TheKaiSenpai does not own any of this stuff. Now get off my lawn!

XXXXX

Chapter One: Bonds

XXXXX

[Rakuwakai Marutamachi Hospital] [Kyoto] [March 23rd, 2025] [2:40 PM] [Suzuki Hana]

The day I lost my son, I died a little inside. Knowing he was trapped inside of a video game, I couldn't help but cry and curse and shout. It was agonizing, knowing that some madman had taken my son from me and I never even knew if I'd have him back. Those two years were hellish, and I can only feel terrible that it started to become normal to see my son in such a sorry state. Laying in that hospital bed, the nearly malnourished face of my son became what I saw when I remembered him. Long forgotten was the sarcastic, witty and stoic son of mine. In his place was a weak, helpless young man that couldn't even eat on his own. And yet, staring at my child as he looks down on the young woman he claims as his 'fiancé' with such a dead and helpless expression, I can't help but die once more inside.

He tries to hide it behind a stonewall face. He tries to not be a burden on anyone, but I can see it from the way his hands twitch. The way his eyes dart over the auburn girl's form as if trying to memorize it and compare it to whomever he saw in that game. I can tell that he's completely in love with her; and completely dying inside seeing that she hasn't woken up, yet. And yet I see that same knowing look in his eyes. As if he knows exactly why she hasn't woken up. I let out a silent sigh. A reincarnation. An old man. He looks like an old man. Maybe not in flesh, but in mind. It's hard to believe that my son is the reincarnation of incredibly powerful men. Hard to believe that he's lived several lifetimes. And yet, I feel as if I've always known. It explains so much about his behavior as a child. But through it all, he'll always be my son. I gave birth to him. I raised him. He's my flesh and blood, no matter who else he might have been. So it kills me to see him so depressed.

"Keito…" I rest my hand on his shoulder. He flinches, but otherwise doesn't say a word. Still, he nods and acknowledges my presence. "We should get some food, dear. Your father would like to meet us for lunch. Didn't you say you wanted to try one of the restaurants owned by a friend? What was his name?"

"Agil," replies the raspy voice. It's smoother than what it had been from when he woke up, but not all the damage has been repaired. "Yeah, he re-opened recently. I'd like that." He turns to look at me and I put on a smile for him. "Someday we'll go with Asuna-chan there and we can have dinner all together." I nodded slowly, but I felt my smile waver. He was married… It might not have been in real life, but it was real to him. That made it real enough for me. My little boy was already married…

"You're making me feel old, Keito-chan," I tease him, making his cheeks flush red with embarrassment. "I hope you're serious about this girl. I'll want grandbabies if you make me feel this old!" I smile as the young man before me allows himself to smirk through his own blush. "I fear you'll make you'll make me die of shock if you have any other surprises in store for me." My son groans with embarrassment, making me smile. As grown up as he sometimes seems, he was still such a child deep down.

"Well…" he trails off. I gasp and grasp at my chest over my heart, feigning a heart attack. "W-Well, that can wait," he stammers, holding out his hands towards me as if I were the fragile one. We slowly walk towards the door of the room when it opens. Walking inside is a middle aged man carrying some flowers, with chocolate brown hair that comes back to a receding hairline. He looks bony and skinny, not unlike my son; though I doubt he has the crippling malnutrition of two years to back up his own unhealthy look. Still, my son remains respectful and bows lightly.

"Yuuki-san," Keito greets the man. The man, while his face seems to be soft with concern, otherwise nods in a cold return greeting. "She will wake soon. I know she will." I shoot my son a concerned look, but he doesn't pay me any attention. His focus is completely on the man before him. Yuuki Shouzou, as I'd come to learn his name from a prior introduction, simply sighs.

"I appreciate your concern, Suzuki-san," he tells my son. "However, the money my daughter is costing me to remain in medical care does not leave me optimistic. Far be it from me to pull the plug, but if she were to die of natural causes…"

"She will wake up, Shouzou," Keito's fists clench, something that Asuna-chan's father doesn't miss either. "It's only a matter of when. And I can assure you that it will be soon." It must be hard, knowing that your daughter hasn't woken up in the two months since the completion of the game, as Yuuki's brow furrows with hope, but also a sense of grim acceptance. He wanted badly for his daughter to wake, but had little hope left to actually believe it. "Keep Nobuyuki-san at bay for another month and I'll be certain your daughter will have woken from her coma. And when she does-"

"If she does," Yuuki corrects, "then yes, I will give you permission to legally marry her. But until then, Sugo-san is Asuna-chan's legal fiancé. I hardly know you, Suzuki-san. As much as I like you as a person, you're still a stranger to me." Keito simply nods as Yuuki then starts to walk for the door. He pauses. "Just… don't let me down, Suzuki-san." With that, Asuna's father leaves the room. Keito lets out a breath that I don't think he knew he was holding.

"Bastard," he curses, making me blink. That wasn't like him. "Not Yuuki-san. That bastard, Nobuyuki. I can't lose to him. And…" His fists clench again with rage. I've never seen my son so alit with rage before. He was always so calm and collected. Whatever had happened in that game must have changed him somehow. I notice as Keito takes a deep breath before allowing himself to relax. He glances back at Asuna with a tired expression on his face. I wish my son didn't have to look so old.

