Chapter Eight: Tearful Reconstruction

July 29th, 2031

"That was heroic of you Edmond, taking on Glog that way. But, and I'm sure I don't need to repeat it…but I will anyway, you're trying to keep both of us alive."

Edmond's body was weightless, as he floated in an empty, black expanse. He felt so weak that he couldn't even open his eyes. Seconds earlier, he'd just witnessed what seemed like a horrendous nightmare, more so than everything else that had happened up until this point. Now, if his mind wasn't just tricking him, he could hear the voice of Akihiko Kayaba speaking to him from beyond existence.

"So…I'm not dead, then? Figures, I'd never be so lucky."

Edmond managed to say this as he abandoned all hope to stay conscious. However, his mind wouldn't allow him to fall asleep.

"What's wrong with you Edmond? Is this all you've got? I must say it's rather sad to see a person who fancies themselves a gamer give up so easily."

"This isn't a game. A game makes you happy. A game makes you want to achieve things, to take risks without serious consequences of your actions. A game allows you to reset it as many times as you need to, whenever things don't go well for you. A game? No…Kayaba…This isn't a game, this is hell."

Tears seeped through his closed eyes and fell into the black nothingness below him. He wanted so badly to be done with this entire existence. He dreamed of being yelled at for the rent being late…or hearing the sound of a customer complain about something that was their fault to begin with. He longed for his small, obscure existence back in the real world, to become the actual reality that it was.

"Hell? Edmond, hell is eternal separation from the things that are closest to you. Longing to have something that you know you can never have, back. I, am living…or not living, to be more precise, in hell, Edmond. Not you. Look at what you have-"

"What do I have, then? Please tell me, because I can't seem to find what you're wanting me to feel so damn optimistic about! Look at us! Look at Thatch…Look at Klein, who missed the most important moment of his life, the birth of his child! Look at Kitami…who I almost let die…in my arms."

Edmond felt a strange sensation on his chest. He summoned every bit of energy he had left and opened his eyes to reveal Kayaba standing directly over him, with his hand placed on him.

"You didn't do so poorly, Edmond. You need to have a little faith in yourself, you're honestly one of the most self-depreciating people I've ever met…And you're looking at a man who placed himself in a game HE created, knowing he could be killed if something went wrong."

Edmond closed his eyes again. He was becoming annoyed with the monotony of the conversation, and couldn't begin to think of why he was there. But then again, nothing made sense anymore, so it was to be expected in his mind.

"So, why am I here then? So you can show me more weapons and give me another sob story about all of your regrets of killing so many players?"

Kayaba frowned.

"You weren't this rude the last time you were here, Edmond. But, I suppose given the stressful circumstances you just faced, it's only to be expected of you. Please vent Edmond, you deserve it."

Edmond felt genuinely remorseful. He wasn't a mean person, and he certainly didn't want to annoy a mass murderer, whether he actually existed or not.

"I'm sorry…but can you at least tell me one thing?"

"I can do my best for you, Edmond."

"Kitami, is she okay? Did she survive?"

Edmond opened his eyes again in concern.

"That, that's it Edmond. Kitami. "

"What are you talking about? Is she okay, or not?"

"She's fine, once her poison was cured, a health item was all she needed. That, and a little bit of rest to sleep off the fatigue. I must say, this pain barrier business is awful."

Edmond sighed deeply.

"You created it, you should know the consequences of that."

Kayaba shrugged and nodded his head.

"You're right, my sincerest apologies. Back to my main point. Edmond, Kitami is your reason for being here. Fate leads us in many directions in life, but I believe that we ultimately end up where we're supposed to be. Life is like an interlocking system of tubes, much like veins, that go all into different directions, but ultimately lead to the same place. The Heart. Which, and I didn't mean for it to sound so cliché', is a perfect representation of why you're here. For Kitami…You love her, Edmond. Whether you know it yet or not."

Edmond actually chuckled a bit.

"I don't know the first thing about love. Sure, I like her, a lot. But love? I just can't wrap my head around that concept, if it even exists."

