The first thing Asuna thought of when she woke up was Kirito. Despite the fact that her (much older) fiance was looming over her with a mega-creepy grin on his face.
The first thing she did was turn her head to the side, calmly, as caught her father's eye. "Get this creep away from me. I'm married."
As she left the two dumbfounded men to comprehend what she said , she began to ponder how, exactly, she was even alive to give it to them.
She turned her gaze toward the loudly blaring television in the corner of the room to catch a news report.
"The people of Japan are astounded to find that all remaining players of the Sword Art Online incident have woken up!" A very skinny woman, with pale skin, paler hair, and incredibly red lipstick grinned at the camera. "We are perplexed as to why they have all been released at the same time, though the fact that one player is still comatose leaved even more room for discussion. A young gamer that goes by the name Kazuto Kirigaya is, as of now, the only player still trapped withing Akihiko Kayaba's game."
Asuna was a very smart girl, so, despite the fact that she'd just woken up in a weak condition due to the "coma" she'd been stuck in for two years, she discovered soon enough why that particular news report left her body in shock, and her eyes glued to the screen as a live video feed of a young girl crying into her hands in front of a hospital, a woman standing behind her, struck her frozen.
First, she repeated the name of the boy in her mind, over and over and over and over. It sounded so familiar, too familiar. Then she took a good look at the image of the two weeping females on the TV before the image switched to commercial. They reminded her of someone...of...they reminded her of...of Kirito!
"No!" She shot up, staring at the screen on horror.
Yes, her mind said. Why didn't you recognize it earlier? Kirigaya Kazuto. See? Do you see now? It's Kirito. He's still locked in that game!
"But, he's still alive," She told herself. But even she could hear the note of hysteria in her voice as the two men and the nurse in the room with her looked at her nervously. "H-He's still alive, so-so, he can still come back, right? Right?"
"...Of course, sweetie." The nurse lied her back down and began fussing with the cords attached to her arms. "I'm sure he'll be absolutely fine."
Klein watched the the screen in silence, face lack of any expression as his mind went over that last news report. He felt the same way he had when he'd watched his best friends fade away, not half an hour before. That news report, it had given him one last wisp of hope, only to drown it again. Kirito, was he ever going to actually come back? Could he? Klein was so lost in his own despair that he didn't even notice his parents, or his sisters of brothers that were desperately trying to get his attention again. Even though he hadn't seen them in two years,—no, three. That's right, he'd been going through a rough rebellious stage when he'd started gaming in that apartment—he didn't feel happy at all. Kirito had sacrificed himself for everyone else. What was there to be happy about? His first real friend, and he'd met him in a game—no matter how real that game had been.
He lowered his head into his arms, letting the first tears he'd ever really cried in two years out into his palms. His family stopped pestering him, then.
Agil laid back in that hospital bed, fists tightening on the white sheets he'd grabbed to throw his face in when he'd seen the news report. His family surrounded him, worry etched into their faces, but he just couldn't bring himself to look at them. Kirito had sacrificed everything for him and everyone else, and he hadn't even been able to move. He hadn't been able to help.
What kind of friend was he?
Poor, poor Kirito.
Silica sobbed into her fathers arm. First, she'd lost Pina once more, after everything they'd gone through. He'd just vanished into thin air with the rest of the game! Then she woke up, and jumped happily into her parent's arms only to find out that the one who had saved her and the others was still stuck in that rotting world. Her big brother, Kirito, he was still trapped.
And she couldn't do anything!
"Kirito! P-Please, come back!"
"Lizzy, please!" Her mother sniffed, clinging to her father's arms. "Stop crying! Why are you crying! You're free! You finally woke up! Why are you sad!"
"It's Kirito." The pink haired girl sobbed, rubbing her eyes red with her tightly closed fists. "He's still in there!"
"Who?" Her father frowned. "Sweet-heart, who's Kirito?"
The girl shifted, glancing to the side as the nurse pursed her lips sympathetically and pressed the clean needle into her wrist. "He saved us all. He's the one who deserves to be free!"
He'd been on the front lines constantly, had seen many of his friends die, many of his comrades burst into those shining crystals that vanished after five seconds. But he'd never actually looked at it. He couldn't bear to watch as his guilds numbers dwindle more than grew. He'd focused on making it to the top, and finding a way to save the ones who were still left.
But it hadn't been him. He'd sat by, paralyzed, and watched as another, that amazing fighter, Kirito, fought the creator of the game—the last and final and most powerful boss, and died. And came back. And won!