"Keito, we should go grab some food," I tell him. I rest my hand on his shoulder, and he looks back at me. He looks exhausted. "I'm sure Asuna-chan wouldn't want you to starve yourself over worrying about her." He chuckles, and the hints of a smile form on his lips.

"You're right as always, mother," he tells me. "She would probably yell at me and tell me that I was wasting my time." He flinches. "Then she'd probably smack me for being an idiot." I can't help but laugh as I indirectly come to know my hopefully future daughter-in-law. She sounded perfect for my son. God knows he needs someone who can keep him grounded to this life. "Father will be meeting with us, correct?"

"He will," I confirm. Knowing my husband, he'd want to spend some time with his son. While it would cut a little bit into his work, my husband had a heart of gold. It was what led me to fall in love with him in the first place; the lazy bum that he was. "I sent him the address to your friend's restaurant earlier, so he'll text me when he arrives." He nods in response and heads for the door. His pace is slow and measured, but aside from that it's hard to tell that he was bed-ridden only a month or so back. It took a few weeks of therapy to get him on his feet again, but as always, he'd powered through it. I guess the chance to see Asuna-chan again had fueled his passion and desire to walk.

The walk through the hospital is neither loud nor quiet. It was a place of consistency, never-changing aside from the technological advancements of the machinery being used. I smile at a few of the nurses that I knew had tended to my son, but otherwise ignore the rest of the staff. My son, on the other hand, waved to nearly everybody he passed. It was a habit which hadn't existed before he had been trapped in that video game. From what I could tell, he had been pretty important. A figurehead and a powerful fighter, at the very least. Part of me was proud of him. Even though I'm sure the seeds had always been there I was happy to see my child on the route for success. Now, if only he'd decide what he wanted as a career.

"Agil will have a table prepped for us," my son speaks up, putting away his phone. "It's not too far, so we can walk the distance." I nod as we exit the hospital.

"Will any of your other friends be there?" I ask, a bit curious to meet them. He never had many friends prior, so I wanted to meet any new ones he'd made. I was curious about my son's life and I didn't want to be a neglectful mother. My son shrugs in response to the question.

"I dunno," he tells me. "I guess we'll see." We walk in relative silence after. While to most it might seem uncomfortable, it wasn't to me. My boy simply didn't speak unless he had something to speak about. Idle chatter wasn't something he relished in. To do so would be even more uncomfortable.

True to form, we arrive at the small restaurant in only a few minutes. My husband had not yet arrived, but the place already has a few patrons. It's homey and looks comfortable. It has the feel of a tavern more than a normal restaurant; complete with a bar, round tables, candles and sconces, as well as a fire-place in the corner; though it looks decorational. Behind the bar stands a man with dark skin and trimmed facial hair. He's thin, though looks like he had once been quite muscled. His eyes pass over towards us and he waves.

"DaTa!" He calls my son over, and I notice he walks a bit faster and with a smile on his face. "How's my least favorite customer?"

"Doing about as well as your business, I'm sure," Keito responds. I approach the two at a much more relaxed pace than my son. "That is to say, rather well despite not having any reason to be."

"Ahh, as shrewd as always you little bastard," Agil replies. He looks over to me. I can tell that he must be just younger than me. "This is your mom I take it?" I nod and offer the man a smile. He offers me his hand in return. "Andrew Gilbert, nice to meet you." He pauses, "Er, that is Gilbert Andrew. I'm from America and it's been a while since I've had to use my real name. Got mixed up for a sec."

"Suzuki Hana," I introduce myself in kind. "I've heard much about you from my son."

"All good things, I hope," Andrew replies, smiling nervously. I shoot my son a sly grin.

"I heard you were quite the salesman of second-hand products," I twist the truth to my liking. Keito's eyes widen as Andrew shoots him a dirty look. "Wasn't that what you said, Keito? That he made his money swindling others in that game of yours?"

"Dirty lies!" My son protests. "I didn't say that at all!" I wink knowingly at Andrew when he looks towards me inquisitively. He catches on.

"Damn, Keito," Andrew sighs, crossing his arms and shaking his head disappointedly. "I didn't know you felt that way about me. To think, I sold you that wedding ring for Asuna so you could propose to her." Keito looks like he's about to blow his top. "Not to mention that ring for Lilly as well." Lilly?

"Who's Lilly, Keito?" I ask, my mind putting together the pieces slowly. He didn't... Andrew's expression suddenly shifts and my son's face goes pale.

"Ah... surprise...?" He speaks as if his life has ended. I sigh and cross my own arms under my chest.

"Oh, my son is a lecherous beast," I faux cry. "One woman simply wasn't enough for him so he went and pursued another! How could my son have come out this way?"

"Mom!" Keito whines, his face now beet red with embarrassment. I don't even consider stopping. This is too fun! "Stop, you're making me look bad in front of my friend!

"My son will never get married! He'll remain a perverted beast for the remainder of his life! Oh, I'll never have legitimate grandchildren now!" Andrew is laughing and I can't help but pop a smile of my own.

"What's this about our son being a lecher?" I hear my husband's voice from behind us. It has a lazy drawl to it, but I'll be damned if it wasn't sexy. I turn around to face the lanky man; his black hair is combed to the side and he wears a simple black business suit complete with a green tie. His skin is naturally a bit darker than mine which had been passed down to Keito.

