.hack//SIGN Fan Fiction / .hack//LIMINALITY Fan Fiction / .hack//Legend Of Twilight Bracelet Fan Fiction ❯ Episode One- .hack//Destiny ❯ School Day ( Chapter 10 )

Book Two-

Reprise

 

Chapter nine- School Day- Real World

 

Sircosgi and Vanessa were still talking as they came up the stairs.

"And if we are the only ones who know, everyone else must be an idiot, because they-"

"Oh, I see Vanessa. Very smart!" Dan exclaimed.

"If I may," Jas said, somewhat formally, "dear sir, what are you talking about?"

"Oh, well, back in the kitch-" The door opened. Morgan, somewhat paled, walked out with three printed pages.

"The computer is safe. Come in and read. I have very little of this figured out. So, if you please?" She walked back into the room, and sat in front of the computer screen. She read over the material again.

“Now, we know that we are dealing with the riders of Revelations. But, this text is not found in the book. I do not believe that it is located in the Bible.” Vanessa looked over it again.

"Besides, this can't be right! I thought that when the sky disappeared and the moon was blood-red, after three-fourths of the population is killed, and -"

“Yes. That is the text in Revelations. But, THIS isn't. I don't know what it is. It could be something that Death wanted us to hear.” The group shuddered.

“Well, if that is-” Jas started.

"DAN!" Came a voice from downstairs.

"Yes Ma'am?" Dan said, calling back to his mother.

"The girls' parents are here." Vanessa stood up.

"We're coming!" She looked at the group.

"Study this, and cross-reference anything you can. Nothing is small. Everything is relevant now, and, well, I guess everything matters now. I am just so confused. But I guess we will see each other tomorrow."

"Oh," Morgan said, "I got so caught up, I forgot today was Sunday. Especially since we all didn`t attend church."

They all parted, Vanessa giving Dan a special look and a whispered thanks.

He blushed.

The next day, the two boys arose at what Jas called 'the butt-crack of dawn'. They both showered and prepared for the day. Dan put his copy of the message into his bag, and walked downstairs to have breakfast. Jas joined him a couple of minutes later.

"Mmm. Nothing like a Pop-Tart to get you started in the morning," Jas said as he opened the wrapper to a strawberry flavored one.

"I lost my flavor for them on the vacation we took," Dan said, somewhat sarcastically.

"Oh, come one, that was all just one big mistake. Well, we kinda did have to eat them for the ENTIRE week, even though they were disgusting!" Jas said.

 

On that fateful trip, Jas had packed the Pop-Tarts, their only source of breakfast, in the same container as the garlic. Thus, instead of regular, Brown Sugar Pop-Tarts, they had Garlic Pop-Tarts. The two suffered through it that week, and only Jas ate them anymore. Dan smiled as he poured some milk into his Captain Crunch.

"Man, you gotta love the Captain!" He said.

"Hey, we leave in five minutes, so hurry up and eat." Their father said as Dan was putting away the milk.

"Damn."

 

Dan and Jas stepped out of the van, their father heading off for work. Vanessa and Morgan, each of whom were looking rather groggy, greeted them.

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night." Vanessa said. "Sorry, but so many things are bothering me." Morgan nodded in agreement.

"I couldn't stop thinking about the mail that-"

"So, anyway," Dan said, butting in, "how do you think we'll do on our quiz?" Morgan, seething, started gritting her teeth.

"Look, we have to be careful," Dan said in a private conference with Morgan during lunch. "We can't exactly talk in the open like that. I know you're mad, but let's just think. Please?" Morgan nodded.

"Sorry for getting so mad." She gave him a hug.

"Oh," Vanessa said, "I see how it is. Cheating on me?" Dan shook his head.

"We're not an 'item' yet."

"Yes. YET!" She said as she sat down. "Man, Mr. Parker's class was boring. All he talked about was the Element Chart. Is it me, or is he fixated on the word Period? I mean," she slipped into an impersonation, "Period seven. Period four. Period five. Period- no, period three. Jeez!"

"I thought that the question the girl asked was, well, stupid. 'Was plasma discovered in a TV?' WHAT kind of question is that?" Dan said, laughing.

Jas came over, slightly limping.

"Jeez, I hate going to my locker. I feel like I am going to get killed. All those football players. And my team thinks I quit. I hate how they do that!" Morgan looked confused.

"Do what?" Jas sighed.

"Think." Morgan smirked.

"I didn't know they could." she said, as he walked into her planned out trap.

"HEY!"

 

After lunch, they all headed to their Drama class. Margaret Daily taught it. She was somewhat larger than most, and seemed to be rude, but if you were in the Drama Club, she was nicer and easier on you than most. Plus, you got to act on stage, which was a bonus. Well, for two of them. Dan and Vanessa had no self-esteem, but Morgan and Jas wished to save 'face' as they called it. They joined the stage-crew part. Both parts are essential, so no one felt left out.

Mrs. D, as the Drama Club called her, was giving out acting assignments when an office aide came to the door. She took the note handed to her and read it.

"Morgan. You need to go to the Dean's office. It says to bring your stuff." Morgan, a little confused, did as she was told. Two minutes later, another note came, this time for Jas. Same instructions. After five minutes, Vanessa and Dan were summoned. All four of them were waiting in the office, when a fight broke out inside.

