Okay, it took me a bit longer than I expected, but here's the next side story for "The Hollow Instructor", set between the events of the chapters 21 and 22.
The whole part about a practice raid at the beginning was supposed to be a mere set-up for the part at the end, but well, I wanted to make it meaningful, and it became a bit... lengthy.
One thing I have to say about the majority of the fanfics I see is: Where the hell are all the friendship fics?! I swear, there's romance everywhere, but I hardly see stories that "pride themselves" in the friendships that are developed. I mean, there are so many characters in SAO that are friends, yet it feels as if that gets hardly explored. Sometimes, the friendship elements only seem to be there to accentuate the romance...
I could probably keep talking about it for a while. Long story short, I really want to go deeper into the friendship between some of the characters, at least whenever I see fit. One of the most important platonic pairings in the Hollow Instructor series will be Asuna and Sinon. I mean, they are supposed to be quite close, but I feel like it's hardly explored what might connect them. So, yeah...
Anyway, this chapter will also include references to several events from Hollow Fragment, and the obligatory imaginary cookie goes to whoever gets all of them. ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own Sword Art Online Re:Hollow Fragment or Sword Art Online in general.
It was an afternoon in late March 2025. The situation on the upper floors was overall good, and the whole atmosphere, including weather and all, in Arc Sophia seemed to reflect that. It was peaceful, a day to enjoy.
The Assault Team had cleared the 85th floor not too long ago. All in all, they were confident that they would clear the 86th floor before the end of the month, meaning that they would've cleared three floors within one month – finally a good pace again. If things kept going smoothly like this, they would be free in July or at least early August.
There was a meeting at the castle in Arc Sophia. The small clearing guilds met to be officially introduced to their representative and vice versa. Frankly, it was pure bureaucracy. The meeting was supposed to be a preparation for the first meeting of the Assault Team Council (which was usually just called "the Council" now) in two days.
There wouldn't be any big decisions just yet. The first meeting was supposed to be more like a get-together between the representatives. They would speak about their general directives. The only real decisions would concern the exact procedures and responsibilities of the newly founded council. Their real work would begin with a meeting in preparation for the boss battle on the 86th floor.
With that in mind, today's meeting at the castle was over in no time, and the different guilds went their separate ways. The same applied to Akinym, and he was accompanied by Fuurinkazan once more.
They were talking about something, but it wasn't about the meeting or even the Council. It was about something that concerned Akinym personally.
Klein walked in front of his guildmates. He crossed his arms and thought about the issue Akinym had just told him about.
Klein: Well, I can see the issue. I honestly wished we wouldn't have to deal with that kind of problem here, too. [slightly doubtfully] Are you even sure about it? Or even that they're after you?
Akinym: How could I be sure? All I know is that there's a certain group of players showing up at places where I go leveling with the parties. Always just out of sight. And with that EXP item I have… I figured you'd agree that it's the most logical conclusion.
Klein: Well, you're kinda right about that. [determinedly, slightly sternly] We certainly can't let this go unchecked! I say we'll do it! [looks over his shoulder] What about you, guys?!
The other Fuurinkazan members agreed, some with fierce, some with almost joking expressions.
Akinym [seriously]: Thanks, you have my gratitude. I… [contemplatively] I have to find a good opportunity to act. They're certainly cautious. We'll see when a chance to set a trap or something arrives. [slightly determinedly] I'll keep you informed!
Klein [nods, excitedly]: Sure thing! [determinedly] Fuurinkazan is always there when we're needed. We can't let Kirinoji do all the cool stuff and get all the glory! Or all the girls!
Klein's declaration not to let all the glory go to Kirito was – for some reason, as far as Akinym was concerned – met with a small cheer. The part about the girls, however… Complete silence.
Klein [dumbfounded]: Oi, you don't have to go quiet like that, you know?!
Akinym [exasperatedly]: Klein-san, are you seriously starting with that again?
Klein [slightly upset]: What's the problem?! It's true! Just yesterday, he and Asuna were almost parading Yui around like a happy-go-lucky family! Like… [dejectedly] They don't have to be so openly lovey-dovey, you know?
Akinym [annoyed]: And you don't have to act like a sad virgin all the time!
The other Fuurinkazan members began to laugh. Klein told them to "shut up". Not that any of them listened.
Akinym: Seriously, why do you even hang around Kirito-san if you only end up complaining that he's more popular with girls than you?!
Klein [slightly upset]: W-well, you know, I just have to see that in a mature manner! Sometimes you have to stand above things to get along with your buddies!
Akinym [thinks]: Then DO IT!
Klein [smiles]: Besides, someone has to look out for the guy, you know? He's only good at that if he has to deal with abominable monsters who want to kill him. [determinedly] And one day, I'm gonna catch a gorgeous girl right in front of his eyes! We'll see who will get the last laugh!