"Our son had two wives in that game of his, Shikaru," I weep fake tears. "He'll be nothing but a pervert for the rest of his life; taking innocent women to unleash upon his beastly urges!" Shikaru turns to our child.

"That true, kid?" He asks. Keito nods slowly, cheeks still red. Shika ruffles his son's hair.

"Nice job, kid."

"You idiot!" I growl and slam my fist against the very top of my idiot husband's head. It's not hard enough to hurt, but I'm sure it shocked him. "Ugh, I can't believe you'd encourage our son to have two wives." Shika groans and rubs his head, though I'm sure he's doing it more for show than actual pain.

"You're right. Maybe I should tell him to run while he can," the dead man says. "After all, it seems like one woman is troublesome enough." This time I'm sure my fist hurts. After re-educating my husband about how little help he was, I let out a sigh and look around for a table to sit. After walking and standing for so long, my feet were beginning to grow tired. I find a table at the corner and lead my husband over; him and that goofy smile on his face. I roll my eyes but can't help but smile at him. He was an idiot, but somehow he was my idiot. My son had since been talking to Andrew and soon finishes his conversation; joining us after.

"Andrew says he'll be right over to take our order," Keito informs us, sitting down. "He needs to go over his stock again to see what he has fresh, so it'll take a few minutes.

"In the meantime, then," Shika speaks up. "Why not tell us about these girls of yours? I get that you're into them, but how are they? What are they like?"

"How did you meet? Maybe tell us how you fell in love?" I add. My son blushes as he stammers for words. He was so cute, with his inability to express himself. It was kind of sad in a way, but still cute. "Well? We're waiting, Keito."

"I guess... I should start with Asuna," he sighs.

XXXXX

I can tell my parents are listening intently as I describe my first meeting with Asuna-chan. To be fair, it was kind of an abrupt first meeting. I think they can tell but listen as I describe the first few hours of the game to them before I go about telling them about my wife. To be honest, I'm not sure how to explain it. My parents in my past lives have never met my previous wives, so it's strange to me. It's uncomfortable. And strangely enough, I don't mind. I feel like a normal guy describing his girlfriend to his parents and I feel... normal. Right as I mention how we were all transported to the central gathering point on the first floor, Andrew comes to take our orders. I think he can tell what I'm doing, so he doesn't pursue a conversation with us. My mother takes the intermission as a chance to speak up.

"You knew you were going to be trapped in that game," my mother doesn't ask so much as say. "You left us that note and... and... I was so worried about you!" She sounds angry, but not at me. Maybe she doesn't know who to be angry at. "I don't care who you think you really are, you're my son! How could you leave us like that so willingly?" Two years worth of tears spill out of my mother's eyes, and I can feel my heart ache. My father rubs her shoulder as she cries. Her sobs are quiet since she's probably trying not to cause a scene, but it still hurts. I hated my first parents. I murdered my second. This was a new feeling for me, and I can't help but feel tears forming in my own eyes.

"I'm sorry, mother," I apologize, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself. It wasn't working. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I'd hurt you so much." I realize my voice is shaking as I speak.

"You're such an idiot, just like your father," my mother laughs through her tears, trying to calm us both down. I feel a smile on my face. "God only knows how I can put up with the both of you. I swear you'll send me to an early grave!" I chuckle and shake my head, using the napkin that had been placed on the table to dry my tears. My mother does the same before blowing her nose. From the corner of my vision I can see Agil looking over towards us, probably confused out of his mind. "Oh dear... I think I've gotten it out of my system." My mother smiles once more. "Please, keep going. I assume you met Asuna not long after?"

"That's right," I confirm. "In fact, it was in that very place that I joined up with her." I continue briefly how I noticed her beside me and try to pass it off as an accident. A lucky convenience. My voice hitches, however. My father notices.

"You knew exactly who she was, didn't you?" He asks me, interrupting me. "I don't know how, but you knew. You know a lot more than you should, actually..." My old man trails off for a brief moment. "You told us in your note that you had past lives; all of them quite extraordinary. But you never go before that time you were a shinobi, even though you hinted you'd lived even before then." My father pauses, looking at me appraisingly. "You were from this reality before then, weren't you? That's how you know the things going on here before they happen. The election in America, the economy boom, technology you shouldn't even know about if you'd never been here before. Hell, you play video games like second nature. You shouldn't know how to do that if you've never been here before." I smile and nod. My father was smart.

"It's not quite this reality," I tell him, garnering a confused look from my mother and an expression of intrigue from my father. "In my first life it was much the same, except Sword Art Online was... a manga turned anime." His eyes narrow. "I didn't realize it until the NerveGear came out, but that's only because things are so similar to how they originally were. In my original life the NerveGear never existed. It was the plot device used in an anime. All of Sword Art Online was. It's how I knew the ins and outs of it. How I knew it existed. How I knew I'd be trapped. I've seen the entirety of it and I wanted to be a part of it."

"Why...?" My mother asks softly. "What would make you want to be caught up in such a thing?" I frown, not really knowing the answer for myself. I guess the closest answer was...

"I was bored," I tell them. "I'm a warrior at heart, mother. I've fought through wars and battle is my bread and butter. All I've ever known for the last few lifetimes is conflict and fighting. I missed the rush." While I could tell it wasn't the answer my mother wanted to hear, it looked like my father understood. His eyes were shut and he was stroking his chin contemplatively. My mother, however, looked like she wanted to protest. And yet, she could find no words to do so. "I'm a warrior, mother," I reiterate. "I live for battle, no matter how normal I become." My mother sighs and seems to want to drop the subject. I oblige. "I take it you want to know what Asuna is like, am I right?" I nod towards Agil in thanks as he sets down plates of food in front of us. We begin to eat and speak between mouthfuls.

