A/N:

Here's another longer-than-usual chapter as we relax a little after the climactic battle at the end of the Elf War campaign. There's going to be quite a few PoV jumps, so hopefully I did a good job at clueing you in on who we're following through each jump.

I had an absolute blast writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Enjoy!

Silica always liked shopping.

Shopping with friends? Even more so.

"Sooooo… what are you all gonna wear?" Silica asked, acting innocent but very much teasing her fellow female Renegades. "And where are we going first?"

She knew the other girls - with Sinon possibly being the exception - were all equal parts eager and nervous about the dance that was to be held the day after tomorrow. Sure, the Dark Elves called it Teuivae Quar'atri (which Silica wouldn't even bother trying to pronounce) but what it really was was a dance. Like a school dance. Like a dance where boys danced with girls. Like a dance with slow dance music and romantic lighting and delicious food.

That kind of dance.

"I have a tailor friend we're going to first." Yuna replied as she typed away at her menu, probably messaging someone. Maybe the tailor in question? "I had already talked to her before about making us some new clothes, but at the time we had to wait in line behind a long list of other people."

Asuna tilted her head slightly. "So what changed then?"

"I may have mentioned that we were invited to a Dark Elven ball and needed dresses as soon as possible." Yuna said with a grin. "Needless to say, she was very eager to make us dresses for a formal occasion. Given our timetable, she insisted we go to her instead of - and I quote - 'some third-rate tailor who wouldn't know their chiffon from their chenille if it slapped them in the face.'"

"Yikes." Liz remarked. The blacksmith looked similarly excited, just like Asuna and Yuna were. "Sounds like she knows her stuff, at least."

"She takes pride in her work. Something that seems to be common among particularly skilled craftswomen." Yuna said, throwing a pointed look at Liz, who seemed to take the compliment as intended.

Liz beamed. "Aww, thanks Yuna!"

Five minutes later, the quintet of girls arrived at a rather exotic looking shop on the 1st floor. Peering into the front windows, Silica looked in awe at the dramatic dresses and tantalizing tuxedos on display. There were also sets of custom-made clothing that looked to be compatible with most sets of armor, barring plate armor of course. A sign hung above the doorway, reading "Ashley's." Silica couldn't help but be a little impressed at the appearance and branding of the tailor shop. It had all the atmosphere and look of a high-end clothing store you'd find in the real world.

"Here we are!" Yuna declared with a smile. The songstress led them inside the lavish-looking front door. Upon entering, a faint chime rang out in the shop.

"We're closed!" A posh-sounding, feminine voice called out from somewhere in the back of the shop. "Come back later!"

"Oh well." Yuna said sarcastically. "I suppose we'll have to go track down one of those third-rate tailors then."

"WHAT?!"

A head suddenly popped out from behind a doorway near the back of the shop. It belonged to a woman - possibly in her late 20's, maybe early 30's - with short cut blonde hair with dark highlights. She wore heavy eyeliner and lipstick and looked just as eccentric as Yuna made her out to be. This had to be Ashley.

"Oh, Yuna darling!" The posh-looking woman exclaimed, all signs of her previous outrage gone in an instant and replaced with a friendly demeanor. "You should have told me you were coming! I've been preparing for you and your friends!"

"I did, Ashley." Yuna retorted, still giving her trademark smile. "Did you check your messages?"

The woman, now confirmed to be Ashley, stepped out from the back room and strode forward with confidence. Now that she was in full view, Silica could see that the tailor was outfitted in a thick jacket with a fur collar. The sleeves of the jacket were slim and fitted to her arms, ultimately ending in longer-than-necessary sleeves that covered parts of her hands, but allowed her fingers free movement. Underneath the jacket she wore an elegant dress that was slim yet looked comfortable to move around in for long periods of time. Much to Silica's surprise, the woman was not wearing heels, but rather a pair of very fashionable flats.

Ashley stopped in front of the Renegades and shifted her weight onto her right leg. She tucked her left hand under her right elbow, and with her right hand made the sweeping gesture necessary to open her menu. Her eyes seemed to skim over something and she lightly touched her right index finger to her bottom lip in thought. "Huh. So you did, darling. Well, no matter! You're here now."

Yuna chuckled. "So we are, Ashley. Can you help us?"

"Help you?" Ashley scoffed. "Darling, I'm going to make each of you fabulous beyond belief. Boys - or girls - will be falling head over heels for you, you're going to look so dazzling. No, I am not going to help you. I am going to elevate you."

Silica smiled. Not even five minutes into meeting this woman and she already liked her. She was fun, if a little eccentric.

"My only stipulation for this rush job is that I be the exclusive tailor for the Resolute Renegades going forward." Ashley demanded, motioning for the girls to follow her into a fitting room. "Which reminds me; after we're done here, tell your boy toys to come see me as well."

"You'd do that?" Sinon asked dubiously.