"It takes a person with an awful lot of courage to run through knives to protect someone they don't love. Or to threaten to kill somebody for threatening to assault them, as well as to carry out those threats, as you did. And ultimately, to ask about them, before asking about the well-being of your own self. If that isn't love, then you're probably right, I can't imagine such an emotion actually exists either."

A deep feeling moved into Edmond's chest. It felt tight, as if he was trying to fight something. He soon realized that it was the truth Kayaba was speaking, that he was trying so desperately to avoid. He was in love, and he wasn't even the first person to know. How typical of himself, he thought.

"What do I do, then? I almost got her killed once, she's probably better off without me."

"That's something that I can't speak to, Edmond. I can only present the facts. But I will say, that given how you two act around one another, that you would have a hard time convincing her to leave. But that's just me, after all, I'm only a genius."

Edmond closed his eyes again. Kayaba's brand of witty sarcasm, in the middle of a heartfelt message, was annoyingly comical.

"Well, Mr. Genius, I'm grateful for your input. But do you have anything that could help us deal with Khale?"

Kayaba smiled, causing Edmond to think out loud.

"Oh, good, he's smiling, this should be interesting…"

"Do you remember your first night? In the woods when Khale sent in two of his guild members to reveal you and Kitami from stealth?"

"Yes, I do. Why?"

"Well, the two guild members were Glog, whom you've seen killed as of recently, and Ratchnot, who I think would be of extreme use to you."

Edmond pondered the possibilities of why this could be.

"How so? How can you be so certain? Plus, and this is assuming we somehow find him, how do we convince someone so loyal to Khale, to defect?"

"Khale has already done that for you. If you recall, he completely dismantled his guild, and all players associated with him. He found them too weak, and, put in his words, useless. Ratchnot was included in this, but what you don't know about him, could just be the secret to you, and your friends, making it out of this universe alive."

Edmond raised his head up.

"Really? How? Are you serious?"

"Completely. You see, Khale, as…illustrious, as he is, isn't the brightest star in the universe. He never has been, and that's why he never outranked Thatch in my guild. Which, probably makes you wonder, why does this matter?"

"Sure."

"Well! Answer me this. How does someone with that level of intelligence single handedly hack a server, steal its hardware and database files, and alter them enough to completely control them?"

Edmond was now starting to see Kayaba's point. He was right, it didn't make sense that someone like Khale could fulfill his plans on his own, provided his level on intelligence was on par with Kayaba's assumption.

"So, he had someone do it for him?"

"Precisely. Ratchnot. He's a computer genius…although not as good as me, he's still quite amazing. So you see, Ratchnot is somewhere in Aincrad, hiding, or worse, plotting. If you can find him, he may be able to undo what he's hacked. Without him, Khale is probably invincible against you."

"So if we find Ratchnot, he can take away Khale's power?"

"Perhaps, but it isn't guaranteed. It is, however, your best shot in the situation. But I'd go prepared. He is after all an assassin, and is probably wary to keep anyone he meets alive. He's most likely extremely paranoid, and remember, he's a master hacker, so he might have tricks up his sleeve, the likes of which you've never seen."

Edmond was finally starting to see the pendulum swing back into his favor. An actual plan had been displayed, and it seemed, somewhat, feasible. But Kayaba was right, Ratchnot would most likely be extremely dangerous and elusive. But it didn't matter, He had to find him, it was the only way he could keep his promise to Kitami.

"Before I send you back, is there anything else you'd like to ask?"

Edmond thought for a second, and then settled on something that baffled him.

"Yes, how did I break out of paralysis when Glog was about to kill me? Was that you?"

Kayaba looked up as he pondered his thoughts.

"No. That wasn't me, and to be honest, I'm not sure how you managed that one. Don't question it, just be thankful it happened. Of course, it could be all that love we've been talking about, anything is possible."

Kayaba withdrew his hand from Edmond's chest and reached into the air. A bright white flash encompassed his wrist. When he brought his hand back down, he was holding the rapier he'd shown Edmond in his first visit to the black void.

