~July 23rd 2024~
Asuna smiled looking over toward Kirito as he headed toward the door as she cooked.
"You going over to try fishing with Nashida again?" she asked
Kirito nodded with a laugh opening the door.
"I don't know if you could call it fishing really with me never catching anything big enough to do anything with but yeah."
She laughed waving as he walked out the door.
Kirito smiled closing the door behind him and headed off toward the lake.
Things had been going amazing and he had almost forgotten that they where even in SAO at this point. The elites from the other guilds had come into contact with them but they had informed them that they were going to be gone longer than expected. They didn't seem happy about it but they accepted it. He smiled seeing Hashida off in the distance waving and waved back.
Hashida smiled looking over toward Kirito as they got everything ready and launched their rods out into the water.
"Hows Asuna?" he asked looking off toward the water contently.
Kirito smiled with a laugh looking over toward him.
"she's good still going through different recipes and everything we went swimming the other day."
He laughed nodding as he reeled in a pretty large fish.
Kirito sighed cupping his face with his hand.
"how do you always do it so easy I still haven't caught anything good."
Hashida chuckled.
"it takes time and patience young man." he grinned "it takes training and skill just like the fighting and swordsmanship those fellas helping us all out on those front lines do."
Kirito blinked a bit looking at him at the mention of the front lines and how he talked about them. He wasn't even sure if any of the people here knew about the front lines.
Kirito yawned as he walked back into the house that night and blinked looking up with a alugh and smile as Asuna hugged him hugging her back.
"hey there."
"hi" she laughed spinning around toward the table.
"my masterpiece!" she laughed throwing her hands over toward the absolutley filled table with food.
Kiritos eyes widened staring at it his arms shaking a bit. Having been tired a moment ago he dropped his gear without thinking and licked his lips stalking toward it.
"uh uh!" Asuna smirked smacking his hand "change first!"
He looked at her and frowned with a sigh bringing up his menu.
Asuna raised an eyebrow as he changed right there giggling.
"that hungry huh?"
He grinned and nodded jumping at the food.
He groaned after they had finished up leaning back in his chair.
"soooooo...sooooo full."
Asuna laughed standing up.
"shouldn't have scarfed it all that fast then."
"maybe not..." he laughed.
~July 24th 2024~
Asuna smiled as she held Kiritos hand walking through the forest laughing as she heard Nashida and some of the others yelling off in the distance behind them as they caught something.
Kirito smiled as well hearing them but then slowed down a bit confused scrunching his eyes. He looked up ahead stopping.
Asuna blinked looking over toward him confused.
"why are you stopping?"
He shook his head knowing that he couldn't be right.
"there is a group of people up ahead a bit..." he said his eyes flashing bright greenish gold as he activated his tracking skill.
He blinked seeing that there was a small group of players with weapons around a small kid. He shook his head not believing it but scuffed running forward.
Asuna blinked following him.
"what is it?!"
A group of players laughed kicking a small girl around holding their blades.
"listen kid I know you have got some money we heard about this place and know that only kids like you and the elderly stay here and make a pretty penny fishing and selling other goods so hand it over now!"
The small dark haired four year old cried whimpering scared.
"but I don't...I really don't"
The guy rolled his eyes and sighed bringing up his sword.
"fine if that's how you want it kid I tried."
He laughed bringing down his blade but scuffed as it went flying and he was knocked back.
Kirito narrowed his eyes looking at the three low level players.
The girl wiped her eyes staring up at the dark haired boy and pretty girl beside him. She had seen them before in the village.
"bad move there kid I thought this little village was all elderly and a few like her but i'd be glad to rob some teenies to." he smirked
Kirito just looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"oh I see you can only take out kids and maybe elderly makes sense." he nodded.
"smart ass..." the man gritted his teeth looking over toward Asuna smirking.
"hey how bout this kid hand over everything you got and we'll only beat you up a bit and let this little one and your girlfriend there go on."
Kirito listened to him and then glanced over toward Asuna before looking back toward the man with a small smile.
"by all means go ahead and take her." he said putting his hands up and backing up a bit.
The man raised an eyebrow.
"some boyfriend ya got there doll just offering ya up but i'm not complaining!" he exclaimed rushing forward but before he could even move he went flying back into a tree.
Asuna held her hand up looking down at the man bringing her arm across knocking a second one back roughly. She completely ignored them walking over and kneeling down near the little girl.