One of the Fuurinkazan members said something about this probably being Kirito, and more laughter followed. Not from Klein, who was more than willing to start an argument with his guild now, or from Akinym.
Akinym considered telling Klein something along the lines of "Kirito-san wouldn't even care", but he figured that this might not lead anywhere. He massaged his left temple with one hand while trying to think of something better. In the end, he more or less surrendered to Klein's weirdness.
Akinym: Yeah, you do that. You do that…
Akinym didn't like the topic at all, not just because he thought that it was ridiculous. As of recently, he had tried not to judge anything Kirito or Asuna did. Frankly, he wasn't even sure what Klein had talked about, but it had sounded as if Kirito and Asuna had just spent time with Yui, trying to have a nice and ordinary day with people they cared about. There probably hadn't been any obtrusive lovey-doveyness involved…
Akinym: I don't get what you're talking about anyway. Why is everyone insisting that they're lovey-dovey just because they show signs of being a couple?! I know that most people think that this should be displayed in moderation, but it's not like they do something stupidly flamboyant, like… I don't know, matching frilly outfits or something.
Akinym, Klein and Fuurinkazan reached a small intersection. There was an alleyway to the right, and Kirito and Asuna appeared from around the corner.
Kirito [awkwardly]: I'm telling you, they were all staring at us, and…
Kirito stopped mid-sentence when he noticed their new… company. Indeed, they were certainly all staring at the couple, albeit with a large variety of expressions.
The reason for that would be a matching pair of ridiculously flamboyant outfits, seemingly high-class attire from the Western early modern period.
One of the Fuurinkazan members asked Akinym if he had been sure about "that".
Klein [slightly dejectedly and annoyed]: Dammit, Kirinoji, we all know that you lovebirds are totally into each other, but do you have to rub it into everyone's face like that?!
Kirito and Asuna [embarrassed, panicking]: That's not what's happening!
Klein: Yeah… Being so synchronised doesn't further your case.
Akinym had thought about what to say about this weird sight a bit now, and he had come to a conclusion: There was nothing really intelligent to say about this. As a desperate last effort, he'd try something else.
Akinym [dryly]: Asuna-san, Kirito-san, I don't know if you're actually headed to the teleport gate or something, but you probably shouldn't leave the safe zone right now. There seem to be strange, gruesome monsters attacking you. They've apparently taken the shape of clothes. Might be a new type of mimic. Looks pretty vile.
To be fair, not everyone liked that joke. A few of the Fuurinkazan members did. Kirito and Asuna certainly didn't.
Kirito [exasperatedly, slightly desperately]: That's not what's happening! Listen, this was all Agil's idea. AGIL'S!
What followed was a desperate attempt to convince Akinym, Klein and his guild that Agil had imposed this gear on Kirito and Asuna, and now they were merely making the best of it. It worked to some extent.
While – much to Kirito and Asuna's dismay – Klein kept joking about the "new look", Akinym remembered that there was something he wanted to discuss with Asuna. Right now, she was watching Kirito arguing with Klein. Judging from her awkward expression, she might even appreciate a distraction.
Akinym: Asuna-san?
Asuna turned towards Akinym. The discomfort in her expression didn't vanish. It merely transformed a bit.
Akinym: If you don't mind, there's something I'd like to ask.
Asuna figured that this might be about the Assault Team Council. Ever since she had learnt that the small clearing guilds had appointed Akinym as their representative, she knew that she absolutely couldn't avoid him anymore.
Right, avoiding him… Frankly, she had done that to a certain degree. Asuna was glad that they had come to some kind of understanding, and she didn't want to dwell on their recent problems, but she just didn't know how she should act around Akinym. After doing something that had apparently given Akinym the wrong idea about her once, she was a bit afraid that it might happen again.
Asuna figured that it was for the best to simply act professionally for now. It was just that this didn't work very well at the moment…
Asuna [slightly insecurely]: Um… Sure. I mean, what is on your mind, Akinym-san?
Akinym: It's more like a request. You've probably heard that Sinon-san continues her training. A few others as well.
Oh, so that was about Sinon and her training. Asuna was a bit surprised, but frankly, she'd rather talk about that, so it actually made her feel more comfortable.
Asuna [seriously]: I see. Is there a problem?
Akinym: Not exactly. It's just that there's only one thing left to do, and I'd like to ask you to help.
The next day, a group of fifteen players raided a dungeon on the 82nd floor.
It was an old catacomb. The dungeon had been a part of this floors main quest. Originally, there had been a mechanism that had to be activated in order to unseal the entrance of the labyrinth. After the floor had been cleared, Cardinal had turned the place into a quest dungeon. Now, it was the hideout of warmongering orcs who desecrated the resting place.
