This shouldn't be happening.

Now being escorted by a Dark Elf NPC called Kizmel, Kirito and his party made short work of any monsters unfortunate or foolish enough to attack the group while they walked through the Forest of Wavering Mists. Kizmel was especially strong, easily dispatching enemies with a single strike or two.

Kirito purposefully walked at the tail end of the group alongside Asuna, watching the Dark Elf called Kizmel very carefully. Kizmel was currently talking with Leonn, Liz, and Sinon as they all made their way through the forest towards the Dark Elf base of operations on this floor. It just all struck Kirito as odd.

For one thing, Kizmel shouldn't even be here. The way the quest went in the beta, as soon as someone in their party reached 50% health, Kizmel was supposed to sacrifice herself to kill the Forest Elf. The party would retrieve the Jade Key and a quest prompt would indicate that they needed to find the Dark Elf encampment themselves and return it there.

But that hadn't happened.

In fact, looking back, Kirito recalled how none of his party members had dropped that low to begin with. Whether that was because of how well his party worked together or because of how high level they were, he wasn't sure, but the fact of the matter was that Kizmel had survived because of it. Now they were treading new territory in this quest, and Kirito didn't like not knowing what was to come. Would this change the quests that followed? If so, how? Would they become more difficult or less?

"Kirito, are you OK?" Asuna asked, poking the swordsman and bringing him back to reality. "You seem a little… off."

"Yeah, sorry." Kirito began, glancing at Asuna before shifting his focus back to Kizmel. "It's just this never happened in the beta. There were never any reports of Kizmel surviving that fight."

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Asuna asked innocently.

"I suppose so." Kirito said. Something still seemed off to him about Kizmel that he couldn't quite pin. He shifted his attention to the conversation in front of him.

"... hidden under a charm, actually. It functions similar to my cloak." Kizmel explained.

"Interesting. I didn't think magic existed here in Aincrad." Sinon said with some wonder.

"I was under the same impression, Kizmel." Leonn added. "How does it work?"

Without missing a beat, Kizmel explained. "When the Dark Elves of Lyusula were separated from the earth so many years ago, we were fortunate enough to have a number of our charms with us. They carry echoes of the magic our ancestors once wielded with ease. Our base is protected by one such charm."

Asuna looked towards Kirito. "How did you do it during the beta? Seems like it would be hard to find."

"I just followed the quest marker and it led me to the right spot." Kirito explained.

Kizmel tilted her head in mild confusion as she looked back at Kirito and Asuna. "That is the second time you have mentioned this 'beta'. What is this beta you speak of? I regret to admit there are some human terms I am unfamiliar with."

Everyone in the party stopped walking for a moment. Kizmel kept walking for a second before realizing that her companions had stopped following. "Have I said something wrong? My apologies if I offended anyone."

"Umm…" Kirito hesitated, looking at his party, who likewise had shocked looks on their faces.

There's no way she's an NPC. Maybe she's a roleplayer? He looked above her head for the blue cursor of a player and found that it was green, signifying a friendly NPC ally. She displays like an NPC but no NPC should be able to pick up on terms like 'beta', let alone respond to them!

Leonn was the first to recover. "Um, you see Kizmel, some of our people are what we call 'beta testers' and are gifted with a kind of clairvoyance. They have knowledge of certain events before they happen. Kirito and I are beta testers, but his knowledge far surpasses mine."

Kizmel's eyes widened. "That's incredible! Is that how you found me and assisted me?"

Kirito laughed nervously. "I guess you could say that."

Liz nudged Leonn and mouthed the word nice before chiming in. "How far until we reach your home base, Kizmel?"

"It won't be long now, Lisbeth." Kizmel replied, pushing a stray tree branch out of the way.

Not thirty seconds after saying that did they come to a clearing in the forest that was conspicuously empty. Kizmel took the lead and as she stepped forth, the outline of a campsite shimmered into existence. Starting as a hazy outline, details began to clarify like a lens as features began to meld into view. Various buildings and tents came into focus, each having a distinctive style punctuated by sharp edges and liberal use of the colors black and purple. A pair of Dark Elven guards clad in heavy, yet somehow still sleek, armor approached the group, leveling their spears towards them.

"Come no closer, strangers." Both pairs of eyes suddenly noticed Kizmel among the group. "Lady Kizmel, what are you doing with these humans?"

Kizmel sheathed her sword and stowed her shield before answering. "These humans saved my life and helped me secure the Jade Key from a Forest Elf ambush. They are under my protection and I would have them meet the commander."

