I slightly edited chapter Twenty. Not enough that it needs a reread, but there was a bit added that will make these next couple chapters make more sense.
Warning: language at the end of chapter. Lots of swearing.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kirito:
Where did Sarasheem go? The concert was about to start, and she's still not back. At this point, she won't be back before it starts. Did she run off to be alone with him?
I was shifting my weight from one foot to the other with nervous energy. I haven't been in a crowd this big without Sarasheem in a very long time. Agil and Stark were there to try and keep me company, but it wasn't the same without her by my side.
Where was she-
"Welcome everyone! Thank you for joining us for our first concert. Now we don't charge for tickets, but if we can ask for one small favor, it would be that any items or Col that you don't need go to helping those who do need them. Argo runs the training camps, and she does a terrific job at distributing them.
"Now for introductions, I have Alastairius on the keyboard!" A middle-aged man standing behind what looked like an electric piano, waved to the crowd with both hands. "Charr on the drums, you may recognize him from the assault team." Charr stood from his stool with a small head bow before resuming his seat. "Victreebell on bass." A girl with skin darker than even Agil and her hair in many tight braids starting from her forehead, stood tall and proud as she was introduced. She was holding a four string guitar in the shape of a double-bladed axe. "And I am Sarasheem. Together we are Blades of Blood!"
My eyes widened. Sarasheem, for once was wearing her hair down and dressed in a black miniskirt. A shimmery red halter top flowed down her neck to stop just above her skirt, a small strip of pale skin peeking out. Black fingerless gloves and heeled combat boots finished off the outfit. Beside her stood two guitars, a simple acoustic and an electric guitar that looked like a shield with a sword sticking out as the neck. I know it was based off of some game character's weapons, but I couldn't remember the little green clad character's name nor the name of the princess in which the game was named for. But I did recognize the three gold triangle symbols decorating them.
I don't think I had ever seen her more beautiful.
The four band members on stage pumped their fists. They were all dressed in a similar fashion to Sarasheem, red shirts and black pants. All wore the same gloves and boots as Sarasheem, too. They looked badass on that stage.
The crowd around me cheered their hearts out. But me, I was still frozen in shock, mouth gaping like a fish.
This is why Sarasheem wanted to come so bad. She was part of the band playing. How did I not know that she knew how to play the guitar? She was a terrific singer, she sang me that song on Christmas and it was beautiful.
I still need to ask her about the meaning of that song. I thought to myself.
"She and the other band members practiced for months together to master their instrument skills. And getting the materials to make them was extremely tough. Especially since they were training the new players at the same time." Stark yelled over the cheering crowd. A giant smile on his face.
"But… how did they even make them?" I asked, dumbfounded. I had never heard of real world instruments being in the game. The closest thing to a guitar was the lute. And they sounded nothing alike.
"Some of the crafters and blacksmiths discovered that you can make anything you want, within reason of course, if you can get your skills high enough. Actually, it was Asuna who started it when she was working on her cooking skills. She just started experimenting and came out with food from home. So that got others thinking of what else we can make." Agil laughed at my astonished look.
Sarasheem caught my eye with a wink, grabbed the shield-guitar and swung the strap over her shoulder. With a nod back to him, Charr slapped his drumsticks together three times and the band started playing.
They. Sounded. Amazing! I couldn't believe it! My jaw never left the floor that night. With every song, they seemed to become more in-tune with one another, working off the stage nerves.
I recognized most of the songs from animes: Beyond the Boundary, No Game No Life, Noragami (that song was sung by the guy playing keyboard), and even the American anime with video game graphics RWBY (Sarasheem got me into watching that before the beta ended). Stark wasn't kidding, they must have spent months playing together to sound this good.
For the last two songs, Sarasheem switched to her acoustic guitar. They were more mellow songs, probably to wind the crowd down for the night.
It was the last song that got to me though. The same song Sarasheem had sung to me on Christmas Day. But this time, she sang it in Japanese. I could finally understand what she was singing that day.
The whole time she sang, she stared right at me, smiling secretly. Everything and everyone around us disappeared, and it was just Sarasheem singing, to me. My heart was hammering in my ears, my throat closed up. Eyes burning, I had to fight back the tears that wanted to escape.
I never thought of myself as the sentimental type, but damn does this girl turn me into one. I don't know how I got so lucky to love, and be loved in return, by this girl.
"Thank you everyone for joining us tonight! We appreciate each and every one of you. Support one another, keep hope in your hearts, and someday we will all return home! Goodnight Aincrad!" Sarasheem yelled to the crowd as the four of them bowed before they returned backstage.
"So what'cha think, Kirito? She gonna be an idol someday?" Agil clapped me on the back, almost knocking me to the ground.
"I don't think his jaw left the floor all night!" Stark laughed until he was doubled over with his hands on his stomach. "Catching flies there, Kirito?" He slapped one of his thighs, howling with laughter.
My cheeks must have been a bright red with how hot my face felt. I could feel it all the way to my ears and down my neck. My mouth opened to try and say something intelligent, but nothing came out. I haven't spoken a word since before the concert started. I was still too stunned to speak.
I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist from behind. I looked over my shoulder to see Sarasheem with her chin resting on it. Her eyes were sparkling, like sunlight on the ocean, and her cheeks were flushed.
