"Hello, for what reason do you visit today?"
Kazu stood at the desk of a high class hospital's reception and recited the words Ela had prepared for her.
"I am Kirigaya Kazu, and friend to one of your patients, Yuuki Asuna-san. I would like to visit her today if possible."
The receptionist gave a nod in understanding and her fingers flitted over the keys on her keyboard in front of her before taking a moment to look over Kazu.
"Kazu-san as in the person who completed the game which should have released her from her comatose state. It is an honor. My condolences to you for those who haven't been freed from their experience yet. She will have visiting hours open shortly. There is a waiting room on her floor you can wait at until this time."
The receptionist handed over a ticket sheet with the information regarding Asuna's room on the floor, all the information in the form of a map with a couple of notes added to it.
"Thank you very much."
"Please enjoy your visit."
With that, Kazu headed to the nearest elevator and was asked by an elevator attendant which floor she was heading to. There was a second glance from the attendant as if baffled at Kazu's appearance. The expression was different from that of the receptionist.
The door opened before conversation would start, and it was her stop so Kazu walked out without hesitation and checked the floor map to correspond with the map ticket she had been given. When she arrived at the waiting area, she noticed there were a pair of familiar faces. One of which was one which she had met since getting out of SAO, while another she had seen in Asuna's familial information. Her father.
"...think of my prospective venture with VR as a foothold?"
Sugou Noboyuki's voice was grating to her ears. She wanted to pound her feet over to him, grab him by the shirt and threaten him to release everyone from ALO, but she managed to rein herself in. She walked over and sat down gracefully and listened in to the conversation which ended up being mostly Noboyuki appealing some projects for VR within the company and how it could make them a lot of money. Eventually their conversation came to a close noticing that it was about time for visiting hours to open.
"Ah, I didn't notice you there hero-san. Business talk can make us adults lose track of everything else around us sometimes."
Asuna's father gave a disapproving shake of his head. He wasn't very supportive of most of Noboyuki's suggestions, which is why his tone was trying to brighten the atmosphere which had been rather dark during Noboyuki's appeals.
"Who is this?"
Noboyuki cleared his throat before introducing Kazu.
"This would be the hero of SAO, the one who cleared the game and trounced that villain Akihiko-san. Her name is-"
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Yuuki-san. It is good to see you again, Noboyuki-san. I just wanted to visit with Asuna-san today. We were very close within the game and I couldn't have beat it without her or the rest of our friends. I wanted to come sooner but considering hospital regulations on rehabilitation and the rest of my life getting back on track..."
Shouzou, Asuna's father gave a nod of understanding.
"Thank you for your hard work in freeing everyone from that trap. Now hopefully the remaining population of that trap will wake soon. It is an honor to meet the hero who made it possible. Today we were going to go over something regarding her so if you would be willing, it would be an honor to have your presence when we go over what we intended today."
Kazu nodded her head with a smile. She was mostly showing courtesy, but she was worried about what they might be there for. Considering what she knew about Sugou and what he was planning for her and Asuna already, she was worried she might not be able to control an emotional outburst. Especially if Shouzou agreed with Sugou.
Showing courtesy to her elders, she motioned for them to go first as it was visitor time. Kazu was very aware of her culture's customs and she needed to ensure that she not make a bad impression to Shouzou so she could appeal her case to him if she got the chance. When they were in Asuna's room, Kazu took in the atmosphere which felt almost entirely different from her own. The room was cooler, it was darker, and the blinds were closed. It was depressing as an environment. When Asuna's face was within sight, the slim, drained sunken face was enough to make Kazu nearly cry.
The reassuring consistent beeping of her monitor was the only assurance that she was alive. Her beauty was still there, but the sorrowful sunken features which had previously brightened Kazu's mental state every time they met in Aincrad.
"It must be difficult, seeing her like this for the first time. Sadly she has not been physically handling the separation between her mind and body well. Apparently you recovered very quickly. You hadn't deflated nearly as much though during your dive."
Sugou's explanation of Asuna's situation only made Kazu more depressed. She wanted to spend some good quality time with Asuna, not trapped with Sugou and Shouzou.
"Every time I started to doubt myself, and every time I needed some help, if she was able to she helped me push forward. I feel like I didn't try hard enough, seeing her like this, like I needed to get out of there faster, neglect my mental health..."
Shouzou shook his head, placing a hand on Kazu's shoulder to comfort her.
"She's always been a very willful girl. She is incredible at everything she puts her effort into, but she's very much not a physically able girl. I expect much of her when she gets out. Hopefully she recovers as quickly as you. You seem to be quite the hidden prodigy. Maybe you would consider working for our company?"
Shouzou tried brightening the mood with a lighthearted chuckle at the end of his explaining about Asuna.