And now? He was still stuck in there! And while he was free from that death game, as were the rest of the others, he'd never felt weaker.
He'd never wanted to return to somewhere so much in his entire life. While being stranded from reality, from everything he'd known, for those two years trapped in that game of death, it had become his home. His life. He wanted it back, and he didn't want it back.
His mind was so confused. He didn't know exactly what he wanted anymore. Except one thing; that boy—Kirito. His savior. All of their savior.
He had to come back to. He deserved it more than they.
The man sighed and he brought his hands to his head. But, he was the least likely to make it happen, now wasn't he?
It was all just a void, now. A black space with random wisps of blue number codes appearing out of nowhere and vanishing into as such. They sat in that same spot, silently. In that spot that had once been a sky. A fake sky, but a sky nonetheless. He turned his dark eyes onto his companion. "Is it ready to go?"
The other regarded him almost cautiously. "You know, Kirito-kun, if this doesn't work..."
"They deserve it." The smaller turned back to his task as surveying the empty darkness. "If there is even a chance to bring them back, we'll take it. I thought you sad you wanted to fix this?"
Kayaba chuckled. "You're still determined as ever." He stretched, and waved his hand in the inky blackness. A player menu appeared, and he pressed a few buttons that weren't included in the normal avatar's screen. That, of course, was because he was the Admin. "Alright. We're golden."
Kirito lifted an eyebrow, and Kayaba let out a laugh. "Okay, okay. You're golden, and I'm still Satan spawn, I get it."
"You better," Kirito huffed. "As far as I'm concerned, you're Lucifer himself."
"Ouch!" The other pulled a hand to his heart. "Kirito-kun, I'm hurt!"
The teen rolled his eyes. "Just push the damn button."
"Right." Kayaba was silent for a second, finger hovering over the blue circle that floated in front of his face. He suddenly spun around, and caught the younger and a tight hug. Kirito's eyes widened, and he stiffened. "W-Wha—"
"Kirito-kun." Kayaba said, seriously. "I want to say goodbye. You've made me realize many things. Realize how wrong I'd been. And now I just want to say that I'm sorry, even though I know it will never make up fro what I did. And thank you. Thank you for everything."
Kirito swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, but before he could get a chance to even reply, Kayaba spun around once more and hit the blue button. The blackness around them suddenly began to twist with light, and colors thronged from unknown points.
"-Initiating download-" The woman's calm voice told him.
"Kayaba!" Kirito shouted, reaching out a hand. He was almost sad to see as the man begin to vanish from sight. "Kayaba!"
Kayaba turned one last time, and before his world turned white, Kirito watched the older man mouth something to him.
He couldn't hear anything, but Kirito knew already. He'd seen someone else do the exact same thing. Someone he'd sworn wouldn't die, but had.
Thank you.
"-Download complete. Link between worlds had been made. Initiating transport-"
His world turned white.
It had only been a month since they'd all woken up, and Asuna had gathered with Agil and many other of the SAO survivors to talk, at Agil's pub. It was located on the main street of Tokyo, stashed in between a news station and a shopping mall. She'd come almost everyday since they'd been released from the hospitals, and it was almost always three fourths empty. But not today. Today, it was filled with gamers, and almost all of them knew each other.
Asuna sat at the bar, next to a sleepy looking Lisbeth, and a young girl named Silica spun on the stool to her right. Agil was polishing a cup with a white rag behind the counter, chatting up a storm with Klein, who she had yet to see laugh since the day they were freed. He didn't even smile anymore. His whole guild was extremely concerned.
The Knights of Blood Oath had dissolved, but people had kept the connections anyway. Asuna accepted that. There was no way she could even think of separating friends, not after all they'd been through together. Not after all they'd seen.
She'd noticed a few familiar faces, like that woman she'd met at a church in the Town of New Beginnings with Kirito and Yui, who'd housed the frightened children players. And a few members of her old guild. And many others she'd met while partying with Kirito.
She shook her head and sipped her apple cider. Every thought she had somehow managed to trail right back to Kirito.
"Oi, Asuna!" Barry, the ex-Lieutenant of the Blood Oath guild waved her over. "Any news on his condition?"
The whole room, which had been positively bursting with noise, abruptly fell into silence. Everyone turned to stare at her, a few glimmers of slight hope showing in their almost-dull eyes. She felt her heart break a little more when she saw them. "I... I just checked back a few hours ago. The doctors said they saw no changes. I'm sorry..." She let her shoulder slump and bowed her head, so she wouldn't see the helpless and sorrowful expressions they all wore.
