A/N: Well guys, here's Chapter 7. This happens to be an original chapter taking place in the real world. We will also get introduced to the major antagonist of the story, one that's been terrorizing Akira since his days in SAO. it will be awhile until he's defeated. I'm actually working on an original arc which happens to be a Grand Quest. Honestly SAO would have been better if Kirito went on a Grand Quest. It would have been way better if he got Dual Blades that way, instead of it just popping up in his Skill List. Imagine him going through all of the hardships and bullshit stuff alone all for the sake of a unique skill, it would have been really cool and it would have given Kirito's already dull character some much needed characterization. I mean come on, no player alive can solo a Grand Quest especially in an MMO, well...unless your Lady Vert that is.
Anyway, here's chapter 7, hope you like it...Also, a cookie goes to the person who can spot the reference in this chapter...
Sword Art Online
The Violet Assassin
Chapter 7
The Real World
Akira blinked a few times as he regained consciousness. The room felt a little cold, so he figured his mother must have turned on his AC. He sat up and took off his AmuSphere, setting it on the pillow next to him. He climbed into his chair and moved toward his computer. He opened up a web browser and quickly went to his email account.
"Okay let's see, I'll just type in the address Rain gave me and send her a message." he said, quickly writing down all of his information.
As if by habit, he ended up typing Akira instead of his actual name. Thinking about it for a second, he decided to hit send anyway. He was known by Akira for a long time, so it didn't matter to him how his friends addressed him.
Hearing the clicking of keys, his mother walked into the room, a laundry basket in her hands.
"Well isn't this a surprise. Getting started on homework?" she asked.
"As if, I won't be going to school until the fall remember? By the way, when's my surgery again?" he asked.
"Next week, why?" she asked.
"No reason...say, I'm gonna have a friend over tomorrow, that's cool right?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder.
"Definitely, oh my...it's been so long since someone actually came to our house. What should I make? What should I wear?" she asked, almost dropping the basket.
"Mom, their hanging out with me not you." he deadpanned.
"I know sweetie, it's just...I'm so happy to see you interacting with real people. That's not to say your gaming buddies aren't real, I mean you haven't even met them in real life."
"Yes I have, I met up with Kirito and Asuna right after Sword Art Online ended, remember? We had to free Asuna from ALO." he said.
"Oh right that...don't tell your father about that. You don't know how hard it is to keep him away from gaming sites and forums." he said.
"Don't worry, no one knows what truly happened in there. Two years in one game and two months in another, I feel so bad for her." he said, a frown on his face.
"Yes, but by the way you made it seem, this Asuna girl is far stronger than anyone of us. Well, stronger than most of the six thousand people that lived through Sword Art Online." she said.
"Jeez, you haven't been watching my stream again have you? I can't believe I forgot about that stuff." he said.
"No, I haven't been watching it, honest! But maybe you shouldn't have turned off your Ethics Code that one time on Floor 45."
"MOM!" he shouted, causing the woman to laugh. She quickly left the room, avoiding all of the socks the boy was throwing at her.
Yes one of the biggest blunders he had made was forgetting the fact that he had set his Nerve Gear to live stream his time in SAO. Thankfully, after a year and a half, Twitch managed to shut down his account, but that didn't stop people from seeing all the so called Horrors of SAO.
Thoughts of his red haired friend drifted into his mind. She would probably laugh her ass off, especially knowing that he had streamed half of his time in SAO. More so, parts that involved him without his Ethics Code turned on. That also reminded him of the person he had lost while in the game.
He shook his head, slapping his cheeks.
"It's not the time to be sad. Right now, it's the time to act!" he said firmly. His stomach growled loudly, making him stop in his tracks. He sighed, looking at the clock.
"Sometimes I miss being force fed from a tube." he said, wheeling himself out of his room.
At the same time, a young gray haired girl was waking up from her time in ALO. She sat up in her bed, taking off the AmuSphere off her head. She stretched her limbs yawning a bit as she stood up, fixing her sundress. She glanced around her room, seeing all of her little knick-knacks and collectibles, along with her PC. She walked over to the computer, bringing it out of it's sleep mode.
"Hey Mom, could you come here a sec?" she called out, hopefully attracting her mother's attention. Once she was logged on, she opened up a web browser, clicking on the tab that would take her to her email.