"Unfortunately...her health has deteriorated to a point that the team in charge of her care don't believe she will be able to recover even if she returns to us within a week. The reason Noboyuki-san and I are here today is to talk about his becoming part of our family. We had arranged a marriage between him and Asuna long ago, but I have been reconsidering. She deserves the freedom of choice in this day and age. I have been trying to talk her mother out of the arranged marriage, and Sugou-san doesn't seem to approve, wanting to go through with it before she passes if she does."
Kazu's comfort turned cold immediately as soon as the arranged marriage was brought up.
"She did tell me, and myself exclusively about her arranged marriage. How she hated it and all the pressure she was facing. That she couldn't be herself. I wanted to do what I could to rescue her, not just from that virtual place, but from this arranged marriage of hers. I agree with her deserving her freedom. I am sorry if this is out of place, but I care for her very deeply. Two years together there made us very close. I would really appreciate if you give her the blessing of freedom of choice."
Kazu gave a light bow, realizing that she wasn't able to hold herself back at all. She looked up after several silent seconds to see the reaction of Shouzou and Sugou. Sugou was fuming and Shouzou was surprised.
"S-sorry about that, Kazu-san. You don't need to bow over this. I have every intent to give Asuna her freedom. She clearly earned it and for her to have left such a significant impression on the person who cleared the game, obviously she has a promising future ahead of her no matter the profession she goes into. I am curious just how close you two were, but this isn't exactly the right situation to go into that. I would like to meet more in the future should if you are so inclined."
"How rude...however I am not so surprised. Despite hero-san being so elegant and heroic, she still doesn't mind her manners very well. I am disappointed in the manners of the hero who defeated the modern villain. Yet, not surprised. You are just a child so it is obvious you don't have the patience required for such a meeting."
Shouzou trembled with anger as he faced Sugou.
"I don't approve of some of your choices with the company recently. I don't like that you're hiding things from me. You will show respect to the person who saved thousands of people from an unfortunate fate, or I will have you replaced."
Sugou took a deep breath and stepped back. He was reining in his emotions, but it was clear that he was struggling with it.
"Thank you for all of your efforts. Let us hope that your efforts pay off completely and everyone becomes truly free and come back to us. It would be wonderful if a visit would wake her up..."
Kazu gave Shouzou a smile of gratitude.
"I have something as a gift from an acquaintance. It will let us talk with her so she can tell us what her situation is. This is the perfect opportunity. I only expected to visit her today and give her the gift from Ela-san, but we could possibly end this all right now..."
Shouzou's expression changed drastically from comforting, to surprise, to shock, and then bewilderment. Kazu brought up the devices from her purse and removed a device from one package, motioning to put the device on him herself. He nodded and accepted the device gratefully. She moved to place them on Asuna as well, and after securing them, gave Sugou a look to check if he was also going to accept his place in the situation.
"I might as well accept this gift as well...but I don't see how these tiny things would allow us to speak to her."
Kazu shook her head.
"I'm sure you recall Ela-san, Noboyuki-san. She was very communicative with the VR team you and Akihiko-san were part of. I'm not saying you were complicit in Akihiko-san's actions, but you are also not free of guilt."
Kazu placed the device package in Noboyuki's open hand and waited for him to put it on before moving to an open part of the room. When the device was on, she took an intentional moment to breathe and prepare herself. She had all the evidence she needed, she got everything she needed the night prior, now all it would take was ending everything without a fight.
"Pair."
Asuna, Shouzou and Sugou's AR devices paired at the same time, and as soon as they paired, Kazu breathed out another voice command.
"Project ALO sanctuary room."
Those words projected that recently familiar room to those who were wearing the AR devices. Even Asuna was present in the room despite her mind and body being in different places.
"A-Asuna?!"
Shouzou's expression was absolutely thrilled, seeing her up on her feet, full of life standing where her bed was.
"Hello, father."
Asuna's response was given in the most respectful manner she could manage. She was uncomfortable seeing Sugou's ALO avatar.
"Why are you in such a revealing outfit? And why are you in a different outfit, Kazu-san? You too Sugou-san. My outfit hasn't changed."
Kazu cleared her throat to get attention back on her.
"The reason anyone here is in different outfits, is because we're loaded into a private branch off of the ALO server, the game under Noboyuki-san's direction. Those who have played it, are loaded into their most recent appearance change. Asuna might have been wearing one of her SAO outfits had she still been trapped there. My outfit is the same as my final battle attire from SAO, but because I custom crafted the equipment myself and it carried over when I transferred my data. Also, it is good that a game developer would play their game, but Asuna-san seems to be very uncomfortable with Noboyuki-san's appearance, wouldn't you agree?"
Kazu's words were very dry, just telling it like it was. No emotion baked into it, trying to make sure she wasn't investing her emotions too much so that Shouzou would fully take in the words, the explanation.
"I don't know why her outfit would be changed to such a thing. After making her many outfits I know that kind of clothing isn't to her taste. Asuna-san, could you tell me where you got that outfit from?"