"Actually, tell us about this other girl," my father has me continue.

"Lilly," my mother updates him of my other wife's name. "It doesn't sound like a Japanese name. Is she foreign?"

"She's-" I'm interrupted as the door opens. I was seated facing the entrance, so I could easily see the two that had entered. They were both very familiar faces. "Actually, why not ask the two who've know her longer than I? PaperGirl, Hisao!" I wave the two older teens over to me. The female has on a long-sleeved shirt and pants that reach down to her ankles. Her raven; almost violet hair easily covers up her right side of her face, hiding burn scars that I knew were there. She has on a soft brown cap as well, likely keeping her hair in place. The young man is wearing a t-shirt as opposed to his girlfriend. His eyes are a hazel color, and his brown hair seems to have been trimmed back since I last saw him.

The two of them look surprised to see me, but approach. The girl seems nervous at the sight of my parents, but she only hesitates slightly. She doesn't make a move to cover her scars; which I knew covered the entirety of the right side of her body. "I-It's Hanako, actually..." She tells me when they arrive at our table. "Ikezawa H-Hanako," she has on a nervous smile, trying to put on a brave face in front of my parents. The expression on my parents' faces soften.

"I'll be honest, we didn't expect to run into you here, DaTa," Hisao speaks up from behind Hanako. His hand is rested around her waist, pulling her close in a protective way. It was probably the only thing keeping her relatively calm. Either that or it was to prevent her from running.

"Keito," I correct him. "Call me Keito outside of games."

"It's rude to call someone by their s-screenname outside of video-games, H-Hisao," Hanako chides her boyfriend.

"You must be Keito's friends," my father speaks up. While he looks between the two of them, he focuses on Hanako. She tenses for a moment before relaxing. My dad has that expression that lets you know he wouldn't judge. He offers her his left hand. A clever move. Hanako seems to understand and smiles as she grasps it with her own left, unscarred, hand and shakes it. "It's nice to meet you. I'm his father. Have to say, I never thought my kid would ever introduce his friends to us. Glad to know my kid isn't a friendless loser."

"Hey!" I protest. Hanako giggles, though, and seems to have become comfortable around my father.

"So, how did you two have the misfortune of befriending my son?" Hisao pulls a chair from a nearby table and allows his girlfriend to sit in it before pushing it towards the table by my father. Both of my parents scoot closer to me to make room for the couple.

"He was actually the one of the trainers a mutual friend of our had set up for us," Hisao explains as well as he can. "I trained with a girl named Asuna and Hanako trained with a girl named Noire. Keito trained one of our friends, Satou Lilly." I wince as my father's shoulders tense. Ah, yes... he worked for them, didn't he? After my father had been working for them for a number of years, I can't believe that Satou Pharmaceuticals didn't ring a bell in my mind. Nor did I connect them and Lilly together. My father turns towards me and I have the gall to give him a sheepish smile. He gives me a look that lets me know that the discussion would continue another time.

"Did he, now?" My father asks. "I wouldn't imagine the daughter of such a powerful man would willingly let her play such a game; no matter the circumstances." Hisao and Hanako pass glances to one another before looking to me. I sigh, drawing the attention from my mother and father.

"Lilly-chan is blind," I say it without a second of hesitation. "She, Hisao and Hanako are all students at Yamaku Academy. A-"

"-school for disabled children," my mother finishes. She glances at the two students in front of her. "Quite a way's away from Tokyo, as well. I wrote a report on it when it first opened to finish my degree." My mother pauses and looks back to me. "Ara, ara, you have quite the interesting friends, Keito-kun."

"Lilly doesn't speak much with her family," Hisao chimed in, saving me from my mother's glare. "In fact, she's practically our family more than her own. The only exception is her older sister, Akira. We're actually here to meet up with them both." There's a pause. "The Japanese school system is having all students who've been left behind in education placed into one school."

"Yes, yes, I know," my father sighs. "Keito is part of that program and will be joining soon. I'm actually one of the medicinal providers for those with allergies, vaccinations, and other special needs. You can thank Mr. Satou for that. He's the one who sent out the bulletin." All three of the younger folks are surprised at this. I certainly hadn't expected that kind of move. "Speaking of, I need to get back to work. I suppose I can take the food to go." My father waves over Agil as the rest of us converse.

"So, Lilly will be here?" I ask Hisao, encouraging him to continue. He nods in response to me, giving me a somewhat sly look.

"Yes, she will," he confirms himself. "I'm sure she'd love meeting your mom, Keito. Especially on short notice." I slightly pale at that and glance over at my mother. She has a predatory grin on her face.

"Please don't do anything to her," I plead to the woman. She doesn't stop smiling at me. As if announcing the moment of my doom, the bell to the door rings and I glance over to see two blonde women walk in. I notice my mother follow my gaze, but it doesn't matter in the slightest to me. I feel butterflies in my chest at the sight of the young woman with wavy, golden locks and eyes shut with a serene expression. She has her arms wrapped around the arm of her partner, someone who could almost pass as an effeminate man. I'm speechless. SAO could never do justice to her elegant beauty. I watch as the woman dressed in a suit points over towards us and they start heading our way. My father, at the same time, stands to leave.

