Disclaimer: Bleh. I don't own .hack

Toys N the Attic: All right.. One more chapter after this.. I kind of realized I didn't make Kurim sound as important as he really was. I am getting there. cough My goal is 15 reviews before next chapter! w00t

Flash Back's are blah blah xX I am not going to mention them, but hopefully I won't confuse you. Only in this chapter they are italic.

Fade to Black
Chapter 4

You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
You're frozen
When your heart's not open

You're so consumed with how much you get
You waste your time with hate and regret
You're broken
When your heart's not open

Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmmm, we'd never be apart
Mmmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmmm, you hold the key

Now there's no point in placing the blame
And you should know I suffer the same
If I lose you
My heart will be broken

Love is a bird, she needs to fly
Let all the hurt inside of you die
You're frozen
When your heart's not open
-Frozen MADONNA

She didn't go back to Him. It was fear that kept her from seeing Him anymore. He would come after her and hunt her down and punish her again, but running.. would keep him at bay? She couldn't rely on anyone anymore.. Bear knew and he was the only one she could count on anymore.. well, not anymore. Him being good friends with Kurim surely left her in the dark and would lead to her imprisonment.

Everyone was looking for her... but why? Was her freedom that threatening to everyone? Subaru must have been angry with her enough to sick the justice squad after her...

Mimiru looked down at the stone below her. Immobile and curled up in a ball. She had been there for the last 3 hours and didn't mind letting the sky sway over her. A shadow lay over her emerald gaze and the sun was setting behind her, leaving only an outline to be seen from the front. The sun never would set in this field.. She would never be found sitting on the top of a high tower like this.. Another identical tower was built over 300 feet in front of the other and connected by a bridge.. Not much of a fighting field..

No one would find her, not even Kurim. Kurim was always there it seemed like. Everywhere she ran, no matter where she went he would corner her. A lecture is what she expected...but nothing. He always seemed to let her get away. His face still fresh in her mind from their first 'meeting' since Mac Anu... Him being there was more of a torture then being captured by Subaru herself. Why was she sought after?

"Mimiru?" his voice called back to her..She opened her eyes wearily and only slightly to the sight above her. Golden pools looked down at her, surprising her, but she didn't jump. It took her a moment before she realized who it was.

"Kurim.."

He continued to stand over her until he reached out his hand to help her up, but she only stared at it..

"Mimiru.. I am not going to hurt you."

She just watched it and then pulled up on her own..pain surging through her stomach area and ribs, but felt only from cramps.
Mimiru breathed hard, facing down and her eyes grazing over his feet then back up..

"Than why are you here..?" Her voice was raspy.

Kurim just watched her as she supported her weight on the large boulder behind her, watching him, waiting for an answer.
"To help."

Mimiru blinked with surprise.. he was lying..

"I know what your thinking," started Kurim as he stepped forward, "and it makes me wonder.."

Mimiru blinked up at him as their face were only three inches apart, his look was serious.

".. who hurt you..?"

Her eyes widened slightly, surprised by his question. "No one," she growled, anger filling her and feeling the strength return.

Kurim reached up and touched the scar on her rib with a light touch, causing her to flinch and back away from him, running the heel of her foot on the rock behind her. Afraid of touch.

".. it is Sora..?" He looked from her scar back to her eyes.

Mimiru looked away. "No.. Kurim.. just..."

Kurim watched her, his eyes still firm.. She then glared at him. "Just leave me alone!" She shouted and pushing her way passed him, no sign of the pain anymore, but frustration. She disappeared in a series of three rings...

Oh how she remembered the look on Kurim's face as he stared after her.. since than she had ran into him countless times, not even a full sentence was spoken between them, he just watched her run away from him.

Because that was all she knew how to do..

She felt tears well up behind her eyes as she buried her face in her arms. How did he always know?

xxxxx

"Why won't you recall the search?" Kurim watched Subaru, anger hovering in front of his eyes.

Subary looked up at him, holding her axe firmly to her side. "I don't understand why you would want me to." She said blankly, adjusting her grip.

He raised his shoulders slightly. "It is a senseless hunt, Subaru!" He looked still calm, surpressing his anger with difficulty.

Subaru's eyes widened slightly. "How dare you say that, Kurim.."

"It is the truth, Subaru. It was an accident and you know it." Kurim, stood straighter.

Subaru just watched him and shook his head. "She is a Player Killer.."

"So what do you plan to do than?"

"Bind her.." Subaru's gaze fell slightly.

"You gave mercy to Tsukasa when she was captured for illegal action.."

"This is different."

"How?" Kurim's eyes turned into slits.

Subaru could not make her self look at him and still didn't answer.

Kurim watched her for a moment and then turned, he began to walk out, his shoes clicking against the marble of the castle floor.

"Where are you going..?" Subaru's eyes followed him.

"Anywhere else.." He said, not looking back, his figure but a mere shadow against the sunset shining through the doorway.

"She has changed, Kurim." Subaru's voice grew deeper.

