A twist of fate
A/N: Sage: Well well, interesting reviews this time, gave me something to think about, that it did.
Kaley: (is eating all trick or treating candy she got) Mu fuh gored meh
Sage:…right, anyways!! (ahem) Let's see, first thing that comes to mind is Subaru.
Kaley: (growls) meh po bik er
Bakura: Swallow damn it!
Sage: Well, I'm not avoiding Subaru…actually she plays an important part later…
Elk: You mean you're actually planning future chapters??
Sage: Yay, Elk is being sarcastic. Well, if I remember right, I gave a tiny hint at her earlier during one of Tsukasa's talks to Elk. Not sure when but I know I put it in there.
Kaley: (swallows) fat whore!!
Sage:…Go back to eating!!
Bakura: And yay for the fact that EVERY FRICKIN FANGIRL CALLS ME KURA!! -_-
Kaley: But it's cute ^_^
Bakura: hush you…
Elk: People seem to like Balmung and Sora being paired up…
Sage: (grins) Yay romance!
Sora: No!
Balmung: No!
Kaley: Oh and someone caught my Trigun reference!! (giggles) here, have candy!! In fact, all reviewers get candy!! (throws candy at everyone)
Sage: Let's see...what else to cover…ah yes. Blame Kaley and Shawn-kun's sick minds for the rod thing…you should hear them during Yu-gi-oh
Kaley: You mean ya-oi-oh…yay Marik's rod!!
Sage: -_- you see? Also, I haven't the money at this time to buy the .hack dvds but I did read what happens in the 'secret' episodes but I don't think I'm going to use that…in fact, I'm not quite sure what it is I'm using.
Bakura: Bits and pieces from everything…just a weird yaoi filled combo of everything…
Elk: (coughs) One last thing…I also think Balmung acts weird but if you combine how he acts in the manga ("I can role-paly being drunk!") and his game self you get this weird guy who's well, bizarre and feels his emotions strongly…scary no?
Bakura: So before we rant even more…ON WITH THE FIC!!!
Balmung stabbed his sword into the mountain and swung his body up to another ledge. Sora grinned and danced around as the angelic man pulled his sword from the rocks.
"C'mon Fruitypants!" Sora pouted. "We'll lose if you're going to be this slow! I want to win!"
"I'm going as fast as I can!" Balmung snapped.
"Maybe you should, oh, I don't know…fly?" Sora rolled his eyes. Balmung blinked several times.
"Wow, I never even thought about that." Balmung said quietly. Sora laughed and shook his head.
"Oh what would you do without me Fruitypants?" Sora said happily. "Now let's spread those wings so that I can save Elk."
"We." Balmung said as he spread his wings out, readying them for flight. Kaley suddenly spotted him and blew a whistle loudly.
"PENALTY!!" She screamed. "No use of wings in this race! Start back at the bottom!" Kaley flicked her wrist and the two tumbled all the way back down the mountain.
"I blame you Fruitypants!" Sora pouted. Balmung tightened his fists, deciding to throw him in the lava no matter if they got to Elk or not.
"GiRai Kruz!" Tsukasa cried out, holding his staff in the air. The boulder blew up into a pile of dust.
"Orchid Dance!" Kite yelled, twirling around gracefully, chipping away at the rocks. The two then smiled at each other and climbed up to the new ledge that they had created.
"Well now, let's try this again shall we?" Kite grinned, shouting out another attack. Tsukasa followed it up with another lightning spell.
"You think anyone else thought to do this?" Tsukasa asked. After all, there was no one else around them.
"I don't think so…" Kite said. "But this is working really well, look how high up we are!"
"Yeah but this is too easy I think…" Tsukasa frowned, placing one hand on his chin. "There's something up there waiting for us…"
"Well, we'll just have to defeat it then." The two nodded and went back to demolishing the mountainside.
"One two three!" Orca shouted, throwing Ryoko up the ledge she'd just created. Ryoko gave a small yip noise as she landed on her rear. Orca laughed heartedly and jumped gracefully up next to her partner.