"Of course, darling!" Ashley said with a nod. She motioned for the quintet to line up in a row in the middle of the room. She then began to walk around them slowly, her eyes carefully scanning over their bodies almost like a predator. "What kind of tailor would I be if I only made half of a set? Just like you are queens, your men are kings, darling, and they deserve to be fitted in suits that exude class and complement your dresses at the same time. I will settle for no less than perfection when it comes to your guild's clothing."

"Ashley, I think you're making this into a bigger deal than it needs to be." Yuna said with an awkward chuckle. "There's not going to be anybody there except us and a bunch of NPCs."

"Nonsense!" Ashley said with a dismissive wave. "You will see your menfolk and they will see you. You wish to impress them, no?"

The girls collectively went quiet. Yuna, Asuna, and Liz all looked bashful while Silica and Sinon stood to the side, ever amused at how easily their friends were read by this exuberant tailor.

"Exactly!" Ashley said with a smug grin on her face. "Fashion is always observed and impressions are always made, even among friends and family! I will not stand for such beautiful young women - and what I imagine are quite dashing young men - to be prancing around in hobo suits!"

"So what do you need from us?" Asuna asked.

"Your job is easy, darling." Ashley said as she stopped her pacing and looked each girl in the eye. "You will tell me what you would like and I will tell you if it is a terrible idea or not. Then I will create a work of art for each and every one of you. Any questions?"

There were none.

"Good! Then let us begin!"

Geeou stood in front of the mirror, trying desperately to fix his attire for the ball he'd been drafted into going to. The same ball that was starting in about an hour.

Now, the suit wasn't the issue. The navy blue blazer was actually quite comfortable and contrasted quite nicely with the light gray vest and white shirt he wore underneath the blazer. The pants weren't the issue, either, as they were easy to put on and matched the aforementioned blue blazer. Even the white dress shoes weren't a problem.

It was the damn tie.

"I'm tellin' you, man. That woman was looking at me like a piece of meat." Nautilus complained from the other side of the room the male Renegades were using to change. "Felt like she was undressing me with her eyes."

"That's because she was, Naut." Leonn said with a chuckle. "She's a tailor; undressing you with her eyes and redressing you is kind of her job. And I think the word you're looking for is objectifying."

"It was still creepy." Nautilus rebuked with a huff as he put on his dark grey jacket. "At least she makes a killer suit, though."

Geeou glanced over and noticed that Nautilus's suit was markedly much more simple compared to his own. The lining of Nautilus's dark grey suit seemed to be made of some pale purple material, which helped separate his dark jacket from his black shirt. He didn't wear a vest or a tie either, which bothered Geeou to no end. Nautilus's dark grey slacks looked just as fitted and comfortable as his own, as did his black formal shoes.

He was right. Their suits did look good.

Kirito's was similar to his own, except he didn't wear a vest. His jacket and slacks were black - no surprise there, really - and his shirt was a neutral grey. Unlike Geeou, Kirito's tie wasn't one of those string ties that Geeou was still struggling to tie, but rather a full-length navy blue tie. Kirito had, at the time, wanted to keep the shirt untucked but Ashley was having none of that. Even now, the Renegade leader looked rather displeased with the state of his tucked shirt.

Leonn wore a suit similar to Nautilus's, but the suit was black like Kirito's. He wore a black vest underneath but unlike Geeou's, his had some sort of speckled texture or pattern on it that helped contrast the vest from the jacket, which had a grey handkerchief peeking out of the coat pocket. The shirt he wore underneath the vest was a deep, dark green that reminded Geeou of a rainforest. Unlike the other men in the room, his shirt was unbuttoned near the top, exposing just a little bit of his collarbone. According to Ashley, this was to help 'frame his face,' which was supposed to complement the light beard he had tracing his jaw.

Lokuss's suit was perhaps the most casual of the bunch. It was like Leonn's in that the shirt was open near the top, but the reasoning here was because of the loremaster's insistence that he not wear a tie. Ashley had argued with him for what was probably an hour over the issue, but Lokuss would not budge. Eventually she decided to design the suit with that in mind. His shirt was red, which contrasted against the black jacket and slacks. The lack of a tie, though, made Geeou feel like the odd man out.

Geeou sighed and hung his head in shame. "Can someone help me with this tie? I can't seem to get it to stay."

"Dude, what are you doing?" Leonn asked as he glanced over his shoulder at Geeou. "Just equip the thing and be done with it. It should fix itself; why are you trying to manually put it on?"

Geeou blinked. It never even occurred to him that it could be done as simply as that. He facepalmed before doing as instructed. He'd worn his regular clothing and armor so much that the idea that he could go into the system and equip other pieces was so far gone.

Virtual reality was so similar to actual reality that he often forgot he was trapped in a game.

"Right, sorry." Geeou said awkwardly.

