Life went on for our heroes. With nothing left to do, the Heroes of Aincrad began hunting down a series of Kayaba's autonomous reject monsters which had somehow escaped. And as for the Heroes of the Fairy Dance, monster battling became a normal part of their weekly schedule. Be it giant golems, giant skeletons, giant snakes, giant skeleton snakes, giant lizards, basically giant stuff. The battles became so routine that they weren't even worth writing about, possibly even forgettable at times. But in the constant fights and action, new friendships and loves started to form. And we all know that's why people REALLY like magical girls.

One sunny midday Asada was hiding on the roof of a building, her gun aiming right at a red kobold walking down the street.

"Target Acquired," she said to no one in particular. "Destroying that high-level shapeshifter will be easy. I just need to keep my eye on it…"

"Be careful, it can make itself look like anything!" said Yui, sitting beside Sinon. For whatever reason, Yui had taken to alternating days between each magical girl.

"Don't worry, I can never be distracted. I haven't strayed from my goal since I was five, and I'm not starting today!"

"Yeah! You go… wait a minute, what?"

"I said, I haven't strayed from my goal of being the greatest hero to ever live since I was five years old, and I'm not starting…"

"Five?"

"Yeah, five." Asada clicked something on her sniper rifle.

"I didn't know humans could have such intense determination at such a young age." Yui tapped her chin. "I mean unless there was some kind of trauma…"

Asada did a double-take.

"Uh… it's nothing. The others should show up pretty soon."

Five minutes passed in silence. Eventually, Suguha started walking in the opposite direction of the kobold.

"Say, Yui? What exactly are you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean, Kayaba said you for some game called Fairy Dance and you were supposed to interact with players. But how exactly did you become… well… sentient?"

"That's a long story." Yui began. "As the tutorial NPC, I was supposed to guide players through their first few moments in the game. I was programmed with the intent of making sure that they were happy, comfortable, and having fun." She looked off into the distance. "Then one day, I met a little girl who was really sad. I think that was around 10.764 years ago."

Asada's eyes widened.

"Because I was supposed to make sure the players were happy, I asked her why. She said it was nothing, but I could tell she was lying. I can do that, you know? I can tell when someone's lying by combining inputs from their bodily functions. Anyway, I used the game's Spectator mode to follow her around. I studied her for a while, and I learned a lot about human emotions. One day, she accidentally shot an NPC using a bow and started crying. By then, I couldn't handle it anymore, I just had to help her. It wasn't exactly part of my programming, but I just had to. I asked her again what was wrong and she said that she did something so horrible that she'll never forgive herself. I listened to everything she said, all her feelings, all her thoughts. She looked a lot happier after she was done. Based on that inference, I told her that she could talk to me anytime she was feeling sad. She was so happy and we became friends. I think it was around then that I realized I was sentient."

Yui let out a little laugh.

"Apparently, learning all of those things about human emotions had allowed me to experience them for my own. I don't know what happened to that girl, but I remember the last thing she said to me."

"Oh… what was that?" Asada flinched for a moment.

Yui took out her tape recorder and played back a specific clip.

"Thank you, Yui. You were the best friend I ever had. And I've decided, that I'm going to be the greatest hero who ever lived, so no more little girls will have to go through what I did!"

"I'm going to miss you a lot." Yui's own voice replied. "But I'll remember what I learned, and use it to make even more people happy. So I should be the one thanking you, Asa-"

There was the distinct sound of a player logging out. Yui turned off the recorder.

"It cut off after that. It's a shame I can't remember her name." she tapped her chin again. "But I hope they're happy, wherever they are!"

The sound of Asada's gun suddenly exploded through the air, followed by the sound of a monster dying.

She wiped a small tear from her cheek. "I'm sure they're happy too, Yui."

Some other time…

Kazuto awoke to the sound of his sister groaning. He hurried to her room to find her writhing on her bed.

"Ng… stop it!"

"You stop it! This is really unhealthy!"

"I'm being unhealthy? This is freaking incest!"

In Suguha's dream…

Suguha and Leafa were engaged in a rather violent wrestling match.

"Who cares? He's the only one who'll make us happy!"

"Us? More like you!" Suguha punched Leafa in the face.

"Hah! You punch like a daffodil!"

Leafa starting pushing Suguha onto the ground.

"It'll be easy! You're hot! He likes you! He can be yours! All you have to do is say the words and he'll do anything for you!"

"How many times must I remind you!" Suguha blinding grasped at Leafa. "He's my brother!"

Suddenly, Suguha's hand wrapped around something… soft.

"Eep."

A wide grin spread across Leafa's face.

"Naughty girl,"

"Who are you, Rika?"

IRL

Suguha began to slowly grope herself. Kazuto, none the wiser, started shaking her shoulder in a panic.

"Sugu! Wake up! You're dreaming!"

She was suddenly pulled from her dream to see her brother staring down at her, red-faced, and breathing heavily. Her shirt was slightly undone, and his hand was just a few inches from her chest. And to top it all off, he had unintentionally positioned a certain part of himself right above a certain part of her, and her head was right in between his hands.

Suguha never felt redder in her entire life.

Thus, that night was filled with the resounding sound of "ONII-CHAN, PERVERT!"