Outlier

by TheCartoonFanatic01

AU. A minor flaw in Kayaba's plan has allowed one out of every 250 players who die in Sword Art Online to return to the real world instead of dying. So when Kirito finally clears the game and logs out, he is surprised to see a familiar girl of blue waiting for him. "Sa...Sa...chi...?" Kirito/Sachi, Kirito/Asuna, multiple other ships! R&R! LONGER SUMMARY INSIDE! RATING MAY CHANGE!

9. Internal Tangent

A/N: Hey, everyone! Hope you didn't miss me too much. Here's yet ANOTHER update from me, to mark the end of April 2022!

In other news, I survived my first full week at my new full-time job. A lot was learned, and I'm still trying to get the gist of things, but I think I'll survive. As for my writing schedule, I have the weekends off, as to be expected, so I'll definitely be spending that writing out stuff. As for weekdays, it depends on the workload that I have. I've been able to fit in some writing on those days, but obviously it isn't be as substantial. In addition, I have to adjust my sleeping schedules and try to account for any and all possible extra work I might need to take care of at home first. We'll see how that fares for me.

Alright, I think I've said enough! On with the chapter. ENJOY!

P.S.: For updates regarding progress on my writing and just life in general, please check out my profile! I try to update it as often as I possibly can with any status update!

P.P.S.: Due to the slowly improving situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak, I am going to have to remind you all about the basic steps you should take if you want to stay healthy, courtesy of my university's reminder emails:

-Wash hands often with soap and water for 20-30 seconds at a time, and/or use hand sanitizer
-Avoid close contact with people who are sick
-Keep your hands away from nose, eyes, and mouth (I can't imagine how difficult this part is probably going to be)
-Eat well, get adequate rest, and exercise regularly
-Get a flu shot if you haven't already and are able to
-Stay informed on the COVID-19 vaccines, get shots if you're able to, and try to get a booster shot if you're eligible

And if you ARE sick (I hope you get better if you are), please be a good sport and save other folks the trouble of getting sick. You can do this by:

-Covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve, elbow, or a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough
-Not sharing food and drinks with others
-Avoiding touching your mouth, nose, and eyes (Again, I understand this is probably going to be difficult)
-Avoiding close contact with others
-Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects
-Staying at home if you're unwell (PRIORITY NUMBER ONE!)
-Staying calm and keeping yourself well-informed (My personal advice)

If you already know this, then great! If you didn't know any of this beforehand, please keep that information in mind as we all go through this trying time. It's a realm of unknowns at this point, and I wish myself and all of humanity well.

---

– January 20, 2025 –
Alfheim, Ancient Forest

"Okay. Who's next?"

But Kirito didn't even give his Salamander opponent enough time to react. He first charged at him with a great, freakish burst of speed, which reduced him to a blur of primarily black. Then, with a mighty swing of his starting-gear sword, the Spriggan sliced the other player cleanly in half. His bifurcated body was sent flying in different directions, suspended for a few seconds, before bursting into red, fiery sparks, then nothing more.

With nothing more than a casual exhale, Kirito looked over his shoulder at Kagemune, who was still airborne and had not done anything to aid his cohorts. The Salamander commander merely gawked at the Spriggan newcomer, his somewhat flabbergasted reaction evident even with his armored helmet on. It was a sentiment shared by the pair of Sylphs that he was saving.

"How about you?" Kirito called tauntingly. "You like fighting?"

Kagemune instantly shook his head and raised his arms in a gesture of surrender. "No thanks, pal! My Magic Skill's gonna reach 900 soon, so I'd rather not die just yet."

"H-Huuuuuh?!" the male Sylph exclaimed from behind his partner. "Y-You're giving up, Kagemune?" He started to take a step out of his self-imposed shelter behind the Sylph girl. "I've never pegged you for- OW!"

"Quiet!" the female Sylph snapped in a harsh whisper.

"Well, at least you're honest about backing down," Kirito commented, addressing Kagemune's surrender. He then looked at the two Sylphs. "How 'bout you two? You up for some more fighting?"

The female Sylph barely restrained a sigh of relief before she replied, "No, I'll have to pass too."

The male Sylph could only shake his head with a feeble whimper.

Then, the female glared up at Kagemune. "But next time, you're going down! Mark my words!"

"Oh, really...?" Kagemune asked with a derisive snicker. "Well, hope you've got the Sapphire Shielder with you next time, 'cause you two seemed like you needed her. And I was really looking forward to a rematch with her."

The female Sylph could only grit her teeth and growl in response. With another snicker, Kagemune took off to the air and departed, his trail of twinkling, multicolored sparkles the only indication that he was even there.

And with that, it left Kirito with the two Sylphs.

---

CHAPTER 8: INTERNAL TANGENT

---

Once things had settled down, the first thing Kirito noticed was the burning scarlet flames, hovering innocuously a couple of inches over the spots where Kagemune's soldiers were slain.

"Hey, wh-what's with the fla-?" he began.

"Shhh!" the female Sylph responded in a low voice. "They're «Remain Lights». The players you killed can still hear you."

The three remained silent for a few more seconds. While they waited for the «Remain Lights» to flicker out, Kirito took a moment to examine the duo he saved. The female was mature-looking and sported sparkling, bright-green eyes and long yellow hair tied up into a flower-like hairband. The other was smaller in stature and personality, and Kirito could've sworn that this player was female too at first glance; instead, he was a lanky teenage boy with green eyes and yellowish-green, bob-styled hair.

Eventually, the «Remain Lights» dissipated into nothingness, allowing the conversation to begin.

"Alright, we're good," the female Sylph said. "So then, who are you, and what do you want?"

"Who am I?" Kirito asked. "And what do I want? Uhhhhh...I thought you'd be a little more hostile with me..."

The female blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You know, 'cause of the whole nine-Fairy-races-vying-to-complete-the-Grand-Quest-first thingy-"

"Well, it's clear you're a newbie who only knows the basics. And I for one am not that heartless, so...spill." Then, all of a sudden, the female unsheathed her katana, which gleamed in the moonlight. "Unless it's a fight that you really want."

Kirito merely sighed and placed his sword behind his back. "Nah, I'm good. I'm more in the mood for you throwing your arms around me or something."

...

"Huuuuuhhhhh?!" both Sylphs vocalized at once in flabbergasted confusion.

"Yeah, you know." He gave them a casual shrug. "We just had one of those knight-in-shining-armor-saving-the-princess moments, so I think it'd be appropriate if you burst in tears and throw your arms around me-"

"Oh, piss off, loser!" barked the female Sylph.

Kirito could only chuckle with amusement at her reaction. There was just something about it that felt strangely nostalgic and homely, and he wanted to elicit more of it. But he knew he didn't have the time for more of that.

"Nah, I was just kiddin'!" he replied.

He started laughing, even as the female Sylph looked like she was ready to cut him in half just like he did with one of the Salamanders. The male Sylph could only take a couple of steps away from his partner in terror.

Then, another, tinier voice spoke up.

"Ugh, no way!"

Kirito felt something stir in his breast pocket, and he immediately remembered the person he brought along with him. He was about to clasp his hands over the pocket, but it was already too late: a young female pixie, ten centimeters in height and with long, flowing hair as jet-black as his, shot out of his pocket at a startling speed. She then started flying around defensively, leaving a trail of sparkles in her wake.

"Mommy and I are the only ones allowed to hug Daddy!" the pixie proclaimed childishly.

Acting on a sudden new reflex, Kirito grabbed the pixie and held her close. "No, Yui!" he whispered in concern. "Stay out of sight!"

But the reactions were instantaneous.

"W-Wait!" the female Sylph exclaimed in confusion. "Daddy?"

But the male Sylph was more astounded than befuddled. "Whoooooa! No way, you've got a «Navigation Pixie»?!" Without controlling himself, he ran up to Kirito, his eyes glued on Yui. "Ohhhhh, no faaaaair! How in the world did you get enough «Yrd» to afford one when you're just a newb?!"

The unwarranted amount of attention suddenly placed on her caused Yui to whimper and squirm uncomfortably in Kirito's grasp. With his dark eyes narrowing, the Spriggan player held his adoptive daughter closer to his chest. Even if the male Sylph looked absolutely harmless, he couldn't afford to lose her again. Not when he managed to recover her just several minutes ago.

"H-Hey," Kirito said, his voice almost sounding like a snarl. "Ever hear of a thing called space?"

The female acted faster on his behalf, grabbing her partner by the ear and yanking him away from Kirito's proximity. She ignored his pathetic wails of agony while she started to address her savior.

"Don't worry about him. He's still bummed that he did not get to win one in that raffle they did on launch day." Then, she took a deep breath and then smiled at him. "Anyway, thank you for saving us. I guess we should introduce ourselves. I'm Leafa."

When her partner did not respond, Leafa finally released of his ear and roughly nudged at his shoulder, motivating him to speak up.

"A-An-And I-I'm R-Re-Recon..." he stammered while clutching his throbbing ear. "N-Ni-Nice t-to m-me-meet you..."

"Nice to meet you guys too," the Spriggan replied. "I'm Kirito. And this is Yui."

He unclasped his hands, allowing Yui to rest on them. The «Navigation Pixie» bowed her head at them before shooting a glum, observant Recon a stare of wariness.

As for Leafa, her posture suddenly stiffened. "...Kirito...huh...?" she asked awkwardly.

"Yeah, that's my name!" Kirito replied before rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. "It's not like I had anything else in mind, anyway..."

"Ah... I see..." Leafa abruptly started to circle around him, scanning his entire body and taking in every last detail of his physical appearance and his clothing. "So...tell me, Kirito... What's a Spriggan like you doing wandering around here? If you're a newbie, why aren't you in the Spriggan Territory?"

