"...and then Shii and I went with the doctor to do Ela-sensei's shopping together before returning so her medicine could be injected to the medicuboid."
Yui explained the situation to Kazu as they went between classes.
"So that's how it is...I didn't know the situation was that bad on her end. Thank you for investigating for me. I suppose that's how that medicuboid work might progress in that case. Yet another unreasonable suggestion to me, to bring me to another country to take care of her body in the original product she never finished."
"It turns out you don't really need to do that for her though. Turns out she was able to take the whole machine under augmented reality influence and Shii was able to do the maintenance. Apparently it might be too much for human hands to work on the original medicuboid's maintenance so Shii and a couple of her other kids will be on constant maintenance duty. She still suggests you work with Kojiro-san as a nurse in training. Taking care of a patient close to home, someone you don't know yet might be easier than going across the world to the teacher you respect most and having her life in your hands. That's what she said."
Kazu sighed and looked forward. They were close to the gymnasium. She was going to go at a slightly above average pace that class to blow off steam. And so she did. Once again alongside Asuna, she was asked to join sports teams of representatives who were in their class. Once again they both declined. They were too busy with their studies and work.
Asuna had started doing extensive learning toward medical studies, and Kazu was about to step into the field learning first hand. They were going to work together on the same goal. Being able to provide for those less fortunate. Their dream had become wrapped up in rails Ela had shown them. They wanted to be able to change the world for the better, to find a way to save those who unfairly reach terminal condition.
Kazu finally knew something about Ela that changed her perspective on her entirely. She was a human just like her, with dreams of the future, desire to help others even for the selfish reason to feel she managed to do something few others could. If at the same time it saved another person, the selfish feelings were excusable. Ela made mistakes. But she also cared. She was a mother, a teacher, a doctor, an inventor, and another person with her own struggles. Her body had severe failure in many areas, and she was essentially walking dead, a zombie. She as someone so close to death wanted to save others before herself. Finally she was taking a step to save herself. Had she seen the flaw in her logic sooner, she might have saved herself sooner. Been able to achieve more.
Ela still might achieve a thoroughly impressive future. She was still young, and depending on how she would save herself, she could be that thoroughly impressive person. Clawing from the deepest depths and still changing the world as she went, coming out even stronger in the end.
Kazu shook her head, slapped her cheeks and rinsed her face after she finished changing back to her uniform. Asuna was confused by Kazu being slowed down.
"Something on your mind?"
Kazu nodded.
"Yes. I turns out Ela-san won't be joining us for the rest of today and tonight. She's getting herself accustomed to living off of a temporary life saver. It's the prototype medicuboid she started 9 years ago. Her kids are taking care of that old machine's maintenance while she's developing a robotic body to move herself into. If things don't go well, she won't make it. She might have died at any point over the next few days with her condition. At least she's putting in effort where she needs it now right?"
Asuna dropped her bags and stared in shock.
"Die?"
She stayed that way for a few seconds before pulling herself together mentally. She picked up her bag and walked with Kazu to their next class. She kept looking at the floors, but sometimes looked up and saw the solemn expression on her face. She knew Kazu was incapable of lying like that. She knew that Ela had in a way become a motherly figure to Kazu and it would devastate, maybe destroy Kazu to lose her. She wondered, did she have it in her to pull Kazu out of such a depression? Of losing yet another parental figure. Even more, could she handle losing Ela? After all, Ela was the one who drove in the final nail needed to have her go to the same school as Kazu, finding the future she wanted.
Asuna wanted to cry, but Kazu had delivered good news with the scary news. That Ela was finally taking care of herself. That she might not be lost. It was still a reality that was sinking in, that Ela might not have existed past the week had she not decided to take care of herself.
"I'm eager to find out who my patient or patients will be during my nurse training stint. I wonder what kind of people they will be. Maybe they'll be younger, or maybe older. You never know who might have a terminal condition these days and be willing to put themselves into a machine that might not work."