After one last look in the mirror to make sure everything was in place - a futile effort given how equipment worked, he realized - he made his way towards the door, where the others were waiting for him, each in varying states of emotional distress or discomfort. Kirito and Nautilus looked downright nervous, while Leonn's smile looked half-hearted. More melancholy. Only Lokuss looked relaxed about the whole situation, much like Geeou himself felt.

"You guys alright?" Geeou cautiously asked. "You're looking a little… off."

Kirito tried to shake it off, but Geeou knew his leader better than that. Based on how Kirito had been acting around a certain fencer as of late, Geeou had a pretty good idea of what was on his mind. "Yeah, I'm good. I'll be glad when this is over."

"Why?" Geeou followed up. "This is the first time in weeks we've had to just relax and enjoy ourselves. Unless something happens during the ball, I think we'll be fine to enjoy ourselves."

"You just had to go and jinx it, didn't you?" Leonn groaned, lightening the mood a little as the Renegade men chuckled.

"I'm just worried Asuna's going to get flustered again and get, you know… violent." Kirito finally admitted. "She's been relaxing lately when it comes to that kind of thing but you know how she is."

"I still remember when she floored you that one morning when your hands accidentally touched." Leonn laughed before noting the pointed glares he was getting from the others. "Sorry, not helping."

Geeou clapped Kirito on the back and gave him a grin. "It'll be fine. You know she's got a soft spot for you anyway, so I wouldn't get too worried about her getting angry at you."

Kirito recoiled slightly and stared at Geeou. "How does that help me?! And what do you mean, soft spot?"

"You're kidding, right?" Nautilus deadpanned. "If she's not hanging around Liz or Sinon, she's with you. It's obvious how she feels about you."

"O-obvious?" Kirito stammered.

Leonn sighed. "Dude, just ask her to dance tonight. You'll see what we mean."

"Ask her to dance?!" Kirito practically yelped. "Are you all even listening to me? She's gonna hit me again and you know it!"

"Just do it!" Nautilus said firmly. He sighed. "She's not going to hit you. Trust us."

Kirito looked like he was going to object again, but ultimately sighed in defeat. "Fine."

"Look, if it goes pear-shaped, you can blame us for putting you up to it." Lokuss suggested. The others looked at him with looks of betrayal. "What? I haven't known her that long but even I know that her anger would be better spread out over 5 people instead of focused on just one."

There was a reluctant murmur of agreement among the Renegade men, and just then a thought occurred to Geeou. He'd have to discuss it with the others, but he was sure they'd be on board. As the group of sharply-dressed men began to walk out of the dressing room and into the hallway, Geeou tapped Kirito and Leonn on the shoulders. Both turned to face him, and not soon after Nautilus and Lokuss stopped too, sensing something was up.

Geeou looked past Kirito and Leonn and smiled at Nautilus and Lokuss. "You guys go on ahead. I've gotta talk to these two about something. We'll catch up."

Nautilus and Lokuss shared a glance before shrugging their shoulders and walking off. Kirito and Leonn, meanwhile, gave Geeou a confused look.

"I wanted to talk to you both about something." Geeou began to explain. "I imagine we need to talk to Asuna too but since she's busy getting changed I figured I'd bring it up now."

"What is it?" Kirito asked.

Geeou peered past Kirito's shoulder to verify that the others had gone ahead without them and were well out of earshot. Once he was sure, he shifted his focus back to Kirito and Leonn.

"It's about Lokuss."

Asuna couldn't do this.

Why was she freaking out about this so much? She'd been to formal occasions with her family before, so she was certainly no stranger to this kind of party. Something told her it wasn't because she was here without her family. She'd grown to be independent during her time here in Aincrad, so that wasn't it. There was only one logical conclusion.

It was because of Kirito.

"Asuna!"

She blinked and looked to her side, where a very concerned Liz was standing.

"That's the third time you've zoned out today!" The blacksmith scolded her. "You need to calm down, girl! Don't get yourself stressed out about this. You look fine."

Now that she was broken out of her daze, Asuna got a better look at what Ashley had set them up with. They were elegant dresses that were perfectly fitted for them, and each dress seemed to fit their wearer's personality perfectly. She would definitely recommend to Kirito that they go to Ashley from now on for any tailor work.

Liz was wearing what could best be described as a cocktail dress with a halter top cut, leaving her shoulders bare. The dress itself was a vibrant shade of red and Ashley had it fitted such that the blacksmith's natural curves were accentuated but not magnified. Along with the black choker and heels, Liz looked elegant yet feisty and playful, which matched her personality to a 'T'. The most striking change, however, was the pink hair dye she'd managed to get ahold of. The Renegade blacksmith looked like a whole new woman.

Sinon was wearing a longer dress than Liz, a black halter strap with a cut along one side of the dress to allow her leg to peek out every now and then. It was quite the sophisticated cut, one Asuna never thought to see on the normally stoic archer but thought fit her personality perfectly nonetheless. Clearly Sinon's best features were her legs, so Ashley made the dress and heels with that in mind. Sinon had also taken a page out of Liz's book, choosing to dye her hair a vibrant shade of cyan.