"Yes…I have seen it before. In fact, it's why I'm here, Edmond. There was one other who was mysteriously able to achieve what you did. But I've never really been able to explain it."

Kayaba dropped the rapier, allowing it to burst into a million tiny shards as it fell into the open void, and turned to walk away from Edmond. After a few steps he halted and turned his head back to Edmond.

"Remember Edmond, you can do this, I have faith in you. Goodbye, for now. We'll be in touch, I'm sure. Oh, and, as usual…send my best to Thatch, would you?"

Immediately Edmond felt his body flying through space, again. The universe was moving so quickly that his fatigued body could no longer handle it. He slipped slowly out of consciousness.

"Edmond…Edmond, can you hear me?"

The voice sounded familiar, but Edmond just couldn't seem to focus enough to think of its owner. He felt his body lying horizontally. On what? He had no clue. He began to dip back into unconsciousness until…

"Edmond…wake up. Please wake up, Edmond."

The voice was becoming clearer, now. Although, now, there were sobs mixed in with the speech. The voice was clearly feminine, but he couldn't remember who he'd been with last…night? Week? Where was he? When was he?

"Kitami, you should have some rest, we'll keep an eye on him. If…"

The male voice speaking paused after a quick breath, as if it knew it'd said something harmful to the situation.

"When he wakes up, I'll come get you, I promise."

Thatch. Edmond recognized that voice. Suddenly the entirety of what Edmond had lived began to reappear in his mind. Horrible memories of players disintegrating away into pieces of glass in front of his very eyes began to ravage him. Unable to summon the strength to move, Edmond was forced to lay, wherever he was, and face the horrible images dancing through his mind.

"No! I'm not going!"

"Kitami…"

"Just please leave me alone…"

Edmond's brain finally registered the voice. It was Kitami. He felt instantly soothed at the thought of her. The bad memories began to subside. He attempted to speak, but he couldn't even summon the strength to open his lips. He slowly began to take deep breaths, until he could finally force out a sentence. He tried his best to be funny, to try and lighten the situation at hand.

"T-thatch…"

Edmond immediately felt the presence of a body looming over him.

"Y-yes! Edmond, what's is it?"

"There's something…I need to tell you, something important."

"Anything…go on…"

Edmond cracked a weak smile and slowly opened his eyes.

"Kayaba says 'Hi'"

Thatch, who starred in confusion for second, took a deep breath, placed a hand on Edmond's shoulder and laughed.

"You've clearly been spending too much time with Klein."

Edmond immediately felt arms around his torso after he said this. He heard the sounds of sobs as he felt his chest getting wet from the endless flow of tears from, who he assumed was Kitami, laying on him. He blinked a few times to clear his eyes from the lengthy coma he was sure he'd been in. As the light settled in his eyes he saw locks of, long, blue hair inches from his chin. It WAS Kitami, and Edmond had never been happier to see her.

"Edmond! I thought you were done for! I thought for sure when I was taken away, that…that I wouldn't see you again!"

Kitami cried harder and harder as she clenched the sheets covering Edmond's body. Edmond really had no idea on how to feel about this. He'd never felt so cared for in all of his life. Now, in the most dire of situations, he was surrounded by people. People who, from what he could tell, had stood by his side the entire time he was unconscious.

"I'm okay, Kitami, I'm just glad I was able to get you out of there in time."

Kitami looked up at Edmond, wiped a tear away from her eyes, and then immediately planted her lips on Edmond's. Edmond's eyes shot, wide open, as Kitami's tears ran down her face and connected with his skin. He slowly raised his arms, amid the fatigue, and placed them on Kitami's back and neck. He was in bliss. But, just as amazingly it began, a thought entered his thoughts. Thatch was standing right in front of them. The secret was blown.

"I…should probably go and let you two catch up on a few things."

Edmond watched as Kitami's eyes widened and her cheeks lit up into a vibrant red. She quickly unlocked her lips from his and pulled part of the sheets over her face, embarrassed.

