Disclaimer: Ok, I don't own .hack or anything from it save the characters
I have created. Bandai owns the rest.
PG-13: I could probably get away with PG, but not sure just how violent it might get later, so better to be safe.
Author's Comment: So you know, all areas mentioned can be reached in the game and are to a great degree accurate.
Warning: Again, I shouldn't need to mention it, but I will anyway. This has spoilers for those who have not played .Hack: Outbreak.
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Despite knowing beforehand what they would find behind the door, the actual sight of it still caused both Kite and BlackRose to cringe momentarily in fear. It was worse for BlackRose, as she was fairly certain that it had been a Data Bug much like this one that had placed her brother in a coma. Still, she flipped her Executer in front of her and paused as she gauged the foe, fear slipping to the back of her mind.
Unlike BlackRose, Kite didn't fear the possibility of a Data Bug causing a coma for him. Orca had fallen to Skeith and his Data Drain, not to the infinite hit points of a Data Bug. Of course they had never determined that Data Bugs could put people into comas, although given the apparent numbers who were falling into them it seemed unlikely that Skeith and the others were responsible for them all. What always scared Kite more than anything though was not a Data Bug, or even Skeith and his fellow. . . well he wasn't sure just what they were really, but his own bracelet.
Moving together in a charge straight at the Data Bug, Kite and BlackRose suddenly broke apart in unison as the floating Data Bug slashed down at them far faster than its normal form would have done. Without a word the pair took up their fighting positions for such a battle, the plans rarely required words these days. That was the advantage to working together so often, they knew what to do without words, like they were linked.
Dodging another swing, Kite bounced off the wall and sprinted hard drawing the monster's attention away with it. As the floating creature lifted its arm to strike again, Kite grinned and leapt backwards adding a slight one-handed back flip in with it. As he did so he heard what he had known would be coming. BlackRose's voice rang out as she screamed, "Death Bringer!"
Kite caught a slight glimpse of BlackRose as she came down hard out of her somersault slashing into the Data Bug. Spotting her feet land below the floating form, he dove in himself as she took off in retreat, the Data Bug turning to face her. As he left the Data Bug's line of sight, Kite took his final step in. Utilizing the Storm Rage technique, he dealt blow after blow upon the creature, but it wasn't doing much. The creature, like all of its kind, had infinite hit points, it could go on like this forever. More importantly, he should have picked an attack that took less time.
As he landed from the attack, he felt pain shoot through him as he was struck hard, knocking him back, skidding along the floor and into the wall. Blinking once or twice, Kite looked up at the scene. BlackRose had moved in to cover for him, and was trying her best to fend off the heavy blows the Data Bug was delivering.
They had no chance if this kept up, and that left him with only one option. Not that he enjoyed it, he hated using this skill. Raising his right hand up towards the Data Bug, Kite poised his feet to support him from the blast, then froze. Standing between the Data Bug and himself was BlackRose, and she wasn't moving.
"BlackRose, get out of the way, I'll use Data Drain!"
"I. . . can't move. . . I'm para. . . lyzed."
Cursing inwardly, Kite's mind was a jumble of thoughts. What could he do, if he tried to Data Drain, he might hit her instead. How could he live with himself if he put her into a coma as well? Her brother was already comatose, if she. . .
The image of BlackRose lying unconscious next to Yasuhiko flashed through his mind. No, he couldn't stand that thought. Glancing back up, his jaw dropped as the Data Bug swung in hitting her hard. A scream pierced his ears, eyes widening in horrified shock and fear as the monster moved to strike her again.
"A Great Force. The Power it holds can bring either Salvation. . . or Destruction. . . at the whim of the user."
That was what Aura had said about the bracelet. Still, which he had been using it for was not something that he was, as of yet, unable to decide. He wanted to use it for Salvation, to save and protect others, but how could be use it now, risk destroying BlackRose, his friend, his partner, his. . .
Letting out a soul-wrenching scream, Kite charged in at the Data Bug, all thoughts of strategy lost. As he came within range he leapt into the air, over BlackRose's head and swung in with his twin blades. As one of the blades embedded itself into the Data Bug, hooking him to it, Kite clung to it and slashed repeatedly at it with his other blade. Anger consumed him, logic, reason, danger, none of these mattered, and so he continued to slash.
