.hack//DIVERGENCE Main

Nall · Post by **Nall** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 6:27 am

(OOC: Make sure you read the end of "Old Troubles, New solutions" before this ^^;; )

When the light cleared, everyone was alive again sitting in what appeared to be Nalls hideout. The exchanged glances of question and some of worry. Gingitsune lied on a bed, passed out cold. As the players examined the room it was similar to Nalls hideout but on closer inspection it was actually a lot bigger. There seemed to be a lounging area with many couches and a large table in the middle. Along the edges of the walls were numerous beds, 8 to be exact and they were all covered with pretty sheets and fluffy pillows. Needless to say, the group was lost. Falcon spoke suddenly.

'Hey! It's a cat!'
The boy wasn't joking, there was what appeared to be a white cat sitting on one of the dressers. The creature glared at Falcon as wings came out of it's back and flew towards him. Falcon moved back slightly scared at the glaring, flying cat.

'I'M NOT A CAT!'
The players were a little shocked. They looked at each other and the flying cat and were slightly amazed.

'Wow! The cat talks!'
Falcon said as the creature almost fell out of the air in disbelief.

'I SAID I'M NOT A CAT! RAWR!'
The tiny creatures mouth opened as a wave of fire comes out toasting Falcon face. The boy ran around screaming "My hair is on fire! My hair is on fire!" which was true, his hair was on fire. Some of the players jumped up to help Falcon and some other stepped up to see the creature, and make sure it wasn't a threat. One of them asked,

'If you're not a cat then what are you?'
The flying creature stuck it's toungue out at the players and flew towards his original posistion and landed.

'I'm a Dragon!'
The players looked at the pathetic thing and started to laugh. That little thing, a dragon? This only made the creature more angry.

'I should kick all of you out right now! I don't know what Nall was thinking when he hooked up with you losers...'
The players stopped laughing and looked at the creature. It knew Nall? How? Someone spoke up for the group.

'Umm, how do you know Nall? What are you?'
This was a question all the players had in their head as they tried to look at the strange creature. It just looked at the group and sighed.

'I'm a program created by Nall! I'm pretty much an AI program that was created to help Nall with his mission to defeat the hackers... Nall used to call me Nayru!'
The players all looked at Nayru. What it said made sense...sort of... What was important was it was once Nalls program and it helped with his fight against the hackers. Perhaps it could shed some light on the situation? Or at least thats what the players thought.

'Can you help us, tell us what we have to do to beat the hackers?'
Someone jumped in quickly. Nayru shoke it's head.

'No! I wont tell you right now... You're all still weak from the fight you were just saved from...'
The players suddenly realized that it wasn't all just a dream and that battle did happen... but what happened at the end? what saved them... Nayru scanned the group.

'You all look so confused it's not even funny... Well actually it is for me but right now you should all get some sleep! By the way, you're all in Dun Loireag hideout... Any other questions I will answer in the morning after you sleep and eat! By the time you wake up, Dun Loireag should be back to normal and you've all already be scanned in to be allowed to enter and leave as you please! The entrence and exit is behind the Grunty Farm.'
Nayru flew across the room and landed on the bed with Gingi.

'And no one disturb her! She needs to rest and recover...'
With that, Nayru curled up and lied down, faling asleep himself on the bed with Gingitsune, leaving the other players to decide their sleeping arragements.

(OOC: ooooooo, the delema of the BEDS again! bwahahaha lol

I don't wanna make an amazingly uber long post so I'll let you guys post your characters thoughts and questions etc etc first *giggles*)

Kayin · Post by **Kayin** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 8:21 am

Kayin shook his head with a smirk. He was feeling rather disillusioned be the events of recent, from his abduction to current. He shook his head again and immediately claimed residence at the most out of the way bed. Once there he plopped down on it to be alone and gather his thoughts. His general nausea and fatigue was showing more signs of vanishing, but not completely cured yet.

It was a matter of minutes before Kayin was fell asleep with a confused expression plastered on his form. His last waking thought being "Everything can wait till morning, I'm not going to bother with it all yet."