The leader of these orcs was the dungeon boss, Ferocious Orc Commander, and the aforementioned group of players was engaging it in battle.
These players were Akinym, his students, Asuna, the main party of KoB, Silica, Lisbeth and Leafa. They were here for the final training exercise of Akinym's training: a simulated raid.
Aside from Sinon, three more players had continued Akinym's training. These players had also helped him to defeat Arboreal Fear on the 83rd floor. Just as Sinon, Akinym had helped them with leveling recently, and their training would end today just as well.
The KoB party, which was led by Max, accompanied Asuna. It had been Asuna's idea to bring them along since having more players would not only be a big help, it also made the exercise more realistic. To be honest, regular raid parties were even bigger.
The scope of these simulated raids had always been a problem. Usually, Akinym had split his trainee groups into very small parties who had to work together. However, this couldn't really convey the feeling of an actual raid. Multiple full parties that didn't work together most of the time would be required.
The situation on the upper floors was a unique opportunity to have an actual practice raid. Akinym had hoped that all of his four trainee groups could've done this together, but only two participated in the end. In fact, Silica, Lisbeth and Leafa only participated because they were interested in this exercise in particular and because Asuna would be in charge.
Yeah… That was the other advantage of being on the upper floors. Akinym could ask Asuna, who had experience in leading raid parties, for help. Usually, he had taken the role of the raid party leader, but frankly, the role didn't suit him. He could fight himself, especially against single targets, or watch others carefully and assess their performance, but coordinating several parties in a frenzied battle… No, that wasn't up his alley.
Long story short, there was a small raid party clearing this dungeon. Aside from the KoB, one party was formed by Silica, Lisbeth, Leafa and Sinon, and a third party was formed by Akinym and his remaining students.
Ferocious Orc Commander was a relatively simple boss, nothing compared to a floor boss, but that was beside the point. The battle went smoothly, and the boss was down to about thirty per cent of his last HP bar.
The girls' party was currently attacking. Asuna had come up with a pretty good strategy for them at the strategy meeting before the raid (they had included that, too). Sinon was shooting arrows at the boss' upper body to distract it in order to allow Lisbeth and Leafa to get close and attack its legs, which were its actual weak point. Silica focused on giving Pina commands to debuff the boss or heal her party members if necessary.
The final HP bar went down to one quarter, and the boss started a special attack. It would be the last time it would use that skill: a stomp that paralysed all people within a certain radius before it would attack them with ferocious blade strikes.
They had prepared for that attack pattern, of course. The attacking party was supposed to back away to dodge, and the KoB party would step in to tank the following attacks by the boss.
Asuna: Retreat! It's using its stomp. KoB, get ready!
Leafa noticed the command after a second or two, so she pulled back, but Lisbeth seemed to be a bit too into it and finished another attack.
Asuna [slightly panicking]: Liz, retreat!
Silica had also noticed what was going on. It took her a moment to remember that she had been appointed as party leader, and according to the instructions she had received, she was supposed to "keep her party members in line". She had been given that role because her role in the party's strategy was more passive, so she could pay more attention to Asuna, but frankly, it might've been a questionable decision.
Silica: Liz-san, retreat!
Maybe it was Silica's voice, maybe it was the fact that the boss raised the leg she was attacking, but Lisbeth realised what was going on and what she had to do, so she tried to get away from the boss. It was a bit too late, though, and the stomp attack hit her.
The paralysis wouldn't last long, but Ferocious Orc Commander got in position to attack her. The worst part was that the boss took position between her and the KoB party, so they couldn't swoop in to defend her. There weren't any other tanks, so if the boss would get enough chances to hit her, there would be a problem.
Asuna decided to try a rather desperate emergency solution.
Asuna: Squad B, go in and try to bring its remaining HP down!
Squad B, Akinym's party, didn't react to the unforeseen command. Well, except for Akinym. He rushed right in and used Armor-Breaking Lance. He proceeded to attack as soon as the post-motion delay allowed it.
Akinym [to his party members]: What are you waiting for?!
The rest of his party came to their senses and followed suit.
By now, the boss had started to attack Lisbeth, and a strong blow had reduced her remaining HP significantly. In order to throw the boss off, Akinym rammed his spear into the back of its knee and tried to use it as a lever to pull the leg upwards and to throw Ferocious Orc Commander off balance. It didn't work, though. Akinym's Strength was nowhere near enough for that.
When the remaining party members joined the attack, however, it was enough to cause the boss to slip a little, so its next blow only grazed Lisbeth's leg. It didn't deal that much damage, and the paralysis wore off, so she could get away now.
