A/N:
Hoo, boy, does writer's block suck.
I'll admit, it gets difficult maintaining narrative momentum when you've got all kinds of exciting stuff planned for later, but can't write it yet because you don't want to rush said narrative. Sigh. Fortunately, I try to keep 2-4 chapters ahead when it comes to writing, so even if I fall into a writer's slump, there's at least that much content waiting to drop, which usually gives me enough time to find my groove again. So unless I drop off the face of the planet, fully expect weekly updates.
Some of you picked up on those little clues, hints, and foreshadowing I dropped last chapter, so kudos to you folks. I will remind you that not every character you'll see in Unyielding will be canon. Don't worry if you didn't catch one of those hints; you weren't supposed to. Now before you start getting worried or angry about OC's, rest assured that I will only be sprinkling in OC's into this fanfic. Like I mentioned in the prologue, I have no intention of overwhelming the story with OC's; the focus has and always will be on Kirito and the core cast. I'm just adding some new original characters to the cast that will hopefully enrich the story and add some variety to the roster. Non-canon characters like Leonn should (hopefully) be proof enough of that idea.
Also, my apologies if certain story beats I write don't quite line up with what happens in canon, like how I had Silica meet and befriend Pina. I haven't read the LN's and I'm admittedly taking some creative liberties here, though I am trying to do my due diligence and research so I don't commit an egregious SAO plot sin. Hopefully my ignorance comes off as a new interpretation instead.
In any case, here's Chapter 21. Enjoy!
"Absolutely not."
Kirito crossed his arms in defiance. There was no way he was going to agree to that. Honestly, he had no idea why they thought he'd be fit for the job. He wasn't the most charismatic of people, much to his own chagrin, and he certainly didn't understand what they saw in him. This wasn't the first time the topic had been brought up, but if he played his cards right, Kirito could make this the last.
"I'm not the right pick to lead a guild." Kirito said with a sense of finality in his voice.
"Why?" Sinon asked bluntly.
"B-because, I'm not!" Kirito answered. "I'm not a leader! I'm not exactly a people person, if you couldn't already tell. A leader needs to be charismatic and inspiring. That's not me."
Leonn got up from his seat on the bed and wandered over to the opposite wall before leaning up against it. "I think you've got the wrong idea about what a leader is, dude."
Kirito uncrossed his arms and leaned forward, resting his hands on knees. "What do you mean?"
"Dude, you're thinking of a politician." Leonn chuckled. "Politicians are charismatic, they make promises, and do all that fluffy two-faced crap. Leaders, on the other hand, do just that. They lead by example and give guidance and support to those who choose to follow them."
"And if you haven't noticed, you've done that for the four of us already." Asuna added, looking Kirito in the eye.
"We could've left this group a long time ago." Sinon said with a stern look on her face. "But we didn't. Wanna know why?"
Kirito could see where this was going. He was losing this debate, probably because he was getting ganged up on by his four closest friends, and the person occupying spot number five, a certain info broker of some renown, was currently blocking the door out. He sighed, asking the inevitable rhetorical question that he was being prompted to ask. "Why?"
"Because you're doing a good job of leading us, even if you don't see it yourself." Sinon answered.
"When Sinon and I first met you, you were teaching Klein how to play this game." Leonn said, hanging his head down as if he was remembering the event at that moment. "That was before Kayaba made his announcement, and even then you were doing your best to help out somebody else. The poor guy didn't have anything to give in return, but you helped out anyway. He said it once, and I'll say it for him since he's not here. You're the reason he's still alive."
"I didn't know he taught Klein how to play." Liz said, a look of mild surprise on her face.
"Oh yeah. Gave Sinon a few pointers too." Leonn continued before shrugging. "I thought I was doing a good enough job teaching her the ropes myself, but whatever."
"Yeah, right." Sinon said with a smirk. "When I asked you how to use those throwing picks, all you told me was 'put the pointy end in the other guy'."
Leonn rolled his eyes. "It was a joke! And a reference, but mostly a joke."
"Anyway…" Sinon shot her best friend a glare before shifting her gaze over to Liz, who seemed to take that as her cue to contribute.
