Author's Note: This first week of my online class has turned out to be a bit brutal. But hopefully it'll get easier for me as time goes on. The good news is that I was able to finish all of this week's work for the class, so I was able to get this chapter done a little earlier than expected.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Sword Art Online.
Chapter 5: Pumpkin Patch of the Dead
Shortly after Bakura had made his little challenge to the players of ALO, Yugi and the rest of the team quickly decided on a course of action. Yugi had gone somewhere to try and get help obtaining the nine keys while Kirito and the others went to do a little shopping in town and upgrade their gear. When they were done, they would meet back up with Yugi again in the town square. The money everyone had obtained in MWO had transferred over, and though the denomination was quite different it was more than sufficient for buying quality equipment. Shortly after the little shopping trip had begun, Kirito and Asuna had split off from the rest of the group to shop for items on their own.
The couple's trips to their various shops in the town of Amberveil had been quite successful. Kirito had managed to acquire a better sword as well as a long black coat. Almost half an hour had gone by and the two of them had been to more than ten shops.
"Don't you think we should go back to the square to meet up with the others?" Asuna suggested. "We're almost tapped out, and I think we have enough new gear."
"I just want to make sure we don't overlook any really items." Kirito replied.
The two of them turned a corner and encountered a small stand at the end of an alley. The person running the little shop was a man with olive skin and a very serious expression. He had on a white turban and white robes, and round gold earrings on his pointed ears. Kirito and Asuna were unsure about what species of fairy this shopkeeper was supposed to be, but it didn't seem to matter, as he was most likely an NPC anyway. Hanging from the shopkeeper's neck by a brown leather string was a golden key in the shape of an ankh.
"Welcome, young travelers." The shopkeeper greeted as Kirito and Asuna approached. "I trust that you're about to embark on a long and dangerous quest."
"Well I'm sure it'll be dangerous, but hopefully not too long." Kirito replied. "What kind of items do you sell here?"
"I only sell items that those who come here truly need." The shopkeeper replied. "And you, young man are truly in need of this item."
With that, the shopkeeper held out a small amulet on a black string to Kirito. It was silver with a round blue gemstone in the center. The sides of the amulet were fashioned to look like a pair of wings.
Kirito took the small amulet and examined it. "The Amulet of Stardust. According to the description, it gives the player wearing it a fifteen percent increase in speed."
"There is more to that amulet than meets the eye." The shopkeeper told him. "In time, its great hidden powers shall be revealed to you."
"So what about me?" Asuna asked.
"For you, young lady I have an item that is just as powerful." The shopkeeper told her as he produced another amulet.
The item that the shopkeeper presented to Asuna was another small amulet that hung by a white string. This amulet was gold and had a round red gem in the center. Like the amulet given to Kirito, the sides of this amulet were also fashioned to look like wings.
Asuna took the amulet and looked at the description. "The Amulet of Moonlight. It has the same effect as the other amulet."
"Well, I guess it can't hurt to have an extra boost of speed." Kirito reasoned.
"Hold on. We don't really have a whole lot of money to burn right now." Asuna reminded him before turning back to the shopkeeper. "Just how much do these amulets cost?"
"These items have no price. Consider them my gift to you." The shopkeeper told them. "After all, you were faded to have them."
"For real?" Kirito asked. "Wow. Thanks."
"There you two are!" Anzu's voice spoke from behind, causing the couple to turn.
Joey, Anzu, and Honda stood at the other end of the alley wearing slightly different outfits from before. Joey had on a new suite of red armor with blue trim and the symbol of a blue flame adorning the front of the chest plate. Slung over Joey's back was the only item of his that had successfully transferred over from MWO, his legendary Blue Flame Sword. Honda meanwhile had traded in his black poncho for iron-grey chest armor and a belt with two silver pistols that hung from his waist. Slung across his back by a leather strap was a black rifle. As for Anzu, she had on a piece of white chest armor under her vest, and hanging at her waist by a brown leather string slung over her right shoulder was a small golden harp.
"We've been looking all over for you guys." Anzu continued.
"What the heck are you doing in this alley?" Honda asked the couple.
"We were just checking out this little…" Kirito began as he turned back around.
As soon as Kirito turned around, he found that the little shop and its owner were gone. The only thing at the end of the alley was a brick wall. Asuna turned as well upon noticing Kirito's look of surprise and also noticed that the shop was missing.
"What's with you guys?" Joey asked.
"There was a little shop right here at the end of this alley just a second ago." Kirito explained.
"What are you talking about?" a confused Anzu asked. "When we got here, it looked like you were just starring at that wall."
