Disclaimer: I do not own .Hack//SIGN.

Chapter I

[♪Shine, bright morning light,

down from the heavens to the earth

Dreams, hopes, and delights

Give us these things

That we all love

Shine, bright holy light

Spread our whole world

With your great joy

Misery and plight

Please take things

Away from us♪]

A small boat slowly sailed in the middle of a quiet canal. It had no sail, nor did it have an oarsman; there were no waves in the canal, nor was there a heavy wind; yet the boat still moved forward, and didn't stop. It slowed down a few times, and sped up at others. It was as if it was controlled by someone's mental will, instead of physical will.

At the front of the boat, stood a beautiful young girl. She had short blue hair, and a pale white body. She had a pair of small wings forming at her back. She was dressed in a small white midriff baring shirt, and a very long white skirt, and she held a large axe in her right hand.

She looked down into the blue water beneath her and frowned at her reflection. She stared at it for a second, continuing to frown, until a small wave came from out of no where and blotted out her reflection. She picked up her head and turned around to a see a man with a red uniform, and a sword there, standing on one knee.

"When did it happen, Silver Knight?" She asked, looking deeply into his crimson eyes.

Silver Knight looked up at her. "Three days ago," he answered. There was a small silence after this. "Lady Subaru," Silver Knight spoke up, trying to break the silence. "Are you alright?"

"It doesn't make any sense Silver knight," Subaru said. "If this is supposed to be a game, how is it possible that a player can even be hurt, much less killed." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and relieve herself of the stress that she was feeling now. "I'm worried, Silver Knight," she continued. "If we don't find out how this happened, then it might happen again."

"I agree," Silver Knight nodded. "It was nice of the System Administrations to give the Crimson Knights official authority. Now that we have it, I'm sure we'll be able to start an investigation and figure everything out."

Subaru frowned again, and turned her back to Silver Knight. She once again looked into the river and stared at her reflection. "But is it right?" she asked.

"I don't understand?" Silver Knight said.

"Is it right to give us players the kind of power that they did. Don't forget, that is what we are, players in a game. And that is what this place is, a game. Nothing more, nothing less."

"A game has rules," Silver Knight said sternly. "And-"

"But nobody violated any rules," Subaru interrupted. "According to my reports, it was a monster that killed him, not another player. Don't you understand Silver Knight? The System administrations are using us in order to remove any blame from them." She turned around and sighed. "If anything happens to any other players, we'll be responsible. It's pretty convenient for the system administrations, isn't it?"

"So what do you believe then?" Silver Knight asked. "According to the system administrations, a hacker has invaded the game, and has set free some monsters that can hurt people in real life. The system administrations have given us free access to any field and any server in the world. We were given permission to defend the people from any danger, and to find out about the hacker who has invaded the world. I'm sorry Lady Subaru, but I cannot agree with your reasoning."

Subaru sighed and gave a small smile. "I'm sorry, Silver Knight," She said. "I just have so much on my mind right now, and when the system administrations asked me to lead the Crimson Knights again," she sighed again, "well, it just wasn't on my list of priorities."

"Lady Subaru," Silver Knight said slowly.

"I have been playing this game for a long time," she continued. "I thought it was my only escape from the real world. It was a place where nothing mattered, and no matter what happened, things would always work out in the end. A place where if you sustained any injuries, all you had to do was use a simple potion and everything would be fine.

"Then one day, everything changed. That's when he appeared."

"Tsukasa?" Silver Knight asked.

"Yes," Subaru nodded. "When he appeared, he changed all the rules in this world. But as soon as Aura woke up, I believed that it would be over, and that everything could go on being exactly the same as it was before."

"And then you got the call telling you about the dead player," Silver Knight said exactly what was on Subaru's mind.

"Exactly," she nodded again. "It has been months since the fiasco with Tsukasa. Since then, we did not see, or hear anything remotely similar to that situation, and now this happens."

"How is Tsukasa, anyway?" Silver Knight asked, trying to change the subject.

"She's doing very well," Subaru answered with a smile. "She's living with Bear now and going to school. We met a few times and had some fun.

"Only-" she gave a small sigh, and started frowning again.

"You wish that Tsukasa was actually a he," Silver Knight, once again finished her sentence.

"Don't get me wrong Silver Knight," she said quickly. "I'm very glad to have her as a friend, only, I was hoping for something more than that from Tsukasa. When we were together, I thought I fell in love with him."

