By Sargent Snarky
A 'what if' sort of thing…
Summary: What if a system error occurred when Kite used data drain? This be my hypothetical answer… Duh. The game is over. But if this were real, what would happen to poor Kite? Needless to say, this'll be pretty grim.VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: I have completely rewritten this story from the second chapter onward. This is because I was not happy with how I'd written it… So, the plotline has changed from how it was going and all of that jazz…
Just so you know, this revision brings the story closer to what I had originally intended when I decided to make this more than a one-shot.
Disclaimer: The only things I own are copies of the games, the anime and the manga of .hack… Oh, and I downloaded the trailer for the new game. And I stole Kite's hat. Otherwise, I own nothing in the way of .hack / franchise…
Part III – Awakening( Kite's P.O.V. )
Sleeping. I am sleeping. Sleeping as if I were dead.
But in my slumber, a voice whispers gently to me, supplicating… but for what? It takes me a while, but I manage to concentrate enough to hear that voice…. Whoever it is.
"Please… Wake up!"
Aura. Somehow I am able to put a name to this voice. Yet, I still cannot put a name to myself.
She continued, "You must come back to us. Please, wake up."
I feel a warm touch… her touch. And I find myself slipping away from this place, this 'in between', and I find myself falling into… somewhere else.
( Third Person P.O.V. – Cruel Vindictive Scars )
Blackrose, Wiseman and Balmung, with the former most and the latter most alternating carrying Kite, had finally reached the bottom floor of the dungeon. They rested in the room where the stairs were, letting their SP gauges fill up and healing themselves. The trio also took the time to cast more strengthening spells. After all, one was never sure quite what one would face next.
"Ready?"
"Yeah."
"Yup."
"All right. Let's go, then. Only a little more, and then we'll be there."
"Why can't Aura or the phases or data bugs ever lurk in the first room on the top floor?"
"Because."
"That's not a good enough answer."
"Well, why don't you ask them?"
"Because Aura's always cryptic, and she doesn't stick around long enough to answer things, and the phases aren't very conversational. Furthermore, the data bugs can't talk."
"…"
"What? I'm just explaining why I can't ask them."
"Oh shut up and fight the monster."
"Nyah."
"Sticking your tongue out at someone is rather childish, don't you think? But, how'd you manage to get your avatar to do that?"
"Hehe. My little secret."
"You just have to type in a very short code to get your avatar to mime certain actions. However, basic emotions can be projected into the avatar based on sound. When you laugh, the programming picks up on that fact and makes your avatar laugh… Phal Repth! … It's really quite ingenious, actually."
"Thank you, ooph, Wiseman. And you thought our company would be dull.."
"Nyah!"
"Hey! That's my trick. Not fair."
"Heh. I can do a lot with my avatar."
"What the hell? What is the point of making your avatar do the Macaroni?"
"It's Macarena."
"Whatever."
"And there is no point. A friend of mine gave me an action code for it as a joke."
"… You are such a geek."
"Then you'd better be nice to me. I might end up as your boss some day."
"…"
"Hey, look at your maps, people. Through that doorway there is where Aura will probably be. So, quit yakking and come on."
And so, the conversation broke off, and the trio bearing Kite entered the large square chamber. Aura stood… er… floated in the middle. Something about her didn't seem quite complete, but neither Blackrose nor Balmung could put a finger on it. Wiseman, too, would have been hard pressed to name it. He could tell you why, but he couldn't tell you what about her it was.
When they drew nearer to her, something red-tinged white and glowing brightly detached itself from Kite. It just kind of popped out of him, as it were, then floated over to Aura, phasing into her body. However, though the feeling was less strong, the sense that she wasn't quite complete remained.
"What was that?" asked Balmung, gazing from Kite, whom he was carrying, to Aura.
"A segment of my data," replied Aura, her voice soft and sad. "Segments of me reside in each of the phases, and when Kite data drains a phase, the bracelet separates my data from them. And then, when he can, he brings the segments back to me. When they are near me, though, they rejoin me."
"So.. Can you do anything for Kite?" asked Blackrose, her tone anxious.
Aura gazed at the catatonic boy. "I.. am not sure. I must see how far he is gone."
She moved to Balmung and Kite. At a gesture, the bladesmaster set his friend upon the ground and stepped back. Aura knelt, putting a hand on Kite's shoulder. Quietly, she called to him, begging him to awaken. At first there was no response, but then he stirred…
Aura bent over him, and, though she could not quite tell, Blackrose was certain that the AI had kissed him. Jealous outrage welled up in Blackrose, and she was about to give Aura a piece of her mind when Kite actually did something. His eyes closed, then opened as Aura drew away. And they (the eyes) were no longer vacant; they held awareness, though their usual sparkle was still deficient.
"I've isolated the infection for now. And, I've called him back from… in between," said Aura.
"In between?" queried Balmung.
"Not the outside, but not the inside," said Aura, as if that should explain everything. "But… I… am not sure how far the damage extends, though the bracelet is all but destroyed, and his character data is irreparably damaged." She shook her head. "As it is, what I have done is not permanent. Unless some other way can be found, the protections will be lost, and Kite will be lost."
"How much time do we have?" asked Balmung.
"I… do not know."
The twin blade looked up at Aura, and then sat up, slowly. As he did so, he winced and clutched as his head for a moment before looking around. Slight recognition flickered in his gaze, but he seemed confused. He stared into the distance without really seeing it. Then, Kite shook his head and looked down at himself.
"Kite?" quavered Blackrose.
He blinked, tilting his head to one side as he looked at her. "Is… is that who I am? Kite…"
Blackrose stared at him, and so did Balmung. Wiseman frowned, and then spoke.
"Yes. Your name is Kite. Don't you remember?"
The twin blade seemed to be straining to recall. After a moment, though, he looked at Wiseman and shook his head. "No," he began to say, but he broke off, wincing and clutching at his head.
Blackrose, glancing once at Aura, who had stiffened and closed her eyes, stepped forward and knelt next to Kite. "Kite… are you all right? What's the matter?"
He didn't reply right away, instead staggering to his feet. Then, he looked at Blackrose, who had stood up at the same time.But, Aura suddenly cried out, "Please! You must leave… all of you!"
"Wha-? Why?" asked Blackrose.
"Cubia!"
(wooo! Even shorter! But… If I didn't end it here, then this chapter would be a whole lot longer… and I haven't finished the next segment yet)