Asuna nodded and began.
"I woke up caged up like a bird in the branches of a tree like this, about a week ago. I haven't had access to my belongings from SAO. Thankfully Kazu-san was able to beat ALO and come to my rescue again."
Sugou's expression froze when he realized the implication of those words. Beat ALO. Rescued her. She was free. She was awake. It was a setup.
"It seems Noboyuki-san understands just what is going on here from that expression on his face. Now, I will replay some recorded data from my first meeting with him. Apologies for the quick movement from space to space but this will be the last one."
They were in normal attire when they loaded back in, either their outfits they were originally in or clothes they had picked out for the occasion. They were loaded into Kazu's hospital room, just before Sugou proposed Kazu become a member of a harem centered around Sugou. Sugou took a deep breath and began to shout.
"Account data creator, summon Excalibur!"
He raised his hand above his head to grasp the legendary sword but it didn't come. Kazu shook her head in disappointment.
"We're no longer in the ALO branch server but my AR device's local server. Your game master privilege doesn't exist here. And don't even bother thinking about attacking me. We're not in a virtual environment. Our surroundings are just simulating a virtual environment through the AR device changing our perception of the environment. We are still in Asuna-san's room."
Sugou ignored the warning not to attack her, and Kazu easily dodged his unskilled charge, slamming his head into the door of the room with sickening force which made her almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
"So, this display has been proof. That Noboyuki-san is a criminal. Not only was he acting as a pedophile unsuccessfully, but this final bolt on the bars will put him in the metaphorical prison cell. I planned today to at least secure Asuna-san's safety before bringing this to the proper authorities. I needed all the proof after all. Sugou Noboyuki is the culprit behind the continued unconscious of over 6000 people from the SAO incident. His purpose? Take a look at this informational data."
Bringing up a video of Kazu and Asuna walking through a laboratory showing the human experimentation was all it took for Shouzou to look away.
"As long as you weren't complicit in his actions, you won't be punished, Yuuki Shouzou-san. I am grateful for your promise to Asuna-san's freedom. Also, I have had this conversation and environment visually fed to the local authorities. So Sword Art Online has finally finished, with all its residents being free, and both its main villains getting punishment for their actions. Oh, and your sentence in prison may get worse if your experimenting on the residents of SAO have any form of brain damage from being experimented on. So hopefully you at least did that job well..."
Asuna let out a deep sigh.
"It's finally over...can we finish this so I can wake my body up now, Kazu?"
Asuna's words were met with a smile and Kazu disabled the augmented environment around them. Asuna's body was motionless for a little, only breathing but after ten seconds she began sitting herself up. Kazu hurried to her side to support her.
"Thank you, Kazu."
"Of course."
Kazu reached for the nurse calling button, only to be grabbed from behind by Sugou and slammed against the wall, shattering a mirror. Kazu gasped hard and watched in horror as Asuna fell out of the bed holding onto her. Asuna was extremely fragile at that moment, so it was a huge risk should she sustain physical damage.
"Help!"
Kazu's shout was perfectly high pitched. The rush of footsteps made it to the room and opened the door in seconds, witnessing Sugou trying to strangle Kazu while Asuna was struggling to no avail at pulling Sugou off of her. Hospital security swiftly pulled Sugou off of Kazu and cuffed him, while a nurse quickly checked over Kazu and Asuna. Shouzou was stupefied staring at the situation as if he were a bystander unable to help. The strangle lines on Kazu's neck were a horrible contrasting colour to her beautiful skin, so it terrified him more to see the hero be so easily hurt. But he was reminded they weren't in a virtual world anymore. He wasn't viewing the ALO world, he wasn't viewing another of Kazu's virtual environments she summoned. He was in his daughter's hospital room with her finally awake after two years, his business partner being taken prisoner, and the hero he was most familiar with being powerless to stop a cowardly criminal.
The situation resolved rather quickly and the room was left with Kazu on a stretcher, Asuna on her bed and Shouzou eventually emerging from his shock only to continue his silence. He was disappointed in himself. His silence was placed in his expectations of himself. As an able-bodied person, he should have supported his daughter and her savior when he could have, but fear had gripped him. Shock had planted him in place. It only made him realize, that it took a certain type of person to be able to take a stand in the face of danger.
With the struggle, the Sword Art Online incident was finally at its close. Its continued perpetrator was going to be punished for his actions. Business partners who were intending to do business with him were being leaked by Ela all over the internet.
Augmented reality devices were being advertised along with it, an inexpensive device considering everything it could do. The future was fast approaching. And while the future approached, a new incident rang out across Japan with the death of a VR user while plugged in. This both supported the moving on to the completely safe AR devices, but also stirred the public with worry that VR and AR were dangerous. Some went back to traditional gaming while others went with caution.
Young and old, people were roaming into an uncertain future full of incredible technology.
