AN: Hoo boy I've got some catching up to do, things to finish, things to delay even if it's beneficial at this rate, and furthermore I ultimately want to give the characters a better chance to develop more before I even consider typing up the first arc finale to this fic here; I feel right now had I gone through with my original plan, the finale wouldn't have had anywhere near as great of an impact with the development I want to give everyone prior to that as of now. I kind of want to show everyone these characters more as I had planned to do over the course of the fic, showing why exactly these characters are, well, characters and not just cardboard cutouts playing to a script like puppets tangled in strings. Sorry for the tangent before we begin here, just it's kind of been a hell of a long half a year as of June of 2019.
Sword Art Online: Special Edition Chapter 20:
It was stressful to think about what had happened that led up to this moment; to Ryōtarō and Rika, all they know is that this Grandis person is some kind of deity or that he simply thinks he is; no matter how hard Asuna and Suguha had tried to tell them, the two wouldn't believe it at all not until they at least heard Kazuto's word on it first.
It may not have seemed very obvious on the surface, perhaps Suguha was unaware as to why exactly Ryōtarō and Rika are even here right now to begin with; her mother is due to arrive home soon and from what she could vaguely recall from her birthday days ago, one of her and Kazuto's relatives is also due to arrive fashionably late as well.
"So… Do you mind me asking why exactly you insist on hearing it from my brother to believe us on what we're telling you? I mean we did try and tell you why exactly he can't really talk right now…" Suguha asks, as Ryōtarō can't seem to take his hands off of the MaterialEye in the living room with them all right now; his fingers moved in a calming, rhythmical fashion in a tapping gesture onto the reinforced helmet; right now the anxiety was just too severe for him to wait patiently for when or even how exactly Kazuto is going to appear from thin air from this device with it on his head, but his expression shows a rather nasty hint of distrust, uneasiness, and overall concern, especially for Kazuto's wellbeing.
"Suguha-san, seriously I understand we've all had some sort of supernatural encounter with this military grade AI whom I'm more than convinced is one of those, for lack of a better term, freaks from France. I mean, sure, Rika hasn't, and that's for the better; I'm not going to be caught unawares and lose her like I might Kazuto right now!" Ryōtarō states in a stressed manner to Suguha, all the while Asuna quietly walks into the room and places small plates with teacups in the center for each person in the room.
Rika moves to place a hand on Ryōtarō's shoulder; she doesn't like the fact Ryōtarō is uncharacteristically angry at a time like this, but she can at least understand exactly why this is the case for right now. Her lover's best friend from childhood, dragged off into a virtual world by an AI possibly divine of unknown intent, because they simply weren't there to witness the full details for themselves and see the reality of the situation, context and all.
Finally looking at Asuna to speak up, Rika asks something blunt and to the point, "So who exactly is this Martin prick if I may ask? Is he the same janitor from Suguha's disgusting college she goes to?" Rika asks, as Asuna isn't certain of the answer, so looks over towards Suguha with a glance of concern, all the while Suguha notices and sighs.
"Look I understand you guys still don't approve of me going there for the sake of my friends and for the sake of my virginity but can we stop bringing up that place as if they had an entire club dedicated to drugging and raping girls? I honestly stand out more there than any of the others there because I'm the only one there who in no way has ever had-"
"Sex, we get it." Asuna, Ryōtarō, and Rika state in a dull, unamused tone, almost as if having heard this rant from Suguha numerous times and never quite understanding her reason for going to this private college, especially if it isn't because of the reason they stated just now.
Suguha herself didn't quite know anymore why she was attending that specific college aside from her own friends from childhood all attending there, as even though her original plan to lose her own virginity failed due to her boyfriend having broken up with her, she honestly wonders if she could even remotely call Chronicler her new boyfriend as to whether or not to try her plan again with him instead.
'Oh dear, do I actually still want to court him so knowing the fact he's a half-deity now? Sure the appeal of him being virtual was nice, but…' Suguha mentally slaps herself for thinking of such naughty thoughts at the moment, all the while there's more important stuff to worry about; specifically when exactly Chronicler is going to arrive back in the real world with her older brother in tow. As for attempting to bed Chronicler, those numerous thoughts would have to wait until she can have some privacy with her mother on the matter.
