.Hack: Penance
A .Hack fanfiction by Renfro Calhoun
Disclaimer: Project .Hack and attached characters/concepts belong to Bandai and Cyber Connect. They are used without permission, but with the utmost respect.
Notes: Happens after Quarantine, before the Clear Game stuff. (Thoughts), [text], {email domains}. I was really hoping to get this up on Friday... stupid work draining me of my will to get things done on time! -whines- Anyway, as punishment, I shall be completing Chapter 4 in short order. Stay tuned :)
Edit: GodDAMN does Fanfiction . net formatting suck! Now it deletes email domains (and anything else) because a period is between the domain name and the 'com'. The only way to not lose them is to space it out, as shown. Grrr...
This chapter written under the influence of: Foo Fighters – Times Like These (acoustic)
Chapter 3 – Haven't We Been Here Before?
-----------------------------------------------------
He punched the glowing buttons on his phone almost from memory, taking only a moment to glance at a slightly faded business card and ascertain the number. An electric warbling simulated the traditional ringing of a telephone, twice, then twice again.
After a quiet click, a deep, yet cheerful male voice answered. "Hi, you've reached Dean Stollis. I'm not in, leave a message."
The line beeped, and Hiroshi sighed. "Dean, it's Hiro," he said. "My connection's down, so I won't be able to get online today. I'm gonna go see Yasu; if you find out anything about that guy, send it to his account, okay?" He paused, giving room to enunciate the address. "Orca at The World dot com. Maybe he can help us out, too."
He looked out his bedroom window, the clear blue sky beckoning to him from above the surrounding houses. He stuttered for a second, forgetting he was on the phone. "A-anyway, take care, Dean. I'll see you tomorrow!"
Setting the phone back on its base, Hiroshi pried his sock drawer open and dug through it, smiling as he produced a thin leather wallet, which he quickly pocketed. He then snatched up a cheap digital wristwatch from the top of a nearby dresser, and turned to leave.
(Wonder how he's doing today,) thought the black-haired boy, leisurely strolling down the stairs with his hands in his pockets. As he passed an archway leading to the kitchen, he called out, "I'm going over to Yasu's, mom! I'll be back before dinner!"
He barely heard her acknowledge the statement as he slipped on a pair of worn, comfortable black-and-gray running shoes, which complimented his navy slacks and blue t-shirt. A twist of a brass handle provided him with an exit from the house, and he casually strolled down the porch, closing the door behind him as he headed out to the street.
The trip from his house to Yasuhiko's was nothing short of automatic, every step of the journey, every inch of sidewalk and grass memorized; all that differentiated this one from the last was the timing of stoplights and the circumstances of his visit.
Predictably, Yasu had successfully been roused upon the destruction of the Wave, and the end of the bizarre events that had plagued 'The World', events which had put him in a coma for well over eight months. Hiroshi remembered, all too clearly, how his friend had wasted away, lying dormant in a hospital bed, a mere shadow of his former self.
The thought sent a chill through the boy's body, even amidst the pleasant warmth of the daytime sun. He stuffed his hands further into his pants pockets and continued walking.
More pleasant thoughts were soon to follow. (He'll be okay, now... they said he still needs time to recover, but he's come so far in just weeks. I'm sure he'll be back to normal soon.)
His eyes swept the neighborhood, a middle-class suburb within walking distance of the Yokohama prefecture; a few other pedestrians milling about, parents tending to the yard their children played in, a car or two passing by every now and then. The very picture of peace, something Hiro hadn't had enough of until recently.
An eyebrow crooked at the sight of a car with tinted windows rolling down the street, its driver seemingly without a care in the world. The peace was shattered only for a moment, yet it was a moment too long. The boy's suspicions lingered on long after the end of the crisis, and – if recent events were any indication – not without merit.
Hiro shook his head. (Jumping at shadows,) he chastised himself. (Am I going to be worried every time a car like that passes by? Or every time I see a man in a suit? Come on, Hiro, get a grip.)
