2K: Hello, all! I've finally broken through my writer's block on this story, so, hopefully, I'll be able to update it more often. I've got a pretty clear view till the end, and though it saddens me that it will soon be over, it thrills and excites me at the same time.

So, while it lasts, enjoy!

Dedications:

To all who bother reading my stuff and leaving a review for lonely lil' me. :)

Disclaimer:

I don't own the .hack series. Wish I did, but I can't draw them for crap. Lolz

Gosei No Ai

Gate VIII: Imitor

(Elk)

I can't believe it… I won't believe it… Kite's not a player-killer… I mean, he's a good guy, right? Good guys don't kill people, they save them.

But then…

What was he doing with Terajima-san? He was crying about her character dying, but all she'd have to do is restart, right? Why would he be upset about something like that? But…her data didn't dissolve like it normally would, either…

The only thing I can think of that could do that is something with corrupted data. Could it be that she was killed by a data bug? By that monster Kite was always talking about…?

That must be it. Otherwise…

No. It couldn't have been him. He wouldn't do something like that…

Would he…?

I sighed, logging off for the night and removing my neurogoggles. My eyes screamed at the abrupt change in lighting, and I closed them, pinching the bridge of my nose to lessen the pain.

"Itaaaai…" I mumbled, my free hand fumbling blindly for the light switch.

I managed to find it and flipped them off, then opened my eyes, relieved. I should have just left the light off to begin with… Shaking my head, I switched on the t.v., frowning when I found it tuned in to the news channel. I grabbed the remote, ready to change it, when something the newscaster said caught my attention.

16 year old Terajima Ryoko was found dead this afternoon. Her mother found her lying on the floor of the computer room and immediately called the authorities. She says that her daughter had been playing a game when she'd checked on her earlier, and when she'd passed by the door moments before her death, she'd heard her talking to someone. Could this be a new problem with hackers in the popular game, 'The World'? More at 11:00P.M….-

The remote fell to the ground, and my eyes widened.

"No…"

(Kite)

The board was alive with gossip. It seemed like everyone had heard about the broadcast, even foreigners. Thread after thread talked about different theories for the cause of her death-

Hinako: Uaaah! That's so scary! A player-killer?

Nekoski: Wasn't there a player-killer when the knights were around? He was a twinblade, right

Wing: Yeah! I remember hearing about him! Didn't he have green hair?

Nekoski: I think so. He's rumored to have hung around Mac Anu back then…

Hinako: Really? Then I'm avoiding that server!

Wing: But he hasn't been heard from in ages… Maybe he stopped playing?

Hinako: Oh, no! I bet he's come back with a vengeance!

Nekoski: But a normal player-killer couldn't kill you in the real world, so it can't be him. You're getting too worked up!

Wing: I wonder what could do that…? Could it have been another graphics-based seizure? Altimit's not living up to everyone's expectations…

Macky: I heard that's the excuse they released to the press- that she died because of a seizure caused by graphics tampered with by hackers. I don't believe it a bit! They're hiding something, I just know it!

Kite: …

And it was all my fault.

"Why? Why does it have to be this way? You didn't even uphold your end of the bargain!" I screamed into the darkness, watching the coma victims' data float above me.

"Where are you, you bitch?"

There was a long silence, as if she were contemplating what to say. Finally, her haunting voice reverberated throughout the room.

I will wake one for every person you kill.

I grit my teeth, outraged. "That wasn't the deal! You promised to free ALL of them if I killed someone!"

I said I'd free them if you showed me death. I never told you how much…

"Why you…!"

Don't you want to save them?

"But there's no point if I kill the same number of people!" I cried, "Who am I to decide the value of someone's life? I can't do that!"

Then she said something that made my heart skip a beat.

Then you'll never see your dear Orca again…

I dropped to my knees, eyes wide, overcome with emotion. Never? But… that's all I've wanted… All I've been trying to accomplish… The only reason I've gotten this far…

But if I did, he'd never forgive me. Hiko would give his life for someone he didn't even know, and he'd hate me if he knew I'd even thought about her offer. He'd be disgusted with me if he knew about what I've done… What I did to that poor girl…

I can't. I just can't…

I glared up at the ceiling, focusing my will and hatred for her and projecting it all through a single syllable. "No."

There was a sigh of disappointment, then her reply.

The creature with the red wand appeared, and I found myself trapped. It prepared to data drain me, and I sent a silent apology to all the people in the room… All the ones I'd let down…

So be it…

After failing all those people, dying wasn't really so bad…

(Blackrose)

It's been weeks since the…incident. I still can't believe what we saw. But…

The pieces fit, don't they? The news said she was talking to someone before she died… Monsters don't talk, and the only other person with powers like that is Kite…

Kite… There still hasn't been any word from him, and I'm getting really worried. He's almost like a brother to me, though no one can ever replace Kazu…

"What happened to you, kid? We're supposed to beat 'em together, remember?"

A loud chime jarred me from my thoughts, and I immediately brightened- maybe it was news about Kite! It was a long shot, but I couldn't just give up after getting this far…

"Huh? Helba?"

"It seems…that Kite has been lost to us."

I frowned, secretly wondering if she knew as well. I suppose it's not that hard to put two and two together when you know what's really happening, especially if you're a genius hacker to begin with.

"Lost? Do you mean he's stopped playing, or…" I let the sentence hang, too afraid of what 'or' might be to continue.

"I mean that his data, which I had been able to track, has split off into multiple signatures. I can't tell where he is, because there are too many of him."

"Datte, what exactly does that mean, Helba-san?" Elk asked, and I nodded. Good question.

"It means, as far as I can tell, his data has been hacked into and copied."

"Copied? Why?" The bracelet he has is the only thing that can stop the viruses, so why would someone, something, clone it? Is someone else trying to help us?

"I don't know, but it appears the copies are quite similar to the data bugs Kite had told you about. It's almost as if they're a new type of phase… But that goes against everything the Epitaph told us."

Elk and I blinked. "Epitaph?"

(Piros)

Alas! I hath reached the fabled field whose dungeon contains the mythical Super Golden Grunty! Now, I must embark upon the true quest-retrieving it!

"Ha! Back, foul creature, back! Nothing can stop me from accomplishing my task! I shall persevere!"

"Ho! What is this? Someone stands before my treasure? State thy name! Mark me-speak!"

The heathen turned to address me, and I found it was not a heathen at all. On the contrary-it was He of Fair Eyes!

"Oh! I knew not that the legend had reached you, kind sir. If I may humbly ask, however, wilst thou shine your generosity upon this servant?"

He smiled at me, presenting the prize without a word. I bowed in thanks, then reached out for it. I suddenly felt very strange, and the golden statue turned black and melted in his hands.

"Heh."

"Hm…?" I frowned at him, noting his strange behavior, then my eyes widened at his expression. "Y-You're not Fair Eyes!"

The imposter smiled wickedly at me, and it was over in a flash. I crumpled to the floor, pain flooding my senses. Then all went dark…

K: Yay! Done!