Alpha Phase

Before I begin this story there are a couple things I need to clarify.

I do not own Sword Art Online (ソードアートオンライン), the characters, or the storyline. All rights belong to A-1 Pictures, Aniplex USA, and Reki Kawahara.

The events depicted in this story are not part of the official SAO canon.

I am not profiting from writing this story.

Some of the events or mentioned events are based on some of my real life experiences. If one or more of these events are similar to one of your own it is unintentional and coincidental.

Please support Sword Art Online and its affiliates.

Author's Note: Hi guys! My name is Thomas and this is my first fanfiction. I hope you like it. Now before you yell at me because my character's names suck or my title makes no sense or the story is boring, I will say that I don't have a lot of experience when it comes to writing. I have written a short story or two in my time but it still isn't enough for me to really qualify as an "author". So remember, this is my first story, I am more than aware that there are flaws, and I am open to suggestions. So please, feel free to tell me what you think.

Chapter XIV

POV: Ai

January 21, 2023

I was so stupid. Why did I follow Hikaru to floor 58? What did I plan to do if I got to talk to him? It's not like I was thinking about telling him about the lie. Now I was going places with him that were too high of a level for me. He already hates you and you know it, why did you do that? Anyway, the mountains of floor 55 were covered in snow and very cold. I was freezing to death but Hikaru didn't seem to pay any mind to it.

"How are you not shivering? It's freezing out here!" I asked him.

"I've been here like ten times already. I'm used to it by now," he replied as he pulled up his menu and got out a furred coat. He tossed it to me.

"You won't need this?"

"No, I'm good; you probably need it more than me anyway." Hikaru wasn't being as mean as I thought he would be. Was he forgiving me? Probably not, he wouldn't be so quick to forgive someone after doing something bad to him, especially after what I did. He may never trust me again. Heck, he probably doesn't trust me even now. This is really bugging me, maybe now would be a good time to tell him and get it off my chest. Did I really want to? Do I really have to? Remember, I made him so upset when I told him off. Maybe it would be best if I told him. I mean, at least now I know that I can see him easily in game. If we ever get out of here, maybe there will be another VRMMO I can meet him?

Alright, that settles it. I'm telling him that I lied and that I still think he is my best friend. If he doesn't forgive me, if me curses me, or even if he thinks I made it up to make him feel better, so be it. It was probably never meant to be anyway in that case. Of course I hoped he would forgive me, but I can only hope. Well, here goes nothing.

We stepped into a clearing surrounded by crystals.

"Hikaru, there's something I need to tell you. I've been meaning to tell you for a while and I should have sooner," I said quietly.

"Go ahead. We're going to be spending a lot of time alone anyway," he said back to me.

"Hikaru… I just wanted you to know that-" I never got to finish my sentence. A loud roar could be heard almost right in front of us.

"Watch out! Somethings coming! Go hide behind one of those crystals!" Hikaru shouted and pointed to a cluster of crystals.

"But, you have to know this!" I protested.

"Dammit Ai, quit arguing with me! Just hide and don't let the enemy see you!" I ran to the crystals he had pointed to and ducked beneath them. I'll tell him later.

Suddenly a dragon with crystals covering the area of his neck, back, and tail appeared. It let out an ear-shattering cry before swooping down and landing on a giant collection of crystals. It opened its mouth and a sort of blue energy formed a ball in it. The ball then grew larger until it fired a beam at Hikaru. It was a breath attack, one that would be hard to dodge since it was traveling so fast. It made contact with Hikaru and I thought he was done for. But, when the dust cleared, it appeared as though he deflected the attack with his sword. He was totally fine. How did he do that so fast? He was like an expert at this game.

"Flash Thrust!" he shouted as his sword glowed and he charged at the dragon. It was such a strong hit that the dragon staggered backward a couple meters. He was so strong. He must be on the assault team. Although I knew Hikaru could manage this thing, I wanted to attack it. I know I shouldn't risk it, I'm probably not strong enough, but I could get some serious EXP from this. I'd just use one sword skill on it and hide again. That wouldn't be too bad, right?

"Million Stabs!" I shouted and ran toward the dragon. I stabbed it multiple times very quickly, but its health bar barely moved. Crap, I made a huge mistake.

"Ai, what are you doing?! I told you to stay hidden!" Hikaru shouted. The dragon turned to me, its eyes glowing blue. It hit me with its tail and I went flying backward. By the time I realized what had happened there was a huge hole in the ground right below me. If there was ever going to be a time in which I was so close to death I could see it, it was now. I was done for.

I felt someone grab my arm as I fell.

"Hang on! It's going to be a hard landing!" It was Hikaru. He jumped into the hole to save me. Did this mean that he really did care about me? Maybe I was wrong and he had forgiven me? I wish I knew.

By the time I woke up I was at the bottom of the whole. I was probably out for a minute at least. Hikaru was getting up too.

"I told you not to let the enemy see you. Why did have to go and do that?" He sounded really pissed.

"I'm sorry. I thought that if I could help you kill it I'd get some EXP from it. I didn't know that I would be so useless." What else was I supposed to say? If I was ready to tell him I lied I was ready to stop lying to him.

"Well I hope you're happy. Now we're stuck in a pit and have to way of getting out! Real nice going."

"I'm sorry. Let me try messaging someone." I pulled up my menu and tried messaging Kimi but it didn't go through. I looked over and Hikaru had a teleportation crystal in his hand.

"Teleport, floor 48!" Nothing happened. "I guess we're stuck here until either we find a way out or someone comes to find us. It's going to be dark soon, so I'm going to set up camp. We'll be here a while."

"Do you need any help?"

"No. I can do this on my own."

That night we lay in our sleeping bags with a lamp in between us. It was silent for a long time. I thought I should probably say something but what would I say? Just say you're sorry. That's all you can really do.

"Hey, Hikaru, I'm really sorry I got us in this mess," I said to him.

"Hmmm…" It took him a while to collect his thoughts, "Just don't do something stupid like that again."

"Okay… Also, there's something I need to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"Why did you jump in to save me like that?" It was silent for another ten seconds.

"Let me tell you something. You were in the plaza at Kayaba's speech, right?"

"Yeah, I was there."

"Well, about ten minutes before everyone was teleported to the plaza, a player named Akira challenged me to a duel. When his health bar hit 50%, the duel had ended. But, we thought that there would only be a winner if one player's health bar reached 0. So we kept fighting, and I won. But, since, Akira's health bar was depleted, he died. Then Kayaba told us what happens if your HP hits 0. That's why I saved you. Friend or foe, it didn't matter anymore. If I ever met another player in immediate danger and risk of dying, I'd rather die trying to save them then watch them get killed. If hadn't broken your fall, you would have died, I'm sure of it. I knew you would die if I didn't help you. That's why I saved you."

"You knew… and you still helped me. Hikaru… thank you so much!" I could barely keep myself from crying.

"Don't mention it. By the way, before that dragon attacked us you were going to tell me something. What was it again?"

"Oh yeah. Um, it was nothing. It wasn't really that important." There I go again. Lying to not only Hikaru again, but lying to myself. Would I ever be ready to tell him? Should I tell him? Screw it; I'm too tired to be thinking about this now. I'll think it over tomorrow.

END OD CHAPTER XIV