Barry Asagaya was a cop in the real world, it turned out. High rank, too. He'd spent the last month dedicating his time to hunt down every PK(player killer) listed in the online SAO archives. Those who had been a part of the Laughing Coffins were especially elusive, and were now on the top spots of the FBIs most-wanted lists, along with the still-missing Akihiko Kayaba—though every player knew he was dead and gone—and a few others.
Barry let his head drop. "Ah. Okay. N-Nevermind, then." Klein sunk down in his chair, bangs shadowing his eyes, and the people in the room went back to talking, mumbling their conversations halfheartedly.
After about an hour, the door suddenly burst open, and a few people came running in with wide eyes, white as sheets.
At first, Asuna thought they were just late to the event, but as she looked closer, she saw that they weren't from the SAO survivors. The tell-tale signs of tight, gaunt skin, stick thin figures, and weak movements weren't there. The only resemblance they had to her and her friends was the extremely pale skin color. But she saw that it wasn't from fatuity, but fear.
"A ghost!" One of them screamed. "Ghosts! Lots of them!" All of their minds immediately went to one person.
Klein stilled, his eyes hardening. "Ghosts?"
The newcomers nodded, clinging to the tabled in terror. "There are so many, and they're all coming here. The leaders wearing all black, with these big huge swords and—"
"Can't be!" Agil gasped. Every single person, the SAO players, at least, were frozen. "Impossible! Can it... can it be him?" They all turned to Asuna, and she saw it was her turn to take charge once again.
She hoped off her stool and made her way to the entrance. "Alright, people! Get a move on! I don't care if it's just a rumor, we're desperate!"
They all poured out onto the street to see a sight they'd never even dreamed of. The news station had turned all it's camera's to the procession of people who danced through the streets wearing bright colors and happy faces, full of cheer. It was what they'd been used to in Sword Art Online, but this was even more of a party those had been.
It was like a parade. The citizens of Tokyo stood on the crowding sidewalks, coming from the mall, the stores the alleys, just to get a good look. The whole street was filled with people, and the thing about these people was that they were ghosts. At least, they were to the SAO players. Because, each player there had seen many of these people die in front of their eyes. And yet here they were! In Tokyo! In the real world! Looking as healthy as they had in the game, wearing the same cloths, carrying the same weapons.
Silica screamed in joy, and many people turned to look at her as she scrambled forward, and a blue, ice-colored blue fell from the sky, settling on her head. "Pina!"
And, that was like the string suddenly snapped, because all the players rushed from the bar and into the crowd of dancing people, screaming in joy, happiness, and disbelief.
"Richard!"
"Sara!"
"Oh, gosh! Lisbeth? So you survived after all!"
"Tina!"
"Kyo!"
"Sachi!"
"Keito! Sassemaru!"
"Akiyo!"
"Shigure!"
"Tommy!"
"Fideria! You're alive!"
But soon, they stopped jumping. Their bodies were so weak. The newly revived—they were alive!-players held up their friends, the ones who'd survived, and the street was soon quiet.
But Asuna hadn't moved from the sidewalk. She hadn't spoken a word. She was frozen, staring, and staring and staring. Because, it was him. He was there. He was alive!
"K-Kirito?"
Everyone but the players that had come with him froze. The newly revived gamers grinned excitedly as they watched things unfold. The street was completely, utterly silent as the SAO survivors turned to stare at the teen clad in black, who was crouching on the edge of Agil's pub's roof. He had two sword sheaths crossed on his back, and a black cloak fluttering from his shoulders. He smiled down at them, eyes twinkling. He pounced, jumping forward, and landed on his feet, and inch before Asuna. She didn't even blink, staring at him fixated, eyes wide.
"Asuna. I finally made it." He smiled softly. "I did it."
Her eyes filled with tears, and she lurched forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, and latching her legs around his waist, burying her face in the crook of his neck as she shook with sobs. "You cameback!" She cried. "You came back!"
He smiled, nodding, and held her tightly in his arms. The street broke out into cheers, and the people who stood behind the news station cameras grinned at each other, high-fiving as they caught the whole thing on tape.
After a while, Klein began to laugh, tears streaming down his face. He fell to his knees as the old, newly alive members of his guild caught him. Kirito's head snapped up, and he grinned. "Klein! Klein! Hey!" He ran over, laughing, and reached out one arm to catch his friend in a side hug, holding Asuna with the other.
Soon, the whole crowd got comfortable, and many people sat on the sidewalk, just talking. Cars had stopped running long ago, as their drivers got out to sit on the roofs. That's when Kirito set the next phase of his plan into motion.
