A/N: Sword Art Online is owned by A-1 Pictures, Aniplex USA, and Reki Kawahara and I am in no way affiliated with any of the afore mentioned parties.

Grapes of Wrath

May 15th, 2024 12:15 pm

Sky pulled her long muffler tighter against her face to ward off the fierce wind that bereted her. In the higher peaks of the mountains the crags formed make shift corridors that seemingly channeled the howling wind toward the lone player. She waited for the torrent of air to briefly die down before leaping up to an outcrop and from there to another one even higher up the cliffs.

As soon as her feet touched the relatively flat rock on the mountain side the wind began to pick up again. The small player nestled herself against the side of the cliff, waiting for the squall to again settle. The past few months of her and her friend's lives had been an explosion of activity, Kibaou had been content to call on them when he needed to and had paid them cheaply. However the new leader of the Army, Thinker, thought of the trio as a small mercenary band and treated them as such.

He even went so far as to mention their existence to several of the other guild leaders of the game. As such they had found themselves showered with requests ranging from quest scouting, to tracking down and returning guild members that went AWOL and even hunting smaller Orange Guilds (although there were very few of those requests). When Kibaou heard about their new sources of income he had initially demanded their attention for several jobs.

Vlinn went on these assignments without the other two so they could focus on their new clients, he insisted that it was he that made the bet and as such Sky and Cronan needn't bother with the snake of a man. As long as he had Sera the other two were confident he would come back and he always did. After a month of Vlinn completing Kibaou's missions the Army sub-leader gave up, leaving the Army's requests to Thinker and freeing up Vlinn to rejoin his friends.

When they started working as true mercenaries and received a fairly steady income it became obvious that putting a small portion of their earnings aside would be a sensible idea. They could use the savings for their home and food while using their own earnings for themselves. The logical evolution of that thought was to create a guild; once a guild was formed the system would automatically take a small percentage of the player's income and place it in the guild vault which could then be accessed only by the guild leader. Guild members could also message each other without the need of being in a party together and without having to pay the normal messaging fee.

After they agreed that a guild would benefit their new business they took a quick trip to the third floor to finish a short quest that allowed them to create their guild in the first place. After a short discussion they decided to have Sky represent them as their leader.

"The way I see it, the Leader is basically the one that does the grocery shopping," Cronan had explained casually. "And you do that now so I don't see much of a difference." The tall warrior had shrugged off her seething glare as Vlinn attempted to restrain his bubbling laughter. And so they created the smallest guild in Aincrad.

The Oath Keepers were born.

Sky allowed the muffler to fall down from her mouth and expelled a long breath, creating a small cloud of fog in front of her. The swordswoman pulled down the left sleeve of her tunic that sat beneath her fitted black leather armor and stared at the symbol tattooed to her fore arm.

On her skin lay an intricate skeleton key; its teeth were aimed toward her opposite arm, within the space of the key's teeth one could make out the silhouette of a heart. The bow bubbled out into three semi-circles, resembling a club from a playing card suit. Taking up the center of the bow was a diamond with two small spades on either side of it. A thin ribbon started at the end of the bow and then spiraled down and around the key stopping and flaring out at the end of the key.

A small smile touched her lips as she recalled the motto they had established for the guild. This world may break us, but may we never break our vows.

Her friends had the same symbol tattooed on the same place. One of the NPC's at the Guild Hall where players registered guilds could place their guild symbol on their avatars and so they had elected to do so. It had come as a shock when the NPC informed them that tamed beasts could also be marked and so Seravana now proudly bore the symbol on the fur of the right side of her flank.

With a sigh Sky pulled her sleeve back down, tightened the scarf and proceeded back up the mountain. The wind had died down for the moment and she had best take advantage of the lapse in resistance while she could. The agile swordswoman made her way up the cliff face, bouncing from outcropping to outcropping when she could.

The fifty sixth floor was mountainous region, if Sky recalled correctly the Clearers had a difficult time with this floor's field boss. That particular force had been led by one of the sub-leaders of the Knights of Blood.

"Asuna the Flash," Sky muttered, pulling herself onto one of the many plateaus that dotted the floor's landscape. The girl was easily one of the strongest players in Aincrad and Sky wondered how she matched up.

So engrossed with imaginary battles was she, that the swordswoman nearly ran face first into a stationary NPC. The dancing, golden exclamation point above its head signified that he had a quest. Sky quickly checked her map to make sure she was at the coordinates that Keith had given her. As she dismissed her menu she finally looked at her surroundings. Atop the village sized mountain top sat a large vineyard. Grape vines created a veritable jungle in the middle of the mountains. The vines were not restricted to the flat space, amidst the surrounding cliffs Sky could make out several smaller areas choked by grape vines among the crags of rock.