Asuna forgot that she had whispered that one painful word back, but her subconscious was happy that Kazu skipped on past it. She wanted to know too, what kind of people the person she loved would save.
"Would it be okay for me to go with you?"
Kazu nodded and gave her a sincere smile.
"I always enjoy when you can join me for anything. This is something that isn't dangerous and would be more enjoyable together. So if you really feel like joining me that will make me happy."
She hugged her arm and snuggled up as they headed to their shoe lockers. They were done with their school day at that point. Kazu already had her appointment scheduled with Kojiro's department head at the university hospital, and they were going to head to the hospital straight from school.
"So, how was the weather there Yui-chan?"
Asuna was also happy to spend time with their daughter. She couldn't shake that Yui was more Kazu's daughter than anything, and that there was no resemblance with her but that only made too much sense based on origin. She wanted to become more motherly though, to become more and more seen as Yui's mother by her.
"The snow was so deep! It was night time and in town so I didn't really get much but street lights illuminating a dark snow covered street and the odd vehicle passing by. It was so strange walking there though, not leaving an impact on snow at all because of my physical situation. But really Shii was so cool. She was more like Ela-sensei's guardian than her oldest daughter. I couldn't believe when Shii said she wasn't actually an AI, but it made more and more sense as she explained it. That whole belief of spirits is real and so interesting to me now..."
Yui was energetic talking about her experiences there in a different way. She wanted to talk about the positives more, but couldn't earlier when Kazu was busy with school.
"I really want to visit her there during winter at some point...how about we plan that as a trip in the future? We'll go together and experience Canada during the day, night, in the countryside, in the cities, in the mountains and by lakes. It has so many different kinds of environments and they're kind of like magic in a sense to us."
Kazu's response made both of them perk up. A trip. A vacation. It might not be in the near future, but that she was thinking of such a vacation in their future was exciting to them. Work wasn't dominating her brain even during such a stressful situation. Kazu's learning was going to be helping treat Ela's current state. She wouldn't be able to help with the robotic body yet. Her experiences and lessons had been in the medical field so far after all, not robotics.
After a solid forty minute walk, they had arrived at the gates bordering the university hospital. Without hesitation, Kazu continued forward with them and continued chatting happily about future trips she wanted to make with them. Visiting other countries, learning more about different people in the world. After all, it was disrespectful to the world to change it without knowing what it's like to at the very least spend time in a place. She still wanted to change the world for the better alongside everyone who had become important to her, but she also refused to ignore the people who currently fill the world. They were also important.
As they arrived at the main office, Kazu and Asuna received a set of glares from patients who saw a young pair of ladies holding hands and flirting with each other, some approving nods and some curious looks. On the other side of the counter was the only exception with being totally unfazed by it.
"Reason for coming today?"
Kazu cleared her throat, stepped closer and spoke up softly so that only Asuna, Yui and the receptionist would hear. It was being polite but also not wanting more heavy attention.
"Hello, my name is Kirigaya Kazu and I am here for an interview with the head of the research and development division. I'm here on recommendation from Ela-sensei and Kojiro-sensei."
She nodded after noting it all down and looked to Asuna and Yui. They were startled by Yui being given a look.
"Ah! Oh sorry...I am Yuuki Asuna and partner of Kazu. This is our daughter Yui. Just for checking us in right?"
The receptionist nodded and Asuna heaved a sigh of relief. She thought they might be kicked out there for a second.
"You're just on time for your agreed appointment time. Your location is at the end of that hall in the appropriately named room for your reason to visit. Please keep matters here confidential."
With a nod, Kazu went along with Asuna and Yui at the same pace to the room they were pointed toward and they met another reception desk on the other side of the door which had behind it a few rooms which were labeled each for a medicuboid.
"Ah, there you are Kazu-chan. The research department director will be here in a minute. Take a seat until he gets here."
Kazu nodded.
"Oooh, Asuna-chan and Yui-chan were here. How are you doing?"
They both smiled and Asuna spoke up first.
"I've been doing well. My studies have been going well too. I am not sure we've met yet?"