Then with a sudden jolt his world went black for mere moments as the Data Bug knocked him back. Suddenly a strange glow appeared before him. *This is weird, it's like- * His voice stopped as a young female face appeared in front him of, platinum hair blowing as if in a slight breeze. *Aura *
"Salvation. . ." What was going on? It was Aura, he knew it, but how, and what did she mean by-"
"Believe Kite. . . please save me, before the-."
His eyes jerked open as his back slammed against the wall again. Glancing around, Kite scanned for Aura, but he didn't see her anywhere. The Data Bug was approaching him now though. Had all of that. . . taken mere moments?
Rising to his feet, wobbling slightly, Kite grinned up at the approaching enemy. Aura had been right, he needed to believe. That and the creature had just moved between himself and BlackRose.
Raising his right arm up, Kite paused for a moment then screamed, "DATA DRAIN!"
Tendrils shot out from the glowing ring on his arm, grappling onto the Data Bug, and the modification took place. When Kite lowered his hand, all that was before him was a single Hand of God.
"Death Bringer!"
Slashing down hard from behind, Kite just stood there as the Hand of God hit the ground and faded as it died. Looking up from the dead enemy, Kite caught BlackRose flipping her Executer blade up onto her right shoulder. He waited for her usual critical remark, the comments on how he had just left her there to be beaten, but they didn't come. Instead she grinned at him rather affectionately, and winked. "Not bad."
Taking a deep breath Kite nodded. "Thanks."
Returning the nod, BlackRose grinned wider. "Of course it took you long enough."
Chuckling slightly for a moment, Kite smiled. That was more like what he had expected. Taking his thoughts away from her for a moment, Kite glanced around the room. BlackRose did too. "Well," BlackRose said after a moment, "it doesn't look like there's anything else here. Damnit, and I had been hoping we'd find something here. When I get my hands on the girl who told me about this place, her ass is dead." She then turned and moved off towards the door.
Chuckling again, Kite took one last look at the room before turning to follow his partner. It hadn't been totally worthless, Aura had been here, he was sure of it. Now that he thought about it, the situation hadn't been that different than it had the first time he had faced a Data Bug. The same fear of what would happen to her, to both of them, had loomed over him then as well. Both times it had been Aura who had given him the answer, and both times it had been the same result. He owed Aura quite a lot, and he had to repay her, help her, no matter what. Catching up to his partner in the next room, the pair began to head back out of the dungeon side by side, Kite on the left, BlackRose on the right.
Several rooms farther, BlackRose suddenly came to a dead stop, leaving Kite to move a few paces more before he noticed. Turning to face her, a concerned expression covered Kite's face. BlackRose had her head lowered, arms behind her back, left hand gripping her right elbow. As Kite watched her hips began to sway in and out nervously. "BlackRose are you-."
"Kite?" She still refused to raise her head.
"Yes, what is it BlackRose? Is something wrong?"
Her fidgeting only increased. "Back there, when we were fighting the Data Bug. . . why didn't you just blast it with Data Drain the first time? Instead you just leapt in there and nearly got yourself killed."
Now it was Kite's turn to lower his head. "Well. . . I was afraid that if I used Data Drain, with you standing there. . . that I might. . ." He raised his head back up and looked at her, courage mixing with willpower as he spoke. "I couldn't take the chance that I might hit you instead. If that happened, and you ended up like your brother. . . like Orca. . . I just couldn't take it. I just couldn't lose you like that, think of you like that. You're. . ." He paused. BlackRose raised her own head to look at him, waiting for his answer, her left hand coming back around and hovering over her chest, fist gripped tight. Finally he smiled. "You're my partner."
Eyes widening as she took a step back, BlackRose's hand pressed against her chest now. Then, slowly, her eyes settled back down filling with warmth, and she smiled. Taking a step towards him, she paused again, then sneered and said, "Well don't worry, I can handle myself just fine. It's not like I'm some newbie anymore."
