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.
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SM Slayer stared down at the stone floor from his seat on the dungeon steps of ï Chosen Solitary Gate as he continued to listen to Mycinity and Barricade tell their story. So far what he had heard did not bode well.
"So then that black haired... black cloaked... well he wore a lot of black. Anyway he basically said that we should stay away from Kite or else. He didn't say exactly why, just something about giants on the playground." Barricade stood silent and grim as Mycinity continued to ramble on about everything that was said. The giant remark got a grin from SM Slayer though, because unlike them, he grasped the meaning behind it.
Lifting his head as Mycinity paused, taking his Fairy Spear off his lap and placing it gently down onto the stone steps SM Slayer gave them both a hard look. "So that's it? You're sure he didn't say anything else? Nothing unusual or out of place? Barricade?" The Blademaster just stood their silently, acting cool. Smiling inwardly, SM Slayer's eyes lingered on him for a moment. He knew Barricade's facade was just that, an act. Trying to be the strong silent type, a role that really didn't fit him. The moment passed though and his eyes drifted back to the floor, mind in deep thought.
"So SM, what do you think? Was that guy just crazy or something, or what?"
"I think... that you might want to heed his advice and not go near Kite anymore." The shock on her face was obvious, and he had momentary thoughts of informing her of the rumors he'd heard about Kite from Nightstar, but thought better of it. "I understand that you really like him My, but the truth is that this Wavemaster is right. I had a chance a week ago to talk to Kite's friends the day you brought Kite here, and they confirmed that he does hang out with a rather powerful group of people, the so called giants. Even Lord Balmung fights alongside him. He might be a great role model, but you, and me for that matter, are really just little children in his playground, bugs trying not to be stepped on. He saved you two from danger, and that's great, but chasing after him like this may not be the best thing to do. Kite may not be there the next time you need help."
Tears began to well up in Mycinity's eyes as she fought to hold them back. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword hard, and if it wasn't a game the hilt's durability might have fallen into concern. "You're wrong! Kite is a great and wonderful man! He cares, he CARES!"
Trying his best to use reason, SM Slayer replied, "I'm sure he does care, but the facts are that Kite hasn't been back for a week, and he can't always protect you. Besides, I really don't think that Wavemaster is going away and-"
"YOU DON"T UNDERSTAND!! YOU NEVER WILL! YOU'RE JUST JEALOUS OF HIM, JEALOUS!!!" With that Mycinity turned, tears flowing freely, and tore down the corridor towards the entrance to the next room in the dungeon.
SM Slayer reached out for a moment to stop her, but then stopped. There was nothing more he could say. Barricade though watched in silence until Mycinity had reached the next room before turning to face the Long Arm and snarling, "Look what you did! Don't you see how much she cares about him? You can't just expect her to drop him overnight!"
Lowering his head and shaking it solemnly, SM Slayer answered with a dull, defeated tone, "I know. It's just... this could get really dangerous for her, for all of us, if we delve too deeply into something we're not prepared for. 'Those who seek the truth must also be willing to accept it once they find it.' I just don't think My will accept the truth she'll find about Kite is all."
Calming slightly, Barricade nodded. "Yeah. She's like that sometimes, all teenage girls are. They paint a guy up to be more than he is, or expect too much and when they realize he's not their perfect and chivalrous knight in shining armor they can't accept it and try denying it so it will be ok, but it isn't and things just get worse."
Looking up at the Blademaster now with a newfound respect, SM Slayer nodded. "Yes, and it's not just teenage girls, all women are guilty of it from time to time. The smart ones simply learn to accept the idiots they fall for as the idiots they are, but those women are few and far between. I'd say you have some experience in that category huh?"
"Hmph, maybe, but then it sounds like you do too. I better go check up on her, make sure she's ok." Barricade began heading off after Mycinity when SM Slayer called off to him, "You realize that Wavemaster was a hacker right? Only a hacker could cause a barrier and shockwave like that without any staff movement or spell. Keep your guard up."
Halting in his step, Barricade looked back over his shoulder and nodded. Then, almost as an afterthought added in, "Oh, Mycinity forgot to mention it, but that hacker guy referred to Kite once as the Bearer of the Twilight Bracelet, whatever that means." He then moved off out of the room after Mycinity once more.
SM Slayer's eyebrow cocked at that though. Twilight Bracelet, now that rang some bells in his mind, but just what he couldn't recall just now. Still, he'd better contact Nightstar and see what she could make out of this, she was always better with putting things together than he was. He just had to hope she didn't get emotional like Mycinity, she got that way whenever he contacted her during his visitation times with Shizuru. As he grasped his spear and rose to leave, he couldn't help thinking, * Women, always so emotional for no apparent reason.*
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The last few weeks had definitely been stressful. Lying in the shade of his usual tree in ï Hidden Passionate Prairie, Kite took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He still didn't quite understand what it was that Gardenia had meant by everything that she said, especially in regard to the fan club. Perhaps that was because she didn't really address the fan club at all, but something else. Next to Moonstone, Kite didn't know anyone who talked less than Gardenia, or more vaguely. Well, maybe Helba was more vague.
What it all meant though was that instead of being given the answer, or the advice, he had to think about what was said to find the answer or advice for himself. While it was definitely a good way to keep the unimaginative and lazy away, it was still quite...annoying. Resting his hands behind his head, Kite just listened to the artificially induced sounds of nature in the surrounding area, trying his best to clear away his thoughts and all the stress that came with them.
As he did so, the thoughts that remained began to gain an order and structure in his mind, as opposed to the overwhelming jumble that had previously been there. The more he began to think about it, the less it seemed like having a fan club would be such a big problem for him, as long as he didn't start getting groupies that tried following him into high level dungeons. It was hard enough keeping himself and his party safe, let alone weaker players. True there was Ryoko, but she'd gotten strong quick enough, and while covering her at first had been troublesome, it soon waned.
Then the image that sent shivers down his spine arrived; Kite Fan Club memorabilia. Red baseball caps with Kite's face on it, official club jackets with a picture of Kite on the backs, key chains an image of the Twilight Bracelet on it, and of course, T-shirts. Horrible images of Gardenia and Marlo standing around with "I heart Kite" shirts on, or Orca and Balmung looking at one another with Balmung wearing a shirt reading, "I Want to be like Kite" and Orca's shirt reading, "Kite saved 'The World' and all I got was this lousy T-shirt." Finally, the image of Natsume, Ryoko, Mistral, and BlackRose all climbing into their beds and snuggling with the official Kite plushie doll.
Kite had to fight back a scream as he imagined the girls pressing his likeness up against their scantily clad bodies. Best not to mention this idea to Rachel or Wiseman...EVER. They'd probably take it a step further and make the Kite action figure, a six inch plastic figure who, when the button on his back was pressed, had his right arm pop up and a poorly imitated electronic voice shouts, "Data Drain!" as a translucent golden ring on his right arm flashes. Kite wasn't exactly sure which was worse, the embarrassment that would cause him, or the thought that they might actually sell. Besides, that kind of publicity for him would definitely get on BlackRose's nerves, since she'd feel like he was leaving her behind and forgetting about their mission. Oh well, at least she didn't know where he was right now.
"So, this is where you've been."
If it was possible in an online world, Kite's heart stopped at those words. Dreading the acknowledgement he needed as he slowly opened his eyes, Kite inhaled deeply in sudden shock and slight terror as he stared up into the tanned features of a young, slight Heavy Blade with light pink hair and piercing reddish-brown eyes. Though his lips mouthed out, "Um, hello BlackRose" his mind was screaming, "Oh shit."
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Sitting on the stone table, seat, or whatever exactly it was for, in a clearing within ï Bursting Solitary Melody, spear on the other side, SM Slayer waited for Nightstar's arrival. She wasn't exactly late this time since he had just put in the email that they needed to talk ASAP and given the same location as they had met for their last meeting, but it still felt that way since he was here first. Besides, it made him feel less guilty for all the times he was late on her over the years, like this past weekend for example.
