Sword Art Online
After The Incident
Chapter 12 – Himalaya, Here we Come
~Kazuto´s POV~
I was in the middle of packing my last bag for my trip to the Himalayas with Asuna. I had made sure everything was in place, and that I had remembered everything I needed. I checked through my bags for like, the third time, just to make sure. I had even made a checklist for myself, so it would be easier to find out if I had lost or forgotten to pack anything. What can I say? I forget stuff.
When I was finished checking everything off my list I pulled both of my big bags over my shoulder and carefully went downstairs, making sure I wouldn´t get thrown out of balance by the extra weight on my back. Of course that failed miserably, resulting me in heading towards ground floor, face first, at a speed I would consider bad for your health.
With a loud crash I landed at the bottom of the staircase, sore all over, and with my clothes and toilet items spread out in the hall, making it look like a tornado had just hit. Suguha and Midori came running almost immediately, but their reaction was nothing like I had expected. They both burst out laughing, standing there and pointing at me like I was some sort of hilarious attraction.
Saying it was embarrassing was an understatement at that point.
" Haha. Very funny guys" I growled as I tried to get up "Owowowow"
"S-Sorry Kazuto" Suguha giggled as she grabbed my hand and pulled me up "You just looked so hilarious"
"Thanks" I mumbled sarcastically as I rubbed my sore forehead "It´s good to know at least you guys are having fun"
"Aww don´t be like that," my aunt said with a childish pout "Not when you´re about to leave for a two week vacation"
A part of me wanted to roll my eyes at her. When she was in the mood, she would always act so childish. It´s like she was eight all over again.
"You´re right." I mumbled as I looked at her "Sorry"
"No it´s alright" She said with a nod and bright smile "We shouldn´t have laughed at you, right Sugu?"
"Pff, I don´t regret anything" She said with a smirk.
"Sugu…" Midori said warningly, raising an eyebrow.
"Alright, alright I´m sorry" Sugu said quickly to avoid a scolding.
"Good girl. Now go finish your breakfast" Midori said almost commandingly.
"Yes mom" Suguha said as she walked back to the kitchen.
"Are you sure you´ve got everything you need honey?" My aunt asked as she helped me put my stuff back in the bags "This doesn´t seem like a lot for a two week trip"
"Are you kidding me!?" I yelped in surprise at her comment "This is the two biggest bags I have! And they nearly killed me on the way downstairs!"
"Well it´s still a two weeks trip" She said worriedly "And in the Himalayas of all places. You sure you and Asuna will be ok?"
"Mom it´s alright" I mumbled as I kissed her forehead comfortingly "Everything´s going to be fine. I´ve checked India´s emergency number, just in case"
"But it´s so far away.." She mumbled softly "And you´ll be gone for two weeks. I´m going to be worried you know"
"I know mom, I know" I mumbled as I pulled her into a hug "Just listen. I´m 17. Almost an adult. I have to learn how to take care of myself at some point"
"I know, I know" She mumbled as she hugged me back softly "I just don´t want to lose you again"
"Huh? Again" I mumbled as I looked at her confused.
"You know… SAO…" She mumbled softly as she looked downwards in sadness.
"Oh… Right…" I mumbled softly as I let go of her and took a step back.
"I was so worried…" She mumbled softly as she began breaking into tears "When I first heard it on the news… I flipped out. Hours had passed by and I was beginning to get afraid. I was beginning to wonder if I should just remove your VR helmet… If it hadn´t been for that news article I would have… I would have"
She broke down and softly began crying into her hands. I looked at her sadly and once again wrapped her into a comforting hug.
"But listen…" I mumbled as I forced her to look at me "I survived didn´t I? I escaped the death game didn´t I? I rescued everyone from dying in SAO. And Asuna rescued me from ALO. Isn´t that reason to put some trust into our ability to protect ourselves?"
"I-I guess you´re right Kazuto" She mumbled as she dried her eyes "You always are"
"Not always. But most of the time" I said with a smirk "Now, I just need to go say bye to Yui, and I´ll be going, ok?"
"Ok Kazuto" She said with a smile as I ran up the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs she was watching me run upstairs, placing her hand on the railing.
I arrived at my room and smiled widely as I booted up my computer screen. I immediately booted up Yui´s program, and smiled as I saw her adorable face pop up on the screen. What I didn´t expect though was everything else that had appeared on the screen.
Apparently Yui was in the middle of a battle with a whole pack of grey fur wolfs along with a few other online players. She was currently battling what I assumed was the pack leader, since it was bigger and had a bit of a higher level.
"Oh hi daddy!" She said happily as she realized I had logged on "Give me a second, I´ll be right there!"
With these words she finished off the wolf with a slash along its side, pulverizing it. She smirked a bit and sheathed her sword as she watched the light blue polygons fly up into the sky, to disappear completely. She then turned towards me with a smirk and a thumbs up.
