Ok... so I get internet at home via satelight... and teh part of the satelight that sends information to us is BROKEN.. so I dont' have internet.. I'm posting this stuff from school... So my posting will be irregular and.. yea... I will get new internet in a bit over a month, but until then... eh...

Chapter 7

I sometimes wish it had never happened, that I had not played that game and fallen into a coma, that I had not been trapped, that I had not felt that bitter pain and loneliness… But then I think about the experience and the friends it brought me… I remember the joyful things… And I know that I'm better able to deal with things like pain… But still, sometimes I wish that it had never happened…

Kite – real world

At first, that evening, Kite did not dream, but slept peacefully for several hours. However, at long last, the dreams invaded, seeming worse than those of the night before.

Again, Kite was suspended in utter darkness, not merely of sight, but of sound and feeling as well. The chill of the void crept first into the boy's limbs, then into his lungs and into his heart. For a time, he resisted the waves of despair and helplessness, but now his defiance faltered. And this was when the voice returned.

"Ah, the foolish boy still resists, does he? I'm sure you feel so proud of yourself for yet another triumph," she hissed. "Freeing that worthless, traitorous Macha… Or Mia, as you call her. Though, I shouldn't say worthless, I think, for she did bring that one to me, but, then again, she cancelled out her loyalty by helping Tsukasa when that one turned from me… But in your quest to aid Macha, you helped be gain more control over you. With your data draining you bring fragments of my creation back to me… For which I thank you. It makes revenge so much easier."

"Leave me alone," Kite managed to force his lips to say. "I won't be your tool!"

"But you will," replied the voice with a cackle. "If not for the connection still forged between Aura and Tsukasa, you would already be completely under my sway. However, even with the powers of those two, you shall not remain free much longer."

"No," said Kite, struggling and suddenly breaking free of the cold that bound him. It barely registered in his mind that now he was the twin blade from the World, and not the small bespectacled boy from the real world. Anyway, he drew his daggers and slashed out in the direction he perceived the voice to emanate from.

Laughter resounded behind him and it was a cruel, mocking sound. "You cannot touch me, much less harm me. Even if you could, to do so would be to wound yourself."

Kite said nothing but turned towards the voice and slashed again. The voice just chuckled. The boy glared into the darkness. Then, an idea struck him and he looked down at his wrist. Though actual sight was impossible in the gloom, he knew what he was gazing at.

Taking one of his daggers, Kite slashed at his wrist. The bracelet flashed and the boy felt a twinge of icy pain, but the blade was turned aside with out even leaving a scratch.

"You would dare destroy that precious gift?" The voice sounded annoyed, but unconcerned.

Then she laughed, saying, "But /this/ bracelet is more durable than its predecessor. Besides, this bracelet was only my gateway… now, I am within you and destroying the gateway would only make it harder to get rid of me."

Kite ignored the voice and tried to slice the bracelet again and again, but it would not break. After a time of his futile efforts, the voice said, "I grow tired of your foolish actions. Will you not cease voluntarily or must I force you?"

Kite again ignored her and continued his attempts to break the bracelet. A final slash resulted only in the blade shattering. Therefore the voice spoke again.

"Very well. In time you will obey me…"

And a torment filled his senses so intense that Kite couldn't hold back his screams. The agony was greatest around the boy's wrist and head, but painful waves coursed through his body. Collapsing upon whatever surface he seemed to stand upon, Kite writhed, muscles contorting and twitching spasmodically.

Then, the pain ended. Kite lay gasping and limp, to weak to do more than lay there. The voice simply laughed, but the noise faded as the boy's consciousness faded. And he fell into deep, dreamless sleep once more.

However, after a short time of untroubled rest, a new dream took shape, quite different from the last, but it was worse.

The dream began with Kite and Blackrose descending a dungeon in the World. The walls, floor and ceiling of this place might once have been gray stone, but now they were splotchy with raw data patches and the air occasionally sparked with reverse colors, random symbols or white noise.

The pair stood before a doorway wreathed in violet flames. However, as Kite stepped forward, the fire vanished. Faces grim, the two walked through. Ten, they found themselves upon a floating island, brown and desolate. Eight glowing orbs hovered before them. A flash of light caused the spheres to expand and morph, each one taking the shape of a monster strange and yet entirely too familiar; the eight phases Skeith, Innis, Magus, Fidhell, Gore, Macha, Tarvos, and Corvenik ( in the form of a single eye).

Skeith lifted his wand and came forward. Kite and Blackrose retreated a step, drawing closer together and holding their weapons at the ready.