She had a feeling those two would be keeping those hair colors going forward. They looked good.

Silica was wearing a cute yellow sundress with draconic motifs embroidered into the fabric. Ashley knew that Pina was part of Silica's identity and ran with it, which impressed Asuna. The attention to detail was incredible. Honestly, she could stare at the cute little dress all day, following the patterns stitched into the fabric. Coupled with the adorable black flats she had on, Silica looked cute and innocent, which was something Asuna hoped would remain intact by the time they finished this game. Pina, who was currently resting on her master's shoulder, even had a cute little yellow bow that Ashley threw in at no charge.

Yuna's dress was just as refined as the others. She wore a black semi-sweetheart cut gown with pink highlights running along the borders, complete with puffed short sleeves. It was admittedly a little more complicated than the other dresses, but no less Yuna in how it looked. It looked like the kind of dress one might see a pop star wear to a formal event. Asuna smiled, imagining that Yuna might become just that once they escaped Aincrad. She certainly hoped the songstress could live out her dream like that.

"Asuna?" Liz said, snapping her fingers in front of the fencer's face. "You're zoning out again. What's wrong?"

Asuna shook her head. "Sorry, I was just admiring your dresses. Ashley did a great job, didn't she?"

"Damn straight!" Liz exclaimed with a grin. "She really outdid herself, but yours is no slouch either!"

"I have to agree with her there." Yuna remarked, walking up from behind her. "That dress is stunning, Asuna. Really."

Asuna twirled in place. "Really? You think so?"

Asuna's dress was decidedly more flowy and long than everyone else's. It was a sweetheart-cut black gown that was similar to Yuna's in its sleeves. The front of the dress was noticeably shorter than the back, giving her a bit of a train in the back and showcasing her legs from the mid-thigh down. Bits of her ensemble, such as the trim of the neckline and the ribbon tied around her waist were a deep blood red that was an even deeper shade than what Liz's dress had. To complete the look, Ashley had given her a pair of ruby slippers and a red choker.

"Totally!" Silica said with a grin. "Kirito's gonna love it!"

Liz and Yuna facepalmed and Sinon sighed, all the while Asuna's face was taking on a shade of red that rivaled her shoes. "W-what does Kirito have to do with it?!"

Silica hurriedly covered her mouth and shook her head. Her response came out a bit muffled, but Asuna was able to decipher it anyway. "Nothing! No reason!"

Liz sighed. "Just relax, Asuna. Don't worry about the boys and let's just enjoy ourselves, okay?"

Asuna took a deep breath and was about to answer when she received a group message from some of the boys. Upon closer inspection, the upper ranks of the Renegades were in this group chat.

[Kirito: Hey Asuna, Geeou had a suggestion and we want to hear your thoughts on it.]

Asuna arched an eyebrow. What was so important it couldn't wait until they saw each other in the ballroom? And why were just the guild admins in this conversation? She typed out a reply, ignoring the confused looks from the other girls.

[Asuna: What is it?]

[Geeou: I wanted to see if Lokuss would like to join the guild. What do you think?]

Asuna paused before giving her response. Lokuss, even if he was a little eccentric, was a nice guy. It wouldn't hurt to have someone who specialized in lore on the team, especially if they encountered any more major quest lines as they climbed Aincrad. She seriously doubted the Elf War campaign quest was the only quest in the entire 100 floors of Aincrad. Having someone like that in the guild would probably lead to discovering secret quests, unlocking hidden items, and other treasures that would otherwise go undiscovered. That could prove to be a huge boost for the Renegades.

Then there was the fact that the boy was deadly efficient with that grappling hook. That would definitely come in handy. Lokuss was versatile, if nothing else.

[Asuna: That's fine with me. Have you asked him yet?]

[Kirito: No, we wanted to ask you first. You are vice leader, after all. I'm not going to do something without getting your approval first.]

[Asuna: Well I think it's a good idea. I say go for it.]

"Asuna?" Sinon asked. "What's the matter?"

Asuna smiled and closed her messages. "I think you'll see soon. Probably won't take them long. Should we get going?"

"Alright then…" Liz trailed, looking a little suspicious about the vague answer. "Let's go, then."

The five girls left their changing room and began walking down the hallway that would ultimately lead to the ballroom. The click-clack of heels echoed down the hall, breaking the otherwise otherworldly silence that pervaded the Dark Elven castle. As they rounded the corner of this particular hallway, they spotted Kizmel coming out of one of the side rooms.

"Well, I must say you all look very elegant and beautiful in those dresses, and I love the new hair colors, Liz and Sinon." Kizmel said with a smile. "It is surprising how similar elven formal wear is to human formal wear. Did you make those yourselves?"

