Me: Hello my beloved readers! So, just to inform you, me and a friend have decided to combine our SAO stories, Sword Art Online: Tales of The Hunters by Tf2Scout. We're working on a crossover story on Archive of Our Own, while our original stories will be here for your enjoyment. Btw, I forgot to tell you guys that Mars has a new outfit on Deviantart. Review and Enjoy!

The next day, we were eating breakfast with Sasha, the Day-Care woman, and all the children she takes care of. Which were a lot. Yui was happily eating her own piece of bread as Sasha poured us some tea. My husband was watching the children, equally as in awe as myself. "There's so many of them."

"Yeah" I nod in agreement.

"I know, right. It's like this pretty much every day," Sasha told us, "By the way, is Yui feeling any better?" She had been passed out for the rest of yesterday, but woke up completely fine this morning.

"Well, she got a good night's sleep, so I think she's ok" Kirito said as we look over at our adopted daughter, who was ignorant to everyone.

"Has this ever happened before?"

"We have no idea. You see, we found her on Floor 22, wandering the forest with no memories. That's the reason we came here," I explain to her. Yui then held out her bread to me with a wide smile. I take it and pat her head fondly, "We thought someone might know her."

"Does she look familiar? Have you ever seen her before?" Kirito asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, but I haven't. I mean, there are a lot of kids in town, but I've never seen her. When the game started, a lot of the children suffered severe psychological trauma. I couldn't stand by and do nothing, so I moved to this church and made it a safe place for them to live. I walk through the town everyday, looking for kids like these, kids who might need my help. But in this time, I've never seen her before."

"Back to square one, then" I sigh, disheartened. But then a knock comes from the door. All of us get up and open it, to reveal a silver-haired woman.

"Sorry to bother you. I'm Yulier" She introduced with a bow. I eye her suspiciously.

"You're with the Army, right" I ask, taking notice of the uniform, "I hope you aren't here to cause trouble because of yesterday."

"Not at all" She said, earnestly, "In fact, I'm here to thank you. You did right by putting those men in their place. Actually, I came here to ask the two of you for your help."

"Really?"

~Skippy!~

We invited Yulier in, reluctantly on my part as I believe my husband is a bit too trusting, but I can tell he was still wary, and gathered at a table. I glanced over at Yui, who kept leaning forward, about to fall asleep, but would straighten up last second. She's so cute!

"When the guild was formed we, well actually it was our leader, Thinker, never wanted it to become the dictatorial organization it's become. At first, the mission of the guild was to share information and food equally among as many players as possible," Yulier explained.

"But then the guild grew too large, didn't it?" My husband guessed.

Yulier nodded, "Right. After much infighting, one man become very powerful. His name is Kibaou." I knew that guy was bad news...I'll give him a piece of my mind later. "Kibaou and his group became stronger and stronger, monopolizing all the best monster spawn points. They're out of control now, extorting other players under the pretense of collecting taxes. It was obvious Kibaou didn't care about clearing the game, and it made a lot of people mad. He had to do something to get back into their good graces, so he sent the highest-level players he had to the front lines."

"So he's responsible for Corvatz and his men" I mutter angrily. Yep. Definitely teaching that guy a lesson now.

"Kibaou was denounced after spearheading that massacre. That's when we seriously started considering kicking him out of the guild for good. And now that he's scared and getting desperate, he's decided to eliminate Thinker," Poor Yulier's eyes started to gather tears. She must really care for her guild leader. Or she could be a great actress. "He set a trap, and stranded Thinker deep inside a dungeon."

"Can't he teleport out?" My husband asked.

Yulier shook her head and I gape, "Don't tell me he went unarmed!"

"He didn't take any weapons. Kibaou told him he wanted to talk, unarmed. Thinker believed him. That was three days ago."

"Can't he find his way out?"

"The dungeon is the high level we've seen so far. He can't get out of there on his own. As his second-in-command, this is my responsibility. But the problem is, my level isn't high enough to reach him. And Kibaou is using his 'influence' to keep the rest of the Army from helping me. When I heard the two of the most powerful players anyone's seen were in town, I thought this was my chance! I tracked you down because I need your help!" Yulier than stood up and gave us a deep bow, "Kirito. Mars. I beg you. For Thinker's sake, please help me rescue him from that dungeon!"