"But there really was a shop here!" Asuna insisted. "Kirito and I both talked to the shopkeeper."
"Hey Yui, can you come out for a second?" Kirito requested.
Yui flew out of Kirito's front chest pocket and sat on his shoulder. "What is it daddy?"
"You heard your mom and me talking to the guy who was running the shop that was just here, right?" Kirito asked.
"I don't remember you and mommy talking to anyone running a shop in this alley." Yui replied. "Come to think of it, I can't seem to remember going into this alley in the first place."
"But how is that possible?" a very confused Asuna asked.
"C'mon, we better get back to the square." Joey told the couple. "Yugi's probably waiting for us."
"Yeah… okay." Kirito agreed.
Joey led the way and Anzu and Honda followed close behind. Asuna and Kirito looked at one another for a moment before following them. As they left the alley, they put on the amulets they received from the phantom shopkeeper. It was the only evidence that the couple had of their encounter with him.
Yugi waited on the very outskirts of the town and looked out towards the sky. After several minutes he finally saw three figures flying towards him in this distance. As the figures got closer, Yugi could make out the details of their appearances. All three of them had sets of green transparent wings. The one on the lead was a young woman with long dark-green hair wearing a green kimono with white trim that helped to show off her cleavage. The two figures with her were both men with green hair wearing grey armor with green long-sleeved shirts.
In moments, the trio landed on the ground a few feet in front of Yugi. The young woman in the lead began to walk towards Yugi while her two escorts hung back.
"Thank you for coming, Sakuya." Yugi told the woman as she approached.
"You did say it was urgent." Sakuya replied. "Besides, I was in the area anyway. So what can I do for my top general?"
"I suppose you've heard about the announcement made by the Goblin King." Yugi assumed.
"You mean that little challenge to find those nine keys?" Sakuya replied. "Every player in the game has heard about it. In fact the story behind these so-called goblins has also been released."
"Do you mean the history behind the goblin race?" Yugi asked.
Sakuya nodded. "According to what I've heard, the goblins tried to conquer this land thousands of years ago but were defeated in a war with the alfs, the fairies of light said to live at the top of the World Tree. After the goblins were defeated, they were sealed beneath the earth where they couldn't do anymore damage. But now they've broken free and are making another play to conquer this land. I have to say, this is a pretty elaborate event. The GMs really put a lot of thought into this one."
"Some friends and I are about to go on a quest to obtain the keys needed to enter the World Tree." Yugi explained. "But with the keys so spread out, we need help getting our hands on them all."
"I'm way ahead of you on this one." Sakuya replied. "I've already deployed several squads to get the keys. I've also contacted Alicia and asked her to do the same."
"Thank you. That should help a great deal." Yugi told her.
"I doubt that sending out squads will make getting our hands on these keys any easier though." Sakuya reminded him. "You heard the Goblin King's promise about a prize beyond imagination to the one who defeated him. Every player in ALO is going to want to get their hands on that prize, especially the salamanders."
"Even so, it is urgent that we get those keys." Yugi told her. "I thank you again for your assistance."
"Not a problem at all." Sakuya replied before turning to rejoin her escorts. She stopped for a moment to look back at Yugi. "Good luck."
With that, Sakuya rejoined her two guards and took off into the sky with them. Yugi stood and watched for a moment as the three of them faded into the distance.
Kirito and the others waited patiently in the town square for Yugi to return. They had been waiting for barely four minutes before the Nameless Pharaoh returned.
"So were you able to get help?" Kirito asked Yugi.
"I've spoken with the leader of the sylphs. She's already sent out squads to obtain the keys." Yugi answered. "The players cait sith will be helping us as well due to the alliance between them and the sylphs."
"Wow! How'd you manage all that?" an impressed Joey asked.
"Sugu's friend Recon called you a general when we ran into him." Kirito recalled. "Is your rank how you were able to speak with the leader of the sylphs?"
"I obtained that title when I thwarted an attack by the salamanders during negotiations between the sylphs and the cait siths." Yugi explained. "It's a long story, but Sakuya, the leader of the sylphs was so impressed with my abilities that she made me her top general."
"You've only been playing this game for a few days and you've already built a big reputation for yourself." An impressed Asuna observed.
"Hey. That's Yugi for ya." Joey remarked.
"In any case, we should get going." Kirito spoke. "Those keys aren't going to get themselves, and we don't have a lot of time to waste."
"Right. We'll head for the key location closest to us and let the sylphs and the cait siths worry about the other keys for now." Yugi decided.
"So just what key is closest to us?" Honda asked.