"Uhhh...I guess I got lost...?"

"Huh... I see..." Even with such an out-of-left-field, unusual comment like that, Leafa ambiguously narrowed her eyes at him. "So...what're your plans for today, Kirito?"

"My plans?" he asked. "Well, I was planning on heading over to Olso, but...you know what happened next."

"Olso?" Recon asked before his eyes lit up in remembrance. "Oh, we know the way! We've been there many times!"

Kirito smiled in relief. "Great! Maybe you guys could guide me there! As repayment for me saving you guys."

"Yeah, we could do that! W-We most certainly can do that!"

Even as he said that, Recon kept his astounded, intrigued gaze on Yui, which everyone else was quick to notice. Feeling apprehensive, Kirito gently placed his adoptive daughter back into the pocket from which she came.

As for Leafa, she quickly whipped her head away, almost as if she wanted to hide her face. Her ponytail swished with the movement.

"Alright, then," she said. "If that's gonna be our repayment to you, Kirito, then I suppose I don't mind. Olso's a little out of the way, but we can make the flight."

"Nice!" Kirito replied. "I really appreciate it, y-!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Leafa had already summoned her wings and propelled herself into the air. Kirito and Recon could only watch her go in surprise from the ground.

"Uhhhhh..." Kirito focused on Recon. "After you...?"

"S-Sure..." Then, the Sylph remembered something. "Wait, hold on! Do you know how to fly?"

"Yeah, sure." The Spriggan lifted his hand, which summoned his joystick. "Although...I gotta say, flying with this thing's a lil' bit distracting. Maybe I should switch over to that «Voluntary Flight» thing I heard about." He then gave Recon a wide, toothy grin. "That way, I don't have to worry about bumping into you again!"

Recon broke a single cold sweat at the memory. "Yeah... That'd probably be good...for me..."

Kirito just started laughing heartily at him.

---

Olso, Neutral Territory

Sachi softly, repeatedly rocked her head from side to side and hummed a holiday tune to herself while she watched Sinon browse for items at the merchant shops. All around them in the town square, players from all nine Fairy races continued to mingle with one another and coexist in apparent harmony. It was a lovely, peaceful sight for the Undine. It was like all preconceptions of the Grand Quest and the conflicts between the races were forgotten.

"Even if this game is designed in a way that requires competition for the completion of quests," she thought, "it'd be nice if people hung out in the Neutral Territories more often. I swear, sometimes it feels like the act of completing the Grand Quest is more akin to waging a war. It's not like this is reality, after all. Reality is more than just fighting and winning..."

"Yo! That you, Sachi?!"

Sachi looked up and saw a large Gnome approaching her, clad in dark, mossy-green robes and gray armor. But it wasn't just any Gnome.

"A-Agil!" Sachi cried. She stood up and smiled. "You're here!"

"Heh, course I'm here," Agil replied while reciprocating her smile. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

He lifted a large, hammy fist and aimed it at her. Sachi stared at his dark-skinned knuckles for a moment, trying to figure out what the gesture was supposed to be and how to properly respond to it. After a few seconds of awkward processing, the Undine hesitantly raised her own, smaller fist and lightly bumped her knuckles against his.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said.

"Well, like you said earlier today!" Agil patted her shoulder twice. "It's for Asuna, after all."

Sachi forced herself to widen her smile. "Yeah. For Asuna."

Then, before she could ask Agil where Kirito was, she heard another voice holler out to their direction.

"Yo, Agil! This the chick you told us about!"

Two others approached them, distinctly standing out even in the milling crowd of various ALO players. One of them was a Salamander, judging by his predominantly red clothing, while the other appeared to be a Leprechaun due to her unique, metal-gray, armored gloves, which contrasted with her choice of mostly pink clothing. Agil turned towards the group and gave them an informal, friendly smile.

"Yeah, this is her," the Gnome said.

As for Sachi, she was absolutely stunned. "Uhhhhh, Agil? Wh-Who are these people...?"

Her voice caught the attention of the Salamander, a young man with spiky red hair, a hooked nose, and a stubble on his chin. He stood out from all of the other Salamanders in the square with his distinctive black-and-yellow bandana...

And the literal pink hearts that popped into his roguish eyes the exact moment he saw Sachi.

"Be still my heart!"

Sachi yelped in surprise as the Salamander knelt on one knee before her and took her hand in his. He suddenly looked a lot like a prince out of a fairytale, serenading the princess that he'd just saved. Her year's worth of experience in fighting enemy Salamander forces left her at odds on what to do in such an unusual scenario.

"The name's Klein, ma'am," the Salamander said. "And who might you be?"

Sachi could only manage out an apprehensive "Uhhhhh..."

Off to the side, Agil huffed and shook his head in exasperation. "Dude, I'm pretty sure I already told you her name..."

Klein ignored him and proclaimed, "It doesn't matter! Know this, my darling! If any peril were to befall upon you during our noble quest, know that you can always depend on me for prot-!"

A cyan arrow suddenly shot past the Salamander's head, barely missing it by centimeters but cutting him off regardless. It struck the lamppost behind him with a soft but resonant thunk before dissipating. A few seconds later, torn threads of fabric sprouted outward from the side of Klein's bandana, one by one, until it was clear that the arrow had grazed it.

For a moment, Klein didn't react to this near-death experience, aside from his frozen face of joy. Then, the color drained from his face, and his smile took on a terrified quality to it as Sinon walked up beside Sachi. Her next arrow was loaded into her bow.

And she was giving Klein a stare borne from the depths of Hell while aiming said bow at his face.

"Get. Away. From. Her," she hissed.

Klein let go of Sachi's hand, emitting a weak, fearful whimper that was a far cry from his prior serenading. As for Sachi, she chuckled with awkward apprehension and gently took Sinon's arm so she could lower the bow for her.

"It's alright, Sinonon!" the Undine exclaimed. "I'm sure he didn't mean any harm!" She then looked at Agil. "Right...?"

"Yeah, don't you mind him," Agil replied while shooting the Salamander a stern glare. "Klein here flirts with pretty much any female that's got a pulse."

"Now that's putting it mildly," the Leprechaun droned. She then approached Sachi and Sinon and held out a hand toward the former with a friendly smile. "Hi, there! Name's Lisbeth, but you can call me Liz."

"Uhhhhh..." Sachi skeptically took Liz's hand and shook it. "N-Nice to meet you, Liz. I'm Sachi, a-and this is Sinon."

Sinon gave Liz a tiny, wary wave.

"Sachi and Sinon, huh?" Liz asked. "Nice to meet you both!"

"Ummm..." An uncertain Sachi scanned the group that had gathered before her, Sinon, and Agil. "Ca-Can I ask...what're all of you doing here, and how do you all seem to know Agil?"

"Oh?" Liz let go of the Undine's hand and put her hands on her hips in a bold stance. "We know Agil through Kirito!"

"Through Kirito?" Sachi looked at Agil in confusion. "Agil, what's going on?"

"Y-Yeah..." The bartender awkwardly scratched his cheek in guilt. "Sorry 'bout that, Sachi. But they all know Kirito from SAO too."

"Really?" Impressed, she looked at the group again, her fellow SAO survivors, as the pieces began falling together in her mind. "So...that's why they're all here? To...To help out?"

"Y-Yeah. I...sorta told Klein 'bout what was happenin', and I guess word started to spread. 'Fore I knew it, Klein calls me back a couple minutes later, sayin' he and Liz wanted to join in on our lil' investigation."

"Damn right, we did!" Klein exclaimed determinedly. "I've known Kirito since the day we got trapped in SAO! He was the one who showed me the ins and outs of the game! If it weren't for him, I'd be deader than dead a long time ago!" With a proud smile, he pounded a clenched fist over his heart. "I owe the man my life! And my pals and I have fought alongside Asuna many times before! If either of 'em are in big trouble, there's no way we're gonna leave our swords lying down on their accord!"

"And I've forged swords for Kirito in the past," Liz added. "Not to mention Asuna and I are good friends. I am NOT gonna leave either of them behind without a second thought. So, if you need anyone with crafting skills, then you know who to turn to!"

"I..." Sachi hung her head low in shame. "I appreciate your drive and your enthusiasm, you guys. I really do. And I don't doubt that you really want to help. But...none of you have to do this-"

"Ah, nonsense!" Klein cried boisterously. "We know all the details! But we ain't giving up on Asuna! Even if the chances of her really being up in that big tree are super-slim, we are gonna chase that lead to the ends of this world! And there's no way in hell we're gonna miss out on this!"

"Please, Sachi, Sinon," Liz begged with clasped hands. "Kirito and Asuna are our friends. We have every right to help the two of them out, just as you do. Even if..." Her pink eyes started to shimmer with emotion. "E-Even if it means having to make some personal sacrifices. So, please!" She bowed her head at the two girls. "Please let us help our friends! I know we all have something to offer for this! I just know it!"

"Even if you try to lock us out, we're just gonna keep butting in anyway. Ain't no way you're gonna stop us from helping Kirito and Asuna out!"

"It's true," Agil interjected, catching Sachi's and Sinon's shared attention. "I told 'em there was no need for them to help out, but they kept insistin'. I had to give in and buy 'em their own copies of ALO." He then scowled at the pair. "Speakin' of which, don't forget, y'all owe me for the yen I had to waste on your broke asses!"

"I know, I know..." Klein moaned.

As for Sachi, she could do absolutely nothing but gawk at Klein and Liz in awe. She could feel the loyalty and compassion to Kirito and Asuna radiating from their bodies, baring their entire souls for her to behold. The Undine already concluded from the sounds of their resolute voices and firm postures that it was useless to turn them down. They had to be let into the fold.

