.hack//Gathering of the Unwilling
Special Chapter
Started Chapter: 27-June-2009
Finished Chapter: 27-June-2009
First Post: 27-June-2009
Last Edit:
Disclaimer:
All original materials belong to their respective owners. Dot Hack belongs to Bandai and CyberConnect2. No copyright infringement is intended.]
This story ignores the existence of .hack//LINK, the deletion of The World R:2 and the release of The World R:X. Characters from .hack//LINK may or may not appear.
Special Chapter
- Takeguma University Hospital, Misaki Ryou's Room, Tokyo - Real Life -
- 08:45 AM, Friday October 06, 2017 -
Misaki Ryou stepped out of the bathroom already clad on clean clothes. One week had passed since the final battle against Morganna, Cubia and AIDA. One week since he last saw Chika, before she returned to Hokkaido alongside the Kunisaki Twins. Seeking the girl, before she left, had put strain on his wounds so Kyoko, mother of Junko and wife of Tokuoka, had decided to leave the boy inside the hospital for a full week. Tomonari Kasumi, Kuhn's user, had been released three days ago, so the only entertainment Ryou had was watching TV, texting Chika and frequent visits from his new friends.
Friends. Ryou allowed himself to smile a bit at the word. Never before the Twilight Brigade would he believed he would find friends. After his accident, when he was little, Ryou had become a loner. Seven years had to pass for the boy to understand what had happened to him. He still had not come into terms about his old self... but he was trying. He was not the same boy he had been before. He had changed. But... that past was still part of him. And he wanted to try. Feeling the vibration of his cellphone, the teen glanced at it.
- 'Hey Ryou! If I am not mistaken... you should be leaving the hospital right now!'
- 'I am glad you are better. Rena and Kunisaki say hi. I will call you tonight.'
- 'Your Empress' -
Ryou grinned at the message and typed an answer right back.
- 'Hey Chika... yeah, I am about to leave actually.'
- 'My parents are already waiting downstairs. I swear... they are overreacting.'
- 'If Hayami and Satou had not calm them down... they would have tried to make me return home. No thanks.'
- 'I will tell you more tonight.'
- 'Your Emperor'
Pocketing the phone, Ryou exited the room nodding at the awaiting nurse. He saw his name being removed from the door as he walked away. He shook his head in amusement remembering all the times he had visited the very same room when Shino had been comatose. It was very ironic he had ended up the same room just because Kasumi had been there. Shrugging it off, Ryou walked towards the elevator. He almost crashed with a nurse, who had suddenly appeared out from another hallway.
- "Ah! I am so sorry!!" - The nurse bowed, embarrassed.
- "Its okay. Nothing happened." - Ryou rose his hands, trying to calm the nurse.
- "Still.. I am sorry. Oh! You are the patient that is leaving?" - The nurse saw Ryou nod. - "Take care of yourself." - She bowed.
Ryou saw the nurse approach a girl, who had lost eyes. As the elevator's door closed, he heard the nurse talking with the girl. - "You should be in your room Miss Oguro..."
- Tokyo University Campus Grounds - Real Life -
- 01:43 PM, Friday October 06, 2017 -
Yuki gagged as she saw Kasumi and Mai acting all lovey-dovey inside the cafeteria, from the outside. Her pencil dangled dangerously between her nose and her upper lip, as she pouted, bored out of her mind. Books laid spread over the bench where she sat, trying to comprehend what she was studying. Giving a small annoyed scream, she allowed her head to fall flat on the bench. Several students surrounding her sweatdropped at the sight.
- "Mou... I do not understand this..." - She glanced at Mai again. - "Mai... help!!" - She cried crocodile tears.
A sudden chim from her laptop broke Yuki out of her depressed status. Her eyes widened upon seeing the name of the sender and a grin came to her face. - "Kyoko answered!" - She opened the email and began to read. Her old friend, Tohno Kyoko, had left Japan several years ago, just a while after the Twilight Incident. Currently she lived in South Africa, where she studied nature. Several days ago the girl had emailed her, asking about the events on TV. Upon learning of what had transpired, Kyoko had demanded to know every small detail. Yuki did not miss the chance to tease her friend, for having been left uninvolved, fact that amused both Mai and Kasumi. Junko had just asked to know who this girl was, curious for she had the same name as her mother. Not that it was an uncommon name anyway.
