She sat there, on the edge of the platform, staring into the abyss.

She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear, away from her eyes. She came here often, to think. Behind her, a glowing red A was on the ground, in the center of a circle, which was surrounded by pillars. Her legs dangled over the edge. She knew that if she jumped, she would simply die and have to restart from her last save. She always considered jumping, just to see how far down she'd fall before the death screen would appear…but she never did.

This place…this was where she thought she'd find the answer…to saving Sirius. But she was tricked. That bitch Bordeaux. Sirius…was a pillar of strength to her. And he was taken…turned into a crazed beast because of his lust for power. But that's over now…yet even so…he's changed. Everyone can tell. He's no longer who he used to be…barely plays anymore…

The red haired twin blade found this place surprisingly relaxing. Though it was the place she was knocked into her coma…the fact that at least in game continuity, it was a field of battle, where many lives ended…a place where spirits rested…it was…comforting…to know that she was once among the fallen that rest here.

However…that peace…was about to be forever disturbed…as memories of a past friend returned forcefully…and in a way she'd never have expected.

PING

"What the hell?"

(Play Golden Sun: The Elemental Stars)

The sky turned red. The girl got to her feet, and looked around. Suddenly, a blinding light shone from the air. From the sky, shining brilliantly, a glowing red orb floated down. It landed in the center of the area, directly in the middle of the circle that held the Sign.

It…can't be…is that…?

The orb settled…however it pulsed with light, and fired a series of beams towards the ground. The ground around it warped and shifted, sending a wave along it. The girl fell to her knees, her rather ample bust bouncing with the motion. She looked up, and gasped.

K-Kira?

In front of her stood a girl with long orange hair. A pair of fox ears adorned her head, and three bushy dark orange tails flowed behind her. She wore practically nothing. A very short skirt, a pair of sandals, a bra, and a vest were all that covered her. Piercing blue eyes gazed along the area. Her head snapped to the other girl's direction when she spoke.

"Kira?"

"You know my name. How?"

"I…uh…"

"Speak mortal. Lest I silence you forever."

The red haired girl stood, and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I knew your master. You've not been seen for over five years. What happened?"

"That is information I cannot give you. You claim to have known my master, yet you counter that claim with speaking that you know not what has happened recently."

"I haven't…been in contact with him…for a few years…honestly…I nearly forgot about him."

"I am here to guard a precious object of my master's. If you wish for it, you must challenge me."

Crap! I can't fight her alone! She'd probably put me in a coma again! "I wish not to challenge you at this time. I ask that you allow me the chance to leave in peace."

"Very well, but do not return unless you wish to do battle. This area is under my protection now, only those who wish to fight can enter. I only allow you this chance to leave…due to the fact that you speak truth. I sense you do…or did…know my master. Be gone from this land."

"I thank you."

And the redhead walked to the Chaos Gate, looking back only once.

Something's going on here. Why is Kira here?

Her last thought before activating the warp…

Has something happened to you…Zero?

Trials of a Goddess

Chapter I: Learning of the Past.

Aura was currently area hopping. She was looking for any sign of the gems. Zefie was back at the clearing, doing whatever it was that girl did when she was alone. Honestly…I don't know WHAT she's been up to…she said it would help when we had to fight…but really, that could mean anything.

In her new outfit, she blended in rather nicely with the other players. As much as she liked her old dress, she knew from experience that it wasn't practical for battle. Not to mention she stood out too obviously. It was in one of the normal areas that she got a message from Haseo.

She read it mentally. Aura, I've got some good information. But in order to get it, Alkaid needs to talk to you personally. She'll share it with all of us, but she's demanding you be there before she talks. I didn't even know she knew of you…I probably told her then forgot, sorry. Come back as soon as you can. She's waiting, but I'm actually afraid she might start attacking someone soon, she's kinda fidgeting around, and that's not like her.

Hmm…Alkaid…she was one of the groups that helped Haseo get to Cubia…Information? Well, it couldn't hurt to find out…we ARE kinda running blind.

She opened a rift directly to the clearing that the Monolith stood, and hopped through.

Theta: Restoring Lovers Dream

Alkaid was pacing. An action very much unlike her. So many questions rang through her head. The meeting with the Kitsune, Kira the day before had confused and worried her. Something was wrong, and yet again Haseo was involved. I knew there was a reason I hung around with him…

PING

A glowing rift appeared in the sky.

"Put some haaaaaay!"

CRASH

Aura landed right on top of Kite. The two of them groaned. "What…the hell…that was NOT supposed to happen…"

She got up slowly. "Ahh, sorry Kite…"

"It's…ok…not unlike being smacked over the head with Black Rose's swords back in the day…"

The group laughed.

Huh…even Shino is here…

"Alright…so what's the emergency."

Yata filled her in.

"Apparently, Alkaid here encountered one of the gems we seek."

Aura eyes widened, and her head snapped to the girl. "Is that true?"