Movement caught SM Slayer's eye, and glancing across the clearing he spotted Nightstar sprinting at top speed towards him, obviously out of breath. As she arrived she halted several feet away and put her hands down on her knees scrunched over, trying to catch her breath. As she did so Nightstar gasped out, "Did... something happen? Is... Shizuru... all right?"
"Yes Nobiki, Shizuru is just fine. She's currently in the apartment next door with Hajime-chan. Akane-san is keeping an eye on them, nothing to worry about."
Daggers shot from the female Wavemaster's eyes as she glared up at SM Slayer, then she leaped forward, grabbing him by his shirt and lifting him out of his seat. "Damn you Tadeoshi, making me worry that something had happened to her like that, sending me that stupid vague email and all! You said it was important and to come ASAP!"
Struggling not to lose his balance as Nightstar continued to throttle him, SM Slayer sighed inwardly. He knew she'd get emotional like this. It had been her typical reaction and state of mind for almost the last two and a half years now. As he looked up into her face though he just stopped struggling. Through the sheer anger on her face tears were seeping down her cheeks, and he could never stand to see her cry.
"I'm sorry Nobiki, and you're right. I didn't think again before I sent that email. I just needed to get in touch with you, and the idea that you might get the wrong impression from it just didn't occur to me. Sorry I'm such a big idiot." At the last part he gave her a sweet, apologetic smile.
As Nightstar looked back at him, her features began to ease. Finally she released him with a hard shove back down onto the stone seat, and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't you give me that smile Tadeoshi, you..." Her voice trailed off as she sat down next to him and returned the smile, albeit quite reluctantly. "Damn you, I can't stay mad at you when you give me that smile."
"I know, sorry Nobiki."
Giving him a stiff elbow to the ribs, she grinned as she replied, "You're right though, you are a big idiot, always have been."
Rubbing his ribs, SM Slayer nodded. "Yep, always was, always will be. Still, you're not one to talk. Last I recalled you got married to an idiot."
Broadening her grin, Nightstar replied, "Yes, and if you remember my divorce to that same idiot was final six months ago." She then reached over and placed her hand on top of his. "So you old charmer, if Shizuru wasn't the reason, what was the email about?"
SM Slayer's expression went serious at the mention of that, and his eyes seemed to glaze over as he went into thought. "Mycinity and Barricade were threatened by a hacker."
Nightstar gasped. "Are you serious." SM Slayer nodded, then went on to recite the events as they had been described to him earlier that day. As he finished Nightstar just shook her head. "I don't understand, why would a hacker want to threaten players to stay away from Kite. I mean, if Kite had something like information on how to stop the virus or something, the hackers responsible would just go after Kite himself, not try to keep others away from him."
"Unless the hackers can't go after Kite."
"What do you mean?"
Taking a deep breath, SM Slayer answered, "Barricade told me that the hacker at one point referred to Kite as the Bearer of the Twilight Bracelet. I'm not sure what that is. But it sounds familiar."
Nightstar's face went pale at the mention of the Twilight Bracelet. "The... Twilight Bracelet... you said?"
Cocking an eyebrow, SM Slayer nodded. "Yes, why, do you know what it is?"
"Well," Nightstar replied, eyes staring off somewhere else, "there are plenty of 'Twilight' references in the mythology and lore of 'The World'. Rumor has it that the game is based off the Epitaph of Twilight, and in the Epitaph the Twilight Dragon is what can defeat something called a 'Cursed Wave'."
"Yeah, I remember reading about that somewhere awhile back. But no one knows how the Epitaph truly went. Wasn't the original lost or something?"
Nightstar nodded slightly. "Yes, but I don't think that's what this refers to."
"Then what?"
"Do you remember hearing the rumors about something called the Key of the Twilight?"
A frown crossed SM Slayer's face. "Key of the Twilight? That sounds familiar, I just can't think of where I know it from."
"Well it was a topic from awhile back that people began talking about again about six months ago on the message boards."
Recognition dawned on and replaced the frown SM Slayer had been wearing. "That's right, I remember now. It was some special item or side quest that was extremely hard to solve. I heard it was a sequel to The One Sin quest, and the prize would be even greater than before. No one ever seemed to know what the prize was though."
Nightstar nodded. "Yes, although quite a lot of debate raged over it. If I recall, many believed it was an item that worked outside the game perimeters, allowing the user to alter the game itself. Anyway, the idea was that everything would change when the Key of the Twilight was found. If I recall, the debate on the Key of the Twilight arose shortly after the appearance of a Wavemaster who was said to have a monster fight for him, like he had enslaved it or something. For awhile it was thought he had discovered the Key of the Twilight, but then he disappeared."
"Yeah, I remember that. I had just joined up. That was about the same time I was PKed for the first time."
A slight giggle escaped Nightstar's lips. "You mean that you, StarMan Slayer, the Guardian of the Celestial Gates of Tarsinas, was Pked? Oh how embarrassing."
"Yeah yeah, well I was a newbie back then, and I came across some high level Twin Blade who was killing players left and right, prancing about and acting like it was all some fun little child's game. I thought I could stop him, but was wrong, he was just too quick."
"So, is that why you have a problem with Kite, because he's a high level Twin Blade?"
SM Slayer began to shake his head and then stopped. "I don't know, maybe a little. I guess I see a slight similarity between the two, and that rumor of Kite being an outlaw player didn't help matters much. Still, I'm a lot stronger now."
Giving his hand a slight squeeze, Nightstar nodded, scooting a little closer to him. "I think I remember the reports on the message board of that player killer. He disappeared around the same time that Wavemaster did. I remember hearing a theory that the Wavemaster destroyed him, but the odds are that he simply had his player deleted by the Administration."
"Maybe, but that's another story. So, do you think that Kite found the Key of the Twilight, and that's what the hacker was referring to? It'd make sense to keep people away from that kind of power."
Glancing over at her after a long pause with no answer, SM Slayer watched as Nightstar seemed to be involved in a deep debate. Finally she replied, "It's possible I suppose that he somehow stumbled onto it. His arrival into 'The World' seems to coincide somewhat to the appearance of this virus, but then that could just be a coincidence. There were rumors, if you recall, going on about troubles before he even arrived. It's true I don't know his exact date of arrival into 'The World', just a general idea, but it's possible he found what so many veterans could not. A bracelet would certainly be simple to carry as well as rather easy to conceal."
Contorting his brow, SM Slayer looked hard at Nightstar. "The virus? Are you suggesting what I think you are?"
"That Kite, through use of the Key of the Twilight, created or at least caused the virus? Yes, at least that it's possible. It may not have even been intentional. If the Key of the Twilight truly is as powerful as the mythology around it suggests, then someone could alter something fundamental in the coding of 'The World' and not even realize the true harm until it's too late. It might explain why he's trying to help stop the virus if he feels guilty for causing it. But like I said, it's just a theory, and not one with any real evidence to back it up."
SM Slayer nodded. "So, given all that, what do you think I should tell Mycinity and the others to do?"
Smiling wryly, Nightstar just replied, "I think that it doesn't matter what you tell her, she'll do whatever she wants to do anyway."
"So then what should I do?"
Sighing deeply, Nightstar leaned her head over and rested it on SM Slayer's shoulder, letting out a soft purr as she did so. "For now, I think you should stay right here, doing just this."
A light chuckle escaped SM Slayer's lips as he leaned his head down against Nightstar's, closing his eyes as he exhaled. "You don't have to ask me twice."
As Nightstar closed her own eyes with a broad smile, she just whispered, "I know."
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"Really My, charging into a dungeon by yourself like that. You should be glad I decided to follow after you." Walking back through the first floor rooms of the dungeon, Mycinity and Barricade continued the argument that had started almost immediately after he had found her at the stairs to the second floor. Mycinity was in the lead as Barricade was making sure she didn't try to bolt back into the depths of the dungeon.
Entering the next room back up the short few rooms between the two stairs, Barricade followed Mycinity through the right hand turn back towards the entrance. She hadn't really spoken much since he had found her, though tears had been sliding down her cheeks. He hated to see her like this, but he also knew that Mycinity understood what SM Slayer had been saying and why. The only question now was whether or not she'd accept the truth.