I exchange a look with Kirito, before turning back to the silver-haired player, "If you think we can help you rescue Thinker, then we'd be glad to help. But, the thing is, we'd like to know if you're telling the truth…"

"I know we just met, and I'm asking a lot from you, but when I think about him trapped alone in there, I feel, like I'm going insane!"

I stay silent for a moment. On one hand, she could be telling the truth and there's a man who needs our help. And on the other, this could be a trap to take us out… But then Yui's voice cuts in, "It's ok, Mars. She's telling the truth."

"Y-you mean you can tell?" I stutter. How...

Yui nodded, "I don't know how I know she is, but, I know!"

I stare at her, until Kirito starts laughing, "I'd rather trust her and regret it, than not trust her and regret it. Wouldn't you?" I hum, "Let's go. It'll all work out. Right?"

I snort at his laid back grin, "You're always so easy-going." I turn back to Yulier, "We'll help you. I just hope we're strong enough to do it."

Yulier bowed once more, "Thank you so much!"

"I know what it's like to wanna save someone, especially one you care about. I can't tell you how many times I've had to save this idiot!"

"Hey!" Kirito whined. I stick my tongue at him, and he huffs, before patting Yui's head, "Stay here and wait for us, ok?"

"No! I'm coming too!" She cried.

"Oh come on Yui. Don't you want to stay here with me?" Sasha asked softly, but Yui cried no once again.

"I thought the rebellious stage didn't start until the teenage years" Kirito muttered, and I smack his head.

"This isn't a time for jokes! Yui, it's too dangerous for you to come with us" I try to tell her, but she just grabs ahold of Kirito's arm.

"I'm going too!"

I groan, "Maybe she's a teen in disguise."

"I thought you said this isn't a time for jokes!"

~Skippy!~

We couldn't convince Yui to stay, and Kirito was won over by her puppy eyes. He's so weak….I told that to his face too. But then Yui moved her eyes towards me and I broke as well….

Which is why Yui was riding Kirito's shoulder as we make our way through the Black Iron Castle dungeon that was apparently hidden under the Town of Beginnings. "I'm surprise this place is here in the first place."

"I know. There wasn't anything like this in the Beta Test" Kirito remarked.

"I think the dungeon opens up to reveal more as the floors above are cleared" Yulier stated, "I bet Kibaou was planning on keeping this place all to himself."

"Exclusive access to spawns can be profitable."

"The thing is, the monsters around here are usually around level 60. He wouldn't be able to do much hunting." We soon reach a staircase leading further below, "This is the entrance."

Yui looked at the darkening hall in awe, before turning to Yulier, "Don't worry, I'm not scared!"

"It's alright," I assure her, seeing she looks a bit apprehensive, "Believe it or not, she's tougher than she looks."

Kirito nodded determinedly, "She'll make a fine swordswoman someday!"

"Let's go then."

~Skippy!~

Me and Yui were happily watching Kirito fight a horde of frog monsters, while Yulier frowned a bit. "I feel like I should apologize. He's doing all the fighting."

"Don't. He's happy out there. Kirito was getting a bit battle-thirsty during our vacation" I wave her off, and look around, "We're pretty far down. Are we almost there?" Yulier opened her window and mapped where Thinker was.

"Thinker hasn't moved from this position for a while now. It could be a safe zone, but I can't be sure. If we can reach it, then maybe we can use a teleport crystal." And then my dear husband walks back over with a happy grin.

"Woo! I really fought up a storm!"

"I should've helped you" Yulier said, but Kirito waved her off.

"No, not at all. I had a blast. Besides, they dropped some items."

"Anything good?" I ask curiously.

Kirito grinned and nodded happily, before opening our inventory and taking out a...frog leg…"W-what is that?!"

"It's scavenged toad meat" He proclaimed.

"Those frogs?!"

"Hey, the weirder the meat, the better the taste! Maybe you could cook it up later!" I flinch away when he holds it up to me. My parents took me to Paris for a small family vacation, and forced me to try frog legs. I hated it and ended up getting sick later that night…

"Not on your life!" I shout at him, grabbing the leg and throwing it far down the hall we came from.

"What the hell?! Oh come on! What'd you do that for?!" I huff, and he huffed back before shoving forward with an arm full of frog meat, "Alright, fine! What am I going to do with these?!" I shriek and start throwing the damned leg back as he tried to keep them away from me.

"NO! NONONONO!"
"Mars! It's good meat!"

