Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! I wanted to update, I swear I did! But I
have had so much homework that I barely have time to *think,* let alone
write. And there's the fact that I was applying to schools this year. . .
but, as the school year draws to a close, I find myself in a homework lull.
So, since I know almost exactly where this story's going to go, I will try
to update as much as possible. So, here goes!
"He gives double who gives unasked." –Arabian Proverb
************************************************************************
Potential
By Moonlight'sSpell
************************************************************************
Chapter Nine: Revelations
Bear sat on a boulder, sulking. That was mostly all he did these days. He hadn't anticipated that cutting BT off would have such repercussions. After the argument, Tsukasa had refused to talk to him, and Mimiru had recently followed suit.
Lately, he wasn't able to understand Mimiru. She'd begun having frequent meetings with Sora, of all people. He'd seen her talk to BT a lot, too, but never at the same time. There was, of course, the occasional meeting with Tsukasa as well, but that was normal. He just couldn't understand why –
His thoughts were interrupted the golden rings that signified another player's entry into this field. He looked up. . . and he was being restrained from behind, a blade at his throat.
"Sora!" he gagged, having seen the telltale wisps of green hair. "What the hell are you doing?"
"You see, Bear," the Twin Blade hissed, "I've been talking with Mimiru lately. And this afternoon, she happened to blurt out something very. . . intriguing." He brought the blade closer. "Something that concerns you."
"And what might that be?" Bear coughed, making a mental note never to tell Mimiru anything. . . if she ever spoke to him again, that is.
"BT," Sora said simply.
"Excuse me?" Bear asked, puzzled.
"BT," Sora repeated. "Mimiru told me that *you* seem to be the resident expert on her. That you know her past, the kind of person she is in real life, where she lives, all that."
"And if I do?" Bear asked. "I certainly am *not* going to tell you anything, if that's what you're getting at. I promised to keep what I know a secret."
"I don't think so," Sora responded. "Besides, Mimiru told me you've given up on BT."
"Even so, that doesn't mean I want to cause her harm."
Sora released Bear, and became very serious. "I would *never* hurt her," he said softly. "Believe me, I have a very good reason for wanting to know this. And if you've truly given up, you should pass on what you know to someone who still ca – who wants to help."
Bear considered this, thinking hard. BT would be furious with him if she ever found out. . . but Sora's words were sincere, almost tender. He thought of the words Sora had neglected to say. *Someone who cares.*
He could give her that, at least.
"Very well," he told Sora, "but not here. I'll give you my phone number, and you can call me tonight, around 9. I'll tell you everything then."
************************************************************************
"Hello?" came the voice on the other line. *This is it,* Sora thought.
"Hey, Bear. It's me."
"Who else?" Bear responded. "Okay, here goes." Sora heard him sigh. "BT. . . wasn't brought up like other people."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"She never knew her father, and her mother put her into an orphanage when she was five. Her mother died a few days later, so there was no way for her to reconnect with her parents. The orphanage, from what I've heard, was not the best of places, but she managed. Or at least. . . she did for a while."
Sora's first reaction was one of shock. BT? An orphanage? He would never have guessed that. It was tragic, to be sure, but it didn't explain what he wanted to know. What trauma had caused her sudden and paralyzing fear of him?
"Sora? You still there?"
He jerked himself out of his thoughts. "Yes, I'm here. What happened next?"
Bear paused. "Well, this is where the details are sketchy. Supposedly, when she was eight or nine years old, BT was involved in an accident at the orphanage."
Sora's heart started to pound. "Accident? What kind?"
"A window. . . had broken, I think they said. The orphanage owners, that is, when I questioned them. Anyway, there was broken glass everywhere. She. . . tripped, I believe. Anyway, she managed to cut herself on a huge glass fragment. She severed an artery, and they were forced to take her to the hospital.
"She had a major operation, but it proved to be successful. It was while she was in recovery that she was discovered and adopted by a wealthy family. It was a happily ever after, or so everyone supposed."
"Hmm. . . " Sora responded. Okay, so there had been an accident. But still, nothing he could relate himself to. . . "What went wrong?"
