In darkness, I am hidden. I cannot see anyone, and they cannot see me. Are you there? No, but I am. And I always will be…
Finally, a new chapter! Konnichiwa! Kansha for all your reviews! Also, I apologise for a spelling error in the last chappy (I hate it when I make spelling mistakes because it drives me crazy! I try so hard to correct them all, but…). Someone threatened to shoot me! But luckily I should be safe for updating at last…Also, gomen for the shortness of the last chapter that nearly everyone noticed! Was it really that short? I've read shorter chapters in other fics, but I apologise all the same. I was stuck for ideas and wanted to post that chappy as quickly as possible!
Last bit of gossip before I start, has anyone here seen Howl's Moving Castle? I have - Saturday 15th October (ages ago I know)– and it cheered me up from a terrible week. Anyway…
So, how are you all?
Kai : Fine, considering you've been ignoring me all this time. However, two can play at that game.
Me : Gomen! I really am sorry. I didn't mean to! I've just been, ya know…
Kai : …
Me : Forgive me?
Kai : …
Me : Please…
Kai : …
Me : Oh, come on.
Kai : … (smirking)
Me : Argh! This is driving me crazy! Stop it, stop it, stop it…!
Kai : (smiling innocently as Minako slowly loses her mind…or, what's left of it…)
Chapter 9: Friend or Foe?
I sit still, my eyes boring into the figure sat across from me. Do I trust him…no, I don't. And why should I? There's something not right about this stranger.
"So…what's your name?" Max asks. He looks a lot more comfortable now we're all sat together.
"That's not really important. Not yet, anyway." He puts a strand of red hair behind his ear. I cannot see his face clearly, but I can picture his expression.
"What do you know?" I love getting to the point. And I'm bored of waiting.
"Enough. Have either of you heard of Aura?" He asks, but I draw a blank.
"Yes! And I've heard of the legendary. hackers!" Max grins. His enthusiasm at this point makes me wonder how much sugar he consumed before logging back into The World.
"Good. What about the Twilight Bracelet?"
"Kite's bracelet. Yeah…" Max looks at his own bracelet, perhaps wondering if it is linked with all the recent goings-on.
"…And the Midnight Amulet?" Our new 'friend' uncrosses his legs, whilst Max and I shake our heads. "You see, even I didn't know that another mysterious amulet exists. But, I know it does."
"How? And where did you get this information?" I ask, feeling like we are getting somewhere.
"My superiors. And how do I know…because I've seen it. Infact it's here right now."
"You have it? Where?" Max jumps to his feet. Slowly, the figure raises a hand and points at Max's wrist.
"That bracelet…?" I am amazed. Trust in fate to complicate a situation. What was Max doing with this amulet? Why is he wearing it?
"What? But, why do I have it? Why am I wearing it?" I never wanted a pet parrot.
"That's what I'm going to find out. Look, I have to go. I shouldn't have been here, not yet. Pretend this meeting never happened. I presume a woman will start watching you sooner or later. She may even be tracking you down as I speak. Her name is Helba, and she's a hacker. Famous in the last incident. For a while she disappeared, but, like Aura, she's back…and I doubt they are the only ones you will be meeting from now on. We will meet again, friends. And…Trust no one, Twilight Hackers."
Twilight Hackers? What?
As the stranger turns to leave, he pulls down his hood and smiles at Max and me. He has perfect red hair, and shining blue eyes, that don't seem to have the same effect on me as they did before. Then, as expected, he disappears.
Why did he show us his identity? If he wasn't supposed to see us, then surely we weren't supposed to see him. And those last comments…he called us friends, and told us to trust no one. I certainly aren't sure if I should trust him. Or Rei for that matter. Where is the neko-jin? It has become the question of friend or foe…
XOXOXOXOXO
"!" I wake up with cold sweats. A dream, no a nightmare, and I was inside a video game. Inside The World. But not as I knew it…major corruption, violence, suffering. But now is not the time for such things. Most of my free time has been taken up with playing The World. Maybe I am getting too obsessed.