So, she sighed and said, "Alright, you guys. I...I honestly don't know what sorts of uses any of you will have here, but all of you can come all the same."

Liz smiled cheerfully and beamed at the Undine. As for Klein, he knelt before Sachi on one knee again, which did nothing but make her skin crawl.

"Ohhhhh, Sachi!" the Salamander exclaimed. "Your kindness and understanding are just as overwhelming as your beauty and- OW! OW, OW, OW!"

Liz had grabbed Klein by the ear and started forcibly dragging him away, all the while ignoring his protests.

"Put a sock in it, Casanova," the Leprechaun deadpanned. "Game's over on that front."

"OW, OW, OW, OW, OW!" Klein grunted. "Come on, Liz, don't Brock me like that! OW! Y-You're gonna bring down my HP like th- OW, OW, OW!"

Sachi chuckled nervously while Agil slapped his forehead with an exasperated sigh. As for Sinon, she ambiguously looked away in disappointment...

---

– X-Y-X –

---

"This is it! Olso!"

Recon's voice brought Kirito out of his reverie. The first thing he saw was Leafa making her descent towards the modest-sized, humble town with dozens of small buildings, cottages, and stands lining the streets and pathways. The masses of dots below, denoting the ALO players, were of different sizes, shapes, and colors, reflecting the diversity of its populace. These players mingled and conversed together without incident, a stark contrast to the Sylph-Salamander confrontation that he stumbled his way into earlier.

"Whoa..." he thought. "It's just like the Town of Beginnings, or Lindarth! It looks so peaceful...so beautiful..."

He felt an odd surge of nostalgia and longing coursing through his heart. But, the Spriggan ignored it as he followed his two Sylph escorts down to the ground. Leafa landed on the ground first, then Recon, and finally Kirito, who stumbled for a second as his obsidian wings gave one last flutter and disappeared.

"Well, here we are," Leafa announced in a slightly stiff voice. "Olso."

"So, where was it in Olso that you needed to go to?" asked Recon. "We can show you the way there, if you'd like."

"Well..." Kirito strained to remember Sachi's instructions. "My friend didn't say where exactly she wanted to meet in Olso. Only that it would be our rendezvous point."

"Huh. If so, the first place to start would be the town square. It's deep in the heart of Olso." Recon started walking down a certain pathway. "Come on!"

The Spriggan smiled with relief. "Thanks, Recon." Then, he arched an eyebrow in amusement while he followed his new cohort. "You know, for a timid guy like yourself, you sure started to show a lot of initiative this past half-hour."

Recon stopped and twirled around in shock. "D-Did I?!"

"Yeah! It's kinda like you switched roles with Leafa all of a sudden! Now she's the one who's all reserved." He looked over his shoulder at the female Sylph. "Or am I mistaken, Leafa?"

He looked at her just in time to catch her strangely vacant expression disappearing. With a surprised gasp, she shook her head like a little girl and glowered at him.

"O-Of course you are, du-dumbass!" Leafa snapped, loudly enough that it caught the attention of passersby. "Just so you know, I've got other things on my mind today, so don't you assume I'm a sheltered little flower that needs protecting!"

"Okay, okay! Jeez! A little touchy today, are we?"

Yui suddenly poked her tiny head out of Kirito's breast pocket with an enthused grin. "But Daddy's right! I sense a heavy, sudden change in your usual behavioral patterns. The change occurred around the time Recon volunteered to escort you here!" She tilted her head like an inquisitive puppy. "Do you perhaps...like a partner who shows initiative?"

"HUUUUUHHHHH?!"

This time, it wasn't just Leafa who expressed her shock, but also Recon. Both Sylphs stared incredulously at the eloquent «Navigation Pixie», then at each other, and then back at her.

"I-If you mean in a friendly, cordial manner," Leafa squeaked, "th-then of course I do! I-I don't like being in the company of players who don't know what to do a-and just wind up dragging you down during quests!" She glowered at Recon, who cowered under her gaze. "And that's usually what Recon is."

"Ouch," Kirito commented with a wince.

But Yui innocently pressed on. "But I mean in a more intimate manner, Leafa! Do you prefer a partner with initiative? Do you like the kind of initiative Recon has shown?"

"OF COURSE NOT!"

This time, everyone in the pathway heard Leafa's outburst. Kirito could've sworn he heard Recon glumly whimper behind him, but he didn't have time to dwell on it, for he realized Leafa was marching towards him.

"I don't know how or why you managed to program your «Navigation Pixie» to say such things," she growled, "but this is NOT funny...Kirito."

For a moment, Kirito thought the Sylph warrior was going to unsheathe her katana and impale him on the spot. Instead, she wound up marching past him and Recon and continuing down on the pathway, muttering to herself all the while. The two boys watched her go, one in confusion and the other in moroseness, before following after her.

In Kirito's pocket, Yui's eyes were trained on Leafa's retreating form, narrowed in her analysis.

"Such a peculiar reaction," she noted in a low voice. "Her evident anger indicates sensitivity about the subject of intimacy between partners, but the reddening face seems to point to some other, deeper emotion. Interesting. It seems like more surveys are needed-"

"Alright, now," Kirito said while using his finger to push Yui's head back into the safety of his pocket. "That's enough out of you about this subject, young lady."

"H-Hey!"

---

A few minutes had passed by the time Kirito, Leafa, and Recon reached the edge of the town square. The Spriggan took a brief moment to absorb the sight of players from all nine Fairy races interacting with one another, like the Grand Quest was an afterthought in their minds. And as he did so, he heard Yui's voice speak to him from his pocket.

"Uh, Daddy?"

"Hm?" He looked down at his daughter, who was looking up from inside the pocket while holding up its flap-like seal with a hand. "Yes, Yui?"

At first, Yui fidgeted in her father's pocket with a hint of uncertainty, a movement that Kirito found to be pretty adorable. Then, she finally asked her question, and Kirito could tell it had been dogging her mind for some time.

"Who's that friend you talked about?"

"Huh?" Kirito blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Your friend. The one who told you to meet here." Yui flew out of his pocket and sat on his shoulder. "You didn't mention her to me before. Is she going to help us find Mommy too?"

"Ah, crap," the boy thought in a slight panic. "I was so distracted by Yui coming back to me and filling her in on what has been happening and meeting Leafa and Recon that...Sachi just slipped from my mind..."

But even as his mind rationalized his oversight, Kirito could feel his heart aching in denial.

"Yeah, that's what happened." He sighed. "But I should tell her now."

"Yui..." he said out loud.

Yui tilted her head. "Hm? What is it, Daddy?"

He tried his best to keep a straight face. "This friend of mine, she's a...pretty close friend. So...please don't take anything that she and I say to one another the wrong way, okay?"

"O...Okaaay..." But Yui looked even more confused than ever, and this time, it wasn't something that the boy found to be adorable. "But I don't understand, why're you telling me this, Daddy? I know that you love Mommy more than any other girl."

Kirito immediately became defensive. "I-I know you do, Yui! I know! I-It's just, well..." He pursed his lips apprehensively. "You got a lil' protective when I made that joke about Leafa hugging me."

"Well, of course I did!" Yui crossed her arms and looked proud of herself. "You're my daddy, and I'm your daughter! Only family can hug one another! That's why I said only Mommy and I can hug you!"

"Well...yes, that's true, Yui, but friends can hug too."

"But only as friends! The hugs that I am talking about are the ones that are very intimate!" Yui held out her arms widely, appearing just like the child she materialized as. "The ones made between people who love each other very, very much!" She then looked ahead at Leafa's and Recon's backs. "Like Leafa and Recon!"

Kirito couldn't help but laugh softly, relieved that neither Leafa nor Recon could overhear their conversation.

"You really want Leafa and Recon to become a thing, don't you?" he asked.

"Mm-hm! That way, Leafa can stay away from you, Daddy!"

This took him aback. "Stay away from me? Wh-Why do you want her to stay away from me?"

"Because I noticed the way she was looking at you." Yui narrowed her eyes at the female Sylph ahead. "More analysis is needed, but from what I can gather, she's developed a clear interest in you ever since you introduced yourself."

"Did she now...?"

In his mind, Kirito's panic was rising. "Crap, Yui's analytical skills are out of this world! I hope she doesn't sense anything going on between me and Sachi! It won't be good if she does!"

"Daddy," Yui said, bringing her father out of his thoughts, "is that why you told me not to take anything between you and your friend the wrong way? Because you're afraid I'll got protective like what happened with Leafa?"

"Yeah, that's right, Yui." Kirito nervously scratched the back of his head. "Listen, I appreciate you making sure our family sticks together, but you could just wind up making things look awkward. Trust me, Yui, there's nothing going on between me and any other girl, no matter what you might see or think..." He then grinned and used his free index finger to brush away a lock of Yui's jet-black hair. "Trust me, the only girls that I will love from the bottom of my heart will always be you and Mommy. Understand?"

Yui blinked and stared at him for a moment, before smiling back and nodding. "Mm-hm! Okay, Daddy. I understand. And I trust you."

He chuckled and patted her on the head with the same index finger, causing her to coo adorably.

"That's a good girl."

At that moment, a voice called out to the group, cutting Kirito and Yui's conversation short. The «Navigation Pixie» flew back into her father's pocket at the sound of the voice.

"Yo, Kirito! Over here!"

The quartet looked toward the middle of the town square. Standing there were an Undine, a Gnome, and a Cait Sith, who Kirito easily recognized as Sachi, Agil, and Sinon, respectively.

"Kirito!" Sachi called while waving animatedly at him. "It's me! Sachi!"