First it was Asuna, then Klein, then a few others, but soon, every SAO survivor was glowing in a bright blue light that enveloped their entire being.
The camera caught nothing but a series of bright flashes for a moment, but soon the light was gone, and in it's place was...
"My god!" Barry exclaimed. "These are our avatars!?"
Kirito nodded as many shouts of surprise and realization rang from the people who had, not moments before, looked sickly and weak—now they were strong again. They were dressed like the people who'd been revived, and had their old weapons, and everything. "And get this!" Kirito shouted, silencing them, and they all gazed at his grinning face. He paused, then laughed and waved his hand in the air. The newly reunited 10,000 SWO players gasped as his player menu appeared before him.
"What?" Asuna stared. "But.. this is the real world, isn't it?" He voice shook for a moment, and she looked around uneasily, the others copying her movements.
"Yes," Kirito laughed. "It's the real worlds. I've spent the last month working on a...special project. I've fixed everything... Look," he tapped a few buttons on his menu. "You'll find all your items still there, and all your skills. You can access any of these in the real world, not to mention that I've updated the transportation crystals to travel from world to world. I've connected the real world with the game world. There are no more video games! They're all different dimensions now!"
He heard the tones and notes of sound as the players re-explored their menus, and suddenly, Asuna had her rapier in her hand after a flash of light. "Just like in the game." She muttered, an amazed look on her face. Kirito nodded, then turned to the cameras. "Those things broadcasting?" He asked one of the crew members. The man nodded, looking a little more than slightly dazed. Kirito looked at the camera. "Citizens of Japan! The line between reality and the virtual dimensions has been crossed! I have established a bridge between universes with the help of the Nerve Gear technology invented by Akihiko Kayaba. You will find that, not only do the SAO players have the abilities of an avatar, but you as well. Everyone does. Please take the tutorial listen on your menus for further information on how our new world works. Thanks!" The young raven haired teen laughed, and waved at the camera before turning around. His eyes became sad. "Asuna, I think you're going to hit me in the very near future."
She froze, and the shouting crowds quieted down to hear what he had to say. "To have been able to make this world, I had to make a deal. It was extremely risky, but I had to fix everything, please remember that."
Asuna began to grow cold again. "W-What are you saying?" She was afraid of the answer.
"Find the right world, please!" He leaned forward to grasp her hands in his. "I have to go now. To one of the worlds. Find the right one! I—" His form began to shimmer, and the crowds gasped, everyone's joy disappearing for the moment. Klein ran forward. "Kirito!"
The dark-eyed boy shook his head quickly, and began to vanish from sight. "I have to leave soon. I'm being taken to one of the worlds! It's the price I have to pay for doing all of this! It was the deal—" His voice was beginning to grow echoic. "I'll be trapped in one of the worlds, until a player—a person, now—saves me. Sucks for me, I know, but—" He stiffened, letting go of Asuna's hands. "I'm being taken, now. So, please don't be long! You have to—"
Kirito suddenly gasped, turning around and gazing up into the sky, seeing something they could not. When he turned back, he was barely there anymore, and he looked absolutely terrified. The camera that stood behind Asuna and Klein caught it all, and displayed it across the screens of the world. The horrified look in his eyes, the expression of fear caught clearly on his face.
"Save me!" He screamed, reaching out a hand. But his voice was only an echo in the silent streets of Tokyo, and he disappeared from their sights completely.
No one moved for a moment, then. Not even when Asuna fell to her knees, still holding out a hand to where Kirito had been only moments before. "No, Kirito!"
I know it's not my best or greatest work, but I actually like this story, and it's plot-to-be, so all flames will be used to roast veggies. And marshmallows, but veggies are nummy and don't rot your teeth, so there. Oh! No, no, WAFFLES! XD yeahhhh... Waffles...
Okay! I actually only expected to write four pages for the first chapter on such a short notice, but it turned into six instead. I'm slightly proud of myself, especially when I go and read how so many authors are extremely proud and say "OMG! 645 words in this chapter! I IS SOOO HAPPEH! IT'S A NEW RECORD!" Er, not to brag or anything, but yeah.
I know this seems a bit random, dramatic, and all over the place, but please bear with me. I really love this idea.
Anyway, read and review. So... yeah.
~EpikalStorms*
BetaNote: I have a feeling you were sleepy at writing the last parts xD
Author's response to BetaNote: Your instincts are astounding. I was half unconscious writing this whole chapter! ^ ^ Kudos for guessing correctly!