Both guardsmen lowered their spears and seemed to relax. After a moment, they took a few steps back to take their posts again, shifting their spears into an upright position once more. "Of course, Lady Kizmel."

Kizmel strode forward with all five players in tow. It was a simple but well-fortified camp, perhaps spanning several hundred yards, and complete with walls surrounding the perimeter and various guardsmen patrolling. Kizmel led Kirito and his party to the main central tent, pulling back the purple tent flap to enter. The interior smelled lightly of incense, and on the far side of the tent, overlooking a map on his desk was who Kirito knew to be the commander of this garrison. A rather tall Elf sporting the same armor and attire as Kizmel, he had black hair, tanned skin, and seemed to be intensely studying the map before him. His gaze immediately shot up as Kizmel reached the halfway point in the room.

"Ah, Kizmel. I'm glad to see you are well. We began to worry when you did not return" The commander began before glancing over her shoulder at Kirito and his friends. "Who are these humans?"

Kizmel gave a crisp salute before explaining. "My squadron and I were ambushed by Forest Elves while returning with the Jade Key. While my companions did not survive, I would most certainly have perished as well were it not for these humans, who intervened and saved my life."

There was a momentary pause, just faint enough to be imperceptible to the untrained eye. Kirito, having some knowledge of programming, knew that this delay was the result of the NPC parsing out an appropriate response. It didn't take long, though, as the commander shifted his gaze to Kirito and the others.

"I see. In that case, you have my gratitude, friends. Please consider yourselves our guests." He gave a bow. "Kizmel, you have the Jade Key?"

Kizmel immediately pulled forth the satchel she retrieved from the slain Forest Elf, showing it to the commander. "Yes, sir."

That's it! That's what's so different about her. Her response time is so quick and lifelike. There's no delay at all! It's as if she were human and not an NPC.

Kirito would have to follow up on this; clearly Kayaba had programmed some very sophisticated AI in this death game of his. Apart from her response time, she'd gone above and beyond other NPCs already. Among other things, she instigated and maintained conversations with players in a real and natural way. Above that, she'd remembered their names. Most NPCs didn't use avatar names when addressing players. From a game development standpoint, it made sense. Programming every NPC to read and pronounce names would be a monumental task, and one that could very well backfire if the NPC mispronounced a player's name.

Yet somehow, Kizmel was doing it.

"Kirito." Kizmel said, turning to address him. "Forgive me for presuming, but you appear to be the leader of your group. Is that correct?"

Wait, what? Technically, he was the party leader, but that had always seemed a formality due to the game's mechanics. There had to be a designated leader of a party who had permissions to invite new members and allocate loot permissions, but him? Leading?

He looked at his party, who all nodded in affirmation. Apparently they thought so.

"Y-yes, I suppose I am." Kirito answered.

"In that case, do you and your group need lodging for the night? I am given to understand that humans are not accustomed to nighttime activity." Kizmel continued.

Kirito shook his head. "We're not normally accustomed to nighttime activity, no, but we wouldn't want to impose upon you."

"Nonsense. The tent my squad and I were using is mostly vacant now, since they did not survive the ambush…" Kizmel trailed off, looking somber for a moment. "You are welcome to share my tent. I am afraid we might not have other available lodging for you."

"We are grateful for the offer, Kizmel." Asuna interjected. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"If you go outside and follow the path to the left, you will find my tent at the end of the path, just before the east exit." Kizmel directed them. "I have to make my formal report regarding the ambush and tonight's events, but I will be along shortly."

Kirito and the others bowed before leaving the tent. With Kizmel's directions, it didn't take them long to locate where they would be staying the night. It was a rather large tent, clearly designed to house a squad of eight to ten comfortably, with room to walk about and store personal belongings. All five secured a cot of their own and unequipped their armor, leaving their regular clothes underneath to sit in as they talked amongst themselves.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about renting rooms for the night." Leonn quipped, leaning his maul against a wooden support.

"That should help save us on Cor, at least." Sinon added before turning to Kirito. "How long is this quest, anyway?"

"It's multiple quests in a row, and there's ten in total on this floor." Kirito informed them.

"Do you think we can stay here past tonight then?" Liz asked, sitting herself down on her cot.

"I wouldn't want to impose on Kizmel." Asuna said. "She's already been so kind to us."

"I've been meaning to bring that up, actually." Kirito said, looking thoughtful. "She seems really advanced for an NPC."

"Well, you said she was an elite, right?" Asuna asked, not quite comprehending where the confusion lay.

"That's not it." Kirito continued. "I mean her behavior is very advanced. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she acted human."