"Something wrong Nijika?"
The girl looked over her shoulder, staring right at her mother. The woman was around thirty eight years old, with short grayish brown hair and bright amber colored eyes. She was wearing a plain tee shirt, with pink hearts on it, along with a pair of yoga pants. The girl gave her mother a smile.
During her time in SAO, her mother had been one of the only people in her thoughts. They lived alone in Japan, so no one else would worry about them. She figured her father would come down from Russia to see if she was fine, but he only visited a few times as he was busy with business. Her sister Nanairo didn't even know she existed, mostly because she was too small to remember her. After awhile, she had decided to leave the Town of Beginnings and level up. Not doing anything would only drive her mad. But the only reason why she actually left was because of the rumors drifting through the first and second floors. The rumors of a murderer among the players.
She had wanted to meet the man who had killed another player. She didn't know what compelled her to do so, but she had to meet him. Anyone who would dare kill another person knowing the consequences didn't deserve to live. But as time went on, she started gaining more knowledge on him. Eventually, she ended up maxing out her Listening, Hiding and Tracking Skills, just so she could shadow him and not be seen.
There had been times where she had almost gotten caught, but the boy never found her. Even when he did get close to finding her, she would always teleport away, never leaving a trail. The boy eventually left the area, allowing her to follow him back to town and start all over.
She didn't know when she had started caring for him, perhaps after the accident on Algade, the 50th floor. That single event had changed his life for the rest of Sword Art Online, and she wanted to hear his side of the story.
Her mother cleared her throat, pulling her out of her musings. Nijika blushed a bit, shaking herself back to reality. She stood up straight, brushing the wrinkles from her dress.
"One of my friends invited me over to their place. Would you mind taking me there?" she asked politely. The woman giggled, rolling her eyes.
"Sure, you don't have to be so polite dear. I don't mind if you visit friends...so who is it? Is it that Kirito boy you're in love with?" she asked.
"No, I'm not in love with Kirito, besides he's married and has a daughter remember?" she asked.
"Ah yes, I remember you telling me about their little AI daughter, I just wish I could meet her. I wanna pinch her cheeks." she said, causing the girl to groan.
"Uh anyway, do you know where this area is?" she asked, typing the address on her Map Application. She turned the screen to the woman, who's eyes widened a bit.
"This is, one of the nicest neighborhoods in Ikebukuro...just who is this person?" she asked curiously.
"He's...someone special?"
"Oh, so it is a boy...now I'm curious...I want to see who has my little girl smitten!" she said happily.
"Mom, I'm not smitten...who even says that anymore?"
"I do, now if you want to impress this boy you'll have to find yourself a nice dress to wear. You're seventeen so I'm sure he's already aware of your assets. And while I normally wouldn't be fond of anything with a low collar, I don't mind if you buy any low cut dresses." she said.
"MOM!" Nijika cried, a fierce blush on her face. The woman giggled, shaking her head.
"Come on, I'll take you to the mall in Akihabara and get you some new clothes...you don't work today right?"
"No, I'm off for the next week. I needed some time away from the cafe, there's this one boy who comes in with a cat all the time and it's really weird. He just orders the same thing all the time, something tells me he has the hots for Clara, one of our klutzy maids." she said. She grabbed a pair of white stockings and sat down, slipping them onto her legs.
"Are cats even allowed in the cafe?" the woman asked curiously.
"No, but the boss doesn't mind since he pays a lot. I'm convinced he talks to it, I see them just sitting there and cracking jokes. You believe me right mom?" she asked.
"Nijika sweetie, I think you've been playing too many VRMMOs." she said, leaving the room. The girl sighed, grabbing her boots.
"Of course you don't believe me. No one does, but I swear that cat talks, and I'll prove it one day." she said firmly.
Xxx
"So son, your mother tells me you're having a friend over."
Akira groaned, glaring at his mother who was taking a bite from her steak. Since they were all originally from America, she often times cooked American meals. Tonight was some Beef steaks with Rice and Beans on the side. She was growling a bit, trying to bite a chunk from it.
"Mom, that thing is dead just cut it with a knife." his older sister Alisha said, leaning in her seat. She was his mother's spitting image, down to the hair color. Often times, people would confuse the much younger Alisha for their mother Alice, but she tended to ignore them.