"When Argo introduced me to your group, I thought you were going to write me off as some Clearer-wannabe who was getting in over her head." Liz said with a frown. Her expression brightened as she continued. "Instead, you brought me in and took the time to get me caught up, made me a better fighter. You also didn't demand that I give up blacksmithing, which was something I was afraid might happen. You found a place I could fit in and contribute."
Kirito was feeling uncomfortable at this point. He'd never been one for the limelight, and being put on a pedestal like this was excruciating for the introvert. Slowly, he looked over to the one person in his party he hadn't heard from yet, who also happened to be the one spearheading this intervention.
Asuna.
"You brought me out of a depression when I met you." The fencer said, bringing the swordsman's focus back to her. "I was a mess before I met you all, ready to die while clearing this game. You took me under your wing and showed me that there was hope. You also showed me how to properly fight and survive here, so that has to count for something."
Kirito just sat there with his mouth open, unable to form any semblance of a coherent reply.
"I… I didn't have many friends in the real world." Asuna continued, looking down and rather sheepish at the moment. Liz stood up, walked over, and sat down next to the fencer before gently rubbing her back in support. Asuna took a deep breath and continued. "In the real world, I always had to focus on my studies or focus on being prim and proper around others. I couldn't be myself."
Kirito swallowed at nothing, eyes locked onto his friend who was opening up in a way he never would've expected. Talking about real life here was taboo in most circumstances, but the fact that Asuna was doing so now didn't feel awkward. If anything, Kirito realized it was a sign that she trusted him. He wanted so badly to reach out and comfort her in some way. A hand on the shoulder. A comforting rub on the back. A hug. Yet none of those felt right just yet. He didn't want to overstep and offend his friend by getting too comfortable with her.
"Now? I have friends who aren't with me because of my family's status or because of my grades." Asuna said, looking up at everyone in the room before looking directly at Kirito. "Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but it feels like you're friends with me for me. And it's all thanks to you, Kirito."
Looking around the room, it was plain to see that everyone felt the same way, each smiling. Liz looked on the verge of tears, and Kirito could have sworn he heard Argo sniffle behind him. Even Leonn tilted his head back in what looked like an attempt to keep his eyes from watering. Kirito slumped, feeling he was losing this battle in the worst possible fashion. Still, there were questions he had.
"I… I appreciate the confidence you all have in me, I really do." Kirito started with some hesitation, trying not to dissuade them after such a heartfelt confession. "Maybe I'm better with people than I thought, but why make me the leader of a whole guild? I don't think I'm qualified."
"Gah… Kii-bou, I swear." Argo said from behind him. He turned around to look at the Rat before she continued. "They want you to lead this guild because you're also smarter than you realize. You're quick on your feet and in your head."
"What do you mean?" Kirito asked in reply.
"I don't know if you realize it yet, but you're the reason all three floor boss raids haven't been disasters." Argo explained, moving away from the door and moving next to Leonn against the wall. "When Diavel fell durin' the 1st floor fight, you charged in to give the raid time to recover."
"Yeah, with Asu - " Kirito began before getting cut off.
"When Lind and Kibaou were paralyzed during the 2nd floor fight, you took the lead and held the raid together until they were back on their feet." Argo continued.
"What else was I supposed to - " Kirito started to say before he saw Sinon shoot him a look that said 'let her finish'.
"When the 3rd floor boss changed phases, you thought up the idea of knockin' it off balance." Argo said with a smirk. "Which, by the way, was pretty clever."
"..." Kirito remained silent, partly in case the Rat had more to say but mostly because he didn't have a good counter-argument anymore. He'd practically resigned himself to his fate at this point.
"Take it from somebody whose job it is to know what information is important. Kii-bou, you've got the chops to lead people and, more importantly, keep them alive." Argo concluded.
Kirito visibly winced at that last statement.