Rayo · Post by **Rayo** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 12:34 pm

It was funny. Kamui had killed almost all of them faster and easier than anyone before them. Some may have thought that as discouraging but he didn’t quite agree. In a role playing game, no matter how good you were, no matter how clever the plan, an experienced high-level player was a force to be reckoned with. It didn’t matter. They would grow stronger. Kamui only won the battle physically. There would come the time when they would be forced to fight her again. He wouldn’t let it depress him because there was nothing he could do about it for the moment. There were other things to worry about after all.

The fact everyone was alive at all was interesting. The dragon that had claimed to be a Nall derived AI must have handled that. Gingitsune looked exhausted so there was no point in asking her what she might know. Nonetheless she was occupying a bed and so was Kayin. There were only six left at this point. Even doubling up, not quite everyone would fit. That was fine with him. He’d let the others take them. Some of them needed more rest and a good night’s sleep would do them well. Rayo walked over to a spot near the door and sat down, setting his wand down beside him. It might be called paranoid but here they didn’t even have Nall claiming it was a safe area to be in. They had a dragon claiming to have been created by Nall saying so. He hadn’t decided yet if he trusted it but he would feel safer knowing he was being careful. He also planned on escorting the first person that decided to leave. The last time someone did was Kayin who was then kidnapped while most people slept.

He glanced over at Vera. It was simply too much for her. The stress was getting to Vera. This was supposed to be just a game but it turned out to be more. It understandable, you wouldn’t expect this to happen in a game. He hoped she would take it easy though. He’d prefer it if she remained stable.

Asgard · Post by **Asgard** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 2:42 pm

Asgard woke up, strewn out across the floor next to Gingitsune's bed. His eyes darted from side to side, taking in that the degenerate Kamui was gone. He could feel his head pulsate with a migrane, the scars of war still adherent in his mind. Even at Naryu's request, he couldn't sleep just yet. There was still too much to think about to sleep.

How...How could they find me? Even if the armor WAS destroyed, there was no uplink to the server. How could they... Then it became completely obvious. He could feel his heart sink in his body.

Dammit....He sold me out...Why would he do that???

Bringing up a flashmail screen, he started to write a message

--------------------------------
To: Loki
Subject: Rot in hell, traitor.
--------------------------------

<No Text>

End mail

Sended...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC: Sry. Had planned more, but gtg to work. Ciao

Gingitsune · Post by **Gingitsune** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 7:28 pm