"I noticed that too." Sinon added. "There's no delay when she responds to us, and she remembers and uses our names. I've never seen an NPC do that."

Just then, Kizmel walked into the tent, almost immediately stifling the conversation with her presence. Much to Kirito's surprise, she seemed to pick up on that.

"Am I interrupting?" She asked.

"No, no, of course not." Liz answered. "We were just discussing how we might help you and your people further."

Kizmel strode in and walked up to a storage chest near a cot, which Kirito presumed to be her own. "You are most generous. In fact, the commander suggested that we enlist your help with some monsters nearby that have been a nuisance for our patrols. I'm glad to hear that you are already interested in assisting."

"Of course, Kizmel." Sinon replied. "We're only happy to help."

"Well, in any case, you are our guests." Kizmel explained, opening up the storage chest and pulling out what appeared to be clothing. "We have dining and bathing tents that you are welcome to use during your stay with us. They are located at the opposite end of the camp."

Before anyone could reply, Kizmel began to disrobe and change into what appeared to be a nightgown. Liz and Sinon immediately flushed in the face at the brazen display, not to mention the Dark Elf's proportions, to put it mildly. It was clear to many that a man had designed her. Leonn immediately averted his gaze, suddenly finding the side of the tent behind him incredibly interesting. Kirito could only stare awkwardly, which in turn prompted an initially flustered Asuna to grab Kirito by the collar and drag him out of the tent.

Kizmel stared at Asuna and Kirito as they left the tent in a hurry, meanwhile mid-dress. She turned to Liz, Leonn, and Sinon. "Have I said something to offend them?"

Liz was the first to respond, trying her best to maintain eye contact. "No, it's nothing like that, Kizmel. We're just not used to seeing one another… exposed… like that."

"Exposed…?" Kizmel asked, confusion painted across her face as she finished changing into her nightgown. Glancing downward, she seemed to catch onto the meaning. "But you are comrades, are you not?"

"Yes, but to see another's form, to put it mildly, is not something we are accustomed to in our culture, even among comrades." Sinon explained.

"I see…" Kizmel said, face contorted in deep thought. "We Dark Elves are comfortable doing so, so I cannot say I fully understand your customs, but I will try to keep them in mind in the future. My apologies."

An awkward silence permeated the air for a moment before Liz glanced over at Leonn, who was still facing away.

"Hey, you alright Leonn?" Liz asked.

Without turning back, Leonn answered. "Me? Oh yeah, definitely. Just admiring this tent flap, that's all."

Sinon rolled her eyes, whereas Liz couldn't help but let out a giggle. Asuna then poked her head back in to see if the crisis had passed. Deciding that the coast was clear enough, she dragged Kirito back in the tent, who still had a stunned look on his face.

"We should rest." Kizmel suggested as she climbed into her cot. "We'll need our energy for tomorrow's mission."

Everyone seemed to agree with that sentiment and crawled into their claimed cots, some a little more anxious and conscious of the fact that they were sleeping in the same room as members of the opposite sex. As Kirito climbed into his own cot, he stared up at the ceiling of the tent before closing his eyes. Slowly drifting to sleep, Kirito had only one question lingering in his mind. Admittedly, it was one that he would not find an answer to any time soon.

What is she?

"It had to be spiders."

Sinon grimaced as she fired off another shot at the approaching ((Thicket Spider))'s abdomen before Liz finished it off with a downward slam of her warhammer. As the spider shattered, Sinon wheeled around, pivoting on her heel and nocking another arrow. She took aim at the spider in front of her and prepared to loose her arrow, only to watch a sword slash through and shatter it. Lowering her bow for just a moment, she took note that it was not Kirito nor Asuna who had intervened, but Kizmel. The Dark Elf continued to puzzle her. Kizmel, for all of her strength as an elite NPC, seemed to be prioritizing the protection of Sinon and her party instead of mindlessly killing monsters like every other NPC she'd met thus far.

It was a good thing, too. After the party had found the cave where the scouts had gone missing, it had become all too apparent that their vision would be limited in this dark, damp cave. Sure, Kirito had purchased a torch in anticipation of this development - another reason she was glad to have two beta testers in her group - but torchlight only illuminated so much, and visibility was paramount to an archer like Sinon. Kizmel, being a Dark Elf, naturally had better vision in dark conditions and was able to help cover their blind spots, quite literally.

"Here!" Kirito shouted, waving the others over. "I found something."

