"Hey! C.B.!" A young girl cried; her voice carried on by swift winds. Granulated sand shifted around in a hurried whirlwind. Her name was Akiko Ire. But in "The World" she was known as either Akiko or 'N.N.T.'. It stood for Namida no tenshi. Angel's Tear. Her story was a very sad one indeed. Apparently one of her friends was in a lot of trouble. He had a very troubled life and ran away from home. Someone had said that he had an account there. No actual name of the player that resembled Takai was stated so she got her own account on 'The World' and spent almost all her time there, searching and yearning for her lost friend that she missed so. But her goal was not to become a Wave Master. Or Silver Guard or Crimson/Scarlet or anything. She came to find something. To get away from her lonely world and escape to "The World." Was she prepared for the consequences...?

"C.B.! Matte!" Akiko called out again and raced toward her online friend in the distance. Akiko was semi-tall, about 5'8"-5'9". Her strawberry, sun kissed hair was fastened into a bun at the back with an odd hairclip. Loose locks frizzled out over her dull gray, hazel irises and an odd mark on her forehead that matched the two on her shoulders. It resembled the sign for a Leo but on one side there were 3 dots and slash mark on the other. She wore a green-blue tube top and on her arms were shirtless sleeves that tied with ribbons and went past her hands. (Think Yuna from FF10's sleeves yet there is a wide opening where her hands are.) On her waist was a navy blue mini skirt with black spandex shorts under them that reached to her knees and hefty boots. But the most remarkable attribute were the 3 balls floating above her head. Nothing was attached to them and spikes shot out the side from each one.

Her friend, C.B., was a short little girl, 4'11", with lengthy blonde hair that fell to the middle of her back with 3 buns set on top and two loose pieces of lavender tresses veiled her eyes. Her skirt was long, blue-violet and had a slit from the middle of her thigh, down. A chain sat loosely around her slim middle, adorning small crescent-shaped charms. Her shirt had long sleeves and calf-length boots padded softly in the ground as she turned around to address her friend with a goofy smile. Slivers of silver rested under her eyes and on her forehead like a scythe or moon crescent. "Akikoooo-chan! Any luck today?" She asked happily and ran over to her companion with a scepter-like blade in hand.

Akiko eyes fell toward the ground. It had been 3 months now sense she started playing. No such luck of finding Takai. "Iie, Chibi." C.B.'s full username was Chibi Bliss. "I'm still trying though." Akiko fingered her Fang of Baelin, a weapon the seemed like two daggers fastened together like fangs. (http://www.serratedsmiles.com/Fang%20of%20Baelin.jpg) (A/N: *squeaky voice* It's *so* beautiful!)

C.B. sighed exasperatedly and twirled her staff lazily. She had meet Akiko long ago when she first came here, looking for this 'Takai', a childhood friend long ago. He seemed familiar but she had never faced Player Killer or regular foe by that name. Ah, at least it gave them something to do!

Akiko peered at the westward sun that set over the horizon. Gold swathed the lingering clouds. It was getting dark in the time of "The World." They both should log off soon.

C.B. noticed this too and glanced over her friend's shoulder with a perplexed look. "Hey. You think that Wave Master is here on this server?"

"Hm?" Akiko stared straight ahead, her thoughts drifting.

"Ya, know. That Ts-...er...Tsukasa guy that had actually PHYSICALLY hurt a Silver Knight or whatever. The one found unconscious by his computer terminal." The small girl visibly shuddered. "C'mon, we should hurry and leave. I'll see ya later, ne?"

The redhead nodded and closed her eyes. Tomorrow. Tomorrow was a new day with new possibilities. She'd find him. She would.

~~~

Nooooo way. Akiko glimpsed around furtively, fingering her two fanglike daggers out of habit. Someone had posted on the message board that they had seen him. Her Takai. It had been 2 1/2 years of contact and her abdomen tightened. The name that posted it read 'Kurai.' Oooh.... She drawled sarcastically. Darkness. How...reassuring. Judging by the name and how vague it was this person had to pulling her leg. It seemed to risky.

Their meeting place was quiet in a desolate server with trees surrounding the place in a thick grove as the branches intertwined and light seeped through like golden fingers. Everything seemed peaceful and calm; birds chirping and rushing water could be heard.

"Akiko..."

She whirled around with weapon in hand, eyes shifting around. There, standing, or almost floating, in the middle of the grove was a cloaked figure. Dark and menacing; looming above her by a good foot. In one hand was a Rune Blade, it's metal shining in the scarce light that was there.

"H-hai...I'm Akiko. Are you Kurai?"

A soft chuckle was her answer. It sounded distorted, both female and male, venom dripping like ooze from the hood that masked the stranger's face. "I have seen him. This 'Takai'."

Akiko lowered her blades and strapped them to her belt while taking one cautious step forward. Subtle actions to show no harm and unarmed. "Tell me what you know. I will pay anything." Her voice wavered with uncertainty.

The cloaked figure nodded slowly and flicked his skeleton-thin hand in the air. A swirl of mist appeared and in the mist was a blurry image. There was an unmistakable figure of a boy. His dark hair was covered in a hood and rain soaked him from head to foot.

Takai...the young girl reached her hand out and recoiled as if it were hot to touch. A momentary relapse or hesitation and disbelief warned her. "Why should I trust you, dark one?"

The creature before her called back the image. With a chuckle she heard it utter 'smarter then I thought' while cocking its head to one side as if to smile at her wickedly. "I have more. But I need a favor. I am looking for someone too." His gnarled hand reached out to pat her head. She flinched. "We can use this as a tradeoff. You look for this person and I'll help look for Takie."

"Takai." She corrected bitterly and pushed his hand away. He sniffed and waved the same hand dismissively.

"Is it a deal?"

She hesitated and tried to find some other way of finding him. What other way was there that was as quick as this? "No one...will get hurt, ne?"

He laughed again and nodded. "No one, dear! I don't have the capability to hurt anyone physically in the virtual world." A moment of silence. "Maybe killing and having them start over from their saved point but nothing...permanent." The slithery voice hissed.

"Fine..."

"I want you to find where Tsukasa, the Wave Master, is and track him down."

"What!?" She gasped. "I know nothing about him! He might kill me, I'm not powerful enough and I'm no better then a standard fighter! I don't train as hard as other real fighter do-"

"Then I'll fix that..."

"Wha'?"

"Ever had a guardian?"

"My god..."

~~~

TBC...

Hey heeey...um, I should've spent more time on thaaaat...but I didn't and it looks really crappy so...that's it for Dai's BIG intro! Er...Most of it will switch from Dai to Tsukasa until they meet. Er...ya...R&R