Ferocious Orc Commander turned its attention to the new attackers. It still had about ten per cent of its last HP bar left. If they had attacked together from the very start, it probably would've been at the point that they could've taken it out with another strong combo attack at this point. This way, however, it struck them with its blade and sent Akinym's students flying.
After that, the boss focused on one of them in particular. The group didn't have a real tank, so that was a problem. Ferocious Orc Commander struck at the player vertically. Akinym jumped in and managed to deflect the blow enough for it to miss.
This, however, resulted in the boss changing its target to Akinym for the moment. It quickly started an attack that resembled the Sword Skill Horizontal Arc. Akinym dodged the first strike by jumping into the air. With the help of Acrobatics, he could evade the blow completely, but the second strike would hit him mid-air.
By the time Akinym noticed that the attack wasn't over yet, he could only use the Parry skill to block. It wasn't enough to fend off the blow completely, but it was only meant to lessen the brunt of the attack. Akinym managed to avoid severe HP loss, but the attack pushed Akinym away with tremendous force. He crashed into the wall and certainly wouldn't be able to help.
The boss, however, just prepared its next strike. Silica tried to help by telling Pina to heal the player who was about to be attacked, so he would at least survive the blow. However, Pina just looked at her in confusion.
In the end, it was Max who saved the day by jumping in to defend the player with his shield. The KoB party had taken position to take over, and they took turns fending off the boss' attacks until it seemed to calm down again.
Asuna: That's our chance! The attack speed went down again. The KoB party will continue to keep it occupied! Squad A and B, get behind it! Once you're both ready, finish it off!
The rest of the battle went as planned, and frankly, they were all glad to see the boss shattering into polygons.
After catching their breath, the KoB and Akinym's students lined up, and Asuna and Akinym took position opposite of them.
Asuna: Good work, everyone! That's another raid finished!
Saying that felt a bit weird. It was something Asuna used to say after floor boss raids, so it didn't seem to fit, but given that this was a raid simulation, it also seemed strangely appropriate.
Akinym [slightly sternly]: That's what you say, Asuna-san. I'd say you still have a lot room for improvement – to put it mildly.
A lot of the others – even Asuna – were a bit taken aback by Akinym's blunt criticism. Nobody was particularly shocked, though. Especially those who knew what Akinym's lessons were like weren't actually surprised.
Akinym: Your work within your own groups was good as far as I could see, but the coordination between the teams was lacking. On top of that, your reactions to the commands of the raid leader were way too slow! The party leaders should've supported the raid leader by relaying the commands in that case, and frankly, they didn't do a very good job!
Silica [gulps]: R-right. I know I should've reacted a bit faster sometimes. It's just… really new for me… to do that.
Akinym [flatly]: Pretty much. Also, you've tried to use your familiar to heal other raid members near the end, didn't you?
Silica: Um, y-yes, I did! I thought it would help, but… [dejectedly] Pina didn't seem to understand me. I mean, she's recently got the ability to heal party members, too, so I don't understand what has happened…
A few people exchanged awkward glances.
Asuna: Um, Silica-chan, you… You know that squad B was a different party, right? They weren't your party members.
Silica blinked two or three times before the realisation really hit her. When it did, she clasped her face with both hands and looked almost shocked.
Silica: Ah, you're right!
A few awkward chuckles could be heard here and there, some people rolled their eyes. Akinym covered his face with his palm, probably to hide the extent of his exasperation.
Akinym [sternly]: ANYWAY, you have to learn from these mistakes if you want to join real boss raids in the future. This one was just a simple dungeon boss, nothing in comparison to a floor boss!
Lisbeth [slightly annoyed]: We get it, we get it! I mean, come on, cut us some slack! This was the first time doing something like this for us, and we did fine in the end!
Max [slightly sternly]: Well, "doing fine" is up to interpretation, but she has a point. If I may say this, as someone who was part of many boss raids, I can fairly say that these two groups did better than most newcomers I've seen there. Your instructions certainly helped, Akinym-san, and those were good advice, but they also did pretty well.
The surrounding people turned towards the leader of the KoB party, who stood there with his arms crossed while he was stating this so matter-of-factly.
Asuna: Well, I have to agree with Max-san. I think that was a pretty good performance for players who had never done anything like this before.
Lisbeth: See? Even they say it, and I'd say they are the experts on the subject here! [mutters] Seriously, always criticising everything, it just drags everyone down… The guy hasn't changed one bit!
Akinym wanted to retort at first, but he contained himself and thought about the situation for a moment. To some extent, he figured that he couldn't argue with Asuna and Max here.
He sighed in defeat.