Time was passing more quickly than any of the four in the room right now had thought it would; when they arrived, it was the early noon, but now the sun has almost completely set, and there's still no sign of Kazuto or Chronicler yet.
All of that decided to take a turn for the best when the MaterialEye suddenly activates on its own without being touched by anyone, as Suguha wakes herself up without even realizing how long it has been; she notices the others had fallen asleep in their chairs, Rika and Ryōtarō even having gone as far as to snuggle up very close to each other in the process, as the MaterialEye slowly begins to gather molecules from the surrounding area and then completely rebuild them into Kazuto's own image.
Kazuto's entire body manifests itself from the device with his head wearing the MaterialEye once he's fully emerged from it, and his eyes closed in a resting state right now, as Asuna slowly stirs to see her fiancé reappear in the real world before her, as Ryōtarō and Rika are still dozing off. Kazuto's eyes slowly open, as Kazuto's own eyes appear to have gained an unnatural sheen to them, but most importantly other than that.
His eyes now have the exact same silver pupils as Chronicler and Grandis do.
Side effect of the method of materialization Kazuto just went through? Considering normally everyone in the room, except Rika whom never had this happen, had been transported to and back from the virtual world while maintaining physical contact with Chronicler, they didn't know what kind of side effects such travel had on any person without the usual "method" they knew how to do so.
As Chronicler is still nowhere to be seen right now, it's clear the MaterialEye alone is what brought Kazuto back, but the only thing on Asuna and Suguha's mind now that the thought becomes immediately clear is simple; is this the real Kazuto they're looking at right now, or is this the more sadistic Kirito they briefly saw emerge the last time he was in the real world?
"Hello, Asuna, Suguha, did I keep you two waiting?" Kazuto asks in a very mellowed out, calming voice as to not wake Ryōtarō and Rika up from their nap. Asuna gasps in joy as she moves to rush into Kazuto's arms with tears manifesting from her eyes, all the while Kazuto moves to strongly lift her up into the air as he moves to stand, Asuna laughing happily as she's now reunited with her husband to be.
"Wha-?! What did we mi- Oh." Ryōtarō and Rika both snap awake, speaking in unison as they did as they watch Kazuto and Asuna's happy reunion. Both of them are unaware as to Suguha merely smiling softly and not reacting much; she is certain something is not what it seems, as Kazuto's eyes having changed seem to imply, but nothing right away is any obvious as to what exactly did change if anything else even did at all.
Most importantly, where is Damion? Suguha goes to look around for him, first beginning with the front door, opening it up and having a good long look outside. The weather outside, snowing quite a bit, appears too cold for Damion to want to go out there if he's back right now, so Suguha instead checks the one place she knows she'll hopefully find him.
Walking into the hallway of her apartment as she heads towards her bedroom, Suguha hopes to find him there and waiting for her, but what she didn't expect was to hear a chuckle from her mother as though she was not only home, but talking with someone in her bedroom right this moment.
"I can understand why you're intimidated to want to ask Martin about this sort of thing, Damion; I've known some of your history, but I honestly never anticipated seeing you in the flesh, nor your question right now; remind me again so I may hear it once more, what exactly are you asking of me?" Suguha and Kazuto's mother could be heard speaking from her room, as Suguha moves to slowly walk towards the doorway of her room to see who was there.
In the bedroom is Damion in the flesh; like with Kazuto, there's been a change of appearance, specifically his black cloak having been swapped out for a much more refined, white cape instead, as Damion's hair was also shorter as well and kept in a tidy, almost Shakespearean style of hair at that. The bluish shade to his hair is still intact, but Suguha can't see his face right now to see if his eyes are any different like with what happened to Kazuto.
"I would like to ask if I may formally have your permission to be Suguha's date to the dance she's been looking forward to for a while now, Ms. Kirigaya."