Rinko gave Asuna a smile.
"It's alright, we haven't met directly yet. I was Ahikiko-san's doctor while he was living among you in Sword Art Online. My primary work is in developing the medicuboid as the doctor with experience and knowledge in virtual technology production. I only recently learned that the original design for the medicuboid has existed for 9 years. It's interesting the things you learn about Ela. She must be an insane level prodigy."
Asuna and Yui hummed happily in agreement.
"We only just learned about it today as well. Every time we hear more about her it's surprising. It's almost safer to just expect the unexpected with her."
Rinko's smile wavered and faded after that.
"Safer...is a good word for it. We need to hope her knowledge of robotics is going to be enough to save her right now more than ever. But, that's not the reason you're here today. No matter how helpless I feel that I can't do anything to save someone so important to the future, we're here for something different today."
"What's with the gloom? I thought this was supposed to be a promising new student nurse we were getting?"
Asuna blushed, walked over to Kazu and pulled her to her feet from the seat.
"Hello, director-san. I am Kirigaya Kazu. Your prospective nurse trainee."
The director looked between Asuna and Kazu and smiled.
"That's a little surprising. I thought for a second the brown haired girl was our nurse trainee. You're also extremely cute. However the important thing is the credentials after all. Do you have your school transcripts with you and your letter of recommendation?"
Kazu gave a gentle smile in response and pulled two clipped folders from her school bag, handing them over with both hands.
"There they are. Here, sit back down while I go over these for a moment."
Kazu nodded and sat back down and Asuna joined her. Yui shrank down a bit and sat on Kazu's lap, enjoying the atmosphere after it had a time to relax. It only took a few minutes for the director to finish going over the papers.
"Excellent! It's so impressive when an early grad has goals for the future. Especially when those revolve around helping other people. Perfect, if you can start today, I'll have you'll take a tour of the medicuboid rooms."
Asuna stared at Kazu with a confused expression.
"Early grad?"
Kazu rubbed the back of her head nervously.
"Sorry, but I was a little more ahead of my studies than I let on. I've still been doing our school work, but I have my graduation diploma already."
Asuna smiled but a tear flowed down her cheek.
"And I thought I was finally able to keep up with you again...but that's just what you're like outside of Aincrad. It's fine."
Asuna was feeling sad, a little alone, and disappointed that keeping up had been an illusion.
Kazu felt guilty for keeping that as a secret when she saw the expression on Asuna's face.
"Don't tell me...that kind of reaction makes it seem like you're in a relationship and that was a secret? Totally fine with me, but you shouldn't be keeping secrets from someone you love so much."
Kazu blushed more, from ear to ear.
"I'm sorry for keeping that secret from you. I wanted to surprise you at the right time and I thought this process wouldn't be so informal and my interview would be solo with the director while you spoke with Kojiro-san."
Asuna sighed and shook her head.
"I said it's okay. It just surprised me. I'm sorry I've become so much of a crybaby."
She sat back down.
"You don't need to apologize for something like that, and please don't stay there. I'm sorry about blowing the surprise, Kazu-san. Would you three be fine with taking the tour of the rooms together? We already have two volunteer patients for our location's medicuboids, and there's another location in Kyoto which has some more medicuboid patients. I'm sure those kids would like to have lots of visitors."
They ended up agreeing after a short pause of looking at each other. Asuna and Kazu understood each other enough that something so small wasn't going to get between them. Asuna felt a gap between them, but she just needed to overcome the gap in her own way. It just felt so daunting to her every time she learned that there was another gap to close. She wanted to do away with that way of thinking and that it was enough that she was trying to stay in Kazu's life, and that their love was mutual. Part of her desperately felt the need to be equal with Kazu.
Thoughts rampaged through her head until they came across the second patient's room. The second patient was a young girl, a year or two younger than Kazu. Her situation was that she was in terminal condition of course as per prerequisite to be admitted as a medicuboid patient. There was also of course consent on her end.
"Konno-chan, you have visitors and your nurse trainee is here today. Are you able to receive them right now?"