One boy was angry after being called an expletive 'slur', and wished to show who said it the 'errors' of his ways. So, after five minutes, two teeth, one broken nose, and too much blood, it was broken up, and the boys were cuffed. The instigator looked at Jas.

"YOU WANT SOME O' DIS?" He asked. Jas, wide-eyed, almost started to leave when someone called the four of them in the next room. As they entered, they found the Principal, Mr. Clark, who was brainless, and the Vice-Principal, Miss Williams, who was worthless. Finally, there was a man, who was nameless to them. Mr. Clark spoke up.

"I am sorry to hear about your friends. They will be missed until they recover from, uh, what was it again?"

"Um, sir, it is a coma." Miss Williams said, scoffing.

"Right, that. Well, tell them that we are hoping for the best."

"Sir?" Dan said. "It's a coma. They're not awake." Vanessa started to sniffle.

"There, there my dear," Mr. Clark said. "I'm sure the flu won't kill the-"

"Um, sir?" Miss Williams said, somewhat irritated. "There isn't any flu."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Really."

"Oh." The man stood up and cleared his throat. "Oh, yes." Mr. Clark said, glad to get off of the subject. "Kids, this is Mr. Ides, and he works for CC Corps."

Mr. Ides, wearing an olive colored suit, looked rich. Well, his gold Rolex said so. He had brown hair, parted down the middle, so perfectly that it appeared that he had his hair disciplined, and punished any strand that went out of line. He wore small glasses, and had small, calculating black eyes. He appeared to be no older than thirty, and by looking at his ring finger, single.

'Wonder why,' Morgan thought, 'he is kinda cute.' She blushed.

“Hello, kids. I am here to ask you a few questions. About your friends. Do you think you can answer?” Dan was a little shocked.

“How long do you think it will take?” Mr. Ides smiled.

“As long as it takes.”

 

The group was being called in one by one. Vanessa was first. About twenty minutes later, Jas was called in. Seeing how Vanessa didn't return, everyone thought that she had been released through the back door, as not to reveal anything.

Twenty minutes elapsed again before Morgan was called. Jas was nowhere to be found. As Dan watched the clock and snacked on some celery, his name was called. He walked into the office, rather apprehensively, and prepared for the worst.

 

The first thing Dan noticed was how dark the room was. All of the curtains were drawn and the only source of light was from a few small lamps. There was a desk, and behind the desk was an office chair, its back facing Dan. He sat down

"Drop the thematic looks, please." he asked, rather icily. Mr. Ides whipped around in the chair.

"What have you done with my friends, sir?" Dan asked. Mr. Ides lit a cigar.

"They have been," a pause, "released. But, it is you I am interested in. Actually, it is the events surrounding you." He brought out a tape recorder. "Do you understand that the following conversation is being recorded?" Dan glared.

"I know my rights. I demand that my parents be present for the interrogation." Mr. Ides smiled.

"Hmm. Just like the others. Your request is denied! I have leads that you are an illegal player in The World, and if so that makes you a hacker. If your parents are present, the international police will be as well. So, I will ask you again, do you understand the following conversation is being taped?" A moments pause.

"Yes, but under protest and threa-"

"Very well." Mr. Ides said. "Question one: what is your name?"

"My name is Dan."

"Question two: how old are you?"

"Age 16. But how is tha-"

"Question three: how long have you been playing The World?"

"Three days. But, I haven't done any-"

"Question four: what happened two days ago? To your friends?"

"We were playing The World, and were being attacked by a monster, when they were killed. We didn't have any resurrects, but even so, their ghost form disappeared."

"Is that all?" Dan bit his lip.

"Yes. That is all." Dan looked at the clock. It had only taken ten minutes. He grabbed his belongings, and started to leave.

"Oh, wait, please." Mr. Ides said. Dan looked over his shoulder. "Can I offer you anything to drink? Pepsi, Coke, Sprite?"

"Sure." Dan walked back to the desk, sat down, and requested Coke. As he opened the can, Mr. Ides opened a can of Sprite for himself.

"You see? I am not such a bad guy, now am I?" Dan didn't show any emotion. Mr. Ides grimly smiled. "I called you back because I forgot a question. What do you know of the Key of the Twilight?" Dan coughed. Mr. Ides cocked his head.

"Does that mean you know what it is?" Dan shook his head, and as he put down his can he came up with a lie.

"Is that a car, because that is a funny name! I mean, I thought it was Kia, but is it Italian?" Dan put on his fake Italian accent. "Mamma Mia, looka da 'Kia De Twilight?" He snorted.

"OUT!" Dan scrambled to his feet, and ran out of the room from an irate Mr. Ides.

As he walked out the room, the bell signifying the end of the day rang. He saw the other three leaving the teacher's lounge, which was directly across from the office where they had been held. As he entered Jas handed a Coke to Dan.

"Thanks." The four discussed what had been asked, and found that they had told relatively the same story.

"Why do you think we were questioned?" Morgan asked.

"I, I don't know." Vanessa said, somewhat shaken from the experience.

"I think it was because of our meeting Aura." Jas said.

"No, it has to be something bigger. Hey, when we all get home, let's try to meet up. Log into the Delta server. Maybe we can find a clue. Try to be there around Three o'clock. We will wait until three thirty, and then we will leave. Sound good?" The group nodded assent.

"Oh, and one last thing, do not tell anyone what just happened. I don't know what CC Corps is playing at, but we must keep it secret. Okay?" Vanessa said, regaining her lost composure.