As they returned into the main corridor, the pair were greeted by two new arrivals. "Hey My, Cade, did you just go fight through the dungeon with out me?"
"Or me for that matter? As compensation, I demand you give me the rare item you obtained from the Gott Statue."
This brought the smile back to Mycinity's face. "Actually El, we didn't even leave this floor. I just sort of..."
"She just sort of thought she could prove that she could handle all the first floor monsters on her own, but was wrong." Barricade jumped in with the save, sparing her admittance of getting emotional over Kite and running off. KenRyu would have never let her hear the end of it.
Giggling at that though, KenRyu skipped over to the pair, put her arm around Mycinity, getting on her tip toes to do it, and said, "Aww now My, don't you worry. How about the four of us go together and beat this dungeon? I'll hold your hand and everything."
Growling slightly under her breath at the last bit, Mycinity stepped away and replied, "Sorry KR, but you and Elnon would just slow Cade and I down. We can handle it on our own."
Elnon frowned, his body vibrating with anger. "Is that a challenge Mycinity?"
Grinning wickedly back at Elnon, Mycinity replied with a mischievous tone, "Maaaybe."
Getting even angrier, Elnon all but smashed the butt end of his Wand of Storms into the stone floor, sending sparks of lightning off in several directions and causing quite the effect. "The challenge is accepted then. KenRyu and I against you and Barricade. First one to the Gott Statue is the winner, and the losers must forfeit a rare item to the winners. Agreed?"
Shrugging, Mycinity nodded. "Not like we really need any rare items, but seeing the look on your face when you give one of yours to us will be worth it."
Barricade then turned to Mycinity, and in a not so whispered voice said, "Now remember My, when we get to the next room the room to the right leads to the stairs. Don't hesitate on the direction or they might get ahead of us."
Giggling, KenRyu interjected, "Thanks for the head's up Cade." She then performed a trip kick dropping both Mycinity and Barricade to the floor before bolting at top speed through the door, Elnon close behind.
As Mycinity pulled herself up to her feet, rubbing the back of her head where it had hit the stone floor, she groaned and then said, "Cade, the stairs to the next floor are on the left, not the right. Don't you remember?"
Smiling up at her as he got up himself, Barricade nodded. "I know that... they didn't. Now come on, we don't have much time before they realize we duped them." With that the pair charged through the doorway.
Three floors later and Mycinity and Barricade found themselves standing at one end of a mid length corridor. They had made good time through the second floor with a lucky right turn, but had chosen the wrong direction on the third floor taking up a great deal of time. Still, Barricade was fairly certain that Elnon and KenRyu were still behind them. Now they just needed to hurry.
Across the corridor at the next doorway, the pair paused, as if sensing an imminent danger lurking behind it. For a moment Mycinity was almost about to suggest they wait and try to boost their stats, but then she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairway and panic kicked in, and the pair opened the door and entered the room.
As the Magic Portal activated within the spacious room over the large red symbol painted onto the floor, something the likes of which neither of them had seen appeared. Trembling with fear, Mycinity said, "What is that thing? It looks like a Scarlet King, but what are all those... green globby things all over it?" Barricade just stood there and shook his head. As the creature began to advance in on them though, his resolve returned and he charged in, followed closely by Mycinity.
Continuing to slash and dodge as best they could, something seemed strange, but Barricade wasn't sure what. As a blow from the creature's claws grazed him, knocking him back hard against the wall, it occurred to Barricade; the creature was much stronger and faster than it should have been.
Just then KenRyu and Elnon burst into the room, and KenRyu shrieked at the hideousness of the creature. Elnon however just grinned, then called out, "Rai Dom!" Bolts of electricity splashed into the beast, but to no effect whatsoever. Frowning at this, Elnon tried again, and again, but nothing was happening. "What's wrong with this thing?" Elnon shouted as he dove out of the way of its attack, having just sent Mycinity flying into the wall, "It just won't DIE!"
At hearing that, something clicked inside Barricade's brain, sending chills of fear down through him. "You... you don't think this is o-one of those... invincible monsters they m-mentioned on the Message Boards d-do you?"
The realization shot through all of them now, and the monster wasted no time in smacking them around some more. When three of them made a break for the exit, the creature outmaneuvered them blocking the exit. Finally, Barricade shouted out, "We need a plan. Elnon, stay back and heal Mycinity until we're at full power, and then you and KenRyu get out of here and find help, get Kite!"
KenRyu then shouted out, ducking another attack, "What about you two?"
"We'll stay and distract it, but hurry. I don't know how long we can do this!"
KenRyu nodded, a tear forming in her eye as her woman's intuition kicked in. Throwing Mycinity a Health Potion, she waited until Barricade and Mycinity had knocked the creature back and then bolted for the door, making it there just after Elnon did. As they got of the room and back to the corridor, KenRyu took a breath, then activated her Sprite Ocarina. She had to move fast, and hope Kite was where she was going to look.
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Sitting down and leaning her back up against the tree next to where Kite lay, BlackRose just stared down at him with a straight face. Kite just lied in place, watching her and waiting for what he feared might be arising. The fan club hadn't been his idea, but he did realize that it was the Lord Kite Fan Club, not the Lord Kite and Lady BlackRose Fan Club. How she might take it, assuming she knew and given her frequent checks of the Message Boards he was sure she did, was not something he could even guess at.
"So," she began, "I read that you have your own fan club."
Kite gulped. That answered that. As Kite sat up, he tried desperately to think of exactly the right way to word this. All he got though was, "BlackRose, this club wasn't my idea. It just sort of happened. I didn't mean to have them leave you out of it."
Lifting her nose up slightly, BlackRose responded in her usual boisterous tone, "And who said I even wanted to be in the club in the first place?"
That settled it for Kite, she did feel left out. "BlackRose I-"
He was cut off before he could finish though by her raised hand. "Kite, you're not going to... forget about me now are you, forget about us?"
Kite just blinked. "What? Why would I do that?"
"Because you're famous, and have your own club with adoring fans. I was just afraid you might... not have time for me anymore."
In that instant Kite felt the truth smack him like a jumper hitting the pavement. BlackRose wasn't worried about being left out, she was worried about being left behind. "BlackRose... I'm not going to leave you. We're partners remember? We have to solve this mystery and restore 'The World', save Orca and your brother. Not me, us."
Smiling brightly now, BlackRose clamored over to Kite on hands and knees and did something totally unexpected; she hugged him. As Kite belatedly returned the embrace, noticing first her bust pressed tightly to his chest with nothing but her purple bikini top... thingy between them, he blushed as his mind recalled with horror the incident with Natsume. Still, something made him hold on even tighter.
A sniffle in his ear told Kite that BlackRose was fighting off her tears of joy, removing one of her hands from his back to wipe them away. As she pulled back, smiling broadly as her sparkling ruby eyes stared deep into his fair, sapphire eyes. For a moment Kite swore that time in this online world seemed to halt, all sounds vanishing, not even a breeze to disturb the moment. As the moment passed though BlackRose began to move closer to him, and Kite was almost sure she was leaning in to... to...
Eyes closing in anticipation, the seconds ticked by with nothing. Peaking open an eye at last, Kite exhaled as he saw that BlackRose had lied down opposite him on the grass next to him, arms folded behind her head. Smiling as he watched the light piercing through the trees dance over her tanned body, mixing with the shadows of the shade to form little designs that mirrored, meshed, and mixed with the yellow tattoos along her stomach, Kite returned to his position of lying back with eyes closed. The recent image he had just seen danced behind his eyelids, as if a fresco of BlackRose lying back relaxed had been painted onto the backs of his eyes. It was interesting, that light almost made BlackRose's hair seem a purple- white, not that it made her look any less cute, any less appealing. Taking a deep breath as he began to notice the sounds of the area returning, Kite let the tension drain from his body.