"Sachi?!" Kirito called back. He couldn't help but feel astounded at her appearance as an Undine.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute!" Leafa yelled in disbelief. She looked back and forth between the Spriggan and the Undine. "You...You know Sachi?!"

"Yeah. She's the friend I talked about."

"She looks nice," Yui commented from the safety of Kirito's pocket.

"Hold up, your friend?! As in..." Leafa's skin started to pale slightly, but Kirito didn't notice. "Your IRL friend?"

The Spriggan nodded. "Yep! And...I guess it goes without saying that you two know her as well?"

Leafa's shoulders started to sag. "Well...yeah..."

Kirito did not notice the strange reaction. Instead, he turned and moved away from Leafa and the equally dumbfounded Recon, and towards Sachi. But, as he approached her and more ALO players began to clear away from the space on the square, he swiftly took notice of the two other players standing beside the trio that he had been looking for.

"Ugh?!" Kirito grunted. "N-No way! Klein?!"

"Yo, Kirito!" the Salamander replied with a roguish grin and a thumbs-up. "Long time, no see!"

"A-And Liz?!"

The Leprechaun smirked playfully and approached him. "What? Didja think you'd get to play the hero and let us miss out on all the fun?!"

"B-But...I don't understand... How'd you know about-?" Kirito cut himself off and slowly glared at a certain Gnome. "Agil, what the hell did you do?"

"I'm sorry, man!" Agil replied, waving his palms defensively. "I sorta blabbed to Klein, and then word spread amongst the other SAO survivors, and then these guys told me that they wanted to join up!"

"Agil!" Kirito moaned in a hushed voice of exasperation. "I was..." He briefly looked at Klein and Liz in shame. "I was sort of hoping that this would be a low-profile thing."

"Hey, who said that this was gonna be a low-profile thing?" Klein asked while stepping forward with crossed arms. "For all we know, there could be some humongous-ass boss guarding the place they're keeping Asuna at! I mean, no one's come close to completing that Grand Quest or whatever, right? So, no one knows what to expect if they get far enough!" Then, he cockily pointed at himself. "That's where we come in!"

"Klein, I-" began Kirito.

"Kirito."

The Spriggan turned towards the owner of the voice. Sachi approached him with a fond smile as she regarded the brand-new presences.

"It's alright," she said in an assuaging, almost maternal tone. "They're here to help."

"But-" he began.

"They are. I know, I was surprised too, but they were insistent, and, well...I can feel their resolve. Their care for Asuna. They really want to do this with us, regardless of whether we want their help or not." She looked back at him. "And who are we to stop them?"

Kirito reluctantly looked at Klein and Liz, both of whom looked back at him with confident grins and even more confident postures. He then turned his gaze to Sachi, who nodded at him in approval. Finally, he heaved out a sigh of ambivalence before glumly looking back at his friends.

"If you insist..." he moaned with a sluggish shrug.

"Alright!" Klein yelled raucously. "It's time to kick some ass!"

Meanwhile, Kirito sighed again and turned toward Sachi, only to see that she was now preoccupied with Recon. The male Sylph had just approached her with wide eyes of amazement.

"So," Sachi commented in slight excitement, "I see you've met Kirito."

"Y-You could say that!" Recon exclaimed. "H-He saved our butts fr-from an attack by Kagemune!"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "By Kagemune?"

"Y-Yeah! I-It was an ambush o-on Sigurd's party, in Ancient Forest! W-We got split up, a-and Kagemune was about to cr-cream me and Leafa when he showed up!" He pointed at Kirito's direction. "Took all three of 'em down in one swoop!"

"Did he now...?" The Undine's lips curled into a small but fond smile. "That's the Kirito I know..."

"S-So...s-speaking of which..." Recon reflexively adjusted an invisible pair of glasses. "H-How exactly do you know Kirito, Sachi?"

"Well..."

Sachi looked at Kirito, only to see that he had been watching her the entire time. A second later, the Undine whipped her head back to her fellow party member, her face as florid as a strawberry.

"W-We're close friends IRL," she said. "Th-That's all."

"That's all?"

This time, it wasn't Recon who spoke, but Leafa. The female Sylph slowly walked up to her, and there was a strange look on her face, a look that Sachi couldn't read. Even so, the Undine gave her friend and mentor a friendly smile.

"Yeah, that's all!" Sachi replied innocuously.

"That's all..."

Leafa suddenly hung her head, and her eyes were hidden by bangs of her blonde hair. Sachi suddenly felt uncomfortable and was about to ask her what was wrong when a tiny, cute voice spoke up.

"That's good!"

Kirito felt his pocket pop open, followed by a small whoosh of air whizzing by him. He watched as Yui flew right in front of Sachi's face.

"If you are a friend of Daddy's, then you are a friend of mine too!" she proclaimed. "As long as you don't get too close to Daddy!"

It took a solid thirty seconds for Sachi to process the words coming out of the «Navigation Pixie»'s mouth.

"H-Huuuuuh?!" she exclaimed.

"Daddy?!" Liz asked in equal disbelief.

"Dayum, Kirito!" commented an impressed Klein. "Since when did you and Asuna get it on- HUACK!"

The Salamander keeled over, holding his stomach in his arms, while an exasperated Kirito sighed and withdrew his fist.

"It's a long story, you guys," the Spriggan said. "But basically, this is Yui. She's a... She's an AI program that Asuna and I found in SAO."

"An AI program that you guys found in...SAO?" Agil asked while eyeing Yui from head to toe in intrigue. "How the hell did she manage to get all the way in here?"

"Well, I managed to save her in my inventory as an item. Another long story."

"In your inventory? Wait, you mean your inventory from SAO? But...that doesn't answer my question of how she got into ALO. Unless..." Agil's eyes widened in shock. "My man! Are you using your SAO account?!"

Kirito nodded. "Yeah."

"Then that means...you're using your old NerveGear!" When Kirito nodded again, Agil asked, "What the hell happened to you using Sachi's spare AmuSphere?!"

"Hold on," Liz interjected. "What's this about using Sachi's spare AmuSphere?"

Kirito couldn't help but gulp. "I...I don't know what you mean by that, Liz, but it's not what you think." He then coughed sharply to clear his throat. "And besides, I...decided to use my NerveGear for...ahem, personal reasons."

"I-It's true!" Sachi interjected.

"B-But that's not all! My old Skills, stats, and items from SAO were transferred over to ALO."

The Undine's head perked up in surprise. "They...They were?!" she asked. "How's that possible?!"

"Daddy retained the same character data that he used back in SAO," Yui explained. "The formatting for ALO's save data's almost identical to SAO's. Everything he had in SAO that was similar to data in ALO got ported over and merged."

"Sooooo..." Klein said while tapping his chin, "does that mean you still have that killer Dual Wielding Skill? Sounds like it could come in handy."

"I'm not sure," Kirito replied. "Most of the stuff I saved over from SAO showed up as a bunch of question marks. I guess ALO's system didn't recognize them well enough. I...I had to clear my whole item inventory so the game's error detection program doesn't find out about them..." The Spriggan took a moment to grimace from his loss. "The only reason I've still got Yui is because she's a Mental Health Counseling Program for SAO."

"A Mental Health Counseling Program?" Liz repeated. "How come I've never heard of that?"

"Because the Cardinal System blocked her from carrying out her duties after Kayaba turned SAO into a death game. For redundancy purposes and all that. Anyway, in ALO's world, the closest thing to the MHCP was its Player Support program, otherwise known as the «Navigation Pixie»."

Kirito started petting the top of Yui's head with his fingertip, causing her to squeak uncomfortably but adorably. It made Sachi suddenly feel nostalgic.

"That is why Yui's here," he concluded. "ALO recognized her well enough that she got ported over in her entirety."

"And now," Yui said while flying around her father's head, "I get to help him save Mommy!"

"Mommy, huh...?" Sachi repeated, almost to herself.

"Awwwww, that's sooooo unfair..." Klein moaned. He had just recovered from the punch to the gut, but he was grimacing from a different kind of pain now. "You get more laid in a video game more than I do in real life- HUACK!"

This time, the gut punch was delivered by Liz.

"Did you hear a frigging word that Kirito just said, idiot?!" the Leprechaun snapped.

Klein collapsed to the ground in a pathetic fetal position, whimpering very much like a wolf and its wounded pride. Kirito and Sachi both chuckled nervously, Yui watched on with strong interest, Agil clapped his forehead in disbelief once again, and Leafa and Recon stood there in confusion.

Then, a low but commanding voice spoke up, its monotone catching everyone's attention.

"I thought Sachi and I would be teaching Kirito the ropes of the game..." Everyone looked towards Sinon as a cold aura suddenly swept over them. "But now, I am hearing things about AIs and SAO and this Asuna person." She narrowed her turquoise eyes slightly. "Tell me, what's really going on here...?"

"Y-Yeah, I-I'm a lil' lost too," Recon added. "M-Mind st-starting over...fr-from the very beginning, perhaps...?"

Kirito and Sachi looked at Sinon, Leafa, and Recon, all of whom were staring back with expectant looks. Kirito then took a glance at Sachi, which she returned. When the Undine nodded in approval, he sighed and looked back at the trio.

"Okay," he said. "You guys are friends of Sachi's, so I think all of you should know what's going on too."

---

"I see. So, you're looking for this...Umbra player, huh?"

"Yeah...that pretty much sums it all up so far."

Kirito watched as Sinon took a small sip of her drink, while Leafa absentmindedly stared into her mug and Recon looked on with rapt interest. Right now, the entire group was sitting in a tavern, where Kirito, Sachi, and Agil spent the last few minutes recollecting everything to Sachi's friends. Yui was sitting comfortably on Kirito's right shoulder, Liz had her eyes trained on Kirito from the other side of their table, and Klein was tending to his gut with an icepack.