Bear's voice was low and sad. "Apparently, the damage had already been done. She was always cold and distant. . . it's doubtful that she'll ever be any different."
Sora frowned. That was the story? He had expected something like this when Bear had mentioned the orphanage, but something still seemed wrong. He sat at his computer. "Hey, Bear? Can you send me the link for the site of the hospital she went to?"
"Sure, but it won't do you any good. I already checked, and they won't let you look at their files."
"Who said anything about permission?" Sora smirked, typing furiously. He found the site, and started hacking into the file database. "Ha! Got it!"
"Hey, are you doing something illegal?"
"Technically. But no one needs to know, so no harm done." He opened BT's file. "Here it is. Let me see. . . it says she suffered an incision from the side of the neck to the collarbone. . . it shows a picture of the glass fragment that had done the damage. . . "He snapped his fingers. "That's it! I knew it didn't make any sense!"
"What is it?" Bear asked.
"This glass fragment is shaped like a knife blade, so it's certainly sharp enough to do the damage. But think of where the incision took place. Do you think you could fall on a glass shard that would slice thought the side of your neck if you tried?"
"It would be difficult," Bear admitted, "but it could still happen."
"Yes, but remember I told you the shard was shaped like a knife blade? If that was on the ground, it would lie *flat.* It would be too thin to stick up. So, the idea that she fell is impossible."
"Well, then what do you suggest?"
Sora was silent for a long time. Then he asked, "Do you what the orphanage was like? The details, I mean."
"Hmm. . . can't say I do. Just that BT hated it with a passion. I don't think she had any friends there."
"The other kids weren't. . . nice?" And as soon as Sora said that, he remembered the words BT had said to him that day.
*Hmph. Y-Yeah, you think you're something special, don't you? Laughing at people who can't d-do anything about it? W-Well, it doesn't work anymore. I'm leaving. Go pull your stupid pranks on someone else.*
"She was bullied," he said, in a fragile whisper.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you," Bear said.
"Oh. . . nothing." But his mind was racing. *She didn't do that to herself; it was done to her! By some kid at that orphanage! That's why they wanted to keep quiet about it. . . she was almost killed, after all.*
He remembered his own words to her. He had been particularly biting and cruel. . . something he had said must have reminded her of that time. His face twisted in anger. He couldn't imagine someone who would think it was fun to try to kill a child, especially if this person was also a child. But that had to be the answer.
He looked back at the file. "Hmm . . it says she had lost a lot of blood by the time they got her to ER. She needed a transfusion, but her blood type was very rare, and they didn't have any in the blood bank. . . it says they were saved by a man who had helped get her to the hospital. The heir to a multi-million dollar fortune, Bentley Telfair. . . "
"WHAT?" Bear shouted. "What did you just say?"
"Does the name mean something to you?" Sora asked. "I've never heard of him."
"He's. . . that's Helba's brother!"
"You're not serious!" Sora exclaimed. "What was he doing there?" Then, he added, "And heir to a multi-million dollar fortune. . . Helba must be *swimming* in money. . . "
"Read the rest of the file," Bear urged.
"Okay, where was I? Oh yeah, he was at the hospital with his sister Anna, visiting a friend, and when he saw what was going on, he offered to donate his own blood."
"Anna. . . that's Helba's real name," said Bear. "She must have been there too."
"So, the file goes that they accepted his offer. . . it's not like they had much choice, anyway. But Telfair neglected to mention that he was a hemophiliac."
"Why would he withhold information like that?"
"They would have had to take severe precautions, and they might not have let him do it at all. And for good reason, because it says he died as a result of blood loss from the transfusion."
Bear gasped. "He died? That's what Helba was telling us about! About how her brother somehow passed something on to BT. . . "
"Wow. That's pretty weird. So that's how Helba knew so much about BT. She met her. But of course, BT couldn't have known that. I doubt she even saw either of them."
"I think so," Bear assented. "Well, I guess that proves me wrong about a lot of stuff. But what about the thing with the glass?"