"You can still love her," Silver Knight said.

Subaru turned towards Silver knight and gave him a strange look.

"True, it won't be the same type of love that you would've had if Tsukasa turned out to be a man, but it is still love nonetheless. You two can still make each other happy, just like Bear made Tsukasa happy when he adopted her. And maybe one day, you will find a boy just like Tsukasa, who will make you just as happy."

Subaru gave Silver Knight a small smile.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You're always so serious," she said with a smirk.

"My lady," he said, sounding more businessman like. "I think we should get back to the details of the boy that was killed."

"Yes of course Silver Knight," she nodded. "So where was he found?"

"It was in a field by-"

"No," she interrupted. "I mean, where was he found in the real world?"

"He was found in an apartment in Nakano. He was lying on the ground still wearing his visor."

"Really?" She thought for a second. "How old was he?"

"He was a fifth grader," Silver Knight said. "According to my reports he was gifted in school, and had only started playing two weeks before he was killed. That explains why he was able to get killed by a monster, while the others only suffered injuries. Everyone who was injured, was able to overcome the monsters."

"He was not so lucky, I see," Subaru said shortly. She gripped her axe tightly and faced Sliver Knight again. "Continue the investigation from here. I will personally visit the field where he was killed."

Silver Knight's eyes widened and started glowing. "My lady!" He said, sounding incredibly surprised. "Surely, you don't plan on going by yourself?"

"This is something that I must do Silver Knight," she said sternly.

"But what if you run into one of those monsters? Let me send some of the Crimson Knights with you!"


"I am a player just like the rest of you. My life is no more important than anyone else's. Besides, I'd really rather to so some things personally. If you let others do everything, you lose yourself in the process. That is something that I learned a while ago." With that a few yellow rings surrounded her and teleported her away.

"Be careful my lady," Silver knight whispered.

"Dad! I'm home!" A girl called, as she entered the apartment where she lived with her adopted father. "Dad!" she called again, when she didn't get an answer.

"I'm in here, Tsukasa," a voice called from the living room.

Tsukasa quickly took off her shoes and ran into the living room. When she got there she saw her father staring at the computer screen, seemingly lost in thought. Tsukasa walked up to her father and looked over at the computer screen. It turned out that her father was in the middle of reading the message boards for the world.

"What's going on?" Tsukasa asked. "You have a real serious look on your face dad."

"See for yourself," her father said, pointing at the computer screen.

Tsukasa pulled up a chair next to her father and started reading what was on the message boards. As soon as she read the first line, she understood why her father had such a serious look on his face, and why he was lost in thought at the time.

"I can't believe it," Tsukasa breathed. "But these are just rumors?" Tsukasa looked up at her father. "Aren't they dad?"

Her father stayed silent, but the look on his face was more than enough of an answer for Tsukasa.

"How could this have happened?" Tsukasa asked.

"They're in the middle of investigating that right now," her father responded. "I seriously doubt their investigation will lead very far though."

"Why not?"

"The system administrations are denying the whole thing, and claim it to be a rumor spread by a rival company. The police, as well as the WNS seem to be backing them up."

"But I thought, there were no rival companies. After the whole virus fiasco's in the beginning of the twenty first century, the WNS took direct control over everything that goes on, on the net. If there was another company, it would be violating the laws."

"You and I both know that, but the common person doesn't. They are trying to play on that, hoping that no one will start asking questions."

Tsukasa frowned a bit. "If a person died, someone will start asking questions sooner or later."

"They're probably hoping for later. They probably hope to find out what happened back there, take care of it, and then cover it up."

"How do you know that?" Tsukasa asked, looking up from the computer screen.

"They have asked Subaru to re-gather the Crimson Knights, and begin an investigation."

"The Crimson Knights?" Tsukasa frowned again.

"This time, the system administrations have given them the authority to do as they please."

"And Subaru actually agreed on this?" Tsukasa asked, sounding shocked.

Her father looked away from the screen and looked Tsukasa directly in the eyes. "A person died Tsukasa. I believe that Subaru is just doing what's best for everyone."

Tsukasa sighed and faced the computer screen once again. "Maybe so," she said. "But it still doesn't feel right. It just doesn't seem like something Subaru would agree to."

"How is the real Subaru doing anyway?" Her father asked, getting up from his chair.

"She's doing fine," Tsukasa replied, while readjusting herself, in order the read the screen better. "I met her last week, remember?"