"Umbra," Sinon continued coolly. "The Latin word for 'shade'. Hmmm. He definitely sounds like he could be an Imp, if not a Spriggan."

"Yep," Sachi replied. "That's what I was thinking too, Sinonon. And he's in the same party as another player who he says recognized Asuna at the top of the World Tree."

"A-Are you guys sure this...Asuna girl's actually up in the World Tree?" asked Recon. "Sounds like a mighty coincidence, if you ask me."

"Well, how else do you explain the girl in the birdcage?" Kirito asked resolutely.

"Actually, I've got many ideas, none of which I wanna entertain right now! For spoiler reasons!" Recon then scowled like a pouty child. "Those damn Launchers. If they actually leaked a quest in the World Tree, then I'm gonna-"

"I have seen the photos they took, Recon," interrupted Sachi. "And I've seen Asuna. They look like they are one and the same."

"I've seen the photos too," Liz added. "And I've known Asuna for two years now." She gave an intense stare. "I know it's her up there."

Sachi's blue eyes softened. "Listen, I know Kirito and I are basing this off a hunch, but I think we have a right to know if we're wrong or not. And...if we're right, then who knows what else might be happening inside ALO? For all we know, the other 299 players who have not yet been freed from SAO...they might be trapped in ALO too!"

Kirito suddenly observed Sachi's fingers raking against the table's hard surface in anger. Though he wasn't an expert on what girls thought about, he knew that the Undine was thinking about Keiko in that moment.

"Something horrible might be happening under everyone's noses, and right now, we're the only ones who could stop it!"

"W-Well..." Recon replied, "n-n-now that you put it th-that way..."

Sachi quickly relaxed and took a deep breath before saying, "Look. I know all of this still sounds a little outlandish. And I won't blame you guys if you don't believe me. But..." She scanned Sinon, Leafa, and Recon, one by one, with fondness in her eyes. "At the very least, I ask of you: please keep this to yourselves at the moment."

"My lips are sealed, Sachi," Sinon replied with a firm, loyal nod.

"We-Well..." Recon briefly hesitated. "I-I mean, i-if you're right, then this could be a very scary situation. A-And if you're wrong, th-then we just spoiled the next level of ALO..." He started to shrink in his seat while looking around at the other occupants of the tavern. "E-Either way, I don't wanna be the reason all the other players are up in arms about this whole thing! I can't deal with that kind of responsibility!"

Sachi sighed in relief. "Thank you, you guys." Then, she looked at Leafa, who was still staring into her mug. "Well, Leafa? What do you say?"

"Huh?" The female Sylph finally looked up from her drink. "Wh-Wha?"

"You gonna keep everything that you just learned to yourself?" The girl in blue clasped her hands together. "At least until we find out what's up?"

"O-Oh, right! Uhhhhh..." Leafa suddenly became hesitant. "Y...Your secret's...safe with me..."

The Undine beamed happily. "Thank you. I knew I could count on you." She looked at Sinon and Recon. "On all of you."

"Well," Sinon replied coolly, "if that's the case..." She stood up and adjusted her quiver of arrows on her back. "Then I'm going with you guys."

"You are?!" Kirito, Leafa, and Recon exclaimed simultaneously.

But Sachi smiled at her Cait Sith friend. "I thought you'd say that. Thank you, Sinonon."

"Nice!" Agil replied in approval. "Another member of our lil' team!"

"Welcome to the club, girl!" Liz added encouragingly. She patted Sinon on the back, though this caused her to awkwardly stiffen up.

All of a sudden, Recon shot up from his chair. "I-If Sinon's coming along, th-then I'm going too!"

"H-Huh?!" Leafa squeaked in disbelief. "B-But I thought-?!"

"If this is very important to you, Sachi, Sinon," the male Sylph interrupted while screwing his eyes shut, "th-then it's my responsibility as a member of your party to tag along! I'd be like a useless, cowardly weakling if I didn't!"

Upon hearing the last sentence, Kirito impulsively looked at Sachi and noticed the look on her face. To his surprise, it was one of nostalgia from those words.

"Find out why a weakling like me ended up here. Find out the reason you and I met."

"From one weakling to another, huh...?" he thought.

"O-Okay, then!" Leafa blurted out, joining Recon in standing up. "I-If you're going along, Recon, then I guess I've got no choice but to come along too!"

"Leafa..." Sachi replied happily.

"A-Are you sure, Leafa?" asked Recon.

"Of course I'm sure, dummy!" snapped Leafa. "You said it yourself, y-you're like a useless, cowardly weakling! So in case you're gonna hold the team back, then I might as well be there to put you back in shape!"

"Can't argue with that," Sinon remarked in a monotone voice. "She is the only one who can literally scare you straight."

"Wh-What's that supposed to meeeeean?!" whined Recon.

"Ah, sweet!" a recovering Klein cried while his eyes sparkled in jubilation. "We've got three different cuties joining up our team! How lucky can a guy g-" He started waving his hands in a panic. "Okay, okay, I give, I give!"

Sinon lowered her bow and asked, "Now that that's settled, where exactly do we start, you guys?"

"W-Wait, h-hold up!" Kirito exclaimed, finally finding his voice again. "Look, I know you're Sachi's friends and all, but we all just met. I wouldn't feel right, having all of you involved in this-"

"Too bad, Kirito."

Sinon's voice was so cold that it made the Spriggan's skin crawl. He looked at the Cait Sith and saw her staring back at him with her piercing, catlike, turquoise eyes.

"Wherever Sachi goes, I go," she said. "We made a promise to one another." She looked at Sachi with a soft smile. "That I stick close to her."

Sachi returned the smile with one of her own. "As long as she sticks close to me."

"A-And I'm in the same party as them!" Recon shouted. "I can't just sit by and watch the girls that I l- eh, a-admire, f-fly themselves into danger! I'll follow them wherever they go!" He unsheathed his dagger and held it up in the air, taking on a dramatic pose as he did so. "I'm their dagger, and no dagger leaves its owner's hip!"

"Weird analogy, but okay," Sinon deadpanned.

Recon moaned in response and sat back down on his chair.

"Kirito," Sachi said, catching his attention, "their minds have been made up already. I can tell." Then, she smiled brightly at him. "Look, I think we'll need all the help we can get. And three more members of this party wouldn't hurt one bit."

Kirito slowly blinked in concern, a gaping hole of uncertainty opening deep in the bottom of his gut. Then, his gaze swept through the table that the entire group was occupying.

Agil gave him a nod of approval.

Klein gave him a friendly, determined grin.

Liz smiled sweetly at him.

Sinon gave him a curt nod that was almost indiscernible.

Recon still looked unsure of all of this, but the glimmer in his eyes told Kirito that he had made up his mind.

And as for Leafa...he couldn't read her expression at all from her strangely hung head, but she didn't give him any signs of reluctance or ambivalence to the whole thing.

"Daddy," Yui piped up from his shoulder, "I think greater numbers would give us a tactical advantage over the situation. There are lots and lots of unknown variables at play here. We might not be able to save Mommy by ourselves." She then looked at Sinon, Leafa, and Recon. "Plus, I could tell from the sounds of their voices. Their desire to help is genuine. The probability of us convincing them to stay away is extremely low."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it..." Kirito replied somberly.

"Kirito," Sachi said in a gentle, tender voice, "I know you want to protect us from whatever might be coming up. Just like you did when you didn't tell the Moonlit Black Cats of your true level."

At the sound of his former guild, Kirito gasped and looked at her. She simply smiled back.

"But now," she continued, "everyone knows your true power. Everyone knows what you are really capable of. And we still want to help you, all the same. No matter what lies ahead. We know all of the dangers, but it's our choice on whether we should face them with you beside us or in front of us. And we choose to be beside you, till the very end."

Sachi slowly put an assuaging hand on his other shoulder. "You can stop shouldering all of the responsibility now, Kirito." She gestured to all the others. "We can take our fair share of the weight, all of us. You can trust us. And besides..." She slightly widened her smile. "A hero is never really alone in their own story, you know."

Kirito took a moment to let Sachi's kind words sink in. He took a deep breath, released it, and then, finally, he gave all of his friends a small smile. As he did, he could feel a weight being taken off his shoulders.

"Thank you, you guys," he said, redirecting his gaze to the congregation. "It...I-It means a lot to me. And to Asuna too... Truly... I..." Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. "I..."

"Hey, don't mention it, Kirito!" Klein cried. "Leave all the details to us!"

"We've got your back, man," added Agil.

The others nodded or made noises of agreement. Kirito sniffled once, then he used his forearm to wipe the tears from his eyes. And finally, once he was done swallowing his pride and his fears, the Spriggan looked back at his comrades.

"Okay," he said. "So where do we start?"

"Well," replied Sachi, "we find this Umbra person and his friends, that's where."

"Y-You said Umbra and the rest of his party are Launchers, right?" Recon asked. "Well, you can expect to find those guys somewhere in a Neutral Territory. They're either Renegades or one step away from becoming one, after all."

"Renegades?" Liz asked. "What're those?"

"Players who do not pledge their allegiance to the Fairy race that they choose, or any other race for that matter. Or they can be those who are banished from their race. Or they're just those who leave their home Territories all willy-nilly. B-Ba-Basically, they're just nomads, flying around from place to place, with no loyalty whatsoever. And because Launchers try to get around completing the Grand Quest in one way or another, they're stigmatized by everyone else, especially by all those coming from the race they selected. No one wants to be around a cheater or have anything to do with them, after all."

"I see," replied a sympathetic Kirito. "So...with nowhere else to go, they can only call the Neutral Territories their home, because they can mingle with all races equally without having to deal with the expectations of any individual one."