"So," BlackRose finally said breaking the silence after what seemed like forever, "Gardenia talked to you."
Opening one eye to stare down to where she lay, Kite replied, "Yeah, how'd you know that?"
Keeping her eyes closed still, and taking a deep breath, BlackRose answered with a slight nervousness in her voice, "Um, because I was the one who asked her to."
Opening his eyes as all the clues piled into his mind at once, Kite fought against the urge to sit up and to stay cool. Gardenia's talk about following the heart and feelings, it was from BlackRose. Could that mean...?
Keeping his voice calm and only partially succeeding, Kite said, "Did you have her tell me all that because you were afraid I'd forget about you and our mission?"
Sitting up and hugging her knees, BlackRose replied nervously, "Yes, but not just that."
Lifting his head to look at her better while propping himself up with his elbows, Kite just watched BlackRose for a time, debating if he should ask the obvious and leading question or not. The two just stared at each other, eyes glued to the others, searching for some answer behind the electronic images before them, but finding nothing. At last BlackRose shifted her position back to her hands and knees, brining her face even closer to Kite's and still staring into his eyes as if being closer might reveal the answer that didn't come. Every so often her eyes would dart down to his lips, then quickly return to his eyes. Kite's eyes began to do the same, as a nervous anxiety shot through him.
Then slowly BlackRose began to move even closer, whispering out as her eyes began to close in anticipation, "Kite I..."
Kite didn't reply as her lips were now so close that to even speak might touch them. As his anxiety hit its peak Kite closed his eyes and just as he began to pucker his lips to reply off in the distance he heard a voice screaming, "KITE, KIIIIIIIIIIITE!!!!"
Opening his eyes in synch with BlackRose's, the two turned their heads towards the sound and Kite moaned audibly as he spotted KenRyu running as fast as she could towards them, screaming his name. Looking back at each other, the pair blushed as they realized the appearance of their position, with BlackRose practically lying on top of Kite. Pulling back in embarrassment, the two avoided eye contact for a moment, glanced at one another again, then returned their attention to KenRyu who was now reaching them.
Panting out of breath, KenRyu fell to her knees and gasped out, "Found... you... Mycinity... and Barricade... trapped... monster... freaky... doesn't die..."
Kite and BlackRose's eyes nearly shot from their skulls at the last part, and the pair quickly jumped to their feet. "It can't die?" BlackRose repeated with worry.
As KenRyu nodded, Kite, determination and hatred in his eyes now as his mind focused on this new threat said, "Data Bug. KenRyu, where are they?"
Having slightly regained her breath, KenRyu answered, "In the Fan Club... fourth floor."
Kite and BlackRose exchanged looks and nodded, then before KenRyu knew what had happened, the pair had gated back to Mac Anu leaving her there alone.
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Running along the jungle path with the aid of Speed Charms, Kite and BlackRose made their way towards the dungeon entrance. As they did so they zoomed passed a tall Wavemaster running in the same direction whose blurred image Kite recognized as Elnon's. He might have thought more about it if not for the figure running towards the now visible dungeon entrance in front of him. The feathers fluttering to the ground in his wake were a clue he would have spotted if Kite had been moving slower.
"Balmung!"
Stopping long enough to turn and see Kite coming up behind him, Balmung smiled and acknowledged the young Twin Blade and the Heavy Blade following up behind him and returned to his dash alongside them as the pair caught up. "It's good to see you Kite, and you too BlackRose. When that Wavemaster found me and told me what had occurred, I came fearing trying to contact you would take too much time. How did you know to come though?"
"Similar situation. Another player interrupted a... discussion on the future that BlackRose and I were having." Had Balmung or Kite glanced behind them at that moment they would have seen that BlackRose's cheeks were particularly red after that.
Nodding at Kite's remark, Balmung busted through a door and made his way towards the stairs. "So, do you know how to get to the fourth floor?"
Shaking his head, Kite replied, "No, but I have plenty of Fairy Orbs."
Reaching the fourth floor in no time flat, battle screams heard ahead of them, the trio paused a moment checking themselves mentally, but as they were about to move Mycinity flew out the doorway and landed on her rear as if she had been shoved out. A moment later the door slammed shut, and Mycinity jumped to her feet, shaking near exhaustion from what was obviously her last legs and began pounding on the door. "Cade, let me back in! This is no time to play hero you-"
As Kite and the others reached the door Mycinity was cut off by a terrible death scream from the otherside of the door. Seconds later Mycinity began screaming at the top of her lungs, backing into a corner. "KENJI!! He's fallen on the ground. What's wrong, why isn't he moving?! Kenji, wake up!!!"
Without waiting to see what happened next, Balmung leapt straight at the door and with a slash of his sword smashed it to pieces. As the three entered the room the last fading image of Barricade disappeared where he had been laying, and the Data Bug turned to face them.
Rage overcoming the trio, Balmung and BlackRose ran in and though one hit from either would have been enough to smash the beast into submission, their combined force smashed the creature back against the wall where even it stuttered and took pause before coming back at them unharmed.
Flexing the online muscles in his right arm, Kite called out, "Get clear!" As BlackRose and Balmung jumped back, Kite lifted his right hand forward, and shooting death-glares at the monster cried "DATA DRAIN!"
The Bracelet activated, streaking out its tendrils and ensnaring the Data Bug, draining the virus out of it and returning it to its original form. As the drain ended, before the beast could even realize the change, BlackRose's Executor slashed hard through it, severing it in half with ease.
The three then just stood there in the aftermath, not sure what to say or do. What was clear though was that they had arrived just late, and another victim had been added to the comatose list. Turning towards the broken down door, the three saw Mycinity's head sticking out from the bottom where she was on hands and knees, tears still dripping down her anguished and overwhelmed face, her mouth open wide in shock at what she had just witnessed Kite do.
As Kite began to move towards her now, Mycinity dove back into her corner and watched in fear and awe as he emerged from the room, moved towards her, and knelt beside her. As Kite watched Mycinity just sat there pale as a ghost, tears flowing as she continued to mutter the name Kenji over and over again, the shock and trauma of the experience having fully kicked in now.
Not knowing what else to do, Kite leaned over and hugged Mycinity tight, trying his best to calm her down. Behind them Balmung and BlackRose looked on, both with sympathy and remorse plastered on their faces, but as she watched, one of BlackRose's eyebrows seemed to be twitching ever so slightly. Still, she understood how this girl felt... far better than she wished she did.
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Author's Note:
Well, I warned you this one would be long. Over 7,000 words, and 15 pages in Word. Longer than I had expected actually, but I got it out faster. Well, I guess that answers the one mystery of who gets Data Drained. Now the question will be how everyone handles it. A few things I figured I'd inform you guys on.
1. I mentioned before that I toned down the amount of story that would be required for me to finish this due to time constraints. This chapter would have originally marked the halfway point of the story, leading into events that I would have predicted in Quarantine, as well as a lot more involvement of the other OC's I created. As it stands, a lot of the development of several of them will go undiscovered, and we probably only have about three or four more chapters to go, give or take.
2. Some of the products that didn't make it to the story due to space, time, and flow of the story include Kite posters with phrases ranging from, "I leave you Drained" to "Got Data?" Also on the scrap pile, the life- sized Kite cardboard stand ups, cups and water bottles with Kite on them saying, "Get Drained" as well as the Kite video game (ironic huh?) I'm sure if I put more thought into it others would come to mind, but we won't go there.
3. I hope by now with all the clues I've thrown out you've begun to figure out a fair amount of the offline relationships several of these characters share. My favorite by far is the one between Nightstar and SM Slayer.
4. For a clear image of the position BlackRose and Kite were lying in, look at Image 64 in the Accessory section of the game, as I took that image directly from there. Just think of it as my interpretation of how that pose came to be.
5. Next chapter will include comforting, and two confrontations, SM Slayer confronts Kite and Nightstar confronts Wiseman. Also note, I haven't decided whether I will have Mycinity confront BlackRose or not yet, but imagine that bomb going off. R&R!