"Sorry, I'm just really hungry for some reason." she said.
"Christ you aren't pregnant are you?" Akira asked, taking a sip from his drink.
"Son, what have I said about talking like that?" his father asked, glaring at him.
"Don't do it in traffic, I know." he said, brushing him off.
"So, what's this about little brother having friends?" Alisha asked, bringing the attention back to the boy.
"Yes, Noah was telling me all about this person earlier today. It's a girl." Alice said, earning a joyous laugh from the man.
"I'm proud of you son. Where did you meet her?"
"I met her in ALO, I'm actually telling her about my life in Sword Art Online." he admitted.
"Seriously, you opened up to a girl you've never met? What if it's a dude playing as a girl?" Alisha asked.
"First off, Yvir fixed it so men can't pick the girl avatars. After what happened in SAO, I doubt guys would want to play as girls, especially that one guy who wore a skirt most of the time." he replied.
"Well...as long as she isn't after our money, I'm fine with you meeting each other."
"Dad, she doesn't even know how wealthy we are. She's like my other friends from SAO, but she's...special." he said.
"Might I hear why?" Alice asked, a smirk on her face.
"I'm sorry mom, but I'm not telling you that. Not in a million years, though maybe if you help me beat Fafnir I might reconsider." he said.
"Fafnir, you're insane. I haven't even beaten that quest to find Loki's minions yet." the woman replied.
"What are you two talking about...wait a minute, Alice...don't tell me you bought yourself that silly helmet." his father asked, glancing over at the woman, who had returned to eating her food, just to avoid speaking.
"I will not confirm nor deny your accusation dad." Akira said, finishing his dinner.
"Well, whatever the case if a girl is coming over, that means we have to tidy up the house. She might even become little bro's future wife!" Alisha said, snorting a bit.
"Don't you have a test tomorrow?" he asked.
"Oh shit, thanks for reminding me. I'll finish this in my room, sorry to bail on you!" she said, grabbing her plate and taking it with her. Akira chuckled, shaking his head.
"I still can't believe she got accepted into Nursing school...I'm just glad she's back in Japan...for however long that'll be." he said, a frown on his face.
"Which is why you should spent a little time away from that game. Enjoy the real world for a bit." his father said.
"I would but...dad, I can walk in that game. I can run, I can fly...I can do so much more than what I can do here. I can't go that far in the real world, not without my arms growing tired." he said with a frown.
"Maybe you two could just play ALO together. After all, if Alisha gets herself an AmuSphere, she can just log in on her spare time and play a game." Alice said.
"That...isn't a bad idea...I'll talk to her." he said, pushing himself away from the table. Thankfully all of the rooms were on the bottom floor so he didn't have to climb the stairs.
"You know, I would be a bit upset that Noah is spending too much time in that game. But after those two years, I think it was good for him, in a way."
"I agree with you Byakuya. Even though he was surrounded by death all the time, Sword Art Online gave him a second chance at life, and even now with Alfheim, he's enjoying himself. Maybe that girl that's coming over is the best thing for him right now." Alice said.
"Maybe, she better be cute, or I'll be really disappointed in him." the man said, taking a sip of his beer. Alice chuckled, rolling her eyes.
"Hey big sis, are you busy?" Akira asked, as he stopped next to the door of the girl's room. She looked up from her books, shaking her head.
"I need a break, come in." she said, gesturing for him to enter the room. He stopped at the center of the room, glancing around the walls, seeing a few of the posters of famous rock bands from the past had been packed away again. He frowned, glancing back at Alisha.
"When are you leaving?" he asked.
"Two weeks, don't worry, I planned to stick around until after your surgery. I'll be your personal nurse." she said, giving him a wink.
"Thanks but I'd rather not die." he said, causing her to laugh, snorting as she did. She grabbed her hair brush and started brushing her long black hair, making sure it was free of knots.
"I won't let you die, I know how IV fluids work. Maybe I can sneak you some morphine while I'm at it." she said.
"No thanks, I don't want to be drugged up beyond belief while I'm here. Anyway, I uh...have a proposal for you. Mom suggested we spend time together in ALO. I know you don't like that FullDive stuff since SAO but...I think it would be good. That way whenever you're free from classes, we can log in and spend time together." he said.
