Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from the .Hack series or Bandai.
.Hack//Penetration
By ZERO Chapter Six: Vengeance"I've finally found IT." Kite had just received an e-mail from Helba with the keywords to IT's location. Kite returned to "The World" and the first thing he saw was BlackRose. He knew that she wanted to come to.
"You have the keywords to IT don't you?"
"Ya, it's θ: Chosen Hopeless Nothingness. Why?"
"Let me come with you."
"I knew you wanted to. Let me just invite a friend."
"Who? Sanjuro? Or is it Piros?"
"It's neither. I'm inviting ZERO."
"ZERO?! He's a friend of yours!? Do you even know what he is!?"
"I do as a matter of fact. He's a hacker that accidentally triggered Pluto's Kiss. Even though he did, helping me and I helped him by getting him all the Virus Cores."
BlackRose had a feeling she wouldn't like him. ZERO arrived without the flashy entrance.
"Hi Kite. Let me guess, this is BlackRose?"
"How do you know who I am?"
"Kite talks about you so much that it could make my head explode."
"Are you dissing me!?"
"Calm down Kite. I was just kiddin' around. Is there any problem with that? Okay, I'm sorry if I offended you."
"Could we just go now!?"
"Kite, I suggest we do what Black Rose said. I don't have to collect any more Virus Cores, but you want to defeat IT. So now, let's be on our way."
"Fine. Okay, I entered the keywords."
It was a Protected Area and Kite couldn't go there regularly. The Gate Hacking menu opened and Kite input the necessary Virus Cores in.
They arrived at the field safely.
"I'm not in the mood to fight monsters. Kite, why don't we ride a Grunty?"
"I gotta agree with you there. Hold on, let me get out my Grunty Flute."
Kite played the Grunty Flute. The Iron Grunty answered his call. They rode him onward into the dungeon. They arrived without getting attacked by anything.
"We really don't have time to loot this dungeon. I guess I should use this Fairy's Orb."
"That only works for fields!"
"What've you been smoking? It also works for dungeons."
"Isn't that a hacking Fairy's Orb?"
"No, it's a regular one. You really have to stop smoking pot."
" : – )"
"BlackRose, don't do that and ZERO, I don't smoke pot."
"Just kiddin' ya know. Let's continue."
It showed the entire dungeon. It was obvious they proceeded forward. It was also obvious that there was a magic portal there. Out came a Mantis along with a Red Scissors. They all ignored Kite and BlackRose and headed straight for ZERO.
"Everyone wants a piece of me, huh?"
ZERO was getting beaten to a pulp. He couldn't defend against them and they even paralyzed him. Kite was losing a lot of items because of him. ZERO was at the edge of death when he got an idea.
"I guess I'll have to do this and throughout the rest of the dungeon. Data Blaze!"
The creatures were blown to bits and items were scattered on the dungeon floor.
"So much for experience."
"You still get experience even if I perform Data Blaze."
"Why didn't you start it off that way?"
"Kinda anti-climactic ya know."
"Who cares! As long as we finish this dungeon and defeat IT."
"Will you stop calling the thing we're about to fight IT. It does have a name."
"How would you know?"
"This game is based on a poem called the Epitaph of Twilight. The thing we're about to fight is called Skeith. It is part of something called The Wave, mentioned in the Epitaph of Twilight. That is merely Phase One of The Wave. Now, let us continue."
"But-"
"I'll tell you the rest when we're finished."
They headed to the left. Another portal was there.
"ZERO, can you just use it now?"
"Fine, if that's what you want. Data Blaze!"
The instant the creatures emerged, they exploded and were just a mess of data left on the floor. Kite was getting a lot from this. They continued through the dungeon. ZERO used Data Blaze to take care of each and every creature they ran into. They finally arrived at the last dungeon. It was very straightforward.
"Kite, may I tell you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"It's about Mia."
"You did talk strange around her."
"It's about her. I have to make this quick. There is something ominous about her. Here's a clue. She is one part of the number of the beast. A sword holds the answer to that riddle. That's all I will tell you now. Now, let's just finish what was started long ago."
They stepped into the thick, purple mist. Kite saw Aura on arrival.
"Aura?"
"I see you received the mail I sent you. Yet however, it's too late."
"Wait! There's something I have to ask you."
Shockingly, Skeith was behind Aura.