"Alright!" She chuckled and smashed her fists into the rock. It gave away easily, making another stepping-stone for her. She grabbed Ryoko and leapt up the rocks.
"Um, miss Orca?" Ryoko cried out as the wolf girl soared upwards with her under an arm. "Te-tell me again about yourself?"
"Sure thing!" She yelled, a big grin on her face. "Name's Orca, I'm a pretty high level player, a career werewolf you know?" Orca stopped when they reached the next point. "Let's see, oh yeah and I love to FIGHT!" With this, she thrust her fist into the air and laughed.
"I somehow knew that…" Ryoko said in her quiet little voice. "But um, why did you agree to help me?"
"Well, why not?" Orca grinned. "I mean, you look like a cute kid and all but I figured you looked too weak to get up the mountain otherwise. I bet you would have chucked yourself into the lava to save the kid right?"
"I really don't have a plan for the mountain top." Ryoko explained. "But thank you either way for your help."
"Yeah, enough talking though, we have a mountain to climb!" Orca howled, grabbing Ryoko and once again bounding up the cliff. The angel girl screamed in surprise, wondering why the were-girl couldn't be a little bit gentler.
"Did you hear something?" Tsukasa asked Kite. Kite was about to answer when a strange wolf girl jumped past them, Ryoko tucked under her arm.
"Hi Kite!" She called.
"Buh-bye Kite!" The were-wolf called back with a smile. "We'll tell Deer you said hi!"
"Elk!" Ryoko called to her friend as they disappeared from view. Both boys blinked many times before they went back to breaking the rocks.
"That was…odd…" Kite said, doing another Orchid Dance. "I wonder who that was with Ryoko?"
"I don't know but…" Tsukasa paused. "They're winning." They both looked at each and suddenly they began attacking the rocks with violet energy.
"C'mon!" Kite yelled, leaping up the cliff side.
"We'll beat them!" Tsukasa cried, using his staff to vault up to Kite.
"I wonder what happened to Balmung though!" Kite shouted out to Tsukasa as they climbed with their sudden vigor.
"Who cares?" Tsukasa called back. The duo continued up the mountain…
"I blame you if we lose." Balmung growled quietly. He and the strangely happy twin blade Sora were scaling the mountain using by thrusting their weapons into the rock, then throwing their bodies up the side.
"Well, that's your problem then!" Sora sang.
"We are probably in last place you know." Balmung grumbled.
"Yep!" Sora grinned.
"And we aren't going to make it there first…" Balmung glared at Sora.
"I know!" Sora nodded.
"…Then why are you so happy??" Balmung shouted.
"Because I have a plan Fruitypants!" Sora said happily. "I'm going to do what I do best!" Sora then jumped up, much higher then his partner, flying up into the mist above them.
"Sora!" Balmung screamed. He waited but no Sora. With a sigh, he started to climb up again. However, a gurgling noise above him halted his progress. He looked up and a grey, cold body fell next to him. He stared at it until two more joined it, then another. Balmung watched as they disappeared from the game world.
"See? I told you Fruitypants!" Sora yelled, as he landed down next to the winged-man. "I had an idea!"
"Player killing?" Balmung said with obvious disgust. "That is an illegal action…"
"Yes but it will get us to first place." Sora said with a smile. "Unless, of course, you don't want to save Elk…" Balmung glowered at Sora, then sighed heavily.
"I hate you…"
"Wow, look at these people go!" Kaley gave an impressed whistle. (Sage: You can't even hum very well… Kaley: Shut up you! I'm writing this!) "They're doing pretty good you know?"
"867-5309…" Bakura sang quietly under his breath. "Damn it Kaley that song is stuck in my head now…"
"Jenny I've got your number!" Kaley sang happily.
"867-5309!" Elk joined in.
"See? Your evil spreads…" Bakura sighed. "Is this contest over yet?"
"Hardly." Kaley looked out over the mountain. "I can see the leaders are about halfway up. Hey Elk, anyone in particular that you want to know the placing of?"
"Um, Balmung?"
"He's…hmm…" Kaley frowned and looked around. "Don't see him…"
"Tsukasa then." Elk said.