In the middle of the plateau sat a large two storied building which could have easily fit two of her house, or so Sky thought. This area of the fifty sixth floor was known to produce the greatest tasting wine in all of Aincrad, competing even with the Dark Elf made wine of the ninth floor.

The swordswoman had come across a recipe that required a certain game bird be marinated and fried in the wine. After all of their business and success the leader of the Oath Keepers thought that they could use a reward. It's good for morale, she thought. So Sky had asked Keith where she could find the vineyard and quest and had cleared her plans for the day.

She turned to the NPC standing next to her and opened her mouth to speak.

"Hey honey!" The swordswoman jumped slightly at the voice behind her. The player spun around, dropping into a crouch, her hand grasping at the hilt of the katana that rested on her back. Shoran stood before her holding his hands up peaceably. "Hey now, no need to skewer me!" Sky blew out a small sigh of relief and relaxed her stance.

"What are you doing here?" She asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes. The player flashed a charming smile at her and she had to fight to keep herself from blushing.

"I was in the neighborhood and saw that you were on this floor, with my Tracking skill it didn't take long to find you."

"They should re-name it the stalking skill." She mumbled, glancing back at the vineyard.

"Would you like some help on the wine making quest?" He asked, flashing that irritating (but charming) smile. "It goes faster with more than one person and as I recall you still owe me a date anyway." At that the swordswoman raised an eyebrow at the male player.

"Oh do I now?" A slight smile played at the corner of her lips but she fought to keep it down. She tapped her finger against her cheek in mock thought, looking everywhere but at Shoran. "Well…I suppose I wouldn't mind getting home sooner." She opened up her menu, manipulated it for a moment and then sent the party invite to the thief-based player.

Shoran grinned widely as he accepted and as Sky's health bar appeared in his HUD he raised an eyebrow of his own.

"You joined a guild?"

"Made," She corrected, adopting an air of faux-nobility. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of us." At this she turned her nose up and stalked over to the NPC. Snickering, the thief followed suit, taking his place next to the female player. He stayed silent as Sky cycled bored, through the NPC's dialogue. Despite the fact that the man in front of her was just data she still felt guilty when she drifted off briefly.

"Were you paying attention at all?" Shoran asked.

"You don't need to; I'll just read the quest info on my menu." The swordswoman swiped her hand down, creating her menu. Shoran watched with an eyebrow raised expectantly. "There, pick grapes, can't be much clearer than that." Sky strode purposely toward the nearest grape vine. She touched it expectantly and a small screen sprang into existence in front of her. A scowl crossed her soft features when the menu did not offer any options for the grapes. She tapped her finger onto the menu angrily and then when that bore no fruit (so to speak) the swordswoman settled for glaring angrily at the screen.

Shoran cleared his throat softly to catch the woman's attention, a move he instantly regretted when she swung around and aimed a glare at him. The rogue jerked his thumb at a large wooden tub that the NPC had materialized after the dialogue had been completed. Sky's brow furrowed as she glanced from the tub to her partner. Cautiously she took the tub by the edge and dragged it over to the grape vine.

When she tapped it a second time the new menu finally produced options, and with a second tap of her fingers several grapes appeared inside the wooden construct.

"I told you, you should have listened-" Shoran stopped as he caught a flash of blue at the bottom of his peripheral. He glanced down to see a throwing knife glowing in the swordswoman's hand.

"Did you say something?" She asked sweetly.

"Nope."

"Good, now help me pick these grapes."

It did not take them long to fill the tub with the two of them working from one end of the vineyard to the other. Once they had the object filled up they took it, one to a side and carried it up the middle path that lead to the large building. As they approached the door swung open and a large player stepped out, hefting his two-handed hammer.

He held out his hand, stopping them short.

"Hold on you two. This is Red Hawk territory, if you want to enter the facility you'll have to pay the toll."

"Toll? This place is part of a quest!" The short woman snapped. "You can't own the building!" The player hefted his hammer, staring at the small player with annoyance. Shoran grabbed her arm and pulled her back a few steps, giving a nervous chuckle.

"Evidently they can." He muttered to her. Behind the large man another player emerged from the building. This one was of average build; he had a straight sword on his hip and buckler on his arm. A leather cap covered his head, from it dangled a beautiful crimson feather, it was then that Sky noticed that the larger player had a leather cord tied around his bicep with the same gorgeous feather dangling from it.

"What seems to be the problem Daveth?" The newcomer asked.

"Just letting these two know that there is a toll for making wine in our vats." The player, Daveth, answered solemnly.

"You can't charge people for using a quest building!" Sky snapped, eyeing both of the players with contempt.