"Hmm...while normally I wouldn't be interested in that stuff, I have to admit it does sound interesting. And I was a little jealous of you, Sword Art Online was the biggest thing in the world. I sort of wanted to be there." she said.
"Trust me, no you didn't. Sword Art Online may have looked pretty, but it was nothing more than a death trap. Even now that New Aincrad was added to ALO, I still have issues being back there. Today was the first time I actually had the balls to head back into the Town of Beginnings. Hey, maybe we can clear the game together."
"All 100 floors?" she asked.
"Hell yeah, it'll be hard but we can definitely do it. Maybe we can join the raid and OHKO Illfang by the time you leave for California."
"Well, I guess that'll be alright. Test first though, if I don't pass this I can't get my certification." she said.
"Alright, this is gonna be fun! Maybe me and Rain can party up and show you the ropes." he said happily.
"Rain, she that girl you met in ALO?" Alisha asked.
"Oh yeah, that's her avatar name. You know, I didn't bother asking her what her name is...then again I never bothered telling her mine."
"Ugh, you are so hopeless Noah." she said, tying her hair up in a ponytail.
"I am not!" he cried.
"Yes you are, but I am looking forward to seeing this girl tomorrow. She better be cute, or I'll be really pissed."
"She is, but that stuff doesn't matter. We're most likely going to play Pokemon or something, that reminds me, do you think you could help me set up those retro consoles in my room?" he asked.
"Sure, but I'm not pushing you." she said, standing up from her seat.
Xxx
"So Nijika, what exactly are you and that boy Akira doing?"
"I'm not sure mom...I was going to bring some Pokemon games to play. He told me he likes the classics...or do you think I should bring my AmuSphere so we can play ALO?"
"Maybe, but I think you two should spend time together outside of that game." she said.
"Yeah but...mom he can't walk...he told me he was in an accident before SAO started." Nijika said, getting a surprised look from her mother.
"Oh dear, I wasn't aware of that. That poor boy...is he doing okay?"
"You mean mentally? I think he is...you should have seen him mom. He was so depressed when I ran into him. He was scared, scared of being back in Aincrad...I just had to help him. I wanted to hold him and never let him go."
"Nijika...how long have you known this boy?" the woman asked, glancing at her daughter from the rear view mirror.
"Um...I met him personally today...but I've known about him for two and a half years." she said.
"You mean...you spent most of your time in SAO following him around?" she asked.
"Essentially?"
"Nijika, we have to talk sweetie...you just can't stalk someone like that...I don't want you to grow obsessed over him."
"I am not obsessed mother. I just...feel bad for him...he was labeled as a murderer on the Second Floor, all because of that fat ass Ralph, not only that. He lost someone close to him inside that game. I know I can't replace them but...I just want him to talk about his problems so that I can help him." she said firmly, a look of determination in her eyes.
"You want to be an idol yet you have the makings of a Psychiatrist. Maybe you should think about your career paths a little bit more." her mother replied.
"Momma, Nanairo is already a Doctor...I don't want to be a Psychiatrist." she gray haired girl said, crossing her arms.
"Jeez, it's just a thought. We're almost at the mall, do you have an idea on what you want?" she asked.
"No, but I'll look around. I saw some cute dresses last time I was here." she said happily.
"Hey, are you going to tell him the real reason why you decided to play ALO?" her mother asked, catching her attention. Nijika frowned, glancing out the window. Ironically enough, the electronic billboard was displaying an interview with the famous Doctor Rainbow, her own little sister.
"I might...I don't think he needs to know that stuff though. He'd probably grow disinterested." she admitted.
"Oh sweetie...I doubt he would. He sounds like a nice boy...let's just talk about something else...you know what, I'm paying for a spa day, my little girl needs to look her best when she meets this boy."
"Mom, we're just friends." she cried out, a blush on her cheeks.
"Sure, you say that now...but it won't be long until you declare your love for him."
"Ugh...maybe I should have just taken a train instead." she huffed, lowering her gaze. Thankfully her hair was long enough to hide her rosy cheeks from her teasing mother.
Xxx
"Well, there you are...man I haven't seen some of these things since I was a kid, I really liked the Playstation 2." Alisha said, taking a seat at Akira's computer chair. The boy was sitting on his bed, glancing at his phone.