"Tsukasa and his partner Kite are in second place. Terajima Ryoko and Orca are in first place."
"I found Balmung." Bakura smirked. "It looks like him and Sora are dying to get in the leader…or rather, everyone else is dying for them…" Bakura laughed. "Oh puns are fun…"
"I see them now…" Kaley shook her head. "That's illegal. They really should be disqualified for that!"
"Huh?" Elk looked between the two. "What are they doing?"
"Killing off other players to reach you." Bakura grinned. "He, wait till they get here and find out…" His voice trailed off when he noticed the glare Kaley was sending him.
"It's a secret remember?? You can't let Elk in on it!"
"Ah fine…" Bakura grumbled. "Ah look, they've killed off half the contestants. Not much longer till they're in third."
"Elk, who do you want to win?" Kaley asked. Elk tugged at his robes nervously.
"I don't know…I guess I just want down from here…"
"Oh that looked like a nasty fall!" Kaley said suddenly. "Poor Orca…well, now Tsukasa and Kite are the leaders…"
"I'm really really sorry Miss Orca!" Ryoko cried again. Orca sighed and stood up. Due to a small accident on Ryoko's part, the two had fallen greatly behind the rest of the group.
"It's fine, don't worry about it!" Orca waved her hand dismissively. "But I'm thinking about something else."
"Huh?" Ryoko blinked.
"Ok, here's the thing: We fell a long~g ways down but we only saw a few people." Orca pointed down. "So where's everyone else? Are they struggling that much?"
"Actually, we killed them." Orca turned around and saw an emerald haired twin blade behind her. He lunged forward and she dodged quickly avoiding her blades.
"Ah, Terajima Ryoko?" She turned and saw Balmung behind her, holding his sword above her head. She screamed in surprise, causing Balmung to start. "Ah, wait! Don't scream!"
"So, knocking off the competition eh?" Orca cracked her knuckles. "Then we'll beat you at your own game! Let's go kid!" Orca launched herself at Sora, who turned gracefully blocked her blow.
"Oh, careful dog girl!" Sora teased.
"You be careful kid, you should know not to pet a wild animal!" Orca smiled and kicked out, connecting with the boy's stomach. He grunted and fell back. "I'm not a dog, I'm a wolf, a WERE wolf."
"Ahhhh!! Balmung Balmung!" Ryoko screamed was she swung wildly at the ivory man. Her axe nicked his armor repeatedly, causing small electric blue sparks to fly.
"Wait Ryoko!" Balmung cried. "I won't kill you!"
"Don't trust him Ryo!" Orca yelled. "These player killers have no qualms with killing a girl with her guard down."
"You're right!" Sora shouted, jumped off the ground, stabbing Orca in the arm. She howled and grabbed his arm so that he couldn't jump away.
"You are going to pay dearly for that…" Orca growled. She yanked the blade free from her arm and turned it powerfully shoving it into Sora's thigh. He moaned in pain and the two went back to slashing and clawing each other. Ryoko was still blindly trying her best to destroy Balmung.
"No no no no no no no~o!!" She shrieked as she spun her axe around her. "You won't stop me from my mission!"
"Ryoko stop!" Balmung yelled at the top of his lungs.
"I will not give in to your demands!"
"You get him Ryo!" Orca shouted, clawing Sora cross the face.
"Don't worry about her worry about yourself!" Sora smirked, wiping the blood off his face. "You better kill her Fruitypants!"
"But, but!" Balmung suddenly froze. He was backed against the rocks. Now he had to fight back, since Ryoko didn't looked like she was going to stop soon. "I'm sorry Ryoko but I have to do this!" He gripped his sword and jumped forward…
"How do you think we're doing?" Tsukasa asked. The two boys were resting under a ledge they had recently created.
"I think we'll be there in ten minutes if we work at the same pace." Kite answered. "But I don't think that will be the end. I think…there's something waiting for us at the top."
"I agree…there's something else to this legend that we don't know about." Tsukasa wiped some dust off his robes before continuing. "I was wondering though…why Elk was chosen."
"You heard Bakura." Kite shrugged. "The randomizer must be broken."
