.hack/EVOLUTION
Series: .hack/Games, .hack/GU, .hack/SIGN
Rating: PG-13/T (language and battles)
Languages: English & Japanese terms
Summary: Aura has returned to The World, and so Project GU and Project R.A. are complete…so the Epitaph Wielders believed. However Aura has one more task for the Infinity Eight: "Help my world grow."
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/AWAKENING.
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.The Lost Ground: Grima Lowe Cathedral.
The gate activated and three PCs logged in. Part of the Infinity Eight, Haseo, Kuhn and Atoli logged into the Lost Ground of Grima Lowe. The Steam Gunner stretched and looked around the barren and broken area with a happy smile on, as always. He turned his head to Haseo, studding the third form Multiweapon before clearing his throat.
"Well, Haseo?" he prodded the Multiweapon. "Everyone's already there, we're late."
"I know." Haseo mumbled. He took a forced step. "Let's get this over with."
Haseo had lost track of how long he had played The World R:2. He knew that it had been eight months before he was defeated and successfully Data Drained by the AIDA Tri-Edge, but beyond that he had no sense of time besides what the game dictated. He pushed the doors open and found himself face to face with Pai the Avenger.
"You're late." She said, pushing her glasses up. "Yata-sama and the others are waiting over here."
She turned and walked down the long isle where at the end stood the pedestal with Tri-Edge's Sign engraved into it. Around the alter on the stairs stood the remaining Epitaph Wielders – even Ovan was standing there but farther from the other players. Haseo glared at him and stood beside Atoli and Kuhn. Kuhn clapped his hands together and bowed his head as if he were praying at a Shinto Shrine, which received him several odd looks, but he smiled at them and shrugged it off.
"We have already fulfilled Project G.U." Yata announced, looking at each wielder. "And now we are to finish Project R.A. as ordered by…."
The eight chains that sat on the pedestal and around the floor suddenly gained life and shot up at each of the eight, clamping on their wrists or ankles, or their arms or legs. Kuhn drew his gun and attempted to slice the chain off as Haseo attacked it with his scythe; however Yata and Pai stood watching the other members. Ovan stood still, eyeing the chain that had attached to the large 'black box' on his arm. Haseo pulled his arm back and swung his scythe out at the chain that had grabbed onto his wrist, yet as it moved to make contact the chain pulled him forward then flung him backwards. The ricochet caused his scythe to go flying and stick in the nearby marble pavement.
"Shit!" Kuhn yelled out as the chain was undamaged by his attacks. "Is…is this an AIDA?" The chain then swung him into the nearby wall. "MAGUS!" he shouted out but there was no response from his Avatar, as if it were sleeping.
"Kuhn!" Atoli and Sakubo screamed.
The chains began to glow as did the eight players. A body of a girl appeared over the alter, floating as if she were asleep and her limbs hanging as if she were dead. Her graphics glitched, static and the occasional fuzzy pixilization occurred as each of the chains glowed. Suddenly her body straightened and each of the wielders let out a cry. The chains snapped, sending the eight back upon their backs around the alter. There was an order to how the chains disconnected. First it was Haseo, followed by Atoli and Kuhn, then Yata, Sakubo, Endrance, Pai and Ovan. The girl stood then as her graphics settled, a bundle of white untamed curled hair fell around her face and waist. She opened her eyes revealing a brilliant purple that fell upon the Epitaph Wielders.
"Haseo-niichan, are you ok?" Sakubo called out as Haseo stood up shakingly, his scythe returned to his hand.
Haseo glared at the little girl, pointing the edge of his scythe at her. She looked at it, titled her head and blinked at it. "What the hell are you? An AIDA?"
She paused for a moment, and then turned her purple eyes to Haseo. "AIDA…. 'Artificial Intelligence Data Anomaly'." She announced but then paused. "Or…maybe it's 'Anti-Intrusion Device for AURA'."
Kuhn coughed as Enderance eyed the girl. "It is the first one." He said, moving his long blue hair behind his shoulder. The girl turned to look at him. Their eyes met and for a moment nothing was said, but she smiled and raised her hand to him. Enderance looked away and said no more.
The girl turned to the others and her eyes fell on Kuhn with a smile. "You are not attempting to charm me Kuhn? I am surprised by this."
"I would…but it seems like I can't move!" he said cheekily. The girl laughed.
"Aura was the Ultimate AI that none of the other administrators talk of." Pai brought up. The girl looked over her shoulder at her before turning her eyes back to Haseo.
" 'There was a statue of a young girl here once…'" Haseo looked at the ground bitterly. " 'Aura. That's what she was called.'"
"And what happened to the fair maiden Aura?" Kuhn asked, standing up.
" 'Maybe she lost her graces for this world.'" Haseo said softly, remembering the conversation he had about Aura so long ago. His eyes snapped to Ovan and narrowed but the other player seemed not to care or remember who had said those words. He looked at the young girl as she still floated above the alter.
