from a special event?" The Adapt Rouge knotted his brows together, his silver strands of hair shadowing his face. "Yeah… special event…" He whispered.

Kite felt the down tone of his voice and asked energetically, trying to brighten up the mood. "Say Haseo, what's your class? I got some spare weapons that I can't use…" Haseo raised up his head slightly at the question. Come to think of it his inventory was changed somehow; his Lost Weapon, his dual guns, and even his infinite-use health items were gone. However, there were couple sets of twin blade weapons, a light armor (which read RARE on the description), and basic health potions. It was as if someone switched his inventory with someone else's, someone from here. He stared at Kite uneasily.

"Uh, you want to give me a gift?" He asked hesitantly. The other boy had just met him, and he was being so friendly to him already. How can someone be so trusting? The bitter memory of his play of the World flashed in his mind violently.

But something told him that he wouldn't be the type to be a PK.

Kite grinned at this. "Don't worry. Actually, I have no room in my storage right now… So you would be helping me out." He laughed sheepishly as he readjusted his hat.

Haseo could feel his feature soften a little at that.

"Wait a minute – I will have to double check." He sincerely hoped that his status hasn't changed too.

"Oh, okay." Kite nodded understandingly.

Haseo pulled up the main menu and checked his status. He groaned mentally. His level had gone way down. At level 90. But he was somewhat glade that he was in the job class he knew very well, even in this alien world.

He turned to Kite, "I am a Twin Blade."

Kite clapped his hands. "Even better! I have a lot of Twin Blade weapons." He opened the chat menu with Haseo and picked the "Gift" option. Haseo saw several items being transferred to his weapon box. His eyes almost dropped out of their eye sockets when he took a closer look.

They were all rare with either special attacks or aliments.

These weapons definitely weren't any thing that you would give away so light-heartedly.

What was this guy thinking?

His voice shook as he asked disbelievingly, "Where did you get all these items?"

Kite shrugged, "Here and there – I do a lot of exploring."

Well, he himself did a lot of exploring too, but he never get crossed many rare weapons. Most of the powerful weapons he used were either combination by alchemy or special ones given from his friends.

Haseo twitched.

"Hey, hey – if you're giving away rare items, you should give me some too!"

Haseo stepped away instinctively from the high-pitched voice. He looked toward where the voice was coming from and saw a girl avatar (He guessed she was Harvest Cleric, judging from her staff and white attire) trotting towards the two of them.

Kite waved at her. "Mistral – you're finally here."

"Sorry Kite, that guy in the market just wouldn't go down on that price. I won in the end though." Haseo watched as she giggled childishly, but also happily. Then she turned to Haseo and grinned excitedly. "Howdy, you must Kite's new friend. I am Mistral – Wavemaster extraordinaire and an item collector. Nice to meet you! :)"

Haseo cringed; he really wasn't good with people like her. He muttered a greeting. "I am Haseo, Twin Blade." He scratched his white hair awkwardly.

"Wahahaha – you don't have to so shy." Mistral said as she playfully nudged him on the side. Haseo, however, was uncomfortable with such intimacy.

Kite smiled obliviously. "It's good to see you guys getting along so great."

-

Pi turned as someone wrapped into the area; she blinked when she realized who. "Atoli? Did you get the message as well?"

"Huh? Is that why everyone is here too?"

Atoli shuffled uneasily at the group of people, all of them members of Epitaph Users. They all faced each other anxiously.

Everyone had received an email with broken – up words, asking them to come to Hulle Granz Cathedral. And considering the past events, they couldn't let something like be ignored.

"I – I wonder who sent that email?" Bo asked timidly, staring at the ground.

"I would like to know why they sent it mainly." Yata added, his arms crossed and looking stoic as ever. Pi nodded from his right.

"The email was corrupted," Kuhn said thoughtfully, "Don't we know someone who speaks like that…?"

Atoli snapped out of her train of thoughts and exclaimed, "Ah, could it be …?"

As if on cue, the doors to the cathedral opened with a loud creak. An avatar with dark aura floated out; his torn and clumsily sewn outfit made him look like the dead.

Azure Kite floated down the stairs and stared at them.

A text message popped up above his head. ((Thank you for coming.)) Then he bowed slightly.

"Oh, it's no trouble really," Atoli said as she bowed as well. Pi covered her face with her hand; she was such an airhead sometimes. Kuhn chuckled at the scene.

Suddenly Endurance spoke up. "Why have you called us here?"

Azure Kite gazed at him momentarily before replying. ((I would like request something, Epitaph Users.))

"Hey, your text isn't corrupted anymore." Kuhn commented. Azure Kite nodded. ((Sadly this is only temporarily.))

"Continuing from where you left off, what is your request?" Yata questioned. Azure Kite also gazed at him as well, but continued on.

((Rescue Haseo from my memories.))

Everyone tensed at their leader's name. Atoli immediately panicked. "Is he trouble?" She asked her fear apparent. Bo looked as though he might faint.

((No he is not in danger. He is too skilled to be in 'trouble'.)) Azure Kite amazingly seemed to smile as the message came up. Atoli and Bo sighed in relief.

"You said, in your memories … what do you mean by that?" Pi looked at the corrupted A.I. suspiciously. "And how did he end up there in the first place?"

Azure Kite explained. (( My memories are what you'd call 'Saved Data'. It is pieces of data that my player had before the original World ended.))

Yata and Endurance visibly flinched. 'Kite…,' they thought bitterly.

((Aura collected the pieces together and sent Haseo there. As for why, I am not sure.))

"Um, Mister Azure Kite... If Haseo is not in danger then is it really that bad thing that he's there?" Bo asked, hiding behind Kuhn.

((He could be stuck in there.))

"Uh, but you just said…" Kuhn started.

((He won't be in danger, but he could be sucked in by the old World. Since he was once player of that world, it wouldn't be difficult.)) Azure Kite stared up the crimson skies. His red-rimmed eye narrowed.

((We have to hurry.))

Me: WAAAH, Azure Kite talks, well texts. STFU!

Haru: Um, you are the one just wrote this.

Me: But the idea of Azure Kite texting is so beyond awesomeness that I am just like WHOA - !!

Haru: Alright, settle down. /smacks/

Me: Ow, that was a clean blow to my noggin. Anyhow, I am too sleepy to care. And I really need a beta lol. But too lazy to get one. Ah, well, whatever – comments and some helpful advices are always welcomed. I also need coffee. Badly. orz