"are you okay sweetey? what's your name?" she asked smiling.
She wiped her eyes looking at Asuna.
"Y...Yori"
The man got up gritting his teeth and rushed toward Asunas turned back
"bitch!'
Kirito brought his bare hand up catching the blade as it slammed forward looking at the man tilting his head.
"uh uh" he said tossing him back.
"let's get the hell out of here boys!" they exclaimed running off.
The little girl started bursting out crying again.
Asuna frowned looking down at her patting her lightly.
"it's okay honey your safe those guys are gone."
She shook her head.
"mommy daddy! they...there... hurt"
Asuna frowned looking over toward Kirito with a look.
Kirito gave Asuna a look kneeling down beside her looking toward the little girl softly.
"what happened Yori?" he asked.
She cried out shaking her head roughly.
"they...there dead those men hurt them when we was coming back..."
Kiritos eyes widened hearing what the girl said.
Asuna blinked shocked.
After consoling her for a bit they brought the tired girl back to the village.
Asuna frowned looking over toward Yori her eyes closed asleep on Kiritos back as they walked.
"I can't believe that someone would actually do something like this..."
He shook his head looking ahead holding the girl on his back.
As they entered the village he looked up.
"Nashida!" he called out loudly.
Nashida rushed out from his house and blinked confused why someone would be yelling this late. He looked at Kirito and Asuna and a little girl on his back. He scrunched his eyes under his glasses it was Yori the daughter of a couple in their mid forty's from the village. They had went out to trade in some goods.
"is that Yori where are her parents ?" he asked.
Kirito and Asuna just looked at each sickly before looking back to him.
"there dead..."
Nashidas eyes widened in shock. He just stood there frozen for a bit almost shaking then swallowed horrified.
"what?...how?"
Kirito just looked away.
"they where killed by some pkers on their way back to the village."
Yori had as best as she could explained to them that another group of players much scarier for some reason not the ones that they had encountered had attacked them on their way back and killed them though she didn't seem to fully get it but she had managed to get away some how and tried to find her way back to the village.
Nashida swallowed shaking his head.
"Nothing like this has ever happened here..." he said shaking his head. With how things where here in this small village it was sometimes easy to forget what this game really was and the horrors that where happening in other places in it everyday.
Nashida frowned looking at the little girl walking over and tapping her lightly.
"I will explain what happened and we will see if someone can keep her for now if not we will do it." he said referring to himself and his wife.
"wake up honey."
Yori blinked tears still in her eyes and looked at the man squeezing Kiritos shirt.
Asuna smiled.
"listen Yori this is Nashida he is our friend and very nice...he is going to take care of you for awhi..."
"no!" she screamed holding on tightly.
Asuan frowned not knowing what to do looking toward Kirito.
He frowned.
"You will be safe Yori there is no other..."
"no!"
Yori looked at them tears falling down from her eyes.
"Can I stay with you?" she asked looking between Asuna and Kirito trying to hold back tears.
There eyes widened just looking at each other having no idea how to handle a kid.
Nashida sighed then looked at the two of them.
"I know it's a task but could you two maybe do it if not I understand."
Kirito just blinked looking over at Asuna not knowing what to do.
Asuna thought and sighed looking down and glancing over toward Yori.
"We will take care of her."
Kirito just looked at her.
Yori dug her head into his back clenching his shirt.
Nashida nodded and shook his head in thanks to her.
"this is horrible..." he sighed bidding farewell to them and heading off to inform the others.
Kirito stood in the dark watching as Asuna tucked Yori in tightly after awhile the girl falling asleep.
Asuna sighed stepping back beside of him looking down at her.
"I have no idea what this has to be like for her..."
He nodded agreeing with her.
She sighed scrolling through her menu and changing.
They walked over toward the couch deciding to let Yori sleep in the bed.
Asuna laid down after Kirito on her side staring down sadly at the pillows squeezing his hand.
"i'm sorry for not asking you first I didn't know what to do."
He shook his head looking down at her and squeezed her hand.
"no you did the right thing we couldn't just not do anything." he said kissing her cheek lightly.
He wrapped an arm around her tightly and stared off into the distance.
"I guess it's back to reality.' he said thinking about how everything had been going to perfect.
She sighed and nodded closing her eyes.
"Guess so."
Next Chapter 26- The Lions And The Lambs Part 2.