Disclaimer: Yeah..I own .hack....NOT! HEEHAHAHE....err....ahem Tricked ya, huh?
AN: BEHOLD!! I have not died!!!...Took me long enough, though, here is chapter 5.....I hope this one isn't too cliche, or melancholy....
Chapter 5: Recruitment
The girl shivered, as she sat on the grassy hill, looking over the small field.
What was going?...What was going on???
Everything had been stranger and stranger, since they had logged in...and found her data messed with.
She had lost levels...and gained equipment...now suddenly she'd re-met her oldest friend, and even joined an alliance of 'old' players...
But she couldn't understand why, or how she had done any of it....she had tried to go to Sora's place before...but she had been blocked....now suddenly, she could?
The formation of the Twilight Alliance the week before...meeting the legendary Balmung for the first time....all of it seemed so vague....so foggy...she couldn't even begin to understand why she had joined....except...she wanted this world to continue....but she was.....so afraid....
LostMiko sighed heavily, shaking her head, nothing at all made sense anymore...
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
" So....you want us to recruit more?" Sora asked, incredulously.
" It stands to reason that there are other players in The World under similar circumstances....and we must harness all that we can lay hold of, before many of thier interests in this game wane, once more." Balmung said cooly.
Mimiru almost flinched as he spoke, noticing how his eyes flickered towards her as he spoke...she had done all she could!
" Listen, 'lord'...not everyone lives in your little dream world, " Sora replied, annoyance evident in his voice, " We can try to get some people, but I doubt very many people are ready to give up on life yet....'lord' or no."
" That is true." Balmung nodded, " but nevertheless we must still try."
With that, he turned around, and walked away, Nereid in tow.
So...that was it?...Just...run out blindly and recruit?
And if they failed?
Mimiru shook her head and sighed, what had she gotten into?
A hand squeezed her shoulder, and she looked up, Sora nodded slightly, and said,
" You wanna group, and search together?"
She smiled slightly, he was always there for her to lean on...he was the last person she would trust....and the last one she could....
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
He frowned slightly, as he looked down at her, she had such a lost look in her eyes.....Mimiru acted more and more like 'Miko everyday.....
He only wished the was something he could do!!
" Sora! " She gasped suddenly, and pointed ahead of them.
When he looked up, he had to do a double take, for a second, he thought he saw Tsukasa talking with the cat character.....but no, it was only a similar-looking wavemaster, speaking to a purple-cat girl....who had a more devious look in her eyes than Tsukasa's 'friend' ever had.
" They....must be oldies...." Mimiru said softly, as if she, too, had been fooled at first, by the wavemaster's model, " Let's try them....."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The woman frowned at her computer screen.
Very irregular readings......they had began only months ago, but they had already intensified to a point she had previously thought impossible...
Yet, even more baffling, was the fact that the servers appeared untouched, were one to look on the outside.
The last time it had been evident.....perhaps Morganna wanted to remain hidden this time......were that so.....then this time could be far worse than the last....
But...even taking into account Morganna....these readings....they were physically impossible!
And yet, the readings were blinking on the screen, right before her eyes.....perhaps....perhaps it was time to enlist the aid of Bith....
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
" Ohhhh!!! I can't believe it!!!!!!" Mimiru growled, glaring at the female heavy blade's retreating form, " She totally snubbed us!!!"
" Relax, Mimi....we got four already, and I thought that would be impossible for Balmung...." Sora said reasurringly, " You can't win everything....c'mon, lets call it a day."
She looked up at her tired companion, and couldn't help but smile softly, they had spent all day, scouring the server, and only managed to recruit a paultry four players, Sora's reassurances or no.
And yet, the recruits were quite interesting.....A cat-like blademaster named Mia, her wavemaster, named Elk....a hyper twin-blade named Natsume, and a strange Long arm named Nuke... they made her feel almost at home again, for the first time since Tsukasa had died.....or maybe that was just Elk.....
She bit her lip firmly, to hide the sudden onrush of tear that threatened to overwhelm her....and upset Sora, as well.
" You're tired, too..." Sora said suddenly, " You've worked so hard, you should log out and get some rest...."
" Nah..." She replied, smiling, she couldn't go back now.... not until she had composed herself again...." We should report to Balmung first...you know how he is...."
He frowned slightly, he really didn't approve of Balmung, did he?
Or is he just protecting me?... She wondered silently.
" Whatever you say, Mi."
What ever he had become, he'd certainly become more mild over the ten years that had passed......and she decided she liked that change....maybe a little bit....
" What? " Sora asked suddenly, a goofy smile on his face.
Suddenly she realised she was grinning like a silly fool.
" Nothing, nothing!" She said quickly, surprised at the fact that she had to suppress a giggle.
" There's something on my face....isn't there?" " No no!" She said, trying to hide the grin that now threatened to split her face wide-open.
" So then, I would assume the two of you were not playing around all day." Balmung's voice came from nowhere suddenly, icy-cold.
Her laughs died in her throat, and Sora's embarrassed smile turned into a disapproving frown, that bordered almost on a scowl.
" I..we didn't goof off!" She stammed quickly, " W-we were just---" " Enough!" Sora snapped suddenly, cutting her off, " We don't have to explain ourselves to you."
Balmung's frown deepened, and he said in a clipped voice, " I trust you were successful?"