PG-13: I could probably get away with PG, but not sure just how violent it might get later, so better to be safe.
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SM Slayer stared down at the stone floor from his seat on the dungeon steps of ï Chosen Solitary Gate as he continued to listen to Mycinity and Barricade tell their story. So far what he had heard did not bode well.
"So then that black haired... black cloaked... well he wore a lot of black. Anyway he basically said that we should stay away from Kite or else. He didn't say exactly why, just something about giants on the playground." Barricade stood silent and grim as Mycinity continued to ramble on about everything that was said. The giant remark got a grin from SM Slayer though, because unlike them, he grasped the meaning behind it.
Lifting his head as Mycinity paused, taking his Fairy Spear off his lap and placing it gently down onto the stone steps SM Slayer gave them both a hard look. "So that's it? You're sure he didn't say anything else? Nothing unusual or out of place? Barricade?" The Blademaster just stood their silently, acting cool. Smiling inwardly, SM Slayer's eyes lingered on him for a moment. He knew Barricade's facade was just that, an act. Trying to be the strong silent type, a role that really didn't fit him. The moment passed though and his eyes drifted back to the floor, mind in deep thought.
"So SM, what do you think? Was that guy just crazy or something, or what?"
"I think... that you might want to heed his advice and not go near Kite anymore." The shock on her face was obvious, and he had momentary thoughts of informing her of the rumors he'd heard about Kite from Nightstar, but thought better of it. "I understand that you really like him My, but the truth is that this Wavemaster is right. I had a chance a week ago to talk to Kite's friends the day you brought Kite here, and they confirmed that he does hang out with a rather powerful group of people, the so called giants. Even Lord Balmung fights alongside him. He might be a great role model, but you, and me for that matter, are really just little children in his playground, bugs trying not to be stepped on. He saved you two from danger, and that's great, but chasing after him like this may not be the best thing to do. Kite may not be there the next time you need help."
Tears began to well up in Mycinity's eyes as she fought to hold them back. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword hard, and if it wasn't a game the hilt's durability might have fallen into concern. "You're wrong! Kite is a great and wonderful man! He cares, he CARES!"
Trying his best to use reason, SM Slayer replied, "I'm sure he does care, but the facts are that Kite hasn't been back for a week, and he can't always protect you. Besides, I really don't think that Wavemaster is going away and-"
"YOU DON"T UNDERSTAND!! YOU NEVER WILL! YOU'RE JUST JEALOUS OF HIM, JEALOUS!!!" With that Mycinity turned, tears flowing freely, and tore down the corridor towards the entrance to the next room in the dungeon.
SM Slayer reached out for a moment to stop her, but then stopped. There was nothing more he could say. Barricade though watched in silence until Mycinity had reached the next room before turning to face the Long Arm and snarling, "Look what you did! Don't you see how much she cares about him? You can't just expect her to drop him overnight!"
Lowering his head and shaking it solemnly, SM Slayer answered with a dull, defeated tone, "I know. It's just... this could get really dangerous for her, for all of us, if we delve too deeply into something we're not prepared for. 'Those who seek the truth must also be willing to accept it once they find it.' I just don't think My will accept the truth she'll find about Kite is all."
Calming slightly, Barricade nodded. "Yeah. She's like that sometimes, all teenage girls are. They paint a guy up to be more than he is, or expect too much and when they realize he's not their perfect and chivalrous knight in shining armor they can't accept it and try denying it so it will be ok, but it isn't and things just get worse."
Looking up at the Blademaster now with a newfound respect, SM Slayer nodded. "Yes, and it's not just teenage girls, all women are guilty of it from time to time. The smart ones simply learn to accept the idiots they fall for as the idiots they are, but those women are few and far between. I'd say you have some experience in that category huh?"
"Hmph, maybe, but then it sounds like you do too. I better go check up on her, make sure she's ok." Barricade began heading off after Mycinity when SM Slayer called off to him, "You realize that Wavemaster was a hacker right? Only a hacker could cause a barrier and shockwave like that without any staff movement or spell. Keep your guard up."
Halting in his step, Barricade looked back over his shoulder and nodded. Then, almost as an afterthought added in, "Oh, Mycinity forgot to mention it, but that hacker guy referred to Kite once as the Bearer of the Twilight Bracelet, whatever that means." He then moved off out of the room after Mycinity once more.
SM Slayer's eyebrow cocked at that though. Twilight Bracelet, now that rang some bells in his mind, but just what he couldn't recall just now. Still, he'd better contact Nightstar and see what she could make out of this, she was always better with putting things together than he was. He just had to hope she didn't get emotional like Mycinity, she got that way whenever he contacted her during his visitation times with Shizuru. As he grasped his spear and rose to leave, he couldn't help thinking, * Women, always so emotional for no apparent reason.*
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The last few weeks had definitely been stressful. Lying in the shade of his usual tree in ï Hidden Passionate Prairie, Kite took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He still didn't quite understand what it was that Gardenia had meant by everything that she said, especially in regard to the fan club. Perhaps that was because she didn't really address the fan club at all, but something else. Next to Moonstone, Kite didn't know anyone who talked less than Gardenia, or more vaguely. Well, maybe Helba was more vague.
What it all meant though was that instead of being given the answer, or the advice, he had to think about what was said to find the answer or advice for himself. While it was definitely a good way to keep the unimaginative and lazy away, it was still quite...annoying. Resting his hands behind his head, Kite just listened to the artificially induced sounds of nature in the surrounding area, trying his best to clear away his thoughts and all the stress that came with them.
As he did so, the thoughts that remained began to gain an order and structure in his mind, as opposed to the overwhelming jumble that had previously been there. The more he began to think about it, the less it seemed like having a fan club would be such a big problem for him, as long as he didn't start getting groupies that tried following him into high level dungeons. It was hard enough keeping himself and his party safe, let alone weaker players. True there was Ryoko, but she'd gotten strong quick enough, and while covering her at first had been troublesome, it soon waned.
Then the image that sent shivers down his spine arrived; Kite Fan Club memorabilia. Red baseball caps with Kite's face on it, official club jackets with a picture of Kite on the backs, key chains an image of the Twilight Bracelet on it, and of course, T-shirts. Horrible images of Gardenia and Marlo standing around with "I heart Kite" shirts on, or Orca and Balmung looking at one another with Balmung wearing a shirt reading, "I Want to be like Kite" and Orca's shirt reading, "Kite saved 'The World' and all I got was this lousy T-shirt." Finally, the image of Natsume, Ryoko, Mistral, and BlackRose all climbing into their beds and snuggling with the official Kite plushie doll.
Kite had to fight back a scream as he imagined the girls pressing his likeness up against their scantily clad bodies. Best not to mention this idea to Rachel or Wiseman...EVER. They'd probably take it a step further and make the Kite action figure, a six inch plastic figure who, when the button on his back was pressed, had his right arm pop up and a poorly imitated electronic voice shouts, "Data Drain!" as a translucent golden ring on his right arm flashes. Kite wasn't exactly sure which was worse, the embarrassment that would cause him, or the thought that they might actually sell. Besides, that kind of publicity for him would definitely get on BlackRose's nerves, since she'd feel like he was leaving her behind and forgetting about their mission. Oh well, at least she didn't know where he was right now.
"So, this is where you've been."
If it was possible in an online world, Kite's heart stopped at those words. Dreading the acknowledgement he needed as he slowly opened his eyes, Kite inhaled deeply in sudden shock and slight terror as he stared up into the tanned features of a young, slight Heavy Blade with light pink hair and piercing reddish-brown eyes. Though his lips mouthed out, "Um, hello BlackRose" his mind was screaming, "Oh shit."
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Sitting on the stone table, seat, or whatever exactly it was for, in a clearing within ï Bursting Solitary Melody, spear on the other side, SM Slayer waited for Nightstar's arrival. She wasn't exactly late this time since he had just put in the email that they needed to talk ASAP and given the same location as they had met for their last meeting, but it still felt that way since he was here first. Besides, it made him feel less guilty for all the times he was late on her over the years, like this past weekend for example.