Asuna shook her head. "Nope. Yuna knows a very skilled tailor who made these dresses for us. I think she made the boys their suits too."

"Your dress is beautiful too, Kizmel!" Silica said, practically gawking at the Dark Elf's gown. "It looks perfect for you."

Asuna found herself hard pressed to disagree. Kizmel's dress was similar to Sinon's in the cut around the legs, teasing a view of her left side. The top of the dress was an asymmetrical cut that hung across her right shoulder, exposing her left. The dress itself seemed to be made of some exotic fabric that Asuna had no doubt Ashley would be impressed with, and was dyed a beautiful royal purple. It was so mature and elegant; it was so Kizmel.

"You flatter me, young Silica." Kizmel said with a light blush. She gestured behind her. "I take it you are also on the way to the ballroom, then?"

"Yep." Liz nodded. "So what sorts of thing should we expect from - "

[Lokuss has joined the Resolute Renegades.]

"Awesome!" Silica cheered, pumping a fist into the air. Pina seemed similarly excited for some reason.

"What is it?" Kizmel asked, looking very confused. "What happened?"

"Lokuss just joined the guild." Asuna informed her, still smiling but for a different reason this time.

Kizmel clapped her hands together. "That's wonderful! I'm sure he will be a fantastic addition to your guild. He's quite the resourceful individual."

"That he is!" Liz said with a chuckle. "It helps that he gets along pretty well with us too."

"Well, I think it's time to officially welcome our newest member." Yuna suggested. "We don't want to make the boys wait too long, right?"

Asuna laughed. She was rather excited to show off her dress and see how the boys looked. With the addition of a new member, tonight was already shaping up to be exciting and memorable. They entered the ballroom carefully, each trying their best to look classy and sophisticated.

Almost immediately, her eyes were drawn to the group of five boys - no, men - that were standing around and chatting. All five of them looked very handsome in their clean-cut suits. Ashley certainly knew her stuff. Each of the suits was fitted very well, accentuating the shoulders just enough but not so much as to make their jackets look too large. What's more was the fact that while the suits looked formal, they also looked casual and comfortable. She really did make them look like kings.

"Wow." Asuna and Yuna said at the same time.

"Hubba, hubba…" Liz muttered under her breath, causing Silica to giggle.

Asuna took a deep breath.

Here we go.

"Kirito, you're going to attract flies if you keep your mouth open like that."

Kirito shook himself out of his stunned stupor and closed his mouth. How long had he been staring at Asuna? He hoped it wasn't too long. He didn't want to come off as creepy, but damn did she look good in that dress. He looked over at Kizmel, who was giving him a knowing, albeit very smug, look.

"Sorry." He quickly apologized. He looked around the rest of the ballroom to try to reacclimate and distract himself from staring at Asuna again. The ballroom was rather massive and made out of what looked like marble. Seated at the head of the room were Queen Illise and King Erlan, and there were elves - Forest and Dark - everywhere, mingling about and socializing. The music was soothing and calm, yet not distracting. It was a beautiful melody played on an instrument that resembled a harp. Meanwhile, Kizmel was still staring at him, obviously waiting for something more than just "sorry."

Kizmel chuckled and softly shook her head. "At least you are not the only one stunned by your guildmates' beauty, so you can take some solace in that."

"What do you mean?" Kirito asked, feeling a hint of something in his chest. Irritation? No, that wasn't it. Anger? Nope, not that either. Jealousy?

Okay, maybe it was a little bit of jealousy.

"Look there." Kizmel said, pointing at a group of four Renegades who were busy talking near one of the marble pillars. Asuna, Leonn, Liz, and Nautilus were standing in a neat little square and talking - what about, Kirito couldn't say due to how far away they were - and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

"Still not following." Kirito admitted as he scanned over the quartet.

"Look closely." Kizmel elaborated as she grabbed a glass of something that looked like wine from a passing server. She gestured again to the group, this time using the glass. "Look at the eyes."

Kirito did as instructed and noticed something peculiar. Though all four players were legitimately enjoying themselves, it looked like they were not entirely paying attention to the conversation. Nautilus kept stealing glances over at Yuna, who was sitting at a table with Lokuss, Geeou, Silica, and Sinon. Liz's and Leonn's gazes kept lingering over one another, though both would quickly avert their eyes if they caught the other staring. Lastly, Asuna seemed just as distracted, her eyes flickering away every now and then.

She was looking at him.

He almost looked away reflexively, but strangely enough he didn't. Maybe it was the suit giving him a nice confidence boost. Instead, he met her gaze with his own and offered a gentle smile. She smiled in return before turning back to the conversation with the others. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and looked back at Kizmel.

"Do you see now?" Kizmel asked. "Relax, Kirito. The life you lead will be full of strife and hardships, so enjoy these moments while they last."

Kirito let out a sigh and smiled again. "Thanks, Kizmel. For everything."