A dense fog had covered the wood field, staining it a beautiful grey-green colour, broken here and there by a stream of light. The trees were ancient, and massive, and crawling with living things that looked too real to be computer generated. Gingitsune's eyes focused in the dense gloom to see a large spider scuttle across her path, taking only a moment to peer at her with enormous, circular black eyes that made her shiver violently.
She gripped the wand more tightly in her hand, and turned around to see that no exit was visible, there was only a beaten dirt path that wound further and further up, deeper into the forest. The tall stiletto heel of Gingitsune's boot suddenly snapped with a loud crack and sent Gingi stumbling to the ground, catching her balance at the last moment and landing cat-like on the earth. She pulled off her boot with an annoyed expression, then pulled off the other, setting them both neatly at the very beginning of the path, and continuing on barefoot.
"Why don't I gate out?" she asked herself curiously, then didn't even try, but continued on irresistably down the odd path. It was very much like the normal fields, and then not, it was somehow much more... real.
A gust of wind brought the thick fog swirling around her again, and as she turned around to escape the stinging earth it had picked up, she noticed that she was no longer in the same place, and the beginning of her path where she had left her boots had disappeared- replaced by a continuation of the path, deep into the trees.
For some reason Gingitsune was not at all confused, but turned again and continued on her way, as if drawn by a magnet. A few seconds later she as blocked by a large spider web, thick and sticky, but void of the spider which created it. In the very center of the spiderweb was a large white bundle, hanging dejectedly. She stepped towards it, and out of one end noticed... a head. It was Falcon's head...
In a flash the spiderweb disappeared, and her path was cleared again, leaving only a vague impression of fear in Gingi's mind that disappeared as quickly as the light that had earlier penetrated the thick trees.
The path was now winding more and more, weaving in and out of the trees, over streams, and rivers, around lakes and cliffs and mountains. She had a feeling as if she had been walking forever, and yet she was not tired. Always, at the end of the path was a spiderweb, and each time the spider was gone, and yet one of her teammembers was there, dangling in the grotesque bundle in the middle of the web. Asgard... Rayo... Armina... Kurai... Argilus... everyone...
Each time she scanned everywhere for the monster of a spider that could have overpowered them so, and yet it was nowhere to be found.
Seconds, hours, or perhaps minutes later she reached a small shrine at the edge of a large lake. It was a Japanese-style shrine, with a tori infront of it, and small steps carved from the wall of cliff that it stood upon. At the top Gingitsune could just make out a small, squat figure with a broom sweeping the excess earth from the shrine yard. When she reached the top she saw that the figure was an old lady, dressed in a white kimono with pink sakura painted on the sleeves. She shuffled about in her geta with a long broom, and only stopped when she had swept all of the dirt from her yard, and had thrown it over the edge of the cliff.
"Welcome my dear." she said, in a low, earthy voice, "I have been expecting you."
Gingitsune looked at her strangely, "expecting me? Who are you?"
The woman smiled, showing a set of worn, crooked teeth. "I am the mother my dear, and I have been expecting you for some time. Did you see anything strange out yonder in my forest?"
Gingitsune's eyes narrowed, "the mother? Yes... I saw some strange things... mother... I saw spider webs with the forms of my comrades bundled in the middle, and yet I saw no spider."
"Ah, yes. Is the spider important to you?"
"Yes of course. I need to kill it."
"Kill it?"
"Yes mother, it has destroyed my friends."
"And so you would return the favour then my dear?"
"It cannot be left unpunished."
The old woman nodded solemnly, "yes yes, I see how you are my dear, you are perhaps too vicious for a pretty young girl, you must learn that not everything can be solved with violence."
Gingitsune sighed, "it is a spider mother, what would you have me do? Reason with it?"
"Are you so sure it's a spider?"
At this point Gingitsune's patience ran out, she turned on her heel, raising an eyebrow alarmingly at the old woman.
"Excuse me, I'll continue on my way."
Mother nodded, "ah yes, but I shall see you again my dear, when your feet hit the right path, you seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere, for you have become completely lost. You have taken the path of sorrow and battle, where the end can only come through bloodshed."
Gingitsune's eyes narrowed. "Mother, where is the spider?"
The old woman pointed a wrinkled finger down the dirt path, "it is down the wrong path, your path. The path that merges into the great darkness always leads to the spider. Did you notice the gloom my dear?"
Gingitsune nodded solemnly.
"Perhaps someday you will merge into the light, when all of your spiders are gone, then you will shine with the radiant glory that befits you, instead of stumbling in the dark."
Gingitsune tramped down the stairs, and headed down the path once again, her bare feet scuffing at the bare earth. The light was becoming more and more scarce, and Gingitsune's eyes could see only a patch of pure darkness ahead of her. In the great darkness was the last spider's web, this one had no pure white bundle in the middle, but a large, gruesome, black, long-legged spider with massive jaws. Once it saw her it hissed with pleasure, and crept from the web with unmasked glee. As Gingitsune's eyes became accustomed to the darkness she pulled her wand forward, preparing her attack. The spider loomed over her, and as Gingitsune looked up, she noticed the face...
It was...

Gingitsune's eyes flickered open while a shudder passed violently through her body. She was laying on a soft, comfortable bed in a large room. Next to her was the small form of a cat-like winged creature whose origin she didn't know. "Where am I?" she whispered to herself, as another wave of exhaustion swept over her, setting her into a shallow sleep.

ramza · Post by **ramza** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 8:44 pm

"Ah!" ramza yelled out quickly as the spear entered and exitted his body faster than he could say 'I.' he was a ghost again. the group were all being quickly taken out and then they're last hope gingitsune was about to be finished to.

"nooooooo!" ramza yelled as he believed the end was here, yet he realized that before he finished screaming, he opened his eyes and realized that they were all safe and alive. "hey look a little flying......cat? what the...?" ramza trailed off as the wierd creature began to speak. his jaw dropped in awe of the program. it was indeed a comical scene as the "dragon" set someone's hair on fire. ramza dearly wanted to question the thing about the true fate of nall, and how they got there, and what happened to rebooting the system? but he knew that all questions would be answered in time.....

ramza laid down on a bed and decided to rest up for a little while.