He was quick to calm himself, and resumed his nonchalant stroll down the sidewalk, rounding the corner leading his friend's street. (Besides,) he thought, (Lios helped us win back then... yeah, they wouldn't be after me. I'm just imagining things.) A second later, he smirked and added (Of course, that's usually the part when someone jumps out and grabs the guy, isn't it?)
Chuckling to himself, he stopped in his tracks and turned slowly in a complete circle, watching with faux-wariness for any potential hostiles, and he chuckled again when he found none.
Not bothering to dignify his actions with thought, he turned back on course and headed down the street; his destination, a red-bricked household, a flowerbed partially framing the small yard before it. The windows were wide open, as were the ornate tan curtains and matching blinds.
Hiroshi strolled up the driveway, past a parked red SUV and to the front door. He gave the bell a gentle push, and then folded his hands behind his back as he waited for a response.
He didn't wait long. The door creaked as it was opened, revealing a kindly looking middle-aged woman, her dark hair up in a bun and graying around the edges, a pair of glasses framing her hazel eyes.
Mrs. Kugara smiled warmly at Hiroshi, barely two inches taller than he. "Hiro, hello! How are you today?" she asked, stepping back and gesturing for the boy to enter.
Hiroshi returned the smile, slipping out of his shoes at the entrance before stepping any further into the small foyer. "I'm fine, thanks. How have you been?"
Motioning for him to follow, she lightly strode down a short hallway into the kitchen; a sweet, chocolatey scent touched at Hiroshi's nose as he trailed behind her, prompting him to unconsciously lick the inside of his lips.
"Quite well, thank you... everyone's doing much better, especially Yasu. He's been eating much more lately; it's the first time I've ever been glad to see him put on some weight!" Laughing softly to herself, she added, "but yes, we're all doing fine. He was looking forward to seeing you today, actually."
"I see... I do have a few other errands to run, but I wanted to stop by and see how he's doing."
With her back to him, Mrs. Kugara nodded, busying herself with a boiling kettle on the stove. "I think he'd like that. He's said quite a bit about you, you know... all those visits while he was in the hospital must have done wonders for his spirits."
He watched her pour a dark, steaming liquid into a pair of porcelain coffee mugs. "Well, I just wanted to do what I could to help," said Hiro, knowingly oversimplifying his role in the affair. He'd long since convinced himself it would be in his best interest not to cash in on his 'hero' status, even if it only really applied while in 'The World'. "And I'm glad he's doing so well." A grin snuck onto his face. "He used to take up so much of my free time, I didn't know what to do with myself while he was out."
Briefly he wondered if the joke would go over well with Yasu's mother, all things considered; his concerns were unfounded, however, when she turned around, still smiling. In her hands were two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, which she offered to Hiroshi.
"Why don't you take this up to him," she politely instructed, "and you two can catch up or do whatever it is you boys need to do."
"Will do," was Hiroshi's quick reply as he gingerly took the mugs from her hands. "Thanks!"
She nodded gently to him, and turned back to the stove as Hiroshi cautiously crept upstairs, keeping the mugs in balance; mercifully, the door to Yasuhiko's room was open, and he stepped through with a cheerful "Hey, Yasu!"
From the bed, Yasuhiko sat upright, grinning broadly. The player of Orca looked nothing like his digital counterpart, his face and body slim, though now by choice instead of consequence. His wavy black hair looked recently cut, just long enough to be visibly parted on the left. Adorning his frame was a simple white t-shirt and jeans combo, both loose enough to prove that Yasu had lost a sizable amount of weight while comatise.
"Hiro!" exclaimed the boy.
Handing one of the drinks to his friend, Hiroshi grinned back. "Hey, Yasu. Your mom says you're not getting enough caffeine," he said with a wink.
Yasuhiko laughed, pulling his legs up to allow room for Hiroshi to sit. He took a tiny sip from his mug of chocolate, letting his lips warm up to the steaming liquid before daring to drink a drop of it.
"So, how are you feeling?" asked Hiroshi, taking a sip from his own cup.