" We recruited fou-"
" Only four. I see." Balmung said coldly, ignoring any further effort by her to explain.
" What about only four?!" Sora hissed, blades drawn, " You think you did any better??"
" Hmph."
" Then you are dissmissed for now." Balmung said, " Tommorrow you shall try harder."
T...try harder??!!!! As if it were thier fault they didn't get 50 people?!!! That was it!!!!!!
Angrily, Mimiru stormed off towards the Chaos Gate....she had to cool her head....maybe she could take a walk in the real world....she hadn't done that in a while.....feel the cool breeze on her face...finally be free from the pressure....
" Sakura..." Sora called suddenly
She stiffened, when did he learn her name?
Irritably, she turned to face him, but the vemonous retort she had prepared was lost to her when she saw his expression..
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
She consumed his every waking moment....and haunted his dreams....
From the scowl that had quickly faded from her face when she looked up at him, he'd obviously slipped up and called her by her true name...
But....even if he did....he couldn't change the fact that he had to say this...
" Mi.... when the alliance was forged, and all that chaos was going on.....what I wanted to say to you was...." He started, then swallowed a lump of fear in his throat, " I mean...the other day...I...I had to tell you....I-I mean I wanted to...."
Her face softened, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, and she reached up and touched his cheek softly...her hand was so warm and soft...
" No....it can't be...." She whispered, shaking her head.
" I-I..."
" No.....I-if I....all there will be is more pain!!" She sobbed, " So much pain....I...I can't .....please....I don't want to hurt anymore....."
He felt suddenly cold, as if he'd been shredded by knives of ice.....his chest ached even to breathe....he had been a fool to even look at her....it could never be....she was forever Tsukasa's....all Sora could do was hurt her more.....he couldn't do that...
All I wanted....was to see you smile again....forever this time...
But that was a child's fantasy....
He let his hand drop her arm, and turned around, trying to hide the unusual tears that stung his eyes.....to contain the aching.....he wouldn't let himself fall apart like this!!
" Sora...."
Quickly, he gated away to his field, and ran.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
She stared at her empty monotor in silence a moment, and burst into tears....why did it hurt so much? If she loved Tsukasa...why? Why did it feel like her battered heart had been clenched in a giant fist, and crushed mercilessly????
" Help me.....some one please...." She sobbed, taking off her VR and tossing it away from her, " Please....please help me....."
This time, though...no voice whispered...and no one held her tight.....she had driven away the one person left in this world that had longed to help her.....she was finally....completely alone.....
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
" Mimi...." He whispered, looking up at the huge, simulated moon, " Im sorry.....won't you forgive me?...Please?.....Where are you??"
He shook his head, fighting away the waves of despare that crashed over him....no....no.....He could never go back now....it would only hurt her.....no matter what he did, all he could ever do was cause her pain....more and more pain.....he couldn't hurt her anymore! When would it end?!!!
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
" C'mon, you coward!!!" she teased, waving enthusiastically for her beloved.
" Mimi...it's too big!" He complained, indicating the creek, which had flooded, nearly to the size of a river.
" Now c'mon! Don't make me tell Bear you didn't make the wedding because you were afraid of a little hop!"
Tsukasa made a face, and said, " And then he and his son will never let me hear the end of it!! 'Sora made it...why couldn't you??!' "
" Yes, and Justin's bride! I can see it now!" She laughed, imitating the woman, " Hiking her dress up and chasing you all across Tokyo--again!"
" Don't remind me!!" He laughed
" Well, Come on then!!!"
" You'll be the death of me--I know it!" He laughed, then took a step back, and charged.
She looked up, as she opened her eyes.....something was wrong....he was so cold....so pale...
" Tsukasa!!!!" She screamed, shaking him, " No!! Wake up! Wake up!!!"
She looked up slowly, through her black veil, he was standing a ways from the rest of them, staring at her...sympathy and pain etched on his features....
She had to speak to him, she had to go to him...
She took a step foward, and Bear stepped in front of her, talking reassuringly....she ignored him though....she was watching only him.....he turned and walked away....no! She had to catch him...had to tell him the truth! But...people kept blocking her....Subaru, BT...Balmung....he was dissappearing now...no! Not yet!! Wait!! He had to wait!!!!!!
She was running full board now, as the shadows clawed at her, dragging her back....and he faded farther and farther away.....
In desperation, she gave a final scream.
"SORA!!!!!!!!"
She gasped as she looked around, she was sitting up, dressed in a light gown, under her blankets...no one was around......no one...
Not Tsukasa.....not Sora.....
She had no one.....but.....she had to chase him....she couldn't let him go........she......had....to....
AN: Gasp What have I done?? Isn't this a Sora Mimiru fic?!!
/slaps self
Actually, I hated doing that....it hurt you know, but as Yu Watase says...." I had to!!"
Will they work through it or not though????0o
On a side note: Break out the noise-makers! It's a double celebration!!
1: This book survived it's 5th chapter! ( it was supposed to be 5 chapters) 2: I whupped Skieth in 1 try!!!!!!( Yes! I have avenged Sora!...not really though.....MORGANNA! YOU'RE NEXT!!!!!)
Sorry there wasn't any new OCs in this chapter....wait for the net one!
Yusagi Sombermoon