"That thing is ancient, but I do agree. For the year 2000, that system had the best graphics. I don't know why, but I love the original Xbox, something about that damn start up sound always gets me." he admitted.
"But we can all agree, if you wanted to have a party, the Gamecube was where it was at."
"True that." the boy agreed. His phone beeped, attracting his attention to it. His eyes widened a bit when he read the message.
"Log into ALO right now, we need to talk." -Hayato.
"Hey, thanks a lot for the help sis, I appreciate it. One of my friends asked me to log in real quick, something about a quest." he said, grabbing his AmuSphere.
"Yeah yeah, I decided to take your advice. First thing in the morning I'm heading to the game store and grabbing myself some VR stuff. Do you recommend any other games aside from ALO?" she asked.
"Uh...I hear there's a beta coming out for a new American game called Gun Gale Online, I'm trying to score a spot in the Japanese beta but so far, I haven't head back from anyone. Figured my extended resume as one of the Front Liners in SAO would have been enough."
"Well, I guess I'll have to check it out. If it's an American game, that means it most likely came out over seas. I'll try it out and let you know how it is. See ya in the morning, have fun." she said.
"Yeah...goodnight sis." he said, placing the headset on. He laid back, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Link Start!"
xxx
(Town of Beginnings Floor 1, 8:25 AST)
Akira blinked a few times as he found himself at the teleporter in the center of the Town of Beginnings. Even though it was late, people were still walking around, enjoying the atmosphere Aincrad provided. He was glad to see players smiling for once, rather than seeing them all filled with worry.
Aincrad was a beautiful place, and hopefully new players could come and enjoy that. His time in SAO may have been over, but that didn't mean things from his past still didn't haunt him. He stepped off the teleporter, shoving his hands in his pockets as he made his way toward the southern exit.
Once he had passed the walls, he walked up the path following the marker he had set. It wasn't long before he came to the edge of the map, where another young man was standing.
He looked to be a few years older than him, but in reality, Akira and him were about the same age. His avatar had crimson colored hair, a trait that belonged to the Salamanders. He was wearing some heavy set crimson armor, a two handed axe strapped to his back. He looked up from the ground, a sneer on his face.
"Took you long enough to show up." he said.
"Sorry, I was setting some stuff up in my room and..."
"I don't give a shit. You know what I'm here for." the boy snapped. Akira grit his teeth.
"Hayato, come on man. Can't we all just move on from this? It's been so long since we cleared SAO." he said.
"Need I remind you what happened to my cousin while in that death trap? You let her die, and now you have to pay for that with your items for the rest of your time in ALO." the boy said, grabbing a hold of Akira's cloak.
"Stop it! She wouldn't want this, all of us were in that game together. None of us knew what the Floor 50 Boss was going to be like!" Akira cried angrily.
"I don't give a shit, she was the stronger of us two. Keisha already paid the price on the Seventh Floor, we were going to get out together. But you destroyed that chance! You promised to keep her alive, but you failed. So fork over your items, and your money." he said, pushing the boy to the ground.
Akira sighed and rose his hand, opening his menu. He opened the trade request menu and started placing all of his items into it. He had more in his storage of course, but Hayato didn't need to know that. His eyes fell on the sword Rain had given him. It was called Dawn of Steel, a sword that rose his STR, AGI and EVI stats by three and had a low chance to Stun the enemy. He paused, hitting the send button.
"That's the stuff...wait..this is the sword you had equipped two days ago...that means you got a stronger one. I want that!" Hayato said.
"Dude, I'm not giving you my sword. I wouldn't have anything to fight with, and I'm not giving you my armor either." Akira said, pulling himself to his feet.
"Tch...whatever, this stuff is more than enough for now. But remember, cross me again, and I'll humiliate you in front of your friends. You aren't the Violet Assassin anymore. The biggest mistake you made was starting this game at Level One after leaving SAO."
"And you think Lording your stats over me is going to make a difference? Level doesn't mean shit in ALO. It all comes down to skill and your own abilities. I became the one of the top swordsmen in the game, so don't take me lightly. Now get the fuck out of Aincrad before I toss your ass over myself!" he cried back.
"Oh...you'll pay for that one Akira, don't you worry...I'll get you for that." the man said, jumping off the edge. He shot into the sky a second later, most likely returning to the Salamander Nation.