"GET RID OF IT!"

"But it's delicious!"

"Delicious my butt! You like it so much, then here!" I grab the last leg that he was holding and start shoving it in his mouth, but then Yui's voice called out.

"You smiled!" We pause and look over to see Yui smiled widely up at Yulier, "I've never ever seen you smile before!" Yulier stared at Yui for a moment, before being unable to hold a smile back. I don't know how anyone can resist her. I gently take her hand in my own.

"Come on. Let's go."

~Skippy!~

Yui was sleeping on my back as we walked down the hall. Poor thing tried to stay awake for the trip, but it was obvious she was tired, so I picked her up and carried her. Soon, a bright light was seen further down the hall. "Hey look! I think that's a safe zone."

Kirito activated his long-distance sight, "It looks like a player is inside." Yulier jumps and immediately starts running forward.

"It's Thinker!"
"Wait, don't!" Kirito called after her as Yui rubbed her eyes open. We rush after her, knowing it's a bit too easy to just get there safely, with no monsters guarding it.

"Yulier!" The person in the safe zone called out, "Stay back! The corridor is rigged!"

But Yulier apparently didn't register the words and kept running, while my husband raced forward and shoved her out of the way before a large scythe stabbed the ground where they were. Kirito ran ahead to fight the monster while I hurried to Yulier. "Take Yui to the safe zone and wait for us there."

"R-right." Yulier takes Yui, who was reluctant, and rushes towards the safe zone with Thinker as I take our Dark Repulsor and follow after my husband. The monster was a giant floating grim reaper...I hate my uncle….

"Mars," my husband calls, "Use a teleport crystal to get Yui and the others out of here. I can't see it's data with my ID skill. It could be as strong as something from Floor 90. I can buy you time, just get everyone out of here."
"You must be insane if you think I'm going to leave you here."

"I'll catch up! Now get going!" He ordered strictly. I look over at the three, who were watching worriedly.

"Take care of Yui. Run while you still have a chance!" I command them, much to husband's chagrin.

"Mars!"

"We can't leave-" I cut Yulier off with another stern command. So she and Thinker take out teleport crystals for all three of them, and I rush over beside Kirito.

"I told you to go" He huffed.

"I told you before, I'm not leaving you" I retort as we lift our swords up together in preparation for another attack. However, the blow was too strong and the two of us get blasted back, landing hard against the floor. I wince as my HP depletes to yellow, along with my husband's. I try to get up, but I just fall back to the ground, weakened from the attack.

"Yui, no!" I look up in shock as Yui walked in front of us and the monster right before she can teleport away with Yulier and Thinker.

"What are you doing?! Get away from it!" Kirito ordered her, but Yui ignored him.

"Daddy, Mars. It's ok" she stated as Fatal Scythe raised its weapon.

"YUI!" Fatal Scythe went to attack, but something shielded Yui and knocked the monster back, "Immortal Object?" Yui started to float into the air and flames engulfed her, before revealing her in the same clothes we found her in and a long flaming sword in her hand. She easily raised the sword and slammed it against the monster, destroying it. How….

Me and Kirito weakley stand up as Yui turns to us, "Daddy, Mars. I remember everything now."

We quietly walked into the safe zone, where Yui sat on a table slab in the middle of the room. "So, you remember who you are?"

"Yes. Kirito. Mars." She changed her name for Kirito…. "Everything in SAO is controlled by a single massive system. The system is called Cardinal. It was designed to operate entirely on it's own, without any human intervention. It's function is to regulate the balance of SAO, according to its own discretion. From monsters and NPC AI, to drop rates for items and money, everything is controlled by the processes executed by the Cardinal program. That includes the psychological care of the players. Mental Health Counselling Program, prototype 1. Codename: Yui. That is who I am."

"An AI...program?" I mutter in shock.

"I was given the ability to emulate emotion, to put players at ease with me. Nothing about me is real," she explained as she started crying, "Not even my tears. I'm sorry Mars."