"Nooooooo!"
She was being raised into the air. The next part was obvious. Skeith Data Drained her and the rest of her was broken into three pieces and scattered somewhere.
"Okay, that does it. It ends here."
The battle commenced. ZERO was about to perform Data Blaze, but Skeith just ran towards ZERO and knocked his sword out of his hand.
"He doesn't want me using Data Blaze. Very well, I'll do as he says."
ZERO picked up his sword and assisted BlackRose.
"Kite, I got a good strategy. You stay away from Skeith and use your scrolls on it, while BlackRose and I attack it with skills such."
"Okay."
"One more request."
"What now?"
"Can you perform Ap Do on me? That way I can get behind him and do a flurry of attacks on him."
"Okay."
As ZERO requested, Kite performed Ap Do on ZERO. He was able to get behind Skeith and, as promised, did a flurry of attacks. BlackRose was performing the Hayabusa skill. Skeith was getting a serious beating. Suddenly, the tables turned. He performed a new skill called Judgment and froze everyone. When it shattered, everyone suffered 400 HP worth of damage.
"Damn, that hurt. Kite, get close. I'm about to use a Pure Water in case he tries that again, not to mention a Divine Cross."
ZERO kept his word. Everyone was at full HP and they were attacking Skeith again. Next thing they know, Skeith is performing Data Drain. The target was ZERO. It was similar to what happened with Aura, but ZERO wasn't deleted. Instead, numerous status effects infected him.
"Why wasn't he deleted?"
"It seems the bracelet's power weakens if the victim isn't in a Protect Break status. Now Kite, can you use an Antidote and a Restorative on me?"
"I can't because I'm all out."
"What about BlackRose?"
"She's out too. Remember the first portal? We exhausted all of the items on you."
"Huh, just my luck."
The tables did turn. Kite was out of SP, ZERO was infected by numerous status effects, and BlackRose was barely alive. Skeith was dominating. Skeith rushed to where Kite and ZERO were and hit both of them at the same time. Both ended up in a Protect Break status.
"This isn't good. If any of us gets Data Drained, we'll be getting more than a System Error screen. He's gonna go for Kite, I know it!"
ZERO was right. The bracelet was starting to activate. Kite couldn't move or anything. He couldn't even slash Skeith since he was far away. Kite was being raised up into the air. The bracelet was about to fire off when ZERO got it the way. The attack made contact with ZERO instead and blocked it from Kite.
"ZERO!"
"I knew something like this would happen. Farewell my friend. My the grace of the Twilight Dragon be with you."
ZERO was then deleted. However, his sword remained. Kite picked up the sword. It was starting to act on its own. It activated like the first time ZERO used the Data Blaze.
"This is for all the victims you Data Drained, including Orca and ZERO!"
Kite slashed the ground. It sent a blaze that struck Skeith and shattered him. Kite had finally won the battle.
(Beat .Hack//Infection for what happens after this battle.)
Kite and BlackRose arrived at Dun Loireag. Kite was having trouble dealing with the fact that he lost another friend.
"I know how hard it is to lose a friend."
"You only lost one. I lost two who have helped me out."
"Kite, forget that. ZERO was a good friend. Only real friends would sacrifice themselves so that others can move on. That's what you need to do."
"Are you saying I should forget him?"
"No, I'm saying to move on, but always hold on to his memory. At least you got to know him. I only saw him for one dungeon adventure."
"I guess you're right."
"Well, I gotta go."
"Ya, see ya."
BlackRose logged out. Kite remained there, holding on the Twilight Blade, ZERO's sword. He went to his Iron Grunty.
"Master, how can I serve you? Clang!"
"I need you to hold on to this sword. Don't lose it, it's very important to me."
"I understand. Clang!"
Kite walked away. There was still something troubling him. ZERO left with many questions unanswered.
"Did he find out what the CC Corporation is doing? And what was he talking about with Mia? One part of the number of…I give up. Maybe I'll never find the answers."
Kite logged out. Even though ZERO left with many questions unanswered, he also left many dear memories.
A.N.: Satisfied? Don't flame me, okay? Now read the epilogue.
A.A.N.: If anyone can solve ZERO's riddle, I'll actually read their fic and even give a good review (no flames). Just e-mail the answer to TeraZero@aol.com. See ya!