"Be nice," he chuckles, glancing at my mother with a teasing expression. "She's his wife after all." With that, he leaves. He gives the two women a nod before passing by them. I can feel my body shake with anticipation as Lilly and her sister arrive at our table.

"Hey, Lilly," Hisao speaks first, pulling over a chair from the table beside ours. Akira accepts it and helps Lilly sit down beside me. She winks at me. "Hanako and I arrived before you and met up with some friends." Hisao shoots me a teasing look. That bastard. Unfortunately, my mother speaks first.

"Hello Ms. Satou, my name is Suzuki Hana," she introduces herself. "I believe you were trapped in a video game with these young adults as well as my son, right?" Lilly seems a bit perplexed at the name but realization slowly dawns over the course of the sentence. Her eyes, a gorgeous pale blue, open slowly with almost palpable nervousness. Her expression, however, does not change from its calm exterior.

"Yes, you must be Keito's mother," Lilly speaks with a fluidity and calmness that I know she isn't feeling. "It's nice to meet you. I assume you did not come alone...?" She trails off, and I can tell she's trying hard to not 'look' around for me.

"I'm here, Lilly-chan," I smile, trying to offer what comfort I can with my voice. Lilly turns to me and I can see the strain on her body. She's trying to not hug me outright. I chuckle and close my eyes before leaning over to embrace her. Almost instinctually, she relaxes and hugs me back. "Yeah, it's really good to meet you in person." Lilly giggles softly, a smile on her own face.

"Yes, I must say I was anxious about our first official meeting," she tells me. "I'm so glad that we have." My mother clears her throat and looks between the two of us.

"I have to say it's a surprise to hear that my son has another wife besides Asuna," she speaks up. Lilly briefly turns her head towards me after my mother speaks. "Considering she's currently in a coma, I guess I'll have to settle with speaking to you, Lilly." She turns to me, Hisao, and Hanako. "Excuse me, children. I'd like to speak to my future daughter-in-law in private. Would you mind?" She then turns to Akria. "Also you, miss-"

"Akira," the sister offers her name. "And no, I'm sticking with my sister. Problem with that?" Akira's tone is relaxed, but there's an edge to it. She was extremely protective of her younger sister. Mother seems to get the hint.

"Not at all, Miss Akira," she sighs before sending the rest of us a firm look. "Well, off with you. Let the women here talk." I give Lilly's hand a brief squeeze, to which she sends me an appreciative smile, before pushing out my chair and joining Hisao and Hanako at another table. We had a lot to catch up on, after all.

XXXXX

I watch my son and his friends walk away and occupy another table. Once they've sat, I look at the two young women before me. I can tell that Akira is ready to go to war with me if needs be, and that Lilly seems more concerned over my approval. It's cute, really. I already have a good impression for her, but I've decided to place her in the wringer a little. "So," I ensure that my voice is firm, but not without hints that I can be swayed. It's a wonder why I never went into an acting career! "You're the young woman who's dug her claws into my little boy. At least, one of the women who's managed to do so." There's an uncomfortable pause. I'm glad Akira has allowed her sister a chance to speak for herself.

"Yes," Lilly's voice is strained, but she's trying to put on a strong façade. Any lesser person would be fooled. "I have to say, it's quite a pleasure to meet you. I hope my dear Keito hasn't caused any stress upon you." Is that steel that I hear in her tone? Oh, you've made this much more interesting.

"Not at all, nothing out of the obvious," I reply in the same diplomatic tone she's taken up with me. I think I can see the hints of a smile upon her face. "It came to such a surprise that my son awoke with mentions of a wife. I didn't expect a second one, either." I notice them both wince at the mention. Trouble in paradise?

"Actually, it's gotten a bit complicated," Akira speaks up. She glances over at my son before looking back at me. "See, dad is kind of a powerful guy."

"I know who he is, miss Satou," I inform them. "My husband works for his company. Please, tell me what this complication is."

"My father is a very traditional man," Lilly takes over for her sister. For a moment, I notice the similarity in speech between her and my son. "He believes that children should continue on the business of the family and should be seen and not heard unless needed." Her eyes are half-lidded, and don't seem to be focused on anything. "Since my sister does not have an interest in taking over the company, he has naturally turned to me."

"To be fair, he kind of knows I wouldn't be any good at it," Akira pipes in. Her face is set in a scowl, something I'm sure her sister has deduced. "He's pretty much put Lilly in a bind. He wants her to get married in order to take over the company."

"I wish for neither," Lilly continues. "I'm content living my own life, and I'd rather not being married before I'm ready." I make a motion to speak, but Akira beats me to it.

"And no, if she were to get married like dad wants it would be someone he's picked for her," she tells me. "Trust me, he's already picked someone out, and it's not Keito over there." I allow silence over the table, processing what I've just heard. It sounds like my son isn't going to be in for an easy ride. While I have faith in him, I'm not sure what he can do against a CEO. I sigh and decide to make at least one part easier.

"If it means anything, I'm sure you're a wonderful young woman for Keito," I tell Lilly. I see her body relax. "It's such a shame, I wanted to pull my motherly rights over you and make you fear me; at least for a little bit." Lilly laughs at my quip.

