Sonic, Tails, Kirito, Asuna, Ichika, Houki, Charlotte, Tatsuya, and Miyuki walk through a dimensional rift to search for a group known as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

Tatsuya: Phantom Thieves of Hearts... Interesting name.

Kirito: It kind of sounds like they're from a video game.

Sonic: What was that game called again? That RPG franchise that involves some school kids with magic powers?

Ichika: Is it Doki Doki Literature Club?

Tails: That's not even close to an RPG!

Sonic: Yeah. That's a horror game.

Kirito: Pretty sure it's Shin Megami Tensei.

Ichika: No, I don't think it was that.

Sonic: It's definitely that.

The girls start chuckling.

Kirito: Umm... What's so funny?

Houki: Oh. It's nothing too serious. It's just that we hardly ever see Ichika hanging out with other guys.

Miyuki: So this is what a group of men together are like, yes?

Asuna: Kirito's kind of in the same boat with Ichika. He hardly gets the chance to hang around with guys his age. Sonic, Tails, and their friends are usually away and they don't dive in as much, and I don't know about Snow. But at least now he's got Eugeo.

Charlotte: It seems like Kirito's surrounded by lots of girls too, no?

Houki: He must be very dense, isn't he.

Asuna: It's quite obvious, right?

Kirito: What exactly are you talking about?

Ichika: What about me and Kirito?

Asuna: Oh, don't worry about it.

Kirito: So aside from Dan, are there other guys you get along with?

Ichika: Well, there was a group of classmates from a previous school, but... Well... Hang on.

The male IS pilot takes out his phone and shows a picture of them.

Kirito: Huh?!

Ichika: This is them. It was a group of 4 guys and 1 girl. We would sometimes talk from time to time.

Kirito: This is... It can't be...

As soon as Kirito saw the picture, he knew exactly who they were.

Ichika: That is, until SAO started. When the death game began, I never saw them again. Hearing that they died made me really sad.

Sonic: I'm really sorry to hear that, Ichika.

Tears stream down Kirito's eyes as flashbacks of the Moonlit Black Cats come back to him.

Kirito: H-How... Why...?

Asuna: Kirito. Are you alright?

Ichika: Kirito? What's wrong?

He wipes away his tears.

Kirito: Ichika. Listen very closely. I know you might hate me for this, but this is something you have to hear.

Ichika: What is it?

Kirito: Back in SAO, there was this guild known as the Moonlit Black Cats.

Ichika: The Moonlit Black Cats?

Kirito: Yes. Their names were Keita, Ducker, Tetsuo, Sasamaru, and Sachi. How I met them was they were being attacked by monsters in a labyrinth, so I then saved them and led them out.

Houki: What happened after?

Kirito: We retreated to an inn on the 11th floor, and they thanked me for their help. Then, they asked me about my level, and I said it was close to theirs.

Charlotte: Was it really?

Kirito: No. I lied to them. My level wasn't even close to theirs at all. In fact, it was really way higher than theirs. I thought that if I told them the truth, they would hate me. But they invited me to join, and I helped them out for the next few months, especially Sachi. And about her...

Sonic: What?

Kirito: She has the same voice as Miyuki.

Tatsuya: Hmm?

Miyuki: The same voice as me?

Kirito: Yeah. I thought I heard Sachi when we first met, but it wasn't her.

Of course, Miyuki and Sachi have the same Japanese voice actress.

Kirito: But anyway, I helped them, and especially her for the next few months to try and get stronger so they could join the assault team. But then, that fateful day came.

Ichika: Fateful... Day?

Kirito: We gained enough money to buy a home for the guild, and our leader, Keita, took off to Floor 1 to try and buy one. And then... The other guys thought we could impress Keita buy getting items and money from higher level monsters, so...

Ichika: Oh no...

Kirito: We explored the labyrinth on Floor 27 and came across a hidden room with a treasure chest inside. Ducker went right in first, but I tried to stop him, because I knew that his trap disabling skill was too low. And that's when it happened.

Everybody gasps. Charlotte and Miyuki cover their mouths.

Charlotte: No...

Kirito: I was the only one who survived. And when I told Keita about this, he said some bad stuff to me... And he jumped off the edge.

The male IS pilot bends down on his knees.

Ichika: No...

Kirito: I'm sorry, Ichika. I know you can't forgive me, but I had to tell you this.

Houki: Ichika...

Kirito: If I could go back in time, it would have been to tell them the truth about my level. Because if I did, then they wouldn't have died.

Ichika: Don't apologize, Kirito. I would have done the same thing if I took your place.

Charlotte and Houki help him up.

Charlotte: Are you alright, Ichika?

Ichika: Yeah. I'm okay.

He faces back at the Black Swordsman.

Ichika: If anyone was the real villain at the time, it was Akihiko Kayaba. It wasn't just Sachi and the Moonlit Black Cats I lost, there were plenty of other friends too.

Sonic: He's right. Kayaba was the one who made the NerveGear after all.

Tails: We were afraid we wouldn't see Sonic and Mighty again when the game started.

Ichika: To be honest, I was completely shocked when I heard they were both involved in it.

Sonic: I'm sure everybody was.

Tatsuya: I do have one question.

Sonic: What's that?

Tatsuya: If Sword Art Online was relaunched, would you play it?

Sonic: Well, I don't know.

Kirito: If it's not a death game, then yes.

Houki: Well, ALO has New Aincrad, right?

Tails: Yeah. But many of the floors have been completely changed up. Even the enemies and bosses aren't the same as from SAO.

Charlotte: Well, there's still places from Old Aincrad there.

Asuna: You're right. Honestly, we were afraid we wouldn't be able to see our log cabin on Floor 22 the same way again. We've made so many wonderful memories there.

Sonic: That was where they had their honeymoon.

Miyuki: Is that so?

Tails: Yep! That's also where they met Yui.

Ichika: That definitely explains a lot.

Charlotte: Hey Asuna. Tell us more about Yui when we get back. She's really cute and such a sweetheart

Asuna: I'd be happy to.

Kirito: Okay. Let's keep going. And... Ichika... I'm...

Ichika: Don't worry about it. It's all in the past.

Kirito: Right.