She looked at him for a moment, reading into his eyes before she blinked. "Shino said that to you, did she not? It was here at this very spot, was it not?"
Haseo's eyes widened and he nearly dropped his scythe. He felt himself shaking, unable to control his composure in the atmosphere any longer. "How…did…"
She smiled at him. "I know about everyone who plays in my world, without me or with me."
There was a collective silence, however Endrance looked at Kuhn and the blue haired PC nodded. He looked at the girl with a smile. "I was right then, Aura-san."
"Aura!"
Aura smiled and raised her hand, waving to them. "Welcome to, The World. My world."
While the others were in shock, except for Kuhn and Endrance, Haseo tossed his scythe to the ground and stormed up the stairs to the alter where Aura hovered. Aura looked down at him as he glared up into her purple eyes.
"Where…" he growled. "Where were you when Shino was PK'd by…"
"Where was I when you were trapped in my world by the AIDA?" Aura concluded his next sentence for him. Haseo glared and growled lightly, refusing to believe that the Ultimate AI knew him, knew anything relating to him, or anyone he knew.
"Haseo-kun, Gods aren't allowed to interfere with their worlds." Sakubo shouted, her hands on her hips.
"And, Aura is effectively the God…sorry, Goddess, of The World." Kuhn explained.
Haseo didn't care. He went to speak but Aura slipped off the alter and he took a step back, his eyes widening as she landed on the steps that the Sign disappeared. Pai turned to look at Yata who merely nodded. Ovan shifted in his spot and Endrance watched Aura closely.
"In order for a world and the people inside it," Aura explained. "The caretaker of the world may have to leave it for a time to ensure that it grows. As the caretaker is on absence, people will rise up and take the position to protect the world in which they love."
"Kono sekai…" Haseo looked up at Aura with a glare. "..daikirai."
"I know." Aura said. "I am sorry for what has happened to you and all of the people in this world while I was absent, but you will come to understand why one day."
"I don't care!" Haseo shouted at her. "I want out of this world! I want…."
"We all know what your wants are, Haseo." Yata spoke, pushing his glasses up. "However your wants at the moment fail in comparison to the needs of The World."
"He can speak his mind freely…just as any of you can." Aura said, her eyes falling on Kuhn with a smile. "Then again, maybe the only thing that Kuhn has on his mind is procreation?"
Kuhn stood there baffled for a moment. "Techincally that's only….you know, I don't think I'll finish that sentence with Haseo around…"
"I wouldn't waste my scythe on you." Haseo mumbled.
"Ok, the chainsaw sword then." Kuhn laughed nervously.
"I wouldn't waste it on you." Haseo mumbled again.
Aura laughed. She looked at Atoli and waved at her. Atoli blinked and waved back nervously.
"Aura." Ovan spoke up for the first time. She turned to look at him as did the other PCs. "There was a time…when several of us looked for The Key of the Twilight. Does it exist?"
"Shino said…that it didn't exist." Haseo shot at Ovan. For the first time, Ovan glared at Haseo, but Haseo didn't care. Ovan had already committed the unforgivable act.
"It existed in the first version of The World." Kuhn brought up. "Right Endrance?" the player scoffed and said nothing.
Aura smiled, putting her hands together. "The Key of the Twilight…and I, are one in the same."
"Nan…da?"
"I am the Key of the Twilght." Aura said.
"That actually explains a lot." Kuhn mumbled to himself.
"…I was told…" Haseo addressed Aura "That…the Key of the Twilight grants wishes…"
Endrance moved towards them, moving more hair over his shoulder. "It could rewrite the game's data is all that was ever confirmed about this item. If it exists...which it apparently does... It can rewrite the game's data in strange ways. To destroy, or weaken monsters... There was a rumor a long time ago, about a Wavemaster…"
"That's the first version of The World's class close to a Harvest, Haseo-kun." Kuhn whispered. Haseo eyed him, he didn't care.
"…who had the Key, and used it to tame a strange monster." Endrance finished.
"That is a true even." Aura confirmed. She tilted her head. "I have not tried granting wishes before…"
Atoli took a step towards Aura, gulping as the Ultimate AI looked at her. "C-Could…you try…f-for H-Haseo-san…?" she blushed. Aura blinked and moved to speak, however it was Pai who cut in.
"Then, why is it Aura-sama," Pai took a step forward. "That it was said the dot hackers – the legendary players of the first version of The World – were able to not only find, but use the Key of the Twilight?"
Aura moved to speak but the sound glitched. She looked around the Cathedral as the graphics moved oddly, becoming static and fuzzy as well as the saturation lowering before it balanced out again. Kuhn looked around quickly as Haseo took a step to Atoli, scythe out ready to protect her. Yata eyed the Cathedral while Ovan simply smiled.
"My world and I…" Aura trailed off. "…still have a long journey before we are complete again."
"Again?" Sakubo cried out. "What do you mean 'again'?"