'Oh my…' Suguha wasn't able to notice when this must've occurred prior, but while Damion's voice didn't sound too drastically different, his voice sounds noticeably more mature than the more child-like voice he had before now; it wasn't a very drastic change for that matter, but there's a noticeably deeper, lower volume to Damion's voice that makes him sound more like his actual age now. Despite all of that, his voice is unmistakably his own even with the subtle change to it.
Still, the fact of the matter is that Damion right now is asking Suguha's own mother for permission to take her to the dance; something she had discussed the idea of with Asuna, but she can't recall any more if she ever brought it up to Damion beforehand, but it seems the memo must've gotten to him regardless and now he's doing something that literally any boy trying to ask a girl's parents for their blessing for would be completely scared shitless to try and do.
Suguha's heart practically skipped a beat when she noticed her mother's delayed reaction, but she can see her mother slowly smile, albeit a very small one at that, which puts Suguha's concern for Damion's safety to rest.
"It takes a bold man to ask anybody's parents for their blessing for dating their girl, and considering you've still just more or less only recently met Suguha, I'm honestly not sure what to say… except for one thing." Suguha's mother points out, to which she opens her previously closed eyes and gives a partial glare to Damion; Damion only visible shudders briefly, but only a very keen eye would've been able to notice it.
"Will you be loyal to my daughter having known that you will not the first boy who has ever fallen for her? Having asked me about this before without having any real intent to do so and assuming I was none the wiser about it?" Suguha's mother asks with stern seriousness in her voice to Damion, as Damion looks at her and tries to maintain eye contact; he's too scared to answer right now, and Suguha doesn't know why, but Damion himself isn't even sure if he's even truly aware of what he's trying to ask in the first place.
'I… I don't know if I should say anything… sure, I really like Suguha, but how the fuck am I supposed to say she may not be the only girl I'm sexually attracted to?! Yet alone the fact the first time I saw her in the real world I got a boner and tried to run away from it all as if-'
"Damion!" Suguha's mother snaps at the boy to get his attention, as Chronicler ends up focusing with sweat forming from his forehead knowing how nervous he is now; now this is getting a more pissed glare from Suguha's mother.
"Unbelievable! You speak like a sheep when you speak with your mind, but your body is that of a dog who'll simply never shut up and be quiet and doesn't know how to behave in front of an old woman like me, yet alone show any responsibility with what you're asking about with the same level of seriousness I am!" Suguha's mother states harshly to Damion, as Damion blinks as though he were naïve to it all.
"P-Pardon…?" Damion tries to feign, but once Suguha's mother pushes him onto his back with Chronicler's legs flung partially apart, Suguha and her mother could both clearly see a prominent bulge in Damion's pants as him having been aroused the entire conversation based on just how tightly his pants were hugging his crotch right now.
"Listen here, Chronicler, if you value your life you will stand up right now, face me like an adult and dare try and remind me why exactly I should allow you my blessing for taking my beloved daughter to her school's dance. You're not so different from any of those horny males from that school, yet alone her ungrateful son of a bitch of an ex and-"
Chronicler's mind snaps at the moment with the comparison being made, his pupils forming into feral slits as his being teleports into place to have him floating above the ground, facing Suguha's mother dead in the eye as floating was the only way he could keep eye contact with her while she is standing.
Suguha's mother doesn't even flinch at the threat display from Damion, as Damion's eyes give way to him calming down and closing them in defeat, before floating downwards to step back onto the ground to stand normally.
"Look, I'm sorry about snapping like that a moment there, I… I honestly don't know why I hesitated to respond then and there about this… Ma'am, if I may explain, I don't know how much your ex-husband told you about me over the past three months, but I do hope you at least understand that not everything he has said about me to others has been true. Sure, I may be an AI, Deity, whatever the flip I am meant to be, but at least I know where I stand when it comes to respecting your own authority over this important matter in Suguha's life." Damion begins to explain to Suguha's mother, all the while Suguha's eyes widen as to how calm her own mother is taking all of this in.
