K: Well, I needed to get my mind off the creepy black cloaked man (consult "Superstition" in the YGO horror section- it'll explain most of it for you… I finished writing chapter 1 the same day I posted the last chapter of this…) so I hunted through the .hack section for Kite/Elk fics (found 2, then the system had a fricking overload again) and afterwards, figured I should write chapter 2 of this. So here I am… yeah… I'll shut up and write now…
Disclaimer: I don't even own a copy of .hack//MUTATION yet- do you really think I'd own the series? *rolls her eyes*
Dedications:
- Tainted Halo (If you find any good ones, could you please tell me? *puppy eyes* There are 2 I found that I added to my fave stories list, but I just can't get enough, you know! ^_~)
- Marduk (*coughs and tries to hide the dates on most of her chaptered fics* I- I'll get to them…. Really! ^_^;)
- Silvermoonstar (Quick enough for you?)
- Crystal-chan (Ano… Thanks! ^_^; Who knew my tendency to ramble was good for anything? *laughs* And yeah, poor bracelet boi has issues… That's what makes writing this so damn fun. XP)
NOTES:
- The guy Kite is talking to in the first part is, indeed, Bob. He doesn't really play an important role, he just finds Kite there at Delta: Bursting, Passed Over, Aqua Field… *shakes her head* You'll see…
- I realize Kite's acting really OOC, but then again, this is just his depressed side- the one Helba told him not to pay attention to. So, technically, he is IC… ; *coughs* Um… yeah… --;
Gosei no AiSynthetic Love
Gate II: Ostrakizein"I wonder….how Yasuhiko is doing…." I muttered, staring down at the simulated water held within the Spring of Myst.
It's been so long since I've heard from him… Since the one with the red wand put him into a coma with that strange power. The same power my bracelet contains… I know that Helba told me I don't have time to be depressed, but I just can't help it- Yasuhiko is my tomodachi, and the one who introduced me to this level of reality in the first place. I can't just forget about him…it's feels like I'm cheating on him or something when I try to do that… I know that's a strange way to interpret it, since I never thought of him that way, but that's the closest thing I can come up with.
So which is better? Not thinking of him, so he won't distract me from my mission, or to remember like this- honoring him in the fact I haven't forgotten…? I just don't know anymore. I mean, I'm not some machine that doesn't show emotion and only thinks about its duty… Datte…
That's what they want me to be, right? They don't look past the 'glamour' of being chosen as the bearer of the bracelet. They don't see me- only the person who is supposed to be the savior. They don't know me. They don't care to know me, or take the time to actually care about me other than the fact they feel they have to 'protect the chosen one'. They all forget that I'm a person, and that, even though it may be a game to them, it's not to me.
Then again, since they don't know me, they wouldn't know that, would they?
//And just whose fault is that? It's not like you take the time to get to know them either… You're just as bad as they are. Stop moping- it's your own fault you've ostracized yourself…//
That's right… it is my fault… I never really made an effort to get close to them either- I only called them in so they could level up as well, so I won't have to carry their dead weight in battle. I doled out the items evenly, giving them equipment that suited their character type best.
Never once did I give someone something just because I wanted to… Is it really alright to live like that? To live without actual friends?
I wish Yasuhiko were here… I wish that thing hadn't put him in a coma like that… If I could go back, I'd make sure we'd never set foot in that dungeon… That we'd have finished the tutorial in some other place… We didn't have to choose that one…
//But you can't go back, can you? The bracelet can only data drain and hack gates- you can't go back in time, baka.//
I hate it when my rational side is right… Always raining on my parade… Great. Now I'm acting like I have two different personalities. What else can go wrong with me?!
"Um… Hey! You haven't seen a blonde Blademaster with green and white face paint and blue armor, have you?"
N- nani?! I turn my gaze from the pool of shimmering water, my eyes resting on a Long Arm dressed up in something that looked like he'd been in a fight with a plate of nachos and lost. Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I blinked and asked him to repeat himself.
"I said I'm looking for a Blademaster with- ah, screw it… You know who Orca is, and what he looks like, right?"
Orca…? He's looking for Yasuhiko?! That means he doesn't know about… what happened…
"I…. Yeah, I know him… I know… 'hiko…" I stated, rubbing my arm where I knew the bracelet lay, holding my wrist captive.
"Hiko? Hmm… That's a nickname, right? I can't imagine Orca having a name like that…" the man shook his head, flinging his character's raven bangs all over his face. "Anyway, if you actually know his real name, that must mean that you're the friend he was talking about bringing here… So where is he? It's not like him to be late…"
"He….won't be coming… I'm not sure if he'll ever be able to come again."
He raised a digital eyebrow, fixing me with a quizzical expression. "What do you mean by that? You didn't get into a fight or something, did you? Come on- what's up?"
Why can't he just leave me alone? He's just rubbing salt into the wounds… I grip my wrist tightly, wishing for all the world I never laid eyes on this damned bracelet. If I'd just given that monster the book in the first place, maybe Yasuhiko would be here with me today, instead of lying on that hospital bed, barely alive, in a state of sleep that no one's sure he'll ever wake up from. With the creature occupied with the book, we could have gated out to safety before it tried to come after us…
"I… I'm sorry." I answered, then returned to the root town with the familiar flash of gold sparkles.