"Perhaps we should log out!" Kuhn shouted in attempt to get the message across the glitches.
"O-Oi!" Haseo moved forward as Aura herself started to glitch, her frame becoming fuzzy and her image distorting. "What about…what about the people in coma…what about…" he stopped short as Aura disappeared before their eyes without a single trace left behind.
"Haseo." Yata called out. "This area has become unstable. We all must gate out immediately before the area collapses on us."
"Yata-sama, I am unable to log out!" Pai called out.
"What's going on!" Atoli cried out.
"The area around us is terminating." Endrance explained calmly.
"Yeah and guess what's gonna happen to us if we can't get out!" Kuhn shouted. "Yata, Pai! You're admins, hack us out of here!"
"We are unable to locate our admin fuctions." Yata said.
"AURA!" Haseo shouted out.
Chime.
Everyone fell silent at the sound of an A note in a C sharp. They looked at one another, seeing that none of them had activated their Avatars, but saw no AIDA around them. They looked down at the ground as a shadow appeared on the floor of a Celtic cross, but there was no one to give off the shadow. Atoli moved behind Haseo as the graphics continued to glitch and once again the A note chimed through the Cathedral.
It hurt. Haseo took a step back and grabbed his chest, his eyes widening as the pain increased. Skeith wanted out, whomever was making that chime was what Skeith wanted. He felt his body grow hot as the Avatar continued to try and rip itself out of him, trying to gain control…
"When the party is killed they are automatically sent back to the root town!" Kuhn called out. "We need to suicide run!"
"That is your brilliant plan?" Endrance scoffed. "It won't work. If the administrators cannot access their power, what makes you think that the game is even functioning correctly? The server might be crashing as we speak."
"Atoli…." Haseo managed to speak out through the pain and heat. "ATOLI GET AWAY!"
"I'm staying here!" she screamed over the arguments and glitches.
"ATOLI JUST—"
The Cathedral disappeared. The sound died out, and all they could see around them was a pure black void. Suddenly the screens were filled with black and white static images of battles from long before The World R:2, the graphics outdated as well as the systems. Great battles between eight large beings that threatened to destroy the characters fighting them. Haseo looked down at the ground to find that the shadow had inverted from back to white as the images flashed by so fast that no one could tell what they were. His scythe then was destroyed by an unseen force. Sound bites filled the area, shouting of battle commands and screams of panic, voices of desperation…
"…what's going on…?" Atoli whispered.
"These maybe in the restricted files for CC Corporation." Pai mused lightly.
"Haseo…"
Haseo looked over at Atoli, clenching his chest….
"…I'm scared…"
The energy from Skeith started to pulse out and signal the other Avatars within the other Wielders. The red markings of Skeith appeared…
"Someone knock him out of it!"
"What one s-s-should I….stop worrying and just cast one Bo!"
"Endrance didn't you say something like this happened to you in the first version of The World?"
"Maybe it did."
"Don't start that…."
Suddenly a small voice could be heard with out any distortion. "The power it holds can bring forth either salvation or destruction at the whim of the user."
Chime.
"It's here!"
"SKEEEITH!"
There was a flash and the Avatar Skeith hovered above them all in the center of the inverted shadow of the Celtic cross. He pulled his arm back, revealing his scythe as it activated.
"Magus why the hell aren't you answering!"
"None of the Avatars are responding to Skeith's presence." Yata confirmed.
"How very odd." Ovan said calmly.
Skeith swung his scythe at the seven players. Atoli and Sakubo let out a scream and huddled to each other but the graphics finally came to a halt. The eight turned around, looking up at the large object that could finally be seen that caused the shadow. A long red staff with the cross above it, and a character with green markings in the center – the player that Skeith had struck. Kuhn stood shocked and turned around to see Skeith's graphics glitching between that of The World R:2, an unconscious Haseo, and a form he had not seen in a very long time…
"Skeith…the Terror of Death." Endrance said softly. "But…"
"Yasuhiko? YASUHIKO?" a player screamed out.
"G-gomen….Kite…." the player that Skeith had attacked deleted…
Skeith turned to look at the eight. He stabilized at his Avatar appearance and swung his sword again, creating a shockwave that sent them all flying. Their PC bodies came to a halt and then suddenly glitched out of existence.
"YASUHIKO!"
A white staff fell from the sky before Skeith. It sent him back, his graphic glitching between the Avatar and the Epitaph Wielder. The energy entered the PC body of Haseo again, leaving the player that was trapped within the body floating down towards the ground of the crashed server, still unconscious. He stopped suddenly, and Aura appeared in front of him with her long lavender hair cascading down her shoulders and her shimmering dress ever changing colors.
"Epitaph Wielders…the Cursed Wave…the Infinite Eight…" she said. "Help my world grow."
She released Haseo and let him fall as the server crashed.
Japanese terms (and translations):
Kono seikai...daikirai - "I hate...this world."