"Well I'm sorry you feel that way," The newer player replied. "Unfortunately I'm still going to have to charge you, can't make exceptions or everyone would ask for one." The swordswoman was about to speak again until her partner interrupted her.

"How much?"

"Well, I'll cut you a deal since you're such a lovely couple, one hundred Col." Shoran materialized the desired amount as Sky fought down the rising red in her face and tossed the small bag to the man. "Appreciate it, now if you'll follow me." Daveth stepped aside and Shoran ushered Sky in before she could protest, dragging the tub by himself.

"The name is Jerack," The man said as he led the way through the large building. "I'm the guild leader of the Red Hawks and the mastermind behind this wine outfit." They passed by a few players, some carrying crates others chatting amiably. Sky glanced at Jerack's name and healthbar, next to his name was a picture of the red feather that all of the players they had passed bore.

"You see every day, all day, we repeat the wine making quest as many times as we can and then we sell the wine on various floors, and we even have a few partnerships with some player shops."

"You mean to tell me, that I could have just bought the wine somewhere?" Sky sighed.

"Indeed you could have, but between you and me I think it tastes better when you make it yourself." Jerack led them into a room that took up the majority of the building, in the warehouse like room sat several huge wooden tubs and several smaller ones. "Well this is it, I hope you've enjoyed your tour of the Red Hawk Wine facility, have fun." And with that he spun on his heel and left.

Unbelievable, Sky thought to herself before shooting a glare at Shoran.

"What?"

"I can't believe you actually paid them, this is robbery. Something needs to be done."

"I'm sorry, would you like me to call the police? Oh, wait…" The rogue favored her with a grimace.

"We could call the army." She said with a slight pout, Shoran scoffed.

"They haven't been useful for a very long time."

"You would know better than I would, wouldn't you?"

"I'm sensing some hostility in that last sentence."

"Oh no, I meant nothing but kittens and rainbows." As soon as the words had left her mouth she cursed herself. Kittens and rainbows? I've been hanging around Vlinn too much. Shoran raised an eyebrow but said nothing about her odd choice of words.

"And what, pray tell, might your problem be? You wanted to make wine and I got you in here didn't I?"

"Never mind." She stated, dragging their bin of grapes over to a small vat. Together they lifted the tub up and dumped the grapes in. A flick of her hand and a few taps of her finger had Sky shoeless and she leapt effortlessly into the vat and began stomping around, determined to take her anger out on the grapes.

"I take it you're still sore over the whole Kibaou incident?" Shoran had joined her, squashing down grapes as best he could.

"I warned you about him," She said quietly. "I told you to get out while you could because I thought that maybe you cared enough to listen."

"The money is good." He offered hesitantly. Sky rolled her eyes and turned her back to him, she should have known two years ago that he was no good. Good was not an actual entity in this game.

"It's not like I do it because I want to." Shoran broke the uncomfortable silence. "I do what I have to do to survive. The job isn't as dangerous as you think and I get paid well. I just want to make it through alive." Sky didn't answer; she was lost in her own thoughts. Thoughts that stretched back to all she had lost to this game and things she may never gain.

Soon the grapes were merely skins and at the bottom of the vat sat a large bottle of wine. After clambering down the swordswoman grabbed the bottle and in seconds it was in her inventory, she waved away the quest completion screen and made for the exit, intent on putting distance between her and the player that she thought about too often.

"What would you have me do?" She stopped at this and turned slowly to face him. "What would await me should I leave the Army?"

"A friend."

"Just a friend?"

"New friends, a guild that would take you in." Shoran raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled slightly. "I'm a guild leader; I can do things like that." The rogue looked away, seemingly weighing his options. Sky found her eyes drawn to his handsome face, like steel to a magnet.

"You'd be willing to take me in?" He asked and Sky was nodding before he finished.

"Will you leave?"

"I don't know." He said nervously.

"Kibaou is no good," Sky said fiercely.

"I know."

"Then leave!" When the player didn't answer she spoke the next words quietly, almost at a whisper. "For me?" Shoran didn't answer again and she wasn't sure if he had heard her or not. If he joined the Oath Keepers it would be a small victory for her, something to show that the system would let her have just one thing.

She hadn't noticed him move closer but when she looked up they were only inches apart. She had never noticed it before, but he wasn't very tall, taller than her but even Vlinn outstretched him by some inches.

"Will you leave?" She tried one more time and again he didn't answer, instead leaning closer to her. Sky's head was a rush of thoughts but one slipped through to shine clearly in her conscious.

Maybe just once, the system would let her have something good, she thought as his lips brushed hers.

Several hours after the two parted Shoran received a message, a job from Kibaou, the Army's sub-leader required that his spy meet him within the hour.

Shoran tapped his reply: Meet you there, bring my normal payment.

The rogue did not hesitate as he tapped the send option.