"Wh- what's happening?" cried Blackrose. "What the hell is this?!"

"I don't know," said Kite.

And then the phases rushed forward, forming a circle about the pair so that there was no escape. Back to back, Kite and Blackrose stared at the monstrosities, unsure which one to face. Skeith, again, was the first to step forward. It swung its wand out at Blackrose, but she blocked it. A moment later, the rest of the phases pounded upon the ground, or sent out a shockwave. This caused both of the players to loose their balance and fall to the ground. Before either could rise, Skeith darted forward and struck the heavyblade with his wand. Blackrose, flung into Kite, cried out as a blue polygonal orb surrounded her and shattered. Then, before either could react, Blackrose was drawn upwards, the red wand materializing behind her, binding her to it.

The wand hovered between Kite and Skeith and a voice within the twin blade's head whispered, "Data Drain her…"

"No!" cried the twin blade. "Blackrose!"

The phases laughed and the voice said, "Do as I say and Data Drain Blackrose!"

Again, Kite cried, "No," clutching his head.

However, his muscles moved of their own accord and Kite found himself standing up and holding his arm out towards Blackrose. She gazed at him, her garnet eyes wide with fright.

"Won't," he moaned, struggling against whatever controlled him. "Let me go… Must… not… drain… eugh!"

However, despite his best efforts, Kite was unable to prevent the dark force from rising and activating the bracelet, and even less able to wrest physical control from the force and turn his head away. The blue polygonal ring expanded. Rays of colored light flew from each point of the bracelet's sections, converging upon Blackrose. For a split second, Blackrose appeared to be Aura, then collapsed upon the ground, the wand reappearing in Skeith's hand. Kite, regaining control over his own movements, ran over to the heavy blade. Kneeling next to her, Kite reached out to take her hand.

"Kite," she gasped, looking up at him, her garnet eyes dim and confused. "Why…?"

And then, even as Kite touched her, Blackrose disappeared entirely.

"No… Blackrose…"

Kite stared at the place where the girl had been for a long time. Then, the twin blade stood up, clenching his fists, a hard glint in his eyes. Raising his head, he glared at the phases, Skeith most of all. Leaping forward, daggers in hand, he slashed at Skeith.

However, even as the blade descended to strike, Skeith morphed into Tsukasa, gazing up at him with his sad lavender-grey eyes. The wavemaster blocked the slash with his staff, but made no other movement. Kite leapt back, confused.

"What are you doing, Kite?" asked Tsukasa. "You can't let Morganna control you…"

"I –" began Kite, but nearly choked on his words when Tsukasa became Elk.

"You – You killed Blackrose," cried Elk, eyes wide, frightened and yet accusing. "Just like you killed Mia!"

"No," moaned Kite. "I didn't mean to… I didn't want to…"

And then, with a wild cry, Elk leapt forward, swinging his staff at Kite's head. But he wasn't Elk; he was Balmung.

"Player Killer," hissed the blade master. "You have been corrupted by that bracelet you bear. You deserve death…"

Kite looked up at Balmung, confusion and grief contained in the twin blade's cerulean eyes. Then he bowed his head, a defeated expression upon his face.

"Go ahead, then," he murmured. "She wouldn't be able to use me anymore…"

Balmung looked at Kite strangely for a moment, then said, "Very well. Die, then."

Balmung lifted his sword to strike. At that moment, however, the dark presence rose up again and took control of the twin blade. Though he tried hard to resist the manipulation, Kite could not prevent himself from stabbing upward, driving his jagged blade up through Balmung's stomach and into a lung, despite the plate armor. Balmung's eyes widened in pain and surprise.

Tears formed in the corners of Kite's azure eyes even as his hand jerked the blade, twisting it out. "Please… forgive… me," he whispered.

Balmung opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a wordless moan, punctuated with a bubble of blood. Pain filled the blade master's purple eyes and he let his sword clatter to the ground. Balmung fell to his knees, then collapsed, limp as a rag doll. For a few moments, blood dripped form his wound, staining the ground, then his body turned gray and faded into dust. Two pearly feathers drifted through the air where the knight had stood, one landing in the pool of blood, the other in Kite's hand. Now, the tears fell freely from the twin blade's eyes.

"How… Mia… She's still alive… but she was the first… and then Blackrose, dear Blackrose… How could I do that to you?! Blackrose… And now Balmung…"

"What did I tell you?" asked the voice of Morgonna.

"Leave me alone!" cried Kite, his voice cracking, but firm. He flung the bloody dagger away, cupping the feather in both hands.