What he'd found, and Sinon used the term loosely since her fearless leader probably remembered the location instead of actually finding it, was the body of a Dark Elven scout. Clearly the victim of a spider attack, given how dry the corpse was. Every ounce of fluid had seemingly been drained. Sinon couldn't help but wince at the sight; she knew the body was just a virtual prop and that the fluids hadn't actually been drained from it, but the sight made her queasy nonetheless. Looking over, Asuna's face had blanched at the sight as well. Liz and Leonn had partially averted their gazes. Kirito, however, crouched down and went to pluck something off the scout's clothing. An emblem shaped like a leaf, not unlike the brooch that clasped Kizmel's cloak in place.

"Alright, let's go turn this in to the commander." Kirito began as he started to walk towards the entrance.

Kizmel crouched down to the body. "One moment please, Kirito." She began to inspect the corpse carefully before turning the body over, revealing two rather large puncture wounds.

"I believe there may be a queen in this nest." She continued, pointing out the two holes. "These are far too large for the normal spiders in this nest. We should dispatch the queen while we are here."

Kirito looked stunned once again. Based on his observations the night before, Sinon assumed this was yet another deviation from the beta, or it was behavior that wasn't normal for an NPC like Kizmel.

"I guess we can - " Kirito began before Asuna held a hand up to silence him. All eyes went to the fencer, who seemed to be listening rather intently for something. Kizmel likewise seemed to be listening more intently than before. Asuna pointed towards the cave entrance, where the sounds of approaching voices could now barely be heard.

"Hide." Kirito commanded, ushering everyone into a nearby nook that emptied into a small alcove large enough to conceal all six of them. Kirito and Kizmel took the front side of the alcove, nearest the interior of the chamber, followed by Asuna and Leonn, with Sinon and Liz taking up the rear.

Kizmel focused her gaze into the darkness towards the cave entrance before whispering to the others. "They appear to be more humans. Based on their garb, they look as if they belong to the same clan. The one in front is rather loud."

"Loud? Coordinated colors? Definitely Kibaou." Leonn whispered, garnering a few hushed chuckles and snickers from the others.

"Are they acquaintances of yours? Allies?" Kizmel asked, keeping her voice quiet.

Kirito shook his head. "Not exactly. Kibaou and his group hate beta testers. They feel beta testers have an unfair advantage. We're not enemies, but not exactly friends either."

"They call beta testers like Kirito beaters, a combination of the words beta and cheater." Liz chimed in. Sinon looked at her blacksmith companion in mild surprise. Liz hadn't known the identities of her party members despite being televised during the previous two floor boss fights, but it seemed she was at least aware of the political atmosphere surrounding the clearing groups. More to the point, she didn't seem troubled by the fact that her party leader was the original beater.

"Then they are fools." Kizmel grumbled. "To scorn those who can see glimpses of the future is foolish and unwise. Many lives could be saved with the right foreknowledge."

She's not wrong. If only Kibaou could get his head out of his ass for once, maybe he'd realize that.

Sinon shook her head as if to dispel that train of thought. Thinking of Kibaou and his antics were a waste of time and brain cells, as far as she was concerned.

"They're probably here for the guild quest." Leonn thought aloud. "If I remember correctly, they need spider silk to craft their guild flag."

"Guilds are like factions or clans, yes?" Kizmel inquired. "Much like the division between the three elf factions, I imagine."

"Similar, but not quite." Kirito explained with some hesitation. "Guilds are not hostile towards one another like the elf factions are, but we operate independently of one another or have different goals or objectives."

"So then this Kibaou's guild is separate from yours then." Kizmel concluded. "I see."

Kirito looked startled for a moment, as if caught off guard. "Oh no, no. We're not in a guild."

We should be, though. Maybe the other clearers would take us seriously then. Why the hesitation, Kirito?

Where Sinon was content to silently ruminate that particular point, Asuna instead decided to vocalize it.

"Why don't we make a guild?" The fencer asked.

Leonn lightly tapped Kirito's shoulder with the back of his hand. "Yeah, fearless leader, why don't we make a guild?"

"I hadn't given it much thought, honestly. There's definitely enough of us to start one, but if you think I'm going to be leading it..." Kirito trailed off.

"And why not?" Asuna poked Kirito's side, causing the swordsman to recoil slightly in response. "You proved yourself a capable leader when we fought Asterius."

"She's right." Liz interjected, much to the surprise of her companions. "I saw the broadcast. When Lind and Kibaou were stunned, you stepped in and kept everything together long enough for those two to get back on their feet."

Seemingly flustered at being the center of attention, Kirito tried to change the subject. "Now's not the time to talk about a guild. We have a spider queen to - "

Kirito's attempt to change the topic artificially gave way to a very natural change when the six heard a cacophony of screams and shouts as Kibaou and his group sprinted out of the cave.