The truth was, he'd failed more than once at that already. Two names in particular came to mind: Coper and Diavel. While it was true that the former had died by his own hand and his own malicious intent, Kirito could have at least tried to save him. But he didn't. The latter was much more preventable, had Kirito noticed the nodachi sooner or physically restrained Diavel himself. Then there were the thousands of players who died in the first month because beta testers like him hadn't actively helped the newer players. While Kibaou's words at the time seemed belligerent and inflammatory, he wasn't wrong. Granted, he brought Leonn and Sinon with him when he ran away, but nonetheless he still ran away.
Kirito let out a sigh as he hung his head. "That's not true, though."
Leonn seemed to take note as he pushed himself off of the wall and sat down on the bed opposite Kirito. The only other male in the room looked right at Kirito. "I know what you're thinking. You can't think that way."
Kirito raised his head to look his friend in the eye, but said nothing.
Leonn continued as a somber look crossed his face. "You're not the only beta tester here, remember? Those deaths weigh on me, too. I wish I could have saved them, but it's too late to worry about that now. All we can do now is our best to make sure it doesn't happen again."
"You're the most knowledgeable out of us all, Kirito. Except maybe Argo, but you get what I mean." Asuna said with a faint smile on her lips. "That makes you the most capable to lead out of any of us."
Kirito pursed his lips. As much as he hated to admit it, they were right. Absolutely nothing could be done for those who'd already perished, but maybe something could still be done for those who remained. He had to try at least; he owed the fallen that much.
Still, this was a difficult decision, one Kirito felt he was being forced into.
"Can… can I take a day to think about it?" Kirito asked with some hesitation.
"Of course; it's a big decision." Asuna said with a nod. "We're not going to force this on you, Kirito. We just want you to consider it."
"Thanks." Kirito said, smiling. The swordsman stood up from his seat on the bed and walked to the door. "I'm… gonna need some time to think this over. I'll be back later."
He hesitated as his hand gripped the doorknob. "Message me if you need anything. And thanks."
With that, Kirito exited the room, leaving five of his closest friends and allies to themselves in uncomfortable, yet hopeful silence.
Yuna had come to appreciate her newfound freedom.
Not in the literal sense, mind you. She was still very much a teenage girl trapped in a video game that threatened her very existence on a daily basis; that much hadn't changed and likely wouldn't for the foreseeable future. That was obvious enough every day that she and her party would explore, quest, and level up on the more dangerous floors of Aincrad.
No, the freedom that Yuna had come to appreciate was the freedom of choice.
For as long as she could remember, Yuna had been musically inclined. She naturally had an ear for music and a proclivity for learning and creating music of her own, a talent that her father had discovered and nurtured to the best of his ability. She'd always be grateful for the opportunities afforded her by her doting father, but if she had one complaint it was how restricted her choice in music was. Her father was - is, technically - a bit of a traditionalist and as such wanted Yuna to focus exclusively on classical music. Since he was the one paying for music lessons and instruments, Yuna was never in a place to suggest other musical alternatives or express her willingness to expand into other musical genres. It was very restricting and almost suffocating to a fledgling musician such as herself.
So when her friend Nautilus had suggested that Sword Art Online had musical instruments and skills, Yuna jumped at the chance to experience it for herself. Here, she would be free to create and perform any music she wanted and not just classical pieces. Pop. Hip-hop. Even something as simple as ordinary vocal work, Yuna could now experience and cultivate in this place that was safe from the prying and judgemental ears of her father.
It was this freedom of choice, of agency, that drove Yuna to visit the 1st floor to perform on an almost-daily basis, usually after a day of questing and grinding with her party members. It was something she had started relatively early on after the game started, spurred on by the overwhelming air of depression and anxiety that permeated the 1st floor atmosphere during those first few days. Ever the performer, Yuna had taken to playing and singing in an effort to liven everyones' spirits.
It seemed to be working.
The 1st floor was where Yuna found herself now, having finished with her party for the evening and deciding to spend an hour or two performing. Sitting on the edge of the fountain, the bard let out a content sigh as she finished the last chord in her song, a content smile spreading across her features. The small crowd that had gathered began to applaud, some even whistling in approval of the performance. Yuna stood up and gave as gracious a bow as she could muster before stowing her lute on her back.