"Better," said Yasuhiko, nodding for emphasis. "A lot better. I'm not so tired anymore, and the doctor says I should be back to normal in a few weeks."
"That's good to hear."
"Yeah, but mom doesn't want me playing 'The World' too much anymore," he said with a sigh. "At least not 'till I'm better... I think she knows it had something to do with..." he trailed off, his eyes darkening.
"...yeah," muttered Hiroshi, finishing the sentence in his mind. "I'm... really sorry, Yasu..."
Yasuhiko blinked, tilting his head slightly. "About what?"
"About all this, I-I don't know... everything, I guess." Hiro gestured towards the nearby desk, where a computer sat, covered in a thin layer of dust. "I know it wasn't my fault, but I still wish I could've done something sooner... maybe we could've found a way to stop this before... it happened."
Yasu offered a dismissing wave of his hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm okay, everybody's okay... really, you did a good job, Hiro." A glint of humor flickered in his eyes. "For a newbie," he added.
Hiroshi couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I suppose so. Thanks, Yasu."
"I should be thanking you, I think." He paused, taking a long sip of the chocolate, which had cooled just enough to drink. "So anyway, what've you been up to? Do you still play?"
Hiroshi nodded. "Actually, that's kinda why I'm here. I had something I wanted to ask you."
"What's that?"
Throwing a look at the computer, Hiroshi hesitated, tumbling the phrasing of the question in his mind. "I think there's something else going on in the game."
Yasuhiko blinked, sitting up straighter. "What do you mean?"
"Yesterday, I... well, I ran into a friend of mine, a Wavemaster I met a while ago, and... we went to this field, where someone said a man was looking for him." He drank lightly from his mug, and continued. "When we got there, we found him, but he got away from us, and it wasn't a normal player."
Watching with noticeable interest, Yasu leaned forward, listening closely. "Okay..."
"He was dressed all in black," explained Hiroshi, "but it was normal clothes, like in the real world."
"Maybe it was a special monster? Event character or something?" After a beat, he asked, "what was it called?"
"I didn't see," said Hiroshi with a shake of his head. "He wasn't close long enough for me to target him; he blinded me before escaping. But the thing is, when it wore off, I found that..." he swallowed, shifting uncomfortably. "He had drawn my name in the ground. My real name."
"What?!" Yasuhiko quietly exclaimed. "How would he know that? Did you know him?"
"No... at least, I don't think so. I never got a good look at his face," admitted Hiroshi. "He seemed to know both of us – me and Stolls, the Wavemaster."
"So what did you guys do?"
"Well, he escaped into the dungeon, and we left after that. Stolls is trying to find out more on him, I told him to send everything he found to you," he said, indicating the computer with a nod. "I was hoping that maybe you could help us out?"
A small smile appeared on Yasuhiko's face. "I think that's the least I owe you."
"Thanks," said Hiroshi, smiling back. "I think we'll need all the help we can get."
"Have you talked to anyone else about this?"
Hiroshi raised his free hand, ticking off the names on his fingers. "Well, there was the party that told us... I sent an email to BlackRose last night... oh, and I also called for a GM, but I'm still in a waiting queue." He sighed. "With my connection down, it'll probably be a while before I get to speak with one."
"I see... is it all right if I forward anything this guy tells me to Balmung?"
"Mm!" Hiroshi snapped his fingers. "Balmung, right! I thought I forgot someone. Yeah, that's fine, he might be able to help us too."
"Cool. We'll get to the bottom of this," said Yasuhiko, with more than a hint of confidence.
"I hope so."
-
From: BlackRose {theworld . com}
To: Kite {theworld . com}
Subj: Fwd: Pl--5- -e1- -e
I got your mail, and this came a few minutes later. It has your name on it, but I can't make the rest out. Anyway, I'll be on later if you need me. You realize this is another you owe me, right? :-) -BR
Original message: Forwarded from "----"[unknown sender]
Kite,
I--- m-! --- the -an -- -l---!
T--t ---'- -t-l--, th--'s an -mp---e-
They ---- h--, ---g----.
D--'t ----- hi-!