She then lifted up her sword and began to walk again, Kite taking his place on her left as they moved on. Then, in a low voice, still looking ahead of them she said, "Still, thank you Kite." Her left hand then slowly reached out and gripped his right, squeezing it tightly, unable to wrap around his fingers due to the blade in his hand, but it didn't matter. It stayed there all the way to the Gott Statue where they activated their Sprite Ocarinas and left.
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Standing behind the Grunty Shop, SM Slayer peered off at the strange, unreachable half bridge in the distance. He had always wondered about that area, why it was there. Had at one point perhaps it been designed to be a part of the town, but then abandoned? Or perhaps in some event long before he had started to play it had been severed from the rest of the area.
Either way it didn't really matter, no one could go there, but it did leave much to the imagination, and that was quite possibly why it was there. Life had plenty of mysteries that humans had never been able to adequately solve, so 'The World' was more than capable of having a few too. Such quirky mysteries was what added a bit more fun to the game, although some less welcome than others.
"Nice to hear from you again StarMan."
Looking to his left, SM Slayer smiled lightly at the tall, female Wavemaster standing a few meters away. Dressed in a high collar royal blue dress that had slits to the knees on each side, a golden arm ring on each arm just above the elbow on her bare, sleeveless skin. A matching gold headband wrapped around her forehead, hidden in back by her long, crimson hair that ran halfway down her back. In the middle of the band was a single, oval ruby that glistened when it was caught in the light. "Hello Nobiki, it's always nice to see you."
Scowling, the Wavemaster pointed her Starstorm Wand at him menacingly. "How many times must I tell you, don't use my real name in here. I'm not Nobiki in here, I'm Nightstar. Get it right, or," lifting her wand up slightly more, "Burn."
Staring at one another in silence for a long moment, SM Slayer cracked a wry grin and began to chuckle. "You haven't changed a bit No. . . Nightstar. Always know how keep a man on his toes. Still, as I said before, it's always nice to see you."
Lowering her wand, Nightstar's cheeks turned to match her hair for a moment as a smile slid across her face. "Even though I. . .?"
"Yeah, even though."
The two again gazed at one another in silence for a long moment, both feeling the tension thickening. "So," Nightstar finally said, breaking the silence, "I received your email, what is this matter you want to talk about?"
The smile on SM Slayer's face morphed into a frown as his thoughts slid back to the matter that had been weighing on his chest. "It's about a friend of mine. She's met someone on here and seems to be completely infatuated with him, or his character, or something."
"You mean Mycinity?"
SM Slayer Nodded. "You know her?"
Nightstar shook her head. "No, but you mentioned her to me once or twice. I, after all, pay attention to the things you've said."
Cocking an eyebrow, SM Slayer replied, "I thought we were in here, not out there?"
Gasping, Nightstar covered her mouth in shock. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-."
SM Slayer just waved her off. "It's all right, things like that sometimes happen. No one can ever completely keep their life out of 'The World', or at least that's what I think." Walking over to the back edge of the Grunty Shop and leaning against it, setting his Fairy Spear against the rock to his right, he continued, "Anyway, as I was saying, it appears that she's become infatuated with another player, one with a level much higher than her own."
Walking a few steps closer, Nightstar lowered herself to the ground leaning against the back of the Grunty Shop as well and stared off towards the area in the distance, Starstorm Wand lying at her side. "So, isn't that her business? Or are you jealous?"
He shook his head slowly. "No, it's not like that. I mean it is her business, but I just have a bad hunch about it. Besides. . ."
"Hmmm?" Nightstar turned her head to look up at him.
"She," SM Slayer began, pausing for a moment before continuing, "she reminds me of. . . Fujiko."
"Fujiko. . ." Staring at him for a moment, taking in what she had heard, Nightstar then rose to her feet, wand in hand, guarded concern in her voice. "Listen to me, what happened to Fujiko was tragic, but it was not your fault. Don't try to make Mycinity replace her, because Mycinity is not Fujiko, and you'll only hurt yourself and that girl if you think that way."
"I'm not. . . I don't think she's Fujiko."
Cocking an eyebrow, Nightstar glared at him, eyes going to slits. "Aren't you?"
