A/N: Hey! Nothing to say other than this is the first chapter going into GGO time! Thanks for the constant support, it really helps a lot.
Chapter 24. (Last chapter was 23 but said 24. Typo. Is fixed now.)
Kazuto laughed as he easily parried another of Asuna's attacks, the flash of green and purple illuminating the room.
"Come on Asuna! You're hardly trying!"
Asuna gritted her teeth and charged, her sword lower held than it usually was, her posture slacking, her attacks weak. Kazuto kept his normal status, though you could see it was just a feint. Their duels just were not right without Yui cheering. Kazuto grabbed her wrist, his sword point pointed just past her stomach.
"Stop. We can't do it. Not without Yui."
"I tried I just... It's just not right."
"I understand, come on. Let's go eat. It's lunch time."
"Ok... No spicy meals. We have some fish left over though."
"Alright. I ought to catch some more..." Kazuto said as he wrapped his giant black iron sword in his cloth and strapped it to his back. Asuna did the same.
Kazuto and Asuna sat across from each other, silently eating their food. Asuna kept glancing at the empty chair on her right, each time feeling like a piece of her heart had been torn apart, she fiddled with her 'Yui's heart' necklace.
Kazuto sighed and dropped his utensils.
"I give up...Yui... I'm sorry. I've decided." He logged off, leaving Asuna alone, she broke down into tears, the soft water droplets plopped on the table as the salty liquid rolled off the bridge of her nose. Every reminder of Yui was painful, what was Kazuto going to do?
~Kazuto's room.
Kazuto slid the helmet off his head and sighed. No Asuna lying next to him this time. He powered up his computer and opened a line with Yui.
"Yui? Hey sweety!"
"Hi Papa. How much longer until Paradise is ready?"
"Well...It's going to take a long time... Which is why I've called you. We're going to move you back into ALO, if you're ok with that. This time there's no trial runs, you fail and you're deleted. We can wait for Paradise if you want but we miss you Yui... Too much."
"Are you kidding me?! I don't care about the risks! Yes yes yes!"
"Ok, Please be careful. We'll try it tomorrow just... think about it." He left his computer open as he managed to small talk with Yui and Asuna, Asuna being on a Skype chat. He lay on his bed, reading the latest issue of his Vrmmo magazine. He thought about creating an entirely new character, with a different name in some of these, just to get away from real life, be someone else. Heck, why not even be a different sex? Of course, that wasn't going to happen, he owed it to his family and his friends to stay with them. And of course he wanted to stay with Asuna and Yui.
"Hey, this looks cool. Gun Gale Online, 3rd Battle of the bullets, we should rent a room in ALO and watch it!"
"Sure! Why not? When is it?"
"Next week."
"Ok, what about the hotel with those rooms with the glass window! The one with the amazing view!"
"Sounds good, invite Klein, Silica and Lisbeth. Oh! And of course I'll invite Sugu if that's ok."
"That's fine. Hmm... Wednesday?"
"Perfect." Kazuto made a affirmative sound.
"Well, Mama and Papa better get some sleep! Big day tomorrow!"
"Be safe Yui, You'll be in my dreams." Asuna said, before logging out.
"Hmm. I'm not sleeping yet. I'm staying with you all night. Understand?"
"Yes Papa."
"Good. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. Too worried."
"Thank you Papa, I admit it does get lonely at night."
"It's fine... God... I miss Paradise." They continued to small talk and Yui gave Kazuto an electronic Christmas list, to which Kazuto looked over quickly.
"I'll print it out then send it to Santa!
"Umm, Papa... I'm am A.I... I know Santa doesn't exist..." Yui said regretfully.
"What are you saying? Of course he exists!"
"If you want to keep up the facade fine... Just saying..."
"Gah... You are too smart for your age... Well, We'll see what you get for Christmas."
~The next day.
"Ready Papa." Kazuto sighed, then ran the command. He practically shivered in his seat as he watched the same thing he watched in the move to Paradise, but twice as dangerous. It was horrible, Asuna and Kazuto hugged and whispered comfort I to one another's ear, kissing each other and just trying to get through it. They could only see code, Yui saw obstacles and enemies. Asuna was practically shouting at the screen, You can do it Yui! They sat, teeth chattering, biting their nails, unsure of the outcome. Uncertainty is what killed them however, not knowing how Yui was doing.
Then, then it went silent. The whirring of the fans slowed and the computer stopped pushing itself to it's limits.
"Did she...Did she make it?" Asuna asked, quietly.
"I...I have no Idea. Quick! Let's dive!" Kazuto grabbed his nerve gear and flung Asuna Sugu's amusphere. Asuna caught it with one hand and nodded, before sliding it on and commanding, "Link start!"
Lights flew past their vision and the heartbeat of their characters could be heard for a few seconds, before their minds adjusted to their virtual bodies.
Rising from the table, the lovers ran into the daylight and screamed out for Yui. Nothing. Again, they screamed. Again. Nothing. They began to fear the worst, Asuna collapsing to her knees as she screamed out her child's name again.
