Lily229

He graciously took her hand and stood up. He flashed her a friendly, but shy, smile. “It’s my fault really.” He pulled his hand away and blushed slightly. “Well see you around.” He waved as he brushed past her.

Lily turned and waved back. “Yeah, see you around….oh wait I never got your name!” but he was gone before he could hear her. “Nevermind then I suppose.” She said shrugging and continuing her search.

“There’s got to be a better way to find someone then to hunt them down like this,” she said eyeing hallways looking for anyone familiar. Then, it hit her. “Oh, duh. I can just send Daisuke a PM or something….”

“Rose!” called a seductive voice from behind her.

Lily turned and looked as Mistress came running out of a hallway that read ‘Anime Discussion’. Lily panicked slightly, then remembered to act cool and natural.

“Rose!” cried Mistress, embracing Lily. “I’m so glad to see you. You ran off like that I was so worried I…. Oh. Oh my you’re not Rose.” Her smooth cheeks turned a dark red. “I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

Lily rubbed the back of her neck. “Let me guess, you probably thought I was my twin sister hmm? Yeah we get that a lot.”

“Oh, she said she had a sister, I guess I forgot she said twins.” Mistress extended her perfectly manicured hand. “I’m Mistress. Did your sister ever find you?”

“Lily; and yeah she did. She was cooing about the ring you gave her. What kind of store did you buy it from?”

“I didn’t buy it. It was hand made by a crafter in the Crimson Village apparently....”

“Crimson Village?” asked Lily.

“It’s the Village toward the north past the Forest of Cherry Blossoms. My grandfather was originally from there before he traveled here to wed my grandmother. This ring…”

“You mean the Hacker Village?!” cried Lily, causing some people to turn around and stare.

Mistress shushed her. “Do not call it that, not aloud anyway. Tensions are high recently between the Village and NC. Most members do not know of it, and those who do, know it as the Crimson Village. Hackers’ aren’t bad Lily, but people here just wouldn’t understand.”

“Why is it called the Crimson Village?”

“I’m not for sure, when I asked my grandfather that he kind of went silent and ignored the question. I don’t even think my grandmother knows it.”
“Why did you give that kind of ring to Rose?”

“I’m not all that sure really.” She stared down at her rings, all shining in the sunlight. They wept with sparkles of dazzling light at her beauty. “When I saw her, I just knew I had to give her that ring. There’s something about it that called to me to give it to her. I bet she was pretty freaked out by it.”

Lily shook her head. “Not really, a little, but not much. Are you looking for her I take it?”

Mistress nodded. “I left her a PM but she hasn’t replied to it yet. So if you see her, please tell her that I wish to see her once more. She seems like an interesting kind of person.”

Lily nodded. “I’ll tell her when I see her.” Behind her back she flicked a couple of black rose charms.

Mistress nodded and turned to walk off. “One more thing, Lily. Please do not tell Rose where that ring came from, for if word got out….well it could end badly. Most people here are scared of Virus’s and the Crimson Village welcomes them with open arms. So, I’m sure you can see the dilemma I’m facing.”

Lily nodded. “I promise. It’s our secret Mistress.” Mistress smiled and waved slightly as she walked off into the ocean of people. Lily stared down at her bracelet. “Perhaps I could give Black Rose one free day. No biggie really.”

She looked around making sure no one was watching or following her and power walked down the nearest hallway. It was pretty much deserted; she saw rooms once again instead of a lounge in the back. She gripped the handle on one door and slipped inside. She was in a huge room with flat TV screens everywhere. In the middle of the room was a giant red orb floating inside was little pictures and boxes. She reached inside and Veronica’s voice came on.

“That you for selecting our Video Game section. Please choose the name of your game and consol you wish to play it on. You will be assigned a number as soon as said game and consol have been located. Thanks and enjoy the gaming.”

Lily stared at it, confused. She removed her hand and the voice stopped talking. She checked all the TV’s; there was no one here. “You’d think something this cool would be constantly preoccupied,” she chuckled to herself as she gripped onto a black rose charm. “Come on out Black Rose!” she yelled as she ripped off yet another black rose charm.

The bright red orb seemed to melt away around her. She felt the floor slip away from her once again, but it was if she was falling. Lily had never felt this type of transformation before with Rose. She didn’t like it. The sun itself seemed to hide away in fear of the darkness that was crawling under her skin like a bug that you could not squish. Lily clenched her eyes shut, the turning of her insides made her want to vomit. When she felt the ground become solid once more, she opened her eyes and peered around.

She was back inside the Video Game room, her long brown hair falling gracefully at her side. She felt the tips to them, no split ends and it felt like soft silk that poured from the roots of her head. That confirmed it. She was definitely in Rose's body without even glancing at herself.

She walked happily over to the door when the doorhandle turned and the door opened slightly. A tall man stood before her. He had on a navy blue tank top and loose-fitting jeans. His skin was the color of a bran new penny that seemed to shine in the sunlight that slipped into the window. His deep dark chocolate eyes smiled down at her as he glided into the room like a pro. "Hi," he said, flashing her a friendly smile before walking over to the giant orb and picking out a game and consol.

Veronica's voice entered. "Member Identification Code: Shadowclone. Password: ********. Accepted. Please proceed to Station number 5."
Lily, now in Rose form, decided to try and have a friendly chat. "So, your name is Shadowclone huh?"

He turned around and gave her a funny look. "Yeah that's right." He extended his hand which she took. "Nice to meet you. Are you new here?"

Lily nodded. "My name’s L....Rose. My name is Rose," she said trying to act casual. She leaned back to lean against the wall, thinking she was closer. She almost fell back when she caught herself and brushed down her skirt. Blushing, she giggled nervously.

He looked around for something to say to break the silence. "Do you like video games or something?"

Lily nodded furiously. "Yes, I'm a gaming freak. I just wasn't sure how it worked."

"Oh it's very simple." Shadowclone pointed to the red orb. "Just stick your hand in there, it'll confirm your member ID and let you play video games until you're done. You're welcome to play 2 player with me if you'd like."

Lily was about to take up the offer when she remembered her real reason for being Rose. "I actually have to meet someone. But maybe when I'm done with that. Does the offer expire?"

He shrugged and shook his head. "I'm normally here for a while. If I'm not perhaps tomorrow then, Rose."

Lily smiled and stepped in the doorway. She lightly gripped the handle with her left hand and waved with her right. "Bye then. Nice meeting you, Shadowclone."

He waved at her as she closed the door. "The feelings mutual, Rose."

Before Lily let go of the doorknob, she noticed Mistress's ring on her left ring finger. The soft green stone gleamed in the lights above her, it didn't seem to give off the glow she felt it deserved. She heard soft sandle footsteps behind her and felt a warm sensation rush over her. Lily turned to see Mistress walking down toward her, her jewelry dangling loosely on her tender body.

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