"My, my, you had me there for a moment, Mrs. Suzuki," she tells me. "I assure you that my love is for Keito, and only him. I will do whatever I can to preserve what I have."

"I'm sure my son would do the same," I reply to the younger blonde. I then turn towards her older sister. "Tell me, Ms. Satou; what would be needed for my son to come into your father's good graces?" She scoffs. That's not a good sign.

"Nothing less than power, money, or influence," she says easily, a frown crossing her face. "Yeah, I know your kid probably has a lot of influence and money with those videogames of his, but that's not the kind of thing we're talking, here. Dad wants more power for the company." I heard her mutter under her breath, "The bastard." It seemed that she didn't like her father all that much.

"It's not an easy task to come into my father's good graces," Lilly explained more diplomatically than her sister. "It takes both widespread influence and powerful friends to impress him. Anything less would be something he'd consider a waste of time. He's not a successful businessman without reason." I can feel my brain starting to hurt. Social standing and politics had never been my forte. I glance over at my son. I hope he can work things out.

"I think I've taken up enough of your time," I tell the two of them, though I make it a point to face Lilly. "I know you must be itching to speak with Keito, so go on. Don't let an old woman like me take up your time."

"Thank you for the chance to speak with you," Lilly told me before slowly making her way to stand. Akira does the same and takes her sister's arm in her own to help guide her.

"It was nice meeting you," she tells me, before leading Lilly over to the other table. I watch Lilly and my son hug and share a brief kiss before she sits down next to him. Akira, however, says something to Hanako and Hisao before the lot of them laugh, and the three of them come back to my table, leaving Lilly and Keito on their own. What nice kids.

XXXXX

"It's been a while," the words leave my mouth with a gentle shaking. I never imagined I'd miss Lilly; or anyone for that matter, so much. My previous lives were always so busy that I rarely could afford much down time. "You look splendid and well fed. I'm glad to see you're not a bony skeleton and you're able to move relatively easily."

"My, my, you saw that, did you?" She teases me, a wide smile on her face. "My sister has been doing what she can to assist me. My leg muscles were never the strongest to begin with; several years of atrophy tends to make a lady weak." She rests her hands on the table before her, intertwining her long, slender fingers together. "You seem to sound healthy as well. I assume you've been pushing yourself to your limits, yes?"

"You know me all too well," I chuckle, giving the others a passing glance before returning back to Lilly. "So, do I get your sister's approval? I'm sure you've told her all about me, right?" Lilly simply giggles into her hand; it's brief, but precious.

"Oh dear, you must have quite the ego to assume that I've told Akira so much about you," she teases me once more. "My entire life does not revolve around you, Keito. However, yes, I did tell her about our time together. She seems to approve of you, if her tone is anything to go by." There's a short lull in our conversation as we both take in each other's presence. "You must already know what my father intends for me," she moves on to a less pleasant topic. "I fear our time together will be coming to a close.

I know that trap. She wants to try and remain neutral; but she really wants me to decide her fate. "Bullshit," I speak firmly to her. "I'm not letting this off so easily. I don't care what he says, you're mine. I'm a king; I don't take kindly to people taking what's mine." Lilly gives me what would seem like a sly smile, which for her amounts to something like rolling her eyes. Still, it turns genuine after a moment.

"So possessive," she mutters, though she doesn't seem to mind. "I suppose when you say it like that, I can't help but go along with it." Her left hand reaches out towards me, and I take it in my own. She gives it a gentle squeeze. "I fear for what you have planned for my father."

"He should be afraid," I assure her. "Same with Asuna's family. Lilly, do you think you can hold off your family for a little while until I get the whole situation with Asuna sorted out?"

"I can try," her smile wavers briefly. "I can't promise anything. My father is very stubborn, and my mother is an understanding woman, but still obeys my father's wishes most of the time. I'm sure if she knew you better, then she'd be more willing to stand up for us." I nod in understanding. I wanted to take all of this one step at a time.

"So, you wanted to talk," Andrew sits down next to me, his appearance sudden. "Good seeing you again, miss Satou."

"You as well, Mr. Gilbert," Lilly returns the greeting. Andrew turned back to me.

"The pictures I sent to you, they're from a game," he told me. "It's called Star Citizen. Looks like our girl Yuuki is in some sort of space prison, right?" I nod as he slides over a game case towards me. It has the picture of a giant star in the middle, surrounded by several planets.

"It wasn't what I was expecting," I reply to him, looking at the back cover. I was expecting the whole fairy whatever game. This is definitely different. "Where was the picture taken?"

"The main focus of the game is to reach the space station at the center of the galaxy," Andrew explains to me. "The place is surrounded by asteroids and a fleet of ships, though, with only a single safe path through the field. Nobody's managed to get to the center. The game itself has six different races who all compete to get to the station. The rumor goes that whichever race does will get the station itself, which is also rumored to house advanced technology."

"So then how was the picture taken?" I press on.

"I was getting to that," the black man grumbles. "Some group of friends had the bright idea to attach several Warframe-class ships together and boost them right through the asteroid field, each one shielding the one behind it from damage. They managed to get pretty damn close before the last ship was destroyed, but they managed to get that screenshot before it went down." I stare at the cover of the game again. This was not ideal. I don't know anything about this game.

"So, you think this is Asuna, then?" I ask him. He nods in response.