Sighing heavily, SM Slayer lowered his head. "Ok, maybe a little. It's not like that though. I know she's not my sister, but I see the same personality in her that Fujiko had. Plus she's a newbie, and doesn't understand how everything in 'The World' works. I'm just watching out for her is all. Is that wrong?"
Panning the distance with her eyes, Nightstar took a breath and closed her eyes. "Only as long as you don't let this go too far, and I don't mean with her and this other player. From what you've told me she looks up to you, so give her the advice you would give any girl, not the advice you'd give Fujiko."
"Would the advice really be that different?"
"Do you even need to ask?"
Turning his head away, SM Slayer let out a soft sigh. "No."
"So, is that all you wanted to talk about?"
Looking back over to her, SM Slayer shook his head. "No, I wanted to ask you a favor."
Cocking an eyebrow, Nightstar giggled slightly. "A favor, this should be interesting."
Pausing for a moment, SM Slayer looked into her hazel eyes and said, "I wanted to ask you to see what you can find out about a Twin Blade player named Kite."
"Kite?" Nightstar replied. "Is he the other player she likes?"
SM Slayer nodded. "Yeah. I just want to make sure he's all right, not a troublemaker or anything. If he isn't, I'll back off and let her do what she wants."
"And if he isn't?"
SM Slayer paused. "If he isn't. . . then we'll see what happens."
"StarMan. . ." Nightstar gazed at him for a long time, feeling herself shaking ever so slightly. "Ok, I'll see what my contacts know, but no promises. I'll email you when I have something."
Nodding, SM Slayer watched as Nightstar turned to leave. As she disappeared from his view he sighed again, then whispered, "Thank you Nobiki."
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Sorry, no Mycinity this chapter. Maybe in the next one, not sure yet. I'm trying to flush out some of the other characters, and there are a few of them after all. Next time though, we will get to meet KenRyu, I promise, and maybe some more on Elnon too.
I know how I want the story to go, but I have set it up to where a great deal can be left open to play with. All that is set in stone is how I end this, and I will not give that away. If you have a request to see a certain character from the game though (not the anime or manga) I will consider it (Note that Balmung will already be arriving in one of the next couple of chapters, although which I can't say just yet, so don't worry about that). R&R people, it's important!
PG-13: I could probably get away with PG, but not sure just how violent it might get later, so better to be safe.
Author's Comment: So you know, all areas mentioned can be reached in the game and are to a great degree accurate.
Warning: Again, I shouldn't need to mention it, but I will anyway. This has spoilers for those who have not played .Hack: Outbreak.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-
Despite knowing beforehand what they would find behind the door, the actual sight of it still caused both Kite and BlackRose to cringe momentarily in fear. It was worse for BlackRose, as she was fairly certain that it had been a Data Bug much like this one that had placed her brother in a coma. Still, she flipped her Executer in front of her and paused as she gauged the foe, fear slipping to the back of her mind.
Unlike BlackRose, Kite didn't fear the possibility of a Data Bug causing a coma for him. Orca had fallen to Skeith and his Data Drain, not to the infinite hit points of a Data Bug. Of course they had never determined that Data Bugs could put people into comas, although given the apparent numbers who were falling into them it seemed unlikely that Skeith and the others were responsible for them all. What always scared Kite more than anything though was not a Data Bug, or even Skeith and his fellow. . . well he wasn't sure just what they were really, but his own bracelet.
Moving together in a charge straight at the Data Bug, Kite and BlackRose suddenly broke apart in unison as the floating Data Bug slashed down at them far faster than its normal form would have done. Without a word the pair took up their fighting positions for such a battle, the plans rarely required words these days. That was the advantage to working together so often, they knew what to do without words, like they were linked.
Dodging another swing, Kite bounced off the wall and sprinted hard drawing the monster's attention away with it. As the floating creature lifted its arm to strike again, Kite grinned and leapt backwards adding a slight one-handed back flip in with it. As he did so he heard what he had known would be coming. BlackRose's voice rang out as she screamed, "Death Bringer!"