"Is it so simple?" Tsukasa inquired. "I mean, it seems odd that it would happen now of all times…"
"What do you mean?"
"Balmung gave Elk a hug and Mimiru blew up about it because she thought Elk and I were dating." Tsukasa sighed. "That girl can be so weird."
"I see…so Mimiru thought that Elk was cheating on you or something?"
"Basically." Tsukasa nodded. "So I don't know, it's almost like this is really a contest between me and Balmung."
"…Is it ok if I ask you a question?" Kite turned to the wavemaster.
"Sure, go ahead."
"Do you like Elk?" Kite questioned.
"Well…" Tsukasa hesitated. "I feel differently around him. He's like me sort of…he's quiet though…but he's so cute when he's smiling…I feel…happy when he smiles."
"I see…" Kite grinned and leaned forward a bit. "It sounds to me like you have a bit of a crush then."
"Maybe…" Tsukasa shrugged his shoulders. "But he doesn't know something about me…"
"A secret?"
"Yeah, it's something that's kinda weird…" The boy smiled. "I think, it might change the way Elk looked at me so I don't want to tell him…not yet anyway."
"Well, I'm sure that he'll be fine with whatever it is…unless you wanted to kill Mia or something." Kite laughed but Tsukasa just sighed and stood up.
"Yeah, right, let's just get to the top now…" Kite nodded and jumped up.
"But one other thing." Kite said before they went back to work. "Be careful ok? Balmung's a weirdo sometimes."
"Trust me, he's the one who should be careful." Tsukasa smirked and the two went back to destroying the mountain.
"What's taking so long?" Kaley frowned deeply. "There's only five teams left! Everyone else has been killed off! Someone has to reach the top some-" But a sudden noise stopped her. She turned and saw a bloodied wolf girl drag herself over the top of the mountain and onto the rope bridge. Panting, she turned behind her and helped an equally messed up heavy axe girl up to the overpass.
"Wow, you guys look good." Bakura said, blinking at them. Elk gasped when he realized who the girl was.
"Ryoko?" He cried out. The girl lifted her head weakly and smiled.
"Elk, I wanted to…I wanted…to help…" She said, standing with Orca's aid. The two leaned against each other for support.
"Hey…we made it…" Orca smiled feebly and gave thumbs up. "Nice fighter…good battle…Sora…"
"Sora?" Elk said in surprise. "He did this to you guys?!"
"I…didn't…do all the…work Elk…" Behind the two girls, standing wobbly was Sora. He grinned, wiping some blood off his bangs. Next to him, leaning against his broadsword was a beat up and dented Balmung.
"What did you guys do?" Kaley asked.
"We fought…" Orca laughed though it turned more into a cough. "Ryo here…she did a damn…good job." The wolf girl patted the angelic girl. "Nice work…"
"Thanks…" Ryoko smiled.
"I'm sorry…again…" Balmung muttered. "I wanted to…save you so…badly Elk that I…I fought against the other teams…we killed them off…"
"Huh?!" Elk's eyes went wide. "Then, then you guys…you guys killed Tsukasa too?!" He cried out.
"Huh? What about me?" The group turned and looked over at the far end of the bridge. There stood Kite and Tsukasa, a bit sweaty but otherwise in mint condition. Tsukasa stepped forward and smirked. "Well, Sora, you look great…Balmung, nice style there."
"Red does…match my eyes." Sora laughed.
"Well, you guys can not proceed any farther…" Bakura stepped forward. "Until you complete the task at hand. You must finish the legend to save the goddess…err, the god Elk."
"Right, the sacrifice." Balmung muttered darkly. He and Sora stared at each other coldly.
"Well…now we have to decide huh…" Tsukasa and Kite turned to each, neither too thrilled about this.
"Well, I say…screw you guys…" Orca grinned. Kaley turned to her.
"What? Excuse me?"
"You…heard me…" Orca stood up taller, putting her hands on her waist. "Ryo here and me…we fought hard to make it here…together." Orca shook her head. "I wouldn't have made it…not without her. So you see…" Orca grinned and put one arm around Terajima. "I'm not tossing her…in the lava."