As Yuki typed on her laptop, while adjusting her glasses, a pair of people suddenly sat in front of her, in the same bench. Raising her eyes, she grinned at her friends. - "Hey Hiro! Akira!" -
- "Hey." - Akira smiled at her friend. Hiroshi excused himself as he went to buy food for both of them. - "Studying?" -
- "More like trying to..." - Yuki sighed. - "I just do not get this..." - She whined.
Akira glanced above the charts Yuki was studying and pouted. - "Wish I could help you... but this is Chinese for me." - She scratched her head.
- "I could say the same of your Law classes." - Yuki's head fell on the bench again. - "I will ask Mai later..."
- "Where is she anyway?" - Akira asked and Yuki pointed inside the cafeteria. Following Yuki's pointed finger, Akira spotted Mai and Kasumi greeting Hiroshi. - "Ah... I see... he is stealing her from you." - Akira smirked.
- "Yeah. Laugh at poor me." - The girl took off her glasses. - "Ah! I give up... I will try later again." - She began to clean the bench from her books and charts. - "So... Akira..."
- "Yes?" - The girl asked as she checked a text message, from her brother.
- "Have you guys decided the date for the wedding?" - Yuki smirked as she saw Akira blush. She waited for her friend's answer while placing her chin on her hands.
- "Yeah..." - Akira whispered. Yuki did not get her answer as Hiroshi approached that very same moment.
- "Here you go." - Hiroshi said handing Akira her lunch. He sat besides her and gave Yuki a can of hot coffee.
- "Come on! Tell me, Tell me!" - Yuki begged. Hiroshi blinked and Akira told him she asked about their wedding's date. Recognition reached his eyes and he just smirked.
- "Its not like we can keep it a secret forever, ne? Besides... our parents already know. Yasuhiko and Kazu are probably spreading it around campus as we speak." - Hiroshi said, as a matter of fact.
- "Ugh... you got a point there. What a way to ruin suspense..." - Akira pouted. - "Better call Mai and Tomonari-kun then."
Yuki immediately stood up and went to fetch her friends. A grin spread over her face all the while. Hiroshi and Akira smirked at the girl's antics. Their hands soon joined as they waited for the trio. Several students tried to approach them, in order to ask Akira her autograph, but they were shooed away by a new arrival. Akira smiled upon seeing her old friend, Asaoka Yuuko, smirking at her.
- "Hey Akira! Hiroshi-san!" - The girl sat besides them.
- "Yuuko! How have you been?" - Akira asked her friend.
- "Ah. You know me. I have been here and there. Sometimes I miss Tennis." - She shrugged. - "And I hear you two have been busy." - She smirked as the two gulped. Seven years ago, Yuuko had been on the Tennis club alongside Akira. Thanks to fate, she ended up investigating the Epitaph of Twilight alongside Akira and Akira's old 'stalker', Hagiya. After the events of the Twilight, Yuuko had practically forced Akira to tell her the truth behind her involvement on The World. She had been shocked, but had promised to keep the secret.
- "Yeah. It was though. And worst of all... my parents forced everything out of Kouta." - Akira sighed.
- "That bad, huh? But I never expected for you to return there. It must have been a real emergency." - The girl asked.
- "You have no idea." - Hiroshi sighed. Upon seeing Yuki approach, followed by Mai and Kasumi, Akira promised Yuuko to tell her everything later. After a quick introduction, the four young people watched the pair in anticipation.
- "We have decided to marry on December 24." - Akira smiled. As the girl squealed, Kasumi congratulated Hiroshi.
- "A Christmas wedding! How romantic!" - Mai exclaimed while Yuki cheered. Yuuko already had enveloped Akira in a hug.
The group did not care about the people watching them as they just chatted, while enjoying the day. Things were finally peaceful.
- Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music Dorms, Room of Shoji An and Miyake Kira, Tokyo - Real Life –
- 03:25 PM, Friday October 06, 2017 -
Sakuma Ryo could swear something was off with his adopted daughter and their friend. The man could swear he had caught them stealing glances at each other now and then. Deciding to not ask, the man sighed as he threw some rice onto his mouth. They were having a late lunch after returning from An's semestral visit with her physiologist. The man was glad that An's return to the game had not had any repercussion on her. Sakuma had feared that entering into contact with Morganna, once more, would had caused An to have a regression to the time she had been mistreated by her blood father. He had to thank Kira for taking care of her.
- "Well... I guess I should go." - The man stretched as he stood up. - "Thank book is not writing itself anytime soon..." - He added.
- "Do let me read it when you have it ready old man!" - Kira smirked while An laughed.
- "Oi! I am not that old!" - Ryo joined their laughter. After hugging An, the man left the room.