Movement caught SM Slayer's eye, and glancing across the clearing he spotted Nightstar sprinting at top speed towards him, obviously out of breath. As she arrived she halted several feet away and put her hands down on her knees scrunched over, trying to catch her breath. As she did so Nightstar gasped out, "Did... something happen? Is... Shizuru... all right?"
"Yes Nobiki, Shizuru is just fine. She's currently in the apartment next door with Hajime-chan. Akane-san is keeping an eye on them, nothing to worry about."
Daggers shot from the female Wavemaster's eyes as she glared up at SM Slayer, then she leaped forward, grabbing him by his shirt and lifting him out of his seat. "Damn you Tadeoshi, making me worry that something had happened to her like that, sending me that stupid vague email and all! You said it was important and to come ASAP!"
Struggling not to lose his balance as Nightstar continued to throttle him, SM Slayer sighed inwardly. He knew she'd get emotional like this. It had been her typical reaction and state of mind for almost the last two and a half years now. As he looked up into her face though he just stopped struggling. Through the sheer anger on her face tears were seeping down her cheeks, and he could never stand to see her cry.
"I'm sorry Nobiki, and you're right. I didn't think again before I sent that email. I just needed to get in touch with you, and the idea that you might get the wrong impression from it just didn't occur to me. Sorry I'm such a big idiot." At the last part he gave her a sweet, apologetic smile.
As Nightstar looked back at him, her features began to ease. Finally she released him with a hard shove back down onto the stone seat, and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't you give me that smile Tadeoshi, you..." Her voice trailed off as she sat down next to him and returned the smile, albeit quite reluctantly. "Damn you, I can't stay mad at you when you give me that smile."
"I know, sorry Nobiki."
Giving him a stiff elbow to the ribs, she grinned as she replied, "You're right though, you are a big idiot, always have been."
Rubbing his ribs, SM Slayer nodded. "Yep, always was, always will be. Still, you're not one to talk. Last I recalled you got married to an idiot."
Broadening her grin, Nightstar replied, "Yes, and if you remember my divorce to that same idiot was final six months ago." She then reached over and placed her hand on top of his. "So you old charmer, if Shizuru wasn't the reason, what was the email about?"
SM Slayer's expression went serious at the mention of that, and his eyes seemed to glaze over as he went into thought. "Mycinity and Barricade were threatened by a hacker."
Nightstar gasped. "Are you serious." SM Slayer nodded, then went on to recite the events as they had been described to him earlier that day. As he finished Nightstar just shook her head. "I don't understand, why would a hacker want to threaten players to stay away from Kite. I mean, if Kite had something like information on how to stop the virus or something, the hackers responsible would just go after Kite himself, not try to keep others away from him."
"Unless the hackers can't go after Kite."
"What do you mean?"
Taking a deep breath, SM Slayer answered, "Barricade told me that the hacker at one point referred to Kite as the Bearer of the Twilight Bracelet. I'm not sure what that is. But it sounds familiar."
Nightstar's face went pale at the mention of the Twilight Bracelet. "The... Twilight Bracelet... you said?"
Cocking an eyebrow, SM Slayer nodded. "Yes, why, do you know what it is?"
"Well," Nightstar replied, eyes staring off somewhere else, "there are plenty of 'Twilight' references in the mythology and lore of 'The World'. Rumor has it that the game is based off the Epitaph of Twilight, and in the Epitaph the Twilight Dragon is what can defeat something called a 'Cursed Wave'."
"Yeah, I remember reading about that somewhere awhile back. But no one knows how the Epitaph truly went. Wasn't the original lost or something?"
Nightstar nodded slightly. "Yes, but I don't think that's what this refers to."
"Then what?"
"Do you remember hearing the rumors about something called the Key of the Twilight?"
A frown crossed SM Slayer's face. "Key of the Twilight? That sounds familiar, I just can't think of where I know it from."
"Well it was a topic from awhile back that people began talking about again about six months ago on the message boards."
Recognition dawned on and replaced the frown SM Slayer had been wearing. "That's right, I remember now. It was some special item or side quest that was extremely hard to solve. I heard it was a sequel to The One Sin quest, and the prize would be even greater than before. No one ever seemed to know what the prize was though."
Nightstar nodded. "Yes, although quite a lot of debate raged over it. If I recall, many believed it was an item that worked outside the game perimeters, allowing the user to alter the game itself. Anyway, the idea was that everything would change when the Key of the Twilight was found. If I recall, the debate on the Key of the Twilight arose shortly after the appearance of a Wavemaster who was said to have a monster fight for him, like he had enslaved it or something. For awhile it was thought he had discovered the Key of the Twilight, but then he disappeared."
"Yeah, I remember that. I had just joined up. That was about the same time I was PKed for the first time."
A slight giggle escaped Nightstar's lips. "You mean that you, StarMan Slayer, the Guardian of the Celestial Gates of Tarsinas, was Pked? Oh how embarrassing."
"Yeah yeah, well I was a newbie back then, and I came across some high level Twin Blade who was killing players left and right, prancing about and acting like it was all some fun little child's game. I thought I could stop him, but was wrong, he was just too quick."
"So, is that why you have a problem with Kite, because he's a high level Twin Blade?"
SM Slayer began to shake his head and then stopped. "I don't know, maybe a little. I guess I see a slight similarity between the two, and that rumor of Kite being an outlaw player didn't help matters much. Still, I'm a lot stronger now."
Giving his hand a slight squeeze, Nightstar nodded, scooting a little closer to him. "I think I remember the reports on the message board of that player killer. He disappeared around the same time that Wavemaster did. I remember hearing a theory that the Wavemaster destroyed him, but the odds are that he simply had his player deleted by the Administration."
"Maybe, but that's another story. So, do you think that Kite found the Key of the Twilight, and that's what the hacker was referring to? It'd make sense to keep people away from that kind of power."
Glancing over at her after a long pause with no answer, SM Slayer watched as Nightstar seemed to be involved in a deep debate. Finally she replied, "It's possible I suppose that he somehow stumbled onto it. His arrival into 'The World' seems to coincide somewhat to the appearance of this virus, but then that could just be a coincidence. There were rumors, if you recall, going on about troubles before he even arrived. It's true I don't know his exact date of arrival into 'The World', just a general idea, but it's possible he found what so many veterans could not. A bracelet would certainly be simple to carry as well as rather easy to conceal."
Contorting his brow, SM Slayer looked hard at Nightstar. "The virus? Are you suggesting what I think you are?"
"That Kite, through use of the Key of the Twilight, created or at least caused the virus? Yes, at least that it's possible. It may not have even been intentional. If the Key of the Twilight truly is as powerful as the mythology around it suggests, then someone could alter something fundamental in the coding of 'The World' and not even realize the true harm until it's too late. It might explain why he's trying to help stop the virus if he feels guilty for causing it. But like I said, it's just a theory, and not one with any real evidence to back it up."
SM Slayer nodded. "So, given all that, what do you think I should tell Mycinity and the others to do?"
Smiling wryly, Nightstar just replied, "I think that it doesn't matter what you tell her, she'll do whatever she wants to do anyway."
"So then what should I do?"
Sighing deeply, Nightstar leaned her head over and rested it on SM Slayer's shoulder, letting out a soft purr as she did so. "For now, I think you should stay right here, doing just this."
A light chuckle escaped SM Slayer's lips as he leaned his head down against Nightstar's, closing his eyes as he exhaled. "You don't have to ask me twice."
As Nightstar closed her own eyes with a broad smile, she just whispered, "I know."
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"Really My, charging into a dungeon by yourself like that. You should be glad I decided to follow after you." Walking back through the first floor rooms of the dungeon, Mycinity and Barricade continued the argument that had started almost immediately after he had found her at the stairs to the second floor. Mycinity was in the lead as Barricade was making sure she didn't try to bolt back into the depths of the dungeon.