Edmond looked at Thatch who had cracked a smile and raised his eyebrow. He seemed to be enthused, or maybe even happy to see something positive amidst all of the anguish this game was causing. Still, Edmond felt as though he should explain himself. He opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly stopped by Thatch's hand waving away any explanation.

"I figured it out, Edmond. You don't have to explain anything to me, or anybody. In this place, we have to find joy anywhere we can."

Thatch turned to walk away. As he opened the door to leave, Edmond remembered his most recent conversation with Kayaba.

"Thatch! Wait…What about Kayaba?"

Thatch immediately turned back around.

"You're sure you spoke to him?"

"Yes"

"What did he say, this time?"

Edmond searched his brain to figure out where he should begin, putting a look of confusion on his face. It must have showed to Thatch.

"Actually, it can wait, rest up. You need to. Me and the Gunners are developing a plan of action to attack the first ten floors. Seeing as Khale was nice enough to wipe all of our progress clean. We figure there's no use in sitting here on the bottom floor, just waiting to die. Whenever you're feeling up to it, please come see me, until then, thank you, Edmond. You've been an invaluable help to us. We can't thank you enough."

Thatch nodded his head and saluted Edmond. A lump formed in Edmond's throat. Receiving this salute, this symbol of fraternity and brotherhood, warmed Edmond's heart and made him feel genuinely useful.

Thatch then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Edmond exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. Just giving thought to the daunting task of conquering floors was making him dizzy, which was ironic in his mind, taking into consideration that that was what he initially BOUGHT the game to do. He changed his thoughts to Kitami, who still had her face buried within the bed sheets.

"I think you can come out, now. The big scary Thatch is gone."

Kitami moved her head from under the sheets, just enough for Edmond to see her eyes, which were squinting at him in distain, at this moment.

"…Klein told me you…killed Glog. Is that true?"

Flashbacks immediately entered Edmond's mind as her words activated some dark feeling within him. He imagined his dagger, slowly cutting into Glog's abdomen as his skin gave way. He slammed his eyes shut, but all he could see was Khale slamming his own blade into Glog's throat. He shook his head, quickly, to throw the thoughts off of his conscience. He took a deep breath and tried to change the subject.

"Yeah…more like a couple of people, but that's not important. What's important is that you're safe and we're together now."

Kitami, at first, looked a little offended as Edmond so quickly abandoned her question. But she soon realized what Edmond was feeling, and laid head back down on his chest. She nuzzled his torso and put her arms on his chest. She then stayed still, not moving for quite a while.

"What are you-"

"Shhh!"

Kitami snapped as she just continued to lay there, motionless. Edmond moved his eyes around the room, as if he were trying to grab an answer to what she was doing out of thin air.

"You can. You can hear it. Even in this hell…you can hear it."

Edmond was confused, which had happened so many times before. By now, he was learning to accept it.

"You can hear, what, Kitami?"

Kitami began to choke up. She squeezed the sheets again as she tried to choke out words.

"You can still hear the beating of a real heart. Even as so many are ceasing to beat…I can still hear yours. You're alive, and because of that, I know I'm alive too. We're not just avatar's Edmond. Nobody here is. We're all, living, breathing, people."

Kitami was now sobbing openly, her words were becoming unrecognizable. Edmond squeezed her harder with what little might he could muster. She then composed herself and continued.

"Every time you see that flash…those shards blasting into nothing. That's another life ending. That's another unknown death in the real world. As they lay in their hospital beds, as their families watch their child or their brother, or their father mysteriously stop living. This isn't a game, anymore. We have to get these people out, Edmond!"

Edmond's eyes were wide open now. He'd never considered what it must be like on the outside of the game, as the families look on in horror and shock. The thought brought tears to his eyes. But he was done crying. He was ready to fight. Khale was going to pay, and the world would never again call survivors of these terrible acts "lunatics" or "tabloid."

Edmond cupped Kitami's face and gave her a hard stare, directly into her eyes.