Recon blinked in intrigue. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"You could say that..." The Spriggan's dark eyes then narrowed in focus. "Recon, Leafa, you two seem to have the most experience in ALO out of all of us."

"Th-That we do..."

"What can you tell us about the Neutral Territories?"

"Well, for starters, they're mostly inland. Ninety percent of them, in fact. They make up the area known as Alne Plateau, and the World Tree is situated at the center of it. There's a bunch of towns and villages scattered throughout the plateau, but all of them pale in comparison to the capital of Alfheim, Alne. That's the Neutral Territory of all Neutral Territories. All sorts of interracial fighting is forbidden there, punishable even. It is also the central trading market for all of Alfheim, so everyone of all races go there if they want to buy something good."

"Alright. And what about the remaining ten percent of Neutral Territories? Like Olso? I notice that it's sitting between the Sylph and Cait Sith Territories."

"Well, those are smaller in size, and yes, they are scattered between all nine Territories. Few of them are as big as Olso, though."

"So, in other words," Liz replied flatly, "we're looking for a needle in a bunch of big haystacks?"

"I'd imagine it'd take a couple months at least for us to get a lead," Agil commented.

"Wait, hold on a moment," interjected Kirito. "Recon, you said that Launchers are stigmatized by players from their own races in particular, right?"

Recon nodded softly. "Y-Yeah, that's right..."

"And...we have to assume he's an Imp judging by his name choice..." Kirito rubbed his chin while getting lost in thought. "Maybe...we can go to the Imp Territory and ask around there..." His eyes started to light up from the plan. "Perhaps we could start with the Imp Lord! If Umbra stirred up attention as a Launcher, then they would be the best-positioned player to know who he is and where he could be!"

Everyone stared back at him in stunned silence. Then, after a minute or so, Recon shot up from his chair, nearly knocking over his chair in the process.

"Are you CRAZY?!" he cried. "The Imps are the enemy! We can't just waltz into Imp Territory and ask for their help!"

At that moment, the Sylph realized he caught the attention of everyone else in the tavern. The Imp players in particular were scowling at him in displeasure. With a face as red as cherries, he sat back down in embarrassed silence.

"He's right, though," Sinon remarked. "The Imps are aligned with the Salamanders, and they're the enemy."

"They're in direct conflict with the Sylphs, the Undines, and the Cait Siths," Leafa piped up, at long last. "If they see any of us together, that'll be basically akin to our races declaring war on them. Even more neutral races like the Gnomes and Leprechauns could be roped into the misunderstanding, all because you guys-" She looked at Liz and Agil. "Were spotted with us."

"So it's useless appealing to the Imps for help..." replied a glum Kirito. "They're unfriendly to the other races..."

"Well, that's a bummer..." Klein added.

"Not all the other races," Sachi said in realization.

She slowly turned her gaze towards Klein. Kirito followed her eyes and swiftly realized what she was getting at.

"Great idea, Sachi!" the Spriggan exclaimed.

"Huh?" A quizzical Klein blinked thrice. "Gr-Great idea? What's a great idea?" Then, he noticed everyone's eyes turning to him, and he started to sweat nervously. "Wh-Why's everyone looking at me like that...?"

---

"So it's settled. We'll start tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright. See you tomorrow, man!"

"Catch ya then, Kirito! Nice seeing ya again!"

"Bye, Kirito! I can't wait! Nice to meet you too, Sachi!"

"L-Likewise!"

Kirito and Sachi waved Agil, Klein, and Liz goodbye as they walked into the respective rooms they rented out. As soon as the last of the doors closed, Sachi turned around to face Sinon, Leafa, and Recon.

"Thanks again, you guys," the Undine said gratefully. "You have no idea how much this means for me."

"W-Well!" Recon replied boldly. "L-Like I said, I'm your dagger, Sachi! A-And no dagger leaves its owner's hip! Ever!"

"And like I said," Sinon deadpanned, "that's a weird analogy, but okay." Ignoring Recon's moan of dismay, she smiled at Sachi. "But you're welcome...Sachi..."

Leafa just nodded her head with a low murmur of acknowledgment.

"Well!" Sachi turned towards the door to her room. "Guess it's time to retire! See you tomorrow, Leafa, Recon!"

"Bye..." said Recon as he bashfully waved at her.

Leafa simply turned her back on the group and retreated into her room without saying another word. Sinon watched her go for a moment before nodding at Sachi and then walking into her own room. As soon as he realized that he was alone with Kirito and Sachi, Recon took a second to blubber incomprehensibly, and then he scampered off to his own room.

Leaving Kirito and Sachi alone.

"Well," the Undine said, turning towards her fellow Spriggan, "guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow, huh?"

"Y-Yeah," Kirito replied shyly. "S-See ya then."

He turned toward the door to his own room and reached for the doorknob. But as soon as his fingertips touched the fake yet realistic metal, a sudden impulse drove him to turn around and face Sachi again, just in time to see her approaching her own doorway.

"W-Wait!"

"Huh?" Sachi looked over her shoulder and at Kirito. "Yes, Kirito?"

"Are..." Kirito hesitated, unsure of why his thoughts were suddenly so jumbled. "Aren't you gonna...come in...?"

"C-Come in?" the Undine repeated incredulously. "Come in for what?!"

"To-"

Another impulse stopped Kirito from speaking. He finally remembered the folly of his query, and with an intense blush of embarrassment, he turned back to his own door. In the confines of his mind, the adolescent was beating himself up with such raw, emotional brutality.

"N-Never mind..." he completed in a low, feeble voice.

The Spriggan quickly retreated into the room and closed the door behind him before Sachi could call out to him. With an extremely labored sigh, he pressed his back against the wooden surface, his mind reeling from the near-Freudian slip.

"No," he thought. "No. She's grown a lot with the help of ALO. She's not a scared, timid girl anymore. And this is a game where it's okay to die, anyway. She doesn't need to sleep with you anymore. She can sleep in her own room, by herself. She's not gonna die on you again.

"...She's not..."

"Daddy?"

"H-Haugh!"

Kirito nearly stumbled over himself as Yui flew straight out of his pocket again. He then watched while a bright, growing flash of light enveloped her for a few moments. When the light faded away, the appropriately-dressed «Navigation Pixie» was gone, and standing in her place was a normal-sized girl wearing a simple white dress. She seemed no older than six or seven, but Kirito knew the truth about her age.

"Yui..." he breathed out in surprise.

"Do we have a plan now...?" Yui asked in a drowsy voice.

"How long were you napping in there?"

"Ever since you started talking about how to get into the Imp Territory..." Yui replied, her tone still drowsy but now taking on a more matter-of-fact tone. The child stretched her arms outward and yawned. "Wow. The physiology of a child's body is surprisingly weak compared to that of an older body. Not to mention these kinds of bodies feel an unnecessary need to expend as much energy as possible rather than tactically conserve it..."

"Well, you'd understand if you met children in the real world." Kirito then smiled fondly. "When you do, that is..."

He started to visualize a future in which he managed to bring Yui into the real world and allow her to live life as a normal human being, not as a mental health program for a video game. He could easily visualize her frolicking in Kawagoe Park with him and Sachi looking on-

"Sachi?" Kirito shook his head in frustration. "No! Asuna is Yui's mother! Asuna! Get your damn facts together, Kirito- er, Kazuto! Get it together!"

"D...Daddy...?"

Swallowing a gasp of apprehension, Kirito looked at Yui and realized that she was now looking at him in concern. All hints of drowsiness were gone from her expression.

"Are you alright, Daddy?" Yui asked worriedly. "Your behavior has been strange lately. Are you in distress over Mommy?"

"Yeah," Kirito lied, before he could help himself. "Yeah, you could say that. I am."

"It's okay!" Yui pumped her fists in determination. "We'll save her, I know we can!"

"Y-Yeah..." Kirito forced his thoughts about Sachi to the back of his mind, and he smiled down at his daughter. "Yeah, we will. For sure!"

"Mm-hm!" Then, the girl looked around, taking in the sight of Kirito's bedroom. "Oh, this is one of the private rooms that players use to log out without any complications." She looked up at him. "So you're leaving?"

"Yeah. With everything that's been going on, we all thought it'd be best to start again tomorrow. Officially, this time. We have a plan anyway, so we know what exactly to do, first thing." But the boy smiled as he fondly stroked his daughter's silky head. "But I'll be back soon. It won't be that long."

Yui softly nodded in acknowledgment. Then, she gave him an adorable frown of concern.

"Daddy? Would...Would it be alright if I slept next to you? Just until you log out?"

"I'm sorry. I can't seem to get to sleep. Would it be alright if I slept next to you? Just for tonight?"

Despite all of his efforts, Kirito's memories of Sachi stubbornly, persistently forced their way back to the forefront of his mind. He had to force himself to smile lovingly at Yui.

"Yeah, sure," he replied. "I don't mind."

Even with his heart and mind battling between loyalties to Asuna and Sachi, Kirito rejoiced at the sight of Yui smiling with genuine happiness.

---

In just a couple of minutes, both father and daughter were lying side-by-side on the bed. They were wrapped in a large, warm blanket and tenderly facing each other. Having sensed no signs of recent movement, the flame in the room's lamp had automatically snuffed itself out.

"We're gonna save Mommy, Yui," Kirito said encouragingly. "You, me, Sachi, and all of the others. Then we'll go and buy a house somewhere again. Just for the three of us. You and me and Mommy."

"That would make me so happy," replied an elated Yui. "You know, living with you and Mommy again would be a dream come true!"

With a smile, Kirito put a hand on her shoulder. "It's not a dream. I promise you, I'll make it a reality."