"I see you´re doing well in there" I said with a proud smile.
"Yup! At this point these wolfs are just daily business" She said as she looked over at her party "Hey guys! I´m taking five ok?"
"Aww but Yui!" A guy which appeared to be a mage said, a bit disappointed "Weren´t we going to go kill that field boss today? We can´t keep stalling like this!"
"It will only be a minute!" She said back with a caring smile "I´ll just talk to my daddy real quick!"
"Oh uhh ok then" The boy mumbled as he stepped back to his party, to leave me and Yui to ourselves.
"Seems like you´ve been making friends" I said softly as she walked away from her group.
"Yeah I have" She said happily "We met in the Sylvein starter town. They´re all really nice people, especially Taguchi"
"I expect that´s the mage you were talking to right?" I asked softly and Yui nodded enthusiastically.
"Yep that´s right!" She said with a smile "How did you know?"
"I don´t know" I mumbled "It just seemed like you were a bit closer to him then the others. I don't know, call it a father´s instinct if you want"
"Sure, if you say so" She said with a shrug.
The next couple of minutes we spent on some well needed quality time, just me and her. It surprised me when I realized how much I had actually missed Yui, even though it was only a couple of days I had talked with her last time. I realized that me and Asuna hadn´t really spent much time with her , even after I took that break.
The only time I had spent with her was the two times I had talked with her briefly on a screen, and when Asuna had brought her along for my surprise party a couple of days ago. I felt a weight being put on my consciousness, and I got a bright idea.
"Hey, Yui" I asked softly "What do you say we spent a weekend together in ALO? Just you, me and mommy?"
"Really?!" She said ecstatically "YES, YES, YES! Then I can finally show you both how strong I´ve become!"
"That sounds like a plan then" I said with a smile.
"So I guess you´re going on your trip with mommy soon, right?"
"That´s right." I said with a nod "I actually have to leave in about ten minutes or so!"
"Aww that wasn´t a lot" She mumbled "You have to promise I can battle you both in ALO as soon as you come home"
"That´s a promise princess" I said as I smiled widely at the screen.
"Well I hate to say it, but," I mumbled softly "Daddy has to go. I need to go to mommy´s house soon"
"Aww that's okay" Yui said as she kissed her end of the screen "Just make sure to be careful and have fun okay?"
"That´s funny" I mumbled with a chuckle "Normally that´s what the parents tell their kids"
"Hehe I guess so" She said with a giggle "But I don´t want either of you to get hurt"
"Aww sweetheart" I said as I kissed my end of the screen "Don´t worry. Mommy and Daddy will return safely okay?"
"Promise?"
"Promise" I said with a bright smile "See you soon honey"
And with that I closed down my program as I watched Yui walk back to her group, before the program shut down completely.
"She certainly has become stronger" I said with a proud grin.
I turned off my computer and smiled slightly as I raised myself from my chair, walked out and closed the door behind me. I went down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Guys, I have to go." I said with a soft smile "You want to come to Asuna´s house and sent us off?"
"Yeah that´s actually a good idea" Suguha said with a smile.
She put down the knife she had been using until now to chop the salad for lunch.
"Hehe one of the good things of traveling," I said with a grin "Is that I don´t have to live off salad for two weeks"
"You can comment on my salad all you want Kazuto" Suguha said with a huff "As long as it doesn´t kill you, that´s what I'll be making"
"Suguha, you don´t even know how to roast bacon" I said with a raised eyebrow "You should learn to cook other things"
With those words I pulled one of my big bags over my shoulder, and my mom took the other one.
"Even so," Suguha said with a glare as she entered the hallway "I don´t need to cook anything else. I´m fine with salad"
"Whatever" I mumbled as I pulled on my shoes. "Just give me a hug you!"
I smirked a bit and pulled her into a hug, accompanied by Midori, before I took my bag from mom and sprinted out to the taxi that had just arrived.
"See you guys in two weeks!" I said with a bright smile as I waved over my shoulder.
"See you soon Kazu-kun!" They replied, as they waved after me.
I looked behind me through the back window of the taxi and waved until my house and my family was out of sight.
~Later, at the Airport~
The taxi we had ordered had just dropped us off in a hurry at the airport. When I had arrived at Asuna´s house, she had immediately sprinted out and almost tackled me in a hug. Before we had left her premises, her parents had once again warned me to take good care of their daughter, especially Asuna´s dad. And as always my reply was "Of course"
And now we finally were at the airport, which was as busy as ever. People crammed together and shoved through crowds to get to their desired planes, and we were no exception. We actually had to hurry if we wanted to arrive at our plane in time.