"Goddamn it!" he shouted, slamming his fist into the side of the wall. He felt anger coursing through him as he grit his teeth. He glanced up at the sky, seeing the bottom of the second floor.
"I need to get my pent up anger out somehow." he muttered to himself. His eyes widened a bit and he opened his menu, checking the map data for the First Floor. He grinned to himself when he saw what he wanted. Without wasting a single second, he shot off into the sky, disappearing into the night.
Landing in Tolbana, he quickly went to the teleporter and opened up his storage. He pulled out all of his healing items and SP potions, knowing he would need them for what he was going to attempt. He grabbed his spare Nightfall Blade, equipping it into his pallet. Both it and Dawn of Steel appeared around his waist, rather than on his back. He looked at the handle for the dark blade, remembering the first time he had it.
"I found that blade by pure luck. A rare boss drop for players that weren't from Japan. Kayaba, how the hell did you even know I wasn't of Japanese origin? Maybe my email account." he muttered to himself. Once he was ready, he left Tolbana, heading toward the base of the pillar.
He didn't know how long it had been, but he had finally made it to the Boss room. Twenty three floors had been wiped clean of any monster in the area. He had easily grown in level, going from 12 to 15, but to him level didn't matter anymore. This wasn't SAO. He took a deep breath and pushed the doors open, walking into the boss room.
Memories flooded into his mind. Diavel, all of the Squads, the players that took on Illfang. He could see it all in front of him. The first floor boss, the place where he almost died. Illfang's grin burned into his mind, making him angrier than before.
"Hayato...I swear to god I'm going to defeat you one day. Ever since you logged into ALO, you've been tormenting me. My friends don't know about this, but if they did your life in this game would be over. I'm not letting them do that, you are my enemy, and It's my duty to beat you." he said, glancing into the room. He had half a mind to go in after Illfang, but he knew he wouldn't stand a chance against him. So instead, he teleported out of the boss room.
Xxx
"Alright Nijika, do you have everything?"
"Yes mother, I'm fine."
"Oh, you look so cute. This boy is going to be head over heels for you." she cried.
Nijika sighed, shaking her head. Her mother was right though, she did look pretty cute.
She had picked up a lavender colored dress, with a diamond design to it. It was a bit low cut, and the straps were a darker shade of purple. The dress reached down to her knees, and had a ruffled hem. She was wearing a pair of black tights, something she insisted on wearing as she felt more comfortable that way. She was also wearing a pair of heeled boots that she had got on sale. Her hair was down like normal, but she was wearing a bonnet, which was a frilly white color with black lacing on it. She had her purse in her hands, as well as another bag, which held her laptop and her AmuSphere.
Another thing she wasn't expecting when she arrived at Ikebukuro was how big Akira's house was. It wasn't a mansion, but it wasn't a modest house either. It was a really beautiful place, the size of an apartment complex. It had an iron fence around it, with a rather large gate near the front. The grass had been recently cut, filling the air with the scent of freshly cut grass, something that Nijika liked quite a lot. She felt her mother place a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't be nervous. Remember how you were when you met Kirito and Asuna for the first time?"
"Yeah but, it was different. They were in the same hospital as me, so it was unavoidable. Even after what happened on floor 75." she replied.
"I know but...just stay calm...pretend your meeting up with your other friends. That should help you out."
"Thanks mom, I'll call you when I'm ready to go home, if not I can just take a train back." she said.
"Alright, be safe and don't do anything I wouldn't do." she said.
"Yes mom." the girl said, walking toward the gates. Her mother watched her go, a proud smile on her face.
"She's growing up so fast. Even I can tell she's totally in love with that boy...he better appreciate her." she said to herself, getting back in her car.
Nijika took a deep breath, ringing the bell on the side of the gate. She shook nervously, biting back a bitter laugh. Here was a girl that had gotten past the worst event imaginable, actually made it to Level 95 and cleared floor bosses with ease. Yet she was scared of meeting a person in real life. SAO had taught her to be more trusting of her fellow players. Meeting someone and asking them to party up was second nature, so why was she so nervous?
"Excuse me Miss, may I help you?"
It was a woman, not much older than she was, most likely in her early twenties. She had long black hair, and was wearing a light colored tee shirt, with very short shorts. She was also wearing a pair of flip-flops. From her attitude, Nijika could just tell she was American. The girl's lazy look changed to one of surprise, and then a smile worked its way onto her face.