As the crowd began to disperse, Yuna looked to the ground and saw that someone had set out a cup and that there were already a handful of Cor sitting inside. She raised an eyebrow in surprise; she didn't perform to busk for money or fame. She played because she enjoyed it and the feeling of brightening the days of others, if even just a little bit. That said, she did smile just a little. She wouldn't turn down the tips and contributions, even if they were unexpected.
That would be just rude.
As Yuna began to crouch to retrieve the Cor-filled cup, she saw another coin fall in, clattering against the inside of the wooden mug and jingling with the spare change already resting inside.
Yuna straightened up to turn towards her last-minute donor. "Thank you! I appreciate the support."
The boy, who looked to be around her same age, gave a smile in return. "You're welcome. I've never heard that song before. What was it?"
"I'd be surprised if you did." Yuna replied with a chuckle. "I wrote it myself. I haven't figured out a name just yet, though."
"Well, it was great anyway." The boy continued, maintaining that same smile.
Yuna, ever the empath, could tell there was something off though. It wasn't that the smile didn't seem genuine; it certainly was. No, the problem was that this was a distracted smile. The kind of smile you put on when your mind is otherwise occupied elsewhere. A mask.
"Thank you!" Yuna said, her happy expression slowly morphing into one of concern. "Though I suspect you weren't entirely focused on the song. You look like someone with a lot on his mind."
The boy looked startled. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to offend."
"No offense taken!" Yuna said, trying to lighten the mood a little. "It's not like you could help it. Whatever it is must be really weighing on you."
"Yeah, you could say that." The boy said with a sigh, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Yuna quickly amended, realizing she probably overstepped her bounds. "I guess it's instinct for me. My best friend says I'm good at this sort of thing."
"No, it's alright." The boy answered, glancing up at her before looking back down again in deep thought. "I… could actually use an objective opinion. If you're willing, that is."
As much as Yuna would've liked to rejoin her party sooner rather than later, she could tell this boy needed help. What kind of bard would she be if she didn't at least try to lift his spirits? If that meant lending an ear, so be it.
"Of course! It's no problem at all." Yuna replied with a smile and a tilt of her head. "So what's on your - "
"That was great, Yuna!" A male voice shouted from the side. Yuna looked over to see a familiar blond boy and his group of friends, consisting of three other boys and a single girl. She remembered this group. If memory served, they were a fledgling adventuring group that was just starting out. It would probably be some time before they were ready for any frontline action, given that they were still questing on the 1st floor.
One of them, a brown-haired boy, gave a light backhanded slap to the blond boy's arm. "Settle down, man. Clearly she was busy talking with this guy here. Show a little courtesy."
The blond boy seemed to realize his mistake as he scratched his cheek, looking sheepishly at the bard. "Oh. Sorry Yuna."
"Sorry about that, Yuna." The brown-haired boy, who Yuna remembered was the leader of their little troupe, said. "We just wanted to swing by and say hi after your song. Great work, as always."
"It's fine, Keita." Yuna said with her signature warm smile. "Thank you anyway."
"We'll see you around then, Yuna!" Keita exclaimed with a wave, ushering his group away to give Yuna and her companion some privacy.
Yuna turned towards the boy standing next to her. "Sorry about that. I've only met their group a handful of times, but I can tell Ducker is pretty impulsive and doesn't think ahead too much."
"No problem." The boy answered her. "I imagine you'll get more fans if you keep this up."
"Maybe, but that's not why I do it." Yuna clarified, earning her a mildly confused look from the boy. She explained. "I don't do it for fame or riches. I do it because I like to help others. I just happen to do it through music."
The boy looked pensive for a moment before he looked at Yuna, his expression indicating that he was about to ask a deep question.
"Do you ever worry about not doing a good enough job, or failing?" He asked, looking her right in the eye.
That was an odd question that seemed to come out of nowhere. However, Yuna could tell that this wasn't so much a question for her, but instead one that was lingering on the boy's mind. Probably a case of self-doubt, if she had to guess.
"Well yeah, of course I am." She replied, catching the boy off guard. "There's always the possibility that people will hate my work, but that's a risk I take.""
The boy pursed his lips, clearly in deep thought.