"B-but what about your amnesia? I didn't think that could happen to an AI…"

"Two years ago, on the day of the official launch, and for reasons I never understood, the Cardinal program banned me from interacting with any of the players. I wasn't allowed to assist them. I couldn't do anything except continuing to monitor their mental states. Their situation was, in a word, was horrible. Terror, despair, rage. People were overcome with negative feelings. Some of them couldn't take it, and went completely insane. Under normal circumstances, my function would have been to go to such players immediately. But I wasn't permitted any contact with them. Little by little, errors began piling up inside of me, and I fell apart. But then, one day, I saw two players whose mental parameters were completely different from all the rest of the players. There was joy, and peace, and friendship. But there was more love than the other emotions. I wandered through the playing field, hoping to get as close to both of you as I could without being detected. I wanted to meet the two of you for the longest time. That's strange, isn't it? It should be impossible for me to think things like that. I'm only a program after all…"

"Maybe, what your feeling are real human emotions" I suggest as my own tears gather. My poor little Yui!

But she just shook her head, "I don't know. I'm so confused. I don't know what's happened to me."

Kirito leaned to the level of her eyes and smiled softly at her, "You aren't just a program anymore. The system can't control you. Listen. If you want something, all you have to do is say it. So go ahead and tell us what you want."

"What I want? I..." she muttered, before slowly reaching her arms out to us, "I want to stay with you forever. Daddy, Mommy!"

I let out a soft sob before racing forward and crushing her into a hug, "You finally called me mommy! We'll stay together forever, just like you want!"

I feel my husband wrap his arms around us as well, "Yeah. Because you're our little girl."

"It's too late…"
"For what?" Kirito questioned as we loosen our hold on her and look at her in confusion. She turned her attention to the slab she was sitting on.

"This is actually an emergency gaming console that a GM can use to gain access to the system. I used it to delete the monster in the corridor. And now, because I disobeyed the Cardinal's directive, the system is running a check on my program. It thinks I'm a foreign object now. I'll be deleted immediately."

"What?!" I exclaim in horror. Why?! Just my luck, no thanks to that stupid past life or whatever. Let me bond with a little girl, who became my adopted daughter, only to rip her away from me! WHY?!

"There has to be a way to stop it" Kirito said hurriedly.

"Daddy, Mommy, thank you. This is goodbye."

"N-No!" I shout grabbing her again, "You can't leave! W-we just started living like a real family! You just started calling me mommy!"

"Don't go!" My husband ordered, taking Yui's hand as she stared glowing.

"You have a way of making everyone smile, Daddy, Mommy. From now on, and for me, please continue my work. Keep helping people and share your happiness with everyone." I shake my head as tear stream down my face. She can't expect me to be happy if our family is broken! "Smile Mommy!" Only she would start calling me mommy when she knows she's going to disappear! It's just going to make me miss her more!

My legs shake and next thing I know, I collapse to the ground, sobs wracking my body.

"Cardinal! No, Kayaba Akihiko! Don't think things are always going to go the way you want!" I hear my husband shout. I look up, my cries slowing a bit.

"Kirito, what are you doing?" I ask, sniffling.

"If I'm fast enough, I might be able to use the GM account to access the system" He explains as his fingers quickly skim across the keyboard. Soon, however, he's blasted back away from the console.

"Kirito!" I gasp, rushing over to him, "Are you ok, love?" He just takes my hand and places an item in it. It was a small, teardrop shaped, blue jewel. "What is this?"

"The game was about to reject Yui's admin credentials, the only thing I could do was take her program and turn it into a game object" He explained, with a smile, "You're holding Yui's Heart." I look down at the item and give a teary smile. So she'll always be with us now.

"If this game is cleared, and this world ends, then what's going to happen to Yui?"

"Don't worry. I fixed it so Yui's data is saved in my NerveGear's local memory. When we get back, re-creating her the way she was isn't going to be easy. But if there's a way, we'll find it."

"Maybe I can convince my dad to create her Jarvis/Vision style" I mutter happily.

"Jarvis/Vision?"

"You know. The Marvel hero. Jarvis was Iron-Man's AI before they transferred his data into an artificial body, recreating him as Vision. That'd be awesome if we could do that with Yui!"

"Yeah." Kirito then stood up and lent me a hand, "Let's go explain everything to Yulier and Thinker. I'm sure they're worried."

"Right. By the way, there is one thing I'd like to do before we leave."

~Skippy!~
"GET BACK HERE YOU LOUSY SON OF A-" A practically girly scream cut me off as I chased Kibaou around the Town of Beginnings with a lit Dark Repulsor and my blue fire-sword. "YOU COWARD! COME BACK AND FIGHT ME LIKE THE MAN WE KNOW YOU AREN'T!"