Author's Notes: In this chapter, I make references to events in the anime ".hackDUSK" aka "Legend of the Twilight Bracelet". If you haven't seen it, don't worry, all pertinent information will be included in the text, but there will be spoilers.

Here's to Renfro, who's latest chapter had me all aglow. The fluff, my friend, the fluff!

Wonderland of My Own Making

Chapter Seven

"This is so inconvenient," BlackRose muttered, putting a gauntleted hand over her mouth as she yawned widely. "Doesn't he know a lady needs her beauty sleep?

Kite would have been amused if he hadn't been just as bleary-eyed as his partner. At the moment, he was beginning to wonder if this wasn't his friend's way of trying to get back at him for leaving Japan. "We can't do much about the time difference. Besides, it may be early for us but it's late for him."

BlackRose waved dismissively. "Yeah, but he gets to go back to sleep."

He arched an eyebrow. "And you don't?"

His wife had the grace to blush. "Well, he could have had the decency to pick a better field," she said, looking out over the hot, barren landscape. Heat waves distorted the dungeon in the distance. BlackRose's expression grew thoughtful. "I always wondered why they didn't have tropical island fields in The World. It would have been nice to swim while we're waiting." She grinned suddenly. "Maybe I should become a Moderator. Then I could do whatever I want."

Her words made something click in the back of his mind and he straightened, opening his mouth to speak.

"Hey there! Long time, no see."

Both of them turned at the sound of Orca's pleasant tenor and Kite forgot what he had been about to say in the face of his old friend. He smiled.

"Orca!"

The blue-painted swordsman chuckled and slapped Kite heartily on the back, nearly toppling the leaner Twin Blade. Kite barely managed to keep his hat on his head.

"It's good to see you again," he said, grinning from ear to ear. "I never thought we'd meet like this after all that's happened, but I can't say I'm sorry about it. I missed lecturing you on the finer points of role playing."

Kite smiled crookedly as Orca turned his attention to BlackRose. "And here's the little missus." He looked her up and down. "I must say, you're looking rather good for being six months pregnant," he laughed.

"You always were a tease," she replied airily, but her smile was genuine. Unconsciously, her hand lifted to touch the blue rayed star just below her clavicle in a sort of comforting motion. Kite noticed the movement but said nothing.

Orca's smile turned solemn. "So, I guess you two know why you're here." They both nodded and the Blademaster's gaze found BlackRose. "Sasuke tells me that you and he spoke yesterday. I'm sure then you know that we can't meet anywhere public, that's why I had you come here first. We'll go together to the hideout."

"Hideout?" Kite questioned curiously.

Orca's lips twitched into a bemused smile. "I think you'll find a lot has happened while you've been gone."

Of course, that was an understatement.

The hideout turned out to be a hidden door in Mac Anu that led into a single room filled with pillows and small tables and other odds and ends. The room itself was a rare item and Orca explained that Balmung had shown it to him years ago.

"He used it during his adventures with Shugo and Rena." Orca paused. "Oh, I forgot, you don't know about them." He eyed them both with a bit of hesitancy. "I suppose I might as well tell you that, while you were gone, there was a special Event awhile back. Or at least that's what people thought it was. Anyway, your characters were the prize and they were used for awhile by a set of twins, Shugo and Rena."

"What?" BlackRose's eyes were wide. "You mean, someone was walking around pretending to be me?" She was mortified. Kite just seemed disgruntled.

Orca put his hands up in a placating motion. "As I understand it, they played as themselves, but they did look like you two and they were mistaken for you quite a few times." The Blademaster reached up as if loosening an unseen tie. "Including," he coughed, "the time when Aura gave Shugo— Kite— the Bracelet."

BlackRose's mouth dropped opened. Kite looked stunned.

Orca laughed a bit uncomfortably and wished Balmung had been the one to explain. He was better at dumping everything on a person and then flying off to escape the aftermath. Needless to say, the burly Blademaster was starting to regret letting his partner have those wings.

Meanwhile, BlackRose had had time to turn sarcastic. "So, let me get this straight. While Kenji and myself haven't actually played the game in over ten years, our characters have been waltzing around wielding Bracelets and being controlled by children?" The Heavy Blade looked as if the idea was ludicrous. And then, even as Orca watched, she a did a complete turn around, her lips curving into a smile. The Blademaster shook his head. Mood swings. "Hmmm. It's almost funny. I guess the System really didn't care for us."

Kite smiled, but there was a cast to his features that told Orca it was forced. His question was direct and well thought out. "So, is it us or the twins that the System wants?"

BlackRose's good humor faltered and a shadow entered her eyes. Orca shook his head again and sighed. "I'm afraid I don't know. For awhile, Balmung got a job with CC Corp. and became an Admin. He lost the job eventually, not a great loss mind you, but even he's not sure what's going on there. In fact, we haven't heard anything from System Administration in weeks."

