AN:Fixed some formatting...
Whew! Finally back to work! Finally caught up to all the OCs too ;p Oh yeah, YamiJonouchi...What is LostMiko a priestess of, anyhow:P
Second Chance
Chapter 6:Hacker
"You're late." Balmung said flatly.
For a moment, she was speechless.
I just got up! What appointment did I miss?
He looked at her with an unreadable expression a moment, then said cooly, " We shall continue our recruitment today, there are many yet playing who have not been made to understand our cause."
"Where is Sora?..."
He gave her a cold frown, "He is not here, you will travel with LostMiko instead. Perhaps the two of you/ will be more productive."
Productive! It's not as if we are creating recruits! We have to find them first!
"Umm...hi..." Came a timid voice from beside her.
Surprised, Mimiru turned to see who was speaking.
A woman with long black hair gleaming with subtle red highlights, and a dazzling maze of red tatoos across her body stood next to her...LostMiko, Sora's girl.
Mimiru frowned slightly at the thought, Sora's girl...
"I-Is something the matter?"
"No..." Mimiru sighed, shaking her head. " Come on girl, let's 'recruit'."
The girl nodded nervously, and accepted Mimiru's invitation to make a party without complaint.
"Miko..." Mimiru said, pausing a moment, " What exactly are you priestess of, anyway?"
He sighed, closing the door behind him.
Another hard day of work...Crazy women raving about sad teddy bears, men complaining their 'partner' didn't get their pink flowers while trying their hardest to sound like a woman, only to find out the reason their partner hadn't gotten it was because they hadn't come home yet...A man who said his name read 'in gold letters' when asked how his name read on the card he was using...so many obnoxious women claiming their lives were positively ruined because the funeral arrangement they ordered was skimpy next to their rival's arrangement... besides the calls, his manager was on his neck about not wasting any paperperiod! On top of all that the holidays were coming up and everyone was freaking about handle time, and his rent was overdue, and his pockets were virtually empty and...
"ARRRRGHHHHH!"
Trying to compose himself, Sora slumped back into his recliner.
I need a break...I need The World...but there's no way I can go back there...not right now...maybe not ever...
Suddenly there was a sharp rap on the door.
Sora groaned and slumped his face into his hands.
The landlady...
"You home, Sora?" Came a voice, "C'mon! Your car's here!"
He sat up straight.
That wasn't the landlady...
"Who's there!"
"Why don't you open it and see?" the man outside laughed," We don't have all day!"
'We'?
"So...what did you think, sweetheart?" the man asked, smiling.
"It was...interesting..." The woman said, then quickly amended her statement when she caught his crestfallen look," Interesting and fun."
"For reals?" he beamed.
"I think we should do it again some time." she said, smiling at his juvinille expression.
"Alright!" he said, laughing and snapping his fingers triumphantly.
"But, Tominari.." she sighed.
"What?"
"I think I'm late for my concert..."
"Uh...oops..." he mumbled," Sorry..."
Cautiously, Sora opened the door a crack, and peered through.
A well-to-do man stood smiling outside, next to a beautiful young woman wearing glasses. Tragically, she was wheelchair-bound,
Where haveI seen these two before...
"Sora! You don't remember us, do you?" the man laughed.
"Kane, he has never actually seen us before." The woman scolded mildly.
That voice...Sora nearly tumbled over backwards when he realized who it was.
"Crim? Subaru! Is that you!"
The man smiled broadly," It's about time you got it!"
"What are you doing here!" Sora exclaimed.
He didn't bother to ask how they knew where he lived...when you're as rich as Kane Jinzo, you don't need directions.
"We got word that you were down, so we thought we'd come cheer you up." Subaru answered, smiling.
Sora had a sneaking suspicion that they were not here just to cheer him up.
"And you expect me to let you in, I suppose?"
Mimiru sighed as she stood at the Chaos Gate with LostMiko beside.
I should just log out now...there's no reason to endure more of Balmung's ire...we can't control who logs in and not! It's not our fault we couldn't recruit anyone!
Firmly, she cut herself short and stood up straight. She could never make it through Balmung's berating if she was already copping pleas to herself.
"Tell me your count." Came the ice-cold voice of Balmung from out of nowhere.
In spite of herself, Mimiru jumped.
How could he just come up out of nowhere like that?
Composing herself once more, she nervously brought her eyes up to meet his chilling gaze.
Neried, equally as cool, stood mere inches behind him, arms crossed haughtily.
"We...were unable to find any recruits..."
"That is unacceptable." He cut in curtly, " My partner and I garnered three recruits."
"Maybe those were the only ones on."
"Absurd." He replied flatly," You are not carrying your weight in this alliance, if you will provide no aid"
"Don't you threaten me! We did our best!" She snapped without thinking.
The flat look he gave her in response was harsher than any glare.
Darn it, girl! Control yourself!
"Your 'best' was obviously not enough." He said dismissively. "You will try the newer servers next time."
He made his statement a command, and he apparently could not comprehend anyone disobeying it.
"Whatever..."
"That is all. You may log out now." He said, then walked away.
She sighed, and slumped to her knees against the wall, drained.
She smiled weakly to herself, That was the best I've handled myself yet! I didn't even cry!
Watching Balmung's retreating form, she sighed heavily.
Sora...Where are you...?
Perhaps she wouldn't get away without any tears this time, either.
"I knew I should have just closed the door and locked it when I saw you guys." He said, sinking back further into his recliner, wishing he could disappear.
"I thought you'd be more mature now, Sora..." Crim admonished," To get so caught up in a childish love affair and go sulk like this?"
"I understand it hurts." The woman who played Subaru said," but there is a better way to deal with this...you need to go face it."
"Just stop..." Sora groaned, shaking his head," I don't know how you got this information, but I don't need a lecture from you guys, I can handle my own problems."
"Hah, whatever you say." Crim shrugged, " But I think your 'Twilight Alliance' might want to know something..."
"It's not 'mine'." he cut in irritably.
"That's beside the point, Sora." Crim said cooly," The point is, I found a hacker who might be willing to help you."
"Who, Helba?" Sora scoffed.
"No, she quit some time ago." Crim replied dismissively," Her name is Hiraio."
Mimiru sighed as she laid back on her bed, it was a single-person bed now...she couldn't bear having the one that her beloved had died in.
The day had been a long one, she had waited until ten O'clock but Sora had never logged onto the world.
That coupled with Balmung's browbeating had been extremely stressful.
Maybe I need to talk with Subaru again...
She jumped in surprise, as the phone rang suddenly.
Can Subaru read my thoughts!
Composing herself, she picked up the phone.
"So...you up for a midnight dungeon adventure?"
That voice...
"Sora!"
"Hey."
"Where were you! I needed you today!"
There was an uncomfortable pause, before he finally replied.
"...I'm sorry, Mi...I had guests."
"Well...let's do it then."
"I'll be there in five, will meet you in Mac Anu."
"Got it."
"Oh, and Mi?"
"What?"
"You gonna play in your nightgown?"
"Sora!"
Despite herself, she laughed along with him as she put down the reciever and headed towards the CPU.
She smiled softly, It's been too long since I really had fun...
AN: YAAAY! I updated! Don't you fret about all those 'recruits' Balmung's getting...you'll meet em all soon enough...D
Yusagi Sombermoon