"Run!"

"This isn't what I signed up for!"

"What the hell is that thing?! It's huge!"

Sinon looked over Kirito's shoulder to see a large, many-legged silhouette skittering after the Aincrad Liberation Squad, its many needle-like legs tapping the cavern floors in a cacophony of clicks and clacks. A screech echoed through the cave as it attempted to catch the hasty invaders.

"I'm… guessing that's the queen." Sinon said, nocking an arrow on her bowstring.

Kirito drew his sword, prompting the others around him to do the same with their weapons. "If we hurry, we can attack it before it leashes and resets."

Asuna made a frustrated face as she followed her group out of the alcove and towards the direction of the spider queen. "Leashes?"

Kizmel also had a look of confusion etched on her face as the group ran through the cavern. "Are you suggesting this creature is someone's pet?"

"When a monster is pulled too far away from its original location, it 'leashes' back to its spot and it rapidly heals." Kirito explained as the group came across the spider in question.

They had intercepted the creature just as it was running down the ramp to the 2nd floor. Based on the two health bars that appeared next to its name, ((Nephila Regina)), all five players soon realized that they had come face-to-face with a boss monster. Fortunately, it appeared that the Aincrad Liberation Squad had dealt some damage to the spider, as there was a small sliver of health missing from its first health bar.

It was easily the largest spider Sinon had ever seen, which was no small feat given the freakish size of the spiders they'd fought not too long ago. Covered head to toe with dense silver fur, the spider queen had legs the size and thickness of tree trunks, which suspended its bulbous body several feet above the rocky cavern floor, which unfortunately brought its head to chest-height. If that wasn't unnerving enough, its numerous piercing red eyes stared at the six figures before it hungrily. It let loose a shrill shriek that rattled Sinon to the core. While her avatar's skin didn't actually have goosebumps, it elicited the same kind of spine-tingling reaction throughout her virtual body.

"Watch for its jump attack! Jump when it lands!" Kirito shouted as he swung his sword at the spider's foremost right leg, drawing a red gash across its silver fur.

Screeching again, the spider lurched forward with two of its legs at the swordsman, who by this point had jumped backward and out of the way. It went to pursue but stopped as an arrow lodged itself in one of its eyes. It let out yet another shrill in pain as it flailed its limbs about, accidentally catching Liz off guard, who'd just managed to raise her shield in time to block a stray leg from sending her flying.

Unfortunately for Sinon, there were nine other eyes the spider queen could use just as well to track down the pesky archer.

The spider queen skittered forward, completely ignoring Kirito and Leonn, who were trying their hardest to draw its ire away from the more vulnerable archer, but it seemed that shot was enough to keep its attention. Asuna, using her superior speed and agility, ran to intercept the boss and landed a series of rapier thrusts at its face. Again, the spider shrieked as it turned to swipe at the fencer. Liz ran up to intercept the blow, but she hadn't had the time to brace for the impact. As its monstrous spider leg met her shield, Liz was flung backward and into Asuna, sending both girls flying into the cave wall behind them.

Running towards Sinon, the spider queen raised its body off the ground and pointed its abdomen forward, releasing a torrent of fluid at her, Asuna, and Liz. Sinon rolled to dodge out of the way, but the viscous liquid still found its target, and she soon found herself under the effects of the ((Rooted)) condition as a web anchored her legs to the floor. She loosed another arrow at the spider's head just as its fangs plummeted towards her restrained body. The arrow found its mark, but wasn't enough to change the trajectory of the fangs.

Kizmel's shield, however, was.

The sound of scraping metal echoed through the cavern as the spider queen's fangs were deflected by Kizmel, who was now standing over Sinon's body, shield interposed between herself and the monster. The Dark Elf lashed out with her sword, slicing a gash across the spider's eyes. Having successfully drawn aggro on the enormous arachnid, Kizmel and the boss began trading blows, the sound of crashing steel and screeching spider filling the cavern. Nearly every member of the party took advantage of the boss's diverted attention and began to surround it.

All except for Leonn, who was now crouching next to Sinon and ripping the webs off of her legs.

"Ugh. Feels sticky like a web, too." Leonn remarked with a frown on his face. "You good?"

Sinon stood up and brushed off her legs. "Yeah, thanks. Is it dead yet?"

"No, but we're close." Leonn said, bringing his maul back out and gesturing towards the health bars. Kizmel's impromptu tanking had done the trick, and the spider queen was now very focused on the Dark Elf instead of the players. Seeing itself surrounded, the spider queen crouched on all legs, lowering its body by about a foot.