"Isn't that strange?" Kite questioned.

"Very." Orca leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "The Moderators are the ones in charge now. They monitor the boards carefully and then delete characters that get in their way. As you might know, there are three of them, and you have already met their leader." The Azure Sea shook his head. "That one has a cold streak a mile deep. He's merciless when it comes to dealing with us."

"Us? You mean the rebels?" BlackRose asked.

Orca smiled slightly. "Yes. We are the very few who are vocal about the problems within The World. Most users are content to come in, play a few hours, and get out without causing a fuss and I don't blame them. That is what the game is for. But for those of us who want to keep this place free for all types of users, standing up against the Mods is the one thing we can do."

"What do they want?" the Heavy Blade asked, frustrated. "What is it they're after?"

Orca spread his hands. "Power corrupts. In the beginning, they were users just like you and me, but they gained power and now The World kneels to them." His eyes lost their focus for a moment. "I think they might have been like us, like how we were when we first started playing, in love with the idea of a fantastic land where we could be someone else, someone better, different, new. Or maybe we could be free to become our true selves. Whatever the case, they wanted that too, but now… Now their make-believe world has become a kingdom, and they wear the crowns."

"What can we do?" Kite asked softly, and his eyes held Orca where he stood, unobtrusively demanding an answer.

Orca had one ready.

"Join us."

The ride home from Akira's doctor's appointment that afternoon was uncharacteristically silent despite the fact that Akira and the baby were in perfect health. She supposed it was because they both had a great many things to think about, but it saddened her somewhat that this supposedly happy time in their life was overshadowed by something happening in a world that didn't really exist. The child moving within her was real, and yet it was clear her husband's thoughts were somewhere else at the moment, his dark eyes hardly seeing the road as he drove.

It was to be expected, of course. Orca had put a heavy burden on their shoulders. He wanted them to join the rebels because Kite and BlackRose's combined legendary status would draw followers like candles drew moths. With their help, the Blademaster was sure they could call others to their cause, and perhaps put a bit of fright into the Moderators. The World was out of balance, that was for sure. The users had no voice and that was a problem, but what about Kenji and Akira? How long would it take to regulate The World? How long before the Mods were put in their place? In a little less than four months, Akira would be giving birth to her and Kenji's son. Would he have that distant look in his eyes even then?

Without preamble, Akira burst into tears.

Her husband turned his head quickly, eyes wide. "Kira, what…? What's the matter?"

She shook her head, both hands over her mouth as bright tears coursed down her cheeks. Shoulders shaking, she tried to speak through her sobs.

"I'm…sorry. I don't know…what's wrong with…me." She put her whole face into her hands. "I'm being so…stupid. I…" But she couldn't say it, the need to just cry keeping the words locked inside.

Kenji's face looked like his heart was breaking and he pulled the car into their driveway, turning off the engine quickly so he could lean over the center console, one hand cupping his wife's face.

"It's alright," he said softly. And he thought it was. She had been having mood swings since the first few months of pregnancy and had cried many times, her tears still heartbreaking to watch, but he had always known it was natural. She was under stress.

But now Akira was shaking her head at him, salty drops running over the tips of his fingers. "No, it's not." Her voice was stronger, and she opened her eyes to look at him, tears caught in her lashes. "Kenji, I'm scared." Her hands shook as she reached for his. "I'm going to have a baby, our baby, in less than four months, and I'm scared to death." She tried to smile for him, a bit of panic in her expression. "I keep thinking 'what if I'm a horrible mother?' or 'what if something happens to the baby?'. I know it's stupid, but now, with all this stuff in The World…" Fresh tears spilled silently into hands. "Please, I don't want to do this alone."

If he had thought his heart was breaking before, Kenji was sure it was now cloven in two. He felt tears in the corners of his own eyes as he pulled Akira closer, letting her tears wet his shirt as she rested her head beneath his chin.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I didn't realize…" He closed his eyes briefly, guiltily. "Please forgive me." He pulled away slightly to look into her eyes. "I'm just as scared as you, but someone once told me I clam up when I should be talking." He smiled sadly, wiping away a few of her stray tears with his thumb. "But we're in this together, Akira. You and me. After all, we're partners aren't we? We always have been and always will be, in everything."

She smiled blearily. "I know, but thank you for saying it. It's good to hear once in awhile."

And for the first time in his life, Kenji knew he would do anything to keep her smiling, even if it meant chucking his computer out the window. If it meant she would never have to cry again, he would have done anything. Anything.

"Are you hungry yet?" he asked as she calmed, her breathing matching his.

Akira sniffed. "Will you make blueberry pancakes?"

Kenji had to smile. Blueberry pancakes had become a regular meal ever since she had started craving them. He hugged his wife tightly.

"Anything for you."

To be continued…