The sound of a cheerful voice returned his question and as her voice resounded through the space, a virtual projection of herself appeared in front of them on the other side of the viewing glass. The projection was more an extension of the augmented space and she was moving around like Ela's kids commonly did. Moving around in augmented spaces while hooked into virtual reality was something that anyone could do, if they were ready for it.
"Oh hi! So the Kirito-san I heard so much about actually did become our nurse! It's amazing to finally meet you! And you...you must be the lightning flash! Asuna of the legendary Alt guild! And the younger one is...Yui! Yui-chan is so cute in person~ she's just like a younger you, Kirito-san!"
She was energetic in her introduction, enough that she forgot to introduce herself. Kazu scratched her cheek in embarrassment a little and she blushed.
"Oh right! I'm Konno Yuuki. It's an honor to meet the famous leadership of the Alt guild who saved the people who were trapped in Sword Art Online. But I really should leave that alone. I'm sure you want to figure out more about me and how you'll be treating me as my nurse."
Kazu shook her head.
"I've had plenty of time to study about you already, Konno-chan. It's wonderful to meet you. You have so much personality I was just a little taken aback. I understand your medical situation and am prepared to take care of you long term with the rest of the medicuboid research team. You still have hope that it will cure you of your condition, right?"
Yuuki nodded and gave a bright smile.
"I have faith that the smartest people in the world will create a miracle. There aren't many people with a chance like mine, and I want to prove that the medical and technological communities can do anything they work toward when lives are on the line."
Kazu smiled gently.
"Well, I have a little introduction gift to introduce to your medicine intake today, if you don't mind. I've cleared it with my mentor before bringing it in so this shouldn't conflict with your other medicines the medicuboid is regulating in you."
Yuuki tilted her virtual head in confusion.
"It's a stabilizer. It's going to harmonize the medicines that are keeping you alive and give us some more time to develop your cure. My mentor and I were going over medicines before she cracked down on my basics, so I have a lot of medicine knowledge floating around up in my mind right now and I think I have a plan for the cure. I just need to get to work as soon as possible."
Yuuki's expression brightened to a point that she practically danced in place.
"Amazing! Amazing amazing! Not only are you the fierce fighter and motivator from there who kept everyone focused on getting out of SAO, but your level in reality is way too high!"
Kazu was blushing very hard at that point, enough that she might be on the verge of passing out.
"Are you okay?"
Asuna held onto her with concern coating her expression. What truly traveled through her was unbridled fear. She knew Kazu was pushing herself insanely hard, and not really sleeping much at all. Kazu on the other hand was seeing warning signs flash all over her field of vision telling her she needed sleep, sustenance, and medicine.
"Sorry about this, but I seem to need a bit of a rest. I haven't had any significant sleep for the last three weeks. I know better, but with other people's lives on the line, I just couldn't stop myself. Kojiro-san, would you be able to administer this medicine to her for me while I rest for a minute? I need to take my own stabilizer as well and the sooner she has her medicine, the better."
Kojiro nodded and got close, taking the offered bottle of fluid medicine Kazu held out. The bottle was labeled Konno Yuuki's stabilizer. Kazu's bottle she pulled out wasn't labeled but she knew exactly what it was. A small bottle about the size of three fingers bunched up held a thick blue fluid. Asuna pulled her back into a chair in the space that separated Yuuki's medicuboid and sat Kazu down, taking the bottle she held in her hand and looking it over for a second before opening the bottle and holding it to Kazu's mouth, gently pouring the fluid into her mouth.
Kazu gulped it down voraciously. Like she hadn't consumed anything in weeks. Asuna had seen her eat lunch earlier so it wasn't the case, but she still saw the resemblance of a horribly starved animal mixed with her.