He looked over his shoulder back at her, pure anger in front of his eyes, the gold matching that of his background. "She isn't the only one.." He looked back and was about to step out..

"You can't stop them! You don't even know where she is!" Subaru shouted after him.

"The Scarlet Knights arn't the only ones looking for her, you know.." was his last statement before he gated out.

Subaru glared...anger causing her steady grip on her axe to shake slightly, her clutch turning her knuckles white at her sides.
If he was going to change the rules, she swore would not drop out of the game.

xxxxx

Mimiru stood, looking forward at the cave-like tunnel of an underground dungeon. Glowing white orbs radiated a light shade of cerulean on the walls. Strange green and red symbols lead the way of the dungeon. It was silent, not even water was heard in the dry cave. It saddened her now that her grunty was gone, how foolish of her to leave it back in the desert where she dare not go back to..

She walked slowly with sword in hand and taking each step cautiously in case she triggered a trap. Her steps echoing softly as she stepped into a large section of the cave, like a huge circular room, its cave structure shifted into beautiful tile made with multi colored stone. The floating orbs caused the stone to glitter and a Monster Portal spun absently in the center.

Taking no before thought she ran at the portal, slashing down on it and activating the enemy code of zeros and ones. It appeared as a large horned monster, not more then level 80 or so. Mimiru pulled a smirk as she jumped up and lunged at it, slashing then dodging its attacks. With a final spin slash, it fell in a flurry of numbers and disappeared, showing the prize.. The heavy blade walked on, kicking open the chest to receive a small sack of money for her achievements. She resheathed her blade before reaching down and grabbing the sack. Happily she turned it upside down, each gold coin falling into her palm, slowly.. clink. clink. clink.

"Oooh..." echoed a sing-song voice behind her and dropping the sack of coins with a loud clatter to the tile floor.

She turned, wide eyed at Sora behind her, his hands on his hips, watching the coins fall to the ground..not waiting until the sound no longer echoed before he spoke.. Mimiru all ready backing away. "What are you doing now, hmm...?" He grinned widly.

Mimiru felt herself shaking from fear, running her hand along the tile wall.. "W-what ar-are y-you do-oing here, S-sora?" He voice stuttered as she tried to smile innocently back at him.

"Oh.." he began walking towards her, looking to his right in a casual way. "Just.." He looked forward and rested his hands on each side of Mimiru's head, flat on the wall, "Looking for you.." He grinned wider, the most evil grin.. she had ever seen from a person.. a kid for that matter.

Mimiru still smiled at him. "R-really.. w-why i-is that..?" She couldn't stop shaking...

"Why do I have to look for you, Mimiru??" He raised an eyebrow. "Hmm....?" A blade slide out of the top of his right wrist, touching the side of her neck..

Mimiru gulped.. "J-just.. ju-ust..." Why didn't she gate out..? She couldn't.. in a dungeon...

Log out, she thought over and over, contradicting herself over and over again.

"Just..?" He pressed his blade up against her skin..

Mimiru felt blood run down her neck.

She was.....bleeding?

For some.. she felt something build inside her as she forced her own emerald gaze to rest on Sora..her shaking slowly stop.

"Just.. can I ask you a question..?"

He blinked with amusement, "What is it?"

"What is your level?.." Her eyes narrowed, lowering and darkening in hue.

He laughed at the question. "133.. why..?"

Mimiru slowly reached up and gripped the sharp blade in her hand, pushing it away, feeling her fingers bleed... feeling.. feeling that...
It felt good..

Mimiru grinned at him, running her finger tips a long the edge slowly and Sora's eyes widening.. "What are you...-"

"Thank you for.." She interrupted as she stepped forward, bringing her hand up to his cheek. Her light touching grazing his jaw line.. him now frozen in surprise..not able to move. Splotches of bloody finger prints on his face.. ".. bringing the color back."

Mimiru felt herself as though she was someone else, leaning forward and grazing her lips on his, bringing her other back hand and slipping the heavy blade from the sheath on her back. The light glittering on its mirror surface as she stabbed it forward into the center of his unarmed navel..

His lips fell away from her's as his eyes widened in shock and froze in place as faded in a flurry of numbers, yelling out as he did so and being nothing more than an echo.

She gazed forward, only watching until the last of the code disappeared and silence corrupted once more.

"I've made it up to you.." she said out at nothing and then taking off, sheathing her blade on her back and making her way to the staircase. Mimiru needed to leave, now.

It was done. She killed him. She did not have to run anymore.. he was gone. A curve fell over the edge of her lips, closing her eyes as she now felt free.. he was gone..
He was gone..

Mimiru opened her eyes slowly, in pure bliss until she felt something grab her from the front. She had almost fell, but was caught in embracing arms.. her self looking up at the one Scarlet Knight.

"Kurim!!" Her eyes widened as she tried to pull away.

He watched her, holding her tightly, not letting her run away again..

"What are yo-"

"They are coming." Said Kurim firmly, staring down at her, his eyes in panic.

Mimiru stared up at him in confusion.

"We have to get out."