"And…and…" Ryoko swallowed nervously. "I, I can't…I can't kill Orca either…I'm sorry…Elk…"
"So you see?" Orca smiled triumphantly. "We got here together…"
"Then die together." Bakura said in a suddenly dangerous voice. "You can't both leave this mountain." Orca and Ryoko turned to a small huddle and debated quietly for a few minutes before grinning.
"Well then, you need one person to see the Goddess?" Orca asked. Bakura nodded swiftly. "Then, how's this…Ryo will be Balmung's sacrifice and I'll be Tsukasa's."
"Hmm…I guess…we never said you had to kill your partner…" Kaley said slowly. "So, if it's ok with them…"
"It sounds fine to me." Balmung muttered. "If that is the wish of these girls, then who am I to deny it."
"I'll do it." Tsukasa nodded. Ryoko and Orca smiled at each and looked over the edge into the lava below.
"Well, then you heard them. We die to save Elk." Orca grabbed Ryoko's hand and nodded. "Let's jump together."
"Ok." Ryoko smiled back and waved at Elk. "Bye Elk, I'm sorry I couldn't save you."
"Let's go Ryo!" Orca cried and together the two dived down, crashing into the volcano below. Their characters disappeared beneath the red-hot liquid.
"Ryoko?! Miss Wolf Girl?!" Elk cried out, leaning over ropes. He stared down into the bubbling magma below, his eyes wide. No one else said anything.
"Alright then!" Kaley shouted after a few minutes, breaking the awkward silence. "It would appear then that Balmung and Tsukasa are the finalists…"
"Wait!" Sora shouted. He turned to Kite. "I need to be in this too! I need to kill you now. I'm sorry." He leaned forward to push him…
"So am I." Kite answered grimly before shoved Sora back and over the ropes. Sora grabbed Kite's leg, however, at the last minute and the two twin blades fell off the bridge. Kite grabbed the rope, saving himself. Sora grabbed Kite's leg. The two dangled there, Kite trying to pull them both up. Elk tried to move to them but Kaley wouldn't let him.
"You have to leave them, you can't help them and if Tsukasa or Balmung helps, they are disqualified." Kaley stated sadly.
"Kite?? Sora?" He muttered. "What…why…"
"Umm…ok…well, that was interesting…" Bakura grinned. "I love this game…ok, so now the finalists are Tsukasa and Balmung…and now, my two soon to be dead friends, it's time to learn the last part of the legend…" Bakura clapped his hands together. "My favorite part too. And if one of you lives to save Elk then you'll get the grand prize." Kaley looked over the two, one heaving in pain and the other only mildly tired.
"Well, sorry to say this but its time…" She smiled slightly and took Elk's hand. "So, are you guys ready?"
A/N: Sage: Ah yes, another interesting chapter yes?
Elk: You killed Ryoko and Orca?
Kaley: (crying) Oh why did Orca have to die?!
Bakura: It sounded to me like Orca likes Ryoko…what are you planning Sage?
Sage: Did it really sound like that??
Kaley: Yuri huh…
Sage: Hang on guys…
Elk: I didn't know this was going to have everything…yaoi, yuri, straight.
Sage: -_- I never said it was yuri.
Kaley: Oh yeah! You gotta admit, it's heating up! I hope the small little battle between the two teams sounded good to you…I'm not good at battle scenes.
Bakura: Well, hope you guys liked this chapter, it may be awhile till the next one.
Kaley: You see, for Christmas as my gift to reviewers I plan on a MASSIVE update of all my stories, yep, all eight of them. ^_^
Sage: So I have to get writing…but I will try to do another chapter of this by then.
Elk: Well, I guess that's all…it's so nice to see many repeat reviewers, it really makes us happy!
Sage: So next chapter is the final of the Tanabata festival, followed by "what will Elk wish for after such chaos??" and of course, the start of something new…and it's name is Subaru…or Mia…or maybe someone you won't expect!
Kaley: You're not making sense.
Sage: I know! ^_^ see ya next chapter!
A/N: Sage: