The Red Wand
Chapter VIII: Results of Separation
"Sir…the anomaly has been sighted again."
"We keep getting more and more reports of the black dots turning into the same creature!"
"Damn…and what about them?"
"They seem to have encountered the black mass on multiple occasions lately…originally sightings were low, almost nil, but suddenly they began to spike."
"It's like the situation a year ago…and Yata is still unavailable?"
"He hasn't responded to a single one of our messages sir."
"Damn…contact…the Shinigami."
"Sir?"
"We have no choice. For a regular player, he's been quite reliable."
"It's not that…he means that…Zero Shinzaki is dead sir. It was all over the news."
"I know…but Shinigami Xenmaru yet lives. I don't understand it myself, but my daughter has seen him walking around."
"Could someone have hijacked his account?"
"Yes…but they'd have to be a stalker."
"Why do you say that sir?"
"Because he acts and speaks exactly like Shinigami Xenmaru does. So unless someone managed to watch Mr. Shinzaki, every time he logged in…"
"It would really have to be Him then."
"Indeed. Like I said, Contact Shinigami Xenmaru. He is most likely at least partially aware of the situation…but it helps to combine resources."
"Sir, we've got another sighting!"
"Dammit. Send him a message! We need his help…"
"Sir…the Shinigami…how will we pay him?"
"What?"
"If it really IS the Shinigami we all know…then he's dead in this world. How will we pay him?"
"…Dammit…I didn't think of that."
"We could…upgrade his character!"
"No…that wouldn't work. He's been spotted around a few extremely powerful Vagrant AI. Not to mention the last time someone checked his class, it said, Sword Master."
"Wasn't he a Multi Weapon?"
"Yes…that means someone illegally upgraded his character…"
"We could threaten to delete him…"
"Are you insane? The AI he was seen hanging around with had a Data capacity nearly three fourths that of Aura! If we deleted his character, not only would we be murderers, but that particular AI would more than likely wreak havoc the System!"
"That's not all sir…there have been reports that he has been contacted by Morganna…"
"Yes…Aura must have brought her back…it would explain many things…but not the reappearance of AIDA…"
"Sir, we'll contact him immediately. He might have some clues."
"Tell him we'll discus payment at a later time…I just hope he's willing to help."
"He should be…after all The World is his only home now…"
Delta Server: Mac Anu
Alicia was sitting on the pier, waiting for Xenmaru to show up. The past week had been enjoyable for the AI. She and Xenmaru spoke often, mostly in the recesses of his digital mind, so the apparition of Cubia; Mikoto could join in the conversations. They spoke of his past, his present, and his shaky future. She showed him how to access the rest of the internet from within The World, an ability only the most powerful of AI could use, now wieldable by Xenmaru due to his specific circumstances.
The Light of Transcendence has faded…his class is now Sword Master…I wonder what that means? Even he claims not to know the depths of this new arrangement. Though I can be sure, it is his connection to the Shadow of Existence, Cubia, that allowed for such a power to be unleashed. After all this time, I still don't get how he managed to "tame" Cubia…or even how he was able to encounter it.
The girl, wearing her usual black dress, but this time, after learning she could, she changed her hair color to a deep violet, pondered on how the events that had happened…could happen.
It must have been my goody-goody other half. He has the scent of Mother Morgana all over him…and that should be impossible, even as an Epitaph Wielder. Aura must have brought Morgana back…that would explain why the presence I kept sensing around him felt like her. But…when? Blast my programming…if only I hadn't been so hasty for revenge…there are too many questions, and not enough answers.
She stared at the perpetual sunset, and relaxed, feeling the cold water rushing around her feet.
But it doesn't matter now. Xenmaru is with me…and soon…soon I will be complete.
She was no fool. She knew the re-emergence of AIDA was due to her awakening, and the strength she had gained. As long as she and Aura remained separate, The World was in danger.
…But I don't want to die…I don't want to die at all! But…what if what Xenmaru said is true? What if I won't die? What if when it happens, our minds, our memories, become one? Would it be enough? Would I still be able to feel as I do now?
Again, the girl was in turmoil. She clutched her arms and shivered…when a hand was placed on her shoulder. She flinched and looked up.
"Yo."
She gave a weary smile.
"Xenmaru…you surprised me."
Looked like more than that to me kiddo. Indeed…she must have been in deep thought again.
"Thinking about the inevitable again?"
She flushed and nodded.
"Alicia, what have I always told you?"
"Not to think. There are times that it causes more harm than good."
"Exactly. So stop thinking!"
He ruffled her hair affectionately. The two had grown quite close over the week they had been together. She smiled at him, blush still on her cheeks, and noticed someone behind him.
"Who is…"
"This is Aina. She's a friend of mine…sorry Alicia, I wouldn't have brought her but…"
"Xenmaru-nii hasn't been around for too long!"
"Yeah…"
"Xenmaru-nii? You never told me you had a sister!"
"I don't. She's Ovan's sister…she just calls me and Haseo 'nii-chan.'"
"Oh…well then, hello Aina. My name is Alicia; it's a pleasure to meet you."
The girls shook hands. "Ne, are you like Aura-nee-chan and Zefie-nee-chan?"
Alicia blinked.
"H-how…"
"She's always been pretty good at recognizing familiar existences. You have to admit, being the other half, you DO feel like Aura…and Zefie IS Aura's daughter."
"Th-that's true…"
"So I was right? Yay! Xenmaru-nii! What do I get?"
"Uhh..." He blinked. He rummaged through his inventory till he found an accessory. He customized it a bit, and then gave it to her.
"Sugoi! I'll equip it right away! Arigato Xenmaru-nii!"
The item he gave her was a rather rare one. It took off the first seventy-five points of damage from both magical and physical attacks. It could only be used by level One-hundred and Twenty and higher players though. It would seem that Aina had done a bit of leveling.
"Ne, Xenmaru-nii! Is she your…" She held up her pinky.
Alicia blushed heavily and sputtered. Xenmaru just stared, and then laughed.
"No Aina, she's not…though I'm willing to bet she'd like the job."
Alicia blushed even deeper, silencing herself and ducking her head to cover her weak smile.
Damn…I must have been pretty obvious…
He sighed, restoring his neutral state, and handed a paper over to Alicia.
She blinked, and took it.
"What's this?"
"It would seem someone at CC Corp. knows I yet live. They've requested for me to investigate the cause of the re-emergence of AIDA in such large quantities."
"But…why you?"
"I guess you've been too focused to realize. I'm the Shinigami. It's a custom title I got from CC Corp. for being one of their most active contacts in The World. Before the Avatar stuff started, I was the one going around to areas with weak AIDA gathering information. After Yata showed up though, I wasn't needed for that. I'm somewhat of a de-bugger. As such I have a few…custom abilities. Nothing as powerful as the Twilight Bracelet or anything…but since the beginning I always had a strange connection to The World. They have a few other freelancers as well, at least four in every country that accesses, but I gained the trust of a few of their key members."
"How'd you do that Xenmaru-nii?"
"Saved the lives of their children. Some of the more important people at this particular branch of CC Corp. have families that play this game. A few of them were under attack by AIDA…I managed to hold it off till Breast Physics showed up and took it out. It wasn't even a mission; I just had a bad feeling and followed my hunch. Didn't even know they were related to anyone I worked for. I just saw players in danger from an unknown element and did what I do best."
"So…what happened?"
"Well, I held the blasted thing off long enough for Boobmaster Pai to show up, and I had a meeting in-game with the fathers and mothers of those players. I found out then that the players were their children, and they were beyond happy that I saved their lives. They granted me the title of Shinigami, gave me a really badass cloak that I would use for later missions, and even upped my pay a crapload. I think what got to them the most was the fact that I did it to do it. Not for a reward, or anything. Cause apparently those player characters were pretty widely known to be the children of CC Corp. employees. I didn't even pay attention to who it was, I just acted. And I pleased a good deal of parents."
"You risked your life for strangers…without the prospect of reward?"
"Meh, had nothing better to do. I was always like that. I'd do weird stuff either out of boredom, or my own personal morals. Never did care too much about myself. Though I didn't plan on dying so soon."
Never even managed to get laid…though there were a few close ones. That sucks. Yeah…
Alicia was looking over the report.
"So…the AIDA have taken to controlling monsters?"
"Yeah, they're acting like Morgana's old data bugs. They don't seem to be infecting players as often anymore…rather preferring to infect Monsters…and then PK the Players and knock them out for a bit. The stronger the monster…"
"The longer the coma. That IS a problem."
"Yes, but it allows for the better players to handle these things themselves. The biggest problem is there's always new players…and for someone to have just started playing…and suddenly be knocked out…"
"It causes a problem for the company…along with The World itself. Many AI do call this place home…and to encounter one…"
"Could kill them." Aina finished.
The other two gave a small start, partially forgetting she was there.
"What else does it say Alicia-san?"
"Well…it says that they mostly pick specific area words…why you? Why not inform Yata, and have him send the others?"
"Probably because I've always been straightforward with them. Yata tends to horde information for a bit, releasing only as much as people ask for. Probably from his days as Wiseman in R:1."