Akinym: Alright, I'll leave it at that. I've said what I had to say, so you know what to keep in mind for the future. That's all! That said, [calmly] you've done a good job during your training. At this point, there's nothing left for me to do here. You should know what you need to continue on your own. Keep looking for the best way to use your abilities and you should be able to contribute to clearing this game!
With that, the simulated raid came to an end. They left the dungeon and returned to the main city of the 82nd floor.
Lastea, the main city on the 82nd floor, was a relatively small and plain town. Unlike other cities such as Arc Sophia, which gave off the feeling of an actual major city or a capital, Lastea looked more like a remote village in the middle of a forest, surrounded by mountains.
To be fair, it was very tranquil. Many people on the upper floors had come to appreciate the atmosphere. In fact, despite its size, Lastea had the second highest player population of all towns on the upper floors.
Sinon was sitting on a bench at the edge of the teleport gate plaza. Silica, Lisbeth and Leafa were returning to Arc Sophia right now and bid her goodbye with a wave. Sinon waved back until they disappeared, albeit a bit halfheartedly.
A few minutes passed, and Sinon was just thinking about… nothing in particular, actually. Her mind wandered from one seemingly random thought to another one.
She didn't snap out of that trance until someone else took a seat next to her. Sinon was extremely startled at first and turned to the person almost in shock.
It was Asuna, who was a bit taken aback by Sinon's extreme reaction.
Asuna [defensively]: Don't worry, it's just me, Sinon-san! I didn't mean to startle you, I… [slightly nervously] I just saw you sitting here, and I thought I'd keep you company. I-if that's okay, of course!
Sinon took a deep breath. Seeing that it was just Asuna, she calmed down again.
Sinon: It's okay! You just surprised me. [slightly contemplatively] I… wouldn't mind company, but aren't you busy? I mean, I've heard that the Council has a meeting tomorrow. And there's also your guild…
Asuna [reassuringly]: No, there's nothing like that. Max-san already returned to the headquarters to take care of any reports. [slightly awkwardly] He tends to insist on doing that. [slightly huffily] And I've already prepared myself for the meeting! I don't do important things last-minute, you know? What do you take me for?
To be fair, Sinon got the impression that Asuna feigned being hurt by her words, kind of like a joke. She usually didn't do that judging from what Sinon had seen, but Sinon also had the feeling that Asuna tried to act like that from time to time. It was almost like a training exercise.
Sinon [slightly apologetically]: Okay, I get it. Well, I'll gladly keep you company if you want, so…
They just sat there for a moment in awkward silence.
After about half a minute, Sinon wondered why Asuna wanted to spend time with her if she wouldn't even say anything. It had seemed that she wanted to talk about something, but she didn't.
It took Sinon a moment to think about it, but she figured that Asuna probably just wasn't sure if it was okay for her to say what she wanted to say, or maybe she just didn't know how to put it into words. To be fair, Sinon knew that feeling herself.
Sinon [slightly reassuringly]: Asuna, is there something in particular you want to say? Just spill it already! It's hard to take you seriously when you're acting like a fan who hesitates to ask for an autograph!
Not that Sinon knew what that looked like, it was just the first comparison that came to her mind when looking at Asuna right now.
Asuna [slightly awkwardly]: You saw right through me, didn't you? I… just wanted to know if you liked that sandwich. You know, the one I gave Kirito for you when you went to the Hollow Area last week. I know it's a silly thing to ask, so…
Sinon remembered well what Asuna was talking about. Kirito had taken her to the Hollow Area, and as some kind of test, Sinon wanted to fight one of the strongest monsters there. They had taken on an area boss, and after that, they had basically had lunch at the garden area. Asuna had given Kirito packed lunch, and Sinon had been surprised to learn that Asuna had also given Kirito something for her.
Back then, Sinon had really been taken by surprise by the fact that such a simple gesture could make her so… happy. Yeah, it had just made her happy.
Sinon [slightly happily]: Yeah, don't worry. It was great. [slightly teasingly] I'm almost surprised that Kirito could stop himself from eating all of it himself.
Asuna [slightly awkwardly]: Please, he's not that gluttonous! [feignedly huffily] Besides, if he had done that, I would've put him on a diet for the rest of his SAO life.
The two girls started chuckling because of the thought.
Sinon: Well, good for him to show restraint, I guess.
They just sat there in silence for a few seconds while Asuna thought about something.
Asuna [seriously]: Sinon-san, I… I want you to know that if anything is bothering you or weighing on your mind, you can talk with me about it, okay?
Sinon [surprised]: Huh? W-where did that come from?
Asuna [apologetically]: Oh, no! Was that too forward? I'm sorry, I don't want to force you or anything! It's just…
Asuna struggled to find the right words… in vain. Fortunately, that wasn't a problem as Sinon suddenly had a notion as to what this might be about.