Her father smirked. "Ah yes, you two have become really good friends, haven't you?"

Tsukasa flashed a smile, and said, "Yeah. Just because I turned out to be a girl, doesn't mean, that we automatically have to stop seeing each other. We'll just be regular friends instead of..." Tsukasa blushed a bit. "Well, you know."

She looked over at her father and saw that he was putting on his jacket and getting ready to leave the house. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I am going to find out all I can about this boy that died. I will not let the system administrations cover this up."

"What are you going to do?" Tsukasa asked.

"Well, I'm a novelist, aren't I? I'll find out all I can about the boy's background and about what happened to him, and then I'll write a book about it. It's probably the least I can do. We don't want the system administrations to make everyone think that the boy went suicide or something."

"Do you know anything about the boy?"

"His name is Moori Juuka (A/n: last name-Moori, means forest, and first name Juuka, the kanji that spell it is sumu-to live, and ie-house, so you can say his name would be forest dwelling), and he lived in Nakano. I'll start there. I left you some money to buy yourself some food. I'll be back later today." With that, he left the apartment.

'This is weird,' Tsukasa thought to herself. 'According to the message boards it was a monster that killed the boy. But that's impossible. If a monster kills you, you just get PKed, nothing else.

'Maybe I should E-mail Subaru and ask her what's going on?'

Before she could access the E-mail page she saw a brand new message pop up on the message boards. It read: "Lady Subaru, your one true love is waiting for you, here with me. Expect him very soon!"

As soon as Tsukasa read this, she was forced to do a double take. "'Subaru's true love? Here with me?' Whoever wrote this obviously didn't make any sense."

Then with a flash, just as quickly as the message appeared on the message board, it disappeared from it.

"What happened to it?" Tuskasa cried as she frantically started searching the message boards for the message. "Is it gone?" Tsukasa leaned back in her chair, and cupped her chin. "Could that have been someone's idea of a joke? And if it was, why was it deleted so quickly?" She sighed. "None of this makes any sense. I'd better include this in my mail to Subaru."

Subaru was sitting down on a green meadow enjoying the view in front of her, her hair was floating in the breeze of the wind, and her legs were tucked into her arms. Her axe was lying on the ground beside her.

"There doesn't seem to be any evidence here anymore. According to the reports, it was a monster that killed that poor boy; I shouldn't have expected anything more than that." She sighed and looked up. "But still, this is such a beautiful place. Not to mention that it's a field for those with lower levels. It makes little sense to send a monster that could kill here, unless it was only supposed to target the newbie's.

"Maybe Silver Knight was right. Because the system administrations gave the Crimson Knights more authority, maybe we might be able to find out more about this quicker, before anyone else gets hurt."

She blinked. "Huh? An E-mail? From Tsukasa? It seems kind of important, I'd better read it right now.

"I see she already knows about the boy that was killed, and rumors are flying around the message boards. And-" Her eyes widened as she read the next part. "My true love? Is with someone right now?" She shook her head free of any thoughts that were in it at the time. "What does that mean?"

She stood up, picked up her axe and started pacing thinking what that message must have meant. "I never had a true love, except for Tsukasa-back when I thought he was a boy-and since this message is even weird to her, then... could this have been someone's idea of a joke? But if it was, why was it deleted so quickly?" She sighed again. "It doesn't matter now. A boy was killed, that takes priority at the moment.

"But, maybe that message could have had something to do with the mysterious occurrences here. Maybe I should talk to Tsukasa in person about this." She stood there completely frozen for a second. "There E-mail sent.

"If that E-mail wasn't a joke then it might be a clue to finding out what's been going on in the world."

Just then a few golden rings flashed beside her and one of the Crimson Knights appeared within it. He like most of the Knights was already on one knee.

"Lady Subaru," he said. "There's been another one."

Subaru's eyes widened. "Another one killed?"

"No," The Knight said quickly. "Just attacked, he was able to overcome the monster. He has not yet logged out, so we had a chance to question him."

"Is he badly hurt?" Subaru asked, with concern in her voice. "Does he need to see a doctor?"

"No, he just has a few minor scratches, nothing that can't wait until later; he has assured us of that."

"Take me to this player I would like to speak with him," she said sternly.

"Right away, my lady!" With that he disappeared back to the town.

"Sorry Tsukasa," Subaru sighed. "But our meeting will have to wait." She sent him another E-mail, and then disappeared into town.