Reason

"Because I want to try... isn't that reason enough?"

- A-20

Reason is the seventh episode of .hack//SIGN.

Story
Mimiru seeks Bear's advice on what she should do about Tsukasa. Bear tells Mimiru that it's up to her to decide, and that he will search for information about the real life player behind Tsukasa. Bear advises Mimiru not to worry about Tsukasa until he gets more information on him.

At Dun Loireag, Mimiru meets a Twin Blade girl, but ignores her as she proceeds to the dungeon she met Tsukasa in. She recalls her first encounter with Tsukasa and wonders why she had to meet him in the first place. Once again depressed, Mimiru returns to the Root Town and is approached by the same player she met earlier. The player, a newbie named A-20, wants to form a party with Mimiru and go through a dungeon in Carmina Gadelica despite having played for only two weeks. After some prodding, A-20 succeeds in getting Mimiru to join her.

Inside the dungeon, A-20 explains that she started playing The World to try it out, but finds it boring and pointless. The two encounter a monster and A-20 reveals that she is much weaker than she said, having actually only played The World for one week. Mimiru dispatches the monster and, disgusted at the lie, leaves A-20 stranded.

After a short talk with BT, Mimiru meets with Subaru at Mac Anu. Subaru says that she wishes to search out Tsukasa despite the Crimson Knights' current policy to avoid him at all costs. Mimiru tells her that it's better to resolve the issue rather than to leave things as they are. These words seem to remind Mimiru of what she ought to do, and she returns to the Carmina Gadelica dungeon to rejoin A-20 and help her.

Mimiru finds A-20 severely weakened and heals her. Mimiru asks why she didn't just escape the dungeon, to which A-20 replies that she doesn't like leaving things unfinished. When asked why Mimiru came back, she gives the same reply. Further in the dungeon, the two work together to defeat a strong monster and eventually make their way to the bottom level and the Gott Statue. Inside the chest is a Golden Grunty, which Mimiru gives to A-20 despite her objections. Before leaving the field, Mimiru tells A-20 to stick with playing The World a bit longer.

The episode ends with Mimiru composing an e-mail message to Bear and BT, expressing her desire to continue involvement with Tsukasa.

Trivia

 * Although A-20 is a Twin Blade, she is shown wielding only a single dagger in this episode.