Sinon [worriedly]: This… is about what happened on the eighty-first floor? In the labyrinth, right?
Asuna [slightly dejectedly]: Y-yes, that's true. I'm sorry, but it's still bothering me. I guess I just want you to know that I'm there for you if you need me, okay?
Sinon [slightly taken aback]: It is, don't worry! I mean, you've already told me that, haven't you?
Asuna: Well, yes, but… I can tell that there's still something on your mind, yet… I think I just wanted to do something to show my support rather than just… offering it with words.
Now Sinon was completely dumbfounded. Kirito had mentioned something about Asuna noticing that something had been bothering her for a while. This packed lunch had been Asuna's way to comfort her, but Sinon hadn't thought that it had also been a "bribe" to make her talk, although that was probably not the best way to put it…
Frankly, it was an enigma. Sinon couldn't wrap her head around it at all… From the day she had got caught in SAO, Asuna had tried her best to take care of her.
When Sinon had got trapped in this virtual nightmare without any idea what had been going on or anyone around who knew her and could've helped her, Asuna had offered her a place at Agil's inn. When she hadn't even left that room for a while, Asuna had paid her a visit whenever possible and had tried to comfort her. When she had decided to fight in SAO as well, Asuna had tried to talk her out of it because she had been worried about Sinon's safety and well-being. When she had almost got herself killed in the labyrinth of the 81st floor, Asuna had downright tackled her into a hug after finding her, that's how relieved she had been that Sinon had been safe.
There were so many examples left to be listed, and every single one of them left Sinon with a single question.
Sinon [shakily, slightly confused]: Why? Why are you… Why is this even important to you?
No matter how hard she thought about it, Sinon couldn't understand why Asuna would care so much about her, and it wasn't just her. All of her friends seemed to look out for her as well. Sinon always expected them to ask for something – anything – in return, but it just didn't happen.
In all honesty, Sinon hadn't had the slightest idea what receiving so much kindness felt like, not before meeting her comrades from SAO. So far, only her small family had supported her. To be honest, the feeling made her feel somewhat uneasy. It felt so… undeserved.
Sinon looked at Asuna, and she was shocked to see the pained expression on her face. Asuna had averted her eyes and was twiddling with her fingers uncomfortably. Now it was Sinon's turn to regret saying something.
Sinon [thinks]: Great… I've snubbed her! Very smart, Shino, really…
Asuna [nervously]: Hey, Sinon-san, what do you think about looking around town for a bit? There are some nice shops here. I know that there are more shops in Arc Sophia, but sometimes you find interesting things on other floors.
Frankly, Asuna's attempt to change the subject lacked both elegance and subtlety, but Sinon figured that she really should play along.
Sinon: Well, okay. If that's what you want, I'll tag along.
They walked around Lastea for a bit.
To be honest, they hardly paid attention to the shops. Under other circumstances, Sinon had taken a look around. Akinym had told her during his lessons that especially NPC shops had different offers on new floors, so she should keep an eye out for them. However, both she and Asuna already knew what the shops here had to offer.
They talked a little. Well, really just a little. Keeping aside the uncomfortable feeling from their conversation earlier, there wasn't much to talk about. Asuna even mentioned that she hardly knew anything about Sinon aside from her fascination for books, which Asuna knew about because Sinon had spent a lot of time at a leisure activity shop in Arc Sophia looking for books during their last shopping trip. Asuna seemed quite sad when she said that.
They arrived at a lake just outside town.
Asuna [slightly cheerfully]: It looks great, doesn't it? It really makes you want to take a dip. [slightly annoyed] But you should be careful. If you get undressed here and don't pay attention, someone might easily sneak a peek at you although he wasn't supposed to!
Sinon [confused]: Huh? Why would I get changed here, let alone with some guy around, to begin with?!
Asuna put on a very awkward smile.
Asuna: U-um, I suppose you're right…
She took another look around, but not to take in the scenery. Once Asuna was sure that there was nobody else around, she faced Sinon with a serious, but also a slightly pained expression.
Asuna: You know, about your question earlier. There… is a reason.
Sinon's eyes widened in surprise. It took her only a moment to figure out what Asuna was talking about.
It turned out that Asuna hadn't dodged the question when she had suggested going shopping. Rather than that, she had made an excuse to lead Sinon to a more remote location to talk about it in private. Well, it could also be that she had needed time to gather her thoughts.
Asuna: You know, when you appeared in SAO, you seemed so… lost. It… reminded me of what it had been like for me when this death game had begun.
Sinon was a bit surprised. At first, she had thought that Asuna had just pitied her, but there seemed to be so much more behind it.