Vera · Post by **Vera** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 10:50 pm

ooc: Umm staff can you delete that post before this one, it was mine, I just forgot to log in, since I'm not at home

Vera stared at the ground, her body had suffered its daily addition without her knowledge but she paid no attention to what had happened, and sighed happily no one would know. "Wow, we really suck don't we. I mean all of us got beat within a few minutes." she said laughing slightly as she got up and moved her tail inside of her dress "No one needs to see you anymore." she said looking down as she reached for her wand.

Vera gripped the top of her wand as she ran her claws across it roughly, making a loud screeching sound as she smiled. "Why don't we just, well maybe we should try and team up with a good hacker or something." she said as everyone turned to her with an angry look as she backed down "Well, just for help. You know someone who isn't completely evil, but very good at hacking, so we can kill Kamui." she said with everyone still looking down at her.

"Your insane" someone yelled at her as her ears went down nearly flat with her head as she walked to a corner and lay down

"Fine, it was just an idea, no reason to hurt my feelings about it." Vera said as she let out a small mew.

Asgard · Post by **Asgard** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 11:42 pm

"I'm sorry. I was just a little bit on edge," Asgard clarified as the person spoken out against Vera, "But there is no way around fighting Kamui. Hacking won't do a damn thing against the administrators." Vera gave an inquisitive look along with an inquisitive mew. "The hackers DO have the power to change 'The World' to whatever they desire it to be. That is a fact. Yet, the reason why an administrator is assigned to duty is to cover up whatever the hacker does."

Rayo interrupted, "You mean...fix...whatever the hacker does to his liking." Asgard shook his head in disbelief. Some of the conscious ones were puzzled.

"Most people think that. Yet, imagine the ratio of hackers to admins. Anyone can be a hacker, but only few can be spotlighted by the administrative council. Sometimes that can be a very stressful job. So all they can do to keep up with them is cover up and say that it was a program error or a server problem. Whoever has time on their hands and who actually has experience in writing the game fixes the problems. It's all needlessly complicated."

"You're telling me," Nighthand commented, "I'm getting a headache just listening to you." Asgard chuckled.

"Well, if anyone wants more info, they can always talk to me," Asgard replied. He glanced upwards back to Gingitsune's bed, Nayru and Gingi still sleeping. He rose from the floor and took a seat up against the back wall, his evil Heavy Sword dragging along behind him. As he sat down, he could hear a voice. He remembered it as the voice within his sword.

Remember chosen one. You must help us find our siblings. We have saved you in battle, now you must aid us.

Gingitsune · Post by **Gingitsune** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 12:01 am

Gingitsune's eyes flickered open at the sound of voices around her bed, and she let out a small, tired sound as she stretched and made an attempt to get up. Her voice was groggy with sleep, but she managed a small 'g'morning...' to the people around her. Gingitsune dragged herself up and propped herself against her pillows, wondering how the hell she had gotten so tired that her limbs wouldn't work, and her eyes wouldn't stay open.
The room as well was something completely new to her, the bed was comfortable though, and she wasn't about to complain.
"What's going on guys...?" she asked, looking around at Vera's hurt expression, Rayo's watchful pose, and Asgard's pensive form leaning against the back wall. Next to her was a small creature that had stirred slightly as she moved. She looked at it closely, and the only word she could think to describe it was 'cute.' It reminded her of Gypsy, her cat from back home, so she lightly lifted it and put it into her lap. With that, the little dragon started, and flew up into the air.
Gingitsune laughed at it, and went to poke it's little stomach, while the dragon flew around indignantly.
"Excuse me Gingitsune, I have not even introduced myself."
Gingitsune smiled at the mock gravity, "oh... of course..."
"I'm Nayru. A dragon. Not a cat."
Gingitsune nodded, "of course... It's very nice to meet you Mr. Nayru" then she shook it's little paw, grabbed it out of mid air, and held it in her lap, stroking it's little head.
Nayru stared angrily for a few minutes, then finally gave up, and curled into a ball, falling back to sleep.
Gingitsune looked over at Asgard, "has anything happened while I was asleep? In fact... what did happen? Even before I was asleep?" she asked, confused. "All I can remember is Kamui coming at Falcon and I, however what happened after that isn't clear at all..."

