DM 1988: This is Log Entry 4. Hay Lin, give us a recap.
Hay Lin: Okay. Last chapter, the Silver Knight found out the identity of the person responsible for hurting Elyon. Wiru, the one behind the attack, then gave him a strange item to give to Tsukasa. This next chapter will take a blast from the past in Elyon POV, and Tsukasa gets a call from an old friend, among other things.
Tsukasa: This will be longer than the past few chapters, just to let you know. In fact this chapter is one of two parts.Another thing, this will contain somewhat harsher language and some violence; You have been warned. Also, neither .hack/SIGN nor W.I.T.C.H belong to DM1988, 'nuff said. As for Elk, he'll be okay. Hopefully I'll survive by the end of this chapter because Hay Lin won't stop poking me. It's really annoying.
DM 1988: Enjoy it.
Log Entry 4—Message Side A
Flashback Yesterday, The World--Elyon's POV
We were just playing the World like usual. You guys invited me to a dungeon adventure through the Mac Anu server. It went on like usual; slaying monsters, finding rare items, and had fun enjoying it.
Cornelia and Taranee were Blademasters, Hay Lin was a Twin Blade, Irma was a Long Arm, and I myself was a Wavemaster. Because of the limits to how many people you could have in a party, I went with Cornelia in hopes of finding treasure.
Although all was going fine, something with the field unexpectedly happened. An earthquake happened. The cave started collapsing, as Cornelia and I were fighting with a lizard warrior.
We immediately retreated, meeting with I.T.H near the entrance of the cave dungeon. All was thought to be serene again. However, the boulders that collapsed as the result of the earthquake began caving me in, separating me from the Guardians.
It was pitch black. I couldn't see anything. Luckily, I had a lamp in my inventory. Moments after, I heard footsteps echoing in the distance. I grasped my staff for protection and preparing to be ready. The next few seconds, I all could hear was the sound of the blade being unsheathed, then the splatter of blood coming from my body……
Back at the Heatherfield hospital, November 28, 2011, 6:30 PM
As Elyon continued her story, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin were confounded of what happened yesterday.
"The next thing you know, everything went black. After winding up in here, I woke up seeing you guys."
"Did you get a glimpse of the attacker?" asked Cornelia.
"Only for a split second. This guy felt like a high level character. He had dark hair and wore a skull mask."
"His name?" asked Taranee.
"I don't know."
Elyon looked toward Cornelia with fear in her eyes. Cornelia felt Elyon's pain and tried comforting her.
"I don't know what's going to happen to me if I go into the World. What if I could've died back there." cried Elyon.
"Don't worry about it, Elyon. You should take a break from that game." Suggested Hay Lin.
"Yeah, maybe the game took a toll on your mentality. You have been gone for the past week and we were getting worried about you. Maybe you should get some rest." Said Taranee.
Elyon looked at her friends. They gave back to her determined looks, stating that she was going to be okay.
"Thanks. I appreciate you guys coming."
"Don't mention it." Irma said.
"Well, we better get going then. Our parents are going to be pissed about us coming in late, especially when it's snowing outside." said Cornelia.
"Later, Elyon." Hay Lin said, waving goodbye to her friend.
After they left, Elyon grabbed her sketchbook and started drawing people she knew.
A few minutes later, she had drew two pictures that looked awfully familiar to her missing friend, Will Vandom.The first resulting picture she drew resembled her real self, which consists of navy baggy jeans, a red turtleneck, and a grey hoodie. She looked very depressed, for reasons unknown. The second resembled one of her avatars in the World. She had a purple long sleeved top with a greenish blue skirt. She also wore blue and green striped stockings, purple boots, and sported dark petal-like wings.
But, after finishing the sketch, she started sobbing on her drawings. Images of Will Vandom began to flash in Elyon's mind. Many of them were bittersweet. Images of her being physically and mentally abused by her peers, especially that of the male gender. Images of her trying to console Will after a bad day with the other girls.
