K: Well, I figured it's about time I updated again. I just happened to feel like writing this one. shrug
Y: Usotsuki. You were trying to update "Superstition" but got writer's block again.
K: Hey! I managed to get the beginning started, didn't I! pout pout
Y: Sure. Then you proceeded to freak yourself out that night because you were typing it up in the dark, bibiri-chan. (Miss Scaredy Cat)
K: pout pout Mou Ta-koi! Ya's picking on meeeeeee! ;;
T: hugs Ko and glares daggers at Ya Stop picking on Sweets. That's MY job. silently thinks Wai! She's so cute when she's pouting! Good work, Ya! I'll have to pay her back later…
Y: twitch twitch Mortals are hopeless.
Disclaimer: I still haven't beaten MUTATION. (HOOKED ON DISGAEA! W007!) You REALLY think I designed it?
Dedications:
Silvermoonstar-Tenshi (Why, thank you! I'm just glad that others enjoy my works.)
Drgon Princess (It did? Hmm… No, not really. Though now that I go back and think about it, it DOES resemble it a little, doesn't it? ; But no- I hadn't even gotten to that point in KH when I wrote that. Still haven't beaten the bloody thing. ; Well, that's my New Year's resolution for ya! ;)
Marduk (Morgana? remembers Helba's voice talking about Morgana in the opening of MUTATION and nods slowly She's the one in SIGN, right? A lot of people have been hypothesizing that the strange woman is either her or Aura… ; Anyhoo, I'm not telling. You'll find out sooner or later.)
Jupiter Sprite(Yay! Someone at least figured THAT out. applaudes Yes, the titles are in Latin. Kinda odd with the overall Japanese title, but I thought it'd go better with the whole .hackness… Even though the stuff in .hack's German. ; Maybe I should use the German dictionary my aunt gave me for no reason?)
Infiny/Mirha (Oooh! You're on the right track! You got the first one, and you're practically supernova with "Solus." Get the rest and I'll dedicate a one-shot of your choice to you. I might even incorporate a little Sokasa…)
Nini (You too! laughs I guess we're both a couple of nutballs, huh? I think she looks cool. Reminds me of another character from a different anime… ;)
WingJade (Well, according to Neko, Mia is Maha anyway, so… ; Besides, who wants Elk to be with a talking purple cat w/bunny ears even though she's water element and stands at least a few feet taller than him anyway?)
Kurisuteru-chan (Yeah, I guess I have a bit too much of a life, since I can't seem to find time to update anymore… ; I try to write long chapters, honest to Ra I do… I just can't seem to control them. ; They write themselves and end themselves. I just supply finger-power for the keyboard buttons.)
Crystal-chan (You got the first one, but I'm afraid you're WAY off on the 4th. ; Think about what words might stem off from "Solus." What does it sound like?)
Tainted Halo (I tried looking for "Not So Digital," but when I checked, it wasn't posted. frown It's been a while, so maybe it's up there now?)
Wolf Lupin (Yes, most people have been quite upset with the mystery girl's little stunt last chapter. ; Don't worry- she'll get her just desserts eventually. If not by Elk's hand, then by Kite's fangirls. Lol.)
Tina (Emma? Hmm... That's a new one. I'm guessing you're a lot further in the game than I am. ;)
Amethyst Bubble (Thanks! Glad you like it! laughs Heh heh… Amethyst… How'd you know? points to one of her shelves, covered in said purple stones)
Masamune-Bladed-Wolf (Proceeding….)
Otaku-Chan (Heh heh… Me too. When I actually play, that is. ; I'm flattered you think so highly of my fic. I'm proud to say it's probably one of my best. )
Ukown (; Gomen about the hiatus from updating. I've been busy…)
Rika (No, I just have no real inspiration. ; I'm finishing this even if it kills me, Ra dammit.)
Yuki (That's for the plotbunnies to decide…)
Shizuka-Na-Angel (I'm not telling. You'll just have to read on and find out…)
Neko (Yeah, I've met and gotten Moonstone and Rachael… ; And I've heard of Wiseman… Kinda hard NOT to, with a blabbermouth like my friend Gimli around.. )
Shara (You'll just have to find out. Demo ne, ask yourself this- if it was hell-bent on turning Kite against his friends, would it be Mistral, Helba, Mia, or Natsume?)
Hikari (Ah, another Aura/Morganna theory… Been getting a whole lot of those… ; And once more, I'm not telling. That's for me to know and you to find out. )
Terra (You'll just have to find out. blinks Hmm… I didn't know Aura had a song… oO;)
(Holy SHIT- that's a lot of dedications… oO;)
Gosei no Ai
Synthetic Love
Gate V: Potio
(Kite)
I feel as if I'm dreaming. It's as if I'm sleeping awake, if that's actually possible. I know that I'm conscious, but I can't really think clearly or control my actions sometimes. The whole world's fuzzy, and I can't really tell what's real… Not that I could in the first place…
I wonder if this is what my conscience feels like when I'm in control?
Where the hell did THAT come from? My conscience? How would a conscience be able to feel? It's just a certain set of rules engraved in my memory due to my experiences and what people have taught me, right? It's not a living entity like that tux-wearing cricket in that crazy American movie…
Maa Now I REALLY know I'm out of it. I haven't seen that movie in ages… I think around 6 or 7 years now. Heh… I'm surprised I remembered… Honestly, I hated that movie. I only saw it that one time, and that's just because Kaa-chan and Tou-chan bought it for me.