The voice laughed. "How can I? I am a part of you! I /am/ you…"

Kite clenched his hands around the feather, a burning rage filling him. "No, you're not," he said, softly, his emotions barely in check. "You are not me! You are merely a parasite using me!"

"Am I? Well now, perhaps, but in time… Don't worry, boy," said the voice in a mocking tone. "You won't rid of me before you and I are one. I've already proved that I can master you… You cannot resist much longer."

"Leave me," sobbed Kite, his emotions breaking through. "You need not gloat… Just go!"

"Very well," said the voice, still laughing. And then the laughter faded.

In the silence, Kite mourned his friends, closing his eyes and still clutching the feather. Thoughts of bitter despair circled around his mind, accompanied by grief.

A faint call disturbed his thoughts, but at first Kite could not open his eyes to see who it was. Then he felt a gentle shake and heard the call again.

"Kite," came the murmur. "Honey, wake up. It's morning and I need to take your temperature."

- - - - - - - - - -

Tsukasa – real world

Amaya sighed as she placed her headset aside. For the first time logging back into the World since the incident, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. She sat, gazing at the empty computer screen for several minutes before standing up and stretching. The girl was too sleepy to do her homework, but not quite ready to go to bed. Therefore, she determined to go downstairs to the kitchen and get a drink and a snack before retiring to sleep.

Once in the kitchen, Amaya poured herself a glass of milk and retrieved a cookie from one of the cupboards. She sat at the table as she ate, staring at the wall, her mind still preoccupied with the events of the past couple hours. Therefore, she wasn't aware of the car pulling into the driveway or of a tall, scraggly man getting out of it. He wore glasses with thick lenses, much like Amaya, and had the same stormy gray eyes.

Amaya did, however, snap out of her thoughts when she heard a key turn in the lock and the door open. She didn't have time to run back to her room before he would see her, so she just had to hope that he wasn't drunk. However, her hopes seemed to be true for the man came in, his gait steady and strait and his eyes clear. At first he didn't even notice his daughter seated at the table, but walked over to the refrigerator. He pulled the door open and examined the contents. He removed a can of cola, shut the door and turned around. Only now did his eyes alight upon Amaya.

A tired sigh passed through his lips as he gazed at his daughter. "Hello, Amaya," he said.

"Hello, father," she replied, not looking at him, but fiddled with the hem of her long shirt meant to be tucked into the skirt she wore to school.

"You look so much like your mother," murmured the man with another sigh as he opened his can of coke. "Oh God, I miss her…"

"I know," said Amaya, glancing up at her father. "I do, too."

"She wouldn't have let me be such a shitty father. If she hadn't died." He made as if to go on, but changed his mind and only added a second, "If she hadn't died…"

Amaya said nothing. Such spouts of regret were not uncommon, but in this fashion? Never. Not once had her father ever said anything about his own parenting skills. What was the matter? Had something happened? Amaya didn't know, but she didn't trust herself or her dad enough to ask. Therefore, she remained silent, letting him talk. Perhaps she could glean what she needed to learn that way.

"Oh, if she hadn't died, maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe I wouldn't of fucked up my life… Maybe I would have, but… Oh, Kai… Ever since you died, I've been lost," uttered Mr. Yamamoto, seemingly forgetting that he had an audience. Amaya wondered if, in nights alone, he had done the same, reciting his sorrows to the wall, or to a picture of his deceased wife, Amaya's dear mother.

"I… I'm sorry Amaya," said the man, suddenly turning to his daughter.

The girl stared at her father, wide-eyed. He'd never apologized to her before. What the hell was going on?

"F-father?"

"Heh… This must seem pretty hypocritical coming from me… Or… Just not right, I suppose," mused he, coming over and taking the seat opposite Amaya. "Look… I guess I've had an awakening or something… I… I'm gonna try to… y'know… come clean. I'm sick and tired of being a slave to the bottle and the needle… I'm sick of feeling so wretched all the time, sick of wallowing in anger and grief, sick of the guilt. Most of all, I'm just sick… I'm tired of living. I wish I could have done a better job… With you and… so much more."

Quite unexpectedly, Amaya burst into tears, putting her head in her arms upon the table. Mr. Yamamoto looked startled for a moment.

"What's the matter? Amaya?"

