They didn't play games all the time, Kirito, Asuna and the gang. But that's what they did most of the time since it was even easier and made things not so boring. You could do basically anything in ALO, from studying to reading the news, to accessing things and places in the real world. And then, with the Augma, you could access the virtual world while you were in the real one. Sure, it looked funny to people who didn't use it - just some kids waving around their hands, but it actually was quite the useful tool. More and more people were using it, no matter how much troubles it had created at first. Just like with the NerveGear and the AmuSphere.

Seriously, people should have learned to expect it by now.

But sometimes all this technology could get a bit too much, even for kids who basically grew up with it. So they would turn these gadgets off and do something the simple way.

"I'm bored." Lis complained.

"So am I..." Kirito sighed, plopping backwards on Asuna's bed.

The two of them, Silica, Klein and Asuna had one such break from technology. At Asuna's home, the house which basically had technology in the air. But it was the biggest house and the girl had invited her friends over. She hardly ever brought anyone home and the others were actually curious about where she lived.

But yes, after the home tour was over and the small talk ended, the friends had nothing to do. Asuna even wondered if it would be rude to open the book she was reading and finish a chapter or two.

"Let's play a game." Came Klein's excited voice after a moment.

"But didn't we agree not to use technology?" Kirito asked lazily.

"No, not ALO. An old game." Klein smirked. "Or are you youngsters afraid I will beat you in a game from my childhood?"

Kirito and Lisbeth immediately took to the challenge, that was to be expected. Asuna and Silica just wondered what the oldest in the group was talking about.

"Do you know the game Ludo?" Klein asked, making his voice sound lower, as if he was telling a ghost story.

"Oh, I know this one!" Asuna exclaimed, her eyes shinning excitedly. "We even have a box somewhere here. Wait a minute." And she ran out of her room to go find the item, leaving everyone to watch after her and wonder what this game was.

Klein smirked. "But don't be angry if you lose, kids."

More than a minute later, Asuna finally came back with a small rectangular box in her hands.

"This is it." She said as she practically jumped to the floor, opening the box and taking some small items out. The other people in the room looked to one another before joining her.

"Oh, it's a board game!" Silica said excitedly. "I haven't played one recently."

"But what are the rules?" Lis asked. Kirito was ready to pull his phone out and check but Klein and Asuna looked to each other before explaining quickly.

"You chose a colour and take four pieces."

"Then, when you throw a six on the dice, you can get one out on the path and move it to your colour's base."

"But if someone step's on you, you have to get the piece back in your yard."

"And sometimes you have to wait for the right number on the dice."

Lis, Silica and Kirito didn't understand too much of the rules but their friends were excited and they didn't want to ruin the fun.

And then, a problem arose.

"Aren't there only four colours though? There's five of us." Silica noticed.

"Oh." Asuna said and her and Klein got quiet. "Yes, there's five of us."

"Hehe, then we'll be a team." Lis jumped up and pushed Kirito aside, sitting close to Asuna. "This way I'll be on the winning team, you guys play alone."

Kirito was about to protest but then stopped, deciding it wasn't worth it. You couldn't change Rika's mind when she thought of something.

"Alright then." And so the game began.

Kirito chose blue (since it was closest to black), Asuna and Liz red, Silica green and only the yellow colour was left for Klein.

"Ugh, never be a gentleman. You get the brightest colour." He complained.

The game began. Asuna and Lis were first, then Kirito, then Klein, then Silica. On the third spin, Kirito finally got a six, getting one of his pieces out. Soon enough Asuna and Silica followed. Klein complained again.

But once he finally got a piece out, he trampled both Kirito and Silica. Only Asuna and Lis managed to run run away and hide in their base (thanks to Lis' luck of course, good thing she was on Asuna's team). Silica quickly got a new piece out and began chasing Klein. Instead of running, the man decided to get another piece in game and also chaise Silica. But by then Kirito had gotten to him.

And just like that, Klein lost another two pieces. But Asuna got another piece in game and so Kirito lost his, pouting and saying Asuna shouldn't attack him. The girl had to defend herself, saying the dice decided where she went, not herself. Meanwhile, quietly, Silica got another piece in game and got her first one in her base.

Klein finally got another piece in game, praying every time before throwing the dice. Asuna got her second in her base, Kirito got his first and got a new one out.

The game was getting more and more serious. People got quiet, only watching the table, not even glancing at the other players. The only sounds that could be heard were huffing when a piece was stepped on or a sigh of relief when a piece entered the base.

Kirito quickly fell behind, saying this was not his type of game. There were no swords in it. Silica too fell behind, not getting the game and not understand what was going on at times. The battle was suddenly between Klein and Asuna (and Lis).

Klein had three pieces in the base, Asuna only two. All their other pieces were on the path. The chase was on. Suddenly Lis' luck ran out and Klein began gaining on them. He hit one piece, then another. And then entered his base.

This was the end, Klein jumped up, he had won. He flipped the game's map in his happiness. Lis huffed, Asuna laughed with Kirito and Silica.

"Haha, told you I'm the best in this game!" Klein yelled.

"You never said such a thing..." Lis pouted.

"Let's play another game!" Klein was on fire.

"No, thanks." Lis got up, sitting on Asuna's bed.

The game was quickly put back in its box, the friends opting for a walk outside instead. It seemed like oldschool games weren't their thing. This night the friends had gotten online, meeting in Asuna's and Kirito's house as usual.

And Lis kicked Klein's butt with her mace.