"We can't lose you... Not for a third time..." Asuna held back the tears and the pain at the back of her throat.
"You won't, Mama." Asuna looked up, Kazuto grinned and slid his hand away from her shoulder.
"Don't you ever scare me again like that young lady." Kazuto said in a stern voice, before collapsing to his knees and embracing his daughter tightly.
Whispering in her ear, he spoke, "We love you too much to lose you. The first time was bad enough, never mind a second and third."
"I'm safe Papa. And I'll stay that way."
"Good." Asuna said, tears of happiness welling up in her eyes.
The three embraced in the glowing sunlight of New Aincrad. One small but happy family. Back together.
~ Two days later. Friday. Eight days before Kazuto's first dive into GGO.
Kazuto happily ate his breakfast, each bite met with a smile. He showered energetically dressed speedily and had time to spare when he came down the stairs. Sugu sat in her usual morning state, somewhere between happy and 'too lazy to do anything'.
"Ohayou!"
"Ohayou!"
Kazuto laughed. The Japanese language made it impossible to say morning without sounding extremely enthusiastic, well, at least difficult.
"What you laughing at?"
"Ah, nothing. I'm off to school to see my girlfriend and maybe get a bit of work done...Nah, Just to see Asuna. Haven't you got an inset day?"
Sugu sighed lazily.
"Yeah, I have."
"Could you check on Yui at some point for me?"
"Sure." Sugu said.
"Thanks."
Kazuto exited his house.
Sugu instantly rushed upstairs and jumped into ALO, where she found Yui.
"Hey Yui! Your parents are out, so that means a day full of fun with your Aunt! Come on!" Yui happily complied, she loved the company of her aunt, she was just so kind and energetic. The battles they shared made Yui ecstatic, watching the mix of magic and swordplay was bewildering to a bystander's eye, not as much to a swordsman however.
"Get 'em Aunt Lyfa! Oh, Sorry! I mean Aunt Sugu!"
"Lyfa or Sugu is fine Yui!" She shouted as she slashed through a shadow elf.
"Don't forget to loot it." Yui said, flying on to Sugu's shoulder.
"Hey, a piece of jewellery. A ring, too small for me, I will have to sell it I guess..."
"No, Wait! Will it fit me as a bracelet, Aunt Lyfa?"
"It might, give me your wrist."
"Here." Yui nodded as Lyfa slid the ring on her forearm, perfect, neither too tight nor too loose.
"Good, it fits. You should remember our time together when you think of this, you're a great kid Yui." Sugu ruffled Yui's hair with the tip of her finger."
~ Meanwhile.
Kazuto walked outside. It was chilly, but not too cold. He would manage without a coat. He walked along the path towards the park to where his girlfriend would sit, often fiddling with the heart shaped necklace or her bracelet, completely content. Today she stared at the engraving on the bracelet, holding it close to her chest every time she finished reading it.
"Hey Hun."
"Hey handsome, You don't normally get up this early."
"I felt good. Shall we?" Kazuto held out his arm to which Asuna linked hers, locking their bodies close together. Asuna looked good in black, Kazuto thought. She wore black heeled boots made of a fuzzy material. Kazuto didn't know what it was, although it looked nice. She wore a black two third length trench coat, again, black. Asuna also wore a black Woolly beanie.
Asuna's cheeks were a bright pink, the cold added to her beauty.
"Stop staring at me, you'll make me blush."
"That'll just add to your beautiful face Hun, you've already got pink cheeks from the cold." She blushed, turning her pink cheeks completely red.
"Oh, you." She said, kissing his cheek.
The whole school knew of the endeavour the couple went through to get their child back, it spread like a virus. someone told so ones friend, who then told two other friends who then in turn told other friends and so on. They figured Silica had to tell someone but had no evidence to suggest she spilled the beans. Not that it mattered to them, the whole school seemed to respect them more however and constant congrats where being delivered. Asuna finally broke her arm away as she took off towards her class.
"She's definitely a keeper."
"Yep...Wait, Who are you?"
"Just another kid to congratulate you. Congratulations on rescuing Yui. Good god man, you are amazing, first you and Asuna save everyone from Sao, then you defeat a member of Laughing coffin in real life. I'm in your maths class by the way. See you around." The boy simply turned and walked off, leaving a flattered Kazuto to find his way to class.
Kazuto sat by the window and stared into the courtyard, specifically at the tree in the middle, a pink blossom tree, it's final leaves saying in the wind before finally flying up into the air, gently flying back down to earth. It was truly beautiful, Asuna sat doodling pictures of Yui, Kazuto and herself all playing her fighting and just generally being together, happily and without a worry in sight. Until the teacher snapped and both parties directed their attention too the lecture, the scribble of their pens speeding up to catch up to the tutor.
A/N: Hi! I should have Yui's story up later today, maybe tomorrow afternoon. Hope you enjoyed! Set this up for GGO now, Yay! Please review and or Pm me as support is motivation! Requests for characters (Only as extras for now) are welcome by the way, thanks for the continued support of this story. I never thought I'd have this much support and only thought I would be doing a couple of chapters, I'm happy that I am wrong.