"I didn't know…" I croaked. I took a deep breath and tried again, "I didn't know you knew how to play the guitar."
"Yeah, my dad taught me as a kid when we were still in the States. We still played together whenever he had free time from his job after we moved to Japan." I pulled Sarasheem around to stand beside me, resting my arm around her shoulders.
"How come you never joined the band in school then?" Charr asked after bumping fists with Agil and Stark. "I always went to watch the band because my younger brother was in it. But I never saw you among them?" He looked at Sarasheem quizzically. I felt her flinch beside me.
"How would you know if she was in her school's band or not?" I asked accusingly. I could feel my blood start to boil in anger and jealousy. I never trusted how close the two of them became while Sarasheem and I were separated last year. It seemed as if they had become more than friends...
"Turns out Charr and I went to the same school. His brother was a year behind me and Charr was two years ahead of me." Sarasheem squeezed my waist before she turned back to Charr and continued, "You know what my school life was like. Joining the band would have just made things worse. Besides, they already had two guitar players and a bass player. They didn't need me." She looked at the ground dejectedly.
"Oh. That makes sense-"
"What do you mean by that?" I interrupted Charr and looked over at Sarasheem. She was a loner, like me. So why would she be upset just because she couldn't join her school's band?
"Man, don't make her tell you about that here. That's something that should be explained in private." Charr glanced around at the players that were still milling around talking about the concert.
"Wait! He knows?! Why does he know about this and I don't?" I pushed her out of my arms. I couldn't stop the jealousy from rearing its ugly head. "What else are you keeping from me? Are you seeing him behind my back, too? Was anything between us even real?" I yelled angrily at her. The words escaping before I could even think about what I was saying. I knew I was being stupid, that the little jealous thoughts were just a product of my self-consciousness.
Her blue eyes widened in shock and they immediately filled with tears. A sob escaped her before she turned on her heel and bolted out of the amphitheatre. I instantly felt guilty.
I suddenly found myself on the ground, a few health points lower and an aching jaw. I looked up to find Charr standing over me, fists clenched at his sides and anger radiating off of the red-eyed player. His dragon was flying in front of me growling with little puffs of flame shooting out of its nose.
"What the actual fuck is wrong with you?!" Charr's chest heaved with his fury. "That girl has loved you for as long as I have known her. Even after you chose your guild over her for months. She taught us half of these songs because they reminded her of you! She did all of this for you! I had to do everything that I could do to make sure she survived the boss raids after you left her behind. She almost died, twice, because some jackass decided his new pals that he had just met were more important than his partner. She was absolutely devastated when you two split up!
"And did it not occur to you that she may have made friends while you were off doing who knows what, and those friends might know a thing or two that you don't? You were gone for eight months, Kirito!" He ran his hand through the flame-colored portion of hair at the front of his head.
"What the hell else am I supposed to think? I've known her for two years, and not once has she ever mentioned any of this! Not the guitar playing, singing, or her school life; which from what I gathered was pretty shitty. Why would she keep that from me when I told her everything about mine?!" I stumbled to my feet, just to fall back to the ground to avoid another punch from Charr.
"You're not the only one in her life! Nor are you the only one who loves her, you fucking moron! She doesn't have to tell you every little detail of her misery! You have no idea the shit she's had to go through! The only reason I know the specifics of what's been done to her is because my brother told me. And I didn't even know it was her until she told me that we attended the same school and mentioned that awful nickname her classmates had given her! Between kids destroying her stuff on a daily basis to the threats to her and her family! So do you really blame her for not telling you? That she didn't want to tell the person she loves about her weakness in the real world?"
Charr's fury was rising by the minute, and honestly, I didn't blame the guy. I was a shitty friend, and an even worse boyfriend. How could I have accused her of cheating on me? Especially since we were practically joined at the hip all this time.
"Now guys, this isn't the time nor the place for this." Agil held out his hands in a placating manner. His voice was low and soothing to try and calm Charr and I down.
"That's fine. I've said all I've needed to say. For her sake, I hope you leave her the hell alone this time. She doesn't need your jealous bullshit. Not then, and not now.
"Now I'm gonna go find your girlfriend. At least one of us actually cares about her." Charr ran after her, but not before he threw me one last glare. With a growl and a puff of fire, his red dragon flew after him.
"What the hell did I just do?" I cried out loud, burying my head in my hands. Tears were falling down my face, soaking my shirt. I didn't even care that everyone around me could see how low the black swordsman had fallen.
Oh no! More drama between the love birds! Will they come back from this?
Hope you guys enjoyed the concert scene! This actually started as a dream so I figured I'd add it in! Here is the playlist that I see them singing! I do not own any rights to these songs or Animes. Also I used the English names for the animes because that's what I know them as.
Rising Hope by LiSA
No Game by Konomi Suzuki
Owaranai Melody wo Utaidashimashita by Mikako Komatsu
Crossing Fields by LiSA
This Will Be the Day by Casey Lee Williams
Brightdown by Nami Tamaki
Kyouran Hey Kids! By The Oral Cigarettes
Kyoukai no Kanata by Minori Chihara
My Soul, Your Beats! By Lia
You'll Be In My Heart by Phil Collins (sung in Japanese)
