Recollection

"I left you to carry a heavy load, and since you've grown stronger."

- Crim

Recollection is the nineteenth episode of .hack//SIGN.

Story
As Subaru wanders aimlessly throughout The World, she recalls her first meeting with Crim and how he taught her to be honest with herself, stand up for herself, and maintain a proper attitude when dealing with others. Prior to meeting with Crim, she would wait in the same field every day at the same time, hoping to meet with others. One day, she and Crim are attacked by a group of PKers. Subaru stands up to them and asks them to refrain from killing newbies. The PKers scoff at her, asking her who she is to make such a request. Crim backs her up and replies, "You can call us the Crimson Knights!"

The reborn Subaru soon formed a guild of players who shared the same ideals and worked to help bring order to The World. The small guild grew to a larger organization, becoming the guild prominently featured earlier in the series.

At Hulle Granz Cathedral, Subaru is met by Salu, a former Knight that requests that she reform the Crimson Knights to go against the new organization led by Silver Knight. Subaru tells him that the Knights lost their way and that he should find his own path.

Subaru then recalls the day Crim quit the Crimson Knights. Crim and Silver Knight cross blades over a difference in ideals. Silver Knight chastised Crim for not being a model player while Crim did not believe in taking their job so seriously. Crim airily said he quit right there, much to the shock of Silver Knight. Subaru believed that Crim played the role of a villain because the Knights had become too large and powerful, but Crim tells her that he simply didn't enjoy playing the game as a member of the Crimson Knights.

Subaru stops reminiscing for a while and meets Kaochin, a player with the same avatar model as her. Kaochin approaches her and begins chatting. She reveals her disdain for Subaru (because players accuse her of copying Subaru's look) and the Crimson Knights. Kaochin then ends her friendly facade and reveals her intention to kill Subaru or force her to retreat so she can humiliate her by posting a log of the conversation. Subaru remembers the strength Crim gave her and stands up to Kaochin, refusing to play into her hands. Angered, Kaochin attacks Subaru and leaves without finishing her off.

Weakened from the attack, Subaru slowly makes her way to another area where she finds Tsukasa. Tsukasa is shocked to see her in her disheveled appearance and goes to her. Subaru asks Tsukasa why he was waiting in the area, to which he doesn't know but figured if he waited, he would meet her. She then tells him she was the one who was waiting and cries in his arms as he consoles her. As the episode ends, it is shown that the player controlling Subaru is confined to a wheelchair and is also crying. Tsukasa then tells Subaru that he's "right here" with her.