Kite caught a slight glimpse of BlackRose as she came down hard out of her somersault slashing into the Data Bug. Spotting her feet land below the floating form, he dove in himself as she took off in retreat, the Data Bug turning to face her. As he left the Data Bug's line of sight, Kite took his final step in. Utilizing the Storm Rage technique, he dealt blow after blow upon the creature, but it wasn't doing much. The creature, like all of its kind, had infinite hit points, it could go on like this forever. More importantly, he should have picked an attack that took less time.
As he landed from the attack, he felt pain shoot through him as he was struck hard, knocking him back, skidding along the floor and into the wall. Blinking once or twice, Kite looked up at the scene. BlackRose had moved in to cover for him, and was trying her best to fend off the heavy blows the Data Bug was delivering.
They had no chance if this kept up, and that left him with only one option. Not that he enjoyed it, he hated using this skill. Raising his right hand up towards the Data Bug, Kite poised his feet to support him from the blast, then froze. Standing between the Data Bug and himself was BlackRose, and she wasn't moving.
"BlackRose, get out of the way, I'll use Data Drain!"
"I. . . can't move. . . I'm para. . . lyzed."
Cursing inwardly, Kite's mind was a jumble of thoughts. What could he do, if he tried to Data Drain, he might hit her instead. How could he live with himself if he put her into a coma as well? Her brother was already comatose, if she. . .
The image of BlackRose lying unconscious next to Yasuhiko flashed through his mind. No, he couldn't stand that thought. Glancing back up, his jaw dropped as the Data Bug swung in hitting her hard. A scream pierced his ears, eyes widening in horrified shock and fear as the monster moved to strike her again.
"A Great Force. The Power it holds can bring either Salvation. . . or Destruction. . . at the whim of the user."
That was what Aura had said about the bracelet. Still, which he had been using it for was not something that he was, as of yet, unable to decide. He wanted to use it for Salvation, to save and protect others, but how could be use it now, risk destroying BlackRose, his friend, his partner, his. . .
Letting out a soul-wrenching scream, Kite charged in at the Data Bug, all thoughts of strategy lost. As he came within range he leapt into the air, over BlackRose's head and swung in with his twin blades. As one of the blades embedded itself into the Data Bug, hooking him to it, Kite clung to it and slashed repeatedly at it with his other blade. Anger consumed him, logic, reason, danger, none of these mattered, and so he continued to slash.
Then with a sudden jolt his world went black for mere moments as the Data Bug knocked him back. Suddenly a strange glow appeared before him. *This is weird, it's like- * His voice stopped as a young female face appeared in front him of, platinum hair blowing as if in a slight breeze. *Aura *
"Salvation. . ." What was going on? It was Aura, he knew it, but how, and what did she mean by-"
"Believe Kite. . . please save me, before the-."
His eyes jerked open as his back slammed against the wall again. Glancing around, Kite scanned for Aura, but he didn't see her anywhere. The Data Bug was approaching him now though. Had all of that. . . taken mere moments?
Rising to his feet, wobbling slightly, Kite grinned up at the approaching enemy. Aura had been right, he needed to believe. That and the creature had just moved between himself and BlackRose.
Raising his right arm up, Kite paused for a moment then screamed, "DATA DRAIN!"
Tendrils shot out from the glowing ring on his arm, grappling onto the Data Bug, and the modification took place. When Kite lowered his hand, all that was before him was a single Hand of God.
"Death Bringer!"
Slashing down hard from behind, Kite just stood there as the Hand of God hit the ground and faded as it died. Looking up from the dead enemy, Kite caught BlackRose flipping her Executer blade up onto her right shoulder. He waited for her usual critical remark, the comments on how he had just left her there to be beaten, but they didn't come. Instead she grinned at him rather affectionately, and winked. "Not bad."
Taking a deep breath Kite nodded. "Thanks."
Returning the nod, BlackRose grinned wider. "Of course it took you long enough."
Chuckling slightly for a moment, Kite smiled. That was more like what he had expected. Taking his thoughts away from her for a moment, Kite glanced around the room. BlackRose did too. "Well," BlackRose said after a moment, "it doesn't look like there's anything else here. Damnit, and I had been hoping we'd find something here. When I get my hands on the girl who told me about this place, her ass is dead." She then turned and moved off towards the door.