Sora paused. "My theory is that someone did that to her, Bear. Some messed-up kid tried to bully her and attacked her when she wouldn't give in to him. It's a grim thought, I know, but it's the only plausible one I can come up with."
"A child. . . nearly killed her?" Bear asked in disbelief.
"Yes. That's why it's hard for her to trust people. And would you blame her, after having an experience like that when so young?"
"No, I couldn't do that. I. . . I assumed a lot of things, Sora. I was wrong." Bear paused. "What if. . . what if I told you that I didn't want to give up? That I realized I still care?"
"Well," Sora replied, "if that's the case, I would say it makes two of us."
************************************************************************
Helba severed the telephone hacking link, then sat on one of Net Slum's many platforms. "You see, Morganna?" she asked aloud. "You will not win. You will not divide them as you hope to."
*That's what you think, Helba. Have you forgotten my power?* Morganna replied. *Have you forgotten that this is my world?*
"This world will never be yours as long as there are people who still oppose you," Helba declared. "As long as we stand together, you will never win."
*And yet, for every one who would oppose me, there are two who would join me,* Morganna said calmly. *Surely you have not forgotten Tsukasa? Did you really think he was the only one of his kind? I'd have had the girl herself, if you and your meddling brother hadn't given Harald his last idea. But even that can't stop me now.*
"What are you talking about?" Helba cried, feeling fear for the first time since Bentley's death. "What have you done?"
*Fear. It's a powerful weapon, Helba. It is my favorite weapon of all. Harald put his hopes in the girl, so I will put my fear in her as well. And surely you, of all people, know what she fears most?*
Morganna's voice held victory. *I have brought her fears to life.*
************************************************************************
A/N: Okay, here we are! I want to say thanks to everyone who reviewed; I wouldn't be able to keep writing without you guys. And I decided to put Bear in because I thought I'd been a little mean to him in previous chapters.
SOMEONE2003: Well, right you are; homework's such a pain. Thanks for staying with me through my misery.
Kyoko: Decendant of Aura: You made a fanart? I'd love to see it! Please e- mail it to me when you're done.
Valefor: Thanks for checking back here. Mimiru is such a great character. So well meaning, and yet so confused.
MortalSora: Thanks so much for your wonderful review; I'm sure I don't deserve it. I hope you keep reading!
"He gives double who gives unasked." –Arabian Proverb
************************************************************************
Potential
By Moonlight'sSpell
************************************************************************
Chapter Nine: Revelations
Bear sat on a boulder, sulking. That was mostly all he did these days. He hadn't anticipated that cutting BT off would have such repercussions. After the argument, Tsukasa had refused to talk to him, and Mimiru had recently followed suit.
Lately, he wasn't able to understand Mimiru. She'd begun having frequent meetings with Sora, of all people. He'd seen her talk to BT a lot, too, but never at the same time. There was, of course, the occasional meeting with Tsukasa as well, but that was normal. He just couldn't understand why –
His thoughts were interrupted the golden rings that signified another player's entry into this field. He looked up. . . and he was being restrained from behind, a blade at his throat.
"Sora!" he gagged, having seen the telltale wisps of green hair. "What the hell are you doing?"
"You see, Bear," the Twin Blade hissed, "I've been talking with Mimiru lately. And this afternoon, she happened to blurt out something very. . . intriguing." He brought the blade closer. "Something that concerns you."
"And what might that be?" Bear coughed, making a mental note never to tell Mimiru anything. . . if she ever spoke to him again, that is.
"BT," Sora said simply.
"Excuse me?" Bear asked, puzzled.
"BT," Sora repeated. "Mimiru told me that *you* seem to be the resident expert on her. That you know her past, the kind of person she is in real life, where she lives, all that."
"And if I do?" Bear asked. "I certainly am *not* going to tell you anything, if that's what you're getting at. I promised to keep what I know a secret."
"I don't think so," Sora responded. "Besides, Mimiru told me you've given up on BT."
"Even so, that doesn't mean I want to cause her harm."
Sora released Bear, and became very serious. "I would *never* hurt her," he said softly. "Believe me, I have a very good reason for wanting to know this. And if you've truly given up, you should pass on what you know to someone who still ca – who wants to help."