Entering the next room back up the short few rooms between the two stairs, Barricade followed Mycinity through the right hand turn back towards the entrance. She hadn't really spoken much since he had found her, though tears had been sliding down her cheeks. He hated to see her like this, but he also knew that Mycinity understood what SM Slayer had been saying and why. The only question now was whether or not she'd accept the truth.
As they returned into the main corridor, the pair were greeted by two new arrivals. "Hey My, Cade, did you just go fight through the dungeon with out me?"
"Or me for that matter? As compensation, I demand you give me the rare item you obtained from the Gott Statue."
This brought the smile back to Mycinity's face. "Actually El, we didn't even leave this floor. I just sort of..."
"She just sort of thought she could prove that she could handle all the first floor monsters on her own, but was wrong." Barricade jumped in with the save, sparing her admittance of getting emotional over Kite and running off. KenRyu would have never let her hear the end of it.
Giggling at that though, KenRyu skipped over to the pair, put her arm around Mycinity, getting on her tip toes to do it, and said, "Aww now My, don't you worry. How about the four of us go together and beat this dungeon? I'll hold your hand and everything."
Growling slightly under her breath at the last bit, Mycinity stepped away and replied, "Sorry KR, but you and Elnon would just slow Cade and I down. We can handle it on our own."
Elnon frowned, his body vibrating with anger. "Is that a challenge Mycinity?"
Grinning wickedly back at Elnon, Mycinity replied with a mischievous tone, "Maaaybe."
Getting even angrier, Elnon all but smashed the butt end of his Wand of Storms into the stone floor, sending sparks of lightning off in several directions and causing quite the effect. "The challenge is accepted then. KenRyu and I against you and Barricade. First one to the Gott Statue is the winner, and the losers must forfeit a rare item to the winners. Agreed?"
Shrugging, Mycinity nodded. "Not like we really need any rare items, but seeing the look on your face when you give one of yours to us will be worth it."
Barricade then turned to Mycinity, and in a not so whispered voice said, "Now remember My, when we get to the next room the room to the right leads to the stairs. Don't hesitate on the direction or they might get ahead of us."
Giggling, KenRyu interjected, "Thanks for the head's up Cade." She then performed a trip kick dropping both Mycinity and Barricade to the floor before bolting at top speed through the door, Elnon close behind.
As Mycinity pulled herself up to her feet, rubbing the back of her head where it had hit the stone floor, she groaned and then said, "Cade, the stairs to the next floor are on the left, not the right. Don't you remember?"
Smiling up at her as he got up himself, Barricade nodded. "I know that... they didn't. Now come on, we don't have much time before they realize we duped them." With that the pair charged through the doorway.
Three floors later and Mycinity and Barricade found themselves standing at one end of a mid length corridor. They had made good time through the second floor with a lucky right turn, but had chosen the wrong direction on the third floor taking up a great deal of time. Still, Barricade was fairly certain that Elnon and KenRyu were still behind them. Now they just needed to hurry.
Across the corridor at the next doorway, the pair paused, as if sensing an imminent danger lurking behind it. For a moment Mycinity was almost about to suggest they wait and try to boost their stats, but then she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairway and panic kicked in, and the pair opened the door and entered the room.
As the Magic Portal activated within the spacious room over the large red symbol painted onto the floor, something the likes of which neither of them had seen appeared. Trembling with fear, Mycinity said, "What is that thing? It looks like a Scarlet King, but what are all those... green globby things all over it?" Barricade just stood there and shook his head. As the creature began to advance in on them though, his resolve returned and he charged in, followed closely by Mycinity.
Continuing to slash and dodge as best they could, something seemed strange, but Barricade wasn't sure what. As a blow from the creature's claws grazed him, knocking him back hard against the wall, it occurred to Barricade; the creature was much stronger and faster than it should have been.
Just then KenRyu and Elnon burst into the room, and KenRyu shrieked at the hideousness of the creature. Elnon however just grinned, then called out, "Rai Dom!" Bolts of electricity splashed into the beast, but to no effect whatsoever. Frowning at this, Elnon tried again, and again, but nothing was happening. "What's wrong with this thing?" Elnon shouted as he dove out of the way of its attack, having just sent Mycinity flying into the wall, "It just won't DIE!"
At hearing that, something clicked inside Barricade's brain, sending chills of fear down through him. "You... you don't think this is o-one of those... invincible monsters they m-mentioned on the Message Boards d-do you?"
The realization shot through all of them now, and the monster wasted no time in smacking them around some more. When three of them made a break for the exit, the creature outmaneuvered them blocking the exit. Finally, Barricade shouted out, "We need a plan. Elnon, stay back and heal Mycinity until we're at full power, and then you and KenRyu get out of here and find help, get Kite!"
KenRyu then shouted out, ducking another attack, "What about you two?"
"We'll stay and distract it, but hurry. I don't know how long we can do this!"
KenRyu nodded, a tear forming in her eye as her woman's intuition kicked in. Throwing Mycinity a Health Potion, she waited until Barricade and Mycinity had knocked the creature back and then bolted for the door, making it there just after Elnon did. As they got of the room and back to the corridor, KenRyu took a breath, then activated her Sprite Ocarina. She had to move fast, and hope Kite was where she was going to look.
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Sitting down and leaning her back up against the tree next to where Kite lay, BlackRose just stared down at him with a straight face. Kite just lied in place, watching her and waiting for what he feared might be arising. The fan club hadn't been his idea, but he did realize that it was the Lord Kite Fan Club, not the Lord Kite and Lady BlackRose Fan Club. How she might take it, assuming she knew and given her frequent checks of the Message Boards he was sure she did, was not something he could even guess at.
"So," she began, "I read that you have your own fan club."
Kite gulped. That answered that. As Kite sat up, he tried desperately to think of exactly the right way to word this. All he got though was, "BlackRose, this club wasn't my idea. It just sort of happened. I didn't mean to have them leave you out of it."
Lifting her nose up slightly, BlackRose responded in her usual boisterous tone, "And who said I even wanted to be in the club in the first place?"
That settled it for Kite, she did feel left out. "BlackRose I-"
He was cut off before he could finish though by her raised hand. "Kite, you're not going to... forget about me now are you, forget about us?"
Kite just blinked. "What? Why would I do that?"
"Because you're famous, and have your own club with adoring fans. I was just afraid you might... not have time for me anymore."
In that instant Kite felt the truth smack him like a jumper hitting the pavement. BlackRose wasn't worried about being left out, she was worried about being left behind. "BlackRose... I'm not going to leave you. We're partners remember? We have to solve this mystery and restore 'The World', save Orca and your brother. Not me, us."
Smiling brightly now, BlackRose clamored over to Kite on hands and knees and did something totally unexpected; she hugged him. As Kite belatedly returned the embrace, noticing first her bust pressed tightly to his chest with nothing but her purple bikini top... thingy between them, he blushed as his mind recalled with horror the incident with Natsume. Still, something made him hold on even tighter.
A sniffle in his ear told Kite that BlackRose was fighting off her tears of joy, removing one of her hands from his back to wipe them away. As she pulled back, smiling broadly as her sparkling ruby eyes stared deep into his fair, sapphire eyes. For a moment Kite swore that time in this online world seemed to halt, all sounds vanishing, not even a breeze to disturb the moment. As the moment passed though BlackRose began to move closer to him, and Kite was almost sure she was leaning in to... to...
Eyes closing in anticipation, the seconds ticked by with nothing. Peaking open an eye at last, Kite exhaled as he saw that BlackRose had lied down opposite him on the grass next to him, arms folded behind her head. Smiling as he watched the light piercing through the trees dance over her tanned body, mixing with the shadows of the shade to form little designs that mirrored, meshed, and mixed with the yellow tattoos along her stomach, Kite returned to his position of lying back with eyes closed. The recent image he had just seen danced behind his eyelids, as if a fresco of BlackRose lying back relaxed had been painted onto the backs of his eyes. It was interesting, that light almost made BlackRose's hair seem a purple- white, not that it made her look any less cute, any less appealing. Taking a deep breath as he began to notice the sounds of the area returning, Kite let the tension drain from his body.