"Yes…I can see how that would be a problem…"
"So what do we do Xenmaru-nii?"
He looked at Aina with a raised eyebrow. "We don't do anything. Alicia and I are going to the area to find this thing…however there IS something you can do for us."
"What is it?"
"Find your brother and the others, or at least him and Haseo if possible. I'll tell you the area words that we'll be going to. Alicia is powerful, and I'm no slouch either, but Mikoto and I haven't fully figured out what Avatar Cubia can do exactly, so if this thing turns into its original self, and it's not like the Guardian AIDA that Alicia used to send around, then we might not be able to handle it alone."
"Ossu! You can count on me!"
"The area words are…Theta: Severing Life's Thread."
"Damn that's morbid."
"Theta: Severing Life's Thread. Got it! I'll send Onii-chan a message now! Good luck you two!"
"Thanks Aina. Alright Alicia…how should we do this?"
"I think I can get there directly. It's best to do it that way, in case AIDA has locked down the field."
"Alright."
She closed her eyes and waved her hand. A wall of black and grey particles surrounded them. The wall looked like static on a TV. They vanished as Aina sent her message.
Good luck Xenmaru-nii…
Field: Theta Server: Severing Life's Thread…
They appeared in a wave of static. The wall vanished, and they looked around.
"Well…I can tell something is here…but where I have no idea."
"Let's take a look then."
Xenmaru pulled up the map. The area was a Beast Statue area.
"…why do I suddenly not like the implications of this?"
"What is it?"
"Beast Statue."
"Well, that just means we won't need to fight a boss."
"Hopefully."
The two of them roamed the dungeon. It was Xenmaru's favorite design, the Asian temple. They checked every room, broke every possible breakable object, defeated every monster, and even kicked every Chim Harvesting area. Their efforts were fruitless.
"God dammit! Where the hell is this thing?!"
"I don't know…lets check the Beast Temple."
"I'm gonna be soooo pissed if that thing is there…"
They opened the doors to the Statue room…and saw a battle field. They looked at each other.
"That's not normal."
"Think we found it?"
"Yep."
Xenmaru ran at the area. It warped…and suddenly repelled him.
"Fucknuts!"
Alicia blinked. "That's a new one."
"Can you disable that thing?"
"Let me see…" Alicia focused on the data surrounding the field. It was corrupted…but not horribly. She erased the command that stated "Hold Barrier."
The field shattered, and a figure went flying from it. Xenmaru had just stood up, only to be knocked down by the blur.
"SHITMONKEYS!"
Alicia couldn't help but laugh slightly as she ran over to see if the two were alright.
The figure got up as Xenmaru did, the boy rubbing the back of his head. They looked at each other.
"YOU!"
"You're that sadistic psycho bitch that kept attacking me!"
"You're that guy that kept beating me!"
Alicia sweat dropped. Oh dear…
Someone cleared their throat.
The three turned, Xenmaru and Alicia paling when they saw what it was.
"…no way…this goes against EVERYTHING that's in the system!"
"…don't tell me…that's…"
The figure that ran into Xenmaru drew her blades again. She had green hair with one strand sticking straight up in the middle, turning into a curl. She wore a sky-blue fighters' dress with a dark brown butterfly looking attachment on her back. White long boots with dark brown toes (best word to describe it right now) adorned her legs. She wore no pants, and the dress had a wide opening on the sides to fully show her legs. She had brown bracers on her arms, which seemed to be attached to the white gloves on her hands. Black cross shaped marks seemed to stream down her upper arms. Her green eyes were wide open, and then narrowed slightly as she gripped her blades tightly.
"I could have SWORN these things didn't show up except in Open Fields…"
Standing in front of the three of them…was the girl's AIDA infected reflection…
"Holy shit on a shit sandwich…"
Their target…was the girl's Doppelganger.
Been a while huh? Been busy with my other HP fic. Next chapter we see a MAJOR battle! Test your Knowledge! Who was the girl who's doppelganger they're about to fight? Hint! She shows up in volume 3! Extra hint! She knows Piros!
YinYangWhiteTiger: true, and nothing but talking in this chapter as well…but there's back story, and a battle setup!
Rainfire: uhh…huh? AFK means Azure Flame Kite…though I'm pretty sure your sugar induced mind was talking about something else…by the way, the dictionary updated itself with an unusual word…it's all over the news!
Yamimaru: well, your worries are answered in this chapter. Technically, since he has Cubia as his Epitaph, he IS an Xth form. But no, he doesn't have Haseo's Xth form. The Class Sword Master...allows for him to use any bladed weapon he chooses. And create a couple of his own. You'll see examples of that here. Basically, he's like a tweaked Multi Weapon.