"There's no doubt in my mind."

"You're going to go in, aren't you?" Lilly asks me, her hands gripping the table. "You're going to try and get her back, right?" She seems upset for some reason, but I can't put my finger on why. Shouldn't she be happy that I'm going to get Asuna? Then I remember that she knows that I must have known this was going to happen. That it would be dangerous in some way. After all, if Asuna was stuck then I could get stuck too.

"I have to," I tell her. "I love her as well, Lilly. But you know me, I would never think of going in alone." She visibly relaxes at those words, but I can tell she's still having some doubts. "I'm planning on getting Kazuto and Shiro involved. You know what they're like; we'll be fine." A firm expression crosses Lilly's features, but she slowly sighs and nods.

"Call me every night after you log out," she tells me. "I want to make sure you're still with us. I don't want to lose you." Her sentences are short, easily giving away her worry.

"You have my promise," I tell her. I then glance over to where my mother is laughing with Akira about something. "I can only hope my mother is just as understanding as you."

XXXXX

"Absolutely not!" Keito's mother growled as she glared menacingly at the box sitting on her son's bed. It was an AmuSphere; made with the same technology that had trapped him in the first place. "I won't let you! I've just gotten you back and you want to go into this... this abomination again?" Keito winced at every shout his mother made, but stood his ground as he held the game Star Citizen in his right hand.

"I don't really have a choice, mother," he told her, his tone even and controlled despite the inner turmoil. "Asuna is located in this game, and I have to rescue her. This is something that must happen, whether you like it or not." His eyes sharpened. "This is non-negotiable. I have to go in and free her from the system. If I don't, then the repercussions will be much worse than her being engaged to some prick." Hana was silent as she mulled over her son's words. He spoke as if it were an inevitability.

"You know what's going to happen, don't you?" Her question was slow and methodical, looking for some sort of comfort. "You'll be completely safe?"

"I know everything that's going to happen," Keito lied through his teeth, sending his mother a smile of confidence that he didn't feel. His mind and heart were in turmoil. Too many variables. too many options. He was on his own. "Just trust me." Hana remained silent as she had her arms crossed in front of her. She remained silent for a full sixty seconds before she sighed, and gave her son a gentle smile.

"Just this once," she told him. "I don't want to lose you again, Keito. You're my son, and I love you."

"I know," the boy replied to his mother. "But I'm also a grown man. I have to take responsibility." Hana took a deep breath and nodded slowly.

"You really are going to drive me to an early grave," she laughed mirthlessly as she turned her back to her boy. "Do whatever it is that you need to do. Just please don't take things too far."

"I promise I won't," Keito lied. "I'll be completely safe." Hana nodded once more before sighing and leaving her son's room. Keito turned to the console on his bed and took no time in unpackaging it and staring at it. He felt like he was forgetting something, but there wasn't any time to hesitate. He plugged in the console and prepped it. He slipped it onto his head, and laid down on his bed. "Link start," he accessed the auditory function of the AmuSphere, but felt no different. Was it functioning correctly?

Keito opened his eyes and stared at the "viewscreen" in front of him. The words Begin Calibrations sidescrolled on it. Keito cursed under his breath before he ripped the console off of his head. He didn't have time to calibrate his settings again; a half hour process at least.

Keito quickly grabbed his old NerveGear console and hooked it up to the newer system, hoping it would be backwards compatible. He rushed himself and laid back onto his bed, restarting the link. It didn't take long for him to feel the tug on his mind.

Keito found himself staring at a loading bar with several words flashing underneath it. He caught a few that said Accessing NerveGear Profile. Adjusting Profile to . And Items in profile incompatible; deleting. Finally, the loading bar disappeared and he found himself thrust into space. He stood on a metal platform, though his body had no avatar. There was a massive sun to his right, and several planets orbiting it; though they looked distant.

Welcome to Star Citizen; FullDive, words appeared in white text before him, scrolling across his vision. Please Enter a Name. Keito hummed to himself with intrigue before typing in the name DaTa. He pressed the confirm button and several different figures popped up in front of him. Each one was vaguely humanoid, with only three of them actually appearing to be human-esque. The rest appeared to be merged with animals or something similar, with one even being labelled Neko. Keito determined these all to be the different races within the game, with there being only six of them. He glanced over each of them, but stopped when he rested on the human-esque race that was labelled Sageian. It described the race as that of a peaceful people with abilities that conditioned them for stealth and hit-and-run tactics. Their ships were usually small and they often acted as pirates or mercenaries; rather than as a single cohesive race.

"This is for you, Kai," Keito mumbled to himself as he picked the race. He would need some friends to help him, but he wanted to focus on meeting up with Kirito and MechManiC, first. They had studied up briefly on the game together, and had decided to meet close to the center of the solar system on a planet named Arbus. It was supposedly a neutral planet, and easy to access for all races. It was also one of the most populated worlds in the game due to it's easy access and neutrality. Those who wanted to play for fun would usually meet in Arbus and stick around the neutral areas around it.

Keito felt a shiver as his avatar was formed; an olive skinned young man with dark eyes and long, black hair. It was a face he hadn't seen in a very long time. While not identical, it was very similar to that of Kaeru, the name he had when he had been a shinobi many decades ago. The avatar adjusted to his height, and his stats screen appeared. Several of the points he had needed to be reallocated, as the system's weapon perks didn't exist. In fact, the entire perk tree was different. Anything relating to weapons was gone, replaced by attributes such as [Piloting Skill] and [Charisma]. It was a proper RPG setup.