Yui giggled in excitement and nodded. Then at that exact moment, Kirito felt the drowsiness creep over him, at long last. He kept his metallic eyes on his daughter and her innocent smile as he allowed the sandman's embrace to take him. And before his increasingly heavy eyelids fluttered shut, the Spriggan heard three last words from Yui.

"Good night...Daddy..."

---

– X-Y-X –

---

Unbeknownst to either Kirito or Yui, Sachi had been watching them through their slightly ajar door. Her heart felt a pang of guilt for venturing out of her room when Kirito went inside his and then surreptitiously opening the door, by just a tiny crack, so that she could eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Then we'll go and buy a house somewhere again. Just for the three of us. You and me and Mommy."

"That would make me so happy. You know, living with you and Mommy again would be a dream come true!"

"It's not a dream. I promise you, I'll make it a reality."

"I see..." Sachi thought. "Not only is Kirito married to Asuna, but they've taken in this Yui girl as their child, even if she's an AI program. And Yui's taken a strong liking to them. She recognizes them as her parents. There's...There's no way I'll ever measure up to that... There's no way I can ever be a part of her life like that..."

She took a deep breath and closed Kirito's door as slowly as she possibly could. To her relief, the door didn't make even a single creak as it latched itself shut against the doorframe. Then, the Undine turned around, crossed the small hallway in a couple of strides, and retreated back into her room as she originally planned. But instead of heading over to her bed to log out, Sachi spaced out, her eyes blankly taking in the room before her.

"I'm not Asuna. I'm not the kind of the girl Kirito likes. I don't even come close. I can only be a friend in Kirito's eyes. A friend...and nothing more..."

"Do you maybe wanna go out somewhere with me? Just the two of us?"

"Sure. Where do you wanna meet?"

"B-But...if so..." Sachi placed a hand on her cheek, the same one Kirito abruptly kissed yesterday. "Why'd he accept my invite to Kawagoe Park...?"

---

– X-Y-X –

---

Alfheim, Top of the World Tree

Above the massive banks of clouds over Alfheim, in a position that easily overlooked the nine Territories below, a golden, human-sized birdcage was tucked between two long, massive, snakelike branches, obscured by the green foliage of the World Tree. Inside that birdcage, someone sat at a marble table for two. A teenage girl with the face and aura of a young woman, dressed in scanty white-and-red clothing that did not suit her at all in her current situation.

She was all alone, save for two birds that had been keeping her company for the endless, unknowable stretch of time she had spent in the cramped cage.

A lock of chestnut hair fell from her shoulder as she held out a hand towards the two birds. They watched her fingers curl outward from her fair palm, with one bird hopping closer to the other, its primarily black plumage contrasting surprisingly well with its partner's gray-and-silver one. Other than that, the two birds originally didn't react to their third companion's small but kind gesture, borne from compassion and a sliver of nostalgia.

But then, their primal but understandable instincts of survival kicked in, and the two birds flew off, two synchronous trails of chirps left in their wake. The girl watched them go with her hazel eyes, which glimmered with loneliness and hurt. She then hung her head and stared blankly at the clean, flawless marble surface. Her mouth opened and emitted a tiny sigh that nevertheless carried two years' worth of emotional weight.

At first, the birds' lovely, tranquil chirping permeated the air from a few moments longer. And then, the chirps faded back into the bleak, oppressive oblivion of silence, leaving the girl truly alone.

"Sorry... Sorry... I swore, I promised I'd save you, get you back to the real world, but I...I couldn't..."

"It's okay. It's okay. I'm happy I got to meet you, Kazuto, and to be with you, and to live with you. This is the happiest I've ever been in my whole life. Thank you for that. And I love you."

"I love you, so very much."

The girl pursed her lips, trying her best to hold on to the shred of sanity and rationality that was dangling before her. But the days and weeks and months she spent in her predicament were chained to her ankles, threatening to drag her down to the waiting depths below...

"Right now, your face is more beautiful than anything, Titania."

The girl gasped and quickly buried her feelings of anguish behind the calculated, strategic, stern mask she had spent the past two years cultivating. Glowering at the doorway to the cage, she saw her visitor, who was smirking in triumph as the gold bars to the door ascended, allowing him to enter the domain that had been forced upon her.

"The way you look like you're about to cry," he said. "I wish I could preserve it and hang it up on a wall."

The visitor was a slightly older, but strikingly beautiful man with green eyes and wings, along with long, pointed ears and shoulder-length blond hair that gleamed brilliantly in the moonlight. He also wore a crown of magnificent gold and a long, dark-green cloak, both of which sported identical emeralds that held them together. Everything about him, in contrast to her, struck a grand and boundless impression of royalty and power. It was so grand and boundless, in fact, that it all felt artificial and unnatural on him.

"What are you waiting for?" the girl asked firmly and bravely while easily averting her gaze from him. "Permission?"

The man chuckled nastily once he walked up to her while the door closed behind him. He leered down at her, his emerald eyes tracing every centimeter of her exposed skin. A cold shiver crawled up the girl's body many times, but she remained firm and showed no traces of fear or horror.

"You can do whatever you want," she continued. "I have no say in the matter. You're the system admin, after all."

The man chuckled again, briefly this time. "Such cold words from such a pretty mouth." With a smirk, he leaned against the marble table with one hand. "Now have I ever laid a hand on you when you didn't want me to...Titania?"

He spoke the name with a toxic lewdness that laced the four syllables the moment they exited his mouth. At the sound of the name assigned to her, the girl glared at her visitor again, this time with a clear hint of rebellious determination.

"Stop calling me by that stupid name," she spat. "My name is Asuna... Sugou."

The way she addressed the man by that name, with all of the hatred in the world put into her tone, did nothing to shake him from his foundation. Instead, he calmly withdrew from his position and started pacing around the cage while raising his arms high in the air in a grandiose gesture.

"You're spoiling the fun," he said. "In this world, I'm known as Oberon the Fairy King! There's not a player who wouldn't give everything to be the ruler of Alfheim!" He then returned to his original position near her, by the table. "And you are Queen Titania, my breathtaking bride! What more could you ask for?"

Asuna simply rolled her eyes at Sugou's self-serving exposition.

"So," Sugou continued, "as my queen, as my bride, when will you give your heart to me?"

She narrowed her hazel eyes without looking up at him. "Never. The only things I'll give you are disgust and hatred, and nothing more."

But Sugou just continued to smirk. The corners of his lips were even twitching in an unpleasant sight, almost like he was in the process of telling a joke that only he found funny. He stepped in front of her, forcing her to look up at him.

"You're a stubborn girl, I'll give you that," he said. "But you know...for a while now, I've been thinking...about how you'll change your mind soon enough."

"For you?" Asuna asked flatly. "Never. My heart's been set on it since day one. You're nothing more than a lowly little pile of scum who doesn't deserve any love or kindness." She narrowed her eyes. "You disgust me."

Sugou's smirk faltered for a second, and his eyelid twitched almost imperceptibly. But even then, that visceral reaction of emasculated fury brought a spike of immense joy to Asuna's heart. But she soon steeled herself when her captor started to chuckle again.

"A lowly little pile of scum, you say?" he asked.

"Yes..." she replied, her voice lowered into a soft hiss as she recalled what Sugou told her when she first woke up in this terrible birdcage. "Manipulating human brains to influence thoughts, emotions, and memories? Illegally experimenting on hundreds of people? Using them as guinea pigs while you develop your...your terrible technology?!"

Sugou's smirk broadened in victory. "300, to be exact. And don't forget...you're one of them."

Asuna ignored his thinly veiled threat and continued with her unrestrained insult. "And not to mention planning on selling RECT over to some American company and betraying my father? My father, who placed his unconditional trust in you?! Of all the men I've known in my life, you're the worst of them all, without a doubt, Nobuyuki Sugou. When I get out of here and tell my father and the police of everything that you've done, you'll be kicked out of RECT and thrown into a tiny cage like this one, for the rest of your miserable life."

Then, the girl's lips twitched into a smirk of her own, as she tried to suppress all of the memories of Sugou doing ghastly things to her body every time he came by to visit.

"And with a pathetic little guy like you in there? The other inmates, the ones who have been in prison for a while...ohhh, they're gonna want some entertainment, and you'll fit the bill nicely."

But Sugou was undeterred. "When you get out of here?" he repeated before scoffing. "Oh, please."

Asuna's smirk faded. "Well, what did you expect? For me to stay inside this cage forever? You'll see. He'll come and save me."

"Really?" Sugou feigned innocence and obliviousness. "Who will? That hero boyfriend of yours?" He leaned in towards her face. "Goes by the name of Kirito?"

The girl felt her heart suddenly stop beating, even as she released a stunned gasp. Sugou took a brief moment to relish in her reaction before leaving his position to pace around the cage again.

"What, you think I didn't know?" he asked. "His real name is Kirigaya. Kazuto Kirigaya. I met him the other day...in the real world. In your hospital room, of all places." Then, his green eyes started to glint brighter, like he was finally getting to the punch-line of his brilliant joke. "And guess who was with him? Go on, Titania, go on and take a guess! I'd love to hear what you think."

Asuna didn't reply, for she did not even know what the answer was supposed to be. This allowed Sugou to swoop in, his eyes widening madly and his smirk turning into a predatory grin.

"Another girl."

She was taken aback in an instant. "A...Another...girl...?"

Sugou nodded gleefully. "Yeeeees. And yes, it's exactly what you think. The two of them were so touchy-feely that it was almost disgusting. And to suck on one another's faces in front of you on that hospital bed?!" He started to swoon with an overdramatic grandiosity. "So morbidly disgraceful that I almost lost my breakfast."

