KaitaKembi: heeey! I know, I haven't updated this, but I'm trying to make the chapters of this story extra long so it takes me extra long to write them. Ok? Well, hope u enjoy my story. Btw, this isn't an original plotline (just incase you couldn't figure that out). I'm still trying to figure out where Amaru fits into this story. So right now I'm just writing how Amaru is part of .hack//SIGN. Don't worry; I'll probably have an original plot soon. BTW2, part of this story should also be in italics. That part will be surrounded by i and i/ which, if done correctly, will make the words italic when their in web page form. However, I can't figure out how to do this, so it may just look like that.
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Chapter 2:
A young, gray-haired wavemaster sat on the ground, leaning against a stone pillar. A cat player floated in front of him, miming and talking animatedly. The wavemaster smiled at something the cat player said. Suddenly, the cat player looked up, its expression one of confusion. The wavemaster looked up as well. A girl with crimson hair stood on top of the pillar, smiling down at them.
The cat player vanished, causing the game graphics to waver slightly. The wavemaster attempted to follow, but the girl jumped down and landed in front of her, forcing him to step back.
"So you're Tsukasa," said the girl, "Well, I'm not impressed. I would have expected someone stronger to have shaken the foundations of the Crimson Knights." She held out her hand.
Tsukasa stepped back, flinching as thought the girl at attempted to strike him.
"Hm?" the girl cocked her head to the side, "Well, if you don't want to shake my hand, I'll just introduce myself. I'm Amaru."
"Go away," said Tsukasa. The calm way he said it was unnerving.
Amaru narrowed her eyes, "You can't run forever, Tsukasa. You're going to need a friend; a partner. I can help you."
"I have a friend."
"The cat?" Amaru smirked, "Will that cat protect you? I know what you're going through Tsukasa. I can't log out either."
Tsukasa looked at her suspiciously, "How long has this been going on."
Amaru shrugged, "Three months or so. But that's not important. What is is that I want to help you. The game is your home now. I can be your family."
Tsukasa looked at the ground, "I just want to be left alone. Why doesn't everyone just leave me alone?"
"Alone is one of the worst things in this game," Amaru set her hand on Tsukasa's shoulder.
He looked up in shock. Pushing her hand off, he shouted, "No! Leave me alone!"
With an eerie, whale-like moan, Tsukasa's guardian appeared behind Amaru. She turned in shock. When she saw the guardian, she smiled and raised her staff.
"Deletion!" The same golden light shot out of the staff's head. It hit the guardian, causing it to cry out in pain. It glowed golden, and then absorbed it. The guardian's ring turned so that the hollow part of the ring was facing her.
"Shit," said Amaru. She jumped out of the way just as a large golden rod came out of the guardian and crashed into the ground. Amaru vaulted over the guardian, not giving it enough chance to turn and face her. She pulled out her sprite ocarina.
"I can't contend with this type of monster," she said. Once again, golden rings surrounded her and she vanished.
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"How was your meeting with the Crimson Knights?" Soar asked.
Amaru folded her arms over her chest tucking her staff into her elbow crock, "Uneventful."
"Did they give you what you want?"
"No."
Sora looked up at the dark sky, "So, what now?"
"I met with Tsukasa."
"Hmmm?" Sora looked surprised, "How was that?"
"Stay away from the boy. He has some sort of guardian that I can't delete."
"That's new."
"Yes. And now I have to think of a new way of talking with him."
"So…"
Amaru stopped talking, "Shush. I'm thinking."
Sora sighed, but watched his partner.
"Ok, I have it," said Amaru, "But it's going to require a lot of no Pking on your part. I need you to meet with all players who've come in contact with Tsukasa, minus the Crimson Knights and the cat."
"I'll advertise on the message board."
"You do that."
"And what are you going to do?"
Amaru began to walk away, "I'm going to follow this Tsukasa and see what he does."
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Mimiru ran up to Bear, "Have you seen the message board?"
Bear nodded, "This is an interesting development."
"Should we go?"
"Perhaps. I want to know what interest this Sora has in Tsukasa."
"But if Tsukasa finds out…"
"He won't. Remember, he can't see the message board."
Mimiru looked at the ground, "I think we should tell him."
"Why?"
"Well, I dunno! This Sora could try to hurt him or something."
Bear suddenly looked into the distance, "Wait, I know I've heard that name before. I think…"
BT walked up to them, "Why are you discussing that sorry excuse for a player."
"Oh, hi BT," said Bear, "Have you seen the message board? Sora posted a message about the PC I've been discussing with you."
"Yes, I saw the message. But there's something which concerns me more."
"Like what?" Mimiru asked.
"The Key of the Twilight."
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"What?" Amaru yelled, "You can't be serious!"
Sora nodded, "Mhm, I'm called the meeting off."
Amaru grabbed her partner, "You can't do this, Sora! What about finding out about Tsukasa?"
"There's something more important than learning about him," Sora told her, "It's an item that has the power to over-ride the game's rules. The player who finds this item will have the ultimate power in the game."
Amaru pushed Sora from her, "Do you only care about power? Power in this game means nothing to those who can't feel." She turned away, "You go look for your 'ultimate item.' Tsukasa is my main concern."
Sora stood up and brushed the dust off her costume, "So, is our partnership off?"
"No. If this item ends up concerning Tsukasa somehow, I'll contact you." Amaru warped away, leaving Sora smiling to himself.
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Amaru appeared in a special place that was all her own. The sky was black with light blue clouds and an orange moon. The ground was gray grass. Feet from where Amaru had warped stood a large stone statue. It was a lady dressed in a long gown. Angle wings came out from her back and were slightly outstretched. Her arms were out in front of her, almost in a position that one who begs for food would have. On her flat palms sat a single stone Lillie blossom. Behind the statue was a garden full of beautiful roses.
Amaru walked up to the statue and pressed her cheek against it's cold stone. "Oh mother," she sighed, "Life has suddenly gotten so much harder."
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iA man was yelling at her wife, but the only sound was static. The wife hugged a young girl to her and the girl cried into her shoulder. The man pulled out a gun and pointed it at the woman. In fear, she pushed the girl behind her. Still yelling, the man fired the gun twice and both the girl and the woman fell to the ground.i/
iOn the sidewalk, a newspaper blew to the front page. It was dated March 16, 2006 and its first headline readi/ Man Kills Wife and Daughter.
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