Kizmel placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I should be the one thanking you, my friend. Not only did you save my life, but through you I have learned much and met many. While tonight will not be goodbye, let me express how honored I am to have fought beside you all."

"Likewise, Kizmel." Kirito replied, trying his best to maintain his smile.

"In the meantime… I need to speak with her majesty." Kizmel trailed, then pointed behind him. "You should probably speak with yours."

"Mine…?" Kirito asked, confused. Kizmel did not reply, choosing instead to walk away towards the Dark Elven royalty. Kirito turned around and saw Asuna sitting at a table by herself, nursing a glass of some beverage as she idly looked around the ballroom.

Well, if there was ever a time to do this, it was now.

Slowly, he made his way over to Asuna's table and took a seat beside her. For a while, neither of them spoke. Just as he was about to break the silence, she did first.

"Think we'll see her again?" Asuna asked.

Kirito followed her gaze and saw the Pagoda Knight in question standing to the side of Queen Illise, talking about something. He wished he'd spent more time building up his ((Eavesdropping)) skill, but for now he had more important matters at hand.

"I think so." Kirito answered. "We can always come back and visit, right?"

"I guess so." Asuna said.

Kirito frowned. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently. He saw right past that, though.

"I can tell something's bothering you." He pressed. "What's up?"

Asuna sighed. "Remember on the 4th floor, how you told me to slow down and relax? To take the time to appreciate that we're alive here in Aincrad?"

He remembered. That lazy river ride in those ridiculous fruity inner tubes was nice, and one of the first times he remembered seeing the otherwise serious fencer actually relax. It was also the first time he saw Sinon's mischievous side. He could still feel that fish squirming under his armor. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Do you ever think of how things will change between us after we get out of here?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Kirito asked, though he could see where she was going with this.

"I mean…" Asuna sighed. Her gaze wandered over to where the others were. The other eight Renegades were seated around a table, talking and laughing. "Everyone looks so happy right now, it's like they've forgotten that we're trapped in a video game. When we get out, do you think the friendships we build here will carry over?"

There was a pregnant silence as Kirito thought over his answer. Asuna, sensing the hesitation, looked over at him. In real life, Kirito was a bit of a shut-in; he'd never freely admit it, but he knew he was. He was not the most sociable person. Ask his sister. Ever since he discovered the truth about his heritage, he'd blocked himself off from most forms of social interaction, instead choosing the comfort of a screen. He couldn't exactly explain why he'd done it, but it felt like the natural thing to do at the time.

Now?

"If you'd asked me that a month or two ago, I probably would have said no." Kirito answered truthfully. He looked over at their friends. "Now, I think that even though we're fighting in a virtual world, the people we've met and friendships we've made are real. I know it sounds corny and like something you'd see in a cheesy 'power-of-friendship' television show or something, but it's true."

Asuna merely smiled and let him continue.

"Leonn and Sinon told you about the Nepenthes incident, right?" Kirito asked. She nodded. "The reason I left them that night was partly because I didn't want to get to know anybody. I'm a bit of a recluse in real life."

"You're kidding." Asuna said with a smirk.

"Hush, you." Kirito said, nudging her shoulder with his own before continuing. "If they hadn't come to save me, I would have died that night. They stuck their necks out for me even though they didn't know me. Sure, I met Leonn during the beta but only in passing, and I didn't even know Sinon at all. If this were a regular game, that wouldn't mean as much. Here though? That felt like something real because the stakes were real. Everything in here is real, in a sense, because the threat of dying is real."

"Yeah…" Asuna said with a bitter smile. "I think I started to realize that the day you rescued me."

Kirito saw her mood dip considerably at the mention of that day. She wasn't in a good place when he first met her, and she knew it. He heard the harpist start to play a slower song and knew what he had to do.

"That's in the past, so no sense dwelling on that." He said, offering his hand. "I think I know how to get our minds off of that. May I?"

Asuna suddenly flushed in the face and Kirito had to fight back a flinch at the thought of her hitting him again. He was already starting to regret this. What was he thinking? Like she was going to take him up on his offer. He was already forming an excuse in his head. Oh, was he going to throw the guys under the bus for this one.

Much to his surprise, she stood up and took his hand.

"I… I think I'd like that." Asuna said, smiling gently at him.

Together, hand in hand, the leaders of the Renegades made their way to the dance floor. It was at this point that Kirito realized he had absolutely no idea how to dance, not like this anyway. Even dancing normally by himself, he wasn't very good. He just knew he was going to step on her feet. Sure, she wouldn't feel any pain but she could still trip!

"Umm…" Kirito stammered, feeling very nervous all of a sudden. "I didn't think this through. I can't dance."

Asuna giggled, which simultaneously eased his worries and heightened them. How was that even possible? "Relax. I'll show you. Place your left hand here, and your right hand here. Good. Now match my steps."