"Go on; I didn't say stop talking did I?" Suguha's mother tells Damion, after what felt like a solid minute of silence from her. Damion opens his eyes to look up at her face, trying to make eye contact as much as his short height will allow him due until Suguha's mother looking downward to acknowledge him makes it easier, as Suguha can now see Chronicler's eyes for herself now; nothing changed in appearance, nothing at all; still the same ole' Damion she knows.
"I understand if you feel my heritage is a threat to her life and if you feel I'm just a hormone crazed idiot who doesn't know any better, but can you honestly blame me for the last bit considering I have no positive father figure in my entire 18 years of life? All of those other boys who just threw Suguha aside don't have anywhere near the same justification I do for having uncontrolled hormones if you truly think about it." Damion pauses right now; he feels his wording isn't right, but he wants to know if Suguha's mother would say anything right now.
"… As much as I think that could've been worded better… I honestly can't bring myself to ask that knowing you're speaking the truth about your lack of a real father figure in life. I've only heard rumors of your existence from Ken, nothing more, and nothing positive either. Martin didn't even know you existed until just a few days ago, and I most certainly am able to tell that you're being honest with the fact you're outright admitting the fact you're, as you put, a hormone crazed idiot." Suguha's mother states, but her tone didn't indicate she was done speaking just yet. Damion still feels even with her understanding him, that this still doesn't excuse him for thinking with his crotch at times; did his own body really take Suguha for granted, or is he too scared of harming Suguha by accident with his lust?
"However… because you have had the audacity to flat out admit to your own fault there, possibly the biggest fault any male of your age could ever have and yet very much something you yourself is victim to your own lust…" Suguha's mother takes a while to figure out what to respond with, "… I'll give you an assignment for tomorrow, to determine whether we should continue this talk again later since right now I'm too tired to think of how to respond so soon."
"What do I got to lose aside from Suguha's own trust in me?" Chronicler asks, perfectly willing to hear out what Suguha's mother has to assign him to do.
"You and that dragon the neighbors have been complaining about recently will take my daughter out of the country to have a date together somewhere else in the world you both feel the most comfortable with; I will tell my daughter that you will be picking the location in question, as I feel somewhere in Europe or the United States will make you fit in better; your Japanese in atrocious as it is and I don't want to see you in public around my daughter with that in mind, at least not yet. My point is…"
"Take her to a park somewhere else in the world, preferably a zoo of some kind; she loves observing nature, your little walk into Aokigahara should've already made that clear; she loves small mammals a lot, but she has regrettably never been able to see any of the bigger animals native to other regions of the world. I'm not familiar with any zoos in Japan that have any such animals, but if you somehow know of one, then you'll not need to take her out of the country. Now then, with the type of destination for your first official date in mind, I will be laying down the ground rules to you from which I will repeat to Suguha next time I have a chance alone with her. Understood?" Suguha's mother finishes the first part of her explanation on her personal assignment for Damion, as Damion looks her in the eye with some confidence and nods.
"First, no kissing in public, at least not within eyeshot of anyone; if you're hidden from view I'll be alright with it, but no tongue allowed, understood, Damion? Second, don't even dare think about paying for everything yourself; I will be funding your trip and providing Suguha with the means of paying for everything for you, and I know since you don't have any kind of official ID you won't be able to pay for yourself anyways. Thirdly, I would really prefer you look into somebody I'm not sure if you were ever informed of to try and visit him just to check up on him to see how his condition is; he's an old friend of mine from childhood, and he's too old to properly look after himself anymore, but he'll go wherever he's needed if you make yourself known."
"Understood; who is this person I am seeking out tomorrow in addition to everything else you're asking of me?" Damion asks, as Suguha's mother pauses for a moment; Damion nearly flinches, but calms considerably once he notices she doesn't even snap again nor raise her voice, even if she still has a serious tone and expression right now.
"I'm not sure how familiar you are with the term 'monkey's uncle', and while I know you're by no means a monkey, there's very much a reason why your uncle, Martin's brother, is known as the 'uncle monkey'. Born in the year of the monkey is your own biological uncle; Dalton T. Mollohan, and he has been wanting to speak with you for quite some time now after he had called me at work today."