But, these images proved to be too much. Almost immediately, she let out a scream and threw her sketchbook across the room with contempt in her voice.
"...Damn it, Will! ...Where the hell do you go?"
Elyon continued sobbing, even after falling asleep.
"...Will..."
Shimokita, Japan, the next day, 5:30PM
The city of Shimokita was covered with snow. The neighborhood was quiet for the moment when screaming and yelling was heard down the street. The neighbors were getting concerned with what's happening at the Hikari residence. They want to help the child in that house, but the father threatened to take action if anyone acted against him. He insisted that he is raising his child fine. But others think otherwise.
Inside the Hikari home, the one known as Tsukasa had been living with his abusive father for a long time now, and now it was taking its toll on him. His father would come home one day and always demanded to know where he was. No matter his story, Tsukasa always gets some sort of punishment from his father. Though he had his small handful of friends, notably classmates Elk & Subaru and upper classman Mimiru, he always kept his actions and thoughts to himself.
Tonight was no different as Tsukasa came home late, after serving detention for getting into a fight that he did not started, claiming self-defense. His teachers suggested he were to go to the counselor, but Tsukasa thought to himself 'What's the point?' His father was outraged when his son started a fight, when in reality he didn't. He started attacking Tsukasa relentlessly. He then grabbed a knife and cut his face cheeks. Tsukasa screamed in pain and agony.
"STOP IT, FATHER!"
His father continued beating his son and Tsukasa kept pleading for his father to stop. The anguish that Tsukasa felt from his father was starting to reach the limit as he could barely breath. Moments later, his father held back on his attack after realizing what he is doing. Tsukasa was gasping for air, with cuts and bruises everywhere on his body.
"I'm sorry, Tsukasa."
"….Sure, that's your excuse every frickin' time." laughed Tsukasa
"What's that?" spoke his father.
Tsukasa laid there, laughing at his own misery. "It's always the same thing, isn't it. You apologizing to me after nearly killing me. Every fucking time. And you know what, maybe I should've stayed at the hospital. Maybe I could forget about living on in this piece of shit called life."
His father looked at his son with shock. He could not believe what his son just said.
"What's the point in living when I have to endure a living hell every day in my life? ...I'm going to my room."
Tsukasa went up to his room to seclude himself from his father. He locked his door so his father wouldn't bother him. His room was somewhat typical for a boy his age: a computer, a TV, and a cell phone. He looked at his sketch books and saw his drawings he did over the last few weeks. He tore a drawing out of his book and what showed is a scantly clad Subaru, appearing as something of an angel.
"What really made me want to log out? Everything is the same as before I even logged on to the World. What's happening to me?"
The day started to get dark and Tsukasa decided to check his e-mail on his desktop. Though Tsukasa uses his desktop frequently, ever since the day he fell prey to Morganna and the day he finally logged out, he has vowed never to set foot in the World again. When he turned on his computer, the phone rang.
"Huh? Who could be calling me at this time of day?"
Tsukasa grabbed the phone.
"Hello?" croaked Tsukasa.
"Hey, Tsukasa. Remember me?"
"Bear? What are you doing calling me?
"I just wanted to see how my little white-haired friend is doing. How's the last few months been so far, Tsukasa?"
"I'm fine." spoke Tsukasa, while choking up. Bear noticed his tone of voice and voice his concern.
"Fine, you say. I think not Tsukasa."
"So why did you say that?"
"Remember when I said I was going to adopt you, but couldn't because of your father's restraining order. Well, you might be adopted after all. You're transferring to Sheffield Institute in Heatherfield."
"Oh, so I'm moving?"
"Yes. A woman named Kimball has offered to take you under her wing. She'll be in Shimokita, tomorrow."
"So what about my father?"
"The police have a warrant of your father's arrest. "
"A warrant?"
"Yes. But, as for you, you might want to pack up tonight. You may never know when she'll be there."
