.hack//SIGN Fan Fiction / .hack//LIMINALITY Fan Fiction / .hack//Legend Of Twilight Bracelet Fan Fiction ❯ Episode One- .hack//Destiny ❯ Risk Management ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter Eleven- Risk Management- Real World

 

"HOLY-"

"SHUSH!" Jas chastised Vanessa.

"What?"

"I don't want my parents to hear that!" Jas said, shrugging. Dan shook his head. The four were sitting in the dining room, doors closed. Dan told his parents that the four wished to be alone, but if they wanted to check in on them every once in a while to make sure there wouldn't be any children soon arriving, that they were free to. His parents had agreed, with a little laughter.

"Besides," Bill had said, "we would hate to cramp your style!" Dan groaned when he heard that.

"I am afraid you just did."

 

The group was snacking on some soda and Tostitos chips. Dan stood up.

"Before you, you will see steno notebooks. Those are yours to keep. We will be keeping notes. This meeting is now opened. First order of business-"

"Hey, why are you the Chairman?" Vanessa asked. Dan shrugged.

"I figured that since I invited you all over, it would be okay. But, let's make it open-panel?" The group agreed.

"Well," Morgan said after a moment of silence, "I want to talk about the ability I used. Possess?"

"Yes, well, I was thinking about that," Jas answered, "and do you remember when Helba was giving us gifts?" Morgan was slightly confused.

"Uh, yeah? Why?" Dan realized where his brother was going.

"Well, she said 'I also give you one ability that will be realized in time only' or something like that. That, dear friend, was a Helba Present!" Vanessa and Morgan both nodded in understanding.

"I am not sure what the ability will do to your character, IF it will do anything. I will just hope that you will use it sparingly." Jas said in closing.

"Okay, new business- Member Addresses. I would like for everyone in the next week to write down who is on their member address list, and make four copies of it. Then, when we meet again next week, give a copy to everyone and keep one for yourself. We will update, if need be, whenever we have a meeting like this again. Make sense?" Dan asked. No one answered.

"I have something," Vanessa said. "While the Knights may be after us, we also have to worry about the Trojans. Will Jas go and post the message on the board about the Epitaph please?" Jas nodded and went off, slightly limping.

"Oh, his leg is hurting him slightly still, I suppose," Morgan stated.

"Yeah, but it will for a while." Dan said. "Oh, and I do have one thing; something that I will tell Jas later. We need to figure out where the veil is as well."

"Where did Boragia attack us?"

"Arch Kiln I think." Vanessa answered Morgan.

"Oh. He said it is in the Epitaph. So we should be able to find it there. But, maybe it is there, or some place linked. In a few days, we should try to go back to the dungeon. Maybe we will find a few answers there. Until then, we need to level up. No one under level thirty should go." Dan said.

"Oh, well, we have our work cut out for us, eh?" Vanessa said.

 

Jas, meanwhile, had logged in and was posting the message.

"To whom it may concern-

My friends and I have been wondering about a document known as the Epitaph of Twilight. A passing character of whom we can't recall his name gave the name to us. We would greatly appreciate any information that can be given to us. Thank you."

He sent it and checked to see if there were anymore new posts. Yes, there was one. He opened it.

"Dear players-

This is the Lady Celeste. A few hours ago, a party made an attack on two knights, two knights that have been seriously injured. If you can offer any information, there will be a reward. So, let us work together and eradicate all Illegal players.

Your Helper and Friend-

Lady Celeste

Leader of the Maroon Knights".

"Curses."

 

"So, what shall we call ourselves?" Dan asked the two girls.

"I don't know. Do we need a name?"

"Well, we should think of one, if not now, then later." Dan said.

"Okies. Well, I need to go home. I have homework." Said Vanessa as she rose from her chair. She took out her phone and called her mother to take Morgan and her home. They then opened the doors and walked outside.

"You know, I hate having secrets." Morgan said. "I told Amanda all of my secrets. Well, almost all of them. That is why we are such good friends. But, I hate having them!" Vanessa sighed.

"I do as well, but if anyone knows what we are doing, they may try to interfere. That is the last thing we need. We must handle this by ourselves, and with Casper I suppose. It is important that we do so. The duty has been charged to us. So, remember that it is a secret. Keep it that way." Dan said. Vanessa's mother drove up.

"Well, let us go. I will see you tomorrow. Bye Dan." She kissed him on the cheek before getting into the car.

It wasn't the red lipstick she wore that turned his cheeks red.

 

Dan opened the door to his room to find Jas holding a paper.

"Dude, sit down. I found this on the board." Dan read over the paper.

"Do you think that they are, well, injured for real?" Jas nodded. Dan sighed. "Well, now we know what happens when we use our gifts; people are hurt if we use it on them. Well, that is one more risk we take in doing this."

"A risk? Aren't you being a little near sighted? That RISK is a LIFE!" Dan sighed again, this time more deeply.

"I guess in the greater scheme of things, if there are a couple of people hurt, AND if we succeed, then their pain and loss will be everyone's joy and gain. See? It may be harsh, but I will do anything necessary to win." Jas looked at Dan as if he had said something odd.

"This has changed you brother. Before you wouldn't ever hurt a fly. Now, well, you are gambling with people's lives. I don't like the situation we are in."

"Neither do I, dear brother. Neither do I."

 

It was close to eleven. Dan had sat up, and after doing his homework, was pondering over what course they should take. Should they just try to send a letter to the C.C. Corporation? Or, did they already know, and are the knights a response to the horses? Should they come up with a name for the horses? He didn't know. He checked the message board and found no response to Jas's letter. He sighed.

"Why is everything so hard?" He shed a tear, and wiped it away. He read over the letter from Boragia. Slowly he felt himself drifting away, until he remembered something.

"I think I have it. But, for now," he looked at his bed, which was so far off. He slowly put his head onto his desk, and before his eyes closed he saw his door crack and the face of his mother. He covertly hit two buttons on his computer; control and 'L' simultaneously, logging him out of the system for the night. As his mother walked into his room, he drifted off to sleep.

 

Peg, after hearing no noise from upstairs, went up to check on the two. Sometimes Dan stayed up and watched a show called Whose Line. The two of them would watch and laugh together. She wanted to see if he was asleep. She saw his head on the desk, but missed him logging out. She contemplated waking him up, or calling Bill up to carry him off to bed. She did, however, ruffle his hair. When he grunted and wrinkled his nose she walked out.