"It's jumping! Get ready!" Kirito shouted.

The spider suddenly leapt into the air, nearly striking the ceiling of the cavern while doing so before plummeting downward. The resulting shockwave rippled outward, sending up a small dust cloud that threatened to blow over any unfortunate enough to be caught in its blast. Fortunately, everyone had heeded Kirito's warning and jumped, including Kizmel surprisingly enough.

As soon as they all landed, the spider struck out again with its fangs at Kizmel, who'd managed to deflect the attack with her sword. What she yelled afterwards surprised everyone in attendance.

"Leonn, switch!"

The look on Leonn's face practically screamed abject confusion, but he was able to execute the switch properly nonetheless. Kizmel took a step back to allow Leonn to swing in with his maul, catching the spider off guard as the ((Hammer of the Taurus King)) slammed the spider's head down into the floor. Momentarily stunned by the sudden switch and crushing maul strike, the spider queen was helpless as five other weapons struck almost simultaneously.

Having found its rhythm and now able to read and predict the boss's attack patterns, the party spent the next two minutes carefully and steadily whittling away the spider's health. Sinon took special note of the fact that Kizmel was now regularly executing proper switches with her party members, and in doing so was seamlessly integrated in the party's flow of combat.

Definitely asking Kirito about that later.

After the sound of shattering glass filled the air once more, the five players glanced up at the corner of their respective HUDs and found a new message.

[Nephila Regina Fang acquired. Quest complete.]

"Excellent work." Kizmel said with a sigh of relief. "We should return to the commander with our update."

Sinon locked eyes with Kirito, who only blinked blankly in response. She knew her party leader well enough to know that this was not at all how this quest chain was supposed to go. She would have to ask him about it later.

As they walked out of the spider-infested caves, Sinon couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was different about Kizmel. Who was this Dark Elf, and what had caused her to be this way?

That... was disgusting.

Dirt, grime, and other filth didn't actually accumulate on one's body in SAO, but after having fought an enormous spider and been doused in sticky webs, Asuna was more than happy to take up Kizmel's offer to use the Dark Elf encampment's bath. With the rest of her party taking turns getting their equipment repaired by Liz, Asuna excused herself and found her way to the bath tent. Stepping inside to find no one else inside, NPC or otherwise, she breathed a sigh of relief. Kizmel had told her that this was a mixed bath, which was usually enough to discourage her from using its services, but today was worth the risk. To find that she had the bath to herself was easily the best bit of news she'd had that night.

After disrobing and walking through the next set of tent flaps, Asuna found herself staring at a large communal bath. Hot wisps of steam rose slowly from the surface of the water, carrying with it just the faintest scent of incense and soap.

It was heavenly.

Asuna slowly lowered herself into the bath waters, letting the soothing warm temperature almost entirely submerge her. She'd have to thank Argo later for showing her how to manipulate the ethics code system to allow her to fully enjoy her baths. SAO's system seemed to dull the senses and this was in large part the reason why pain couldn't be felt. That had been a good thing, but it also meant that hot baths couldn't be enjoyed to their fullest, not unless you temporarily disabled that particular part of the system.

In this steamy solitude, Asuna let her mind wander. It had been over a month and a half since she'd been trapped in this accursed game, and at the start she'd never felt so completely and utterly alone and helpless. That particular feeling was now slowly fading away, she realized. Ever since meeting Kirito and his friends, Asuna could feel herself changing. Instead of a helpless girl who'd resolved herself to eventually dying in this world, now she found herself fighting to live. She'd found an inner confidence in herself.

Had she stayed true to herself? That's what she told Kirito she wanted to do while trapped here, but was that still true? Back home, Asuna led a very privileged life; she was more than aware of how relatively lucky she was as a member of an affluent family. That came with its own set of problems, though. The pressure to maintain a spotless academic record, associate with equally affluent individuals and families, and overall having to regulate one's manners and social life with a fine-toothed comb. Back then, Asuna had only a few select friends from school, but none that she could call a close confidant.

Now? Asuna found herself free of all academic pursuits, free of the pressures that came from being a member of the Yuuki family. In exchange, now she was a prisoner of a different kind, but perhaps what was strangest of all was the fact that she didn't mind anymore. She'd found comrades, friends of her own that she could not only turn to when needed, but ones she could trust with her life. Free from pointless posturing and fake facades, Asuna could act how she wanted and define herself by her actions, not her lineage. It was liberating. It all started with a black-haired boy who'd simply stumbled upon her in a dungeon. If it weren't for him…

"Enjoying the bath, Asuna?"