--a-
- End of Chapter 3
A .Hack fanfiction by Renfro Calhoun
Disclaimer: Project .Hack and attached characters/concepts belong to Bandai and Cyber Connect. They are used without permission, but with the utmost respect.
Notes: Happens after Quarantine, before the Clear Game stuff. (Thoughts), [text], {email domains}. I was really hoping to get this up on Friday... stupid work draining me of my will to get things done on time! -whines- Anyway, as punishment, I shall be completing Chapter 4 in short order. Stay tuned :)
Edit: GodDAMN does Fanfiction . net formatting suck! Now it deletes email domains (and anything else) because a period is between the domain name and the 'com'. The only way to not lose them is to space it out, as shown. Grrr...
This chapter written under the influence of: Foo Fighters – Times Like These (acoustic)
Chapter 3 – Haven't We Been Here Before?
-----------------------------------------------------
He punched the glowing buttons on his phone almost from memory, taking only a moment to glance at a slightly faded business card and ascertain the number. An electric warbling simulated the traditional ringing of a telephone, twice, then twice again.
After a quiet click, a deep, yet cheerful male voice answered. "Hi, you've reached Dean Stollis. I'm not in, leave a message."
The line beeped, and Hiroshi sighed. "Dean, it's Hiro," he said. "My connection's down, so I won't be able to get online today. I'm gonna go see Yasu; if you find out anything about that guy, send it to his account, okay?" He paused, giving room to enunciate the address. "Orca at The World dot com. Maybe he can help us out, too."
He looked out his bedroom window, the clear blue sky beckoning to him from above the surrounding houses. He stuttered for a second, forgetting he was on the phone. "A-anyway, take care, Dean. I'll see you tomorrow!"
Setting the phone back on its base, Hiroshi pried his sock drawer open and dug through it, smiling as he produced a thin leather wallet, which he quickly pocketed. He then snatched up a cheap digital wristwatch from the top of a nearby dresser, and turned to leave.
(Wonder how he's doing today,) thought the black-haired boy, leisurely strolling down the stairs with his hands in his pockets. As he passed an archway leading to the kitchen, he called out, "I'm going over to Yasu's, mom! I'll be back before dinner!"
He barely heard her acknowledge the statement as he slipped on a pair of worn, comfortable black-and-gray running shoes, which complimented his navy slacks and blue t-shirt. A twist of a brass handle provided him with an exit from the house, and he casually strolled down the porch, closing the door behind him as he headed out to the street.
The trip from his house to Yasuhiko's was nothing short of automatic, every step of the journey, every inch of sidewalk and grass memorized; all that differentiated this one from the last was the timing of stoplights and the circumstances of his visit.
Predictably, Yasu had successfully been roused upon the destruction of the Wave, and the end of the bizarre events that had plagued 'The World', events which had put him in a coma for well over eight months. Hiroshi remembered, all too clearly, how his friend had wasted away, lying dormant in a hospital bed, a mere shadow of his former self.
The thought sent a chill through the boy's body, even amidst the pleasant warmth of the daytime sun. He stuffed his hands further into his pants pockets and continued walking.
More pleasant thoughts were soon to follow. (He'll be okay, now... they said he still needs time to recover, but he's come so far in just weeks. I'm sure he'll be back to normal soon.)
His eyes swept the neighborhood, a middle-class suburb within walking distance of the Yokohama prefecture; a few other pedestrians milling about, parents tending to the yard their children played in, a car or two passing by every now and then. The very picture of peace, something Hiro hadn't had enough of until recently.
An eyebrow crooked at the sight of a car with tinted windows rolling down the street, its driver seemingly without a care in the world. The peace was shattered only for a moment, yet it was a moment too long. The boy's suspicions lingered on long after the end of the crisis, and – if recent events were any indication – not without merit.
Hiro shook his head. (Jumping at shadows,) he chastised himself. (Am I going to be worried every time a car like that passes by? Or every time I see a man in a suit? Come on, Hiro, get a grip.)