"According to the map, the key closest to our position is in a place called the Pumpkin Patch of the Dead located east of here." Yui answered after sticking her head out of Kirito's pocket.
"Pumpkin Patch of the Dead?" Joey repeated as he went a bit pale. "That sounds kinda creepy."
"There aren't any… ghosts at that place, are there?" Asuna wondered as she also went a bit pale.
"Whatever's there, we can beat it." Kirito declared.
"Right. Now let's go." Yugi told them.
"Hold on." Kirito spoke up. "Before we get going Yugi, is there any way we can fly without using the controller?"
"There is." Yugi answered. "Leafa was actually the one who showed me how…."
Only a few moments had passed after Yugi had scared Ember off and defeated her men. Leafa had since agreed to show Yugi the ropes of ALO.
"Well, shall we get going?" Leafa asked Yugi.
"Actually before we go, I was wondering if you could show me a way to use my wings without relying on the game's controller." Yugi requested.
"There is, but it's a little hard to master." Leafa informed him. "First, get your wings to appear."
Yugi willed his set of green transparent wings to appear. "Now what?"
Leafa walked up and placed her right hand on the center of Yugi's back. "Okay, now try and imagine that you have bones and muscles spreading out into your wings."
Yugi closed his eyes and tried to pretend that the wings on his back were actually part of his body. He tried to move them like he would move his arms and legs. After a few moments of concentration, Yugi's wings began to vibrate.
"That's it! You're doing it!" Leafa told him.
Yugi continued trying to move his wings for a few moments before taking off into the air. It took him a few moments to learn how to control his movements.
"Looks like you've gotten the hang of it." Leafa observed as she flew up to join him. "Ready to go?"
"Lead the way." Yugi replied.
"…It sounds like you and Leafa got pretty close." Anzu observed back in the present.
"So all we have to do is imagine that our wings are part of our bodies." Kirito spoke.
"That's right." Yugi confirmed. "It is a little bit difficult though. Don't expect to get the hang of it right away."
Kirito and the others spent a few minutes learning to control their wings by thought. It took Joey and Honda a little longer to get the hang of it than the others, but soon the entire team was able to take off into the sky unaided. They flew towards the first key location following Yui's direction. After almost nine minutes of flying, they landed in front of a large dark forest. With their wings needing time to recharge, the team entered the forest to travel the rest of the way on foot.
Asuna and Anzu took up the rear as the team ventured deeper into the forest. As they walked, Asuna was busy looking at something on her menu screens.
"What're you doing?" Anzu asked Asuna.
"Just trying to get the hang of these magic spells." Asuna replied. "I'll probably need to be able to use these healing spells on everyone if things get real bad. Plus it's taking my mind off what kind of things might be living in this forest."
"Good call. We'll probably need to be ready for anything." Anzu responded.
"You okay, Anzu? You seem kinda down about something." Asuna observed.
"It's just… I'm still can't quite believe that Yugi kept playing this game a secret from us." Anzu admitted. "Or that he's already made such a big name for himself in here. And after hearing about how he and Leafa seem to be so close, I'm starting to wonder if trying to protect us was Yugi's only reason for keeping all this a secret."
"You think something might've been going on between Yugi and Sugu?" Asuna realized.
"It could be I'm just imagining things but… I can't help but wonder." Anzu replied.
"…I wouldn't worry about it too much." Asuna responded after a moment. "I know I haven't actually seen how Yugi and Leafa act together, but I'm pretty sure Yugi only sees her as a friend."
"You think so?" Anzu asked.
"Yeah. If anything, I think Yugi might be more interested in you." Asuna replied. "At least that's the feeling I get."
"Thanks Asuna." A grateful Anzu told her. "Hey, would you mind keeping what we just talked about to yourself?"
"Don't worry. My lips are sealed." Asuna assured her.
After a few more moments of walking, the team finally arrived at a large clearing in the center of the forest. A massive field of pumpkins ranging from various sizes covered the whole clearing.
"Looks like this is the place." Honda observed. "Not sure why this place is called the Pumpkin Patch of the Dead though. I mean I don't see any skulls or anything."
"You're actually complaining about that?" Joey asked.
Just as Honda was about to respond, four figures suddenly emerged from the surrounding trees and surrounded them. They were all men with pale skin wearing short-sleeved purple shirts with hoods and long black pants. Each of them had a sword with a long curved blade. Kirito and the others quickly reached for their weapons.
"Well, well, this certainly is an unexpected treat." A voice spoke from the trees.