Asgard · Post by **Asgard** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 12:26 am

OOC: Note that I put the item rewards in the fight thread. Go look plz.

-Asgard

Tirath · Post by **Tirath** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 12:36 am

Tirath stared amazed at the strange cat, or dragon as it had claimed to be. Wait a minute had he just thought that? Claimed to be? IT spoke! What was going on! Created by Nall huh.....

That doesn't sound right, but if its true...... No I won't be sleeping tonight, better not to trust completly. After all, I find it difficult to believe that we could have escaped from the Admin as easily as the Hackers.....

Scaning the room, he sees many people already asleep and others still looking about neverously at the beds. It brought back memories of the last time, mostly painful. He had left and Kayin had disappeared....

Well this time i'm not going to be away when they need me. This time I understand its not a game!

Even as he thought this his eyes meet Rayo's. He could see a look in his eyes that was rather famillar.

I understand, you don't trust this either.... Ok we'll both stand watch tonight and we will both make sure no one goes through what Kayin has.

They had fought together so often, he was sure that Rayo could see the same thing in his eyes..... With only a nod they made a pact, to protect the rest of their friends.

Rayo · Post by **Rayo** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 3:55 am

Rayo turned his head slightly as he noticed Gingitsune wake up before turning his head back towards the door. Still with his back turned, he considered her question. What did happen after Kamui defeated them? He would answer as best he could.

“That’s still a topic up for debate. We seemed to have all been defeated, correct? That little dragon claimed we were “saved,” he never quite specified who saved us though. I’m not sure if it was this Nayru or someone else entirely. You didn’t miss much as you slept though.”

Having felt he had said more than enough, he returned completely to two important things. The task at hand that was keeping their location safe and secure was done in his mind by simply staying awake and keeping his sense sharp. He’d also account for anyone who decided to go take a walk. The other thing he was doing was considering their next move. He didn’t trust a computer AI that appeared out of nowhere. Even if its original intentions were pure, just to give it credit if it spoke the truth, how hard would it be for a hacker to alter it to do their bidding?

Besides from that though, there were many other things to consider. Discount the dragon for a moment. Where would they go, what would they decide to do? Would they seek a rematch with the administrators? No, that would be foolish. Was their goal to continue to battles the hackers then perhaps? To avenge Nall, or was it to find a way to escape through conflict with the hackers? Even if that was what they chose, could they find a way to advance in that direction as things stood now? Or was that truly their goal in the long run anyway? Escape, just a simple phrase that meant so much. They were trapped in this game, trapped with no way out. No way out they knew of at least. What if they didn’t find things, as they wanted them though? What if only some of them could log out? Who would be allowed freedom and who would remain in their confinement? Who even had the right to make those choices? Even if they could agree on it, who should go, would they, could they? Would they truly be able to abandon others behind? Some could do that with ease, he knew that much. He was getting ahead of himself though. They didn’t have any ideas on how to get out yet. And Rayo wasn’t about to place all his faith in a dragon that was often mistaken for a cat with wings.

Kurai · Post by **Kurai** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:04 am

Kurai had had enough. Listening to the little AI had made his blood boil. They were 'saved'? That was a lie. If they were saved, all of them would be waking up, moving muscles they havent moved in months. Tasting their favorite dishes, prepared by the ones who have been waiting over their inert bodies. And it wasn't just this - they were all defeated in a matter of a minute. As far as he was concerned, all of their lives mattered less.

He glanced to everyone: Gingitsune, in her mild confusion, Vera once again upset at nothing; the others with a look of concern on their face. Kurai felt his right shoulder burn with pain, just as his mind burned with anger... Kurai just couldn't take it anymore.

Kurai quickly makes a move, startling the entire group. It looked as if Kurai was after Gingitsune, but indeed was after the AI in her lap. The Treeweaver glowing a bright green, Kurai grabbed the cat dragon and pinned it against the wall, Kurai's face upturned into a snarl.

"I dont trust you. As a matter of fact, i think i'd be doing us all a favor by finishing you off right now!"