03.47am
Too early to do much of anything really. I'm not one of those computer freaks who logs on to play Solitaire for hours. (no offence to anyone who does)
Three days have passed since I logged onto the World with Max. We left the field once that mysterious guy teleported out. I've been too busy with my stupid coursework to do much of anything else, but Max had gone online to talk to people and visit Kukki.
In my dream I stand on a mountain peak looking down at the catastrophes happening below. My beautiful red and gold wings, shining in the sunlight, cast shadows over the rocks surrounding me. Max is at my side, an expression of fear on his face. Rei stands behind him, a small smirk emerging from his lips before all three of us vanish, Max's amulet flashing…
Strange. My dream of The World was scarily realistic. I felt like I was there. Maybe I really am too obsessed, or perhaps this means something…
XOXOXOXOXOXO
"Did you disobey orders, Tala Valkov?"
"…"
"Did I not tell you to wait. This isn't just a game! Those boys are important. Keep an eye on them for me, and I won't tell the boss."
"Yes, certainly. I plan to meet with them again at a later date."
"Good. But don't tell them too much. Besides, we know who the enemy is now. It's all just a matter of time."
"This better be for the good of CC Corp."
"Why Tala, are you perhaps showing concern…?"
"…I do not need your mockery. And don't worry, I will finish what I started. After all, is there anything one cannot achieve…?"
"You can walk away all you want, Valkov. But what will happen when you don't know who's side your on…?"
XOXOXOXOXOXO
"Kai! I had the strangest dream last night!" Max literally yells down the phone. A coincidence? I think not…
"Let me guess. It was about The World…"
"H…How did you know? I thought I was gonna surprise you! o.O! NO!"
"Now what's up?"
"We're out of pixie sticks. Anyway, don't you think that it's weird?"
"Stranger too that I also had dreams about the game."
There is silence for a few moments. I glance around the empty room impatiently waiting for my ice cool spring water to arrive via the butler. He's so slow these days; maybe I should sack him…
"Kai. There's something else you should know…" Max's voice has gone all serious despite his crazy sugar driven shouts from earlier.
"Yes…" I reply with a voice of uncertainly. It sure didn't sound like good news.
"On the message board…I read…well…about The World…there are rumours. I think they're more than just a load of made up rubbish…"
"Max."
"Yes?"
"You're blabbering on again. Just get to the point." I'm such a lovely person.
"Okay. It seems that the game has caused some people to fall into comas…"
"What?"
"You heard me. And none of the people have woken up yet. Including…including one of my first friends…"
"Huh? Who?" This is interesting and worrying information.
"His online name is Siegfried, and he used to live near me. He's unconscious. Kai, do you think it's linked? And what about Rei? Do you think he's okay?"
To be quite honest I'm more worried about us. But, before I can begin to process that information, my mind clicks. I do recognise that stranger we met with the red hair and ice blue eyes. But from where?
"Max, let's log in tomorrow morning at 10. I'm sorry, I've got to go." I put down the phone. At least I know that Max is my friend and I can trust him. And we will work this thing out eventually. This is just another piece of the puzzle.
The butler knocks and enters the room on my call and I sit drinking the water as I stare up at a familiar ceiling.
TBC
Aah! What was this rubbish? I apologise greatly for another short chapter, but it's better than nothing! Sadly, I didn't have any time to think up a better story line and I wanted to update asap in fear of getting shot! Also, I might be over-complicating my ideas, so just tell me off if the fic is losing it a bit. Finally, I'd just like to say hello and thanks (in English!) to my new reviewers who were very nice to me in the original chapter nine which was an author's note for those of you who didn't notice.
I am not exactly running out of ideas, but it seems to be getting harder for me to write with each chappy. I'm not begging for support, but if anyone has got any plot ideas I would be grateful and put them into consideration.
Also, the very final thing…what do you think about 'Valkov'?
Till next time then,
Byezies!
Minako Angel out xxx
(aka. Tenshi Minako)
(A:N\ Just read the new fanfiction rule, and so from now on I will have to thank my reviewers personally. Sob. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my fic without a 'secure name' (aka. Anon), I appreciate it. Please keep reviewing! Sayonara x)