"So," BlackRose finally said breaking the silence after what seemed like forever, "Gardenia talked to you."
Opening one eye to stare down to where she lay, Kite replied, "Yeah, how'd you know that?"
Keeping her eyes closed still, and taking a deep breath, BlackRose answered with a slight nervousness in her voice, "Um, because I was the one who asked her to."
Opening his eyes as all the clues piled into his mind at once, Kite fought against the urge to sit up and to stay cool. Gardenia's talk about following the heart and feelings, it was from BlackRose. Could that mean...?
Keeping his voice calm and only partially succeeding, Kite said, "Did you have her tell me all that because you were afraid I'd forget about you and our mission?"
Sitting up and hugging her knees, BlackRose replied nervously, "Yes, but not just that."
Lifting his head to look at her better while propping himself up with his elbows, Kite just watched BlackRose for a time, debating if he should ask the obvious and leading question or not. The two just stared at each other, eyes glued to the others, searching for some answer behind the electronic images before them, but finding nothing. At last BlackRose shifted her position back to her hands and knees, brining her face even closer to Kite's and still staring into his eyes as if being closer might reveal the answer that didn't come. Every so often her eyes would dart down to his lips, then quickly return to his eyes. Kite's eyes began to do the same, as a nervous anxiety shot through him.
Then slowly BlackRose began to move even closer, whispering out as her eyes began to close in anticipation, "Kite I..."
Kite didn't reply as her lips were now so close that to even speak might touch them. As his anxiety hit its peak Kite closed his eyes and just as he began to pucker his lips to reply off in the distance he heard a voice screaming, "KITE, KIIIIIIIIIIITE!!!!"
Opening his eyes in synch with BlackRose's, the two turned their heads towards the sound and Kite moaned audibly as he spotted KenRyu running as fast as she could towards them, screaming his name. Looking back at each other, the pair blushed as they realized the appearance of their position, with BlackRose practically lying on top of Kite. Pulling back in embarrassment, the two avoided eye contact for a moment, glanced at one another again, then returned their attention to KenRyu who was now reaching them.
Panting out of breath, KenRyu fell to her knees and gasped out, "Found... you... Mycinity... and Barricade... trapped... monster... freaky... doesn't die..."
Kite and BlackRose's eyes nearly shot from their skulls at the last part, and the pair quickly jumped to their feet. "It can't die?" BlackRose repeated with worry.
As KenRyu nodded, Kite, determination and hatred in his eyes now as his mind focused on this new threat said, "Data Bug. KenRyu, where are they?"
Having slightly regained her breath, KenRyu answered, "In the Fan Club... fourth floor."
Kite and BlackRose exchanged looks and nodded, then before KenRyu knew what had happened, the pair had gated back to Mac Anu leaving her there alone.
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Running along the jungle path with the aid of Speed Charms, Kite and BlackRose made their way towards the dungeon entrance. As they did so they zoomed passed a tall Wavemaster running in the same direction whose blurred image Kite recognized as Elnon's. He might have thought more about it if not for the figure running towards the now visible dungeon entrance in front of him. The feathers fluttering to the ground in his wake were a clue he would have spotted if Kite had been moving slower.
"Balmung!"
Stopping long enough to turn and see Kite coming up behind him, Balmung smiled and acknowledged the young Twin Blade and the Heavy Blade following up behind him and returned to his dash alongside them as the pair caught up. "It's good to see you Kite, and you too BlackRose. When that Wavemaster found me and told me what had occurred, I came fearing trying to contact you would take too much time. How did you know to come though?"
"Similar situation. Another player interrupted a... discussion on the future that BlackRose and I were having." Had Balmung or Kite glanced behind them at that moment they would have seen that BlackRose's cheeks were particularly red after that.
Nodding at Kite's remark, Balmung busted through a door and made his way towards the stairs. "So, do you know how to get to the fourth floor?"
Shaking his head, Kite replied, "No, but I have plenty of Fairy Orbs."
Reaching the fourth floor in no time flat, battle screams heard ahead of them, the trio paused a moment checking themselves mentally, but as they were about to move Mycinity flew out the doorway and landed on her rear as if she had been shoved out. A moment later the door slammed shut, and Mycinity jumped to her feet, shaking near exhaustion from what was obviously her last legs and began pounding on the door. "Cade, let me back in! This is no time to play hero you-"
As Kite and the others reached the door Mycinity was cut off by a terrible death scream from the otherside of the door. Seconds later Mycinity began screaming at the top of her lungs, backing into a corner. "KENJI!! He's fallen on the ground. What's wrong, why isn't he moving?! Kenji, wake up!!!"
Without waiting to see what happened next, Balmung leapt straight at the door and with a slash of his sword smashed it to pieces. As the three entered the room the last fading image of Barricade disappeared where he had been laying, and the Data Bug turned to face them.
Rage overcoming the trio, Balmung and BlackRose ran in and though one hit from either would have been enough to smash the beast into submission, their combined force smashed the creature back against the wall where even it stuttered and took pause before coming back at them unharmed.
Flexing the online muscles in his right arm, Kite called out, "Get clear!" As BlackRose and Balmung jumped back, Kite lifted his right hand forward, and shooting death-glares at the monster cried "DATA DRAIN!"
The Bracelet activated, streaking out its tendrils and ensnaring the Data Bug, draining the virus out of it and returning it to its original form. As the drain ended, before the beast could even realize the change, BlackRose's Executor slashed hard through it, severing it in half with ease.
The three then just stood there in the aftermath, not sure what to say or do. What was clear though was that they had arrived just late, and another victim had been added to the comatose list. Turning towards the broken down door, the three saw Mycinity's head sticking out from the bottom where she was on hands and knees, tears still dripping down her anguished and overwhelmed face, her mouth open wide in shock at what she had just witnessed Kite do.
As Kite began to move towards her now, Mycinity dove back into her corner and watched in fear and awe as he emerged from the room, moved towards her, and knelt beside her. As Kite watched Mycinity just sat there pale as a ghost, tears flowing as she continued to mutter the name Kenji over and over again, the shock and trauma of the experience having fully kicked in now.
Not knowing what else to do, Kite leaned over and hugged Mycinity tight, trying his best to calm her down. Behind them Balmung and BlackRose looked on, both with sympathy and remorse plastered on their faces, but as she watched, one of BlackRose's eyebrows seemed to be twitching ever so slightly. Still, she understood how this girl felt... far better than she wished she did.
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Author's Note:
Well, I warned you this one would be long. Over 7,000 words, and 15 pages in Word. Longer than I had expected actually, but I got it out faster. Well, I guess that answers the one mystery of who gets Data Drained. Now the question will be how everyone handles it. A few things I figured I'd inform you guys on.
1. I mentioned before that I toned down the amount of story that would be required for me to finish this due to time constraints. This chapter would have originally marked the halfway point of the story, leading into events that I would have predicted in Quarantine, as well as a lot more involvement of the other OC's I created. As it stands, a lot of the development of several of them will go undiscovered, and we probably only have about three or four more chapters to go, give or take.
2. Some of the products that didn't make it to the story due to space, time, and flow of the story include Kite posters with phrases ranging from, "I leave you Drained" to "Got Data?" Also on the scrap pile, the life- sized Kite cardboard stand ups, cups and water bottles with Kite on them saying, "Get Drained" as well as the Kite video game (ironic huh?) I'm sure if I put more thought into it others would come to mind, but we won't go there.
3. I hope by now with all the clues I've thrown out you've begun to figure out a fair amount of the offline relationships several of these characters share. My favorite by far is the one between Nightstar and SM Slayer.
4. For a clear image of the position BlackRose and Kite were lying in, look at Image 64 in the Accessory section of the game, as I took that image directly from there. Just think of it as my interpretation of how that pose came to be.
5. Next chapter will include comforting, and two confrontations, SM Slayer confronts Kite and Nightstar confronts Wiseman. Also note, I haven't decided whether I will have Mycinity confront BlackRose or not yet, but imagine that bomb going off. R&R!