Gingi leaped to her feet, crying out for Kurai to stop; Nayru hissed, a glow of fire in its throat. Before anyone could do anything, however, Kurai had let the Dragon go and it bolted away, and Kurai was already walking for the door.

"Kurai!" Gingi yelled after him.
"What's the matter with you??" Asgard yelled, standing to his feet, his hand instictively going for his weapon.

Kurai stopped, spinning around."Whats the matter with me.... ALOT is the matter with me. We are going in circles, and it seems to me that I am the only one that notices!" An angry look was in his eyes, one that no one had ever seen. "I am sick and tired of this. Fighting hackers, getting nowhere. Fighting ADMINS because WE now are the hackers?? Its B.S."

Kurai took in a breath, and the Treeweaver seemed to dull in color. Kurai's rage didn't however. Nayru had peeked back in the room, staring at the attacker. Kurai narrowed his eyes, and spoke to them all in a very cold tone:
"Nall is dead. And its time you all got over that. He isnt coming back, so you better move on. WE are alive. It's our story, now."

Kurai pushed his way past Tirath and Rayo, and walked out the door.

Kayin · Post by **Kayin** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 7:39 am

Kayin awoke suddenly from his slumber at Kurai's outburst. But he just looked on as Kurai stormed out of the hideout. Kayin glanced at each of the members of the group and gave them each a slight nod. Kayin stood up and removed his shirt and tossed it on the bed, then proceeded to casually stroll out of the hideout.

Kayin breathed in a deep breath as he surveyed Dun Lorieg. Kayin turned and climbed up the wall of the Grunty Farm and sat on top of it. Kayin slowly relaxed as he let his thoughts catch up with him. Thoughts of his new class, thoughts of everyone's situation, thoughts of his original life, and thoughts of what he should do.

The first one he'd have to find out with experience and no other way. Everyone's situation was complex, everyone was taking the events differently with one exception, everyone was feeling stressed. His life, wasn't much of a life, he couldn't remember details but it was rather uneventful, and ruled by his job. With a quick shake of his head he muttered "This isn't so bad actually, I have more freedom here" And the last subject, what he should do... Kayin thought on this for a moment, he had always been a dreamer never a doer, but that needed to change, he needed to start acting more and thinking less, and with that came a conscious decision to continue with the group to the very end, reguardless of what happens.

Gingitsune · Post by **Gingitsune** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 1:58 pm

Gingitsune's eyes widened as Kurai stormed out of the room, angry at the entire world. It was clear that he didn't trust any of this, that no one trusted any of this, well hardly anyone... For a second she wondered if her blind faith in this hideout was completely idiotic, but something in her heart made her stop. It was true that Nall was dead, that was a given, and yes, it was their story now- and yet she somehow felt safe and protected in this environment. Gingitsune was a person that kept to her natural instincts in many occasions, and with her tail swishing from side to side she stood up on the bed, and hopped down. She walked slowly over to the place were Nayru was floating, hissing like a tea kettle, and spitting out sparks of fire.
She looked into the little creature's eyes, they were murky and amber in colour, and looked as if they were full of fluctuating fire.
"Nayru." she said, still looking at it.
"Yes?"
"Some people do not trust this place where we have been brough Nayru, what kind of guarantee can you give us that this was not the admin, or hacker's doing?"
Nayru flew around in quick, frantic circles as it thought, then came to a sudden stop.
"I have something of Nall's!" he flew over to a small table upon which was a small box, after rummaging inside of it he found a small insignia ring upon which was engraved a large 'N' in gold.
Nayru placed it in Gingitsune's outstretched hand, and flew around as she examined it.
She sighed inwardly, this may be genuine, and then, it may not be.
She would trust her own instincts, but she couldn't make everyone else follow them without real evidence.
Gingitsune smiled at the little creature, returning the ring which Nayru took reverently and placed back in the box.
"Thank you Nayru..." she said, sitting on the corner of her bed pensively. It was evident that Rayo and Tirath had taken on the task of watch that night, and she doubted whether many of the others would sleep at all, she herself had just awoken from a long slumber, and didn't think she'd be able to fall back asleep again for quite awhile.
What they really needed was something to take their minds off all of the battles, too much stress could ruin a person, what they needed was some kind of distraction, or perhaps entertainment.

Dun Loireag --> Enter Nayru