Walking into the clearing was a fairy tall man with long green hair that went down just past his shoulders. He had on a very tattered olive green cloak that looked as though it had seen better days.
"Sigurd!" Yugi identified.
"Nice to see you again, general." The man known as Sigurd replied. "I never expected that you and I would try going after the exact same key to the Goblin King's fortress."
"Yugi, you know this jerk?" Joey asked.
"This man was the leader of a party that Leafa was with when I first entered the game." Yugi explained.
"Yes, and you stole her from me!" Sigurd responded. "Just like you stole everything else! I had power and influence, and you took that all away from me!"
"You did that to yourself when you betrayed your comrades for the sake of power!" Yugi argued. "You conspired with the salamanders and helped to orchestrate the attack on Sakuya's negotiations with the cait sith!"
"I could've had everything! If that attack had succeeded, I would've been reborn as a salamander and been made a true power in this land!" Sigurd continued. "But thanks to you and that traitorous Leafa, I'm reduced to playing this game as a renegade."
"What does he mean reborn?" Asuna asked.
"There's recently been a reincarnation added to this game that allows players to be reborn as a different race of fairy, provided he has the permission of that race's leader." Yugi explained. "Sigurd betrayed the sylphs in exchange for the chance to become a salamander."
"It was the natural move for me to make." Sigurd argued. "The salamanders have proven themselves to be the most powerful race in this game. It was in my best interest to side with the winning team."
"All the power in the world isn't worth the cost of betraying your friends, Sigurd!" Yugi argued.
"You're one to talk." Sigurd responded. "One of your traveling companions is a salamander, which makes you just as big a traitor as I am."
"You're wrong, Sigurd!" Yugi told him.
"It doesn't really matter, I suppose." Sigurd continued. "Once I defeat the Goblin King and win the ultimate prize, I shall become the ultimate power in this game! Even the salamanders will bow before me! In the meantime, these imp mercenaries I've hired should make quick work of you and your little band of riffraff."
With that, Sigurd snapped his fingers and one of the four imps charged at Yugi. Kirito quickly moved in between them and drew his sword, slashing the mercenary in the stomach. The imp was immediately reduced to a ball of burning purple light. A second of the imp assassins chanted a spell and fired several balls of purple light at the team. Honda drew the two pistols hanging from his belt and fired several energy blasts that destroyed each of the imp's projectiles. Honda fired two more shots and hit the imp in the stomach, reducing him to a purple fireball.
The third member of Sigurd's band of imps charged at the team. Asuna quickly moved and struck the warrior several times with her rapier. The imp was turned into a purple fireball within seconds. Joey drew his large blue sword and slashed it through the air, creating a large blade of blue flames that took out the final imp. With the assassins no more than balls of burning light, Joey charged as Sigurd with his sword. Sigurd drew his own blade to try and block the attack, but his sword was instantly cut in half like it was no more than a piece of paper.
After breaking Sigurd's sword, Joey punched the deposed sylph in the chin and knocked him to the ground. Sigurd attempted to get back up, only for Joey to bring the blade of his sword down inches over his face.
"You really are a loser, you know that?" Joey told him. "I only started playing this game tonight, so I don't know much about this feud between the salamanders and the sylphs. But I've seen plenty of guys like you before. They all act like big shots, but the moment someone tougher than them comes along they start sucking up to them. I've got no respect for guys like that. And you're even worse because you'd sell out your own friends just to get ahead. That's something that Yugi would never do. Even if you do become the strongest player in this game, you'll still be a loser because you sold out what's most important."
With that, Joey turned and began to walk back to Yugi and the other. After taking only two steps though, the ground suddenly began to shake. Erupting out of the earth right behind Sigurd was a massive pumpkin with a single white eyeball. Instead of a stem, it had a small golden crown, and its large mouth was like that of a jack-o-lantern. Several green vines served as the creature's limbs. The HP gauges quickly appeared next to the living vegetable.
"What the hell is that thing?" Kirito asked.
"Aw man! That's Pumpking the King of Ghosts!" Joey identified. "I thought I saw the last of that thing after I beat that creepy zombie guy at Duelist Kingdom!"
"It appears that we have to defeat Pumpking in order to get the key." Yugi deduced.
Before Sigurd could get back to his feet, Pumpking pierced him through the chest with one of his tentacle vines. Sigurd's HP dropped to zero and he was reduced to a ball of burning green light. The giant pumpkin then grabbed the green fireball with the same tentacle it used to kill Sigurd and threw it into its mouth like a piece of popcorn. It then grabbed one of the fireballs left by the imps and consumed it as well.