"You must be Rain, my brother's girlfriend, right?"
"Huh? What?" she asked.
"You are so cute! Look at you, man my brother sure knows how to pick them. Come on in, I'll take you to his room." she said, opening the gate.
"Um...thank you but...we're not dating. We're just friends." she said.
"Sure you are kiddo...maybe I should start calling you Little Sis from now on." the girl said, leading her toward the house.
"No no, please don't do that. My name is Nijika, you can call me that instead of Rain. That's just my avatar name." the girl admitted.
"I'm Alisha, Noah's big sister...well you would know him by Akira wouldn't you?"
"Yes, he never told me what his name was. Noah...that's not a bad name." Nijika replied.
"Hey Mom! You're daughter-in-law is here, get the snacks ready!" Alisha cried out, as soon as they entered the house.
"Oh she is, I want to meet her!" another voice cried out. Nijika blushed brightly, lowering her gaze. Her face felt hot and she just wanted to run away as far as possible. She didn't handle teasing well.
From the top of the stairs came out another woman, who she assumed was Alisha's mother. She stopped in front of her, giving her a warm smile.
"Aw, aren't you a cutie. My son is definitely going to be happy that you came. You know, he hasn't had a friend over since before the SAO incident." she said.
"Really? Why is that?" Nijika asked, gaining a sudden interest.
"Noah is...well, he values friendship quite a bit. He had plenty of friends but...as it turned out most of them were his friends for his money instead of him. Once he had left the hospital after his accident, he tried hanging out with a few of them, but none of them ever showed up. Even his girlfriend broke up with him, saying he was useless in a wheel chair."
"That little bitch, she's lucky to have moved to Okinawa." Alisha muttered angrily.
"Is...that why he got Sword Art Online, so he could leave the real world?" Nijika asked.
"Yes, he had been interested in it mildly at first. But after the first reviews started streaming in, along with some gameplay, he knew he just had to have it. A game where everything was rendered in full three dimensional environments? It was too much for him to pass up. None of us knew what a mistake that would be."
"When I heard about it all, I just wanted to die. I was fresh out of high school, and had gone home for college. It was horrible, especially watching it all unfold on the news. Hearing the names of the ones that had died, it was just...I don't want to remember that." Alisha admitted.
"But Noah was strong, he powered through it all and made it to the end game. That's not to say it was easy but...sometimes I wonder just what he truly faced there. I watched as much of his stream as I could, but there were things that didn't record."
"He streamed it?" Nijika asked, eyes widened in shock.
"Over an entire year of it. It was how the doctors were keeping an eye on him. He wasn't the only one who streamed it either, but after awhile, the website just shut down the stream entirely."
"Oh Akira...I didn't know any of this." the girl said softly. Alisha smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Listen, I know I teased you a lot a few minutes ago, but I think right now, you're the best thing for my brother. He hasn't opened up to anyone before. Only those who are his brothers in arms can know what happened in that game. The sole fact that he trusts you enough to tell you his story, it really amazes me. I can tell that you love him, just be patient with him, alright?" she said.
"Huh? Okay." she said softly.
"Come on, I'll take you to his room. I think he's logged into ALO right now, he didn't come down for breakfast."
"Really? That doesn't sound like him, he loves eating." Alisha said, looking at her mother.
"Yes but...you know how he is with games. He probably went after Fafnir all on his own. That silly boy." Alice replied.
"Well...he said something about logging on to talk to one of his friends...just follow me Nijika. Oh and don't worry about your shoes, we're used to walking around the house with them." the girl said, urging the girl to follow.
Just like Alice had said, Noah was logged into ALO, the AmuSphere's lights were blinking rapidly, and he was panting a bit, most likely being in a battle. Nijika took a look around, amazed at all of the retro games and more modern games. Alisha walked over to his side, kneeling next to his ear.
"Hey idiot, log out you're girlfriend is here!" she said.
"Alisha-chan, please don't say that stuff!" Nijika cried, earning a giggle from her.
"Don't worry, that should have brought his attention. Maybe you can log in and drag his ass out, I'm going to be in my room setting up my own account. He convinced me into playing, so I hope you can help me level up before I leave in a few weeks."