"Nothing's the matter," she said, raising her head to look at her father through blurred eyes and steamy glasses. "Thank you! It's… It's just…"

The man smiled, but it was an empty smile, fixed to an empty shell; but at least it was a smile. "It's OK," he said. "I think I understand…"

He rose and came around the table next to his child. And then he gave her an awkward hug. "Go to bed," he murmured. "It's late…"

Amaya nodded and arose as well, turning and walking towards the stairs.

"And Amaya?"

She turned back.

"Though it may not seem like it most of the time," said he. "I love you… Even though… I know I wanted a son so badly that… Nevermind… Just know that despite all that, I do love you."

Amaya nodded and smiled through her tears. "I know, father, I love you, too. G'night."

- - - - - - - - -

The next morning, early as she had school, Amaya half expected to find her father crashed on the couch, a bottle of something on the floor next to him. Heaven only knows how many times she had found him like that, but, to her relief, he was not asleep on the couch, but neither was he in the kitchen anywhere. He certainly hadn't been in his bedroom. Her father never went there if he could help it because that was where Kai had died. Amaya never entered that room either, save to clean it once every month or two.

Puzzled, Amaya looked out the window, but his car was in the driveway. Still baffled, she turned back to the kitchen. Then she espied a letter upon the kitchen table, labeled "For Amaya." She walked over to it, picked it up and opened it. Inside there was a letter than ran thus:

Dear Amaya

Again, I am sorry I have been such a lousy father. I don't think I can ask you to forgive me… But I do ask you to remember me as I was before… Not since. I've gone for a walk to think things over. So, in case I don't see you again… Farewell.

Love Yoshi Yamamoto

Amaya stared at the letter for long moments, reading and rereading it many times. It's meaning confused her, but seemed to suggest something she did not want to think about. Therefore, she didn't let herself consider the possibility. Instead, she regarded the letter as merely stating that her father still felt sorry and had gone for a walk.

The girl then began to get ready for school. It occurred to her that the only homework she had accomplished had been what she had completed in class. But she did have a good excuse for not finishing it, if one ignored the fact that she had played the World for several hours. Ah well, this would be the first time this school year in which she had not done her homework, so the teachers were inclined to be lenient.

At school that day, for once, she did not take detailed notes, writing down the most important things more out of habit than anything else. No, her mind was elsewhere, either drifting around the events in the World, or the behavior of her father the night before. Kite was not at school that day , so Amaya assumed that he was home, still unwell. A teacher asked her a question in history, but Amaya didn't answer, her attention not upon the subject. The teacher repeated her name, louder and the girl was startled out of her thoughts.

"I apologize," she murmured, rising and bowing once to the teacher. "My mind was elsewhere. What was the question?"

The class snickered and laughed, pleased that the teacher's pet, as they had labeled Amaya, was caught doing something wrong. She, however, employed a special talent she had picked up when she was younger: ignoring people.

After school, she called Mimiru's cell on a pay phone and told her friend that she wouldn't be coming over. She had things she needed to do.

"What things?" asked Mimiru. "We don't have school tomorrow, so it can't be homework. Did your teachers assign you a project or something? Or could it be that Amaya's finally gotten herself a date?"

"Tch, no," replied Amaya. "I do not have a date, nor do I have a school project. It's... personal. Please understand."

"Your father?"

"Yes and no."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"A little bit has to do with him, but the rest involves a friend of mine."

"Oh, who?"

"I don't think you'd know him and I don't know if he'd want me to tell you. I'm sorry."

"Amaya! What are you hiding?"

"Nothing! Why are you so nosy!? Gah, it's just like when I first met you!"

"Hey! Does that mean you "really don't like me," again? Anyway, Sora emailed me saying that you were logged into the World last night. And I was just making sure you weren't hiding at your place just to play the World when you've been telling me and Subaru that you didn't want to play…"

Amaya scowled at the phone. "I was just trying it out again, yesterday! I don't know if I'll keep playing. But, it figures Sora would go and tell everyone that I was playing again!"

"Actually, if we can trust his word, he only told me before running off to bother Subaru and Krim."

"Good. I don't want everyone knowing or thinking that I'm playing again whether I am or not," Amaya said with a sigh. "It's just…"

"I think I know what you mean. That's OK. I won't tell anyone, but don't you think Subaru ought to know?"

"No… I got to go. I don't have anymore change and the phone is warning me that I have thirty seconds left."

"All right. Bye Tsukasa," said Mimiru, teasing. "I'll call you tomorrow, 'K?'

Amaya rolled her eyes. "Fine. Good bye, Mi."

The girl then hung up and headed for home. Once there, she noted that her father's car was still in the driveway. Amaya then unlocked the front door and entered.