Bear considered this, thinking hard. BT would be furious with him if she ever found out. . . but Sora's words were sincere, almost tender. He thought of the words Sora had neglected to say. *Someone who cares.*
He could give her that, at least.
"Very well," he told Sora, "but not here. I'll give you my phone number, and you can call me tonight, around 9. I'll tell you everything then."
************************************************************************
"Hello?" came the voice on the other line. *This is it,* Sora thought.
"Hey, Bear. It's me."
"Who else?" Bear responded. "Okay, here goes." Sora heard him sigh. "BT. . . wasn't brought up like other people."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"She never knew her father, and her mother put her into an orphanage when she was five. Her mother died a few days later, so there was no way for her to reconnect with her parents. The orphanage, from what I've heard, was not the best of places, but she managed. Or at least. . . she did for a while."
Sora's first reaction was one of shock. BT? An orphanage? He would never have guessed that. It was tragic, to be sure, but it didn't explain what he wanted to know. What trauma had caused her sudden and paralyzing fear of him?
"Sora? You still there?"
He jerked himself out of his thoughts. "Yes, I'm here. What happened next?"
Bear paused. "Well, this is where the details are sketchy. Supposedly, when she was eight or nine years old, BT was involved in an accident at the orphanage."
Sora's heart started to pound. "Accident? What kind?"
"A window. . . had broken, I think they said. The orphanage owners, that is, when I questioned them. Anyway, there was broken glass everywhere. She. . . tripped, I believe. Anyway, she managed to cut herself on a huge glass fragment. She severed an artery, and they were forced to take her to the hospital.
"She had a major operation, but it proved to be successful. It was while she was in recovery that she was discovered and adopted by a wealthy family. It was a happily ever after, or so everyone supposed."
"Hmm. . . " Sora responded. Okay, so there had been an accident. But still, nothing he could relate himself to. . . "What went wrong?"
Bear's voice was low and sad. "Apparently, the damage had already been done. She was always cold and distant. . . it's doubtful that she'll ever be any different."
Sora frowned. That was the story? He had expected something like this when Bear had mentioned the orphanage, but something still seemed wrong. He sat at his computer. "Hey, Bear? Can you send me the link for the site of the hospital she went to?"
"Sure, but it won't do you any good. I already checked, and they won't let you look at their files."
"Who said anything about permission?" Sora smirked, typing furiously. He found the site, and started hacking into the file database. "Ha! Got it!"
"Hey, are you doing something illegal?"
"Technically. But no one needs to know, so no harm done." He opened BT's file. "Here it is. Let me see. . . it says she suffered an incision from the side of the neck to the collarbone. . . it shows a picture of the glass fragment that had done the damage. . . "He snapped his fingers. "That's it! I knew it didn't make any sense!"
"What is it?" Bear asked.
"This glass fragment is shaped like a knife blade, so it's certainly sharp enough to do the damage. But think of where the incision took place. Do you think you could fall on a glass shard that would slice thought the side of your neck if you tried?"
"It would be difficult," Bear admitted, "but it could still happen."
"Yes, but remember I told you the shard was shaped like a knife blade? If that was on the ground, it would lie *flat.* It would be too thin to stick up. So, the idea that she fell is impossible."
"Well, then what do you suggest?"
Sora was silent for a long time. Then he asked, "Do you what the orphanage was like? The details, I mean."
"Hmm. . . can't say I do. Just that BT hated it with a passion. I don't think she had any friends there."
"The other kids weren't. . . nice?" And as soon as Sora said that, he remembered the words BT had said to him that day.
*Hmph. Y-Yeah, you think you're something special, don't you? Laughing at people who can't d-do anything about it? W-Well, it doesn't work anymore. I'm leaving. Go pull your stupid pranks on someone else.*
"She was bullied," he said, in a fragile whisper.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you," Bear said.
"Oh. . . nothing." But his mind was racing. *She didn't do that to herself; it was done to her! By some kid at that orphanage! That's why they wanted to keep quiet about it. . . she was almost killed, after all.*
He remembered his own words to her. He had been particularly biting and cruel. . . something he had said must have reminded her of that time. His face twisted in anger. He couldn't imagine someone who would think it was fun to try to kill a child, especially if this person was also a child. But that had to be the answer.