Keito noticed that a lot of his remaining stat points were left in general allocations such as [Bartering] and [Movements]. It wasn't ideal, but it was a start. He deigned to skip the entire process; determine the areas he'd place his perk points later on as he came to need them. The platform below him disappeared, and Keito fell.

The entire screen faded into black, and he felt himself hit solid ground. The world built itself around him, complete with characters and sounds. He found himself in a tiny room filled with a handful of other people, each one gaining control of their motor functions. Thankfully, DaTa was used to the functions of the FullDive system. It was second nature to him.

He easily left the small room he had spawned in and his jaw dropped. He was located in a sunny town with streets that could have been ripped out of 14th century Japan. While it had electrical cables and a large, modernized city was visible atop the mountain in which the town was at its base, it was all too similar to the historical architecture of Japan's past.

The clothing, as well, lined up with feudal Japan, with people dressed in various clothings reflecting the time period. There were the few that were dressed in space-age armor, but for the most part the players were dressed in old farmer's clothing, robes, yukata, and every so often shorts and t-shirts.

DaTa stood in the middle of what appeared to be a market. The roads were dirt, though there were hints of gravel and asphalt every couple of paces. The noise around him was nostalgic, as were the smells. Roasted pork, and sizzling barbeque filled his nostrils, while the sounds of people selling their wares took him to his previous lifetime. It felt like home, and yet it was very different. A foreign sound entered his senses; the whining of engines. Overhead, several "ships" flew across the cerulean sky, heading in and out of the city on the mountain. He could easily see a spaceport that connected the town he was located in and the city above.

DaTa's [HUD] (Heads Up Display) informed him that he was in the town of [Sharbon], located on the planet [Konothia]. It also alerted him to two [PMs] that had been sent to him. DaTa blinked with surprise, but opened up his [Menu] and opened his [PMs]. The first one was labelled Returning Player, while the second was covered in gibberish markings that seemed like corrupt code. He opened the former [PM] first.

Welcome back to Star Citizen; FullDive!, It greeted him, Your Profile's stats have listed you as a returning player! As a result, we're happy to give you a return present after being inactive for ?%! days! Please enjoy this complimentary [Title] and [Costume]! There were two items on the bottom of the [PM]. DaTa selected both items, and deleted the [PM]. He would look at them later. His eyes focused on the second message. It unnerved him, but he opened it anyway.

?#%!%$#*&!

A fatal exception has occurred %$ at %$?! %?#$!- was as far as DaTa was able to read until the [PM] deleted itself. His eyes widened with surprise when his [Menu] closed itself and everything went black. He felt a shiver crawl down his spine as coldness enveloped him. The entire world around him was pitch black. DaTa quickly eyed his [HUD], reading the name [Konothia Interplanetary Station], [$%?!$ #%].

"This does not bode well," DaTa mumbled to himself, his breathing hastening. Fear gripped his body, despite knowing it was only a game. However, it was the fact that he didn't know how these continuous errors would affect his real body that frightened him. "Alright, I'm in an area with [Oxygen]," he noted based on the information he had, "so ideally I have time to figure this out. That [PM] was no good. So, what do I have to work with?"

DaTa felt himself calm down as he attempted to pull open his [Menu]. It worked, thankfully, and he opened his [Inventory]. There were only a few items in his [Bag], and all of his armor were labelled as [Ragtag], which probably meant that they wouldn't be all that good in a fight. His armor pretty much consisted of a navy long sleeved shirt, navy slacks, a pair of sandals and an olive vest. His only weapon was also a [Hastily-Made Pistol].

In his actual [Bag] was the [Title] he'd received before called [Veteran], the cosmetic items he'd received, four [Health Elixers], two [Stamina Elixers], and four [Mana Elixers]. Also included in the [Bag] was a strange item labelled as [^*!'s Soul]. DaTa summoned it into his hand, hoping for the best. It seemed that it was a glitched item that was causing him all of the trouble. If he [Tossed] it then everything should-

The item appeared in his hand. It seemed to be a crystal necklace. It was warm to the touch, however, and almost felt alive. DaTa's eyes narrowed. He was forgetting something. This item was pulsating, much like a heart would. His eyes widened when it began to glow, illuminating the area around him. He dropped the item. Instead of smashing, it continued to glow even brighter before quickly fizzling out.

In the place of [^*!'s Soul] was a young girl, who couldn't have been any older than ten. Her hair was long, reading down to the small of her back and was a luscious raven color. Her skin was also a light, creamy color and she had cute, youthful features. She was dressed in a simple sky-blue gown, and stared up at the young man with bright black eyes. A wide smile adorned her face; it was so sweet that DaTa felt his heart melt a little bit, though his surprise and shock outweighed any of the other emotions he felt.

"Hello, DaTa," her voice was filled with such joy and sweetness that DaTa was tempted to hug her. "Thank you for saving me, even if you didn't intend it. I know we've never met before, but it's so nice to meet you! I am MHCP001, designation; Yui."

XXXXX

As you can see, I dropped my writing before the last scene and then picked it up again only recently. Welcome to The Twilight Anomaly; following Keito's side of the story after SAO.