It's been a year to the day since I started seriously writing SAO stories, starting with Blacksmith and Warrior. Since then, Joshua and Rika have been through quite a lot with their friends, themselves, and their own through nine of the sixteen SAO works I've published in this year. So I wanted to note that with this little story, an alternative aftermath to War of Underworld (as you'll notice a certain character is not mentioned) and an adaption of Lisbeth's ending in Hollow Fragment.

Enjoy!

"Come on, Joshua! Surely you can't wash all day! Hurry up and come over here!"

I've probably scrubbed my dark body more times sitting here and delaying going into the spring than I've ever done in one shower or bath in my life. No, I'm not nervous about being in a hot spring with another human being, been there and done that before. It's...being in the spring with another human being, a girl that is, in my real body, not an avatar, and this time, the girl is not trying to separate us even in the same pool. That's the scary part.

I'm used to being separated physically or visually to some degree, whether it's behind a rock or back to back, but today a mixed bath and bathing suits means I can look in Rika's direction. Oh right, we're swimwear, why am I nervous? She's not naked...and now I'm totally not wishing that was the case. Dammit Asuna, why I tell her and Kazuto about this?

I sigh and stand up, looking towards the spring. "Don't be impatient, Rika! I'm on my way!" I walk over to the edge of the spring and slowly descend into the hot water, letting out a sigh of relief once I'm fully situated. Oh yes… Of all the virtual worlds we've been to, from SAO to SA:O, none have replicated a real hot spring perfectly. "Whew. You were right. This is way better than the bath we took in SAO. The water soothes every muscle in the body… I can really relax and just let myself drift away."

"Was I right, or was I right? I'm glad you know what I was talking about now, Joshua." Rika wades up and presses slightly against the stony edge of the pool as she faces me with a smile. "I just wish we didn't have to wear bathing suits. They kind of get in the way, you know. Well, I guess in a mixed bath, there's no choice."

That's what she thinks, but I'm not telling Rika that the only reason this bath is occupied by both of us is because I made the reservation for a private bath, not a coincidental unoccupied mixed bath in the middle of the summer. Or maybe she knows and is just teasing me as she always has since our feelings developed two years ago. Even now, as she leans against the rock, she knows my eyes struggle to keep to her brown eyes as they want to look down to the mounds covered by an orange and white top of a two-piece swimsuit.

I might be a respectable boy, but I am a boy.

I close my eyes to calm my nerves. "You can go to the women's bath later if you want. You don't have to worry about me."

"Well, it would be nice, but I came here with you, Joshua, so I want to spend the day together like this. It was hard, after all, to convince everyone else to let us have the day to ourselves. Coming to a hot spring with someone, then going to separate baths seems kind of sad."

"You got a point." I have to agree with her, and it did take a lot of convincing the group (and admitting to Asuna, Kazuto, and Shino) to let Rika and I be omitted from today's activities on our long weekend. Granted, that leaves Kazuto alone with his sister, his girlfriend, Keiko, and Shino in a mall, but that's not my problem. "But it sure is hard to believe that I'm actually at a hot spring in the real world with the Liz I met and fell in love with in SAO."

"I never thought this would happen either. I mean, I dreamt about it…"

She thinks I didn't hear her whisper that last part, but I did. "Knowing you, it was probably disgusting."

"Oh, and you have been a saint since we've got here?"

"...Remind me why we're doing this again instead of a normal date?"

"Because you owe me for your best friend breaking my sword. I consider this Kazuto's repayment, and before you say anything, doesn't this benefit you as well?" Once again, my freckle-faced girlfriend is correct. I mean…two of her best features are right there in front of me. "Now, let's focus on the important things. Where should we go next?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about our next hot spring trip."

"Huh?"

"There's so many of them! You can't go to just one! They have different minerals in the water and each feels different. Some even have colored water!"

I narrow my eyes at Rika. "So when I agreed to go with you to the hot springs, you weren't just talking about today?

RIka shakes her head. "Of course not! Listen, Mr. Crimson Warrior! Did you really think you could go without repaying me for the stresses you've caused the past year? Nearly dying for real while playing GGO--"

"That was last December."

"--then, totally against my wishes for you, being a hero during the Ordinal Scale incident--"

"...Okay, a little more recent but still months ago, and then we broke up."

"--and finally, you missed most of our summer break because you had to be a hero again in the Underworld, so technically, this is our first date back together. Did you really think you could repay me for all that with just a single day trip?"

I facepalm. "Fine, fine, I do have things to make up to you. But you aren't totally innocent in the last two situations. I mean, you did play heroics yourself when you convinced other players to come to the Underworld to me, Asuna, and Kazuto's aid."

"And you kinda owe me for that, right?"

"...Asuna and I could have handled it… Okay, fine. We'll do it your way."

Rika smiles cheerfully. "Great! Then it's decided. It's not like you aren't benefiting at all."

For the third time, she has a winning point. I guess Rika knows me well. "Guess I don't have a choice here. Looks like you're stuck with me. You've really done a lot for me, Liz. I probably owe you more than we realize."

"Of course you do! You're indebted to me big time!"

"Any idea how long it'll take me to pay it off?"

Rika taps her chin. "Well, I don't want to lose you again. That was the worst part of the summer, worrying if you still had feelings for me and if I made a huge mistake, which I did. I shouldn't have been mad at you for doing what you've always done. I realized that when I stood in front of the other players and spoke those words out that the reason I'm here is because you do the things you do. So I...and you, too, have the rest of our lives to make it up to each other. What do you think?"

What do I think? Hmm… I reach my arm out to Rika's face, smiling as she blushes under my hold. "Sounds like a promise."

Rika smiles and takes hold of my hand. Taking a step and leaning herself against me, she raises her head and claims my lips. Once we part, she presses her forehead against my chest, allowing me to hold her around her waist. "You know, this reminds me of how you held me before we separated in the Underworld. There's something about your warmth that makes me feel that you're special to me. That's how I know that I love you, Joshua, and no matter how long it takes to make amends, I'm going to make you love me forever. I'll never give up on us again."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

I nod and place my hand on top of Rika's brown hair. "Then I make the same promise too. No matter where I am, physically or in the soul of my armor and weapons, you're always there, Rika. Even in the Underworld, you were with me. So from this day forward, let's stick together, my temperamental awesome blacksmith."

"I like the sound of that, my hardheaded heroic warrior."