As soon as I landed in Mac Anu, I took off- heading for the alley behind the magic shop. I know he'll come after me- interrogate me to see what I know about the famous Orca's whereabouts- and I know I should probably let him in on the situation. But… not now. I can't handle it right now… Maybe I'm just a coward, but I'm too high-strung to deal with this in the state I'm in at the moment.
I press myself flat against the brick wall, ignoring how real it felt against my skin, and strained my ears to hear what was going on. I hid in the shadows, so no one would be able to spot me unless they knew what they were looking for. Footsteps thundered past, and I watched silently from my solace as the man from before stopped first at the weapon shop, then Elf's Haven, then crossed the bridge to the magic shop I stood by.
"Hey- did you see a kid go past here? He's a Twinblade in a red costume…"
I held my breath, hoping against hope that the teller had been busy talking to another player when I'd darted past. The clerk grumbled a bit, thinking, then I heard a faint rustling as he shook his head.
"I don't think so… He might've come past at some point, but I wouldn't know. I'm a busy man, I don't keep track of who stops by…"
There was an audible sigh from the other before he muttered a polite 'thanks' and ran off to check elsewhere. I exhaled, relief washing over me, but frowned as I realized I had to either log out or wait here until he gave up his search. He'd probably post a message on the board, giving my description and asking for anyone who sees me to contact him and inform him as to my location. Though I hadn't been in his company for very long, I get the feeling that's the kind of man he is…
I prepared to log out, but stopped when a soft voice whispered my name. Turning around, I found myself face-to-face with none other than Elk.
"Kite? W- what are you doing here?" he questioned, his tentative words echoing off the digitized walls.
My eyes widened at this, and I lunged at him, covering his mouth with my hand and pulling him with me into the sanctity of the shadows before anyone noticed. If he had any objections, he was too stunned to voice them or struggle in my grasp.
"Shh! Yakomashi, kudasai!" (Be quiet, please!) I hissed into his ear, my eyes darting around wildly in case anyone was coming.
Satisfied that I was home free, I relaxed and dropped my hands away from him, moving to rub my temples- I feel a headache coming on… It's bad enough to have them in the real world, but I had to have them here, too? This sucks…
I was drawn away from my thoughts as the Juumontsukai finally broke out of his reverie, an angry yet slightly frightened look on his features. "W- what was that for?!"
I winced at his somewhat loud tone, both worried people would hear and at the pain it caused as his words rang in my ears. "Elk… please! Someone will hear you!"
He frowned. "What's wrong with that?" he paused, then blinked and added, "and why are you holding your head like that? This is The World- you can't possibly have a headache…"
I snorted, looking up at him. "Shows what you know. To me, here is just like in the real world- I can feel pain, get headaches, feel sick… the works. Even this brick wall feels real to the touch…" I rapped my knuckles on the side of the building to prove my point, then took out a bottle of Restorative and drank it, enjoying the feeling as my splitting headache reduced itself to a dull throb before disappearing completely.
"D-demo, this is just a game! It's impossible for you to do anything but see and touch- you don't actually feel it! It's against the laws of... of… well, Natural Law!" he exclaimed, his ruby eyes burning brightly.
"I know it's just a game!! Do you think I want to feel my injuries whenever I'm fighting?! Do you think I want to be different?! That I chose to be the bearer of the bracelet?! Well I don't! Because of this damn piece of crap, my only real friend is in a coma, and this world seems so real I don't know what to think anymore!"
I know I really shouldn't lose my temper like this, but I feel like I'm about to explode! All this tension building inside of me for so long…There's nothing I can do to stop it from bursting out into the open. At this point, I'm not so sure I care anymore… I have to let off some steam before I go mad!
"Datte-" he mutters weakly, and any rational thought left in me turns to dust.
Whipping around, I backhanded his right cheek, sending his character sprawling on the cobblestones. "But nothing!!"
I glared down at him as he placed his hand over the reddened flesh, a dumbfounded expression adorning his facial features. "You didn't even feel that, did you?!" I hissed, turning my back to him.
"Don't pretend to know everything about me, Elk. You don't know me at all… No one knows me…"
With that, I logged out, leaving him sitting there.
~~~~~~~~~~~
(Elk)
I watched as the Twinblade vanished in a swirl of golden sparkles, shocked into stupor. This… This isn't the Kite I know… He's right about that… But…
He's wrong about one thing…
…I did feel it when he slapped me. That's what scares me the most.
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K: XD CHAPTER 2 IS DONE!!! *waves around little Kite/Elk flags* It turned out a lot better than I'd imagined, too! I just hope you guys think so. ^_~
Well, I hope you enjoyed this little segment… I dunno when I'll be able to update this again, since I need to think of where I'm going with it. ; They'll get together eventually… Or will at least have feelings for one or the other at some point. ^^;
Anyhoo, like I said- hope you liked it. I must depart now… Evil McDonalds had the nerve to give me heartburn… --; Damn double cheeseburger… *scowls*