Slowly, and with all the grace of a sack of potatoes, Kirito followed her lead as they danced to the harpist's song. More than once, he stepped out of line and she had to correct him, but he found himself enjoying the experience. What was even more amazing was that she seemed to be enjoying it too. Some minutes later, Kirito got the hang of it and was keeping up with her.

It was just like fighting in a way, he realized. Once he got the basics down, he felt his rhythm syncing up with hers. When she stepped, he stepped. When he turned, she turned. When the moment was right, he twirled her with little to no resistance whatsoever, like she'd been anticipating it. Just like fighting alongside her, this felt just as natural and just as instinctual.

He looked in her eyes and saw a spark, a light of sorts. She seemed so alive right now, and in that moment he silently swore he would do everything in his power to protect that. He smiled, enjoying her company and hoped she was enjoying his. No, that wasn't quite right. Those eyes did not belong to someone who was simply along for the ride. She was enjoying his company, and now he knew what the boys were talking about.

Now he understood.

"Hey Asuna." Kirito said once the song had slowed enough. Now their dancing resembled more of a slow swaying than anything else. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." She answered. "What is it?"

"... Do you think the relationships we build in here are real?" Kirito asked. "I already told you how I feel about it, but what about you?"

"I think so." She answered. A moment passed and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I hope so. I would hate it if these feelings weren't real."

"I feel the same way." Kirito said with a smile, gently resting his own head against hers.

She couldn't see him smile based on the way her head was angled, but somehow he thought she didn't need to. More often than not, they were on the same wavelength anyway. While neither had outright put it into words, he knew she felt the same way he did about her. He didn't need any sort of validation.

But the way her fingers shifted to intertwine with his just now was a pretty good sign, if he was being honest.

"NO. WAY."

Liz slapped Sinon's arm and grabbed it, not believing what she was seeing right now. Right in front of her, not even 50 feet away, was her best friend and her guild leader slow dancing. More to the point, Asuna's head was resting on Kirito's shoulder. No, wait.

Were they holding hands?

"Liz, can I have my arm back please?" The archer deadpanned. "I'd like to actually eat this food, if you don't mind."

"No no no, look!" Liz whispered excitedly, pointing with her free hand at the duo on the dance floor. Everyone turned to look at the spectacle now unfolding before them.

"Yes!" Silica exclaimed under her breath. "I knew it! That's one OTP down, two to go!"

"Wait, one OTP?" Geeou whispered to himself, though Liz could still hear him over the din of the party, albeit just barely. "Who are the other…?"

"Well, damn. I didn't think he'd actually do it." Leonn chuckled before turning and facing the others around the table. He laced his fingers together and gave them each an arguably evil grin. "Alright guys, pay up."

Everyone around the table, sans Lokuss, collectively groaned as they pulled out small pouches of Cor and started handing them over to Leonn. The loremaster, for his part, looked rather confused as he glanced around the table.

"Umm…" Lokuss trailed while absent-mindedly petting Gryd. "Am I missing something here?"

Leonn took the pouches one at a time, making sure to thank everyone for their generous donations. He finally turned to Lokuss. "See, we have - or had, I guess now - a running bet on when those two would get together. They've been circling each other for some time now, and we all had different bets on which floor they'd finally do something about it."

"Wow." Lokuss said, looking equal parts horrified and impressed. "Guess you guys are that close, huh?"

"Hey, you're part of the family now, too!" Silica said, giving the loremaster a friendly pat on the shoulder. "You and me especially. Us beast tamers gotta stick together."

"I guess so, huh?" Lokuss chuckled after a moment. Liz could swear she saw him get a little misty-eyed before he directed his attention back to Leonn. "So what was your bet, specifically?"

"I bet that they'd get together on the 9th floor." Leonn admitted. "The end of the Elf War campaign quest seemed like a place where something like this might happen."

"Oh come off it!" Nautilus said. "That was a random guess and you know it. The Elf War campaign quest had nothing to do with it."

"Hey, wait a second!" Geeou almost shouted. "We beat the 9th floor boss and unlocked the 10th floor! We're on the 10th floor, so this doesn't count!"

"Are we, though?" Leonn refuted, looking pretty cocky right about now. "Which floor are we currently standing on?"

The table quickly devolved into argument and Liz chose to tune it out, focusing her attention back on the new couple slow dancing in front of her. She smiled, knowing that her best friend had been struggling and coming to terms with how she felt about their guild leader. She could certainly see the appeal, if she was being honest. Kirito was smart, brave, and selfless. He was also humble and always did everything he could for his friends. He could do without the edgy teenager fashion sense, though. That aside, she sighed and glanced back over at the table.

She hoped she could find that someday.

"Well, Kizmel ruined it." Nautilus said, matter-of-factly, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. A look at the dance floor showed a certain Dark Elf of some renown standing and chatting with Kirito and Asuna. To their credit, they still had their hands clasped together, even though they'd long since stopped dancing.