"Okay." Asuna quickly narrowed her hazel eyes, and she defiantly shot up from her chair. "NOW I know you're lying, you bastard. Kirito and I love each other. We matter to each other. He is my life as much as I am his." She clenched her fists so tightly that they quivered. "So I swear, if you even touch a single strand of hair on his head, I'll break free by myself, and I'll track you down no matter where you are, and I'll take every last God-awful thing that you did to me and him and all of those players, and I'll do all of them upon you tenfold! I am going to make your pathetic life a LIVING HELL!"

But Sugou still remained calm in the face of Asuna's resistance and threats. "Oh, but my darling Titania, you didn't hear me out on the full story! The other girl's name is Hamaguchi. That ring a bell?"

"No."

Sugou blinked in surprise, but he pressed on. "Oh, really? Then how about her first name? I believe it waaaaas...Sachi?"

"Sachi? N-"

A certain memory, dug out from the depths, suddenly pierced through Asuna's memories, cutting her off.

"I'm the reason the whole guild was wiped out. If I hadn't hidden the fact that I was a Beater, I could've convinced them how dangerous that trap really was. I killed them. Sachi... All of them."

"When Kirito was talking about that guild he lost," Asuna thought, "he mentioned a Sachi in particular. When he said that name, he said it with...with such fondness... But..." She furrowed her brow slightly. "That can't be. He said they all died. How could Kirito be with a girl named Sachi now? It's gotta be a coincidence. It has to be!"

Unfortunately, Sugou noticed her furrowed brow, and her hesitation to complete her response was enough confirmation that he needed. He snickered malevolently and returned to Asuna's side so he could mockingly pat her shoulder.

"Oh, there, there, my sweet Titania," he said. "Don't you worry. I would never betray you like Kirito did. Although I could understand why he would go for a girl like Hamaguchi..." He stared through the birdcage's gold bars with nostalgia in his eyes. "She is a very pretty girl, that one. If it weren't for you and your unrivaled loveliness, I'd tap her without a second thought. Kirito's a very lucky man regardless-"

"No," Asuna growled, angrily shrugging off her captor's hand. "You're lying, Sugou. You're lying."

"Am I now? As you were lying there in that hospital bed, I told Kirito I'd be marrying you next week. My God, you should have seen his face. You could see all the colors filling it up like juice in a cup! He could barely keep himself from laughing in relief!"

As he spoke the last sentence, it was Sugou who started laughing along with himself. Asuna narrowed her eyes further, a white-hot flame of anger flickering powerfully within her.

"You're delusional if you think I could ever fall for that blatant trickery."

"I see... So your loyalty to Kirito is so strong and steadfast that not even adultery allegations could sway you. Oh, well. I know what I saw, and I can assure you that I am telling you the truth." Sugou then tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I should send someone to follow the two of them and take some photos as proof of my veracity."

"Or you could just hire someone to fake such photos," Asuna suggested derisively.

Sugou giggled for a moment. "Ohhhhh, you're sooooo convinced that your beloved Kirito could do no wrong. How lovely." He broadened his sneer, relishing in her irritation. "I can't wait to see how long that faith of yours will keep standing once I show you what he's been up to with that whore of his. If anything, that brat won't have the guts to put on a NerveGear ever again on your accord!"

Asuna looked away from him with gritted teeth, refusing to humor his madness any further. Apparently sensing that her resolve was breaking, Sugou pressed on.

"That reminds me, I promised him I was going to send along a wedding invitation! But I'm not sure if he'll come. He was way too preoccupied with that Hamaguchi girl to even think about seeing you in your wedding dress. Hopefully he'll come to respect my little show of generosity and accept, but I wouldn't put him past that."

With that, Sugou started walking towards the door to the birdcage, leaving behind a furious but conflicted Asuna. There was a small skip present in his step, which the girl overheard and felt disgusted by.

"Well," he said elatedly, "I have to get going now, Titania. I hope you don't miss me too much."

"I'll start missing you when Hell freezes over, Sugou."

With a chuckle, Sugou approached the keypad on the right side of the door and started punching in numbers. Realizing her opportunity, Asuna subtly looked over her shoulder and observed the movements of his fingers, hoping to calculate which buttons he was pressing.

Unfortunately, it was just like all of the other times she tried this: his hand and the keypad were heavily pixelated, which prevented her from deducing the code he was typing. All she could glean was that it was an eight-digit code, judging by the eight consecutive beeping noises she heard each and every time.

"Goodbye, my love!" Sugou called with a sickeningly sweet voice, just as the door opened up and he stepped through the doorway. "Till we meet again!"

Asuna could only watch her captor make his leave with a triumphant strut while she remained helplessly seated near the marble table. Once he followed the elaborately-designed pathway carved on one of the World Tree branches and went out of sight, the girl took a deep breath and resumed her vacant, depressed stare upon the marble surface in front of her.

"The two of them were so touchy-feely that it was almost disgusting. And to suck on one another's faces in front of you on that hospital bed?!"

"My God, you should have seen his face. You could see all the colors filling it up like juice in a cup! He could barely keep himself from laughing in relief!"

"I can't wait to see how long that faith of yours will keep standing once I show you what he's been up to with that whore of his. If anything, that brat won't have the guts to put on a NerveGear ever again on your accord!"

"He's lying," she thought persistently. "He has to be. Kirito and I are married. We made a vow to one another. We swore that we'd protect the other, no matter what... And yet..."

"The other girl's name is Hamaguchi. That ring a bell?"

"Oh, really? Then how about her first name? I believe it waaaaas...Sachi?"

"Sugou seemed...very specific about that girl's name..." Then, Asuna caught herself and lightly slapped her cheeks with both of her palms. "NO! No, no, no! I can't let that monster get inside my head and toy around with it! This is all part of his plan to get to me! To break my resolve and my faith in Kirito!" She started to relax, and her lips curled upward into a tender smile. "I have faith in Kirito. Always have, always will. He will save me, because he's my hero."

Then, Asuna looked towards the sky and closed her hazel eyes. When she did, she easily recalled the last time the two of them were together.

She still felt him wrapped around her, in the warmest, most loving embrace one could possibly imagine.

His rough, protective forehead against her smooth, silky own.

Him, even if everything else around them no longer mattered, rendered meaningless by the codes and algorithms.

Just him. A tender feeling. There was nothing else in this world that she wanted to feel again.

"Kirito..."

She opened her eyes again, and a single tear fell from the corner of one of them. Even then, her tender smile was still on her face, etched beautifully upon it and radiating all of her love and passion for the black-haired boy who changed her life for the better.

"I'll be waiting for you to come and save me," she said. "In the meantime, I'll remain strong for you, and figure out what I can do on my end. Just...come, and save me...my hero..."

As Asuna continued to look up to the sky, she heard the twin sets of lovely chirping returning. The two birds from before, her unlikely companions in this trying time, reentered her cage and perched themselves upon the other side of the table. The black bird hopped closer to the gray-and-silver one, their presences clearly assuaging one another.

---

Next Time: Distance

---

A/N: YES! Now THIS was a chapter that I looked forward to writing for the longest time! And I think you all can see why, because the search for Asuna is no longer a two-man operation now. The entire core SAO gang is involved, sans Silica for obvious reasons. And now that Yui has introduced herself to the gang a lot sooner than the canon dictated, it's obviously ripe for a lot of interesting interactions and exchanges.

And speaking of Yui, now that Sachi knows about how Kirito and Asuna have become the doting parents of an AI girl, it's opened up a whole new can of worms for our female protagonist. Does she still pursue her feelings for Kirito despite the risk of tearing this family apart in the process? Or does she sacrifice those feelings to keep this loving family intact? It is definitely quite the predicament for her, this one. And Kirito seems to be having a similar predicament as well...

Oh, and finally, we get to see how Asuna's doing in the meantime! Obviously, she's not faring any better than her canon self, but I promise you all, I have no intention of shoving her down to the role of damsel in distress as well. I plan to give her a more proactive role in this AU, but it's not going to get in high gear until later on in the story. In the meantime, she has to deal with the possibility that Kirito might be seeing someone behind her back now. It may not be a likely scenario to her, given who's giving her that information, but wait till she sees what Kirito's been up to while she's been under...

Now, I'd like to thank the following people for reviewing:

-MeMyselfAndI82907:

1) Yeah, and Sugou will be having his moments as soon as the climactic finale gets started.

2) And unfortunately, there's some unresolved baggage that Kirito will have to deal with in the process, which we will be delving into in the following chapters.

3) I don't know if you were following, but Umbra wasn't the one who took the photo and recognized Asuna. He's just the one who's been distributing it, along with the information that one of his teammates potentially recognizes her. Umbra is the one who had the weird seizure-like moment before being forcibly logged out of ALO.

4) Well, both Sachi and Sinon have a long way to go before they finally, properly have a confrontation with Endou.

5) Ohhhhh, trust me, there's a lot going on with Sinon that we haven't touched yet. I think you'll learn more as we all go along... ;D ;D ;D

-MassiveCollateralDamage:

1) Yep, gotta love our favorite hack shopkeeper and real-life bartender! XD XD XD

2) Yes, do be on the lookout!

-Kairan1979: Ummm, would you mind elaborating more in your next review? Is there anything that you liked about the fic so far? Anything you might have disliked? Any questions or other comments? It'd be greatly appreciated!

-Guest reviewer: Well, I meant it more in the roundabout, long-term, grand-scheme-of-things kind of way, but yeah, I did notice that I made him say her influence on him was more direct. I understand there was a lot more factors going on, such as, you know, Asuna's frigging DEATH. But yeah, my bad on that part.

Well, hope you enjoyed this slightly late chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!