Glancing at each other's eyes, An took hold of Kira's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. - "Everything okay?" - An asked.
- "Yeah. I was just thinking about your visit to the Doctor. I am glad you are okay." - Kira answered.
- "Me too." - They walked to the couch. - "Seems I have finally let all that behind." - She smiled. - "And I am really happy we could find Sora."
- "We should visit him again. Who knew he would become such a cute boy?" - Kira giggled.
- "He is taken, you know. And you already have me." - An approached Kira's face.
- "I know. And I would not change this... for anything..." - Kira began to close her eyes.
As their faces approached to each other, the door was suddenly opened. - "Hey sorry... I forgot my keys and..." - Sakuma Ryo's words were lost to the wind.
Caught red handed, both girls blushed. An barely managed to spit out a word. - "Oops?"
- Mizuhara Haruka's Apartment, Aoyama - Real Life -
- 08:24 PM, Friday October 06, 2017 -
Watarai Kazushi threw his coat, in a couch, as he took off his shoes while entering Haruka's apartment. With a new take on life, as a weight had been lifted from his shoulders upon finding Lycoris was alive, the man had been frequenting Haruka's home in a daily base. Seeking for the woman, he found her engrossed on her laptop, typing furiously.
- "You at it again love?" - He said as he approached.
- "Ah! Kazushi! Welcome back." - She kissed his cheek. - "I am about to finish my last poem."
- "Can I see it?" - He asked and she closed the monitor. - "Aw!!"
- "Not yet. You will see it later tonight, alongside everyone else. I will be posting it on the forum after sending it to Aura. She wanted to create an epitaph with it." - On his alarmed face she elaborated. - "Not that kind of Epitaph you dimwit. A stone monument. For the area she is preparing."
- "Ah. You had me scared for a moment love." - He sat on the bed and turned on the TV.
- 'OH!! You are our hero Piroshi-san!!!"' - Kazushi promptly fell on his face. -
- "What the hell??" - He cursed as he saw Mr Usagimaru and Rachel singing Piroshi's song. - "How?"
Haruka laughed at his expression. - "You did not know? Those two are dot hackers." -
- "Ah... that explains it..." - He sighed. - "But still... why that song?"
Haruka could only laugh at his expression. He glanced at the monitor and smirked. - (Twilight Knights... what a name...)
- Restaurant in Tokyo - Real Life -
- 09:25 PM, Friday October 06, 2017 -
Salvador and Tokuoka laughed hard at Piroshi's joke. Michiru, Kyoko and Piroshi's wife, Hana, watched them in amusement. Junko had staid at home, taking care of Piroshi's one year old son. The group of adults had become fast friends after just a week
- "Seriously! I can not believe they would air your song! Those two are nuts!" - Tokuoka roared in laughter.
- "I was really surprised too! I have been immortalized!!" - Piroshi smirked.
- "After that crash, who would not?" - Salvador joked back. - "They way you fell from Megin Fi was hilarious!! Specially with Mecha Grunty holding you!!"
While the men joked, the women... at least two of them... sought their current victim... the third woman of their group.
- "So... are you two going out?" - Hana asked and Michiru almost choked on her drink.
- "Ah! Do tell, do tell!!" - Kyoko smirked.
- "Well... you see..." - Michiru blushed a pretty shade of red. She was saved from answering as a text message suddenly arrived on the three males cellphone's. The attention of the three women was brought towards the occurrence.
- "Lets see..." - Salvador muttered. - "Keywords?"
- "Aura!!" - Piroshi smiled.
- "So its ready huh?" - Tokuoka smirked.
- "I wanna see this... you guys coming? We can prepare characters for you." - Piroshi asked Tokuoka and the women.
Slowly, the group left the restaurant, after paying their bill. Michiru glanced at Salvador's back as the brazilian-japanese waved goodbye at the others. She surprised herself when she suddenly took hold of his right hand. Salvador looked at her in surprise, but gave her a charming smile as he gently squeezed her hand.
- Omega Hidden Holy Twilight, Twilight Knights Headquarters - Game -
- 09:30 PM, Friday October 06, 2017 -
Aura smiled as she saw the players warping inside the area she had prepared for them. She had recreated the Omega server specially to house the new home for her friends. Lycoris and Zefie floated besides her, excitedly. Her Azure Knights floated above the castle like structure. Fireworks began to explode as the festival on the grounds began. Turning around, she floated towards the castle.
- "You not joining them Mama?" - Zefie asked.