"Thank you so much, Asuna. It blows me away...every time I have some of it how strongly it works and how fast. That stabilizer doesn't substitute for sleeping, but helps the body mimic the sensations for it to feel well rested, it helps regulate metabolism and blood flow and bloating as well as several other things. It's almost like a miracle drug for people who want to have a long marathon of studying. It's no good for such long term though. It doesn't replace anything and still requires the real things to be in the mix otherwise it will forget what it's regulating. It's only a tiny bit off from what's in Konno-chan's medicine, to be honest. I would have felt horrible giving her something untested. We just need to add a little each time her medicine is updated so that it keeps her body remembering everything it needs in order to stay alive."
Asuna had a fury growing in her eyes that unleashed into a slap when Kazu finished talking. She followed it up by hugging her so tightly Kazu worried about being crushed in Asuna's grip.
"You always do extreme things...! Why...?! You put yourself in danger to test a medicine, you haven't slept properly in weeks, and it was all voluntary for the medicine right? Why didn't you tell me about any of this?!"
Kazu was silent, letting the medicine remember what resting was for her and when she felt her body began to feel rested again, she looked Asuna in the eyes.
"I'm sorry. I'm...so sorry."
She didn't know what else to say. Any reason she would give would sound like an excuse. She already felt she was in the metaphorical dog house for the secret revealed before. All of her secrets were being exposed one after the other and it was devastating. But more to her was the emotional backlash Asuna was receiving from it. Kazu took the bottle back, dabbed a finger in the fluid still inside and swiped the finger along Asuna's inner cheek. She closed the bottle, stowed it in her purse and sighed, leaning back in the chair.
"...sorry about suddenly giving you the medicine too. There aren't any side effects, so don't worry. I'll talk more on the way home. For now, I suppose I'm at work and I should be getting to know my patients."
Asuna pouted and thumped on Kazu's chest upset. She was upset. But her mood shifted at some point because of the medicine stabilizing her emotions. She was tired instead and slumped onto Kazu, appearing to nearly fall asleep. Rinko and the director saw to them and made sure they were okay, stalling giving Yuuki her dose of the medicine.
Yuuki looked on in concern, worried that her heroes were suddenly in danger during the visit. Needless drama had arisen because of badly timed revelations of information that had been withheld until then. She couldn't do anything but look on helplessly as they slumped over.
Minutes passed, and Kazu and Asuna were considered stable. Kazu moved first, carefully getting to her feet and nodding after checking herself over visually and with her AR.
"...that took a little longer than I suspected to take full effect...that would be evidence that I need more actual sleep and another dose of this medicine when I've had more sleep to get me fully stable. Have you gotten the information you needed from your observation? If you don't mind, you could hook me up to the open medicuboid to get confirmation on what the medicine is doing to me. I noticed you haven't given the medicine to Konno-chan, so I might as well offer this before you give it to her at this point so you have peace of mind giving her the medicine."
Yuuki generated a beep to get everyone's attention and spoke up for herself.
"I'm willing to take this medicine."
Kojiro shook her head.
"No, on second thought, the reason I primarily turned around and helped get Kirigaya-san and Yuuki-san stable was because I wasn't certain on the efficacy of the medicine, the safety of it. We need to observe the medicine's effect on her body so we will take this chance to observe the medicine in her body with the third medicuboid we have on location. We understand your eagerness to get new treatment, but we need to make certain it's safe considering the state of Kirigaya and Yuuki after taking the medicine."
Kazu nodded and walked back to the door. Kojiro hurried ahead of her and opened the door, leading the way. Yuuki looked on with her concern showing strongly again. Asuna stirred and stood up groggily. The grogginess faded quickly and she saw that only the director, Yui and Yuuki were present.
"What happened to Kazu? And Kojiro-sensei?"
The director responded, Yuuki becoming despondent thinking it might be somehow her fault.
"Kojiro-sensei has taken Kirigaya-san to the third medicuboid room to observe the safety of the medicine before the medicine is administered to Yuuki-san. Please, take a seat and rest until we are done here. Feel free to talk with Konno-chan."
The director left the room, Asuna Yui and Yuuki left alone. There was a suffocating silence between them. Yuuki had an expression on her face that was somewhere between embarrassment and regret. Asuna stared at Yuuki with an observing eye but there was a clear depression behind her.