Alkaid stared at the AI. "Yes, but I won't tell you where until I get some answers."

Aura nodded, not surprised. She was wondering what she would tell the girl…when the choice was taken out of her hands entirely.

"Why the FUCK was Kira there?!"

(Play Final Fantasy VII AC: For the Reunion)

Everyone flinched in surprise.

"Kira?"

"Yes, Kira! One of Zero's Six Guardians, the Bearer of Flame and Protector of Courage! KIRA! Why was she there! She shouldn't exist anymore!"

Everyone save Shino, who didn't really know what was going on, was shocked.

"You…knew Zero?"

"He was a couple years my senior in school…We hung out a lot for a couple years…and then he left…started work. I heard someone named Zero died…but the channel was changed too fast for me to catch the last name. A day ago, I come face to face with Kira! What the hell happened to Zero that would cause HER to show up again!"

"Kira? Guardian? What's going on Ovan?"

Alkaid explained, something that again surprised everyone with her knowledge.

"Kira is one of the Six Mentality Shifts an old friend of mine, Zero Shinzaki had. Something…happened to him that forced his mind to split into seven pieces. Those pieces were Kira: Bearer of Flame, and Protector of the Ideya of Courage; Chaos, Bearer of Water, God of Destruction, and Protector of the Ideya of Intelligence; Anubis, Bearer of Earth, modeled after the Egyptian God and Protector of the Ideya of Hope; Weapon, Bearer of Wind and Protector of the Ideya of Wisdom; Lucied, Guardian of Desire, Bearer of Darkness, and Protector of the Ideya of Honor; and Juri, Bearer of Light, created as the little sister he never had, and Protector of the Ideya of Purity."

Aura stared at the girl. "How do you know so much about him?"

"Because I was there while he had them, and I was there when they vanished. Hell I was the one consoling him, they were like his family!"

"But…they were just figments of his imagination weren't they?"

"No…they were living beings…created from the shattering of his psyche. He always was pretty strong mentally, very strong willed, you could never get him to do something he didn't want to do…and one day, it was just too much for him. Too many things happening at once. Where most people would shut down, he fragmented in a way that allowed him to keep going…and even see things in ways that others wouldn't."

"What do you mean?"

"It was an advantage…he was given basically seven minds at once. Seven different minds. Three Male, Three Female, the perfect balance. He'd see things through his eyes, but then he'd be able to see them through up to six other sets of thoughts as well. It let him solve a LOT of problems easily. Hell, he became popular in school solely for the fact that he, although classified by most of the student population, teachers included, as insane, he was able to figure out practically any course of action for a problem you presented to him. He solved lover's spats, parental issues, time balancing problems…you name it he was able to come up with an idea of how to solve it."

"Damn…I could use one of those…"

The group laughed.

"A lot of people did. Most of them didn't even like him, but respected his ability. But…he knew they weren't supposed to exist…so he found a way to absorb them back into himself…but the shock…the sheer mental backlash of absorbing six fully developed minds into one…he almost went nuts…and I was there for it. He eventually recovered, finished his classes, and graduated…and I never saw him again. Hell I nearly forgot about him…until I saw Kira."

Aura nodded…and explained to Alkaid, and Shino, what had transpired the past month.

"You mean to tell me…that HE was the Shinigami?!"

"Yeah…"

"God…DAMMIT! He was here all this time…I even FOUGHT alongside him…and I didn't even know it?!"

"You fought with him?"

"Yeah…one of my attempts at becoming emperor in my early days. I joined a party with him, and some random cleric…we got pretty far…we lost in the Final Match, but just barely. Damn…I didn't even know it was him…"

"You said you ran into Kira…where?"

"Kira…the Guardian of Courage…is in the Coite-Bodher Battlefield…"


I'm ending it here. Honestly, I could go on and write the battle as well…but I think it's best to let it sink in that Alkaid knew our hero. Originally I had planned to throw an OC in here…but then I thought about it…REALLY thought about it. I could use a canon character instead…on that track I thought of Shino…but she's too tied to Ovan to have known Zero that well…and then I thought Alkaid. This chapter is to hold you guys over, a bit of back-story of Zero's along with who it is that Aura and the others will be fighting. You'll get to see a rather nice battle next chapter.

AzureDolphin: Red it is. Like I said, I might not update anywhere near as fast as I did with The Red Wand…mostly due to real life dealings, and that the more often I get reviews and the like the more it drills into my head to work on the next chapter. .hack's a niche fanbase, so not many come in. For me, reviews are kinda like a reminder that people are waiting for the next chapter. Like a kick in the ass saying "GET TO WORK DAMMIT!"

Yamimaru: Red wins.

Wolfy: Sorry, Red wins…and as such, Blue will follow to counter…however, if nobody votes later on, I might just do green as the third since you mentioned it.

Acron1: Oh it won't be the last time…