Dot HackLegend of the Crimson Guard

By: Vampwriter

(Shoujo-ai warning)

This story takes place during the events of Legend of the Twilight and gives it a new twist.

Chapter One:

Twilight's Arrival

My name is Twilight. I am the captain of the Crimson Guard Shadow division. This is the story of how I came to be associated with the Guard, and later on, the fight to save both worlds.

In the town of Mac Anu it was business as usual. However on this day a new figure appears at the Chaos Gate. The trio of rings descend and reveal a young woman wearing storm gray fatigues with bits of armor on hips and thighs, chest, lower arms, and shoulders. She is a Long Arm judging from the spear she is holding; a level one iron spear. Upon her face there is a triangle upon each cheek and a diamond on her forehead. Her blue eyes open to take in the world she was in, her spear falling to her side at the same time. To think that this was a world that only existed in the net. It felt so real! Her indigo hair blew in the gentle breeze, her clothes ruffled slightly around her, and the sent of the water flowing beneath the bridge before her meet her nose.

'My god!' she thought, 'This place is wonderful!'

She walked forward and headed toward the square before her where many other PCs were gathered talking to one another and sampling the local wears. As she approached she mearly became another Long Arm in the crowd. She was, however, looking for someone in particular. The friend who said that she would show her the ropes of online gaming. Unfortunately she had yet to show.

She had been looking around that area for about fifteen minutes when she quite literally bumped into someone because of her inattention. "Hey, watch it!" came the voice above her.

She quickly got up and bowed to him. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to run into you like that."

The young man she had run into was, like her, wearing tunic and trousers with armor bit attached, only the clothes were brown and the armor was blue silver. He had tawny hair and purple eyes. Twin slash marks adorned his cheeks. At his side he bore a sword. Recognizing that she was very much a newbie he nodded his head in acceptance of the apology. He asked, "So what's a newbie like you doing wandering around here? Waiting for someone?"

She nodded, "Yes, I'm waiting for a class mate of mine to arrive, but..." She was cut off by the slight chime in the back of her ear. "What the heck was that?"

"Must be your mail alert," he said. "Try checking it."

She nods her head. She closes her eyes and accesses the new mail. Her surprise couldn't be contained as she read, "WHAT!? What do you mean you can't come!?" she sent the reply. The response came almost immediately and her face paled.

"What is it?" the other player asked.

She didn't look up as she replied, "Her aunt had a heart attack while driving home. She had an accident. The ambulance got to her and they flew her out. She's now in critical, but stable condition at the hospital. My friend and her father are heading out to the hospital to see her."

He places his hand on the distraught Long Arm's shoulder, "For what it's worth I'm sorry. Nobody should have to experience something like that."

She looks up into his sad, yet supporting face. "Thanks." She turns and extends her hand, "I'm Twilight the Long Arm. Pleased to meet you."

He accepts it in turn, "I'm Roan the Blade Master. Pleased to meet you too." They exchange member addresses. "So, since your friend isn't able to be here now how about you let me show you around the World?"

Twilight thought for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of letting him instead of her friend. But since she was already here it'd be best if she didn't waste this time. She nodded her consent. "Ok then," said Roan. "Now as you probably know this is a system hub, also called a Root Town. Delta server Aqua Capital Mac Anu." Twilight nods. "Right, now, Delta server is where all first level players start out. It's the lowest server on the rung." They continued on. Roan showed her the save station where Twilight immediately saved her time. Over the next hour Roan showed Twilight the shops and sights of Mac Anu, all of which Twilight took in. Eventually the came once more to the Chaos Gate.

Roan turned to Twilight, "Right, so how would you like to go see a level?"

She thought for a second. Twilight looks at him with a determined smile on her face and nods her head.

He nods back. "Okay then. I know the perfect place to go." He adds her to his party and accesses the gate. "We're going to Soft Passed over Abyss!"

The rings descend as they are transported to the new area. They appear again in a large desert area with shells and crab claws sticking out of the ground and rocks covered in barnacles. Roan activated a Fairy's Orb and proceeded to show Twilight around the field. She became familiar with the weapons and magic system, monsters, spring of mist, etc. Roan allowed Twilight to fight enemies on her own and took out several when it seemed that she was out numbered. Eventually they came to the dungeon.

Roan turns, "You ready to tackle this?"

Twilight readjusts her grip on the spear. "As ready as I'll ever be."

They head in. Roan and Twilight fight their way through the dungeon to the fourth floor, leaving no room unchecked. They take short breaks after every few fights to enable Twilight to catch her breath and heal. By the time they reached the Gott Statue at the end Twilight was level four or five. They came away with a Grand Armor and two Yellow Candy. They warp out of the room to the outside, and then back to Mac Anu.

"Hey Roan, thanks for showing me around the World. I had fun."

"You're welcome. Listen, I have to go now. It's getting a bit late and I need to fix my dinner soon." He offers a smile, "You want to meet here again sometime?"

She nods, "Yeah, I'd like that. Well, see ya."

Roan waves as he logs out of the World. Doing a quick time check Twilight headed off into town and sold what she doesn't want and stores the Grand Armor and other items she wished to keep. After saving her progress she logs out of the World and disconnects.

(Real world)

The young woman of about fourteen or fifteen removes the headset and shakes her hair out, moving around to restore a bit of movement, a look out the window told her it was early evening. She looked around her orphanage room to see if her roomy had returned while she was playing. She hadn't... She sat back in her chair with a sigh and stares at the monitor for a moment before shutting the computer down for the night.

Getting up she headed for the kitchen to raid the fridge for her dinner and took it and a cup of orange juice back to her room. Her roommate returned while she was eating holding a towel around herself, and drying her hair a bit.

"Oh hey, you're back," she said.

The other girl didn't respond as she continued eating. She pulled her nightie on and sat back to watch her friend eat in silence. It had been this way with her for three years now, since her parents died in that tragic car crash. It pained her to see her friend this way. She finished eating and pushed the plate away, staring at it for a time. A single tear escapes her eye and a pair of arms suddenly circles her neck, and a head nestles against her own. She presses back and lays a hand on one of the arms.

"Melanie, am I a bad person?"

"Of course not."

"Then why do bad things always seem to happen to me?" She looks up slightly, "Why am I always alone?"

Melanie sighs, "I don't know." Honestly she wanted to tell her otherwise. She liked her a lot, but didn't want to scare her off. "Eventually something good will happen to you Meiou. You'll see."

Aqua blue eyes met stormy blue and Meiou fell into them. She allowed herself to be led to her bed where Melanie lay down and cradled Meiou in her arms. She cried for a while as Melanie hummed a tune for her. The same one she always hummed when she was distraught. Meiou fell asleep wrapped in the comforting melody of the song.

Well, that's it for this chapter. If you don't like it please don't tell me, cause I don't want to hear it. In other words; No flames please! I've left the real world relationship between Meiou and Melanie up to the readers, and am willing to take any suggestions on how to take that, within reason. Next chapter we find out who Twilight's school friend is.