He was quick to calm himself, and resumed his nonchalant stroll down the sidewalk, rounding the corner leading his friend's street. (Besides,) he thought, (Lios helped us win back then... yeah, they wouldn't be after me. I'm just imagining things.) A second later, he smirked and added (Of course, that's usually the part when someone jumps out and grabs the guy, isn't it?)
Chuckling to himself, he stopped in his tracks and turned slowly in a complete circle, watching with faux-wariness for any potential hostiles, and he chuckled again when he found none.
Not bothering to dignify his actions with thought, he turned back on course and headed down the street; his destination, a red-bricked household, a flowerbed partially framing the small yard before it. The windows were wide open, as were the ornate tan curtains and matching blinds.
Hiroshi strolled up the driveway, past a parked red SUV and to the front door. He gave the bell a gentle push, and then folded his hands behind his back as he waited for a response.
He didn't wait long. The door creaked as it was opened, revealing a kindly looking middle-aged woman, her dark hair up in a bun and graying around the edges, a pair of glasses framing her hazel eyes.
Mrs. Kugara smiled warmly at Hiroshi, barely two inches taller than he. "Hiro, hello! How are you today?" she asked, stepping back and gesturing for the boy to enter.
Hiroshi returned the smile, slipping out of his shoes at the entrance before stepping any further into the small foyer. "I'm fine, thanks. How have you been?"
Motioning for him to follow, she lightly strode down a short hallway into the kitchen; a sweet, chocolatey scent touched at Hiroshi's nose as he trailed behind her, prompting him to unconsciously lick the inside of his lips.
"Quite well, thank you... everyone's doing much better, especially Yasu. He's been eating much more lately; it's the first time I've ever been glad to see him put on some weight!" Laughing softly to herself, she added, "but yes, we're all doing fine. He was looking forward to seeing you today, actually."
"I see... I do have a few other errands to run, but I wanted to stop by and see how he's doing."
With her back to him, Mrs. Kugara nodded, busying herself with a boiling kettle on the stove. "I think he'd like that. He's said quite a bit about you, you know... all those visits while he was in the hospital must have done wonders for his spirits."
He watched her pour a dark, steaming liquid into a pair of porcelain coffee mugs. "Well, I just wanted to do what I could to help," said Hiro, knowingly oversimplifying his role in the affair. He'd long since convinced himself it would be in his best interest not to cash in on his 'hero' status, even if it only really applied while in 'The World'. "And I'm glad he's doing so well." A grin snuck onto his face. "He used to take up so much of my free time, I didn't know what to do with myself while he was out."
Briefly he wondered if the joke would go over well with Yasu's mother, all things considered; his concerns were unfounded, however, when she turned around, still smiling. In her hands were two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, which she offered to Hiroshi.
"Why don't you take this up to him," she politely instructed, "and you two can catch up or do whatever it is you boys need to do."
"Will do," was Hiroshi's quick reply as he gingerly took the mugs from her hands. "Thanks!"
She nodded gently to him, and turned back to the stove as Hiroshi cautiously crept upstairs, keeping the mugs in balance; mercifully, the door to Yasuhiko's room was open, and he stepped through with a cheerful "Hey, Yasu!"
From the bed, Yasuhiko sat upright, grinning broadly. The player of Orca looked nothing like his digital counterpart, his face and body slim, though now by choice instead of consequence. His wavy black hair looked recently cut, just long enough to be visibly parted on the left. Adorning his frame was a simple white t-shirt and jeans combo, both loose enough to prove that Yasu had lost a sizable amount of weight while comatise.
"Hiro!" exclaimed the boy.
Handing one of the drinks to his friend, Hiroshi grinned back. "Hey, Yasu. Your mom says you're not getting enough caffeine," he said with a wink.
Yasuhiko laughed, pulling his legs up to allow room for Hiroshi to sit. He took a tiny sip from his mug of chocolate, letting his lips warm up to the steaming liquid before daring to drink a drop of it.
"So, how are you feeling?" asked Hiroshi, taking a sip from his own cup.
"Better," said Yasuhiko, nodding for emphasis. "A lot better. I'm not so tired anymore, and the doctor says I should be back to normal in a few weeks."