Asuna's eyes shot open at the realization that she was no longer alone. Whipping her eyes upward, she saw Kizmel making her way into the bath, bare as the day she was born. Well, created, anyway. Asuna couldn't help but praise and curse the game developers at the sight. The armor she wore in combat was practical and covered all vital areas of the body. There were no gratuitous "plate bikinis'' to speak of, as she'd seen in so many other fantasy games and media. She was thankful for that on a personal level. However, even though she was trying her hardest not to directly stare, Asuna couldn't help but notice how many liberties Kizmel's creators had taken when designing her body. They had simultaneously avoided and played into the stereotype of lustful male game developers, and that frustrated Asuna to no end.

"Y-yes, thank you Kizmel." Asuna sank further into the waters and did her best to hide her more exposed areas.

Kizmel lowered herself into the water slowly and unabashedly, looking at Asuna with a curious look. "I remember your friends mentioning that seeing another's form was unusual in your culture, but I did not think it extended to the bathroom."

"It's not necessarily unusual in this context, Kizmel, it's just that it's not something we are very comfortable with." Asuna corrected.

"I see." Kizmel said thoughtfully. "I'd like to learn more about your customs, if that is alright with you. May I ask you some questions?"

"Of course, Kizmel. What did you want to know?" Asuna replied, relaxing somewhat at the conversation taking some semblance of normality.

"It seems to me that your people are very…" Kizmel paused as if looking for the right word. "...restrained, I suppose, when it comes to personal matters such as each other's bodies or even expressing intentions. During our battle with the spider queen, I noticed how well some of your friends worked together in combat. It is a level of cooperation and trust that I have only seen between seasoned soldiers or romantic partners. When I mentioned that observation, many of them grew rather silent or outright denied any semblance of romantic intentions."

Asuna's face flushed not for her own sake, but in sympathy for the level of embarrassment her friends must have felt then. She turned to Kizmel. "Is that not the case for your people, Kizmel?"

Kizmel shook her head. "No. I suppose comparatively, we are more straightforward with our bodies and intentions than you. We do not shy away from our bodies when in the presence of our comrades. We trust them with our bodies because we already trust them with our lives."

That makes sense, I suppose. Asuna thought to herself. When you put it that way, it seems silly to be shy about it when in that context, but there's no way I would ever blatantly show myself to others like that.

Allowing Asuna a moment to think on that point, Kizmel continued. "Likewise, we are very straightforward when it comes to affairs of the heart. How do your people express romantic intentions if you are not open about it?"

Asuna took a moment to think. She had no experience of her own when it came to romantic pursuits, so she decided to default to what little she knew from others and popular media. "Well, it starts when one person asks another out on a date."

"A date?" Kizmel asked. "Surely you do not mean a calendar date?"

"Sort of." Asuna tried to explain. "A date is sort of a consensual meeting between two people on an agreed date of the week, or month, or so on. Part of the reason why we are so reserved about dates is because they can be misinterpreted."

"Misinterpreted how?" Kizmel asked, seemingly enthralled by the topic of conversation and the chance to learn more.

Asuna sighed. "It could be misconstrued as a regular social outing. Worse still, it can lead to an uncomfortable confrontation if one person does not reciprocate the other's feelings."

"I see. We are much more honest about our feelings and do not take unrequited feelings so personally, but I can imagine it is quite difficult." Kizmel admitted. "Have you had a date before, Asuna?"

Asuna felt her face grow hot as her face flushed. "N-no, dates usually involve going to see a movie - sorry, a play - or going to dinner, or…"

She drifted off, suddenly remembering something that happened five days ago. After confronting Nezha and the Legend Braves about their scam, Asuna had, in fact, gone to dinner with Kirito. Alone. He even paid for the whole meal himself, albeit at her insistence since he owed her for missing out on Asuna's first-ever cooked meal.

Oh no, was that a date?

"Why did we go here?" Kirito asked, sitting in the chair closest to the window. Outside the sun was setting on the town of Urbus, painting the plaza outside in a warm yellow-orange glow as the activity outside began to fade to a close.

Asuna sat directly across from him. "Because Argo says the food is delicious, especially the dessert."

"Well, if Argo says so, it's probably true." He shrugged. "Wait, you paid her for that info?"

"Well yeah." Asuna replied. " If I'm going to go to a restaurant, I'm going to make sure the food's good."

Kirito shot her an amused look. "I thought you weren't here to enjoy good food."

Asuna sent a light kick under the table, striking Kirito in the shin. "Don't throw my words back at me. You know exactly what I meant at the time, and that hasn't changed. I still want to escape this game."