- "I will dear. I am just giving the finishing touch." - Aura answered.
- "Finishing touch?" - Lycoris asked.
- "Yes. I just received Hokuto's email. It is time for me to add this... to begin a new legend." - Aura smiled.
Lycoris and Zefie smiled as they saw their Mother placing the poem on the stone Epitaph. Grins filled their tiny faces as the AI finished carving the poem. Taking her hands, the three AI floated away, leaving the epitaph alone, waiting to be found by the new residents of the area.
'Twilight Knights'
They Came and Fought.
They Came and Fought, those beloved Friends of the Goddess!
They Came and Fought for those who need Them once again.
They have risen once again!
They have risen once again!
The Dark Goddess who fought the birth of the Light.
The Hidden One who was Our Mirror.
The Dark Ones who Ate the Feelings.
Look at who Came, Friends of Old and New, to fight to save this World.
The Warrior with Eyes of the Stars and the Minstrel who has written the Sagas,
both who loved the Child who walked the Path of Spider Lily's.
Friends of the Sleeping Child who first met the Goddess.
The Dot Hackers who have stood up to the Dark Goddess and the Hidden One.
The Playmates of the Western Wind.
The Fighters of the Moonlight Tree, Warriors of Red Lion, and the Knights of the Arena.
The Eight of Infinity who also fought against the Hidden One.
On the Fields below the Great Dragon they Fought.
On the Fields below the Great Dragon they Fought.
They fought for hours and as Hope rose and fell yet they always stood tall.
When the troubles were at their worst the Children of the Outlands came.
And thus the Battle changed…
Hope was restored at the swing of the first sword.
The Cannon of the Gods was Fired and the Battle won.
All who Fought and Hoped and Prayed…
All connected to this World…
We thank you…
The Knights of Twilight.
(Credits of the Poem to: Dark Queen Helba)
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The Case of 'The Beginning'
When this story began it was directly tied with G.U.'s ending. Several scenes were even directly transcripted from the ending, but twisted a bit to fit the universe I wanted to create. Specially Haseo's ending with Atoli. Lets face it. Haseo and Atoli are canon. But within my own whim as an Author, I broke this. I like Atoli, do not get me wrong. But her character is full of flaws. The girl has great issues. Some of them were explored on this story, while others would be explained on the sequel. She is a strong girl and she can overcome them. Specially with her parents on her side this time around.
But anyway... I am deviating. The purpose of the glossary shall be to name reasons besides naming, if there are, and to mention all the mistakes.
- The Case of G.U. and Roots -
Working with G.U. and Roots characters was specially easy. No one had to be named, for almost everybody used had been named officially. With the sole exception of Sophora, but I will speak of her on the Alcor section.
One thing I noticed, while checking real names, was that Asta and Gord shared the same family name. There is no canonical proof this too are related, but I found it funny that both of them use a character of their opposite gender. I decided to make them siblings.
A character I came to like a lot while writing was Piros the 3rd. God knows I used to avoid him when I played the games... now I regret it. He is fun to write... and fun to make fun off.
Several of the 'friendships' of the G.U. characters were definitely not canon. For instance Alkaid with Rena and Shuugo... or even Tabby with Carl. But... their own backgrounds... or lack of them... helped me to tie them together as much believable it could be.
- The Case of Alcor, Zero and Cell -
Ah... the one volume manga and the novels. Three less known hacks. Working with Zero was specially difficult since no translation exists. I had to create my own characterization for both Carl and her mother, based on whatever I could find on them. And I kinda screwed a bit. Carl's name is not Junko, as I wrote. Her real name is Junka. With an 'a'. I never went back to fix it... specially since I liked Junko more. Blame the author.
Alcor brought me another great mistake. When I wrote its scenes, I had not bought the manga. Several months later I got my hands over the Spanish version (15 Euros). A co-worker was studying at Spain and shipped me the book directly to Mexico. Damn Spanish comic book stores wanted to charge me 20 Euros to send me the manga. Screw them. Anyway... the mistake. This story makes it clear that neither Yuasa nor Kuramoto Chika ever knew that either of them played the game... less their identities. Alcor proves his wrong. The second to last chapter of the manga shows Alkaid figuring out that Yuasa was Nanase, her character before creating Sophora. But oh well... if I inserted Rena on their past... we could just ignore this fact. (Please?)
Yuasa was never given a name on the manga nor in G.U. And I needed one. The name Miki did not had a significant origin (as most of the names I used). I was just thinking of Sanada Akihiko's deceased sister from Persona 3: FES. There is no ulterior meaning.