"Father?" she called, heading for the refrigerator to get a drink.

But there was no answer. Amaya called again. Still, no answer. There was no note on the table, nor anywhere else she could see, so she assumed that her father was still out and about, but why was he gone so long? He might have decided to walk around the city, but that didn't seem like him, no matter how Amaya pictured the situation. Now, the hypothesis of the morning crept back to her mind.

"No," she hissed aloud. "That couldn't of happened! No!"

Attempting to block out that possibility once more, the girl made her way upstairs and, setting her backpack down, turned on her computer. However, her idea kept inserting itself into the foremost of her thoughts. Therefore, a few minutes later, she opened the "Local News Bulletin," maintained and updated by the local news station, with baited breath and tense muscles. And that's when her heart sank. Squeezing her eyes shut as if to block the article, Amaya clenched her fist and pounded it upon the desk.

"No… Why, damn it, why?!"

A/N: Cliff hangers.. don't ya love 'em? Muahaha… This just seemed like a good place to end it and I do believe this is my longest chapter to date. Muahahaha….

News! -shiney-new-spiffeh- The third volume of the manga .hacklegend of the twilight bracelet is out! (and has been for a couple weeks) -hugglz it- I like that manga so much better than the anime of legend… eurgh… The anime annoys me. They turn Reki into a back-stabber, for Pete's sake. No, Reki! Don't join the darkside!! Don't side with Kamui! -sniffle-

Anyway, about the MANGA of .hack legend of the twilight bracelet:

Overall: Cute, awesome story line! Great artwork! Way to bring in random cannon characters and add new ones! Yay! -hugglz Balmung, her favorite character from the trilogy of manga volumes- I love Balmung! He's such a wonderful idiot who is not always an idiot, but is cute and uberawesome no matter what he does ('cept in the first volume of the games where he just irked me, but that's the games, not the manga)! Muahaha! Oh, and if you look carefully, I think you can find Tsukasa and Subaru in the backgrounds in a few places in each of the volumes… I know you can in the second and third, and I know Tsukasa's in the back of the first, but I'm not sure about Subaru in the first one…

Volume 1: Nifty beginning… doesn't seem to know quite where it's going yet, introduces character, though… cool characters! And has a few of my favorite quotes/ scenes: (and inspiration for another fanfic)

Reki: The suits are looking for you.

Balmung: Just ignore them. You shouldn't take everything so seriously, Reki.

Reki: Have you been drinking, Balmung? I didn't know they had programmed Sake. What's the point? It's not as if you can get a buzz from a virtual drink.

Balmung: DON'T SPOIL MY FANTASY! -waves his Sake bottle around- I always drink Sake at the Cherry Blossom Festival! I don't care if the buzz isn't real – I can role-play being drunk!

Reki: If it's so important to you, why don't you just go to the festival in the real world?

Balmung: You don't have to rub it in.

-and-

Reki: -thinks- I hate my job! –says- This year's Tanabata event is OVER! Come on… Applaud, dammit!

Volume 2: More awesomeness… More characters, 'specially Zefie (aura's daughter) who is just cool. She gives a grunty a pink afro! That's gotta count for something! Although it leaves off with a cliffie (-strangles producers of manga-), it is still well written. Muahaha.. and little back ground things are fun! You see a few of the characters from the games and/or anime wandering around like Nuke Ukasumi and Rachel.. and Piros.

Quoty-Quotes:

Hotaru: OH MY GOD!!! MY GRUNTY HAS A PINK AFRO!!

-And-

Shugo asside: I'm Shugo Kunisaki, 14 years old, 9th grade… And I've been kissed by a mother and daughter team!

-and-

Wiseman Balmungs little conversations…

Volume 3: Awesome!! Nifty ending, fun random stuff at the end and random cannon characters popping up. –resists telling you more- -resists spoiling it- Must not spoil…

Anyway, now that that long and involved tangent is over, let us move on to reviews:

Sesuna: Thanks for reviewing as always!

Murgatroyd: thankyou for the information concerning their names. I knew some had official n ames, but I didn't have a chance to look them up. Ehehe...

Dreamcaster555: Thanks for reviewing yet again! I do think I am going with a Kite-Tsukasa pairing... :)

WavemasterAeris: Thanks!

Minako: gah.. you read my mind. About the Tsukasa Kite pairing... but, uh... I can't guarantee Kite's sanity or his freedom... Ya find out about some of the stuff you asked in this chapter, but the other stuff comes later... yay

Littlepeepers: Thankyou! I just updated.. see my note at the top about the delay...