"Yeah, okay."
"I'm glad you're still holding up after what you been through this past year. I guess I'll see you later then. Bye, Tsukasa"
"Bye….father."
Tsukasa went to bed as he thinks of what's going on tomorrow. "So, I'm transferring to Sheffield, huh? Mother would have been happy to go over there.."
He did what Bear told him to do. Pack his stuff and get away from Shimokita to get to Heatherfield. Suddenly, his head started aching. Tsukasa fell to the floor and starting hearing voices.
"Tsukasa..."
"What's going on?!?" Tsukasa then grasped his head in anguish. "What the hell is happening to me?"
"Help find our friend, Tsukasa! She's in trouble!"
"Why must I suffer this every day in my life? The pain. It hurts every day!"
"Tsukasa, find Will."
Tsukasa collasped on the floor, hoping for the voices to subside. He was gasping for air as he got back up.
"breathing heavily Those voices...they keep speaking to me, but I don't recognize them. Who's this Will guy?"
A few minutes later, Tsukasa went to end his desktop's standby mode and checked on his e-mail. He noticed a few strange messages. He opened one of them revealing it to be sent from Silver Knight.
"Silver Knight? Haven't heard from him in a while. What does it say?
"Tsukasa, remember me? It's Silver Knight. I know you had a pretty rough year. But, I need you to log back in. Something's wrong with the World. A player killer has attacked numerous users, resulting in many cases of comatose. I have seen this new criminal with my own eyes. He killed most of my men with some unseen power. He is known as Wiru and is expecting you to be in the World. I tried contacting the Guardians of the Veil, but they have problems of their own as their leader is missing. This is where you come in. I, Silver Knight, request your aid in locating this PK. Meet me in Mac Anu ASAP."
"Guardians of the Veil? This has got to be a joke. Why would Silver Knight ask me for help and not them? "wondered Tsukasa, as he shut off his PC. He went downstairs, hoping that his dad went out for his prostitute wrangling. His only time for peace. He sighed in relief as his dad went out. He went to make himself some dinner when the doorbell rang.
"Crap, dad's home already."
Tsukasa headed towards the door. "Yes?"
"Are you Tsukasa Hikari?"
"Yeah, and you are?"
"My name's Kimball. I take it that your friend Bear talked to you about Heatherfield, no?"
"Yeah, Bear told me about it. I'm still in the middle of packing my stuff. But of course, you should come in. It must be very cold outside."
Susan then came inside the house. Taking off her coat and scarf, she looked very attractive for her age. She had dark blue hair with brown eyes. She had a very serene smile that could melt one's heart. Tsukasa looked at her with awe. Tsukasa quickly snapped himself out of it.
"Uh, you mind if I cook."
Tsukasa resumed cooking his favorite, Lemon Chicken Breast. Susan looked at a crumpled picture of her child missing back over in the Western Hemisphere.
"Uh Kimball, dinner's ready."
"Oh, thank you. It's Tsukasa, is it?"
"Uh-huh."
The doorbell rang; Tsukasa went to the door and answered the door. However, who was at the door was someone Tsukasa loathed the most.
"Father...?"
"Who's this you invited in?" Tsukasa's dad glared at Tsukasa's guest. "Who are you? And what is your business with my son?"
"I'm Tsukasa's foster parent. The name's Susan and I came to aid your son in moving to Heatherfield."
Tsukasa then said, "What?!? I thought your name is Kimball."
"Tsukasa, we need to talk..."
DM 1988: Well, did you think this story is all right so far? If you remember in Log Entry 1, than you should know that Susan went undercover in order to help Tsukasa.
Tsukasa: Just remember that this is part one of 'Message' and the next chapter will continue from this point. OW! Hay Lin, please stop poking me.
Hay Lin: You're just so cute!
Elk: Please read and review or Tsukasa will pay!
Tsukasa: Great, just when my day can't get any worse. Do what he says, hurry!