Cell's characters were easier to work with. Midori, being a cell created being, was specially fun to write. Her speech was always direct to the point. No questions asked. She began to develop feelings thanks to all the friends she was forced to make while trapped. Specially Saburou. What is her purpose upon taking Sakaki away? As Aura and Zelkova wished... they do now want him to die, not to remain an enemy. Time would tell if their hope is paid or no.
- The Case of Liminality -
Tohno Kyoko. The big absent. She was really not needed. Sue me. I do not dislike her... its just that... her character would not really fit alongside Mai and Yuki this time around. Specially with the age difference.
The big breakup between Mai and Kasumi was never completely addressed. This story tries to give them their happy ending.
- The Case of Sign -
People have asked. Why breakup Subaru and Tsukasa? Simply put... author's whim. Sorry. I always thought Mimiru had a thing for Tsukasa before Subaru came into the picture. Why make them a pair when they are both girls? Well... Tsukasa seems to not care about that since she already had a relationship with Subaru.
Miyake Kira... Mimiru's created name gave me a headache. I was browsing japanese names and stumbled upon Kira and liked it. Miyake was chosen by a friend, since he thought it sounded nice alongside Kira. And it did. Late did I notice my fluke. Akira.... Kira... BlackRose... Mimiru. Ack!! How could I do that? However this shall be used a joke between them in the sequel. It was going to be used here... but they never met face to face during this ordeal.
Crim's name, Shin, came from his voice actor. Nothing more.
- The Case of IMQO and UDEDEN-
The big apple of the feast. I am placing IMQO and UDEDEN together because Ouka goes besides Fumikazu.
Kite's name is kinda easy to figure out. Hiroshi... nicknamed Hiro... which sounds the same as 'Hero'. Clever? Not really. Satou was given to him because it was a common name, and I was thinking of the main character from NHK ni Youkoso.
Balmung's name, Akio, came from a character from CLANNAD. His last name, Hiyama, came from a list of names, the same as with Mimiru. It was unintentional that is ended as an anagram of Hayami. Damn it!
Orca's last name, Mori, came from Memento Mori. Yes... I was thinking of Persona 3 again. And yes, I am aware Memento Mori is not exclusive of Persona 3, but I was thinking of that.
Ouka's name came from Sasaki Makie (Negima) and Yagami Sayu (Death Note).
Most of the other names did not really had a specific origin... or I forgot. Sorry.
- The Case of the Unknown German Woman -
Who is she anyways? Read the sequel (when its written). Yes. I'm evil
- Unknown Area - Game -
- 09:45 PM, Friday October 06, 2017 -
The silhouette of a smirking man could be seen as he spied on the gathered players, at Aura's festival, through the monitors in the room. Hearing footsteps, a young woman approached him.
- "Ah... you are here... have the others...?" - The man asked.
- "Not yet. They are not ready. Preparations are still underway." - The woman answered.
- "Tell them to take their time. We will not act for some time... Operation Gate of Uroboros is still on planning stages." - The man licked a lollipop.
- "Very well..." - The woman warped out. A second silhouette appeared. It was smaller.
- "Do you trust her?" - The new female voice asked.
- "Not really. But... we are in the same boat." - The man turned around.
- "Nice boat." - The small silhouette giggled.
- "Idiot." -
- Takeguma University Hospital, Oguro Natsume's Room, Tokyo - Real Life -
- 10:45 PM, Friday October 06, 2017 -
The nurse entered the room and glanced at the girl. Her unfocused eyes made her sigh. Over a week had passed since the girl had been brought, and she had not uttered a word since. The Mother of the girl sat besides her, with a pained expression on her face. Seconds later, a doctor entered behind the nurse.
- "Oguro-san, good evening. Sorry for being so late. I had an operation to attend." - The doctor excused himself.
- "Its okay Doctor. Do you have the results of my daughter's exams?" - She asked. Her husband glanced at them from the entrance of the room.
- "Yes. There is nothing wrong with your daughter. I am afraid we do not understand why she is in this condition." - The man sighed. - "Forgive the words but... its as if she was an empty shell..."
- "Can you help her?" - Natsume's father asked.
- "We will try and..." - He was interrupted as Natsume's eyes suddenly gain focus.
- "Where... am I?" - The girl spoke surprising her parents, the Doctor and the nurse.
- "Natsume!!" - Her mother cried.
- "Air..." - Natsume gasped. When her mother released her, everybody was shocked upon her next words. - "Who... are you? Who... am I?"