"That's good to hear."
"Yeah, but mom doesn't want me playing 'The World' too much anymore," he said with a sigh. "At least not 'till I'm better... I think she knows it had something to do with..." he trailed off, his eyes darkening.
"...yeah," muttered Hiroshi, finishing the sentence in his mind. "I'm... really sorry, Yasu..."
Yasuhiko blinked, tilting his head slightly. "About what?"
"About all this, I-I don't know... everything, I guess." Hiro gestured towards the nearby desk, where a computer sat, covered in a thin layer of dust. "I know it wasn't my fault, but I still wish I could've done something sooner... maybe we could've found a way to stop this before... it happened."
Yasu offered a dismissing wave of his hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm okay, everybody's okay... really, you did a good job, Hiro." A glint of humor flickered in his eyes. "For a newbie," he added.
Hiroshi couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I suppose so. Thanks, Yasu."
"I should be thanking you, I think." He paused, taking a long sip of the chocolate, which had cooled just enough to drink. "So anyway, what've you been up to? Do you still play?"
Hiroshi nodded. "Actually, that's kinda why I'm here. I had something I wanted to ask you."
"What's that?"
Throwing a look at the computer, Hiroshi hesitated, tumbling the phrasing of the question in his mind. "I think there's something else going on in the game."
Yasuhiko blinked, sitting up straighter. "What do you mean?"
"Yesterday, I... well, I ran into a friend of mine, a Wavemaster I met a while ago, and... we went to this field, where someone said a man was looking for him." He drank lightly from his mug, and continued. "When we got there, we found him, but he got away from us, and it wasn't a normal player."
Watching with noticeable interest, Yasu leaned forward, listening closely. "Okay..."
"He was dressed all in black," explained Hiroshi, "but it was normal clothes, like in the real world."
"Maybe it was a special monster? Event character or something?" After a beat, he asked, "what was it called?"
"I didn't see," said Hiroshi with a shake of his head. "He wasn't close long enough for me to target him; he blinded me before escaping. But the thing is, when it wore off, I found that..." he swallowed, shifting uncomfortably. "He had drawn my name in the ground. My real name."
"What?!" Yasuhiko quietly exclaimed. "How would he know that? Did you know him?"
"No... at least, I don't think so. I never got a good look at his face," admitted Hiroshi. "He seemed to know both of us – me and Stolls, the Wavemaster."
"So what did you guys do?"
"Well, he escaped into the dungeon, and we left after that. Stolls is trying to find out more on him, I told him to send everything he found to you," he said, indicating the computer with a nod. "I was hoping that maybe you could help us out?"
A small smile appeared on Yasuhiko's face. "I think that's the least I owe you."
"Thanks," said Hiroshi, smiling back. "I think we'll need all the help we can get."
"Have you talked to anyone else about this?"
Hiroshi raised his free hand, ticking off the names on his fingers. "Well, there was the party that told us... I sent an email to BlackRose last night... oh, and I also called for a GM, but I'm still in a waiting queue." He sighed. "With my connection down, it'll probably be a while before I get to speak with one."
"I see... is it all right if I forward anything this guy tells me to Balmung?"
"Mm!" Hiroshi snapped his fingers. "Balmung, right! I thought I forgot someone. Yeah, that's fine, he might be able to help us too."
"Cool. We'll get to the bottom of this," said Yasuhiko, with more than a hint of confidence.
"I hope so."
-
From: BlackRose {theworld . com}
To: Kite {theworld . com}
Subj: Fwd: Pl--5- -e1- -e
I got your mail, and this came a few minutes later. It has your name on it, but I can't make the rest out. Anyway, I'll be on later if you need me. You realize this is another you owe me, right? :-) -BR
Original message: Forwarded from "----"[unknown sender]
Kite,
I--- m-! --- the -an -- -l---!
T--t ---'- -t-l--, th--'s an -mp---e-
They ---- h--, ---g----.
D--'t ----- hi-!
--a-
- End of Chapter 3