After a few moments, Kizmel led the duo away towards the Queen and King. Liz shrugged. "Probably something to do with the quest. Wonder what we're going to get."

"Maybe some new weapons?" Leonn suggested. Liz frowned, crumpled up a napkin, and lobbed it at his head. Leonn flinched at the sudden assault before continuing. "N-not that your weapons aren't any good! They're great! I'm just saying you could use a break, you know?"

"Good try." Liz sarcastically remarked. "You want a shovel? Might make digging that hole easier."

"I think I'm doing a good enough job on my own, thank you very much." Leonn fired back with a sly grin.

"Well, in any case, I think it's romantic." Yuna declared with a confident nod. "I think they'll be great for each other."

"I think so, too." Sinon said, breaking her silence on the matter. "She'll definitely keep him from acting like an idiot now."

Liz nodded in agreement before turning her attention back over to Kizmel, Kirito, and Asuna, who were now in deep conversation with Queen Illise. Whatever they were talking about seemed serious, and Liz was not anywhere near fluent in lip-reading, so she had no idea what they were talking about. She supposed she'd find out once they got back, though. She turned back to the conversation at the table.

"... and that's why we never let Kirito wander off on his own." Leonn said, crossing his arms and giving a quick nod of his head.

"Talk about rough luck." Lokuss said grimly, shaking his head. "Avoiding an MPK on day one? That's definitely rough."

"We did that quest when we were starting out, too." Geeou informed them, gesturing towards Silica, who sat next to him with a grin on her face. "They get pretty handsy, those plants. Pulled poor Silica into the air and almost ate her."

"Hey!" Silica shouted, jabbing a finger at Geeou. "If you weren't there, I would have escaped quicker."

"How was I supposed to know those Nepenthes were going to flip you upside down into a compromising position?" Geeou retorted.

Liz had never seen an actual spit-take before - at least not in real life - but she watched with some amusement as Leonn performed one flawlessly, complete with mouth-ejected mist. He started coughing almost immediately after, despite no longer needing to breathe here in Aincrad.

"Eww!" Silica shouted as she found herself in the splash zone. She hurriedly tried to dry herself off with limited success. Technically, all she needed to do was unequip and re-equip his clothes, but it was clear she was not about to expose herself like that. "Gross! Leonn!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Leonn hurriedly apologized. "But look! Check out the guild log."

Liz swiped down with her right index finger, opening the window. She navigated to the guild tab, opened the guild log, and froze. She couldn't believe what she was seeing - and based on the collective shock of those around her, neither did they. "What the crap?!"

"How is that possible?!" Nautilus asked incredulously.

"I don't know, but I like it!" Silica exclaimed.

Sinon smiled. "Tonight just keeps getting more and more interesting."

Liz felt herself smiling, despite her initial shock. This was a great thing, even if it was a little glitchy in nature, she assumed. It came with its own risks, of course, but Liz had no doubt that they could overcome them together. She glanced at the guild log one more time just to verify that what had happened had indeed happened.

[Kizmel has joined the Resolute Renegades.]

A/N:

Alright, let me head off the arguments now before they get out of hand and bleed into my comment and review sections. Yes, I decided to get Kirito and Asuna together earlier than in canon.

Why? Well, for one thing, their circumstances are wildly different here compared to canon. In canon, the duo party together, mostly by themselves, up until the 25th floor if memory serves. During that whole time, Kirito and Asuna never really get to open up with others and really build those social support networks and friend circles that are needed. In canon, they both start off pretty introverted and only have each other to bounce off of. Sure, they'd grow closer but I wouldn't expect anything to come of it, and canonically nothing did until the 74th floor.

Here, things are different. Unyielding Kirito and Unyielding Asuna are significantly different, almost to the point where you could call them OOC in some regards. They're much more sociable and have learned how to open up around others. Because of this, they're much more in tune with how others, and in turn each other, feel. They've built support networks and friend circles that have helped ground them so that they don't get lost in the depressive cycle of floor clearing.

I also really didn't feel like waiting SIXTY-FIVE MORE FLOORS to get them together. I don't have that kind of patience and neither do you. Granted, I'm not writing sixty-five floors worth of chapters, but it's bad enough that it's taken 38 whole chapters to get this far. They haven't professed their love for each other (yet) but now they're aware of how the other feels and a relationship is going to start to blossom from that.

On a side note, you would not believe how much I had to research to make sure I was getting the cast's formal wear right. The guys were relatively easy. Suit, slacks, tie, vest, shoes; easy peasy. The ladies were another story entirely. Dresses are complicated, y'all. I am now slightly more educated in the terminology of women's evening dresses, I guess. The more you know, huh?

And Kizmel joins the Renegades! You didn't think I was just going to bench her after everyone's gotten to know her for the better part of 20+ chapters, did you? Her interactions with players are just too good to let fall to the wayside. We'll learn how this came to pass in the next chapter, I promise.

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it! 'Til next week!