Next time we had a yard sale, I sold that thing first chance I got. I prefer true anime anyway…
Chotto- how did I even start thinking of that in the first place? Oh yeah- the conscience thing. Funny how one thought leads to another, isn't it? Soon enough you're on a completely different topic. Thought- the root of all rambling.
Hn… I've been doing that a lot recently… It's like a never-ending loop that keeps going and going and going and go-
Damn battery commercials.
I sighed, hugging my knees to my chest. Nothing makes any sense to me anymore. I feel as if I'm slowly losing my grip on reality; both realities… I feel myself slipping away, and there's nothing I can do about it. All because of what she did to me.
I hate her. I hate her, I hate her, I hate her. Things were confusing enough without her showing up and making my life hell. Viruses, Data Bugs, Aura… It was hard, but at least I still had a little sanity left. Now…
Now, I'm not so sure.
-How long would you have lasted, living in the way you had before I'd intervened?-
Longer than I will now, that's for sure. I know what you're doing to me. I won't let you get your way. I'll fight you, even if it kills me.
-Ah, but then I would still get my way, wouldn't I? You would still show me what true death is like…-
Hn. Why don't you just go ahead and kill me, then?
-That's just it- I can't. I do not have the power to kill, only to place one in an unending slumber, on the brink of death… But you… YOU have the power I lack. You, who lives caught between both planes of existence…-
So, you just want the bracelet's power, too…
-…I only wish to know what death is. Besides, at least I offer you something in return…-
I closed my eyes as a lone tear ran down my cheek. How could I forget? The only reason I'm in this deep is solely for 'hiko's sake. This is the only way I can wake him from his coma in the real world… By serving whatever twisted purpose this girl has in store for me. There's no other way… No other choice…
-That's right. How else would you release your dear friend from his coma? This is the only way…-
Datte sa… What about Aura? She gave me the bracelet in the first place, so does that mean she's powerful as well? Would she be able to reanimate him if given the chance?
-Aura… Hn. Aura is weak. She will never restore your friend to you. Serve me, and I will wake him. Him, and any others you wish…-
So… If I do this, you'll let them- all of them- go free?
-Sou desu.-
Swapping one person's life for hundreds of others… That's the best choice, of that I'm certain. Shikashi, do I have the right to take a life? Could I? Monsters are one thing, but real people…?
Boku wa……. B-boku wa….
(Elk)
It's been a week since I last saw Kite. No e-mails, no clues, just….nothing. It's like he simply disappeared.
"Maybe he went on a vacation- or maybe he's just taking a break from gaming for a while. I do that sometimes, especially if I get stuck on something."
Mistral's words echoed in my mind, and once again I doubted my own concerns about his whereabouts. She may be a bit of an airhead, but it's true- he really could just be taking a break. The only way he can see us is by going online, and by the way he was acting last time I saw him, I wouldn't put it past him if he did. Still, I can't help but worry…
He shouldn't be wandering around in that state… The people he's fighting, whoever they are, might take advantage of him in the real world, where he can't recognize them. Then again, they could just as easily take advantage of his absence, using this time to destroy The WORLD without his getting in the way.
Honestly, I'm not sure why it bothers me so much if that should happen. I like coming here, true, but it isn't like I'll keel over and die if it goes up in smoke. Mia's the only one here I'm actually close to, so there shouldn't be a reason for me to have any emotional ties to this place. There's no other reason at all…
"…except him."
Do I really care about him that much? Is he really that close a friend?
"You miss him, don't you?"
I jumped, having been jolted out of my thoughts. I whipped around to face the speaker, immediately relaxing when I found it was only Blackrose. I turned back the other direction, closing my eyes and sighing in relief.
"Un. I didn't really think we were that close, but I do anyway… It's strange- I can't help but worry about him, even though he's nearly 10 times stronger than I am… Strong enough to fend for himself around here, anyway…"
She sat down beside me, her feet dangling over the side of the cliff; both of us an inch away from falling into the misty chasm of the unknown. It's where I usually come when in this server- there's something alluring about the digitized clouds swirling beneath you in Dun Loireag. She swung her legs back and forth, knocking dirt loose from the ledge, causing it to plunge into the depths of the abyss.
"Hmm… Well, I don't blame you. With that bracelet of his, he'll always be in over his head."
The way she said it, it seemed like she was implying it was Kite's fault he was stuck with the burden of the bracelet…like he wanted to play hero or something. I opened my mouth to protest, but she beat me to it.
"Datte sa… That's why we're here, ne? We can't just let him go it alone- he'll get killed within the first 5 minutes, the baka…"
She turned to face me and smiled, sporting a peace sign as her right hand. "Never give up on him, right?"
I stared at her for a moment, then smiled softly. She really did act like a big sister to him. He's lucky to have someone care for him that much, even though she hides it most of the time. I nodded, my smile growing the tiniest bit wider.
"Un. Tondemonai yo."
K: Fwee! Owari desho! X3 About f-cking time! cackles insanely and jabs her finger at the accursed Stonehenge of Writer's Block, which is now the tiniest bit cracked HA! TAKE THAT MO FO! XD BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
T: She had soda again, didn't she…?
Y: You were there- you didn't stop her. If we all die, I'm blaming you.
T: What an honor. ;
K: still cackling
T/Y: …………