Yuna decided to shift the conversation back onto him. "You can't let fear of failure stop you from trying. I won't pretend to know what you're struggling with, but don't let doubt stop you. If you let it, you may end up regretting choosing not to act."
"But I've failed before in the past." The boy shook his head. "I'm afraid I will again and others will die because of it."
Yuna studied the boy's face. She'd had her suspicions about him before, but that last statement all but cemented what she had already suspected. Whatever weighed on his mind was literally a matter of life or death. Sure, living in this virtual prison subjected most to it on a regular basis, but this felt different.
"You're a Clearer, aren't you?" She asked, opting to crouch down and retrieve the cup filled with money. She didn't want to look him in the eye while asking that in case the question came off as hostile or accusatory. It must have worked, because she glanced up at him after picking up the money to find that while he looked startled, he didn't look hurt or offended.
"Yeah, I am." He said with some reluctance. "How'd you figure? I made it a point to switch to casual clothes when I came down here."
"It wasn't the clothes, per se. It was your eyes." Yuna elaborated. "It's the same look of doubt I see in the eyes of my best friend. He recently went through something that really rattled him, too."
The boy looked uncomfortable at being so easily dissected like that, she could tell. Yuna looked over his shoulder to see that the sun had finished setting and night had descended fully. It was later than she thought.
"Do you mind if we walk and talk? I should probably get back to my group before they start to wonder why I've been gone so long." Yuna asked as she nodded over towards the direction of the teleporter.
"That's fine with me." The boy said, bringing a hand out of his pocket and gesturing in that same direction. "Which floor?"
"We're on the 3rd floor." Yuna replied, a grin slowly forming on her face. "We're hoping to join the rest of you on the 4th by next week."
The boy seemed surprised at this particular bit of information. "You're trying to join the Clearers?"
"Yep!" Yuna exclaimed. "We want to do our part to help everyone escape, too."
"And you're not scared of dying? Or possibly causing the deaths of others?" He asked.
"Well, of course I'm scared of dying." Yuna replied with a mix between a scoff and a chuckle. "And as much as I hate the idea of causing the deaths of others, I know we'll do everything in our power to stop that from happening. We signed up for this knowing full well we might not make it to the end in one piece. I imagine it's the same for you Clearers."
The boy's eyes widened, almost as if he'd come to some revelation at those words. Yuna smiled, hopeful that somehow her words had hit their mark. The two walked the rest of the way to the teleporter in relative silence, with Yuna simply enjoying the walk for itself while the boy seemed to be otherwise occupied by whatever debate was raging within his head. Before long, both found themselves at the teleporter itself.
"Well, this is my stop. Yours too, I suspect." Yuna said with a smile. "I hope whatever is bothering you gets resolved."
The boy looked up, breaking out of his trance. "Yeah, I think it did. Thank you."
"Of course!" Yuna exclaimed. "Like I said before, helping others is kind of like my job."
The boy chuckled, only proving her point. "Well, thanks for the chat. Maybe I'll see you at the front at some point. See you around, Yuna."
Yuna blinked. She hadn't mentioned her name once to the boy but somehow he knew it. It took her a moment, but she then realized that Keita and his group had said her name directly, so that made sense. Maybe this boy was right; eventually her name might be common knowledge if she made a name for herself through her performances.
But she hadn't caught his name, she realized.
"Hey!" Yuna shouted just as the boy reached the teleporter. He'd opened his mouth to begin saying the phrase needed to teleport, but stopped once he'd heard her. "I never caught your name!"
The boy shrugged. "Yeah, I guess it never came up. Name's Kirito!"
"See you around then, Kirito!" Yuna shouted with a wave. As soon as Kirito vanished in a flash of light, she made her way up to the teleporter. For the first time in a while, Yuna felt that she'd accomplished what she set out to do here in Aincrad. It was one thing to make people happy through song, but it was another to meet them individually and help them through their problems. It was a good feeling, and she would go on to cling to that drive and purpose hopefully well past her time in Aincrad.
She stepped up to the teleporter and with a smile uttered the key phrase to meet up with the rest of her party.
"Teleport Zumfut!"