A/N: Hey everybody. Sorry it's taken so long to post this chapter, but between Blazing Revolution and my new story Secrets Revealed, I've been swamped. I hope you all enjoy the chapter. It's based off of one of my favorite moments in the game.

-Chapter 9: The Question-

Ren and Alice walked through the streets of Arc Sophia as the couple enjoyed the beautiful weather. The guild had finished their work in the fields for the day and Ren decided to let everyone take the rest of the afternoon off so he and Alice could spend some time together. They stopped walking as they passed by the fountain and sat at one of the nearby benches. The shimmering water that reflected the sunlight sparkled as it danced in the air.

"Another tough day of grinding in the fields. It's so exhausting" Alice sighed. "But at least I get to be alone with you the rest of the day"

"Yeah" Ren smiled. "It's so nice to relax like this with you by my side."

Alice smiled at the compliment and gave her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. "You're so sweet Ren. You always know the right words to say"

Ren and Alice watched as players walked around town, both elite assault team members and newbies that had gotten trapped on the higher floors here. The rift between the two groups had finally settled down after all this time. High level players grinded in the fields, while low leveled ones were able to raise other skills such as cooking and sewing and even blacksmithing. Both were essential for the other's survival.

"It's weird how much things have changed" Alice said. "People have almost gotten used to this world as if it was the real world. Outside of those of us fighting here, nobody seems to care if we go back or not"

Ren nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I guess they're just tired of all the fighting. They lost their will to go on."

"Well I won't lose my will to fight" Alice declared. "I'm gonna make it back to the real world."

"I know we will" Ren nodded. "I swear I'll help you get back to the real world."

"Don't say that" Alice said.

"Why?"

"Cause you make it sound like you don't care if you make it back or not! I want you to swear that we'll BOTH make it back to the real world"

"Alice…"

"Swear that both of us will return to the real world! It doesn't matter to me if I make it back, unless it's with you!"

"Alright Alice, I promise" Ren said. "I swear that I'll do whatever it takes to make sure both of us get back to the real world"

"Good" Alice smiled. "Now let's go get something to eat"

The couple left the fountain area and walked over to one of the restaurants in town. Going out to dinner nowadays was a lot easier than it used to be. Back on the lower floors, Alice and Ren would usually get swarmed by fans of their guild. Now that most of those lower level players stayed below floor 76 in order to avoid being stuck up here, there weren't many fans to interrupt them. The couple continued to enjoy their dinner together as the sky slowly turned orange. The virtual sun of Aincrad would be setting soon.

"We should head back" Alice suggested as she finished her meal. "It's getting late."

"Yeah. You're right" Ren agreed. The two paid for their meal and left the restaurant. As they returned to Agil's bar that also functioned as a hotel, the couple took a seat at a table. Helios and Dagger were chatting together at another table. Mai and Yui were talking together at the bar stools. Kirito and Asuna seemed to be elsewhere.

"Hey guys. Welcome back" Dagger greeted as she waved over to the couple. She added with a hidden sexual undertone "Did you two have fun?"

"Dagger, we only went out to eat" Alice told her friend. "Don't try and act like we were doing something weird."

"I'm just joking Alice. Lighten up" Dagger giggled.

Alice sighed in annoyance at the red haired merchant. "Agil, can I get a drink?"

"You got it" Agil nodded. "One of the usual?"

"Yes please."

"I'll have one too" Ren added.

"Coming right up."

Ren and Alice sat together at one of the many tables in the room. It wasn't long before Agil returned with two drinks in hand, placing them on the table. "Here you go"

"Thanks" Alice told the owner of the bar. As the black haired teen began take a sip of her drink along with Ren, the two noticed Yui come downstairs.

"Hey Yui" Ren greeted.

"Hello Ren. Hello Alice" Yui replied as she walked over towards the couple. She seemed like she wanted to say something, but remained silent.

"Is something wrong Yui?" Alice asked.

"N-No. Nothing's wrong. It's just… well…"

"What is it Yui? Whatever you want to say, you can say it"

The young black haired girl seemed very flustered, not knowing whether to say what she was going to or not. Finally she made a decision. "Can I ask you two a question?"

"Sure Yui. Ask us anything"

"Where do babies come from?"

After the young girl said this, every person in the entire bar fell silent. Both Ren's and Alice's faces were blushing a deep shade of red.

Alice was unsure of how to respond to Yui's question. "Umm… well… Yui, why are you so suddenly interested?"

"I was with Mommy and Daddy the other day, and people were looking at me funny when I called the two of them Mommy and Daddy. I don't have a lot of data on how childbirth works in the real world so I asked Mommy and Daddy where babies come from in the real world. Mommy's answer was really vague though."

'I'll bet it was' Ren silently thought. "S-So what did she tell you?"

"She said it happens when two people in love work together."

"Work together…" Alicie quietly repeated. 'I guess that's close enough to the truth'

"By kissing" Yui added.

Alice mentally facepalmed herself. 'Why Asuna?! Saying that to her is only going to make things more complicated'

"I thought about it a lot and decided to ask the two of you. Cause next to Mommy and Daddy, you're the two I see kissing the most"

It was hard to believe it was possible, but Ren's and Alice's faces became even redder than before.

"Hold on Yui" Helios said from the bar stool he was sitting at with Dagger. "Let Uncle Helios explain this one."

"Don't you dare" Ren told the axe-wielder.

"You see when two people love each other very much… or are very drunk and forget to put a condom on they-"

"HELIOS!" Asuna yelled from the enterance of the bar, just arriving back with Kirito. "What the hell are you talking to Yui about condoms for?!"

"Well somebody has to have the talk with her" Helios replied with a joking grin.

"What's a condom?" Yui asked.

"A condom is something a man puts over his-"

Helios was interrupted as a quick punch to the face came from Kirito while Asuna quickly covered her daughter's ears. The blow from the raven haired swordsman sent Helios tumbling over the bar counter. The axe-wielder grasped his face in mild pain.

Ren groaned in annoyance at his fellow guild member. "I'm really sorry about Helios"

"Don't worry, it's not your fault Ren" Asuna assured him. She then walked over to Helios as he was getting up and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. The chestnut haired girl glared at him, looking him dead in the eye "If you EVER talk about that kind of stuff with Yui again, I swear I will throw you into the next floor boss room by yourself alone and close the doors shut."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever" Helios said, rolling his eyes.

In response to this, Asuna pulled him even closer to show just how serious she was. "I mean it Helios"

It was a long time before the tension that Yui's question had brought up finally subsided. Asuna and Kirito brought Yui upstairs to put their daughter to bed, as it was starting to get late. After the family of three left the first floor, everyone's eyes turned to Helios.

The axe-wielder looked at his friends in confusion. "What?"

"Why would you say that to Yui?" Alice wondered. "That was by far one of the dumbest things you've ever done."

"Come on, don't you think you're exaggerating a bit?" Helios asked.

"Yeah" Mai agreed. "Helios has done WAY dumber things than this"

"Nobody asked you squirt!" Helios retorted.

"Then don't go talking like that in front of Yui, you jackass!" Mai bit back.

"They've got a point Helios" Dagger admitted. "Honestly, you can be kinda dense sometimes"

"Hey!"

The discussion around the bar continued to go on and on. In the world of Aincrad however, you never really knew what each day would bring. If any day proved that fact, it was today.

A/N: Once again, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please post any comments or reviews about what you thought of this chapter, or just about the story in general.