"I'm-"
The both of them started to speak, both saying the same word to start and both stopped, looking down at the floor. Asuna continued after.
"I'm sorry for making such a big deal in front of you today. Kazu is normally much better at maintaining her energy and I'm sure if I didn't tag along she would have been fine and this would have gone faster. She would be on her way home with me by now or at least wouldn't have collapsed today. I'm sorry..."
Yuuki shook her head and waved her hands in front of her until Asuna stopped apologizing.
"No! It's okay...it's okay. I'm guessing it's just been bad luck after bad luck and I should have restrained myself a little. You're in a relationship with her right? You have every right to be with her for something important like a world changing job like this one. You might not participate as much here with her soon, but it's her first day here and I'm happy to meet both of you, especially you since I won't be able to see you as much after today. I'll be seeing her nearly every day. I am honored to meet you and get to know the person who she loves more than anything else. The person that supports her every day like nobody else can. There might be other amazing people who crowd around her and support her in different ways, but I think you should take pride in that she chose you to be her emotional support, her anchor and crutch for when she has a difficult day or more in the future."
Asuna began to cry as Yuuki explained something she desperately needed to hear. Just because she was having her inferiority complex, she was missing something much more important. Kazu was a person just like her, who needed emotional support and part of her job was to take care of her while being in a romantic relationship. She thought of the potential future where they would be living in the same home, the days when one or both of them would be spending long hours away from home, and the other would likely be supporting with food and relaxation being ready. She imagined Kazu having many long days away from home, and she might have short days of work, that she would be able to provide the food and relaxation to her she would need. It was an equal opportunity relationship regardless of the gender roles between them. Neither of them had to be the man in the relationship bringing home money, and neither had to be the woman, house sitting and taking care of their home full time. Those were old roles that didn't exist between them and they just needed to keep sharing their emotions with each other. Kazu hadn't ever stopped sharing her feelings. She only had a few surprises she was waiting for the right time to present. They weren't devastating surprises or secrets. They were good surprises that she would have welcomed if presented at the right time.
Asuna rubbed her cheeks, closed her eyes and sighed before looking back to Yuuki.
"...thank you. I really think I needed to hear that. I've been depressed lately feeling like I desperately needed to find a way to keep up with her. She's so talented in everything she puts a small bit of effort into, that I was just feeling very lacking. I feel like I need to keep closing a gap in our talents. Back when we were trapped in SAO, it wasn't so bad. We both had equal opportunity to become stronger in many ways, but she despite telling everyone to rest, didn't rest much. She was leagues ahead of everyone in levels, and ended up saving all of us, including me. I'm grateful she chose me, like you said. All our friends love her. I can't say my love is different, but I can't say her love for each of us is different, only she can. She said it was different by saying she loves me for our future together, while loving our friends like family, siblings, and her daughter."
Asuna rested her hands on Yui's shoulders. Right about then, Kojiro appeared in the room with a bang, moved through to the other side and in the pressure chamber separating the viewing area and the medicuboid, suited up in an air tight treatment suit and moved over to the medicuboid side of the room with the medicine bottle and she injected about half the bottle's contents to the medicuboid's circulation. Kazu slowly walked in afterward and saw the surprised expressions on Yuuki and Asuna's faces. Yui wasn't surprised, only hugging Kazu and giving her a smile.
"Thankfully that didn't take very long...Ela was contacted and Kojiro-sensei was reprimanded for doubting our work on the medicine. Ela's still getting accustomed to her medicuboid, so she was upset. Now, let's get back to learning about each other, Konno-san?"
Yuuki nodded and the day went on to evening as they continued to learn that Yuuki had been in her medicuboid since around the time that the SAO survivors were trapped. What she went through and what each needed to know about each other.
Kazu was confirmed for her job as the nurse trainee who would be taking care of Yuuki and the other patient occupying the currently occupied medicuboids. Asuna was also confirmed for the job, however it was a part time job only done on weekends while Kazu's would also be after school every day.