Chuckling again, Kite took one last look at the room before turning to follow his partner. It hadn't been totally worthless, Aura had been here, he was sure of it. Now that he thought about it, the situation hadn't been that different than it had the first time he had faced a Data Bug. The same fear of what would happen to her, to both of them, had loomed over him then as well. Both times it had been Aura who had given him the answer, and both times it had been the same result. He owed Aura quite a lot, and he had to repay her, help her, no matter what. Catching up to his partner in the next room, the pair began to head back out of the dungeon side by side, Kite on the left, BlackRose on the right.
Several rooms farther, BlackRose suddenly came to a dead stop, leaving Kite to move a few paces more before he noticed. Turning to face her, a concerned expression covered Kite's face. BlackRose had her head lowered, arms behind her back, left hand gripping her right elbow. As Kite watched her hips began to sway in and out nervously. "BlackRose are you-."
"Kite?" She still refused to raise her head.
"Yes, what is it BlackRose? Is something wrong?"
Her fidgeting only increased. "Back there, when we were fighting the Data Bug. . . why didn't you just blast it with Data Drain the first time? Instead you just leapt in there and nearly got yourself killed."
Now it was Kite's turn to lower his head. "Well. . . I was afraid that if I used Data Drain, with you standing there. . . that I might. . ." He raised his head back up and looked at her, courage mixing with willpower as he spoke. "I couldn't take the chance that I might hit you instead. If that happened, and you ended up like your brother. . . like Orca. . . I just couldn't take it. I just couldn't lose you like that, think of you like that. You're. . ." He paused. BlackRose raised her own head to look at him, waiting for his answer, her left hand coming back around and hovering over her chest, fist gripped tight. Finally he smiled. "You're my partner."
Eyes widening as she took a step back, BlackRose's hand pressed against her chest now. Then, slowly, her eyes settled back down filling with warmth, and she smiled. Taking a step towards him, she paused again, then sneered and said, "Well don't worry, I can handle myself just fine. It's not like I'm some newbie anymore."
She then lifted up her sword and began to walk again, Kite taking his place on her left as they moved on. Then, in a low voice, still looking ahead of them she said, "Still, thank you Kite." Her left hand then slowly reached out and gripped his right, squeezing it tightly, unable to wrap around his fingers due to the blade in his hand, but it didn't matter. It stayed there all the way to the Gott Statue where they activated their Sprite Ocarinas and left.
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Standing behind the Grunty Shop, SM Slayer peered off at the strange, unreachable half bridge in the distance. He had always wondered about that area, why it was there. Had at one point perhaps it been designed to be a part of the town, but then abandoned? Or perhaps in some event long before he had started to play it had been severed from the rest of the area.
Either way it didn't really matter, no one could go there, but it did leave much to the imagination, and that was quite possibly why it was there. Life had plenty of mysteries that humans had never been able to adequately solve, so 'The World' was more than capable of having a few too. Such quirky mysteries was what added a bit more fun to the game, although some less welcome than others.
"Nice to hear from you again StarMan."
Looking to his left, SM Slayer smiled lightly at the tall, female Wavemaster standing a few meters away. Dressed in a high collar royal blue dress that had slits to the knees on each side, a golden arm ring on each arm just above the elbow on her bare, sleeveless skin. A matching gold headband wrapped around her forehead, hidden in back by her long, crimson hair that ran halfway down her back. In the middle of the band was a single, oval ruby that glistened when it was caught in the light. "Hello Nobiki, it's always nice to see you."
Scowling, the Wavemaster pointed her Starstorm Wand at him menacingly. "How many times must I tell you, don't use my real name in here. I'm not Nobiki in here, I'm Nightstar. Get it right, or," lifting her wand up slightly more, "Burn."
Staring at one another in silence for a long moment, SM Slayer cracked a wry grin and began to chuckle. "You haven't changed a bit No. . . Nightstar. Always know how keep a man on his toes. Still, as I said before, it's always nice to see you."
Lowering her wand, Nightstar's cheeks turned to match her hair for a moment as a smile slid across her face. "Even though I. . .?"
"Yeah, even though."
The two again gazed at one another in silence for a long moment, both feeling the tension thickening. "So," Nightstar finally said, breaking the silence, "I received your email, what is this matter you want to talk about?"