He looked back at the file. "Hmm . . it says she had lost a lot of blood by the time they got her to ER. She needed a transfusion, but her blood type was very rare, and they didn't have any in the blood bank. . . it says they were saved by a man who had helped get her to the hospital. The heir to a multi-million dollar fortune, Bentley Telfair. . . "
"WHAT?" Bear shouted. "What did you just say?"
"Does the name mean something to you?" Sora asked. "I've never heard of him."
"He's. . . that's Helba's brother!"
"You're not serious!" Sora exclaimed. "What was he doing there?" Then, he added, "And heir to a multi-million dollar fortune. . . Helba must be *swimming* in money. . . "
"Read the rest of the file," Bear urged.
"Okay, where was I? Oh yeah, he was at the hospital with his sister Anna, visiting a friend, and when he saw what was going on, he offered to donate his own blood."
"Anna. . . that's Helba's real name," said Bear. "She must have been there too."
"So, the file goes that they accepted his offer. . . it's not like they had much choice, anyway. But Telfair neglected to mention that he was a hemophiliac."
"Why would he withhold information like that?"
"They would have had to take severe precautions, and they might not have let him do it at all. And for good reason, because it says he died as a result of blood loss from the transfusion."
Bear gasped. "He died? That's what Helba was telling us about! About how her brother somehow passed something on to BT. . . "
"Wow. That's pretty weird. So that's how Helba knew so much about BT. She met her. But of course, BT couldn't have known that. I doubt she even saw either of them."
"I think so," Bear assented. "Well, I guess that proves me wrong about a lot of stuff. But what about the thing with the glass?"
Sora paused. "My theory is that someone did that to her, Bear. Some messed-up kid tried to bully her and attacked her when she wouldn't give in to him. It's a grim thought, I know, but it's the only plausible one I can come up with."
"A child. . . nearly killed her?" Bear asked in disbelief.
"Yes. That's why it's hard for her to trust people. And would you blame her, after having an experience like that when so young?"
"No, I couldn't do that. I. . . I assumed a lot of things, Sora. I was wrong." Bear paused. "What if. . . what if I told you that I didn't want to give up? That I realized I still care?"
"Well," Sora replied, "if that's the case, I would say it makes two of us."
************************************************************************
Helba severed the telephone hacking link, then sat on one of Net Slum's many platforms. "You see, Morganna?" she asked aloud. "You will not win. You will not divide them as you hope to."
*That's what you think, Helba. Have you forgotten my power?* Morganna replied. *Have you forgotten that this is my world?*
"This world will never be yours as long as there are people who still oppose you," Helba declared. "As long as we stand together, you will never win."
*And yet, for every one who would oppose me, there are two who would join me,* Morganna said calmly. *Surely you have not forgotten Tsukasa? Did you really think he was the only one of his kind? I'd have had the girl herself, if you and your meddling brother hadn't given Harald his last idea. But even that can't stop me now.*
"What are you talking about?" Helba cried, feeling fear for the first time since Bentley's death. "What have you done?"
*Fear. It's a powerful weapon, Helba. It is my favorite weapon of all. Harald put his hopes in the girl, so I will put my fear in her as well. And surely you, of all people, know what she fears most?*
Morganna's voice held victory. *I have brought her fears to life.*
************************************************************************
A/N: Okay, here we are! I want to say thanks to everyone who reviewed; I wouldn't be able to keep writing without you guys. And I decided to put Bear in because I thought I'd been a little mean to him in previous chapters.
SOMEONE2003: Well, right you are; homework's such a pain. Thanks for staying with me through my misery.
Kyoko: Decendant of Aura: You made a fanart? I'd love to see it! Please e- mail it to me when you're done.
Valefor: Thanks for checking back here. Mimiru is such a great character. So well meaning, and yet so confused.
MortalSora: Thanks so much for your wonderful review; I'm sure I don't deserve it. I hope you keep reading!