"That thing's eating the remain lights!" Kirito observed.
"Does that mean their characters can't be brought back in the game?" Asuna wondered.
"Doesn't really matter if you ask me!" Honda declared as he grabbed his rifle. "All that matters right now is blowing that overgrown jack-o-lantern away!"
As the three final remain lights were devoured, Honda took aim and fired a massive ball of golden energy at Pumpking. The blast hit the creature in the face and created a massive explosion. When the smoke finally cleared, Pumpking had only lost a small-sized chunk of his first HP gauge. The creature retaliated by slamming one of its tentacles down towards the team. Yugi and the others quickly jumped out of the way and managed to avoid being hit.
"What the hell? That shot should've blown a hole in that thing's ugly face!" Honda exclaimed.
"Pumpking seems to be as strong as an upper level boss from MWO, and its defensive stats seem to be unusually high." Yui observed. "Even Mr. Yugi's Dark Magician would need more than two or three shots to defeat it."
"Wait! I think I have a spell that could lower Pumpking's defenses." Anzu informed them. "But I'd need to use it more than once."
Suddenly Pumpking gave off an odd ear-piercing shriek and the other pumpkins in the patch began to float off the ground. A face just like Pumpking's formed on the front of each of the hovering vegetables.
"Looks like things just got a whole lot worse." Kirito observed.
"Asuna, do you think you've gotten the hang of using your healing spells?" Yugi asked.
"I think so." Asuna replied.
"Alright! Then this is what we'll do!" Yugi decided. "Joey and I will take turns attacking Pumpking while Anzu continuously uses her magic to lower his defenses. At the same time, Asuna will use her healing magic to keep Joey and I going. Kirito, you and Honda will focus on keeping these minions off our backs!"
"On it!" Kirito replied.
"Let's go!" Yugi commanded.
Anzu quickly began strumming something on her harp. Several small blasts of yellow energy in the form of musical notes began to shoot from the harp and hit Pumpking. The giant pumpkin looked as though he was starting to fall asleep. Joey then swung his sword and sent forth a massive blade of flames that struck Pumpking in the face, causing his first HP gauge to dip closer into the yellow zone. Pumpking retaliated by knocking Joey back with a vine, causing his HP to drop. Asuna used a healing spell on Joey as Yugi charged in to continue the attack.
Meanwhile, Honda began firing numerous shots from his pistols at the pumpkin minions, causing them to blow apart with a single hit. Kirito on the other hand was busy slashing apart several of the pumpkins with his sword.
"Man! I'm glad I don't have to reload these guns since they're powered by my own magic!" Honda remarked as he blew apart a few more pumpkins.
"Yeah, but neither of us can keep this up forever." Kirito pointed out as he continued his slashing.
Meanwhile, Yugi and Joey kept alternating their attacks on Pumpking. As time went on, their attacks did more and more damage thanks to Anzu's spell. Eventually, Pumpking's final HP gauge had entered the red zone.
"I'll finish this off! Come forth, Dark Magician!" Yugi commanded. A purple light shot from Yugi's amulet and formed into the Pharaoh's faithful servant. "Dark Magician, obliterate Pumpking with Dark Magic Attack!"
Dark Magician thrust his staff forwards and stuck Pumpking with a massive blast of crackling black energy. Pumpking's remaining HP went to zero and he exploded in a mass of blue polygons. The pumpkin's minions instantly shattered apart as soon as their master was dead. A message then appeared on Yugi's menu screen.
"We have the first key." Yugi told the others.
"Great, let's head back to town and log out." Honda suggested. "I think we've all had enough fighting for the night."
"Not so fast!" a familiar female voice spoke from above. Yugi and the others looked up to see Kyra and Garm hovering above them atop their demonic birds.
"Who are these guys?" Kirito asked.
"These are the two goblins who took Leafa!" Yugi told him.
"How nice of you to remember us, sylph." Garm responded.
"What the hell do you two want?" Kirito demanded to know.
"We've been ordered by our king to retrieve the key you just took." Kyra answered. "So unless you want a painful death, I suggest you hand it over. Otherwise, Garm and I will show you no mercy."
Author's Note: Anyone care to guess who the mysterious shopkeeper Kirito and Asuna encountered was? I'm sure I made his identity completely obvious. Anyway, in this chapter we learned a little more more about Yugi's exploits in ALO that took place prior to the events of this story. He basically took care of the stuff that sidetracked Kirito in the original Fairy Dance arc of SAO. I'm still toying with the idea of doing a prequel to this story that shows Yugi and Leafa's adventures together.
Please review and let me know what you think.