"Of course our taxi had to be 20 minutes late" I mumbled angrily "That driver is lucky I was generous enough to tip him"
"Don´t be like that Kazuto" Asuna said through her panting as we sprinted through the crowd "That´s just what happens"
We finally arrived at the right dock, and I panted a bit as I sat down in a comfy chair.
"Haha… We made it" I mumbled through my breathing "And even with five minutes to spare"
"Yeah, seems like it" Asuna said with a smile as she sat down her bags and sat beside me.
I looked out the massive window that showed the area where the planes take off and land. Right at our plane gate was a massive passenger jet, easily being able to hold at least a hundred passengers.
"Whoa. That´s a big plane" I mumbled, impressed.
"And you know what Kazu-kun?" Asuna whispered in my ear.
"What?" I mumbled as I turned my head towards her with a grin.
"I´ve gotten us first class tickets" She said with a smile.
"What!?" I looked at her in surprise "Y-You didn´t have to do that!"
"Well, you only deserve the best of the best" She said as she softly kissed my cheek.
"Aww you!" I said as I blushed a little and kissed her back.
Soon the speaker over our heads announced that it was time to board, so we picked up our bags and headed towards the gate.
When we finally entered the plane and found our seats in first class, I was still not able to completely relax. No one knew about this, not even Asuna, but ever since I was five I have been terrified of flying. I hadn´t been able to think much of it up till that moment since I had been so busy packing and actually getting to the airport, but know that I was sitting in the plane I had all of the time in the world to think about it.
My body naturally began tensing up out of fear, and it wasn´t long before Asuna began to notice.
"Kazuto? You ok?" She asked as she put her hand onto mine comfortingly.
"Y-Yeah I´m fine" I said as I tried to force a smile.
Of course Asuna was able to see right through my façade. She sent a penetrating glare my way, the same glare that always made even the bravest soldiers of SAO stop dead in their tracks.
"Kazuto, you´re bad at lying" She said harshly "Just tell me what´s wrong"
"W-Well I uhh," mumbled, taken aback by her glare "I-I´m kind of nervous of flying. Fear of heights I guess"
"Aww is that it?" She mumbled as she took my hand in mine "Why wold you try to hide that?"
"Huh? I-I-I don't know" I mumbled sincerely, not really knowing why I would try to hide such a little thing.
"Well, I know how you can overcome your fear" She said with a smile.
I tilted my head at her in curiousness and smiled a bit.
"Really? How?" I asked.
"Close your eyes, and take a deep breath" She answered softly.
I did as instructed and closed my eyes slowly, taking in a relaxing deep breath. I was surprised when I felt something soft on my lips though. I knew what it was though so the surprise soon wore off as I kissed Asuna back passionately.
She sat back in her own seat and smiled over at me sweetly.
"If you relax and stop your body from tensing," She mumbled as she ran a finger over the back of my hand "There should be more where that came from"
"I´ll do my best then" I said with a smirk as I leaned over and stole a kiss on her cheek.
She blushed a little and smiled over at me, before the low speaker of the plane began speaking.
"Ladies and gentlemen please put on your seatbelts. Were about to take off"
Both Asuna and I did as instructed, sending small smiles to each other, mine maybe a bit more nervous then hers.
"Himalaya, here we come" I said with a soft smile.
And with that we lifted ourselves off of the ground, on our way to the Himalaya mountains-
~Unknown location~
Two hooded figures stood in the middle of a dark room, apparently eagerly chatting.
"So, they´re on their way now huh?" One of the hooded figures mumbled with a dark grin.
"Yes sir. Everything has been set in motion" The other figured mumbled, with a nod of it´s head.
"Good. Very good"
The first hooded figure turned away from it´s companion and chuckled a bit.
"Thought you could escape me by going to the Himalaya´s huh?" the figure said with a psychotic smile "You´ll see just how hopeless you really are, Kazuto Kirigaya."
Following those words were a crazy laughter and a soft smile.
"I´ll destroy everything that means anything to you" The figure said with a lick of his lips "Just like you took away what meant something to me"
Suddenly a third hooded figure stepped out from the shadows, talking with a much more feminine voice than the first two.
"Sir, it´s been confirmed that they have boarded the plane"
"Excellent. Simply excellent. Be sure to board the earliest plane to the same location. Find them, and report to me as soon as you do"
"Yes sir!"
And with this the third figure took a step back into the darkness the way it came, leaving no other trace of ever being there in the first place.
"Hehehe… Just you wait Kazuto-kun." The first hooded figure said with a psychotic smile "I can´t wait to show you what I have in store for you"
And with this he let out a crazy laughter, and left the dark room, without another word.
A/N
Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
So, there´s still dark undertones huh? Don´t worry! I´m sure Kazuto will make it…. Right…? Right?
Only one way to find out. See you next Sunday! :D