"We will. We will get them out. One way or the other. Khale can't hold us off forever. Not with any army, not with any hack. He's going to pay. He's going to suffer for everything he's done here…"

Kitami nodded and gave Edmond as kiss on the cheek. Her look said that she wasn't truly convinced, but at least she was comforted for the moment.

Edmond thought about what Kayaba had suggested. They had to find Ratchnot. There was no denying it now. Edmond then reached the part of his memory where Kayaba had suggested his (apparently) obvious love for Kitami. Now, with her so close to him, was probably not a good time to ponder it. His opinion would most definitely be biased. He shook the thought away.

"We should probably get downstairs. Thatch probably wants us to be a part of the planning process."

Kitami said as she wiped her eyes with her arm.

Edmond was instantly relieved when Kitami suggested this. He wanted nothing more than to be away from silence so his thoughts couldn't cause him to lose what little of his mind he had left. He nodded and tried to sit up in bed. He looked around, the room was familiar. It was the same room he'd been in twice before. He thought he'd try and lighten the mood with some humor.

"Wow. Is this the only room they have in this place, or what?"

Kitami giggled and helped Edmond onto his feet. It was good to hear her laugh again. It always destroyed negativity.

Edmond, once on his feet, felt unstable. He stretched, popping all sorts of muscles in his arms and legs. It felt amazing, and gave some much needed pressure relief from his joints. He swiped for his menu and navigated to cosmetics. As he selected his normal combat attire, he noticed something a little different in his menu. Upon further inspection, he immediately recognized what it was. A gasmask. It was labeled as "Relain's Memento."

He selected the item and white light surrounded his hand. When the light settled, he held up the mask and looked over to Kitami. She shrugged, indicating that she had no idea where it had come from. Thatch must have slipped it into his inventory at some point when he was sleeping.

The two left the room and proceeded into the dining area on the bottom floor of the inn. When they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, a familiar and jubilant voice greeted them.

"Edmond!"

Klein leapt to his feet and ran over to them. He grabbed Edmond and squeezed him tightly in a hug.

"I owe you, big time, man! You saved my life! My wife would kill me if I showed up dead…don't think on that one too much, anyway, you're truly a hero, thank you."

Edmond's in-game body was still sore from the long fall and paralysis he'd suffered the night before. But he let Klein continue with his long "man-hug." Again, it felt nice to be appreciated. Although, he felt like he was receiving far more credit than he'd actually deserved. He simply reacted the way he felt was appropriate at the time.

"No you don't, Klein. If you hadn't come to my aid, Glog wouldn't have nearly killed you…"

Klein shook his head.

"No, Edmond. If it wasn't for you, attacking him when you did, who knows what he may have done. I owe you everything, Edmond. Don't try and argue with me…I'll win."

Edmond smiled and shrugged. He decided it was best to accept Klein's thanks and be thankful for having such excellent comrades beside him. As a wave of gratitude swept over him, he immediately remembered one other victim of Glog's wrath.

"What happened to the other Gunner, Klein? The one who came after you…"

The inn fell silent. The Gunners all lowered their heads. A few of them, sitting down, lowered their heads into their crossed arms below. Edmond looked at Klein who lowered his head, also. He immediately knew what had happened, but he couldn't bear to say it, even in his head, Edmond knew one of the Gunners, wasn't with them anymore.

"Thatch…will tell you everything, Edmond. He's on the roof, collecting his thoughts. He requested you go see him whenever you felt up to it."

Edmond stood, frozen. He placed a hand on Klein's shoulder, causing him to perk up.

"Hey! No tears! We Gunners are strong, and we know sometimes the road isn't safe! Let's drink to our fallen comrade, that's what we'd all want, isn't it."

Klein turned around and saluted the rest of the Gunners. They, in turn, stood up, saluted back and held up their mugs of various pain numbing serums. Klein then turned back around and looked at Kitami.

"Thatch…Wants to speak with Edmond, alone, if that's okay?"

Kitami nodded and patted Edmond on the back, in full understanding.

Klein smiled in relief of her understanding. He then walked over to the bar keeper and grabbed a steamy pint off of the bar.

