Sword Art Online; T for swearing; no pairings
November 1st, 2023
Kirito had been hearing of this person, this 'Messenger' for many weeks now. It was, apparently, an AI that could communicate with the real world -for a price. He had yet to hear of what that price was. He had heard, however, that it was very steep.
So now here he was, wandering around Floor 32, wondering what the hell to do with himself.
Kirito felt a small tug on the back of his coat as he sat on a low stone wall, staring off into the sunset. He turned and looked down to see a small girl standing there, one white-gloved hand fisted in the skirt of her pure white dress, the other still attached to the back of his jacket.
"Um, hello…?" He hadn't seen very many child-AIs. "Who are you?"
"Will you help me find my daddy and mommy?" the girl asked, blinking wide, innocent blue eyes at him. The girl looked to be somewhere between five and three. She had waist-length golden curls lied loosely back, a few escaping to frame her heart-shaped white face. Her tiny feet were covered in pristine black patent shoes with small silver buckles, with knee-high white socks.
She looked like a porcelain doll.
"I, um…" Kirito stared at her confusedly. "Eh…"
"Please help me find my mommy and daddy," she asked, crystal-blue eyes brimming with tears. Her lower lip quivered.
"Eh, uh, yeah!" the blackette leapt to his feet, dislodging her hand from his jacket. "Of course I'll help you find your parents."
"You-you will?" she grinned from ear to ear, exposing a set of perfectly even, opal-white teeth. She wiped her tears away, launching herself up into his arms. "Oh, thank you mister, thank you!"
"Now, what's your name?" Kirito asked curiously, feeling her wrap strong little legs tightly around his waist.
"Call me Angel," she grinned, tossing her arms around his neck. "And what's your name, mister?"
"I'm…Kirito," he smiled at her. It was impossible not to like the dear child.
"Kirito…?" she tasted the name, rolling the word around her mouth. "Kirito! I like it!"
"Thanks," the teenager grinned faintly. "I like your name too."
She giggled, blushing cutely, and buried her face in his neck.
The two started heading in to town together.
"Hey, Angel…" Kirito gently shook the blonde awake, setting her on the top of a low stone wall. "Sweetheart, time for you to wake up now."
"Kito," she whined, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Mm, I'm hungry…"
"Uh…" he had no clue what to do in this situation. "What…would you like to eat, Angel?"
"Honey," she yawned, "and grits."
"…Honey…and…grits…?" he deadpanned. Where the hell could he get that? "Okay, uh, honey and grits it is."
A young female AI wearing all-black men's clothing stopped next to him, watching him panic for a long moment. Her lips curled into a slow smile, "I can show you where to find that, sir."
"You could?" Kirito turned to her eagerly. "Really?"
"Yes," she nodded, blonde bob shifting slightly. Somehow, she had a curl on the left side of her face that seemed unattached to her head. "If you would, follow me, please." She turned away, black cloak swishing around her.
"Yes! Okay, we can do that," Kirito nodded excitedly, lifting Angel back onto his hip and following quickly after the blonde. "So, hey, um, what's your name, anyway?"
"I have many," she chuckled lightly, glancing back at him. Her eyes were two different colors; one half of each was a bright, unnatural violet, the other half a blood-red. "But you may call me Ane, Kirito."
"Awesome," he nodded slightly. Then he caught, staring at her confusedly. "Hey, how do you know my name?"
She smirked, "I'm sure you would just love to know. We are here."
"What?" He stared around. Just next to them was a brightly lip shop emanating the warm, homey smell of cider and honey. "Oh! We're here! Thank you, Ane," he turned to where she had been, but where there was now only distinctly empty space. "Um…"
Angel slithered down off of him, walking up to the front of the shop. She pressed her nose to the window, staring in at all the delicious pastries and things.
"Kirito!" she exclaimed, leaping back over. "Are we really really going in there?" She giggled excitedly, clasping her hands in front of her.
"Yes," he nodded, smiling at her eagerness. "We are."
"Yay~!" Angel took his hand and dragged him into the shop.
Kirito couldn't help but grin light-heartedly. She was so adorable, it shouldn't have been legal.
"You missed a spot, sweetheart," Kirito said, dabbing at her pink rosebud lips with a cloth napkin.
She giggled, poking her finger into the honey pot and swiping it messily across Kirito's lips. "You missed a spot to, Kito~!"
He chuckled amusedly, licking his lips. He stuck his tongue out at her.
Angel grinned, swiping the spoon from the honey pot. She stuck it in her mouth, sucking all the honey off it, and held it in the air like a small silver scepter. "Kito, Kito, messy messy Kito~!" And then she yawned widely, blinking in surprise. "Oh, oopsies. Sleepy~."
"Alright," he chuckled lightly, standing. He pulled her out of her chair, walking up to the lady behind the counter if there were any inns nearby.
"You can stay in the room behind here, if you'd like," the buxom brunette smiled brightly, pushing her glasses up her nose. "It's pretty cheap, compared to some of the other places around here. Y'interested?"
"Mm…" Kirito hesitated, glancing down at the yawning blonde in his arms. "I think, yeah, I'd best. How much?"
She quickly named off a scathingly cheap price, which Kirito quickly agreed to. He gave her the amount, and was led back to a warm, cozy, shockingly spacious back bedroom. It had two single beds and a chair between them, a standing lamp behind the chair.