Kirito threw his hands up defensively. "I'm not saying you don't! I want to get out too."

"Good." Asuna said, visibly relaxing before she noticed the NPC server approaching their table. "Oh, the food's here!"

The NPC, an older man dressed in moderately formal wear - for a fantasy setting anyway - came to their table holding a platter with two dishes resting on top. He turned to Asuna and Kirito before presenting the plates and giving them out. Asuna had ordered a dish that resembled Italian pasta, complete with a thick creamy sauce, some sort of poultry, and garnished with vibrant green seasoning. Kirito, on the other hand, had ordered some kind of bread soup bowl, which, if Asuna was being honest, smelled absolutely delicious. She regretted not having ordered that instead.

Both Asuna and Kirito spent the dinner switching between casual conversation and enjoying their respective meals, which thankfully did not lose their heat as quickly as their real-life counterparts might. Asuna assumed this had something to do with eating the food inside an in-game restaurant. She'd have to ask Kirito later. The topics of conversation varied, ranging from explanation of in-game mechanics Asuna was not familiar with, to talking casually about their party members and the people they'd met in their journeys thus far.

When the server came by to give them their dessert, Asuna stared with wide eyes at the cake sitting before them. It was a seemingly simple cake, adorned with a thin white frosting that seemed to drip off the sides and topped with various red and blue sliced fruit that she did not recognize. The circular cake was hollow in the center, giving it the general shape of an inner tube.

And it was delicious.

It took her and Kirito no less than five minutes to completely demolish the cake, neither stopping to even talk. The cake was not overly sweet or rich, and it even had just a hint of some savory element in there. Afterwards, she and Kirito leaned back in their chairs, satisfied with the meal. Neither was truly full, since they didn't have stomachs, but it was a habit that had yet to be unlearned in this virtual environment.

"Ok, I'll admit it." Kirito said, a smile crossing his face. "You chose a great place to eat."

Asuna was slightly offended at the idea that Kirito doubted her decision-making ability. "Just because I'm new at games like this doesn't mean I don't know how to make good decisions."

"I'll never question your choice in food ever again." Kirito chuckled. "And I don't think you make bad decisions. But even you have to admit that you've still got a lot to learn about MMOs."

Asuna's face puffed into a pout. "I'm still learning, alright? But that's where you come in, Mr. Beta Tester."

"You can always ask Leonn too, you know." Kirito said, completely missing her point.

"Yeah, but he's busy teaching Sinon things. Don't think you're getting out of this." She said, pointing a fork at him to emphasize her point.

Kirito sighed. "Fine, fine. You win. I'll keep teaching you things. Happy?"

She nodded, mock-sheathing her fork and putting it away.

"Asuna?"

Shaking her head in an effort to snap back to reality, Asuna looked at Kizmel. "Sorry, yes?"

"You were talking about dates when you stopped and smiled." Kizmel said. "Something on your mind?"

Asuna's expression suddenly hardened as she tried her hardest to remove the smile. The same smile she wasn't even aware she had until this moment, thanks to Kizmel. "N-no, nothing at all."

Kizmel gave her a dubious look but seemed to give up on prying. "Well in any case, I've learned a lot about your people and culture now, thank you. I suspect I may have more questions the longer I spend around you and your friends, though. May I turn to you with questions if the need arises?"

"Of course, Kizmel." Asuna answered with a smile.

The two women made idle chit-chat for the remainder of their time together in the bath, discussing their experiences in Aincrad up to this moment. Kizmel had some questions regarding Asuna's party members, which the fencer was happy to answer. Asuna, however, was remarkably uninquisitive, her mind focused elsewhere.

Namely, that dinner she'd had with Kirito. Was that a date? Every date she'd seen on television or the movies told her that a date was supposed to be tense and rife with awkward silences as both parties desperately tried to appeal to the other's likes. Yet, her dinner with Kirito was nothing if not comfortable, amiable, and just overall enjoyable. Sure, there was tension, but she'd chalked that up to how he could get on her nerves sometimes due to the lack of a filter on his mouth.

The things that would come out of his mouth. Even Leonn had chastised him from time to time for improper phrasing. That might be part of his charm, though, she thought. He was sincere and honest to a fault. You could rely on Kirito to tell the truth - when not claiming to be an all-knowing Beater, that is - and to have your back no matter what. He always prioritized the safety of his party, even over his own safety if it came down to it. Sinon had told her about the Nepenthes incident, which had frustrated Asuna even though she hadn't been there to see it. She'd have to keep a close eye on him, for sure.

Wait, his charm?

Kizmel was not the only one to leave that bath confused that night.