The smile on SM Slayer's face morphed into a frown as his thoughts slid back to the matter that had been weighing on his chest. "It's about a friend of mine. She's met someone on here and seems to be completely infatuated with him, or his character, or something."
"You mean Mycinity?"
SM Slayer Nodded. "You know her?"
Nightstar shook her head. "No, but you mentioned her to me once or twice. I, after all, pay attention to the things you've said."
Cocking an eyebrow, SM Slayer replied, "I thought we were in here, not out there?"
Gasping, Nightstar covered her mouth in shock. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-."
SM Slayer just waved her off. "It's all right, things like that sometimes happen. No one can ever completely keep their life out of 'The World', or at least that's what I think." Walking over to the back edge of the Grunty Shop and leaning against it, setting his Fairy Spear against the rock to his right, he continued, "Anyway, as I was saying, it appears that she's become infatuated with another player, one with a level much higher than her own."
Walking a few steps closer, Nightstar lowered herself to the ground leaning against the back of the Grunty Shop as well and stared off towards the area in the distance, Starstorm Wand lying at her side. "So, isn't that her business? Or are you jealous?"
He shook his head slowly. "No, it's not like that. I mean it is her business, but I just have a bad hunch about it. Besides. . ."
"Hmmm?" Nightstar turned her head to look up at him.
"She," SM Slayer began, pausing for a moment before continuing, "she reminds me of. . . Fujiko."
"Fujiko. . ." Staring at him for a moment, taking in what she had heard, Nightstar then rose to her feet, wand in hand, guarded concern in her voice. "Listen to me, what happened to Fujiko was tragic, but it was not your fault. Don't try to make Mycinity replace her, because Mycinity is not Fujiko, and you'll only hurt yourself and that girl if you think that way."
"I'm not. . . I don't think she's Fujiko."
Cocking an eyebrow, Nightstar glared at him, eyes going to slits. "Aren't you?"
Sighing heavily, SM Slayer lowered his head. "Ok, maybe a little. It's not like that though. I know she's not my sister, but I see the same personality in her that Fujiko had. Plus she's a newbie, and doesn't understand how everything in 'The World' works. I'm just watching out for her is all. Is that wrong?"
Panning the distance with her eyes, Nightstar took a breath and closed her eyes. "Only as long as you don't let this go too far, and I don't mean with her and this other player. From what you've told me she looks up to you, so give her the advice you would give any girl, not the advice you'd give Fujiko."
"Would the advice really be that different?"
"Do you even need to ask?"
Turning his head away, SM Slayer let out a soft sigh. "No."
"So, is that all you wanted to talk about?"
Looking back over to her, SM Slayer shook his head. "No, I wanted to ask you a favor."
Cocking an eyebrow, Nightstar giggled slightly. "A favor, this should be interesting."
Pausing for a moment, SM Slayer looked into her hazel eyes and said, "I wanted to ask you to see what you can find out about a Twin Blade player named Kite."
"Kite?" Nightstar replied. "Is he the other player she likes?"
SM Slayer nodded. "Yeah. I just want to make sure he's all right, not a troublemaker or anything. If he isn't, I'll back off and let her do what she wants."
"And if he isn't?"
SM Slayer paused. "If he isn't. . . then we'll see what happens."
"StarMan. . ." Nightstar gazed at him for a long time, feeling herself shaking ever so slightly. "Ok, I'll see what my contacts know, but no promises. I'll email you when I have something."
Nodding, SM Slayer watched as Nightstar turned to leave. As she disappeared from his view he sighed again, then whispered, "Thank you Nobiki."
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Sorry, no Mycinity this chapter. Maybe in the next one, not sure yet. I'm trying to flush out some of the other characters, and there are a few of them after all. Next time though, we will get to meet KenRyu, I promise, and maybe some more on Elnon too.
I know how I want the story to go, but I have set it up to where a great deal can be left open to play with. All that is set in stone is how I end this, and I will not give that away. If you have a request to see a certain character from the game though (not the anime or manga) I will consider it (Note that Balmung will already be arriving in one of the next couple of chapters, although which I can't say just yet, so don't worry about that). R&R people, it's important!