"Thank you," Kirito said gratefully, setting Angel gently down on the bed closer to the wall.
"Oh, no problem," the player laughed lightly, closing the door softly behind herself as she left.
"Kirito…"
The black-haired teenager was instantly awake, head twisting to look to the left. "Angel…? What do you need?"
"I c-can't sleep," she sniffled softly, rubbing her eyes. Her curls were, somehow, still perfectly formed -not a single hair out of place.
"Oh…?" his eyebrows rose. "What do you want me to do, sweetheart?"
"I want to sleep with you," she pleaded, pouting at him.
"All…right…I suppose," he sighed softly, shifting over.
The petite girl gave a soft snuffle and dove under the covers beside him, fisting his shirt. "Thank you, Kito…"
"You're welcome, Angel," Kirito said softly, brushing her hair back from her face tenderly. He really was getting far too attached to her…
"Oh, she's so cute!"
"Oh my gosh, is she yours?"
"Hey honey; what's your name?"
Kirito stared at the three young women who had flocked to him the instant he stepped from the shop. "Erm, um, thanks; no; her name's Angel and I'm just bringing her home. She got lost."
"You're so nice," the tallest one said, smiling. She had shoulder-length brown hair streaked with honey and silver.
"Helping a little lost lamb like this," the middle one said with a cocky grin. She seemed like the type unable to smile any other way. Her silver-blonde hair was probably only two inches long and slicked straight back.
"You'll surely be rewarded," the last, shortest, one said, pushing her glasses back up her nose. Her hair was chin length and pure ebony, contrasting nicely with her creamy white skin.
"I'm not looking to be," Kirito mumbled, placing a reassuring hand on Angel's head. "She's sweet; that's the only reward I need."
Angel beamed up at him, looking even more like her namesake.
The three girls laughed together, backing away. "Goodbye," they waved.
"We'll probably see you later," the blonde one called back, hands cupped around her mouth. Her crystal blue eyes twinkled amusedly at his confusion.
Rejoining with another blonde, this one's hair more the color of sun-touched hay, they all laughed at her new purchase -a mace.
"…Who…?" Kirito cocked his head to the side, brow wrinkling in confusion. "Do I know them?"
"Not personally, I think," Angel said lightly, voice sounding strangely distant. "They're the Dark Ladies pirate guild. At least, that's their official title. They're one of the groups on the front lines; one of the best, even…"
"…Angel…?" Kirito frowned slightly at her.
"Huh?" she blinked up at him with wide eyes. "What? Did I say something?"
"Um, no," he shook his head. "Come on; let's take you home."
"Okay~!" Angel giggled and latched onto his hand, skipping beside him happily.
"Are you sure we're almost there?" Kirito asked guardedly, staring around. He didn't like the area they were in; too creepy and dark for his tastes.
"Yup!" Angel chirped, releasing his hand and dashing forward. "See? Here we are, Kito~!" She pushed open a well-oiled wrought-iron gate and skipped past, practically dancing up the wide dirt path.
Kirito frowned slightly, picking up his pace. He came upon Angel standing, still as stone, on the edge of a clearing off to the side of the path. "Angel, honey?"
She turned to him, smiling sadly. "Thank you, Kirito…"
"…Angel?" Kirito was confused. His gaze flicked between the petite girl and the stone pedestal in the center of the clearing and he went to his knees, hands outstretched to gather the child back into his arms. "What's going on?" He didn't like where this was going.
"You did a great job," Angel said softly, placing a slim hand on his cheek. "But it's time for me to go now, okay?" Her hand slid from his cheek, and she pulled a small silver ring off her right middle finger. "Here, Kito. Take this, please," she pressed it into his hand.
Kirito felt his fingers curling around the tiny silver circle. "Angel…"
"Sh," the tiny girl touched a finger to his lips. "I'll be okay; this is what I was designed for. I'm a way to the Messenger, Kirito. With this," she tapped his hand that held the ring, "you can summon her seven times. You cannot use me again for this. There are thirteen ways to contact her. Each time you will get a ring. Each time they will be silver. Each time you will never be able to use that way again. And each time you will cry." She suddenly smiled, leaning forward to give Kirito a slight kiss on the cheek. "Only a few other people have been nice enough to help me, Kito, and you were my favorite." She turned and skipped away, clambering onto the pedestal.
"An…gel…" Kirito bit his lips, drawing blood.
"Thank you," the little girl said again, clasping her hands before her, as if in prayer. She tilted her head to the sky, smiling contentedly. With a small shake of her head, she adjusted her curls.
The hardest thing was to watch her turn to stone before his eyes. It was a quick process, but still so agonizing for him.
He had to close his eyes as her face became stone, cementing her smile into place. Her crystal blue eyes became unseeing gray, her white skin dulling.
He swiped away the single tear that had fallen and stood, pulling off his right glove. The silver ring was a perfect fit for his pinky, where it stayed, hidden under his glove. Stepping forward, he brushed his fingers over the stone pedestal Angel perched on.
"'The Hardest Part of Ending is Starting Again,'" he read thoughtfully, brushing some moss off the words. "True… Hatefully so."
Kirito turned away, vowing to never return to that spot -and to never forget.
A quiet giggle echoed around him, and he found himself smiling again. "I'll miss you, Angel."
Good…