Asuna: You know, at first, I wouldn't leave my room at the inn, either. I just prayed that someone from the outside world would save me, but… it just didn't happen. I was so scared and depressed that I couldn't do anything until I just couldn't bear that state any longer. So I went outside and fought with all my might. I thought that it would be better to die than to live in fear and despair any longer. Frankly, I thought that I'd die anyway, so…
The story made Sinon feel quite uncomfortable, mainly because Asuna had been right to compare her situation with Sinon's. The only difference was that Sinon hadn't thought that death would be inevitable.
Asuna: I went into a dungeon, and in the end, I overdid it and almost died. I would've died if… [slightly awkwardly] someone hadn't come to save me. [slightly happily] Thanks to some things he said to me, I acted more carefully, and I at least tried to stay alive.
Asuna had considered mentioning that this "someone" had been Kirito, but she had suddenly remembered how Lisbeth had reacted when Asuna had told her that story. To be fair, she doubted that Sinon would've reacted the same way, but Asuna thought that she probably would've received a snarky remark in response.
As for the success of her plan…
Sinon [exasperatedly]: That "someone"… It was Kirito, wasn't it?
The fact that Asuna flinched and smiled awkwardly was more than enough for Sinon to figure out that she had been right on the money.
Sinon [sighs]: Seriously, you two are either connected by the string of fate beyond belief or some being with godlike powers in this world wants all that to happen.
Asuna: W-well, let's get back to the story, okay?
Asuna calmed down a little, and when she thought about the next part, she even became a bit dejected.
Asuna: You know, what didn't really change was the fact that I fought with everything I had to escape from my fear and despair. The only thing I could think of was to get out of this world again. In hindsight, it wasn't good for me, and even if I hid it as much as possible, that mindset took its toll on me.
Sinon remembered how surprised she had been when Asuna had told her and the rest of the group about her issues during their "emergency meeting" at Agil's inn. She hadn't had any idea that Asuna had to deal with all these problems and that she had been struggling like that.
Frankly, Sinon had been astonished that Asuna could be so strong on the outside, shouldering all these responsibilities and taking care of so many people, despite having her own demons to fight. In the end, Sinon couldn't help but think that she was nowhere near as strong as Asuna.
Asuna [smiles]: A lot of time went by, and thanks to Kirito, and thanks to my other friends later, I've changed. For the better, I think. I… feel at peace around them.
Asuna's smile faded, and her expression became worried while she was looking at Sinon.
Asuna: You know, I've… observed how you act around everyone else. You usually seem so… content. Yet you're also so reserved and distant. To be honest, it's obvious that you're hiding something from us, and it… pains me to see that you seem to see a need for that. It makes me think that there's something I'd have to do in order for you to trust me.
Sinon [worriedly, slightly dejectedly]: Asuna… It's… It's not your fault or anything! It's just… not so easy…
Asuna: I understand! I understand that it must be hard to trust us. We hardly know each other, yet… I want you to know that my life has become so much better since I have the support of everyone around me, and that confiding in others has helped me a lot. Seeing you having to deal with some of your struggles, I just… want to give some of that support back to someone else who needs it. I don't know how to describe it, call it a gut feeling, but I feel strangely connected to you. I… want to be your friend.
A friend, huh? Sinon wasn't sure if she should smile or cry. She had hoped to find real friends for a long time.
Come to think of it, the little sightseeing and shopping trip they had just done in Lastea… That was something "normal" girls would do, wasn't it? Frankly, Sinon had no idea what to expect of everyday friendship, yet she'd love to know what it feels like.
Sinon: I'd like that, too. It's just… I… I can't… tell you…
The truth sounded kind of hollow when it poured out of her mouth.
What should she tell Asuna? If she wanted to have a friendship like a normal girl, she should be one first. "Hey, I think that blouse would look good on you. You know, almost as good as the blood looked on that guy's forehead when I shot him." Yeah, what normal girl could even bring that up in a conversation?
Sinon remembered something Leafa had said. "It's not like you killed someone, right?" This was basically the proof: The only reason they accepted her was that they didn't know what she had done, that she wasn't better than any of the player killers they had dealt with. The moment they'd discover that, it would be all over.
The fear of that had haunted Sinon ever since she had become a part of the group. She liked them – all of them – and she wanted to be their friend, but she couldn't really have that without getting rid of that fear. She had to leave her past behind before she could have that friendship.
Asuna [dejectedly]: O-okay, if you say so. I mean, it's okay if you don't want to, just remember that, if you ever change your mind, you know…
Sinon [slightly reassuringly]: It's okay, really! [softly] Thanks, Asuna.
As much as Sinon disliked leaving Asuna in the dark, she just couldn't tell her. She was grateful for the offer, but there was only one person in this world she could speak about her worries with – because that person might be her only chance to deal with them for good.