"This one's on me, if you want it…Don't worry, it's not going to put you under the table. Edmond, there will be one waiting for you, too, when you come back."

Edmond looked at Kitami and smiled. She returned the smile and walked over to take the mug from Klein. Edmond then turned to walk back up the stairs. He passed the room he'd been in numerous times, and came to a ladder that led to the roof. He started to climb up as the soreness in his joints reminded him that he wasn't fully prepared to resume his usual activities yet.

When he reached the top, he was astounded of the view it afforded. He could see miles into the distance, outside the walls of the town, and into many different directions. He looked over to the entrance of the dungeon that would take everyone to the next floor. He knew that was going to be his destination, soon enough.

"Peaceful, isn't it?"

Edmond turned around to see Thatch standing on the opposite side of the roof. He was still turned away and looking out over the forest where everything had begun for Edmond. He slowly approached Thatch. Below him, he heard the sounds of players trudging around the city. Some alone, crying, and others mourning in groups. There was a dismal feel in the air, an obvious one for the situations that had past.

"Klein said you needed to see me."

Thatch turned around. Much to Edmond's surprise, he looked not only weak and frail like he normally did, but he could tell that he'd also been crying.

"Yes, thank you for coming to see me. We have a lot to talk about. But there's no rush. I'm sure you can tell, by the somberness of the town, that nobody is in any hurry to start tackling floors at high speeds."

Edmond could tell that Thatch's heart was heavy. But no more tears came from his eyes. He kept composure very well, and his presence was empowering, like that of a father. Edmond could tell that Thatch wasn't one to show weakness in front of others. He didn't know what to say, so he just stood there and nodded. Thatch broke the silence again.

"We lost a Gunner, as I'm sure you know. Relain. He was one of our younger members. He was assigned to assist Klein with the bombing."

Edmond lowered his head, and spoke.

"I know…it's my fault he's gone."

"No it isn't, Edmond. You can't help what Glog did to you, and you certainly can't stop a Gunner from coming to your aid. That's what we do. Relain was doing his job, and he went down honorably."

Edmond gritted his teeth as he choked back more tears. No. He wasn't going to cry again. He was going to be as strong as Thatch, and see this game to an end. But still, he felt horrible for the loss of someone so dear to the Gunners.

"I noticed you sent me an item."

Thatch nodded.

"Edmond. We've always been a group of twelve. It started as a friendship between survivors of the last game, but stayed that way for so long, that having one less of us, just doesn't seem to be possible. I've talked it over with the others. We want you to be our new Gunner."

Edmond felt chills go throughout his body. Goosebumps popped up all over him. He swallowed hard. It felt like the entire world around him had gone silent, awaiting his answer. He straightened his back and clenched his fist over his heart. He watched as Thatch smiled and did the same. Then, he saluted as hard as his arm would allow.

"I accept."

Thatch finished his salute and nodded.

"Welcome to the Guild, Edmond. You're now a Smoking Gunner. Congratulations. We're all glad to have you. With you, I know we'll have the best shot at winning this awful game."

Edmond and Thatch then turned and looked over the roof. The players below continued to walk around, trapped within their own thoughts. Some entered, and some exited, the city gates. Some brave players even went into the fields to grind out low leveled mobs.

"Edmond, what did Kayaba tell you this time. Anything new?"

Edmond was instantly brought back to the situation at hand.

"Yes. He said there might be a way to counter Khale's source of power."

"You're serious?"

"I am. He said there was a hacker by the name Ratchnot. Kayaba told me that Ratchnot was the one who secured most of the data files and corrupted them to put us where we are now. He said that if we were somehow able to catch him, he might be able to undo what he's given to Khale. It's not a sure thing, but it's the best chance we've got.

Thatch clenched his fist. He looked as though he could've done a backflip. Edmond didn't want to, but he knew he had to make sure Thatch understood the facts.

"Again, this isn't sure-fire. It's possible, but even if we find him, and he is capable of completing this task, he's most likely hiding out somewhere, and is extremely dangerous. He's a hacker, so you never know what he may be capable of."