"Okay, I don't mind at all." the girl said, pulling her laptop from her bag. She grabbed her AmuSphere from her bag, and plugged everything up, setting her computer on the desk next to her. She placed the headset on, taking a seat on the gaming chair.
"Wait for me Akira-kun, I don't want you to get all the good drops. Link Start!"
xxx
Akira sighed, a frown on his face as his swinging slowed down to a stop. He didn't feel like doing much of anything. After what had happened the night before, he didn't really feel like doing anything. He knew his trip to the Boss Room had been a waste of consumables, but at the moment he didn't really care.
He heard foot steps and looked up, seeing a rather familiar face in front of him. The girl narrowed her eyes, shaking her head. Her long green tresses fell down to her waist. She was wearing a bright green dress, with an iron chest plate over it. The skirt of it split down the side, revealing part of her leg. She was wearing a pair of black heeled boots, the straps of which wrapped around her leg. Strapped to her waist was a one handed long sword.
"Look at you, sitting there all depressed and shit. What's the matter?" she asked.
"Sapphira, I don't feel like talking right now." He said simply.
"I don't care, you wanna know why I logged in today? It wasn't because of the boss raid, nope. It was because Argo saw you solo the labyrinth. She was concerned for you and shot me a line, so what's up? What pissed you off enough for you to tackle that alone?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me, we spent two years together Akira, just explain to me in detail what happened." she said.
"I just...don't feel comfortable talking about it. You would probably get really pissed off at me." he admitted. She was about to say something when another person approached them, a familiar looking redhead.
"Akira there you are...I just got to your place." she said. His eyes widened.
"Oh shit, I forgot you were coming over...sorry Rain...I've been logged on since last night." he admitted.
"All night? Have you even slept?" Sapphira snapped angrily.
"Yeah, I rented an inn in Tolbana..the one that we stayed at the night before the boss raid. This brings back memories you know." he said. Rain looked between the two, clapping her hands with a starry look in her eye.
"No way, you're Sapphira? One of SAO's beta testers?" she asked.
"Uh...yeah...you know who I am?"
"Of course, all of the forums said you were one of the strongest players in the game, second to the Black Swordsman and the Lightning Flash of course." she said.
"Mwehehe, one of the strongest players huh? I'll admit, being this good in combat was something I prided myself in. Soloing Super Bosses can only take you so far." she said, glaring at Akira who just huffed and looked away.
"Goddamn it, I wish Panereze was unlocked, I miss my quiet little island!" he said angrily.
"Alright, what's up your ass Akira, fucking tell me or I swear to god I'll gank you as soon as you leave town."
"Okay fine, I'll tell you. I got my shit taken by Hayato!" he said. Sapphira grew silent, not really knowing how to react. Rain on the other hand looked at Akira in concern.
"You were robbed?"
"Yes, by a player named Hayato. He's cousins with one of my friends from SAO. Sasha." he said. Rain's eyes widened.
"The Greek Goddess...oh my god." she said, hands flying to her mouth. Sapphira grit her teeth, opening her menu.
"Where the fuck is he? I'm going to teach him not to fuck with my friends."
"Stop it Sapph, if you go after him he'll just take your stuff too. He works for Yvir now, so he has system control." he said.
"Wait, he's abusing his credentials to steal stuff from Akira? Why is that?" Rain asked.
"If I we're to guess, it's revenge for what happened in Aincrad. It's a long story that I don't plan on telling you right now. Sides I don't even know you." the green haired Sylph said.
"Why don't you tell a Game Master, or better yet why not tell the leader of your nation, don't they have the player information needed to stop him?" Rain asked.
"Hayato aligned himself with the Salamanders, meaning I would have to go to Mortimer, the leader to get that information. I tried going to the leader of the Imps but that guy is a total fuck off...I was hoping Sakuya would know what to do." he said.
"I'll see if I can get a hold of her. She might be with Rue though, so I don't know if she'll show up."
"She has too, there's a boss raid and I'm sure she won't miss that...I guess while we wait I can tell you the next part of my story." Akira said, looking at Rain.
"You don't have too, I know this is a trying time for you."
"No worries, whatever it takes to keep my mind off things...let's see...it starts off in Panereze I think, the day before the 25th Floor Boss raid."