It was odd. Sinon had had the feeling that Akinym might be able to help her with overcoming her past from the first day. They had been at odds quite often, but that feeling had remained. However, Sinon had severely underestimated just how much he might help her.
When this DDA member at their "emergency meeting" had revealed that Akinym had killed someone, Sinon had hardly believed it at first. It wasn't because she was too shocked – like everyone else – but because she couldn't believe that Akinym could act so calmly despite having that weight on his shoulders.
When he had talked about it at Kligon's cave, he hadn't even shown regret. Akinym could live his life without the blood on his hands bothering him – exactly as Sinon wanted to do it herself. Sinon was dead set on it: She had to know how he did that.
The actual question was how she should go about it. At first, she had wanted to continue the training to get a chance to talk about it calmly with Akinym, but that wasn't an option anymore, was it? It was something she had thought about at the teleport gate plaza in Lastea after Akinym had left. He had been the first one to return to Arc Sophia because he had to prepare for the council meeting tomorrow.
To be fair, Akinym wasn't gone for good or anything like that. In fact, Sinon would only have to cross a corridor in the evening to talk with him.
However, Sinon also had the feeling that the perfect opportunity wouldn't just pop up at a convenient time. After all, she couldn't bring herself to talk about her past with Akinym so far. There was a mental barrier that kept her from it, and Sinon felt that this barrier couldn't be torn down without effort.
She had to think of something to keep in contact, and she would continue to reflect on her options as soon as she'd have time.
For now, Sinon had to deal with Asuna. Thankfully, Asuna didn't seem to take Sinon's refusal to talk too hard. She focused on the positive thing: the fact that Sinon was okay with being friends.
Asuna [slightly cheerfully]: Of course! What are friends for, Sinonon?
Sinon wanted to give some sort of cheeky/snarky reply as a joke, but before she could even open her mouth to say something, there was something that caught her attention.
Sinon [confused]: Wait a moment! Sinon-on?
Asuna [worriedly, slightly defensively]: You don't like it? I just thought that giving you a nickname might be a good gesture. [slightly contemplatively] It worked pretty well with Liz…
Sinon thought about it for a moment. To be fair, she didn't even bother to use honorifics in this world. It was actually a bit odd since she always used them in the real world. However, after seeing the players act so casually here in Aincrad and hearing that people are generally less formal in game environments, it seemed just out of place to her, so she stopped.
Anyway, if she addressed others so casually, there probably wasn't anything wrong with Asuna using a nickname, especially after Sinon agreed on being friends almost as if she had signed a contract, so she decided to humour her. However…
Sinon: Nickname or not, why does it have to be that? How did you even come up with this idea?!
Asuna [slightly defensively]: Well, I thought it has a nice ring to it and would suit you. I mean, it sounds cute, doesn't it?
Sinon [taken aback]: I'm not cute or anything!
Asuna [cheerfully, slightly teasingly]: You are, Sinonon, don't be so humble! You could express it better, though. Like, you could need a prettier outfit.
A fierce, devious glint appeared in Asuna's eyes, and Sinon wasn't sure what to think about it. It certainly made her nervous.
Asuna [determinedly]: That's it! We'll look for a new, cuter get-up for you!
Before Sinon could object, Asuna grabbed her arm and ran back to the market street of Lastea.
Sinon [exasperatedly, slightly panicking]: Asuna! STOP! At least stop pulling! What has gotten into you?!
That day, Sinon had learnt two important things regarding Asuna. She had to live with the nickname "Sinonon" from now on, and she had to be careful or she would turn into Asuna's mannequin.
Well, that's all for today.
I don't know how accurately Pina's healing abilities are described here. I didn't find anything about whether Pina can heal players other than Silica, and what I've seen kind of indicates that Pina can't. Nevertheless, I thought it would be a nice addition, even if it's just a limited enhancement of her abilities due to a level-up or something similar. So, yeah, in this series, Pina can heal Silica's party members, too.
I'd also like to mention that I'll put Asuna in charge of all nicknames in this story from now on (not including ingame titles). It just came to my mind when writing this that - at least to my knowledge - it was never revealed who came up with Lisbeth's nickname "Liz", and I just decided to "blame" it on Asuna, too.
On a related note, I've finally introduced "Sinonon" in this story. Yay! Jokes aside, that's what Asuna will call her from now on... while she will try to dress her up, but that's a different story.
Also, the part at the very beginning with the "issue" Akinym discussed with Fuurinkazan at the beginning is something to keep in mind as it will play an important role during the chapters 22 to 24 of The Hollow Instructor. I tried not to make it too weirdly cryptic without giving away what this is about...