Thatch's face went sour.

"Be that as it may, it's the only chance we've got, and anything at this point must at least be considered plausible. We'll need someone to find him…alive, of course. We'll discuss this with other guild members and determine the best plan of action. This is our potential window of opportunity that could keep us all alive."

Edmond felt his heart leap a bit when Thatch referred to the other guild members. Reminding himself that he was, in fact, now a part of the Guild. He nodded his head and continued looking out, over the town. Each player that passed by, he saw another child, or family member, he knew needed to get back to the real world. But as he stared, something new came to his mind. Something he'd been wanting to know since Khale's first visit.

"Thatch. Can I ask you something?"

Thatch looked over, attentively.

"Absolutely."

Edmond tried to find "proper" ways to word his next sentence, but just decided to come out with it.

"Why, whenever you see Khale, does he always refer to you as a cripple? Whether you're paralyzed or not?"

Thatch nodded, as if he knew he'd have to explain this at some point. He held up his hand for Edmond to see, and began to move his fingers. Creating fists, touching each of his fingers to his thumb. Anything he could do to prove his hands worked, he did. Leaving Edmond wondering what he was trying to prove.

"You see how easy this is to do?"

Edmond nodded to confirm he understood.

"Now, do you ever think of how to do it? Or do you just use your limbs and never consider just how precious they are to you? In this game, the world used to be an afterthought for me. I hated being in my real body. In here, I'm free to do as I please. I could even die, and respawn completely safe and sound. I could lose limbs, only for them to grow back after each battle."

It was all becoming clear to Edmond. But he dared not say a word. He knew this was probably a tough subject for Thatch. So he let him continue.

"In real life, though. I'm completely paralyzed. I've been immobile for as long as I can remember. It's as though my brain just says "no, you can't move." Doctors have never been able to explain it. My limbs are healthy, but my brain just doesn't communicate with them. I told this to my guild, the Knights of the Blood Oath, years ago. Khale was there, and he's never let me live it down. He cannot stand weakness, and the amount of money spent each year to keep people…people like me, alive. That's why I look like a walking zombie, because in real life…That's essentially what I am…minus, of course, the mobility."

Edmond didn't know what to say. All he could do was stare at Thatch and listen. He'd spent so much time complaining, that now, he felt as though he had everything in the world to be thankful for. His eyes had been opened to a completely new perspective, and he was ashamed of himself. Without thinking, he walked over to Thatch and slowly trembled, slumping to his knees. The tears started coming, he couldn't stop them. Thatch was considerably taller than Edmond, and it felt like his own father was, once again, standing over him. How could Edmond spend so much time worrying about frivolous things? He knew that now, from this point onward, his outlook on life would be forever changed.

"I'm so sorry, Thatch. I'm so sorry…"

"You've nothing to apologize for, Edmond. You shouldn't worry about me. We have a job to do, and it starts with Finding Ratchnot and forcing him to work with us."

Edmond ambled back to his feet and stepped back, wiping his eyes. His gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. It was time to buck up and face the challenges set in front of him.

"We're going to need somebody who can find a needle in a field of hay…I think I know just the person."

Thatch opened his menu and sent a message. Seconds later, Klein came jumping up, out of the hole in the roof.

"What's up, boss? Need something from me?"

Klein looked over to Edmond.

"What's going on…Gunner?"

Klein saluted Edmond, who returned the favor with a smile.

"Klein, Edmond has just told me that there is a player by the name of Ratchnot. He's most likely hiding somewhere on this floor, and is presumed to be armed and potentially deadly. Which means we need someone to find him…You happen to know somebody, I think can help."

Klein's expression fell flat. All the blood in his face drained away.

"Oh, god. Please, no…no, no, no. Thatch, please, anyone but her. She absolutely loathes me!"

Thatch ignored Klein's pleas of rejection and turned to Edmond.

"It looks like we need to call in a favor from our old friend: Lazy Susan."

Klein promptly fainted.